THEGAYUK

Category: Interview

  • INTERVIEW | J. James – Author of Denial, Deceit, Discovery

    All the way from Thailand, we get a chance to speak with the author behind this year’s hottest book Denial, Deceit, Discovery. A very personal and open account of one man struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality. A book we can all relate to.

    This is a very honest and open book based on your personal battle with religion and sexuality. Why did you decide to write the story for all to read?
    I had always planned to be a writer but did not have the time or the ideas to make a start. After being requested to provide a written statement to support my annulment I realised that my story could help so many others. I had felt incredibly alone during my struggle of accepting my sexuality. I wanted to feel like I could help at least one other person to avoid that same feeling. Knowing someone else has or is experiencing the same feelings or thoughts as you is incredibly comforting. I also felt that there was no other book out there like this – most memoirs hold back – I wanted it to be as raw and honest as possible.

    Was it a struggle at times to relive some events during the writing process?
    It was incredibly cathartic writing the book. It really made me face up to all those feelings, emotions and experiences I had gone through and yet had boxed away neatly in my head. Open up these boxes was very upsetting but so necessary in helping me to truly accept myself, my past and therefore move forward finally. Writing is such a healer and similar to therapy. It is not until we verbalise (either in words or print) that we truly start to understand and accept our emotions.

    How did your family feel about you writing such an honest book, especially with it being, firstly very truthful and secondly quite erotic in places?
    Many of my friends and family were extremely supportive and it was from their feedback that I continued to write at times when I contemplated stopping. It was a little embarrassing for me knowing that my Aunt or cousins or sister etc were reading about my sexual encounters and I am sure it was a little uncomfortable for them too. Some of my friends and family, including my mother have decided not to read it and that is fine with me. I was quite impressed my father read the book – it is the first book he has ever read so that is flattering! I have not been able to look him in the eye ever since though hahaha.

    Was there any censorship looking back?
    To be honest – not really! I obviously censored the names of people and sometimes altered locations – just to spare the blushes of others really. I did remove one or two scenes in the final draft to protect myself from criticism.

    What percentage of the book is based on your own experiences and how much was fictional?
    Haha that depends who is asking me the question. If my mothers asks, I would say 80% is fictional. I tried to make the character of Jack as relatable as possible and I think there is a little bit of Jack in all of us. The events are all based on my own experiences but the time frames have been altered occasionally to help with the flow (blushing now!!!).

    Has writing the book been a detoxing experience?
    When I came out I thought, ‘That’s it! All done – I can now start living as a gay man.’ I was so wrong. I had told people I was gay but I myself had not accepted it. I had gone through an incredibly traumatic experience – breaking up with a long term partner and I think I failed to acknowledge that. On reflection I think I ran away to Thailand rather than face up to what I had done. This was why my first gay relationship was not a success. Writing the book forced me into accepting the things I had done in the past and helped me to understand who I was and why I was this way. I accepted the blame for my mistakes and forgave myself for my wrong doings and this enabled me to move on with a less heavy heart.

    Do you see much of your family or past?
    I am very fortunate that my work allows me the opportunity to return to the UK many times a year so I see my family frequently. There are no issues with my family at all – they are all very accepting of sexuality and are happy for me. There are occasions when I am out shopping in the UK and I see an old school friend and they ask how my wife is etc and that is a little awkward to say the least!

    Was there a specific audience in mind when you wrote the book? Would you hope it would also help others to realise their true selves?
    I guess when I started the book I was thinking of other gay men who may have or were living a similar life. This was because I really wanted to help others. I have had some great messages from readers saying that the book has really changed their life which is so rewarding. I also thought the book might help the families or friends or gay guys understand the complexity of homosexuality and therefore be less judgemental in their views. I had not realised that so many straight women would love the book so much. This group make up a huge percentage of my readers. I think they connect with some of the other themes that are in the book – relationships, break-ups, friendship, family, growing up etc. I have even had a few straight guys tell me that the book has had a profound impact on them because they picked up the message about being true to yourself though not necessarily about sexuality.

    Are you still living in Thailand with your partner?
    Yes I am still living in Thailand and my partner and I are now married and enjoying a wonderful life together. I cannot face the thought of the British weather so for now I am staying here and making the most of the sun and the sandy beaches.

    For others struggling with their sexuality would you have a few words of advice?
    First of all I would never tell someone what to do. I think we have to remember that we all come from different family backgrounds, religions and cultures. Just because my family accepted me does not mean I would tell another person that they must be honest and come out now. I think some openly gay people forget this and criticise those struggling to come out.
    The most important things I would want to say is that they are not alone and that thousands of men experience the same emotions and feelings. I would want to help them to recognise and understand and essentially accept their feelings. That is the hardest part. These feelings may never have been discussed and so the confusion that they cause is tremendous and this leads to denial that has to be carefully unpacked. I would encourage a person to be true to themselves and to remember that it is their life and theirs alone and they have the right to live it as they want. But ultimately, we may not have a choice about our sexuality but we do have a choice about what we do about it. Each person has the right to make their own choice. I would discourage someone though from bringing another person into the situation without being fully aware i.e. a man who decides he prefers to marry a woman. I think this is a cruel thing to knowingly do this to a woman after I have personally seen the trauma it causes.

    Is there a sequel to come?
    Mmmmm I am not sure that people want a sequel to this – do they?!? I don’t think we have seen the last of Jack but for now I am exploring other genres and styles of writing. But never say never!!

    Denial, Deceit, Discovery is available now in paperback and kindle editions from Amazon

     

  • INTERVIEW | Porn Star Jonny Kingdom: “Once it’s out there it’s up there”

    INTERVIEW | Porn Star Jonny Kingdom: “Once it’s out there it’s up there”

    THEGAYUK’s Matt Peake spoke to porn star Jonny Kingdom about what it’s like to work in the porn industry.

    MP: How many auditions did you have to go through before you got your first job?
    JK: I was very lucky as I didn’t have to do too many auditions as one of my friends was a director for the company Blake Mason. They were the first company I had ever shot with I did a solo and then a duo with Luke Desmond I knew them so was quite easy and relax and I loved the whole experience. But if you were thinking of getting into porn it’s something I would definitely think about and rethink. Once it’s out there it’s up there.

    MP: Have you told your family?
    JK: Yes it was something I knew I would have to tell them as I knew if I was going to do it well I was going to try to be the best at it. My family has always been very supportive and I’m very lucky to have them and obversely all my friends know this is the gay world! In 2013 Drilled won the best DVD at the porn awards it was a big night and all my friends were with me I’m very lucky.

    MP: Is it hard to find romantic partners as sex is such an intimate part of the human experience?
    JK: Every relationship needs sex. Porn is a lot different to being in a relationship and having sex with a partner when you haven’t got a whole camera crew they’re going can’t get hard!

    MP: Are there things you’ve learnt doing porn that you’ve included in your personal life? Do partners expect you to be ‘experts’ of sex?
    JK: I hope I’ve learned a lot as it’s my job but relationships are different and no not when they’re dating you they get to know you so they don’t expect anything but I would hope I please them.

    Johnny Kingdom

    MP: Do you ever bottom? Do bottoms really get paid more than tops?
    JK: I mainly am. Most of us are self- employed and model fees are different for everyone. But yes I do get paid more for being a bottom than a top!

    MP: Do you sleep with your fans?
    JK: MAYBE!

    MP: What would you say to people who want to get into porn?
    JK: Think about it. It is a great lifestyle. Next month I’m off to Prague for three days all-expenses-paid for it. It’s a great career as long as you pick the right companies and don’t get led astray.

    MP: What do you think is the future of porn?
    JK: Porn will never go away. The best thing about porn is I do get to travel I’ve been to America, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam.

    MP: What’s the average day of a porn star?
    JK: The average day is up bright and early at the gym and normally you’re on set from nine in the morning and it can go on till about 7-8 at night.

    MP: After all the sex and fame and thrill… what’s next?
    JK: Eventually the dream would be to have my very own modelling agency. Although I’m really starting to get into directing and soon maybe directing my own shoot so look out!

    MP: Who has been your favourite scene partner and why?
    JK: It would have to be Austin Wilde Good Morning. It was filmed in an American hotel and he is a guy I very much fancy. I loved it and I do think is one of my best. You can see it at guysinsweatpants.com.

    MP: What’s the average salary per scene/per film?
    JK: They are all different but normally start around £300 and work their way up.

    MP: What are your opinions on porn?
    JK: I love it and keep watching!

  • INTERVIEW | Porn star Max Cameron

    INTERVIEW | Porn star Max Cameron

    We sent writer Matt Peake to speak with rising porn star, Max Cameron to find out what life is like for a porn star in today’s industry.

