"Work Out"'s Odd Couple

AE: Were you offended that Doug compared you to Jack on Will & Grace in his interview with AfterElton.com last year?
Jesse: It wasn't so much that. I felt in reading it, Doug… and I will never say anything negative about Doug… the way it came off was that he was considering himself on a different level because I was… and again, I drew assumptions because I didn't ask Doug. I was just angry after reading it, so that was my bad completely. It just felt as though it was derogatory.

AE: Ok, talk to us about your relationship together?
Jesse: Me and Peeler? Highly sexual.

Brian: Yeah. I got one thing to say to you Jesse, real quick. Michelangelo was born March 6, 1475. He was an Italian Renaissance painter.

Jesse: You're reading that off the internet right now.

Brian: And he was an engineer as you know.

Jesse: Honestly, in the beginning, Peeler and I didn't like each other because it was kind of built up that we weren't supposed to. Coming onto the show, I was told there was someone that isn't thrilled that I'm coming onto the staff. I don't know if that was true or just producers giving me a little fuel. I think we butted heads. But I think what it really comes down to is that Peeler and I both like to be the center of attention. So there's a constant struggle there.

Brian: We're team players now. We play on the same team. But not on that team, Jesse.

Jesse: Unless Brian has more than five drinks.

Brian: He gives me roofies and he says they're Tic-Tacs. But I know they're not. I always feel real funny after I take one. He says, “It's only one calorie!”

Jesse: I think Peeler and I have developed a point to where our jabs just roll off each others shoulders. In the end, if Peeler ever needed anything I would be there for him. And I hope the feelings mutual.

Brian: You have been there for me through this whole Doug thing. You were the one that listened to me more than anybody else. You understood more. I could talk to you more, and you understand where I was coming from. And you helped me understand a lot.

Jesse: People deal with death in different ways. A lot of people's instinct is to put up guards and stuff like that.

Brian: I mean I don't feel strange being friends with a gay guy.

Jesse: Brian's a fag hag, and he doesn't even realize it.

AE: How is it for you, being part of gay culture, Brian?
Brian: Here's my thing. I come from the South. And yes, the South has a lot of racism and discrimination. The KKK is very predominant in the town next to mine.

Jesse: That's insane.

Brian: I mean, it's a lot less then it used to be. There's no more marches or anything like that. But it was very predominant. I always grew up in my life with the train of thought that I don't discriminate against color, race, creed, sexual preference, anything.

It's all about equality with me. I think everybody should have the same chance in life to do anything they want to do. I think people that are racists or use discrimination are just uneducated people. I think through education people can learn more about people. Don't hate somebody because of who they're in love with. They can't change how their heart feels about somebody. You can't argue feelings.

AE: What do you think about that, Jesse?
Jesse: I was raised the opposite of Brian. I'm from Seattle . It's such a liberal minded town. When I realized I was gay, I came to my parents and said, “Oh! It's that I'm gay! That's what it is!” I think I've never really experienced any homophobia. So, to me it's such a non-issue that when I hear stories of crimes against gay people, it's so weird for me.

The fact that people fight so passionately to make sure that gays can't get married or women don't have the right to choose for abortion… I had no idea that that was an issue [until my adult years]. I've never in my life felt that I was going to have to fight to marry whomever I wanted to marry or spend my life with who I wanted to spend my life with or that I'd have to fight to be able to have children. When I hear this, it's like “Are you kidding me?” I can't process it.

AE: Do you think the show accurately depicts gay life?
Jesse: I don't know if the show does represent gay life. I think that it represents gay people living their lives. This season will definitely bring more gay issues to the plate. But that's more provided by me than anybody else. I never wanted to be one to stand on a soap box. I never thought that I'd be a big advocate for gay rights but somehow, you put a camera in front of me and I'm ready to get political.

AE: But that's a good thing…
Jesse: It is strange when I get messages from, I don't ever say “fans” because I can't process the concept of having fans, but from people who say I inspired them or people who say watching you be gay and having it be a non-issue helped me come out to my parents… I mean, that's mind blowing. That's pretty outrageous.

AE: And Jesse, are you still Jackie's pet?
Jesse: Jackie and I are just really good friends. Jackie and I are probably way too similar to each other as far as our sense of humor. I never met someone that I clicked with so quickly because of our senses of humor. It's a little dark. It's a little dirty. It's really fun. People can say whatever they want. That's the one thing I'm really learning by putting yourself out there publicly. You just have to let things roll off your shoulders. Somebody's opinion isn't necessarily the truth. Jackie is a really good friend of mine, and we do a lot of things with each other. People can say what they want. I feel like I'm blessed in finding a good friend.

AE: Brian, is Jesse still Jackie's pet?
Brian: No. He was the pet. Now he's my pet. I keep him well trained.