ENTERTAINMENT

A Heavy Hand On The Premise Sinks We Are Men

We Are Men: Mondays at 8:30 Eastern on CBS

It seems like more often than not, there’s often some rhyme, reason, or pattern of what makes it to air, especially on the big four networks. Either the network execs are cashing in on a current cultural trend, a hot-button issue, trying out some new revolutionary concept, or just blatantly aping what CB—ahem, lead dog is doing to get its’ ratings edge. However, occasionally we see a show slip through the cracks that seems to exist solely as some sort of weird outlier that seems out of place both on the air and on it’s place in the network schedule (the clearest example of this being last fall when Whitney was stuck between two other shows that clearly share an audience in Dateline and Grimm). This year, that outlier seems to be We Are Men.

We Are Men picks up when Carter (Chris Smith) is left at the altar by his bride, only to move into a short-term housing complex in order to pick up the pieces of his life. While there, he befriends three other men in similar predicaments: Gil, a small business owner (Kal Penn), Frank, a middle aged clothier (Tony Shalhoub), and Stuart, an OB/GYN who’s going through his second divorce (Jerry O’ Connell). Together, these men try to mentor Carter through his situation while hanging out poolside.

This pilot feels like a tale of two pilots, there’s the overwrought origin story where Carter is under the thumb of his domineering fiancee’. This pilot is kind of a mess, as it forces us to go in the same circle twice: once in speed mode in the first five minutes, and then seemingly out of nowhere a second time over the back end of the show. Unfortunately, the whirlwind retelling of the story feels incredibly plodding leaving to an overwrought scene at the chapel where we for the second time have it repeatedly beaten into our head how lousy Carter’s relationship really was.

The second pilot is a show about nothing, and this angle is considerably more enjoyable. While Gil, Frank, and Stuart, aren’t particularly well filled in (it is a pilot, after all), We Are Men shows more promise when our principal characters are bouncing off of each other, and the cast does an excellent job displaying that easy rapport. It’s the little moments in general that are We Are Men‘s strength, most notably a cameo by Dave Foley as Carter’s father, a man who truly appreciates his hard-boiled eggs.

The Final Verdict: Many sitcom pilots tend to be fairly well removed from the original pilot by the middle of it’s first season, and We Are Men is no exception to that rule. In this case, it’s probably for the best, as there isn’t much of a story in this origin and the premise is pounded into you from the pilot. I also think this show could benefit from a potential mid-season schedule swap with The Crazy Ones, as We Are Men makes more sense with a Two and a Half Men lead-in. Overall, I’d probably skip this one for the time being, but wouldn’t be surprised if it became a sleeper hit should it survive past mid-season.

Album Review: C H V R C H E S – The Bones Of What You Believe

by Rio Toro

C H V R C H E S: The Bones Of What You Believe

Similar Artists: M83, The Knife, Purity Ring, Niki & The Dove

Genre: Synth Pop, Maximalist Pop, Glitch-Pop

Label: Glass Note

Can someone please explain to me why a band as polished and hook-oriented as Chvrches aren’t already being played in a constant loop on the nation’s most accessible radio stations? I’ve said this kind of thing before and been wrong (like with the actually quite inaccessible Autre-Ne-Veut album from earlier this year) but Chvrches make music that just screams crossover success, and despite their only recent formation, they sound bold enough to take down the world. Like, what exactly could people find so intriguing in bubblegum pop acts like Katy Perry or Kesha that isn’t done on a wholly more satisfying degree on tracks like “Gun” or “The Mother We Share”. While I usually wouldn’t care about a song not getting enough radio play — seeing as I don’t listen to the radio — Chvrches are that rare band that should be heard by everyone.

Seriously, I want to show these songs to everyone I meet; even random people on the street who I have never seen before. It’s similar to the feeling I had after listening to M83’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (another forward thinking, maximalist leaning pop album overloaded with hits). Unfortunately, M83’s “Midnight City” only briefly skimmed the realm of radio play before being decimated from the charts. Hopefully though — if my predictions are correct — things will start to turn around quickly in the coming weeks with the release of Chvrches’ debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe. After all, they happen to be signed to the same label as Mumford and Sons — who (if you ask me) are played on the radio far too frequently. They’re also on the same label as Phoenix, who along with Arcade Fire are largely responsible for the increased melding of indie and mainstream music cultures throughout the past several years. Who knows, depending on how things turn out, Chvrches might be the next big step in bridging the gap between these two cultures.

If you haven’t heard about Chvrches, ever since their inception a year and a half ago, the Glasgow trio have been concocting some of the most delicious, candy-coded synth pop in recent memory. Through their singles and EP’s they have already captured a devoted fan base, and have proved their ability to maintain rapt accessibility without sacrificing integrity. While it may be true that these tracks couldn’t quite survive in their same deliriously enjoyable state without their dazzling production values, the songwriting is strong, and it’s what makes these tracks work as well as they do. Take one of Chvrches stand out singles, “Gun”, for example — a track that never falters to put chills down my spine and a grin on my face — it’s a track that builds chorus on top of chorus to a euphoric effect, and Lauren Mayberry’s revenge laden lyrics give the track a dark, desperate feel that converges with the giddy, radiating synth patterns. Perhaps the true sign of Chvrches talent, however, is that none of these tracks come off as corny, or even too much a product of their own influences. While the band obviously draws inspiration from 80’s synth pop (Depeche mode), they have their own formula that does wonders for the tainted genre. For one, keyboardists Iain Cook and Martin Doherty know how to use their arpeggiators for maximum effect, as they use them in sporadic bursts instead of relying on them as the founding aspect of the tracks. From the epic baselines, to the penetrating drum fills, to the array of expensive sounding keyboard equipment, everything shines with a pristine quality to it.

