I admit it... I watch more than my share of TV. Some intelligent, some informative, some artsy. And, yes, a lot of it total escapist junk, from stupid mainstream sitcoms (that's you,
Two and a Half Men) to much less stupid mainstream sitcoms (
30 Rock) to
Brothers and Sisters, Desperate Housewives, sometimes even
The View (please, just shut up, Elisabeth Hasselback).
So it's not out of misplaced snobbery that I am not a big fan of reality TV, its more that I prefer my television fake. Like on Wisteria Lane. Or CNN. Still as a gay guy I do like to see myself on TV, though maybe younger and with more hair, so I do try to be at least aware of gay characters, which since
Will & Grace went off the air has been a too easy task. Thank heavens for Ellen.
So somewhere on the murky periphery of my mind's awareness I do know of this Richard Hatch guy, the first winner of
Survivor guy, the sneaky back-stabbing guy, the naked guy, the gay guy. I am fine with all of this, though I do think people who go naked in public should visit the gym first. Or run a marathon. Or wax something.
So why is Richard Hatch on my mind? Because he is a news story tonight. And I am embarrassed by and for him. Mr Hatch has been in prison for a couple of years, since a jury convicted him of tax evasion. And now he is out, and giving interviews saying he went to prison because he's gay. What decade is he living in? People go to the bars because they're gay. They go to Neiman Marcus because they're gay. They may even go to the bathhouse or subscribe to International Male because they're gay. In Canada or the US, people go to prison because they're guilty.
And yes there are exceptions to this, where innocent people are locked up. Rarely rich white semi-famous guys. Not rich white semi-famous guys who the facts show made millions of dollars from TV, a book deal, a radio show, public appearances, etc, and simply did not pay the IRS.
You didn't go to prison because you're gay Mr Hatch, you went to prison because you're guilty. So stop playing the gay card, you are embarrassing us. Oh, and put some clothes on.