They aren't going to bring back a character because of a boycott.
And for me, this didn't have anything to do with the storyline. It had to do with the character being one of the most annoying on television. She seemed to have no purpose on the show.
Just to play devil's advocate here, does anyone else think Grey's wasn't doing the lesbian image any favors with Hahn, and maybe it's better to scratch that character and go a different way in telling Callie's story? Aside from feeling badly for Brooke Smith, the Hahn character really is such a miserable person. She was hell on wheels in the operating room, and then having her suddenly be a lesbian and *poof* now all her anger makes a lot more sense - the whole thing was really irksome to me.
@Moxie the Maven: Very good points all, Moxie. I am with you. She was such an annoying bitch on the show. I didn't respect her. I wanted to punch her in the neck.
I'm rather outraged that this company would fire Isaiah Washington for homophobia, then turn right back around and do it themselves. I wrote them to let them know just how not right this is with their viewers, and I encourage others to share their disappointment:
@Raspberry Swirl: Isn't it at least possible that they just didn't like Smith, or the Smith-Ramirez chemistry? Why would the company that would fire Washington for hate speech, a move that created some logistic problems by jettisoning a major character, get all suddenly get all squicky about the Lezebels?
Admittedly, there's a some smoke here. But I just don't see the fire.
Damnit, I really, really liked the Dr. Hahn character - and I respected her. I thought she was so much more interesting than so many of the other newish characters. Never really liked Torres so much - oddly this story line was the first time I started to like her.
As an aside, though, Mary McNamara's article was the sort of body sniping I was complaining about yesterday in the body image thread. Yes, I agree that there are probably too many thin women on TV and such... and I don't know whether that factored into ABC's decision (and if it did, it was WRONG) but was it really necessary for her to throw all those shots at thin women? To call them "girly waifs" who are "androgynous" and by implication coke addicts and tabloid stars... and not women? Why do we have to trash the femininity of other women? To say that they have substance abuse problems and/or mental illnesses simply based off their body shape? Shouldn't we be more accepting of the fact that women come in all shapes and sizes and there's no reason for us to belittle other women for their bodies? Ack. Why can't we all just get along?
I haven't watched Grey's anatomy regularly in over a year, because I didn't like their theory of heterosexual relationships, which seemed to be women should be apologetic doormats for men, as long as the men are pretty, or confused. But I caught half of one of the Callie Hahn episodes a while back, and I have to say it seems kind of out of left field and like the actresses didn't have much chemistry.
I'm a lot more frustreated that after introducing Callie and taking her beauty for granted and putting her right there in the romantic frey with the other women, they has her then husband cheat on her with a woman he described as "a hot, blonde model," and gave her all of this image anxiety that was ridiculous, when both Sara Ramirez and Kathryn Heigl are gorgeous.
Jeez. The Callie-Erica (or Erical for the cutesy hollywood nickname bunch...or maybe it's Calica?) relationship was the only interesting relationship on the show. If it wasn't for Sandra Oh, I wouldn't watch it at all. I'd be willing to forgo GA for the cause, though.
Augh. Grey's totally jumped the shark for me after season 2. I thought the Callie-Erica relationship was interesting in a way that NONE of the other relationships have been (it was a variation on the "I love you!" "I hate you!" "Let's have sex!" "Let's never talk again!" formula).
Also, they fired Isaiah Washington for his remarks, yes? To go and do this seems outright dumb.
I think it's less "valuable" in terms of social/cultural exploration to have a bisexual character on her own than it does to have her in a relationship where she's having to figure out what it "means" to be bi.
WHAAA? But...Callie and Dr. Hahn were totally getting it on last episode? Why the sudden change in heart? Did someone decide lesbians are a bit too racy for primetime?
@the.bleach: Isn't she also the girl in Silence of the Lambs? I can't remember what her character was, but I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that she was in the bottom of a well.
I really thought the treatment of this storyline was compelling and interesting - far more than anything else going on in this insipid show. I may TiVo something else.
Sooo, it's weird to announce this to a group of relative strangers, but its somewhat on topic: I told my mom last night that I'm bisexual. And she didn't freak out! We had a mature talk about it. We acknowledged that sexuality is complex. She didn't cry or pray for my soul. She said she loved me and she even asked about the girl I'm sort of dating. It was such a relief and I feel free this morning.
Okay, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming. Thanks for letting me share.
