Whew! CBS Promises to Add More Gay Characters to its Shows

By Doug Powers  •  July 29, 2010 04:05 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

Fresh from the “who really controls the programming on television” file we find this:

CBS will introduce more gay characters on its scripted programs in response to recently receiving a failing grade from GLAAD, CBS President Nina Tassler said Wednesday.

“I’m very disappointed in our track record so far,” Tassler said at the Telvision Critics Association fall previews. “We know and we will do better.”

MTV, CW tops GLAAD’s gay-friendly programming survey; CBS fails again

Tassler said The Good Wife will introduce the gay brother of Julianna Margulies’ Alicia in the new season. She also added that there would be a recurring gay character on S#*! My Dad Says and that Jeff and Audrey (Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price) will choose a lesbian surrogate on Rules of Engagement.

“Once you come out of your pilot development season disappointed with yourself, you go into the current series season and look for every opportunity we can to improve the numbers we have represented in the cast,” Tassler said. “We’re going to do that, and we’ll continue to focus on that as we go into development season. We’re not happy with ourselves.”

“Not happy with ourselves”? Last week, CBS was tops in average number of primetime viewers in the 18-49 demo — and that includes gay viewers… at least I think it does.

Right on the heels of this announcement is word that CBS has started production on “CSI: Fire Island.”

Look for CBS to cave to pressure from other interest groups and air programs like these:

–S#*! My Mullah Says

–The PETA Principle

–Jake and the No Trans Fats Man (starring Michael Bloomberg)

–Love, Undocumented American Style

–Electric Car 54, Where Are You?

–Walker, Land That Rightfully Belongs to Mexico Ranger

I’m also told that a former vice president and climate huckster will be given a slot on the CBS Evening News, where he’ll feature “good news” stories in a segment entitled “Al Gore’s Happy Endings.”

Additionally, the network is expected to appease the atheist lobby with the new spiritual drama, “Touched by a Figment of Your Imagination.”

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

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Comments


  1. #1
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:15 pm, FuriousMob said:

    What are 3 shows that have never been in my living room, Alex?

  2. #2
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:17 pm, SHoward said:

    If their ratings start to plummet, due to a greater emphasis on diversity than good writing, do you think they’ll blame it on us hicks? You know, the way Obambi blames someone else for everything?

  3. #3
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:17 pm, bjc said:

    *CBS: Continuous Bovine Scatology!
    *Exactly why I read rather than watch TV; Last thing I want is homosexuality shoved in my face; Before they wanted us to tolerate it, now they want us to embrace it; Deviant, perverted sexual behavior it is, and always will be, right OMU?

  4. #4
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:17 pm, jamesgreenidge said:

    The lack of flack this gets in the media and online makes me wonder — Is this truly the “new normal”?

  5. #5
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:22 pm, bmac727 said:

    Memo to self: delete “The Good Wife” from auto-rec on DVR.

  6. #6
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:22 pm, regularguy said:

    Just one more reason why I boycott the entire industry when possible, with no cable TV at all (I have one “free” channel, NBC, and that’s God-awful as well). The content is bad enough, but the writing is amateurish and stupid beyond parody. It’s just one big freak-show, 24-7.

  7. #7
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:25 pm, AmericaFirst said:

    If COPS tv show moves from FOX to CBS, the naked eye network will have plenty of crossdressers added to the programming.

  8. #8
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:31 pm, publiuswarmac9999 said:

    But yet another reason not to watch the major networks. They will almost certainly start competing with each other on who is the “gayist”. This sick trend will at some point come to an end (no pun intended), and probably with a show dedicated to NAMBLA, necrophilia, or a remake of Mr. Ed.

  9. #9
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:34 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    Look for CBS to cave to pressure from other interest groups and air programs like these:

    -One Gay at a Time

    -The Flintstones, only this time a real emphasis on the “we’ll have a gay old time” part as we know the meaning today.

    -All Outed in the Family

    -

  10. #10
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:38 pm, DanMan said:

    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:15 pm, FuriousMob said:
    Good one. One of my kids gave me a DVD of several of those SNL’s skits with Will Ferrel as Alex Trabec. Probably the last time they were funny.

    If overt gayness is the goal ABC must get a trophy from these groups every season. They are making it so easy to not watch their programming.

  11. #11
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:38 pm, Southpaw said:

    There are definitely not enough lesbian Buddhist monks on television. :roll:

  12. #12
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:43 pm, fighterDC said:

    An old CBS favorite ressurected to please the transgender audience:

    Murder He-She Wrote

  13. #13
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:43 pm, Hangfire said:

    The New Black Panther Party reality show – Gang of Brothers

  14. #14
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:46 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    So what changes? Mork would be gay instead of being from Ork? Did anyone think otherwise?

    The rule of thumb in Hollywood is until proven otherwise, assume male actors are gay. You’ll be right at least 95% of the time.

  15. #15
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:48 pm, 123upnorth said:

    If I ran a private company that put shows on the air and a group of gay people told me they weren’t happy because they didn’t feel there was enough gay actors presented, I would just tell them to take their private equity and produce their own shows to their own liking. It’s simple, if you don’t like the way someone is doing something, do it yourself the way you want it done.

  16. #16
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:52 pm, graysonret said:

    CBS can put on all the gay actors they want, as far as this house is concerned. The only time we watch CBS is when there is a sports event we want to watch.

  17. #17
    On July 29th, 2010 at 4:52 pm, Brian Roastbeef said:

    That’s a shame. I used to like Rules of Engagement.

  18. #18
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:00 pm, walterc said:

    Brian Roastbeef said:

    That’s a shame. I used to like Rules of Engagement.

    Ditto.

    Now that don’t as, don’t tell has gone by the wayside, I’m guessing there will be a bunch of guy sailors appear on NCIS.

    Guess I’ll have to go back to the food channel.

  19. #19
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:00 pm, walterc said:

    Oops, that should be DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL.

  20. #20
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:01 pm, mattymatt10 said:

    Gays make up what, 2-5% of the population (I know they like to claim 10%, but we all know that’s hooey)?

    They’re probably over-represented on the tube as it is.

    TV sucks anyway. Except for RedEye.

  21. #21
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:04 pm, BuckeyeSam said:

    “All in the Blended Family”–Archie Bunker rolls over in his grave.

    “Hogan’s Homos.”

    “Gaynix” (remember “Mannix”?).

    “Mission: Gay Agenda.”

  22. #22
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:04 pm, 123upnorth said:

    Yeah, my sister took humanities at York University in Toronto (major left-wing institution in Canada). She was brainwashed and used to come home and tell me that 10% figure all the time. I said to her there was no way 10% of the guys in my country wanted to play with the same equipment they had themselves.

    It’s amazing that these groups spread all this misinformation and then try to influence public perception.

  23. #23
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:05 pm, Flyoverman said:

    How depressing. They announce this the same week as this year’s season of Deadlist Catch ends…….

    I gotta subscribe to the Military Channel. ;)

  24. #24
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:06 pm, BuckeyeSam said:

    Does this mean that they’ll be adding gays to the football broadcasts?

  25. #25
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:07 pm, Avi Green said:

    This is atrocious. This is what they call “diversity”? If they really wanted diversity, they’d feature some Bulgarians, Estonians, Serbians, French, Danish, Hungarians, Manx, Armenians (yeah, where’s the new Mannix variants?!?), Ghanians, Uruguayans, Chileans, Burmese, and even Ainu from Japan. So, how come they don’t think to cast characters of backgrounds like those? The people running the main TV networks are pathetic.

  26. #26
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:08 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    An old CBS favorite ressurected to please the transgender audience:

    Murder He-She Wrote

    an old favorite redone with a cross-dressing detective -

    -Dragqueennet

  27. #27
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:08 pm, 123upnorth said:

    Shows that could be modified to fit the new gay theme at CBS:

    The ‘A’ Team – A stands for Anal

    The Facts of Life – 10% of us are gay and don’t know it.

    Mr. Rodgers Neighbourhood – where little boys learn fisting and other useful techniques.

  28. #28
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:10 pm, 123upnorth said:

    Buckeye: If they added gay broadcasters or gay cameramen, could you imagine all the time spent by such types focusing on the tights worn by the male players. We might not know who has the best passer rating or how many interceptions a player had in the past month, but I bet you we would know who was the best looking with their helmet off and who had looked the best in the changeroom.

  29. #29
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:12 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    Does this mean that they’ll be adding gays to the football broadcasts?

    I dunno – they may already be there. Now they’ll just be ecouraged to be open about it.

