New Documentary 'Before You Know It' Takes A Look At The Senior Gay Community: VIDEO

Before You Know It, opening this weekend in New York City, peeks in on the everyday interactions of three individuals who are enjoying the third trimester of their lives. It just so happens that these men are gay, and leading fabulous lives of their own. Love, marriage, drag, dancing, music, and community color shapes these men's lives.  

Joe.My.God. has the full synopsis:

The subjects of BEFORE YOU KNOW IT are no ordinary senior citizens. They are go-go booted bar-hoppers, love struck activists, troublemaking baton twirlers, late night Internet cruisers, seasoned renegades and bold adventurers. They are also among the estimated 2.4 million lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans over the age of 55 in the United States, many of whom face heightened levels of discrimination, neglect and exclusion. But BEFORE is not a film about cold statistics and gloomy realities, it’s a film about generational trailblazers who have surmounted prejudice and defied expectation to form communities of strength, renewal and camaraderie – whether these communities be affable senior living facilities, lively activist enclaves or wacky queer bars brimming with glittered trinkets and colorful drag queens.

Enjoy the trailer (and catch the doc in a theater near you) AFTER THE JUMP...

Ten Classic 'So You Think You Can Dance' Performances: VIDEOS

BY BOBBY HANKINSON

Summer TV staple So You Think You Can Dance reveals its Top 20 dancers tonight on FOX. Despite its uneven handling of LGBT performers and issues, the dance competition series has been a consistent source of breathtaking choreography.

Before we meet this season’s finalists, reacquaint yourself with some of the greatest performances from the show’s previous nine seasons.

More, AFTER THE JUMP...

Six Unforgettable Gay Moments From 'True Blood'

 

BY BOBBY HANKINSON

It’s no secret that HBO’s True Blood has built a solid gay fan base. Yes, there are parallels between the vampires' quest for civil rights and the current climate for LGBT Americans. But, beyond that, the over-the-top series serves up plenty of action with an abundance of beefcake. Don’t let the vampires, werewolves and witches fool you; this series is not for kids.

In honor of the sixth season premiere Sunday on HBO, we’ve rounded up six of our favorite gay moments from the show’s previous seasons.

More, AFTER THE JUMP...

Bob Benson’s Secret Revealed On 'Mad Men' [Spoilers]

BY BOBBY HANKINSON

[SPOILERS]

After weeks of speculation, Sunday’s episode of Mad Men finally answered the question, “What is up with Bob Benson?”

The rising accounts man (portrayed by James Wolk) had recommended a nurse to care for Pete Campbell’s aging mother. When Pete’s mother started suggesting she and the nurse had a romantic relationship, Benson sat Pete down and tried to explain.

“Couldn’t it be that if someone took care of you, very good care of you, if this person would do anything for you, if your well-being was his only thought, is it impossible that you might begin to feel something for him? When there's true love, it doesn't matter who it is.”

As he spoke, he slipped his knee up against Pete’s, and suddenly it was clear Benson wasn’t just talking about how Pete’s mother could fall in love with the younger nurse. He was talking about how Pete could learn to love him.

To Benson’s dismay, Pete made his feelings known. “Tell [the nurse] I'll give him a month's pay. And tell him it's disgusting.”

While that’s one question answered, we’re still left wondering: All those handsome men running around SC&P, and you choose Pete Campbell?

Bobby Hankinson is a Brooklyn-based writer and digital strategist. His days are spent thinking about digital engagement for non-profits, while his nights are spent shimmying to Spotify, reading comic books and watching the best (and, let's be honest, worst) TV has to offer. His work has appeared in the Boston Globe and Houston Chronicle.

Summer Viewing: Five Best New TV Shows

BY BOBBY HANKINSON

With the traditional television season drawing to a close, now’s the perfect time to catch up on all those shows your friends can’t stop talking about. Before season premieres kick off this fall, indulge in some lighter fare with these recent TV highlights.

The following five shows are perfect for breezy summer viewing. These series just finished their first seasons (so it’s not an insurmountable amount of content to consume), and they’ve all been renewed for a second season. Episodes can be found on iTunes or Amazon Instant Video.

More, AFTER THE JUMP

Tony Perkins: Gays Are 30% Of TV Characters, Are Make-Believe People

Hate group leader Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, claims that gays make up 30% of TV show characters and storylines, and that "lovable gay characters" - presumably ones like Cam and Mitchell from Modern Family - are Trojan horses used to "desensitize Americans," reports Right Wing Watch.

Said Perkins:

The debate over same-sex marriage has been perfectly scripted by Hollywood. Television shows are full of lovable gay characters, whose dangerous lifestyle is just another funny footnote. Unfortunately for America, those make-believe people are having a real-life impact. In a new survey, almost 20% of Americans credit television with changing their minds on same-sex marriage. And that’s no accident. Homosexuals make up 4% of the population, but they’re a whopping 30% of TV characters and storylines. Liberals are using this barrage to desensitize America and viewers are buying it. Of course, producers don’t show you the reality of homosexuality: the men and women dying of AIDS, or the same-sex couples threatening Christian businesses. They don’t cast the Dan Savages bullying kids or the parents kicked out of school for opposing gay curriculum. Like most everything else on TV, it’s fiction. 

The 30% statistic is pulled from a quote by screenwriter Barbara Nicolosi over at the National Catholic Register, who offers no context or source for her statistic beyond her subjective experiences in Hollywood. Barbara is the Founder and Chair Emeritus of Act One, Inc., a Christian non-profit organization that trains aspiring scriptwriters and producers starting out in Hollywood.

GLAAD calculates a slightly different statistic for the 2012-2013 season at 4.4%, with the five major broadcast networks - ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC - offering 31 regular and 19 recurring characters that identify as LGBT in their scripted series and mainstream cable providing 35 regular and 26 recurring LGBT characters.