…into my heart.

I had the pleasure of attending a new contemporary neo-burlesque musical Lost Girls of Neverland written/produced by Gossip Boy’s very own Cameron Chase. The show had its debut last week at The Anza Club in Vancouver to spectacular reviews. Critics praised the production for its creative ways of intertwining comedy and sexuality without crossing the boundaries of classy to sleazy.

The play is a modern day take on the classic story of Peter Pan, originally written by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie in 1902. This musical comedy is guided by modern pop music, dynamic dance numbers, and fabulous costumes.

Set during Mardi Gras, the story follows the trials and tribulations of The Lost Girls, a dance troupe working at New Orleans’ hottest Gentlemen’s club, Neverland. The beautiful and innocent Wendy Darling is thrust into the spotlight encountering sex, love, jealousy and revenge. Meanwhile, across town at the Mermaid Lagoon, Madame Hook plots against her arch enemy Mistress Pan whom she has held a grudge against for many years.

The staging and lighting were simple and left room for your imagination to roam freely while the music set the tone of the show. All cast members were dressed in appropriate burlesque attire to fit each character’s personality. The color inspiration chosen for each actor corresponded to their Disney counterpart with Tinkerbell flaunting lime green and Wendy wearing baby blue. It was refreshing to see the changes made to each person’s characteristic compared to the original story. While Peter Pan was more youthful and spontaneous in the old fairytale; Mistress Pan is much more poised and mature in the play. Each character had their own back-story and issues to resolve including subjects such as physical abuse and murder.

I highly recommend this play to all adults wanting something fun and new in their lives. The showmanship portrayed throughout the musical is nothing short of amazing. I went in expecting nothing and came out with gold. If you are in the Vancouver area between now and March 3rd, please check out the play and support Cameron. He’s invested a year and a half of his time into creating an experience you’ll never forget.

The Gossip Boy team would like to extend some loving to all of you on Valentine’s Day!

To all of you that love, are loved, or are seeking that special one, we hope you have a fun day.

Remember, you aren’t restricted to saying “I love you” only today! Love is 365 days per year… 366 days this year!

My good friend DJ E.V. mixes all our favorite songs into a single track he simply entitled [Top 50 Songs of 2011 in 50min]. The track also gives you the opportunity to listen to original music from E.V. and his production team A-SLAM Music Productions.

E.V.’s been nominated for a Juno Award as a studio producer and is fast becoming a recognized name in the Canadian DJ scene with his pioneering Fusion style of mixing Hip-Hop, Top 40 and House with South Asian, Latin and Electronic influences.

He’s performed all over Canada and has shared the stage with artists such as Fat Joe to Jay Sean.

Check out their site and show ‘em some love.

I had the chance to speak to Canadian blogger, Brian Webb, about his involvement in the 2012 Mr. Gay Canada Competition. I quickly noticed his zest for life and passion to help the LGBT community. I think he would be the perfect candidate for the MGC title. I urge all of our readers to vote in support of such a kind spirited individual.

The Mr. Gay Canada Competition’s purpose is to provide an opportunity to create a positive image for young gay men in their respective communities. Through public performances, outreach, and education, Mr. Gay Canada raises awareness of issues including bullying, self-acceptance, safer sex practices, and more.

The competition will take place over an intensive three-day session that coincides with the 2012 WinterPRIDE Festival in Whistler, BC. There will be various challenges that each delegate must complete including runway, swim suit, sports, public speaking and promotional outreach where they are able to work with local charities. The winner of MGC will go on to compete in the 2012 Mr. Gay World Competition in South Africa.

As a proud Canadian, Brian is very passionate about educating the world by sharing real-life stories from the LGBT community. Growing up in the rural town of Armstrong BC, he learnt that smaller communities require more knowledge so youth will know they live in safe environments – ones where they’ll be accepted for who they are. He has volunteered his time as a peer counselor for gay youth and helped many individuals deal with the pressures of bullying and coming out. Brian further contributes his time by attending Pride festivals all over North America to promote LGBT education.

