SPOILERS Favourite bit of Unseen Academicals (may contain spoilers)

[sheilaj]

I believe UA is the first TP book with a gay character (correct me if I'm wrong). The joke about rowing made me laugh.

Do the "ladies" of the "Galah" who Rincewind meet in Fourecks count?

 

[poohcarrot]

OK. Second book them.

 

[Penfold]

I beg to differ in that transvestitism(?) is not the same as being gay. For example, the comedien and actor Eddie Izzard is well known for cross dressing, but maintains in interviews on the subject that he is straight.

In his show, Dress to Kill, Izzard describes himself as an "executive", "action" and "professional" transvestite, as "a male tomboy" rather than a drag queen or a "weirdo" transvestite (he cites J. Edgar Hoover and Hermann Göring as examples of the latter). He regularly cross-dresses both on and off stage and makes it clear that cross-dressing is, for him, neither a part of his performance nor a sexual fetish — he simply enjoys wearing make-up and clothing that is traditionally perceived in the West as female-only. He remarks in his show Unrepeatable, "Women wear what they want and so do I." According to Izzard, "Most transvestites fancy women." [Dress to Kill, 1999] He dismisses claims that he is a male homosexual, saying he is "a straight transvestite or a male lesbian." He has also described himself as "a lesbian trapped in a man's body," transgender, and "a complete boy plus half a girl."

 

[poohcarrot]

So there!

 

[Penfold]

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

Lest anyone has missed the thrust of this argument... deconstruct THIS
Being a transvestite (see wikionary) in most cases has nothing whatsoever to do with sexuality and nothing at all to do with transgender issues.

Case in point is Mr Mercury who was most definitely gay, a vision in a tatty pink woolly and short leather-effect skirt with slipping black bra straps ironically hoovering whilst dressed as cheap tart? He kept his 'stache' on for the dress up and shaved it off for the fantasy... this is not a man who wants to be a woman

The other 3 are clothed in more mainstream 'trannie' garb and it's in fact John Deacon who's probably the closest to a true transexual in that he makes a pretty convincing Granny albeit an under-nourished Fleet St one.

Brian May ditto but not so good - no balloon breasts and 'easy' slut mother get-up. Nice touch with the bunny slippers.

Roger Taylor - classic fancy dress wear. Worryingly gorgeous however - I still fancied him!

Most male transvestites 'do it' 'cos they want the fantasy not the reality - that and they get to wear silky knickers, garters etc :twisted:

 

[Tonyblack]

Who do you mean in UA as being gay?

I think there's possibly 3 gay people mentioned - one of which is based on a real person (and Pratchett fan) who is gay.

 

[BatrickPatrick]

I liked the Megapode. :3

And all this talk of cross dressing is giving me Rocky Horror flashbacks

 

[Tonyblack]

Did you know there really is such a thing as a megapode?

 

[BatrickPatrick]

It doesn't look like a wizard at all

 

[poohcarrot]

Who do you mean in UA as being gay?

I think there's possibly 3 gay people mentioned

I mean the three you mean.

 

[joemcf]

Who do you mean in UA as being gay?

I think there's possibly 3 gay people mentioned

I mean the three you mean.

Very sneaky. So do i. Thats who i meant too.

 

[poohcarrot]

Pepe, Bengo & Madame Sharn.

 

[high eight]

I believe UA is the first TP book with a gay character (correct me if I'm wrong). The joke about rowing made me laugh.

Do the "ladies" of the "Galah" who Rincewind meet in Fourecks count?

Lofty and Tonker?

 

[Anonymous]

Pushing this soley for the reason that someone explains the rowing joke to me (we had a horrible translator for the book in german)

 

[meerkat]

After I had read this three times it started to grow on me.

My favourite bits are the psuedo/Germanic titles of the books read by Nutt. Working some of them through gave me a few giggles.

Andy Shank was a brass stud that I recognised from my childhood days. We had one just like him at school (East End of London). We avoided him where ever possible and yes, he ended up in prison (hurray!).

Love Pepe though. After knowing some gay men at the ROH covent Garden, he really stands out! And although he could be a nasty bit of work deep down, he is a good guy. I cheered to myself when he 'saw to' Andy!

 

[Doughnut Jimmy]

Pushing this soley for the reason that someone explains the rowing joke to me (we had a horrible translator for the book in german)

Umm, what rowing joke? Can you tell us where in the book it is

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

What "rowing joke" do you mean ?

I've read the English book, maybe I can help ?

 

[meerkat]

There is no rowing is there? Sure there isn't?

Oh, wait, Ridcully mentions he got a brown for the university (as opposed to a blue that the RW rowers get! Only the UU ran on the river!

 

[The Mad Collector]

Or maybe it is the bit about Bengo Macarona when Ridcully remembers old Postule

‘Angry wife, as I heard it,’ said Ponder.
‘Oh, he was married, was he?’
‘Not to my knowledge, Archchancellor.’
‘I don’t think I quite understand,’ said Ridcully.
Ponder, who was not at all at home in this area, said very slowly, ‘She was the wife of another man… I, er, believe, sir.’
‘But I—’
To Ponder’s relief, light dawned on Ridcully’s huge face. ‘Oh, you mean he was like Professor Hayden. We used to have a name for him… ’
Ponder braced himself.
‘Snakes. Very keen on them, you know. Could talk for hours about snakes with a side order of lizards. Very keen.’
‘I’m glad you feel like that, Archchancellor, because I know that a number of the students—’
‘And then there was old Postule, who was in the rowing team. Coxed us through two wonderful years.’ Ponder’s expression did not change, but for a few moments his face went pink and shiny. ‘A lot of that sort of thing about, apparently,’ said Ridcully. ‘People make such a fuss. Anyway, in my opinion there’s not enough love in the world. Besides, if you didn’t like the company of men you wouldn’t come here in the first place. I say! Well done, that man!’ This was because, in the absence of Ridcully’s attention, the footballers had at last started their own kick-about and some quite fancy footwork was emerging. ‘Yes, what?’