My favourite episode is the Disneyland one, for the speech Jay gives at the end about staying in an unhappy marriage for the kids, and the beam on his face when he thinks about how happy he is now with Gloria and Manny
I think people forget that gay marriage wasn't legalized at the start of the show. We got to see it in real time. All of the progress we've made has been very, very recent and can be undone easily. I wish people had a better perspective on the past.
It cannot, not sure why your acting like it is a new show all the kid actors are now adults. And as someone who is lgbtq it's kinda Annoying having people act like I'm about to be hunted because some poltcians saying bs that means nothing and yes from the outside no one takes the US seriously. Seriously all this stuff online is just to scare you. And it would be nice to be treated like a normal person not someone who is minority. Also I agree about the shoving it in people's face thing, it's kinda weird how gay =girly or something s**ual. It's the fact that this is the stereotype that the show is going for. Its just girly because it would be wrong to show something s**ual.
@@cosygoose1813 Exactly! Not to mention some of the "homophobic microaggressions" mentioned in this very video aren't even homophobic, they are just natural reactions. People who advocate for the gay community need to acknowledge that there's nuance to things.
I'm only in the beginning of the video but I think another reason why I like the pacing of Jay's slow growth is because it makes sense for a man his age older people and older men in specifics are often very stubborn and take a very long time to change their old school world views so I think it makes perfect sense he feels like every well meaning Grandpa / uncle that occasionally says something racist.
Very much this, also the fact that he will take steps back again and be suddenly less accepting, especially on a more stressful day, fall back into his old ways of thinking, that's normal for someone his age.
@@DasAlena it's kind of like the first sentence of my comment is "I'm only at the beginning of the video" and maybe I didn't watch the whole thing yet :) you know like I stated in my comment
Yeah. Not always, but many. I think these people deserve representation too, it helps them and others. Personally i dont think bigotry is age issue as my oldest relative born in early 30s had no problem with me being trans and was shocked to find out how difficult and long the process is if one wants to transition, while my youngest relative early '90s was a transphobe. straight up talked shit about me. (my personal opinion is that old people who are bigots have learned nothing when they grew up and should not be given free pass to be bigots...l. but change for better is still better than no change.) I really like the way Modern family did this, giving older folks someone whom most, ig, could relate, and slowly showing the process. it is not ideal to us queer folks, but so much better than what it could have been. edit. also there are sh*tton bi men who aren't like Jay but his age and would have been totally fine with their son being gay despite them being in the closet
I think its also interesting to point out, in case some people arent aware, that Ed Oneill, the actor who portraies Jay, was also the main father figure in the 80's very popular sitcom Married with Children. I assume many bummers or older viewers recognized him and that familiarity helped them connect to Jay and the show in general.
Came to the comments to say this! In a meta way, Jay is a gateway character. I don’t think my dad would haven given Modern Family a chance if Al Bundy wasn’t part of the package.
I see a lot of criticism of gay characters that prioritize palpability to straight people, and I think it's unfair to look back at older media and compare it with the landscape now. You bring up a very important point, that it's harder to see nowadays, because we have more and better representation. We can have that *because* of characters like Cam, who were one of the first positive portrayals of gay people in a sitcom. Like my country just legalized gay marriage, most of my family can't stomach "Love, Simon" let alone something more complex.
Very refreshing take, both for your acknowledgment of how gay characters have needed to appease straight audiences in the past and that sometimes that’s a helpful thing in easing more conservative audiences into acceptance.
Yes, my country's population isn't as "progressive" as the US and I loved that my parents could watch Modern Family and challenge their ideas about gay characters and couples. If I showed them a "modern" take they would've closed up immediately
I just wished Cam had at least reduced his manipulative behaviour by the last season. Seeing him putting a show with his and Mitch friends to "gain their sympathy in case they ever break up" and make his husband look bad in front of their friends for absolutely no reasons, it's just painful
@@loiracitr i always thought that it was one of the things that made him less of a stereotype and more interesting after all gay people can be manipulative too
I think people forget what it was like to watch modern family as it came out. For me, as a 9th grader, this was the first on screen portrayal of a gay household I had ever seen, because it was “family friendly” enough to air during prime time. Gay marriage wasn’t legal yet. A lot of families were navigating the same difficulties as these characters, if a bit less dramatic. The show was exploring questions and dynamics that people were genuinely navigating for the first time, and it was consistently topical and up-to-date on trends and social developments. It was a rare gem of network television.
My Stepdad (someone I haven’t really ever gotten along with) is SO MUCH LIKE JAY. down to how he looks and talks. So when modern family first came out he was so adamant NOT to watch it with us on the couch because he wasn’t okay with Cam and Mitchell. Then SLOWLY and eventually started watching it with us as he really liked Jays character. I think it helped him become more understanding like you said.
I agree that Jay’s character arch is slow and necessary. Like you said, it retains viewers who typically wouldn’t watch the show. It also makes his growth more rewarding, I don’t think Mitch and Cam’s wedding would be as impactful without Jay growing slowly. The one thing that always bothered me though was Jay and Phil’s relationship, even though there is progress at the end of the episodes, I feel like it was off balance for the entire show.
I think the show does a good job of showing why the “conflict” between Jay and Phil can never be solved as easily as the one with Mitch. With Mitch, the premise of the arc is an admission of guilt from Jay, the “I know I was always supposed to love him and I’m sad I didn’t” which leads him to overcome their fights and eventually make the right choice. Claire is the opposite. Jay thinks he did nothing wrong raising Claire, something Claire herself validates for him multiple times. Yet Phil complements Claire and makes up for all her flaws he instilled in her growing up. Seeing Phil give Claire things he never thought she needed to him feels like a reminder that he kinda fucked up with her too, and that combined with him recognizing Phil is an objectively better father, is why Jay won’t let himself be close to him. Sorry I’ve been on a Modern Family binge for the past 2 months 😅
@@Shalalacls that’s actually something I never thought about. It’s very true though and makes a lot of sense. I also haven’t binged modern family in a while, I need to get back on that lol.
And honestly, as a gay kid who had hurtful parents, it was helpful to see a model of an imperfect relationship healing. As a gay kid, i had a bunch of people telling me to cut off my parents and give up when they hurt me, not to do years worth of cringey and slow work with them. But Jay is sympathetic. He doesn’t mean to be hurtful. He is often trying his best or momentarily struggling to implement the new “rules” he’s learned. It’s easier to forgive my father when I remember he has lived only one life and is figuring it out, too. (And for what it’s worth, I went from not speaking and them screaming about not walking me down the aisle to my mom sending me a rainbow bracelet in the mail and my dad crying every time I leave the driveway. And I’m so grateful. I love my parents. And Jay!)
