All About (Last) Eve

Although we weren't able to do it on Feb. 14 this year, Damian and I kept our Valentine's Day tradition alive of seeing a classic film for the occasion yesterday when we caught a screening of Joseph Mankiewicz's "All About Eve' at the Metrograph downtown. (In 2015 we saw "The Philadelphia Story" at BAM and have never looked back!) It was Damian's first time seeing Bette Davis's sublime performance as aging Broadway star Margo Channing and, having not seen it in decades, all but mine. 

I certainly can't tell "the gays" anything they don't already know about this masterpiece that won six Oscars including best picture and best director. But boy is it a thrill from beginning to end. (At one point Damian turned to me and whispered: "I just got chills"!) xo 

Will ‘Danny’ Die Alone?

Just discovered "Danny Will Die Alone," Jack Tracy's painfully accurate look at gay dating and hookup culture in the 21st century now airing on Dekkoo -- aka the "gay(er) Netflix" that you've never heard of. (Sign up HERE.)

Season one flew by, with nine hilarious --and fourth-wall-less -- episodes ranging in length between eight and 12 minutes. (I may be an older Gen Xer to Danny's elder millennial. But our sensibilities and pathological need to get the last word are in perfect step, for better or worse!) 

Now "Danny Will Die Alone" is back for another season, with a beefier half-hour premiere -- the provocative "Melvin" episode -- and the promise of even more flesh-ed out storylines.

 

Dekko writes:

Creator, writer and star Jack Tracy takes us on a journey through Danny’s disastrous dating life as he attempts to find love online while embarking on adventures in openness, polyamory, sex drive compatibility, feminization and, naturally, fisting! 

With a longer format this season, Danny is able to explore the many different quirks of online dating much deeper than before, with comedy just as outrageous and biting as ever. 

Will Danny finally find love? Based on his track record, it’s unlikely! But in Season 2, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of laughs -- both with and at Danny -- along the way. 

Check out the trailer for the new season HERE and drop by Dekkoo for new episodes every Thursday.

Definitely caught me by surprise!

Release schedule: 

Nov. 14: “Melvin” 

Nov. 21: “On the Side” 

Nov. 28: “Three Outlets” 

Dec. 5: “Fist-Giving” 

Dec. 12: “Manpussy”

Dec. 19: “LGBTQP”

Follow Jack on Instagram HERE and the show HERE.

Enjoy a free episode ("Mustache Ride") from season one above!

Are You Ready for More 'Disappointments'?

I absolutely loved the first season of "The Disappointments" and have been growing impatient waiting for more. Luckily, we're getting closer.

For those in the City of Angels: You can attend the world premiere of season 2 of Rich Burns's ode to gays of a certain age and help raise money to support the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Senior Services. 

Date and time:

Wednesday, Sept. 25 

6 - 9 p.m. PDT

Location:

Los Angeles LGBT Center

1118 North McCadden Place 

Los Angeles, CA 90038

Tickets HERE. 

For the rest of us, however, it sounds like Burns is still looking for a distributor. If you can help, please contact him on Instagram HERE.

Frederic Forrest, Actor Known for ‘The Rose,' 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Valley Girl,' Dead at 86

I adored Frederic Forrest as the earthy dad in "Valley Girl" and was sad to hear he just died at 86. Read a tribute to the star of "The Rose," "The Conversation" and "Apocalypse Now" HERE.

 

Remains of the Day (05/18)

Attitude: Gay footballer Jake Daniels, 18, on ‘soulmate’ partner, 46, who slid into DMs after coming out

Jezebel: Allow Pete Buttigieg to define masc gay for you

CNN: Behind the scenes in 2000 when Supreme Court liberals thought Nazi and Dred Scott references in gay rights dissent were distracting

Miss Manners: Must I inform anti-gay family members of my same-sex wedding?

HuffPost: The faces behind Louisiana's fight to say gay

WaPo: Supreme Court rules against Warhol Foundation in Prince photo copyright case

Greg in Hollywood: 14-time champion Rafael Nadal withdraws from French Open due to injury, says ‘next year is my last year’

GT: Dannii Minogue to donate 'I Kissed a Boy' song profits to LGBT helpline

Twitter: Mary Lambert gets a first look at Andy Caulfield's 'Madonna: 1984," featuring unreleased photos he took for the 'Borderline' video she directed

KESQ: DHS man arrested in sexual assault of gay man during Palm Springs dating app hookup

NYT: How long does it take to get fit again?

Back2Stonewall: LA Dodgers remove the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from Pride night honorees after being duped by fake Catholic group

Hot Cat of the Day: Melvin shows us a day in the life!

Tru to a Fault

Over the weekend I watched Ebs Burnough's (Covid-interrupted) "The Capote Tapes" and can't stop thinking about it. Having grown up with virtually no gay role models, it was hard not to be fascinated by Truman Capote from the first time I laid eyes on him, if only in self-conscious horror that someone like him/me would have the audacity to actually live his life. (His talk-show visits and appearances in "Murder by Death" and "Annie Hall" all came before I'd ever read anything he'd written, as did my fawning over photos from his famed Black and White Ball at the Plaza Hotel!)

