Media Blender

This week in the world of lesbian gossip
Article Date: 01/23/2008
By Tracy E. Gilchrist


Forever wearing the pants and tennis shoes, Ellen Degeneres tops Oprah! Big Rosie O'Donnell is heading for Broadway. The L Word's Laurel Holloman reveals her true lesbian tendencies and hot-assed Scarlett Johansson plans to go irreversibly hetero. Plus now that Katherine McPhee is minus a record label, she'll have time on her hands to visit the West Hollywood hot spots.


"Ellen Tops Oprah as Favorite TV Personality!" reads the Reuters' headline—but while everyone's favorite dog ditching dyke may top Oprah on the Telly, rest assured Oprah's on top where it counts.

That's right, according to Harris Poll released last week, Ellen Degeneres scored likeability points following her on-air Iggy meltdown, subsequently squeezing Oprah, the reigning empress of the Harris Poll's number one spot for eight years running, into the number two slot of fave TV personalities. Oprah's likely furious that she ever deigned to co-star as Ellen's therapist in Ellen's aptly named "Puppy Episode"—better known as her coming out episode—of the Big E's sitcom. Who knew Ellen had a little All About Eve in her. If Ellen decides to get her feminist on and throw her support behind Hillary Clinton we might just have a nose-to-nose race for the Democratic Presidential nominee.

Never fear, Ellen scored points with the same American public that also listed uber-rightwing Blowhard Bill O'Reilly as the #7 most liked boob-tube personality, but Oprah took revenge. If it's not enough that she's one of the gaggingly wealthy women on the planet and she's all-powerful enough to possibly sway Presidential elections, Oprah's landed her own cable network. Beginning next year, Discovery Health Network will become OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network. Look for solipsism at its best with The Color Purple and Beloved in a continuous loop, with interruptions only for updates on Oprah's—I mean Barack Obama's—run for the White House.

On the subject of the super-powered and self-absorbed, Big Rosie O'Donnell's on the make to produce another Broadway show, about what else? Herself! After two hours of on-stage Rosie waxing poetic about her childhood, Barbra Streisand, her recurring Empress Angelina Jolie wet dreams and wanting to break little Lezzie—Lissy—Hasselbeck's legs like a wishbone, audiences are going to be begging for Boy George to come back in Taboo.

Word on the street is that Rosie's tapped Spring Awakening director Michael Mayer to direct her. If the Big-hearted Button Pusher sticks to a show that mirrors stand-up, she'll be golden. Girl's a pain-in-the-ass who refuses to shut her trap but that's the key to her humor. Face it; fat, foul-mouthed lesbians are funny. It's from all the oppression.

After five seasons on The L Word, Laurel Holloman—whose Tina is fast becoming one of the most watch-able, sexy and downright fun characters of the new season—copped to AfterEllen.com about a little girl on girl back in her Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love era. Then Laurel had to go fall in love with some dude and make a beautiful baby girl with him and she never had another tryst with a lady friend… blah, blah. Just kidding—really—Laurel's about the best ally a gay gal could ask for and no one here begrudges her any hetero happiness.

And if there were any question about Laurel's real tendencies, Laurel's confession to AE about her pre-pubescent gay girl crush confirms Laurel's just a tad to the right of a Kinsey Six. "The first girl I ever had a crush on when I was younger was Kristy McNichol… and probably eventually Jodie Foster. But I don't know if that's a crush or just somebody that I admire so much. It could be one of those talent crushes. But I remember just thinking that Kristy McNichol was probably the coolest thing I've ever seen..."

For this budding baby dyke and masochist, Kristy could have crawled into my sleeping bag at Girl Scout Camp and I wouldn't have sneezed in her direction. It was Tatum O'Neil's rich bitch, wouldn't give me the time of day, that set my Garanimal brand orange jeans on fire.



And Lusty Laurel could get her chance to ogle her little lesbo crush on the small screen yet again. Like the great has-been teen idols Marie Osmond and Jennie Garth before her, rumor has it that Kristy might don her disco-era sensible platform shoes and hit the dance floor on the next season of Dancing with the Stars. Another stellar and a little creepy brother and sister performing duo—in a lesser vein than Donny and Marie—maybe Kristy's brother Jimmy will turn up to cheer her on in all her feathered haired glory.

Kudos to The L Word creators who incorporated a "Fan"tasy teaser with Shane, Alice, and Helena playing Charlie's Angels while Bette—the quintessential top—voiced Charlie. Rachel Shelley of the Holy Order of High Cheekbones and eat-her-with-a-spoon adorable Leisha Hailey perfected the Jaclyn Smith / Farrah Fawcett hair flip while Kate Moennig uncannily channeled a just butch enough version of the early lesbo icon Kate Jackson. It' deliciously fun stuff from The L Word's post-modern heavy producing team.

Kate about Look out, Here they come! -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: Riding on the back of that Porsche.


What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: She's having a good time. This episode wasn't gonna answer any deep questions. The campiness of it made it fun.


Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: It was a big one to shoot at the same location for 3 days.

If there is season 6....will Paris be on show??
Paris Does Dallas


By Daniel A. Kusner - Life+Style Editor
Jan 24, 2008, 20:08
On a recent visit, former Pride grand marshal backs away from questions about sexual identity. Is Paris Hilton hiding something?




Even though she arrived an hour late for her round-table interview at the W Hotel, Paris Hilton effortlessly charmed those she kept waiting. She’s gracious, sweet and surprisingly confident. And that baby-stripper voice practically disappeared.

On Tuesday, the entitled hotel heiress blew into town to promote her new PG-13 comedy, “The Hottie and the Nottie,” which is being released in 10 major markets on Feb. 8 by Dallas-based Regent Releasing.

Earlier that morning, Hilton was being interviewed by WFAA-TV’s Gary Cogill, who managed to ask how jail had changed her. Hilton answered like a pro.

That afternoon, however, the four other print journalists and I were asked to steer clear of questions pertaining to Hilton’s incarceration or her personal life. The publicists were forewarned that Dallas Voice will discuss gay stuff, and they assured me that queer topics wouldn’t be a problem.
On the surface, it’s easy to peg Hilton as a rich, dumb bimbo who parties all the time. But she works — a lot.

She’s only 26, but already has three fragrances, an album, a clothing line, several movies credits, a Burger King commercial, and she’s authored two books. While “The Hottie and the Nottie” is her first starring role, Hilton also serves as executive producer.

In the film, she plays Christabel Abbot, a stalker-worthy babe whose best friend, June Phigg, is hideously ugly — we’re talking balding, nasty teeth and funky skin problems. Nate has known the Christabel and June since first grade. And Christabel won’t date him until June gets herself a dude. And thus unfolds a sweet Ugly Ducking story set in Los Angeles. It’s safe to say that Hilton could beat Jessica Simpson in an acting contest.

It seems Hilton is constantly on the go. Last week, she was hobnobbing at the Sundance Film Festival. And a couple of weeks ago, she attended a premiere for “The L Word” — wearing a hat and brown bobbed hair while hanging out with andro-babe Kate Moennig.

Two weeks ago, Hilton had already visited North Texas. She has a deal with the Denton-based Sally Beauty Supply, which is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of hair and makeup goods. Hilton has a hair-extensions line called DreamCatchers, and she says a line of Paris shampoos, conditioners and hair dryers are already in the works.

“The Hottie and Nottie” is all about meeting the girl of your dreams. Besides being hot and sexy, what would the girl of your dreams be like? I think Angelina Jolie is the hottest girl in the world. Not only is she drop-dead beautiful, she has a big heart and she lends her name to amazing causes and she’s an incredible actress.

Have you met her? No.

Drag queens really put their hair extensions through a lot of paces. Are your extensions drag-queen ready? Yes. I’m basically like a drag queen because I have to get ready every single day to do these things. And I know they love their makeup and their hair. And I love my makeup and hair, too.

Were you wearing your extensions at “The L Word” premiere? No, that was a wig — a brown one.

Are wigs next for you? Yeah, we’ll do wigs as well.




I’m curious, do you think you’re 100 percent straight? Paris giggles as a team of publicists and assistants all groan like they’re deeply offended.
Dallas publicist Susan Jacobs shouts from across the room, “Oh, Daniel, stop!”

What? I’m actually just trying to find a connection ... Paris keeps giggling. And then Jacobs then strangely adds, “Now stop it! You wouldn’t ask that of me.”
Another publicist interrupts and says, “Next question.”

The discussion shifts to Hilton’s fragrance line.

I take a moment to figure out what line I could have possibly crossed. Then I remember the backlash that Hilton received in 2005 when she and her mother were co-grand marshals at the Los Angeles gay Pride parade. Blistering commentaries were written because organizers couldn’t find members of the gay community who were more deserving of the recognition.

How on earth can a pop-culture icon, ex-con who attends “The L Word” premiere be offended by such a softball question like “Do you think you are 100 percent straight?

I thought, “Screw these bulldozing publicists and their Hollywood-manufactured homophobia. She’s a former Pride grand marshal.”

I know everyone just had a huge reaction to my last question. But I didn’t ask about what you do in bed with somebody else. I’m just trying to find that connection between you and my demographic. I love the gay community. And I’m actually doing “The L Word” when it comes back on.

This season? I talked to the creator, and they said as soon as the strike is over, they’re going to write me in.

But do you identify with the gay community — as a member of it? Most of my friends are gay. I love them. They’re fun. We go out all the time. Gay men have the best taste. The best makeup — and they’re hot.

Will play a lesbian on “The L Word?” I don’t know yet. But probably.

In a really smooth way, Hilton dodged the question about her sexual identity.

She’s not a dumb bimbo. To prepare for “The Hottie and The Nottie,” Hilton researched the filmography of Marilyn Monroe — a celebrity who was misjudged as empty-headed but was arguably way smarter than we thought.

West Hartford Ingenue Provides Words For Showtime's 'L Word'

January 25th, 2008

Aspiring West Hartford screenwriter Molly Fisher got a boost this week when a scene she wrote for the Showtime series "The L Word" kicked off this week's episode.

"It was pretty cool," Fisher, 20, said from Manhattan, where she is a sophomore at New York University studying dramatic writing. "It was kind of surreal to see something you had pictured in your head alive on the screen."

The scene — a "Charlie's Angels" take on a previous scene about using "gaydar" in a restaurant — was chosen by fans online as the winner last summer from 10 finalists picked by producers of the drama series.


Fisher, a 2006 grad of Hall High School, won $1,000, a nifty credit for her résumé and a trip to Vancouver in October to watch it being filmed.

"It was crazy," she said of the visit, which is chronicled on video at the Showtime website. "It was much more welcoming than I ever expected. I was just a random girl, but the cast was extremely friendly, and the producers were very friendly."

The assignment was to submit scenes that could happen in Jenny's "Lez Girls" movie. "A lot of it was changed, which was standard for TV — original scripts get changed a lot," Fisher says. "But it very much kept the idea and concept."

Remarkably, it's the second consecutive "L Word" fan-written competition she's won. Working with her friend Jen Schackner of South Windsor, they wrote "a silly little scene" that won an earlier contest, though "it wasn't nearly as big a prize," she says. They scored a gift bag of DVDs.

Although Fisher has had success in theater — she created a musical version of "The Santaland Diaries" in high school — the recent win "reaffirmed my hunch to get into TV."

After the writers' strike is over.

The episode of "The L Word" featuring her scene reruns tonight at 10 on Showtime; Saturday at 11 p.m. on Showtime Too and at 11:30 p.m. on Showtime.

— Roger Catlin

"L Word" gets online peek

Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:51am EST

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Showtime is giving an upcoming episode of "The L Word" an online sneak peek after ratings for its fifth-season premiere popped after a similar stunt.

OurChart.com, a social network partly owned by Showtime that caters to the lesbian audience depicted in "Word," will once again host an advance screening, scheduled for February 18. In December, "Word" saw its premiere episode deliver a 36 percent bigger audience than the previous season premiere after that episode debuted on OurChart.com.

The L Word Lowdown

Episode 504: "Let's Get This Party Started"
Article Date: 01/28/2008
By L. A. Vess



WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Of all the characters on The L Word, it seems odd to make Alice be the one biased against including transgenders in the lesbian community. Open, caring, honest Alice—not who you would predict to regulate transman Max to his own separate "box", segregated from the delicate sensibilities of the dykes.

Perhaps, however, showing Alice (Leisha Hailey) acting with discrimination is not all that out of place. Instead, the message might just be that no matter how open-minded someone thinks they are—they can still be guilty of treating others who are different than them as less than equals.

Alice gives in and tells Max he can have a podcast on her lesbian website, but he has to be cordoned off from the 'guestbians' because she doesn't want to "be bombarded with a bunch of dykes flipping out about this transgender thing."

That attitude is exactly the kind of separation we find daily across the Internet and in real life. Take the Michigan Womyn's Festival for example. Transgender and transexual women had to fight for 15 years to finally be included in the festival—because they were not "born" women.

Maybe lesbians are afraid of losing their cultural identity anyone other than a born woman loving a born woman are allowed to fly a flag on their mast. Or maybe we feel that deep down if you want to have a male body, you can't truly be a lesbian. But at the same time, if you once had a male body, you can't really be a lesbian either. If you change your sex, some believe, you have to change your sexual orientation to match it.

Then again, maybe Max (and The L Word writers) have it right. Just because you feel your body should be of one particular sex—or both or neither—does not mean who you love and why has to be any different. Perhaps laying claim to the identity of being a 'lesbian' is at it's heart is really who we are on the inside—no matter what body you happen to be in or came from. Or whether you happen to be a transman dancing at a lesbian club with a gay boy.

Just a thought.

Now, on to another topic of controversy, though I'll refrain from expounding too much on this one for this week's episode. While at the same time, Alice is engaging in a bit of discrimination on one end, she's receiving her fair share on the other end. This week Alice was pinned on the sword of the "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" policy when the military comes calling over Tasha's impending discharge for 'homosexual behavior'.

How intimidating is it to have scary soldier guys interrogate you and make you feel like you're the scum of the earth for being who you (and your girlfriend) are? No wonder Alice is left feeling violated and mad as hell. Which, of course, gets Tasha (Rose Rollins) all hot and bothered. Loving the angry Tasha. If she'd given me the tongue-lashing she gives her legal defender, I'd be eating my own boots to make her happy.



Ah, little Miss Jenny Shecter. Is it wrong to enjoy seeing her getting her ass handed to her by Tina for once? It's about time Jenny (Mia Kirshner) learned the truth of Hollywood. You're only the one in charge when you're the most important person to the project. Once you're not, then it's to hell with you girl. As in, a totally hot, star quality actress out rates your sorry ass freakish writer self—get used to it! But Jenny is going to be Jenny of course, which means she's going to spit and sulk and be a bitch unless she gets what she wants. And what she does not want is Niki Stevens.


Until, of course, she meets said totally hot, star quality actress—a James Bond girl no less—at the new lesbian SheBar. Jenny may be a cold-hearted, egotistical bitch, but who could say no to such a beautiful hottie? Hell, if a girl like Niki (Kate French) came begging to me, I'd give up whatever it was she desired in a heartbeat. Then again, how much of an act was that whole sob story Niki laid on Jenny? If that's her level of believability, I might not cast her either, smokin' hot or not.

L Word creators seem to be getting that we missed the girls all hanging out together more last season. We've had group basketball, several nice Planet hangout chats, a future breast cancer walk, gym dates and now the girls have ganged together for a self-defense class. The girls sign up for the class in support of Kit (Pam Grier) after she was robbed at gunpoint in the last episode. Very sweet—and a good idea anyway as every lady should know the basics of defending herself. Plus, any chance to see the girls getting all sweaty and worked up is always a bonus.

And who did not love the whole scene with Bette (Jennifer Beals) getting rageful with the punching bag when Tina (Laurel Holloman) told her she'd slept with a chick on the first date? Poor Bette, it seems the minute Tina isn't slobbering over her, she can't stand it. We know that angry, pouty face too well Bette. You know you want her back, she wants you back. Just get on with it already.

Besides, either Jodi (Marlee Matlin) is going to dump her ass, since the whole Big Bear incident is till causing waves, or Bette is finally going to get tired of her. Bette just can't truly deal with a woman who doesn't care about her attitude or her ***. Jodi is just as self-involved as Bette, and a narcissist like Bette just can't stand not being the center of attention at all times.

So it doesn't really come as any surprise when Bette and Tina get a little too friendly in the back room of the lesbian bar. And then Bette having a good "why did we ever break up cry" on Tina's shoulder. Not like we didn't see that coming, oh, years ago.

Just like we saw that Shane (Katherine Moennig) taking a vow of celibacy was an explosive oxymoron doomed to eventual failure. I mean, the girl has a serious addiction. You don't just go cold turkey with that sort of thing without suffering serious withdrawal. Mental, physical and emotional distress galore plague Shane after just the shortest period of time without sex. Can we say addict people? But lucky for her, the owners of SheBar have just the fix she needs to get back to her happy place.

Poor Shane. Really, the girl needs some serious actual love (not lovin'), to rescue her poor abused heart. However, it's hard to deny that a Shane engaged in a naked girl sandwich is just way too yummy not to hope she stays on the prowl for a good long time.

info from kate moennig fr.net

January 25, 2008

1.) Who are some of the people that you use/have used as inspiration to construct the character of Shane?
Katherine: A little bit of this and a little bit of that. I could have given you a better answer on that 5 years ago. It's 2nd nature at this point.

2.) Did you do anything special for your birthday this year?
Katherine: I had a great birthday. Thank you. I spent it with a good group of friends in the snow. It was perfect.

3.) Have you ever watched "Life" with Sarah Shahi? If so, what do you think?
Katherine: Sadly no. I'm not a big tv show watcher. I forget when things are on.

4.) Judging from the pictures, the S5 premiere looked liked fun! How was the evening for you? How was your hangover the next day? And lots of people are shocked that you were seen with Paris Hilton. Is she a friend or was that the first time you'd met her? It seems to contradict your recent Diva interview?
Katherine: I think the premiere had a great turn out. I give those people accolades for standing in the rain waiting to get in. We all had a good time. To answer about Paris. We have a mutual friend who asked her to come out. That's pretty much it. She's a sweet girl. Now, in regard to the magazine quote you mentioned. All i can say is, things get misquoted all the time in press. It's the nature of the beast. There is truth in the phrase "don't believe everything you hear". Or in this case "read". Maybe I have that quote turned around. But you get it.

The L Word’: In Defense of Jenny Schecter

Right about now, we want to make a Chris Crocker–like YouTube video in defense of Jenny Schecter. Last week at Cattyshack, where we watched the episode before this one, taunts were hurled whenever J.Schect hit the screen. Even the lady who runs a fan site devoted to Mia Kirshner, the actress who plays Jenny, refuses to post about anything past season three because she so despises the character. We don't condone Jenny's narcissism, her prima-donna-ness, or her questionable writing skills. But she is highly entertaining — and more important, her polarizing personality exposes the people around her. To wit: In season one, Bette was willing to go to jail over her “Provocations” gallery show, and this week she defends an art student's right to whip out a fake gun. And yet when Jenny published “Lez Girls,” Bette exploded over being exposed, blithely denouncing Jenny's right to free expression. Tina, meanwhile, elicits sympathy for dealing with Jenny on the production of Lez Girls — a project that Tina does not believe in but is still willing to expedite by kissing ass. Jenny's ambitions are naked and steadfast; Tina's, easily corrupted and status-oriented. Anyway, on to this week's high-energy episode, “Let's Get This Party Started,” and the nasty new characters we hope to love to hate: Dawn Denbo and her lover, Cindi, the cheeseball owners of new lesbian nightclub SheBar, who could well wind up making Jenny look good.
Hookups
Alice and Tasha go to a velvet-mafia Hollywood party where they see a famous basketball player snuggling up to his man-love on the D.L.

Shane breaks her celibacy pact in a VIP-room ménage à trois with SheBar's owners. We didn't expect her to cave to a low-grade self-tanner in a tank top who constantly refers to her girlfriend as “my lover, Cindi.” Shame, Shane, shame.

Bette and Tina kiss. Are you all happy now?

Processing
Tasha stands up to her homophobic military defender, encouraging him do a complete 360 by the next morning and love the gays (and, apparently, Alice). Only in Hollywood.

Rising young actress Niki Stevens courts Jenny for the part of Jesse in Lez Girls. She's no Natalie Portman, but she'll do.
—Caryn Brooks

Seattlest, Seattle
January 28, 2008
Just In: The L Word Doesn't Suck This Season
We've held off on this post for two reasons, mainly:
1. It's about Los Angeles dykes, which are a creature absolutely alien to our hipster, jeans-and-hat-wearing local girls. You know, the ones who watch sports and play scrabble at the Rose. In other words, we wondered if it wasn't of enough local interest. But who are we kidding? We all secretly want to see women that look like Jennifer Beals walk into G4G. (She is a fabulously hot woman, and we personally don't care so much about Kate Moening's Shane. For shame!)

2. This is the main thing: It's still been so early in the season. We were nervous that declaring L Word creator Aileen Chaiken and crew had churned out a season good enough to almost make up for the last two or three ridiculous ones would be akin to lighting a cigarette at the bus stop, only for the bus to show up and make us stomp it out. Each week, we've tuned in expecting some erroneous plotline to show up, or obnoxious characters like Papi to be thrown in to try and capture some vague lesbian demographic we don't believe really exists.

Seriously, though, The L Word is good again, even though we're left with a laundry list of questions: Is Helena gone for good? What ever happened to Helena's kids? Where's Tasha's best friend Papi? Will we see Dusty and her lovely arms again? How old is Angelica? Why have they not yet killed Jenny off the show, or at least gotten rid of her unfounded, unreal ego problem?

These and other questions will probably never be answered--at least until they make it a normal, legitimate soap, and put it on CBS weekdays at 1 PM. Til then, you can catch it every Sunday night at our own totally glamorous lipstick lesbian hangout: The Wildrose.

Lesbian Gaming: 'The L Word' in Second Life

A lesbian gamer's guide to what's hot and not in the world of video games
Article Date: 01/30/2008
By L. A. Vess



For the debut of our new weekly "Lesbian Gaming" column, we take you inside the most Sapphic experience in online gaming, The L Word in Second Life. Next week, we'll explore the online virtual world of Pirates of the Burning Sea. Lesbian pirates y'all!

Ever dreamed of living in The L Word? Well, now you can—virtually at least—with Showtime's The L Word in Second Life.

For those unfamiliar with the game, Second Life is a huge, interactive online world populated by hundreds of thousands of people who spend ludicrious amounts of time and money living, well, a virtual second life. Unlike many online game worlds, Second Life is for the most part very much like the real world—only more glamourous and fantasy-filled. Much like The L Word itself if you think about it.

Inside the world of Second Life, you can buy land, build homes, run businesses, make and sell virtual products—even fall in love, get laid (oh yes, you can indeed have wild, naked virtual sex in an incredible range of variations) and get married (in whatever order and with however many people you choose). You can even simulate pregnancy and have a virtual child—if you are able to find someone out there willing to play your progeny. Added to all of this, Second Life is based on a "real world" economy—which means that money in the game (lindens) equals money in real life (dollars), and the two can be exchanged for each other via an online currency market.

Second Life's real world economy is the major draw for many players who have big dreams of striking on the perfect virtual business and becoming one of the game's rare, legendary gamers who play full time for profit. Take for example Anshe Chung (SL avatar name), who has parlayed her in-game real estate business into a real life million-dollar fortune. On the other side, real world businesses have taken notice of the profit potential of a game with millions of registered users spending millions of real life dollars on virtual products. The audience potential for a company which creates a virtual identity in the game is huge—and the profit possibilities for a business selling or promoting products through Second Life is equally as exciting to forward-thinking marketers. Companies like IBM, Cisco, Reuters, American Apparel and Toyota are using Second Life to push their real world products—and to sell virtual copies of their goods to a gaming audience all too willing to pay real dollars for virtual playthings.

Making money is one thing, but many residents of Second Life are just there to have a good time. Thus real world and virtual businesses alike have to gear their goods toward entertaining their customers—the Second Life players. Providing live entertainment, virtual toys, community gathering places, freebies and the like keeps players happily returning to company and player-run businesses, hopefully with their wallets in tow. One of the strongest tools in getting your brand recognized and remembered is tapping into Second Life's social factor—the tendency of players to want to interact with each other, gather in groups for activities and build a virtual "lifestyle" within the game. That's exactly what Showtime, with their The L Word in Second Life venture (created by SL company Electric Sheep and launched last year), is all about.

The L Word in Second Life is both a place and an organization of people—including greeters, event hosts, managers, builders and other workers (both paid and volunteer). The L Word islands in Second Life play home to various show-inspired businesses (like The Planet and the forthcoming Wax shop) and unique shops and hangout spots for visitors (like the L Word dance club). Player's avatars (their digital representations) stop for coffee, shop for clothes, attend live concerts, experiment with speed dating, watch L Word episodes in the ampitheater and even have the chance to meet actors from the show in the game—Daniela Sea, Rachel Shelley, Pam Grier and others have showed up to delight fans. Showtime workers and player volunteers dedicate their time to planning & hosting events, engaging visitors with conversation and recreation and building and creating more goodies for Second Life gamers.


For Showtime, creating a virtual L Word for fans and Second Life players in general gives them the chance to gain exposure for the show and it's affiliated products (such as the "L"ements of Style) to people from all over the world—which will hopefully convert into real life purchases of those products and subscribors for Showtime. In addition, by creating in-world products (L Word clothing, real estate, apartments, etc. are in the works), Showtime can tap into the virtual economy of the game to earn cold, hard cash in an entirely new kind of marketplace. With online gaming now a multi-billion dollar industry populated by die-hard gamers willing to shell out insane amounts of cash for virtual goods, it could turn out to be a very smart (and profitable) move.

It's also a risky one.

Basically what Showtime is doing is marketing to a niche market within a niche market—lesbian gamers. Female gamers in general, though a growing population, are still a major minority. Lesbian gamers are significantly more rare, especially as even in a game as open and accepting as Second Life—discrimination and intimidation is still a factor to be reckoned with. To combat the difficulty in finding enough of an audience for their Second Life world, Showtime is doing its best to convert real world L Word fans into L Word in Second Life fans as well.


Showtime's The L Word web site prominently features a link to the show's Second Life page, which features information on how to sign up for the game (basic membership is free), upcoming events, game tutorials and community message boards. For those who sign up for the game through the page, the game launches directly inside the L Word's virtual world. From there, players are given basic instruction in how to change the appearance of their avatar, how to use the game's controls and even given free clothes and other goodies to help them look less like noobs (new players).

As the Second Life beginning player's most common complaint is that they have no idea where to start, this was smart planning on Showtime's part. The first time I ever logged onto Second Life several years ago, I quit an hour later in disgust and never went back. It was just too difficult to figure out how to do anything—even for someone used to virtual world. Thankfully The L Word in Second Life gets new players started off on the right foot, giving them enough of a handle on the virtual world to at least not want to run away in horror at the complexity of the game.

