#i’ve talked about this on twitter but haven��t said it here

[lilydalexf]

Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with MaybeAmanda

MaybeAmanda has been a longtime participant in X-files fandom. She has 29 stories at Gossamer, the earliest being archived there in 1998 and the latest in 2012. I've recced some of my favorites of her stories here before, including "Malus Genus" and "Snow in Alabama." Big thanks to MaybeAmanda for doing this interview.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?

It does, in a way.  The feedback I get nowadays is either of the "I read this like 20 years ago and I just read it again" variety or the "I was too young back in the day but I have been watching the show in reruns/on XYZ streaming service/on the full-series of DVDs I got for $3 from the thrift store and I was THRILLED to discover fanfiction was being written even in the Dark Ages!" So it's a bit of a surprise, but it's a pleasant one. I answer every mail/comment because my mama raised me right!

What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?

It was great. It was fun. It was educational. It was a godsend. Even with the occasional bouts of back-stabbing and flame-throwing, it was mainly a welcoming, inclusive place to be. I made so many online friends who have turned into meat-friends (do they still call them that? Probably not).  During the first run of the show I had small children and we had relocated for my husband's job.  I had very little social life, but the fandom gave me a chance to meet and connect with people who liked what I liked. Then I discovered online fanfic, and it was even better!

Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?

ATXC I think.  A lot of email lists - 5 or 6 or 7 or so over the years. Gossamer, of course, Ephemeral when that came into being.  Haven discussion boards. My own websites.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

More than anything?  I am a fangirl.

What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?

I have always been partial to sci-fi and speculative fiction, but it rarely makes it to the screen - large or small - without being trite, clichéd, or just plain bad. It's easy to forget that The X-Files was groundbreaking - smart, scary, funny, insightful, intriguing, complex plots, on-going mythology. It looked great. It sounded great. David Duchovny was pleasant to look at, too, and damn! Gillian Anderson is/was one hell of an actress.

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

I found XF fanfic - somehow - probably by accident, or by way of a recommendation - and it blew my mind.  I had written fanfic (of a sort) with my friends in highschool, so I was familiar with the beast, but to find what amounted to excellent story after excellent story for free within (relatively) easy reach (because dial-up, right?) written by people who, for the most part, were thrilled you read their story and were happy to talk to you about it, about writing in general, about your shared obsession - that was amazing. As I am sitting here typing this I am feeling that thrill again - discovering Karen Rasch, Madeliene Partous, Paula Graves [Lilydale note: AKA Anne Haynes], Sheryl Martin and all the other early BNFs was, well, the only word is exciting. I felt like I was a member of a secret society and that I was sitting at the popular kids lunch table, all at once. (Don't forget, in the early days, shippers were considered delusional outliers - seriously!)

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

Good?   It's not as lively a place as it once was, but I haven't renounced my citizenship or anything. If I get a rec, I check it out. I know there are those who like to pretend they never had anything to do with the fandom, but why? I am still a proud XPhile.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

Angel (a teeny tiny bit) while XF was still running, but those fans were - I don't know the word.  Hardcore does not begin to do it justice. I wrote two short pieces at a friend's request then backed away slowly. Sherlock (a bit) - it is/was very LJ centred and that made it hard to find things. A lot of it moved to tumblr which made it harder, then to twitter, which - no.  I was involved in one of the less fashionable facets of the Sherlock fandom, so I was really a fringe-dweller there, too. It seemed clique-ier than XF, and they all seemed so young, and they all knew EVERYTHING about everything, and every damned thing was political, and, and, and... GET OFF MY LAWN!

But maybe I am remembering the XF fandom wrong. ;)

Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?

Like, all fiction? Mulder and Scully for sure. Arthur Dent. Sherlock Holmes in most of his incarnations. Spock. Winnie the Pooh. Why do I like them?  They speak to me, I guess.

Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully?

I haven't watched an episode in probably two years (back when it was on regular tv).  Yeah, I think about them surprisingly often.  Story ideas, weirdly.

Do you ever still read X-Files fic?

I finished re-reading The Iolokus Series a couple of weeks back, so yes.  It's excellent comfort reading.

Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?

Lots! But as far as authors go, I hate playing favourites. I will miss someone I shouldn't and feel like crap.  The Iolokus Series by MustangSally and Rivka T. is probably my all-time favourite fic because it's so very well-written, and so very fucked-up. Kipler's Strangers and the Strange Dead is also terrifically well-written and clever. For complex, interesting case files, you can’t beat syntax6 - pick any of them.

What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?

Oh geez. Seriously? I wrote a lot of collaborations and I love them - and my co-authors - all!  Stuff I wrote on my own: Anniversary Waltz (first XF fic I wrote so it's sentimental.) Or Blue Patches. Or Epiphany. Or The Gifts of the Magi (On a Kaiser Roll). Or 221XF.  Gonna stop now.

Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story?

Every time I thought I wouldn't, I did. I would never say never.

Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?

Nothing finished ever went un-posted. All the unfinished stuff remains unfinished.

Do you still write fic now?

Haven't for a while, but it's not as if I have said "I SHALL NEVER WRITE FANFIC AGAIN!" I just have nothing in the works at this moment.

Where do you get ideas for stories?

With fic, it's usually from canon - some question unanswered, some road unexplored, some "what if?" that needs iffing.  With "original" fiction, damned if I know.  A snippet of overheard conversation, an interesting photo, something a random story generator spit out at me.  Sometimes things just click.

What's the story behind your pen name?

Okay so...many years ago I was on a (smallish) fic list with a friend.  There was a challenge posted - a bad fic challenge. We knew we could write some truly bad fic if we really tried.  One of the rules of the challenge was to post under an assumed name so no one would know who they were voting for. Well, my friend and I wrote something truly, painfully horrid and we were very proud of its ghastliness, so were brainstorming possible pseudonyms. She hated everything but had no real suggestions of her own.  I knew that she was a bit of a Trekkie (like me) and I said - What about Amanda Greyson and Joanna McCoy?  And she said  - What?? Huh?? Why?? And I said - Spock's mother and McCoy's daughter and she replied, "Maybe Amanda is Spock's mother but on Star Trek there is not a Joanna." By this point, I was SO DONE, and I became MaybeAmanda and she became NotJoanna. Really.

Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?

It took years for me to admit it, but yeah, they know.  They didn't entirely get it.  The reactions I most often got were:

"Ew! You write stuff without being forced?? Ew!!"

or:

"Is it smut? I bet it's just smut. You write smut, don't you? Pure filth, right? I can't believe you are wasting your time writing pornography! That's disgusting! You sicken me! Um, can I read some of it?"

And of course:

"If you are going to write anyway, why don't you get published and become fabulously wealthy?"

which is really two questions, neither of which is easily answerable.

Anyone who tracked my work down (because I told them I wrote, but not my pseudonym) usually said something like, "Hey! You're an okay/passable/decent writer! Why don't you get published and become fabulously wealthy?"

Yeah.

Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now?

Same old email (maybe_a@rocketmail_dot_com). Gossamer, my site, my LJ and probably some other places.  I can't lie - it's a bit scattered.

(Posted by Lilydale on August 4, 2020)

[evansfm]

𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 –– 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 .

every  morning  evan  woke  up  to  a  london  sky  that  refused  to  let  the  sun  in  ;  summer  was  drier  than  spring  ,  but  the  clouds  seemed  to  linger  year  round  .  .  .  not  that  she  minded  .  she  had  ,  after  all  ,  grown  up  in  county  dublin  ,  where  things  were  always  a  bit  damp  .  still  ,  the  lack  of  COLOR  could  be  draining  .  .  .  so  she  searched  for  it  in  unexpected  places  ,  creating  little  pockets  of  color  for  herself  in  a  rather  grayscale  world  .  golden  lights  strung  on  her  balcony  ,  isla’s  bright  red  hair  and  matching  smile  ,  an  array  of  bright  letters  boasting  NME  lining  a  wall  ––  covers  from  past  decades  ,  a  rainbow  rubik’s  cube  next  to  her  keyboard  ,  two  framed  photographs  perched  on  her  desk  .  the  first  seemed  like  forever  ago  ,  a  beaming  eloise  with  a  twin  on  either  side  ;  beck  on  the  left  ,  evan  on  the  right  ,  both  planting  kisses  on  her  cheek  one  valentine’s  day  years  and  years  ago  .  the  second  was  more  recent  ,  backstage  at  a  show  in  galway  ;  kieran  sat  in  his  chair  with  his  fingers  intertwined  with  evan’s  as  she  draped  her  arms  over  his  shoulders  from  behind  ,  chin  resting  on  top  of  his  curls  and  a  smile  that  looked  SOFT  compared  to  the  goofy  one  ruairi  wore  ,  looming  behind  her  with  his  chin  on  her  head  .  she  felt  warmth  every  t​​ime  she  looked  at  them  ,  but  there  was  always  a  tug  in  her  stomach  .  .  .  the  undeniable  feeling  of  something  missing  .  she  found  her  little  pockets  of  color  ,  but  they  still  seemed  muted  w​​ithout  the  people  she  loved  ––  the  PERSON  she  loved  .

their  schedules  had  begun  to  clash  ––  and  evan  hated  the  way  she  was  beginning  to  get  used  to  the  dull  ache  of  his  absence  .  distance  had  been  a  part  of  their  relationship  for  months  ,  but  the  time  zones  were  killing  her  .  they  couldn’t  always  make  time  for  hours  wasted  away  on  facetime  ;  she  couldn’t  always  fall  asleep  to  the  sound  of  his  voice  on  the  other  end  of  the  line  .  they  were  both  where  they  were  supposed  to  be  ,  chasing  their  dreams  together  ,  separately  .  .  .  but  evan  was  beginning  to  wonder  if  the  path  she  was  on  ––  the  desk  ,  the  deadlines  ,  the  distance  ––  was  actually  what  she  WANTED  .  there  was  a  lack  of  creative  control  at  nme  ;  she  was  a  part  of  a  greater  whole  ,  confined  to  a  desk  when  she  wasn’t  out  in  the  field  .  she  felt  restless  .  .  .  bored  ,  almost  .  and  with  her  most  recent  deadline  met  and  a  job  of  her  own  ––  evan  connely  ,  sans  nme  ––  waiting  at  the  end  of  the  week  ,  she  was  distracted  .  

“  WHAT  are  you  doing  ?  ”  isla  popped  up  behind  her  ,  coming  out  of  nowhere  to  look  over  her  shoulder  .

“  jesus  ,  ”  evan  startled  ,  nearly  dropping  the  plastic  puzzle  in  her  hand  ,  “�� where  t’e  fuck  did  you  come  from  ?  ”

“  charlotte’s  office  .  answer  my  question  .  ”

“  playing  wit’  a  toy  ,  ”  she  held  up  the  half  solved  rubik’s  cube  ,  then  let  out  an  audible  sigh  as  isla  looked  unimpressed  ,  then  jutted  her  chin  towards  the  computer  screen  ,  “  trying  to  put  together  a  mood  board  for  t’is  gig  i’ve  got  wit’  saint  valentine  on  friday  .  ”

perfectly  shaped  auburn  brows  raised  ,  “  we  got  saint  valentine  ?  ”

“  no  ,  ”  evan’s  lips  lifted  into  the  faintest  smirk  ,  “  i  got  saint  valentine  .  ”

“  you’re  bloody  joking  .  shut  UP  ,  ”  isla  gasped  ,  rounding  to  her  side  of  the  table  desk  ,  just  to  roll  her  chair  around  ,  “  and  you  didn’t  fucking  tell  me  ?  ”

“  no  ,  because  you  couldn’t  keep  a  secret  if  you  tried  .”

“  well  that’s  because  it  shouldn’t  be  a  fucking  secret  ,  ev  .  this  is  fantastic  ,  ”  hazel  eyes  widened  with  excitement  ,  “  so  you’re  shooting  them  for  ––  .  .  .  ”

“  t’ey  weren’t  too  explicit  about  it  .  i  know  for  certain  i’m  covering  bot’  shows  at  t’e  o2  ,  documenting  t’e  whole  thing  from  t’e  moment  they  get  there  ,  ”  evan  huffed  a  curl  away  from  her  face  ,  nodding  to  the  screen  ,  “  and  t’en  a  shoot  on  site  at  t’e  venue  .  so  i’ve  got  to  work  wit’  what  i’ve  got  .  i’ve  got  ONE  chance  here  ,  and  nicky  haven  scares  t’e  absolute  fuck  out’a  me  ,  so  i  can’t  blow  it  .  ”

“  nicky  haven  scares  EVERYONE  .  it’s  part  of  h​​is  charm  ,  ”  isla  leaned  in  ,  ma​​king  herself  perfectly  comfortable  in  evan’s  space  as  she  took  the  mouse  and  began  clicking  through  different  ideas  opened  on  photoshop  ,  “  let’s  see  what  you’ve  got  so  far  ––  .  .  .  ”

“  isla  ,  it’s  not  a  big  deal  .  really  i  shouldn’t  even  be  working  on  t’is  HERE  ,  right  now  .  it’s  not  exactly  nme  related  stuff  ,  you  kn––  ”

“  i  TOLD  you  she  was  here  today  ,  ”  a  girl  called  sophie  ,  who  manned  nme’s  front  desk  in  the  mornings  ,  materialized  on  the  other  side  of  evan’s  desk  .  a  junior  writer  ,  andrew  ,  was  hot  on  her  heels  .

“  soph  ,  now  really  probably  isn’t  the  best  time  and  it  really  isn’t  your  busi––  ”

“  someone’s  got  to  show  her  ,  ”  sophie  was  ,  admittedly  ,  obnoxious  .  and  coming  from  EVAN  ,  that  was  a  feat  .

“  show  WHAT  to  WHO  ?  ”  isla’s  voice  changed  in  tone  ,  taking  on  a  hint  of  authority  as  she  looked  at  andrew  ,  “  aren’t  you  meant  to  be  doing  some  social  media  research  right  now  ?  ”

“  i  WAS  ,  but  ––  ”

“  but  we’ve  found  something  that  evan  HAS  to  see  ,  ”  sophie  .  again  .

“  we  ?  ”

“  ME  ?  ”  evan  said  in  tandem  with  isla  ,  brows  lifting  as  she  clicked  the  final  piece  into  place  on  the  cube  .  she  glanced  over  at  isla  and  felt  a  strange  twist  in  her  stomach  when  she  saw  the  redhead  had  gone  rigid  .

“  is  this  about  ––  ”

“  rebecca  stringer  ,  ”  andrew  nodded  solemnly  ,  as  though  evan  was  supposed  to  know  who  the  hell  THAT  was  .

“  better  known  as  BEX  ,  ”  sophie  added  .

it  was  evan’s  turn  to  go  rigid  .  her  back  straightened  ,  and  it  felt  like  ice  had  just  been  shot  through  her  veins  .  truth  be  told  ,  she  was  more  worried  about  conflicting  schedules  lately  .  .  .  not  the  way  bex  sing-songed  a  shortened  version  of  kieran’s  name  .  .  .  or  the  way  she  answered  his  phone  and  simply  couldn’t  remember  who  evan  was  .  .  .  or  the  way  she’d  made  sure  evan  could  hear  her  promise  to  personally  deliver  kieran  to  his  hotel  room  that  first  night  in  los  angeles  .  it  wasn’t  exactly  PLEASANT  being  reminded  of  the  instinct  that  she’d  shut  down  ,  intuition  telling  her  something  wasn’t  quite  right  there  .  her  brows  pinched  together  as  the  rubik’s  cube  slid  from  one  hand  to  the  other  and  back  .  she  glanced  over  at  isla  with  a  prompting  look  .

