Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell of The Fabulous Beekman Boys will be heading down the aisle sometime in the New Year, Queerty can exclusively report. If last night’s camera-crew-heavy engagement was any indication, every second of their big gay wedding will be taped for television—though not for Beekman Boys, which was cancelled after this past spring’s second season.
The two were the guests of honor last night at a party hosted by fellow reality TV star Sonja Morgan, who was joined by her Real Housewives of NYC co-stars Ramona Singer, Aviva Drescher, Carole Radziwill and Heather Thomson. Though Bravo hasn’t confirmed the last three ladies as replacements for Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon, and Cindy Barshop, rumors started back in September and, with the three Bravo camera crews in tow for the night, this reporter can assure you that these are your next ‘Wives (in case any one you queens still watch those queens), and that Brent and Josh’s engagement might be a little subplot on Real‘s next season.
Sonja informed the crowd there was a big surprise coming up in the evening, which is usually a ploy to get partygoers to stay for the whole night. But they delivered! After giving shout-outs to the hosting venue (midtown NYC‘s Sanctuary Hotel), and to her “three girlfriends”–Aviva, Carole, and Heather–she joked about Ramona and her personally branded Pinot Grigio (“Ramona’s in the house and I don’t just mean the wine”). Next, she invited Brent to take center stage.
Brent pulled out a ring, and delivered some touching monologue to Josh (and the cameras and all of us in the crowd).
“I designed this ring for you,” he said. “It’s imperfect on all sides, like both of us are. It’s hand forged from steel, like our 13-year relationship. And it’s also lined with silver. Because we always find the silver lining.”
With that, he got down on one knee and did the damned thing. “Will you marry me?”
Speechless and surprised, Josh didn’t have the words to say yes. After Brent put the ring on his finger, he said, “What’s your answer?”
“Yes!” said Josh.
“The one thing that anyone could ever ask for when asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you is that it be a memorable event,” Brent then told the crowd.
It was a not-so-subtle plug for Sonja’s new event production company, Sonja in the City, which threw the event. The ostensible goal of the party was to promote a new product called “Lump of Kohl” from Brent and Josh’s Beekman 1802 line, which made the engagement announcement all the more unexpected.
What with the scripted nature of reality TV, however, we wondered if Josh might’ve been given a heads-up about the popped question. “None at all,” he told us. “I can’t even believe it.”
When we approached Brent for his thoughts, we told him we might be obligated to write about the bit of news. “I don’t think you can until it airs,” he said.
Beans, spilled.
Images via David Spector
MikeE
“camera-crew heavy” engagement.. but there doesn’t seem to have been a single photographer there capable of taking a pic without “demon eyes”?
For “celebrities”, those pics look like they were taken by someone’s brother-in-law.
Oh, and congrats to the happy couple, I guess. I have no idea who they are.
Don't blame the photographer
@MikeE: Like other reality TV show participants, they may be actual demons. That would explain why these shows are so irritating.
Charles Pozier
Cut off all aid to the Beekmans. Cut off all aid to Africa. Cut off all aid to anti-Semitic Ph.D. candidates.
christopher di spirito
Never heard of them. Are they like a gay Green Acres?
kylew
@Charles Pozier: what an odd series of statements.
CBRad
Two more self-congratulatory Manhattan dorks trying to be “stars.”
kevininbuffalo
Saw the show once. Gawd what a freakin’ bore it was!
Kirk
The Beekman Boys are actually not the typical reality stars. Anyone who watched their show knows that they totally revitalized their local community and created a ton of jobs with their products by hiring all local people to make them. Josh is an author who has written some awesome books and Brent is a doctor who created the healthy living center at Mr. Siani hospital. I am clearly a fan but they don’t deserve the bum rap of these comments. These guys have actually made a difference in this world and are really good representatives for the gay community. Shame on you gays for tearing down two people who actually make us look good.
kirk
@kevininbuffalo: Housewives is a bore, I will agree with you there.
queertypie
Josh and Brent turned Sharon Springs, a piss ant town, into a gay-fabulous town. With gay owners of the American Hotel, farmer John and others, they started a renaissance there. Every year they have a great Harvest Festival and Victorian Christmas fest. They opened the Beekman Mercantile 1802 and sell all kinds of Beekman produced fare. Like their reality show tag line says, “Farming ain’t easy, but We make farming fabulous”. They wanted the first marriage celebration at the Beekman Mansion to be their own, but that was not meant to be. I’m happy for their happiness and all the best to them.
Jeff
They’re media whores and only care about themselves, and this whole ‘engagement’ is nothing but a publicity stunt since nobody cares about them or their stupid reality TV show anymore.
CBRad
@Kirk: No. Neither of them are from NYC anyway. Then they try to pull this whole pretend, “Oh aren’t we cute? We’re two sophisticated city guys who are open-minded enough to deal with these inferior hicks.” When, really, the hicks are these suburban writers at Queerty who think those two are anything to gush over. (That town should have kicked their butts out of there faster than Katonah slapped down Martha Stewart).
kylew
Wow, even to a hardened cynic, the level of cynicism and bitterness on this site is nauseating. Jeez, it’s like everyone went over to the dork side.
We live in a world where every public thing you see is managed and marketed, why should these two be any different. At least it’s more gay guys getting exposure, although I do balk whenever I see queens held up as examples of homosexuality, just because they have nice fluffy, recognisable “faggy” mannerisms.
Chadboy
Tacky. Something that should be so special and personal is exploited by cameras for bad reality TV. I wonder how much they would love one another if TV cameras weren’t rolling. If there show got cancelled then why follow them for another show? Obviously nobody cares about them.
redball
who?
