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Ray Richmond contributes to Deadline’s TV coverage.
In a fun PaleyFest finale tonight, Modern Family co-creator Steve Levitan declared that even if he had the chance, he wouldn’t switch from the grueling 24-episode-per-season broadcast schedule at ABC to the far less taxing 12 or 13 episodes found in cable. Why? “Because of the kids (on the show),” Levitan admitted. “They’re growing. We tried to stop it and it’s not working. For that reason alone, we want to get as many stories in as we can while they’re going through these years. So we’re going to try to maintain this pace for as long as we can.”
During the the panel, moderated by Variety’s Cynthia Littleton, which was an even mix of earnest and silly, co-stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet expressed their gratitude in being permitted to portray such a positive gay couple. “I think we’ve shown that you don’t need to be a man and a woman to give a baby a healthy, happy, loving home,” Stonestreet said. “There was also one teenage kid who wrote me, ‘I just want you to know that I finally had the courage to come out to my mom because of you guys. And mom’s response was, ‘Well, are you Mitch or Cam?’’ ”Added Levitan: “The greatest stories we hear are from gay teens that never talk to their parents but now are watching the show with them, and are finding acceptance because of it.” But Ferguson cautioned that he looks forward to the day “when this is not considered a revolutionary couple.”
Perhaps the highlight of the evening, however, came at the very end, when a trio of teenage girls in the audience prefaced their question by noting they were supposed to be home doing their homework. They wondered if someone in the cast might be able to write them an excuse for school. “Come on up!” offered co-star Julie Bowen, who plays mom Claire Dunphy on the show. The girls sprinted to the stage, pen and paper in hand, and came away with their signed slip for the teacher.
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for real? positive effects on gay teens? because it displays two cliched, stereotypes as a representation of gay men?? this is what the acceptance is on network tv. gross. as a gay man, please represent honestly. this just enforces that the only way for gays to be embraced on television is thru being represented as an animated, unrelatable side show.
yes, because the rest of what’s shown on tv of the gays is so much better.
you have a perfectly fine and balanced relationship between two men, that’s pretty good, isn’t it?
Modern Family is still comedy so it is a bit cliched, yes, but it’s easier to accept than the love parade for the large number of hicks and morons you have in your country.
My brother feels the same way about this as you do. Aside from the fact that he happens to be married to another man, you’d never guess he was gay. He doesn’t talk with an exaggerated lisp, he doesn’t “flame on” for the spectacle of others, and he doesn’t act like a drunken Kardashian in public. He’s not a gay man, he’s a doctor, a husband, and a father, who happens to be gay.
Outdated cliche` stereotypes like this don’t do the cause any favors, especially when the characters’ defining characteristic and the punchline to pretty much every joke they’re involved in is their sexuality.
So only men who are masculine, butch and act and talk like every other man are of value?
You make VAST assumptions about how other gay men speak, act and live their lives. Assuming that all gay men “act like drunken Kardashians” is especially vile. That would be like me assuming all straight people under 30 act like Kardashians or like the cast of Jersey Shore.
Your homophobia about “flaming” on is even more bothersome. As I said in an earlier comment, it’s of no use to be out of one closet if we’re put into another which is telling us we all have to speak, act and look alike (or like straight men). I prefer being in a world where our individuality is valued.
the development execs don’t think people would find your brother believable. and they probably think their audiences would be frightened by the idea that an “average” person could be gay. if that’s the case then gay could happen to anyone. furthermore, they wouldn’t buy it from anyone but your brother, because they don’t think most can write with any insight beyond their own experience and this town is chock full of cliche gay writers. the imperceptible gays are closeted and married to women. #TRUTH
I agree with you, but the point here is that Modern Family’s cast should stop tooting horns about how influential their jobs are to society and focus more on bringing the funny in the latest episodes, which are going down in quality. I am into stereotypes if they are TRULY funny. These guys are basking too much in their own glory. Humble pie to the face, please.
Your criticism of the gay characters on Modern Family is misguided and misses the point of what a sitcom is. It’s supposed to be FUNNY.
Cam and Mitchell are two very funny CHARACTERS who happen to be gay. Does your criticism of their lack of gravitas extend to Ty Burrell who plays a clueless, goofy dad? Should we complain that the show gives hard working dads short shrift? Or that Sofia Vergara’s very funny Gloria is a stereotype of the “hot, fiery Latina?”
There are plenty of serious portrayals of a gay characters on tv. BD Wong in Law and Order SVU and Archie Panjabi in “The Good Wife” are just two.
So please don’t impose your brand of political correctness on this extremely well written and creative show — it’s the death of comedy.
The only think I disagree with here is about Sofia Vergara. Granted, the accent might be over-the-top and played for laughs, but she’s also a strong, loving mother who cares deeply for her son and loves her husband.
#1 – Are you a teen?
#2 – Are you even a gay?
#3 – What is stereotypical about Mitch and Cam? Mitch is obsessive and neurotic? So is half of Gayville. Cam is over-sensitive? So is the other half of Gayville.
#4 – How would YOU like to see Mitch and Cam portrayed then?
