It (the sex scenes) was not for shock value. I think it was to tell the truth. I think a lot of what we see on TV portrays gay people as eunuchs or clowns, or as victims of AIDS, or being punished for being sexual or tortured teens. We're not doing any of that.

245

But if they didn't do it, the middle-aged gay men, then how come so many of them died of AIDS in the '80s? How did that happen?

223

[It's clearly a sore topic with both men.] We're either gay-bashed by gay people or we're totally ignored by the gay press, ... Younger gay people seem to love the show; they don't have a problem with it. It's middle-aged gay men who seem to have a big issue with this show. They don't want other people knowing what they've done.

195

I don't share your optimism. We can talk about this for 19 hours, because I get pretty passionate about it.

189

[Series with political content tend to age badly, and Cowen and Lipman know a thing or two about dated television -- the men, who began their work and home lives together in 1971 at a playwrights' conference, wrote An Early Frost, the first TV movie about AIDS, which aired in 1985.] You never know if something's going to hold up or fall apart in 20 years, ... It will mark a certain point in time.

169

If that's what you like, then good luck.

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