Finally, after six-months of teasers, Lesbian Turkish Oil Wrestling came to fruition on this week’s The L Word. Director Angela Robinson hath given new meaning to the old game of Slip and Slide—although lesbians play their own version between the sheets—as Elizabeth Keener’s Dawn Denbo and her “lover Cindy” introduced the West Hollywood bunch to public rubber sheet romping. Kate Moennig, Mia Kirshner, Kate French—who play’s Jenny’s avatar Nikki Stevens—and Clementine Ford, Cybill Shepherd’s real-life daughter, who plays her daughter Molly on the show—all rolled around greasy, topless or otherwise compromised, all for the viewers’ objectifying pleasure.

Filed under the wouldn’t be nice if it were true category, the handbook for the bored housewife, The National Enquirer, reports that art imitates life for Cybill’s Sapphic spawn, Clementine. According to the tried and true tabloid, Clementine’s got a real-life GF. (And honestly, considering the frequent 'I know a secret' and 'that's so a private joke' glances between Ford and Moennig in the last episode—we're wondering if life is imitating art in more ways than one...)

Before her big, Turkish Oil Wrestling scene, Clementine was frequenting Hollywood’s Falcon screenings with 500 screaming lesbians, but now that she’s a bonafide and recognizable Lesbo icon, she’s lying low—or is that the down-low?


info from gay wired.com

February 22, 2008

1.) Does Shane still surprise you after all these years in her skin?
Katherine: Sometimes. When she's not being a sex machine. And actually is put in trying circumstances. I'm always curious to see how it will be handled.

2.) What is your professional schedule for the next months to come?
Katherine: I don't really know yet. The strike has halted a lot of things.

3.) You said several times that you like Jenny's storyline. Is there a character or storyline of a character that you do not like?
Katherine: Any storyline that doesn't have a solid foundation is tedious to me. I'll leave it at that.

4.) Are you a superstitious person? If so, what superstitions do you believe in?
Katherine: I'm deeply superstitious. Always have been. I'm always knocking on wood.

info from kate moennig fr.net

More Surprises Added to Dinah Shore Weekend

April 2nd - 6th: Palm Springs, CA
Article Date: 02/26/2008

Girls go wild at this year's Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend pool parties!

Expanded weekend poolside events will shock and surprise with the first ever KY Jelly Wrestling matches, Lisa Lisa performing live and over two dozen of the hottest celebrities.

The upcoming Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend will not only entertain with some of the hottest performances to ever hit the Valley but will also provide a lot more scandalous and outrageous events ever offered at the largest lesbian gathering in the world.

Due to overwhelming demand, an enlarged stage has been added to the Doral Resort waterfront lawn where some of the hottest acts will take place on Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6 from 9am to 4:00pm.

Just added to the already star studded line-up will be the first Annual KY Jelly Wrestling matches on the lawn, as well as the legendary 80’s diva Lisa Lisa of the Cult Jam on the main stage.

Also a huge line-up of stars are scheduled poolside all weekend including: The L Word’s Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig, Elizabeth Keener, Jane Lynch and creator Ilene Chaiken; Logo TV stars including Exes and Ohs' Michelle Paradise, Marnie Alton and Megan Cavanagh; the cast of the Big Gay Sketch Show Julie Goldman, Kate McKinnon, Nicol Paone; the cast of Dantes Cove Thea Gill, Tracey Scoggins, Jill Bennett, Michelle Wolff, Michelle Clunie and Jenny Shimizu; Curl Girls star Michelle Fleury; MTV’s A Shot at Love’s Dani Campbell; and a performance by Lori Michaels, Me and The Girls.

Tickets are selling out quickly and are available at advance discounts at www.thedinah.com or by calling 1-888-92Dinah.

Interview with Jennifer Beals in Japan
By Yuki Keiser February 2008

1. Jennifer visits Tokyo's gay area!
2. It's important to be represented in pop culture
3. It's a great compliment that people think I'm lesbian/bisexual


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 another version (only in Japanese) of the interview 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.

2. It's important to be represented in pop culture

TW is proud to present this hotly anticipated interview with Jennifer Beals ("Bette" in the L word) given the day before her visit to Shinjuku Nichome. This interview was conducted by the Chief Editor of TW for FOXLife who screened the L word in Japan. You can access the full interview at （www.foxlife.jp)(Japanese text only）. The video footage is aired on the channel.

Tokyo Wrestling was the only lesbian media from among 50 members of the press to interview Jennifer during her recent visit. She talks about her reasons for choosing the role of Bette, character changes made at her request, and her increased awareness of gay issues since she joined the show. Don't miss her precious message for TW readers and lesbians in Japan!
　
--What has been the most exciting aspect of being in the show?

I would say all the friends I've made. Also, how the show has changed people's lives - the letters I receive from people about how they were able to come out and how they were emboldened by the show really make me excited. I'm very proud to be a part of the show.

--I read that at first you were asked to choose between the roles of Bette and Tina. Could you tell us why you chose Bette?

In the pilot, Bette is presented as being so strong and sure of herself, but within that, I recognized that she was a little bit insecure and maybe diffident. To me, it was interesting to play that tension between the two different sides. And I really love the way that the character has developed, I think that it's really interesting. I wish that she would behave herself a little more sometimes (laughs), but it makes for better drama.

--Also, you asked Ilene to make your character biracial, and she accepted.

Yes, originally Bette wasn't a biracial character. When I first met with Ilene, she talked to me about how writing the pilot came out of this need to represent her community, because Ilene is gay and she has never really seen herself represented in pop culture. So in the meeting, I asked her if it would be possible if Bette could be biracial, because by the same token, I had never seen myself represented in any way, shape or form in pop culture - other than as the crazy oversexed character. It's similar to how lesbians have been represented in pop culture - you know, usually as the serial killer, the psycho who is trying to change the straight girl into a gay girl. It was just not very accurate, so I was interested in making a change. I didn't expect Ilene to replace it so quickly, but she's been very kind. She has an open door policy with all the actors to discuss our ideas and concerns about the characters and the show.

--I read your speech（http://www.power-up.net/） at the Power Up premiere about that issue, and found it very moving.

Oh, thank you! It was really an amazing experience to write that speech. It took me a very long time to write it, and giving the speech was an incredible moment for me.

3. It's a great compliment that people think I'm lesbian/bisexual

--The gay community has often commented that you're so convincing as a lesbian.

I know! People thought I was gay, I was so excited. I was like, "YES! I've done a good job! (laughs)". I thought that was a big compliment.

--On the screen, the actresses seem to get on very well. Which other actresses are you closest to?

Yes, we do! Gosh, you know it depends… Marlee Matlin is on the show now, and she and I have known each other for a long time, so we get along very well. I get along with everyone, but I tend to see Marlee, Pam, and Mia quite a bit.

--You also take photos of the actresses. I saw your photos published in a recent issue of the Advocate, and they're great.

Thank you! Sometimes I get little bit lazy about it, but if I have downtime on the set, I do bring my camera along. It's just for us, in a way, to document our time on the set - more like snapshots, to remember certain moments.

Finally

Interview With Kristanna Loken
by
LeeAnn Kriegh
, Contributing Writer
February 27, 2008
One of very few openly bisexual actors, Kristanna Loken is passionate, outspoken and unflinchingly honest — about everything. In a recent interview with AfterEllen.com, the Painkiller Jane and T3: Rise of the Machines star was as candid as ever about her experiences on the set of The L Word, her nonprofit work around the world and her recent engagement to actor Noah Danby.

AfterEllen.com: Well, first, I understand congratulations are in order for your engagement.
Kristanna Loken: Oh, thank you, thank you. It definitely came as a surprise to me, but it was one of those things. … As you know, I've always been open about being bisexual and it could have been a man, it could have been a woman. It just so happens it was Noah.

AE: You met him on the set of Painkiller Jane?
KL: Yeah.

AE: Have you gotten any reaction from fans?
KL: No, I mean, I kind of kept it quiet for a while because you sometimes want to do things quietly. So, no, not really.

AE: You're one of a handful of actresses who have come out as lesbian or bi. Did that put added pressure on you when it came to announcing your engagement?
KL: Maybe subconsciously I felt a little bit because you never know who's going to react to what how. Probably the toughest part for me about being bisexual is the lines are dotted, and you don't fit into one group or the other, and so people tend to be very judgmental. That can be really difficult.

I didn't know how people would react [to my engagement], but frankly I don't really care at the end of the day. It's my life and I'm going to love whom I choose, but I would hope in the end people would just be happy for someone else's happiness.

AE: So, to be clear, you're still openly bisexual.
KL: Sure, I mean, it's not like something you choose. I certainly didn't choose it, so I think that's always going to be part of who I am and what I'm about. It was just a matter of the person. It could've been a woman just as easily, and it wasn't. But I also think it was where I was in my life that I really was ready to find a life partner. I was with a woman when I met Noah, so I really wasn't expecting something like that to happen, but who knows? Such is life.

AE: I think your engagement could be a little challenging for some of your lesbian fans, just because so few celebrities are openly partnered with a person of the same gender.
KL: Well, I never came out and said I was strictly a lesbian. People can always choose how to read in between the lines. Certainly me having relationships with certain women in the public who didn't want to be out in public didn't really make it easier for me.

But in the end, you just hope people are going to support your happiness. It shouldn't really matter. I think that was the biggest thing about coming out, is being accepted to love whom you want. I guess it's kind of the ultimate test of that: Are people in the gay and lesbian community going to accept you if you love another gender?

AE: Being bisexual rather than lesbian puts you in an especially difficult position.
KL: Definitely, because you're not going to always please everybody by being with one or the other. It's hard. If you're in a straight relationship, it's really easy: You find someone and you get married, and people think that's great. Or if you're strictly in the lesbian community, fine, then you have your life partner and that's that. But as a bisexual, it's tough.

And it's tough for me. This is something that I'm going to have to deal with within my relationship on a personal level, and for me it's day to day because I'm never, ever not going to be attracted to women or want to be with women. But I've made a choice with a person who fulfills most of my desires — and I'm not talking sexually, I'm talking compatibility.

I think the more truthful you are with yourself and with the public, then there's less judgment that's going to be made because it doesn't become about guesswork or lying. It's just the truth, and people should accept your truth. Isn't that what everyone strives for in life?

AE: When T3 came out in 2003, you said you were ready for it — ready for celebrity. Were you?
KL: Sure, sure, I really was. If, again, you come back to being honest with yourself, and the people that surround you and your fans, and just try on a day-to-day level to do the best work you can, then you're doing your job. And you know, I haven't checked myself into rehab lately and I haven't had any major problems, so in that sense I think I've remained pretty level-headed.

AE: Opening your personal life to the public can be especially difficult, and sometimes especially painful. But you're saying it's the opposite, it's a relief.
KL: I think it is, because look at all the guesswork people try to do about other peoples' lives, all the time that's wasted. I'm not about the tabloids. I'm not that type of person. I think people create that mystique because they want to be talked about, but if they just said it how it is and put that out there, people can't second-guess that.

