December 18, 2014 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

Top national stories of 2014

ARTS

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Tango time

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Vol. 44 • No. 51 • December 18-24, 2014

LGBTQs join allies in police protests Rick Gerharter

Andrea Aiello, left, executive director of the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, joins members of the Homeless Outreach Team, Rann Parker, Hugh Gregory, Maraea Master, Joy Brown and seated, Kat Lee and Rosa Coy Chang.

SF, Castro focus on homeless issues by Seth Hemmelgarn

hursday, December 18 is a day set aside to remember people who have died in San Francisco without a home. Recent rains that have hit the Bay Area make an already hard existence even tougher for many people who live on the city’s sidewalks and in the city’s parks and other outdoor spaces. What may be shocking in other cities can seem routine here: Sidewalks dotted with people covered in blankets, boxes, or just the clothes on their back to shelter them from the rain and cold. Last June, the biennial San Francisco Homeless Point-In-Time Count and Survey was released and, for the first time, included statistics on LGBT people. The report found that out of a total of 7,350 homeless people, more than one in four (29 percent) identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or “other” for a total of 2,132. According to recent figures from Bevan Dufty, a gay man who serves as director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement for Mayor Ed Lee, the city has 1,150 homeless shelter beds. Many have said they don’t want to stay in shelters anyway, for reasons including they don’t want to get robbed, or they don’t like the rules. Nationally, the memorial day for homeless people will be recognized Sunday, December 21. In San Francisco, events are planned for Thursday. Colleen Rivecca is the advocacy coordinator for St. Anthony’s Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides meals and other services in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. She’s organizing the nonprofit’s participation in the homeless memorial. See page 22 >>

by Seth Hemmelgarn

rom the queer Oakland woman who helped start the widely used Black Lives Matter slogan to the gay police chief who stood with Rich-

mond protesters to the effigies of lynching victims that were hung at UC Berkeley, LGBTQ people have claimed a place in the protests that have recently swept local cities and the rest of the country. See page 16 >>

A protester holds up his hands during a demonstration in San Francisco’s Union Square last Saturday.

Drag club races to open by New Year’s Eve Steven Underhill

by Matthew S. Bajko

he sounds of power tools and hammering reverberate inside the confines of the former Club Caliente in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. Piled against a wall are discarded building materials stripped from the nightclub’s interior, which has been closed since March 2010. Following days of rain last week, water pools on the ground due to leaks in the roof that needed to be patched up. In the middle of what once was the dance floor are piles of construction materials. Half a dozen workers are busy building out a new stage, bar areas, and unisex bathrooms. “Things are happening so quickly. Everyday I get here and a new wall has gone up,” said Jason Beebout, part of the quartet that is turning the 6,000 square foot space into a new home for drag shows, gay dance parties, and cabaret acts. “The last week has been insane.” Beebout, a straight bartender and lead singer of punk group Samiam, is the designated project manager among the four friends racing to open the venue in time for New Year’s Eve in order to host its first event. Tuesday night, December 16, the city’s entertainment commission voted to grant the club’s owners the permits they need to operate as a nightlife venue with live performances. Dubbed SF Oasis, it will become the permanent home for weekly Saturday night drag shows hosted by famed local drag queen Hek-

Rick Gerharter

The entrance room and front bar are taking shape during remodeling for the new SF Oasis club and cabaret.

lina, one of the co-owners of the club. Formerly known as Trannyshack, the racy and risqué drag shows have been rechristened Mother and will debut January 17. After coming under fire from activists who considered the show’s inaugural name to be transphobic, Heklina announced in the spring she would change it. During a tour of the new club space Friday, December 12, Heklina told the Bay Area Reporter she settled on Mother

because of its double entendre meaning. “It not only refers to becoming a drag mother, it is the mother ship of drag in San Francisco,” said Heklina, whose given name is Stefan Grygelko. “It also provides for lots of great imagery for posters and photo shoots.” The opening of SF Oasis will end a yearslong effort by Heklina to own and operate her own

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Community News>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

Gym owners branch out in the Bay Area by Matthew S. Bajko

ut gym owners are staking claim to a slice of the Bay Area’s fitness sector. In Oakland, Nathalie Huerta, the lesbian owner of the Perfect Sidekick, is scouting for a second location in order to meet increased demand. Since first opening her doors in 2011, Huerta has moved three times due to outgrowing the spaces she had been leasing. And in San Francisco, gay business partners Kevin McCullough and Luis Chirinos are working to open a gym and fitness center in Potrero Hill called Fitness Urbano. The city’s planning commission is expected to approve the permits they need at its Thursday, December 18 meeting, and the pair is looking to open sometime this spring. According to the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, the U.S. health club business is booming. Total industry revenue increased by 2.7 percent, from $21.8 billion in 2012 to $22.4 billion in 2013, according to the trade group. Its yearly report found that revenue growth at independent clubs climbed 3.7 percent in 2013. During the same period, total membership increased by 5.3 percent. The total number of facilities increased by 5.4 percent, from 30,500 to 32,150, which was more than twice the growth rate of the previous year, according to IHRSA. Membership at Huerta’s gym now stands at 158. Located east of Lake Merritt at 2706 Park Boulevard, it is housed in a 2,000 square foot, live-work loft space. She is in talks with investors, including a member of the gym, in hopes of raising $50,000 to expand. Another possibility is to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the second quarter of 2015. “We actually are pretty crammed in there now,” said Huerta, 30, who is Mexican-American and grew

up in Orange County in southern California. Huerta, who graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in sports medicine, first started out working with individual clients while earning her master’s in business from Mills College, which she completed in 2012. She placed a listing on Craigslist advertising herself as a lesbian personal trainer, and from there, her business took off. “I jokingly call this my unplanned pregnancy. I was trying to get through graduate school and pay bills,” recalled Huerta, who is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. “My clientele grew organically. I was renting a small space, which we outgrew in one year. We moved in to the space next door and outgrew that.” She markets the Perfect Sidekick as a queer gym with the tagline “you know you’re curious” and claims to be the “first and only LGBTQ gym in the nation.” However, the Washington, D.C.-based Vida Fitness chain is gay-owned and opened in 2007. Huerta’s gym is likely one of the only to ask members to introduce themselves and state what their preferred gender pronoun is at the start of a workout. The gym has become a popular place for transgender people – its locker rooms are non-gender specific – due to the welcoming environment Huerta has worked to foster. She and her staff regularly invite LGBT groups to provide them not only with sensitivity training but educate them on the physical issues their non-gender conforming members may be dealing with. “We recognize some members don’t conform with the two genders. We have a lot of members who are transitioning,” said Huerta. “We, as a staff, need to have training and awareness around that. How are you going to transition your identity with a trainer who has no idea what that is about?” Although it caters to the LGBT

Jane Philomen Cleland

Maria Perez, left, does pull-ups with Morgan Flores and Kiely Hosmon at the Perfect Sidekick in Oakland.

community, the gym welcomes heterosexuals to join. In fact, it is the first thing addressed under the frequently asked questions section of its website. “One of the most common asked questions is can straight people come,” said Huerta. “By far it is the most frequently asked question we get. The answer to that is yes.” The gym offers private training sessions as well as small group workouts. It also organizes social events to provide members a sense of community. “It is a very healthy way for our community to meet other people in our community outside of bars, nightclubs, and parties,” said Huerta. “It is to give you a strong platform for a healthy social circle.” Gym member Tess Unger has been working out at the Perfect

Sidekick for nearly two years. Apart from the intimate class sizes, Unger likes the camaraderie the gym fosters. “I wasn’t looking to join a gym at all. I had friends that were always raving about it,” said Unger, 40, a queer single mother. “I went and tried it out and fell in love with it. I’ve been there ever since.” Membership costs $99 a month, and those who sign up by December 31 will get three private workout sessions during their first month. To learn more about the gym, visit its website at http://www. theperfectsidekick.com.

New gym planned in SF

While the owners of Fitness Urbano are two gay men, the Potrero Hill gym will be marketed more as a neighborhood serving business.

Since 2012 Chirinos, who grew up in Venezuela and studied to be a mechanical engineer, has been looking to open his own place. He moved to California in 2000 and has been working as a personal fitness instructor and massage therapist through his business Physical Change. McCullough, who first met Chirinos 10 years ago, is a massage therapist whose studio Body and Form is in the Castro. In the summer of 2013 the friends decided to partner up and open their own gym. They searched for spaces in the city’s southeastern neighborhoods before signing a five-year lease for the 6,600 square foot warehouse space at 80 Missouri Street. “This is a great area. There are very little, if any, other gyms. The nearest is half a mile away,” said McCullough. “The neighborhood is pretty underserved.” They both plan to transition their current client base to the new gym once they open their doors, which they hope will be sometime between March and May of next year. They are also recruiting other personal fitness trainers and massage therapists to operate out of their gym. Once they receive the go ahead from the city – planning staff have recommended that the planning commission approve the gym’s permits – the owners need to hire a contractor to remodel the interior space and build locker rooms and shower facilities. The gym will offer a variety of classes, from yoga to Zumba to mixed martial arts conditioning. Monthly memberships will cost $80, with various package deals offered for classes. “Our model isn’t like other gyms, so we are not just signing up members,” said McCullough. “We are focused on helping people meet their personal training goals and focused on recruiting all the best personal trainers.” For more information about the gym, visit its website at http://www. fitnessurbano.com.t

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<< Community News

6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Donor upset with LGBT center over wedding plans by David-Elijah Nahmod

gay man who’s a founding donor to the San Francisco LGBT Community Center took to Facebook last week after he said an inquiry about using the facility for his upcoming wedding was not responded to for two weeks. John Bare posted the missive Friday, December 12. “After calling the San Francisco LGBT Community Center two weeks ago about possibly hosting our wedding, they finally got around to calling me back, asking, ‘so what kind of an event are you interested in hosting?’” Bare wrote, referring to himself and his partner of 24 years, Ignatius Bau. “I told them it’s a wedding. A same-sex wedding.” Bare, 52, said that after giving the

person the dates and other information, which was in the original voicemail, the center staffer replied, “It’s available, but we’d have to make some special arrangements for you.” “I thought being a founding donor to the center was itself a special arrangement,” Bare wrote on Facebook. “Not to mention all the ongoing donations we’ve made in the years since. Pretty sure I have written my last check to them.” The posting received a flurry of supportive comments for Bare, and drew a response from Rebecca Rolfe, the center’s executive director. “Our relationship with you is important to me,” Rolfe wrote. She invited Bare to contact her directly. When reached by the Bay Area Reporter, Rolfe said that she was committed to providing a supportive environment for all community members. “I am truly sorry about John’s experience at the center,” Rolfe said. “It appears that a volunteer took his voicemail message, and the message was not delivered to the appropriate staff member in a timely manner.” Rolfe said she did not know how many same-sex weddings had been performed at the center since June 2013, when marriage equality returned to California.

“For weddings, I’d have to check month by month and that takes awhile,” Rolfe said. “We don’t have many weddings because our rooms are small, but we have hosted quite a few memorial services and birthday parties. Again, I don’t have immediate access to actual numbers.” For his part, Bare, who also sits on the board of LGBT advocacy group GetEqual, said that he thought the center cared, but that there were management problems. “There is a lack of vision,” he said. “An unwillingness or an inability to manage staff appropriately, and the know-how to create a service-oriented culture. And more than anything else, there seems to be a huge fear of letting the community take ownership of the center, to really engage in an open and honest conversation about what it wants from the center.” Bare and Rolfe told the B.A.R. that they had spoken to one another about these issues. Rolfe reiterated her commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all. “Since opening our doors in 2002, we have developed unique services designed to provide support to those most impacted by homophobia and transphobia as it manifests at the intersections of race, class, gender, and

Courtesy John Bare

Ignatius Bau, left, with his fiancé, John Bare

physical ability, as well as cultural programs to build a strong and connected community,” said Rolfe. She pointed to the center’s economic development and youth programs, among others, and stated that all the services that the center provides are free. Bureaucracy was a problem, Bare said. “Forget the endless forms, phone calls, and even forget charging if you have to,” he said. “This is your day, this is your center. All we need is a deposit to cover any damage to the property.” Rolfe promised that she was listening. “We are always looking to improve the experience community members have with the center,” she said. “I am reviewing John’s feedback, as we do all feedback, positive or otherwise, to ensure that we are continuing to improve our ability to serve the LGBT community.” See page 10 >>

Trans help line up and running by Yael Chanoff

FIRE UP YOUR SEX DRIVE!

n September, Trans Lifeline was just an idea. Now, as 2014 draws to a close, the San Francisco-based organization – a crisis hotline by and for trans people – answers an average of 60 calls a day. “This is a line with 400 volunteers who are all trans and want to answer your calls,” said Greta Gustava Martela, a trans woman who co-founded Trans Lifeline. “So that’s got to engender a little bit of hope.” Martela and her partner, Nina Chaubal, who also identifies as Gabriela Hasbun trans, both come from the tech Trans Lifeline co-cofounders Greta world. After they came up with Gustava Martela and Nina Chaubal the idea for Trans Lifeline, they quickly found software for it, a Project have offered to help train platform called Pocket Hotline. Trans Lifeline volunteers. “Nina looked at it, and she was For now, Trans Lifeline is training like, ‘I could get this up in a week.’ all of its own volunteers. In the past And it took us probably two weeks. few weeks the women have started But we just put it together, stood it the process of training new volunup, and got $250,” Martela said. teer trainers. It’s necessary in order At first, Martela said, raising to connect with everyone who has money and recruiting volunteers signed up to help. was a challenge. But support grew as And every volunteer is trans word spread about the service. Now, identified. donations have topped $10,000, and Martela said that when she and large organizations like the Trevor

Chaubal founded Trans Lifeline, they knew the phones needed to be staffed by all trans people. “I just don’t think that you can get a cis person to understand a trans person the same way a trans person’s going to. I really think it takes a lot of imagination,” Martela said, using a term that refers to someone who has a gender identity that agrees with their societally recognized sex. “So we avoided a lot of problems by making it just trans people.” Trans Lifeline isn’t the first crisis hotline focused on serving transgender people. Others include the Transgender Michigan Help Line, founded in 1997, and the online crisis support at Laura’s Playground. All of these resources are crucial. Forty-one percent of transgender people in the U.S. have attempted suicide, compared to 4.6 percent of the general population, according to the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Survey respondents also reported facing discrimination when they sought help from institutions like police and hospitals. See page 17 >>

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Wilson Hardcastle

Country western dancers present gifts D uring the Sundance Saloon’s December 14 holiday ball, $15,640 was presented to Openhouse, an LGBT senior agency, and the AIDS Emergency Fund. The money was raised earlier this year at the Sundance Stompede. Those on hand to acknowledge the

donations included, from left, Frank Martinez, volunteer coordinator, AEF; Dave Hayes, event director, Sundance Stompede; Steve Sullivan, Sundance Association; JP Leddy, development manager, Openhouse; and Jim Warhol, secretary, Sundance Association.

<< Open Forum

8 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Volume 44, Number 51 December 18-24, 2014 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • Seth Hemmelgarn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Erin Blackwell • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Brent Calderwood • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani Chuck Colbert • Richard Dodds Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger Michael McDonagh • David-Elijah Nahmod Elliot Owen • Paul Parish • Sean Piverger Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota Bob Roehr • Donna Sachet • Adam Sandel Khaled Sayed • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Jim Stewart Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez • Ronn Vigh Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Jay Cribas PRODUCTION/DESIGN Max Leger PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Lydia Gonzales • Jose Guzman-Colon Rudy K. Lawidjaja • Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd Rich Stadtmiller • Steven Underhil Dallis Willard • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.861.5019 ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lance Roberts NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is conﬁdential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

Queer artists miss the mark with effigies

n anonymous group of self-described “queer” and “people of color” artists claimed responsibility this week for one of the weirder things that has happened during the weeks of civil unrest in the East Bay to protest police brutality in the aftermath of grand juries in Missouri and New York declining to indict white police officers for killing unarmed black men. Last Saturday, the day of massive protests across the country tied to the Millions March rally, several lynching effigies were seen around the UC Berkeley campus. When we first heard of the effigies, we didn’t know what to think. Was some racist trying to undermine the protesters before the marches even got underway? Was it a frat boy prank gone awry? Well, late Sunday afternoon we had an answer. It was the queers. And some people of color. How many, we do not know. Nor did the artists give themselves a name. But in the absence of anyone else claiming responCourtesy Cal Black Student Union sibility, we’ll take these people at their word A queer and people of color artists group claimed that they hung the effigies. The vast majority of Bay Area residents who heard about responsibility for hanging effigies on the UC the effigies or saw them – black or white, Berkeley campus last weekend. gay or straight – were deeply offended. We think the message of the queer and people it is, its connotation is likely at odds with what of color artists was woefully misplaced – as the artists likely had in mind. is their insistence on hiding behind a cloak of “For those who think these images anonymity, which is what people do depict crimes and attitudes too diswhen they’ve screwed up. tasteful to be seen ... we respectfully Their three-paragraph statedisagree,” the group continues. ment explaining their motiva“Our society must never forget. tion and reasoning is inadequate. For those under the mistaken as“For those who think these sumption that the images themimages are no longer relevant selves were intended as an act of racto the social framework in which ism – we vehemently disagree and black Americans exist everyday intended only the confrontation – we respectfully disagree,” the of historical context.” group writes. Actually, it’s not Unfortunately for the group, that the images are irrelevant, since they didn’t leave any indicait’s that their display is inflamtion that the effigies were an art matory and offensive. The city of installation, lots of people attributed them Oakland continues to investigate an incident to racist motivations. The effigies resembled from this summer in which a noose was found blacks who were lynched in the 20th cenon a public works department truck used by tury, and also referenced the words, “I can’t African American workers. The noose is an exbreathe,” which is what Eric Garner said nearly plosive symbol that is rarely displayed – and if

a dozen times before he died in a chokehold by a New York police officer this summer. People who saw the Berkeley nooses – and others that were reportedly near Lake Merritt in Oakland – can be forgiven if they didn’t see the “historical context.” Lynching has a troubling history in the United States and after the Civil War was used to terrorize and intimidate blacks. Some black people disavowed the effigies, with one UC Berkeley student telling the Oakland Tribune that the effigies did not come “from the black students on campus.” “We wake up one morning and there it is, but we didn’t know anything about it,” student Kristiana Ekokobe told the paper. “It’s our cause, but it feels like a lot of people want to take over [the movement.] It doesn’t feel genuine.” Cal Professor John Powell agreed, telling the Tribune that the effigies showed the group’s “lack of awareness and involvement with the black community.” The queer and people of color artists did apologize to one group – black Americans “who felt further attacked by this work,” they said. “We are sorry – your pain is ours, our families’, our history’s,” the group wrote. While the apology was warranted, we think the group owes an apology to the broader Bay Area, too. We urge the artists to issue a public apology – with their names – and hope that they stay involved in the social justice movement, but that future art installations speak to current events and not harken back to racist symbols to make their point. Thousands of people of all races have participated in the protests. The vast majority of them sincerely demand change in police tactics, in the justice system, and in society at large. We agree with them. In addition to police departments, protests should be directed at district attorneys and prosecutors; they’re the ones who convene grand juries. The Brown and Garner cases demonstrate why secret grand juries should not be used for officer-involved shootings. A more open, transparent process is needed, like preliminary hearings, which are routinely used in criminal cases, just not those involving law enforcement.t

Gilead’s greed makes Weinstein an HIV hero by Michael Petrelis

hiladelphia is the leading municipality tackling price-gouging by drug giant Gilead over its hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The City of Brotherly Love’s transit agency SEPTA last week filed a federal lawsuit, which according to a release from the law firm handling the case, explains the pricing problem: “Gilead’s exorbitant pricing scheme has the potential to bankrupt segments of the U.S. health care system ... [which has] also had the effect of pricing certain consumers and government programs out of the Sovaldi market, thus preventing sick patients from obtaining this critical drug. ... Meanwhile, Gilead has recorded an astounding $8.5 billion in Sovaldi sales through the first three quarters of 2014 alone.” Many HIV-positive San Franciscans are coinfected with hepatitis and the cost of their AIDS cocktails is exorbitant enough, so for them adding Sovaldi to the mix is a heavy fiscal burden. The City That Knows How needs to catch up with Philadelphia’s leadership holding Gilead to account for outrageous pricing, to protect the wellness of patients and the public health budget. The company reaped millions of dollars of favorable publicity, when the two gay members of the Board of Supervisors, David Campos and Scott Wiener, recently spoke at City Hall rallies and held hearings about getting more at-risk individuals on Truvada as part of an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis effort. Little was said regarding Truvada’s price tag. Proposition D, a 2013 advisory statement on the city ballot, asked, “Shall it be city policy to use all available opportunities to reduce the cost of prescription drugs?” and 80 percent of voters said yes. The Board of Supervisors earmarked funds for the Department of Public Health to hire navigators to process the paperwork of getting insurance to cover the cost of a person’s Truvada or receive it through Gilead’s patient assistance program. All well and good, in my opinion.

But secondly, Prop D wasn’t used by the supervisors as a foundation to invite Gilead representatives to testify about pricing, which is the key reason why DPH needs additional navigators. There’s no reason why the supervisors can’t schedule several hearings in 2015 about all of Gilead’s pharmaceuticals. Since Sovaldi, at $84,000 for 12 weeks of treatment, is so expensive and providing it to one inmate of San Francisco’s jail system, where hepatitis is rampant, would eat up onetenth of the jail’s entire annual health budget, the price keeps Sovaldi from the inmate population. All city residents in need of this hepatitis drug must have access to it without worrying about going bankrupt to afford it. Who’s been a hero in terms of attacking Gilead from several angles over pricing? None other than Michael Weinstein, the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and devil to all PrEP advocates because of his irrational opposition to using Truvada to stop new HIV infections. As a longtime AIDS accountability advocate and after years of loud criticism against Weinstein for failing to post AHF’s IRS 990s on his group’s site, and deploring his attacks on the sexual health choices of erotic performers, not to mention his war on Truvada, which led me to organize a picket at its Castro pharmacy, it pains me to say this. Weinstein is an HIV hero for biting the Gilead hand that used to feed him. I broke the news in April that from 2005 through 2011, AHF accepted more than $10 million from the company, so I’m very aware of how much money he took from the company before attacking it. It’s a great benefit that AHF owns enough shares in Gilead so that it could submit a corporate resolution at this year’s annual shareholders meeting tying the CEO’s hefty bonus to greater patient access to their popular AIDS and hepatitis drugs. The resolution failed, but

the black eye of bad publicity sent Gilead a message about its greed. Weinstein was also behind Prop D and has run attack ads over Gilead’s pricing. Labeling him a hero over affordability doesn’t negate his un-scientific advocacy against PrEP. Other AIDS nonprofits, including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York, receive enormous grants from Gilead for general operating expenses and just happen to also engage in community education about Truvada as PrEP. Gilead money is going into the coffers of AIDS charities, which is a fact of life, but there needs to be full and easy-to-locate transparency from the charities about the pharma grants on their sites. Equally important is to have the nonprofits receiving Gilead grants deplore Gilead’s skyhigh pricing and demand serious and immediate reduction of what patients pay for their products. Silence from SFAF, GMHC, and other Gilead grant recipients about pricing is potentially deadly for thousands of us living with either HIV or hepatitis, or both. James Loduca, the foundation’s current vice president for philanthropy and public affairs, was Gilead’s spokesman before joining the nonprofit, an example of the incestuous relationship between Big Pharma and AIDS Inc. The coalition of AIDS nonprofits, supervisors, and gays on Truvada behind the City Hall rallies need to reactivate their network for hearings on Prop D and using all levers of city government to curb Gilead’s price-gouging on their lines of HIV and hepatitis medicines. San Francisco nonprofits, public health and elected officials must also consider emulating Philadelphia’s legal battle to force Gilead to put people before profits. The wellness of many LGBT people depends on it.t Michael Petrelis is a gay and AIDS activist who can be reached via his mayoral campaign page: https://www.facebook.com/ Petrelis4Mayor.

Letters >>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 9

Cities need inclusive health care plans

As a transgender individual myself, I found it strange that Oakland and Berkeley had not included transgender inclusive health care plans to municipal workers [“HRC index sparks change in Berkeley,” December 4]. I found it even stranger that the number of California cities that offered transgender inclusive health care was so low. While it was an increase from the shocking 5 percent from 2013 to 12 percent in 2014 it’s too low of a percentage for such an important issue. Transgender health care is a lifesaving and necessary component of being trans and the fact that Oakland and Berkeley had not been offering it to its municipal workers up until 2014 is ridiculous. Transgender health care has been necessary for trans individuals since hormones were introduced and the fact that just now transgender inclusive health care is being

slightly introduced into some of the more liberal cities in California is upsetting. The rate for transgender individuals who commit suicide is 41 percent for individuals 18-44 and that would be due to the intense issues such as dysphoria and harassment, which make just living as a transgender individual difficult. The fact that your article begins with Berkeley’s lack of a police LGBT liaison instead of the important issue of the lack of transgender inclusive health care in Berkeley and Oakland is slightly upsetting. I think that the article could have been written about the lack of transgender inclusive health care in the East Bay and still have been a viable headline, as well as creating more awareness for the lack of transgender health care in the United States as a whole.

