'It's alright, I'm gay': 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King says his sexuality entitles him to make fun of minorities



Stiff defence: 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King has defended the show's use of stereotypes

It has been getting a lot of criticism for presenting an offensively stereotypical view of ethnic groups.

But 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King has came out fighting, announcing he is entitled to make fun of minorities because he is gay.

The flamboyant former Sex and the City writer defended the sitcom's portrayal of African Americans, Koreans and Eastern Europeans, at a press event for the show.

The characters in question are Han Lee, who speaks in broken English, Ukrainian Oleg, who is crass and sex crazed, and Earl, an older black gentleman who uses jive-talk language.



They are ensemble characters in the show which focuses on the antics of two waitresses working at a busy Brooklyn restaurant.



Michael said: 'I'm gay! I'm putting in gay stereotypes every week! I don't find it offensive, any of this.

'I find it comic to take everybody down, which is what we are doing.

'Being a comedy writer gives you permission to be an outsider and poke fun at what people think about other people.'

The 57-year-old writer, producer and director was repeatedly asked questions on the topic.

However he did his best to steer the conversation onto other matters, while insisting the point of comedy is to laugh at each others differences.

He also promised that as the show progresses, that the hidden layers of characters Oleg, Han Lee and Earl will gradually be peeled away like an onion.

The former Cybill scripter said: 'If you talk about stereotypes, every character, when it's born, is a stereotype.

Korean: Matthew Moy plays Han Lee African American: Garrett Morris features as Earl Eastern European: Jonathan Kite plays Oleg

'A blonde and a brunette, which has certain stigmas as well, which we've tried to defuse and grow.

''I don't think the (ethnic) characters are one-note. I think the characters were the first note.

'The characters are dimensional, but they're shown in segments of 21 minutes, which limits the dimensions you can see.

'I will call you in five years, and you will have accrued enough time to figure out if these characters became fully fleshed-out.'

Primary focus: Michael said the show will feature on the show's main characters Max and Caroline ahead of the ethnic ensemble

But while he promised to improve the characterisations of the minority backing characters, he stressed he was concentrating on fleshing out Max Black and Caroline Channing, who are played by Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs.

He said: 'It's called 2 Broke Girls, our main job is to take care of the girls.



'They are the engine, they are the heart, they are the soul and they are the acid.



'So we're always going to throw to them first. The other characters will grow and grow and grow, as they do with ensembles.

'I personally am thrilled with everything we're doing.'

CBS cares: Especially as the show has been drawing around 14 million viewers every week

CBS president Nina Tassler has also defended the show, which is drawing almost 14 million viewers for the network.

She said: 'First of all, I think that they're an equal opportunity offender.

'Everybody gets digs. The comment in our dialogue with Michael is, "Yes, continue to dimensionalise, continue to get more specific, continue to build them out."'





