Missing (or dreading the return of) A-List: New York? Don’t believe Bravo will ever greenlight its gay Real Housewives show? Already tired of whatever the hell 1 Girl 5 Gays are mouthing off about? Then let us introduce you to The Avenue, a new Toronto-based reality web series focusing on Internet personality Gregory Gorgeous and a female foursome.
As you know, Queerty has long cheerleaded original web series, from scripted drama In Between Men to Ryan James Yezak’s Texas reality show In The Loop. With LOGO only recently getting its act together by ordering some original series, it’s the web that’s offered the ripest (and usually cheapest) platform for new queer-oriented shows to experiment and find an audience.
And so here is The Avenue (introduced in a trailer above by Mr. Gorgeous), premiering Jan. 25. At first glance, it’s a very The City-y take on being a fabulous young person today. From the show’s description:
The Avenue follows five affluent and ambitious Torontonian twenty-somethings as they fight for the top spot in Toronto’s most exclusive social and professional circles. The series mostly focuses on Gregory, better known as Gregory Gorgeous. Gregory knows everything and everyone, and consequently nothing happens without him hearing about it. Gregory’s right hand girl, Rachel, is a sweet, fun, and carefree party girl – until you cross her. She’s got a dark side and she’s not afraid to let it out sometimes. Rachel and Gregory are also close friends with Claire, a naive but entirely well-intentioned city slicker. Claire doesn’t have a mean bone in her body – and for that reason, drama always seems to cling to her. Arta is a slick and refined socialite with endless connections and equally endless professionalism. The aspiring fashion journalist is calculating, sharp-witted, and always keeps her cool. Finally, there’s Jessica, a dramatic and motivated model who’s often blinded by her own drive and will do anything for her five minutes in the spotlight.
Individually, they’re powerhouses with endless drive and determination to come out on top. So what happens when you throw them all together in Toronto’s best schools, hottest night clubs, and most exclusive A-list events? Watch as the cast become intertwined with elaborate lies, drama, sex, and intrigue only on The Avenue.
This city’s for the taking, but you can’t win a war without spilling some blood on the battlefield…
Yes, we can expect some manufactured drama. And yes, you’re going to notice once again we’ve got a reality show based on talking behind your friends’ backs and acting fabuless at nightclubs. But if a gay cross-dressing man is headlining a new show, does that still count as progress?
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Eh, I’m not here to care. I’ll watch anything starring Gregory Gorgeous.
One of the CA 36,000
The blond Justin Bieber ‘do is enough of a turn-off that I’ve already struck the show off my “To Watch” list.
This will set the LGBTQ equality movement in the US back at least 30 years.
Rick Gold
@One of the CA 36,000: It’s Canadian, not American.
With the Canadian gay movement being 6o years ahead of its US counterpart.
mike128
I’m over the fetishization of “fabulous”. Fabulous generally means sad, really sad. That’s about all that’s at the top of those “elite” professional and social circles.
One of the CA 36,000
@Rick Gold: I know these are Canadians. But it will be shown in the US, where some inbred cracker will lose control of his remote looking for NASCAR races or UFC bouts and stumble across “Miss Thang and Her Straight Girlfriends in ‘GURRRRRLLLLL, Oh No She Di-n’t!” or whatever this glitter-spewing trainwreck is called. And then he’ll Twitter Sarah Palin or call Bill O’Reilly to complain and all hell will break loose.
And @Mike128: I’m with you. I don’t need or want “fabulous” any more. I’ve got “married to a wonderful guy” and “happy in my life” and “comfortable in my skin” instead. Now if only I could get “heart working properly” added…!! LOL
Countervail
Who?
David C
No. No. No. NO. NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
justiceontherocks
Which one is Mr. Gorgeous. The blonde looks like a Shirley Jones female impersonator. I have to go throw up now.
Scott
Who is this fag? I stopped watching after 20 seconds.
Mike
What i don’t like about this show is that it will again portray the gay community as all being like that or being drag queens when in reality the overwhelming majority of the gay community is straight acting. I think this more a boy wishing to attract attention more than anything else. He should grow up.
Charlie
I said to myself… maybe this will be the day! The day in which I read an article in which commenters don’t spend all their time calling a new gay web celebrity a sissy. Today was not that day.
Pitch a show about gay lumberjacks and bikers! Those folks deserve to be represented I agree! But stop calling every other guy a mincing queen.
Cody
All you old married queens need to fuck off, greg is for club kids and strght girls.not imitation heterosexual pricks
Devon
I would watch this, I really would, but I’m afraid I’ll be busy getting my dick hacked off with a rusted cheese grater.
Huh
So 5 women on tv… like what? Sex in the City in Toronto?
Sean
AAAHHHHHH!! OMG I am SOO exited!!! I can NOT wait 😀
jack
There is only ONE Internet personality who is “gorgeous,” and THAT IS ME! Buzz off Mary.
Zack
Maybe because I am older, but it amazing to me how people have create themselves to become celebrities on the internet. He really thinks he is important. I watched a few of his youtube videos and there harmless. There’s at least one without makeup and he actually a very cute young man. I have nothing against him. I hope he makes lots of money and ends up being very happy in his life, but I have no intention to watch his upcoming show. Its just not for me
alejandro
Ehhh. 1 girl 5 gays is and AWESOME canadian show! i dont know about the avenue though :S but i’m sure it can’t be any worse than jersey shore..
UKgay
@Rick Gold:
that’s why they say ‘about’ funny.
at least the A-list used mike ruiz’s hairpiece to balance out the shameless narcissism. christ, how much more of this rubbish is really necessary? and why is everyone a ‘powerhouse’? of what?
kayla
He’s so pretty….It’s not my thing, but it takes all kinds. I’m more of a poli-sci geek, but I know a few of my friends who would watch and enjoy….I think he’s prettier than me, that’s not good!!!
greenmanTN
Gosh. I really *would* love to watch this but I’ve already made plans to nail one of my feet to the floor and run in a circle. Watching “The Avenue” seems less enjoyable.
Ashton
You write comments like this, yet you all wonder why some kids commit suicide. This guy probably won’t kill himself but you people commenting here aren’t any better than the people you call “bullies”. Change the bullies mind, not the bullied. Yes not all gay people are queens, but not all gay people are straight acting either!! Saying this guy is representing all gay people is like saying Snooki represents Italians. How can we stop homophobia when it’s huge in our own community? There’s many different types of gays who find a place in the spectrum! We can’t win if we don’t win TOGETHER.
Ashton
And I think people who think this sets back the LGBT movement back 30 years are the ones who are actually setting us back. The message your saying is that this guy should not be himself and be more of what people want him to be.
Jase
Amazing how you all are ready to scream bullying when a gay kid kills himself, yet most of your comments on these types of stories are things that would drive a femme gay kid to kill himself. You’re all pathetic. It’s pretty sad when you want this country to accept gay people, but all you do is trash “sissies” and say they make gays look bad, and straights would accept us more without them. Yeah, maybe straight people would accept us if you didn’t put your dick up a dude’s ass, too.
Conrad
I can’t wait to see it! And it’s sad to see people being rude about how feminine he is…. Uhm where’s the support from our own community? Greg is a really cool guy.
thematics
Wow, we have so MANY TV critics here.
With media expanding every day, it’s better th have MORE choices than fewer.
If I don’t like it, I’ll watch something else.
I don’t think we should try to act like the arbiters of GLBT pop culture because some of us don’t think some others “represent” all of “us.”
If we expect acceptance and inclusion in the world, we maybe should try a little harder to accept that not everyone in our big ole set of LGBTQ communities is just like us.
We parade every June for “Pride” and “diversity” and the other 11 months of the year we pretty much devour our brothers and sisters for being “too” this and “too that.”
Ease up a little on the hatred, cuz it’ contagious.
Thrutch
he looks like Chris Crocker
Robbie K
Don’t get me started on Toronto
Davey Wavey's Vagina Monologue
Why is that woman named Gregory? Shouldn’t her name be Georgina or something?
ChattyKathy
that was a pretty pathetic attempt at melodrama. what a superficial mess. there’s nothing interesting about people like this, no matter how much trash-pop it’s put against.
but i disagree that garbage like this takes the gay community back. i believe this crap makes humanity in general look bad.
and it’s not about being fem. it’s about being a self-absorbed asshat, and not having an ounce of integrity or dignity that i won’t get behind. make-up and nice clothes don’t make a personality, even when you’re gay.
Ryan
In Music, Film and Television, “Diversity” in the gay community, is dead.
When people hear the word “gay”, they predominantly think of guys like this.
NOW LISTEN!
There is nothing wrong if you’re a gay dude and wear make-up and a dress, whatever, that’s all fine if that truly makes you happy.
