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  • FILM REVIEW | Magic Mike XXL

    The Kings of Tampa are back! The men, strippers from the 2012 film Magic Mike, return with a sequel – Magic Mike XXL – and they are back with a bang!

    Magic Mike XXL reunites Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer and the rest of the cast from the hit film about male strippers and picks up the story three years later after Mike has left the world of stripping. He’s got his own furniture business but it’s not doing too well. So when the former Kings of Tampa look him up on the way to a stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, Mike (Tatum) can’t resist the pull to go back to stripping, and to reunite with his buddies. So what takes place is a male stripper road movie with scenes that allow all of the men to display their fine physical goods.

    And these scenes are hot. In one, reminiscent of Jennifer Beal’s dance scene in the film Flashdance, with sparks flying all around, Mike does the same in his garage, a freestyle solo that proves he’s still got it. Once on the road, we are treated to the men’s misadventures, to be voyeurs in their exhibitionism, with a front row seat. First stop, a gay bar in Jacksonville where the drag queen emcee asks members of the audience if they want to participate in an amateur strip contest. Of course our men enter and wow the crowd. After, they find themselves at a beach party, where Mike has an encounter with Zoe (Amber Heard), who takes his picture while he is urinating.

    Big Dick (Manganiello) get his big showy number when he performs, on the spot, for a shocked but very lucky female gas station attendant. You’ll never look at a bag of Cheetos the same way again.

    A stop at private club Domina, Mike’s pre-Tampa stomping ground, transforms the movie into a breathtaking and intensely sexual film. You see, Domina’s female customers are treated to in-your-face male strip shows, and these strip shows are like ones you’ve never ever seen before on film. It’s here that Mike re-encounters Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith) the proprietress, and a woman from his past.
    It you’re out of breath at this point (trust me, you will be) there’s lots more. The men wind up at the home of Nancy (Andie MacDowell), a recently divorced sexy and flirtatious woman in her early 50s, and the rapport between Nancy and her female friends and the men is very palpable, very real, you can cut the sexual tension between the men and the women with a knife.
    It’s at the Myrtle Beach stripper convention where the film comes to a climax. Each man gets to perform his own unique dance, for a room full of ladies, and perform they do. Tatum strips all the way down to a shiny jockstrap, while the other men do their own special routines, one which includes chocolate sauce and whipped cream, and another one involves a sling. Various ladies from the audience are lucky enough to be chosen as part of the act. And Tatum chooses Zoe to be in his act, performing on her on stage in every position imaginable.
    Directed by the same man who directed the campy Liberace film “Behind the Candelabra,” Gregory Jacobs brings a stylised nuance to Magic Mike XXL, where the long dance scenes take a life of their own. And the male stars of this film really put themselves out there, hell, they’ve all got the bodies, so why not? And for the female actresses who were chosen to be performed on in various scenes of this film, we can assume they were not just acting, but were also extremely enjoying themselves. So will you.

  • INTERVIEW | Sir Ian and Sir Derek… Will they say I DO?

    The new 6 part series returns viewers back into the boisterous world of Freddie Thornhill (played by Ian McKellen) and Stuart Bixby (played by Derek Jacobi) as we follow more of their adventures and mishaps.

    The loving (and bickering) couple of over 50 years soon discover it’s all change amongst their close circle of friends. Violet (played by Frances de la Tour) has married a mystery man who now seems to have gone AWOL. Ash (played by Iwan Rheon) is all loved up with new girlfriend Jess (played by guest star Georgia King). And ditzy Penelope (played by Marcia Warren) and no nonsense Mason (played by Philip Voss) continue to be baffled by everyone around them.

    We catch up with Sirs Ian and Derek to talk about changing perceptions of gay people on TV and saying I Love You to another man.

    TGUK: Was it a very easy decision for you to come back for a second series?
    IM: Yes, although I can’t remember how it happened, really! There was talk about it and you wonder, “Oh, do I want to get on with something else?”, but then the moment arrives and it was so obvious that we had to do it. No question. If there was a third series, I expect we’d be ready to say “yes” again. It’s a very fun show to do.

