"Work Out"'s Odd Couple

Warning: Contains Minor Spoilers from the First Episode of Work Out

One is a macho Southern playboy who claims to have the hands of Michelangelo. The other is a gay graduate of the Cordon Bleu Culinary School who knows how to play the teacher's pet. Put them together and you have a modern day version of The Odd Couple. In season one of Bravo's hit reality show Work Out, Brian Peeler and Jesse Brune proved to be not only skilled personal trainers, but entertaining if not melodramatic characters in their own real life soap opera. As season two of the series returns, viewers can expect twice the drama, twice the flirtation, and twice the sweat.

AfterElton.com recently caught up with Brian and Jesse to find out what's really going down at Sky Sport this season and how the recent loss of a cast member will affect the show's future.

AfterElton.com: First off, everyone at AfterElton.com was so sorry to hear about the sudden death of Doug Blasdell. How are you guys doing?
Jesse Brune: Everything happened so quickly that I don't think it actually hit me that it was a reality until I went to his memorial service to be quite honest. I found out he was sick, and then within three weeks, he was gone. But I'm happy that he went quickly instead of having it ruin his way of life for years.

AE: And you Brian?
Brian Peeler: You know, I'm still dealing with his death. I have a lot of friends at home, but out here, he was my closest friend. He was a father figure, a brother figure and a friend figure to me. It's tough for me to let it go as easy as some people. And I kind of get angry sometimes that people can let it go so easy. I understand why, but it just… he's one of the greatest role models in the world.

If there was a book to be written on how you should live your life as a human being, not as a color, race, creed or anything, it would be on Doug Blasdell. He's the greatest human being I've ever met in my entire life. It's a very tough thing to deal with because I thought he was going to be a part of my life. He was going to be the best man at my wedding. I thought I'd finally found a true friend that is amazing. I knew he was sick before everyone else knew. He just asked me not to say anything. So, I didn't.

He was supposed to go home with me on Christmas. But he couldn't because he was sick. And it was sad because I wanted him to be a part of my family. I just wish he could have been there. And then he deteriorated when I was gone. I got a phone call the day after Christmas that he was in the hospital on a respirator and he was going real fast. What the hell? How did this happen?

I flew back in January, and he was still there. I got back January 4th, and [on] the 22nd we lost him. Eighteen days. And he was gone. The last time I saw Doug was at his birthday party. I still have his Christmas presents wrapped. I haven't done anything with them. They're here. And he got a Christmas present for me. And I opened it. They're pajamas. And I wear them every night. He knew exactly what I needed.

AE: Brian, what brought you and Doug so close?
Brian: It's hard to understand unless you met Doug. He understood me. I understood him. I remember when we were sitting at the [LA Gay and Lesbian 35th Anniversary Party]. We were sitting there, and Andy Cohen [Bravo's Senior Vice-President of Production and Programming] was across the table. They were batting eyes at each other. Doug was like “He's so cute!” I hollered across the table, “Andy, do you like Doug? Doug likes you. Would you like to go out with Doug?” They both just turned red. I was always the vocal loud one. He thought it was funny.

Jesse: To this day, Peeler, you continue to be the vocal loud one. That's the one thing we haven't lost in Peeler.

Brian: I speak my mind freely.

(At this point there is a knock on Peeler's door, and his dog's bark. Peeler gets a package.)

Brian: Wait a second. Jesse, those vibrators you ordered are here.

Jesse: I love that they were delivered to your house. I still don't know why you need to inspect them first.

AE: Were you guys shocked by the first episode's intensity?
Jesse: I think I'm the butt of a lot of the storyline. First off, I didn't realize that I got chubby. I was the last one to know. Watching the episode, I was like “Why didn't anybody tell me? Why didn't Jackie tell me before filming?” She was supposed to be my best friend! I was watching it and went “My God”.

And watching the controversy, the argument that Doug and I had at the Gay and Lesbian event…I can't give away too much…this whole experience has been such a great plus in terms of teaching me that words are powerful and use them wisely. I remember I was going through such a hard time during that [filming]. Looking back at it, I'm like “Man, that's what you look like in the dumps.”

AE: Do you regret your interview with OutTV Zone about Doug?
Jesse: Oh, God. I don't regret bringing up the topic.

Brian: Jesse, are you eating?

Jesse: I'm having my sugar free treat. That's all I get anymore, Peeler, because of you. Peeler has single handedly given me a body complex. So my freezer is now packed full of sugar-free Jello pops which I enjoy.

AE: Back to the question…
Jesse: I do regret making fun of Doug in the interview because it was just the low road to take. It was a cheap jab. And we all make mistakes, and we learn from our mistakes, and that was definitely a learning experience.

AE: What were you saying in the interview? You had a valid argument about how gay men can discriminate against each other.
Jesse: That is absolutely a valid argument. I've met so many gay men and they're like, “I'm not typically gay.” I'm like “What is typically gay? What do you mean you're not typically gay?” And they say, “I don't act like a gay guy. I like sports. Or I was in a frat. You can't tell that I'm gay”.

It goes into this: what's wrong with people knowing that you're gay? It's who you are. There seems to be a level of shame attached to the fact that you might be more extroverted or flamboyant. It's discrimination. You're discriminating against your own. It's so funny when I hear “I'm not typically gay”. I'm like “Well, do you have sex with guys? Then that's typically gay.”