John Lloyd Young Performs at Benefit Concert Sunday & ‘Oy Vey’ Film News!
July 30th, 2009
Robert Sokol on ebar.com has a marvelous interview with Tony Award-winner John Lloyd Young, who will be performing this Sunday in the Help is On Its Way Benefit in San Francisco.
JLY is slated to guest on Fox’s Glee in the fall, and just wrapped the title role in the indie comedy Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay! with Lainie Kazan, Bruce Vilanch, and Saul Rubinek. “We’re doing private screenings right now, and audiences are responding really well.”
The 34-year-old Young, who is straight, says he has read for many gay roles. “A lot of them I turn down flat-out because they are so stereotypical and, from my perspective, so offensive that I could not stand behind the project. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for putting that out there. I would be ashamed,” he says. “Actors have to take responsibility for the roles they choose. You can’t just take any job that is offered, especially if you don’t agree with the message of the material. I’ve run away – screaming, in some instances – from the depictions written into certain scripts, for both gay and straight characters.”
In Oy Vey!, he is partnered with former Queer Eye star Jai Rodriguez, and has to fend of the advances of uber-vixen Carmen Electra. “A lot of actors don’t even consider playing gay roles, so new actors like me get offered these scripts. I don’t care if the role is gay or straight. I just want to play a character with dignity. I think you have to have a social conscience about it, especially if you want your work to mean something and not just be a way of making a living.
“Gay stereotypes are perpetuated in Hollywood in mean-spirited ways. It’s like they have to buffoon-ize gay characters so that audiences can feel more comfortable with them. People can be comfortable with the flamboyant florist, but if he’s just a normal person, ‘one of us,’ then that’s more threatening. I’m really opposed to that. It’s 2009. We should be able to see a person who just happens to be gay. There needs to be balance, so that people can realize not all people or all groups of people are the way they are assumed to be.” Young thinks his new film achieves those goals. “It’s why I chose to do it.”
Young makes his San Francisco debut this Sunday at the Herbst Theatre as part the 15th annual edition of the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation’s Help Is on the Way concert gala. The underwriter reception and auction will begin at 6 p.m. and the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($75 performance only; underwriter $175 and up). Call (415) 273-1620 for details.
WOW! JLY sure does look different here, in the old JB days, than he does now!
Comment by WANDA — July 30, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
Can’t wait to see him on the big screen. What a talent! I regret that I never made it to NY to see him.
Comment by Rose — July 30, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
It is always great to see JLY on the blog! His true character comes through in everything he does and that is why he is loved by so many of his fans. I look forward to seeing Oy Vey, Glee, and any other future project JLY is a part of.
Comment by Carolyn — July 30, 2009 @ 9:57 pm
Great article. Can’t wait to see you on Sunday.
Comment by Tiggerbelle — July 31, 2009 @ 10:46 am
looks good to me! hope someone posts the performance on YouTube — PLEASE!!
Comment by elaine grace — July 31, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Carolyn, you are so right! John’s true character comes through in everything he does. I just wish he would have shown up at the party that we threw in his honor the night of his concerts at the Time Warner Center
Comment by Gary — July 31, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
I was so sad to miss that party! Especially if you wore your impressive long leather coat, Gary. xo JLY
Comment by John Lloyd Young — August 1, 2009 @ 1:33 pm