AE: And even as your work and life evolve, you're not going to change your approach — it works for you.
KL: Well, and from my perspective, how could it not? Because I really don't care what people say or think. You can't please everybody. You can't. You never can. So whatever people want to think, that's their opinion and their past mixture of life and judgment and love, or hatred or greed or fear, or whatever that they're putting toward their ultimate judgment on whether they like me or not — and I don't care to spend enough time to delve into that.

You could look up any public figure online, and you'll have thousands of people who love them and think they're amazing, and thousands who think they're terrible and unattractive and not talented. That is also the great thing about art: It's subjective. It's the most talked about and influential thing in the world, maybe aside from war.

AE: You've used your status as a public figure to help a variety of nonprofits, including MyLifE, a South Africa-based organization. Can you talk about that foundation?
KL: Yeah, to me part of being a public figure is doing things like the MyLifE project. When you have the ability to travel like I do with work, you get thrown into these other cultures and get forced to get your eyes open and look at what's going on in the rest of the world.

When I was in Cape Town, I had the opportunity to meet this wonderful woman, Linzi [Thomas], who lived on the streets at some point herself. And now she has created this wonderful foundation for kids living on the street.

AE: What drew you to MyLifE in particular?
KL: Well, first of all, by the year 2012, there will be 12 million orphaned street kids living on the streets in South Africa. That's as many as there are in the countries of Norway and Sweden combined — a staggering number of kids.

When I read Linzi's proposal for the foundation, it wasn't just raising money for the kids and giving it to them and hoping they get off the streets. It was a whole proposal for an eco-village that will rehabilitate these children, teach them to care for themselves, teach them skills and get them into the workforce.

And then the kids themselves — a lot of them are smoking crack at age 9. I mean, it's staggering the amount of drug abuse and child prostitution and just horrible, horrible things that go on in the streets. When I was in Cape Town, we actually went out on the street with her one night; Linzi said you've just got to meet the children. We had the opportunity to meet them and talk to them and tell them what we're doing and let them know they're not alone and just to be a friend.

AE: Can you talk some more about where exactly you went and the kids you met?
KL: Sure, we went to downtown Cape Town, in one of the quote-unquote bad areas. It had an open concrete field and some little vendors selling cheap food. Linzi said, "You'll have a great time," and we did — we actually had a great time.

They were so hopeful and positive amidst all this pain and hardship and tragedy. All the young girls have kids by the age of 14. A lot of these kids are HIV-positive. There's lots of drug abuse. Kids are smoking crack or something called "tik," which is a street form of speed.

There was one group of three young girls who were friends and said they sleep under an overpass in this cement area. They seemed really down, and they said it was because they saw one of their friends get run over by a truck the day before.

AE: Oh my God.
KL: It was just — there used to be a group of four and now there's three, and this is just their Tuesday, you know? The casualties are high. There was another girl that was getting herself ready. She was really sweet, and she said, "I got to go; I need to go make money." She had an infant, she was all of 14 herself, and she was going to go prostitute herself.

So it's — your heart is just overflowing with compassion and understanding for these kids. Some had pictures of what their life used to be like, and they wanted to show you. They were really hopeful that we might be able to help.

AE: And now you're the global ambassador for MyLifE?
KL: Right, just this past summer, they asked me to be the global ambassador to the MyLifE project, and since then we have done so much, including putting together a fundraiser that just took place in Berlin.

AE: I understand it was a lingerie auction?
KL: Yeah, we wanted to do something a little different, so we decided to do a lingerie auction, and then we also did a five-course dinner. Diesel was the sponsor for the lingerie, and the event drew over 400 people to one of the city's top clubs, Bangaluu. It was a big success — so much so that we're planning to have a similar event in L.A. this fall. … I don't care if you're gay, straight, old or young, who doesn't love a lingerie auction?

AE: People sometimes roll their eyes about celebrities and their pet causes, but this sounds like it's really a big part of your life.
KL: Oh, it is. It absolutely is. People can roll their eyes if they want, but at least you're doing something. People always say: "What can I do? I'm only one person." Well, the glass is half-full or it's half-empty. I mean, what can you do as one person? You can make a huge impact, and I really feel strongly about that. I really do. And this is just one of the causes that I'm a part of. I'm not going to bore you with the others … or maybe I should.

AE: [laughs] Sure, just name them.
KL: Okay, I'll be brief. There's the ROCK Foundation in Romania, which I got involved with when I shot BloodRayne. There are a lot of displaced infants in Romania, and we're working to help them. … I also am working with a nonprofit that helps educate children on how to care for their juvenile diabetes. It's called Circle of Life Camp, which is located in upstate New York around the area where I grew up. And I should say, all of these groups were formed by amazing women who have inspired me and influenced my life a lot.

AE: Tell me about your latest movie, Lime Salted Love. I know it's coming to New York on March 1.
KL: This was the first film that I produced and also star in. It's going to screen at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, and I'll definitely be there for the event and after-party.

AE: I understand your character in Lime Salted Love is more grounded than some of the other larger-than-life characters you've played.
KL: Yeah, it's definitely a very human, emotional story. My girlfriend Danielle Agnello wrote it; she and I have been really good friends since we met in acting class. It's kind of an avant-garde piece, a bit like Mulholland Drive meets 21 Grams, edited out of sequence like Memento — if you can follow that [laughs].

It's a tangle of people's lives, set in L.A., and how childhood traumas really shape you as an individual and also your sexuality as an adult. There's an underlying love story between my character and Danielle's character, and there's a love triangle because her boyfriend is involved.

AE: Because it's the first movie you produced and starred in, it must be especially close to you.
KL: Absolutely. We put so much into this, especially Danielle. … I think the film will really affect people. It's not uplifting. It's certainly not a feel-good film, but it is very provocative. It's about people trying to get through life and deal with their inner demons.

AE: You're only 28, but you're already taking control of the projects you take on. That's a really privileged position to be in at a young age.
KL: I think you have to stand up and really believe in projects if you want them to get done. The monetary gain shouldn't be the driving force of doing your own creative work; the gratification that you reap is so much greater. I only want to do good work from here on out in my life; whatever's in the past is in the past. But I certainly haven't seen that many scripts that are really that amazing, and if I have to create my own projects … it's a hell of a lot harder, that's for sure, but why not?

AE: So why did you sign on for The L Word? How did that part fit into your plans?
KL: They came to me and asked me to be a part of it, and I thought, "Sure, why not?" It was fun, it was exhilarating, and it was liberating to be a part of that, and also to have it be such a part of me.

AE: In what way?
KL: Well, just to be able to show same-sex relationships in a kind of quote-unquote truthful way. I mean, sure, everyone's life is more glamorous on that show, but it wasn't exploited necessarily. It's a risqué show, but it was fun to be a part of that; it's a pioneer of its kind. There's no other show like it.

AE: Were you pleased with the story arc your character followed?
KL: I honestly didn't really think too much about it. I was initially going to come on and do a few episodes, and then it ended up being a full season. Then Ilene called me and said this is a great story line, and I was really busy doing Painkiller Jane, so I really physically could not have done any more episodes than I did.

I guess it was true to [Shane's] character. That's what I'm gathering. I haven't really watched a lot of the earlier episodes before I was on the show, but I don't know, I guess in the end [Shane's] character wasn't shown in a very good light, but I guess that's kind of how her character is.

AE: So you're not taking responsibility for the arson?
KL: [laughs] No, that was kind of something they put in there. I somehow don't really see Paige really caring that much to go and start a fire at [Shane's] place of work. I don't necessarily think that's her character. If she did do it, Paige has a really low, nasty streak in her.

AE: It sounded like, from some interviews you've given, that there was tension on the set.
KL: Yeah, you know, it's a set of all women, and women can be catty. There were a lot of people that were great. I really loved Ilene Chaiken. I think she's wonderful, and Angela Robinson was great, and we had some wonderful directors to work with. … I loved that a lot of the crew was women and it was a female-driven show, which is totally unlike how it normally is on a set, where it's probably 80 percent male. So that was fun.

But the girls — some of them weren't really the most welcoming. I think coming into a cast that's super-tight after they've worked together for a number of years is hard. You want to feel accepted, and you want to feel like people want you to be there. And when people aren't really the most welcoming, it just makes it tough. Like in any workplace, if anybody starts a new job and they're working with people who aren't the most welcoming or friendly, you don't really feel like you're having that much fun.

Again, I loved what the show was about, and some of the people were great. But, you know … sometimes people are more welcoming with others, and that could just be the way these people are, and so be it.

AE: Was it any different when you came back to film your last episode?
KL: You know, I have to say people were really cool when I came back for the last show I did. People were really cool, and I think that they maybe had realized that they hadn't been the most welcoming or whatever. And I'm not saying everybody's got to be my best friend — I don't care about that — but at least you want to feel welcomed and accepted and like you're part of something really cool. Because that's what I thought it was: I thought it was a really cool show, and I was happy to be there. So in the end, everybody was fine, and that's the truth.

AE: Did you enjoy working with Kate [Moennig] in particular?
KL: Yeah, I think she's a good actress and she makes interesting choices in her work. She's definitely the character. I think a lot of those character-people lines after several years become a little skewed as to who's necessarily what or who.

AE: I think it'd be really difficult as an actor to avoid having that happen.
KL: Depending on the character, right. I think if the character is someone who's really close to who you are as a person, then, yeah, it would be very easy for those lines to get crossed.

AE: Last question: I know you love the outdoors. Do you have any major adventures planned?
KL: Well, I like doing little explorations. I think you can have so much fun in your own city if you just take the time to explore what's around you. We went on a 13-mile hike near L.A. the other day, where it was 80 degrees at the base and we climbed about 5,000 feet, and there was snow on top, which was super cool. And then we looked over at the next hill and were like, "What's that over there?" So I think we know where we're going next.

"The L Word" Reinforces Negative Bisexual Stereotypes
by
Nicole Kristal
, Contributing Writer
February 26, 2008
Over the last three of its five seasons, The L Word has sent messages that erode positive representations of bisexuality by creating story lines and characters who reinforce myths that all bisexuals are crazy, in denial about their true sexual orientation, and likely to cheat on their partners for the other gender. The show didn't always so flagrantly display this style of prejudice. It used to discount it.

When The L Word debuted in 2004, it featured two strong bisexual protagonists — the characters of Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) and Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner) — on very different sexual journeys. Alice was an out bisexual, always eager to defend the legitimacy of her orientation to her lesbian friends; Jenny was discovering her attraction to women while in a heterosexual relationship.

Through these two characters, particularly Alice, the writers addressed the lesbian community's biphobia while still acknowledging the legitimacy of the orientation. Unfortunately, this informed depiction of bisexuality proved short-lived, surviving only the first season.

As a bisexual viewer, I kept tuning into The L Word in hope that it would magically revert to the beginning, when it portrayed bisexuality fairly. That hope officially died last Sunday during The L Word's fifth season episode "Lay Down the Law," when our former bisexual heroine, Alice, confirmed to viewers everywhere, under oath, that she's now a lesbian.

Called to testify during a military hearing concerning her girlfriend Tasha's sexual orientation, Alice is drilled by Col. Gillian Davis about her own sexuality. "So, you’re a lesbian, Miss Piezecki?" Davis asks.

Alice responds, "Last time I checked."