“  we’re  .  .  .  doing  a  piece  about  nepotism  babies  in  the  industry  ,  and  she’s  a  PERFECT  example  of  one  so  i  was  having  andrew  look  into  the  way  she  interacts  with  fans  and  her  socials  and  what  not  .  she’s  one  of  like  TEN  people  we’re  look​​ing  into  ,  ”  she  explained  with  an  apologetic  look  .  it  was  then  that  she  turned  a  sharp  eye  to  andrew  and  sophie  ,  “  don’t  know  what  THAT  has  to  do  with  evan  ,  though  .  ”

“  see  for  yourself  .  ”

“  SOPHIE  .  ”

“  what  ?  it  probably  isn’t  even  new  information  for  her  ,  ”  she  shrugged  ,  reaching  over  two  monitors  to  hand  evan  a  phone  .  twitter  was  opened  to  a  profile  with  bex’s  beaming  face  in  the  icon  ,  but  the  handle  wasn’t  hers  .  she  gave  the  pair  of  them  a  skeptical  look  before  glancing  over  at  isla  who  only  offered  a  half  -  hearted  shrug  .  it  didn’t  take  long  to  see  what  ,  exactly  ,  sophie  had  been  talking  about  ,  a  slew  of  tweets  and  retweets  .

bexupdates  :  bex  &  kieran  pulled  up  to  the  venue  together  .  .  .  and  then  left  at  the  same  time  .  why  are  they  lowkey  so  cute  annathefound  :  not  bex  wearing  a  baby  tee  version  of  the  found’s  merch  .  .  .  stanning  her  boyfriend  just  like  the  rest  of  us  

ruairidailyposts  :  ok  wait  are  evan  &  kieran  even  dating  anymore  bc  i  could  be  down  with  a  bex  &  kieran  moment  cheerupbailey  :  @ruairidailyposts  you  know  two  people  can  have  a  relationship  without  posting  about  it  right  ???  they’re  in  separate  countries  rn  lol

babybexxx  :  i  just  think  that  bex  &  kieran  walsh  as  a  power  couple  .

bxhq  :  no  offense  but  bex  is  simply  so  much  better  for  him  than  some  rando  from  ireland  like  what thefoundupdates  :  @bxhq  babes  they  LITERALLY  grew  up  together  ????

totallyconan  :  be  honest  do  u  guys  think  the  reason  evan  isn’t  on  tour  with  them  is  bc  they’re  not  together  anymore  like  she  literally  never  misses  shows

adamfitzupdates :  why  are  y’all  so  obsessed  with  a  relationship  that  doesn’t  concern  you  ???  chill bexlevitates  :  @adamfitzupdates  bc  it’s  weird  that  evan  knew  him  for  so  long  and  only  started  dating  him  AFTER  the  found  started  to  get  big  like  that’s  shady

bexupdates  :  find  someone  who  looks  at  u  the  way  bex  looks  at  kieran  on  stage  wtf  did  y’all  see  that

newruleshq  :  no  waaaay  this  man  has  a  gf  when  he  and  bex  look  so  good  next  to  each  other  LMAO  

thefoundupdates  :  according  to  the  girl  who  wrote  the  article  kieran  literally  WALKED  OUT  on  the  interview  ???  rockstar  behavior  but  also  hope  he’s  ok

evan  could’ve  kept  scrolling  for  hours  as  her  heart  rate  began  to  rise  and  rise  .  the  crease  between  her  brows  deepened  ,  and  she  reminded  herself  of  everything  she  knew  to  be  true  .  kieran  LOVED  her  .  twitter  was  a  BRUTAL  place  .  it  was  as  though  the  worst  parts  of  her  subconscious  had  come  to  life  in  280  characters  or  less  .  her  head  began  to  swim  as  her  heart  sank  into  her  stomach  .

“  what  does  t’is  ––  .  .  .  ”  her  voice  cracked  ,  and  she  cleared  her  throat  ,  finally  looking  up  from  the  phone  screen  ,  “  why  ,  exactly  ,  are  you  showing  me  this  ?  ”  

sophie  looked  as  though  she  was  shocked  by  evan’s  question  ,  “  because  i’ve  dated  musicians  .  .  .  and  like  HALF  of  those  are  in  bex’s  likes  .  which  are  public  ,  by  the  way  .  just  doesn’t  seem  subtle  to  me  .  ”

“  are  you  trying  to  insinuate  something  here  ,  sophie  ?  ”  her  tone  shifted  ,  irritated  as  she  handed  the  phone  back  .

“  like  i  said  ,  i’ve  dated  guys  in  bands  ,  too  ,  and  ––  ”

“  enough  ,  ”  isla  snapped  ,  “  you’re  sticking  your  nose  where  it  doesn’t  belong  .  BOTH  of  you  should  be  off  doing  your  jobs  right  now  ,  so  ,  run  along  .  ”

both  of  them  scurried  off  without  a  word  .  

evan  was  still  for  a  moment  ,  but  her  fingertips  were  itching  for  the  keyboard  .  she  was  no  stranger  to  things  like  this  ,  unkind  words  from  strangers  who  didn’t  LOVE  the  idea  of  her  ––  despite  not  knowing  her  .  the  good  outweighed  the  bad  on  the  internet  ,  but  the  voices  who  didn’t  like  her  were  always  the  loudest  .  even  BEFORE  she  and  kieran  had  gone  public  with  their  relationship  .  .  .  even  before  they  were  ever  in  a  relationship  at  all  .  over  time  ,  she’d  learned  to  tune  it  out  and  focus  on  the  kindness  that  flooded  her  comment  sections  and  mentions  .  .  .  but  every  now  and  again  something  slipped  through  the  cracks  .  .  .  and  when  they  did  ,  she  absorbed  them  like  a  blow  to  the  abdomen  .  they  settled  into  her  memory  and  cemented  themselves  there  ,  tucked  away  until  they  found  the  perfect  moment  to  make  her  self  conscious  .  like  the  fan  who  had  commented  on  the  shape  of  her  body  before  and  after  going  to  uni  .  .  .  and  another  from  galway  who  made  it  their  business  to  let  everyone  know  she’d  slept  around  while  living  there  .  .  .  and  every  time  someone  said  she  wasn’t  good  enough  for  kieran  or  any  of  them  .  that  she  had  bad  intentions  ,  leeching  onto  the  boys  for  fame  .  that  her  career  was  based  SOLELY  on  the  four  of  them  .  

if  she  caved  and  kept  scrolling  ,  she’d  commit  it  all  to  memory  .  .  .  everything  that  made  her  intuition  about  bex  STRONGER  .  

instead  ,  she  launched  forward  and  snatched  the  rubik’s  cube  back  up  ,  immediately  distorting  its  perfect  faces  and  mixing  it  up  again  .  it  was  good  to  keep  your  hands  busy  ,  she  knew  ,  when  your  mind  began  to  run  away  .  

the  worst  of  it  wasn’t  even  TRULY  comments  about  their  relationship  .  .  .  those  hurt  ,  but  they  didn’t  sting  quite  as  bad  as  real  -  time  updates  about  kieran  and  bex  showing  up  or  leaving  venues  together  .  she  dulled  the  pain  by  reminding  herself  that  THREE  other  boys  were  never  too  far  behind  .  that  kieran  would  never  .  .  .  COULD  never  .  .  .  

but  then  again  ,  there  was  the  tweet  that  weighed  heaviest  in  her  mind  .  kieran  walked  out  in  the  middle  of  an  interview  ,  and  he  hadn’t  told  her  .  something  rattled  him  to  the  point  of  his  version  of  an  outburst  ,  and  he  hadn’t  told  her  .  that  seemed  like  something  he  would  have  told  her  .  .  .  it  seemed  important  enough  ,  she  thought  to  herself  ,  right  ?  RIGHT  ?

her  throat  felt  tight  ,  and  she  kept  running  the  tweets  she’d  read  over  in  her  mind  .  there  was  a  deep  furrow  in  her  brow  as  she  looked  down  at  her  hands  ,  still  vehemently  mixing  up  the  toy  .  something  felt  off  kilter  .  .  .  but  she  couldn’t  pin  down  which  hurt  more  :  the  slew  of  tweets  from  people  pretending  to  know  what  went  on  in  her  relationship  .  .  .  or  the  thought  of  kieran  doing  something  as  rash  as  storming  out  of  an  interview  ––  and  then  not  telling  her  .  

“  i  didn’t  know  about  t’e  interv​​iew  bit  ,  ”  she  said  quietly  ,  eyes  still  trained  on  the  colorful  cube  .  she  was  certain  her  face  was  the  opposite  ,  color  drained  .  

“  evan  ––  .  .  .  ”

“  it’s  fine  ,  ”  she  said  firmly  ,  “  it’s  probably  not  true  .  just  like  t’e  rest  of  it  isn’t  true  .  ”

her  voice  sounded  distant  .  .  .  and  she  wasn’t  sure  if  she  was  trying  to  convince  isla  or  HERSELF  .  clearing  her  throat  again  ,  she  set  the  toy  back  down  on  her  desk  and  scooted  towards  the  computer  .  

“  i’ve  got  work  to  do  ,  ”  she  said  quietly  ,  getting  back  to  the  monitor  .  though  all  she  wanted  to  do  was  go  home  .  how  many  more  people  thought  that  she  wasn’t  GOOD  ENOUGH  for  kieran  ?  how  many  people  thought  someone  like  bex  was  a  better  fit  ?  how  long  would  it  take  for  the  suggestion  to  become  potent  enough  to  make  the  people  who  KNEW  them  question  it  as  well  ?  and  if  kieran  had  walked  out  of  an  interv​​iew  ,  WHY  hadn’t  he  told  her  ?  

she  glanced  down  at  her  own  phone  screen  ,  hoping  that  maybe  she’d  missed  a  text  or  a  call  .  .  .  but  all  she  got  was  nothing  .  nothing  but  the  words  she’d  seen  written  down  ,  now  cemented  in  her  mind  :  bex  is  simply  so  much  better  for  him  .  .  .  because  SHE  was  there  ,  wrapped  up  in  the  same  world  he  was  in  .  she  was  accessible  .  immediate  .  beautiful  .  

and  evan  was  stuck  in  london  with  nothing  but  time  to  wonder  .

[amyure]

Snippets from the Tokyo 7th Sisters Complete Music File

I’ll write some interesting things I find as I skim over the t7s complete music file. - Esh

Esh originally wrote this up as a twitter thread, I’ve compiled the tweets and lightly edited/sorted them. If you’re interested in picking up the book for yourself, it can be found on Amazon Japan as well as CDjapan. – Nab

Multifaceted Motegi

Both Satsuki Update and Kanaboshi Tsukumo are Motegi. (Hahahaha) [Motegi is the General Director of Tokyo 7th Sisters, aka the guy to thank for everything (along with his team of course)! For reference, those two lyricists’ identities were kind of a mystery in the earlier days of t7s… though now they’re both just listed as ‘Alias of Shintaro Motegi’ over at VGMdb haha]

Kanaboshi Tsukumo tends to be more straightforward, saying things that Satsuki Update is not able to say explicitly, as shown from the contrast between BokuAo [僕らは青空になる] and Funbare Runner's lyrics. Prizm Rizm’s lyrics were Motegi's first foray into songwriting.

Satsuki Update and Kanaboshi Tsukumo, even if both are Motegi, were created with different personalities. The song "Bokura wa Aozora ni Naru" and "Funbare Runner" were made as "brother songs", where the former shows Satsuki update, and the latter, Kanaboshi Tsukumo's differences from them.

"Nanasis doesn’t really stick to genres, right?" Motegi: Yes. It is more like, if the song doesn’t move me then I won’t release it. If I can’t say this part of the song is good, I won’t produce it. [This is def a big part of why I like t7s music so much…]

Song Notes

The concept of Crazy Girl's Beat is "Anyway, it's cool. Even the lyrics, they’re whatever that sounds cool. ‘Sexy lingerie, yo’, despite being a little ???, is also part of it. Anyway, cool."

WORLD'S END was made to explain to fans how QoP's song came into being. Kz was tasked with making a rock song that "isn't so Kz" (to which kz replied with "eh?") They [Motegi and Kz] made the lyrics together, making it seem like telling a story.

Lucky☆Lucky’s lyrics were written by imagining what kind of songs 4U would sing after getting over the events of Episode 4U. That's why they are firm and reassuring, not only to themselves but also to others and the outside world.

BokuAo was created to convey the feelings of gratitude to Shihainin [the in-game term for the player’s ‘manager’ character] for the great enthusiasm in 1st live and for Shihainins’ great enthusiasm to the music itself. "There is no one word for gratitude,” said Motegi. Within Funbare [FUNBARE☆RUNNER] were things not "explicitly said” in BokuAo. The jackets for BokuAo and Funbare Runner are the girls looking at audience, saying "Thank You.”

Taikutsu Ribbon [たいくつりぼん] was made on a rainy winter day; it was made because Motegi wanted a mellow song.

Watashi Ai for You’s title was thought up by Motegi.

Motegi said "It's okay if the lyrics are incomprehensible" to emon for B.A.A.B. The title is from the acronym of "Break Away", mirrored. The lyrics were by emon, but the title was thought up by Motegi.

It was decided for everyone to sing every part in H-A-J-I-M-A-R-I-U-T-A-!! and Motegi wrote it without the image of MC [main character]. Even the cast asked him, “whose feelings are these?” It was his own feeling to every young person who loves Nanasis, and the moment he thought “777 Sisters is great this way.”

Hello... My Friend is the song which Motegi, for the first time, crafted together with the composer. He felt "something" was lacking, so Ryudai Abe said, "come to my house" and they made the song together. It was also made after Motegi gave his all for Ep4U and got a positive reaction.

Haneru!!’s [ハネ��る！！] lyrics were done in one night. It was when schedule was tight with LeSCa’s lyrics as well, and Motegi felt like he wanted to break away from that style. Motegi also seems to like having girls saying somewhat boyish things, so he put boyish words like "sakutekichuu" (searching for enemy) in.

Motegi commented there were only painful memories in the making of Behind Moon. Having had not enough time, he wrote it alone in a car while the others were out drinking, and thus put in words like "unfair". Yoshii Ayami (Kyoko’s former voice actress) praised Motegi a lot for the phrase "The mint tea smells like winter" in Behind Moon and for the very first time Motegi had the confidence to say, "I wrote it."

From B.A.A.B., Karakuri’s songs were made to have an ‘overseas’ sound. For -Zero, while thinking the concept may be ‘China, or Europe, or US’, Motegi remembered Karakuri as a name is very Japanese and decided to make lyrics with a lot of old Japanese words. For -Zero’s lyrics, Motegi referenced Heian period stuff like “The Pillow Book" or "Kokin Wakashuu", a collection of waka Japanese poetry from Heian period. (Personal note: no wonder it really took a lot of research for me when I translated -Zero...)

Seventh Haven was made before the 2nd Live and at that time, they [Motegi and Kz] were in a ‘dark mode’ where they were pondering, "Is it okay for idol songs to be like this?" "Just bust through it."

