sarah croce Archives

Brittani’s Video Party: Janelle Monae’s Lips Are All Over Her Hacker Girlfriend

Greetings. This is Brittani’s Video Party, where I bring some of the “best” videos from all over my internet together so we can clap, cry or deconstruct. Have you ever gotten to a video and it already has 33 million views and you wonder where the heck have you been? Well I’m here to help you so that you see it when it only has 32 million views. Aim low, world. Aim low.

Header by Rory Midhani

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Hacker Girlfriend is a new webseries from Stevie Boebi (of the SassiBob YouTube channel) that tells a scripted stort though the trademark vlogging style. The series promises plenty of gamer lingo, Doctor Who references, and the latest in Android technology. It’s directed by the one and only Sarah Croce.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPAqehj31T8

This ad is supposed to be touching but I just thought it was kind of funny. I can’t say anything else because it will ruin the surprise. It’s worth 40 seconds of your life though. And if you watch it and disagree, I guess it’ll be too late to do anything about it at that point. Except maybe complain in the comments.

Janelle Monáe has a new video for Dance Apocalyptic and it’s basically girls fawning over her the entire time. This is clearly some sort of fantasy of hers (and could be a reality if she were queer but WHAT DO I KNOW). Anyway, she makes some kissing motions at women in the crowd and dances around a lot. Everyone is saying she’s loosening up because she let her hair down and is wearing white so maybe that’s a sign of being more comfortable with herself and coming to terms with some things. Just as that sentence was a sign of me being willing to reach.

Lips Season 2 has started airing episodes. The series is about two lady rockers that refuse to give up on their Hollywood dreams of money, fame, and an endless supply of women. The first one features Christine Lakin of Step by Step and future episodes promises multiple appearances by Sheetal Sheth of I Can’t Think Straight.

If you have a video you think everyone should see, tweet it to @bishilarious for consideration. And of course feel free to post your favorite videos from the week below.

Brittani’s Video Party: Esperanza Spalding and Sarah Croce Eat the Bling Ring

Header by Rory Midhani

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Sofia Coppola wrote and directed The Bling Ring which will be in theaters this June and is based on true events. The film is about the group of teenage burglars that robbed the Hollywood Hills homes of celebrities (including Lindsay Lohan). I suppose we can expect some reflection on America’s obsession with celebrity but most importantly, Emma Watson is rocking a SoCal accent.

Sarah Croce‘s newest venture is a web series called Calling in Drunk. Each episode tackles a new subject and takes place ten minutes and a few more drinks after the last. As the season goes on, Sarah and her straight counterpart, Loryn, stand to get progressively drunker. Here’s Episode 2 where they discuss the pros and mostly cons of OkCupid.

Certainly you remember the buzz surrounding Esperanza Spalding after she upset Justin Bieber for the Best New Artist Grammy. Shortly after that most people promptly forgot about her existence and that must be why we missed this gay ass video she put out for a cover she did of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It.” She is bringing fro, tie, and blazer realness.

Here’s a silly one about how animals eat their food. I think that’s supposed to be intriguing enough. It worked on me.

If you have a video you think everyone should see, tweet it to @bishilarious for consideration. And of course feel free to post your favorite videos from the week below.

Brittani Does Dinah Shore, Girlfriend and Dignity Still Intact

Here I stand (sit?), a two-time Dinah veteran. Not yet a seasoned pro, but getting there. I’ve experienced Dinah as extremely single and extremely taken, as a nobody with a pool party pass and a shitty hotel room and a nobody with a guest bracelet and a nice hotel room. I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. I’ve walked more than I wanted and slept less than I needed. I approached this Dinah with an understanding of what I was about to encounter and a preparedness that allowed me to not only survive but to mostly enjoy myself.

My girlfriend and I drove from LA to Palm Springs Thursday night. I figured it would be healthier for our relationship since there was a thing on Friday we could possibly be late for, and she is perpetually that. One of the perks of being white, I guess: you get to be late and you don’t feel like people will judge your entire race for it. Girlfriend Liz tells me this is called “stereotype threat.”

