QAF Addiction News Archive - May 2003
May 29, 2003 Addiction Fiction is a small collection of Brian and Justin stories that I've written over the last little while. If you enjoy a little romance and a little angst... grab a beverage, put your feet up, and come spend some time with the boys! |
May 28, 2003  Lulli.com is advertising an official "Particles of Truth" t-shirt featuring Gale Harold and Jennifer Elster. Proceeds will go to the Children’s Hope Foundation, helping children and their families affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit Lulii.com or the official POT site. To purchase a t-shirt, send your size (small, medium or large), your address, and your telephone number to info@lulii.com. |
May 27, 2003  Thea Gill won Canada's Golden Sheaf award for her role in "Bliss" (Nina's Muse) at the 2003 Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival. Stefan Ivanov won the award for Best Videography for the same series.
Bliss airs on the Oxygen Network, and is a diverse, edgy and provocative drama that honestly explores women's sexuality. Thea's episode -- Nina's Muse -- will air on Monday, June 2, 2003 at 1am Eastern. In Canada, the new series starts on June 6th at 9pm to kick off "Fridays without Borders" on Showcase. CitySearch.com features some of Peter Paige and Hal Sparks' favorite spots in the City of Angels. Richard Hormann reports that Peter loves the hunt, whether it be shopping or dining. "As Emmett Honeycutt on the Showtime series 'Queer as Folk,' Peter Paige's tastes can range from the whimsical to the exquisite, but the actor prefers much simpler pleasures as a Hollywood denizen. With such a youthful exuberance, it's hard to believe this West Hartford, Conn., transplant is already a seasoned veteran of the stage and screen." Peter says Highland Grounds is his favorite breakfast place. "The service is one part fun and one part surly. And they have a little outdoor patio. It's so low-key that you sit on plastic chairs." For nightlife, kbar on West Sunset makes the grade. "I like the mixed crowd, though the last time I was there I was thinking it was getting a little too straight for me." Jet Rag on La Brea is Peter's choice for shopping. "I like digging around looking for the really great thing that hasn't been found yet," he says. Hollywood has been good to Hal Sparks, who headed for Tinseltown only days after graduating from high school in Chicago, says Hormann. Following his stint as host of E!'s "Talk Soup," Sparks was cast as the lovelorn Michael Novotny on the Showtime series "Queer as Folk." Hal loves going to the Viper Room on Sunset to see Metal Shop " 'cause I'm a huge metal head and that's just wicked. These guys are there at midnight on Monday nights and they're hilarious." Diesel USA on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica gets his vote for clothing, although Red Balls On Fire on Melrose is where Hal finds all of his kung fu pants. Speaking of Hal, he will be on Premium Blend this Thursday, May 29 (ep#601) with Wanda Sykes. The episode also features Sherrod Small, Erin Foley, and Jesse Popp. Don't forget Hal's other TV appearance tomorrow on g4tv (see the May 12th news item below for details). |
May 23, 2003  For Canadians who are awaiting episode 308 of QAF, check out the Showcase site for a Windows Media preview of Monday's episode (these are posted regularly on the site).
Episode 1 of Second Coming, a new miniseries written by Russell T. Davies (creator of QAF) is airing on Showcase this Saturday at 10pm. The saga continues on Sunday evening at the same time. For more on this series, read the article that was published in the Ottawa Citizen. This will be the "North American" premiere of the series. No word yet on when it might air in the States. Fab Filippo (Ethan) is featured in the "Guy Special" section on page 85 of the June 2003 issue of Elle Canada magazine (Boys of Summer: Elle's top 10 favourite fellas). Of his public persona, he says, "When you're an actor, your identity ends up being morphed with the roles you play. So when you're being yourself, sometimes people are unpleasantly surprised."
For those who missed it, or would like to take another peek, TV Guide Online published "Seven Silly Questions for Robert Gant" earlier this month. He makes some interesting comments about the show in general: "I think this whole season's very real, and the show's found its legs. I hope those idiot naysayers - who maybe watched one 'drugs 'n disco' episode early on, and decided it's not for them - will come back and take a look. These characters are growing up." You can read more on Bobby's website.
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May 21, 2003  Scott Lowell has been announced as a special guest to appear at the San Francisco GLAAD Media Awards on May 31, 2003, honoring Stockard Channing and B.D. Wong. It's likely that Scott won't be the only one from QAF to make an appearance that evening, and we'll let you know if and when others are added to the lineup.