  30. #30
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:19 pm, 123upnorth said:

    CBS could start a new sports league called T-Ball, where transexual men play baseball against one another. Whichever team loses, the members of that team has to be the bottom for the night, while the winners get to be the tops.

  31. #31
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:20 pm, Hangfire said:

    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:06 pm, BuckeyeSam said:
    Does this mean that they’ll be adding gays to the football broadcasts?

    Yeah, remember Bruiser LaRue?

  32. #32
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:20 pm, Christian Soldier said:

    …and how is -what it’s name- OH-cbs- doing in the ratings?!!!
    C-CS

  33. #33
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:24 pm, dcbprime said:

    I blame Charlie Sheen’s character on 2 1/2 Men for over-emphasizing heterosexuality.

  34. #34
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:26 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    Recent CBS favorites resurrected and combined:

    Everybody Loves the Queens of Queens: Ray Romano and Doug Heffernan disccover their inner gayness, leave their families and move in together. Hilarity ensues.

  35. #35
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:26 pm, frostrt said:

    CBS will introduce more gay characters on its scripted programs in response to recently receiving a failing grade from GLAAD, CBS President Nina Tassler said Wednesday.
    —————————————-

    This is GLAAD’s agenda. More TV/film characters must be gay (and only in positive portrayals; remember the stink over Ted Levine’s character in Silence Of The Lambs?).

    Holiday-related characters such as Santa must be portrayed as gay.

    Real historical figures must be “outed” years after they have died and cannot answer any questions about their sexuality themselves.

    The only way they will be “validated” is if everyone, real or fictional, is like them.

  36. #36
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:29 pm, J S Ragman said:

    CBS will introduce more gay characters on its scripted programs

    So I guess those guys in the Miller Lite commercials, wearing skirts, and carrying purses don’t count then?

  37. #37
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm, 123upnorth said:

    I don’t understand why gays have to always focus on their homosexuality. Are they so one dimensional that their sexuality is all that defines them? I am straight (I think) and I don’t go through life focusing on my sexuality. I focus on being healthy, being a good person, obtaining my goals etc.

  38. #38
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:38 pm, tre said:

    How in the WORLD can a small minority tell the rest of us what to watch?

    I guess I should get ready for Vice in Miami, CSI San Fransicko, and Touch by a Fairy.

  39. #39
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:44 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    How in the WORLD can a small minority tell the rest of us what to watch?

    Because they are a useful minority, the most vocal and radical of which are aided and abetted by the same leftists in education, government and media who are making every effort to eradicate Judeo-Christian moral influences in our society.

  40. #40
    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:51 pm, madshark said:

    On July 29th, 2010 at 5:06 pm, BuckeyeSam said:
    Does this mean that they’ll be adding gays to the football broadcasts?

    Given how I’ve seen the center and the quarterback on most teams interact, I think we’re already there.

  41. #41
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:06 pm, BrianNY said:

    Whew! CBS Promises to Add More Gay Characters to its Shows

    …and that’s just to balance out those heterosexual cesspools known as BRAVO, HBO 1-50, HGTV, MTV and SHOWTIME. OK, sarc/off.

    But seriously, I never knew there were so many gay chefs and house-flippers in California until I got cable.

    Do more gays watch cable than heteros, or do more gays just control programming these days than heteros?

  42. #42
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:22 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    “Touched by a Figment of Your Imagination.”

    Wait – this is CBS news.

  43. #43
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:23 pm, Jeddite said:

    It’s a statistically insignificant sample, to be sure, but this thread could be introduced as evidence as to why “teh j00z” control the media and not “los chistofascitos”, based on the “humor”.

    /grenade

  44. #44
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:25 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    graysonret said:
    CBS can put on all the gay actors they want, as far as this house is concerned. The only time we watch CBS is when there is a sports event we want to watch.

    This year’s Lingerie Bowl should be quite a surprise for you.

  45. #45
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:26 pm, Jeddite said:

    Honorable mention: Everybody Loves the Queens of Queens

    That one was pretty good.

  46. #46
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:33 pm, bjc said:

    This year’s Lingerie Bowl should be quite a surprise for you.

    *Especially when the announcer says, “fumble!”, and the scrum ensues.

  47. #47
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:36 pm, bjc said:

    I focus on being healthy, being a good person, obtaining my goals etc.

