Peter Tatchell

Echoing something which has recently happened in the Italian LGBT media, Peter Tatchell has gone on record criticising broadcasters here in the UK for portraying homosexuality as exclusively camp. He’s mentioned such flamboyant characters as Graham Norton and Alan Carr to get his point across.

In a similar Italian case recently in the media, the director of an LGBT online media publication has openly criticised the producers of the Italian version of Big Brother for never having included a “next-door type” gay character in the programme’s 10-year history, his implication being that the flamboyant, openly gay character in the current series is too camp and should be considered a transgender.  Mr De Giorgi stated that “Maicol doesn’t represent us” and his letter was echoed by a number of groups that have popped up all over Facebook to the same tune. The very camp twentysomething-year-old has indeed once mentioned feeling like a woman in a man’s body but he’s never stated his intention to transition and has always defined himself as gay.

In the UK Tatchell declared: “I am not saying Graham Norton and Alan Carr should be taken off TV. I am just fed up with the way this camp, cliched stereotype is mostly the only one that gets broadcast”.

Alan Carr

He may have a point on this. Mainstream media have often loved portraying gay men as ubercamp funny characters as this seems to be the model that tends to please and entertain straight audiences the most. It is the model that doesn’t challenge the assumption that real men should be manly: “me Tarzan — you (better be) woman”. So if a gay man is camp, he’s not really a man, and proper manly men can continue acting the real man’s stereotype and have a civilised, modern good time enjoying a tolerant laugh at or with these other varieties of male humans: the homosexuals.

The fact that this way of thinking is behind our current gay comedy genre is, in my opinion, a given. Whether TV producers are entirely to blame for this is a different story altogether. Entertainers like Norton and Carr are hugely successful and, I would assume, not being forced to act camp. I for one thoroughly enjoy following both and would define Graham Norton as bitchy rather than camp but that’s beside the point. The issue here is that it is absurd to blame those who are camp for campness being comforting to heteronormative society. There is nothing inherently wrong with being camp or feminine and we should only ask ourselves the reason why non-camp gay men don’t appear more frequently on TV. Or do they?

Derren Brown

Well, I could never have told you this myself because I must admit I don’t know much about TV personalities but others have pointed out in online forums that the list of non-camp TV celebrities is indeed quite long. I won’t mention them all here because it seems rather silly to list names of people, simply because I’m being told that they are gay but I will mention the name of one I do know very well of: Derren Brown.

I’ve seen Derren on TV many times and I know he’s gay. Yet, when I heard what Tatchell said I didn’t think of him at all, in the same way Peter probably didn’t think of him when he said what he did, the illusionist’s sexuality being something that’s hardly relevant to what he’s known for.

So I must wonder: when Peter Tatchell zeroes in on camp characters judgmentally using them as demonstration of society’s lack of non-camp gay models but fails to mention the many non-camp celebrities whose non-obvious sexual orientation seems irrelevant, isn’t he actually himself demonstrating to us what the real problem is? Gay people are only taken as such when they act the gay out. The positive non-camp gay role models inhabiting our ideal world might actually already be here but regrettably, in an unfortunate catch-22 scenario, they’re just not acting camp enough for us to take any notice of them.

I was surprised today to see that my book, Stealing Wishes, has finally made it to #1 in Amazon’s Gay Fiction Community.  Thanks to everyone who has voted and helped get it up there!  Hopefully this exposure will create a few more sales!

Queer On Their Feet – An Evening of Stand Up Comedy and Improv coming to Stockton, CA

Saturday April 18, 2009 8:00 PM at Valley Ministries MCC Stockton, CA

Don’t let the venue fool you! This is not a religious based show. The church is generously providing the space for the show in Stockton.  This is a hilarious comedy show for everyone, straight or gay!

                                          
Queer On Their Feet is coming to Stockton!  The Troupe features Jennie McNulty, Daniel Leary, and Diana Yanez.  Queer On Their Feet is a refreshing and hilarious show that has each comic doing about 15 minutes of fabulous stand up and then that is followed by the 3 together onstage playing improv games with suggestions from the audience. Every show is unique, fun, and totally hysterical.

