Thursday, May 29
CBS, 7p.m.
Last season saw the greatest level of gay participation yet in THE AMAZING RACE: with three gay-inclusive teams: a Father and Gay Son Team, a Straight and Gay Brothers Team, and a WILL & GRACE Gay Guy / Straight Female Best Friend team. This season opens with two gay-inclusive teams: Chip and Reichen, a gay married couple from Beverly Hills, and Tian and Jaree, The Lesbian/Straight Actress/ Model Team.
Oddly, Tian's bio does not say directly that she is lesbian, and 'her team' is quoted as saying, 'We like to run our mouths, lay out by the pool and check out hot guys.' It is only in Jaree's bio that we learn of Tian's preference: 'Jaree was disappointed when she found out that Tian 'likes girls.' Jaree got over it, but admits that if Tian ever hit on her, it'd be over between them.' No mention is made of Tian's being lesbian in the opening episode
Chip and Reichen are more up front—although not out to their fellow contestants. Interestingly, when the series identifies Chip and Reichen in the opening credits and throughout the series, they make a point to identify them with the simple equalizing caption MARRIED. Their two identifying shots in the weekly opening credits also includes one of them propelling themselves straight up out of a swimming pool in Speedos!
Reichen, 28, is a pilot and teaches at a flight school in Los Angeles. A former U.S. Air Force officer and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he loves skiing and flying. He describes himself as 'detail-oriented, caring and thrill-seeking.' He speaks French and has traveled internationally. Reichen's views on relationship are much more liberal than Chip's—he enjoys flirting with other guys, but that makes Chip upset. Reichen likens himself to Ben Affleck—'intense'—and says Chip is like Bruce Willis: 'steady and true.' Reichen says he never procrastinates; he gets things done NOW.
'I have a personal vendetta against all the times I've been made to feel inadequate because I'm gay,' Reichen says in the opening episode. 'I'm not going to be made to feel that way on this race.'
Chip, 36, is the president of a media company that mainly produces music-related projects. He attended Yale and Harvard Business School. He loves hiking in the mountains and participating in triathlons. He describes himself as 'determined, free-thinking and mindful.' He says he is like Winston Churchill: 'steady ... never say no; anything is possible.' Chip lived in Hong Kong for three years, in Paris for six months and in London for two years.
'We cemented our relationship in the traditional manner that heterosexual couple would,' Chip explains of their decision to get married.
In the opening episode, Chip and Reichen wonder about the effect if they come out to the Straight Best Friends team, David and Jeff, with whom they form a brief alliance. When Chip and Reichen do a favor by allowing the Overweight Married Parents Team, Debra and Steve, to stay in their hotel room, which has a double bed and twin beds, Debra wonders, 'Do you have a feeling the boys want to sleep together? I think they planned for the singles, but I'm not sure.'
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
ALL MY CHILDREN (ABC, noon) Bianca is still refusing to forgive Lena for her lies and deceptions ...
DAWSON'S CREEK (WB, 7 p.m.) Repeat of the Series Finale: Jack (Kerr Smith) ends up with Pacey's closeted older brother Doug (Dylan Neal), the Capeside sherriff. Must See for two hot kiss scenes.
ROSIE O'DONNELL ON JAY LENO (NBC, 10:35 p.m.). Repeat.
THURSDAY, MAY 29
SEX 2K: GAY CRUISES (MTV, 5 p.m.)
PRIME TIME GLICK (COM, 7 p.m.) Jason Alexander and Mel Brooks.
WILL AND GRACE (NBC, 8 p.m) Repeat: Will and Jack try to do a make-over for Karen's frumpy gay cousin Barry (Dan Futterman).
E. R. (NBC, 9 p.m.) Repeat: Kerry's (Laura Innes) television appearance does not go well.
SATURDAY, MAY 31
SOLDIER'S GIRL (SHO, 8 p.m.) Jane Fonda's son Troy Garity plays Barry Winchell, the soldier at Fort Campbell, Ky., who was bludgeoned to death by fellow soldiers over his affair with a nightclub performer (Lee Pace), who is in the middle of undergoing a sex-change operation.
SUNDAY, JUNE 1
THE MATTHEW SHEPARD STORY (Bravo, 1:15 p.m.)
SIX FEET UNDER (HBO, 8 p.m.) The Season Finale. After weeks of conflict, David and Keith connect in in church.
NO QUEER AS FOLK THIS WEEK
Gay Boy Ric is a comedian and pop singer based in L.A. To receive free GTV E-Mail Alerts: gayboyric@yahoo.com
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