Steve's Latest Gig -- The Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning

A while back Steve did some freelance work for the latest Disney DVD, The Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning. We went to the movie's premiere at The Arclight in Hollywood last night, followed by a lovely party. We even met Ariel!
I know some people shy away from these direct-to-DVD sequels, but this movie is very entertaining. The villain, in particular, is hilariously evil and her name is Marina Del Rey (voiced by Sally Field). No joke. Bob Mackie designed her costumes for the film and the music numbers she performs with Benjamin, her sidekick, are camptastic! You should view this DVD with your best friends (and a cocktail) and have a great laugh.

Speaking of music, our friend (and single dude) Steve Gizicki worked on the music for this film. He's standing above with Steve, displaying cleanup drawings from the film that were given as gifts to the crew.
My Steve did character design, some prop design (all of which are clearly seen in the movie). Steve also drew all the publicity art-- including the DVD cover/poster (pictured here). There's also a "save the environment" campaign that he did the art for. I'll post that here when I find it.

Steve's Birthday Surprise

So what did I end up getting Steve for his birthday???
Cher. Or to be more precise, tickets to Cher's concert at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. We're staying in August for two nights in the new tower and will see her on a Sunday night. Believe it or not, in our uber gayness we've never seen Cher so this is our first time. It's supposed to be a big spectacle and we can't wait!


Here's where we're sitting.

The hookup came through our friend Sagiv, who's also one of the tissue trainers in my aerial class. He performs in Cher's show.

If we get a backstage tour and/or picture moment with the diva, we will not be posting it here on the blog. We'll be saving it for the Christmas card.

Speaking of trapeze and whatnot, trained today for the first time in three weeks. Have more about that and the wedding plans for later.

Comic-Con 2008 Saturday & Sunday

You know Comic-Con is slammin' when Eric Estrada has a long line for signing autographs.

But besides Eric there were lots of celebs around. We did hit the Battlestar Galactica panel on Saturday. It was really kind of bittersweet because it's all coming to an end and everyone knew it. But no, we got no clues for the final cylon.

We also saw Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku talk about Dollhouse, which looks amazing. I need to meet Joss. We have mutual friends (so I understand) and I'm told our writing styles are similar. So my goal for the next couple weeks is my book rewrite and networking.
We also met many fans supporting Galactica leaders for president. Here are two cool dude and their shirts, posing with Steve and I in our "Roslin for President" shirts.On Sunday we saw friend Aliki Theofilopoulos who is a story writer on the amazing Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb. Here she is with show creators Dan Povenmire (also the voice of the evil Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz) and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh. The voice actors were also there, entertaining a packed audience.
We also saw slutty Disney Princesses. Because really, it's not a party until you run into a group of really hot women dressed as slutty Disney Princesses.

All in all, a really good show.

Comic-Con 2008 Friday & Steve's Birthday

It almost started out to be a bad day.

When we arrived, we said hi to our friend Annamarie and then went inside the Exhibit Hall. When we hit the SciFi booth, one of the staff saw Steve's Battlestar Galactica Starbuck tattoo.

"That's not a temporary tattoo," he said, stunned. We agreed. That's when we found out they were giving out slightly smaller temporary tattoos of the one he has. Insane!

The staff was actually quite excited by Steve's tattoo, and they gave us a couple of the temporary ones for comparison. Perhaps I'll try one out to see if I should get the matching tattoo.
We walked around and saw lots of hot models who were out promoting the event. These girls were promoting Triple Cobra. I have no idea what it is, but I loved them and they loved us.
FYI, Thor in this picture is actually a woman.
This family was awesome!Wonder Woman's costume here was knitted. In this moment she's being interviewed for The Tonight Show.These kids had incredible costumes that looked exactly like the original Adam West series. Pretty cool.This is my 17-year-old niece, Brianne. She's a cosplayer and this is some anime costume. We took her to lunch at Hooters. Then we hung out a bit and sent her on her way.
FYI - Batman and Wonder Woman were hot.
More tomorrow...

