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 CLICK HERE to go back Click Here For Page 1 News / Etc. Page 3 ;void(0)) What Took So Long?
We’re here! We’re queer!… And now we’re all over television. Who woulda’ thunk it? In the past year the number of gay-themed television shows to come out of the closet has been rivaled only by the number of reasons [Read: Excuses] offered by the U.S. government for its invasion of Iraq. And believe you me, there are a whole lot more (of both) on the horizon. Suddenly it’s all the rage to be queer and the networks are clamoring to get as much same-sex loving content as they can wrap their grubby little paws around onto the airwaves. Just recently, DirecTV launched here! TV , a pay-per-view channel offering programming specifically targeted to the GLBT community and in May of this year Viacom, home of MTV, VH1, Showtime and CBS, announced that it will launch Logo, an advertiser-supported basic cable network that will offer 100% gay programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week beginning in February 2005. And that’s just the beginning. Rainbow Media launched Divine HD on satellite in the not so distant past and hovering on the brink of fruition is Q Television, a satellite channel that will be offered on a subscription basis and promises to attract a diverse audience that goes beyond the gay and lesbian population, also expected to launch later this year. Not to be outdone or left out in the cold (no pun intended), Canada’s PrideVision is also planning an assault on the U.S. market vis-a-vis a distribution agreement with Time-Warner that is likely to hit any day now. So whether or not you even want your gay TV, you sure as hell are gonna get it! However the thing that interests me most about this sudden obsession with gay programming actually has nothing to do with the fact that it’s happening. It has more to do with the fact it took television executives so long to figure out what fertile ground gay programming would provide. I’m no television executive, but I could have seen the potential of gay programming with my eyes closed and taped shut. I mean let’s face it, long before the success of shows like "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "Will & Grace," gays had already proven that they were bankable commodities on the small screen. Think about it for a second. Didn’t we all just live for Paul Lynde’s appearances on "Bewitched?" And wasn’t it Paul Lynde who made the original "Hollywood Squares" an over-the-top success as the center square? And could there have been a more obviously gay human being on the planet than the acerbically witty Mr. Lynde? Was Liberace’s weekly variety show not a must-see in American households from sea to shining sea? And just who did the networks think were giving the Sonny and Cher show such record ratings (not to mention doing Miss Thing’s hair and make up and designing her gowns)? Can anyone forget Jim J. Bullock’s limp-wristed Monroe who helped make "Too Close For Comfort" bearable for so many years or any of Truman Capote’s highly-rated television appearances? And what about the day that Stephen Carrington, Alexis and Blake Carrington’s beloved son on Aaron Spelling’s Dynasty came out of the closet and announced that he was gay? Who wasn’t glued to the television then? If you asked me, that was right about the time that "Dynasty" became a bonafide hit! The reality is that gays have always been ratings winners. When in doubt or in ratings trouble, television writers have always gone to the gay well to keep a show alive and attract viewers because whether or not society wants to admit it, gay folks are imminently watchable and imminently entertaining. It’s not that we try to be, we were just born that way. It didn’t take the success of "Queer As Folk" or "So Graham Norton" to prove to me that gay programming would be a runaway hit. I knew it, just as sure as I knew that Tom Ford was a genius the moment I laid eyes on his first collection for Gucci. It wasn’t like the alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which have managed to elude U.S. and Allied troops for so long. It was always sitting right there in plain sight. So do I want my gay TV? You’re damn right I do because it is a thing whose time has come. And just like so many of the best things in life, it was sitting under our noses all along waiting to be discovered and thank God it finally has. ;void(0)) Everything you ever wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. 07.15.04 Would you like to start waxing but don't know where to go? How do you find a good salon? What should I know before I consider waxing? These questions and more will be answered by Wax Poetic owner Kerry Nicole along with a few tips to help you through the process. WHY WAX? Waxing is popular because nobody likes to shave, you stay smoother longer (hair takes longer to grow back than with shaving), and the hair grows back thinner & is less noticeable. Other advantages are that you get to say goodbye to razor burn, razor cuts, and stubble (no more 5 o'clock shadow underneath your arms). The downside to waxing is that you have to let the hair grow back at least a quarter of an inch before you can get it waxed and some people just can't stand the growing out period. If you are one of these people then waxing