Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (October 09, 2009)

I can't say that it comes as a shock that six (and a half) of Nerve's 10 Sexual Controversies That Changed TV are related to gay and lesbian storylines. For better or worse (okay, better), the days of Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke sleeping in separate beds and Lucy Ricardo's pregnancy are so far behind us that I guess they might as well be Bible stories. 

Included on Nerve's list is Jodie (Billy Crystal) from Soap and it's really depressing to remember what was "gay" back in 1977. Jodie thought he wanted a sex change because he was gay? He spent the series trying to get his daughter back? He ended the series thinking he was an old Jewish man and never had a relationship?

When Love, Sidney starring Tony Randall debuted in 1981 (the year Soap went off the air), Sidney could at least be officially, if only subtly gay. Unfortunately, he was so devastated by the death of his lover, he simply couldn't ever date again. At least not until the end of the second season — when he dated a woman. Did I mention the series ends with Sidney being talked out of committing suicide?

Bill Crystal, Doug Savant, Tony Randall

Also on the list is Matt Fielding (Doug Savant) from 1992's Melrose Place where Matt thankfully was neither suicidal nor questioning. Of course, while the show could portray him getting gay-bashed twice, they couldn't actually show him kissing another man — or doing much else interesting.

BTW, I'm not bashing Soap or Love, Sidney or Melrose Place. While they were far far from perfect, they were some of the first shows to go there with gay characters and were stops on the way from here to there. There wouldn't be a Matt Fielding without a Jodie Dallas and there wouldn't be a Kevin and Scotty without a Sidney Shore. 

Finally, I have to note one more of Nerve's "controversies" was when the show James at 15 had James lose his virginity (and they had to rename the show James at 16).  James was played by Lance Kerwin and he was one of my first crushes even though I didn't really understand what was what. Nonetheless, I do remember being petrified my parents would notice how much I loved the show and might think my fixation on it rather odd. Thankfully, they were rather oblivious.

Good news theater queens! While I'm personally not a huge fan of the "movie to Broadway" phenomenon of the past decade, there are two new projects of which I can definitely approve. After launching in Australia, then playing in London's West end, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is finally headed for North America! Woot, woot! 

Me celebrating the good news! No, I didn't dress up. Why do you ask?

Next year the musical will have a tryout in Toronto before heading to Broadway in the spring of 2011. As a huge fan of the movie, I'm totally jazzed about this as the film — with it's outlandish costumes and wonderful fish out of water story — do seem a natural for the stage. 

This weekend is the Equality March in Washington, D.C. and it will be very interesting to see what sort of crowd the march pulls. On one hand, the lives of GLBT Americans are greatly improved. On the other hand, we're still denied some of our most important rights. Seeing how many folks turn up to make their voices heard will — for better or worse — be a sign to a certain extent of how committed we are to fighting for the rest of those rights.

If you attend, be sure to let us know what your experience was like!

Next page! Which one of these movies is actually being adapted for the stage — Borat, Happy Feet, Little Miss Sunshine, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Saw III?