JUST TO CLARIFY...

I just want to clarify something about my page. You've all noticed I have disclaimers on every page stating that negative comments won't be published. I have my reasons for that. 

My main reason is, I want this page to be a fun thing. Fun for me personally as I love films and writing so this is a great way to combine the two. I also want this to be fun for anyone who stumbles across it. Maybe you're led here while you're searching online for something else, you start scrolling through my lists and you find films you've never seen before and in the end you will enjoy them as much as I do. 

I am not a professional film critic and I'm not making any money from this page as a professional blogger. What I write here are MY opinions of the movies I see. I refuse to debate with anybody regarding my personal opinions and experiences... not on social media and certainly not here. 

I won't have anybody posting abusive comments to me or anybody else who leaves positive feedback. If you absolutely must post negative comments, then head over to Twitter or TMZ and you can be just as ugly as the others who troll those sites. 

My page is not a democracy and freedom of speech only applies to me here. You are more than welcome to start your own Blogger page if you feel what you need to say is important, it's free and you can write whatever you want as long as it's within Google's rules. 

I post about films I've seen and like. I won't have someone I don't know scolding me because I haven't posted about a certain film I either have never seen or didn't like enough to write about it. 

That said... I will publish kind, respectful and constructive comments, and I definitely accept recommendations for films. I don't know about every film ever made, so if you think of something that will fit in on one of my page themes, buy all means, politely tell me about it. If I haven't seen it, I'll add it to my watch list, and if I like it, I'll post it. 

I don't think it's too much to ask to have a place online where people can positively enjoy the content without having to see cruel comments. If people would take it upon themselves to just be nice, I wouldn't have to do this... but here we are. 

To all of you who visit this page regularly and to those of you who are new here, WELCOME and THANK YOU! 

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHORT FILMS

Photo from Google Images

Usually when I start a new spotlight page, I accompany it with a blog post. I launched a Short Film Spotlight Page a couple of weeks ago and I neglected to write the related blog post and for that I apologize. 

I received a "comment" that asked me what the point was to spotlight short films. This person called the people who make them "too lazy to make real movies". As always, I refuse to post negative comments because that's not the vibe I want here, but if anyone else is thinking that, I will address the topic of why I love short films so much. 

First off... people who make short films are NOT lazy. Producing a short film is a hell of a lot of work. So I want all of you to get that crap out of your heads if that's what you're thinking. 

As usual with all independent film productions, money is THE factor. 

Many film makers opt to do short films so they can tell their stories with less money. 

Many film makers will use the money they are able to get, make a short film, put it out there on the festival circuit and hope to gain attention from investors to adapt their short film to a full feature length film. 

Many short films are made as part of short film competitions for money to be used on their next film project. 

Many short films are made for school projects. 

Whatever the reason, there are countless fantastic short films out there and I want to spotlight the films I enjoy so they can be appreciated by all of you as much as I appreciate them. 

I decided to only spotlight short films that are available somewhere for the public to see like YouTube, Vimeo, Amazon, VOD, Compilation DVDs, etc. 

It's a shame that so many great short films have been made, which I really enjoyed, but for reasons unknown to me, the film makers have tucked them away and they aren't available for the public to view. Hopefully this will also inspire some of those film makers to make their films public in some way so we can all enjoy them. 

I often go to local short film festivals. Every major city has multiple festivals for different categories every year. I love that I can see so many different, wonderful stories in the same time it takes to watch one full length feature film. I especially love it when the film makers are there to talk about their journeys of making the films. To someone who has never been to a film festival before, it may sound odd, but once you start going to them, you find yourself loving them and can't wait for the next one. 

I have one last thing I want to discuss in this post. Just because you  have a computer and you have the ability to write just about anything you want as long as it's within the web site companies terms and conditions, that doesn't mean you should forget how to be a kind and compassionate person. 

People work long and hard to create their art, whether it's film, television, pottery, painting, music, photography, etc. You may not like it, and that's fine for you, but other people do like it. So how about you try, the next time you see something you don't like, just move on and don't say anything. 

