History Main / HaveIMentionedIAmGay

'''Have I Mentioned I Am Gay''' is when we know that a particular character is gay because we are told so, often repeatedly, and not because we actually see them display any sort of romantic feeling or sexual attraction toward characters of the same sex. The character is out of the closet, and may even proudly talk about past relationships, but we, the audience, never see them going on dates with the same gender, let alone actually having sex. You might notice that on United States TV, [[DoubleStandard you'll see girl-on-girl kissing, but never boy-on-boy]] unless it's a huge punchline, because MostWritersAreMale and GirlOnGirlIsHot.

* Jody, Billy Crystal's character in ''Series/{{Soap}}'', verbally informed the audience of his sexual preference pretty much every episode, yet you saw him going out with women far more often than with other guys. This was because the show's producers and ABC's standards and practices department had to walk on eggshells with regards to their treatment of Jody. A few years earlier, NBC had canceled the sitcom ''Snip'' less than a month '''''before''''' its pilot episode's scheduled debut -- it didn't even get the chance to be a OneEpisodeWonder -- because of the public backlash over what would have been the first open gay character on an American TV series.

-->'''Adam:''' (to Troy, thinking Eve means that Troy is happy) "Well, good for you!"

* ''TopChef'' features at least one openly homosexual contestant in almost every season. Many of them make sure everybody knows their orientation as soon as possible. Ash in Season 6 states that he's the only chef "with a boyfriend," and then pauses for a second before elaborating, "a same-sex boyfriend."

* The whole premise of Steve Agee and Brian Posehn's characters from ''TheSarahSilvermanProgram''.

* Much like Northstar in the comics example, once ''Series/{{Ellen}}'' came out of the closet, the show became about her being gay. Each episode was focused on peoples' reactions to her sexuality and lessons learned.

'''Ethan''': She didn't just leave it. Becky nuked the closet from orbit, [[NoKillLikeOverkill just to be sure]].

* ''WillAndGrace'' spent a while getting Will a boyfriend while securing Grace as his soul mate. A prominent episode in the first season being one where Grace has a boring romance in the typical manner with some guy in Story A, with Story B focusing on Will talking on the phone to some guy that he liked, in an unnecessary, one-episode version of HeWhoMustNotBeSeen.

* Wiccan and Hulkling of the YoungAvengers tend to go out of their way to remind people of the fact that they're dating

* ''{{Warehouse 13}}'' has Steve Jinks, who mentions that he is gay while Claudia is going on about how they can't have an OfficeRomance. He is StraightGay so it would be hard to figure out. He never had any romantic relationships in the season, but neither did any of the straight characters.

Every once in a while, especially in the later seasons of a show, the writers will become [[GenreSavvy aware of this trope]] and suddenly (well, as sudden as it can be after three or four seasons) do [[VerySpecialEpisode a single episode]] that deals with the character's sexuality.

** Subverted in "A Smith for a Jones", where Greg and Terry are actually shown sleeping in the spooning position wearing only underwear. Granted, it's very brief and [[DoubleStandard nowhere near as intimate as Stan and Francine are shown]], but [[DiscreditedTrope tropes aren't discredited overnight]].

* ''InLivingColor'' had the Overly Confident Gay Man, played by Creator/JimCarrey, who would often introduce himself as "Hi. [[{{Beat}} (beat)]] I'm gay." In his first sketch, he incessantly hits on every man within his field of vision, [[spoiler:but when one actually reciprocates to any degree he goes directly to feeling harassed and makes a big deal of it, much to the other guy's embarrassment]]. In his second sketch, his sexuality briefly comes into question when he, [[ItMakesSenseInContext lying unconscious on the floor,]] gets really into the CPR a hot woman gives him, [[spoiler:but then it turns out she's a post-op transgender man, and the Overly Confident Gay Man is in fact ''happy'' to discover this. They immediately leave for a gay club together]].

* ''InLivingColor'' had the reoccurring sketch of The Overly Confident Gay Man, played by Creator/JimCarrey, who would often introduce himself as "Hi. I'm gay."

* ChannelFour's reality contest ''Four In A Bed'' featuring battling small hotels competing for the accolade of best B&B of the week pits teams of owners against each other. Generally small boarding houses run by husband-and-wife couples are featured. But in any given week, there is ''always'' one very obvious husband-and-husband or wife-and-wife among the teams. Their sexuality is never an issue and is never explicitly mentioned. But this is so obvious to viewers that a subtext of the show is "spot the gay couple".

* ''InLivingColor'' had a sketch in which a gay man (played by Jim Carrey) would just randomly go up to people and say "Hi. I'm gay."

* ''{{Archer}}'': Ray Gillette's sexuality is frequently mentioned but never really demonstrated outside of the occasional CutawayGag of him hanging out with male strippers.

* On ''Series/TheTalk'', Sara Gilbert practically ''always'' has to change the subject of whatever the current discussion is about to homosexuality.

* ''QueerAsFolk'', strangely enough. Vic is undoubtedly gay, but is portrayed as almost asexual for a ''long'' time. Partly TruthInTelevision, as it can sometimes be much harder for older gay men -- especially ones who are HIV+, as Vic was -- to find the same sort of sexual and romantic opportunities that their younger counterparts have.

* Damian from ''Film/MeanGirls'' being "almost too gay to function" doesn't seem to involve him dating or even being attracted to men. Although to some extent this ''can'' be TruthInTelevision for gay teens in high school (the not-dating part) as there are often few openly gay kids around.

* Jody, Billy Crystal's character in ''{{Soap}}'', verbally informed the audience of his sexual preference pretty much every episode, yet you saw him going out with women far more often than with other guys. This was because the show's producers and ABC's standards and practices department had to walk on eggshells with regards to their treatment of Jody. A few years earlier, NBC had canceled the sitcom ''Snip'' less than a month '''''before''''' its pilot episode's scheduled debut -- it didn't even get the chance to be a OneEpisodeWonder -- because of the public backlash over what would have been the first open gay character on an American TV series.
* Ashley's friend Griffin in ''TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager''. He did eventually end up getting a love interest (Peter), but they've seldom appeared since they hooked up.

* Both parodied and subverted in ''ScottPilgrim'' via Scott's roommate Wallace. We initially learn that Wallace is gay not because of his actions, but rather because no-one will shut up about it to the point where it becomes blatantly superfluous. Later we do actually see Wallace in relationships with men, however it's often intentionally exaggerated to draw attention to itself (especially so in TheMovie).
* The only reason anyone knows that Northstar from ''ComicBook/AlphaFlight'' and the ''ComicBook/{{X-Men}}'' is gay is because he can't seem to go five minutes without referencing that fact. Less so that now he actually has a steady boyfriend and in fact married him in a high profile event, but in the days right after he came out, it seemed like he couldn't ''stop'' coming out.