I just read on the net that Thom will be the keynote speaker for the Dallas Market Center on June 25th 2-3PM appearing at the World Trade Center (is it really called that?) on the first floor.

It was called MISS UNIVERSE

You don't watch BLOW OUT? Did you ever watch Things I Hate About You show? Project Runway?

Woah! Thom was on "Ticked Pink" show!
I only saw Car commercial brief.
What was Thom wearing????

I'm so excited! Today's the day I quite possibly will meet Carson, Jai, Kyan, and Thom.

As everyone can see, I'm a newbe. So I hope I don't brake any rules.

First, to the member meeting four of the five: Have a good time! Give my best to Carson. I'm sure, off camera, he must be a real hoot.

Having said that I must, with all due respect, express a wish that the Fab 5, and particularly Carson, would tone-down their on-camera demeanor. If the sexual comments/inuendos could be reduced or eliminated it would make the program much more progressive. Sadly, at times, Carson's comments reflect about as favorably on gay people as the Amos And Andy radio and tv series did upon black people.

My comments here assume QE is seen in places beyond the liberal bastions of the Northeast and West Coast. To the young closeted boy, living in Mississippi, which of the two personalities, in QE, should one conclude is most often found among mainstream gay people--Carson's or Ted's??

If I've made some people angry, I'm sorry. But, whether we like it or not, QE is most likely being used as queer-baiting "fuel" by the likes of Orin Hatch, Trent Lott, Jessie Helms and their followers.

Welcome to the board. And everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I enjoy Carson the way he is and well to me he wouldn't be himself if he had to tone down. I met the man in person and he is just like he is on the show and is like you said a hoot and also a very nice man.

Hello 2ofus,

I am 1/2 of 2ofus in Massachusetts and I agree with Kyanasutra. Everyone has a right to an opinion. I have never met Carson in person, but from the hour long interview of him I saw on the Jane Pauley show, I believe he is being himself.
The reason Carson should not "tone down" his personality for the fear-mongering politicians is because it is his effervescent personality that gets the most attention for the show. He has stated in interviews that "over the top" stuff, (like when he licked that New Jersey cop), gets edited. None of the mild sexual innuendo of Carson is half as incendiary as the rhetoric of homophobic politicos or religious extremists. Prolonged exposure to "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", now "Queer Eye" or "QE", will have the result of making gay men less able to be demonized by the haters, because it's hard to hate people that you come to think of neighbors, despite differences.
When Queer Eye first aired there were some gay leaders who worried aloud that it was a "gay minstrel show". Anyone who expects political correctness from a clever "make-better" show is going to be disappointed. But any show that has 5 out and proud gay men who are gifted at their jobs & shown interacting in a positive way with straight men who know they are gay, is a great influence on society. And from the awards QEFTSG has won from homophile organizations, I think that opinion is generally accepted by those who know.

And Ted Allen is a stealth bomber ,not a "safe option"! While his sharp acerbic wit can and does fly under the radar on occasion, he is easily the most political of the bunch. Being married for over a decade (his term), he is not as playful or flip as Carson, but he was a success before Queer Eye and he is the kind of savvy gay man that the haters envy as much as fear, (like the Germans feared the Jews and some Americans fear/resent Asian-Americans). There is plenty of hate to go around, and whatever the faults of this silly little show, dissapating ignorance-fed hate is one of the strong points in it's favor. IMHO
notevayas

(Tomasulo is on her knees doing the "I'm not worthy" bow to notey)

Glad I got out of the way and let notey handle that with the eloquence we've come to love and respect. Well done, babe! And you are spot on in your comments about Ted being "a stealth bomber". When it comes to saying it like it is, Ted has always stepped up. Can we ever forget the time he referred to Bush as a jackass?!?!

Tomasulo, I love you, but you are making me nervous down there.. Get up off your knees girl!

Seriously, please don't hold back from posting waiting for me! I am hardly ever inside in the good weather. We have had a month of rain here, and last weekend was my first opportunity to soak up some rays on my back deck. Though, if I ever get a laptop, I will be a summer menace!
notevayas
PS I have been reading with interest the Massachusetts posters who went to the Club Cafe last night to meet 4 of the Fab 5! Any reports coming? What was the general ratio of men to women, straight to gay? Any naysayers?

And bileotter hits it out of the ball park!!! (In honor of tomorrow night's Red Sox ep!.....can you tell I'm a little excited?!?)

Okay, just so you know, this is adapted from what I wrote to the yahoo group so I don't have to type it all out again. I have also posted this at Carson's website.

I will do my best to recap my experience. First I took the T in. Then I got lost. But luckily I found my way again. Anyway, I showed up at the front of the Club Café around ten to five and there was a large red carpet waiting for the VIPs.

At about five, a lady approached me on the street (I had asked when they opened and was told six so I was waiting on the street) and she turned out to be a very nice lady named Dee who I only knew from the yahoo group, not in RL. Anyway, she seemed to have more of an idea of what was going on because she had spoken with the manager. Evidently, the place was open, it was the event that started at six. Anyways, after paying $40 each for this lame gift bag (which, for me, included using the ATM) we went to the ladies room which turned out to be a good thing because we ran into the lady in charge of Boston Pride. Anyways, after that we went to the bar. I got a bottle of water and Dee got a martini or some form of a martini, I’m not exactly sure; either way, it was served in a martini glass. Then we waited around for awhile. We waited until six, when the event started, then we waited until seven, the hour when the guys were do to show up. Then we waited until eight, when the guys actually did show up. A few minutes before the guys showed up, we all went outside to greet them. I took some pictures as did everyone else.

