An intimate look at the life and body of work of one of the most prolific and creative forces in Hollywood and American culture
Companion special “The True Story of True Blood” offers listeners an unparalleled look inside the hit show
Academy® and Emmy®-Award winning writer/producer/director Alan Ball will be the featured subject of the next installment of Iconography, the series that honors the life, career, and impact of iconic personalities on SiriusXM’s 24/7 LGBT channel OutQ, ch.108.
Ball has redefined storytelling with his seminal film and television works—including American Beauty, Six Feet Under and True Blood—peeling back the layers of dysfunctional families and their secrets and creating characters and storylines that leave an indelible impression on audiences around the world.
OutQ is airing vignettes featuring Alan Ball through the month. Iconography: Alan Ball culminates with a one-hour in-depth interview conducted by OutQ hosts Derek Hartley and Romaine Patterson premiering July 23 at 1:00 pm ET on SiriusXM OutQ, ch.108. Encore presentations will air on OutQ on July 23 at 7:00 pm, July 24 at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm, July 30 at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm and July 31 at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm (all times ET).
Iconography: Alan Ball also features interviews with True Blood’s Oscar-winning lead actress Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse), actor Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton) and Tony® Award-winning actor Denis O’Hare (Russell Edgington), Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinx— the Academy Award-winning producers of American Beauty, HBO Entertainment President Sue Naegle, Ball’s former writing agent and Charlaine Harris.
Ball’s revealing and compelling Iconography interview features insight, perspective and reflections in his own words about his personal and professional life, his family and childhood growing up in the South, the close relationship he had with his sister, the tragic story of her death and effect this had on his family and their lives. Ball also discusses discovering and experimenting with his own sexual identity, if he considers himself a gay icon today and the contributions he hopes he is making to the community through the characters portrayed in his work. Ball recounts his experiences working on Grace Under Fire and Cybill—which ultimately fueled him to write American Beauty, winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay honors for Ball—followed by the groundbreaking HBO drama Six Feet Under, his feature film directorial debut Towelhead and his life today as creator and executive producer of True Blood, the award-winning HBO series based on New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire series of books.
SiriusXM OutQ will also premiere The True Story of True Blood, a companion special to Iconography: Alan Ball, on July 23 at 2:00 pm ET on SiriusXM OutQ ch.108, immediately following the debut of the Iconography interview. Encore presentations of this one-hour will air immediately following every airing of Iconography: Alan Ball, on July 23 at 8:00 pm, July 24 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm, July 30 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm and July 31 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm (all times ET). The True Story of True Blood will transport listeners deep into the world and behind-the-scenes of the hit show, offering unmatched access to the cast and crew. The True Story of True Blood features new interviews with Ball, Naegle, writer/producer Alexander Woo, Moyer, Paquin and O’Hare, as well as archival interviews with Charlaine Harris and actress Rutina Wesley (Tara Thorton).
Iconography: Alan Ball and The True Story of True Blood are hosted by Derek Hartley and Romaine Patterson, the GLAAD-award winning OutQ hosts of The Laramie Project Ten Years Later—The Lasting Legacy of Matthew Shepard; I Want My Gay TV: The LGBT History Of Television and OutQ’s nightly Derek & Romaine show.
SiriusXM OutQ offers groundbreaking coverage of social and political issues, as well as music and entertainment programming, produced by and for the LGBT community.