Recently in Cable TV Shows Category

ABC Family's theme is now "a new kind of family" and what's cool about the cable channel is that "family" also includes a gay character or two on some of its shows. On the new college-set drama "Greek," Paul James plays gay fraternity pledge, Calvin.
I chatted with the 22-year-old James a few days ago at the ABC Press Tour event about his latest role and he was quite thoughtful and articulate about that and other topics:
Q. Is your character going to be different from any gay characters that we've seen on television before?
James. That's the idea. It's going to be different just in the fact that [openly-gay creator and co-executive producer Sean Smith] doesn't want it to be, 'Oh, I'm gay, I have a headache, it's so hard to be me.' It's supposed to be something that is just an aspect of his character but then when you're navigating fraternities and sororities, it's gonna come up, it's gonna be an important part of the character. But we're trying to stay away from stereotypes."
Q. So is he going to have a boyfriend?
James. He does. He does for the first season, the guy who you see me with in the first two episodes ends up being sort of my boyfriend. He's a pledge in another house. So it's two people trying to find a relationship and he is much less comfortable with himself than my character is. So it's two very different people.
Q. This is ABC Family, so are there any kissing scenes or anything?
James. There hasn't been. I don't know what they're gonna do. I wouldn't have a problem with it.
Q. Any hesitation on taking a gay role?
James. The reason I don't have any hesitation taking gay roles is because as a black actor, a young actor, it's really hard to find good parts. There are just not good things written so when you see a role that's written really well, you want to do it. And a lot of times, the well-written roles for black actors are gay roles. They have some depth, something beyond I'm a thug on the street. I have no qualms about it at all as long as the material is good which it is."
Q. How did you research for the role? Did you talk to any gay friends?
James. I went school for theatre, I've had a lot of gay friends and I worked at a restaurant where I had a lot of gay friends so I talked to them about it and they were excited and there would be things I would ask them about. And I ask Sean.
Q. Can fans are very loyal. Is there anything you want to say to them?
James. Keep watching and hopefully, I represent you guys well. The most important thing that Sean wanted to do with this, and it's real important to me too, is to show little kids who are gay that you don't have to be afraid of who you are. You can be happy. That's why the character isn't going to be angsty about it."

I've been off the Rosie beat somewhat due to Outfest absorbing much of the last two weeks. Now that she's done with the True Colors Tour and off the gay cruise, Ro is now in Los Angeles reprising her amusing role as Dawn Budge on the FX drama "Nip/Tuck." Dawn is a trailer park dweller who won the lottery and the money has taken her life for some unexpected turns...including bedding the dreamy Julian McMahon's plastic surgeon character.
Anywho, Rosie (pictured above in character) writes a little something on her blog about her experience so far:

Oliver platt is fantastic playing freddy prune dawns true love here in hollywood... still tingles driving thru the paramount gates, golf carts and bikes zip past on the lot, muscled men with headphones, thin women in heels,
adorable girl grips AD’s & PA’s knocking with time cues: "10 minutes" ...this is what i dreamed of in bed on rhonda lane...julian and dylan charming as ever, stunning to look at, they make me smile...

On Big Brother: "turn on the tv, big brother. “i am not who evil thinks i am” said cale - crying...
On Lohan: lindsay fell, some will not recover...

Any fan of the late, great HBO prison drama "Oz" remember the twisted, tortured but ultimately genuine romantic relationship between inmates Beecher (Lee Tergesen) and Keller (Chris Meloni). I just read a terrific story about the relationship on AfterElton.com which interviewed series creator Tom Fontana who says: “The Keller/Beecher thing really grew out of the dynamic between the two actors, Chris and Lee, in the sense that my original intention was simply for Keller to be a classic sexual predator, using the Beecher character. But the chemistry between the two actors onscreen was such that I went, ‘Well wait a minute, there's more here and it's much more interesting than anything that I would have conceived of.' [...] It was exciting to see the dynamic between them, so that's why I stayed with that story in terms of Beecher 's development as a character.”

To read the story, go over to AFTERELTON.COM.

Here is a YouTube video I found in Keller and Beecher with more after the jump...

