Role models of greatness.

Here you will discover the back stories of kings, titans of industry, stellar athletes, giants of the entertainment field, scientists, politicians, artists and heroes – all of them gay or bisexual men. If their lives can serve as role models to young men who have been bullied or taught to think less of themselves for their sexual orientation, all the better. The sexual orientation of those featured here did not stand in the way of their achievements.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Gerald McCullouch

“Officially” out Anderson Cooper has some competition for the title of Silver Fox. Openly gay actor, singer, stand-up comedian, pianist, TV host, model and film maker Gerald (hard “g”) McCullouch provides us with this succinct Twitter profile:

“CSI’s Bobby Dawson/OUT 100 honoree. A brazen misfit livin’ the bicoastal dream & diggin’ it moocho. My Gs hard & I end w/an ouch. Life’s short. Choose laughter.”

For more than ten seasons McCullouch (b. 1967) has played the recurring character Bobby Dawson, a ballistics expert, on the popular CBS television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. His first appearance was in episode two. McCullouch has also appeared on Law and Order, Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.

But Gerald’s television career is just the tip of the iceberg, and there’s so much accomplishment that I can only cover the highlights. He is perhaps most proud of his award-winning short film The Moment After (2002), for which he was producer, writer, director and actor. The basic plot centers on the “many things that seem to stifle the courage it takes to say ‘yes’ to life.” In an interview he recalled that after a Fresno screening, there were lots of CSI fans waiting to talk to him, but “this kid came up and hugged me. He was crying, so we went outside for a moment. He just kept hugging me and said, ‘Thank you. Your movie helped me understand my mother’s suicide.’ It was a really beautiful moment, because it illuminated the story we told.”

McCullough is generating buzz these days, because a sequel to the film Bear City (2010) is making the rounds of gay film festivals. The original film was a sort of “hirsute ‘Sex and the City,’ following the adventures of a group of bears (and their cubs) in New York City.” From the New York Times review (Oct. 21, 2010): "Warm, funny, thoughtful... a triumph in the audience-appeal category." Bear City was the winner of two OUTFEST Grand Jury Awards, and the film was a standout because it tackled a subject of gays discriminating against gays – in this instance, bears and cubs not revealing their inclinations to their other gay friends/family for fear of intolerance. 

The sequel, Bear City 2: The Proposal (2012), will have its East Coast premiere July 22 at Philadelphia’s QFest. Featuring most of the original cast from the first film, this sequel further explores the gay bear scene as the gang travels to Provincetown for Bear Week to celebrate the wedding of Roger and Tyler (Gerald McCullouch and Joe Conti). Much drama ensues.



Gerald created the lead role in Dan Via’s off-Broadway stage play DADDY (2010), which went on to enjoy a successful run in Santa Monica, CA in 2011, being extended several times. He has worked with such notable actors as Jeff Goldblum, Robert Redford, Natalie Portman, Heather Locklear, Liev Schreiber and William Shatner, among many others.

In November 2010 McCullouch was named one of Out magazine’s “top 100 most compelling members of the LGBT community”, an honor that took him by surprise.

For all things Gerald McCullouch, visit his web site:

http://gerald.biz/

And here’s the trailer for Bear City2: The Proposal. Catch it at a film festival near you.
 

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