|
February 28, 2005 The stars showed up in droves last night for the 13th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Pictures of QAF cast members Robert Gant, Harris Allan, Hal Sparks, Sharon Gless, Thea Gill and Sherry Miller are available at wireimage.com and Getty images. For more on the Oscar parties, check out Newsday.com. PatrickAntosh.com has a new look -- check it out! See pictures of Patrick at the pre-Oscar party in Toronto. The night before the Oscars, Michelle Clunie was photographed (here) at the TMG Luxury Suite, Day 3, at the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills. Hal Sparks made a brief appearance on Good Morning America this morning to dish the Oscars with Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. Wendy tells us, "Hal commented on Cate Blanchett's performance of Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator, said she had done a great job, then joked about how it will now be in fashion to do a 'mid-Atlantic' accent like Cate B. He then went on to do his version of the accent. When introducing him, Diane Sawyer called him their "pop culture guru". He was still in his tux, looking wide awake at 6am."
From TV Guide Online's "Ask Matt" column, February 28, 2005: Harris Allan's band Square 9 performed at the Electric Cafe in Vancouver this past weekend. Read more about the concert from fans who attended over at HarrisHideaway in the Square 9 shows thread.
If you've been reading my news page this month, you know that the Human Rights Campaign is holding its 10th annual Carolinas Dinner in Charlotte, NC this Saturday. After spending years in cities with a larger gay presence such as Chapel Hill and Raleigh, organizers are hosting the dinners around the state each year with the hope of strengthening the gay and lesbian causes in other regions. So far, they say, the move to Charlotte has paid off. More than 1,200 people have registered for the $195-a-plate dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center, exceeding the past record of 800. Saturday's keynote speaker is Robert Gant (Ben Bruckner, QAF). Judy Shepard, mother of slain Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard, also will speak. The evening's theme, "Tenacious," will feature circus acts, Cirque du Soleil-type acrobats and stilt walkers and contortionists. Hmmm... wonder if any of those contortionists have appeared as extras in the backroom on QAF? ;) Showtime has launched a mobile store on SHO.com as part of a new wireless initiative which has included wireless text messaging campaigns, chats and live on-air polling. New offerings include ringtones based on the theme music from some of their shows, along with cast photos and logo wallpaper. This month is The L Word, March is Fat Actress, and April is QAF. M-Qube currently supports AT&T Wireless Services, Cingular, and T-Mobile USA. Verizon customers can only access the ringtones through the GET IT NOW feature on their phones. [press release]Patrick Antosh will be attending the DIFFA Dream Collection in Dallas, March 5, where one of his designs will be auctioned off. Equally exciting is the news that he will be attending Elton John's Oscar party in Los Angeles this Sunday. Hugo Boss is dressing Patrick for both events. There are pictures of Patrick sporting various tuxes from a fitting last week posted to his website... head on over and vote on your fave! No doubt Patrick will be involved with Fashion Week in Toronto next month (March 14 to 20), as he has been in past years. Speaking of Fashion Week... the SPIN Gallery in Toronto is hosting a unique and interactive art and fashion exhibit, featuring Toronto social columnist Rolyn Chamber's most-photographed, hand-made costumes. The exhibit will showcase Almax Mannequins wearing twenty of Chamber's best (and maybe some of his wildest) fashion creations mixing today's hottest fashion labels like Puma, and Hoax Couture with select vintage pieces discovered at Value Village. From vintage classics to contemporary favourites, over 50 toy tape recorders will be featured in the display, as they are essential, FUNctional parts of his costumes. Visitors to SPIN Gallery will be invited to interact with the installation by listening to quotes from interviews with international celebrities and recording their own quotes, mock interviews and comments. The Stylish Report will feature a selection of sound clips from interviews with actors, musicians, interviewed local and international personalities including Avril Lavigne, Pamela Anderson, Sir Ian McKellen, Kim Stockwell, Joely Fisher, Neve Campbell, Phillip Bloch, Hilary Swank, Woody Harrelson, Christina Ricci, Harry Rosen, Sean Paul, Linda Evangelista, Amanda Marshall, Patti LaBelle, Tori Amos, and Gale Harold (just to name a few). The Stylish Report Gala party will take place at Spin Gallery at 1100 Queen St West (at Dovercourt Road) on Friday, March 18 from 7:00 pm to midnight with performances by Lena Love, Miss Butter, MC Texass, PURR Project, The Sketchie Puff Girls and the sounds of DJ Shane Percy.
