CBS Show 'Mike & Molly' Makes Mean Anti-Trans Jokes

[MadelineB]

CBS Show 'Mike & Molly' Makes Mean Anti-Trans Jokes
By GLAAD
Tue, February 12, 2013

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/gay-issues/cbs-mike-molly-makes-anti-trans-jokes-cbs-commits-meeting-glaad#

The CBS sitcom Mike & Molly went over the line last night with an offensive scene predicated on the hateful notion that transgender people are inherently disgusting. After constituents and trans community leaders spoke out against the joke last night, GLAAD discussed the issue with CBS directly, with additional follow up planned.

The offensive scene came within the first few minutes of the February 11 episode entitled "The Princess and the Troll."  In the scene, the show's main character Mike is talking with his police partner and best friend Carl about Carl's checkered romantic past of picking up downtrodden women off the street:

Carl: It's been a long time since I've trolled for bus pass ass. 

Mike: (Laughing) Not since the ->-bleeped-<- incident of '08.  You spent the whole night crying and gargling!

Carl: Learned a lot of lessons that night.

The use of the derogatory term "->-bleeped-<-" is offensive in and of itself, but Mike goes on to categorize what happened as a traumatic experience which left Carl disgusted and weeping with regret.  The joke relies on the assumption that transgender people (and the thought of being with one) are revolting, and invites the audience to laugh right along.  And last night that audience was 10.4 million people.

[EmmaS]

This sort of stuff makes me really mad to hear about. This is exactly why people are scared to transition and be true to who they are, I'm completely appalled by this. Even if I didn't get offended by this joke, it's a stretch at humor, it's ridiculous.

[KayCeeDee]

Just the first line in that dialogue was very offensive, even if it had been a cis joke.

[JennX]

I'll tell you what is really disgusting... the thought of "Mike & Molly" naked in bed together. Yuck! 

CBS should do better than having a prime time show, starring two morbidly obese people, pandering to the lowest levels of humor in this day and age of nutrition, and healthy living. What sort of example is CBS setting for children? It's okay to sit around on the sofa all day eating junk food and to use pejorative terms towards people? I've never watched this show, and will be sure to avoid it.

[CybilB]

The part that really shocked me was that people still watch CBS 

[=celestica=]

You have to admit, it's kind of funny lol.
"bus pass ass"

[EmmaS]

I don't find it humorous at all, I think it lacks imagination and creativity.

[=celestica=]

says the transsexual.

Do you get what I'm trying to say?
Learn to laugh at yourself.
African Americans have been doing it for a while now with "black jokes", give it a try.

Nothing is funny with something is portrayed in a positive light.

[Beth Andrea]

No, the "joke" is simply not funny. Especially the "gargling" reference.

"Bus pass ass" might be funny, if the show claims to be on some "cutting edge" of humor...but imho sitcoms haven't been funny for a couple of decades now. What, did all the good writers die?

[=celestica=]

No, the "joke" is simply not funny. Especially the "gargling" reference.

"Bus pass ass" might be funny, if the show claims to be on some "cutting edge" of humor...but imho sitcoms haven't been funny for a couple of decades now. What, did all the good writers die?

Once Roseanne was over.

[Misato]

I remember a story very much like that scene was told at my old job like it was funny.  It's not.

As someone who was in the closet at the time, it's not funny.

Not now that I'm out either.

[EmmaS]

I am the last person who needs to laugh at myself. I have a good time with my friends and I have no issue at laughing at myself, I do dumb stuff in general just to make others laugh, so I'm not an extremely uptight person, but this joke lacks humor and it's offensive, it's as simple as that.

[Jayr]

says the transsexual.

Do you get what I'm trying to say?
Learn to laugh at yourself.
African Americans have been doing it for a while now with "black jokes", give it a try.

Nothing is funny with something is portrayed in a positive light.

+1

Someone once told me; It's a joke, not a dick. Don't take it so hard.

[EmmaS]

No one is taking it too hard. All you have done is blow it out of proportion.

[Kevin Peña]

Well, I frankly don't care about CBS. I don't even watch their programming. However, I think that the timing of this joke is off. I don't mind laughing at myself, but I don't think that all trans people should be thrown into this inescapable box. In today's society, people know that racist jokes are just examples of people poking at stereotypes. That's the biggest difference: the fact that people know that those jokes are simply stupid stereotypes and laugh not because they think the stereotypes are true, but because of how ridiculous everyone knows they are. I can assure you that if you were to walk out of a Chris Rock show and ask the audience what they sincerely thought of black people, they would tell you that everything you heard on stage may have been funny, but were just statements of stereotypes not to be taken seriously.

Until people are more educated about transgender individuals and know that we're more than just a bunch of ugly, revolting prostitutes, I don't think it's right to be making these jokes, especially with all of the sheep watching the television.

Nothing is funny with something is portrayed in a positive light.

Not true. You can provide a smart retort and be considered funny, but smart nonetheless. For example, if someone asks you, "What's up?", you can say, "The ceiling." Badum tsh! 

[Kelly J. P.]

No one is taking it too hard. All you have done is blow it out of proportion.

I see what you did there.

Or, what you might have done without realizing.

That's funny. 

[Jamie D]

I'll tell you what is really disgusting... the thought of "Mike & Molly" naked in bed together. Yuck! 

CBS should do better than having a prime time show, starring two morbidly obese people, pandering to the lowest levels of humor in this day and age of nutrition, and healthy living. What sort of example is CBS setting for children? It's okay to sit around on the sofa all day eating junk food and to use pejorative terms towards people? I've never watched this show, and will be sure to avoid it.

I wonder if the classic television show, "All in the Family" would have ever made it on the air today.  Archie Bunker was satirized as an out of touch bigot.

All this is political correctness run amok.

[Brooke777]

I'm one of those trans women that make trans jokes a lot. I love to make light of all the PC stuff. But, I do not like the term "->-bleeped-<-" and I do not think it is funny to say you had to gargle after kissing a trans woman. That kind of stuff helps perpetuate the idea that we are not "real" women.

[Laura91]

I wonder if the classic television show, "All in the Family" would have ever made it on the air today.  Archie Bunker was satirized as an out of touch bigot.

All this is political correctness run amok.

All in the family was a great show. I remember watching reruns of that when I was a kid back when we had 4 channels in the pre-cable days. Late night TV was also MUCH better back in those days with "Movies Til Dawn".

Awesome.

[JennX]

I wonder if the classic television show, "All in the Family" would have ever made it on the air today.  Archie Bunker was satirized as an out of touch bigot.

All this is political correctness run amok.

No... it probably would've been blocked by the network censors. I like humor, and can take jokes and make fun of myself with the best of them. Cis or trans. But... and here is the big but... this is the same situation as a bunch of upper-middle class white kids using the "N-word" or a straight hetero person using the "F-word" in reference to a gay male. This sort of usage and context is never correct or acceptable. Let alone on Prime Time Network TV. I have a few MTF friends and yes, we will call each other ->-bleeped-<-, manly he-b!tch, and a few other phrases we choose... but guess what... we can and do use those words cause we belong to that group and we know each other, we do so in jest, and it's done in private. That's the difference. Just as when two African American people use the N-word in talking to one another... it's a different thing when a White/Latin/Asian person uses that same word. The meaning, context, and point of reference is not the same. That's the issue here.