is not for you. However, if you can stand a little bit of hair, the good news is that the more you wax the less your hair will grow back so that the little bit of hair left is barely noticeable. STOP SHAVING!!! - Once you have made the decision to start waxing, you need to stop shaving. When you shave in between waxings, the hair follicle grows in thicker and begins a very frustrating process for both the esthetician and the person being waxed being that now not only is the hair getting stronger and thicker, rather then weaker, but the hair is more painful to pull out. Owner Kerry Nicole of Wax Poetic says, "I usually try to get people to wax at least three times in a row without shaving so we can hit all three hair growth cycles and really weaken the hair so the client will really get a sense of the benefits of waxing and how much less their hair will grow back." DO YOUR RESEARCH - Obviously the best way to find a great esthetician is through a referral. Another good way is to try checking out the yellow pages and look for the salon with the largest ad. A large ad indicates that the salon is making enough money to be able to pay for the ad and if they are making money they are probably good at what they do. The internet is also a good resource, particularly sites where customers can post reviews, sometimes there are even ratings. This is a great way to get a feel for what your experience will be like. CALL THE SALON - When you call a salon, pay attention to how the receptionist responds to you and your questions. If the receptionist is rude or gives you attitude, call somewhere else; at the same time be aware that if you are calling a busy salon the receptionist is going to be handling multiple phone lines so try and keep your questions short and to the point. Says Nicole, "When calling a salon for the first time ask how many different types of wax they use. We use three different types of wax, but please don't ask what brand of wax they use since you don't know brand names and often neither will the receptionist." VISIT THE SALON AND MEET YOUR ESTHETICIAN - "Your first visit to a new salon should be for a simple service. Get a lip wax, underarm or leg wax - don't trust someone you've never met before with your eyebrows or a brazilian. You'll learn a lot from your first visit to a salon and will be able to assess whether or not this is the person who you want to trust with the more complicated services," advises Nicole. Some things you want to notice during your first visit. Do they run on time or will you have a long wait? Do you feel like it is a comfortable, relaxing environment? Does your esthetician seem confident? Does he/she have a firm, confident touch? Do you feel he/she would be respectful to you and make you feel comfortable with the whole process? If the salon meets these requirements, then it looks like you have found your place. ADDITIONAL TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND * Always tell your esthetician if you are on any medications both oral and topical. Some medications have contraindications when it comes to waxing that your doctor may not have informed you of. These medications include but are not limited to: Retin-A, Accutane, Differin, Metrogel, and even some glycolics or alpha-hydroxy acids can cause irritation too so the more informed your esthetician is, the better she will be able to service you. * The more you relax during the process, the less it will hurt. Wax Poetic owner Kerry Nicole says, "I have a theory that when you tense up your major muscle groups, you tense up little tiny muscles called erector pilae muscles. So while I am trying to pull the hair out your little muscles are gripping the hair too and we play a tug of war which I usually win and rip the hair out but it is definitely less comfortable to the client than if he/she could just relax and then I wouldn't have to fight the muscles." * As much as you may want to impress your esthetician with your cute underwear, please wear old underwear in case oil, lotion or wax was to get on them. * You must use a loofa or a body scrub every time you take a shower to avoid getting ingrown hairs. When you wax, the hair grows back thinner and often is so thin that it can not penetrate through the surface dead skin. If you scrub regularly, the hair should be able to grow through. Wax Poetic also carries treatment products to help clients who have stubborn ingrown hairs. * Most people get waxed every 3-4 weeks and it is a good idea to make an appointment in advance so you won't be tempted to shave.   FMA is DOA