A correction to the SunServe item: Sharon Gless was the recipient of the 2004 national award, and will present the 2005 national award to one of gay and lesbian America’s favorite couples. Well known for her strong advocacy for children as the star of her popular TV talk show, Rosie O’Donnell and her partner Kelli have made the development of strong families a priority in their service to the LGBT community. Hear a full testimony to what they have achieved and the lives they have touched at the Award Ceremony on the evening of April 9. According to ScottLowell.com, there will be no new promotional photos taken of the cast of QAF this year (wonder what they will use for the Season 5 DVD/VHS box set art? hmmm). There is still no info on S4 DVD signings/tours, but as soon as there is, it will be posted here.Gay.com is currently hosting a video clip of Robert Gant's movie, " Billy's Dad is a Fudge-Packer" on their site. You will need QuickTime to view the short. Here's a summary: Billy's essay assignment causes him to look at the world around him. What will he be when he grows up? Will Billy turn out to be a 'fudge-packer' like his father? When it comes to the acceptance of other people, have we progressed as much as we think we have today? Check it out here... you will laugh out loud!
SunServe, Fort Lauderdale, Florida's gay and lesbian social services agency, joins forces with the Washington, D.C.-based Family Pride Coalition to present the second annual "Valuing Our Families" conference from April 8 to April 10 at the Metropolitan Community Church's Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale. The weekend conference will include workshops and panels on a range of family issues as well as educational panels on marriage and parenting laws in Florida, activities for children, and a family picnic. A special evening gala will include presentation of an award to Rosie O'Donnell and her partner Kelli by actress Sharon Gless of Queer as Folk. From Toronto Free Press: The nominations for the 2005 Genie Awards were announced recently and once again films from Quebec led the pack. The Genies, the Canadian equivalent of the Academy Awards, saw four French language films garner the most nominations. Childstar, the latest Don McKellar film which features Peter Paige (Emmett, QAF) was the most honoured English language film, winding up with five Genie nominations, including one for Best Original Screenplay.. The film is about making movies in Canada and gives an insider’s look at the process that most people rarely get to see. It is also a tongue-in-cheek look at the film industry and at the whole question of child actors, their problems and neuroses and their meddling mothers. The story line follows a famous child television actor with the perfect photogenic face that has brought him fame and fortune that is unimaginable to most people.Eye.net reviews the semi-autobiographical play tick, tick...BOOM! starring Dean Armstrong, who plays Jonathan, a promising writer of musicals, who dreads his imminent 30th birthday (hmmm... sound like anyone we know? LOL!). He feels time is ticking away for him to achieve success and pins all his hopes on the upcoming workshop of his new musical. "The charismatic Armstrong, best known as Blake on Queer as Folk, gives a terrific performance as Jonathan, bringing out the many layers of this well-drawn, wittily self-deprecating character."From Showtime: Singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper will appear as herself and perform a song in an episode of QAF when the series returns for its fifth and final season on May 22 at 9:00 PM (ET/PT). Lauper joins Rosie O'Donnell as a celebrity guest star this season in an original series that has made television history for its frank and fearless portrayal of a gay community.Watch Sherry Miller (Jennifer Taylor, QAF) in a promo for "The Collector" airing on CityTV this Sunday (click on "This Week's Promo" to see the clip).Patrick Antosh has been asked by the Dallas chapter of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids to participate in The Dream Collection to be held in Dallas on March 5th. Designers have been asked to redesign the classic Levi's jean jacket. The goal for Collection 2005 is to raise over $500,000 during a runway/stage fashion show featuring 100 jacket creations from designers all over the world. Previous and expected designers this year include Kenneth Cole, Versace, Bob Mackie, Todd Oldham and celebrities Cher, Carson Kressley and George Michael. Patrick is proud to be included in the same company as these individuals. All funds are used to provide services to those living with AIDS. If you visit the Dallas chapter of DIFFA, and click on "photos" then "2005 Jacket Collection" and scroll down to Queer As Folk, you will see two pictures of Patrick's design. The cast of QAF was featured in a brief 2-minute segment on eTalk Daily, CTV's entertainment news program, last night. There is a clip available at the CTV website. Here is what was said:Tanya (Narrator): When eTalk Daily got word that Queer As Folk was ending its run, we were the first on set to talk with one of television's most frank and fearless casts. With 83 one-hour episodes of drama filmed in the 416 [Toronto's area code], these primetime players sure are experts on the T-dot. Sharon: I love the beaches, I just love the whole city; it's very, very cosmopolitan, and a very sophisticated city... there's a gentleness to it here, like New York doesn't have, or Los Angeles doesn't have. Hal: The amazing thing about Canada -- and you have to understand this coming from Los Angeles -- is that you guys shut down Queen street in the summertime for a book fair. That's like shutting down Melrose in LA...it's insane! Tanya (Narrator): But the way these starts perceive their home has changed significantly since QAF began production. Randy: We were here during September 11th, and being able to sort of experience the events that have happened over the past five years from a more international perspective, not being deluded with the American news media over the past five years and being able to see it with a slightly more objective eye has sort of changed the way I look at my country and foreign policy. Gale: Another great thing about being in Canada is the environment, the climate, social climate, the reduced... fear level in the streets. [laughs] Tanya (Narrator): And there are Canadian fingerprints all over this show. Peter: We've worked with all these incredible Canadian film directors who have sort of infused the show with their own sensibilities, their own sort of renegade, off-beat, left-of-center ideas and energies. Tanya (Narrator): And what has this cast member saying 'bonjour'? Michelle: My boyfriend... he's a darling Montreal man and I just adore him. Tanya (Narrator): And even though this series is wrapping up, this unconventional family plans on staying in touch. Sharon: I throw a monthly cast poker party here in Toronto; I've made that promise to myself and I'm not going to let it drift.