We arrive at the hotel and they have the wrong name listed for check-in. I don’t really know whose fault this is so I blame the entire human race as I am wont to do. I have to call Alex Vega in the 11 o’clock hour so she can call the hotel and switch the reservation to my name. She handles it like a pro and in no time I’m filling out a form that not only replaces me as the person assigned the room, but lets me list the names of people I authorize to get room keys whenever they need them. All of this is a huge waste of time as apparently they burned this piece of paper as soon as I left, because no one was able to ever get a key without some sort of drama at the front desk.

dinah

The next morning is as leisurely and relaxed as it can be when you have to wait while someone changes their bikini top/shorts/tank top combination five times. We head to get our wristbands before the noon rush and then go back to our room to hang out until our friends and Autostraddle web series members get in. Along with Lauren Neal and Sarah Sokolski from Words With Girls, Sarah Croce, Haviland Stillwell and Ashley Reed are there with Unicorn Plan-It. There’s an Autostraddle meet-up that afternoon; we have all decided beforehand that it will be pointless, but we decide to be responsible individuals anyway. I don’t know about you, but when I’m hyped from just arriving to an event, have been drinking my face off and am dancing violently next to a pool, the number-one thing I want to do is go to a dark bar whose location I’m unsure of and talk to people who are probably way more sober than I am. Needless to say, the meet-up is a rousing success. More than one person shows up. It is great. I also just want to throw in that the only place it was mentioned was in the booklet, which only some people that attend Dinah get and which roughly three people on earth read. One of those people is me. I have literally never seen anyone else even touch that booklet. I don’t know how people know where to be. I guess there’s some gay guiding force that pulls them.

Credit: Andrea Krauss

After the pool party, which I don’t attend much of between the going to the meet-up and and taking note of where everyone’s rooms are, my girlfriend and I decide to find food. We haven’t eaten since we had something quick in the morning, and we’re both starving. We wander around the strips of restaurants a couple of blocks from our hotel in search of a place that has vegan options, isn’t expensive and takes cards. After 30 minutes, we both know that if we don’t find food soon, we’ll to turn into cranky grumbling monsters. Just in time, we find a place called Atomic Dogs. I don’t like hot dogs so while she lucked out, I’m still screwed. I say fuck it and map the closest Burger King, which is two Dinah miles away. A Dinah mile, as defined by me, is five minutes of walking while intoxicated. We decide to meet back at the hotel and I start walking.

Credit: Terry Hastings

After we eat, we nap until it’s time to get ready for the White Party and Haviland’s performance; we really know how to get the party going. Haviland performed a five-song set, including two of her original songs, at Hunter’s, a local gay bar. We watched the show and chatted with Wendy Jo Carlton (Hannah Free, Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together) and Lisa Cordileone (Easy Abby).

Unlike the pool parties, which were at the Hilton, the White Party is in Hotel Zoso, where we are staying. There are three different rooms going, so everywhere you turn, there are hordes of women, dressed in their best (and probably only) white attire with drinks in hand and smirks on faces. Before we join them, the members of Words With Girls and Unicorn Plan-It have to hit up the VIP Party. I go down early to check it out and report back. There are a few of the other web series folks milling around outside the room but none of them are going in—or talking to each other. I decide we can forgo this awkwardness for a little while.

By the time we show up, all of the people I recognized earlier are gone and the only people in the room are the people that paid to be. We’re all standing around talking when we realize the DJ is playing a ton of old Jay-Z and Missy Elliot, along with other straight-up 90s jams like “Candy Rain.” No strangers to spectacle, we dance by ourselves on the empty dance floor until it’s time for the red carpet, where we proceed to look like we don’t belong and probably confuse everyone with our presence.

After the red carpet, we go back to the VIP Room because the DJ is still playing a heavy hip hop and R&B throwback set. A party promoter from the Virgin Islands buys us all drinks, and a Club Skirts photographer snaps pictures of us being ridiculous. There’s no reason to leave so we don’t. They’ve stopped checking wristbands at the door, so we invite all of our friends to the room and only leave when we find out that there’s a hip hop room upstairs. Eventually we’ve danced long enough and most people are too drunk to coherently answer texts about where they are that we decide to move on to the next thing, which is obviously pizza. We find a place that is a)open, b)walkable and c)dirt cheap. We rendezvous with Jess Shaffer of The Love Corner and I call cabs for the eight people that successfully make it to her room. We end up at a house party until 3:30-ish, then head back to get some sleep.

Next: Saturday and Sunday Shenanigans

Style Thief: Underwear Week Special Edition

Welcome to Underwear Week, a whole week dedicated to your favorite bum-hugging clothesthings. As we said many moons ago, we feel a lady is at her best when she’s not wearing pants. And while our last adventure around this neck of the woods took us only as far as boyshorts, this time around we’re exploring the vast and many-flavored land of underwear. From edible panties to hoopskirts and history, we’ve got you covered. Just like your underwear.
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It’s Underwear Week! A very special week if there ever was one. To commemorate this holiday, I’ll be bringing you nine of my vary favorite queer celebrity lesbians (or gay-for-pay actress ladies) in their most lesbosexy underwear styles.

