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Kimmel's "F***ing Ben Affleck" Video: Homophobic?

There's a bit of a comments war raging at gay-oriented blog Towleroad over an elaborate sketch from last night's Oscars after-show. The video in question was the latest installment in a running joke on Kimmel's ABC late-night show: recently his girlfriend Sarah Silverman brought in a video in which she announced she's "f***ing Matt Damon," with the Bourne star himself providing backup vocals. Kimmel scoring (with) Affleck was the only logical response, of course, but they really stepped up the production values, recruiting a slew of stars in a "We Are the World"-style sing-along: Robin Williams, Huey Lewis, Josh Groban?! It wasn't quite as funny as Silverman's bit (which twirled wildly through a pastiche of pop culture and musical references) and relied mostly on the shock value of its guest cameos, but some viewers are also finding that certain parts of the video crossed the line into homophobia. Kimmel and Affleck are dressed in ridiculous outfits that include skimpy jean shorts and a metallic green t-shirt, and they paint their toenails at what appears to be a gay tiki bar. While late-night comedy sketches aren't exactly, you know, hate-crimes legislation, and I typically side with comedians rather than the easily-offended, this one does bring up the question of how to tell when stereotypes are being mocked and when they're being exploited. Watch both Silverman/Damon's and Kimmel/Affleck's after the jump, and then commenters, rant away: are we watching a troubling bit of subtle gaysploitation, or should the PC police chill out and realize that laughing at stereotypes defuses them? And in general, how many times funnier is Sarah Silverman than Jimmy Kimmel?

Sarah Silverman: "I'm F***ing Matt Damon"

Jimmy Kimmel: "I'm F***ing Ben Affleck"

Photo courtesy ABC

Comments

"Dedicated to the Memory of Norman Mailer"

That's EASILY the funniest part.

Posted by: Jonathan Stein on 02/25/08 at 2:31 PM Respond

>That's EASILY the funniest part.

Agreed.

Posted by: Party Ben on 02/25/08 at 3:16 PM Respond

the fact that so many celebrities were willing to participate in kimmel's video suggests, to me at least, that homosexuality is now mainstream rather than some marginalized "lifestyle." the jokes were obvious and self-directed rather than mean-spirited. if you don't know that two guys in short jean-shorts holding hands is a play on a tired stereotype, you'd better stay as far away from silverman's humor as possible. kimmel is tame compared to his girlfriend. lemonaids, anyone?

Posted by: nmc on 02/25/08 at 9:48 PM Respond

I think it's funny as all get out. Just my opinion.

Posted by: candymarl on 02/26/08 at 3:50 AM Respond

This has to be the funniest pair of tongue-in-cheek call-out videos I've ever seen. The concern trolls whining about them are just mad because they're neither *bleep* Matt Damon nor Ben Affleck.

Posted by: D.Rose on 02/26/08 at 4:16 AM Respond

PC gone amok .... its a joke peeps...get it or get over it

Posted by: Bill T. on 02/26/08 at 9:38 AM Respond

Freakin' hilarious!
And Silverman is A LOT funnier than Kimmel -- but Kimmel's parade of cameos kinda saves him...

I don't think it was homophobic, really. The over-the-top gay-stereotypes are there for comedic value, even if they fall flat. It would probably be even less funny if they weren't dressed up like they were going to the Love Parade...

Posted by: GetReal on 02/27/08 at 9:33 AM Respond

I'm gay and I think this was great! It's not offensive at all and those that think it is need to stop. Laugh once in a while!

Posted by: LostBoySF54 on 02/27/08 at 12:47 PM Respond

I hope you're kidding?!
Please get off the high horse and lighten up before you hurt yourself, m'kay?

Posted by: Greta Crue on 02/27/08 at 1:01 PM Respond

I think the only possible criticism that I could raise would be, "what was the cost of the Kimmel to Sarah video?" Oh well, this was sooo worth it. I'm queer and enjoyed this immensely.

Posted by: GDWymer on 02/27/08 at 1:07 PM Respond

Greta Crue: I hope YOU'RE kidding - who exactly are you telling to get off their high horse, m'kay? did you read the post AT ALL? we're talking about the debate that has been raging, via comments, on other blogs. Party Ben quite clearly says that he tends to side w comedy over PC-ness, and wonders what people's opinions are. the question posed was 'where is the line?', not "OMG isn't this is SO un-PC!" try reading things before you open your trap, and additionally, we'll assume you have had no connections to the GBL community (or any other marginalised community), as you can't even enter into a discussion of if and when stereotyping could damage.

Posted by: penbin on 02/27/08 at 1:56 PM Respond

In a World of Sacha Baron Cohen and Larry David, the question of who's funnier - Kimmel or Silverman seems moot. They're both painfully unfunny at times and usually sub par.

I really don't understand the obsession with Sarah Silverman's clunking ironies and carefully nurtured controversy. Compared to Christopher Morris, a genuinely radical writer and comedian, she seems very tame and bourgeois.

Posted by: Perran on 02/27/08 at 9:00 PM Respond

That guy Nate, who frequently appears on the Oprah show, is gay and liked it. I didnt think it was so offensive, in comedy you have to make fun of everyone a little bit.

Posted by: Heather G. on 02/27/08 at 10:06 PM Respond

Phobic? No, BUT, objectively speaking/typing, to use sexual identity as the crust of a humorous anecdote is,technically, a slighting of that orientation.

Posted by: John on 02/28/08 at 8:30 AM Respond

oops, I meant crux, not crust, but, given the subject of the jest, perhaps it was a Freudian typo.

Posted by: John on 02/28/08 at 8:41 AM Respond

As a lesbian, i don't really find it OFFENSIVE, but i also don't find it funny at all. I sat there thinking-this is funny? Ummm, no, not really.

Posted by: heather on 02/28/08 at 1:25 PM Respond

I'm gay and I laughed my ass off!!!

Posted by: AuroraD on 03/01/08 at 6:54 PM Respond

The bottom line is that it's still heterosexual men doing a parody of homosexual men for laughs. I don't know if it's homophobic, but it's pretty stupid.

How would you gays feel if you went into the office today and two heterosexual co-workers were pretending to be gay, and doing it by being over the top, mincing and prancing? Would it still be funny?

Posted by: DaveG on 03/03/08 at 7:59 AM Respond

Kimmel's writers wrote both songs.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3489872.ece

And to Dave G, Perran, and Heather - Take your meds and chuckle more.

Posted by: hiho on 03/08/08 at 8:26 AM Respond

This video taps into the latent homophobia of the audience for laughs. It is completely offensive coming from supposed 'friends.' To understand this, you have to understand the mechanics of humor. I emailed the useless GLAAD org and received a response that I posted on www.slcoutsider.com.

Posted by: Carter Goodwin on 03/10/08 at 5:24 AM Respond

It's funny because many of the people in the video are closet gays and bi's who pretend to be straight and are pretending to be gay.

Posted by: tom cruz on 05/31/08 at 3:20 PM Respond