Brian A. Kinney is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
from the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
/
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
television series ''
Queer as Folk'', a drama about the lives of a group of
gay men
Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual and homoromantic men may also dually identify as gay, and a number of young gay men also identify as queer. Historically, gay men have been referred to by a number of different terms, including ' ...
and women living in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
The character was created by
Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen is an American writer and producer. He is a partner with Daniel Lipman in the television production company Cowlip Productions.
Filmography
As a writer
* ''Queer as Folk'' (2000–2005) TV Series (developed by, writer) with Daniel Li ...
and
Daniel Lipman
Daniel Lipman is a writer and producer from Baltimore, Maryland. His best-known work to date is writing for and producing the hit American television shows ''Queer as Folk'' and ''Sisters''. He is a partner with Ron Cowen in the television produ ...
, who developed, wrote and executive-produced the series, and was portrayed by American actor
Gale Harold
Gale Morgan Harold III (born July 10, 1969) is an American actor, known for his leading and recurring roles on '' Queer as Folk'', '' Deadwood'', ''Desperate Housewives'', ''Grey's Anatomy'', ''The Secret Circle'' and '' Defiance''. He also starre ...
during the show's five-year run.
Handsome and masculine, Brian is a successful advertising executive who owns a lavish Pittsburgh
loft
A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...
and leads a glamorous and self-indulgent lifestyle. He is portrayed as extremely
promiscuous
Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different Sexual partner, partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as pro ...
and
narcissistic
Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance or image and an excessive preoccupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others.
Narcissism exists on a co ...
,
taking pride in his looks and his status as the most desirable man on Pittsburgh's Liberty Avenue.
Brian completely rejects
heteronormativity
Heteronormativity is the concept that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation. It assumes the gender binary (i.e., that there are only two distinct, opposite genders) and that sexual and marital relations are most ...
, in which he includes
gay marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
and
monogamy
Monogamy ( ) is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time (serial monogamy) — as compared to the various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., polyga ...
in general.
His storylines on the show revolve around his refusal to adhere to these ideals, often putting him at odds with his gay friends who yearn to get married and start families of their own. Despite his feelings, Brian does father a child via
artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatme ...
with his close friend
Lindsay, a lesbian, and ultimately develops a romantic and sexual relationship with young artist
Justin Taylor
Justin Taylor is a fictional character from the American/Canadian Showtime television series '' Queer as Folk'', a drama about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The character was created by Ron Cowen a ...
, which is central throughout the series.
Brian has been the subject of controversy among
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
critics of the show. He has been described as "the ultimate gay hero" for his
liberationist philosophy,
but has also been criticized for his representation of what many gay viewers believe are "negative stereotypes about gay men."
In November 2007, Brian was voted the most popular gay television character of all time by
AfterEllen
AfterEllen (also known as AfterEllen.com) is an American culture website founded in 2002, with a focus on entertainment, interviews, reviews, and news of interest to the lesbian and bisexual women's community. The site covers pop culture and lifes ...
's brother site, AfterElton.
Background and personality
Brian Kinney was born to Jack and Joan Kinney in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. His family was
Irish-Catholic
Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the British ...
, with his mother in particular being extremely devout and
homophobic
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred or antipathy, m ...
. Brian had an unstable childhood due to his father being an abusive
alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
. Brian was physically abused by his father throughout his childhood and teenage years; it is unclear whether Jack was also abusive to Brian's older sister, Claire. During his high school years, Brian would escape the abuse in his home by staying with his best friend,
Michael Novotny
This is a list of characters in the Showtime series '' Queer as Folk''. The characters are listed alphabetically by their last name or by the name which appears in the episode credits.
Drew Boyd
Drew Boyd is the quarterback of the fictional Pitt ...
, whose mother,
Debbie Novotny
This is a list of characters in the Showtime series '' Queer as Folk''. The characters are listed alphabetically by their last name or by the name which appears in the episode credits.
Drew Boyd
Drew Boyd is the quarterback of the fictional Pitt ...
, ultimately began treating Brian like another son. After high school, Brian received a full scholarship to
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie may refer to:
People
* Carnegie (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Clan Carnegie, a lowland Scottish clan
Institutions Named for Andrew Carnegie
*Carnegie Building (Troy, New York), on the campus of Rensselaer Polyt ...
, where he studied
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
. It is there that he meets another close friend,
Lindsay Peterson
This is a list of characters in the Showtime series ''Queer as Folk''. The characters are listed alphabetically by their last name or by the name which appears in the episode credits.
Drew Boyd
Drew Boyd is the quarterback of the fictional Pitt ...
, who shares an
art history
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
class with him.
Though Brian is open about his sexuality to Michael and Debbie and is highly sexually active during his teenage years, Brian only
comes out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
to his parents when he is well into adulthood. Brian said he doesn't owe anything to his parents; he chose not to disclose his sexuality to them earlier because he has little relationship with them. However, he ultimately tells his father on his deathbed, and his mother accidentally finds out after seeing
Justin Taylor
Justin Taylor is a fictional character from the American/Canadian Showtime television series '' Queer as Folk'', a drama about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The character was created by Ron Cowen a ...
in Brian's bedroom during a visit to his loft. Both parents' responses are overwhelmingly negative.