    *That’s so gay! ;)

  48. #48
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:47 pm, Hangfire said:

    My neighbor has 3 kids, one each.

  49. #49
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:54 pm, Southpaw said:

    This year’s Lingerie Bowl should be quite a surprise for you.

    Does this mean they’ll change the LFL from the Lingerie Football League to the Lesbian Football League?
    Dang it, we’ll have to quit watching. :cry:

    (Relax, we all have our guilty pleasures….and those women actually play some pretty decent football.)

  50. #50
    On July 29th, 2010 at 6:57 pm, sbw999 said:

    Thank goodness. I can now die a happy fulfilled person. The hole in my life has been plugged.

  51. #51
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:01 pm, NBF said:

    It’s getting to be that having a TV on in the house is a form of child molestation.

  52. #52
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:22 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    It’s getting to be that having a TV on in the house is a form of child molestation

    Its getting to be so out of the bounds of normalcy, that many episodes of the “Twilight Zone” could be redone as reality TV.

  53. #53
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:26 pm, Jeddite said:

    It’s getting to be that having a TV on in the house is a form of child molestation.

    So when “gay-friendly” programming is on the TV, that crosses some arbitrary line wherein parents cannot trust the TV to be the 24/7 nanny figure that is has come to be in millions of households, eh? Is that your position? All the other garbage on TV is permissible, but “teh gayz” is just too far?

  54. #54
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:30 pm, tre said:

    (Relax, we all have our guilty pleasures….and those women actually play some pretty decent football.)

    You watch them play football? The rest of us MANLY MEN…..well…..just watch ‘em.

  55. #55
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:32 pm, Dave Turson said:

    Right on the heels of this announcement is word that CBS has started production on “CSI: Fire Island.”

    The crew of “CSI: Fire Island” should look for footage of Congressman Barney Frank dancing at a Fire Island beach party last year. He was shirtless and wore baggy shorts. This clearly falls within the criminal act category of “murder on the eyes.”

  56. #56
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:37 pm, Southpaw said:

    You watch them play football? The rest of us MANLY MEN…..well…..just watch ‘em.

    Let’s just say, I was surprised that they were playing real football. Tackle football, not flag football, although that could be interesting….all that reaching and grabbing, the potential for mistakes….. :shock:

  57. #57
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:38 pm, TigerLady said:

    All the other garbage on TV is permissible, but “teh gayz” is just too far?

    Actually, not much of what’s on national network television is acceptable. I exercise my right to free speech to turn it off and read a book.

  58. #58
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:40 pm, JHSII said:

    Here’s a show you’ll never see on the networks – but you should…

    Guy White

  59. #59
    On July 29th, 2010 at 7:50 pm, rocketman said:

    ***
    Why doesn’t CBS just do some live reality “broad”(hah!)casts of the many GLBTwhatsis action around the country?
    ***
    One night–the Frisco Folsom Street Fair. Next night–Fire Island beach action. Wednesday could be general lockup in the L.A. Jail showers. Thursday could be gay bar cruising in BeanTown. Friday could be the Jewel Box Review at Finnochio’s in Frisco–if it still exists. Etc.
    ***
    That should run up their “ratings” among that “special” interest group. No need for any sophistication. I’ll be watching the Military Channel, History Channel, or getting my news online or on talk radio. I never watch CBS or the other so-called “major” networks. I don’t much care for their agendas.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  60. #60
    On July 29th, 2010 at 9:44 pm, hadsil said:

    Father Knows Nothing

    Doctor Her

    How She Met Your Mother

    Black Panther Shadow

    Survivor: Waco

    Palestinian Idol

    Israeli Men Behaving Badly

    The Price Is Controlled

    Who Wants To Bean A Millionaire

    Deal Or You’re Racist

    Stars Trek For Global Warming

    Chicago Hope & Change

  61. #61
    On July 29th, 2010 at 11:04 pm, ChicagoRobb said:

    Why aren’t we protesting or boycotting for not enough conservative characters , enough Jews who actually follow the Torah or enough Bible-believing Christians? It is time to fight fire with fire.

  62. #62
    On July 29th, 2010 at 11:44 pm, rightisright said:

    I can’t remember the last time I watched anything on a major network or a lib channel on cable. It’s hard enough putting up with DSC, HI, MIL, BIO, TLC and even ANIPW at times and their slanted views. Don’t need to be hit over the head with that left wing all feel good crap out in the open.

