.
Tv series explores black gay consciousness
By Wilhelm Snyman (The Star )
March 29, 2006: Patrik-Ian Polk is in Cape Town for the 12th Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (now on at the V&A Waterfront's Cinema Nouveau) to present his popular TV series, Noah's Arc*, which focuses on what it is like to be black and gay.
Why would one need a TV series that explores black gay consciousness? Is it necessarily different from a white gay consciousness?
"I think there will always be a need for it because mainstream media only features very small numbers of these types of programmes," he says, adding that while there are many films that deal with all kinds of themes, these only get seen on the festival circuit. It never reaches the broader public.
"The black, gay experience is similar to all other experiences: it's human, it has its daily work traumas - the same we all go through. But there hasn't been much exploration from a black, gay perspective."
Polk's presence in South Africa is marked by constant conference calls to the US, making preparations for the start of the new series of Noah's Arc which starts shooting in May.
As to the reaction to Noah's Arc, Polk says: "The black, gay community in the US really loved the show.
"They're really addicted to it and watch it religiously. It is very important to them as you can imagine.
"It's really the first time they've seen themselves and characters who are black and gay featured in a series like this. You might find isolated characters here and there but never the main focus.
"A lot of straight black women really love the show as well. Straight black men might initially be afraid to watch it but many end up flipping through their TV channels and watch it. Those who give it a chance end up liking it.
"There are always going to be people who don't like this sort of thing, but I tend to focus on making art that I myself would like to see."
Where has the response been most positive? "The network that the show airs on is a new network, called Logo, and was launched last June.
"Initially the network was available in about 19 million homes and now it is available in about 25 million homes. So it depends on which city you live in and what cable system you have.
It's the kind of show where people get tapes of it from their friends and then there are a lot of people who don't have the channel so you have Noah's Arc parties where I've heard of up to about 30 people going to one person's house to watch because they've got the channel.
Unsurprisingly, Polk rejects the notion held by some, that being gay is a white phenomenon, that being gay is not part of black culture, that being gay is some kind of Eurocentric affectation. To this Polk says: "Come on, it is rubbish.
We all know that homosexuality has been around in every community, in every society for centuries. It is nothing new and it is not unique to a particular race, group or country. And that's the reality.
"People may not want to face that. Hopefully, we're moving towards a space where people who even if they don't agree with it or understand it at least acknowledge and respect other people's right to live and be who they want to be."
As regards South Africa, Polk's Punks was screened at a previous Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, but he hadn't been able to come because of work commitments.
"In Johannesburg the response was really really great. They really engaged with it."
Were there many black people in the audience? "Yes, a lot. They got really invested in it."
Polk points out that "people might not be used to seeing black gay people in such a glamorous light. I have to remind people that this is one small story and not meant to portray the entire gay community.
It is specifically about characters living in a specific place, Los Angeles."
*Noah's Arc (2005) is an American television series.
Referred to as a dramedy, it features the lives of a small group of gay friends living in the Los Angeles, California area. It has parallels to and has been cited as anAfrican-American version of the showQueer as Folk. Noah's Arc is written, directed and executively produced byPatrik-Ian Polk. The show first debuted on October 2005. (wikipedia)
Tv series explores black gay consciousness
By Wilhelm Snyman (The Star )
March 29, 2006: Patrik-Ian Polk is in Cape Town for the 12th Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (now on at the V&A Waterfront's Cinema Nouveau) to present his popular TV series, Noah's Arc*, which focuses on what it is like to be black and gay.
Why would one need a TV series that explores black gay consciousness? Is it necessarily different from a white gay consciousness?
"I think there will always be a need for it because mainstream media only features very small numbers of these types of programmes," he says, adding that while there are many films that deal with all kinds of themes, these only get seen on the festival circuit. It never reaches the broader public.
"The black, gay experience is similar to all other experiences: it's human, it has its daily work traumas - the same we all go through. But there hasn't been much exploration from a black, gay perspective."
Polk's presence in South Africa is marked by constant conference calls to the US, making preparations for the start of the new series of Noah's Arc which starts shooting in May.
As to the reaction to Noah's Arc, Polk says: "The black, gay community in the US really loved the show.
"They're really addicted to it and watch it religiously. It is very important to them as you can imagine.
"It's really the first time they've seen themselves and characters who are black and gay featured in a series like this. You might find isolated characters here and there but never the main focus.
"A lot of straight black women really love the show as well. Straight black men might initially be afraid to watch it but many end up flipping through their TV channels and watch it. Those who give it a chance end up liking it.
"There are always going to be people who don't like this sort of thing, but I tend to focus on making art that I myself would like to see."
Where has the response been most positive? "The network that the show airs on is a new network, called Logo, and was launched last June.
"Initially the network was available in about 19 million homes and now it is available in about 25 million homes. So it depends on which city you live in and what cable system you have.
It's the kind of show where people get tapes of it from their friends and then there are a lot of people who don't have the channel so you have Noah's Arc parties where I've heard of up to about 30 people going to one person's house to watch because they've got the channel.
Unsurprisingly, Polk rejects the notion held by some, that being gay is a white phenomenon, that being gay is not part of black culture, that being gay is some kind of Eurocentric affectation. To this Polk says: "Come on, it is rubbish.
We all know that homosexuality has been around in every community, in every society for centuries. It is nothing new and it is not unique to a particular race, group or country. And that's the reality.
"People may not want to face that. Hopefully, we're moving towards a space where people who even if they don't agree with it or understand it at least acknowledge and respect other people's right to live and be who they want to be."
As regards South Africa, Polk's Punks was screened at a previous Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, but he hadn't been able to come because of work commitments.
"In Johannesburg the response was really really great. They really engaged with it."
Were there many black people in the audience? "Yes, a lot. They got really invested in it."
Polk points out that "people might not be used to seeing black gay people in such a glamorous light. I have to remind people that this is one small story and not meant to portray the entire gay community.
It is specifically about characters living in a specific place, Los Angeles."
*Noah's Arc (2005) is an American television series.
Referred to as a dramedy, it features the lives of a small group of gay friends living in the Los Angeles, California area. It has parallels to and has been cited as anAfrican-American version of the showQueer as Folk. Noah's Arc is written, directed and executively produced byPatrik-Ian Polk. The show first debuted on October 2005. (wikipedia)
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου