An amazing time...

And so we're back- the tan is fading. The cruise was amazing- great weather, new "friends", some old friends. Brody and I went on excursions every day- a zip line course, a grueling 7 hour hike up and down a dormant volcano, snorkeling and kayaking.

Dinners onboard were interesting. Most didn't believe we were father and son....they thought we were lovers...or I was the straight dad here on the cruise to support his gay son. Talk about the ultimate cock block. We set them straight....

And of course we had the talk about "no sock on the door." And Brody was all for it.

Then one night...I should have left the sock on the door- as my new "friend" and I were in a compromised state- as we heard the key in the door announcing Brody and his friend.

SO WRONG... in so many ways.

Getting to the cruise was a breeze- amazing nonstop flight- great seats. The trip home- not so great. Missed connections, no luggage and finally getting back to San Diego at 1am. Ugh.

Anyway- great pics below. We can't wait until the next one.

Uh huh, we know what you're looking at.

And there he sat...for hours right in front of me. So I slathered on more SPF30 and endured...Oh how I suffered.

Brody and the perpetual tan. People thought he was Hispanic- leading them to believe that I was NOT his father.

Brody getting ready for the White Party. We bought these crazy horrible pants in Curacao. Within an hour Brody had done a costume change.

Okay, check that...

So, they make an announcement, asking for volunteers to give up their seats on the LA to Fort Lauderdale flight. They would rebook and give a $300 voucher. I'm thinking fast...and suggest to the gate agent that she could put us on the LA to San Juan non-stop....nice. So bye-bye seats and they close the door....and THEN I ask...what about our bags? Well they're on the flight to Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully they'll get to San Juan before us...or they'll get stuck in Lauderdale. Only problem is...there's no "NEXT FLIGHT" to get those bags to us before we get on the ship...and it steams away. And now I'm stressed...and eating potato chips (not on the diet) and blaming this Jack London quote I read this afternoon...while eating yes, another plate of chicken (on the diet). "I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist."

Could I at least be a superb meteor...who has his luggage?

We're on our way!!

At the airport leaving for Lauderdale and then San Juan for the cruise. Brody is on the phone...endless goodbyes. Both of us are very excited. More pics to come.

Dorian Gray- Phase Three

So yesterday I went to get some pre-cancers taken off my face with a process called Photo Dynamic Therapy- the side benefits being it also gets rid of fine wrinkles and tiny veins as well as sunspots. It shrinks pores and gives you smoother, younger looking skin.

That last line in the brochure got me hooked.

The catch is, the treatment takes hours- the laser that zaps you is described as giving you moderate to severe pain. (more like a rubber band snap on your face) AND, the next day you have to stay indoors, with all curtains drawn and completely avoid sunlight.

So here I sit, like Miss Havisham, waiting for the sun to go down so I can get outside.

Overall, the process isn't so bad. The pic, from the next morning has me a little red- much like a sunburn- and the spots darker where I got zapped.

And that was phase three- phase two was the cut and color I got from Rex Salon earlier this week. Below is the next day photo- and the picture of me hidden in the attic!

Hilarious new blog

Got a comment from the creator of "Famous Like Me"- so I checked out his site. He's got mug shots of guys in Boise. And some of them...are cute. Some of them...are not. Still, a brilliant idea. And good reading. Click on the link to the right and check it out.

The day after

So the Restalyne was successful. It was a freaky, kind of frightening process. I kept thinking "what if this goes horribly wrong?" Dr. Keel at MDSpa in La Jolla was reassuring. And he's done this 100s of times- if not more. He numbed up my face- and then injected the Restalyne. And then he massaged it in. The whole process took twenty minutes.

I was a little sore for about 14 hours- iced the face every few hours, but I'm pretty happy with the results.

Below are pictures of before, 15 minutes afterwards and the day after. The puppet lines are gone.

And as I was sitting on the front porch- looking out at the sun over the ocean, painting my big toenail navy blue. Yes, blue.

I thought- "Jesus, am I in a midlife crisis?"
Am I J. Alfred Prufrock? I reread the T.S. Eliot poem- and posted a bit below.


No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.

I grow old … I grow old …
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.

I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.



Prufrock is despondent- resigned.

I am not.
And thus the blue toe nail.
I do believe the mermaids will sing to me.

