Song of the Day: ‘Older Sister’ by Julie Lee and the Baby Daddies

#TBT to 1958: My high-school-age mom in Silver Spring, Md., with her slightly older sister, Dianne, whom we lost last week at 84. It's a shame my aunt wasn't a bigger part of our lives. But knowing that my mom and her brother and sister grew up in such an unspeakably abusive setting, I always understood why the three of them kept their distance, the mere sight of each other just too painful to revisit. I hope you're at peace now, Aunt Dianne. 

As I looked for Carly Simon's olde to her big sister(s), I came across this cover by an artist I'd never heard of. Julie Lee was born the same year I was -- and is from Maryland -- so decided it was a sign. 

Aunt Dianne (in scarf) and my mom with my brother Terence (holding Santa) and me (holding Bobby Bear, who was actually a stuffed dog?) at my great aunt and uncle's house in Silver Spring, Md., during my mom's 30th birthday/Thanksgiving 1971. My mother had finally left my alcoholic father for good and decided we needed to spend the holiday away from our Detroit-area home. 

Aunt Dianne with Dr. Tom Kearney (Grandma’s third husband) and Joe Saville (Dianne’s starter husband) at my Grandmother's house in Westport, Conn., circa 1969.

Remains of the Day (09/04)

Stolen Holiday: "The Golden Girls" and the utopia it offered then and now

TV Insider: Elton John, 77, reveals he's partially blind after severe eye infection

Jonathan Thomas Maioccois: Praying the gay away didn't work. But loving myself did.

Deadline: Eric Gilliland, beloved comedy writer for "Roseanne" and many others, is dead at 62 after long battle with cancer ... Ryan Reynolds remembers his gay friend HERE.

Ass Wednesday: Licensed dump-truck operator

Interview: Brian Jordan Alvarez -- who is going back to school as the creator and star of "Education Teacher” -- on stalking, spanking and Fire Island

NYP: Joaquin Phoenix refuses to reveal why he quit gay romance film: "Not sure how that would be helpful."

Attitude: Graham Norton opens up on married life with his husband: "I met someone I was willing to take a bet on"

NYT: Andy Cohen lists his light-filled West Village duplex for $14 million

People: "Maurice" director James Ivory, 96, on being a gay icon and why he didn't come out in the 1990s

WaPo: About f**king time -- and Kamala Harris needs to bring it up during the debate, too

The Randy Report: How closely are our phones listening?

USA Today: Daniel Craig opens up about filming explicit gay sex scenes in new movie "Queer"

MetroWeekly: Park ranger accused of extorting money and sex from gay men

Song of the Day: Kate Pierson of the B-52s returns solo with "Take Me Back to the Party"

Hot Cat of the Day: Greek cats can make cat people out of anyone, or so tonight's uninvited Villa guest tells me, writes a FB friend visiting Mykonos! 

XXX: Porn provocateur Phil St. John -- aka Phil Tarley -- opens wide

Julien's: Own a piece of Raquel Welch

Tickled to see "Parting Glances" (1986) being made available to the masses (with ads!). Bill Sherwood's seminal film helped a teenage me realize that gay or not -- plague or not -- I might just be OK. 

🏳️‍🌈🙏❤️

Tennis Tuesday: Jakub Mensík

 

The leggy 18-year-old Czech made a nice run to the third round in New York. But it was his promotional video for OKsystem that I don't see myself forgetting anytime soon. Watch BELOW.

Song of the Day: 'Sleep Comes Down' by Psychedelic Furs

 

Couldn't decide if Blondie's "Sound Asleep" or this gem from the Furs' 1982 album was more fitting -- but ended up with the latter when I discovered there was a low-budget video I don't recall ever seeing before! 

P.S.

I see Nick Heyward and the boys are in NYC, including at my quasi-beloved Empire Diner! I'm not attending any of the area shows -- which sadly I read won't include any meetups with fans -- but would love to hear from you if you go! 

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Lots of insanity at the U.S. Open, with both defending champions plus Carlos Alcaraz already out. We'll know who emerges victorious this weekend, but until then feast your eyes on all the goodies from around the tour BELOW.

Giddy-Up and Go

If you're in the NYC area, be sure to visit "Out West," an art exhibition featuring Ron Abram, Greg Climer and my friend Greg "Cowboys and Cattle Queens" Endries. The works will be on display Sept. 4-9 at 75 Varick St.

Invite HERE.

UPDATE: Here’s Greg at the opening gala.