Suckers

Please forgive your Uncle P if I'm covering a topic I've discussed before, but Vampires are really hot right now and I find myself inundated with promos for books, movies, TV shows and graphic novels that share this common theme.

To your right is a screen grab from the infamously gay (and very hot) video for Lady Gaga's "Teeth," directed by Sergio Cerrone. The original post has since been removed from TouTube, but I just watched it again here. And I've embedded another YouTube version below (though I can't guarantee how long it will be available for viewing). I imagine Gaga herself must have approved of this video. It's certainly in keeping with her style and philosophy.

I don't know exactly who is responsible for the recent rash of vampires in current media. I suspect that the insipid Stephanie Meyer Twilight series has something to do with it, though I have to mention Alan Ball's HBO series "True Blood" and the CW series "The Vampire Diaries" as contributors to the phenomenon. And recent vampire films such as Let the Right One In (and its soon-to-be released American remake Let Me In), Daybreakers and the upcoming Stakeland are also indicative of the trend. Hell - I've even written my own musical version Dracula, called "Children of the Night." I'm still looking for a composer for the show - my original composer bailed because she felt she wasn't up to the task, but the three or four melodies she did write were magnificent.*

Why are vampires so hot right now? I'm not sure. They've never really gone out of style, as far as I can tell. Vampires in modern times have come to be associated with sex, more than horror (and I'm not going to go into the whole psychological associations tonight - I've already done that, and probably will again). Bottom line: times are tough. People are losing their jobs, their homes and their investments. When times are tough, people turn to escapism. Modern vampires represent youth, sex and power - all the things that seem to be slipping away in these turbulent times. If we can hold onto those things forever - so much the better. And unlike their undead brethren, Zombies, Vampires don't seem to have the whole "rotting, stinking, green-blue flesh" thing going on.

Even traditional network TV has jumped on the bandwagon. ABC has a new show premiering next month called "The Gates," starring "Boston Legal" alum Rhona Mitra, about a community of Vampires, Werewolves, Witches and assorted supernatural beasties. Think of it as "Desperate Vampires." Here's a teaser preview:

ABC doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to genre shows - my guilty pleasure of last season, "Eastwick," is a prime example. And the teaser above certainly has a "cheese" factor that doesn't exactly bode well for more than a 12 episode summer run. Still - they may fool me. After all, "Dark Shadows" ran daily for 4 years on ABC Daytime in the late '60's (but don't get me started on the proposed Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie version).

I suppose that as long as people fantasize about eternal youth, sex and power, vampires will remain a staple of popular culture. And honestly, I can't really imagine people not fantasizing about eternal youth, sex and power. It's only (in)human nature...

Finally, as promised, here's that gay vampire video for "Teeth:"

More, anon.
Prospero

*On a side note, if you know someone who might be interested in collaborating as a composer, please let me know.

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The Flashiest Things You'll See This Week

By now, you know how much I love a well-organized and entertaining flashmob event. And no one seems to do them better than Australian drag queens. And Joyce Maynge seems to be the queen of drag queen flashmobs.

Joyce was the star of my favorite flashmob of all time, the Bondi Beach event promoting Sydney's Gay Mardi Gras. Well she's back, this time in a dance-off with Decoda Secret at the Sydney Harbor. It's like the drag version of the Jets and the Sharks, down under. Personally, I think Decoda is more successful in impersonating a woman, though Joyce has a certain charm. And Joyce's "posse" seems way gayer.

Oz has always seemed to me to be one of those places where getting one's freak on was perfectly acceptable. Though what can one expect from a country founded by criminals? And that's not meant to be disrespectful to Australians in the least. I've known my share of folks from the land of koalas, wallabies and platypuses, and they've all been just lovely people. And I, for one, have nothing at all against getting your freak on. As long as those helping you to do so are in full agreement in the matter. So, without further ado, please enjoy Ms. Maynge's latest public display of affection (via):

And the "Glee" flashmob phenomena continues with this entry at OSU's Ohio Union:

And finally, there's this dance flashmob for the NJ Arts Council's ART MATTERS campaign, recently organized by my friend Jonathan at the Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth, NJ:

How fun are these? I can't wait until I get to participate in an event like these.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest Thing You'll See This Week

Before I get to the Gayest Thing, I just want to take a moment to memorialize one of film and theatre's treasures. As you probably know by now, the great Lynn Redgrave passed away this morning after a 7 year long battle with breast cancer.

I was literally a child when Georgy Girl was released in 1966, and didn't come to appreciate it until just a few years ago. Georgy Girl was Ms Redgrave's first big starring role but many theatre, TV and film appearances would follow.

Whether it was a role in a ridiculous Steve Martin special; a TV remake (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) or a lame TV series (Fantasy Island) Redgrave was always a professional.

Of course, it was her turn as James Whale's housekeeper Hannah in 1998's Gods and Monsters that made me realize what a treasure she truly was.

And so, on to gayer (and less sad) things...

On Al Gore's cable network Current, there's a feature called "That's Gay," where they poke fun at homophobia and politics. Here's their latest installment (via):

Things that make you say "Hmm," no?

