Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Electric Youth
Mall Rat
With friends at NOW's March for Women's Lives, April 1989
I feel fortunate to have been able to attend two historic gatherings in our nation's capital -- NOW's March for Women's Lives in 1989, which took place in the shadow of Missouri's anti-abortion laws pending before the Supreme Court, and the Bush administration siding with anti-choice lunatics, explicitly urging reversal of Roe v. Wade, as well as the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1993 -- both of which were obviously more serious events than this one.
With my friend Paul at the March on Washington, April 25, 1993
But as the title indicates, we are living in an unprecedented era of insanity, and I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't stand up and be counted as someone who wants this "be-proud-that-you[re-ignorant," "make-up-shit-as-you-go-along-and-never-get-called-out-on-it" era to stop. Ironically, as much as I blog and tweet about how horrible things are becoming, my heart actually believes that good will surely win out over evil, and that equality will overcome the scare tactics and partisan hysteria, despite how frustrating the slowness of progress can be. But even so, it deeply disturbs me that we've allowed certain wingnuts to commandeer the national debate. So if standing up with these two smart men who have the balls to call these dispatriots out on their crap, I'll get in touch with my inner-youth for the afternoon and be there.
You've Come Along Way, Indeed
In conjunction with its new logo, the WTA posted this clip highlighting the tour's greatest players of the last 37 years, dating back to the famed Original Nine. The video really made me smile, but would have been even better with a dash of Andrea Jaeger ...
The Original Nine: Left to right, seated: Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Rosie Casals, Gladys Heldman (standing in for daughter Julie), Kristy Pigeon. Standing, left to right: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey, Peaches Bartkowicz.
A 1980 reunion of the Original Nine in New York City. Showing their symbolic dollars are women's tour catalysts Gladys Heldman and Billie Jean King, with original pros Valerie Ziegenfuss, Peaches Bartkowicz, Phillip Morris' Joe Cullman, Nancy Richey, Julie Heldman and Rosie Casals
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Timothy Adams: Boxers or Briefs
'Celebrity' Detox
Courier News
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
David Beckham Scores One for Ellen
A Night at the Theater
Since I'm anything but a Broadway feen, yet I get a lot of inquiries from readers around the country for theater recommendations, thought I'd share this informal review my friend Steve -- a brawny, black Siouxie Sioux fan-addict with a major crush on Morrissey -- wrote of "Fela!" (His write-up, by the way, is WAY more entertaining than most of the shows I've seen!) Here is it, enjoy!
so we took our young corsican guests (antonin & lola: cutest brother & sister ever, who came to see MUSE in newark on sunday) to see FELA! last night. the show's actually pretty good. the band is tight, the dancers' bodies are tight (some serious chocolatey goodness on that stage. and they work it OUT. bill t. jones' african choreography is no joke) and the show moves along at a pretty good pace.
but ok... PATTI LABELLE is in the show at the moment. kind of a distraction. her part is a relatively small but important one. she really only has two songs, but of course, she tears that shit UP. especially the second one. even i had to shout, "SANG miss patti!" with a gay finger wave. lol
we got pretty good seats, down near the front but off to the side. luckily, my buddy works at the theater and was able to upgrade us to the best seats in the house! the center aisle through which the dancers run during the show. i was informed that i sat in the very seat that madonna occupied when she saw the show. and no, i didn't sniff it. (but i do have an appointment at the free clinic this afternoon...) miss patti shook my hand as she went through the crowd! thanks, buddy!
the elderly french-speaking (haitian?) lady sitting next to lola turned out to be the grandmother of the guy who was playing fela. after the show, she had a nice chat with us (antonin & lola are french and richard is fluent), most of which i caught, in spite of my terrible french. while we were hangin with granny, we realized that some chairs were being set up on the stage and people were running down to grab front row seats. talkback!
not sure if they do it every night but several of the cast came out to answer questions. eventually, so did patti. she made sure to apologize for being late (do not mistake her for an aloof diva!), she was simply waiting for someone to tell her when to emerge.
the talkback couldn't last long, because they had to close the house. the poor house manager was trying to wrap things up and clear us out, but miss patti would not leave! she hung out, shook hands (grasped mine with BOTH hands the second time! i had to call my mom!), signed autographs and posed for pix. what wendy williams says about her is absolutely true: if you queen-out at patti, she will queen-out right back at you. several people gave her a "haaay miss patti! we love you!" and without missing a beat, she was all "haaay gurl. how you doin'? thank you for coming." so sweet. during the talkback she even talked about how she sweats a lot because she's menopausal. lol
if you're a b'way show looking for a way to sell tickets and you get a name like patti labelle in your cast, a talkback after the show is a great idea. they should publicize it more. miss patti WILL hang!
we capped the night off with dinner at our favorite times square spot to take visitors: the skybar at the novotel hotel. the terrace gives you a great view of times square. perfect for tourist pix and totally free (you don't have to eat at the restaurant or drink at the bar).
tonight, we're taking the kids to a dance piece in soho. (followed by jock strap night at the eagle? hmmm.... maybe not.)
anyway, fela! is definitely worth seeing.
He Liked It, and a Ring Ensued
Charlie and Maria
Fun-Girl Alert!
United Nations of Underwear
Let's Just Assume It was a Bowl-a-Thon for MS?
Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Throwing in the Towel
'Violet' Femmes
Boo, You're It
'Why Do You Keep Calling Me Calvin?'
Monday, October 25, 2010
'Daisy' Chain
Hugh "I show up at the opening of an envelope" Jackman ("Someone Like You" -- for the underwear scene -- which I'm pretty sure is the ONLY movie of his I've seen, not counting "Scoop")
Isabella Rosselini ("Blue Velvet," "Cousins" and "Death Becomes Her" -- who could pick one?)
Glenn Close ("The Paper")
Brooke Shields ("Just You and Me, Kid" -- she and George Burns were magic!)
Ralph Fiennes ("Quiz Show")
Sarah Paulson ("Jack & Jill" -- MY "Sex and the City" before I started watching SATC!
And speaking of which: Mario Cantone, just because