Peter Paige embroiled in new <i>Queer as Folk</i> controversy (5505)

Very out and outspoken actor Peter Paige, who plays very out and outspoken character Emmett Honeycutt on the popular gay series Queer as Folk, finds himself once again defending the actions of others. As if placating the press back when straight cast member Hal Sparks made an unfortunate comparison between kissing men and kissing dogs, weren't enough ("That quote is taken out of context," Paige says), TV Guide Online reports he's now called upon to respond to fans' charge that having his character suddenly join the "ex-gay" movement is merely an attention-getting device by the writers. Paige admits, "I understand why people are having trouble with this. Of all the guys, Emmett's been the most well-adjusted in terms of his sexuality--up to a point. But in some ways he's pretty naive and gullible." Regardless of his character's inability to judge, the actor certainly has issues with the ex-gay movement as a whole, referring to it as "an evil cult....They prey on other people's unhappiness and insecurities. What they do is [arrive at] a faulty conclusion that you need to be straight [to live a happy life]." With Queer as Folk currently on hiatus in anticipation of taping for its second season, Paige plans to begin looking for "un-Emmett like" roles to play. He'll be spending the month of May performing at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Renberg Theater in a piece called Secret Agents, "a play about the relationship of a brother and sister and their mutual obsession with James Bond and all things secret agenty."