Though Alice has been gay for more than a season now, I, like many bisexual viewers, maintained hope that her character wouldn't fulfill the stereotype that all female fence-sitters transition into lesbians. My expectations were a little too optimistic.

Way Back When

During the first season of The L Word, someone's bisexuality would be challenged by a lesbian character, and the recipient of the challenge would defend her sexual orientation. For instance, in the pilot episode when her friend Dana attacks Alice for her bisexuality, Alice fends off the accusation that she needs to pick a side:

Dana: Christ, Alice, when are you going to make up your mind between *** and pussy? And spare us the gory bisexual details, please.
Alice: Well, for your information, Dana, I'm looking for the same qualities in a man that I am in a woman.

Later in the first season, Alice dates a man. True, it's for comic relief — he's "a lesbian-identified man" named Lisa — but her craving for male intimacy comes off as believable. Alice tells Tina, who questions Alice's rationale for "going back to men," that she's "had enough drama and mindf---s, and women are f---ing crazy."

Tina (Laurel Holloman), a recovering bisexual, reminds Alice that "men are boring." Alice replies, "Yeah, well bring it on, 'cause I could use a little nice, uncomplicated boring boy-girl sex masquerading as love."

In Season 1, we are also introduced to Jenny, who's in love with Tim. She seems to enjoy having sex with him after describing the two naked lesbians she saw in Bette and Tina's swimming pool. Later, she confirms her love of Tim to her lover Marina, saying: "I'm going to marry Tim. I can't imagine my life without him. I don't want to imagine my life without him."



Even after Jenny and Tim's relationship unravels, Jenny initiates sex with Tim and seems to want to get back together with him, but he rejects her. Jenny later tells her old college roommate Annette, who's visiting from out of town, that she identifies as bisexual.

Jenny: I think I'm bisexual.
Annette: Oh, brother.
Jenny: I do, I really do.

The first season ends with Jenny dating both a man named Gene and a woman named Robin, and with Alice breaking up with Lisa (because he's too much of a lesbian) before pursuing Dana. The character arcs and story lines for both bisexual characters proved accurate, fair and realistic. Too bad they didn't last.

Don't Ask Alice

By the beginning of Season 2, the show began to display a rather biphobic agenda, turning the visible bisexual characters into closeted lesbians who transition rather roughly into their gay identities. Instead of showing Jenny realistically exploring the gray areas of her sexuality further, Jenny's boyfriend Gene tells her bluntly that she's gay, and it's accepted as fact for the rest of the series.

Alice's bisexuality is mentioned in Season 2 purely for comic relief. During the episode "Labyrinth," when Alice, Dana and Dana's girlfriend, Tonya, visit a sex toy shop, Tonya jokingly shoves a chocolate, penis-shaped lollipop in and out of her mouth and says, "I guess this is a little more up your alley, isn't it, Alice?"

Alice grabs a breast-shaped lollipop and responds, "Actually Tonya, this might be a little more up my alley."

Tonya waves the penis-shaped lollipop before Alice and asks, "More than this?"

Alice replies, "Yeah, maybe a little."

The confrontation ends when Dana asks Alice, "Which one would you rather put in your mouth, Al?" Alice glares at Dana and doesn't choose.

But by Season 3, Alice begins to fulfill the "crazy bisexual" stereotype. After being dumped by Dana, she loses it — she pops pills, stalks her ex and refers to herself as "a gross bisexual love addict." She also begins to blow off her attraction to men.

In the episode "Lost Weekend," she discounts her heterosexual side as a safety blanket, telling a support group: "I think the reason I was with Lisa, the lesbian man, is because he wasn't dangerous for me. I knew I wouldn't get addicted to him. I knew I wouldn't get addicted to a guy."

But Alice does get addicted to women, as evidenced by her inability to let go of her relationship with Dana. Alice's love addiction is used to make the point that she only gets addicted to those she falls in love with, and that she's incapable of falling in love with men; thus, she cannot be bisexual. The logic is flawed, given that many bisexuals who don't fall in love with both genders still self-identify as bisexual based on their ability to enjoy sex with both men and women. It seemed clear that Alice enjoyed sex with Lisa, and so to bisexuals like me, that means she's not gay.

In Season 3, Bette's partner, Tina, also starts to fulfill a bisexual stereotype: that bisexual women will always leave their lesbian partners for men. After Bette catches her having an online sexual relationship with a man identified as "DaddyOf2," Tina admits her craving for men. After much heartache, Bette encourages Tina to explore her attraction. Tina is quickly painted as the villain in the relationship and begins to discount her lesbian side, reminding Bette that she was heterosexual before she met her.

Although Tina's desire to stray is more likely due to her dissatisfaction with her relationship with Bette than some unpreventable compulsion for bisexual women to cheat on their lesbian partners with men, that underlying truth is never overtly addressed. By the end of the third season, Tina is in a relationship with Henry, a single dad, and most of her lesbian friends express their disgust with her behavior. That, unfortunately, is one of the most realistic components of this story line.

From Defender to Attacker

Alice's transition from bisexual to lesbian is completed by the end of Season 3 with a distasteful deathbed joke that uses bisexuality as the punch line.

In Episode 3.10, "Losing the Light," Alice is sitting at Dana's hospital bedside when Tina pops in for a visit before a date with Henry.

Tina: How do I look? Am I too dressed up? I feel dressed up.
Alice: You look good.
Tina: OK, bye.
Alice: [to Dana] You're right. Bisexuality is gross. I see it now.

Though Alice was joking to cheer up her dying friend, the joke was at the expense of an entire minority group. I couldn't imagine African Americans or Jews being referred to as "gross" on national television without having an organization advocating on their behalf demand an apology from producers. But no LGBT organization spoke out to publicly condemn the offensive joke.



By the second episode of Season 4, Alice has completed her transformation into a bisexual-hating lesbian, as demonstrated by an exchange she has with Tina at the Planet:

Alice: Where have you been? Oh right, stuck in the far reaches of Heteroville, that's right.
Tina: It's so scary.
Alice: Ooh, scary.
Tina: I think I remember you lurking around there a couple years ago.
Alice: But I did come to my senses, see, that's the difference between you and me.

Having bisexual characters eat their own develops into something of a pattern in Season 4. In the episode "Layup," Jenny, who once identified as bisexual, accosts Tina for wanting to play on their lesbian basketball team. Instead of using the B-word, Tina tells Jenny that she still identifies as a lesbian.

"Yeah, but when you walk down the street with your boyfriend holding your boyfriend's hands enjoying all the heterosexual privileges, you stopped being a lesbian," argues Jenny.

Alice suggests Tina use the bisexual label. Tina tells her she considers the lesbian label to be a political identity, which prompts Jenny to respond angrily: "It's not about who you vote for. It's about who you f---."

In the scene, both Jenny and Tina are written to be extremely unlikable — Jenny for her intolerance and Tina for her refusal to admit she's no longer gay. Both of the unflattering and inaccurate representations reinforce stereotypes that most bisexuals are either transitional or in denial.

But Jenny's criticisms of Tina don't matter for long. By the end of Season 4, Tina has dismissed her heterosexual side and her relationship with Henry as an aberration, telling Bette she'd prefer her control freak tendencies. "I'll take it over the same boring man I've been seeing any day," Tina says.

Yet again, the show simplifies a complex area of sexuality into a simple, disparaging adjective: boring. What's not boring is the irony that at least one of the actors forced to betray her character's bisexual orientation has publicly stated her support for the bisexual community.

Leisha Hailey, who plays Alice, told The Advocate in February 2004 that "I've really come to learn that bisexuality is a true, legitimate sexual orientation. It's not about crossing over from straight to gay." Too bad the show's writers couldn't enable Hailey to impart this wisdom through her character.

During an interview with AfterEllen.com just before the premiere of Season 5, Alice's previous bisexuality was mentioned, and Hailey joked that she didn't remember that her character was bisexual. She then continued: "It's not up to me if they don't wanna play the guy thing. I can't help that. Maybe that perfect guy would be out there [for Alice], you never know. I just kinda forgot about that. I've been trained to forget."

And that's clearly the problem — L Word viewers have been trained to forget the show used to depict bisexuality with more realism and less stereotype. It's just that some of us — the ones who stomach the biphobic remarks in hope that someday we'll be represented fairly once again — remember. And that's why we foolishly keep tuning in.

As one of the few queer shows on television, The L Word has a responsibility to remember and to be inclusive (or at least scientifically accurate) in its representations of bisexuals, instead of glossing over our orientation to push the biphobic and outdated belief that bisexuality is a gateway drug and an impetus for infidelity.

Perhaps the producers of the show should read the recently published findings by researcher Lisa M. Diamond of the University of Utah, who conducted a 10-year study of 79 "non-heterosexual women" and discovered that bisexuality is a "distinctive orientation." According to her findings, women who labeled themselves as bi or "unlabeled" maintained stable attractions to both men and women over the years.

Perhaps The L Word's writers could also ponder this: Diamond found that bisexual women were capable of successful long-term monogamous relationships, and a larger percentage of them were in relationships at the conclusion of the study than their lesbian or heterosexual counterparts. That might not lend itself to soap opera-style melodrama, but that's a show that I — and I'd wager a few other viewers — would rather watch.



Info from AfterEllen

'L word' actor to speak at ISU
Aliya Khan
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: Campus
The Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin will speak at 7 p.m. in Tilson Auditorium Monday as the concluding part of the 2007-2008 University Speaker Series.

"We felt she would be a nice addition to our series, and she had an interesting presentation in terms of her career and how her hearing disability wasn't really a factor," said Linda Crossett, director of community and professional programs.

According to handsandvoices.org, sickness and fevers as an infant resulted in Matlin's deafness. This did not hinder her success and with the encouragement of her parents she did not let her disability stop her from trying and exploring different things.

Matlin's presentation, "The Roaring Silence: From Oscar to the West Wing," came just in time for Disability Awareness Month, although it was not planned that way, Crossett said.

Matlin won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her part in the 1986 film "Children of a Lesser God." At age 21, she is the youngest recipient ever of the Best Actress Oscar. She also received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama.

According to her Web site, Matlin has starred in both films and television. Her films include "Walker," "Hear no Evil," "Askari" and "Bridge to Silence." her first speaking role. As for television, she has starred for seven seasons in NBC's Emmy Award-winning series, "The West Wing." She has also appeared in "The Outer Limits," "Desperate Housewives," "ER" and "CSI: New York."

Matlin currently has a role on NBC's "My Name is Earl" and is planning to star opposite Jennifer Beals in "The L Word."

However, Matlin does more than act; she is also a writer. She has written "Deaf Child Crossing," a book that traces her experiences growing up as a deaf child, and co-written the books "Leading Ladies" and "Nobody's Perfect."

She is currently an advocate for people with hearing disabilities, including fighting for closed captioning in American television sets.

"We thought the presentation would give students insight into the speaker and her career and how somebody who may have physical handicaps can still achieve all their goals," Crossett said.

Following the presentation will be a book signing and reception in Heritage Lounge.

For more information, contact Linda Crossett, University Speaker Series at 237-8479.

