SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1979
MARYLAND’S LGBT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012 VOLUME XXXIV, NUMBER 6 WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
GAY POETS ON A LOVE OF LANGUAGE AND LIFE LGBT Heritage Walk Experimental Fashions How do you define a hookup? 5 Reasons I’m Addicted to RuPaul’s Drag Race
Vincent De Paul
From the Runway to the Red Carpet
PAGE 2 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 3
letter editor’s
QUIZ! Correctly answer for a chance to win Lana Del Ray’s new album
BORN TO DIE! SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS ON
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM In our interview with Joan Rivers (GL 3/16) how did she describe her childhood? a. Happy b. Dysfunctional c. Tragic What restaurant did Dining Out reviewers John and Marty recently visit? a. Alexander’s Tavern b. Pazo c. The Hamilton Tavern
As editor of Gay Life, I rely heavily on members of the community, contributors, and the staff and board of the GLCCB to determine relevant and valuable topics that are of interest to our readers. But sometimes my personal biases show through—and that’s what happened here. Simply put, I could not let another April pass by without acknowledging National Poetry Month. Commemorating the pinnacle of language in early spring is a worthy goal. Whether it’s tragic, nostalgic, reflective, or renewing, poetry can reach across ages, genders, and continents. Two of my favorite poets begin poems in April: From Dorothy Parker’s “A Well-Worn Story”: In April, in April, My one love came along, And I ran the slope of my high hill To follow a thread of song. From T. S. Elliot’s “The Waste Land”: April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. In this issue, we highlight two contemporary poets with deep Baltimore connections (p. 16). Our story not only highlights their great work, but also encourages everyone to participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day (April 26). So start reading! And, if you’re so inspired—start writing!
STUMPED? SEARCH FOR ANSWERS ON GLCCB.ORG AND BALTIMOREPRIDE.ORG Answers to the March 16 quiz: 1. c 2. b. 3. b PAGE 4 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
outfront
firstperson
PAGE 5 COMMUNITY GLCCB invites all to the 1st Annual Jew-ish/Gay-ish Passover Seder
Walking While White. By Kate Bishop
PAGE 6 HISTORY
PAGE 19 5 THINGS
Baltimore Heritage hosts LGBT History Walk. By Anthony Moll
PAGE 18 OP ED
5 Reasons I’m addicted to the most addicting show. By Daniel McEvily
PAGE 7 FASHION
Experimental fashion and “Gaypril” events at MICA.
outgoing
By Frankie Kaye
PAGE 21 SPOTLIGHT
PAGE 8 ART
20th Annual Lotta Art Benefit connects local artists and their work with the community while benefitting School 33.
An Evening with David Sedaris at the Meyerhoff. By Rachel Roth
By Kristi Metzger
DATEBOOK
PAGE 10 FILM
By Rachel Roth
Calendar of Events
Baltimore actor/model/activist Vincent De Paul talks to GL about his recent roles and journey to Hollywood. By Frankie Kaye
afterhours PAGE 22 BSCENE
AIDS Action Baltimore’s 25th Anniversary Fundraiser.
PAGE 12 DINING OUT
Ruby Buffet is exactly what a great buffet should be.
Photos by terra hiltner
By John Cullen with Marty Shayt
PAGE 13 BINGO TALK
Q&A at the Hippo with Frank & Beans. By Charlie Mumford
Where can you find answers to all of your Baltimore Pride questions? a. BaltimoreGayLife.com b. GLCCB.org c. BaltimorePride.com
7
CONTENTS
Maggie Beetz
Editor
PAGE 16
Gay Poets on a Love of Language and Life
headlinenews
Vincent De Paul
PAGE 14 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Photo by John Lair
By Rachel Roth
ON THE COVER
FEATURE
By Terri Solomon
241 W. Chase Street • Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone 410.837.7748 • Fax 410.837.8889 Email sales@baltimoregaylife.com
Maggie Beetz, Editor
Gay Life is a publication of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB). Gay Life is published every other Friday in Baltimore, Md., with distribution throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved. Gay Life is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Gay Life or its publisher.
Sabre Chase, Advertising
editor@baltimoregaylife.com
M. Cory Burgess, Art Director cory@metroscapemedia.com
Contributors
Kate Bishop, John Cullen, Frankie Kaye, Daniel McEvily, Kristi Metzger, Anthony Moll, Charlie Mumford, Rachel Roth, Marty Shayt, Terri Solomon
sales@baltimoregaylife.com 410.837.7748
Photographers
National Advertising Rep.
Newspaper Committee
Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863
Marty Shayt
terra hiltner, Charlie Mumford, Jay W Trevor Ankeny, Kelly D. McClain, Charlie Mumford, Terri Solomon
Senior Volunteer
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
outfront COMMUNITY
LGBT Seder Welcomes All The GLCCB is hosting its first annual “Jewish/Gay-ish Passover Seder.” The traditional Jewish evening of food, song and prayer is already attracting a diverse audience. Seder coordinator Charlie Mumford spoke to one attendant, Alice Chong, about her faith:
time who are Jewish. From each of them I have learned a little about Judaism. The more I learned from them, the more interested I have become in the religion.
BESIDES MARRYING INTO THE JEWISH FAITH WITH YOUR JEWISH WIFE, WHY JUDAISM?
The first is the opportunity to meet people from the community. Another thing that I am looking forward to is learning how other people celebrate Passover. I am also looking forward to the good food that will be served. And I’m super excited to attend my first event at the GLCCB! ■
One of these things is how accepting some denominations (Reform,���������������� ��������������� Reconstructionist, and Humanistic) are of people that are LGBT. Even some conservative synagogues permit same-sex commitment ceremonies. This acceptance is more than the religion I was raised with.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT THIS PASSOVER SEDER AT THE GLCCB?
IS PASSOVER YOUR FAVORITE JEWISH HOLIDAY? So far I like Passover a lot. I like the family aspect of the holiday. I like how everyone gathers together to celebrate it and how we learn about Jewish history during the celebration.