The Bones Of What You Believe is the debut album from this astronomically hyped trio, and it proves they were more than worthy of the praise they received for their initial run of singles. Even if their previously released tracks still represent some of the best material TBOWYB has to offer, the remaining tracks are nothing to shake your foot at, and it proves the commanding force their singles provided translates well to a lengthy listening experience.

To be fair though, TBOWYB has a simply overwhelming amount of potential singles in play, and through the first few listens, you’ll likely be a bit lost within the bravado of it all. 12 tracks of pounding, no holds bar synth pop is enough to give you a headache as well. There’s definitely not much in the way of downtime, and even the tracks that open at a seemingly modest pace — such as “Tether” — soon erupt into a smorgasbord of monstrous synth patterns amidst layers of glitchy-vocal samples. Each track does end up having its own identity though, and even the tracks featuring Martin Doherty on lead vocals end up being a welcome change of pace. However, I’d argue the slow burning, Doherty led finale, “You Caught The Light” — while standing as a good song in its own right — hardly fits in with the rest of the album, as it’s one of the few moments where guitar is used so directly.

Mayberry remains the true star of the show though, and proves she is an entrancing front woman capable of stirring melancholy out of every note she hits. While she mostly comes off as sweet and innocent, she’ll throw in a curse or a twisted vocal line every once in a while to keep you on your toes. If you listen to her actual lyrics — which are often wryly mismatched with the tone she’s singing them in — you’ll soon learn that she’s more psychotic than she gives off at first glance. Like when she sings /I’ll be a thorn in your side, till you die/ with a profound calm on “We Sink”, or how she sounds like she’s ready to kick ass on the gut punching vocal scrambling of “Lies”. She’s the perfect combination of starry eyed valley girl and bad ass babe.

TBOWYB is such a completely satisfying debut that Chvrches should be in no rush to follow it up for at least a few years. A lot of this group’s success thus far has been dependent on the high replay value of their tracks, and it’s pretty safe to say that TBOWYB will be in heavy rotation for some time to come. It’s about as perfectly produced as a Knife album, and while the elements of their sound are not unique to themselves, the trio have organized their disparate traits into something that exceeds the sum of its parts.

There will, of course, be people who hate on Chvrches for the way they make music that too obviously begs and claws for attention. It’s true too, Chvrches are a self-aware unit; you can feel the music’s eye on you, forcing you to admit how impressive it is. From a critical standpoint, I usually find it more admirable when an album will woo me into it’s grasp through its subtleties. When it comes down to it though, there’s no point in holding yourself back. The appeal of Chvrches is immediately apparent, and it will likely prove inescapable for anyone who’s ever enjoyed a pop song in their life.

Track Listing:

1.) The Mother We Share*

2.) We Sink

3.) Gun*

4.) Tether

5.) Lies*

6.) Under The Tide

7.) Recover*

8.) Night Sky*

9.) Science, Visions

10.) Lungs

11.) By The Throat*

12.) You Caught The Light

Album Highlight – *

Breaking Bad: The Legend Ends – Felina

by Peter Foy

Breaking Bad is over! The show that so many of us have loved and watched religiously for these fast years has aired its last episode, and it was really something. It felt organic to the show’s nature, carefully paced, wisely satisfying, a mite bit predictable, and overall a great finale for the series. Where to start?

Well, for one I should point out where the episode was most surprising. I was a little worried going into the episode that Felina would have a faster pace to it than your typical Breaking Bad episode as they did have quite a bit of loose ends to close. Fortunately though, Gilligan realized what a disservice that would be, and he took his time with the pacing and in some rather unexpected ways. Some people had felt that Walt was going to pay his former Grey Matter associates Elliot and Gretchen a visit for this finale, but I don’t think anyone predicted how it would be handled. Walt asks that they give his child Walt Jr. his money for his 18th birthday. He then threatens them that he hired hitmen to kill them if it doesn’t happen, which definitely shows the character still can be scary, but then we discover that Walt has only hired Badger and Skinny Pete to play mock-assassins. It actually has us change our view a bit of Walt, and see him as more as an intelligent and well-meaning guy again, who just happened to fuck things up royally for himself.

That’s probably the episode’s greatest accomplishment, as it manages to make Walt likable again. Walt played a bad-ass come the show’s final moments, but not without showing his humanity too. The tear-jerking moment comes when Walt confronts Skyler again, and finally talks to her honestly. He admits that he became a meth cook for himself (rather than his family) as he was good at it, and he feels so sorry for the way things have turned out. He leaves her with the GPS coordinates to find Hank and Gomez’s bodies, which he feels will act as her get-out-of-jail-free-card. It was heartwarming to see Walt touch his baby Holly one last time, as we all knew that he wouldn’t be living past the credits tonight.