I’m fine being associated with you and having to deal with EVERYONE in my life asking me at some point if I wear make-up and dresses on the weekends…I can deal with that.
But the reality is, most of these guys ARE NOT being themselves!
True femme guys are mostly intelligent, very witty and THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT GETTING ATTENTION!
These FAKE-ASS attention-mega-whore gays have taken over, because their biggest fear is to be boring!
So they do WHATEVER it takes to be noticed, because they have NOTHING ELSE (neither intelligence or talent) to offer!
Have you noticed how cool and charming actual transsexuals are?
And regular gay guys, a lot of them are delightfully boring!
When a fake gay say hello, they shatter glass.
Bottom line. Stop putting these fake-ass gays on a pedestal!
I don’t mean to hate on the “Chris Crockers” and “Jeffree Stars” of this world, but they are not the backbone of the gay community! They are simply one tiny side of it that was meant to only serve as occasional campy entertainment…but sadly they have taken over…and who are the victims? The rest of us.
Because we are diverse, but the majority is overshadowed by the mighty few whose substance amounts to lip gloss, gossiping/”drama”, crappy music and being a whore.
So basically all the gays (athletes, nerds, etc.) who don’t fit the stereotype lay low, a lot of them stay in the closet because they’re terrified of not fitting into the “gay community” as this is what we’ve seem to become…they don’t know there are many just like them (see the documentary “The Butch Factor”).
So bottom-line; if you’re REAL and stereotypical, great!
If you don’t fit the stereotype, CELEBRATE THAT TOO DAMMIT!
Don’t aspire to change yourself to become dumb, superficial and overly-feminine to the point of becoming a clown, just because that gets you more attention! Be your wonderfully boring self!
You might help others like yourself to come out of the closet!
We need more diverse role-models.
They’re out there, but they need to become more mainstream!
Jeffree
@Ryan: you make great points. My issue is with so-called “reality tv” in general. The casting directions seem to be
*”Non over-the-top people need not app.ly”
*”Nice, stable, decent people: We’re not interested in you!”
*”Bring on your most outrageous game”
Those guide-lines seem to apply regardless of if they’re looking for East Coast Italian-Americans, fading celebs, twenty-something people without jobs, Hollywood wives, LGBs, cougars, etc…..
Anyone who falls into whatever category the show is about looks at the episodes and thinks “These people are walking stereotypes.”
The good news is that there’s greater diversity of show themes/ categories so we can see people who are SORT OF like us on paper…… but the lousy news is that they only highlight the extremes.
Adonis-of-Fire
I find disgusting the whole attention-whore I’m-so-fabulous attitude of many gays, I think this is their internal monologue:
Like OMG girlfriend, I’m soooo fucked up, I need to get fucked tonight by that daddy in leather over there who probably has a high viral load. Hey, do you have some tina? wait, I need to put some more lip gloss on. Be careful with your drink, you are gonna ruin my sleeveless AF-t! Where’s my Gucci Bag? Ok, let’s go to the after hours party. Do you think I’m fat? I’m 5’10” and I’m 90 lbs, I wanna be 60 lbs.
jason
This is awful, just awful. Note how all the girls have exactly the same hair length. They look like they were hired on the basis of their locks. Trrraaagic!
If this is the type of fare that Bravo is dishing out, isn’t it about time we boycotted Bravo? Bravo doesn’t deserve any publicity. If we boycott it, it’ll whittle away to nothing and probably run out of funding.
Jeffree
@Jason: So, your *main* objection has to do with the length of the women’s hair?
Um, yeah, sure, that makes sense. Perhaps you should share your expertise at the Salon Owners’ Guild of America instead of on a LGBT site?
Becky911
why does the media constantly support extreme caricatures of gay men, yet when they represent lesbians they don’t adhere to extreme caricaturistic stereotypes?
Why is this make up wearing fool being endorsed?
This is setting gay men back
Becky911
This is terrible the media moguls use people like gregory to turn people against gay men OMG This is horrible Who is endorsing this stuff Please make it stop
porter
@Ashton: Amen
Becky911
I understand ashton’s point but most straight ppl hold these stereotypes against gay males, but never attack lesbians. it’s all because of how the two are portrayed in the media. and please kill it with the term “straight acting” hetero men dont have a monopoly on masculinity. most people get exposure through tv and not real life experience
Becky911
thank you ryan. you get the point when it comes to gay males representation in the media they focus on one dimensional characteristics. i feel like i’m going to punch a breeder in the face every time they ask the following “you dont look gay?” “you dont act gay?” why aren’t you feminine?”
or my favorites: your quite masculine for a gay guy!!! your not like those other gays!!!
back handed compliments i tell you…
John
You can be disgusted by this show for reasons having nothing to do with his androgynous style and manner.
