Wanna Be Popular? Get It With Darren Stein's "G.B.F."

Look, Caught In A Popularity War, It's The "G.B.F.!" 

Hey? Have you heard about the latest must have have Teen Queen accessory, The G.B.F.? Well in case you have been living under a rock...

"The acronym G.B.F. stands for “Gay Best Friend” which has recently been deemed the 
hottest new fad at North Gateway High School; the Queen Bees need a G.B.F.! But there is 
one big problem: none of the gay guys at their posh suburban high school are out of the 
closet. The vicious lady monarchs of the school, a.k.a. the three lead prom queen 
candidates, are not going to let this minor glitch get in their way; a G.B.F. is just what they 
need to give them that edgy, high-fashion appeal and win over the ultimate prize: the high 
school popularity crown."

Here to tell us more juicy details is the Director of  "G.B.F." and the cult hit "Jawbreaker" Darren Stein!

MS: Hey Darren I really enjoyed "G.B.F." you and writer George Northy are really simpatico.

DS: Yes, it definitely felt like something I could have written. It's not like I'm only out to make "Teen Films" it's about the characters and the story a script tells, and this is a story I wanted to tell.

MS: One of the things I am quite shocked by is "G.B.F." got an "R" rating.

Director, Darren Stein

DS: That was unfortunate. We definitely went out of our way in the writing and the direction to make sure th film had a "PG-13" tone. It was never my intention to make an "R" rated movie, I made one before, and this is not that.

MS: It really wasn't. There was a gay scene on "Scandal" that was more explicit than anything in your movie.

DS: Well I was told that when it comes to ratings the MPAA is really behind TV. I was even told by our MPAA consultant that they are harsher on films with gay content or characters. My opinion on what "hurt" "G.B.F." from the beginning was it was a High School Movie that told it's story from a gay perspective. The fling is still intense, but I think because it is a gay oriented fling it's more taboo.  

MS: Wow! I really like your use of actors making cameos in the film. I'm a teenager of the 80's, like yourself. I  Loved the Jonathan Silverman and Megan Mullally cameos. 

DS: Jonathan brought so much soulfulness to his role he was awesome! I've always been a fan, but when I got to work with him I was truly blown away by his talent. 

MS: I agree, Jonathan's role is such a small one, but you remember it.

DS: Megan was really great too!

MS: Sasha Pieterse was a draw to the film for me as I am a big "Pretty Little Liars" fan.

DS: She is so brilliant. Sasha has this wiseness that is beyond her years, and she is gracious, intelligent and lovely. When she started "Pretty Little Liars" she was really young, I think she is eighteen now. They were looking to potentially cast her as "Hanna" but because of her age they couldn't, I would work with her again in a heartbeat, she brings so much loveliness to the role. 

MS: It's nice to see the flip side of her talent, because on "Pretty Little Liars" she is a total bitch.

DS: Her character "Fawcett" is really sweet. It's a twist in the movie that she's a bitch at school, but she makes conditioners and shampoos in her bathroom. She's the science nerd at home, that's so not "R" rated, you know?

Get Yourself One!

MS: Yeah, I agree, the only other reason I can think of that you got slapped with an "R" rating is the content regarding the Mormon Religion, but...

DS: There is the scene where the Mormon character grabs "Tanner's" hand and puts it on his crotch and says "Does this feel straight to you?" Like I said the level of playing and sexual situations are not anymore extreme than other "PG-13" straight films. It's because it takes place between guys, like you said "Scandal" is more provocative with the gay content, but it's also adults, "G.B.F." is teenagers.

MS: "G.B.F." is the kind of movie, as gay men, you or I wished we had when growing up. Younger gay guys today have it a lot different than we did.

DS: Yeah, they live in an all access world. Which is why I think the screenplay is great, because screenwriter George Northy is a whole decade younger than me. To read lines like "I knew how to clear the Internet History when I was twelve" - It's like "I don't know how to clear the Internet History now!" (laughs)

MS: I don't either! (laughs)

DS: One of the great things about "G.B.F." is it presents a typical High School mainstream romance, like "Mean Girls." Yet it's from this gay protagonist and his perspective, I think it's important. I think people are going to look back at it ten years from now and see it was the first film to do that and had a tiny little release. (laughs) 

"G.B.F." Hits select theaters and Video On Demand this Friday January 17th

Love your "G.B.F." at: https://www.facebook.com/GBFmovie

Got Chicken Wings? "The Great Chicken Wing Hunt"

When I saw this I laughed so hard the glass of water I was drinking came out my nose. Chicken Wing enthusiasts, uh, I like chicken wings, but I'm just sayin'...