Which of course brings us to the final showdown. Jack is depicted as loathsome as ever, which really makes us root when Walt finally puts that M60 to use. Rigging it up to his trunk to act as a human lawn-mower when he pops it works in just such a satisfying way, especially for those who have compared Walter White’s technical genius to MacGuyver. What follows is certainly predictable, as all the neo-nazis are killed immediately from the gunfire except for Todd and Jack, but we seriously needed to see Jesse and Walt deal with these two assholes individually. It really was something poetic to see Jesse choke the life out of Todd with his own slavery chains, and then for Jack to offer Walt a way to get the money he stole from him, only to have Walt answer his proposition with a bullet.

So now Jesse is free, and Walt offers him the chance to kill him if he wants to. Fortunately though, we find that Jesse sees no reason to end his former mentor’s life, and discards the gun (notice he didn’t say bitch, either!). It was also such a great cue when Walt picks up Todd’s phone after it rings only to find Lydia on the other line…and tell her that he slipped ricin into her drink. It’s hard for us to root for Walt poisoning a woman but…c’mon, she deserved it! So now for the closing shot, of Walt returning to a meth lab again, and then finally dying from the wound his machine gun rigging gave him. It’s pretty much the ending that we all had in mind for the show, but what a hell of a ride it was getting there!

A lesser show would have probably ended with an epilogue of sorts, but here we realize that’s unnecessary. We already know that Skyler will get off the hook when she hands the DEA the coordinates, Hank’s body will be found, and Walt Jr. will receive a huge fortune come his next birthday. One loose end I would have liked a little more of a hint at is what’s to become of Brock? I was hoping this episode would leave off with us having a good feeling that Jesse is going to find a way to take care of Andrea’s orphaned child (maybe by changing their identities through the service of Ed). Still, the earlier scene from this episode where we see Jesse fantasizing on being a carpenter, and the last image we see of him laughing hysterically as he drives off to freedom, suggests that the character will now finally be able to put his dark past behind him.

Also, while it certainly isn’t a fault of the show itself…but what was with all the goddamn commercials! It eased up by the ending so it didn’t distract from the climax’s momentum, but the commercials were incredibly frequent during the show’s first half. Honestly, I found it a little insulting that one of the commercial blocks was dedicated to an extended trailer for Aaron Paul’s next starring vehicle Need for Speed. Not to sound like a dick but…anyone intelligent enough to be watching Breaking Bad I doubt would be excited about Jesse Pinkman starring in a video game adaptation. I’m really hoping that such a talented actor as Paul doesn’t find himself mis-cast in crappy action movies due to the success of Breaking Bad.

So how would I rate the final episode of Breaking Bad? Well, it’s not the series finest moment. It wasn’t as tense and unpredictable as the season 4 finale Salud (maybe cause Jack is a shallow villain compared to the sublimely complex Gus Fring), nor did it have a scene that was as gut-wrenching as the death of Hank. What it was though was a triumphant victory lap for the series, and one that really made us realize how special it all was. You could say this episode marked TV history, but I think it’s more of the 6-year run as a whole that has.

Thanks Vince Gilligan and co.! You guys just closed such a chapter for my life in a near pitch-perfect way.

4.5 stars out of 5 (might as well revert to a traditional rating system for the finale, eh?)

What’s It All About, Donnie? A Theater Review: “Natural Affection”

by Ryan Leeds

Alcoholism, incest, murder, and repressed homosexuality. It’s all in a day’s work for the current company of TACT (The Actor’s Company Theatre) – and the work they are doing is of exceptional quality in their gripping revival of William Inge’s “Natural Affection”. Under Jenn Thompson’s keen direction, this cast beautifully handles the nuances of Mid-westerners haunted by their pasts and even more fearful of their futures.

From the moment we hear brooding trumpet strains and watch the curtains rise on a 1960s mod Chicago apartment, (perfectly designed by John McDermott), we realize that we are about to embark on a journey with smoldering characters who will soon detonate. “Natural Affection” opens with Sue Barker, a single mother who works from home and tends to the constant needs of her misogynistic, live-in boyfriend, Bernie Slovenk ; think Don Draper meets Ralph Kramden. Sue is cautiously optimistic that her son, Donnie, is returning home for Christmas. Her boy has been away at reform school and isn’t exactly the picture perfect portrait of emotional well-being. In fact, his picture becomes blurrier and more dangerous as the story unfolds. The three unsuccessfully attempt harmonious living down the hall from the Brinkmans, swinging neighbors who have all the time in the world for frivolous parties and orgies, but hardly a second for introspection.

Inge’s works have always focused on protagonists who are yearning for a better life or for sweeter days past, similarly echoing Thoreau’s observation that “most men lead lives of quiet desperation”. In his other plays, including “Bus Stop” and “Picnic”, the level at which this sense of desperation existed were high. In “Natural Affection”, Inge’s plea for characters to discover meaning, purpose, and fulfillment is dire. Fortunately, we are treated to an acting ensemble that understands this and delivers it with laser focused acuity.

