July 24, 2005
News from aaronwoodley.com: "Rhinoceros Eyes" (featuring Gale Harold) will be released theatrically across Canada in the Fall of 2005, followed by the long awaited
DVD & home video release in Winter 2006. The film will be released by Capri Films, and they can be contacted at www.caprifilms.com.
Robert Gant will guest star on the new original TNT series, "The Closer". His episode is scheduled to air on Monday, August 1, 9PM ET. The episode will repeat on TNT, Tuesday, August 2, at 12:AM ET and on Tuesday, August 2, AT 11:00PM ET. The episode is titled "Batter Up" and the description reads, "Chief Pope comes under intense political pressure when a spree of hate crimes targeting the gay community escalates from robbery to murder. Determined to catch the killer before he strikes again, Pope reassigns the case to Brenda and the Priority Homicide Division, much to the displeasure of Captain Taylor. But when a member of Brenda's team secretly provides Taylor with a lead that could close the case, Brenda must look beyond politics, both internal and external, and focus on finding a killer."
There's a new interview with Hal Sparks at Gay.com, written by Richard Kravitz.
"Speaking out for their folk" is a new article by Kate Aurthur, about the evolution of Queer as Folk, looking back with "Ron Cowen and "Daniel Lipman. For a couple that has lived and worked together for decades, the two have surprisingly different outlooks. "Gay rights are taking a step backwards," Lipman said. "Things will ultimately change. But this is what is happening." Cowen replied, "I don't share your optimism. We can talk about this for 19 hours, because I get pretty passionate about it."
" Precipitous slide for 'Queer as Folk' - Audience dwindles to small few in its final season," is the title of a new article for Media Life Magazine. Author Toni Fitzgerald writes, "Showtime’s Queer as Folk proved there was an audience for later gay-themed entertainment like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, The L Word and the recently launched cable network Logo. But in its final season, Folk has lost most of that audience. Ratings for the once-hip show have fallen by more than half since its 2000 debut, and it’s in the midst of its worst year ever." Fitzgerald speculates that the steep dropoff in ratings for QAF may be the result of storylines...
"A year after gay marriage was a critical, and very divisive, issue in the 2004 election, a show like Folk was bound to slip. While Queer Eye and Will &Grace play gay for laughs, Folk stays serious and issue-oriented, with the gay marriage debate showing up in this year’s storylines. And that may be too much for formerly casual viewers to take. 'Look at where the gay community was five years ago and what's happened since the election,' Folk writer-producer Daniel Lipman told the Associated Press during last week’s Showtime Television Critics Association presentation. With gays feeling increasing scrutiny over gay marriage and adoption, some homosexual viewers may have become exasperated with the promiscuity of several Folk characters, not wanting to watch a show that some say enforces stereotypes. Queer’s final season ends August 7."
Martina Navratilova has settled her lawsuit against the sponsor of a credit card marketed directly to gays and lesbians. The tennis star sued Do Tell Inc., which offers the Rainbow Card, in March because she disagreed with the way the card was being marketed. Navratilova gave permission to use her likeness to market the card in 1995 but changed her mind late last year, calling the marketing "inappropriate and repugnant." She objected to the card's being associated with the cable TV shows The L Word and Queer as Folk, calling the shows "depraved."
Normally I wouldn't be 'advertising' this book, but reviewer Aidan Hearn had such an amusing take on " The Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism is Corrupting Our Future" in the Staten Island Advance that I had to share it here. Hearn writes, "Pornography is everywhere. Whether subtle, (advertisements) or not so subtle (Web sites), it has pervaded our culture to the point where it's incredible. In The Porn Generation, Ben Shapiro tries to examine why this is, and what's its effect on American culture. However, before reading this book, it's important to know Shapiro's background: He's 21, a virgin, devoutly religious and extremely conservative. To truly grasp the point of his book, you'll have to look past his worldview and just pay attention to the facts, however skewed they may sometimes be. At points Shapiro's remarks seem to be mired in the 16th century. He is staunchly anti-gay, viewing homosexuals as "sinful," and rants about the Showtime channel for "promoting homosexuality" with their shows like "Queer as Folk" and "The L Word," and says NBC's "Will and Grace" is gay propaganda. Shapiro also makes the same tired arguments about pop stars, MTV, hip-hop and college. However, he also devotes an entire chapter to Abercrombie and Fitch. Why? Well they showed -- gasp -- butts in their catalogue! I know, I'm appalled, too. Another super bad pool of sin is "Dear Abby," who apparently has been dispensing "unmitigated sexual liberalism" as well as "promoting the sexual revolution." I kid you not."
