DEEPDEEP INSIDEINSIDE L.A.C.E. by Romeo San Vincente Leisure, Arts, Culture, Entertainment Portia de Rossi Pilots Butch and Fay OUT OF TOWN Portia de Rossi's life before coming out professionally was one of living openly while discussing nothing, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE inhabiting the Hollywood glass closet. But in post-public- disclosure interviews, the acclaimed comic actress (Arrested by Andrew Collins Development) discussed that complicated life and its Considered to be the most progressive site throughout the '60s of Civil Rights subsequent difficulties. Now she's turning elements of that city in the Bible Belt, Nashville has demonstrations, the success of which past into a sitcom. Called - for now, anyway -Butch and developed into one of the South's gay- inspired similar protests throughout the Fay, the pilot de Rossi is shopping around Hollywood friendliest destinations over the past decade. South. These days, 5th Avenue has become concerns two actors, one gay and one lesbian, who marry Portia de Rossi The country music industry, with which rather artsy - it's the site of several excellent in order to further their careers. And lesbian director and former star Amanda Bearse will take the pilot's helm. No the city is famously identified, does have galleries and the nearby Frist Center for the Married with Children word on whether or not de Rossi will star herself, but it couldn't hurt the show's a fairly conservative reputation, but in fact Visual Arts, which occupies a handsomely chances of making it to the networks. Here's hoping we hear more about it soon. the city's legendary music business and fast- restored, art deco post office building growing theater and visual-arts scenes have and hosts world-class art exhibitions and compelled quite a few gays and lesbians traveling shows. Dan Butler to Karl Rove: I Love You to move here. Nashville now buzzes with A few blocks east, toward the What happens when a liberal, gay, Hollywood actor falls in love with an arch- offbeat retail and entertainment districts, Cumberland River, you'll come to conservative political strategist? The consequences of such a strange crush are explored in the latest indie comedy from writer-director Dan Butler, several energetic gay nightspots, and a Nashville's old Market Street, now 2nd Karl Rove: I Love You. Best known for his role as Bulldog wealth of attractions related to music and Avenue, where a long row of redbrick on Frasier, Butler stars in this self-produced mockumentary the arts. Victorian warehouses was rescued from as "Dan Butler," a depressed careerist actor in 2004, who Downtown Nashville is set around the neglect in the 1980s and converted into dreams of making the leading-man fame-leap by creating courtly Greek Revival-style Capitol, which restaurants, music clubs, brew pubs, and a one man show about President Bush's top (at the time) is perched atop the highest hill in the city. specialty shops. First Avenue runs along political adviser. The goal? The win-win scenario of both Behind it, the dignified Bicentennial Mall Riverfront Park, a long brick promenade swaying the 2004 election and getting his own name above State Park contains elegant fountains and with views across the river. Here you can the title for once. The Hollywood/D.C. satire is Butler's a 200-foot granite map of the state. You tour a reproduction of the settlement's first debut as a quadruple threat: producer, screenwriter, director, can learn a thing or two about the state's outpost, Fort Nashborough. and star, and audiences can see the finished funniness as it Dan Butler makes the film-festival circuit rounds. history at the nearby Tennessee State Downtown's most impressive Museum. History buffs should also note attraction is the Country Music Hall of the Beaux Arts-style Hermitage Hotel, Fame, a handsome and huge modern Rose McGowan! In Chains! where, in 1920, suffragists from around structure whose exhibits not only honor It seems like Hollywood's suddenly into imprisoning women. Of course, they've the country and their opponents encamped dozens of legendary musicians (Patsy been doing that for years now, figuratively speaking, but while debating the ratification of the 19th Cline, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton now the literal is taking center stage. First came news of gay Amendment (which granted women the among them) but also give an impressive filmmaker Alan Ball's adaptation of the earnest U.K. prison soap, ; then Fox announced it would be launching right to vote). overview of folk, bluegrass, rockabilly, Bad Girls a female version of Prison Break. Now, Grindhouse co- A block over, 5th Avenue was the Continued on page 27 director Robert Rodriguez will bring his '70s exploitation vibe to the pilot Women in Chains! That exclamation point speaks volumes about the level of wild lesbian mud wrestling planned for the series, set to revolve around Rose McGowan, Rodriguez's fiancee and _Planet Terror_ star. The director is shopping the show around to networks and Rose McGowan looking to bring his deranged, Caged Heat-like vision to a TV near you. And that mud wrestling will be tastefully shot, of course. Romeo San Vicente can be reached at [email protected]. 16 THE LETTER WWW.THELETTERONLINE.COM JULY 2008 COMMUNITY DIALOGUE LESBIAN NOTIONS Winning Isn't Everything was only able to raise about $330,000, with close to a third of it coming from a personal loan he by Libby Post made to his campaign's coffers. But establishment Democrats weren't the After pouring over $100,000 of his own only ones to abandon Neal's race. The Human money into his campaign, Jim Neal only took Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian second place in this year's primary for the Victory Fund both took a pass. For those two Democratic nomination to challenge North groups, it all comes down to viability: Does the Carolina's Republican U.S. Senator Elizabeth candidate have an field operation? Can she or he "Liddy" Dole. Yet he's amazingly calm and raise money? Can the candidate win? upbeat. I understand the notion of not supporting a "I am in anything but depression," Neal told gay candidate just because the candidate is gay. me in a recent phone interview. "I was passionate There has to be a dividing line between investing about what I was doing, and I continue to be campaign funds and throwing the money down passionate about the issues that drove me to a losing drain. But it seems to me that both run." That's an incredibly refreshing response from HRC and the Victory Fund missed the boat on a candidate. None of the multitude of candidates this race. I've worked with over the years who spent their According to Neal and media reports, he own money and then went on to lose were ever and Hagan were running neck and neck in the quite so gracious or so upbeat. Maybe it's the polls until a month or so before the primary. southern upbringing. Maybe it's because, as a That's when Hagan, who had access to money gay man, Jim Neal understands just how long it - lots of it - was able to put her message on TV. really takes to win - whether we're talking about That's when an infusion of cash from HRC, the a field operation across the state and access to the of ideas about things I can do in the private one race or GBLT rights. Victory Fund, and the network of donors who media. sector to foster making social investments in But what could be more quixotic than an follow their lead would have been crucial for Neal also went all over the state talking to communities, like putting money behind people openly gay man running in a southern state Neal to keep up. real people about their real problems. "I visited who are trying to start businesses. The idea is against a Republican incumbent? How about "HRC and other GBLT interest groups do communities where folks didn't have running to create a venture capital fund that won't be an openly gay man running in a southern their own calculus, they have their own notion water, and where they were going broke just earning competitive financial returns, but will state primary election against an establishment of viability," said Neal. "But if people are going trying to get to work," he said. "Unfortunately, be earning returns by strengthening the fabric of Democratic woman candidate who was recruited to wait to see if you're going to raise money as a there's no money in these communities, so they communities." to run so that the openly gay man would not be viability test, but aren't willing to give you money don't get the kind of attention they need when Perhaps, like Al Gore, Jim Neal can have the nominee? to get there, you'll never meet the threshold. The budgets are drawn up and priorities are set. And more of an impact as a private citizen with a "People thought, 'He can't beat Elizabeth logic is twisted." these are the people who need it the most." vision than as an elected official with an agenda. Dole because he's gay.' Quite frankly, I think Viability is a real chicken-and-egg political He said running for office was one of the beating Dole would have been easier than question, and unfortunately, there's no right most wonderful things he's ever done, because of winning the primary," said Neal, who lost the answer.