Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is an hour-long American television series that premiered on the Bravo cable television network on July 15, 2003, and promptly became both a surprise hit (at least by the standards of cable TV) and one of the most talked-about television programs of 2003.

The television show

Fitting into the genre of both reality television and "make-over" programs, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, created by David Collins and David Metzler, stars five openly gay men (Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley, and Jai Rodriguez), each of whom possesses a particular talent (food and wine; grooming; interior design; fashion; and culture, respectively). The show is produced by Scout Productions.

Related Topics:
Reality television - Make-over - David Collins - Gay - Ted Allen - Kyan Douglas - Thom Filicia - Carson Kressley - Jai Rodriguez

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Each episode features a new candidate straight (or heterosexual) man to be culturally transformed by the self-dubbed "Fab Five". Each candidate prepares for a special event and receives generous guidance from each "Fab Five" member in their respective categories of expertise. The Queer Eye cast has helped prepare for such events as a marriage proposal, a first dinner with a girlfriend's parents, and a backyard barbecue. The "Fab Five" redecorate, rewardrobe, and restyle to create a completely new "look" for the candidate.

Related Topics:
Straight - Heterosexual - Barbecue

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In a typical episode, the "Fab Five" arrive at the candidate's residence to assess his "level of style." The cast ransacks the home, with a running "style" commentary on everything they find. In their investigation, each expert attempts to understand the unique preferences of the candidate in order to best advise him on how to improve.

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Critical reaction to the debut in the mainstream press was mostly favorable. Its sympathetic representation of openly gay men won acclaim from both straight and gay viewers. Others criticized the program for making generalizations about sexual identity. Queer Eye has received much critical acclaim, and the show won an Emmy Award in 2004.

Related Topics:
Straight - Gay

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The series' success was such that television networks in a number of other countries, including the UK and Australia, created their own versions of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy for broadcast in their countries. In the UK, Channel 4, on which the original version appeared briefly before being cancelled, did not screen the local version, although several episodes of it were aired in the US. The Australian version, on Network Ten, received low ratings in its time slot and was quickly cancelled. The first episode of the Finnish version (Sillä Silmällä, literally "with that certain eye") was aired on March 30th, 2005 and it already has created some controversy - not for the homosexual content but for the blatant product placement which is being accused of breaking the Finnish law against "hidden advertising".

Related Topics:
UK - Australia - Channel 4 - Network Ten - Finnish - Product placement

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The show also inspired a Comedy Central spoof, Straight Plan for the Gay Man, which has the opposite premise, four straight men (dubbed the "Flab Four") make-over a gay man to pass as straight.

Related Topics:
Comedy Central - Straight Plan for the Gay Man

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Other variations of the show from Scout Productions include the Queer Eye for the Straight Girl series which debuted in 2005, Queer Eye for the Texan Guy, three episodes set in Texas, Queer Eye for the British Guy, two episodes making over straight men in England (starring the US cast), and a one-time Queer Eye for the Gay Guy episode, in which the Fab 5 helped out another gay man. This ran during Gay Pride month, June 2004.

Related Topics:
Queer Eye for the Straight Girl - June

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