Today's mainpage article discusses how transgender characters have stormed the television landscape in recent months (think Ugly Betty, Dirty Sexy Money and Big Shots, to name a few), and how this represents an opportunity for stereotypes about transgender individuals to be dispelled. In researching the article, our editor Michael Jensen had the opportunity to speak with transgender actress (and NYC nightlife legend) Candis Cayne, who plays the character of Carmelita on new nighttime soap Dirty Sexy Money.

Cayne's comments were far too thoughtful to be pared down to what the article allowed, so we've picked some of the interview's best bits that didn't make it into the piece and posted below. Enjoy!

AfterElton.com: How did you come to be cast on DSM?

Candis Cayne: I worked for Patricia Fields for years. Patricia Field and her assistant Molly Rogers read the script – they were doing the pilot. They read the script and there was the part of Carmelita and they thought, well, Candis would be great to play this, so they talked to Craig Wright and said, “Can we recommend somebody to audition for you?” And so, they said yes and I went in and auditioned and I got a call back and I auditioned then for Craig Wright, so it was Pat Field.

AE: Do you know how many actresses they auditioned?

CC: I have no idea. I am really curious to find out what the casting was like. I don’t even know who they were auditioning. When I came in, there was no one in the waiting room and it was just me, like, running and doing the audition for the casting people.

AE: How many episodes have you been in so far and do you know how many you’ll be in the first season?

CC: Well, I know that I’ve been in five so far, and I’ve been in four so far, and I know that I’m in two more for sure. And then after that, I’m not sure. The writers seem to be enjoying writing for me. So, and I’m obviously enjoying being on it. I guess it really has a lot to do with how the American public deals with me.

AE: Is there anything that you’re allowed to tell me about what happens with your storyline? I’ve only been able to see the first episode.

CC: The first episode, they screened that last night and I’m in it briefly, but it does set up this love affair that we have. What I can really say about it is the writing staff is really taking this story seriously as two people that are in love with each other. And we really are passionate about each other in our relationship. You know, in any kind of taboo relationship that’s passionate, there’s the ebb and flow of break-up, get back together, you know, people pestering him to break up with me – you know, that kind of thing.

AE: Why do you think Hollywood so readily treats transgender characters as jokes?

CC: I mean, if you think about it, it’s been going on since the beginning of time, it’s just different groups of people. They start out making fun of them, then eventually get to the point where there’s enough people who understand it and enough strong people in the community to say, “That’s not good. That’s not right.” Remember the gay characters they had in the ‘80s, how horrible they were. It’s the same thing to me, it’s the introduction thing. But they also need to have spokeswomen who are in the media, like myself, who are saying, that’s stupid – look at me. You can’t treat me like that. I’m not a joke. I don’t think of myself as a joke. I also don’t think of myself as a victim. If somebody wants to be mean to me I can laugh at them and say, “Well, that’s your issue and your call, but it’s not mine and I’m never going to be the victim.”

AE: Craig Wright referred to your character as the truth-teller, the one who’s not afraid to speak the truth ... do you think your character is being treated as a fully developed character in her own right as well on the show?

CC: I think that it’s going to, it’s getting there. I think when they first started out, they didn’t think that I would develop into anything. I think that by doing a good job and being human and having Billy make it that way, I think they developed it more into somebody with a lot of respect and a lot of ... I have a really great scene coming up – it’s just gonna be great, it’s gonna be great. I can’t wait to do it.

AE: Anything you can tease us about with that scene?

CC: I have a scene with Donald (Southerland).

AE: A confrontation?

CC: Kind of. I don’t want to get in trouble. I think that they are making her the most . . . the producers came up to me and said, “The funny thing is, Candis, you are, right now, you are the most honest character in the show, with who they are and other people and to yourself.” I thought that was kind of cool.