Television Criticism 467
Nora Pittner
12/08/2022
Glantz
COME 467
Introduction
The importance of introducing the idea and education of sexuality in an entertaining and educational way is important to any and all viewers of a program. Sexuality and introduction to it through the media and its history have significantly changed. According to Paramount a survey, they executed in 2019, included 120,000 participants from 67 different countries aged 14 and older. This survey found that “media representation and celebrity acceptance of LGBT is the top factor in changing perceptions for people who don’t know someone who’s attract to the same sex” (Bitette, 2019). Media exposure and representation are very important for everyone whether they identify within the community or not. According to a Vox article, it was shown that a large factor in increasing the support for same-sex marriage was a positive representation in the media. It “showed Americans that LGBTQ people are normal people trying to live their lives just like anyone else” (Lopez, 2016). This article shows the increase in supporters of the same-sex marriage act, it went “from 27% in 1996 to 60% in 2015” (Lopez. 2016). Lastly, Psychology Today discussed why visibility through media matters, for so many more communities outside of the LGBTQ+. This article discusses GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and the release of their “Where We Are on TV” annual report. This report found that “overall, a total of 58 or 6.4% of regular characters on television and 28 recurring characters are identified as either lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer” (Hagan, 2017). The key factor between all these articles is the importance of the expression of one’s sexuality and the ability to also introduce them and educate themselves properly.
Program Information
Big Mouth, an adult animated comedy found on Netflix is a quite suggestive show that details explicitly about everyone’s favorite time in life, puberty. Nick Kroll is the executive producer and creator of the show, loosely based on his own upbringing. The show follows several different storylines through the seven leading children: Nick Birch (Nick Kroll), Andrew Glouberman (John Mulaney), Jay Bilzerian (Jason Mantzoukas), Lola Ugfuglio Skumpy (Nick Kroll), Jessi Glaser (Jessi Klein), Missy Foreman-Greenwall (Jenny Slate, 2017-2022, Ayo Edebiri, 2022-present), Matthew MacDell (Andrew Rannells). The show covers basics and a lot of time much more than the viewer bargained for about sex education. The show is also helped told through the perspective of the hormone monster(esse)s and many other creatures representing different parts of our own bodies and their chemistry. From periods to masturbation, this show has got you covered for somehow entertaining and educating content about our journey of finding and understanding ourselves.
A specific topic the show has done a fantastic job of including is sexuality and gender identity. While only two of the main characters are within the LGBTQ+ community, Matthew MacDell, and Jay Bilzerian. Despite the small number of main characters that are represented, many other characters of the show are open and educational about the topic and community. Our first openly gay character in the series is Matthew. Then, Jessi’s mother, Shannon Glaser, voiced by Jessica Chaffin, comes out as a lesbian. Ali, voiced by comedian Ali Wong, is an openly pansexual girl. Ali transferring to Bridgeton Middle School and being proudly out is what inspired Jay Bilzerian to come out as a polyamorous bisexual. Season five introduced Gabe who transitioned into Natalie, voiced by Josie Totah, a transgender woman herself. Lastly, the newest queer castmate, Elijah discovers he is asexual in season six and is voiced by Brian Tyree Henry. The show never shies away from being open and honest about its portrayal and education of a topic such as puberty. Nick Kroll and the hundreds of others working on this show are not afraid to educate themselves and the viewers on the spectrum of sexuality on top of puberty.
Lens/Description of Approach
Representation but more specifically a positive representation of the queer community has significantly risen in the media over the past few decades. The 1990s is when we started to see queer representation in the media the problem was the limited amount of characters to observe and learn from. At the turn of the 21st century, we started to see a significant increase in queer representation throughout the media and through different platforms within. The first openly gay character on television has been credited to Steve, played by Philip Carey, on the primetime television show “All in the Family”, according to PinkNews (Mitchell, 2021) which was back in the 1970s. Queer theory as discussed by Butler, is “ the study of discourse surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) identities and their representation in our culture” (Butler, 2012).