To me, all the characters on Modern Family appeared to be stereotypes on their surface, but were more complicated when you watched them in an episode. I never really felt that Jay hated gay people, but just didn't understand them. Also, he seemed to really get along with Cam, way more than his kids or Phil. I thought that was an interesting choice. He bonded with Cam much more than he expected.
Jay is by far my fav character in that show. He is such a complex character and I love that underneath all the hard exterior, he is a soft kind-hearted man that would do anything for the people he loves. Including changing his own perspectives on the world
This was a great video! One thing I also think is important to keep in mind when discussing gay characters is just how much, and how quickly, our broad social perception of queer people has changed in the last 10-20 years. Kids today in the US genuinely don't know a world where being gay is broadly seen as wrong. At least not in the way it was in the 2000's. I'm old enough to remember the world before Oberfel v Hodges and before being gay became widely accepted. For context according to pew research in 2004 only ~35% of americans supported same sex marriage, but in 2019 that number was ~72%. That is an INSANELY fast switch in broad public opinion over less than 20 years. Seeing Cam as a gay character made in 2009 for a sitcom, I think it's easy to focus on the (very legitimate) flaws and ignore how important having two gay men, who are also fathers, as a part of the main cast was. I can't think of another show that showed a gay family raising kids in a loving and healthy home at this time, but I could be wrong there.
one thing tho, boomers who flex wealth that way are usually "self made" (regardless of their status being middle or upper class) and usually did not go to college because they come from low income families. this kind of economic emancipation was only possible between the 50s and the 90s. those of us who were born later either inherit if we are lucky or are stuck having less opportunities than those parents who were able to have a growing career.
Data disagrees with you. Economic mobility hasn't changed much in the US for the past 50 years. At least up until the research showed (pre pandemic, so 2018-2019).
I think a lot of people fall into this trap. Growing up in the 90's allowed me to see the tail end of the major LGBTQ+ rights movements and acceptance - things like Ellen coming out as gay, or similarly, how a show could only have gay characters in it, if it was a "gay" show a la will and grace etc. and talking with younger LGBTQ+ folks these days, so many are completely unaware of what life used to be like, only 10-20 years ago, and as a result, completely dismiss older queers lived experiences.
This ^ It's actually baffling how easy it is for some young queers to completely dismiss, not to mention harass older queers for things that you literally lived through and we're there to experience
@@geministrial950 I'm a younger queer, but I still try to do my own research on queer history when I can. People blatantly ignoring old queer identities is very baffling. Especially when it comes to lesbians and their relationship with gender/masculinity. I can't understand why other young queers are so close minded it's like anything they don't understand is invalid to them. It sucks.
I couldn’t help but notice how Jay/Gloria and Claire/Phil get to have episodes about their sexual lives, but Mitchell/Cam barely kiss. Almost like they don’t want to “””shove it down people’s throats,””” or alienate people who share Jay’s biases. It was progressive for 2009, but I still like to think about that.
@@Robynjanelawlor many straight actors play explicit gay roles and are fine with it, unless you can source him being uncomfortable with gay kisses or talking about gay sex i think it's unfair to place the lack of those scenes on him. i personally think they just never strayed away from the tentative rules in place when they started, needing to stay within what was considered family friendly and what wouldn't alienate an audience, or what the network would allow (reminder that this aired on abc which is owned by disney! and it was at a prime time slot for family viewing. disney is still removing gay scenes as recent as 2024). the people that are talked in this video are those like jay who perhaps will say they support gay people but would cringe or be outraged to see them hold hands and kiss in public compared to straight couples. i wonder if the audience could have handled serious discussions of gay sex on a "family friendly" sitcom in the early 2010s. so the show just never ended up breaking away from this comfort zone.
They first kiss in Season 2, and it was one of the first times a same-sex couple was shown kissing on a major network sitcom. Gay marriage wasn’t legal yet, so it is a huge swing for the network. Nothing to do with the actors being uncomfortable.
I grew up in an extreme Christian religion, modern family was my first introduction to gay characters in media and Cameron was always my favorite. I never realized how much it meant to me to have this couple with a daughter be shown to me at such a young age but it truly meant the world to me. Mitch and Cam are not the most realistic examples of gay men by far but its important to respect that they walked so characters in media we have today could run. I hope that modern family helped people accept and embrace different types of people like it did for me.
So weirdly I just watched a few episodes and in season 4 episode 19 around 3 minutes in, Jay says he never finished college. So that answers that question 😅
i recently finished this show, and it was far and away my favorite sitcom i’d ever seen… seeing this posted less than a couple days later feels like it was made specifically for me. thank you, sloan :)
I can also see a way to make those repeated situations more bearable by changing the details of the situation. Like the first time, when Mitchel confronts Jay about the "a friend of my son" thing Jay clearly justifies it, whereas in the season 4 episode it's a situation where neither of the others are present and he keeps it from them. "After all," he says to his wife, "my buddies at the club aren't invited to the wedding," but this time he's a little more conflicted and that's shown by how he tries harder not to tell his son and son-in-law
God, your style and narration is so perfect 🍋 Wish you start making more videos. I would kill for a House M.D. video Also : the Mentalist video is probably the greatest YT debut in history 👏
i think another key aspect of Jay’s character is the key fact the absolute number 1 factor in his life is Family, a lot of his growth comes from facing aspects of himself for the family. another massive reason for his growth is Gloria, she always kept him accountable and pushed him to be better
you are the only video essay channel that i watch that keeps my attention for longer than 40 minutes and sometimes you do it with videos on topics i would otherwise never be interested in?? that's wild. i hope you keep making these !! excited for your next one
As important as accurate representation is, I’ve always appreciated the media that works to introduce new experiences and ideas to people in a gentle and palatable way. There’s absolutely a place for hard hitting commentary (Cabaret, for example, is not meant to be comfortable), there’s also something to be said about actively paving the way for those with less developed opinions to grow and change. I’m really glad to see that recognized. ❤
I definitely see the impact of having such media around. While we can have a conversation about caricatures and coddling ignorant people . My grandmother recently binged the latest queer eye season. She told me that she was very apprehensive when I introduced her to the show years ago but right now she is so ashamed that she ever even thought that way. Positive representation regardless of cliches really have an impact.
