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May 31, 2004
Sharon Gless
(Debbie) is 61 today, May 31st. Happy Birthday to QAF's PFLAG mom ;)
Tune in to South Florida's Party 93.1, QAF's official radio station, this summer for more interviews with the cast members. On Sunday, June 20, we'll hear from Randy Harrison; on Sunday, July 18, Hal Sparks will be the featured guest. You can check out the past shows archive to hear interviews with other QAF cast members like Robert Gant, Scott Lowell, Michelle Clunie and Thea Gill, who joined MarkyG in the studio when they were in Miami for the premiere of Season 4. If you haven't already done so, check out the photo gallery.
Pictures are up on wireimage.com and filmmagic.com of the arrivals for the Sneak Preview of "Wake" last Thursday night at the Regent Showcase Theatre in Hollywood. Scott Lowell came out to support Gale Harold, who was sporting a full beard.
Showcase has updated the features section of their QAF pages.
Listen to an audio clip of Hal Sparks on the Bob & Sheri morning show at Bob & Sheri.com (under "recent guests"). Hal talks about being a "redneck kid" growing up in Kentucky, from reenacting the Revolutionary War to euthanizing small animals (ugh). He moved to Chicago when he was 14, looking for an opportunity to get into the Arts, despite his dad's protestations. He "flunked a bunch of classes on purpose," so that his only option was to take an acting class as an elective. "My plan worked like a charm," he jokes. Hal drove to Los Angeles with his friend Matt to try and make it in Hollywood; but even before that, he acted opposite a pre-Showgirls Elizabeth Berkley, who wouldn't kiss him on-camera because she thought he would try to "slip her the tongue." Sheri asked Hal about his work on VH1, with the "I love the 80s" shows. Hal says he's different from a lot of people in that he's extrordinarily patient in a situation where someone will put a camera on him and let him be funny (read: total ham!!). "It's easy for me," he says, and adds that it's a comedian's dream to just riff on stuff, and free associate. It's the perfect venue for "young, media suck-ups like myself -- 'What? Free publicity? Sure, I'll come for two hours and talk about the 80s'." He gives high praise to Sharon Gless, who he believes has done the kind of work deserving of an Emmy on the show, but opines that QAF is not liked by the Emmy people because it's "too controversial." What's ahead for Hal? "I love the 90s" begins July 12; the Hal Sparks Band's album will be available mid-June, and they will be touring to support it; he's "looking down the barrel of two films," but QAF got picked up for a fifth season, so he and the rest of the cast will be back at work mid-October. Hal will also be performing stand-up at Caroline's in New York at end of June.
May 29, 2004
Gale Harold is featured in the current issue of IN Magazine Los Angeles. In "Full-Force Gale," an interview by P.J. Reno, the actor talks about his career, and wanting to avoid the "treadmill of artificiality." Of his future, he says this: “Later on, hopefully if I have a career that lasts, if I have a chance to do a lot more different things to flesh out my work, I think it will be easier for me,” he said. “I’m kind of trying to run from the calcification of being told you’re doing a good job all the time, because you sort of start to lean back on that. Or you just become too comfortable. It’s potentially damaging. That’s not really what it’s about. That kind of notoriety is outsized by what will help you grow, or keep you aware of what will allow you to be an actor or be in touch. It’s not that big of a deal or a nightmare or anything, but it can be an obstacle. And I’m not Brian Kinney. That’s an important thing, too. He exists on television. How they respond to him good or bad, that’s him. I can’t do anything about that.” [full article]
Harris Allan plays Jonathan Glover in the movie "A HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD" (Warner Independent Pictures, opening July 23, 2004). The movie chronicles the lives of Bobby and Jonathan, two childhood friends who meet as students in a suburban Ohio school. From the moment they meet, Bobby and Jonathan are inseparable. For Jonathan, the unconventional Bobby is a connection to a larger world. For Bobby, Jonathan's family - and in particular Jonathan's mother Alice - represents a kind of stability that he hasn't known. Here are a few snapshots of Harris and Erik Smith as the two friends.
GSN, the network for games, will premiere CELEBRITY BLACKJACK, a six-episode series featuring 25 celebrities playing for their favorite charities on Monday, July 5 (10:00 -- 11:00 PM ET/PT). The winner earns an impressive $100,000 donation. Matt Vasgersian (lead TV broadcaster for the San Diego Padres) and Alex Borstein ("Mad TV," "Cat Woman") host the series. Each episode will feature five celebrities playing tournament-style with professional blackjack player "Hollywood Dave" Stann, one of the finalists on GSN's hit series WORLD SERIES OF BLACKJACK, dealing the cards. Hal Sparks appears on Monday, July 19, along with Eddie Griffin, Jamie Kennedy, Melissa Joan Hart, and Dean Cain. For the full schedule, and a list of all the celebrities who are participating, check out the newswire.
Fox has canceled plans to air the special " Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay," in which straight men try to pass themselves off as homosexuals. A gay rights group had called the show "an exercise in humiliation." [full story].
