Baby daddy Levi Johnston appeared on The Joy Behar Show last night, and I'm still trying to calm down from this one clip that's been making the rounds. Johnston didn't do anything wrong in this case, but I'm absolutely infuriated by the media's tendency to call him a "gay icon". What has he done–aside from posing naked for our viewing pleasure–to gain that title? Not much, if anything!
Yet Joy Behar insisted on using this term. She asked Levi, "How does it feel to be a gay icon? You come from a conservative background, right? And Alaska's not the most liberal state, and yet you seem to be very comfortable being a gay icon."
He answers: "Growing up in Wasilla, it is [conservative]. I've never even seen a gay guy in Wasilla, I don't think. I've seen gay guys, but…once I started doing all these tours and everything, you know, I just…they're people too. It doesn't matter to me. It's just more fans…it's great."
The worst part? A handful of gay blogs have taken this tidbit and turned it into something we should be thankful for. I'm not going to clap for Levi just because he acknowledges that we're "people too". It's pretty fantastic for a notable straight man from a conservative area to be semi-supportive of gay men existing, but that doesn't make him worthy of a "gay icon" designation. Ridiculous! I'm going to calm myself down by looking at some naked pictures of Johnston.
– Dewitt
To watch the video, follow the JUMP:
other than u and joy, who’s been calling him that? ha
I’ve never heard him be called a gay icon; that being said, i think he somewhat deserves it seeing as how everything he does is only to embarrass Sarah Palin further
Under no circumstances does this douche deserve a title like that. Getting naked does not entitle you to “icon” status, if it did, every member of manhunt should be considered a “gay icon”
I believe Andy Cohen said it best, gay pin up boy, yes that i’ll give him… icon? no way
I hate to break it to you, but the reason he is being called a gay icon is because people like you keep posting him all over your gay blog and giving us minute to minute updates on whether or not he is going to show his “peen” or not. Hello!!! You’re part of the problem on this one…..not the solution. Sorry.
Levis are a gay icon, not Levi.
you’re kidding, right?
boyfriend’s 15 minutes of fame was over 20 minutes ago….can we go back to discussing that lovely mr. girth brooks, now?
Levi Johnston:
Good to look at until cartoons come on.
The gay icon title really bugs me too. Just because some 19 year old is posing semi-naked in a has-been magazine doesn’t make him a crusader for our causes. Pick someone who can at least form a coherent sentence please!!!
What the hell for?
I agree. He is by no means a gay icon. This nude thing is also so ludicrous that it’s sickening. There is no appeal there and I think that PlayGirl used this poor poor ignoramus to market themselves back in the spotlight (if they were ever there in the first place). I have grown to realize that while we are constantly persecuted and treated as second-class citizens, we are quickly used as the brunt of marketing agendas. It’s been years now that marketers have realized that we are viable targets (with a lot of expendable income) but we are also very mindful of what is deemed “hot” and “on-the-pulse” and this guy is NOT IT!