3/ 3/08
1:45 PM
‘The L Word’: So Hot in, So Hot in Here

With Los Angeles smothered by a record-breaking heat wave, everyone on The L Word has sex or goes nuts. It's so hot that production on Lez Girls gets shut down owing to rolling blackouts, so Jenny has time to think about the fact that her girlfriend has screwed the male co-star Tina enlisted to help Niki play straight in the press. The situation between Tina and Bette is — wait for it — heating up, as Bette can no longer convince herself she's meant to be with Jodi. And because the writers neglected a handful of heat clichés exploring how gosh darn hot it is, they scripted a ludicrous Godfather-style meeting between SheBar's owners and everyone tangentially affiliated with the Planet so the two sides could negotiate a détente.
Hookups
Tina and Bette, on their way to therapy, get it on in an elevator where they're trapped after a power outage. This would have been hotter if (a) Bette had not announced she was going to have a panic attack when the elevator stopped, ( they hadn't prefaced it with a chat about how they're good together because they both like to stay in on New Year's Eve, and © they weren't trapped in an elevator on their way to therapy.

Jodi's interpreter takes Max on a date that ends with a condom being unwrapped. Finally, somebody is paying attention to Max!

The ostensibly straight Molly Kroll dials up Shane because she's scared of the blackouts. Shane kindly instructs her latest infatuation on the ways of lesbianism until Molly's mom, Phyllis, busts in. If you thought that was the ultimate buzz kill, hang on: Shane overhears Molly telling her mother she digs Shane because she's simple and uneducated.

Since Tasha has nothing to do now that she has, you know, lost her entire military career, Alice gives her a grunty orgasm on the couch.

And last but not least, Jenny lures Niki back to the movie set at night with a love note, and they get naked on a bed on set (an OSHA violation if we've ever seen one) and reconcile.

Processing
There's only one serious plotline remaining this season, and it's the heart-wrenching one: Jodi remains blissfully unaware of Bette's inner turmoil, but Bette can no longer hide her passion for Tina. If the show can find a way to delicately deal with this — something more thoughtful than, say, throwing them all into a pit of Turkish oil to sort it out — we will be grateful.

Meanwhile, does The L Word have a problem with transsexuals or what? The perennially ignored Max finally gets to have an on-camera sit-down with Alice so she can half-heartedly apologize for criticizing his podcast on transsexuality, but rather than work the camera like she's been asked, Shane lackadaisically lets the lens wander around the room and totally ignores Max during his one moment of glory.

Niki accidentally kisses Adele in the dark thinking she's Jenny. At this rate, we'll find out the truth about Jenny's creeptastic assistant around the same time Hillary Clinton gets sworn into the Oval Office.

Paris Hilton failed to make her rumored cameo on an episode where every five seconds somebody said, “That's hot.” Just sayin'. —Chelsea Brady



Info from New York Magazine

Jane Lynch: Sister of Julia Child!
Posted Mar 6th 2008 6:02PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Casting

I just love Jane Lynch. She might appear in pretty much anything, good or bad, but she's also a complete scene stealer. She's one of Christopher Guest's irresistible improv actors. She's had great bits in never-seen comedies like Bam Bam and Celeste as well as huge blockbusters like The 40 Year Old Virgin. And heck, she makes throwing balls at a felt female reproductive system seem natural on The L Word.

Variety reports that she's been cast as Julia Child's sister in Nora Ephron's upcoming flick Julie & Julia. First I had to wrap my head around the thought of Meryl Streep as Julia Child. I just can't imagine anyone pulling her off without it seeming like a caricature. And then they had to go and throw the Tooch into the mix as Paul Child. And now Lynch as her sister? My god, this is one irresistible cinematic family.

The film follows Julie (Amy Adams), a secretary aiming to cook all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and also shows bits of Child's life in Paris during the '40s and '50s. Now I've just got to find a theater that allows alcohol, or brown bag it, because really, you can't watch Julia without a good vino.

We've Got Answers...from Jennifer Beals and Tobias Wolff
March 3, 2008 - 10:39am — editor

A message from Jennifer Beals:
Last week I asked you, the OurChart community, to post questions for Professor Tobias Wolff, chair of the National LGBT Policy Committee for the Barack Obama campaign. And did you ever deliver! Your overwhelming response to my blog made it the most trafficked post in OurChart history. Fortunately, Professor Wolff was more than game and we spent an entire evening (3 1/2 hours) discussing, conversing and debating the inquiries and issues you all raised so poignantly here on the site.

Professor Wolff covered so much ground that we decided to organize the material for you into several segments. I'm excited to share this first piece with you now, which you'll see touches on many of the big-picture questions and concerns you had, from Don't Ask, Don't Tell and gay marriage to adoption and immigration rights. In the coming days we'll post more in-depth discussions on many of these topics and others (hate crimes, healthcare, women's issues)--so please stay tuned!

In case you don't have time to watch the full video right now, you can find Senator Obama's open letter to LGBT Americans right here.

Thank you,
Jennifer


JB: Hi, I'm Jennifer Beals from The L Word, and this is Professor Tobias Wolff, an accomplished Civil Rights lawyer and Chair of the National LGBT Policy Committee for the Obama campaign. (to TW) Thank you so much for joining us.

TW: Oh, thank you, Jennifer; it's a pleasure.

JB: (to the Our Chart community) First of all, I just wanted to say how truly grateful I am for all of your questions; I was completely blown away. Your passion and energy and obvious dedication to the issues was apparent in the quality of your participation, and for me it was always inspiring to read your discussions, and I will do my best to serve you.

(to TW) Why do you think everyone is so energized by this election?

TW: Gosh, I think there's a lot of reasons. Partly it's because we're coming off of a very long and very dark time, and we are ready for a very different kind of government in the United States.

JB: Well, I think also people are so excited by the historical nature of the election - you know you could either have a woman or a man of color ...

TW: Absolutely.

JB: ... which I certainly never thought that I would see in my lifetime.

Well, without further ado, I think we should start to get into some of the questions.

TW: Fantastic.

JB: Obama has said that he wants to unite everyone and that there is a moral imperative for equality, but many of our users said that they felt that LGBT issues are generally overlooked in the elections because raising them is a liability.
PYRAMID would like to know- do you think it's possible for a politician to support the LGBT community without committing political suicide?

TW: Not only is it possible, Barack has done it. And he has been a vocal and energized supporter of LGBT equality for the entire time he has been in public office. In the state of Illinois he was one of the chief co-sponsors, one of the primary co-sponsors on an anti-discrimination law, the Illinois Human Rights Act. It is a fully inclusive anti-discrimination law that protects against both sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, and it protects in employment, it protects in housing, it protects in places of public accommodation. It is one of a very small handful of the best laws of its kind in the country.

JB: MELANIE asks- are there any major policy differences between Obama and Clinton on LGBT issues?

TW: The potential difference has to do with the Defense of Marriage Act, and it relates to our rights as couples. There are two parts to the statute. The first part says if you get married or civilly united or you are domestic partners under state law, then other states are going to be exempted from giving any full faith and credit to your relationship, and that means both, prospectively, if you move to another state and say "now I want to be treated as a married couple or now I want to be treated as a civilly united couple" and also it means that any settled arrangements that you have, that have been the subject of court judgment, that depend upon the fact that you have a same sex relationship, what this statute does that has never been done before in the history of the republic is, it says that other states don't have to recognize those judgments for that one class of citizens.
Now Barack has been on record since before he entered the United States Senate, saying we need to repeal this law and we need to repeal it in its entirety. Senator Clinton has not been willing to do that. She has supported the repeal of Section 3 of the statute, the part that deals with federal rights and benefits. She still supports the part of the statute that allows states to discriminate against our relationships as we travel around the country.

JB: With DOMA, you were talking about how Obama wanted to repeal completely the entire act, the first part of which lets states off the hook in terms of giving full faith and recognition.

TW: Precisely.

JB: Now, when you repeal this, how do you then, and presumably states go on to enact either civil unions or civil marriage..

TW: Sure

JB: How do you then command a state to recognize another state's law?

TW: When you have a relationship in one state, when you get married or joined in one state, and you want to travel around the country, you want a state to recognize your relationship. You've got an arrangement that's already in place, and in particularly an arrangement that's been adjudicated by a court. So you're in California, and you want to have joint custody of your kids, and there's a dispute about that, and you have a court decide that you as a couple have joint custody of your kids. Whenever, in the past, courts have issued judgments, what the Supreme Court has said consistently is that other states have to recognize those judgments even if they don't like them.

JB: So the only thing preventing full faith and recognition right now is DOMA.

TW: Well the only thing preventing recognition of judgments is DOMA. That's exactly correct.

JB: Okay, I just wanted to clarify that for myself.

TW: Sure.

JB: As I reviewed the questions I saw that the issue of gay marriage came up, alot.

TW: Sure.

JB: To start with, COWGIRL UM HUM wonders..
To OurChart - I'm sorry, I just love saying the names of the users, it's fun.
To TW - Is civil union going to be offered as a marriage alternative or as a more refined replacement arrangement?

TW: I feel very strongly, personally, that if state law says that straight couples can enter into a civil marriage, then gay couples or same sex couples should have the very same right. This is just an issue that I happen to disagree with Barack on. Barack's position, like that of Senator Clinton, is that civil unions are the best way to get full equality for gay and lesbian couples.

JB: Is there any indication, that as a progressive leader, that in his heart he knows that gay marriage is the future?

TW: This is a position that he always has a responsibility to always be willing to question and revisit. Any time you are telling a community of folks that there is a difference, that there is gonna be a difference in state law, you really have to be ready to justify your position. One of the things Barack says in the 'Audacity of Hope' is that "this is what I believe, and this is where I am on this issue right now, but I think I always have to be prepared to revisit that." That's what he said.

JB: I just think that you can say, this is where we are right now, and this is what we need to get done, and of course there's a practicality that every politician needs to have, but so much of what attracted me to him was that you had a sense of the practicality, and you had a sense of the greater mission.

TW: Right.

JB: And the mission is for all of us, equally, so you can know what needs to get done but you can have a vision for the future, of what is right, at the end of the day. My question is, at the end of the day, when we get past, God willing, get past civil unions, is the end goal for absolute equality being marriage, at the end of the day?

TW: He's actually gone on record, in written statements that he has circulated in the LGBT community saying, look, if you are in a civil union, or domestic partnership, or civil marriage, under my administration federal law will treat you equally and recognize your relationship. Actually naming the idea that gay and lesbian couples can get civilly married, and that federal law will recognize that marriage, is a step that very few other national politicians are willing to take. Even speaking out loud the idea that gay and lesbian couples are getting married in Massachusetts is something that alot of people shy away from, and he has not.

JB: Which goes back to PYRAMID'S...

TW: Which goes back to PYRAMID'S question. That's exactly right.

JB: Many of our users are concerned about immigration rights for gay couples ...

TW: Sure.

JB: ... PARADOXALPOISED is French and has an American girlfriend of three years. She writes: "The situation is hard and insulting when you know an American guy in the States can order a girl on a catalog, have her come over on a marriage visa, and then marry her on American soil and get her a Green Card. I am not a girl in a catalog -- I see my lover twice a year -- we spend hours on phone and webcam, and we always have to say goodbye. So my question is: Will Senator Obama make it possible for bi-national LGBT couples to have immigration solutions just like any straight person would? And when? Because I'm not sure my couple will make it another three years."