Following the announcement of MTV's gay channel "LOGO", Cablevision's Rainbow Media says it will offer a high-definition channel for gays, promising it will be like "hanging out with your funny, clever, gay friend." DIVINE HD will be launched on June 1. Voom says it plans to slowly increase the amount of original programming on the channel after the launch phase, airing showcase theatre productions and stand-up specials filmed in high definition. [full story].
"The End of the Surprise Ending" is an article by Emily Nussbaum (New York Times' Arts & Leisure Desk, May 9, 2004) which talks about the ever-increasing leakage of 'spoilers' (plot twists that are divulged before they've aired) and how the phenomenon is fundamentally altering the nature of episodic TV. The Queer as Folk fandom is no stranger to spoilers; the online component is comprised of fans who want to know as much as they can, and those who wish to remain blissfully ignorant. ;) As with any debate, there are arguments on both sides. Some fans claim that knowing what comes next actually deepens the thrill of watching television. "It's an odd wish," writes Nussbaum, "for control of the story, for the chance to minimize your risk of disappointment. With spoilers in hand, a viewer can watch the show with distance, analyzing like a critic instead of being immersed like a newbie. The emphasis isn't so much on the plot's outcome but on how the writers get there, and on the unexpected twists they add along the way. But the price for that privilege is that you never really get to watch a show for the first time. This is why some fans are actively struggling to maintain their innocence. Many sites allow spoiler postings only in designated areas. Posters devote hours to shoring one another up in the effort to stay free of advance information -- a kind of A.A. for people determined not to peek." For those who wonder if this is a temporary thing, the answer is an almost certain 'no'. Kristen Baldwin, a senior editor at Entertainment Weekly, which publishes low-grade plot twists prefaced with warnings, admits "that way of watching TV, where everything is just a complete pure innocent surprise every week, is probably dead." There are simply too many informants out there, and if one doesn't blab, another surely will.
For those who might not be aware, the broadway musical WICKED, in which Randy Harrison will be appearing this Summer, is based on a book by Gregory Maguire titled WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST. Maguire has taken several beloved, classic fairy tales, added his own spin, and turned them into novels for adults. MIRROR, MIRROR is another of his books, set in Renaissance Italy. It draws a connection between the poison apple in the original Snow White story and the Borgia family's well-known appetite for poisoning its foes. CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER is a retelling of Cinderella in an unexpected setting, making the story of the stepmother's family a paradigm for the rise of the middle class in seventeenth century Holland. LOST, a fourth novel, is not a retelling, but it does have a literary relationship to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. You can read excerpts from some of Maguire's books here.
May 27, 2004
From the Living News section of The Oregonian (at OregonLive.com) comes another article about Peter Paige and his movie "Donut Hole," written by Kristi Turnquist. Here's an excerpt: It's Portland. It's spring. Rain shouldn't be a problem. Unless you're making a movie with a scene that takes place in a downpour, and we're in the middle of an unusually dry May. Then you turn to special effects. Which is why three tall poles were spewing "rain" at Northeast Portland's Wilshire Park on a recent morning as a movie crew hurried to film a brief scene: Writer/director/star Peter Paige looking sadly through a chain-link fence. Paige was pensive. He was mournful. He was soaked. "Well, you do what you have to do," said Paige, water dripping off his jacket and trickling down his nose as he took a brief break between camera set-ups. And another excerpt: So, not only is Paige carrying a creative responsibility that would give Orson Welles pause, he's trying to make a comedy-with-a-message about a guy suspected of pedophilia? "Go big or go home," Paige said, with a slightly weary smile. Paige got the original idea for the script when a family he was close to during his Portland days moved away, and he found himself missing that connection. But more than that, Paige sees his story as a reflection of the times. "We're all afraid of each other," he said. "We live in a complicated and dangerous world." But the climate of fear that the media feeds, he said, makes the worst stereotypes believable about all sorts of groups, from Muslims to gays. [read the full article]
Registration is now open for the Lights, Camera, Auction - Take 7! fundraiser to be held October 22-24, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. The Featured Guests have not yet been finalized, but Carlo Rota (Gardner Vance) is expected to participate. For details, visit the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance.
Here are the showtimes for the movie " Wake" featuring Gale Harold, which opens tomorrow (Friday, May 28th) at the Quad cinema in New York City, and is playing until next Thursday (possibly longer, if attendance is high and the run is extended): 1:00 PM, 2:50 PM, 4:40 PM, 6:35 PM, 8:30 PM, 10:20 PM. The film is currently listed under "Coming Soon" on the Quad website.
Further to the announcement made earlier this week about MTV Networks' new entertainment cable channel catering to gay viewers, Boston.com points out that LOGO won't be the first gay-themed channel on the air. In August 2003, a pay-per-view movie network called Here! launched as a digital satellite service. In an article published yesterday, Suzanne C. Ryan writes, MTV Networks, owned by Viacom Inc., said it chose the name LOGO because it represents identity. "The individual and collective identities present in the gay and lesbian community . . . are amazingly diverse but are joined by similar points of view and sensibilities," said Judy McGrath, president of MTV Networks' Music and Comedy Group. Although executives declined to release details about pending shows, they said the basic cable channel would have the same content standards as other networks. If programs such as "Queer as Folk" were acquired from premium cable networks, they would have to be edited. "This is not a network about sex and sexuality," said Freston. "There will be talk shows and documentaries. A lot of the fare here straight people will find interesting."
