‘Modern Family’ stars respond to ’80s stereotype’ criticism
By Sam Rigby
Modern Family
star Jesse Tyler Ferguson has responded to criticism directed at the show’s gay couple Cam and Mitch.
The actor – who plays Mitch in the comedy – defended his and Eric Stonestreet’s characters after former Desperate Housewives star Tuc Watkins described them as the “gay equivalent of ‘blackface'”.
Watkins posted on Facebook recently that while he thinks Modern Family is “clever, hilarious, even terrifically subtle”, he struggles to laugh at Mitch and Cam as they don’t “feel modern at all”.
“Sure, people come in all shapes, sizes, etc. So why are we fed such 80s stereotypes every week?” he added.
Ferguson responded: “Sorry you feel that way Tuc. I know lots of guys who are just like Cam and lots of guys who are just like Mitch. We can’t be expected to represent every gay person. We can only represent these two people.
He continued by saying that he can’t see why Stonestreet’s Cam – who is a clown and football coach – is a gay “stereotype”.
“When all is said and done, it’s a family sitcom. I feel our writers do a fantastic job of servicing 11 characters each week in just 22 minutes. I am incredibly proud to play Mitch and I have a lot of pride in our show,” the actor concluded.
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