I’ve been slowing introducing more “out there” media to my family and I was afraid of the comments I had to hear about Oscar when we started The Office, now 6 seasons later he’s only the most normal comments, and I feel safer abt Mitch and Cam when I show them modern family. Looking foward to help them grow w Jay without having to keep “rating” bc they don’t know any better
As a gay man from a white, conservative, Christian background, I am totally ok with Jay’s long and slow journey at growth. That’s actually more realistic for sure. Both of my parents were very homophobic when I came out at 18 but over the many many years they grew slowly. They still had a lot of uncomfortableness and struggled and made mistakes but the growth was there. I see that in Jay.
Watching this made me think of a related thought I had when watching Wicked. LGBTQ audiences have a little bit of a contradiction in what we want from media, and I was thinking of it particularly in fantasy/scifi worlds. We want to imagine another world where queerness is ordinary; no one in this other world blinks at gender-bending, because the gender roles and heteronormativity of the real world doesn't apply there. However, we also want to relate to characters in those stories, and feel that they understand our struggle, what it feels like to be ostracized and bullied. It's hard to say, given these opposing forces, that any world does it 100% right or 100% wrong. So I think your point about Modern Family connects to a similar contradiction. For LGBTQ audiences to relate to the character, having him experience relatable microagressions from his family is, in part, a benefit. But of course, it's not entirely satisfying, as you say, when the reset button happens with every episode.
I can't recommend it enough. It is beautifully crafted. Hilarious. Like. Have to pause the show to use the bathroom because I'm laughing so hard I'm about to actually piss myself kind of hilarious. If you like sitcoms in any way, you will love modern family.
@ I think you just stumbled on a crazy money making scheme! Let's force anyone who uses this comment to pay 20 dollars every time they don't have a partner
0:22 OHHHHHH that makes much mores sense than what i thought. All these years i thought they were called sitcoms because they had a live audience that would be seated lol. Obviously not all of them do but i thought it was just a convention
Lmao same vibe as me thinking as a kid that “stand up comedy” was when the comic did improvized routines while standing and “sit down comedy” was when they did a scripted routine while seated
I think it has more to do with people being a contradiction. Not all people but most of us tend to love the ones around us and respect them while being frustrated by their decisions or character. I think is compatible
@UnderWater-FireWorks When I think of sitcoms long series come to my mind that's why i didn't mention the good place but i really love that show too. I haven't watched the other one yet tho, so i can't comment on that
also, with the example of undoing homophobia, i hadn't thought that being the bottom in a gay relationship would be seen as emasculating until i saw how jay was so vehemently denying it bc society views them as the "woman" of the relationship. it unexpectedly made me introspect & improve on myself.
What is enjoyed about Jay's character in Modern Family is how uncomfortable he was about his son being homoexual. Sure he has snarky about it but he never disowned Mitchell and grew to love for who he is and grew to love Cameron. I am pretty sure there are a lot of Fathers out there who took time to accept their kid's sexuality but grew to love them like Jay did. Jay really impacted a generation of young men to become great men.
a great retrospective. ive been sharing more time with my parents lately and rewatching this series for old time's sake. it truly was a great step forward in television, especially for that era of entertainment.
I really don't think that Jay's character development was slow, considering that he is probably 60+ years old, and has lived a huge amount of time being brainwashed that gay is bad. Things like these are prevalent even today, in the smallest of capacities, like clothing, emotional reactions, physical features, and so on. Anything against the stereotypical male has always been severely reprimanded in children and young adults. So understandably, after years of brainwashing, "Symptoms" of gay now become life-threatening to perform. While it would've been nice to see quicker growth, to me, it makes sense that those learnings, so deeply ingrained in thoughts, form muscle memory, or a bad habit. So to me, it makes sense that he regresses. For, regression has always been important in the journey of growth. It allows your body a second chance to make things right. And it allows the character to feel more like real people, and more relatable.
Generally agree with the points, but having observed people with gay people in their lives, they have different degrees of acceptance. At one point they might be ok that their child is gay, but could still be on the fence with being in a relationship, even getting married. Re: "stereotypical portrayal of Cameron", I think the characterization is valid. Gay men like Cam do exist, and there's nothing wrong to show that on cam. He's infinitely theatrical but also a handyman. He's huge on celebrities and gossip but is also huge on football. He's very warm and caring but also human enough to commit manipulation and guilt-tripping. He's a great portrayal of a gay man his age-a person of many good and bad traits.
This show is an example of why I hate when people reduce something to “just a show” or “just a comedy,” because everything has an impact on the real world. Even if it only influences one family or one kid or one parent, that’s enough for me. That’s why we need ALL types of stories and characters, in ALL types of genres, mediums, and sagas.
You have the most amazing voice. It's so comfortable to listen to. If you're not doing audio books or VA work already, you should. Oh, and the video was really good too, you seem really smart
I found this channel yesterday, and as someone who is professionally invested in media literacy, and personally a fan of interesting analyses, I've watched almost every video already and am loving it! Although I stand by your right not to recap the works you're analysing at the top of the video, I do feel sad that I'll have to catch up on some stuff so I can come back and watch these :)
I had problems with Mitch and Cam's relationship upon rewatching. However, they meant a lot to me when I was watching the show growing up as a deeply closeted bi man. It was one of the first times I saw gay people actually portrayed positively on TV and I feel like their relationship helped normalize the idea of gay marriage for a lot of the people watching (especially considering it was 2014 and it still wasn't legal federally). And for that it will always hold a special place in my heart.
I was in middle school when Glee started airing, and everyone was watching it. And in one year attitudes shifted from "allies" being in the minority to the majority. It was such a remarkable culture shift I got to observe in the microcosm of my tiny rural middle school. How the topic was discussed at my lunch table, how many people participated in "day of silence," all of it.
I don't even watch Modern Family yet I sat down and listened to this as if I've been a lifelong watcher from the start. Really pulled me in despite me not knowing what's going on
this show is a masterclass in knowing your audience and being able to humanize other perspectives. it does so well in giving perspective on all of the characters
I LOVE your videos! Found you on accident with the bojack grooming video, now after that two different mornings after different parties I've happened onto one of your videos for that good morning, wake up, 1st video of the day listen & I've had to stop what I'm doing & share your content with friends. Thank you! Great work, voice, & insights!
Dang this is a great analysis! I was a little worried it would be the "jay is inconsistent" route, but you explained why it's realistic so well. And good point about Jay being a character that could have a real effect on viewers who might more easily dismiss the show. Also feeling kind of moved. Modern Family had its problems, but Jay was a phenomenal character.
