Munk revisits RENT (with a homophobe)

Instead of watching the super bowl, I made my boyfriend see RENT tonight. I have been telling him for weeks how this show changed my life and how important it is for him to see something that's so important to me.

He kept putting it off for weeks, but tonight I made him go once and for all. Over dinner before the show, he kept saying things like "I can't believe you're going to make me go see that f-ing fag show with all those faggots." I didn't get angry, all I said to him was "Well you're sitting with one right now, so consider this your warm-up."

Throughout Act One, he moaned and groaned, and only clapped for "Out Tonight." At intermission, he told me that he things that RENT is the worst show he has ever seen, and that he wants to shoot everyone on stage and in the audience for being associated with this crap. He told me that Angel disgusted him and that he was glad that Angel had AIDS, and said that everyone like Angel in real life should suffer the same fate.

Livid at his remarks, we walked in together to view the second act silent, basically ignoring each others' presence. "Seasons of Love" caught his attention immediately, and he actually clapped for the song. During "Without You," I look over, and he was balling. Same during "Goodbye Love" and "I'll Cover You (reprise)."

At the end of the show, he grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes and said "I am so sorry. This was amazing. This show has changed my outlook on everything, including my own insecurities. I will never judge anyone or anything again for as long as I live. Thank you for sharing this with me. I can't believe I would be so quick to judge something so beautiful and meaningful."

I didn't post this to show you what an asshole he is, or for any kind of "proof" that the show is good. I just wanted to share the story with you because I found it really refreshing to hear this coming from him. He thinks he's better than everyone, hates gay people (somehow he's not included in that) and is a pompous prick. He has given me his word that he will never again behave in the same way, and that this show has opened his eyes to something he never thought possible.

So yes, 10 years later, (Matt Caplan and all), RENT is still changing lives.

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Don't ask me to explain why I'm with him, that's not the point.

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He is very charming.

No. He just said that the first act cannot stand alone - you don't start caring about the characters until act two. I kind of had to agree with him.

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It's cool that hecame a totally different person in the space of an hour, but I'd watch over the next few days to see if the changes stick.

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He meant very effeminate gay people.

It may sound bizzare to all of you, but my boyfriend is very different now from what he was when I met him. He doesn't know any better - he's never been taught any better. He says that each and every day I teach him something about him and life that he never thought before - it's very rewarding.

I don't want this thread to be about how much of a dick he his - I just wanted to emphasize how good this show still is - and how powerful it is, even for the biggest nay-sayers. I found it very moving.

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"He told me that Angel disgusted him and that he was glad that Angel had AIDS, and said that everyone like Angel in real life should suffer the same fate."

Yeah, um.... I'd be a little wary of staying with someone who could even say a sentence so hateful and loathing. Especially a gay man. It displays too many scary underlying demons.

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*snort* Wow.

You go, Tina.

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Oh well. It's your life.

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I need to know what you thought of Tim Howar. It's urgent.

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I know you didn't mean to turn this into a thread about your boyfriend, and your relationship with him, but after than Angel/Aids comment, I seriously can't believe you could be with someone like that. A person that voices such a strong, horrible, and utterly ignorant opinion doesn't strike me as a person that's going to completely change after seeing one show. He may have been emotionally moved at the end, but if I were you, I'd be very, very cautious. This thread really does seem like a cry for help. You must have known that posting such a homophobic comment ( even if it wasn't yours, of course) would create a very strong reaction in this community.

I'm sure he must have a lot of wonderful qualities, and it's not my, or anyone else's, place to tell you whom you should, or should not date. But anyone who truly believes effeminate gay men should die of Aids is an ignorant human being, and not someone I'd ever want to know. He's going to need a lot more than "Rent" to turn around. Good luck with that!

Right. People can SAY they are changed without BEING changed. I mean. Come on.

Just forget it.

I thought Tim Howar was a great actor, but stuggled vocally and resorted to screaming too often. Very sexy, though.

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