IF YOUR WIFE WAS NOT JEWISH, WOULD YOU HAVE STILL FOUND A WAY INTO THE COMMUNITY? Yes, but it would have taken a much longer time. I have had friends throughout my life-
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Alice Chong JEW-ISH/GAY-ISH PASSOVER SEDER
Monday, April 9 • 6pm • $18 Proceeds benefit GLCCB • Donations welcome GLCCB • 241 W. Chase St. For info, email GLCCBPassoverSeder@gmail.com
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 5
outfront HISTORY
Baltimore’s First LGBT Heritage Walk Shines Light on Local History BY ANTHONY MOLL Next month, decades of history and months of planning will culminate in an event that aims to explore a past that remains hidden to many Baltimoreans. On April 21, Baltimore Heritage, a nonprofit organization addressing historic and architectural preservation in Baltimore, will launch their first LGBT Heritage walking tour as part of their Baltimore by Foot series. The tour is a guided exploration through the Charles Village neighborhood that will explore the history of LGBT people and organizations in Charm City. It is a first, not only for the organization, but for the city of Baltimore. Starting at the 400 block of 31st Street, the tour will wind through the surrounding neighborhood, exploring a history of the LGBT community as told by those who were there to experience it. One such stop is Normal’s Books, the launching point for the tour, which once housed the 31st Street Bookstore, a hub for the city’s lesbian feminist community. The tour also includes stops at the former location of popular gay bar The Torch, which sat in the center of a heated legal case, and a house on Calvert Street whose basement is the birthplace of what would become Baltimore’s Gay Life newspaper. In all, the tour visits nine locations and mentions several more during the two-hour tour. Phillip Lovett, a graduate student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and an intern for Baltimore Heritage, took the lead in organizing the event. As Lovett began interviewing and working alongside long-time members of Baltimore’s LGBT community, a picture of the city’s LGBT legacy began to emerge. “Usually when people think of LGBT communities, they don’t think of the rich legacy that we have,” said Lovett. “The whole purpose of this walk is to really bring that history alive.” The event stands upon years of research from historians, community activists, and long-term residents. Individuals like Louis Hughes and Richard Oloizia, who have been in the area since the 1970s, were joined by a committee of several dedicated volunteers to help to build a picture of the past through personal recollection and through research online and at local librar-
PAGE 6 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
Abell Avenue Photo by Anthony Moll
ies. The two men are speakers along the tour, and are joined by several other community members. “I’m curious to see who shows up,” said Oloizia, who has called Baltimore home since 1979.” There might be folks my age who will pop up out of the woodwork who I can say, Gee, I haven’t them seen in years.” According to organizers, the tour is filling fast, so those interested may wish to register immediately. For those unable to attend, the organization has future LGBT heritage tours planned for later this year, and an online version of the tour should launch in May. This digital version will include a map of the tour, along with descriptions and historical photos of each stop. Being a community-based project, the organization is asking individuals who may have historic photos of locations important to Baltimore’s LGBT history to help complete their visual database. Anyone with photographs or other relevant information to contribute is encouraged contact Phillip Lovett at 410.332.9992 or lovett@baltimoreheritage.org. ■
BALTIMORE BY FOOT, LGBT HERITAGE
April 21 • 10am Register online at BaltimoreHeritage.org See additional photos on BaltimoreGayLife.com
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
FASHION
Students Showcase Experimental Fashion BY FRANKIE KAYE This spring, MICA is showcasing two fashion events, Transcend, the Annual Benefit Fashion Show and Milquetoast, an Experimental Fashion Event. These headlining events will present the innovative designs and artistic, original works of MICA students. Transcend, the Annual Benefit Fashion Show, explores the outward manifestation of the unconscious mind. The 14 designers are challenged to push beyond what is expected and ‘transcend’ their normal, accepted thought processes to reveal hidden layers of themselves through garment making. Designer Leanna Pascual of Long Island, NY, whose collection Elle. Em. N. oh. P. will be featured during the Transcend show, explained: “I was inspired this semester by the sense of joyful play I felt when I was younger, and still feel, when I put together outfits for myself. In the spirit of transcendence, I reflected on the cycle of rebirths as we go through life, year after year.” Pascual, drawing upon the dramatic re-
“GAYPRIL” AT MICA MICA turns April into “Gaypril” with multiple LGBT-events, including two open to the public:
Friday, April 20 DAY OF SILENCE All day, campus wide BREAKING THE SILENCE 5pm • Cohen Plaza 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. Join hundreds of thousands of students nationwide who take a vow of silence to bring attention to antiLGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. The event culminates in a “Breaking the Silence” event at 5pm, so don’t forget to bring your pots and pans!
Saturday, April 21 DRAG BALL Theme: ‘90s Drag Explosion 7pm • $1 drag, $3 drab (not drag) BBOX • 1601 W. Mount Royal Ave. Break out your slap bracelets and throw on some jellies because the ‘90s are back! The Maryland Institute Queer Alliance (MIQA) is hosting its annual drag ball with all your favorite throwbacks. Expect delicious food, a costume contest, and plenty of lip syncing! Proceeds benefit FASQA’s (MICA’s Faculty and Staff Queer Alliance) LGBT scholarship for students. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
constructions of her own life, used this artistic inspiration to express these situations visually in her work. “I set out to create various characters within the collection to illustrate this very idea. I took direction from the fabrics, ceramic glazes, and other various materials that I found myself intuitively drawn towards. I allowed the body to inform my construction decisions by focusing on shapes that both accentuate and mask the body’s natural curves. During the sketching phase I thought about the intent I had for the psyche of each garment and how I wanted each piece to make the model feel.” Designers Amelia Stinnette of Baltimore and Erik Clark of Chicago, Ill. also have designs gracing the runway of Transcend. Their collection, Rise of the Alters, is drawn from the idea that alter-egos manifest themselves in each of us and reflect the masks which all of society wears. “[Our designs] are apart of a very regal, tribal, idiosyncratic society,” said Stinnette. Her design partner, Clark, further explained, “I don’t think of clothing as some mundane thing we all do. Clothing expresses who you are and how you feel about yourself to the world. My inspiration comes from the idea of power and manifesting one’s true self. I feel that secretly we all wish to wear grand attire. I design for [the] regal super-being that resides in us all, that wants to be walking art. I design for the king, queen, punk, and the jester from various times and culture and combine them.” Stinnette always knew she would one day make it to MICA. “[Ever] since I was a toddler with a Fisher Price easel-chalkboard combo, my parents would drive past MICA on I-83 and say, ‘You’re gonna be there when you get older.’” Milquetoast: Experimental Fashion Event will also platform many of MICA’s talented students. Milquetoast is the “capstone event for students in the experimental fashion concentration,” explained organizer Valeska Pupulouh. The 16 designers in this show include fiber majors who experiment with different kinds of materials. Designers Kate Weintraub of New York and Anna Strain of Los Angeles, Cal., (whose col-
Leanna Pascual’s designs for Transcend
Amelia Stinnette & Erik Clark’s design for Transcend Photos by Derek Blanks
lection Stunted is a first time collaboration for the two) present the innovative fashion and costume design theme of the show. “Our inspiration has been anxiety about adulthood and a fascination with childhood,” said Strain. “My work is very much about re-contextualizating garment shapes that we often overlook,” said Weintraub. “How does the collar of a button down shirt change the way we feel when it is elongated to stretch past the nose? How does seeing a pair of footsie pajamas on an adult change our view of the item of clothing? I enjoy creating a subtle visual discomfort.” Strain and Weintraub’s collaboration is steeped in Weintraub’s technical garment knowledge and construction skills intertwined with Strain’s digital illustration and character design background.
Overall, the designers from both shows are eager to have their designs entertain, entice, and titillate audiences leaving them over-stimulated and wanting more. “I secretly want to make people cry a little bit,” admitted Stinnette. “I want them to feel the atmosphere of the music, the masks, and personalities of our universe.” Tickets available at the MICA Bookstore and at Store.MICA.edu. ■
TRANSCEND: ANNUAL BENEFIT FASHION SHOW Saturday, April 14 • 8pm (Public Show) • $15-20 Brown Center: Falvey Hall • 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu/Fashion
MILQUETOAST: EXPERIMENTAL FASHION EVENT Saturday, April 21 • 6pm & 9pm • $5-10 St. John’s Church • 2640 Saint Paul St. MICA.edu/Fashion
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 7
outfront ART
20th Annual Lotta Art Benefit Showcases Local Artists BY KRISTI METZGER Support the arts and enjoy fabulous food and wine by coming out Saturday, April 21 for School 33’s annual fundraising event, Lotta Art. Over 140 local artists are generously donating their work to benefit the School 33 Art Center. Attendants will find everything from traditional oil paintings and sculpture to fiber art, such as quilts, dolls and jewelry, and plenty of photography. Each art ticket holder will be able to take home a work of art from a talented up-and-coming artist or established local regional artist. The event starts at 6pm with the lottery-style drawing for artwork beginning at 7:30pm. Among the artists donating work to the event are M. Jordan Tierney and Kini Collins, who are from the local LGBT community. Collins entered a piece entitled Remembering: Southwest 1. It was created using hand-dyed tissue paper, crayon, charcoal, and beeswax layered onto a wood
MUSE PRAYER By M. Jordan Tierney 12” x 8” x 40” Wood PAGE 8 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
surface. She uses a torch to “brush” the final layer and fuse all of the materials. This is part of a series of work about remembering. She’s interested in the reliability and unreliability of memory. Collins questions whether memories are actual re-creations of the past or actually new creations due to our own fading ability to remember. Jordan takes on two main styles of work: collage paintings and large wood carvings/ assemblages. Her subject matter addresses both personal and public issues such as loneliness, war, civic responsibility, greed, and love. “I celebrate the overlooked and forgotten by mining found detritus from life,” said Tierney. “Through provocative juxtapositions I question assumptions and reveal buried relationships. By taking advantage of the baggage from the object’s previous context, I mine the imperfection of perception and memory.”