From Broadway.com: Randy Harrison will fill in for Christopher Fitzgerald from June 20 through July 25, 2004 as Boq in the musical "Wicked," currently playing in New York on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin (Elphaba), is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular (Galinda). Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Randy will play Boq, a munchkin who falls in love with Elphaba's sister Nessarose, who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the East. The actor has studied musical theater from a very young age, and will apparently sing throughout the production, including a solo bit in "Dancing Through Life." For more information, or to purchase tickets and hear sound clips from the show visit the WICKED website.
May 25, 2004
From Chart Attack: Although some Heelwalkers T-shirts were spotted on an episode of Dawson's Creek a couple of years back, there has been a severe shortage of East Coast talent on North American TV screens. That is, until now. Wintersleep, one of Halifax's hottest rock acts, will be featured on a major television program later this summer. Showtime series Queer As Folk will feature a clip of "Sore," the lead-off track from the band's 2003 debut album, in episode 12 of its current season. But instead of waiting around for the money to roll right in, the band are heading out on the road for their most extensive tour to date. You can listen to "Sore" on the Wintersleep official website.
Check out Robert Gant's Be The Change message board, where KC and Abisel have posted their recaps of the event at the Museum of Television and Radio last night in New York City ("No Limits: A Look at Queer as Folk and The L Word"). Bobby, Ron and Dan were all there to participate in the seminar, and had some interesting things to say. Thanks to the ladies at Robert's board for sharing their experiences!
Harris On Hunter: Visit Sho.com to listen to Harris Allan discuss his experiences on QAF, his character Hunter, working with Robert & Hal, the fans and his band!
From Reuters: MTV Networks announced today it plans to launch a new entertainment cable channel catering to gay viewers, in a bid to snatch a piece of the action from successful gay-themed shows such as "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "The L Word." The music television network, a unit of Viacom Inc., plans to launch the channel, called LOGO, on basic cable by February 2005. "We want LOGO to be the first stop for gay and lesbian people," Judy McGrath, MTV Networks President told reporters. The announcement caps off months of deliberations over launching a separate channel, as marketers salivate over the growing and potentially lucrative group with a disposable income worth up to $500 billion. MTV executives said programming will be comprised of about 25 percent originally developed shows, with the remainder coming from outside sources. The network will also collaborate with other Viacom units including CBS News, MTV and VH1 for programming. Executives declined to elaborate on its slate of shows, which it plans to do this summer at the annual television critics summer tour. MTV executives said they expect to launch the network in about 10 to 14 million homes in February, and has already received a distribution commitments from Time Warner Cable in the New York area and Adelphia Communications Corp in Los Angeles. A Comcast spokesman was not immediately reachable for comment. The launch could complicate matters for parent company Viacom as it defends against indecency charges by the Federal Communications Commission related to radio broadcasts of the Howard Stern show. "We don't think it's indecent," said Tom Freston, MTV Networks Chairman and CEO, regarding the new network. "We're not using profanity, we're not using sex. This will be mainstream programming you're seeing everywhere else with the exception it will be targeting the lesbian and gay communities." He added, "We think it's a legitimate and growing community."
May 24, 2004
Let's Play Ball ... In a ground-breaking precedent among Toronto's professional sports franchises, the Blue Jays will be reaching out to the gay community this season. On June 25, 2004, a Friday night, the Jays will be at home to the Montreal Expos on what will be billed Gay Community Day at the SkyDome. This week's fab magazine reports that Sharon Gless will be throwing the first pitch! There will be discounted prices on field level seats in the gay community section (3rd base line). The date coincides with Gay Pride Week in Toronto which culminates on the Sunday with the annual Gay Pride Parade, drawing tens of thousands of tourists to the city for one of the largest gay pride festivals in North America (perhaps Sharon will stick around until then and make an appearance on the Showcase float?). Organizers of the Gay Pride festival will be promoting the game at various gay bars and clubs throughout the city. The game also received Pride Status which is a designation by the organizers of the festival that the game is an official Pride event. For more on Toronto Pride 2004, visit the website. (Thanks to Drew for the heads up!!)
May 23, 2004
"Valuing Our Families" is a conference and celebration for the GLBT community of South Florida and their friends. The first Conference was held yesterday, May 22, on the campus of the Sunshine Cathedral in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The event opened a public dialogue about a host of issues relating to gay families, including marriage and adoption rights, discrimination and other issues. The day ended with a panel discussion of gay marriage and adoption, followed by an awards ceremony for Sharon Gless (Debbie Novotny), who was honored for her role as a member of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) on the series Queer As Folk.
Robert Gant was looking sharp at the "People En Espanol" 50 Most Beautiful People Gala on May 19th at at the Splashlight Studios in New York City. Pictures are available at Getty Images, Film Magic, and Wire Image (enter Robert's name in the search box). Before you leave Wire Image, check out a few shots of him at The Lucky/Cargo Club - An Upfront Week Hospitality Suite - Day 2, also on May 19th at Le Parker Meridien.