The lyrics from "Robber x Lover" began flowing after "I am sure, by Abracadabra...". "I don’t want to be a robber, I want to be a lover" is to convey a ‘that is just how much I love you’ vibe. Within WNo4’s songs, the girls' voices are the least "autotuned" in Robber x Lover.

Sayonara Rainy Lady’s lyrics were written when it was raining, which revealed a bright sky after stopping. This made the feelings during the time of their writing to be bright. Motegi specifically wanted the "Kudaranai hanashi" part be sung by Imai Asaka (Shizuka’s VA).

KUMAROBO comment for BokuAo: the last chorus’ guitar solo was conceived with the "thought of borrowing those feelings from Kz-san's song" but, he could not remember which song it was. He personally repeated that part numerous times as well, loving it very much. Upon being asked for a song he could never make himself, Kumarobo answered Seventh Haven. He couldn't get an idea how it was made at all, saying he might have been able to create Sparkle Time!! but he could never be able to make a Seventh Haven.

YELLOW’s lyrics were written before 2nd Live, in 2 hours. Motegi was at a park overlooking the ocean near an airport waiting for his plane, which is why it has the sky and breeze imagery within the lyrics.

KARAKURI's song Winning Day is linked to Episode KARAKURI’s scenario, especially how it questions the meaning of "winning". Where the girls "win but did not triumph."

Kz is a fan of Kumarobo. His favorite T7S songs are PUNCH'D RANKER, Cocoro Magical, Funbare Runner, HAJIMARIUTA, and YELLOW. The image he had of Killer Tuner changed upon seeing it live, which he described as “it's super awesome.” Kz said, while working on seventh haven, he felt for the first time he understood what Nanasis was. When he sent the track to his manager, his manager said, "this is an overkill.” Kz replied "just send it," and as it turned out, Motegi approved it right away. Kz said within the story there are dark moments here and there in Nanasis, and Seventh Haven represents what "blows up" after them.

During the making of Girls Talk, Ryudai Abe [composer of the track] said a discussion went, "don’t two girls talking sound nice?" to which the reply was "then phone calls seem good!" and somehow it was made with the atmosphere of ‘strange late-night high feelings’. The talking part of Girls talk [after the second chorus] was Motegi recording the "girls talk" of two young staff members and just putting it into the song. The fast-forwarding effect was also there because he wanted "to try it somehow," he said that at that time, he really played with things.

Seiyuus / units

Ferb is Hirose Yuuki's first voice acting role. She was told to portray Ferb with her "usual voice" but always had to calm down before recording, or else it would be “too Hirose."

Ayano Yamamoto, Yumeno VA, knew about QoP’s debut from twitter when fans started dropping congratulation messages on her twitter. She thought at first that they might have mistaken her with someone else or something, as she didn’t know what those congrats were for.

Just like in the QoP Drama CD, the voice actresses of QoP spent a long time practicing how to do their MC [talking to the audience] session for the Live. Hirose (Ferb VA) thought of it as fitting and very QoP.

LeSCa’s debut was determined when Kadokawa asked for novelization in Comptiq. Motegi had wanted to debut them but never had time/opportunity till Kadokawa's novelization offer. The same thing happened with QoP.

WITCH NUMBER 4's unit name is from the image of a super hacker swimming in digital world of 2034, ‘digital wizards’. Since they are girls, it became digital witches. With imagery of JK [high school] hackers, thus it is a technopop unit.

The theme for SiSH is ‘that refined lady you find commuting by bus.’

The theme for NI+CORA is ‘Is it superb compatibility, or incompatibility? Like two high heels touching at their tips’.

The theme for Sanbon Ribbon [サンボンリボン] is ‘Somewhere in their heart, there always remains a small girl.’

The theme for LeSCa is ‘the sweet and sour days of youth’; "What's LeSCa? It's lemon squash, refreshing, carbonated drinks!" [as explained by Kyoko in the novel]

Artwork / jacket illustrations  

The CD jacket for ‘t7s Longing for summer’ was originally meant to feature Mito, but MKS-san (main illustrator) said Haru would be good. Upon seeing the rough draft, Motegi felt that he had been mistaken. Haru was indeed the right choice, and with praise to MKS, the illustration was done up before the album released.

The jacket for ‘The Things She Loved’ [the t7s soundtrack album] is Nicole, not Coney, and the title is meant to be past tense. The moment she became Coney, thanks to the things she (had) loved, she can shine brightly. She continues to love it as time progresses towards her future.

Thanks to time constraints, -Zero/Treat or Treat? didn’t manage to get a full body illustration. Since it's Halloween, it is orange for pumpkin, and sticking out of the tongue as Halloween's "trick or treat"-ish playful feel.

The jacket illustration for YELLOW was to show “Triangle”. The white heels and beautiful legs are "very LeSCa", which Motegi had wanted to show off no matter what (Motegi commented how all 3 girls have beautiful legs). [Motegi…]

For Seventh Haven’s jacket, Motegi gave the raw track from Kz to MKS. Motegi had the image of both songs and illustrations' expressions and costumes, but in the end, he let MKS's design sense take the lead, and could only describe the final product as nothing less than amazing.

QoP album jacket was made black and white to show off a "rock band”-esque feel, with only their name in purple, symbolizing the band’s name.

The rough draft for Harukaze’s jacket was drawn by Motegi himself half a year before its release, then given to MKS. He then let it be just as per Motegi’s draft but the hand, the chin slightly tilted upwards, and Haru’s eyes were all MKS's design. Motegi requested for Haru's ear to be visible though.

Motegi on World’s End and Stay Gold/Start Line: MKS-san always knows what Motegi desires every time. Motegi praised MKS-san a lot in the music file, e.g. how his "world" would not be able to be separated from MKS-san's illustrations. He also commented how Musubi's leg is mesmerizing [in, I assume, illustrations where she is featured…? Such as You Can’t Win’s cover.]

For Present 4U, Motegi talked about how rock bands make jackets with meaning, but then often they don't have meaning. The illustration is "to show how the meaning is to have no meaning", fully made for the 'atmosphere', which is set in California, and tied to the Drama Track in the album.

Thanks to time constraints, for the “Are You Ready 7th-TYPES??” album jacket, only Nicole and Haru’s illustrations were finished. Since the ‘two colors’ concept was decided on, the art that was originally multi-colored was made monochrome red/blue. This was also to strengthen the image of a cool album.

Back to summaries

[demitgibbs]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/183750970250

[aureumdraconeus]

AD looks at RWBY Volume 6 Episode 1: Argus Limited

Also known as: AD is a very happy boy and is now theory crafting out his fucking asshole! SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST EPISODE UNDER THE CUT, DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT SPOILERSSSSSS.

Episode starting off with a fight scene already? Well shit I didn’t know this was Gurren Lagann all of a sudden.

Holy shit we actually got the Sphinx and Manticore Grimm right off the bat, these fuckers are big as shit.

HOLY SHIT THE CHOREOGRAPHY FOR THIS FIGHT SCENE IS GREAT…Wait why are we cutting away?

Ooooh Adam basically is now on his own, what a bitch. Deserves it after leaving the others behind.

OH SHIT HE JUST MURDERED THEM ALL…Yeah he’s now full on a one man army tryna hunt these bitches down.

Expositional dump from Qrow, we’re now two weeks after the events at Haven so not much time has actually passed in world for them

AS I SAID TO OTHERS BEFORE WHEN THE PREVIEW CAME OUT, RUBY AND THE OTHERS ARE STILL SO FUCKING CUTE AND GODDAMN IT I’M SO HAPPY THAT THEY’RE HERE NOW GODDAMN IT!

Dee and Dudley, aka No one cares and Probably gonna die…they at least have cool designs?

Yang isn’t a man hater, stop it tumblr and twitter with your SJW-ness, these fuckers are just tryna swindle them out of money not fuck ‘em

Qrow out here bein’ done with everything and everyone.

Trains! Snow! TEAM BONDING!

Oh hey it’s that old woman from the trailer, her name’s Maria Calavera which I think is pretty neat. She’s got a whole Dia De Los Meurtos theme going on, which is fitting because it’s almost time for SPOOKY DAYS.

BLAKE AND YANG TENSION THAT ACTUALLY IS PRETTY FUCKING ADORABLE AND GODDAMN IT JUST HAVE THAT TALK ALREADY.

I forgot to mention but the bit with Weiss and Ruby saying “Thank me later” has got my pairing signals alerted, these two will most likely have tons of shippy-ish dialogue and I’m OK with it for once.

BACK TO THE FIGHT SCENE, AGAIN!

OK so to summarise, this fight scene straight up puts a lot of stakes on the line. We’ve got a train full of people, one of the huntsmen is dead and the other is attracting the Grimm because of the cannons. This actually is a good fight scene to start and also to show the maturity of each member of the group.

JAUNE’S. SEMBLANCE. IS. BEING. USED. HOLY SHIT.

ALSO IT’S BEING USED TO AMPLIFY OTHER SEMBLANCES, I’M GLAD THEY’RE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT MEANS WE NOW HAVE A MEANS TO SAFELY CALL JAUNE A PALADIN

Ozcar is now making everyone fucking anxious because the Relic attracts Grimm…why the fuck DIDN’T you tell that to them earlier?

HOLY FIGHT SCENES BATMAN THIS IS COOL, DOUBLE SCYTHE FINISHERS AND A TON OF THE GOOD OLD FASHIONED TEAMWORKS!

Welp there goes half of a good train…WAIT WAS THAT ADAM????

Maria out here just chilling, I like her already.

SO with that out the way time for some pictures and captions of the intro! Because holy shit this intro gives me a lot of questions and I’m hype.

So to start with. Maria’s goggles get zoomed in on at one point and then to Ruby’s silver eyes. I’m not sure what this means but I’m theorising that Maria actually IS a Silver Eyed Warrior, or at least knows a lot about them. Maybe she has a means of contacting previous warrior?

QROW DEATH FLAGS ALREADY, GODDAMNIT. But for real, we get to see Qrow falling into the Darkness with a bunch of Grimm hands? I think that means he might die...but also...

THIS FUCKING THING MIGHT BE THE REASON. Ruby also fights it a little later in this opening but my guess is that it’s either a VERY powerful Eldritch Grimm, or some kind of fusion Grimm like we saw in the Manga.

HOODED LADY, WE SEE HER TWICE...WHICH IS ODD BUT HEAR ME OUT. The first time we see her we get a very nice bit of iconography with a certain hat.

Torchwick’s hat. Now could this mean the hooded figure is actually NEO? Well...maybe, because I’ll get to that soon.

SYMBOLISM! Now this is clearly supposed to be one of Ozpin’s incarnations, maybe white haired Oz? Who knows. The woman on the left however is a big mysterious entity here. Now...this might be a shot in the dark, but this woman MIGHT be Salem before she became a Grimm. I think that would be a good possible guess? That or it’s Ozpin’s wife??? Someone that was VERY close t o him???

MORE OZPIN STUFF, These three are the most interesting so far. The first appears to be a night or possible King? The second I’m tying to the Reverance person we saw in the trailer? The third one I dunno, he looks cute though.

ALSO JAUNE IS FUCKING PISSEDAT OSCAR, HOLY SHIT DOOD.

HERE’S HOODED LADY FOR THE SECOND TIME. Now notice the hand and the sword? I think that this could be one of two things. Either there’s two hooded figures, one being Neo and the other being Cinder or the hooded figure is Neo disguised as Cinder.

Either option is fucking weird, but I think it’s safe to assume that Cinder, somehow, is revived because of...SOMETHING.

However! This episode was really good as an opener, had good pacing, some nice laughs, the fight scene was really well paced and honestly it left me wanting more. Probably one of the best season openers I’ve seen for RWBY so far. The ONLY complaint that I might make however is just the fact that the cutaway section was a bit off? But then again the Adam bit takes place directly after the end of Volume 5, meaning that him showing up on the train could’ve possibly been something involving him actually being there? Bu I dunno.

I’M LOOKIN’ FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE WRITERS, DON’T FAIL ME NOW1!

[star-trekkin-across-theuniverse]

Escape, pt4

Word Count: 2133 Tags: @shewhorunswithfandoms @distinguishedqueenofbooks @anyakinamidala @anotherotter @little-study-bug  @rampant-salamander @goodnightwife @wanderingkat77 @bluebird214 @superwholockedbeauty @eyeofdionysus @all-time-foes @girl-next-door-writes @feelmyroarrrr @castiels-ass-butt-1967 @haven-in-writing @sistasarah-sallysaidso @dolamrothianlady @from-kitten-to-kitsune @geeksareunique

Author’s Note: I promise I’ll have a masterlist made for this tonight after work. Betcha can’t figure out who Jinx is face-cast as ;)

The remains of the city were in exactly the condition Peter would have expected based on Yondu’s tale. Walls were crumbling; the remains of corpses lay haphazardly where they’d fallen. Rocket touched one and it turned to dust before them. A shiver ran down Peter’s spine. He’d left the iPod on the ship with Gamora. She’d offered to stay behind to keep an eye out for other scavengers and unsavoury types that might come along. Peter wouldn’t say it, but he appreciated the gesture. At the same time, he missed having music while he worked. It was impossible to listen to music, scavenge and listen to Rocket though, so he’d opted to just leave the iPod behind.

“My tail is twitching. There’s no atmosphere here. Why would my tail twitch?” He rambled. “You know why, Star-Lord? Because that’s a prime A loot detector, that’s why!”

“You are more advanced than I’d expected. Can your tail give us directions to the target?” Drax glared at Rocket. Rocket rolled his eyes and kept walking deeper into the city. Peter scanned the buildings around them, but none of them seemed opulent enough to house any kind of loot whatsoever. And the Kree had lived here millions of years ago; there was nothing to really suggest that there would be anything of value left. Rocket disappeared into one of the stone houses, while Drax and Peter continued moving through the city. Somewhere, Peter reasoned, there had to be a house where the leader of the Kree had lived. Rocket rejoined them silently, his paws empty.

Peter saw it, ahead of them. A large edifice, with two round towers at each side. It looked important. He quickened his pace and Drax and Rocket followed. They slipped in the entry in silence. There was an altar at the far side of a large open room and floating above it was an orb of some sort. It glowed with a soft yellow light, almost like it was nothing but light. Rocket scoffed.

“It’s always got to be some goddamn ball. I wonder what painful torture is inside that one?” His fur still had out of control static electricity from helping Peter harness the energy of the Power Stone.

“Maybe it will cut out your tongue,” Drax suggested. Rocket shot him a dirty look. He glanced back at Peter. His eyes were narrowed, staring at the orb.

“It’s just pure energy. There’s nothing to that thing. How can we take it if we can’t grab it?” Peter wondered aloud.

“You feel like absorbing some more mystical magical crap, Star-Lord?” Rocket taunted. Peter stepped closer to the ball of energy, tilting his head to one side. He narrowed his eyes, and glared at it. Nothing. Just a ball of energy.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t think it’s in the interest of my health to grab it. But there must be some way of harnessing whatever it is.” Peter placed a hand on either side of the altar. A cloud of dust rose up, some of it becoming suspended in the pale glow of the sphere. He looked down to the altar and swept his hand across the angled edge and revealed some sort of runes. “Is this Kree?”

Drax leaned over as far as he could without actually getting any nearer to the altar. He sighed and took a step closer. “Clear it more.”

Peter leaned down and blew across the inscription, sending up another cloud of dust. The light of the glowing orb grew dimmer with the particulate suspended in it. Drax ran his hand across it lightly.

“Kree is all lines and circles. This is not Kree.”

“Do you recognize it, Drax?” Peter pressed. Drax’s fingers traced the symbols. He sighed and rocked back on his heels.

“I should. But I cannot fathom why,” he admitted. Peter gawked at him. It was the most normal thing he’d ever said. Rocket stepped up to the table, his eyes narrowed.

“It ain’t Skrull. Could it be Cotati?” Rocket’s ears twitched and his gaze snapped up to the energy ball. The particulate from the dust was not dropping out of it, but coalescing into some sort of solid. As it did, the light from the energy became dimmer. He picked up a handful of dust and blew it toward the orb. As the dust got closer, it almost appeared to suck into the light, converging with the other dust to form a solid. He picked up another handful, and another, until the light was all gone, and a large lump of light dust-formed rock floated above the altar. The rock began to vibrate, and Peter pulled Drax and Rocket down just in time. A sudden bright flash of light shot across the room, and the rock fell to the altar with a thud. Peter peered over the edge of the rock surface, but the pale rock was gone, replaced by the biggest gemstone he’d ever seen.

“Is that a diamond?” Rocket reached for it. Drax smacked his hand away.

“Don’t touch it. You have no idea what it could do.”

“I think it’s finished whatever metamorphosis it was going through, Drax.” Rocket reached for the clear stone. It looked like a diamond. There was a heat coming off it that made Rocket suspicious. He reached into Peter’s pocket and pulled out a metal cylinder. After pulling the top off, he slid it along the table until the stone was at the lip of it, then he flipped it inside with the lid and handed it back to Peter. “You’re bigger. If it explodes.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Should we see if there’s anything else here we can sell?”

Drax nodded and moved out of the altar room, Rocket and Peter trailing him.

“Hey Star-Lady. Rumour has it that you’re leaving us for the Astronauts.” The tall redheaded man plunked a coffee in front of Roxanne as he slipped into the backroom. She met his eye and shook her head. He was wearing his sunglasses. It was overcast out. She knew he’d been partying in a glance. His tatty union jack t-shirt suggested he had been using his accent to pick up girls again. She could almost hear him correcting her in her head - ‘Union flag, Roxy. It’s only a Union Jack at sea.’

“What? Leave this life of glamour? Jinx, seriously?” Roxanne laughed. “I love that some tabloid idiot who wasn’t even at the concert has decided this is the next big news item. Hasn’t Miley done anything outrageous lately?”

Jinx flopped into a bentwood chair across the desk from Roxanne. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, his butt barely balanced on the edge of the chair. The chair was horribly uncomfortable, but she had to hand it to him for at least trying to get comfortable. He slid his sunglasses up his forehead to see better in the dim light.

“What are you doing?” He nodded toward the turntable and laptop on the desk.

“I’ve been inspired by a recent customer,” she shrugged.

“Was he hot?” Jinx raised an eyebrow. “The muses usually are. Look at the Mona Lisa. Stone cold fox, that one.” Roxanne laughed despite herself.

“He was not unattractive,” she admitted. “But that wasn’t what inspired me. He brought in this mix tape, straight outta the eighties. Weirdly, it was all seventies music. But it made me think about all the great music that is just being converted to mp3 and thrown into an online music store. What is it that we are always complaining about?”

“Groupies aren’t as hot or young as they used to be?” Jinx winked.

“You’re such a dick. That music has lost some of the depth since we pitched vinyl.” She threw the spill-stopping stick from her coffee at him. “Anyhow, Pete wanted to repair this mix tape, and obviously you can’t once the tape is all stretched to hell. So I ripped the songs off their vinyl albums, and put it on an iPod for him. But now I want to rescue some other awesome music and put the dirt and crud back into the tracks. So I’ve been going through my favourite albums and ripping them to mp3. Not cleaning them up, not making them pretty.”

“To what end?”

“Not sure yet. I’ve sent out some feelers to some of the groups. See if their interested in a compilation. I’ve been asked to do that podcast with that dude. Maybe I could bring in a playlist. Talk about how remastering is ruining music,” Roxanne shrugged. She wasn’t sure why she was so compelled to continue, but it had started with the bonus tracks she’d thrown on Peter’s iPod.

“Wait, did you just say dude wanted to repair a mix tape? What fucking rock has he been living under?” Jinx sat up and blinked, like the thought had been painful.

“He says he travels a lot. I guess maybe he hasn’t kept up,” Roxanne shrugged.

“Easy for you to say. You don’t even have facebook,” Jinx snorted. “Your disturbing aversion to technology is not actually that common, Rox.”

“I’m not having this argument again, Jamie. You know my reasons,” Roxanne warned. She humoured his desire to be called by his stage name most of the time. It made using his real name that much more powerful.

“If your father wanted to find you, he could have. Like, a million times in the last ten years. Irregardless of facebook, twitter, or anything else.” Jinx rolled his eyes.

“Regardless.”

“Regardless what?” His English accent got unusually pronounced when he was confused.

“The word is regardless. Irregardless is not a word,” Roxanne corrected. Jinx rolled his eyes again.

“Sure thing, Shakespeare.” He pulled his sunglasses down and took a deep breath. “So, Star-Lady and the Astronauts. You gonna really release that?”

“No way. It’s for shits and giggles. There’s not a real big market for space music that includes songs with physics equations in it,” Roxanne laughed.

“You could play convocation at MIT.” Jinx was teasing her again. Roxanne shook her head and restrained herself from throwing a cassette tape at him.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere? I’m sure there’s a groupie just waiting for you to be a disgusting pig about her bra size. Somewhere,” Roxanne dismissed him. Jinx stood up and took his sunglasses back off.

“Roxy, why you gotta be that way?” He asked. “Honestly, it was once!”

“It was while we were married!” Roxanne laughed. “A girl doesn’t forget that kind of thing.”

“And here I thought we were past all that.”

Roxanne stood up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You wouldn’t still be in the band if I wasn’t over it, Jamie. There’s a lot of other mediocre drummers out there looking for a gig. Now hustle your ass out of here before your groupies find out you’re here. Unless you’re planning on sticking around and signing autographs.” She shooed him toward the exit to the floor of the store. He playfully swatted her ass.

“Alright, lovey. I’ll see you later.” He bent down and kissed her forehead. As he turned to leave, he bumped into an equally tall guy who was just standing there. Gawking. “What’s wrong, mate? Never seen a rock star before?”

“Hey! Pete! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!” Roxanne smiled brightly as Jinx sidestepped Peter. Peter shook his head a little and focused on Roxanne instead of Jinx.

“I was hoping to thank you again for the tape,” he started, and glanced back at Jinx. “I didn’t realize that you –“

“Oh god, no mate! That ship has sailed, she’s all yours.” Jinx interrupted and clapped Peter on the shoulder. He turned and winked at Roxanne. “And that is my cue to leave.”

Roxanne let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. And then chastised herself in her head. Despite scoffing at Jinx, she was curious about Peter. She felt a flush creep up her cheeks and forced herself to meet his eyes. “Your trip must have gone well.” It was awkward. She felt awkward, and her words were awkward.

“Uh yeah. Well, no. I don’t know. I wanted to let you know I really enjoyed the other mix you threw on the iPod for me,” he started. Roxanne grinned.

“I have another one started if you feel your musical education is ready to progress?” She winked. Peter smiled.

“I was thinking maybe I could take you out. To a movie? I found a theatre showing Goonies. Do you remember that movie?” He asked.

“Pete, we’re in Oregon. Everyone here remembers that movie,” she laughed and immediately felt bad as his smile fell. “I haven’t seen it in years. I’d love to go.”

[fatlier1-blog]

I Used to Love Steak — Then I Met a Cow

Food

How, at age 50, I finally brought my love of animals in line with my behavior.

Photograph by Justin James Muir

When I was in my 20s, I started working at an alternative weekly, which I should explain to younger readers was a free tabloid-format newspaper that told people where to go, what to do, and which people were being crapped upon by politicians. Most of the other staffers were in their 20s and 30s, but we had a couple of “older” writers, too. One of them — let’s call her “Anna” — had an effortless cool that a young colleague and I admired. We’d whisper about Anna like high-schoolers crushing on the quarterback, and one day we decided to confess. So we went up to Anna, giggling, and said, “We want to be just like you when we grow up.”

Oh boy. We might as well have gifted her a subscription to AARP.

At the time, we didn’t get it. To us, Anna seemed like an adult, and we assumed that when we reached the ripe old age of 46 or so, we’d feel adult, too, and be pleased to have the young folk look up to us.

But as I’d learn in the years to come, even when you’re an adult, you don’t necessarily feel like one. It’s not as though there’s some Harry Potter moment when you go to King’s Cross and walk through the wall and suddenly it’s fine for people to call you “ma’am” or offer you a senior discount. There is no momentous click: “Finally! I am that competent, knowledgeable grown-up who understands IRS deductions and home refinancing! What a nice suit I’m wearing!”

Even when I reached my mid-40s, which is undeniably middle age, there was no sense of arrival, only an ongoing dislocation as my face changed in the mirror and 20-something colleagues youngsplained Twitter. I spent much of my 40s feeling shocked by how people saw me, and I thought a lot about something my grandmother used to say, even into her 90s: “Inside,” she’d tell me, “I still feel 19.”

•

Research has shown that people age at vastly different rates. In 2015, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrated that biological age — which is determined by physiological markers such as blood pressure, organ function and metabolism — can vary significantly for people born in the same year. That means that some people, physically, are younger than their age — like that 82-year-old weight lifter on YouTube — and some people are older. This discrepancy has led to dozens of online quizzes that allow you to test your biological age and learn how to game the system, usually by being less sedentary and eating less junk.

The last one of those tests I took showed I was 20 years younger than my chronological age, which was nice. But it doesn’t actually explain the persistent disconnect between biological age and self-perception. I have a vision of myself hurtling through time — perhaps in an Elon Musk child-rescue capsule, just for fun — with my visceral sense of self trailing like a scarf caught in the door.

I’ve been thinking about all this because I turned 50 this summer, and I’m trying to embrace it. After all, after so many years of illness and suicidal ideation, it’s quite a miracle that I’m here at all. And I’m attempting to sync the number 50 with myself by asking: Who should Liz Spikol be as a credible 50-year-old?

In all my considerations, which were mostly done at night, on my couch, while playing Candy Crush on my phone, I kept coming back to one thing: It’s time to meet a cow.

•

Anyone who’s read my writing over the years knows I’m an animal freak. I’d rather talk about dogs or birds or hamsters or even guinea hens than any other topic, which makes me fun at parties. When social media feed me videos they think I’ll be interested in, they’re inevitably things like a husky on its back on the grass, yowling “no,” refusing to leave the park.

And yet there’s something else, too, that I haven’t mentioned a lot: For my whole life, I’ve been a meat eater. I don’t just mean a person who has a burger every now and then or gets chicken on the Caesar salad. I’ve been a devourer of animal flesh. I grew up on hoagies and cheesesteaks, in a Jewish home where bacon was king, and every year for my birthday I go out for the most expensive steak possible — as though I haven’t been eating steak and sausage and chicken and lamb and roast pork and all the rest for the entire year prior. I’ve had an almost spiritual relationship with steak. I don’t drink or smoke weed, but I do get high on steak.

In April, I went to Argentina with my boyfriend, and it was savage. With each bite we took of what is arguably the best beef in the Southern Hemisphere, we’d gaze at each other across the table, our expressions rhapsodic, like we were posing for a remake of Caravaggio’s Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy.

Yet even then, alight in a carnivorous glow, I knew it had to end. It was time, at 50, to bring my abiding love of animals into accord with my behavior, and if I would balk at eating a dog, why eat a cow? Some people argue they’re different, and that works for them. I’m not judging. But I have never really believed any animal is more worthy or sentient than any other. It breaks my heart to see a dead mouse on the sidewalk — I lament all the scurrying and nibbling it’s missing out on. That’s just not consistent with someone who gnaws on chicken wings.

As with the discrepancy between age and sense of self, there’s a disconnect between animal and “meat” for the casual eater. If the meat had a face, it would be harder to eat, but by the time a cow becomes a cheesesteak with Whiz, it’s just a local tradition, rather than a once-living creature. That’s why I’ve been wanting to meet a cow — to make it real.

So a few weekends ago, I went to Chenoa Manor, a nonprofit farm and animal sanctuary in Chester County, to participate in a farmhand workshop. Chenoa was founded by veterinarian Rob Teti, who’d dreamed of a haven for farm and work animals ever since he was a kid. Now, the 25-acre parcel is home to horses, pigs, donkeys, cows, llamas, alpacas, emus, geese, ducks, tortoises, rabbits, parrots, chickens and others — most of them refugees from labs, factory farms, slaughterhouses and the like. The farm holds public events but doesn’t seem exceedingly interested in courting public attention. Rather, the workers are focused on the work, and when you’re out on that beautiful land, away from honking cars and harried city pedestrians, you can see why they might not want it overrun with tourists.

The animals obviously have great lives there, doing what they want with no expectations except to be the most emu an emu can be. Two horses galloped across a field to inspect our group. The male sniffed each of us in turn, while his mother stood back and watched. Then he galloped away, and his mother followed. Seeing a horse run so freely, without a human or hardware attached, is a rare sight for a city dweller. It was glorious.

We spent a lot of time with goats, which was delightful. I had never seen goats stand on their hind legs to reach tall tree leaves, and I was happy to learn they pedal their hooves in the air as though they’re bicycling to keep balance.

We heard all about plant life and nature-based art projects, and then, at the end of the day, I asked to meet a cow. It was time for the reckoning.

We walked past a llama and an alpaca and a couple ponies to a rectangle of shade on one of Chenoa’s pastures. Though I’ve obviously seen cows from my car window, standing next to them is altogether different. They’re huge, especially cows that have been allowed to grow naturally rather than sent to slaughter. The five cows were all sitting down except one — and that one was the largest. Bentley is a dappled brown and white, with long, sharp horns. The words “lumbering beast” came to mind, but Heather Leach, who’d taught us a horticultural lesson earlier in the day, told us that Bentley was very friendly and liked people. Unfortunately, this resulted in his moving his mini-fridge-size head toward the person next to him, which was fine until he had to shake the summer flies off his face, swiveling those sharp horns.

Once I figured out how to stand next to him without being accidently impaled, I enjoyed petting his soft fur and looking into his black cow eye fringed with white eyelashes. I also scratched behind his ear, and he tilted his head accordingly. He liked the attention, though my fingers go much farther on my Chihuahua.

I met Lorraine, too, and Jamar, and was able, even in the short time we were there, to get a sense of these cows as individuals. If you’d asked me before if I’d be able to remember and name individual cows, I would have thought you were crazy.

On the other side of the fence there was Remus, an enormous pig who stood up when he saw me and stretched his nose in my direction. I put my hand against the fence so he could smell me, and Remus pushed his right ear against my hand and made a rubbing motion, like a cat doing a friendly head butt. When a cat bangs into your hand, though, it feels like a tap. When a large pig does it, it can knock you off balance, which is what happened to me. Since he threw his entire weight against the fence, I fell to one knee and dropped my bag. I was a little embarrassed to be felled by a pig, but when I righted myself and turned around, my view was entirely obscured by cowhide.

Bentley and Jamar had positioned themselves in a semicircle around me, like I was a calf they were blocking from predators.

“They’re protecting you!” Heather shouted from the other side of the cow wall.

Indeed, that’s exactly what it seemed like. They were completely still, standing in this formation, and I was hidden from view. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just stood there, respecting their effort. Even though they weren’t looking at me, they were absolutely engaged with me. It was so different from having my dog paw at me, making desperate eye contact. Before I met these cows, I would have said that was the most authentic human-animal connection there was. But this was a rich communion as well, maybe even more profound for its silence.

My eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry,” I whispered to them. “I won’t do it anymore.”

I meant eat them, of course. And I haven’t.

•

As an adult, I haven’t hit any of the traditional milestones: I’m not married, I don’t have children, and I don’t own a home. My car is a 21-year-old hand-me-down missing half its front bumper. The length of time I go between laundry loads is scandalous. I love all those memes people post about the challenges of “adulting,” even though I know they’re made for millennials. So much of the struggle seems to be having enough discipline to get tasks done. Self-discipline is hard.

I’ve never been disciplined in the slightest (ADD doesn’t help), so I thought giving up meat was going to be brutal. In preparation, I went to Whole Foods and spent $230 on non-meat products I’d never heard of. I bought vegan moisturizer and cruelty-free hemp body wash. I had lunch at Hip City Veg and Mama’s Vegetarian. When I told a meat-eating colleague I was going to dinner at Vedge, he said facetiously, “Enjoy your $15 carrot.” When we got there, that was the first thing I saw on the menu: a $15 carrot. It was delicious.

All this prep work wasn’t necessary, as it turned out. Unlike the number 50, which still strikes me as foreign, not eating animals feels right. I feel lighter and truer. I make more sense to myself. Sure, I could get all boring on the subject of factory farming and environmental impact, but that’s not how I got here. It was just time.

Maybe that’s what being an adult is all about. It gets to be time for certain things, and then making the change or having the discipline is easy. This year, I became a vegetarian and started exercising, and they both fit. Maybe next year it’ll be the laundry. Fingers crossed.

Published as “Don’t Have a Cow” in the September 2018 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/articles/2018/09/08/animal-ethics-vegetarianism-eating-meat/

[wereikonics]

kimhanbin appreciation thread

@/bianxstan on Twitter - 2:45 PM - 1 Dec 2018

This is to celebrate today. I've been wanting to do this for the longest time and I couldn't let today pass without doing so. 

It all started with this photo. Back then, we were filled w/ uncertainties. We didn't know what would happen to #iKON

But despite the hurt, you remained grateful for the chance to stand on stage. "I'm glad to have performed without any regrets. We'll keep working hard… At this moment, right now, I feel like all 11 of us are winners. Thank you." - Kim Hanbin 2013

~

When everything was falling apart, you were the pillar that held #iKON together. You fully understand that your strength was your team’s strength. Not one stage of M&M was subpar. You held all despair in your heart & put your team first even when everyone else tore you apart.

~

"For me, the members are more like family that are indispensable" - Kim Hanbin You’ve carried your brothers on your shoulders all these years. Your members feel apologetic but you’ve never understood why when all you’ve wanted was for all of you guys to debut together. 

Caption for gif: Kim Hanbin stands smiling with a white snapback on. He sports a white t-shirt and chain necklace with a opened white button down on top.  On top of his head are the words “The Leader” with various quotes from his team members around him. Counterclockwise they read 

“It must have been really tough for him”- Junhoe

“If it wasn’t for B.I, I wouldn't be here” - Bobby

“B.I is the best leader in the world” - Jinhwan

“B.I’s leadership is what got us to this point” - Yunhyeong

~

We all thought that debuting was haven for all of us. But when the universe tested your foundation, you stood firm with the rest of #iKON and persevered. "It's 3:30AM. I'm reaching my limit, but people don't die of sleeping less." - Hanbin

~

You know the capabilities of your members. When hard times swallowed your members w/ insecurities, you were the voice that brought them back to reality even if you're probably breaking too. "There's nothing impossible in this world. If you're willing to do it, you'll succeed."

~

You're capable of breaking your members apart, but you are also the only person they trust to build them up. Even during iKON’s worst moments, your belief in ur members never faltered. “we've got more bullets to reload and there is no tree that won't fall if we hit it enough."

~

“Although #iKON had fallen down before, we didn’t stop there and stood up again. We are like moving water, firmly overcoming all those obstacles. It will be good if we face the world optimistically in the future. Let’s not get sick & be happy. I love you.” 

~

You’re the leader because you earned it. Your selflessness was nourishment to your members. Your protection was their shield. In return, they stand behind you, lifting you up as you walk this journey together.

Citing Tweets in case pictures are unavailable 

@ikonnieecha on Twitter

“For me, this is perhaps one of the most powerful photos of iKON from the Asian Games. 

Hanbin taking a bow in the middle of the six souls he has carried on his shoulders for 5 years since climax. 

You've carried your brothers far, son. Look how they protect you. “ - From @/ikonnieecha on Twitter

~

W/ each award, the members stood proud behind you with their chins held high. It’s not out of arrogance but of pride. Bec as you stand on that stage for an honorable award, you, the members & everyone else know that you got there by hard work & w/o compromising who you guys are.

~

Whenever you get the chance to stand at the top, you always remember those people who pushed you higher. The people who were there when the darkness dominated. The people who have no voice as loud as yours. You stand on top and you bring everyone else along with you. 

Citing Tweets in case pictures are unavailable

PAULA‏ @bianxstan 1 Dec 2018

PAULA Retweeted K

You know what's beautiful about Kim Hanbin? He's solely awarded for this award but he credited all those people who took him to that stage. He took iKON with him, his co-composers and the fans who support him. You've done, well KIM HANBIN. Well deserved! #iKONonMMA2018

K‏ @k8indaeyo 1 Dec 2018

hanbin: hello, i am this year’s songwriter, B.I. to be honest, i think this is a very honorable award for me and I didn’t expect it at all so thank you so much. for us to get our songs, I got lot of help by other composers and YG so I want to thank them +  

also I want to thank raesung and sungjae for making love scenario happen, we did it guys. annnnd if it wasnt for ikonic, i wouldnt have made music, let alone get this award. it is certain that it is because of u guys that we are here and that we are able to make music. thank you

(Hanbin’s Melon Music Awards Songwriter of the Year 2018 Speech)

“We will always look up to you guys from a low place. Please be happy.” -Hanbin Acceptance speech ‘Best Musician’ You don’t realize that the words you utter elevates you higher. You don’t realize how many people look up to you because you've always set yourself at a lower place.

~

I don’t think you’ll ever realize it because you’ve always looked at us at eye level. Believe me, #KimHanbin, the more eyes you meet in this lifetime, the more people you gather to raise you and your members higher. And we’ll all do it out of love and not out of obligation.

~

We've only started, #iKON I hope only better days come along our way. We'll still be here even if the sun don't shine anymore, at the same place and with the same heart that we started this journey together.

PAULA‏ @bianxstan 1 Dec 2018

Who would've thought that the kids who once lost the chance to debut 5 years ago will receive the Song of the Year award today with their leader as the songwriter of the year. #iKON #iKONonMMA2018

~

Today, as you receive the greatest award of your career, you’ve thanked everyone else. I don’t remember you or the members thanking yourselves for finding the will to continue despite the mountainous waves that crushed you.

~

“the word happiness is too vague so I hope you guys feel that it’s worth living everyday” — kim hanbin 2018

I know you’re able to say this out of experience. As we watch you wade through the vagueness of happiness, I hope that you find a bit of this feeling through us, #iKONICS.

~

Because for all this time, you (#iKON) guys are our source of clarity in times that we doubt ourselves. You are our inspiration to work harder and to push a little harder. Because if you guys didn't break during adversities, then we, #iKONICS, shall not break.

~

There is no more need to apologize. Because as you guys overflooded the teapot and left it empty, you gave both of us the chance to fill it again. When the industry runs cold, we’ll be the fire that will heat you up again and again. Always.

Tweet Citation   

K‏ @k8indaeyo

full trans of iKON’s speech for song of the year MMA 2018

hanbin: hello, we are iKON that sang song of the year. to be honest there are so many people that we’re thankful to, and we cannot name all of them here so we will contact them separately. however, we want to thank with our whole hearts to iKONIC, that we cant contact separately. as i said before, it is certain that the ones that made this award possible which is like a miracle and made this miracle moment possible is iKONIC.

always like this, i want to say thank you and sorry to iKONICs that acted as a shield for iKON that are hit with waves, without reasons and limits. we tried to put the ocean in a little teapot. however when we tried, it overflowed and nothing was left in the teapot. we will try to be a group that can put just some tea in a teapot and just have small talk with. we received this award in our hands but we give it to iKONICs that love and protect us. thank you 

'Take the good things as memories, the bad things as experiences' - #KimHanbin 

This is our leader's back who turned all experiences as their training ground. This is the back that protected his team from hateful stones. This is the back that sits tall overnight for his members.

~

As #iKON reaches greater heights, Hanbin will stand there at the pinnacle w/ his members beside him as equals. They’ll stand together at the top bec it was in each other's arms that got them through their downfalls & it’ll be in the same set of arms that they’ll revel in success.

~

Thank you, #iKON. Thank you for this journey. Let's walk slowly in this flower road and last for a really long time.

~

Disclaimer: All translations and photos belong to their rightful owners. 

All in quotations were said by KIM HANBIN 

Some photos are ss myself, some I found. 

I tagged those who I know and left all @ exposed by ss. 

Thank you for reading! 

Today is a good day.  

@/bianxstan on Twitter

~

Hanbin's birthday (2018) appreciation thread here:

https://wereikonics.tumblr.com/post/184637310468/hanbins-birthday-2018-appreciation-thread

[cynthiajayusa]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2019/03/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role_27.html

[hotspotsmagazine]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/

[bensopinionsonvariousthingsblr]

So what are my favorite games Part 1

So just to make things clear i haven been writing 1.because this is actually my second attempt at writing this i accidentally closed the tab the first time, uh and i only lost a few hours of work. and 2.because I’ve been working at my job a lot more frequently as of late. anyway, i could probably write an entire full length essay on all of these games but I’ll try to shorten things up, oh yeah uh some games on the list might not be that good, as I may include a game from my childhood that i have fond memories of, but maybe wasn’t as good as i remembered it, anyway its a top 10 so lets begin.

First of all id love to start with some outside looking in, all these games are incredible to me and i would love to put them in the top 10 but i couldn’t, if you want to hear my opinions on them (wow thanks, you actually care) you can ask me on twitter and ill do my best!

15.Sonic Generations                                                                                              14.Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege                                                                      13.Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum (Waterpark&Zoo DLC is amazing)                12.Splatoon 2 (specifically the Octo Expansion, that was really good)                    11.Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition (Def. edition because its portable with good FPS and the extra 3DS content)

OK then Ill get started now :3 Thanks a TON (and I mean it I appreciate amy support i get or constructive criticism) for reading it!

Number 10: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess                                              Developer and Release year: Nintendo, 2006/2016 remaster                                What it can be played on: Gamecube/Wii/Wii U                                                                                                                                                                                              The Legend of Zelda is my favorite game series of all time, thats obvious if you know anything about me, and twilight princess is one I’ve played more recently, and from the start you notice Twilight Princess is definitely going for that early 2000′s edgy tone (is that a coincidence or an actual trend, i dunno i was really young in 06 so...) which works fine, and its a really long game, I mean I spent a week or two beating it, that being said i had work and other things going on at the time, but any way it has been said by many more before me, that it is basically an edgy, long,Ocarina of Time remake with motion controls....and they aren’t wrong, though i have called it edgy but i think its more...dark i guess? any way i actually like this better than Ocarina of Time, before you assault me i loved Ocarina of Time, i just tried to put as few Zelda games on the list as i could, and i just enjoyed the Twilight Princess story, characters, and length a bit more, but back to the remake opinion, i sort of agree yeah, but i thought the mystery around Midna and Zant and the Twilight realm, and the mirror, were all something that sets it apart, so in the end i enjoyed it a lot.                                                                                                                                                                    Favorite Part(s)? Arbiters Grounds. AW MAN, I love the Arbiters grounds, the sneaking, the spinner, the boss, the setting, all of it is on point, even the wolf part is unique with the poe chasing, and also the Final Ganon boss I liked all of it, though his appearance is a bit late i thought it was a fun, long, and intense fight

Number 9: Lego Universe                                                                                      Developer and Release Year: NetDevil and Lego, 2010-2012                                What it COULD ( :( ) be played on: PC                                                                                                                                                                                                              IM GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY IT THIS IS A PICK COMPLETELY ON NOSTALGIA. Yes, this is one of my favorite games of my childhood and since i cant go back and re-evaluate the game because it’s closed unfortunately (except for some server projects that are happening) I’m talking about it completely based on my memories. One reason I love it is, the game’s story and lore at the time captivated me so much that i decided to write stories about stuff my character(s) did, which basically kick-started my interest in writing, as bad as those stories were, I loved the game, I had it’s official LEGO set (Still do it’s a nice little orange rocket ship that could be used in-game) and convinced my cousins to play it too, and we all enjoyed it, now of course i was an MLGPROBOI at the game so I had rare pets and the best weapons and a RED PARROT GUYS (I believe it was super rare and a big deal) so I loved being really cool n’ stuff, people would ask me to help them take out Butterscorch (that was the hardest boss in the game, a purple dragon, BUT SINCE I WAS AN MLGPROBOI I COULD DO IT MYSELF BUT I WAS NICE SO I HELPED) and even sell them secrets on how to do stuff, yeah i was a cool guy, cant relate now, I’ll never be as cool as my alter-alias Square Von Pancake :(                                                                                                                                                                Favorite Part(s): Me and my brother played i t together all the time and we loved the combat at crux prime the most, Crux Prime was the place with the hardest enemies and bosses and it was really fun to be challenged for a while. plus though it was out for only a year we still have countless memories of it, and they added Ninjago in it which I was SUPER into at the time and enjoyed having my character do Ninjago stuff...  

Number 8: Mount and Blade: Warband                                                                    Developer and Release Year: Taleworlds, 2010                                                      What it can be played on: PC, PS4, XB1                                                                                                                                                                                                      Mount and Blade Warband and its expansion Mount and Blade Napoleonic Wars, is one of my favorite multiplayer, and story games, the story mode is fun because you can do what you want, YOU choose the faction you fight with or not to at all, your class, your stats, and you can make some uh *beautiful* characters, the main story, i believe the objective is to become the emperor of Calradia, and rule the dang place and be rich and cool and have people like you, but I dont usually do that i just fight for factions, make money in the arena and at tournaments, and hire mercenaries and win against armies of 200 with like 30 people, its fun, now second talking point for me is the multiplayer, this is where Napoleonic Wars comes in, it is a fun shooter with muskets , or swords....or screw it you can play the bagpipes, that last one is totally not something me and my friends would do late at night. The Maps are super well designed as well and each look nice, and are usually not unbalanced. The third thing is the modding community, if you have this game, and don’t have the Anglo-Zulu war mod, that is just wrong, I mean it is so fun to get your friends and survive against large waves of zulu, or have some friends with the Zulu, it is just a unique experience for me, and other mods are cool to like the Civil War mod.                                                                                                                                                                    Favorite part(s): The Story mode is awesome in the way that it was a time in m life where i was without internet for a good month or two, but i had my laptop and the story mode kept me entertained for basically the whole time, also there are so many fun memories of the AZW mod and late night spent surviving waves.  

Number 7: Lego Battles                                                                                          Developer and Release Year: Warner Bros., Hellbent and Lego, 2009                  What it can be played on: DS                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Lego Battles is also a nostalgia pick, and also happens to be a Lego game, but the difference is it still holds up to me today, and i can still play it today...any way I love the gameplay, it’s a basic RTS but with fun themes like Wizards and Knights and Pirates and Aliens vs Humans, and each has a different play style, but not too different that it didn’t confuse me as a kid, I always liked the pirates and the aliens, I dont know why, but uh a drawback is that it can be too easy, at the time I wasnt fast or good enough to beat the AI with my first base, but i quickly learned if i just escaped after the destruction of the first one and just built a stronger second one, i would have more time because the AI couldnt find me and i would win pretty much every time, but despite that I enjoyed all the campaigns and loved the cutscenes and the extra characters like Santa and the Skeleton Guy (tm) and the Conquistador and the Alien Queen etc. and the way to unlock them was to find red bricks in the campaign levels, and/or collect studs which i thought was a fun challenge at the time, and today i sometimes like to go back to it for some casual RTS action                                                                                                                                                                                                     Favorite Part: The Gameplay, it’s simple, fun, and  doesn’t take too long, so if i just want to pick up a short game of the RTS genre I usually spring for this

Number 6: Star Wars Battlefront 2 Classic                                                              Developer and Release Year: Pandemic Studios, LucasArts , 2005                      What it can be played on: PC/PS2/XBOX                                                                                                                                                                                                      The fact that this comes in at number 6 on my list really doesn’t tell how much I love and appreciate this game, this is probably THE game I played the most in my childhood, and even still I play it online with the new servers (I disagree with you sometimes Disney, but thanks for those) This game is so replayable and I haven’t even played through the campaign yet, yeah, what I have done though is beaten all the Galactic Conquest stories, probably more than once. So for those of you that don’t know Galactic Conquest is a mode where each team starts with one ship and one type of troop and you fly around a map of the galaxy and take over enemy planets and defend yours and buy troops with the money you earn from the battles, and if the two ships run in to each others then they do a space battle, and Im gonna say it now i grew up playing the PS2 version with my cousins, but now I play the PC version and when we play with our cousins they play the XBOX version on Xbox One, any way the PC version is the best in terms of FPS and general gameplay smoothness, but the console versions have Galactic Conquest multiplayer which is something that we have spent countless hours playing, and in the end Battlefront 2 will be one of the best shooters of all time, and better than the new Battlefront 2 because that one is no where near good enough to share a name with the classic one, any way, i will always love Battlefront 2                                                                                                                                                                  Favorite part(s): Galactic Conquest and shout out to the maps Kashyyyk and Tantine IV, they’re the best

Hey thanks for reading through this whole thing, uh as you can tell this was super long, i planned to do all ten in this one but i figure it’s gettimg pretty long and I’ll just stop here and I’ll have 5 through 1 tomorrow, Thank you so much!                                                                                                                -Ben :3                                                                                                                       

[everettwilkinson]

BULLETIN: NORTH KOREA says it plans to launch missiles toward GUAM — HALEY loses two top aides — GEORGE gets Mooch for Sunday intvw — BILL CLINTON's reading list

BULLETIN — NORTH KOREA SAYS IT’S PLANNING TO FIRE MISSILES TOWARD THE U.S. TERRITORY IN AUGUST — AP’s Eric Talmadge in SEOUL at 4:59 a.m.: “North Korea has announced a detailed plan to launch a salvo of ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, a major military hub and home to U.S. bombers. If carried out, it would be the North’s most provocative missile launch to date.

“The announcement Thursday warned that the North is finalizing a plan to fire four of its Hwasong-12 missiles over Japan and into waters around the tiny island, which hosts 7,000 U.S. military personnel on two main bases and has a population of 160,000.

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“It said the plan, which involves the missiles hitting waters 30 to 40 kilometers (19 to 25 miles) from the island, could be sent to leader Kim Jong Un for approval within a week or so. It would be up to Kim whether the move is actually carried out. … North Korea, no stranger to bluffing, frequently uses extremely bellicose rhetoric with warnings of military action to keep its adversaries on their heels. It generally couches its threats with language stating it will not attack the United States unless it has been attacked first or has determined an attack is imminent. …

“‘We keep closely watching the speech and behavior of the U.S.,’ it said. Such a move would not merely be a test launch, but a demonstration of military capabilities that could easily lead to severe consequences. South Korea’s military responded by saying North Korea will face a “stern and strong” response from Washington and Seoul. Taking it a step further, Japan’s Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told parliament a missile attack on the U.S. territory would be a Japanese national emergency because it would threaten Japan’s existence as a nation.” http://bit.ly/2ftIrtL

— ERIC TALMADGE is the AP’s correspondent in Pyongyang. His very cool Instagram feed http://bit.ly/2wKTqlV

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh

TOP-ED — SUSAN RICE in the NYT, “It’s Not Too Late on North Korea”: “We have long lived with successive Kims’ belligerent and colorful rhetoric — as ambassador to the United Nations in the Obama administration, I came to expect it whenever we passed resolutions. What is unprecedented and especially dangerous this time is the reaction of President Trump. Unscripted, the president said on Tuesday that if North Korea makes new threats to the United States, ‘they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.’ These words risk tipping the Korean Peninsula into war, if the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, believes them and acts precipitously.

“Either Mr. Trump is issuing an empty threat of nuclear war, which will further erode American credibility and deterrence, or he actually intends war next time Mr. Kim behaves provocatively. The first scenario is folly, but a United States decision to start a pre-emptive war on the Korean Peninsula, in the absence of an imminent threat, would be lunacy.” http://nyti.ms/2vRgYIi

INVESTORS SEEK SHELTER — FT: “The Swiss franc led a rally among haven assets across global markets on Wednesday as investors retreated from equities in the wake of escalating rhetoric between North Korea and the U.S. … The Swiss franc, often favoured in times of stress for its perceived stability, made its most notable gains against the euro, strengthening by as much as 1.5 per cent. Against the dollar the franc rose as much as 1.4 per cent.” http://on.ft.com/2urTWV1

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (@georgestephanopoulos): “EXCLUSIVE: I’ll sit down live with @Scaramucci for his first interview since being fired from the WH, this Sunday only on @ThisWeekABC” … @StephenAtHome: “On Monday 8/14 Anthony Scaramucci will be my guest on @colbertlateshow. This is just a heads up for our censors to get ready! #themooch”.

Good Thursday morning. COINCIDENCE?: “Fire and fury” is a mission in the videogame “World of Warcraft.” Who had a business and personal connection to “World of Warcraft”? Stephen K. Bannon (http://slct.al/2wKMlli).

SPOTTED: Stephen Miller, sans tie in a summer linen sportcoat, yesterday outside Woodward Table on 15th Street with his dry cleaning.

DEPARTURE LOUNGE — “U.S. Ambassador Haley Loses Two Key Aides at United Nations,” by Bloomberg’s Kambiz Foroohar: “U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has lost two of her top aides, key departures that come at a time of growing international tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

“Haley’s Chief of Staff Steven Groves resigned, as did her communications director Jonathan Wachtel. Haley said on Twitter Wednesday it was because of ‘family concerns.’ The departures also come ahead of Haley’s trip to Vienna to review Iran’s nuclear activities with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency. Groves, an adviser who had arrived from the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation had argued for the U.S. to ‘sever relations’ with UN’s Human Rights Council for criticizing Israel and to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement. …

“‘Both Jonathan&Steve have recently encountered family concerns,’ Haley said. ‘They will always be a part of the team & dear friends.’” https://bloom.bg/2vQC4GT

ATTN. DONALD TRUMP, MARC SHORT, STEVEN MNUCHIN and GARY COHN — MITCH MCCONNELL SPEAKS — by the North Kentucky Tribune’s managing editor Mark Hansel: “‘A Congress goes on for two years and part of the reason I think that the story line is that we haven’t done much is because, in part, the President and others have set these early time lines about things need to be done by a certain point,’ McConnell said. …

“‘Don’t start judging [too] soon, the accomplishments of this congress, sending bills to this president, who will sign them,’ McConnell said. ‘I’m not going to tell you when we are going to finish tax reform, but we’ll finish it. That’s the way we begin to change America.’” … ‘I’ve been, and I will be again today, not a fan of tweeting — I’ve said that to him privately and I’ve said it at other events publicly,’ McConnell said. ‘I think it would be helpful if the President was a little bit more on message.’” http://bit.ly/2ww8Rih

— SO, JUST TO REVIEW … This event was Monday, but has not gotten much attention (h/t Morning Money). The man who controls the Senate’s calendar is not setting a timeline for tax reform, and he wishes the White House would stop setting artificial deadlines. And he says the president should stay on message. Over to you, Mr. President.

ADAM NAGOURNEY — NYT, A1 — “Democratic Fight in California Is a Warning for the National Party”: “California Democrats have emerged as something else: a cautionary tale for a national party debating how to rebuild and seize back power. Even at a time of overall success, state Democrats are torn by a bitter fight for the party leadership, revealing the kind of divisions — between insiders and outsiders, liberals and moderates — that unsettled the national party last year and could threaten its success in coming years. …

“The fight pits Eric C. Bauman, a longtime party leader, against Kimberly Ellis, a Bay Area activist. Mr. Bauman won the election by just over 60 votes out of 3,000 cast at the party convention in May, but Ms. Ellis has refused to concede, claiming voting improprieties, like permitting ineligible people to vote for Mr. Bauman. … Ms. Ellis, 44, has from the start presented herself as an outsider: It is her first run for party leadership. … Mr. Bauman has spent 30 years working for the Democratic Party, including leading the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. He was a delegate for Mrs. Clinton in last year’s presidential election. With his gruff demeanor and a strong-as-ever Bronx accent — no matter that he came here 40 years ago — he has been called ‘Boss Bauman,’ as Mr. Bauman himself noted in an interview.” http://nyti.ms/2vlJYYl

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): If you know only one fact about rising drug costs, know this one: drug makers set prices for prescription drugs. To help manage nearly double-digit price increases, employers, unions and government programs use PBMs to negotiate lower net prices to help curb costs for employers and patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

WHAT HAPPENED TO DWS? — MARC CAPUTO: “Blowback from staffer scandal burns Wasserman Schultz”: “The chatter about a House leadership post is gone. So is talk of statewide office. After Hillary Clinton’s defeat, there’s no prospect of an administration job for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She’s under fire for mismanaging an IT employee under a House IT investigation who was arrested on a seemingly unrelated mortgage fraud charge. Wasserman Schultz broke her public silence on Awan last week, portraying herself as the victim of ‘right wing media’ attacks rooted in anti-Muslim bigotry.

“Here’s fellow Florida Democrat and DNC member Nikki Barnes saying what many others are saying privately: ‘We wish she would go away and stop being so public by doubling down on negative stories … None of this makes sense. It doesn’t sound like racial profiling … there must have been something for her …. This adds to Debbie being re-branded as the Democrats’ disastrous destruction,’ Barnes said. ‘Those of us on the DNC know we have to rebrand ourselves and earn the people’s trust. And unfortunately Debbie’s name does not scream trust. It screams power. It screams limited access. It screams WikiLeaks now. DNC lawsuit. It screams a lot of negative things to the public. That’s not how we want to rebrand ourselves.’” http://politi.co/2vRpSGJ

STRANGE STORY OF THE WEEK — “Hearing loss of US diplomats in Cuba blamed on covert device,” by AP’s Matthew Lee in D.C. and Michael Weissenstein in Havana: “In the fall of 2016, a series of U.S. diplomats began suffering unexplained losses of hearing, according to officials with knowledge of the investigation into the case. Several of the diplomats were recent arrivals at the embassy, which reopened in 2015 as part of former President Barack Obama’s reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba.

“Some of the diplomats’ symptoms were so severe that they were forced to cancel their tours early and return to the United States, officials said. After months of investigation, U.S. officials concluded that the diplomats had been exposed to an advanced device that operated outside the range of audible sound and had been deployed either inside or outside their residences. It was not immediately clear if the device was a weapon used in a deliberate attack, or had some other purpose.” http://bit.ly/2wKAbsz

— DEPT. OF DIPLOMACY: “Trump friend Tom Barrack said to be in talks to become ambassador to Mexico,” by Josh Dawsey: “Tom Barrack, a real estate investor and a close friend of President Donald Trump’s, is in talks to become ambassador to Mexico, according to three White House officials and advisers familiar with the matter. The high-profile post — one of the most important in Trump’s orbit, given his tense relationship with the country and his crackdown on immigration along the border — has been the subject of intense talks within the administration … Barrack, a gregarious billionaire, is the front-runner for the position but has expressed some concerns about taking it, one of the White House officials said. It is unclear whether he will end up accepting, ‘but it is his if he wants it,’ one of these people said.” http://politi.co/2wwuT4u

GET IT YET? — BREITBART VS. MCMASTER — “Exclusive – Zionist Organization of America Analysis Determines McMaster Hostile to Trump, Calls for Reassignment,” by Matt Boyle. http://bit.ly/2vHRQ7s

ALEX ISENSTADT SCOOP — “Top Trump donor ponies up to take out Flake,” by Alex Isenstadt: “One of Donald Trump’s most generous political benefactors is providing a six-figure donation to a super PAC devoted to unseating Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who has been fiercely critical of the president. Robert Mercer, a reclusive hedge fund billionaire who was intimately involved in Trump’s rise and helped to bankroll his 2016 campaign, is contributing $300,000 to a super PAC supporting former state Sen. Kelli Ward, who is challenging Flake in a Republican primary next year. It’s the latest sign that Trump’s political machine is preparing to take on Flake, whose persistent attacks have angered the president. The White House has met with Ward and two other Republicans who are mulling primary challenges to the Arizona senator, state Treasurer Jeff DeWit and former state GOP Chairman Robert Graham.” http://politi.co/2urDacO

SCOOP – “Feds sought cooperation from Manafort’s son-in-law,” by Josh Dawsey and Darren Samuelsohn with Daniel Lippman: “Federal investigators sought cooperation from Paul Manafort’s son-in-law in an effort to increase pressure on President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, according to three people familiar with the probe. Investigators approached Jeffrey Yohai, who has partnered in business deals with Manafort, earlier this summer, setting off ‘real waves’ in Manafort’s orbit, one of these people said.

“Another of these people said investigators are trying to get ‘into Manafort’s head.’ Manafort, who is a focus of the broad federal and congressional investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, is also under investigation for his business and real estate transactions, including some that involve Yohai. … It is unclear if investigators have secured cooperation from Yohai, who also hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing. … Mueller’s targeting of both Manafort and his son-in-law over potential criminal wrongdoing is a familiar tactic in white-collar cases, commonly called ‘climbing the ladder.’” http://politi.co/2ustbzZ

FOR TY COBB — “Trump’s Legal Team Is No Match for Mueller’s: The president could learn from Bill and Hillary Clinton’s years of litigation,” by Bloomberg’s Tom Schoenberg with Shannon Pettypiece: “As Mueller adds experienced prosecutors and broadens his investigation, Trump’s legal team still appears disorganized and understaffed. An army of well-paid lawyers would help the president get in front of the investigation: preparing responses to allegations before hearing about them from prosecutors or reporters, anticipating where Mueller is going, and developing a counternarrative to stymie him. … Instead, Trump’s defense has been almost entirely reactive—responding to the latest bombshell report with uninformed statements by surrogates. …

“Bill and Hillary Clinton — both Yale Law grads — set up a war room on the top floor of the old executive office building next to the White House, where lawyers and staff would go through documents that needed to be turned over. Meetings were held several times a day, with lawyers shuttling between the White House, the executive building, and the offices of Skadden and Williams & Connolly a few blocks away. Dowd and Sekulow have offices less than a 10-minute walk from the White House, and at this point the legal team doesn’t see any need to set up a Clinton-style war room. … Trying to deal with Mueller without a high-powered legal operation ‘is like going to a knife fight with a stick of butter in your hand,’ says Nicholas Allard, a former Washington attorney who’s now the dean of Brooklyn Law School. ‘The team should reflect the importance of what’s at stake, which is nothing less than the future of this presidency.’” https://bloom.bg/2hN5kcr

TRUMP’S THURSDAY — THE PRESIDENT is lunching with VP Mike Pence at Bedminster.

ERIC BOLLING SUES … “Eric Bolling initiates lawsuit against reporter behind sexting story,” by Hadas Gold: “On Wednesday, Bolling filed a ‘summons with notice’ in New York State Supreme Court against [Yashar] Ali, seeking $50 million in damages for defamation. Ali must respond within 20 days, demanding that Bolling file a complaint, after which Bolling will have 20 days to file his response before the suit goes forward.” http://politi.co/2wwvDXy

PHOTO DU JOUR: Cranes are seen on the south lawn of the White House as it undergoes renovations on August 9. | Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty

IN THE SKIES — “Unarmed Russian Air Force jet overflies the Pentagon, Capitol, CIA,” by CNN’s Jon Ostrower, Peter Morris and Noah Gray: “An unarmed Russian Air Force aircraft overflew the US Capitol, the Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency and Joint Base Andrews at low altitude on Wednesday as part of a longstanding treaty that allows the militaries of the United States and Russia to observe the other from the air, according to two people familiar with the flight. The flight was part of the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows military aircraft from the United States and Russia and other nations to fly aerial observation flights to observe military sites of the 34 signatory nations. The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 on Wednesday afternoon passed at around 3,700 feet over downtown Washington and Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Air Force One is based, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

“The jet is authorized to enter P-56, the highly secure airspace surrounding the White House. … A second flight by the same jet [was] planned for between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, when the Russian jet [was scheduled to] overfly Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Donald Trump is vacationing … A law enforcement source told CNN that the plane also overflew Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains, the Trump National Golf Course in Virginia, and Mount Weather, one of the U.S. government’s secret relocation bunkers. United States Air Force personnel were on the flight and the aircraft is capable of a variety of intelligence gathering.” http://cnn.it/2vpKMtw

THE 16-YEAR-OLD WAR — “Trump’s indecision on Afghanistan leaves generals in lurch,” by Wesley Morgan: “U.S. and Afghan military commanders battling the Taliban and the Islamic State are encountering an obstacle they never expected, sources close to them say: months of indecision by President Donald Trump on whether to commit thousands of additional American troops. Instead of approving their plan for more troops as anticipated, the president has caught his generals off guard by questioning whether the 16-year-long effort to stabilize Afghanistan is still worth it, according to current and former military officials familiar with the conversations. …

“Amid the uncertainty, the security situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. Deaths of Afghan security forces in the early months of 2017 were ‘shockingly high,’ the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction recently reported, continuing a years-long upward trend. The Afghan government ‘controls or influences’ only 60 percent of the country’s 407 districts as of early this summer, down from 65 percent the same time last year, according to the U.S. military headquarters in Kabul.” http://politi.co/2urJ4uc

NETANYAHU’S STAND — “Netanyahu Accuses ‘the Left’ and the Media of Trying to Oust Him,” by NYT’s Isabel Kershner in Jerusalem: “In Trumpian fashion, Mr. Netanyahu denounced the ‘fake news media,’ which he said had joined with ‘the left’ in what he called ‘an obsessive and unprecedented witch hunt against me and my family, in order to carry out a coup.’ The point, he said, was to press the law enforcement authorities to file charges, no matter what.” http://nyti.ms/2vpocRX

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers and other health care purchasers; however, the list price – the important starting point for those negotiations — continues to rise, at a rate of nearly ten percent in 2016 alone. Increased competition, faster reviews of generics and biosimilars and ending anti-competitive practices can also bring down the cost of medications for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

MEDIAWATCH — “United Nations Appoints Alison Smale of The New York Times to Top Post for Public Information,” by NYT’s Somini Sengupta: “The United Nations on Wednesday named Alison Smale, a veteran correspondent and editor at The New York Times, as its most senior official in charge of shaping the 193-member organization’s global public image. As the next under secretary general for global communications, Ms. Smale, 62, will join the cabinet of the United Nations’ top leader, Secretary General António Guterres, and be among a small circle of influential women around him. … Ms. Smale, a British citizen, is currently The Times’ bureau chief in Berlin. She had been the executive editor of The International Herald Tribune, based in Paris, for four years, before it was renamed The International New York Times in 2013.” http://nyti.ms/2hMgrSL

–“Disney paying at least $177 million to settle ‘pink slime’ lawsuit,” by CNN’s Tom Kludt: “In a footnote on the company’s quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, Disney said it paid $177 million that was ‘incurred in connection with the settlement of litigation,’ at least some of which was related to a years-long legal dispute with South Dakota-based meat processor Beef Products Inc. … [A] lawyer for BPI told CNNMoney that its settlement was worth even more than $177 million. … Even just $177 million would likely represent roughly a year’s worth of advertising revenue for ABC’s evening news program, a significant sum for the network and a sign of how damaging defamation suits can be for media outlets after the Hulk Hogan case sent Gawker into bankruptcy.” http://cnnmon.ie/2vQzXD0

–“Google reveals sites with ‘failing’ ads, including Forbes, LA Times,” by Digiday’s Lucia Moses: “On June 1, Google rolled out its Ad Experience Report, a tool it’s using to evaluate and score websites based on their ad creative and design. It provides screenshots and videos of ads that have been identified as annoying to users, such as pop-ups and autoplaying video ads with sound, and ‘prestitial’ ads with countdown timers.

“So far, Google has identified about 700 sites as warranting corrective action out of around 100,000 sites it’s reviewed so far. Half of the roughly 700 got a ‘failing’ status and the other half a ‘warning.’ … Those listed as failing include Forbes; Tronc-owned Orlando Sentinel, Sun-Sentinel and Los Angeles Times; Bauer Xcel Media’s Life & Style and In Touch Weekly; The Wrap; Chicago Sun-Times; Tribune Broadcasting’s Fox 13 Now; and Sporting News.” http://bit.ly/2vRCRIr

–NANCY YOUSSEF is leaving BuzzFeed to cover intelligence for the Wall Street Journal later this month.

TV TONIGHT — Tonight on “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” Lester Holt is sitting down with SNL’s Colin Jost and Michael Che ahead of Thursday’s premiere of the summer edition of “Weekend Update.” 1-min. video http://nbcnews.to/2voe9fy

BILL CLINTON’s summer reading list – he posts on Facebook: “Reading has always been one of my greatest pleasures, so in honor of National Book Lovers Day, below are some titles I’ve read and recommend, in no particular order.” His picks: “Killers of the Flower Moon,” by David Grann … “Empire of Cotton: A Global History,” by Sven Beckert … “House of Spies,” by Daniel Silva … “A Great Reckoning (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel),” by Louise Penny … “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements,” by Eric Hoffer … “Yitzhak Rabin: Soldier, Leader, Statesman,” by Itamar Rabinovich …

… “Boys in the Trees: A Memoir,” by Carly Simon … “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia,” by Mohsin Hamid … “Blindsided: The True Story of One Man’s Crusade Against Chemical Giant DuPont for a Boy with No Eyes,” by Jim Ferraro … “Gratitude,” by Oliver Sacks … “Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes,” by Richard A. Clarke and R.P. Eddy … “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic,” by Glenn Frankel. http://bit.ly/2hN5dNF

TRANSITIONS — Jennie Westbrook Courts is joining Precision Strategies as a principal on the communications team. She was most recently at Subject Matter.

OBAMA ALUMNI — Krish Vignarajah, who was policy director to former First Lady Michelle Obama, is entering the race for governor of Maryland. Before the Obama White House, Vignarajah, a lifelong Maryland resident, served as a senior adviser at the State Department under Secretaries Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.

WEST WING ARRIVAL LOUNGE — Emily Mallon has started as executive assistant to chief of staff John Kelly. She previously was at DHS and worked on the transition.

SUNDAY SO FAR — “FOX NEWS SUNDAY”: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Panel: Newt Gingrich, Donna Edwards, Tom Rogan and Marie Harf.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Liz Breckenridge, administrative director for Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and a Politico alum, and Ken White, senior counsel in the legal division at Office of Personnel Management, post on Instagram: “Ari [Benjamin] White joined our family [Wednesday]. He arrived a solid 7 lbs and 20 inches. Words cannot explain the love we have for him already.” Instapic http://bit.ly/2vRdiX5

HAPPY 26th ANNIVERSARY to Tucker Carlson and Susie Andrews, celebrating in Portugal.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Nancy Cordes, CBS News congressional correspondent and the pride of Kalaheo, Hawaii. How she got her start in journalism: “I did an internship at the ‘Today Show’ the summer after my sophomore year of college, and from then on I was hooked. I came back to school in the fall and started anchoring at our college TV station. If anybody ever gets their hands on those Beta tapes, I’m ruined.” Read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2hMonDz

BIRTHDAYS: Andrew Sullivan is 54 … Buffy Wicks, Clinton, Obama and Dean alum and candidate for CA Assembly District 15 (East Bay) (hat tips: Tim and Kiki Burger) … Gina Ormand Cherwin (h/t Stella) … 270 Strategies co-founder Meg Ansara, an HFA alum … John Dunagan, SVP at VOX Global … Matthew MacWilliams … Sally Garner (h/ts Jon Haber) … Alex Thompson, politics and policy editor at VICE News and an NYT alum … Kevin McAllister, deputy comms director at American Bridge 21st Century, is 29 (h/t Dawn Le, filing in-transit to Netroots in Atlanta) … Jim Brady, ESPN’s public editor, is 5-0 … Addison DiSesa … Jessica Wehrman … Paul Conway … NYT’s Laura Kim, a “Morning Joe” alum … Sophie Vershbow, social media manager at Random House … Sarah Kyle, director of federal gov’t relations at BIO (hubby tip Ross Kyle) … Chris Hansen, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is 35 … Daniel Patrick Howard, the son of Ben, is 1 (h/t grandfather Jack) …

… Alex Marquardt, CNN senior national correspondent … Joshua Karp … Chirag Shah, VP of gov’t affairs for AAHOA (h/t Brandon VerVelde) … Mike Linhorst … BuzzFeed’s Lissandra Villa … Quorum’s Kevin King … Robert Cogan of the House Budget Committee, celebrating in Kennebunkport, Maine and Ipswich, Mass. (h/t Katie Byerly) … Leila Clifford … Julie Johnson … Ally Harpootlian, media associate at ReThink Media … Jayson Rodriguez … Noah Marine is 33 … Katie Papa … Mark Walker … Lucy Wolfe Goss … Emily Buck … Cameron Onumah … Rick Phelps … George Appleby … Benjamin Giesser (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Vanessa Reed … Rose Gallagher … Johannah Tyer … Sam Wilson is 35 … Paul Foutch … Antonio Banderas is 57 (h/t AP)

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): The high prices that drug makers set for prescription drugs can put financial strain on patients, employers, unions and others who provide health care coverage to more than 50 percent of Americans. Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers, unions and government programs. But, as list prices – the starting point for those negotiations — continue their nearly double-digit increases, the effects ripple throughout the system. The key to ensuring greater access and affordability lies in fostering greater competition. Facilitating faster reviews of generics and biosimilars, identifying off-patent drugs with little or no generic competition, and ending anti-competitive practices that keep safe, effective alternatives out of the market are also key to abating rising drug costs for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

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[northgreengolf]

18 NEW YEAR’S GOLF RESOLUTIONS FOR 2016 (& 2017)

OK………. You’ve heard of an ” Oldie but Goodie”…….. well here’s one for you. One worth repeating and maybe, just maybe, worth grabbing a few suggestions off of.  This “Resolution” List is worth reading and worth implementing! Especially….. “Get Away Golf Outings”, Dressing the Part” and “Cussing Less”. A few of my favorites.  Can’t “walk” here at Hollywood Beach Golf Course, but you can talk to one of our pros about course management, course strategies or golf lessons! They certainly know what they’re talking about! See ya on the links. I’ll be the one dressed well and cussing less!!!

Normally I’m against New Year’s resolutions. Why wait for an arbitrary date to better yourself, rather than begin said improvement immediately? Plus, “New Year’s resolution” is really just a synonym for, “Your gym is going to be a zoo for the next six weeks.” However, in our realm, New Year’s initiatives are pertinent, as it’s a time of genesis in golf. The PGA Tour season, after a brief sabbatical, returns on Jan. 7, and, as a large chunk of the Midwest and East Coast are experiencing unseasonably warm weather, hackers don’t have to wait until spring to satiate their golf appetite. Plus, according to a 1992 Encyclopaedia Britannica I found, the month of January is named for “Janus,” the Roman god of beginnings, making this a perfect juncture for new resolves. While lowering one’s handicap or playing more rounds are nice ambitions, they’re not pragmatically attainable, either.

Instead, we offer 18 realistic endeavors for golfers seeking New Year’s resolutions: Minimize on-course cussing:

I adhere to Ron Swanson’s view on swearing. Mainly, that there’s only one profanity: Taxes. If any other word is good enough for sailors, it’s good enough for you. Yet, while cursing is fun, simple and — sometimes — just feels right, it goes against golf’s “gentleman’s game” ethos. It reveals a weak grasp of the English language, and creativity. Furthermore, a curse’s impact losses luster if dropped in every sentence. In short, try to keep the f-bombs to a minimum. Avoid hyperbolizing the pros: Both fans and media are guilty of this faux pas. There is no room for centrism; everyone is the best, or a bum. A year ago, we crowned Rory McIlroy the new emperor of the golf kingdom; a new era was born. Twelve months later, in a season where McIlroy won four times — an amount that would be a hell of a career, let alone campaign — we chalked 2015 as a “lost year” for Rors. I’ve certainly harbored these sentiments, particularly at Dustin Johnson’s shortcomings. While he didn’t rise to the occasion this past summer, he did manage to finish in the top 10 at three of the four majors. Impressive in itself, it’s especially true once remembering he took a six-month leave from the game earlier in the year. So, when someone misses a putt, don’t Tweet “(Player X) is a choke.” Conversely, we’ll cut back on the “Is Jordan Spieth on pace for the greatest career ever?” rhetoric. Deal? Dress the part:

The golf dress code has become too casual at public joints. T-shirts, gym shorts, flip flops; somehow golf apparel mirrors the wardrobe of a college freshman who overslept. I’d throw in the lack of tucked-in shirts as well. You don’t need to wear slacks, or even golf shoes, to the course. But if there’s any question regarding ensembles, always err on the side of dressing up.