Photo by M. Jordan Tierney
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
SCHEMA 2: SOUTHWEST By Kini Collins (2012) 40” x 34” Tissue paper/crayon/wax/fire on wood
An exhibition preview takes place Friday, April 13 from 6 to 9pm at Silo Point. An art ticket is $175 for non-members and $150 for members of School 33 Art Center and participating artists in the benefit. A guest ticket is available for $50. Guest ticket holders are not eligible to select a piece of artwork. School 33 Art Center is dedicated to providing opportunities for visual and performing artists through solo and group exhibitions, art classes, hands-on workshops, a Studio Artist Program and special events. A program of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts, School 33 Art Center is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and through private contributions. The 20th annual Lotta Art Benefit is
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
presented by M&T Bank. School 33 is a community arts center that has been helping contemporary artists for more than 20 years. For more information about how School 33 helps to connect artists and the general public, as well as details about exhibitions, classes and workshops, visit School33.org. ■
LOTTA ART BENEFIT
Saturday, April 21, 6pm Lottery-style drawing 7:30pm Cocktail buffet, wines, live music.
JURIED ART EXHIBITION PREVIEW Friday, April 13, 6–9pm
Silo Point • 1200 Steuart St. 443.263.4350 • School33.org
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 9
outfront FILM
Baltimore Actor Makes Waves in Hollywood BY FR ANKIE K AYE
Among the glittering ball gowns and elegant tuxedos of Hollywood’s award season, this year’s red carpet was accented with the attendance of Baltimore’s very own Vincent De Paul. De Paul—an actor, model, and activist—recently performed in the Academy Award winning film The Artist. De Paul thoroughly enjoyed working on the set of the film. “The director, Michel Hazanavicius, had a story board of each scene. We knew that we were shooting a beautiful and sincere journey of actors’ lives in the 1920s, but we always thought we were just shooting an independent film. You never know what’s going to be a [blockbuster] success and what isn’t. I was honored and humbled to play a small part in the film.” De Paul was thrilled to attend both the Golden Globe and Oscar parties. He explained that “When I attend an awards party, the energy is just great!” The spon-
taneity of the night can surprise even the most veteran of actors. “While I was on the red carpet en route to the Weinstein Party,” De Paul recalled of his Oscars experience, “I was asked by reporters whose performances stood out among the nominees. I stated Jean Dujardin of The Artist and Meryl Streep’s perfect portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. When I turned around there was Meryl, waiting behind me to be interviewed. She smiled and thanked me. I had no idea that she was present while I was giving her accolades on her performance.” Along with his strong work ethic, De Paul has his local roots to thank for his launch into the film and modeling industries. Growing up in the Highlandtown section of Baltimore, De Paul’s Italian background helped pave the way into the John Waters film Hairspray. “I was performing in an Italian folk dance
The Artist star Jean Dujardin with Vincent De Paul
PAGE 10 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
group at the time,” De Paul explained. “The instructor Anna Apicella suggested that they were looking for dancers to perform 1960s styled dances for a movie they were shooting in town. I auditioned for the role down on Charles Street. Ed Love and Kiki Shepard were the choreographers for the film. Once they showed me the dance moves, I auditioned. They called later that day to inform me that I had the part and the next day I was on the set of Hairspray.” De Paul followed up his film debut with local modeling jobs. “My sister Felicia had always modeled. One day I went along with her to the agency she was modeling for, and they asked if I would model for the Macy’s teen model show.” While working locally, De Paul continued his schooling and went on to receive both a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts degree and graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Hygiene and Public Health. It was while working at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach that De Paul met a powerhouse in the fashion world. “I was approached by Gianni Versace, himself, while on South Beach,” De Paul explained. He would later go on to model for Versace’s fashion shows in Bal Harbour, Florida. “Learning about fashion helped me learn about modeling. While modeling, you learn how to dress and groom yourself. You learn about how to work with photographers and how to work in front of the camera.” From there De Paul began to divide his time between both modeling and acting. De Paul is careful in selecting projects that provide both entertainment value and awareness to causes which are important to him. He was very pleased to work on Baby Jane, which opened to thousands of film enthusiasts at The Castro in San Francisco’s Frameline Film Festival. Baby Jane was directed by Billy Clift, who’s a relative of Hollywood icon Montgomery Clift, and is a remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. This led De Paul to co-produce and act in Clift’s next two films I Want Get Married, a movie about supporting rights in Los Angeles in regards to ‘NO on Prop. 8’; as well as more recently in pre-production Hush Up Sweet Charlotte. De Paul recently joined actors Tom Arnold, Tom Archdeacon, Nathaniel Marston, as well as writer and comedian Bruce Vilanch in Walk a Mile in My Pradas, a movie in which it’s two leading characters, one gay and one straight, switch places, or in their case, sexualities. “It was such a pleasure working on this film. Each and every time I see Oscar writer, comedian, and co-star Bruce Vilanch he is always so complimentary. He is truly a BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
Actor/model/activist Vincent De Paul wonderful person.” The film was written by Archdeacon, along with actor/writer Rick Karats. “[Archdeacon and Karats], who both wrote Prada, happen to be two really creative writers and actors. They were able to craft an original story about diversity and shed light on acceptance.” De Paul has also dedicated his time and craft to groups which raise awareness of causes within the LGBT community. In 2008, he, alongside Broadway talents Nick Adams of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Glee’s Matthew Morrison, helped to raise money for Broadway Bares in Broadway Bares 18: Wonderland at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Proceeds from Broadway Bares are donated to Broadway
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Cares/Equity Fights Aids, one of the nation’s leading industry-based HIV/AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. He is also very supportive of the Winter Party Festival in Miami Beach, which is sponsored by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force. De Paul also takes part in the Society of the Saint Vincent De Paul, in which he gives out toys to some 400 children during Christmas time at the Society’s headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. With such an active career, De Paul has many electrifying projects in the pipeline for 2012. He is very excited at the prospect
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 11
outfront DINING OUT
Towson’s Ruby Buffet Offers Quality Choices BY JOHN CULLEN WITH MARTY SHAYT The new Ruby Buffet in Towson stands out among a growing number of Asian buffet restaurants that have sprung up around Baltimore in regard to both its style and quality of its food. Taking over the space formerly occupied by the Jade Garden buffet, the new restaurant could have easily set up shop without doing any renovations. Instead, Ruby Buffet’s owners totally redesigned the interior from scratch creating a striking, modern space with a decidedly upscale feel. The dining space offers a combination of dark wood booths and tables that don’t feel packed in; the large space is visually divided with 15-foot-long crystal bead strands densely packed and hanging from the ceiling. Vertical columns and ceiling panels lit from within by LED lighting
PAGE 12 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
create striking accents and change color in a range of pastel rainbow hues. The buffet serving area stands out with polished stainless steel fixtures standing against burnt orange walls and lit by halogen track lighting. The overall effect left us feeling we were in a trendy urban restaurant than a bargain priced suburban buffet. The “all you can eat” dinner buffet is $10.99 ($7.50 for lunch) and is a bargain for what you get. (Soft drinks are $1.50 extra). The buffet includes a wide range of mostly Asian appetizers and entrees including a hibachi grill where you can pick out your choice of ingredients and have them cooked in front of you while you wait. What differentiated Ruby Buffet for us from its competitors was the “notch up” quality of the items that we sampled. Our
friends asserted that the hot and sour soup was the best that they had tried; Marty was impressed by the seafood soup, while both John and Marty both observed that the sushi offerings displayed artful touches and combinations that they haven’t seen at other local buffets. Among the many entrée offerings, Marty was particularly impressed by the salt and pepper shrimp (and almost as impressed by the handsome young Asian man taking care of our table). John really enjoyed the fried dumplings and sautéed string beans; he was surprised that an offering of sliced steak proved to be as good as what he had
sampled at area steakhouses. Our friends Fred and Bernie raved about the General Tso’s Chicken, Chinese spinach (which may actually be watercress), the mini crab cakes (though they lack even a trace of Old Bay seasoning!) and the roast duck (an item rarely found on other area buffets). Desserts are largely limited to fresh fruit, cookies, and soft ice cream; though here the ice cream didn’t taste like ice milk, and sesame-encrusted candy bits topping made this dessert memorable. Between the upscale feel of the restaurant, friendly and attentive help, and food which seemed more in keeping with a nice sit-down restaurant than budget buffet, Ruby Buffet earned a “Thumbs Up!” ranking from both Marty and John. ■
RUBY BUFFET
1012 Taylor Ave. (Towson) • 410.825.8899 RubyBuffetOfBaltimore.com Open 7 days for lunch and dinner 11am–10pm No liquor license • Vegetarian options Adjacent parking lot Email DiningOut@BaltimoreGayLife.com and find past reviews at BaltimoreGayLife-DiningOut.info
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
BINGO TALK WITH FRANK & BEANS BY CHARLIE MUMFORD AND terra hiltner
How do you define a hookup? IAN
When the pants come off, that’s a hookup.
