Julie Brown Returns With 'Smell the Glamour'

Just found out the hilarious Julie Brown has a new record out -- "Smell the Glamour" -- only her second release since her infamous "Goddess in Progress" put her on the map back in '85. This time around, Brown takes on Ke$ha's "Tik Tok," as "Another Drunk Chick," see video below, and the even funnier "Big Clown Pants," a poke at Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which literally had me in hysterics. The album also ties up some loose ends since "Trapped in the Body of a White Girl" came out in '87, including her classic Madonna parody "Vague" -- updated for 2011 -- as well as some Sarah Palin bits (which, unlike Judy Tenuta's, are quite brilliant at times), plus a remix of "'Cause I'm a Blonde."

  MetroSource NY interviewed Brown recently and asked her if any of the women she parodies have ever gotten in touch with. Lucky for us, one special lady has:

   "Madonna did. When we were rehearsing ... she sent over a half-drunk bottle of warm Champagne with a note: 'You're special. Love, Madonna.' It could have been a sarcastic thing but I don't know. Then, when I did my special, she had her agent call my manager and tell her that she really liked it. Then another mutual friend told me she really didn't like the dog cemetery scene -- remember that? And she didn't like the part where I said, 'I don't want my dancers to sue me,' because it turns out her dancer really did sue her. " 

 Here's hoping the funny lady returns to New York City soon. I saw her loose her (212) virginity at Joe's Pub in '07 and it was a hoot!

 

Just Say Julie!

 

Because you I love all things Julie Brown, check out the premiere episode of her new show, "The Art of Being Fabulous," featuring a very special guest appearance by Paula Abdul. (And was that my pal and fellow Phoenician Tony Tripoli playing Paula's agent?) 

Related: See all Julie Brown posts HERE.

Just Say Said Julie!

So I dragged Michael to Joe's Pub on Saturday night to see everyone's favorite easy Earth Girl, Julie Brown. I was kind of embarrassed to even ask him to go and I was certain we'd be the only people in the audience. We got there about a half-hour before showtime and would you believe the line was stretched out long and far along Lafayette Street? (Naturally, the crowd could have easily doubled for one of Kathy Griffin's audiences.)

We quickly decided a table was in order and sat down to Smell the Glamour. Sure, Julie had simply dusted off those old backing tracks from the '80s and showed a couple of old clips on an occasionally uncooperative video projector above the stage, but that didn't stop the show from being a complete hoot. Looking sexy and fit as ever, Julie came flying out singing "I Like 'Em Big and Stupid" (from her classic 1984 EP, "Goddess in Progress," which is about to be reissued on CD!) and never looked back. Part stand-up, part audience participation (think boys in wigs during "Girl Fight Tonight!" from 1987's "Trapped in the Body of a White Girl") and part storytelling, it was easy to remember why Julie was one of the shining moments of '80s MTV. What's interesting (or perhaps surprising is the word I'm looking for) is that Julie really is a very talented pop songwriter. When I first heard her Madonna parodies from "Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful" (like "Happy Place") I remember thinking they were every bit as good as anything Madonna's ever released. On Saturday night she did the terminally infectious "Party in My Pants" and I still feel the same way. From there she launched into "Vague" -- complete with updated celebrities during the rap portion (who'd have thought Nicolette Sheridan would actually be in vogue again, though?). When she finished her crowd-pleasing encore of "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" she was so excited that she came back out just to wave and announce that she didn't have anymore songs. (Truth be told she hadn't done "Earth Girls Are Easy," which happens to be one of my faves, but ...) Afterward she lapped up the "backstage" attention as she patiently posed for photos and signed CDs and DVDs. A fun night with a really funny lady. (Question: When is "Strip Mall" coming out on DVD???) Visit Julie's funny Web site here. and her Facebook here.

Song of the Day: 'Party in My Pants/Vague' by Medusa (aka Julie Brown)

In honor of the Material Mom's 60th birthday, a parody so catchy it doubles as an homage by brilliantly capturing the joy that was Madonna singles heyday!

