Perhaps psychotherapist Matthew Dempsey was a tad bit tone deaf when he used the example of "landing a regional commercial when a friend booked a recurring role on 'True Blood'" (!) while offering insight about gay men's tendency to compare themselves to each other, and how it can lead to feeling inadequate. (neatly packaged as "Compare and Despair/") But the comments on Towleroad -- including one about the therapist who killed himself -- are so vicious, they make "The Boys in the Band" sound like an episode of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."
The first thing this guy should do to be taken seriously on this topic is stop wearing a form-fitting shirt with an open collar. To lecture gay men about trying too hard by yourself trying too hard is laughable. Also: it's easy to lecture other gay men about loving yourself when you look like an underwear model and don't experience the widespread rejection a lot of gay men (all people, really) experience. I'll bet this Dempsey guy hasn't been ignored by a bartender in a gay bar in years. It's a nice effort if taken at face value. Something about it rings...if not phony, then unrealistic. POSTED BY: JSE | AUG 7, 2013 12:18:13 PM
So a "hot" (well, except for the eyelid-drooping bit and the narcissism) "psychologist" tries to get all the not-so-hot and insecure gays in his vicinity to sign up as his clients. This way you get to ogle him during the session AND you get a free sympathy pat on the back by the hot guy in the end. God this is lame. POSTED BY: CT | AUG 7, 2013 1:30:06 PM
"I'll bet this Dempsey guy hasn't been ignored by a bartender in a gay bar in years." Is that really a thing? I mean, I've been to a lot of gay bars (accusations of functioning alcoholic have been levied my way), and it really doesn't work that way. When a bar is crowded, bartenders typically start at one end, work their way down, and rotate back to the start. If you want to get their attention, you could hold a large bill (bartenders are, after all, working for tips) or you could at some point simply ask them their name and try being friendly. It very rarely has anything to do with looks. I'm not saying you're not ugly. But maybe you're impatient and an a--hole, too. POSTED BY: CRISPY | AUG 7, 2013 12:30:24 PMRead 'em and weep HERE.