BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE on Logo tonight!

TV and DVR Alert! The BBC gay camp comedy BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE finally premieres in the US tonight at 10:30 pm via Logo.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, based on the best-selling childhood memoirs of Barneys Creative Director and window-dresser Simon Doonan, is the BBC Two six-part series starring an effeminate 13-year-old schoolboy desperate to whitewash his homely – yet offbeat – family and live with the “beautiful people” of London.

I highly recommend this fabulous and entertaining series. Hello! It's full of show tunes and entertaining characters! If you loved ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS then this show is a MUST! And it was written by Jonathan Harvey who also wrote the now-classic 1996 gay flick BEAUTIFUL THING. I cannot wait!

Let's just hope that Logo does not edit the episodes carelessly. And does not bleep out too much!

~MG

Sign Up for Free DVD Raffle!

ImageOut 16's Opening Night smash hit WERE THE WORLD MINE is coming to DVD on June 9th from Wolfe Video!

"Enchanting! Endearing! Striking! Movie musical magic!" - The New York Times

Armed with a magical love potion and empowered by dazzling musical fantasies, struggling with his identity and acceptance, adorable teen, Timothy (dreamy Tanner Cohen) turns his narrow-minded town gay while capturing the heart of Jonathon (buff Nathaniel David Becker), the rugby jock of his dreams. Also starring Wendy Robie (Twin Peaks), Broadway star Judy McLane (Mamma Mia), Zelda Williams (House of D), and Jill Larson (Opal on All My Children), WERE THE WORLD MINE uses vibrant imagery, a first-rate cast, and innovative music to push modern gay cinema and musical film beyond expectation.

Coming to DVD on June 9th or place your advance order now at WolfeVideo.com.

ImageOut Blog readers can send an email to programming@Imageout.org with "Free WTWM DVD" in the subject line to enter a raffle for a DVD copy. Please include your contact information in the email where the DVD is to be sent if you win. We will announce the raffle winner here in the blog on June 5.

ImageOutreach Survey

As you know, one of the great programs of our ImageOutreach is to make sure that we make the Festival and our various events all throughout the year accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community. We'd like to know if there is anything else we can do to improve what we do now. If you take advantage of our interpreting services during our events or know of deaf people who do, please participate in our current survey and forward it to those concerned. We hope to hear from you!

Love Conquers All

Tell me this isn't love! A friend of mine sent me this story about the gay mayor who resigned from office because he fell in love with an illegal immigrant. It was so romantic I couldn't resist posting it here. At a time when most gay politicians lie about their relationships and (mis)adventures or choose to retreat all the way in the back of the closet, this bit of news is refreshing. I wish them love and luck.

So the big question is: Is the mayor a Democrat or a Republican?

Kris Allen is the new Idol!

I have been out of town (Vegas baby!) so I have been totally absent from the blog. So pardon the scant postings here.

So we did not get our first gay American Idol. But we at least got a cute (and just as talented) one. I knew this was going to happen. The final two is the first time that people can actually vote against someone they don't like by voting for the opposition. So Adam had to overcome the huge Kris Allen fanbase and his detractors as well. Plus Kris probably got more of the Danny Gokey fans. So what do you think? Let the conspiracy theorizing begin!

In the meantime, I'll be heading to Toronto for the tail end of their GLBT Film Festival. Not much new things to see but just hoping to mingle with filmmakers and industry types.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend y'all!

~MG

Glee Preview Episode Tonight!

I hope everyone reading this is planning on tuning in to the preview episode of Glee on Fox tonight after American Idol. I have been looking forward to Glee since ads first started popping up for the show several months ago. Produced by Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck, the series follows the group of misfits and theatre geeks who make up the glee club of McKinley High School in Ohio. The cast, which is peppered with Broadway performers like Matthew Morrison (the revival of "South Pacific," the original cast of "Hairspray") and Lea Michelle ("Spring Awakening"), looks amazing and super talented. Out actress Jane Lynch also stars as the rival coach of the school's cheer leading team. Did I mention that it's a musical?

The show looks absolutely fantastic and early reviews have been glowing. FOX is airing the first episode tonight in the hopes of attracting an audience when the series officially premieres in the Fall. Thankfully, FOX seems to be fully on board, giving it as much exposure as possible, so hopefully it will find it's audience and won't become another one-season wonder.

Glee airs tonight on FOX at 9 o'clock following part one of the American Idol season finale.

Jason & DeMarco for PeaceArt

A shout out for ImageOut member and supporter Thomas Warfield. We also screened Jason & DeMarco's 2007 film, WE'RE ALL ANGELS, at ImageOut 15.

Changing the World through Music
A Benefit for PeaceArt International, Inc.
Sunday, May 17, 2009 7:30pm
School of the Arts @ Ensemble Theatre
45 Prince Street

Featuring Jason & Demarco, Thomas Warfield and
the Rochester Gay Men's Chorus

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Buy them at Parkleigh, Outlandish and Equal=Grounds.

High Falls Film Festival

Just a quick reminder for folks who love their movies that the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival (RHFIFF) premieres this Wednesday. I just picked up my All-Access Pass (thanks Rosie and Ruth, and very cool and convenient new box office location at Spot Coffee) and I'm very excited to see non-GLBT films for a change! I have been buried under DVD screeners for ImageOut in the last couple of months that High Falls would be a break. LOL

Indeed there's not a whole lot of GLBT-themed films at High Falls this year. But then again, that's our job here at ImageOut. Ha! But I'm definitely seeing Shorts Program #1 on Wednesday at 9:15pm. It includes WAITING FOR YVETTE starring Wendy Malick (TV's JUST SHOOT ME) as a pre-op transexual who just might be having second thoughts about the final step in her tranformation. Sounds like fun!

Unfortunately, I'll be away this weekend so I can only be around for the first couple of days of the festival. But I will keep you posted on what I end up seeing. Or maybe I'll see you at the theaters?

~MG

July 11 - Save the Date!

Congratulations Equal Grounds!

Happy 3rd Anniversary Equal Grounds -- one of our loyal supporters and advertisers! May you have more brewing days ahead of you and of course, many happy customers to come! Thanks again for generously helping ImageOut as one of our major ticket outlets.

Also good to note that Kendall won the ImageOut Best Flower City Flicks Short Film a couple of years ago.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

If I'm being honest, I must say I have not really been a good friend of Dorothy's. I have never seen THE WIZARD OF OZ completely until yesterday when I attended the concert screening of the film at the Eastman Theater. Shocking! But it was a perfect way to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the film's theatrical release -- with the musical score played live by wonderful musicians. Now I can finally appreciate all the cult references to the film. LOL.

OMG, Dorothy's friend are indeed very gay especially the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man! (I know, a pathetic reaction from me, yes?) No wonder the Lion gets praises from John Waters.

I also attended the fancy schmanzy live auction / dinner and Oz Gala Reception at the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House after the concert (those Oz-mopolitan cocktails were terrific!). It was a proud moment for long time ImageOut volunteer Bill Thompson (looking stunning in tails and a red vest with Chinoiserie influence) who loaned many items from his OZ and Frank L. Baum vast collections to be displayed at the event. The Dryden also showed the 1910 OZ silent short directed by Frank L. Baum himself. Crazy! And the dinner was just delish. Great to meet a lot of arts & culture and business A-listers from the Rochester community. What could we do to get those people to be ImageOut donors???

Thanks Bill for a wonderful afternoon/evening of OZ memories.

~MG

Be an ImageOut Friend

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Check us out here.