So I went to an interview of Jennifer Beals, actress from The L Word, and Ilene Chaiken, the creator of the show, as part of the New York Times Talks series. I actually flew to NYC instead of to Boston where I go to school just to go to this thing. I'm a HUGE fan, if you haven't noticed yet. Not only is Jennifer Beals bursting with raw talent (and I really don't say that a lot), but she's also become this huge gay rights advocate. She gives speeches on LGBT issues, goes to several related events every year, and donates to charities. And um... she's GORGEOUS, obviously. I would marry her. Anyway.
So I was telling a former teacher about meeting Jennifer Beals, and she asked me what I was going to say to her. She said that one time when she met Alanis Morissette, who's one of her favorite artists, she just like.... looked at her instead of saying anything, because she didn't want to say something that thousands of people had probably already told her. And then Alanis said "Wow." and my teacher thought, "Yesssss."
The mere thought of that made me want to throw up! I mean, there are some people who can pull that kind of thing off (read: her) and some who should never EVER under any circumstances attempt it (read: me).
I'd look like this guy:
Needless to say, I didn't go there. Moving on. The interview was very revealing. It was mostly about life "after The L Word," both for them personally and for the LGBT community as a whole. Ilene Chaiken talked about her desire to tell good stories, and how she was on shrooms when she wrote the final season, etc. Well, she didn't say that, but she probably was. Whatever. I'm still mad at Ilene Chaiken for turning the final season into the worst television EVER aired, but at the end of the day, I'm grateful to her for opening the door. That was really the point of the show in a lot of ways, to start conversations, to get people talking. It certainly did that. We can't hold it too accountable for all the ways it failed the community, when it was the only show of its kind out there. It couldn't possibly represent every person, or every story.
Jennifer Beals was amazingly funny and honest and candid. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the final season, saying [paraphrased], "My job as an actress is really to serve the story. So I did that to the best of my ability. I was fully invested in every scene, but afterwards, I'd go to my trailer and go, 'Why?! But Whyyyyyy?!'"
She talked about how she initially chose to accept the role because of Bette Porter's career, and that she was so invested in embodying this character, career-wise, in the first episode, that she forgot she was playing a lesbian and freaked out right before the love scene with Laurel Holloman (Tina).
"I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm a lesbian! I'm gonna be like that ugly hetero who doesn't have a clue!' I asked Ilene, 'What do I do? Can I google something?'"
The audience roared. We reacted in a huge way, no matter what she said.
This is an excerpt from another blog that symbolizes the night:
Jennifer Beals: "I did a triathlon - "
[audience explodes into applause]
Kim (interviewer): "And one time, she had breakfast!" [to Jennifer:] "They adore you!"
I got to ask her a question!!! I was nervous but I had to do it so I got in line and asked what she thought of the representation of biracial issues in The L Word. I learned a lot of things. Firstly, Bette Porter was initially supposed to be white, NOT biracial. Jennifer Beals said that as someone who was representing the lesbian community by playing one on the show, she'd also like herself to be represented, so she suggested that Bette Porter be biracial. Who knew? She also said a bunch of other things in response, none which I remember because I was lost in my own Jennifer-Beals-Is-Looking-At-Me little world. Hopefully someone wrote it down. I will find it someday. I WILL.
In short, I love Jennifer Beals. I forgive Ilene Chaiken. And I love Jennifer Beals.
Closing Quote:
Kim: Why did you kill Dana in Season 3?
Ilene Chaiken: Because people die in real life.
Really, Papi? Thanks for that, Ilene. I'm glad you had a solid, well thought-out reason for killing off one of our favorite characters.
