Disagreement - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Smartboy · 08-19-2007, 12:44 PM

I have read several reviews of this series and there is one thing that was said in some of them that I "strongly" disagree with! One indisputable fact is that this series was a spin-off of a movie made for television called "Sidney Shore". In the movie, it was made clear that the character played by Tony Randell was gay. Several people who have written about this show have said that, although this may have been hinted at in the series, it was never spelled out. This is "not" true! To start with, there was the episode in which Laurie was in a protest against nuclear warfare. In this episode, she told Sidney that it would not hurt for him to get a life outside of the apartment and to some protesting of his own. He, very objectively asked her what he should petition for and she responded with "gay rights"! On top of this, there was an episode in which he worked with a female artist who had a crush on him. In this episode, he mentioned that the last romantic realtionship he had was with a man named Martin. We even got to see Martin's picture! I would be "very" interested in hearing from anyone who remembers the gay aspect of this show!

TV_on_the_Porch · 04-02-2009, 12:28 AM

Let's just say that the examples you cite show homosexuality being *strongly* inferred! I am sure I never saw the first scene you refer to but very vividly remember the episode "Alison". Hell, there was even a blurb in TV Guide (I think it was a Closeup?) concerning the episode's specifically addressing Sidney's sexuality. If that isn't the icing on the cake, a co-worker at the time came up to be the Tuesday moring after the episode "Alison" aired and said "I watched Love, Sidney last night--man, I never knew that guy was gay!"

So there you are.

Mr. Television · 04-02-2009, 12:34 AM

I think the homosexuality was more inferred during the second season. I watched just about all the first season shows and I never noticed anything. The few shows I did see during season 2 did hint at it though.

TripperFan · 04-02-2009, 09:19 AM

Frankly, I always thought Tony Randall was gay in real life, but I guess not - he fathered a child at age 72.

Smartboy · 04-02-2009, 10:30 PM

I am very impressed that, over a year of not responses, this thread all of the sudden got three! Go figure!

Oscar&Felix · 06-24-2012, 09:26 AM

Tony later commented that the homosexuality theme had been put in the shade during the series' run but it was still there. Subtle, but still there, he insisted. So there are indeed allusions to it during the eps. Some are more obvious than others and I really think they would have gotten further in the subject, had the series received a third season. In an interview of the time, Tony also said he was very determined in keeping with the mood and themes of the TV movies, although the idea of a family show starring an homosexual was pretty controversy. Several people commenting on Love, Sidney on websites, who were children at the time of the broadcasts, even said their parents would not let them watch it because of the subject. So, if it was not said a lot, it was surely known.

Mr. Television · 06-24-2012, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar&Felix

Tony later commented that the homosexuality theme had been put in the shade during the series' run but it was still there. Subtle, but still there, he insisted. So there are indeed allusions to it during the eps. Some are more obvious than others and I really think they would have gotten further in the subject, had the series received a third season. In an interview of the time, Tony also said he was very determined in keeping with the mood and themes of the TV movies, although the idea of a family show starring an homosexual was pretty controversy. Several people commenting on Love, Sidney on websites, who were children at the time of the broadcasts, even said their parents would not let them watch it because of the subject. So, if it was not said a lot, it was surely known.

Oh yea, it was widely known. I was a teenager at the time and I remember hearing about it on the news and in the magazines. I watched just about all the first season episodes and I thought the show was pretty tame. It was like all the other family sitcoms. Maybe if you listened closely you could pick up on some other meanings. lol I didn't watch that many second season shows. I think it was because the way NBC was treating the show at the time. It was hard to find it.

Oscar&Felix · 06-25-2012, 03:48 PM

Yes, I wish I could watch it again to see if I can catch some innuendos. I saw only a few episodes at the time they were on youtube but now the account has been deleted and I doubt I'll see them again in a near future

70s show watcher · 07-09-2012, 05:10 PM

there were a few times on the show when his late partner martin was refered to

08-19-2007, 12:44 PM	#1
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	Disagreement I have read several reviews of this series and there is one thing that was said in some of them that I "strongly" disagree with! One indisputable fact is that this series was a spin-off of a movie made for television called "Sidney Shore". In the movie, it was made clear that the character played by Tony Randell was gay. Several people who have written about this show have said that, although this may have been hinted at in the series, it was never spelled out. This is "not" true! To start with, there was the episode in which Laurie was in a protest against nuclear warfare. In this episode, she told Sidney that it would not hurt for him to get a life outside of the apartment and to some protesting of his own. He, very objectively asked her what he should petition for and she responded with "gay rights"! On top of this, there was an episode in which he worked with a female artist who had a crush on him. In this episode, he mentioned that the last romantic realtionship he had was with a man named Martin. We even got to see Martin's picture! I would be "very" interested in hearing from anyone who remembers the gay aspect of this show!

04-02-2009, 12:28 AM	#2
TV_on_the_Porch anything good on? Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 879	Let's just say that the examples you cite show homosexuality being strongly inferred! I am sure I never saw the first scene you refer to but very vividly remember the episode "Alison". Hell, there was even a blurb in TV Guide (I think it was a Closeup?) concerning the episode's specifically addressing Sidney's sexuality. If that isn't the icing on the cake, a co-worker at the time came up to be the Tuesday moring after the episode "Alison" aired and said "I watched Love, Sidney last night--man, I never knew that guy was gay!" So there you are.
	__________________ Turn up the good times!

04-02-2009, 12:34 AM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	I think the homosexuality was more inferred during the second season. I watched just about all the first season shows and I never noticed anything. The few shows I did see during season 2 did hint at it though.
	__________________ Sonny

04-02-2009, 09:19 AM	#4
TripperFan In God's Arms Now Forum Star Join Date: Sep 14, 2003 Location: Heartbreak Ridge Posts: 12,087	Frankly, I always thought Tony Randall was gay in real life, but I guess not - he fathered a child at age 72.
	__________________ If I don't see you in this world, I'll meet you in the next one.....don't be late James Marshall Hendrix Voodoo Chile The Forum Legend formerly known as TripperFan "religion is for people who are afraid of hell--spirituality is for people who have been through hell"---anonymous

06-24-2012, 09:26 AM	#6
Oscar&Felix Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 22, 2012 Location: Paris Posts: 9	Tony later commented that the homosexuality theme had been put in the shade during the series' run but it was still there. Subtle, but still there, he insisted. So there are indeed allusions to it during the eps. Some are more obvious than others and I really think they would have gotten further in the subject, had the series received a third season. In an interview of the time, Tony also said he was very determined in keeping with the mood and themes of the TV movies, although the idea of a family show starring an homosexual was pretty controversy. Several people commenting on Love, Sidney on websites, who were children at the time of the broadcasts, even said their parents would not let them watch it because of the subject. So, if it was not said a lot, it was surely known.
	__________________ "You're so vain. I bet you think this song is about you"

04-02-2009, 10:30 PM	#5
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	I am very impressed that, over a year of not responses, this thread all of the sudden got three! Go figure!

06-25-2012, 03:48 PM	#8
Oscar&Felix Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 22, 2012 Location: Paris Posts: 9	Yes, I wish I could watch it again to see if I can catch some innuendos. I saw only a few episodes at the time they were on youtube but now the account has been deleted and I doubt I'll see them again in a near future

07-09-2012, 05:10 PM	#9
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	there were a few times on the show when his late partner martin was refered to