Men I Love... Corey Stoll

My favorite movie of the year. If I were a voting member the Academy, my Best Film choice would be Midnight In Paris. I was disappointed that Corey Stoll did not receive a Best Supporting Actor nod for his ferociously funny work as young, Ernest Hemmingway. I would have given it to him & delivered the statue myself.

As Hemingway

From Law & Order

From my web journal- Steve's Sexcapades

Believe me, I over-research any subject that catches my eye, my heart, my brain or my Hemingway. I returned from seeing this film, Woody Allen’s most successful film at the box office, & looked up each tidbit I could find on Stoll. He is an actor’s actor, working on stage- starring in A View From The Bridge with Scarlett Johansson.

Gratuitious...

Grant Bowler

New Zealand's Grant Bowler is just my type (meaning, male & between 25 & death). Weigh in with your opinion, please?

Born On This Day- September 9th... Tom Wopat

I started watching Inside The Actors Studio in 1994 when the first guest was, appropriately Paul Newman. Despite host James Lipton’s slightly demented gushing, it was interesting & engrossing to watch quality, experienced actors chat about their craft & experiences. When the program started veering away from guests like Robert De Niro & Estelle Parsons (real Actors Studio folk) & towards guests like Martin Lawrence or Teri Hatcher, I got off the Inside The Actors Studio boat.

I would catch it from time to time, but I missed seeing the heavy hitters, I mean, why was James asking questions of such legends of stage & screen as Barbara Walters or Jennifer Lopez? I caught a recent episode, brought to my attention by the Husband, with Mickey Rourke... pretty fascinating stuff. I always love when James Lipton does the Proust questionnaire made popular by French broadcaster Bernard Pivot. I am just going to pretend that I am Mr. Lipton’s guest & do the Proust:

1. What is your favorite word? onomatopoeia
2. What is your least favorite word? no
3. What turns you on? giving & receiving love
4. What turns you off? cruelty to animals
5. What sound or noise do you love? a baritone in song*
6. What sound or noise do you hate? a dentist drill
7. What is your favorite curse word? cocksuckingmotherfuckingcunt
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? architect
9. What profession would you not like to do? dental hygentist
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Wow…you look even better in person”

All this brings me to today’s birthday boy- Tom Wopat (who is not gay, but hey, I remain open minded about heterosexuals). I cared nothing of & never saw an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard, & was just vaugley aware that Mr. Wopat was a great looking guy from his small role on Cybill. In 1999, the Husband & I saw him in Annie Get Your Gun with Bernadete Peters on Broadway & we became instant fans of Tom Wopat.

We went to see Bernadette, of course; we are huge fans of Ms. Peters & I love the score to this creaky Irving Berlin classic. We were not prepared for how good the revised book would be & how first rate the production was, but the big surprise was the world class acting & singing of Tom Wopat. It was a thrill to see a masculine, self assured, funny, old fashioned Broadway leading man. Except for Brian Stokes Mitchell, this seemed a dying breed, with Alfred Drake & John Raitt long gone.

Wopat has appeared on Broadway in 42nd Street, City Of Angels, I love My Wife, Guys & Dolls, A Catered Affair, Catch Me If You Can & Sondheim on Sondheim. I love Tom Wopat's presence & I love his strong, whiskey voiced baritone. Check out his albums, especially In The' Still Of The Night (2000). *A baritone singing a great song is my favorite sound… at least that is what I told James Lipton during my Proust questionnaire when I was the guest on Inside The Actors' Studio.

I would welcome the opportunity to read your Proust questionnaire.

Happy Birthday, Jason Statham

What is the possible significance of having a Filmography that includes titles: Crank, Chaos, Collateral, & Snatch?

Jason Statham receives a 100 on the Steve-Sex-O-Meter. Check Out the very underrated- The Italian Job, a taut & witty heist thriller from 2003 & see if you don't agree. He celebrates his 38th Birthday today. This means that I am old enough to be his father, but not too old to be his Daddy.

Born On This Day- August 27th... Designer & Stephen's Secret Lover- Tom Ford

Not only am I inspired by people who, along with real talent, are able to "brand" themselves, but I want to follow in the footsteps of past blog posts: Martha Stewart, Andy Warhol & Keith Haring. Tom Ford has not only made himself a part of his own product, but he is his own muse. Every time I have come upon a print ad for Tom Ford, who is truly talented & designs beautiful clothing; I have earmarked the magazine ad & said to the Husband- "wow, can you believe how beautiful & hot he is? Plus... the clothing & accessories are amazing". The Husband concurred. Today is Tom Ford's birthday. I would be very pleased to be snowed-in at a mountain cabin for a few days with Tom Ford. I would try my best to leave him inspired. He is Daniel Craig's designer of choice, & that is all the endorsement I need. I love you, Tom Ford.... but alas, he has has been with partner Richard Buckley (14 years his senior) for 23 years. At least he needs a "daddy".

I am grateful to Mr. Ford for his 1st film- A Single Man. It was, for me, a masterful directorial debut. Happy Birthday, Tom. Have your people call my people.

I Heart James Franco

How do I love thee James Franco? Let me count the ways. I first saw him a decade ago (& he made quite the impact) on a favorite TV show- Freaks & Geeks, a show written by Judd Apatow & co-starring Seth Rogen & Jason Segel. The Husband & I thought he especially good as the title character in a Mark Rydell’s TV movie- James Dean, for which he won a Golden Globe. In just the last year, I was astounded by his good work in Milk & his hilarious turn in the stoner comedy- Pineapple Express. But, why does he seem so nutty of late?

