The Groove Tube #6: Zachary Quinto Comes Out (on American Horror Story)

Welcome to The Groove Tube, a weekly recap of the highlights (and lowlights) of some of the scripted TV shows I'm watching (in order of preference).

TV Series of the Week: American Horror Story

"Halloween (Part 1)" (Episode 4/October 26, 2011)

Favorite Homosexual (and Guest Star) of the Week: First The Playclub Club's Sean Maher came out as a gay man in September, and now actor Zachary Quinto, who also played one on American Horror Story this week.

Reeling Film Festival #4: Loose Cannons

If you haven't fallen in love with the Italian film, Loose Cannons (Mine Vaganti), by the time the three half-naked hunks dance in the water to the 1977 Baccara song, "Sorry, I'm a Lady", there is probably something seriously wrong with you that needs immediate medical attention. Just kidding (kind of), but Loose Cannons is one of those movies that slowly lures you in with a combination of fabulous characters, delicious drama and a delightful sense of humor. And it will definitely make my list of favorite films of 2011.

31 More Days of Halloween #31: Suspiria

Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the season, I've been featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Suspiria

Release Dates: August 12, 1977

Plot: This Italian horror film is about an American ballet student who transfers to a prestigious dance academy in Germany, only to discover that it is controlled by a coven of witches.

Director: Dario Argento, whose other films include The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971), Deep Red (1975), Inferno (1980) and Phenomena (1985).

Stars: Jessica Harper (who appeared in Stardust Memories, Shock Treatment, Pennies from Heaven and My Favorite Year), Joan Bennett (who received a 1968 Emmy nomination for her performance as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard on TV's Dark Shadows), and Udo Kier (who appeared in Andy Warhol's Frankenstein, Andy Warhol's Dracula and the Danish TV miniseries, The Kingdom).

Trivia: Joan Bennett received a 1978 Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her final film role as Madame Blanc in Suspiria.

Dish of the Day #771: Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween from DEEP DISH!

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Jacek Bilczynski photographed by Joanna Kustra. You can also watch my two favorite videos of fashion designer Andrew Christian's 7 Deadly Sins Halloween Series - Gluttony (starring the hunky Grant Landry from the web series, The Cavanaughs) and Envy (The Gay Version).

Reeling Film Festival #3: The Wise Kids

I can certainly understand why The Wise Kids - written and directed by Chicago-based filmmaker Stephen Cone - was selected as the Opening Night film of Reeling 2011: The 30th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival. It is one of the best films that I've seen this year - and immediately after watching it, I wanted to see it again. And in my book that is a sure sign of a great movie.

31 More Days of Halloween #30: Theatre of Blood

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Theatre of Blood

Release Dates: April 5, 1973

Plot: A Shakespearean actor seeks revenge on his critics.

Director: Douglas Hickox, whose other films include Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970), Brannigan (1975), and the 1986 TV miniseries, Sins, starring Joan Collins.

Stars: Vincent Price, Diana Rigg, Coral Browne (Vera Charles in 1958's Auntie Mame), Robert Morley and Diana Dors.

Trivia: Vincent Price married one of his Theatre of Blood victims, actress Coral Browne, on October 24, 1974 (after divorcing his second wife), and they remained together until her death in 1991.

Reeling Film Festival #2: Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same

I always enjoyed watching the Coneheads during the glory days of Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s - and for those of you who might not be familiar with this comedy sketch, it was about a family of space aliens with heads shaped like large cones who were stranded on Earth. Writer/director Madeleine Olnek was probably somewhat influenced by the Coneheads when she came up with the idea for her first feature film, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, which is about three cone-less and lesbian space aliens looking for love on our planet. Fortunately, Olnek and her fabulous cast give this familiar story an original twist that kept me laughing from beginning to end.

31 More Days of Halloween #29: The Wicker Man

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: The Wicker Man

Release Dates: December 1973 (UK), June 1975 (USA)

Plot: In this cult classic, a police sergeant visits an isolated island in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed.

Director: Robin Hardy, whose other films include The Fantasist (1989) and The Wicker Tree (2011), a "spiritual sequel".

Stars: Edward Woodward (who starred in the 1964 Broadway musical, High Spirits, and the 1985-89 TV series, The Equalizer), Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.

Awards: After a semi-restored version of the film was released in America in January 1979, The Wicker Man won the 1978 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film (another nominee was the original Halloween).