In my opinion, the example given on 8:45 doesn’t work because that episode took place after Jay and Mitchell had their big fight before the wedding. A wedding that took place at the end of a season where the first episode starts with a bill being passed that allowed same sex couples to be married
AMAZING video… thank you so much for putting words to this!!! i’ve noticed it for so long and haven’t been able to verbalize it, but you did it perfectly!!!
I'm so dumb i thought sitcom literally means sitdown-comedy because most of the time characters are sitting down or they're in a set with audience sitting down and laughing 😅😅😅
We have much better representation now, and while its important to look back and criticize, it's also important to acknowledge the media existing breaking ground for that better representation. I think of how when I was little, every relationship was big white strong man and skinny hourglass white woman. No deviation save for maybe the woman being tall or strong willed sometimes. I think about how when I was a teenager, steven universe rocked my world. Body types, races, sexuality, gender... all of it was unique person to person. And it was never the butt of a joke. There was a wedding between two female characters and the creator chose to include that, knowing cartoon network said they would pull the plug if it was included. It's not the best show, and theres much to critique, but the way Rebecca Sugar sacrificed their creative process for representation paved the way. Similarly enough, we got she-ra (the best rep of enemies to lovers I have EVER seen) and that dialed it up even more. Then owl house a DISNEY show with on screen wlw and mlm and non binary characters and relationships when disney refused to even HINT at previous queer characters despite the creators wishes. The more we get, the better its been getting.
I found this relationship with Jay and Mitch to be really realistic, and Im 25. Lot of parents who are from more conservative or traditional backgrounds still have to work through these things when a child comes out, and its through the love between parent and child (and allies like Gloria greasing the wheels) help heal the relationship.
you should add a little bit of music to the end of your videos so it’s a little less abrupt lol i thought my app was broken for a sec but no the video had just ended
I also think it makes sense that Jay goes back and forth because the intolerant part of him is who he's been taught to be, versus the progressive part of him being who he wants to become (or rather who his family wants him to be). So he'd probably be working from his default most of the time (homophobia) but also trying to reroute to being accepting.
I do think Jay is a bit stunted; he wants to do right by his family but he feels obligated to follow his social norms and his father’s lead. Part of why I loved this show was because the Pritchetts were flawed people and given partners who could see their strengths and make them better people. What I also love was when tragedy came for the Pritchetts and they reacted emotionally, their partners become rocks (Cam was Mitch’s in “Baby on Board,” Phil was Claire’s in “See You Next Fall,” and Gloria, and more often than not the entire family, was there for Jay during several breakdowns and breakthroughs).
I will never forget this comment beneath a modern family video, where someone described how they watched the show with their homophobic parents, who didn’t like the representation, but in the end Mitch and Cam were the couple the parents could relate with the most 😅 And over time, they opened their view on gay people ❤ „They aren’t this weird creatures, but people like you and me…“ 😮
It's been a while since I rewatched Modern Family, but one detail I always loved (if I'm remembering correctly) was how Jay bonded with Pepper almost immediately. It seemed like one of the few times he had absolutely no reservations about the whole "gay" thing. There was never a point where Jay questioned the friendship, or got uncomfortable around Pepper. They just hit it off really well as friends, full stop. I thought that was a big deal. Also, who doesn't love Nathan Lane?
I have never watched this show on my own. It has always been when someone puts it on when they are with me. Despite this over time I recognized the shows ability to not only portray characters growth over time, but also just how good pretty much all these characters are
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My favourite episode is the Disneyland one, for the speech Jay gives at the end about staying in an unhappy marriage for the kids, and the beam on his face when he thinks about how happy he is now with Gloria and Manny
i saw that episode yesterday and i teared up, in weird way it was inspirational. things do get better
I love his addition about how it isn’t the right choice for every family but it was the right one for him.
I think people forget that gay marriage wasn't legalized at the start of the show. We got to see it in real time. All of the progress we've made has been very, very recent and can be undone easily. I wish people had a better perspective on the past.
It cannot, not sure why your acting like it is a new show all the kid actors are now adults. And as someone who is lgbtq it's kinda Annoying having people act like I'm about to be hunted because some poltcians saying bs that means nothing and yes from the outside no one takes the US seriously. Seriously all this stuff online is just to scare you. And it would be nice to be treated like a normal person not someone who is minority. Also I agree about the shoving it in people's face thing, it's kinda weird how gay =girly or something s**ual. It's the fact that this is the stereotype that the show is going for. Its just girly because it would be wrong to show something s**ual.
@@cosygoose1813 Exactly! Not to mention some of the "homophobic microaggressions" mentioned in this very video aren't even homophobic, they are just natural reactions. People who advocate for the gay community need to acknowledge that there's nuance to things.
Yeah I think they were one of the first mainstream gay couple in western media who not only showed affection on screen but got married!
@@limendime3720 Why was my reply deleted? And I said the show isn't exactly new, all the actors are full grown adults now.
@@limendime3720 And no, that's fear mongering. It can't be easily undone that's what they say to scare you.
I'm only in the beginning of the video but I think another reason why I like the pacing of Jay's slow growth is because it makes sense for a man his age older people and older men in specifics are often very stubborn and take a very long time to change their old school world views so I think it makes perfect sense he feels like every well meaning Grandpa / uncle that occasionally says something racist.
It also imo makes the moments where he’s accepting so much more rewarding
Very much this, also the fact that he will take steps back again and be suddenly less accepting, especially on a more stressful day, fall back into his old ways of thinking, that's normal for someone his age.
yes, what the video also stated :)
@@DasAlena it's kind of like the first sentence of my comment is "I'm only at the beginning of the video" and maybe I didn't watch the whole thing yet :) you know like I stated in my comment
Yeah. Not always, but many. I think these people deserve representation too, it helps them and others. Personally i dont think bigotry is age issue as my oldest relative born in early 30s had no problem with me being trans and was shocked to find out how difficult and long the process is if one wants to transition, while my youngest relative early '90s was a transphobe. straight up talked shit about me. (my personal opinion is that old people who are bigots have learned nothing when they grew up and should not be given free pass to be bigots...l. but change for better is still better than no change.)
I really like the way Modern family did this, giving older folks someone whom most, ig, could relate, and slowly showing the process. it is not ideal to us queer folks, but so much better than what it could have been.
edit. also there are sh*tton bi men who aren't like Jay but his age and would have been totally fine with their son being gay despite them being in the closet
I think its also interesting to point out, in case some people arent aware, that Ed Oneill, the actor who portraies Jay, was also the main father figure in the 80's very popular sitcom Married with Children. I assume many bummers or older viewers recognized him and that familiarity helped them connect to Jay and the show in general.
