House of Venus Show

infobox television
show_name = The House of Venus Show


caption =
format = Variety/Comedy
runtime = 22 minutes
creator = MKW Productions
starring = Mark Kenneth Woods
Michael Venus
Miss Cotton
Dickey Doo
country = Canada
network = OUTtv (2005-)
SelecTV (2006)
Pink TV (2006-)
OUTTV (2008-)
here! (2008-)
first_aired = July, 2005
last_aired = Present
num_episodes = 12

Created by Canadian filmmaker Mark Kenneth Woods and co-produced by Michael Venus, the first season of the world's first LGBT themed sketch comedy TV show started airing on OUTtv in July 2005. A second season followed in September, 2006. The show also aired on SelecTV/OUTtv in Australia in 2006. Pink TV in France, Belgium, Switzerland and other territories started airing the first 2 seasons of the show with the alternate title "Le Venus Show" in September, 2006. The show began airing in the Netherlands and the Benelux in April, 2008 on OUTTV. here! network in the USA began airing the show in August, 2008.

Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the sketch comedy show blends politics and pop culture with humour and irreverence. The series stars Mark Kenneth Woods, Miss Cotton, Michael Venus, Dickey Doo and includes guest stars Candis Cayne, Lady Bunny, Amanda Lepore, Lady Miss Kier and others.

Alluvial Filmworks, a division of Village Lighthouse, released "The Complete First Season" on DVD worldwide on November 6th, 2007. "The Complete Second Season" was released April 22nd, 2008.

Origins

After years of success on the LGBT film festival circuit with his short films, Mark Kenneth Woods decided to expand on some of the characters he had created in these shorts and package it as a sketch comedy/variety television show. With the help of co-producer Michael Venus, the duo created a unique show relevant to a LGBT audience made up of a series of short films, live action comedic sketches, live performances and interviews with international talent.

Cast

The show has 4 original cast members that play a variety of popular characters and a number of guest appearances.

Mark Kenneth Woods (Season 1 - )

Miss Cotton (Season 1 - )

Michael Venus (Season 1 - )

Dickey Doo (Season 1 - )

Guests

To date, the show has had a number of internationally renowned guests appear in interviews and short live action segments. Highlights include:

Lady Bunny (Episode #6)

Amanda Lepore (Episode #4)

Candis Cayne (Episode #9)

Lady Miss Kier (Episodes #3 & #12)

Miss Honey Dijon (Episode #10)

Carole Pope (Episode #2)

Denis Simpson (Episode #11)

Heklina (Episode #12)

Miss Guy (Episode #5)

Stink Mitt (Episode #1)

Jennifer Legge (Episode #3 & #5)

Episodes

Season 1

Episode #1
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho face off against "Big Daddy" in their first Adventure, the national news goes wacko and musical guest Stink Mitt drop by for some "camel toe." Includes: "Kitchen Scratchy" "6pm in America" "Pimp & Ho: Adventures in Queersploitation" "Camel Toe" by Stink Mitt

Episode #2
Deb and Sisi shop until they drop on the campiest of home shopping networks, The wackiest show on earth celebrates 10 years in the art of "head," Father McFairy and Tammy Hymn beg for your help and Carole Pope (Rough Trade) drops by for a chat. Includes: "Cotton's Sex Ad" "Carole Pope Interview" "Praise the Marys" "Backroom" by Dixmix feat. Kaytea "Shop Until We All Drop" "Wiggle 10"

Episode #3
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho are back when Dr. Normal tries to rid the world of queers in a James Bond-esque installment and Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite) talks candidly about her post-Deee-Lite career. Includes: "No Flow" "Pimp & Ho: License to Queer" "Lady Miss Kier Interview"

Episode #4
Little Billy wonders why he can't marry George W., Pepe and Vance become Designer Gays, someone let Deb and Sisi back on TV and special guest Amanda Lepore performs "Champagne" with Cazwell. Includes: "Designer Gays" "Holy Matrimony Billy!" "Amanda Lepore with Cazwell Performance" "Get it Together Girl"

Episode #5
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho fight the religious right in a gangster inspired installment, Wiggle returns for the craziest in head gear and Miss Guy (Toilet Boys) drops by to chat. Includes: "Public Gender Announcement" "Pimp & Ho: Queer Fashion Crime Models" "Wiggle 11" "Miss Guy Interview"

Episode #6
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho fear for their lives in an ode to horror flicks, the amazing Lady Bunny is in the house to perform and Krueger is on the loose. Includes: "Bunny's Crisis Line" "Bunny's Laugh In #1" "Nightmare on Venus Street" "Pimp & Ho: Terror in Pansy Hills" "Bunny's Laugh In #2" "Lady Bunny Interview"

Season 2

Episode #7
Deb and Sisi return to television a little late for the holidays; the heterosexual lifestyle is scrutinized in a Right-Wing Religious Parody and NYC’s 2004 entertainer of the year Edie drops by. Includes: "CBD: Compulsive Beauty Disorder" "Public Gender Announcement #1" "Holiday Hamper" "Cotton Outro #1" "The Heterosexual Agenda 2005" "Edie Interview"

Episode #8
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho face off against ex-gays comic book-style; we get a look at the real House of Venus in a Behind the Music spoof and Berlin/NYC diva Sherry Vine plays with us. Includes: “Behind The Camera” “Sherry Vine Interview” “Cotton Outro #2” “Pimp & Ho: Sissy Sins” “Public Gender Announcement #2" “Hi Boys” by Cotton feat. Big Stuff”

Episode #9
Deb and Sisi get inadvertently racist on their home shopping network, the 6 O'Clock new is scrutinized, we talk to New York's DJ Marco and the gorgeous Candis Cayne performs. Includes: “Guyphone Commercial” “DJ Marco Interview” “Shop Until We All Drop 2” “Candis Cayne Interview” “Fawks News" “My Heart Belongs To Data”

Episode #10
The Designer Gays do their best to make over a corporate executive, the new girl in school has a hard time making friends in "Linette", the art of head is back in Wiggle 12 and we have a chat with Miss Honey Dijon. Includes: “Linette” “Designer Gays: Makeover” “Miss Honey Dijon Interview” “Wiggle 12"

Episode #11
Those shopping network girls Deb and Sisi try selling the "Kitchen Magician" on late night TV, the kookiest kids show is revealed with a little help from Denis Simpson and we talk to Montreal's sexiest performer Frigid. “Fawshaw Community College” “Art Class” “Pipsy Curtain” “Deb & Sisi's Kitchen Magician” “Frigid Interview"

Episode #12
The Designer Gays try to decorate a nightclub based on Castle Grayskull, the religious right tries to "save the family" and we're in San Francisco for Gay Pride where we talk to Lady Miss Kier, Juanita More and Heklina. Includes: “Hi Greg/Hi Beth/Hi Liz” “Save The Family” “Designer Gays: Home Edition” “Rainbow Ministries" “Lady Miss Kier, Juanita More & Heklina Interviews”

Season 3

A 3rd season is currently in production. Guests Peaches and John Cameron Mitchell have already been confirmed.

DVD Release

"The Complete First Season" DVD was released via Alluvial Filmworks on November 6, 2007. "The Complete Second Season" DVD was released April 22, 2008. "The Complete Third Season" will be released in late 2008/early 2009.The DVD sets are available online via 10percent.com, amazon.com, TLA Video and a varitey of retailers.

External links

* [http://www.markkennethwoods.com/hovshow.html House of Venus Show Official Site]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465333/ IMDb listing]
* [http://heretv.com/house_of_venus/about here! Network]
* [http://www.outtv.ca OUTtv]