July 17, 2005
icWales reports that Russell T Davies, creator of the original UK version of Queer as Folk and the man who is spearheading the revival of the classic Doctor Who TV series, received an honorary fellowship from Swansea Institute this week. Queer as Folk was his first series for Red Production Company; it caused comment and drew praise when screened on Channel 4 in early 1999. In July 2004, in a poll of industry experts conducted by Radio Times magazine, Davies was voted the 17th Most Powerful Person in Television Drama. He said receiving the honorary fellowship was a great honour.
From the Digital Spy's Tube Talk column comes this question: "The BBC has the rights to Queer As Folk USA Series One and Two but they have only ever shown Series One. E4 recently aired Season Three. When will the BBC ever get round to utilising the licence fee spent on acquiring Series Two and show it?" The answer: No immediate plans, despite the fact that they do have it.
Lynn Elber, in an AP article, chastizes the The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for missing out on some critical Emmy Award nominations, like "Queer as Folk, the Showtime series which brought relationship drama back to TV before Desperate Housewives. Its gutsy depiction of homosexuality may make some Emmy voters uneasy, so how about a safe but deserved nomination for Sharon Gless' brassy turn as a mom who loves her gay son unconditionally," she prompts.
You can view Patrick Antosh's interview at the QAF set sale, which took place in Toronto earlier this year, and aired on OutTV in Canada. Part 1 is up now, with Part 2 to come shortly. Spoiler virgins be warned... there are some pictures from the upcoming episode 510 in the news section of the site, along with photos of Patrick having fun at Toronto Pride!
On August 7th, 2005, Robert Gant (Ben), along with Mythgarden partner Chad Allen, will attend the 8th Annual GLAAD Cocktail Party to be held at the home of Dean Hansell & Jason Murakawa in Los Angeles, California. Other Honorary Celebrity Chairs include, k.d. Lang, Roma Maffia, Alec Mapa, Esera Tuaolo, Queer as Folk's Michelle Clunie, Thea Gill, Scott Lowell & Hal Sparks. For ticket information, please visit the GLAAD website.
Hal Sparks has been posting up a storm on suicidegirls.com, letting everyone know what he's up to. "Anybody going to Comicon?" he asks. "I'll be there Friday night throwing my support behind My Buddy Rob's movie Lightning Bug and hopefully I'll get to walk around and see some stuff as a fan. If you see me there come up and say Hi! I'll also be speaking at the aids walk in San Francisco this Saturday the 17th. It'd be nice to see some of you folks at either event. Those of you that are sprawled out across the land... I'm coming to your town soon! :0) Have a great weekend either way! Cheers, Hal."
From The Advocate: Activists, celebrities, and the new mayor of Los Angeles were on hand in Hollywood on Thursday to break ground on the nation’s first affordable housing development for gay seniors. The $20 million Encore Hall is designed to accommodate low-income seniors in 104 rental units and will feature a swimming pool and 3,000 square feet of public space. Queer as Folk actor Hal Sparks provided introductions, and costar Robert Gant described his own fears about aging, highlighting and the need for such a facility to provide elder care free of discrimination. Brian Neimark, founder and executive director of Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing, praised the diverse group of officials who helped bring the project to fruition, including city councilman Eric Garcetti and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. [Another article]
In a completely new ten-hour event, VH1 takes you to the third dimension for 'I Love The '80s: 3D'. More than 200 music artists, TV and film stars, athletes and celebs give a fresh look back at the decade in VH1's outrageous year-by-year flashback premiering Monday-Friday, October 24 - 28 at 9PM each night. Mo Rocca ("The Daily Show"), Michael Ian Black ("Stella"), Hal Sparks ("Queer As Folk") and Rachael Harris ("Fat Actress") return to "I Love the 80's: 3D" to lend their hilarious point of view once again. Also lending their perspectives are Modern Humorists, Rich Eisen of the "NFL Network," Patrice O'Neal, Stuart Scott, Luis Guzman, Loni Love, Greg Fitzsimmons, Godfrey and others.
