Out in Reality TV: January 2007 Archives

Get back from breakfast and see this email from Marcellas Reynolds who I met last month at a National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Assn. Christmas party at East West Lounge in West Hollywood. We chatted a bit and he even bought a raffle ticket from me (I'm on the NLGJA board). I knew i had written some unkind things about his days on "Big Broither" but I didn't tell him that there, not during the holidays! But he's no fool, he just found the blog and wrote me the following:

"So I get to your site through my friend and blogmate, Clay's. I look @ your pic and realize we met at an event. I start reading through things you've written. Good. Funny. And then I get to things you said about me. It's not often you meet your detractors face to face. I was nice to you when we met. It's a bit unsettling to see that you weren't very nice about me in your coverage of Big Brother.
I find it interesting that this is the year that GLAAD chooses to nominate Big Brother. When I look @ the season I see cast mates who were homophobic. I see the only gay cast member to make the show willfully edited poorly. I see a lack of inclusion of gay cast members on a production scale. I also see a show I was not proud to be a part of.
I'll say this, I wasn't happy to be there. For me Big Brother All-Stars was a bad experience all around. Do I think I deserve a bit of latitude for that? I don't know. I do think that in the future you should try and be nicer about the House Guests. We are human. And on a show like Big Brother, that is so heavily edited for a desired outcome, viewers don't get the truest measure of who we are. And who knows? You may one day meet us."
M. Reynolds

From Greg to Marcellas: 1. Please don't throw a drink in my face next time we meet. 2. I'm sure you are a far more pleasant person than what was portrayed on television. 3. I feel terrible that you were edited so poorly. 4. Thanks for buying the raffle ticket!

To my readers: I sure hope I never run into Donald Trump!

Was so busy running around yesterday getting credentialed and doing a walk-through for Monday's Golden Globes that I missed some big news! Maybe you've read it elsewhere but I'm gonna put the official Out in Hollywood stamp on it: 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" will be gone from the airwaves after Bravo airs the remaining episodes of the show this summer. The last show aired will be the show's 100th episode.
I think the show featuring the Fab Five deserves so much credit for bringing straight men and gay men together and it did so with such humor and fun. Their presence on the airwaves has had such an impact on pop culture. Carson Kressley, obviously, is who made the show really work with his bigger-than-life personality, Kyan Douglas, the grooming dude, was the hunk with a heart, and the others complimented them well. Ted Allen the food guy was very self-assured and we all learned a lot about food from him and Jai Rodriguez the culture guy didn't ever have a really clear role much of the time but he made it work! And, of course, Thom Filicia, the decorator, who I wish would come over and help me with this Feng Shui thing I'm struggling with the last three weeks.
I wish them all the best and look forward to seeing the remaining episodes which have already been filmed.
In related news,. Bravo announced Friday that "Project Runway's" motto-spouting mentor Tim Gunn will host "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" in which he will personally shepherd one poor schlub's journey from fashionably awful to awesome. Using the book "Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style" (co-written with Kate Moloney) as a manual, Gunn will tutor everyday people on his style philosphy and how to "make it work" - from finding the right fit and revamping closets to proper grooming and selecting a fashion role model.
"I'm practically delirious that Bravo has given me this incredible opportunity and together, we vow to redefine "makeovers,"' Gunn said in a statement. "This series aims to be one-part education and two-parts fun, and you'll see me being a fashion therapist, not a svengali."
Not sure what this means for his future participation in "Project Runway." The press release was a little unclear and since it is Saturday morning and I gotta go get a new cell phone (dropped it in West Hollywood last night! Damned thing is broken!) I can't investigate this mystery.
But promise to keep ya posted.

So, a new dating show on Lifetime has a woman going out with three different men - one straight, one gay, and one in a relationship. She's gotta try and pick the single and straight guy in order to get a free trp with him. I watched the first episode awhile back and it was fine, nothing thrilling. I'd rather see a gay dating show, personally, and see how that goes. After all, we've got so many of those ElimiDATE shows on the air with some not-always very broight people.
AfterElton.com had a thoughtful piece on the new show exploring whether it is something that is good o0r bad for gays. To read it, click HERE.