    Max Cameron
    CREDIT: Max Cameron / Twitter

    MP: Tell us about your first porn job
    MC: Technically speaking, I suppose my start began with some ads/photo shoots that I had done with Mr. S Leather (an adult/sex shop in San Francisco) about two years ago. It really took a leap of faith to do it. I have always had some issues with body dysmorphia, and it took a year or two of frequent visits to the gym before I was comfortable with putting my body in the public light. Shortly after, I did my first scene with Treasure Island Media, and at the time didn’t really think to start getting “serious” about it. After I had done a couple scenes with TIM, I decided to throw some applications up with various studios (there isn’t necessarily an “audition” process), and that’s where it started to snowball (sorry for the pun).
    My first scene was terrifying! I was tagging along on a shoot, and thought that I had been given the option to decide on location if I wanted to participate. When we arrived, the director was giving me all these instructions as to how he wanted the scene to play out, and told myself, “well, here goes!” I was totally caught off guard, but it turned out to be a pretty hot scene!

    MP: Have you told your family?
    MC: I’m not one to really draw attention to myself in my private life, and thus really don’t talk about porn outside of my close-knit group of friends. As far as my family is concerned, only my sister and brother-in-law know about my moonlighting as a performer. My Mom would probably keel over & die if she found out. I have told them that I am a “model,” which, in actuality, is what we are referred to, so at least I’m not lying! Eventually, I’m going to have to bite the bullet and come clean. God help me!

    MP: Is it hard to find romantic partners as sex is such an intimate part of the human experience, how do you balance the act versus the deeper connection?
    MC: I don’t think it’s hard to find a romantic partner. I have been with my current partner, Jackson Fillmore, for almost six months now, and I feel like even as time progresses, we create a tighter, closer emotional & spiritual bond. That being said, we have an open relationship, which, for us, works just great, although it might not be for everyone. Speaking from a gay perspective, I think that generally men are more capable of the emotional disconnect associated with casual sex.
    Furthermore, I live in San Francisco, which is known to be a very sex- positive city, which in some ways foments many “friends with benefits” relationships. I know that I share a life and bond with my boyfriend, and therefore any sex outside of our relationship is merely ad hoc and recreational.

    MP: Have you ever dated another porn star? If so, would you only ever date porn stars? What is the camaraderie like between porn stars?
    MC: I have (regrettably) dated another porn actor. And I don’t say that because I regretted that he was in porn, but just the nature of the relationship (don’t get me started). My current boyfriend is getting his toes wet in the industry, and I’m sure he’ll be ready to make the plunge in the next few months. In all honesty, I would prefer to date someone not in porn, but at the same time, I think it is hard for someone to understand the intricacies and complexities of the industry looking in from the outside. A lot of the industry is smoke and mirrors, and is often misconstrued as being posh and glamorous.

    MP: Are there things you’ve learnt doing porn that you’ve included in your personal life? Do partners expect you to be ‘experts’ of sex?
    MC: Sure! I’ve learned that, when filming sex, know your angles and be conscious of where the camera is! In all seriousness, I don’t know if there has been any translation of porn to my personal life.
    I think sometimes when I have sex, and they know what I do, there is maybe an expectation. It’s actually quite amusing when I notice it. It’s like they are auditioning almost; trying to “outperform” me. I just go along with it. It’s a fun game to play! I just keep getting incrementally more and more over-the-top porn-sounding.

    MP: Do you ever bottom?
    MC: Of course I bottom! That’s half the fun of being gay! I am
    versatile, or, as I like to say: “100% 50/50.” Hygiene is of utmost importance. To quote a previous TheSword.com interview, I “hate dirty bottoms almost as much as [I] hate Kim Kardashian!” It is definitely a process that really boils down to knowing your body. When I “clean the kitchen” it usually takes about 20 minutes for a thorough cleaning with the hose. Some friends that I know spend upward of 45 minutes to an hour. So much for the California drought! And to set the record straight, bottoms do not make more than tops.

    MP: Do you sleep with your fans?
    MC: I’d sleep with anyone I found attractive (in my personal life), be it a fan or otherwise. That being said, from a professional (escort) point of view, and as the saying goes, “money talks.” I think escorting (prostitution, in my opinion, has such a negative connotation) and porn go hand in hand. Most porn actors are also escorts. Porn is a way of advertising your escorting services, which, in today’s terms is the real breadwinner in the adult entertainment industry. More often than not, escorting entails companionship and an emotional connection, not just sex. In many ways I consider myself more of a therapist than a “prostitute” or “hooker.”

    MP: Do you worry about STIs? Do you think bareback porn is contributing to rising rates of HIV in young gay men?
    MC: I feel very fortunate to have PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis, or Truvada) available in the US. PrEP is a once-daily HIV prevention pill that has an efficacy rate of over 99% (significantly higher than that of a condom). While only ONE organisation, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is fighting PrEP, notable health organisations like the World Health Organisation and the US Centre for Disease Control have both publicly endorsed PrEP as an effective means to combat HIV transmission. As far as other STIs are concerned, I am tested every three months (as per doctor’s orders while undergoing my PrEP regimen), which, in most cases is significantly more frequent than those not on PrEP.

    I don’t see any correlation between rising rates of HIV in young, gay men. In fact, as far as I know, HIV rates have been on the decline in my hometown, San Francisco, but I’m unaware of what the British/European data has shown. I think people are inclined to practice safer sex as they feel appropriate, and people have preferences to which they adhere pretty rigidly whether that includes use of PrEP, condom or otherwise. For the most part, I don’t think that condomless porn influences its audience in any way, but rather, caters to its pre-existing preferences and fetishes.

    MP: Are fluffers a real thing?
    MC: LOL. Absolutely not. It may have been a thing of a bygone era, but fluffers don’t exist.

    MP: Do you use drugs to get hard?
    MC: These days, it is common to see the use of Viagra, Cialis, and various other erectile enhancers to aid in video production. When you are on set for sometimes, 8, 9, 10 hours or more, you need those tools to perform under pretty rigorous conditions.

    MP: How do fans react to you in the street? Do you find that a lot of people chat you up?
    MC: I am a very public and social person, so I often notice people who recognise me. Truth be told, most people won’t approach me, but will stare from afar… making things quite awkward. Sometimes it feels like being an animal at a zoo in that regard. I don’t know if people are intimidated, shy, or what, but if you see me out and feel the need, just come say hi! I’m a very approachable guy! That being said, please respect my personal space & private life. If you see me out in my hometown, I’m likely not
    out as Max, but as me!

    MP: What would you say to people who want to get into porn?
    MC: Be sure you want to do it! In my opinion there is no half-assing it. I am my own worst critic, and I would hate to ever have a scene come out that I’m not happy with or one that I haven’t given 100%. Also, it really is a job and can sometimes be insanely taxing. I’ve had shoots that have gone up to 12 hours long. It is not as glamorous as you’d think.

    MP: What’s the average day of a porn star?
    MC: Well, I wake up at 6:15 AM to get ready for my day job as a high school special education teacher, where I work 8:00-14:30. After work, I usually head straight to the gym where I work out for 1.5-2 hours. After that, I’ll head home, hop on World of Warcraft for a bit (NERD ALERT!), followed by either social time and drinks with friends or soccer (football) practice with my gay club, the San Francisco Spikes (sfspikes.com).

    MP: How do you see your career progress over time and how do they feel about limitation with age/body?
    MC: They say the average shelf life of a porn performer is somewhere around 2 years. Though I haven’t over-saturated the market, which often tends to decrease one’s tenure in porn, I’ve tentatively given myself maybe another year before I “retire.” I think I’ve accomplished just about everything I’ve set out to do: I’ve worked for just about all the studios I’ve desired to work for, I’ve been nominated for industry awards and been given the opportunity to travel. Age, for me, at least, plays a minor role in that decision as well. I don’t want to be some old guy clinging to a career that I should have let go years prior. That being said, there are a limited few for whom it works (Rocco Steele, for example).

    MP: What other plans have you got in place for after?
    MC: I will be going back to school this year. I’m leaning toward business, or possibly travel & tourism.
    I’ve also flirted with the idea of starting my own modelling agency, or studio/website. I like the idea of having creative control of a product. We’ll see…

     

    Follow Max Cameron on Twitter

  • INTERVIEW | Porn star Jay Banks

    INTERVIEW | Porn star Jay Banks

    In Issue 13 of THEGAYUK we chatted with porn star Jay Banks to find out what life is like for a porn star!

    Jay Banks
    CREDIT: Jay Banks/ Twitter

    MP: Do you ever bottom? If so, how do you take care of yourself? Do bottoms really get paid more than tops?
    JB: I do bottom. More often than not really. I consider myself a bottom but I do top a nice ass on occasion. So, Vers bottom? I pride myself on being a good bottom and with that comes good hygiene. Just make sure your good to go. I can’t say that bottoms make more than tops in the industry. I actually have heard tops get paid more but it really just depends on the studio and the star.

    MP: Can you explain the experience of your first job?
    JB: I had always wanted to do porn. I know, cliché, right? Even if it was just once. One day I finally got online and submitted an application with one of my favourite studios, Treasure Island Media. Within a few weeks, I heard back from casting and they set up a Skype meeting/interview which went well and I was told that when I’m in NYC to let them know. So I went for a weekend and did a hot scene with them.

