John Barrowman: being honest...

[fajrdrako]

The Scotsman had a very good interview with John Barrowman yesterday, by Claire Black. Unlike most interviews, it wasn't asking the same old questions and seemed determined not to take Barrowman at face value - with the result that in it he seems more genuine than ever. What you see is what you get.

Excerpt:

So what does he think that women find so attractive? "I think it's that I'm honest," he says in the Glasgow accent he uses with family and slips into when he's in Scotland. "I'm upfront and I will talk about things that other people won't. My mum always says every mother should have a gay son and my girlfriends say that every girl should have a gay mate."

I suspect it may also be something to do with the square jaw, the piercing blue eyes and the fact that John Barrowman seems like a thoroughly charming man, down to earth and clear about the fact that he's living his dream.

"I've done jobs when I've been paid 50 quid a week, but I enjoyed doing that as much as I enjoy doing what I do now, getting paid what I do," he says. "The money is not the deciding factor. I've always wanted to work. I want to have a career of longevity, that's why I do so many different things, because it's part of my business, part of the game.

Comments

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

He's a keeper. :-)

I wish we got to hear more of that Glaswegian burr. It's fascinating, coming from him.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh,yes - I love hearing that accent! It's such fun when he slips into it, and I love it most when it's clear - as it has been when he's on the radio sometimes - that he hasn't noticed when he's changed over.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I agree that the accidental accent slips are the best. My favorite so far has been an outtake where he was laughing so hard he couldn't possibly stay in character, but he was begging Rusty to keep going --"Kip gewin! Kip gewin!". AW!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That is just so cute! Gotta love him all the more for it.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

It starts at 1:37 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOuGX-tz1cs&NR=1) :-D

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

Someone on my flist this morning had heard a terrible rumor over the weekend that she hoped wasn't true but feared *was* true: that Jack would not be in next season's Torchwood because they wanted it to be more "family friendly." ?? I don't watch TW, but TW without Jack Harkness seems...idiotic. Unfortunately, TV producers are often idiotic. So, tell me you've seen/heard this rumor refuted as false?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't listen to rumours much, fearing spoilers, so I hadn't heard this one. I did hear that John Barrowman said he'd stay in Torchwood as long as they wanted him, so I'm not very worried.

Why would removing Captain Jack make it any more or less "family friendly"? That's ridiculous - he started out in Doctor Who, which is as family-friendly as a show can be. Besides, if it was a homophobia thing and they want to remove all the bisexual characters on the show, they'd have to replace the whole set of characters, not just Jack.

Nobody knows what will happen in future to any TV show, but this particular rumour sounds a little hysterical to me.

They'd be crazy to get rid of Barrowman - or to let him get away. At the moment, he's a cash cow to any TV show that can attract him. And he likes being Captain Jack. He says he gets to kiss beautiful people and shoot guns and be a hero, and what could be better?

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

He says he gets to kiss beautiful people and shoot guns and be a hero, and what could be better?

Did he say that? I love that guy. :-D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm paraphrasing what he said, but yes, he said that.

And of course I love him for it.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

I do think it sounds unlikely, and hope that it is. I want all of my friends who love the show to be able to continue loving it! I figured you might know more than I, though, so figured I'd check. :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't see any reason for worry - not at this time.

I suspect that if the decide to continue Torchwood without Captain Jack - an unlikely thing at best - they'd only do it because they were giving Barrowman another good show to star in.

I wouldn't mind seeing something called "The Time Travel Adventures of Captain Jack and Captain John", personally.

But I'd particulary love to see a slash-based show set on the TARDIS, called "Doctor Who and the Captain".

I can dream, hmmm?

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

And I want The Very Sexy Welsh Adventures of Captain Harkness and Mr. Jones. Now with actual Welsh!

(The only thing that could satisfy me more than I'm already satisfied-- the thing that could make me scream in delight-- the only way I could possibly love Ianto more-- would be Ianto speaking Welsh.)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I want The Very Sexy Welsh Adventures of Captain Harkness and Mr. Jones

Oooh, yes please!

the only way I could possibly love Ianto more-- would be Ianto speaking Welsh.

I too would love to hear that. Absolutely. We've heard him speak Japanese, for goodness' sake! I wish they'd give us a little Welsh.

One of my favourite moments in series 1 is when Ianto was reading from the Book of Revelation. I want to hear more Ianto poetry readings. Such a lovely voice.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

We've heard him speak Japanese, for goodness' sake!

We have??? O____o Where was I?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

In "Cyberwoman", Ianto spoke Japanese to Dr. Tanizaka - just to say "Konnichiwa, Tanizaki-san ", but hey, it's Japanese. We've never heard him say that much in Welsh.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

The rumor-mongering getting a bit out of hand. Deep breaths! Take deep breaths! :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Can't help rolling my eyes a little.

