Is the Emcee gay? - Cabaret (1972) Discussion

[–] mogwai4000 18 years ago

Perviness is not gayness!
He's bisexual in more recent productions. One of his two ladies is a bloke...

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[–] theatre_savvy_pirate 18 years ago

Yep, I'd definitely agree that he's more bisexual than anything.

I worked on a production [we did the 1998 revival version] over this past summer, and it was very clear that he could go either way -- in the sense of women or men.

"Another innocent victim of my pointless rage!" - Craig Ferguson

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[–] agancarz 17 years ago

Perviness is not gayness!

He didn't say that perviness is gayness. Not the "or" in that sentence. He said "Is he just pervy OR is he gay?" That's different than saying "Is he just pervy AND is he gay?"

Only poor people are crazy. The rich are eccentric. -Lionel Luthor (Smallville)

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[–] mogwai4000 17 years ago

The implication was that they are linked.

"Is it warm or is this jumper too heavy?"

Don't act so indignant when you are clearly confused regarding the rules of English Language.

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[–] laughtermadefat 10 years ago

Idiot.

The distinction was obvious.

If he's flirting w/o natural attraction he's obviously a bit "pervy".

Politicize much, victim?

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] TheManInOil 10 years ago

He presented it as an either/or question. He never suggested the two were equivalent.

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[–] lavieboheme200 18 years ago

the emcee is just a really really sexual character, and since its all an act, its just a big performance, Ive studied this role(since im rehearsing to play it) and yeah he would be bi, but its much more than that

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[–] nickumsix 18 years ago

the revival version with the pink triangle isn't really so much about him being gay as it is about the cabaret being a place where gender pretty much loses all meaning. one of the two ladies is a boy (not so much a fun joke as it's often played these days, but a comment on the fact that maybe a boy can be a lady. also it makes the song a more direct comment on the action of the story than just a comment on generallly 'sinful' living conditions), everybody dances with everybody, sex in general stops having boundaries. so, really, he's more pansexual or just hypersexual.

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[–] valjeanlover 18 years ago

In the film, I'd probably say no, in the revival, he's definately bisexual (he's pretty much all around sexual), and in the original version, I have no idea. It's really the director's and actor's descision if the Emcee is bisexual/gay or not.

The more he bleeds, the more her lives
He never forgets and he never forgives

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[–] Tashtago 15 years ago

Nah. He just looks and acts gay as a cover.

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[–] dth1212 18 years ago

>>Is the Emcee gay?

Well, only his make up artist knows for sure. ;) Actually, he's been pretty ambiguous since the beginning. Btw, the character is based on an MC Hal Prince saw while stationed in Occupied Berlin (Prince said the guy actually wore heavy make up and patent leather hair) and second-rate entertainers Joel Grey had seen as a kid when his father, comedian Mickey Katz, worked the Catskills.

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[–] Puddlemini 18 years ago

Remember that back then, sex had no boundaries...
Def. Bi

An onion can make people cry, but there is no vegetable invented to make them laugh.

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[–] lucens 18 years ago

I don't know if he was definitely gay or bi or straight as much as an opportunistic sort, i.e. whatever swung by that looked like fun.

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[–] usersince03 18 years ago

I thought he may of been sleeping with Sally because near the end he touches her boobs.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Isaac5855 18 years ago

Personally, I have never felt that the Emcee's sexual orientation is relevant...every director who has directed this show and every actor who has played the Emcee have their own takes on the character and I don't think sexual orientation has a lot to do with it.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] plouw 17 years ago

The keyword is decadence, not sexuality. Joel Grey's excellent portrayal exudes decadence, in line with the period which by all accounts reflected a deterioration of culture and morality (not just sexual morality). It was an atmosphere in which decadent, extreme ideologies (right as well as left wing) could grow and flourish. Grey's decadent, cynical character focuses on man's basest instincts and relishes them; no high ideals and religious interests here, this concerns the human beast driven by fundamental desires (sex, money, power). At the same time the MC is an observer and intelligent commentator on the times who is able to see things as they really are, perhaps because he is also an artist (singer and dancer); all this makes him a fascinating character.

