John Barrowman at Torchsong...

[fajrdrako]

I keep remembering great conversations and interesting snippets from Torchsong. Unsure what I can and should post, and not having time to post it all at once, I'm featuring bits and pieces.

For this section, John Barrowman was on SkyChat, his sister and Gareth David-Lloyd on stage:

• Conversation with George, a friend of John Barrowman who set up his original website:

  John: You're in Chicago. Go and get laid.
  George: I have to fly home tomorrow.
  John: Flight attendants. They're the best.

• Someone asked John if he was ever speechless in front of anyone. He said, "I don't get starstruck because I see people as my contemporaries, but I did become speechless in front of one man. I met George Lucas - he's the god of that era of sci-fi. I had a speech all prepared. Then I was in front of him and all I could say was 'Star Wars - Chewbacca - ' Even though we're in television we're still human."
  
  
• An Australian fan said her name was Sandy and John started to sing Olivia Newton John's "Sandy", enthusing about his love of Olivia Newton John. The fan asked John to do a convention in Australia.

  Gareth: I'll go if John Pays.
  John: I'll go if the price is right.
  Carole Barrowman: You're both whores.
  John: She's right.

  He followed that by saying it was difficult to find time in his schedule for such a long trip.
  
  
• John said that the gay community was chuffed to see "a gay man like me and a straight man like Gareth playing roles in which we're in a relationship."
  
  
• Gareth was asked about playing gay roles and whether he is afraid of being typecast. He said he thought that was nonsense; a role is a role, regardless of orientation. "If a director thinks 'he's good at day roles', I don't want to work for him."
  
  
• John said he didn't understand why some people say "it's hard to play a gay man". Regarding the typecasting of Rupert Everett: "Maybe some gay men can only play gay parts."
  
  
• Gareth talked about his onstage role as a "Velley Boy" queen coming up. Someone asked John if he was going to see that.

  John: I haven't been invited.
  Gareth: I'm inviting you.
  John: I'll come and see you be a poofy Valley Boy any day.

• A fan asked John what he would like to see more of on Torchwood. John said he would like to see more episodes, more about Jack's relationship with Ianto, and more about Jack's background. Funny thing: that's exactly what I would like to see.
  
  
• Asked about future Torchwood, both Gareth and John said they'd like more than five episodes in a year, though they like the story of series 3, and like the way a full story arc is featured. Gareth said he would like to see two or three five-story mini-series every year.
  
  "It will always be a roller coaster ride whatever happens," said John. He said that there was material there about the relationship between Jack and Ianto: "You're in for a big surprise."
  
  He urged fans to write to BBC America asking for more episodes.
  

More later.