Out Spotlight LXXXIII

Today's Outspotlight is actor Dick Sargent.

He may be best known for his role as the second Darren (or Durwood, if you are Endora) Stevens, on the iconic television show Bewitched. He was cast as the straight man to the kooky cast of characters that came with marrying his witch wife Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery). But on National Coming Out Day in 1991 Dick Sargent gave up the role of "straight man" in real life and became known for an entirely different reason.

Sargent was born Richard Cox in Carmel, California on April 19, 1930. His mother, Ruth McNaughton Cox, had been an actress in silent films. His father, Colonel Elmer Cox, had served with distinction in World War I.

Sargent auditioned successfully for a lead role for Bewitched but couldn't to accept it because of contractual obligations to Universal Studios. He eventually did take the part in 1969 when actor Dick York, who originally played the role, had to withdraw for health reasons.

Sargent took over the part of Darrin, an adman who was married to a beautiful witch and who had to put up with the shenanigans of her decidedly eccentric supernatural relatives. He joined a cast that included actress Agnes Moorehead (who has be the subject about much discussion and debate about her own sexuality) and gay actor Paul Lynde, neither publicly came out before their death.

Like many other actors Sargent remained closeted, fearing that the revelation of his sexual orientation would spell ruin for his career. And like others, including Raymond Burr, had done before him, he invented a former spouse, in Sargent's case a fictional divorced wife. Later, he cooperated in fueling media speculation that he was romantically involved with women by being seen escorting starlets to Hollywood parties. On one occasion he posed with actress Connie Francis for pictures that appeared in a movie fan magazine. "We looked passionately at each other, but that was the only time I ever saw her," Sargent recalled in 1991.

Unknown to audiences, Sargent was in a loving and stable relationship with another man, a television screenwriter, whom he later identified publicly simply as Frank. It pained Sargent not to be able to speak openly about their bond and to have to call the love of his life a "business associate." The pair were together for twenty years until Frank died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1979.

Among those who knew of the relationship was Elizabeth Montgomery, the star of Bewitched, who became a good friend to Sargent. She and her husband often went out with Sargent and Frank.

In 1991 with so few actors were openly out as gay men that it made Sargent's made quite a significant impact. Overnight he went from playing roles to being a role model. Sargent said that factors motivating his decision to come out included California governor Pete Wilson's veto of a bill to protect gay men and lesbians from job discrimination and also his concern about the rate of suicide among young gay people, but he was also responding as well to his outing by a tabloid newspaper, The Star, that erroneously reported that he and a new lover had trashed a house and that the police had evicted them. He was not dispute the fact that he was gay, but that the rest of the story was false.

Howard Bragman, a past Out Spotlight topic himself, handled Sargent's PR when he finally came out , 20 years after the Bewitch ended.

Remembers Bragman: "I got a call from a guy named David Smith who was head of PR at the \[LA\] Gay and Lesbian Center at that point. David said, 'Listen, we're all going to march in Sacramento and this week is National Coming Out Day and I have two people who are coming out: Sheila Kuehl (Zelda Gilroy on The Many Loves of Doby Gillis) and Dick Sargent. Can you handle that?' We went to 'Entertainment Tonight' and we gave them Dick Sargent and Sheila Kuehl and Dick was joking: 'I'm in my 60s, who's gonna care? I haven't been on TV in decades.' People did care. A lot of actors had not come out at that point and still, to this day, when an actor comes out it's big news. So, I helped him out of the closet and was there when he passed away."

Sargent found coming out liberating. In a interview he shortly after he came out, he talked about the experience. "It was such a relief. I lived in fear of being found out. Now it's given me a whole new mission in life,"

Once out he became a leader to many through his visibility as well as his activism. In the months to come Mr. Sargent dedicated a great deal of energy to aiding gay and lesbian causes (in addition to his ongoing commitment to The Special Olympics). He a participated in the Lesbian and Gay Public Awareness Project and began speaking out on gay rights issues. 1992 he along with his former Bewitched co-star Elizabeth Montgomery, served as the Grand Marshals of The Orange County Pride Parade of 1992.

Sargent was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1989, despite going under extensive radiation treatment he passed away on July 8, 1994.

I Want to be Your Viagra Guy

The Hard Sell - firming up the facts (ie. "peaking" at the book that inspired the movie)

Jamie Reidy is to the pharmaceutical business what Jerry Maguire was to professional sports and Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can) was to bank fraud. (Hey Tom, Hey Leo!) He's the guy who's been there, done that, and walked away with the insider stories. You'll say cool guy and at the same time, you'll be shocked by the realities of the world that paid his salary.

