Where the Boys Are

With many new cast members, Todd Stephens delivers yet “Another Gay Movie”

By By: GARY M. KRAMER

ANOTHER GAY SEQUEL:

GAY GONE WILD!

Directed by Todd Stephens

TLA Releasing

Opens Aug. 29

Quad Cinema

What better way to follow up the hit film “Another Gay Movie” -about horny gay teens losing their virginity – than with a sequel featuring the same four characters trying to have as much sex as possible? And so, Todd Stephens, the man who was also behind the sensitive coming-of-age films “Edge of Seventeen” and “Gypsy 83,” has unleashed “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild.”

In an interview that included the director and four of the five lead cast members, Stephens said that unlike horny straight teen sequels – think “Porky's II” and “American Pie II” – exploring gay male sexuality invites a discussion of “what it means to be promiscuous, a slut, or in an open/closed relationship.”

But the film also gives Stephens a chance to showcase every body part and every bodily fluid he can. In addition to the copious full-frontal and bare-assed nudity on display, there is also plenty of semen, vomit, piss, and shit. Yes, tasteless humor abounds, but like the various movie and TV shows spoofed in “Sequel,” much of it is quite funny.

One of the biggest challenges Stephens faced in making this installment was losing three of the four original cast members, who begged off being in another gay movie. Only actor Jonah Blechman who plays the queeny Nico, returns. Newcomers Jake Mosser plays Andy, the every-gay, Aaron Michael Davies is Griff, the nerdish guy with the large cock, and Jimmy Clabots is the hunky jock Jarod.

The plot has the guys heading down to Fort Lauderdale for a spring break where they participate in a “Gays Gone Wild!” contest against the defending champion Jasper (Will Wikle) to see who can collect the most “fuckstamps” by shtupping other contestants.

Blechman, who performs a dazzling “Golden Shower” dance sequence, spoke about how he embraced his character. In his normal voice – registers below Nico's high pitch – he said, “I was scared [when] I read the script of the first film. I thought I would not participate in this. I'd never done a comedy before and this was just way too crude. Then I realized I had an issue with it. I liked to do work where I get to grow, so once I made that decision, it opened me up and was incredibly freeing. I like to go toward things that would challenge me if I have issues with it.”

While his former co-stars, grappled with the issue of performing in two queer films as a possible career-killer, Blechman, who was so memorable playing gay in “This Boy's Life” back in 1993, said he had been there, done that, and has made peace with it.

He recalled, “I ended up saying no to so many [roles] that the work was not there for me and I was not able to show up for characters that I [could play]. The archetype of who I am wasn't able to flourish. There was no work. When 'Another Gay Movie' came along. I jumped in full force. This character freaked me out. To play the quintessential queen in the gay community is still not really kosher.

“It's the fringe of the fringe. I love that Todd enrolled me into having that persona empowered, so you end up loving him, rather than being embarrassed by him.”

Blechman's performance as the unloved and outcast Nico in the film really stands out in “Sequel.”

In contrast, Andy, the group's insatiable power bottom, finds himself struggling with falling love with a virgin. Jake Mosser, who is straight, said that Andy's “goofiness and awkwardness” appealed to him about the part, but that it was the character's “sentimentality and vulnerability” that enabled him to make the part his own.

Director Stephens concurred, “Jake brought his vulnerability [to Andy]. It didn't exist before.”

Mosser, who had never kissed a guy before, got to participate in some rather explicit sex scenes and one memorable gross-out sequence. The actor said that he rose to the film's challenges almost from the moment he got on set.

“I got broken in the second day with the 'From Here to Eternity' fantasy sequence. We shot that [sex scene] first thing in the morning. After that, it was like 'Bring it! What else?' Hottub 'Showgirls'? Done! Vomit sequence? Fine! From an acting standpoint, it's a role. I did all my own stunts except for falling on the water skis.”

Aaron Michael Davies also had to do some pretty raunchy sex scenes, as Griff explores an open relationship with his lover Jarod. Davies performed two threesomes with Jimmy Clabots – one with porn star Colton Ford and the other with porn star Michael Lucas.

The actor acknowledged, “I was petrified going into all of that. It was fucking crazy. I had never had a large role in a feature film, and I'd never done a sex scene before, and that was two full days of sex scenes.”

But when it was over, Davies was proud of his accomplishment. Echoing Mosser, he said, “Bring it!” And like Blechman, he said he believes, “Now I can do anything.”

Still, Davies admitted, “There were moments where I was afraid and Todd was there to calm my fears. Everyone was cautious and made sure I was comfortable. It was not sexy, but once you're doing it, it's not as bad as you think.”

He added, “But then you are scared that it will be a 15-minute sequence in the film.” It's more like three.

Rounding out the cast was Will Wikle as the evil Jasper provides competition for the fuckstamps. Wikle said appearing in “Another Gay Sequel,” and playing a “Heather”/”Mean Girl” was a wet dream for him. He gushed, “From the time I was in the third grade, I had super fantasies about being the captain of the cheerleaders and wanting to be the mean girl. As a gay kid, you're lucky if you don't get squashed into a trashcan in the lunchroom. So for me, being able to walk into these super bitchy heels and take it and run with it is a dream come true.”

Wikle applauded Stephens for adding “Disney-villain layers” to his role, but also for creating a “summer camp” atmosphere on the set, dubbing the director the “head counselor.”

“I have never been to any sort of fabulous gay event like” the one in the film, Wikle said with a tinge of regret. “I wish I grew up going to gay spring break.”

At least “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild,” gives audiences a way to satisfy their urge for a wild, raunchy, sexy spring break experience.