It looks horrific. Like, OMG, totally terrible.
justiceontherocks
Don’t compare bullying of school kids to criticism, even very nasty criticism, of people who offer entertainment for public consumption. The entertainers throw their hat in the ring and get what they get. It’s part of the business.
Petey
@Cody
“All you old married queens need to fuck off, greg is for club kids and strght girls.not imitation heterosexual pricks”
Wow, it’s amazing how that “queen” label gets thrown around so easily whenever someone or some group disagrees or dislikes something. As if being a “queen” is the biggest insult ever. Talk about self-loathing. It makes me laugh actually because in reality you come off more like a bitter queen than anyone else.
And imitation heterosexual pricks?! Lord, that’s so dumb!
GetBalance
To u attention seeking gay haters, you missed one integral part of cinematic American culture that you cannot dismiss nor EVER eradicate. The ever tell all line that marks it all . . . “that’s showbiz!” I suggest you all take an acting class or go out in drag on Halloween this year, “the bug” just might bite ya.
Bobby
Hell no!! I’m don’t watch that trash and never will. They can take all the “real” housewives, bachelors, bacheloretts, gay-list, Kardashians and shore-whores and toss them into space for all I care. People that watch those shows need a life.
Pierre
Calm down people, its only going to be on YouTube.
jason
Like I’ve said before, liberal Hollywood hates male-male sexuality. It is far more into female-female sexuality.
Note how almost all depictions of male-male sexuality are skewed towards the feminine (and thus socially undesirable for a man) stereotype whereas nearly all depictions of female-female sexuality are skewed towards the feminine (and thus socially desirable for a woman) stereotype.
Male-male is thus depicted as socially undesirable whereas female-female is depicted as socially desirable. Just be aware of this extremely cunning double standard that is being promoted by the liberals of Hollywood.
I’m seriously thinking about starting an organization called Gays Against Hollywood or Gays Against Liberals.
sweetbrandigirl2004
Ok So He’s a Gay guy,so then why does he dress and act like a girl and why He carry a purse and wear make up and paint his nails and and and ? This guys really screwed up doesn’t know if he’s comeing for going or even what gender he is….I don’t find him offensive I’m just really confused not sure what he is.
Jeffree
@SweetBraindeadGirl2004:
Don’t worry your pretty little head over subjects you don’t know anything about. Stick to your HelloKitty toys and allow the adults to converse!
Robby
Atleast he dresses better than any of the A-list gays. I love a crossdressing gay that pulls it off with confidence. I know how so many members of the gay community are annoyed when the more extreme versions of gay culture are presented but I still think its important to see them as active and important members within our own community. Sometimes I think many of our communities outliers (trans, fetishist, minorities, etc) feel the largest amount of hate from people within our community.
reed
i’m glad us gays can really stick together and stand up for each other!
Harpy
“Toronto’s best schools”
Uh… Pray tell what school is that?
Tori
@sweetbrandigirl2004: You know what he is. Stop trying to put people in gender normative boxes.
texag
this just seems so artifical to me.
I have no problem that he’s androgynous but everything just seems so manufactured! I’m sure gregory gorgeous is a lovely person, he’s probably just not interesting enough to carry a tv show.
Ryan
@reed: Yeah, just like Lucy Liu should always stick up for Tila Tequila because after all, they’re both Asian right!? And one sole characteristic that you have in common with another person, should be enough for you unconditionally cheer on their irrelevant contributions to the world. *eye roll*
sweetbrandigirl2004
@Tori: Yes Tori I do known what he is ….”Fucked up in the head” ! that’s what he is… if he wants ot be a women then have a sez change if not then quick pretenting to be one…choose a gender and stick to it….That’s how it is.
justiceontherocks
@sweetbrandigirl2004: What is a “sez” change? What is “pretenting”? And why don’t you learn to write before being so critical of others?
sweetbrandigirl2004
@Tori: Yes Tori I do known what he is ….”Fucked up in the head” ! that’s what he is… if he wants ot be a women then have a sex change if not then quick pretenting to be one…choose a gender and stick to it….That’s how it is.
justiceontherocks
@sweetbrandigirl2004: Nice try. Get back to us when you quit “pretenting” and figure out whether you are “comeing or going.”