In 'Queer'-view mirror: Hal Sparks looks back at cable series, forward to films by Amy Amatangelo, Hal says some fans will not be happy when the series finale airs Aug. 7. "I happen to think the final episode is some of the best TV we've done. But I think a lot of people are going to be shocked. I think there's going to be some unhappy fans in some of the camps about who ends up with whom and why. Everybody has had their designs on who should be together. I think, personally, that's idiotic. The main reason being is that it's out of your control."
Just as he doesn't think fans should determine the plot lines about the loves and lives of the fictional gay men of Pittsburgh, Sparks never talked to the writers about what he wanted for his character. "It was a very important thing that they get to tell the story they want," Sparks said. "Far be it from me, one of the straight actors on the show, to tell our executive producers, who are a gay couple, and the writers, many of whom are gay, 'You know what? Tell a slightly different story. Here's my take on it.' To me, that would be the height of arrogance."
Greg Hernandez, staff writer for the Daily News, says gay and lesbian films are thriving. "A growing group of DVD distributors and retailers are helping to make gay and lesbian titles flourish on home video with such past Outfest favorites as Latter Days, Touch of Pink and 9 Dead Gay Guys all being big sellers. 'We're still in an era where distributors are figuring out how to reach crossover audiences with theatrical distribution,' said Outfest Executive Director Steven Gutwillig. 'It is home video and cable that have become the profit centers in queer film distribution.' A turning point for reluctant retailers in recent years came when the Showtime series Queer as Folk was released as a boxed set and sales went through the roof. That helped to change the perception of gay content, according to various executives.
Tony Award-winning Equus Opens on Berkshire Theatre Festival's Main Stage - Stockbridge, MA: Peter Shaffer's EQUUS earned the playwright the 1975 Tony for Best Play as well as a Drama Critics Circle Award. Performed at Berkshire Theatre Festival for the first time, EQUUS deals with the workings of a troubled youth, Alan Strang, a seemingly good, obedient son, who has been committed to a mental hospital after inexplicably blinding six horses. It is up to psychiatrist Martin Dysart to unravel the youth’s psychological puzzle by exploring issues of faith, passion, repression and society’s definitions of normality. [...] Randy Harrison, who will portray the role of Alan Strang, made his Broadway debut in Wicked. He was previously seen on the New York stage in A Letter from Ethel Kennedy and Deviant at the New York Fringe Festival. Other theatre credits include Violet, Shopping and Fucking, 1776, and Hello Again. Mr. Harrison is well known in the television world for his work on Bang, Bang You're Dead and Queer as Folk.
'Equus': The time was right is another article about Equus written by Jeffrey Borak, from the Berkshire Eage. "Darkness," he writes, "... envelops the characters in Schwartz' current Shaffer undertaking -- Equus, a full-length play in which a fortysomething psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who has lost touch with his passion, is asked to treat a troubled youth, Alan Strang, whose raw, unalloyed emotions have led him to blind six horses at the stable where he works." The cast is headed by Victor Slezak as Dysart and Randy Harrison (Justin on QAF) as Strang. "I've always wanted to play this part," Harrison said, biting into a sandwich. "I first read the play when I was in junior high. I have a list somewhere. This is high on that list. The time seemed right. (In terms of age) I'm at the tail end of where I could realistically take this role on." It's a demanding undertaking emotionally and physically. Even when they are not directly involved in a scene, the actors are required to be on stage throughout the play. "There are certain correlations for me in this production," Slezak said. "Dysart sees in Alan a lot of promise, a lot of beautiful things. Because Dysart is in the middle of a middle-aged crisis, there's a lot of resonance there. As an actor, I'm further down the road than Randy is. I look at him, at his talent and I see the possibilities down the road for him."
Slezak and Harrison agree that working with each other has helped make the process easier, more stimulating. "Victor is so open," Harrison said. "I feel completely safe working with him." "We trust each other," Slezak said. "It makes the process go deeper faster." Harrison looks for a director who creates an environment in which artists can flourish. "Here, with Scott," Harrison said, "everyone brings something to the table. You don't feel afraid to stop and comment at any moment. Yet there is a structure in the room." As to perfecting his craft, he says, "You'll never be as good as you want to be," Harrison said. "Every environment changes you, makes you bigger; every script, every cast, every audience. (Being on stage) expands who you are; that sense of being alive. It can be scary. It's fun to be scared, too. It's like being at the very top of the rollercoaster before you take that plunge. The adrenalin ..."
