A lot of the repression that was able to break through was about conformity to the mainstream (heterosexual romance, swearing, dumb bosses and vacuous employees (Mrs. Whiggins?), "7 deadly sins" kinds of stuff…). Based on the anecdotes I was fed as a child, that was all very seriously renegade.

(And note: post-9/11 kids — under age 7 — are the same generational cycle. We're in danger of raising repressed kids who are serious all the time, all over again.)

Things now have pushed further along the axis of nonconformity, it seems. A lot of humor seems to be focused on what it feels like to hate, to be poor, to be ugly or immigrant (or white and dumb…). Now it's not being a little wacky, it's actually having attributes that are reviled. But thankfully being female is no longer non-conformist, so I guess that's one message from the relative dearth of women comedians.

But you know, other than Ellen (and does she joke about it?) where's the mainstream queer humor? Where is being queer as a metaphor for all the other ways people feel "you may NEVER approve of the way I am or the way I live my life, but I'm going to have a silly, good-hearted, campy and fun-filled life anyway"? Or maybe that's what all those home decorating shows are supposed to be? =:/

Maybe I'm just missing it??