Cameron Tucker: “Fizbo” S1, E9
The cast of “Modern Family” all uniquely represent their own stereotype within each of their families. However, as the series progresses and with each episode, the audience is able to understand that each member of the family are more than the stereotype in which they portray and actually go deeper and beyond. For example, the character of Cameron Tucker. Cameron lives with his husband Mitchell Pritchett and daughter Lilly; Cameron’s character conforms to the stereotypes that gay men are feminine, enjoy wearing pink, voice is at higher pitch and flamboyant clothes. However, as the sitcom progresses into the fifth series, we as the audience learn that Cameron Tucker is more than what he shows, as he is then asked to be the school’s football coach. The character then demonstrates his love and passion for the sport as he states that, that was when he felt like he fit in at high school. This example supports the theory from (Butler, 2011) on gender representation. For example, Butler states in an interview that gender is performative and that we as people are acting, and our acting is crucial to the gender that we are and how we’re presenting to the world. Butler also believes that, we act, walk etc to consolidate the impression of being a man or a woman. We act as if being a man or a woman is an internal reality, and for a gender to be performative is to say that no one is really a gender from the start – meaning birth. This is evident with Cameron Tucker’s character within the sitcom as he himself acts “typically gay”, therefore when this new aspect and side of him is shown to the audience, we as the viewers are almost surprised or shocked and view the character in a different way. Our opinion changes as well as our view. This is one example of how representation is shown within the American TV show ‘Modern Family’.
Modern Family Analysis 