The Gay Games

You know, sometimes I am just too queer for words! While the rest of the country is watching “L’il Wayne” & “L’il Kim” & the whole “Little Rascals” gang (WHY??? Is everyone “L’il” ? well except for that late lamented, “NOTORIOUS B.I.G.G.”???) at THE GRAMMY AWARDS I’m watching PBS. No, not one of those dreadful fundraisers where they break through & show those same 10, sad, unwell looking, people pretending to answer the phone in order to keep PBS on the air through the next commercial break; but what they used to call MASTERPIECE THEATRE.

And not just any episode of MPT but a “rebroadcast” of JANE AUSTEN’S SENSE and SENSIBILITY. And I think it miraculous. The tale of the grieving DASHWOOD GIRLS left to fend for themselves & their widowed mother, after the death of their beloved father, is riveting! All sorts of hunky well dressed men on horseback make their way to the quaint hill-side Dashwood cottage with a stunning view of the sea; but its “the girls” who are the story. HATTIE MORAHAN as Elinor Dashwood gives a Master Class in acting with this performance; and a breathtaking Brit named CHARITY WAKEFIELD as the romantic Mary Anne Dashwood, embodies the very reason poets take to pen. Supported by the legendary JANET McTEER as Mrs. Dashwood I simply hated for it to end but at least it was a happy ending.

As was LOVING LEAH. Since childhood I have been obsessed by the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME PRESENTS those very “special” TV productions; for a number of reasons. One is that they are usually well done, adapted from great novels or starring famous actors who usually will not do t.v. Another is those stories-within-the story: the HALLMARK Commercials themselves. Where the student comes back to thank the retiring professor with a (guess what?) HALLMARK Card that thanks the retiring Professor! OR the one about the middle-aged man who previously ILLITERATE is now able to READ The HALLMARK Card sent to him by his grand daughter. Often times these commercials are much better than the specials themselves. Not the case with LOVING LEAH. If I read the synopsis I think I would have passed. A young Orthodox Jewish widow (LAUREN AMBROSE from 6 FEET UNDER FAME) who’s husband has passed away suddenly meets his (non-Orthodox & GORGEOUS) Brother( played by ADAM KAUFMAN) who by ancient custom; must marry her in order to give her children; that his brother would not have died in vain without giving her children . (And people think we CATHOLICS are crazy?) Anyway the two end up getting married & lving happily ever after with the Rabbi’s Blessing (and oh, the Rabbi is played by RICKKI LAKE!) Yea its all kind of hokey, but AMBROSE & KAUFMAN are so pretty, and earnest, & winning, that you just end up rooting for them!

So here I am, watching these “chick flicks” wearing a CARDIGAN sweater, with a cat on my lap & sipping Merlot form a tea cup & thinking: “Really? Was there EVER a time where you thought you MIGHT NOT be GAY??????”