What to Watch: This Weekend
August 30, 2008 by Sarah
It’s a beautiful holiday weekend. Why aren’t you watching TV?
SATURDAY
> 9:00 PM Color Splash, HGTV (30 min) NEW
Out interior designer David Bromstad reworks living spaces.
> 9:00 PM The Starter Wife, USA (6 hrs) REPEAT
In anticipation of the new series starring Debra Messing, USA airs a marathon of the 2007 miniseries on which it is based. Chris Diamantopoulos plays out interior designer Rodney.
> 10:00 PM The Graham Norton Show, BBC America (1 hr) NEW
Out Irish comedian Graham Norton presents a comedy chat show carried by BBC America every Saturday night.
SUNDAY
> 9:00 PM Shameless, Sundance (1 hr) SEASON FINALE
The UK comedy-drama is back with season three, and includes the gay character Ian, one of the six children of a working-class alcoholic.
> 9:00 PM Skins, BBC America (1 hr) NEW
The teenagers coming of age in this award-winning import include Maxxie, played by Mitch Hewer. The show’s press materials state that Maxxie is “magic on his feet, a whiz with his hands and can have any boy he wants.” The show moves to its regular timeslot this week.
> 10:00 PM Brooke Knows Best, VH1 (30 min) NEW
The 20-year-old daughter of Hulk Hogan has her own reality show, which follows her living on her own in Miami. One of her two roommates is Glenn, a gay choreographer.
[read more]
> 10:00 PM Mad Men, AMC (1 hr) NEW
The second season is underway. Keep your eyes on the ad agency’s closeted art director, Salvatore Romano, played by openly gay actor Bryan Batt.
Another Gay Sequel Takes Over West Hollywood
August 29, 2008 by Sarah
Longtime readers of cineQueer know that this reviewer caught a sneak peek of Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! at OUTFEST earlier this summer. I was a huge fan of the original film, Another Gay Movie, so my expectations were particularly high. Though sequels often don’t live up to the magic of the first films — and this one, I’m sad to say, does not — I still got a lot of huge belly laughs out of it and enjoyed many moments. (Read the full review here.)
Starting today, Another Gay Sequel is conquering West Hollywood. You can catch it at the Leammle Sunset 5 at
1:45pm, 4:20pm, 7:10pm and 9:45pm daily. The cast will even be there for a Q&A after the 7:10 show tonight and Saturday, so be sure to grab your tickets and head for the Sunset Strip.
But wait! There’s more!
After the Friday and Saturday screenings, there will be parties where you can skip ahead in line with your movie ticket and party down with the cast! Friday is at Eleven and Saturday is at Here Lounge.
WARNING: If your favorite kind of movie involves young gay boys emotionally connecting with one another as they come to terms with their sexuality, do not see this film. However, if you are open to projectile vomit and tossed salad jokes, Another Gay Sequel will be a fun and uproarious way to spend 95 minutes.
What to Watch: Friday
August 29, 2008 by Sarah
It’s Friday, August 29. Stay home and watch Swingtown!
> 10:00 pm Swingtown, CBS (1 hr) NEW
Check out this series about swinging suburbanites in the 1970s. Next Friday may or may not be the season finale — rumor has it CBS may have one extra episode planned… (Does this mean they’ve added an episode to provide closure as they send the series off into the sunset? Only time will tell!)
Be sure to visit the entire TV Gayed listing, to see what’s coming up for the week ahead!
Save The Last Dance for Monday!
August 29, 2008 by Sarah
On Monday, September 1, Logo is premiering ROXY: The Last Dance, to kick off the sixth season of its Real Momentum documentary series.
Produced by Red Thread Productions, the original doc focuses on the legendary New York nightclub The ROXY from 1979, when the club was a star-studded roller disco, to its final night in 2007. Throughout The ROXY’s run, patrons experienced the rise and fall of disco, the devastation of AIDS, and the emergence of the “Chelsea Boys” within the gay community.
So celebrate a New York legend this Labor Day! Pour yourself a drink, put on your dancing shoes, and tune in to Logo to see Roxy: The Last Dance Monday at 9 PM EST.
Del Martin: Mourning her loss, and celebrating her legacy
August 29, 2008 by Paul
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, from womanvision.org
Earlier this week, the LGBT movement lost one of its most dedicated and beloved trailblazers, Del Martin, who passed away at age 87. Del and her lifelong partner, Phyllis Lyon, have been at the forefront of the lesbian rights movement for more than 50 years. You may remember seeing the moving photos of Del and Phyllis this summer, when they became the first couple to legally marry in the state of California. (Video: AP story on their marriage)
When young women come out today, many can find support from nearby LGBT community centers and local lesbian community groups. They can watch LOGO and The L Word, connect with other lesbians online, and see mainstream articles—like the press around Del and Phyllis’ marriage—and know that they can live openly in their communities and their workplaces, and if they choose to, formalize their commitment to the person they love. In Del’s youth, none of that existed.
For many, lesbian visibility consisted of old copies of The Well of Loneliness, tucked deep inside desk drawers. For young women coming out, there was no easy way to find community and have a place to be themselves. With Del’s dedication and hard work, this landscape began to change. In 1943, she met Phyllis. By 1955 they had founded the first lesbian rights organization in the U.S., the Daughters of Bilitis. The organization started as a social outlet, and with Del as its first president, evolved into a political organization.
In a time where lesbian and gay bars were routinely raided by the police, Del helped create an alternate space for lesbians to celebrate their identities and work for social change. Through the founding of legendary lesbian newsletter The Ladder, the couple created a vital lifeline for women who felt isolated.
The Ladder’s early articles advocated for lesbian and gay rights, and for relationship recognition issues some of us are fighting for today, like the right to joint tax returns and joint insurance policies. To write, publish, and distribute this publication in the 1950’s was an incredible act of bravery, and an act of love and dedication to the lesbian community. Del and Phyllis received death threats because of The Ladder, and the FBI investigated them and outed them to their employers (Video: Del and Phyllis discussing The Ladder). Despite the hurdles of publishing The Ladder, Del and Phyllis continued to do it, knowing that for many closeted women, reading the latest copy was their only connection to lesbian life. The Ladder ran until 1972.
Del’s activism went beyond the Daughters of Bilitis and The Ladder. She was the first openly lesbian woman elected to the board of the National Organization for Women (NOW), she was a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, and she and Phyllis were the first couple legally married in California this June after the Supreme Court decision. Sadly, Del and Phyllis were only married a short time, but they were able to share and celebrate their marriage with the entire world, through the many news stories about their union. Del and Phyllis’ decision to share their wedding with news cameras and reporters was a logical step for a couple who had committed their lives not only to each other, but to the LGBT movement. Del’s activism led her to not only speak out, empower others, and elevate their voices. Before she and Phyllis started The Ladder, there was no place for an out lesbian to have a voice. Today there are openly LGBT journalists, and LGBT people and issues are regularly covered in mainstream media. Del’s vital work and her commitment to LGBT media visibility will live on through all of us whom she has, and continues to, inspire.
(By Sarah Kennedy, Media Field Strategist for the Central Region)
Skins Delights the Eyes and Ears
August 28, 2008 by Sarah
BBC America is currently running a teen drama entitled Skins. With a good-looking cast of diverse characters, the series appears to be a British Gossip Girl… With 100% more swearing, sex, and yes, skin. In fact, it’s intended for “mature audiences only” so basically it’s a teen drama for adults. My favorite kind.
And yes, there’s a gay character. Maxxie (played by Mitch Hewer, pictured) is an adorable blond who is comfortable with his sexuality, even if his parents aren’t. BBC America told cineQueer that Maxxie’s presence on Skins “means having shows on TV with gay characters who are real people, not caricatures, and that’s what we strive for.” God Save the Queen, indeed!
Though Skins premiered August 17, BBC America is re-airing all the episodes so that we slow-moving Yanks can get caught up and indulge in the juciness the Brits have to offer us.
Meet Maxxie by viewing this introductory video here.
And watch as some of the cast talk about the show’s handling of gay characters.
Skins airs Sundays at 10/9c on BBC America.
What to Watch: Thursday
August 28, 2008 by Sarah
It’s Thursday, August 28. What are YOU watching tonight?
> 8:00 PM Ugly Betty, ABC (1 hr) REPEAT
Christian Siriano makes a cameo, along with Project Runway judge Nina Garcia.
> 9:00 PM Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (1 hr) REPEAT
Addison visits, and notices a spark between Callie and Erica.
> 10:00 PM Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, Bravo (1 hr) NEW
Lesbian hairstylist Tabatha Coffey (“Fan Favorite” of the first season of Shear Genius) revives struggling salons in the Los Angeles and New York areas. This week, Tabatha evaluates a Burbank spa.
