Real Life Monsters

Growing up, I was taught to believe there were no such things as monsters.

Of course, now I know that's not true. There are monsters. Monsters who disguise themselves as Human Beings. And even worse, those monsters pretend to be Christians, doing everything they can to pervert the teachings of the New Testament for their own means. And people wonder why I am against religion.

Three cases in point:

Case #1 - Texas Governor Rick Perry, who just yesterday released a hateful and decidedly un-Christian campaign video in a desperate attempt to attract homophobic rednecks into supporting his increasingly failing bid to secure the Republican nomination. See for yourselves (if you already haven't):

I feel sick just posting that. Of course, there have been several immediate responses to that hateful message. Thankfully, there are many sane (and often funny) responses to Perry's antiquated rhetoric. Here are two:

And I can't even tell you how many folks have compared Perry's attire in that video to that of Heath Ledger's in Brokeback Mountain. I'm sure he's blew his top at whomever clothed him that day by now. But that doesn't make him any less a monster.

Case #2 - Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum, who continues to spread lies about how gay people are out to erode the "traditional American family." I have some news for you, Mr. Santorum; the traditional family has been on the wane since the 1960's, when people started to realize they had choices in how they conducted their personal lives which were protected by the Constitution. And the Catholic Church is so well-regarded in matters of sexual propriety these days, everyone agrees with you. NOT! Sadly, there are some people who agree with Santorum's nonsense. I'm happy to admit that I don't know a single one of them.

In fact, Santorum seems so obsessed with gay sex it makes me wonder if "... the Lady doth protest too much," if you know what I mean (wink-wink, nudge-nudge), Get a life, already, would you? Of course, 'gay panic' is the least of the Frothy Mix's worries. His polling numbers are so low, he's the butt (every pun intended) of even Tea Part jokes.

Finally, Case #3 - Pat Robertson. The successor as host of "The 700 Club" to that pillar of morality Jim Bakker, Robertson continues to spew lies and hatred disguised as Christian values. In response to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's amazing and historic speech to the UN on International LGBT rights, Robertson had this to say:

Did Robertson conveniently skip the part about "Love thy neighbor?" And I have to think he's just ignoring that "The Wrath of God" has not come down upon Canada; Belgium; Iceland; Israel; Mexico; The Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; South Africa; Argentina; Sweden and Nepal for passing legislation allowing same-sex marriage. Or maybe he's become so isolated by his own ignorance, he doesn't even know that those countries exist. Fanaticism can do that, so I am told. 

Honestly, I don't know how these men sleep at night. I suppose they actually believe the lies they are spreading. I have to suppose they don't realize they are actually spewing hate speech. I hope they are simply blinded by what they believe to be the truth (as sad as that is). I can only hope they will one day wake up and realize how wrong they are. Until that day (should it ever come), I will continue to vote, write and speak against their lies, hate and intolerance. And I hope you will join me in doing so.

Okay - yet another rant over. Back to my usual nonsense, soon.

More, anon.

Prospero

Nyuk-Nyuk-Yuck!

What the hell? Not since Penelope Spheeris' crapped out The Little Rascals in 1994 has my childhood been so shat upon.

My sister and I grew up in the 60's and 70's, watching the Rascals' (and Our Gang) shorts on TV. We can quote them ad nauseum, and often embarrass our mother and my brother-in-law by sending each other into gales of inappropriately hysterical public laughter by doing so.  The shorts are also responsible for Q and I bonding forever one weird night after a rehearsal for a college production of The Heiress (that's a story for another time).

We also grew up watching Moe, Larry and Curly  (and later, Joe and Curly Joe) as The Three Stooges. A vaudeville act who went on to find success as a slapstick trio in 1940's shorts, the Stooges were on TV in the Philadelphia market every Sunday morning when we were kids. We can also quote many of their famous routines (and "Swingin' the Alphabet" is the most singable song you'll ever hear). They're still on in many markets (along with the Rascals).

So, when the Farrelly Brothers (Kingpin; There's Something About Mary) announced they were making a Three Stooges movie, I thought "Well, if anyone can do it, they can." Will Sasso as Curly? Sure. Sean Hayes as Larry? Okay - maybe. Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe - Who? Oh, that guy. This could work as a biopic. Of course, it's not a biopic. It's a new Stooges story, told as if the three 'moroons' were alive today. WTF? Did no one learn anything from The Little Rascals? 

The teaser trailer was released today, and it only confirmed what I feared would happen. I think that this movie will stink worse than a Halloween pumpkin at Thanksgiving. Take a look at the trailer and see if you don't agree:

Truth be told, there was not a single second of that trailer that made me smile, let alone laugh. Seriously? Snooki? Next you're going to tell me that "The Situation" is in this load of crap. Wait, what? He is? That's it. I'm done. That sound you hear is the Howard brothers rolling in their graves.

