Tag: Freeform

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Official Trailer For Gay Rom-Com ‘The Thing About Harry’

L-R Jake Borelli, Niko Terho (images via Freeform)
The upcoming road-trip romantic comedy, The Thing About Harry, starring out actor Jake Borelli (Grey’s Anatomy) looks like it’s going to be uber-adorable. Borelli plays Sam, a funny, neurotic, cute young gay who wields his scathing wit alongside an idealistic worldview. He came out in high school, something that took a lot of courage in his small Missouri town, but was bullied constantly. Niko Terho is Harry, an uncomplicated romantic player who leaves broken hearts in his wake. The thought of commitment scares Harry to death, even though he actually yearns for love, family, and stability. The film follows the former high school enemies who are forced to drive to a friend’s engagement party on Valentine’s Day together. Along the way, Sam discovers Harry has since come out and the two get stuck spending the night at a roadside motel. You see where this is going, right? The cast also features Queer Eye‘s Karamo Brown as Paul, a well put-together, pretentious gay man and GLOW‘s Britt Baron will play Sam’s best friend Stasia. Director Peter Paige will also play Casey, Sam’s kind-hearted roommate. The film debuts on Freeform network on February 15. Check the trailer below.

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Preview: Same-Sex Valentine Rom-Com “The Thing About Harry”

L-R Niko Terho and Jake Borelli (screen captures)
The allure of romantic comedies is that we could possibly see ourselves in these over-the-top but hopelessly romantic situations. The problem for LGBTQ folks is we’ve not seen much of our own stories presented in many past rom-coms. Freeform TV (formerly ABC Family) will offer their contribution in changing that entertainment landscape when The Thing About Harry, a gay-themed Valentine’s Day flick, premieres on Freeform in February. The film is directed and co-written by former Queer As Folk star Peter Paige, who also created the network’s successful The Fosters series. Totally adorable out actor Jake Borelli (Grey’s Anatomy) stars as Sam (“a handsome, funny, neurotic, intelligent young gay man”), and newcomer Niko Terho plays the titular Harry (“an emotionally uncomplicated, promiscuous player who has always left a string of broken hearts in his wake”). For whatever reason, Sam ends up traveling with Harry, a former jock and social enemy who’s not only heading home but towards some serious self-discovery. In the newly-released preview, Harry comes clean as to why he spent so much time and effort taunting Sam in high school. I’m pretty sure a lot of us can relate to this moment.

Also featured in the film are Queer Eye star Karamo Brown as Paul, described as an “overbearing and pretentious gay man,” so there’s type-casting involved. Britt Baron (of GLOW fame) plays Stasia, Sam’s best friend. And Paige will appear as Sam’s roommate Casey. “It’s been an honor to partner with Freeform in making great television with LGBTQ+ characters as leads. True equality can only be achieved when you see yourself reflected in the movies, music and stories that paint our culture,” said executive producers Paige, Greg Gugliotta and F.J. Denny in a joint statement. “As young gay men in the ’90s, whenever a rom-com opened, we would watch the leading lady fall in love, and imagine what it would be like if the boy was saying all those things to another boy,” they added. “We’ve always wanted to make a movie — an unabashedly romantic comedy — that queer boys wouldn’t have to translate. It’s rewarding to take the genre to a new, all-inclusive level.”

The Thing About Harry premieres Saturday, February 15 at 8p/7c on Freeform.

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Hallmark Channel Drops Then Reinstates LGBTQ Inclusive Commercials

The Hallmark Channel is having a decidedly difficult December. The cable television channel announced on Thursday it would stop airing four ads from the wedding planning website Zola which included lesbian brides kissing in marriage ceremonies after virulently anti-LGBTQ organization One Million Moms complained about the spots. At the time, a spokesperson for the company told the New York Times it did not accept ads “that are deemed controversial.”  The spokesman said the women’s public displays of affection “violated the channel’s policies,” but didn’t elaborate as to why a nearly identical ad featuring a bride and groom kissing was not rejected.

Zola then announced it would pull all of its advertising from the channel. In a statement released on Sunday, president and CEO Mike Perry said the team at Hallmark Channel’s parent company, Crown Media Family Networks, had “been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused” and that “they believe this was the wrong decision.” “Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect, celebrate traditions and be inspired to capture meaningful moments in their lives,” he said. “Anything that detracts from this purpose is not who we are. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused.” Perry added his company would work with national LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD “to better represent the LGBTQ community across our portfolio of brands,” and that it planned on contacting Zola to “re-establish our partnership and reinstate the commercials.”

“We were deeply troubled when Hallmark rejected our commercials for featuring a lesbian couple celebrating their marriage, and are relieved to see that decision was reversed,” said Mike Chi, the chief marketing officer of Zola. “We are humbled by everyone who showed support not only for Zola, but for all the LGBTQ couples and families who express their love on their wedding day, and every day.” Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and chief executive of GLAAD, said: “The Hallmark Channel’s decision to correct its mistake sends an important message to LGBTQ people and represents a major loss for fringe organizations, like One Million Moms, whose sole purpose is to hurt families like mine. LGBTQ people are, and will continue to be, a part of advertisements and family programming, and that will never change.” Amid all the flip-flopping by Hallmark, Freeform, formerly ABC Family which has created LGBTQ-friendly content like The Fosters, The Bold Type, and Good Trouble, tweeted that it would be happy to air Zola’s inclusive ads over the holidays. “This is what happens when you focus all your energy on exclusion instead of clever plotlines,” tweeted Freeform. “Call us, Zola. We celebrate the holidays with everyone.”

Earlier in December, the Hallmark Channel network was targeted by outraged conservatives after CEO Bill Abbott said he was “open” to creating LGBTQ-themed holiday movies last month. (image via screen capture)

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ABC Family Channel Is Becoming “Freeform”

ABC Family is changing it’s name in an attempt to woo younger viewers.

The network will be known as FREEFORM come January 2016.

From Deadline:

ABC Family’s decision to go for a new name was triggered by a gap in perception, said ABC Family President Tom Ascheim, noting that, according to research, core viewers understand the younger, social-media active brand while non-viewers associate it with wholesome and family-friendly programming. “We wanted to harmonize our content and out brand,” he said. “By achieving that harmony, we would be much better positioned to keep our core viewers and add new viewers.”

Despite dropping the ABC moniker which ties it to the Disney universe, “the freeformFreeform brand will be very much nestled in the Disney ethos — full of optimism and imagination, said Nigel Cox-Hagan, ABCF’s SVP Marketing, Creative and Branding.

ABC Family plans to use some of its top franchises, including flagship drama Pretty Little Liars and the popular 25 Days of Christmas holiday event, to promote the new branding. Additionally, there will be a big campaign around new drama Showdowhunters, which will be “ambassador for the new brand,” Cox-Hagan said.