The comments Randy made about working on Equus are an interesting juxtaposition to the comments he makes about playing the role of Justin on QAF in an article by Robert Nesti for EDGE Boston. Nesti writes, "Harrison came to maturity with Justin, but he recalls having very little input into his character with whom he didn’t personally identify with. He’s never been a club kid, and when he got the part had to do research on the role by going to such clubs as Splash in New York where he lives." Randy explains, 'Sometimes I would say Justin wouldn’t do that, but more often we would have to buckle down and figure out a way to pull it off because the head writers were also the executive producers, so there wasn’t as much give-and-take in certain situations. It was their show, it was their creation. They wanted it the way they wanted, and it was our job to make it happen. And I was very happy to have played the part. Absolutely. I’m glad I’ve been able to help closeted gay teens see that there are not alone in the world.' Randy discusses the play, being nude on stage, and his future plans in the article which can be found here
In yet another article on the subject, Randy talk about the future of the QAF cast: "I think we are all looking forward to distancing ourselves from each other -- not in a bad way, just different and apart. It's also a trap to get back together, to work together, too soon. We're going to have to establish ourselves as actors separate from our characters. We won't do anything immediately, but we all respect each other as actors, so I would say, yeah, sometime we'll end up working together again -- not collectively but at some point individually."
From calendarlive.com: Eighty years ago this month, a Tennessee courtroom erupted in a furious battle over the teaching of evolution in schools. As legal titans William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow clashed in the landmark Scopes "monkey" trial, the country tuned in to listen — a first, thanks to the youthful medium of radio. To commemorate that event, L.A. Theatre Works will re-create the 1925 "trial of the century" radio experience for a 22-city, live radio theater tour of British playwright Peter Goodchild's docudrama "The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial," based on the trial transcripts. The tour will begin in October at Humboldt State University in Northern California and end in February at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. It will feature a core cast plus a rotating roster of well-known actors in the principal roles of Bryan, Darrow and the Narrator. Among the participants will be James Cromwell, Marsha Mason, Stacy Keach, Eric Stoltz, Sharon Gless, Alfred Molina and Edward Asner, who will play Bryan for much of the tour. [full story]
As reported earlier, Sharon Gless is currently cruising the Eastern seabord with Rosie O'Donnell. Playbill.com has been keeping us up-to-date with their travels via "Diva Talk" as the Norwegian Dawn travels from New York City to Nova Scotia and Massachusetts with a host of Broadway performers, including Cyndi Lauper. Below are a couple of excerpts from the columns this week:
O'Donnell, who seemed in especially good spirits, awarded several giveaways, which included a " Queer as Folk" gift basket, a bicycle, a chair and ottoman, and a few iPODS. The former talk-show host then introduced Lauper's five-piece band as well as the star of the evening, who was dressed in 3/4-length white pants, a white jacket and a plaid bustier. The audience screamed with excitement as Lauper began her opening number; the cheers grew even louder when, during her first song, the platinum blonde singer removed her shoes and entered the audience to sing atop one of the auditorium's chairs. [more]
Rosie O'Donnell offered Rosie's Variety Hour, which featured the former talk-show host and several of the performers who will be offering their own solo shows throughout the week. After a big production number featuring O'Donnell and "The RFamily Dancers," the actress and Broadway enthusiast welcomed the enthusiastic crowd and acknowledged some of the celebrities who are traveling this week on the Norwegian Dawn: Susie Essman, Sharon Gless and pop singer Melissa Etheridge. [more]
The Halifax Herald Limited reports that the former talk-show host and about 2,200 other passengers would disembark from the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn for a taste of the city's hospitality. The cruise organizers - Rosie's wife, Kelli, and Kelli's business partner, Gregg Kaminsky - chose Halifax because same-sex marriage is legal there and because the city is known as gay-friendly. Ten couples from the ship got married at Pier 21. Among the visitors were Cyndi Lauper, Sharon Gless, Esera Tuaolo, and Lynn Warren and Alex Ali of Amazing Race fame.
