I watched the film “Fixing Frank” last night from my Netflix selections, which starred Mr. Butler, and was reminded of how inspirational he was as an openly gay actor, from his role as Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe, a swaggering heterosexual, on the TV series “Frasier”. He also wrote an off-Broadway play about his life, “The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me…”, as well as being featured in many television roles. BTW, check out “Fixing Frank”, it is quite interesting, and Dan is exquisite in his role in the film.

a movie written & directed by Brian Sloan, based on his stage play. A powerful drama about roommates and regret, set in the shadows of the terrorist attacks of Sep. 11, 2001. After posting a classified ad for a roommate to share his SoHo apartment with a veiw of the iconic World Trade Center, Eric (Michael Urie, of “Uggly Betty”) watches in horror as the buildings come tumbling down. Can he rebuild his shattered emotional life as the city struggles to rebuild itself?

a movie written & directed by John Baumgartner. What if there was a pill you could take that would “un-gay” you? That is the tantalizing question raised with this film, and it also brings up the issues of how it would affect everyone around you if you were no longer gay. “Hard Pill” addresses how society responds to gays; how other minorities would respond to a “pill” that would change them; how no longer being “gay” changes the dynamics of all of our relationships. This is a film that should be viewed & discussed, please do yourself the favor of watching this movie. The talented Beth Grant has a supporting role. Love her!!

a novel by Matt Bernstein Sycamore. 12-17-09 “I have seen the future, and it is PULLING TAFFY”–Edmund White. 12-22-09 A series of short essays. Explicit material. A world that I have never been around, but I appreciate the insight. Graphic. 01-10-10 Read the section that included the “Pulling Taffy” piece… mmm, didn’t see that one coming Actually, these very candid pieces are quite dramatic. And his going back to the horrors of his childhood & his relationship with his father is rather disturbing, but must be expressed. There is a unique voice that I must hear with his words, very glad that I picked this book off the shelf. 01-06-10 Finished reading. This book brought to my attention that we can not put ourselves in a box. We are different, even from ourselves, and the choices we make are for us as individuals. The author also makes a case against assimilation.

an Academy Award winning Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. His films are marked by complex narratives filled with melodrama, irreverent humor, and glossy decor. His themes include desire, passion, family and identity. I recently re-watched “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” & “Dark Habits” and was reminded of his impact on world cinema.