Jackie Warner

VIA JACKIEWARNER.COM

Are those technically shorts? Maybe, but I guarantee you there isn’t anything under them. Either way, Jackie Warner’s black sports bra and black boyshorts are an instant classic. Sometimes it’s really nice to be neutral of neutral. So whether you’re butch, small busted or even actually athletic, this look is as versatile as it is hot.

Jillian Michaels

JILLIAN MICHAELS

If you prefer something just femme of Jackie Warner’s look, Jillian Michaels offers up an equally hot option. Her shorts are shorter and her sports bra is, well, less functional, but her look remains athletic, simple and sexy.

Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres

http://youtu.be/2RrTQVBw-gQ
One of my top five TV moments of all time, Callie Torres’s underwear dance scene on Grey’s Anatomy cannot be appropriately appreciated in photographs alone. Callie Torres proves once again that there is potentially nothing on earth as sexy as someone dancing alone in a T-shirt and underwear.

Naya Rivera

NAYA RIVERA FOR FHM

Naya Rivera has blessed us with so many hot underwear looks that I had to feature her a second time. In a contrast to her usual matching set of balconette bras and panties, this look stands out because it’s just so real. For better or for worse, white cotton bikini-cut underwear is probably the go-to underwear for millions of women across the age spectrum. To me, there is something comforting and sexy in that alone. I wonder how many women out there right now are wearing white cotton bikini cut underwear and whatever shirt they wore to work that day.

Lindsay Lohan

LINDSAY LOHAN BY TERRY RICHARDSON FOR LOVE MAGAZINE

Lindsay Lohan is an excellent model who can work any look; however, there is something standout about this style. I love how her retro high-waisted underwear feels just a little bit queer. Yes, she is wearing the omnipresent virginal white satin lingerie set that was probably worn by plenty of our grandmothers back in the day. Still, no one really dresses like this anymore. With the exception of Spanx and other “shapewear” high-waisted underwear is largely a thing of the past. I think there’s something spectacularly sexy in reclaiming super high underwear as an option. It’s like pretending old world Hollywood glamour could ever be as good as we imagine and pretend it might have been. I know, starting off our underwear styles with Lindsay Lohan does feel a little bit like starting dinner with chocolate cake, but I promise the best is yet to come.

Romi Klinger

ROMI KLINGER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROBIN ROEMER

If you’re not quite prepared to go full on retro Lindsay Lohan, Romi’s look offers an alternative that alludes to that same classic pin-up feel without having satin fabric all the way up your waist. That’s probably not going to work with most of your jeans. Romi’s mid-rise hipster-cut lace underwear is flattering and, in my personal opinion, outrageously comfortable. The stretchy lace removes the need for uncomfortable elastic waistbands and, with that, panty lines. She pairs it here with a similarly retro full coverage balconette bra, but it could just as easily be paired with anything black and lacy.

Beth Ditto

VIA VIA TMAGAZINE.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM

Never one to play it simple, Beth Ditto’s look is both clashing and coordinating. The bright purple and dark turquoise are unexpected yet complement each other so nicely. It’s easy to get stuck on ideas about what underwear should or shouldn’t look like. I think this is particularly true if you’re on the bustier or smaller side and feel like you have fewer options. I love this look because it reminds me that underwear doesn’t have to be all about perfectly matchy matchy tan, white, red or black lace sets. Underwear can be as patterned and crazy as anything else.

Kate Moennig

ICONIC

I have to be honest when I say this look is important to me. I know I probably sound silly, but I believe this underwear, and the whole slew of underwear Shane wore on the L Word, sends a very specific and earth shattering message. It says, “This is something I am wearing for the intentionally for the purpose of being attractive to queer women.” There can be no mistaking it. Yes, we also have “comfortable,” “athletic,” “cute” and “sexy.” Those styles are no less queer or less attractive. Still, I have to admit I find something important and powerful in plain cotton whitey-tighties that sends such a strong singular message. Plus it’s really hot.

Underwear is personal, fun and for every ounce about fashion it’s an ounce about comfort. What all these awesome women have in common is that they own the skin they’re in and the skivvies they’re in too.
Sure you can always stick to your same old underwear, but there’s not reason not to try something new. No one will see it but you. Unless you want them to.

