By Romeo San Vicente
Gus Van Sant
Replacing Abdul, one gay judge at a time
They took away the only ray of sunshine on the "American Idol" judging panel. And though it was a sad day for everyone except Paula Abdul – who is filthy rich and doesn't need your pity – the news has only gotten better and better as the substitute roll call of guest judges for Season 9 goes on. First it was the Posh Spice announcement (Could any thinking person question her judging prowess after her "Project Runway"/Christian Siriano lovefest?), and now Renaissance Gay Neil Patrick Harris, who seems intent on insinuating himself into the hearts and minds of every last person in America, has already taped segments where he assists Randy, Simon and Kara in weeding out the people who show up dressed as The Statue of Liberty and Baby New Year. You won't see it until January of 2010, of course, and by then NPH will probably have run for Senator of Utah and won in a landslide.
Beatles manager to hide his love away on film
It's never the first bit of trivia you learn when discussing the Beatles, that a gay guy more or less discovered and managed the band until his death in 1967. Brian Epstein remained closeted until he died at age 32 of an overdose and was even rumored to have had a brief fling with John Lennon. (Lennon said it never happened, though the 1991 indie film "The Hours and Times" imagines another scenario.) And now Epstein's short but very interesting life is being turned into a film called, for now, "A Life in the Day." No casting news yet, but expect a downbeat no-happy-endings sort of thing (not counting the aesthetic thrills to be had from period details and advancements in the creation of realistic moptop wigs) to emerge when the final product hits screens in 2012.
Gus Van Sant is still 'Restless'
Who likes young talent more than Gus Van Sant? OK, maybe some other big deal directors do on their days off, but Van Sant has consistently found new creative energy to champion publically, especially when that energy looks like Matt Damon. To be fair, how young blonde and tousle-haired screenwriter Jason Lew happens to be is unknown at this time, but his script, "Restless," has the "Milk" director smitten enough to take it on as a new project. The story of a gloomy, graveyard-obsessed "Harold and Maude"-like young man and the romance he begins with a girl who has only six months to live will be Van Sant's next small film (budget: approx $15 million, a drop in the bucket by Hollywood standards) and is all but guaranteed to become a touchstone of Emo Kid cinema culture. Time to start clearing the rights to those Morrissey songs.
'Guiding Light' lesbians go viral
After approximately 200 years on radio and then daytime TV, "The Guilding Light" will see its last episode air on Sept. 18. Everyone gets cancelled eventually. But what about "Otalia," the combo name fans have given lesbian characters Olivia and Natalia? Where will they go? What will become of them? Well, actresses Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia, who play the dynamic duo, have decided to keep a version of their story alive via online webisodes. Though the names will be changed thanks to silly entertainment laws, the pair will be featured on a new online series called "Venice," which is also set to feature the best "L Word" villainess ever, Elizabeth Keener (Dawn Denbo!), in a recurring role. In other words: Hurry up, Internet! This can't happen soon enough for Romeo's taste.