    MP: Have you ever dated another porn star?
    JB: I haven’t had the pleasure of dating another porn star, yet. But I am single and available! If you find one let me know (laughs).

    MP: Are there things you’ve learnt doing porn that you’ve included in your personal life?
    JB: I can’t say I have learned anything specific from doing porn that I do in my personal life. Although I will say that in my personal life I do have sex but 9 times out of 10 the person doesn’t know I am in porn.

    Jay Banks Pull Quote

    MP: Do partners expect you to be an ‘expert’ of sex?
    JB: I don’t think people consider porn stars to be experts in sex… Experts at having sex on camera perhaps but not having sex in general. Although I’ve never had any complaints!

    MP: Do you receive bizarre messages from fans?
    JB: I do sometimes get messages from fans. I like to get them. It’s nice to read them and also all the tweets and comments on my Twitter are appreciated. I read them all and try to respond to everyone. Thanks to all my followers!

    MP: What is the weirdest message/request you’ve received from a fan?
    JB: I would say the weirdest request I got from a fan was a guy who wanted me to come to California and have sex with him and his wife. I didn’t for the record (laughs).

    MP: Do you sleep with your fans?
    JB: I haven’t slept with a fan yet! I did get an email from a fan recently and we have been in contact and he is actually coming to stay with me this weekend so I will for sure be able to say I HAVE slept with a fan by the end of the weekend! So let it be known that it CAN happen. You can sleep with your favourite porn star!

    MP: Are fluffers a real thing?
    JB: I’m sure there are fluffers out there somewhere, I haven’t come across any myself (no pun intended) but maybe for group scenes. So far the scenes I have done were with one other porn star so we fluffed each other. On cam!

    MP: Do you use any pills to enhance your career?
    JB: As far as a pill or enhancer, I like a product called Erekt. I haven’t used it on set, however, I do use it sometimes in my personal life, not because I need it but just for fun or an extra BOOM. (Laughs) it works!

    MP: What do you think is the future of porn?
    JB: I think it will be around forever…it will change and adapt to what people want most but I think that you’re going to see mostly if not all bareback porn in the future along with maybe some live porn sites vs video/streaming.

    MP: What’s the average day of a porn star?
    JB: Oh the average day of a porn star? Well, when I reach “stardom” status I will let you know! 🙂

    MP: Who has been your favourite scene partner and why?
    JB: My favourite costar is Sam Bridle. We did a scene for Treasure Island Media for a film called Stick it, f**k it, breed it, leave it. He (Sam) was so laid back and chilled and easy to film with. Not to mention his dick was perfect! I love watching Blue Bailey take all those dicks in his gang bang scene. I’m a gang-bang kinda guy. They are my weakness!

    MP: What’s the average salary per scene/per film?
    JB: There is so much difference between studios, your experience and popularity that there’s no easy number. I would say anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand. I honestly do it for the fun, though!

    MP: How would you describe your sexuality?
    JB: I would describe my sexuality in one word. HORNY. I’m always down for some fun!

    MP: What are your opinions on porn?
    JB: I think the porn industry packs a definite economic punch and it’s important for people to have a good selection of it to watch so that everyone can find something that they like… Or a fantasy that they wish they could live out. I’m glad to be a part of it, for the time that I have been, and look forward to more to come!

     

    Follow Jay Bank on Twitter

  • INTERVIEW | Cucumber’s Freddie Fox

    INTERVIEW | Cucumber’s Freddie Fox

    Hammersmith born Freddie Fox is making his mark on his own terms, despite being part of the much talked about Fox dynasty. The Fox family are high profile media players, with generations of actors and agents. Freddie is the youngest of this prolific family, born in 1989. He refuses to define his sexuality as straight and isn’t afraid of getting his kit off (if the script demands it). In 2014 he starred alongside acting royalty in the blockbuster landmark film Pride and the critically acclaimed The Riot Club. We speak to Freddie about his latest role in Channel 4’s Cucumber and Banana.

    CREDIT: Channel 4

    This interview was taken from Issue 9 of THEGAYUK

    TGUK: Can you explain a bit about Cucumber and Banana, and who you play?
    FF: I play Freddie Baxter, who lives with Dean in the warehouse, and he also works at the insurance company that Henry and Dean work at, but in the canteen. He is 25, incredibly sexually confident, sexually powerful, and is an object of desire for Henry throughout the story. Initially there’s a very hostile dynamic between Freddie and Henry.

    TGUK: What was it that attracted you to the role?
    FF: Yeah, simply put, the scripts are so good and the stories are so interesting, the characters are so layered, and they all go on such incredible journeys. When I initially heard about the project, and the part I was up for playing, I was a bit ambivalent about it, because it sounded quite similar to parts I’d played recently. But then when I read the scripts and I realised there was no- one like this man, and there would never be anyone like this man on TV ever again. I realised I had to go for it.

    TGUK: Freddie, your character’s a little cool and heartless, is that fair to say?
    FF: In certain respects, he is heartless about certain things, but ultimately, no he’s not. He has got a heart, and a big one, but he just protects himself with an armour of sex and outward expressions of beauty. That’s so he can control other people, but that’s only there because it’s hiding aspects of his life that he simply will not show. As the friendship between Freddie and Dean and Henry grows, and they become more cemented together by their proximity at the warehouse, you see a much more humane and sensitive Freddie emerge. That’s why it’s such a layered, interesting character.

    TGUK: You’ve described him somewhere as a nymphomaniac who gets his entire validation from sex. Is that right?
    FF: More or less, yeah. He’s been sexualised from a young age – long before most of us are – and he happens to be very good at it. So he uses it as a way to protect himself and as a weapon, and also, because he’s good at it, as a way to validate his position in the world.

    TGUK: Is it fun to play a character like that?
    FF: What do you think?! [Laughs]

    TGUK: The shoot involved living in Manchester for five months. Was that fun, and did you get to know the place a bit?
    FF: Speaking as a non-Mancunian I was probably the one doing the most investigating, as Fis knows it like the back of his hand. I got to know it intimately and I love it. We saw Stockport, the suburbs, Didsbury where my character is from, so it’s great to hear the accent there. We went out a bit and had some fun.

    credit: channel 4

    TGUK: Did you go out and check out the gay scene in Manchester? What else did you do in the way of research?
    FF: Yeah, we didn’t do as much of that as I’d expected. The first time I went to Manchester it was for a show about Boy George and we went out a bit then. For this we shot a lot on Canal Street and the atmosphere kind of pervades, even if you’re not there on a night out. There’s still a buzz there which Russell really wanted to convey. It’s very, very magnetic, and you can feel what it’s about without having to experience it.

    TGUK: Freddie, is it true that you stayed in accent throughout the entire shoot?
    FF: Yes I did. The accent’s really important for me. I’d never taken it as far as I did with this thought “I’m not going to get this wrong.” I stayed in voice the whole time, even when I was at home with my parents. They didn’t like it at all, but they are actors so they understood!

    TGUK: What was it like working with the older actors?
    FF: We learned a lot from the older actors. I’d like to point out they’re not old, just older than we are! They have more experience, and all of them also had a bedrock in the theatre, which was great because Fis and I have that too, so we had a sort of shorthand.

    TGUK : You’re still young. Do you still feel like you’re learning your craft?
    FF: Definitely, that really was one of the most special things on this job. The atmosphere created by Vincent and Russell on set was such that you really, really wanted to come in to work every day. As actors, we have the best job in the world, but occasionally it can be made difficult by ego and by not listening to each other and lack of communication. And on this job, it was just brilliant, and as a result, I think we all felt like we were doing our best work.

     

    TGUK: Have you seen Queer as Folk?
    FF: I hadn’t seen it before this job started, but I have now. I loved it. It was a brilliant piece of drama, and the writing was  Vwhip-sharp.

    TGUK: It was quite controversial when it first went out on Channel 4 15 years ago. Do you think some of the more risqué elements of Cucumber and Banana might cause a kerfuffle this time around?
    FF: There should be, as well. Anything that moves public consciousness and public morality forward, which one hopes this show will do, has got to cause a stir otherwise it’s not done its job properly.

    TGUK: Do you think Queer as Folk changed the nature of TV, or what was considered acceptable in a TV drama?
    FF: I do yes. Everybody who I’ve spoken to who was conscious when Queer as Folk went out says it was a complete game- changer. It completely changed people’s perception of young, gay men especially. Suddenly they were successful, cool, sexy, out there, fun people you wanted to spend time with – not a stereotype. Obviously that was massive when it came out.

     

    Cucumber is available to buy on DVD from Amazon

  • INTERVIEW | Jennifer Saunders

    INTERVIEW | Jennifer Saunders

    Ab Fab started life as a sketch on the French & Saunders show on the BBC back in 1990 and changed campy comedy forever. A year later the pilot aired and was a huge critical success. After ve series and several specials, Jennifer Saunders’ slams on to our screens with the legendary Joanna Lumley for the brand new Absolutely Fabulous film.

