Latest news with #Jean
Metro
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
54 years of groundbreaking LGBT TV that shaped what we watch today
In 2025, LGBT+ representation on TV still isn't perfect – but a lot of hard work has been done over the years to make sure things are better than they were. To celebrate the work done to make TV more accessible for everyone in the LGBT+ world, Metro has compiled seven examples of storylines that made things that little bit better each time (with some honourable mentions). From one of the first-ever LGBT+ characters on TV to groundbreaking British dramas of the 2000s, all the way through to a flagship 2010s Netflix series. The storylines chosen for consideration all fall between 1968, when the Hays Code was abolished, and 2015, when same-sex marriage was finally legalised across the United States. Implemented in 1934, the Hays Code rigidly enforced what was acceptable (and unacceptable) to be shown on TV in America, and it had far-reaching consequences in the UK as well. In the days since the disgraceful and dated guidelines were finally repealed, TV has come a long way – here are some milestone episodes that got us here. Across its eight years on TV between 1971 and 1979, American comedy series All in the Family gained a reputation for tackling tough subjects sensitively (for the era anyway). With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! The series is credited with allowing the sitcom format to introduce more dramatic moments into episodic storylines while also dealing with serious topics in a lighthearted manner. It didn't waste any time, with its fifth episode – titled Judging Books by Covers – examining LGBT+ themes and introducing somebody who is widely believed to be one of the first openly gay characters on TV. In the episode, protagonist Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) makes disparaging remarks about an effeminate man named Roger and presumes he must be gay. However, later in the episode, Archie finds out that one of his old college football buddies, Steve (Phil Carey), is gay and learns a valuable lesson about how to treat other people. The brave episode was controversial from the get-go, with sitting US President Richard Nixon accusing the series of 'glorifying homosexuality' with its content. For its time, The Golden Girls had a subversive attitude from the beginning, focusing on four single, mature women sharing a house together in Miami, Florida. It wasn't afraid to tackle weighty subjects either, and often deftly handled tricky topics for the 1980s, with the writers facing sensitive plotlines fearlessly and head-on. In the season 2 episode Isn't It Romantic? – aired in 1986 – Dorothy (Bea Arthur) invites her friend Jean to stay at the house that she shares with Rose (Betty White), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia (Estelle Getty). Soon it's revealed that Jean is a lesbian and that she has a crush on Rose, which instantly rubs Blanche up the wrong way – not because Jean is gay, but because Jean fancies Rose instead of her. The rest of the episode pokes fun at the scenario, but not at Jean's sexuality. Instead the script gets several big laughs out of how self-involved Blanche becomes. It wouldn't be the last time The Golden Girls took a glance at LGBT+ themes, with future storylines analysing the topic from different perspectives. To this day, The Golden Girls remains popular with the community, with one Reddit fan explaining: '[The girls] were confident, secure, and loved themselves for who they were. LGBT+ people who felt alienated with society identified with these outsiders.' In 2023, IndieWire reporter Wilson Chapman said that TV show Frasier's queerness went far deeper than many viewers realised during its 11-year run between 1993 and 2004. Originally conceived as a spin-off from Cheers, Frasier soon took on a life of its own and became a hugely successful and acclaimed comedy in its own right. That process was helped along by episodes like season 2's The Matchmaker, which was originally broadcast in October 1994. In the episode, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) invites a man named Tom for dinner at his home, unaware that Tom thinks the dinner is an official date between the pair. Over the course of the episode, stereotypes about gay men are thoroughly deconstructed – the show's writers received a GLAAD Media Award for the show's portrayal of LGBT characters. In 2022, Reddit user Barbourwhat explained: 'TV never