{"id":78819,"date":"2018-06-28T13:49:04","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T20:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=78819"},"modified":"2018-06-28T13:49:04","modified_gmt":"2018-06-28T20:49:04","slug":"new-york-times-exposes-its-own-hypocrisy-with-cartoon-of-trump-putin-as-gay-lovers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2018\/06\/28\/new-york-times-exposes-its-own-hypocrisy-with-cartoon-of-trump-putin-as-gay-lovers\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Times exposes its own hypocrisy with cartoon of Trump & Putin as gay lovers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Danielle Ryan\u00a0Courtesy RT<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
A recent cartoon produced by the New York Times depicts Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as gay lovers. It was clearly intended to be hilariously funny while also making a salient political point. In reality, it does neither.<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0cartoon<\/a>\u00a0is part two of a three-part series called \u2018Trump Bites\u2019 from critically-acclaimed animator Bill Plympton. Let me explain the contents of the minute-long video to save you from having to watch it yourself.<\/p>\n

It begins with a cartoon Trump standing in front of a mirror altering his bow tie while a portrait of a topless Putin hangs on the wall behind him. Audio of the real Trump confirming that he does have a relationship<\/em>\u201d with Putin begins to play and the doorbell of Trump\u2019s cartoon house rings.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/div>\n
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\u00a9 The New York Times<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The visitor is none other than a muscly, topless (again) Putin. Trump\u2019s cartoon heart begins to beat out of his chest and he hands it over to the macho Russian as a gift. Audio of the real Trump claiming Putin has done a brilliant and amazing\u201d job plays over the scene.<\/p>\n

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Read more<\/div>\n

\"\u00a9Trump, Putin imagined as passionate gay lovers in casually homophobic NYT cartoon (VIDEO)<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

Now Donald and Vlad are sitting in a car together. The Russian is in the driving seat. Witty political metaphor? Check! Cartoon Trump leans over and places his tiny hand on top of Putin\u2019s excessively large hand. Overdone dig at the size of Trump\u2019s hands? Check!<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the car morphs into a unicorn (stay with me) and the star-crossed lovers are riding on its back through a pink sky filled with butterflies, hearts and rainbows. Putin turns around to kiss Trump and we get a close-up of tongues swirling.<\/p>\n

Back in his bedroom after his date with the Russian, cartoon Trump is seen with a gun in hand shooting at his TV screen \u2014 an obvious reference to his distaste for fake news\u201d and the like. Roll credits.<\/p>\n

Describing the cartoon on its website, the Times explains that it plays out in a teenager\u2019s bedroom, where the fantasies of this forbidden romance come to life.<\/em>\u201d But, in case it wasn\u2019t already clear, the end result isn\u2019t funny. It doesn\u2019t do a particularly good job of making any political point, either \u2014 unless you\u2019re counting the reinforcement of a tired, boring and unproven narrative of collusion\u201d and bromance\u201d between Trump and his Russian counterpart.<\/p>\n

What it does do, very well in fact, is highlight the hypocrisy of the New York Times. Despite its socially liberal credentials, the paper of record has seen fit to use gay stereotypes to malign political figures it does not like. The very fact that the men are portrayed as gay is what is supposed to make the cartoon so funny.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, gay people on Twitter were quick to point out that mocking people \u2014 even fake versions of real people \u2014 for being gay isn\u2019t actually very funny at all. Journalist Glenn Greenwald (who happens to be gay himself) called out the Times for using one disgusting gay stereotype after the next<\/em>\u201d in an attempt to make a political point. Homophobia for progressive messaging is still bigotry,<\/em>\u201d he wrote on Twitter. He\u2019s right. Another gay Twitter user hit out at the Times for its vulgar\u201d and homophobic<\/em>\u201d negative stereotyping, while others blasted the paper for the tone-deaf decision to publish thegay-bashing\u201d<\/a>\u00a0cartoon\u00a0during<\/a>\u00a0Pride Month, of all times.<\/p>\n

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Glenn Greenwald<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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\u2714<\/b><\/span><\/span>@ggreenwald<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The NYT publishes an animated film mocking Trump and Putin for being homosexual lovers, using one disgusting gay stereotype after the next to do it. I’m sure they’ll claim some LGBT person was involved. Homophobia for progressive messaging is still bigotry https:\/\/www.<\/span>nytimes.com\/video\/opinion\/100000005935591\/trump-and-putin-a-love-story.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region\u00a0<\/span>\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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Trump and Putin: A Love Story<\/h2>\n

I think our country does plenty of killing also.\u201d<\/p>\n

nytimes.com<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n