The pink thesps are revolting. The other week or so I reported Rupert Everett’s view that his sexuality had limited his earning capacity. Now Stephen Fry wonders aloud in the Radio Times why heterosexual male stars are hailed as "brave" when they kiss other men on screen. He adds: “No one says to a gay actor who plays a heterosexual person: ‘How brave of you to kiss that woman, that must have been very difficult for you.’” Fry would be quite happy to kiss a frog, if required, let alone a woman or another man. But I think it unlikely he would kiss a frog with any sexual conviction, at least not without drawing concern from the RSPCA.
Fry makes a general point – a good one – but it doesn’t apply to him in my opinion. He thinks the fact he’s famously gay makes it difficult for him to have a convincing relationship with a woman on screen. But to me Fry carries the marvellous aura of a priest, or someone who long ago took a vow of celibacy and treads this incarnation alone. This is the impression he gives. His Oscar Wilde was near-perfection because he did not embarrass us with a dripping, sweating, leaking Bosie love affair: there was nothing to stain the adventure of a literary life. Fry struck theatrical poses and arranged his countenance in such a way as to suggest inner turmoil and idealistic passion, but at no stage did the ill-fated relationship strike me as having a pulse. Very realistic, I thought, as a cosy exhibition of cultural artefacts.
Fry was the ultimate Jeeves – a presumably asexual adjunct to another man – just as his solicitor Kingdom in the ITV1 series of that name is a singleton married to his career. None of this has anything to do with sexual nature, or even with actual life. Fry is a monument of warm stone – the very idea that he should kiss or be kissed by man, woman or frog is ridiculous.
14 comments:
Fry's Wilde was a maudlin, whimpering embarrassment
Did you go see his Cinderella panto, Arcati?
Stephen Fry make me sick. He can shove the Lady Grey right up his poop chute.
No, I didn't see his Cinderella panto, more's the pity. Private Eye ran an amusing panto skit of slightly dubious sexual politics, but that's OK with me.
"Fry would be quite happy to kiss a frog, if required, let alone a woman or another man. But I think it unlikely he would kiss a frog with any sexual conviction, at least not without drawing concern from the RSPCA."
My oh my, now THAT is funny. Thanks for today's laugh, Madame. I'm still giggling.
Stephen has kissed me. Quite often.
A chaste kiss is not quite what I had in mind. In such a case a frog would be perfectly acceptable; though the opportunity to give Susan Hill a kiss cannot be resisted.
"Fry struck theatrical poses and arranged his countenance in such a way as to suggest inner turmoil and idealistic passion, but at no stage did the ill-fated relationship strike me as having a pulse." - indeed, which is why it isn't a very interesting or plausible account. It's only recently that an uncensored account of Wilde's life, that gives his sexuality it's proper weight, has started to emerge, so perhaps we can look forward to yet another biopic.
Madame, perhaps Oscar Wilde was a maudlin, whimpering embarrassment before Stephen Fry pinned on the green carnation? I must say, my dinner party list would feature Stephen ... rather than Oscar ... and if he wants to bring something green ... frogs are no problem. Toads, however, are another thing.
"Fry is a monument of warm stone – the very idea that he should kiss or be kissed by man, woman or frog is ridiculous."
Just what I said the other day: this is definitely not "our" Arcati speaking. What's going on here, for Christ's sake?
...the only thing that has changed about Madame is that she has allowed you the shance to posture on her site, again!...
How is Jeeves Asexual? I for one, find him very sexual, and sexy, and if you where to search on the internet, I assure you, you would find whole communities devoted to how sexy Stephen Fry's Jeeves is.
"the very idea that he should kiss or be kissed by man, woman or frog is ridiculous"
You have forgotten to add a very important thing: "IMHO". I've met Stephen Fry and he is a very attractive man, he has an aura of warm sexiness around him, so an idea of him kissing or being kissed is all natural. I'm a woman, by the way.
Asexual Jeeves... well, thousands of straight women and gay men are seriously turned on by this character played by Fry. Just so you know.
I'm almost sure this comment won't be allowed by the blog owner, but it's worth trying...
Your opinion may demonstrate very poor taste but I would defend your right to self-humiliation, poppet.
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