> 10:00 PM Glam God, VH1 (1 hr) NEW
Vivica A. Fox hosts this reality competition searching for the next hot Hollywood stylist. Handry, Bo, and Joachim are the gay contenders, and out stylist Phillip Bloch is one of the judges.
[read more]
> 10:00 PM Miami Ink, TLC (1 hr) NEW
The popular reality show features a lesbian shop manager this season, Baby Dre.
> 10:00 PM The L Word, Logo (1 hr) REPEAT
AfterEllen.com presents the network television run of the Showtime series.
> 11:00 PM The Cho Show, VH1 (30 min) NEW
Check out queer comedienne Margaret Cho’s new pseudo-reality series.
Air Force Times Respectfully Explores Discrimination Transgender Veterans Face
August 28, 2008 by Tom Ogletree, GLAAD's Associate Director of Special Projects
The Air Force Times just published a very well-done piece exploring the discrimination transgender veterans face, a story that stands in marked contrast of the problematic media coverage we see on transgender people and issues. This military media outlet offers lessons to mainstream media in how to fairly and accurately write about transgender people and issues.
The article drew from an analysis of a Transgender American Veterans Association survey by the Palm Center at UC-Santa Barbara, in which transgender veterans reported their experiences with discrimination. This article delves further than Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The reporter explores how transgender veterans have problems getting the most routine care other veterans get with ease. On top of that, counseling, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery are unavailable for veterans at VA facilities. The Palm Center’s press release states that 22% of respondents reported lack of respect from VA doctors, and 1 in 5 were questioned by an officer about their orientation, in violation of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Though the terminology in the article was not perfect (use of “sexual identity” when “gender identity” would be more accurate; use of inaccurate term “sex change,” rather than “sex reassignment surgery”), the reporter did an excellent job using correct pronouns and other transgender terminology. Overall, the reporter’s tone was thoughtful, respectful, and it paves the way for future coverage in outlets beyond LGBT press.
In a time when some mainstream news outlets continue to use outdated and inaccurate language to write about transgender people and issues, it is refreshing to see a military media outlet produce coverage that is so on target. Hopefully the respectful Air Force Times article will set the scene for future mainstream media coverage of transgender veterans.
GLAAD Mourns the Loss of LBGT Pioneer Del Martin
August 28, 2008 by Justin Cole, GLAAD's Director of Digital Media
“Del Martin was a leader and an inspiration who elevated the voices of the LGBT community, and we extend our deepest condolences to her wife, Phyllis Lyon, and all of Del’s family and friends” said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. “We have lost a pioneer, but one whose legacy will continue to be deeply felt by our community, our movement and all who care about social justice.”
For more information on Del Martin’s life and legacy, please go see the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin at their wedding in June; Photo credit: Liz Mangelsdorf, the San Francisco Chronicle
Media Examine Democratic Convention and Republican Platform
August 28, 2008 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
With the Democratic Convention underway in Denver, and the Republican Platform being drafted in preparation for their convention starting September 1 in Minneapolis, media outlets are addressing how LGBT issues are fitting into the big political picture. At the Democratic Convention, leaders are weighing in on LGBT issues, while gay Republican advocates are speaking out in the media about their party’s platform.
The other night, Sen. Ted Kennedy, in his surprise opening night address in Denver, said that Obama would “close the book on the old politics of race and gender, and group against group, and straight against gay,” while last night Sen. Hillary Clinton said in her speech that she ran for President to “fight for an America defined by deep and meaningful equality — from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization [...]”
Though both speeches have been widely broadcast and picked up in mainstream media outlets, other conversations about LGBT issues have mostly garnered traction only in LGBT media outlets and blogs. DNC Secretary Alice Germond highlighted the importance of LGBT Democrats in her remarks, and openly gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin continues to talk about the historic measures for equality present in the party platform she helped draft. And yesterday, Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance and speech at the Human Rights Campaign/The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund luncheon for LGBT delegates hosted by Rep. Barney Frank (more on that on Towleroad and Pam’s House Blend).
Rep. Frank has been speaking with LGBT media outlets, including 365gay.com, about what changes LGBT voters can expect from Democrats this year. Frank said that if Democrats pick up 15 seats in the House, they could pass a transgender inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Frank also talked about Americans attitudes around marriage, saying he believes that “we are moving towards a majority in favor of same-sex marriage.” More interviews with Rep. Frank can be found in The Boston Herald and again on Towleroad.
Meanwhile, the Log Cabin Republicans have spoken out amid their party’s development of its platform, which is expected to include a recommendation for a constitutional ban on gay marriage (check out The Associated Press for more coverage).
Scott Tucker, of the Log Cabin Republicans, commented on the platform and his group’s acceptance of its limited appeals to LGBT voters, saying that this year they are “more interested in substance over symbolism” and that despite the platform, they believe McCain to be an “inclusive candidate who understands that our party needs to reach out to all Americans to win this election.”
In the coming weeks we’ll continue to examine how the issues are being discussed both in mainstream and LGBT media during the Democratic National Convention and in the days leading up to the Republican National Convention next week.
Cohen/Jinks Produce Veteran Short
August 27, 2008 by Damon
Out filmmakers and Oscar winners Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks (American Beauty) produced a short film salute to veterans shown Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and narrated by Tom Hanks.
Cohen and Jinks produced the upcoming biopic Milk which details the life and death of LGBT activist and San Francisco Board of Supervisor Harvey Milk.
Rachel Maddow Profiled by the Washington Post
August 27, 2008 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
The Washington Post ran a profile of openly gay political commentator Rachel Maddow, who will begin hosting her own show on MSNBC on September 8. The article discusses her rise through the ranks of political journalism, beginning with a stint on morning radio, her show on Air America Radio and her increasingly frequent appearances on both MSNBC and CNN in recent years. Maddow speaks about her own awakening around LGBT issues, and the article discusses her status as a pioneer – she will be the first openly gay woman to host her own show on a mainstream cable news network: “Earlier, Maddow laughed when asked if she once thought it unlikely that a lesbian would host a prime-time cable news show. ‘It’s out of my hands,’ she said. ‘I can’t be less gay.’ But she does acknowledge the virtues of being a pioneer: ‘Being the first blank is always important.’”
First Look: Alan Ball’s True Blood
August 27, 2008 by Sarah
Alan Ball, the creator of the GLAAD Media Award-winning drama Six Feet Under, has reunited with HBO to present True Blood, a vampire drama based on the popular series of Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. In a conversation with Ball today, he admitted that he rented and watched many vampire films before setting out to write and direct the show’s first episode, which premieres Sunday, Sept. 7 at 9/8c on HBO. There are three things he promises will never be part of True Blood: No crazy contact lenses when the fangs come out, no opera music, and no cold icy blue light.
But what there will be is lots of blood sucking, gay metaphors, some gay characters, and even pansexual vampires. Why pansexual? “Well,” Ball explains, “for vampires, feeding and sexuality are combined. It goes hand in hand.” This means we can look forward to seeing vamps of both sexes feeding on male and female humans. But Ball tells us that some of his vampires lean in certain directions, attracted to one sex over another — just like many humans.
In Ball’s world, pansexual is the new bi, while the British series Torchwood considers its characters omnisexual. Are these all new labels for the same thing, or a generational rejection of terminology?
“I think, in my limited awareness of teenagers and people in their twenties, I think [labeling your sexuality is] just not that big a deal anymore, and that’s pretty healthy,” he says. “Kids are less inclined to be judgmental. That’s not to say there aren’t tons of judgmental kids, but it certainly seems to be less of a stigma attached to experimentation than when I was in high school. I think that certainly in the younger echelons of society, it’s just not a big deal anymore.”
The openly gay writer/directer gained acclaim following his Oscar-winning American Beauty and Emmy-winning Six Feet Under. Both featured gay characters weaved into the fabric of the stories. “I have a more organic affinity with characters who may be gay,” he says, but admits he doesn’t go out of his way to shoehorn gay characters into his projects, such as his new film Towelhead. “I live in a dream world where being gay is about as interesting as having brown hair.” He jokes that he certainly doesn’t proclaim, “We have to have a gay character, because goddammit, we’re people too!” Ball says he has two screenplays in the works: one with a gay character, one without.
We got a sneak peek at the first two episodes of True Blood, and LGBT fans should expect plenty of metaphors about the fight for minority equality (“God Hates Fangs” protest signs), a supporting gay character (wittily played by Nelson Elas) and plenty of onscreen sex and nudity. “I’m not sure that ‘porn’ is the word,” Ball tells us, laughing. “I would say ‘hot.’”
We’ve also been promised a lesbian character in future episodes and gay romances to come. He assures us, “There’s a little something for everybody in this show.”