I probably won't be posting here tomorrow, but make sure you check out the JTMF Blog for photos from our read-through and first rehearsal. If tonight's first real rehearsal is any indicator, I have a hell of a show on my hands with one of the most amazing casts I have been privileged to direct.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Games People Play

My dear Stephen Rader and I seem to be on the same wavelength these days. Not that that's a bad thing - though I imagine if we weren't separated by a 1000 miles, there would be earthquakes, floods and mass destruction the likes of which have never been seen before. Of course, Stephen and I are often on the same wavelength - we love so many of the same things: Superheroes; Hot Men; Sex; Theatre; Movies; Game Shows... Yes, I said it. And I'm not ashamed. I love game shows. And you know you do, too.

Game shows have been around almost as long as television. They can be educational ("Jeopardy;" "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"); entertaining ("Truth or Consequences;" "Beat the Clock"*) or just downright ridiculous ("You're in the Picture") Hell, even the great Groucho Marx had a game show - "You Bet Your Life" ran from 1950 to 1961 and featured a "Secret Word" that would net contestants $100 if they uttered it during the course of being interviewed by Groucho.

As a child of the '60's and '70s (yes, I'm old, OK? Get over it, already) the game shows I grew up with were just a tad more more risque that. And probably the most risque of all them was "The Match Game," starring Gene Rayburn, Brett Sommers, Richard Dawson and Charles Nelson Reilly. It was the first time I can remember hearing such scandalous words as "tinkle," "willy" and "boobs" on network TV. It would be many years before we all found out that the panelists (which often included America's beloved foul-mouthed grandma, Betty White) were drunk half the time. Recently, I came across this "Match Game" clip which I had to share with Stephen, given our mutual love of Batman and all things queer:

Personally, I think "Devine" is the funniest answer, even if "Queer" is the definitive one. Of course, what does one expect from the second gayest game show panelist in TV history (though I'm still not sure why "Lovers" and "Married" were not a match, while "Fairies" was - ah, the 70's)? And speaking of the second gayest panelist in game show history, I tried my best to find a 'Best of Paul Lynde' clip from "Hollywood Squares," but no one seems to have made one...

Anyway... Game shows are still with us. Drew Carey has taken over for Bob Barker on "The Price Is Right" and Food Network goofball Guy Fieri hosts the newest incarnation of "Beat the Clock;" NBC's "Minute to Win It,*" in which contestants have 60 seconds to complete an outrageous stunt. If they complete all 10 of the increasingly difficult stunts, they win a million dollars. Fieri, with his 80's hairstyle and over-the-top attitude is an affable host, at best. Though on the one or three episodes of the show I've seen, no one has even come close to winning.

Of course, the whole game show mentality eludes me. Uncle P actually auditioned for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" While I passed the initial test (which included questions like "Where Does Winnie the Pooh Live?" - The Hundred Acre Wood - and "Who was the first First Lady to be born in a hospital?"- Rosiland Carter), I was ultimately rejected - I suspect because I wasn't a lunatic who got a massive boner over the prospect of meeting Meredith Viera. In other words, I was smart enough, just not dorky enough. Sigh.

Of course, my personal favorite game show moments are the ones in which anxious contestants give the most ridiculous answers possible:

Oh, dear. Is it any wonder I haven't won thousands of dollars?

On a side note - full rehearsals for the JTMF production of Sordid Lives start tomorrow, so my posts may be shorter than usual, if they're there at all. I promise I'll keep you up-to-date (as if ya'll really care).

More nonsense, anon.
Prospero

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TV Review: "Happy Town"

With "Lost" ending in 5 episodes, ABC has created yet another dark and enigmatic puzzler in "Happy Town."

Set in Haplin, Minnesota, "Happy Town" is sort of "Desperate Housewives," if it had been written by Stephen King. The story begins with the gruesome murder of the town's local perv and the arrival of Henley (Hostel II's Lauren German, looking like a young Milla Yovovich), who plans to open a candle shop in the town where her late mother once spent a lovely vacation - or so she says. Haplin was once plagued by a series of disappearances that lasted for 7 years, all attributed to the mysterious 'Magic Man,' who left no clues behind. But all has been quiet in Haplin for 5 years. That is until the murder and Henley's arrival.

Haplin's residents include the local sheriff ("Lost" alum, M.C. Gainey); his son Tommy (the ridiculously handsome Geoff Stults); Tommy's wife Rachel ("Dollhouse" doctor Amy Acker); pizza man Big Dave ("E.R." orderly Abraham Benrubi); bread factory owner John Haplin (Steven Weber) and town matriarch Peggy Haplin (the always amazing Frances Conroy). Throw in the mysterious Hollywood memoriabiliast Merritt Grieves (Sam Neill) and a host of character actors you are sure to recognize, and you have quite a cast.

