Looks great in her mid 30's..

 

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Deborah Gibson: Still Electric

 

An exclusive chat with the pop princess about her new pairing with Jordan Knight, being a gay icon, and her crusade to out boy band members (just kidding).

 

 

I have only spent the night on a sidewalk to buy concert tickets for two people; Deborah Gibson is one of them. Because of her, I became obsessed with vests that I still own, never wear, and can’t seem to throw away. I spent every day during the summer of 1988 watching her Out of The Blue Tour on video until the tape finally broke, and I had to save up for a replacement. I still know all the moves to “Electric Youth.†No matter how rough my life was—from being picked on in school to coming out at 19—her music and attitude always inspired me to stay positive. All these years later, I got to have a chat with someone who was absolutely my teen idol. A conversation with the resilient Deborah Gibson I thought could happen (forgive me for this one) only in my dreams.

 

You’ve had quite a year! The indie film you made—Coffee Date—is generating good buzz at film festivals, you took a spin on the ice rink on Skating With Celebrities, you’ve performed at several pride festivals, and currently you have a duet with former New Kid Jordan Knight rising up the adult contemporary charts. You must be feeling good!

 

Thank you and I am!

 

I just saw your debut performance with Jordan at an APLA event and I instantly felt like I was 14 again. You both looked and sounded amazing and as though neither of you have aged a day since 1989. How did this pairing happen?

 

[Laughs] We actually have a mutual friend at Trans Con, the record label, and he suggested it to both of us. We were both really into it. And I think we both use Oil of Olay to stay looking young!

 

After being absent for a decade, what does it mean to you to have a song on the charts now?

 

I know I have been absent from the charts, but I hardly feel like I’ve been absent. I never stop working so I don’t have time to think about things like chart positions. I don’t live and die by the ups or the downs which is how I stay sane! I recently saw an old interview of Brenda Lee’s and she said the same thing. Us troopers just do what we do!

 

You are in a new movie, Coffee Date, which has been playing at all of the gay film festivals. Tell me a little about it.

 

My character craves drama. So when I think that Todd, the lead character, is gay, I suddenly become interested in him. I swear I didn’t draw on any real-life experience. [Laughs] I basically play the office hussy! The film is so great. I have a tiny role, but I also did the song over the end credits. The cast is amazing, in particular my buddies Wilson Cruz and Jonathan Silverman and my new buddies since doing the film, Jonathan Bray and Sally Kirkland.

 

In the trailer for Coffee Date, I nearly spit up my drink when they cut to you on top of Todd yelling, “Do you want to fHannah Montannak me or not?†First Playboy and now this!

 

I never, ever swear. It was far more shocking to hear me say that than it was for my friends to see me naked! After Cabaret, Gypsy, and Chicago they were like “That ol’ body? Whateva!â€

 

Now that you have our attention, what are three things that people would be surprised to know about you?

 

I am intense and tortured despite my sunny disposition. I have not taken a beach vacation in eight years ’cause I love to work. And I have never lived with anyone; I have a clean slate in the man department!

 

At what point in your career did you realize you were becoming a gay icon?

 

Oh, God—probably as a teenager when I saw myself being done in drag! I think all the gay clubs I played in the beginning of my career and my work in the theater has brought me closer to the gay audience. It is the only audience that allows me to segue from a Funny Girl song to “Electric Youth†and doesn’t get confused! There is no more loyal an audience. I hope we all grow old and gray together. Or, old and bottle blonde!

 

Earlier this year, you chose the ultimate in gay sports and were robbed on the show Skating With Celebrities. You were definitely the most improved and had no prior experience. Did you at least continue skating?

 

Why weren’t you a judge? I knew going into it that reality TV is political. I think the fact that Kurt and I were so drama free hurt us. We were boring television ’cause we were like throwbacks to another era. It was Dick Van Dyke on ice! I was skating every month but haven’t been in several months and I am going through withdrawal!

 

Recently our mutual friend Lance Bass came out publicly. Having thrived in the same pop landscape as the New Kids and then touring a couple of years ago with NSYNC, how do you think the public’s acceptance/perception has changed since, say, 1989?

 

Not enough, being that it is still front-page news. We will know it really changed when people say “who cares?†and they move on. But with the landscape being what it is and the Bible Belt folks still thumpin’ those Bibles, I am proud of him.

 

Do you think a member of an active boy band could ever come out?

 

I think pretty much every boy band has a gay member anyway so I wish they would! The idea of a boy band is that there is one boy for everyone, so they should purposely hire one gay member!

 

I can see the headline now: “Debbie Gibson On Crusade to Out Boy Band Members!†Do you think our society will ever be able to embrace an openly out pop princess?

 

I swear, sometimes I wish I was a lesbian just so I could be your poster child! I hope so. Now that would be cool! I mean, really, who cares? The whole romantic fantasy of your pop crush is just that: a fantasy. So what’s the difference if they’re gay or straight? I was in love with George Michael and he was never gonna love me back whether he’s gay or straight, but I can still be in love with him!

 

Well said. You fought off the Playboy offers for years. What made you finally change your mind?

 

I was truly not even thinking about the nudity. That’s what made me want to do it. I thought, I know that I’m a free spirit but no one else knows. I mean, being in the theater and changing in the wings—you can only remain modest for so long!

 

So you actually found it liberating?

 

It was my version of skydiving!

