The House of Venus Show is a Canadian

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

television show created by Canadian filmmaker

Mark Kenneth Woods Mark Kenneth Woods (date of birth unknown) is a Canadian writer, actor, producer, director and TV host. Biography Woods was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He graduated from University of Toronto's cinema studies program and continued with a ...

and co-produced by Michael Venus. The first season aired on the Canadian LGBT channel

OutTV OutTV (stylized OUTtv) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language specialty channel that was launched in September 2001. It broadcasts general entertainment and lifestyle programming aimed at the LGBT community. The network is owned b ...

in July 2005. The second season began airing in September, 2006 and, after a hiatus, a third season debuted in July, 2009. The show also aired on SelecTV in Australia in 2006. Pink TV in France, Belgium, Switzerland and other territories started airing the first 2 seasons of the show with the alternate title "Le Venus Show" in September, 2006. The show began airing in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden in April, 2008 on OutTV's European counterpart.

here! Here TV is an American premium television network targeting LGBT audiences. Launched in 2002, Here TV is available nationwide on all major cable systems, fiber optics systems, and Internet TV providers as either a 24/7 premium subscription channe ...

network in the USA began airing the show in August, 2008. Filmed in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada, the

show blends politics and pop culture with humour and irreverence. The series stars Mark Kenneth Woods, Miss Cotton, Michael Venus, Dickey Doo and includes guest stars

The B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, p ...

, Peaches, John Cameron Mitchell, Candis Cayne, Lady Bunny, Amanda Lepore, Lady Miss Kier and others. Alluvial Filmworks, a division of Village Lighthouse, released "The Complete First Season" on DVD worldwide on November 6, 2007 and "The Complete Second Season" on April 22, 2008. "The Complete Third Season" was released through MKW Productions on May 25, 2010.

Origins

After years of success on the LGBT film festival circuit with his short films, Mark Kenneth Woods decided to expand on some of the characters he had created in these shorts and package it as a sketch comedy/variety show. With the help of co-producer Michael Venus, the duo created a unique show relevant to an LGBT audience made up of a series of short films, live action comedic sketches, live performances and interviews with international talent.

Cast

The show has 4 original cast members that play a variety of popular characters and a number of guest appearances. *Mark Kenneth Woods (Season 1-3) *Michael Venus (Season 1-3) * Miss Cotton (Season 1-3) * Dickey Doo (Season 1-2)

Guests

To date, the show has had a number of internationally renowned guests appear in interviews and short live action segments. Highlights include: *

(episode #17) *

Candis Cayne Candis Cayne (born August 29, 1971) is an American actress and performance artist. Cayne performed in New York City nightclubs in drag since the 1990s, and came out as transgender in 1996; Cayne came to national attention in 2007 for portraying ...

(Episode #9 & #16) *

Peaches The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuz ...

(Episode #13) *

Amanda Lepore Amanda Lepore is an American model, singer, and performance artist. A former Club Kid, she has appeared in advertising for numerous companies. Lepore is noted as a regular subject in photographer David LaChapelle's work, serving as his muse, as ...

(Episode #4 & #15) *

John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is a two-time Tony Award winning American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, producer and director. He is best known as the writer, director and star of the 2001 film '' Hedwig and th ...

(Episode #14) *

Lady Bunny Lady Bunny, originally known as "Bunny Hickory Dickory Dock" (born Jon Ingle, August 13, 1962), is an American drag queen, nightclub DJ, actor, comedian, and event organizer. She is the founder of the annual Wigstock event, as well as an occasion ...

(Episode #6) *

Lady Miss Kier Kierin Magenta Kirby (aka Lady Miss Kier) is an American singer, songwriter, DJ, designer, fashion icon, and activist. During her career, Lady Miss Kier has been the vocalist for the band Deee-Lite, a disc jockey, and solo songwriter. She support ...

(Episodes #3 & #12) *

Miss Honey Dijon Honey Redmond (known professionally as Honey Dijon) is an American DJ, producer, and electronic musician. She was born in Chicago and is based in New York City and Berlin. She has performed at clubs, festivals, art fairs, galleries and fashion ...

(Episode #10) *

Carole Pope Carole Ann Pope (born 6 August 1950) is a British-born Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose provocative blend of hard-edged new wave rock with explicit homoerotic and BDSM-themed lyrics made her one of the first openly lesbian entertainers t ...

(Episode #2) *

Johnny Hazzard Johnny Hazzard (born Frankie Valenti) is an American former pornographic actor, model, and recording artist who performs in gay and bisexual pornographic films for a number of studios, mainly Rascal Video, and has appeared in mainstream film an ...