After some fantastic stops in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston, the QAF Babylon tour hits Orlando this Saturday, May 24 at the Firestone with DJ Tracy Young (who has received tremendous acclaim for her sets on the tour already) and RKM who are appearing as Rage - the characters from the Rage Comic Book. On Sunday, May 25, the Babylon Tour hits Miami at Space 34 with Peter Rauhofer, Tracy Young, and RKM. This is a show not to be missed! All of the Press Releases are available in the PRESS section of the Tour Website at enterbabylon.com (info courtesy of Billy Melnyk at embraceproductions.com).
There's been talk on a few of the QAF discussion groups about early sitcom appearances by some of the QAF cast before they joined the series. For clips of Peter Paige and Scott Lowell on Caroline In the City, check out the following clips on the squirrel's nest QAF Video Archive: Here's another fun clip of Gale and Randy on CNN's "Showbiz Today"
Here is the Showtime schedule for the remainder of the season: |
May 16, 2003  QAF MUSIC NEWSYoko Ono's tracks are in great demand with the DJs, clubs and dancers now that her latest offering grabbed the #1 position on the Billboard Chart. 'Walking on Thin Ice' is the fourth song from the remix project, and has been remixed by electronic music's long adored pioneers including Danny Tenaglia, Pet Shop Boys, Felix Da Housecat, Peter Rauhofer, FKEK, the Orange Factory and Rui Da Silva. Danny Tenaglia's 'Walked Across The Lake' Mix will be featured in episode 310 of QAF, airing this Sunday (May 18) on Showtime. Ono's 'Walking On Thin Ice (The Remixes)' has been released on Mind Train / Twisted Records. Music credits are now listed on the Particles of Truth site, with many of the songs written and performed by Matthew Puckett (dubbed 'Gray Davis' in the film). For those who haven't seen the film, the soundtrack is excellent, and is definitely worth a listen. Princess of Babylon is a site for QAF Music lovers, featuring song lists, a music catalog, original video compilations, and more. If you're looking for a song, or just want to relive some great musical memories, check it out. More videos and scenes from the show can be found on Sandstorm's clips page. |
May 14, 2003  Particles of Truth has updated its News page with recent press about the film and its stars. Find out more about Jennifer Elster and Gale Harold in this collection of articles, video clips and press releases. While the Festivals page has not been updated, we have learned that POT will be screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival this June (see May 12th news entry below for more).
For anyone who missed Peter Paige's last appearance on Open Mike with Mike Bullard (March 28) the episode will be rebroadcast this Thursday, May 15. In Canada, check CTV and the Comedy Network listings for airtimes. There's a recent interview with Hal Sparks in the Louisville, KY Courier-Journal, and a tongue-in-cheek editorial about Jimmy Kimmel in the Seattle Weekly which addresses Mr. Kimmel's questionable treatment of Hal during last week's interview. Don't forget about the Runway event (San Francisco's premier fashion show and charity fundraiser) to be hosted by Michelle Clunie and Scott Lowell on May 29, featuring designs from top names like Anne Klein, Todd Oldham, and other celebrity designers. 50 one-of-a-kind fashion creations will be auctioned for charity. There will be live entertainment, open bar, and complimentary cuisine from the city's top restaurants. Actress Heather Tom ("Victoria" on The Young & the Restless) will also make a guest appearance. See the Destination Foundation site for more information. |
May 12, 2003 
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. hosted the Closing Party for the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, May 11, 2003 in the grand 14-story atrium at the Embassy Suites Hotel in New York, with sweeping views of the Hudson River. Gale Harold was in attendance, along with other talents like Kevin Spacey and Jane Seymour, whose photos are featured on wireimage.com. I will be posting a recap of the various events involving Particles of Truth sometime this week, with quotes from Gale and Jennifer Elster on the film itself and the success of the Festival screenings.