The Herald article goes on to talk about how Canada is looking at this particular segment of the market in terms of Tourism. The Canadian Tourism Commission is spending $300,000 this year to entice gays and lesbians from New York, California and south Florida to Canada. Gay travellers tend to have more disposable income because many of them don't have kids, said Yolaine Dupont, a market specialist with the commission. According to the commission's research, a gay man is willing to spend a minimum of $5,000 US per week, and a lesbian is willing to spend $2,500 US per week, when in Canada. Gays and lesbians make up about 10 per cent (15 million to 20 million people) of the American tourism market. Gays and lesbians also travel more. Eighty-six per cent have a passport, compared with the national average of 29 per cent. "They are creature-comfort travellers," Ms. Dupont said, "so they tend to access high-end restaurants, hotels and shopping. It's a very lucrative market."
He said gay and lesbian groups, like the Rainbow Project, are often the first point of contact for gay travellers. He said they want to find out what an area is like and what services are available. "We've been getting many calls from people - more than we'd expected - who are saying (they) can no longer live in the U.S. given the current milieu and that they're moving to Nova Scotia." He said the gay and lesbian community has worked long and hard for the tolerance and acceptance in Nova Scotia that attracts gay travellers.
July 9, 2005
I've posted a new vignette to the Addiction Fiction page, titled "Virtue and Vice", which I co-wrote with Brian O., author of Swamp Fever and the sequel Burn on LiveJournal. Check it out and let us know what you think!
The 2005 Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Dinner Gala Committee has announced a distinguished roster of honorees for the annual fundraising gala scheduled at the Hyatt Regency Chicago tonight. The evening’s program will also include remarks from HRC’s new president, Joe Solmonese and Scott Lowell (Ted).
Outfest ’05: The 23rd Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is underway with more than 70 features in the lineup. Peter Paige's "Say Uncle" and Bobby Gant's "Billy's Dad is a Fudgepacker" will be screened at various times. Check the Outfest film schedule for details.
Peter Paige will receive the Gay Icon Award next Thursday, July 14th, at The 2005 Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which runs through Thursday, July 19. The event will include eight world premieres as part of its program of 160 features, documentaries, and shorts from 26 countries. Highlights include special tributes to Craig Chester, Kathy Najimy, and Peter Paige, along with a free outdoor screening of Barbarella and a 40th anniversary screening of the seminal gay feature Winter Kept Us Warm. Here's an excerpt from the tribute page for Peter:
In Peter's own words, "The nicest thing that people say to me is that I give nelly queens a good name, and I'm glad. Nelly queens deserve a good name. The more we challenge ourselves on what we find attractive and what it means to be a man, the easier it's going to be on the generation coming up behind us." Such clarity and foresight only underscores a film festival first: For the wonderful contribution that he has made to contemporary gay culture in creating such an identifiable and honorable character that has touched the hearts and minds of gay people everywhere, and for standing tall as an openly gay actor, we here at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival proudly choose Peter Paige to be the inaugural recipient of the Gay Icon Award. [More on the film below in an article by Alexander Cho]
Carrie Rickey, movie critic, was not impressed with Third Man Out: A Donald Strachey Mystery, which had its world premiere at the above-mentioned Philly Fest on Thursday, saying the "cheesy whodunit dishes more humor than suspense." She did praise Chad Allen (one of Bobby Gant's partners in their film production company "Mythgarden") saying he "makes a snappy sleuth and carries the film on his muscular shoulders, the rest of the actors have strictly soap-opera chops." She did not like our beloved Uncle Vic in this role, though. "Least effective is snarling Jack Wetherall (Queer as Folk's Vic Grassi) as Rutka, the activist who sees hypocrisy everywhere but in his own inconsistent and opportunistic behavior." The film is directed by Ron Oliver (who has helmed episodes of Queer as Folk and The Chris Isaak Show). Rickey says he "likewise suffers from soap-opera tempo, with fadeouts and plot recaps at 12-minute intervals." If you'd like to read the entire review, it's here.
Hal Sparks, Robert Hall and Ashley Laurence will be representing their movie Lightning Bug and signing autographs at the San Diego Comic Book Convention on Friday, July 15th from 12-1pm. For more information, visit www.comic-con.org.