Vanna White, Ed McMahon. Nic-o-lette Sher-i-dan.
Mary Hart, Chuck Woolery, are as vague as they can be.
Brooke Shields, Dawber, Pam -- personality of Spam.
Christie Brinkley, Brosnan, Pierce -- bland and boring, something fierce!
Wilson Phillips loved to sing, and wreck the cover of a magazine.
Daniel Quayle's brain is gone.
Debbie Gibson gives good yawn!
Kelly LeBrock thinks she's great -- she's just cold boogers on a paper plate.
Why they're famous, we don't know ... but Paula Abdul's gotta go!

If you haven't seen Julie Brown's "Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful," stop what you're doing right now and watch it!

Julie Brown as Sarah Palin

Like I don't already love Julie Brown enough, now she's taking on everybody's "favorite" hockey mom. And as my pal Dan says, I think she's just getting warmed up: 

 On caribou:

   

 On lawyers:

   

 On international relations:

 

Drag Queen's Little Edie Is Big!

I have to say, the idea of sitting through an episode of "RuPaul's Drag Race" is about as appealing as listening to Madonna's "Hard Candy." But even I have to agree with Rich Juzwiak that Jinkx Monsoon's Little Edie (Bouvier Beale) impersonation is just about the best thing ever. (Note the judges are MTV's Julie Brown and Downtown Julie Brown!) Gawker has the clip HERE.

Page 1 Consider (04/02)

Surf's Up: Great news for gay cinema: The Times gave the new bi-curious surfer flick, "Shelter," a very positive review. "Everything changes when (straight) Zach finds himself drawn to Shaun (Brad Rowe), a confident writer and eager enabler of all of Zach’s passions. As the two hit the surf and Shaun’s mattress with equal enthusiasm, the movie’s abundance of tanned bodies, rolling waves and golden sunsets create an aesthetic of inoffensive hedonism that perfectly matches the subject matter." I'm so ready. (NYT)

She's No Nancy: It seems the Pentagon at first blocked Rep. Tammy Baldwin's domestic partner from traveling on a military plane with a congressional delegation on a trip to Europe but gave in after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, um, intervened. (AP)

Earth Girl Is Hilarious: Julie Brown decides the only way she can lose weight is to pull a Kirstie Alley/Valerie Bertinelli and lose weight with an audience, but gets tripped up along the way: "Two weeks ago, I went to Jenny Craig and signed up. It was great. They had a picture of their new spokeswoman, Queen Latifah, in her fat clothes and under the picture it said, 'I don’t want to be a supermodel, I want to be a role model.' I had no idea what that meant, because given the choice, I would much rather be a supermodel." (Won't someone give this woman a reality show?!!!) (Julie's MySpace Blog)

Missing the Point: After the dismal box office results for Iraq War films like "Rendition," "In the Valley of Elah," "Lions for Lambs," and "Stop-Loss," LionsGate is concerned that their acclaimed new film "The Lucky Ones" will suffer the same fate. It's a valid concern, but has anyone ever taken into consideration that those other films just weren't very good? (NYT)

Close Encounters: I've always loved Teri Garr. But knowing that she's a vengeful psycho girlfriend just makes me love her more. (SheKnows)

All's Phair: (212) fave Liz Phair is set to release a special 15-year anniversary edition of her seminal album "Exit in Guyville," which will include four previously unreleased tracks from the original sessions. The label, ATO, has also signed her for a new studio album due this autumn. But if that doesn't work out, she might be able to make a living as a book reviewer. Check out her piece in this Sunday's Time Book review on Dean Wareham's "Black Postcards: A Rock 'n' Roll Romance" and you'll see what I mean.(NME)

Let the Games Begin: David Wright on his knees during spring training. (Can't argue with that.) (Flickr)

Remains of the Day (11/09)

The Sun: $4,300-per-night male escort reveals what his clients really want (I wanna play with his ... cat!)

The Daily News: HIV-infected Thai man accused of raping scores of teen boys

The New York Times: Trump claims he doesn't know his new pick for AG, even though Matt Whitaker has visited the Oval Office several times and is said to have "chemistry" with the oft-bankrupt businessman

Towleroad: Michael C. Hall is totally straight, but clickbait journalism has made him the latest "sexually fluid" celebrity

New York Post: Gay man dies after injecting silicone in genitals, mom blames sex ‘cult’ master

TMZ: Caitlyn Jenner's Malibu home transitions to ash

Tumblr: The Chris Pine penis gifs have begun to, um, leak ...

