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AE: What's next for you?
JCM: Getting Shortbus out there. [Shortly after our interview ThinkFilm picked up Shortbus for North American distribution.] I have a children's film I want to do.

AE: A children's film?
JCM: You have sex, you have children. It's all connected.

AE: What's fame like for you these days?
JCM: Manageable. I would never want to be like Tom Hanks. I value sitting alone in a park reading. Maybe one person a day will recognize me. They usually have good taste. My fans are people of taste. They know everybody is an individual. It's not a consumerist thing where people are ripping clothes off wanting a piece of their idol. It's very comfortable. Most people think I'm less tall since I'm in drag and heels in Hedwig.

AE: What's on in your personal life?
JCM: I'm single. Dating here and there. I think it's difficult for anyone in the city. So many things pulling you this way or what. But there are more cute guys running around. Definitely with my work, it's harder to maintain something more stable. But I think if you want it, you can find it

AE: What young actors would you love to work with?
JCM: I don't feel like I'm up on all that. I haven't seen a movie… well I guess you could call Brokeback Mountain a Hollywood movie. Heath Ledger was great. If I was to go there, I'd say there are more British actors I respect. Something about coming from stage is more powerful. I just saw History Boys on Broadway. It had a lot of great young actors in it. One guy was Russell Tovie. He was excellent. I love to be able to work with whomever I want to. But that's hard to do on a bigger budget.

AE: How do you help out with the LGBT community?
JCM: I do what I can. It's an important thing to take care of your own. I feel distant from mainstream gay culture. It's as consumerist as any straight community, and I get a little annoyed. I feel when gay kids have to listen to the same music or look the same to belong, it's wrong. I connect with those who were told they were different and took that as a privilege and made something out of it instead of crowding into a cluster f*** of conventionality.

I encourage diversity in the gay community and education on HIV and crystal meth. Coming out. Trans issues. And reminding people it's a gift you've been given. There's got to be other ways to living than Queer as Folk.

AE: Lastly, do you still watch Hedwig? Will there be more Hedwig to come?
JCM: I don't watch it anymore. There are all kinds of productions here and there. I don't know. I could make more money if I made Hedwig my full time job like touring around Asia. But I value my time more than that.

Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig shows 6 PM June 19th at the Castro in downtown San Francisco. For more information and tickets visit Frameline30.

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