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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Nicole Lorraine Rodheim San Francisco

SF Zoo Lights sparkle compiled by Cynthia Laird

he San Francisco Zoo invites Bay Area visitors to experience the zoo at night under magical holiday lights. Available nightly now through December 30, the lights feature animal shapes and holiday treats. There are lots of other activities in addition to viewing the lights. A holiday marketplace, midway games, carousel rides, and costumed characters await visitors. The Silent Disco by Silent Storm is also open (a separate $5 charge applies). Of course, Santa will also be on hand, with his special reindeer, Belle, Holly, Peppermint, and Velvet. Other animals that can be viewed include giraffes, koalas, and the Komodo dragon. Special nightly entertainment is also scheduled, including storytellers, dance groups, and magicians. Zoo Lights is on display from 5 to 8 p.m. (closed December 24-25). Admission is free for San Francisco Zoological Society members, $7 for adults, and $5 for kids ages 4-14. Admission is free for children under 4. Parking is $8. The zoo is located at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway. For more

Drag club

From page 1

nightclub. She and her business partners looked at several spaces in the Castro and had put in an offer to operate another nightclub on the 11th Street corridor but were rejected. Once they settled on the former Caliente space, they discovered a recent zoning change for that area of SOMA allowed them to open a bar there but not book live acts. After Heklina publicly complained that the area’s supervisor, Jane Kim, was

May Woon

People gather at the San Francisco Zoo to check out Zoo Lights in 2012.

Several Santa Clara County commissions are seeking members for the new year. Gay county Supervisor Ken Yeager, who represents District 4, sent out a list in his recent newsletter, noting that the panels serve as advisory bodies to the supervisors. To apply, people must reside in Santa

Clara County. All commissioners volunteer their time. Several commissions that have positions open for appointment from District 4 include: the Advisory Commission on Consumer Affairs, Code Enforcement Appeals Board, Commission on Equal Access and Employment Opportunity, County of Santa Clara Moscow Sister-County Commission, Roads Commission, and Senior Care Commission. To learn more, go to http://www. sccgov.org/sites/bos/bnc/Pages/default.aspx.t

moving too slowly to fix the problem, the up-for-re-election Kim introduced legislation to rewrite the rules, which were adopted this fall. Asked last week how she is feeling as the opening night fast approaches, Heklina said she is mostly excited that it is finally happening. “Now I am scared and anxious but still excited,” said Heklina. Along with Beebout, the other members of the ownership group are consultant Geoff Benjamin, a gay married father of two, and actor and choreographer D’Arcy

Drollinger, a gay man who was an early performer at Trannyshack. “For me it’s been something I always wanted,” said Drollinger, who moved back from New York City three years ago and joined with Heklina to mount drag shows at the former Rebel club space on Market Street. “This allows us to take chances to be theatrical. It is a hybrid of a drag club, theater, and cabaret space.” Drollinger will be remounting his own show, a drag spoof of the 1970s See page 20 >>

information, visit www.sfzoo.org.

South Bay county commissions seek applicants

FREELANCE NEWS REPORTERS

Write for the best! The Bay Area Reporter, the undisputed newspaper of record for the San Francisco Bay Area’s LGBT community and the nation’s longest continuously-published and highest circulation LGBT newspaper, has immediate openings for Freelance Reporters. Responsibilities include: attend assigned meetings or events; necessary interviews, and writing news articles weekly. Coverage includes breaking news, City Hall, health, LGBT organizations, and other matters of interest to the community. Availability should include at least one of the following: weekday daytime hours, evenings or weekends to cover assigned events. News reporting experience preferred; newspaper background a plus. Candidates should demonstrate ability to write under deadline and be detail-oriented. Send cover letter, resume & writing samples to c.laird@ebar.com Cynthia Laird, News Editor, Bay Area Reporter, 44 Gough Street, Suite 204, San Francisco, CA 94103 415-829-8749

Jane Philomen Cleland

Kids win with anti-bullying videos S

an Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, right, this week announced the winners of the DA office’s third annual Bye Bye Bullying video contest. A total of 42 videos were submitted from San Francisco middle and high school students and the entries showcased students’ knowledge of the digital world and offered solutions to stand up against bullying. At the news conference, held December 15 at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Golden State Warriors community ambassador Alvin Attles, left, congratulated the winning students, Spencer Spivy, a freshman at University

High School, and Kapp Singer, a freshman at Lick-Wilmerding High School. The two created the video “Throwing Fist to Sending Texts,” which can be seen at http://goo.gl/srBzRT. Second place was Gianni Kenny, of Martin Luther King Middle School; Angelica Reyfer, of Presidio Middle School; and Zette Ozaki of International High School, for “Think About It” (http://goo.gl/s5dJEO). Third place went to Immaculate Conception Academy students De’Janay Mathews, Stephanie Camacho, Jessica Batres, and Ronnette Herico for “Being Bully Free Starts With Us” (http://goo.gl/KOoEqa).

<< Community News

10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

EQCA plans data, immigration work for 2015

A Paid Study for People Who Are HIV+ Smallpox Vaccine Study

by Seth Hemmelgarn

hensive civil rights legislastatewide impact.” tion in the country.” In his Zbur said the nonprofit What n its year-end report, released this group’s report, released would “insist” that governweek, the statewide LGBT advoTuesday, he noted plenty of ment agencies “count” the A study to develop a vaccine against cacy group Equality California laid work remains to be done. state’s LGBT population. smallpox for people who are HIV positive out rough outlines of its plans for “The sad fact is that “Knowing the size of 2015, which include more engageLGBT people continue the LGBT population is Who ment in data collection, immigrato suffer from dispropora necessary starting point HIV positive adults, 18 to 45 years of age, tion reform, and health care. tionate rates of poverty, to determining whether with t-cells below 500 In recent years, the Los Angelessuicide, homelessness, our community receives Courtesy EQCA based nonprofit had been known lack of insurance, and EQCA Executive its fair share of CaliforPay mostly for its legislative work on marviolence,” he said in the Director Rick Zbur nia’s resources,” he said. riage equality, bullying, and transgenreport. As an example, he EQCA will also do Participants will receive 2-3 vaccinations der issues. But with same-sex marsaid, “the percentage of more work on immigraand up to $1350 riage finally legal in California and transgender people living in poverty tion. Zbur said, “LGBT immigrants more protections in place for LGBT is almost four times the rate of the are doubly marginalized and among Details school students, the organization is general population.” the most vulnerable members of For more information, please call Erika feeling freer to expand its scope. One area of focus next year will be both the LGBT community and imat Quest Clinical Research – (415) 353-0800 Not long after Rick Zbur, a gay the Fair Share for Equality program. migrant community.” Latino man, became EQCA’s execuIn the report, Zbur said it will idenOne of the organization’s prior email erika@questclinical.com tive director in September, he told tify the programs that are most imorities next year will be to work the Bay Area Reporter the group was portant to LGBTs and need funding. with “allies and partners to call for updating its mission statement to “We will host an annual summit comprehensive immigration reform include changes such as a focus on and invite the leaders of LGBT and that addresses the needs of LGBT “full equality and acceptance” both HIV/AIDS organizations to solicit immigrants along with all immiwww.questclinical.com inside and outside of California and those leaders’ views and recommengrants and their families,” Zbur said. “ensuring the health and well-being dations as to the programs on which Additionally, he said, EQCA “will of LGBT Californians.” EQCA should focus,” he said. “We will continue to educate and advocate In an October interview with the work closely in partnership with other ... about the health care needs of B.A.R., Zbur said, “I’ve acknowledged community organizations to both set undocumented LGBT immigrants.” that we do have the most compreour goals and to achieve maximum The San Francisco-based National Center for Lesbian Rights has worked with EQCA on several issues for many years. In an emailed statement, NCLR legal director Shannon Minter said, “We applaud EQCA for committing to this critical work, which affects the lives of so many LGBT people and their families, and which goes to the heart of who we are as a nation. It is essential that LGBT organizations are a vital part of immigration reform and of standing up for the humanity of undocumented people.” Health care is another area where EQCA plans to expand its work. Zbur said, “With a generous grant ON-SITE COUNSELORS SIGN UP FOR COVERED CALIFORNIA from the California Endowment, EQCA Institute,” the group’s eduAT POSITIVE RESOURCE CENTER ARE AVAILABLE cational branch, “will develop tools and trainings to educate health care FOR IN PERSON providers about the health needs of LEARN HOW THE STATE’S OFFICE OF undocumented LGBT people in the CONSULTATION AND AIDS CAN PAY FOR YOUR MONTHLY Central Valley.” The organization will also educate people about their TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INSURANCE PREMIUM health care options, among other activities, he said. The nonprofit, which has a budget of about $3 million, recently saw its 100th piece of legislation pass the state Legislature in the last session. Among other efforts in the past year, the organization has been working with others to compel the Monday - Friday 9:15 AM - 12:00 PM U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration to end the ban Cost: FREE on gay and bi men donating blood. EQCA is inviting community Eligibility: Must be HIV+ and a San Francisco resident members to bring their questions and ideas to a town hall meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, For questions and/or consultations, please call: (415) 777-0333 January 22, at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 100 Diamond Street, San Francisco. The B.A.R. is moderating the meeting.t

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LGBT center

From page 6

Rolfe said that anyone with issues of any kind was welcome to contact her directly at the center. Bare said that he credited Rolfe for bringing the center into the black after the recent economic downturn. “But now we are out of those bleak times and we need to move forward,” he said. As for where he will have his wedding, Bare said a decision has not been made, but that the center was an unlikely candidate. “It would be so tremendously symbolic and important to me to be hosted there,” Bare said, “but, unfortunately, the space does not appear big enough to celebrate our love.”t

Politics>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 11

CA lawmakers score well on LGBT report card by Matthew S. Bajko

ust three Democratic California lawmakers out of 80 in the Legislature failed to earn perfect scores this year on an annual LGBT equality index issued by the state’s largest LGBT advocacy group. And in a first, according to Equality California, three Republicans earned a rating of 100 percent on its 2014 Legislative Scorecard. The result means that those GOP lawmakers could secure the group’s endorsement in future political races. Governor Jerry Brown also earned a perfect score for signing into law all five bills sponsored by EQCA that the Legislature passed this year. In 2013 Brown earned an 80 percent score due to his vetoing one of the five bills that EQCA had sponsored last year. “It’s important for Californians to know where their elected officials stand on equality and other issues important to the LGBT community,” stated EQCA Executive Director Rick Zbur in releasing the report Tuesday. “We thank and salute Governor Brown and the many legislators who stood with us for equality 100 percent of the time in 2014. We’re also pleased to see the scores increasingly demonstrate that equality is not a partisan issue but rather a civil rights issue.” Lawmakers either earned or lost points based on how they voted on AB 1951, which provided gender neutral options for parents on birth certificates; SB 1306, which replaced the terms “husband” and “wife” with “spouse” in all state codes; and AB 2501, which outlaws LGBT murder defendants from claiming they

acted out of “gay panic” or “trans panic.” The other legislation lawmakers were graded on were AB 496, which requires LGBT cultural competency training for health care providers, and AB 1577, which requires that the authority responsible for completing a transgender person’s death certificate do so in a manner consistent with the person’s gender identity. How lawmakers voted on AJR 50, a resolution calling on the federal government to end its ban against gay blood donors, EQCA also factored into this year’s scoring. The trio of GOPers with perfect scores this year includes Senator Anthony Canella (RCeres) and Assemblymen Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego) and Brian Nestande (R-Palm Desert), who is no longer serving in the Statehouse and lost his bid for a congressional seat this fall. Maienschein made headlines earlier this month when lesbian Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) made the surprise decision to name him chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee, the sole member of the chamber’s minority party to be given such a post. Eleven GOP lawmakers scored above 30 percent this year on EQCA’s scorecard, one short of the high mark reached in 2012. Of the 25 Republicans who had scores under 30 percent, 14 received a score of zero while the rest had scores of 17 percent for backing the death certificate bill. Nonetheless, the anti-gay California Family Alliance decried in its own report card for 2014 what it considers to be a softening stance

Courtesy Anthony Canella’s Facebook page

Courtesy Wikipedia

Republican state Senator Anthony Canella received a perfect score from Equality California on its scorecard.

Former Assemblyman Steve Fox received the lowest score among Democrats in EQCA’s legislative scorecard.

among the state’s GOP lawmakers when it comes to upholding socalled traditional values. “The past decade has seen the Golden State drift even further blue. As a result, several moderate Republicans have taken on their own purple hue, meaning traditional values enshrined in the California GOP platform are often compromised for political expediency,” noted the alliance in its report. It pointed out that Cannella earning a perfect score from EQCA “was sadly not a surprise” since he “had the worst record of any Republican CFA ranked in 2013. He firmly holds that spot again this year.” As for the Democrats who failed to earn a score of 100, the lone senator in the group was Lou Correa of Santa Ana, who had a score of 83 percent for not voting on AB 1951. In the Assembly, Democrat Rudy Salas Jr. of Bakersfield earned 67 T:9.75” percent for voting against the birth certificate and marriage terms bills.

And Steve Fox of Palmdale received 50 percent, as he also voted against those two bills as well as the gay blood donor resolution. Fox, who lost his re-election bid this fall, won praise from the antigay group, which commended the Democrat in its own report card for “taking a bold stand to uphold family values. California desperately needs more courageous lawmakers so representatives like Fox aren’t forced to stand alone.” EQCA’s scorecard was included this year in its 2014 Year End Report, which can be downloaded at http://www.eqca.org/ sitepp.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b =9236469.

Gay educator wins statewide post

A gay educator from Alameda County is the new president-elect of the California County Boards of Education. “Looking forward to continue

working for California students,” Joaquin J. Rivera wrote in a Facebook post this week about his new leadership role. He has been serving this year as the elected vice president of the statewide organization that represents members from county education boards. In June Rivera secured a second four-year term on the Alameda County Board of Education after no one filed to run against him in the primary. He is the first, and so far only, out LGBT person to serve on the oversight body. Rivera is in line to become president-elect of the county board next year and expects to take over the gavel as president in 2016. He holds the board’s Area 1 trustee seat, which covers Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and portions of Oakland that include North Oakland and the Chinatown/Central districts. He has been a chemistry professor since 1990 at Skyline College, located south of San Francisco in the hills of San Bruno and part of the San Mateo County Community College District. Rivera lives in Berkeley with his husband, Joel Cohen; the couple does not have children.t Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings at noon for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on out Berkeley leaders’ reactions to the street protests that have convulsed the city this month. Keep abreast of the latest LGBT political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes. Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 8298836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

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What is STRIBILD? STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. It combines 4 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. STRIBILD is a complete single-tablet regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking STRIBILD. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking STRIBILD, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. STRIBILD is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

Who should not take STRIBILD? Do not take STRIBILD if you: • Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, cisapride, lovastatin, simvastatin, pimozide, sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), triazolam, oral midazolam, rifampin or the herb St. John’s wort. • For a list of brand names for these medicines, please see the Brief Summary on the following pages. • Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, or the medicine adefovir (Hepsera®).

What are the other possible side effects of STRIBILD? Serious side effects of STRIBILD may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do regular blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with STRIBILD. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking STRIBILD. The most common side effects of STRIBILD include nausea and diarrhea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? • All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider. • If you take hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc). • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in STRIBILD can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.

PALIO Date: 11.11.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Stribild • File Name: 23164_pgiqdp_J_Winston_BAR_fi.indd

Winston

STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used as a complete single-tablet regimen to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

I started my personal revolution Talk to your healthcare provider about starting treatment. STRIBILD is a complete HIV-1 treatment in 1 pill, once a day. Ask if it’s right for you.

PALIO Date: 11.11.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Stribild • File Name: 23164_pgiqdp_J_Winston_BAR_fi.indd

Winston

Patient Information STRIBILD (STRY-bild) (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets ®

Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information. What is STRIBILD? • STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. • STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects, including: 1. Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take STRIBILD or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: • feel very weak or tired • have unusual (not normal) muscle pain

• Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider • If you stop taking STRIBILD, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking STRIBILD Who should not take STRIBILD? Do not take STRIBILD if you also take a medicine that contains: • adefovir (Hepsera®) • alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®) • cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®) • ergot-containing medicines, including: dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), and methylergonovine maleate (Ergotrate®, Methergine®) • lovastatin (Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®) • oral midazolam • pimozide (Orap®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®) • sildenafil (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems • simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®) • triazolam (Halcion®) • the herb St. John’s wort Do not take STRIBILD if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (Atripla®, Complera®, Viread®, Truvada®) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine, lamivudine, or ritonavir (Atripla®, Combivir®, Complera®, Emtriva®, Epivir® or Epivir-HBV®, Epzicom®, Kaletra®, Norvir®, Trizivir®, Truvada®)

• have trouble breathing

STRIBILD is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old.

• have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting

What are the possible side effects of STRIBILD?

• feel cold, especially in your arms and legs • feel dizzy or lightheaded

STRIBILD may cause the following serious side effects:

• have a fast or irregular heartbeat

• See “What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD?”

2. Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take STRIBILD. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: • your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) • dark “tea-colored” urine • light-colored bowel movements (stools) • loss of appetite for several days or longer • nausea • stomach pain You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. 3. Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take STRIBILD, your HBV may get worse (flareup) if you stop taking STRIBILD. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. • Do not run out of STRIBILD. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your STRIBILD is all gone

BS Page 1

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking STRIBILD. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take STRIBILD. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.

PALIO Date: 11.11.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Stribild • File Name: 23164_pgiqdp_J_Winston_BAR_fi.indd Ad Size: 9.75” x 16.0” (Non-Bleed Newspaper Ad)

Winston Bay Area Reporter

The most common side effects of STRIBILD include: • Nausea • Diarrhea Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of STRIBILD. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B infection • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. - There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take STRIBILD. - You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. - Two of the medicines in STRIBILD can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in STRIBILD can pass into your breast milk. - Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: - Hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc) - Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD

- disopyramide (Norpace®) - estazolam - ethosuximide (Zarontin®) - flecainide (Tambocor®) - flurazepam - fluticasone (Flovent®, Flonase®, Flovent® Diskus®, Flovent® HFA, Veramyst®) - itraconazole (Sporanox®) - ketoconazole (Nizoral®) - lidocaine (Xylocaine®) - mexiletine - oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®) - perphenazine - phenobarbital (Luminal®) - phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®) - propafenone (Rythmol®) - quinidine (Neudexta®) - rifabutin (Mycobutin®) - rifapentine (Priftin®) - risperidone (Risperdal®, Risperdal Consta®) - salmeterol (Serevent®) or salmeterol when taken in combination with fluticasone (Advair Diskus®, Advair HFA®) - sildenafil (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis®) or vardenafil (Levitra®, Staxyn®), for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). If you get dizzy or faint (low blood pressure), have vision changes or have an erection that last longer than 4 hours, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away. - tadalafil (Adcirca®), for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension - telithromycin (Ketek®) - thioridazine - voriconazole (Vfend®) - warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®) - zolpidem (Ambien®, Edlular®, Intermezzo®, Zolpimist®) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider. Keep STRIBILD and all medicines out of reach of children.

- atorvastatin (Lipitor®, Caduet®)

This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about STRIBILD. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about STRIBILD that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.STRIBILD.com.

- bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor®, Bepadin®)

Issued: October 2013

- Medicines to treat depression, organ transplant rejection, or high blood pressure - amiodarone (Cordarone®, Pacerone®)

- bosentan (Tracleer®) - buspirone - carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®) - clarithromycin (Biaxin®, Prevpac®) - clonazepam (Klonopin®) - clorazepate (Gen-xene®, Tranxene®) - colchicine (Colcrys®) - medicines that contain dexamethasone - diazepam (Valium®) - digoxin (Lanoxin®)

BS Page 2

COMPLERA, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, the STRIBILD Logo, TRUVADA, and VIREAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. STBC0120 10/14

PALIO Date: 11.11.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Stribild • File Name: 23164_pgiqdp_J_Winston_BAR_fi.indd Ad Size: 9.75” x 16.0” (Non-Bleed Newspaper Ad)

Winston Bay Area Reporter

<< Community News

16 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

This Christmas, let MORE LOVE be born again! Wherever you are in your spriritual journey, you are welcome here.

You’re welcome here if you are: • Single, married, divorced, gay, straight, bi, cis, trans, ﬁlthy rich or dirt poor • A person of color, a crying newborn, or using a walker • Just looking or just waking up

We don’t care if you are: • More Catholic than the Pope or more Methodist than John Wesley • Inked, pierced, or plain • A tourist, a seeker, a doubter, or a bleeding heart

We would love to welcome YOU! Christmas Eve: 10:15pm Candlelight Vigil 10:30pm Choral Eucharist

Christmas Day: 10:15am Eucharist

The Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist 1661 15th Street at Julian Avenue San Francisco, California 91403

Diverse People, Inquiring Minds, Open Hearts

Police protests

From page 1

The protests have centered around police brutality, especially the killings earlier this year of two unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island, New York and the failure by grand juries in those cities to indict the white police officers who killed them. Alicia Garza, who identifies as queer, is one of the people who started the Black Lives Matter slogan after a jury in 2013 acquitted George Zimmerman, the man accused of killing unarmed black Florida teen Trayvon Martin in 2012. In recent weeks, the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag has frequently been seen on protest signs everywhere and on social media. “I think in the places where the slogan has been used appropriately, it’s been incredible,” Garza, 33, of Oakland, said of the phrase, which has also become an online forum. “In the places where it’s been used but where it doesn’t actually live up to the challenge that Black Lives Matter has issued, it’s challenging for us, and a little bit problematic.” She said those challenges have come up when there’s been “a really narrow vision of who black people are.” “Black Lives Matter really has aimed to ensure that we’re lifting up all black lives,” she said. “Black

Courtesy Alicia Garza

Alicia Garza has helped organize police protests in the East Bay.

Lives Matter is not just about black men.” She said it also includes transgender black people, women, poor, disabled, and others who have been “impacted directly by state violence and police violence.” Some protest tactics have drawn the ire of police, but Garza defended a couple of the actions. She was part of the team that shut down the West Oakland BART station November 28, and she also attended the shut down of Oakland Police headquarters, 455 Seventh Street, Monday morning. Officer Johnna Watson, an Oak-

land police spokeswoman, said in a news release Monday that shortly after 7:30 a.m. “multiple groups of protesters” blocked the building’s main entrances “by chaining shut four of the building’s doors, and then chaining themselves to the doors.” Watson said three of the doors serve as the primary entrances and exits, and as a result of the blockages, “the public could not access important police services, such as reporting crimes, obtaining public records, accessing necessary paperwork for vehicle impound releases, and property releases.” The chains were eventually cleared and the protesters left. About 150 to 200 people were in the crowd, she said. In her email early Monday afternoon, Watson said 25 arrests had been made for violations including obstructing or blocking a public building and obstructing or delaying a police officer. She said police had been “in communication with identified group leaders and worked toward a peaceful resolution.” Asked about what the shut down accomplished, Garza said, “Throughout the history of this country direct action and shutdowns and protest have changed the landscape of our country.” She added, “Really, the question is not ‘What does this accomplish?’ ... What we’re trying to talk about here is what is the crisis the black communities are facing, and what do we need to do as a country to eliminate that crisis?” She indicated the Oakland police response to the shut down was disproportionate, an example of how public resources are misused. “A temporary inconvenience of having the police doors locked for four hours is nothing compared to the millions and millions of dollars” that have been paid out to the families of victims of police violence, Garza said. The four-hour period is how long Michael Brown’s body was in the street after he was shot and killed by Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson in August. Wilson has since left the department.

