Ed O'Neill Finds 'Modern Family' Gay Kiss Controversy 'Half Amusing, Half Annoying'

By Gary Susman Posted Jun 5th 2010 08:33AM

Ed O'Neill is no stranger to comedy controversy. Twenty years ago, critics assailed his show 'Married... With Children' for risqué content that supposedly went too far. Now, his hit show 'Modern Family' is the target of criticism that it doesn't go far enough.

The ABC sitcom's critics have noted that its gay couple, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), has not been shown kissing (or engaging in much public display of affection, for that matter), even though the program hasn't been shy about showing liplocks between Mitchell's sister, Claire (Julie Bowen), and her husband, Phil (Ty Burrell). ABC has said the reticence is Mitchell's, not the network's, and that his squeamishness over PDA will be addressed in a future episode. That hasn't mollified the more than 12,000 Facebook petitioners (so far) who are demanding a Mitchell-Cameron kiss.

O'Neill, who plays Mitchell and Claire's father, Jay, addressed the controversy in an interview with PopEater. Calling from his Los Angeles home, he said he finds the complaint "half amusing, half annoying." He noted that we haven't seen Jay and his sexy young wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara) kiss either. And, after 20 years of appearances in controversial comedies, O'Neill said that he sees such protests as just another form of show business, not to be taken seriously.

Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet on 'Modern Family'

What do you think of the protests over Cameron and Mitchell's muted displays of affection?
Oh, that's so stupid. Who cares? When I hear that, it's half amusing, half annoying. First of all, they're the most conservative family of the three. Mitchell is a lawyer, and Cameron is a stay-at-home mom with a baby.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet on 'Modern Family'

► Cameron and Mitchell: TV's Best Couple
► PopEater's Chat With Eric Stonestreet

It's much, much better to allow people to use their imaginations when they want to, in that regard. Otherwise, it turns into a sort of pornography. If people want to be titillated or shocked or, "Oh, wow, they're actually kissing," I mean, who cares? The format is, they live together. We assume they have sex. I don't think we need to see it beginning or ending. Who cares? To me, it's boring. Gloria and I haven't done any making out in the first 24 shows.

Would you like to have Jay make out with Gloria?
No. I think it's boring. When people start to make out or kiss or French kiss or caress in a sexual manner, the story stops. Where do you go with that? It's like, "Okay, now, let's see... five seconds, ten seconds, 15 seconds, gee, they're still making out, my goodness, they're actually kissing." Who cares? The story stops.

Do you find any irony in the notion that, 20 years ago, 'Married... With Children' was criticized for going too far, and now 'Modern Family' is criticized for not going far enough?
I couldn't care less. [Laughs.] It's part of the business. The fact is, the critics have a job to do. They're also in show business. We understand that. They have to sell their fish some way, so they have to keep inventing things to write about. So they're going to come up with things that are titillating to read about. From an actor's standpoint, we don't even think about things like that. We have enough to do just to get the show done. That's all I ever think about. Otherwise, you're thinking about things you have no control over and they're just in the way of what you really need to concern yourself about.

Read more from O'Neill's discussion of 'Modern Family' and his where-are-they-now update on the 'Married... With Children' cast in a post on TV Squad. O'Neill also talks about his new movie, 'Delicious Peace Grows in a Ugandan Coffee Bean,' at Moviefone.

► Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.

Tags: ed oneill, modern family

Comments

(74)

Saturday 05 June

By Caring Kate

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I find this "much ado about nothing." Shows you what a society concerns itself with when it is bored to tears with life. There is so much to be done on our planet and these boring people need to get busy helping out. By the way, O'Neill is my favorite actor of all time.

By Charles Almon

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I can't stand it when peeps kiss their dogs.

Sunday 06 June

By themeeker

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Ed is spot on on this one. If anyone finds this to be controversial, they need to get their head out of their azz and join the 21st century.

By Rylan

It's only two males kissing.
Only in the united states (or middle east and parts of Africa) will you find the media blasting people over silly things.

Really, the USA is so far behind with everything and are so ignorant.
I'm American but a fair share here just HATE AND DON't ACCEPT ANYTHING.

blah blah, not going to say more as i'll be drowned out by people
copying and pasting Bible Versus.. :P

By Stephen

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Forget quotes from the Bible and concentrate on your own statements relating to Americans being behind the times, ignorant, hateful, and not willing to give in to new stuff. Saucer-heads give in to anything new on the horizon without considering its far reaching effects on the status quo. Change for mere change sake is an air-headed auto response. To be an enlightened iconoclast takes intelligent thinking.

By Glenn

Years ago, you never would have seen gay kissing on tv. Now, people are protesting to see it. Crazy.

By llednez

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Oh get over it, homophobes, and grow up. Who cares. If you can't take it, that's what the OFF button is for on your remote, or simply change the channel.

By mickey

Not homophobes, actually just the opposite. Just don't like to see two men sucking each other's tongue. The truth is, gay people are heterophobic. Try to shove heterosexuality down a homosexual's throat, try to suggest to a homosexual that they try a heterosexual relationship. They gag and run.

By tracer

TO MICKEY Well if the shoe were on your foot what would you do if a male asked you to try a smoochie-Lets see you would "gag and run" Dipsh*t LMFAO

By Sara

Mickey,

That actually IS homophobia. I mean, I don't want to see any couple sucking each others tongues regardless of whether its male-female, female-female, or male-male. But if you have a problem with mitchell and cameron greeting each other with a kiss, as phil and claire often do on that show, then yes that IS homophobia.

Talking about a portrayal of a gay couple, also has nothing to do with gay people trying to make you gay. Frankly, I can't imagine any would be interested in you anyway.

By Nick

Yeh that's the answer turn it off when the rest of us take your advice the show will go off the air that will solve the problem foe onlt beinf 10% of the population you make a lot of silly noise

By Debbie

I think the writers on modern family have been doing such a great job I will keep on watching no matter what new subject matter they add to the show. One of the best new shows !!!!

By XXXXX

I just don't watch it because of the homos in the show. You cannot make me ever believe that abnormal behavior is actually normal behavior.
P.S. Long live Al Bundy!

By IAMSOBZ

Because of your prejudice, you are missing the funniest, smartest show on TV. Put aside your bigotries and allow yourself to be entertained. You might actually learn to be more accepting and tolerant of people who are not exactly like you.

By david

abnormal behavior? you mean the same abnormal behavior that is exhibited in almost EVERY SPECIES of God's creation? that abnormal behavior?

Heaven forbid you should ever watch, read or consider anything that might challenge your narrow, myopic and misguided world view.

By diane

Jack and Ennis

By mark

Yes, for the millionth time, men playing with each other's penises is abnormal behavior. Get a clue.

Monday 07 June

By Alosjs

To XXXXX, You don't watch because of the homos? Like if they are gonna make you gay just by watching them, gay people are just normal peoplè just like straight people, the only difference is who they love & who they have sexual relationships with. There's no evil & there's no disgusting thing in there. So, stop your hate & accept something that is not wrong AT ALL.

To Mark, You play with your own penis & women play with yours, so why a man wih a man is worst? It's just a human being with another human being, just like you with a woman, it is not disgusting to you because it is actually wrong, it is disgusting to you because ignorant, bigot & uneducated people made you believe you that & tought you to think like that. It's never too late to learn the truth about homosexuality, there's is nothing wrong, is like someone liking to eat chocolate ice cream & others vanilla ice cream, no one is doing harm to the other one & both can be friends without having to mix flavours, unless both want to.

:p

By Jessica

...Wait a second. First you say: "You cannot make me ever believe that abnormal behavior is actually normal behavior."
Then you say: "P.S. Long live Al Bundy!"

...The entire Married with Children show revolved around being ABNORMAL.

Friday 06 August

By Nick Mayor

What is abnormal is being proud enough to be such an ignorant bigot and post what you did. I bet you had sex with your sister immediately after your post and then you went to watch FOX News in your trailer while you drank moonshine.

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