TANYA
Like a one-night-stand? (Motions to her mouth and nether-regions) In, in, or in…is what Patti Stanger says.
CHASE
It could be as simple as making out, to the more elaborate actually having sex. There are variations of hookups…like a sliding scale. Sometimes you don’t even remember them.
ELYSE
If [the sex] is good, and especially if he drives you home in the morning.
Bingo Talk takes place Wednesdays 8:30pm at Club Hippo’s Gay Bingo hosted by Roger Dimick. Why Frank & Beans? With Roger around you’re not likely to escape without a nickname either. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 13
headlinenews NATIONAL
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B D C
A Marriage Equality Scored Victory in NH The New Hampshire House voted 211-116 to kill HB 437 on March 21, which would have repealed the gay marriage statutes. According to the UnionLeader, 119 Republicans joined with 92 Democrats to kill the bill. Even if the bill passed through the state legislature, current Gov. John Lynch—who signed the civil union bill in 2007 and the gay marriage bill in 2007—vowed to veto the repeal bill. However, 115 Republicans and one Democrat voted to keep the bill alive. The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. David Bates, R-Windham, said it is “foolish to think the issue will not be back before lawmakers, particularly if there is a change in the governor’s office.”
to Vote on B Anchorage Anti-Discrimination Proposition For the LGBT population in Alaska, much is at stake in the next Anchorage Municipal Election on April 3. According to the Alaska Public, the “hottest” issue on the ballot is Proposition 5, a measure that—if passed—would amend the city’s municipal code to add legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and transgender identity. The Anchorage Equal Rights Initiative would also exempt official religious organizations, but require adherence by employers and landlords renting four or more units. Protections already exist for race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, age, physical disability, and mental disability.
C “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Might Be Dead Tennessee lawmakers appear to be backing away from a controversial bill that would have further restricted discussions about homosexuality before high school. The sponsors of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill agreed to put off debating the measure until the end of the legislative session, a procedural move that usually signals they do not intend to pursue it. According to an article in The Tennessean, the bill’s sponsors had been under pressure to amend the original bill, which would have banned any teaching about sexuality apart from “natural human reproduction” before eighth grade. The measure was meant to keep schools and teachers from initiating discussions about gays and lesbians, but even its backers conceded Tuesday that it might have brought unintended consequences, like establishing a sex education curriculum in grades K-8.
D “LGBT Smithsonian” Grows There is no shortage of gay history at the Stonewall National Museum & Archives of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Sun Sentinel recently reported that the museum is thriving and expanding. With 25,000 books and videos, Stonewall is the largest circulating library of gay literature and periodicals in the country. The organization’s advertising boasts that it’s “the LGBT community’s Smithsonian.”
It Gets Better Shifts Focus to Families with Transgender Children The “It Gets Better” campaign has spread its message to a new population: families with transgender children. In the Life Media debuted a web-exclusive “It Gets Better” video featuring parents of transgender youth delivering a message of support for other such parents on March 19. It is the first “It Gets Better” video of its kind. According to a press release from In the Life Media, the video features parents from PFLAG’s support group for families of transgender children sharing their personal struggles to understand their child’s needs and find support for both themselves and their families. PAGE 14 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
BY RACHEL ROTH INTERNATIONAL
A
B
C
Vows to Oppose A Madonna Discriminatory Russian Law Madonna has pledged to visit St. Petersburg, Russia to speak out against the city’s anti-gay legislation. In an email to Bloomberg reporter Anastasia Ustinova, the pop icon said she will travel to St. Petersburg and “speak up for the gay community” and to “give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed.” On March 7, St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko signed a law that bans LGBT “propaganda” that could give minors “the false perception that traditional and nontraditional relationships are socially equal.” The self-titled “freedom fighter” is set to perform in Moscow on Aug. 7 and in St. Petersburg two nights later. Madonna told Bloomberg that she plans on using the shows as a chance to support the LGBT community in Russia. “I don’t run away from adversity,” Madonna said in the email. “I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity.”
Peace Prize Winner Defends B Nobel Anti-Gay Legislation in Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia and Nobel Peace Prize winner has publicly defended a law that criminalizes homosexual acts. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Sirleaf said, “We’ve got certain traditional values in our society that we would like to preserve.” Presently, “voluntary sodomy” is classified as a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison. Two new bills have been proposed that would impose much tougher penalties for homosexual acts. According to the article, one bill would make gay marriage a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail, and the second would amend the penal code to make a person guilty of a second-degree felony if he or she “seduces, encourages, or promotes another person of the same gender to engage in sexual activities,” carrying a prison sentence of up to five years.
Human Rights Orgs C International Pressure Iraq to Investigate ‘Emo’ Attacks Human rights organizations are calling on the Iraq government to investigate a targeted campaign of intimidation and violence against Iraqi youth seen as belonging to the non-conformist “emo” subculture. In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission argue that the government needs to take action against the increased violence and intimidation of those whose behavior is perceived “deviant.” They also argue that the LGBT population is particularly vulnerable to this type of policing. According to the statement, victims appear to represent a cross-section of “non-conformists,” including people suspected of homosexual conduct, but also people with distinctive hairstyles, clothes, or musical taste. “The government has contributed to an atmosphere of fear and panic fostered by acts of violence against emos,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. In America, “emo” is short for “emotional,” referring to self-identified teens and young adults who listen to alternative rock music, often dress in black, close-fitting clothes, and cut their hair in unconventional ways. Some local Iraqi media reports have put the death toll as high as several dozen, but the international rights groups have not been able to confirm that people have been killed as part of an organized campaign.
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VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 15
GAY POETS ON A LOVE OF LANGUAGE AND LIFE David Bergman and Reginald Harris talk to Gay Life BY TERRI SOLOMON
April has been National Poetry Month since 1996, when the Academy of American Poets initiated the celebration of poets and their writing. Gay Life recently spoke with two gay poets: David Bergman, professor of English and Cultural Studies at Towson University, and Reginald Harris, Poetry in the Branches Coordinator for Poet’s House, a library and literary center in New York City. Both men have Baltimore connections— Bergman has lived and taught here for 35 years, while Harris lived in Baltimore for over 40 years. And while their poetic styles differ, both agree that poetry is a vital literary form for the LGBT community.