In " Trying to make it work out," author Chuck Wilson (Special to The Times) writes about the way gay filmmakers see things. On the subject of discrimination, Peter Paige says of gays portrayed in Hollywood, "We do three things on screen: We suffer, we delight, we decorate." When asked if there's pressure to return to the stereotypes of the past, Peter says, "The first wave of queer cinema happened under Reagan. 'Living End' came directly out of that political climate. And now, again, there's a feeling like, I can't bear this, I have to stand up and do something."
From Metro News: Sir Richard Wadd is set to unload a startling combination of Shakespearean linguistic flare and pornography on the theatre-going public of Toronto. Sir Richard Wadd, Pornographer, is just one of more than 1,000 shows being presented at the 17th annual Toronto Fringe Festival, which opens today at 12 venues across the city. The festival aims to showcase a variety of independent theatre and performance art from Canada and around the world. Sir Richard Wadd, Pornographer is the debut stage production from writer, director and producer Shawn Postoff, best known for writing credits on Showtime's Queer As Folk. It follows Wadd, a gay porn producer played by Cinderella Man cast member John Healy, as he explores the aesthetics of arousal using a combination of sexually explicit language and iambic pentameter — a common literary meter used by William Shakespeare and his 16th-century contemporaries. "I wanted to take porn and iambic pentameter and smash them together," Postoff says. For ticket or other information, go to www.fringetoronto.com.
In " An Actor Evolved," Alexander Cho writes, "Say Uncle is a daring project. It is about a single gay man who gets accused of being a pedophile. It is a film that treads the line between giving the audience what they want and making them uncomfortable. Peter plays the lead; he’s also the writer and director. When we sit down for coffee a few days later, it’s obvious Peter has changed as a result of this project. Though he has always been grounded and matter-of-fact, I remember a carefree lilt in his voice over the phone, almost as if he was just along for the ride. Now, he’s in the driver’s seat. In the film, Paul (played by Peter) a lovable, fun guy, gets his heart broken when his godson’s family moves to Japan for business. He compensates by opening up a daycare center, then rouses suspicions in the community (most notably from a vociferous character played by Kathy Najimy) for being maybe a little too close to his kids."
Audiences, according to Peter, laugh a lot throughout the movie. It’s a nervous laughter. "The more people in the room, the more I enjoy watching the film," he explains. "Because it’s a film about mass hysteria. It plays on people’s discomfort. As one person gets uncomfortable, the person next to you starts to shift in their seat or giggle nervously. That’s what the film is about. It seduces you quite warmly, with quite a bit of heart, and I think you fall in love with the main character, and then your ideas maybe start to get a little challenged. And the next thing you know, you’re not quite sure where you stand." This is exactly what Peter wants. "I’m not interested in perfect people, he says. "I don’t think that’s interesting in terms of storytelling. …To me, the film lives at a nexus of humor, pathos, and discomfort. I think that’s a really fascinating place. It’s very human to me." Although the film is not autobiographical, Paige says he was inspired by a close relationship he had with a godson he helped raise. The family moved away, and it left him devastated. Peter used this as a jumping off point to create this thesis on the way people hype and objectify others. "What does a person who is faced with that kind of loss do?" he asks. "In my mind, he gets himself in a lot of trouble. He’s not dealing with reality." He adds, "I’ve always been fascinated by the way we alienate each other in this culture. We are told every day on the news to be afraid of one another." This is the verdant breeding ground for the film.
I ask him about the fact that I sense he has changed and grown from this process. He absolutely concurs. "I thought it would be a marathon," he explains about the process of making and shopping his movie. "But it’s not. It’s an ironman. It just goes and goes and goes. It’s not my nature, too. I’m a great starter, but not a great finisher. I’m the kid who started 1,000 different projects, but as soon as there was something new, I lost interest. And that followed me well in to my adult life. But this project came from me drawing a line in the sand and saying, 'I’m going to make this film. I’m going to see it through, come hell or high water. Every single day I’m going to get up, walk into walls until I find a door, walk through it into the next room, and keep going. Every single day.' And that is the way it happened."
He pauses and adds: "You know, I think everybody comes to L.A. wanting to be at the drug store counter and have somebody come up to them and go, 'You should be in the movies!' And that happens to about five people a year, literally. Five young gorgeous people who suddenly fall backwards into a puddle of gold. And it didn’t happen for me that way. Any given day I’d have a reason why it wasn’t happening to me. … So to have this experience, where I really piloted this ship— which is terrifying, by the way—where there’s nowhere to pass the buck. I have to own that. For better or for worse, it’s the film I wanted to make."
