“Jane the Virgin’s” Justin Baldoni is here to break down gender norms with his new talk show
You probably know actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni best as Rafael on Jane the Virgin. But soon, you’ll also know him for his male talk show called The Men’s Room, which he’s developing and will host, Variety reports.
According to the outlet, the show is based on Baldoni’s IRL social media presence, as he often has discussions about redefining masculinity and female empowerment, as a couple examples, with his followers. It will have Baldoni as an on-camera moderator with a diverse cast of five men by his side, and will dive into “what it means to be a man today.”
But, here’s where it really gets interesting:
The idea is for the show to have its revolving cast “reveal their most personal and intimate feelings, discussing hot topics about manhood itself and the role men play in society — conversations that aren’t normally had by men, especially in the spotlight,” Variety writes.
And we think it’s really cool that the show is challenging gender norms and tackling conversations that men might not feel comfortable having — especially in a genre that predominantly features women.
"I think that one of the main reasons the talk show space hasn’t previously seen an all-male show is simply because our culture has taught men that they need to be strong, confident, and stoic and that emotions are a sign of weakness," Baldoni told Variety."
“Men in our society have been socialized to suppress their feelings. We want to challenge men to open up and be okay talking to each other, and more importantly, form deep and meaningful relationships. We will probably get our fair share of negative feedback, but we think that’s a good thing.”
Baldoni also wrote about the news and the need to challenge stereotypes on his Instagram.
The Men’s Room will kick off production in L.A. in August, and it will be shot in a “trendy restaurant setting.” Things aren’t finalized — the show has to get picked up, and some details are up in the air — but our fingers are crossed.
And who knows, maybe — if we’re lucky — we’ll get some Jane the Virgin tidbits through this talk-show vehicle? Thanks in advance, Justin!