There's more good news about this film... Particles of Truth will compete in the Narrative Competition Section of the 9th Annual IFP Los Angeles Film Festival which will take place June 11-21, 2003. Passes are available now, and tickets go on sale May 21, 2003. The description provided on the Festival site is one of the best I've come across so far: Peter Paige has a new message for fans visiting his website. He is very appreciative of the support he receives via the guestbook, and sounds optimistic about his upcoming movie. In the "Connection" area, there is a link to a couple of pictures of Peter all decked out for the GLAAD awards, at which he presented with Jane Leeves from Frasier. Look for Peter later this summer on E!'s Outrageous Moments in Entertainment History, and VH1's Pop Sexy and Icon's of Bad Taste. According to the Melanie loves Lindsay site, Michelle Clunie is busy working on personal projects this summer, but hopes to have a new photo of herself to send out later in August to fans who have requested one. Due to its popularity, Thea Gill's play "Proof" was held over an extra week, to May 11. In his review of the play, Robert Mitchell (CBC) said, "Gill warmed to the role over the course of the evening, exposing both Catherine’s eggs shell thin fragility and temper. Her strong use of gesture, particularly in moments of crisis seemed a trifle overdone when taken alone, but when echoed by Campbell in his later (and the play’s strongest) scene as he descends back into madness, it all worked – like father like daughter." more.
In Part 2 of the special, Hal quipped, "Over the last ten years, more than seven thousand video games have been released. With numbers like that, you don't have to be Copernicus to figure out what kind of odds a game faces when it comes to being enshrined as a classic. But where the plug-in-and-play set are concerned, there are classics, and there are legends. And that's why, in the immortal words of Prince, we are gathered here today...to count down the best 100 games ever created."But that's not all! On Wednesday, May 28, at 12:30 PM, g4tv drops in on Hal as he puts on a "game day" with some of his gamer buddies. G4 gets a tour of his house, checks out his gear, and eventually gets into character and plays everything from ET and Empire Strikes Back on the Atari 2600 to Devil May Cry and Gauntlet Dark Legacy on his PS2. |
May 7, 2003 
The cameras are certainly working overtime in NYC this week at the TriBeCa film festival, especially when Gale Harold is around! New images of Gale (seen here) were posted at Getty Images, credited to Sarah Jaye (love the chapeau, Mr. Harold!). There is also a new interview with Gale written by Lynn Elber (Associated Press for Television) which you can read here. |
May 7, 2003 
There is another new article about Jennifer Elster and "Particles of Truth" at NYNewsday.com. There are links to some stills from the film, as well as a new video clip of Jennifer Elster which includes scenes from the movie, and slideshows from the Film Festival. Click here for a picture of Gale and Jennifer at the opening night party for the Festival at the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center (Photo by /Evan Agostini/Getty Images).
Even if you checked out the photos at wireimage.com yesterday, check them out again today... there are brand new pictures of Gale and Jennifer on the streets of NYC for the "Chronicles of Truth" portraits. It seems pictures are being added daily! |
May 6, 2003  "NY Inspires Local Filmmakers" - wnbc.com's FeedRoom video for Tuesday May 6, 2003 features local filmmakers at the TriBeCa film festival, one of whom is Jennifer Elster, who wrote, produced, directed and starred in Particles of Truth with Gale Harold. You can watch the video on the wnbc website here. Jennifer, who lives in TriBeCa, says, "I was born in New York hospital, and I've lived here my whole life and I absolutely love New York." Shooting a movie in NY is unique, she says, because everything you need is within reach -- even if it's make-believe. She explains that they had planned to go 'uptown' to Harlem for shooting, but ran out of time so they converted a space in TriBeCa into Harlem. "I think it worked very well," she says. "I don't think you'd know we were in TriBeCa."