Trivia: Britt Ekland's voice was dubbed by jazz singer Annie Ross.

Reeling Film Festival #1: Hollywood to Dollywood

Over the next two weeks I will be reviewing films that will be shown during Reeling 2011: The 30th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, which runs November 3 - 12. The festival will feature many groovy gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comedies, dramas, documentaries and short films.

My first Reeling review is of the fun and surprisingly tension-filled documentary, Hollywood to Dollywood, directed by John Lavin. The film takes us on a road trip with gay twin brothers Gary and Larry Lane, who are determined to get their screenplay into the hands of their beloved idol, Dolly Parton. So they rent an RV - which, of course, they name "Jolene" - to take them 2,247 miles from Los Angeles to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where the country music superstar will be appearing at her amusement park's 25th anniversary celebration. Will the guys succeed in their quest to give Dolly the script they wrote especially for her? I was on the edge of my seat while waiting to find out.

November 8 is Boys Night at Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays starring Craig Bierko & Mark Consuelos

If you're in New York, you should check out this special Boys Night performance of Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays on Tuesday, November 8, at 8 pm. The Off-Broadway show stars Craig Bierko (Broadway's The Music Man), Mark Consuelos (All My Children), Polly Draper (thirtysomething), Harriet Harris (Desperate Housewives), Beth Leavel (Broadway's The Drowsy Chaperone), and Richard Thomas (The Waltons), and the Boys Night package price of only $49 (reg $79) includes admission to a special pre-show reception in the lobby, a complimentary drink and a ticket to the performance.

31 More Days of Halloween #28: The Funhouse

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: The Funhouse

Release Date: March 13, 1981

Plot: While spending the night in a carnival funhouse, four teenage friends are stalked by a deformed killer in a Frankenstein mask.

Director: Tobe Hooper, whose other films include The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Eaten Alive (1977), Salem's Lot (1979), Poltergeist (1982) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986).

Stars: Elizabeth Berridge (who appeared in 1984's Amadeus, 1987's Five Corners and on the daytime soap opera, Texas, from 1980 to 1982), Cooper Huckabee (who played John Travolta's buddy in 1980's Urban Cowboy and Sam's biological father Joe Lee on HBO's True Blood), and Sylvia Miles (who received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in 1969's Midnight Cowboy and 1975's Farewell, My Lovely).

Dish of the Day #770: Vote for your Favorite

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish this week in the sidebar poll.



#761 was the big winner of last week's contest with 39.5% of the 124 votes cast. He was followed by #763 (21.0%), #764 (16.1%), #765 (12.9%) and #762 (10.5%).

Deeper Dish with Stephen Cone

I was first introduced to Stephen Cone last summer when I saw him make a memorable Chicago stage debut as a sweet and "adorkable" guy in Philip Dawkins' play, The Homosexuals. His performance was one of the best I've seen this year. However, since he moved to Chicago from South Carolina in 2004, Stephen has focused on his writing - both as a playwright and screenwriter - and making movies. His plays have been seen in Austin, New York and Chicago, and his films include the shorts, Church Story, Young Wives and 7 Experiments, and a short feature, The Christians. In 2009, Stephen shot his first full-length feature, In Memoriam, about a young man who becomes obsessed with the tragic and embarrassing deaths of a couple. Critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3 stars when it was released earlier this year.

Now Stephen is receiving even more praise - and awards - for his second feature, The Wise Kids, a coming-of-age drama that tells the story of three friends about to graduate from high school in a tight-knit Christian community. The film has garnered Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature and Screenwriting awards at L.A.'s Outfest and the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at New York's NewFest - and it's been selected as the Opening Night film of Reeling: Chicago's Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival on Thursday, November 3, at the Music Box Theatre.

So I am delighted to have the talented Mr. Cone here on the Dish to discuss his career and answer a few pop culture questions.

31 More Days of Halloween #27: Hell Night

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Hell Night

Release Date: August 28, 1981

Plot: Four fraternity pledges must spend the night in an old mansion inhabited by two murderous maniacs.

Director: Tom DeSimone, whose other films include Chatterbox (1977) - about a young woman with a singing vagina - and Reform School Girls (1986) as well as many gay porn movies as "Lancer Brooks" in the 1970s and early '80s.