The book is a witty expose of an industry that touches nearly everyone in contemporary America. It reveals the questionable practices of drug reps, nurses, and even physicians. Reidy traced his ups and downs as a rep for giant drug manufacturer Pfizer, maker of some of the most widely prescribed and used drugs in existence, including Viagra.

With equal parts self-confidence and self-mockery, he tells it like it is in the drug-selling trenches at local doctors' offices.

Making his rounds, using free food as a way of getting into the doctor's office behind the office staff. He learned which doctors like to be chatted up on sports, Pfizer's stock values, or his dating experiences. He was good at his job. He also learned to be good at faking being good at his job. He learned how to fudge his visit books and sample signatures to make it seem he was making far more calls than he really was. He was really really good at his job.

Most of the book is about becoming and being a drug rep, and just getting by as a slacker. It is only toward the end of the book that baldy blue Viagra ("Vitamin V") tales begin. Being a seller of Viagra came with the unexpected benefit that everyone was curious about his work and proud of the fine job he was doing; one doctor even introducing him to a waiting room full of men as "The Viagra Guy," which he got a standing O.

Now the movie is supposed to have Annie falling for Jake. Here's hoping that HW doesn't reformulate the story so much that it's so generic it doesn't get a rise.

Measure for measure

I found this along my online travels and found it funny as that someone took the time to measure Austin's head and his head to hair ratio. This was definitely during his JFC days sporting the great Texas ideal of "higher the hair closer to God".

Even Austin has made fun of his noggin... maybe that's why I keep hearing ....

Stuart Mackenzie: Look at the size of that boy's heed.

Tony Giardino: Shhh!

Stuart Mackenzie: I'm not kidding, it's like an orange on a toothpick.

Tony Giardino: Shhh, you're going to give the boy a complex.

Stuart Mackenzie: Well, that's a huge noggin. That's a virtual planetoid.

Tony Giardino: Shh!

Stuart Mackenzie: Has it's own weather system.

Tony Giardino: Sh, sh, shh.

Stuart Mackenzie: HEAD! MOVE!


Stuart Mackenzie: I'm not kidding, that boy's head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offside, wasn't it? He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.
(Know the movie?)



And is it true what they say about a man with a big head ....


They must have some really big pillows.

Mullet the Gyllenosophy?

The Gatecrasher gossip page of the New York Daily News is reporting:

" If you've ever fantasized about Jake Gyllenhaal rocking out to Whitesnake while swinging his mullet, you may just get your wish. A source tells us the "Brokeback Mountain" star is neck and neck with Zac Efron to play the lead in the big-screen version of Broadway's 'Rock of Ages. ' "






But will Jake be able to look like this:


or end up looking like this:Wait isn't that really Efron in the yellow? He did make a deal with the devil. Wait it could be Chad Michael Murrary from OTH.

Now here's inspiration for the next picture for US Weekly - think she would do it?
Who are we kidding .
Your grammar lesson of the day:
Jake Gyllenhaal rocking out to Whitesnake - One capital letter and the whole thing changes doesn't it?


Could we hope that he channels his inner David Coverdale and follows the song "Here I go again on my own" and loses the blonde? (Austin dancing on top of a Prius - that would be bonus)

Songs from Rock of Ages the Musical:

* "We Built This City" - Starship
* "Nothin' but a Good Time" - Poison
* "Keep on Loving You" - REO Speedwagon
* "Just Like Paradise" - David Lee Roth
* "I Wanna Rock" - Twisted Sister
* "Too Much Time on My Hands" - Styx
* "Renegade" - Styx
* "I Hate Myself for Loving You" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
* "Oh Sherrie" - Steve Perry
* "Waiting for a Girl Like You" - Foreigner
* "Shadows of the Night" - Pat Benatar
* "Don't Stop Believing" - Journey
* "Heaven" - Warrant
* "The Search is Over" - Survivor
* "We're Not Gonna Take It" - Twisted Sister
* "High Enough" - Damn Yankees
* "The Final Countdown" - Europe
* "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner
* "Harden My Heart" - Quarterflash
* "Here I Go Again" - Whitesnake
* "To Be With You" - Mr. Big
* "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" - Poison
* "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar
* "Can't Fight This Feeling" - REO Speedwagon
* "Wanted Dead or Alive" - Bon Jovi
* "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade/Quiet Riot
* "Any Way You Want It" - Journey
* "Heat of the Moment" - Asia
* "Sister Christian" - Night Ranger
* "More Than Words" - Extreme





Mullet: Business in the front and party in the back. Yeah that sums up a lot.