CNBC: Crazy Donald jumps into tight Senate races wielding conspiracy theories

Boy Culture: Jacked Mac dances for his father, finds his pride 

Greg in Hollywood: Photo tribute by Maya Rudolph to late mom Minnie Riperton really got to me

Hunk du Jour: Sahib Faber does a Speedo justice

Gothamist: Here are NYC's 2019 Michelin star winners

The Blank Theatre: Would have loved to have been there for "Dreamland," featuring three of my favorite women -- Julie Brown, Laraine Newman and Deborah Van Valkenburgh

BosGuy: Thank God it's Furry Friday!

Page Six: This is why I could never be a lesbian

Baseline: Previewing this weekend's Fed Cup final between U.S. and Czech Republic 

Dlisted: Adam Driver might have a secret 2-year-old

The Randy Report: "Diesel Hate Couture" fashion line using the word fag*ot" gets mixed reactions

Hot Cat of the Day: A cat in Luxembourg has probably broken into a costume shop to find a dog disguise it can wear now that pussy no longer can show its face among its own kind. Find out why HERE.

Page 1 Roundup (06/01)

 

Daily News: New York raising age for purchasing semiautomatic weapons to 21 as part of gun law package (until Supreme Court strikes it down)

The Caftan Chronicles: Andrew Holleran's "Dancer From the Dance" was just the beginning. "The Kingdom of Sand" is his latest.

Washington Blade: Biden recognizes Pride Month, anti-LGBT bills in state legislatures

The Guardian: ‘Young gay people being out and happy? It’s revolutionary!’ Meet the 'Heartstopper' generation

The Randy Report: Kevin Spacey responds to latest allegations against him

Lost Spaces Podcast: Imagine arriving in Los Angeles as a gay 17-year-old during the golden age of cruising

IG: 'All Man: The International Male Story" will be at Provincetown International Film Festival on June 16-18

Socialite Life: Julie Brown talks comedy, 'Earth Girls Are Easy' and her recent (short-lived)podcast

Spin: Five albums Susanna Hoffs can't live without

Ses/Sums It Up: If you're looking for gay journalist and memoirist Kevin Sessums, I've found him here

New York: The long, sordid history of the gay conspiracy theory; today’s right-wing campaign against “groomers” is America’s latest moral panic.

HuffPost: Say hello to transgender Barbie 

New York Post: ‘Vivid’ and ‘funky’ NYC townhouse lists for $3.9M

Maybe Harry Hamlin was right about 'Making Love' forever branding him gay

Boy Culture: A young Gregory Harrison with his legs spread

The Independent: Lest you think that Dan White or the 'Jenny Jones' murder couldn't happen today, a jury just acquitted a college football player who beat a gay man to death for "tricking" him into thinking he was a woman during a blowjob. Truly sickening. 

Gothamist: Subway victim sues gun maker over attack that ‘changed my life forever’

Washington Post: A review of 'Bad Gays: A Homosexual History'

The New York Times: The doctor prescribed an obesity drug. Her insurer called it ‘vanity.’

The New Jersey attorney general’s office has opened an investigation into the unsolved deaths of a prominent political couple whose bodies were found in their home near Princeton, N.J., nearly eight years ago

How she knew she needed to quit Instagram

“Pistol,” about the Sex Pistols, and “Angelyne,” about a sex icon, find the reality in pop-culture fakery.

Tracy Flick is back!