Stars: Linda Blair (who also starred in The Exorcist, Airport 1975 and Roller Boogie), Vincent Van Patten (who appeared in the 1974-75 TV series, Apple's Way, and the 1979 film, Rock 'n' Roll High School), and Peter Barton (who played Dr. Scott Grainger on TV's The Young and the Restless from 1988 to 1993 and Eddie Connors on TV's Sunset Beach from 1997 to 1998).

Trivia: Blair was nominated for a 1981 Golden Raspberry (Razzie) Award for Worst Actress for her performance, but Bo Derek (Tarzan, the Ape Man) and Faye Dunaway (Mommie Dearest) both won.

Dish of the Day #769: Who is the fairest one of all?

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

31 More Days of Halloween #26: Strait-Jacket

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Strait-Jacket

Release Date: January 19, 1964

Plot: After spending 20 years in a psychiatric hospital for the decapitation axe-murders of her husband and his mistress, a mother returns home to her estranged daughter - and heads begin to roll again.

Director: William Castle, whose other films include House on Haunted Hill (1959), The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Homicidal (1961), The Old Dark House (1963), The Night Walker (1964) and I Saw What You Did.

Stars: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson, George Kennedy and an uncredited Lee Majors (TV's The Six Million Dollar Man) in his film debut as Crawford's cheating husband.

Trivia: Crawford replaced actress Joan Blondell in the film after Blondell was injured in an accident.

The Columbia Pictures logo at the end of the film features a decapitated Torch Lady with her severed head by her feet.

Below is the film's trailer and Jeffrey Schwarz's 2002 documentary short, Battle-Axe: The Making Of "Strait-Jacket", featuring actress Diane Baker.

Deep Dish Dinner Party #2: Everybody Loves Ryan

The rules are quite simple - each week I will feature 10 past/present celebrities and you get to invite (vote for) your three favorites to the Deep Dish Dinner Party. The five folks who receive the most votes will get to stay, and the following week five new people (whose birthdays are during that week) will be added to the guest list. So enjoy the party - and please feel free to leave a comment and share your selections.

1) Ryan Reynolds
Week 2, received 43 invites out of 169

Dish of the Day #768: Who is the fairest one of all?

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Peter Le.

31 More Days of Halloween #25: Satan's School for Girls

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Satan's School for Girls

Broadcast Date: September 19, 1973

Plot: Produced by Aaron Spelling, this ABC TV movie tells the tale of a young woman investigating her sister's suicide at Salem Academy for Women, which she soon learns is a front for a satanic cult.

Director: David Lowell Rich, whose other films include Have Rocket, Will Travel (1959) starring The Three Stooges, Madame X (1966) starring Lana Turner, Rosie! (1967) starring Rosalind Russell, All My Darling Daughters (1972 TV movie) starring Eve Arden and Sharon Gless, The Sex Symbol (1974 TV movie) starring Connie Stevens and Shelley Winters, Little Women (1978 TV movie) starring Susan Dey, Meredith Baxter Birney, Eve Plumb, William Shatner and Greer Garson, The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979) starring Charo, John Davidson and Martha Raye, and Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (1981) starring Alan Arkin and Carol Burnett.

Stars: Pamela Franklin (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Legend of Hell House), Kate Jackson (Sabrina Duncan on TV's Charlie's Angels), Lloyd Bochner (Cecil Colby on TV's Dynasty), Roy Thinnes (Roger Collins in the 1991 TV series, Dark Shadows, and Sloan Carpenter on TV's One Life to Live), Jo Van Vleet (who won an Academy Award for her performance in 1955's East of Eden and played Cinderella's stepmother in the 1965 TV musical, Cinderella), Gwynne Gilford (the mother of actor Chris Pine), and Cheryl Stoppelmoor (before she became "Cheryl Ladd" and "Kris Munroe" on TV's Charlie's Angels).

Trivia: Kate Jackson appears as The Dean in the 2000 TV remake of Satan's School for Girls.

Top 10 Tuesday of Groovy Tunes: Streisand is a "Woman in Love"

Each week I feature 10 groovy tunes that reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart during the last 50+ years. You can vote for your three favorites, and the five with the most votes move on to the following week when five new songs will be added to the list.

Two of last week's groovy new tunes made it into the Top 5 - Lulu's "To Sir With Love" and a-ha's "Take on Me" - but Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" reclaimed the top spot with 20 votes out of the 118 cast. However, their #1 status will be challenged in this week's Top 10 Tuesday by such music divas as Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Barbra Streisand. You can vote for your favorites in the poll below.

