American Idol: Very, Very Gay.

Or, gay bashing, that is.

Officials at the Gay And Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) were appalled by homophobic remarks made by judges SIMON COWELL and RANDY JACKSON on the first show of the new season, which aired in America on Tuesday.

On the programme, Brit Cowell told one effeminate wannabe to "shave off your beard and wear a dress," while Jackson asked another audition hopeful, "Are you a girl?" Both contestants were rejected.

But in all fairness, one of those contestants looked like this:

"Idol" ended on a cruel note: after a young man named Zachary Travis, who had a high voice and high heels, sang Whitney Houston's "Queen of the Night," Simon Cowell called the performance "atrocious" and "confused." As Mr. Travis cried to his family afterward, the show itself piled on, playing the theme song from "The Crying Game," the 1992 movie that featured a transgendered character.

Then again, how homophobic can American Idol be? They already have two gay men working for them, Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.

posted by Dave From Garfield Ridge at 09:51 AM

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