The hilarious & bold gay comedy that was way ahead of its time.
By David Opie
From Rent and Angels In America to The Normal Heart and even newer stories like It’s A Sin, there’s no shortage of cultural milestones when it comes to queer stories about the AIDS crisis.
What most of these narratives share in common is a somber spin on what’s been a horrific nightmare for countless queer people fighting to survive (throughout the ’80s and ’90s especially). That’s not to say joy was absent entirely, but few dared to see the funny side of living through this era, except for one often overlooked comedy simply named Jeffrey, which first opened in theaters on August 18, 1995.
“I love sex,” says Steven Weber’s titular character in the opening, pointing out that bodies have this incredible “built-in capacity for pleasure.” He’s right, of course, yet that doesn’t stop the guys he’s slept with from freaking out about the dangers that became heavily associated with gay sex in the decade prior.
One is mortified that the condom broke, another suggests that they just cuddle, “like little bunnies or little babies,” and the third goes so far as to investigate Jeffrey’s entire medical history, complete with proof of recent bloodwork. It’s an amusing take on genuine concerns that highlight just how extreme the fears surrounding sex had become.