    TGUK: What difference does it make to film in front of a live studio audience?
    IM: With the live audience, and all the actors acting out to the audience a little bit, there’s something rather theatrical about it.

    TGUK: How would you describe the tone of Vicious?
    IM: It’s deliberately old-fashioned as part of the joke. It reminds you very much of sitcoms like I Love Lucy.
    Our writer Gary JaneB knows the tradition of sitcoms very well. He has been involved in Will & Grace, which is one of the later versions of that. So yes, it’s old fashioned and it’s meant to be.

    It’s about some old people for a start, so isn’t that rather suitable? But on the other hand, the fun of it is that the characters you’ve got in this are not characters you normally see in a standard sitcom.
    Two of them are gay, there is a woman whose juices are still flowing, and a young man who loves hanging around with gay men, although he’s straight himself. These are original ideas, so in that sense it’s actually not old fashioned at all.

    TGUK: What reaction did you have from the first series?
    IM: Very good and in my experience, I think the audience is quite young, but also middle aged and older people – gay and straight people too. I think it’s quite wide ranging and it’s a family show. There are people who absolutely adore it with a passion.

    TGUK: Do you think Vicious can change homophobic stereotypes?
    IM: For Freddie and Stuart to say, “I love you” to each other, which they do quite seriously is a complete breakthrough. But I don’t think you know at the time if something’s really breaking through. It’s only years later and you look back and say “That broke though the walls”.

    It’s not the prime function of Vicious to change the world. Our first duty is to make people chuckle, giggle and laugh out loud. And tune in because they’ve enjoyed it and want more next week.
    But there are those of us to whom it’s important that we know there’s something a bit subversive going on that is perhaps changing people’s attitudes a little bit. Or at least recognising that attitudes are changing around the world.

    TGUK: What difference does it make to you as an actor, to film in front of a live studio audience?
    DJ: Well, it’s the first time Ian and I have done it, and I think at first we weren’t sure who to play to: the audience, or the camera?

    But I think we have solved that now, and the answer is a bit of both.

    It’s lovely to have the audience there. We are aware that they have to sit there for three hours.

    It’s a bit of a marathon for the studio audience but they have been very, very good and stayed and responded wonderfully, we’ve been very lucky.

    TGUK: Is that an extra pressure, to keep them entertained as well as making a show?
    DJ: Yes, it is really. It’s a combination of that fear that you get at the theatre, as well as the thought of millions who are watching at home through the camera.

    Fortunately, though, we are allowed to make mistakes, and sometimes the mistakes are better than the show!

    The audience feels part of the creativity of the evening when we say, “You know how you laughed the first time? We have to do it again, so please laugh again”.

    And thankfully they do.

    TGUK: Was it an easy decision to come back for a second series?
    DJ: Oh yes, completely easy, I loved doing the first series. Right from the moment they first phoned me to tell me the idea for the sitcom a few years ago I loved it.
    Neither Ian or I had done sitcom before and nobody had to talk us into it. We both wanted to do it.

    And this is one step beyond comedy; this is farcical.

    TGUK: Are there any funny scenes that stand out for you from this series, that you can tell us about?
    DJ: Well, there is one where we go to the gym and look absolutely ridiculous. And another scene in the ballroom where we are even more so.

    I had this beautiful sequinned waistcoat, it was very lovely, and Ian comes on in a costume from CATS with a huge tail and looks wonderful.

    We leave the house a little more open in this series also.

    TGUK: Do you think Freddie and Stuart will ever marry?
    DJ: That will certainly be an option for them now that the law has changed. We’ll have to see!

    Certainly there is talk of weddings in this series but I won’t say anymore than that. Whether anything actually takes place you’ll have to wait and see.

    Funnily enough when the series goes out in America on the PBS channel, it goes out on a Sunday night, the same night that Last Tango in Halifax goes out. So at 8 o’clock I am married to Anne Reid, and at 10 o’clock I am nearly married to Ian McKellen, which is nice.