(Episode #17) *

Heloise and the Savoir Faire Heloise and the Savoir Faire are an American punk outfit based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Fronted by Heloise Williams (ex-viperHouse songwriter, and lead vocalist), the band's live lineup was originally composed of Williams singing ov ...

(Episode #16) *

Larry Tee Larry Tee (born October 12, 1959) is a Berlin-based DJ, club promoter, and music producer who curated the electroclash scene in New York in the early 2000s, and helped launch the careers of such artists as RuPaul, Scissor Sisters, Fischerspooner ...

(Episode #15)

Episodes

Season 1

Episode #1
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho face off against "Big Daddy" in their first Adventure, the national news goes wacko and musical guest Stink Mitt drop by for some "camel toe." Includes: "Kitchen Scratchy", "6pm in America", "Pimp & Ho: Adventures in Queersploitation" and "Camel Toe" by Stink Mitt Episode #2
Deb and Sisi shop until they drop on the campiest of home shopping networks, The wackiest show on earth celebrates 10 years in the art of "head," Father McFairy and Tammy Hymn beg for your help and

(Rough Trade) drops by for a chat. Includes: "Cotton's Sex Ad", "Carole Pope Interview", "Praise the Marys", "Backroom" by Dixmix feat. Kaytea, "Shop Until We All Drop" and "Wiggle 10" Episode #3
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho are back when Dr. Normal tries to rid the world of queers in a James Bond-esque installment and Lady Miss Kier (

Deee-Lite Deee-Lite was an American house and dance music group formed in New York City. The group's best-known single is "Groove Is in the Heart", which was released in 1990 from their debut studio album ''World Clique'' (1990), and was a top-ten hit in ...

) talks candidly about her post-Deee-Lite career. Includes: "No Flow", "Pimp & Ho: License to Queer", "Lady Miss Kier Interview" Episode #4
Little Billy wonders why he can't marry George W., Pepe and Vance become Designer Gays, someone let Deb and Sisi back on TV and special guest

performs "Champagne" with

Cazwell Luke Caswell, known mononomously as Cazwell, is an American rapper, record producer and songwriter. He has released the three studio albums '' Get Into It'' in 2006, '' Watch My Mouth'' in 2009 and ''Hard 2 B Fresh'' in 2014, along with videos an ...

. Includes: "Designer Gays", "Holy Matrimony Billy!", "Amanda Lepore with Cazwell Performance" and "Get it Together Girl" Episode #5
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho fight the religious right in a gangster inspired installment, Wiggle returns for the craziest in headgear and Miss Guy (Toilet Boys) drops by to chat. Includes: "Public Gender Announcement", "Pimp & Ho: Queer Fashion Crime Models", "Wiggle 11" and "Miss Guy Interview" Episode #6
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho fear for their lives in an ode to horror flicks, the amazing Lady Bunny is in the house to perform and Krueger is on the loose. Includes: "Bunny's Crisis Line", "Bunny's Laugh In #1", "Nightmare on Venus Street", "Pimp & Ho: Terror in Pansy Hills", "Bunny's Laugh In #2" and "Lady Bunny Interview"

Season 2

Episode #7
Deb and Sisi return to television a little late for the holidays; the heterosexual lifestyle is scrutinized in a Right-Wing Religious Parody and NYC’s 2004 entertainer of the year Edie drops by. Includes: "CBD: Compulsive Beauty Disorder", "Public Gender Announcement #1", "Holiday Hamper", "Cotton Outro #1", "The Heterosexual Agenda 2005" and "Edie Interview" Episode #8
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho face off against ex-gays comic book-style; we get a look at the real House of Venus in a Behind the Music spoof and Berlin/NYC diva

Sherry Vine Keith Levy, known professionally as Sherry Vine, is an American actor, drag queen, and musician. Vine is the creator and host of ''She's Living for This'', a variety series on here TV. Vine works primarily in New York City and on Fire Island, Lo ...

plays with us. Includes: "Behind The Camera", "Sherry Vine Interview", "Cotton Outro #2", "Pimp & Ho: Sissy Sins", "Public Gender Announcement #2" and "Hi Boys" by Cotton feat. Big Stuff Episode #9
Deb and Sisi get inadvertently racist on their home shopping network, the 6 O'Clock new is scrutinized, we talk to New York's DJ Marco and the gorgeous Candis Cayne performs. Includes: "Guyphone Commercial", "DJ Marco Interview", "Shop Until We All Drop 2", "Candis Cayne Interview", "Fawks News" and "My Heart Belongs To Data" Episode #10
The Designer Gays do their best to make over a corporate executive, the new girl in school has a hard time making friends in "Linette", the art of head is back in "Wiggle 12" and we have a chat with Miss Honey Dijon. Includes: "Linette", "Designer Gays: Makeover" "Miss Honey Dijon Interview" and "Wiggle 12" Episode #11
Those shopping network girls Deb and Sisi try selling the "Kitchen Magician" on late night TV, the kookiest kids show is revealed with a little help from