Groovy Giveaway: Fishnet DVD starring Rebekah Kochan

Written and directed by Brian Pelletier, this week's Groovy Giveaway is a DVD of his debut feature film, Fishnet, starring Rebekah Kochan (Tiffani in the Eating Out series). This comedy is about two LA burlesque dancers (and lovers), Trixie (Kochan) and Sulie, who - after witnessing a mob hit - hide out in rural Texas with Sulie's conservative parents, where they pretend to be roommates and start a new troupe. It's silly fun in the vein of Some Like It Hot and Connie and Carla - but with a lesbian twist - and Kochan is, of course, her usual amusing self. I also especially liked Patricia Villetto as the bar/truck stop owner where the girls put on their new show, Meghan McLeod as a sassy local gal who becomes a dancer, and Nathan Hall, who steals almost every scene he's in as Sulie's gay brother. The DVD also includes a director's commentary, outtakes and rehearsal footage, and Pelletier's fabulous gay short, Everybody Is Having Sex... But Ryan, starring an easy-on-the-eyes Jeremy Lucas (click here to read my 2009 Deeper Dish interview with him). To learn more about Fishnet, go to www.fishnetthemovie.com.

To enter to win this Groovy Giveaway, all you have to do is email your name and address to deepdishdrama@aol.com. Winners must have a US or Canadian mailing address, and entries close at midnight on Thursday (CST).

If you would like to give away something groovy (DVDs, CDs, books, concert tickets) here on Deep Dish, please email me at deepdishdrama@aol.com.

Dish of the Day #767: Who is the fairest one of all?

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

The Groove Tube #5: Sweet Revenge starring a yummy Joshua Bowman

Welcome to The Groove Tube, a weekly recap of the highlights (and lowlights) of some of the scripted TV shows I'm watching (in order of preference).

31 More Days of Halloween #24: American Gothic

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: American Gothic

Release Date: May 1988

Plot: On a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, a group of friends meet an "eccentric" family - and then things start to get unpleasant.

Director: John Hough, whose other films include The Legend of Hell House (1973), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Return from Witch Mountain (1978) and The Watcher in the Woods (1980).

Stars: Rod Steiger (who won an Academy Award for his performance in 1967's In the Heat of the Night), Yvonne De Carlo (who starred on TV's The Munsters and introduced the song "I'm Still Here" in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Follies), Michael J. Pollard (who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde), and Fiona Hutchison (who played Gabrielle Medina on TV's One Life to Live and Jenna Bradshaw on TV's Guiding Light).

Dish of the Day #766: Who is the fairest one of all?

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Rethink Breast Cancer's Friendly (and Hot) Man Reminder

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, Rethink Breast Cancer has created a groovy new app called "Your Man Reminder" that gives women regular reminders to check their breasts from a hot guy of their choice. And since studies have shown that ladies are 88% more likely to watch a video if it features a gorgeous hunk, Rethink has come up with a funny and informative video of sexy eye candy to promote their "Man Reminder". It will make even a gay man want to touch himself - and although that might sound a bit naughty, men can also get breast cancer. So the important message of this post is that everyone should have an Anthony or Glenn as a reminder to check themselves.

For more information and to download the free app, go to rethinkbreastcancer.com.

31 More Days of Halloween #23: Alligator

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Alligator

Release Date: July 2, 1980

Plot: A giant alligator is on the loose in the sewers of Chicago.

Director: Lewis Teague, whose other films include The Lady in Red (1979), Cujo (1983), Cat's Eye (1985), The Jewel of the Nile (1985) and the 1997 TV movie, The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!

Stars: Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Dean Jagger, Perry Lang and Sue Lyon, who played the title role in the 1962 film, Lolita (Alligator was her last movie).

Trivia: John Sayles, who wrote the screenplay for Alligator, later wrote and directed Baby It's You (1983), Eight Men Out (1988), Passion Fish (1992), Lone Star (1996) and Sunshine State (2002).

Web Series Worth Watching: Grant Landry Is Back for Season 3 of The Cavanaughs

Web Series of the Week: The Cavanaughs
This groovy series returns for a third season with Sarah drowning her sorrows in booze after her naked night with Mark and Scott. It's so nice to see everyone again - including the fabulous Miss Ginger Snappz as Noreen, who continues to make me laugh, and the handsome Grant Landry as Mark, who is now batting for my favorite team - if you know what I mean. I'm also quite pleased that creator Adrian Rennie has increased the hunk quotient on the show by adding actor Travis Seaborn as a cute new writer named Cary. Too bad the character is straight because I think he would make a perfect boy toy for Noreen this season.