PoPsicle

Oh I knew they were going to do something after grabbing Gemma for PoP but I never expected this.

What is it Mr. Bruckheimer?

Jake you don't have to call me Mr. Bruckheimer. You can call me sir. I kid.

What did they do? This? Is that what I think it is?

Yes is it. The beat us and we have a leak. (yelling into his Blackberry - Find the mole! Seal the leak!) They came out with the Daniel Craig Popsicle.

What does that have to do with ....

You see Jake we had been working with Disney to create the PoP PoPsicle, it was you as Prince Dastan in Popsicle form. We even had chocolate for your long locks.

What? Popsicle form of what?

You as Dastan. We used those pictures of you shirtless, punched into the computer and the have a half a Dastan to cool down .

Who would want that?

Well it tested well ... great with young women, soccer moms, ladies with hot flashes, and I have to admit it not to shabby numbers of men. It was projected to do well. Disney wants to cover all the angles.
But now with the Craigsicle out, we can't do anything like it. We have to scrap it. What am I going to do with 25 cases of PoPsicles now? Can't donate them they were not supposed to be seen until Comic Con. Damn it.

Don't worry Jer - I can take care of it.

You can?

(sending Bruck a message on the Blackberry)

(Looking at the address)
Hey, I didn't know she was filming in Wilmington.

She's not. (grinning)

textin' a certain texan...
got u something to beat the heat

They laugh alike, They walk alike, At times they even talk alike

So is staff of One Tree Hill reading OMG or Ted .... after this you might wonder.

Back on March 2 OMG had a post about Ted's answer that the Goose and Brian Austin Green have a similar look. (Hey it's ok, if you don't remember it was a busy day that day ... we had people bike riding in the middle of it ) So let's recap - Remember this?

Seems like Toothy likes Type A or is that a type? And I'm not talking about the production company or who takes it on the chin for there. But it does look like Ted might have been a little on the money with one of his clues about Toothy tooth and his type.

Dear Ted:
Your column is fab—I look forward to reading it every day at work! Just wondering—is Toothy Tile, Brian Austin Green?
—Curious in Calabasas

Dear Matchmaker:
No, but BAG could be his type.

Jury has Ted Casablanca proven a case of typecasting?

Exhibit A

Exhibit A.1

Exhibit A.2

What is your verdict? Yea or Nay?



So what does this have to do with One Tree Hill?

EW.com is now reporting that Brian Austin Green is ironing out a few details, but it's pretty much a done deal for him to be Clayton, Nathan's Jerry McGuire type sports agent in Season 7 of OTH. The newest cast member of One Tree Hill. Seriously? They are going to cast two guys that look that similar without some twist for OTH version 2.0? And where would they get that idea? Hmmmmmmmm

Now Mark Schwann can't use brothers from another mother, he did that already with Lucas and Nathan. So what can he do?

Separated twins from birth? It worked for Schwarzneggar and Devito. And Tia and Tamera on Sister Sister. Would one be the bad twin?

A twist on My Two Dads as Our Two Dads in One Tree Hill? And stunt cast Gregory Harrison and Greg Evigan as their disapproving Papas who confront their shared Mama?

One Tree Doppelganger? And then stunt cast Shane West to come on the show as the same doppelganger for the both of them?

Or just Patty Duke it out and make Julian and Clayton - almost identical cousins who will both go after Brooke, and all single ladies on the show? But who will be Cathy dorkier of the cousins?


EW.com : One Tree Hill Exclusive Brian Austin Green got game?

Missed it by that much

"The Italians in the 60's were badass. I've always wanted to live in Italy and walk around the plaza wearing a tie and strange glasses, never caught without a glass of wine or some sort of cocktail"

Men's Health August 2007

Land in Rome

Buy a bottle of Chianti and head straight to the Piazza.
Meet two girls from Valencia, Venezuela, one from South Carolina, a guy from
Bulgaria, a guy from Spain, and a Texan.

Get drunk.

Get propositioned by a prostitute.

Run away.

Oh the reality. A bottle of Chianti, a polo shirt, and prostitute. (Gotta give him the glasses. He's got those. )

Love how he got out of that one. Run away.
But was that sound clapping coconuts or something else smacking together as he ran.
(Run away, Run away) : )


Austin Powers? Or Maxwell Smart? Does he have the mojo that makes him true International Man of Mystery and ladies man? Or is he just laying it on thick?