By BetteAndTinaForever

Day 3: Women’s 11 Event in New York City (November 1, 2008)

<<Part 1 of Day 3

Before she talked to me, she told our story to Grey, a blogger who does her fan blog so she could explain why she always laughs when she sees me. I said that I only have one question and she wanted to know what it was before I turned on my recorder. My question was safe and she agreed to answer it on record.

B&TF: Is your character alive at the end of Season 6 because I really want her to be alive.

RR: YES!

(At this point I stopped the recording and asked if Bette was alive at the end of Season 6. Rose responded, “Of course,” but she was really surprised that I kept asking these kinds of questions and asked me why I wanted to know. I repeated what Laurel Holloman mentioned at the Paris Convention, that another character could die in Season 6, but Rose said that she wasn’t sure what it was all about. At this point she agreed to answer more questions and we had a longer interview.

B&TF: Is there anything you can reveal?

RR: I feel like this season is definitely going to have mixed reviews. Some people are going to get their questions answered and some people are going to be pissed the hell off.

B&TF: How about Bette and Tina?

RR: Oh, don’t you ask me about Bette and Tina! Bette…actually Jennifer just told me about ten minutes ago don’t I dare answer any Bette and Tina questions from you.

B&TF: That’s what she said?

RR: Yes!

B&TF: You’re kidding me.

RR: Specifically. Specifically. Yes, I swear.

B&TF: Ok, ok. How about Tina questions?

RR: (laughter) I’m going to go tell her. I’m going to tell her that you asked about her, too.

B&TF: I was on the set in September when you were filming Episode 7. I was an extra. So, I heard you guys were doing that Salt-n-Pepa stuff.

RR: That was the funniest damn shooting ever because we all got really competitive. We were acting as if it was Dancing with the Stars. We were all backstage stretching and saying we’re going to kick your ass. And I must say, I think Salt-n-Pepa won; hands down.

B&TF: Well, I just think that they brought Marlee Matlin back because she was on that show and they are going to make Jodi win.

RR: Well, of course. She was really on Dancing with the Stars and she was supposed to win!

B&TF: There’s a new character, Jamie, and I met her at the Club when you guys went dancing. What was it like to work with Mei Melançon?

RR: Cool. She’s a cool chick. She’s my kind of chick.

B&TF: Does she have a big role in the show?

RR: Yeah.

B&TF: Does Tasha end up with her?

RR: I can’t answer that.

B&TF: Well, we know something’s going to happen because Alice is going to have a spin-off and you’re probably not going to be in it.

RR: How do you know I’m not going to be in it?

B&TF: Are you going to be in it?

RR: I’m not going to say anything. I’m not saying anything.

B&TF: Okay, last question. Tell me about the spirit on the set because you knew it’s the last season.

RR: Sad and bittersweet and ready to all do our jobs and then kind of move on. It’s painful. We felt like we were wallowing in it because we knew that it was the end and yet we were showing up everyday. I feel like we were very protective of our characters because this is it. This was our last moment to make a statement. So, if our characters went left at any point in the show, this was the time to make it right. Every time there was something that was untrue to our character, we were really, really, really overprotective about it. It was like, “This is our last chance. Let’s do this!”

There were a lot of battles also. Trying to end it on the note that we feel was the note to be ended on, especially with regard to our being true to our characters. So, there was a little battle with that between us as the actors and the creators. But, you know, at the end of the day, it’s all good and it’s done and you move on.

B&TF: There’s a convention in England every year. I know you’re not going to the one this year but is there a possibility that you might ever come?

RR: I don’t know, I don’t know.

B&TF: Were you approached about coming?
RR: No.

B&TF: I can tell him to talk to you.

RR: Alright.

Rose had to go because it was time for dinner and presentations. It began with the live auction bidding for a walk-on role in a Showtime promo for Season 6 of The L Word that was supposed to be filmed later that evening. Gwen Marcus, the Event Chair, was the auctioneer with the help of Rose Rollins and Daniela Sea, who were later joined by Pam Grier.

There were two main bidders, a man and a woman who wouldn’t give up. Ilene finally went up to the stage and offered two spots for the promo so both winners ended up paying $20,000 each to appear in the promo.

Rose and Daniela then introduced one of the honorees, Stephanie Gibbons. They were really funny in the beginning, trying to figure out who was supposed to read what line. Here’s a short video of the last part of their speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x3kPvobx6s

Jennifer Beals took the podium before Ilene Chaiken was presented with an award and her speech was really engaging and touching. She talked about politics a little and about The L Word. At one point she got really emotional when she began talking about her daughter and how she would question the gay’s community fight for equality when she grows up.

“I envision a time in the not-too-distant future when my daughter asks, ‘You mean there used to be a time when gay people couldn’t get married? God, that’s so crazy, Mama’.”

Here’s another video I managed to take during the last part of her speech. I was tired because I’ve never done three events in a row, and I don’t have any muscles in my arms, so the video is a little shaky but it’s easy to see that Jennifer is such a passionate advocate for the LGBT community.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hx0VWoHmu8

Jennifer got the biggest applause when she said, “If history is written by the victors, then we have made ourselves victorious by writing our own history.”

Ilene was next and in her acceptance speech she talked about lesbian and gay themes on television and movies and that LGBT media people, who directed and produced many great shows, have to stop hiding. They need to portray themselves “wholly, gloriously, complexly, glamorously and provokingly.”

Here’s another little video of two parts of Ilene’s speech. I apologize for the randomness of the clips because I had to take photos and listen and record all at the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNXdAjUsKE8

The other honorees spoke as well and after the dinner and presentations were over, The L Word cast went up to film their promo. I hang out there with some new friends I’d met but after the filming, they all left. Desserts and coffee were served and the dancing began. I stayed until the end because I didn’t really want to go back to the hostel. But all good things have to end and this event was over, too.

The next day I was on my way home, full of really good memories of the last three crazy and wonderful days. I hope you’ve enjoyed the recounting of my experience. By the time these reports are posted, I’ll be in England at L5 and I will do my best to get you full reports, photos and interviews. Wish me luck to get an interview with Jennifer Beals and that she will answer a few of my TiBette questions.