Author and Game of Thrones co-executive producer George R.R. MartinLUCAS JACKSON/Reuters
THE CREATOR SPEAKS
Have you ever wondered why there are gay and bisexual sex scenes in Game of Thrones (the TV series) but not Game of Thrones (the books)?
Apparently it's because you can get away with a lot more on television, according to George R.R. Martin, the man who created the fantastical Thrones universe.
As reported in The Guardian, the 65-year-old Martin addressed the thorny issue at the Edinburgh International Book Festival earlier this week in response to a query on the dearth of gay and bisexual scenarios in his A Song of Ice and Fire novels, which serve as the source material for the TV version.
In his typically non-fussed manner, Martin responded by saying that his storytelling is limited in the books because he writes from the perspective of "viewpoint" characters – and so far, none of them have been gay or bisexual.
"Frankly it is the way I prefer to write fiction, because that is the way all of us experience life," said Martin. "You're seeing me from your viewpoint; you're not seeing what someone over here is seeing."
And since none of the viewpoint characters in GOT happen to be gay, there are no gay scenarios in the early books of the series – but such constraints don't necessarily apply to the small screen.
"A television show doesn't have those limitations," mused Martin. "Will that change? It might. I've had letters from fans who want me to present particularly an explicit male sex scene. Most of the letters come from women."
The notoriously slow-writing Martin still has to release two more books in the Fire and Ice saga and allowed that there could be some same-sex loving in his stories down the line – if the situation calls for it.
"I'm not going to do it just for the sake of doing it," he said. "If the plot lends itself to that, if one of my viewpoint characters is in a situation, then I'm not going to shy away from it, but you can't just insert things because everyone wants to see them."
But Martin made one point perfectly clear: He remains the creator and overseer of the Game of Thrones universe, and therefore retains full control of the writing process.
"It is not a democracy," said Martin emphatically. "If it was a democracy, then Joffrey would have died much earlier than he did."
POLITICAL ANIMAL
Jimmy Fallon delivered a smart parody of House of Cards this week. On Tuesday's edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host slicked back his hair for his own portrayal of Frank Underwood, the smooth political operator played by Kevin Spacey in the Netflix series. In the pretaped sketch, titled "House of Cue Cards," Fallon groused about his current job running The Tonight Show, which he referred to as "a legacy to uphold," while Ellen Barkin appeared briefly as Underwood's wife Claire (played by Robin Wright in the original series). The parody's payoff came with Fallon/Frank receiving a text declaring "I'm thinking of getting back in the race" from an unknown party and then getting pushed onto the New York subway tracks. The pusher: Jay Leno.
Source: Politico
REMEMBERING ROBIN
Robin Williams will receive a tribute on the upcoming Primetime Emmy Awards. Show producer Don Mischer told TV Guide magazine that the live awards broadcast will include an homage to the late comic actor who took his life on Monday at age 63. "It's about what can we do to properly remember Robin," said Mischer. "And create perhaps an emotional moment about Robin, knowing all that he did for all of us who love entertainment and love comedy." The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will air Aug. 25 on NBC.
Source: TV Guide
TAKE TWO
Doug Hutchison and Courtney Stodden will walk down the aisle – again. The infamous May-December couple – he's 54, she's 19 – originally married in 2011 (when she was 16) but divorced last year. Stodden announced their intention to remarry on Twitter on Tuesday, and the news was confirmed by her mother, Krista Keller, who told Fox News, "Courtney realized just how much love she really had for Doug." The couple's second marriage is expected to take place in Los Angeles sometime before December.
Source: People
ROLE MODEL
Michael C. Hall will return to television in the role of a Canadian crook. The Dexter star has signed a deal to star in the upcoming miniseries God Fearing Man, which profiles the life and times of Prohibition-era criminal Herbert Emerson Wilson, a Baptist minister from Ontario who eventually became one of the most prolific safecrackers and bank robbers in U.S. history. The project was originally mounted as a feature film by the late Stanley Kubrick. No broadcaster has yet expressed interest in the miniseries, which is scheduled to start shooting later this fall.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
THE BIG SPLIT
Cancel the wedding gifts: Singer Ciara has called off her engagement to the rapper known as Future. Sources told Us Weekly this week that Ciara has cut off all ties with the rapper just three months after she gave birth to their son, Future Zahir Wilburn. The reason behind the split: "He cheated on her," says an unnamed source. Best known for the 2009 hit Love, Sex Magic, Ciara (full name: Ciara Princess Harris) is reportedly not taking the breakup very well. "She's devastated," said a second anonymous source. "Ciara's focus is now the baby."
Source: Us Weekly