The rich tradition behind the blogosphere's new favorite term

At a time when it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell gay and straight guys apart, a bunch of blogs are offering a helpful clue. It's "gayface," an expression characterized by the pop eyes, arched eyebrows, pursed lips, and extreme vivacity found on a certain type of bachelor from coast to coast. Many late-night TV watchers were introduced to gayface last week when Jay Leno asked guest Ryan Phillippe, who appeared as a homosexual teenager in his first soap opera role, to give the camera his "gayest look." Phillippe, perhaps mindful of the Internet's wrath, demurred. But Leno's request secured the term's place in our modern lexicon.

So what's behind this face? Urbandictionary.com suggests that a compulsion to make Cher-like expressions leaves these men with permanent female "muscle contraction patterns." Bloggers have also linked gayface to the "extreme self-consciousness" that comes from being picked last for kickball every goddamn time. Facial coding expert Dan Hill, who conducts focus groups for Fortune 500 companies, concedes that the phenomenon exists—"Gay men do tend to be more expressive than the norm"—but dismisses its value as an indicator of sexuality. As he points out, some straight men are equally expressive (Sean Penn), while most gays lack the commitment the visage requires (the unvivacious congressman Barney Frank, for instance). Still, you can't ignore historical proof. As this timeline reveals, charmingly questionable guys have been pulling The Face since before Christ.

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Ancient Greece
APOLLO
The "god of light and music" swings both ways, can't grow a beard. Judging from this Etruscan statue (500 BC), he also pioneers the look.

1919
MODIGLIANI
The Italian mannerist paints all men—including himself—with pinched smiles evocative of wedding planners.



1947
MARCEL MARCEAU
As Bip the clown, stealthily popularizes a quiet form of gayface known as mime face.




1955
JAMES BALDWIN
Controversial gay novelist (Giovanni's Room) seethes inwardly; outwardly, appears quite perky.



1963
PAUL LYNDE
Parlays role as world's most exhilarated dad in Bye Bye Birdie into 14 witty seasons on Hollywood Squares.

1966
THE JOKER
As played by confirmed bachelor Cesar Romero (nickname: Butch), the cartoonish TV villain is scarily animated.


1987
PEE-WEE HERMAN
Known for his catchphrase "Then why don't you marry it?!" the sexually ambiguous TV host weds a fruit salad on air.



1977
C-3PO
The fussy drone's permanently agog eyes suggest a certain feyness. Another giveaway: the obvious fake tan.




1997
BIG GAY AL
Introduces America to extra-large gayface in a South Park episode costarring George Clooney as a queer dog.

2001
DEREK ZOOLANDER
The fictional model renames gayface Blue Steel and claims it's his trademark. Gap clerks everywhere beg to differ.



2005
50 CENT
A GQ cover shoot of the rapper raises eyebrows; as one blogger observes, "50 looks mad gay (not hatin' though)."



2006
LANCE BASS
After bravely coming out, the 'N Sync star perfects severe neck angling, a hallmark of advanced gayface.




2008
ZAC EFRON
Is this gayface, or weirdly plastic, starred-in-Gypsy-as-a-preteen face? You be the judge.