Leafs Logo Used In Gay-Themed Film

BREAKFAST WITH SCOT

Starring: Tom Cavanaugh, Ben Shenkman, Noah Bernett

Directed by: Laurie Lynd

Running time: 95 minutes

PG (coarse language)

Tom Cavanaugh in the role of Eric McNally is a Maple Leafs enforcer whose career comes to an abrupt end after a crosscheck to the neck during practice.

Now happily recommitted to the game as a sports commentator, Eric seems content with his life in the professional closet. At home, he seems like a decent partner to Sam (Ben Shenkman), and as long as there's a mutual understanding that the two worlds are entirely separate, life in the compartmentalized lane looks pretty good.

Then along comes Scot (Noah Bernett). The son of Sam's brother's former girlfriend, Scot is orphaned when his mother dies from a substance abuse problem.

The mother named Sam's brother as caregiver, but child services can't track him down -- leaving Sam and Eric at the breakfast table with Scot.

When Eric first hears about his new parenting duties, he's outraged. He never wanted to be a dad. But things only get worse when he finally meets the little stranger.

Scot is swishy. Not only can he figure skate like a little Toller Cranston, he's got a penchant for singing Christmas carols all year long and wearing women's clothing.

For Eric, the only thing worse than a kid in the house is a kid who doesn't like hockey -- and Scot doesn't like hockey.

The title of this post is an actual title from a newspaper review for this movie. It is hard to imagine that in 2007, this would constitute "taboo-smashing" or something worthy of notice as it appears it has been. My first instinct upon reading that the Toronto Maple Leafs had allowed the use of their name and logo for this film was, "So what. Is this something that they should be praised for?"

And then it occurred to me, "the homosexual" can be found in all walks of life and in many professions and yet, we have very few openly gay "sports celebrities" and no openly gay hockey players in the national league level. It could just be that there are no gay hockey players in the NHL. This is possible. Or perhaps there is still a pervasive attitude that exists that a gay man is supposed to be swishy and know how to dress properly or know about all things stylish and decorative. Maybe we as a society are still comfortable with our notions of what a gay man is "supposed to be" or a lesbian, or a black person or Chinese or whatever.

I don't have an issue with the premise of the movie. It appears to offer positive gay role models as well as venturing into the land of the stereotype. It is only a movie after all and a comedy at that. I am more concerned about the hype that seems to have been generated by the fact that one of the gay characters in the film is a "gasp," hockey player. And the Toronto (My aren't we progressive for letting this queer film use our name) Maple Leafs seem to be getting kudos for something that should really just be a matter of life in the 21st century.

I don't know what the answer is; I just look forward to a day when a headline such as the abovementioned will not be given notice or better yet, won't be news at all.