The Big Gay Sketch Show

American sketch comedy TV program

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2015)

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The Big Gay Sketch Show

Created by| Rosie O'Donnell
Directed by| Amanda Bearse[1]
Starring|

* Julie Goldman
* Stephen Guarino
* Jonny McGovern
* Kate McKinnon
* Nicol Paone
* Paolo Andino
* Colman Domingo

Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 3
No. of episodes| 22
Production
Executive producer| Rosie O'Donnell[1]
Production company| Oh Really! Productions[1]
Original release
Network| Logo TV

The Big Gay Sketch Show is an LGBT-themed sketch comedy program that debuted on Logo on April 24, 2007.[2] The series was produced by Rosie O'Donnell and directed by Amanda Bearse. The program was originally titled The Big Gay Show, but was renamed during production. As the name indicates, the show features comedy sketches with gay themes or a gay twist. Sketch topics include parodies of old sitcoms like The Honeymooners and The Facts of Life under the Nick at Nite-parodying heading "Logo at Nite", a lesbian speed dating session, and an extended send-up of Broadway legend Elaine Stritch working as a Wal-Mart greeter, among other decidedly un-glamorous jobs.

Logo produced a second season of the series.[3] Paolo Andino and Colman Domingo joined the cast (replacing Michael Serrato and Dion Flynn). Season 2 premiered on February 5, 2008.[4]

Production on the third and final season began in March 2009, with Erica Ash no longer being part of the cast.[5] In 2009, Logo conducted a search for new cast members. However, the result, entitled "The Big Gay Casting Competition", was limited to an online talent search, in which videos by contestants were uploaded to logoonline.com and voted on by site visitors. The winner, Wil Heuser, was a former American Idol contestant and Big Brother houseguest (season 14), and only appeared in one episode of the series as an extra. The final season premiered in April 2010.[6]

## Cast

[edit]

* Paolo Andino (Season 2–3)
* Colman Domingo (Season 2–3)
* Julie Goldman (Season 1–3)
* Stephen Guarino (Season 1–3)
* Jonny McGovern (Season 1–3)
* Kate McKinnon (Season 1–3)
* Nicol Paone (Season 1–3)
* Erica Ash (Season 1–2)
* Dion Flynn (Season 1 only)
* Michael Serrato (Season 1 only)

## Recurring characters and sketches

[edit]

Recurring original BGSS characters include:

* Gay Werewolf (McGovern), a straight man who turns gay - and hairy - under the light of a full moon.
* Svetlana (Guarino), an ex-KGB secret agent and chorus dancer who practices her Soviet brand of martial arts as a means to stardom.
* Fitzwilliam (McKinnon), a gender-non-conforming English teen desperate to obtain a vagina. Sketches also include their father (McGovern).
* Steven, a large man also known as "Waffles" (McGovern). This character originated on McGovern's podcast, Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern.
* Ron Odyssey, a frustrating flamboyant gay male receptionist (Guarino) who gives customers / patients a difficult time.
* Chocolate Puddin', a transgender sex worker. Puddin' originated in McGovern's stage show, "Dirty Stuff".
* Naldo (Andino), a Latino worker, who moves items (e.g. packages, luggage, furniture) in an explicit, sexual manner, unknown to him, exciting his gay male clientele.

Recurring celebrity impersonations include:

* Maya Angelou (Domingo), who reads sexually explicit posts from Craigslist.
* Antonio Banderas (Andino)
* Liza Minnelli (Goldman)
* Elaine Stritch (Paone), who appears performing a series of menial jobs like Wal-Mart greeter, airport luggage inspector, and the like.
* Barbara Walters (McKinnon), appears in "The View" sketches.

## Critical reception

[edit]

* Variety: "[G]ay or straight, the audience has too many options to rely on mediocrity, which is why this exercise would seem a whole lot bigger and gayer if it was just a bit funnier."[7]
* AfterEllen.com (owned by Logo): "BGSS faces inevitable comparisons to mainstream sketch shows like NBC's long-running Saturday Night Live and Fox's Mad TV and In Living Color. The success of SNL has hinged on the ability of its most talented cast members to develop memorable recurring characters. Similarly, the strength of both Mad TV and In Living Color is in the willingness of each to "go there" with the sort of sociopolitical humor that the modern incarnation of SNL (save for its brief and brilliant Tina Fey era) usually avoids... With its cast of mostly queer performers and its residence on a gay network, BGSS has a unique opportunity to do both of those things well. If the first two episodes are any indication, it looks promising."[8]

* The Soup: Host Joel McHale commented unfavorably during the April 24, 2007, episode about BGSG's opening sketch, "Pocket Gay Friend", citing its similarity to The Soup's "Little Gay" recurring character that had debuted a year earlier and jokingly threatening a lawsuit.
* AfterElton.com (owned by Logo): "I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Big Gay Sketch Show demonstrates definite promise....this is pretty standard sketch comedy, save a few more gay characters peppered in and some humor based around gay relationships. And to be honest, the skits that had little to do with gayness were often much funnier than the ones that lampooned gay life....if Big Gay focuses on developing great characters and skits that don't get bogged down in the concept, the show could become a solid hit."[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Lambert, David (October 18, 2007). "The Big Gay Sketch Show — Rosie O'Donnell-Produced Show from Logo's on DVD, but Online Only". TVShowsOnDVD.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
2. ^ Goff, Leslie Jaye (February 16, 2007). "Cable's Originals". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
3. ^ Juergens, Brian. "Gay television news: Logo picks up Lance and Gant, renews Sketch".
4. ^ McGovern, Jonny. "Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern". www.gaypimp.com (Podcast). Retrieved November 2, 2007.
5. ^ McGovern, Jonny. "Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern". www.gaypimp.com (Podcast). Retrieved March 17, 2009.
6. ^ The Big Gay Sketch Show (TV Series 2006–2010) - Episode list - IMDb. Retrieved October 22, 2024 - via www.imdb.com.
7. ^ Brian Lowry (April 16, 2007). "Variety Reviews - The Big Gay Sketch Show". variety.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2012. .
8. ^ Kregloe, Karman (April 24, 2007). "Review". AfterEllen.com.
9. ^ Juergens, Brian (April 24, 2007). "Review". AfterElton.com.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Dave Itzkoff (April 22, 2007). "The Big Gay Sketch Show". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2012. .

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* The Big Gay Sketch Show at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Logo TV original programming

Former|

* 365gay News (2005–2009)
* The A-List: Dallas (2011)
* The A-List: New York (2010–2011)
* The Arrangement (2010)
* Bad Sex (2011–2014)
* The Big Gay Sketch Show (2006–2010)
* Coming Out Stories (2006)
* Curl Girls (2007)
* Exes and Ohs (2006–2009)
* Finding Prince Charming (2016)
* Gimme Sugar (2008)
* Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising (2006)
* Jeffery & Cole Casserole (2009–2010)
* NewNowNext Awards (2008–2013)
* Noah's Arc (2005–2006)
* Open Bar (2005)
* Pretty Hurts (2011)
* Real Gay (2005)
* Real Momentum (2005)
* Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World (2007–2009)
* RuPaul's Drag Race (2009–2016)
* RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2012–2016)
* RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (2012)
* RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (2010–2014)
* RuPaul's Drag U (2010–2012)
* Setup Squad (2011)
* Shirts & Skins (2008)
* Sordid Lives: The Series (2008)
* Transamerican Love Story (2008)
* TransGeneration (2005)
* U.S. of Ant (2006)
* Visible Vote '08: A Presidential Forum (2007)

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