On Wednesday morning, NBC’s “Today Third Hour” had a puff piece about a new Peacock series titled, “It’s Ok to Ask Questions.” The series is all about pushing LGBTQ-ness and NBC used it as a precursor to Pride month, which starts on June 1.
The show, set to air on Saturday, is hosted by Matthew Rodriguez, a co-host of “Chicago Today” on NBC Chicago. In it, Rodriguez sits down with various lefties who talk about their experience and intersection with the LGBTQ movement.
During one episode, which “Today Third Hour” promoted, Rodriguez talked to actress Rosie O’Donnell, who conversed about parenting a non-binary child. Another episode showed Rodriguez talking with pop star Jojo Siwa, who promotes gay pride to her audience of young kids.
Rodriguez was invited onto the Wednesday morning show to talk about the Peacock series.
“Thank you for having me. Happy, almost pride,” he said before starting to talk about how the show came together (this is the second season of the series, fyi).
First season was really just my boss coming to me and saying, hey, we should do something for pride. At first I was nervous about that. I thought, even with this yellow flower on my jacket, I thought I wasn't gay enough. And what I mean by that, what I mean by that is I didn't feel like I was ready to represent a community, right? I was like, I don't know everything about non-binary. I don't know what it means to be a transgender person. So because of that, I was like, I just wish it was okay to ask questions. My boss is like, that's the title. And we leaned into that, the ‘not knowing’ because so many of us don't know and tend to be afraid of what they might do if they offend someone. And oftentimes people want to talk about their story.
“Today Third Hour” hosts nodded along and audibly agreed that the gays want a chance to tell their stories and talk about their delusions.
Later on in the segment, Rodriguez was asked about his own “coming out” story. He noted that he was raised Catholic and it took time for his traditional parents to fully understand what he meant when he told them he was gay. Rodriguez noted that the show has helped him “heal” and “think about my own relationships and self.”
Rodriguez specifically felt impacted after talking with O’Donnell about her own coming out journey. He loved O’Donnell’s tattoo on her wrist that reads “they” to remember what pronouns to use for her child, Clay.
Rodriguez also loved talking to Siwa and learned a bunch from her despite the fact that Siwa is likely more than half Rodriguez’s age.
“For her to come out when she did was a really bold move so to me, I’m gonna honor that,” he told the hosts before noting how she handles the “negativity” she gets thrown her way.
“Today Third Hour” gave nothing but praise to Rodriguez for his guesting, for his commitment to the gays and for his contribution to the Peacock show. What a waste of air time.
