How would you describe “campy” to your str8 friends?

[Sweet Sexy Savage]

Me and a few co workers had hot pot a few days ago after work, and we were drinking soju having a good time eating food… until my co worker’s dumb ditzy girlfriend asked me,”hey you’re gay, what does camp mean?” and I told her,”it means something extravagant or out of the ordinary” and she remarked,”oh, so I can say you’re campy because you’re gay?” I had to excuse myself to the bathroom because I couldn’t find the time or effort to entertain her, but whatever.

 

How would you describe camp to your str8 friends or anyone str8?

 

[Mitsouko]

"Have you ever seen a movie that's so bad it's good? Like they thought they were being serious but they ended up with unintentional comedy? Well that's where camp comes from. Then there's celebrities and actresses and drag queens and Mariah Carey who are just so over-the-top it's chaotic but that's the point. That's what camp is nowadays."

[Domination]

I think your description is good. I think the only thing I would add is how things can become camp over time even if they weren’t considered camp when first introduced.

[SweetTalker]

19 minutes ago, Sweet Sexy Savage said:

oh, so I can say you’re campy because you’re gay?”

Queen ****

[Into The Void]

I would tell them Google is available on your phone 

[Totami Legend]

I would show them this

 

[Pikachoo]

it's drama that's aware of its ridiculousness. it's telling the audience "ya i know this is over the top, just go with it".

[bunnyeyes]

I just show them this :

Edited January 16, 2023 by IvyTower

[selena_lavigne]

i would tie them all to a chair and make them watch Bride of Chucky 

[Johnny Jacobs]

I dont know what it means myself 

[Moonlight Nation]

1 hour ago, Mitsouko said:

"Have you ever seen a movie that's so bad it's good? Like they thought they were being serious but they ended up with unintentional comedy? Well that's where camp comes from. Then there's celebrities and actresses and drag queens and Mariah Carey who are just so over-the-top it's chaotic but that's the point. That's what camp is nowadays."

Perfect answer. 

[Scarlett Witch]

2 hours ago, Insanity said:

I would tell them Google is available on your phone 

This is the answer. I'm tired of straight people being dumb as hell and we just have to take it. 

[McNulty]

I thought camp is a Gen-Z slang

[cockatoo]

This is so weird to me because Americans always seem to struggle to understand what camp means (met gala 2019 I'm looking at you). I feel like it's a pretty well known and understood word in the UK.

 

Anyway, I'd just say it's another way of saying flamboyant

[TaggedGalaxy]

I don’t 

[Daddy]

4 hours ago, Mitsouko said:

"Have you ever seen a movie that's so bad it's good? Like they thought they were being serious but they ended up with unintentional comedy? Well that's where camp comes from. Then there's celebrities and actresses and drag queens and Mariah Carey who are just so over-the-top it's chaotic but that's the point. That's what camp is nowadays."

On point!

[Tropez]

Why do gays think they invented the word camp when it’s extremely old and has been used by people long for a long time? 

[Mitsouko]

2 minutes ago, Tropez said:

Why do gays think they invented the word camp when it’s extremely old and has been used by people long for a long time? 

It’s not that they think they invented it. Clueless straights invented it without knowing it. But gays and people in queer circles were the first to embrace the end result as being worthy of attention and celebration.

[naval23]

play them Britney's "Do Somethin" music video

[Orsay]

you described it well. to take it further i'd say it means being extra/over the top to the point it becomes stupid/ridiculous, but still insists on its own FABulousness!