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I have to admit that when I first saw the headline for this story (which I've used as the title of this post) in the 365-gay-news service (a GLBTA news aggregator), my first thought was "Is this something happening on Cape Cod, out in P-Town? Or is this something happening in South Africa, in Cape Town."
Of course, both are wrong. It is something happening on the guy's cape. That he wears.
A little-known Spanish matador is breaking with a sacred tradition, agreeing to advertise on his cape while slaying bulls and endorse a soft drink that caters to gays.Matador Joselito Ortega will be plugging a club-scene energy beverage called Gay Up and have those words embroidered into his cape in large, red cursive letters.
Comments
I'm confused. Is he breaking with tradition by having an ad on his cape, or is he breaking with tradition by having an ad for a gay soft drink on his cape?
My brain is still trying to parse that last bit. "Gay soft drink." "Gay soft drink." Nope, still doesn't compute. And I'm gay.
Posted by: Greta Christina | September 25, 2009 7:35 PM
The article suggests that few (they list a total of one) matadors have ever advertised anything while in the ring. Ortega will be the first to have the ad on his cape; the last guy had something on his sleeves.
As for "Gay soft drink", again, the article pretty much admits that there is nothing, aside from the name, that would make this anything other than any other energy drink. Niche marketing, I guess--a bit like SNL's "Schmitt's Gay Beer" ( http://vodpod.com/watch/907749-snl-classic-skit-schmitts-gay-beer-video ).
Posted by: Anon | September 25, 2009 7:51 PM
Nothing against gay but IMHO bull fighting has always seemed metaphorically gay. The flamboyant outfits, sequins, tight pants, little black slippers, the desire to be near and control a sweating beast, antagonizing it with swishing passive-aggressive moves, building tension and then pacifying it with a single thrust.
And then there is the stuff that goes on in the bull ring.
Advertising an energy drink directed toward the gay club scene on the matador's cape should fit right in.
Posted by: Art | September 25, 2009 8:07 PM
I am boiling mad about this since I read the story yesterday.
How dare he advertise on his cape! There is too much commercial advertising in sports. Will bull fighting turn into NASCAR? Will ads be plastered all over every baseball base path? Will they replace the yard markers in football with drug company logos? Wiil they stamp Greg Ladens forehead with a Coca Cola sign?
Posted by: NewEnglandBob | September 25, 2009 9:41 PM
NewEnglandBob @ #4 - "Wiil they stamp Greg Ladens forehead with a Coca Cola sign?"
Depends on what his wife is offered.
Posted by: Art | September 25, 2009 9:59 PM
Bullfighting is macho up close, camp seen from a distance. Just like everything super-masculine.
Bodybuilding - powerful and virile...or a lot of oiled up men cooing over each other's muscles.
Action movies - agressive, manly, military and disciplined...or homoerotic men with artfully mussed hair and carefully applied dirt to the face, waving around really big guns.
Posted by: K | September 26, 2009 7:16 AM