After punching a gay lifeguard on school grounds, he is ordered to the principal's office, where he is met by the student leader of the "LGBT Alliance," who sternly instructs him, "We have sensitivity training for homophobia." He's not interested.
The girl who is trying to date him and help him stop "living the lie" scowls at him: "Is it better to be a gay-basher than a gay person, is that it?" He replies: "Maybe it is." Later, he insists he can be cured: "There's a website and office." She says, "Wow, you really hate yourself, don't you?" Then comes the B-word exchange in the hallway. She says she'll never speak to him again.
The actual scene with the ex-gay therapist is quite brief, and insulting. He insists that Riley requires "extensive behavioral modification" at a cost of $100 an hour, for at least 20 sessions, and Riley storms off, calling it an expensive "scam."
From there, the character becomes intoxicated at the pool hall after failing to attract the ladies. In the bathroom, Riley finally breaks down crying to the gay lifeguard he'd punched, and he admits (sighs of relief all over the corporate suites at Nickelodeon), "I'm not normal. ... I don't want everybody to know." The lifeguard insists he could come out of the closet whenever he felt ready, but he needed to accept his orientation, since that "self-hating violent crap, how's that working for you?"
The plotline was so tidy -- with traditional religious values completely avoided -- that the only thing it lacked was a public-service announcement with a website and toll-free number for fighting teenage homophobia.
The actor playing Riley, Argiris Karras, told the gay website AfterElton.com that he hoped his character someday "will stand up and be proud of who he is and hopefully find a man to comfort him and be there for him. Like anyone, all Riley needs is love. I think his friends and teammates will still be there for him and respect him just as much."
So much for the "Nickelodeon" brand.