Brian believes that a healthy mind and body go hand in hand. While he strive to maintain his educational growth to stimulate his mental health, Brian works hard at maintain his physical health by working out five times a week and training for marathons. Over the last few years, he has participated in eight competitive races including 10km, half and full marathons. Brian is aware of the many youth who follow his blog. Understanding he is a role model to them, he hopes his journey eases their pathway into the LGBT world.

The competition will be held from February 9 – 12, 2012

Vote for Brian by clicking HERE

Hey guys, it’s Tony! I’m so excited to show you something spectacular! This is my very first Gossip Boy blog post, my first Gossip Boy Interview and also the first official issue of the Gossip Boy Magazine! In the past our celebrity interviews have been simple and sleek, but now we’ve decided to take them to the next level. Each interview will be accompanied by a downloadable article including cover art and inserts. Right now I am beyond ecstatic! I’ve been preparing this interview for a while and now I’m ready to share it with the world. I hope you enjoy…

ZACK TREMBLAY Interview by Tony Tieu

Everyone thinks that success is measured by wealth and money. Today’s special guest proves that success is more than riches. Zack Tremblay shows that dedication and ambition paves way for a fulfilling career. I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Tremblay and talk with him about his journey so far.

1. Hey Zack! Thanks for joining us today. It’s a pleasure to have such an ambitious individual speak with us. You’ve done a bunch of stuff with the Gossip Boy Team behind closed doors but we’ve never had the chance to sit down and introduce you to everyone. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

My name is Zack Tremblay. I’m an entertainment personality from North Providence, Rhode Island, where it’s known as the smallest state in the U.S. I’ve got a younger brother named Josh and a younger sister named Ava. My mother, Christine, has been there for me since day one and she is the person I draw all my strength from. I grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island, which was not the best area. Once my mom met my step father Steve, we moved to Lincoln and then moved to North Providence where we currently reside.

2. How did you end up interviewing celebrities?

I started doing celebrity interviews in August 2010. It’s actually a funny story. My good friend, Ayla Brown, was on the fifth season of Fox’s American Idol. She was the very first person I ever interviewed. After posting that interview online, people started to comment and ask when I would do more. So after that, I continued interviewing people until I landed my first big interview, Jesse McCartney.

3. Do your nerves still get to you when going into interviews? Do you still get star struck from time to time?

There are always nerves going into an interview. A million things go through my head, but I think that’s normal. I actually don’t get star struck anymore. I try to make personal connections with each celebrity because at the end of the day they’re just human like the rest of us. Over time I have become more comfortable going into interviews and I know I can only get better.

4. Was it hard to get your foot in the door? I can only imagine how much rejection one goes through at the beginning of their career.

All I can say is that the entertainment industry is one of a kind. It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever committed myself to but at the same time I can’t see myself doing anything else. In order to make it in this business you need three things: Hard work, dedication and a dream.

5. How do your family and friends feel about you being in the industry? Are they supportive?

I would say at first my family thought it was just a hobby, but overtime it shaped itself into something much bigger. I always say “You’ll never know how the entertainment industry works until you’re in it.” Although it may be tough for them to understand, I still feel so blessed to have such a supportive family and couldn’t ask for more.

6. How has your life changed? Do people treat you differently?

Even though I’ve only been doing this for a short amount of time, I’ve grown a lot as a person. All these little things like sending out professional emails and making business calls can make a huge difference in your appearance. I do feel more prepared for my interviews now than compared to when I first started. Other than that, I don’t think much has changed since the fame, but it can get tough at times. All my close friends have the opportunity to go out and do “regular” things while I’m working. All in all, I’m still just plain old Zack in their eyes.

7. Have you gotten used to fans running up to you? It must be weird having people know your name but not know theirs.

It never gets old; it’s the coolest thing in the world. My initial goal going into this was to inspire teenagers to follow their dreams. I think it’s awesome that they look up to me and I’m glad to have them in my life. Without my fans I probably wouldn’t be doing this right now. There was this one time when I was walking outside of a concert in Foxboro, MA. All of a sudden everyone started screaming! It was the best feeling in the world! I’m very flattered that they want to take pictures with me and have my autograph. I love my fans!

