August 2006 Archives
We just read about Eric McCormack's concerns about being typecast as a gay man after his eight years as fussy Will Truman on "Will & Grace." He should be heartened by the fact that two other talented actors who played gay on a series for several years are now the straight leads on new drama series that premiered on Fox in the last two weeks.
Kerr Smith, who played gay high school then college student Jack McPhee on "Dawson's Creek" for five seasons and averaged about one same-sex smooch per season. He is now playing passionate and cocky defense attorney Tom Nicholson on "Justice." I watched last night because the current issue of TV Guide actually singles Smith out and gives him one of their "Jeers" for what they say is bad acting. I disagree with them completely! He was just fine in the role although it is tough for anyone to play opposite a sensational Victor Garber who has found the role of a lifetime as an arrogant media-savvy law firm head.
Smith has never stopped working since "Dawson's" went off the air in 2003 as one of the lead's in last season's NBC drama "E-Ring" and also had a recurring role on "Charmed."
Meanwhile, "Queer as Folk" standout Gale Harold is playing FBI agent Graham Kelton on Fox's "Vanished" and his character is worlds away from Brian Kinney on "Q as F." On that racy Showtime series that ended its five-year run last year, Harold had about one sex scene per episode with his Brian Kinney being something of the town stud. Seeing him in such a different kind of role on "Vanished" shows me just how good an actor he is.
I think both shows are worth checking out and I am impressed by these straight actors who took on gay roles, played them for all they were worth, and now have moved on to other roles.
So much for being typecast!
Somebody stop those overzealous photo shoppers at the networks! First they trim down Katie Couric in a publicity still - as if she needs it - and now Rosie O'Donnell, who is clearly a bit wider than her co-hosts on "The View."
On her blog, Rosie.com, she wrote:
"i saw the view black suit photo on drudge and i vote yes it was photo-shopped. look at the amount of white space
between my arm and body barbara and elisabeth seem to vanish there in my underarm thinnest. yes i say
photoshop."
"the suit i wore that day is a size 16. it was very expensive which means it is really more like an 18."
"they retouched katie …yea….and they airbrush everyone in everything we see on tv or in print
EVERYTHING"
Good news for fans of "Melrose Place." The 1990s hit soap featured a hot cast including Heather Locklear, Rob Estes, Lisa Rinna, Grant Show, Jack Wagner, Andrew Shue, Kristen Davis, Counrtney Thorne-Smith and "Desperate Housewives" stars Marcia Cross and Doug Savant.
Savant, who is Felicity Huffman's very heterosexual husband on "Housewives," was the most highly-visible gay character on television during the show's run and was the only character on this show about a horny group of 20-somethings who didn't have a sex life, not even a kiss. But gay fans like me kept watching, kept waiting.
But Locklear was a hoot as was Marcia Cross and the eye candy was plentiful. I developed a crush on Estes that remains and it baffles me why he hasn't landed on another hit show.
The first seasons of both "Melrose" and the show is spun off from, "Beverly Hills 90210," will hit stores on Nov. 7. The "Melrose" boxed set will include 32 episodes since the show was launched in the summer to give it a jump-start, a move that later worked for "The OC." The "Melrose" set will include a handful of featurettes but no commentaries. The first season includes Vanessa Williams (not the former Miss America) and Amy Locane.
With the U.S. Open underway, I just gotta write a bit about a player I think the world of: Amelie Mauresmo. She is not only the number one player in the world and the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, she has been openly gay since she joined the women's tour in the late 1990s. She was never a player anyone had to wonder about or gossip about, she owned who she is right from the beginning.
While I know it was far tougher on Martina Navratilova to be an out-and-proud lesbian when she ruled the sport in the 1980s, Mauresmo took some garbage for it as well. When, at the age of 19, she upset Lindsay Davenport and a host of others to reach the final of the 1999 Australian Open, then top-ranked Martina Hingis said to the press that Mauresmo was like "half a man" because of her muscular body and because she brought her girlfriend Down Under with her. Amelie lost that final to Hingis, unfortunately, but it was Hingis' last major title to date.
That was pretty crummy but Mauresmo didn't make a big deal out of it, she just played. As the top player in France, she often crumbled under the pressure of a nation's fervent hopes but she has been in the top five most of the last six or seven years, winning many titles including the prestigious year-end championships last November at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Lucky me was in the third row for her semifinal match and I could just watch that beauitful backhand and graceful game all day.
In closing, I am thrilled to have a lesbian as the number one player again and even more proud that it's someone who is well-spoken, thoughtful and articulate in interviews and also a terrific sportswoman. She won her first round match at the Open on Wednesday in straight sets and it would be wonderful to see her hoist the winners trophy less than two weeks from now.
Good luck Amelie!!!
With those DVD boxed sets of "Queer as Folk" still costing a pretty penny, here is some good news: Logo will begin airing all five seasons of the Showtime series which ended earlier this year.
Every Thursday at 10 p.m., starting on Sept. 21, the ups and downs of Michael, Brian, Melanie, Justin, Lindsay, Emmet, Ted and all the rest can be seen from the very beginning. Logo will air back-to-back episodes. Remember the first episode when Brian met Justin? What about when Debbie (Sharon Gless) flipped her wig? When Emmet hooked up with the football stud? When Ted OD'd? It's all here, all 84 episodes. But, they are in edited form since some of the steamier scenes that were just fine on pay cable won't make the cut on basic cable.
Oh well, use your imagination.