How shit I never realized HE was the Married with Children guy!
Came to the comments to say this! In a meta way, Jay is a gateway character. I don’t think my dad would haven given Modern Family a chance if Al Bundy wasn’t part of the package.
Boomers*
@@IAMTHEHAMMAN only Carroll(Archie bunker) o conner has similar cred among boomers
i'm not that old but i used to watch loads of reruns of that show as a kid.
so 'modern family' is still 'the al bundy actor's new show' to me lol.
I see a lot of criticism of gay characters that prioritize palpability to straight people, and I think it's unfair to look back at older media and compare it with the landscape now.
You bring up a very important point, that it's harder to see nowadays, because we have more and better representation. We can have that *because* of characters like Cam, who were one of the first positive portrayals of gay people in a sitcom.
Like my country just legalized gay marriage, most of my family can't stomach "Love, Simon" let alone something more complex.
Very refreshing take, both for your acknowledgment of how gay characters have needed to appease straight audiences in the past and that sometimes that’s a helpful thing in easing more conservative audiences into acceptance.
yee! like Mitcha and Cam having a kiss on TV was one of the first sitcoms for the mainstream that had a gay kiss on television.
Yes, my country's population isn't as "progressive" as the US and I loved that my parents could watch Modern Family and challenge their ideas about gay characters and couples. If I showed them a "modern" take they would've closed up immediately
I just wished Cam had at least reduced his manipulative behaviour by the last season. Seeing him putting a show with his and Mitch friends to "gain their sympathy in case they ever break up" and make his husband look bad in front of their friends for absolutely no reasons, it's just painful
@@loiracitr i always thought that it was one of the things that made him less of a stereotype and more interesting after all gay people can be manipulative too
I think people forget what it was like to watch modern family as it came out. For me, as a 9th grader, this was the first on screen portrayal of a gay household I had ever seen, because it was “family friendly” enough to air during prime time. Gay marriage wasn’t legal yet. A lot of families were navigating the same difficulties as these characters, if a bit less dramatic. The show was exploring questions and dynamics that people were genuinely navigating for the first time, and it was consistently topical and up-to-date on trends and social developments. It was a rare gem of network television.
My Stepdad (someone I haven’t really ever gotten along with) is SO MUCH LIKE JAY. down to how he looks and talks.
So when modern family first came out he was so adamant NOT to watch it with us on the couch because he wasn’t okay with Cam and Mitchell. Then SLOWLY and eventually started watching it with us as he really liked Jays character. I think it helped him become more understanding like you said.
love that for yall. At least he became more understanding
I agree that Jay’s character arch is slow and necessary. Like you said, it retains viewers who typically wouldn’t watch the show. It also makes his growth more rewarding, I don’t think Mitch and Cam’s wedding would be as impactful without Jay growing slowly.
The one thing that always bothered me though was Jay and Phil’s relationship, even though there is progress at the end of the episodes, I feel like it was off balance for the entire show.
I think the show does a good job of showing why the “conflict” between Jay and Phil can never be solved as easily as the one with Mitch. With Mitch, the premise of the arc is an admission of guilt from Jay, the “I know I was always supposed to love him and I’m sad I didn’t” which leads him to overcome their fights and eventually make the right choice.
Claire is the opposite. Jay thinks he did nothing wrong raising Claire, something Claire herself validates for him multiple times. Yet Phil complements Claire and makes up for all her flaws he instilled in her growing up. Seeing Phil give Claire things he never thought she needed to him feels like a reminder that he kinda fucked up with her too, and that combined with him recognizing Phil is an objectively better father, is why Jay won’t let himself be close to him.
Sorry I’ve been on a Modern Family binge for the past 2 months 😅
@@Shalalaclsnice analysis
@@Shalalacls that’s actually something I never thought about. It’s very true though and makes a lot of sense.
I also haven’t binged modern family in a while, I need to get back on that lol.
And honestly, as a gay kid who had hurtful parents, it was helpful to see a model of an imperfect relationship healing. As a gay kid, i had a bunch of people telling me to cut off my parents and give up when they hurt me, not to do years worth of cringey and slow work with them. But Jay is sympathetic. He doesn’t mean to be hurtful. He is often trying his best or momentarily struggling to implement the new “rules” he’s learned. It’s easier to forgive my father when I remember he has lived only one life and is figuring it out, too. (And for what it’s worth, I went from not speaking and them screaming about not walking me down the aisle to my mom sending me a rainbow bracelet in the mail and my dad crying every time I leave the driveway. And I’m so grateful. I love my parents. And Jay!)
Oh my god. This whole time I thought "sitcom" was just the opposite of "stand up" comedy. I'm glad I never said this out loud.
That’s actually hilarious
That’s lowkey awesome I’ve never heard anyone say that before
honestly fair
dont feel bad for a long time i thought it was cus you ‘sit’ on the sofa to watch the ‘com’
I’m gonna start telling people this from now on. This is the new reason.
I’m my modern family’s gay problem 😔
this made me laugh so hard thank you
Hope it gets better for you. People can unlearn hate.
To me, all the characters on Modern Family appeared to be stereotypes on their surface, but were more complicated when you watched them in an episode. I never really felt that Jay hated gay people, but just didn't understand them. Also, he seemed to really get along with Cam, way more than his kids or Phil. I thought that was an interesting choice. He bonded with Cam much more than he expected.
Jay is by far my fav character in that show. He is such a complex character and I love that underneath all the hard exterior, he is a soft kind-hearted man that would do anything for the people he loves. Including changing his own perspectives on the world
Jay is an evolved and more nuanced version of Archie bunker/al bundy c
who actually significantly grows. ed o neil was genius casting
I love my step dad but I wish he was as supportive as Jay
@@YOSSARIAN313 could you like a young person who occasionally says racist things? Jay does and you like him
@@sap9255 could you ever like a young person who occasions says racist things? Jay does and he doesn’t get a pass cause he’s older
@@Josh-q9e could you not assume I let racism slide? I'm just saying I wish my dad was as supportive as him.
Honestly i only have 2 modern family development issues i have issues with
- how the family treats alex
- Haley
Agreed!
Oh god they treat Alex so badly.