Campaign to get Bill Murray on the Ryder Cup:

There’s an open assistant spot on the U.S. squad, many which presume is saved for Phil Mickelson. But if Lefty makes the team virtue of his play, we need to fill that void. What better presence than Murray? He’s in the Caddie Hall of Fame, he’s won at Pebble Beach, he’s served his country, and he can keep the mood light, a valuable asset given the uptight nature of the event. Besides, Michael Jordan has been an assistant at past Presidents Cups, and it’s not like these positions really matter. Davis Love III is accessible via Twitter, so let’s start a year-long social drive to get Murray to Hazeltine. Walk the walk: I get the appeal of carts: Cup holders, GPS, you don’t have to carry your bag…all well and good. But we’re the only country where able-bodied golfers need wheels to get around the links; we look like a nation of sloths. Remember, the game is “a good walk spoiled,” not “enjoyable ride ruined.” Walking and carrying your bag can burn double the amount of calories as opposed to riding. For those looking to keep the bag weight off their shoulders, grab a caddie or a pull cart. Speaking of caddies… Treat a caddie like a king: Everyone has their own monetary, fiscal constraints. But if you have the means, go generous on paying the looper. For four-plus hours, they’re manning your WAY-too-heavy bag, giving advice, keeping spirits up, doing everything in their power to make sure you’re having the best experience possible. That they have to do that while watching you hack it up is borderline valorous. Travel back in time: Oh, you can break par? Whoop-de-doo: You have a driver the size of a hubcap and irons more forgiving than Nelson Mendela. To decipher your true merit as a golfer, tee it up with persimmon woods and blades, and see if you can break 80. Take an aspiring golfer under your wing:

A lot of us will strive for spending extra time at the range or practice green as a New Year’s goal. However, a better use of that time is assisting a fledging golfer. You don’t have to impart swing tips or playing instruction; save that for the club professionals. But you can teach them etiquette, general procedures and norms, even just accompany them to the range. Not only will you be sharing your love with the sport, but chances are you’ll learn something new in the process as well. Shame “Baba Booey!” out of existence: Howard Stern? Hilarious. His fans’ “Baba Booey!” catch phrase? Alright. Yelling said mantra at golf tournaments? Worse than getting the (rhymes with “blanks”). We need to raise awareness against this ill. I never condone violence, but if you find yourself in proximity to a jabroni that screams this nonsense, feel free to pour your drink on them. Pretty sure that rationale will hold up in court. Pen Jim Nantz’ victory call at the Masters:

I love Jim, but he’s toned his signature ending cries considerably. Flood Twitter during this year’s Masters with potential final calls — “Amidst the Augusta azaleas, a Rose blooms in Georgia!” — in the hopes that it gets on the CBS truck’s radar. Devise a comically-bad alibi to skip work to watch, play golf: When you die — SPOILER ALERT: You will die — I don’t think you’re going to be on your deathbed counting all those hours you spent laboring in the office. Instead of spending another Monday morning arguing with the IT desk about email connection, make a concerted effort to grab friends and head towards the fairways. Trust me, the work isn’t going anywhere. But pleasurable experiences are fleeting, and should be cherished at every opportunity. (By the way, the above paragraph is going to cost me dearly in the “Job Effort” portion of my work review.) Orchestra a get-away golf outing: Doesn’t have to be to Bandon Dunes or Myrtle Beach; it could simply be a course that’s off the beaten path from your usual commute. An out-of-the-way destination will take you out of your element, which is needed from time to time. Better yet, the journey adds another level of excitement, speciality and aura to the round. No gimmes:

By all means, be as generous as possible towards others. To your own game, play the entire year without giving yourself a freebie. We’ve become too liberal towards gimme putts, and our collective putting has suffered because of it. Not only will this improve your touch, it can serve as a barometer for the state of your game. Play in a high-stakes match: You discover a lot about yourself, as well as your partner, in a competitive setting. It gives a sense of what tour pros go through on a daily basis, and a purpose that’s sometimes missing in amateur golf. Warning: Don’t let your enjoyment be dictated by your result. The aim is to enjoy the combative backdrop. Refrain from any conversation regarding Tiger Woods’ future: You may think he’s done. You may think he’s got eight major victories in the tank. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you think, because he’s not going to be on the course anytime soon. And when he does, let’s not race to make any sweeping pronouncements on his performance. Let it breathe, people. Keep an open mind regarding golf’s return to the Olympics: I’m all for ripping the Olympic committee, a group so corrupt it makes Spiro Agnew look like Robin Hood. But while many are lukewarm on golf’s return to the, ahem, “amateur” games, give it a chance. The format won’t facilitate the strongest field, yet any event boasting the likes of Spieth, McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson is worth watching. Call out a friend for behaving like a butthead: We all have that colleague whose competitive fire burns a tad too bright. The one who sends emails with Vince Lombardi quotes the week before the outing or wants to discuss course management. This isn’t Operation Overlord; it’s a couple rounds of friendly golf. Note: if you can’t think of a buddy that this applies to, it means you’re probably the criminal in question.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to keep to yourself when a friend or playing companion is acting up. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the course is supposed to be a safe haven, a place to enjoy one’s self. You can say it doesn’t bother you, but no one is totally immune from a jackass’ disposition. As much as I hate confrontation, I’m making a point this year to call people out on such expression. It’s one thing to let loose displeasure, another to act like a spoiled brat from “My Super Sweet 16”.  It might create an awkward moment, but those around you, as well as the guilty party, will be better off for it.

Finally,

Quit drinking while on the course:

Hey, everyone makes one resolution they have no chance of keeping!!! SOURCE: Joel Beall, Golf Digest

The post 18 NEW YEAR’S GOLF RESOLUTIONS FOR 2016 (& 2017) appeared first on Northgreen Country Club.

[cynthiajayusa]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/21/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2019/03/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role.html

[demitgibbs]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/21/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/183608308425

[hotspotsmagazine]

Kyle MacLachlan Talks New Gay Dad Role, Reaching LGBTQ Youth

In Giant Little Ones, actor Kyle MacLachlan plays a gay divorced dad named Ray Winter parenting a distant teenage son, Franky (Josh Wiggins), who’s grappling with his own sexual identity. I repeat: Kyle MacLachlan, a gay dad. The 60-year-old actor’s range knows absolutely no bounds, inhabiting diversified worlds and traversing genre, from comedy to drama, from soapy to supernatural.

MacLachlan’s first major role was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune (soon, Call Me By Your Name actor Timothée Chalamet will be slipping into MacLachlan’s stillsuit for the forthcoming remake) and two years later, in 1986, he collaborated with the screen auteur again on Blue Velvet, starring alongside Isabella Rossellini. But it was Lynch’s early-’90s cult TV series Twin Peaks that arguably made MacLachlan a marquee name (in 2017, he reprised his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks: The Return).

In his three decades in TV and film and on stage, MacLachlan has played a city official based on first big-city openly gay Mayor Sam Adams, Fred Flintstone’s boss, the guy who fucks Nomi Malone in a swimming pool, Riley’s dad in Inside Out, Charlotte’s husband on Sex and the City, Bree Van de Kamp’s husband on Desperate Housewives, and because why the hell not: Cary Grant’s ghost. Starring in writer-director Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones as Helpful Gay Dad was really just an inevitably, but for MacLachlan, Ray is a warm hug of a role he deeply feels is important. One that, as a parent himself, even hits close to home.

Here, the actor talks about raising his son, Callum, much like Ray Winter does, gay fans who slip into his DMs and bears who love his rosé.

You’ve played dads before. But what about Ray spoke to you differently?

He had a journey in this as well, which I liked. It was really about the connection with his son, and at that age it’s very difficult and made even more challenging by the fact that the parents are separated. Under the circumstances, Franky just doesn’t know what to think or what to say, and I like that (Ray) really hung in there. I think in the original draft he was maybe a little more demanding, and so we kind of softened that a little bit. There are still those issues, but it was really important to me to feel like Ray was there and he wasn’t gonna go anywhere and to remain as non-judgmental as possible.

His presence is always felt, but he’s able to give his kid space at the same time. I appreciated that he tells his son to focus on who you’re drawn to and not what to call it, essentially letting him know that sexuality is a spectrum. How did that resonate with you?

That was a really nice piece of writing on Keith’s part, I thought. Again, trying not to judge. Especially at that age, I remember for myself just kind of trying to find where you fit in, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, who’s your group. There’s lots and lots of questions and insecurities that are masked by a false sense of identity or control or “I don’t want to hear what you say, I’ve got it figured out myself.” The idea of just being present, it’s the way I approach the relationship with my son, the not judging. I’m not going at it trying to make him into something he doesn’t want to be.

You were the stepfather of a gay son, Andrew Van de Kamp, on Desperate Housewive. Who does the better job parenting a queer kid: Orson Hodge or Ray Winter?

(Laughs) Orson, bless his heart. You know, he had good intentions, and there was an understanding there at attempting to connect. I don’t think Orson was ever comfortable in that role. I think Ray is more conscious and he’s a champion, in some ways, for anyone who’s being judged. In this particular case, it’s “hang on a second.” He’s sort of about turning the page: “Let’s look at this and what’s really happening here.” I liked that. And he does it with an inner strength and a firmness, but it’s not without a wry sense of humor, and that I liked about him too.

When were your eyes first opened to having an LGBTQ following?

I think it was probably with Blue Velvet, I guess. Thematically it expected so much of the audience and it told a story that was so unusual and so true. That sort of started it, but I think with the advent of social media, suddenly it’s really obvious and present. And it’s great.

How has it become obvious through social media?

Just through comments, and its fun to read and great to feel the support. And then because so much of it is built around David Lynch, there’s a real shorthand just in terms of terminology and phrases, and because of David’s visuals and his images and his dialogue, of course.

I have a friend who says Blue Velvet was responsible for his sexual awakening. Is that what gay fans tell you on Twitter?

(Laughs) Maybe not quite so personal! But you know, that’s film. Film is all about experiencing something and having your eyes opened, and I think that film in particular was about that; the exploration of it and the themes of it were so interesting, and they hadn’t really been dealt with that much.

What kind of attention did Showgirls get you from the LGBTQ community?

(Laughs) I don’t think it found its camp niche until a little bit later. It had to go through the “Oh my god, this is perhaps one of the worst films ever made” reaction and then people sort of said, “I think it was, in a way, a guilty pleasure.” Then that began to grow, and there’s a true hardcore following of it and that’s really fun. I’ve never said, “Oh yeah, in fact, actually, that was the intention,” or, “Oh yeah, it’s a great film” – it’s not a great film. But it succeeds at a level that I think is still entertaining and fun. And why not? That’s our business.

I was at a gay bar once and they were showing Showgirls on all the TVs. When you shot that film, did you expect for it to live on in the LGBTQ community like it has?

I think we all entered into the film – certainly, I did – looking at the creative side of it. So you had really talented people – (director) Paul Verhoeven, obviously – and I think his intention was to do something that was sort of hard and cutting-edge and exposé and I think it kind of got away from him a little bit and became something else that was unexpected. But at the same time, we’ve all embraced it and said, “This is where it went,” and I gotta say, the film was probably gonna have a much longer life because of how it ended up than if it hadn’t. If it was a film that we intended to make, it would’ve been great and fine and OK, but now, it will live on forever.

Particularly at gay bars.

At least there! And midnight showings!

For 2004’s rom-com Touch of Pink, what was special about portraying the ghost of Cary Grant who gives advice to a gay Muslim man?

It was really fun. First of all, just the research alone was great. Getting to watch all the films, reading up about him, who he was as a person and the business side of things in Hollywood and how he really, really created this persona, which I think he tried to get away from but it was what he was known for. So I loved the research of it.

And the director, Ian (Iqbal Rashid), whose story this actually was, was so lovely and I see him occasionally when I’m in London. He’s just a terrific person and a very, very talented director, and I was flattered. He had actually seen me on the stage doing a new play with Woody Harrelson and I don’t quite know how he got there from that performance (laughs), but he thought I’d be perfect. So that’s a pretty big mantle to try to take on, and so we sort of softened that a little bit and said he’s more the spirit of Cary Grant – he’s not exactly Cary Grant. But I enjoyed stepping in those shoes and trying out that language and that kind of attitude and that whole thing. And it’s got a beautiful message, and just the ending when he has to let go, it’s very touching, I think.

In 2018, you were honored with a Dorian acting award by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, for Twin Peaks: The Return, and in 2009, Desperate Housewives received Outstanding Comedy Series from GLAAD.  Is there something special or distinct about having your work acknowledged by LGBTQ audiences and organizations?

Yeah, those stories, if they can speak to a community and there’s a resonance there, that’s the goal of this. They should be universal, but I think that if there’s a relationship that can be created then we’re doing a good job; something that’s worthwhile that creates an emotional response and a connection, that’s really what you want. I mean, that’s what I want.

You played the mayor of Portland in Portlandia.  Do you think that character would make a good mayor of Twin Peaks or Wisteria Lane?

(Laughs) He wasn’t a really good mayor – but he was incredibly enthusiastic! I think that was the fun of it: He always got things a little bit wrong but they kind of ultimately ended up OK, with the help of Fred (Armisen) and Carrie (Brownstein), certainly. But, oh god, at least it would be a lot of fun to have him as a mayor of any community, I think.

Why haven’t we seen you in more openly gay roles?

(Laughs) It’s a good question. You know, the work just kind of comes, and it’s one of those things where once it sort of filters through a little bit of whatever it does in Hollywood it finds its way into my inbox and you take a look at it.

Have there been gay roles you’ve turned down?

It’s always about the quality of the material, so if it there was, it just wasn’t worth telling.

But then you read something like Giant Little Ones.

And you know that it is a beautiful story. I had the reaction that everyone had: This is a story that needed to be told, and for any kids out there who are having this kind of “I don’t know, I don’t know” and they don’t have anywhere to turn, it’s like, well, we’re not the answer, but we’re at least an experience to say, “You’re not alone.”

And a reminder to your own son that his dad is OK with whomever he becomes or wants to be.

In fact, he attends a school in New York and it’s all about that. It’s all about the acceptance of everyone, and it’s a wonderful thing to watch because that wasn’t my experience growing up. Public schools, small town, very conservative. Not unlike the situation of Franky, there was a lot of “however tough you are” and “whatever sports you play,” those are your identifiers. It’s nice that he’s having a completely different experience.

In your spare time, you are a winemaker. Are gay men some of your most loyal rosé buyers?

(Laughs) I should hope so, for god’s sake! Rosé is one of those crazy things: It just keeps expanding and people love it and now it’s not just for summer anymore, it’s not just for the Hamptons anymore. It can be year-round and, yeah, it’s been really fun. And yeah, very supportive.

In a queer context “bear” means a hairy, chubby gay man, so it can’t hurt that “Pursued by Bear” is the name of your brand.

You know, I was really going after the Shakespeare play, obviously, but yeah, not unaware and I thought, that’s kind of funny. There’ve been occasions where I’ve met a few guys – bears, you know – and they’ve said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this in my cellar.” And it cracks me up! I’m like, “Fantastic, I’m glad you like it.” Its good wine and it should be enjoyed.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/21/kyle-maclachlan-talks-new-gay-dad-role-reaching-lgbtq-youth/