Pop culture critic Matt Baume visits the Appel Salon to discuss his new book Hi Honey, I'm Homo! Armed with humour, wit and reams of research, Matt will share behind the scenes stories and examine the cultural impact of the most groundbreaking coming out scenes in TV history.
For decades, amidst the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind. Whether with awkward confessions, sympathetic support or jubilant celebrations, sitcoms have tackled LGBTQ+ coming out stories from every conceivable angle. As a result, they have plenty to teach us about the best (and worst) ways to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable being themselves.
Author Matt Baume speaks with writer, film programmer, pop culture critic Anthony Oliveira about how comedy and humor have made coming out easier, how queer TV characters have evolved over the years and why coming out is such a vital part of Pride.