Top Stories Today – 08.27.2008
August 27, 2008 by Justin Cole, GLAAD's Director of Digital Media
National News:
Los Angeles Times – EDITORIAL: A Gay President?
Newsweek.com – Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Do Kill
The Washington Post – Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s Newest Left Hand
Associated Press – GOP Takes a Hard Line on Abortion for Its Platform
Regional News:
Arizona Daily Star (AZ) – Voters To Be Told Gay Vows Already Banned
New York Daily News (NY) – Partnering Ain’t Easy for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Producers
Denver Post (CO) – Transgender-Death Suspect Faces Hearing
Boston Herald (MA) – Rep. Barney Frank Urges Democrats to Unite
San Diego Union-Tribune (CA) – Manchester Executive is Troubled by Boycott
Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV) – Domestic Partners: Panel OKs Benefits Expansion
News10NBC.com – Rochester (NY) – Grand Jury Indicts Spencerport Man for Hate Crime
The Baltimore Sun (MD) – OP-ED: Teach Your Children Well
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA) – COLUMN: State More Diverse, Less Safe
Big Brother 10: Ollie and the F-Word
August 26, 2008 by Damon
CBS’ summer reality hit Big Brother 10 is in full swing, offering all the drama, backstabbing and manipulation typical of previous BB seasons. Every cast has at least one houseguest you love to hate, and this season, it’s surprisingly shaping up to be Ollie, someone who has flown below the radar until his girlfriend April was evicted from the house. The 27-year-old Iowa native is the son of a Pentecostal preacher, and according to his official bio, “To this day, Ollie does not drink, smoke or curse; staying true to the values he was raised with as a child.”
For those who watch the live, uncensored 24/7 Internet feed of the show, you know this is not true. On Monday’s live Internet feed, while Ollie was in a heated argument with Memphis, he yelled, “Suck my d*ck, you little f**got!” He then repeated this request three more times (without the anti-gay slur), in an effort to get a rise out of his housemate, but Memphis kept his cool, perhaps knowing that Ollie has used the f-word a number of times in regards to other male cast members in an attempt to emasculate them.
On Big Brother 8, Amber stirred controversy when she spewed anti-Semitic remarks on the live Internet feed, claiming that Jews are not good people and that one can tell who is Jewish “by their last name” and “their nose.” The Anti-Defamation League cried foul, calling her remarks “offensive” and that CBS should be held accountable. The ADL issued the following statement:
“What they’ve done is distributed anti-Semitism — which started as a private conversation — and by putting it on a reality TV show broadcast it to the world at large. I want CBS to understand they are facilitating anti-Semitism. They should act responsibly to the community; they are legitimizing bigoted conversation.”
The ADL’s response didn’t take into account what is actually a nuanced situation: CBS did not actually air the anti-Semitic tirade, and the network does not censor or tape delay the Internet’s live feed. In response to the incident, CBS, said:
“Big Brother is a reality show about watching a group of people who have no privacy 24/7 – and seeing every moment of their lives. At times, the Houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone. We certainly find the statements made by Amber Siyavus on the live Internet feed to be offensive and they will not be part of any future broadcast on the CBS Television Network. Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a Houseguest appearing on Big Brother 8, either on any live feed from the House or the broadcast, are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS or the producers of the program.”
The 24/7 streaming of Big Brother is available in real time, and unfortunately provides a platform for all things from benign conversations to racist and anti-gay remarks. All words are heard, bigoted or otherwise. To be clear, Ollie’s repeated use of the f-word is offensive and inappropriate, and he and his family should be ashamed by his behavior. It was heard uncensored by paid subscribers to the Internet feed, and posted illegally to YouTube where it can now be heard by many. For its part, CBS is doing the right thing by not broadcasting such offensive and hurtful language on the network, and should go a step further and have the video removed from YouTube.
Big Brother thrives on controversy and conflict within the house. It wasn’t that long ago that houseguest “Evel Dick” received tremendous popularity based on his antics. Online subscribers heard him regularly making anti-gay and racist jabs, but again, CBS did not air his remarks on the network.
In the world of Big Brother, much like the world of sports, using offensive insults does not get you ejected from the game, but is as much about strategy as it is about revealing ones own prejudices. In this case, Ollie has hidden behind his faith and so-called family values, but his true self has been revealed to online fans. If there is any karmic justice, he’ll be going home soon and not be rewarded for bad behavior.