TW: Senator Obama has been on record for a long time as a very strong supporter of equal immigration rights for gay and lesbian couples. There's a bill in Congress right now called "The Uniting American Families Act", and he is working on that bill to get it where it needs to be so that it will both treat gay and lesbian couples equally in terms of our rights and standards that apply to us, and also define which couples are going to get to take advantage of that law, so that we don't have misuse of the law by couples who aren't real couples. The worst thing that could happen, I think, is to pass the law, and then have the story be that it's somehow serving as some kind of vehicle for immigration fraud.

JB: Mmmhmm

TW: And the law is a very good law and needs to be improved a little bit, and then Senator Obama will then co-sponsor it as a senator and sign it as president.

/////

That takes us up to 10:18. (I got the part of the video that makes your heart blow out of your chest, huh?)

Okay, take it away DAE1 or ... who?

JB: TEXASCHART would like to know if you think there has been any legitimate, measurable legal success toward the dissolution of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

TW: The landscape for Don't Ask Don't Tell is so different from what it looked like in 1993. Every NATO ally, with the exception of Turkey- South Africa, Israel, Canada have all gotten rid of their antigay policies in the last fifteen years, with no impact upon military performance or readiness whatsoever, and the United States is now the outlyer. So one of the major changes in the legal landscape is that the argument that somehow a military needs an antigay policy to do their job has been shown false again and again and again by every other military and political ally that we work with and depend upon around the world.

JB: MELINDA6499 writes "I've been with my wife, as I like to call her, for almost nine years. When she goes away with the army, it hurts like hell to leave me behind, yet she has to internalize all of her feelings, because she can't tell anyone she misses her lover who is of the same sex. It shouldn't be like this. She is a great soldier and an asset to the military. So what are you going to do for her?"
I'm sure MELINDA6499 means, what will Senator Obama do for her as President?

TW: Well, Barack Obama has made what I think is unequivocally the strongest and the most fully thought out statement about how we are going to not just repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell and replace it with a policy of nondiscrimination in the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, but also to implement the on-the-ground details of that shift in policy with the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House, uh, Committee with military leaders, to figure out all the ways in which gay and lesbian service members and their partners are currently being treated unequally, and to fix them. That is partly about spousal support services, it's about benefits, it's about the types of pensions and health benefits that our soldiers get, it's about getting gay and lesbian servicemembers who have been kicked out under that old policy, to be able to re-access into the military, to come back, if they otherwise have clean records and it was just this discriminatory policy that booted them out. That's what repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell is about. It's not about just getting rid of that one statute. It's about identifying all the ways in which gay and lesbian couples are treated unequally.

JB: Why wouldn't you go after Don't Ask Don't Tell under the First Amendment?

TW: Well, you're asking the right person! I have been beating that drum for a long time. People have been discharged for talking about their sexuality to their chaplains. People have been discharged for talking about their sexuality to psychotherapists, doctors, writing in their diaries. It is an outrage. I believe very strongly that if the First Amendment doesn't prohibit that, then the First Amendment doesn't prohibit anything in the military.

JB: And would you recommend to Obama to go after Don't Ask Don't Tell in that manner?

TW: The way that we are going to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not just by ordering that it happen or not just by proclaiming that it is a priority, but by getting people on board understanding why this policy is bad for national security, and unjust, and doesn't make any sense, and I think the First Amendment arguments, the observations about how this is how this impacts upon people's speech, these are the sorts of things people are being discharged for, really helps us in that education process, both with members of Congress, with members of the military and with members of the public.

JB: So going after it Constitutionally might be sort of the broad sword to the..not..it's more important to change people's mind set and have everybody on board so that the law will be followed.

TW: Even the most precious rights under our Constitution are not going to be as strong as they should be if the people aren't invested in them, and if people are not ready to recognize the principles that underlie Constitutional rulings by courts. I'll tell you that one of the things that I find so exciting about this year and about Barack Obama's campaign is that he's getting people excited about principles.

JB: As a followup, REBELZZ asked what rights would be given to the partners of gay and lesbian soldiers who die in action?

TW: Well the simple answer, REBELZZ, is, the same rights that are given to the partners of straight soldiers who die in action. I mean, you know, this is the principle that Barack has articulated so clearly, is that we need to get rid of this discriminatory differential treatment, period.

JB: So many of our questions seem to be about gay families and partnerships, because, really, that's the center of anyone's life, I think.
To OurChart: I don't mean to be presumptuous, but love is a big thing in my life.
To TW: With that in mind, THE ROUTE66 wonders, "What is Obama's strategy for insuring that gays and lesbians are able to adopt in every state?"

TW: Mmm. More and more states are holding that the fact that a parent is gay is simply not relevant to the question of whether they are allowed to adopt or the question of whether they should get custody of the kids after a divorce, whatever the case may be. Barack has been strongly on record saying that just not relationship rights in terms of the couple, but adoption rights and custodial rights for kids should be completely equal for gay and straight alike.

JB: And what's on the books now in Illinois?

TW: Illinois. Gosh, that's a good question.

JB: Because I'm just thinking, if he was a senator, I wanted to know...

TW:Sure

JB: Did he do anything about it and was there any need to do anything about it.

TW: Sure. My guess is no. Illinois has been one of the states that has been, partly because of the leadership of people like Barack Obama, has been very good about getting rid of the old discriminatory laws and rulings of the past. So my guess is that the court decision situation is as good as the legislative situation which is to say that they've gotten to the right place. But I'll admit that I don't know in detail.

JB: Okay, we've covered alot of ground here, specifically on gay marriage, Don't Ask Don't Tell, anti discrimination legislation, but before we wrap it up, I think our viewers would like to know what an Obama administration would look like. RSTIPATI "believes political campaigns are all about symbolism and projecting an image to voters. I found a picture of Obama walking in a St. Patrick's Day parade and in a Columbus Day parade. I want to know if he's ever marched in a Gay Pride parade?"

TW: Absolutely yes. In fact he marched in a Gay Pride parade in Chicago when he was a candidate for the United States Senate.

JB: DARLINGGRAY0112 asks " Who's on Obama's short list? The administration that will help him acquire, facilitate and respond to policies, issues and crises? That's just as important to me as who the leader is."

TW: Sure. What Barack has always said, when he gets questions about appointments, and I think it's the right answer, is that "first let's see who the nominee is,and then maybe it will be time to start talking about potential appointments." Having said that, um, Barack's campaign is full of LGBT folks in positions of great influence and responsibility. His deputy manager, the man who's responsible for running the states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina in the early part of the process and who is now one of the principal decision makers in every single one of the key primaries is a gay man.

JB: And his name is...

TW: His name is Steve Hildebrand.

JB: Mmm hmm.

TW: The two chief fundraisers, the fundraisers who are in charge of the entire Western district of the United States are this fantastic Los Angeles couple, who are gay.

JB: Who led me to you...

TW: Who led you to me. That's exactly right. There are folks midlevel, there are folks at the grassroots level, and that has always been true for Barack's entire career. That array of expertise is I think a beautiful sort of preview of the kind of administration that Barack Obama is going to put together as President of the United States.

JB: I think for me what's interesting about this campaign is that it's so clearly a grassroots campaign...

TW: Absolutely.

JB: And that the psychology of politics has changed, that the pronoun is we...

TW: Yes

JB:That someone can lead, but they also expect to be led, by the people, and that it is a symbiotic relationship. There is a call to the politics of hope, not as a pie in the sky kind of idealogy, or you know, Messianic kind of mantra, it is a call to be all that YOU can be. I feel like he makes a promise that he will try to be all that he can be, and listen to all sides, and not everyone will hear what they want to hear all the time, but that he will try to bring everybody to the table as best he can. But it's also incumbent upon us to be the best that we can be, because he cannot get it done by himself, and that's one of the things that's so moving to me.

TW: You know, I'll tell you, I completely agree and I will tell you what, among the many inspiring things about this campaign and about this man, what I find most inspiring is his constant willingness to challenge America and to challenge the people he is speaking to, and to say to an audience, "I'm here to tell you what you can be and to encourage you to start stepping up to the plate, and being the change that we have been waiting for, and to become active and engaged citizens, and to take responsibility for figuring out what kind of America you want to live in."

JB: Thank you so much for being here.

TW: Thank you, Jennifer, it was a pleasure.

JB: To TW: It was really, really a pleasure.
To OurChart: And thank you, again, for all of your questions, and being part of this process, and I can only hope that no matter who the candidate is, that you continue your enthusiasm and you continue your passion and your energy for the betterment of all of us


I think they should have talked to someone from Hillary's camp too.

The L Word Lowdown

Episode 510: "Lifecycle"
Article Date: 03/10/2008
By L. A. Vess



Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

The girls go on a breast cancer cure ride in memory of Dana; a campfire game reveals a little too much for Bette and Tina; give Jenny and Niki a video camera and you can bet the result will be an illicit sex tape; and Shane gets a gold star for teaching a new generation the joys of lesbian love.

Sometimes, I think the powers-that-be at The L Word just like to screw with their viewers and yank their chains. Otherwise, why randomly give a shout out to Papi right at the beginning of this week's episode. Yeah, remember her? "Circles are good" Papi, the hot player looking to give Shane a run for her money? Leave it to the L Word folks to yank the second lovely 'Latina' from the show with little explanation (I guess failing to rock Kit's world was just too much for her) and then just pop her name back up, for no good reason other than to be annoying.

Kind of like killing off Dana and causing mass outrage just because they felt she would be the best "example" for the breast cancer cause. That too was rather annoying. Though her death did, of course, inspire the theme behind this week's episode—one that was actually one of the most enjoyable of the season so far.

Perhaps this episode stands out as a cut above some of the others this season because it did not, blissfully, start off with anything having to do with Jenny's damn Lez Girls movie. Honestly, I'm beginning to hope for some sort of crazy disaster episode where Jenny, Niki, Adele and the entire Lez Girls cast and crew ends up suffering horribly in an endless quarantine from a rampant plague. So, it was lovely to have (most) of an entire episode devoted to actually enjoyable bits of storyline for once.

On a more serious note, personally I do stand firmly behind the repeated nod given by The L Word to the struggle of breast cancer sufferers and survivors. Though the Dana storyline was painful to watch and her death (and Erin Daniels' exit) was controversial and created upset among fans, it did bring a lot of attention to the cause. Seeing creator Ilene Chaiken return the spotlight to the issue in this week's episode was a nice touch. Especially the tear-jerking gathering around the memorial when Alice pins her Dana button up on the quilt. I got leaky, I admit it.

While addressing the seriousness of breast cancer is an altruistic move for the show, it is also a great excuse to give viewers a chance to connect more with their favorite gang of L. A. lesbians. The L Word is never more satisfying than when the Weho gang is gathered together, made to interact and spark in close quarters.

Of course, when you put that many lesbians (plus one trans man, his gay boyfriend and a former straight girl) all in one place, you're bound to cause more than just sparks. Raging bonfires are more likely. Thus, it is unsurprising that the unusual setting this episode led to a number of interesting—some nasty—revelations.