I hope you'll be joining me in avoiding this movie like the plague. Of course, I could be wrong and it might end up being hilarious. But something tells me that I'm not wrong and this film will be a boil on the ass of all that is funny. 

Gee - I wonder how I really feel about it?

If you're wondering what a funny Three Stooges movie is like, watch this famous scene featuring Curly and some very fresh oyster stew:

On a side note - While working at a Philadelphia department store in the 1990's, I met and befriended Larry Fine's sister. When she learned I was a fan, she started visiting regularly, often slipping me passes to the annual Stooge's convention. Sadly, I could never attend. I imagine she has joined her brother in the Great Beyond by now, but it was nice to know she appreciated someone who appreciated her brother. 

More, anon.

Prospero

Bloggers Can Make a Difference

Dan Pearce writes a blog called SDL which stands for 'Single Dad Laughing.' I haven't had much of a chance to read the rest of his posts, but his recent post called I'm Christian, unless you're gay has gone viral and caused quite a stir. To date, he has received over 5,000 comments on that single post. While many of those comments were negative, the vast majority have been positive.

It's an amazing piece and if you haven't already read it, I strongly suggest that you do so. The post isn't about Christianity or homosexuality. It's about Humanity. It's about how we all need to treat one another as we we would want ourselves to be treated. It's about the "Golden Rule." It's about realizing that our differences are what make us the same. But mostly, it's about love. 

I have an amazing family. My mother, sister and brother-in-law are amazingly supportive of me and love me for who I am. Of course, my family isn't limited to the people to whom I am related by blood. My family includes some amazing human beings (D; K; Q; Dale; Tracy and a few others) who genuinely love me (and whom I love so very much). I am also lucky enough have a wide group of friends who love me, as well. And I love all of them. I also happen to have a day job where my co-workers not only respect me, but don't care about my sexuality. It's simply a non-issue. In fact, most of them don't understand why anyone's sexuality matters. I think of myself as truly blessed to have have all of these wonderful people in my life, even though I would never consider myself to be religious in any way. Blessings don't have to be supernatural to matter.

Am I still anti-religion? Definitely. Religion has been the source of more social strife than any other issue in the history of civilization. Millions have been killed in the name of "God." Families have been torn apart; lives have been shattered and countless people have committed suicide because they just couldn't reconcile who they were with who their religions said they should be. But I am not about to condemn anyone for what he or she believes. What I will condemn is using what they believe to justify hating someone else for believing differently. 

Today, Dan posted a video featuring some of the comments he received on his post. Watch the whole thing. The fact that this eloquent man changed so many minds gives me hope. 

Thank you, Dan. And thank you to all of my readers who get it. Keep fighting the good fight, folks. Love is all you need, as some band sang way back when.

More, anon.
Prospero

It's About Time

Horror fans have been drooling to see producer Joss Whedon's The Cabin in the Woods for almost three years, now. Written and directed by Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard ("Lost;" "Angel;" "Alias") and starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor; The Avengers); Jesse Williams ("Grey's Anatomy"); Richard Jenkins (Let Me In; "Six Feet Under"); Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing") and Amy Acker ("Dollhouse"), The Cabin in the Woods supposedly takes a familiar trope and turns it on its ears.

As in Sam Raimi's seminal The Evil Dead, a group of young people head out to spend their holiday at a remote cabin in the woods, only to be confronted by creatures and forces beyond their ken. From the trailer just released, it appears that The Cabin in the Woods is a bizarre combination of The Evil Dead; Friday the 13th; Wrong Turn and Cube with a dash of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre thrown in for good measure.

Completed in 2009, The Cabin in the Woods got caught up in MGM's financial debacle, delaying it's release until Lionsgate finally picked it up for distribution. It has at last been scheduled for release on April 13th, 2012. Sadly, that's the opening night of Hairspray. I suppose that means I'll have to see it at a matinee that weekend.

I can't decide if I need to see this movie in 3D or not. Maybe if Scorcese had directed...

More, anon.
Prospero

I Can't Stop the Beat

So today saw the final performance of A Christmas Carol and I have to be honest, I don't think I'm going to suffer the usual post-show depression I usually experience at the end of a run. Mostly because I'm just exhausted. 

Doing a show while trying to get ready for the holidays is insane, yet there we were... it's like a strange disease or something. Only other Theatre Folk understand. I do get a break now, though. 

Rehearsals for Hairspray won't start until February and rehearsals for Jeffrey won't start until May. Hairspray will undoubtedly mark my retirement from performing in musicals. It's been eleven years since my last one (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) anyway, and I think it's probably a good one to go out on. Jeffrey not only marks the 10th Anniversary of the JTMF, but will be the first time D and I actually share more than a brief scene on stage together. After that, who knows what theatrical nonsense I might get up to? Maybe 2012 will finally be the year I get a composer to actually finish the score to one of the three musicals I've written. Or I just might finish one or two of the dozens of 'in-progress' screenplays on my hard drive. Or maybe I'll take a nice long break and not do anything creative for a while (like that might happen).

