Tuesday, September 17, 2002 ESPN Show Features Gay "Player" By Cyd Zeigler Jr. Outsports.com

Julian Bryce Begs, Borrows & Deals

When ESPN went into karaoke night at Barney�s Beanery handing out fliers for auditions for their new game show, "Beg, Borrow & Deal," surely the last thing on their minds was to recruit a gay man.  While it is located in West Hollywood, Barney�s is infamous for hanging a "FAGGOTS-STAY OUT" sign over the bar in the '60s and '70s and has a mostly straight clientele.

Alas, one of the people who saw the flier was Julian Bryce, a gay news segment producer for local KTLA television.  Bryce decided to go to the audition for the show.  The show, which premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. EDT, pits two teams of four against one another in a race across the country, during which each team has to accomplish a set of sports-related stunts.

�[At the audition], the lobby was full of buffed out guys and aspiring models waiting to audition,� Bryce says.  �I was thinking there�s no way I would make it.�

To his surprise, he made it to the callback, and then a second callback.  It wasn�t until that third interview that he was first asked about his sexuality.

�I told them I was gay, and then I asked if that would affect my chances of being on the show,� Bryce said.  �They said no.�

Bryce was soon headed to New York City with 15 other semifinalists for a final round of interviews.  While he was asked very little about his sexuality after that first question, the other potential players were all asked how they would feel about having a gay team member. 

After the trip to New York, Bryce, the only gay or black semifinalist, found out he was in.

Next came a big leap.  His boss told him that KTLA would not give him the time off from work to do the show.  Bryce weighed the opportunities at KTLA against the opportunity that "Beg, Borrow and Deal" held for him, and the ESPN show won.

�I basically had to quit KTLA-TV in order to do this show. It was an extremely tough decision because I loved my job. But I also wanted something more� a chance to work in front of the camera. At worst, "Beg, Borrow and Deal" would provide me needed exposure to the entertainment industry. At best, I�d win tickets to several major sporting events.�

What he also got was a series of experiences with athletes across the country.  While he has signed an agreement with a penalty to the tune of $10 million if he divulges certain information about the show before it airs, he was able to say that his favorite interaction with an athlete will be the second episode to air. 

The "gay thing" wasn't a hindrance during the show, nor was it an advantage; in fact, it wasn't an issue at all.  He was with three teammates who were supportive (the other male member of the team particularly) and the issue of his sexuality was left out of the equation all together.

"I don't even think we met any gay athletes," Bryce said.

Even with all the celebrity interaction, with all the traveling, the sleeping in tight quarters, maxing out his credit cards, and being followed by a camera crew the entire trip, would Bryce do it all again?

�Hell, no.