Today the show, the Young and The Restless, memorialized Jeanne Cooper's Katherine Chancellor and will continue tomorrow.
I first saw the character of Katherine in the mid-80's playing opposite the dashing Thom Bierdz as her step son, Phillip, and she used him to tick off Phillip's mother, Jill.
In 1990, I got to see Jeanne Cooper in person as a guest on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, as I sat in the audience, Cooper was accepting the Soap Opera Update MVP award as Best Actress of Y & R. I was actually living with a Man in New York who was a family friend of Jeanne's.
By the summer of 1991, I was back in my hometown of Portland, OR and pursuing Extra work on Feature Films. After losing a part in the Disney film, 'Homeward Bound", I was immediately needed for a multi-day shoot on a film that I knew nothing about. I later learned the stars of the film were Corbin Bernson (Cooper's Real son) and Shelly Long. The film was called 'Frozen Assets', yes, really!
Ten years ago I had a vision of a site with quality GLBT news and Web TV programing (way before streaming video was the norm), in fact I even had a team in place with such notable Newsmen as Mike Bradbury, Brook Stanford, as well as Fresh talent in Samantha Starr and David Walker. As the site (QTalk) was being created we wanted to get the word out. So I approached the manager of the Gay Bar, Manray and he gave us the money to pay for our expenses. One expense was renting a Ford Mustang convertible and create a sign.
I also hired a cameraman to capture the parade, but the day was headed for disaster.
I am not just celebrating my 20th Anniversary this month, but also OUTview's 2nd. On January 31, 2009 the OUTview Brand made a smashing debut on the (Now Defunct) Q-Radio with a Special report on a Hot news item regarding Portland's newly sworn in Gay Mayor, Sam Adams.
If you have been out of touch with your TV, Internet, Facebook friends, Newspapers, then you haven’t heard about the explosion that hit Portland, OR before the day of the inauguration of our first black president. The first gay mayor of a major US City, Sam Adams (No, NOT the beer) was forced to admit publicly that he lied when asked during, campaigning for Mayor in 2007, if he had an improper sexual relationship with an 18 yr old Legislative intern (Beau Breedlove) in 2005. This prompted a firestorm of negative press and a combination of both gays and straights expressing there fear and hate toward Adams. The storm raged on and hit its boiling point when Portland’s only Gay publication, Just Out, requested that Adams should resign immediately. A majority of the GLBT community protested Just Out was not their voice and it isn’t what the whole community believes. Elliot Young (pictured), a Professor at Portland’s Lewis and Clark College, was one of the first to start the ‘Support Sam’ campaign, which in 4 Days had over 3,400 supporters. Young had been on a media tour and had given numerous interviews all over town in 4 days. I was lucky to get him, even on a Sunday!
Just before the interview, Young learned that Adams had decided because of the Support Campaign(s) that he would not resign.
I had invited Portland activist, Stephen Cassell (Creator of the "I am with Sam" Facebook page, but he declined). Later in the week, KOIN TV had posted a news Item that Breedlove was a convicted Felon, I posted this item on My Personal Facebook page. Cassell sent a public letter to his group calling me a "Tabloid" Journalist. The next day, Erika Hedrick of the 'In defense of Sam' forward Cassell's letter to her group!
I sent the following rebuttal: When I heard of the Breaking News story of Beau Breedlove was a convicted felon, which came from a reputable news source (KOIN 6). The only reaction was from Stephen Cassell, (whom with a knee-jerk reaction), proceeded to write an open letter to me and send it to the members of his FB group page ‘I am with Sam’. The next day, Erika Hedrick of ‘in defense of Sam’ placed the letter on her page. From that I got a ‘very’ long e-mail from a friend of Beau’s responding to a letter that shouldn’t have been written in the first place.
Later that night, I saw both KOIN and KATU news where the lead story should have been about communications director, Wade Nkrumah, resignation. That should have been the big story on KOIN 6’s website, not the story about Beau’s past.
But you should know that being in the news media and if there is a big story (e.g. sex scandal) the media in all spectrum will delve in the past of everybody involved. This is the essence of the Media to be fair and in partial, but also ratings come to play.
The next night, KATU interviewed Beau Breedlove’s dad, where he practically called Sam ‘a Pedophile’. I won’t even touch that, because I think that KATU story was much worse. I’m shocked that no one has even reacted to that story.
It turns out I was right, a fews months later, Breedlove posed nude for Unzipped Magazine and the Oregon Attorney General dropped all charges against Adams, due to Breedlove's incredibility with the Unzipped appearance AND the Criminal record. Since then, 2 recall campaigns failed, Adams is still in office, and Cassell never apologized.
I spoke with Elliot Young last week about what has happened in the Past 2 Years: "Well two years later, and two failed recall efforts later, it reminds me that the recall effort was a huge waste of time and effort. Sam is mayor, and whether you like what he has done as mayor or not, none of that has anything to do with who he may have kissed in a bathroom stall. I'm just glad that there were so few people obsessed with Sam's private life in Portland that they couldn't even manage to get enough signatures for a recall. Portland rules."
Thank You Adams and Young for making the Launch of OUTview a smashing success!
