CARA FINNEGAN | INTERVIEW |
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Her gaydar was tested to its absolute limits in the latest series of E4's
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Before the show did you think that you would find it easy to work out which of the guys were straight and which were gay?
I didn’t know the premise of the show originally! I thought it was just an ordinary dating show but with a little bit of a Big Brother in the sunshine twist! When it was revealed to me that some of the guys were gay and some straight and that it was my job to figure it out, I didn’t have a clue! In all honesty I don’t think that you can judge anybody on old skool stereotypical gay traits, and I hope that people nowadays don't!
I know that my social group (I’d like to think I speak pretty much for my generation in general too), judge people on who they are and no one really cares any less who is gay and who is not; unless you fancy them of course…this is where I ran into trouble…ha ha!
Did you have any gay friends before the show and did you ask them for any tips on sharpening up your gaydar?!
Yep, my best best friend is a gay guy and I have a few other close male friends who are gay. As I didn’t know the premise of the show I obviously hadn’t had chance to ask them for advice. However, in past conversations my friends had said to me that there are certain traits they felt could give a gay man away! Silly things like the way a guy smokes and the inclination in his voice, these were tips they were giving me to avoid chatting up the wrong fella in a club! Ha! I didn’t put any of them into practice during the show because I’m not stupid enough to think that these rules fit every gay guy out there! And there is no way the producers would have made it that easy for me either!
The first two guys you eliminated were straight. At that early stage in the show, what were you basing your choices on?
In the early stages of the show I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! I didn’t throughout the whole process really! I was just trying to gauge who I had a really natural rapport with in the hope that it meant they were being truthful with me! Truth is, the guys that I eliminated on that basis were probably just a little nervous, shy, awkward, it didn’t mean they were hiding something, just generally uncomfortable with the situation!
Do you think that the show challenged any stereotypes that viewers may have had of gay and straight guys?
I didn’t know the premise of the show originally! I thought it was just an ordinary dating show but with a little bit of a Big Brother in the sunshine twist! When it was revealed to me that some of the guys were gay and some straight and that it was my job to figure it out, I didn’t have a clue! In all honesty I don’t think that you can judge anybody on old skool stereotypical gay traits, and I hope that people nowadays don't!
I know that my social group (I’d like to think I speak pretty much for my generation in general too), judge people on who they are and no one really cares any less who is gay and who is not; unless you fancy them of course…this is where I ran into trouble…ha ha!
Did you have any gay friends before the show and did you ask them for any tips on sharpening up your gaydar?!
Yep, my best best friend is a gay guy and I have a few other close male friends who are gay. As I didn’t know the premise of the show I obviously hadn’t had chance to ask them for advice. However, in past conversations my friends had said to me that there are certain traits they felt could give a gay man away! Silly things like the way a guy smokes and the inclination in his voice, these were tips they were giving me to avoid chatting up the wrong fella in a club! Ha! I didn’t put any of them into practice during the show because I’m not stupid enough to think that these rules fit every gay guy out there! And there is no way the producers would have made it that easy for me either!
The first two guys you eliminated were straight. At that early stage in the show, what were you basing your choices on?
In the early stages of the show I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! I didn’t throughout the whole process really! I was just trying to gauge who I had a really natural rapport with in the hope that it meant they were being truthful with me! Truth is, the guys that I eliminated on that basis were probably just a little nervous, shy, awkward, it didn’t mean they were hiding something, just generally uncomfortable with the situation!
Do you think that the show challenged any stereotypes that viewers may have had of gay and straight guys?
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Right> Sven was eliminated in the final week and revealed he was gay. |
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I hope they had a serious kick up the arse into 2012! The guys were all into fashion and grooming and a whole array of interests and hobbies, so hopefully they challenged some pre-conceived misconceptions that people may have had.
Has your Playing It Straight experience improved your gaydar?!
I still don’t have a clue if someone’s gay or straight! Ironically, and much to the amusement of many, I hate the whole, ‘I didn't know he was gay’ thing! I mean, why would you, gay people don’t wear a plaque announcing it! I guess I'm really lucky that the people I surround myself with are totally accepting and un-caring of someone’s sexuality, and certainly no one is judged any differently.
Follow Cara on Twitter - @playing_it_cara
Has your Playing It Straight experience improved your gaydar?!
I still don’t have a clue if someone’s gay or straight! Ironically, and much to the amusement of many, I hate the whole, ‘I didn't know he was gay’ thing! I mean, why would you, gay people don’t wear a plaque announcing it! I guess I'm really lucky that the people I surround myself with are totally accepting and un-caring of someone’s sexuality, and certainly no one is judged any differently.
Follow Cara on Twitter - @playing_it_cara
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Cara currently blogs for new celebrity gossip and style site IBLAMEHOLLYWOOD.NET
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