PAGE 16 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
“Poetry is as important as life” For local writer and teacher David Bergman, poetry is a necessary art—“For those of us who write poetry, it’s sort of like breathing. If you’re not working on it, you feel anemic. It’s as important as life in that sense.” Bergman has published two volumes of poetry, Cracking the Code and Heroic Measures, and has written or edited numerous books focused on gay literature and culture. He edited Gay American Autobiography: Writings from Whitman to Sedaris [see Feb. 4, 2011 GL review, Vol. 33, No 2] and is currently working on a history of LGBT autobiography and memoir for the Cambridge History of Gay and Lesbian Literature. And while Bergman highlights the importance of personal narrative for the gay community, he sees “liberation” in poetry. “Memoir is one of the earlier forms that LGBT people occupied themselves with and is central for forming the notion of being gay,” said Bergman. “For LGBT people, poetry allowed (historically) a depth of expression that was not allowed in prose, and people could write about same-sex love in various ways. When we want to look at what is the deepest expression of a culture, we look to its poetry.” Bergman’s poetry is both personal and universal—he writes about his father dying of cancer, “the shadow of AIDS” and lust, as well as myth and art. Several of the poems in Heroic Measures have links to Baltimore (see “Benny”), where Bergman came to get his doctorate. He came out in 1972, in his early twenties, just three years after Stonewall. “Being out was not a common thing, but I did the only thing I could do, which was to be out,” said Bergman. One poem titled “In the Waiting Room” developed out of Bergman’s participation in a program at Johns Hopkins, SHARE (Study to Help the AIDS Research Effort). The poem focuses on a patient discussing his course of treatment with a doctor and the struggle to accept inevitable loss (“Bring him back/ so he can teach me how to be/ content when I take his place at last.”).
DAVID BERGMAN Photo by Jennifer Bishop
“We would go there knowing they were looking for the first signs of our death,” he said. “It was very scary, yet you encountered people who were remarkable in their bravery. The heroic measure is the acceptance of mortality. It doesn’t mean not to ‘rage against the dying of the light’ as Dylan Thomas wrote, but to accept and live life fully.” Today, Bergman teaches at Towson University, where he helped to found programs in Cultural Studies and Lesbian and Gay Studies. He’s enjoyed a distinguished teaching career, instructing the next generation of learners, serving as first director of the Cultural Studies program, and writing about gay literature. He’s beginning to revisit unfinished lines abandoned two years ago during a bout with depression, and continues to work on his craft at age 62. “Writing is still a very difficult thing, because once you know how to write one poem, you need to relearn it for another one, if you want to grow as a poet,” said Bergman. “It’s a constant learning process.” For more information, visit Bergman’s site, DavidBergmanPoet.com. HEROIC MEASURES By David Bergman Ohio State University Press ISBN: 0-8142-0784-7 Paperback, $16.95, 96p
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“We have to sing, to let all of our feelings out” Reginald Harris remembers writing his first poem in a high school English class, when he was supposed to be taking notes. But Harris was exposed to the beauty of “language and linguistic play” even as a child—his family and friends “played with words and nicknames,” and words were in books and on television. Harris grew up in West Baltimore and moved to Waverly in his thirties. Although he recently relocated to New York, Harris worked for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library, a position that exposed him to the local writing community in the 1980s. “After I started working at the library, I became aware of events going on around town,” said Harris. “When
Lambda Rising opened in Baltimore, the first manager had a number of readings there, and did things with local writers. The Center (GLCCB) also had some workshops and readings—I taught a class on Black Gay Poetry.” Harris’s first book of poetry, 10 Tongues, was a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and a ForeWord Book of the Year Award. He describes these poems as focusing on his family and himself—they detail his “turbulent” early life and coming of age as a sexually active gay man. “There is so much life and joy and wonderment in the gay community that it has to be expressed. Poetry is one way to do that. And if we say poetry is like breathing, how can we as a group not breathe? We have to sing, to let all of our feelings out,” said Harris. He points to gay poets such as Allen Ginsberg, John Ashbery, and Frank O’Hara—who was born in Baltimore— as “writers who changed the way people saw us, the world and themselves.” Harris also highlights the importance of
pressed themselves through short forms such as poetry or short fiction, and are an integral part of American literature. In his current position as Poetry in the Branches Coordinator, Harris promotes diversity in poetry acquisitions and programming in libraries across New York City and the country. At age 51, his writing is less focused on the personal and more about community and global issues, but Harris still finds poetry an indispensable literary form. “Whenever people try to react to something that happens, terrible or positive, what they are reaching for is poetry, that distillation of language, the concern for every word. Poetry is so evocative,” said Harris. “When you are speechless, what you are reaching for is poetry.” For more information, visit ReggieH. Blogspot.com.
REGINALD HARRIS Photo by Thomas Sayers Ellis
black gay writers, such as Audre Lorde and Langston Hughes, who usually ex-
TEN TONGUES Poems by Reginald Harris Three Conditions Press ISBN: 0-9721241-0-1 Paperback, $12.95, 68p
Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 26. Choose a poem you love (we’ve picked two for you here) and carry it with you to read to co-workers, family, and friends. You can also share your poem on Twitter #pocketpoem. Visit Poets.org for more ways to share poems.
Benny BY DAVID BERGMAN
Ellen and I go back, way back, at least as far as her pre-op days when she was still a man and minced each midnight through the local bar.
he was Miss Five O’clock Shadow from the neck down! It’s almost a decade Benny’s been gone but I can see him now cruising the meatrack
Now that she’s a woman everything’s changed. She’s faithful to her Unisex salon, gets in on time to make sure everything’s arranged
with his skin so pale it seemed made of bone, and his “curvaceous” calves crammed into fishnet stockings. We used to watch him stand alone,
and when she’s out, she never touches gin. I stop by every couple of weeks to chat and keep the top from showing where it’s thin.
in hot pants, cowboys boots and a baby bonnet tied beneath his chin with a bright pink bow, twirling a parasol with gold fringe on it
She’s glad to oblige: so few are left and not one who remembers Benny, a legendary hunk in his day—those days when men were hot.
while the cars on Eager Street drove by real slow then raced away as he waved his white-gloved hand. Ellen and I agree he was lucky to go
Unlike your classic beauty, Benny was hairy— the sweaty curls mapped out his musculature, his torso was split by a dark and furry
with his looks intact, quick, an accident— falling drunk, they say, down a flight of stairs, or maybe several flights, from his top-floor flat.
line that took wing beneath his pectorals in the shower at the gym, his legs were streaked like marble, his ass circled with bristling whorls—
At least it’s better than how others fare, All the boys since Benny who’ve come to work in Ellen’s shop, at Ellen’s other chair.
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What I Brought to the Family Reunion BY REGINALD HARRIS
A box of chicken and a case of beer. Homemade banana bread. A dozen “House” music tapes and Motown on CD. My camera, loaded, with three extra rolls of film – And my Lover of six years So that later, after pictures of The Matriarch and oldest connection to the past, when we “The Grands,” the brothers, sisters, cousins, gather to form our lines and pose, those with arms full of infants will not ask me where my wife is, or whisper that my hands are empty.