    TGUK: Would you like a wedding to happen between them, to normalise gay marriage on television?
    DJ: Yes, it would be a very potent symbol. Marriage is not for all couples, and I’m not married, but for Freddie and Stuart I think that could potentially be very important, and it would also be a symbol of progress made.

    The immediate image that comes to mind when you talk about a wedding is, dare, I say, not a suit but a dress.

    That is getting better because homosexuality is now so much part of everybody’s lives.

    But this sitcom is not just about being gay, it’s about age, it’s about relationships.
    It’s about friendship and it is about acceptance and devotion.

    So whether they do or don’t, there is still a good message at its heart.

  • ADVICE | I Was Drunk And He Barebacked Me Can I Get PEP?

    In our latest letter to our online clinic, one reader asks about getting PEP or Post-exposure prophylaxis after having bareback sex.

    I Was Drunk And He Barebacked Me Can I Get PEP?

    Dear TGUK,
    I recently hooked up with a guy I know to be promiscuous, we got drunk and he ended up f**king me bareback and I had some blood down there the next day. I’m desperate to get PrEP, as even though he says he’s HIV negative, how can I be sure? I don’t normally take risks, but this time I slipped up.
    Please help!
    Sam (name changed)

     

    Hi Sam,

    If you’re worried about your status you should visit a sexual health clinic right away or an A&E department, who also can prescribe the Post-exposure prophylaxis drugs (PEP). It is a course of drugs which lasts up to 28 days. It is effective at stopping the HIV virus up 72 hours after exposure.

    You will need to explain to the doctors why you think you need the treatment and they will assess the likelihood of your exposure to the virus.

    Bareback sex carries high risk to HIV exposure, but also to a variety of other infections, which can all be very nasty and may not show symptoms. You say that the guy said that he was HIV negative, but when was the last time he was tested and was he telling the truth? You can never be sure, which is why it’s important for you to take responsibility for your own health. If he’s had unprotected sex with you and you say he’s known for being promiscuous the likelihood of him having unprotected sex with others is very high.

    Make sure you ask your doctor or sexual health professional about the side-effects of PEP.

    As for the blood you mentioned, the anus is filled with veins and delicate capillaries, which can get damaged during sex. You may want to check that you don’t have piles and if you do there are many over the counter remedies for these. If you’re worried or concerned see your GP.

    Remember unless you 100% trust someone wrap it up.

    Visiting a sex health clinic is an important part of life, taking responsibility for your health and for others you’re having sex with. Making regular visits every six months to once a year is suggested if you’re sexually active.

    Did you know you can order an at-home HIV test online? Click here to buy one

    ALSO READ: Why does my foreskin smell?

    ALSO READ: Do I wank too much?

     

    The advice given in this article is for guidance only and you should always seek your own independent, professional medical advice from your own GP if you are concerned about your health.  

     

    OTHER QUESTIONS: HIV | WILLY WONDERS | HOLES | DOING IT | STIs | LUMPS & BUMPS | BACK TO SEX CLINIC HOME PAGE

     

    Got a problem you’d like advice on?

  • Marc Jacobs Accidentally Flashes His Penis To The WORLD

    Out fashion designer, Marc Jacobs has accidentally flashed his penis and bum to the world via Instagram.

    Whoops. The fashion designer uploaded a picture of his ass and butt to his 197,000 followers on Instagram before swiftly removing it. The picture was accompanied with the message, “Yours to try…”
    The picture, which is now doing the rounds, was quickly removed, but not before lightening quick responses of his fan base, some of whom screen grabbed it and shared it on Gawker. Because the picture is just a torso (and bum and penis) Gawker verified the picture by pointing out that Jacobs was wearing the same ring and holding the same picture has another selfie on Jacob’s timeline.
    You can see the uncut version, although (judging by the selfie, Mr Jacobs is indeed cut…) version over at Gawker
    Just days before the upload Marc had complained on Instagram that he was “always a bridesmaid never a bride”, so perhaps this is mating call? Word to the wise, this is what Grindr is for…

  • THEATRE REVIEW: wonder.land, Manchester International Festival

    ★★★★ | wonder.land, Manchester International Festival

    Now in its tenth year, the Manchester International Festival is a biannual showcase for newly commissioned work by leading artists from all around the world.

