Levitan surprised at acceptance of gay characters

[January 11, 2012]  PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- One of the biggest surprises for the creator of "Modern Family" is how Cameron and Mitchell, the gay parents who are among the show's lead characters, are accepted by the audience.

Steven Levitan said Tuesday that it's not just America: The Emmy-winning comedy is shown around the world, including in Vatican City. He said it's unusual for him to hear any objections to Mitchell and Cameron, portrayed by actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet.

He said at a news conference that it's easy for people to object to gay parents in concept.

"When you make it personal and show the people have good hearts and are extremely committed, loving parents, it's hard not to love them," he said. "I'm pleasantly surprised with the world's reaction to that particular part of our modern family."

Levitan said he and his staff impose a lot of pressure on themselves to keep standards up, even though creative ups and downs are almost unavoidable for long-running TV series.

"We don't want to be accused of getting soft or resting on our laurels," he said. "That keeps us on our toes or awake at night."

[Associated Press]

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