The NY Times has included Wake in its May 23rd Film Listings (on Page 2): "WAKE" -- An ensemble film, directed by Henry LeRoy Finch, about three brothers reunited after years of separation when their mother falls ill. With Martin Landau, Gale Harold, Blake Gibbons and John Winthrop Philbrick. (No rating) (1:34) Quad Cinema, 34 W. 13th St. (212) 255-8800. Opens Fri."
For those who like spoilers, according to a fellow QAF fan, there are summaries for episodes 407 through 410 in all four of the DirecTV "Sunday Highlights" sections.
"Gays and Lesbians hit prime time TV" is a review by Rachel Evans of the Green Left Weekly (online edition) about the concerns of the Australian Family Association regarding "The L Word," which is coming to Channel 7 in Australia. Here is an excerpt in which she talks about QAF:
Explicit gay and lesbian shows are new to America, and even newer for Australian audiences. The 1999 BBC TV series Queer As Folk was the first series about gay male life seen in the First World. It’s title was taken from an old Yorkshire saying, "there’s nowt so queer as folk", meaning people are strange. The series created a stir in England, with the "shocking" inclusion of a determined, "out" 15-year-old gay man.
The success of the show caught the eye of Showtime, a production company that produced Lolita. In 2000, a US spin-off was born.
The first three seasons featured the mostly white, beautiful and financially secure cast with storylines emphasising relationships, sexual prowess and dance parties, with hot male-to-male sex scenes. That the lesbian couple were mostly baby obsessed while the boys got to have group sex and multi-dimensional relationships grated.
The third season saw Queer As Folk matching sexy hedonism with serious gay issues: The pain of HIV infection, gay adoption, fighting steroid addiction and successfully fighting a homophobic mayor through the use of "agitational propaganda" and heartfelt street campaigning. The fourth season includes same-sex marriage and a vigilante group "Pink Posse" who fight violent homophobes.
In contrast we have Queer Eye for a Straight Guy, the other "mainstream" gay male show that reduces gay men to asexual, sociable, helping hands for hetrosexuals.
After spectacular ratings for Queer As Folk, Showtime followed up with another hit series about the lives of lesbians in The L Word. [read the full article]
May 22, 2004
From The Oregonian: "On Thursday, Mayor Vera Katz visited the Wilshire Park location where an independent feature titled Donut Hole was shooting, to welcome the crew and cast. Peter Paige, who acted on Portland stages in the mid-1990s before moving to Los Angeles and landing a role on the Showtime series Queer As Folk, wrote the script, directs and stars in the dark comedy. Kathy Najimy (Sister Act) also stars, along with Gabrielle Union (Breakin' All the Rules, Bring It On), Lisa Edelstein, Melanie Lynskey and Anthony Clark. The film shoots in and around Portland through June."
In last week's "The Awful Truth" gossip column, Ted Cassablanca writes: "Though I'm sure more than a few of you are already sick of my same-sex queries, you can can it, for all I care--till next week, at least. Here's one more: I ran into the supertalented Peter Paige from Queer as Folk at an H-town bash. I asked him the you-know-what query. Quicker than you can yell "action," the director of the upcoming flick Donut Hole breathlessly let it all out. 'Oh, I'd do anybody from The L Word,' volunteered P2--and how. 'Any position, any time. Man, I want legs up in the air--my legs up in the air, their legs up in the air, all over the place...'. I need a cig, already. (Kidding! Though I dare say Peter wasn't.)"
Hal Sparks' latest post on Hal's Lair is a 'motivational' one -- so for all of you who are feeling down in the dumps, or just need a little pick-me-up, check it out here. Mr. Sparks has a busy few weeks ahead. Hal's voice can be heard on "ILL-ustrated", tonight, May 22, at 12:00am on VH1. For anyone that can get an affliate station that syndicates the "Bob and Sheri" morning show, Hal will make an appearance on Monday, May 24th around 9:30am (EST). On Thursday, May 27th, Hal will participate in an American Idol panel on ABC's Good Morning America. Word on the 'net is that Hal will be hosting the San Francisco GLAAD Media Awards on June 5th. Pictures of Hal at the 13th Annual Music Video Production Association Awards, May 20th, are available on wireimage.com. Keep an eye on his official web page for more dates and appearances, including performances by the Hal Sparks Band.
If you haven't read the interview by Daniel Robert Epstein with Aaron Woodley posted earlier this month at suicidegirls.com, it's worth a read. When asked about his interest in props, he replies, "I’ve been making films for 15 years and I’ve been around my own fair share of art directors. I even dated one and I used to go to prop houses. Since I was a kid I always had an obsession with inanimate objects in general. When my family got rid of the car I was devastated because it was like a dog to me." [read more]
Reviews for Rhinoceros Eyes have praised the production, giving Woodley "props" (excuse the pun) for the creep factor, but (at times) have not been as forgiving of the script. Here are some bright comments:
The Salt Lake Tribune says one reason to watch is the "overall look of the production, a melange of colorful objects jumbled together in the aircraft hangar-sized props warehouse. Sometimes, Chep imagines the odd bits coming to life as bossy little creatures, and his inner struggles are portrayed with disturbing but well-executed animation."
The San Diego Union Tribune says this: "There is a peek of sex, a nip of gore, heaps of props, strong imagery in advanced video by David Greene. The ideas might as well be props, though you can detect talent in the intensity of Woodley, nephew of creep-pix totem David Cronenberg."
And finally, filmjerk.com declares, "What makes “Rhinoceros Eyes” pleasurable is its intoxicating mix of familiar movie genres and reverence to semi-obscure artistry," and, "A film rich in depth and texture, Rhinoceros Eyes should give avid cinéastes a pleasurable time at the theatre, not only from the story and performances but also the cornucopia of movie references sprinkled throughout the film."
Many of you who are followers of Gale Harold's "Wake" have probably already seen these creations, but if not, check out m4our.com's offerings:
Posters of Wake, suitable for downloading:
Poster 1
Poster 2
Picture of the Cast
Illustrations
Design and Photo Collage
Any fans of Fabrizio Filippo out there? You may be wondering about the Italian-Canadian production he was working on, called "Lives of the Saints" featuring Sophia Loren. The show will be telecast on the CTV Network (in Canada), headlining a new strand of movies, "Heros, Champions, and Villains", and will be aired in Italy on Canale 5. The Press Kit is available here.
May 15, 2004
Some Music News....
burnside project has updated their news page with this qaf item: "if you caught the season premiere of showtime's queer as folk, you probably recognized the song in the opening credits. 'cue the pulse to begin' from our last album is the new theme!" At the website (burnsidemusic.com), you can download the song and watch the video, which was produced by 'fear of fenchurch'.
Kristine W, who most of us know as the Some Lovin' artist, has broken the Billboard record set by Madonna and Janet Jackson to have EIGHT consecutive chart-toppers on Hot Dance Club Play (for the record, the Material Girl had two hits, and Miss 'Wardrobe Malfunction' had one). Way to go!!
Seems not everyone is enamoured of Robert Hall's "Lightning Bug" -- the movie (which won Best Narrative Feature at the Trenton Film Fest, as well as Best Feature and Best of Show at the George Lindsey Film fest) was panned by Christopher Zinsli at filmthreat.com. Interestingly enough, he doesn't even mention Hal Sparks, who plays Deputy Dale in the flick. I guess that's a good thing?
May 15, 2004
Congratulations to Teri, winner of the QAF Season 3 DVD Box Set! Thanks to all who participated in the contest, and to Electric Artists and Showtime for donating the prize. Don't forget to check out the Future Babylon Tour dates by clicking on the banner above.
Rhinoceros Eyes (featuring Gale Harold) will screen at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, June 14–27th, 2004.
The June 2004 issue of Lumino Magazine is available online, complete with a spotlight on QAF. Check out the links on the right-hand side of the page for interviews with Scott, Peter, Hal, Thea, Randy, and Harris. The complete transcripts of the Harris Allan and Randy Harrison interviews with Ann Finstad are posted here.
Out of the Closet airs Sunday, May 23, from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET pm on Bravo, in a series that explores groundbreaking moments in television history that, quite literally, sparked a "TV Revolution." This particular episode ("Out of the Closet") reveals how homosexuality went from a forbidden topic to the central theme in some of television's hottest shows, by illustrating the astonishing power that television has as a medium to promote understanding and social change by contrasting the first televised report on homosexuality, Mike Wallace's 1967 "The Homosexuals," with current TV hits such as "Will & Grace" and " Queer as Folk." Also featuring clips from "An Early Frost," "Soap," and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," and commentary by producer Aaron Spelling, actor B.D. Wong, "Will & Grace" co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" star Ted Allen, television director Paris Barclay, "Sex and the City" creator/writer Darren Star, and "Queer As Folk" executive producers Ron Cowen and Dan Lipman.
Peter Paige tells Daniel Kusner of "The Dallas Voice" in a recent interview,
"We’re all grateful for shows like Will and Grace and Queer Eye — but QAF is the only show that’s really stepped up to the plate when it comes to exploring man-on-man action and showing us the goods when it comes to hot, sticky manflesh! But who wants their parents to see that stuff? 'My mom watches it,' Paige says. 'She likes it. Of course, I call her up and forewarn her if I have any particularly raw-sex scenes coming up — so she can skip past those.'"
Don't forget that tomorrow night (Sunday) the Prism Awards will be broadcast on on the F/X network (details on the calendar).
May 14, 2004
Want a chance to meet the cast and crew of WAKE? Check out the eBay auction for 5 VIP Packages starting at $500 each (opening bid) which include 2 VIP tickets to the "Special Sneak Preview" on Thursday, May 27, 7:45 p.m., at the Showcase Theater in Los Angeles. This showing will feature an after-movie Q&A session with the entire cast and crew of WAKE. Winning bidder will also receive 2 tickets to the WAKE official LA opening grillout after-party starting at 10 p.m., as well as two 8x10 WAKE movie flyers, signed by cast members Gale Harold, Blake Gibbons, Martin Landau, Producer Susie Landau Finch and Writer/Director Henry LeRoy Finch. Bidding is open now until Sunday, May 22. See the auction for more details
May 12, 2004
"With Honors: Queer As Folk’s Thea Gill" is a new article featured in the Windy City Times. David R. Guarino spoke with Thea earlier this year about her career, her personal life, her passion for singing, her famous castmates and the recent award bestowed upon her by The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Hedy Weiss, theater critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, has reviewed 'Heartbreak House', a stage production in which Jack Wetherall ('Uncle Vic' Grassi on QAF) plays 88-year-old Captain Shotover, who lives with the older of his two daughters, the formidable middle-age diva Hesione Hushabye and her ever-philandering husband, Hector. Writes Jenn Q. Goddu, "This comedy exposes the shortcomings of the English upper class in a scathing commentary on their views of marriage, business, politics and the position of women." Heartbreak House is playing at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago, IL until June 6th.
