Should characters be role models?

A couple of weeks ago (that's how long I've been meaning to blog about this) I was reading a discussion on a message board about the latest episode of Glee. One of the songs featured in the episode was "Candyman" by Christina Aguilera. One of the people on the message board thought this was a terribly inappropriate choice of a song for a group of teenagers to sing because of this line:

He's a one stop, gotcha hot, making all the panties drop

(see lyrics here)

And wondered what sort of teacher would ever choose a song like that for a high school choir to sing. All because of the line making all the pantie drop. How scandalous!

Cut to a week later and in another episode Curt and Blaine get fake IDs and sneak into a gay nightclub and almost do it in the back of a car. When I saw this episode I giggled and wondered what all of the conservative prudes who watch Glee would think of this little nugget. Gay sex! Fake IDs! Those kids are out of control! Whatever will those meddling kids get up to next?

Since when should fictional characters be held as role models for flesh and blood kiddies? Are we treating television shows like third parents now? Should fictional characters never fart, swear, break the law, lie or sing about panties dropping?

I'll never forget when JK Rowling revealed that Albus Dumbledore was gay. Some people came out and labelled him a pedophile (despite the fact that he is fictional) all because he was a kindly old man who worked with children. Suddenly his relationship with Harry was labelled as weird and creepy. Hysterical mothers claimed they would not let their children read the books again.

What sort of a world are we living in when even fictional characters cannot be gay? Can you imagine how boring the world would be if all fictional characters were these boring, straight laced, clones of each other? Some people seem to think that if their children see a same sex kiss on television, an accidental nipple flash, or if teenagers act all saucy on television that their children will be scarred for life and will be robbed of their innocence.

What rubbish!