really depicted [gay men] as what they are – ordinary people. Tom wasn't a cartoon version of gay people and Frasier didn't treat him differently. He was just another person.' By its fourth season, TV executives for The Ellen Show were growing frustrated with its reluctance to depict Ellen Morgan's (Ellen DeGeneres) dating life. To remedy this, they suggested to show writer Johnathan Stark that Ellen should buy a puppy in order to focus the show's plot and boost falling ratings. Instead, Stark had another idea: sticking with the title The Puppy Episode, the writers began negotiating with Disney to have Ellen Morgan come out as a lesbian that week. At the same time, Ellen DeGeneres came out in real life. The buzz around the upcoming Puppy Episode was huge – major TV star Oprah Winfrey applied to be a guest actress on the show and, in 1997, said she would 'go to Hell' to defend Ellen's rights. In an emotional scene from The Puppy Episode, Ellen confesses her sexuality to her new friend Susan (played by Jurassic Park star Laura Dern) and later reveals the truth to her friends and neighbours. The episode was watched by 42million people (a series high) and was initially well received. But the backlash from some quarters was swift and horrible: The Ellen Show was slapped with a parental advisory warning and was cancelled a few months later. Ellen and Laura Dern's careers also suffered in the aftermath – while Ellen was briefly blacklisted from TV, Laura was out of work for 18 months as a result of her association. The backlash arguably proved the episode's point – that coming out can be tough to confront, hard to navigate, and unbelievably risky. Section 28 – which prohibited the 'promotion of homosexuality' in British schools – might have been repealed in 2003, but its legacy deeply impacted kids in classrooms up and down the UK for years afterwards. Not to mention that the 2000s saw a widespread increase in Islamophobia across the country, sparked by the War on Terror and further fueled by the news media. Which is why it was vitally important for E4 youth drama Skins to focus on the story of openly gay teenager Maxxie Oliver (Mitch Hewer) and his Muslim best friend Anwar Kharral (Dev Patel). Close friends for many years, Maxxie's sexuality doesn't appear to matter to Anwar at all. However, after finding out that Maxxie has secretly drawn intimate portraits of Anwar, the two fall out over Maxxie's sexuality conflicting with Anwar's religious beliefs. Things come to a head in the season finale, when Maxxie refuses to attend Anwar's 17th birthday party unless Anwar tells his conservative dad, Istiak (Inder Monocha), the truth about Maxxie's sexuality. When Istiak finds out, the two kids expect the worst… only for Istiak to comfort Maxxie. Istiak tells Maxxie that, while his beliefs have prevented him from understanding homosexuality so far, it won't always be that way. The two friends make up and remain close until the first generation of the cast leaves college and starts their lives by heading off to different universities. On Reddit in 2024, Jytsma said: 'The way the story was done was perfect. They are best friends, their beliefs should in theory oppose each other – but they love each other nonetheless.' The Love Boat (1982) An early 80s episode of The Love Boat titled Gopher's Roommate has been celebrated for its sensitive portrayal of transgender character Rachel, played by cisgender woman Mackenzie Phillips. One Life to Live (1992) Long-running soap opera One Life to Live introduced Billy Douglas in 1992, who became the first openly gay teenage character on American TV. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995) Groundbreaking season 4 episode Rejoined became famous for depicting one of the first ever lesbian kisses seen on American TV. Friends (1996) Friends was never great for LGBT representation, but season 2 episode The One With the Lesbian Wedding is credited by fans with finally treating Carol and Susan like a loving, genuine couple. The Simpsons (1997) In season 8 of The Simpsons, Homer's homophobia is exposed and his ways are changed thanks to loveable new friend John, played by none other than John Waters. Coronation Street (1998) Hayley Cropper was the first transgender character to appear on a British soap. She was played by cisgender actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who later accepted she wouldn't be able to play the role these days. Queer as Folk (1999) Russell T. Davies' influential short-lived series about three gay men living in Manchester spawned a majorly successful American remake. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1999) Hush, a mostly silent episode of Buffy, has been called 'an elegy for its gays' as fan-favourite characters Willow and Tara begin what would become one of the first long-term lesbian relationships on TV. The Wire (2002) Michael K. Williams' iconic stick-up man Omar Little was described as 'the most important queer character of the century' by TV critic Razvan Ion in 2023. The Sopranos (2006) Season 6 episode Johnny Cakes, which depicted the love and romance in Vito's relationship with Jim, brought up the ugly resentment and homophobia of Tony Soprano and his crew and exposed them as being unable to adapt to the modern world. Ugly Betty (2007) Season 1 episode Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a heartbreaking outing for Ugly Betty, as 'love to hate him' character Marc St. James unexpectedly comes out to his conservative mother. Glee (2009) Adorable Kurt Hummel was one of the most recognisable faces on TV during Glee's early days, which is why his father's touching acceptance of his coming out warmed so many hearts 16 years ago. Modern Family (2013) The season 5 premiere sees main characters Mitchell and Cameron celebrate the legalisation of same-sex marriage in California by proposing to one another. Syed Masood (Marc Elliot) made his first appearance on EastEnders in 2009, a year after Christian Clarke (John Partridge) had come to Albert Square. After initially marrying Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas), Syed comes to terms with his sexuality and enters a relationship with Christian, despite the pressure from his family and his Muslim faith. Wanting to avoid stereotypical storylines about homosexuality, writer Diederick Santer said Syed and Christian's story was 'more about the inner turmoil and conflict [they] endure'. The storyline had a major impact on TV viewers, with Inside Soap readers voting Syed as their favourite member of EastEnders' Masood family in 2011. Christian and Syed ultimately resolved their 'inner turmoil and conflict', marrying each other during a 2012 storyline and eventually moving to America to start their life together. EastEnders producer Lorraine Newman thanked Marc and John and said: 'Their characters have been a huge success. Their storylines have broken boundaries that have not been seen in a soap before.' In 2024, a Reddit user commented on the storyline, saying: '[Syed and Christian] got me into the show, so I've got a lot of love for them, particularly as I was a closeted gay teen at the time.' While great strides were made with some queer storylines on TV in the 2000s, transgender representation in media was still a mixed bag (to say the least – and, honestly, it still is!). 2013 was a landmark year, though, thanks to the third episode of Netflix's flagship series Orange Is the New Black – titled Lesbian Request Denied and starring Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset. OITNB initially told the story of Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a privileged middle-class woman sentenced to time in prison for drug running. Once there, she met an incredible ensemble of diverse characters who slowly but surely surpassed Piper – while Piper became just another inmate at Litchfield Women's Penitentiary, the stories of everyone else became far more important. Among them was Sophia, a transgender hairdresser in the prison's salon, who had been jailed for using fake credit cards to pay for her medication and gender reassignment surgery. More Trending Flashbacks show Sophia's life before prison – when she was a firefighter dealing with gender dysphoria, the subsequent collapse of her marriage, and estrangement from her son Michael. Writing for The AV Club in 2013, Myles McNutt said of the episode: 'Sophia is elevated above Piper for a week as we learn Sophia's own story of becoming.' The role of Sophia turned Laverne Cox into a star, eventually winning a Daytime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her work on the show. View More » In 2014, Laverne became the first ever trans actress to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, for an interview titled 'The Transgender Tipping Point'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. 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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Kieran McCarthy: Does your home's design affect building costs?
