Sound off...Sound on!

   The program that I chose to view was entitled “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”—The Gang Gets Racist.  I am sure not many people chose to watch TV with the sound off.  It was definitely a challenge for me because TV is my favorite pass time.  From viewing this show with no sound, I thought the three male characters were friends because they talked to each other and laughed often. Two of the guys appeared that they were discussing a problem.  They carried on the conversation with their heads nodding in agreement.   The main female character did not appear to work in the bar but was familiar with the men in that situation because she took off her coat and laid it on the chair as if she was familiar with the place.  An unfamiliar man walked into the bar and the three guys all of a sudden began a conversation with him in a physically defensive mode.  The female held the unfamiliar man’s (black guy) hand then the guys backed down.  It appeared that her conversation supported his presence there.  In another scene, the all the above mentioned people sat and conversed over drinks.  The black guy did most of the speaking while the others casually smiled and nodded.  He was extremely “hands-on” with the guy who was nearest him.  He made sure that whatever he was saying that guy was giving him approval.  The female attempted to kiss the black guy but he directed her to kiss his cheek while holding her at arms’ length.  In another scene, the three men tried to play dominoes with a group of black guys at a game room.  One of the white guys appeared to be “talking” the domino players’ hand which led him being shunned by the bystanders.  The white guy was later invited to play dominoes and the bystanders were giving him handshakes and high fives at the end of the game.  In another scene, there was a male and female bartender, the male bartender’s tip jar was filled.  On the other hand the female’s jar was still sort of empty. 

     When the sound was on, a couple of my suspicions were confirmed. Jarred, the black guy was gay that is why he would not let Julie kiss him and made a pass at the other guy at the table.  Julie knew Jarred from her acting class and wanted him to meet the guys who owned the bar as to solicit more business.  Jarred was some type of party planner.  When Jarred arrived in the bar, the guys perceived that he was there to rob them because he came to the bar after hours and Julie had not prepared them to meet a black guy.   So eventually, Jarred told gay people on campus that the bar was for gays.  Gay men made a lot of compliments to the bartender even alluding to his pretty blue eyes.   Other gay men, starred at the bartender as to get his attention.  While in the game room of the college campus, non-verbal communication existed.  The white guys were looked at with snide facial expressions and practically booed when he interrupted the domino game. 

      It was quite interesting to analyze a show with and without sound.  This is a show that I have not viewed before.  I probably would have known that Jarred was gay and not interested in Julie.  Before I turned on the sound, I did not notice that the bar was empty and in need of patrons.  If this was a show that I normally watched