If there’s a queer style icon you’d like to see stripped down in Style Thief, send me an ASS message, ask on my formspring, or tweet me @Ohheyitslizz

VIDEO: Unicorn Plan-It Episode 204 “Across The YOUniverse”

Are you ready for another smokin’ spicy hot Unicorn Plan-It fajita of sizzling lesbian sexiness?? Because it’s definitely time. Strap on your scissor bumps and cuddle up with your favorite unicorns!

Behind-the-scenes shots! Pew pew!

UNICORN PLAN-IT is a tight little comedy best described as Modern Family meets The Office meets “a bunch of hot lesbians in Los Angeles.” Has anyone made a real comedy about that last one? Three co-workers, one crazy boss and one enlightened fairy-tale-haired spiritual healer face the slings and arrows of everyday life as event planners and ladylovers. This show is written, directed, produced and edited by Real Lesbian Females who want to make you laugh, make you proud of who you are and generally make your life better in every way. Who are these females? The fantastic cast includes Haviland Stillwell (TV/Broadway Actress, recording artist, voice of Raquelle on Barbie: Life In The Dreamhouse), Ashley Reed (screenwriter/producer, playwright, once recorded a song for you), Sarah Croce (Actress, Miss April, Girl Talk, Fake-Whitney), comedian Sherri D. Sutton, and actors Amir Levi and Catherine Wadkins. Season 2 also promises guest appearances by Oscar Nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love, Monster) and Deborah S. Craig (Hart of Dixie). And for this season, Director K. Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures has joined the unicorn team!

Keep up with UNICORN PLAN-IT:

VIDEO: Unicorn Plan-It Episode 203 “Kiss Kiss Dang Dang”

Hey unicorns, have you spent the past six weeks anxiously awaiting the next installment of everyone’s favorite lesbian webseries? Duh, of course you have. Episode 202, “Awkward/Awesome”, was funny and sexy and perfect, but it left us with so many questions! We need to know if Harmony and Bambi are rising in love together, if poor Miguel has finally convinced J to take a shower, and if ~~Sarah Croce and Ashley Reed~~ I mean Keesha and Vic can continue to outdo themselves every fucking episode with the best lesbromance the world has ever seen. These are Serious Questions, ya know? Today is a day for Serious Answers. (Or not — you’ve gotta watch the episode to find out!)

this is a gratuitous screenshot of ash and croce because why the fuck not

this is a gratuitous screenshot of ash and croce because i said so

Okay, everyone scissor-bump in anticipation. Are we ready?! I feel ready. FYI, this episode is gonna teach you that flexibility is essential and that’s true, so feel free to stretch while you watch. Personally I’m in child’s pose right now but I think Harmony would be impressed with any yoga position you can muster up. So take a deep breath and get ready to get horny with Episode 203. Om.

Three co-workers, one crazy boss and one enlightened fairy-tale-haired spiritual healer face the slings and arrows of everyday life as event planners and ladylovers.

Season 2 also promises guest appearances by Oscar Nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love, Monster) and Deborah S. Craig (Hart of Dixie).

And for this season, Director K. Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures has joined the unicorn team!

Keep up with UNICORN PLAN-IT:

VIDEO: Unicorn Plan-It Episode 202 “Awkward/Awesome”

Good morning, election hangover! Happy Obama! Are you ready to give your ears and eyes over to the likes of Haviland Stillwell, Sarah Croce and Ashley Reed? I know, me too. Thank goddess we’ve been gifted with a new episode of Unicorn Plan-It!

In Awkward/Awesome, we’re just really happy to have these people playing for our team. Let’s not wait any longer; be our guest:

And because I can’t get enough of this Season 2 promo video:

Three co-workers, one crazy boss and one enlightened fairy-tale-haired spiritual healer face the slings and arrows of everyday life as event planners and ladylovers.

Season 2 also promises guest appearances by Oscar Nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love, Monster) and Deborah S. Craig (Hart of Dixie).

And for this season, Director K. Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures has joined the unicorn team!

Keep up with UNICORN PLAN-IT:

VIDEO! “Words With Girls” Episode 5: Mimicry

Happy Wednesday. Here’s a new episode of Words With Girls for you. It’s the longest one yet which obviously means it’s the best. In this episode, Brittani and Hannah are dating. Maybe. But they can’t be. But are they? Guess you have to watch and see for yourself.

WORDS WITH GIRLS is a mostly scripted but part-improv comedy webseries that focuses on 20-somethings in Los Angeles. When they’re not busy navigating “the scene” or jumpstarting their careers, these women do what the young, gifted and bored do best: shoot the shit. The episodes will showcase the friendship and witty banter of a few women that happen to like women. Word to the Bechdel Test.