The Wall Street Journal: Plot twist! Movie theaters fear popcorn shortfall will be a spoiler

Dreaded commute to the city is keeping offices mostly empty

“Directed by James Burrows” chronicles the TV man's happy career helming some of America’s most beloved comedies, including “Cheers,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace” and more

Hot Cat of the Day: Hold me closer, Tiny Cat

Three Drag Angels, One Slab of Beef and a Very Lucky Friday the 13th

 

As I mentioned, I really struck gold being in Los Angeles last week when two of my pals' long-running shows that I have never actually seen in person happened to be going on. On Wednesday, Damian and I drove over to the legendary Casita del Campo to witness the equally legendary comedy stylings of "Chico's Angels," featuring three angelic drag personas and one slab of beef paying homage to the "Angels in Chains" episode. I've heard that none of the actresses from the original series have any use for the parody -- either thinking they're being made fun or simply not being receptive to even hearing about it -- but it's hard to see it as anything but a love letter to the cultural phenomenon of the late 1970s. 

Learn more HERE.

Since I'm friends with Danny Casillas -- who plays delightfully ditzy Frieda Laye -- I sort of assumed I would enjoy his persona the most. But all three actors -- Danny plus Oscar Quintero as Kay Sedia, the self-absorbed and curvaceous former Miss Tijuana Natural Springs Water and Ray Garcia as Chita Parol, the smart and assertive Angel who has both a personal and professional rivalry with Kay -- have such chemistry that I pretty much forgot Frieda was my amiga and got swept up in their over-the-top antics ... which is to say nothing of Cade Christensen en los shorts de Peter Rison! 

On Friday my friends Greg and Jim met up with us at Marix, the famed West Hollywood Tex-Mex restaurant I frequented when I was residing down the street on Croft Avenue. Marix was closed for a few years after the pandemic due to a dispute with the landlord that also involved neighboring Basix, my old coffee hangout. So it was a real treat to see it thriving again -- in large part due to our adorable waiter named Bobby! 

Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd are slated to reunite next month in Los Angeles for the first time in ages -- and what a shame it is that their Latina counterparts won't be included in the festivities. 

Learn more HERE.

From there we headed east to the Renberg Theatre at the LA LGBT Center, where we got to see Dennis Hensley's fundraising laughfest "The Mismatch Game." As luck would have it, Nadya Ginsburg was there as Cher; Drew Droege was Tanya Roberts (speaking of Angels!); Julie Brown was the late Queen Elizabeth, a last-minute decision because it had just come to her attention that Bjork, whom she had planned to play, had been caught doing B(j)lackface years ago; as well as a gaggle of other hilarious performers. Because it was Friday the 13th -- and two days before St. Paddy's Day -- the theme was Bad Luck of the Irish, although the outsize amount of money raised begged to differ! 

I also met Frank DeCaro!

Song of the Day: 'Sweet and Low' by Debbie Harry

I have been a superfan for over 40 years and can honestly say a week doesn't go by that I don't discover another old photo, video or interview of my beloved Debbie Harry. (I recently added two newly unearthed interviews from the "Rockbird" era HERE,  a 1983 appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman" HERE and a "Koo Koo"-era clip that comes and goes from YouTube HERE.) 

Today's pick is her third visit to "Club MTV," where the only thing better than her latest dance hit was her flawless face and tight body.

So much better than when she showed up dressed as a New Wave Phyllis Diller to perform "In Love With Love"! (The "French Kissing" appearance has vanished from YouTube ... again.) 

This is just "I Want That Man" being played on "Club MTV." But watch Downtown Julie Brown's face after the guy she interviews, Stephen Nichols, at the very beginning reacts to the song's introduction. (Little things like this meant A LOT back then!)

UPDATE: It just happened again. 

Just stumbled upon this interview Kurt Loder did with Deb -- looking very "Intimate Stranger" -- at a pre-premiere dinner for Madonna's "Truth or Dare" on May 8, 1991. She references the time Madge came to see her at the Roxy back in 1989 -- a concert at which my friend Mark was also in attendance, calling me from a lobby payphone to tell me that he was standing "2 feet away from Madonna, Warren Beatty and Sandra Bernhard!"

Everybody Run!

(Read the lyrics HERE.)

Well, I completely take back what I said about Tina Fey having the market cornered on lampooning Sarah "Caribou Barbie" Palin. Julie Brown, who you'll remember starred in three pretty funny videos as the Alaska governor earlier this month, has just released a new song called "The Ex-Beauty Queen's Got a Gun," and it's without a doubt the most hilarious take on the GOP vice-presidential nominee to date. (The song's even funnier than the "Homecoming Queen" original!) You can hear its debut on "The Stephanie Miller Show" above (complete with the studio members' reactions!) -- or buy the MP3 HERE. And you thought Dick Cheney was armed and dangerous ...