Brian's
biggest fear is losing his youth and beauty. His best friend, Michael, often reassures him that he will "always be young, and always be beautiful." Lindsay, a sister-like figure to Brian, sometimes fondly calls him 'Peter', in reference to
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
, the boy who never grows old; he calls her '
Wendy
Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries.
In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...
' in return. In one episode,
Emmett Honeycutt's elderly boyfriend George Shickle describes Brian as "the love child of
James Dean
James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, ''Rebel Without a Cause' ...
and
Ayn Rand
Alice O'Connor (born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum;, . Most sources transliterate her given name as either ''Alisa'' or ''Alissa''. , 1905 – March 6, 1982), better known by her pen name Ayn Rand (), was a Russian-born American writer and p ...
."
Despite Brian's seemingly uncaring and amoral nature, he is shown as loving his friends and will often make great sacrifices for them, even though he won't admit it. He plans a wedding for Lindsay and Melanie after theirs falls apart, and gives up his parental rights to his young son Gus so that Melanie and Lindsay will reunite in the first season. He pushes Michael away, so that he will go back to his boyfriend. He helps his young lover Justin recover after a bashing at his senior prom, which Brian attended to please Justin. He gives up his job and money to beat the anti-gay candidate for mayor, Jim Stockwell, and is willing to give up his loft and nightclub to be with Justin in the final episodes.
Overview
In the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
, Brian Kinney spots 17-year-old Justin Taylor on a street corner outside the gay nightclub Babylon. He proceeds to take Justin home and take his
virginity
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
. In the same episode, his son, Gus, is born to a
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
couple, Lindsey and Melanie. Because of the simultaneity of these two pivotal events, Brian often associates Gus with Justin, referring to both as "sonny boy," Jack's nickname for Brian himself. During the first season, his relationship with Justin is unclear. Brian hates the idea of couples but breaks his own rules for Justin, unable to resist the pull he feels towards him. He takes care of him in different ways: letting him move into his loft after Justin is kicked out of his parents' home, going after him to NYC after he runs away, paying his college tuition, and advising him on school situations—thus by his actions, repeatedly disproving his own verbal declarations of not wanting him around.
After witnessing Justin's prom bashing, Brian is
traumatized
Psychological trauma, mental trauma or psychotrauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or series of events, such as accidents, rape, or natural disasters. Reactions such as psychological shock and psychological denial are typical. ...
. No one, except Jennifer Taylor and the nursing staff, knows that Brian stands secret vigil outside Justin's hospital room every night for weeks. Upon Justin's release from the hospital, Jennifer bans Brian from seeing Justin but later asks him to 'take' her son, because Brian is the only one he trusts. During the second season, Brian helps Justin recover, both physically and emotionally. Justin confronts Brian by asking if the reason he is still living with Brian is because he feels guilty. Brian says that guilt was the reason he took Justin in, but it's not the reason he wants him to stay. To restrict Brian's promiscuity and protect himself, Justin sets some rules. Justin later breaks the rules with the more romantic Ethan Gold, and Brian tells Justin to decide who he wants to be with. Brian is hurt when Justin leaves him to be with Ethan, but will not admit it. Despite his outwardly detached nature, Brian's loneliness is evident in the beginning of the third season.
During the third season, Brian's success as an advertising executive comes into opposition with his beliefs when he is asked to head up the mayoral campaign of Jim Stockwell, the conservative, anti-gay police chief. Although he is initially instrumental in the candidate's rise, Brian later reunites with Justin and has a crisis of conscience, helping Justin produce and distribute anti-Stockwell propaganda posters. Caught red-handed, he loses his position with both the campaign and the advertising agency. Despite his lack of income, Brian maxes out all his credit cards to buy television ads exposing Stockwell's prior misdeeds, directly leading to his defeat in the mayoral election. When his friends find out that Brian personally funded the commercials and is now unemployed and in a large amount of debt, they hold a fundraiser, the proceeds from which Brian is initially resistant to accept, but ultimately does so gracefully. In the fourth season, he founds his own advertising agency, Kinnetik. He battles
testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. Symptoms may include a lump in the testicle, or swelling or pain in the scrotum. Treatment may result in infertility.
Risk factors include an u ...
, especially tough because of his vanity and narcissism over his sexual prowess, and he attempts – unsuccessfully – to keep his diagnosis and treatment a secret from everyone. After beating cancer and completing a bike ride from
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
to
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, Brian reevaluates his life, deciding to take a more active role in his son's life and asking Justin to move back in.
In the fifth season, Justin moves out, frustrated at Brian's inability to form a committed relationship, for which Brian blames his best friend, Michael. After a bomb is set off at Babylon, which Brian owns by this season, Brian admits his love for Justin and mends his relationship with Michael. Brian proposes marriage to Justin, who eventually accepts. Brian later tells Justin that he should go to New York to pursue a promising art career, rather than give up an opportunity. They spend one last night together before Justin leaves. Justin reassures Brian that they will see each other frequently. Brian is seen at the destroyed Babylon dancing with Michael. However, as the camera tracks around them, the destroyed club begins to transform into a restored Babylon, suggesting that Brian has reconsidered and will re-open Babylon. He is last seen, dancing, before the credits begin to roll.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinney, Brian
Fictional gay males
Fictional businesspeople
Fictional advertising executives
Queer as Folk (American TV series) characters
Television characters introduced in 2000
Fictional characters with cancer
Fictional LGBT characters in television