The You Tube cult favorite, "We Need Girlfriends" (WNG), chronicles the lives of three 20-somethings, living in Astoria, as they attempt to navigate through the tough terrain of the dating landscape. But for these guys, pimping ain't easy and it's their butterfingers-dating-style that is attracting millions of viewers to their site weneedgirlfriends.tv. And now, a pilot for CBS, with Darren Star of "Sex and the City" and "Cashmere Mafia" fame as executive producer is in the works, with former "Saved By The Bell" director Dennis Erdman also attached.
So with characters like WNG's Henry, Tom and Rod that capture the spirit of what Stephanie Rosenbloom describes in last week's Styles section, as the "New York City beta male -- that gentle, endearingly awkward, self-conscious soul for whom love is a battlefield", have we grown weary of the fiercely charming, fearless, ambitious women that shows like "Cashmere Mafia" and "Lipstick Jungle" continue to represent? Do we now crave watching shows about socially inept, WII-savvy young men that are still trying to figure out their place in the world?
And on Valentine's Day, as I hope that my 25-year old boyfriend will stop playing 'brickbreaker' on his blackberry long enough so that we can have a decent night together, I wonder if guys like my boyfriend, Henry, Tom and Rod need to grow up or if I just need to relax and just roll with it.
Speaking of rolling with it, I chatted with Xanadu The Musical's Kerry Butler a couple of weeks ago about her reoccurring role as Reese in "Lipstick Jungle", her adopted Ethiopian daughter Segi and her love of the ukelele, which she plans to incorporate in her upcoming full-length album. Read excerpts from our interview below. Then, keep reading to find out why 2 of the co-creators of the show, "We Need Girlfriends", Brian Amyot and Steven Tsapelas prefer the day after Valentine's Day than the actual holiday. I'll give you a hint. It's cheaper.
Then, drop me a comment letting me know what you think about this "dawning of the doofus". Are they the new Jimmy Choos?
Kerry Butler
Why do "We Have to Believe We Are Magic"?
I think it's always better to be positive than negative--if you believe that you can change the world then you can. That's a good reason to believe in magic.
You grew up in the Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn. Would you ever consider moving back to the borough?
I definitely feel like I would never live there again. My husband grew up right down the street from me so we usually go every weekend for a big Italian dinner but I love Century 21--it's where I used to buy all of my clothes. I love going to Century 21 on 86th street--it's so much better in Brooklyn, you don't understand. It's huge!
Describe your role as Reese on "Lipstick Jungle":
I start out as a sweet and innocent assistant to Victory Ford (played by Lindsay Price) and then I end up stealing her designs so I am not as nice as I seem--hope I am not giving anything away by saying that! I become [Victory's] enemy on the show. Kind of like "All About Eve"? Totally like "All About Eve"! That's exactly what I thought when I read it.
Brian Amyot and Steven Tsapelas of We Need Girlfriends 
Congrats on the deal with CBS and the opportunity to work with producer Darren Star on the pilot. How will your show be different than Cashmere Mafia?
Steven Tsapelas: Cashmere, like Sex and the City, portrayed the lives of well off, female, Manhattanites. Our show will portray the other side of the coin. First off, the characters in "We Need Girlfriends" don't live in a nice apartment--they're crammed into a small three bedroom in the boroughs. Instead of eating at nice restaurants or attending big social events, they'll eat in diners and drink in dive bars. Second, our characters are by no means glamorous in their dress. And thirdly, our characters are still transitioning from college to adulthood, so while they've had the first big relationship of their adult lives, they're still working on finding the second or third. And it's a constant struggle.
What do you love about being single on Valentine's Day?
Brian Amyot: I'm very split down the middle about Valentine's Day. If you have someone to spend it with, that's great, and it can be a special day. If you don't have someone to spend it with, no problem, I don't get depressed or upset about it--it's just another day. I guess the thing I love is that you save money on flowers and candy. I know that doesn't sound very romantic.
Steven Tsapelas: I prefer being single on February 15th. Then I can buy a half price box of giant chocolates and sulk while watching "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown." That's my favorite thing.
Do you think that living in Queens is a strike against you as you try to navigate through the dating system in search of girlfriends? Are you ever tempted to move to Manhattan to increase your chances?
Brian Amyot: There is something very nice about living in Queens--Astoria specifically. It has a very "neighborhood" feel. So being surrounded by familiar and comfortable people and places I think increases your chances of meeting people. You can at least get some great friendships, if not romantic relationships.
Steven Tsapelas: Most young people that live in Queens and Brooklyn gravitate towards bars in the city anyway. I think being single in any part of New York City is tough, because there are so many people and so much choice that you can't really make a commitment to anyone without thinking, "What better people am I missing by being in a relationship?" Besides, Queens has the Bohemian Hall Beer Garden, which trumps any New York City bar.