October 21, 2013
Is This Universal Studios' Show Homophobic?
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Universal Studios Hollywood has come under fire for a live action show in which Superman is depicted as an outrageously camp gay man. Although the parody had audiences laughing, Twitter users don't feel the same way.
According to the U.K. Daily Mail, the "Halloween Horror Nights" theme includes "Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure," during which the two protagonists have to kill witches before they can return home.
But when Superman arrives to help the duo, a witch sprinkles "fairy dust" on him, transforming him into a camp caricature of a gay man. The character then screams apparently "fabulous" before becoming a full stereotypical campy gay man with a lisped voice, limp wrist and removing his shirt and trousers. Superman is wearing nothing but a small pair of underpants, as he skips around the stage blowing kisses and has a full on flirt session with Ted, the Daily Mail reports.
According to Vice, when Superman is up against his nemesis, General Zod, he is told to "get on his knees." But instead of fighting back, Superman takes it as a command, referring to oral sex. Superman then yells, "Finally!"
Things get worse, however, when an actor playing George Takei, the openly gay actor best know for his role as Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek," talks with Superman. The the men apparently hit it off and then start to walk off stage to go have sex, resulting in the actor playing Takai to tell the audience, "Time to boldly go where no man has gone before."
According to the Huffington Post the audience was constantly laughing throughout the show.
"We're not sure which is worse -- the blatantly stereotyped and homophobic depictions of Superman or the audience's roaring laughter and applause," HuffPost writes.
Though the live audience thought the show was a riot, Twitter users didn't feel the same, the Daily Mail reports.
"I hated the Bill & Ted Universal Studios show with an intense passion. Glad I'm not the only one," on Twitter user wrote. "Dammit, Universal. I love you, but I don't love this. Even more disappointed that it gets laughs from the public," another said, linking to the Vice article about the story. "I'm not surprised this BILL & TED stage show is racist and homophobic. I am surprised it exists," another Twitter user wrote.
Twitter users weren't the only ones upset with the show. There is a clip of the show on YouTube, which currently has more than 21,000 views, and a number of users sharply criticized Superman's behavior.
"Oh, fantastic. Gay bashing is hilarious," one YouTuber said.
Universal Studios Hollywood has been accepting of the LGBT community in the past and even hosts its annual "Gay Day and Night" event, which held during Los Angeles Pride.
Check out the clip of the show below:
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.