Hi Kieran My partner and I are building our new forever home on our site in the countryside. Is there much of a saving in building a rectangular shape as opposed to an L, T or U? Jean, Co Meath Hi Jean, This is indeed an excellent question, and it brings to the surface many key design and budget considerations, some of which may not be apparent just yet, but let's take this opportunity to dive into these and work through them. In the past, houses were designed from the outside in. Most Irish traditional stone cottages have a similar shape and footprint (take it from me!), and most Georgian houses are largely rectangular or almost square in shape. The advent of the 20th century saw masonry graduate to blockwork and the advent of the bungalow and the three-bed semi-detached house. The external shape remained fixed, and the resulting internal area defined your internal space and access to daylight. In the past, when houses were largely for shelter and warmth, this approach worked fine, but since then our lives have changed considerably, and we now have much more leisure time, greater insulation and heating systems, our expectations have changed. We need our homes to provide shelter, warmth and security, but also offer space for relaxation, entertainment and a peaceful and enriching home life. If you have a reasonable budget available, then best to invest in design that optimises for light. Nowadays, houses are ideally designed the other way round. An architect will look at the path of the sun, views to be captured, internal space and lifestyle requirements, planning policy, site characteristics and essentially design the house around these, from the inside out. Firstly, you need to look at the path of the sun, because that is the most important consideration. Your living space will ideally be orientated with an amount of southerly aspect so you capture the sun for as much of the day as possible. South-east for morning light, right through to south west for later in the afternoon. With your living space sited, this maps your patio externally, your utility room is probably nearby, but opening onto a lower profile external elevation. Your second sitting room/study is probably facing the same direction as the majority of your living space (for the same reason), and now most of the rest of your ground floor footprint is lower-profile space in terms of light, so perfect for your hallway, cloak room, WC and front door. This may mean your front door is not actually facing the road as it generally did in the past. The aim here is to orientate your house to daylight first, and everything else clicks in afterwards. This is the best way to design a house from an architectural point of view, but is it the most cost-effective? Probably not, because it may mean introducing certain shapes of floor plan to optimally capture the daylight available and perhaps to provide shelter from wind. Whenever you break from the most cost-effective house shape (a rectangle), you add cost. This is what quantity surveyors call the "wall to floor ratio". This is the ratio of external walls to floor area. The greater the external walls here, the more expensive your home will cost to build per square foot. So, should you just stick with a rectangle? Let's see. If you have absolutely no choice in terms of your available budget, then a rectangular house is likely the best shape for you, all things considered. When it comes to considering an L, T or U-shaped house, again I think you may be looking at the wrong end of the stick. I have designed efficient Ls and Ts, but in the context of designing from the inside out, not the other way around. Whereas a U-shaped house may look great, it will push your budget further. If, however, you have a reasonable budget available, then best to invest in design that optimises for light. An approach I have used in this context is to have most of your house in a rectangular shape and allow a little of your budget for an architectural flourish around your living space, where you will spend most of your time at home. Kieran McCarthy. Picture: Denis Minihane Kieran McCarthy is a building engineer and director of KMC Homes bespoke A-rated new home builder, serving Cork and Limerick. He is also a co-presenter of the RTÉ property show Cheap Irish Homes. Check out KMC Homes' new website Follow Kieran on Instagram @kierankmc for more home building information, tips and Q&A advice. You can also follow Kieran on the Built Around You Youtube channel and @kierankmc on TikTok Read More How to turn your living space into a sustainable super home
Scoop
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
Kiwi Lineage At The Forefront For The 'Jean Machine'