    TGUK: Is it true that Dawn French made a bet with you that you wouldn’t finish the script for the movie on time?
    JS: Oh, that was about the writing of it. We were live on radio and she said, ‘What are you doing next year?’ I said, ‘I’m going to write the Ab Fab film.’ She said, ‘Really?’ I said, ‘I’m going to write it.’ She said, ‘Alright, if you haven’t written it by the time we do the next New Year’s Day radio show, you have to pay me £10,000.’

    TGUK: Did you do it?
    JS: I did just about do it (laughs). I did hand her about 90 pages, though most of it just said, ‘Blah blah blah.’ But there was a sort of kernel of something.

    TGUK: But did that help you finish it? Are you a deadline junkie when it comes to writing?
    JS: Yeah, completely

    TGUK: But you can’t improvise like that with a film. So did it feel different writing a plot for a movie version?
    JS: I didn’t think I’d be able to write a 90-minute plot. A plot is the hardest thing, and a plot is the thing that makes it very different to a TV show, because a TV show is very much half and hour of pantomime, where you chuck in as many gags as you can. You don’t really need a beginning, you don’t really need an end; you just need the credits to roll at some point.

    TGUK: Obvious question but in what way is it different?
    JS: The thing that is totally different is the fact that you are required to make people care, because they’ve got to sit there for 90 minutes. That was the hardest thing – to make people care and give them something to look forward to all the time, looking forward to the next act or whatever happens, and some kind of story. It’s the thing that changes it from the TV show the most, too, because there’s a lot more downtime, and there’s a lot more exposition. It doesn’t feel the same as a TV show, and I think that’s the biggest difference people will notice about it, is the fact that you can’t keep that level of energy up for 90 minutes – it’s got to have moments where you discuss the plot. It’s a completely different thing, really, and also we’re at a completely different time of our lives, so it has to be about where they are now. And they’re not at the kind of height of their game; they’re actually on the decline, a little bit, but we hope it’s not going to be a sad one.

    TGUK: But it’s still essentially Eddie that we know and love just that she has fallen on hard times?
    JS: Yes. Edina is becoming more and more desperate and that’s sort of exhibited in the fact that the house is now enormous beyond belief. She’s drained every ex-husband of every penny they’ve ever earned and she’s still doing it, we don’t know how – some deal. But her PR business has really gone downhill – she’s got, as ever, Lulu, Emma Bunton and Queen Noor (laughs), and they’re not working that much. So this comes as a sort of massive blow to her that she needs money that she can’t take Patsy to The Wolseley. She doesn’t know what’s happening, she has to send all her Net-a-Porter back. And so she tries to get a book deal and she tries lots of different things, and obviously tries to get Kate Moss, because that would be her moneybag for the rest of her life, but it all ends sort of miserably. She thinks she’s become everything she’s tried her whole life not to become; now she’s fat and old. All she’s never wanted to do is to become fat and old and now she suddenly looks at herself and goes, ‘Here I am, fat and old.’ But it ends on a positive. It doesn’t end on a downer. It can’t ever, because they’ve always got to get away with it, and they’ve always got to have a new scheme.

    TGUK: What sends them off to France?
    JS: There’s an incident at a party where she pushed Kate Moss off a balcony, and she’s accused of killing Kate Moss – that little detail (laughs) – and so the paparazzi have appeared. That’s something she’s wanted all her life, to be famous. And now they’re here, all she wants is to be anonymous, and to not have them there, photographing her and hounding her like an animal. They’ve always had this dream, Patsy and Eddie; whenever they were in trouble, they’d go, ‘One day we’ll join the jet set. One day we’ll live the Martini advert. That’ll be us. We’ll have guys that drive planes and boats and wear pastel coloured cashmere jumpers around their shoulders and crocodile shoes.’ I think going to the south of France is really about retreating into that dream of luxury, which, unfortunately, sort of doesn’t exist. I mean, it does, but it’s all a bit tacky now. There isn’t a sort of beautiful lovely jet set, there isn’t a sort of Ava Gardner- esque thing about anything anymore. Everything is heavy disco euro-trash music and obscene money, and so everything they’re looking for doesn’t quite exist. They sort of retreat into the past a little bit.

    TGUK: You first wrote Ab Fab back in the early 1990s but they’re very resilient characters. In your industry, you must meet them all time?
    JS: All the time! They’re still going on. I keep thinking, ‘Surely there’s other ways of doing PR,’ but it’s still the same. Honestly, it’s quite extraordinary. The other day I got a really unusual massive invitation to some party and I thought, ‘I thought those days were gone.’ I thought everything was done by the Internet now. But still this ridiculous thing came, like a Rubik’s cube, an invite to some fashion show, and you just go, ‘I can’t believe it’s still happening.’ I suppose as long as there’s products, there’s going to be PR.

    TGUK: Would you go on a night out with Edina and Patsy?
    JS: I think they’d be horrible. They’re so into each other, in a way, and into their own little world. I don’t know how much actual fun they’d be. I’d be them going out for a night – that would be much more fun. To be Edina and Patsy going out for a night would just be fantastic.

    TGUK: You’ve never done that?
    JS: No, no, no, never. But I think to actually be with them on a night out would be ghastly! It would be ghastly, because someone at some point would have to go, ‘Now, stop, come on, that’s not a good idea.’ You’d be the person having to say, ‘Just get in a cab and go home.’ ‘No, we’re going to party on! We’re going somewhere else. We’re going to have a great time. She loves me.’ They think the world loves them when they’re drunk, and I think generally people see them coming and go, ‘Oh Christ.’ But that’s as it should be (laughs).

    This interview was taken from Issue 21

    Ab Fab the movie is available to buy on DVD now.

  • INTERVIEW | Joey Arias – Love Bites

    Legendary New York queen of the demi-monde, cabaret and performance artist Joey Arias is coming to London to play the insanely stylish Crazy Coqs nightclub at Zedel in Piccadilly.

    CREDIT: Sean Menendez

    It’s a rare treat and Joey has a staggering back catalogue with decades of experience performing both in New York and internationally. During his many collaborations with Klaus Nomi he sung with David Bowie on Saturday Night Live in 1979, he’s played Joan Crawford, featured in Wigstock, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and Flawless. He featured in George Michael’s Too Funky video and sold out runs in Las Vegas with Cirque Du Soleil. He’s also a style icon in his own right, transcending drag and he has a unique and haunting singing style that has echoes of Billie Holiday’s rich tones.

    Hi and welcome back to London. How does it feel to be here again?
    I love London very much, I’ve been coming since the punk days and I’ve seen the changes going on. Some places I don’t recognise but I always look forward to seeing my friends, old and new. Facebook has brought new faces and this is exciting. I love meeting the new always but I always have my pals from the past. That is what London means to me. The people, ‘We The People’.

    Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect from ‘Love Bites’?
    Well ‘Love Bites’ is a Metaphor for what’s going on in the world! It goes hand in hand. You could love someone or something or just an idea and once in a while you snapped at it or it just didn’t work out the way you thought it was going. I think it’s a great concept for Valentine’s Week.

    Looking at your previous sets, your music choices and influences seem wide and varied. Who’s inspiring you at the moment?
    I love all music, but I love listening to Jazz a lot, Ornette Coleman and Billie Holiday. Then I go back to 60s Rock with The Ronettes, Beach Boys and I also love music from the British Invasion like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Cilla Black. I also love Cream, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and more! Then we move onto Madonna, Boy George and Sex Pistols. Every so often I put the Radio on and see what’s out there. These days it just comes and goes, it’s all happening too fast. So I would say, maybe some of the great singers like Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye have been in my ear these days. I want to work with my great friend Ben Allison who will re-write some of these tunes to make them my own. I have been working on lots of original tunes. I want to get a new album out soon!

    How do the London and New York cabaret and drag scenes compare?
    The cabaret and drag scenes are a bit different. It has to do with the venues and the vibe of these two cities. We used to have Leigh Bowery who really pushed the envelope. Susanne Bartsch had Leigh in NYC once a month, so that was a blend of two cultures. Then in NYC you also have Earl Dax presenting ‘Pussy Fagot’ with many other great NYC performers and guests from around the world that happen to be in town. I also love Wet Chiffon that’s in Hackney. Brilliant! I have to say NYC has things going on 24/7, anything goes, and I know London does also. I’ve been to wild parties there… coming home with the sun on my face!

    Do you have any favourite places in London?
    I used to Love Freedom Cafe! That was amazing! You’re going to laugh but I love Marks & Spencer’s and Boots! I have to go to those places all the time. I love when friends take me to clubs, trashy and chic. I can’t remember the names, and then there are those wild sex parties, Oh my! But I gave them up or they gave me up! Fun, but always be safe!
    Really looking forward to playing at Live At Zédel!

