On the Air

January 22, 1993 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 17

In the Life debuts here; clothiers run ads in gay press

by John DuAne

Well, at long last here it is. The Cleveland premiere of the new, national gay variety show In the Life went on the air Sunday, January 17 at 11:30p.m. on Channel 25.

Channel 25's first presentation of In the Life was hosted by openly gay Entertainment Tonight commentator Garret Glaser who interviewed Jonathan Hadary currently appearing in AIDS activist Larry Kramer's hit drama, The Destiny of Me. The episode also featured cast members of the Tony award-winning musical Falsettos singing "Unlikely Lovers," actor Randy Allen reenacting part of his one-woman play, P.S. Bette Davis. Also on the show were interviews from last year's Names Project AIDS memorial quilt display in Washington, D.C., featuring Liza Minnelli, Shari Belafonte, Lily Tomlin, Bonnie Franklin and Joel Grey.

Next month's installment of In the Life will air Sunday, February 14 at 11:30 p.m. and will feature our new Cleveland resident, comic Karen Williams, hosting a country-western music festival which will star Doug Stevens and the Outband, the Southerners, and the Times Squares. The February show will also feature the comedy of Georgia Ragsdale.

To date, there has been little to no local publicity about In the Life. WVIZ issued a press release a week before the debut of In the Life, and the station's own viewer's guide does little to indicate that the show is produced entirely by and for the lesbian, gay and bisexual community. Still, the show will go on the air here once a month

and it is up to us to let the station know we want this gay programming to continue. WVIZ program manager Bob Olive stated that they will carry In the Life on a continuing basis depending on viewer support. Call WVIZ at 398-2800 to thank them and please remember WVIZ during their fund raising efforts. Again, our thanks at GayWaves to all of you who contacted WVIZ to let them know that you wanted them to carry In the Life.

Just before the premiere of In the Life, Channel 25 presented the excellent AIDS documentary, In the Midst of Winter which explored the experience of living with AIDS through comments by Seattle-area AIDS patients, their families and friends, their care givers and health-care workers.

Times must be changing! Matt, the ongoing gay character on ABC's Melrose Place, got a welcome surprise on the show's Christmas special episode; CBS' Picket Fences aired a Christmas show that examined bigotry against transsexuals; NBC's Saturday Night Live did a skit about a lesbian family Christmas; and ABC's Roseanne included Nancy's lover Marla in her show's Christmas episode. This is the first time since the late Showtime sitcom Brothers that I can recollect lesbians and gays being included in any Christmas special programs.

Openly lesbian actor-comic Sandra Bernhard is hosting the 1993 season of The "A" Line, a stand-up comedy show which presents two top-line comedians in-depth on each show. The "A" Line can be seen at various times during the week on the Comedy Channel.

Last month I reported that the producers

of ABC's Prime Time Live, were looking for volunteers for a "hidden camera" report examining homophobic attitudes by looking at the way straight people interact with gay people. Aubrey Wertheim, services director of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center, tells me that the show's producers have made their decision. They have chosen a gay teacher in Seattle who will come out of the closet at his school for the show. Thanks to all of you who volunteered for the show.

A few weeks ago, on ABC's Life Goes On, Becca's HIV-positive boyfriend, Jesse, was beaten by skinheads who thought he was gay. The HIV storyline will intensify over the next several episodes. Life Goes On may be seen every Sunday at 7 pm on Channel 5.

An unconfirmed report from the tabloids indicates that last year's limited-run gay storyline on the soap opera One Life to Live was so successful that the producers will introduce a new, continuing gay character on the show in the near future.

The debut episode of Fox network's new series, Key West, will have an openly gay mayor in the midst of a heated election campaign. Key West will air on Channel 19 Tuesdays at 9 pm.

GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, reports that Calvin Klein, Inc. has responded to criticism that

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the corporation did not advertise in the gay press by placing an ad featuring rock star Marky Mark in Out magazine.

GLAAD also reports that Banana Republic went even further by not only advertising in Out, but running an ad in Vanity Fair featuring two male models caressing each other, and another ad in Harper's Bazaar which featured a gay couple and a lesbian couple embracing! GLAAD asks that we thank the corporations by writing to: Calvin Klein, president and Barry Schwartz, chairman, Calvin Klein, Inc., 205 W. 39th St., New York, NY 10018. And: Richard McNally, executive vice president, Banana Republic, 1 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94105.

Finally, John Horner, host of WUJC 88.7 FM's lesbian-gay radio show Hold That Door, reports that on January 21, the show will be moving from its current Thursday 2-4:30 pm timeslot to Thursday evenings from 10 pm to midnight. This move should make it easier for those of you who have been unable to phone in a dedication to your loved ones because of work, etc. John and his co-host Amy report they love to dedicate songs, so give them a call on the air at 397-4438. Meanwhile, don't forget to tune in to us on GayWaves on WRUW 91.1 FM from 7 to 7:30 pm every Wednesday evening.

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