But isn't that realistic? Families always mistreat the nerds, especially nerd girls
Particularly Haley's Love Life
Haley was robbed in the last 2 seasons I swear
This was a great video! One thing I also think is important to keep in mind when discussing gay characters is just how much, and how quickly, our broad social perception of queer people has changed in the last 10-20 years. Kids today in the US genuinely don't know a world where being gay is broadly seen as wrong. At least not in the way it was in the 2000's. I'm old enough to remember the world before Oberfel v Hodges and before being gay became widely accepted. For context according to pew research in 2004 only ~35% of americans supported same sex marriage, but in 2019 that number was ~72%. That is an INSANELY fast switch in broad public opinion over less than 20 years.
Seeing Cam as a gay character made in 2009 for a sitcom, I think it's easy to focus on the (very legitimate) flaws and ignore how important having two gay men, who are also fathers, as a part of the main cast was. I can't think of another show that showed a gay family raising kids in a loving and healthy home at this time, but I could be wrong there.
This is such a good point!!
Phil Dunphy is the kind of father I wish I had growing up.
Phil’s osophy
every single video you have made, makes me view media in a completely new way and makes me appreciate the shows even more
Same
one thing tho, boomers who flex wealth that way are usually "self made" (regardless of their status being middle or upper class) and usually did not go to college because they come from low income families. this kind of economic emancipation was only possible between the 50s and the 90s. those of us who were born later either inherit if we are lucky or are stuck having less opportunities than those parents who were able to have a growing career.
dont tell old people this tho they will crash out
Data disagrees with you. Economic mobility hasn't changed much in the US for the past 50 years. At least up until the research showed (pre pandemic, so 2018-2019).
I think a lot of people fall into this trap. Growing up in the 90's allowed me to see the tail end of the major LGBTQ+ rights movements and acceptance - things like Ellen coming out as gay, or similarly, how a show could only have gay characters in it, if it was a "gay" show a la will and grace etc. and talking with younger LGBTQ+ folks these days, so many are completely unaware of what life used to be like, only 10-20 years ago, and as a result, completely dismiss older queers lived experiences.
This ^
It's actually baffling how easy it is for some young queers to completely dismiss, not to mention harass older queers for things that you literally lived through and we're there to experience
@@geministrial950 I'm a younger queer, but I still try to do my own research on queer history when I can.
People blatantly ignoring old queer identities is very baffling. Especially when it comes to lesbians and their relationship with gender/masculinity.
I can't understand why other young queers are so close minded it's like anything they don't understand is invalid to them. It sucks.
I couldn’t help but notice how Jay/Gloria and Claire/Phil get to have episodes about their sexual lives, but Mitchell/Cam barely kiss. Almost like they don’t want to “””shove it down people’s throats,””” or alienate people who share Jay’s biases. It was progressive for 2009, but I still like to think about that.
I think it’s because eric stonestreet was straight in real life so he wasn’t the most comfortable with it , so they only did it like once a season
@@Robynjanelawlor many straight actors play explicit gay roles and are fine with it, unless you can source him being uncomfortable with gay kisses or talking about gay sex i think it's unfair to place the lack of those scenes on him. i personally think they just never strayed away from the tentative rules in place when they started, needing to stay within what was considered family friendly and what wouldn't alienate an audience, or what the network would allow (reminder that this aired on abc which is owned by disney! and it was at a prime time slot for family viewing. disney is still removing gay scenes as recent as 2024). the people that are talked in this video are those like jay who perhaps will say they support gay people but would cringe or be outraged to see them hold hands and kiss in public compared to straight couples. i wonder if the audience could have handled serious discussions of gay sex on a "family friendly" sitcom in the early 2010s. so the show just never ended up breaking away from this comfort zone.
They first kiss in Season 2, and it was one of the first times a same-sex couple was shown kissing on a major network sitcom. Gay marriage wasn’t legal yet, so it is a huge swing for the network. Nothing to do with the actors being uncomfortable.
Speaking as a gay man, I don’t really think that’d even fly today on a basic cable network. It’d alienate the predominantly hetero audience.
I grew up in an extreme Christian religion, modern family was my first introduction to gay characters in media and Cameron was always my favorite. I never realized how much it meant to me to have this couple with a daughter be shown to me at such a young age but it truly meant the world to me. Mitch and Cam are not the most realistic examples of gay men by far but its important to respect that they walked so characters in media we have today could run. I hope that modern family helped people accept and embrace different types of people like it did for me.
So weirdly I just watched a few episodes and in season 4 episode 19 around 3 minutes in, Jay says he never finished college. So that answers that question 😅
i recently finished this show, and it was far and away my favorite sitcom i’d ever seen… seeing this posted less than a couple days later feels like it was made specifically for me. thank you, sloan :)
I can also see a way to make those repeated situations more bearable by changing the details of the situation. Like the first time, when Mitchel confronts Jay about the "a friend of my son" thing Jay clearly justifies it, whereas in the season 4 episode it's a situation where neither of the others are present and he keeps it from them. "After all," he says to his wife, "my buddies at the club aren't invited to the wedding," but this time he's a little more conflicted and that's shown by how he tries harder not to tell his son and son-in-law
God, your style and narration is so perfect 🍋
Wish you start making more videos.
I would kill for a House M.D. video
Also : the Mentalist video is probably the greatest YT debut in history 👏
i think another key aspect of Jay’s character is the key fact the absolute number 1 factor in his life is Family, a lot of his growth comes from facing aspects of himself for the family.
another massive reason for his growth is Gloria, she always kept him accountable and pushed him to be better
you are the only video essay channel that i watch that keeps my attention for longer than 40 minutes and sometimes you do it with videos on topics i would otherwise never be interested in?? that's wild. i hope you keep making these !! excited for your next one
As important as accurate representation is, I’ve always appreciated the media that works to introduce new experiences and ideas to people in a gentle and palatable way. There’s absolutely a place for hard hitting commentary (Cabaret, for example, is not meant to be comfortable), there’s also something to be said about actively paving the way for those with less developed opinions to grow and change. I’m really glad to see that recognized. ❤
I definitely see the impact of having such media around. While we can have a conversation about caricatures and coddling ignorant people . My grandmother recently binged the latest queer eye season. She told me that she was very apprehensive when I introduced her to the show years ago but right now she is so ashamed that she ever even thought that way. Positive representation regardless of cliches really have an impact.
I’ve been slowing introducing more “out there” media to my family and I was afraid of the comments I had to hear about Oscar when we started The Office, now 6 seasons later he’s only the most normal comments, and I feel safer abt Mitch and Cam when I show them modern family. Looking foward to help them grow w Jay without having to keep “rating” bc they don’t know any better
As a gay man from a white, conservative, Christian background, I am totally ok with Jay’s long and slow journey at growth. That’s actually more realistic for sure. Both of my parents were very homophobic when I came out at 18 but over the many many years they grew slowly. They still had a lot of uncomfortableness and struggled and made mistakes but the growth was there. I see that in Jay.
