(JESSE on the BRINK) F&*#@! PHEW!

by Jesse Archer

Obama Re-Elected! The people have spoken, the 1950s can go back to bed and my heart will go on...

What's more? Marriage equality for the very first time has succeeded at the ballot. Minnesota, Maine, and Washington State where I'm proud to say my awesome parents helped make equality victorious.

One Republican had his concession speech all ready to roll on the HuffPo, in a piece about how the conservative media got it wrong with all those bloated polls showing the entire country covered in red.  I particularly liked this post from the comment thread:

(JESSE on the BRINK) Happy Halloween!

by Jesse Archer

Scrape them pumpkin guts!

(JESSE on the BRINK) Love Your Lamas!

by Jesse Archer

Backpacking across South America and living inside of shoeboxes around Manhattan provided me with a crucial ability to edit. I travel with only a carry-on, and that's all I had while i was over in the States. That's not entirely true as my mom did generously take a few things to mail me in Sydney, marking the first time her impeccable hand has carved the words "studded bra" on a customs form....

(JESSE on the BRINK) Remembering Kyle!

by Jesse Archer

With what's left of my heart, I mourn the passing of my friend and co-star Kyle Spidle. He brought the character of Mac in Half-Share alive with truth and humor. He played a newcomer to Fire Island, shocked by his outrageous new housemates. Over the course of the film, our characters warm toward each other, but the warmth I felt toward Kyle, like so many others who knew him, was immediate.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Truth and Dare!

by Jesse Archer

I was partying in Los Angeles with my pal Andreas in June when we passed a man outside a medical van who asked if we wanted to come in and take a rapid HIV test. Right there on Santa Monica Blvd!  It would only take 15 minutes and not the former (or usual, in Australia) week of anguish, and I had just enough liquid whimsy to say yes. I entered that van like Hansel & Gretel peered into the oven, and as a kindly nurse pricked my finger, I turned to Andreas to say, "This could very possibly ruin my night..."

 Now you could very possibly ruin your night, or that of one of your closest friends! Planning a get together? Birthday? Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Put down the kazoos, confetti, and elegant ice sculptures, there's a new party favor in town. Yes, the FDA has just approved the rapid, at-home HIV testing kit.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Queens of the Lake!

by Jesse Archer

Best thing to do after baking in the desert heat of Burning Man? Jump in a lake! Dylan and I drove to Utah and joined several new friends on a houseboat in gorgeous Lake Powell. Located on Utah's border with Arizona (red states, blue waters), Lake Powell is like a fabulously flooded Grand Canyon.

Chris and David (they met in the Air Force and have been together 17 years) generously hosted us and put lots of time, energy and love into planning this big trip. Boating, waterskiing, tubing, body painting, gourmet meals, cliff jumping - even professional pole dancing (show us how it's done, Andy!) on our massive houseboat.

There was even Bam, live from Australia!

(Jesse on the Brink) The Man Burns in 350 Days!

by Jesse Archer

Still trying to process the sensory overload that was Burning Man 2012. Or was it a religious retreat? Radical self-reliance, radical self-expression, and radical inclusion in a culture of unparalleled awesomeness that appears but one week a year, and vanishes without a trace. "Welcome home!"

(JESSE on the BRINK) Into the Wild West!

by Jesse Archer

WELCOME, WYOMING!! The Grand Tetons are hazy from forest fires in nearby Idaho. The smoke makes for amazing sunsets. Los Angeles - you know what I'm talking about!

Here in Jackson loving all the quirks that make the west still wild. Nobody locks doors (their cars or homes), I've been staying with my buddy Jade and his amazing hound Reggie and riding on the back of his Harley motorcycle without a helmet -pfft, not required. I met a guy at the local hangout, the BIRD, and Jade tells me he's homeless, a drifter. Under a barstool, I see his rolled up sleeping bag. And what about all the southerners (with their thick drawls) overheard all over town? I'm told Wyoming is a popular destination for the gallant south. "They're rich... and they like to fish." 

(JESSE on the BRINK) Hollywood: Liza Minnelli, Pool Parties and Pals!

by Jesse Archer

I thought the heavens might rain glitter seeing Liza Minnelli at the Hollywood Bowl. Also known as the gayest thing ever. As my pal Matt Breen put it, "If Liza dies on stage, we can dine out on the story the rest of our LIVES!"  

Ronnie Kroell ( co-star from Into the Lion's Den) and Matt Breen.

She arrived 45 minutes late and a lot sweaty. Then she proceeded to sing songs nobody knew, and consistently talk about Marvin Hamlisch, the recently deceased composer of A Chorus Line. He became such a talking point that every time she mentioned "Marvin", we all took a shot of wine.

If only we could have done that on the set of Sex and the City 2 for her 4-day "All the Shingle Ladies" scene! The best I ever saw Liza was catching her show at the Palace... but this? We had a blast, despite Liza! What good is sitting alone in your room?

(JESSE on the BRINK) Dolores and Joys of San Francisco!

by Jesse Archer

This blog has become not much more than a travel recap this season. I haven't had the right moment, headspace or situation to sit down and write anything thoughtful, but since I stopped keeping journals (and since I feel like if I don't write it down it might not have actually happened)... here is my trip to San Francisco!

Here's the thing about San Francisco - not only is it beautiful, you will NEVER be the most disturbed, degenerate or delinquent person around no matter how hard you try. That alone makes it an uplifting place to visit. Then there are the random conversations, like this overheard at Dolores Park: "I can't tell if those hot guys are guys I've already slept with or guys I plan to sleep with." Pause. Someone else answers: "Do you think option 2 could insinuate option 1?"

(JESSE on the BRINK) Gone Rural!

by Jesse Archer

Spending some time relaxing with my parents in rural Washington state, surrounded by pine needles and fresh air. It's a beautiful time of year to chill out and Mt. Adams is looking mighty majestic.

The mountain has a lot of snow for this time of year which means the water's high. We went hillbilly rafting down the fast-flowing creek and punctured both air mattresses.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Fire Island Invasion 2012 Photos!

by Jesse Archer

We've watched the drag queen invasion for YEARS, but finally got ourselves together to participate. Every year on July 4th, a rainbow boatload of queens invades the Fire Island Pines harbor to great fanfare. We raided the drag box and used our imagination. CoolDan and I went as "Miss Universe and her Pet Dragon".

(JESSE on the BRINK) Surviving My Birthday!

by Jesse Archer

Nothing will surpass last year's birthday where I was raped and killed (not in that order) on the set of Into the Lion's Den. But this year came close in the mortal wound department. I've been accused of whooshing into town only to exhaust my friends, but they knew I was coming. I told them to hide the booze and take their naps!

CoolDan threw my party at his East Village place, and it was just like old times. So happy to see everyone again and pics forthcoming. Despite the mass of candles on the cake we didn't burn the place down because as they sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY, the air conditioner blew all the candles out!

(JESSIE on the BRINK) Farewell!

by Jesse Archer

Thinking today of my friend Peter Cross who died (last) Thursday in Sydney. Peter was also Executive Producer on a couple of my films, so I've lost a friend and someone who helped make my dreams come true. He had been suffering from multiple iterations of cancer for years.

He knew it was terminal, and before I left for my trip to the States I went to say goodbye. It was difficult to see him sitting so frail and in so much pain, and to face that finality, "This is probably the last time I'll see you..." I'm especially now thinking of his partner, our dear friend Richard, who looked after him so lovingly.

(JESSE on the BREAK) Vanilla is Nice, but I'll Take Freak!

by Jesse Archer

I've been to Harlem twice in as many days for dinner at friends places and can we just say the Harlem Renaissance has Renaissanced? This is Noveau Harlem. 125th street has outdoor sidewalk dining! It's downright chic, but not gentrified. Harlem's just swank around edges and is otherwise authentic with its baptist churches, friend chicken joints and men with far too many gold teeth. 129th street is now barricaded off by police because there's too many shootings. Yes, I could totally live here.

(MK Scott) Happy Birthday, Jesse Archer!

A special Birthday Salute to OUTview's own, Jesse Archer!

I met Jesse in 2007 at the 'Four Letter Word' Seattle Premiere at SLGFF and we hit off and it is like we have known each other forever! Being a fellow Hometown boy both in the spotlight may have helped and we knew alot of the same people. In 2010, I sat down and interviewed him three times and he even made it to my Birthday party, now his column, Jesse on the Brink can be seen on OUTview Online, every Wednesday.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Gay Pride Parade New York 2012

by Jesse Archer

So thrilled to reunite with my friends in New York for yet another edition of gay pride parade infiltration. This year with more MSG! We all took a twist on the Chinese Year of the Drag-on.

Becky, Cooldan and Jesse

(JESSE on the BRINK) If we were birds, men would get all the makeup!

by Jesse Archer

As a kid, I remember being discouraged from rolling my yellow socker socks up to my thigh like stockings. And I was only five when stopped from spending time at my friend's house down the street because it was discovered she and I played dolls together. I don't even remember my friend's name, maybe she was called Amy, but I distinctly remember that forbidden doll. She was My Friend Mandy.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Mr Rogers Remixed!

by Jesse Archer

How awesome was Mr Rogers? It would be impossible to measure his influence and impact in the imagination of a generation. How nice to see and hear his messages again in this, yup, imaginative remix by John Boswell for PBS.

It's good to be curious about many things.... have you ever grown anything in the garden of your mind?

Click Here for MORE. 

(JESSE on the BRINK) Prison Andy Shares!

by Jesse Archer

I've taken to sitting in on AA meetings because it's here Sydneysiders talk about things that actually scratch the surface of interesting, controversial and profound. For all the same reasons, I write letters to my prison pen pal Andy, the former pedophile. After 12 years, Andy is just out of prison.

Last month, they transported him from Texas to a halfway house in Utah. He recounted his first days of quasi-freedom on a Greyhound bus. The bus journey made him nauseous - his nerves and the motion. He had not been in a vehicle in so many years. Then he went to a Wal-Mart and was totally "WTF'd" by the technology section. He just wanted a CD and a... Discman, which is hilarious. I'm writing letters to a time-traveler!