In the Life

In theLife (Sun. (28), 12-1 a.m., KCET) A co-production of In the Life Media Inc. and WNYC-TV. Executive producer, John Scagliotti; co-executive producer, Charles Dominic Ignacio; producers, John Catania, Katherine Linton; executive director, Ben Prayz; executive producer for WNYC, David Sit. What "In the Life," a newsmagazine series devoted to gay and lesbian issues and culture, attempts to do is long overdue; to paint a portrait of gays and lesbians beyond the stereotypes. Just flip through the 500-channel universe and you'll find virtually nothing that doesn't spring from a straight sensibility.

For instance, where besides "In the Life" will you see openly gay U.S. representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) profiled by a lesbian political humorist? Or a whole segment devoted to gays in the newsroom?

Series is hosted by Katherine Linton, one of the show's producers, who adds a warm, intelligent touch and even does her own reporting.

In one segment she interviews Marga Gomez, a self-described half-Cuban, half-lesbian, whose one-woman play "A Line Around the Block" is in rehearsals for a spring run at New York's Public Theater.

"In the Life" shines when it casts its cameras on the Mautner Project, an organization with a mission to provide services to lesbians with cancer.

Where the show fails is in its lack of pertinence. April's segment, for example, spends too much time rehashing the New Hampshire primary, rather than exploring more timely issues.

There are numerous opportunities lost or ignored.

The interview with Frank, for instance, is marred by the questions not asked; for instance, how much influence does he truly have to protect and extol gay interests in the House? Instead, we spend more time with Frank's lover, Herb Moses, at his pottery wheel than we do with Frank on Capitol Hill.

At times it seems producers are striving so hard to be non-threatening -- to demonstrate that gays really aren't scary and that they lead viable, productive lives -- that they're losing sight of what they can offer that no other show does: a complete picture of American gay and lesbian life.

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