Trash television is everywhere these days. It’s on almost every channel and we’re all guilty of watching it sometimes. It’s hard to argue what’s more popular, screaming housewives or cooking shows. Though there is one channel that seems to dominate the reality show circuit, and that is the one and only VH1. Bravo rivals VH1 in the pointless shows about nothing, but with almost 10 shows that focus on the lives of D-List celebrity significant others, it takes the cake. One franchise in particular is clearly the pinnacle of the network. Now, "Love and Hip Hop" isn’t a show I frequently watch, I’m more into the ones that offer a prize at the end, like, "Hell’s Kitchen" or "Top Chef." Anything with Gordon Ramsay honestly, but back to the train wreck that is, "Love and Hip Hop."
The show is notorious for stirring the pot of black culture. And despite backlash from the black community, its viewers continue to grow. VH1’s latest venture, "Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood", whose second season premiered a few weeks ago, is one of the more popular ones, and with its sophomore yea,r introduced a new couple I was more than excited to see. For the first time in its history, the franchise would feature a gay couple.
Bisexual or lesbian women have been featured on the show for many seasons which helped add to the muddying of “relationships” or whatever you want to call them. Two gay men have never been featured on the show, but there has been many negative comments thrown around by cast members about the possibility of another cast member being gay. This new introduction, I thought at first to be awesome, then I started actually watching what was happening with the two male stars, more importantly I observed how they were being portrayed.
Now everyone knows that most reality shows are scripted, this one especially. It’s extremely scripted. I can’t stress that enough. The real issue here is that one of the male characters is closeted, and there has been so much uproar over the last few seasons regarding accusations of men on the show being on the “DL.” Which basically describes a black man who dates women who is actually gay, and despite being with said woman, still has sex with other men. It’s an extremely negative label and thought process that has been floating around the black community for years.
A few responses posted by twitter users who watch the show.
The issue isn’t the character’s closeted homosexuality; it’s how VH1 is using it as a plot device. The man, Miles, former girlfriend is also on the show and has no clue that he is in fact gay. She wants to get back with him and is seen talking him up to her girlfriends. VH1 can clearly see the bomb that is going to go off when it is revealed that he is gay. Part of me wants to give the channel the benefit of the doubt, but all I can think of and I’m sure they’re thinking of this also, that the ratings will be astronomical.
Using a gay man’s struggle with his sexuality to garner ratings is disgusting. There’s a particular scene where the couple is in a strip club and Milan, Miles’ out boyfriend does a “confessional” about how he wishes he could kiss his boyfriend in public, but knows he can’t because “being a gay rapper would ruin his career.” Mona Scott-Young does not seem to have the best interest of any of these young black people she employs. An empire has been built and she keeps adding wings to her mansion. I’d like to give her the benefit of the doubt and pray that this storyline opens people’s eyes and hearts about how life is really like for young black gay men. The Love & Hip Hop franchise is not a positive representation of black culture, and it needs to be destroyed.