Per the usual, you may subscribe to the youtube channel which seems foreign and scary but it’s not, I promise. I did a horrible job of putting make-up on my girlfriend the other day AKA queered a youtube tag. These are the kinds of things you are missing by not being subscribed. We are doing important work. You should also like us on facebook because that is how our society shows approval and follow us on Tumblr because that’s how gays show their approval. As always, we appreciate the support and/or pity. Thank you.

VIDEO – The Premiere Is Here: Unicorn Plan-It Episode 201 “And So It Is”

Hold on to your trousers because Unicorn Plan-It Season 2 is finally here! We’ve been anxiously anticipating UPI’s return with a series of hilarious interviews with the cast and crew and now your patience has paid off. If you’re new here, Unicorn Plan-It is Autostraddle’s first scripted web series and is badass because it takes you seriously and it’s f*cking funny. You can catch up with Season 1 and all of the UPI goings on. Here’s a quick refresher, in case you missed it:

Three co-workers, one crazy boss and one enlightened fairy-tale-haired spiritual healer face the slings and arrows of everyday life as event planners and ladylovers.

Season 2 also promises guest appearances by Oscar Nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love, Monster) and Deborah S. Craig (Hart of Dixie).

And for this season, Director K. Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures has joined the unicorn team!

So get your giant bowl of Swedish fish and get ready to watch some shit go down on this Season 2 premiere episode, “And So It Is.”

This season on Unicorn Plan-It:

Keep up with UNICORN PLAN-IT:

UNICORN PLAN-IT’s Ashley Reed, Sarah Croce, and Haviland Stillwell: The Autostraddle Interview

by vanessa & carmen

As you must surely know if you’ve been reading this website at all in the past week, UNICORN PLAN-IT is returning to your computer screens in just a hot minute! Season 2 premieres on October 3rd and it’s going to be bigger, better and hornier. Lucky for us, since the show is created by Autostraddle superstars and is an exclusive Autostraddle lesbian webseries, we were able to score interviews with the smart, sexy, funny ladies who run ~~the world~~ UNICORN PLAN-IT (but also the world). They told us how they came up with the idea for the show, what it’s like to write the episodes, and they even shared a few juicy spoilers.

Beretta at Revolver is hosting the Season 2 Premiere Party this Tuesday, October 2nd at 6:30pm, so if you’re in LA make sure to check it out. The show premieres for the rest of us on Wednesday, October 3rd, right in the comfort of your very own computer screen. Stay hungry, stay horny.

The Autostraddle Interview: UNICORN PLAN-IT Creators Haviland Stillwell, Ashley Reed and Sarah Croce

Creators of UNICORN PLAN-IT: Croce, Haviland and Ashley
photo by Sabrina Bringuier

AS: How did you guys come up with Unicorn Plan-It? Tell us the birthing story, if you will.

Sarah Croce: Haviland, Ashley, Brandy, Julie, Alex and I were all at The Abbey having brunch.

Ashley Reed: I think we were joking around and Croce said, “Bro, I would do a webseries if you would do one, we could just get together and we could just, like, write one.” And I was like, “Yeah, dude, let’s do it, let’s write a webseries, why not?” totally thinking that this is like most things you talk about at The Abbey . . . it will never really happen.

Haviland Stillwell: Riese has always wanted a scripted webseries on Autostraddle, so I felt that if we got a great idea together and made it ourselves and kept it low key, it would be a really good addition to Autostraddle. I thought perhaps it could grow into something more, and it would be a great way to showcase our talents and to use lots of great friends of ours doing the things that they do best.

AS: The characters on UNICORN PLAN-IT are each really strong personalities. Which character do you identify with the most and which character would you most like to date?

SC: I identify the most with Vick. She’s more with it than Keesha, witty, funny — not that I’m either of those things, but I’d like to be. She’s just more confident, and very aware of what’s going on. If I could hook up with any character, I mean, I would hook up with Bambi, but I would worry that she’d be a Stage Five Clinger. And Harmony is way too airy fairy, she’s not my type.

AR: I think I identify with Vick and Keesha. Vick has a little bit of me and a little bit of Croce, and Keesha has a little bit of me and a little bit of Croce. I’m probably more Keesha than Vick, and Croce is more Vick than Keesha. We thought that would be fun. Harmony is probably my type. Yes, Harmony. However, there are some really unbelievably hot go-go dancers. Back in the day I probably would have dated them, too. Harmony and all of the go-go dancers.

