Another Gay
Movie, Take 2

Shooting on Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! wrapped last month in Fort Lauderdale after three weeks. Director Todd Stephens headed back to New York City to begin editing, after a stop in Los Angeles to shoot a few remaining scenes, including one with Perez Hilton who gets amnesia after, well ... they won't let me say. The film is due to be released in the summer of 2008.

So what is new about this edition? There are a bunch of secrets I'm not allowed to reveal, but Stephens will let out that there's a little gay-spoofed Beach Blanket Bingo (complete with a lubed-up Slip 'n Slide), a campy version of ThePrice Is Right (with hottie porn star couple Aden and Jordan Jaric as your Vanna Whites), and even some gay Dawn of the Dead (let's just say freaky hands meet private parts). Since it's spring break, there's a lot of eye candy thrown in -- with good measure -- and there's even a story you can sink your teeth into.

Another Gay Movie followed the adventures of Nico and his friends on their zany quest to lose their virginity. Now the boys are back, reuniting in Fort Lauderdale for spring break. Beneath the campy sets, sexy costumes, and outrageous gags, the debates sparked by the first film continues: How does casual sex fit into life? Is monogamy possible? Do gays really think only about sex? All this, framed within the context of a wild 'n' sexy spring break competition.

Jonah Blechman, who also executive-produces the film, returns as Nico. His friends Jarod, Griff, and Andy also return, this time played by different actors. Jimmy Clabots who plays Jarod this go-around, tried out for the role in the first film but missed getting the part. Aaron Michael Davies, who "transitions from geek to chic" in this flick, was actually discovered by the casting director while waiting tables at a restaurant in New York City. Newcomer Jake Mosser plays Andy, while the boys' nemeses in this film, the Jaspers, are played by Will Wikle (host of Logo's Round Trip Ticket), Brandon Lim, and Isaac Webster.

For cast members Isaac Webster and RuPaul, it was the irreverent comedy that drew them to the script. "As far as the gay sex, raunchy humor, and pushing all the boundaries back -- no holes barred, nothing is scared -- I think it's pretty beautiful," says Webster. "It's been a lot of fun to play and be a part of, and I feel it's the wave that going to take us into the next place." Adds RuPaul: "I saw Another Gay Movie, and I was floored. I loved its 'no shame in the gay game', and I thought that was revolutionary and there needs to be more of that."

Blechman sums it up saying, "This movie, even more than the first, is a litmus test of sorts. It reveals how honest and fluid you are sexually, whether you can laugh at yourself and the crudeness of being a human being, not some perfect queer stereotype."

The sets were decked out (think pink flamingos and tiki bars), the costumes fabulous (from skimpy briefs to far-out diva), the props extensive (over 400 in total, including retro bubble machines and personalized butt plugs) -- and there was even a special effects department, headed by Joe Castro, which created many surprise effects and gags, like a sidesplitting one for Scott Thompson that involves a certain projectile that is bound to make the highlight reel. Thompson, from Kids in the Hall, returns in the sequel, this time "wearing every humiliating costume Todd could dream up."

The hope for Another Gay Sequel is that it does something special, even pioneering, because of its brand of humor. Queer cinema has moved away from coming-of-age stories, and maybe it's time for comedy to be a force for change, or for truly living -- and laughing -- out loud. "It's fresh and revolutionary in its approach to being gay and having a laugh with the whole gay experience," says RuPaul. "It's an important voice."

If the excellence on the set and Stephens's writing and directing talent are any indication, Another Gay Sequel may prove itself to be much more than pretty faces, hot bods, and hilarious gags, though I can't imagine a complaint about those anyway. Producer Derek Curl says there will be upcoming distribution news that should land the pic in theaters this summer."We really feel it's shaping up to be the gay movie event for '08." So stay tuned for all the surprises, from Nico's fetish dream to Andy's scary nightmare, from Perez Hilton's amnesiac behavior to who wins the Gays Gone Wild competition -- and just what exactly his prize is.