Keep reading BELOW.

Senior (High) Living

This meme made me smile -- sign me up -- leading me to a search of the haunt where my "Fast Times at Dobson High" played out: Fiesta Mall (RIP). 

Was tickled to discover this photo of the Musicland where my friend Greg purchased "Madonna" she same day I bought “She's So Unusual" at the height of the great Madonna vs. Cyndi Lauper War! Also seen is the Sears -- the mall's first anchor store -- where my classmate Donna Sullivan worked, decked out in the coolest mod fashions and smoking cloves on her 15-minute breaks. Below: Fiesta Malls three other early anchors -- The Broadway, Goldwaters and Diamonds, which was the fourth anchor in the mall's before being replaced by Dillard's! 

The rise and fall of Fiesta Mall

Greens 'n 'wiches in the food court

P.S. And look what's in the news today!

Developer files initial plans to redevelop shuttered Fiesta Mall in Mesa

Russell Tovey Pays Tribute to 'Queer' Artist David Robilliard, His 'Queer' Hero

I'm still not exactly sure what a "queer" artist is, let alone a queer hero. (Is a "queer couple" when two queers get together?) But I too am a fan of the very gay British poet and artist David Robilliard (1952–1988) -- I became intrigued by his unabashedly homosexual work decades ago after getting my hands on the catalogue for his 1987 exhibition called "A Roomful of Hungry Looks" at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam -- so I applaud Russell Tovey for digging in deep with a new documentary about the late artist.

To give you an idea of what a riot he must have been, after being diagnosed HIV positive in 1988, the artist started introducing himself as "David Robilliaids"(!) 

As for the mission statement, it’s obviously fine to self-identify as queer. But I wonder what this out and proud man would think about being rechristened as such by WePresent et al. Kinda reminds me of the Mormon church’s baptism for the dead.

At any rate, I am eager to see what else Tovey has uncovered. In the meantime, you can see more of Robilliard's work BELOW

'I'd Rather Pay More'

 

If you haven't read my memoir -- "Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?" -- it's a bit of a love letter to my mother. (Molly's seen here on big date with Fred Shirley in Takoma Park, Md., circa 1958.) My brother Terence found this 1986 Pizza Hut commercial last night and sent it to me. The ad campaign is a plot point in the book, which those who have read it will appreciate!

That sure looks like David Ruprecht, the oddly sexy Libertarian host of "Supermarket Sweep"!

When a Man Loves a Cat

Damian and I caught a screening of "Cat Daddies" last night and my face still hurts from smiling (through tears of joy). The less you know going into it the better, in my opinion. But suffice to say it's a must-see for cat lovers, and should probably be mandatory viewing for all men as a lesson against toxic masculinity.

After missing it at the Angelika, we had planned to see "Cat Daddies" a few weeks ago in Hudson, N.Y., only to have our Metro North train break down. (It seems to be showing in select cities right now before eventually coming to home release.) So a NJ Transit train to Asbury Park -- in 8-degree weather on a Friday evening -- was a small price to pay to finally see writer/director Mye Hoang's gem of a documentary. 

Check for a screening near you HERE.

P.S.

We had a couple hours to kill before the next train back to NYC, so had dinner at a cute Mexican joint on Main Street (where a waitress with a beautiful voice sang live) before having a beer at Georgie's. The bar was cute and even played "Walking on Sunshine" and the C L McSpadden Powerhouse Mix of "Missing"! 

Nailed It

 

As many of you are well aware, I find the names of some nail salons to be rather HILARIOUS. One of the catchiest of all is "Gorgeous Pretty Beauty Nail," which Miss Swan, of course, famously operated on "MadTV" for years. What I didn't know is that Alex Borstein, who played the hilarious character in a very different time in our nation, responded to claims of "yellow face" even back then by saying Swan was not poking fun at Asians, but was in fact based on her "Hungarian grandmother" and Icelandic singer Björk.

“Ms. Swan is based on my grandmother, a spunky 85-year-old immigrant who toys with her ability to speak and understand English as it suits her. She’s been in this country for almost 50 years and we still can’t understand a word she says! (Unless, of course, she needs a favor--then she’s as clear as a bell.)” (Read Borstein's hilariously defensive L.A. Times op-ed HERE.)

🙄🙄🙄

Sure, Min! 

International Dining

I always dreamed of getting this as a child but my family was way too white for something so ethnic. (I dreamed of imitating Mr. DeFazio at the Pizza Bowl.) 

We did, however, enjoy Chinese food that swings American from time to time with chop suey etc. (in a can) -- by La Choy. (And people wonder why I was such a scrawny kid!)

Chow mein galore

Scouts' Dishonor

 

Here's a look at the trailer for "Boy Scout's Honor," a new documentary that examines the years of harrowing abuse that the organization has swept under the rug for decades:

8-year-old Aaron Averhart was just a year shy of being able to move up from Cub Scout to Boy Scout when he received a special request from an admired Boy Scout leader, William (Bill) Sheehan. As Aaron rose up the Boy Scout ranks, he slowly became aware of Sheehan’s grooming techniques and began to realize he had much more sinister intentions in store for him. 

