When the editor of the Bay Times calls and says, I got something that might interest you, you get curious. Said editor has read enough of my reviews to know what might “interest” me. So I tell her I am listening.

Well, it turns out there isn’t only one thing that might interest me but three. And of course, she was right. All three sounded like they were right up my alley, so I said yes. I would check out all three.

What a tantalizing combination…. Yoko Ono, a new TV series on here! TV on Lesbian Sex and Sexuality and Some Like it Hot.

Oh Yes for Ono

The Ono film series, “imagine film” is being shown by the Pacific Film Archive on the UC Berkeley campus in conjunction with the Berkeley Art Museum exhibition “Grapefruit” by Ono. There are two more shows left Tuesday, Jan. 30 (the infamous Bed-In) and Feb. 13 (Grapefruit). What is great about these two shows is that accompanying the Ono film are films by other makers that are homages to the Ono films.

Way back in 1969, when John Lennon was refused entry into the United States, he announced that he and Yoko were beginning a “Bed-In” for peace. So there they were, the two lovers in a Toronto hotel, hosting a never-ending steam of visitors, which include Tommy Smothers, Timothy Leary, Dick Gregory and promoters galore. They even got a call from Berkeley People’s Park.

There are other goodies in this program; both inspired by Yoko's original vision.  A short film entitled  Lennon, Sontag, Beuys  stars an animated John Lennon, Susan Sontag and Joseph Beuys talking about art and social change. And there is  Will **** for Peace, a three day recreation of the original Be-In.  Artists  Yong Soon Min and Alan DeSouza play Yoko and John but the context is not Vietnam.  It is Iraq. Makes me oh yes, oh so nostalgic to Imagine: Peace.

The final program in the Ono series (Feb. 13) is a lesbian camp classic, Grapefruit, by Cecilia Dougherty. Way back in 1989, who knew this would be a classic, but it is too good to be true. An all-girl cast (OK, there is one male go-go dancer), play out the story of Paul, Ringo, George, John and Yoko. It might be based a bit on Ono’s book, but this is really about re-imagining… None other than the famous Sexpert, Ms. Susie Bright, plays John! There is a short by Yoko and John in the program as well as a film Looking for Yoko Ono. I am hoping it feels James Bondian.

Lesbian Sex and Sexuality (here! TV)

A queer television broadcaster producing a series on Lesbian Sex and Sexuality. Sounds kind of yummy huh?, Maybe this is going to be the kind of must-see programming that unites a community? After all, it was only ten years ago, when the telephone lines were going nuts because Ellen was coming out, and hey, I do have a lot of friends that got TiVO just so that they would not miss the L-Word. So, maybe here! TV is banking on making lesbian cultural clit-happy history. I was hopeful, really hopeful.

I mean they got Katherine Linton to direct and she has been around the block, producing queer content on PBS (In the Life) and a host of other television documentaries. So, I was wondering whether I could get the editor of the Bay Times to pay for my here! TV subscription, but then I checked out Episode 1, and then Episode 2 and then Episode 4. And well, since I can go to Good Vibes pretty easily or check out Frameline films at the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, I am not going to change my cable plan just yet.

Now don’t get me wrong. The series isn’t a travesty and there are some good moments—really good moments—but there are some moments that were lost opportunities and others where I sighed and said, was that a mistake? And I will admit I am spoiled. There are probably lots of people who would rather pay whatever here! TV charges to download a program than stand on way-too-long Frameline lines. And we all know that there are hecka lot of bad films in the festival. And, of course, not everyone lives in our San Francisco Bay Area gay ghetto. So that said, here is what you can look forward too:

Some marketing mogul over at here! TV must be dying to get all those straight guys who fantasize about girl-on-girl sex to sign on for here! TV. The voice-over and fast-cutting is a bit over the top—-“Think you know everything about women? Think again!

—Provacative!!!!!—Completely uncensored!!!!—Groundbreaking!!!! …The hottest….giggle, giggle ….but hey….This is the entertainment industry and with reviewers like me, they need to sell product to whoever will buy it.