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[–] jshane2002 17 years ago

The emcee also reflects some of the roots of Nazi ideology that go back to Nietzsche where "everything" is permitted. A nightclub like the KitKat wasn't really the sort of place real Nazi's would go to spend their free time. The nightclub and the emcee and its seemingly grotesque entertainers were the very sort the Nazi's wanted to eliminate in due time.

When Cabaret first came out in the 70's I used to see it as just an entertaining, vrey slick musical set in 30's Berlin that occasionally made references to ominous changes happening in Germany. But now I am more and more impressed by director Bob Fosse's skill as a director. The patrons of the nightclub are in the dark pretty much - in contrast to the one musical number "outside" in the beer garden, where you actually can see each German's face up close and well lit by the daylight. It's quite a contrast because you can see so vividly the reaction of each person watching the young german nazi singing.

We are the actual audience watching a movie but the film is constantly shifting the point of view inside the nightclub and outside. Whenever there is singing there is also constant reminders everyday life suggested by people getting up and changing their seats, getting a drink served,

We have the normal life going on in the daylight at the beer garden contrasted with the nocturnal, pleasure seeking of the night where people remain in the dark and we can't see their reactions. The link between these two realms is the emcee, who we see smiling wryly at the end of the beer garden singing.
He seems to be smiling because whatever show has been put on for the people is working as planned.
People are being taken up by the simple and beautidul promises of the Nazi song that pushes all the right buttons in Germans. They are so entranced and occupied by the singing that they don't reallize what is really going on.

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[–] jacowium 14 years ago

Excellent comment and interpretations, jshane!

For a rather unsubtle man, Bob Fosse sure had the most subtle touches to his work. I didn't realise the significance of the shadowy/bright contrasts of the cabaret vs. the nazi singalong, and wasn't sure what to make of the emcee's smile at the end there either, but I get the drift now. Can't wait now for the next opportunity to see it. Cheers!

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[–] noirgirl 14 years ago

No, he's just playing a part. Hiding in plain sight, so to speak. He's in love with Sally, and hiding from the regime taking shape. I always thought he plays the part of the "Greek Chorus", the one who understands, interprets and communicates what's going on.

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[–] jacowium 14 years ago

Those are very shrewd observations, noirgirl!

I managed to see Cabaret again two nights ago - watched it twice in one evening! - and I've dropped a few opinions and gained some others. This will happen again the next time I watch it attentively, I think...

I think you're on to something by saying he's hiding in plain sight. His cabaret acts always reflected events happening outside on the streets, in both blatant and subtle ways. I thought his love song to the gorilla was a particularly nice comment on the state of the nation at that time, with the citizenry so entranced by the ideologies of Nazism that they couldn't see the ugly in-your-face realities of it. He could get away with everything else he did, by doing it in plain view as you said. I am not sure if he was actually "in love with" Sally as such, but he was definitely lusting after her. To me, certain scenes suggested that there had been hanky-panky going on between them, and his living out his fantasies on the stage served also as a protection from Sally's suitors or anyone else who'd disapprove.

Your remark that he played the part of the Greek Chorus, hit the spot. And in that sense, since the actors who played the main roles in ancient Greek plays wore masks too, he could even represent the whole genre of Greek Tragedy as well. In other words, while he is struggling with the gods or wrestling with moral dilemmas (here, the moral challenges that Germany presented in 1931), he also interprets and relays the significance of the political events to the watching audience. I realise I may be reading too much in the connection between Greek Tragedy and a cabaret act in Berlin, but I think Bob Fosse had the intelligence to pull something like that off, so it may well be. And kudo's to you too for making that connection!

Tipping my hat!

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