Gay Icon

I never was a big fan of the mash-up—mixing various songs that are tied together with a slightly different score—especially when someone actually thought that mixing the legendary rock band Kiss with Popstar diva Kylie Minogue was a good idea. But then Fox came along with the award-winning, smash-hit TV show Glee (Golden Globe® for Best Comedy Series and SAG Award® for Best Ensemble Cast) that perked up our ears and captured our hearts. The storyline centers around high school geeks rising to the top, but not without tangling with the cantankerous Sue Sylvester—played by the wickedly talented, openly gay actor Jane Lynch—who wants to banish the glee club forever.

America may have finally learn her name from the TV show, but she has been starring in some of the most successful Hollywood hits like Julie & Julia and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. I look at it as she is finally getting the recognition she deserves. We (the diehard gay and lesbian contingency) first fell in love with her as the lesbian dog trainer in Best in Show. What is truly remarkable about Ms Lynch is that she has never been in the closet and thus acted in many, many independent gay and lesbian productions including both short and feature films.

Hell, I could go on and on about her, but we have an interview for you! A year or so ago when HOMOPOP was just a wee-babe, we were given the opportunity to interview Jane, but we didn't really have Mike, Robby O... or any of the other boys yet. I couldn't pass up this fabulous opportunity so I convinced the only person available for the day Spock BUCKTON (he even has a t-shirt) from our sister site POPPORN.com (Don't be alarmed people. Yes, they are heterosexuals, but they are funny as hell.) to do the interview for me and well... let's just say I had to pay him in "favors", but that's for another time.

At first it was ok. I didn’t mind. I mean, Levi Johnson is a pretty cute guy with a very sweet ass and constantly has one of those "deer caught in headlights" look, which must be really attractive to those fucking him. Hell, as a bonus he enjoys pissing all over Palin, which gives me no end of satisfaction. But now I’ve had enough. And it’s Joy Behar’s fault – apparently on a recent show she asked the dear 19-year old Alaskan how he felt about being a "Gay Icon". A Gay Icon she said. A FUCKING GAY ICON! I know some of you think this is a legitimate claim and you might even subscribe to this thought, but I would like to attest that this would, in fact, be a thought crime.

I mean what does being a Gay Icon mean anyway? I reject the seemingly newly ascribed criteria that it simply means 9 out of 10 gay men would like to fuck you. News flash: 9 out of 10 gay men will fuck anything with a pulse so it would make far too many of us gay icons. No; there has to be more to it than a perfect little 19-year-old ass, a hockey stick, and the ability to pro-create in arctic temperatures. How about some support for gay and lesbian causes (see Cyndi Lauper), being unabashedly out of the closet—Sir Ian McKellen, Neil Patrick Harris, et al—or creating art that many gay people respond to the fabulousness of Babs and Kylie. I am even happy with continuing with ascribing tragic heroine’s to this status (Judy and Liza) since many gay men identify with their struggle. But I draw the line at Levi. And so should you. You gotta be selective as to how you award titles like this after all. I mean, they don’t give an Oscar® to every two-bit actor or Orlando Bloom would have one for his role in Troy. It’s time to get some class back in to gay iconography or our iconic future will be filled with porn stars. It’ll be hot, but you might end up feeling dirty in the morning.

Big WTF?

Now like a good homo, I love our favorite primetime lesbo Ellen DeGeneresas much as the rest of you, but why is she doing replacing Paula and judging American Idol? I guess she's really bored hosting her daily talk show. I mean she is never going to overtake the big O in ratings and having the number 1 lesbian talk show so I guess this is her next career move. Maybe the former "closeted" gay Adam Lambert inspired her. I don't know what it is about Idol that rubs me the wrong way. We did get Kelly Clarkson out of the deal, but the show jumped the shark a few seasons ago after William Hung sung "She Bangs". Oh yes, I went there! But I do find it ironic that the homophobic Fox network is calling upon a big ol' lesbian to boost their ratings.

I really hope Ellen sports a giant Coca-Cola cup filled with vodka every show. That's the only way I can believe that she legitimately belongs on the show as a judge, but we will see how she does this season. It will certainly be comical.

Ooh, I wonder if she'll call out to Ryan Seacrest. "Hey GURRL! How you doin'?" Now that would be worth the whole fucking experience. What do you think?

Not 100% sure how we accomplished this feet, but HOMOPOP was privileged to interview the sassy Sharon Gless right before she received the esteemed Gay Icon Award during the 2009 Philadelphia Qfest. It was a big ol' lesbian fest for the most part, but Mike sweet-talked his way into the hearts and minds of all that were involved to snag a chat with the brilliant star who has portrayed such ground-breaking TV characters like Christine Cagney of Cagney & Lacey and our favorite mom Debbie Novotny in Queer as Folk. Her latest film Hannah Free where she plays a lesbian is hitting the film festival circuit so be sure to look for it!

I could go on and on, but why deter you any longer from viewing this sweet, little chit chat? The best part about this interview is I can tell who's more nervous Sharon or Mike!