Perhaps A&E can do a new series called "Wing-Hunters" ?

The brand new documentary and film festival favorite The Great Chicken Wing Hunt will be released on January 14, 2014 in select theaters and, in partnership with digital entertainment curator FilmBuff, across all leading Video On Demand

platforms.

Celebrating the wing's rise from lowly bar food from Western New York to one of America's (and the world's) most popular foods, the documentary directed by Matt Reynolds follows a group of self-proclaimed wing enthusiasts on a journey through America's 'Wing Belt' as they attempt to find the world's best Buffalo wing. Over the course of their journey the 'Wing-Hunters' stop at 72 bars and restaurants, travel 2,627 miles and try 270 types of wings. After 16 days on the road, and a contentious two-day deliberation, the judges finally settle on one winner, declared the greatest of all.

"The film celebrates the Buffalo wing as a uniquely American creation," Reynolds said, noting that 2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of its invention. "Experts in Wing Hunt make the case that the Buffalo wing may in fact be the first purely American food to have conquered the globe (hot dogs, hamburgers, etc, having roots abroad)."

Wing Hunt comes out just two weeks ahead of the Super Bowl, when Americans will eat more than 1.2 billion chicken wings.

In addition to Reynolds, the film's colorful cast of characters includes fellow judges Ben Beavers, a semi-pro eater, Ron Wieszczyk, an amateur sauce-maker, and Ric Kealoha, a Hawaiian chef based in Prague, as well as a befuddled Slovak film crew and Reynolds ever patient girlfriend Lucie.

Along the trip, the 'Wing-Hunters' visit Anchor Bar, in Buffalo, NY, where the hot wing was invented 50 years ago on March 4, 1964, and where the Hunters meet Dom Zanghi, the last living witness to the events of that fateful night that changed culinary history forever. The Great Chicken Wing Hunt marks the first time this story has been told on film.

The film is already available for pre-order on iTunes: http://bit.ly/18zyIYy

Grab yourself some wings on Video On Demand platforms in the U.S. on January 14, 2014, including Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Xbox Video, Sony Playstation, Cinemanow and Vudu.

Wing Hunt was an audience favorite at dozens of festivals in 2013, including Woodstock, STARZ Denver and Austin, winning awards at Indie Spirit, Memphis, Big Apple and Williamsburg. 

Soylent Green is Chicken Wings at: http://chickenwinghunt.com/

Bring On The Drinking Games! The Golden Globes Sunday January 12th

Cheers!

Last year I missed the Golden Globes due to technical difficulties and when I heard about them via various posts on my Facebook home page, boy was I riding on a bummer, and not for the reasons you might think.

Do I care who wins? Hell to the no! Do I like to see glamour? Well of course don't we all? But what truly saddened me was I missed Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's co-hosting antics, not to mention their sure fire way to get you wasted while watching drinking game.

Well this year I will not be denied! I will be watching this magic duo grab my funny bone out of my body, chew it up and spit it out, and drink along with their diabolical plan to get the celebs in attendance and the audience at home D-R-U-N-K, thanks ladies!

FYI, just my L-U-C-K they have upped the ante, Lord I am going to be a goner this year!

Fey states: "Any time you see a gown with sleeves, you're going to drink. Any time they cut to Tom Hanks for a reaction shot, do five push-ups and you will be ripped by the end of the ceremony."

Poehler's went further: "How about this for a drinking game? Every time I drink, everybody at home should drink. And if Bryan Cranston speaks, everybody has to do a little bit of meth. Just a touch, because that's all you need, just a touch."

Alright you two it's on!

Get Global at: http://www.goldenglobes.com/

Stevie Nicks Spins The Coven This Wednesday January 8th!

That's right all you "American Horror Story: Coven" fans, the legend, the goddess, the witch? Ms. Stevie Nicks makes her much anticipated appearance on "AHS: Coven" this Wednesday!

Stevie is the object of necromancer and possibly next witch supreme, Misty Day's (Lily Rabe) worship, Misty believes Stevie to be a witch in real life. Rumblings of the plot line have something to do with reigning witch supreme Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) using Ms. Nicks to get to Misty, how remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcome or plot line, the guess is, Stevie will be revealed to be an actual witch on the show. Hey, those rumors have been following her for years.

In true Stevie brilliance to my knowledge she has never addressed those rumors (no pun intended) one way or the other, that makes this guest stint a perfect fit.

So now you know where I will be this Wednesday at 10pm!

Have a terrific week!