Big Mouth perfectly blends into an example of queer theory and how it has changed throughout our history. The show is not afraid to show off the queer community and all of the strides it has made in identity. For this specific topic merger of queer theory through Big Mouth no prior articles exist. This is most likely due to the show having aired only six years ago, back in 2017. Newer terms about sexuality and sexual preferences have come to light over the decades giving proper recognition to those who identify as themselves. This newer vocabulary to the spectrum of sexuality would be asexuality, pansexuality, and polyamorous mentioned prior in this paper. Asexuality refers to when someone lacks sexual attraction to others, and/or has low or absent interest in or a desire for any sexual activity. Pansexuality refers to the sexual, romantic, or emotional one that may be attracted to people regardless of their sex and gender identity. Polyamorous refers to the engagement of multiple romantic, and sexual, relationships. Consent with all individuals involved is heavily advised throughout the community.
These sexual preferences and identities have existed throughout history, but there has been a lack of proper representation and overall discussion about these sexual identities and preferences. Big Mouth discusses these topics in some interesting ways but nonetheless, they are suggested in a way that is easy and comfortable to understand. This series expands upon so much more than basic queer sex education. The entire series covers so many different sexualities but one scene in particular sticks out.
Analysis/Interpretation
Queer theory is heavily expressed throughout the entirety of the Big Mouth series and is attacked as a topic consistently. One of the first examples of queer theory and its usage is when Ali, joins the crew at Bridgeton Middle and teaches about her sexual orientation to her new classmates. When Ali is introduced, the children had only the basic ideas of sexual orientation: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight. The literal reaction from two of the hormone monsters involved with this scene says, “Holy shit, jinx” (Kroll, 2019). The way Ali explains her sexuality is through this metaphor: “Pansexual means I’m into boys, girls, and everyone in between…Being pansexual means my sexual preference isn’t limited by gender identity…it’s, like, some of you borings like tacos, and some of you like burritos, and if you’re bisexual, you like tacos and burritos…But I’m saying I like tacos and burritos. And I could be into a taco that was born a burrito, sure, okay or a burrito that’s transitioning into a taco comprende?… And honey, anything else on the fucking menu” (Kroll, 2019). Apologies for the french but the explanation and use of this metaphor makes it a very graspable way. It is both very entertaining watching this scene unfold while also educating the viewers on sexuality that has only just started to get recognization.
A scene that resonants with so many viewers and has quite a catchy tune is the song performed by Gordie who is a character from the Netflix show Jay is convinced was made for him, and he teaches Jay the “Spectrum of Sexuality”. This song covers so many different sexualities that are becoming more prominent in our culture today. The song starts off with Gordie, voiced by Martin Short, singing “the modern world’s a sexual cornucopia”, then a few bars later he sings “there’s a name for anything you care to be…” (Kroll, 2019). This here implicates the growth of sexual norms and identity. It showcases the acknowledged amount of progress this community has made over the decades within the media. “No longer simply straight or gay, there’s a mind-boggling array and we all are searching…” (Kroll, 2019), despite this song being on the crude side for the explanations of the multiple sexual preferences as well as gender identity. The introduction to demisexuals is noted as “should you require romance, to get you into no pants, then a demisexual is what you’d be” (Kroll, 2019). The ghost of Freddie Mercury in this specific scene sings about how some people are “only turned on by the sight of their own body” (Kroll, 2019), referring to someone who identifies as autosexual. The entirety of this song reveals a positive yet provocative way of teaching and entertaining one about this topic. This representation is one of the most inclusive, many have seen on television, through showing off the legitimate definitions of what each sexuality was or showing a, once again, crude visual representation.
Outside of the previous example the latest season, season six has a whole episode dedicated to and titled “Asexual Healing” following the newest character, Elijah, who has joined the crowd at Bridgeton Middle. Throughout the episode, Elijah is battling hormones and his understanding of what sexuality can mean for himself. Through discussing with his hormone monsters, Jay, and his Auntie Amber is the one who helps him figure out what he wants when it comes to his sexual identity. Aunt Amber discusses the time in her life when she tried to figure out her own sexuality; “I tried everything. Being straight, bi, very gay, demisexual, pansexual…but after all that,l I found that asexual is what works for me” (Kroll, 2022). Elijah has found within his own family that what he is feeling is normal and that nothing is wrong with him. Auntie Amber teaches both Elijah and the viewers an important concept about asexuality. “Being asexual doesn’t mean you have to be alone. I love so many people, and so many people love me. I just don’t wanna pork ‘em” (Kroll, 2022). Even with the interesting use of words to describe the way asexual people have the ability to love other people yet not have a sexual relationship with them. This program has been evaluated by the opinion columnist but not on the academic level.