8. Tell me what song you have blasting on your iPod right now.

“I like it like that” by Hot Chelle Rae featuring New Boyz

9. Who’s your favorite artist and what is your all time favorite song from them?

Favorite artist, I honestly think everyone is really talented but Justin Bieber is killin’ it right now! Yeah, yeah I know it’s corny but to me the kid’s a musical genius! What’s my favorite song of all time? That’s so hard to answer but it would probably be between the Michael Jackson inspired European single “Pray” off of Bieber’s compilation album My Worlds: The Collection and the inspirational track off his Never Say Never: The Remixes album “Born to be somebody”.

10. What’s your favorite movie?

My favorite movie would probably be The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. It’s one of my favorite movies EVER! It just came out so that says a lot. I also highly recommend Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. *giggles*

11. Who is your role model?

Ryan Seacrest is one of my biggest inspirations. He is the perfect example of what I would like to become.

12. What are the biggest misconceptions people have about you?

I would have to say the biggest misconception people have about me is that they think all my achievements have come overnight. I’ve put in a lot of work to make my career a success. There are people out there who don’t understand how much it takes to get this far.

13. What advice do you have for those people who aspire to be like you?

My fans always tell me about their dreams and ask me for advice. I simply tell them to never give up. If it’s something you truly want to do then make it happen. It will take a lot of hard work but it’ll be worth it in the end.

14. What are some of the most important lessons the business has taught you?

The most important lesson that this business has taught me was, there are going to be people who hate you because of what you do, but you can’t listen to them. I am very strong and urge my fans to never let anyone bring them down and to follow their dreams without regret. I’ve also learned that there is a lot of sleep loss in the business; I am basically on the clock 24/7. I always have my email available to me.

15. I heard you have a quote that you keep close to your heart. Would you like to share it with our readers?

“Never underestimate your ability to achieve” –Zack Tremblay
Throughout this entire experience I’ve never given up on myself or questioned my abilities. If anyone were to listen to one piece of advice from me, that would be it.

16. I really appreciate you finding time to speak to us here at Gossip Boy Inc. Thank you very much! Any final thoughts you want to leave with your fans?

I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all truly mean the world to me! I would not be doing this if it wasn’t for all my fans! I know many of you live outside the United States but I promise to meet all of you one day soon! For those who are in America, I’m trying my best to do a cross country Meet & Greet tour. So keep checking back on www.ZackTremblay.com for updates. Oh, and I love the staff at Gossip Boy Inc.! Thank you again.

I hope you liked the interview. I would love to hear feedback from everyone. Tell me what you liked and what you want to see in the future. Things can only get better with your help. I want to thank you for sharing this experience with me. This issue is dedicated to all the Gossip Boy fans.

Love always,

What was intended to be a satirical link has been taken down after it caused distress among some of its customers.

Video retailer TLA has removed a page that promoted a series of gay-themed independent films with the heading “What Would Jerry Sandusky Watch?”

GossipBoy.ca is proud to have been involved with one of the films listed, Judas Kiss, which is garnering extremely favourable reviews worldwide.

TLA later removed the page and offered an apology:

“As a gay-owned and operated business on the forefront of LGBT issues for over 30 years, we have always taken jabs at current events and pop culture. But in this instance our sense of humor did not come through in the way that we intended, and for that we apologize.”

While an apology was indeed offered, some might find it a bit upsetting that a company that actively supports and promotes LGBT films actually wasted its time with a needless reference to a pedophile.

It is essential to take some time out of our busy schedules to pay our respects in memory to those who sacrificed for our freedom, we can’t forget how fortunate we all are!

I am exceedingly grateful, what about yourself?

Top model River Viiperi just posted the above photo to his official Facebook fan page a couple days ago. It is a terrific picture, if you honestly ask me.

Some actors would kill to have a headshot as dope as this!

Oh, speaking of Facebook…

Have you LIKED our official page yet?

If not.

Click HERE to do it!