Every character on the show is a stereotype. It’s a sitcom buddy. And it’s great.
This comments section proves only one thing. We need more comedies like this and you people need to laugh more.
The biggest shame of all is that “Modern Family” has gone so downhill this season. It’s almost unwatchable. The show used to be so sharp and funny. Now the characters have become caricatures of themselves. The only ones that still manage to be funny are Ty Burrell, Jessie Tyler Ferguson and Ed O’Neill. The others (Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Eric Stonestreet, and especially Manny) are now WAY over the top. I used to be a huge fan of this show, but now I can’t even make it through each week’s episode. The writing is probably the cause. It’s like Season 3 of “Arrested Development” (and what happens quite often with TV comedies — the same writers in the room begin to get too wacky and “inside” in their jokes). I really hope they can get the show back in shape. This comment is meant to be constructive.
The same could be said for “Community.” First season and a half consisted of smart, tightly-written half-hour sitcom episodes. Then they got full of themselves, and have since jumped the shark with all the meta jokes and obscure storylines.
sure, put arrested development and modern family in the same sentence.
Very well said.
Agreed.
I loved this show, but it ‘s hard to watch now because of the weaker cast members.
Ty Burell, Ed O’Neal are great, but the rest indicate and force every line. It feels like when the others deliver their lines we should hear a “ba-dump/bshhh”.
The two younger boys especially can’t quite handle the very grown up throw away lines. No offense to them. They are being asked to do corny dialogue.
And, Claire has become incredibly unlikeable.
It’s the we won some awards curse. Not as good anymore.
I agree it has started to roll downhill this season. It’s still probably the best comedy on network TV right now when all is said and done. Which speaks more to the quality of network comedy these days. We’ve still got all the old dinosaurs walking the earth and the new guard hasn’t come in yet. It will improve.
Perhaps the cause – as you suggest at the root of this self-proclaimed problem – is just good old fashioned viewer fatigue, i.e. the excitement of the concept and characters has become boring to you personally so it’s your compass which has recalibrated and there’s nothing wrong with the show or writing at all. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
This season has been awful. It’s like how to do take every contrived sitcom plot and wedge it into the world of Modern Family. Also, they keep trying to give Ty Burrell this over-the-top physical schtick and it just doesn’t work. Him getting Tazed in the Christmas episode was just painful to watch. So hackneyed and unrealistic.
There is one reason and one reason only that Levitan wouldn’t move the show to cable. Because he’s a notorious glory hog who would trip over his mother to get to a camera and the world of cable would just be too small for him. Interesting that these comments were made while an episode of Modern Family which he wrote and directed was airing. The most derivative episode they have ever done. Another stinker like that and cable won’t want him.
I think people should go easier on Levitan. I’ve worked with him and yes, he has a problem with needing to get attention. But he’s a nice guy underneath it. Just because he’s not the best writer around doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an amazing track record of getting things produced. Too many haters out there.
Wow, talk about “damning with faint praise.”
Levitan is a good guy. But the comment (above) about the quality of the show this season is dead-on. They really need to re-capture the subtlety, better (and more relatable) stories, that they had in the first two seasons. The show is in a creative awkward growth period right now.
Why aren’t more women writing on this show? What doe they have…two out of a dozen? Seems they have their female/Asian diversity hire from Disney (free) and one woman on a huge staff.
I guess it’s why you have the brainy sister (not as pretty) and the beautiful sister (not as smart). The old guy with the young hot woman, the shrewish mom…
Levitan likes to have lots of men in the room to feel safe.
Discrimination is not cool.
Well, are you Mitch or Cam?
Hopefully not a Cam because he just embodies all the worst gay stereotypes.
Something becomes a stereotype because it’s true. There are guys like that, so don’t try to pretend there aren’t. If they were both stereotypes there might be a point, but not everyone is a cutting-edge Individual. Don’t try to fix what ain’t broke.
Seriously, dude, you need to relax.
Right, because Cam’s a loving, caring, but intrinsically flawed human being. Wow, what a HORRIBLE stereotype.
I love the show, but none of them are exactly truly representative of anyone I’ve met in life. They are, like almost all sitcom characters, exaggerated versions. Like Phil, who is the earnest but dumb dad stereotype turned to 11. Does that make him a bad character? No, because we recognize aspects of him in ourselves, the same as with all of the characters.
Personally, I know a lot of gay men very similiar to Cam, and I’d happily take their friendship over a lot of other people.
I have a feeling a lot of people don’t really know what stereotypes are. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that whatever negative stereotypes you feel Cam embodies are probably the same ones half of gay America live up to in the first place that nobody wants to admit to or talk about in the second place.
My God, everybody needs to relax about Steve Levitan. It’s a known thing that the guy is a shameless self-promoter who would run through a turbine to get to a microphone, but is he really the first guy like this we’ve seen in Hollywood. Anybody ever hear of Matt Weiner? Aaron Sorkin anyone?
Did someone just compare Levitan to Matt Weiner or Aaron Sorkin? The guy is a known hack whose best credit was a puppet show before he partnered with a bunch of talented writers to do Modern Family. Anybody happen to catch tonight’s episode of MF, the worst in a down season? Guess who you have to thank for it?
