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The celebration in honor of AIDS Walk founder Craig R. Miller and the AIDS Walk movement will be held on October 10 at Hotel Casa Del Mar, Santa Monica, Calif. Special guests Jamie Lee Curtis, Hal Sparks, and Nia Vardalos will also be supporting the event. For tickets and more information visit www.apla.org or call (213) 201-9255.
Several QAF wardrobe items worn by Gale Harold are up for auction at eBay, including the skin-tight pants he wore to the season one political fundraiser; one of five silk scarves with tassels, worn during the prom episode (season one finale); and a black vintage Western long-sleeve shirt with a tag that reads "Brian Season 2 vintage cowboy shirt was Gabe's favorite worn several times" (thanks drew, for the reminder!)
Patrick Antosh and Naked News senior anchors Victoria Sinclair and Lucas Tyler, as well as Enza Supermodel, helped choose a news anchor hopeful at a contest held at Woody's. The winner gets a chance at a year long contract with the news team.
September 30, 2004
Check out the Queer As Folk Meetup Groups if you are interested in getting together with other fans of the show in your area. There are 98 groups worldwide, with a total of 714 Members (and growing). The groups meet every second Wednesday of the month at 8:00 PM at a pre-determined location. The next meeting takes place Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 8:00 PM. Consult the website for the meeting location in your area.
There's a new article on Dean Armstrong from the Windy City Times, in which he talks to interviewer David Guarino about many aspects of his life, such as working with Scott Lowell on QAF, his time on Broadway in "Rent," and his personal journey with Youthquest. "It seems that trying to catch up with 31-year-old Canadian actor Dean Armstrong is getting more difficult by the day. Indeed, the handsome theater/television star is juggling many balls as he climbs to new heights in the entertainment field he so dearly loves." [read more]
September 29, 2004
Scott Lowell's chat with MarkyG from Party 93.1 radio (which aired September 19th) is available at the Issues Over the Rainbow archive. For those who don't have the time to listen to the full show, I've transcribed the interview here (somewhat paraphrased, but fairly complete from start to finish).
Dean Armstrong's Website has sprouted a new branch: The Dean Armstrong Acting Studio, with all kinds of great info on film, television, training, etc.
The QAF hiatus is now over, so look for updates on many of the actors' official websites and communities as the gang rolls back into town to begin filming on Thursday, September 30th. They should be finished filming the first episode by Canadian Thanksgiving (October 11th is a holiday Monday here). Based on a filming schedule of 7 business days per episode, there should be about 7 shows in the can by mid-December when the cast and crew break for the holidays. Keep an eye on the Production Information page for details on filming, S4 DVD release, etc. as they become available.
September 28, 2004
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit behind the wheel of Brian Kinney's Corvette? Wish you could be the one in control of 400 horsepower and 460 pounds of torque? Well, it might not be such a pipe dream after all! The Corvette Stingray that is used on Queer As Folk is going up FOR SALE by the owner early next year, once QAF has finished filming (around March 2005), and you could have the chance to own a fantastic piece of memorabilia from the groundbreaking Showtime series. The car is a dark green Corvette Stingray, circa 1971, with all of its original parts. If you are interested in purchasing the car, or would like to find out more information on the sale, visit the Stingray page, or email me if you have questions. Serious inquiries only, please.
The transgender sportscaster wears a miniskirt, the porn is gay, lesbian and bisexual, and Wonder Woman will be on every night at seven. France's first gay television channel, PinkTV, is an eye-opener. And that's the point. Pink's founders believe there's a ready audience for the channel, and not just among France's estimated 3.5 million gays. Aside from daily doses of Wonder Woman and Japanese "manga" cartoons, Pink plans to broadcast movies, documentaries, music programs, experimental video and series including "Queer as Folk." There'll be debates Mondays on homophobia, gay unions, gay parenthood and other topics, a chat show Thursdays and X-rated films four nights a week after midnight. The actors will wear condoms. [read more].
September 25, 2004
The Edmonton Sun has a story on Meredith Henderson (she played "Callie" on QAF last season). The actress will be playing Shania Twain in an upcoming made-for-TV movie. "The plan was, I was going to become their drummer, but I liked the acting thing too much," said Henderson, who has appeared on television series including Queer as Folk, The Eleventh Hour and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, for which she received a Gemini award in 1999. [full story]
A tribute was held last Friday night at the Winter Garden Theatre during the Toronto Film Festival in honor of the late, famously well-informed celebrity interviewer, Brian Linehan. The evening, moderated by film critic Roger Ebert, featured memories, film clips, and very funny stories from friends Norman Jewison, Martin Short, Sharon Gless and the irrepressible Joan Rivers.
The Toronto Star printed an article about Patrick Antosh, who was at the Liberty Grand entertainment complex for Fashion Week in Toronto:
Patrick Antosh is a cult star. The costume designer for Queer As Folk has a website set up by anonymous admirers and he marvels that http://www.patrickantosh.com gets 200,000 hits a month. "I wake up to fan mail every morning. It's unbelievable," says the Toronto native, who grew up in tiny Fergus, Ont., and then moved to even tinier Elora where he decorated numerous homes and shops. Antosh landed in showbiz by fluke. "It was the mid-'90s and I was unemployed. I heard through a friend that they needed (wardrobe) buyers for the Keanu Reeve's film Johnny Mnemonic." Legendary Canadian costume designer Olga Dimitrov liked Antosh's selections and took him under her wing. Numerous films later, Antosh regularly outfits 40 characters on Queer As Folk. As a nod to Toronto Fashion Week, Antosh turned up in a shirt appliquéd with tiny shirts and pants and cut from a mad mix of denim, gingham, florals and solids. "It's by Alessandro Gherardeschi of Italy and it looks like five shirts blended into one. It's from a menswear store at 870 Queen St. W. called Grreat Stuff. I buy a lot of things for the show there because they have designers' samples, so you get the latest season's styles at great prices. "They have an eclectic mix of well-known designers and independents. It really is a great
store." [see the scanned article with a picture of Patrick on his website under Latest News]
Michelle Clunie was also on hand at Fashion Week, hanging with Patrick and outspoken designer Phillip Bloch. There's a great photo of the three of them on Patrick's website (here). [read more].
Frank and Dan of A Bolder Image will be the official photographers at the Queer As Fans Convention next year. The two men, who are also fans of the show, will have a vendors table with work for sale.
Paticles of Truth will be presented as part of the High-Definition Film Festival, in collaboration with London's Raindance Film Festival. From Digital Video Editing comes this blurb: All projects HDFEST will be screening at Raindance will be presented in High-Definition resolution and will also be European Premieres. "Particles of Truth," which opened theatrically in New York last month, is directed and written by Jennifer Elster. The feature film stars Elster and Gale Harold, the lead actor from the television show "Queer as Folk." Described as a film "about life, love, and the fear of failing," "Particles of Truth" centers around an intense relationship between a woman who is a self-doubting visual artist and a man who is a obsessive compulsive germophobe.
Liz has updated her Intense site with new wallpapers and icons. Some beautiful work... be sure to take a peek!
PB&A has added new pictures of Robert Gant, Hal Sparks, and Peter Paige at various Emmy Awards parties to the David & Gale site.
Check out Film Magic, WireImage and Getty Images for new pictures of Robert Gant, Hal Sparks, and Peter Paige, and more of your QAF faves at various charity events and premieres as this summer draws to a close. Just type the actor's name into the search box.
September 15, 2004
Harris Allan has posted a new message to the Hideaway forum: "I wanted to let you guys know I will be out of commission for the next few days I just got my wisdom teeth out and I will be resting for the next little bit. I'm really excited to start filming season. Unfortunately I won't beable to attend Sparkvision but I hope to see you all at the 2005 convention. Have a great time ! ttyl"
Visit wireIMAGE to see pictures of Peter Paige at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) " Childstar" Premiere.
Also screening at TIFF... check out Human Kazoo, a raucously surreal tragi-comedy about the fantastic powers of perception. Director Fabrizio Filippo (ex-Ethan, QAF) says, "THE HUMAN KAZOO charts the journey of a writer in the last moments of his life as he remembers his relationship with the person he loved the most. The movie is essentially a dream, an entire life flashing before our eyes and, for this reason, I wanted it to elicit an extremely wide spectrum of emotion. While I was preparing the film I wondered, if my life was a movie, what kind of movie would it be? Of course, I couldn't narrow it down to one thing, and neither could I narrow down the life of my protagonist. Is THE HUMAN KAZOO a satire, a comedy, a tragedy? The answer is, yes." Be sure to visit the Best Bets section of the Official Festival website every evening to find out which screenings on the following day will have same-day tickets available.
Check out the photos and discussions about Sparksvision, the Hal Sparks fan weekend over at Hal's Lair.
The QAF website Liberty Ave is organizing a Queer as Folk Cast & Crew Thank You Project with a donation to charity and a thank you book. If you're interested in participating, visit the Liberty Ave site for more information.
September 14, 2004
Dean Armstrong, Patrick Antosh and Hal Sparks have all indicated that they will participate in the Queer As Fans Convention in Toronto, January 2005. Visit the message board to find out more about the convention and chat with other fans.
Patrick Antosh's Playgirl interview is now available at his official website. QAF's costume designer talks about how he developed the now infamous 'cock sock,' how it's used on QAF, and who needs the 'biggest' one! ;)
More from the Toronto International Film Festival... I mentioned that Peter Paige was hanging out with the cast and crew of his film Donut Hole; he also attended a screening of Don McKellar's Childstar, in which Peter plays a talent agent to a young boy, and was reportedly dancing up a storm at Festival Schmooze. Fab Filippo (ex-Ethan, QAF) was also on hand for the short film he directed, called The Human Kazoo, in which an undistinguished writer sits at his typewriter to create a final story. The film will be screened this coming Wednesday and Friday. Also of note, which I've mentioned here before, is Lori Silverbush's On the Outs. Lori directed "Mental Hygiene" in which Gale had a small part.
Tickets are now on sale for Particles of Truth this Friday, September 17th. Visit the showtimes & theater page, and be sure to change the showdate to September 17th. From Jennifer Elster's blog: "so here are the times for the particles screening... 11:am, 1:05 pm, 3:15 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:40 pm, 9:50 pm and midnight. there will be a q and a after the 7:40 and possibly the 9:50. we may schedule another time. we'll see. shanny is the associate producer for "life on the ledge" and has been an integral part of the post production of "particles of truth". she's also my buddy. looking forward to it all."
September 13, 2004
According to Variety, under the new leadership of Noah Cowan, the 2004 Toronto Intl. Film Festival continues to prove civility is a major Canadian export. Attempting to attend a press screening without a festival badge in Cannes would mean risking arrest; in Toronto, it inspires an earnest volunteer to ask, "Well, do you plan to get one? OK, just as long as you promise." However, all this good behavior should not mask Toronto's true nature, which is to serve as a canary in the coal mine of future Oscar campaigns. With the shortened awards season, it's not uncommon for critics to emerge from theaters and find themselves attacked by studio publicists before their eyes have adjusted to daylight. In addition to the press, there are a plethora of stars on parade, including our own Peter Paige (Emmett), with his gang from "Donut Hole." [more on Festival]
"Psst. Women like to watch," writes Neva Chonin in a recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle. "Specifically, they like to watch 'Queer as Folk.' Even more specifically, they like to watch the men in 'Queer as Folk.' At least 50 percent of the show's U.S. audience is female, according to Showtime." [read more]
September 11, 2004
"The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments 3," the third installment of an NBC special hosted by Bob Eubanks, recently aired on VH1 and will replay on September 17th. It features Peter Paige in the segment "Off the Wall," giving a clue on the game show Pyramid from his appearances last year. In order to get the contestant to guess the word "Birkenstocks," Peter said, "Those ugly sandals lesbians wear." LOL! Another great moment from the show was when host Donny Osmond told Peter (who was about to give the clues in the winner's circle) to place his arms in the straps and not use his hands. Peter replied, "Just like any Saturday night!"
From the Canadian Press comes an article about Dean Armstrong helping out B.C. youth: "Queer as Folk cast member Dean Armstrong, who plays Blake, the recovering drug-addict-turned-counsellor, is the new spokesman for a B.C. outreach organization for gay, lesbian and transgendered youth. With a degree in the dramatic arts and education from Queens University, Armstrong said the role with Youthquest! comes easily to him. He will help fundraise and tour drop-ins centres throughout B.C.'s lower mainland. The Owen Sound, Ont. native said he was invited to help out after the name of this television character kept popping up among kids at the drop-in centres. "There was never a choice on whether or not I was going to be affiliated
with the organization," he said Thursday night as he visited a drop-in centre in Surrey, B.C. "The choice was made for me." He'll be in Vancouver through the weekend, when he will perform at a street fair with B.C. singer Kim Kuzma.
Meredith Henderson , best known for starring in the youth TV series The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, and who had a guest starring role on QAF as Callie (Hunter's girlfriend) this past season, will take on the role of Canadian pop-country star Shania Twain in the upcoming CBC-TV movie called Shania. "She commands the camera," director Jerry Ciccoritti told the Canadian Press. "Can she sing? Yes!" The 20-year-old Henderson won a Gemini Award in her early teens for the Shirley Holmes series, in which she portrayed a descendent of the legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes. In addition to QAF, she has made guest appearances on The Eleventh Hour and Puppets Who Kill. [full article].
September 8, 2004
From the July/August 2004 edition of "You Get The Picture" newsletter (Georgia Film, Video and Music):
The dramatic feature film, The Unseen, was shot this summer in Haralson and Atlanta Georgia. The film was written, directed and produced by Lisa France. In The Unseen an emotionally isolated black man, Roy (Steve Harris) returns to his rural Georgia hometown where he is forced to confront his former best friend, Harold (Gale Harold) and a horrific secret only the two of them share. Through helping Harold’s blind, socially inept brother, Sammy (Phillip Bloch), Roy is able to confront his childhood demons, and complete the past that has always haunted him. [read the full story, accompanied by a photo of Lisa France, the director.]
The trailer for The Unseen is now available at the official website (viewable in QuickTime). Gale looks pretty scruffy with a full, bushy beard and ball cap; he's also got a thick, southern accent. His character, Harold, is a tad angry in this dark tale (something similar to the "Wake" vibe), and mixes it up with Kathleen, played by Michelle Clunie, who is almost unrecognizable in an unruly mass of red hair and heavy accent herself. More cast info is available at IMDb.com.
The Particles of Truth website has been updated with a link to purchase tickets for the premiere in NYC, a new blog entry, a couple of interviews, and... *drumroll*.... links to the official website for Life on the Lege (lifeontheledgethemovie.com/) -- in which Gale Harold plays the gangster "Chaz" -- and the 75 FILMS production company (75films.com/), both of which are almost ready (apparently we must be patient a little longer... *sigh*). Check out the reviews on the new banner as well. In her sagindie.org interview, Jennifer says, "I just completed producing Lewis Helfer's dark comedy "Life on the Ledge" -- a story about a guy who wants to die until he finds out he is actually dying. I am presently casting for a feature film that I am scheduled to shoot this winter. I am finishing my next script "A Nervous Society" and recently opened a production company "75 Films". It just goes to show with a dream and a ridiculous amount of backbreaking work you too can make your dreams come true. Particles of Truth is scheduled to begin its theatrical release in New York City at the Village East on September 17, 2004. The film will also play on the Sundance Channel in a series entitled "New Voices" in December 2004 with a DVD to be released in early 2005." The distributor is Dada Films (scroll down to "coming attractions").
Good news for Rhinoceros Eyes... according to Aaron Woodley's website, the film will screen at the Festival Do Rio, Brazil, which runs from September 23rd to October 7th, 2004 and at the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia, Spain, which runs from December 2nd to 11th, 2004.
September 7, 2004
Filming has now wrapped on "Social Grace." Updated cast information indicates that Gale Harold will play a character named Andrew. He is joined by Christine Baranski as Bree, Laura Benanti as Alexandra, and Margaret Cho as Janie; director B.D. Wong will also play the role of Stephen. Other cast members include John Cooney, Gretchen Egolf, Nick Gregory, Fay Ann Lee (as Grace), Ken Leung, Stephanie March, Sarah Rafferty, Roger Rees, and Elizabeth Sung. See IMDb for the full cast list.
September 6, 2004
The networks are rolling out their plans and displaying their wares for the upcoming season during "Upfront Week" (what the more cynical refer to as the 'dog and pony show'), when advertisers buy their spots. Randy Harrison attended Paradigm's cocktail party at Osteria Del Circo for the occasion. If you subscribe to Variety, you can check out the article here, with a picture of Randy posing with Cote de Pablo (who bears a striking resemblance to Salma Hayek) of Fox's new series "The Jury."
Hal Sparks has updated the September calendar on his website. His band will be playing the Roxy Theatre on September 13th, followed by a gig at the GameWorks entertainment facility for the US finals of the World Cyber Games in Long Beach, California on the 17th. Hal will appear on Good Morning America on the 19th, and celebrates his birthday on the 25th.
I've been receiving a lot of inquiries about the premiere of Particles of Truth in NYC on Sept. 17th. It IS open to the public. In fact, there is an open invitation for fans to come down and watch it along with the cast and crew and a few other special guests who will be in attendance (including Lewis Helfer, director of "Life on the Ledge"). I cannot confirm that Gale will be there, but if I hear one way or the other, I will post more information. For the full message from Jennifer Elster to the fans, visit this page. As mentioned by Jennifer in her blog, the tickets will be given out on a 'first come, first serve' basis, so the earlier you get there on the 17th, the earlier you have a chance of getting a ticket. You can contact the theatre (City Cinema Village East, 189 Second Ave at 12th Street) for showtimes. The first fifteen people on line for the showing at the theater will get the new poster which, according to Jennifer, "blows the old one away."
September 5, 2004
The new issue of The Advocate has a feature on Peter Paige, Emmett's real-life alter ego. In "A New Paige," Peter talks about his experience starring in, writing, and directing the indie film "donut hole", currently in postproduction. "The biggest surprise for me was, directing and acting in the same film? Not really two jobs. More like a job-and-a-half." Paige stars as a gay man who seeks out a new kid to hang out with when his godchild's family moves away. Cue concerned parents (led by Kathy Najimy) who are convinced that Paige's character is a child molester. Paige welcomes the backlash against his controversial storyline -- "I mean, my God, I'm on QUEER AS FOLK" -- adding, "If you're going to go to all the effort to make a film, why wouldn't you make a film ABOUT something?"
"Leaving the Village" is an article by Murray Whyte in today's Toronto Star, talking about how a new generation is finding places to live and play outside the Gay Village. The author writes, "For decades, the Church and Wellesley area has given Toronto's homosexuals, especially gay men, a refuge, safety and community in a society that, at the very best, merely tolerated their presence. But shifting societal perspectives have moved gay culture from the fringes into prime time — witness the success of such shows as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer as Folk and Will & Grace. And, for a new generation of gays, the traditional refuge is not only no longer necessary, it's outdated." [read more]
SignOnSanDiego.com features an article about the policing of network TV shows by the FCC. "As the TV networks begin to roll out more than 30 fall shows this week," writes author Preston Turegano of the Union-Tribune, "fear of increased government scrutiny hangs over a medium that for the past several years has stretched the envelope of language, sex and violence. The consternation stems from the FCC's reactions to two events this year: Janet Jackson's breast-exposing "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl half-time show and the use of a racial epithet on Howard Stern's nationally syndicated radio show." The article quotes several network executives on their reactions to the increased scrutiny. "At Showtime, Chairman and CEO Matthew Blank frequently talks about his network embracing freedom of expression and diversity. Two of the cable network's most popular series, "The L Word" and "Queer As Folk," depict the respective lives of lesbians in Los Angeles and gay men in Pittsburgh. 'The trickle-down effect (of action taken against broadcasters) is always a concern to us,' Blank said. 'But the political motivation behind them and what the fallout will be worries us more personally rather than commercially.' " [read more]
Patrick Antosh, bless his heart, hasn't been scared away by the multitude of fans who've been flocking to his message board and asking question after question about anything and everything from QAF style to what he did this summer. And the costume designer for our fave show wouldn't have it any other way! He's thrilled by the interest that the fans have taken in his work, and has been signing on almost daily to answer what he can in the forum. He has even suggested starting new threads to discuss each character's style evolution. Here are a few snippets of what he has shared:
- "All directors are involved in wardrobe choices. And of course it means more to some than others. My work on each episode starts with a meeting in the boardroom of my office with the director, a producer, myself and some of my crew as well as extras casting present. I throw out my ideas on the entire script and we all brainstorm. Then I make a consensus of all the ideas brought up and pull it all together."