Jennie McNulty – can currently be seen on MTV Network’s LOGO channel in the comedy special “One Night Stand Up”.  She can also be seen bi-weekly in her walking talk show, “Jennie McNulty Presents: Walking Funny With…” on LOGO’s AfterEllen website (http://www.afterellen.com/taxonomy/term/3789 ).  She has traveled the world doing comedy – literally.  In addition to headlining in comedy clubs all over the US and Canada, she has entertained the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also does comedy in more peaceful settings as one of the favorites of Olivia Cruises and Resorts. Jennie spends her summer seasons performing nightly in Provincetown, MA and has performed at The Toronto Gay and Lesbian Comedy Festival; The “Dinah Shore” event; and dozens of Pride events coast to coast.  Jennie also produces the popular “Rainbow Comedy Night” in Ventura, CA as well as the Gold! Comedy Hour in West Hollywood.  McNulty is a regular at Harrah’s Casino in Las Vegas. She was also featured as a physical trainer on the hit NBC Show “Starting Over.”  AND, she plays women’s tackle football for the California Quake in the Independent Women’s Football League.   To find out more about her LOGO Television special visit:  http://www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/one_night_stand_up/series.jhtml 

Daniel Leary – was born and raised in NYC. Now stationed out of LA, Daniel performs all over the country and over seas. You may have seen him on LOGO’s Laughing Matters: Next Gen or you might be familiar with his video blog on LOGO’s AfterElton.com called Mores for Gays. He performs regularly at The Hollywood Improv and recent shows include Caroline’s and Comics in NYC and The Comedy Store in LA. 

Diana Yanez - a Cuban-American actress and filmmaker, left her hometown of Miami Beach and studied Fine Arts and Theater in Berlin, Germany.  Fluent in German and Spanish – Diana became a DJ in Berlin after just a year living there.  In LA, she studied with renowned acting coach, Eric Morris and has been seen on “Criminal Minds; “Boston Legal;” “Crossing Jordan;” “Strong Medicine” and many other hit TV shows.   Diana is a member of “The Gay Mafia” Comedy Group and performs nationwide.  While performing “MC Havana” with LISP (Sexual Homo & Funky Fag-Hag), she caught the eye of Margaret Cho and was taken immediately on tour.  Following that tour she was cast in 2007’s Off-Broadway hit, THE SENSUOUS WOMAN and THE TRUE COLORS TOUR with Cyndi Lauper.    Diana Yanez is also one of the key producers of “OUTLAUGH” America’s first queer comedy festival and ‘OUTLAUGH ON WISECRACK” on MTV Network’s LOGO television

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An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy and Improv with Queer On Their Feet will be at Valley Ministries MCC 4118 Coronado Avenue  Stockton, CA 95204 on April 18, 2009 at 8:00 PM  Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.  College student ticket $10 at the door night of the show with valid college ID.  Advance tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-877-278-4842.   Buy in advance to get the discounted price! Remaining tickets will be available at the door, the night of the show.

For Information, Booking and Interviews Contact: Taylor Santo at MtnNash@comcast.net 408-202-5564

 www.myspace.com/queerontheirfeet

www.QueerOnTheirFeet.com

Further Comedian Info:

Jennie McNulty www.jenniemcnulty.com  www.myspace.com/jenniemcnulty

Daniel Leary www.DanielLeary.net

Diana Yanez www.DianaYanez.com

Ready … set … improv!

Queer on Their Feet, a traveling comedy troupe, makes its way to Louisville next weekend and you can join in on the fun! The group will be performing at the Metropolitan Community Church of Louisville (who were very gracious to provide a space) for night of fabulousness and hilarity. The show will feature acts by each performer followed by an act with all three, which involve improv games that  audience members will be encouraged to participate in. Let the randomness take flight!

All three stars of the show, Jennie McNulty, Jason Dudey and Diana Yanez are three well-accomplished comedians and have performed all over the country in various comedy festivals and can currently be seen on LOGO TV. They’ve opened for various acts, including Margaret Cho, ANT, and Judy Gold, FYI, so your funnybone will be adequately stimulated.

WHEN:
Sunday, March 29th
6 P.M.

WHERE:
Metropolitan Community Church
1432 Highland Avenue
Louisville, KY 40204

HOW MUCH:
$10 in advance, $15 at the door
Purchase tickets online or call (877) 278-4842.

For more info, please visit their MySpace page or contact Taylor Santo.