But we should all still be worried... 07.19.04 The defeat of the 'Federal Marriage Amendment' in the U.S. Senate - even though long expected - is a welcome repudiation of the President's cynical attempt to bash the gay community to both appease and energize his far right base. Our national community and its allies owes its thanks to the Democratic minority in the Senate for fulfilling its year-old pledge to kill the amendment, to the six Republican senators who broke party ranks, and to the many gay and straight organizations who have worked so hard on this, including the Human Rights Campaign, Log Cabin Republicans, LLEGO, the National Black Justice Coalition, People for the American Way, the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and so many, many more. We can and must savor this moment. At the same time, there are many clouds over the vote. First, while every vote against the amendment is welcome, the vote was far from a ringing endorsement for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. In fact, the statements made by so many senators to explain their votes were discouraging, frequently insulting, and denied many Americans the respect we are due. Some said the amendment was 'unnecessary' because the repulsive 'Defense of Marriage Act' already bans the recognition of same-sex marriage. Others said that marriage has always been a 'state rights issue' and should be left to the states to work out. Others said they objected to amending the U.S. Constitution to address any social issues. Still others objected because they saw the amendment as 'divisive,' or politically motivated, or an attempt to distract the nation and the Congress from other, more important matters. Over and over again we heard even our staunchest allies repeating ad nauseam the mantra, 'I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman' or the ever-popular, 'While I do not support gay marriage,' not a single Senator stood up and said he or she was voting against the amendment because marriage is a fundamental right that same-sex couples should enjoy under the Constitution. If the Senate actually reflected and articulated the views of the American public, at least one-third of them would have actually argued for marriage equality and the basic rights of all Americans. Second, even though the vote was technically procedural, (i.e., whether to stop debate), six Republican Senators crossed party lines to vote on our side - even though party unity on procedural votes is expected. Sadly, the Democratic Party's nominees for President and Vice President skipped the vote - though, thankfully, they said they would be present if there was a vote on the amendment itself. Had they come for the vote, a majority of the Senate - a much more powerful block of 52 members -- would have voted against the amendment. This missed opportunity for bringing to bear the full weight of the Senate could have sent a strong message to the U.S. House and to the over one dozen states who will have State Constitutional amendments on the ballot this November. The message should have been that this year's election will not be won on our backs. Third, it goes without saying that the fight in Congress is far from over. The right wing will be sure to haunt Senators for their vote-explaining statements not being anti-gay enough. And Members of Congress may bow to the pressure from the right instead of doing their jobs to represent all Americans. For example, the House of Representatives is taking up a bill called the "Marriage Protection Act of 2003," (H.R. 3313) which seeks to strip federal courts of jurisdiction to hear challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act. In other words, if enacted, this so-called "court stripping" bill means only state courts could consider DOMA challenges, and state courts have no jurisdiction to consider the constitutionality of discrimination against same-sex couples in immigration, Social Security survivor benefits, or federal tax issues. The many Senators who justified their vote because the nation already has DOMA will have a hard time objecting to this legislation. Finally, all of this leads to the most ugly storm cloud on the horizon - the state anti-marriage constitutional amendments that will be on state ballots this November. While the community's focus has been on the stillborn federal amendment, the right has seized upon the 'marriage is a state issue' dogma espoused by so many and has already succeeded in putting state constitutional anti-marriage amendments on the ballot in eleven states, with three or four more states likely to be added to the list. What this means is that at least one in four Americans who cast their ballot this year will be voting on our place in society - or more accurately, on measures that would ensure our second-class place for generations to come. This orchestrated attempt to write discrimination into the foundational charters of our state governments is unprecedented in American history and has gone largely unnoticed. It's no secret that our state and local organizations - incredibly smart, brave, and dedicated - are at a huge disadvantage in terms of money, resources, and organizational infrastructure. They will now bear the brunt of the right's assault. We know from painful experiences over the last 30 years that fighting anti-LGBT initiatives frequently leaves state and local communities drained, demoralized, and fractured - and that is a clear objective behind the right's state amendment campaign. The enemies of equality work night and day on all fronts - federal, state and local - to deny and deprecate our lives. The anti-gay leaders and organizations have an agenda: to deny we exist by writing us out of foundational documents like Federal and State Constitutions. The FMA is DOA, but getting it to the morgue gave the anti-gay right the time it needed to run roughshod over us in more than a dozen states. We must turn our attention and energy to the states where our Constitutional rights are genuinely up for grabs at ballot boxes in 2004. As well, we must fight vigorously