Gay men and the culture of youth

Having a son has its benefits...having a gay son is even better. When we're out together, he can help seal the deal. A gay father and son is a great conversation starter with strangers. He's fun, energetic- and he pushes me to have fun too.

But having a child does have its drawbacks. He's a timepiece. Brody's 23. Most people do the math and realize I'm in my upper 40's- zeroing in on 50. There's no hedging.

And in this gay world, that doesn't play. Look at all the gay rags- they celebrate youth and looking young and playing young. It's messed up. It also doesn't help that I work in the entertainment business- a double whammy. There's no selling a show to MTV if you don't have that "youthful vibe."

And it's not that I want to date 26 year olds- although I did have two dates last week with guys in their twenties. It's a drag thinking they were born when I was graduating from college. Nice guys, both of them...

The thing is, aging doesn't suck. Looking older does.

I can't tell you how many of my friends wash the gray out of their hair. Last night in the gym, I was noticing how dull my hair looked and realized it was because of the gray. I used to "low light"- to get rid of some of the gray, but it's a pain in the ass- and takes forever- it's half a day at the salon. So should I get the gray out my temples?

We dress young- I've got the low riding jeans- the cool shirts. Then again, Brody was looking at some pictures from a recent party and noted how all the old guys were wearing bright colored wild shirts.

My best friend Gary and I joke all the time about getting "work" done- He wants to get rid of the bags under his eyes- I want to get rid of the wrinkles.

And so when I looked in the mirror the other day- I decided the time has come.

I'm going to try Restalyne- and get rid of the puppet lines on the sides of my mouth. It only lasts for four months...and if it works, great.



I don't think I'm trying to fool anyone else- just the guy in the mirror.

Casper plays Gay- Part Two

This is is from a spread in this month's "Out" magazine. Casper and his wife Catherine Oxenberg star in the new series I'm producing for MyNetworkTV (Channel 13 in LA, Channel 9 in NY). Casper plays a gay assassin in "Watch Over Me"- a story about a love triangle (hot Marc Menard and Todd Cahoon with Dayanara Torres.) Both Casper and Catherine are probably the nicest people you'll ever run into. As a matter of fact- all of the stars on this show were amazing- giving lie to the thought that all actors are crazy and flakes.

Brody

So Brody leaves most of the nasty comments on the blog..."Uh, hello, you gonna post?" Brody doesn't have the demanding job his father does.

He has time to take pictures of himself in his new apartment in West Hollywood.
He has time to date a thousand guys. He has time to go out every night.


He's also 23.


We had lunch the other day- and talked about dating...and how excited we are about the cruise. We have a great time together. In many ways, he is the perfect wingman. These two guys (well one guy unbeknownst to his lover) were working me at RAIDD in Paris- and Brody was just urging this guy on. They were from Dublin...and I would have gone home with the one- if it were not for the older, very protective lover. So when "Kevin" asked me to come home with them, I declined. I don't need the drama. And sure, I haven't gotten laid....in a LONG time, but I can certainly wait a bit longer. Well not THAT much longer.

Damn, this work thing has me tied down

Thought for the day- found this somewhere on the net- my bad for not properly crediting it, but it's hysterical. Who says language is universal?

So I haven't been able to post...keep thinking that Sundays will be the day of rest, reflection and THE day to get on this thing. Ah, no.

Last night, I threw a wrap party for two of our new shows that will premiere in March- "American Heiress" and "Saints and Sinners." Lots of booze- lots of beautiful people. And I cooked dinner for all 200 of them. Crazy. But good.

Both are great shows- for MyNetworkTV- Channel 13 in LA, Channel 9 in New York. Lots of hot guys, lots of great drama. Like Dynasty on speed.

Right now, "Wicked Wicked Games" with Tatum O'Neal and "Watch Over Me" with Casper van Dien and Catherine Oxenberg- are playing. They're great shows...problem is, no one knows they're on...five nights a week.

I love my job. Don't get me wrong...it's just I'm on call 24/7- and it's tough to have a social life- or ANY life outside of work. Getting to the gym (remember I have that Atlantis cruise in March) is supposed to be the big priority...but I didn't even get out of work until 10pm tonight and fielded three phone calls on the way home. I know. bitch, bitch, bitch.

I finally downloaded some pics from Christmas vacation of Barry, Gary and Mic- in Prague.

Damn we're old sea hags.