Denis Simpson Denis Simpson (born Dennis Anthony Leopold Simpson; 4 November 1950 – 22 October 2010) The Designer Gays try to decorate a nightclub based on Castle Grayskull, the religious right tries to "save the family" and we're in San Francisco for Gay Pride where we talk to Lady Miss Kier, Juanita More and

Heklina Heklina is the stage name of Stefan Grygelko, an American actor, drag queen, and entrepreneur in San Francisco. Grygelko's mother is Icelandic, and having been born in the U.S., he lived in Iceland in the 1980s; he named his drag character after ...

. Includes: "Hi Greg/Hi Beth/Hi Liz", "Save The Family", "Designer Gays: Home Edition", "Rainbow Ministries", "Lady Miss Kier, Juanita More & Heklina Interviews"

Season 3

Episode #13
The Designer Gays take entertaining for Pride to a whole new level, Fawks News correspondent Gracie Nance comes down hard on Canada for allowing gay marriage and we talk to electro goddess

and LA's

Jackie Beat Jackie Beat (born July 24, 1963) is the drag persona of actor, singer, songwriter and screenwriter Kent Fuher. Beat has appeared in a number of independent feature films both in and out of drag, including '' Wigstock: The Movie'', '' Flawless'', ...

. Includes: "Mansounds", "Designer Gays: Pride Edition", "Peaches Interview", "Fawks News 2", "Jackie Beat Interview" and "Venus Girl" Episode #14
Deb and Sisi talk about swallowing meat cooked in their "Fat- Grilling Machine", lonely Linette gets a phone call from crazy Liz, and Hedwig and Shortbus director

and electroclash king

join us for a chat. Includes: "Liz and Nephew", "John Cameron Mitchell Interview", "Liz and Telemarketer", "Deb and Sisi's Fat-Reductionating Grilling Machine", "Liz and Linette", "Up North Buds 1" and "Larry Tee Interview" Episode #15
Jonny Pimp & Honey Ho are summoned by the "Gaysian Division" of The Queer Secret Service in Hong Kong in a Kung Fu inspired installment, the "Up North Buds" talk about rather gay-ish "dude" stuff and we talk to the always amazing

and

. Includes: "Durty Cuntry", "Up North Buds 2", "Cazwell Interview", "Pimp & Ho: The Dragon Fairy" and "Amanda Lepore Interview" Episode #16
The Designer Gays break into a straight guys house in order to "rescue" him from blandness, Liz gets a phone call from Cher, Cotton has a spooky run in with Pinhead, we talk to the gorgeous Candis Cayne and Brooklyn's Heloise and the Savoir Faire perform. Includes: "Liz and Cher", "Designer Gays: The Rescue", "Liz and a Stranger", "Heloise and the Savoir Faire Interview", "Odyle", "Liz and a Pervert", "Candis Cayne Interview" and "Cotton vs. Pinhead" Episode #17
Deb and Sisi make a home video to teach you about style and fashion, little Billy learns all about a new gay disease that could ruin his life, we speak with the legendary

B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, pe ...

and pornstar/actor

. Includes: "Cotton's 20 Load Weekend", "Johnny Hazzard Interview", "Deb And Sisi's Welcome To My House At My Home", "You Got GRIDS Billy!" and "The B-52's Interview" Episode #18
An hour-long "Best of" featuring favourite clips alongside interviews with the creators and cast, outtakes and never before seen footage. Includes an interview with

Bruce LaBruce Bruce LaBruce (born January 3, 1964) is a Canadian artist, writer, filmmaker, photographer, and underground director based in Toronto. Life and career LaBruce was born in Tiverton, Ontario. He has claimed both Justin Stewart and Bryan Bruce as ...

DVD release

"The Complete First Season" DVD was released via Alluvial Filmworks on November 6, 2007. "The Complete Second Season" DVD was released April 22, 2008. "The Complete Third Season" was released on May 25, 2010. The DVD sets are available online via 10percent.com,

amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...

TLA Video TLA Releasing is a US film distribution and production company owned by TLA Entertainment Group. In March 2011, a new LLC was formed for the operation. Its primary output is LGBT-related films from all over the world under the "TLA Releasing" lab ...

and a variety of retailers.

External links

House of Venus Show Official Site
*
here! Network

OUTtv
{{DEFAULTSORT:House Of Venus Show 2000s black comedy television series 2000s Canadian sketch comedy television series 2005 Canadian television series debuts 2009 Canadian television series endings 2000s Canadian LGBT-related comedy television series OutTV (Canadian TV channel) original programming Television shows filmed in Vancouver