Richmond chief stands with protesters

Garza did have praise for some police action, however. Gay Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus garnered attention last Tuesday, December 9 when he and others from his department stood with protesters. Magnus held a sign that said, “Black Lives Matter.” Police in Richmond have “done some incredible work,” Garza said, and the department “has a lot to show” other police agencies in terms of addressing problems like racism and a lack of transparency. Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles, a black Latina lesbian and the city’s vice mayor, called Magnus’ participation “a beautiful image of our city.” Beckles, who also was at last Tuesday’s protest, said, “Our police department actually respects our community,” and called the police officials’ act “a perfect example of community policing, not military policing.” “I really do believe that black and brown lives matter,” she said, adding that she took part because “I wanted to show solidarity with the community, particularly the young people who organized this.” The city “values their lives,” she said, but “it’s a scary time that they’re living in.” Beckles said, “in most cases,” outside Richmond, police “can get away with killing you, and say that you were resisting arrest.” The San Francisco Chronicle and other media outlets have reported that the Richmond Police Officers Association has criticized Magnus for wearing his uniform during the See page 17 >>

Community News>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 17

Duboce Triangle crime discussed at meeting by David-Elijah Nahmod

meeting about safety in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood drew about 100 people who discussed two recent killings in the area and other concerns. Residents were alarmed about a November 24 incident in which police said Michael Marquez, 22, of San Francisco, was walking with two other people near Henry and Noe streets around 12:30 a.m. when five men got out of a car. One of the men shot Marquez and took a cellphone, backpack, and wallet. Marquez, who friends said was straight, was pronounced dead on arrival at San Francisco General Hospital. In August, Bryan Higgins, also known by his Radical Faerie name, “Feather,” died three days after he was assaulted on Church Street. No arrests have been made in either case. The December 8 meeting, held in the Gazebo Room at California Pacific Medical Center’s Davies Campus, included Captain Raj Vaswani, of the San Francisco Police Department’s Park Station. “The latest homicide has highlighted neighborhood concerns,” Vaswani told the Bay Area Reporter a couple of days after the meeting. “If the neighborhood feels unsafe it’s my obligation to make sure they feel safe.” Gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, who represents the neighborhood, told attendees at the

Trans help line

From page 6

Suicide counseling is an important part of what Trans Lifeline does, Martela said. But the volunteers are able to help with other problems as well. “We’re encouraging people to call when they’re not in crisis, when they’re experiencing problems. We’re following up with people after the fact. We’re just engaging with people as much as we can,” she said. The hotline doesn’t have any time limit, and many calls last two or three hours. As long as volunteers are available Trans Lifeline won’t limit call times, Martela said. Right now, there are more than enough volunteers to staff the phone, so some are working on other projects, such as building a database of local resources for trans people that spans the U.S. This will help when phone operators are asked for specific resources. For example, some callers ask for recommendations for trustworthy doctors in their area. This can be hard to find – 50 percent of 6,450 trans and gender non-conforming people surveyed for the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey reported having to teach their doctors about transgender care, and 19 percent were refused care altogether based on their gender identity. “The thing that has been triggering the largest number of people that we’ve seen has been lack of access to medical care. It’s definitely what gets people. A close second

Police protests

From page 16

protest, and that political activities in uniform are prohibited. Magnus, who didn’t respond to interview requests for this story, has told reporters that he didn’t think what he did was political. The union couldn’t be reached for comment. Some protests, particularly in Oakland and Berkeley, have turned violent, including businesses being vandalized.

Jane Philomen Cleland

Park Station police Captain Raj Vaswani

meeting that he is “very concerned” about recent crime in the area. “I’m working very closely with the captains of the Park and Northern police stations to increase police presence in the neighborhood,” Wiener said, referring to the two police districts that share jurisdiction over the area. Vaswani assured attendees that Duboce Triangle remained a statistically safer part of town than other areas, but understands residents’ apprehension. “If you don’t feel safe, that’s reality,” Vaswani said. “The statistics say that crime is down, but at the end of the day if someone is killed it doesn’t make you feel safe.” The captain told the B.A.R. that he looks at more than crime statistics. being harassment in the workplace,” Martela said. Other frequent calls concern violence or threats of violence, Martela said, both from people that the caller knows and from strangers. As Martela put it: “The issues that trans people are committing suicide over are societal and systemic issues. It’s not like they have one relationship that’s bad. Their relationship with society is a bad relationship.” Violence against transgender people is epidemic, and too often, crises happen fast and leave no time to call for help. Trans Lifeline launched on November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international day of mourning and recognition for the people, mostly trans women of color, who have died from transphobic violence around the world. Only weeks after this year’s observance, another black trans woman, Deshawnda Sanchez, was killed in Compton, California. Her death marked 12 slain black and Latina transwomen in the U.S. this year. Martela said that operating Trans Lifeline helps toward dealing with the relentless atrocities. “I think that it’s in many ways as much for the volunteers. When there’s so much oppression, having something that you can do to help. It’s been healing for me to do it,” Martela said. And the whirlwind growth of Trans Lifeline is a step in fighting that oppression. “Everything else that the trans community is trying to achieve will

Beckles said the vandalism “really saddens me.” She also pointed to one instance in which protesters reportedly attacked a man after he tried to put out a garbage fire. “They are not a part of this movement,” Beckles said. “They are opportunists. They are thugs.” Kimberly Aceves, 43, is the executive director of Richmond’s RYSE Center, the group that organized last Tuesday’s protest. See page 22 >>

“I also look at neighborhood feedback from residents and merchants,” Vaswani said. At the meeting, Vaswani said that he couldn’t reveal details regarding the investigation into the Marquez killing, but that there was headway being made in linking the suspect to other crimes in the area. He said that strides were being made in stepping up police presence in the neighborhood. Vaswani also said that SFPD was trying to get help for homeless people, as residents were reporting an increase in crimes perpetrated by the homeless. “I put out our homeless outreach teams,” he told the audience. “I tell them to cite people and get them into shelters.” Residents were given an idea as to who might be targeted. “We have seen robberies that are disturbing,” Vaswani said. “The bad guys will hit clubs and restaurants because you’re well dressed. Those are the areas the predators like. They also like quieter areas.” He pointed to the lights on the Castro and Haight Street shopping corridors, which helps to prevent robberies. Vaswani said it was urgent for residents to report street lighting and street trash issues to 311, and to call 911 if they saw suspicious looking people in their neighborhoods. Morgan St. Clair, of Safety Awareness for Everyone, talked about the importance of people making sure

they are not targets. She advised keeping phones and wallets out of sight, and even carrying a “dummy wallet” to give to thieves. Such a wallet might contain small amounts of cash and canceled credit cards. “Getting to know your neighbors is key,” St. Clair said. “Many burglaries happen in your backyard.” St. Clair said that many of these incidents are “crimes of opportunity” and hopes that people won’t offer thieves that chance. She said that she was available to help residents start a neighborhood group to work with SFPD toward crime prevention.

Greg Carey and Ken Craig, of Castro Community on Patrol, spoke about the volunteer street patrols their organization runs and urged people to take their training classes. “SFPD is about 300-600 officers short,” Carey said. “Our police are good, they respond to calls. But they don’t have time to do prevention. That’s where Castro Community on Patrol comes in.”t For more information on Castro Community on Patrol, visit www. castropatrol.org.

be improved by keeping more trans people around to take political action,” Martela said.t To learn more about Trans Lifeline, or to donate, visit http:// www.translifeline.org. Call Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.

EQUALITY = HEALTHY We all bring something unique to the world, something for which we are proud. For the 5th year in a row, Kaiser Permanente has been recognized as a leader in health care equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations in the Healthcare Equality Index 2014 report.

kp.org/thrive

<< Year in Review

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Happy Holidays from VIP Grooming! Proudly serving the LGBT community. Come see why we are the Best dog groomers in the Bay. www.VIPgroomingSF.com 415-282-1393 • 4299 24th Street, SF

Supreme Court’s refusal to hear marriage cases tops 2014 news

Jeff Rabb November 25,1945 November 11,2014 Jeff “Cue ball” Rabb, 68 , passed away November 25, 2014, at Coming Home Hospice, after a long fight with cancer. A lifelong resident of the Bay Area, he was a small business owner at Gate 5 in Sausalito, where he was a master mechanic. He had a wickedly sharp sense of humor and was always quick with a joke and a drink. He was a very private but social man, and also very protective of his friends and people he liked. Jeff is survived by his loving wife Andrea, whom he loved unconditionally for 34 years after meeting at the Ambush in San Francisco. He was friends with the likes of the founder of Doninno’s Pizza, and was a pall bearer at the funeral of his friend and car club buddy Gene Babo. Second only to his wife, his cars, and his many friends in the Castro, he also loved his Saluki dogs. Jeff loved to play pool. He was an avid bar player and ‘bank the eight’ was the game. With this in mind we will be having a pool tournament in Jeff Rabb’s name at the Pilsner Inn, 225 Church Street, San Francisco on Saturday, January. 17, 2015. Sign in: 11:00am to 12:00pm, followed by a Calcutta Auction. Play starts at 1:00pm. It will be a Scotch blind Doubles, Bar rules, bank the eight tournament . $10.00 buy in per player. Half of the money raised will go to Jeff ’s favorite Charity , The Saluki Dog Rescue Fund , and the other half goes to the team owner and players.

SAN FRANCISCO

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Offer1 Loraine goodCourt—San through 12/31/2014. Francisco, CA 94118 Private tours are available. …and of course we have the Harvey Milk honorary niche.

Call 415.752.7891 Visit us at One Loraine Court in the heart of the Richmond. COA 534

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear petitions from five states seeking to preserve bans on same-sex marriage.

by Lisa Keen

he United States Supreme Court refused to hear appeals seeking to preserve bans on marriage for same-sex couples. President Barack Obama finally signed a long-sought executive order protecting LGBT people who work for federal contractors. Oh, yes, and the Republican Party won a majority in the Senate. Those are some of the important events in 2014 for LGBT people – a year packed with many important events, both symbolic and significant, but a year that nonetheless played second fiddle to 2013. Many of the LGBT headlines in 2014 centered on marriage because, in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the key provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. That prompted court after court to echo that decision, in U.S. v. Windsor, while striking down state bans on such marriages around the country. Polls indicated that public opinion about same-sex relationships improved more dramatically this year than on any other controversial issue, with 58 percent telling Gallup that “gay and lesbian relations” are “morally acceptable.” And a federal district court judge appointed by Republican President George W. Bush declared a marriage ban in Pennsylvania unconstitutional, adding, “We are a better people than what these laws represent, and it is time to discard [such bans] into the ash heap of history.” By this time next year, there’s a good chance that bans on same-sex marriage will be history, and the Supreme Court could make that happen as early as next month. But, first, here’s a look back on what the LGBT history books will likely record as the political and legal events of 2014 which had the greatest impact on LGBT lives: 1. The U.S. Supreme Court issued an Orders List October 6, the first day of its 2014-15 session, denying petitions from five states seeking to preserve bans on same-sex marriage. The refusal to take up the appeals meant that at least six justices did not feel the appeals merited consideration (it takes four justices to agree to hear an appeal before it can be taken up by the full court). And, given that the refusal to hear the appeals meant that same-sex couples could suddenly get married in a whole host of new states, it sig-

President Barack Obama signed an executive order in July aimed at helping LGBT employees who work for businesses that have federal contracts.

naled that those six justices will almost certainly vote to overturn state bans on same-sex marriage once the court does take a case. Just one month after the Supreme Court denied to hear the appeals, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals became the only federal appeals court to have upheld the constitutionality of such bans. In doing so, it prompted a new round of appeals, ones seeking to strike down the state bans, and ones the high court will now almost certainly review or reverse without argument. Meanwhile, by year’s end, same-sex couples could obtain marriage licenses in 36 states (though appeals were still alive in eight of those states). On January 5, couples can obtain marriage licenses in Florida, while that state’s appeal continues. By comparison, at the end of 2013, same-sex couples could marry in only 17 states.

2. Obama signed an executive order in July prohibiting businesses that hold contracts with the federal government from discriminating against employees or potential employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Almost as important, the executive order neither expanded nor removed a relatively narrow exemption put in place by President George W. Bush – an exemption that allowed “a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society” to discriminate. A small group of religious leaders has urged the president to include a “robust religious exemption.” On December 3, the Department of Labor issued its final rule for implementing Executive Order 13672, and the Federal Register published that rule on December 9. It will take effect April 8, and is expected to help as many as 14 million workers.

Hobby Lobby won a Supreme Court decision that allows it to discriminate because of the owners’ religious beliefs.

Year in Review>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 19

3. The U.S. Department of Education released guidelines in May to clarify for schools receiving federal aid that Title IX of the Civil Rights Act’s prohibition against sex discrimination “extends to claims of discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity.” The DOE’s guidance made clear that its Office of Civil Rights “accepts such complaints for investigation.” 4. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a privately held family company, Hobby Lobby, to deny certain health coverage for employees under the company’s health plan by saying the owners have religious objections to providing the coverage. LGBT legal activists called the decision a “dangerous and radical departure from existing law,” saying it could provide a means for employers to discriminate against LGBT people by denying coverage for such things as reproductive insemination, gender reassignment treatments, or HIV prevention efforts. 5. Several state legislatures attempted to adopt new bills to allow people to claim that discriminatory treatment of others is an exercise of their religious beliefs. The bills in those states were clearly aimed at allowing discrimination based on sexual orientation, but most fizzled out under pressure from major corporations, such as Coca-Cola, Delta, and Home Depot. 6. The Vatican under Pope Francis continued to send out occasional pro-LGBT messages, following on his comment last year that it wasn’t his duty to judge a gay person who was seeking to follow Christ’s word. A Vatican document released in June called on the church to treat LGBT people with more respect, and four months later, another document produced by Catholic leaders meeting in Rome noted that the support gay partners provide each other is worthy of respect. But the final report issued from the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops eliminated all such language, saying there were “no ground whatsoever ... for assimilating” gay relationships into the church. 7. Several African nations, including Uganda and Nigeria, passed archaic laws against the existence of gay people, and included harsh punishments for same-sex relationships and activities. In February, a mob in Nigeria dragged 40 men it believed to be gay out of their beds and into the streets where they were

Getty Images

The Olympic rings stood outside Sochi International Airport earlier this year; the Games drew scrutiny due to Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws.

Bill Wilson

Pope Francis

beaten with wooden clubs. Obama issued a statement saying Uganda’s law would “complicate” the relationship between Uganda and the U.S. But when the White House held a Summit on Africa in August, leaders of these countries were included. The Uganda law was ruled invalid on a technicality, but lawmakers are seeking to reintroduce a similar measure. 8. The Winter Olympics, held in Sochi, Russia, drew international attention to that country’s newly passed anti-gay propaganda laws aimed at silencing LGBT people. The laws make it a crime to “promote LGBT equality in public.” The U.S. conveyed its more positive message for LGBT people – Obama named gay athletes as three out of his 10-member official delegation to the event, and he canceled a one-onone meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although the International Olympic Committee did little at the time but voice its principle of non-discrimination generally, on December 8, it quietly passed an amendment to its Olympic Charter Principle 6, explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. The amendment does not address gender identity.

House Speaker John Boehner likely won’t let gay rights bills come to the floor for a vote in the next Congress.

9. Houston, the fourth largest city in the nation and the only one with an openly lesbian mayor, finally passed a long-sought human rights ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Mayor Annise Parker pushed for the measure and, when it passed, was threatened with a recall. But neither the recall nor a promised referendum on the measure ever made it to the ballot. 10. The Republicans won control of the Senate in November, resulting in the GOP being in charge of both chambers of Congress and making the prospects for passage of any pro-LGBT legislation – including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act – extremely unlikely. But the truth is that ENDA and other pro-LGBT legislation had virtually no chance of passage while Democrats controlled the Senate, because Republican House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) made clear his promise not to give such legislation floor time. Meanwhile, a Human Rights Campaign survey this year found that 53 percent of LGBT people still hide their sexual orientation from almost everybody at work.t

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

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Castro welcomes SantaCon

Steven Underhill

he 20th anniversary of SantaCon, a bar-hopping traveling pod of Santa-clad revelers, took place Saturday, December 13.

The Castro saw its share of participants as Santas crossed Castro and 18th streets in the new rainbow-colored crosswalk. CA BRE# 01346949

<< Sports

20 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Relive glory days at 49ers Museum by Roger Brigham

private religious school with ties to the Churches of Christ, blocked the formation of a campus gay-straight alliance. At the time, Mark Davis, dean of students, said, homosexuality was “against God’s will. We cannot endorse another view or take a neutral position on sexual morality.”

K. The San Francisco 49ers season has officially crashed and burned, the playoffs ain’t happening, and lord knows whether the coach and the front office will ever patch things up before the start of next season. And yes, the new stadium in Santa Clara got off to a rocky start with parking hassles, unbearable heat, and lackluster team efforts that made many a longtime Niners fan longing for a return to now nearly demolished Candlestick or hell – even Kezar Stadium. But the new stadium also offers an oasis where past glory never dies, hope for the future springs eternal, and Dwight Clark makes The Catch – over and over and over again. The 49ers Museum at Levi’s Stadium is a mind-boggling, eye-catching innovative technological presentation of the history of the team and the players and coaches who have written its history. Visitors walking into the front lobby are surrounded by massive screens, some giving them the latest Instagram and Twitter feeds from the team’s website as well as video of news conferences and canned player greetings, another projecting images of players and cheerleaders into live shots of the visitors in the lobby. From there visitors enter a room with detailed life-size sculptures of all of the team’s Hall of Fame members, annotated by interactive touch screen presentations of every biographical detail one could ask for. A succession of rooms takes visitors through timelines and rosters with interactive screens that allow them to make personalized posters, find the

NFL adopts new policy on domestic violence

One of many exhibits at the 49ers Museum at Levi’s Stadium.

names of every Niners player who ever appeared in a game, or see every Lombardi trophy the Niners ever earned. Though he does not have a highly visible presence in the museum, Dave Kopay, who played three seasons for the Niners in the 1960s and then in 1975 became the first former NFL player to come out of the closet, is visible in two places. Besides appearing on the interactive all-time roster, he has his own screen on the displays in the 1960s timeline, which credits him for being the first NFL player to take the step. Jesse Lovejoy, museum director, said Kopay had donated a copy of his autobiography – one of thousands of items in the archive that are not on display – and that it undoubtedly would be displayed at some point as items are rotated through the exhibits. Lovejoy said the museum has already had nearly 100,000 visitors since opening a few months ago.

Given all of the rain we’ve had the past few days, and with the season down the toilet, it’s a welcome refuge to escape the present into the glory of the past with the technology of the future. The late great 49ers coach Bill Walsh would have gone nuts for it. The museum, at 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way in Santa Clara, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, although it will be closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day. Tickets are $15 for adults. For information, visit www.levisstadium.com/museum.

Lesbian players sue Pepperdine

Two former players for the Pepperdine University women’s basketball team are suing the school and coach Ryan Weisenberg, saying the coach harassed the women off the team and created a team atmosphere that was invasive and hostile to lesbians. In a suit filed in Los Angeles state court, Haley Videckis and Layana White allege Ryan inquired into their personal relationship, withheld

Drag club

Going against the grain

The opening of a major gay nightlife venue in San Francisco is a rare occurrence these days. In recent years the city has witnessed the closures of several gay bars, such as Marlena’s and Esta Noche, with lesbian bar the Lexington Club soon to join the list. Benjamin said the business partners are well aware they are “pushing against the grain” in their effort to see that gay nightlife continues to have a home in San Francisco. “That is why the name Oasis makes so much sense,” he said. “There is still a market and a demand for gay culture.” Also, the name is “not too campy,” noted Heklina, who joked her business partners nixed going with just her name or another suggestion she had of calling it the Rim Chair. By opting for a more straightforward name, outside event producers and club promoters will not be gun shy about using it for their own parties, she said. “Our intention is to make this an oasis in a city getting gentrified all the time,” said Heklina. The name also harkens back to when the club was first known as the Oasis in the early 1980s. The

paperwork that would allow them to play, demanded to see results of a gynecological exam and told the team, “Lesbianism is not tolerated on this team. Lesbianism is a big concern in women’s basketball.” “Coach Ryan’s comments about lesbians were becoming obsessive and very strange,” the suit alleges. “When Haley and Layana heard Coach Ryan’s statement that he was against the lesbian lifestyle within his team, it made them think Coach Ryan would pull their scholarships if he confirmed their relationship. At this point, Layana began to suffer from severe depression.” Layana reportedly attempted suicide at one point. In response to the lawsuit, the university released a statement that said, “We take allegations of this kind very seriously. We conducted an immediate and thorough investigation and found no evidence to support these claims. The university remains committed to a diverse and inclusive environment.” Just two years ago Pepperdine, a

Responding to the public outcry to its inept handling of numerous domestic violence cases this year, the NFL this week said its team owners had unanimously adopted a new personal conduct policy for all NFL employees that includes a list of prohibited conduct, independent investigative procedures, specific criteria on paid leave for individuals charged with a violent crime, and six-game suspensions for crimes involving violent conduct, including domestic violence and sexual assault. Such suspensions could be longer if there were “mitigating or aggravating circumstances.” Although the league was obviously hoping to overcome some of the bad publicity it had received this year and billed the revised policy as a step forward, it was not without its critics. The NFL Players Association said it had not seen the new policy or been consulted on it, and the head of the National Organization for Women said the NFL policy misses the mark. “The victim is an afterthought in this ‘new’ policy – as she was in the old policy,” Terry O’Neill, NOW president, said in a written statement. “There is no guarantee that economic support will be there for as long as it takes for a victim to get back on her feet, and no indication that the NFL even understands that a six-game unpaid suspension could spark even higher level of violence.”t

At the end of the room is a builtin oversized red leather banquette, a remnant from the nightclub’s former days, that will remain, as will two wall mounted lamps made to resemble torches found elsewhere in the room. A doorway between the bar and seating area leads past a new, larger bar area being constructed under a large skylight. To the right will be a small lounge area with a built-in square-shaped banquette next to the entrance for a larger unisex bathroom that will feature five vintage sinks. The larger bar area opens onto the new dance floor/seating area for cabaret shows. To the left is where the DJ booth and sound and lighting tech area will be. A smaller satellite bar is also being added to the area. Two storage spaces are being built along the left side, one for tables and chairs and the other to house a baby grand piano. The club expects to have between 140 and 160 seats for cabaret or theatrical shows. At the end of the room will be a brand new 24 feet wide and 13 feet deep stage. Off to the right of the stage in the back is a sizeable dressing room with private bathroom for the various performers to utilize. There is also a rooftop the club owners are contemplating how to utilize. A clubhouse-like room on the roof is envisioned to one day be the private dressing room for Drollinger and Heklina. The ownership team researched numerous dressing rooms at theaters and clubs around the country, said Drollinger, and took the best ideas to devise their own. “We know performers often have to change in an electrical closet or bathroom stall, so we wanted to create a good environment across the board. A good stage, really nice dressing room and professional light and sound guys,” he said. Providing such amenities, added

Heklina, “is a big selling point for artists, especially to get cabaret acts in here.” Already, drag performers Matthew Martin, Dina Martina, and Trixxie Carr, as well as transgender vocalist Our Lady J, have announced shows at the space in January. Swagger Like Us, a queer hip-hop dance and live performance event hosted by Kelly Lovemonster with Resident DJs davO and boy_friend, are throwing a party called Double Duchess at the space next month. Unlike with most cabaret venues, there will not be a two-drink minimum at shows. Beebout, who will oversee the bar staff and cocktail menu, promises a classic drink menu with reasonable pricing. “We want a price point where people can enjoy themselves without going broke,” he said. When the 21-and over venue is used for dance events, the capacity will be about 400 people. “This is the largest gay venue in the city, I believe,” said Benjamin. The club owners decided to shoot for a December 31 opening since it is a major party night and will allow them to test out the space, staff, and equipment prior to when the drag shows and cabaret acts kick off in January. “It sounded realistic to open in that time frame and it still does. We all agreed it was the way to go and open with a bang,” said Heklina. “Plus, I would be lying if I said I didn’t need the cash.” And if not all of the construction is complete by New Year’s Eve, Heklina said they can use decorations to hide the rough patches. “Spoken like a true drag queen,” added Benjamin. “More rouge and taffeta on everything!” To learn more about the venue, and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows and parties at SF Oasis, visit http://www.sfoasis.com/.t

Courtesy 49ers Museum

From page 9

low-budget exploitation films called Shit & Champagne, at the club January 8. It will be the inaugural theatrical production there. He also plans to mount monthly nighttime versions of his popular SexiTude dance classes at the new club. “We want to bring people here, especially younger audiences, who want to see these types of shows and not be priced out like at other venues,” said Drollinger. Added Benjamin, “I really believe we are going to transform nightlife in San Francisco.”

Rick Gerharter

The four partners in the new SF Oasis club and cabaret are, from left, Jason Beebout, Geoff Benjamin, D’Arcy Drollinger, and Heklina.

new owners have been scouring the GLBT Historical Society’s archives to learn about the history of the corner site at 298 11th Street at Folsom. They have been able to determine that the first gay bar to operate there was called the Covered Wagon, which hosted male-only parties for members of the Longhorn Club. It also featured an outdoor pool. By the mid-1970s it was known as the Leatherneck Bar. Then it became a private club with the pool area known as the Plunge and a smaller bar area accessed from 11th Street dubbed Dirty Sally’s. According to a flier the new owners posted to their Facebook page for the club, by 1979 it had become the Drummer Club and the Drummaster Bar. By the 1980s it was rechristened the Oasis. Two decades later Annie A. Berthiaume bought the property and renamed it Club Caliente and the back bar as VSF. It targeted a largely straight Latino clientele, but issues with police and the gentrification of the 11th Street corridor led to the club’s demise. Berthiaume put the property up for sale, and according to the online site RealtyTrac, it sold in September

for $2,850,000. The buyer, according to Benjamin, is Joe Carouba, who is straight and president of BSC Management, a consulting and management company that manages 10 adult clubs in the San Francisco area. Benjamin said he and his partners have a 20-year lease for the nightclub space. They first gained access to it October 1 and construction started shortly thereafter. While they declined to state how much the build out is costing – Heklina joked it is “$25,000 to $30,000 a minute” – Benjamin said the bones of the building are “strong.” “It is more than we thought but less than you’d think,” he said. “We are keeping enough where it was but making it look better and upgrading the elements in there.” David Marks, owner of Room 4, is designing the club’s interior look. The main entrance for the new club will be off 11th Street, where the owners are building a ticket booth in front of the back bar area. Patrons will then encounter a bar on the left of the loungelike space, dubbed the Fez Room, and on their right will be stairs leading to a small mezzanine where two unisex bathrooms are being built.

