Episode 222.5 - Ask the UCB: Playing Gay Improv Characters

[JulyDiaz 2797]

In this bonus Ask the UCB episode, Matt Besser, Seth Morris, Eugene Cordero, and Will Hines discuss playing gay improv characters and improvising with what you know. Make sure to sign up for Seeso.com to get Matt Besser’s new standup special “Besser Breaks the Record” and the new live comedy show filmed at the UCB theaters called "The UCB Show".

[JeffBurtMacklinMarra 6724]

It's very good that this is being brought up and given attention, but it's definitely something that needs to be spoken on from the perspective of a gay improviser.

[itsrobobo 78]

I keep typing a long spiel here but it's basically just a rehash of things answered or speculated on in this bonus ep. Too much to say on this topic, not just for improv but entertainment in general!

 

However, it would be great if there could be a part two to this where you ask any LGB improvers their thoughts on this, if they're cool to discuss it, of course. While it's good to hear answers from straight performers on this issue, it's very important to hear the other side.

[SeveralCircles 426]

I've definitely noticed that I haven't heard Stephanie Allyne play a lesbian in a scene. But then, I don't actually listen to every I4H or the Wild Horses show on Howl so I'm admittedly basing this on very, very little (at least in her case).

 

Still, it does seem like a lot of gay improvisors tend toward the safer choice of playing straight, while straight improvisors don't have much pressure to play gay, which results in fewer gay characters--except in cases where a snappy, lispy voice or lesbian manliness is meant to be funny in itself.

 

I know just from being part of the gay community that gay women (to generalize a little) are often more conservative about sharing their personal life, and thus tend towards playing down that aspect of themselves even if they aren't closeted. Plus, nobody wants to be conspicuously only able to play gay, so that's one more reason to just be The Cool Chick about it.

 

 

This being said, it would be easy though for a straight person to aim for gay and land on offensive, so in some cases it might be just as well left alone. (It is slightly annoying how often even very liberal comedians make the main focus of a character just a "funny" effeminate voice or a mannish appearance. I do wonder how well some parts of Kroll Show will hold up in, say, 30 years.) It's a bit of a mine field whether you go there or don't, so I certainly don't blame a straight man for sticking to what he knows.

 

I think it highlights how integral sexuality actually is to a person's life that, as i believe Eugene touched upon, a character's race isn't always defined, but the sexuality often gets instantly defined by default.

 

It's not always that easy to avoid sexuality in the parts of life that are interesting enough to want to show on stage.

[SeveralCircles 426]

PS,

 

(And I say this not to accuse anyone of thinking otherwise; I'm sure the... "panel"?... would agree:)

 

It could be seen as distracting for a straight improvisor to enter as gay when this isn't intended as a critical detail, but I don't think many people would assume, if a gay improvisor started as a straight character, that "straightness" was somehow to be the focus of the scene. This basic character choice should be considered neutral either way, and it will be, eventually--just another option for giving two characters a fundamental relationship. Still, it wouldn't hurt for people to nudge it along.

[Occams_Electric_Toothbrush 13]

I love these "how the sausage is made" episode of Improv4Humans. As someone with an interest in but no formal training or experience with improv, hearing how folks interact and choose characters is really fascinating to me.

[MultipleReferee 176]

PS,

 

(And I say this not to accuse anyone of thinking otherwise; I'm sure the... "panel"?... would agree:)

 

It could be seen as distracting for a straight improvisor to enter as gay when this isn't intended as a critical detail, but I don't think many people would assume, if a gay improvisor started as a straight character, that "straightness" was somehow to be the focus of the scene.

 

Right, and again (like Besser says), that's just more a reflection of society as a whole.

 

Agreed with the above though, I'd love a follow-up with the perspective of the other side.

[NortonCox 16]

After listening to Ian Robert's defense of the rules I've found their existence fascinating. When I saw the topic I was very must hoping for a simple breakdown of a rule that that would explain the issue of straight performers not playing gay more often.

 

I failed to ask a Reddit question so I will ask it here with the blind faith it may one day be answered. What's the rule when a improv character is racist or bigoted? Every so often on I4H and on CBB a guest will be boxed into playing someone who is disgusted by some minority. You can hear the other performers team up and corner one person into that role. The "victim" is often not thrilled by the development but they play along to keep the scene going. Is there a rule that makes it easier for the performer to avoid killing the scene with a statement that goes to far?

[earpanther 451]

I'm personally not really that interested in hearing straight performers act gay - while I think the likes of the I4H roster could handle it with some amount of grace and respect, as a gay man, I've hit my quota of watching/listening to straight people play gay. While I think comedy and improv is often about playing a character and transforming into someone you're not, eh, your take on it is probably unneeded, and I would understand why a straight comedian would respectfully shy away from playing gay or affecting gay mannerisms or speech. I'm not offended by it - Christopher Guest as Corky St. Clair, Chris Lilley as Mr. G - these are over-the-top performances, but the key is: they're funny. And I think it's challenging to be funny while representing a minority group that you are not personally a part of. I would think it odd if, in attempt to be more inclusive, Besser started trying to affect a black voice, or include a black character, just because. No, he frequently has performers who are part of a minority group on the show, and they are free and able to act however which way they feel comfortable with, and in my opinion, more importantly, whatever suits the function of the scene.

 

That being said, I would encourage any performer, gay or straight, to play what they feel like, and what they're comfortable with. But I'm personally not going to police performers for failing to represent the gay community in an improv podcast, because this is about comedy, it's about funny, and that's all I really care about.

[elseano 6]

I would have thought its just to bring in a completely different character and energy in to the fold. You can have 2 of the same or 1 man 1 woman. Obviously the i4h crew are gonna have 2 completely different Men or women up there but as soon as i hear Matty B do a woman voice especially in a relationship i know its going to get weird in a good way. He will bring some strange viewpoint that represents female power into things.

Just thought it would represent the audience more and didn't really think it had anything to do with the expectations of the audience. ie 1 man 1 woman more of the audience is included as opposed to 2 men/2 women.

[DanEngler 5249]

Addendum: Will Hines followed up by posing this question to a number of LGBTQ improvisers, and shared some of their responses on his blog.