SimonSays.Com has posted the first chapter of the QAF novel "Always Have, Always Will".
A new Q&A is up at Hal's Lair. Hal answers questions about his health and diet, what he does in his down-time, and his relationship with his co-stars.
The following cable networks will be running the WAKE trailer one week before the May28th screenings: Oxygen, Bravo, E!, MTV, and VH1 (thanks Mandi for that info).
Just a reminder that today (March 12th) Aaron Woodley will be speaking about Rhinoceros Eyes following a screening of the film, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at Innis College as part of the World Wide Film Fest. Here is the write-up from their Website:
So you've made a short, but what you really want is to make a feature. Aaron Woodley has done just that and his first feature, Rhinoceros Eyes, debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2003 (where it won the prestigious Discovery Award) and went on to screen at festivals in Rotterdam and Paris. This seminar offers an exclusive chance to see the film, view one of Aaron's shorts and hear how he made the leap. During this candid discussion you'll learn what was involved, what he'll do differently next time, and what you should know to be prepared for the transition.
May 10, 2004
Screencaps from Robert Gant's appearance on The Sharon Osbourne Show have been added to Focusing On Something Positive.
On May 17th at 11:30 pm, VH1 will launch the second installment of the series ILL-ustrated, premiering the first 5 episodes in a Monday-Friday strip. Following last fall's initial airings, the show developed a fan base among stars who are now lending their voice to the series including Jay Mohr, Michael Ian Black, Ron Jeremy, Hal Sparks and Kathy Griffin. Viewers can log on to VH1.com to see behind-the-scenes photos and watch exclusive outtakes from the series. Read more.
This week, in Matt Roush's weekly column "Ask Matt" at tvguide.com, he answers a question about QAF:
Question: I know you have never been a fan of Queer as Folk, but how do you feel about this season? Its new ad campaign is about the series "coming of age." I think it's slowly living up to its audience's expectations of becoming a more mature show. Any thoughts?
Matt: Actually, I was a pretty vocal champion of the show in its first season, before it went off the rails with ridiculous storylines that drew the show away from its original mission of showing gay characters pursuing their emotional and sexual fortunes amid a straight world. When Ted quit his accounting job to launch a porn website, on which Emmett became a star, and Michael quit his job at a Wal-Mart-like store to sell comic books and help create a gay superhero, it all became awfully ludicrous and annoyingly self-righteous. That said, I think this season has shown improvement, at least attempting a bit of a reality check amid the soap opera. And the storyline of Justin falling in with a violent vigilante reflects the anger the show ought to be putting front and center in a year when gay issues are so politically volatile. Queer as Folk is far from perfect, but it's far from hopeless. And in the next few weeks, a couple of major turning points will force some of these hedonistic characters to confront their mortality, which may make the show even more dramatically viable. I'll keep watching.
May 8, 2004
Win tickets to the Babylon Tour courtesy of Astroglide.com; one individual for each event will be selected. For details, visit http://www.astroglide.com/babylon_tour.asp.
"He could have been a defender" is an article by Rita Zekas about Dean Armstrong, in today's Toronto Star. Regarding his initial storyline on the show, in the first season, he recalls, "It was a cool, juicy role. I was in and out of crack houses." In addition to working on QAF, Dean also performs on Broadway, and is an acting coach on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. He is now accepting students for summer training and personal one-on-one coaching sessions beginning on June 21.
She magazine features Thea Gill and Michelle Clunie on their current May cover, with an exclusive interview article, "And Baby Makes 4: Queer As Folk Turns 4 as Melanie & Lindsay Prepare To Be Mom...Again!" Regarding Season 4, Thea Gill says, "I've had lovely material in the past, but this season is probably the first season where my character does a 180. She really goes through a major, dramatic identity crisis. Her dreams and aspirations, and what she's meant to do in life, are really questioned, prodded, analyzed and picked at. I'm not sure how the audience will respond, to tell you the truth. I think that it's going to be slightly controversial, and I think that's what the producers and writers of Queer as Folk have always wanted to do." Read more.
The cast of QAF made a stopover in LA just before the premiere, and OutoftheCloset.tv cameras were there to catch all the action. You can visit www.OutoftheCloset.tv and watch the fabulous interviews with Robert Gant (Ben Bruckner), Michelle Clunie (Melanie Marcus), Peter Paige (Emmett Honeycut), Scott Lowell (Ted Schmidt), and Dan Lipman (Executive Producer/Writer). At the end of the Peter Paige clip (Emmett) you can see the entire cast, including Thea Gill, Gale Harold and Harris Allan, whose clips are not featured below, posing for the cameras. Dan says if you want to keep QAF on the air, "watch it, get your friends to watch it, and write in to Showtime" and let them know what you think!
Peter Paige interview
Michelle Clunie interview
Daniel Lipman interview
Robert Gant interview
Scott Lowell interview
[note: If these direct links do not work for you, simply go to www.OutoftheCloset.tv and click on the links there]
For more video entertainment, here is a great collage of QAF clips, set to the song "Affirmation" by Sound Garden, created by flrenze. It's rated PG, includes the entire cast, and focuses on the main themes of the show. Enjoy!
And even MORE clips... tours of the various sets on QAF:
Lindsay and Melanie's
Emmett and Michael's
Liberty Diner
Brian's loft
There are many reviews of Rhinoceros Eyes popping up these days, including one at Southern Voice Online (sovo.com). Regarding the Queer Quotient, SoVo commented, "The cast of characters includes a transvestite prostitute. Nobody’s gay, but everybody’s queer. Harold plays Brian Kinney on 'Queer As Folk.' " hee!
May 6, 2004
Harris Allan has a welcome message posted to the Hideaway, his message forum. He is happy to see so many fans joining in the community, and promises to stay involved himself.
One the organizations near and dear to Robert Gant's heart is SAGE (Senior Action In A Gay Environment.) The group was founded in 1977 and is America's oldest and largest social service and advocacy organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) senior citizens. I posted yesterday about Bobby's message at "Be The Change" regarding the event the other night. You can find notes taken at the panel in the "Robert's Favorite Links" forum under SAGE. If you would like to become more involved, SAGE has a wonderful volunteer program.
The 4th season QAF soundtrack will be in stores June 22nd and features 14 of the most memorable songs from this season. You can pre-order a copy from amazon.com, and it will likely be available at other outlets shortly. Here are the track listings:
1. Cue The Pulse To Begin (QAF Theme) - Burnside Project
2. Attitude - Suede
3. I'm The Main Man - Jason Nevins
4. Train - Goldfrapp
5. Love of The Loveless - Eels
6. Scream - Ima Robot
7. You Are My Joy - Reindeer Section
8. Understanding The New Violence - The Uncut
9. Satellite - TV On The Radio
10. If I Were A Man - Andrea Menard
11. 7 Minutes - Circlesquare
12. Sanctuary - Origene
13. Strobe's Nanafushi - Kodo
14. Wonderful Life - Black
Lighting Bug, featuring Hal Sparks as Deputy Dale, and written/directed by special effects makeup artist, Robert Hall, who is also the bassist for the Hal Sparks band, will be screened at the Brooklyn International Film Festival (dates are pending). The film will also be screened this Saturday, May 8th at 1pm at the Trenton Film Festival in New Jersey. Set in a small Alabama town in the mid-1980s, this film is a deeply personal story about one young man’s Hollywood dreams and his struggle to overcome poverty and domestic violence in order to make them come true. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Trenton Film Festival site. "Burning the bed," a short Irish tale starring Aidan Gillen ("Stuart" from the original QAF series) is a film about how one couple ends their relationship in the most final way they know, and will also be shown at the Festival.
May 5, 2004
Gale Harold's episodes of Street Time will re-run on Showtime in the next couple of weeks. "Gone" will air at 9:00 PM on Showtime Extreme this Thursday, and at 8:00 PM on Showtime Showcase this Friday. Part 2 of his storyline, the episode titled "Smack", airs on Showtime Extreme, May 13 at 9:00 PM and on Showtime Showcase on May 14 at 8:00 PM. Gale's portrayal of a rock star looking for a way out of a life of drugs is some of his best work, in my opinion. He has some powerful scenes with the fabulous Erika Alexander, who plays Dee Mulhern, the parole officer who helps Beddoes detox. Carlo Rota (Gardner Vance on QAF) guest stars as well.
From the Madstone Theaters newsletter:
Coming Soon: RHINOCEROS EYES opens 5/7! Madstone presents RHINOCEROS EYES, the very first production from Madstone Films! Winner of the Discovery Award from the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival, RHINOCEROS EYES is "a stupendous debut--so assured and self-engaging that it feels like a revelation." -Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central. See the calendar for more showings.
The May Q&A has been posted to the Scott Lowell website. Scott addresses both serious and silly questions, and gives his take on the evolution of the show. "I think the show has matured as the characters have. I’m never really sure what 'edge' means but I don’t think QAF will ever shy away from being controversial and timely," he says. When asked about the similarity between him and the child who plays Gus, Scott says, "Ummmm … what can I say? Even lesbians can’t resist the 'Schmidt charm.' "
The Showcase website has added some new QAF wallpapers to its downloads section.