And it is very, very complex. You can spot a new player in the game from virtual miles away. Noobs look half-baked, with sad, pixelated hair, ill-fitting, blurry clothing and ugly non-anatomically correct skins. They look like child-drawn cartoon characters. Experienced players, on the other hand, generally look like well-polished, near-realistic gorgeous representations of their fantasy selves—this being accomplished by purchasing or creating top of the line bodies, skin, hair and clothing. Just looking hot in Second Life is a complicated process—and costly. Though freebie stories for new players abound, the really good products all come at a cost. And if you're going to go buying things, you have to either get a Second Life job—or shell out real life cash. The pitiful stipend that the game gives you just for being a resident won't even get you a decent haircut. Without in-game cash and in-game help to make the most out of their game experience, many new players might throw in the towel, never to return.

Showtime has thought about that too. Many of their in-world customers are brand new players who may have never participated in an online game before. Even experienced gamers can be daunted by the sheer size and complicated nature of the game. So The L Word in Second Life has taken steps to bring noobs up to speed, in hopes that they will stick around—and hopefully bring their friends to play too. New players automatically have access to a small collection of clothes and other goodies free on the "orientation island" where they appear. The L Word ampitheater regularly plays host to Second Life classes in basic building, clothing creation, land ownership and other skills. L Word greeters are frequently found wandering about the main island happily answering questions from the latest crop of new players. Signs on the island point noobs to places where they can find freebies. Experienced players are also usually more than willing to help out a new person, if asked politely.

A Second Life community is more than just friendly people and a place to hang out, however. For players new and old alike, the most attractive places in the game are places they can build their whole "virtual life" around. So The L Word in Second Life also strives to provide fans with virtual jobs (for those all important lindens), businesses and even affordable virtual places for their avatars to live and play in. The goal, of course, being that no matter how far in the game's virtual world they may roam, they'll call the The L Word in Second Life home—returning again and again to be exposed to The L Word brand and products.

So far The L Word in Second Life experiment seems to be working. What was at first just a pretty, but empty corner of the game is now populated by a growing crowd of virtual visitors. Events at the L Word dance club and ampitheater are increasingly packed—and during a live concert or a celebrity visit, the island is now so overloaded that sometimes you can spend half an hour just trying to get in. Players that only weeks ago trotted around in horrid spiky newbie hair and flat, oddly colored skins are now evolving slowly into sexy, L-Word-esque butch and femme divas. Strangers who shyly shouted "Hi" as they crash-landed into the island are now laughing over virtual coffee with new friends, creating and hosting their own events, and exploring the realms of virtual love.



One of the most delightful aspects of The L Word in Second Life is the sheer diversity of avatar looks among the ladies who attend events. Unlike many locations in SL, The L Word island plays host to female avatars of all shapes, sizes and styles—instead of being dominated purely by Barbie-doll types with cleavage ready to explode out onto the floor at any moment. Though, of course, most of The L Word girls aren't going to object to a bit of curvaceous booty swaying over the dance floor in a tight-cut gown or two (we love you femmes!).

For those looking for fun gals to hang out with in game, groups like The Lesbian Mafia (several members are featured in the images in this article) have sprung up for players interested in socializing with like minded folks. Mafia members (women only) gather to play Russian roulette, mud wrestle, go bowling, play virtual poker, dance—and whatever else the girls happen to feel like doing. The Mafia has even built its own headquarters for events and hanging out. The Mafia has hundreds of members and continues to grow rapidly—and it is only one of several groups to spin up out of The L Word in Second Life phenom.

Showtime, as one of The L Word hostesses said in my most recent visit, is very happy with the growth of their Second Life venture so far. With new events and expansions being lined up for Second Life players, including celebrity visits, live concerts, DJ-spun dances, new shops, businesses and residences—hopefully they can keep their Second Life visitors equally as happy.

For more, visit www.sho.com/site/lword/second_life.do.

Kate about Lady of the Lake -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: I love Holland Taylor. She is just fantastic in every way. My favorite scenes are hers. It's such a treat to watch her. And even though it's minimal for me, working with her.


What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: I know it's out of character, but it was fun to at least play a little bit with the manic side of her.


Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: We laughed our way through that Charlie's Angel's spoof. It was hard to keep a straight face. It felt like an office party.

This week in the world of lesbian gossip
Article Date: 01/30/2008

By Tracy E. Gilchrist


Awards season finally in swing and hot nerd Tina Fey, Empress Angelina Jolie and Queen Cate Blanchett rub—umm elbows—at the SAG Awards. The Academy snubs a possibly pregnant Angelina because she's just too damned perfect. Roseanne's sister Jackie, played by Laurie Metcalf finally comes out to play gay. Smokin' siren Shelby Lynne makes great make out music channeling gay icon Dusty Springfield and "Little Black Sandals" singer, Sia, cops to a gal pal. Plus, Jennifer Beals and Laurel Holloman make 500 Lesbos scream with delight!

For L Word junkies and haters alike, this Sunday's episode had Ross and Rachel—I mean Bette and Tina—making out at a club not so loosely based on Los Angeles' Girlbar. Which means Bette's doing what she does best, cheating on her hot-assed girlfriend Jodi and avoiding commitment.

Who cares! It was sexy and overdue, and the 500-plus Lesbos cruising each other at Hollywood's Falcon screening whooped and hollered as if they'd just been collectively laid.

Friday, February 1, 2008
Jennifer Beals Talks About The L Word, Love Scenes and Flashdance
by Ileane Rudolph

Jennifer Beals, The L Word
Now in its fifth season, Showtime's The L Word is back (Sunday at 9 pm/ET) with its latest forays into the girlfriends' loves, lusts and career problems, not to mention a women-behind-bars side story, a "Don't ask, don't tell" crisis and a starlet-on-the-make chronicle of Jenny's movie about sapphic life in L.A. We talked to Jennifer Beals (we've loved her since Flashdance), who plays the starchy though smashingly sensual art-school dean Bette Porter, about her character's romantic dilemma, going nude and, yes, playing a dancing welder back in the day.
TV Guide: What are the big themes on The L Word this season?
Jennifer Beals: For my character, it's loyalty and truthfulness.

TV Guide: Which is a problem, since Bette bounces between two lovers — Jodi (Marlee Matlin) and, secretly, Tina (Laurel Holloman), the co-mom of her child. How does that play out?
Beals: I don't think Bette believes that she's in the driver's seat. She doesn't want to hurt other peoples' feelings, but that's not very helpful if you're the other person. It becomes the issue of, "How do I take the risk and move from one person to the other in an honorable way?"

TV Guide: Do your fans want Bette back with Tina?
Beals: Oh, you have no idea. There's a whole movement — including a website, TiBette.com.

TV Guide: This doesn't sound good for Jodi, does it?
Beals: All I can say is, "Poor Jodi." But I love that Bette is so terribly flawed.

TV Guide: Aren't you and Marlee old friends? How does that affect, say, your love scenes?
Beals: We are. It's really easy with her on set, but we laugh hysterically every time we have to do love scenes. It's so surreal, but you have to dive into the work of pretend.

TV Guide: Speaking of sex, this is a pretty lusty series. Have you ever disrobed, like most of the other actresses?
Beals: No. You can intimate nudity without actually being nude. That's what I've done, anyway.

TV Guide: You and Marlee sign a lot on the show. How fluent are you?
Beals: Bette knows a lot more than I do, but I don't need an interpreter so much anymore. My daughter, who's 2, loves to sign with me. It empowers a child.

TV Guide: Bette always seems pretty sad. Will she ever be happy?
Beals: I don't know! I never get the happy-go-lucky story. But it would be nice to have some really joyous moments.

TV Guide: It looks like fun on the set with all the actresses. How's it different from most shows you've done?
Beals: There's a lot more processing and a lot more talk about shoes. "What are you wearing?" comes up a lot more. [Laughs] And people are very supportive of each other.

TV Guide: Is this the final season for The L Word?
Beals: We don't know, but the show's done better than last year, and we didn't shoot a finale. I think another season would be really interesting.

TV Guide: How has this show affected you? It was a pretty radical concept.
Beals: I think in a way it gives the whole cast and everyone who's watching encouragement to embrace their most authentic self. It's affected me personally in that I've come in contact with women who have bravery in being out in the world with their sexuality.

TV Guide: Like who?
Beals: There were two women who came to the set who had been together for 30 years and had been in the closet the whole time. Through seeing the show, they found the courage to come out. That to me was incredibly moving.

TV Guide: Do you ever feel burdened with carrying the mantle for the lesbian community?
Beals: I don't feel that way, but I do feel like I've been educated and it's important for me as a human being to speak up. I didn't pay attention to gay issues before the show, but now, I take them more personally, because I see them through Bette's eyes or the many fan letters I've gotten. And the show definitely has had an effect on the culture.

TV Guide: You have a long and varied résumé. What are some of your most satisfying projects?
Beals: Being a part of this show, Devil in a Blue Dress, A House Divided, Twilight of the Golds.

TV Guide: Do you look back with fondness or horror at Flashdance?
Beals: Never horror. There's a certain nostalgic tenderness. What an extraordinary entrée into the world of cinema.

TV Guide: If they ever remake Flashdance, who would you want to play Alex?
Beals: Oh, I hope they would get an unknown.

TV Guide: What else is up with you?
Beals: There was a project I was supposed to work on, but with the strike, it's not going to happen. So I'm working on a lot of knitting.

Check out all the juicy L Word clips and episodes in our Online Video Guide.

Q&A: Jennifer Beals Talks Dresses, Triathlons
PLAYING A WELDER who dreams of being a ballerina, Jennifer Beals shimmied her way to fame in "Flashdance." Since then, she's tackled roles from Frankenstein's honey in "The Bride" to a noir heroine in "Devil in a Blue Dress." She just began her fifth season on Showtime's "The L Word" (Sundays at 9 p.m.).

» EXPRESS: Having a kid, job turmoil, the death of a parent — your character, Bette, has been through a lot. Does she get a break this season?
» BEALS: In some areas, yes. With her child, she gets a break. I think you'll see her sorting out her love life, too.

» EXPRESS: As a straight woman, what's most intriguing about playing a gay one?
» BEALS: There's a call to authenticity. If somebody's gay and out, it's incumbent on me to embrace that.

» EXPRESS: You've gotten positive feedback from the lesbian community, right?
» BEALS: It's encouraging, because it's a no-holds-barred crowd. They let you know when they're not happy with something, so I feel honored when they're happy. It's exciting, because in the first few seasons, when the community was critical, I felt like it was part of the democratic process. That doesn't happen often in politics, so it's nice for it to happen on television.


» EXPRESS: You get lots of props for your love scenes. Why do you think that is?
» BEALS: I don't get why people notice that more than other things. I'm just trying to figure out where the character goes in the story.

» EXPRESS: What's your favorite thing to wear on the red carpet?
» BEALS: Clothing is good! Not naked for sure. To be comfortable is always desirable, but it's rarely doable. Somehow pajamas haven't made it there yet. I've got a couple of Alberta Ferrettis, and I find Diane von Furstenberg things great and easy. I'm not a huge fashion person, but I appreciate it. It's like sculpting.

» EXPRESS: How do you feel about the return of 1980s styles like leg warmers?
» BEALS: I think I've seen some of it, but not on real people.

» EXPRESS: In addition to acting, you're also a passionate photographer?
» BEALS: I haven't been shooting much lately — mostly, I've done stuff at work, friends or family. I used to shoot predominantly strangers. It was exciting, because you'd have an entry into another world, not entirely unlike acting.

» EXPRESS: Do you display your work at home?
» BEALS: I only have a couple pictures of mine up, a few of Sri Lanka. A lot of my stuff is too depressing to have up there.

» EXPRESS: I hear you're a triathlete now?
» BEALS: I did just one, in the spring. Next year, I want to do another. It comes from having given birth without medication. I realize what my body is capable of.

» EXPRESS: What was the biggest challenge of the triathlon?
» BEALS: For me, the run. I always ran by myself before, so the idea of running in a group was terrifying. But then you start to feel the collective energy.

:: S T A R S P O T T I N G ::

Seen someone from L around your neighbourhood....let us know. February 2 2008 - West Hollywood, CA
Roving Reporter: Jas

I was at M cafe in West Hollywood, and who should come in for lunch but Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey! They both looked great and seemed to be having a good time, and were joined by another woman. They looked like they had been working out or something, with both of them wearing sweatpants. Kate was decked out in a knit ski cap and sunglasses.

Crazily enough, I was eating at a table next to Natalie Portman, and the woman with Natalie knew Kate and called her over so the three of them had a conversation right next to me. Kate was practically touching me since the tables were so close, and I could smell the cigarette smoke on her. It was funny because the woman called out to Kate, but she didn't recognize her right away, so she had to identify herself, and then Kate seemed to remember right away who she was.

In addition to those three, Jesse Metcalfe from Desperate Housewives, Ted Danson, and Mary Steenburgen were all at the tiny little restaurant at the same time.




info from l word online

Jennifer and Laurel on cover of CURVE.........If you have interview please post.

Peaec, Light & Love
Patty

Jennifer Beals: REDEFINED
An Interview by David R. Guarino

The last four years have been nothing if not significant
in the life of actress Jennifer Beals.
As the beautiful, driven, yet emotionally flawed Bette Porter on Showtime’s “The ‘L’ Word,” Beals has fearlessly portrayed a competitive Los Angeles art professional who also happens to be lesbian and bi-racial. Sans sexuality (Beals is heterosexual in real life); the role of “Bette” would seem to somewhat parallel Beals’ own personal experiences as
a successful bi-racial woman in the fiercely competitive world of show business and entertainment. Heading up an outstanding ensemble cast, Beals has carefully guided her character through a dizzying assortment of triumphs,
tragedies, indiscretions and betrayals as she and her eminently capable co-stars have made history creating the first-ever continuing drama to focus on the lives, loves and often numbing realities of a particular group of lesbian
friends living in Los Angeles’ fast lane. It would seem that The L Word not only brought Beals into a position of sharper focus, it has redefined her career as an actress. The bold and often controversial show has proven to be an unprecedented success, now heading into its fifth triumphant season on the always innovative Showtime Network
come January 2007. With a parade of guest stars making their mark on the show, including the likes of: Camryn Mannheim (The Practice), Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting), Anne Archer, Alan Cumming, Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty), Sandra Bernhard, Holland Taylor, Tammy Lynn Michaels and Guinevere
Turner among many others, The L Word has remained one of Showtime’s most successful projects, following closely in the footsteps of its groundbreaking yet equally controversial
predecessor, Queer as Folk.

A graduate of Yale University, the Chicago-born Beals is no stranger to success. In fact, she had her first major break playing the part of Alexandra Owens in the smash 1983
blockbuster, Flashdance, while she was still attending lasses at the Ivy League college. She went on to star in over fifty films, and has also tackled television as well, guesting on
such classic shows as Frasier, The Outer Limits, Nothing Sacred, and Law and Order. I caught up with this intelligent, lovely award-winning actress on the heels of a recent visit she made to The Windy City to appear in a celebrity cook-off.

DG: Jennifer, you have been filming the fifth season of The L Word, and the question that’s on my mind and everyone else’s,
I guess, is: are you surprised that the show has lasted this long and secondly, where is the show going? Is it nearing the end of its run?

JB: I can’t imagine that it will go on that much longer just ecause, historically, on Showtime, no show has gone past five seasons. And I’m sure they have a lot of other shows
that they would like to put forward into the world. But then on the other hand, the show is so successful and it certainly makes them money, so I’m not really sure. I know that the
cast would be happy to come back for a sixth season. Everything is in place for that to be able to happen. This is the first year that I’m really, really not sure.

Being honest with you, Jennifer, I have always found it disappointing that the story line between you and your fictional lover, Tina, took you through a very acrimonious
breakup and to a place where the two of you became distant, almost to the point of being enemies. I was wondering how difficult it was for you and Laurel Holloman to play that story arc through. Were you happy with the ultimate direction the writers had taken?

Well, David, I think it was truthful in the sense that people change, and if you don’t recognize and process that change as a couple, then you can be doomed. And I think that they were. Unfortunately, I do wish that Ilene (Chaiken-Creator and Exec Producer) would have had us process more early on.
And it was very difficult...first of all when she made Bette have an affair; I was so, so upset by it, that I could barely even talk to the woman with whom I was supposed to be acting. It was really hard for me; I was resentful that it
was all happening. But people move on and characters move on...and Bette found Jodi (Marlee Maitlin) who is really amazing...Bette is lucky to have some kind of relationship
with Tina, and they have their child together, so, it isn’t so bad.
I have several lesbian friends who are rabid fans, and it just seems like everyone was rooting for Tina and Bette to survive this... Yeah, to pull it together and be adults.

Exactly.

Oh, I Know. But I think everybody has their journey; you know, fictional characters are not exempt from that. I would hope that Bette and Tina would be able to maintain at least some kind of friendship as the years go on

When I interviewed Eric Mabius prior to his huge success on Ugly Betty, I remember him saying how much he enjoyed working with you and how he felt that you had set a
tone or a standard for the rest of the cast when he worked with all of you on the first season of The L Word…

We had so much fun. He’s a very dear friend and we have remained in contact after he left the show. I loved working with him because he’s so grounded as an actor.

Jennifer, what type of performance do you find the most intimidating? I mean, you’ve appeared in film, on television and on the stage...Oh, the stage is always the most intimidating
for me. And it’s also the most freeing. It’s the most intimidating because it’s you—you and the audience and the other people around you; you can’t rely on the camera to tell the
story. And in that way it’s incredibly liberating but it’s also a huge responsibility. I like the communal feeling, especially of a television show that goes on for years and years. The group is working on a story; I like that feeling. There’s something about film that is really magical in that you know there’s a beginning, a middle and an end. All of them are exciting. To act, period, is exhilarating.

I saw your work in the film Grudge 2 and I thought you were wonderful in it.
[Jennifer laughs.] Oh, thanks! It’s was really fun; I had my daughter with me. My mother loves Japan, and this was a great opportunity to work and to travel to Japan and work on
something that was in a genre that I found interesting.
You know it was all based on those ancient Japanese horror stories, and the tradition is really fascinating.

Jennifer, you have gone beneath the skin of a lesbian woman for the last five years, playing on The L Word. In terms of the lessons learned, what stands out in your mind?

I’ve learned the importance of story telling; I mean, I’ve learned it again in a much more palpable way. What I’ve learned is that the stories we tell are crucial to our well-being both as individuals and as groups. It’s essential to the collective and it’s essential to the individual. And I feel really privileged to
have been part of a story that is deeply meaningful, so helpful to so many people. Oh, my God, before I played this character, I never realized how important gay rights issues are; I never paid much attention. And then when I started playing this character, it was a personal affront to me. It seems outrageous that the things I and many others take for granted, gay people cannot. I think the marriage issue
that gays face is outrageous as well.

Did your status as a bi-racial woman help or hinder you in the portrayal of Bette Porter?

[Hesitates.] Well it helped in that I asked for to be written as bi-racial; she wasn’t originally conceived as bi-racial. I made the request so that we could draw from other issues that
might deepen the character in some ways. In looking at LGBT issues and their possible resolutions, what area interests you
the most? Where is the need for change the greatest, in your eyes?

What has become clear to me, David, is that the issue is one of authenticity. And how we have to give ourselves permission to experience our own authenticity and still allow others to experience theirs. And if we are able to do that, we will not only evolve as human beings, but we will also evolve as a culture and make way for a true democracy. Because
right now we don’t have a true democracy and part of the reason for that is the need to compartmentalize people and trying to win. Once we are able to establish some kind of
freedom of authenticity as individuals, then we will be able to heal the country as well.

Jennifer, you acted as Grand Marshall in the 2006 San Francisco Pride Parade. What was that experience like for you?

It was the most fun! Of all the events I’ve done for The L Word, it was really probably the most fun. David, it was such a rush! People were so lovely, and you know what really irritates me is that so often the news shows characterize
them as freak shows. When I was there in San Francisco it was primarily families, so totally unlike what the media often tries to portray it as being. And it’s really true that this is the
way the media often tries to characterize the gay community—as a freak show. They don’t look at people and their relationships, they don’t look at the families, and in doing so it really makes it hard in terms of passing legislation
for GLBT people regarding the most simple of rights, including basic things like hospital visitation. People aren’t looking at
gay couples other than as some form of bizarre
entertainment. And that’s really upsetting to me.

LesbiaNation Top Ten Women of 'The L Word'

Article Date: 02/01/2008
By Shane Cassidy


Last month, we asked our readers to choose their favorites of the gorgeous major female characters of The L Word from seasons past. Based on your votes, we bring you the LesbiaNation Top Ten Women of The L Word, including Leisha Hailey, Rachel Shelley and Katherine Moenning. Who did you choose as your favorite L Word lady? Read on to find out!
Honorable Mention: Alexandra Hedison

Ellen DeGeneres' ex Alexandra Hedison stole hearts and fired up lustful thoughts as Dylan Moreland in eight episodes of The L Word. Supposedly straight Dylan seduced the lofty Helena (Rachel Shelley) and then left her high and dry after suing her for sexual harassment—all part of a nefarious plan, of course. Fans petitioned to bring the sexy Alexandra back, but alas to no avail. Alexandra hasn't been doing much in the way of acting of late, instead focusing on her photography, some of which you can find at www.hedison.com.

10. Rose Rollins

As closeted soldier Tasha Williams, Rose Rollins makes combat fatigues sexy. But her love of her duty to the military stands in the way of her growing love for Alice (Leisha Hailey). Now the military is after her for being too PDA with her girlfriend and Tasha stands to lose either her career or her newfound lover. Touching on one of the most controversial subjects in our country today, Tasha's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" storyline is yet another example of how The L Word goes deeper than just tangles between the sheets. Rollins also played Monique in the web series Girltrash!, which can be found at www.ourchart.com.

9. Kristanna Loken

Openly bisexual actress Kristanna Loken joined the cast of The L Word in season four and ended up between the sheets with Shane (Katherine Moennig). As housewife/Mom Paige Sobel, Loken defined the term MILF—though for some reason the chemistry just never seemed to spark between her and Moennig. The two actresses always seemed to be just on the verge of laughing hysterically during every intimate scene. Not to mention, but Amazonian Loken looked like she could break waif-girl Moennig in half at any moment! Sadly Loken has left The L Word and her Sci-Fi series Painkiller Jane was cancelled. However, Loken fans can catch hottie Kristanna back in leather in the BloodRayne follow up film In the Name of the King—if you can find it in a local theater, or just wait and catch it on DVD.

8. Karina Lombard

As smoking hot Marina Ferrer in the first season of The L Word, Karina Lombard seduced Mia Kirshner's Jenny and taught her the ways of lesbian love. Fans of the show loved Marina (who is kinda, sorta out as bisexual), but the show's cast and crew weren't that found of the actress playing her. Thus, Karina was kicked from the show after the first season. But fan love is a hard thing to balk and Karina made a brief reappearance in several episodes of season four. Lombard is working on an upcoming Spanish-language movie Un Mundo para Julius (A World for Julias). More info can be found at www.karinaworld.com.

7. Katherine Moennig

The L Word's leading lothario, Shane McCutcheon, has had a rough few seasons—but actress Katherine Moenning has looked hot as hell throughout (well, except for that whole post-car wreck mess). Shane broke hearts when she left girlfriend Carmen (Sarah Shahi) at the alter, but it was her own heart she was trampling in the dust. Then Shane found another form of love in little brother Shay—but then he too was taken out of her life. It seemed for a while Shane might settle down again with hot housewife Paige Sobel (Kristanna Loken), but she just couldn't stop playing the field. Her infidelity was costly, when Paige (it seems) burned down her shop Wax.

Poor Shane tried to go celibate to escape the lesbian drama, but alas couldn't manage to keep it in her pants for long. In addition to her continuing role on The L Word, Moennig is also slated to appear in the upcoming film Remorse. Keep up to date on the movie at www.remorsethemovie.com.

Although Kate has stated publicly in the past she's "heterosexual", we prefer to believe Jennifer Beals was speaking true when she slipped up by saying Kate was one of the people she went to for advice on being a "lesbian".

6. Rachel Shelley

Rich girl turned jailbait Helena Peabody has run the gambit from being the woman everyone wanted to smack to the girl everyone wants to hug. Actress Rachel Shelley has managed to ride the roller coaster of her character's evolution magnificently. Although some of us wanted to whack her for briefly being the other woman between Bette & Tina, Helena wormed her way into our hearts when she was deceived and left devastated by hot filmmaker Dylan (Alexandra Hedison). Now she's back to being kind of bad again, but in a more endearing way after she decides to run off with her prison lover to a tropical paradise. We hope this won't mean the permanent end of Rachel on The L Word, but fans can look forward to her on a new A&E show Under as a police detective and a new British horror film The Day. Keep up to date on Rachel's works at www.rachelshelleyonline.com.

5. Erin Daniels

Possibly the most beloved actress on The L Word, Erin Daniels sparkled as tennis star Dana Fairbanks. Her relationship with Alice (Leisha Hailey) was one of the favorite pairings to ever grace the show. Daniels was pushed off the series after she became the victim of a major storyline ending with her character dying of breast cancer. Some fans (and other L Word actresses) were outraged by the loss of Daniels from the show. But show creator Ilene Chaiken believed the impact of the message of fighting breast cancer would not have been as strong had Daniels not been the focus. Fans did get a bit of delight out of seeing Daniels on The L Word again in a brief, but fabulous bit in season four. Erin has been appearing lately as a guest in TV shows like Dexter, Jericho and Justice, but we hope she finds a new permanent gig soon.

4. Sarah Shahi

It was a sad day for L Word fans when Shane (Katherine Moennig) left Carmen (Sarah Shahi) at the altar. After a long and tumultuous relationship (featuring a lot of incredibly hot sex), it seemed like Shane might actually learn to really love and settle down with the right girl. Alas, it was not to be. Carmen departed, never wanting to see Shane again, and thus L Word fans lost the pleasure of watching Sarah Shahi's gorgeous self in the series. Maybe they'll do an L Word reunion show years from now and Shane and Carmen will be back together getting it on in a DJ booth. We can only dream. Shahi is currently starring in the TV series Life and has two films in the works, The Adventures of Beatle Boyin and Shades of Ray.

3. Leisha Hailey

One of the favorite characters on The L Word, quirky sort-of bisexual Alice Pieszecki makes us laugh and makes us cry—all courtesy of openly lesbian actress Leisha Hailey. In 2007, Hailey was named the sexiest woman in the AfterEllen.com Hot 100 list and she's been a frequent frontrunner on our own LesbiaNation.com Women We Love list. Alice delights and shocks, giving L Word viewers some of the funniest and the most tragic moments of the series. Leisha is also working on an album with her band Uh Huh Her due to come out soon and touring. She's set to appear at Dinah Shore 2008 in April. Keep up with Leisha's musical efforts at www.myspace.com/uhhuhhermusic.

2. Jennifer Beals

As consummate power dyke Bette Porter, Jennifer Beals has developed a legion of lesbian fans. Her torrid relationship with Tina (Laurel Holloman) and the battle over their shared daughter Angelica has served as a core theme throughout the entire run of The L Word. Bette's passionate flings with women have provided some of the hottest scenes on the show and her latest affair with artist Jodi Lerner (Marlee Matlin—a person friend of Beals) have given us some of the tastiest. But poor Jodi may find herself on the outs if things keep heating up again between Bette and Tina. For the latest updates on Jennifer's doings, visit www.jennifer-beals.us.

