Thursday, December 11, 2003

A Misogynist Kosher Take on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, director of the L'Chaim Society, author and national syndicated radio host, has been watching TV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," and he has some opinions about it. For one, he believes that it shows straight men as "today's coarse savages and bad-mannered brutes" who can only be redeemed by gay men as "the straight man's messiah." (You can't make this stuff up.)

After watching the Fab Five for a while. Rabbi Boteach had an epiphany....this is all women's fault. Of course.

Women are supposed to teach manners to men, "how to act like a gentleman, straighten my tie, take lint off my jacket." But, the good rabbi laments, how can women teach anyone anything these days? I mean, look what has happened to women.

"Raised in a world where they get attention by flashing a thong strap rather than a kind smile....What can a college girl who flashes her breasts for the 'Girls Gone Wild' videos teach a man about civility? What can a woman who prances around in her underwear on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show teach a guy about dignified bearing? Men no longer believe that women have class. And while they date them and bed them, fat chance they're going to be preached to them about not belching."

Here is what we now know about Rabbi Boteach: he watches "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," "Girls Gone Wild" videos and the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, and as a result, he no longer respects women. Duh!!!

Rabbi, what about the men who produced and directed the programs? What about the men who made big money off this entertainment, off people like you who are watching this garbage? What about all the men on these programs...you make no mention of them. Do you disrespect them too, or are they just there as more victims of wicked women? None of these shows would exist unless men watched them, men like you, Rabbi Boteach.

And Rabbi, you seem to extend these stereotypes to all women. He continues in his article at Beliefnet.com, "Reality TV and the internet package women in 4 foul stereotypes: 1. the greedy gold-digger; 2. the brainless bimbo; 3. the publicity-seeking prostitute; 4. the bitchy backstabber."

Rabbi, turn on Oprah and you will see televised good and humanity beyond your imagination. Turn on lighter weight Christian fare "Seventh Heaven" or "Touched by an Angel." Turn on a symphony, a kosher cooking show, maybe even a golf tournament or tennis match.

Or better yet, Rabbi, turn off your TV and stop surfing the net. You need to get a real life and meet some real people. God bless you.

Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.

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