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 17
firstperson OP ED
Walking While White
BY KATE BISHOP
I’m about to break down seriously racist shit that goes through my head. Reader discretion: I’m about to get ugly. I walked home from work today, good for me. I passed a young man in a hoodie and got to thinking about Trayvon Martin. Poor kid. Fucking tragic. Minding his business, out for a walk. His stroll to the 7-Eleven was suspicious enough to George Zimmerman that he felt compelled to shoot
PAGE 18 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
an unarmed skinny kid in the chest. Seventeen years old. Convicted and executed for walking while Black. I walk home through a stretch of Baltimore right at the edge of the White Stripe, past the in/famous Lexington Market. You know the White Stripe, the belt of fluctuating breadth on either side of Charles Street all the way from the harbor to the County. Where all the banks, prosperous businesses,
best restaurants, and “cultural” institutions are, where average income is higher and average family size is lower, where crime happens seldom and when it does it’s less deadly. Where I live. If we’re friends, it’s probably where you live too. I don’t know that many people in those other neighborhoods, the ones that make up the majority of our city. Save for some work-related exceptions, I’ve never even been to them. It’s twilight and I’m a little nervous while I’m thinking about that kid Trayvon. I’m keeping an eye open. Head up, purposeful stride, don’t play with your phone, duck into a covered doorway to move your wallet from back to front pocket. Cause I’m near where drug deals are known to happen. I’m well west of Howard Street, which up by my house is my boundary between definitely safe and sketchy. Some girl got stranger-raped in the street near here last month. As I pass other pedestrians, probably 50 or 60 people on my way home, I realize I’m scanning them for threat. As I always do, as I was taught to do as a little girl. I habitually swivel my neck to check out who’s behind me, too. Each person I assess gets dumped into their slot: Safe, UNKNOWN (potentially lethal), and Panhandler. Panhandlers are almost always Safe but sometimes aggressive. And just passing a hobo slumped in a doorway makes me feel a little bit bad about myself. Safe but itchy for the conscience. Avoid. So, who finds their way to the Safe category? Women. I learned as a pup that Beware of Strangers really means Beware of Men. The occasions when I see a woman as Dangerous are rare. Who else? Old people. Children. Someone with an observable disability. Dog walkers. Asians. Anyone wearing a uniform—cops and security guards, hospital workers in scrubs, Starbucks employees, Downtown Partnership sweepers, construction workers, all categorically Safe. Anyone who has a clear reason to be there, like a shopkeeper or people waiting for the bus. White men who are over 30, not obviously homeless or being loud. Pass. Those are easy and automatic, I barely notice them. Beyond those folks it gets individual. This is where the scan comes in. Scan: Student. Scan: Business Douche. Scan: Hipster. Scan: Musician. Scan: Working Stiff. Scan: Nerd. Scan: UNKNOWN. And my spine stacks up straighter, and I bend my steps just slightly toward the street, and I think about whether I already moved my wallet. I make a second inspection, for details I have trained myself to spot. These are mostly related to ascertaining his socio-
economic status. How new are his clothes? How low are his pants? How tidy is his hairdo? Does he have all his viewable teeth? What’s the tattoo situation? Does he make eye contact? How old is this guy? How big? By process of elimination, I know you have cleverly deducted that UNKNOWN is pretty well known. Young White dudes in groups, able-bodied Black or dark Hispanic men between 12 and 80 years old. Right? The usual suspects. Literally. It is emphatically clear that my scan system is miscalibrated. How did I get to the point where I’m methodically preparing to run when I encounter Black men? As a class, as a default impulse?������������������ ����������������� In Baltimore, females will totally jump another woman for money or revenge or kicks. I’m certain that someone of Asian descent has jacked up a passerby sometime in our city’s fair history. The reason I let them pass without suspicion is that it’s so exhausting to carry all that suspicion around. In order to leave the house I have to create a system where most people are Safe. In order to live in Baltimore City, ever boxing Detroit for highest murder rate, I stay aware that some people are Dangerous. The way I have worked that calculation out is by using my racism. As did George Zimmerman. As do you. Don’t you? Here’s my racist origin story in snapshots: I learn about Afro-Americans absent a context of actual Black people. None of my teachers are Black. No one at my church is Black. None of my neighbors, none of my schoolmates (ok, one kid. And his little brother.), just a handful of my parents’ coworkers. My kind White Liberal family taught me They are just as good as I am and we should be sympathetic and extra nice to Them because of Their hardships. From progressive White people I learned that Blackness equals anxiety. Because someday I will say something racist. Someday I will, even though I’m trained to be as polite as the Queen and use my best manners around Them. They are super-sensitive, too. I’m terrified I will blurt out something horrible. I will speak the unspeakable-word and make monkey noises. I must be vigilant with my words and never relax within Black hearing. Safe but itchy for the conscience. Avoid. The wider world carefully taught me that Blackness equals threat. On the news, police are always looking for a Black male about 6´ with no distinguishing marks. When I see Black men on TV they are in a mug shot or handcuffs or noble fictional slaves or a Cosby. White teachers taught
CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
5 THINGS
Top 5 Reasons I’m Addicted to the Most Addicting Show on Television BY DANIEL MCEVILY The only cure for my winter doldrums arrives every January in the form of 6 feet 7 inches of raw dynamite, cackling joyously on my television screen. I am referring to RuPaul’s Drag Race, the competition-style reality series that pits our nation’s top drag queens against each other for the coveted title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. I am a shameless fanboy in my obsession of all things Drag Race: Viewing parties are organized, fantasy league teams are carefully selected, and hours are spent dissecting each competing queen’s past performances on YouTube. Thankfully this year’s show, currently finishing up its fourth season, has already delivered enough hijinks and eyelash glue to feed my habit. Here are the five reasons why my world stops for 90 minutes every Monday night.
1
RUPAUL IS TEACHING THE CHILDREN ABOUT OUR (POP-CULTURED) PAST
Host and mentor RuPaul often pulls out obscure references from the arcane crevic-
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es of pop culture’s attic and dusts them off for our eager consumption and enjoyment. Nods are given to everything from classic camp cinema to kiddy pageants. However, RuPaul’s most popular sound bites come from Paris is Burning, the celebrated 1990 documentary chronicling New York’s ballroom drag scene. If you are confused by RuPaul’s going on topics like “banji girl realness,” “snatching trophies” and “giving extraveganza eleganza,” I demand you watch Paris is Burning immediately!
2
VOLUPTUOUS BEAUTY REALNESS IS BEING SERVED
Drag Race has been criticized by the show’s fans in seasons past for not featuring a plus sized queen worthy of winning. That changed this year with the inclusion of Latrice “Motherf**king” Royale. Large and in-charge, Royale has been unofficially appointed as our sage spirit guide around the Drag Race track. With a booming laugh, gallons of rhinestones, and a razor sharp
tongue, Royale is in this race for the long haul. Plus, she’s shown us all that hand fans make every situation more fabulous.
3
BEAUTIFUL, SPOOKY, AND STUPID
If Elvira, Peg Bundy, and Tammy Faye Baker had a drunken tryst and produced a wayward, illiterate lovechild, it would be contestant Sharon Needles. That whacky combination has produced one of Drag Race’s breakout stars. Initially appearing as the odd queen out with her macabre look and saccharine ‘50s housewife voice, Needles has managed to adapt her character to every challenge the show has thrown at her with clever, quirky gusto, forever capturing the hearts (and souls) of fans.
4
THE REDEFINITION OF REALITY TV’S “BITCH EDIT”
Anyone worth their weight in Kardashian hair extensions knows that every reality show needs an Alexis Carrington-approved Prime Time Bitch. This year we get our vil-
lain in Phi Phi O’Hara. As the season progresses, O’Hara’s annoyance and cattiness with her fellow queens has been escalating to the point where the only feasible conclusion to her story arc is her head exploding, cartoon style, in a spectacular fit of rage.
5
DRAG QUEENS SINGING ABOUT VAGINAS
Although slightly off topic, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention recently disqualified Drag Race contestant Willam’s “Vagina Song,” a hysterical YouTube parody music video of Bruno Mars’ “Billionaire.” It’s been stuck trapped in my head for weeks now, so check it out and get it seared in your brain too. You’re welcome in advance. RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Mondays at 9pm on LOGO and online at Logotv.com. ■ Each issue, we will reach our hand in the popculture hat and draw out a whacky topic and recount five things that amuse, horrify, befuddle and amaze us and present it for your reading pleasure.
