Zpex Reviews

The Arsenio Hall Show (1989–1994)

Hiphop killed Arsenio? No!

[17 January 2004]

I just finished reading some of the comments here about Arsenio's show, and while I agree with some, I heavily disagree with others. First of all, there was no "hip hop backlash" around the time that grunge rock became popular. At the time hip hop began to reach it's commercial peak as well. Furthermore, Arsenio frequently had grunge and rock performers on his show; from Poison to Nirvana to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Radiohead. Many are quick to associate Arsenio's show with hip hop, simply because he is a black man and was the first to really showcase it, but that is not all he ever had on. His musical guests were a mixed bag: pop, urban, country, rock, etc.

What killed Arsenio was that he over time just simply wore thin. In retrospect, it is very true that Arsenio's show was very "1989," and he had a hard time moving forward from that. His interviewing skills were often lacking, and his opening monologues were at times poor. Everything wrong with the show starting out that people dismissed because he was young, hip and someone *new* to watch on late night continued to haunt him, and over time people started to not dismiss it anymore.

Toward 1993-1994, his show became dreadfully stale, painfully slow moving, and annoyingly unfunny. In the meantime, all the hoopla surrounding the Jay/Dave fight over the Tonight Show didn't help matters because it led late night audiences (and sponsors) to focus on them rather than Arsenio.

Consenting Adult (1985 TV Movie)

Compelling melodrama

[10/10 · 16 January 2004]

I recently saw a late night presentation of this film, and it *is* a very good movie. The main character, Jeff, is a young popular college student who is struggling to deal with what's he's known all his life: that he's gay.

He musters up the courage to come out to his mother (Marlo Thomas) and asks her for help. Though his mom is unnerved by the revelation, she tries her best to remain supportive in front of him—despite insisting that he seek therapy to "fix" the situation. Jeff's father (Martin Sheen), meanwhile, is another story. His son being gay is more than unnerving to him, it's devastating. So devastating that he can barely face his son, and deliberately avoids him. As a result, this seemingly close-knit family begins to unravel...it then becomes obvious that there may have some other unresolved issues that they never dealt with.

As Jeff continues to seek counseling, and even attempts to go out on a date with a woman, he eventually realizes that his homosexuality is something that he can't change, and begins to accept himself (and even goes as far to defend another student at his school is harassed for being gay.)

Perhaps the most provocative moment in the film is when Jeff and another young man, who goes to the same school, both find themselves in a local diner in the midnight hour. After making conspicuous eye contact, and nervous small talk, they wind up being intimate (though it's only implied, not seen). Now he KNOWS that he's gay, and that there is no turning back. When Jeff then tells his parents that he is no longer going to therapy, and confesses to having been with another man, all hell breaks loose; resulting in an ugly shouting match between father and son, with mom caught in the middle.

Though the over the top melodrama and angst, as well as the quest to cure this kids gayness via a psychiatrist, may seem a bit dated by today's standards...fortunately the film ends on a positive note, with Jeff fully accepting his homosexuality and finding a boyfriend.

Overall, the movie is very compelling, wonderfully acted, and will tug at the heart.