• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman’s gay relationship ‘The Last of Us’ (Ep 3) will be 2023’s memorable TV moment
  • Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds
  • Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s speech was planned

Gay Iconography: Did ‘Just Jack’ Do More Harm Than Good?

Bobby Hankinson December 13, 2013

Hayesicon

The phrase "gay icon" gets tossed around a lot, but what does that really mean? Welcome to Gay Iconography, a new feature where we present a proposed iconic figure or character and then ask you to weigh in with your thoughts. This week we look at an iconic (though divisive) television performance on which even the Vice President has an opinion.

For many, Sean Hayes' Emmy-winning portrayal of Jack McFarland on Will & Grace is one of the most important gay television characters of all time. Some argue that he helped introduce gay men to a huge portion of the population, while others believe "Just Jack" reduced gay men to the usual stereotypes.

Will & Grace premiered in 1998 on NBC and immediately grabbed headlines for featuring openly-gay lead characters. The show lasted for eight seasons, with Sean Hayes' Jack (along with Megan Mullally's Karen) at the center of the show's most memorable moments. The show was nominated for 83 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 16. 

While Jack's antics may have endeared him to mainstream audiences, some in the gay community were less amused. Hayes' portrayal of Jack has been criticized for reinforcing stereotypes, particularly the image of the theater-loving, campy gay man.

Since Will & Grace, Hayes has continued to have an impact in television, on- and off-camera. Relive moments from Hayes' work on Will & Grace, as well as his recent work,
AFTER THE JUMP …

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
typorama 6 copy
 

People would not still be talking about Hayes' work as Jack if he weren't a gifted comedian. From physical comedy to the oft-quoted one-liners, Hayes stole every scene he was in. In the clip above, he turns an energetic entrance into a hyper monologue about the cute barista he's been seeing.

 

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
typorama 6 copy
 

There's a great TED Talk by novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche about "The Danger of A Single Story." In it, she says, "The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete." So, yes, there are men who could out-cheer Jack in the clip above, but, as the predominant story of gay men on television at the time, the swishy Jack versus buttoned-up Will dichotomy did little to introduce America to gay men that identified as neither (or both).

 

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
typorama 6 copy
 

On Will & Grace, it seemed like everyone knew Jack was gay but his mother. See his character's coming out in the clip above. Hayes came out publicly in 2010 via an interview in The Advocate in which he said “I feel like I’ve contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I’m open to it. You’re welcome, Advocate.” Three years later he went on to tell the L.A. Times he owed the gay community an apology for not coming out sooner.

 

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
typorama 6 copy
 

For anyone who doubts the significance of popular culture in our society, this clip of Vice President Joe Biden on Meet the Press is a must-see. Before President Obama came out in support of same-sex marriage, Vice President Biden issued his support and attributed shifting cultural attitudes to the impact of Will & Grace.

 

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
typorama 6 copy
 

Today, Hayes stars as the divorced gay father of a teenage girl in Sean Saves the World on NBC. In addition to his series, his production company, Hazy Mills Productions, is also behind Hot In Cleveland and The Soul Man on TV Land, as well as Hollywood Game Night and Grimm on NBC.

What do you think? Was it enough for Sean Hayes' work to increase visibility of gay men on television, or did his over-the-top character make it harder for gay men to defy stereotypical perceptions? Let us know in the comments.