HS: I probably would identify most if you mixed Harmony and J into one person, and I would want to go on a threesome date with Harmony and Vick.

photo by Sabrina Bringuier

AS: So help us get to know your respective characters. What are their favorite foods, what do they order at the bar, what do they want from life?

HS: Well, since Harmony was best friends in college with Bambi, I like to think that Harmony was on a very specific path. Her path was the path of a Wall Street girl or something like that, very business-minded, getting things done, being super business-oriented. There is a flashback in this season that kind of shows her being in her Bette Porter mode a little bit. So you know, there’s definitely more of an element of that in her back story. I think there was an awakening that happened with her where she sort of woke up one day — metaphorically — and said to herself, “You know, there’s more than just this work work work, work-for-the-man kind of mentality, things are changing and I can contribute to the world in a really positive way.”

AR: Vick’s favorite food is definitely sushi. I think that Vick is one of those — she kind of orders at the bar, and what she orders depends on the nearest girl she is trying to pick up. For instance, if it was Riese at the bar and Riese was having her Scotch, then she would definitely order a Scotch to try and subtly pick up Riese. Whereas if it was Haviland, she would have vodka and she’d be like, “Oh, I’m drinking water, too!”

SC: Okay. Keesha, her favorite brunch food is scrambled eggs and cheese. She’s modeled a little bit like Kelso from That 70’s Show, and Keanu Reeves — she’s just kind of like, “I’m just gonna have fun,” but you know, she’s a little slow, a little dumber than your average character. She likes lady drinks, things with all sorts of fruit juices and stuff — she’s kind of like a grown-up kid. She’s incredibly emotionally promiscuous, so she will fall in love with women like that, but she never gets laid.

Ash, Croce and Hav or Vick, Keesha and Harmony?

AS: You brought on a new director, Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures, this season. How did that happen and how did it change things?

AR: Rocco and I were hanging out at the bar . . . I guess everything that happens around UNICORN PLAN-IT happens at a bar. She said, “Hey, what’s your plans for Season 2? I’d love to be involved.” So then I took it back to the girls and said, “You know, Rocco mentioned wanting to be involved, and I’m a huge fan of her work.” Then it just happened. It was kind of a touch and go, she was super busy so I was hoping it would work out with her schedule, and it did. She was a major asset. I love that girl.

HS: We wanted to get better and Rocco could bring certain elements that we didn’t have. We weren’t directors first, we were actors and writers first. She said, “You know, I can help you with some things, let’s roll with this.” So that’s what we did.

AS: We really can’t wait to see it. Can you describe a little bit what the writing process is like for you guys?

AR: We hang out for about an hour until Haviland gets nervous and says, “Guys! We should work!’ and then Croce gets out her computer and we start kicking around ideas until I get distracted and I start rattling off and talking to myself.

SC: I’m the fastest typer so I do the transcribing, and we basically just improv all the scenes and character voices, and it’s amazing. The best thing is that whenever Ashley or I say something really disgusting or off-base Haviland will always be like, “Ew, guys, I don’t know,” and then I’ll say, “Put it the script!” That’s our game.

HS: The writing process is very funny, because I work with two really smart girls who both have ADD and they are both brilliant and talented and I generally have to remind myself to calm down. Ashley is really good with dialogue, she is a writer first and an excellent screenwriter and playwright so she comes up with really incredible dialogue. Sarah is really excellent with cutting to the chase with things, and I tend to expound greatly.

AR: [Haviland] struggles [with our working styles], but she’s the backbone of Unicorn. She’s the form of UNICORN PLAN-IT. She holds it, she’s like the organizer, the whip cracker. She keeps everything together, she keeps us on point. Me and Croce, we’ll get to the shoot and be like, “Dude, can I borrow your script?” and she’ll be like, “G-d damn it, you guys!” She’s got her shit together, clearly she is a put together lady.

maybe at this exact moment haviland was saying “ewwww”

AS: That sounds really fun. Can you talk about what being on set is like? Is being on set just as fun? Was it different this season with Rocco there?

AR: Being on set is awesome and we love it. It’s really fun. Shooting days are long and crazy, but they are awesomely funny — there’s usually a wrangler. There’s a lot of improv and we’re encouraged to be crazy and really go with the scene, but at the same time there’s somebody who’s there with a hook, you know, waiting to reel me in. We show up with six different costumes because we are shooting six different episodes.