Alec Beard is excellent as Bernie Slovenk and dishes out a balanced combination of masculinity and juvenile callowness. Stage veteran John Pankow’s Vince Brinkman is a scene stealer. His second act shenanigans begin with some much welcome comic relief but soon merge into a territory of pathos. Victoria Mack is a stand-out as his younger, attractive would-be model wife, Claire. Chris Bert is heartbreaking as Donnie, a broken sparrow on an endless search for his mother’s affection. While the company plays like a haunting symphony, it might be even more in sync without Kathryn Erbe’s less mechanically delivered and flubbed lines. Erbe certainly has a commanding state presence and an authentic 1960s demeanor but in the performance this reviewer saw, I almost got the feeling she was either responding to her fellow actors on auto-pilot or struggling to find her next line.

In 2012, The Wall Street Journal named TACT “Best Company of the Year”. It is exciting to see their momentum continue with “Natural Affection” . With the good sense to unearth this overlooked treasure, they have presented us with a provocative and important theatrical piece of mindful permanence.

“Natural Affection” runs Off Broadway through Oct. 26^th. at the Beckett Theater , 410 West 42^nd Street. Tickets are available at the box office or online: https://www.telecharge.com/Off-Broadway/Natural-Affection/Overview?&aid=ven000193900.

"Natural Affection" L to R: Alec Beard, John Pankow, Kathryn Erbe, Victoria Mack. Photo courtesy of Richard Hillman PR — “Natural Affection” L to R: Alec Beard, John Pankow, Kathryn Erbe, Victoria Mack. Photo courtesy of Richard Hillman PR

Album Review: Bill Callahan – Dream River

by Rio Toro

Bill Callahan: Dream River

Similar Artists: Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Cat Power, Nick Cave, Mark Lanegan

Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk

Label: Drag City

I find myself asking a lot of questions when I listen to Bill Callahan’s music. Though he has abandoned many of his experimental and lo-fi tendencies along with his Smog alias, his music has retained a certain unknowable presence, and the more I listen to his work, the less I seem to comprehend it. Can music this simple really sound this strange? Can a song where the most jarring instrument is a flute still be considered avant-garde? Would my parents like this music? Was there more music like this in the olden-days? Why isn’t Bill Callahan putting any effort into his vocals? After further analysis I have found that the answers to these questions are: yes, yes, no, kind of, and most importantly, because he doesn’t feel like it.

Bill Callahan’s fourth album under his birth name, Dream River, is the continuation of his ode to Americana that began with 2011’s Apocalypse. Song titles such as “Spring”,”Summer Painter” and “Winter Road” should give you an inkling towards the kind of imagery presented throughout these 8 tracks. It’s beautiful, introspective music that you could easily imagine yourself listening to on a long drive out to the country, preferably during the wee morning hours. Although Bill Callahan is not easily categorized, Dream River certainly sounds like a step closer into the traditional for the late in career artist. This idea of traditional vs. nontraditional plagues this album more than any of his previous ones.

Thankfully, the purpose of these songs isn’t strictly to evoke the beauty of the countryside. Actually, for an album with such clear production, uncluttered instrumentation and basic lyrical themes, it’s a hard set of songs to wrap your head around. While it’s arguably Bill Callahan’s most immediate album, the album’s lasting appeal isn’t nearly as apparent. Part of this is because Dream River isn’t an album that has much in the way of high or low points. There’s no single track that defines Dream River; in other words, there is no track as all-encompassing as “America!” (although “Summer Painter” does come close). Instead, the album drifts along naturally and peacefully like a river would itself, without ever causing you to feel tempted to hit the “next” button.

The arrangements — while not unfathomably complex or intricate — are woven together beautifully, and often evolve slowly into full band jam sessions. “Seagull” charters a folk song’s journey into stoner rock, and “Summer Painter” is littered with spaced out drones and an increasingly ominous tone that doesn’t let up throughout its 6:30 running time. Violins, (or fiddles, if you must) may be the defining instrument here, as they carry many of these songs to unexpected heights and coalesce with acoustic and electric guitars to create impressive rhythms. Even when these songs aren’t lengthy, they feel like it, because there is such a slow and steady build. Also, the way Callahan elongates his words and stretches them out into the abyss is another story all together.

Despite the fact that Bill Callahan sounds completely stress free on the majority of these tracks (“Small Plane” in particular), his voice is immense, and you will learn to hang onto his every syllable, eager to hear how he pronounces the next string of words. His lyrics are actually rather down to earth, but the subtleties in his vocals come off as unique, experimental, and very satisfying. He is rarely, if ever, truly singing, but he’s not simply talking either. His hybrid of speaking/singing is an interesting mixture, and since his vocals are always up front in the mix, we have plenty of availability to dissect them for all they’re worth. The way Callahan emphasizes certain words over others, and holds onto notes when you least expect it — while simultaneously giving off he vibe that he isn’t trying very hard — is simply magical. He’s commanding the music laid behind him without completely adhering to it.