Leaving cruel and mean comments on something regarding somebody's art is a much bigger reflection on your personality than their art. Do you really want to live day to day being a nasty bully over things you don't like or don't care about or would you rather engage positively in things you enjoy? You have the choice to be a kind person or to be an asshole. 

Think long and hard before making comments. That goes for every website. Try to be a decent human being. 

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MOVIE EXTRA

I stopped to have a drink earlier today... it's been ages since I've done that and I thought "why not?"

I wasn't eavesdropping on the people near me... I just couldn't help but overhear their very loud conversation. Two women were discussing wanting to get jobs as movie extras so they could hang out with famous people. 

I smiled and chuckled to myself a little. It got me to thinking about the Casting Directors I know who have had to cast the extras for movies and television. 

If you don't know what an "extra" is, they are the people you see in the background. They don't say anything, but them being there is an extremely important to make a scene realistic. 

When you work on mostly low budget films like I do, pretty much anyone who is on set and breathing is thrown into the background at some point. We're rarely paid with money, but we get free food and drinks. 

I've never worked on any major studio big budget films, but I listen and learn when the Casting Directors I know talk about it. 

Am I an expert on the film industry? God no. Not even remotely close. I have, however, been doing what I do for most of my adult life and absorbed enough information to give solid advice to anyone thinking of being an extra. 

Casting Call

Casting Directors will usually put out a casting call to talent agencies or in the film trade publications, social media, craigslist etc. They will be very specific about the type of people they need so read them carefully and only submit yourself if you are what they're looking for.  

For a large crowd scene, they'll hire all types of different people. But there are times when they will be looking for very specific traits like ethnicity, height, age, sex, eye color, tall, short, skinny, heavy, tattoos, no tattoos, hair color, long hair, short hair, no hair... you get the idea.

Be sure you follow ALL of the Casting Director's instructions on how to submit for the job. 

Headshots

When a Casting Director requires headshots in their casting calls, that means they're looking for a specific type. So if you're serious about being a career extra or developing as an actor, hire a professional photographer who specializes in headshots. That means a closeup photo of your head, very little torso, no full body, nobody in the background... just your head. The headshot needs to look like you. Tone down the makeup, keep your hair simple and wear a mid-tone color shirt like blue or green because they are more flattering. Avoid colors that will blend with your skin tone or bright, loud colors and patterns because they will draw attention away from your face. 

If you change your look often, then get new headshots often. If you submit a headshot for a job, and the Casting Director calls you in because of the way you look in the photo, but you don't look like that in person, you won't get hired.  

Your contact information and resume should be printed on the back of the headshot. Do not attach a separate piece of paper with that information. If the photo and the paper were to get separated, the Casting Director would have no way of knowing who you are or getting in contact with you and you'll lose out on getting a job. 

Selfies

The only time you should submit a selfie for any acting job is if the Casting Director specifically asks you to. Some are known to want a photo of you at that very moment. Just make sure the lighting is good so your skin tone is obvious and don't use filters.

Location

Film makers, low budget or big budget, will only hire background actors who live in the area where the project is being filmed. So, if you live in California, don't submit to jobs that are being filmed on the East Coast. They will not provide you transportation to get there nor will they provide hotel accommodations. Only submit to jobs that are being filmed within a reasonable distance from your home. 

Salary

For low budget films like I work on, you'll either be working for free or what is called "deferred payment". That's a legal term in the film industry where the people involved with the project agree to be paid at a later time... usually after the film is in distribution and making a profit. You have to be realistic when it comes to low budget films... it's rare a low budget film will turn a profit so you will more than likely never be paid for it. 

For big budget films, they will have a set salary within the SAG-AFTRA rules and area labor laws to pay the extras which may vary depending on what is expected of the extras. 

Don't think for a second you'll get hired as an extra by making salary demands. If you attempt it, they won't hire you.

Commitment  

If you are hired as a background actor... or any role for that matter, then you had better follow through with it. If another role comes along that interferes with the one you've already been hired for, then turn it down. Always do the job you committed to first.  

