I came home from work last night while KPCC aired This American Life. I was so riveted, I stayed in the car until the end of Dan Savage's monologue. The episode airs today on most public radio stations. If you miss it, you can listen to it at the This American Life website.
Today's episode deals with "What I learned from TV". Dan Savage was so poignant, funny and spot on in his observations. DS's son, and Iris, love the Disney show, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". That show creeps me out but I never understood why until DS deconstructed the show in his monologue.
Just as DS, growing up in a straight family, learned about what it was like to be a gay man from TV, his straight son, growing up with two daddies, is learning about straight life from TV. "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" is not worthy of emulation. DS objects to the rampant stereotyping, especially the sex-crazy portrayal of 10 year old Zack who constantly harasses 17 year old Maddie, who works at the hotel, for dates.
I agree with everything DS said about the show. But I would add, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" plays workplace sexual harassment for laughs. I don't want Iris to grow up accepting that as normal and acceptable behavior.
I read Dan Savage's weekly advice-for-the-lovelorn column religiously. He's usually spot on. Every once in a while he screws up (cf his early support for the attack on Iraq, support he has since thought better of) but he is never boring.
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