Masterpiece Mystery

I went to Boston and shot my third season as host of Masterpiece Mystery on PBS.

The Good Wife

I joined the first season of The Good Wife on CBS as a guest star to play Eli Gold for a few episodes. The show stars Julianna Margulies as Alicia, whose politician husband, played by Chris Noth, has been involved in a sex scandal.

Playing Eli is fascinating for me because he is a grown-up. He is a man in a suit. They even put grey in my hair, which is quite funny considering my hair was colored, so they were actually putting grey on top of color on top of grey! He is an image consultant, a reputation rehabilitator, and he is Jewish. He is a million miles away from me. Also I was filming in gaps between shooting Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera, in which I play a club door whore with black nail varnish and Comme des Garcons outfits, so the whole experience was a little schizophrenic.

But I learned something.  Initially I thought I didn't understand Eli, he seemd so far away from me and I was unused to the process of TV series acting. But then I just altered my opinion of him and instead of thinking I don't relate to him because he has a life that I don't comprehend, I thought he is exotic like every human being and I can understand that.

Burlesque

Burlesque is set in a Burlesque bar in Los Angeles, run by Cher. As my character, the door whore Alexis, constantly says 'We may not have windows but we do have the best view on the Sunset Strip'.

Christina Aguilera arrives in town and soon becomes the star of the Burlesque show, but danger is near at hand as Cher may have to sell the club to a nasty developer. The film also stars Stanley Tucci, Eric Dane, Kristen Bell, Julianne Hough and Cam Gigandet.

Here's a video I made on my last day of shooting, and my big number that was eventually cut from the film...

Alan Cumming: Uncut at Joe's Pub

I did a version of I Bought A Blue Car Today, wth some new songs and materials and renamed Alan Cumming:Uncut at Joe's Pub on January 11th.

Of course it was partly 'new year, new title', but mostly it was that I was so bored of telling the story of why the show and the album was so called that made me come up with another title.  (I still did the tell the story though, in the course of telling this very story that I was bored of telling!)

The Lady

I wrote a diary piece for The Lady magazine.

i Bought A Blue Car Today - Geffen Playhouse

Back by popular demand! We made a return visit to the Geffen Playhouse and performed the latest version of I Bought A Blue Car Today for a week.

The 83rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

This was one of the most surreal mornings of my year. I was drawn through the streets of NYC aboard the M&M's Broadway float, and then sang That's Life live on national television, all part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

When Alan Cumming met Stanley Baxter

Stanley Baxter is a childhood idol of mine so I was delighted to get the chance to make this BBC Scotland documentary with him.

I Bought A Blue Car Today Sydney/Brisbane

I returned to the Sydney Opera House for five more shows and also went to Brisbane to do one night at the Powerhouse.  This time the band consisted of Lance Horne on piano, Rachel Maio on cello and me! It was a really paired down version of the show but I really liked it.  I have always enjoyed singing with the cello, and it made the songs even more emotionally charged with my voice being one of only three sound sources onstage.  I was sort of dreading it but I really came to love this way of doing the show. And of course, I love the aussies!

How to be the life and soul of the party!

MAC Cosmetics asked me to write an article for thier magazine about how to be the life and soul of the party, and they liked it so much that they asked me to make it into a little film.  And so I did! My friend Ned Stresen-Reuter shot it and I think it is esential viewing for any potential partier.