    One of 2015’s biggest shows is wonder.land, a new musical featuring music by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame.

    wonder.land, a new take on the classic story of Alice In Wonderland, tells the story of Aly. Aly is a lonely teenage girl, recently moved to a new area after the bitter split of her parents. Bullied at school and feeling neglected by her mother due to her baby brother, one day she stumbles across wonder.land, a website promising escape into a virtual world. Creating an avatar called Alice, in this world, Ali makes new friends and some refuge from her loneliness until the day her headmistress, Ms. Manxome confiscates her mobile phone and she is denied access to the game. Before long, Aly finds herself fighting for her existence in the game after her identity is stolen and her virtual friends turn against her.

    The story of Alice in Wonderland has long been one of the most loved and iconic of children’s books. This version, with themes of online gambling addiction, bullying and fractured families is a fiercely contemporary adaption. Elements of the Lewis Caroll tale remain but with a modern twist. For example, the Mad Hatter becomes Matt Hatton, Aly’s recovering gaming addict dad with a history of mental illness.

    If this sounds all a bit worthy then luckily wonder.land has enough sly wit and playfulness to prevent it feel like a preachy night at the theatre. The innovative design, mixing 3 dimensional back projection with moveable sets creating the two different worlds of the show also added a huge amount of visual excitement.

    wonder.land is not without flaws. The music, a combination of traditional musical theatre orchestration and electronica is pleasant if not especially memorable and the big climatic showdown between Ali and the villainous Ms Manxome feels rather rushed. This is not to deny however that this is a bold, exciting and original piece of work.

    In a strong ensemble cast, it was Anna Francolini who was the performance of the evening as Ms Manxome, this version’s Red Queen. Ms Manxome is an old fashioned big barnstormer of a role that it’s very easy to see musical theatre actresses of a certain age fighting to play. Francolini attacks the part with swagger and enormous charisma.

    Special mention must also go to Rosalie Craig in the lead role of Ali, who brings huge quantities of vulnerability to her performance matched by a strong singing voice. Her complicated relationships with her parents and budding friendship with Luke, himself a target for homophobic bullying, are affecting and powerfully portrayed.

    For all it’s modern trappings, at its heart wonder.land is a story about family and the quest for self-esteem. Lewis Carroll purists may very well hate it but plenty other will relate to its warmth, wit and the timeless themes under the hi-tech surface.

    wonderland
    Palace Theatre, Manchester
    2nd to 12th July 2015

  • London Gay and Drag Pub Up For Sale

    After a spate of closures on London’s gay scene Molly Moggs is up for sale.

    The popular Molly Moggs pub on the corner of Old Compton Street and Charing Cross Road is apparently up for sale according to GayStarNews.
    The Alan Sugar owned pub’s leasehold is up for grabs for £275,000, however, the pub’s staff has not been told about the pub’s future.

    Molly Moggs is set in a listed building so only the leasehold is available to purchase and it is likely to remain a pub because of the licensing conditions, this is not a guarantee that it will remain a gay venue once new owners are found.

    According to GSN, the listing for the pub suggests, “An initial discreet viewing on a customer basis is required. Staff are unaware and should not be approached.”

    The London gay scene has seen a number of venues close. The Black Cap, The Joiners Arms, Barcode, The Green Carnation are just some of the businesses which have been shuttered in recent years.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Bend It Like Beckham

    ★★★★★ | Bend It Like Beckham

    Does a musical version of the hit film “Bend it Like Beckham” work? You bet it does!

    The plot from the film is successfully transformed into a fantastic singing and dancing musical with a clever set, memorable songs, superb costumes and an excellent cast.

    Natalie Dew is amazing as Jess, a young woman coming of age in a Sikh household in the Asian community of Southall, London in 2002. She loves the game of football, enough so that she’s got two large posters of David Beckham in her bedroom.

