July IB. 2003’
DIVERSIONS
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Night owls can head to one of the special midnight shows,
where sushi, wine and, of course, free toast await.
The Rocky Horror Show plays Aug. 1 to 30 at 230 W. Marine
Drive. Tickets are $10-$ 15 from 503-325-7487.
Pouring queer art
I
by Lisa Bradshaw
Bravo Bravo
A
s if we haven’t had enough excitement during the past few
weeks, NBC premieres not one but two new gay series this
month on its cable channel Bravo.
One, though, we might need to fret over a bit.
Boy Meets Boy premieres at 9 p.m. July 29. Now, I have watched
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and some of the other knockoffs.
I’m kinda addicted. I can’t help it! How men and women will cat
fight over one specific person just because they’re manipulated into
it is endlessly fascinating to me.
When these shows appeared, I immediately envisioned the first
queer one. But, I thought, that will never work with gays or lesbians
because all the “contestants” would just end up sleeping with each
other. Why would they compete for one when there are 15 other
hotties (they’re always hotties) at their fingertips in the same house?
Again, I underestimated the human condition. They’ll fight
over one because they’re supposed to. Duh.
And so, Bravo gives us the first gay male Bachelor. But you can’t
do one of these shows without the “twist" anymore because, gosh,
that would be just boring. So the twist in this one is a few of the 15
men vying for cute bachelor James’ attention are straight, un
beknownst to James (who went to University of Oregon, by the way).
There are two ways this could go.
Good: James convinces a straight or two that maybe they’re not
so straight. Or the straights and the gays reach across the
sexual/social divide, coming to a greater understanding of each
other and making a better world. Oh, and James picks a gay.
Bad: James falls in love with a straight, who rebuffs him in the
end by saying: “Sorry, man, I’m not a queer. Joke’s on you.”
Why in heaven’s name would an all-gay Bachelor not be edgy
enough, you ask? Douglas Ross, the gay executive producer, explains
it pretty plainly in the July 8 issue of The Advocate: “If it were just a
gay dating show, for sure we’d get a lot of gay viewers, probably not
that many straight viewers [and] some looky loos. We felt by putting
[the twist] in, we would get a much broader audience.”
It’s about ratings! Who would have guessed? But if queers like
me are watching The Bachelor, why would straights not want to
watch Boy Meets Boy, even if there are (gasp!) no straights in it?
And aren’t we all “looky loos” when it comes to reality TV?
Ross goes on to say they’ll also “have a chance to explore the
sociological issues which are really important to us as gay produc
ers.” At the expense of James, of course, but whatever.
In the end, the show, which shot in May, will probably turn out
fine because they wouldn’t be airing it if it didn’t. But James is start
ing to talk. He was quoted in the July 17 issue of Newsweek as say
ing: ‘They told me they put the twist in there because they wanted
straight people to watch. I said to them, ‘Well, you’ve played gay
people as entertainment for straight people. Of course they’re going
to watch.” Go, James!
The show to really keep your eye on is Bravo’s Queer Eye for the
Straight Guy, which premiered July 15. Rather than being secrety,
Queer Eye keeps it all out in the open with
the premise that gay guys have more cultural
sensibilities than straight guys and, therefore,
can help them out. It’s kind of like What to
Wear but for a straigKt man’s whole life.
Judging by the first episode, this is Bravo’s
real groundbreaker. Not only are the five
guys—each one with a specialty: Fashion,
food, decorating, culture and grooming—pre
dictably hilarious and nelly, they get this
striding-down-the-sidewalk, slo-mo walk at
the opening of the show that makes them
kx>k like the freakin’ Reservoir Dogs. In
Queer Eye, being gay is cool.
One with the potential to make gays the
butt of the joke (so to speak) and one saying,
“I’m gay, let me help you.” Which sounds
better to you? JFI
Excess in the Alley
s
ince the Orient Express’ first journey in 1883, passengers have
demanded an experience above the ordinary. On July 26,
partygoers will have an experience above the ordinary when
they attend Orient Excess, Portland’s annual theme bash at
2119 N. Kirby St., between Tillamook and Thompson streets.
Produced by Alley Productions (the boys behind the Prison
Camp and Walk Like an Egyptian parties), the fun begins at 8 p.m.
and continues until the last man (or woman) rickshaws home.
Admission is $20, which includes music, surprise entertainment,
food and one drink; drink scrip will also be on sale at the door.
This is the fourth year for the popular
event, and attendance has grown to more
than 600 hot, often scantily clad queers.
On hand once again will be Ixxly artist
Roger Witter, who will complement your
attire with his stunning painted creations.
Speaking of attire, anything goes at
these bacchanals, although costumes are not
required. Dress can be as simple as a sarong,
a kimono or, according to organizers, “flip
flops, Daisy Dukes and a tube top.”
Proceeds from the extravaganza go to
Camp Starlight. For tickets and more
info visit www.alleyproductions.com.
t’s not raining right now in the lovely Rose City, but it is
pouring—queer art, that is.
Washington, D.C.-based queer artist JS Adams shows
through July 26 at Soundvision, 625 N.W. Everett St. *108.
Adams, who is also a sound artist, offers 10 pieces from his
broadcast appropriation placards series, aptly titled re:broadcast.
The artistically manipulated digital photos of varying imagery
include some bear sightings. “On a purely aesthetic level,”
Adams says, “there’s more texture, a more visual-tactile sensa
tion, to images of furried men.”
Portland lesbian painters Kathe Swaback and Christine
Paul are featured through July 31 at p:ear gallery, 809 S.W.
Alder St. Partnered in real life, too, the couple offer the paint
ing series Searching for What Is Here— “based on my search for
what has been hidden, ignored or forgotten," says Swaback. Paul
adds, “I'm searching for what is here, in the surrounding atmos
phere, in the world all around and within my heart as I move
through this experience of being human.”
The couple teamed with p:ear homeless and transitional
youth artists liefore the show to help them create their work
around the same theme.
Gay Portland photographer Steve Hohenboken shows
through July 27 at Oregon College of Art & Craft, 8425 S.W.
Astoria Horror
Q 0
ueer visitors to the Oregon coast in
August now have a better reason to
head to Astoria than bridge watch
ing. The town’s respected River Theater
is reviving The Rocky Horror Show.
You can still catch Steve Hohenboken’s Magic People at Oregon College of Art &
Not the familiar version in which
Craft through July 27
wide-eyed cultists scream and cavort in
various states of undress in front of the projected movie. This
Barnes Road. He moved back to Portland with his partner hist
year “because there’s just so many g<xxJ family and friends that
is a revival of the original stage show, bom in London in the
are basically family who we still knew,” he says.
early ’70s.
Brad, Janet and “sweet transvestite" Frank N. Furter will
Some of those wound up in Hohenboken’s series Magic People.
have some plush digs in which to carry out their mayhem. The
“The work itself feels very intimate, and it feels like people kind
River's lobby has been renovated for the event and will feature a
of showing me or, by extension, the viewer a kind of intimate and
number of Rocky-themed installations.
really kind of magical part of themselves," he says.
This version, like the more familiar Rocky picture shows, will
encourage audience members to dress up and saunter onstage to
join the fun. “So much more is brought to life in the stage ver
sion,” says director Jenni Newton. “It’s bound to be an evening
hat, you weren’t invited to the last celebrity and super
of, well, excitement!”
model White Party? Well, Silverado certainly invites you
to its first-ever White Trash Party from July 25 to 27 at
1217 S.W. Stark St.
The place opens every day at 9 a.m., and everyone is encour
aged to wear their best white gear. On Friday from 9 p.m. to mid
night is the Mardi Gras-style white bead giveaway, followed by
a balloon drop with prizes and male strippers until 2 a.m.
If these five
Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. Phoenix singer and pianist Mark
Queer Eyes
Barnes entertains, then from 3 to 9 p.m. is the Silverado Tea
are heading
Dance with DJ Iran, followed by an 11 p.m. prize for most out
: j to your house,
rageous white cosnime. Then strippers, naturally.
you’re in
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Silverado plays host to the
trouble
Chicken Lady, who scrambles you up a mighty-fine breakfast. At
3 p.m. is Church of the Poison Mind in White. Strippers, camp
drag and dancing follows beginning at 4. During the Sunday
Madness Party dcxirs will close to newcomers at 12:30 a.m. But
if yiHi’re already there, you can dance 'til late. JFI
Portland’s own White Party
w
Compiled by L isa B radshaw , G ary M orris and F loyd S klaver