@Mmmmkay: Congrats! I'm so glad it went well for you! It didn't go as well when I tried to tell my mom, so I understand how scary it is to come out to your parents.
the only lesbian couples allowed on network television must look like covergirls for maxim or playboy or what have you. heaven forfend if a lesbian couple on television was portrayed by two women who don't wear a dress size 4 or under and don't have fake boobs...women who look like average women and not covergirls!
it's a nice reminder that middle-aged white men still run the show and only want their fantasies put on the tube.
i'm reminded of an snl skit from years ago; a bunch of guys find a lamp, a genie came out, and granted them wishes (or something to that effect). one guy wanted to watch two lesbians get it on, so the genie provided them two lesbians who looked like incredibly regular women (i think it was ana gasteyer and molly shannon - one had a mullet!) on a bed kissing. all of the guys started protesting and one guy said "c'mon, where's the asian girl in the school uniform?" the genie replied, "hey! you said TWO LESBIANS. you didn't specify anything outside of that!"
@rednrowdy: I LOVE Sara Ramirez and her body and was always so happy that they showed a normal woman as desirable and sexy. They showed her in her bra the other week and I thought, "Oh my god, how awesome! She is fucking hot and is not a size 2! Yay, progress!"
11/04/08
And for me, this didn't have anything to do with the storyline. It had to do with the character being one of the most annoying on television. She seemed to have no purpose on the show.
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
[abc.go.com]
11/04/08
Admittedly, there's a some smoke here. But I just don't see the fire.
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
As an aside, though, Mary McNamara's article was the sort of body sniping I was complaining about yesterday in the body image thread. Yes, I agree that there are probably too many thin women on TV and such... and I don't know whether that factored into ABC's decision (and if it did, it was WRONG) but was it really necessary for her to throw all those shots at thin women? To call them "girly waifs" who are "androgynous" and by implication coke addicts and tabloid stars... and not women? Why do we have to trash the femininity of other women? To say that they have substance abuse problems and/or mental illnesses simply based off their body shape? Shouldn't we be more accepting of the fact that women come in all shapes and sizes and there's no reason for us to belittle other women for their bodies? Ack. Why can't we all just get along?
11/04/08
I'm a lot more frustreated that after introducing Callie and taking her beauty for granted and putting her right there in the romantic frey with the other women, they has her then husband cheat on her with a woman he described as "a hot, blonde model," and gave her all of this image anxiety that was ridiculous, when both Sara Ramirez and Kathryn Heigl are gorgeous.
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
God, I hate Grey's Anatomy. What an insult of a show.
11/04/08
Also, they fired Isaiah Washington for his remarks, yes? To go and do this seems outright dumb.
I think it's less "valuable" in terms of social/cultural exploration to have a bisexual character on her own than it does to have her in a relationship where she's having to figure out what it "means" to be bi.
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
I told my mom last night that I'm bisexual. And she didn't freak out! We had a mature talk about it. We acknowledged that sexuality is complex. She didn't cry or pray for my soul. She said she loved me and she even asked about the girl I'm sort of dating. It was such a relief and I feel free this morning.
Okay, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming. Thanks for letting me share.
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
I'm so glad she was accepting!
11/04/08
11/04/08
Now call all of your Cali friends and make sure they vote No on 8!
11/04/08
11/04/08
11/04/08
the only lesbian couples allowed on network television must look like covergirls for maxim or playboy or what have you. heaven forfend if a lesbian couple on television was portrayed by two women who don't wear a dress size 4 or under and don't have fake boobs...women who look like average women and not covergirls!
it's a nice reminder that middle-aged white men still run the show and only want their fantasies put on the tube.
i'm reminded of an snl skit from years ago; a bunch of guys find a lamp, a genie came out, and granted them wishes (or something to that effect). one guy wanted to watch two lesbians get it on, so the genie provided them two lesbians who looked like incredibly regular women (i think it was ana gasteyer and molly shannon - one had a mullet!) on a bed kissing. all of the guys started protesting and one guy said "c'mon, where's the asian girl in the school uniform?" the genie replied, "hey! you said TWO LESBIANS. you didn't specify anything outside of that!"
11/04/08
11/04/08
So much for that.
11/04/08
Boooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Also, I'm hella nervous about Prop. 8 and I don't even live in CA . . . though I did give money to a No on Prop. 8 organization . . .