Groovy Music: Betty White and Luciana's "I'm Still Hot"

We should all be so lucky to be as vivacious at age 89 as Betty White is. The actress has teamed up with English singer Luciana to produce a new music video of the latter's song, "I'm Still Hot", with a portion of the net proceeds to benefit the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (White has been a member of its board of directors since 1974). The groovy tune is available for download on iTunes.

31 More Days of Halloween #22: The Stuff

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: The Stuff

Release Date: June 14, 1985

Plot: A sweet and addictive substance is marketed as the newest dessert sensation, but it is soon discovered that it turns those who eat it into zombies.

Director: Larry Cohen, whose other films include It's Alive (1974), It's Alive 2: It Lives Again (1978), It's Alive 3: Island of the Alive (1987), A Return to Salem's Lot (1987), and Wicked Stepmother (1989), in which Bette Davis made her final film appearance.

Stars: Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Saturday Night Live's Garrett Morris, Danny Aiello, Paul Sorvino and an uncredited Mira Sorvino, who was used as an extra when she came to visit her father on the set.

Show Tune Showdown #5: 1996-99 Broadway Seasons

In the fourth Show Tune Showdown, The Rocky Horror Show and Mack & Mabel won the most showdowns - and the following songs will be moving on to a second round in 2012:

The Rocky Horror Show's "Dammit, Janet!", "Sweet Transvestite", "The Time Warp", "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" and "Once in a While"

Mack & Mabel's "Look What Happened to Mabel", "I Won't Send Roses", "Wherever He Ain't", "Time Heals Everything" and "Tap Your Troubles Away"

Seesaw's "It's Not Where You Start", "Nobody Does It Like Me", "Welcome to Holiday Inn!" and "I'm Way Ahead"

The Wiz's "Everybody Rejoice (aka Brand New Day)", "Home" and "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News"

Shenandoah's "Freedom"

PLEASE NOTE: The next Show Tune Showdown will be on Friday, November 11.

Now on to our fifth Show Tune Showdown, which takes us back to three Broadway seasons - 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 - when the following 12 musicals opened:

31 More Days of Halloween #21: Private Parts

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Private Parts

Release Date: September 1972

Plot: Cheryl moves into her Aunt Martha's skid-row hotel, where she may be the next victim of a murderer.

Director: Paul Bartel, whose other films include Death Race 2000 (1975), Eating Raoul (1982), Lust in the Dust (1985) and Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989).

Stars: Ayn Ruymen (who later played McLean Stevenson's daughter on his 1976-77 TV sitcom, The McLean Stevenson Show), Lucille Benson (who played Mother Burnside in the 1974 film, Mame), and Stanley Livingston (who played Chip Douglas on TV's My Three Sons from 1960 to 1972).

Dish of the Day #765: Vote for your Favorite

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish this week in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Tom Judson (aka Gus Mattox).



#756 was, of course, the big winner of last week's contest with 39.4% of the 127 votes cast. He was followed by #757 and #759 (21.3%), #760 (14.2%) and #758 (3.9%).

Eye Candy: Cosmo's Bachelor of the Year

It's once again that time of year when Cosmopolitan magazine goes on its annual manhunt for the most datable guys from every state. Below are a few of my favorites - including the Bachelor of the Year - but you can check out all the guys by clicking here (they also list their email addresses so you can connect with your future boyfriend).

Anthony Greenfield
Age: 26
Location: East Lansing, Michigan
Job: Hospitality-business student
Spare-time stuff: "I do yoga. It's good for the body, but it's also taught me to slow down and take things one day at a time."

31 More Days of Halloween #20: Bug

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Bug

Release Date: June 17, 1975

Plot: A strain of mutant cockroaches with the ability to start fires terrorize a small town.

Director: Jeannot Szwarc, whose other films include Jaws 2 (1978), Somewhere in Time (1980) starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, Supergirl (1984) starring Faye Dunaway, Helen Slater, Mia Farrow and Brenda Vaccaro, and Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) starring Dudley Moore and John Lithgow.

Writer/Producer: This was the last film of William Castle, who directed House on Haunted Hill (1959), Strait-Jacket (1964) and I Saw What You Did (1965).

