An "irreverent" comedy about a gay couple and their friends has won the Best TV Series award at an Italian animation festival.

The cult R-rated series, Rick & Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple in the World took the top prize at Italy's TV toon fest, Cartoons on the Bay.

The series, which was inspired by an award-winning short by Alan Brocka, director of Boy Culture and Eating Out, depicts the lives of three gay couples living in the fictional gay ghetto of West Lahunga Beach.

Festival judges commended the show for "pushing social boundaries and tackling stereotypes in a wicked and irreverent way", according to Variety.

Each of the main couples on the show face relationship "issues" not uncommon in same-sex couples: Rick and Steve have issues over monogamy; their lesbian friends Kirsten and Dana have disagreements over finding sperm to conceive; and gay mates Chuck and Evan must negotiate a 31-year age difference.

Other regular characters include "alternative lifestyle companion" (fag hag) Condi Li, lesbian couple Ebony and Ivory and their genderless baby, Echinacea, and porn star Dylan Ram-Brick.

The series' voice talent is supplied by some well-known performers, including Peter Paige (Queer as Folk), Margaret Cho, Lorna Luft and Billy West (Futurama).

The series is made by Canada's Cuppa Coffee Studios for Viacom’s Logo cable network.

Cartoons on the Bay was held in the resort town of Salerno last weekend, and featured 176 works from 24 countries. 

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Website
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment