Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Separated at (Lack of) Girth
Yikes. Did someone get Sarah Jessica Parker a membership to Madonna's Hard Candy gym? These two appear to be unpaid spokeswomen for 
Clearly, This Is Not an Example of Philly Soul, Blue-Eyed or Otherwise
The recent marathon of "Dancin' on Air" -- a local teen-oriented dance show that aired from 1981-1987 -- had my Philadelphia-area friends in a tizzy, and now I can see why. I'd have loved to have been on that show as it would have been the one and only time my, uh, dancing skills didn't stand out in a crowd. As good as the video is, FourFour's write-up on the shenanigans is even better, over HERE!
Enjoy yourself with me!
Meet the Cutest Jag Since David James Elliott
I want one. Chexy has another adorable clip of the little critter HERE.
Do 'The Ides' Have It?
With its all-star cast (Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman) and topical subject matter, "The Ides of March" -- based on Beau Willimon's play "Farragut North" -- sounds like a winner on paper. Still, the buzz doesn't sound especially good, and the trailer looks like "State of Play" et al. over again, so I'm not sure what to think. I'll probably still see it, even if they're using Detroit as Washington (I did the same thing as a child)! Has anyone seen it?
UPDATE:
Here's George Clooney -- and the gang -- pimping the film today at the Venice International Film Festival.
Writer Grant Heslov, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood and Clooney Oh, Henry!
I'm not a fan of this type of movie -- you know, 'cause they suck -- but Henry Cavill as Superman is awfully nice to look at. Couple more HERE.
Republicans Stoop (Down) Low for Excuses
Click HERE for Daily Intel's list of the Six Worst Excuses by Anti-Gay Public Figures Caught Doing (Allegedly) Gay Things. I only wish I needed the new "weight-loss" excuse!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
David Wright's Locker Room Peep Show
With thanks to Tommy: Well, it only lasted a second. But we got a second look at Mets third-baseman David Wright shirtless during this locker room interview with Angel Pagan. (The first time is HERE.) It happens at the 1:05 mark and is like the moment at the Westside Club you always dreamed would happen.
Time Traveling to 1995
I've barely ever heard of "Torchwood" -- apparently John Barrowman plays the time-traveling leader of a secret organization that saves the world from aliens -- but I'm a fan from the "Central Park West" 
Gregory Harrison Is a Technical Knockout
Remember when I blogged about watching the DVD of Gregory Harrison's 1983 TV movie "The Fighter"? Well, lucky for you I was finally able to get some screen grabs from it. To view 36 reasons why this will surely be the next thing you add to your Netflix queue, click HERE.
(You'll have to get your lube elsewhere.)
Missionary Accomplished
Is this what they call Chinese water torture?
Wow, this'll make you feel old. The Madonna-Sean Penn bomb "Shanghai Surprise" opened 25 years ago today. I remember going to see the film the day it opened and wanting to like it so much. (Oh, boy.) My pal Nathaniel at Film Experience blog revisits the film that effectively ended Madonna's acting career before it had really begun HERE.
Wow, this'll make you feel old. The Madonna-Sean Penn bomb "Shanghai Surprise" opened 25 years ago today. I remember going to see the film the day it opened and wanting to like it so much. (Oh, boy.) My pal Nathaniel at Film Experience blog revisits the film that effectively ended Madonna's acting career before it had really begun HERE.
Valley Forge
Only another ex-resident of the Valley of the Sun could appreciate Sandra Bernhard's recent high school drive-by -- she a Saguaro grad, me a Dobson -- where every school (and every house) looks exactly the same, and where you'd almost think we chose to be "different" as the only escape of the monotony of stucco, red-tile roofs and desert landscaping.High School Memories at Saguaro High
While looking for photos of my high school online I happened to find a yearbook from a few years after I'd graduated that featured this photo. Would love to hear the back story on this one, Class of '89!!!
Monday, August 29, 2011
The Baseliner in the Plastic Bubble
The Wall Street Journal reports that there's a lot more than being gluten-free to Novak Djokovic's fitness regimen. For the last year, the sporty Serb has been spending his free time in a $75,000 CVAC pod, an egg-shaped pressure chamber pod that "simulates high altitude and compresses muscles at rhythmic intervals." Sure, it may sound a little Michael Jacksony. But it got Lady Gaga to the top, and seems to be keeping Nole there too!
Of course, before you get too convinced that this contraption -- one of just 20 in the world -- is the real secret of Djokovic's success, keep this in mind: Axl Rose is one of the other owners.
Streaming Idiot
With Netflix recently doubling its monthly fee -- and my not being a huge "watch DVDs at home" guy -- I found myself considering switching to the streaming-only plan. Then I realized everything -- except the recently added "Mad Men" -- that I wanted to watch isn't available yet. So until Netflix and the content providers get their shit together, I'm going to add to this list each time I go to watch something and can't. (Somehow, I find it particularly galling when crappy "gay" movies aren't available. They should be happy ANYONE wants to watch 'em and make them available every way possible!)
Admittedly, this serves no real purpose. But I grew up obsessed with making lists, so at least it'll make me feel a little better in a nostalgic kind of way.
Stuff That Should Be Streaming on Netflix:
1. "The Fighter" (1983 Gregory Harrison version) 'Cause of THIS.
2. "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills" (1996) 'Cause of THIS.
3. "It's My Party" (1996) 'Cause of Olivia and Gregory Harrison!
4. "Tales of the City" (series) (1993) 'Cause I missed it when I was living in Washington!
5. "Man of the Year" (1995) 'Cause I'm on a Playgirl kick.
6. "October Sky" (1999) 'Cause of Chad Lindberg.
7. "A Different Story" (1978) 'Cause of Perry King.
8. "Rhoda" (series) (1974-1978) 'Cause it's my fave.
Music Box: 'After Your Party' by Tanya Donelly
My friend Matt's singularly heartbreaking post about the first time you learn about rejection nearly crushed me this morning, much in the same way this Tanya Donelly b-side does every time I hear it. Now can someone explain to me why this gifted singer/songwriter -- of Throwing Muses, Breeders and Belly fame -- is supporting herself as a postpartum doula while [insert artist's name here] is still making a living as a recording artist?Homo Box Office: 'My Big Break,' 'The Adonis Factor,' 'Paradise Lost'
New Yorkers were mostly spared any real harm from Hurricane Irene, but it did provide a great opportunity for this TV-phobic Chelsea resident to catch up on some home entertainment viewing. (I can sit on the computer for 10 hours, but "make" me watch a DVD that came in the mail -- even something I "want" to watch -- and I will postpone it for months! Is it because it becomes an "assignment"? I don't know.) Started by finishing off Season 4 of "Mad Men" -- and what a season it was! Am so happy I'm finally up to date because it was very hard not having anyone to discuss the ending with. (SOMEONE talk to me!) Then caught up on this new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." (Still funny, but you can see where the plot twist is going to come from within the first five minutes now.) From there, I caught three more movies in two days:
"My Big Break" is a documentary I have written about before, but that has finally been released on DVD in final edit form. I can't RAVE about this one enough. Aspiring filmmaker Tony Zierra was broke and had no prospects, so began filming his struggling actor roommates and their day-to-day activities of going on auditions and goofing off around the house. When three of the four quickly became rising stars -- Wes Bentley ("American Beauty"), Brad Rowe ("Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss") and Chad Lindberg ("October Sky") -- Zierra's film ("Carving Out Our Name") became a hot property in Hollywood, only to go up in flames when the guys' publicists decided the unpolished look at their lives could jeopardize their careers.
Zierra ended up destroying the film, but as the years went by he saw all three of his friends' stars begin to fade, so he revisited the footage and brought it up to date, which resulted in the riveting "My Big Break," the most brutally honest look at the dark side of stardom I've ever seen.
"I've watched fame swallow and spit out so many talented friends and Hollywood still continues to influence audiences around the world," Zierra told me "I wanted to get 'MBB' out there because I think it's important that people understand how things are behind the façade."
Ironically, the roommate who didn't "make it," Greg Fawcett, ends up being The Star of this one -- in a "role" that will leave you as incredulous as it does heartbroken. If reality TV shows were 1/100th as real as "My Big Break," no one would ever leave the house. My grade: A+
Learn more HERE.
"The Adonis Factor" is Christopher Hines' followup to to "The Butch Factor," this time looking at gay men's obsession with muscle and beauty. Like its predecessor, it was a good idea that seemed like it could have been told in about half the time. Was also a little surprised that the "Adonises" being interviewed weren't, uh, a little more Adonis-y. Perhaps it's like the rich. Wealthy people would never talk about being rich, so we have nouveau "rich" (read: teetering on bankruptcy) "Real Housewives" doing the talking instead. My grade: C-
Get it on Netflix HERE.
With the recent release of the West Memphis Three, I'd been dying to rewatch "Paradise Lost," Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's award-winning documentary about the prosecution of three nonconformist young men for the murders of three 8-year-old boys on questionable evidence. Like many others who saw the film in 1996, I was highly skeptical of the guys' guilt. But seeing it again -- knowing that they would ultimately be freed, if not completely exonerated -- made it all the more chilling knowing that these kids would spend nearly 20 years in prison for a crime it is clear they did not commit. (Even if you don't see it that way, you don't have to be a Casey Anthony juror to admit that there was ample reasonable doubt.) I'd kind of forgotten about the mystery man in the bathroom -- "Mr. Bojangles" -- and the blood on the knife of creepy stepfather John Mark Byers, who it turned out was a career criminal and police informant. Knowing that a possible link to stepfather Terry Hobbs exists -- partially the basis for their striking a deal to be released -- also cast a new light when watching him in the film, which is the gold standard for real-time crime documentaries, and the clear inspiration for many episodes of "48 Hours Mystery," "Dateline NBC" and the like. My grade: A+
Get it on Netflix HERE.
Check out previous Homo Box Office posts HERE.
"My Big Break" is a documentary I have written about before, but that has finally been released on DVD in final edit form. I can't RAVE about this one enough. Aspiring filmmaker Tony Zierra was broke and had no prospects, so began filming his struggling actor roommates and their day-to-day activities of going on auditions and goofing off around the house. When three of the four quickly became rising stars -- Wes Bentley ("American Beauty"), Brad Rowe ("Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss") and Chad Lindberg ("October Sky") -- Zierra's film ("Carving Out Our Name") became a hot property in Hollywood, only to go up in flames when the guys' publicists decided the unpolished look at their lives could jeopardize their careers.
Zierra ended up destroying the film, but as the years went by he saw all three of his friends' stars begin to fade, so he revisited the footage and brought it up to date, which resulted in the riveting "My Big Break," the most brutally honest look at the dark side of stardom I've ever seen.
"I've watched fame swallow and spit out so many talented friends and Hollywood still continues to influence audiences around the world," Zierra told me "I wanted to get 'MBB' out there because I think it's important that people understand how things are behind the façade."
