Randy's Party 93.1 interview transcript part 2
M: "Randy and Justin are very different in life. I know that you embrace yourself as an individual, not necessarily gay or straight. That's important to you. At least from what I've read."
R: "Oh, really?"
"Oh, it's not true?"
"No. I mean, I say I'm gay. But it gets tedious talking about labels all the time."
"Yeah, and I think that's my point…"
"Yeah, yeah."
"You'd rather be recognized as a person - not gay or straight - just…"
"It would be nice some day if that was how it was, but it certainly
isn't now."
"What's your dream? What would you like as a dream? How would you like this world to be?"
(chuckles) "I couldn't begin to answer that question."
"No?"
"No!"
"Wouldn't you like it to be where everybody's equal? I mean, I guess I'm even self-prophesizing, but does it get difficult sometimes, knowing that you're a gay man, playing a gay icon in a film like Queer as Folk…?"
"You know, the only thing I get frustrated with is if people know I'm gay, the presumptions people have of what I'm going to be, and especially because I'm in Queer as Folk and Queer as Folk represents ultimately a really small sub-set community, so they have a thin, narrow expectation of what I'm going to be as a Human being, you know? And it frustrates me because I have no shame of being gay, but the second I say I'm gay, people expect me to be this very specific thing
that I'm *not*. So I feel like I'm always having to prove people wrong and say, `You know, *no*, just because I'm *that* it doesn't mean that I'm this, this, this and this. And, you know, I - it doesn't mean I know what color you should paint your wall.' I mean, people assume the worst stereotypes."
"Right. Right."
"And I'd be like, a lot of what we're portraying is often making the stereotypes harder and more solidified and are confirming a lot of peoples worst beliefs…" (I couldn't make out what he said after "beliefs" because the interviewer spoke over Randy at that point, interrupting him to ask the next question.)
"What would people be surprised to learn about Randy Harrison that they might think they know but he's (is?) nothing like that?"
("Uh…")
"He's even blushing a little here."
(laughing) "No. No, I'm just trying to think. I don't know. People always think I listen to club music, because Queer as Folk's a clubby show. That's a main one that always happens. I mean, just, people assume I'm a Justin. So anything that I'm not a Justin is-is something that people have (are?) wrong about."
"Okay, anything you want to share with us on what's gonna happen this year? Just a tit bit?"
"It's-It's a good one. It's a good season. You guys are gonna like it."
"Little tit bit. Little tit bit."
"There's a lot. Justin has a lot of move-forward career wise in a way that changes his relationships with the people in the show. Also, a really good friend of his gets bashed at the beginning of the season, which brings back a lot of issues, unresolved issues he had about his own bashing, and… There's a lot of drama."
"Okay, well, you can watch Randy Harrison as the very charming, sexy Justin on Queer as Folk. Okay, thanks, (Andy?). Pleasure to meet you. Take care."
"Thank you very much. Thank you."
"… Randy was the first to get in, and the limo driver took him to the hotel instead of here at the studio and there was no way to get him here. Finally he arrived - yeah, we had to send a limo for him - and to my surprise, he was *very* shy, almost lacking confidence. I have so much respect for his work and I expected, I suppose, someone more outgoing and sweet like Justin. Not that Randy was anything but nice, because he *was*, but it was interesting to see how different he is (in?)than his character…"
R: "Oh, really?"
"Oh, it's not true?"
"No. I mean, I say I'm gay. But it gets tedious talking about labels all the time."
"Yeah, and I think that's my point…"
"Yeah, yeah."
"You'd rather be recognized as a person - not gay or straight - just…"
"It would be nice some day if that was how it was, but it certainly
isn't now."
"What's your dream? What would you like as a dream? How would you like this world to be?"
(chuckles) "I couldn't begin to answer that question."
"No?"
"No!"
"Wouldn't you like it to be where everybody's equal? I mean, I guess I'm even self-prophesizing, but does it get difficult sometimes, knowing that you're a gay man, playing a gay icon in a film like Queer as Folk…?"
"You know, the only thing I get frustrated with is if people know I'm gay, the presumptions people have of what I'm going to be, and especially because I'm in Queer as Folk and Queer as Folk represents ultimately a really small sub-set community, so they have a thin, narrow expectation of what I'm going to be as a Human being, you know? And it frustrates me because I have no shame of being gay, but the second I say I'm gay, people expect me to be this very specific thing
that I'm *not*. So I feel like I'm always having to prove people wrong and say, `You know, *no*, just because I'm *that* it doesn't mean that I'm this, this, this and this. And, you know, I - it doesn't mean I know what color you should paint your wall.' I mean, people assume the worst stereotypes."
"Right. Right."
"And I'd be like, a lot of what we're portraying is often making the stereotypes harder and more solidified and are confirming a lot of peoples worst beliefs…" (I couldn't make out what he said after "beliefs" because the interviewer spoke over Randy at that point, interrupting him to ask the next question.)
"What would people be surprised to learn about Randy Harrison that they might think they know but he's (is?) nothing like that?"
("Uh…")
"He's even blushing a little here."
(laughing) "No. No, I'm just trying to think. I don't know. People always think I listen to club music, because Queer as Folk's a clubby show. That's a main one that always happens. I mean, just, people assume I'm a Justin. So anything that I'm not a Justin is-is something that people have (are?) wrong about."
"Okay, anything you want to share with us on what's gonna happen this year? Just a tit bit?"
"It's-It's a good one. It's a good season. You guys are gonna like it."
"Little tit bit. Little tit bit."
"There's a lot. Justin has a lot of move-forward career wise in a way that changes his relationships with the people in the show. Also, a really good friend of his gets bashed at the beginning of the season, which brings back a lot of issues, unresolved issues he had about his own bashing, and… There's a lot of drama."
"Okay, well, you can watch Randy Harrison as the very charming, sexy Justin on Queer as Folk. Okay, thanks, (Andy?). Pleasure to meet you. Take care."
"Thank you very much. Thank you."
"… Randy was the first to get in, and the limo driver took him to the hotel instead of here at the studio and there was no way to get him here. Finally he arrived - yeah, we had to send a limo for him - and to my surprise, he was *very* shy, almost lacking confidence. I have so much respect for his work and I expected, I suppose, someone more outgoing and sweet like Justin. Not that Randy was anything but nice, because he *was*, but it was interesting to see how different he is (in?)than his character…"