Diversity Rules Magazine

4 Diversity Rules Magazine February 2019 e third season of Jack Tracy's LGBTQ series, HISTORY, premieres this Val- entine's Day. Ex- ecutive produced by Tracy, and financed through him, the third season features six half-hour episodes and follows his charac- ter, Jamie, as he discovers how the examples set by his parents framed his expressions of love and what he values most in relation- ships. e story picks up a year aer the close of season 2 when the gang is finally all coupled up. Jamie is with Mark, a sexually charged Brit, and they are considering the possibil- ity of opening their relationship, eyeing Will's ex as a possible can- didate. Meanwhile, Will is decid- ing whether or not to give in to his new boyfriend's insistence they move in together while Matthew has decided to look past the gang's objections and accept his boyfriend's flaws. en there's Ted, whose own hang-ups may destroy his burgeoning relationship with a local drag queen. "e struggles all of these 30-somethings face are a direct result of growing up gay," explains Jack Tracy. "ey're forced to confront complex issues such as gender roles, toxic mascu- linity, rejection and loyalty. In the end, we learn what love is for each individual, and whether the baggage from their past can ever be overcome.". JRK: Before we get into the interview, can you tell us what "History" is all about? JT: History is an LGBT story about love, loss and the family you choose. It follows 30-something gay men in New York and shows how one's "history" impacts the decisions they make, how they form friendships and relationships, what they value and how they love. JRK: What motivated you to come up with this particular storyline? JT: e story is near autobiographical, with some dra- matic license, with season one being the closest to a play-by-play of my life's events. I had gone through a very rough breakup that included every- thing from losing the relationship, being temporarily homeless and losing all my friends. I wrote the scripts as a thera- peutic exercise while I was going through the process of re-making my life and grappling with un- derstanding how I got to where I was. ere came a point where certain patterns in my life be- came clear and I sort of crossed over being stuck in them to see- ing them for what they were and starting the process of navigating out of them. I thought that story of growth, especially through an LGBT point of view, would be re- latable. JRK: is is the 3rd season of "His- tory." Can you recap the first two sea- sons for us? JT: All seasons of History are six half hour episodes and all center around flashbacks--juxtaposing the past with the present to show the audience the patterns that maybe Jamie (the lead character) can't see himself at the time. In season one, Jamie has just gone through a bad breakup and is slowly putting his life back together by dating, making new friends, and finally closing all of his unfinished business with his ex. e flashbacks show how Jamie was in his relationship and the things he hopes to change for the future. Season two we took the basic framework and really went in a new direc- tion. Now Jamie has an established life and group of friends, but one year after season one things aren't well with his best friend. We use the flashbacks to show what happened over the last year and really highlight how so many decisions we make are based out of a fear of loneliness, and how those actions ultimately impact others. If you'd like full recaps and a whole lot of be- hind the scenes details, check out the season recaps I've History A Chat With Jack Tracy About the 3rd Season By Jim Koury, Editor/Publisher

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