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Gay dads in House Husbands

Gyton Grantley plays a gay dad in Nine's new drama, partnered with Tim Campbell.

Nice to learn that Gyton Grantley’s character in House Husbands will be a gay dad.

This will add some diversity to the mix, and hopefully avoid the show becoming too blokey. Modern Family has arguably done much to educate audiences and TV execs that this is no longer a no-go zone.

Grantley will be partnered with Tim Campbell, real life-partner of Anthony Callea, who plays a fireman.

Mind you, there’s nothing in Nine’s promo to indicate a gay dad -but I’ve come to learn Nine’s promos rarely reflect the finished product anymore (Tricky Business anyone?).

Co-Producer Drew Proffitt told the Herald Sun, “It works between them, they just looked like they’d been together a long time.

“Gyton’s character was treated the same as everyone else. We wanted to treat all the characters the same way (regardless of their sexuality).

“There will still be storylines where their sexuality is part of the story. We don’t ignore it. To not address it at all wouldn’t be authentic either.”

Grantley is joined by the three other principals, Gary Sweet, Rhys Muldoon and Firass Dirani.

Nine is yet to announce a premiere date for the melodrama, busily pushing Howzat!, Underbelly, Big Brother and Farmer Wants a Wife.

18 Responses

  1. I think it’s great to have diverse characters which represent Australia. It’s not about being PC either as I’m sure we’re all aware not everyone in Aus is anglo-saxon. I realized this in my own day-to-day life and started to grow annoyed with shows portraying Australia as white as it’s not 100% true.

    My only concern is 9 will put it on for two episodes, change the date and time, cancel it, bring it back to 1am then just give up and put a some tired reality show.

  2. @ OzJay: Welcome to vanilla-ville? Is that what we want? There is nothing political correct to setting a bunch of diverse characters with a common thread up to flesh out a show. Should they all be blokey ockers and play cricket in the street with a slab at the end of each show to wrap it up? Gays do exist in society, as do Asians, Greeks, boat people and lesbians, men and women. Life is diverse like that, like a TV show sometimes.

  3. How does the presence of gay men save the show from “becoming too blokey”? Hmmm?

    Or, this being television, is it mandatory that one of them is a screaming queen, and therefore less of a bloke?

  4. @Craig when you are part of a minority, it’s a great deal to be represented in a form of media and it’s empowering to have that. There’s simply not enough film and television produced that cater predominantly to people who aren’t heterosexual or white.

  5. I don’t see why Channel 9 should make a deal out of it in the promos?
    How will we ever truly fight discrimination or achieve equality if we make a huge point about it every time a gay character exists?
    I actually prefer 9 treating the character like any of the other characters.

  6. Very pleased to see a drama from outside the creaky cartel of Screentime, Southern star and McElroys at Nine. The changing of the guard is long overdue. If this works here’s hoping they are brave enough to take a few more risks as I cannot face another version of Underbelly or SeaPatrol.

  7. I don’t mind when they play up to stereo types within limits, besides Cam on MF is a character and doesn’t play up to the stereo type all of the time.

    But I don’t like the idea that TV shows feel the need to have gay, black, Asian or other characters just to be politically correct.

    From what I’ve seen House Husbands could be good, I’m just hoping it doesn’t end the way of so many of their shows in recent time.

  8. @danoh I agree that Cam’s flamboyance on Modern Family plays up to the sterotype – but to have a gay characters in a very successful show is a good thing.

    I think Brothers and Sisters did a lot of ground work too with the lawyer brother.

  9. @ Dodge does Firass Dirani fit the racial diversity category. He is of an ethnic background, not sure if it is Lebanese, but it must count for something!

  10. From what I’ve seen, the only way Modern Family “educates audiences” is to push gay stereotypes onto viewers. It sounds as though House Husbands will treat their gay characters the same as on Neighbours and not make such a big deal out of them being gay. A much better approach in my opinion.

  11. Good to see. I like the idea of Gyton Grantley in that role.

    What about racial diversity? I wonder if Asian Australians or any black or Aboriginal Australians exist yet in Channel 9’s world.

  12. The premiere date & time concern me. Especially when it could change times lots of it isn’t rating well in the first two weeks!
    So while the cast and shorts appeal so far, I am hesitant to invest in case it is another Canal Road, Tricky Business programming game & viewer nightmare!!
    Diversity in Aussie drama is good!

  13. Wow. I normally avoid most local productions, especially those on Channel 9, but I guess I’ll be tuning into the first episode of this series.

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