When they showed up, not only did the four boys show up, but the producers as well. After a few minutes we all went inside. The boys, and the producers, were ushered into this place where, I think, only press was allowed. At any rate, we certainly weren’t allowed there. It was okay at first, when everyone made a speech, which they showed on video all over the place. I like Carson’s speech. Since the speeches were after the mayor’s proxy officially declared Tuesday to be official Queer Eye Day, Carson made a joke about Bean Town turning into Queen Town and told us all to wear pink on Tuesday. David Metzler said that as the only straight guy of the bunch, for him meeting the Red Sox was a dream come true. I can empathize with that; meeting the Red Sox being a dream come true, I mean. Also, a couple of them said that Boston gave them the warmest welcome they had ever received.

Anyway, we waited around for awhile more. Finally, at nine, the lady in charge, who we had met earlier in the ladies room, asked us if we had met the boys yet. I said no, and started to give her a piece of my mind about how it wasn’t fair that we had come and paid money and that they wouldn’t let us see them. She stopped me mid-sentence and said “you two girls; you come with me.” She seemed really pissed off on our behalf. At one point she even said “these two girls have been here since xxxx five ‘o clock.” Anyway, she got us back behind the roped-off area that the boys were in. she asked us what our names were, and we told her. Then she handed us off to some other guy named Andre. Andre brought us right to Carson! While he was trying to get Carson’s attention for us, he asked us our names. Anyways, Andre finally got Carson’s attention and I spoke up.

I said “I saw you on the Miss Universe thing. I was watching to drool over the hot girls.” He said “Those girls were gorgeous, weren’t they?” I said, “Yeah. How was Thailand?” Carson said “Thailand was gorgeous.” Then Andre took our picture. Then I said, “I’m one of your biggest fans!” And Carson said “No, you’re actually rather petite.” I couldn’t argue with that since I’m only five feet tall.

Then we found Thom. By this time Andre had disappeared. I got Thom’s attention myself. I said “I’ve been here since five.” Thom said “Aww, you’re sweet.” Then I said “I met you at a book signing in New York. I’m the lesbian you inspired to come out.” Thom said “Oh my God, how are you?” I said “I’m fine.” Then Thom started asking me questions a little more personal. He said “So have you found that special someone yet?” I shook my head and said no. Then he asked “Are you looking?” I shook my hand a bit in a gesture that means “sort of” and said “Sort of. When it happens, it happens.” Then I had Dee take my picture with Thom. I suspect, but I’m not sure, that Thom was giving me bunny ears because I kept hearing someone say “put those fingers down” but she might not have been talking to Thom. Then Dee talked to Thom and I took their picture.

When we found Kyan, he seemed rather frazzled. He actually looked at me and said “You don’t want a picture, do you?” I didn’t say anything and I guess he took that as a no because he said “I love you” and gave me a big hug. However, he left before Dee got a chance to talk to him. It was a few minutes before I got his attention again. I stuck out my hand and said “I’m Rachel.” He took my hand (that man has the softest hand I ever felt) and said “I’m Kyan.” I said "You're my favorite." He said "Thank you." I told him my friend wanted to talk to him, and Dee started talking to him about hair. I took their picture.

Then we went to find Carson because Dee didn’t actually get to speak to them. We went all over the establishment, and finally caught up with Carson just as he and the others were leaving to go to Avalon. (Avalon is a night club. I believe Sunday night is gay night.) Anyway, Dee finally talked to Carson. Then we left because by then it was ten and the boys had left and I was tired and Dee had work. Dee offered to drive my back to Alewife. I took her up on it. Let’s just say we took the scenic route. On the way back I learned that Dee was kind of upset that we weren’t invited to Avalon with the boys.

Sadly, I won't be able to watch the new ep tomorrow. The Dish is getting readjusted (for about the fifth time) on Wednesday so I'll have to wait to see the rerun whenever I can.

My advice to anyone with cable: stick with it.

Thanks so much again witchgirl! Are you going to the Dykes march on Friday at Boston Common? I have heard that the nightlife in Boston is very male oriented and Avalon Sunday is sort of glitzy. I do not go to gay bars or clubs, but when I first came here I did go to a club called Quest/1270 with a non-date/co-worker when I was temporarily separated. It had a great roofdeck and was mixed gay/straight and men/women. It's not there anymore, but right next to it was Ramrod where my friend unsuccessfully dared me to go. That bar is still there I think.
Anyway Alison Bechtel is one of the honorees at the Dyke March and I enjoy her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For because she is funny but also political and wise. I came across some of her comic paperbacks at a rummage sale and I bought them and read them and redonated them. I think I get most of my impressions of what lesbians are like from those books. Which is why I could never figure out the lesbian on Queer Eye for the Straight Girl. Maybe if she had worn a striped jersey..
Again, thank you. Your opinions are valued.
notevayas

Yeah, I think I'll go to the Dykes March. It sounds like fun.