From: cjohnson@polyslo.csc.calpoly.edu (Coe Salzgeber)
Subject: Re: Our heroes!
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 92 03:02:06 GMT
Organization: Cow Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA

My impressions, from watching the show at Charles' party...

Charles and Janice were both adorable... the audience seemed to want to 
believe that someone was using someone, and things were not _really_ okay 
for them, but they were so loving on the show, at various points turning 
to each other and chuckling, and making it very clear that they are happy 
about how they have chosen to live their lives.

It seemed to baffle many people, but it really cut through the other examples
of dishonesty and unhappiness on the show.

Charles said that one thing that got cut from the show was a lot of good
questions from the NY bi contingent (the friendly crowd in the first two 
rows).  The producers seemed to prefer to concentrate on how baffled the
big-hair-blue-eyeshadow crowd was.

Heather mentioned that Geraldo wanted to argue that you were either 
heterosexual or homosexual - Charles said that towards the end of the 
show (perhaps in footage that didn't get aired), Geraldo seemed to have 
backed off from that position.  Makes me wonder if he actually learned 
something, or if he was just stirring at the beginning.


elf@halcyon.com (Elf Sternberg) said...

>>Charles:  Do you want her phone number?
>
>>     [ Sudden outbreak of laughter an 'Ohhhhhs' from the audience ]

This is repeating something that has been said before, but the _real_ 
reason for the "Ohhhhhs", and for Geraldo blushing, was that cut from 
the final edit was Charles following up with "... You want mine?"

>   The last time I delivered a line like this in such a setting,
>someone walked _right up to me_ and accused me of whoring my wife.
>Hmph.  Still, a good shot, Charles, but I didn't click on Geraldo being
>your type.  Either of you.

>
>>Lorraine:  Bisexuality is normal.  [ More cheering from the front two
>>rows ]  And, there's no such thing as bisexuality.  There's no such
>>thing as heterosexuality, there's no such thing as homosexuality,
>>there's sexuality.  And we all explore it, and follow our own desires,
>>and our own hearts and identities as we grow, and as we realize
>>ourselves.  Does that make sense to people?
>
>>Geraldo:  Umm, no.
>
>   And that, friends, is part of the problem.  Lorraine talked WAY over
>these people's heads.  As someone else said, this was not the high-
>brow, thoughtful crowd of people who exchange long, complex discussions
>about gender identity!  The basic issues of non-discrimination or
>kinsey orientation are more important than new-agey discussions.

Yeah, she talked over _these_ peoples' heads, but there may be some 
people who are working things out, and saw the show, and finally heard
a reasonable voice saying things like this.

>>UAM 4(F):  But Why do you have to go out to someone else?
>>Charles and Janice (simultaneously):  We don't have to.
>>UAM 4(F):  So why do you do it?
>>Charles:  Because we like to.
>>     [ Laughter and expression of disbeleif from the audience ]
>
>   Arrrgh!  Why!?  Why does the average American find this concept so
>difficult to grasp!?  Is it?  I mean, is it really that alien a thought
>process?

[I'm vastly overgeneralizing here, but i think the concepts are generally true]
People don't want to believe that relationships like that work.  People have 
an investment in believing they are normal, and that they are happy.  If 
Charles and Janice are happy, then someone who would _like_ to live as a 
non-monagamous person or a bi person or both, but is afraid, must admit 
that they are not as happy as they could be.

All in all, a pretty good show - though, really, it was not about bixesuality.
It was definitely about non-monagamy  - which is great - i just wish they'd
called it that.  Just because some bisexuals are non-monag. doesn't mean
that bisexuality is defined by being non-monag.  The show just wasn't about
bi issues at all.  But it was a great take on non-monagamy.

<hugs>
-Coe
-- 
cjohnson@nyx.calpoly.edu
Newsgroups: soc.bi