Everybody Hates Chris (2005-09), with comedian Chris Rock narrating his childhood experiences in the 1980s. Sure, it had a lot of beefcake, with Dad Terry Crews and brother Tequan Richmond (left). At least in the first two seasons, there was a strong gay-subtext romance between Young Chris (Tyler James Williams, who as an adult strongly defends himself against gay "accusations") and Greg (Vincent Martella, who is gay but was not out at the time). But there were frequent homophobic digs, for no apparent reason than to invite the audience to share the grown-up Chris's homophobia.
At a party, two long-haired people kissing, and the grown-up Chris exclaims "I sure hope that's a girl!" If it makes you uncomfortable, why include it in the scene?
When the grown-up Chris thinks that Young Chris and Greg are getting too close, he exclaims exclaims "Hey, this ain't Brokeback!" So you're expressing homophobia at yourself as a boy? You got issues, dude.
No gay people appear or are mentioned; the closest they dared come was Angel (Hector A. Garcia).
In Episode 4.2, "Everybody Hates Cake," Chris signs up for a home economics class as a way to get close to the Girl of His Dreams Remember, heteronormativity dictates that the teenage boy has only one motive for every action: to get girls. He is partnered with femme boy Angel, who is besties with the Girl but can't cook. That's why you take the class, nimrod. Maybe they could help each other, an introduction in exchange for cooking lessons?
The femme mannerisms make Chris extremely uncomfortable, but --winning the Girl! Dad advises him that some men are...um...er...androgynous. But they can't help it. You shouldn't shun someone for something that's not their fault. So he agrees, but when he starts to like Angel and asks to hang out, the snobbish jerk rejects him. They can't help it, so you shouldn't shun them. That's as gay positive as Chris gets.
I wanted to know about the actor playing the um...er...androgynous Angel, Hector A. Garcia. Is he...um...er... androgynous in real life?
Next came some guest spots on tv series -- In Justice, The Cleaner, The Shield, NCIS -- where he apparently played Hispanic teens in graffiti-strewn neighborhoods.
After Chris, Hector starred in five episodes of Brothers (2009) -- not to be confused with the psychological thriller Brothers (2009), or Brothers and Sisters (2006-2011), which has a gay sibling. This one had Michael Strahan and Daryl Mitchell as estranged brothers running a restaurant. Hector plays a cook.Coincidentally, Tichina Arnold, the Mom on Everybody Hates Chris, plays Cynthia.
And The Undershepherd (2012): Two best friend ministers rise in the ranks of the Baptist Church, but one is being led by God, and the other by Satan.
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Wait -- in 2021, Hector starred in the podcast No Such Thing, not to be confused with the supernatural thriller No Such Thing (2021). Hector plays Jesus, a gay guy who is working in a bookstore and dating Don (Jimmy Clabots, butt left). He comes out to Mom and Dad in the last episode.
I'm confused. Are you um...er...androgynous or not, buddy boy?
More after the break