against the noxious "court stripping" bill, HR3313. This legislation is far more menacing than the FMA because it may actually pass -- and if passed in this Congressional session, will surely be signed by the most anti-gay President to ever occupy the White House. ;void(0)) Blair Mastbaum 07.19.04 Blair Mastbaum’s first novel Clay’s Way takes a no-nonsense, toss-the-blinders-to-the-side look at the trials and tribulations of teen gay life in Hawaii through the eyes of fifteen-year-old Sam, beginning on the eve of his birthday. Sam's soul purpose in life is to masturbate, smoke pot, and dye his hair a different color every week much to the dismay of his parents. A self-identified outsider and skater, Sam is in pursuit of a guy he shared a moment with years before, Clay. But when Sam rediscovers Clay behind the counter of his favorite Skater Shop while trying to score some weed, he is taken off guard. Under the radar of his parents, his best friend Jared, and Jared’s older sister Kendra, Sam finds reasons to see Clay. But once the storm hits the shores of his life, the hurricane cannot be turned off. The winds sore at record breaking speeds as Sam finds himself hanging out with Clay’s crowd - who are a few years his senior. Though years rarely mean much, the gap between this fifteen-year-old and his seventeen-year-old obsession is enough to slingshot Sam into a world his inexperience has not prepared him for. For a boy who has only smoked cigarettes and an occasional joint, the world of cocaine, keg parties, and hard liquor complicate the already strange circumstances surrounding Clay - who is dealing with his own bisexual/gay issues and violent demons. The novel, though not for the politically correct, frankly confronts the reader with issues that will make anyone wonder… is it really easier to be gay these days? Are gay teens better or worse off than we were when it just wasn’t ok to be gay? Is the acceptance of your friends and family a fair trade for the scary ride of the constant frat and stoner party that seems to be adolescence in Hawaii? Anyone who wants to challenge their 90210 ideal of high school, especially those eternal summer breaks, should definitely pick up a copy of this novel. Blair Mastbaum’s masterful grasp of today’s youth is not only a window into a foreign world for adults but a reflection of our own soulful quest toward adulthood. ;void(0)) Queer As Folk's Robert Gant
7-16-04 This season "Queer As Folk" matured along with its performers, growing up and out of just sex for the sake of it to dealing with the issues gays, and especially gay couples are facing. As the season wraps up we find two of the major characters, Ben Bruckner (Robert Gant) and Michael Novotny (Hal Sparks), heading to the altar in Canada where gay marriage is legal and then dealing with the fact that their marriage is meaningless in America. That Ben is HIV-positive furthers the reality of the situation. A professor of gay studies at Carnegie Mellon University, Ben is smart, sexy, funny and warm. He's the perfect mate for comic book maven Michael. His HIV-positive status in the series has led Gant to become a poz role model. Gant, who came out shortly after Season Two began has also become an outspoken and a constant presence at gay rights and HIV/AIDS events. When he outed himself, Gant had high praise for producers Ron Cowen and Dan Lipman. "Given the fact that they’ve been around for a while in Hollywood and have seen a lot of changes, I think they get what it’s like to be marginalized as gay writers or gay producers," Gant told the Advocate. " And that still happens, and it’s a frustrating thing. Among the myriad of fears [I had] was certainly that—being marginalized." Gant was born Robert Gonzalez and began acting in television commercials at the age of ten. At eleven, he found himself doing a soft-shoe routine with Bob Hope as part of Hope’s USO tour. Following high school, Robert headed to the University of Pennsylvania and then on to Georgetown Law School. While studying law, he never gave up on his true passion, acting, and continued to perform in numerous theatrical productions. He moved to Los Angeles to work in the world’s largest law firm and in a twist of fate, four months after his relocation, the Los Angeles office was closed. Taking that as an omen, he made the decision to focus all of his time on his acting. He changed his name to Gant, got himself an agent and has been working ever since. Despite having a knockdead body, Robert says he felt uncomfortable in his first QAF nude scene. "For whatever my upbringing was, I think I felt odd around nudity," he says. "But the universe gave me this show, and, very quickly, that changed." And as for appearing naked with Hal Sparks: "I think Hal has a hot little body. Yeah, I really do. Hal's quite the athlete. He's majorly into martial arts. The only thing I've had some guys say is that they wish he would shave the hair in the middle of his chest. But Hal feels that's a very Michael thing, as a character choice." Page href="NewsEtc.html">Main Page ,5,4 ,3 2 | News Misc Page 5 | News Misc Page 4 | News Misc page 3 | News Misc page 2 | | Return Home | Klick N Read | Venue Photos | SYM Photos | News Etc | VALENTINOS | My Space | Great Links | FAQ Page | Contact Us | |
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