    One day Jess is spotted playing football by Jules (Lauren Samuels, playing the Keira Knightley role from the film) who plays for the Hounslow Harriers team. Jess goes along to one of the team’s practices where coach Joe (Jamie Campbell Bowen) takes in interest in her playing, as well as in her, and Jess decides to play for the team, without telling her parents. She knows that her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bhamra (Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke), will forbid her from playing the game that she absolutely loves.

    Coach Joe feels that Jess is good enough to make the England team, and along with Jules, they urge her to stay in the game, even after her parents do find out. Meanwhile, Jess’s older sister Pinky (Preeya Kalidas) is about to get married to a man whose family thinks that Pinky is not suitable for their son. But all Mr. and Mrs. Bhamra want is the best for their daughters, they worked hard and have provided a good life for them and they want them to continue to live, and follow, their traditional Sikh life. But Jesse has a dream, and she wants to play for England, but will her parents stop her from fulfilling this dream?

    To say Bend it Like Beckham is a feel good show is an understatement. From start to finish we are treated to a very vibrant and colourful spectacle, the likes which we haven’t seen in the West End in a long time. And the cast is perfect. Drew brings just the right amount of vulnerability and youthness to the role of Jess – it’s like the part was specifically written for her. Kalidas as Pinky brings the show punch, sass, and vavavoom. Jamel Andreas is very good as Jess’s best friend Tony who is perfect for Jess, perhaps too perfect. Other standouts include Sophie-Louise Dann as Jule’s blond mom, she’s sassy, funny and a blond bombshell. And Rekha Sawhney beautifully sings a traditional wedding song called, Sadaa Chardhdi Kalaa that will mesmerize you.

    Gurinder Chadha, who wrote and directed the movie, which is set in the pre 9/11 era, also wrote (with Paul Mayeda Berges) and directed this stage version. She’s captured the spirit of Jess and her love of the game that most British people can relate to, and has given us a show that at no point gets boring or drags – it’s dialogue is very witty yet very dramatic. And the whole cast do wonders with it, and with the set that changes from a shopping street, to Mr. and Mrs. Bhamra’s living room, to an actual football field, all cleverly done. And the show wouldn’t have the name ‘Beckham’ in it if he didn’t make an appearance. The actual David Beckham is NOT in the show, but a lookalike is (along with a Victoria Beckham lookalike).

    Let’s hope the real David Beckham goes to see it, he will absolutely love it.

    Bend it Like Beckham is playing at The Phoenix Theatre.

  • Welsh Lib Dems Say Transgender Action Plan Does Not Go Far Enough

    The Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed the Welsh Government’s trans action plan, brought about by the party’s landmark debate, but says it falls short on many key issues.

    In November 2014, the Welsh Lib Dems led a landmark Assembly debate on issues faced by trans people in Wales – the first debate of its kind. The party’s motion, which was backed by the Welsh Government and all parties, called for action to improve the provision of public services for all Welsh trans people.

    The Transgender Action Plan, launched today for consultation by the Welsh Government, does not specifically mention provision for a gender identity clinic in Wales nor creation of LGBT+ safe housing – two key issued raised by Welsh Lib Dem AMs during the debate.
    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said:

    “I’m delighted that the Welsh Lib Dems’ landmark debate has resulted in positive action to improve the lives of trans people in Wales. However, there is much to be wanted from what’s been launched today.

    “During our debate, Welsh Lib Dem AMs raised specific concerns about the lack of a gender identity clinic and LGBT safe housing in Wales. Despite listening to these problems and promising to address them, there’s no specific mention of either issue in this document. We will be making our views on this clear as we respond to the consultation.

    “Labour Ministers seem more focused on ensuring inclusivity in the public services already provided, rather than addressing the gaps in trans-specific services where Wales falls short. While inclusivity is of course vital, I had hoped we’d see something a bit more ambitious from the Welsh Government.”

