When did you realize the liitle boy was gay? - Who's the Boss? (1984) Discussion

[–] exokomp 17 years ago

Not sure of the season but man as the series progresses it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to watch the scenes where the writers tried to play him off as some a girl crazed teenager. He just couldn't pull it off. It must have been horrible for him to play that role. Apparently the producers realized what was going on and they pretty much wrote him out of the show.

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[–] tiff_leo 17 years ago

When he hit puberty and his voice didn't get any deeper. .. and then when he got that gawd awful 80's half bowl half Vanilla Ice hairstyle. Right around the time when the new neighbors moved in and the daughter was Heather Tom.

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[–] JC_Aliss 17 years ago

I agree. It was when he hit puberty, no question. It was clearly who he was, inside and out.

He laughs in interviews now when people tell him "I always knew you were gay!"

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[–] LadyVirgoxoxo 17 years ago

I can't help but laugh at him when he comes out and acts cuz u can so tell hes gay. His voice and his movements, just everything about him! He even looks gay!

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Ed: Dexter's a chicken!
[pause flapping his arms]
Ed: Mooooooo.

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[–] johnny-lover07 17 years ago

Yeah I'm watching it now and even if I didn't know, I'd suspect. He's so cute though, he went from cute little boy to attractive teenager. Not quite convincing playing a straight character, but I wish they let it be (or, god forbid, write it in to the script but this was pre-Ellen I guess) instead of making him out to be girl-crazy. Normally it wouldn't matter but his character was as gay as he was...

-Beth
"Pull shapes you fu_king commie, this is bat country!"

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[–] EntertainMe463 14 years ago

Pre-Ellen, LOL...good point!

~let me entertain you...let me make you smile~

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[–] joejv2008 15 years ago

almost from the beginning he never tried to flirt with or hook up with sam or any of her friends like a strieght boy

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[–] dlonney 14 years ago

My "Gaydar" was not on. It never occured to me.

That is, Until...I saw a Live taping of Who's the Boss? This was in 1991. Between scenes the actors would talk to the crowd. Take questions. Danny Pintauro (Jonathan) was out of character, being his real self. And then you could see how Gay he was from his mannerism.

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[–] rena165129 14 years ago

puberty

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[–] thelostboy2007 14 years ago

In the pilot he was so fascinated with the snake it was obvious he had an interest in things long, slick and hard.

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[–] roman2886 8 years ago

Attraction too the same sex and opposite sex shows up in puberty being who are in th closet are always hiding and take a long time to come out.

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[–] TMC-4 (20181) 3 years ago

It was just painful to watch those later years, where the writers tried to make Jonathan out to be this red blooded, hormonal, girl crazy teenager, when Danny Pinaturo wasn't at all convincing as a boy who would plausibly be sexually attracted to the opposite sex. The whole thing just came off like a farce since it was played totally straight (no pun intended) and unironically. And they couldn't just officially make Jonathan gay because something like that may have still been awfully taboo for prime time network television (i.e. a gay teenager).

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/14838808-gay-actors-who-cannot-play-straight-characters-but-give-it-their-all-anyway

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/26232314-actors-who-can%E2%80%99t-play-straight-if-their-lives-depended-on-it

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/9363226-gay-actors-who-don-t-play-straight-convincingly

I don't know if Danny wasn't convincing because he just wasn't a good actor once he reached puberty or he was simply incapable of hiding/toning down his effeminate tendencies and mannerisms.

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[–] Countryford 11 years ago

When Sam moved in, he was a young boy, in the stage when "girls have cooties". When he got to the age of being into girls he had lived with Sam for a while. (assuming the character was straight) He probably just thought of Sam as an older sister.

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[–] Mark_Graisons_Moustache 14 years ago

The show should have made Jonathan gay, that would have been great and gotten them a lot of attention.

"I've flown this route before."
"When was that?"
"IT WAS ON THE WINGS OF A DEMON!"

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[–] abajasds 14 years ago

When he played in the 80's horror movie "Cujo".

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[–] There-Can-Be-Only-One 14 years ago

It never occurred to me then. I always thought Jonathan was so cute, especially as a little boy. But I was a kid, and "gay" wasn't really a big thing yet, and certainly wasn't a big thing on TV.

But watching reruns now, I'm like "Wow! It was SO obvious!" Not much of an actor, I guess, if he couldn't even pretend to be straight.

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[–] SataiDelen 14 years ago

Well, I was a kid when this aired too, and yeah, the gay "thing" wasn't big on television in those days, but I did grow up knowing a gay man (and naturally I still had a crush on him all through my childhood, lol), and yet I never thought Johnathon was gay. I just always thought of him as a geek or a nerd. Further, someone here mentioned how he never flirted or hit on Sam. Um, well, frankly that would have really disturbed me since Sam was essentially like an older sister to him. But yes, he could/should/might have hit on a couple of her friends (NOT Bonnie [or whatever the red-headed ditz's name was]).

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[–] There-Can-Be-Only-One 14 years ago

I completely agree with you about the Sam thing. When I read someone suggest that, I was like "ewwww!" :-/

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[–] TheStreetHawk 14 years ago

I am not the type of person who categorizes ppl to be gay or straight. I didn't have have Jonathan as gay but he was very very effeminate.

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[–] bartallenii 14 years ago

Definately when he hit puberty. I kept asking myself 'When are they going to have him come out?'

Then when they had the story years later of him admitting he was gay, I was like 'Well, duh!'.

I actually admired him more once he came out and wished they'd have written it into the show. Maybe if there's ever a reunion special, we'll see Jonathan having a boyfriend then.

"What's the matter? Can't you outrun a bloody moped?" - Princess Di

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[–] lisaluvzac 14 years ago

I had my ideas. Danny (Jonathan) was and still is the cutest little thing ever, especially in "Cujo" and early "WTB". I always wanted to hug, kiss and tickle him. Bet he was ticklish. The bowl haircut didn't go over well with him. I agree with those who say he wasn't given his fair share on the show at the end. He contributed to its success as much as the others, write him in for who he is too.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] TMC-4 (20181) 3 years ago

I don't think that back in the day, you immediately thought that Jonathan and the actor playing him was "gay", you just simply assumed that he was just really nerdy, awkward, and sensitive, it that makes sense. The whole "he's so obviously gay" didn't really come to pass until well after Danny Pinaturo officially came out. So we naturally now had the benefit of hindsight.

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[–] isisdawonder 14 years ago

I agree. In seasons 7 and 8, it was VERY apparent that he was gay. For example, in the episode where Tony and Angela find out they're legally married, Johnathan makes a comment to Angela about being nice to him because he's probably her only tax deduction or somethign like that. His body language and facial expressions: No straight dude would do that. I think that once they saw Danny couldn't really pull off Johnathan being straight, they just should have not mentioned Johnathan having a girl friend. To basically not give him much to do at all in season 8 was not right.

“Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with” –Brian to Tracy in Mahogany

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] noki53 13 years ago

Right around puberty. His sexual orientation really doesn't make a difference, what does IMHO, is that he's not a very good actor. One or two lines an episode, hit laugh track, and c'ya later. So many young people (Gary Coleman, Soleil Moon Frye, Jerry Mathers) had the ability to carry a show week after week. I always got the impression that he was related (nephew, cousin, son) to a big wig that was associated either with the show or the network.

I came to Casablanca for the waters.....

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[–] Breesus 13 years ago

What a great thought inspiring topic.

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