For about a month, Yuri has been dating John Benjamin Hickey, the 36 year old actor who starred in Love! Valour! Compassion! and Finding North, and now plays Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret on Broadway. Not his usual type -- balding, rather sallow chest, not a gym rat.
Well, he does have one characteristic that Yuri likes.
I think Yuri is star-struck, dating John for his address book rather than his wit, charm, and physique. Who wouldn't accept a date that involved meeting Nathan Lane and Liza Minelli?
Yes, we shared. I'm kind of interested in that address book, too.
When Yuri invites me to dinner at John's house, I assume it will be a standard West Hollywood party, with nudity and sex, and guests including aging mega-hunks that I had crushes on in the 1970s: James Naughton, Matthew Broderick, Tom Wopat, and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Instead, there are just four of us -- the fourth, apparently my blind date, is Roger Rees, who I remember as Robin Colcort, Rebecca's crush, on Cheers (1989-1993), and as the Sheriff of Rottingham in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
Not at all my type: I like short, husky, and dark-skinned, and he's tall, thin, and gaunt, with an unattractive long face. I like working-class "regular guys," and he's a sophisticate. I'm a teetotler, and he likes his wine.
But I figure, Rees probably has an address book even bigger than Hickey's.
Besides, to quote a show tune, "In the dark they are all the same."
"I'm only 38..."
"38, eh? Brace yourself -- the tidal wave is coming. Ever since I turned 40 --er, 40-something [he was actually 56], the twinks have been positively throwing themselves at me. Why, I just broke up with the most obnoxious Cute Young Thing you can imagine."
Great -- he's on the rebound. I glare at Yuri for setting me up with this guy, big address book or not.
"Granted, he was cute, but a pretty face is no substitute for substance."
His hand works its way up to my crotch.
"And he dumped me out of nowhere, when he found someone that he thought would further his career -- Jason Bateman, can you believe it?"
"I dated Jason Bateman's ex..." I say, trying to steer the conversation away from Roger's Cute Young Thing ex. "Porn star, gigantic penis...but nothing compared to the guy I met in Texas."
Too late. Rees has already begun the story.
The full story, with nude photos and explicit sex, is on Tales of West Hollywood.