Billy Crystal Says That Gay Scenes On TV Sometimes Are ‘Too Much For Me’
Billy Crystal was one of the first actors to play a gay character on television, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t wary of some of the gay content that ends up on the small screen.
The comedian opened up about his feelings regarding the nature of gay scenes on television while speaking at a panel for the Television Critics Association on Sunday in Pasadena, California.
“Sometimes I think, ‘Ah that’s too much for me,'” Crystal said. “Sometimes, it’s just pushing it a little too far for my taste and I’m not going to reveal to you which ones they are.”
In recent years, more and more queer content is making its way onto the airwaves. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters and storylines can be seen in popular shows like Looking, Modern Family, Empire, Transparent, How To Get Away With Murder, Orange is the New Black, American Horror Story and Glee.
Following a backlash over his comments, Crystal addressed what he said in an interview published on Xfinity’s TV blog, saying in part:
“First of all, I don’t understand why there would be anything offensive that I said. When it gets too far either visually…now, that world exists because it does for the hetero world, it exists, and I don’t want to see that either. But when I feel it’s a cause, when I feel it’s “You’re going to like my lifestyle,” no matter what it is, I’m going to have a problem and there were a couple of shows I went ‘I couldn’t watch that with somebody else.” That’s fine. If whoever writes it or produces it…totally get it. It’s all about personal taste…
“We live in a very scary time in many ways. You can’t say this, you can’t say that, you can’t offend this group, that group. People come up to you and ask if you were offended. I don’t understand that. I understand it why everyone is watching out for the other person. That’s offensive to me.”
About author
You might also like
Indonesia proceeding with ban on gay apps and websites
Indonesia has decided to ban Grindr, Blued, BoyAhoy and dozens other LGBT websites and apps. The Indonesian government reportedly started looking into banning gay dating apps in the country after
Gay Man Gives The Best Response To Troll Who Chats Him Up On Grindr With An Insult
A gay man shared a tweet that went viral, a clear indication that many others could identity with it. Jono Mitchell is an Atlanta-based filmmaker and actor, who has used
Twitter Wastes No Time Coming For Melania Trump On Her “Borrowed” Michelle Obama Speech
Melania Trump had her big moment in the national spotlight at the Republican National Convention. It was supposed to be all about her husband and why he would make a
32 Comments
Max
January 24, 05:55Oh wait, I forgot… He looks like a trans(From lady to man)… Or a butch lesbian or something..
pinkpanthertb
January 24, 05:56Lmao. True that
Pete
January 24, 07:19Anything bad in being a trans or butch lesbian? Discrimination amongst us. Have issues with his utterances but don’t insult sexual minorities (is that not what we accuse others of doing?)
Max
January 24, 07:44Its like you saw me in your dream @ night.. You simply can’t grasp a good joke.. I’m using what he hates against him.. You need to grow some sense of humor.
pinkpanthertb
January 24, 07:51You really have a hardon for Max this morning, doncha Pete? 🙂
Pete
January 24, 08:08Max,i didn’t see you in my dream. I won’t mind though if that will make you finally teach me the MTN cheat. You saw it as a joke,others may not. Most fatalities started off as a joke,the Charlie Hebdo killings for instance
Pete
January 24, 08:09PP,anything bad in that?
Lanre Swagg
January 24, 12:28Max is always saying bad things against sexual minorities, then passing them off as satire or jokes, and PP is always supporting him.
The 1st time it was women, today it’s butch and trans. If u talk like this in NY or so, they might do a non-satirical CharlieHebdo on you…
Max
January 24, 12:36Honey, I did a piece few weeks ago on a trans lady Leelah Alcorn.. Go and read it.
MacArdry
January 24, 17:50Yeah,the piece on Leelah Acorn.The one you took a dig at people of faith,the one as confirmed my suspicion about most commenters on KD.If it’s not gay,irreverent,doesn’t tow the popular line on here,then it’s not to be tolerated.
Deola
January 24, 06:03Billy,Billy, Billy the goat do us a favor and park well eh. Dazzal I haf to say on this matters.