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 19
PAGE 20 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
outgoing E M A I L YOUR E V E NT INFO TO C ALENDAR @B ALT I MO R EGAY LI F E.CO M
Edible Evergreen: A Kitchen Garden Series with Chef John Shields includes gardening workshops, cooking demonstrations, an optional chef’s tour of Baltimore’s 32nd Street Farmers’ Market, and a fall harvest luncheon at Gertrude’s Restaurant. $90-110. 9:30-11am. Johns Hopkins Evergreen Museum & Library, 600 North Wolfe St., Museums.jhu.edu
Gender EDGE: A gender variant/trans/queer punk arts activism group. Unleash art, release emotions, and ‘state strongly and consistently the empowerment that dwells within each of our souls as gender variant/queer/trans beings.’ Open to everyone. FREE. 7pm. Red Emma’s, 800 St. Paul St., redemmas.org/event/2702, genderedge.blogspot.com
Memory Loss Support Group: LGBT education sessions for family and friends. The day’s topic is ‘Safety in the Home.’ FREE. 10-11:30am. Saturdays. Alzheimer’s Association, 1850 York Rd., Suite D, Timonium, alz.org/maryland
Saturday, April 7
Sunday, April 1
SPOTLIGHT
BY RACHEL ROTH
An Evening with David Sedaris Known for his self-deprecating humor, the award-winning author and radio personality David Sedaris became the “rock star of writers” by endearing audiences to his brutal honesty. One of six children in the middle-class suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, the openly gay Sedaris was “discovered” by radio personality, Ira Glass. Sedaris was spending evenings reading excerpts from his diary at clubs in Chicago. His books—mostly autobiographical—have sold more than 7 million copies. The side-splitting humorist is in town for one night only to promote his newest short story collection, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary. The Evening with David Sedaris is presented by WYPR. Sedaris will sign books after his performance.
Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar: Opening day of one of Baltimore’s most charming traditions. Concessionaires offer an assortment of treats and treasures including fresh produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, fashion accessories, vintage clothing, ceramics, photographs and paintings. FREE. 7am. Sundays thru 12/23. Underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga Sts.
The Soldier Dreams: The wickedly funny and deeply moving story of the exuberant and charismatic David and what happens when his family invades the home he shares with his partner Richard. $10-15. 8pm. Thru 4/21. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St., TheatreProject.org
LGBT Kick Ball League Registration: Registration includes a 7-week game season, 2 playoff games, all star game, the Big Kick Ball Bowl, bottles of water for each game, uniforms shirts, pays for the park permits, team photo and medals. $200/ team. 4-7pm. 1307 N. Charles St.
Memory Loss Support Group: LGBT education sessions for family and friends. The day’s topic is ‘Legal Issues in Dementia and the LGBT Community,’ with speaker Lina Ayers. FREE. 10-11:30am. Saturdays. Alzheimer’s Association, 1850 York Rd., Suite D, Timonium, alz.org/maryland
Monday, April 2
Afro Beat Dance Party: Elikeh mixes Afro-beat with traditional Togolese polyrhythms, producing music that is crazy danceable. $5-10. 8pm. The Paterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., CreativeAlliance.org
Wangechi Mutu: The Kenyan artist presents a commentary of a social and personal nature where the female body functions as a site of engagement and provocation. FREE. 10:30am. MICA Brown Center: Room 320, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave., MICA.edu
Tuesday, April 3 Memphis: From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N Eutaw St., France-MerrickPAC.com Gary Graham: Collections from New York City-based fashion designer are on display with collections rich with casual luxury and a sense of history. FREE. 11:30am. MICA Brown Center: Room 320, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave., MICA.edu
Wednesday, April 4
Event Info AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS
Thursday, April 12 • 7:30pm • $45-60 Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall 1212 Cathedral St. • WYPR.org
Photo by Anne Fishbein
DATEBOOK Friday, March 30 WAMMFest: Celebrate and promote women and minorities in media production at the 5th annual event. FREE. 6pm. Towson University, 8000 York Rd., Ttowson.edu Patti LaBelle: After she nailed hit after hit last season, Strathmore just couldn’t get enough of the one-and-only “Lady Marmalade.” $39-120. 8pm. Thru 3/31. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln., N. Bethesda, Strathmore.org Black Cherry Puppet Theater’s Between Mean: Find out what happens when the devil steals a man’s ornery wife. $11-16. 8pm. Thru 3/31. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., CreativeAlliance.org
National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts: NSACED seeks to bring together policy makers, practitioners, and artists to engage in dialogue on the economic, social and cultural impact of designated and natural arts and entertainment districts. $60-85. 10am-8:30pm. Thru 4/5. Baltimore Hilton, 401 W Pratt St., StationNorth.org BINGO! Come for happy hour, stay for Bingo. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Enjoy drink specials, appetizers, and raffles all night. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. 410.547.0069, ClubHippo.com
Tuesday, April 10 Howard County PFLAG Monthly Meeting: Support group and Q&A for parents of LGBT children, and children with LGBT parents. FREE. 7:30pm. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, PFLAGmd.org Rainbow Youth Alliance of Howard County: A support group for LGBT teens and allies and a safe place to ask questions, find mutual support, and learn information pertinent to their lives. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, 410.280.9047, rya_leaders@hotmail.com, PFLAGmd.org Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore County: A support group for LGBT teens and allies and a safe place to ask questions, find mutual support, and learn information pertinent to their lives. Contact:. FREE. 7:30-9:30pm. Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville, RYABaltimoreCounty@gmail.com, PFLAGBaltimore.org
Wednesday, April 11
Arias with a Twist: Drag diva Joey Arias sings an array of magical songs amongst a backdrop of fantastical puppets by world-renowned puppeteer Basil Twist. $67.5055, 8pm. Thru 5/6. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D Street, NW, Washington, DC, WoollyMammoth.net
BINGO! Come for happy hour, stay for Bingo. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Enjoy drink specials, appetizers, and raffles all night. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St., 410.547.0069, ClubHippo.com
Thursday, April 5
Thursday, April 12
Kevin Costner & Modern West: Celebrated film actor pulls up his bootstraps for impressive foray into country music with Modern West. $35-90. 8pm. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln., N. Bethesda, Strathmore.org
NO, SHE DIDN’T!: Join local authors Betsy Boyd, Kathy Flann, Jen Grow, and Elise Levine as they discuss their stories appearing in Sententia 4: What She Says. Part of the Atomic Fiction Series at Atomic Books. FREE. 7-9pm. Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Road, atomicbooks.com
Wine Tasting: Get your weekend started off right with complimentary tastings of wines from around the world. Discounts on bottles included in tastings. FREE. 5-8pm. Fridays. Spirits of Mt Vernon, 900 N. Charles St., 410.727.7270, SpiritsOfMtVernon.com
Fat Pig and Reasons to be Pretty: What is beauty, after all? Neil LaBute, one of America’s most controversial young playwrights, challenges beauty in two of his most celebrated plays. $10-15. 8pm. Thru 4/15. The Gateway: BBOX, 1601 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu
Saturday, March 31
Friday, April 6
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1st Annual Jew-ish/Gay-ish Passover Seder: Whether you identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, straight, Jewish or non-Jewish, join GLCCB members and Baltimore locals to get your Seder on. All proceeds go to the GLCCB. $18. 6-9pm. GLCCB, 241 W. Chase St., Contact Charlie at GLCCBPassoverSeder@gmail.com
Department of Homeland Security Pride Happy Hour: Mingle – network – come and get to know YOUR DHS Pride. 6:30-8:30pm. Grand Central Nightclub, 1001 N. Charles St., CentralStationPub.com
The Drowsy Chaperone: The show “boldly” addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained. 8pm. Thru 4/15. Swirnow Theater in the Mattin Center, 3400 N. Charles St., TheJHUBarnstormers.org