I know Torchwood won't last forever. No TV show does. But that's no reason to trouble trouble!

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I roll mine a lot, in my best Mr. Jones fashion.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ianto Jones is truly the world champion of the eye-roll, the Grandmaster of the skill.

I've learned a great deal from him. He's a wonderful role model.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

He actually stopped me from buying the wrong handbag last week. Yes. I have the tailor's son in my head now, scorning my fashion choices.

I thought, Ianto would hate that, and he'd be right. He'd save his money and buy the good one.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have the tailor's son in my head now, scorning my fashion choices.

How wonderful! Your very own expert consultant!

He'd save his money and buy the good one.

There is no doubt. For any given purchase:

Ianto would save for the best, custom-made.

Gwen would just go ahead and buy it, on impulse, if she thought she liked it.

Tosh would think about it, leave it for a future decision, and then forget she'd been thinking about it.

Jack would charm someone into giving it to him, and probably, in the end, give it away to someone else.

Owen would secretly want it, but wouldn't admit it: he would make fun of it and not admit to wanting it.

Myfanwy would eat it, with or without barbecue sauce.

Rhys would buy it for Gwen.

The Doctor would have one just like it in the TARDIS already.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely right about Jack. :-) He doesn't accumulate things, and I'm sure the few things he does acquire his generosity demands he give to the first person who will appreciate it.

You're right about all of them, I think.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think I'll repost this: it was too much fun to keep to ourselves.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely right about Jack. :-) He doesn't accumulate things, and I'm sure the few things he does acquire his generosity demands he give to the first person who will appreciate it.

I can only think of two categories of things he has ever accumulated and kept: weapons, and items belonging to the Doctor.

"Weapons" refers to only two objects - his Webley (with its alien tech) and his blaster from Villangard. I suppose the blaster was left on the TARDIS or the Game Station, out of power.

"Items belonging to the Doctor" may simply be because they were meant to be aids in his search for the Doctor - the way he used the hand as a "Doctor-detector", for example. But he returned the hand to the Doctor - I don't think he ever even thought of it as belonging to himself, it was something he was keeping for the Doctor's sake. It was a tool, but he treated it as something more.

Since he also keeps a model plane to remind him of the man whose name he stole, this category might be expanded to "memorabilia of people he has loved". The tin can in his drawer with old photos would support this notion.

He also collects or acquires vehicles - the Chula ship, the SUV - but I think that's because he loves travel and motion in both time and space. He was quite conscious that the Chula ship wasn't his - he stole it, perhaps thought he might return it one day? (I am reminded of Captain Jack Sparrow and the boat he borrowed and sunk.) The SUV belongs to Torchwood, not to Jack personally, even though he clearly loves it. I think the TARDIS would fit in the same category of "vehicles Jack has loved" - not items he feels possessive of, but things he loves to drive, pilot and tinker with.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

His Webley has alien tech? I did not know that.

Weapons --or materiel might be more accurate-- would also include his wrist strap. Does he ever, ever take it off? Is his skin all gross under there?

The tin box was full of pictures of himself, so it's more like "personae" he's loved.


he loves travel and motion in both time and space

It must torment him sometimes, being stuck in time and so very limited in space.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

His Webley has alien tech? I did not know that

One of the novels talks about it - I think it was Torhcwood: Another Life. But I don't know how Jack had it altered. I'd love to know - I quite love that gun! I made an icon of it, but haven't used it yet. Now that Jack has said canonically (or implied) that he found in World War I, I like to think it was the gun issued to him at that time.

This wrist strap: Well, his wrist looked all right when Captain John removed it in "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang". I suspect future high-tech stuff doesn't make the skin go grungy. Or if it does, Jack knows how to fix that. If only we could get Ianto to tell us whether he takes it off for sex! - I'm trying to remember the scene of him in bed in "Small Worlds", apparently naked - could we see it then?

The tin box was full of pictures of himself, so it's more like "personae" he's loved.

Pictures others have taken of him. None of them were taken by him.

It must torment him sometimes, being stuck in time and so very limited in space.

This is one of the reasons I'm so angry with the Doctor, for taking away his freedom of movement. Jack didn't deserve that!

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

I just figured fajrdrako might know more than I, since I only hear about the show peripherally, and thought maybe I could pass along some concrete reassurance to the person who was worried.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't have anything concrete, but when I get news, I'll let you know.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I've only heard one thing remotely plausible. Will say here if acceptable, or not if not.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It might be okay but I'm paranoid about spoilers - !

[creativeelf.livejournal.com]

*swoons* This man is gorgeous! Thanks for that interview! :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Isn't he wonderful?