We love getting some dish, so when famed celebrity and fashion photographer, music-video director and reality star Mike Ruiz shares behind-the-scenes skinny on The A-List: New York, we got a little excited.
The hit Logo show, which wraps up its second season this coming Monday, might be coming back for a third go-round next year—but without Ruiz, the resident father figure.
“I benefited from it in many ways but it’s just run its course for me,” Ruiz says on this week’s episode of the Swish Edition. He was too nice to get catty, but we couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he’s over all the manufactured drama that was Austin and Derek’s love-hate relationship, the insertion of diva wannabe Nyasha’s meddling ways, Ryan’s two-facedness, or just sick and tired of Rodiney’s broken English. (Oh come on. We tease because we love.)
He may be over the on-screen drama-fest, but don’t count this hot daddy out: For one, his hot new coffee-table book, Pretty Masculine, is out October 12. As the video promo shows, it’s chock-full of of his signature stunning male photography.
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.
And, of course, Ruiz shot fellow A-List cast member Rodiney Santiago’s 2012 calendar, which will certainly be steaming up cubical walls come January.
Also in this episode: Mike opens up about his cute Ghandi-lookalike father, why he thinks they added straight girl Nyasha to the A-List this season (we’ll say it again…drama!), his transition from still photographer to hot video director (and back), some behind-the-scenes info about Kathy Griffin, and much more. Mike’s segment starts at about the 31:00 mark.
Press play to start listening now…
Scott Wallis is the co-host of the Queerty/GayCities-sponsored Swish Edition comedy & interview talk show. He’d love to help cast the A-List: DC, but realizes Washington-based shows have a very bad track record (i.e. Real World DC, The Real Housewives of DC, etc.).
Images via Mike Ruiz
Geo
He’s the only one with any class, so of course he’s leaving. They’ll probably replace him with another straight woman.
Franco
I have to say that anyone who agreed to participate in a show like that, never had any class to begin with.
Jeke
i didn’t even realize he was still on the show. i never see him. he’s a snooze anyway.
Spike
I would agree, with Franco, no way to have class once you have agreed to appear on that show. Reminds me of when Cher did the informational, no way to undo it.
Michael
Another vapid superficial bore.Next!
Michael
@Spike:
Agreed shows like this really do put the gay community in a very negative light.Its not flattering at all nor a positive portrayal either.
Tommy Shepherd
The commenters so far wouldn’t be out of place on the A List. Jealous bitchy stereotypical queens anyone?
Cam
Rodineys calendar looks like he’s a almost a drag queen. Too much make-up etc… Not very hot.
Ruiz seemed like the only functional person on the show. The others seem irredeemable. And the sad fact is, that Nyasha, even when compared to the rest of them comes off as a horrible obnoxious person and the fact that Logo is promoting her makes me disgusted with the Network.
bllkgay
LOGOTV is a DISGRACE! THEY ARE A SHAME TO THE BLACK GAY COMMUNITY WHICH THEY IGNORE! How could they CANCEL Noah’s ARC and then bring back this WASHED up show with the only CELEBRITY being MIKE RUIZ who is the sweetest man by they way! However, LOGO is a SHAME! Then, ADD SALT to the WOUND…add some RANDOM STRAIGHT WOMAN who is the saddest DEPICTION of a BLACK WOMAN since LIL KIM…SERIOUSLY! Sadly, LOGO is a TRUE DEPICTION of the GAY COMMUNITY. IT IS THE MOST RACIST & SEXIST PLACE TO BE. If you are not WHITE AND GAY FORGET ABOUT IT because you are SIDEBAR! I have seen this in corporate, nonprofit…you NAME IT! Even this site and publications like THE ADVOCATE support this….Ah well. Here’s to the WHITE GAYS! If someone mentions, the only gay man on the upcoming TEXAS version of this show…I will throw my phone at them!
phallus
LOGO sucks anyway… I mean they broadcast gay movies that you wouldn’t see on most network channels and then censor the bad language which ruins the movie. Come on even CC and FX bleeps less than LOGO.
Cam
@bllkgay:
Oh cry me a river. Boo hoo hoo. Yeah, everybody is a racist aren’t they? Well funny enough change the races in your post to any other and you will see that you pretty much sound more racist than anybody else.
Mykey
@bllkgay: Don’t forget DL Chronicles!
Cam
@phallus: said…
“LOGO sucks anyway… I mean they broadcast gay movies that you wouldn’t see on most network channels and then censor the bad language which ruins the movie.”
___________________________-
They censored the word “BOTTOM” out of the movie “Eating Out”.
1. Is “Bottom” listed as one of the words to be censored by the FCC? Hardly.
2. What kind of self hating douchebags do they have working at Logo that they would censor the word “Bottom”???
Michael
@Tommy Shepherd:
You must be referring to yourself considering what you just wrote.Hypocrite much? Hilarious how you claim anyones jealous of those botox crazed libido driven manwhores on the A List anything to be a celebrity nowadays if you can even call that a celebrity.
shannon
BLKGAY….they are looking out for their OWN people!!! WHy do you think they give a hoot about you? Only when they need something…or a bill/law/ordinance passed……then it you are nothing…..you have to produce for your OWN…STOP thinking others “LOVE” you….