1. Laurel Holloman

You voted and here she is—your favorite L Word lady!

First she was the poor put-upon partner of Bette (Jennifer Beals), then she was the betraying lesbian turned straight girl, then she turned into the regretful straight girl who wants back in the lesbian fold. Now she's back prowling among the ladies yet again—specifically for one particular power dyke she hasn't quite gotten over. You're just never quite sure what Tina Kennard is going to do next. Regardless of which side of the fence she's straddling today, actress Laurel Holloman remains one of the all-time fan favorite women of The L Word. But now that she's digging chicks again, does Tina stand any chance of winning Bette back from the sultry arms of her artist lover? Only time will tell. Although married to a guy, Laurel has admitted to having bisexual leanings. Art imitating life or vice versa? When she's not working on The L Word, Laurel is often to be found championing for various charity causes, including Doctors Without Borders. We love a girl with looks, brains and a big heart.

By Bette and Tina Forever....l word fan site

B&TF: My first question is when Moira/Max was first introduced in season 3 there was an article that said that as soon as Moira changes into Max, the character will be gone. Were you surprised that the character was back in season 4 and actually got her own storyline?

Daniela Sea: No, I wasn’t surprised. I don’t know why the paper said that but my understanding was that Max would become part of the fabric of the show. I think it’s important for trans visibility in the lesbian community to show, you know. It’s pretty realistic for nowadays that in the gay community we have all kinds of people.

B&TF: I guess they were saying it because this show is about lesbians and you remember how Jenny said to Max in the beginning of the third season that now you’re a man who wants to date a girl, and I want to date girls, or something along those lines...




DS: I think it was important for them to have that scene where Jenny breaks with him and says I don’t want to be with you because I’m a lesbian. But this is how some people feel and ideally, in a show like ours, which is representing a community it needs to show the different conflicts when someone is a trans. I think we saw different types of reactions from the girls on the show, which is what it’s like in real life. That a lot of people are more accepting, you know, and there are some girls who are totally into those kind of guys.

B&TF: Well, you know in season 3 Max was involved with everybody and in season 4 you got your own storyline up until almost the end when you become involved with Alice’s Our Chart. In season 5, are you going to be interacting more with the girls or will you continue with your own story?

DS: A little of both, yeah.

B&TF: Well, since we can’t talk about season 5, let me ask you another question. Tell me how your acting career begin and was The L Word your first major project?

DS: My first acting experiences were in theater in school and then I did John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus. I did a couple of music videos as well from Sara Mitchell and then I got The L Word.

B&TF: Would you like your acting career to continue or would you like to stop at some point and do something else?

DS: I think I might focus on being a multi-faceted artist; I’ve been acting, I’ve been playing music in my band, I’ve been writing. So, I think I’ll always act just like when I was more dormant and I wasn’t actually pursuing it as much and so I think it’s something I’ll do the rest of my life. I’d like to do other things as well, like travel.

B&TF: And you’re still with Bitch and you do like doing music with her band, correct?

DS: Yeah, sometimes I play with her band and sometimes they play without me.

B&TF: If you hadn’t been chosen to be Moira/Max would you like to be any other character on the show? Not necessarily based on physical appearance but rather character-wise; who would you prefer to play?

DS: I don’t think I can answer that question; I’m too inside the story. I had never watched the story before I got this job so I really only know it from Max’s perspective. I guess I would want to be Pam Grier.

B&TF: Is Max going to be happier in this season?

DS: I think we’re slowly seeing him become more secure within himself which I think makes him happier.

By Bette and Tina Forever...l word fan site

B&TF: I’d like to ask you some questions about being a screenwriter if that’s okay. Do you write everyday?

GT: Hell no! No, I actually do not write everyday. I think everyday. I consider doing almost anything I can do, like research. But I definitely don’t write everyday. I think a lot and procrastinate a lot.

B&TF: Do you have a ritual that you go through to prepare yourself for writing?

GT: Yes. It’s very specific. I wake up and I don’t talk to anyone, I don’t read emails. I stay in my pajamas, make tea and write until I can’t stand to sit anymore. It has to be first thing in the morning before I’ve spoken to anyone which is why I’m single and have to live alone.

B&TF: What kind of tea?

GT: It depends. Sometimes I drink detox tea, always I drink peppermint tea and when I’m feeling like I’m really sleepy but I have to get my *** together I drink Yerba Mate.


B&TF: Are any of your scripts available for sale? Like on the internet or somewhere else.

GT: There’s a Go Fish book that compliments the movie. Also there’s a book with American Psycho. Almost any great movie that’s ever been made has a script available; you just need to find where they’re available. Before Go Fish we wrote Do the Right Thing, whish is also a book and the advantage to the books is that most writers will talk about the process they go through so you can get a lot of information that way.

B&TF: What project are you the most proud of being a part of as a director or a writer?

GT: Well, the oldest and the longest lasting is Go Fish because people continue to watch it and even young people will still come up to me and say how it changed their lives – and you know it’s a 16 year old movie. That’s why I feel like everything else I do or have done is gravy. I’m happy to keep doing the work but I do think that’s the best thing that I’ve done.

B&TF: Who’s your inspiration as far as writers?

GT: I would say that I’ve always been influenced by 19th century writers like Kafka, Virginia Woolf but also by Marx Brothers scripts. It’s so all over the place. I read so much and I get inspired in so many different ways. I get asked that all the time but it’s a difficult question to answer. I feel like I get inspired by anything, like I got inspired by something my 85-year-old neighbor did yesterday. You know what I mean?

B&TF: I write for The L Word.com website and sometimes I get ideas while I’m walking and looking around so I understand what you mean. Remember, during Season One…

GT: Do you mean during Season 1 of my life? (laughing)

B&TF: (laughing) I wish we can talk about that…in season one of The L Word introduces Marina to Jenny and Marina asks Jenny, “What’s the most influential book of your life?” What would you say is the most life altering book in your life?

GT: You have to realize that I’m a Gemini and everything changes for me completely on an almost minute to minute basis so every time I read a book it changes. The most recent book I read that was really, really great was “Middlesex” about a hermaphrodite. It’s the way it’s written that inspires me. It really requires patience from the reader and he’s not afraid to tell his story in this rather long, complicated, rather convoluted way that starts right at the beginning. I just thought that was rather impressive and really brave.

B&TF: You’ve been involved with Itty Bitty Titty Committee and Notorious Betty Page. Can you tell me about those experiences?

GT: About being involved with Itty Bitty? Oh, that was super fun - hanging out with Jamie (Babbit) and trying to come up with the concept, being on the set was really fun, running in the hills was really fun.

B&TF: One of my favorite scenes was when you were running with that other girl and you’re like – “let’s go...”

GT: Right, working with Melanie Mayron was really fun. What was the other one you asked me about?

B&TF: The Notorious Betty Page…did you direct it?

GT: I co-wrote it with the director. We worked on that movie for about 9 years. It was so, so satisfying to finally get it made and I really love the lead, I think she’s so good and I really love the movie even though I think a lot of people aren’t going to understand it.

B&TF: I saw it and I thought it was great. Okay, last question. If you had a choice between directing, acting and writing and you could only choose one, what would it be?

GT: (pause) Writing. I hate that question. I think I’d kill myself if I had to make a choice. They all fulfill something different in me but I would have to say writing.

B&TF: Well, let’s hope you don’t have to choose and you’ll be involve in many things.

Kate about Let's get this party started -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: I always like working with Mia. We manage to make something very different than what's on the page. It keeps it fresh.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: I only saw this episode once. I'm sure your insight would be more interesting.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: I didn't work many days on this one. I think I was out of town.

info from kate moennig fr.net

Free Radio
(Series -- VH1, Fri. Feb. 8, 9:30 p.m.)
By VARIETY STAFF

Lance Krall stars as an inexperienced radio DJ in VH1's 'Free Radio.'


Produced by VH1. Executive producers, Lance Krall, Rory Rosegarten, Jim Ackerman; supervising producer, Mike Riley; producer, Matthew R. Brady; director, Peter Siaggas.

Featuring: Lance Krall, Anna Vocino, Brian Huskey, Sarah Baker


Perhaps it's time for a moratorium on new improvisational comedies that enlist Hollywood denizens to play good-sport versions of themselves. In this case, it's as guests on a fictional radio show handed over to a dimwitted intern -- who peppers those sitting in with idiotic questions -- after the long-time host jumps to satellite. While this series is doubtless inexpensive and promotable, nevertheless, so many others play the awkward-interview game far better ("The Colbert Report," for starters) one has to wonder, why bother? And besides, haven't they already done this in real life with Adam Carolla?
Exec producer-star Lance Krall plays the aforementioned intern, Lance, whose show is such a mess that ratings actually rise. This drives the station manager (Brian Huskey) absolutely crazy and makes life hard on Lance's sidekick, Anna (Anna Vocino), the semi-reluctant co-host of what the station improbably dubs "Moron in the Morning."

Although there are some back-office shenanigans, the episodes focus mostly on Lance's interaction with guests, from Kiefer Sutherland and "The Office's" Angela Kinsey in the premiere to "Heroes'" Jack Coleman and "The L Word's" Daniela Sea in the second half-hour.

Unlike "Da Ali G Show," there's no sense of risk, since those participating are in on the gag, as Lance rifles through exchanges that range from rude (prodding Sutherland to don his headphones) to simply ill-informed (asking Kinsey about shooting "The Office" in the U.K.). There's no way of knowing how much riffing went into the three to four segments with different personalities in each half-hour, but given that everyone knows it's a goof, the payoff isn't nearly as funny or uncomfortable as it needs to be to sustain such a flimsy exercise.

VH1 bills "Free Radio" as a "fresh alternative to the typical sitcom," but at this point, it's actually a stale addition to a long roster of improv-coms -- recently joined by Starz's equally tiresome home makeover mockumentary "Hollywood Residential" -- which rely on stars spoofing their own images. In addition, the guests serve as rather passive foils for Krall's shtick, instead of throwing fits or behaving boorishly. (The Sutherland episode, by the way, makes no reference to the actor's recent legal troubles.)

The series does feature a reasonably impressive talent roster over nine episodes, and at least the performers fare better here than they do on "Celebrity Rehab." Whatever drew them in, though, "Free Radio" delivers little more than static.

507. LESBIANS GONE WILD

On-set clashes among the actresses starring in Jenny's film lead to a visit from the police; the strictly by-the-book colonel prosecuting Tasha's discharge case arrives on base.





Ep. 507:

it's all about being on set, oil-wrestling, tasha storyline, alice getting a job on the Look, and Kit finding a way to close SheBar for some time for serving alcohol to minors

TiBette/Jobette stuff
1. Bette has to spend the whole day with Molly because Phyllis asked her to show her around and introduce her to lesbian life that not all lesbians are promiscuous.

2. Jodi is having lunch with her ex Amy and they have a nice conversation in which Amy apologizes for her behavior in the last season when she was mean to Bette. Amy said that she hopes that Bette doesn't hate her and Jodi replied that no, she's happy that we are reconnecting. And she said that bette herself is friends with her ex because they have kid together so they have to be friendly. Then Jodi said that her relationship with Bette is really good, sometimes Bette can be moody but they communicate well and the sex is great, but Amy doesn't want to hear about her sex life. They talk about Amy's new gf and Amy confesses that she dated a hearing woman after Jodi and apologizes again about all the things she said about Bette and when she accused Jodi of selling out to the hearing world when she was falling in love. Jodi sort of nodded but didn't confirm anything.

3. Bette takes Molly on the set of Lez Girls and sees Tina talking to DP, Sam, they seem really friendly and Kit, who has no job for a moment and who came with Bette makes a comment that it seems like Tina has a thing going on the set. Bette's smile disappears. Sam asks if Bette is Tina's gf, and Tina replies: No, no, no...ex, ex, ex, this is my daughter's other mother and then she takes Sam to introduce to Bette, Kit and Molly. (my friend sort of a got an impression that Sam likes Tina a lot but Tina is just being friendly). Sam leaves after and Bette keeps watching them and then Kit makes another remark and Tina's like "What?" Bette: she was flirting with you. Tina: don't be silly. Then Bette made an excuse that she needs to talk to Tina about Angie's preschool and Kit takes Molly to see Shane and show around the set.

4. Tina takes Bette to see Bev and Nina's bedroom on the set and Bette asks if it's supposed to be their bedroom and Tina replied: no, it's Bev and Nina's bedroom. Bette doesn't like and said that it looks like a children's department at God knows where. Tina said that it was Jenny's design and she had to go along with some of the things. They look around and Tina walks around the bed. Bette checked it out and said that good it's not a water bed and Tina said that she had to fight Jenny on that one. Then Bette asks: so, which side of the bed is Nina's? Tina: (gets off the chair and slowly goes towards bed) I don't know, maybe this side? (and she lies down on the left side (the same where Tina was sleeping in season 1 Pilot) and then confirms: yes, it feels right. Bette lies down on the right side and says: So maybe this side could be Bev's side? They look at each other and talk about candy and pot or something and they sort of leaning closer while they are talking and laughing and they lean for a kiss but immediately they get interrupted by the radio and they got off bed and some guy comes in and asks for Tina to come on set. She tells Bette that she gad to go and put out fire and Bette stays on the bed.

5. Tina gets Kit, Bette and Molly some special chairs to sit and watch the shooting and they all leave Shane hair trailer and Molly is already enchanted with Shane though she keeps denying it and acting all straight.

6. Adele "accidentally" drops some flyers about oil wrestling and Nikki got all excited and wants to go while they are still shooting, Tina is upset because Nikki is only 20 and she call her a puppy who runs off set any time she feels like it, then B&T discuss Jenny who f*** Nikki in her trailer every day during lunch and everyone knows about. Tina has to go fix more problems and Bette also needs to go and Tina tells her: Call me or i'll call you.

7. Tina talks to DP Sam and Kit, Shane, Molly and Bette watching them. Kit says that the crew really respects Tina. Bette: of course they do. Bette leaves and goes home. Someone comes later at night and the throwing happened

8. Nikki and jenny said "I love you" to each other


if anybody needs to know about other characters, ask me what you want to know.


Info from l word on line and l word fansite

508. LAY DOWN THE LAW

Niki's managers go into damage control after her scandalous behavior hits the magazines; Alice testifies at Tasha's military hearing; and Bette and Tina reach an understanding in their relationship. Also, Shane takes a shine to Phyllis's straight daughter; and Jodi throws a dinner party and invites Tina and a date.



info from l word online

Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (February 8, 2008)
by
Malinda Lo
, Managing Editor
February 8, 2008

JAPAN LEARNS THE L-WORD

Jennifer Beals was in Tokyo this week to promote the DVD release of the first season of The L Word in Japan. She even visited a Japanese lesbian club, Kinswomyn, to sign autographs and chat with fans.

Check out lesbian website TokyoWrestling.com for more photos and all the scoop on her Tokyo trip!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
The Real World, magnet for bi-curious hot-tub hookups, is now casting for its 21st season; you can submit your 5-minute casting tape until Feb. 11, or attend one of the casting calls listed on this page.

Marlee Matlin (The L Word) is rumored to be one of the contestants on the sixth season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars, which premieres March 17. ABC will announce the cast later this month.

Openly bisexual actor Kristanna Loken announced on her MySpace blog that she is now engaged to actor Noah Danby, who played Connor on Painkiller Jane.

1. Jennifer visits Tokyo's gay area!

In conjunction with the promotion of the L word's DVD release last week, one of the stars of the drama, Jennifer Beals ("Bette"), made an impromptu visit to Japan. The Chief Editor of Tokyo Wrestling interviewed Jennifer for FOX Life. You can read/watch another version of the interview soon at [www.foxlife.jp].

Following the interview, we had a chance to talk with Jennifer, who showed great interest in hearing about lesbians in Japan. As a result, she accepted our daring proposal to visit Nichome's hugely popular lesbian bar KINSWOMYN!

Interviewed over a three day period by about 50 members of the press from TV, magazines and radio, Jennifer's schedule was extremely busy. With her willingness to show support for Japanese lesbians matching our requests to introduce her to the lesbian scene, she used her precious free time to join us in Nichome, Tokyo's gay area.


On Friday, February 1, Jennifer visited KINSWOMYN as a surprise guest, and as you can imagine, the customers who happened to be there froze in their tracks when she walked in, as they could not believe their eyes. Bette, the main character from the L word was standing right in front of us!!

Entering the bar through the small doorway, dressed in a bright purple coat and surrounded by an aura befitting an actress, the customers greeted her with a cheer. Lesbians, catching their breath, observed her as she took her place in the middle of the counter. The crowd became even more excited when the theme music for Season 2 of the L word resounded around the room. It was like a dream for fans of the show.


Jennifer was introduced to the bar owner who has been a huge fan even when the drama was still not known in Japan, former Osaka assembly member Kanako Otsuji, and Mami Hagiwara who was in charge of the lesbian feature in TVBros, amongst others. (now on sale). Known for some time to be lesbian-friendly, Jennifer was excited to learn about lesbians in Japan. She courteously chatted, kindly signed autographs and posed for photos, and even wrote a message of support to lesbians on a large board displaying the cover of the DVD. You can now see her message at KINSWOMYN!

2. Interview】 will follow soon.

The L Word's Laurel Holloman On Making Family Work


Sunday, 10 February 2008
As their Associate Editor, I recently spoke with The L Word star Laurel Holloman for She Magazine’s December 2007 issue. This is the interview, as it ran in the magazine. You can go to www.SheMag.com to purchase a copy of the magazine with Laurel Holloman on the cover, and read further interviews with newest cast members Alicia Leigh Willis, Kate French and Elizabeth Keener.

By Christina Radish

In Season 5 of Showtime’s hit television series The L Word, dreams will come true and new life paths will be forged for many of the show’s beloved characters, as unresolved romances and a long-simmering film project finally come to fruition. Along with the cast, returning will be the show’s trademark provocative storylines, sizzling sexuality and heart-rending emotion.

For the past four seasons, fans of The L Word have watched Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Holloman) navigate their relationship, the birth of their daughter and their break-up. Now, the two must independently discover what fulfills them, both personally and professionally. Laurel Holloman gave hints about Season 5 to She Magazine, while also talking about motherhood, both on the show and off, and what it takes to make a family work.

What can fans expect from Season 5 of The L Word? What’s in store for Tina, in both her personal and professional life?

Laurel Holloman: There’s a really good storyline with my character, where she ends up producing Jenny’s film. There’s a great antagonistic relationship there. The movie industry, the film, the set and everything, becomes a very important storyline for my character, and a couple other different characters that you wouldn’t expect, but who end up in the movie industry. And, some new characters come in, that are really fantastic, played by Kate French and Malaya Rivera Drew. So, the movie storyline is my character’s strong B-storyline. And, I guess you could say my character is basically single and dating, and navigating that. She’s also navigating her friendship and relationship with Bette. I would have to say, compared to any season, it’s probably my character’s best season yet, although I really loved the first season. It’s just a much more interesting season for me. Ilene has written the best season she’s ever written. It’s very creative, and there was a lot of input by Angela Robinson, who just adds so much humor and great stuff to the show. I just think Ilene knows these characters so well. She directed two episodes, and when she directs, it’s just such a blessing because you get all the answers right there, and things are really smooth. She’s just a very calm personality on the set, which is really great. For me, it’s like a dream. If, for some reason, this is the last season, we’ve definitely gone out really great. But, I hope it’s not the last season. I’m really hoping we have another season.

When Tina started working in the film industry, did you do any specific research into any of that, or did you feel you had that background, just from being an actor?

To be completely honest, I had a lot of that background, just from being in the film industry for so long. But, one of my best friends is a producer, and she’s an indie producer, so I know the frustration of just being a film producer, and being a woman. Tina got the job that Helena gave her, and then proved herself there, so she’s definitely a film executive now. It’s been a really great arc. It’s also been nice for me because so much of the beginning of the character was focused on her having a baby, and so you really never got the history. She was never a kept woman. She always had a job. The relationship was just set up so that Bette’s career was a little more in the forefront. And, when they decided to have kids, Tina took a break. So, it’s really great to see this character have her child, juggle parenthood and have the joy of that, and then watch her career really start to take off. I think she’s in a great place with her career. She’s so fun to play because she’s very different than how everyone else is, in their careers. How she behaves professionally is even different. Sometimes, she’s very unflattering. She definitely plays ball with those really nasty Hollywood types, and she gets a little nasty herself. But, I loved it. It was fantastic to show that this character, who has been struggling, finally has some power. It was exciting to play a woman in that position of power. Ilene has never really explored Tina’s history so much before. Obviously, I’ve created a history, and Ilene knows a lot of the history, but it’s not the history that’s always on screen. You don’t really know her family. I think she’s one of the only characters whose parents you haven’t met, which is interesting because she has a kid. But, I don’t know if it really matters. I think there’s so many great storylines, and there’s so many stories to tell. I think I can do all of that history and deliver this character who has become very flushed out. She’s a lot of fun to play.

With the new additions to the cast each season, is there anything that you and the rest of the cast do to make them feel welcome? When someone new comes in as a new love interest for Tina, do you spend any time getting to know them?

I don’t know if it’s because we’ve been on for five years, but we’re really pretty solid. We’re really tight. I just try to welcome people because I feel like it’s my job, as an actress and as a woman, if this is a show for women, to be as open and professional and welcoming as possible. And, we’re lucky to get the actresses that we get because we learn from them. That’s the best part. We had Kelly McGillis this year, and I remember sitting down, in the read-through, and just as soon as she opened her mouth, there was that power in her voice. She’s a powerhouse of an actress. It was just really refreshing, and such a blessing to have her.

Did you get to have any scenes with Kelly McGillis?

No, I didn’t. I just had the read-through with her. And, I was just happy she was there. She has a lot of stuff with Alice, and with Tasha.

How has motherhood treated you this past year, in your personal life?

Great! My daughter just turned three. She loves Canada, when we’re there, and she has an adventurous little life there. She went to pre-school there, and she had to take the aqua ferry to get there, which was exciting. It’s not every day that your kid can ride a boat to school. It feels like everything is gelling. There are long days on our job, and every once in awhile I miss putting her to bed and giving her a bath, and all of that. But, my husband is an amazing partner, and he helps while I’m shooting. When we’re not shooting, he goes to graduate school and I pretty much do everything with our daughter. We switch roles every six months, which is a wonderful dynamic in our partnership.

Do Tina’s parenting styles reflect your own, in any way? Are you similar in your approach?

No. Tina’s much more Hollywood than me. She’s got more nannies, and she’s got better high heel shoes. She’s got more time to go have a cocktail with her friends and hang out in the coffee shop. I don’t have that time, in reality. But, it’s a TV show. I do think maybe Tina and I are similar, in that we have a relaxed parenting style. I think Tina would take the time to try to get to know her daughter and not try to force anything upon her. From having a little girl, I’m learning that it’s my job to pay attention to her and her personality, and not project myself or my issues onto her. I hope I can do that when she’s a teenager, too.

Do you feel that having your own child has really helped you, in working with a child on the show?

Yeah. Since we both have children, Jennifer and I really get a kick out of working with Olivia, who is now very vocal and talkative. She wants to talk in the middle of the take, all the time. But, she’s so bright, smart and aware. It’s just amazing to work with her. It’s very improvisational. It’s hard to create parent-child intimacy. One time, I picked her up, and we went through a whole take, with Ilene directing, and just got her to really be intimate, in that moment. She talked to me and we snuggled a little bit, and we were so thrilled. Children are not fools. She knows who her mommy is. She’s also the same age as my daughter. They’re about two weeks apart. So, that ease of knowing what it’s like to have a child that age and being comfortable, made me very comfortable in the scene, and sometimes we get some really good stuff because of that. I think the same happens with Jennifer, too.

Can you talk about the upcoming storyline with Tina and Bette, and the rigorous pre-school admissions process for their daughter? And, did you have a similar experience with your own daughter?

Everyone told me it was a nightmare to get your child into pre-school in L.A. I don’t know why, but we got in everywhere we wanted and we had great choices. I only really applied to three places. I don’t know if that was because I’m on a show, or because I just picked the right type of school. But, I’m so happy for where my daughter is going to school, and she is really happy. I do think that L.A. can be like that, and I hear New York is like that. The storyline has a lot of humor. Ilene really shows that dynamic of people getting very caught up in schools. My take on it is that, ultimately, there is a school for everyone and you’ll find it. But, I think Tina and Bette have different styles of how they would find it, even though they ultimately have the same values. Bette and Tina end up very much on the same page. They do not argue about parenting. That says a lot for who they are.

When you originally shot the pilot for the series, did you know then that you would still be here, five seasons later?

No, I had no idea we’d still be here. I’m so thrilled. I’m blown away. But, there was a moment, after we made the pilot, when I sat down and watched it and thought, “Wow, this is something special. This is really great. Maybe this is going to stick around. Maybe it’s time. We need this show.” That’s what I felt like.

What is the one thing that Tina has done, throughout the course of the series, that has surprised you the most?

There’s not any one thing that she’s done throughout, but there’s definitely some behavior. I think the thing that I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around is how loose the boundaries are with this group of friends. Tina is around Bette and Jodi (Marlee Matlin) a lot, so she’s always around her ex and her ex’s new girlfriend. Personally, I couldn’t do that, but I hear that that can happen a lot, in a group of friends, especially when people start changing partners. So, that surprises me. The lack of a boundary between Bette and Tina blows my mind. But, at the same time, it’s a show and it’s great drama. And, it does exist.

What are some of the biggest changes that you’ve seen in Tina, since the show started?

You’ll see some changes this year. I think she’s more self-confident. She’s more comfortable in her skin and with her sexuality. There are moments where she’s nervous about her work situation, but she’s done her homework and she’s ready. She’s having what Ilene called a late bloomer thing. She’s really blossoming. For an actor, that’s a great thing to play. She didn’t get all the career accolades in her late 20's, but she’s getting them now.

With Tina dating again, what do you think she would do different this time, when starting a relationship?

I think she would maybe move a little slower, on an emotional level, even though I don’t know if she’d move slower on a physical level. She’s not as co-dependent, and she’s looking for someone to take care of her anymore. She’s definitely taking care of herself. In general, I don’t think she’s a person that loves to date and play the field. She needs to really be inspired by somebody, and she’s fairly picky. She’s had a major love in her life, and that’s always hard. Bette would be the love of her life, for sure.

Unlike Tina, you’ve really made your own family work. What do you think you’ve done differently than your character, and what has been the secret to making your relationship work, as opposed to the problems that she’s had?

My husband and I don’t communicate the way Bette and Tina communicate. Basically, they don’t communicate at all, but they’ve started to, and that’s been fun to play. My husband and I try to communicate in our partnership, and we try to step into each other’s shoes and see what the other person is feeling, and that’s a really hard thing to do. It’s always easy, in partnerships, to look and see what you’re not getting, instead of focusing on, “Wow, what are they going through right now? How hard is it for them?” That’s a very hard thing to do. And, there are times when storylines or situations do overlap, or they come close to my own partnership. You go through different phases. When I first started the show, my husband worked a lot more than I did. And then, after I did the show, he had a phase where he had a career change, so I had to be very patient with that. Now he’s becoming an architect and going to graduate school. There are lots of changes, and you have to be able to change and grow with each other. Sometimes, like in Bette and Tina’s case, you also have to grow apart, in order to find yourself. I think Tina had to be outside of that marriage to grow up. And, I think Bette has grown from it, too. Personally, I think Tina was squashed, but it was her fault too because she glommed onto Bette’s identity, at times.

