DDD Random Ramblings… 
(by gareem, who attended the Outfest panel as an audience member)

D r o p D e a d D E L I C I O U S !!!

Simply the best!!! 

What an unbelievable honor to have attended this extraordinary event. I truly feel this. 

And I shared this wonderful Outfest outing with ymarie; so glad she came.

Other people are really good about content and stuff and have already posted. Yaknelle kindly already posted some of the stuff I was blabbering on about in the car on the drive home. So I’ll just ramble along a bit more. 

THE BASICS:
The DDD series is simply lovely. It is full of heart. Just plain and simple…HEART. Tender and touching in every way—a huge surprise. I had never seen the show until Clay’s guest appearance was announced. And then I went searching to catch up—I wanted get a feel for the show. From the very first episode I saw--what a hidden little gem. The plotlines, the characters, treated with such dignity and care. I have been so impressed.

THE EPISODE:
And then there was THIS episode. Plot, you know--true story of Mississippi teen Constance McMillan who was denied access to her high school prom because she wanted to attend with her girlfriend. Episode guest stars Wanda Sykes, Amanda Bearse, Clay Aiken, Lance Bass and Constance herself (in a cameo). This show--lovely. Just lovely. They treated a “tricky subject” with such care. It really is so well done. The episode is poignant and funny and heart-string tugging and such full-out joy. Lovely. OK…I had a couple of misty moments. Well, OK, maybe a few. 

THE PANEL:
The basics first. LOVELY PEOPLE! EVERY single one of them! So open and forthcoming. Panel discussion and Q&A with series creator/executive producer Josh Berman, director/co-executive producer Jamie Babbit, Clay Aiken, and Adam Waters (GSA Advisor of the Year), Fred—the Guardian Angel and Stacey—BFF of series star (Jane). Moderated by Ari Karpel—very professional…N Y Times maybe? Impressive credentials. 

Well done. No pandering or patronizing. Real grownups discussing real topics with such humanity. Thought provoking and inspiring.

And then there was CLAY!
YOWZA!!! 
OMG to understate. Simply OMG. He was simply spectacular. Talk about my heart and soul overflowing. They spilleth over. And over. And over.

I will say that whatever way you “see” Clay…..Boyfriend--hottest hunk that ever walked the face of the earth; Like a son--from a mother’s view; Really good man… Whatever or however you see him, I assure you that you would be proud as a peacock and crawling around on the floor looking for your popped buttons after today. I could not have been any more proud of him and his association with this project and the way he handled his parts in both the show and the panel and everything else. I just love the man to bits! I’m honored to be his fan.

Clay must be very proud to have been associated with this episode and this show. It was very, very special.

I haven’t read anything posted by anyone else yet so I hope this stuff won’t duplicate too much. Here’s what yaknelle posted from me earlier and I’ll go from there.

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“gareem said it was drop dead delicious. Clay sat in the second row in the audience and gareem was directly behind him. He sat next to a CV member but I won't spoil her fun in telling it herself.

Very, very furry forearms that were within licking distance.

He was good in his part. NONE OF THE THREE GUEST STARS, WHO HAPPEN TO BE GAY, PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER. 

Clay got the part because the creator and director of the series personally called him, and asked him to be a part of it. The creator and director, Josh Berman, and Clay had dinner together last night at a very expensive, classy restaurant. The director has done serious business there before. 

The panel was outstanding. The show was outstanding. All actors seemed to have really bonded. 

Jamie Babbit, the director and co-executive producer said, "Clay had one of the most fun parts. I was so happily impressed working with him. He is a natural actor. He is very talented and very good."

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OK…he was TERRIFIC in his part! 

OK…a little more in the memory and observation department…
Clay came into the row in front of me–Clay first, a woman and two guys. Clay DIRECTLY in front of me. He and the woman seemed to know each other well, were very friendly, playful and fun—kinda like he would be with Quiana or someone like that. Don’t know if she was with the show or a personal friend but they seemed to be very connected. Chatty, playful, fun, talked, interacted and shared a lot. I noticed one time where he leaned forward and I assume was texting someone. Overall he sat pretty still. Looked around once early on, poked the woman he was with and said something and then was just pretty much engaged in the program like anybody else. He quietly watched, the show, not a whole lot of response, stretched his neck from side to side a couple of times. 

An older man approached Clay before the showing—reaching over the front row—and asked if he would sign something. I didn’t hear the request but the man had a couple of 8x10 photos and a blue Sharpie—they were resting on a priority mailing envelope. Clay signed them. It was cute. Looks like the man might have been getting them signed for somebody special. Very sweet. (Mostly) the fans were respectful of him.

His hair was darkish brown, shiny and looked thick and rich. And no, I did not touch it. There seemed to be more in the sideburn department than usual. Lovely long, dark lashes. Beautiful sweater—LOOKED very soft, fine yarn, caressed those fine broad shoulders…oh, got carried away there. Sleeves pushed up. That’s when I spied that yummy cinnamon arm fur. His stubble looked a bit more than usual and matched the arm fur. Pretty cute. 

Wanda Sykes is flat out hysterical. Beyond hysterical!!! Don’t know if everything she says was scripted or that’s just her. Whatever it is, she is priceless.

Great writing on that show. Full of surprises. Made me smile. Big time.

More Panel: 
The introduction of Clay was very special—talked about Clay beginning on Idol and is a beautiful singer and actor and 5 successful albums and tours like crazy and came out and is a father and has become quite a spokesman on gay rights issues. Lovely. Just lovely. Clay was so classy on the panel.

Josh told how the episode came to be. Lance Bass heard the story (or read it) and he sent Constance $30,000 to throw her own prom. 

Josh talked about mainstream television and cable. First season, DDD suggested a storyline involving a gay character. Lifetime didn’t want to do it. This year, 3rd season, they pitched this storyline and everybody embraced it. Times, they are a changing. Oh, and they operate on a very small budget; their guests work for the minimum. Sony spent more money on this episode than usual. Everybody really believed in it. A woman, one of their newish youngish writers I thought he said, wanted to write it. They wanted to present both sides of the issue so she/they called “Focus on the Family” and got the other side of the debate in terms of the subject material. I thought they were very fair and not heavy handed at all. What I really appreciate is that the way they present issues is that it’s very relatable, not preachy, mostly common sense and simply the right thing to do. Like I said…this series has HEART!

Josh talked about this show being about identity.

This episode—he wanted familiar faces in this episode. People 10, 20, 30 years older than a high school kid who might be sitting alone in their room and watching this episode. They know there are other kids in their high school who are gay but they don’t know who they are. They still feel all alone. He wanted them to know that people grow up and can be successful. Gay, straight—didn’t matter. He wanted role models these kids could look up to, people who just happen to be gay and are doing well. This is why he asked THESE particular people to be in this episode. This is why he personally called Clay.

And since Scarlett taped the whole panel, you’ll see and hear it all.

I may scribble a little more after I see what all else has been written. This may all be redundancy to the max.

Anyway…can ya tell it was FABULOUS? Golly what a great day and great people, and such a joyful time and experience. This show is absolutely wonderful in what it does. It’s precious and powerful and poignant and playful. Oh…and so is our guy. He really is one of the good guys. Simply the BEST!!!