There’s a lingering feeling that Dream River isn’t as ambitious as previous Bill Callahan releases; that it’s merely a continuation of previous themes without much in the way of expansion. While the lyrics and instrumentation are undoubtedly as sly and expressive as ever, they do little to broaden the Callahan repertoire. This is where the consensus of Dream River will vary, as your experience with it is dependent on how you like your albums. People who want a statement rather than a set of great songs may find themselves to be disappointed. However, it’s undeniable that this is an album that is completely at peace with itself. From the unhurried pace, to the relaxing lyrical themes and calming grooves, this is what freedom sounds like.

Track listing:

1.) The Sing*

2.) Javelin Unlanding

3.) Small Plane*

4.) Spring

5.) Ride My Arrow

6.) Summer Painter*

7.) Seagull*

8.) Winter Road

Album Highlight – *

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is Worth the Hype

by Michael Tyminski

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Tuesdays at 8p.m. Eastern on ABC

Premiere week is in full swing, and that means an opportunity to look at the big four’s most hyped new shows for the fall, with a healthy mix of new high-concept dramas (Sleepy Hollow), stars making a triumphant return to television (The Michael J. Fox Show), and new shows from familiar faces (Dad, Mom). For me personally, I think there was, however, no new show that was more hyped or will dictate its’ network’s fortunes more than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ties very closely with the Marvel movie universe, which should come as no surprise as ABC and Marvel share a common parent company in Disney. Joss Whedon once again gets the keys to the car, and he picks up right where The Avengers movie left off, starting with the seemingly unexplained resurrection of Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), a secret agent working for the super-spy group whom died during the Avengers movie. Coulson recruits a new team in order to deal with the villain group the Rising Tide. However, the true promise this series has will be later on, as S.H.I.E.L.D. interacts with the larger movie universe.

ABC blew up it’s Tuesday night reality block to build around this show, so I guess the real questions are: does this show justify the hype, and will this show ultimately provide the sort of return on investment that ABC needs in order to keep this show on the air? Well first and foremost, let me say that the show definitely succeeds in giving off that blockbuster feel. The action scenes are slick and well choreographed, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D doesn’t shy away from showing off the toys from minute one (both of the action figure variety, and the super-spy sort as well).

Tonight’s episode also features some fairly tight writing, deftly weaving exposition into moments that also allow for character dynamics to further development or push the plot along. Furthermore, the twists in the plot line are well executed and set up in a reasonably logical manner (that is to say, you don’t see the twists coming the first time, but when you look back after the fact, it all comes together). Finally in true Whedon-esque (and for that matter a common feature in spy movies as well), we get a fair amount of comedy in our action soup, including one funny visual of a guy getting tossed 50 feet in the air after hitting someone with superpowers in the head with a pipe.

The acting, is what ultimately holds this all together. Particular kudos are to Gregg’s ability to capture Coulson’s unorthodox leadership skills in a manner that maintains a likable manner. Equal praise should be given to J. August Richards, whom in his guest stint in the pilot tears the house down as a desperate man who took to desperate measures and gives a powerful speech in the episodes climax that could have very easily been hammed into super-villainy and add an extra level of humanity that allows for some true empathy from the viewer.

The Final Verdict: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is the sort of blockbuster event show that ABC has yet to find since the finale of Lost. Whedon and company find an ability to juxtapose large effects and small stories to create a series that could sufficiently anchor the Marvel movie universe (and of course throw out cameos for sweeps), but also manage to keep the show light and fun. As a whole I’d recommend checking it out, but I think if you’re into geek culture (as I am prone to be) this can be safely bumped up to almost must watch territory.

PORN STAR – a journey [SPECIAL REPORT, HIV AND STI’S]

by Charlie Harding

MY THOUGHTS ON THE RECENT HIV OUTBREAK IN THE PORN INDUSTRY

I know many of you were looking for part 3 in my Porn Star series, but given the recent issues in the industry, I think this week it makes more sense for me to address it and weigh in on it all.

To recap, there have been four performers in the industry who recently tested positive for HIV. Rod Daily, his girlfriend Cameron Bay and Patrick Stone have all come forward publicly with their diagnoses. A fourth has chosen to remain anonymous, but recently participated in a news conference last Wednesday, via phone. According to Stone, his test may be a false positive, and he is waiting to confirm his status. The fourth performer stated during the conference that he had tested negative and was cleared to perform in scenes just two weeks prior to his now positive diagnosis.

So here’s the deal. HIV is obviously a risk when working in the porn industry. The question becomes what to do about it, and how to protect the performers. I’m going to talk specifically about the gay porn world, as it has a different “set of rules” than the straight world, with the majority of the gay studios requiring condom use. I’m also eliminating bareback studios from my discussion, as they as well have established their own requirements as to what performers they use and the risks involved.

TRUTH #1 ONLY A HANDFUL OF STUDIOS ACTUALLY REQUIRE PERFORMERS TO TEST FOR STI’S OR HIV.

With all the focus on these four performers and their recent infections, most folks don’t realize that the MAJORITY of performers work for studios that use condoms, and because they film safer sex, don’t require testing. The only reason we have heard about the recent performer infections is because they all worked with studios that required testing. I have worked with 4 studios total during my year and a half career, and one of the four required me to test and submit results for approval before filming. Now don’t get me wrong, the other three studios have very specific policies set forth stating that if a performer would like their scene partner to be tested prior to filming all you have to do is request it. This allows the performer to set the level of risk he is willing to accept, and act accordingly. During my 20+ scenes and estimated 30 scene partners, the majority have been with a testing studio, but I never have requested tests from my other scene partners. I did my research, decided what would work best for me, and did what I was comfortable with. I own my level of responsibility and the risks I am willing to take.