Watching this made me think of a related thought I had when watching Wicked. LGBTQ audiences have a little bit of a contradiction in what we want from media, and I was thinking of it particularly in fantasy/scifi worlds. We want to imagine another world where queerness is ordinary; no one in this other world blinks at gender-bending, because the gender roles and heteronormativity of the real world doesn't apply there. However, we also want to relate to characters in those stories, and feel that they understand our struggle, what it feels like to be ostracized and bullied. It's hard to say, given these opposing forces, that any world does it 100% right or 100% wrong.
So I think your point about Modern Family connects to a similar contradiction. For LGBTQ audiences to relate to the character, having him experience relatable microagressions from his family is, in part, a benefit. But of course, it's not entirely satisfying, as you say, when the reset button happens with every episode.
perfectly worded 🎉
what a way to start 2025 a NEW SLOAN VIDEO i'm so excited bless u queen
I've never seen an episode of Modern Family, but you bet I'll be sitting through this entire essay.
I can't recommend it enough. It is beautifully crafted. Hilarious. Like. Have to pause the show to use the bathroom because I'm laughing so hard I'm about to actually piss myself kind of hilarious. If you like sitcoms in any way, you will love modern family.
I understand that on a deep level
It’s aight, kinda falls off in later seasons like most shows do
BABE WAKE UP SLOAN JUST POSTED 🗣️🗣️🗣️
I'm here. Insightful episode
Don't call me babe
i’d bet $20 you have no significant other
@ I think you just stumbled on a crazy money making scheme! Let's force anyone who uses this comment to pay 20 dollars every time they don't have a partner
A Sloan video on Modern Family!?? What a way to start the year!
0:22 OHHHHHH that makes much mores sense than what i thought. All these years i thought they were called sitcoms because they had a live audience that would be seated lol. Obviously not all of them do but i thought it was just a convention
Lmao same vibe as me thinking as a kid that “stand up comedy” was when the comic did improvized routines while standing and “sit down comedy” was when they did a scripted routine while seated
I think it has more to do with people being a contradiction. Not all people but most of us tend to love the ones around us and respect them while being frustrated by their decisions or character. I think is compatible
I think Modern Family is the best sitcom ever. I would love to see a b99 video
And the good place too, honestly any michael shur's shows would be nice!! A man on the inside was great too
@UnderWater-FireWorks When I think of sitcoms long series come to my mind that's why i didn't mention the good place but i really love that show too. I haven't watched the other one yet tho, so i can't comment on that
Nah b99 is pro cop propoganda
@YOSSARIAN313 It is, but analysing it is pretty fun as you can see how the copaganda is presented
@MaryamC21 police in competence in b99 gets played for laughs. Real life police incompetence ruins or ends lives
also, with the example of undoing homophobia, i hadn't thought that being the bottom in a gay relationship would be seen as emasculating until i saw how jay was so vehemently denying it bc society views them as the "woman" of the relationship. it unexpectedly made me introspect & improve on myself.
What is enjoyed about Jay's character in Modern Family is how uncomfortable he was about his son being homoexual. Sure he has snarky about it but he never disowned Mitchell and grew to love for who he is and grew to love Cameron.
I am pretty sure there are a lot of Fathers out there who took time to accept their kid's sexuality but grew to love them like Jay did.
Jay really impacted a generation of young men to become great men.
a great retrospective. ive been sharing more time with my parents lately and rewatching this series for old time's sake. it truly was a great step forward in television, especially for that era of entertainment.
Phil is like the most loveable sitcom father.... only topped for me by Hal from malcolm in the middle.
I really don't think that Jay's character development was slow, considering that he is probably 60+ years old, and has lived a huge amount of time being brainwashed that gay is bad. Things like these are prevalent even today, in the smallest of capacities, like clothing, emotional reactions, physical features, and so on. Anything against the stereotypical male has always been severely reprimanded in children and young adults. So understandably, after years of brainwashing, "Symptoms" of gay now become life-threatening to perform. While it would've been nice to see quicker growth, to me, it makes sense that those learnings, so deeply ingrained in thoughts, form muscle memory, or a bad habit. So to me, it makes sense that he regresses. For, regression has always been important in the journey of growth. It allows your body a second chance to make things right. And it allows the character to feel more like real people, and more relatable.
Generally agree with the points, but having observed people with gay people in their lives, they have different degrees of acceptance. At one point they might be ok that their child is gay, but could still be on the fence with being in a relationship, even getting married.
Re: "stereotypical portrayal of Cameron", I think the characterization is valid. Gay men like Cam do exist, and there's nothing wrong to show that on cam. He's infinitely theatrical but also a handyman. He's huge on celebrities and gossip but is also huge on football. He's very warm and caring but also human enough to commit manipulation and guilt-tripping. He's a great portrayal of a gay man his age-a person of many good and bad traits.
This show is an example of why I hate when people reduce something to “just a show” or “just a comedy,” because everything has an impact on the real world. Even if it only influences one family or one kid or one parent, that’s enough for me. That’s why we need ALL types of stories and characters, in ALL types of genres, mediums, and sagas.
New year, new video!
I love your videos, thank you for a new one.
Your voice is amazing
It took so long for my brain to override the title to not mean “the gay problem with modern Family Guy” lolol
Family Gay
Great as usual! I love how concise you are
i’d love love love to hear you talk about community!! (especially your thoughts on pierce)
amazing video girl you always hit
The episode when they have family therapy … Jay makes me cry just thinking about id
First! Also i see a release from you i lm there. Loved the mentalist video
You have the most amazing voice. It's so comfortable to listen to. If you're not doing audio books or VA work already, you should.
Oh, and the video was really good too, you seem really smart
I mean growth isn’t linear so I think Jays growth is kinda realistic
I found this channel yesterday, and as someone who is professionally invested in media literacy, and personally a fan of interesting analyses, I've watched almost every video already and am loving it! Although I stand by your right not to recap the works you're analysing at the top of the video, I do feel sad that I'll have to catch up on some stuff so I can come back and watch these :)
I had problems with Mitch and Cam's relationship upon rewatching. However, they meant a lot to me when I was watching the show growing up as a deeply closeted bi man. It was one of the first times I saw gay people actually portrayed positively on TV and I feel like their relationship helped normalize the idea of gay marriage for a lot of the people watching (especially considering it was 2014 and it still wasn't legal federally). And for that it will always hold a special place in my heart.
