Now that we’ve hit the one year anniversary of the release of the epic trailer for the Atlanta, GA based Gay reality show “Tha Life: Atlanta,” I wanted to look back and examine it and all its glory.
For those who do not know what I’m referring to, here’s a recap. In February of last year a sizzle trailer for a reality show was dropped on YouTube and caused quite a ruckus online. The trailer features 6 black Gay men supposedly living the “down Low” lifestyle in Atlanta.
Here’s the trailer:
Here it is, a year later, and the full show has never been released. I doubt that an entire episode was actually ever filmed. But the reasons for that are obvious to me. It all seemed false.
First off, none of these guys are what I’d consider masculine or capable of living life on the “down low” even if they tried. These guys are very “clockable” by all accounts. If any of them walked into a barbershop or sports bar, I’d instantly label them as being Gay.
Secondly, the presentation of masculine discreet Atlanta Gay life revolving around the obsession with money, strippers, drag queens, tight jeans, arched eyebrows, shiny shirts, lisps, loose wrists and catty messiness seems completely fabricated.
Thirdly, the entire trailer looks like it was filmed over one weekend in Atlanta. The “locations” look like rented hotel and extended stay suites. I could be wrong but its likely that these men are based out in another city yet they visit Atlanta enough to know it would make a better location for a potential Gay black reality show. It would be easy enough to film what we see in this trailer over the course of a day or two.
However, I understand that the Executive Producers of the project (and the producers of most other reality shows) may not be going for “reality” in the first place. Spectacle seems to get the bigger ratings nowadays.
Speaking of other realty shows, producer Correah Miller is listed as another Executive Producer on the project. His credits include The Real Housewives of Atlanta and What Chilli Wants. Here it is a year later and despite the potential contacts Miller has, an actual episode of this Gay show has never materialized.
So why was the show never produced, even on an independent level? My research didn’t yield many results except that the producer George Smith (featured as one of the 6 men in the show as “The New Face of Atlanta”) is a Houston, TX based party promoter that hosts Gay events for 25+ year olds called, “A Touch Of Pink.”
He also says that he making a spinoff to “Tha Life: Atlanta” creatively entitled, “Tha Life: Houston.” How you can make a spinoff of a show that was never actually produced is beyond me.
All jokes aside, this post was not meant to bash Smith or his attempts at finding (*ahem*) love. We all gotta do what we gotta do. My beef is what was presented online this time a year ago.
If anything, the release of that trailer for “Tha Life: Atlanta” was a prime example in how there are not only many incarnations of being a Gay black man. But also that there are also many interpretations for what is considered to be Masculine, Discreet, Down Low and Gay.
– Nick D
Uhhhh…..ain’t a damn thing DL bout none of them dudes LMAO!
I don’t think the creators of this show intended it to be a representation of black dl or discreet lifestyle. The trailer didn’t exactly say that any of these men were living on the dl in the stereotypical sense. It simply stated that there are men in Atlanta who do live on the dl. Someone who came across the series simply labeled it as dl probably because people are ignorant and assume that “dl” and “black gay men” are synonymous with one another. Either way, this show is meant for entertainment purposes. If it was actually filmed and experienced wide release, I don’t know how successful it would be.
I followwed this story very carefully. There is a nvideo on youtube where Geroge Smith is on a panel discussing black gay media. He stated that he was in talks with a netowrk and what happenned was they wanted to change his vision. He wasnt comfortable about that so he walked from negotiations. He said that he wanted to a creat a show that his son could be proud of him. So at the time ( I belivee this was last summer), he had stated that once the show does come to light there will be a total different cast.I also touched based with him one on one by Grndr and he told me that if we (black gay community) wanted to see his show on film that we need to write Logo and Bravo and express our concerns. It just concerns me though how America is so willing to accept the ffeminine gay male on film but doesnt accept the masculine gay male on filmn. I truly believe that the “Masculine” gay male is seen as a threat but I dont understand why.
Hey Omar,
I think strong, proud, intelligent, masculine black men in general are seen as a threat. I am thinking, are the powers that be (film/TV/network execs) should they take some responsibility or are we the ones that need to take responsibility to change this? If it is the latter, how do we change it?
Omg I just pissed on myself this article is the shade of destructions, lmaoooooooooooooooo!
I live in Houston and have been approached by George Smith….he’s a nice guy but lives in Houston.
I never understood why he or any of them would desire to be highlighted in this way. But still he is a polite dude.
After watching the trailer (RT: I didnt know this fuckery even existed) I developed an overwhelming desire to eat crushed glass. While I protest realityTV more than I do gold fronts in 2012, if youre gonna shoot a “reality” show it should at least possess a modicum of authenticity. Its confusing to understand the POV, because nothing about the trailer registered as “masculine”. Son said “have a cocktail waiting on me”. Really? No..thats not masculine. I dont accept that. Men with skinny jeans, accessorized by muffin tops? No..thats not masculine. I do not accept that.
Like Nick said “his ultimate goal, to widen his dating options”. Huzzah! I hope it worked, because aside from being a tribute to someone’s atrocious vanity project–probably financed by “The Face of Atlanta”. Really? That shyt right there is a FAIL.
I had the opportunity to meet George Smith. Upon our initial meeting he was cordial and had interesting convo. As I got to know this gentleman, his display of pretentiousness and arrogance shined through loud and clear. He stated that he was an attorney and had worked in the healthcare administrative roles. He did disclose to me that he was a party promoter in Houston. He made it a point to show off his luxury vehicles and his condo, which in fact was rented despite the fact that he told me he had just closed on the condo. I tend to be very critical when one tries too hard to impress me or to show off. I disclosed to him that I was a psychologist, he then suggested that we discuss the possibility of a business venture. it was at this point that I decided to do my research on Mr. George H. Smith and found that the law firms website in Dallas for whom Mr. Smith’s internet bio stated he was employed had no mention of Mr. George Smith.it was at this point I became very suspect of the diplomas on the wall of two different colleges yet the typeset and paper quality ( you would have to see it to understand ). He had Kappa Alpha Psi para in his home yet being a member myself I found that he was perpetrating a fraud in that regard after a little test questioning. So I mention all this why? We as Black gay and bisexual men want to be impressed and to be in the company of positive minded people who are professional and appear to be outside the stereotyped careers of the gay community. Yet so many in our community seeking the wrong thing at times fall for people like George Smith. Where I commend the move by Mr. Smith to be and entrepreneur and the desire to be famous, being a fraud or less than honest is not the way to go about it. But I guess in the same way that the Real Housewives of Atlanta has no married housewives, The Real Gays of Atlanta if it were successful could have had fake clock-able DL gays. lol
man…these dudes are gay…at least the three that i know from houston…i dated one for a brief spell….and was close friends with another one….they are gay….Houston Texas