Pride On Screen


DVD Pick: In Pursuit of Equality Some politicos say he deserves all the credit -- some give him all the blame -- for the 29 days that shook up a nation. SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM was the star of that real-life drama, and now he's the star of the documentary PURSUIT OF EQUALITY. It's a blow-by-blow account of what happened in City Hall between February 12th, 2004 -- the first day marriage licenses were issued to gay and lesbian couples -- and March 11th, when the California Supreme Court ordered them stopped. Even though the marriages were later voided by the state, Newsom's action was not in vain. Last March a San Francisco Superior Court judge declared California's ban on same-gender marriage unconstitutional, setting the stage for a future state Supreme Court ruling. STEVE PRIDE has preview clips, comments by "Pursuit of Equality" co-directors GEOFF CALLAN and MIKE SHAW, and chats over lunch with Mayor Newsom himself. SORDID LIVES: THE SERIES In "SORDID LIVES: THE SERIES," the colorful folk in a certain Texas town are back in action after having won an avid following with the 1996 play and 2000 movie of the same name. For the 12-episode half hour comedy playing on the U.S. LOGO cable network, creator-writer-director DEL SHORES has reunited stars from his film, including Bonnie Bedelia, Olivia Newton-John, Ann Walker, Beth Grant and Leslie Jordan, who are joined by new recruits Rue McClanahan and Caroline Rhea. His larger than life but not far from the truth small-town saga is imbued with the Spirit, cigarette smoke and self-administered Valium; pecan pie, whiskey shots at the local bar, sex, and an undying love of country music superstar Tammy Wynette. STEVE PRIDE sets a spell with Shores and his producer/star/husband JASON DOTTLEY to get caught up on all the goings on. DVD Pick: Brokeback Mountain From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee comes an epic American love story, based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by the team of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Set against the sweeping vistas of Wyoming and Texas, the film tells the story of two young men - a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy - who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, one whose complications, joys and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. The critically acclaimed BROKEBACK MOUNTAINis being hailed as the biggest "gay" film since "Philadelphia", not just because of the film itself, but because of the involvement of two of Hollywood's hottest heterosexual stars in the leads. STEVE PRIDE talks with director ANG LEE and stars JAKE GYLLENHAAL, with comments from HEATH LEDGER about the heart-wrenching film and their much-ballyhooed "bravery". MILK In 1977, HARVEY MILK was elected to the SAN FRANCISCO Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be elected to major public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for LGBT rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for everyone around the world. In the new film “MILK,” Academy Award winner Sean Penn stars in the title role under the direction of Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant, filmed on location in San Francisco from an original screenplay by Dustin Lance Black. STEVE PRIDE has audio clips from the film, and comments by GUS VAN SANT, DUSTIN LANCE BLACK, and actors EMILE HIRSCH, DIEGO LUNA, and JAMES FRANCO about bringing Harvey’s story to the big screen. *RAW STORY: John Cameron Mitchell* Most of what you find on this site is edited for time, film clips are added, music is mixed in and a narrative is recorded to tie it all together. But occasionally the raw interview can so easily stand on it's own, that the post production elements are like putting ketsup on a steak. Such is the case with my conversation with the amazing JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL, writer/director of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH and his controversial film SHORTBUS. While I was forced to cut it down for radio broadcast, I wanted to share the full version our conversation here with both fans of JCM and PrideOnScreen. Author, Author Tom Atwood: Kings in Their Castles Don Bachardy: Stars in My Eyes Clive Barker: The Essential Clive Barker Billy Bean: Going the Other Way Chastity Bono: Family Outing Augusten Burroughs : Running With Scissors Craig Chester: Why the Long Face Justin Chin: Bite Hard Kate Clinton: Don't Get Me Started Quentin Crisp Betty Degeneres: Love, Ellen Gavin Geoffrey Dillard : In the Flesh Tom Dolby: The Trouble Boy Mark Doty: Firebird Jon and Michael Galluccio: An American Family Brad Gooch: Finding The Boyfriend Within E. Lynn Harris Dennis Hensley: Screening Party Andrew Holleran: In September The Light Changes Ben Patrick Johnson: In and Out In Hollywood Josh Kilmer-Purcell - Candy Everybody Wants Robert Leleux: Memoirs Of A Beautiful Boy Michael Luongo: Gay Travels In The Muslim World Alex MacLennan: The Zookeeper William J. Mann: Where the Boys Are William J. Mann: Wisecracker Eric Marcus: Making Gay History Dan Mathews: Committed Armistead Maupin: The Night Listener Armistead Maupin: Michael Tolliver Lives Stephen McCauley: Alternatives to Sex Rod Mckuen Rich Merrit: Secrets Of A Gay Marine Porn Star Joseph Olshan: In Clara’s Hands Bob Paris: Generation Queer Felice Picano: Onyx John Rechy: The Coming of the Night Joel Rothschild: Signals Brian Sloan: A Really fine Prom Mess Bob Smith: Openly Bob Bob Smith: Selfish & Perverse Scott Thompson: Buddy Babylon Patsy Clarke and Eloise Vaughn: Keep Singing: Bruce Vilanch: Bruce Patricia Nell Warren: Billy’s Boy Edmund White: Hotel de Dream Edmund White: The Married Man John Morgan Wilson: Rhapsody in Blood Judd Winick: Pedro And Me Film: Icon: Icon: DVD: Film:	"It's a great asset to have access to your work, which I know we can present with pride and confidence. We and our listeners know we are being given a privileged and expert view of queer film through your journalism." - John Frame, Host of QUEER RADIO on 102.1 FM, Brisbane, Australia "If I had my way I would have switched positions, and interviewed you instead." - David Sedaris, NPR "It was deep and probing!" - Jeff Stryker, porn legend LEVI KREIS Growing up in Eastern Tennessee, LEVI KREIS was playing the piano by the time he was six years old. Within two years he was performing regularly throughout the area, and by the time he turned twelve he'd already begun writing his own songs. But his attraction to other boys led him to the so-called "change therapy" of EXODUS INTERNATIONAL and eventually derailed his burgeoning Christian music career. Since then the now-openly gay Kreis has appeared in the national tour of "Rent," played Matthew McConaughey's younger brother in the film "Frailty," and been featured on "The Apprentice" TV show. He released an album late last year called "ONE OF THE ONES" under his own Leekus Peekus label that's been both critically acclaimed and served as his official "coming out" recording. With excerpts from that CD and from his as yet unreleased contribution to the soundtrack of the upcoming film version of "Southern Baptist Sissies," This Way Out's STEVE PRIDE chats with Kreis about his life and his music [www.levikreis.com]. Special Report: Rock for Equality At the signing ceremony for the Social Security Act of 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and... family... against poverty-ridden old age." As This Way Out's STEVE PRIDE reports, some excluded "average citizens" are demanding their own equal measure of that protection: 74-year-old ALICE HERMAN tells her story Special Report: Prop 8 Much of what I do has nothing to do with LGBT Film and is usually not included in the audio I post to this site, but last November 15th, I was downtown in Los Angeles for one march protesting the passage of Proposition 8 in California and was so moved by the stories of people I met there, I pulled out my recorder to capture the experience. So, despite its being outside the normal scope of PRIDE ON SCREEN I am proud enough of the resultant story which aired on Pacifica Radio, that I decided to add it to the mix. MORE FAVES: A JIHAD FOR LOVE Filmed in twelve different countries and in nine languages, A Jihad for Love is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the complex global intersections of Islam and homosexuality. With unprecedented access and depth, the film brings to light the hidden lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Muslims and goes where the silence has been loudest, to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh, as well as to Turkey, France, India, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. Steve Pride spoke with the films director and co-producer Parvez Sharma. Chris & Don Have you ever wondered what happed to Sally Bowles' gay boyfriend after he left Berlin at the end of "Cabaret"? "CHRIS & DON: A LOVE STORY" is the true-life story of the passionate three-decade relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood (whose autobiographical "Berlin Stories" was the basis for the musical "Cabaret") and American portrait painter DON BACHARDY, thirty years his junior. From Isherwood's Kit-Kat-Club years in Weimar-era Germany to the couple's first meeting on the beaches of 1950s Malibu, their against-all-odds saga is brought to dazzling life in this critically acclaimed documentary. STEVE PRIDE spoke with Bachardy, and filmmakers TINA MASCARA and GUIDO SANTI (with outro music from "To Love and Be Loved" by DAVID BROWN). Sex Positive While the practice of “safe sex” has become an American habit over the past twenty years, few are familiar with its controversial origins. It was born out of the tireless crusading, of an unlikely trio of friends that included aids researcher and physician Joseph Sonnabend, activist/singer Michael Callen and a male S & M escort named Richard Berkowitz. SEX POSITIVE a new documentary about Berkowitz and his contributions is making the rounds of both the LGBT and mainstream film festivals. Steve Pride spoke to Richard Berkowitz about the film, safe sex and survival. Shelter The first project showcased under the U.S. here! cable network's indie film initiative, "SHELTER," centers on Zach (TREVOR WRIGHT), a young man in San