Thursday Night of Comic-Con 2008

We showed up at our hotel after a very easy drive... and this was our hotel key card.
It's already an amazing convention.

Steve's Birthday & Comic-Con Weekend

Busy day of work before heading out to San Diego this evening. If you see us wandering about, say hey.

Longtime friend, Karen, suggested some restaurants for Steve's birthday on Friday night and one of them seems perfect. I also got Steve's gifts on time so he'll actually have a great surprise (I hope). More on that later.

We'll try to take pics throughout the weekend and post them here. That usually works for one day and then we get too busy/distracted. But check in, you never known.

Be safe this weekend.

A Golden Moment of Silence, please...

Estelle Getty is gone.

I can't even express how her performance on Golden Girls helped shape what I believed a character could say and do on network television. She was amazing, she will be missed.

"Thank you for being a friend..."

Crazy Comic-Con Week

Comic-Con starts this week, and I've got a ton of stuff to get done before it happens.

*An article about the trapeze school for OUT Magazine.
*A rewrite on my book.
*Doctor's appointment to make sure my arm is okay to hang upside down again next week.
*Prep for Steve's birthday on Friday (and pick up his gift before leaving for San Diego).
*Prepare the invites for our wedding and lock in the menu.
*Try to see The Dark Knight (because we'd be the only people at Comic-Con who haven't seen it yet).
*Get all my regular work done at my job so I can miss Friday (and not freak out that my boss is also away so everything's kind of rests on my shoulders).
*And not freak out that there are at least 100 other things I'm sure I'm forgetting right now.

On a (kind of) related note, have you guys seen the trailer for Outlander?

This is our friend Howard's movie, and it's produced by the Weinstein Bros. The trailer looks amazing and we can't wait to see the film itself.

If you love science fiction AND good old fashioned sword fighting films, this looks like a dream come true! Check out the trailer, then stick around on the website to see images, read about it, etc.

NEW UPDATE: Ain't It Cool News gave an awesome review to Outlander in the form of an open letter to the Weinsteins. Check it out!

Gay Weddings: John & Johnnie

John & Johnnie: 23 years together

Married Tuesday, July 8, 2008

County Recorder's Office, Rockland, CA (Sacramento)

As Johnnie wrote: "It's a quiet office and they were shocked when our 65 guests showed up. They were really happy for us."

Johnnie Terry, on the right, is the professor at Sierra College who often invites me up to guest lecture. He and partner John are flanked by their two wonderful children.

Congratulations to the whole family!

Outfest 2008: Ready? Ok!

"There's my friend Michael," I say to long-time friend, Pam Buck. We met at Comic-Con when I was 15 and collecting comics and she was an anime goddess doing parody episodes of Robotech and The Dirty Pair. "Michael edits Will Ferrell movies. Let's get in line with him and then when your biscuit arrives..."

WHAM! Actress Carrie Preston, who was talking to friends, accidentally throws her hands out and slaps me in the eye. She's horrified and apologizes.

"It's okay," I say. "I have two."

That was how my screening of the Outfest 2008 film, Ready? OK! began. Pam loves actor Michael Emerson, who most of you know from playing "Ben" on LOST (pictured to the left with Preston, his wife). She's the star of the film, he's a co-star, and word on the street was that he'd be there. Being two of her four token gays, Steve and I agreed to attend.

As we stood in line Pam's nerves grew. She told me I had to ask him for the photo and she shoved the camera in my hand. I don't normally do this sort of thing, but having interviewed celebs in the past, I guess I was point person on this mission. Besides, Pam and I go way back, she's one of the reasons why I became a writer, so I'll do stuff for her I won't do for other people.

Plus, she dressed up in tight jeans and looked like Breasty LaRue in that top, so we couldn't waste the moment and not get a photo, right?

And as I thought all this, I saw her biscuit-- Michael Emerson-- approaching.

Pam shook. She dropped her phone. Her wallet. Her camera case. Her car keys. (I've never seen her like this.) I quickly handed her entire life to my friend, editor Michael, who very nicely held everything as I stepped out and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Emerson, my friend would love to meet you."