July 6, 2005
From Video Business: Showtime Entertainment is creating its first marketing campaign for a DVD re-launch. With Queer as Folk: The Complete First Season, originally released in January 2003, Showtime will hype 50%-off sale pricing as strong as any of the supplier's new releases. Queer as Folk's $49.99 list price, compared to its initial $119.98 tag, will go into effect Aug. 23. Orders for the re-launched title are due July 28. The campaign features a national print advertising push and promotions through Web sites PlanetOut.com and iVillage.com. Showtime also will present its first eBay Queer as Folk memorabilia auction, where show fans can bid on characters' clothing, among other items. Auction proceeds will benefit the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for gay teens. "In order to introduce the first season of Queer as Folk to an entire new generation, we are not only introducing a low SRP of $49.99, but we're also treating this series as a brand new release," Showtime VP marketing David Bowers said. "This commitment of resources to a title re-release is a first for this company." Showtime is rolling out the re-launch to coincide with the network's series finale of Queer as Folk. The series' most recent fourth-season TV DVD set bowed in April.
Jackie Chowns writes about the debate surrounding Big Brother Uncut in Flesh supplies, an article for the Sydney Morning Herald. Here's an excerpt:
At SBS, nudity is often a source of contention among viewers but the station practises a responsible adherence to the code. The multicultural broadcaster has not contravened the code for four years, despite a stream of movies featuring bare bodies throughout, full-frontal male nudity in shows such as Queer as Folk and Oz and documentaries with titles such as In Search of the Perfect Penis and Diary of a Teenage Nudist. Many countries in Western Europe have a more open attitude to the human body, and the largely European content on SBS has an obvious bearing on what gets seen on the station. "The nudity that we do on SBS is not gratuitous," says SBS's head programmer, Matt Campbell. "We are not just doing it for the sake of putting tits and bums on television. It's a different concept in Europe. People are nude in yoghurt commercials over there."
Update on ATLANTAboy: An Insider's Guide to Gay Atlanta: The website (http://ATLANTAboy.com) is an extention of the book with new updates posted daily on Atlanta's gay travel scene. Gale Harold and Randy Harrison are mentioned on this page.
Harris Allan posted a Canada Day/Happy 4th of July message to his fans on the Hideaway. His band, Square9, is in the middle of recording a 4-song demo. Harris is scheduled to appear on an episode of the hit USA network show, "The 4400." The series title refers to a group of 4400 people of different ages and walks of life, who have been presumed dead or missing, and who emerge all at once from a comet which is returned to earth - none aged even a day from when they were last seen. It airs Sunday nights at 9/8c.
July 3, 2005
Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend, whether you are celebrating Canada Day or 4th of July, along with a new episode of QAF (508).
Once again, Showtime has new items up for auction on ebay, including more Brian clothing, a few Debbie knick-knacks, and signs from the show.
Good news for QAF fans down under! The new season of QAF, which was originally scheduled to begin in January 2006, will premiere on September 26th in Australia.
Check out Randy Harrison's new headshot from the Berkshire Theatre site.
Scott Lowell's July Q&A is up at scottlowell.com. In this edition, Scott talks about his sense of humor, and answers the question 'do blondes really have more fun?' There are new photos in the QAF Episode Photos Gallery and several more pictures from the QAF Premiere Party in the Event Photos Gallery.
Robert Gant will guest star on the new TNT series "The Closer," staring Kyra Sedwick. His episode is set to air sometime in August of 2005. Check your local TV listings for times in your area.
While Patrick Antosh was in Los Angeles to attend the season 5 premiere and finish up work with QAF, Showtime took the opportunity to interview him about wardrobe and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. We can look forward to seeing the interview on the Season 5 DVD extras. For more on what the costume designer has been up to, visit his news page.
Daniel Lipman says goodbye to QAF in a new article from PlanetOut.com. "We [were] always resigned the show would be five seasons, and one of the things I'm proud of is that we've kept it edgy and challenging," says Lipman. "I don't think there would ever have been a "QAF" before, and I don't think there will ever be another QAF."