Fat Girls (2006) is one of the funniest movies I have seen that I rented from Netflix. Ash Christian who wrote, directed and starred as the lead, Rodney Miller, came out with a film that pushes the envelope with such great comedic timing. There are so many funny scenes in this movie that I cannot help but not wonder why I did not hear about this movie earlier.

It kept me perfect company while I was putting Christmas decorations away.  Yes, I was late putting them away this year. Hey, we have had a busy Christmas season!  The plotline of the film follows the adventures of these misfits of a gay boy, his obese girlfriend and her Cuban boyfriend in this high school in a small town in Texas. It has all the dysfunctionality you expect in a really good comedy. 

Ash Christian, Ashley Fink and Robin de Jesus

Christian is great and is a triple talent with his writing and directing. Ashley Fink who plays his best friend, Sabrina, is perfect as the fat girl who not only understands him but who brings more dimension to her role rather than the usual caricature in most films. Robin de Jesus plays her boyfriend so dead on funny also.

Ashley Fink and Robin de Jesus

Although the film definitely is gay themed, it is about growing up and being who you are in the final analysis. It also takes on the hypocrisy that kids have to deal with in adults and in institutions like church and school.

This is a perfect movie to watch with friends and just to laugh.  After all life is really funny sometimes and we are alright after all.  We all need to be reminded of that now and then.

This monster is gay. And pretty pleased about it too, judging by that sheepish smile on his face. He also happens to be the first Gay Monster to rainbow up this page, so big kisses for that little homo. He’s the Jackie Robinson of Gay Monsters.

On April 24, 2007 the Big Gay Sketch Show (BGSS) made it’s debut on the LOGO Network making it the first American sketch show with a primarily gay cast basing their humor on primarily gay themes. The show was modeled on predecessos of the sketch genre like Saturday Night Live, MadTV, and In Living Color. The reviews were mixed which was to be expected but the BGSS showed more than enough to reappear for a second season in 2008 returning many of it’s original actors and establishing itself as what may be a cornerstone of the network for years to come.

Behind the scenes the show is produced by Rosie O’Donnell who thus fat has managed to keep herself off the set aside from some comedic quips delivered with Chastity Bono from a balcony much like the old men from the Muppets Show. Amanda Bearse best remembered by many as Marcy Darcey from Married With Children has the directorial duties. With years of experience directing MadTV she brings that same basic style with a tougher edge to BGSS which has made it a favorite of many viewers gay and straight alike.

In front of the camera the cast has seen very litle turnover with only Dion Flynn and Michael Serrato leaving the cast. Paolo Andino and Coleman Domingo stepped into their slots and quickly established themselves as favorites with their signature charachters. Andino’s “Naldo” is a laugh riot as the unsuspecting latin hunk that draws men from far and near to see him on the job moving boxes. His innocent statements are quickly oohed and aahed over by his admireres prompting Naldo to always ask “I was jus’ moving boxes and they make it into something dirty?” Likewise Coleman Domingo’s imitation of Maya Angelou reading selections from the men for men section of Craig’s List has become one of the can’t miss moments of every episode he treats us with this parody.

Julie Goldman finds herself often playing role of setting up others for the punchline and does it as well as anyone in sketch comedy. To a degree she serves as the glue that holds skits together and regularly displays her talent playing a wide range of charachters not just over the season but each show. Erica Ash established the charachters of LaTanya a hard edged Chicago fitness instructor that revels in putting down her clients, and Grandma Bell an aged lesbian that can’t seem to retell her civil rights stories without straying off to her sexual exploits.

Kate McKonnon has made her portrayal of a little transgender boy, Fitzwilliam, who simply wants…Read the rest here at: http://www.helium.com/items/1244343-big-gay-sketch-show

That’s right! I have more first edition copies of STEALING WISHES, signed by me! Who wants ‘em?

Just click here to be redirected to Amazon.com. Right next to the book cover, look for this information shown below. Click on the “8 used and new link” and look for the copies sold by MISTERYARBS. I’m currently offering them at $12.00 each, which is $3.00 off the cover price and .60 cents cheaper than Amazon (before shipping).

So add one of those to your cart, pay for it through Amazon, and they will shoot me an email letting me know to get a book out to you. Feel free to email me if you do buy one and would like for it to be personalized. I’ll sign it and ship it to you within 24 hours!

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