One thing Casting Directors and Producers won't tolerate, whether the film is low budget or big budget, are "actors" who flake on a project after they've already committed to it. Those Casting Directors and Producers will never consider you for their projects again. Plus, keep in mind that people within the film industry talk to each other and it's likely word will get out about your unprofessional conduct and getting any job will be difficult from that point on. 

I personally have had people say they would be there for party or crowd scenes and not show up without any notice. I won't ever consider them again... and if any Producers or Casting Directors ever ask me about them, I'll tell them exactly how they left me in a bad situation and had to scramble to find others to fill the spots.

Non Disclosure Agreement  

Non Disclosure Agreement or NDA is a legally binding contract which means no confidential information will be shared. NDAs usually apply to the big budget films but I have had to sign them occasionally for the low budge films too. 

Film makers don't want information about their projects being public until the project is complete and ready for distribution; mainly to keep other people from stealing their concept but also to not spoil it for the public before it's released. Nobody is going to pay to see a movie if they already know everything about it. 

When you sign that piece of paper, that means you won't disclose anything about the project. If you sneak some photos or videos from the film set and share them on social media or if you say anything to the press, you WILL get caught, you WILL get sued, you WILL lose and you WILL spend a huge chunk of your life paying off the fines. The movie studios can afford much better lawyers than most of us can. 

If you do happen to get photos and videos, keep them to yourself until after the film has been released to the public. 

Socializing With Celebrities

In low budget film making, it's easier for background people to interact with the main actors than the big budget films. 

With the big budget films, there's a lot going on that has to be done with precision timing because, as they say, time is money. You have a very large crew doing their jobs and actors who need to concentrate. 

Background actors usually have to wait in a separate area than the main actors until the director is ready to have them on set. The majority of time spent on a film location is waiting in silence for shots to get set up and doing take after take from different angles. You'd be surprised at how much time and work goes into getting a few seconds of a scene you see in the finished product.

The constant waiting, sometimes in unfavorable temperatures, can make people grumpy after a while.  

You see in the media sometimes about how actors are snobs to the "little" people on film sets. No they're not. They're working. It's a job, not a social club. They're being paid a lot of money for that job, a lot is riding on their shoulders and they need to focus on what they're doing. 

I know actors are very grateful for the background people because they are such a vital part of every project. I'm sure when time permits and depending on how many background actors there are, they will shake hands or pose for selfies, but they can only do so much because they're only human. So, if you're in a movie and you don't get the chance to meet the main actors, don't take it personally. 

In Conclusion

It's not my intent to burst your bubble about working as a movie extra. My intent was to give you a realistic view of what to expect. It's not all sunglasses and autographs. 

Being an extra is a lot of fun and very rewarding and can sometimes lead to much bigger roles as an actor. 

Just follow directions, be professional and you'll do great. 

There's a 2012 documentary called Radioman you should check out. That guy knows what it takes to be a professional movie extra. 

HELP MAKE "GODDESS: THE FALL AND RISE OF SHOWGIRLS" HAPPEN!

4/19/2019 UPDATE: THEY REACHED THEIR GOAL! THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM!! 

I've written in several of my posts about how difficult it is to make independent films because the film makers have to raise the money on their own. The same goes for documentaries. 

Very rarely will one rich person fund an entire independent film or a documentary. It takes a village of people contributing smaller amounts until they have enough for their projected budget. 

One such upcoming documentary, "GODDESS: The Fall and Rise of Showgirls", is seeking funding right now. 

If you're familiar with Showgirls, you already know how great it is.

If you're not familiar with it, Showgirls is a 1995 film starring Elizabeth Berkley, Gina Gershon, Kyle MacLachlan, Glenn Plummer, Robert Davi, Lin Tucci, Gina Ravera, William Shockley, Dewy Weber and Rena Riffel among others. The story is about a grifter named Nomi Malone who dreams of being a lead dancer in a Las Vegas show and does whatever she has to in order to make that happen. 

At the time the movie was released, it was cruelly panned hard by the critics. They just didn't get it. The movie was a box-office bomb and set a record for the number of Razzie Award nominations it received. Unfortunately, the harshest criticism fell squarely and undeservedly on Elizabeth Berkely's shoulders and set her acting career back for a short time. 