- "All Wardrobe is provided by the wardrobe department, even underwear. I have two main assistants, Shannon and Heather. They lay out the clothes at the top of the day and the actors arrive and after hair and makeup they get dressed. I don't expect my choices to be written in stone so with underwear and jewelery, several choices are left out for the actor to choose. (Gale and Randy just happened to both choose black that day)." Patrick is refering to the scene in ep.311 when Brian and Justin undress and have sex amid the Stockwell posters on the floor of the loft.
- "Several scenes are shot each day so there are changes between outfits many times a day. The day's changes are kept on a huge truck with a dryer and office space as they have to go on the road. My assitant Kimberley makes sure that the following days outfits are sent to the truck each night. On top of that there are a group of up to 5 other wardrobe assistants to dress the extras and help out on set. All this has to be maintained in a continuity book so everything looks exactly the same each day, so you the audience, think the story is just happening in sequence. I'm lucky to have the best crew for the job!"
- "The clothes that are on the ebay auction are legitimate and they come with a certificate of authenticity. They are chosen for auction by myself. I know it doesn't seem clear on Ebay, but they are for charity, no money is for the show. I have asked the producers to clear this up. I only donate items for auction that are no longer needed. I had several copies of the scarf as it was need in various states for the show. It was given because of its value and we new it would raise alot of money for the auction. We've done it for several charities so I have to ask the producers which auction in particular that was for."
- "I don't toss anything. I have huge storage room in my office, and sometimes reuse, less identifiable cast outfits, on extras, the following year. I have never reused any of debbie's clothes, they are from walmart and such."
September 1, 2004
According to the "Melanie Loves Lindsay" website, Thea Gill will be playing a woman who sells her soul to the Devil in order to be the perfect mother in a Canadian series called "The Collector" which airs on City TV and the Space channel. The supernatural drama is shot in Vancouver, B.C., where Thea resides when she's not in Toronto working on Queer As Folk. The episode in which she appears will be directed by Holly Dale, who worked with her in "Bliss." Thea says this is probably the darkest character she's ever played for television.
The Hal Sparks band will be playing at the Roxy Theatre on September 13th, capping off the Sparksvision fan weekend.
Although there is no official release date for the film as yet, Aaron Woodley's Rhinoceros Eyes featuring Gale Harold will be available online through Netflix. If you are not registered, you can still do a "Preview Selection" of the film at the Netflix site.
PB&A has updated the Gale pictures page with larger versions of a couple of favourite images.
Steven Maler, who made his mark presenting free Shakespeare on Boston Common, now plans a performance series called " Wilde Nites." Aimed primarily at gay and lesbian audiences in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., the independently produced series will premiere with "An Evening with Whoopi Goldberg" at the Wang Theatre on Sept. 24. Maler has been working on developing "Wilde Nites" for at least three years. "There is, of course, a range of programming for and about gays and lesbians already. But it is not a particularly wide range. Some of it, like 'Will and Grace,' is extremely mainstream, and some has a niche focus, like 'Queer as Folk.' My concept is to create a series of performances that target friends and allies of the gay community, people who tend to be well-heeled and interested in the arts, by bringing some performing artists and icons to take part in special evenings in three cities," Maler said. [read the full article]
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