The series starts with Porn Today: Pushing the Limits. Now, like I said, there are some really good moments in this series and this program has them, but you have to fast forward ten minutes through the sequence on Los Angeles’s Dana Dane’s Erocktavision to get to the good stuff. But let me qualify that. If you like straight-looking femmes who giggle a lot and fuck on fire-escapes with American flags flying oh so high, this just might be made especially for you. Dane explains that “good looking women” should be on camera, and she is the ultimate arbiter of what is attractive. Okee dokee. Thanks, Dana. By the way, please Mr. Marketing Director, can I ask a question. Since this is such an uncensored masterpiece, how come Dana’s girl friend’s T-shirt is obscured. Now even I know that is not just bad cinematography. There is something you are hiding. Do tell!

But hang in there, because Shine Houston from our neighborhood was a breath of fresh air and far from the Los Angeles smog. She is thoughtful, smart and seems to producing some pretty fresh new lesbian porn. The girls look like dykes, they talk good and dirty in front of the camera, and are thoughtful when they aren’t performing. And Diana Cage, who throughout the series comments on the trends and history, says that Shine’s films are what everyone’s talking about.

Episode 2 of the series focuses on Erotic Dancers. Of all the pieces I have previewed, this show gives me the most hope. The three women, Maine, Sarah and Cinnamon are real people who we begin to care about. We get to know a little about their lives (of course, I wanted more). They’ve got attitude, sass and plenty of spice. Made me want to sign up for dancing lessons.

Of course, there was one of those missed opportunities in this episode. It was a really long time ago that lesbian erotic dancers started to perform at the Baybrick Inn. Those women had stories. They were sex workers and dykes determined to carve out a place for themselves in a community that made believe they didn’t exist. They were brave souls, and although the dancers profiled acknowledged that there were women who came before them, they should not have been forgotten.

Episode 3, which I have not seen, promises some of that history, particularly the history of Lesbian Porn. It will be good to see Nan Kinney from Blush/Fatale days on camera, and I won’t complain to hear what Shar Rednour and Nina Hartley has to say.

With a title like Fulfilling Fantasy, you get curious. Episode 4 didn’t quite deliver on fulfilling fantasy, and maybe that is just the point. What are fantasies once they are fulfilled? Once again, there are some good moments, but maybe the name of the program should be changed to something else. I mean, it was great to see photographer Phyllis Christopher’s images on screen and to hear her talking about them, but the photos were a cut a bit too fast and made me want more. The portrait of Nelressa checking out Internet dating was sweet. The woman is a gem, but this is about Internet dating and Julie Goldman who is supposedly auditioning to host the program is sort of funny in a silly way. But nothing quite does it.

The series will be broadcast until March and has six episodes. I wish it was really telling me something, saying something, giving me some hot sex and some perspective. Giving me those moments beyond the fast “aren’t we cool” cutting where I can really feel how empowering it is for lesbians to talk and show off our sexuality. Our libidos did not just explode yesterday. There is an epic story that can be told. A story that has its roots in feminism, a story that includes Pat Califia (even if Pat is now Patrick)—-and oh so much more.  

David Thompson Film Series and Some Like it Hot

Pacific Film Archive not only offers Yoko Ono in the next two months but a film series hosted by critic David Thompson providing perspective and depth on a host of classic films. I had the chance to feast on Orson Welles great film A Touch of Evil the other night and was sold. I sometimes think I know a bit about film, but Thompson fills in such juicy gaps and also gave me oh so much to think about. In the next few weeks, you really could luck out. He will have plenty to say about Vertigo (Jan. 25), Some Like it Hot (Feb. 1), Goddard’s Pierrot le Fou (Feb. 15), Rio Bravo (Feb. 8) and Bonnie And Clyde (Feb. 22). Wish I had more time to tell more, but believe me this series is not to be missed.
Check out www.bampfa.berkeley.edu and www.heretv.com for more details.