You gotta keep in mind most family sitcoms can seem toxic because someone being a jerk is necessary for conflict and the story arc
Now make a video on how they use Colombia and Mexico interchangeably for Gloria's familial background
Keep it up; always love your videos. Happy New Year!
I was in middle school when Glee started airing, and everyone was watching it. And in one year attitudes shifted from "allies" being in the minority to the majority. It was such a remarkable culture shift I got to observe in the microcosm of my tiny rural middle school. How the topic was discussed at my lunch table, how many people participated in "day of silence," all of it.
I don't even watch Modern Family yet I sat down and listened to this as if I've been a lifelong watcher from the start. Really pulled me in despite me not knowing what's going on
this show is a masterclass in knowing your audience and being able to humanize other perspectives. it does so well in giving perspective on all of the characters
I LOVE your videos! Found you on accident with the bojack grooming video, now after that two different mornings after different parties I've happened onto one of your videos for that good morning, wake up, 1st video of the day listen & I've had to stop what I'm doing & share your content with friends. Thank you! Great work, voice, & insights!
how does this not have more views, the analysis is crazy good
Dang this is a great analysis! I was a little worried it would be the "jay is inconsistent" route, but you explained why it's realistic so well. And good point about Jay being a character that could have a real effect on viewers who might more easily dismiss the show. Also feeling kind of moved. Modern Family had its problems, but Jay was a phenomenal character.
You got a sponsorship? Was this your first? Either way, you go girl! Get that bag! Really well done segment as well 😊
god I love your videos! I just met your channel and I'm glad to know you exist aaaa
As a lesbian, I thought the gay stereotypes were so funny, and the way they would always beef with lesbians 😂
In my opinion, the example given on 8:45 doesn’t work because that episode took place after Jay and Mitchell had their big fight before the wedding. A wedding that took place at the end of a season where the first episode starts with a bill being passed that allowed same sex couples to be married
AMAZING video… thank you so much for putting words to this!!! i’ve noticed it for so long and haven’t been able to verbalize it, but you did it perfectly!!!
soooo goooood! you always hit it out of the park with your analysis videos
I would love to know if you have seen Psych and what your thoughts are on it! There is 8 seasons and very well loved by a lot of people!
I'm so dumb i thought sitcom literally means sitdown-comedy because most of the time characters are sitting down or they're in a set with audience sitting down and laughing 😅😅😅
We have much better representation now, and while its important to look back and criticize, it's also important to acknowledge the media existing breaking ground for that better representation. I think of how when I was little, every relationship was big white strong man and skinny hourglass white woman. No deviation save for maybe the woman being tall or strong willed sometimes. I think about how when I was a teenager, steven universe rocked my world. Body types, races, sexuality, gender... all of it was unique person to person. And it was never the butt of a joke. There was a wedding between two female characters and the creator chose to include that, knowing cartoon network said they would pull the plug if it was included. It's not the best show, and theres much to critique, but the way Rebecca Sugar sacrificed their creative process for representation paved the way. Similarly enough, we got she-ra (the best rep of enemies to lovers I have EVER seen) and that dialed it up even more. Then owl house a DISNEY show with on screen wlw and mlm and non binary characters and relationships when disney refused to even HINT at previous queer characters despite the creators wishes. The more we get, the better its been getting.
Ohmygod I need so much more modern family content from you this video was fantastic
I’m so sorry I didn’t realize I hadn’t subscribed yet!
Luckily this dropped into my feed I love your stuff!
😭
I found this relationship with Jay and Mitch to be really realistic, and Im 25. Lot of parents who are from more conservative or traditional backgrounds still have to work through these things when a child comes out, and its through the love between parent and child (and allies like Gloria greasing the wheels) help heal the relationship.
BEAUTIFUL VIDEO ESSAY ❤
so well put it left me wordless but still gotta leave that comment for the algorithm gods
you should add a little bit of music to the end of your videos so it’s a little less abrupt lol i thought my app was broken for a sec but no the video had just ended
for the first 4 minutes of the video i was stuck trying to figure out if the title was supposed to say Jay Problem instead of Gay Problem
One of my dad’s is 6’4 grew up in north dekota on a farm, loved choir I very much saw Camero as him.
You're now my favorite youtube analyst
I need more video essays about modern family
Another great video!
what a beautiful essay, great job 💝💝
Just found your channel, and I am loving your videos!
Love your commentary Sloan! Really interesting observations and I'm checking out your others too, you've earned a subscriber!
The segway to the sponsor was so smooth.
I also think it makes sense that Jay goes back and forth because the intolerant part of him is who he's been taught to be, versus the progressive part of him being who he wants to become (or rather who his family wants him to be).
So he'd probably be working from his default most of the time (homophobia) but also trying to reroute to being accepting.
Another amazing video
I do think Jay is a bit stunted; he wants to do right by his family but he feels obligated to follow his social norms and his father’s lead. Part of why I loved this show was because the Pritchetts were flawed people and given partners who could see their strengths and make them better people.
What I also love was when tragedy came for the Pritchetts and they reacted emotionally, their partners become rocks (Cam was Mitch’s in “Baby on Board,” Phil was Claire’s in “See You Next Fall,” and Gloria, and more often than not the entire family, was there for Jay during several breakdowns and breakthroughs).
The SMOOTHEST sponsor transition ever!
This is excellent work! A+
I dunno who you are but this vid spoke to me, so I subbed.
Great work, as always 🙌🏻
I will never forget this comment beneath a modern family video, where someone described how they watched the show with their homophobic parents, who didn’t like the representation, but in the end Mitch and Cam were the couple the parents could relate with the most 😅
And over time, they opened their view on gay people ❤
„They aren’t this weird creatures, but people like you and me…“ 😮
It's been a while since I rewatched Modern Family, but one detail I always loved (if I'm remembering correctly) was how Jay bonded with Pepper almost immediately. It seemed like one of the few times he had absolutely no reservations about the whole "gay" thing. There was never a point where Jay questioned the friendship, or got uncomfortable around Pepper. They just hit it off really well as friends, full stop.
I thought that was a big deal. Also, who doesn't love Nathan Lane?
New Sloan video yesssss
Great essay! 🥰
I have never watched this show on my own. It has always been when someone puts it on when they are with me. Despite this over time I recognized the shows ability to not only portray characters growth over time, but also just how good pretty much all these characters are