Absalom
January 24, 06:18Well, historically, sexual minorities have had it rough. So anything you say that is not direct praise or a compliment, you have to explain your motives right after. Or we ask for your head – nicely. It is what it is.
Pete
January 24, 06:21Nothing wrong with his observation. Moderation should be applied in all programs destined for TV
Deola
January 24, 06:39Oh please…thats bull.
Thats why there is a selection of programs to choose from, for example from the programs listed above, Modern family and Glee are very ‘family friendly’ and dont have explicit sex scenes. Billy should stick to watching those because they don’t push it ‘too far’.
No one is forcing him to watch How to Get away with Murder, or Orange or Looking…
I find it fishy that he doesn’t mention heterosexual sex scenes are equally or even more explicit on tv until he received backlash for his previous comments and then he tries to create a balance by mentioning ‘the heterosexual world’.
Max
January 24, 07:46Ok its like we have the next king in our midst. Do you scream moderation when they flaunt hetero sex all over TV??
Y’all should watch out for this dude.. I smell internalized homophobia.
Pete
January 24, 08:15So,anybody with a different opinion on KD is suffering from internalized homophobia?
Pete
January 24, 08:33Max,read my comment again & focus on ALL
chestnut
January 24, 07:11Gay scenes on tv are “too much” for you? No papi; that extra stomach on ur NECK is too much for me!
(I’m sorry that he might be having some sort of throat-health issue…or maybe he’s just fat…)
Not the most articulate statement I ever read; I didn’t understand a lot of what he was saying…(Or maybe I’m still sleepy…)*yawn*
Absalom
January 24, 07:30I thought I was the only one who didn’t understand a thing!
Ace
January 24, 13:07Chestnut I swear! The part he was quoted came off as babble. He should get over himself. There was a time too that people were disgusted my interracial kissing on t.v but now all that has changed. Let him not push us back to dark times.
JustJames
January 24, 07:15Straight scenes on TV are too much for me.. I can’t stomach them. Ozwai.
Absalom
January 24, 07:39Straight scenes are not too much for me. Of course, that’s what I’ve been bombarded with since birth, so I’m used to it.
Which is what the rest of the world should do: get used to seeing gay sex all up in their faces.
In 5 generations people won’t even notice the “difference”. They’ll just sex scenes.
Mercury
January 24, 07:43He should rest jhor!!!!
tobby
January 24, 08:00Opinion guys, OPINION
Pete
January 24, 08:16At last,somebody who shares same view
Dennis Macauley
January 24, 08:26It’s okay for us to see straight sex scenes, but god forbid they corrupt our minds with gay sex scenes! Double standards anyone? You don’t like it, log onto you-tube or something.
Meanwhile I like how powerful the gay movement is in the west that homophobes are always struggling to explain themselves after saying something nasty. They are forced to drink their homophobia with coffee and smile!
Lol
SNSR
January 24, 11:12I’m sorry if this makes me seem dense but was there really anything homophobic about his initial statement?
pinkpanthertb
January 24, 15:06Not really homophobic. Just a statement of double standards.
Mr Kassy
January 24, 12:55” They are forced
to drink their homophobia with
coffee and smile!” Lol Dennis ur evil!*and Mrs M???????hmmmm *oduanya*
Lord II
January 24, 14:04Sorry Mr kassy didn’t u get the memo…Mrs M isn’t Mrs M anymore hian…..
Biko don’t spoil the plan we have of getting that new village calabar boi for him ooo! He will protect our interest am sure.
Brian Collins
January 24, 16:35Hian!!! Who served the memo? and when? I have not seen anything o.
You see what i was talking about when i said there is some big conspiracy with chestnut and pinky and maybe even Max and Absalom sef very much involved. It’s as if Miss Granger ‘silencioed” them on the matter. I am not interested in “smelling the coffee”. Dennis come and spill o.
pinkpanthertb
January 24, 16:38Hahahahahahaa silencioed. Nice!