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This week: Does it matter if negative portrayals of gay people are created by gay people themselves? Plus, is Bugs Bunny bisexual?

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Contact me here (and be sure and include your city and state and/or country!

Q: What do you think is the worst portrayal of gay folks by a gay artist? – Milo, Indianapolis, Indiana

A: Oh, man, that is one serious can-o-worms! But I also think it’s an absolutely fascinating question, because of how the idea of social or “gay” responsibility clashes with the notion that artists have a personal responsibility to tell the truth as they see it. After all, it’s not the job of any artist to create propaganda or “sanitize” the truth.

But what if I think a project by a gay or bisexual artist portrays gay people in an inaccurate, stereotypical, or offensive way? If we’re both gay,...

Hair-Raising Hare is an old Bugs Bunny cartoon from 1941, featuring the first appearance of Gossamer, the red-haired monster that would later appear in many Looney Tunes shorts. In this Chuck Jones-directed classic, Bugs is being stalked by a Peter Lorre-esque evil scientist (voiced by the great Mel Blanc) who wishes to capture a rabbit to feed his monstrous creation.

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