I just realised (watching Torchwood from the beginning on cable) that John Barrowman is about to start this year’s panto season, starring as Aladdin at Birmingham’s Hippodrome. He’s a musical theatre lad from waaaaay back.
As I look at his official site, I discover that, as is the wont of UK panto producers, they are adding a topical touch to the production: Daleks will make an appearance in honour of Barrowman’s role in Doctor Who. Fanbloodytastic.
While I was googling, I found some great interviews at Barrowman’s official site. For those who don’t know, he is an out gay man who has been monogamously partnered for 13 years, and this particular quote from an interview with a Scottish LGBT magazine shows a level of assertiveness that many of us could aspire to when others express bigotry:
outnorthwest: Have you ever experienced homophobia?
JB: So many people sit around and allow people to say negative things about gay men and women – they don’t speak up. I’ve been in the back of a taxi cab and the taxi driver will drive past something like Clone Zone and say,”All the queers hang out in there, you won’t want to go and eat in there.” I’m like,”Dude, pull over. I’m a gay man and you’re offending the shit out of me and I’m reporting you to your company.”
The pointy bit is always the speaking up bit, isn’t it? Goodonya, John Barrowman. Goodonyer for speaking up.
Image Source: Birmingham Hippodrome
Categories: arts & entertainment, relationships, social justice
Sunday Singalong: Patti Smith 
It’s time. 
Hoyden About Town 
It’s never possible to get enough Cap’n Jack!
What I admire about Barrowman is his ability to carry off the “heroic pose” stuff in a way that acknowledges the cheesiness of it but doesn’t allow the cheesiness to overwhelm his own charisma.
He’d make a damn fine Superman.