Queer Eye for the Bosox Guy

[Bob]

I knew Millar was a fag, but Damon and Varitek?

Link.

Queer Eye for the Sox

Damon, Millar, Varitek receive fabulous makeovers

Posted: Wednesday March 16, 2005 6:13PM; Updated: Wednesday March 16, 2005 6:55PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- It took 86 years to turn the Red Sox into champions. It won't take long to make five of their bearded players look better.

Not with the Fab Five makeover artists from the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy television show calling the shots.

"Look at the Green Monster," Carson Kressley said in mock horror, staring at catcher Doug Mirabelli's big toe Monday as they sat on the top of Boston's dugout.

Kressley handles fashion on the Bravo cable show featuring five gay men who also work on improving the culinary, cultural, grooming and interior decorating skills of straight men.

"We make our guys over in one day," he said. "If we had 86 days with the Red Sox, we could really turn them out, let alone 86 years."

Taping began Monday at City of Palms Park for the first episode of the show's next season on June 7. Mirabelli, Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar and Tim Wakefield did on-field scenes. Jason Varitek arrived late in the afternoon by a helicopter that landed behind second base after he played a road game 120 miles away in Fort Lauderdale.

More taping will be done at the stadium after Wednesday's game against St. Louis. The production will raise money to help rebuild a nearby little league field damaged by hurricanes.

It's less likely that the show would have been shot had the Red Sox not ended their drought last year when they swept the Cardinals in the World Series. That led to plenty of offseason developments -- player appearances on Letterman and Leno, a White House visit and a tour of the championship trophy to several states.

"This is not your grandfather's spring training," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "It's confined to the offseason and to spring training and everybody's keeping it in perspective. Most of it will stop when the season begins."

But on Monday it was full speed ahead -- from the blond-maned Kressley's raunchy quips about bats and baseballs to the show's "grooming guru" Kyan Douglas jokingly admiring Damon's biceps to Millar declaring, "It's been a fun day."

One potential makeover was quickly scrapped.

"No chance," Damon said when asked if his long hair would be cut. A contract for his book being issued in April requires him to keep his hair long.

Besides, he said with a smile, even before the massages, manicures, pedicures, back waxes and clothing changes began, "I feel so much better about myself already."

The origin of the episode was unclear.

David Metzler, the executive producer, said it was proposed by wives of the players. Lucchino said, "We didn't go out looking for them. I can assure you that."

But the Red Sox were willing participants with a team of loose, long-locked players who joke around when they're not dirtying their uniforms by diving for balls and working hard at their craft.

"They have a very great image," said "culture vulture" Jai Rodriguez. "It's very marketable and I think people can relate to that, so we were very careful in the way we approached it. We didn't want to take away who they are, just sort of elevate them a little bit.

"We want to make them look like champions."

One player scheduled to participate, low-key third baseman Bill Mueller, decided to skip it.

"So we're going to his house afterward to surprise him," food and wine specialist Ted Allen said.

The show's stars also know about baseball. Rodriguez referred to the cool relations between the Red Sox and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

"I came in here thinking I would call myself J-Rod, but they were like ixnay on that," he said.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein watched from his office as the Fab Five and the four players spoke at a news conference from chairs on the roof of the Red Sox dugout.

"Theo," Kressley shouted to him, "how about pink Sox instead of red?"

As his team did last season, Epstein got in the decisive shot.

"Red worked last year," he said.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press.

[124]

You couldn't tell Damon was a fag? Just look at the hair.

[Garb]

Oh no.....all we need now is a certain person we know to start a new Tom Brady is gay thread....

[PFSIKH]

Oh no.....all we need now is a certain person we know to start a new Tom Brady is gay thread....

Gee I miss thoses from the other board.