Looking back at all the guest appearances and characters that are no longer on the show, is there anyone that you particularly enjoyed or wished that you could have kept around a little longer?

I loved Anne Archer’s character. I didn’t have a lot of stuff with her, but I thought she was hysterical. And, I really loved Kelly Lynch. I hoped Tina would have an affair with Ivan, but it didn’t happen. I think a lot of girls felt that way. Kelly’s very talented.

When the series started, one of the biggest issues for viewers was a lack of connection with the characters because they didn’t feel that they really saw themselves reflected in them. Do you feel that the show has found a better balance now?

I do think the show has found a better balance. It’s so hard to please everybody, and it’s always hard to please the ladies. The first thing should have just been a celebration that we’re here. We were on the air, on a network, and we were going. You have to collaborate with the network and navigate your way through it, and I think Ilene has done a really beautiful job of incorporating a lot of different characters. Ilene writes freely and is creative, in that way. She doesn’t create cookie-cutter characters. To some people, we were very glossed over, at first, but it was also set in Los Angeles. Ilene wanted to show a group of women in L.A., and I’ve seen a group of women very similar to us. It’s there. But, the show has found a better balance. If you were to shoot The L Word in Brooklyn or Chicago, you would have a different show. L.A. is another character on our show, for sure.

Do you consider yourself a workaholic? Do you like to look for projects to do when you’re on hiatus from the show, or do prefer to spend that time with your family?

I’m probably painfully unambitious, especially now that I have a daughter. I feel very trusting of the universe because, since I did Two Girls in Love, I’ve worked very steadily, and I’ve worked on things that I’ve really liked. I have trouble working on things that I don’t like, and I have trouble doing things that I’m not passionate about. I’ve never been the kind of person that can go, “Oh, I’ll go shoot that for the money.” It doesn’t click so well for me. But, as I’ve become a parent, when I don’t have security for my family, I might reassess that. I feel like the right thing will come along, after this. There’s some time, right now, that I get with my daughter, that is irreplaceable. And, I also feel like my self-worth doesn’t come from my being an actress.

Do you have any desire to go back to doing theater, at some point?

I would love to do a play. I joke with my husband, “After you get out of graduate school, I get to do a play.” But, we’ll see how that all unfolds. I miss it. I mostly just miss New York. I felt very much a part of the independent film community there. Although I didn’t make tons of money, none of that really mattered because I felt like I was part of something special. Going to Sundance a lot was fun. I tried to focus on the things I was asked to do, and the things I’ve gotten to do, and not focus on the things I got close to, but didn’t get. That can get you into trouble. And, I focused on the question mark of not knowing what was going to happen next. Sometimes, that’s a great place to be in.

Is there a type of project, or a dream role, that you’re still hoping to play, but haven’t gotten a chance to yet?

I got a little taste of it when I did Angel, but I’d love to do the TV version of The Brave One and play the Jodie Foster part. That would be my ideal role. I just connect to that. I probably connect to grief too much. I’m always moved by people in situations that are either going through loss or grief. Their behavior changes completely, and I’m interested in that journey, psychologically. That’s probably why I liked the first season of The L Word so much.

When do you expect to know whether there will be a sixth season for the show?

With the writers’ strike currently going, everything is a huge question mark right now. I would hope we’ll find out sometime in the middle of our season, or maybe after it’s done. But, I still don’t really know. Of course, my fingers are crossed because I think one more season would be nice. This season is much better than last year. I think it’s going to be an interesting journey for the Bette and Tina fans, and a lot of fun.

The L Word Lowdown

Episode 506: "Lights! Camera! Action!"
Article Date: 02/11/2008
By L. A. Vess



Warning! Spoilers ahead!
The lesbian drama reaches full speed in this week's episode of The L Word and it looks like the brakes have gone out! Bette and Tina get 'in touch' with their feelings for each other; Lez Girls starts filming and the star is a flake; Jenny's assistant goes Single White Female and the SheBar girls escalate the war against Shane and gang.

We start off our episode this week with rehearsal for Jenny Schecter's tired Lez Girls project. Two 'straight' actresses are trying to figure out how to get it on believably, while Jenny (Mia Kirshner) struts around like a diva basically intimating she's the goddess of lesbian sex. Okay, little corn-fed bumpkin, exactly how long ago did you join the dyke fold?

Jenny so needs to get over herself. But, she's right, those actress chicks are in desperate need of a sex coach for some lessons in hot on screen girl-on-girl action. If Shane isn't available, may we politely suggest a hardcore boot camp from Susie Bright, sexpert of Bound fame? We'd love to watch some of that…

Meanwhile, The L Word resident sex expert, Shane, is out trying to make amends with the owner of SheBar. It makes us quite proud to see Shane actually trying to apologize for making a mess with her rabid libido for once. Too bad Shebar's bitch boss lady Dawn (Elizabeth Keener) isn't having any of it.

Dawn tells Shane the only way to cure her ills is to get Jenny to put her business in Lez Girls. Which Shane rightfully refuses when she learns Robyn is trying to party-crash Kit's business by supplanting the Planet in the movie. Good move Shane. Having a powerful lesbian mover & shaker in Hollywood pissed at you is not good, but having Bette's sister aiming to tear you a new one is really scary.

On a side note, I would be really curious what infamous lesbian party gurus Sandy Sachs and Robin Gans think of the characters of Dawn and Cindi (played by Alicia Leigh Willis). I mean, how can they not be bastardized characterizations of them? And really, SheBar versus Girl Bar—you'd think The L Word folks learned about naming things in 'fiction' from Jenny. Are they secretly laughing behind the scenes with Ilene Chaiken over the whole thing, or are they thinking about how they can import a load of rats onto the show's set?

Next we move on to the odd couple of Alice (Leisha Hailey) and Tasha (Rose Rollins). These two ladies are so gorgeously sexy together, it almost physically hurts to see them standing on opposite sides of a doorway. Even worse, is watching poor Alice reduced to crying into a pillow because she just screwed herself out of the woman she loved. Tasha may have it right though, could the two of them ever really be good for each other?

Alice is so out, loud and proud that she should have 'lesbian' tattooed on her forehead. Even if Tasha wasn't trying to be on the down low to save her military career, she just doesn't seem like the type to be riding on Alice's coattails on her way to becoming the lesbian Perez Hilton. Sigh. But an episode without a delicious Alice/Tasha make out session is so unsatisfying…

To make up for the lack of tasty Tasha and Alice love, The L Word this week decided to grant the wishes of many a fan by providing a double dose of Tina/Bette naughtiness. That's right, finally the couple that couldn't stay together now can't seem to keep away from each other. At least this time, it's Tina (Laurel Holloman) who takes control. A powerful, knows-what-she-wants Tina is so much more preferable than the wimpy, doormat Tina from the first season.

The indecisive, whiny, narcissistic Bette (Jennifer Beals), however, is still just as annoying as ever. Has she still not learned that cheating on the woman you have proclaimed your love to is simply not going to end well? Especially if you once again don't have the balls to come out, tell the damn truth and break up with her before you hop in the sack with someone else? Tina really should know better than to have anything to do with Bette at this point—Bette's willingness to go all out and cheat yet again should seal the verdict. Bette is just bad news no matter how sexy her shoulders are.

While Bette and Tina are getting hands on about exactly how they still feel about each other, Jenny is having a meltdown. In another not-so-subtle self-referencing scene, Jenny throws a hissy fit because she doesn't want to shoot her movie in Vancouver, British Columbia. She insists there is no way Vancouver can serve as a stand-in location for Los Angeles. Which, of course, is supposed to be funny because Vancouver is where The L Word itself is filmed. Except, well, it's too obvious a play to actually be all that humorous. Nice try though.

However, Jenny's assistant Adele (Malaya Rivera Drew) has things well in hand and she's already secured assurances from the money man upstairs that the film can shoot in West Hollywood (a.k.a. Vancouver in real life). Of course, she didn't ask Jenny's permission before stepping in to fix things, but Jenny never was very smart about realizing she is being manipulated. So instead of getting suspicious and worried about Adele's actions, she rewards her with a primo makeover—charged to the film budget, of course. And thus, the transformation begins…

Back in Los Angeles (a.k.a. again Vancouver), Phyllis reunites with her former lawyer lover Joyce (Jane Lynch)—but this time it's all business. Phyllis wants out of her marriage, her husband is suing her ass for infidelity and basically she's landed herself in hot water directly after leaping from the closet. Joyce is on the case, however, and we're looking forward to seeing the fur fly when she takes a bite out of Phyllis' husband's ass. However, we are wondering if Joyce might be: A: out to take a nasty backdoor revenge on Phyllis for breaking her heart or B: trying to get Phyllis back by saving her butt from being reamed by her husband.

Across town at The Planet, Tina is interrupted in the midst of a booty call from Bette by a flood of nasty little rat-things crawling through the café. Four-legged vermin certainly freaks me out, but Shane (Katherine Moennig) jumping up on a chair like a prissy princess in fear of the rats was priceless. It was just so girly.

The consequences of the rat invasion, however, are not so amusing for Kit (Pam Grier). The health inspector shuts her down—which means no moolah coming through the door. And maybe no movie putting wads of cash in her pocket either. Kit just can't understand how her pretty Planet could be filled with creepy-crawlies, but Shane is pretty damned sure she knows how it happened. Yep, that really big bitch rat over at SheBar.

If miss Dawn wants a war, we think she's about to get one—and a vengeful Shane is not a girl you want to meet in a back alley we think. As for Kit, she's intimidating enough any day of the week, but add a couple of moments of watching her nail a target with a really big gun into the mix—well, I wouldn't be messing with her if I knew what was good for me.

Bette finally gets her interrupted booty call when she hooks up with Tina at a party at Phyllis' house. Which means more gratuitous sex scenes for the ladies! Phyllis (Cybill Shepherd), however, is about to get naked in front of an entirely unwilling audience—namely, her daughter Molly (played by Shepherd's real life daughter Clementine Ford, double ewwww.) Phyllis has a plan, however. She thinks the best way to get her daughter to find acceptance of her mother's new lesbianism is to have her spend time with Bette and Jodi (Marlee Matlin)—the perfect little lesbian couple. We just know Bette is going to love that while she's trying to keep Jodi from finding out she's doing Tina again.

As Phyllis concocts a scheme to 'educate' her daughter about how lovely and wonderful lesbians are, Jenny is learning some lesbians really aren't that fabulous after all. The star of her movie, Nikki (Kate French), who she hooked up with last episode, is exhibiting some major diva behavior. She basically calls Jenny an idiot in front of the entire production crew. But that's okay, because minutes later, she shoves Jenny's face into her breasts and all is good. Women.

Of course, Nikki and Jenny's 'makeup' sex gets broadcast all over the Lez Girls set because someone forgot to turn their mic off. Very brilliant. Now everybody and their sister knows the director and the star are getting it on—which is really kind of disturbing since really, Jenny is screwing Jenny. Then again, Jenny would probably find that extra hot if she took a minute to think about it.

Once again, Adele takes it upon herself to make sure the incident turns up roses for Jenny with the big boss. Who would have guessed Jenny Schecter's cute little assistant would evolve into scary clone girl slowly taking over her identity? Well, we would, of course. Yes, Adele has taken it the next level on her road to full tilt stalker homicidal freakiness. First, she impersonates Jenny via text message to the big boss, then she does Jenny's job of smoothing things out over Nikki, and finally she hits up Shane for a Jenny look-alike haircut after getting a makeover—and then lies about it. Like we didn't see that coming a mile away.

She should really just go ahead and tie Jenny up in a closet and take over for her. As creepy as she is, she's far more pleasant to look at and listen to than the real Jenny. Even worse is that we have to look at Jenny's terrible wig mop on two people in every episode now.

‘The L Word’: Hey Kit, Where You Going With That Gun in Your Hand?

In a triumvirate of awful ideas, Lez Girls begins filming on the streets of L.A. with Jennifer Schecter in the director's chair (and her star's pants); Shane antagonizes Dawn, the demonic co-owner of Planet rival SheBar; and Cybill Shepherd's mid-gay-crisis story line has reappeared with university administrator Phyllis Kroll's return. Jenny's assistant, Adele, starts going Single White Female on her, and nobody is as disturbed as Max, who caught Adele's creepy vibe early — if this is the show's attempt to illustrate how transgender folks are silenced by society, it's working: Nobody listens to a damn thing this dude says.
Hookups
Tina and Bette get it on not once, but twice. First, Tina drops by Bette's house a few hours before she's due to pick up daughter Angelica and the two have “***, I left the chicken stir-fry on the stove — oh, *** it” sex. Later, the two meet at a party, return to Tina's house, and remind us all why straight men enjoy this show as Feist plays in the background.

When Lez Girls star Nikki Stevens fails to perform on set (and acts as bratty as the girl she's portraying, Ms. Schecter), Jenny goes to Nikki's trailer to investigate and thanks to a live mike, they wind up broadcasting their hookup to everyone with a pair of earphones. Yes, Jenny is such a narcissistic character that she is literally ****ing herself. Heavy-handed, folks.

Processing
Phyllis's daughter shows up at the inopportune moment when the elder Kroll is about to get topless on a diving board at a party (The Last Picture Show, anyone?). The concerned mother implores Jodi and Bette to demonstrate how stable a professional lesbian couple can be. Meanwhile, Jodi offers to resign in the wake of one of her students' controversial performance pieces, completely unaware that preserving her relationship with Bette may soon be pointless.

After the Planet gets condemned for a rat infestation that's almost certainly the handiwork of the SheBar biatches, there's a seeming non sequitur of a scene where Kit fires off a handgun at a shooting range. Expect this weapon to actually do some damage in Act IV (i.e., two episodes from now). Heavy-handed, folks.

Tasha leaves a distraught Alice so she can focus on her “don't ask, don't tell” defense far away from someone who's primary job is podcasting a show called "Alice in Lesboland."

There's a host of references to the film industry as the show seems to be relishing its opportunity to get all Inside Baseball on the set of Lez Girls. Jenny bitches and moans about the prospect of having Vancouver masquerade as Los Angeles as the location of her film (when, ha-ha, The L Word films in Vancouver); we all get to see how wacky film financiers can be when William arrives on set and applauds Jenny for ****ing the star to keep her happy. Tune in next week when said star goes Turkish oil wrestling! Could this show be any more realistic? —Chelsea Brady

February 08, 2008

1.) About the scene with the bride in episode 2, when you made this improvisation line " you really remain me someone i used to know a lot" - which is very very great, there are a lot of feelings in it - I would like to know, who is this person? Some people think it's Dana and some people think it's Carmen. So for you, who is it and how did you get this idea to say that line?
Katherine: It was a reference to Carmen. It just kinda came out because the woman playing the bride looked like Sarah a bit. It would have been a missed opportunity to not somehow address it. I've been waiting to acknowledge that whole wedding ditch thing and that seemed to fit in there. Just to prove Shane hasn't completely forgotten what had happened.

2.) What good films or documentaries have you recently seen that make you think different about life or work?
Katherine: I just saw once, La vie en rose and A mighty heart. For me, those films proved that amongst all this popcorn entertainment, there are things out there with a heartbeat. That's inspiring to me.

3.) What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Katherine: Start a pension as soon as you can.

4.) What album will you never grow tired of listening to?
Katherine: Hmmm... either Madonna's like a virgin or Patti Smith's horses.

5.) Would you classify yourself as an introvert or extrovert?
Katherine: Both. Depends on the day.



info from kate moeenig fr.net

Kate about Looking' at you, kid -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: When I'm sitting on the stove with Leisha. Angela [Robinson] let us roll with it so it was completely natural.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: Again, she's having fun. I don't really know how to answer this question because once we finish filming an episode, we move right on to the next. I don't reflect on it.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: It was my favorite to film for sure. They were long days but well worth it. The dancing was a full 12 hours day. We all were so sore and exhausted

A Sneak Peak at Dinah Shore Weekend 2008

Colbie Caillat Headlines ‘French Revolution’
Article Date: 02/12/2008
By Duane Wells


If you though that the wildly successful, sold-out 2007 Dinah Shore Weekend featuring appearances by Sierra Swan, Linda Perry and Workout’s Jackie Warner couldn’t be topped, wait until you hear what Dinah Shore Weekend founder Mariah Hanson has in store for the upcoming Dinah Shore Weekend 2008: The French Revolution, taking place in Palm Springs April 2-6, 2008.
Topping the bill on this year’s star-studded line-up at the largest lesbian party in the world is award-winning, critically beloved music darling Colbie Caillat, who will make her first ever Dinah appearance with a special concert at the popular White Diamonds Party on Saturday, April 5.

Meanwhile, returning to Dinah Shore Weekend this year will be the full-scale, girl-powered fashion show extravaganza which debuted during last year’s festivities as well as the comedy of Suzanne Westenhoefer on Thursday, April 3 and the exclusive L Word Pool Party featuring a very special surprise performance on Sunday, April 6.

The L Word Be-Scene also returns with the show’s stars on stage with their fans performing scenes from the popular Showtime series.

Finally, adding even more fire to what is shaping up to be the hottest women’s weekend of the year will be a performance by L Word star Leisha Hailey and her band Uh huh-her, performing for the first time ever at Dinah on Friday, April 4.

All of this is in keeping with Mariah Hanson and Club Skirts' philosophy of producing the “highest quality of event for women in the nation,” and building upon the momentum of each successive Dinah Shore Weekend to create ever more dynamic events.

"The 2007 Dinah was by far our largest," says Mariah Hanson. "Our '08 talent roster is cutting edge. Booking Colbie was a coup. Her debut CD continues to break records. The high profile network talent from Showtime, Inc, LOGO and here! TV is returning in '08. Ticket sales are 40% higher to date than last year and last year we were up by 50%.”

In fact, the entire Palm Springs area is quickly selling out for Dinah Shore Weekend 2008.

"The Doral is already sold out ahead of schedule," Hanson adds. "The Hilton is quickly following suit. We have secured an extra hotel to keep up with the demand. I am personally amazed at the response this year. We are gearing up for another blockbuster Dinah Shore Weekend."

For more information on Dinah Shore Weekend 2008: The French Revolution, go to www.TheDinah.com.

Media Blender

This week in the world of lesbian gossip!
Article Date: 02/13/2008
By Tracy E. Gilchrist


Happy Valentines Day from Jennifer Beals and Laurel Holloman who get down and dirty in this week's The L Word, plus Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton sends a giant Valentine to the gays. Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, America Ferrera and Ellen Page show off their stuff on the Vanity Fair cover. Jodie Foster goes to The Birds, Cher goes back to Vegas and Amy Winehouse goes to the Grammy's—sort of.


It's Valentine's Day and that meddling little diaper-wearing fairy—Cupid, or Eros if you prefer the Greek—slung a fat arrow at the Lesbo community's ostensible Ross and Rachel.

That's right. For anyone who wasn't glued to their own couch watching in the privacy of their own home—or who wasn't crammed into a friend' s living room with 15 other lesbians mooching Showtime—Bette and Tina are screwing again and boy are they horny!

The L Word's dual Bette and Tina love scenes induced many a gay gal at West Hollywood's weekly Falcon screening to groan in either relatable pleasure, or misery at their own lack of a Jennifer Beals to nail.

As Tina, Laurel Holloman is certainly no slouch especially since her personality transplant this season, but Big Brained Beals' shoulders will forever cause girls to swoon in delight and envy….

In a timely paean to VD, the day set aside for lovers—that make the single among us want to flush our collective heads in the toilet—Bette and Tina clumsily and hungrily tore at each other's clothes—not once—but twice—in Sunday's episode. And the romantics at heart went wild…lest we forget that Bette's doing what's in her nature and cheating on Jodi. Eventually Eros' arrow's going to break someone's heart in two.

In five seasons The L Word has tackled heavy hitting subjects including infidelity, strap-ons, mild drug abuse and breast cancer but now, with the announcement that Princess Paris Hilton will be making some sort of a guest appearance, Ilene Chaiken and the gang are introducing STD's.

That's right ladies, after five years of unprotected lesbian sex—with nary a condom, latex glove or dental dam in sight—the L Word gang can break out the Valtrex…. Now, I adore Princess P's long shnoz and her who gives a *** attitude as much as the next gal, but it' no mystery that girl's got more to offer than a perfume line. Really, there's no word yet as to which stellar acting muscles Ms. Hilton plans to flex in her guest appearance but I say, go with what you know….

1. Behind the scenes to the interview with Jennifer Beals Yuki Keiser

End of January, fate brought Jennifer Beals and Tokyo Wrestling together. She was in Tokyo briefly as part of a promotional tour for Japan's release of the L-word DVD.
Jennifer welcomed an interview with TW, as she is always enthusiastic about being able to connect with lesbian media. 　

Jennifer was really beautiful, in every sense of the word; she's perfect for promoting the L word in Japan since she clearly carries such broad appeal, particularly among women both straight and gay.

Though, until recently, the L word's promotion campaign has been subject to some criticism - notably in blogs - for neglecting to incorporate lesbians in Japan, I found that Jennifer was very focused on reaching out to queer women in Japan!

At the end of the interview, when I asked for her message to lesbians in Japan, she excitedly replied, "No one from the press has asked me for that yet. Thank you for asking!"

After reading interviews with Jennifer in foreign LGBT media, I had always had the impression she was lesbian-friendly - and I was extremely pleased to discover that my impression was right on. When I told her that TW was a lesbian web magazine, she showed great interest.

Not only is she supportive of lesbians, but she's also very aware of the many issues faced by gay women. Moreover, she was quite keen to learn more about the situation of lesbians in Japan.

And, as if my time spent talking with Jennifer wasn't dreamy enough, we were able to meet up again the next day for a trip to Nichome, arranged with the kind help of FOX. However, since that's more of a long story, I'll write about it in Part 2. So be on the look out!


Extra:

Links to Jennifer's appearance on Mezamashi TV has popped up on many websites, but if you haven't seen it yet, do so now- because you gotta check it out!

In this clip, the young, female host Ayapan says before watching the L word clip, "I've really wanted to watch this. I'm sure everyone wants to see it!" However, after being shown a scene with two women kissing, she falters, "The show was much more shocking than I expected. It's so bold... I had no idea...!"
It seems that a kiss between two women is still "shocking" in Japan!

here's spoilers that came from Tears of Flame from TWoP who saw episodes 507-509 so far

Ep. 507 - Part 1

TiBette-Thumbs up. Nice stuff for them and Tina and Bette looked HOT.

So starts out with Niki and Begonia in a scene but Niki forgets her line and Begonia gets upset. She wants to act with a real actress and they argue. The studio has a film crew on set recording things for the dvd extras and they catch it all. Jenny wants to know if they're studio spies but Tina tells her why they're there. Jenny tells them to get the **** off her set. Bette's upset about babysitting Molly and accidentally hits Hodie in the head while putting on her jacket. Kit's there too since she's got nothing better to do and Bette invites her to come with her and Molly. They end up at the set of Lez Girls. Tina tells Adele that Niki can't be distracted and that she doesn't want those fliers of turkish oil wrestling on set. She tells Adele to get rid of all of them. Sam the DP comes by and says she needs a crane. Tina tells her you can't have a crane and it sort of gets a little bit flirty and that's when Bette and co come. Now from afar it does look like flirting on both parts to me. Let me just say that Molly is a bore and downer and bitch and I don't like her.

So Tina sees Bette and when Sam asks who's that Tina tells her that's my ex-ex-ex like three times. She seems kind of nervous and then she introduces Sam to them. Bow chicka wow wow is what Kit says once Sam leaves. Bette says Sam is flirting with you. Tina tries to look bashful and says that she wasn't. It looked like flirting. Bette, Kit and Molly end up in the make up/hair trailer. Shane says some stuff about getting Molly to smile and Molly's not interested. Shane is trying to flirt and it's just not happening. Bette leaves first but gives Shane a look, Molly leaves and then Kit gives Shane a look to with a grin. They know what she's trying to do. Begonia who was getting her hair done tells Shane she could have used a better line. Shane says that she's trying. Jenny goes to Niki's trailer where Niki's having a mini party. Everyone knows that Jenny and Niki are **** and someone says as they leave booty call. Jenny tells her to be nicer to Begonia so that things can go smoothly. They start making out and Jenny wonders if they should stop doing this at work but Niki doesn't care who knows.

Tina and Bette end up in Bev and Nina's bedroom. It looks like a childrens store Bette says and Tina says she had nothing to do with it and Jenny picked everything out. Tina takes a seat in a chair and Bette sort of stands there nervously before she checks the bed and says at least it's not a water bed. Bette asks what side of the bed would Nina sleep on. They're doing their whole flirting eye-**** thing and Tina ends up on her side and Bette on her own side. Bette asks if Tina has any hard candy and they're inching closer to each other and Tina says no but that she has some pot I think. They're about to kiss when someone calls for Tina and they jump apart. It looks like Tina almost falls off the bed that's how fast she tries to flee. Tina has to take care of something and leaves Bette though she does linger a little at the doorway. Kit tells Bette that everyone respects Tina.

507 Part- 2

Jenny and Niki are on Niki's bed naked, Jenny covered at the waist and Niki naked with a thong tan line which was distracting. Niki wants to know if Jenny wants kids and Jenny doesn't know. Niki says that she must because Niki wants kids and she wants them to be Jenny's. She wants to go to Ireland and have a whole bunch of kids or to Japan, that Jenny would love Japan. MK really sells it with her eyes. Jenny says that no one's ever said that to her before and Niki thinks she's lying. Jenny wants to get out of **** L.A. Niki tells Jenny that she loves her. Jenny just smiles and they kiss. This was actually a very nice scene.

Alice is at the Look and it's basically the scene Sho.com has on their site. They want gay outings on every day. Alice does a blind item about which Maxim cutie working on a lezzie movie is more lezzie than she lets on. The hosts love it, but Alice was really pressured into. We meet Davis the prosecuter of Tasha's case and she's buddy buddy with the CO on base. She meets Beech and Beech tells Tasha they're **** because Davis prosecuted the West Point rapes in 03 and believes in the honor code so being gay doesn't go with it. Then Tasha meets her while she's hauling in files and Tasha helps her out, but not to talk to her or get her to reconsider as you'd expect. I think she was just being helpful. Davis has never been to war and wants to know if Tasha is going back and that's when Tasha has to tell her that her group is in Iraq and she's been held behind because of article 15 and Davis is like this is a breech of ethics why are you talking to me? Tasha leaves and we all know that she is ****. Tina's got Niki's agents saying they're gonna pull Niki if it leaks out that she's a lesbian and thanks to Alice it looks like people are putting it together. They want Tina to fix it and if not then they're gonna blame Tina. So Tina's stressed and Alice comes to set but she can't get on and has to wait for either Harry or Aaron. But then Tina comes and Tina tells Alice that she's banned and how could she out Niki like that but Alice doesn't get it. She's like why is everyone acting like I'm the stupid one? Why is it so bad if I'm out and proud? Tina says that this could shut down productiona and they don't want to be a niche movie with a lesbian lead but a blockbuster with more people seeing the movie and outing Niki will ruin everything. Tina tells Alice not to blog about how Niki's people want to pull her from the movie or that having a real lesbian in a movie will ruin any good press they might get. Alice doesn't like it or get it and is insulted when Tina thinks she's going to blog about this. Tina says that she's sorry and they should get drinks. Alice can't because she has to go to **** Long Beach to meet with Tasha's lawyers.