Ironically, the roommate who didn't "make it," Greg Fawcett, ends up being The Star of this one -- in a "role" that will leave you as incredulous as it does heartbroken. If reality TV shows were 1/100th as real as "My Big Break," no one would ever leave the house. My grade: A+
"The Adonis Factor" is Christopher Hines' followup to to "The Butch Factor," this time looking at gay men's obsession with muscle and beauty. Like its predecessor, it was a good idea that seemed like it could have been told in about half the time. Was also a little surprised that the "Adonises" being interviewed weren't, uh, a little more Adonis-y. Perhaps it's like the rich. Wealthy people would never talk about being rich, so we have nouveau "rich" (read: teetering on bankruptcy) "Real Housewives" doing the talking instead. My grade: C-
With the recent release of the West Memphis Three, I'd been dying to rewatch "Paradise Lost," Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's award-winning documentary about the prosecution of three nonconformist young men for the murders of three 8-year-old boys on questionable evidence. Like many others who saw the film in 1996, I was highly skeptical of the guys' guilt. But seeing it again -- knowing that they would ultimately be freed, if not completely exonerated -- made it all the more chilling knowing that these kids would spend nearly 20 years in prison for a crime it is clear they did not commit. (Even if you don't see it that way, you don't have to be a Casey Anthony juror to admit that there was ample reasonable doubt.) I'd kind of forgotten about the mystery man in the bathroom -- "Mr. Bojangles" -- and the blood on the knife of creepy stepfather John Mark Byers, who it turned out was a career criminal and police informant. Knowing that a possible link to stepfather Terry Hobbs exists -- partially the basis for their striking a deal to be released -- also cast a new light when watching him in the film, which is the gold standard for real-time crime documentaries, and the clear inspiration for many episodes of "48 Hours Mystery," "Dateline NBC" and the like. My grade: A+
Check out previous Homo Box Office posts HERE.
Monday Ad Watch: Publicite Coach Club
The ad's for Publicite Coach Club, but the asses on these men are first class all the way.
Joseph Sayers and Benjamin Godfre Get Mounted
I think it's little exaggeration to say these photos of Joseph Sayers and Ben Godfre will end up on 99 percent of gay blogs, which is fine as it should only further the stereotype that all gay men have good taste. (Thanks, Jim!)
Gay Social-Networking Site Connexion to Close
Just read that Connexion -- aka the "gay Frienster" -- is shutting down after eight years of operation. The owners say that despite 2011 being their best year to date, it still was not enough to make the site profitable, leading them to decide to put those funds toward other philanthropic efforts. While this is no real surprise -- Facebook's domination is well-documented, so at this point it would take a Goliath like Google to even try to compete -- it does signal the close of yet another chapter in the world of gay niche offerings.
I remember hearing that someone at another floundering gay-social-networking site, Fab.com (nee Fabulis.com), said the problem with their site was that there already was a gay social-networking site, "It's called Facebook."
While mainstream acceptance for LGBT citizens is surely a good thing, it's hard not to mourn the death of the gay ghetto, whether it bookstores, Web sites or actual neighborhoods. Makes me wonder what the next "gay" thing to fade into oblivion will be ...
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Fireman Who Assaulted 'Shemale' Porn Star Girlfriend Doesn't Like Things Too Fruity
The open-season of violence against transpeople continues with news that fireman and fitness model Taylor Murphy -- who posed in the 2011 NY firefighters beefcake calendar and brags that Hoda and Kathie Lee got "hot and bothered" by him during their morning cocktail hour NBC passes off as part of the "Today Show" -- was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, Claudia Charriez, a self-described "shemale porn star" (stage name Amber Vaughn) who was a semifinalist on "America's Next Top Model" in 2006 before being forced off the show when producers found out she was born male. (Kind of ironic given who runs the show, no?)
Murphy's been arrested and charged with assault, criminal mischief and criminal obstruction of breathing and the FDNY says he's been suspended. (The guy weighs 245, she's just 124.)
Perhaps not surprisingly, the steroid-friendly fireman, who dates a transwoman, also has a modeling bio on the Internet that goes out of its way to make sure photographers know that he's not willing to do anything too gay:
Bio: Hello MM my name is Taylor Murphy I am A NYC fire fighter and have experience in fit modeling and I’m looking to expand my port i have I recently did The FDNY 2011 official calander {Coming out in April} and 2010 Fire Fighter calander {City Of the Brave}, N am up For the FDNY 2012 Cover… Most Recently Worked for Bacardi AdV. n Bjohn Borg Under wear,N Press. I am interested In Expanding my Port With Some Great shots, Or work… Do Not Do any Nude shots, or Shots with any not straight content hopefully you understand and thank you.
Sadly, Mr. Murphy, I think we understand all too well, 'cause there's nothing "not straight" about THIS.
And get well soon, Claudia. You deserve better than this.