Obviously neither Bette nor Tina was going to get the balls up to do the right thing and tell Jodi what was going on behind her back. Bette is just simply too chicken-*** for anything of the sort and Tina too soft-hearted for her own good. (Obviously, since she's still in love with Bette.) This whole problem had to be resolved somehow, because frankly the threesome was getting torturous, and what better way than a nice round of "I Never" around a campfire?

Again, however, I was a bit disturbed that Alice ended up as kind of the bad thing in the whole affair reveal. Alice has been displaying rather an edgy bitchiness of late that just doesn't seem very suitable to her character. What happened to fun, sweet, perky Alice? Now she's nosy, nasty, judgmental Alice with the whole transgender discrimination thing, outing people and now slamming Bette over the cheating thing. We love gorgeous Tasha, but she needs to kick Alice's ass a bit and get her back in line.

Anyway, back to Bette and Tina and Jodi. The secret is finally out and now Jodi knows Bette has been doing her ex on the side. Jodi storms off, her interpreter Tom seems more hurt than even Jodi and Tina flees so fast you can see flames coming off her heels. What's so amusing about this otherwise intensely dramatic scene is how Bette once again looks like a solid ass for cheating yet again. But Shane and Alice are all cooing over Tina because, you know, she and Bette 'always' belonged together. Hey, Tina just participated equally in breaking Jodi's heart by being the other woman—she deserves equal smacking in my opinion.

On to happier circumstances, Molly finally wears Shane down by begging in a most delicious fashion and declaring how much she really, really wants to learn how to be the valedictorian of lesbianism. So Shane gives in and gives Molly some delightful lessons in lesbian lovemaking she isn't soon to forget. Which, of course, we get the pleasure of sitting in on. I totally support the idea of a college course in Shane sexology at all public and private universities.

I can't help it, I really like Shane and Molly together, regardless of what a terribly oddball couple they make. They are far too much fun, even with the straight girl curse looming large. My partner and I are also solidly of the opinion that Kate Moennig and Clementine Ford would make the most adorable real-life couple… if they aren't already… The body language and cute-as-hell looks between the two of them just scream out that either they've already been there and done that RL—or they totally would like to. I mean, look at the grin on Shane's face in this still frame—when has she ever given that "I know way too much about you young lady" full-face grin to any other girl on the show?

As much as I am loathe to mention Jenny or Niki a single more time, we cannot ignore the whole impending sex tape drama about to unfold. Of course, the whole insanity is just one more piece of proof that Adele is one crazy, but wicked smart, psychopath. Of course if you give Jenny a palatial, fantasy tent full of goodies and a video camera within reach—the wacko is going to make a sex tape. And of course, self-centered as she is, she still is clueless that Adele is out to ruin her life and make off with her girlfriend. So, needless to say, there is now a raunchy sex tape ready and waiting to be unleashed upon the world by Adele as part of her maniacal plans for world domination. Good job Jenny.

But hey, kudos to the L Word folks for actually featuring another woman-on-woman sex scene with play toys. Not something often seen in lesbian-themed entertainment, as my partner duley noted during the humping action. Though it was not as nearly fun a scene as when Alice and Dana were playing with a strap-on so very long ago...

Kate about Lay Down The Law -



Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: Working with Marlee. She is a dear friend and that was the first time we actually spoke to each other on camera.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: I guess she is fighting with herself to keep her personal power. Why? I don't know really. I'm sorry you guys but seriously, I dont remember much from that long ago. Especially when the storyline is setting up what will happen.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: I love learning sign language.

March 07, 2008

1.) When the show ends, what will you miss most?
Katherine: Ask me again, when the show is officially over.

2.) Why do you think Shane is "drawn" to Molly?
Katherine: Because she is a chase and bites back. It represents strength. That's always attractive.

3.) Do you enjoy learning the American Sign Language? Was it hard to learn and communicate with Marlee Matlin?
Katherine: Like I said in the last answer [of the episode Q/A], I love it. And it was something I picked up on a lot quicker than I thought I would. Marlee was wonderful in her instructions. And made it seem very simple. What I gathered was that the signs for most actions are reflective to the action itself. That's how I remembered so much. It fascinates me.

4.) What 'essential items' do you always have in your trailer during filming?
Katherine: A pillow, blanket, toothbrush, movies.

Info form kate moennig fr.net

Marlee Matlin ready for `Dancing' debut

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer 3 minutes ago

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. - Marlee Matlin had never danced before — well, other than at weddings and bar mitzvahs — but for the past two weeks, she's been cha-cha-ing and quickstepping for seven hours a day in preparation for her "Dancing With the Stars" debut.

Despite the unforgiving schedule and complaints of constant soreness from past contestants, Matlin, 42, says she's remained pain-free.
"Everyone asks if I'm sore," she said after a recent rehearsal at a nondescript dance studio northeast of Los Angeles. "Am I supposed to be sore?"

Perhaps not. She is, however, supposed to step, twirl, dip, smile, clap, spin, plant and jump — all imaginable types of body and facial movements, really — in time with the music. Never mind that the Academy Award-winning actress can't hear a single note, beat, or tempo change.

While none of this year's crop of "Dancing" hopefuls have ever danced professionally, Matlin has the additional challenge of being deaf. And that's not a problem, she said through her longtime interpreter, Jack Jason. Matlin relies on her professional partner, show newcomer Fabian Sanchez, to lead the way.

"He's my music," she said.

Sanchez has modified some of the dances slightly so he and Matlin maintain more physical or visual contact than they otherwise might. But even when she steps out solo, "she's got a natural rhythm," he said. "She's on time every single time."

The dance instructor from Birmingham, Ala. had never worked with a deaf student before, but he finds Matlin easier to teach than many who can hear.

"I have somebody who has never danced, who has never heard music, so I can mold her however I want," he said. "She's more sensitive to my lead because she's not trying to follow the rhythm on her own."

Matlin didn't join the show to prove that deaf people can dance, she said, adding that she has seen deaf dancers perform on stages across the country. She did it for the challenge, the exposure, and ultimately, for her kids.

The mother of four was inspired by her 12-year-old daughter, Sara, a hip-hop dancer and devoted fan of the show.

"I just want to be the cool mom," Matlin said.

She's found the right venue for that.

As if an "American Idol"-esque 25 million viewers for last year's finale wasn't lending enough cultural weight to the live dancing competition, now it has something resembling a serious actress in its cast: Matlin, an Emmy-nominated TV veteran who won a best actress Oscar in 1986 for "Children of a Lesser God," is a clear cut above the usual "Dancing" actors.

For that reason alone she stands out from this year's crop, which includes radio host Adam Carolla, magician Penn Jillette, pro football player Jason Taylor, tennis champ Monica Seles, Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi, R&B singer Mario and actors Steve Guttenberg, Shannon Elizabeth, Christian de la Fuente, Priscilla Presley and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

As the ABC hit begins its sixth season Monday, she gives little thought to her impairment: "We're all challenged in some way. ... The only thing I can't do is hear."

But executive producer Conrad Green said cast diversity contributes to the show's success. His team looks for contestants of various ages, sizes, abilities and professional pursuits. Participants have been boxers, basketball players, businessmen, models and yes, actors.

"We're always looking to push that range with people you wouldn't expect to do it or wouldn't want to do it," he said, adding that he counts Bill Clinton among his dream contestants. "For lots of people, it's a nice way to get the audience familiar with you in a different light."

Former Mrs. Paul McCartney and model Heather Mills, who uses a prosthetic leg, lasted seven weeks on the competition during season four.

"I think it proved a lot of things to a lot of people," Green said. "It's incumbent on everyone in television to try to open up television to people with disabilities. They're every bit as much valid contributors to television as anyone."

Dance ability hardly matters, he said, since the show is all about trying something new.

"It's just about good old-fashioned effort for effort's sake," Green said. "No one is aspiring to genuinely be a ballroom dancer, so there's nothing at stake beyond pride."

Besides, he added, "It's a stupid trophy at the end of the day and only one person can win it."

Matlin made it clear that she wants to be the one to take home this season's mirrorball prize. But she knows it won't come easy.

"This is one of the hardest jobs I ever had," she said as she traded her high-heeled dancing shoes for comfy sneakers. "It's absolutely harder than love scenes in movies."

She slipped out of her swingy dance skirt and pulled on a pair of cargo pants, then packed up her things after another long rehearsal. As she stood to leave, she looked confused.

"Actually," she said, "I am sore."

Wolfe’s Annual Party for Women - Women’s Final Four Party - 2008

What: The Biggest Wolfe Party Yet

When: Monday April 7, 2008 Party 7:30 - 11:30 pm

Where: The Underground, Tampa, FL

Why: More rooms, a bigger dance floor, and more WOMEN than ever before!!

Special Guests include Rachel Shelley - star of The L Word,
Dreya Weber - star of The Gymnast,
and more celebrities TBA

Overnights
3/17/081:45 PM

‘The L Word’: Nothing But One Sad, Unsuccessful Attempt at Reconciliation Sex



It's hard to imagine what the cast of The L Word collectively did to make the show's creators want their characters to suffer so much. On last night's joyless episode, Adele's Campaign of Creepy comes to a strangely anticlimactic head as she presents the backers of Lez Girls with Jenny and Nikki's sex tape, getting Ms. Schecter fired and herself hired as the new director just when everyone starts taking Jenny's vision seriously (she blackmailed someone to get ahead in Hollywood? With sex? Isn't that … normal?). In other gloomy news, Bette tries to break up with Jodi in every way possible while Tina waits in the wings — telling her she loves her ex, refusing to hook up with her, insisting they have different core values — and after some intense Jodi-Bette scenes where the two passionately argue half-signing, half-shouting, Bette (and we) have to say farewell to one of the most interesting characters the show has ever depicted (figures!).
Hookups
Nothing but one sad, unsuccessful attempt at reconciliation sex. Jodi gets Bette onto the couch during a depressing breakup moment, but Bette can't go through with it and literally tosses her aside.

Processing
Alice and Tasha go apartment hunting, but their search only exacerbates the sudden race and class issues in their relationship. Tasha wants to go hang with her Long Beach friends; she can't afford a nice apartment! Alice also goes to tape another episode of The Look, where she exchanges intense glances with the awkward Aussie lesbian fashion designer on the show that day. Scenes from next week indicate this will unfortunately become a major plot point.

Despite the fact that Jenny and Nikki were fucking like bunnies last episode, when Nikki refuses to walk off set with Jenny in solidarity, Jenny declares her hot young actress girlfriend "dead to me" (if this means their hot sex scenes are kaput, this show will be dead to 80 percent of its viewers). Schecter spends the rest of the episode smoking a homemade bong with suddenly-a-pothead Shane, and, unless we're nuts, it looks like they may hook up in the near future (in which case the show will reclaim 30 percent of its departed viewers). Max pops in and is told he was right — Adele is a psycho. Let's pause for a moment to commemorate the first time somebody has taken Max seriously this season …

Kit finally finds a reason to break out that gun she procured several episodes ago: Dawn Dembo and her lover, Cindi, managed to buy a 51 percent stake of the Planet (Ivan, the tranny Kit used to date, sold his shares to the incredibly annoying duo). In a blind rage, Kit puts the gun in her sweater pocket — which doesn't seem very safe — and heads over to SheBar to enact revenge. She gets spotted by Cindi and retreats to the Planet, where she later finds Bette and Tina's toddler daughter, Angelica, with the gun in her tiny hands, freaks out, and dumps the gun in the trash. L Word lesson time! Guns are as dangerous as pointless story lines. Time to toss this one in the Dumpster before somebody gets hurt. —Chelsea Brady

The L Word Lowdown

Episode 511: "Lunar Cycle"
Article Date: 03/17/2008
By L. A. Vess



Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

On this week's episode of The L Word: Jenny and Niki's sex tape comes back to haunt them in a spectacular fashion; Jodi refuses to let Bette off the hook lightly; Alice gets a little too friendly with a cute designer; Shane reveals exactly why she's so easy-going and Kit goes all Foxy Brown with near-tragic results. Plus, previews for next week's finale!

Another season five episode, another intro chock full of Jenny Schecter's sad Lez Girls movie crap. One would think with all the time and attention devoted to this fake film throughout the season, the creators would have at least tried to make it somewhat decent. But as the 'clips' from the movie previewed in the opener show, Lez Girls is about as interesting and well-acted as it's writer/director. At some point, the joke turns from being cute, to being just pathetic.

Happily, however, Miss Jenny is about to get her ass handed to her on a platter—which frankly I find entirely deserved considering how much of an egotistical bitch she's evolved into. Treat people like dirt and you can only expect Karma to catch up with you in the end. Sure, Adele may have been a psychotic stalker from the beginning, but it certainly can't help that Jenny has used her and abused her like well-trodden doormat.

So when Adele makes her grand revelation that she's in possession of Jenny and Niki's sordid little sex tape—and she's willing to splash it all over the media—I almost cheered. Not that I'm very fond of crazy Adele and her nasty manipulations of everyone around her, but Jenny so needs a serious smack in the face to help her get over herself. Add in Niki's refusal to stand by Jenny's side when she's kicked off the set of her own film and well, it's a hefty dose of Karmic justice all around. Whether or not Jenny will actually learn anything from being betrayed by her "assistant" and abandoned by her lover, however, remains to be seen.

Moving on for the moment, what exactly was the point of The L Word powers-that-be deciding to basically revolve the theme of the show around PMS? Seriously, I thought we were past all that stereotypical female/lesbian humor? Oh, wait, this is The L Word, nevermind. Honestly though, I am sure they meant it to be amusing—poking fun of how folks like to blame women's sometimes asinine behavior on their periods. Sadly, however, it just comes off like a lame attempt to make something funny that ceased to be so in about 9th grade. The whole episode could have played exactly as is without all that PMS bullshit. Did they just run out of interesting dialogue and couldn't think of anything else? Let's hope next week's finale can do without such exceedingly cheap tricks.

Speaking of cheap tricks, those horrid SheBar bitches Dawn Denbo and her "lover Cindy" have just pulled a nasty one on poor Kit. Seems they've managed to track down the long missing Ivan (Kit's former drag king love interest) and bought out 51 percent of the Planet. Needless to say, Kit is less than pleased at suddenly having her ass basically owned by her former rivals. What Denbo doesn't know, however, is that Kit is packing vengeance in the form of a mighty big gun—and she seems right on the edge of losing it Foxy Brown style all over the SheBar ladies.


Luckily, right before she does anything stupid, she is interrupted by Bette needing her to pick up little Angelica from her play group. Seems Bette is too busy dealing with Jodi after the whole 'I've been screwing Tina behind your back' revelation from last week.

Poor Jodi. The writing is finally on the wall, but she's just not willing to let go. What's so sad about Jodi's desperation to keep Bette is that it is entirely Bette's fault. Before she came along, Jodi was a free love, roaming spirit with no interest in being tied down to any one woman. Then Bette had to go and woo her with all these passionate words and heroically romantic gestures. What did she expect? That after all of that, Jodi would just take her getting back with Tina lying down?

Even sadder than Jodi's continued attachment to a lowdown perpetual cheater is Bette's allowing her to get halfway to make-up sex before saying "no." That's a really great way to discourage Jodi from believing they can still make it work. So was telling Jodi she wants to try to 'make the relationship work' and then backtracking to say she just meant their friendship, rather than their romance. Brilliant, really.

Bette and Tina getting back together may be inevitable, but it's pretty clear Jodi hasn't had the last word yet about the end of her relationship with Bette.

While Bette and Tina look like they are well on their way to getting back together, Alice and Tasha aren't doing quite as swimmingly. Tasha is not aboard with being 'kept' by Alice in a swank house that she can't afford. Alice is not interested in living in some kind of slum that Tasha can afford. Plus, Tasha wants to hang out with her friends and play, but Alice expects Tasha to worship her on her way to stardom on The Look. Tension? Oh yeah. And it has nothing to do with PMS folks.

With all that negativity running around, it is unsurprising that Alice can't keep her eyes off the cute young lesbian designer who shows up to guest on The Look. You see, it's a total case of "thou dost protest too much"—if we remember from last week, it was Alice who was all nasty about people who cheat. Of course, in The L Word world, you know that means she's going to be the next one to do it. More and more, Alice is gradually becoming a rather unlikable character—which is tragic considering how fabulously loveable she's been formerly. It seems The L Word powers-that-be can't help but keep reminding us over and over that power and fame corrupt.

One person who seems immune to the corrupting effect of fame and fortune is Shane. Though one might argue she's corrupted enough already. Shane has just lost her fancy job as a hairstylist on Lez Girls because she decided to walk out with Jenny, but she doesn't really seem to care. Maybe that's because she's a serious pothead. Oh, we were all well aware that Shane smokes up on the side (among other things), nobody could be that laid back without a little chemical help. But a two-liter, hand-crafted, coke bottle bong? That's the kind of equipment only a serious stoner keeps on hand. Because, really, why would you waste the money you could be spending on dope on a fancy bong to smoke it in?

Not that I mind watching Shane get wasted, but it did start to get a little creepy with Jenny rubbing up all over her. The last thing in the world I want to see happen on screen is Shane and Jenny getting physical in any form. Which likely means the next thing that is going to happen is some kind of Jenny/Shane hookup. Because The L Word people just love to torture their audience with every possible thing they'd rather not have to watch—but will anyway. It's kind of like staring at a train wreck in progress, you just can't take your eyes away.

On the subject of train wrecks, it seems Kit is just one step away from the brink of disaster all the way around. First she loses the Planet in a coup by Denbo, then she nearly makes a serious mess out of her life by venturing over to SheBar with a loaded gun and murderous thoughts in mind. Next, she leaves the aforementioned loaded gun within reach of her tiny niece to get her hands on. What the hell is this girl thinking? Thankfully, the little tot is rescued from tragedy and Kit has the brains to trash the gun in a dumpster as a result. Will Kit finally get her act together after nearly getting her sister's baby killed? We can only hope. (Wow, that sounds like the teaser for an ABC daytime soap opera…)

'L Word' to have long-lasting life
Showtime series altered landscape for lesbians on TV
By Kimberly Nordyke

March 12, 2008

"The L Word"
RELATED:


Showtime's "The L Word" is coming to a close after next season, but its impact could live on long after the series finale.

The lesbian-themed drama, which debuted in January 2004, has been groundbreaking. Never before had a show with an all-lesbian ensemble that spoke directly to lesbian issues aired on television.

The series has cultivated an extremely devoted following, with many fans meeting every Sunday night for viewing parties at viewers' homes or at packed establishments like the Falcon in West Hollywood. It also has spawned its own social networking site (OurChart.com), garnered huge popularity in the virtual world Second Life and generated dedicated fan Web sites, blogs and podcasts.

But what's more, "L Word," recently renewed for its sixth and final season, has transcended its niche categorization to become a mainstream show about women that is watched by women and men, both gay and straight, nationwide.


And that's something that Showtime executives couldn't have predicted, president of entertainment Robert Greenblatt said.

"I think, at the end of the day, it's just a really good nighttime soap," he said. "It was gratifying that it didn't really matter what the characters' sexual orientation was, just that people thought it was a fun show to watch."

During its five seasons, the series has brought to light several issues of relevance to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as well as character portrayals not often featured in mainstream television. Such topics have included gay civil rights, closeted celebrities, transgender operations, bisexual relationships and the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

In addressing these issues, "L Word" is part of a trend in scripted television that really kicked off with Showtime's gay-themed "Queer as Folk" and has continued with HBO's "Six Feet Under" and now ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," said Damon Romine, entertainment media director at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

" 'Queer as Folk' changed how television told stories about relationships," he said. " 'The L Word' built on that and in its own way become a groundbreaking series that set new standards for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender visibility."

That's part of what appeals to Maria Vaznaugh, an avid viewer from the start who had actually never watched Showtime before the series' debut.

"Growing up, I was lucky to maybe see one gay character on TV, and you never saw them kiss," said Vaznaugh, who lives in Los Angeles and works in commercial TV production. "Here you see the relationships fully evolved and you kind of see a reflection of yourself in television, which is very rare."

"L Word" has become a common thread that the lesbian community identifies with, Vaznaugh said. In fact, she and her friends use the characters' names as shorthand to describe individuals and said that even the fashions on the show have started to influence those in the lesbian community.

Vaznaugh also noted the show's wide appeal, pointing to one of her straight male friends whom she turned on to the racy show.

"He now knows enough to know what's going on in the show and not just be watching it for the boobs," she said.

Series regular Jennifer Beals -- a straight actress who said she has had her own eyes opened to various LGBT issues through her role on the series -- noted that she frequently hears stories about how the show has changed viewers' lives.

For example, a lesbian couple together for 30-plus years who was visiting the "L Word" set, told Beals that they had been in the closet until "L Word" gave them the courage to come out to their friends and family.

"Our show points out that the ways in which everyone is similar are more numerous than the ways we are different," Beals said. "This realization can lead to other realizations, and soon people (find) that they can have empathy for characters which 20 years ago they might have had only scorn for."


Greenblatt believes it's too early to predict exactly what kind of lasting impact "L Word" has had on television and society, though he thinks it has helped to break some barriers.

"I think you'll see a lot of premium cable shows and other cable shows that aren't afraid of showing same-sex relationships," he said. "I think shows like 'Queer as Folk' and 'The L Word' had a lot to do with removing the stigma of that. Still, the idea of an entire series populated by lesbians is really groundbreaking, and I don't know if we'll ever see it again in this kind of construction."

According to GLAAD, LGBT characters still are underrepresented on TV. But while the number of LGBT characters on broadcast TV fell for a third consecutive season, the number of such characters on cable reached an all-time high.

For series creator/executive producer Ilene Chaiken, who still seems incredulous at the following the show has spawned, part of the success would be to see more LGBT characters who are series regulars after "L Word" takes its final bow.

" 'The L Word' has shown that gay characters can be successful on television, that people will come to hear and see these stories," she said. "Hopefully, it will affect the business of television and the choices made about what shows get produced going forward. I just want television to show that we're out there and make sure that own particular stories get the same attention and dignity as the stories of characters who aren't gay."

- Kate about Liquid Heat -


Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: Wasn't it just a lot of sex? I don't recall many scenes.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: She's more desperate and agitated than usual.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: That mafia scene was so ridiculous that we could barely keep straight faces filming it.