    ‘Love Bites’ runs from 11th to the 14th of February 2017 at The Crazy Coqs at Zedel Buy tickets here: https://www.brasseriezedel.com/live-at-zedel/joey-arias/74236136

  • THEATRE NEWS | Why Is Everyone Talking About Jamie?

    THEATRE NEWS | Why Is Everyone Talking About Jamie?

    Based on the BBC three documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, a brand-new musical is about to burst onto the stage in spectacular, drag-tastic, feel good fashion, in what is described as a “big glittery dream” and which promises to be one of the most talked about musicals for some time.

    Everyone’s Talking About Jamie is written by Tom MacRae (Doctor Who) and has music by Dan Gillespie Sells of The Feeling (who are best known for their album Twelve Stops ‘Till Home). The story charts the journey of Jamie Campbell, a Sheffield lad, who has to decide whether to express himself and who he really is by going to the school prom in drag. Packed with humour, emotion, a strong social message and real warmth, the show is set to have its world premiere at Sheffield Theatres on the 9th February 2017.

    With a diverse cast, including Mina Anwar (TV’s The Thin Blue Line, Coronation Street, Shameless) playing Leigh; John McRae (Eastenders, The Catherine Tate Show, New Tricks) who plays Jamie and Tasmin Carroll (Eastenders, Heartbreak High) as Miss Hedge, the show explodes with energy, emotion and a coming of age story unlike any other. TGUK caught up with the shows lead actors during a break in rehearsals.

    Photo Credit : Sheffield Theatres (Clockwise – Mina Anwar , John McCrea , Tasmin Carroll)

    TGUK – Thank you for taking time out from rehearsals to chat to us… how are rehearsals going?

    John – Really well, thank you. We’ve been rehearsing down in London for a few weeks and so to finally arrive in Sheffield and rehearse at the Crucible has really reinvigorated the entire team. I’m loving being back in Sheffield and having the opportunity to really get into the role.

    Mina – There’s lots of elements to the show, and were just at the production point where were starting to pull everything together. We’ve tended to do isolated scenes so far, and do a little from here and a little from there, but it’s all starting to really come together now we’re here at the Crucible.

    John – And from an acting point of view, it’s great to be able to hear the local accents. What’s great about Sheffield is that everyone is so friendly, so you don’t have to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations; you just go up and talk to them.

    TGUK – Everyone’s Talking About Jamie is a brand new, contemporary musical – so what can people expect from the show?

    Mina – The show is based on the true story of Jamie Campbell, who was the subject of the BBC3 documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. It’s about Jamie finding himself, not just in who he is as a person, but finding himself and his place in his family and in his community. The story follows Jamie as he decides whether to go to school prom in drag or not, and about him discovering who he is and how he wants to live his life.

    John– It’s a proper pop musical, a big glittery dream of a pop musical, but one which people can take a lot from as they leave the theatre. I genuinely think that it speaks to everyone. It speaks to 16-year-olds; it speaks to mothers, to children, to teachers and to anyone who is in contact with young people who are developing their own sense of identity. It is based in Sheffield, but it has a universal message which is wrapped in such brilliant music.

    Mina – The music really is important; it has a proper pop vernacular to it which makes it immediately accessible. Some of the music is really moving and speaks immediately to the audience both in terms of lyrics and melody. We’ve also got some terrific dance numbers, Kate Prince, one of the choreographers from Zoo Nation, is working on the show, and she’s fusing styles of hip-hop, street, narrative dance and big production numbers all into this show.

    Tasmin – But it’s also about being true to yourself. It doesn’t lend itself just to the message about people being gay, or address just transvestite / transgender issues; it’s about anything in life that people might face, and it’s about being proud and comfortable with the decisions and choices that you make. The key for young people to know is that there are uncertainties out there as you grow up, but that the overall message from the show is ultimately one that is very positive.

    TGUK – Whilst it is a coming of age story, there are also a lot of other elements to it. What, to you, is at the heart of the story?

    John – It’s about working out who you are and what you want to be. Often what you want to be is so far away and seems almost out of reach, but it’s about how people go about achieving those dreams. The moral of the story is that you don’t get answers from anyone, it’s that you stay on a journey for what you believe in and that you stay true to yourself and to the path that you’ve set out upon

    Mina – It’s about finding your place, both in yourself and in your community. It’s set in a small community in Sheffield where self-expression doesn’t really exist, certainly not in the sense that Jamie would wish it did. It’s a story about family; and ultimately is a very human story, that’s what at the heart of it. It’s about whom we would be if we could go back and make choices to please ourselves rather than making choices to please other people

    John – But family doesn’t just mean blood, Mina’s character, Leigh, is Jamie’s mum’s best friend so it’s not all about the conventional family. It is the story of a mother and son and about the balance of a tricky, yet love filled relationship; but what it boils down to is that Jamie comes from a single-parent family and he is an only child, so despite the difficulties that he and his mum have at times, there is just the two of them and they rely upon each other. What was clear, having met Jamie (Campbell) and having watched the documentary, he and his mother have an open and honest relationship, he’s not wholly disenfranchised from others, but whilst he is not the coolest kid in school, he always has his mother to go back to.

    TGUK – What makes Everyone’s Talking About Jamie different to other coming of age stories?

    Mina – It’s not just about sexuality. A lot of coming-of-age stories are about being gay, but with Jamie, not only is he gay, he is bulimic, he is somebody being bullied. He is the protagonist and we follow his story, but in most coming-of-age stories, you often get the conflict between hero and villain, but this show is not really about that.

    Tasmin – It’s a really interesting topic, one which is very contemporary and one which is written from the perspective of young people outwards making it easily relatable. It’s not just for young people, it is also for adults. The inclusion of the music and the dance numbers also takes it away from the realms of the usual coming-of-age stories

    John – In many of these types of stories, good advice is often given but bad choices are made. This show is different because Jamie has a dream and a clear-cut idea of what he wants, but gets terrible advice which sets him down the path of self-destruction. He already knows what he wants, it is how to achieve it.

    Mina – It’s presented on a much more personal level and you see Jamie growing through coming to terms with the challenges he faces. There are so many different elements to it, but the main one is that it is a story about a lad being a Drag Queen, about how he achieves what he wants and about how that impacts not just on him, but on those around him.

    TGUK – Given its topic, what do you think the relevance of plays like this are within today’s society?

    Tasmin – I have to say, it’s one of the most perfect pieces of new theatre that I’ve been involved with. It’s incredibly topical, the issue of cross dressing, transsexuals, transvestites, it shows how really important those issues are, brings it more into the mainstream. It goes beyond the threshold of “convention” and allows young people to feel that these behaviours are normal. Ultimately, Jamie comes from a place of real love and he’s just trying to work out how to be himself. He is conscious of his feelings and the way in which it impacts on everyone else, but the real message of the play is an enduring message of love. The story is incredibly well told and I’m sure that everybody, not just people of Jamie’s age group, will take something from it.

    John – With everything that’s been in the news recently about Trump, women’s equality, issues about gender identity and the issues facing transgendered people, the themes contained in the play are really important. There is a currently a real challenge to the underbelly of Civil Rights on so many fronts and it’s nice to see the empowerment of someone so standing up for themselves and what they believe in and to see that from the perspective of someone so young.

    Mina – It is really exciting, it gives a glimpse into a world that people may not know. We are fortunate to have a really diverse cast, all of whom find inspiration in each other. It’s great to be able to take part in such a friendly musical, especially one which is so challenging. What’s unique about it is that it doesn’t necessarily reinforce stereotypes. What we didn’t want was the representation of stereotypes or reinforcement of what people expect to think, rather than what they should actually know. It’s about making unique representations of each individual. It may well enrich people in terms of the story that they don’t know very well; it may touch them by making them recognise a personal struggle that they have had. Whilst the story centres on the personal struggle that Jamie has, it does zoom out and allow people to stand back and look not just at what Jamie is going through, but how the internal struggle that Jamie is facing can be extrapolated onto any struggle that any person is having.

    TGUK – Shows like Priscilla and La Cage Au Folles feature stories about drag, but how does Jamie compare with these types of shows and what makes it different?

    Mina – I think some of it is to do with the collaboration of those who created it. Dan Gillespie Sells is very knowledgeable of the musical tradition, and writes such instantly accessible songs. Tom Macrae is an experienced TV writer and Jonathan Butterell is a director of some standing. The music has a nod to different styles and to different genres, but nothing is overtly stated and the story seeps out of the script and the music. There are some songs that will make you weep with sadness and there are others which will leave you with a beaming smile – there is the whole gamut of emotion conveyed in the music and the songs are used to progress the story and characters rather than just providing an excuse for a dance number.

    Tasmin – I think that the teenage element is really different. It’s not coming from a place of cynicism, it’s coming from the point of view of someone who is starting to experience life, someone who is on the edge of experience. It’s not about someone who’s middle-aged and looking back, either with or without regret, it’s a prelude to the rest of Jamie’s life.