Illustration by Zina Saunders

Tweet Nothings

.@POTUS at Coast Guard commencement: "You're the most progressive, best educated, least prejudiced, most open generation in American history. We need you badly. You're ready. It's time to get underway. God protect you all as you set out on your journey." https://t.co/33QusRD5Qm pic.twitter.com/BrQAnLIa2b

— The Hill (@thehill) May 19, 2021

TV shows calling episodes chapters... I've had enough.

— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) May 19, 2021

Just overheard someone say “She was a terribly flawed human but we were all used to her” and now I know what I want on my gravestone

— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) May 18, 2021

This is a losing battle but “gaslit” is not a synonym for “lied to,” gaslighting is a specific type of abusive dishonesty wherein your abuser makes you think that you are mentally unwell/cannot trust your own judgement.

— Lux 🧠 Alptraum (@LuxAlptraum) May 18, 2021

But is he single? https://t.co/P2DYee3usX

— julie brown (@missjuliebrown) May 18, 2021

Jennifer Aydin bought her son a stripper pole https://t.co/BJuHmELH05 pic.twitter.com/2FDzBwDgWW

— Page Six (@PageSix) May 19, 2021

Masked opera singers deliver anonymous performance on NYC subway https://t.co/EigSiJ2aYr pic.twitter.com/jGwp8iGZqV

— New York Post (@nypost) May 19, 2021

unreal by /u/axolote_cheetahhttps://t.co/Kyx7JCS41S pic.twitter.com/zdQPCNIYYJ

— Matthew Willis (@mattracquet) May 18, 2021

These are a few of my favorite tweets ... 𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅰𝅘𝅥𝅱𝅘𝅥𝅲    

P.S. Looks like I have some stalking to do!

The Moose Goddess

 

 

In this junior high school project video clip, Judy Tenuta takes a surprisngly lame stab at Sarah Palin. I'm sure you recall that Julie Brown already did this -- and way, way better -- but I think it's safe to say that Tina Fey still has very little to worry about. ..

 

Pleasant 'Dreams'

Michael and I saw "Dreamgirls" on my day off. I should start by risking my gay card admitting that even though I'm the exact right age to have been a gay boy obsessed with the Broadway soundtrack (I was 14 when the show came out, after all), I'd actually never seen or heard much about it. Being a huge Supremes fan, however, I was aware that the play was loosely based on their story.

Judging the film adaptation on its own merits, I would say "Dreamgirls" is an enjoyable trip to the movies -- neither a nightmare nor a dream come true. The cast looks fantastic (those costumes -- those wigs!) and the "why is she getting all the attention" storyline is juicy and compelling -- and plays very well as a film. But it did strike me as a tad bit ironic that the weakest part of the movie was actually the music. Each time the stars would launch into a song (this is a musical, sort of, after all), the entire pace and flow of the film came to a screeching halt. And while it could be argued that this is just the way musicals work, the even more surprising thing was that there wasn't a single song by "girl group" The Dreams that sounded anything like a real 1960s Motown hit. Shouldn't we be in love with this fabled girl group and all of their pop confections? Tom Hanks was able to write hire someone to write the wonderfully Beatles-y "That Thing You Do" for his movie band The Wonders -- and even Julie Brown came up with a handful of perfect songs for her Madonna parody "Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful" ("Party in My Pants" not only conjures up early Madonna, it's kind of better!) -- so I just felt like I would have been more in love with the film if I was more in love with the music.

Bottom line: The story and the girls are fun -- and if you can handle two hours of Jamie Foxx's capped buck teeth, then you'll be just fine.

Damn, Daniel: I'm Clueless

I love when I've never heard of something that's become an Internet sensation until the Gray Lady writes about it, which invariably means it's not one anymore. (I thought Downtown Julie Brown was doing the voice, but it turns out it's a male friend!)

Anyone?

Damn Daniel pic.twitter.com/Va10hmpePO

— josh (@josholzz) February 16, 2016