Ritter on gay sitcom role: ‘Sexuality isn’t source of humour’
By Sam Rigby
Tyler Ritter has spoken about playing a gay character on new US sitcom The McCarthys.
The actor, and son of award-winning actor John Ritter, said that the character of Ronny offers something new because his sexuality isn’t “a huge storyline” or a “source of humour”.
He told The Wrap: “It’s not really a huge storyline. The show starts out with him already having come out a few years before, and the family is totally OK and accepting of him.
“Aside from the fact that he’s in the dating world and meeting new guys, it really isn’t that big of a plot, because these guys could easily be girls. The actual sexuality in and of itself isn’t what makes this show tick. It’s the characters themselves, it’s the conflicts they run into.”
Ritter added that Ronny will find himself in a number of interesting situations while dating.
“He’ll find himself in situations with his dates, with maybe a boyfriend, but the fact that he’s a guy who’s attracted to another guy… I don’t think we find that funny at all, and so that’s not a source of humour,” the 29-year-old explained.
The McCarthys – which also stars Laurie Metcalf and Jack McGee – airs on Thursdays at 9.30pm ET on CBS in the US. A UK transmission date has yet to be confirmed.
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