While pursuing a degree in Columbia University’s MFA Writing program, James Franco took on the bizarre but fascinating decision to join the cast of General Hospital as a murderous artist named Franco. He says the idea came to him while preparing for a new film with Catherine Keener- Maladies, where Franco plays a former soap star. “Now, just because I’m playing a character who was formerly on a soap opera doesn’t mean I had to go on a soap opera, right?” said Franco. “So going on General Hospital isn’t directly related to Maladies. But we got to talking, like, ‘Hey, what if I really did a soap opera? That would be kind of amazing!’” He approached the producers, who of course said yes.

His only stipulation:‘I want to play an artist, and I want him to be crazy.’ And they wrote this character that was better than I could have ever asked for. It was their idea to call the character Franco. I said, ‘That’s crazy. Thank you.’” It was only after he’d signed up that he decided to bring his own crew along to film the filming, he said, “because I wanted to really have ownership over the piece.” This footage will be performance-art piece at Deitch Projects' Long Island City space later this year, & even more surreal, that show will in then be taped for a special episode of General Hospital.

His next role, as gay poet Alan Ginsberg, in Howl (co-starring Jon Hamm, Mary Louise Parker, Treat Williams, Jeff Daniels, Bob Balaban, David Strathairn, & Alessandro Nivola) was just shown at Sundance. Franco is unafraid to play gay, & if his turn in the gay indie film Blind Spot & as gay actor James Dean weren't enough, he's even directed some hardcore man X man action. His student film for Columbia featured a boy dreaming in graphic detail about the jocks on the basketball court.

Last week he appeared on 30 Rock as a demented version of himself, in love with a Japanese body pillow named Kimiko-tan. The “Franco” character carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted by their respective agents. Again, surreal, off-kilter & very funny.When Fey told him about the role, he said, “I thought it was pretty weird at first, but then I met Kimiko & she’s so pretty & sweet. I kept her. She’s at the apartment. I haven’t been around for a while, so she’s been a little lonely.”


I would like Franco to consider playing another little mind trip of an actor exercise & do a short film where he pursues an aging former actor because he wants to discover the experience of having a “daddy”.

Happy Birthday To My Buddy- Jake Gyllenhaal!

Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the smartest & most skillful lovers that I have ever encountered. Jake & I had blast rehearsing & shooting our duet of Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow! for my holiday extravganza- A Very Steve Christmas!. We shot on loacation in Aspen, & after the nearly 50 takes to get it right, we retired to Jake's room to enjoy the fireplace & laugh about our day in the snow.

The Legand Of Jesse James

& if you want to be high, be high. & if you want to be low, be low, for there’s a million things to be, you know that there are…  & if you want to be you, be you, & if you want to me me, be me...

Although I have appeared in over 50 of them, it seems absolutely nutty for me to do a post about a commercial, especially for a product that I care nothing about. Every time that this T-Mobile ad shows up, I am simply hypnotized. It features a song sung by Cat Stevens (I think it is unavailable, I have never been able to find it) from one of my favorite movies- Harold & Maude. The spot is well done & features Whoppi Goldberg, but I am always drawn by the 3rd person in the sequence. He always catches my full attention & makes me a feel a bit queasy & causes my heart to race & my loins to stir.  To the Husband- "OMG! I love this guy". Turns out he is a stunt man, reality star & soon to be my secret lover- Jesse James. He happens to be the husband of Sandra Bullock. She may appear in far too many crappy films, but what a lucky girl!

I Am Zany For Glee

Matthew Morrison in South Pacific on Broadway:

So, the Husband turns to me after the first half hour of Glee & says- “you have a big old crush on the actor playing Will, doncha? I feel a blog post about this in your future.” Well, that is true & here is the post.



The 2nd Glee episode did not disappoint. Smart writing & great acting, Jane Lynch doing anything, crazy fun musical numbers (Kanye West’s Goldigger!) & my new crush- Matthew Morrison. This show is Freaks & Geeks + High School Musical = excellent, original TV. Glee is my new favorite show & along with So you Think You Can Dance, it makes Wednesday the best night for television viewing.


Matthew Morrison has starred on Broadway as Link Larkin in Hairspray, was Tony nominated for his role as Frabrizio in the wonderful- The Light In The Piazza ( oh, how I love that musical) & on TV as Sir Harry (a role I played in college) in Once Upon A Mattress with Tracey Ullman & Carol Burnett. He just finished a long run as Lt. Cable in South Pacific on Broadway.


I think Morrison is particularly valuable as Will in Glee because his good looks are slightly off-kilter & goofy. I would really like to show my appreciation for his performance as the teacher trying to bring the Glee Club at McKinley High School back to its former glory. Yummm.



Terri to Will, while touring a pretty pink nursery in a potential house to buy-
“This is the room where our daughter or gay son will sleep”

Caught throwing up in a bathroom stall-
Rachel: “I don’t have a gag reflex”.
Emma: “Someday when you’re older, you’ll appreciate that.”

Stephen Does The Dirty Job... New This Fall On The Discovery Channel

When I channel surf all alone, I tend to linger on The History Channel, Animal Planet or Discovery (none of these are of interest to the Husband). Earlier this week I ended up on Discovery watching a show that I assumed was titled- Stephen’s Potential Secret Lovers. I watched 3 in a row & couldn't have been more engaged. Count me in as a fan of host Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs. It sounds like porn & it is sorta like porn. Have you checked this show out? I think the Husband might forgo a re-run episode of HGTV’s Color Splash with host David Bromstad, & join me in sipping a martini while viewing of- Steve Gets Dirty With Mike.

Photographic Proof That Mr Cooper Has Been Two-Timing Me

... but, I just received a text message from Andy- "Steve. Come spend the weekend with us. We are going to the gym, then I have to do my show, after that we can do dinner & probably SPLASH late tonite. I miss you & I would be glad to share."

Colton Ford- Losing My Religion

"I want to go there"
post apocalyptic bohemain