Too bad feminine guys worry you so much.
Dallas David
I like effeminate guys, butch guys, and everything in between. But this sort of “fabulous” is something I just can’t relate to. Probably because I don’t give a rat’s axx about fashion or for dishing dirt.
No doubt other people would find this sort of a show interesting, so I wish him well in his endeavors.
Sceth
Unintelligible to me – but surely someone might like it.
However, the characters all seem like they wouldn’t be missed.
sweetbrandigirl2004
@justiceontherocks: justiceontherocks effeminate gay men is one thing ,but he’s so effeminate that he crosses the line into crossdressing and has left behind any hint that he’s a man of any kind. So in reality he’s a gender bending crossdresser. …oh and his kind doesn’t worry me in the least I just think he’s really stupid and silly walking around carrying a purse batting his fake eye lashes. Like I said before if he wants to be a women then have a sex change but get one one side of the gender spectrum and stay there….The show is the avenue and he’s suppose toe be showing the wannabe’s how to fit in the social scene but in truth he’s the wannabe…lol only someone with NO Life would waste time watching a show were all they do is talk about nothing it’s a pure waste of time r your life’s so pointless and unexciting that you need to what manufactured drama…omg get a life !!
GetBalance
FYI
After 2012 Earth goes “off quarentine for OPEN Extra Terrestrials interaction”. If you can’t handle cross dressers you might as well hang it up, cuz you ain’t seen nuth’in yet.
divkid
this guy is a fame whoring dick.
effeminate guys are not my thing sexually, and i don’t feel part of their culture, i observe it from the outside; but i don’t object to it, and in fact enjoy it and find it entertaining when its good.
this is not good. this is not original. nor is it entertaining
i think of truly great, brave, trailblazing camp icons of the ENTIRE GAY MOVEMENT, like the glorious stately homo that was quentin crisp — he had SOMETHING INTERESTING TO SAY.
queens like gregory think queenery will substitute for a personality. if they weren’t trading on the stereotype gay they’d have no personality at all.
he’s not some radical bravely refusing to align to a masculinist template he’s just *acting out* , dipping into the dressing up box of what some tv exec will find outre enough to titillate the with public. and confirm the prejudices of some of the more stoopid ones.
would this matter if we were adequately represented in our diversity? of course not.
so greg, not in my name sweetie.
Mark
Sad and depressing, truly setting the gay movement back by decades!
Bebe
After watching the video I am confused. Is this going to be like an actual show on a network or is it just going to be a wannabe show that will only be on the web????
divkid
@Bebe: none of the above: it will play on a loop forever in HELL!
What bothers me about this show
Okay, Gregory is really annoying…not because he’s femme…but because he took the last-fucking name of Gorgeous, and is a fuckign idiot.
But moreover…Toronto’s most affluent young people? Good lord, who gives a damn what parlor games the trust-fund-babies are running around playing up there?
Also, isn’t Toronto one of America’s most diverse cities? Does diversity on this show mean being brunette?
Just make it stop.
Michael
Was there a compelling reason to shoot this video in his grandmother’s shower?
Mike
So that’s what Maura West is doing now that the world stopped turning…
Mykey
that guy scares me, looks like a living mannequin
nickspacee
The comments on this are sickening. Who cares if he wears makeup, carries a purse, paints his nails, or wears dresses? WHO CARES? Why does it matter, he’s allowed to express himself that way and why does everyone on this page act holier than thou and say things like “setting us back about 30 years”….
It’s quite obvious Gregory Gorgeous is not trying to make a social statement in regards to the gay community as a whole. He is simply being himself. That is far more respectable than a self-loathing “straight acting” gay man. It’s quite apparent he loves himself and is happy living that life. Why should he mute himself to be uncategorized as a queen. And that’s disgusting that even among the community WE are throwing around words like “QUEEN” and “FAG”… that only makes it okay for straight people to say it. If you don’t want to wear makeup then don’t, so stop harassing people who do. It justifies hate among the community which is already SO FAR behind Canada where it is legal to get married and there are far less hate-crimes. But… go ahead and say that it’ll set us back… cuz it’s quite obvious you are wrong.
I applaud Greg for being brave enough to go out in public being 100% who he is.