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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1999)
TELEVISION ▼ PQIM sp&incs Serving your real estate needs fo r... ton for his efforts to educate other young people about the disease. HBO’s OZ (check listings), set in the fictitious Oswald Maximum Security Penitentiary, is a thick stew of male sexuality, though it actually has very little to do with being gay. This series is, by far, the most intense hour on television. There are four male prisoners who indulge in sex with other men, but behind-bars sex is mostly used as a tool of power, emasculation and manipulation. One of the more impressive aspects of the series is that it doesn’t shy away from the ever-so-elusive schlong shot. That ever-so-protected part of the male anatomy has never been as exploited as much as men seem to exploit the anatomy of women. For a gritty examination of sex as power among men, OZ is the place to go— and one helluva wrong turn off the yellow brick road. (RK) CONDOS • V acation H omes H otel P roperties A partment B ldgs . CROY (760)833-5434 H P r ie s t e s P IE R C IN G nc ig h S I S 92264 s Ben (inset) wryly flirts with Jimmy— the Jill to his Jack— on Win B en Stein’s M oney the host, Ben Stein, a middle-aged conservative-looking het, and his sidekick, Jimmy, a younger chauvinistic straight guy, frequently pretend they are gay lovers. It’s impossible to capture in words how funny this is and how unselfconscious they are doing it. W hat’s refreshing is that it never feels mean- spirited; it’s the kind of campy humor queers are known to indulge in themselves. Their faux-homo relationship is often played up in the promos for the show, in which Jimmy can be seen nuzzling Stein’s neck and ure its a remake of an old-time game show, resting his head on Stein’s shoulder. On the but don’t let the title fool you— this is not show they also like to play dress-up, and both your mother’s H ollyw ood S qu ares (7:30 men have donned plenty of gay apparel. p.m. weeknights on N BC ). Sitting smack dab The butt of their jokes isn’t gay people per se, but rather their own symbiotic relationship. Can you imagine Carson and McMahon pretending to be gay night after night? Some of the categories and questions also have queer themes— such as, Queen cities other than West Hollywood. It’s wacky fun, as well as a game show with a fresh premise. (Stein also becomes a contestant, play ing with his own money.) Also on Comedy Central, check out T h e D aily Show (sev eral times a day, Monday through Thursday). Decidedly more queer G et Bruce Villanch pushing boundaries on Hollywood since Jon Stewart took over as Squares host, this satiric news show is consistently well-written. in the middle is Whoopi Goldberg, who plays One regular Daily Show feature is “Out at the perfect foil for the man most often seated the Movies” with Frank DeCaro, a wickedly on her right, out-rageously funny comedian- funny fella who dishes and reviews flicks from a writer Bruce Villanch. Sure, the scripted gay totally gay angle. He dares to say what you and jokes can he corny, but Villanch manages to your pals are thinking. inject his queer perspective in frequent asides, The show’s other queer angle is the ongoing and he grabs every opportunity to make blatant toying with his sexuality indulged in by Jon passes at the other men seated above and Stewart. He has nearly outed himself on many below him. occasions, and even guests get in on the Here’s a typical question for Villanch: “If action— like when Marie Osmond chided you’re watching the ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Stewart for giving Donny a big hello hug but Fairy,’ what are you looking at?” Villanch’s not her. answer: “The last 10 minutes of my Christmas The Daily Show has a bevy of droll reporters party— I just couldn’t get Richard Simmons to who manage to work a gay subplot into many leave.” of their pieces. Catch it at 11 p.m. and laugh Then there was this fill-in-the-blank: “One yourself to sleep. (O G ) man’s meat is another man’s....7” Villanch responded: “Pleasure.” pace doesn’t permit mentioning every show Harmless fun, but it probably startles some with a recurring queer character, but they unsuspecting viewers in Topeka. are out there if you persistently watch cer Another game show with queer content of tain shows— NYPD Blue, ER, Nash Bridges, a different sort is the bizarre Win B en Stein's Friends, The Profiler, Dawson’s Creek, etc. M oney (plays several times per day, every day Clearly, there’s still a long way to go before on Comedy Central). Rather like Jeopardy on sexual minorities are portrayed on television acid— and with tougher questions— this show with realism and dignity, and in numbers that is remarkable for two reasons. O ne is that the reflect those in the population at large. Still, contestants are frequently out queers who chat there are encouraging signs of progress. If you about being gay as if they were telling Pat and see something you like, do e-mail the network Vanna they collect ant farms. and let them know you’re paying attention. The other and more pervasive angle is that The queerest shows you might be missing like a garden studio away from everything? want a kitchen where cooking is a joy? need a house with a soul? try Design That Fits... Kenneth M oholt-Siebert THE PLACE TO GET HOLY ABOUT OETTIHQ HOLEY! Building Design 2021 5.E. Salmon • Pbrtltná 235.5127 S S www.justout.com next full moon! »V . At A D p IN T H E A T R E S a tu rd a y • November n b f • 8 PM Tickets available through TicketMaster ■ Keikos Dream CD no w available at Music Millennium, Borders Books, Tower Records, Everyday Music and Locals Only / A i R k ° r P) T ! C O N MAGICAL GIFTS, SPELLS, OILS. BOOKS 3125 E L urnside T u e s - S a t J l ANi - 7r M S un I 2 p m « 5 pm ( 503) 2 3 5 - 0 9 9 6