If Aaron’s parents had known that since the 1920s the Boy Scouts of America had been keeping hidden files on dangerous pedophiles in their ranks while failing to warn the public, the police, the scouts, their parents, or even fully removing them from the Boy Scouts program, they would have never allowed young Aaron to be part of such a complicit and corrupt organization.

"Boy Scout's Honor" will be available on demand Tuesday, Dec. 13.

When Debbie Harry Tried to Remake Jean-Luc Godard's 'Alphaville'

I remember reading in the 1982 Blondie book "Making Tracks" that Debbie Harry and Chris Stein had sought to do a remake of Jean-Luc Godard's "Alphaville" (1965), about a dystopian future ruled by a giant computer. Robert Fripp was to play Lemmy Caution and Debbie Harry would be Natacha von Braun, roles originated by Eddie Constantine and Anna Karina. Amos Poe, the "Blank Generation" filmmaker who had directed the Blondie singer in underground flicks "Unmade Beds" (1976) and "The Foreigner" (1978), was to be at the helm. The project was already in the rearview mirror by the time I learned about it, but the photos in the book had me dying over what could have been. 

 

Forty years later and of course this tweet from Stein on the death of the legendary French New Wave director had me rolling!

I believe that's called "petit larceny"!

Read more about the film that never was HERE.

Melody Maker (Dec. 23, 1978)

Debbie's No Wave moment ...

UPDATE: Chris Stein just added footage of the "screen test" that was filmed!

Watch HERE.

I Remember You Well, Chelsea Hotel

Did anyone catch the iconic Hotel Chelsea awning out for a spin yesterday in the East Village? A new documentary, "Dreaming Walls," catches us up to date at the legendary lodging -- where we used to celebrate birthdays at El Quijote and go to art shows in the lobby -- until it closed for more than a decade for renovations. 

Deadline writes:

“It’s a film of encounters and the people we met, we love them,” explains Maya Duverdier, who co-directed the film with Amélie van Elmbt. “We wanted to talk about these lives that have been in the shadow, in a way, of the bigger names.” 

The bigger names range from Mark Twain in the 19th century to Oscar Wilde in the early 20th. Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin, composer Virgil Thomson, Jack Kerouac, Thomas Wolfe, Uma Thurman, Ethan Hawke, Stanley Kubrick and fellow filmmaker Miloš Foreman, and the artist Christo, have all been associated with the Hotel Chelsea in one way or another. Andy Warhol shot films there. The Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious may or may not have stabbed his girlfriend to death there in 1978. But the filmmakers believe the lesser known residents may be just as responsible for creating the Chelsea aura.

Keep reading HERE.

Note: It (mostly) reopened in May!

In 'They/Them,' Camp Crystal Lake Meets 'But I'm a Cheerleader'

Having spent my closeted youth obsessively watching horror movies -- "Motel Hell," "He Knows You're Alone," "Eyes of a Stranger," you name it, plus my friend Mike and I wrote our own screenplay for "The Babysitter"! -- I almost can't believe this film is actually happening.

"They/Them" synopsis:

When a group of LGBTQ+ campers arrives at Whistler Camp -- a conversion camp run by Owen Whistler (Kevin Bacon) -- they are promised a “new sense of freedom” by the end of the week. But as the counselors attempt to psychologically break down each of the campers, a mysterious killer starts claiming victims, and they must reclaim their power if they’re going to survive the horrors of the camp.

Award-winning screenwriter John Logan’s directorial debut to premiere on Peacock Friday, Aug. 5.

When Dusty Springfield Aspired to Be a Cat Lady

With thanks to a regular reader for pointing me to this 1978 clip of Dusty Springfield and Betty White on "The Jim Nabors Show," bonding over their mutual love of animals. What a thrill to see them together! xo 

Jump to 19:19 for maximum cat cuteness

The episode originally aired March 27, 1978, which was shortly after "The Betty White Show" was canceled after 14 episodes. 

P.S. I've been hearing for ages that a Dusty biopic is coming. Here's what Glamour wrote in February under the headline: "Biopic movies are set to take over our screens in 2022 (and beyond). These are the ones not to miss," although I see no mention of the film on IMDB or Wikipedia. 

"So Much Love" 

Gemma Arterton is taking on the role of Dusty Springfield in "So Much Love," which she has described as a "more intimate" take than other blockbuster biopics. 

She told the Daily Mirror: "I am kind of a bit terrified by it, but at the same time really excited. It’s about a specific moment in her life when she made Dusty in Memphis and went to America for the first time and did that amazing incredible album and defied everybody’s expectations.”

Wikipedia references supposed projects that were to involve Nicole Kidman, Kristin Chenoweth and Madonna ("producing and perhaps playing Dusty's manager"), none of which ever surfaced. 

Guess we’ll have to wait to see if Dusty’s catspirations ever make it to the silver screen.