Lucy from the UK wrote a nice note of congratulations on Out In Hollywood's one-year anniversary and took the opportunity to make a few suggestions one of which is: more lesbian news and pics. She singled-out my not posting about Portia De Rossi inking a deal to appear on "Nip/Tuck" next season which, truth be told, I had planned to do yesterday but got distracted (honest!).
Lucy, I'll try harder and thanks for reading the blog every day!
As for Portia, I'd like to point out that while she is best known as Ellen DeGeneres' girlfriend these days, she has been a regular on both "Ally McBeal" and "Arrested Development" and was terrific in both shows. On "Nip/Tuck," Portia will be playing a manipulative lesbian mother, who wants her teenage daughter to get plastic surgery. Her appearance is in addition to the previously-announced return engagement by Rosie O'Donnell who made quite an impression as a trailer park woman who wins the lottery and wants the full plastic surgery treatment...and she ends up bedding Julian McMahon.
So not fair.
AfterEllen.com quotes an NBC Blogger with this description of Rosie's storyline: Here's the gossip on Rosie's role, according to an NBC blogger: "Rosie will come to Dr. McNamara and Dr. Troy for a procedure where she will end up having to have her mouth sewn shut! She's forced to communicate with them through a dry erase board. She'll appear in episode four, which will begin filming in mid to late July. They want her back for more episodes after this but they have not been written yet and need to check Rosie's schedule."

The gay television network here! said Tuesday that the first season "The Lair" will debut Jiune 1. The series will include six original half-hour episodes with a new one airing every other week. Here is the basic plot: suspicions arise when young men turn up murdered with vicious, mysterious wounds on their necks. Determined to solve the crimes, a young journalist discovers clues leading him to a private gentlemen’s club called “The Lair.” As he closes in on the truth, he becomes ensnared by a coven of vampires led by the enigmatic Damian.

The Lair stars Peter Stickles (below), who gathered a following this year from his work in the critically-acclaimed indie Shortbus, as Damian, as well as Colton Ford (above) as the heroic Sheriff Trout.

AfterElton.com exclusively posted some Logo news awhile ago that I find of great intertest especially since it includes a new series for the exceptionally talented, gorgeous and articulate Robert Gant whose last regular gig was as Michael's partner, Ben, on "Queer As Folk." He's going to play a gay bionic man! He already looks the part!
The action/comedy is tentatively titled "Gayonic Man." I haven't heard any more about it, not seen a second of it and yet, I am hooked!
Additionally, Logo's "The Big Gay Sketch Show" is coming back for a second season. It will go into production in the fall for an early 2008 start. Any sketch show - even "Saturday Night Live" - has itsa hit and miss moments. But I've enjoyed this show most of the time and see it only getting better.

And finally, we can answer the question of what the heck is Lance Bass going to do with his professionaly life since coming out last summer? I mean, you can only go to so many openings, parites and "Dancing With The Stars" taping before you gotta earn some money.
Bass, a former member of the boy band NSYNC, will be featured in a music reality program.
"Lance Bass brings an astute understanding of the music business from a uniquely gay vantage point," said Brian Graden, President of Entertainment for MTV Networks Music Group and President of Logo. "We're thrilled to be working with him."

Capt. Jack Harkness and his plucky team of adventurers on "Torchwood" are going to cross the pond and start airing in the U.S. on Saturday nights on BBC America. Why should you care? Because the bisexual Captain Jack is played by the openly-gay, recently married and very gorgeous and talented John Barrowman!
"Torchwood" is to be part of a "Supernatural Saturday" line-up that centers on science fiction programming and shows featuring paranormal events, including the BBC America co-production "Jekyll," a modern-day retelling of the classic tale, as well as new seasons of returning series "Life on Mars," "Hex" and "Doctor Who," the show from which "Torchwood" is a spinoff.

I don't know about you but as far as being lesbians go, Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox make excellent heterosexuals. These images of their highly-publicized smooch during the season finale on "Dirt" last night is more best friends than lovers. Still, it's nice to see these two lovely gals together - real-life best friends - on screen again. Thanks to JustJared.com for the images!

OK all of you who like seeing girls kiss: on tonight's season finale of "Dirt," Jennifer Aniston guest stars and will have a lip-lock with her former "Friends" co-star and real-life best friend Courtney Cox, the show's star and executive producer. Both actresses have downplayed the kiss saying it's not like they make out or anything. "Dirt" airs on FX - check your local listings for the time...

Production of 12 new episodes of Showtime's "The L Word" will begin this summer, the network announced Thursday. This will be the show's fifth season set to premiere in early 2008.
"THE L WORD(r) is a signature franchise for us and one of our most popular series," says Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's president of Entertainment.. "This season's guest star Cybill Shepherd and new series regular Marlee Matlin are indicative of the show's great quality. With our launch of OurChart.com (a social networking site that grew directly out of THE L WORD(r)), and the show's growing popularity in Second Life, this series goes well beyond the boundaries of a mere television show. Since its launch in 2004, the zeitgeist has never been the same."
To be honest, I don't know what the hell he's talking about in much of that quote but, I am assuming rabid fans of the show do!

It looks like Grant Show was the only star to engage in any kind of significant same-sex kiss on the FX show "Dirt." Producer-star Courtney Cox has convinced real-life best friend Jennifer Aniston to appear on the season finale and much has been made of their having a same-sex kiss.
Sounds like more of a lame-sex kiss:
Says Cox to "Access Hollywood": "There is no tongue and it is really not a big deal to kiss...I am not saying, 'Don't tune in to watch Jennifer on the show,' because she is fantastic and you get to see us together again. But if you think it is just about a major make-out session, you will be disappointed."

When I used to watch "Melrose Place" in the 90s, I always kinda wanted to see Jake (Grant Show) get it on with Billy (Andrew Shue). Since the only gay guy on that show was Matt (Doug Savant), this obviously never happened. But this fantasy is, in a way, coming true on then FX show "Dirt" where Show is playing a closeted movie star having an affair with the brother of a tabloid editor played by Courtney Cox.

Judging from these steamy pictures (and there is another one I deemed too graphic to post), I gotta say, both actors are NOT holding back. They accepted gay roles and are being quite physical with each other as gay men are. It's a long ways from the days when Matrt on "Melrose" used to say goodnight to his dates with...A HUG!
Enjoy these pics from "Dirt," I know I did! They make the upcoming Courtney Coxz-Jennifer Aniston kiss seem pretty irrelevant.

This looks more sexy than scary. That means I will watch. here! , which brings us "Dante's Cove," has wrapped production of the first season of a new horror series, "The Lair," that will debut on the pay channel this spring. Six half-hour episodes have been filmed.
Set in a small coastal town, "The Lair" opens as the bodies of young nameless men are turning up dead with vicious wounds to their necks. A young journalist is investigating a series of mysterious John Doe murders. Clues to these crimes lead him directly to a private gentlemen’s club called The Lair, where the deepest, darkest desires are fulfilled. As he gets closer to solving the mystery, Thom finds himself ensnared in a blood thirsty coven of vampires.
The Lair stars Peter Stickles, who gathered a following this year from his work in the indie "Shortbus," as Damian, the leader of the coven of gay vampires, as well as newcomer David Moretti, who takes the lead as Thom.

Watched the first three episodes of FX's new show "Dirt" last night and I think it has some serious potential of becoming a guilty pleasure. The show debuts Jan. 2 and stars Courtney Cox as a ruthless tabloid editor who will stop at nothing to get a photo or a story. I loved Cox as wacky and endearing Monica Geller for all those years on "Friends" so it took some getting used to seeing her be such a bitch!
She fires people on the spot and expects everyone to not only work hard, but to get results. She must be having a blast. The relationship between Cox's Lucy Spiller, editor of "Drrt" magazine (that's not a typo!) and a schizo but tenecious photographer (played by Ian Hart) who she orders to do such things as crash a funeral to snap a picture of a dead movie star in her casket.
Lucy has a gay brother played by Will McCormack who kind of serves as her reality check. He is a successful interior designer to the stars and one of the homes he works on is that of handsome movie star Jack Dawson (played by Grant Show). If you want to be surprised about what happens in episode three, QUIT READING NOW. If not, here goes: Remember way back when Show was Jake on "Melrose Place," the show that wouldn't even allow a gay kiss between Jake's neighbor Matt and another guy? Well, times have changed - especially on cable! Show's character is married with kids and talks about them on TV interviews etc. But we learn that he is a big closet case when he not only gives McCormack a very sexy kiss (no dry lip-lock is this), he then sinks to his knees and well, I think you know what happens next!" (Show and McCormack are pictured, right, at the show's recent premiere party)
When I chatted with Show last month at the "Melrose Place" reunion party, he couldn't give me details about what was going to happen other than he was playing a closeted movie star. But he did tell me he would be doing some things on screen that he had never done before!
OK, now I know what he means!