    Mina – Absolutely, and in this story, drag is not a novelty. It’s about a struggle, a hero’s struggle, both with himself and with those around him. Jamie’s journey is not there simply to give the hero something to struggle with; it’s a fundamental part of who he is. The story is not just frivolous and sharp, there is a lot of elements where we see things from inside Jamie’s head, it really breaks the fourth wall so you really get a feel for what life is like for Jamie; but all the features come together and balance out so you have a good element of comedy, a real feel good piece of theatre and a serious undertone to the story.

    Tasmin – It’s a real talking point. It can be used to open up a dialogue between a young person and other people in their lives, whether it’s their parents, teachers, school friends or anyone. It’s potentially life changing theatre wrapped up in a perfect pop musical.

    Everyone’s Talking About Jamie premieres at Sheffield Theatres on the 9th February 2017 and runs until 25th February 2017. For tickets and information visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or call the box office on 0114 249 6000. You can also follow Sheffield Theatres on Facebook (@shefftheatres) and Twitter (@crucibletheatre).

    https://soundcloud.com/user-872483887/dont-even-know-it-featuring-betty-boo

     

  • INTERVIEW | Danyl Johnson, Whitney stopped me halfway and said, “No, that’s not how you sing it”

    He’s noted as being one of Simon Cowell’s all time favourite auditionees, but the public interest in Danyl Johnson wasn’t, sadly, just about his singing talent during his time on the X Factor. It was all about who he was or wasn’t having relationships with. Within weeks of his first appearance on the show, the press had made up their mind that he was bisexual and that he fancied all four of the judges, Dannii, Cheryl, Simon and Louis. THEGAYUK’s editor Jake Hook took some time to talk with Danyl about one of British TV’s most awkward moments (the time that Dannii Minogue seemingly outed him on live, national TV), why Whitney Houston was not impressed with him and why having a dog helps you when you’re single.

    Jake: So, since the X Factor, where have you been? What have you been doing? What’s going to be happening in 2017?
    Danyl: I think Donald Trump is going to be taking over the world. It’s a different world in 2017. I think everyone thought 2016 was going to be tough, but 2017 looks even crazier.

    Since the show? It’s been seven years, which is crazy to even think that it’s been that long. It’s just we finish the show, we go on tour, we play our own shows.

    I thought, ‘I need to go and find myself’. Normally when people want to do that they want to go to India but I thought I wanted to nd myself musically and see what I was doing so I decided to go to Nashville and just work with some amazing musicians and some really good music people, people that I like, not just randoms.

    I did that for a little while, came back, played some more shows. I was bouncing around record deals with some lovely little labels and things just didn’t come together. Especially when you do a show like X Factor, it’s such a platform and you do get skipped to the head of the queue. Sometimes when you get skipped to the head of the queue, it doesn’t mean your name’s on the door. It can be a little bit of, “ugh, God another one of those people.”
    I just felt, not lost, but just kind of like, “What am I doing?” It was really easy for me to just play shows. Because of what Simon said, about me on my audition, it has systematically made me still work to this day, which is lovely. I cannot really complain about that.

    Jake: Obviously, Simon Cowell was incredibly nice, he was very, very complimentary about your voice…
    Danyl: Yeah, crazy.

    Jake: That must mean quite a lot to a singer to hear that, but when you see someone like Honey G getting praise off someone like Simon Cowell, does it diminish what he said about you?
    Danyl: It does at times. The thing is, everyone gets really uptight about these, the enjoyable acts, but they’ve always been in the thread of X Factor. They have always been there. From Chico to Jedward, to Wagner to Honey G right now. They’ve always been there. The X Factor is not just about singing,
    it’s about having something that people are talking about. Undeniably, every single person is talking about Honey G. I’m not pro-Honey, I’m not anti-Honey, I just understand what she’s doing. I was very close to Jedward in our year, we saw some of the most horrible hate thrown towards them and that was before Twitter was big, and we felt like they were like our little brothers.

    It is really hard when someone is getting pelted. They have no say about anything and all these people are like, “Why is she here? Why is he there? Why are they there?”.

    Jake: Would you ever consider doing something like Celebrity Big Brother or I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here or something like that?
    Danyl: I enjoy watching them, and I think that it is good trashy entertainment. Who doesn’t like to just sit there and watch TV programs like that? I’m not the best when I’m tired and hungry and I feel like they do that to you to get a rise out of you, and then sometimes there are slightly antagonistic people on the show and they can truly press your buttons. I don’t know if I could do that to my family again. You never know how it’s going to work out. Then you have to deal with the fallout of it. I kind of like being the forgotten person of X Factor a little bit and people remember one or two things about me. Maybe my audition or maybe a performance, or Dannii Minogue. To maybe ruin it by doing another TV program, scares the hell out of me.

    Jake: Can we talk about the Dannii Minogue thing? I re-watched it the other day, and it’s probably the most awkward moment of British television… ever when she suggested that perhaps you should have changed the gender references in the song you were singing to male pronouns. It was a tumbleweed moment. Very awkward. What was that moment like for you?
    Danyl: I’ll tell you a tiny bit of the back story… I’m singing, “And I am Telling You” from Dreamgirls, I actually haven’t ever seen the musical or the film or knew the song that well, but they thought, “Guy singing a girl song, perfect”. Ultimately the line is “You’re the best man I’ve ever known.” In the newspapers, my sexuality had already been completely and utterly microscoped. [There were] so many stories about who I was dating or not dating. I remember saying to Dannii’s people, ‘should I sing the actual line?’ They said, ‘do it’.

    In my mind, I was thinking if it was week seven, maybe, but as it was week one, so I sang, “You’re the best girl I’ve ever known”. People are very open-minded these days, but it’s live in front of a lot of people.

    Dannii said what she said. I felt like she never did it on purpose. I don’t think she felt like she had done anything wrong; because of that reason, I cannot really take it to heart.

    Now a lot of people have rewound that moment. There was so much speculation about what I said underneath my breath. So many people thought I said, “F*ck off ”. But I was a primary school teacher, so I wouldn’t say that on live TV. I said, “I’m not ashamed”.

    That night Stephen Gately (Boyzone singer) died…

    Jake: I remember. So what happened between you and Dannii?
    Danyl: I went down to Dannii’s dressing room the next day, no one was there, everything was o because everyone was completely devastated. She was a bit upset, and I said, “What’s the matter? Are you okay?” She apologised to me. She was reading stuff on Twitter and someone tweeted, “Every time you out a fairy, another fairy dies.” That stays in my mind and why Dannii was upset. It was like my life was the weirdest thing.
    A couple of months beforehand, I’m in a classroom teaching kids, then one moment I’m standing in Dannii’s dressing room watching her reading messages on Twitter. It was the most surreal moment ever. It was never intentional. It was taken completely the wrong way. I didn’t really take it to heart. I don’t think it’s the same story in her book, but oh well…

    Jake: Was it tough for your family to have your personal life splayed out on the front pages of national papers?
    Danyl: The one thing that I found the hardest and my family found the hardest, is they [the press] try to completely decimate any niceness that I had in me. It’s tough if you’re ever depicted as not a nice person, for whatever reason, no matter what you do. The one thing I know is I never ever spoke back. I never was disrespectful. Behind the stage, I might be upset, but in front of people, I just held it together.

    Family wise, I think they just slowly, slowly saw me not be me at all. If I could go back in time I would whisper in my ear, “It’s not real. Just go out. Just take it for what it is.”

    Jake: Is it easy to turn o knowing that people are saying stuff about you?
    Danyl: You can’t stop it. It’s like kids on a playground. You cannot stop it. They’re going to say anything, but if you can switch off for a bit. If I knew there was an article in the newspaper coming out I would just stay o social media. I just wouldn’t look at it. People liked to come to me about it, but I just wouldn’t look at it. I think sometimes we are so sensitive as people in this day and age, we are so sensitive, and there’s some really horrible hateful things that people say, but you know what? It’s just words. I can block you. Or I can send you a smiley face.

    Jake: So just don’t engage with it?
    Danyl: I love freedom of speech. If you don’t like something that’s fine, now that we live in a day and age where people write it down, I don’t know what that’s going to mean in the next 5-10 years for people who have done that. I think it may come back on them. I think that that may stop people from getting jobs. There are companies who want to have your codes to go and look through your Facebook. You only find that out later.

    I think there’s a lot of education that needs to happen with social media, I think that the whole world is a little bit slow on it. I love social media. I love it. Like you, you must love it as well? It’s instant gratification. You put out an article and you see if people love it or hate it.

    Jake: Do you know what? The bigger we’ve become, the more criticism we’ve got.
    Danyl: 100%. And… they would never say it to your face, they would never say it. If they did, well done. I feel like I said, I like people’s opinion. If you can split opinions, have people that love you and people that hate you, you’re doing okay. The worst thing to ever be is to be stale and everyone is a bit indifferent. You have to have people that hate you to have people who love you. The only way it ever works.

