Downton Abbey: I Kissed A Dude!

Downton Abbey star Rob James-Collier has said it is "easier" playing a gay character in the hit ITV drama, because his wife does not get jealous about his on-screen romances. 
The actor, whose character Thomas Barrow works as a servant downstairs, is on The Jonathan Ross Show tomorrow with his co-star, Joanne Froggatt. 
He told Ross: "I found it easier. The way I was thinking was that if you kiss a girl you worry about: 1) How big her boyfriend is; 2) Is he in the building watching and is he going to kick the shit out of you?; and 3) What is my missus going to think of it?  
"So we went to the BFI for a big unveiling on the cinema screen, and the missus knew (the kiss) was coming, and we were all sitting watching it and I thought 'Nice one, she can't accuse me of anything', and the missus turned to me and said 'You've never kissed me like that'."

Daily Mirror.

PS Not sure why I've run this, on reflection, to be honest.
Anyone?

Owen Jones Watch: Hard Labour

Just a quick reminder that if you want to catch Owen Jones - gayby-faced icon of the new left - during the four-day Labour Party Conference in Brighton, he's only speaking at eight events this year.
Will there be a checked shirt quick costume change for each appearance?
Catch her while you can, boys!

PS As Owen-bashing has become a bit of a sport on the left, it's probably worth pointing out I like Mr Jones. 
But please, dear, don't let being a star columnist go to your head, like it did with too many others.

Update: Owen Jones reviews Downton Abbey; A fascinating insight into the quiet violence of the class system ****
This is not a satire!


Update2: Our Owen is declared the seventh most influential left-winger in Britain by the Daily Torygraph...

If Owen Jones were a singer, he’d be Martine McCutcheon warbling ‘This is my Moment’. He is ubiquitous and the go-to Left-wing commentator for any radio producer suffering a hangover who can’t be more original. He is a leading light in the People's Assembly movement. But what is his long-term goal? Where does he see himself in ten years' time? Frankly, we haven’t a clue, but he gets more media than the whole Labour front bench put together, so he must be doing something right.

This campy piece was written by Iain Dale, who, of ourse bitches them all - but this gay Tory has nothing but praise for Peter Tatchell (55)...

The only other player for #teamgay is Chris Bryant, who slips to 71.

Is politic's gay mafia now sleeping with the fishes?

Downton Abbey: Series Finale

“If I’d screamed blue murder every time someone tried to kiss me [at Eton], I’d have been hoarse within a month.”

Lord Grantham. 

In the final episode of this series, evil predatory gay valet, Thomas, is facing having to leave Downton Abbey in disgrace after trying to force himself on Jimmy, an unwilling straight man.
Cause that's what Them Gays do.
Ah well, at least Julian Fellowes didn't have young Mr Barrow "do the decent thing" and commit suicide - dat's progress, dudes!

Update: Sorry, this was a load of sour old balls. See comments below for more informed and thoughtful comments...

Downton Abbey: The Greek Position

Greek state television came under fire from the country's main opposition party and critics for editing out a gay kiss on Monday's primetime premiere of popular British period drama Downton Abbey.

Greeks took to social networking sites such as Twitter to complain about the NET channel's decision to axe a scene from episode one of the first series showing a kiss between a visiting duke and Downton's unscrupulous footman Thomas. NET defended its move, citing parental guidance viewing rules.
"As incredible as it may seem for a democratic country in the 21st century, officials of the NET television channel censored the scene of a kiss between men from the TV drama Downton Abbey," the SYRIZA party said in a statement.
"This is of course an obvious case of censorship, an extreme act of homophobia and discrimination which unfortunately, after what has been happening recently, we cannot characterize as unprecedented."

The Independent.
Several papers ran with this - most just recycling a Reuters story.
It's of obvious interest to gay media, but why is it of interest to UK newspapers, especially when like The Independent they ignore so many gay news stories that really matter to their readers?
I think the subtext is an Orientalist one - "Those funny, unsophisticated foreigners, tsk!"
It seems the kiss was only cut from a pre-watershed transmission, then re-installed.
Not the sort of thing we worry about in dear old Blighty, of course. 
Hell no!

PS This all reminded Fagburn of a line from Boy George after Culture Club played a festival in Athens and got pelted and booed off; "Homosexuality?!! The Greeks bloody invented it!"

Downton Abbey: Villainous Footman Still Gay

“The gay thing comes back in this series. He stopped being gay in series two!
“I had to ring upstairs and ask Julian, ‘Am I still gay?’ I said, ‘Right, OK.’
“Seriously, in series two the drama focused on the Second World War and the huge impact it had on people back home in Britain in dealing with the dead and wounded. The gay thing was largely ignored.
“But Thomas has a beautiful storyline which evolves right through the new series and there is a massive pay-off.”
“There are some emotional scenes which were very challenging. “I hope the audience will identify with why Thomas is the way he is – he has this secret which he can’t tell anyone about because it’s illegal.
“He has this burden which he wants to share and we see that explained in a lovely storyline, thanks to Lord Fellowes.”

"Downton hunk" Rob James-Collier quoted in The Sun
Who've called the article 'Proud To Play A Gay' - so brave!
Is "massive pay-off" like a money-shot?

Downton Abbey: Downstairs A Gay (Sorry)

Not that Fagburn is completely out-of-touch or anything, but it has only just come to my attention that in the hysterically well received period drama, Downton Abbey, there was A Gay!
How exciting.
Footman Tommy was played by Rob James-Collier who used to be in Coronation Street or something.
Here he is talking about his new role and kissing a fella and that.
Seeing as the series was set in Edwardian England Fagburn hopes his character did the decent thing and shot himself.