Six of the funniest coming out scenes, from Derry Girls to 911
Coming out can be awkward and hilarious. (Getty/Channel 4/But I’m a Cheerleader)
Coming out as an LGBTQ+ person is often awkward and nerve-wracking, but as movies and television have shown us, it can also be filled with hilarity too.
While there is a laundry list of touching, intimate, and grounded fictional coming out scenes across the entire span of media, some of the best are brazen, clever, relatable and hilarious.
Whether it’s the straights misunderstanding what being queer actually is, or a coming out that was so obvious it might as well be written on the person’s forehead, there are plenty of coming out scenes that are comedy gold.
Here are just a few of the best and funniest coming out scenes.
Stath Lets Flats
Jamie Demetriou’s Channel 4 comedy Stath Lets Flats is many things – unhinged, occasionally nonsensical, and very, very hilarious. The series has gained a cult following by fans who love to see titular character Stath Charalambos, played by Demetriou himself, find himself in various pratfalls and antics.
Among the many iconic scenes in the three-series show is the nonchalant but undeniably hilarious coming out scene for Stath’s father, Vasos.
In season two, episode two “Where Can I Flat?” Vasos is spotted relaxing in bed with his partner, Stephen, who says to Stath and his sister, Sophie (Natasia Demetriou): “Sorry if this is a shock for you, to see your father with a man.”
Sophie responds positively, saying: “But we know he’s with men, he’s a gay one innit,” whilst smiling to her dad.
But I’m A Cheerleader
Possibly one of the most iconic queer comedy films out there, 1999’s But I’m a Cheerleader is choc-a-bloc with hilarious and relatable moments in self-discovery.
Set in a fictional conversion therapy camp, the film sees teenager Megan, played by the iconic Natasha Lyonne, wrestle with her sexuality and eventually come to the conclusion that she’s gay while coming to terms with what that means.
Megan’s coming out scene is particularly camp and goofy in that unique But I’m a Cheerleader fashion. Surrounded by members of the True Directions conversion therapy camp, Megan, still in denial about her sexuality, begins to have an epiphany that her desire to stay abstinent with her boyfriend may actually be a sign that she’s not attracted to him.
She then begins to panic, screaming “I’m a homosexual!” whilst the group embraces her. Truly iconic.
Derry Girls
Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls‘ genuinely grounded depiction of life in Northern Ireland during the 1990s is only trumped by its hilariously chaotic humour. The series, which began in 2018, ran for three seasons with many twists and turns.
One of the more iconic twists occurs during season one, episode six in which Erin becomes the editor of a school magazine. Her anxious friend, Claire, confronts her over a story written about a “wee lesbian.”
After a heated back and forth, Claire admits that she is the lesbian in the story. After a brief moment of denial, Erin comes to the realisation that Claire is telling the truth. Erin’s reaction is less than ideal at first, asking her friend: “You like girls?”
“Well that is sort of a requirement, Erin,” Claire responds.
911
Sometimes keeping a secret is hard, and 911’s Tommy Kinard is a walking example of that fact. The firefighter had a less-than-planned coming out scene in season seven, episode six “There Goes the Groom.”
After returning from tackling a fire to celebrate Maddie and Chimney’s wedding at a hospital, Tommy spots his boyfriend, Buck, and they kiss in the lobby of the clinic where his family are celebrating. Covered in soot and clearly tired, he apologises to his family for having to leave.
The family clearly see the soot on Buck’s face following the passionate kiss, and murmurs across the room indicate that he just accidentally came out to everyone.
Henrietta Wilson, who turns to her partner, Karen, comments: “It’s about damn time.”
Fourth Man Out
If there’s a film that encapsulates the awkwardness of coming out, especially among traditionally masculine friends, it’s Fourth Man Out. The 2016 film, which received mixed reviews, sees protagonist Adam come out to his friend group as gay – and he doesn’t get the reaction he hoped for.
After a night of binge drinking, Adam admits to a half-asleep Chris that he’s gay. After the group begins to slowly come to, the realisation hits them and they begin to passive-aggressively freak out.
Chris, who was sleeping in the same bed as Adam, jumps up and begins to hurl, blaming it on the “excessive alcohol consumption.”
After Adam notices the vibe and bails, the group begin to rationalise Adam’s truth, playing into some ridiculous clichés. “Adam can’t be gay, he eats steak all the time!” his friend Ortu says, while Chris adds: “I once saw him rebuild an entire engine on a ’68 Mustang.'”
PinkNews can officially confirm that gay men are capable of rebuilding car engines.
First Wives Club
1996 cult classic First Wives Club has, with its themes of matriarchal revolution, elements of queerness draped all over it, and nothing is more perfectly actuated than the coming out scene of Annie MacDuggan-Paradis’ daughter, Christine ‘Chris’ Paradis.
In a scene during the film, executive and adulterer, Aaron Paradise, tells his rebellious daughter that he doesn’t have time to speak to her because of his busy schedule, but before he can close the door to his office, Chris, who resents her father, says: “I’m a lesbian. A big one.”
Perfect delivery. Maliciousness absolutely intended. We could all take a page out of Christine’s book.
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