Stars: Bradford Dillman, Joanna Miles, Richard Gilliland (who played Mary Jo's boyfriend J.D. on TV's Designing Women), and Patty McCormack (who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Rhoda Penmark in 1956's The Bad Seed).

Trivia: The former Brady Bunch set at Paramount Studios was used in the film, which you can see in the video below.

Dish of the Day #764: Forever Plaid Week

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Michael Montesanto.

31 More Days of Halloween #19: Sleepaway Camp

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Sleepaway Camp

Release Date: November 18, 1983

Plot: Aunt Martha sends her introverted niece Angela to a summer camp, where someone begins murdering teenagers.

Director: Robert Hiltzik , whose other films include Return to Sleepaway Camp (2008) and Sleepaway Camp Reunion 3D (which will be released in 2012).

Trivia: 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski turned down the role of Judy because her death was too violent.

Below is the film's original trailer and a scene with Aunt Martha (played by Desiree Gould) and Angela (Felissa Rose).

Deep Dish Dinner Party #1: Back by Popular Demand

Yes, dear readers, Celebrity Birthday Dinner Party has returned in a new - and hopefully fun - format. The rules are quite simple - each week I will feature 10 past/present celebrities and you get to invite (vote for) your three favorites to the Deep Dish Dinner Party. The five folks who receive the most votes will get to stay, and the following week five new people (whose birthdays are during that week) will be added to the guest list. So I hope you enjoy the party - and please feel free to leave a comment and share your selections.

1) Johnny Carson
The talk show host would have been 86 on October 23.

2) Barbara Cook
The singer and actress turns 84 on October 25.

Dish of the Day #763: Forever Plaid Week

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Billy Kiraly.

Top 10 Tuesday of Groovy Tunes: To Lulu With Love

Each week I feature 10 groovy tunes that reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart during the last 50+ years. You can vote for your three favorites, and the five with the most votes move on to the following week when five new songs will be added to the list. This week everyone who votes AND leaves a comment, listing their three favorite songs (as well as their name and email address), will be entered into today's Groovy Giveaway to win a CD of Graffiti6's new EP, Free (click here for more information).

Our Top 5 songs remained the same last week with Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It" reclaiming the top spot with 16 votes out of the 71 cast. However, I predict that at least one of this week's groovy new tunes - including Lulu's 1967 hit, "To Sir With Love" - will stick around for a second week. Now here is this week's Top 10 Tuesday, and you can vote for your favorites in the poll below.

Groovy Giveaway: Graffiti6's new EP, Free, featuring Jamie Scott

Courtesy of The Karpel Group and Capitol Records, this week's Groovy Giveaway is two CDs of Graffiti6's new EP, Free, featuring British singer-songwriter Jamie Scott whose soulful voice and gorgeous face instantly made me a new fan. Included on the EP is a non-album version of Graffiti6's first single, "Free", as well as stripped-down versions of future classics by the band. Their debut album, Colours, is set for release in the United States in early 2012, and they will be touring the US in December, including a December 22nd performance at Schubas Tavern in Chicago (click here for tickets). To learn more about the band, go to www.graffiti6.com.

To enter to win this Groovy Giveaway, vote and leave a comment on today's Top 10 Tuesday post, listing your three favorite songs (please include your name and email address). Winners must have a US or Canadian mailing address, and entries close at midnight on Thursday (CST).

If you would like to give away something groovy (DVDs, CDs, books, concert tickets) here on Deep Dish, please email me at deepdishdrama@aol.com.

31 More Days of Halloween #18: Parents

It's the most scariest time of the year once again, so in the spirit of the season, I will be featuring a different Halloween horror flick every day this month (click here to see my other selected films, including last year's 31 Days of Halloween).

Film: Parents

Release Date: January 27, 1989

Plot: A young boy living in 1954 suburbia begins to wonder where his parents get their meat from.

Director: Bob Balaban, whose other films include the TV movies, Bernard and Doris (2006) and Georgia O'Keeffe (2009). He was also nominated for an Oscar as a producer of Robert Altman's Gosford Park (2001) and has appeared in such films as Midnight Cowboy (1969), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Deconstructing Harry (1997), Best in Show (2000) and Capote (2005).

Stars: Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and Sandy Dennis.

Below you can watch Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review Parents. I agree with Gene.

Dish of the Day #762: Forever Plaid Week

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Today's Dish is Rodrigo Massahud.

Dish of the Day #761: Forever Plaid Week

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day is featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.