Dana Fairbanks
First appearance Pilot (episode 1.01) Last appearance Long Time Coming Up (episode 4.12)
Information
Gender	Female
Occupation	Professional Tennis Player
Family	Iwin Fairbanks (Father) Sharon Fairbanks (Mother) Howard Fairbanks(Brother)
Portrayed by	Erin Daniels
Created by	Ilene Chaiken

Dana Fairbanks was a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. She was played by the American actress Erin Daniels. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Erin Daniels (born Erin Cohen on 9 October 1973) is a Jewish-American actress. ... Ilene Chaiken is the creator, writer and executive producer of the television series The L Word. ... Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States. ... The L Word is a television drama series that portrays the lives, loves and learnings of a group of lesbians and bisexuals and their friends, family and lovers in Los Angeles. ... Erin Daniels (born Erin Cohen on 9 October 1973) is a Jewish-American actress. ...

Storyline

Season 1

With a rising professional tennis career on her way, Dana Fairbanks was afraid to come out as a lesbian; she was raised in a conservative background and refuses to accept her sexuality, making her a rigid, fearful, and neurotic person. Dana knew her sexual orientation since her teenage years, when she fell in love with one of the girls also attending tennis camp. This latter girlfriend's real name (who Dana simply calls "Ralph") is never mentioned, since she is now famous and has chosen to remain closeted. For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... Coming out of the closet (often shortened to coming out in winking reference to the public introduction of debutantes) describes the voluntary public announcement of ones (primarily homosexual or bisexual) sexual orientation or gender identity. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... Conservatism in the United States comprises a constellation of political ideologies including fiscal conservatism, free market or economic liberalism, social conservatism,[1] bioconservatism and religious conservatism,[2][3] as well as support for a strong military,[4] small government and promotion of states rights. ... Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, normally conceived of as falling into several significant categories based around the sex or gender that the individual finds attractive. ...

In order to appear heterosexual, Dana plotted a fictitious affair with her doubles partner Harrison, who also happened to be gay. She also evaded being seen by "geeky straight people" while she was hanging out with her friends in West Hollywood, and abhored being seen on the streets with anyone that could be easily identified as gay. Her major attachment was to her cat, Mr. Piddles (also known as the International Cat of Mystery). GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... West Hollywoods logo illustrates the citys borders. ...

While eating at the country club where she practiced, Dana met the sous chef Lara Perkins. Dana instantly feared that Lara could be a lesbian. Unable to determine because of her lack of "gaydar", Dana invited her friends to help her figure it out. Dana's friends concluded that Lara was straight, but Lara came out to Dana (through a kiss in the locker room), and ultimately started dating her. At the same time, Dana also got the opportunity to receive sponsorship from Subaru, who was interested in using her image on upcoming advertising campaigns. Lara Perkins, a fictional character on Showtimes tv series , The L Word. ... Gaydar (a portmanteau of gay and radar) is the intuitive ability to determine whether another person is gay or bisexual. ... For other uses, see Subaru (disambiguation). ...

At the behest of her manager, Dana broke up with Lara and focused on getting the Subaru campaign. She eventually got the sponsorship, and Subaru proposed to place her as the "gay Anna Kournikova" under the slogan "get out and stay out". Dana took the challenge, accepted the strategy, fired her manager, and finally embraced her sexuality. Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova (Russian: Анна Сергеевна Курникова ( ), Anna Sergeevna Kurnikova; born June 7, 1981) is a retired Russian professional tennis player and model. ...

Dana visited Lara at the country club kitchen.

A new challenge then appeared on Dana's road: coming out to her parents. Sharon Fairbanks, Dana's mother, is a successful political leader of the Orange County Women's Republican Coalition, and her conservative standards of lifestyle would cause her trouble accepting her daughter's sexual orientation. Considering the scandal was to come national shortly, and with the support of her bisexual friend Alice Pieszecki, Dana decided to confront her parents during the award ceremony held in honor of her mother. Caught off guard, her parents rejected her and entered a phase of denial, in which they tried to hook up Dana with men. One of these men ended up becoming an interest for her friend Alice. Image File history File links Danafairbanks. ... Image File history File links Danafairbanks. ... Coming out of the closet (often shortened to coming out in winking reference to the public introduction of debutantes) describes the voluntary public announcement of ones (primarily homosexual or bisexual) sexual orientation or gender identity. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... In human sexuality, bisexuality describes a man or woman having a sexual orientation to persons of either or both sexes (a man or woman who sexually likes both sexes; people who are sexually and/or romantically attracted to both males and females). ... Alice Pieszecki is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. ...

Once out of the closet, Dana finally had the freedom to embrace her real identity. She got a makeover and started to visit lesbian bars. She was even nominated to receive a Human Rights Campaign award, and it is during the ceremony where she met Tonya, who later became her girlfriend and moved in with her. After the unexpected death of Mr. Piddles, she decided to take a step foward in this relationship and got engaged with Tonya (the main reason behind her decision was the fear of losing the people she loved). In the season finale, Alice, who never liked Tonya and did not believe in her good intentions, let Dana know she really loved her more than a friend.