Fitz
Once you go swimming in douche water, you are forever a douche.
That midget isn’t worth much to me. Shows like the A-List
are a worse scourge than anal warts.
BubbasBack
Well well well, who in hell still buys calendars!!! And why does that guy Ruiz look like he has a dead skunk on his head? All that time at the gym wasted with that hairdo hehe… Burp.
UWSguy
Good riddance. I just hope the rest of them get off the show. And I agree with previous posters, LOGO is an embarrassment to the gay community…this is the best our creative forces can come up with?
Dewey
H@Cam: How would changing the races in his post make him sound more racist than anybody else? That is like a straight person saying to a gay person complaining about homophobia that if he changed homophobia to hetrophobia that he sounds more bigotted than anybody else.
Cam
@Dewey:
No, actually that isn’t accurate.
He is attacking them for being racists but making uncomplimentary racial generalizations back at them.
Chadboy
You call it a “hit”? The ratings are lower on season 2 of the A-List than they were on season 1. A TV show isn’t a hit if it doesn’t build on it’s first season’s numbers. The show is floundering. If the A-LIST were on any other network it would have been pulled by the 3rd episode. Logo doesn’t have a budget to produce enough shows to replace the A-LIST so it remains on.
Dave
Oh jeez ANYTHING that has Kathy Griffin in it should be avoided. She doesn’t actually care about GLBT people, our equality, or our rights but just wants to further her career by pretending to care.
Gaspar Marino
The best would of course depart. To me, Mike is the nicest and the only one with talent.
Get rid of all the others, especially Nyasha…keep Mike, and start all over again.
n900mixalot
@bllkgay: I totally agree but that isn’t anything new. The only time gay black people are talked about very widely is when the media is discussing the whole AIDS crisis, or negatively. I’m cool with not being portrayed as a buffoon as these “A-List” folks are portrayed on the show though. I know many black REAL A-Listers who are lawyers, doctors, scientists and entrepreneurs, and who have class, and the same goes for Asian, Punjabi and every other non-White/Latin group. We don’t have to be one or two ethnicities and be models, singers or hairdressers to be A-List, and whose muthaflippin list IS this anyway? Ripley’s Believe it or Not? That’s why this show is so pathetic.
I miss healthy shows like Noah’s Arc and US of ANT, THOSE WERE BLOODY AWESOME!
Terren
I can’t stand Ryan. I wish he would leave.
Cam
@n900mixalot:
See thats the problem with this show. Any REAL A Lister would never consent to be on it.
Terren
TV show titles are grossly exaggerated like Dancing with the Stars.
Hephaestion
Queerty: It’s “Gandhi,” not “Ghandi.”
LaShawn
@bllkGay,
Wow dude, you need to get that chip off your shoulder, it’s not pretty!
Bitter, party of one.
An Ella Fan
Not sure which is worse, The “A” List New York or 99.9% of the comments above.
baroque
@cam so true. the a-list is NOT looking to associate with bad reality teevee.
@Dave too right! Kathy griffin with “her gays,” as if she owns us. met her: total bitch. don’t think she cares at all, but sees a cash crowd.
mr Ruiz may not be the most articulate person, and personally I think he’s worked out so much that his gorgeous head looks dispropotionally tiny, but he’s a talented photographer. just don’t buy the Kathy g is sweet crap. Kathy was sweet to steve Wozniak too, mike. do you think she’d be sweet to steve nobodyiak? not on your life. self-absorbed, navel-lacking fame whore who presents to like “her gays” because they buy her tix and keep her, almost, marginally relevant.
Frank
Is eyeliner for guys back in fashion?
OMFG !!!
Ramon
I loved the show I think its really funny… we all have a busy life and I think sometimes is good to see a show like this one…
Anastasia
I started watching the LOGO because of Noah’s ARC, it was like watching Girlfriends. Love the stories; it held my attention from start to finished. Now, there is nothing good for the non-white to watch. Then the A-list arrived, wow. Mike Ruiz is awsome, sad for him to leave. Why not introduce a mix of race into the show. Remove that female. She looks more like a man. Derek and Ryan are more proper than she is.
DJ
I’m really happy for Mr. Ruiz, I think his photography is great and think the show was just a huge drag on his time and life. I have watched this show from season one and Mike seems like the most decent guy in the show. As a straight guy I’m probably not in the shows target demographic but I enjoy the show and hoped it would have more time showing Mike’s photographic work. I’m generally not into portraiture but Mike’s talent with composition is impressive. I am sure he will have a full life and never look back. Go MIKE!!
Brian Fanning
I think Michael’s work is truly exquiste! Keep up the GREAT work!