Out Spotlight LXXX

Today's Out Spotlight is Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy.

Author Christopher Isherwood was born in Northwest England in 1904, and was a major figure in the gay rights movement. His writing has served as a unifying cause for gay rights in the twentieth century. His novels and biographies sympathetically portray the intimate lives of gay characters to demonstrate their normalcy, and he
attempts to fit his writing in with the work of other gay authors, creating an identity out of a new tradition. Consequently, the majority of criticism has focused on the various ways in which hechampioned gay causes in his writing.

He maybe best known by OMG readers for what his writings inspired. Isherwood left England to visit friend and mentor W.H.Auden in Germany in 1928 for several weeks, but decided to stay in Berlin,the capital of the young Weimar Republic, drawn by its deserved reputation for sexual freedom. During that time he met his inspiration for Sally Bowles and Mr.Norris. And while working as a private tutor in Berlin and elsewhere he wrote the novel Mr Norris Changes Trains (1935) and a series of short stories collected under the title Goodbye to Berlin (1939). These provided the inspiration for the play I Am a Camera, the subsequent musical Cabaret and the film of the same name.

Artist Don Bachardy was born in Los Angeles on May 18, 1934, he began drawing as a child. By his early teenage years, he was specializing in portraits rendered in ink and acrylics. Bachardy attributes his interest in looking at people to his childhood obsession with movies, a passion carried into his adult life.

Isherwood immigrated to the U.S. in 1939, with long time friend W.H. Auden. Having established himself in the U.S., Isherwood found himself in California by the start of the 1950's. In 1952, the 48-year old Isherwood met the 18-year-old Don Bachardy at Will Rogers State Beach in October and by early the following year, the two had begun an life long love story and partnership that lasted until Isherwood's death. "They were a high-profile, openly gay couple whose meeting coincided with one of the most homophobic decades in American history, the era of McCarthyism, when homosexuals were being driven out of the State Department."

Yet to the gay community at large, as well as those who were casually acquainted with the couple, Isherwood and Bachardy seemed to live an enviably idyllic existence in their hillside Santa Monica home, where they entertained the leading figures of the world of arts and letters, and the movie stars that a young Bachardy once sought out for autographs growing up in Los Angeles.

Their relationship was a challenge not only a openly gay relationship in 1950's America, but the age difference. Barchardy was 30 years Isherwood's junior and was boyishly handsome making him look underage.

Bachardy was subjected to considerable homophobia in Hollywood, it was directed pointedly at him rather than Isherwood, who was protected by his celebrity status. Evelyn Hooker, the psychologist whose 1950s research showing that homosexuality is not a mental illness helped launch gay liberation, asked Isherwood to leave the guest cottage he rented from her when Bachardy moved in with him.

Isherwood established and with mentors and contempories such as W.H.Auden, E.M. Forester, and others in literary, arts and film circles sometimes overwhelmed the young Bachardy who was also sometimes disregarded by Isherwood's famous friends. But Isherwood encouraged Bachardy's talent for drawing and, in a relatively short time, Bachardy became an internationally acclaimed artist in his own right.

While Isherwood would go on to write about his life long love, Bachardy drew and painted about his. Isherwood was the subject of countless portraits painted by Bachardy. After Isherwood was diagnosis with prostate cancer in 1981, Bachardy devoted himself to nursing his partner and painting portraits of him everyday. Even after his death Barchardy spent hours drawing Isherwood's corpse.

Isherwood wrote of Barchardy and their relationship:

"I myself didn't feel guilty about it, but I did feel awed by the emotional intensity of our relationship, right from its beginning; the strange sense of a fated, mutual discovery. I knew that, this time, I had really committed myself."
My Guru and His Disciple (1980)

And about Barchardy "the ideal companion to whom you can reveal yourself totally and yet be loved for what you are, not what you pretend to be."
Christopher and His Kind (1976)

Isherwood and Barchardy were together for 43 years until Isherwood's death in 1986. Their extraordinary love story has been chronicled in the documentary, Chris & Don. A Love Story.

Chris & Don. A Love Story

Chris & Don. A Love Story (IMDB)

Blonde on Blonde

OMG Investigative Reports (which means we went to Google) has found that Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Simpson had mutual crushes and were set to rendezvous - in August of 2007!

This is months after the magazines have said he began dating his current front cover girl. What the in thw world of Us Weekly! What People are saying that! What the!.... Now wait a minute!!

"Meanwhile, the hot rumor in Los Angeles last week was that Simpson was set to have a romantic rendezvous with Jake Gyllenhaal. Although there is no evidence the two met up, paparazzi had been tipped off that the pair "have a crush on each other" and that they should be on the lookout for a date, according to one celebrity-chaser." NY Daily News

"Now…the buzz about Jake Gyllenhaal and Jess having mutual crushes on each other is building to a crescendo with reports that they’re already in love, and that she visited him at the Beverly Wilshire a couple weeks ago.

Next thing you know there will be pregnancy claims or pending adoptions. Whatever it takes to divert our attention from the stench coming from Simpson’s rotting movie, Bombed…oops… Blonde Ambition." - Hollywood Grind

Wait doesn't that last part kind of sound familiar? A movie about a ditzy blonde? And who wears the mom jeans? Wait wait I'm confused. (Oh Joe! Say it ain't so. Was this your heavy handed PR work?)

No word on what the reaction is - but we can imagine!


From Very Official Offices:
Simpson!!! What did he think he was doing? Amateur PR. Secret dating, mutual crushes, trying to promote a movie! ...
Well isn't that we...
Joe doesn't have clue, look who's she with now
...a NFL star quarterback?

How did they find this?
They Googled it.
Damn it!

Not Jess, just making a point

From a phone in Brentwood/Santa Monica/
Ojai/Oh the whoever the hell knows anymore
Simpson! Whaaaaat.... but I'm so tiny! And she's soooooo .....well she's not TINY!
Yeah I know. (disinterest)
And she wears Mom jeans, I don't wear mom jeans, I'm a mom that wears boyfriend jeans.
Yeah I know. (unenthusiastically)
You know she dates some guy from Texas. Texas!
Yeah I know. (thinking of Texas)

Undisclosed location
That her? Yelling about tiny, mom jeans and Texas?
Yeahhh.(grinning)
Classic.
Yeahhh.(laughing)
Hey do you think that's why Nick was so into punching me?
Yeahhhh (interestingly distracted)

Ushering in the Weekend

Austin has written posts on blogs and mentioned pursuing , but remember when he was a writer in a film. Roderick Usher had quite interesting writing rituals.

And well a lot other interesting things going on in the House of Usher.


Austin has mentioned picking part that he finds interesting. And as an English major you can imagine Austin would be interesting in reinterpreting the Edgar Allen Poe classic. Going a little Southern gothic way before meeting up with Hil, Nick and Kelly. And when you think about it Poe was about as Southern Gothic as you could get in a real Goth sense. (While Poe was born in Boston, he was raised in Virginia, and he spent his college days, many of those gambling, at UVA before getting kicked out )

Working on a small independent film like House of Usher it makes you think that Austin had the chance to put a lot of input in his character and his role.


What do you think he brought to the role of Roderick? The hair? The coat? The earmuffs? The shirtless scenes? The heat shield visor sunglasses? Or the hoodie? ; )


Did anyone else think that the silk scarf around his neck was Maddy's?

Smaller world file: Beth Grant who played Kitty Farmer in Donnie Darko plays the housekeeper Mrs. Thatcher in House of Usher.

And a little OTH update: Hilarie talks about leaving OTH , staying in Wilmington and plans for Southern Gothic with EW.com. And check out Southern Gothic for updates about their projects and Pedestrian.

Ladies Love Cool A?

While The CW has yet to official confirm anything but Austin being moved to a series regular, there is more than enough chatter that changes are happening in Tree Hill next year.

Spoiler TV has first word on the casting notices for next season including three prominent new roles:

-Quinn, Haley's heartbroken older sister. Though we've only seen Taylor, it's also been mentioned that Haley has two other sisters, Vivian and Quinn.

-Alexis, a party girl and model for Clothes Over Bros.

-Clayton, a handsome sports agent who works alongside Nathan.

Did Mark Schwann read Austin's interview where he talked about Julian future on OTH or a spin off?


12. If you could choose two other characters from "One Tree Hill" to have their own spin-off with your character Julian, who would it be? And why would you choose them?

The spinoff would be Julian and all the pretty girls. I would get rid of all the guys. That's gold!!! Ha!! But of course Julian would end up with Brooke. I think that relationship is very well written and endlessly entertaining. And Sophia is quite a performer and a great star. I think the spinoff should be Julian and Brooke in Italy. She is in the fashion world and I am making spaghetti westerns.

Wait a minute - Austin - Italy - Research? Wonder if that's his story and he's stickin' to it?

You can't help but think Alexis and Clayton won't have their moments with Julian no matter how much in love he and Brooke might be. But will Mark really go for broke and odd twist on new movie Obsessed with Clayton trying to seduce Brooke? And Julian being the target of Clayton's attack? I mean the whole Single White Female thing you can't do - after the Misty movie actress move - and Julian hooking up with her. Maybe Mark will make Julian just be the ultimate ladies man and have all the ladies love him.

One thing is know - that more will be known about One Tree Hill next week at the upfronts for
The CW.

Wonder if we will see Austin and any other of the lead actors at the announcements since it is such a big change and chance to get the jump on the new campaign?

Would that mean Austin might have to make a trip or a "trip" short? Luckily its in New York. Hmmmm.

So... Mark... Julian....maybe he and Brooke do a Roman Holiday episode. I could do some research.

Hey didn't Mary Kate and Ashley do Rome in one of their movies?

That wasn't the one I'm in and we are not showing Holiday in the Sun at the cast party no matter what Hilarie and Sophia say.


Pictures: OMG and Austin Nichols Journal

King of the Hill / Four Now

With the departure of Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton on One Tree Hill does that mean that Austin will be King of the Hill?