Personally, I didn't understand why it was so hated. I saw it in the theater back then and loved it so much I went back and saw it in the theater a few more times. To this day I still watch that movie at least 3 or 4 times a year if not more. 

In time, the movie has become a major cult classic with a huge following and Elizabeth Berkley has been working steady as an actor. 

Now the producers of such fantastic award winning documentaries such as I Am Divine, Tab Hunter Confidential and The Fabulous Allan Carr want to bring the whole story of the fall and rise of Showgirls to life. 

In order to do this film, they need your help. There is an active Kickstarter campaign seeking $50,000, which is very reasonable. As of this writing, there are 4 days left before the campaign expires and they still need a little over $16,000 to reach the goal. **UPDATE: 3 days to go and they still need about $14,000 to reach the goal. 

As many of you know, Kickstarter is an "all or nothing" crowd funding site. If the goal isn't met, they don't get any of the money. 

I made a donation, and I'm going to keep pushing for others who love that movie to help out in any way they can. Please, donate to the campaign and ask your friends to do the same. They have been offering some really unique and fun perks so be sure to check it out.

I know a lot of you who visit my page are fans of Gina Gershon because of the number of hits I get on her actor marathon page (HERE) I'm currently working on. I know you all would love to see this documentary made. 

Donate today!! 

Here are the links...

Kickstarter Fund Raising Campaign 


GODDESS: The Fall and Rise of Showgirls Facebook Page

Showgirls Documentary Twitter Page

GODDESS: Showgirls Documentary Instagram Page

CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT ENTERTAINERS WITH DISABILITIES!

(photos from Facebook)

About 5 years ago, I met a most amazing man when I was producing seasons 3 & 4 of a web series called Child of the '70s; David Zimmerman. David does it all... casting director, actor, acting coach, producer, director, writer... you name it. 

On top of all that, David has the biggest, most genuinely kind heart of gold and I, along with so many others, just adore him. 

David has a passion for promoting inclusion in the entertainment industry. He conducts workshops called "Meet the Biz" at the Performing Arts Studio West with a very diverse group of students of all ages, races, sexual orientation and disabilities including paralysis, down syndrome, blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, dwarfism, autism and more. The workshops are led by a wide range of celebrities from film, television, music, theater and industry business people like producers, directors, casting directors, publicists etc. 

I've gone to a couple of the Meet the Biz events and they are amazing. I wish I could go to more, but they're during the day when I'm working. The moment you walk in the room you feel an electrical surge of happiness and love. Nobody is judging anybody and everybody is sweet, kind and supportive of each other. The talent in the room is endless.

I went to their stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I've seen that play countless times over the years - it's among my favorites. Their production of the play was by far my favorite of them all. No other organization or theater troupe has done that play with such heart. 

I have noticed in movies and television, it's rare to see an actor with a disability in a role unless the story is about the disability. I can only speak for myself, but I know many people with various disabilities and I honestly can't remember having a single conversation with any of them about their disability. We have the same kind of conversations and interactions I have with anybody else. I would like to see more performers with disabilities in the same roles anybody else would get. It's slowly getting there. Hopefully casting directors, producers and directors will more frequently consider actors with disabilities for their projects. 

As always, with anything entertainment related, money is a factor. The workshops are low cost or free for the students, but everything else involved costs money; space rental, interpreters, insurance, materials etc.  

David has a GoFundMe page set up seeking donations for the Meet the Biz workshops. Please take a moment to look it over and make a donation. If you can't donate, please share it with other people who may be able to help out. Believe me, if I could afford to fund a full season, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I can't. Not many people can. It takes a village. 

If you want to know more about Meet the Biz, I'll provide some links below for you to check out. Thank you for stopping by. 

Links

 Meet the Biz website

Meet the Biz Facebook

David's GoFundMe page 

CELEBRITY FANS FRIGHTEN ME SOMETIMES

Stock Image

I was really rattled the other day when I saw the news about retired WWE wrestler Bret "The Hitman" Hart being attacked by a "fan" while he was accepting the Hart Foundation inductance into the WWE Hall of Fame along with his former tag team partner's daughter Natalya Neidhart (who is also Bret's niece). Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, who was married to Bret's sister Ellie, passed away last year. 