He smiled and Pam jumped in, they shook hands, and I snagged a couple pics. He was so polite and charming-- and having only seen him on LOST I was pleased that he wasn't covered in blood or trying to kill me. Very pleased.
After he joined his wife, Pam stood shaking. "He's got the softest hands, softest hands, softest hands..." she repeated like Rainman. She tried to see the photos I'd taken of her but we feared she'd erase them so we told her to stop. She agreed. Then she accidentally snapped the arm off her sunglasses.

We took all her possessions until the movie finished. (It's fun, has a great cast, and was shot on a shoe-string budget in my hometown of San Diego.) Good times. Let's see what insanity happens when she and I get to San Diego next week.

The Trapeze Showcase - Finally!

The last two nights have been a blur, and if it wasn't for my sore arms and still being covered in glitter, I'd wonder if it was a dream. Fortunately, Steve was there documenting.

The student group ran in, all very silly, and then did a pyramid pose that you can kind of make out in the blurry photo. FYI - no flashes were used. I'm on the left and big Rick is in the middle.

After that, big Rick and I did a semi-synchronized tissue section. On night one, big Rick fell and I couldn't get my body into our splashy finale where we flipped over the fabric. Sunday night, with nerves less of an issue, we did it well.
After that, I slipped out and put on a new costume, slacks, a button down shirt and glasses ala Clark Kent. The costume belonged to Sagiv, one of our trainers, who had done a promotion for the Superman DVD release. So I was able to wear a sexy little rubbery/spandex number.

We do have video but the file is huge and unless you know that I'm flirting with the audience, it just sort of looks like I'm waving and being silly. So here are a couple highlights...
Flying like Superman...
In an "iron cross" after flirting with people in the audience.Using my butt to hold me in the air -- BAM!Spinning in circles-- a tribute to Wonder Woman?

It was such a stunning experience, and having so many friends who up (like crazy Amy below) was fantastic.

I'm taking this week off from trapeze so I can let my muscle rest a bit (I woke up at 4am with my left forearm aching, my right bicep has been sore for week, and my left hip is also exhausted).

Then it's diving back in for new tricks and fun. I'm sure we'll have another showcase at the end of the year and I've been bitten by the bug. If anyone is interested in learning more about Cirque School LA or hiring Troupe Vertigo, which is our trainer Aloysia Gavre's troupe to perform at events, check out the links.
I've thanked the trainers profusely, but I also want to thank Steve for all his love and support. I was gone many evenings practicing, and he had to listen to my anxieties and horror stories, but he was supportive and wonderful the entire time. Thanks honey. I love you.

Trapeze Showcase - Tomorrow & Sunday!

The bruises are getting crazy. These are just my biceps, and since this is a family friendly blog I can't show the marks on my legs, hips and crotch-- bits get in the way, if you know what I mean.
After returning from Detroit, I've rehearsed three nights in a row. I'm exhausted, my muscles all ache (even my jaw) but I'm finally confident about what I have to do.

I first do my two-man synch performance on tissue, then a solo trapeze later (with lots of tumbling and junk in between).

I've seen the other acts and I'm one of two that uses clowning. The bonus for me is that I have the strength so I can hang out in positions for longer period of time and interact with the audience.

What am I doing on the trapeze? Without giving anything away, let me toss out three clues:

Super heroes
Spandex
Kylie Minogue

You can't go wrong with that trio.

During the performance I have to remember my moves, not become obsessed with falling, and integrate a character. This last part is the hardest for me, but after last night I felt like I pulled that together for the trapeze portion of the show.

The tissue portion is shorter, but I'm a little more nervous about that. We also won't have too much rehearsing time tomorrow because you don't want to be exhausted before the show starts. I hope to have one quick run through on the tissue. We'll see what happens.

The show is being taped but I don't know if I can get it onto the blog. I hope so, because it's going to be genius.

Either way, expect pictures and full details on Monday.