Baltimore Frontrunners: Running/walking club for LGBT individuals and friends. Assemble 8:45am, run 9am. Reassemble for brunch 10am. Panera Bread, 3600 Boston St., BaltimoreFrontrunners.org
Monday, April 9
Transgender Issues Working Group: Meets every other Wednesday. Registration required. FREE. 7pm. Equality Maryland, 1201 S. Sharp St., Contact Owen@ EqualityMaryland.org
An Evening of Cutting Edge Dance: Baltimore-based Deep Vision Dance Company and DC’s Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company present cutting-edge original work. $10-20. 8pm. Thru 3/31. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St., TheatreProject.org
International Transgender Day of Visibility
Mike Epps: I’m Still Standing Tour: Fresh off the set of his new feature film “Sparkle” with the late Whitney Houston, Epps stops in Baltimore to show fans why he remains one of the only Hollywood funnymen with the ability to make ‘em laugh live on stage. $51.10-88.90. 9pm. 1st Mariner Arena, 201 W Baltimore St., MikeEpps.com
Tragedy: The All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees: Fresh off their UK tour, the band is a must-see for Bee Gees and Metal fans alike. $12-15. 6pm. Rams Head Live, 20 Market Pl., Ramsheadlive.com
An Evening with David Sedaris: See Spotlight
Friday, April 13 NOH8 Campaign: The campaign sets up the mobile studio at Club Hippo! $25-40. 5-8pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. NOH8Campaign.com Transcend: Annual Benefit Fashion Show: (See article p. 7) $15-20. 9pm. Thru 4/14. MICA, Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu Hello Dolly!: Opening night of the beloved, ebullient and irresistible musical about the joy of living.$16-20. 8pm. Thru 5/20. Spotlighters, 817 St. Paul St., Spotlighters.org VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6 • PAGE 21
afterhours SEE MORE ON BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
BSCENE
AIDS ACTION BALTIMORE’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER ■ MARCH 25 PHOTOS BY terra hiltner
Heather Hauck presenting an award to Rev. Debra Hickman
Dr. Anthony Fauci presenting Dr. John Barnett his award
Mark Scurti, Diane Stollenwerk, Del. Maggie McIntosh and Lynda Dee
outfront FILM of a new television series, which is set to be filmed in Baltimore this spring, entitled House of Cards, which is being produced by David Fincher and Kevin Spacey. The political drama, based on the BBC miniseries of the same name, will be starring Spacey, alongside Robin Wright. “I had the honor of meeting Kevin a few years back and he’s such a great guy.” De Paul is very optimistic of the prospects this show will provide for Baltimore. “It’s one of the first series of its kind in that it will be direct to Netflix.” De Paul is currently reading for a role on the series. He is also co-producing a web series entitled Charm City along with the local Visibly Shaken Productions. The project is produced by Gregg Mason, casting director for such films as Cry Baby, Hairspray, and Clara’s Heart; along with writers and creators Kevin Davis and Tyler Agatstein. “I became involved with [this project] after reading a copy of the pilot and I felt that I needed to be involved and help in any way I can.” Charm City relays a story about an unlikely group of friends who deal with not-so-every-day life while using Baltimore as its backdrop. “It provides original content while showcasing Baltimore culture in a colorful way. I love the scripts and it’s a refreshing change to see such a comedy like Charm City.” PAGE 22 • MARCH 30 – APRIL 12, 2012
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 With all of these projects centered in his hometown, De Paul can’t help but grow nostalgic. “Baltimore, to me, is a place where we have a strong family unit. We have such a rich environment of friends and family.” De Paul drew upon the past experiences of his Roman Catholic upbringing for his role as Father Leone on the web series The Bay, directed by Gregori J. Martin. The online web series is an independent continuing drama, which stars several iconic daytime and primetime stars. “I channeled everything from my time at Our Lady of Pompeii Church in Highlandtown for this performance—everything from singing in the choir to taking part in masses.” The humble, jet-set actor, who will be flying off for the Cannes Film Festival in France this May, makes it clear that in this business, the character you embody in real life is equally as important to the characters one performs. He believes “we could be a little more giving, a little more understanding, and a little more loving to all we come in contact with.” He makes his convictions very clear. “I stand up for our kids to not be bullied. I hope that I can inspire this in my performances.” This hometown hero hasn’t lost his heart in Hollywood. ■ BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
firstperson OP ED
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me that hip hop is a ridiculous kind of “music”—aren’t they just talking, basically? And those rappers cuss so much, and kill police officers. Thugs and gangstas. In the movies, the ex-con or the killer is usually Black or maybe sorta gay. I learn that jail is full of Black men. They are Criminals. And in my city, in Pittsburgh, Black equals poor. I learn that poor people commit a lot of crimes too. Way down in my brain stem there’s a dark spot where those imprints are hardwired, welded into place. The lizard brain is detritus from an earlier point in evolution, but it’s still operating and there is no off switch. I’ve searched and searched. Pre-thought, lizard brain injects these residual images into my better mind and washes them with fear. It rings an alarm that has never, ever been practically useful to me. I have had no personal evidence in my entire life that random African American strangers are a legitimate danger to me. Yet on the earliest setting, my lizard brain alarm was triggered just by being in the company of any Black person. That’s hard to admit. But true. When I moved to the east side of Pittsburgh and started working at the shelter I muffled that alarm with regular exposure to Black folks. It’s just not practical to panic that much of your day. If I passed a Black man on the street, he would almost always say “How’s it goin.” This happened so reliably that I reckon most little brown boys are taught by their mothers to nod and greet any White woman if she’s walking alone. How’s it goin is the password, code for Not a threat. Sometimes the guy looked resentful, but he’d still say it. And it worked! It still works! If I get the nod, that guy goes into the Safe bin. But it doesn’t really happen on the East Coast, not too much, I can’t depend on that. I moved to Blacker-than-Pittsburgh Cleveland and I encountered a Black middle class. I made a few Black work friends. I had neighbors and the people who rode the bus with me. When I first got there,
the lizard brain warnings were still quite strong. Not a Danger alarm anymore, but an uncomfortable hyperawareness. I am the only White person on this bus, I would think. I’m the only White person in this restaurant. In this elevator. One of three in this grocery store. Gradually I forgot to count. I didn’t realize I had ever had those thoughts until my mother visited. She remarked “I noticed there are a lot of, um, there are a lot of Black people in your neighborhood. It’s fine, of course, I just...I just noticed.” I noticed that I’d stopped noticing. And now I live in a 70 percent Black city. It’s pointless to count fellow Whitelooking people, and the urge has passed. I have to be comfortable with ambient Blackness. And I am, honestly am. I share authentic intimacy with a spectrum of people across the African diaspora. I engage anti-racist ethics in all my thoughtful choices. I am as good a White Ally as anybody, I try to own my privilege and educate other Whites and be consistently conscious that I show up White (and therefore, Cherubs, unavoidably oppressive) in any mixedrace space. These tactics have helped me get a grip. And still, the lizard brain just won’t die. I’ve come to accept that I can merely be aware of the influence and try to work around. So I’m walking home. Scan: Gym rat. Scan: Weekend Dad. Scan: Eating a hot dog, neutralized. Scan: Missionary. Scan: UNKNOWN. And the awful, repulsive, hideous truth clangs like a prison door inside my chest. Trayvon Martin: UNKNOWN. George Zimmerman: Safe. Hard call, but probably. Lighter skin. Confident. Out on official Neighborhood Watch business. Scanning the streets for Danger. Walking home, I wonder... Walking home, I know. Just like me. Just like me. ■
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