Ed O'Neill Dismisses 'Modern Family' Gay Kiss Controversy

popeater.com:

The ABC sitcom's critics have noted that its gay couple, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), has not been shown kissing (or engaging in much public display of affection, for that matter), even though the program hasn't been shy about showing liplocks between Mitchell's sister, Claire (Julie Bowen), and her husband, Phil (Ty Burrell). ABC has said the reticence is Mitchell's, not the network's, and that his squeamishness over PDA will be addressed in a future episode. That hasn't mollified the more than 12,000 Facebook petitioners (so far) who are demanding a Mitchell-Cameron kiss.

O'Neill, who plays Mitchell and Claire's father, Jay, addressed the controversy in an interview with PopEater. Calling from his Los Angeles home, he said he finds the complaint "half amusing, half annoying." He noted that we haven't seen Jay and his sexy young wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara) kiss either. And, after 20 years of appearances in controversial comedies, O'Neill said that he sees such protests as just another form of show business, not to be taken seriously.

Read the whole story: popeater.com

Comments

[Motherunit]

04:28 PM on 06/07/2010

I was just enjoying the show, liking the characters and the stories. It never occurred to me to expect Cam & Mitchell to kiss. I never really noticed that they DIDN'T kiss. Didn't really need that to convince me that those two characters are in a loving, committed relationship. Apparently, there are some who keep score for this sort of thing. Reminds me of one of those religious websites that obsessively count each "F-Bomb" and "Taking the Lord's Name in Vain" from each movie they review. Just relax and enjoy the show. It's one of the best sitcoms on right now.

[samoisdead]

11:49 AM on 06/07/2010

Ed looks like he's been living quite a comfortable lifestyle, and that's not a compliment.

[CAMBEL]

11:23 AM on 06/07/2010

Typical Hollywood bigotry. Basically saying that if the gay couple kissed ont he cheeck that it is no different than them having sex on camera. Then I guess pretty much ever other sitcom on TV is really a porn film and we just didn't know it. What an idiot.

[CaptainObvvious]

12:29 PM on 06/07/2010

Are you kidding me?

They could have been "typical Hollywood bigots" and chosen to not feature a gay couple at all. Instead they have a funny, cute, intelligent gay couple who adopted a baby but haven't shown any public displays of affection.

Does the fact that they feature an interracial couple in the show who haven't kissed show they are racist too?

[CAMBEL]

12:51 PM on 06/07/2010

1. The interactial couple has cheek kissed.

2. are you saying that having blacks play maids and "Step and Fetchits" wasn't bigotry because in your words they could have "chosen not to have them at all"?

[angrymanspokane]

10:34 AM on 06/07/2010

AL!

[CaptainObvvious]

06:07 AM on 06/07/2010

Why are people complaining? Can't you celebrate the fact that two of the show's stars are an open, unapologeticly gay couple?

[CAMBEL]

11:24 AM on 06/07/2010

They aren't open. They are neutered clowns.

[GQTaste]

10:06 PM on 06/06/2010

This is what folks are up in arms about? With all the other ^$@ going on people are focused on this major issue? Do we even have a chance to go on?

[Steamboater]

01:26 AM on 06/08/2010

You bothered to take the time to post about it. This isn't about war or the gulf oil spill or healthcare etc. If you want to b*tch about those things, there's other areas at HuffPost where you can.

[GeorgeBurnsWasRight]

05:45 PM on 06/06/2010

YMMV, but I find kissing on most TV shows to be boring regardless of who is doing it. It usually looks so fake to me that I feel sorry for the actors, especially in the shows with a "live audience" where everyone goes "woo-woo" like they're in 5th grade.

[cocolola]

03:36 PM on 06/06/2010

Ed's really packed it on. Better stay clear of those fat burgers.

[GeorgeBurnsWasRight]

05:47 PM on 06/06/2010

Yes, but you know that's how Al Bundy would probably look at Ed's age.

[Marcellus Wallace]

08:59 PM on 06/07/2010

But he played high school football, LOL!

[jjgg5]

02:27 PM on 06/06/2010

Everybody knows that gay couples don't kiss.

[SaraNader]

01:02 PM on 06/06/2010

... so the actor who's actually gay in real life is a homophobe?

Everyone at the last Bevis and Butthead meeting voted: they want to see Bowen's oldest daughter on the show get it on. Heh, heh, yeah ...

[gthnk]

11:13 AM on 06/06/2010

Hard to believe the spelling error is still there. Anyone awake?

[JamesRiddle]

11:05 AM on 06/06/2010

Whad an inderestin storie

[mckinley]

11:01 AM on 06/06/2010

I love "Modern Family" (and I rarely do for a comedy). But it just always seems annoyingly unnatural when Mitchell and Cam, at a moment of emotional relief or pride for the other, just put their hands on each others' arm, and do a kind of half-embrace, when you know in real life this couple would would hug and give a quick but solid kiss.

[HighSierra1981]

09:44 AM on 06/06/2010

Dismesses eh? Is HuffPo hiring by chance?

[HighSierra1981]

09:43 AM on 06/06/2010

oh and Watch United States of Tara if you want to see a more gritty reality! There is definitely kissing:)

[QuietNetworker]

09:15 PM on 06/06/2010

Gay kissing?

[HighSierra1981]

12:56 PM on 06/07/2010

lol Oh yes, A LOT of gay kissing

[strawberryjulius]

02:24 PM on 07/08/2010

But that's cable. Having Cameron and Mitchell kiss on network TV would have a far greater impact.