Bette and Tina talk a little bit about Jenny and Niki **** and how they do it every day at lunch and how they think no one knows. Tina wants Bette to stay but Bette has to get back to work. Tina tells Bette to call her and they do this little thing hesitant nervous thing which is kinda cute and Bette leaves while leaving Kit and Molly. Adele has the fliers of turkish oil wrestling and drops them but then Niki picks it up. Adele is supposed to get Niki so they can start shooting but instead she tells Niki that studios don't usually shoot past 8pm because they know the leads have lives too and if they respected her they'd let her go out and have fun. Niki says she can go to SheBar to meet her friends and be back in an hour in a half which is the time Adele gives Niki which is a lie. Molly calls Shane the Fonz of lesbians as her mom described Shane. Molly sucks. Jim is there and he's laughing at how hard Shane's trying and being shot down. Shane tells him to shut up. Jenny, Tina and everyone else realize Niki is gone so they head to SheBar. Hodie has her lunch with Amy but it's all signed so I don't know what was said.

Bette is at home laying in bed looking upset as she's wont to do. Hodie comes in and starts signing and talking about how her lunch went. Bette sits up and jerks Hodie into her and starts undoing her belt and Hodie is surprised. Bette just jerks Hodie's pants down and ends up tumbling Hodie onto the bed. Hodie tries to touch Bette but Bette shoves her hands away and takes matters into her own hands. Bette gets off while on top of Hodie looking upset and Hodie sort of does the same. When Bette's done she sort of falls onto Hodie and then you get a look at Bette's face and it looks like she's crying. It's kind of hot I suppose but I don't know Bette was just so upset I felt bad watching it. Niki wrestles DDLC and wins. Jenny comes and Tina tells Jenny to get her out of there, now. Kit knows the SheBitches are serving minors since Niki's in there and calls the police. Jenny fights Niki. Dawn Denbo calls the paps to come get the scoop on lezzy Niki. Shane and Molly are there and Molly's into the wrestling. Yelling and slamming her hands down she's fired up and Shane's shocked saying she didn't know Molly liked stuff like this. Didn't Molly think it was degrading and Molly's like is my mother in there? Well Shane really how the **** would you know what Molly liked? Molly sucks. Shane goes to get drinks and Dawn Denbo notices her and Molly.

Jenny and Niki finally get out of the ring. The wrestling is rather long but split into two parts. Dawn invites Molly into the ring and shoves her down calling out to Shane. Shane's like leave her alone and ends up in the ring with DDLC and they all wrestle. Shane actually body slams Dawn Denbo. It's kind of funny and Shane pulls out a hunk of Dawn's hair and then the police come. Kit talks trash to Dawn Denbo and DDLC as they're arrested and Dawn tells Kit that she knows it was Kit and that it's ON once again and Kit's like take your **** asses out of here etc. Molly says she's not gonna go home with Shane and Shane's like don't flatter yourself. Alice talks to Col. Davis and Davis tells Alice that Tasha didn't have a problem until she met loud mouth Alice. Implying that it's Alice's fault for the mess Tasha's in. She even offers Tasha an honorable discharge but Tasha declines. Alice and Tasha run into each other and Alice looks really nice. Tasha looks happy to see her but Col. Davis is staring at them from her doorway and Alice says she only came down because they wanted her to and Tasha says it's ok. Tina gets the cops not to arrest Niki because the officer is a fan and then Niki wanders around looking for Jenny and Jenny finds her and tells Niki that she loves her too and they kiss and the end.

****

508-part 1

TiBette -Thumbs up. They've only had sex twice. Bette wants to stop and Tina agrees but the connection is too strong. Bette puts Dan's name out there. Bette did not look so good this ep, but Tina did.

A few things though. Seems that it's been a year that Tasha and Alice have known one another. Niki is 20. And Bette and Tina only slept together those two times it seems. And it's been a week since 507.

Okay it opens with a clip of Niki's movie Liquid Heat and her agent and manager tell her she'll get 8 mil for her next and then 12 mil and Bret Ratner will **** love her. Then Hodie and Shane are out biking. Shane tells Hodie about how she likes Molly. Doesn't care that she's straight and that she's had tons, tons of straight girls. Hodie thinks Molly could be spahgetti straight until wet. Shane asks if Bette is forcing Hodie to ride with them and Hodie says she had an aunt with breast cancer. Hodie wants Shane to come with Molly for her dinner party and Shane suggests Tina and Sam that they're together. Molly meets with Phyllis and says she broke up with her boyfriend because he loved her too much and was boring. She wants to drop out of college too and Phyllis is like you want to be like Shane who has no education and is basically a bum. Shane's a lathario and not a serious person and Molly says that she thought Phyllis liked Shane and she says she does to party with but not for much else. Molly says Phyllis doesn't know Shane then gets up to talk to Shane. Phyllis says don't you dare tell Shane what I just said.

Kit's pissed that pictures of Niki are in the tabloids and SheBar is named so that when they re-open they'll get all the lesbians coming down to see Niki's greasy ***. Shane says Kit should call someone up from the Sopranos and have Dawn Denbo and DDLC whacked and Kit has that thoughtful-that's-a-wonderful-idea look on her face. Molly comes up and apologizes for not having called Shane back. She wants to go out and Shane says call me and I'll look forward to the ring of the phone. I still don't like Molly but Shane is cute with her, much less angst for Shane in this storyline. Tasha is at the army gym working out. There's someone on the speed bag with a hoodie on and Tasha asks when the person will be done. And it's Col. Davis! Kelly McGillis. They stare at each other and then Tasha takes to the bag and beats on it a little before she stops upset. In the locker room Tasha comes out and Col. Davis is there changing. Tasha is leery and tries to sort of hunch into herself and it looked like she was going to put on her shirt without a bra. Some naked woman comes in and Tasha looks for a second and then the woman goes to the locker next to Col. Davis and surprise, surprise Col. Davis takes a nice long look at the naked woman. She's a lesbian! Too bad Tasha did not notice this.

Tina's on set and Niki's agent is yelling at her about the tabloid and how they're going to pull Niki because no teenage boy wants to know she doesn't like ****. Tina suggest that they have Niki bring a date to the premiere of the movie tonight, a man. Someone highschool musical-ish. Agent guy says he's almost go Zach Efron but Tina's like we need a guy that all the girls cream their pants to, the tween set. Some hunky and handsome man with a **** all women would want. Jim who likes to swim pops into the trailer and then tries to leave as he sees he's interupted. Agent guy looks at Jim consideringly. When Jim leaves agent man is like I'd **** him. Tina says that's a **** that everyone likes. Shane's in the makeup/hair trailer and the girl playing Shane comes in and wants to have sex with Shane because she thinks she sucks and Jenny hates her. She pulls off her shirt and straddles Shane kissing her. Shane's like but you're gay for pay and it's not professional at all. Begonia comes in and the look on her face is one of betrayal, really upset or disgusted. Shane tells Shaun to put on her top and that this'll stay between the three of them.Tasha's trial begins and Alice comes with Col. Davis telling her that she's glad she could make it. We meet Martinez and Beech asks her if Tasha got her to be trained again for another position and she agrees and says that she's serve under Tasha again. That everyone would because they trust and respect Tasha while they're on the front line. Col. Davis asks her why would anyone be re-classified when there are a ton of people available for that job? And re-classification rarely goes through. She asks if Martinez was uncomfortable with Tasha. If Tasha put her arm around her, if she felt like she had to do whatever Tasha wanted. Col. Davis says didn't everyone in their unit know Tasha was gay, Martinez agrees that there were rumors and in the end admits that she did feel uncomfortable.

Bette seems like she's just come from work as she goes to Hodie's. It's set up for the dinner party tomorrow. They talk a little about Shane and Molly and how of course Bette thinks it's a bad idea. Hodie doesn't feel the same. Hodie says she invited them to the party and then tells her about Tina and Sam. Bette asks why Hodie didn't ask her if she could invite Tina and that she doesn't want to have Hodie's ex and her ex at the same table. Hodie tells her not to come. Bette is shocked and then relents and is like of course I'll come. Bette asks if Hodie wants help and hands her an onion. You're bad, Bette says. Yuck. Hodie had much more chemistry with Amy. At the trial they're interviewing this military tech guy about Our Chart and how the chart keeps track of who everyone has slept with. Tech guy's like it's not my type of chart wink, wink, if you get what I mean Col. Beech asks whether Tasha's name is on it and he says no. Alice and Tasha talk in the hallway a little bit. Alice wants to assure Tasha that she doesn't want to testify against her but they called her. Col. Davis shows up and is like you don't have to stop talking since I'm here. Tasha looks upset and Alice is annoyed. Col. Davis says that they're done for the day and Alice thinks they're done for good, but Col. Davis tells her same time tomorrow. Tasha and Alice part ways in the opposite directions. Bette is arguing with Tina. She can't believe that Tina said that she'd come. Why would she want Tina to come with some other woman? Tina says you're with Hodie Bette and I'm with whoever the **** I want to be with. No one. Bette wonders if it was just a fling for them and that it wasn't for her. Tina says it's a foregone conclusion that Bette's with Hodie and Bette's like what if it wasn't. Tina asks Bette what she wants and Bette starts to tear up seeming absolutely tortured. She doesn't want to be this person or set a bad example for Angie. Bette says maybe they should just stop whatever they're doing and Tina agrees. So they're gonna stop. Yup.

508 Part - 2

Tina has to talk to Jenny but Jenny's busy with the wardrobe lady and how Niki had a major freak out about why Jessie should wear Balenciaga and Jessie should wear this designer and that designer. Jenny says she'll take care of it. Tina comes up and Jenny says that she's in the middle of a meeting. Ignores Tina when Tina tries to interupt. Finally Tina gets pissed and insistent and she and Jenny step to the side. She tells Jenny all about how Niki's people are beside themselves and want to pull her. Jenny knows Niki won't leave and Tina agrees but Niki broke her contract and Jenny's clueless saying Niki can't be pulled. Tina tells Jenny that Niki's taking a male date, Jenny says otherwise, that Niki's taking her. Tina's like not unless you've grown a ****. Niki's sobbing in her trailer and her agent is there. Jenny tells Niki that they don't have to listen to Agent Man and that they can still go together. She can't believe that Niki has to go with midget Jim. Agent man says that's a no go and that if Jenny cared about Lez Girl she'd not be **** Niki and would let Niki go with Jim. Jenny says he's got a booger hanging from his nose and it's distracting. Agent man is like think of the movie you want it to be a lesbian blockbuster and here Niki's going to have a blockbuster but only if she goes with Jim. Niki's going to go with Jim.

That night Hodie has her party and Molly and Shane go outside with an open bottle of wine to smoke. Shane tells Molly that she thought of sleeping with Molly when Molly asks her that. But that she felt that Molly would freak and fly back to Vermont with her boyfriend and it wasn't worth mediocre sex. Molly's insulted and they end up kissing but then Molly's does freak and wants to go home. Meanwhile Bette's got her mopey face on when Tina and Sam come. She's seated next to Sam and keeps looking over at Tina and Sam. Bette is still upset about Molly and how it's a disaster but Hodie's like it's none of your business leave it alone. So they're signing and Amy and her girlfriend join in and Tina and Sam are excluded but it doesn't look to be on purpose to me. Tina also talks really loudly here to get their attention. Bette says she didn't mean to exclude them and they have childish petty argument. Yes you did, Tina says. No I didn't, Bette says back. Yes. You did, Tina mumbles. What did you say? Bette asks. Nothing, Tina mumbles. And Sam knows she's in the middle of TiTrainWreck and asks where the bathroom is.

Bette's putting away dishes and Tina comes from I suppose the bathroom, everyone else is on the roof. Bette's upset as usual and says this was excruciating and just plain awful. Tina goes to her and puts her hand on Bette's stomach and steps in close and presses her mouth to Bette's face it's pretty hot. Bette says she doesn't know what's going on but that they should see Dan. Tina plays with her necklace and they're gonna kiss and the group walks back in. At the premiere Jenny's banned from coming by Agent Man. Jenny sends Adele to get Niki to get her in. Adele agrees and goes in but only to schmooze with Niki's agent and manager she texts Jenny to wait while she gets past the paps to find Niki. Jenny waits and waits and looks so pathetic that I feel really bad for her. MK is awesome.

Alice takes the stand and Col. Davis asks Alice if she's a lesbian and Alice admits that yes she is. Col. Davis asks how long she's known Tasha and if she's had sexual relations with Tasha. Alice goes off saying how stupid it is to accuse someone for just hanging out with someone. That she could infer that Col. Davis is a lezzy by how she looked at Alice yesterday. Col. Davis is appalled and calls for a break so that Alice can get a hold of herself, but Alice is fine she says. Col. Davis finds Alice and tells her to stay away from her and that she never wants to see Alice again if Tasha tells the Private Brown store the guy from the race track story straight she'll be okay and can stay in the military, but only if Alice stays off her back. Alice agrees, shocked that Col. Davis is an actual lesbian. Alice tells Tasha.

Tasha believes in the army and the code or she did until today when she had to see the woman she loves interogated. She can't serve the army while not being able to love who she wants. She finds Alice and tells her she won when Alice asks. I told them I loved you, Tasha says. Alice is shocked but happy. Beech comes and says they'll miss Tasha, Col. Davis comes and says the noble thing would have been to sacrafice love for the army. They salute and Tasha kisses Alice and they show reaction shots from all the guys some upset, some grinning, and a thumbs up from some lady. This was romantic, Tasha kisses Alice and spins her around and they're happy and it's cool.

****

509 - part 1

There's a heatwave and its earthquake causing weather and there are rolling blackouts. Jim got an elmo tattoo on his *** and they can't blur it out. They're shooting a scene with Jessie and Jim in bed. Jenny can't really seem to stand Niki and Jim together since she saw them kiss last episode because Adele told Niki to kiss Jim for the cameras. She calls cut and tells Niki that she's not supposed to enjoy sex with Jim. She's had mindblowing sexual identity moving sex and she's upset and doesn't want this hairy hard man pounding inside of her. They roll again but Niki's still acting like she likes it and Jenny cuts and tells her again it's not about pleasure but obligation and then Jenny realizes Niki **** Jim (Fallon) and Niki says she was drunk and Jenny says she understands that Niki was pressured and Niki agrees and Niki's really upset but Jenny wants to just start filming again. A black out rolls through and then Jenny tells Niki she needs to talk to Jim and then she berates him for **** Niki and ruining the chemistry and breaching that professional boundary, hypocrisy thy name is Jenny. But Jenny is upset too and she fires Jim. Jim's not taking her serious. You're fired now get the **** off my set, Jenny says. Joyce is stripping off her coat and shirt and tie and gets down to her tank and she's talking to Phyllis about the divorce. Leonard is going to settle because his lawyer knows he won't get a better offer. The paperwork will be ready soon in a couple of days. Phyllis wants Molly to meet Joyce and convince her that lawschool is awesome. Phyllis is flirting and Joyce is on to her and says it's a nice feeling of them winning but you had your chance babe. Joyce gets her clothes but Phyllis is sitting on her shirt. She leans in close, Phyllis? Yes, Joyce? You're sitting on my shirt. She tells Phyllis she'll see her later. So there's still some chemistry there.

Kit's got an invitation to the SheBar for a sit down. Alice and Tasha are there and bringing ice. Alice is invited and wants Tasha to come protect her. Tasha says they must be working an angle and Tasha has her hair down! Tina's pissed chasing after Jenny you can't **** fire the only male in the movie. Adele shows up with William on the phone and Jenny starts baby talking into the phone as she wanders off. Adele tells Tina that she know William will get her to hire Jim back. Jenny admits that she's going to find Jim and that she made a mistake and she's going to hire the dip *** actor man back. Bette comes home with Hodie and Hodie jumps in the pool and Tina calls Bette. They talk about the heat and how they're going to shut down production because of the heat. They talk about going to see Dan tonight to talk about their problems. Bette is in the house now and takes off her shirt and is in her bra and she goes to the freezer. The camera's above Bette so you get a nice view of her breasts. She's rolling ice cream along her neck while she talks to Tina on speaker. They talk about Angie and how cute she was by making a fan once Tina explained why they couldn't use the AC and how they fanned themselves with it. Tina won't go to the SheBar meeting because she and Bette can't be around each other until they figure things out. Tina says it's not wise. Bette has to go and they agree to meet at Dan's.

Hodie asks who Bette was on the phone with and she tells her Tina and that they're gonna meet because they're having parenting problems. Bette is sleeping or dozing or something and Hodie comes up dripping all over her and Bette's like oh no. Hodie starts to kiss her and tries to get it on, but Bette's like not now. It's too hot, no. Hodie calls bullshit and wants to know what's wrong. Bette looks upset but there's no crysmiling. She turns her back to Hodie and says I'm in love with Tina. Then she turns back and ***! Bette is such a pussy she caves and claims work problems again, and Hodie tells her how she misses Bette, her body, her mind, and her heart or something like that. Bette doesn't have much to say to that. Jenny writes a love letter to Niki since Niki took off and wants Adele to read it and give it to Niki. Jenny and Shane talk about how Jenny doesn't want to have sex with anyone but Niki and that Shane would probably seek out the nearest body if she were in Jenny's shoes and mentions her straight girl crush. Shane wants Jenny to come to the meeting and finally Jenny agrees.

Tina talks to Sam and wants to go out. Sam sees the danger that is the TiBette train wreck and declines. Tina and Bette need to resolve their ***. Tina wonders if it was that obvious and Sam says only to her appearantly. Tina starts talking about how both she and Bette never imagined that this would happen and that they were broken up for good. But it is happening and they're going to therapy and that she doesn't know why or how. Sam's looking uncomfortable especially when some guy comes into the trailer. Tina finally realizes that Sam's not down with Tina talking out her issues. We realize Tina has no one to talk to. SheBar mafia meeting. They play some cheesy italian mafia music. Shane and Jenny get patted down. This is an amusing scene. Shane calls Dawn Denbo Double D and there are fans with DDLC's image embossed on them. What's the what? Dawns says feelings were hurt she invited Shane to share the two of them and Shane broke the rules. Shane's like no I didn't ask Love Cindy she invited me. Dawn says no she didn't but DDLC looks guilty as hell and says Dawn... But Dawn tells her to shut up and Shane tells her to let Lover Cindy talk, but Dawn says Lover Cindy has nothing to say. DDLC tells Dawn to **** herself and Shane's like that sounded like something to me. Kit says you put rats in my place and Dawn says that's not my problem you called the police on me. They argue.

509 - Part 2

Tasha's like this is bullshit. Dawn's like who the **** are you? Tasha, says Tasha. Captain Tasha Williams, Alice adds. DDLC runs her hand down Tasha's arm saying that's awesome! Really, Cindy? Dawn asks. Cindy can't help it. What? She's here to kick your motherfuckin' asses, Kit inserts. They argue some more and Bette's just sitting there and then yells ENOUGH. She looks so nice here, with her hair up and even her outfit is nice for once. What do you want Denbo? Turf. Dawn Denbo wants certain days. Bette says Kit wants Mondays too and Dawn agrees. What else? No poaching clients. Dawn wants Lover Cindy to have a part in Jenny's movie and Jenny's declines. No way. Lover Cindy has an extra's face. Dawn wants Cindy to read a line. Jenny tells Shane she thinks Dawn's psychotic and what should she do? Offer her a role, Shane says and so Jenny says she can be party goer 4. That's not all! They want a mention on The Look from Alice. Alice says she doesn't even mention The Planet no way would she mention SheBar. Alice says **** that. Bette says that's millions of dollars right there, so no way. Alice whispers podcast and Bette nods and mentions that Alice will mention SheBar and The Planet on Alice in Lesboland. Dawn Denbo agrees and she and Kit shake on it after Bette asks why she should believe Dawn. All I've got is my word, Dawn says.

It's the handshake of death. Alice has to apologize to Max for the way she talked to him when he posted his must see podcast. Apparently this lady called Alice out for how she treated Max. She apologizes but not like she believes it. Shane's manning the camera and pans around to all the women. Bette's picking up coffee for her meeting with Tina. Kit says she thought Hodie wasn't there and Bette says it's for Tina they're meeting with a therapist. Kit looks suspicous as she should. To talk about Angie, but Kit knows Angie aint got no problems so what the ****, Bette? Bette's like nothing we're just going to talk and turns to leave. Kit's got a look on her face like she knows and she calls Bette back telling her not to do this to Hodie. Bette says she's trying not to and that's why she and Tina are seeing Dan again. Don't tell anyone, Bette tells Kit. Who would I tell? Kit asks. Bette slides her eyes towards Alice and then leaves. Back to the transgender podcast and Molly shows up with Richard her back on again boyfriend! Shane is put out.

Bette and Tina are heading for the elevator talking about how Jenny said she'd put that girl, Lover Cindy into the movie. Bette says how **** up that'll be for Tina and the movie. The power goes out and Tina's new word is Bette's which is Jesus by the way. So Tina says Jesus and Bette says **** and we're on. Bette's freaking out how the oxygen will be gone soon and how she can't **** stay stuck in here. Tina puts her hands on Bette's shoulder and tells her to breathe but Bette's like I don't want to take all your oxygen, Tina. I'm going to have a panic attack, Bette says. Breathe, Tina says. Max is at The Planet and Tom shows up and guess what? He's a painter and he's got on a tight muscle shirt and he looks good and he's flirting with Max. And he's got on some short running shorts sitting with his legs splayed. There's a Grace mention and Tom asks where's your girlfriend and Max is like you mean Grace? Why she is in San Fran. This relevant! Max has lost his MaxiPad soul patch. Tom was freak and now he's not and he asks Max out. Tasha's sitting on Alice's couch and Alice comes in and asks what she's doing. She's feeling what six o'clock feels like because she's usually stuck on the 405 and she's got nothing to do and she and Alice hold hands and kiss. Tasha looks happy and so does Alice but they both kind of know that Tasha feels sad too.

Tina and Bette are sitting on the ground and Bette wonders if Dan know's they're stuck and Tina asks what would Dan ask them if they were up there. What are you afraid of Tina? Of **** it up. Of their friends judging them, of hurting Hodie. Bette and Tina are barefoot and play footsie, it's cuter than it sounds. What do you want? We don't know Tina says. Hodie suspects. Bette admits that she's a coward and that she and Hodie aren't working and it's been hard. They don't share the same values. Bette says she and Tina do. That they work well parenting and they're comfortable with each other's world and they like the same people and dislike the same people. It's so **** rare that we both care about the quality of life and there's a tension to beauty, says Bette. What are you afraid of Bette? Being destructive and tearing down whatever is good in her life, compelled. Tina's like I'm not pure and she was failing when she was with Hellry and how she used Angie against Tina. Bette cuts her off I love you, Bette says. I have no doubt about that. Tina thinks she's scared because their feelings might just be because of an affair but Bette says no that it's like coming home if she's honest with herself and they start to kiss.

Shane and Jenny are at Lez Girl set waiting for Niki to show up. Molly calls and wants Shane to come, she's scared of the dark. She and Richard aren't back together and she's begging Shane to come over. Niki loved the letter and comes to Jenny's house and there's another black out. She sees Jenny and tells her no one has ever written such an amazing letter before and she kisses her and it's Adele which we find out when the lights come back on. Niki says you look a lot like Jenny in the dark and even now and that she loves Jenny and that she's not going to tell her. Adele doesn't really agree not to say anything but tells her that Jenny is waiting back at set so Niki leaves and Adele looks thoughtful. Molly wants to **** Shane but Shane they can just hang out. Max and Tom are Jenny's and they're gonna **** too. Jenny and Niki are going at it as well. It's a montage of sex because Alice and Tasha get it on too. Alice uses ice cubes and it's hot. Shane has new sex moves. Yay! No jackhammering tonight, y'all, she goes down on Molly. Alice goes down on Tasha.

And Bette and Tina are making out and Bette goes down on Tina. Molly doesn't think she can go down on Shane and Shane says she'll show her again and down she goes and Molly's into it and then looks up and see Phyliss standing there. They argue and Molly defends Shane not caring if Shane graduated highschool muchless college. She's simple and easy and that's what she wants. Phyllis is like I bet she went to community college and this is beneath you, Molly. Shane can hear every word. Bette and Tina get themselves together as the power comes on and Tina asks when Bette is going to tell Hodie. Bette says after the Pink Ride if Tina doesn't mind and she doesn't. They kiss and Bette says I love you and Tina says I love you too. And the doors open and Dan is there to meet them. He says there was nothing they could do and if they're traumatized but they reply that they got some stuff off their chest. Molly and Phyllis are still arguing. And there's Shane's sad face as she realizes Molly is using her and it ends with Molly saying at least she's not Richard.

510 Spoilers from Tears of Flame at the TWoP forums:

TiBette -Thumbs up and Thumbs down.

Tasha runs into some friends from back in the day! And a Papi mention! How Tasha and Papi used to go to Coco back in the day before Tasha joined the Army. Alice and Tasha have a cute moment, Alice asking if one of the girls was flirting with Tasha. Niki is there and Tina's like what the ****! Niki has to do Rolling Stone magazine but Adele rescheduled and Tina's like you're going to get me fired. Niki doesn't see the big deal and puts on sunglasses saying no one will recognize her. Some one comes up and asks for an autograph. Shane and Kit are together. And here comes Shane's stalker Molly. Shanes pissed about how Molly acted last episode and doesn't want anything to do with her. Molly flew up to Oregon? Canada? I don't know where the **** they are just to talk to her. Kit's like that's true LOVE right THERE Shane! Kit talks so **** weird sometimes. The inflection is crazy.They ride and they ride and they have fun. Bette is unhappy and so is Tina because they're sneaking around. Tina asks Bette not to tell Jodi they **** around behind Jodi's back and Bette looks like she doesn't really agree saying Jodi will find out either way but Tina insists and Bette agrees. Tina says only Kit needs to know. Sounding weak Bette says Jodi doesn't need to know. Everyone's having fun and even Bette gets in on it. Fun times! Long *** ride though and cutting to the trees and whatnot.

Niki and Shane talk about how Shane met Jenny. She asks Shane if she and Jenny have ever ****. Niki can't help but be surprised. Just because you can doesn't mean you should, Shane says. Jenny shows up and her pussy is numb. Jenny says do something about your stalker. She's been following them for 30 miles. Molly wants to talk and says she'll race Shane to the next rest post and so they race and Shane's winning when Molly yells I love you and Shane stops and Molly wins. Let me just say I hate Molly and Clemmie really isn't any good acting wise. Molly's like a spoiled bitch brat. She says she loved being with Shane but it was her first time and she doesn't know if she's gay or straight but just that she wants to be with Shane. She talks some more about how she couldn't go down on Shane but that she can learn and can do the whole gay 101, advanced placement, graduate levels and doctorate in gay with time and learning. She's not using Shane and she's crazy about Shane even if she's awful in bed. They come to a church or something with a board full of women who've died from breast cancer and it's a nice scene but Dana's picture's not there but they're all wearing pins with Dana's picture on it and Alice pins hers to the board and says we love you Dana and we miss you everyday. Bette says you're in our hearts, Dana.