Pepperdine women’s basketball coach Ryan Weisenberg

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

22 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Police protests

From page 17

Aceves said, “As a queer Latina,” she believes that “the liberation of black people is the liberation of my people, and I definitely feel like this issue cuts to the core of how racism in this country has played out, and even how homophobia has played out.” She spoke of a couple of the aspects of recent protests that have been troubling to some people. “Do I feel good about local business people having their windows broken in? No, that’s not something I necessarily believe in, but the rage felt by so many black people in this country is justified,” Aceves said. In San Francisco last Saturday, Sister Roma, a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, was one of many people who took part in protests. In a Facebook message, Roma, 51, whose given name is Michael Williams, said, “I was there because I believe that black lives matter. All

lives matter. ... I feel it’s important as a gay man to support the black community because my community has been and continues to be persecuted in the same way.” Roma added, “I’m proud that so many people turned out for the march, and I’m glad it was peaceful. I don’t support looting or violence, but when you’re fighting for your life, you fight.”

Effigies in Berkeley

In another highlight of the tension that has arisen over race in recent weeks, the news site Berkeleyside reported last weekend that cardboard effigies of lynching victims were found hanging at UC Berkeley Saturday. Photos showed the figures bearing the slogan, “I can’t breathe,” a reference to the last words of Eric Garner, the New York man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a police officer. The news site reported that a flier from “a Bay Area collective of queer black and [people of color] artists” was posted on the campus.

“These images connect past events to present ones – referencing endemic faultlines of hatred and persecution that are and should be deeply unsettling to the American consciousness” the flier said. “... For those who think these images are no longer relevant to the social framework in which black Americans exist everyday – we respectfully disagree.” UC Berkeley police spokespeople didn’t respond to requests for comment about the effigies.

Beckles’ plans

This week, Beckles planned to introduce a resolution supporting the U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights investigation into the police killing of Brown. A grand jury announced late last month that it had decided not to indict Wilson, the officer who killed him. Beckles is also organizing “a brainstorming forum around police brutality in the nation,” which will start at 6 p.m. Friday, December 19 at the Richmond Museum of History, 400 Nevin Avenue.t

Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036145300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO ART MARKETING, 22 BUCARELI DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PAVEL VASILIK. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/20/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/14.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036155500

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036155000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SABO, 1328 27TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SABRINA LIAO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/08/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 24TH STREET BAR, 3336 24TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CAROLINE BROWN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/14/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/14.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036148900

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036174200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JUNA ALINEA - FLORAL AND BOTANICA ENDEAVORS, 1832 48TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JUNALENE ALINEA DEMAVIVAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/12/14.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036120500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GREEN2GO, 211 12TH ST., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GREENTOGO INCORPORATED. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/19/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/28/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GREEN COACH, 1388 HAIGHT ST #103, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PATIENT OUTREACH THERAPIES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/15/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/17/14.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036169300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BEST WESTERN PLUS THE TUSCAN, 425 NORTH POINT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company and is signed 425 NORTH POINT STREET LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/21/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/14.

Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, left, was just one of hundreds of people who took part in last weekend’s Union Square protest.

Homeless issues

From page 1

“We don’t know the exact number of homeless people who died” this year in San Francisco, Rivecca said in an email, adding, “I’ve been going to the memorial service for years, and there are usually about 150 names that are read during the service.” Beginning at 4:30 p.m., St. Anthony’s is holding a “small” gathering in its dining room at 121 Golden Gate Avenue. There will be a speaker and a brief program, then people will march to Civic Center Plaza. At 5, the San Francisco Night Ministry and the San Francisco Interfaith Council will have a ceremony on the Polk Street side of Civic Center Plaza. Participants are asked to bring candles. LGBTs have cited concerns of abuse and harassment by other shelter residents and even staff. A space designed to be welcoming to LGBT people who are homeless has been bogged down by city bureaucracy for almost five years and has received little public attention.

Castro Cares

One neighborhood that continues to draw homeless people is the Castro. Last week, the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District launched its Castro Cares initiative, which is designed to help everyone, from the district’s homeless people to shoppers. Through an $8,875 contribution from the district nonprofit, $1,400 worth of care packages will be distributed to people “at risk living on the street “and is paying for 72 hours

of overtime police who will be “on foot patrol throughout the district,” according to a news release. Castro Merchants President Daniel Bergerac, who owns Mudpuppy’s Tub and Scrub on Castro Street, said in the release that homeless outreach workers funded by the health department would deliver the care packages. The overtime police have been assigned to work evenings and late nights “to limit trouble in the neighborhood caused by late night partiers and to create an increased feeling of safety during the evening holiday shopping hours,” Bergerac said. Castro Cares is collecting data on the work the overtime officers are doing, and that information will be analyzed and shared publicly by mid-January. Homeless outreach workers have been dedicated to the district four hours a week since mid-September. Those workers have engaged with 54 people, Alan Beach-Nelson, president of the Castro/Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, said in the news release. Four were “referred to shelter,” one got a room, and nine “were referred to other services,” Beach-Nelson said. Supervisor Scott Wiener, whose District 8 includes the Castro, allocated $100,000 a year for two years in the city budget for the initiative, according to Castro Cares. When it’s fully funded, the budget will be $360,000 a year. Andrea Aiello, the district nonprofit’s executive director, said in an email that the holiday program would run through December 27. After that, “services will slow down” until her agency “has a signed contract with the city for ad-

ditional services,” Aiello said. “In the meantime, Castro Cares is fundraising through grant writing and soliciting subscriptions” from merchants and residents “to help fund the full array of services.” Once its fully funded, the plan is for the program “to bring 51 hours a week of additional, dedicated [overtime] officers and 44 hours of additional dedicated homeless outreach services,” she said. “Ultimately, the amount of services rolled out will depend on the amount of funds raised.” In an interview, Aiello said the program isn’t meant to get homeless people out of the Castro. “The community has been working on this for a little over a year,” she said, and those involved “have been really careful. ... The Castro Cares program really is about providing services to people who are at risk and not just sweeping them from one neighborhood to another,” she said. Last Sunday, a handful of homeless people in the Castro spoke to a reporter but wouldn’t give their full names. They generally indicated many problems they’ve faced in the neighborhood in the past are ongoing: the services offered to them, including housing, are inadequate, and they continue to be approached with offers of money in exchange for sexual favors. Rachael Kagan, a health department spokeswoman, said in an email that according to her agency’s records, from July 2007 through June 2013, there were 771 deaths registered in the California vital records system related people who were “known to be homeless in San Francisco during year they died.”t

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036155100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SL THERAPY, 2057 DIVISADERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHEENING LIN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/28/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/10/14.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036158000

Steven Underhill

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-033359900

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: CLOUDCRANK. COM, 4409 20TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by ERIC WILCOX. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/18/2011.

NOV 27, DEC 04, 11, 18, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036183000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOYA STUDIO, 1040 FULTON ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN JAMES TOYA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036173300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MELISSA MAHER COACHING, 427 WEBSTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MELISSA MAHER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/24/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/24/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036179500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PACIFIC BAY PIPING SYSTEMS, 161 UNIVERSITY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed JM PACIFIC BAY PLUMBING, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036174000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PANDORA KARAOKE; PANDORA KARAOKE AND BAR; 177 EDDY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PANDORA KARAOKE, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/24/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036174400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FORT 1, 2801 LEAVENWORTH ST #J32, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FORT 1 LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/24/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036157500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GENE FACTOR, 610 22ND ST #305, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GENE LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/04/2005. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SPOT ON SF, 325 NEWHALL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company and is signed HOGAN PENROSE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/17/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036179200

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036178000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OUCH! CPR & 1ST AID TRAINING, 1681 20TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KENNETH J. LOO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/14.

DEC 04, 11,18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036180000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ESQUIRE REALTY, 1360 JONES ST #101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual and is signed TYLER CASSACIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036141900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MUTT MANIA, 647 FELL ST #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JENNA HOOPER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/07/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036143200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FRANCESCA EVENTI, 35 CASA WAY #303, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FRANCESCA ANTONACCI DELECCE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036192200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: APP770, 2655 BALBOA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MENACHEM MENDEL PIL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/09/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036180200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PETALS 4 THOUGHTS, 8 10TH ST #2607, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KYLE THEIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036182000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CROWN DIAMOND TRADING, 744 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CYNTHIA THAN THANAYE AUNG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/07/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/07/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KELLY MASSAGE THERAPIST, 30 WAVERLY PL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHUN TONG WU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/02/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/02/14.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2014

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015

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Read more online at www.ebar.com

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 23

Legal Notices>>

Classifieds The

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036183200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COAST TO COAST PATROL DIVISION, 740 LA PLAYA #225, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LLOYD A. FORD SR. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036168000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MUTTS LOVE, 122 JOOST AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed J. LAYNE RINGGENBERG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036155900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BONE APPETIT, 2948 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership and is signed MOLLY MCGEE and ANJULI KONAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/14/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036189700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PET’S CORNER 2, 1232 9TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed LINH DO and JONATHAN TRUONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/08/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/14.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2014, JAN 01, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036183700

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036180600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAMSON SOLOMON GROUPPE INTERNATIONAL; CLEANTECH SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS; ANYTIME CUSTOM DESIGN; 2139 O’FARRELL ST #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 941153481. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DONALD A. FRANKLIN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/14.

Counseling>>

MACINTOSH HELP * home or office * 23 years exp * sfmacman.com

DEC 18, 25, JAN 01, 08, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036200200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NAPA VALLEY SPICE CO, 2450 FRANCISCO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FREDERICK DAVID HALPERT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/15/14.

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Vol. 44 • No. 51 • December 18-24, 2014

www.ebar.com/arts

Nutcracker: Sssh-weet!

San Francisco Ballet in Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker.

by Paul Parish

he opening night of Nutcracker is, for lovers of classic dancing, as the opening Giants game is to San Francisco’s baseball fans: it’s the beginning of the season. And true to form, the fan turnout was huge. Though the weather outside was frightful, the Opera House seemed to be full; standees were thick, and during intermission, inside the ballet boutique, you could barely move. See page 38 >>

Erik Tomasson

by David-Elijah Nahmod

n December 19, master showman Marc Huestis will usher in the season of holiday cheer and goodwill when he brings RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio to the stage of the big, beautiful Castro Theatre. The show is called Rolodex of Hate, which may make for some entertaining if Scrooge-like comedy. You may indeed call Del Rio a drag queen, but don’t ever forget that she is actually a man in a dress. See page 31 >>

Bianca Del Rio: Not for sissies. Magnus Hastings

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

Nov 8, 2014–Feb 16, 2015

de Young • Golden Gate Park • deyoungmuseum.org

26 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

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uilding upon our history as the only LGBT publication in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area possessing an audited and verified circulation and the largest reach, and our long-standing relationship National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Bay Area’s local LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the Golden Gate Business Assocation, the Bay Area Reporter, BARtab and www.ebar.com are now proud to be a certified LGBT business enterprise. We look forward to collaborating with the Fortune 1000 companies that participate in this program as part of their supplier diversity efforts. Now that we have our official business “gay card,” we can continue to promote diversity, creativity and equality in and outside of our company. Market your business to the largest audience of LGBT consumers. Call one of our marketing team members today at 415.861.5019

Out There>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 31

Russian roulette by Roberto Friedman

ut There spent several happy days last week immersed in reading Little Failure, the acclaimed memoir by author Gary Shteyngart (Random House) now out in a cute little paperback ($16). The poignant yet hilarious tale of a Russian immigrant adjusting to his new life in America, the book has many passages like the following, in which the boy Shteyngart tries to understand his new country by watching 1970s network TV. “The Brady Bunch: Why are Mr. and Mrs. Brady always so happy even though Mrs. Brady has clearly already had a razvod [divorce] with her previous husband and now they are both raising children who are not theirs? Also, what is the origin of their white slave Alice? “Three’s Company: What does it mean, ‘gay?’ Why does everyone think the blond girl is so pretty, when it is clearly the brunette who is beautiful? “Planet of the Apes: If Charlton Heston is a Republican, are the monkeys Soviets?” Befuddling new world indeed. Shteyngart, who has been called the “Chekhov-Roth-Apatow of Queens,” walks us through his journey from his boyhood (born Igor Shteyngart) in late-Soviet era Leningrad, to gradual assimilation via the Solomon Schechter School of Queens and Oberlin College, to his present life as bestselling novelist and literary icon. Culture shocks abound. “Teachers try to intervene. They tell me to get rid of the great furry overcoat. Trim my unkempt, bushy hair a little. Stop talking to myself in Russian. Be more, you know, normal.” You can tell it’s been a lifelong effort for little Gary. By happy coincidence, The New York Times Book Review recently published a special issue devoted

to Russian literature. The works under consideration ranged from There Once Lived a Mother Who Loved Her Children, Until They Moved Back In – Three Novellas About Family by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya (Penguin) to Stalin – Volume I: Paradoxes of Power, 1878-1928 by Stephen Kotkin (Penguin), in which review it is asserted that “the first volume of a new biography argues that Stalin had social as well as organizational skills.” Yep, old Uncle Joe Stalin was such a “people person” he was responsible for the deaths of millions of them! But the essay we devoured first was one by Russian and American lesbian author and activist Masha Gessen, “To Russia, with Tough Love,” written in the form of a “Dear John” letter to her hometown of Moscow. B.A.R. readers will be interested in her description of a public monument there: “A scroll-like shape is set into the wall, with the faces of two teenage boys looking tenderly at each other. It memorializes Alexander Herzen and Nikolai Ogarev, who came up here in 1827 to swear to each other, in plain view of all of Moscow, that they would spend their lives fighting for democracy. They were teenagers at the time, and they were telling the truth. “This odd monument was constructed in 1979. By the 1990s, it was overgrown by shrubbery, the halfwall and stele were covered with graffiti and the floor with cigarette butts. This was where I liked to bring my dates in the 1990s: It was practically a secret monument, and the homoeroticism of the image was unmistakable.” That’s our kind of lover’s lane!

Bianca Del Rio

From page 25

“She’s an extension of who I am,” Del Rio told the B.A.R., speaking by phone from New York City. “I am not an identity, not a character. I’m a stand up comic who happens to be a drag queen.” Del Rio will be joined on the Castro stage by iconic drag superstar Peaches Christ, who, according to the show’s PR, will “put the Peaches back in Christmas.” Pippi Lovestocking and Sasha Soprano will also appear for a night of gloriously gay comedy and performance. Bianca Del Rio spent the better part of two decades designing costumes for theatre and opera, while also appearing in New York City and New Orleans clubs. She went from being a minor player to a bona fide celebrity after taking home the top prize for the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She has a great deal of admiration for RuPaul. “RuPaul is amazing!” Del Rio said. “I’ve heard stories from other drag queens who may have seemed bitter that they lost. But we got to schmooze with him. He cares about the contestants and is very handson in every aspect of production.” Sometimes, Del Rio reports, it’s possible to get a little closer to Drag Race’s legendary host. “As we lost contestants, it gets more intimate,” she said. “You get to know Ru.” But the Drag Race experience is not without its tensions. “It’s a roller coaster,” Del Rio said. “One show may not be good, but you can’t tell people that it gets better next week. I learned to shut the fuck up, which

Bianca Del Rio: No singing, no dancing.

is hard for a drag queen.” The Castro show, Del Rio says, will be a simple stand-up act, though probably not a show you’d want to bring the kids to. “It’s just me on a bare stage,” she said. “It’s a chance to do what I want to do: no singing or dancing. We have enough drag queens doing that, you don’t need me doing it, too.” And the topics? “It’s my Rolodex of Hate. The world is too PC, everyone is offended by everything. This show is not for sissies! This show gives me a chance to put things out there: These are the things that helped shaped my hate!” Sounds like fun!t Bianca Del Rio Stand Up Comedy Special: Rolodex of Hate Tour, Fri., Dec. 19, 8 & 10 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., SF. Tickets: $35-$100. Info: comedyinthecastro. com.

OT’s own paternal grandfather escaped village life in Mother Russia before the Revolution. Impoverished, Jewish, and skilled with horses, he always said that had he stayed behind, he would surely have been conscripted and ended up as cannon fodder for the Czar’s army. Instead he found himself a living as a bantamweight prizefighter on the Lower East Side in New York City. All in all the right choice, Grandpa Izzy!

Mange & manger

Last Saturday night found Out There ROTF laughing at the Castro Theatre during the Kinsey Sicks’ performance of Oy Vey in a Manger, the send-off show for the great talent Irwin Keller, one of the group’s founding members and the original Winnie. In the show, Winnie, Rachel (Ben Schatz), Trixie (Jeff Manabat), and Trampolina (Spencer Brown) are trying to sell off their manger before it goes into foreclosure. Per the Sicks: “Crises arise, secrets are revealed, Jewish-Gentile tensions surface, and mayhem ensues, all in glorious four-part harmony.” At show’s end, Keller bade us heartfelt farewell, and brought to the stage the group’s fetching new Winnie, San Francisco’s own Nathan Marken, for his debut in a duet. He filled Winnie’s pumps nicely, and we’re told it would be the only time that both Winnies will ever appear in the same performance. Welcome to the mayhem!t

<< Theatre

32 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Elfin charms by Richard Dodds

here’s a scary moment in Elf the Musical, a show that is pretty much devoid of scary moments. When Santa’s sleigh becomes grounded in Central Park because not enough people have the Christmas spirit, Buddy the Elf claims he can rally enough Christmas soldiers onward to power up the buggy. Maybe because of the recent Peter Pan broadcast, with its pleas for applause (and tweets) to keep Tinker Bell alive, I feared that Buddy would turn to the audience and ask us to clap or whistle or pat our heads while we rubbed our tummies to send Santa back on his gift-giving mission. The show hadn’t genuinely earned the spirit that needed to be invoked, but the audience at the Curran Theatre probably still would have obliged as its own act of giftgiving. Elf the Musical had a Broadway run in 2010, and twin tours have subsequently been sent out to make the most of the limited seasonal window. It’s in fact a pleasant show manufactured from mostly middling material of effortful secular good cheer. The source material is the 2003 movie Elf that starred Will Farrell as an orphan who grew up at the North Pole believing he was

Amy Boyle

Santa Claus (Ken Clement) reveals to Buddy (Eric Williams) how he ended up at the North Pole in Elf the Musical at the Curran Theatre.

one of Santa’s elves despite his considerable size advantage. The movie played to Farrell’s deadpan doofus charms, especially after he heads to New York in search of his real father, and the film’s insouciant charms balanced the sugar content. The musical’s script by Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and

Thomas Meehan (Annie) is more apt to name-drop to suggest contemporary hipness (North Pole is so isolated there is only one Starbucks; Santa keeps his naughty-and-nice list on an iPad) as it hits a series of well-worn plot points as Buddy ingratiates himself to his Grinch-like father, woos a cynical co-worker

with his improbable innocence, and saves the day – several times. The songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer) are easy listening but never quite overcome near-miss status. But there is a pleasant surprise in Eric Williams, who has the big pointy-toed shoes of Will Farrell to

fill as Buddy. Williams wisely makes no attempt at imitating Farrell, even if he doesn’t create an entirely new character in his likable performance. He pulls heavily from Martin Short’s Ed Grimley character, a nerdy manchild of insatiable enthusiasms. But he sufficiently channels these mannerisms into his own creation that we are happy enough to join him for the ride. There is competence but not much more among the other performers, whose sketchily drawn characters are in need of strong personalities. We’ll make an exception for Ken Clement’s Santa who gives good jolly, even if he does bet illegally on college football games. Sam Scalamoni and Connor Gallagher are, respectively, the director and choreographer and were not participants in the original Broadway run. This is a non-Equity production, which may account for the generally unremarkable performances, but production values are in good shape. And there is no denying the go-for-broke cheeriness of the cast. As Santa says of Buddy, Elf is freaky happy.t Elf the Musical will run through Dec. 28 at the Curran Theatre. Tickets are $45-$160. Call (888) 7461799 or go to shnsf.com.

Art appreciation hour by David Lamble

ow does Christmas in London, a menu of over 2,400 worldclass paintings, and time to ruminate over some of the art world’s greatest treasures sound? Accepting this invitation is as easy as hopping over to Landmark’s Opera Plaza

Cinemas (San Francisco) or San Rafael’s Rafael Film Center, beginning Friday, for National Gallery, the 39th feature-length documentary from the incomparable nonfiction auteur Frederick Wiseman. Wiseman’s films lack babbling, voice-of-god narrators or easy plot beats. His new film allows us privi-

leged access to a British institution that has housed seven centuries of paintings in its Trafalgar Square building since 1838. Spanning three hours and featuring a chorus of in-house experts and average British art-enthusiasts, National Gallery provides a concentrated, guided tour that allows

the Gallery’s staff to show off. You get closer to great paintings than museum rules allow, and you come to appreciate the rigorous behindthe-scenes work – frame-building, touch-ups and new coats of varnish – that allows great paintings to strut their stuff without showing their age. And while Wiseman never accentuates the erotic appeal of great Christian religious art, it becomes one of National Gallery’s most rewarding visual subtexts. Wiseman begins with earlymorning shots of empty galleries, then the guy with the floorwaxer, and then, at last, we see people interacting with their favorite paintings. Wiseman cuts away to guided chats about how difficult it is even for the experts to discern the original artistic intent of bygone great painters. Just as quickly, we observe a present-day life-study class working with full-frontal nude models, male and female. This is an institution where women appear to have clout and real power, demonstrated both in lively staff meetings and as docent/teachers intermingle with a wide-ranging public. Wiseman’s film career was ignited by a quarter-century legal flap over his first doc, Titicut Follies (1967) – the film documented staff abusing mentally impaired inmates. He has since learned to explore prickly topics – the inner workings of the American welfare system, a big-city police department, the last stages of

life – without risking court orders. But a judge once ruled that all prints of Titicut Follies be destroyed, and it took decades for Wiseman to get his baby back for its PBS-TV showcase. He has also cultivated a lighter side, with a film trip to an Austin, Texas Boxing Gym; the inside scoop behind the Paris ballet scene La Danse; and a visit to a hip nude-dance club, Crazy Horse. At 180 minutes, National Gallery is one of the least butt-busting of the Wiseman entries, which have extended up to 358 minutes (Near Death). With these marathon running times, the films of Frederick Wiseman are clearly crafted for PBS. But before you pass on this rare chance to view Wiseman’s work at a high-tech cinema like the Opera Plaza, consider this master’s unique ability to place you inside the minds and sensibilities of art-world giants. As one passionate docent describes in National Gallery’s first act, by entering these portals, you are exposed to one of humankind’s few proven time-machines. “I think it’s good to remember that the Middle Ages were religious, profoundly religious in a way we can’t really imagine nowadays. I want you to imagine that you’re inside that church, which you see as a model. No big windows, obviously no electric light. The light would be filtering in, with maybe the sound See page 38 >>

Visitors to the National Gallery view “La Belle Feronniere,” attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

TV>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 33

Remembering iconic bisexual Sontag by David-Elijah Nahmod

one-of-a-kind literary figure. The B.A.R. talked to the filmmaker.

usan Sontag (1933-2004) lived a life immersed in the arts, in politics, and in intellectual thought. One of the most influential writers of her generation, she authored books and scores of magazine articles on a variety of topics. Art, culture, social justice issues and her own battles with cancer: no matter what the subject, Sontag gave her readers much to think about. For Bay Area filmmaker Nancy Kates, Sontag was a role model. In her new HBO documentary Regarding Susan Sontag, Kates examines Sontag’s work and offers viewers an intimate look at the woman Sontag was. Participants include Sontag’s son and sister, as well as an impressive parade of Sontag’s female lovers. Sontag herself is heard, speaking in archival interview footage about her work. It’s a fascinating portrait, a peek inside the soul of a

David-Elijah Nahmod: What is it about Susan Sontag that fascinates you? Nancy Kates: I was greatly saddened by her death in late 2004, which followed my father’s death by about seven months. I felt that an important voice had been silenced, one that we needed. She is a fascinating, complicated subject for a film, and the project led me in numerous interesting directions, from interviewing the Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer to three residences in art colonies.

by David Lamble

Titanic and dying, apparently by his own hand, during the height of Cold War paranoia in 1954, that difficulty is compounded by the vast array of difficult subjects he mastered, and by wartime espionage laws that kept many of his achievements known only to those with the highest government security clearances. Turing’s professional life, highlighted by feats of mathematical brilliance that produced a machine that exposed Nazi Germany’s top wartime secrets, was lived alongside a closeted gay sex life. This would have been unexceptional, in fact downright dull, if it weren’t for the Victorian-era laws that turned “poofs” into dangerous outlaws, enemies of Her Majesty’s govern-

Can you describe Sontag’s work? Sontag was interested in “everything,” but she also refused to be pinned down or put into a box. This makes it a little complicated to describe her work. She wrote about photography and the images of impact in the culture, including

plays, and directed four films. She bore witness to war in Vietnam, Israel and Sarajevo.

