When news of Dumbledore’s homosexuality first came out (ha!), I had two thoughts, right next to each other. The first was “well, duh.” The second was “Oh great. Now Gambon is going to turn Dumbledore into Richard Dreyfus’ Richard III.”
So it was with a mixture of self-satisfaction and revulsion that I read this.
“I thought it was hilarious,” said Daniel Radcliffe, who has played the lead role in all five Harry Potter films.
He said actor Michael Gambon, who has played Dumbledore since the third film, had been “really camping it up for the last three weeks ever since he found out”.
I swear I hate Gambon’s portrayal of Dumbledore with every fibre of my being. I’m soooo not looking forward to being treated to his take on Gay Dumbledore.
UPDATE As I read further down in the article I see that David Yates makes it clear that he’s confining Gambon’s camping it up to OFF CAMERA. Well, that’s nice for me (that I don’t have to see Gambon’s idea of what “gay” looks like), but really. What is Michael Gambon’s problem? Can’t we just hear that a person is gay without going into comic rifts and “camping it up”?
Just Another Pretty Farce 
Can’t we just hear that a person is gay without going into comic rifts and “camping it up”?
Not right now unfortunately. It’s been great progress to get to the point where mainstream America can accept a gay character as the comic relief, but apparently we’re still a little much for the straight community at large to take seriously. Aside from rare exceptions, we’ve still got a ways to go before Hollywood feels they can make a bundle off of showing a gay person who is neither funny or dying of AIDS.
Well, there is Omar Little.
This is something that has annoyed me about the fandom reactions to gay!Dumbledore. People are suddenly making icons of him with glittery rainbow text and captions like “Fabulous!” and “It’s fun to stay at the YMCA.” He’s still Dumbledore, for crying out loud – he’s not Liberace just because he fancies the dudes.
He’s still Dumbledore, for crying out loud – he’s not Liberace just because he fancies the dudes.
I dunno. I don’t read the books but based on the excerpt Kat posted here awhile back, Dumbledore sounded a little Liberace-esque before Rowlings outted him. 😉
Sorry, but I have to link to this.
I never got “gayness” out of Dumbledore till I read Kat’s blog (and only ’cause she said it was so and then connected the dots for me; didn’t *I* have a total “doh!! *smack forehead*” moment!). I got “concerned teacher who actually really cares.” And in the last book, Snape’s undying obse… er… love for Lily was way more uppermost in my reader-vision.
So… yeah, he’s so not flamin’ as far as I’m concerned.