TRUTH #2 THERE ARE MANY PERFORMERS IN THE GAY PORN INDUSTRY THAT ARE HIV POSITIVE.

If you read the recent interview on manhattandigest.com with me and my poz/undetectable partner, Scotty Rage, you know that I am a very HIV neutral person in my daily life. That being said, I was never concerned about working with HIV positive performers. I always walk into every scene ASSUMING everyone is HIV positive, and only do what I’m comfortable with. Given that I have a high risk of infection with my career, I have also gotten on TRUVADA as a PrEP program. Don’t know what that is? You should! Google it and learn about another level of protection you can offer yourself if you are HIV negative. I’m not here to out performers are positive, as to me it’s a non-issue, but I will say that I know for a fact that at least 4 of the guys I’ve had sex with were all HIV positive. I know because they all disclosed it to me during conversation (not through second hand knowledge) and I wouldn’t be shocked if there are more as well. Let’s be realistic and blunt here for a second… in “real life” there are HIV positive people in every social situation or friend group in which you participate, the adult industry is no different. Unfortunately, within the industry and today’s society, someone’s public disclosure of their HIV status can be a career killer, as the general public doesn’t want to know about the performers “dirty little secret.”

TRUTH #3 IF YOU WORK IN PORN, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE EXPOSED TO STI’S AND HIV NO MATTER HOW OFTEN PERFORMERS TEST.

It is a well-known fact that HIV antibody tests have a “window” of about 2 months prior to the test date in which someone can seroconvert to positive, but still show up with a negative test. It all depends on how quickly your body produces the antibodies that react to the viral protein. Therefore, someone can claim to be negative, and actually have the active virus in their system. This is how you can have a performer test negative one time and then a couple weeks later test positive. The infection could have occurred during the two week window, or it could have occurred earlier, but no antibodies had been produced in the body before the first test. I have always said when I disclose me status that I “tested negative as of [insert date],” rather than claiming HIV negative status. You really can’t guarantee that you are negative if you are sexually active within a few months prior or after your test. Again, this is why all performers should decide what they are willing to do and what level of risk they are willing to assume, and stick to it! Another reality: porn performers have sex with other people outside of filming. Thus we can all be exposed to things that we bring back to set. Given that a multitude of performers also escort, their level of exposure grows with every additional time they have sex. Something else to think about: Just because a performer uses condoms on set, doesn’t mean they do in their personal life… Just like the fact that “regular folks” who claim to only perform “safer sex” don’t always do it.

TRUTH #4 THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND CONSUMERS DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT HIV AND THEIR FAVORITE PERFORMERS.

Porn is a fantasy. Scenes are put together and edited to provide a seamless experience for the consumer and the hottest visuals possible. Ever noticed the “magic pants” (when a performer pulls his pants down for oral or rimming and then magically they disappear… there’s just no sexy way to take off pants over boots or sneakers!)? Consumers don’t want to think about STI’s and HIV and dirty bottoms and the non-sexy things that can be associated with sex. Buyers pay for a FANTASY, not a reality. So performers being too open about their real lives lose a bit of their Idol or Star status and more often than not end up disappearing. Just like no one wants to know about their famous mainstream movie stars using the bathroom or popping pimples, no one wants to hear the day-to-day drama that porn stars also face, sometimes as a result of their involvement in the industry.

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WHO NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE?

The answer? I have no exact idea. All I can do is speak to how I handle it and how I set myself up to be comfortable with what I do. I DO NOT TRUST ANYONE ELSE TO PROTECT ME. Performers that count on scene partner testing to protect them are living in the same fantasy world as every day folks that believe it when someone claims to be negative in a bar or online.

I test regularly no matter if I’m working with a studio that requires it or not. I got on meds to limit my risk. I educated myself as to what HIV positive means, what undetectable means, how STI’s and HIV can be passed on and how they are treated. I determined the specific risks I am comfortable with on set, and a specific level of risk I am comfortable with in my personal life, and I stick to that. BASICALLY, I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT MYSELF.

Mom Feels Like A Work in Progress But Shows Promise

by Michael Tyminski

Mom: Mondays at 9:30 Eastern Time on CBS

Last week, when I reviewed FOX’s abomination Dads, I mentioned how it jumped on part of a very common premise for sitcoms in the past year: adults and their parents living together under one roof due to the shaky economic time we’re in. We saw it with ABC in April when they debuted the flop How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life), This season we get even more of the trope with FOX’s Dads, and CBS, who has not one but two shows using the trope with The Millers,and tonight’s debut: Mom.

Mom, which comes from the same Chuck Lorre brain trust responsible for half of CBS’ comedy lineup features Anna Faris playing a single mother trying to stay afloat and care for her two kids. However, when her mother (Alison Janney) returns to her life, they immediately start butting heads. Along the way she must deal with her two kids, her hectic job, and her recovery from alcoholism. Needless to say, the show is a natural pair with current CBS’ sitcom 2 Broke Girls.