Courtesy SontagFilm.Org

Author Susan Sontag.

images of war, cancer and AIDS, theater, film, performance art, dance and painting, and many other subjects. She wrote four novels, two

Can you explain why Sontag might have hid her bisexuality from the public? Sontag became a prominent intellectual at a time when it was considered professionally detrimental to be out as LGBT. As time moved along, many people asked her to come out, wanting to claim her as a gay icon, but she refused. Ironically, lesbians are still not taken all that seriously in the intellectual world, even today. While many people think the film outs her, her son published two volumes of her diaries and notebooks that are quite explicit about her same-sex loves and heartbreaks. What is Susan Sontag’s legacy? On one hand, Sontag is less prominent in the public consciousness than she was during her life-

time. On the other hand, she is having a wonderful afterlife, with a play based on her first volume of journals, memoirs, our film, and other works. One of my friends has this game she calls “Sontag bingo,” because Sontag’s name comes up almost weekly in The New York Times, particularly the book review section. We didn’t really deal with the question of her legacy. I wanted to show what she accomplished and how she lived her life, not necessarily give audiences a simple statement about what her work means or how long it will endure. One viewer of the film suggested that her greatest work of art was actually her life and how she lived, which was the greatest compliment to me and my team.t Regarding Susan Sontag is currently in rotation on HBO. It can also be viewed at HBO on Demand or online at hbo.com, through Jan. 9, 2015.

An anti-charismatic life T

he personal tragedy that befell gay martyr Alan Turing is recounted by director Morten Tyldum’s dutiful but uninvolving biopic The Imitation Game. British actor Benedict Cumberbatch gives an Oscar-worthy performance as the WWII-era queer math whiz widely considered the father of modern computer sciences. Genius is always a tough slog in a fiction movie. No matter how you try to depict otherworldly intelligence, you’re always in danger of overestimating an audience’s ability to keep up with, let alone empathize with your subject. In the case of Turing, born right after the sinking of the

ment. One of the film’s achievements comes from hinting at the enormous power possessed by an unseen monarch, served by police agents who are persistent, wrongheaded and duplicitous. Benedict Cumberbatch seems the perfect choice for the job of projecting a kind of extraordinary anti-charisma. In his late 30s, with a screen career peaking at just the right moment, this ordinary-appearing man has secured an inside track for the Best Actor Oscar. Cumberbatch, whom I overlooked in two of his previous supporting roles opposite the flashier screen god James McAvoy, does succeed in toppling the old Merchant/ Ivory template for wrapping dicey topics in a cocoon of upscale glamor

and barely sublimated lust. this point, consult the The supporting cast YouTube online trailer. is good if unexceptional, The closest the filmmakincluding veteran actor ers get to the core of TurCharles Dance as Cuming’s queer identity comes berbatch’s scolding school in a series of flashbacks to mentor, and Keira Knightchildhood, where Turing ley as his sole female friend is played by the teen actor Joan Clarke. Knightley’s Alex Lawther. hands-on female buddy The problems I have photo should receive heavy Benedict Cumwith this version of Turawards-season attention. berbatch as Alan ing are most likely rootBut the better Knightley Turing in director ed in Graham Moore’s is at demonstrating her Morten Tyldum’s screenplay, based on the character’s crucial role in The Imitation acclaimed biography by being this sad man’s lone Game. Andrew Hodges. Even if cheerleader, the more she this watered-down bio tips the scales towards the film being is entirely faithful to the book and, just a slightly more unconventional more crucially, to the life lived, I still platonic hetero affair. To buttress find myself crying out for more.t

<< TV

34 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Only the best TV of 2014 by Victoria A. Brownworth

t wasn’t the gayest year on TV, but 2014 was still superb for good, better, best TV. Stellar series, incomparable acting, great writing – it was all there. You really could watch TV 24/7 (if you had a DVR) if you were so inclined and always have something engaging to watch. Below are our choices for The Bests in various categories. Fortunately, if you missed any of these shows, Netflix is just waiting for your bingewatching. Three of our bests are also the LGBT shows of the year, shows crafted totally for our community, so we are giving them special mention. Looking, the new gay male dramedy from HBO set in a realistic and recognizable (if pretty white) San Francisco, gave us gay men being, omg, gay men. Kissing, touching, working, pondering, and dare we say it, not having babies via surrogates or lesbian friends. Don’t get us wrong, we love Cam and Mitchell on ABC’s Emmy-winning Modern Family, but we do prefer our gay men unneutered. What we like about Patrick, Agustin and Dom on Looking is they remind us of men we know and have known for, like, ever. Men whose gayness plays a significant role in their lives, and men who are struggling to situate themselves in what is still a very straight world where gay men are often marginalized and even viewed with contempt. We know some think this show is slow and isn’t Girls (to which we can only say, good), but it’s ours. The gay characters aren’t after-thoughts or inserted to fill a quota. They are true to life – to gay life. For all these reasons, Looking is unquestionably The Best Gay Show of 2014. Just as there is no other show on the tube like Looking, there is no other show like Transparent, the first trans-focused series, which is our runner-up for Best LGBT Series of 2014. Also a dramedy, Transparent is the love-child of Hollywood heavyweight Jill Soloway, whose own father came out to her and her lesbian sister, Faith, as trans three years ago, in his 70s. Transparent, an Amazon original series, stars Jeffrey Tambor. The show was just nominated for a Golden Globe Award on Dec. 11. As dicey as LG and B can be for the tube, the general tenor of outrage from the trans community about how and by whom and to what end trans persons are portrayed on TV and elsewhere makes pursuing trans storylines daunting. Why, for example, was it okay for Neil Patrick Harris to star as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, but not for Jared Leto to portray Rayon, a transwoman with HIV in Dallas Buyer’s Club? Harris won a Tony, and Leto won an Oscar. But Leto, a straight man who has devoted a significant amount of time and money to LGBT causes including the fight against Prop 8, got endless flak for his portrayal. So a straight woman creating a show around an elderly straight man who comes out as trans to his family? That took true courage to pursue. Soloway has written for many LGBT-friendly series, including Six Feet Under, United States of Tara, Dirty Sexy Money and Grey’s Anatomy. In May 2014, Soloway told Flaunt magazine, “Transparent stands for gender freedom for all, and within that freedom we can find grays and muddled purples and pinks, chakras that bridge the heart and mind, sexiness that depends

Courtesy HBO

Frankie J. Alvarez, Jonathan Groff and Murray Bartlett star in the HBO series Looking.

on a masochistic love or a sweeping soul dominance. In particular, Transparent wants to invent worlds that bridge the binary: Genderqueer, Boygirl, Girlboy, Macho Princess, and Officer Sweet Slutty Bear Captain are just a few incredibly confusing, gender-fucking concepts that come to mind.” Transparent has not been without controversy, despite Soloway’s attention to trans-friendly and transsupportive details. She told The New York Times she had enacted a “transfirmative action program favoring the hiring of transgender candidates over nontransgender ones.” This meant that “20 trans people had been hired in the cast and crew, and more than 60 had been employed as extras.” Soloway also hired “two full-time transgender consultants to steer [her] away from any pitfalls.” All the bathrooms on the sets were gender-neutral. We were trying to remember when this kind of deference had been shown to lesbian or gay people on any TV show, but since that never happened, we didn’t have to think long. Nevertheless, Soloway got significant flak for not hiring a trans actor for the role played by the 70-year-old Jeffrey Tambor, who was nominated for a Golden Globe Award on Dec. 11. We aren’t sure if there are a lot of 70something trans women actors, but we would also add that while we want to see LGBT actors on the tube, we also don’t want them relegated solely to LGBT roles. It’s called acting for a reason. For nine seasons Neil Patrick Harris starred in How I Met Your Mother as Barney Stinson, a notorious Lothario. Should that role have gone to a straight man because the character is straight? We have to be careful about the slippery slope of typecasting of LGBT actors. Are we saying trans women and men actors can only play trans people? That seems problematic in other ways. Neither of the leads on ABC Family’s The Fosters is a lesbian in real life, but they sure do a superb job of portraying a realistic and believable lesbian couple. Stef Foster (Teri Polo) is the butch cop (formerly married to a man) married to Lena Adams (Sherri Saum), a school vice principal. The two have a blended family of Stef ’s son, Lena’s adopted twins and the couple’s two foster kids. Stef and Lena have been through a lot. They got married (it was a beautiful wedding), Stef got shot, there have been myriad problems with the kids, including one coming out. But they are deeply committed to each other and their family, and their loyalty to those

things is classically lesbian and resonates with a lesbian audience. What works in this show is what works in Looking: this is everyday lesbian life. These are everyday lesbians. The show, exec produced by Jennifer Lopez (!), is to lesbian life what Parenthood is to straight life. Though not as focused on LGBT people as Looking, The Fosters and Transparent, the tube proffered other treats for LGBT viewers this year, and many were delectable. Entering our Hall of LGBT TV Fame this year are five showrunners, four of whom are gay men: Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, Kevin Williamson, Greg Berlanti and Bryan Fuller. Nearly all the best LGBT characters came from one of these five people this year. In fact, we aren’t sure where LGBT characters would be on the tube without these showrunners. What we do know is that they repeatedly prove our point that it takes LGBT people (or super-strong allies) behind the camera to have LGBT characters in front of the camera. Speaking of allies, there is no more vital ally to LGBT people in the TV landscape than Shonda Rhimes. For over a decade she has featured strong, honest portrayals of LGBT characters front-and-center in prime time. Grey’s Anatomy’s Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) were the longest-running lesbian couple in prime time until they broke up last month. They have led the same complex lives as their straight counterparts on the show for several years. Oh, and they have remained super-sexual. This is not another sexless lesbian couple. They were hot right up until the day they broke up. (Which we still haven’t recovered from, and hope they get back together next season.) Rhimes is also responsible for the Best Gay Male Storyline of 2014, the complicated life of Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry, one of the most underrated actors on all of TV), White House Chief of Staff on the ABC hit Scandal. The winter finale of Scandal put Cyrus at the center. What other prime time series is putting gay characters on the front burner? None. We were on tenterhooks throughout this finale. When Cyrus handed in his resignation to the President we were actually saying, “Don’t accept it, don’t accept it” over and over. And when Fitz did accept it, we were crushed. Cyrus’s husband James was murdered earlier in the year in the spring finale. How much more could he/we be expected to take? Fortunately, Olivia saved Cyrus from himself and his own integrity, turning the sex scandal between Cyrus and his gay hooker boyfriend into a love story. Wow. Just wow. We bow to Rhimes. We bow to Scandal. We bow to Cyrus and to

Jeff Perry. What an amazing storyline this was, and what an amazing storyline it will be in 2015. When Cyrus says he spent 40 years in the closet, we just wept. This is still a reality, and Rhimes gets it. Oh, does she get it. Scandal gets another best, Best Lesbian Actress in a Straight Role. Portia de Rossi’s portrayal of Elizabeth North, the head of the RNC who set Cyrus up for the scandal, is magnificent. She was great in Arrested Development and Better Off Ted, but she is definitely more than Mrs. DeGeneres in Scandal. And also hot. Did we mention hot? That slicked-back hair is just to die for. Best Longtime Series goes to Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy, one of the longest-running prime-time series (about to begin its 12th season) and the only one that has had LGBT characters since its debut. CSI (15) has never had a gay character, and neither has Law & Order: SVU (16, although Finn has a gay son, but we haven’t seen him in several seasons, and he was always a peripheral character), NCIS (12) or Supernatural (10, although these boys tease gay every week). Best Limited Series of 2014 goes to Fox’s Gracepoint, which just ended on Dec.11 with the most shocking twist. We refuse to spoil this one, but if you missed it, rent it. It’s one of the most extraordinary things you’ll watch this year. Star Anna Gunn is absolutely brilliant and the antithesis of her Emmy-winning role as Skyler White in Breaking Bad. We could watch this one again, even though we know the ending, it’s that good. Best Almost Gay Series of 2014? Orange Is the New Black. Hands down. Lesbian, trans, bi – this show has everything. Also stellar acting. Also several Golden Globe nominations. We love this show for so many reasons, not the least of which is real women in prison and a diverse cast. Best Comedy Show is, for another year, Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. We love that Fox News still thinks this is a news program, but the sad truth is, Stewart addresses the news more often than the punditry does, so there’s that. (See last week’s take on #BlackLivesMatter to see why everyone thinks Stewart is actually news. Here he explains what is “so utterly depressing” about the Eric Garner grand jury: http://bit. ly/1Aneb33.) Best Gay Sex in a Prime Time Series won’t be on anyone else’s list, but it’s on ours. Peter Nowalk’s new series, How to Get Away with Murder, exec produced by Shonda Rhimes, has brought the hottest, gayest sex to the small screen. Nowalk is openly gay and has stated he wanted to bring the sexy back – and he has. With a vengeance. From the

very first episode. This is the kind of gay sex the girls on Sex and the City were watching. We like the normalcy of the gay sex on HTGAWM. It’s organic to the plot, it’s believable, it’s hot, and having gay sex be a weekly aspect of the plot just like the straight sex is forces straight audiences to acknowledge the reality of sexual gay men. Because, you know, reality. Best Bisexual Character goes to The Good Wife’s Kalinda Sharma (played by the extraordinary Emmy-winning Archie Panjabi). Kalinda makes us swoon. She makes everyone swoon. We are shattered that Panjabi is leaving TGW, but at least we will always have Netflix so we can see her again in perpetuity. Whether Kalinda is bedding her FBI agent girlfriend or taking a bat to a bad guy, she’s like an action hero in a black leather miniskirt. She’s in a category all her own. There are several runners-up in the Best Bi Character category, and all of them are on Fox’s new series, Gotham. Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartegena – although she seems to be fully lesbian) and Fish Mooney (the amazing Jada Pinkett Smith, who, like Jeff Perry, is not getting her due. She should get an award just for the way she licks her lips). These women are incredible. The Gotham winter finale was made ohso-much better by seeing Montoya and Barbara in bed together. Best Homoerotic Series goes to Hannibal, with The Following as a runner-up. Who could imagine bloodletting between men could be so sexy? You’d be hard-pressed (see what we did there?) to find more sexually charged scenes than those between Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). And Hannibal lovingly preparing cannibalistic treats for Will? Breathtaking. Once again, a gay showrunner – Bryan Fuller – is key. (The Following also has a gay showrunner, Kevin Williamson.) Best Gay Scenes in a Drama: James (Dan Bucatinsky) being murdered on Scandal. James’ death brought a slew of memories for Cyrus (Jeff Perry) and the realization that he had not only lost the love of his life, but that he would now be raising their daughter alone. Prior to James’ death, there were two other extraordinary scenes on Scandal unlike anything else we’ve seen between men on the tube: a naked fight between Cyrus and James, and Vice President Sally Langston’s (Kate Burton) husband Daniel Douglas (Jack Coleman) telling her he was leaving her because he was tired of being in the closet. Additionally, the entirety of The Normal Heart, which touched the sense memory of any one of us who lived through the AIDS crisis. The film was the best historical treatise of gay life in a very long time. Ryan Murphy did a stellar job of taking us back to the hellish time. Best Scene in Any Drama isn’t on anyone else’s list, but it’s on ours, and we’ve created it specifically to showcase HTGAWM star Viola Davis. Mid-season Annalise sits at her vanity and takes off her makeup. She removes her wig. She sobs at one point. It is perhaps the most raw and compelling scene we have ever seen on the tube. It’s brilliant and speaks to the masks we all wear, not just hers. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dr. Annalise Keating. It is totally deserved. She’s extraordinary in the role and so much larger than life that she takes up the entire screen. She deserves this space to showcase her often breathtaking skill set as an actor. See page 38 >>

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tis the Season for Science Now through January 4 The reindeer are back! Meet our Arctic friends and learn how they adapt to extreme conditions in this one-of-a-kind interactive experience. Plus, enjoy indoor snow flurries, music and other festivities at our annual holiday exhibit. Get tickets at calacademy.org

<< Out&About

36 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Out &About

O&A

A Christmas Carol @ Geary Theatre American Conservatory Theatre’s annual large-scale production of Paul Walsh and Carey Perloff’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge. $20-$110. Evening and matinees thru Dec. 28. 415 Geary St. 439-2309. act-sf.org

The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) @ Marin Theatre Company Reduced Shakespeare Company’s production of Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor’s hilarious three-man comedy work about theatre. Tue & Thu Fri & Sat 8pm. Wed 7:30pm. Sun 7pm. Thru Dec. 21. 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. 388-5208. www.marintheatre.org

Thu 18

Smuin Ballet’s Christmas Show

Seasonal spirit

Keith Sutter

by Jim Provenzano

ou have to hand it to nature for giving us the gift we really need. Now, if you can dare the rain, get out, and in between your presentshopping or gift-making, engage in the arts for inspiration.

Thu 18 1964: The Year San Francisco Came Out @ GLBT History Museum Exhibit focusing on San Francisco’s emerging gay culture at the time of the pivotal LIFE magazine feature “Homosexuality in America.” Reg. hours Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm5pm. ($5/free for members). 4127 18th St. 621-1107. glbthistory.org

Cirque du Soleil @ AT&T Park Lot The Montreal acrobatic circus returns with their new show, Kurious: Cabinet of Curiosities, a steampunk-themed spectacle. $53-$135. Tue-Sat 8pm. Fri & Sat 4:30pm. Sun 1:30pm & 5pm. Thru Jan. 18. Third Street at Terry A. Francis Blvd. (800) 450-1480. www.cirquedusoleil.com

Comedy Returns @ El Rio Comics Michael Meehan, Jabari Davis, Yuri Kagan, MC Lisa Geduldig and a few surprise guests perform stand-up comedy. $7-$20. 8pm. 3158 Mission St. (800) 838-3006. ElRioSF.com

Jackie Beat: On Ice @ Verdi Club LA’s ascerbic darkly hilarious drag queen returns for a night of sacreligious holiday camp. $25. 8pm. 2424 Mariposa St. www.verdiclub.net

Jerome Caja @ Gallery Paule Anglim New exhibit of tiny artworks by the late local gay/trans artist and nightlife legend; coordinated with the online Jerome Project. 5:30-7:30pm. Reg hours Tue-Fri 10am-5pm (Sat 10:305:30). Thru Dec. 20. 14 Geary St. 4332710. www.gallerypauleanglim.com

The Golden Girls @ Victoria Theatre Heklina, Cookie Dough, Matthew Martin, Pollo del Mar and other drag talents and guest stars perform two episodes of the classic senior ladies sitcom with scenery-chewing aplomb. $25. Thu-Sat 8pm, Sun 7pm. Thru Dec. 21. 2961 16th St. trannyshack.com

New & Classic Films @ Castro Theatre Dec. 18: Suspiria (7:30) and Beyond the Door II (9:15). Dec. 19: Bianca Del Rio performs comedy (8pm & 10pm; $35-$100). Dec. 20: Margaret, Chicken John Rinaldi’s musical show based on a found scrapbook. Dec. 21: The Muppet Christmas Carol (2:30), Die Hard (4:30, 9pm) and Scrooged (7pm). Dec. 22: It’s a Wonderful Life (2:30, 5:!5, 8pm). Dec. 24: SF Gay Men’s Chorus holiday shows (5pm, 7pm, 9pm; $25-$35) . $11-$16. 429 Castro St. 621-6120. www.castrotheatre.com

Night at the Jewseum @ Contemporary Jewish Museum The band Light performs at this food, cocktails and games event. $5. 21+. 6pm-9pm. 736 Mission St. 655-7881. www.thecjm.org

Sharon McNight @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The veteran cabaret singer performs her popular music and comedy show, Twisted Xmas: A Druid’s View of the Holidays. $25-$40. 8pm. Also Dec. 27, 8pm. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. ticketweb.com

Unusual Shorts @ Oddball Films Enjoy wacky offbeat vintage short films. Dec. 18: Jew Oughta Be in Pictures. Dec 19: XXX-mas Spectacular; a ribald holiday collection. Thu & Fri; each $10, 8pm. 275 Capp St. 558-8117. oddballfilms.blogspot.com

Fri 19 Avenue Q @ New Conservatory Theatre Center The local production of the naughty hit Broadway puppet musical returns! (Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx; Book by Jeff Whitty). $22.50-$45. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Extended thru Feb 1. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. www.nctcsf.org

Bianca Del Rio @ Castro Theatre The winner of this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race performs her Rolodex of Hate: Christmas Edition, a stand-up drag comedy show, with Peaches Christ, Pipppi Lovestocking and Sasha Soprano. $35-$100. 8pm & 10pm. 429 Castro St. comedyinthecastro.com

Breakfast With Mugabe @ Aurora Theatre, Berkeley West Coast premiere of Fraser Grace’s provocative drama about the Zimbabwe president’s MacBeth-ish haunts and therapy sessions. $35$50. Tue 7pm. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm & 7pm. Extended thru Dec. 20. 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 8434822. www.auroratheatre.org

Abrazo, the Queer Milonga @ Finnish Hall, Berkeley The East Bay inclusive tango dance group holds its holiday party, with beginner lessons, then open dancing to traditional and contemporary tango music; and a special performance by Gay Games tango competitors; light food, beverages. $7-$15. 7pm-11pm. 1970 Chestnut St. abrazoqueertango.wordpress.com

Balfest @ Various Venues Swing dance festival, with dances, classes, workshops and more. www.balboabattle.com

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi

Morris Bobrow’s musical comedy revue of songs and sketches about food. $32-$34. Fri & Sat 8pm. Open run. 533 Sutter St. (800) 838-3006. www.foodiesthemusical.com

The musical comedy revue celebrates its 40th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. $25-$160. Beer/wine served; cash only; 21+, except where noted. 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 4214222. beachblanketbabylon.com

The Jewelry Box @ The Marsh

Cinderella @ Buriel Clay Theatre

Foodies, the Musical @ Shelton Theater

Brian Copeland’s solo show about his family’s eccentric holiday memories, when as a six-year-old trying to get employment to buy his grandma a gift. $30-$100. Thu & Fri 8pm. Sat 5pm. Thru Dec. 27. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Mittens and Mistletoe @ Dance Mission Theater Sweet Can Productions’ annual winter cirucs cabaret show returns, with a dazzling array of talented Bay Area circus artists. $15-$60. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun-Wed 2pm. Sun, Wed, Fri 4pm. Thru Dec. 28. 3316 24th st. 225-7281. www.sweetcanproductions.com

African-American Shakespeare Company’s soulful twist on the fairy tale classic, with original songs. $15-$34. Sat 3pm & 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Dec. 21. African-American Art & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St. www.african-americanshakes.org

Fool La La! @ The Marsh, Berkeley Unique Derique’s holiday clowning show’s fun for kids and adults alike. $15-$35. Daily 2pm thru Jan. 4 (except Dec. 25, 31 and Jan. 1). 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Great Dickens Christmas Fair @ Cow Palace The 36th annual Victorian-era holiday-themed display of pubs and theatres, dance floors and music halls, tearooms and shops returns; Victorian garb welcome. $15-$90. Fri-Sun 10am-7pm. Thru Dec. 21. 2600 Geneva Ave. (800) 510-1558. www.dickensfair.com

Smuin Ballet @ YBCA The Christmas Ballet: Uncorked, the late choreographer/artistic director Michael Smuin’s holiday dances, and a new work by Amy Seiwert (set to music by Chanticleer), is performed, plus debut pieces from dancers Ben Needham-Wood, Nicole Haskins, and Weston Krukow. $24-$68. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Sun 7pm. Thru Dec 27. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St. 912-1899. www.smuinballet.org www.ybca.org

Sat 20

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko

Thu 18 Cirque du Soleil

Paula Poundstone @ Palace of Fine Arts Theatre The popular comic returns with her Ho Ho Ha Ha show. $42.50-$63-65. 8pm. 3301 Lyon St. www.paulapoundstone. com www.ticketmaster.com

Promises, Promises @ SF Playhouse Burt Bacharach, Hal David and Neil Simon’s lighthearted swingin’ ‘60s Broadway hit gets a local production. Tue-Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sat 3pm, Sun 2pm. Thru Jan 10. Kensington Park Hotel, 450 Post St., 2nd floor. 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org

Our favorite singing Russian exiled royalty (aka performer J. Conrad Frank) returns with her Holiday Spectaular, a comic cabaret concert. $30-$45. 7pm. Also Dec. 21. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.ticketweb.com

Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets @ Cowell Theater The local choreographer’s 50-minute pop update on the holiday ballet is fun for kids and adults. $18.50-$28.50. 11am, 2pm. Dec 20 & 21 at 11am, 2pm, 4pm. Thru Dec. 21. Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd at Buchanan. (800) 8383006. brownpapertickets.com

The Naughty List @ R3 Resort, Guerneville

Stephanie McKenzie @ Modern Times Bookstore

Queenie T T, Kelly Lynch, Lavon Godfrey and Steve Ausburne perform holiday-themed gay-friendly yet racy comedy, with MC Valeria Branch. $5. 9pm. (707) 869-8399. www.ther3hotel.com