From emediawire.com: A new Study of Gay/Lesbian TV viewership behavior and pretences reveals some interesting statistics: - Nearly 70% of lesbians watch "The L Word" - Almost 50% of viewers pick "Ellen" as their favorite performer - Over 95% find "Six Feet Under" as the most accurate gay portrayal Men gravitate toward shows featuring guys: Queer as Folk and Will & Grace; women go for "chick" shows: The L Word and The Ellen Show. (ed. I think this might be reversed for the straight crowd -- I know a lot of females who watch Will & Grace, and a few men who watch The L Word). While 32% of women say The L Word is their favorite show, .5% of men do. And Queer as Folk was the favorite of 26% of the men, but 10.2% of the women. Overall, 69.9% of women watch The L Word, compared to 22.4% of men, according to a new online study conducted Dec. 10-15 by GLCensus Partners, a research partnership between OpusComm Group and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. No matter what show they did pick, many of the 2,149 GLBT respondents are ambivalent about their image in the medium. Queer As Folk has been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at this year's GLAAD Media Awards. The ceremonies will be held in New York on March 28, 2005 at the New York Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 30 at the Kodak Theatre; and in San Francisco on June 11 at the Westin St. Francis. 2005 marks the first time that the GLAAD Media Awards will be televised. MTV Networks' new cable channel, LOGO, is set to air the GLAAD Media Awards telecast in the fall
From newswire.ca: Welcome to Godiva's Restaurant. This funky bistro is the high-energy backdrop for a new one-hour comedy/drama that's sexy and under the influence. Godiva's will debut the first of six original episodes on Bravo! March 16th at 10 pm ET/7pm PT and will continue to air Wednesdays in that timeslot. Produced in association with CHUM Television, Godiva's is a co-creation of two of Canada's hottest producers, Julia Keatley and Michael MacLennan. Julia Keatley was the driving force behind the critically acclaimed series Cold Squad, while her partner in Bread and Butter Productions is Michael MacLennan, co-executive producer and writer on Queer as Folk. Tony Jonas , Executive Producer of Queer As Folk, is a veteran of over 20 years in the business. Jonas heads up his own production company, Tony Jonas Productions, which has an exclusive multi-year television and feature production agreement with Warner Brothers. Jonas originally joined Warner Bros. (then Lorimar Television) in 1989 as Senior Vice President, Drama Development. In 1995, Jonas became President of Warner Bros. Television. After 15 years with the network, Jonas will leave Warner Bros and return to his former stomping grounds at the Walt Disney company, where he'll set up Tony Jonas Productions later this year. Before Jonas joined Warner Bros., his executive background included three years as Vice President, Development at Disney Television.