Jodi looks out over a lake and wishes Angie were there and Bette agrees but still looks like she has a lot on her mind. Tasha wants to hang out with her friends but Alice thinks it wouldn't be right. Adele set up a cool *** tent for Jenny and Niki and Tina's like what the hell is this? It's Northface, Adele says. Bette's putting together her tent and Jodi's instructing and Bette's snaps at her that she's not stupid or incompetent. Jodi leaves Bette to the tent. Molly bitches about Shane's tent which Shane got at Costco. Shane and Molly sneak over to Jenny's tent and make it fall on top of them and Jenny yells for Adele because the tent is trying to kill them. Jodi helps Tina with her tent. Jodi says Bette won't let her help and Tina says Bette's OCD. Jodi asks if Bette was moody with Tina and Tina says sometimes. Something's going on with Bette Jodi says and asks how Angie is. Tina is feeling super guilty. Alice wants to know if Adele is gay or straight and Adele wants to know who's asking. Alice says I am. Adele says she likes someone but it's a secret. The secret is that it's Niki --this is my own speculation. Jenny calls for Adele and there's eye-**** from TiBette.

Kit tells Bette I sure hope you know what you're doing and Bette says I have it completely under control and Kit's like keep telling yourself that. Niki and Shane are waiting for a shower and Niki seems to flirt saying Shane's not hard to get but hard to keep. Niki tells Shane that she's in love with Jenny. Shane's glad that Niki and Jenny are back together. She's totally checking out Shane in the shower so... Alice and Tasha talk about how it's crazy to see old friends and how Tasha's friends are a lifetime ago. Tasha doesn't know what her life's about anymore. She asks Alice about what her great career would be, if she wants kids, do you want to stay in L.A. Alice is surprised and thinks maybe she wants kids eventually but not now. And she's happy about The Look and is excited about it. Tasha wants to be with Alice and wants to move in. Alice is like really? Yeah. Okay, Alice says. They kiss and Tasha says this is serious stuff and Alice's is like I'm not leaving you alone in the tent anymore! Molly and Shane go off to have sex in the back of a U-Haul or something.

Jenny and Niki go off to have sex. I really am liking them together. Jenny seems so **** smitten and so does Niki. Jenny has a present for the both of them and it's a strap on! The fun begin. They pull out a video recorder and start the fun. Niki wants to direct and she instructs Jenny to take her clothes off. This is a fun scene and I really liked it. There's stripping, kissing, and laughing. And then there's ****. And oh, Adele, she's watching from the other side of the tent where the light illuminates the tent and you can see figures ****. She's getting creepier as this goes on, but I like her.

Molly wants to be a public defender and I'm like yeah right and guess who else is surprised? Shane. She never would have thought that. I'm full of surprises, Molly titters. I bet, Shane says. She looks happy. Alice tells a story about a crazy person escaping from an asylum and some guy goes to a cabin to relax and there's a dripping noise and he calls for his dog. The dog licks his hand. More licking and he feels better. So when he wakes up he sees blood and his dog is impaled dead dripping on him and he looks and there's a note written in blood. People can lick too--you know it's good, Alice says. Tasha's like that's not scary.

Jenny and Niki jump out at everyone with masks and knifes and everyone freaks. Tina's like you made enough noise. I Never is played suggested by Shane. I never slept with a girl, Shane says. So they all drink even Adele and Niki's like I knew you slept with girls. I never lie about who I'm sleeping with. Tina takes a sip and Alice's like you? Tina's like remember. Henry? Don't remind me. Alice's getting drunk and Jenny says I've never been in love. More eye **** from TiBette. Molly asks Shane if she's ever been in love and Shane's unsure. Maybe but she's not sure. I've never cheated on a girlfriend, Tasha says and almost everyone drinks. Tasha cheated on one of the girl who's on the ride. She kissed another girl. Jodi says cheating is weird and it depends how the realationship is. Is kissing cheating? Bette says kissing is not cheating.

Alice and Tasha agree. No one likes to be **** around behind their back, Alice says. More worried looks from TiBette. Shane doesn't think kissing or **** is cheating. Niki agrees. You can still be loyal to someone in your heart, what's the big deal? You guys have great morals, Alice says. It's about the agreement, Jodi says. Like when you cheated on me with Claude, Max asks. Jenny says we were broken up and Shane please tell her. Sexual jealousy weighs down a realationship, Shane says and Tina calls her a ho and Shane says I aint a ho bitch. Shane doesn't care if Molly cheats with her friends as long as she comes home to her. Alice is like you're all on crack. Cheating is cheating. Thinking is cheating Tasha says. Intimacy that you're giving to someone else.

Is kissing cheating? Everyone raises their hands except Bette and Tom's like what? Bette says that it's a trap to judge and there are different situations and you can't catogorically. Big ole cheater, Alice says of Bette. You cheat. A giant cheater. It was a phase. There's a lot of cheating. She was cracking through 'em. Boom. Boom. Are you cheating on me, Jodi asks. Tina can't take it and gets up and leaves and now Jodi's staring hard at Bette and Bette looks sick and trapped and can't speak. ****, says Jodi and leaves. ****, ****, says Bette and follows after Jodi. What the **** just happend? Alice asks. I was kidding. Jodi zips Bette out of the tent and Tom comes up saying Jodi doesn't want to see Bette, she wants Bette gone.

Shane and Alice go to see Tina. What the **** Tina? Are you having an affair with Bette? Alice asks and Tina says about a month. Alice wants to know why she wasn't told. Because you have a big mouth Alice. Are you getting back together? I don't know, says Tina. She doesn't know what the **** they're doing. I never say this coming, Shane says and they all drink. What the ****, says Kit. How did this happen? You don't just break up with someone and then forget about how terrible your realationship with Tina was. Maybe the sex totally made you lose your mind, Kit yells. You had a great thing and it was healthy says Kit. No we didn't have a chance, Bette says of her and Jodi. It wasn't going to work. She loves Tina. Has always loved Tina and she tried to go about right but it went south and now she's got to do it no matter what.

Tina didn't want to have it come out this way. Are you in love with Bette? Alice asks. I've always been in love with her. Always and I want her back and I can't help it and I want to be with her. I'm an ******* but I just can't help it, Tina says crying. You belong together Alice says. I **** hate women, Tina says. That's some **** up *** Tina, Alice says.

Drama-rama Niki says. Bette and Tina should have had the courage to work it out but who is Jenny to judge? We're together and that's all that matters, Niki says. They're going to be together after the shoot because they're totally in love, they're gonna make it. Niki's going to love Jenny forever. Adele takes the sex tape and puts it in her pocket and replaces it with a blank one.

Bette's sobbing and saying I'm sorry while sitting on a stump or something. Jodi's gone with Tom to ride alone for the rest of the trip. They get back on the road to finish the ride with Bette in front looking upset. Tina's upset too. The mood is somber. But at least Jodi knows, huh? This was a really good episode.

511 Spoilers from Tears of Flame at TWoP

511 -

TiBette -Thumbs up.

I'm a Bette-er so I'm pro anyone that can make Bette happy. That seems to be Tina and I think when you guys watch this ep it won't be as bad as it reads. It's not really bad at all. Bette finally lays it all out there for Jodi and for herself as she comes to realize it would never have worked with Jodi because she's still so in love with Tina. So don't judge too much just wait for the episode to air so you guys can see JB's awesome expressions because she sells it.



Let me get this out of the way. Starts off with the table tossing scene from s2 and wow Jenny got her revenge on Tina, because Nina is like an amazon and not a cute one. Bev comes up and tells Nina she's just come from the plumbers place. Bev has the same speech. Table toss. But Nina says you shouldn't have cheated on me and Bev asks what she can do to make it better? Nina says we need to put aside time for us and then Nina tells Bev she's having her baby and it's bad acting wise and weird. But that's how we open with Jenny and the editor. Tina and Bette are at The Planet eating breakfast. Max mentions Jodi's been in touch with Tom and she's staying with a friend, Amy, maybe. Bette hasn't spoken to Jodi at all. Shane snaps when Tasha says at least Jodi has friends. Tasha's upset. People are PMSing, as in everyone of the ladies, minus Max and Kit. Dawn and DDLC come in and they tell Kit that Ivan--majority owner of The Planet!--sold 51 percent of it to Dawn. You motherfuckin' liar Kit yells and over turns her table and storms off. Jodi shows up and Tina's like I'm so sorry and Jodi says why is she talking to me. Don't you know I'm deaf? Jodi wants to spend some time with Bette and wants her to leave now. Bette has that terrified look on her face as her eyes meet Tina's and she slowly walks out with Jodi, it's her death march.

Let me just get this out there. Jodi doesn't think she and Bette are broken up, okay? She left and didn't talk to Bette so they never actually broke up in Jodi's mind. Bette has to reschedule meetings and Jodi's like do it then. And James is ALIVE! He's still Bette's asst. They are dressed the same almost, gray jackets and maroon shirts, so it's **** weird. Jodi looks really nice. Jodi says if you have to go to work then go I know how important this is. Bette says this is the most important thing in the world to me. Max, Tina, Shane are in The Planet paying the bill and they talk about how Tina's not moving in with Bette that Bette has to handle Jodi first. Adele took a meeting with the art department and talk about how weird Adele is turning out to be. Max gives Shane a twenty but she's like I have it and Tina gives Shane a twenty and she pockets that. Also Shane was reading The New York Times this morning.

Bette goes home and is just overwhelmed as she leans on the counter gasping and crying. Jodi comes in and is like you don't get to do this, what's going on? Jodi's still confused since she didn't let Bette explain that she'd been cheating on her. Bette says she's sorry and Jodi says sorry is bullshit. Not for when you stomp on someone and chew them up and spit them out. Are you and that woman ****? Jodi asks. Bette says I don't know what you're talking about.(this though is Bette wanting Jodi to say Tina's name I guess.) Did you **** her? Jodi yells. How long has this been going on? It's not about ****, Bette says. I don't know how long it's been going on but we never finished and we have Angie and there's so much history. We didn't realize how strong the connection-- and we have to resolve things. So **** her resolved things, Jodi says. It's not about ****, Bette says again. Jodi asks Bette if she's in love with Tina and Bette says it's very complicated and Jodi says of course it is, do you love her? Bette says yes. Jodi asks if Bette loves her too and Bette says yes. But Jodi does not ask Bette if she's in love with her as she did Tina.

So Jodi wants to know if you can be in love with two people at once and then doesn't let Bette answer and tells Bette that she loves Bette to the exclusion of all others and will fight for her. Bette just crysmiles. Tasha and Alice go house shopping and we all Tasha is poor, right? The house is too expensive. Jodi is crying because she never wanted to love anyone as much as she loves Bette. Bette goes to her and rubs her back looking as upset as ever. Jodi didn't come to cry and get upset. So if you know IC you know what's coming next. Bette's got her arm around Jodi and Jodi starts to kiss her neck and her face and Bette's got her face turned away and she's not into but then they're kissing. Jodi's the aggressor and Bette's letting her. Tina tries to send Bette a text saying she misses her and wishes things went well. Sam pops in asking how the bike ride went. Sam's still into Tina. Tina's worried about Begonia and Niki because they don't like each other. Sam thinks Jenny's interesting and they both agree that they might have a really good movie much to their surprise. Tina is called into the conference room with Aaron with Niki's agen and manager and Jenny plus Adele.

Adele puts in the dvd sex tape and Jenny gasps. Aaron sits up and Agent man presses a hand to his heart. Tina tells Adele to turn it off, enough, cut it off. Jenny wants to know who did this? It's fair to say you and Niki did this? Adele tells Jenny. Agent man runs to the dvd player and grabs it like it's the only one. Adele has 25 copies and will send them. What is it you want Adele? Tina asks. Adele is obsessed with Lez Girl. She gives a whole speech about it and how it mustn't be tainted by a scandal by the reckless and completely entitled people entrusted with the opprotunity. Jenny tells Tina she'll call William to fix it. Adele spoke to William and he agrees and the situation is just too much. What do you want? Tina asks again.

Bette and Jodi still kissing. The phone rings and Jodi picks it up and slams it down. She puts Bette's hand down her pants and Bette's not into it, doesn't want to and she grabs Jodi's shoulders and yells stop. I don't want to do this with you, okay? Jodi stomps off. Where are you going? To kill myself, Jodi answers. Bette won't let her leave and Jodi says you can't make up your mind. Bette wants to fight for the realationship. Bette has to go to school and Jodi doesn't want to be handled. Have some respect, Jodi tells Bette. Bette says she has total respect and Jodi says she'll go to school with Bette and they'll talk in public and there won't be a scene. Jenny goes on set and wants to talk to Niki saying someone got ahold of the tape and agent man runs in and Jenny gives a speech. Like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Treacherous, soul less people and she wants people with integrity to come with her. Come with me. Stand up to these people. Security is to be called but Tina yells No let me handle it. Shane agrees of course to go with Jenny. Tina tells Jenny I am on your side and let me walk you out of here. Please. Jenny begs Niki to come with her. Come with me, please. Please. Agent man reminds Niki she's under contract.

511 - Part 2


Back to work. How? We don't have a director. Yes we do. In walks Adele back lit by sunlight and she takes her seat like it's her right. Bitch. But she's a really pretty bitch. A good song's playing here too. Tasha and Alice again. Tasha is poor. We get it. Alice has money. Alice does not want to live in a *** hole. Alice has The Look to tape and Tasha has plans not knowing Alice wanted her there. Alice is upset. She'll TiVo it. Tina chases Jenny. I'm as stunned as you, Jenny. I defended Adele today. Don't do anything stupid or retaliate, Jenny. Talk to your agents and then later you can call Niki. She's dead to me, Jenny says. I understand, Tina says. Do you? Really Tina? No, maybe I don't. I won't let that bitch walk away with our movie, Jenny. Oh, Tina, Jenny throws her arms around Tina. Niki and Begonia are trying to do a scene but Niki can't kiss Begonia. Adele walks them through the steps and it's good direction. Close your eyes like it's happening to you, like you're not in control of your own body. Part your lips. Karina kiss Jessie. They kiss and kiss. That's nice, Adele says softly. Cut.

Tina calls Bette saying she really needs to talk to her and that she won't believe what's happening that it's really crazy. The Look with Alice. They've got Clea Mason who's a fashion designer. One of the hosts doesn't really like Alice or is a homophobe. Kit is pacing her office upset as ****. Goes to her safe and gets her gun and loads it with bullets. Kit leaves and gets into her old car, maybe the same one from s2 or that Ivan made over? I don't know. The Look fashion show. Clea's nervous and can hardly speak and Alice tries to draw her out and Clea is smitten. All she can do is smile and stare at Alice. Here comes the Talice foil. Shane and Tina are in her office. Tina tells Shane to go be with Jenny. Tina's worried about Niki and Shane says **** her. Tina says she did the right thing or she would have been in breech of contract and Shane says no she did the wrong thing. Bette and Jodi are stuck in traffic.

The gun music is playing and Kit calls Bette. Bette I'm in trouble I'm going to do something bad, Kit tells her voicemail. Bette's at school and James tells her all the stuff he had to reschedule for her and W magazine called, Bette's favorite magazine and they want to do a cover on power lesbian art couples, Bette and Jodi, at Jodi's Hammer Musuem opening. Yes, Jodi says. No, says Bette. James knows it's awkward and leaves. Bette stares hard at Jodi before she goes into her meeting and closes the door in her face. The Look Clea gives Alice a ticket to her fashion show at Venice Boardwalk. Clea is a Kiwi, New Zealander I think. Alice wants one of the Vespa's used in the show, Clea says she'll take her for a ride on hers. Alice is like okay. Clea points out a fan and it's Tasha. Alice is excited to see her. You were great, Tasha says. The audience loved you.

Bette's back in her office. Jodi's behind her desk and Bette sits down in one of the chairs facing her desk. We can't be a part of that piece. WHy not it will be fun, Jodi says. They're writing about couples and we're not a couple, Bette says. You sais you'd fight for our realtionship, Jodi says. I meant our friendship, Bette says. I don't want friendship. We can go to thereapy, Jodi signs. Bette doesn't want to go. I don't want to go to therapy I've had enough. Be honest with me, Jodi says. I wanted so much for this relationship to work, Bette says. I love your talent and your passion and the way you stand in the world. We are fundalmentally different and core values. What values are different? Jodi asks. Doesn't matter, Bette says. What matters is that there's been something missing for me something that's hard to define. I've been desperately trying to create and looking for this thing and I've been flailing. And I realize now we're never going to find it. How do you know? Jodi asks. Because I have it with someone else. James pops in. Melissa is sick and can't pick up Angie so Bette calls Tina. The cast didn't sign on to be directed by Adele. They're upset. Tina answers Bette's call and says that she's in a meeting. Tina can't pick up Angie either. Bette says she's still with Jodi and she's doing her best and she'll tell Tina about it later.

Gun music and Kit's at SheBar sneaking into the back entrance. Kit's ready to throw down but Bette calls and Kit's ringtone is the same as Tina's Angie's voice saying you have a phone call with a video of Angie, it's precious. Bette wants Kit to pick up Angie and Kit says okay but then DDLC notices Kit standing beind a beaded curtain and they stare at each other before Kit leaves, saved by Angie and the ringtone. Jodi wants to go to Bette's to pick up her favorite underwear and stuff. Shane and Jenny are getting high with some kind of bong with water and stuff. Jenny says again Niki's dead to me and she doesn't exist. A wicked witch who pretends she's sweet and innocent and you're like the greatest writer ever and I want to be just like you, she's talking about Adele. Shane says Adele is a snake, all slithering and moving, snake in a grass. A **** serpent. Jenny has terrible cramps. You do? Shane asks. Shane gives Jenny a compliment, she admires Jenny and thinks she's a real survivor and they're high. You really got knocked down but look at you, you wrote your story and that's big. I haven't done it, Shane adds. Jenny throws a compliment right back. You didn't have to come with me, Jenny says. You gave me my job, Shane says. You're my best friend so of course I'd come with you.

Bette is giving a speech for Jodi's Hammer thing she asks if she could get Jodi's help on it and Jodi gives Bette a birthday present and leaves. Bette opens it and it's a watch Tag Huer and she says softly, Jodi. Max comes in and Jenny calls him the oracle and how Adele **** her over. Really? Max asks. I'm sorry. Jenny says she should have listened to Max. Kit's fixing food for Angie's dinner brown rice pudding and organic oatmeal cookies and Angie's playing with Kit's gun. Kit's freaked and gets the gun and cries and picks up Angie holding her tight saying Oh, God. She goes to the alley with Angie still in her arms and she tosses it in the dumpster, crying. Tina's there and Angie's happy to see her and then Bette arrives and Angie's thrilled. Hello pumpkinpie, Bette says to Angie. Bette says Dawn Denbo isn't going to get away with this Planet ***. Kit says all that matters is Angie and her two mommies. You wanna go home? Bette asks Angie. Go home, says Angie. Do you wanna? Bette asks Tina. Yeah, answers Tina. They're happy to see each other too. Kit's alone inhaling deeply as she realizes what she almost did and it ends.

Overnights
2/19/08
10:30 AM
‘The L Word’: Turkish Oil Wrestling!

When a flyer heralds the arrival of lesbian Turkish oil wrestling at SheBar within the first moments of last night's show, can there be any doubt which slippery slope we're about to cascade down? (Especially when Showtime advertised this season with said greasy grappling.) Thirty-five minutes and fifty-six seconds into the episode we hit the main event, a filthy quarter-hour of WTF? that rivals the rave scene from The Matrix: Reloaded. Lez Girls star Nikki Stevens brawls with Cindi (of Dawn Denbo and her lover Cindi fame) before taking on Jenny Schecter, then Shane and Phyllis Kroll's daughter, Molly, get pulled into the ring. Don't expend any brainpower pondering how this is related to the plot — it's not. Is it hot? Are we horrified? As Homer Simpson would say, a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B.
Hookups
The Lez Girls set is abuzz with gossip that Jenny and Nikki play casting couch every lunch break in Nikki's trailer. Rumor confirmed! Though Nikki demolishes their fairly hot afternoon delight by getting sappy about loving Jenny and wanting kids someday.

Bette visits the film set, where she watches Tina cozy up to her DP Sam, and then nearly hooks up with Tina yet again. She returns home and grabs Jodi for a quick-and-dirty make-up hookup.

Processing
Alice auditions to replace a Rosie O'Donnell–esque character on a View-esque show named The Look (really, L Word?) and responds to producers' demands to reveal juicy gay Hollywood gossip by outing Nikki Stevens and her affair with Jenny. Whatever Perez Hilton pods have invaded Alice Pieszecki need to leave immediately.

A tough new colonel is brought in to prosecute Tasha's case; she questions Alice and blasts her for living so brazenly out of the closet. What are the odds Colonel Gillian Davis is not asking, not telling, too?

Adele continues her reign of creepiness by luring Nikki to the aforementioned Turkish-oil-wrestling night, lying to Tina, Nikki, and Jenny in one fell swoop. This storyline is developing at excruciatingly slow Days of Our Lives pace. When will she deliver Jenny's head in a box?

Phyllis's daughter, Molly, continues to insist she's straight although she also enjoys hanging out on the set of Lez Girls, watching lesbians Turkish-oil-wrestle, and flirting with Shane. Like many things on The L Word, she's implausible. Molly, however, is bestowed with the episode's best line — to Shane: “My mother told me all about your little game — you're like the Fonz or something for lesbians.” Heeeeeeey! Score one for the writers.

—Chelsea Brady

Deaf Matlin dances in Mills' footsteps on next round of 'Dancing'



By Gary Strauss, USA TODAY
Heather Mills competed with a prosthetic leg on Dancing With the Stars. Next up: a woman who can't hear the music.
Marlee Matlin says she's not worried. The Oscar-winning actress (Children of a Lesser God) is one of 12 celebrities announced Monday for the latest round of ABC's hit ballroom dance show, premiering March 17 (8 ET/PT).

Mills, who wowed Season 4 viewers and Dancing's judges with gutsy performances, "really made an impression," says Matlin, who has severely limited hearing. "She really raised awareness of what someone with a physical disability can do."

Matlin hopes she'll boost the image for the nation's 26 million deaf and hearing-impaired. "Deaf people can do anything except hear. My deafness will limit my ability only if I let it," says Matlin, 42.

Matlin's career has largely been defined by dramatic roles, including her current run on Showtime's The L Word. She hopes Dancing viewers will see her lighter side.

Learning ballroom dance might not be as hard as some would believe, she says. "Seeing as I haven't let my it affect my acting, I don't think I'll have more difficulty than other cast members," she says. "You try to imagine what it's like when you can't hear the music. I'll let my partner be my music."

Digital hearing aids help her distinguish some sounds. "Imagine yourself in the shower with the door closed and you can kind of hear the stereo in the next room at a reduced volume," says Jack Jason, her producing partner and interpreter.

Matlin's husband, Kevin, and four preteen children are big fans of Dancing With the Stars and were excited she had been asked to appear. She also consulted her friend, director/choreographer Anne Fletcher (Hairspray, 27 Dresses). "Anne said, 'You've got the moves,' " Matlin says. "Then it was me telling the producers, 'OK, you've got me.' "

Matlin says she's more worried about a pratfall than her limited hearing. "The stairs at the front of the stage — I'm thinking heels, stairs, and I start to sweat."

Matlin and other celebrity competitors are in Chicago today to meet and tape The Oprah Winfrey Show episode airing Thursday

Kate about Lights! Camera! Action! -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: I love Wallace Shawn. Anything with him in it.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: I don't. There was not much for me to do in this one to answer that.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: Those trained rats were actually very cute in real life.

Jennifer Beals on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Tuesday Feb 26.

Watch episode 508 of The L Word now on OurChart.

The L Word Lowdown

Episode 508: "Lay Down the Law"
Article Date: 02/24/2008
By L. A. Vess



Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

In this week's episode of The L Word, Tasha (Rose Rollins) learns there are things in life more valuable than her career—namely, sweet lesbian love! Plus, Lez Girls starlet Niki Stevens (Kate French) gets a beard; Shane (Kate Moennig) deals with the dangers of curious straight girls; and Jodi (Marlee Matlin) continues to be oblivious to who her lover is hooking up with behind her back.

We have to give it to The L Word powers-that-be this week with their opening sequence featuring Kate French in her other movie role in the series, as a Bond girl in Liquid Heat. Not only did Miss Niki look tasty-hot in a skintight black catsuit, but frankly the production quality of the movie teaser was of better quality than some real Bond films in recent years. (Okay, that might be stretching it a little, but am I the only person who really hated Casino Royale?) Although this episode is credited as directed by Leslie Libman, it almost felt like there was just a touch of D.E.B.S. (from sometimes L Word director Angela Robinson) sneaking in there a bit. Which is a good thing, trust me.

However, the opening of this week's show did not portray any subtlety in foreshadowing how truly screwed up the whole Lez Girls mess is about to get. It's pretty damn obvious that Niki Stevens soon-to-be success as a hot heterosexual love interest is going to seriously clash with her sordid little lesbian tryst with one Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner).

Who else finds it so sad that Jodi has become so integrated with the L Word 'gang' that even Shane has started picking up sign language—when it's so screamingly obvious that Bette (Jennifer Beals) is about to break her heart into tiny little pieces? Here's Shane, pouring her heart out to her lovely friend about her straight girl crush on Molly (Clementine Ford), and meanwhile, Bette is off somewhere fantasizing about her ex-partner. For some reason, the whole scene just makes me want to slap Bette upside the head. Well, then again, most things involving Bette make me want to whack her one.

Poor Shane, one would think as many girls as she has seduced and had her way with (plenty of them supposedly 'straight'), that by now she'd know the evil danger that is the curious heterosexual chick. They'll only make you fall in love with them and then crush you into sad dyke moosh. It's inevitable. (Are you listening too Jenny, cause we're really feeling a bi-curious vibe coming off Niki too...) But, maybe, just maybe, this time the 'straight' girl will turn out to be a bonafide Sapphic sister in sheep's clothing—and Shane will find true love at last.

One would also think Jodi, being an older, experienced lover of woman, wouldn't encourage Shane in her straight girl pursuits. But alas, she in fact offers up to host a dinner girl so Shane can bring Molly as her 'date'. Even worse, Shane has the brilliant idea to invite Tina (Laurel Holloman) and Sam, the cute girl Director of Photography from Lez Girls along for the ride. Bette is certainly sure to be pleased to no end about that invitation.

Yeah, we won't hold our breath on that one.

No immediate worries though about Shane going down that domestic road too fast yet again. After all, she has one of the Lez Girls cast members half-naked in her lap only a few scenes later. Who also happens to be a straight girl. And, by the way, is playing Shane in the movie. Damn, this show is twisted.

Of course, since Shane and her playmates never do seem to figure out how to lock a f**king door, they get walked in on mid-liplock by another Lez Girls castmate. Looks like Shane just needs to go ahead and sign up the whole roster for a lesbian sex ed class...