American Horror Story: Coven: http://www.fxnetworks.com/ahs/

Keira Knightley Hits Back At Domestic Violence

Keira Knightley

I know this PSA by the lovely and talented Ms. Keira Knightley is not new, it was done around the time Chris Brown beat up Rhianna, but it is powerful and the subject matter bears to be kept in our consciousness.

Ms Knightley had this to say about the PSA against domestic violence when she did it:

"I wanted to take place in this advert for Women's Aid because while domestic violence exists in every section of society, we rarely hear about it," Knightley said. "We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening."

Here are the facts:

• 1 in 4 women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime
• Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
• On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.

Here is the PSA. Heads Up, very strong violent content, but very effective.

In the US to learn more go to: http://www.rainn.org/?c=upworthy

In the UK go to: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/?c=upworthy

James Durbin @ The Viper Room 1/3/2014

James Durbin kicked off his 2014 acoustic tour last night at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA -
and of course I was there!

This is the way I like James live and raw, his voice is simply amazing on it's own without the recording studio wizardry.

So all you Durbinators out there, if James is coming to a venue near you, get yourself to one, or miss out big time!

My personal favorite of the evening was when James let loose on an acoustic version of "Higher Than Heaven" - Wow!

Here are photos by yours truly (except for the one of me and James, his publicist took that) from last night as as well as the remaining dates on James tour, enjoy!

Yep, I Was Standing Right In Front Of Him

Mr. Durbin, I Presume

James & His Back-Up Men

James & Yours Truly Backstage 

Rock On James!

2014 Tour Dates

January

7                                           Belly Up Tavern                      Solana Beach, CA

8                                           Pub Rock Live                         Scottsdale, AZ

10                                         HOB-Cambridge Room           Dallas, TX

11                                         The Station Bar & Grill           Lafayette, LA

12                                         HOB-Peacock Room               Houston, TX

14                                         The Parrish                              New Orleans, LA

15                                         Wills Pub                                Orlando, FL

17                                         Brewster’s megaplex              Jacksonville, FL

18                                         The Masquerade                      Atlanta, GA

21                                         Ziggy’s                                     Winston-Salem, NC

22                                         Lincoln Theater                       Raleigh, NC

23                                         Empire                                     Springfield, VA

24                                         I Play America                         Freehold, NJ

26                                         The Note                                  West Chester, PA

29                                         The Hollow                               Albany, NY

30                                         Marlin Room@ Webster Hall   New York, NY

February

4                                            The Rock Factory                    Akron, OH

5                                             Agora Ballroom                      Cleveland, OH

6                                            Thompson House                     Newport, KY

7                                            Austin’s                                   Libertyville, IL

8                                            Another Hole in Wall              Steger, IL

9                                            7^th St. Entry                             Minneapolis, MN

12                                          Marquis Theatre                      Denver, CO

15                                          The Catalyst                            Santa Cruz, CA

Follow James on Twitter and Facebook here: 

http://twitter.com/durbinrock,

http://facebook.com/durbinrock,

 http://www.durbinrock.com

   

"Take Me Out" In Hollywood @ The Complex Theatre

Take Me Out!

Since I mentioned that one of the things I was kicking off my New Year with was Richard Greenberg's Tony Award winning play "Take Me Out" which I saw at a preview last night I must mention it, right?!

Well happily so. I have never seen the play before and what a wonderfully written piece of work!

The synopsis for "Take Me Out" goes something like this:

"Take Me Out," Richard Greenberg's 2002 Broadway hit, explores with wit and compassion what might happen if a player on a major league baseball team were to announce that he is gay. Greenberg brings out many attitudes toward homosexuality by drawing his main character as a very specific, unique individual. Darren Lemming is the star player who has led his team to win two Worlds Series in a row. He comes from a middle-class, biracial family but has never faced any sort of racial prejudice. He is the ideal ballplayer on the ideal team, until the day he decides to announce his sexual orientation to his team: then his relationships change with his coach; his teammates; his new business manager, who is gay; his best friend, who is devoutly religious; and especially with the homophobic pitcher recently up from the minors, who refers to Lemming by using an offensive slur...

Pretty intriguing stuff, no? Not to mention, since most of the play takes place in the team locker room, there is a lot of frontal male nudity, what was that?! Yes I said, a lot of male frontal nudity.

The actors are in top form, all of them, and the directing by James Kenneth is spot on.

Special thanks to my friend and producer Kenne Guillory for the invite!

"Take Me Out" opens tomorrow January 4th 2014 at The Complex.

Take Yourself Out at: http://www.plusoneproductionsla.com/take-me-out-info.html