The Arts

July 29, 2003

The L-Word for Yanks Only A couple of my friends are working on a new Showtime series being shot in Vancouver: The L-Word. They describe it as 'Beverly Hills 90210, except with lesbians'. I've got two words for that: marketable premise. One of my friends wears an orange vest and is currently charged with 'watching the parking lot' for 12-14 hours a day. Ain't film work glamourous? Curious to learn more about said series, I searched for it and clicked on the first link to the official site. Here's what I found: We at Showtime Online express our apologies; however, these pages are intended for access only from within the United States. What's up with that? Why would they be blocking good-natured Canadians from viewing their content? We get the channel, why can't we get the site? Ironically, it stars a Canadian: Mia Kirshner. I had to settle for this page on the clevely-named AfterEllen.com, 'reviews and commentary on the representation of lesbians and bisexual women in entertainment and the media'. Looks more like Sex in the Gay City to me. UPDATE: Todd cleverly sends a cached version of the Showtime page. It sounds just like Sex in the City. Or maybe we should just call it Felesity. That's weak. Yet, check the plot outline: Jenny Schecter (MIA KIRSHNER) is a gifted young writer of fiction who just completed her MFA at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. With a major literary award and one published short story to her credit, she arrives in Los Angeles to begin her "adult life" with her boyfriend - soon to be fiancé – Tim Haspel (ERIC MABIUS), a women’s swim coach at a large state university. 10:12:21 PM        The Arts Vancouver

When I Think Back on All the Crap I Learned in High School I wish I'd gone to Conserve School. With the exception of it's being in the States, it sounds pretty idyllic: Conserve School is a coeducational college preparatory boarding school for students in grades 9-12. Located on 1,200 wooded acres in northern Wisconsin, this independent, nonsectarian school places an emphasis on environmental stewardship, ethics and leadership, and innovative uses of technology. How cool does that sound? Their Web site is a lesson in how not to build a Web site, but that's irrelevant. It's like some eco-liberal scholastic fantasy sprung to life. Check out the video. The whole thing reminds me a little of that short-lived television show, Young Americans. I read about it in this excellent magazine while enjoying veggie chili at the excellent Templeton diner. 9:25:10 AM        The Arts