Canadian author and poet reads and discusses her work. 6pm. 2919 24th St. 282-9246. www.mtbs.com

Red Hot Patriot @ Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Superheroes @ Exit Theatre Sean San Jose wrote and directed this new poetic drama about an investigative journalist’s labyrinth-like journey to discover the connections between the CIA and Nicaraguan drug traffickers. $10-$20. Tue-Thu 7:30pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm. Thru Dec. 21. Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor St. 525-1205. cuttingball.com

Yvonne Flores @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko Singer-songwriter extraordinaire performs music from her new jazz album, and Under the Mistletoe, her holiday-themed concert. $25-$40. 8pm. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. ticketweb.com

Kathleen Turner stars in the onewoman show, The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins, Allison and Margaret Engel’s acclaimed show about the late Texan political columnist. $29-$81. Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed & Sun 7pm. Sun 2pm. Extended thru Jan. 11. Roda Theatre, 20171 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org

The Santaland Diaries @ Eureka Theatre Combined A rtform/Theatre Asylum present David Sinaiko in the solo stage adaptation of David Sedaris’ popular holiday story of working as a Macy’s elf. $15-$25. Thru Dec. 23 8pm. Dec 20, 21, 24 at 2pm. Thu-Tues 8pm. Thru Dec. 24. 214 Jackson St. (800) 8383006. www.combinedartform.com

Scrooge, the Musical @ Spreckles Performing Arts Center, Rohnert Park Leslie Bricusse’s musical adaptation of the the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, gets an East Bay production. $12-$26. Fri Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm. Thru Dec. 21. 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. (707) 588-3400. www.spreckelsonline.com

SF Hiking Club @ Joseph Grant County Park Join GLBT hikers for a five-mile afternoon hike in Joseph Grant County Park to see sunset over the Santa Cruz Mountains. Following the hike, join the Halls Valley Astronomical Group for a stargazing party at Mt. Hamilton with telescopes available. Bring sturdy shoes, water, dinner, extra warm clothing for stargazing on a cold night on a mountain, flashlight. Carpool meets at Safeway sign, Market & Dolores, at 1:30 pm. (530) 330-5524. www.sfhiking.com

Sun 21 Aquascapes @ Conservatory of Flowers Fascinating new exhibit of underwater plant sculptures that resemble miniature outdoor English, Asian and classic gardens (thru April 12). Permanent floral exhibits as well. Free-$8. Tue-Sun 10am-4pm. Golden Gate Park, 831-2090. www.conservatoryofflowers.org

Celebrating AIGA @ Museum of Craft and Design Dogpatch warehouse is now a museum store, gallery and program space. Exhibits include Celebrating AIGA (the American professional organization for design). Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm. 2569 Third St. 7730303. www.sfmcd.org

Chanticleer @ Various Venues The Grammy Award-winning a capella vocal ensemble performs A Chanticleer Christmas. $35-$69. Dec. 21, 8pm: St. Ignatius Church, Parker Ave. SF. (Also in Berkeley, Carmel, and other CA venues thru Dec 23). www.chanticleer.org

Dave Koz & Friends @ Warfield Theatre The pop jazz saxophonist’s annual holiday concert includes Jonathan Butler, Christopher Cross and Maysa. $50-$125. 8pm. 982 Market St. www.goldenvoice.com

Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English House @ Legion of Honor Exhibition drawn from the collections of a quintessential English country house. Built in Norfolk in the 1720s for England’s first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall features suites of grand rooms conceived by architect William Kent as settings for Walpole’s old master paintings, furniture, tapestries and Roman antiquities. $10-$18. TueSat 9:30am-5:115pm. 34th Ave. at Clement. www.legionofhonor.org

Roads of Arabia @ Asian Art Museum Roads of Arabia : Archeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (thru Jan. 18); Dual Natures in Ceramics : Eight Contemporary Artists from Korea (thru Feb. 22). Other fascinating exhibits as well. Free (members, kids 12 and under)-$15. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 200 Larkin St. www.asianart.org

Songs and Sorrows @ Oakland Museum Dias de Los Muertos 20th Anniversary, a group exhibit of the Mexican-themed art (thru Jan. 4). Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California (thru April 12). Free/$15. Reg. hours Wed-Sat 11am-5pm (Fri til 9pm). 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 318-8400. www.museumca.org

Out&About>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 37

Drapetomania @ Museum of the African Diaspora Grupo Antillano and the Art of AfroCuba, a new exhibit of works by the Grupo Antillano, the name given to an outstanding group of artists in the 1970s and 80s, at the re-opened African-Caribbean art and crafts museum. Also Lava Thomas: Beyond is a two-part exhibition. Free/$10. Thru Jan. 4. 685 Mission St. moadsf.org

Sun 20 Scrooge, the Musical

Sing-Along Messiah @ Dance Palace, Point Reyes

Fred Lyon @ Harvey Milk Photo Center

Sing Handel’s classic holiday choral work, with conductor Dr. Magen Solomon and pianist Susan Soehner, and four professional soloists. $10-$22. 3pm. 5th and B streets, Point Reyes Station, 663-1075. dancepalace.org

Exhibit of the local photographer’s evocative images in San Francisco: Portrait of a City (1940-1960); book available for sale. Tue-Thu 4pm8:30pm. Sat 10am-4:30pm. Sun 12pm-5:30pm. Thru Jan. 10. 50 Scott St. www.harveymilkphotocenter.org

Tours and Exhibits @ The Old Mint New Sunday program offers tours and exhibits about San Francisco’s history. Explore the fascinating building’s grand halls and vaults. $5-$10. Weekly, 1pm-4pm. 88 5th St. 5371105. www.SFhistory.org

Mon 22 All Aboard @ Walt Disney Museum

Gay Skate Night @ Church on 8 Wheels LGBT night at the former Sacred Heart Church-turned disco roller skate party space, hosted by John D. Miles, the “Godfather of Skate.” Actually every night is gay-friendly, including Saturday’s Black Rock night (Burning Man garb encouraged). Also Wed, Thu, 7pm-10pm. Sat afternoon sessions 1pm-2:30pm and 3pm5:30pm. $10. Kids 12 and under $5. Skate rentals $5. 554 Fillmore St at Fell. www.churchof8wheels.com

A Celebration of Walt Disney’s Trains, thru Feb. 9, plus classic art work and ephemera from the park and animated films. Free/$20. Open daily 10am-6pm. 104 Montgomery St., the Presidio. 345-6800. www.waltdisney.org

It’s Everything @ KOFY-TV

Deck the Walls @ NIAD Art Center, Richmond

Meditation Group @ LGBT Center

Group exhibit of art with a holiday theme made by developmentally disabled people. Also, The Geometry of Cats: Recent Work from Ann Meade. Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. 551 23rd St. Richmond. (510) 620-0290. niadart.org

Eden Hutchinson @ Glama-Rama The hair salon hosts the artist’s exhibit of works, Bitter Waitresses, Hair-Brained Hairdressers & Whirling Dervishes. Thru Jan. 4. 304 Valencia St. www.glamarama.com

Various Exhibits @ California Academy of Sciences Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about animals, plants and the earth; special events each week, with adult nightlife parties most Thursday nights. $20-$35. Mon-Sat 9:30am5pm. Sun 11am-5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Woods to Wildflowers @ SF Botanical Gardens See blooming floral displays, trees and exhibits. Also, daily walking tours and more, at outdoor exhibits of hundreds of species of native wildflowers in a century-old grove of towering Coast Redwoods. Free-$15. Daily. Golden Gate Park. 661-1316. www.SFBotanicalGarden.org

Tue 23 Alien She @ YBCA The first exhibition to showcase the impact and ephemera of the Riot Grrrl movement and culture. Free-$15. Exhibit Tue-Sun 12pm-6pm. Thru Jan. 25. 701 Mission St. www.ybca.org

Carl Linkhart @ Glamarama, Oakland Dreamscape: The Night Vision of Carl Linkhart, a new exhibit of unusual surreal paintings. Thru Jan. 11. 6399 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. carllinkhart.com glamarama.com

Local nightlife host and singer BeBe Sweetbriar’s new streaming web talk show welcomes local celebrities. 7pm. Audience welcome at KOFY-TV, 2500 Marin St. www.BeBeSweetbriar.com

Weekly non-sectarian meditation group; part of the Let’s Kick ASS AIDS Survivor Syndrome support group. Tuesdays, 5pm, 1800 Market St. www.letskickASS.org www.sfcenter.org

Science Exhibits @ The Exploratorium Visit the fascinating science museum in its new Embarcadero location. Free$25. Pier 15 at Embarcadero. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm (Thu night 6pm-10pm, 18+). 528-4893. www.exploratorium.edu

Stranger Than Life @ Cartoon Art Museum The Cartoons and Comics of M.K. Brown (thru Feb 15). Other exhibits and events. Free-$8. Tue-Sun 11am5pm. 655 Mission St. 227-8666. www.cartoonart.org

Keith Haring: The Political Line @ de Young Museum New exhibit of 130 large-scale paintings, sculptures and retrieved subway drawings by the late great gay graffiti artist who came to global fame. Free-$26-$41. Also, Anthony Friedkin: The Gay Essay, an exhibit of photos, and an audiovisual installation, by the Los Angeles artist who focused on gay underground culture of the late 1960s and early ‘70s in SF and LA. Thru Jan. 11, 2015. Lines on the Horizon : Native American Art from the Weisel Family Collection, thru Jan. 4, 2015. Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm. Thru Feb. 16. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. 750-3600. www.famsf.org

Sony Holland @ Level III The acclaimed jazz vocalist performs with guitarist Jerry Holland. Weekly 5pm-8pm. Also Thursdays & Fridays. JW Marriott, 515 Mason St. at Post. www.sonyholland.com

Twenty Favorite Photographs @ Robert Tat Gallery Popular photographs selected by the gallery’s collectors, including Imogen Cuningham, James Bidgood, Walker Evans, Aaron Siskind and others. Thru Feb. 28. 49 Geary St. 781-1122. www.roberttat.com

Thu 25 J. Otto Seibold and Mr. Lunch @ Contemporary Jewish Museum New exhibit of works by the beloved children’s book author. Also, Arnold Newman: Masterclass, an exhibit of prints by the influential photographer. Other exhibits, lectures and gallery talks as well. Free (members)-$12. Fri-Tue 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-8pm (closed Wed). 736 Mission St. 6557800. www.thecjm.org

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy @ New Asia Restaurant 22nd annual Chinese food and Jewish humor night returns, with Ophira Eisenberg, Jeremy Holtz, Simon Cadel, and host Lisa Geduldig. Enjoy a sevencourse dinner show at 5pm ($65), or the 8:30pm cocktail show (veggie dim sum) $45. Also Dec. 24 & 26. 772 Pacific Ave. www.KosherComedy.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge Cookie Dough’s weekly drag show with gogo guys. Special Dec. 25 Christmas night show takes on the music of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Sat 20

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Wed 24 Art/Act: Maya Lin @ David Brower Center Exhibit of new works by the sculptor/ designer (Vietnam Memorial). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Sun 10am-1pm. Thru Feb 4, 2015. 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley. www.browercenter.org

At Large: Ai Weiwei @ Alcatraz Island The internationally acclaimed Chinese sculpture’s exhibit of seven sitespecific multimedia installations; the largest art exhibit ever hosted by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. $18-$30. Daily except major holidays thru April 26, 2015. www.AiWeiWeiAlcatraz.org

/lgbtsf

C HANTICLEER C HRISTMAS December 11-23

Tom and Jerry’s Home Display @ Church & Sanchez See the annual over-the-top festive holiday house display, with a a Santa in attendance. Daily 6:30pm-9:30pm. Free. Thru Jan. 1. 3560 21st St. at Church. www.tinyurl.com/mhh98vz

Safeway Holiday Ice Rink @ Union Square The seventh annual ice skating festivities, including special events (Macy’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Nov. 28, 6pm); continues thru Jan 19. $7-$11. Skate rentals $6. Powell St. at Geary. 781-2688. www.unionsquareicerink.com To submit event listings, email jim@ebar.com. Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication. For more bar and nightlife events, go to On the Tab in our BARtab section, online at www.ebar.com/bartab

DEC 13 & 21

St. Ignatius Church 650 Parker Ave, San Francisco

Also in: Stanford • Oakland • Petaluma Berkeley • Sacramento • Santa Clara Carmel • Livermore

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38 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Nutcracker

From page 25

It was a tremendous performance. Perhaps in homage to last week’s torrential rains, San Francisco Ballet gave us a blizzard onstage to max out the record books. For the snowfall that ends Act I, the stagehands unleashed the biggest deluge I’ve seen in 20 years of attending these things. It’s white confetti, of course, not snow. We could actually hear it rattling down from the flies, so thick at the end of the number amidst blazing white light (the guys on the computer light-board must have turned their knobs up to 11) that despite the brilliance, we could barely see the dancers in the back row. It was a white-out. The adrenaline rush was awesome; to see the Queen of the Snow (Vanessa Zahorian) darting, leaping, turning with exact precision amidst all this turbulence was to see Bravery Under Fire, Grace Under Pressure. Ballet actually is like rocket science. Miscalculate the trajectory, come down at the wrong angle, fail to turn that corner where you’re supposed to pick up some momentum from the gravity of Jupiter, and you’re just wiped out. Especially since this was Zahorian’s comeback after a fall that put her on the bench for the whole of last season, the audience was screaming with delight as the first-act curtain came down. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nutcracker open so well-prepared. The children in the Christmas Party scene were ready and eager and a delight; there was a little boy, a whole head shorter than anybody else, who could jump higher than anyone else, and he could turn, kick and hit his mark. From the get-go, I doted on that child. As our heroine Clara, Audrey Armacost danced nicely and engaged the attention, as did Katita Waldo (her mother) and a very fine Uncle Drosselmeyer (Ricardo Bustamante). Nutcracker is of course the story about childhood, a tale of a little girl and her doll – but it is also one of the great exemplars of Opera House

Lavender Tube

From page 34

Best Actress is a very full category this year, which in many respects was the year of the strong female character, finally. We nominate the following actresses for their breadth and the excitement they bring to their roles: Davis, Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates (American Horror Story), Tea Leoni (Madam Secretary), Kerry Washington, Khandi Alexander and Bellamy Young (Scandal), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honourable Woman), Sandra Oh and Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy), Mindy Kahling (The Mindy Show), Tatiana Maslany (why doesn’t she get more props for playing five characters on Orphan Black?), Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), Nataliie Beharie (Sleepy Hollow), Anna Gunn (Gracepoint), Alison Janney (Mom and Masters of Sex), Ruth Wilson (The Affair and Luther) and Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge). Mariska Hargitay gets a special mention for her extraordinary work this season as Det. Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU. The longestrunning prime-time star, after 16 (soon to be 17) seasons of SVU, she still manages to bring it. The Dec. 10 episode found Hargitay putting

National Gallery

From page 32

of chanting, prayers being spoken slowly. Imagine that you are looking at this painting by the light of candles [flickering] against the gold. Remember you can’t read, can’t

Erik Tomasson

Yuan Yuan Tan in San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker.

Hansuke Yamamoto in San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker.

magic. It is one of the great spectacles, and it shares 98% of its genes with Disneyland, The Lord of the Rings, and all the Harry Potter movies. Indeed, during the Grand Transmogrification, when the tree grows and giant mice spring out to attack our girl, the Nutcracker is Clara’s Patronus, who makes it possible for her to conquer her fears and kill the Rat King. The wizardry of Nutcracker is just as great as the blockbuster movies and video games, but the elements are different, since this magic is done in 3-D space and not with trick photography. The main ingredients are music (35%); scenery and machinery (20%); lighting (15%); ballet technique (10%); make-up and costumes (9%); narrative (7%); and choreography (4%). We can argue about relative proportions – especially since the choreography for the furniture is better than that for the dancers – but the point is, though there are some wonderful schoolrecital Nutcrackers done in little theaters with sometimes fabulous danc-

ing, and you should go see at least one of them if you know some kids who are in them, the grand spectacle is a wonder in its own right. The main thing is Tchaikovsky’s music. It is unbelievably wonderful music, and it makes everything happen. The fantasy is already in the music – and if it’s been updated to San Francisco in 1915, that’s a trivial difference. Everything is there, from the Christmas party to the wonderful uncle to the bratty brother to the fantasy about the Nutcracker to the fear of the mice to the sugary snow to the brave new world and feasting on every great flavor Honeydukes has to offer, from Spanish chocolate Arabian coffee to sugar plums. Tchaikovsky’s wizardry makes you feel the rhythms and smell the scents of biting into things crunchy, chewy, fudgy, crystalline, light-as-afeather, and slightly druggy. Nutcracker is not just about childhood, it is about things seen in miniature, an urban pastoral, where important human issues (conflict, betrayal, loyalty, civilization) are seen

in a simplified form. Tchaikovsky never wrote better than when creating a magical miniaturized world. When phonograph records first went into mass production in the 1930s, the dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy was the top-selling song on the charts. It’s no accident that Disney’s great experiment in animation Fantasia (which contains a version of the Nutcracker Suite, a superb version) came out just before SFB’s first production of Nutcracker. We’re looking at the ancestry of modern high-tech. Long before silicon chips were induced to hold 64,000,000 tiny switches, the great clockmakers had come up with robots that could dance and write; a decade before Georges Melies created his fantasy-film A Trip to the Moon, and decades before Scorsese’s movie Hugo, the choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created the Ur-Nutcracker, Schelkunchik, in 1892 in St. Petersburg. SFB’s production, 10 years old now, has been re-set in San Francisco, and the opening scenes set this up with

uncommon finesse. Uncle Drosselmeyer, the watchmaker who has created the Nutcracker doll and is something of a wizard, moves through the city streets in a way that really evokes the Marina when that neighborhood was new. The family party is, though brief, a pleasure; Clara’s dream, when the tree grows huge and everything is transmogrified, is a miracle of sceneshifting. But the battle with the mice is borderline ridiculous – there are no real fights in it. It needs to be rechoreographed. The dancers performed wonderfully throughout. Francisco Mungamba hit wonderful positions in the Chinese dance as he fled the four-man Dragon, and the three Russian dancers who burst out of the Faberge eggs (Hansuke Yamamoto, Esteban Hernandez, and Wei Wang) brought down the house with their derring-do jumps and spins. Mathilde Froustey as the Sugar Plum Fairy was a miracle of graciousness. Yuan Yuan Tan and Luke Ingham danced the difficult grand pas with great elan.t

one of her own issues, the testing of rape kits, front-and-center. Hargitay is also doing PSAs for No More, a public awareness campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault. Her PSA will bring you to tears. There are also an extraordinary number of superb actors, but these we feel are the best: James Spader (The Blacklist), Jeff Perry, Dan Bucatinsky and Joe Morton (Scandal), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), Matthew McConaughey (True Detective), Idris Elba (Luther), Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Bomer (American Horror Story), Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Tom Mison (Sleepy Hollow), Alan Cumming, Josh Charles and Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife), Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Joel Kinnaman (The Killing), Dean Norris (Under the Dome), Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy (Hannibal), Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham), Mark Ruffalo (The Normal Heart) and the incomparable Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), who was robbed of a Golden Globe. In a year of incomparably good TV, the 20 Best Dramas of 2014 were: Game of Thrones, True Detective, American Horror Story (Coven

and Freak Show), House of Cards, The Good Wife, Hannibal, The Following, Scandal, Masters of Sex, House of Cards, Madam Secretary, Downton Abbey, Fargo, Sherlock, Penny Dreadful, The Killing, The Americans, The Affair, Luther and The Leftovers. The Best Comedies were (in order of gayness): Vicious, Modern Family, Glee, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mindy Show, Big Bang Theory, Blackish, House of Lies, Mom, 2 Broke Girls, Louie, Archer and Jane the Virgin. Two comedies meant to showcase a gay theme this year failed utterly: Sean Saves the World, starring Sean Hayes, and The McCarthys, which is still going down for the third time on CBS. Among the best sitcoms ever and in a Hall of Fame category is The Simpsons, still amazing as it celebrates 25 years on the tube this month. Our all-time favorite throwaway is still the Ayn Rand School for Tots. We’re also inventing a new category: The Best Real-Life LGBT Folks on TV. These are men and women who are promoting gayness wherever they go and also being philanthropic and activist and all the good stuff. They are: Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Wanda Sykes, Jim

Parsons, Laverne Cox, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Robin Roberts (thank you for finally coming out, please tell Donna Brazile it’s time), Wilson Cruz, Kate McKinnon, Jane Lynch, Matt Bomer, Victor Garber, Sir Ian McKellan, Sir Derek Jacobi, Gillian Anderson, David Hyde-Pierce, Nathan Lane, Kirsten Vangsness, Alan Cumming, Linda Hunt and RuPaul. Alas, we have a few people we feel are The Worst LGBT Folks on TV: Don Lemon (really? Asking a rape victim why she didn’t bite off Bill Cosby’s penis?), Rosie O’Donnell (oh Rosie, you’re in your 50s, please grow up), Sean Hayes (we remember back when we liked you) and Raven Symone (yes, she really did say those things). Among limited series and movies, a handful stand out, notably The Normal Heart, Breathless, The Honourable Woman, The Missing, Olive Kitteridge and Gracepoint, each one of which was extraordinary, smart, compelling and should be on your Netflix list. Best and Worst Comedy Show: SNL. We don’t understand why this show is such a roller coaster, but maybe after 40 years it’s time to say goodbye and wrap it up? Last week’s show was cringeworthy, with an opening skit making fun of Al Sharpton and the current crisis ensuing from the Eric Gar-

ner decision. Yikes. Conversely, this skit (http://aol. it/12Z00GB) about Ferguson, featuring Kenan Thompson and Cecily Strong, was hilarious, and shows how SNL can address dicey topics like race in a way that is both humorous and edgy. Yet the show pulled it, but put it up on the website. Can they not tell what’s funny and what isn’t any more? Best Late-Night Talk Show goes to Jimmy Fallon, who has made The Tonight Show his own, and made it fresh and funny, smart and engaging. We watched his interview with Chris Rock last week, and it brought out more issues related to race than most political talk shows we’ve seen. And while David Letterman may be retiring in May 2015 with Stephen Colbert taking the reigns on The Late Show, for now he remains the most political of the late-night comedians, taking politicians on with alacrity. As good as 2014 was, we hope 2015 will bring more LGBT characters and storylines, as well as more series like Looking, The Fosters and Transparent that focus on and revolve around LGBT characters. But for now, to delve deep into homoeroticism and sexy bisexuals, strong women and men who flame, you know what you must do: stay tuned. Happy Holidays!t

write, the year is 1377. Your homes are too hot in summer, too cold in winter, people are dying all the time. You might perhaps think to yourself, ‘If I’m good, I might get up to the Kingdom Everlasting where all is great, good and golden.’ “And by the flickering candle-

light, you might think that these figures were moving, could hear your prayer and could intercede for you with Christ and the Virgin in Heaven. So this painting would be a kind of sacramental channel between earth and heaven.” For queer folks who have battled

“feudal” thinking all their lives, National Gallery offers a chance to witness one of the sources of such mindsets. And since the cinema is in a very tangible way one of our modern churches, this powerful Wiseman work offers a higher reason for vesting the great paintings of yore

than their current market value. P.S. I found my copy of Sister Wendy Beckett’s Selection of the 1,000 Greatest Paintings in Western Art (DK Publishing, 1999), with its marvelous full-color plates, to be an illuminating companion work to Wiseman’s film.t

Music>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 39

Last-minute holiday CDs by Jason Victor Serinus

y vey! Your holiday party is approaching, and the only music on hand are scratchy LPs of “Flight of the Bumblebee” and Sir John Gielgud reading Dante’s Inferno in Croatian. Rend not thy garments. Instead, grab one or more of these: Why the boys of Grammy-nominated New York Polyphony had to rely on Swedish label BIS to record Sing Thee Nowell is a mystery, but it’s thumbs up for the clear, carefully enunciated, unfussy beauty of their unaccompanied, closely miked singing. The variety of their 24 selections, which range from the 15th century to today; the variety of the program (in Latin, English, and French); and level of artistic accomplishment are self-recommending. For that last-minute Chanukah party, try Cherished Moments: Songs of the Jewish Spirit from Essential Voices USA under Judith Clurman (Sono Luminus). True, the Hebrew accents are decidedly assimilated, and the opening track, Louis Lewandowski’s “Enosh” (adapted by Larry Hochman, who received a 2011 Tony for orchestrating The Book of Mormon), proves that Lewandowski knew his Mozart. Thankfully, there’s a lovely track by gay bro Nico Muhly, the 10-minute Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah, and other interesting tracks both contemporary and traditional.