Happy New Year

Brody sent me an email- "If you have a blog- you have to post more often." Okay he's right. I was waiting to find my cord to download the photos from my camera.

So New Year's Eve- on a bridge over the Seine with my family and hundreds of foreigners- most of them NOT French- drinking champagne. Lovely, romantic, perfect for 2007. Last year we did the same thing, but I was in such a foul mood- and the mood paid off in spades throughout the year. My sister and her two daughters, Brigid and Brody and Zack- lovely.

It took 24 hours door to door to get home. As we were going through customs in Dallas, one of the guards said "Welcome Home" to those of us returning. I would have rather been in Paris.

And now- back to work- and the daily slog.

But tonight 13 college guys are staying at the house- they're the current version of the a capella group I belonged to at Colgate. Should be...interesting.

Merry Christmas from Paris!!!

So far...what a trip. Spent the first few days in Prague. And although pretty, I was underwhelmed. Too many tourists, the buildings and statues needed good scrubbings- and at night, felt very unsafe.
Four of us were walking- trying to find "Friends" bar, which was described as the most popular bar in Prague...God help us if it is, because it was TRAGIC...and so anyway, we're walking and we keep getting accosted by these very big rough and tumble Eastern European men trying to get us to go into the tit bars and sex clubs. IT was NOT like Paris.
And so, while I appreciated the history and the architecture and art- I wanted out- fast. I figure, if I have two weeks vacation, I might as well spend it in the place I love.

So- we flew to Paris on the 21st and honestly, I relaxed for the first time in days- spoiled child that I am.

Mic and I are in one apartment and Chris, Gary and Barry are in another- just blocks away. Barry's not really the party boy when Gary's around- so the four of us went to Raidd Bar- where the boys dance in the showers- and one boy- showed it all...and then peed on the glass. Crazy stuff. And then we went to Le Deep. No, not Le Depot- which some of you know of- but it's tragic, smaller, darker relative on the bank of the Seine.

And of course I found love- or a reasonable facsimile- in a husky Parisian named Philipe. Small wonder. I'm trying to work someone and Gary, Mic and Chris come roaring by, giggling, talking loudly...crazy. So Philipe wants to hook up and so do I because he's crazy hot and I'm about to go out of my skin...but Mic wants to go home- and he forgot his keys. Mic gets lost going around the corner- (he was lost for an hour and a half the other day just blocks from the apartment) and he's insistent and drunk. And of course I don't know the code to the building so I can't get in. I just have the scan key to open the door.

And I'm thinking "You've got to be kidding me. "

This is the first guy I've kissed....in a YEAR! A whole year! I've had to throw out condoms recently because they've expired for God's sake! And now I have to go home? So I dig in my pocket for a card- and give it to Phillipe. And I take Mic home.

Of course Phillipe has not sent me an email.

So every time we go out now it's: "Hey Mic- got your keys?"

On the way to Paris!!!!

So it's Saturday and I'm sitting in the American Airlines International Terminal at JFK- scrounging for a power outlet so the computer doesn't crash. It's ghetto at best. After getting up at the crack of hell to get to the airport, I slept most of the way to New York...after working at least an hour- on some ideas for my boss. Vacation...wha?

No such luck. I'm tied to the damn crackberry and computer- to make sure work continues while I'm gone.

Not all eyes weep for me. At least I'll be in Paris.

But first Prague.

Gary and Barry and Mic are already there...and have hopefully scouted the places to go- the places to play. I am ready for that. It's been a dry white season.

Sunday's Delight

Ricardo Baldin- one of the Brazilian guys on "Terra-The Boy"

To see the "making of video" for his photoshoot, click on the link.

http://tv.terra.com.br/home.aspx?channel=580&play=1&contentid=146989

The end of an era

This morning- a good friend, Charlie Colarusso, passed away. He was 72. He died on his birthday. His partner of over 40 years- Art, died four months ago- September 17th- on HIS birthday. He was 81. They were both friends of mine for the last 20 years- and loved one another- and all of their friends deeply.

For many of us, they were the model couple. In a world where we move from partner to partner- they stayed together and showed us that loving someone else- with undying passion and gentleness, was possible.

After Art died, Charlie slipped quickly into bad health. Art had always been the caretaker- and with him gone, Charlie felt that his rock, his anchor had been pulled from him. The truth was, Charlie couldn't live without Art.

And so, we go on...missing them and the light they brought to all of our lives.