Gay Weddings: Bonnie & Laura

Laura Sutherland & Bonnie Margay Burke: 15 years together

Married (again) Tuesday, June 17, 2008

County Administration Building, downtown San Diego

Bonnie and I went to high school together. Laura was the first lesbian I ever became friends with, when I was 16 and she was working at Cafe Gelato Vera in San Diego; she was a dear friend during a tough coming out period.

Kind of cool that these two wonderful women would meet soon after and eventually marry.

Love to them both.

July 4th in Detroit

Seeing the house in person was a shocker. I'd watched news footage and seen some photos, but they were detached, distant, the sort of thing one sees on TV and thinks what a shame before going on with your own life. Being there made the situation real, undeniable, and it felt like there was a hole in my chest; I couldn't imagine how Steve's dad was coping with it all.
Perhaps it was the time between the fire and our arrival, or excitement about seeing his kids, but Kurt was actually doing quite well when we arrived. For him, it was time to move on. The community he lived in had rallied, and there was model home they're letting him have for the insurance money; in this case, a poor economy isn't hurting the situation.

The new place is beautiful, almost completely furnished, and the only thing he'll need to work on is the garden. So with the help of Steve's cousins we took some pavers from the old yard, some wood rails, and moved them over to the new house; this week Kurt will come back and dig up the plans that escaped the fire, then slowly begin moving into his new place. I expect that in a couple months he'll be settled in and back to normal, just in time for our wedding.
The outpouring of love and help from total strangers was astounding. I won't get into specifics because it's tacky, but people Steve works with and who don't even know Kurt were stunning in their generosity, as were many of our friends and acquaintances. Thanks to all-- I can't even express how thankful Steve and I are to you.
As for the rest of the trip, the weather was fantastic and we spent time hanging out with family in the day, while visiting gay bars at night. Because let's be honest: we LOVE exploring the local gay scenes when out of town. We also love drinking. It's a perfect pairing. At some point I'll have to write about the bars in Royal Oak, Ferndale and Detroit-- kind of old school insane for two guys from LA where everyone seems to be fine with the man-on-man life. But inside? They know how to let loose. It's kind of genius.

Oh, and we also hung out with Aunt Barbara's cats. Cool critters.

With the wedding we probably won't be back out in Detroit this year, but Kurt will travel to LA in September.

The rest of this week is focused on getting my trapeze showcase down. Rehearsed last night, and will do it tonight and tomorrow. I need to buy a unitard. Don't laugh.

More tomorrow.

Fast Updates as We Leave for Michigan

Brothers Jeff & John, Steve & I are off to Detroit to hang out with Steve's dad. So here are some quick updates on everything going on...
FRIENDS: This is our friend Jason Boegh-- he and I took Groundlings classes together. He's playing "Carrie Bradshaw" in the upcoming parody, Disaster Movie. Check out the clip if you've got nothing better to do today.

TRAPEZE: Performance is a week away and I was freaking out a bit. Had a 7am training session this morning working on both the tissue and trapeze. I was exhausted, but then at the end Aloysia, my trainer and the woman who started Cirque School LA, kept saying I needed to kind of do the moves like a super hero.

How ironic, then, that the final trick I learned today was a Wonder Woman style spin; in fact, I was flailing around until she talked me through it and I realized it was very much like when I do my imitation of Lynda Carter. So I cranked back, spun, and BOOM! I got it. Could this be fate? We'll see when the performance comes next week.

Right now, I just hope these bruises heal before the Michigan family reunion and I have to explain why I'm all banged up.

I'll be taking pics while away. More to come next week. Have a safe 4th of July.

WORD OF THE WEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!! (July 1, 2008)

The word of the week is: Artifacial

Definition: Adjective. Word used to describe a person's face after too much plastic surgery has made him/her look like an alien.

Definition: Noun. The "one plastic surgery too many" that has transformed a human's face into something alien.

In a scene:
Rick & Steve finish seeing Lynda Carter in concert.

RICK: Lynda looked magnificent. But who's that strange alien woman with her?

STEVE: Former Knots Landing star, Joan Van Ark.

RICK: Wow. That was some artifacial she had.

Thanks to BD for this week's word! And for more Words of the Week, visit the Archives!