Pedro, California who gives up on his dream of art school in order to provide for his family. But when his best friend's brother Shaun (BRAD ROWE) returns to town, their casual surfing relationship turns into much more, setting off a chain of events forcing Zach to choose between continuing to put others first or fighting for what he wants for himself. After winning awards at LGBT film festivals across North America, the "gay surfer" movie has finally caught a slow wave into U.S. theatrical release and will soon be available on DVD. With preview clips, STEVE PRIDE spoke with the film’s neophyte writer/director JONAH MARKOWITZ about hanging tough and hanging ten. Transamerican Love Story On February 11th the U.S. queer LOGO cable channel debuted"TRANSAMERICAN LOVE STORY". This groundbreaking elimination dating show features transgender bachelorette CALPERNIA ADDAMS being wooed by eight dashing men. With the help of her trans best friend ANDREA JAMES and a parade of challenges and matchmaking dates, Calpernia whittles down her group of eligibles in hopes of finding her Prince Charming. And unlike a widely condemned "reality TV" predecessor, the suitors on this show know that she’s a male-to-female transsexual. STEVE PRIDE sits down with his friends Calpernia and Andrea to get the 411 on the show, the perks of reality TV, and dating in Los Angeles [www.logoonline.com; www.calpernia.com; www.andreajames.com; www.deepstealth.com]. A freelance radio and print journalist based in Los Angeles, STEVE PRIDE is a FIVE-TIME winner of the GOLDEN MIKE award presented by The RADIO & TELEVISION NEWS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, including for three years in a row the award for BEST ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE REPORTING on radio. Steve contributes to radio programs around the country and is often heard locally on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles / 98.7 FM Santa Barbara. His PRIDE ON SCREEN entertainment features can be heard regularly on the international radio phenomenon THIS WAY OUT .Every week nearly a million global listeners tune in to THIS WAY OUT on one of over 170 local community radio stations, via short wave, direct satellite to home, or cable outlets.. Steve serves on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Washington D.C. based NATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (NLGJA) . He is currently chair of the NLGJA Arts & Entertainment Caucus and from 2002-2007 was President of the NLGJA Los Angeles Chapter. Steve was a member of the host committee for the 2008 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS held May 28th 2008 in West Hollywood. Print versions of many of his past reviews and interviews can also be found online in the PopcornQ section of Planet Out. He is currently at work on his first novel "Chasing Peter". Contact Bookmark This Site	Where'd that story go? Since the front page has started to become bottomless, we've moved the MP3's of older features to a story archive page. PLUS we're adding MP3's of past features (dating back to 1999) every day. Hang out with your favorite directors, writers and actors in the PRIDE ON SCREEN ARCHIVE. Click and enjoy! PRIDE ON SCREEN: The Decade Since we couldn't find 10 Great LGBT Films to represent 2009, in this years annual film report for THIS WAY OUT, I took a look back at the entire decade.. ABOVE: Jonathon Trent (co-star of BOY CULTURE), Steve Pride (Pride On Screen) and Matthew Rettenmund (Author of the novel BOY CULTURE). OUTFEST 2008: KPFK 90.7 FM On Monday July 7th STEVE PRIDE hosted a special edition of IMRU on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles devoted to OUTFEST 2008. His guests were KIMBERLY YUTANI (Outfest Director of Programming), ALONSO DURALDE (author of "101 Must- See Movies For Gay Men" and vice president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association) and the amazing DONNA DEITCH (Director of "Desert Hearts"). OUTFEST, the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian film festival was July 9-21, 2008. PRIDE ON SCREEN 2008 Another tumultuous year in the global struggle for LGBT equality was also reflected in the movies and on television during the past 12 months. Award-winning "This Way Out" entertainment reporter STEVE PRIDE reviews his favorite LGBT moving images during the past 12 months – on screens both big and small, and with a cornucopia of clips and comments by their creators – in his "PRIDE ON SCREEN 2008". Steve first looks at U.S. television (includes clips from network TV's "Brothers and Sisters," "As The World Turns," "Dirty Sexy Money," Showtime cable's "The Tudors," BBC America's "Skins," Logo cable's "Sordid Lives"; reality shows "Make Me A Supermodel," "Project Runway," "America's Next Top Model," "Transamerican Love Story"; and online, HereTV's "Paradise Falls," "3 Way" (3waytv.tv), and the franchise's first clearly gay couple on the independently produced "Star20Trek: Phase II" (startreknewvoyages.com); and Steve's picks for the Top Ten LGBT films released in 2008: #1: MILK #2: CHRIS & DON #3: SHELTER #4: SAVE ME #5: WERE THE WORLD MINE #6: CIAO #7: A JIHAD FOR LOVE #8: ANTARCTICA #9: BREAKFAST WITH SCOT #10: THE WORLD UNSEEN PRIDE ON SCREEN 2007 Another tumultuous year in the global struggle for LGBT equality was also reflected in the movies and on television during the past 12 months. Our award-winning entertainment reporter STEVE PRIDE has consummate clips, and comments by their creators, as he recalls some of the queer moving images that moved him most during the past year in "PRIDE ON SCREEN 2007." Part 1 covers television, and includes clips from "Desperate Housewives," "Ugly Betty," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Greek," "As The World Turns," and "Torchwood," with comments by "Torchwood" creator Russell T. Davies; the much longer Part 2 covers Steve's Top 10 films of 2007: "East Side Story," with a clip and comments by writer/director Carlos Portugal; a clip from the documentary "Camp Out"; a clip from "Amnesia – The James Brighton Enigma," and comments by director Denis Langlois; "Fat Girls," with a clip and comments by writer/director/producer/actor Ash Christian; "Puccini for Beginners," with a clip and comments by writer/director Maria Maggenti; "Colma: The Musical," with an excerpt from one of its songs, "Maybe This Time" and comments by writer/star H.P. Mendoza and director Richard Wong; "The Bubble," with an excerpt from the film's "The Man I Love" and comments by writer/director Eytan Fox; "Boy Culture," with a clip and comments by writer/director Q. Allan Brocka; director Daniel Karslake's "For the Bible Tells Me So," with a clip and comments by co-writer/co-producer Helen Mendoza; and 1986's reissued "Parting Glances," with clips and comments by the landmark film's openly gay star Richard Ganoung, His picks for the TEN BEST LGBT Films of the year are: #1: PARTY GLANCES [Restored Print] #2: FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO #3: BOY CULTURE #4: THE BUBBLE #5: COLMA: THE MUSICAL #6: PUCCINI FOR BEGINNERS #7: FAT GIRLS #8: AMNESIA: THE JAMES BRIGHTON ENIGMA #9: CAMP OUT #10: EAST SIDE STORY PRIDE ON SCREEN 2006 In this special 30 minute year end feature STEVE PRIDE recalls some of the queer moving images that moved him most during the past year in "Pride On Screen: 2006." Included: from the small screen, clips from the American Broadcasting Company's TV series "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ugly Betty"; a fond farewell with a clip from the finale of NBC-TV's "Will and Grace"; clips from LOGO's "Nemesis Rising" and "Noah's Arc"; here!TV's "Dante's Cove," "Deadly Skies," "Hellbent," and "In Her Line of Fire"; and with copious clips and insights from many of the filmmakers, his picks for the TEN BEST LGBT Films of the year are: #1: QUINCEANERA #2: SHORTBUS #3: LE TEMPS QUI RESTE #4: HISTORY BOYS #5: ANG PAGDADALAGA NI MAXIMO OLIVEROS #6: INFAMOUS #7: WTC VIEW #8: STRANGERS WITH CANDY #9: RED DOORS #10: 3 NEEDLES PRIDE ON SCREEN 2005 In this special 30 minute year end feature STEVE PRIDE recalls some of the memorable queer images on the big and small screens, with copious clips and insights from many of the filmmakers. His picks for the TEN BEST LGBT Films of the year are: #1: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN #2: CAPOTE #3: TRANSAMERICA #4: MYSTERIOUS SKIN #5: THE DYING GAUL #6: LOGGERHEADS #7: GAY SEX IN THE 70S #8: WALK ON WATER #9: UNVEILED #10: CÔTE D'AZUR Favorite: Gay Key West - Part 1 Recently STEVE PRIDE took a break from watching LGBT movies to visit the "Conch Republic" (a.k.a. KEY WEST, FLA) and shares his adventures there through the words of the people he met there, including (in the first of his 2-part story) CAROL SHAUGHNESSY, an expert on the history of the Florida Keys; TOM OOSTERHOUDT, editor of "Key West - The Newspaper," owner of the Pelican Poop Shoppe, a former City Councilman, founder of the Key West Symphony, and owner of Casa Antigua, where Hemingway wrote "A Farewell to Arms"; NEIL CHAMBERLAIN, owner of PistolAndEnema.com, a popular Key West travel/gossip Web site; HEATHER CARRUTHERS, co-owner of Pearl's Rainbow, the only lesbian guest house in Key West; GARY WALKER, manager of The Equator Guest House; "PHILIPPE," manager of Alexander's Guest House; JERRY TINLIN, Manager of Oasis Guest House; and lesbian realtor MARTHA ROBINSON. Favorite: Gay Key West - Part 2 In the conclusion of his 2-part story STEVE PRIDE shares more of his Key West adventure through the words of the people he met there, including STEVE SMITH, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Commissioner who also handles the LGBT market for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council; JAMES THOMPSON, founder of the "One Human Family" campaign; KATHA SHEEHAN, owner of The Chicken Store and leader of the Rooster Rescue Team, a volunteer group devoted to saving the "street chickens" of Key West; "BRAD," a "healing" nude dancer from Kwest Lounge; RICHARD DENNISON, a retired wig stylist and former Queen Mother of Key West; and a few more words from CAROL SHAUGHNESSY, a writer who moonlights in tourism public relations and is an expert on the history of the Florida Keys; and NEIL CHAMBERLAIN, owner of PistolAndEnema.com, a popular Key West travel and gossip Web site.