Evaluation
Big Mouth is a program despite the vulgarity of the content finds itself both educational and entertaining to the millions of viewers who consume this show. The text provided does not reinforce the status quo but it consistently breaks many social norms and challenges it. The idea that someone can be attracted to anyone or even no one is a comforting and great reminder that so much of what we think, especially about ourselves, is simply how we may express ourselves. It consistently fights what we think about sexuality and gender identity. The hormone monsters during another episode of the series show how they do not label themselves as anything. They do not have assigned genders but present themselves with more masculine or feminine characteristics. Similarly for sexuality, they simply did not label themselves and simply had sex with whoever else wanted to partake consensually. The idea that younger and older adults are watching this program, learning, and establishing open-mindedness is beautiful and pushes for more programming to take on similar topics and create their own conclusion about what has been presented.
Whether these viewers are learning something new about their own body or even who they are as a person it is so special to know that someone feels seen and represented. Throughout the show, they tackle multiple problems such as abortion, racism, racial identity crises, sexism, and much more. At the end of the program, they always educate the viewers while still allowing them to create their own conclusion. The sexism displayed throughout the show is always contested by the other side’s arguments and ends with the counterpart learning but also creating a hilarious situation.
This show both on and off the screen is accepting and welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community. The characters displayed are not the only ones representing this community, discussed earlier one of the voice actresses, Josie Totah, or Natalie is a transgender woman herself. Matthew MacDell, voiced by Andrew Rannells, is also a gay man himself. The show creates these easy-going and of course awkward scenes about all these different times and emotions throughout one’s puberty and allows us to laugh at ourselves. The program also constantly challenges hegemonic masculinity by showing the audience different ways it means to be a man. They are not necessarily wrapped up in the Nolan Ryan mold anymore, they are finding ways to portray different ways a man could be, well, a man. It teaches us about representation and educates us about the spectrum of sexuality and queer theory.
Previous research, as stated before, has not been done yet for this text and lens combination. Big Mouth teaches about queer history through one of the episodes and teaches how the community has progressed through time. Consistently, showing off how the progression and pride this community has been building up for decades.
Conclusion
Representation in the media matters and the importance of positive and educational content for the viewers to consume. Big Mouth does an excellent job at give proper information about these different sexualities as well as gender identities. The program was able to educate and entertain the audience with a topic that for so long within our society was found taboo. The stigma this program takes away from sexuality, gender identity, mental health, periods, and the general idea of puberty. It shows the cringe-worthy but also the heartwarming moments shared between friends and family. The future avenue seen for this topic would be how the representation in the show truly affects its viewer. To see how the people of the LGBTQ+ community and how to feel about their identities and the portrayal of Big Mouth. This project was amazing to see how this program has not only entertained millions but educated and opened the minds of this community.
Work Cited
Butler, Jeremy G. “Discourse and Identity II: Queer Theory.” Television: Critical Methods and Applications, Routledge, New York, New York, 2012, pp. 416–417.
Kroll, Nick. Big Mouth. Netflix, 2017, https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80117038. Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.
Lopez, German. “Positive LGBTQ Representation in Media Really Can Change Lives. This Touching Story Proves It.” Vox, Vox, 5 Dec. 2016, https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/5/13834432/lgbtq-representation-media-supergirl.
Lowry, Brian. “LBGTQ TV: A History of Gay Characters, from Stonewall to ‘Batwoman’.” CNN, Cable News Network, 7 June 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/07/entertainment/gay-tv-history/index.html.
Luckie, Mark, et al. “LGBT Representation on Television Is Changing History.” New Data on the Power of LGBT Representation on Television, 14 June 2019, https://www.paramount.com/news/audience-insights/new-data-on-the-power-of-lgbt-representation.
Mitchell, Bea. “Who Was the First Gay Character on TV?” PinkNews, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.thepinknews.com/2017/07/28/first-gay-lgbt-character-tv-show/. O’Brien, Jennifer. “Why Visibility Matters.” Edited by Ekua Hagan, Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 14 Nov. 2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-things-lgbtq/201711/why-visibility-matters