Last night, I didn't just see one old friend perform, but two on the same ticket! As I have mentioned before, my old High School pal is Portland Based/Lilith Fair Star, Stephanie Schneiderman. (Stephanie and I were both in drama and she came in the year after I got to perform with Future Broadway star, Brooks Ashmanskas of Promises, Promises). Well, Schneiderman was the opening act last night at the Triple Door for another Old friend, Rock Legend, Dan Reed. (More on Reed later).
Schneiderman (Nominated for Best Female artist at the upcoming Portland Music Awards) performed sultry rock ballads including my personal favorite, "Oxygen", made famous during a hot tub scene on the 'Bad Girls Club" and others from her Dangerous Fruit CD plus a few from her next CD coming out in April. Her occasional collaborator, Tony Furtado performed a few with her. (OUTscene will have an exclusive interview with Schneiderman coming soon)!
Where do I begin with Dan Reed? The Dan Reed Network was Portland's own Bon Jovi and INXS combined and was all the Rage in the late 80's with Hits like "Ritual" and "Get to you". Dan Reed and I met in March 1992 when he made his theater acting debut in "Beirut" an early AIDS-era drama by the late Alan Bowne, of a Man and woman trapped in their lower east side quarantined until their final days. Reed was in Boxer shorts throughout the production and even had a nude scene.The production was produced by Portland gay pioneer, Don Horn and Triangle productions. Reed was gorgeous (with long black hair) and took me to lunch the next day at the famed Portland establishment, Key largo. This platonic love affair lasted for a few years with great conversation and mutual respect. After I moved to Seattle in 1996, Reed soon moved away to pursue acting travel through Europe and we lost touch. Fast forward 15 years later and the connection was still there. At first he didn't recognize me, but as soon as I said my name we hugged for about a minute. It was so worth 15 years of separation.
Back to Reed's performance, his music today is more mature, spiritual and "Futurist folk". His voice and endurance is quite strong. His flirtatious smile really brings out love and devotion to and from his fans. Towards the end of the set he performed some songs from the network, including my Favorite, "Ritual". During the encore he ROCKED the house with "Get to you".
Dan Reed, who is also nominated for a Portland Music award for the Legend award, has a new album coming out in Fall 2011. (Look for an interview by mid-fall). The night was magic and it got me to reunite with 2 powerhouse performers that have rocked my world for nearly 20 years and still do.
As I celebrate my 20th anniversary in the coming months, I look back at some of the most memorable moments of my career as a journalist. With all the talk of Charlie Sheen's antics and the upcoming Golden Globes, I fondly remember a chat with Charlie's legendary father, Martin Sheen in the spring of 1992.
Sheen was in Portland shooting a film, Danger Signs (Re-named; Hear No Evil) along with Oscar winner, Marlee Matlin and DW Sweeney. On the day when they were in Portland's old town neighborhood shooting a marathon scene when Matlin was running in, and hundreds of extras were waiting in bleachers with Sheen standing right in the middle.
Later as I was waiting in an area behind the bleachers, Sheen made his way there followed by a make up artist, to touch up his makeup. We chatted a little and I brought up his role playing Homeless activist, Mitch Snyder. I mentioned my recent episode of my public access show, 'Local Talk' on the subject of Homeless teens (with the resources of Outside In) and he was shocked that Portland had a large homeless teen population (Many of them were gay or gay for pay). The conversation was very insightful and a rare opportunity to have a one on one with a Legend. I only wish I had a video crew there.
Fast forward 16 years in the Fall of 2008, when I caught up with Marlee Matlin (herself) at the Pacific NW HRC dinner I brought up that day in Portland in 1992 of when we almost met. I mentioned my chat with Sheen and she remembered how cloudy it was that day. This was right after Matlin was on "Dancing with Stars' and we talked about the current (Fall 2008) season. She was gracious to pose for a photo with me and my date, Chris. It is amazing how one day that started in 1992 and ended in 2008 can finish the cycle.
In February will be my 20th Anniversary as a journalist and will be reflecting on some the BEST moments of the last 20 years.
Since it is Christmas, I remember 2 of the greatest Legends I had the opportunity to meet that both have contributed to the Holiday in a Big way.
Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the passing of Eartha Kitt (Who is known for the classic, 'Santa Baby') and I remember meeting her as she performed at Seattle's Jazz Alley in 2004. After the show, I made way to her dressing room and was greeted by her publicist, "Are you Mr. Scott?". I said "Yes". The publicist then added, "We have been expecting you!"
As I went into Eartha's dressing room, she being so petite looked breathtaking. I only had one question about How she felt of impersonators emulating her. She was flattered but felt sorry that they were performing as her for so little money. Eartha also cautioned by retelling a scary experience of a fan that had cosmetic surgery to look like her and showed up at her hotel room. This startled her a great deal. I was able to get her pose for a photo, and I wished her well. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.
A few years earlier in 2001, I had the chance to meet another Holiday legend with Rosemary Clooney as a performer in the Seattle Men's Chorus. Rosemary was delighted when 2 chorus members was dressed up as her character and her sister for the 'Sisters" number from 'White Christmas". She was even more flattered of the song we performed in honor her nephew "Georgie" Clooney (who was celebrating his 40th birthday that very weekend.) It was a big thrill to sit behind her during her solo set and look at the audience's reaction. I was truly seeing the fans react to a legend. I went up to her after the show and mentioned my grandmother in Portland, OR. Rosemary responded with "Give her my love". I later called my Grandmother and for the first time ever, she was star struck! Clooney passed away 14 months later.
