By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Drag Queens
  • Interviews
  • LGBTQ
  • Popular Culture
Search
  • Home
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Advertise
  • Drag Queens
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race
  • Interviews
  • LGBTQ
  • Popular Culture
Follow US
© Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
> Popular Culture > Television > An Ode To Uncle Arthur from ‘Bewitched’
LGBTQTelevision

An Ode To Uncle Arthur from ‘Bewitched’

Topher Cusumano
Last updated: February 2, 2021 7:59 am
Topher Cusumano
8 Min Read
Share
SHARE

WERRRK staff writer, Topher Cusumano, waxes poetic about his favorite sitcom guncle.

An Ode To Uncle Arthur from 'Bewitched' 1

My boyhood summers in the ’90s weren’t spent outdoors connecting with nature. I never went to sleepaway camp or played pee-wee football. The closest I ever got to a childhood character-building experience was reading Lord of the Flies. It’s not that I had an aversion to wholesome rights of passage. It’s just that it always felt like they had an aversion to me. 

I’m not looking for sympathy. I managed to fill the time. My favorite hobby as a kid was staging musicals in the center of my parent’s living room. Naturally, I played all the roles. Not to brag, but my performance of Pippin in ’98 was lauded by one critic as, “Too loud! Jesus Christ, go to bed! These kids are on my last nerve today.” 

But the real highlight of my childhood summers was staying up late to watch classic sitcoms. It’s not an exaggeration to say that networks like Nick @ Nite and TVLand changed my life. The Addams Family and The Munsters taught me to be a proud weirdo. My early career ambitions were inspired by The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Also, to this day, my therapist questions why I talk so much about the Happy Days episode where Fonzie jet skis over a shark. Most importantly, though, classic TV is where I first met one of the most influential gay men in my life, Uncle Arthur from Bewitched. 

The popular 1960s sitcom followed the misadventures of Samatha Stevens, a witch who rebels against her family to marry a mortal. The series is punctuated with appearances by Samatha’s zany magical family. There’s Aunt Clara, a befuddled old witch who collects doorknobs and forgets spells. Or Dr. Bombay, a pompous witch doctor specializing in the treatment of magical ailments. Of course, I can’t forget Samatha’s mother, Endora, played by the iconic Agnes Moorehead. In almost every episode, Endora popped up to torment Samatha’s mortal husband, Darrin. Usually by mispronouncing his name or threatening to turn him into some kind of barnyard animal. Even as a young child, I couldn’t help but side with Endora. Darrin was fucking awful.  

But despite the ensemble cast of veteran performers, no one made an impression like Uncle Arthur. Played by gay character actor Paul Lynde, Uncle Arthur prances between the line that separates hero and antagonist. He’s a trickster in the vein of mythic gods like Loki and Anansi. He’s indulgent, campy, and assured. He was, and I cannot stress this enough, so. incredibly. gay. 

Uncle Arthur gave me my first vocabulary to relate to the world as a fat, femme, strange little boy long before positive queer media representation. He taught me I wasn’t just gay. I was the best type of gay: I WAS A SHOWMAN. 

YouTube player

I only have three uncles in real life. One of them isn’t even a blood relative. He’s actually my father’s best friend from childhood. I call him uncle because I was raised to respect my elders, plus I always figured it’d be one less name to remember. Regardless, none of the men in my life were as fabulous as Uncle Arthur. 

The character first appears in a season two episode of Bewitched called The Joker is a Card. It opens with Endora and Darrin calling a rare truce during a formal dinner. Samatha, always forced to play the emotional mediator for her family, is delighted by the newfound peace. But it doesn’t last long. The affected civility is interrupted by a barrage of practical jokes courtesy of Uncle Arthur, including a cake that hilariously transforms into a giant frog. Darrin expresses his usual disdain for magic, demanding that Samatha do something to control her family. But he’s not alone. Even Endora treats Arthur with the same level of contempt as she does mortals – which is saying something because, as previously stated, Darrin is the fucking awful.   

The only character with sympathy for Arthur is Samantha, who describes him as her favorite uncle even though he’s known as the family’s black sheep (i.e., queer as a three dollar bill). Samatha’s love for her uncle points to her own outsider status as a witch who chooses to live as a mortal housewife. Like so many queer elders, Arthur offers Samatha a roadmap for radical self-expression in a world where exposing her identity is dangerous. He represents the promise of joy outside of restrictive familial conventions. For Samatha and the audience, Uncle Arthur answers the question: What happens if, instead of coming out of the closet, I burn it down with an exploding whoopie cushion? The answer is: It’s a hoot! 

An Ode To Uncle Arthur from 'Bewitched' 2

Uncle Arthur convinces Darrin that he can teach him magic as a defense against Endora’s constant nagging. It’s easy to assume the writers wanted the audience to read this plot as villainous. After all, he’s inciting chaos for his own amusement. But for me, the real take away was how important it is to fully commit to a bit. 

Darrin ultimately agrees to stage a coup against his mother in law. This, of course, ends with him humiliating himself with a cowbell and a chant of gibberish. In true sitcom fashion, the family decides to team up against Uncle Arthur to “teach him a lesson about practical jokes.” But what I’ve always loved most about this episode is that the moral doesn’t stick. Instead of “learning his lesson” by integrating into familial norms, Uncle Arthur gets in one last zinger. During a tearful apology, he hands out gifts to the family. The punchline comes when Endora tries the beautiful opera glasses he gave her, only to find out they’re enchanted to smear black eye makeup on her face. 