In a recent article entitled "Tribeca, the Sequel" posted at newsday.com, Steve Dollar writes about the 22 features and documentaries shot entirely in New York City which have their own themed category at the TriBeCa Film Festival: "New York, New York." Here is an excerpt from the article: That's enviable exposure for debut filmmaker Jennifer Elster, whose "Particles of Truth" (screening May 8-10) is nearly a "poster film" for the festival: a psychological drama that doubles as a high-definition video postcard of TriBeCa. "I live and work in TriBeCa. We shot in TriBeCa. I was born and raised in New York. So this is very sentimental," says Elster, a former stylist for photo and video shoots who has worked with such rock and roll figures as David Bowie and Marilyn Manson. "This is a scarred part of the city. I'm really proud to have the film playing here." Elster, who also plays the lead role of a young artist with a tortured family history, is emblematic of what the festival strives for. Not only does she represent the fresh energy crucial to the vitality of artistic communities - such as TriBeCa - but her work subtly evokes the realities of a post-9/11 cityscape, and the sometimes difficult necessity of making new connections. "I'm interested in compassion," she says. "I think New Yorkers are rooting for us, for TriBeCa. This is a festival New Yorkers want to see work out." There are quite a few new photos of Gale and Jennifer Elster at the Festival on wireimage.com, sporting Carrera Superior sunglasses and Adidas shoes, and getting made up by Patrick Eichler of M.A.C. Cosmetics. The Showtime site now features the "Day in the life" segment with Thea Gill, behind the scenes on the set of QAF. Join Thea as she gets applied with the Lindsay look, goes on location at the Liberty Diner, goofs off with her co-stars, hangs out with the crew, tries to stay warm and chats about a variety of topics! Bobby Gant has been cast in an independent film entitled "Marie and Bruce" starring Julianne Moore and Mathew Broderick which will be filming in New York at the end of this month. Gale Harold, Bobby Gant and Sharon Gless are being honored at the New York city hall Gay Pride ceremony on June 26, 2003 with special civil rights awards. Other recipients will be "Chicago" director Rob Marshall and Steven Daldry who directed The Hours and Billy Elliott. The ceremony will take place at 5:30 pm in the City Counsel Chamber Hall located at Broadway and Park Row. Peter Paige is also scheduled to appear at NYC Gay Pride 2003, so it should be a fun week with lots of QAF representation in the Big Apple. One of Randy Harrison's fans (Cathy4537) who attended the JT Leroy reading in Pittsburgh on April 18 has been kind enough to share a 10-minute recording she made of the event, available for download here. |
May 2, 2003  Monday's edition of the New York Observer has a column about the Tribeca Film Festival, written by Rebecca Traister, in which she lists events that, according to festival sources, are worth attending or avoiding. Gale's new flick gets a brief mention under May 8th (the premiere date):Particles of Truth, directed by a woman — mirabile dictu! [translation: wonderful to say!] — is about the relationship between a woman dealing with her father’s drug-addled decline and a recluse who spends all his time writing in a car. "It’s a nice car," said Queer as Folk actor Gale Harold, who plays the scribe. "I mean, it has really nice wheels and tires and leather seats and a sun-roof." For more on the movie, visit my Particles of Truth page, or the Official Web Site. |
May 1, 2003  In the CTV miniseries "Lives of the Saints", likely airing in January 2004, Fab Filippo plays Vittorio, nephew of a schoolteacher (Sophia Loren) who is his mortal centre and guide. She teaches him philosophy from a picture book called Lives Of The Saints which he takes when emigrating to Canada. The four-hour adaptation of the trilogy by Italian-Canadian author Nino Ricci moves from war-torn Italy to the swinging Toronto of the 1960s. The cast and crew had their wrap party last Friday night at Revival, a Toronto hot spot for celebrity events, following a press conference. To read more about the series, check out this article in the National Post or read Jim Bawden's piece in The Toronto Star.
Fab was recently featured on StarTV's "10 to Watch" program as a rising Canadian star. Of his experience on QAF, he says, "As an actor, the thing you look for is the chance to jump off a cliff; essentially, the chance to sort of put blinders on and go. I'm this person in these ... thirty seconds that we're shooting this thing ... I really got to experience that with QAF and I got to go wherever I needed to go. And I promised myself I wouldn't do it in a fearful way. I promised myself that if I did this show I'd go the distance -- and I really did. I felt like I really did." |
New York City's 
Tickets are now on sale for the Particles of Truth screenings at the 
In his February 11, 2001 Showtime chat, Hal Sparks told fans that he is a Spiderman fan and always has been. "I've collected for years. I always liked the Spiderman motto - 'With great power comes great responsibility.' I found that very inspirational over the years." More recently, he also shared the fact that like his alter-ego Michael, comics hold a special place in his heart. His prize possession (as far as comic books go) is a copy of Amazing Adventures #15, the first appearance of Spiderman. It seems only fitting, then, that Sam Raimi, the director of Spiderman 2, would find a spot for Hal in his film. According to Shirley, a poster on 
Hal Sparks has been a busy man this hiatus as well. He appeared at the GLAAD media awards and presented with Bill Brochtrup. Here's a great 
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