CBRad
@kylew: I agree that too much cynicism isn’t good. But guy, isn’t it at least a good sign that gay men don’t automatically accept these things as being legitimate or admirable or real or of any integrity? Just because we’re told to, or because the subjects are gay? It’s not like all straight people (or Italian-Americans) automatically admire The Jersey Shore. Our standards should be just as high or higher.
Jeff
Yes Kyle it is annoying when you see totally faggy nellie queens like these guys who are walking stereotypes being represented as gay “men” to the public who thinks that everyone that’s LGBT is like this or falls into a bad acted stereotype like these two fools and media whores do.
David Ehrenstein
Well this thread says it all, doesn’t it? If you’re gay don’t EVEN THINK of aspiring to anythign higher than a ribbon clerk cause you ever-so-supportive fellow gays will cut you down like THAT. And if you fall below the Butchness Standard, well you should just go right out and take the gas pipe, lest you annoy the likes of “Jeff>”
Over and above all don’t even THINK about appearing on television, cause a lynch mob will form outside you home overnight and you’ll ebe up making Matthew Shepherd’s corpse look like it’s just been through a minimum-impact workout.
Isn’t our Queerty Gay Community wonderful?
kylew
@CBRad: Honestly, as lifelong victims of discrimination and people who jump to conclusions, I really think we need to get our own house in order before demanding that everyone else accepts US for who we are.
So many people here are talking like they KNOW who these two are, just because of their media personas. And even if that is who they are, at least they’re contributing to making homosexuality more widely accepted.
I just wish that lots of mainstream, more masculine, run of the mill gays could get some publicity, because this stereotype really plays into the whole self-hating thing for many masculine gays.
I take your point that it’s good that gay men have some standards, but I think it’s a bit like soldiers on a battlefield arguing about what food should be allowed in their enemy’s capital, whilst the war is still raging.
masaya
well said!!!!!
Joseph
maybe it’s my southern upbringing, but I can be delighted when people get engaged, even if they’re media whores.
irisgirl
I’ll add my Mazel Tov here! Yes, I’m a fan of the show and think these 2 are rather a hoot. Of course the real stars of the show are Farmer John and his goats, and Polka Spot the llama, who has the most fun personality of any Reality-TV show character I’ve seen! I’m going to miss watching them….
I’ll also admit to being a Major hopeful-romantic concerning gay marriage, so I’m cheering for that reason as well!
Best, fabulous, wishes to the Beekman Boys!
CBRad
@kylew: Just on the subject of wanting to see more “manly” gays on TV (and I sort of agree, but that’s just a personal thing of mine- because I do think some “effeminate” men can certainly be admired- ones who’ve made genuine contributions to society) but I think the problem there is that it’s the less “manly” types who producers think will make more interesting TV shows. If these were two regular gay joes going off to the farm it would be just be boring watching men doing work (unless the guys were astoundingly hot). The gimmick with this show was that it was supposed to be the contrast of such city effetes now in Green Acres land.
David Ehrenstein
@kylew: Yes we need manly, Manly, MANLY MEN!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xToPCaNxaow
KJM1968
A steel & silver ring? Cheap bastard.
BrianZ
How wonderful for these two! I wish them much happyness!
I’m sad to see my jaded, bitter sisters posting above. It’s unfortunate that life has dealt them such a shitty hand that they can’t even pretend to be happy for someone else. Or perhaps life has given them just what they deserved? Things to ponder, things to ponder.
BrianZ
@BrianZ: Happiness
WTF, let me correct myself before the bitch-whores jump all over me!
fdr2ga
I liked Brent and Josh’s show and will miss it now I know it’s cancelled. The strain of running the farm and shop in Sharon Springs seemed to take something of a toll on their relationship, so it’s good news that they’ve managed to stay together and now want to get married. So what if they’re media whores? I have been interested in following their story!
Scott
Thanx @ David E. – u are spot on!
Guys!! Come on- can we root for our own? And for all the JACKASSES who have never seen their show, read Josh’s books- they are not reality TV scumbags. They moved to Sharon Springs to start something fresh, which has brought a LOT of business to the area- TV show notwithstanding. They ate both kindof “butch”- and feature a gay goat farmer on their show- how butch is that?
Brent- as someone has mentioned already- is a respected doctor, and Josh is an amazing author. I understand people being tires of reality TV stars- I am- and I never watch the dribble. But that doesn’t mean everyone fits in that box- and these Gus def don’t.
Congrats to the happy couple!!!!!!!!
Jeff
LMAO Scott, those guys are NOT butch. They are nellie queens and just walking bad stereotypes of gay men complete with their use of the term ‘fabulous’ to everytime they open their mouth and a caftan and earrings pop out. These guys are reality TV stars and media whores, they don’t care about anyone but themselves and their “brand”.
AJ
Oh puke. What kind of masochist is Josh? Why anyone would even want to be in the same room with Brent, let alone marry him, is beyond me. His second-rate Martha Stewart act is pathetic.
Stephanie
I just happened to like the show. I am a straight woman, but have four family members that are gay. I have been closer to them than the rest of my family and they have helped me understand some of there feelings. But I do not understand why if all the people who posted here are gay, why do you cut each other up so bad when two of your fellows get some exposure? Those of us who are straight have a hard time understanding the life style, though the show is not how all gays live, it does show some of the stress that there is in your life. Josh and Brent have the guts to show there life, the stress of the farm and being away from each other. When you see shows like Gene Simmons, Dog the Bounty hunter, they are reality shows and those people are also earning money from doing the shows. More power to them for what they did. I wish the show was back on, everyone has to make a living somehow.