Pedro Zamora: Remembering a Hero

Last Wednesday, MTV premiered a movie it had produced on the life of Pedro Zamora, who was once a cast member on the third season The Real World. The movie was introduced by President Bill Clinton, who said the following:

The mission of Pedro Zamora's all too brief life was to raise awareness about HIV and
Aids. Pedro changed the face of HIV and AIDS in America forever when, for the first time on national TV, Pedro appeared on The Real World and young America saw a peer living with HIV. Pedro shattered myths. He jolted our country awake from ignorance and inaction. His message now is as urgent as ever.

President Clinton's words indicate that in 1994, Pedro Zamora appearing on national television was a moment of progression in the movement for fair representation of AIDS victims in the media. Since AIDS was discovered in 1981, there was a continual struggle for informed and fair representation of AIDS victims in the media. One facet of the struggle, mere visibility, was conquered with Pedro being the first, openly gay, HIV positive main character on television. Since his story is so significant in HIV/AIDS media evolution, I felt compelled this week to fond posts that dealt with the biographical movie on his life. My first response is to a post on an Entertainment Weekly blog that asks if the movie is a worthy tribute to his life. My second comment is to a negative review of the movie from Newsweek. Both deal with looking at how Zamora (see right) was portrayed as a young, gay, racial minority living with AIDS and can be found below and at the respective sites.

'Pedro': Is MTV's Pedro Zamora biopic a worthy tribute?
Comment

Before I answer the questions that you pose in the last paragraph, I have to say that I enjoyed reading your musings on the "meta reenactments" in the movie. What kind of world do we live in that Heidi: The Price of the American Dream seems like a possibility? I too found the reenactments bizarre and hard to watch. Another aspect of your blog that I am glad you included was the brief biography at the beginning. It provided a good base of information to those may not be in the know or who have not seen the movie. However, to answer your question on whether the movie lived up to Zamora's legacy, I have to say yes. As someone who was not old enough in 1994 to be interested in watching The Real World, I was able to get a sense of the impact his appearance on the show had on the young adult viewers of the time. I got the impression that young gays and HIV/AIDS victims were hungry for representation in the media, something that the third season of The Real World was able to provide. While some of the production and casting could have been done differently, I think the fact that MTV decided to air the movie provides the statement that Pedro was and important cultural icon. He gave a face to and humanized AIDS while educating his housemates and viewers. Today, no one else exists that has his kind of visibility. Don't you think MTV deserves some credit for trying to bring someone back to honor his work in AIDS activism?

A Made-for-TV Mistake: MTV's Pedro Zamora movie needs to get real
Comment

I was a bit taken aback after reading your scathing review of the movie. Yes, the movie could have done with a bigger budget, better casting, and less reenacting, but I think the message of the movie still resonates in a powerful way. I agree that the series, being that it was a reality show, was a bit more accessible to viewers. However, don't you think the movie was a valid celebration of his portrayal on the show? The producers were brave enough, in 1994, to air his faux wedding ceremony to another man. They were also able to restrain from making his HIV status too big of a point of conflict. Instead, Pedro was able to open the eyes of those he lived with and those who were watching. In 1994, this was a milestone. Never before had there been someone with his type of visibility. You mention at the very end of the article that we are still wondering who will pick up Zamora's torch. My question to you is: Do we need another Pedro? AIDS diagnoses and deaths are on the decline in the US (see left). AIDS prevention and empowerment is part of President Obama's civil rights platform. Zamora was the first of his kind of TV. There, of course, have been more. With HIV and AIDS being discussed in school and becoming a part of the national discourse, I highly doubt that another Pedro will come around. Honestly, I don't think we need one.

Bromances: Radical Idea or Reality?

Two weeks ago, Hollywood released I Love You, Man, (right) which was generally well received by critics and audiences. The movie follows two straight men who forge a close friendship, a theme that is not new and has been documented countless times in movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, and Men in Black. However, this movie stands apart from the rest because it establishes male friendship as an offbeat development, making the movie a high-concept comedy. A reality show that fits into this same vein is Bromance, which aired six episodes on the MTV network between December 2008 and February 2009. The series consisted of competitions in which the male contestants would express their devotion for Brody Jenner, who previously appeared on The Hills, which also airs on MTV. While it is not a typical dating show, where participants vie for a romantic relationship with the protagonist, the production is still heavily steeped in sexuality. Certain behaviors and practices are deemed appropriate for males by Jenner, and consequences happen to those who deviate from what is constructed as suitable. Even in its the promotion, Bromance was pushed as being representative of the "changing times" surrounding masculinity and male relationships. The program did not enjoy much popularity with audiences, probably because the drama that typically accompanies female-centered programs is replaced with subtleties of male communication and sporadic expressions of aggression. However, it is still valuable to examine how Bromance serves as a litmus test of what existing as a "man" entails and follows in this new tradition of showcasing male friendship as new and original.

In the press surrounding the premiere of Bromance, one interview seems to embody the attitude of the coverage that existed on other media entities. Brody Jenner told Kelley L. Carter of USA Today that "the trend in movies is like these awkward guy moments. So I thought it was a great time for this." He also claimed to be "totally comfortable with my sexuality and showing my affections with my guy friends" when asked about the changes in how male, heterosexual relationships are becoming common conversational fodder. His quotes are representative of the idea that the show was produced to conform to the changing media representations of heterosexual male relationships. I admire the attempt the show makes to challenge the outgoing male ideal. Nonetheless, the show fails to deliver on this claim. In another interview with Marc Malkin of E! Television, Jenner recognized the homoeroticism in the show when he said, "It's kind of homoerotic and I love people saying that." He recognizes the difficulty of gathering a group of men, gay or straight, and avoiding any homoerotic references. This is quickly countered, however, with the statement "I'm cool with my sexuality and the gender that I like and I have a beautiful girlfriend," establishing the show and himself as heteronormative. A piece that ran in The New York Times took issue with this blatant coding of heterosexuality behavior, saying the show branded straight men as superficial. Ginia Bellafante wrote, "what do you have to do to become his consigliere, his sidekick, his mandate? You have to find as many good-looking women as you can and show up at a party with them."

Bellafante was not unfounded in her disdain of the show. The incident that she refers to, in which the contestants (left) are challenged to find two girls to bring to a lingerie party in a limited time period, occurred in the first episode. The heteronormativity in this activity is blatant, obvious, and followed by many more like activities. A "bro-athalon," where the contestants complete a variety of physical strength tests, suggests that a man, thus anyone eligible to have a "bromance" with Jenner, must be physically apt. These physical tests are followed by others in future episodes, including challenges such as wrestling, biking, camping, and dancing. If these activities and portrayals say that able men must be active and strong, what do they say about women? One does not have to think too hard for the solution to this question because Jenner is able to provide the answer in the prizes he provides his potential "bros." For one challenge, the winning boy is rewarded with five bikini-clad girls waiting in a bathtub waiting to wash him off. For another competition, the winner is awarded time to spend in a hot tub with two Playboy playmates. Women are rendered to be the prize of hard work and physical strength, obviously fueling the masculine ideal that the show is depicting.

In the more downplayed segments of the show, the contestants are seen bonding with each other and Jenner. They speak candidly about their life experiences, which lead some to tears. Jenner appears comfortable with the emotions, even going so far as to hug his "bros," and the others follow suit. The show did promote male bonding, and it delivers. The problem, however, lies in how these relationships are framed. The males all display a dislike of wearing what they consider to be "women's" clothing, praise womanizing, and place value on physical strength. By encouraging a separation and differences between men and women, the contestants are encouraging a double standard for the sexes. These sentiments are misogynist, idealistic, and fall into the binary model of gender which establishes innate differences between the male and female genders. This model supports the idea that the innate differences encourage a gender hierarchy, that somehow behaviors deemed appropriate for women are somehow belittling and below men.

Despite the male chauvinism promoted in the series, the show does reflect the shift in media in the portrayal of the males. The show promotes open communication between men, widening the sphere in which men are allowed to feel comfortable and doing away with the narrow macho ideal that has been so commonly portrayed. Bromance and I Love You, Man may not be perfect in their portrayal gender roles, but at least they question those roles. In the constant struggle to portray something other than the male archetype and demonstrate fair/accurate images of non-binary gender, Bromance at least made a small impact by showcasing male friendship and communication as acceptable and desirable. Hopefully, one day a television show or movie will not need to market this idea as novel.

MTV’s Leading Ladies: Feminist Luminaries for the New Generation?

With the fourth season finale bringing in 2.6 million viewers in December, two spin-off shows, and the constant tabloid coverage, The Hills has proven to be the venerable reality show for the MTV target audience. Last week, People Magazine reported that the upcoming season would be the last, passing the reality/drama/fashion format to The City, a spinoff starring Whitney Port. While both shows have been criticized for walking dangerously close to the line that separates the scripted and reality genres, the fact that they are presented as reality is satisfactory for the purposes of this post. Both The Hills and The City center on a young, beautiful blonde attempting to find a balance between career and personal life. Despite the possible good intentions of the cast and producers for portraying characters that are smart and career-minded, both shows are damaging in their portrayal of women. They seem to place high focus on the aggression between the female characters, glamorizing petty and trivial tiffs. While this type of drama and conniving behavior is commonly portrayed on reality television, the fact that they have become firmly associated with Port and the protagonist of The Hills, Lauren Conrad, is troublesome. The men on the show, for the most part, seem to get by as rational observers of the histrionics, while the women are defined as irrational, emotional beings.

On The Hills, Lauren Conrad (see right) is the narrator and center of most conflicts. Throughout the four seasons that have aired, she has managed to “break up” with several of her girlfriends, including Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, and Jen Bunney. The narrative of the earlier seasons focused on Conrad and Montag’s rocky relationship, one that seemed to run into continuing issues surrounding boyfriends. Later seasons saw Conrad getting into he said/ she said spats with her roommates. Gossip and betrayal seem to be major themes in Conrad’s reality life, penetrating into the relationships she has with all of the female characters on the show. Seemingly unaware of what audiences were seeing on her show, she said “It's about empowering girls. You're gonna have bad boyfriends and best friends-turned-enemies. You need to be yourself, you need to work hard, and you'll get there. And if you can get someone to give you a reality show along the way, it can't hurt.” when asked about how she viewed herself as a brand in an article with Entertainment Weekly. Unfortunately, Conrad is delusional as to what the show seems to promote. Producers of the show have steered away from focusing on the career aspect of the show, deciding instead that concentrating on drama would be more fitting. As to the comment regarding how her show “can’t hurt,” I have to interject that viewers are ultimately the ones that are hurt. The show, in selling itself as reality, is coding Conrad’s irrationality and pettiness as legitimate behavior for women.

Montag is another character on The Hills who is just as irrational and does nothing positive for the portrayal of women. Ginia Bellafante of The New York Times, however, does not agree with me and felt it necessary to call Heidi Montag a “feminist hero” last year. She supports this statement by citing a few examples of Montag standing up to her boyfriend and putting her career first. While this did happen, the occasion was drawn out for dramatic purposes and portrayed Montag as a victim. In the next season, Montag eloped with said boyfriend, and continued to gossip with the other female characters about Conrad. These actions completely diminish any credibility she may have had as a feminist, and exemplifies the conduct that is characterized on the show. An additional character on The Hills, Whitney Port (see left), did not have any of her personal life filmed. She was always shown at work with Conrad, dishing about whatever circumstances she got into the night before. Port was reliably professional and visibly career-driven, but everything changed when she was placed front and center as the narrator and main character of The City. The show, currently airing its first season, documents Port’s life as she adjusts moving from The Hills’ Los Angeles to New York City. Based around the premise that she moved to pursue bigger professional opportunities in the fashion industry, the producers seem hell-bent on creating another Conrad-type character around Port. In the sixth episode of The City, the story revolves around one of Port’s friends, Allie, and her obsession over whether her boyfriend kissed another girl or not. The speculation, over-dramatization, and gossip paints Allie and Port as desperate and emotionally indigent. A confrontation between Allie and her boyfriend provide the climax of the episode, and at some point in their argument, her boyfriend asks, “Why are you gonna cry about this?” Of course, the boyfriend remains the rational one, while his female counterpart is senseless.

With the New York Times critiquing Montag and Us Weekly placing Conrad on its cover, it is clear that MTV has has in its hands a cultural phenomenon that comes with the unique opportunity to reach out to its large, young audience who is faithful to shows such as The Hills and The City. Both shows reinforce the dominance of aggression in relationships among young women. While these shows glamorize tensions in relationships to attract viewers, it is important to note that since they are being promoted as “reality,” they are reinforcing the cultural messages that are coded in the shows themselves. Eventually, these negative cultural messages can possibly become the norm and become accepted as mainstream. I hope MTV will realize that the messages communicated through its shows expose audiences to stereotypical images, which can reinforce gender expectations. I understand that viewer pleasure and ratings have priority in the business of television, but the network is missing opportunities to make small yet consequential changes in the production that can go a long way in breaking down portrayal barriers for all underrepresented genders.