This is something I'm more than glad to pass along: The Legacy Project, founded by Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, has announced the first two LGBT feature films they will restore: “Parting Glances� (1986) starring Steve Buscemi and the groundbreaking “Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives� (1978).
While mainstream films are both collected by nonprofit archives and cared for by the commercial film industry itself, independent films are largely overlooked. LGBT independent films—including significant titles from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s—are in particular peril because of a perceived lack of commercial value by the industry and/or the filmmakers’ inability to maintain their work themselves. Because the components of many notable LGBT titles are degraded, altered or missing, the Legacy Project is working to raise funds to restore these films to their initial release forms.
Says Outfest Executive Director Stephen Gutwillig: “What if we were unable to share these life-altering images with future generations? These moving images represent a profoundly important record of our struggles and joys—a record of where we come from as LGBT people. We cannot and must not be complicit in the erasure of our lives and our history.�
"Parting Glances" is a frank portrait of a Greenwich Village gay man dealing with both his partner’s imminent departure and his friend’s struggle with AIDS, “Parting Glances� was groundbreaking in itsrealistic and sympathetic treatment of the disease. “Parting Glances� also features the first starring roles of Steve Buscemi and Kathy Kinney (“The Drew Carey Show�) and is the only film director Bill Sherwood made before AIDS claimed his life.
“Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives� is a landmark stereotype-crushing film presents interviews with people from around the U.S. discussing their diverse experiences as gay men and women. Considered the first feature-length documentary about LGBT identity made by gay filmmakers, this film had a huge impact on gays and lesbians when it was released almost 30 years ago.
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My gay card would be revoked if I let the day go by without posting some thoughts on the appearance of Diana Ross during last night's ceremony honoring Billie Jean King at the U.S. Open. The supreme star, wig hair big as ever, sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" before introducing BJK. It was vintage Diana Ross, whose records with the Supremes my older sister played non-stop in our house growing up. So, her voice is on the soundtrack of my life in a big way.
I saw her perform live in 1989, 1991 and 1995 then finally met Miss Ross last fall at a big party for the DVD release of "Lady Sings the Blues." She looked great that night and as she worked the press along the "blue carpet," I asked her when she was going to make another movie or even a record. She gave one of her vague answers. "Yes! Bring it all on!" Huh?
That night on the Paramount Pictures lot, Smokey Robinson had the invited crowd in the palm of his hand singing some classic Motown tunes and Billy Dee Williams, Berry Gordy and others worked the crowd with gusto. Diana remained in a roped-off area, danced a little to Smokey, but didn't sing a note. She had done the press line, sat through the film and was ready to get the heck out of there with Jon Voight and at least four of her kids.
Before the film began, I was walking out of the men's room just as she was entering the theater and I overheard her say to her handlers, "No more talking, RIGHT?" She did not want to go on stage. But she did stand at her seat to bask in the applause.
Her attitude just seemed wrong because so many people were there that night just wanting to appreciate her and this great movie she made more than 30 years earlier and got nominated for an Academy Award.
That was the night that, as a fan, she kind of lost me. And she had me for a long time. I just found her to be not that interesting anymore and after watching her perform Monday night, that feeling was magnified. Nothing new going on there as a singer, same "If you need me call me" stuff.
Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.
Sorry for the tardy weekend numbers. Between the Emmys, Billie Jean King being fetted at the US Open and writing Tom Cruise stories, it's been a busy week...and it's only Tuesday!
But here is how some of the films with gay characters did over the weekend, according to final box office figures released Monday:
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: The Will Ferrell comedy featuring Ali G as a gay French racing champion remained in second place adding $8.1 million in ticket sales. It has grossed a superb $127.8 million in four weeks and seems to have plenty of gas left in its tank.
Little Miss Sunshine: My favorite movie all summer is NUMBER THREE WITH A BULLET! This gem expanded to more than 1,400 theaters and took in $7.4 million, a 31 percent increase over the weekend prior. The film, which features a wonderful portrayal by Steve Carell of a depressed gay man on a road trip with his dysfunctional family, has grossed $28.9 million to date and I think will be around a few more months. See it!
The Devil Wears Prada: My second favorite movie of the year is winding down its stellar run as it dropped to 20th place taking in $880,462. The film featuring Meryl Streep in a tremendous performance as an icy fashion editor and Stanley Tucci as one of her gay designers, has grossed $120.6 million in all.
Quincieanera: The Sundance Film Festival winner is now in just under 100 theaters and is doing steady business for an art film in limited release. It features several gay characters as part of the drama going on in an Echo Park neighborhood. The film took 33rd place with a weekend gross of $216,973 for a total of $1.7 million to date.
The Night Listener: This film that has Robin Williams as a gay talk radio host and Bobby Cannavale as his ex-lover is now in just under 500 theaters and continues to fade fast. It fell to 44th place (from 26th last weekend) with $76,640 in ticket sales. It has grossed $7.8 million to date.
Another Gay Movie stayed in 54th place playing in just 14 locations. The raunchy gay comedy in the vein of "American Pie" earned $45258 for a one-month total of $363,986.
New release "Queens" about a bunch of gay couples being married in a mass ceremony in Spain with their mothers complicating EVERYTHING, opened in five locations and took in $16,494.
"The Groomsman," which features John Leguiizamo as a man who comes out to his high school buddies at a wedding, added eight theaters to its run resulting in 650 percent increase in ticket sales from last week! The sweet Ed Burns-directed flick took in $11,062 and has grossed $118,582 to date.
