Wed. June 18, 2003
Once upon a time, there was not much to watch on TV in the summer, just repeated episodes of your favorite shows shown for the second (or third) time. Fortunately, TV executives have gotten strategic about their summer listings, and the summer season is starting to take on a life of it's own. This year's summer line up includes a number of shows of interest to the lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) community:
Boy Meets Boy (The Bravo Network) - NBC-owned Bravo has created the reality show you'd never thought you'd see on television. One eligible gay bachelor with fag hag in tow, gets to choose from a bevy of eligible young men. One man is given his walking papers each week until our gay bachelors makes his final selection.
Here's the catch. Some of the eligible young men are actually gay-for-pay straight boys. If they succesfully win the bachelors heart, they get a cash price, and our bachelor gets his heart broken.
The six-episode Boy Meets Boy premieres in July on Bravo.
The Amazing Race (CBS) is back for it's fourth season, and contestants will again be crossing the planet vying for the big prize. This season's race includes Reichen and Chip, who are clearly playing to win.
But the cash-prize isn't the only thing on their minds. This couple also wants to make sure America see what a happily partnered gay couple looks like. Twenty-eight year old Reichen says he wanted to be on the show "For the great experience, but mostly to fulfill the need to be honest about my life--to anyone."
Thirty-six year old Chip said he wants "To present a new type of gay relationship to the viewing audience and win." Chip is an active consultant raising financing and setting up projects in film, music, and multi-media.
The Wire (HBO) - A new season of HBO's show The Wire begins this month. The crime series features two LGBTI characters. In a leading role Sonja Sohn portrays Narcotics Detective Shakima Greggs, a lesbian living with her partner Cheryl. In a supporting role, Omar (Michael K. Williams, r.) is a gay drug dealer whose partner was murdered.
Soldier's Girl (Show Time) - This is one movie you will definitely want to watch this summer. It's the true life story of Private First Class Barry Winchell, who fell in love with transgender club performer Calpernia Adams. The relationship created an impossible situation for Winchell, who faced daily harrassment and violence from homophobic/transphobic soldiers. Finally Pfc. Barry Winchell was beaten with a baseball bat in his barracks July 5, 1999. He died the next day. Soldier's Girl is an intense movie and a thoughtfull exploration of transgender love and the consequences of hate.
© David Mariner, All Rights Reserved
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