Great Gay Performances

This month, I'm back with the original band with which I cowrote Are You the One. The tune is by the same composer who wrote Apathy and Little Known Distractions. All the songs presented on my SoundCloud page are demos. In other words, none of them have been professionally mixed, mastered, or recorded on high end professional equipment. Trust me; it matters. And in some cases, you're listening to first drafts. I'm happy to report that we're taking two tunes to a professional studio to rerecord by the end of the month (neither of which are public or can be made public until they're finished). I was looking over the lyrics for one of the songs today and it has the word "her" in the line. I emailed the composer, who is also a professional friend, and told him we'll need to change that. The new line won't have to read "him," but I'm not singing a romantic song about a woman.

As an actor, I've relented to playing straight. It's my job to be all kinds of people. I now see the joy (and challenge) of that. I also had the beginnings of a major subconscious heart change when I watched Season One Episode Two of the DL Chronicles. If you haven't already, watch it and tell me what you think. There was so much unexpected passion in that sex scene, I was just staring at the screen afterward. "Robert" is actually straight in real life. I thought, if he can play the other side so convincingly, then I can, too. Still, he wasn't forced to play that role. There's no lack of material from the straight perspective.

Also, when I'm singing, I'm not anyone else. I'm telling my own story from perspective numero uno. Yes, I get flak about my choice to change lyrics, but fuck the naysayers. It's homophobic to challenge me about my refusal to indulge hetero normative ideals. No one would criticize Jay-Z for covering a female song and changing the pronouns to "her." Why should I be? I'm in this head space because I just saw Cheyenne Jackson's latest video. I don't have any problems with it at all. He's beautiful to look at and can sing the leaves off the trees. (I WILL be covering this song.) He could be in the video singing to a tube of toothpaste and I wouldn't care. But his choices are his and mine are mine. Granted, I can't say for a fact that I wouldn't change my tune if the options were "make a straight video or no video." I might just make a straight video and bitch about it to the end of the time (and bitch about it I would...all the way to the bank.)

A similar situation occurred during the making of Interview with the Vampire. Remember that? Tom Cruise refused to play the gay scenes that were originally in the book. It was reported that Brad Pitt was fine with the characters as written. Anne Rice was furious, but it was either remove the obvious gay element or lose Tom as part of the project. Say what you will but, as bull-headed as I am (I have Taurus rising), I probably would've made the decision. Tom is huge, even though he is a Scientologist. (Why does scientology have nothing to do with science?)

Speaking of gay performances, you're invited to come out tomorrow to Club Oberon to meet me and the cast of an upcoming theatrical soap opera from 2p-5p. I'm keeping it realz and playing a gay character. It's non Eq (for all you theatre snobs), but it's fun and hilariously written and acted. If you want to see me in an Equity performance, you'll have to wait until the fall when I'm in Anne of Green Gables. In the meanwhile, tickets for Sunday's event are $30-$75.

Cheyenne Jackson's Latest Video and Song. Bought it!
More gay music. I couldn't get the player to work for the performances. Maybe you can. I hope it's good stuff. I didn't get to hear yet :-(
Favorite Cazwell Video
Kim Burrell isn't gay, but she will be in Boston tomorrow with others as part of a free gospel fest. Will I be there after the Oberon engagement? YES! Will she be singing this song? NO! But I listen to this rendition e'ryday.