CYNDI LAUPER 'SHINES' IN THE FINAL SEASON OF SHOWTIME'S QUEER AS FOLK SERIES PREMIERES SUNDAY, MAY 22 AT 9:00 PM (ET/PT)

Singer Joins Rosie O'Donnell as Celebrity Guest Stars Appearing in the Fifth Season of the Landmark Series

New York, February 15, 2005 -- Singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper will appear as herself and perform a song in an episode of SHOWTIME's QUEER AS FOLK when the series returns for its fifth and final season on May 22 at 9:00 PM (ET/PT). Lauper joins Rosie O'Donnell as a celebrity guest star this season in an original series that has made television history for its frank and fearless portrayal of a gay community.

A landmark series that changed the landscape of television when it premiered five years ago, QUEER AS FOLK, which focuses on the lives of five gay men and two lesbians in Pittsburgh, stars Michelle Clunie, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Peter Paige, Hal Sparks and Sharon Gless.

Lauper appears in the tenth episode of the season in which the characters hold a benefit to raise funds against "Prop 14," an anti-gay legislation that would prohibit gays from adopting children or sharing health benefits. In addition to appearing in the episode, Lauper will perform a new club remix of "Shine," recorded specifically for QUEER AS FOLK.

Best-known for her smash hit single, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Grammy�-winning singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper is not only a household name but also an artist with a distinctive creative voice and a four-octave range. She began playing guitar and writing lyrics at 12-years-old, and, when her first solo album, "She's So Unusual," was released, it sold more than 4.5 million copies in the United States alone. Lauper also made music history as the first of a female artist to score four Top Five singles from a debut album: "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," "Time After Time," "She Bop" and "All Through The Night." In her sophomore effort, "True Colors," Lauper worked with the likes of other high-profile musicians including Billy Joel, Nile Rodgers, Aimee Mann and The Bangles. Throughout her years in the business, Lauper has had numerous albums with critical acclaim and sold-out concerts. Lauper's most recent release, "At Last," is a collection of music that she has loved since childhood and has reinvented in her signature style. Lauper has also made her mark as an actress when she earned an Emmy� Award for her work on the hit TV series "Mad About You." Her feature films credits include "Vibes," with Jeff Goldblum, "Off and Running" and "The Opportunists," with Christopher Walken.

QUEER AS FOLK is executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas. Cowen & Lipman developed the series for American television based on the British series created by Russell T Davies. Sheila Hockin serves as producer. The SHOWTIME series is from Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions and Temple Street Productions.