    Jake: We are living in those times. If you look at big commentators of the moment, you’ve got Katie Hopkins, we’ve got Donald Trump President Elect. Who is one of those people who can whip up a storm in a sentence, or even a Tweet sent at 3 AM in the morning.
    Danyl: It’s hilarious. You can write a Tweet right now, or on your page, and you could be in the national news tonight if you wanted to. That’s the power of all of it. It’s weird because people do hang on to things. If you want to be like Katie or like Donald or anyone like that, you want to be those people, it is easy to do it, but you need to be able to fight back. You need to have the answers back as well, and these people are up there because they systematically have answers. They know what they’re saying. Right or wrong, by the way.

    Jake: Okay, right. Let’s talk about the biggest pop moment for you on the show… Whitney Houston.
    Danyl: Yes!

    Jake: Obviously, she was known as a massive diva and I imagine was probably someone that you were quite keen to meet?
    Danyl: Who wouldn’t?

    Jake: She wasn’t a fan of your take on a song of hers, was she?
    Danyl: No! I got given, “I Didn’t Know my Own Strength” which was o her latest album.

    Jake: Did you choose that song or was it chosen for you?
    Danyl: I had never heard of it in my entire life.

    Jake: Okay, right… Did you get a sense of what the song meant to her?
    Danyl: No sense of what that song was about at all. I listened to it and got a taste of it, it’s really di cult for anyone to sing a diva song. Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, any of those people, it’s really di cult to sing their songs, especially if you are male. For you to be able to do any justice to these songs, I only know, and knew in my mind, that I am not a classic singer. I am an entertainer that can hold a tune. When I get given the ballads like Whitney, it doesn’t sit naturally for me. Obviously, I try not to be too di cult and so I say, “Okay, I’ll give it a go!” They may be right and it may be a fantastic choice.

    Anyway, we’re at the Dorchester [hotel] and Whitney is in the room and I’m the last of the day and kind of feel already like it’s not going to go well, so I was like, “Oh crap!” so I sang the song, and she just wasn’t impressed. In any part of it. She stopped me halfway and said, “No, that’s not how you sing it. You sing it like this.” She then sang it to me. Whitney Houston is in front of me singing me a song. People pay millions for that to happen.

    Jake: Did you feel it was a bit of a stitch up?
    Danyl: I felt a little bit let down and a little bit left out to dry, but it’s just a show. You have to remember with these shows, it is not about you, it’s about a TV show. As soon as you figure that out, it’s fine. You’re standing in front of a legend like that and no matter if you get on or not, it doesn’t take away every single thing she’s ever done. It doesn’t take away the fact that I’ve been in a room with her and I sang for her. She is a legend. I just wish I could have sung a different song. Obviously, it’s good TV if Whitney Houston is unimpressed.

    Jake: Yeah. Another awkward moment of television history.
    Danyl: That was week 2. Week 1 was Dannii, week 2 was Whitney Houston, week 3 I was in the bottom 2!

    Jake: Okay, moving on from the X Factor. Who’s the person you most admire in life?
    Danyl: Probably my sister. She’s always been kind of grown up, even though she’s my younger sister, she’s actually like my older sister. Don’t tell her I said that, but there’s an element of maturity and she’s always there [for me]. Even though families have disagreements and that stuff, you always come back together. She’s a great mum and even when things are tough she still pulls everything together. If I ever become a parent I would definitely take a lot from her. She’s super awesome, but an everyday person that I know and can connect with.

    Jake: What age were you when you came out to your family?
    Danyl: I was 17.

    Jake: Did you tell your parents first? Who was the first person you told?
    Danyl: Probably some boy. (Laughter) Probably my sister even though she was young. She was mature enough to just be like, “Okay”. I told her and, I have been really, really, really, lucky on that front. Friends, family, work colleagues, no one’s cared.

    I have friends that haven’t come out now and they’re older and they haven’t told their parents and I’m like, “How come you haven’t told them?” They’ll be like, “We’re just not that close”. You know what? What a great way to be close, and to actually let them into your life. Even if they find it a little bit di cult, I’ve always said that if your mum or your dad told you that they were gay, would you be okay with it straight away or is it going to take you a little bit of time? You have to think about it the other way. Sometimes it can be a shock. Sometimes it’s not obvious. Especially if you are gay. You’ve got loads of girls hanging around you, you’ve got Spice Girl posters up in your room, your dad thinks you’re a stud (laughter).

    Jake: How old do you think you were when you first realised you were gay?
    Danyl: So young.

    Jake: Really?
    Danyl: 8? 9? I didn’t see too many differences between boys and girls. I remember just not fancying people much because I was way too young, but I was very tactile as a kid. I would hug everyone, from my best friends, girls, I was just a tactile person. I have been since I was born. Then, nothing happened, but in your mind, you start thinking in a slightly different way.

    Jake: Was that di cult for you? That’s quite a long time, from 8 to 17 not to talk about it. Did you talk about it with friends or did you keep it inside?
    Danyl: I guess I did talk about it. It’s one of those things that you grow up, and it’s not talked about, it’s just is what it is. Everyone is experimenting, especially at a younger age. There’s always outlets, and this is what’s scary now this day and age. I think you can just figure out yourself and you can do it in your own time, and now these days there are so many means. There are so many ways to be able to chat with people and people understand you, but then there’s a pressure with it. I didn’t give a crap what I looked like until I was about 16. I didn’t care. I just put on clothes and went out of the house. These kids don’t feel like that anymore.

    Jake: What would a 16-year-old Danyl Johnson be like now, with selfies?
    Danyl: I feel like, what we are doing is we are trying to value ourselves by how many people tag, like, share, message, all that stuff. We evaluate ourselves on that stuff. I don’t know why. If we actually say to each other, “Why are you doing that?” You would say, “I don’t know, I have no idea!” There were some days where you go, “I look okay” so I can take a little cheeky picture for Instagram, I can manipulate it as much as I want, and that’s what I look like in my profile picture today. At the same time, I do feel pressure. Beforehand, I probably wouldn’t have cared, I wouldn’t have bothered. There’s an element of still being in the public eye, there’s an element of making me feel like, “Oh he’s let himself go!”

    Jake: If we do stories on the site like, “Guess what he looks like today”, people love those stories. The craziest one was Charlie Hunnam, from Queer as Folk. Obviously, it must be difficult for someone like that when they’re introduced to the public consciousness as a really young, very cute, very twinky guy and then he grows up into a man and he has some wrinkles and he has a beard, and people lose their sh*t over it.
    Danyl: It automatically makes all of us feel old as well. I remember sitting in my bedroom watching Queer as Folk with the sound down and being like, “This is what my life is going to be like.” I totally binged all of that.

    Jake: (laughter)
    Danyl: I feel like I tried to be like Stuart, but I’m just sh*tty. I cannot do one night stands. I’m particularly sh*tty at doing that.
    I cannot just randomly hook up with people. I have to actually know them and know their middle name, and know what school they went to and how many brothers and sisters they have. It’s just f**king stupid stuff. I think I can name every single person I’ve ever slept with. Their surname and what their dog is called. Just because I need to have a background on people. I cannot just sleep with weird people.

    Jake: There’s the perception about the gay community that many of us are sex crazy. Even Robbie Williams was quoted in Attitude saying he wished he was gay because then he could have sex on tap. It sounds as though you’re not that kind of person…
    Danyl: I’ll probably get in trouble for saying this, but if you are a woman you can get sex whenever you want. If you are a gay man, you can get sex whenever you want. If you’re a straight man, you can’t. It doesn’t work that way. There’s a control with it. The majority of women like to be wooed and I feel like I’m a little bit like that too, I like to be wooed. Not like presents or anything but conversation and I like it if they’re into the same things as me. That is what really gets me going. At the same time, if you do just want to have sex, and you’re gay, you can.

    Jake: So you’re a relationship man?
    Danyl: I’ve only just come out of a relationship myself, and not in a horrible way, we still talk, but there is a loneliness when you’re not in a relationship. I have a dog, so I bypass that a little bit because I always have company and I can get out and go for a walk.
    I don’t know if I came up with this myself, maybe I didn’t. I’m a sports person. I support my local team winning. If we could treat our long-term partners like we treat a football team, we would never break up. You never stop supporting your football team. No matter if you lose 10 nil every single week for a year, you would never stop supporting them. You would be annoyed with them, you’ll be angry with them, you might not want to talk about it, but you would never stop supporting them. If we could nd out what that little bit of whatever is, and put that into relationships, we would just all be happier, I feel. Relationships are work. If people think it’s not, then they’ve never been in a proper relationship. It is work. It doesn’t have to be hard work, it’s just work. You have to put the effort in.

    Jake: Are you back on the dating scene or are you taking time out for yourself?
    Danyl: At this moment I’m talking to some lovely guys and I’ve been on a few dates. I am still single. It is a scary thing to jump back into the single world and it’s a scary thing because I jump in with two feet.

    Jake: Obviously you know what it’s like before fame and after fame to date someone. Is it ever weird?
    Danyl: I’ll tell you what is quite funny – none of them mentions it.

