Out in Reality TV: August 2006 Archives

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.

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.

The terrific Web site AfterElton.com has a cool Q&A today with "Project Runway" designers Kayne Gillapsie, 27, and Robert Best, 37. I don't watch the show regularly but thought some of their answers were good in this interview.

Here are some excerpts:

AE: You've both been pretty honest about your sexuality on the show. Do you think it's important for gays and lesbians to be open when they're on reality shows like Project Runway?
RB: I think the important thing is to just represent themselves. If that's not something you want to represent, then that's a personal choice. I can respect and understand that, because people have different reasons for putting themselves out there in the public eye. I think, for me, I just consider it a facet of my life like any other facet, like I have salt-and-pepper hair. I'm not going to make it an issue, and I'm not going to deny it. It's part of who I am, and I'm just like, “This is me. This is all of me. Take it or leave it. I don't really care.�

AE: There's been a lot of talk recently about gay role models, with George Michael claiming to be one and Lance Bass saying he didn't want the job. Do you see yourselves as role models?
RB: If that's what people want to perceive it as, I have no problem with that. I'm proud of who I am. I think I'm an accomplished, intelligent human being, and if people want to see me as a gay role model, I'm comfortable with that. I'm sure there are people who I don't represent. I can't speak for everyone. At the same time, I'm happy for someone to look up to me or whatever.

AE: Do you think there's any truth to the stereotype that most male fashion designers are gay?
RB: Yeah. I would argue it, but it seems to be true for the most part.
KG: You'll find a lot, just like with hairdressers and makeup people, anything that's creative or has to do with glamour or fabulousness, it's just something that we tend to excel at. I think the numbers are definitely higher. I haven't done any studies, but from what I've experienced, there're a lot more homosexuals in fashion design, than say, farming. [Laughs.]