First up, however, she's going to practice her teaching methods on Molly, who just can't seem to resist Shane's sexy self. Maybe it's because her mother Phyllis (Cybill Sheperd) has all those very derogatory things to say about the rogue "hairstylist." After all, isn't it the responsibility of every young girl to go after the person your parental figure would least want you to hook up with?

Back to the awkward threesome of Jodi, Bette and Tina, things are getting more convoluted. Bette confronts Tina over Jodi's dinner invitation, telling her quite firmly she didn't have to say yes. She's obviously jealous over this Lez Girls crew girl that was making eyes at Tina, regardless of whether Tina is actually dating her or not. Plus, she's pissed that Tina thinks she and Bette are just having some kind of fling. Is Bette even aware she's a guaranteed nominee for Hypocrite of the Year?

Still, no matter how much Bette knows she's terribly in love (or lust) for her ex-partner, she just can't come right out and decide to dump Jodi and try to make things work a second time around. Instead, she tells Tina she thinks they should break off their affair. But it's obvious she doesn't really mean it. What she really wants is her cake and to get to eat it too, but the women in her life (and an impressionable child in the mix) just aren't working with her!

Being Bette, her resolve that she's going to stop messing around with Tina lasts about 2.5 millaseconds. As soon as the opportunity presents itself (at Jodi's dinner party, natch), she's wrapped all over Tina once again.

Now we move over to the freakish relationship that is Niki and Jenny. Tina is being raked over the coals by Niki's manager Kevin, because "the last thing I need is the zit-faced teen demographic thinking Niki Stevens doesn't like ***," he says. So Tina, who grows to be more like her cold, bitchy, career-obsessed ex-partner Bette every minute, decides on a most fabulous solution to their predicament—give Niki a beard!

That's right, force Niki to hook up with some hot young guy (who ends up being her Lez Girls co-star, playing Tim to her Jenny no less) and have her trot him out at the Bond movie premiere. Then, of course, everyone will just ignore all those shiny tabloid photos of her covered in oil tonguing her lesbian director. Sure.

Needless to say, Jenny, after dissing Tina by ignoring her as long as possible, is all kinds of pissed off when she learns her sweet, underage honey is not taking her to the grand premiere ball. Oh, and Niki plays it up like a real trooper. I've never seen such a flood of totally faked up sobbing in my life, and that includes when I broke up with my second girlfriend five minutes before she was planning on dumping my ass for the girl she'd been cheating on me with for a month.

After much wailing and nashing of teeth, Niki does as she's told and takes the hot boy to the premiere with her. She hams it up for the cameras, making sure they have plenty of photos of her being as heterosexual as possible.

Meanwhile, poor Jenny has been banned from the premiere Niki's manager has told security to keep her the hell away from Niki and everyone else. Jenny decides to send her scary clone assistant Adele (Malaya Rivera Drew) inside to fetch Niki to let her in to the Hollywood bash. Adele, who is psychotically attempting to basically steal Jenny's life, gets in alright. But she's too busy sucking up to the Hollywood glitterati to bother with worry about Jenny stuck out on the street.

Even worse, Adele convinces Niki that she should lay a fat, wet one on her 'beard' as they exit the premiere. Just to convince the photogs that she's serious about her heterosexuality, of course. But we're pretty sure Adele has all sorts of other priorities floating through her crazy stalker brain. Especially since she comforts Jenny over the whole kiss things just moments later. What exactly is she playing at? Only time will tell...

Ugh, moving on from the ickiness that is the whole Niki/Jenny debacle, we come to a relationship that we actually really do want to see succeed. Namely, that of the gorgeous closeted Tasha and her out and proud girl-love Alice (Leisha Hailey). Tasha is due in military court to defend herself against charges of 'homosexual conduct' and adorable Alice is being forced to testify in the case. That's just nasty all the way around.

The L Word often excels at clever little parallelisms and we can't fault them for using the trick quite nicely as the audience follows Tasha and her evil nemisis Colonel Gillian Davis (Kelly McGillis) around they gym. First, they're both working up a heavy sweat punching the hell out of things. Then, they both end up ogling the same hot, nude girl in the locker room. Basically, The L Word folk are letting us know (as if we had not already guessed) that the big bad Colonel is an undercover lesbo too! Wow!

Now, if that scene had possibly somehow been accomplished without basically screaming out that the heterosexuals should fear us lesbians sharing shower space with them in the military, it might have been just a tad better. Honestly, having the 'lesbian' soldiers checking out their fellow soldier's wet, naked body is a brilliant way to say we should get the hell rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"? Come on, what idiot thought that up?

Tasha, naturally, doesn't notice that Davis is as guilty of wandering eyes as she is. All she knows is that she's getting her ass royally kicked by the sharply dressed prosecuting Colonel in her homosexual conduct case. Luckily for her, blonde bombshell Alice is there to come to her rescue (accompanied by the soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On").

In true Alice Pieszecki, she tears Davis a new one while she's being interrogated as a witness in Tasha's case. After a passionate speech about the bullshit of the military's discrimination against homosexuals, Alice blithely implies that Colonel Davis could just as easily be queer too. Little does she know she's just freaked out the Colonel all over the place. The Colonel, you see, has been hanging out at OurChart and knows all about Alice's habit of "outing" people. Suddenly, the Colonel has a chill crawling up her spine that she just might end up being Alice's next podcast subject du jour.

The end result, the Colonel calls a recess and basically bribes Alice by telling her how Tasha can get out of the whole "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" mess if she'll keep her damn mouth shut. Alice is confused, but perfectly willing to do whatever she must to save her love. She gives Tasha the dish on how to save her job, but Tasha has a surprise for her lovely lady.

Turns out, Tasha has a newfound outlook on her life. The military may be her chosen career, but it just can't compete with the possibility of an LTR with the beautiful and brave Alice. So she basically tells the Colonel, and the court, to STFU because she's in love—and they can shove their homophobic policies wherever they like, because she's not going to play anymore.

After giving the heave-ho to the military's discriminatory judgement about her sexual orientation, Tasha promptly reunites with Alice in an scene reminiscent of a certain famous World War II V-J Day kiss photograph.

Bravo Tasha!

Ilene Chaiken’s not one of those “rich Hollywood folk”. Well, she is, in a way, but The L-Word creator doesn’t like to define herself in such terms. Regardless of how she’d like to be viewed, Chaiken’s undoubtedly one of the movers and shakers in the world of entertainment.

Philadelphia-born Chaiken told our editor recently that she didn’t expect the show’s success: “I didn’t think it would happen. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would do something so successful.” Chaiken also shares her thoughts on motherhood, strife with her parents, Hillary Clinton, DOMA, website spin-off OurChart, product placement and what she once looked for in a man - basically everything!

Before you dive into that jump, however, we think it’s important you know that Chaiken sounds very similar to Sally Field: motherly, benign and familiar. Also, this conversation took place at 9:15am Los Angeles time, which Belonsky thought may be early for Chaiken. One never knows with those rich Hollywood folk!

Andrew Belonsky: Hello, is this Ilene?

Ilene Chaiken: Yes it is.

AB: Hi! It’s Andrew from Queerty.com. How are you?

IC: I’m well, thanks.

AB: Thanks for taking this early morning call - well, early for you, maybe.

IC: Ha! Not really. Where are you calling from?

AB: New York.

IC: Okay.

AB: What time do you get up?

IC: Usually around 5:30.

AB: Oh, god! Why?

IC: Just because - there are so many reasons. It’s always been my good time: my writing time, my work time and I also have kids, so I have to get them off to school!

AB: Right. I was going to come to that. How old are your kids?

IC: I have twelve year old twin girls.

AB: Oh, gosh. And how did motherhood change you?

IC: Oh, God, in so many ways, I don’t know where to begin. Motherhood changes you in a way that every little thing you do is changed - the everyday experience forces you to reach for qualities you… never knew you had.

AB: And you love it?

IC: Mostly I love it, but it’s very challenging. I love my kids madly. I don’t love everything about mothering.

AB: My sister has two little ones and she always complains about having to deal with their classmates’ parents.

IC: There’s a bit of that, but I like most of the people my kids hang out with and I like their families. I think they’re interesting. My children have always been in schools that are comprised of really diverse populations. They’re not just hanging out with rich Hollywood folks, which I think would be odious. They’re spending time with interesting people whom I wouldn’t know otherwise and I actually like that.

AB: Do you consider yourself one of those rich Hollywood folks?

IC: [Laughs] By some definitions. That’s not how I think of myself, but it wouldn’t be completely outrageous for someone to look at me and define me that way.

AB: Let’s talk about your childhood. Where did you grow up?

IC: I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

AB: And would you describe your childhood as a happy one?

IC: Is there any such thing?

AB: I don’t know. You tell me.

IC: I’m not going to make any broad generalizations, because I’ve actually met people who have had a happy childhood and it’s not my place to doubt them. I wouldn’t describe my childhood as happy. It wasn’t tragic, but no, it wasn’t a happy childhood. It was reasonably secure.

AB: I imagine like many gay people, you spent your childhood confused and alienated.

IC: I think that was a part of it. I’m sure some of the feelings of alienation had to do with being gay and not knowing. But there are all types of other reasons for feeling alienated.

AB: Who was your first celebrity crush? Do you remember?

IC: It was one of two people, I can’t remember which came first - Lauren Hutton - I had a really big time Lauren Hutton crush - and an actress-singer-songwriter called Ronee Blakely, which was a much weirder crush because she wasn’t anybody that too many people even knew. I saw her in Nashville - it wasn’t a youthful crush, it must have been a college crush - but for some reason I developed a massive, massive crush on her. I started finding out where she was singing and going to all her concerts. I went to RISD and I remember she was playing in Newport Beach, Rhode Island, and I dragged some boy I was dating out to see her.

AB: I take it that relationship didn’t end well!

IC: That relationship never even began! He was just a guy who would do what I wanted him to do!

AB: [Laughs] How old were you when you came out?

IC: I came out when I was twenty-four. I vaguely started coming out a little before that, but I went all through college not out and not dealing with it apart from major crushes.

AB: What spurred you to finally come out?

IC: Misery.

AB: That’s a big motivator.

IC: Misery and attraction - that ineluctable thing that makes you do the thing that terrifies you because you can’t stay away from it anymore.

AB: It was terrifying for you to come out to your parents?

IC: I didn’t come out to my parents until I was in a relationship.

AB: Were they supportive?

IC: Uh, no. Not to begin with. We had a long period of discord and a slow evolution of acceptance. You know, my parents are liberal Jews, they’re life long Democrats with reasonably progressive ideas, but they still weren’t prepared to have a gay kid and they were pretty upset about it and they said all the wrong things and some vile things. Over the course of time, they became a little more accepting, but the thing that made them fully accepting was having grandchildren.

AB: How do your parents feel about your career trajectory?

IC: They’re mystified by it - and delighted.

AB: Do they watch The L-Word?

IC: And they watch The L-Word! They now live in Tuscon - I grew up in Philadelphia, but for some reason my parents moved to Tuscon, but they found their community, they have their friends and a real community and they all watch The L-Word together and talk about it.

AB: That’s so cute.

IC: Cute and horrifying!

AB: Did you imagine that The L-Word would become so big?

IC: No. Well, I can’t say that I didn’t imagine it, but I didn’t think it would happen. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would do something so successful. I never could have predicted or envisioned what’s happened with this particular show.

AB: What’s interesting isn’t just that The L-Word draws so many viewers and continues to grab headlines - you’re on the fifth season now?

IC: We’re on the fifth season and you’re exactly right: we’re still getting a lot of attention. The show’s actually building. The audience for the show particularly this season has grown immensely.

AB: Let’s talk about OurChart. Tell me about how this project came about - your reasoning.

IC: The story of how it came about as opposed to why it exists is slightly different. How it came about is that it was a story we started telling show - it wasn’t calculated, I didn’t say, “I have this business idea, let’s set it up in the show so that I can use the show to promote the idea”.

AB: That would have been very clever, though.

IC: It might have been clever, but it would have been…

AB: Disingenuous?

IC: Yeah, it would be, but I think you have to be true to your characters and the universe of your show and not exploit them in that way. It creates an inauthenticity. It doesn’t take away from the fact that after the fact a lot of people have accused me of doing that, which is fine. But, anyway, Alice had her chart from the very beginning. It’s the central motif of the show and we’ve always played with it. In every season we’ve talked about what’s going to happen with Alice’s chart, as if it’s a character and I think it was our third season, she put it online and it started to grow. She even said at one point, “Oh my God, it’s like a lesbian MySpace”. As we’re starting a new season, I always sit with the folks at Showtime and talk about business opportunities that are coming out of the show, where can we look to make deals this year, where might we do product placement… And I pitched really just casually the idea that, “You know what? This thing that Alice has done is kind of cool, maybe we should try a lesbian social network”. And at that moment in time I think the social networking phenomenon was just taking off and Showtime and CBS said, “Very interesting idea. Try it”. And so we did.

AB: And it’s been successful?

IC: It has been successful. It’s really growing. There’s this interesting synergy between our website and the show. Our web traffic spikes when The L-Word is on the air, as does the traffic of pretty much every other site where people talk about the show. But, I also think that the show’s fortune’s have been affected by the website. We kept it alive all year long, we talked to our audience, we did some things that they asked for and we had a dialogue with them and many more people came to the show this year than had the previous year. I think that has a lot to do with keeping this community alive and interactive.

AB: You were talking about how you sit down with the Showtime and chat about product placement. Does the business aspect of the show - does that sully your creative process at all?

IC: No, it doesn’t in the least. I think it’s interesting and I’m sure there are some writers who wouldn’t be interested, but I’m not one of those people. I don’t like business so much - I’m not a business woman - but I like the sociology of what we’re doing. I think it’s really important and it’s exciting. And it’s exciting that there are advertisers who now want to be in business with our community and have identified us as desirable and economically viable. It’s exciting to think about what other ways we can get our stories out there.

AB: Let’s switch gears and talk about politics. I know that you are involved in helping Hillary Clinton win the presidency.

IC: I’ve been a Clinton supporter for a longtime. I’m hopeful and excited about our Democratic nominee. Whether it’s Clinton or Obama, I think we’re going to have a great nominee and I’m going to work for whoever it is… I talk that way now as we’re getting closer. I’m not presuming that it’s over for Hillary Clinton, but I’m well aware of where it is right now and the fact that Obama is definitely looking more like a winner. You know, I just think that we have two candidates who are going to change the course of things in a powerful and positive way and I’m going to work hard.

AB: What’s the main attraction of Hillary Clinton for you?

IC: For me Hillary Clinton has always been a bold and smart and capable politician. I won’t say that it doesn’t have something to do with the fact that she’s a woman - for me, that’s really significant. I think that a lot of the things that have been said and a lot of the ways she’s been judged and characterized, particularly the negative, have had to do with the fact that she’s a woman and that galvanizes me even more.

AB: Last week, we published interviews with three gay Obama supporters - Tobias Wolff, Eric Stern and Stampp Corbin. Corbin talked about how he doesn’t agree with Hillary Clinton’s “strategic” position on DOMA. He thinks we’ve progressed so far and sees no reason to leave bits in place to prevent the passage of a Federal Marriage Amendment. What is your stance on DOMA and Hillary’s partial repeal?

IC: I wish that she had been bolder in her support of us and our issues. That’s just the state of our politics - we’ve been supporting candidates for years who take small steps and then really disappoint us. I’m not a single-issue voter. I have a hard time supporting anybody who doesn’t fully support us in our lives, but I’m pragmatic. I really think that all of America will respond to leadership. Even if there are people who vehemently disagree with us, who are bigots, who would like to see us oppressed, there is just no question that coming forward, leading and doing the bold thing is the better approach. So, I hope that either Clinton or Obama, when running for president, will be bold in their support of us and our issues.

Starfury has just announced L5, it's fifth L Word convention, to be
held on November 14th - 16th in Blackpool, UK.

The first guest announced is Jennifer Beals! Purchase Tickets to L5.

Talice in Ep. 509:
Scene 1: at the Planet when they talk to Kit about mafia sit-down with SheBitches, it's really short

Scene 2: at the SheBar...Tasha is quiet until almost the end when Alice mentioned that she's Captain Williams and Lover Cindi is impressed, Alice agrees to mention SheBar and the planet in one of her podcasts

Scene 3: Tasha is siting on the couch and listening to the sounds outside, Alice asks what she's doing and Tasha says that she's never home by 6 pm, she usually stuck on 405 and Alice sits down and they both listen to the sounds and Tasha says that she has nothing that suppose to be doing right now and Alice looks at her, smiles, and they began kissing

Scene 4: This is when everybody's having sex with the "swimming pool" song and Alice comes back into the room with ice and straddles Tasha, takes her dress of and says that's it's too hot, Tasha: and getting hotter and she laughes...Alice grabbs an ice cube and tells that it will cool her off, she touches Tasha's lips with the ice and then they start kissing, then Alice removes Tasha's top and began rubbing ice cube over her skin, Tasha: it was good, then Alice put the cube back to Tasha's lips and they kiss again...then scene changes to Tibette

Scene 5: the last part of Talice sex, Tasha is still sitting on the couch and Alice is going down on her and Tasha's making noices and then has an O with a scream (all love scenes look really hot and realistic, even Max and Tom...lot's of O's and nakedness )

TiBette in 509:
Scene 1 is when Bette gets home from work with Jodi, Jodi gets into the pool in her clothes and Tina calls Bette at the same time and they talk about SheBar gathering and Tina tells Bette that she won't go because it would be hard for her, Bette says that it would be hard for her too and then she puts Tina on speaker while opening fridge and getting ice-cream to roll over her skin, nice shot from the top of her twins...and then they confirmed that they are meeting Dan at 6 pm.

Scene 2: Tina talks to Sam and asks her to dinner but Sam declines because she saw at dinner that B&T have issues still and she won't get in a middle until they solve them, Tina apologizes and explains that they are trying to work it out

Scene 3: Bette's asleep, Jodi moves on top of her and Bette wakes up from the water drops and Jodi begans kissing her but Bette is not into it, stops her and says that it's too hot. Jodi: it's bullsh**, what's going on? Bette gets up, turns around and says with the back of her head to Jodi: I'm in love with Tina (and she's turning around when she sais Tina); Jodi: what did you say?; Bette: I'm unhappy (and she looks like she's about to tell about Tina but chickens out), so when Jodi asks Unhappy how? Bette just says that she's not happy with her work and doesn't want burden Jidi with that. Jodi stretches her hand and Bette comes coser and Jodi says: I wantyou bette, yout mind, your heart and your body, i miss you (and they kiss)

Scene 4: Bette at SheBar with the others and she acts like a mafia boss and pretty much handles all the negotiations

Scene 5: Bette gets drinks and Kit realizes that one of the drinks is for Tina and that Bette is doing something, and Bette tells her that she's trying to do the right thing and that's why Tina and she are going to see therapist and then asks not to tell this to anyone

Scene 6: B&T are walking inside the building and Bette tells her about the meeting that Jenny gave lover Cindi a part in the movie, they ran for the elevato and talk about how much money Tina's production company is losing because of blackouts and then elevator stops, Bette starts panicking because of the heat and she can't take any more heat and then the next scene with them sitting on the floor.


Talice in Ep.510

• How many scenes do they have together? one scene before the ride with Tasha's friends, there's a lot of scenes while they are riding and it's hard to say how many total because they are always with everybody during the ride (at one time Tasha's friends challenge her to race and she goes after them but Alice doesn't follow, saying that this is aride not a race) and then one scene when they putting up tent and talking about Tasha's friends who invited them to their camp but Alice wants to hung out here and Tasha says it's cool, we'll hook up with them in LA; and then the scene when they are with everyone around the fire and then just their scene in the tent

• Tears mentioned that it was a cute moment for them, when Alice asked whether Tasha’s friend was flirting with her. Can you provide the dialogue or describe that scene? Alice: was she fluritng with you? Tasha: a little bit...jealous?; Alice: no; Tasha: mmm? Alice: yeah; they both laugh...it is a cute moment

• Tears stated that Tasha asks Alice about having children, moving, her career, etc… Is Alice happy to hear Tasha speaking so seriously about their future? What did she mean by, “I’m not leaving you alone in the tent anymore?” Alice is surprised at all the questions but she looks happy and says that she wants kids but not now and she wants to get that TV job and when Tasha suggests to move in together because she wants to be with her, Alice smiles and agrees and they kiss and then Alice says "I'm not leaving you alone in the tent" meaning that alone Tasha is thinking too much about serious stuff (at least that's what my friend thought)

• Did Tasha cheat on one of her ex girlfriends by kissing someone else? If so, what did Alice say about that? Can you explain the campfire scene for us again? this is when they all play "I never" and Tasha thinks that kissing someone and even thinkig about someone else while dating another person is cheating, Alice doesn't agree on kissing....

TiBette in 510

Scene 1: Tina upset that Nikki came on the ride and is out with Jenny because she promised her agents she will be careful, Nikki doesn't care and Tina announces that she's quiting when some guys recognize Nikki and want to take pictures with her, Jenny follows Tina to talk but that scene was the end of that part

Scene 2: during the ride they show B&T riding in different positions, sometimes Tina follows Bette or they ride side by side and talk, at one moment Bette rides by Tina and says: Hey, i need to tell you something; Tina: what? (thinking it something serious); Bette: you look really great (laughes) in these pants (keeps laughing); Tina: f*** you, f*** you (and she laughs too) then Tina gets serious again: Bette, i don't want Jodi to know about us; Bette: she's going to find out eventually; Tina: No, i mean i don't want her to know that we were fooling around behind her back, it's okay if she thinks we talked about it but i don't want her to think we acted on it before the two of you broke up (Bette just riding and listening), i don't want anybody to know, well, except for Kit (I guess bette told her that Kit knows something is going on); Bette: yeah, nobody needs to know, that's fine (then after a pause), she doesn't need to know (though it sounded like Bette wanted to tell Jodi)...then Bette looks at Tina and says: pull out, to your left and cuts infront of Tina to her left and Tina lookes after her and keeps riding (my friend has no idea what that part was about )

Scene 3: Jodi stops at the lake and Bette stops by her and Jodi says that she wishs Angie was here because she would like it; Bette agrees and they look at the lake and Bette looks at Jodi at one point like she wants to say something but she doesn't

Scene 4: after a long sequence of all of them riding they showed them setting tents; Jodi tries to tell Bette how to put up tent, Bette replies that she can follow instractions and doesn't want Jodi second-guess her, Jodi throws her hands up and leaves, Bette tries to pull the tent up and falls down, as Tom and Max laugh at her attempts; Jodi helps Tina and tells her that she used to putting things together and Bette wouldn't let her help her; Tina; yeah she's kind of OCD; Jodi: was she moody with you? Tina: yeah, sometimes she can be moody; Jodi: something's going on with her but i don't know what it is... (Tina looks really uncomfortable talking about it), is angelica okay? Tina: yes, she's fine...Jodi checks tent one more time and then gives Tina a hug, who accepts and it's another awkward moment for her, after Jodi leaves, Tina gets into her tent.
Scene 4: first campfire scene when Tina makes sandwiches and just a few of them are sitting by the fire, making smores, just chatting, Jodi gets up and goes to the table where Tina is standing and Bette (who sitting by the fire with Kit) and Tina keep looking at each other; Kit looks at Bette: i sure hope you know what you're doing; Bette: i have it completely under control, don't worry about it; Kit: yeah, keep telling that to yourself, baby girl.

Campfire scene:

after Alice tells a scary story that wasn't that scary and Jenikki came back after a very, very long sex scene with a dildo and a video camera, Jodi suggests to play a game and Shane suggests "I never", after exsplaing the rules and she goes first with "I never slept with a girl" and they all drink...Adele: i've lied about whom i'm sleeping with...and they all drink again (Bette and Tina look at each other and drink, Alice surprised at Tina and Tina said, i did that one time...and Alice like: Oh, with Henry...Tina: don't remind me...); Tom: come on lesbos, let's up it up, this is lame; Tina: i've never slept with someone in a public place; Tom: will someone bring me a bucket (they all laugh and make some jokes); Jenny: i've never been in love (Tina looks at Bette while drinking and Bette looks at her and glances at Jodi too);

Tasha: I never cheated on a girlfriend...everybody drink again and Alice surprised that Tasha did too: who did you cheat on? Tasha: Michelle; Alice: the one? (meaning one of Tasha's friends on the ride); Tasha: yeah, i kissed someone else while i was with my first gf; Bette: kissing isn't like cheating-cheating...Tina: what? (really surprised); Alice: totally cheating...they all began discussing what constitues cheating...to Tasha even thinking about someone is cheating; Jodi: i think it depends on the agreement between people in the relationship, i don't want world make judgments on what i do in my relationships; Alice: nobody likes to be f***ed around behind their backs; Shane: i don't think kissing is counts, nor do i think sleeping with someone, unless you sleep with that person more than once; (some people are talking at the same time, all expressing their opinions); Nikki: i agree with Shane, messing around is just messing around, you can still be loyal to someone in your heart...Alice: wow, you guys have great morals (everybody laughes); Jenny agrees with Jodi that it depends on the agreement between the couple (B&T are looking at each other again), Max brings up Claude and they talk about it a little; Shane says that sexual jealousy brings down a relationship (they joke a little about Shane being a ho ) and Molly asks if Shane will be okay if she sleeps with any of her friends and Shane says: as long as you come back home to me, yeah....Molly: really? Shane: smile....(like she was joking) Alice: you're guys are on crack...f*** is cheating, kissing is cheating whether you do it 40 times or once; Kit agrees...then Tasha mentions that thinking and flirting is cheating but even Alice doesn't agree with that...Jenny asks to raise hands who thinks kissing is cheating, all but Jenny, Shane and Bette raise hands, including Tin and Jodi...Tom asks what Bette's thinking...Bette: i think it's a trap to judge, i mean i think there are different situations and you can't really categorically...this is when Alice interrupts her and says that Bette is a big old cheater; Shane tells Alice to give Bette a break and both Tina and Bette ask who wants to go next with their "I never"...Alice wouldn't stop and keeps saying that Bette is a giant cheater because she cheated on her, on Tina...it was a phase and she's not a cheater now but she was...(Bette looks at her as if pleading for her to stop but Alice keep talking)...there was a lot of cheating, you guys, come on, you saw it, you were there (Tina looks really worried with where this is going and keeps looking at Bette while Alice keeps going on and on) Alice finally stops and Jodi looks at Bette: were you? are you cheating on me? (but she asks that as a joke) Bette just looks back and smiles and Tina looks at Bette with horror on her face and leaves. Alice: Tina, where are you going? Bette looks at Tina with worry as well and Jodi looks back at Bette and after asking her a few times Bette...what? while Bette is looking at her without saying a word with tears in her eyes, Jodi finally gets it and leaves as well, Bette mutters F***, f*** and follows Jodi...

Alice: what the f*** just happened? (Everybody look stunned) Did I...? (looking at Shane) I was just kidding...