HS: Filming is really fun. It’s my favorite part, definitely. It’s what we prepare for and just as a person, I love being on the set. It’s very funny. We built more improv into our script this season because we knew, for instance, Ashley is incredible at improv, as is Sherri, so we wanted to let them go with a lot of stuff. We had an entire scene that we let Sherri just improv. We said, “Here’s what needs to happen, and what you need to get to by the end of this, but we just want you to roll with it.” Rocco directed it really well and Sherri totally understood what we were going for and we have clips we are going to post that are behind the scenes of us trying not to laugh out loud. We were turning purple laughing at her during the filming.

AR: It’s nuts — you basically have to stay on point and pay attention and know your lines, and if you don’t you better be good at winging it. Croce and I are usually in scenes together and I’ll be like, “Oh, and this is the part where we start making it up because we don’t know where the hell we are.”

photo by Sabrina Bringuier

AS: Who is the funniest person on set? Who is the funniest person in the world? Is Brittani Nichols the funniest person in the world? Yes, this is a real question.

AR: Brittani Nichols’ hair is the fucking funniest person in the world. That is my final answer. Her hair is so funny, her hair is funnier than my dad — and my dad is pretty funny. Sherri’s improvs made me wet my pants, so I will probably have to give it up to Sherri for funniest on set. Deborah S. Craig is in Season 2, she plays one of my hookups and she is the funniest shit you’ve ever seen. It would be a toss up between Sherri and her. Deborah pulled some shit on me that was just unreal. She did some of the funniest shit I’ve ever seen, ever. She was in a corset and drooling, that’s all I’ll say.

SC: Oh fuck. It’s hard to answer that because everyone is funny in different ways. Brittani Nichols, for instance, is so funny that like, you don’t get it for another two minutes. For instance, her production company is called Nichols & Dimes which is genius. As far as improv and delivery, I would say Ashley and Sherri are tied in funny. Sherri is a comedian, so her improv is awesome. Delivery, Ashley owns it, she always nails it. I’m editing it and I’m like, “Goddammit, how does she do that? Teach me how to do it.” The funniest person I’ve ever met in my entire life… [laughs] It’s a really hard question. Julie Goldman, I would say. Yes, for sure.

HS: Ashley is funniest, for sure. Although Sherri would be very close by her side. And just the collective, it’s a funny ensemble. Wait, who is the funniest person on the planet? Brittani Nichols. Yes, absolutely. She did work on our set. We gave her the title of ‘best boi,’ because she kind of did a little bit of everything for our crew and was super amazing. We are really happy she came and helped out. And she has a cameo, she’s in two episodes — really quick cameos.

AS: I want one of the interns to Photoshop a picture of Brittani in a unicorn suit, on a unicorn, in a TV.

via amazeballs intern geneva

AS: Okay, let’s get real for a minute. We have three Really Important Questions. Ahem. Sarah … what was it like to be on The Real L Word, even if just for a moment?

SC: Okay. To be on TRLW was awkward. The one time they got me I was at Lauren’s house, chilling with her and Amanda. I knew Lauren pretty well, and we’d hung out before, not with cameras or microphones. You are insanely aware of what comes out of your mouth, and when you go to the bathroom you’re like, “Are they listening to me pee? This is so awkward.” There was this sound guy outside of the bathroom, listening to me peeing. Since I know crew production, I just turned my mic off when I was peeing, or when I felt like it was a good idea. [Laughs.] It was whatever — I haven’t watched this season, I gather that I’m in the background a lot more than I thought I was.

AS: Ashley, this is the golden question on all lesbian minds: What was it like to be sort of sexy with Sarah Croce?

AR: Wow. [Pause.] It was really awkward, really fast, and a head bump was involved. Yeah, we didn’t use our talents. [Pause.] No, I’m just kidding. It was really funny, and then afterwards I felt really used and I’m like, “Oh my God, this is what it feels like, you’re such a dick, you made me hate myself.” And then I was like, “Come back, though.”

photo by Sabrina Bringuier

AS: Ha! Somewhat related, our third Really Important Question is, what’s your Hot 100 strategy this year?

HS: Gosh, I don’t like to say that I do anything that is motivated by wanting people to like me, I try and do things that I love and that I feel will make things better for the world in general. Cue the Michael Jackson song right now.

SC: Oh my G-d. [Laughs.] Okay, [valley girl voice] for my Hot 100 next year I’m going to run a really strategic campaign and mostly take pictures next to Mollie Thomas and get her PR rep, and we’re collectively going to run for Miss California together. It’s going to be like, Miss and Miss California — His and Hers — and I think that the more PR I get, the more likely I’ll get to be on the Hot 100 . . .

AS: [Laughs] We just know that you did actively campaign for the Hot 100 . . .