Cox and her super cute husband, David Arquette, are co-exec producers of "Dirt" of which 13 hour-long episodes will air. Show is on for at least three of the episodes. I like having him around, i hope they write him into more.

Just got advance screeners of season four of "The L Word," which begins its new season on Jan. 7. I'm excited about the additions of Marlee Matlin and Cybill Shepherd to a cast that already includes Jennifer Beals and Pam Grier among others. Here is the new cast photo as an appetizer!

This definitely sounds like very exciting news: Premium gay television network here! TV has acquired worldwide rights to the award-winning television series "The DL Chronicles." The network plans to debut the first three episodes this spring and will be producing up to 9 additional episodes in 2007. The second installment of the cutting-edge series, "Robert," just screened at the 2006 Fusion Festival on December 3.  I saw "Robert" and if it was smokin! If the others from creators Quincy Le Near and Deondray Gossett are anything like it, I think you will be quite pleased.

"The DL Chronicles" tells the stories of men of color who by consequence and by choice, live sexually duplicitous and secret lifestyles. Narrated by aspiring journalist, Chadwick Williams, as he pursues research while authoring a book about MSM (Men who Sleep with Men) aka "The Down Low," a slang term sometimes used for African-American men who identify as being straight, but secretly engage in sexual activity with men.

"The stories of men who have sex with men of color are rich and varied and deserve to be explored," Le Near and Gossett said in a joint statement. (I hate joint statements. Think about it, did they actually mouth these words at the same time as someone wrote them down?)
Anyway, here is the rest of what "they" say: "We hope to tell these human stories with integrity and honesty and continue to creatively raise the bar and push the envelope for Queer entertainment. We are excited to have the opportunity to bring our stories to millions of desiring viewers across the US and abroad, and especially proud to be in the company of those who opened the doors before us."

Bring on the DL Chronicles!

I used to catch the CBS Sunday night drama "Cold Case" far more often in previous years and from the very beginning, the show has had the occasional gay storyline and have been recognized with a GLAAD Award for it. But judging from the emails I got this morning, last night's "Forever Blue" episode was a real winner. But I missed it! It seems that CBS treated this episode just like any other without any special promotion. This is a good thing overall. I'm just sorry I missed it.
Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris) and her team re-open the 1968 murder of a local cop believed to have been killed in a drug bust gone bad. But Lily finds out that the dead cop Sean "Coop" Cooper(Shane Johnson) was romantically involved with his married partner Jimmy Bruno (played as a young man by Brian Hallisay and in the present day by Chad Everett).
One of my friends called this the "Brokeback Mountain" episode and it apparently included a passionate same-sex kiss. I love it! Coop had wanted Jimmy to move away and start a new life but he is murdered by two homophoibic cops who believed Coop was a queer cop disgracing the force.

AfterElton.com's blog Best. Gay. Day. Ever. writes: I think it’s a necessity for people to understand that gays and lesbians did–and do–get beaten and murdered just for being gay. (The show went out of its way to ask if things were really that much better for gay cops today.) Besides the aforementioned kiss, the show not only portrayed the two men as being deeply in love, but in fact being “the lucky ones�? because they truly loved each other. The show also showed the horrible damage wrought by living in the closet. And despite Coop’s death it even managed to end on a happy note as Jimmy, now an old man (Chad Everett) went back to where he had last been with Coop and saw themselves walking away together holding hands. It was quite touching and something millions of Americans tuned in to see without knowing they were going to.

When I saw Marlee Matlin at the Ribbon of Hope Celebration last week, I was taken aback at what an absolutely beautiful woman she is! What a stunner! I gabbed with her about her new role on "The L Word" which will have its fourth-season premiere at the end of next month.
"I'm having a blast. I love playing a lesbian! I want to be a good one and I want to do it well and do it right. I don't know if I have a lot more to learn, I'm sure I do," she said through sign language, was quickly relayed to me by an interpreter.
Matlin, winner of the best actress Oscar for "Children of a Lesser God," will play Jodi Lerner, the love interest of Jennifer Beals' character.
"I have to say, I'm a better kisser than Jennifer is but you know what, I let her take the lead," Matlin joked. "But at the same time, I think that has to change. I have to take charge!"

Series creator Illene Chaiken told me "I certainly think it's the best season yet. The characters really do continue to grow and develop. We have some fabulous new characters. Marlee is the headline, Cybill Shepperd is joining us. The show still keeps us happy."

For some reason, I got on the mailing list for Reason magazine. Just what I need, ANOTHER magazine. But the cover of the Dec. 2006 issue got my attention: "10 Years of South Park: Trey Parker & Matt Stone on censorship, politics, and staying funny."

The portion of the interview that I was most interested in was about the infamous "Trapped in the Closet" one that lampoons Tom Cruise and Scientology and makes thinly-veiled remarks about the actor's much-speculated-about sexuality. (Cruise is due to marry actress Katie Holmes, the mother of his daughter, Suri, this weekend ). The "South Park" episode shows Cruise's ex-wife Nicole Kidman and fellow Scientologist John Travolta attempting to coax a fictional Tom Cruise character out of a closet, with Kidman saying: "Don't you think this has gone on long enough? It's time for you to come out of the closet. You're not fooling anyone."

The episode aired once in 2005 but was pulled from the rerun schedule which caused a storm of controversy. Here is some of what Stone had to say about it:

Q: How did the network respond to pressure from the Church of Scientology about the episode?
Stone: They blew it off. To be fair, it wasn't really at the Comedy Central level. It was way up at the [Comedy Central owner] Viacom level. It wasn't a choice or anything we had any say in. The only thing that we got was a phone call saying that the producers of "Mission Impossible 3" (released by Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures) want this show off the air. The rerun was supposed to air that night. So we bitched and moaned and yelled at them on the phone...But then we realized - and luckily it came true - that you can't just pull an episode off the air anymore. People are going to find out. Sure enough, it was all over the press. The Internet makes those backroom deals a lot harder to do."

I love this ad: "Wedding Wars: His brother is out. his wedding is off. The war is on."
Hey, I don't know if this movie is any good but i intend to find out. Why? Will give ya two reasons: John Stamos and Eric Dane. The impossibly handsome Stamos, whose presence has really boosted the ratings for "ER" this season, plays a gay wedding planner whose brother (Dane, Dr. McSteamy on "Grey's Anatomy") is getting married to the conservative (anti-gay marriage) governor's daughter. That's when things get interesting. Stamos goes on strike, refusing to plan the wedding and calling for a nationwide strike on all weddings.

The movie airs on A&E channel on Monday, Dec. 11...9 p.m. (8 p.m. central)

I gotta say, I love that Cybill Shepherd! A star for 35 years starting with 1971's "Last Picture Show," Cybill always finds a way to reinvent herself. She's gone from A-list movie star to country singer to TV superstar ("Moonlighting") to Emmy-nominated sitcom lead ("Cybill) to talk show host, author and cabaret singer.
What. A. Woman.
But we haven't seen much of Cybill lately except for in a pair of TV movies in which she played Martha Stewart. But come Jan. 21, the sensational Shepherd will join the cast of Showtime's "The L Word" as a vice chancellor of a university and married mother of two children who has a fling with Leisha Hailey's character, Alice.

Shepherd, 56, tells USA Today that she "never played a character like this before. It's just thrilling to be part of a show that's almost all women."

As for the love scenes? "It's easier to play a love scene with a woman," she says. Men have more "issues."

Shepherd says more than once that she was "turned on" by the woman-woman sex scenes. But the twice-divorced Shepherd says that in real life, she has a boyfriend. Basically, she doesn't like labels. "If you look at what we know about men, women and our sexuality, a great majority of people are bisexual. So what's wrong with that?"