Whatever the New Year brings, I'm looking forward to it. And I hope you are, as well. In the meantime, please enjoy this number from Hairspray:

More, anon.
Prospero

The Gayest Thing You'll See This Week

The Only 'Gay Christmas' Image I Found Without a Half-Naked Man In It

Last night was opening night of the JTMF production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and I got home late and was just too tired to post anything. We had two shows today and have one left tomorrow.

And after Thursday's downer of a post, I thought it time to get back to our usual nonsense, don't you?

I came across the video embedded below on Towleroad, who nicked it from Gawker, which has apparently declared it 'The Viral Video of the Christmas Season.'

Now, I'm not saying the gentleman in the clip is gay. He may or may not be. But I've been in the theatre for the majority of my life and I've worked for the NYC Ballet. I have met a lot dancers, men and women; gay and straight. All I can say is that the straight male dancers I know don't move in quite the same way as the gay male dancers I know. I'll let you decide for yourselves, then. He does have a rather adorable smile, though...

Ladies and germs, I give you "Miracle on 42nd Street:"

So? Gay or straight? You tell me in the comments.

I'm beat. Two shows in one day (even short ones) really take it out of you. I'm off to bed. 

More, anon.

Prospero

A Painful, Personal Story

World AIDS Day 2011 is winding to a close, just as the JTMF Winter Event is about to begin. And while I am proud to be a part of the James Tolin Memorial Fund, I wish it never existed. 

James passed away in 2002, after a valiant 10-year fight against HIV/AIDS. I never knew the man, but from all accounts, we would have been great friends. And I have to mourn the loss of a potential friend, almost as much as I mourn the loss of dear, sweet Scott. When Scott passed away in 1986, there were no agencies to provide support for those afflicted. There were lots of scared people; nurses who wouldn't touch him; friends and family members who abandoned him and a President who didn't care.

About two weeks before Scott passed away, I went on my weekly visit to the hospital where I had watched him literally waste away before my eyes. I walked into the ward and had to take a breath - he was nearly skeletal, his skin covered in KS lesions and his hair almost gone. He saw me and started to cry. I walked over to his bed and kissed his forehead. "Why are crying?" I asked. 

"You're the only one..."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the only one who keeps coming back." 

Fighting back the tears, I just sat and held him for a while. When I realized he had stopped crying, I looked down and saw he had fallen asleep. I moved to the chair next to his bed and sat, watching him. It was one of the few times I'd seen him in a long time where his face wasn't wracked with pain. A nurse, wearing gloves and a mask came in and asked me if I wanted a mask. I said "No, thank you," and she woke Scott up to take a pill. After she left, he said "Why do still come? Aren't you afraid?"

"No," I said and he started to cry again.

I saw Scott twice more, after that. The first time, he'd had a bit of a rally and we spent most of the visit laughing and joking. The last time I saw him, he was in and out of consciousness; hallucinating and terrified, though he recognized me and seemed to calm down when I talked to him. When I went back the next week, his bed was empty and no one would tell me what had happened because I wasn't family. When I got home, I called his father, who hung up on me. His mother lived in Florida and I had no idea how to find her (this was before the Internet - yes, I am that old), but I finally managed to track down his sister who told me that Scott had indeed, died. He was cremated. There was no funeral; no obituary. They were too ashamed to acknowledge he'd even existed. 

I've never told this entire story to anyone. My family would have been appalled if they'd known I was visiting an AIDS ward every week. My father would have had a stroke. My sister was just too young to fully understand and my mother would have been afraid I would get sick. It was a terrible secret to keep, but I am glad I was there for Scott when no one else was.

It's been 30 years since AIDS was named, and 30 million people world-wide (gay and straight) have died from it. 30 million. 30,000,000. Think about that number.

AIDS diagnoses have been on the decline in the U.S., but continue to rise in Third World countries. President Obama gave a rather hopeful speech today, but the disease is still with us. People are still dying. I hope Mr. Obama is right and that this is the beginning of the end of AIDS. Too many wonderful, talented, loving and just plain good people have been lost. 

This isn't the post I thought it would be. I didn't mean to bring you all down. There is hope. Research and education are the best defenses against this insidious disease and every little bit you can do, helps. I know times are tough. I know that Christmas is coming. But if you have a dollar or two to spare, please consider donating to an AIDS charity, There's still so much work to be done. Here's a list of a few charities dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS:

AMFAR

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

The Hyacinth Foundation

The James Tolin Memorial Fund

Please consider making a donation to any one of these or other organizations which are trying  to make AIDS an unfortunate footnote in human history.

More, anon.
Prospero