Reichen Lehmkuhl

The A-List New York kicks off with six gays living in a house and having their lives taped. Reichen Lehmkuhl is a mouthful, known for winning The Amazing Race and dating Lance Bass. Logo's latest reality star tells ChicagoPride.com why he makes the list.

JN: (Jerry Nunn) Hello, Reichen. Tell me about your new show.

RL: (Reichen Lehmkuhl) It is basically a docu-drama. It is the first of its kind, following six guys living in New York and following their everyday activities.

JN: You also have your jewelry line?

RL: Oh yeah. It's called Flying Naked. It's going stronger than ever. Our sales keep increasing. It's great because ten percent of all the gross proceeds go to fight the ban on gays in the military. We are just now launching our fourth quarter line for the year. We do a model search for that. It is all exciting stuff.

JN: How do you feel about Don't Ask, Don't Tell?

RL: The outcome is happening a lot more slowly than I had wanted it to in the beginning. I am really disappointed in our president. He is the commander in chief. He has the absolute ability to sign an executive order to stop the discharges. He wants to play bipartisan politics and trying to do it the right way but in the mean time all these people are losing their jobs and are kicked out of their careers for being gay. It is all on his shoulders as far as I am concerned. He is not just stopping it until he figures out what he wants to do. I am very disappointed in my vote for President Obama.

JN: Your current boyfriend is named Rodiney.

RL: Yes, Rodiney Santiago.

JN: Is he going to be on the show?

RL: Oh, yes. He is one of the six guys that the show is following. We are the only couple featured on the show. There are two other guys that are in relationship but their partners are not on the show.

JN: How was that being in a relationship and having that broadcast on a reality show?

RL: It is really interesting (laughs). It is scary. Every little thing that we go through is featured on the show. Things can be blown out of proportion. This just happened then it's on camera. If you have a fight about something then you have a fight about the fact that it was on camera. It can be stressful in a relationship.

JN: Sure, and you have had very public relationships.

RL: Yes, I have had five boyfriends in my life, I don't think that makes me a huge slut, but three have been on TV, Chip on the Amazing Race, Lance Bass from ‘N Synch, and now Rodiney on the A List.

JN: Are you currently in My Big Gay Italian Wedding?

RL: No, my contract is up and I left the production on July 24th. I had a great time. I loved it and learned tons.

JN: What are you working on now?

RL: Right now I am writing my second book, which is a sequel to the first. I also recorded a song that I wrote. I had received a letter from a soldier in Afghanistan who was in a unit that was under wraps and very confidential, all of his letters were monitored by intelligence people on the base. He and his partner had a tough time communicating all because of this Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. He couldn't tell if his partner was into him anymore because they couldn't communicate for over ten months. When he got out of the unit, even though he remained in the Air Force and was still flying, he wrote me this letter thanking me for my book and the section about Don't Ask Don't Tell. He explained how bad the situation was for him. I wrote a little song about it because I play the guitar, most people don't know that. This music director that I worked with in My Big Gay Wedding asked me if I would ever produce a song. We just finished recording the song and it will be on iTunes pretty soon.

JN: What's it called?

RL: Up to the Sky.

JN: Well, I look forward to hearing it and seeing the A-List show.

RL: It is going to be wild so maybe you will want to talk to me more after that. Give me a call!

JN: Will do!

The A-List: New York began this October on the Logo Channel Network. For listings and times visit www.logotv.com