If you need more of a Messiah than the Hebrews can provide, Handel has the answer. We’ve got two new period instrument versions this year. That from Emmanuelle Haïm & Le Concert d’Astrée Choeur et Orchestre (Erato) is based on John Tobin’s edition of Handel’s arrangement for Covent Garden 1752; while Harry Christophers & The Handel and Haydn Society of Boston’s (Coro) may have more to do with the society’s 199-year tradition of performing the oratorio and Christophers’ predilections than anything else. Haïm’s textures are quite light, tenor Andrew Staples trill-accomplished, the superb bass Christopher Purves warmer and less thunderous down low than some, alto Tim Mead a lovely alternative to earth-shaking pluminess, and soprano Lucy Crowe quite lovely. The transition from her singing to the light chorus’ rendition of “Glory to God in the Highest” is special. By contrast, Christophers’ live recording from Boston Symphony Hall has a weightier, meatier orchestral sound. Tenor Tom Randle waxes and wobbles a bit too operatic, baritone Sumner Thompson

sounds darker and more profound than Purves, veteran countertenor Daniel Taylor is still lovely-voiced and deeply communicative, soprano Gillian Keith is special on top (though not conventionally pure of tone), and the chorus capable of full-blooded singing. Voice queens will want to hear both versions. Living up to its promise, Naxos’ The Wonder of Christmas opens with the sweet voices of Canada’s Elora Festival Singers under Noel Edison, in a lovely rendition of “Once in Royal David’s City.” The pace is a bit slow, but the sound entrancing. The second track confirms that this choir ideally conveys the special, pure essence of the holiday season. Michael Bloss’ organ helps

ground the proceedings as the chorus moves easily between the occasional ancient track and the present. The women’s voices are especially wonderful, with the recording achieving an ideal balance between clarity and church resonance. You may want to join in on “The First Nowell.” Who can resist checking out Chamber Choir Ireland’s new hybrid SACD from Harmonia Mundi, Carols from the Old and New Worlds, Vol. III, given that it’s conducted by the famed Paul Hillier? Mixing seven antiphons for Advent with carols old and new from Ireland, Britain, USA, and Alpine regions, the program is distinguished by Hillier’s thought-provoking, anything-but-

ordinary arrangements. The unusual harmonies of “Sweet was the song the Virgin Sung,” enhanced by Fergal Caulfield’s chamber organ, are especially captivating. No sugar coating here. The very cute men and lovely-looking women of South Florida’s Seraphic Fire chamber choir follow up two Grammy Award nominations with Candlelight Carols. Although Jacqueline Kerrrod’s harp occasionally sounds big enough to stand up to King Kong, choir founder/director Patrick Dupré Quigley clearly knows his voices. Performing mostly 20th-century rep, including gay brother Benjamin Britten’s indispensible A Ceremony of Carols, the choir does a wonderful job. A special disc, this. I’m a sucker for Renaissance polyphony sung to perfection. On Christmas with the Shepherds (Delphian), the unaccompanied Marian Consort under Rory McCleery makes God come alive by pairing the heavenly music of Mouton and Morales with the world-premiere recording of Stabile’s 16th-century “Quaeramus cum pastoribus.” Happy holidays, one and all.t

Holiday music buffet by Gregg Shapiro

ne of Robin Williams’ last films before his untimely 2014 passing, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas might be saved by the possibility of a shirtless Joel McHale. A Merry Friggin’ Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Lakeshore) has a few things going for it. It opens and closes with a pair of songs performed by Rufus Wainwright, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and the original “Christmas Is for Kids.” The Belle Brigade, featuring out singer Barbara Gruska, performs the original “Going Home for Christmas.” Nice Jewish boy Ben Kweller rocks the house with his rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and draws on his Texas roots in the original “Try To Love (Joy to the World).” Other holiday highlights include “The Weather Outside” by Spence Shapeero, “Best Time of the Year” by Alex Rhodes and “More Than I Wished For” by FM Radio If variety is your thing when it comes to holiday music, check out The Classic Christmas Pop Album (Legacy). Depending on how you define pop, the album might be a little confusing. It includes songs by boy bands Metro Station (a cover of Wham’s “Last Christmas”), Big Time Rush (covering Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”), NKOTB (“The Christmas Song”), B2K (“Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer”) and Menudo, doing Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” But by the time you get to Los Lonely Boys singing Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” Mew, Glasvegas and Phantom Planet, you might think someone spiked your holiday punch. Looking to put some soul food into your holiday diet? Earth, Wind & Fire has been on the comeback trail for a few years and completes the circuit with the funky, festive Holiday (Legacy). Still soulful after all these years, EWF brings the joy and the

funk to “Joy to the World” and “Winter Wonderland.” The group leaves its sonic mark on “Away in a Manger” and “Sleigh Ride,” and shows off its worldly side with a version of the Japanese song “Snow.” The disc closes with “December,” a reinvention of the EWF classic “September,” co-written with Allee Willis. If your tastes run towards downhome home-cooking, you have plenty to choose from this holiday season, beginning with An Americana Christmas (New West). The 16-track compilation features an array of performers from young upstarts Nikkie Lane (“Falalalalove Ya”) and Valerie June (“Winter Wonderland”) to more established acts Emmylou Harris (“The First Noel”), John Prine (“Everything Is Cool”), Bob Dylan (“Must Be Santa”) and Dwight Yoakam (“Run Run Rudolph”).

Cowpunk pioneer Jason Ringenberg, of Jason and the Nashville Scorchers fame, shifted gears at the early part of the 21st century and became a purveyor of cool kids’ music under the Farmer Jason moniker. Maintaining his trademark twang, Christmas on the Farm with Farmer Jason (Courageous Chicken) features familiar songs “Jingle Bells” and “Up on the Housetop.” Where the disc really accelerates is on clever cuts including “All I Want for Christmas (Is a Punk Rock Skunk),” “Santa Drove a Big John Deere” and “Eat Your Fruitcake.” TV talent-show winner Home Free, a country a cappella group from Minnesota, gets a place at the holiday table with Full of Cheer (Columbia). In addition to the original title track, the quirky quintet tries its collective hand at “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” “O Holy Night,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and something called “Hairy Christmas.” Vocal group Celtic Thunder enters the festive fray with Holiday Symphony (Legacy). On a mostly serious effort including “Gabriel’s Message,” “Mary Did You Know?” and “Away in a Manger,” Celtic Thunder exhibit a lighter side on the five-song “Christmas Medley,” and wrap it up with an unexpected cover of the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” even going as far as revising the song’s original homophobic content. The 11-song compilation The Classic Christmas Hard Rock Album (Legacy) serves up a meaty array of heavier holiday music arrangements from rock-guitar gods Jeff Beck (“Amazing Grace”), Steve Vai (Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here”) and Joe Satriani (“Silent Night/Holy Night Jam”). Queer Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford’s side project Halford rocks the hardest, while the presence of right-wing nut-job Ted Nugent is an insult to the other musicians.t

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December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 43

A comic drawing ad for the very cruisy CMC Carnival in the November 1970 Vector, with art by Chuck Arnett.

A holiday ad in a December 1973 edition of the Bay Area Reporter offered a “Happy Chip.”

Mary; Christmas!

From page 41

The Mattachine Review continued to offer holiday covers through the fifties and by 1961 the December issue featured a short story entitled “Tomorrow Begins At Midnight,” in which lonely neighbors Paul Larson and Steven Henderson overcome their shyness on their first Christmas eve in New York and go on a date – although given the era, it shouldn’t surprise you that this date entails going to church together. At the end of the story Steven has invited Paul over to his apartment for drinks, so at least we can hope for the best. The holiday season had become much more festive in San Francisco by 1965. The Society for Individual Rights (which used the assertive acronym SIR) formed in 1964 and had their first Christmas party on December 18, 1965. SIR had their own monthly magazine entitled Vector. In the January 1966 issue they report that their first Christmas party had more than 200 attendees, a visit from Santa and lasted from 9pm to 3am. Vector also featured Christmas ads, so we know that the business community was on board by 1965. There is a rather festive young Santa in polka-dot shorts featured in an ad for The Casual Man, a shop on Polk Street at Broadway. On April 17, 1966, SIR opened the first gay and lesbian community center in the United States on the second floor of 83 6th Street. The building had a kitchen as well as a

community room that could handle 500 people, so they were certainly ready to party by December. Aside from being an advocacy organization, SIR also functioned as a social organization. The December 1966 calendar indicates that aside from holiday activities, there was square dancing, a stamp collecting club, a card and game night, a conversation group and held a dance every Saturday night. Amazingly, for their first year in this community center, the holiday activities included a Daughters of Bilitis cocktail party, the Recon Motorcycle Club’s annual children’s toy benefit, a Christmas decorating party, a Christmas boutique and Christmas dinner. The Vector article on the Christmas season at the SIR Center indicates that there was dancing at the tree-trimming party (“bring a fancy ball to hang on the tree”) and that members could bring a guest to the Christmas party which featured “Quite Festive Punch.” The article also mentions that since Christmas was on a Saturday, if you couldn’t make it to the Christmas party you should stop by afterward because the regular Saturday evening dance would be taking place. By 1967 they were offering a package wrapping service at the center as well. The spirit of giving in this season was already in evidence by 1966, given that they were having toy benefits at the SIR Center. A few years later in the December 1969 Vector there is an article which gives a little history of the “Christmas Toy Thing” (as the toy drive was then called).

The Koalas gay biker club in the 1960s. photo: Henry LeLeu

The event was sponsored by bay area motorcycle and buddy clubs and began in 1964 at a bar (unnamed in the article) that offered a free drink for a toy. By 1967, the event was so successful that the event moved to California Hall. In 1968, when more than 700 people attended, it was held at the Maritime Hall and featured rock bands (“The Marvin Gardens, Phoenix and San Paku”) and a light show, and “provided a gala opening to the Christmas season.” The toys collected were donated to San Francisco General Hospital and the Hanna Boys Center among other organizations. One thing that has been lost in the haze of time is that the CMC A crowd shot of the CMC Carnival in the Carnival was the kickoff to the holifall 1973 issue of California Scene. day season in the sixties. CMC stood for the California Motor Club, but it Chorus is in its twenty-fifth year, oners and to demand that psychois often referred to as the California and the chorus itself goes back to logical “cures” for homosexuality Motorcycle Club - the mistake was 1978. and psychosurgery at Vacaville and even made in the Vector in 1969 We have a tendency to take special Atascadero prisons be stopped. when discussing the carnival. notice of events in our community The protestors wanted to stage a The carnival took place on the when we fought back, so events like show for the prisoners as well, but second Sunday of November (the Stonewall and the riot at Compton’s this was refused, so they instead first was on November 13, 1966) at Café take precedence in our memoput on a community show at Fort the Seafarer’s International Union ries. But at this time of year, when Miley V. A. Hospital for veterans Hall at 350 Fremont Street. It is ofwe celebrate our community and of the Vietnam War. Entertainten remembered today as the predeour family of friends, it’s worth reers who were performing included cessor to the Folsom Street Fair, but membering that many of our social Pat Montclaire and Jackie Phillips it definitely was a holiday event. In a traditions go back even further, with from Finocchio’s. After the show, 1969 article entitled “CMC Carnival the SIR Christmas parties predating gifts were distributed to the veterSuccess,” Vector reported that thouboth events. ans on the ward. Donations were sands crowded to the fair and that It’s worth remembering that we sponsored by clubs and businesses “various clubs, organizations and are not only defined by our battles, in San Francisco (among them the businesses offered all manner of enbut by those we love. It’s a good time Gangway, which is still in business tertainment, prizes and wares at the of year to reach out to our special today). That show was apparently Gay Trade Fair.” friends and chosen family, somea grand success as the “Fort Miley At one booth, Miss Myra Breckthing we have been doing in our Xmas Variety Show” was performed enridge’s “aides Sexuelles” was for community for a very long time.t again for several subsequent years. sale and was “at least twenty inches Perhaps it should come as no big long.” The CMC South booth ofsurprise that the holiday traditions Special thanks to Ron Williams fered aluminum inhalers “with the of the LGBT community have deep for images scanned from issues of purchaser’s name engraved thereVector magazine. roots. After all, the “Home For The on.” Holidays” concert By 1970, Vector was referring to by the San Francisthe event as the “biggest carnival co Gay Men’s in gaydom.” You can easily see that from events such as this, the “Christmas Toy Thing” and the various motorcycle club parties (like the Recon Motorcycle Club’s toy benefit at the SIR community center) that these clubs played a big role in the gay community at large and contributed much to the holiday spirit. By 1972, Christmas events in the Bay Area had taken a decidedly political turn. The Gay Alliance and the Bay Area Reporter’s coeditor Paul Bentley organized a “Caravan to Vacaville” which went to Vacaville Prison to Left: S.I.R.’s Winterfair advertised in the Nov. 1970 Vector. Right: S.I.R.’s “Mary Kish donate gifts to the pris- Mess” advertised in a special Dec. 1973 pink edition of the Bay Area Reporter.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

44 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

Oy Vey! It’s Chrismukah! Time For Some Kosher Comedy by David-Elijah Nahmod

but some theorize that if it’s just a little piece of pork or shrimp in some Chinese food, then it’s okay.” Geduldig shared her own personal take on the controversy. “Jews aren’t supposed to eat pork, but there’s a small unknown clause in the Torah that says if it’s wrapped up in a won ton, then it’s okay.” She also said that it’s okay to invite my Orthodox Rabbi from Brooklyn; okay with her, at least.

ice Jewish girl Lisa Geduldig returns on Christmas Eve with a raucous set of Kosher comedy in a setting where the food is sure to be treyf (non-kosher). For many years, Geduldig has been hosting monthly comedy shows at El Rio that are sure to make her Rabbi cringe. On Christmas Eve, she pulls out all the stops with Kung Pao Kosher Comedy, her 22nd annual holiday show at New Asia Restaurant, 772 Pacific Street, in the heart of Chinatown, a neighborhood not exactly known for its Jewish population. Undeterred, Geduldig promises a riotous night of laughs that Jews and their friends will love. Geduldig promises that Yiddish proverbs will be found in abundance inside the Chinese fortune cookies, such as the thought provoking, “with one tuchus, you can’t dance at two weddings!” Geduldig assures her audience that there are strong ties which bind Jews and Chinese food. “There are theories on the connection between Jews attending Chinese restaurants and eating family style, with plentiful portions and reasonably priced food and what was called “safe treyf,” she said. “Jews aren’t supposed to eat unkosher food, Lisa Geduldig

“You can invite him,” she said. “I assume it’s a him. He might not come because he might think I’m a heathen (or the Antichrist), but he’d probably enjoy the show and get a kick out of the Yiddish proverbs in the fortune cookies.” This year Geduldig tips her hat to our Northern neighbors with appearances by Jeremy Hotz and Ophira Eisenberg, who hail from Canada. Hotz won Best International Performer at the Sydney Comedy Festival, while Eisenberg hosts NPR’s comedy trivia show Ask Me Another. For the very first time, Kung Pao features a teenager: 14-year-old comedian Simon Cadel, who says that some of his jokes center around his “Jatheism” –he’s half Jewish, half atheist. “There will be a comedy song that I wrote, and some darker jokes,” Cadel promises. “Nothing too dark, though. We still want younger people to come.” Cadel said that he was drawn to comedy in summer camp. “Most of my comedy is made up of real life experiences and a few messed up ideas that pop into my head,” he said. “Did you know that simply removing your hat can turn a Charlie Chaplin costume into Hitler?” Of course Geduldig will herself perform, in addition to her hosting duties.

Proceeds will partially benefit San Francisco Suicide Prevention (in honor of Robin Williams) and Jewish Family and Children’s Services Food Programs.t King Pao Kosher Comedy performs from December 24-26. Dinner shows at 5pm and cocktail shows at 8:30pm, for a total of six shows. www.koshercomedy.com

Simon Cadel

Jeremy Hotz

Al-men-ac Sexy calendars for 2015 by John F. Karr

ooking for a saucy way to tell someone they’re sexy? Tell time, soap up and display the sexy in calendars, coffee table books and soapy fun for whatever horizontal holiday you’re planning with a secret Santa.

present themselves there (Rocco Steele!). And wait until you see what’s happened to Avi Dar—he’s bulked up something awesome (if perilously close to overdone).

Orthodicks

If an outcall from a hustler is too expensive to be a Christmas present for your BF, the 2015 Players Calendar from Rentboy.com might be a suitable substitute. These 11 pin-up prosties are a raunchy bunch, and the calendar includes some fully nude, fully hard boys (Alex Buldocek! Boomer Bangs!). Even so, my fave is the clothed but provocatively posed Israel Oka (with the boner in Mike Tanner’s pants giving Israel a stiff run for the money). You can get it at Amazon, but you’ll have more fun if you search it at blog.rentboy. com. From there, it’s only a click into the RentBoy site. I sure drooled over some potential presents who

If you care for your icons to be more ecclesiastic—but still steamy—Orthodox Calendar 2015 might ruffle your robes. It reacts to the Russian Orthodox hierarchy’s medieval views that same sex unions are an omen of the impending end of the world. In 13 humorously erotic, color saturated photographs of hunky dudes (un)dressed in bits of priestly garb, it depicts the seven deadly sins to pointedly remind us that homosexuality is not one of them. The photos recall the work of Pierre et Gilles, featuring hot nudes. And there’s also an X-rated, uncensored edition in which things are stiffened up. They’re 14.21 and 26.21 Euros, respectively (approx. $17 and $33 USA), and available at www.orthodox-calendar.com.t

Mister April’s Israel Oka in the Rentboy 2015 Calendar

Candle kink in the Orthodox Calendar

Hustler White Christmas

More Stuff

ocally, your best bet for an impressive and thoughtful sexy gift is at the center of the Castro. Books Inc. has an array of gift books and calendars filled with hunky male imagery. They even have the oversize calendars with classy black and white nude photos, and the more sexual Colt and Tom of Finland books and calendars. 2275 Market St. www.booksinc.net For a sexy fun-filled bathroom, check out our wonderful advertisers Soap Fetish and their collection of colorful soaps in rainbow and holiday themes. Get a basket full of dicks, a bag of boobs, a pile of popos, or a holiday assortment! www.soapfetish.com – T.M. Elmo

Sexy books and calendars at Books Inc. on Market St

Fa la la soap-on-a-rope in holiday colors from Soap Fetish

Ophira Eisenberg

Read more online at www.ebar.com

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 45

Seasonal songs by Donna Sachet

We can’t thank enough all of you who attended our 22nd annual Songs of the Season at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel’s Franciscan Room! With so many holiday and other events competing for your time and money, we are deeply touched each year by the support and encouragement of this generous community. Our enthusiastic and talented cast entertained over 300 people over the three nights of Songs of the Season and raised thousands of dollars for the AIDS Emergency Fund. As always, pending expenses prevent the announcement of a final figure, but you can rest assured, it will appear here soon. After Dec. 1-3, the holidays officially began, because, as they say, “The holidays don’t begin until you’ve seen Donna Sachet’s Songs of the Season!” Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation’s Help is on the Way for the Holidays introduced members of the cast of Kinky Boots to San Francisco, and we got along wonderfully! Once again, Marines’ Memorial Theatre donated the space, even convincing the current show, Meshganutcracker, to lend their stage set and their cast for a splashy second act opening number! Emceed by Jai Rodriguez and J. Harrison Ghee (from Kinky Boots) with skill and humor, the show moved quickly and covered a wide range of music, both traditional holiday and farther afield, including solos, duets, and more. Beyond the cast of that Broadway hit musical, singers included Jason Brock (both funny

tali, Paul Margolis, Mark Sternberger, Sophie Azouaou, Aubrey Brewster, and Nicholas Bettinger. After the performance, we joined Sean Ryan for a quick ride, courtesy of Don Berger, to the nearby Kimpton Hotel Adagio where Champagne and hors d’oeuvres awaited the attendees and entertainers. It is always hard for us to believe that local performers and members of a touring Broadway show sacrifice their Monday night for these benefits and then cordially mingle with patrons

David Allen Hancock

Donna Sachet (right) in a glamourous white gown, with Vicki Shepard, at her annual Songs of the Season benefit concert.

out of this chorus than choreographer Steven Valdez. The audience included Lynn Luckow, Mario Diaz, Jack Porter, Linda Blum, and many friends from the days when we were singing with the chorus. Speaking of which, we will be joining guest star Lisa Vroman on stage for all three of the 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm concerts of the SFGMC on Christmas Eve at the Castro Theatre. This is the 25th year of the heartfelt Home for the Holidays events. Tickets are nearly gone, so act now and be a part of this unique San Francisco tradition. Nearly simultaneous with the SF Gay Men’s Chorus were the Dance Along Nutcracker performances of the SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band under the direction of Pete Nowlen at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. This year’s theme was Frosty’s Hawaiian Holiday and we hear that they too enjoyed large crowds, inspiring moments, and hilarious high-jinks! And the Imperial Court thanked Miss Cowgirl Piper Angelique on Sunday at the end of her year of service and announced the new Mr. Cowboy Jason Strand and Miss Cowgirl MadOtter at a party at Balencoire on Mission Street. These new title-holders have big heels to fill, since Piper had an active year of fundraising and community involvement, setting the bar high for her followers. This brings the Imperial Court to the end of its year of major events, each of which raise money for community organizations that are helping us every day. Don’t forget that the Imperial Court of San Francisco celebrates 50 years (that’s right, 50!) on Feb. 15, 2015, at City Hall with a gala that will leave you breathless. Get your tickets now, because they are going fast and seating is limited. Plan to spend that weekend with us, including Reigning Emperor J.P. Soto & Empress Misty Blue’s Imperial Coronation on Sat., Feb. 14, 2015, at the Design Center, the Sunday morning annual Pilgrimage to Colma where both Emperor Joshua Norton and Empress and Founder

after the show. We remind you again that when the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation produces an event, be there! The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus once again blew the audience away with their holiday show Dancers, Prancers, & Vixens!, under the inspiring direction Joe Pessa of Tim Seelig. The Marlena (right) and friends at new Nourse TheSongs of the Season. atre was packed with enthusiastic supand musical), La Toya London porters who cheered as the (sensational singing and an incredchorus assembled on stage ible figure!), Davis Gaines (powerand down the aisles of the ful and moving), and surprise guest theatre, performing the first Shawn Ryan (with a show-stopping numbers in a wonderful sort holiday song laced with acid!). of “surround-sound.” Just after intermission, Liam MayMusic bounced back and clem and Andrew Freeman did a forth pleasantly from more fantastic job auctioning off three serious arrangements to the luxury prizes and securing additional whimsical productions for contributions to the cause. The rewhich the chorus is widely cent remodeling of the Marines’ known, both with equal skill Memorial Theatre offers much more and resounding audience space and ambiance in the lobby, but appreciation. We cannot this sold-out event packed the lobby say too much about guest Joan Bowlen before, after, and during intermission artists, Well Strung, four San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus angels, (For photos of the show, see Steven handsome men who play and guest performers Well Strung, at Underhill’s album on page 51). string instruments and sing, the Nourse Theatre. Among the attendees were Beth sometimes at the same time! Schnitzer, Patrik Gallineaux, Their version of “Let It Go” Skye Paterson, Jose Montoya from Frozen set the stage for addiof the International Court System Garcia, Bruce Balderson, David tional amazing performances as a Jose Sarria are buried, and finishGrabstald, Jason Unger, Les Naquartet and with the chorus. ing with the 50th Anniversary Gala Act II began with on Sun., Feb. 15, 2015, at City Hall. Vocal Minority, one of the As the year 2014 winds down, smaller sub-groups within take a moment to reflect back, not the SFGMC with tight harfor purposes of regret or frustration, mony and precise rhythm. but to renew your commitment to They introduced a brand spend time productively. That can new hauntingly emotional mean a lot of things, but includes commissioned song, “New community service, time spent with Year’s Carol,” by Charles friends and family, and energy exAnthony Silvestri and Ola pended on things you love, whether Gjeilo, and then proceeded that is artistic performances, travel, to some of the blockbuster internal analysis, or simply hanging Donna (center) backstage with Help Is humorous productions that out and rejuvenating your spirit. We On the Way performers Sophia Asouaou left the crowd whirling. No all have the same 24 hours in a day; (left) and Aubrey Brewster (right). one can get more impact how will you use yours?t

<< On the Tab

46 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

AB f eON THE1T 8–25 December

★

Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences Themed event nights at the fascinating nature museum, with DJed dancing, cocktails, fish, frogs, food and fun. $10-$12. 6pm-10pm, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Pan Dulce @ The Cafe Amazingly hot Papi gogo guys, cheap drinks and fun DJed dance music. Free before 10pm. $5 til 2am. 2369 Market St. www.clubpapi.com www.cafesf.com

Pussy Party @ Beaux Women's happy hour, with all-women music and live performances, 2 for 1 drinks, and no cover. 5pm-9am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Rock Fag @ Hole in the Wall

FBFE

Thu 18 Bulge @ The Powerhouse

hether with friends and family, or fellow orphans over the holidays, be of good cheer, despite (non)catastrophic precipitation, judicial monstrosities or cataclysmic economic crunches. It’s the holidays! Smile. They’ll be over soon.

Mary Go Round @ Lookout

Thu 18 Beats Reality @ Trax Resident DJs Jim Hopkins and Justime welcome guest DJs and play groovy tunes. Weekly, 9pm-2am. 1437 Haight St. 864-4213.