  63. #63
    On July 29th, 2010 at 11:49 pm, happy2behere said:

    Because it’s so unfaaair. The overtly Christian characters are totally over-represented kindly treated.

  64. #64
    On July 29th, 2010 at 11:57 pm, happy2behere said:

    America’s Got Rainbow Talent

    NCIS/San Francisco

    The Transgenderist

    Crossdressing Jordan

  65. #65
    On July 30th, 2010 at 12:16 am, englishqueen01 said:

    All the other garbage on TV is permissible, but “teh gayz” is just too far?

    No, but it sure makes it seem like all their efforts on the sociopolitical front have been taken care of if they waste the time/energy to make sure gays are represented on TV by grading networks. That’s like Congress passing a resolution on National Candy Bar day…don’t they have better things to do with their time?

  66. #66
    On July 30th, 2010 at 1:02 am, plymouthacclaim said:

    I give CBS a failing grade because of their low “Christian count” and “conservative count.”

    Those had better be positive portrayals, buddy!

  67. #67
    On July 30th, 2010 at 1:03 am, 11B said:

    For a group of people who tell us that the media does not influence the population, the left wing sure seems to be interested in what is put out by the supposedly non-influential media.

  68. #68
    On July 30th, 2010 at 4:46 am, graysonret said:

    I suppose they will be resurrecting the “Dating Game” and “The Newlyweds” again.

  69. #69
    On July 30th, 2010 at 8:46 am, John Deaux said:

    I see a lot of gay actors on that one channel, C-SPAN.

  70. #70
    On July 30th, 2010 at 8:46 am, tiredofit08 said:

    @graysonret…they already have…they bite big time but throw in single gender couples and well….to say the least I don’t watch them with man/woman couples..

  71. #71
    On July 30th, 2010 at 10:00 am, shimauma2 said:

    Ah typical hollyweird, they don’t get popular response they want so they shove MORE of it down the throats of the viewer. Gotta get those children indoctrinated into deviancy and perversion, er I mean “alternate lifestyles” gotta get it all accepted and justified so they can recruit future homos.

    God forbid you tell these perverts that abstinance cures AIDS. They start shrieking intolerance and hate speech at the idea of keeping their privates unobsessed over.

  72. #72
    On July 30th, 2010 at 11:08 am, NJMark said:

    Read a website like “Television Without Pity” (actually, don’t) and you’ll be told that just about every character on TV is gay, including Bert and Ernie.

    I don’t understand why gays have to always focus on their homosexuality. Are they so one dimensional that their sexuality is all that defines them?

    Many don’t. During the “Grey’s Anatomy” imbroglio with Isaiah Washington, T.R. Knight said he hoped his homosexuality was the least interesting thing about him.

    Why aren’t we protesting or boycotting for not enough conservative characters, enough Jews who actually follow the Torah or enough Bible-believing Christians?

    You mean: besides every villain on Law & Order.

  73. #73
    On July 30th, 2010 at 11:54 am, cabrerski said:

    On Two and a Half Men, they could replace Jake (Angus T. Jones) with Chaz Bono and still keep the title.

    There could also be:

    NCIS: Castro District
    How I Dressed Like Your Mother
    Rainbow of Engagement

  74. #74
    On July 30th, 2010 at 1:36 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    Reviving shows that don’t need name changes just some cast and story line modifications:

    Fantasy Island – RuPaul as Mr, just Rourke, and Nathan Lane as Tatoo.

    Love Boat – Elen DeGeneres as the Captain, Sean Hayes as Gopher, and Rosie O’Donnell as the Doctor.

    Adventures in Paradise – is now a reality based series with an ever changing cast of your favorite gay stars who are filmed cavorting on location in San Francisco, Palm Springs and other charming LGBT hot spots.

  75. #75
    On July 31st, 2010 at 12:38 pm, NHMagenta said:

    Stuff like this just validates the fact there have been no TV sets in my home for the past 7 years.

  76. #76
    On August 2nd, 2010 at 10:23 am, Veretax said:

    So if a Conservative Christian Group complained that there weren’t enough respectful Conservative Christian characters, would they make the change for us?

    I call BS and Bias!

  77. #77
    On August 2nd, 2010 at 5:19 pm, spaceycakes said:

    Large Brother
    Position: Impossible

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