I know our first thought was it was part of the show because the WWE is known for pulling stunts like that. Not this time. That was real. The guy is still in jail. 

I was reading through that guy's Twitter feed yesterday, and what I saw was disturbing. He's been sending aggressive tweets to Vince McMahon and Triple H for a long time. He's been very vocal about hating the women wrestlers having main event status. Then I read today that he's already had legal trouble for stalking an MMA fighter. 

It reminds me of the mass shooters that are all too common here in America. The signs are right there in everybody's faces, and no one does anything about it. That guy needs to be in a locked mental facility before he kills somebody. 

Whenever anything like that happens, a lot goes though my mind. We've all been saddened a number of times by deranged fans who have followed through with killing their obsession; John Lennon, Rebecca Schaeffer, Selena, Dimebag Darrell, etc. 

Over the years, I've worked with many amazing actors and musicians of varying degrees of fame. The one thing they all have in common is "fans". 

Most of the fans are great, really nice people. They show their support by showing up for movies and concerts, watch the TV shows, buy the products, etc. 

In the past, writing fan letters was the thing to do... hoping they would actually read them. We never knew if they really did or not because you would rarely get a reply. My guess is the celebrities never even saw them and they immediately became landfill. 

These days, it's all about this evil social media. 

Most people live in reality and have their heads on straight when interacting with their favorite celebrities on social media and have fun with it. Hell, I was doing my happy dance when NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon replied to one of my tweets. That was a lot of fun. 

Then you have those "fans" who, the moment they follow someone on twitter or a "friend" request is accepted on Facebook, believe in their minds that they really are friends with those celebrities. 

I'm not talking about teenagers at the moment. Teenagers always have their crushes. The majority of the "fans" I'm talking about in this post are adults, most in their 30's, some even older. People you would think would be mature enough to have a grasp on reality, but they don't. 

I see a lot of these "fans" because, due to my involvement with certain actors and musicians, they think that by "friending" or following me, I'll help them get to their obsession. 

At first I accepted the "friend" requests on Facebook and followed back on Twitter. But it became overwhelming for me at times because I would get private messages from them asking me all kinds of personal questions about their obsession, and when I refused to answer, they would get extremely belligerent and threatening with me. One day I'd had enough of it and did a Facebook and Twitter purge and deleted or blocked all of them. I haven't accepted any requests from "fans" of my friends or entertainment acquaintances since. 

I have noticed ALL of these obsessive fans have the same social media behaviors. They ALL post those self-hating memes about being ugly, nobody loving them and how much they hate their lives etc. They ALL tag their obsession CONSTANTLY with photos, videos, status updates, etc... even when they have nothing to do with the person they're obsessed with... anything to be in their faces every single day. They ALL constantly profess their love, even referring to themselves as Mrs."celebrity name" or Mr. "celebrity name". They ALL get very upset when their obsession doesn't reply to something they've posted on social media. 

Even though I personally know their obsession, they don't always reply to my comments or wish me happy birthday either, but I don't get angry and I don't let it ruin my day. That's no way to live. 

Here's the reality of it. Celebrities have thousands, some millions of followers. The odds of them even seeing your Twitter tweets to them is next to nothing. What you see celebrities post on social media is their PUBLIC IMAGE. Their public image is rarely what their private lives are. I know some public figures share more of themselves on social media than others, but most celebrities want their private lives to stay private. So, if you think you know a celebrity just because you follow their every move on social media, you really don't know as much as you think you do. You are their job... their job is to entertain you. There are thousands of fans just like you. They can't possibly know everyone on a deep, personal level.    

As you've seen from my other blog posts, a lot of people I know fall somewhere in the LGBT spectrum. Gay men will NEVER romantically love a straight woman and a lesbian will NEVER romantically love a man. You'd be surprised at how many "fans" think they're the exception and will be with them anyways. 