"The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green" fell out of the top 100 as it played in only one theater over the weekend where it earned $2,533. The film grossed $145,354 overall.
Oh no, here we go. Erik McCormack is saying that he's become typecast after playing a gay man on "Will & Grace" for eight years. He tells the British newspaper The Observer: 'I have this big pink cross to bear,' he said while attending the International Television Festival. 'I absolutely loved playing Will. There was nothing hard about it. It was wonderful. But the only downside is the aftermath. I meet all these film executives who tell me how much they loved Will and Grace and say they never missed an episode. Then they say, "so what can we do for you?" What they could do for me is hire me to play someone else."
I'm not too concerned about this dude. First of all, he got to kiss guys like Taye Diggs (pictured, right) and Bobby Cannavale and even went steady for three episodes with Patrick Dempsey (they just hugged, never kissed). Besides, he's extremely talented, can sing and dance on Broadway, and is industrious enough to create his own thing like the current "Lovespring International," a show airing on Lifetime about a fictional dating service which McCormack exec-produces. The show has a few gay characters too!
The thing is, he wants to move into films. Since he wasn't a big film star before his sitcom, he shouldn't expect too much. I just hope he doesn't end up sounding like Harry Hamlin who played gay in 1982's "Making Love," like his second lead role in a film, then complained that he never got a lead in a major studio movie again. And now he's on "Dancing with the Stars." But he forgets, there was that whole "LA Law" thing and being named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" that could have brought him back to leading man status.
Back to McCormack, a married father of a four-year-old son. He is just going to take a break from acting.
'People think of me as the character and while I loved playing Will, I need to give myself and the audience a break,' he said. "I really want to branch out. I'd love to do a film. But it's not easy. I need to find a way in, probably an independent film. I just need to find that one film that will change people's minds about me.'
God I love tennis, especially on nights like tonight when it pays well-deserved attention to its rich history and to its true heroes. The United States Tennis Association dedicated the National Tennis Center in New York to tennis legend and equal rights trailblazer Billie Jean King. 
"So rarely are women thought of this way, to get something named after them in sports," King, 62, said. "For that I'm so thrilled. You have no idea because this is for all the world. Women, people of color, people with disabilities. I hope it will have an echoing effect. It's tangible, there's a focus, a beacon of hope, a new beginning. I hope people see this and dream big and truly go for it."
The openly-gay Billie Jean paid tribute to her life partner, former tennis pro Ilana Kloss, with whom she has shared her life for more than 20 years. She called Kloss "the wind beneath my wings." Note to USA Network: It was CRIMINAL to not cut to a shot of Kloss at this moment, CRIMINAL. She was featured prominently in the HBO special and I could only imagine how many times a straight, male athlete's wife would have been cut to on an ocassion like this. I want to find out what the heck this was all about.
Anyway, that aside, it really was lovely, especially the shots of Billie Jean's tearful 84-year-old mother, Betty Moffit, whose daughter turned to in the car on the way home from her first tennis lesson about 50 years ago and said: "I'm going to be the number one tennis player in the world!" BJK's dad, Bill Moffit, died less than two weeks ago and she paid tribute to the man she who said "was such a great daddy" who'd play catch "hourly" with her and brother, former Major League pitcher Randy Moffitt
A nice film highlighting King's amazing life summed it all up nicely and that is no easy task: the 20 Wimbledon titles; founding the women's pro tour; establishing a women's tennis union; fighting a battle for equal prize money at the major tournaments where the men are playing too; creating World Team Tennis and the Women's Tennis Association. And oh yeah, there was that Bobby Riggs match. .
My whole life has been about equal opportunities for girls and boys," Billie Jean said. "That's what it's been about."
At times giddy, BJK said, "It's going to be the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis National Center. I still cannot believe it!" But, as a kid from Long Beach, CA., who grew up playing in the public parks instead of country clubs, King reminded the capacity crowd that the tennis center is only for the pros during the two weeks of the US Open. The rest of the time, it is open to the public. "Mi Casa es Su Casa! This is your house!"
"
During an interview with Billie Jean King last month for a magazine profile, we were talking about the HBO special on her life that has been airing this summer. I asked if she felt like people wre finally recognizing all she had done for not only tennis, but for society. She just said, "Hardly anybody gets HBO." This was before she knew that the United States Tennis Association was going to name the National Tennis Center in Flushing N.Y., after her. On Monday, the first day of the U.S. Open, Billie Jean really got her due as former number one players past U.S. Open champions Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Venus Williams (16 Open singles trophies between them) took the court before BJK to honor the living legend who won the U.S. Open four times in singles.
Here are some of the highlights from each of their terrific tributes:
Connors called BJK "the first lady of tennis, the first lady of sport in my opinion. She's the one who made it all possible. It's her attitude and her heart that really sucked me in. No one gave it more than Billie Jean King...she took the hard knocks. She's loyal, she's fun, and she knows what she wants."
Chrissie, looking amazing at 51, said of her close friend: "She's been the single-biggest influence on me outside my family. She's my mentor. She even gave me advice on my love life when i broke up with Jimmy Connors (huge laugh, camera cuts to a grinning Connors, Evert's one-time fiancee). (Billie Jean) sees beyond the box and I was very lucky to come in right behind her. She is the greatest ambassador that American tennis has."
McEnroe: I was a 14-year-old chauvenist little kid hoping Bobby Riggs would kick Billie Jean's ass. But now that I am a father of four little girls, I have to say for the record I'm glad Billie Jean King won (the famous 1973 Battle of the Sexes match). I loved her (designer) Teddy Tinling dress that she wore over the years and she had more hairstyles than Andre Agassi and myself combined."
More seriously, he added: "She's the single most important person in the history of women's sports and I'm proud to be out here as her friend."
VenusWilliams, who pulled out of the tournament due to a wrist injury, made the trip anyway to be there for her former Fed Cup and Olympics coach: "I don't think anyone loves tennis as much as Billie Jean King. Her enthusiasm and love for the game and for life is so infectious. I would not be playing on the (women's tennis) tour without her."
I felt like I was cheating on "Out In Hollywood" but I was blogging for another Daily News site last night at the Emmy Awards: "On the Red Carpet." So check out some of my catty comments about Joan Collins, Barry Manilow and the queen of stupid questions, Nancy O'Dell of "Access Hollywood." Please forgive the typos, I was going a mile a minute. Here is the link to On the Red Carpet.
I'll just add this: I thought Mariska Hargitay looked gorgeous and was the happiest winner backstage. She just had her first baby at 42 and now has her first Emmy. I profiled her for a magazine piece earlier this year and she's one of the most down-to-earth actresses in television. Also, Kiefer Sutherland was very humble and handsome. He just gets better and better. The award for most boooooring backstage interview went ot Jeremy Irons who lamented that there were 90 channels on his TV at the hotel and he couldn't find anything to watch. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Now I can say I've completed the awards cycle for 2006. Worked the Emmy Awards Sunday night in a year that also included either red carpet or backstage stints at the Oscars, Golden Globes, People's Choice, SAG Awards, MTV Movie Awards, GLAAD Awards, the AFI Awards, and the non-televised but star-studded WGA, PGA and DGA awards. It's been a blast!
Let's face it, whatever else happened on last night's Emmy's show, gay men everywhere died and went to heaven when Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Farrah Fawcett came walking onto that stage, holding hands, to pay tribute to Aaron Spelling. First of all, did they look great or WHAT? Good God!
Kate was stoic and spoke beautifully while neither Farrah or Jaclyn could get through their remarks without tears. I noticed that when the three angels were on stage, the audience was focused completely on them, none of this looking around or looking bored. It was a big deal and it rescued a tribute that had been caught up in the Tori vs. Candy feud.
Only Jaclyn Smith came backstage to greet the press but she was indeed enough, so classy, so gorgeous. She told us about being with the girls again:
"It's flattering that the show is still talked about 30 years later and I think Aaron Spelling is responsible for that. We do see each other from time to time. It was fun to hold hands and walk out on that stage as though time had stopped. It's 30 years (since the show premierd) so it's kind of awesome...We were sort of like rock stars overnight. There were just the three major networks, no cable, so the show went into so many homes. It was fun to share it with the other girls, that's why Charlie's Angels was a success: the comraderie of the girls. It was about friendship."
The second season of the gothic gay soap "Dante's Cove" will premiere on here! Networks on Sept. 1. There's all kinds of action: addiction, insanity, love, infidelity, coming out and breaking up. I'm already hooked after seeing the first two episodes. Now I'm not going to give away any of the details but I think viewers will be pleased to see that William Gregory Lee (Ambrosius) has a cool new haircut that updates his look (well, he WAS under a spell and locked in a dungeon for 200 years and got a little shaggy) so he's even hotter than in season one.
The returning residents of Hotel Dante, most of them sexy gay men and lesbians, will be joined by some newcomers this season. New characters as well as Jon Fleming taking over the role of Adam (replacing Steven Arnell). Adam was straight last season but this season, all bets are off. Stay tuned.
One of my favorite characters is Van, wonderfully played by Nadine Heiman, is learning more about how to use her supernatural powers sharing terrific scenes with Tracy Scoggins (Grace), Thea Gill (Diana) and, of course, the soulful Charlie David (Toby) who is her best friend on the show.
“Dante’s Cove: Season Two,� was the first original series renewed by the here! Networks for a second season. The complete first season of the show is now available on DVD.
The show’s new website,www.dantescove.com
When whiny Marcellas, the only openly-gay housegust on "Big Brother 7," was voted out of the house last week, I thought that would be the last of him. WRONG!!! I forgot the remaining contestants voted out will be sequestered in a jury house located at an exotic oceanfront location.
So there's a bitchy Marcellas, the most annoying member of this or any season, griping as he arrives. He feels like he's in banishment and he is enduring the worst experience of his life. Gee, he must have had a pretty cake life if staying at a beautiful oceanfront pad is such torture.
He talks to the camera and vows to spend his first week along trying to regroup so he can be pleasant to the next person voted off. But when it turns out to be goofy Howie, he cannot contain his disgust. Marcellas is downstairs playing solitaire when Howie arrives and startles him. Marcellas shouts out "Nooooooooooooooo! No No No!" He later says he if he could swim back to the U.S., he’d brave the shark infested water to do it.
Howie is annoying but Marcellas has only himself to blame. He was a floater who didn't strategize one bit. He left it to others to determine his fate and got what he deserved.
There is a bright spot arriving soon though: hunky (and straight) James was voted off Thursday night and will arrive at the jury house next. Unlike the unbearable Marcellas, James was philosophical about it and left the house with his head up and wits about him.
Actor Van Hansis plays daytime television's most visible gay teen, Luke Grimaldi, who is figuring prominently in the current storyline on "As the World Turns." His character and the return of Erica Kane's lesbian daughter, Bianca, on "All My Children" more than makes up for the fizzle of the gay teen storyline on "General Hospital" that seemed to go nowhere.
"I remember when I was sixteen years old. And no matter whether you're straight or gay—you're trying to figure the world out," Hansis, 24, told AfterElton.com this week. "You have so many things pulling on you—popularity, pleasing your parents, hanging out with the cool kids, growing up and being your own man. Luke's experience is definitely very heightened, but I try to get myself into his head. "
While Luke's coming out has been filled with melodrama but the storyline has been getting kudos in general with Luke considered a believable and realistic gay character. CBS also teamed with GLAAD to create a Public Service Announcement to encourage viewers “to be an ally and a friend� to gay people.
Here are a few excerpts from Hansis' chat with AfterElton.com:
AE: How has the role of Luke Grimaldi affected your life?
VH: Well, being on a TV show, more than playing a gay character, has really changed my life. You get recognized, and all of a sudden you're put in a public medium you've never been in before. So that's been very interesting. As far as playing a gay character, it's nothing that I've ever had any negative feelings about. I love my character. In the end, I'm really glad they made my character gay. I'm able to do so much more than the average soap guy gets to do.
AE: Have you had a lot of reaction from gay teenagers?
VH: Yeah, I have. It's actually been very good to hear from people—teenagers, and even older men and women who are gay—who say I wish I had this storyline when I was a teenager. And I hear from teenagers who say they come back right after school because they have it DVR'ed.
AE: I can see that happening a lot.
VH: It's very flattering. The other thing that is really cool is that I've got a lot of mail from straight people, and also people who thought they wouldn't like the storyline because of whatever prejudices they held."
If you want some laughs, there's a terrific Spanish comedy (screened at Outfest) that is opening in a limited number of theaters in New York and Los Angeles today. "Reinas," ("Queens" in Spanish) tells the fictional story of the first 10 gay couples to be legally wed in Spain, in a spectacle broadcast live on TV.
Of course, nothing goes smoothly, nothing. There are crazy mix-ups and non-stop laughs. Although the guys are charming and sexy it is the actresses who portray their mothers who steal the show with their considerable comic chops, beauty and vitality.
Spain legalized same-sex marriage while "Reinas" was in production in 2005.
It's been 11 years since "Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story" aired on NBC and, finally, the movie starring Glenn Close and produced by Barbra Streisand, debuts on DVD Sept. 12. The movie won Close an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, the highest-ranking officer ever to be discharged from the U.S. Military for being gay.
Co-star Judy Davis also won an Emmy Award for her performance and the film won a Peabody Award and a GLAAD Media Award as well . DVD extras include interviews with Streisand, Cammermeyer and Close, as well as footage of the 1996 GLAAD Media Awards.
The movie seems just as relevant today if you look at figures released in May by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: 742 lesbian, gay and bisexual service members were discharged by the Defense Department in 2005, a 11% increase from 2004.
Col. Cammermeyer had a long and distinguished career as a military nurse but was dismissed in 1992 after revealing she was gay during a security clearance interview. She fought a two-year court battle and won and was able to resume her position as Chief Nurse of the Washington State National Guard, retiring in 1997 after 31 years of service.
Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures have parted ways and are now engaging in a War of the Words (You're fired! I Quit!). Read all about it in today's Daily News.
It all got me thinking back to this great night at UCLA less than two years ago when I met Cruise face-to-face. I was with a friend and we were among the thousands waiting to get into an auditorium on campus where Cruise was going to do an AFI sponsored Q&A following a restrospective of his films. He was working the crowd and shaking hands. I snaked my way to the front to get a glimpse of the guy and suddenly yelled out: "Hey Tom! Help me, help you!" He was on his way in but stopped, turned around and came over to shake my hand. "That was pretty good," he said with that mega-watt smile. I just thought, wow, this guy is the perfect movie star.
This was October 2004, post-Nicole and pre-Katie. I remember thinking about the first time I saw Cruise on screen in 1983 in "Risky Business." A star had been born. (I hadn't seen "Taps" or his other real early work) After that, I pretty much wanted to see every Tom Cruise film released and usually was rewarded with a good moviegoing experience. From "Top Gun," "Rainman" and "Born on the Fourth of July," in the 80s to "A Few Good Men," "The Firm," "Interview with a Vampire" and, most of all, "Jerry Maguire" in the 90s, to "Magnolia," "Collateral," and "Mission Impossible 3" in the current decade. 
That's an amazing body of work and Cruise is to be admired for his energetic promotion of any film he is associated with. But it was about six months after the night at UCLA when it all seemed to start to unravel. Jumping on a couch on Oprah over Katie Holmes was one thing but those interviews criticizing a post-partum depression-plagued Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants was nightmare PR. Even though "War of the Worlds" was a huge hit last summer, it seemed that Cruise's negatives were sky high. Now there are all the headlines are about "Where is Suri?" which I think are silly but indicative with his current image problem.
It seems like when Cruise focuses on his movies when he's in the public arena, he fares best. I hope we will see him in some good movies in the years to come and he'll talk about them with the passion that he did that night at UCLA. He may no longer be the perfect movie star, but he is still a terrific actor.
...in Pine Valley. Actress Eden Riegel will reprise her role as the lesbian daughter of Erica Kane on "All My Children" after more than a year away from the soap. Reigel will make her first appearance on the show's Oct. 11 episodes. In an interview in this week's "TV Guide," Riegel didn't reveal whether her character would still be romantically involved with Maggie, played by Elizabeth Hendrickson. Bianca and her former love, Lena, had one of the most-publicized kisses in the history of daytime television. (thanks to the alert reader who pointed out it was Lena, not Maggie, who Bianca had that smooch with.
Riegel did say "It's the kind of story I'm very excited about. Bianca has some challenges, heartache and new beginnings."
For those who are addicted to "The Real World," the latest cast, including gay member Tyler (left), will get together for a one-hour special on MTV at 10 p.m. tonight. The show, "Fun, Sun & Totally Done: The Real World Key West Reunion" brings together Tyler, Svetlana, Paula, Janelle, John, Zack and Jose to relive the show's more memorable moments.
Tonight's reunion made me think about how much "The Real World," by consistently including at least one gay cast member almost every season, has done to help foster understanding and love. When I think back to more than a decade ago when Pedro Zamora was on the San Francisco season, what I remember most other than his eloquence about having AIDS and his falling in love with partner Sean, was the rock-solid friendship he had with Judd and Pam (now married). They loved him like family, better than a lot of families, and it showed. Pedro died not long after that season aired, but it was a gift that he lived long enough to be on it and to impact so many lives.
The show's very first (and many say still the best) season was in New York and included a gay housemate: Norm. In the following 17 seasons, there have been many gays and lesbians. Since I haven't watched the show regularly in several years (I have other addictions now), I can only mention the houseguests I remember well: Miami had Dan Renzi who has stayed on the radar as a reality star, then there was Danny Roberts from the New Orleans season whose boyfriend was in the military but still had the guts to visit him with cameras rolling (face blurred though). 
My favorite season was with gay man Chris and outrageous lesbian Aneesa in Chicago. While Chris got all the attention with his model good looks, it was Aneesa who was one of the most memorable characters ever. Her emotional conversations with her mother, the fights with girlfriends, her walking around naked and just her general outspokeness. Aneesa (pictured below) was a hoot but balanced it out well with how articulate and thoughtful she was in the diary room sessions. Somehow, the seasons I watched without a gay or lesbian cast member aren't as memorable to me, like London and Las Vegas. 
Anyway, I hope the show lasts forever and always includes a diverse cast. I believe it has made a huge difference in people's lives and their attitudes.
We know there won't be very many gay characters on any of the broadcast network shows this fall so over the next few weeks, we'll spotlight the few that there are. First up: Sean Maguire, who plays gay 20-something Kyle Lando on the CBS sitcom "The Class" about a group of third-grade classmates who reunite years later.
"All the other characters are in a state of crisis," Maguire says in the current issue of "Out" magazine. "Me and my boyfriend have a happy, solid relationship. That's what I think is cool because it's a more honext portrayal of the gay fans I have."
Maguire, straight off-screen, is from a London suburb and racked up several acting credits including a part of the classic British show "EastEnders." Of his on-screen boyfriend, portrayed by Cristian de la Fuente, Maguire said: "(He) is really handsome. So by comparison, I decided I'm just going to be the quirky, funny one."
The show was created by real-life partners David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik who said of Maguire: "It was important to us that Kyle be this endearing, funny guy who anyone would want to spend time with. We totally found that in Sean."
How great is this? The wonderful Leslie Jordan, best known for his role in the film and stage versions of "Sordid Lives" won an Emmy over the weekend for his hilarious portrayal of Beverley Leslie on "Will & Grace." His flithy rich, bitchy and once comically closeted character graced 12 episodes of the series and is most noteable for his running fued with boozy, pill-popping Karen Walker (Megan Mullally). Unfortunately, in the series finale, the 4-foot, 11-inch Jordan literally blew out of a window to his demise just as he had found happiness with Jack (Sean Hayes).
After receiving the Emmy Jordan said: "I loved working with on "Will & Grace," they trotted me out like an aging show pony."
As the winner of "Guest Actor in a Comedy Series," the openly-gay Jordan will be a presenter, along with "Guest Actress" winner Cloris Leachman, at Sunday night's Emmy telecast. I'll be on the red carpet and hope to flag him down for a quick hello. This time, I won't make the same mistake as at last year's GLAAD Awards when I said, "Of all your roles, I loved the one you did on "Designing Women" as Suzanne's (Delta Burke) crooked accountant, Reggie Mac Dawson." Insert foot in mouth: Jordan didn't play that role, Danny Thomason did.
But he had a great sense of humor about it, said it happened to him all the time. BTW, he and the great Delta Burke, who appeared together this year in LA productions of "Sordid Lives" and "Southern Baptist Sissies," are now touring with "Sissies" through the fall.
My favorite movie of the summer, "Little Miss Sunshine," broke into the top 10 over the weekend! The film's terrific ensemble cast includes Steve Carell as a gay academic who goes on a road trip with his dysfunctional family as he recovers from a suicide attempt. His boyfriend left him for his arch-rival who is now topping the best sellers list.
'Sunshiine" took seventh place after adding 538 theaters (691 total) and grossed $5.6 million. The Fox
Searchlight release has taken in $12.7 million to date and expands into more than 1,400 theaters on Friday. "The regional openings were very strong throughout the weekend," said Searchlight Chief Operating Officer Steve Gilula. "The momentum continues."
Another film with a prominent gay character, "Talldega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby" finished in second place after two weekends on top. The Will Ferrell NASCAR comedy, which features Ali G as an openly gay French racing champion, took in $13.75 million, crossing the $100 million mark on Thursday. The film, released by Sony Pictures entertainment, has grossed $114.3 million in three weeks. "It’s a picture that appeals to the whole country," said Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of domestic distribution. "It’s attracted everybody."
"The Devil Wears Prada," which features Stanley Tucci as a magazine executive working for Meryl Streep, dropped to 15th place after two months in theaters but continues to earn money. "Prada" added $1.3 million to its total which has now reached an impressive $118.9 million.
Business went from bad to worse for "The Night Listener," the suspense thriller that star Robin Williams as a gay radio host and Bobby Cannavale as his ex-boyfriend. Business for "Listener" plummeted by more than 75 percent as it steadily loses theaters. It took in $384,000 over the weekend and $7.5 million overall.
The critically-acclaimed "Qunicearnera," winner of the top prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, saw its grosses keep growing as it continues to roll out into more theaters each week. The film with several gay characters took in $170,000 over the weekend and has grossed $516,000 overall.
"Another Gay Movie" played in 14 locations (three less than last week) but dropped in business by only 23 percent. The comedy earned $54,452 over the three days for a total of $292,911 to date.
The political family drama "Poster Boy" expanded to four theaters and took in $8,484 for a two week totl of $20,772.
And finally, "The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green" is now playing in only one theater and added $4,184 to its total which now stands at $25,469.
For a full box office report, see my story in today's Daily News.
After listing the top 10 female movie kisses as chosen by AfterEllen.com, thought it would be a lot of fun to compile a list of the "Out In Hollywood" top 10 male movie kisses (That's Colin Farrell, right). The main criteria: choosing kisses that really looked like how men kiss! That eliminated such well-known scenes as Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck in "In & Out" (Grandpa and Grandma Walton generated more heat, Val Kilmer (still the best lips in Hollywood) and Robert Downey Jr. in "Kiss, Kiss Bang Bang" 
and even Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean in "Making Love." They looked like two straight men kissing in this breakthrough film. Surprisingly, so did Craig Chester and Malcom Gets in "Adam & Steve" which is disappointing since both actors are gay! And while Seann William Scott and Jason Biggs won the "best on-screen kiss" prize at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards for their kiss in "American Pie 2," kisses performed on a dare just do not cut it. But read on, the studly Seann William Scott does make the list in the end.
So, here are the picks:
1. Thomas Jane and Vincent D'Onofrio in "The Velocity of Gary." This is a little seen film and may not be for all tastes but there is no denying that the first hungry, passionate kiss between the two leading men is a scorcher. They go for it and it is a beautiful cinematic thing. There is a video link to this kiss at the bottom of this post.
2. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in "Brokeback Mountain" Their technique doesn't come close to D'Onofrio and Jane, but they more than make up for it in passion and heart. When the two cowboy lovers see each other for the first time in several years, they kiss so intensely, they aren't even aware that the wife of Ledger's character (Michelle Williams) is watching. A well-deserved winner of the 2006 MTV Movie Award for best on-screen kiss.
3. Rupert Graves and James Wilby in "Maurice" (left) After Graves' character is emotionally-tortured for so long by his repressed and closeted love (Hugh Grant), he falls for the gardener on Grant's family estate and they kiss with reckless abandon and even end up together in the end!
4. Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna in "Y Tu Mama Tambien." This movie is so sexy anyway including sexy three-way dancing between the two teenaged guys and an older woman. At the end, she leads them to a night of passion where they finally express their attraction to each other.
5. Brad Hallowell and Gregory J. Lucas in "Vacationland" (below, right) Not seen much outside the festival curcuit, this gem will be on DVD this fall. The first kiss is during a daydream Halloway has an it is very sensual but a later one, after the high school football game, all their feelings go into it. There are many make-out scenes between the two so you have your pick of best kiss. As a bonus, Hallowell shares a real scorcher with his French teacher (Nathan Johnson). 
6. Steve Sandvoss and Wes Ramsey in "Latter Days" The forbidden kiss is always appealing so the first one between the Morman missionary and the party boy is nice. But things kick in to an other gear entirely later on when Sandvoss' closeted character throws caution to the wind.
7. Daniel Day-Lewis and Gordon Warneke in "My Beautiful Launderette." Late in the film, after they prepare the launderette for its grand opening, these two secret lovers have some champagne in the back room and share some very romantic kisses which includes Warneke pouring champagne down Day-Lewis' throat.
8. Ben Silverstone and Brad Gorton in "Get Real" (pictured, left) It is so heartbreaking when Gorton's character, the closeted high school jock, shows up at his not-so-closeted classmate's house drunk after the high school dance where they stared at each other, longingly, on the dance floor as they dance with their female dates. Gorton is tortured about it but less so after that first kiss.
9. Colin Farrell and Dallas Roberts in "a Home at the End of the World" (pictured at top of page) We all would have liked to see how Farrell and Jared Leto would have done locking lips in "Alexander" but as with everything else about that movie, we were sorely disappointed. But Farrell doesn't disappoint in "Home" where he has more than one kiss with Roberts. But my favorite is after they dance on the porch of their house, they lovingly kiss.
10. Seann William Scott and Ashton Kutcher in "Dude, Where My Car?" Who woulda thunk it? These two guys, playing girl crazy slackers, unexpectedly give moviegoers one of the best on-screen kisses between two men ever. They end up at a red light next to Fabio and his hot girlfriend and begin a game of one-upmanship. Fabio revves his car, Kutcher revves their car. Fabio puts his arm around the girl, Kutcher puts his arm around Scott. Fabio makes out with the girl, Kutcher makes out with Scott!
Some of these guy-guy kisses are featured on this terrific video I found on UTube that I suggest you all check out. It's heavy on the kissing scene from "Velocity" and you will see for youself why it ranked number one!
If you want to see gay characters on television this fall, you better turn to cable.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released its annual study today, “Where We Are On TV,� reported exclusively in my story in today's Daily News.
If not for scheming teen Andrew Van De Camp (pictured above with boyfriend) on ABC’s megahit “Desperate Housewives� and Dr. Kerry Weaver on the long-running “ER� on NBC, the only regular gay or lesbian character on a returning broadcast network show this fall would be a closeted accountant named Oscar on NBC’s “The Office.�
Of all the series regulars on the networks’ 2006-07 prime-time schedules, there are only the returning three as well as six on new shows - all in supporting roles. That makes for only 1.3 percent of all the regular characters on
scripted network shows during a year when portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters have gotten unprecedented exposure in such films as “Brokeback Mountain,� “Capote,� and “Transamerica.�
GLAAD analyzed the 95 comedies and dramas announced for the new season by CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, The CW and MyNetworkTV. Of the 679 lead or supporting characters on those shows, there are eight gay male characters and one lesbian. There are an additional five semi-regular gay or lesbian characters but no bisexual or transgendered characters on any of the shows.
Of the new network shows set to bow in the coming months, the ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters� features a gay man as a supporting character, the CBS comedy “The Class� has one of the only gay leading
characters on any show, the ABC comedy “Help Me Help You� (pictured, right) features a closeted gay man, and MyNetworkTV’s “Fashion House� has two gay supporting characters.�
Last fall, the networks had 10 regulars including Andrew, representing 1.4 percent of all characters on television as well as six recurring characters. The end of the eight-year run of “Will & Grace� meant the elimination of two of broadcast television’s highest-profile gay men: Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes).
Cable is a different story completely with 25 series regulars gay or lesbian in addition to many recurring characters on such shows as “The Sopranos,� “The L Word,� “The Wire,� “South of Nowhere,� “Degrassi: The Next Generation� and “Rescue Me.� The addition of MTV’s Logo channel and its drama “Noah’s Arc� has helped numbers with a cast exclusively featuring gay African-American characters while the LGBT digital cable channel here! TV has the soap opera “Dante’s Cove� that centers around gay and lesbian relationships.
Cliick HERE to read the entire GLAAD study!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters in broadcast networks!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters on cable!
I know the opening weekend numbers were low, but when I went to see "Snakes on a Plane" at The Grove this afternoon, I was still surprised to see the auditorium only about three-quarters full. It's just as well, more room to spread out.
I wanted to hear Samuel L. Jackson say "I've had it with these motha@#*& snakes on this motha@#%* plane!" I also was curious about the male flight attendant whose sexuality, I had read, was ambigious. So there he was, played by Bruce James, seemingly gay based on various stereotypical traits etc. But in the end, SPOILER ALERT, his hot blonde girlfriend, Kitty, jumps into his arms after landing. Passengers and flight crew alike had been sure he was in deep denial and had made her up.
I don't really see what's so funny about having a character like this in the film but, whatever.
The actor spoke about his not-so-gay role with AfterElton.com last week. Here are a few excerpts:
"When the bodyguard gets bit in the ass, what happens in the script is that right away they need to suck out the poison, but no one will do it. So he [Ken] says right away “I'll do it�. So it's things like that made people think he's gay. The same thing when one of the snakes dies and they're trying to figure out what color the snake is and Ken pops up and says “That's teal.�
AE: Does Ken have heroic moments in the movie?
BJ: Yeah, he does. I push someone out of the way of beverage cart racing down the aisle. I also have a moment with a snake in the galley. People are stuck in the galley, and I come in and push them out of the way and there is a snake on the floor. I pick it up and nuke it in the oven. That was a scene they added after they tested it [the movie], and apparently I tested really well, and they just wanted to add a little more stuff for me. It's a fun scene too because Ken sees the snake on the floor, and since they changed the movie to an R, I get to swear a little bit. I see the snake and say, “Oh, f*** me� which is totally something Ken would say.
AE: You seem pretty aware of the issues involved with this character. What accounts for that? Is that part of being a Canadian? Or just you?
BJ: I think for me personally it just has to do with experiences I had growing up. A good friend of mine in high school was gay and came out. Then I was also a resident advisor at Simon Fraser University and we did a lot of training involving a lot of different types of people. And you learn to have an open mind about things. That's one of the greatest jobs I've ever had. But I've always been open and fine, and I know that I'm not the most masculine person in the world. I'm not the most feminine either, but I'm to a point where I'm comfortable with who I am and I know who I am and those traits that I have.
There are few people in the public eye who I admire more than the great tennis legend Martina Navratilova who will be retiring for the second time from pro tennis at the U.S. Open next month at the age of 49! Over the weekend, Martina Navratilova won her 175th doubles title at the Canadian Open. It was a fifth doubles win for Navratilova at the Canadian event, each with a different partner. She also won in 1981, 1982, 1985 and 2004.
There are those who consider Martina the greatest female tennis player of all time based on the record number of singles and doubles titles won. But to me, Martina is "the greatest" because she came out back in the early 198