What do you get when you throw a 24-year-old, opinionated, straight male from Oxford with a 38-year-old, gay male marketing executive from San Francisco?
You get Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary television series, 30 Days.
Last year, Spurlock chronicled his own 30 days of eating nothing but McDonald’s for his film Supersize Me. The Manhattan resident decided to embark on another documentary for FX networks.
Oxford resident Ryan Hickmott was one of six different individuals chosen to give up their environments to live in the shoes of a person with a completely opposite lifestyle.
Hickmott was a youth leader at his church and graduated from Oxford High School in 2000, joining the army soon after. The conservative American heard about the TV show from a friend who was part of the casting crew.
After five phone interviews, an audition tape and meeting with a producer, Hickmott was signed on to be a part of the 30 Days series.
‘Everything was paid for, so it was like a paid vacation,? he said.
Hickmott was flown out to San Francisco’s Castro district in April to live with Ed Coller, a marketing executive who just so happens to be gay.
Hickmott, who works at Strategic Finances in Troy, said before doing the show he had only known two homosexuals and had very firm opinions against the lifestyle; like that they can’t play sports and that they shouldn’t be in the military.
‘This biggest thing I learned it that gay people and straight people are the exact same. There’s really no differences,? he said. ‘The stereotypes I went out there with were all proven wrong to me really fast.?
Hickmott said he played on a gay softball team, row team and ran with a gay and lesbian running group. He also got to meet with 40 war veterans who are homosexual and hear their point of views.
‘I couldn’t care less now if there was a gay man in my unit,? Hickmott said.
Hickmott’s roommate, Ed, also took him on tours of the area, attended Giants games and partied a lot.
Although cameras followed him around five hours a day, Hickmott said he got used to it and they never got in his way.
He believes the 30 Days project is more a documentary depicting reality, whereas other so-called ‘reality? shows are set up a lot of the time.
‘Everything was my call, there wasn’t anyone standing around saying ‘Ryan, do this,?? he said.
Hickmott said although he had his stereotypes about the gay community, they also had some about straight guys like him.
‘I had four or five guys come up to me and say that they hated straight people before (meeting him) because they were always made fun of or beat up by them,? he said. ‘That was a huge compliment.?
Hickmott said he learned so much from his experience that he is planning to take his family to San Francisco in October.
‘It’s going to be a different atmosphere for them,? he said.
Hickmott still keeps in touch with Ed and other friends he made via e-mail, text messaging and by phone.
Hickmott said the 30 days he spent outside of his comfort zone was the best thing to happen to him.
So, would he do it again?
‘Yes, in a second,? he said. ‘It was honestly the funnest consecutive thirty days of my life.?
Hickmott’s episode airs tonight at 10 p.m. on the FX network.
Other show episodes include the shows creator traveling to Ohio to work on minimum wage, a man with a middle-age crisis using anti-aging drugs, a couple living a completely ecological environment, a Christian living with a Muslim family in Dearborn and a mother who binge drinks for a month. Check out www.fxnetworks.com for more information.