It's really kind of sad sometimes when somebody obsesses so much over a fantasy they'll never have. They miss out on having real, healthy relationships with good people.  

If you're one of those "fans" I described above, please talk to a therapist to figure out why you obsess over celebrities to that degree. Once you put everything in perspective, you'll be much happier.

If you know of someone who is aggressively obsessed with celebrities, do something to help get them counseling before they hurt somebody. Don't wait until it's too late. 

WHO DOESN'T LOVE INDEPENDENT HORROR FILMS?

I wrote in an earlier blog post (HERE) about how I loved horror movies as a kid, until I saw Friday the 13th in 1980 and was so traumatized I couldn't watch horror movies again until my boss at the video store I worked at threatened to fire me if I didn't get over my fear and start watching horror movies so I could make recommendations to customers. 

Well, I did get over it and in time I went on to have a hand in the production of many independent horror films. I can't remember if it was 2013 or 2014, but some horror blogger named me one of the top 35 hardest working women in horror. I thought that was neat. I never really thought about how many horror movies I'd helped out with until I saw that and really did some thinking. I lost track a long time ago of how many... and I really don't remember all of the titles either. 

Over the years I've gotten to know some really great independent film makers, many who specialize in the horror genre. The horror community has a camaraderie like no other. Everyone has a common love and their art is accepted, appreciated and supported as it's meant to be. 

Independent horror films are usually low, micro or no budget, meaning they were made with very little, if any money. They don't have the special effects you see with the big budget studio movies. When you keep an open mind and appreciate great story telling, then you will love independent films. 

My LGBT Film Spotlight page (HERE) has done so well, I thought I would start spotlighting some of the great independent horror films I enjoy. 

Over time, I will be adding to the page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Click (HERE) to see the page, and thank you for stopping by.

WANT MORE QUALITY LGBT FILMS? THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

I know a lot of great independent film makers; many who specialize in LGBT films. Most of you who will come across this really have no idea just how difficult it is to get an LGBT film produced. There was a time when I didn't know either, but I've learned a lot over the years.

There isn't anyone waving a magic wand and POOF, suddenly a movie appears out of thin air. There is no shortage of great film ideas, scripts and talent... what there is a shortage of is MONEY. Evil, evil money. 

Major movie studios with billions of dollars rarely invest in LGBT themed films... and that is a shame. So, anyone wanting to produce an LGBT themed film must find the financing on their own, which is why the majority of LGBT films are independents. 

I personally have never heard of any rich people fully financing anybody's independent films. Wouldn't that be great if that happened? 

These days the most common way film makers try to raise the funds they need is through the crowd funding websites like Indiegogo, Kickstarter and GoFundMe. Most will be seeking less than $50,000 which is a very low budget in the film world, and of those, most won't even come close to hitting that goal because trying to get people to donate is like kicking a dead horse. The film maker will either have to scrap their film or try and produce it on the tiny amount of money the do get which makes for a lower quality production. 

Yet, people bitch and complain that there aren't enough good LGBT movies. 

For those lucky enough to produce a film on the small amount of money they get, even though their stories are fantastic, they then have to endure the negative comments and reviews on platforms like Amazon or Netflix, etc., bitching about the low quality. 

Bitch bitch bitch... all we ever do is bitch... but rarely does anybody step up to help. 

I'm connected to all of the film makers I know on one social media platform or another. Most of them have thousands of "friends" or "followers". Every time the film makers try to raise funds, if each of those people donated between $10 and $20, their production goals would be met and the films would be a much higher quality. But, again, kicking a dead horse.

What it boils down to is, we can't have it both ways. 

We can't expect film makers to just magically pull high quality films out of their butts. Film production is not cheap; the cast and crew, locations, permits, wardrobe, props, hair and makeup, craft services (food), editing, sound, lighting, color correction, music etc. 

The majority of film makers are not millionaires and depend on the support of donations, sponsors or major investors to do what they do... and all of that is difficult to come by. Many film makers go into major debt trying to produce their projects.

