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How Sitcoms Handled Homos in the 70s and 80s

Matt Baume | January 24, 2026



When did TV first permit joking while gay? I’ve been combing through sitcoms to figure out when queers stopped being a scary threat, and were allowed to be real people with love lives and funny punch lines. Here are just a few of my favorite early gay characters on sitcoms.

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If you liked this video, you might like my video about the time Edith learned about her gay cousin on All in the Family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6HYnz2ToFg
Or my video about the time the Golden Girls met Dorothy’s lesbian friend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPHBtW2-c8A
And check out my Culture Cruise series for even more! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKw13hcK-XrVSdA4C8UceHyS3WNNOipMv

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Written by Matt Baume

Comments

This post currently has 46 comments.

  4. @ednax1

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I remember the phone tree going into action when an episode or movie with a gay character was being broadcast on TV. As soon as we'd find out, we'd call all our friends to tell them the gay episode of Barney Miller was being rerun that evening, that kind of stuff.

  5. @CricketCinema

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I grew up queer in the 70s. I can’t verbalize the value of the perspective you have shared. It’s brilliant. Thank you so very much for illustrating hope through entertainment. ❤❤❤❤

  7. @saintrude

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Sorry to be 9 years late in commenting, but this video touches upon one of my own pet peeves–in movies. It seemed OK throughout the mid-60s and well into the 90s to have gay characters as long as they met a tragic death–the more gruesome the better. That mellowed a little with Boys In The Band, but even there, most of the gays were miserable and I think one committed suicide. Oftentimes, a gay character was someone's friend who got murdered, committed suicide, died of AIDS, or in someway met a tragic ending: Fried Green Tomatoes, The Morning After, Copycat, Philadelphia Story. In some cases, it wasn't enough to kill the gay person, they also had to be seen as worthy of being killed: The Fearless Vampire Killers, Basic Instinct. I would say that it wasn't until the American version of La Cage Aux Folles (The Bird Cage) that things began to take a turn.

  8. @figmo397

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    It was on Showtime and not on broadcast TV, but there was a sitcom called "Brothers" about three brothers, focused primarily on the middle one who's a sober alcoholic who owns a bar. The oldest brother is kind of a redneck, and the youngest one is gay but doesn't fit the nelly gay stereotype (if you didn't know he was gay, you'd never peg him as such).

  9. @louisskulnik7390

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I want to see a Queer watching of Are You Being Served. I know that Mr. Humpfries is a true CAMP man, as opposed to being truly gay, but there is a lot to view here. A lot to learn from our collective past on both sides of the Pond.

  10. @Audiojunkabus

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    ever watch Brothers on Showtime in the early 80's? Man, I remember watching Brothers on Showtime back in the day. It was way ahead of its time—one of the first sitcoms to handle LGBTQ+ themes with humor and real heart. The cast had great chemistry, and it tackled topics other shows wouldn’t touch in the '80s. Definitely underrated and deserves more recognition.

  19. @RayfordRaySiegel

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    0:50 – Duh! It's "h0m05e×u@|", though. And you're using "gay" as a euphemism instead of what it really means, which is to be happy or to be flamboyant.

    3:52 – You got it backward. You think that his sex life going from doing something unnatural to having sex with women is not good? You really are brainwashed and doubling down on it. Not only do you live the lifestyle, but you aren't happy, if others turn from that lifestyle. That's completely ridiculous. Just live your life, and don't push it on others. Accept that it's not acceptable, by most people, and you won't be disappointed.

  23. @timfishworks

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    RE your note about the WKRP IN CINCINNATI episode: Agreed RE some of the negativity of Les's reaction to being mistaken for gay, Herb's initial reaction, and Johnny's lie to Herb that Jennifer was trans. However, seeing this as a kid in first run and then as a teenager in syndication, what I saw was: Jennifer (played by Loni Anderson, one of the biggest sex symbols at the time) defending Les and gays (there are a few points in the show where it's clear the character is friends with the gays of Cincinnati); the whole cast rallying around their friend; and Herb (the biggest jerk) supporting Les whether he is or isn't gay; not to mention the story was supposed to be taking place in mid-America, not NYC, LA, SF or Chicago. It's not perfect by any means, but overall I found it positive. Especially compared to the town I grew up in, where the reaction of coworkers would have not been nearly so supportive.

  24. @nickyoude2694

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Then there's 'Allo 'Allo from the same era in which there's more than one suggestion that Lt. Gruber is gay due to being infatuated with cafe owner Rene despite the fact that Rene is in fact married to Edith. Ironically in the end its subverted as he ends up with Pvt. Helga Geerhart.

  25. @jspringsteen9560

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I would absolutely love for you to do a video on Miami Vice. It's remembered as a show about tough cops but it definitely has a lot of queer layers to it, especially Sonny Crockett's character!