Throughout the episode, Uncle Arthur exposes that Darrin and Endora are two sides of the same coin. Both represent a governing force in Samatha’s life, and Uncle Arthur is a literal black eye on their faux morality. He agitates the status-quo that Samatha is continuously forced to negotiate. 

I think a lot about Uncle Arthur now that I’m a grown-up queer with two nieces and a nephew of my own. He taught me that you can disrupt the system with a laugh. The knowledge that you can pass unspoken secrets along to a younger generation with just a sly wink. He gave me the pride of knowing that sometimes, black sheep are better off without their herd. 

That’s what makes him so magical. That’s why he’s my favorite uncle.

TAGGED:Agnes MooreheadBewitchedEndoraPaul LyndeSamatha StevensUncle Arthur
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByTopher Cusumano
Follow:
Full-Time Writer. Part-Time Teen Witch. Follow along: @TophCus
Previous Article THE WEEKLY INSTADRAG: 01/31/21 3 THE WEEKLY INSTADRAG: 01/31/21
Next Article "First Haux: The Rise of Dr. Jill" starring Heidi Haux 4 “First Haux: The Rise of Dr. Jill” starring Heidi Haux
Leave a Comment Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected
8.2kFollowersLike
1.9kFollowersFollow
16.9kFollowersFollow
1.6kSubscribersSubscribe
Subscribe to WERRRK.com

Join 8,210 other subscribers
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
Search in this site
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
Wigging Out Podcast
Wigging Out Podcast
Wigging Out Podcast

Drag Queens! Drag Kings! And all things nightlife are discussed in this brand new podcast hosted by two broke queens from NYC.

Listen OnApple PodcastsListen OnExternalListen OnExternal

Podcast Subscription Menu

Ep 120: Pride 2025 With Bertha Vanayshun!
byMartyr & C.Tepper

“Calling me a historian is a little generous.” In this episode, your hosts Martyr (@dragthemartyr) and Cate (@ctepper) celebrate the first episode of their 2025 Pride series with NY Drag’s Intrusive Thot, Bertha Vanayshun! First they discuss producing “Drag History Hour,” DL trade, video games, ABBA, and Lady Gaga. Later they talk about RuPaul, The Sims, Snapchat, and give their hot takes!
+
Follow our guest: @BerthaVNYC on all social media
+
Catch up with the first time Bertha came to the show: https://pod.link/1460638348/episode/aa44eba318458921afea768d751b6b6f
~
tinyurl.com/wiggingoutpodcast
This episode is proudly sponsored by MOTTO- the new queer dating app!
Tired of the endless scrolling? With Motto, Motto sends you daily matches of people who match your interests and kinks. There are no fees, no ads, and no nonsense.
Use invite code: ZVOGS when signing up.
~
Follow the pod on Instagram and Facebook @wiggingoutpodcast and on twitter @wiggingoutpod
Thots, comments, and dick pics? Please send to dragthemartyr@gmail.com
Cover art: Madeline De Michele – www.madelinedemichele.com
Music: “Club” by Andrew Huang (www.youtube.com/channel/UCdcemy56JtVTrsFIOoqvV8g) under Creative Commons.
Edits by C.Tepper

Ep 120: Pride 2025 With Bertha Vanayshun!
Ep 120: Pride 2025 With Bertha Vanayshun!
June 12, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 119: Vampy Von Thickums Galore Returns!
May 30, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 118: Magnifa
May 6, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 117: Robin Rose Quartz Returns!
April 30, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Wigging Watchery EP 19: Scooby-Doo
April 23, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 116: Boyish Charm
April 10, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 115: Captain Wonder Returns!
March 27, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 114: Slagatha
March 4, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Wigging Watchery EP 18: Fifty Shades Freed
March 4, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Ep 113: Evangeline
February 10, 2025
Martyr & C.Tepper
Search Results placeholder
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
Latest news
  • “Drag Race France: All Stars” Comes To WOW Presents Plus On July 10th!
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars: Starrbooty: The Rebooty (S10 E06)
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars: Rappin’ Roast (S10 E05)
  • Phoenix Chats Her Return To “Drag Race All Stars 10”, Critiques, & Sisterhood
  • Ts Madison Joins The iHeartPodcasts’ Outspoken Podcast Network With The New Podcast “Outlaws”!
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
Categories

You Might Also Like

What the Walking Dead: Warning Signs

Hey there all of my Walking Dead ghouls and gals!…

7 Min Read
What The Walking Dead: Adaptation 6
Television

What The Walking Dead: Adaptation

Guess who's back!? Hello everyone and welcome back. The last…

4 Min Read
AHS APOCALYPSE: Sidney & Spencer’s Fallout (Episode 10: Apocalypse Then) 8
Television

AHS APOCALYPSE: Sidney & Spencer’s Fallout (Episode 10: Apocalypse Then)

After ten weeks within the WERRRK.com fallout shelter, Sidney and…

14 Min Read
A Haute Reflection with Spencer 10
InterviewsLGBTQ

A Haute Reflection with Spencer

I can't even believe it, but it's true. This is…

7 Min Read
Follow US
© Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Site Map
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
 

Loading Comments...