Jodi goes back to her tent and zipps it so Bette can't get in and then Tom comes with his phone, texting Jodi and tells Bette: she doesn't want to see you, Bette, she wants you to go away...Bette leaves and goes to Kit's tent

Shane and Alice go to Tina's tent with their beers and get inside.
Alice: what the f***?
Shane: what's going on?
Tina: i don't want to talk about it
Alice: are you having an affair with Bette? (sounds funny, huh )
Shane: since when?
Tina: maybe a month (sheepishly)
Alice and Shane (both): what?
Alice: why didn't you tell me?
Tina: because you have a big mouth (wiping away tears and Alice looks hurt)
Alice: are you guys getting back together?
Tina: i don't know, i don't know what the f*** we're doing
Shane this is f***ing crazy, i never saw this coming, ever (all three of them drink at the same time, it's kind of funny, if it's possible in this serious scene)

Back in Kit's tent
Kit: what the f*** is wrong with you?
Bette: i don't know, it just happened
Kit: sh** like that don't just happen, you don't wake with somebody by accident, did you forget...
Bette: forget what?
Kit: how terrible your relationship with Tina was, you were miserable, you hated each other...you hate each other...i don't know, maybe this totally made you lose your mind, you and Jodi had that wonderful shot together at something really really healthy and you were good together
Bette: no, we didn't
Kit: and then you went and f***ed it up
Bette (firmly): Jodi and I never had a shot, we didn't, it wasn't working...I love Tina (starts tearing up), I've always loved Tina
Kit acts like she can't belive what she's hearing
Bette: and i know it turned out so badly and i didn't mean it to happen this way, i know i'm going about it all wrong but i'm doing it for the right reason, i was trying to do the right thing
Kit: you know it sounds like you're doing what's right for Bette

Tina's tent
Shane: Jodi's going to be devastated, she moved her whole life out here to be with Bette (Tina looked at her with tears), i'm not trying to guilt-trip you, Tina, i swear
Tina: i didn't want it to happen this way, okay? i didn't even want to come on this trip, i didn't want it to happen
Alice: are you in love with Bette...again?
Tina: i've always been in love with her and i feel like an as*hole that i'm doing this to Jodi but i just want her back and i'm scared because i know that we're just going probably f*** it up (Alice moves closer to Tina and puts hand on her back for comfort because Tina's crying), but i have to do it, you know, i can't help it, it's something that i can't help, i wanna be with her
Alice: guys, you know, you belong together
Shane: yep, you do
Alice: you always have
Shane: it's true
Tina: i f***ing hate women (they all chuckle and drink more)
Alice: this is some f***ed up sh**
Tina agrees

Only Jenikki is left by the fire and Nikki mentions that it's drama-rama; Jenny: it's so difficult, Bette and Tina should've stayed together, they should've had the courage to work it out and not just ran away from each other like that (and then they talk about themselves, how they came back to each other and they will love each other forever)

Early in the morning Bette is sitting alone by the lake and crying (Rachel Yamagata's song "The other side" is playing), when she gets back to her tent, Max tells her that Jodi left already because she wanted to ride home alone, bette gets her stuff together and while the song continues, they show the rest of the gang riding home with Bette in front, Tina's riding and looking at her and everybody have somber looks on their faces...the end


TiBette in Ep. 512-Credits to Daydreambeliever on tibette.com

"This post is for TiBette Nation.

I won't spoil anything else about the finale - please please believe me when I say it is MUCH better to watch this episode unspoiled. But I know everyone is concerned about Tina and Bette, given how much Ilene has tortured this couple for the past 4 years.

Bette & Tina in the finale are just ... beautiful. You will be VERY HAPPY with how the season ends. B&T have 4 major scenes together in 5x12, and each one is great in its own way. Every scene reminds us that when at their best, how amazing these two can be together. And of course, it goes without saying that Jennifer and Laurel bring the love like no one else on this show.

As always, there is *** flying all around in the finale. But for once - finally! -the *** is not between Bette and Tina. There's plenty of drama in Tina's other big storyline, with Jenny and Lez Girls. There's some work related stuff for Bette, and something to do with Hodie but it ultimately has no impact on Bette & Tina together. That scene with Bette curled around Tina on the bed is ultimately a very positive one, when viewed in context."

"Don't read this post unless you want to be completely spoiled.

Again: I do feel it is much better to watch unspoiled.

This is your final warning!

1st scene: Bette and Tina in the Lexus with Angie. They're stuck in bad traffic, Tina says her place is only a few minutes away from Angie's preschool, how she likes living on the west side because the air is better and it's near the beach. (Angie is very cute in this scene. ) Bette asks if Tina's suggesting she sell her house. Tina replies, "I didn't say that!" Bette gets flustered explaining that she meant, you know, when they 'get together,' and ... decide ... it's adorable. Tina's smiling and spares Bette more embarassment by suggesting she practice her speech for the Hammer event. They talk about that, then talk more about how bonded Angie is to Hodie and finding a way to include Hodie in Angie's life. Bette thinks it'll be too hard because they need to establish boundaries. They're interrupted when they see a public bus in front of them that has an ad for Alice's TV show, with Alice's photo on it.

2nd scene: It's late afternoon, after work. They are lounging on a large day bed by Bette's pool. The lighting in this scene just gorgeous. Let me say that I don't think I've ever seen Bette look so happy. Never in 5 seasons. She is radiantly, unreservedly happy. She looks really beautiful. After a whole season of watching her be miserable and tormented, it's such a relief!

The dialogue here is excellent; it's mainly about Tina's movie but it's also about their relationship, past and future. It's also very meta and if you replace 'Jenny' with 'Ilene' it could work just as well. It's a real couple conversation, intimate and natural, talking to each other instead of at each other or leaving too much unsaid. Bette is really listening to Tina, supporting her. They talk a bit about the Hammer event, and Tina says she wishes she could go with Bette and be there for her. Bette bluffs and plays it off like it's nothing, she'll be fine. Tina knows better.

Tina describes her favorite scene in Lez Girls, which is when Jessie finally says goodbye to Karina for good, how Jessie's totally heartbroken and feels like she will never love again. Bette says that's how you always feel with your first love.

Tina: You were my first ... and I thought I would die.
Bette: I never left you.
Tina: Yes, you did .... but then you came back.

This part is really awesomely done - the expressions on their faces, the body language, the inflection in their voices. Bittersweet but also very hopeful, because they found a way back to each other again. It's loving and filled with hope.

Towards the end, Bette fishes a little bit for some reassurance (it's very sweet) after Tina says (re something work related), "it's not important."

Bette: What is important?

Tina crawls over to her.

Tina: You.
[Kiss.]
Tina: Us.
[Kiss.]

Tina's kisses move down to Bette's torso, Bette's hand goes under Tina's blouse. Then Bette whispers, "do you think Angie should have a baby brother or baby sister?" She's smiling that super happy smile. Tina cradles her face and says either "when?" or "what?" (I can't tell.)

3rd scene: Hodie does something and it's very upsetting for Bette. Tina's holding her in bed (it looks like that famous John Lennon/Yoko Ono shot) and comforting her. Laurel does a great job here; it looks like Tina is literally in pain for what Bette had to go through. "You should just let go," she whispers. Bette: The only reason I can is because I'm here with you.

4th scene: At the wrap party. A nice, sultry version of "Walk On By" is playing as Tina leads Bette to the dance floor. Laurel looks just stunning. Tina looks so happy and she's walking with that confident swagger we've all fallen in love with. Bette looks just blissed out and smitten. They begin to move together, and boy do they look good. We cut to their friends at the table, watching them. Tasha comments that she never imagined them together, and Alice is like, are you kidding me? They belong together. Kit agrees, saying "they always have." PG delivers this with a dreamy sigh. (There's no doubt here that Kit has come around to supporting the decision that clearly makes Bette so happy.)

They continue dancing. (Did I mention how good they look? I can't believe they're not a real couple. ) It's like they're in their own world, they're so lost in each other. The actresses that play Bev and Nina are on the dance floor, and they notice B&T. They both look charmed and happy for B&T, and you can see Gretchen/Nina say, "beautiful" to Bella/Bev. How's that for meta?

Then they start kissing, and it's endless. Kissing and kissing and it's like they can't get enough of each other. Open mouth, all out ... yes, making out on the dance floor. After all the time spent sneaking around and all the angst and guilt of their affair, to be able to be with each other this way in public probably feels pretty amazing. It's very romantic and very sexy and just perfect.

It looks even better than it reads. Trust me: worth every moment of pain and drama they (and we) had to go through to get to that point with this couple.

Don't spoil yourselves for anything else that happens with the other characters! I know it's hard but please resist if you can!"


*****

More for TiBette in ep. 512

I'm not a fanfic writer, but that's a fair question. Believe me, when they started dancing, my jaw was on the floor! I really couldn't comprehend that Ilene was actually giving viewers such an iconic, romantic moment. I'm not complaining. I loved it from start to finish.

I forgot to mention that in the first scene, it's clearly implied that Tina and Angie spent the night at Bette's, and they're stuck in traffic on the way to work. They're going to drop Angie off at preschool first.

I said this once, and I'll repeat it again. I won't spoil any other characters or relationships - I'm sure that will come out soon enough, and this board's focus is Bette and Tina.

The final thing I will talk about is Hodie. The Hammer event is for Hodie (and the director of the Hammer is played by Miggi Hood, Ilene's former partner - the meta, it's giving me a headache). She's introducing a new piece to the world.

Hodie tells the audience it's a piece about loyalty and commitment. (and love, I think ... can't remember exactly). It's a giant, MULTIMEDIA artwork - images projected all over the walls. Guess who it's about?

Bette's face and voice are all over the museum. Hodie blasts the details of their breakup in public, in front of all of Bette's family, friends, and peers. Bette had no idea until she saw her face on the walls that the piece was about her.

How Hodie transformed from the carefree, cool artist of S4 into this vengeful, bitter person bent on humiliating Bette publicly even after their endless breakup and how hard Bette tried to explain herself in 5x11 ... I'm not really sure.

"Walk On By" is performed by a male singer. The beat of this version is slower than the original, hence my description "sultry." It's the song everyone knows, with the lyric: If you see me walking down the street ... The lyrics aren't relevant to the Tina/Bette storyline but the song works for the dancing.

In the scene by the pool, I should clarify that I thought the dialogue was excellent not because it was 'processing' the way we would define it in 'the real world.' It just actually felt like a real conversation that two people in love would have. JB/LH also do such a good job of conveying how much Bette and Tina enjoy being together. I just thought the dialogue had so many layers, it was really well done. And a big step forward for Bette and Tina. If 5x09 was about bringing out all the biggest issues between them into the open, to me 5x12 moved them further down that path.

Daydreamerbeliever about Bette's hair and outfit:

"To be honest, I hated Bette's hair and outfit at the Hammer event. Maybe I'm just not trendy enough.

In the first scene in the Lexus, Bette's wearing a pink-ish blouse that looks a little frumpy to me, not my favorite look on her. She's worn a similar blouse in office scenes before. There's like a bow or ribbon or something in front.

In the scene by the pool, she's in a black tank top. And as I mentioned before, she looks so very happy, and really beautiful. Casual Bette at her best.

At the wrap party, her hair is straightened, she has bangs. She's wearing a black dress with a silver design on the upper chest (butterfly, I think). She and Tina make a knockout pair at that event.

I should mention that Tina comes to the party with both Porter women, Kit and Bette. (In Bette's Lexus.) "

DDB about the dance scene and the song:

"(The song "Walk On By")... It's the Isaac Hayes version. I just gave it a listen now and it's the same one.

The dance-floor romance is not the last scene of the episode ... but it is the last extended B&T scene. We see Tina and Bette (but mainly Tina) again afterwards but they as a couple are not the main focus of the action."

To the question about Bette's friends' reaction at Jodi's hateful actions at the museum:

"... we don't see it. It ends on Bette's face, shocked and humiliated and very upset, as images and sounds of herself are blasting all around her. (There is a brief shot before that of Alice and I think Shane, possibly Jenny and Kit looking shocked as they start to realize what the piece is about.) Then the action moves onto other characters, and the next we see of Bette, she's in bed with Tina."

About... all sorts of questions asked!

"... There is quite a bit of drama that goes on in Tina's Lez Girls storyline. It's complicated. Some is good, some is bad. So I'm not sure what you mean by thumbs up or thumbs down, but if you're asking if something bad happens to Tina, then the answer is no. I give it a thumbs up because Tina is as present as ever, and the more screentime for her the better.

... No, no rings. It's too early for that! They're just starting again, haven't even decided to live together again yet...

I don't think the line about more children means there will be a baby storyline in S6 if there is one. I think it just meant to convey the intent for the relationship, to be a serious one again. That they want to stay a family. This was important in case S5 was the last.

... The sounds (from Jodi's piece at the museum) are of Bette saying different things, like "I love you" and "get out" and I think even "**** you" ... snippets that when taken with the images are clearly meant to convey a very unflattering portrait of Ms. Porter. Basically, that she is not loyal or committed.

... There are no endearments like "baby" that we hear. But believe me, everything else makes up for it! Also, Tina and Bette hold hands as they walk into the party."

More from DDB (answering questions):

"... The Hammer scenes are pretty long. I want to say 10 minutes in total, maybe more, but I'm not sure. They spend quite a bit of time on Hodie talking with basically each one of Bette's friends. The longest is with Shane, which makes sense because they seemed the closest. She says "don't be a stranger" to Shane, kind of like they agree to stay in touch. (This is before the piece about Bette is shown.) Then there's stuff that happens with other characters after the Bette humiliation exercise. So in total it's pretty long.

I forgot to say that in that last shot of Bette, shocked and upset, it's actually Bette in the foreground and Hodie in the background. You can see both their faces clearly. The look on Hodie's face is - I'm not sure how to describe it. Like she got the revenge she was looking for. It looked like she was relishing the reaction she got out of Bette.

I know Bette made the whole thing an even bigger mess than it was by waiting so long to make a decision, and Hodie has a right to be upset and angry. But yeah, Hodie was very much the hell hath no fury woman in that scene. Maybe she felt she had a right after the stuff that happened on the bike ride, and Bette explicitly telling her in the next ep that what Bette really wants is what she has with Tina. That she loves Tina in a way she can't love Hodie. That must be very hard to hear.

... It seems like the whole "values" discussion has been a running theme all through the JoBette relationship. Who knows what Ilene really intended originally regarding those two, but it has been a constant thing between them, this tension between their values. Which I think is why Hodie throws it back in Bette's face in that art piece. FU and your values, you hypocrite! Is what she seems to be saying to Bette.

Also, Hodie is an artist who seems to have a pattern of messy breakups. It's not too surprising that the breakup with Bette was used in her art in some way. What was low was the *way* she did it.

... (Second Tibette scene) Bette and Tina are sort of half reclined on their sides, facing each other. Tina is in jeans and a blouse that I really like, Bette is in her black tank and some casual loose black pants. If you're looking at the TV screen, Bette is on the left (and leaning on her left elbow) and Tina is on the right (leaning on her right side). The day bed has four posters, and like a gauzy curtain thing. There are a bunch of pillows on it too. Sometimes we see them through the gauzy curtain, sometimes we don't. But the overall effect is very nice. And it's late afternoon light, very pretty.

... (About the dance scene) the song is not directly relevant to Bette and Tina. But the slow, sexy beat is just right, if that helps. There is a reason they use that song, maybe a little obscure but it is there. It has to do with other storylines. (Not B&T.)"

more info from daydreambeliever:

We see Bette's friends reacting with surprise/shock as the piece is actually being played on the walls, but there is no scene showing how they react to Hodie afterwards. The last shot is Bette foreground, Hodie background (both faces visible), then it cuts immediately to action involving other characters. There's no shot of Bette leaving. But we can infer that the others stay on at the party, because other things happen with the other characters.

The next time we see Bette, she's in bed with Tina. She looks really upset, and is describing how humiliating it was for her. "Why would she do that?" Bette asks. "It was so humiliating." Tina's holding her and caressing her hair, kisses the top of her head, and she whispers softly, "That's why she did it." (Both very pained for Bette and understanding of the impulse behind Hodie's actions.)

Someone upthread mentioned the LuH interview where she talks about them filming in the car with Olivia. I'm sure this first scene in 5x12 is the one she meant. At one point, Angie blurts out, "are you gonna honk the horn?" and it's adorable but it looks unscripted, and Laurel just rolls with it.Angie asks about honking the horn in the middle of B&T's dialogue about how Tina likes living on the west side and Bette asking if Tina's suggesting she sell her house. Laurel's smiling and turns toward Angie (who's in the back, in a carseat) and says, "no, we're not gonna honk the horn

Latest from DDB:

"... The footage Hodie uses looks a lot like home video footage to me. Clips of Bette in private moments. Bette on the phone, Bette in bed (nothing explicit), Bette looking moody/angry. She's often looking right at the camera, so it looks like stuff Hodie filmed while they were together. It's stylized - sound effects, rapid cuts from one image to another, clips of Bette saying things like "leave me alone."

Yeah, it's not pretty.

Now I realize I was wrong. The Hammer event scenes end with Bette's shocked face. The next sequence is somewhere else entirely - Dawn Denbo and Her Lover Cindy's club. Sorry I got confused!"

Latest DDB, regarding one poster's suspicions that Jodi had planned her little stunt long before Bette broke up with her:

"...Sorry in advance that my info comes out piecemeal - I just shared the most important info first. Everyone's questions helps me to remember stuff.

Some amount of time has passed between 5x11 and 5x12. 5x12 opens on the morning of the Hammer event, but it's more than one day after the end of 5x11. It's not clear how long exactly. Tina has a conversation with Jenny that makes clear some time has passed. My guess is a couple of weeks.

Also, in the first scene in the Lexus with Angie, Tina asks Bette if she has talked to Hodie (since they broke up). (This is in relation to Angie being bonded to Hodie, etc.) Bette says no. Then later in the same scene, Bette says she heard from someone that Hodie's piece is absolutely amazing. So Hodie clearly made it after she and Bette had already broken up, because by that time they weren't speaking anymore.

Then at the Hammer, when Miggi the museum director greets Bette, she says that she was worried that Bette wouldn't show up when she (Miggi) heard what the piece was about. But Miggi doesn't have time to explain to Bette what she means because she immediately has to greet some other VIPs.

So the way I understood it, Hodie had some time to change her mind about her piece and make it about Bette instead of whatever she had originally planned.

The installation of the piece is very simple. It's simply several multimedia projectors mounted on stands, to project the media onto the walls. So there isn't a lot of preparation needed in that sense. The piece itself - I'm in the comm business so I know that it could've been pulled together in a few days. All you need is the footage and Final Cut Pro.

It's not totally implausible that Hodie as an artist has a habit of taking home videos and such, shooting random stuff for use in her art. With Tom's help, she could probably have identified the sound clips of Bette-isms that she wanted to use.

It's possible that Hodie was going to make the piece about Bette all along and just turned it negative after they broke up, but that wasn't my impression. Otherwise, it seems Bette would have known. The most critical thing being that time has passed between 5x11 and 5x12.

But this is just my take and you may have a different interpretation when you see it."

More from daydreambeliever from Tibette.com on 512:

during the dancing it's strictly dancing ... and kissing.

But we see them several times throughout the party - a lot happens at this party regarding the other characters/relationships. When they arrive at the party, Tina has a cute moment with Kit after they get out of the car, as they're waiting for their valet ticket. Then after Bette gets the valet ticket, she takes Tina's hand as they walk into the venue with Kit.

It might be just me but I got a nice family vibe from the three of them in that scene - there's some tension for Tina because of the Lez Girls thing and both Kit and Bette are very supportive. I thought it was a nice moment to follow the final scene of 5x11, when Tina and Bette pick up Angie from Kit's place.

Before the dancing, they mingle with their friends. After the dancing, there are a number of shots of Bette and Tina together, sitting at a table with their friends and watching as Lez Girls related stuff happens.

Also, after the dancing Tina's story shifts back to the Lez Girls drama. She has one final major scene, which Bette (along with other characters) enters at the very end. They have a last 'normal couple' kind of moment - it's just a brief moment but you guys will notice and like it - but the focus of the action in general is not on them.

I'm not sure what else I can say about the Hodie thing, everyone's questions have been so detailed. But I wanted to mention something about Bette's friends during the Hammer event. The tension is very obvious because Hodie ignores Bette when Bette tries to say hello the first time. She's angry and she shows it.

Bette's friends acknowledge it but they aren't totally "what a bitch" about it either. The sense is that they wanted to be there to support Hodie, and Bette just has to deal with the situation she in large part created for herself. They aren't mean to Bette, but they make a real effort to be friendly with Hodie. (All of this is before the piece about Bette is shown.)

Info from l word fansite

:: L I Q U I D H E A T ::
#5.9

SYNOPSIS

Amidst a scorching heat wave in Los Angeles, Jenny finds her own temperature rising on the set of Lez Girls. After a quick dip in the pool, Jodi does her best to cool things off with Bette but is quickly turned away as Bette would rather brave the heat with Tina than with Jodi. Shane convinces Jenny to accompany her to a mafia - inspired sit down hosted by the women of She-Bar, Dawn Denbo & her lover Cindi.

Recap

Episode Quotes

Featured Music

Screencaps

Preview

Written by Ilene Chaiken
Directed by Rose Troche
GUEST STARS

Jane Lynch ... Joyce Wischnia
Alicia Leigh Willis ... Cindi
Clementine Ford ... Molly
Kate French ... Nikki Stevens
Elizabeth Keener ... Dawn Denbo
Malaya Rivera Drew ... Adele
Chelah Horsdal ... Salli

ORIGINAL AIR DATE - U.S.
Mar 2, 2008 ... 10:00PM ... Showtime

CREW

Produced by
Kim Steer .... line producer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paula S. Kyan .... third assistant director

Art Department
Samantha Schell .... assistant property master

Sound Department
Ethan Beigel .... adr mixer
Frank Morrone .... sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Lohengrin Zapiain .... camera operator: "b" camera
Lohengrin Zapiain .... steadicam operator

Editorial Department
Kye Meechan .... assistant editor

Music Department
Howard Paar .... music supervisor

Other crew
Tim Smith .... first assistant coordinator
Debbie Hager .... assistant: Elizabeth Ziff, New York (uncredited)

info from l word online

:: L I F E C Y C L E ::
#5.10

SYNOPSIS

As the girls prepare to set off on the Subaru Pink ride, Tina spots Nikki Stevens embarking on more than just a bike ride with Jenny. Shane is confronted by her new admirer, or shall we say 'stalker' Molly. A sympathetic Tina pedals through the topic of Jodi and Bette.

Recap

Episode Quotes

Featured Music

Screencaps

Preview

Written by Angela Robinson
Directed by Angela Robinson
GUEST STARS

Malaya Rivera Drew ... Adele
Kate French ... Nikki Stevens
Clementine Ford ... Molly
Benjamin Ratner ... Dan

ORIGINAL AIR DATE - U.S.
Mar 9, 2008 ... 10:00PM ... Showtime

CREW

Produced by
Kim Steer .... line producer

Film Editing by
Dave Rees

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paula S. Kyan .... third assistant director

Art Department
Samantha Schell .... assistant property master

Sound Department
Ethan Beigel .... adr mixer
Frank Morrone .... sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Lohengrin Zapiain .... camera operator: "b" camera
Lohengrin Zapiain .... steadicam operator

Music Department
Howard Paar .... music supervisor

Other crew
Tim Smith .... first assistant coordinator
Debbie Hager .... assistant: Elizabeth Ziff, New York (uncredited)






info from l word online

:: L U N A R C Y C L E ::
#5.11

SYNOPSIS

Adele shocks the producers of Lez Girls as she gathers everyone together to reveal a steamy sex tape between the film's director and the leading lady. With the film's reputation at stake, she informs everyone of her blackmailing agenda. Breaking up is tough to do as Jodi returns to Bette for answers. Back at the Planet, the girls are outraged when She-Bar owners Dawn Denbo & her lover Cindi announce their newest purchase.

Recap

Episode Quotes

Featured Music

Screencaps

Preview

Written by Ilene Chaiken
Directed by Bob Aschmann
GUEST STARS

Malaya Rivera Drew ... Adele
Alicia Leigh Willis ... Cindi
Kate French ... Nikki Stevens
Elizabeth Keener ... Dawn Denbo
Patricia Velasquez ... Begoña
Melanie Lynskey ...
Amber Borycki ... Marci / Donna
Brenda Campbell ... Mary Lamm
Aaron Craven ... Kevin Mador
Wendy Glenn ... Isabella
Angela Gots ... Cammie


ORIGINAL AIR DATE - U.S.
Mar 16, 2008 ... 10:00PM ... Showtime

CREW

Produced by
Kim Steer .... line producer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paula S. Kyan .... third assistant director

Art Department
Samantha Schell .... assistant property master

Sound Department
Ethan Beigel .... adr mixer
Frank Morrone .... sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Lohengrin Zapiain .... camera operator: "b" camera
Lohengrin Zapiain .... steadicam operator

Editorial Department
Kye Meechan .... assistant editor

Music Department
Howard Paar .... music supervisor

Other crew
Kevin McKeon .... production assistant
Tim Smith .... first assistant coordinator
Debbie Hager .... assistant: Elizabeth Ziff, New York (uncredited)





info from l word online

:: L O Y A L A N D T R U E ::
#5.12

SYNOPSIS

Shane & Molly share a passionate morning before meeting Molly's mother, Phyllis & Joyce for breakfast. Helena Peabody returns to Los Angeles to visit her mother in the hospital & is gifted with her family's wealth once again. Once hearing of Kit's loss of the Planet while she was away, Helena brings a mighty tempting proposition to She-Bar owner Cindi, which is hard to resist. Lez Girls is finally finished as everyone arrives in all the glitz & glamour to the film's celebration wrap party.

Recap

Episode Quotes

Featured Music

Screencaps

Preview

Written by Ilene Chaiken
Directed by Ilene Chaiken
GUEST STARS

Holland Taylor ... Peggy Peabody
Jane Lynch ... Joyce Wischnia
Alicia Leigh Willis ... Cindi
Clementine Ford ... Molly
Kate French ... Nikki Stevens
Elizabeth Keener ... Dawn Denbo
Malaya Rivera Drew ... Adele
Wallace Shawn ... Wllly
Patricia Velasquez ... Begoña
Melanie Lynskey ...
Wendy Glenn ... Isabella
Angela Gots ... Cammie
Amber Borycki ... Marci / Donna
Wendy Glenn ... Isabella
Chelah Horsdal ... Sally
Peter James ... Officer Bush
Benjamin Ratner ... Dan

ORIGINAL AIR DATE - U.S.
Mar 23, 2008 ... 10:00PM ... Showtime

CREW

Produced by
Kim Steer .... line producer

Film Editing by
Dave Rees

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paula S. Kyan .... third assistant director
Samantha Lavin .... second assistant director

Art Department
Samantha Schell .... assistant property master
Jason Whetzell .... set dresser

Sound Department
Ethan Beigel .... adr mixer
Frank Morrone .... sound re-recording mixer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jo Rosen .... truck costumer

Music Department
Howard Paar .... music supervisor

Transportation Department
Royale Edward .... driver

Other crew
K. Lynn Martin .... script supervisor: Los Angeles
Kevin McKeon .... production assistant
Tim Smith .... first assistant coordinator
Debbie Hager .... assistant: Elizabeth Ziff, New York (uncredited)






info from l word online