SC: That was one comment! I just wrote one comment, because I thought it was hilarious . . . and it fucking worked.

AS: Sarah Croce, ladies and gentlewomen. Okay, bringing it back to the serious stuff: What was your favorite episode or scene in Season 1?

AR: I really liked the release episode. I believe that is the fourth one. I directed that one and it was me and Lauren in the back of the U-Haul watching them do that scene. By the time we were done we were both bright red and I said, “I need a break.” So, that was really awesome.

SC: My favorite episode from Season 1 is the Parkour episode, where [laughs] I don’t really remember anything else except that shot of Ashley trying to Parkour down the wall and falling [laughs] it was so funny. I had to keep it. I was like, ‘This shot is a total accident and I have to keep it.” It cracks me up every time, and as long as it’s funny we want it.

if you don’t remember this scene go back and watch season 1 again right now

AS: Can you give us any spoilers for Season 2?

HS: I can tell you a juicy spoiler: I am, for the first time ever in my acting career, kissing a girl on camera.

SC: Season 2, episode 6 — it’s a spoiler that is far away, so you have to watch the whole season. There’s a huge party, and it’s gorgeous, there’s incredible lighting and . . . my character finds the love of her life. For the night, I mean.

AS: Oh boy — that’s reason enough to watch the whole season, right?! But finally, we’re already anxious to know — will there be a Season 3?

AR: I mean, I would like there to be a Season 3. If people are still laughing at us, you know? And if there’s a way, sure, I’ll play any day.

HS: We are always thinking about opportunities. As far as UNICORN right now, we are really just trying to edit the best product we can to get it out and to just keep on breathing. Right now we are focusing on post-production for Season 2, and we are bringing in a lot more elements, like different music and a different style. But who knows – there are lots of things up our sleeves for what can happen after Season 2.

photo by Sabrina Bringuier

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UNICORN PLAN-IT Is BACK: Director K. Rocco Shields Talks Season Two

Hello everyone, I have some really huge news that I think you’re gonna want to hear. Ready?

Season 2 of UNICORN PLAN-IT, Autostraddle’s first ever original narrative series, premieres in just over one week! Yes, it’s true — the show is back and it’s going to be bigger, better and hornier.

Creators of UNICORN PLAN-IT: Croce, Haviland and Ashley
photo by Sabrina Bringuier

Carmen and I took on some serious investigative reporting and interviewed the cast and their new director to get all the juicy details about this upcoming season, and we’ll be sharing those little tidbits with you over the next 10 days. But before we dive into Very Important Questions — like for example each actor’s favorite brunch food — let’s take a stroll down memory lane to the premiere of the series, because it was a really big deal.

Do you remember? It was August 2011. There was no new Real L Word and no new Glee. A-Camp wasn’t a thing. You hadn’t donated over $100,000 to help us build a new home.

The world was a different place. To be honest, I have no idea what the majority of us were even doing. The cast and crew of UNICORN PLAN-IT, however, were taking the initiative to make lesbians laugh with art that matters. In case you need a refresher, here’s the deal:

Three co-workers, one crazy boss and one enlightened fairy-tale-haired spiritual healer face the slings and arrows of everyday life as event planners and ladylovers.

The fantastic cast includes Haviland Stillwell (TV/Broadway Actress, recording artist, voice of Raquelle on BARBIE LIFE IN THE DREAMHOUSE), Ashley Reed (screenwriter/producer, playwright, once recorded a song for you), Sarah Croce (Actress, Miss April, Girl Talk, Fake-Whitney), comedian Sherri D. Sutton, and actors Amir Levi and Catherine Wadkins.

Season 2 also promises guest appearances by Oscar Nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love, Monster) and Deborah S. Craig (Hart of Dixie).

And for this season, Director K. Rocco Shields of WingSpan Pictures has joined the unicorn team!

We’ve been anxiously anticipating the October 3 premiere that will take place right here on Autostraddle, and to deal with our enthusiasm we’re going to help you get to know the wonderful women (and dude) who are responsible for making this masterpiece happen.

Also! If you really can’t wait, Beretta at Revolver has you covered. They will host the Season 2 Premiere Party on October 2 at 6:30pm, so if you’re in LA make sure to check it out — meet and scissor bump the cast and crew, participate in the GET HORNY photo campaign, and try your hardest to work Croce’s magic on her. Season 2, Episode 1 screens at 9pm, followed by a raffle for UNICORN PLAN-IT t-shirts and other fun prizes. Plus your photo may end up on Autostraddle the morning after — who can resist?!

Keep up with UNICORN PLAN-IT: