In our sort of tolerant society-kind of, we are met with an odd situation. Eric Stonestreet plays a gay character on Modern Family. He is not gay. Neil Patrick Harris plays Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, a heterosexual womanizer. Neil Patrick Harris is not straight.
Now trades are quite common in the world of sports. So much so that the Franchise Player is an oddity and a rarity. Indeed, almost every professional team sports player winds up on multiple teams. Maybe Hollywood, especially TV shows could learn something from this example.
That’s right, I’m suggesting a swap of these two talents. Eric Stonestreet and Neil Patrick Harris are only 2 years apart in age and might be glad to be able to play a character of their own sexual orientation.
I agree there are some dissimilarities between the shows. How I Met Your Mother is close to the end of its run. And Modern Family only has 2 years under its belt. And of course Stonestreet is heavyset and Harris is thin. Perhaps the writers can make it not a straight substitution. Maybe they could play new characters that simply fill the vacuum the old character left.
For instance Stonestreet’s departure would leave Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s character newly single. Neil Patrick Harris could step into that roll. Maybe Stonestreet would want to follow the tragically dead Barney Stinson’s Bro Code. Stinson may have mapped such a book of rules before his death and in an effort to have as much success with women, Stonestreet wishes to pursue these teachings (and women).
A warning to our sort of tolerant society, more kissing will probably result for both characters. Because now the writers wouldn’t feel any guilt when making these openly gay and openly straight characters act out their orientations.
Maybe a trade seems too unreal for many people. But just look what 2 ½ Men did last year. They sacked their star player (Charlie Sheen) who was openly cutting up his owner (well producer – Chuck Lorre). Then they brought in the star player from the now defunct That 70’s Show. And Charlie Sheen had to wait a year but got to start on the expansion Anger Management show.
Let’s make the trading begin. After all many shows and sports have had trading cards. Fantasy Networks and Leagues might work. For instance, some feminist supporter could swap the four science guys in the Big Bang Theory for the cast of Hot in Cleveland. Winners of the fantasy league might be chosen for having the most interesting imagination.
For far too long actors have enjoyed the wealth of sports heroes along with being able to live their career in the same show surrounded by the same players. Let’s spread some of the joy of trades to Hollywood.
It’s been done. Think of the Darrins.
–Bob, who doesn’t think of Darrins all that often…
The Darrins thing was more like an older player leaving and someone being brought up from the minor leagues to replace him. And both Darrins were Dicks (Sargent and York), an odd coincidence.