  27. @TheMikester307

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I'm Bi myself and loved "The Paul Lynde Show." Gay-shmay, he was perfectly cast as a high-strung father! Ahhhh! If they could only have done a show with him as a Gay Dad!

  29. @marygoetz6285

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    How about doing an episode on the shows where the topic is handled badly. You included Charlie's Angels and as a huge fan I think I know the episode you mean but would love to have it confirmed.

  32. @KevinPare

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Here's one from the 60s: Dick van Dyke Show, 'Baby Fat'. It doesn't deal with the issue directly, but there's one clearly gay character. Worth it just to see Rob's unmistakable look of respect for him.

  34. @Mark73

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    There's an episode of Taxi with a bisexual character where his sexuality is never treated as anything bad. The cast is a little unsure how to handle it but it's never condemned by anyone (except Latka's culture, which the show treated as backwards, but we're never sure if he understood what was being talked about).

  38. @joshua.alvane

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I just got done catching up with all of your queer media exposés, from your recent examinations to Culture Cruise and now these. It's been interesting going backward to end up at this: more or less a prototype of what your newer videos would become. Thank you for everything you've made and shared over the years, and I hope you continue making these quality videos for as long as you'd like. P.S., as well as you worked that sailor uniform, I'm glad you ditched it, lol.

  39. @emilynewton9757

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I've been watching your most recent videos and I didn't know you had this video that is effectively a summary / introduction video for people to your channel! I find I'm always telling people about your videos – I even started watching Modern Family again because of your Cam and Mitch video! 🙂

  42. @JK-xt3ms

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Wow, that All In the Family episode dates to 1971? That’s the year it premiered. Producer Norman Lear wasted no time in jumping into formally taboo subjects. But I’m surprised at the slurs the network censors permitted Archie Bunker to use! That would never fly today!

  43. @dinodogstar

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    Representation nmatters. . . I remember on a couple occasions in grade school and high school, i stayed home just to watch some talk show like Oprah or Phil Donahue to see the gay-topic that was advertised to be shown. And thank GOD for having cable, when it bought gay / lgbt+ ppl into my living room.

  44. @dinodogstar

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    I'm watching "Maude", and she and her hubby and the somewhat snotty, GOPer was organizing against that bar. …………. It's interesting that though she wasn't lesbian, she's always been our ally and outspoken defender. . . . . … . . .. .The initial, first show of the " Golden Girls " there was a gay housekeeper. ……….. She even donated part of her will to LGBT+ org(s). . . …. She — as she had said — she experienced being discriminated against for being PERCEIVED as gay, which is the most useful talking point in conversations as to WHY anti-LGBT+ is wrong and destructive. ANYONE can be the victim of anti-gay hate, and any man of any sexuality can attest to how homophobia, the true fear of being perceived as gay, true or not, affected their life large and small life choices, from cliques, socializing, self-preseintation, sports, careers, clothing, all of that. It's a very interesting topic for straight folks, and esp guys, to engage in. I remember taking my 8 year old nephew to get a haircut, and he stated very firmly that he wanted a "BOY'S" haircut, meaning, i don't want ot look or be perceived as gay or gender-defying, a true sacrilegious, secular social sin that no boy does offend.

  45. @YeyazWyrd

    January 24, 2026 at 10:38 am

    OK 1st: I've known of this channel for a bit but have just recently been doing a deep dive and I just absolutely ADORE this channel! Thank you so much Matt, love ya!
    2nd: I haven't watched the full video yet, but right at the beginning, where Matt notices something "funny" about these older t.v. shows. "Being funny," being a way to describe gay people, primarily used by people too afraid to say the word gay out loud. But it reminded me of just the other day at work a coworker (let's say Bill) comes up to me and says that another coworker (we'll call her Martha) had come up to him and asked him if I was funny. Me, not fully paying attention and completely uninterested in the conversation, replied with "oh well, I'd like to think so! I mean we all have good days and bad days but I try to keep the jokes coming. Why, what did you tell her?"Bill says "oh yknow I told her yeah I think so but you gon' have to ask him. But she just kept on asking me if you was funny like she really wanted to know." Then it hits me. I say "oh my god Bill.. do you mean she was asking if I was gay??" "Hahaha yeah yeah!" "Oh shiiii- I thought… nevermind. Idgaf if Martha knows, idgaf if everybody knows. Actually I mentioned being gay to Martha earlier when she kept asking me about girlfriends lol so she knows for sure now."
    And although it was a very mild interaction and I hold absolutely 0 resentment or ill-feelings towards anyone involved (I'm completely out anyways), it still kinda took me by surprise to be confronted with the fact that soooooo many people are uneducated/oblivious/uncomfortable with the idea of interacting with a gay person. Even though I've made a lot of progress on my own internalized-homophobia issues, I have to remind myself that my progress is not societies or anybody else's progress, and there will be times when life reminds you of that lol. If you read all of this sorry for making you do that, but you go queen! You accelerated reader, you! 💛💛💛

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