By Romeo San Vicente
Shankman and Sandler Tell Bedtime Stories
Gay director Adam Shankman has one of the summer's most anticipated movies coming up, with his big-screen adaptation of the smash Broadway musical Hairspray. But in the meantime, he's hardly coasting on his laurels. Shankman will team up with comedy superstar Adam Sandler for Bedtime Stories, which will star Sandler as a stressed-out real estate developer whose world goes topsy-turvy when the stories he makes up for his niece and nephew begin to come true. Sandler, of course, will next be seen as a straight New York City fireman who 'marries' his equally hetero co-worker Kevin James for the benefits ( no, not those benefits ) in the upcoming comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Bedtime Stories, which Sandler will also produce, will be told to audiences at Christmas in 2008.
The Wachowskis Rev Up Speed Racer
After The Matrix and V for Vendetta, the Wachowskis could hardly go bigger, stranger, or wilder for their next project, lest they wind up with a movie so outrageously visionary and out of this world that only dogs could hear it. But the hit-making siblings - one can't really call them 'brothers' anymore, since Larry is reportedly somewhere in the MTF transitioning process - will no doubt deliver plenty of action with their adaptation of the hit Japanese cartoon Speed Racer. Emile Hirsch ( who played the gay lead in The Mudge Boy and was last seen in Alpha Dog ) will have the title role, and John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are in talks to play Speed's parents. No word on when Speed Racer will vroom its way into theaters.
Heidi Fleiss Brings Her All-Male Brothel to TV
Documentarians Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato are fearlessly eclectic when it comes to their choice of subject matter. Since breaking through with the 1998 documentary Party Monster, they have examined everything from Tammy Faye Bakker to rent boys, showbiz flops to transgender teens, gays in Hollywood to gay Republicans. Now the directors of Inside Deep Throat are following infamous 'Hollywood Madam' Heidi Fleiss out to Nevada to document her opening of an all-male brothel. Alas, Heidi's Stud Farm caters exclusively to a female clientele, but what gay man wouldn't want a peek behind the scenes at a tomcat-house? No word on when the as-yet-untitled documentary will premiere, but if you aren't already an HBO subscriber, this might be an enticement to become one.
Idol Straightens Up
American Idol brings an almost subversively queer tone to prime-time TV, with viewers speculating about which of the contestants might be gay ( the current season offers no shortage of candidates ) to wondering when Ryan and Simon will stop bickering and just kiss already. But now that an Idol-esque program is airing in China, there are significant changes afoot. In a mandate that might as well read 'Quit flouncing it up, Mary,' the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television demanded that the show Happy Boys Voice ( an all-male follow-up to Super Girls Voice ) include 'no weirdness, no vulgarity, no low taste,' and no shots of either screaming fans or teary-eyed losing contestants. Oh, and the judges are prohibited 'from mocking or humiliating contestants.' Can we at least send them Paula Abdul to lighten things up?
Romeo San Vicente was voted out of his own shower for his 'pitchy' rendition of Hollaback Girl. He can be reached at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com .
