Video Clips: April 2008 Archives

I snagged this off Kennethinthe212. It's the love scene between Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe in "Shelter." For a pair of straight guys, I'd have to say they do pretty well here. Usually the whole thing fails because straight guys are afraid to kiss each other - they always end up sort of mashing their faces against each other. Gay men know the art of kissing. But these guys do OK, I'd give them a B-minus for authenticity in this scene but a soilid A for their overall performances in this fine film.

My post yesterday marking Barbra Streisand's 66th birthday included some videos of her performances but not this one which is one of her most dramatic and memorable. At the end of the 2001 Emmy telecast - which had been postponed twice because of 9/11 - host Ellen DeGeneres introduced a surprise guest but never mentioned her name. Suddenly, she was just there. And her version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was most powerful and meaningful.

I'll never forget it and neither will you.

This clip is hilarious. After seeing it, I'm not sure Neil Patrick Harris' head is still attatched to his body!

I came across an interview Helen Reddy gave to USA Today while I was vacationing so I've found myself humming "Angie Baby" at unexpected times since. In the late 70s, the first concert I ever went to was Helen Reddy at the Anaheim Convention Center. I was with one of my brothers and some cousins. I don't remember much about that concert but back in 1997 while I was vacationing in London, I caught her performance in "Blood Brothers" on the West End. It was a matinee and we got second row seats. Magical. It was during a record heat wave and the audience was given free ice cream before the show (or maybe during intermission) because it was so warm inside the theater.

I met Miss Reddy a few years ago at a book signing in Santa Monica for her memoir "The Woman I Am" and she told me how much she enjoyed that run of "Blood Brothers." I asked her why so many people still remember her songs all these years later. She kind of disappointed me with her answer which hinted there was something strange about it. Kind of like "People need to get a life."

Oh well, I didn't really like ther book that much. I wanted more showbiz dish and less reincarnation stuff. Anyway, this clip from 1997 is Miss Reddy on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" and it's tons of fun watching them team up for the classic anthem "I Am Woman" which Reddy co-wrote. Rosie really oughta do a DVD collection from her show don't ya think?

This is from Diana's 1981 special when she was still at the very peak of her solo career. She looks terrific, sounds terrific and clearly feels terrific. Stay to the end when Michael Jackson dances onto the stage. It makes you miss the person he was...

The handsome crooner is pretty much a natural at whatever he does from music to TV to movies. So when he hit Broadway a few years back in "The Pajama Game," he was a natural and nabbed a Tony Award nomination...

Jennifer Holliday created something so special and so classic with her performance of Effie in the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" in the early 80s. Her performance of "I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going" at the Tonys is still a wonder to watch.

Enjoy!

WIND BENEATH MY WINGS: When 'American Idol' judges talk to contestants about connecting with a song, they should instruct them to watch this video of Bette singing this song at the 1990 Grammys. It is a magnificant performance from her voice to her phrasing to the way she quietly owned the stage. Moments later, she would win the record of the year Grammy for what was her first number one hit.

THE ROSE: Bette was in her post-"Jinxed" period just before her big comeback in all those Disney comedies when she sang this live at a major Martin Luther King Tribute. The YouTube clip states 1984 but I'm thinking it was 1985 or 86 because I remember watching it on TV. Anyway, it's a wonderful rendition of the song and again, she sings the hell out of it.

Well, Audrey Hepburn may not have had the vocal power and range to sing the songs in "My Fair Lady," but this classic scene in "Breakfast at Tiffanys" shows that she did indeed have a lovely singing voice. She was such a one-of-a-kind star...

This clip has gotta be more than 30 years old! Cher, set to debut her new show in Vegas next month, really does know how to turn back time...

Well, what gay man hasn't spit out the lyrics of "I Will Survive" while getting over a break-up? If you have not and you are over the age of 35, then you must turn in yoiur gay card pronto! Let's face it, gay people are survivors and that's what makes us great and what makes us strong. We've gotten through so much and had to fight really hard to define ourselves and to live our truth.

I just love being gay.

I'm sorry folks, but I just watched the above video of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and all those thoughts just sorta welled up in me and I just went with it! You see, after "American Idol" ended last night, I left the TV on and "Don't Forget the Lyrics" was on (BTW, wouldn't Wayne Brady make a far better host for "Idol" than annoying Ryan Seacrest?). Wayne noted that it was the 30th anniversary of Gaynor's landmark hit "I Will Survive" and she took the stage and belted it out with all the energy and enthusiasm that she had way back when. She does not appear to be tired of sinigng this break-up anthem, thank God!

Singer-actor Sam Harris and Rosie O'Donnell have much in common: both got their first big breaks on the 1980s talent show series "Star Search," both are in longtime happy relationships with same-sex partners, both have adopted at least one child and both are very busy in the video blogging world. Sam recently had Rosie on for his weekly "Friend Friday" chat and I have posted all three parts. We know that Rosie is smart and opinionated and this shows us that Sam is too! Another thing they have in common! It really is like eavesdropping on two old friends and these two are clearly very close...

Part A: Sam welcomes Rosie, who he met in 1984. "We were children," Sam says. We find out they appeared on Broadway together in "Grease" in the mid-90s. Also in the cast was Megan Mullally. This one's full of showbiz stories...love it!

Part B: It's mostly about Sam's great friend Bridget Moynahan who, it turns out, is Rosie's third cousin. "You guys have a lot in common,' Sam says. "You're both bull-headed." Says Rosie: "My way or the highway!"

Part C: It's all politics...Hillary, Barack and McCain and more...

A lot of people have remarked on the appearance of Desi Arnaz Jr. in a photo I posted earlier this week of he and his sister Lucie Arnaz. All I can say is, everybody gets old and maybe he looked even older next to Lucie who still looks like dynamite. But in this clip from "Here's Lucy" from the late 80s or early 70s, you an see Desi Jr. in his hearthrob days singing a song and dancing with an absolutely gorgeous Ann Margaret.
Enjoy!!!

BONUS VIDEO: This is a more recent clip of Desi Jr. playing the drums at a concert of his ex-wife and still good friend Linda Purl who can sure belt out a helluva number. No wonder she quit "Matlock" !!!

Between "Shelter" and "A Four Letter Word," it's so great to see some gay-themed movies getting some attention in major movie markets in the form of reviews. Let's hope they make tons of money so more theaters will want to book same-sex flicks!

On April 18, the comedy "Kiss the Bride" will debut in theaters and it should have the most potential to reach a crossover audience with the presence of Tori Spelling as the fiancee of a man who may or may not still be in love with his high school best friend who unexpectedly shows up for the wedding! (Bonus: both guys are hit! AND they can act!)

Below is one of the trailers for the movie which I'll be writing about several more times as the release date gets closer and hopefully have some interviews with the cast:

This is from last Friday's "Kelly and Regis" which Anderson co-hosted. I've got plenty of posts coming up this afternoon - after lunch!

The stupidity of Jay Leno asking Ryan Phillippe to give the camera his "gayest look" gives us a good reason to look back on Ryan's days on "One Life to Live" when he was at the center of a breakthrough storyline playing a gay teen. Found this clip on Queerty.

This clip has become an Internet sensation and garnered Mikhail Youzhny far more attention than his tennis ever has. He lost a crucial point against Nicolas Almagro in the Sony Erricson Open then, in a fit of self-loathing, smacks himself in the head with his racquet three times!!! The edge of the frame connects with his forehead and, all I can say is, "There Will Be Blood."