Andrew Stopps, journalist for Sydney news press, recently interviewed Harris Allan, who plays Hunter. The young actor comes across as very poised and articulate, and also a bit cheeky, like his character. Here are some of his comments: "I am really enjoying the notoriety that comes with being a regular cast member of a hit series. I'm meeting a lot of really interesting people, including my fans, and I've been invited to some fun events. Last year the story line where my character faces the challenges of being HIV positive was up for a Shine Award in L.A., which is a group that promotes sexual health in the media. I was invited to the event, asked to make a presentation for another category, and our writers won the category we were nominated in. It was great. I'm finding that a lot of people recognize me in airports, at restaurants, etc. and it's really neat to find out how broad a base of fan support the show really has." Harris talks about his musical aspirations as well. "My band is Square 9 and includes a piano player, Jesse Goodall and drummer Dustin Sparks (no relation to Hal). I play lead guitar and do vocals. We write all our own stuff and have performed in and around Vancouver. We will be producing [a] CD ourselves over the summer and marketing it directly at concerts and over the internet."
Speaking of CD releases... Hal Sparks has posted to the Lair, and it looks like his band's album will be out June 3rd, and tour dates will follow. Read his post here.
Hal was interviewed at the weSPARK Cancer Support Center: weSPARKLE Night Take III benefit that he attended on May 3rd, and joked that he would do anything for charity... including getting naked. Despite claiming to be "full monty", a camera pan revealed that he was, in fact, fully clothed. "Made ya look!" joked Hal. Pictures of Hal at this event are available at wireimage.com.
Here's an Associated Press article written by Jennifer C. Yates: Pittsburgh's gay community largely hidden, despite portrayal on "Queer as Folk.
Bobby Gant has posted a message to his forum "Be The Change". He thanked those who attended the panel discussion in Pittsburgh on aging in the gay community, an issue that is important to Bobby and one he hopes many of us will follow up on. He is looking forward to meeting people on the Babylon 2050 tour. As we reported previously, he'll be at Avalon in NY this coming Sunday, and at the South Beach Nightclub in Houston on June 27 -- check the calendar for specifics.
Thank you to Benji from Bobby's message board for this translation of the Robert Gant interview in People En Espanol, June 2004 issue (article by Gloria Ramirez):
Celia Cruz and her father’s bongo are the influences in what Robert Gant, or Gonzalez, his real surname, would like to follow with the rhythm of the music using his feet. “I really enjoy dancing,” confessed the actor of Cuban, Spanish, Italian, Irish, and English ancestry. “As a kid, one teacher gave me the nickname ‘pata de rumba’" (rhumba foot?). Some things never change. "He makes me look bad", said his good friend Christopher Racster jokingly. "He knows how to move. If we go out to dance, I try not to get too close to him (on the dance floor)." Being comfortable on the dance floor is something he has in common with his character, Ben Bruckner, in the Showtime series Queer as Folk. He also shares with his role that of being a spiritual man, a fan of literature, and a homosexual, of which he decided to admit publicly around two years ago. “He’s always (involved?) with the social importance of our work”, said Hal Sparks, who portrays Michael Novotny, his boyfriend. Whether it be for personal reasons or professional ones, Gant, of 35 years, smiles on life with his one truth: "I’ve reached a moment in my life where I want to be authentic and honest in everything."
Mind: "I was an avid student. I read as many books as I can as well as the New York Times in the Red. I also listen to the CD audio-book, 'The Power of Now'."
Body: "Since I was a chubby kid, I began exercising ever since the ninth grade. I’ve also learned to eat in a healthy manner."
Soul: "I believe in psychotherapy for everyone. It’s like a school. I also pray, meditate, and try to surround myself with people that think like me."
May 4, 2004
It's OFFICIAL... QAF has been renewed for a fifth season, which will premiere in the Spring of 2005 and consist of 13 episodes. Reports Zap2it.com, "Things are so happy and gay at Showtime that it would be quite queer for the premium cable network to cancel one of its most popular dramas. The latest season of 'Queer as Folk' came out on April 18 and while Showtime doesn't release ratings information, the network describes the drama as one of its highest rated shows." Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's President of Entertainment, had this to say: "Since its premiere in 2000, 'Queer as Folk' has distinguished itself not only as a valuable signature series for Showtime, but it has significantly helped change the television landscape by portraying gay men and women as fully dimensional characters. It is responsible for blazing the trail for other gay-themed programs to thrive. Its fifth season will be no less impactful, as we continue the compelling stories and relationships that have made this series so indelible."
May 3, 2004
The DVD contest has now closed. Thanks to all who visited the site and entered. A winner will be chosen and notified later today.
Photographer Janet Reimer has generously shared several photos that she took at the Dallas, Texas DVD signing earlier this year, featuring Randy Harrison, Peter Paige, and Scott Lowell. You can see them here. Thanks, Janet!
A new Queer as Folk " meetup" is planned for Wednesday, May 12, at 8:00pm in participating cities. Visit the Meetup site for more information on meeting fellow fans!
The QAF music archive has been updated, including songs from 401 and 402.
On May 9th, Bobby Gant will appear at "Avalon" (formerly known as Limelight), 47 West 20th Street, New York City as part of the Queer As Folk: Future Babylon tour.
Randy Harrison will be the guest speaker at the 2004 Human Rights Campaign Columbus Dinner, taking place at the Hyatt Regency on Saturday, June 12, 2004. Tickets may be purchased at www.boxofficetickets.com/hrc or by calling 1-800-494-8497.
Check out this QAF ad by Home CGV television, featured in Korea, and visit their website for a slideshow of QAF pictures.
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