Grindr the world’s biggest gay hookup app/site has not always enjoyed a particularly good reputation beyond its users. In 2017, when it was owned by the Chinese gaming company Kunlin, its president Scott Chen commented “Some think marriage is between a man and a woman. I think so, too, but it’s a personal matter.” When the Grindr-owned INTO online LGBTQ magazine repeated this, it was shut down completely after a mere 17 months.
The US Government forced Kunlun saying that having the app owned by a Chinese company posed a national security risk. In March 2020, they sold its 98.59% stake in Grindr to U.S.-based (very heterosexual) San Vicente Acquisition LLC for $608.5 million. Which is no laughing matter. Nor was the $12million fine the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) levied for violating its rules.
In need of both improving their reputation and image and also trying to find ways to engage the apps users beyond the hook-up facility, Grindr has just launched its own comedy web series. Bridesman is in 10-minute episodes (well, they know how long most of their users can focus for at now time) and is due to be launched on Prime Video in September.
We caught a special preview at Outfest Film Fest in LA where they screened all 6 episodes. It’s the story of a vain self-centered Terry (well-played by the talented Jimmy Fowlie who has carved out a niche as the actor to go-to for so many gay web series). He is such an awful person who is reluctantly traveling to be the bridesman at his childhood best friend’s wedding. En route after boring the pants off the Uber driver (Calvin Seabrooks), he literally takes them off and they make out over the hood of the car
The real reason Terry is going to the weekend is he believes that the bridegroom Wyatt (David Mudge) fancies him so he is going to try his luck with before the nuptials the next day. But with ever-one plotting against him and vice versa we know not only is that not going to happen, but there is also no chance that this is not going to end well for anyone.
The series written by John Onieal and directed by Julian Buchan has a cast of odd-ball characters which so suits this very queer quirky comedy. The convoluted story starts off well, then it eventually turns into a something resembling the Titanic theme of the batchelor party i.e. a bit of a disaster.
If the whole idea of Bridesman is to make us laugh, then it does succed in part. The problem is that many will be still laughing at it, than with it.
Labels: 2021, Bridesman, Grindr, wed series
