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2008 Gay Pop Culture Wish ListAmerican Idol has an actual honest to goodness out gay contestant Sanjaya, Aiken, Seacrest, Cowell. What with all the Tiger Beat cuties and metrosexual posturing on display over seven seasons of American Idol, it comes as somewhat of a surprise that with seventy top ten contestants to date there hasn’t been a single openly gay Idolist among the bunch. Of course, post AI, a few former finalists have come out of the closet, including Jim Verraros and R.J. Helton. And there is almost always rampant speculation about the sexuality of at least one contestant each season. But what the show really needs is a young gay pop singer brave enough to be out and proud whilst staring down Simon Cowell.
That sort of success might help prove to other performers still lurking within the confines of the closet that being gay and successful need not be mutually exclusive. Of course, the big question hanging over an openly gay contestant is whether they would be penalized or helped by their sexuality in the telephone voting process. We’ll never know until we have an out gay American Idol finalist. Bond. Gay Bond. Or at least a gay love interest When Daniel Craig strutted out of the ocean wearing that little blue swimsuit in last year’s Casino Royale, gay men around the world sat up and took notice. In our Hot 100 poll last July, Craig landed at number three and most would agree that his turn as 007 was what put him there. Clearly this wasn’t our father’s James Bond. Craig seems like the perfect Bond to continue reinvigorating the franchise by bringing it into the 21st century and we can’t think of a better way than by finally giving Bond a same-sex love interest.
With twenty-one “official” James Bond films over the course of forty-five years, we find it A) appalling and B) hard to believe that the only gay male content is Wint & Kidd, the gay villains (naturally) from Diamonds are Forever (1971). So it’s well past time that Bond falls for either a fellow agent (doomed to die, of course), the unwitting gay brother of a villain who helps Bond bring down said villain, or some other gay character. Heck, Bond doesn’t even have to fall for him so much as woo him as part of the movie’s plot. And Craig's Bond seems ideal for this having already demonstrated in Casino Royale that he isn’t your typical 007. He was moody. He was conflicted. He was vulnerable. Even better, Craig’s already played gay and even shared a same-sex kiss with Toby Jones in Infamous (2006). Clearly, Craig is the right Bond for this special assignment. Cowboys are frequently, secretly fond of each other. So how about a gay country western star?
Despite the pervasive belief that country western music is most often the bastion of Republicans (such as the homophobic John Rich and the right-leaning Brooks & Dunn), the genre has a long history of liberal artists including Johnny Cash, The Dixie Chicks and Willie Nelson. In fact, it was Nelson who recorded and released the surprise hit “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other" back in 2006. We think 2008 is the perfect time to further demolish the idea that the words “gay” and “country & western” are mutually exclusive by having the first out gay country western singer break into the big time. All those tiresome rumors about Tom Cruise's sexual orientation are at last conclusively put to rest, and everyone will finally be satisfied that he's 100%.... heterosexual Honestly, post Oprah's couch do we really want him? And hey, they can totally have Travolta too. Submitted by on Wed, 2008-01-02 22:47. |
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Wait, wait, wha?
While I was reading the section about Bond, I kept thinking "Don't tell me they forgot" but lo and behold, you did. Or you just felt like it wasn't worth mentioning.
But I think that it's very important to mention that according to a blurb you guys here on AfterElton yourselves reported a few months/a year/whatever back, Daniel Craig himself has expressed an interest in a future homosexual coupling for Bond.
Highly relevant and important trivia as it shows that not only is Mr. Hottie #3 willing to play a bi/bi-for-that-special-guy agent, he wants it to happen.
Men make a lot of promises.
I hate to burst your bubble
Nothing much, but...
Buffy Season 4 Pretty Good
Don't Forget --
British indie film featuring Craig in a gay role
The film is called "Love Is The Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119577/ In the 1960s, British painter Francis Bacon (1909-1992) surprises a burglar and invites him to share his bed. The burglar, a working class man named George Dyer, 30 years Bacon's junior, accepts. Bacon finds Dyer's amorality and innocence attractive, introducing him to his Soho pals. In their sex life, Dyer dominates, Bacon is the masochist. Dyer's bouts with depression, his drinking and pill popping, and his satanic nightmares strain the relationship, as does his pain with Bacon's casual infidelities. Bacon paints, talks with wit, and, as Dyer spins out of control, begins to find him tiresome. Could Bacon care less? Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}
I'd like to
I'd like to see...
-Rainbow Boys or Geography Club made into a show
-At Swim Two Boys, Common Sons, The Charioteer or Dream Boy turned into a movie
-The Dan-becomes-gay story from the books introduced onto the show Gossip Girl, as well as Chuck's bisexuality
I'd like to see new Young
Call me pessimistic but...
I don't expect 2008 to be breakout year for gay representation in mass media. For starters, the writer's strike means that Hollywood already has a backlog of concepts awaiting the pen, and since movies don't make it from concept to screen in under 12 months (unless they're reaaaally tiny indies) anything that isn't in the pipe already isn't likely to make it through this year. Guess foreign films will remain the only option.
Ditto TV. High hopes for Torchwood (a UK show) aside, US TV is largely on-hold and resumption of production will likely be focused on drawing "core audiences" (i.e. not us). If Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters tank it's likely to be an even more dismal year.
As for sports, I expect George Bush to apologize for the Iraq War before an active gay male athlete commits professional (and possibly actual) suicide by coming out.
A Good GAY Romantic Comedy
YES! We need a really good GAY Romantic comedy that would appeal to everyone across the board. ....but PLEASE NO fag jokes or swishy fems or depressed weirdos. Being GAY should just happen to be the sexual orientation of the couple. A film without soapbox statements. NO preaching and NO stereotypes. Just a great hilarious script of two people who happen to be in love! and happen to be gay.
I love the movies but hate gay cliches. In truth my pet peeve in life is that so many contemporary filmmakers continue to harass and make cheap jokes at gay people. "Knocked Up" was not a bad flick until that chick started calling that bouncer a "FAG". There was no excuses for "Wild Hogs" and that hurtful "310 to Yuma" as well as "300". Couldn't someone connected with those films have spoken up!
I am still reeling from Betty White calling a neighbor a FAG in "Bringing Down the House" just to get a laugh.
Oh well.... I can dream that one day Gays and Lesbians we be treated fairly on film.
Luke & Noah
My wishlist
Hold the phone
My Own Wish List for Gay Visibility
1. It is confirmed that a new gay drama show or movie is in the works, one that shines a spotlight on a different aspect of gay life then the one QAF (US) focussed on. Not every gay man lives a big city and goes clubbing every chance they get. I like Matty's idea of making "Common Sons" into a movie, or "The Geography Club". I am tired of gays being restricted to reality shows and a few intrepid dramas and comedies.
2. A pro athlete or athletes come out of the closet. I don't think it will be football, and certainly not before the super bowl. My picks are hockey, soccer or baseball.
3. More music stars and actors confirm what everyone suspects regarding their sexual orientation (e.g. MIKA, Clay Aiken, etc.). I am not sure what they think they will lose since most of their fans have probably figured it out by now anyways.
4. The USA elects a president that is not hostile to LGBT rights. That will go a long way to increasing gay acceptance and visibility in society. If Canada can elect a Conservative Prime Minister that accepts the inevitability of gay marriage, then surely the USA cannot be too far behind.
I am afraid I don't agree with your conclusions of Tom Cruise and John Travolta and their personal lives, but I agree with you that it is a situation of "who cares and who wants them anyways".
Cheers
JBE
GAY WISH LIST
Gay ASL