Cable TV Shows: July 2007 Archives

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...