Here's how multiple Key & Peele sketches tackle homophobia in different ways. Key & Peele is a sketch show that debuted in 2012, which gave stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele a chance to show off an impressive range of characters. Key And Peele skits could range from pop-culture parodies like their Gremlins 2 pitch meeting, awkward but relatable mishaps like "Text Message Confusion" or searingly political ones like their final sketch "Negrotown."
Key & Peele called it quits after five seasons, with the show ending in 2015. The duo still collaborates from time to time, like the upcoming Wendell & Wild, but they've mostly gone their own way. In addition to various acting gigs, Keegan-Michael Key has also become a TV host, having recently appeared in the likes of Playing With Fire and Brain Games. Peele has made a hard right turn into becoming a horror auteur, helming Get Out and Us and he is the producer behind multiple genre movies and TV shows.
Key & Peele sketches were never afraid to tackle political or racial topics, and here's how three of their skits looked at homophobia from different angles.
“Office Homophobe”
Key & Peele's season 3 sketch "Office Homophobe" really zeroes in on gay stereotypes and follows a dispute between two office co-workers. Key's flamboyantly gay Latrell irritates Peele's character by playing loud music that's basically orgasmic noises set to a beat, constantly talks in a sexually explicit manner and even shows him a close-up of a rather private area.
"Office Homophobe" presumes that Peele's character really is somewhat homophobic or uncomfortable around gay people - until his boyfriend turns up to take him for lunch. Not only is this a wry twist, but it also leads Latrell to a moment of profound self-realization.
"Town Hall Meeting"
Key & Peele's "Town Hall Meeting" was an online exclusive sketch that sees Key's politician talking about the importance of inclusion, and every time he talks about a certain section of society - be they a farmer or a member of an ethnic group - the C-Span cameraman cuts to a member of the audience who fits the bill. When Key's politician starts talking about the homosexual community, the camera cuts to Peele's character, who becomes increasingly uncomfortable.
"Town Hall Meeting" is both a testament to Peele's comedic talents - he doesn't utter a single word but his facial expressions tell a whole story - and a skewering of how the media portrays sexual identity. Every time the word "gay" is uttered, the camera cuts back to Peele as he increasingly attempts to hide from this assumption, and he even tries to throw attention to a flamboyantly dressed man who is revealed to be straight. The panic and horror Peele's character experiences from being labeled as a gay person - as if that's inherently a bad thing - is also parodied.
"Gay Wedding Advice”
The Key And Peele gay marriage sketch from season 4 sees Key's Gary, a gay man, asked by his co-worker (Peele) to give his family advice on the upcoming same-sex wedding of their cousin. Gary patiently answers their queries by stressing a gay wedding is exactly the same as any other wedding, but he has to deal with increasingly offensive questions. These range from questions about when it's appropriate to sing "gay hymns" like "YMCA" or where the "straight" section sits. Gary eventually calls it quits after weathering all the stereotypical questions he can withstand, some of which real families would probably be asking before a same-sex ceremony.