Russell Davies tells the national website of Wales, "I'm not a big name." Author Wayne Davies writes: WELSH writer Russell T Davies doesn't think he is remotely famous despite the storming success of Doctor Who. The Swansea-born writer changed the face of British TV with Queer as Folk, but says he continues to lead a humble life. Davies has vowed to continue his "humble" existence by ruling out a high-profile civil partnership marriage to his customs officer partner Andrew Smith of six years. "I don't think I'm remotely famous," said Russell. "I have got a gay hook, a Welsh hook and now a Doctor Who hook. It has given me greater visibility and it is that which helps my career. "Queer as Folk opened a lot of opportunities for me but I think people would prefer writers to go away and shut up."
Paul Ruditis, author of Queer As Folk: The Book, has written "Rainbow Party," a book about a promiscuous high school sophomore who plans an oral sex party. The 'rainbow' refers to the variety of lipstick colors worn by the girls attending, and the subsequent collection of color rings on the boys' penises as the girls provide the guys with "party favors." While the book has received much criticism, Ruditis says he never intended to sensationalize oral sex. He told Publisher's Weekly: "Part of me doesn't understand why people don't want to talk about it," he said. "Kids are having sex and they are actively engaged in oral sex and think it's not really sex. I raised questions in my book and I hope that parents and children or teachers and students can open a topic of conversation through it. Rainbow parties are such an interesting topic. It's such a childlike way to look at such an adult subject with rainbow colors."
In another article about the end of QAF, Dan Renzi, the Cable Boy, talks to Hal Sparks. "Say good-bye to Queer as Folk. The Showtime favorite is in its fifth and final season, taking with it some of the most controversial (and sexy) gay characters on television," he writes. "Hal Sparks, the amiable comic-book geek with the doe eyes and radiant smile charmed his way into our hearts in the guise of Michael Novotny from the moment we first saw him, and we're sad to see him go. So, why isn't Sparks upset about the show being canceled?" [full article].
MTV Networks’ Logo, the new gay channel, was launched this past week after a four-month delay. 'Don't go there' is the operative message for those looking for the titillation of sexy gay programs like Showtime's "Queer as Folk" and "The L Word" (though Showtime Networks, also owned by Viacom, is a sponsor on the new channel). Brian Graden, president of Logo and MTV Networks Entertainment, explained the philosophy behind Logo's schedule. "When you tell a story about gay rodeo or gay surfers it's not a story about sex nor does it need to be," he said in an interview. "So much connects us beyond sexuality." Read more in an article by Julie Salamon.
Incoming sponsors of Logo include Miller Lite, Motorola, Tylenol PM, Lions Gate Films, corporate sib Showtime Networks and the gay-friendly Florida destination Key West. Exercising a little in-house corporate synergy, Showtime will turn to the newcomer to pump up the series finale of Queer as Folk30-minute one-offVH1 Goes Inside Queer as Folk (originally aired in April 2004), and will run a number of tune-in spots driving viewers to the special. At launch, Logo will be available in about 10 million homes. [source: MediaWeek]
On July 24, Logo will present the first-ever telecast of the 16th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, where we can expect to see some members of the QAF cast ( Peter Paige, Robert Gant, Hal Sparks). Building up to the airing of the awards, the network will present a week-long tribute featuring past award recipients and an original documentary. Motorola will be a presenting sponsor of Logo’s coverage.
Remember Marc Hall, the young gay man who got a court injunction so that he could bring his boyfriend to his high school graduation party three years ago? After hearing his story, the QAF producers invited him to come to the set and meet the cast, as well as appear in an episode of the show. Hall eventually won the injunction against the Durham Catholic District School Board, but also filed a lawsuit after that alleging that the board violated his human rights by trying to prevent him from attending the dance with his boyfriend. He has now withdrawn that lawsuit, according to his lawyer, because he is no longer willing to spend the time or the money to keep pursuing the case. [full story].
As they mark Queer As Folk's final season, Showtime is partnering with The Human Rights Campaign at Pride nationwide. You can visit their booth in the following remaining tour locations:
July 29-31: San Diego Pride
August 6-7: North Halsted St. Fair
October 2: Castro Street Fair
October 1-2: North Carolina Pride
November 4-6: Palm Springs Pride
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