S3.E10 ∙ The Simple Life

Filmmaker Jean Donohue unravels the story of an underground gay, gender bending community rooted in the Civil War and on a continuum through the closeted Old South homosexual society, gay liberation of the 1960s, the ecstatic 70s, to the grip of fear at the rise of the religious right and HIV AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. In 1970, the Old World Southern gay culture was changing, enter The Pagan Babies, a loose group of artists and drag queens who set out to challenge the hierarchical homosexual society with guerrilla theater interventions and fantastic costumes. Before Robert Mapplethorpe's infamous photos, there was R. Michael Walker and John Ashley who documented the Pagan Babies. The film also features a Kuchar film and this is what happened.

As nations around the globe attempt to fight sex trafficking, many consider legalizing prostitution. Two filmmakers travel to ten countries to explore the issue, in an attempt to answer the question of how we can prevent sexual exploitation before it happens in the first place. Though governments are getting better at prosecuting traffickers and providing aftercare to victims, it is time we begin to ask the question of what lies at the root.

What is a family? Rosie O'Donnell looks at the many answers to this question in this documentary that features original songs and thoughtful kids musing on love and family. The show provides a moving portrait of the remarkable diversity of families today, including same-sex parents, mixed-heritage families, and stories of adoption. Animated songs and musical performances by kids and families spice up the festivities along with performances and recordings by artists including Ziggy Marley, Bonnie Raitt, Doris Day, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Frank Sinatra, Rosie O'Donnell and They Might Be Giants.

Biquefarre is a small farm in Aveyron. The changing economics of farming lead Raoul, in late middle age, to decide to sell and move to Toulouse. At least two neighboring farmers want to buy Biquefarre: Lucien and the young Marcel. Behind the scenes, Henri, whose brother is Marcel's father and who is also Lucien's brother-in-law, negotiates with Raoul so that Marcel's father can secretly sweeten Marcel's offer. Will dad and uncle succeed? In the background is the hard daily work of farming: milking cows, harvesting at night, and finding help when a farmer falls ill. Progress brings challenges: polluted water, factory farms, and skyrocketing land prices.

Amy's right leg is completely crushed. Her first thought, "Am I ever going to dance again?" Her second thought was 'If I survive the night there will be a Victory Dance.'

For 30 years, Bishop Fred Jones and his family have performed on the southern gospel circuit, largely unseen by those outside the Pentecostal faith. When the Bishop, despite objections from many within his faith, decided to take his family's musical ministry outside the church, he unexpectedly connected with the oddest of allies -- a jaded, atheistic rock critic, who also happened to be a gospel historian. To Michael Corcoran, the Jones Family Singers represent a living link to a style of gospel he thought had disappeared. These most unlikely of friends bonded through perhaps one shared trait -- a deeply rooted rebelliousness.