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Work Out
Tue, May 1, 2007
Work Out Star's Fellow Work Out Star Speaks Out

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We finally have some answers on what really killed Doug Blasdell. The openly gay Work Out trained died in January, but reports simply said the 44-year old gym bunny died unexpectedly. Now, nearly five months since Blasdell's shocking death, his best-friend and fellow Work Out star, Brian Peeler.

It seems Blasdell didn't die as unexpectedly as we believed. Peeler tells AfterElton's Matthew Weiss:

He had lymphoma cancer and he was doing chemo. They caught it in the early stages. It was the same thing that his mother and his father had died from. I think they caught [his] in stage one or stage two. So he was doing chemo to combat it.
Though doctors caught the disease early, the chemo depleted Blasdell's immune system.

CONTINUED »

Wed, Jul 19, 2006

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We've been looking for an answer to gaps in programming cycles of The Biggest Loser — or, more accurately, gaps in Trainer Bob appearing on our TV screens. Tonight, Bravo brings us our answer: Work Out, wherein out lesbian traner Jackie Warner lets a camera crew follow her and her team of trainers as they work fatties into shape. (Well, certainly the trainers also work with moderately fit men and women, too.) But it's not the sweaty bods and hope for gym shower scenes that we're impressed with. Rather, it's that Bravo is letting its heap of gay characters actually identify as sexual beings — and they fit more than one stereotype!

Jackie works with a team of trainers that not only love working out, but who look good doing it. Even better, three out of eight of these trainers are gay. However, all of them are very sexual beings which isn't surprising as few thing go more hand-in-hand with pumping iron than sex (especially in Los Angeles gyms). Work Out plays that up to a maximum. Girls flirt with boys. Boys flirt with girls. Boys flirt with boys. Everyone really just wants to hook up. And there's nothing wrong with that, right?

The best part about Work Out though is that it doesn't include just one “token gay” as do so many shows. In fact, Work Out showcases three different types of gay folks.

You have the “straight-acting” Doug Blasdell. At forty-three, he's older and more mature than most of his co-workers, frequently dishing out advice to everyone else whether it be personal or professional. Doug is also in a committed relationship and lives what he refers to as a “normal” life.

Then there is twenty-five year old Jesse, a flamboyant pretty boy from Seattle who is more of a club kid. He represents the young, fun, sexual side of being gay. He's hot. He's sly. And he's the teacher's pet who immediately steps on everyone's toes.

Finally, you have Jackie herself, who runs her own business and doesn't take crap from anyone. Lipstick lesbian all the way, Jackie's tough love gets her respect and success.

While Queer Eye's Carson Kressley regularly tosses around gay sex jokes, he's never appeared on screen as a sexualized character. On Work Out, we get not one but a whole group of sexually charged hotties. You'll be tuning in too, right?

Work Out Pumps Up Gay Visibility on Television [After Elton]
Work Out

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