I must admit, the pilot episode got me hooked, immediately. Who (or what) is the Magic Man? What's behind the mysterious halo-topped question mark graffittied all over town (and tattooed on Henley's shoulder)? Why is the third floor of the rooming house off limits? Who killed the perv and why? Who is Chloe and why does the sheriff's seemingly repressed memory of her drive him to chop off his own hand? Much like David Lynch's "Twin Peaks," "Happy Town" starts off with more questions than answers and introduces us to the unseemly side of a seemingly perfect American town. Your Uncle P, for one, can't wait to find out what's going on in Haplin, though I suspect it will be quite some time before we actually do so (if at all).

"Happy Town" airs on Wednesdays at 10 PM Eastern (check your local listings). **** (Four Stars out of Four).

More, anon.
Prospero

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Everything Old Is New Again

Broadway isn't known as "The Great Invalid" for nothing. Every time it seems that live theatre is about to gasp its last, some amazing show or other comes along and saves the day. Though these days, with ticket prices topping out at well-over $100 a pop, I'm amazed that people still go. When I go (and it's less-and-less these days), I make sure I visit the TKTS booth in Times Square. You can purchase left-over tickets for a fraction of their original price, as long as you're willing to stand in line and don't have your heart set on a particular show. I have rarely been disappointed by the selection of shows there and have seen many original casts for a lot less than I would have paid at the box office.

New musicals abound on Broadway this season, including the very well-reviewed Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; the apparently disappointing The Addams Family and this season's standout; American Idiot, a musical based around the songs from the Green Day album of the same name (my friend Jonathan saw it on opening night and said it revolutionizes Musical Theatre).

Of course, every season also has its share of revivals and this year is no exception. The biggies this season are Sean Hayes ("Will and Grace") & Kristin Chenowith (Wicked; my beloved "Pushing Daisies") in Promises, Promises, the musical version of The Apartment with some rather well-known songs from Burt Bacharach and Hall David; Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury in Sondheim's 3/4 tempo love story, A Little Night Music and Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") in La Cage aux Folles. Of course, the latter really puzzles me, because of Grammer's right-wing politics (but then, Log Cabin Republicans puzzle me as well, but what do I know?).

When my sister was still in high school, I took her to see the touring company production of La Cage... in Philadelphia. The particulars of the cast escape me (and I'm too lazy to dig out my Playbill), but I do remember both of us loving it. It was her first time seeing a professional production of a musical, and I think that may have impressed her as much as anything, but it also showed the budding Born Again that being gay wasn't quite the horrific thing most so-called "Christians" are led to believe. Thankfully, that lesson carried over into her current dogma and even though we may disagree when it comes to religion, she is a firm believer in LGBT rights, and I love her even more for it.

But, I digress.

The point is that good Musical Theatre (like any art) is an examination of the one unwavering constant: The Human Condition. Young/Old; Gay/Straight; White Collar/Blue Collar; Rich/Poor... we all share our Humanity and the Joy, Love, Pain, Laughter, Tears and everything else that comes with being Human. And it is in that spirit that I share with you these clips (via) of the revivals of La Cage aux Folles and Promises, Promises. Enjoy.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gaga Gayest Things You'll See This Week

Funny, I don't remember Scott Hamilton ever calling anyone a "slore." According to the Urban Dictionary (and I'm just paraphrasing here), a slore is a combination of the words "slut" and "whore." Really? Did we need to combine those words into a new one? Weren't they descriptive enough on their own?

Of course, all this started with flamboyant figure skater Johnny Weir not being asked to participate in Stars on Ice, or some such nonsense.

Does anyone really pay money to go to those stupid ice shows, anymore? I remember once as a kid being taken to see Disney on Ice and thinking it lame, even then. And as recently as 2000, my then-employer (an insane woman who would burst into tears at the mere mention of Tuesdays with Morrie) gave tickets for The Wizard of Oz on Ice to myself and another co-worker, which we gleefully attended as a total goof. My co-worker got totally wasted and spent the ride home screaming "I'm a flying monkey!" out the window of the car to every person we passed. As I recall, there was no mention of "slores" at either event.

You may remember that Johnny felt the organizers of the show passed on him because of his perceived sexuality, and publicly shared his feelings. Today, Weir's Olympic teammate, "straight" skater Evan Lysacek (pictured above, in the straightest skating costume ever) said Johnny was simply whining about his failure to be included because Stars on Ice only takes the "best of the best." To which Johnny responded in the most adult way anyone could expect a figure skater to do. He called Lysacek a 'slore.' Huh?

Is this the best the US Olympic Figure Skating Team can do? Two bitchy queens calling each other names? If I wanted to hear that kind of nonsense, I'd watch re-runs of "Dynasty" on Hulu. At least I'd get some bitch-slapping, hair-pulling, fountain-fighting fun out of it. Oh - and just in case you were wondering about Johnny, this should put those nasty rumors to rest once and for all (via):

Of course, a love of Gaga doesn't automatically make you gay. Just ask the boys of the University of Omaha's acappella group 'On the Rocks.' This performance isn't gay at all (via):

Well, maybe it's a little gay. Okay, okay. It's a lot gay. But that doesn't mean the cubs prancing about the stage are gay. Well, not all of them. They are a talented bunch, though - I'll give them that.

More, anon.
Prospero

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