Category Archives: LGBT

Soderbergh’s Liberace Movie “Too Gay,” Say Studios

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Behind The Candelabra, Liberace Movie With Michael Douglas And Matt Damon, Deemed Too Gay By Studios: Director.

“Nobody would make it,” Soderbergh told The New York Post of his new movie, which stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. “We went to everybody in town. They all said it was too gay.”

Soderbergh, whose credits include “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Traffic,” as well as last summer’s smash “Magic Mike,” said he was “stunned” by the response.

2013 Winter TCA Tour - Day 1

Michael Douglas plays Liberace and Matt Damon is his lover in Steven Soderbergh’s new movie, “Beyond the Candelabra,” which airs on HBO.

 

I love Steven Soderbergh — all the way back to Sex, Lies and Videotape days — but I’m shocked that he hasn’t realized that the most homophobic place in America is Hollywood.

This is why, shamefully, so many actors are afraid to come out: they fear they’ll never work again. Crazy frustrating.

I just watched an interview with Cheyenne Jackson — amazing talent and gorgeous to boot — who said that he’s sure he’s lost parts because he’s very open about who he is. That’s just sad. And wrong.

And one last thing before I head off to punch a wall: It’s a movie about Liberace. What did you expect? We were going to butch it up?

Finnish Soap’s Gay Storyline Finds International Fans Thanks to YouTube

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UPDATE: 10/17/2013 – Just FYI, missfinlandia88’s original YouTube account was deleted on copyright violation grounds and is currently offline. You should know that missfinlandia88 DID have permission from Freemantle, the soap’s distributor to post the content. Like most annoying things, it may have been some anti-gay person or group who instigated the copyright “violation.” Meanwhile, they are working to get the original site back up. You can view new segments if you search “Elias Story” on YouTube. Those results uploaded by “Elias Story” are actually from missfinlandia88. Good luck and happy Finnish viewing!

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YouTube user missfinlandia88 has been uploading the storyline of Elias and Lari from the Finnish sudser Salatut Elämät for a good while now — and it has caught on with English speakers from around the world thanks to missfinlandia88’s captioning of the episodes. In the first video below, she explains how the Finnish media have picked up on the story.

I’ve watched some of this and I don’t think it’s half-bad. The writing and storylining are a little stilted at times, but the actors really give it their all. According to the translation of the article, above, the show’s production company feel that this type of content distribution can only enhance the show. More folks should get on board with this type of thinking, I believe.

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Petteri Paavola (left) is out teen Elias and Ronny Roslöf is closeted hockey player Lari in the Finnish series Salatut Elämät.

Here’s a clip of the Elias and Lari storyline. For the record, I can’t begin to pronounce the title of the show in Finnish. I just call it “Lots of Umlauts!” Enjoy.

Less Hate; More Pizza!

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Joel Diaz And Ethan White, Gay Men Harassed While Waiting For Pizza, Speak Out.

Can’t believe I haven’t blogged about this yet. It’s a terrific story of people standing up for equality. In Ohio. In the middle of winter. You may not realize that tolerant people are alive and well in Ohio — the state that gave the nation John Boehner — but it is. Diaz’s original post on Facebook went viral. It’s also terrific. There are a couple of videos worth watching in this link from Huffington Post Gay Voices.

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ESPN Shows Pro Athlete Kissing Husband; World Does Not End

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In what might be a first, ESPN this weekend showed an openly gay male pro athlete kissing his husband and they did not shy away from describing the relationship.

via ESPN shows pro bowler Scott Norton kissing his husband after victory – Outsports.

This is a sweet story. Athlete wins championship. Athlete’s spouse comes to congratulate him. They kiss. Only thing is that they are both men.

Yawn. I do long for the day when this is absolutely a non story.

Scott Norton, right, shares his victory with his husband, Craig Woodward. Photo: RJ Ross via Outsports.

Scott Norton, right, shares his victory with his husband, Craig Woodward. Photo: RJ Ross via Outsports.

An interesting story here may be that the 30-year-old Norton is a practicing attorney as well as a pro bowler. Someone needs to write about that.

