Frank Anthony Polito is a Brooklyn-based actor and playwright. He can be seen in the films One Angry Man with Jackie Mason, One True Thing with Meryl Streep and Renee Zellweger, and Hitch with Will Smith.. ...read more!.
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Review: Three Books With Nothing in Common
(Except They’re All Pretty Good)
by Brent Hartinger
August 12, 2009
Drama Queers! by Frank Anthony Polito (Kensington Books, $15):
In Band Fags!, Polito’s hilariously-titled 2008 novel, we met Jack Paterno, a hapless teen smack in the mid-1980s trying furiously to deny that he’s gay, even as his fellow “band fag” Brad Dayton, who is both more flamboyant and more popular, tells him he’s only fooling himself.
What made Band Fags! stand out from the then-flood of gay teen novels were the oh-so-authentic voice of the main character, and the laugh-out-loud humor, especially – at least for those of us who grew up in the 80s – all those great 80s references.
In Drama Queers!, Polito is back, but not with a typical sequel. In this book, he tells the story from the point-of-view of Jack’s friend Brad during a period in Band Fags! when Jack and Brad are estranged.
Is Drama Queers! as good as Band Fags!? Well, it seemed a little contrived that Brad – the same guy who was so hard on closeted Jack in Band Fags! – wouldn’t have realized from the start that being openly gay in the 80s might impact his acting career. Then when he does have that realization, he decides he can’t pursue a relationship with a hot guy (even as he’s working in a gay bar)?
But these books are about the voice of the main characters, those blast-from-the-past 80s references, and the humor. And in these respects, this one is definitely as good as its predecessor.