I love the show, think it’s still sharp and funny, and don’t understand all the snarkiness. The alternative to having a gay couple you perceive as inauthentic is having no gay couple at all, and I love Mitch and Cam. They are kind, love each other, are devoted to their child and are also hilarious. What, exactly, are you looking for?
As for Steve Levitan — he’s a great guy. You people are just jealous.
“The alternative to having a gay couple you perceive as inauthentic is having no gay couple at all…”
By what logic? The alternatives are infinite, not “this couple, or none.”
I agree that there are many ways they could have portrayed a gay couple. While I find Cam and Mitchell to be funny and entertaining, it really can’t be denied that they are stereotypical gay guys. I don’t necessarily have a problem with it, I just think it’s kind of lazy. It’s like the writers want to make sure that the audience doesn’t forget that the Cam and Mitchell are gay. I think the characters would have way more potential if you couldn’t determine their sexual orientation just by watching them for a few minutes.
This person clearly works on the show. This season’s episodes are NOT good — you don’t have to be a sophisticated viewer to see that…
How is Levitan trying to get attention? By doing a Paley Fest panel? Don’t all showrunners do Paley? I was there tonight and he was very complimentary of the other writers. He brought them up many times. Also, he’s won several Emmys for writing so he must be a good writer.
I gotta agree with the fan of modern family on this one, I havemt been looking forward to seeing it as much this season. It’s evolution has been egregious.
it’s astounding how the unwarranted, negative comments immediately filter onto these comment boards.
Negative comments or honest comments? The show has really gone downhill this season. It’s a shame because I loved the first two seasons. Hopefully, the writers/creators of the show are reading these comments, and this can help them get it back to form!
the show is terribly overrated. almost painfully.
Yeah Cam is every swishy stereotype..never known a gay man like him in real life
What with all the hating? Yes, not all gays are like Mitch and Cam. But enough of them are for those traits to be recognisable, and funny. By asking them to be pure representations, you are kind of missing the point of the show, no? None of the characters are real people. The closest would be Ed O’Neill’s character, but in real life he’d be much more of a real a-hole. If it was an ambitious cable drama, and they were like this, then sure, have at it.
Also, best reason for making more episodes (and cash) I’ve ever heard. It has gotten ‘softer’ but that’s the difference when you’re banging out Camrys not handcrafting Lambos. Cable learnt from the Brits. When it gets too bland I’ll just stop watching, but still remember it fondly. Same as The Simpsons.
I never miss an episode. I enjoy the whole setup. Especially how they are given those ‘personal’ moments on camera. Of course some shows are funnier than others but like them none-the-less.
Every straight couple on TV comedies are stereotypical husbands and wives too. This is not a bad thing. It means gay men are now in the mainstream. My parents are not like Mr. & Mrs. Cunningham but I still learned a lot from them.
The only bad gay stereotype, Mr. Thomas, is the one where we have a plethora of gay men who don’t appreciate that there are ALL kinds of gay men, men who fall along every point on a very long continuum.
It hardly matters if one is out of the closet when we still have members of our community putting us in another closet about how we look, speak or express ourselves.
As for the show itself: I agree, it’s swung back and forth in quality this season. Sofia Vergara is funny and talented but the writing for her, in particular, has often been a caricature of what she once was. Yes, we know, she’s from South America!
All due respect, guys — it’s a comedy. You want subtle and real from Mitchell & Cam, you’re never gonna get it.
Does that mean that their making a loving home for a child together is bad?
You want 3-ways with Dan Savage instead?
You have perfectly legitimate points, but — a little slack, please.
I like Dan Savage. He’s funny, snarky and cute.
We are a gay couple with a teen son. We watch Modern Family together and talk about how crazy and funny ALL the characters are.
It’s a fictional over-the-top portrayal of different families.
People need to stop expecting it be a PBS report on gays in America!
Give me a break. I know several gay men and Cam and Mitchell are pretty damn close representations of a LOT of them.
Did somebody compare Steve Levitan to Aaron Sorkin? Sorkin is a genius writer who’s excelled in every genre he’s tried. Levitan is a good-looking huckster who alienates everyone he works with by being a glory hound and media ass-kisser and by not having the sense to do what he does best which is promoting the show. He’s just not a good writer (anybody remember Stacked?) and he’s got a great team on this show working for him and he just needs to get out of their way.
Oh my God, why is everyone so down on Steve Levitan? I’ve worked with him, briefly, and he works really hard and has climbed his way up like everyone should. Very good producer and network handler, okay maybe not the best writer, but that’s what writing staffs are for. And he has a new show coming out next year which is supposed to be the hottest thing for ABC. Where will all the haters be when this new show blows everyone out of the water again?
And for about a third of the money and viewershi on cable… I’d say no too, why kill the golden goose?
You mean the fresh original and brilliant obscure storylines?
while it may be funny to see gay guys acting feminine on tv, i find it weird and offensive. there is this new propaganda pushed that gayness is not a choice but all the limp wrist affect is.