Info form kate moennig fr.net

3/24/0810:30 AM
‘The L Word’ Season Finale: You Have Got to Be Kidding


You know it's an election year when a lesbian show that's dabbled in Turkish oil wrestling turns its focus to something as dry as “core values” for its season finale. “Loyal and True” is the name of the episode, and the trueness and loyalty of pretty much all the characters is tested: Alice contemplates cheating on Tasha; Jodi exposes Bette by using her as fodder for an art project; Adele further betrays Jenny and Lez Girls by changing the movie's ending to please the movie studio; Helena returns from her nine-episode hiatus to help Kit reclaim what's rightfully hers; Shane causes a whole world of hurt. Don't worry, the show stayed loyal and true to itself, too: affixing quick and easy resolutions to complex story lines, casting aside little things like character development, and keeping our “oh, please — that's absolutely ridiculous!” drinking game going strong. Yup, we're wasted! Strangely, the show doesn't look any hotter.

Hookups
Shane and Molly kick things off with a little pre-breakfast sex before they go to meet Molly's mom, Phyllis. Hey, that's great! Maybe things will work out for these crazy kids! … Oh, wait. The episode ends with Shane fucking Jenny Schecter's beloved Nikki at the Lez Girls wrap party. Now how did that happen?

Processing
After scooting off to a remote island with her cellmate Dusty, Helena returns to Los Angeles to tend to her mother, who was bitten by a rare jellyfish (hint: You can drink now). In a complete 180, Peggy Peabody tells Helena to take her fortune and do whatever she wishes, so Helena makes Dawn Denbo's lover, Cindi, an offer she can't refuse and buys SheBar and the Planet back for Kit. One story line down!

Tasha's post-military career turns blue collar, literally. She quits her new security job and decides to follow some friends to the LAPD. This clearly doesn't please Alice, who's already thinking about ditching Tasha for the Aussie fashion designer she met on The Look. The two take a Vespa ride and nearly kiss, but Alice can't do it — yet. Maybe it's because they're both dressed like they're Amish.

Tina and Bette are ready to restart their lives together, but first Bette must give a speech introducing Jodi's big, impressive art project to all her colleagues and friends. To Bette's horror, the multimedia piece is about her breakup with Jodi. As far as psycho lesbian revenge fantasies go, even this is a doozy.

Molly's insistence that she'll give up a summer internship at the Supreme Court to hang out with Shane leads her mom to confront the lesbian Fonz with some compelling reasons — well, one reason — to break it off now: Shane can't keep a relationship going, ever. In an attempt to be true to her own character, Shane flirts with another girl in front of Molly and can't stop herself from hooking up with Nikki at the movie party.

Yes, the long, strange trip that was Lez Girls has thankfully come to its end: The movie is done, wrapped, ready for distribution, and Adele is not only a rising star, she's fucking another one of the film's actresses (ironically, the one who played Merina, the woman who originally seduced Jenny). Due to fears that the flick is “too gay,” Adele has altered the ending so “Jessie” winds up back with her boyfriend. But the real drama goes down at the PDA-heavy party, where Jenny shows up to applaud the crew and proclaim her love for Nikki, who is inconveniently half-naked and perched precariously on a railing so Shane can do her thang.

This was billed as the shocking conclusion: Shane ruins everything with her insatiable sex drive, a trope the show trots out every six episodes. What would have been really surprising? Jenny kills Adele at the premiere; Nikki falls backward and plummets to her death; Max gets more than two lines; the show does something — anything — to explain the whole Adele story line. But we got nothing but "the ultimate betrayal." And how, L Word.

—Chelsea Brady

Friday, March 21, 2008
Last updated 12:00 a.m. PT

The L Word's Sapphic, Sexy Secrets Revealed!
By VANESSA ROTHSCHILD
TV GUIDE

When the fifth season of Showtime's The L Word comes to a tumultuous close Sunday night at 9 pm/ET, many fans will be left lingering. Here, the show's groundbreaking creator, writer and producer, Ilene Chaiken, dishes on why the next (and final) season will be worth the wait, her appreciation of the stiletto and the fine art of cable sex scenes.


TVGuide.com: Now that Season 5 is coming to a close, what can we look forward to in the sixth and final season of The L Word?Ilene Chaiken: I can tell you that all of the core cast who are remaining at the end of Season 5 are coming back. I can't tell you if Carmen is coming back or if I can find some crazy way to bring Dana back, the things fans ask for. I just know that we are going to try and do a great final season that is full of drama yet somehow celebratory.

TVGuide.com: Considering the dearth of Sapphic programming on television, what happens when The L Word takes its final bow?
Chaiken: I am writing a movie that I am planning to direct. I would hope that I will be able to make that movie when I wrap the next season [of The L Word]. And I do have another show in development with Showtime as well.

TVGuide.com: Many shows struggle with gay and lesbian sex scenes, if they can show them at all. How do you feel The L Word weighs in on the accuracy scale?
Chaiken: There obviously are limits to how explicit we can be or how explicit we want to be. There's a line that gets drawn. But I've made an effort to represent as many kinds of sex and sexual encounters and proclivities as I think exist in the world, and not just in the world of lesbians. I'm interested in stories about sex and sexuality and I think that it's the biggest human story. On the show, I try to make every sex scene a story unto itself.

TVGuide.com: How so? Walk us through it.
Chaiken: We are very explicit when we plan a sex scene about what's going on. When we plan those scenes, I spend a lot of time talking to the actresses and directors, some of whom are gay and some of whom are not, about what is actually happening here. And they tend to want to know more. And I've occasionally had an actress who is straight say to me, "I don't get it."

TVGuide.com: Was that reflected in the scene this season where Jenny (Mia Kirshner) decides to hire a lesbian sex therapist for the cast of her film?
Chaiken: Absolutely. Yes.

TVGuide.com: You once commented on how pleased you were with the show's impact and strong following among women. Can you elaborate?
Chaiken: That's still the case – and more than anything I glory in that, that we are telling stories for women and about women and that all women feel represented by the show in ways that they didn't feel represented on mainstream television.

TVGuide.com: Speaking of mainstream, when you wrote Barb Wire, did you envision it as a vehicle for a leather-clad Pamela Anderson?
Chaiken: I love that it has a cult following. I absolutely didn't write it for Pamela Anderson. I had a whole different kind of movie in mind. But it's a genre that I really like.

TVGuide.com: That came through with one of the opening scenes of The L Word this season, with the Charlie's Angel's spoof! Tell us how you really feel about hot women running around in stilettos, pointing guns.
Chaiken: I love chicks and action. It's thrilling to do that and I definitely would make more movies like that. I'm not sure they would all be wearing stilettos. But we had so much fun shooting that scene. I can't tell you how much we laughed that night.

TVGuide.com: Let's do some thought association. Say the first thing that comes to your mind. Ready? Turkish Oil Wrestling.
Chaiken: [Laughs] The word that comes to mind is the word FYKE. We've really run with this Turkish wrestling thing and we are doing a series of events and an online TV show called FYKE. [See OurChart.com.] It's been ongoing. And we've got a lot of girls in oil.

(Sapphic sayonara. The season finale of Showtime's The L Word notched 365,000 viewers Sunday, down from 485,000 for last spring's send-off).


Media Blender

This week in the world of lesbian gossip
Article Date: 03/26/2008
By Tracy E. Gilchrist


Tis the season to bid farewell to The L Word until 2009. But not without some gratuitous shoulder shots of Jennifer Beals and of Rachel Shelley's on the lam tan and f*** me hair. American Idol is run by 12-year-old girls and gay boys and it's about damned time the dykes reclaim that territory in honor of Kelly Clarkson! Kate Beckinsale prefers vagina to sushi, Sex and the City's Kristin Davis bares all and Elizabeth Taylor pays a visit to the gayest place on earth… No, not Diseyworld, West Hollywood's The Abbey. Plus, Rachel McAdams, Patricica Clarkson and Tracey Ullman… give us a reason to tune in or—gasp—go to the movies.

It's the end of the affair for another nine months. Love it, hate it, bitch about it, allow your tongue to loll out of your mouth and drool over it. Like the beautiful mess that it is, you just try to take your eyes off The L Word. Even for gals like me who've up and abandoned lil' ole Connecticut and settled down among the West Hollywood pseudo-power lesbian set, nothing compares to these fine-assed glamour gals, their kickin' So-Cal apartments and their charmed sex lives.

Ultimately a lackluster and cheesy season finale, drenched in writer / director / Jenny's alter-ego Ms. Ilene Chaiken's solipsism the episode offered a few yummy morsels for L Word junkies.

Here are a few high school-esque superlatives to wrap-up the season's denouement. Best reappearance by a drop-to-your-knees gorgeous, beloved Brit character back from the lam with her prison bitch—Rachel Shelley, tanned and wild looking arrived back from her Tahitian hideout just in time to wield her big bank book and save Kit's ass while giving Elizabeth Kenner's Dawn Denbo a long overdue comeuppance.

Best Delivery by a Wacky Socialite Cougar who thinks she's on her deathbed—Holland Taylor as Peggy Peabody ripping apart Helena's island-wear even as Peggy thinks she's dying from a rare jellyfish sting.

Best Use of and Adorable Kiwi to Make you wish one of your fave characters would cheat on her stunning girlfriend—Alice riding shotgun on a Vespa with her arms wrapped around the bestest straight ally on the planet, cutie Kiwi Melanie Lynskey. These two adorable actresses just gave off major first-love sparks… mmmmm

Best Use of a stalwart Hollywood Cougar kicking flippant young slut ass—Cybill Shepherd scaring the be Jesus out of Shane to rescue her daughter Molly from heartbreak—and let's face it—from being a joke in Academia circles, because those nerds are the biggest snobs of all.

Most Cringe-inducing use of Mixed Media while Flipping a Big oops You to a Hot-assed Ex Lover—Jodi's installation art, which incidentally has nothing to do with her use of found materials—unless of course she's creating The Blair Witch Project—The Bette Porter Files.

Most gratuitous—much to the viewer's pervy delight—use of deltoids in a single shot—Jennifer Beals' bared shoulders while slow dancing and feeling up Tina at the Lez Girls wrap party.

Most Out of Character Back Stabbing By a Slut Who'd Always Proven to a Rock Solid Friend—Shane going down on Nikki at the Lez Girls wrap party and breaking Jenny's heart. As an ardent Jenny is wacky and I've dated a few like her—supporter—I must concur that Shane broke my Grinch heart as well.

Thankfully, the Showtime Gods and Ilene Chaiken's ego have called for eight more episodes in 2009 to tie up this godforsaken cliffhanger of a mess that television audiences haven't been privy to since the Moldavia wedding massacre on Dynasty circa 1985!

Kate about Loyal and True -

Your favourite scene (as an actor and/or viewer)?
Katherine: I don't think I have one for this episode.

What do you think of Shane in this episode?
Katherine: I think she is filled with integrity. Kidding. I think she's an ass. I look forward to seeing how they will dig her out of that mess.

Anecdote about this episode?
Katherine: It seemed a bit ridiculous to have a girl sitting on a banister overlooking a cliff half naked without falling off.

Info from kate moennig fr.net