The second season of OUTtv’s gay and lesbian travel series Bump! promises to take viewers (in 26 fabulous episodes) to destinations such as Paris and Provincetown, all in the upbeat and stylish fashion you’d expect from the rainbow crowd.
Hosts Shannon McDonough and newcomer Charlie David will explore museums, attractions, coffeehouses, bathhouses, beaches and more — all from a gay perspective.
McDonough returns from last year. Hailing from the Toronto area, she honed her skills at the Second City repertory company, Alumnae Theatre and a recent production of Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding. She’s also written for the stage the dark comedy Ring, which is about working in a phone-sex office.
David is a busy 25-year-old who’s already done everything from being in a boyband (4Now) and opening for Destiny’s Child, Snoop Dogg and Black-Eyed Peas to hosting various programs on E! Television, NBC and the Life Network. He’s a small-town boy from Saskatchewan.
“I didn’t know any other gay people [growing up], so there is a feeling of isolation. That’s why I believe it is so important for us as a community to provide mentors and a window into our lifestyle for those who do not live in metropolitan areas,” David tells me.
Bump! is one way of doing that. As for a favourite city? David is quick to reply: “I love the French people, so visiting Paris is always a highlight. The art, cuisine, fashion and nightlife are second to none. The boys are pretty cute, too!”
OUTtv (for those of you who don’t know) used to be PrideVision before the channel split in two and shuffled its porn off to a new channel, which it re-branded Hard On PrideVision. Both channels now bill themselves as the “world’s first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender television network.”
When PrideVision first premiered in September, 2001, it floundered as surprise, surprise, very few people actually wanted to spend $6-8 per month for a stand-alone channel. Its fortunes have somewhat improved since the major cable companies, after some urging from the Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications Commission, added OUTtv’s porn-free fare to their existing entertainment bundles. Pink Triangle Press, which publishes Capital Xtra, owns a minority share of OUTtv and its erotica sister channel, and co-produces Bump!
Bump!’s new website features “behind-the-scenes postcards from Shannon and Charlie,” info on all the places they’ll visit and links to gay-friendly accommodations.
Bon voyage!
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