It's just as well Jean Kento Turner enjoys flying. This year he'll be making at least 10 return trips from his home in Osaka to various European race circuits, and a trip to New Zealand in 2026 is not out of the question. Jean – as in the 'Jean Machine' – is a busy 16-year-old Japanese schoolboy, contesting the Japanese Suzuka stock 600 series, as well as the European-based FIM Yamaha Blu Cru R3 World Cup and the Italian CIV Moto3 Championship with Team POS Corse. The Japanese national, who was born in Hiroshima, the middle of three children, also holds dual nationality through his Kiwi passport via his father Simon Turner. And for those wondering, yes, Jean's father is the Simon Turner who raced in New Zealand back in the 1980s and 90s. Jean, who turns 17 in September, has emerged this year as a rising talent, drawing on his years of European racing experience as he graduates to the bigger classes. He is equally at home in all three categories, father Simon says, though a recent growth spurt would suggest his immediate future lies in Moto2 or World Supersport. 'He's at the crossover phase.' 'He's now too tall for NSF250 Talent cup bikes/format and too young for full Moto2, so he's just enjoying exploring these three different categories and gaining new skills every time he gets on a bike.' The CIV series also suits Jean, where the bikes are slightly bigger than regular Moto3, running Yamaha 450cc engines. 'But, yes, a big bike is probably where Jean needs to be heading soon, Moto2 ideally.' This is Jean's first year racing on Japan's full-size circuits and in April he made his stock 600 debut on a Honda at Suzuka. 'He was most impressive on his 600 debut, in my eyes,' says Simon. 'He's still kind of unknown here in Japan, though Suzuka results have made people take notice.' Jean, riding for and under the guidance of former HRC rider and tester and Suzuka Eight-Hour pole-sitter Shinya Takieshi, finished second in his debut race at the famed Japanese track. He backed that up at the recent second round with a win. Takeishi san comments: 'Kento recently joined my team with the initial goal of using the Japanese domestic races at Suzuka on the 600cc as a training platform for his overseas efforts. 'However, it was clear from watching him at the first test that he had exceptional adaptability and natural speed, enough that I could see he would be a title contender right away. 'His curiosity and ability to absorb instructions then immediately convert them into action, even during a race situation, is unique. 'Feedback is precise and accurate, which makes my job very thrilling and rewarding. In the first two races of the season, he has achieved a second place and a win with the fastest laps on both occasions, much exceeding our expectations. 'We are looking forward to nurturing his considerable future potential.' It was also a new experience for Jean on the Yamaha. He had never ridden an R3before the first round of the R3 World Cup at Portimao. He learned quickly, and in just the second round at Misano earlier in June, Jean claimed a second-place finish – the first World Series podium in Europe by a member of the Turner family since uncle Keith 54 years ago. Jean currently sits seventh overall in the Yamaha R3 World Cup, with four rounds – 8 races – remaining. Jean's route to the world stage has been an interesting one, starting with Japanese pocket bike series until age 10, before moving on to 100cc minibikes and flat-tracking. At the age of 13, Jean made the big step to Premoto3 in the Italian Championship. After showing promise, he was picked up by Paulo Oliviera (Miguel Oliveira's father) to do the ultra-competitive 2023 ESBK Spanish Championship in Premoto3. Again, consistent improvements saw him running towards the pointy end of the field by year's end. However, 2024 was a frustrating year, a growing Jean no longer fitting comfortably on the NSF250 Talent Cup bikes and picked up an injury. Come 2025, and it was time to rethink bike choices and strategy, says Simon. 'Originally, I was planning on doing the Asia Pacific Yamaha R3 series,' Jeansays. 'But during the application process, Yamaha Japan intervened, and I was invited to go straight into the world series. 'It was a big leap into the unknown for me, but as it turns out Yamaha's judgment was the correct one.' Like so many teenage racers, Jean's family is funding his race programme. 'Yes, it's coming out of our pockets, and sustaining it for four years in Europe is certainly a huge family commitment so far,' says Simon, who runs an inkjet technology supply business based in Osaka. No decision has yet been made regarding the path Jean will take in 2026. 'We have an open mind, and several teams have seats available for him in FIMJuniorGP both Moto3 and Moto2, although funding is always a vital consideration,' says Simon. 'Certainly, Jean's podium and real pace at Misano was a big result and has already opened some new doors.' As for making a debut New Zealand race appearance, Jean says 'never say never'. 'Maybe if a nice summer race package came up . . . who knows.' Regardless, Jean is very proud of his New Zealand heritage and points to his helmet design by Starline – who create designs for MotoGP stars, including JorgeMartin, Pecco Bagnia and Joan Mir – 'Southern Cross and the silver ferns'.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix fans can now binge all 4 seasons of 'near-perfect' crime series
