Perhaps I was unclear. But Shakespeare didn't invent the fop. That type of character has been depicted in theatre and film for millennia, usually a stereotype for comic effect. It would take an entire book to examine the history of the fop.

The fop's implied queerness is the joke. It gives a wink to the audience that says, "Aren't limp-wristed, buttoned-up queer guys hilarious!"

That is very different from a straight white actor or comedian dressing as a woman... like Milton Berle and Flip Wilson did on their TV shows, or Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis did in "Some Like It Hot" or Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari did in "Bosom Buddies." The joke there is that the audience knows it's a straight man in a dress, which can be funny in a context that doesn't mock or demean women or queer folks.

A queer actor doing a convincing portrayal of a female character offers yet another level of nuance. It does have the built-in humor of a man dressed in women's attire. However, there is an authenticity and deeper sensibility represented, one that transcends stereotype and respects, even venerates the feminine. It's not going for cheap laughs, but rather relies on a convincing acting performance to get laughs.