So, does this show fare any better than the other similar shows I mentioned? Well the handful of times I laughed over the course of the hour is already a handful of times more than I laughed watching Dads, (and How to Live) for that matter. Allison Janney in particular lights up the screen as Bonnie, playing the mother figure to Faris’ Christy and showing a soft touch that you typically don’t get out of a Lorre show. Faris’ does an equally serviceable job as Christy, who has to do some emotional heavy lifting as the shows first segment does not hesitate to pour gasoline on the fire of her unhappy life.

If there was a clear weakness to Mom, it’s that this episode (which admittedly is the pilot) tries to jam in way too many angles for it’s own good. Within 15 minutes we discover that Christy works as a waitress, she had at least one of her children in high school (ruining her ability to graduate and killing her hopes and dreams), her teenage daughter is sexually active, she’s sleeping with her boss, she’s in alcoholics anonymous, her kids truly hate her, that’s she’s actually the affair in that love triangle, and that it’s somehow all Bonnie’s fault. The show then struggles to revisit all of those angles over the back half of the show, creating a very overcrowded story arc that struggles to come together when the show jams them in the same place in the episode’s climax.

As a whole, the show is pretty typical Chuck Lorre fare in every respect: multi-camera, tons of laugh track, the obligatory bawdy and easy jokes, and a blue collar setting. As a result, your final opinion of the show is going to revolve around whether you tend to like most of the current CBS comedy lineup that is modeled in his image.

The Final Verdict: Mom seems to fall into the trap that many sitcoms have in the early going: there’s a ton of unpacking and it ends up hurting the precious timing that comedy relies on. However, there seems to be some bright spots, particularly between the show’s central pairing in Christy and Bonnie (which I’m sure we’ll see in larger doses than in the pilot). As a result, I see this being a wait-and-see proposition for most people, with a bump up to check it out for those who happen to have a fondness for CBS’s brand of comedy.

Album Review: Neko Case – The Worse Things Get…

by Rio Toro

Neko Case: The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You

Similar Artists: Fiona Apple, Angel Olsen, Patsy Cline, The New Pornographers

Genre: Music, Songs, Not Country

Label: Anti

It can be hard to look at music from a solely academic perspective. So much of what gives music its emotive qualities is the environment in which we hear it, and our ability to further the music by relating it to whatever is going on in our personal lives. When we travel with an album through time, it continues to latch on to certain objects, and its impact on us as individuals becomes increasingly distinct. This is one of the reasons why I feel the need to spend countless hours with music before I can start to decode if it’s “good” or not. Whenever we return to our old favorite albums, part of the enjoyment comes from being brought back to the time and place that we previously experienced them in, and as the notes are played they come flooding back as memories. As we get older, I feel it becomes somewhat more difficult to make these emotional connections with music, as it’s rare that a set of songs will stick to our souls as easily as they did in our teenage years.

Anyway, this past week has been a particularly hard one for me emotionally, involving the potential death of a family member. While I won’t get into the details, I feel very lucky to have had Neko Case’s The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, because I don’t think there is a more suitable album to come out this year when it comes to dealing with loss. So based on that alone, my review of this album will be somewhat biased, as it would be rare for someone else to have had the exact experience I’ve had. If you’ve managed to read this far, you might as well stop now, because I’m not writing this for you, I’m writing it for myself.

Still, The Worse Things Get…” is a collection of songs that are prone to bring back hidden pains tucked in the recesses of your consciousness. Maybe it’s a stretch, but the feeling keeps reminding me of how I felt after seeing Pan’s Labyrinth, and how I was suddenly able to remember what it felt like to use imagination as a source of escape during the hardest times of childhood. Neko is an artist who’s not afraid to make us feel this incredibly intense remorse for her characters. Take the haunting, a cappella centerpiece “Nearly Midnight, Honolulu” for example, in which Niko recalls a time she overheard a mother violently shouting at her child at a bus stop /Get the fuck away from me, why won’t you ever shut up/ . It doesn’t take an expert to tell that the place these songs came from is real.

While I tend to think all 12 tracks here resonate with deep personal turmoil, Niko keeps us floating along, and comforts the listener through a gently stirring array of tracks, many of which allow for humorous insights. There’s the bare-bones rock of “Man” — the album’s defining single — which is accompanied by M. Ward’s scraping guitar shredding, later followed by the abstract, avant leaning “Where Did I Leave That Fire” and the cathartic, horn led closer, “Ragtime”. So while I feel almost immediately depressed when I put on this album, I also somehow know that everything will turn out all right in the end, as the album’s flow nestles me into a state of emergent calm. Another example — although it may seem too simple to mention — the segue between “…Honolulu”, and “Calling Cards”, which opens with the gentle strum of an acoustic guitar, is so devastatingly beautiful and warm that I seem to get choked up at the mere thought of its occurrence.

Many of these songs contain a cappella sections with little to no musical accompaniment, yet Niko never once sounds vulnerable. At this point in her career, she has certainly reached veteran status, and similar to Tom Waits’ relationship with age, Niko has never sounded as strong willed and assured as she does here. Even the sole cover, “Afraid” — originally a Nico song — sounds so completely a part of the album’s own overarching vision, that it might as well be her own.

It’s curious that Niko wrote a song titled “Where Did I Lose That Fire”, because she certainly hasn’t lost it. Despite the four year gap between Middle Cyclone and this album, Niko has been making consistently excellent music both alone and with The New Pornographers ever since the mid 90’s, so it’s amazing that she still has so much to say. Anyone could tell you that these songs are well written and tenderly sung, so I’m just here so say the album works as a means of therapy as well. Even without the addition of my personal crises though, this is quite arguably Neko Case’s best solo work to date.

If you’ve been following my reviews you’d have noticed that I mark my favorite tracks below…. well that goal has never been harder than it is now, as they are all deserving of that beloved asterisk. I could say there isn’t a bad song, but that would be a lie, nothing here comes close to being bad.

Track Listing:

1.) Wild Creatures

2.) Night Still Comes*

3.) Man*

4.) I’m For Nowhere*

5.) Bracing For Sunday

6.) Nearly Midnight, Honolulu*

7.) Calling Cards*

8.) City Swan

9.) Afraid

10.) Local Girl

11.) Where Did I Leave That Fire*

12.) Ragtime*

Album Highlight – *

Breaking Bad: The Legend Ends – Granite Slate

by Peter Foy

*Spoilers, as always

Well, that was bleak, huh?

That’s obviously saying a lot for Breaking Bad, as this is a show that’s specialized in showcasing humanity at it’s lowest, including child murders and drug abuse. This penultimate episode, however, had us view Walt and Jesse at their absolute nadir, and it was certainly unpleasant as viewers. Whether we have sympathy for these characters or not, we’ve watched them for 60 episodes as they’ve gone from drug-game entrees, to become practically king-pins, and now they’re in horrible places because of their terrible crimes. Having an extended running time tonight (75 minutes with commercials) it was all very depressing to watch for sure, but it’s necessary too. This further augments the fact that the series finale mustn’t hold back at all, on the writer’s part or on Walt’s.

The episode opens up with Saul going to change his identity by enlisting the service of the “disappearing man” that we’ve heard of so elusively for years now. Walt then meets up with Saul, and he’s still trying to have his former lawyer help him with his predicament. Thing is Saul is done with helping Walt now, and even suggests that he turn himself in as it’s the only way he can give his family some support, what with his frozen bank accounts and scant possibility of ever sending them his dirty money. In fact, once we see where Walt is re-located by his forger (played by Robert Forster) we realize that Saul was probably right on the money. Walt is sent to an isolated cabin out in New Hampshire, and he is warned not to leave the premises or else he’ll be caught immediately. Knowing that Walt is going to die from his cancer eventually, this actually seems to be just as bad a fate as prison for him, if not more so.

Of course, while Walt’s predicament is harsh, Jesse has become a far more sympathetic character at this point, and his scenes this episode were far more heartbreaking. Right from the beginning when Jack discovers that Jesse ratted out Todd as a child killer on Hank’s video, you could tell that his situation just went even worse. Even though Todd talks his uncle out of executing him (only so that he can learn to cook pure meth for his love interest, Lydia), Jesse receives plenty of torture from these guys this episode. What made it all the worse to stomach though, is that it looked like Jesse might actually escape, as he uses a paper-clip to undo his cuffs, and then through a rather impressive balancing act, he breaks out of his cell…course that doesn’t exclude the security cameras. Then in the subsequent scene, seeing Todd knock on Andrea’s door was so horrific as you knew right then and there that he was going to kill her as Jesse watched, and if you were like me you probably were thinking that her character was sacred ground…Breaking Bad isn’t that kind of show. In a show that has offered us morbid takes on all sorts of criminal scum, it’s certainly saying a lot that Jack and his boys are the most EVIL PIECES OF SHIT to grace television in a good long while. I even think they give Game of Thrones’ Jofferey a run for his money. Still, the fact that Brock was spared makes me think that Jesse will somehow become the child’s adoptive father, and I would certainly be glad if the writers found a way to take that path.

The real signifier that the show is coming to an end, however, occurred in the final scene. Walt finally ventures out of his abode to a pay phone at a local bar, and then calls his son, and tell him that he is going to send him a box of a few thousand dollars. Walt Jr., however, can only berate his father and tells him he hates him for killing Uncle Hank. When Walt then calls the DA of the Albuquerque police, it seems that he is certainly about to turn himself in…then the prime motivator happens. While sitting at the bar, the owner is flipping through the channels when he comes across a filmed interview with his old Grey Matter associates, Elliot and Gretchen. As we’ve always known, Walt has always aspired for his brilliance in chemistry to make him world renowned, and he previously lost his opportunity with Grey Matter when much younger in life. Walt realizes that he has become known for his chemistry skills now, but in a much different way, and when Gretchen says that Walt is no longer with us, and that he’s become Heisenberg, then we can see how that was all Walt needed to go all out, and return to New Mexico. The decision to play the show’s theme music at the end was a fantastic touch, and truly sets us up for…for…for…

*gulp* ready to see how it all ends?

4.5 goatees out of 5 (I guess the .5 is a ‘stache?)

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