Topics: Coming Out, Film/TV/Stream, Society, towleroad More Posts About: Gay Iconography, Gay Iconography, Sean Hayes, Sean Hayes, Television

Related Posts
  • Sean Hayes pays tribute to ‘unique talent’ Leslie Jordan
  • Chase Chrisley Posts Cryptic Message About ‘Getting Through’ Tough Situations After Todd Allegedly Paid Blackmailer
  • ‘RuPaul Drag Race’ Finale Finally Crowns a Winning Season 14 Queen
  • Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds

    Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds

    Published by PsyPost Sexuality is commonly thought to be a spectrum. If that is true, is anyone fully straight? Does that blur the label of what heterosexual means? A study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior …Read More »
  • Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s speech was planned

    Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s speech was planned

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Taylor Lautner thought it was part of a planned “skit” when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) acceptance speech. The ‘Twilight’ actor presented the Best Female Video …Read More »
  • How to Get Tickets to Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour

    How to Get Tickets to Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour

    Published by PopCrush Wondering how to get tickets to Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour? We’ve got you covered. Queen Bey will hit the road in May to bring her next iconic tour to the BeyHive. Beyoncé announced …Read More »
  • U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor

    U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor

    Published by Reuters By Brad Brooks (Reuters) – An African American studies course for U.S. high school students that was released on Wednesday does not include material that Florida’s conservative governor said pushed a liberal agenda, …Read More »
Previous Post: « Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1482
Next Post: Olympic Champion Greg Louganis Calls for Protest of Russia’s Anti-gay Laws »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Why cops kill: A Q&A with policing expert Dr. DeLacy Davis

    Why cops kill: A Q&A with policing expert Dr. DeLacy Davis

  • Rep. George Santos vows to stop lying : ‘I’ve learned my lesson’

    Rep. George Santos vows to stop lying : ‘I’ve learned my lesson’

  • George Santos campaign made suspicious payments to Miami Beach parking lot

    George Santos campaign made suspicious payments to Miami Beach parking lot

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • Dennis Rodman On If He’d Ever Get Back With Ex-Girlfriends: “I Tried Madonna, I Tried Carmen Electra…”

    Dennis Rodman On If He’d Ever Get Back With Ex-Girlfriends: “I Tried Madonna, I Tried Carmen Electra…”

  • James Gunn Seemingly Confirms The DCU Will Finally Have Gay Superheroes

    James Gunn Seemingly Confirms The DCU Will Finally Have Gay Superheroes

  • Vanilla Ice Admits He Rejected Madonna’s Proposal Before They Split: ‘I Thought The Guy Was Supposed To Do That’

    Vanilla Ice Admits He Rejected Madonna’s Proposal Before They Split: ‘I Thought The Guy Was Supposed To Do That’

RSS Partner Links

  • Snapped! Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge on red carpet at premiere of thriller “Knock At The Cabin”
  • Emma Roberts & Ashley Benson Spotted on a Double Date!
  • Putting Marge On A Committee Goes As Well As Expected
  • Night Crumbs
  • Portia de Rossi Surprised Wife Ellen DeGeneres With A Vow Renewal Ceremony Officiated By Kris Jenner
  • Hot Slut Of The Day!
  • Open Post: Hosted By Madonna Doing The “Wednesday Dance” To Lady Gaga’s Song

Most Recent

  • Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman’s gay relationship ‘The Last of Us’ (Ep 3) will be  2023’s memorable TV moment

    Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman’s gay relationship ‘The Last of Us’ (Ep 3) will be 2023’s memorable TV moment

  • Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds

    Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds

  • Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s speech was planned

    Taylor Lautner thought Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s speech was planned

  • How to Get Tickets to Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour

    How to Get Tickets to Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour

  • U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor

    U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor

  • ‘Sister Wives’ Alum Gwendlyn Brown Claims She Was ‘Disappointed’ TLC Tried To ‘Exploit’ Her Bisexuality

    ‘Sister Wives’ Alum Gwendlyn Brown Claims She Was ‘Disappointed’ TLC Tried To ‘Exploit’ Her Bisexuality

  • Trump outlines plan to attack trans rights if re-elected, vows to ‘protect children from left-wing gender insanity’

    Trump outlines plan to attack trans rights if re-elected, vows to ‘protect children from left-wing gender insanity’

  • Finn Wolfhard ‘really proud’ of Noah Schnapp for coming out as gay

    Finn Wolfhard ‘really proud’ of Noah Schnapp for coming out as gay

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×