So, the next time you see a film maker trying to raise money for a project, make a donation... no matter how big or small... every dollar counts in independent film making. If you don't have the money to make a donation, then share the link to their crowd funding page on your social media and ask your "friends" and "followers" to donate. Do something! 

Also, the next time you feel the need to shred an LGBT film, or any independent film for that matter, in an online review, try to be a little more compassionate and keep in mind what the film maker had to go through in order to get that film made. In other words, try and be nice.   

BAY CITY ROLLERS DISAPPOINTMENT

I know my blog posts are normally film industry related, but tonight I'm going to go off topic for a moment. 

The other day, a woman I've known since I was 5 years old who used to live across the street from me, posted a Bay City Rollers video she came across to my Facebook page. The song was "I Only Want to Be With You". That made me smile. 

For anyone reading this who isn't familiar with the Bay City Rollers; they were a Scottish pop/rock band founded by Alan Longmuir (bass, piano) and his brother Derek Longmuir (drums). The group had other early members, but what's referred to now as "the classic lineup" includes Eric Faulkner (guitar, violin, mandolin), Stuart "Woody" Wood (guitar, bass, piano, saxophone) and Leslie MeKeown (lead singer). At the height of their fame in the mid to late 70s, they sold well over 100 million records. Their most popular song here in America was "Saturday Night", though a number of great songs were on the charts. Their fan base was mainly pre-teen and teen girls who could easily fall into mass hysteria of crying and screaming just at the mention of them. 

Over time there were a few other members like Ian Mitchell, Pat McGlynn and Duncan Faure. The group was most popular when Les McKeown was the lead singer, but musically, they were the best when Duncan Faure was the lead singer. 

The band members all hit hard times after the group disbanded because their money was so mismanaged, mishandled and moved around, they didn't have any. They spent years trying to get the millions they were owed. I'm not sure how that all turned out or if it's still ongoing. Last I heard they were still battling it out in the courts. I always felt bad for them that they had to go through that. 

Through the years, I've always kept up with what's happening with the guys as best as I can. There was a time long before the internet so we didn't have access to instant news and information. I've watched documentaries, read the books, bought the videos, CDs and DVDs. My playlists always include Bay City Rollers songs. 

Then along came the internet... and that evil bastard, social media. I've been following Les McKeown and Stuart Wood on Facebook for many years. Eric and Derek really aren't into it, though they do have people who update approved groups on their behalf and I never did follow Alan on social media. 

Les and Stuart have repeatedly let it be known through social media that they don't like each other. They have a long history of not liking each other going back to the 70's when they were still in the band. 

Les is the one who usually stirs the pot first when he posts something on social media. He's a typical self-absorbed bully. He was back then and he still is. He gets pleasure out of posting insults from the safety of his keyboard where he has an audience instead of dealing with people face to face. Stuart will then post something on Facebook in defense instead of letting it go or dealing with it offline.

I was shocked a few years ago when it was announced Les, Stuart and Alan were going to be touring for the Holidays. I even said out loud at the time "this isn't going to end well". Eric wasn't in it because he has been recovering from viral encephalitis and isn't able to travel and Derek wasn't involved. I suspect I know why, but I don't know for sure so I'll just keep that thought to myself. 

Just as I thought there would be, there was a bitter ending between Les and Stuart (you can Google about it to read the news stories). 

One item I read was Alan's and Stuart's wives got into a physical fight after one of the shows because one said something about the other's husband. Who does that? I don't know the details, I wasn't there. Mind you, the guys are all over 60 years old and I don't know how old the wives are but they've got to be well over 50 years old. Their behavior is just as bad, if not worse than 12 year old kids. 

Alan passed away last year. Eric is still recovering and doing much better playing small gigs here and there. Derek is still doing whatever it is he does. Les has a band and tours singing Bay City Rollers songs. Stuart started a New Generation Bay City Rollers band with younger musicians and himself. 

Les uses social media to make accusations against or insult Stuart... and of course Stuart responds in defense. 

Apparently this time it's all about who gets to use the Bay City Rollers name and how. I thought that had been settled in court years ago, apparently I'm wrong. 

Also, there's a sense of competition between the two of who was better friends with Alan and each of them accusing the other of trying to profit from Alan's death. 

Really? Seriously! I didn't make any of that up... you can't make that up. They should be ashamed of themselves.

The sickening part is, now, because they choose to use social media to air their dirty laundry, it's uglier than ever and people are getting into it that have no business being in it. The wives are still fighting each other and posting about it on Facebook, the administrators of the Facebook group pages, Pat McGlynn... they've all put their two cents in when it's none of their business. I haven't seen anything from Ian or Duncan... not sure if they've said anything or not... hopefully they're smart enough to stay out of it. 

Worst of all are the "fans". These guys and their wives bickering through social media has drawn battle lines between the fans and many have fallen for it and chosen sides. A lot of the comments I see make me sick! Here in America we have the Democrats and Republicans constantly going at it because the big orange man keeps the country divided by drawing out everybody's hate. That's exactly what's happening now between the Les fans and the Woody fans. I hear it's even gotten to the point where some "fans" are making threats. 

I guarantee there is not one "fan" on this planet who knows the full story of what's going on between these guys. You have Les' social media version and you have Stuart's social media version... and common sense should tell you that the truth lies right in the middle. 

This is what needs to happen before it escalates to the point where someone is physically harmed: Les, Stuart and the wives (who are just as responsible for the fan division) need to go on social media and denounce the "fans" making threats of any kind! Then they need to apologize for their unprofessional behavior. 

If there are issues Les, Stuart or anybody else associated with them feel need to be resolved legally, then they need to hire lawyers to sort it out in court. They need to keep it offline and deal with it professionally and privately. 

If they don't want to go to court, then Les can tour with his band and Stuart can tour with his band... it's NOT A COMPETITION. There's a lot of people out there who would happily pay to see both bands. 

Also... let Alan rest in peace already. I'm sure he cared very much about everybody. 

To the "fans", the majority of whom are well over 50 or 60 years old too and will undoubtedly Google the Bay City Rollers and come across this one day: just because social media has comment features, that doesn't mean you have to use them. Stay out of people's personal fights... it doesn't matter who it is... it's none of your business so act your age, scroll past them and butt out. Stop feeding the hate. That's just plain common sense. If you're among those who have made threats, I hope you get prosecuted to the full extent of the law for it. 

I want to continue to enjoy ALL of the surviving members of The Bay City Rollers just as I have for the last 40+ years, no matter what they're doing. I enjoy reading about the concert tours, interviews and appearances and other work. 

Most of all, this world just needs people to be kind to each other. GROW UP and be nice! 

Music is supposed to be the one common love and bond among ALL people. To tear it apart over petty bullshit is a tragedy. 

I'm sure this is not the legacy any of the guys wants to leave behind, but it's up to them to make it right. 

As always with my blog page, I moderate all comments and negative or cruel comments won't be approved. If you have a different point of view than mine, great! Write about it in your own blog page. 

LGBT FILMS DESERVE RECOGNITION

I've written extensively about my love of independent films... and LGBT themed films are among those. 

I've been a major LGBT Ally most of my adult life and have witnessed the struggles and the triumphs of the LGBT people as they strive to gain the basic human rights everyone should have... especially in this 21st century when we should be more evolved and bigotry shouldn't even exist anymore. 

We are NOT going to debate that issue here though. If you want an argument, start your own blog page. As always with my page, I moderate all comments received before they are posted and will not publish any mean or negative comments. Instead, I am going to spotlight and celebrate many spectacular LGBT independent films. All positive and constructive feedback is welcome.  

I personally have been a part of helping many great film makers with their gay themed films... anywhere from donating money to full hands-on production and everything in between. 

Unfortunately, the LGBT themed films are the most difficult to get funded so most are produced on very low budgets. Just because they are low budget doesn't mean they aren't fantastic stories and very enjoyable. 

I have to admit though that I am not as educated on lesbian themed films as I am the gay themed films. I'll try my best to remedy that, but I will also welcome any guest contributors who would like to spotlight a film on the page. 

Over time, I will be adding to the page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Click HERE to see the page, and thank you for stopping by.