Cosy crime has managed to carve out an escapist monopoly – with Death Valley and Ludwig the latest TV iterations to find an audience on the BBC. But Channel 5 has had another enjoyably gentle whodunnit on its screens for several years now – and it's just dropped on Netflix. The Madame Blanc Mysteries stars Coronation Street alum Sally Lindsay – who created, co-wrote and executive-produced the show – as antiques dealer Jean White, who sets about investigating the death of her husband and other miscellaneous misdemeanors. Set in a quaint south of France village, Jean teams up with taxi driver Dom, played by Benidorm's Steve Edge, to get to the bottom of things. The pair are this show's incarnation of the classic amateur detective duo and, later on, love interests. All four seasons of the crime caper have just hit the streaming service, complete with a set of larger-than-life characters and a bit of summer escapism in the Malta and Gozo filming locations, which stand in for the fictional village of Sainte Victoire. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Jean suspects foul play in her husband Rory's death, putting two and two together to get to the answer that he was leading a double life – possibly one that involved an entirely other family. He was murdered by his other women for a ruby ring, putting Jean on the hunt for the killer and the jewel. The cast is filled out with Robin Askwith and Only Fools and Horses' Sue Holderness, as a couple of expats living large in a chateau, as well as one half of the Chuckle Brothers, Paul Chuckle, and Blackadder's Tony Robinson. The show already has a Christmas special on the way this year – so you could binge all four seasons just in time for that – and Lindsay has said she will make The Madame Blanc Mysteries for as long as Channel 5 want them. Ahead of the fourth season, she told gathered press: 'I'm not under any, 'Yes, I'll quit when I'm on a high'. No, I won't. I love it so much. I will do it until they want me to not do it, to be honest, because it's such a special thing in my life. And it's such a part of our lives now.' The feel-good cosy crime show has a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season, as well as several positive reviews on IMDb. SunnyDaise described the show as 'almost perfect', writing: 'It's great to have a show written by and predominantly starring over 50s that is clean enough for all generations to watch together.' More Trending Paul_anson described the show as 'silly fun in a light entertainment format'. 'Of course it's not meant to be taken seriously,' Paul added. 'Of course the actors are hamming it up. It's still an entertaining little package best enjoyed with a nice glass of red French wine.' 'Really enjoyed this,' echoed robbiep-53815. 'Great location. A bright sunny and refreshing change. The ongoing mystery is intriguing and the self contained weekly case to be solved keeps things ticking along nicely. A lovely change.' View More » The Madame Blanc Mysteries is available to stream on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Liam Payne fans heartbroken over 'special' first glimpse of singer in Netflix series MORE: Netflix's controversial new thriller watched 2,400,000 times gets second season MORE: The completely free streaming service that boasts 10,000 shows and movies
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Daily Record
Twynholm SWI enjoy a memorable visit to Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Buddhist Centre
The members had a good time and were enthralled to see the amazing temple and the Shrine Room Eleven members of Twynholm SWI met up at the village hall on June 18 for their visit to the Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Buddhist Centre at Eskdalemuir. As is normal on these trips, the first stop was at the Tearoom where a lovely cuppa and piece of cake was enjoyed. The centre was established in 1967 and held their golden anniversary in 2017. The Temple itself is amazing, so colourful and peaceful. With its great golden Buddha and splendid decor, the Shrine Room is a sight to be seen. The gardens and grounds are so peaceful and there is an array of meaningful monuments. After the visit it was back home for a most enjoyable meal at The Galloway Arms in Crocketford, where the group were met by others who couldn't make the trip. The waitresses very kindly judged the competition. Keyring – 1 Margaret Miller; 2 Linda Griffiths; 3 Helen McCormick; 4 Jill McCall; 5 Rosie Gillespie. Jean gave The Galloway Arms a very hearty vote of thanks and said it was lovely that secretary Anne and her daughter were able to join the group for the meal. Anne was thanked for organising the day and Rosemary for filling in where needed. Jean went on to thank the drivers for the transportation.