  • Out singer Duncan James Looks Hot In His Rainbow Glasses

    Former teen heartthrob and now fully-fledged man band god, Duncan James shows off his rainbow glasses at London’s gay pride.

    (more…)

  • COMMENT | How I Learned To Stop Worring And Love Kylie

    My mini joke was always that it was a homo crime for which I could have my Gay Card confiscated.

    And there have been times in the company of my peers I’ve been the odd queer out. But the truth is I never was a Kylie fan. Quite the opposite in fact.

    My personal opinion was that she was the poster girl for all that was bad in your average gay CD collection. And I was way hipper than that. My taste veers between skinny white kids with guitars to tortured hip hop ghetto types to electronic artists that are barely household names in their own households.

    By comparison Kylie Minogue always felt a bit, well, naff. From my cooler than thou music bunker, I had ruled years ago that she was kiddie pop sung mainly through her nose by a now middle aged ex soap star. Move on, nowt to see here…

    Anyway, with heavy heart then I accompanied my Kylie lovin’ other half to Hyde Park to watch her headining the BST Festival. When I say heavy heart, Grace Jones and Chic were on the bill, both acts that put a nicely designed tick in my hipster music box, so on paper it was not going to be a total waste of a day. Though of course as the selfless boyfriend I am, I would have to tolerate Minogue.

    Grace and Chic were excellent. Predictably so. I kind of knew that before both played a single note. But I digress. For this is not a column singing the praises of the support acts. Oh no. This is me relating the tale of just how I became a Kylie convert.

    The trade off of the big name summer outdoor gigs is always high ticket prices, restricted view due to distance from the stage in a huge area (we were not that far back but still felt like we were standing somewhere in Essex) and the sense that they are more about corporate interest and sponsorship than musical quality. At BST in Hyde Park all of this was on show. And yet…

    It was roughly three songs in, during the glorious glitter ball rush of Wow it clicked. I “got’’ Kylie. Yes, it’s a simple formula on paper; keep the BPM high and hit the chorus at full throttle. It is however brutally effective.

    Plus as my other half so succinctly put it at her strongest, the biggest surprise is that thanks to some clever state of the art production Kylie sounds both ultra contemporary and like the future. Simmering beneath the pop sheen of a Can’t Get You Out Of My Head or a Get Outta My Way is something darker and quietly subversive.

    In a royal park on a summer Sunday night amongst the heavy branding of credit card company sponsorship, the moment the harsh electronic rhythm of Slow was cranked up, as heavy as anything in underground EDM became a mass communal moment.

    Then there is Kylie herself. After several decades in the business, it seems fairly redundant to say she is a polished performer. But likability without blandness is no mean feat to pull off. Unlike her contemporaries, the grim determination and often joylessness of Madonna for example, Minogue comes across as hugely likeable. Niceness is pop stars is so rare that in her case it feels refreshing rather that forced or insincere.

    I will always struggle to stay in the room for The Locomotion and I Should Be So Lucky still is the wrong side of cringeworthy. But after years and years of dismissing her, I can honestly say I have found corners of her back catalogue I genuinely love.

    Until the next time KM.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Non Observant Bigot Accuses NBC Of Turning Its Logo Gay

    NBC… You know the logo right? The brightly coloured peacock with its feathers, well one irate social media user blasted the corporation for changing its logo for pride.

    A Mr. Stair wrongly slammed NBC owned KARK 4, for changing its logo and argued that NBC’s integrity was in shatters after he assumed that they had changed their logo to the “colors of the gays”.

    He blasted the station saying,

    “Your changing your station logo with the colors of gays is a disgrace,”

    “Just stay out of it… Your integrity is ruined… ABC KATV is my choice in the future for all Little Rock station viewing… Shame on you!”

    Of course, Stair was neatly put back in his place after failing to notice that the NBC peacock logo and its brightly coloured feathers has been part of the network’s identity since 1957.

    Kark 4 News, a network owned by NBC wrote him back saying,

    “We didn’t change our logo Don. Same logo as always.”

    Of course many corporations change their logos and products to include the iconic rainbow flag for pride season. Some do it better than others…

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