 

Speaking of body issues, the tabloids are reporting that you are dating fellow Grease-alum Lorenzo Lamas. Isn’t that a lot of pressure from the man who determined who was “Hot or Not�

 

[Laughing] I’m so far from the “hot chick†anyway, so it doesn’t matter. People like me for other reasons. A personality will never require Botox!

 

I’m dying to know. Has he ever taken out his laser pen on you?

 

I’m getting him on the other line to ask him what that means. I didn’t watch the show. He said he gets asked all the time if he has one, but he doesn’t! It’s so funny ’cause he is such a warm and evolved man—not at all the guy with the laser pen!

 

You hit it big at 17. How do you think you would’ve handled success had the media been like it is today?

 

I would have hated it. I still get told, “To have a hit record, you have to lose weight, hit the red carpet in a trendy dress, and date a young, hot actor.†How about making great music?

 

Excellent question! When can we expect more great music out of you?

 

I recently met a fab writer/producer named Neal Pogue. He has worked with too many hot acts to name—Google him. He and I are collaborating and planning on turning some heads. So I am working on new stuff and as soon as I feel I have the undeniable hits, I will release it. I don’t want to cash in on the kitsch factor and live off my past. I am still young and ready to compete with the “it†girls.

 

And in the meantime, you will be playing Nellie in the Fresno Grand Opera’s stage revival of South Pacific. What is your dream Broadway role?

 

Well, this is one of them. I can be caught many an afternoon alone in my house belting “Cockeyed Optimistâ€! But my dream is to revive They’re Playing Our Song.

 

If you were to look into a crystal ball that tells the future, what is Deborah Gibson doing at 50?

 

Honey—that’s not that far off! I would say VEGAS!

 

OK, it’s late and I am going to let you go to bed, but before I do, there’s something I’ve got to know. Do you still have your hat collection, and whatever became of the infamous bolero-style hat?

 

Ha! It’s in storage. I recently threw out a ton of clothing but I still kept all of my tour costumes. I’m a sentimental fool!

 

 

Yea, but she might not find the 'undeniable hits'.

 

Hope she has another go, especially she is looking hot.

Maybe she needs to work with Timbaland

he can d efitinely bring her back on top again :D

and maybe then she will be able to compete with todays "IT" girls :)

The biggest problem I had with Debbie is that she was the Gary Barlow to Kylie (Robbie Williams).

 

IE. She was unquestionably talented, she wrote & produced most of her own material & was a more than competent pianist & was a very good singer. (I remember reading a few reviews back in 1989 when she supported Bros at Wembley Stadium - and they were all complimentary towards her performance especially in comparison to Bros).

 

However she lacked that certain charisma/X-Factor that the less talented Kylie clearly had & she was also not able (or willing) to take risks with her image or sound that Kylie did, until it was too late for her.

 

Having said that she does look great now (she never did in her heyday IMHO), like a cross between Olivia Newton-John meets Barbra Streisand. While as a seasoned Broadway performer, she is probably a better singer than Britney Spears ever will be.

OMG I hardly recognised her :lol:

shoe loks hotdoesn´t she :) i think her rival tiffany

will make a comeback too :P

She looks alot better now! Cant wait to hear the songs!

Debbie's last UK single was the duet with Craig McLachlan on You're The One That I Want from Grease: The Musical back in 1993, reached No.13, her last solo single was Shock Your Mama in the same year which peaked at No.74.

 

Since then she's released albums in the US, but nothing over here although the self-titled album 'Deborah' was released over here on import in the late 90s.

 

Her last album was MYOB released a few years ago, i've heard it and it was really good.

 

Tiffany's album was The Color of Silence which was released on Import over here a few years ago, and was actually very good.

 

Her most recent album Dust Off and Dance came out last year, i've only heard one song from it (Ride It) but that was quite good. As the title suggests it was a dance album.

 

 

she was good enough in her day and she has talent but singing and writing, if the material is good she could do well this time round also

she looks great and she was really talented writing and producing her own material, i remember reading that britney spears early career was based on hers, she was like the britney of the 80s but she wasn't sexual she was very wholesome no edge at all, songs like 'only in my dreams' and 'foolish beat' are really good, she needs a super producer if she wants to make it again a duet with 'her so called rival' tiffany is a great idea!! :cheer:

Maybe she needs to work with Timbaland

he can d efitinely bring her back on top again :D

and maybe then she will be able to compete with todays "IT" girls :)

 

I really hope she doesn't decide to work with Timberland. There are too many artists trying to do the so called "in thing" by producing this particular style music, rather than developing their own unique style. It's almost become a marketing plot to relaunch failing record careers. ie. Nelly Furtado

but she need to work with hot producers to get back on n top again

or else she might fail i want her to be succesfull again.

but she need to work with hot producers to get back on n top again

or else she might fail i want her to be succesfull again.

 

But there are plenty of other producers she could work with. There are too many people trying to work with Timberland in order to try and make a quick buck and besides, I hate that style of music and I don't think it would particularly suit Debbie Gibson. She is more of a pop act and thats what she does best, not urban.

she should do good solid pop music ,return with solid pop like kylie did back in 2000

she should do good solid pop music ,return with solid pop like kylie did back in 2000

 

kylie is a pop icon not some washed up useless popstar who needs to get her baps out in playboy for publicity to reignite her career!!! totally different kind of level

i know they are as kylie is a legend, but my point was the right song image and video and she could return