by Lynette Alice

Created on: November 21, 2008

On April 24, 2007 the Big Gay Sketch Show (BGSS) made it's debut on the LOGO Network making it the first American sketch show with a primarily gay cast basing their humor on primarily gay themes. The show was modeled on predecessos of the sketch genre like Saturday Night Live, MadTV, and In Living Color. The reviews were mixed which was to be expected but the BGSS showed more than enough to reappear for a second season in 2008 returning many of it's original actors and establishing itself as what may be a cornerstone of the network for years to come.

Behind the scenes the show is produced by Rosie O'Donnell who thus fat has managed to keep herself off the set aside from some comedic quips delivered with Chastity Bono from a balcony much like the old men from the Muppets Show. Amanda Bearse best remembered by many as Marcy Darcey from Married With Children has the directorial duties. With years of experience directing MadTV she brings that same basic style with a tougher edge to BGSS which has made it a favorite of many viewers gay and straight alike.

In front of the camera the cast has seen very litle turnover with only Dion Flynn and Michael Serrato leaving the cast. Paolo Andino and Coleman Domingo stepped into their slots and quickly established themselves as favorites with their signature charachters. Andino's "Naldo" is a laugh riot as the unsuspecting latin hunk that draws men from far and near to see him on the job moving boxes. His innocent statements are quickly oohed and aahed over by his admireres prompting Naldo to always ask "I was jus' moving boxes and they make it into something dirty?" Likewise Coleman Domingo's imitation of Maya Angelou reading selections from the men for men section of Craig's List has become one of the can't miss moments of every episode he treats us with this parody.

Julie Goldman finds herself often playing role of setting up others for the punchline and does it as well as anyone in sketch comedy. To a degree she serves as the glue that holds skits together and regularly displays her talent playing a wide range of charachters not just over the season but each show. Erica Ash established the charachters of LaTanya a hard edged Chicago fitness instructor that revels in putting down her clients, and Grandma Bell an aged lesbian that can't seem to retell her civil rights stories without straying off to her sexual exploits.

Kate McKonnon has made her portrayal of a little transgender boy, Fitzwilliam, who simply wants " a first

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