Gay and straight men might have more than their share of differences, but at the end of the day they are still just men.
That is what the creators of "Straight Plan for the Gay Man," a new show on Comedy Central, hope to prove with their parody of the cult hit "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."
The show's Flab Four, proud heterosexual comics, each with a knack for a quality in the average male life- information, environment, culture and appearance - will tackle the daunting task of making over a gay man and educating him on the intricate details of being straight.
"Anytime a show becomes so popular, it needs to be parodied to release tension and add a little comedy," said Kyle Grooms, one of the brave straight men daring to spoof the Queer Eye show, which became an instant success after its first appearance on cable television last year.
The Queer Eye's basic premise plays on the stereotype that straight men, as a whole, seriously lack in style when it comes to interior design, dress, grooming, cooking and culture.
Gay men, on the other hand, are superior in their mastery of these arts, according to the show's four gay hosts.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The "Straight Plan for the Gay Man," which begins airing Mondays at 10 p.m. on Feb. 23, is taking the opposite approach.
In each of the show's projected three episodes, the Flab Four will attempt to let their gay subject into the dark closet of the average straight male's life, shedding light on the delicate art of hitting on women, playing sports and working at a blue-collar job.
"This show is important because it will make everyone laugh about the many divisions that exist between gays and straights in our society," said Rob Riggle, whose specialty on the show is the culture surrounding heterosexual men. "We dug deep to uncover the inner-workings of the straight man's life and think we provided an accurate description of our lives."
Riggle said he is the epitome of the straight man, and has the evidence to prove it.
"My apartment is filthy," he said. "There have been times when I've brought a drunk woman home at 4 a.m. ready to seal the deal, and she left because of how filthy I am."
Steven, the show's first make-over guinea pig, said during a conference call Wednesday that working with the Flab Four proved to him there really are differences between gay and straight men.
"I'm used to a nice martini, while they're used to warm, flat beers," he said.
Aileen Budow, a spokeswoman for Comedy Central, said they only planned for three episodes for the show because the art of parodying a show is one of timing.
"You have to hit hard and get out, otherwise you lose the effect," she said.
Riggle said he expects the show to be an instant hit because it is structured exactly like Queer Eye, with entire episodes based on one day's activities of transformation of the subject.
"People who like the original will feel right at home watching our show because they are so familiar," he said.