Judy Shepard, mother of murdered college student Matthew Shepard, and one of the many individuals fighting for equal rights for the LGBT community, will speak at the Human Rights Campaign’s 2005 Carolinas Dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center on February 26th. As previously announced, Robert Gant will also be on hand for the event as the keynote speaker. "From his riveting role on 'Queer as Folk' to his outspoken activism in the gay community, Robert Gant excites all of us as a confirmed featured keynote," says Joni Madison, co-chair of the HRC Carolinas Dinner. "Gant is truly an inspiration and empowering and lends a special, over-the-top star quality to this year’s 'Tenacious' theme. He and Judy Shepard will be an amazing duo to communicate the HRC message for LGBT equality for all American families." [read more] While Bobby is is enjoying dinner in North Carolina, his on-screen son will be rocking out in British Columbia. Square 9, Harris Allan's band, will be playing at The Electric Cafe in Vancouver on February 26th. Doors open at 7 and the show is at 7:30. The Electric Cafe is located Wilson and Kingsway at the Port Coquitland Community Centre. There is a 5 dollar cover.Speaking of B.C. ... Thea Gill will be in the Vancouver Playhouse production of "Trying" which runs April 9th through April 30th, and is directed by her husband Brian Richmond.Check out Patrick Antosh's website for pictures from the Queer As Fans convention, and a recap of the events Patrick attended. An auction to benefit Casey House and Youthquest was held on Saturday night; Patrick donated a copy of Playgirl magazine that he'd autographed, and it sold for $125.00. His autographed Scenester interview and crossword puzzle in Outlook brought in $25.00 each.Liz has redesigned her "Intense" site, featuring new icons, new wallpapers, etc.
Bev from Harris' Hideaway tells us that Harris Allan (Hunter) will be doing another Q&A on his website shortly; if you have questions, send them on in! More info on submitting questions to Bev via PM are available at the website. Chris & John are back... and they've invaded "Queer As Fans": After a successful launch of four episodes - "Ambush Gay-Over", "Halloween", "CNE for Short" and "Trivia, Y'all!" - new episodes of The Chris and John Show begin airing on Monday, February 7th, starting with the invasion of the Queer as Folk fan convention - "Queer as Fans" episode. These are short, five-minute segments played in between longer episodes, so you won't see them listed on the schedule. Also on Monday is another QAF edition of Jawbreaker.Hal's ninth Q&A is up at Hal's Lair.From GayWired.com: When Howard Buford opened Prime Access, Inc. in 1990, gay advertising meant convincing clients to gamble on an untapped market. Today - as the firm celebrates its 15th anniversary - gay celebrities are winning endorsement deals, Viacom is set to launch a gay television network, and Prime Access serves more Fortune 500 companies in the gay market than any other agency. For insight into how the field has changed - and how to gauge how it continues to evolve - Howard has picked the most important milestones in gay marketing since 1990, when Prime Access launched. One of these is the advent of mainstream programming including gay images. "Characters in shows like Will & Grace and Friends, brought the positive portrayal of gay men and lesbians to mainstream audiences through the small screen. Network and cable hits quickly followed with Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer as Folk, and The L Word." [read more]
In Queer As Folk Goes Out, TV Guide spoke to the cast of QAF about the final season of the series. The actors share their thoughts as Season 5 approaches (includes minor casting spoilers). Following a recent trend of QAF-actor site revamps (Dean-Armstrong.com and ScottLowell.com, to name two), Ron Fisher has done a great job of redesigning PeterPaige.net. In "Connection," Peter posts a message to fans, introducing the new layout. He also talks about QAF, saying it's "zooming along. it's hard to believe we only have a couple months left before this giant chapter of my life comes to a close. every day on set we're saying goodbye to something or someone, so it's kind of melancholy all the time - but it's still a wonderful place to be." In the "clips" section, there is a trailer for Say Uncle, Peter's new movie. Despite the serious nature of the subject matter (pedophaelia), it actually looks like it has a lot of humor. Lots of good stuff to be found... so go check it out!The QAF Babylon Tour is back in full force this year. Embrace Productions and Showtime Networks announce Queer As Folk - Ancient Babylon Tour, taking place in summer 2005 at the hottest nightclubs across North America. In each venue, Embrace and Showtime reinterpret what Babylon (the famous nightclub from the popular Queer As Folk television series), would look like as the birthplace of ‘sin’, the ancient city of Babylonia, in the year 200 AD. Featuring the hottest talent, Ancient Babylon Tour’s DJs include Superstars Manny Lehman, Abel and Roland Belmares. Fans get to live the Queer As Folk experience first hand by partying with the show’s actors who will make guest appearances throughout the Tour. Each tour date showcases the cutting-edge design, décor and performance of Miami’s RKM. On March 1, 2005, Embrace and Showtime will announce the Tour Dates via the brand new interactive website.
A new article in the Arizona Republic refers to this article from 2002, titled The Rise of the Creative Class: Why cities without gays and rock bands are losing the economic development race, in which Richard Florida praises Pittsburgh:
|
Home News Archive Current News E-mail
|