AfterElton.com Interview with Showrunners Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen

In case you guys missed it, here is the link.  AfterElton's Michael Jensen interviews Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen about the show's portrayal of gay men.  Jensen calls Kevin and Scotty "two of the most authentic gay characters on television."

Newlyweds Kevin and Scotty enjoy romantic beach get-away

http://www.afterelton.com/people/2007/3/breenschapker?page=0%2C0

Comments

[will]

Kevin and Scotty - "two of the most authentic gay characters on television"?

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A Paige-Kevin-Nora Dialogue

Paige and Kevin are out back sunning by the pool on chaise lounge chairs.

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Paige: Uncle Kevin, would you call yourself an "authentic gay man"?

Kevin: Authentic? Like -- ? What do you mean by authentic? (pause) I mean, I like authentic gay sex...

Nora: (entering with a plateful of sandwiches) KEVIN! She's a child! Cover your ears, Paige!

Kevin: Let's see, I DO go to the gym. But I hate "Project Runway" on Bravo. I DO like to watch the Minnesota Twins play ball, but mostly because Joe Mauer looks fabulous in uniform.

Nora: Ok. I made BLTs for lunch. Except, I substituted your bacon with "Fakin' Bacon", Paige.

Paige: I hope you vote Yes on Prop 2, grandma. Those innocent piggies you sliced up for sandwiches should be allowed to move freely outside the confines of closed, cramped cages before you serve them for lunch.

Nora: (pointedly) Must you be so unpleasant? You're too young to be so... IDEOLOGICAL! It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining - ! I'm glad I'm not inside your head.

(Nora walks back inside the house)

Paige: Uncle Kevin, just in case you decide to take me to Istanbul this year, I bought some CDs on eBay that teach you to speak turkish. I've learned how to say "Which direction to the nearest steam bath, please?" - which I can ask the cabdriver on our way to the Istanbul Mosaic Museum.

Kevin: We're not going to Istanbul, Paige.

Paige: (pause) But I've already planned it out! I'm learning turkish! I'm gonna see the Byzantine floor mosaics of the Great Palace of Constantinople!

Kevin: There's a little funky coffeehouse I just discovered where we can get turkish coffee and baklava, ok, Paige? Best I can do.

Paige: What--? I don't want turkish coffee in PASADENA! How degrading! I want to see architecture from the early Ottoman Empire! Oh, I HATE life! I HATE this family! I thought one of the benefits of having a gay uncle was traveling to exotic locales!

Kevin: We're going to Knott's Berry Farm in November. Take it or leave it.

(to be continued)

[sylviane]

I enjoyed that interview when I read it a few weeks ago.

I was glad to read that they are willing to give Kevin/Scotty a good chance of succeeding, that they will explore the changing situations in their lives etc. I was also very happy to read that they won't get some child shoved into their relationship so soon in their 'marriage'.

And I can only hope that the first bump in the road will not make one cheat on the other. I think that this show has had their share of cheating for a while. And I would like to see their relationship to be a stable one. Not without disasters, drama and fun moments, but just to show that the 'answer' to a problem is not necessarily "have sex with someone else".

I agree with their opinion that Kevin/Scotty's marriage should not have been a 200-guest party. I don't think that either would want that. The only thing, in hindside, I still find irritating is this 'ring'-business. There's no real reason given why there are no rings, but for Kevin and/or Scotty to simply "forget" about their rings, that is asking WAY too much of my imagination.

To me the most touching thing about the Kevin/Scotty ceremony, was the sincerity both Luke and Matthew put in the scenes. The way they act, touch each other and look at each other can make me forget everything else.

I'm glad to read that Saul will get a life/storyline as well. I can't wait for him to find some happiness or at least explore his possibilities.

***Newlyweds Kevin and Scotty enjoy romantic beach get-away***
Good joke! :-) This is as close as they came to "being romantic", the rest of the weekend was disaster piled upon havoc.

Their 1 minute scene in the bedroom with the 3-second innuendo and a partially chopped away kiss was a nice touch, though, I suppose. :-)

[Tate]

When you show Kevin & Scotty in the shower together (with one of them heading down south) ala Tommy & Julia in season one, then I'll believe you when you say you treat Kevin/Scotty equally to every other couple on the show.

I've no doubt you've got the best intentions, but don't treat us like fools by trying to convince us that you depict Kevin/Scotty equally in terms of their sexual realationship.

Other examples: Justin eating the fruit of his gf's body (s1); Kitty and Rob Lowe's character in that bizarre 69er position kissing; Sarah and Joe having sex

The fact that Kevin and Scotty have been on-and-off since early s1 and we are yet to even see them lying in the same bed speaks a lot louder than the words in this interview.

[Mick]

Is there any chance I might catch the title and artist of the song playing in the 3.04 preview? I've heard bits and pieces of it before, and have been trying to track it down forever.

Loved the article!

[will]

Tate: Terrific comment - Kevin & Scotty's sexual "equality" with regards to other B&S couples' previous televised sexual freedom. The guiding strategy of the series seems to be: push the envelope slightly but DON'T ROCK THE BOAT.

I remember Kevin and Chad sitting in bed together the morning after, I believe shirtless (yeah? that right? It's been awhile). That was considered daring. The only problem is that this scene is sort of an homage to, is modelled after, a "thirtysomething" scene where two gay men (one is David Marshall Grant) talk shirtless in bed postcoitally. This was also considered daring almost twenty years ago.

For all the talk about "equality" and progress and courage and braveness - all those highminded words industry people love to sling around at Emmy time while giving speeches.... we still haven't moved very far beyond the "daring" of 20 years ago. Kevin and Chad (or the two "thirtysomething" guys) can sit in bed shirtless after sex, but the sex, the actual man-to-man physicality, is still glided over, IMPLIED, a point suggested.... as the camera cuts to morning afters or fireplaces or just pans away.

Oh yeah, I remmeber Justin licking fruit off the girl's back, too.

[Maria de Albuquerque]

I couldn't agree more with Sylviane, Tate and even with Will!
Why don't you put every couple just shaking hands to show affection? It would be a easier way to show equal treatment, don't you think?

[glory]

I see that this show is geared toward the gay community. I still think it is the best show on television. I think the actors are the best and I take it for what it is a "show".

I enjoy reading the blog even though I don't agree with what the majority want to see in the gay relationships. I don't want to see it, whether it is a gay or straight relationship.

I guess the majority who post here are gay and I see where they are coming from and I say to each his own.

I have been reading these posts from the beginning and I noticed many who regularly came on no longer post.

I enjoyed reading the opinions of the fans of the show. Now we have a script going on, that I skip over, and someone telling the writers everything they are doing wrong.

I like the show just the way it is. So much space is taken up on here that I think is unnecessary and I really wonder why.

[Kong Chang]

Glory, that's because a lot of us are tired of waiting for updates on Bloggers & Sisters. We have talked to death about every imaginable subject on B&S either at BrothersandSisters-TV.Com or Television Without Pity's section for B&S. So, when a new blog appears on Bloggers & Sisters, a lot of us could probably care less commenting because we are just reiterating a lot of what we've already said countless times in the past. Now, if the assistant writers were more on the ball and updated the blog section on a daily basis, I think we'll be back more often and commenting, but for now, the forum community is where most of the fans are.

In addition, this show isn't geared toward gays. It just has a major gay inclusion which is a rarity on primetime, so it will attract gay viewers since there's not much representation compared to the heterosexual counterparts.

Btw, this season is so far much better than season 2, although there is still the ick factor with Justin & Rebecca. But it's great to see Kevin & Scotty getting along just fine. :)

KC
Maintainer of Luke MacFarlane Online

[glory]

KC...thank you. I guess I know why now, and I have to say I agree with what you wrote. BTW..I didn't know about other B&S communities.

Again thanks

[WillC]

That was a good article. I am kind of bummed that the commitment problem won’t be brought up just yet, as history shows that Kevin has the attention span of a flea. The character doesn’t necessarily deserve to be held up as exemplary and I think the show would benefit from being honest about his nature rather than forcing him into a role that doesn’t suit him. I mean, if one of the straight characters had as many whirlwind romances, wouldn’t we be skeptical of a really hasty union? I have to admit I was really disappointed with the wedding episode and in some of the characterizations of the relationship since. Scotty and Kevin are sometimes assigned different genders and it can be kind of patronizing (i.e. while the brothers are off on their boozy bachelor extravaganza, Scotty is in the kitchen with Nora). It just seems that there’s too much of a male/female dichotomy between them. I understand that Scotty is a chef, and he is more nurturing but I half-expect to see him run to the door with the newspaper and a Manhattan when Kevin comes home. That said, so much of Scotty’s identity is wrapped up in Kevin so I hope to see his potential success as a chef mix things up a bit.

[marie]

I couldn't agree more with Glory - Oct. 15th. What's with your program this season with Kevin and Scotty kissing and smooching... I know the reality of life, but I don't want to see it on national TV in a program that started as a fun family program. Last Sunday's episode was mostly homosexual dialoge and their relationships... if this is the way Brothers and Sisters is going then it's not for our family, and we may be changing channels. Sorry sponsors we don't like the way your program has changed, too extreme. Are your writers gay?