Hi Honey, I'm Homo! : Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture

2024 Stonewall Book Honor Award Winner—Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Book Award Featured on NPR's Books We Love 2023 One of Vulture's Best Comedy Books of 2023 "This book is a triumph and everyone should read it." —Dan Savage, journalist and author, on the "Savage Lovecast" " Hi Honey, I’m Homo is a heartbreaking historical document, but ultimately one that will leave the reader feeling proud of how something as maligned and disposable as the network sitcom used comedy to bring about such profound and important social progress." —Vulture "[A] well-curated compendium of prime time broadcasting . . . Baume is a companionable guide." — Shelf Awareness Behind the scenes of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century, a revolution was brewing. 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. From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to closely-guarded secrets on All in the Family , from network-censor fights over Soap to behind-the-scenes activism on the set of The Golden Girls , from Ellen ’s culture clash and Will & Grace ’s mixed reception to Modern Family ’s primetime power-couple, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America. Accessible, entertaining, and informative, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! features commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more. Lambda Literary Award Winner for LGBTQ+ Nonfiction 2024 Stonewall Book Honor Award Winner—Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Book AwardFeatured on NPR's Books We Love 2023One of Vulture's Best Comedy Books of 2023'This book is a triumph and everyone should read it.'—Dan Savage, journalist and author, on the'Savage Lovecast''Hi Honey, I'm Homo is a heartbreaking historical document, but ultimately one that will leave the reader feeling proud of how something as maligned and disposable as the network sitcom used comedy to bring about such profound and important social progress.'—Vulture'[A] well-curated compendium of prime time broadcasting... Baume is a companionable guide.'—Shelf Awareness Behind the scenes of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century, a revolution was brewing.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.From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to closely-guarded secrets on All in the Family, from network-censor fights over Soap to behind-the-scenes activism on the set of The Golden Girls, from Ellen's culture clash and Will & Grace's mixed reception to Modern Family's primetime power-couple, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America.Accessible, entertaining, and informative, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! features commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more. There's a secret storyline hidden across some of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century. 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. From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to network-censor fights over Barney Miller, from military secrets on M*A*S*H to a little-known man behind The Muppet Show to a primetime power-kiss on Roseanne, TV, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is not only the story of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America. Accessible, entertaining, and informative, the book is filled with exclusive commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more. "Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America"-- Provided by publisher