Will Mark Schwann move Brooke, Nathan & Haley, Mouth & Milli storylines to be he main focus or will he really shake it up and throw the focus on the two new characters and Julian's return to Tree Hill as the main storyline? It does look like Austin has gained the fans and the confidence of Mark to be the go-to guy and the new face of One Tree Hill. And lucky for us - there will be a real push in promotion with Austin in interviews and talk shows. (fingers crossed)






Again the question is what will Julian do in Tree Hill? And while he and Brooke look like they are together and in love in the preview for the season finale, life can not be that easy in the small town with big drama. Will Mark let them be happy, let Brooke find love and be the mother she wants to be? Can he really have another lead get pregnant or will there be a more dramatic One Tree way for her to become a mother?


One thing for sure - it's great that we will be getting to see Austin every week. And here's hoping that this will lead to seeing him more and more to him on screen.





And for now - it looks like 4 is Jake's number for 2009.
He came in at number 4 - in this year's Hot 100 on AfterElton. While he's not King of the hill this year, 4 is not bad and as AfterElton.com says: "This isn’t to say Jake isn’t still smokin’ hot – he still manages to clock in at #4, after all. And don’t forget, Jake hasn’t had a movie released since 2007 and he still managed to beat out all but three other men in the entire world. That’s some residual heat he’s got going. ...But something tells us that come next year, Jake will have a good shot at regaining his Hot 100 crown."


Congrats to Neil Patrick Harris who was #1 this year but there was one name that was left off that hopefully next year will be on the list next year. Where are you Mr. Nichols? That stare, and delivish grin are just a start of the reasons for him to be on it. And it would be great to see Austin and Jake both on this one. Caliente!!!

We hear that Lionsgate is releasing Brothers, December 4th in the U.S. Giving it a good position for the Oscar race. It is a long a wait before we get to see Jake on screen again, but it shows Lionsgate's confidence about Brother's chances for possible nominations. Could 4 be a lucky number again for Brothers too, with maybe 4 Oscars, at least 4 noms?

On his way to report for a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, Army officer Sam Cahill stops to pick up his brother Tommy, who is getting out of jail that day. In Afghanistan, Sam’s helicopter crashes and he is presumed dead. Tommy and Sam’s wife Grace discover that they don’t hate each other as much as they had thought, and Tommy decides to reform and make himself useful around Grace’s house. Then Sam comes home with a full-blown case of post traumatic stress disorder because of what he had to do to survive in captivity. What will happen?>

With a cast that includes Jake, Tobey and Natalie along with Sam Shepard, with Jim Sheridan putting his own touch of Irish or Irish American to the Danish remake, its safe to say 4 might be too small for a lucky number for Oscars, Golden Globes, SAG, and the DGA. And Jake's ex-con might not just steal Natalie's heart but the critics and audiences as well.

It looks like our fall will be filled with both Austin and Jake and all the way through the end of the year.

Pictures: Austin Nichols Journal and IHJ

Abs -camera - action

What's the word now that we've release the new clip of

Mr. Bruckheimer, there's a big buzz, it's all over the internet and tons of tweets.

Excellent.

But...

But what?

Well a lot of it is about Jake sir.

"An unspoiled lump of clay to mold in my own image"


More specifically his abs.

Excellent.

Well sir, it might not be. There is a lot of talk about them being fake.

Ahh the plan is working.

Sir?

More media coverage, don't you see. The debate, the wonder, are they real? Free PR!!! Love it.

But sir is that the kind we want?



Of course!Its PR. Will have our own campaign about his abs. We can release more about the movie, behind the scenes, the work outs, hiding those abs. Tease them some more, and then an Entertainment Tonight exclusive.

But sir they are.....

Don't say it. Don't say either way. That's the beauty of it . Oh think of it T-shirts with Dastan's 6-pack. Exercise equipment. A Dastan Body Pillow with abs. Work out videos. Action figures with Abtastic Action. Think of it. Think of all the new review streams. Call my lawyers!


Mr. Bruckheimer? .. sir..... are you crying?

I'm just so happy.
Let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby and get ourselves some snacks.

Sir


A little over a year ago.....

I don't know. I mean I would have to be shirtless almost through the whole movie.

And that's a bad thing? I like the shirtless look for you.

Look who I'm talking to.

Hey can't help it, the shirts some how just find their way off. Do you need some tips?
Whaaaaat? I'm just willing to help. And I'm the pro at no -shirt scenes between the two of us.

Tip #1 Running lines without your shirt helps.

Wedding Crashers

Weddings are great. It's a time to celebrate the happy couple and their love and commitment. The ceremony, the reception, family, friends, food, dancing, good times, and hey cake. But then.... oh what can be more annoying than that one person who shows up and sets everyone off.

You go, everythings going good.
You congratulate the groom, who's a nice guy.

And then they show up with someone you're in love with,
looking for publicity and to stir things up.

But everything is polite.
Hey you've lived in LA too long to be thrown by this.

But that does it!!

And you end up nursing a shiner,
or a hangover and talking to a gal pal.

Hey I'm talking about tonight on OTH! What were you thinking?

Watch Austin returning to OTH tonight on the CW.

Pictures: CW and Austin Nichols Journal