Season 2

Engaged to Tonya, Dana struggled with her growing interest towards Alice. After a brief discussion, they both decided to come up with certain "rules of unattraction" they were to follow, such as never being left alone together. As the tension between Alice and Tonya increased, Alice's friend Shane McCutcheon noticed what really was going on between Alice and Dana. Tonya obliviously set up Alice on a blind date with a guy and Dana got jealous. Shane McCutcheon is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. ...

Dana and Alice as a couple.

While preparing the gift bags for her bachelorette party, Dana cheated on Tonya with Alice. The Bachelorette is held, and Alice is forced to give a toast on Dana's behalf. Days later, she cleared things up with Dana: she was not willing to become her secret lover, so the only way she could expect to have a chance with her was if Dana broke up her engagement and canceled the wedding. Considering the emotional value the upcoming Celebrity Heineken Jam n' Slamming Tournament had for Tonya, Dana agrees to break up with her after its conclusion. Dana then spoke to Tonya at the lockers, and here she discovered she had just started a relationship with celebrity Melissa Rivers. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Heineken (or Heineken Brouwerijen) is a Dutch beer brewer, established in 1863 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken purchased a brewery in Amsterdam. ... Melissa Rivers Melissa Rivers (born on January 20, 1968) is an American actress and television co-host for fashion/red carpet interviews on cable and satellite television, previously for the E! cable network and currently for the TV Guide channel with her mother, comedian Joan Rivers. ...

Free from Tonya, Dana immediately began a secret relationship with Alice. Only Shane knew about it, and the girls planned to announce it at The Planet, the bar where most of the show's characters hang out. Shane had arranged a surprise party for the couple aided by Carmen de la Pica Morales. The relationship seemed to be doing pretty well, until Lara reappeared on the scene and caused Alice to start feeling jealous. Alice then asked Dana to move in with her, but her proposition was rejected. Promotional Shot of Sarah Shahi as Carmen. ...

Season 3

The third season is set six months after the finale, in which it is described that Dana was back with Lara after having a harsh breakup with Alice. Things were uncomfortable between them: Alice's obsession with Dana disturbed all possibilities of friendship.

During an intimate moment, Lara noticed a lump in Dana's breast. Dana evaded visiting the doctor, but soon after winning the Mercedes-Benz Challenge she decided to get a checkup. It was discovered that Dana had an infiltrating ductal carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer that began in the milk ducts. Dana was then scheduled for a mastectomy and decided to keep her operation as a secret from her friends. After she learned that the cancer had already spread to her muscle tissue, however, Lara calls them. This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), formed in the ducts of breast in the earliest stage, is the most common, most heterogeneous invasive breast cancer cell type. ... Breast cancer is cancer of breast tissue. ... In medicine, mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. ...

As Dana started her chemotherapy sessions, her relationship with Lara deteriorated. She became verbally abusive towards Lara and asked her to leave her alone and forced her to fly to Paris to take some cooking classes. While Lara was in Paris, Dana rekindled her friendship with Alice. Dana's immune system became weakened by the chemotherapy. As a result, she got an infection for which she was taken to the hospital. Alice stayed with her and took care of her for most of the time she was there. On Dana's fifth day at the hospital, a nurse recommended that Alice take a walk outside to relax: as Alice had been in the room for all five days. Right before Alice walked out, Dana told Alice she loved her, to which Alice replied, "I love you too." A few minutes later, when no one else was in the room, Dana's heart stopped beating. Chemotherapy is the use of chemical substances to treat disease. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... A scanning electron microscope image of a single neutrophil (yellow), engulfing anthrax bacteria (orange). ...

Dana was cremated. During the funeral, which was organized by her parents, Dana's friends were excluded because of their sexuality. Enraged, Alice stole some of her ashes in order to prepare a proper ceremony. Dana's ashes were then spread by her friends in a waterfall at the tennis camp where she had met her first girlfriend. The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ...

Season 4

Dana reemerged in the 4th season finale, presumably as a figment of Alice's imagination, forcing Alice to confront her fears of losing someone she loves again. It is unclear how long Alice has been seeing Dana in this way, but Alice expresses surprise that Dana has appeared without Alice asking her to. Dana successfully persuades Alice not to let Tasha go off to Iraq without saying goodbye. At the end of the scene, Alice comments, "You really curse a lot more now." Oddly, Dana's apparition lingers after Alice has left the room, replying, "Yeah, well, you'd curse a lot too," and seems to take in a moment of quiet reflection. The sequence leaves open whether this manifestation of Dana was consciously imagined by Alice, a splinter of Alice's psyche, or an apparition Alice is haunted by against her will.

The Chart

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 720 pixel, file size: 13 KB, MIME type: image/png) A summary of Dana Fairbankss known chart connections as of the third season finale of The L Word (2006). ...

Trivia

Dana's parents, Irwin and Sharon Fairbanks, are portrayed by real-life married couple Michael and Susan Hogan. Michael Hogan is better known for his role as Colonel Saul Tigh on Battlestar Galactica. Michael Hogan (born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian actor of Irish descent. ... Colonel Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. ... Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television program created by Ronald D. Moore that first aired on October 18, 2004 in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky One, and January 14, 2005 in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel. ...