Maryland Gay Marriage: Same-Sex Couples Prepare For Jan. 1 Weddings

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Gay couples are preparing for New Year’s Day weddings in the first state south of the Mason-Dixon Line to allow same-sex marriage, which will become legal in Maryland on Tuesday.

via Maryland Gay Marriage: Same-Sex Couples Prepare For Jan. 1 Weddings.

So happy for Maryland, a place I’ve adopted as home, even though I was born and raised elsewhere. When I lived in Maryland, O’Malley was generally referred to in our crowd as “the Boy Mayor of Baltimore.” Hot AND played in a band. What’s not to love??

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley looks on before signing the Civil Marriage Protection Act in Annapolis, Md., Thursday, March 1, 2012. Maryland is the eighth state to legalize same-sex unions. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley looks on before signing the Civil Marriage Protection Act in Annapolis, Md., Thursday, March 1, 2012. Maryland is the eighth state to legalize same-sex unions. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Henry Rollins Backs Gay Marriage In New Editorial

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“Marriage equality is a term so ridiculous on its face that when you hear it mentioned, you would think you were in Riyadh. Years from now, perhaps we can lose the equality part, the same-sex part and call it what it is — marriage. As much as the homophobes, an ever-thinning herd, whines and screeches, the earth is shifting underneath their feet and things are getting better all the time. This is going to be an incredible century. Didn’t get off to a very good start but we are making some bold and exciting strides forward.”

via Henry Rollins Backs Gay Marriage In New Editorial.

Great piece and video by Henry Rollins, one of our most insightful voices.

‘EastSiders,’ Web Series Debuts Second Episode

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‘EastSiders,’ Comic Web Series About Gay Life, Debuts Second Episode.

I’m not sure why it’s “comic” in the headline. I wouldn’t call it a comedy. Maybe a deep, dark, black comedy. What it is, really, is just plain good.

I’ve blogged about this before, but here’s episode #2 of a series you should be watching. (The link jumps to a story and video embed on HuffPo.)

Kit Williamson and Van Hansis star as Cal and Thom in the new web series "Eastsiders."

Kit Williamson and Van Hansis star as Cal and Thom in the new web series “Eastsiders.”

Jason Hite Bare Broadway Buzz

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Jason Hite plays one-half of the central couple in “Bare,” now playing at New World Stages. Image: Broadway.com

Teens have even approached him in tears after the show, saying, “This is my story.” Although Hite has a girlfriend in real life, it’s not hard for him to fall for his co-star Taylor Trensch every night. “I take the love I have for my girl and just copy and paste it onto Taylor,” he says. “It’s honest love. It doesn’t matter who the person is, it doesn’t matter what they are. Sometimes, love is just undeniable.”

via Jason Hite on Sharing a Dressing Room With 15 People and Getting Steamy With His Bare Co-Stars | Broadway Buzz | Broadway.com.

He is very good in this. As is Taylor Trensch. As are several other standouts in the cast. The problem: the script does not live up to them, I’m sorry to say.

My original thoughts here.

Nate Silver On Being Gay After Being Named Out Magazine’s ‘Person Of The Year’

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Nate Silver describes himself as “sexually gay but ethnically straight” in a new interview with Out magazine, who named the American statistician “Person of the Year” in its new issue.

via Nate Silver On Being Gay After Being Named Out Magazine’s ‘Person Of The Year’.

This is a good piece on HuffPo about Silver, who I have a bit of an, um, academic crush on? Is that a thing? I just love the way his mind works.

Earlier Post.

EastSiders – New Web Series Worth Watching

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Take a few minutes and watch this new web series from Kit Williamson. Interesting story. Terrific acting.

Look, I’ll be honest with you. I’d happily pay to watch Van Hansis read the damn telephone book. I think he’s a sensational talent — and I was delighted to see him in this. Like so many others, I first encountered him as Luke Snyder on As The World Turns. I watched him in a two-hander with the astonishing Elizabeth Hubbard and he matched her note for note. I just couldn’t believe it. I’d never seen anyone do that before. “Who IS this kid?” I asked. I think that was 2006 or 2007. I’ve been watching him ever since.

Watch this. You won’t regret it.

By the way, more information here.

I’m hoping that they start a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign. I understand they have three episodes in the can. I sure would like to see these performers do some more.