    Jake: Really?
    Danyl: None of them mentions it at all. When we go out I will probably be stopped and probably have someone say, “Oh my god what are you doing here? Oh my god can I have a picture?” Then I look at my date like, “Did you know?” They’re like, “Yeah, I knew, I just didn’t want to say anything.” I went on a few dates with an actor before I did X Factor, and I couldn’t get it into my mind being okay with all the attention on someone else. I’ve been out with some people and some of them nd it so hard to be the person that’s ignored or to be the person that has to hold the camera. It’s the hardest thing.

  • LOOK AT ME | Chris Steed explains why he’s a zip down rather than a zip up

    LOOK AT ME | Chris Steed explains why he’s a zip down rather than a zip up

    They are arguably the funniest thing on Channel 4. Affectionately dubbed the “Gogglebox Gays”, Chris and Stephen won the hearts of the nation in that first series and despite chops and changes to the programme they’ve managed to prove they’ve got staying power. We caught up with Brighton local Chris Steed to talk Space Docking, Cher’s retirement to a garden centre and the strangest thing he’s ever heard about himself.

    Gogglebox Gays
    CREDIT: Channel 4

    DUO: CHRIS is on the right.

     

    JH: What should Cher do next?
    CHRIS: Oh, god. Oh well, Finally retire. She’s been retiring for the last ten years! I mean what do most people do when they actually retire from something? Join the National Trust and start going to garden centres like most people that retire do.

    JH: Okay, which one of the Village People, do you think would be best in bed?
    CHRIS: Oh, I would probably say the policeman. I’ll tell you why they’ve got a bit of authority, haven’t they? I always like a man in uniform. Maybe they could get the handcuffs out.

    JH: How do you feel about men in onesies?
    CHRIS: Oh I love a onesie. I’ve got a onesie. I definitely like a man in a onesie. One zip and it’s all off.

    JH: Are you a Zip Up or A Zip Down?
    CHRIS: Ooh, I think a zip down is nicer actually because you kind of work yourself down to the main bit. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I’d say a zip downer. It’s nice to see the chest first and then sort of down to, you know, the main bits.

    JH: What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever bought, apart from a house or a car?
    CHRIS: I did go on a shopping spree to Paris. I went shopping in Louis Vuitton and I ended up spending an absolute fortune so that was quite outrageous and then after I’d finished shopping at Louis Vuitton, because they gave me so much champagne, I decided to go get into a French taxi and they took me to Dolce and Gabbana and I ended up spending a fortune in there. That’s quite outrageous. I’ve worn everything and I’ve used everything apart from a three thousand pound suit that I bought. It’s teal. I’m going to use that for my wedding. I’m going to get married.

    JH: Is there actually a date planned for that yet?
    CHRIS: Yes, it’s July the eighth.

    JH: Will the hubby to be, be wearing something that matches the teal?
    CHRIS: He did turn around and say to me, “Because you just spent three thousand pounds on a Dolce and Gabbana suit, does that mean I get a Dolce and Gabbana suit for the wedding?” I said, “If you pay for it, of course.”

    Gogglebox gays
    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    JH: Tell me, do you know what space docking is?
    CHRIS: Space docking. No, idea. Is it something to do with iPads or something? I have no idea what space docking is. Are you going to tell me what space docking is?

    JH: I’ll tell you what it is. Do you want me to tell you what it is? I mean you can’t unhear it (we explain what space docking is)…
    CHRIS: Basically one man would insert his helmet into the other man’s foreskin? That’s horrible and pointless.

    JH: What’s the strangest thing you’ve read about yourself?
    CHRIS: The strangest thing, well I wouldn’t say the strangest thing, I would say the most problematic thing was the fact that Wikipedia phoned up Stephen one time and said, “Oh we just wanted to check, because we’re doing your stuff for Wikipedia, and we wanted to know what your ages are?” He made out that I was older than him. Cheeky f**ker. Because I’m five years younger than him and then I’m sure he said that he was like forty and that I was forty-six or something. I don’t really know if they’ve changed it on Wikipedia because it’s a lie. That’s probably the most outrageous thing that I’ve been made out to be older than I actually am.

    JH: We’re going to have a bit of a marry, snog and avoid situation, forgetting obviously that you’re going to get married. Boy George, George Michael and Elton John.
    CHRIS: Oh, god. I would snog Boy George, I would marry George Michael and I would avoid Elton!

    JH: Well that’s you o the Christmas card list, isn’t it? When he reads that.
    CHRIS: Funny that you say snog, marry, avoid cause me and Stephen play a game and it’s called, Lick, Suck, Screw.

    JH: Okay, well let’s try that then. Let’s see, let’s pick the leaders of the political parties in the UK. We’ve got Theresa May, we’ve got Jeremy Corbyn, and the other one is Tim Farron for Lib Dems.
    CHRIS: Oh my god.

    JH: Well, you brought it up!
    CHRIS: Oh no. I don’t want to do any of them.

    JH: Go on, Theresa May needs to know!
    CHRIS: Oh we have to lick Theresa May, probably screw Jeremy Corbyn…

    JH: and suck Tim? Brilliant! You see, you’re never going to bring that up again are you!

     

    This interview was taken from Issue 24 out November 2016.

     

    The boy’s new book We Need To Talk is out now available from Amazon from £7.48

  • LOOK AT ME | Pink Angels

    LOOK AT ME | Pink Angels

    They’re household names and pop royalty in their native Czech Republic, now the girls are making waves in the UK, with their brand new track Slay Mama. We get together to find out how camp they are…

    Pink Angels
    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    If I gave you one million euros this afternoon in unmarked notes, what would you do?
    Angee: I would probably buy a house or a flat, save something for later and give something to charity
    Natalie: I think I would buy a flat and a cool car and save some money for good purposes
    Tereza: I would buy a Chanel boy bag for every member of the band
    Nikki: I would buy a car and a flat for all of us to hang out, I would also give some to my family, some to charity, and save the rest

    Which one of the Village People would you date and why?
    Angee: Eric Anzalone (Leather Man) because he seems cool
    Natalie: Felipe Rose… (Native American) he’s hot!
    Tereza: Victor Willis! (Naval officer) He looks so nice
    Nikki: David Hodo. (Construction worker) He is cool!

    Snog Marry Avoid:  Katy Perry, Katie Price, Katie Hopkins
    Angee: Snog Katy Perry, Marry Katie Price, Avoid Katie Hopkins
    Natalie: Snog Katy Perry, Marry Katie Price, Avoid Katie Hopkins
    Tereza: Snog Katy Perry, Marry Katie Price, Avoid Katie Hopkins
    Nikki: Snog Katie Price, Marry Katy Perry, Avoid Katie Hopkins. But honestly, I only know Katy Perry so don’t take me seriously

    If you only could kiss to one song forever more which would it be: Mr Blobby’s  Mr Blobby, Celine’s All By Myself or Aqua’s Barbie Girl?
    Angee: Barbie Girl!
    Natalie: All By Myself
    Tereza: Barbie Girl, 100%!
    Nikki: Celine’s All By Myself

    Who is your favourite Kardashian?
    Angee: Kendall! She’s so pretty and I like her behavior
    Natalie: Kendall Jenner
    Tereza: Kendall, she’s the prettiest one
    Nikki: Kendall all the way!

    What are the ultimate ingredients to recording a “gay anthem”?
    Angee: Dance and fun!
    Natalie: Good clothes and fun

    Champagne is…
    Angee: Drink. I’m not allowed to drink
    Natalie: Drink. I’m finally allowed to drink, but I still don’t like the taste
    Tereza: Sorry, I’m not 18. I don’t know what champagne is!
    Nikki: Nice for special occasions

    What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
    Angee: Take a long hot shower and drink a hot tea
    Natalie: Turn on some good and easy going music
    Tereza: I’m on my phone on Snapchat and Instagram
    Nikki: Brush my teeth and eat breakfast

    What should Madonna do next?
    Angee: Invite us to her party
    Natalie: Write a song about me!
    Tereza: A song with Pink Angels
    Nikki: Another world tour! She was the first artist I saw perform

    What are your thoughts of men in onesies?
    Angee: Fun and cute
    Natalie: I have never seen a guy in a onesie so I have no idea
    Tereza: I think it’s cool. I also have a onesie and it’s the most comfortable thing ever
    Nikki: Awww, cute!

    Lastly, in the song ‘Slay Mama’, you ask what is the boy gonna do with his “record scratch” what is the best thing for a boy to do with his ahem… “record scratch”!
    Angee: Haha! I like this question. It’s actually a secret, I can’t say but we all know what the meaning was!
    Natalie: You will never know…
    Tereza: I can’t tell you! It’s a secret!
    Nikki: Haha! It’s supposed to be “with your sh*t” so I guess they shouldn’t do stupid sh*t.

    Follow Pink Angels on Twitter

    Download their single Slay Mama on Amazon and  iTunes