Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-jwnkl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-10T16:32:43.606Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

12 - Albee’s The Goat

Rethinking tragedy for the 21st century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2006

Stephen Bottoms
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
Get access

Summary

In the summer of 2000, the comic Ellen DeGeneres commenced a three month tour of her new stand-up act, The Beginning, which was taped at the Beacon Theater in New York City on July 13th and broadcast on July 23rd as an HBO special. The tour was her first since creating a national sensation by coming out during the April 30, 1997 episode of her eponymous situation comedy, Ellen. The Beginning in part explores DeGeneres's experiences after that media event, humorously yet pointedly discussing the topic of sexual tolerance for consenting adults. In the monologue “Naked People,” DeGeneres ponders the highly politicized issue of gay and lesbian marriage, parodying the ludicrous logic of those who oppose these unions:

The people who are against it, some people say, “Marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and it’s always been that way and it should always remain that way; if we change it, and it’s between two people of the same sex, then what’s next? Someone could marry an animal.” That’s where they go to right away. These people scare me, and they think we’re weird. I don’t want to marry a goat; I really don’t. I can’t imagine marrying a goat; I can’t even imagine dating a goat. Getting to the point that you’re that serious, to make that kind of commitment. Clearly, you’d live together for a little while, to figure it out and see if you’re compatible. But I’m just picturing the apartment with you and the goat. Just photographs all over the place: you and the goat on the beach running, holding hands. You and the goat with the four-for-one photo strip [DeGeneres mimes the photographic images in the booth]. Sunday morning you’re trying to read the paper; it’s trying to eat it. “Don’t you eat that section, don’t, I haven’t read that yet, don’t you eat, don’t you eat [DeGeneres mimes chasing the goat and playfully fighting for the paper]. Come here, I love you, you goat, you little goat [DeGeneres mimes cuddling with the goat and tickling it under the chin].” I would think that would be a tough day, even for the most liberal parents, the day you bring the goat home. “Mom, Dad, this is Billy. We are in love.”

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×