Bulge @ Powerhouse Grace Towers hosts the weekly gogotastic night of sexy dudes shakin' their bulges and getting wet in their undies for $100 prize (contest at midnight), and dance beats spun by DJ DAMnation. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Club Yass @ City Nights Frisco Robbie presents a new 18+ LGBT weekly night, with live sets by guest performers, DJ TwistMix, with a Latin room up front, gogo guys and gals. $10. 9:30-3am. 546-7938. www.sfclubs.com

Fuego @ The Watergarden, San Jose Weekly event, with Latin music, halfoff locker fees and Latin men, at the South Bay private men's bath house. $8-$39. Reg hours 24/7. 18+. 1010 The Alameda. (408) 275-1215. www.thewatergarden.com

Full Glitz @ The Stud Mahlae Balenciaga hosts a drag holiday pageant with performances by Raya Light, Sugah Betes, Kegel Kater, Velveeta WhoreMel, Veruca BathSalts and Miss Rahni Nothing More. Proceeds raise funds for Michael Phillis' upcoming bizarre camp pageant show. $10. 9pm12am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Funny Fun @ Club 21, Oakland

Suppositori Spelling, Mercedez Munro and Holotta Tymes host the weekly night with DJ Philip Grasso, gogo guys, drink specials, and drag acts. 10pm-2am. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge Cookie Dough's weekly drag show with gogo guys and hilarious fun. Dec. 18: Monster Rock/Seattle Sound tribute night (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc.). $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

My So-Called Night @ Beaux Heklina hosts a new weekly '90s-themed video, dancin', drinkin' night, with VJs Jorge Terez and Becky Knox. Get down with your funky bunch, and enjoy 90-cent drinks! '90s-themed attire and costume contest. No cover. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Nap's Karaoke @ Virgil's Sea Room Sing out loud at the weekly least judgmental karaoke in town, hosted by the former owner of the bar. No cover. 9pm. 3152 Mission St. 8292233. www.virgilssf.com

Night at the Jewseum @ Contemporary Jewish Museum The band Light performs at this food, cocktails and games event. $5. 21+. 6pm-9pm. 736 Mission St. 655-7881. www.thecjm.org

Thu 18

Enjoy cheap/free whiskey shots from jock-strapped hotties and sexy sports videos at the popular sports bar. 10pm-2am. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie's Lounge The intimate groovy retro disco night with tunes spun by DJ Bus Station John. $4. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com

Holiday Party @ SF Eagle DJ Dano spins tunes at the leather bar's holiday fete. 6pm-ish happy hour drinks all night long. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

VIP @ Club 21, Oakland Hip Hop, Top 40, and sexy Latin music; gogo dancers, appetizers, and special guest DJs. No cover before 11pm and just $5 after all night. Dancing 9pm-3am. Happy hour 4pm8:30pm 2111 Franklin St. (510) 2689425. www.club21oakland.com

Fri 19 Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi The musical comedy revue celebrates its 40th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. Special holiday-themed shows now through the New Year. $25$160. 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 421-4222. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Happy Friday @ Midnight Sun

Jackie Beat: On Ice @ Verdi Club

Kegel Kater performs at Full Glitz @ The Stud

Lulu Ramirez hosts the festive gogofilled dance night's holiday party. No cover before 10pm. ($10) 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St., Oakland. (510) 2689425. www.club21oakland.com

Manimal @ Beaux Gogo-tastic dance night starts off your weekend. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Some Thing @ The Stud Mica Sigourney and pals' weekly offbeat drag performance night. 10pm2am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Thu 18 The Eagle Xmas Party

Beatpig @ Powerhouse Juanita More!, Walter Gomex and Sidekick's 3rd Saturday party; stylish, sexy, cruisy. $5. 9pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Weekly electro music night with DJ Matthew Baker and guests. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com

Nightlife events at the museum take on different themes. Free/ reduced admission. 6pm8:45pm. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. www.deyoung.famsf.org

Thursday double drinks thru December (closed Christmas Day). No cover. 9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland

Thump @ White Horse, Oakland

Friday Night @ de Young Museum

Ho Ho Homo @ QBar

Wicked beats, gogo studs, fighting demos, drink specials, prizes.; beats by Gehno Aviance and Guy Ruben. $5. 9pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

The veteran cabaret singer performs her popular music and comedy show, Twisted Xmas: A Druid's View of the Holidays. $25-$40. 8pm. Also Dec. 27, 8pm. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.ticketweb.com

The winner of this year's RuPaul's Drag Race performs her Rolodex of Hate: Christmas Edition, a stand-up drag comedy show, with Peaches Christ, Pipppi Lovestocking and Sasha Soprano. $35-$100. 8pm. 429 Castro St. www. comedyinthecastro.com

Gym Class @ Hi Tops

Hardbox @ Powerhouse

Sharon McNight @ Feinstein's at the Nikko

Bianca Del Rio @ Castro Theatre

New weekly LGBT and straight comedy night hosted by Dan Mires. $10. 8pm. 2111 Franklin St. Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

LA's ascerbic darkly hilarious drag queen returns for a night of sacreligious holiday camp. $25. 8pm. 2424 Mariposa St. www.verdiclub.net

Enjoy hard rock and punk music from DJ Don Baird at the wonderfully divey SoMa bar. 12pm-2am. 1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

The popular video bar ends each work week with gogo guys (starting at 9pm) and drink specials. Check out the new expanded front lounge, with a window view. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www. midnightsunsf.com

unwrap

THIS

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EDGE brings you all the LGBT News, Hot Photos and Entertainment you could wis

edgeonethen Yvonne Flores @ Feinstein's at the Nikko Singer-songwriter extraordinaire performs music from her new jazz album, and Under the Mistletoe, her holiday-themed concert. $25-$40. 8pm. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.ticketweb.com

Fri 19

Sat 20 Abrazo, the Queer Milonga @ Finnish Hall, Berkeley The East Bay inclusive tango dance group holds its holiday party, with beginner lessons, then open dancing to traditional and contemporary tango music; and a special performance by Gay Games tango competitors; light food, beverages. $7-$15. 7pm-11pm. 1970 Chestnut St. facebook.com/pages/AbrazoQueer-Tango/176990218995765 abrazoqueertango.wordpress.com

Latin Explosion Xmas Show @ Club 21

Beer Bust @ Hole in the Wall Saloon Beer only $8 until you bust. 4pm-8pm. 1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

On the Tab>>

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 47

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle

Kink Salon @ Powerhouse

Brunch @ Hi Tops

The classic leather bar's most popular Sunday daytime event now also takes place on Saturdays! 3pm-6pm. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Haus of Starfish, Jason Husted and Miss Beth Bicoastal host an erotic open mic and benefit for LeatherWalk 2015; bring a short story, song, performance, pose for visual artists, all for this kinky carols holidaythemed event. 6pm-9pm. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Enjoy crunchy sandwiches and mimosas, among other menu items, at the popular sports bar. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Bootie SF @ DNA Lounge Special anti-holiday party with Cookie Dough's Monster Show drag talents. Celebrate eleven years of the weekly mash-up dance night, with resident DJs Adrian & Mysterious D. No matter the theme, a mixed fun good time's assured. $8-$15. 9pm-3am. 21+. 375 11th St. at Harrison. www.BootieSF. com www.DNAlounge.com

La Bota Loca @ Club 21, Oakland DJed tunes, gogo hotties, drag shows, drink specials, all at Oakland's premiere Latin nightclub and weekly cowboy night. $10-$15. Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

The Naughty List @ R3 Resort, Guereneville Queenie T T, Kelly Lynch, Lavon Godfrey and Steve Ausburne perform holiday-themed gay-friendly yet racy comedy, with MC Valeria Branch. $5. 9pm. (707) 869-8399. www.ther3hotel.com

Weekly live music shows with various acts, along with brunch, mimosas, champagne and more, at the stylish nightclub and restaurant. 2565 Mission St. at 21st. 920-0577. www.balancoiresf.com

Mon 22

Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon

Disco Daddy @ Eagle Tavern DJ Bus Station John's holiday editon of the classic disco dance night. 7pm12am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Drag Mondays @ The Cafe

Sun 21

Tue 23

Holiday Dance @ SF Citadel Dance party at the kink BDSM space's dungeon (and former nightclub, with an underlit dance floor!); with a Santa Cruise, photo booth, bondage rides and more. All proceeds benefit The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. Kink and/or holuday attire most welcome. $20. 7pm-11pm. 181 Eddy St. www.purplepass.com/ holidaydanceforncsf

Epic Karaoke @ White Horse, Oakland Mondays and Tuesdays popular weekly sing-along night. No cover. 8:30pm1am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 6523820. www.whitehorsebar.com

The weekly jock-ular fun continues, with special sports team fundraisers. 3pm-7pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com Haus of Starfish presents Kink Salon, open mic, performances, art. 6pm-9pm. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

sh for!

Sausage Party @ Hole in the Wall

net.com Club Rimshot @ Club BNB, Oakland

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle

Get groovin' at the weekly hip hop and R&B night at their new location. $8-$15. 9pm to 4am. 2120 Broadway. www.bench-and-bar.com

The classic leather bar's most popular Sunday daytime event in town draws the menfolk. 3pm-6pm. Now also on Saturdays! 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Dragula @ Eagle Tavern

Beer Bust @ SF Mix

The Boulet Brothers' drag-horror spectacle from LA returns, with a special "Christmas massacre" theme, hostess Heklina, and a $300 cash prize drag pageant. $5-$8. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy @ Feinstein's at the Nikko Our favorite singing Russian exiled royalty (aka performer J. Conrad Frank) returns with her Holiday Spectacular, a comic cabaret concert. $30-$45. 7pm. Also Dec. 21. ($20 food/drink min.) Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.ticketweb.com

The popular Castro bar hosts its weekly softball team beer bust fundraiser. 3pm-7pm. 4086 18th St. 431-8616. www.sfmixbar.com

Jose Guzman-Colon

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy @ Feinstein’s

Irish Dance Night @ Starry Plough, Berkeley

Enjoy holiday meats and brews at the SoMa dive bar. 4pm-7pm. 1369 Folsom St. 431-HOWL. www.hitws.com

Squrrrl @ The Stud

Karaoke @ The Lookout

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 The popular twice-weekly countrywestern dance night includes linedancing, two-stepping and lessons. $5. 6:30-10:30pm. Also Thursdays 6:30pm-10:30pm (closed dec 25). 550 Barneveld Ave. at Industrial. www.sundancesaloon.org

Paul K hosts the amateur singing night. 8pm-2am. 3600 16th St. at Market. www.lookoutsf.com

Mahogany Mondays @ Midnight Sun Honey Mahogany's weekly drag and musical talent show starts around 10pm. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Monday Musicals @ The Edge The casts of local and visiting musicals often pop in to perform at the popular Castro bar's musical theatre night. 7pm-2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pmclosing. 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Name That Beat @ Toad Hall BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly musical trivia challenge and drag show. 8:30-11:30pm. 4146 18th St. at Castro. www.toadhallbar.com

Big Top @ Beaux Joshua J.'s homo disco circus night returns, now weekly, with guest DJs and performers, hotty gogo guys and drink specials. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.BeauxSF.com

No No Bingo @ Virgil's Sea Room

BJ's @ Powerhouse Balls, Jocks & Socks night hosted by Michael Brandon, with booty boys, $1 Draft & $4 Svedka; 3rd Sundays, 9pm to 2am. $5. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Sat 20

Weekly dance lessons and live music at the pub-restaurant, hosted by John Slaymaker. $5. 7pm. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. www.thestarryplough.com

Trevor Sigler, Joe Pickett and Jake Brower DJ a benefit party, with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; 100% of the door goes to Larkin Street Youth Services! $5. 9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.squrrrl.com www.studsf.com

Fri 19 Yvonne Flores @ Feinstein’s

Bombshell Betty & Her Burlesqueteers @ Elbo Room

Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT and gay-friendly comedy night. Dec. 2; Thai Rivera headlines. onedrink or menu item minimum. 9pm. 500 Castro St. at 18th. 431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com

Liquid Brunch @ Beaux

Salsa dancing for LGBT folks and friends, with live merengue and cumbia bands; tapas and donations that support local causes. 2nd & 4th Sundays. 3pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. 282-3325. www.elriosf.com

Weekly screenings of music videos, concert footage, interviews and more, of popular pop stars. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Funny Tuesdays @ Harvey's

Kink Salon @ Powerhouse

Salsa Sundays @ El Rio

Block Party @ Midnight Sun

The weekly burlesque show of women dancers shaking their bonbons includes live music. $10. 9pm. 647 Valencia St. 552-7788. www.elbo.com

Jock @ The Lookout

All Year long!

Strip down to your skivvies at popular men's night. 9pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. www.the440.com

Dec. 15: Gia Gunn from RuPaul's Drag David Koz @ The Warfield Race season 6. Mahlae Balenciaga and DJ Kidd Sysko's weekly drag and dance night, 2014's last of the year. 9pm-1am. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Pollo del Mar's weekly drag shows takes on different themes with a comic edge. 8:30-11:30pm. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

No cover, no food, just drinks (Mimosas, Bloody Marys, etc.) and music. 2pm-9pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Underwear Night @ 440

Specials on drinks made with Cock and Bull ginger ale (Jack and Cock, Russian Mule, and more). 8pm-closing. 1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

GlamaZone @ The Cafe

kage

Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming accompanist Joe Wicht (aka Trauma Flintstone). 9pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market. www. dragatmartunis.com

Cock and Bull Mondays @ Hole in the Wall Saloon

Dave Koz & Friends @ Warfield Theatre

Sun 21

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni's

Donna Sachet hosts the weekly fabulous brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595. www.starlightroomsf.com

Brunch Sundays @ Balancoire

The pop jazz saxophonist's annual holiday concert includes Jonathan Butler, Christopher Cross and Maysa. $50-$125. 8pm. 982 Market St. www.goldenvoice.com

The ursine crowd converges for beer and fun. 4pm-8pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

Sunday's a Drag @ Starlight Room

Mica Sigourney and Tom Temprano cohost the wacky weekly game night at the cool Mission bar. 8pm. 3152 Mission St. www.virgilssf.com

Gay Skate Night @ Church on 8 Wheels LGBT night at the former Sacred Heart Church-turned disco roller skate party space, hosted by John D. Miles, the "Godfather of Skate." Actually, every night is gay-friendly, including Saturday's Black Rock night (Burning Man garb encouraged). Also Wed, Thu, 7pm-10pm. Sat afternoon sessions 1pm-2:30pm and 3pm-5:30pm. $10. Kids 12 and under $5. Skate rentals $5. 554 Fillmore St at Fell. www. churchof8wheels.com

Ink & Metal @ Powerhouse Show off your tattoos and piercings at the weekly cruisy SoMa bar night. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Meow Mix @ The Stud The weekly themed variety cabaret showcases new and unusual talents; MC Ferosha Titties. $3-$7. Show at 11pm. 9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.studsf.com

Naked Night @ Nob Hill Theatre Strip down at the strip joint while onstage strippers entertain. $20 includes refreshments. 8pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Piano Bar @ Beaux Singer extraordinaire Jason Brock hosts the weekly night, with your talented host –and even you– singing. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Showdown @ Folsom Foundry Weekly game night for board and electronic gamers at the warehouse multi-purpose nightclub. 21+. 6pm12am. 1425 Folsom St. www.showdownesports.com

See page 48 >>

<< On the Tab

48 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

On the Tab

From page 47

Switch @ Q Bar Weekly women's night at the stylish intimate bar. 9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

Trivia Night @ Hi Tops

Rainbow Skate @ Redwood Roller Rink

So You Think You Can Gogo? @ Toad Hall

Weekly LGBT and friends skate night, with groovy disco music and themed events. $9. 8pm-10:30pm. 1303 Main Street, Redwood City. www.rainbowskate.net www.facebook.com/rainbowskating/

The weekly dancing competition for gogo wannabes. 9pm. cash prizes, $2 well drinks (2 for 1 happy hour til 9pm). Show at 9pm. 4146 18th St. www.toadhallbar.com

Trivia Night @ Harvey's Gareth Gooch

Play the trivia game at the popular new sports bar. 9pm. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Wed 24 Bondage a GoGo @ Cat Club

PHOTOGRAPHY

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

Play board games and win offbeat prizes at the popular sports bar. 9pm. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Buy a drink and get a wooden nickle good for another. 12pm2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. www.the440.com

Bromance @ Beaux DJ Kidd Sysko spins tunes for the bro-tastic midweek night, with $2 beer pitchers, beer pong, $1 shots served by undie-clad guys. It's like a frat house without the closet cases. 8:30-10pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Thu 25 The Monster Show @ The Edge (open Xmas)

Dare 2 Bare @ Club OMG New weekly underwear night includes free clothes check, no cover, and drink specials. 9pm-2am. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Good Times @ Bench and Bar, Oakland

Red Hots Burlesque @ El Rio Women's burlesque show performs each Wed & Fri. Karaoke follows. $5$10. 7pm. 3158 Mission St. 282-3325. www.elriosf.com

The weekly fun night at the Bernal Heights bar includes prizes, hosted by Kitty Tapata. No cover. 7pm-10pm. 424 Cortland St. 647-3099. www.wildsidewest.com

Open Mic/Comedy @ SF Eagle Kollin Holts hosts the new weekly comedy and open mic talent night. 6pm-8pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

The Russian River bar's country music night attracts cowboys and those who like to ride 'em. 8pm-1am. 16220 Main St., Guerneville. (707) 869-0206. www.queersteer.com

Thu 25

[Many venues are closed for Christmas. Check in advance]

Bulge @ Powerhouse

Funny Fun @ Club 21, Oakland LGBT comedy night hosted by Dan Mires. $10. 8pm. 2111 Franklin St. Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy @ New Asia Restaurant

Miss Kitty's Trivia Night @ Wild Side West

Wrangler Wednesday @ Rainbow Cattle Company, Guerneville

Grace Towers hosts the weekly gogotastic night of sexy dudes shakin' their bulges and getting wet in their undies for $100 prize (with a contest at midnight), and dance beats spun by DJ DAMnation. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Olga T and Shugga Shay's weekly queer women and men's R&B hip hop and soul night, at the club's new location. No cover. 8pm-2am. 2120 Broadway, Oakland. www.bench-and-bar.com

22nd annual Chinese food and Jewish humor night returns, with Ophira Eisenberg, Jeremy Holtz, Simon Cadel, and host Lisa Geduldig. Enjoy a sevencourse dinner show at 5pm ($65), or the 8:30pm cocktail show (veggie dim sum) $45. Also Dec. 25 & 26. 772 Pacific Ave. www.KosherComedy.com

Way Back @ Midnight Sun

Wooden Nickel Wednesday @ 440

Bottoms Up Bingo @ Hi Tops

415 370 7152

BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly night of trivia quizzes and fun and prizes; no cover. 8pm-1pm. 500 Castro St. 4314278. www.harveyssf.com

Weekly screenings of vintage music videos and retro drink prices. Check out the new expanded front window lounge. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

The (mostly straight) kinky weekly dance night, where fetish gear is welcome; DJs Damon and Tomas Diablo play electro, goth, industrial, etc. 9:30pm-2:30am. 1190 Folsom St. www.bondage-a-go-go.com

Steven Underhill

Gym Class @ Hi Tops Enjoy cheap whiskey shots from jock-strapped hotties and sexy sports videos at the popular new sports bar. 10pm-2am. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge

Thu 25 Kenneth L. Kemp guest DJs Tubesteak Connection (open Xmas)

Rookies Night @ Nob Hill Theatre Watch newbies get nude, or compete yourself for a $200 prize. Audience picks the winner. $20. 9pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Cookie Dough's weekly drag show with gogo guys. Special Dec. 25 Christmas night show takes on the music of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Pan Dulce @ The Cafe Enjoy amazingly hot Papi gogo guys, cheap drinks and fun DJed dance music. Free before 10pm. $5 til 2am. 2369 Market St. www.clubpapi.com www.cafesf.com

Pussy Party @ Beaux Women's happy hour, with all-women music and live performances, 2 for 1 drinks, and no cover. 5pm-9am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Thump @ White Horse, Oakland Weekly electro music night with DJ Matthew Baker and guests. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie's Lounge Christmas Night special with guest DJs Kenneth L. Kemp and John F*cking Cartwright, plus guru DJ Bus station John; Enjoy retro disco tunes and a fun diverse crowd, each Thursday; now in its tenth year! $4. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com Want your nightlife event listed? Email events@ebar.com, at least two weeks before your event. Event photos welcome.

Read more online at www.ebar.com

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 49

Guard-ons by John F. Karr

hat a swell idea! Need a last minute gift? How about a homemade gift certificate good for a one-month membership to your friend’s VOD site of choice? Then, every time he wanks off in front of his computer, he’ll think of you. I complained only half in jest in a recent review that the vast expanse of RagingHotFalcon’s new facility in Las Vegas dwarfed the performers coupling so assiduously within it. It is an earlier view of that warehouse that we get in the conglomerate’s Monster Bang release, Guard Patrol, before all the clutter of moving in had been dealt with. The movie’s easy hook finds the warehouse’s night watchmen resolving a break-in by attempting to vigorously dildo and fuck the apprehended culprit far beyond his capacity. They’re dealing with Brian

Bonds, however, so the most extreme splintering of ass and multiple cock maulings of mouth are met with a gurgling gloat and a “gimme more” attitude that only Mr. B could exhibit. But first, director Bruno Bond’s Guard Patrol gives us a half hour with horny Security Guards Ryan Rose (an RHF Exclusive) and Christian Wilde. “Whattaya wanna do?” asks Rose. Comes the reply, “How about the same thing we do every night?” And comes my reply, that while the guys provide the expected gung-ho, high-energy fling, it’s kind of the same thing they do every time. They suck and slobber, they grit their teeth, and clench their jaws. They writhe and moan as butt cheeks are invaded, and

It’s a lip lock for Christian Wilde and Ryan Rose, in a screengrab from Guard Patrol.

“This is what you like?” Mitch Vaughn sneers at Brian Bonds with an extra large dildo, in a screengrab from Guard Patrol.

Mitch Vaughn, David Benjamin and Rocco Steele, finishing off what they started, in a screengrab from Guard Patrol.

Rocco Steele, David Benjamin and Mitch Vaugn in Guard Patrol.

somebody growls, “You like that, don’tcha?” Fans will no doubt go for it; I found it a little pro forma. The most notable thing about the scene is that Rose’s jock strap isn’t just outta the box, like most sexo costumes. It looks funky, stretched and discolored like it’s already seen a few battles. That lends the scene a verisimilitude that the performers, otherwise as proficient and professional as porn stars can be, don’t provide. That leaves a full 90 minutes for a gang of three to pulverize Brian Bonds. The scene’s a movie unto itself. Bonds breaks into the building, only to be accosted by Security Guard Mitch Vaughn, in the exact same clearing in the clutter where the first scene took place. What; couldn’t a second site for sex be dug out of the disorder? At any rate, Bond’s trailing a backpack that’s stuffed with dildos. Why does someone break into a warehouse with a backpack of dildos? That’s a question that will be answered anon, so don’t sweat it. Bonds and Vaughn work up a sweat, though, as Vaughn works a prodigious tool up Bond’s bum. It’s a designer dildo in a very tasty pale coral color, very long and with a snake’s undulating curves. Although Vaughn’s dildo technique is unsophisticated, he works tirelessly upon Bond’s ass for some time (his shiny biceps bulging as he pumps that thing). Bond begs, “I wanna suck your dick,” and takes over the toy, plugging himself while being fortunate enough to simultaneously suck Vaughn’s fine piece of meat. A full twenty minutes of toying transpires before ten minutes of highimpact fucking concludes the scene. Bond, after being toyed and cocked, gets to lick up Vaughn’s semen (and get paid for doing it). Suddenly appearing on the scene as back up to Vaughn are sleekly groomed David Benjamin and roughed up Rocco Steele—he of the redwood-sized dick. They satisfy our inquiring minds by asking, “Why’d you break into a warehouse with a bag full of dildos?” Bond’s reply is simple. “I was horny.” Now, if you wanted to provoke somebody into wreaking some dildo havoc on your ass, would you look for said person in a locked down warehouse? So the logic of this reply escapes me. It sounds clever, but really clever would have been Bond breaking into someplace where he might actually expect to find a dildo dom. Like the Mayor’s office, a clam bake, or The Sister’s Bingo Night. Bond’s plain old lucky this warehouse had a welcoming committee. Because of them, a movie that started purely professional ends up powerfully poppin’. Benjamin improvises a dildo from a guard’s flashlight, a neverending tube at least four D batteries long. As his ass is fulfilled, Bond gets to suck two rather impressive cocks. Steele’s is incomparable, the

best in the business. When toy time ends, Bond gets to suck all three cocks. It’s a feast of man-flesh, ending with a hors d’ouvre-sized semen shot into Bond’s mouth from Steele, a three-course meal of a shot from Benjamin, and a qualified misfire from Vaughn. He cums buckets, but spurts so high most of the milky blessing arches far over Bond’s mouth. And there’s more! A full half hour

of relentless, frenzy fuck—Bond lowered onto the mast of Steele’s cock, a DP, and all three guys taking solo turns. Guard Patrol ends with another round of cum shots for all. All told, three hot tops dishing out unrelenting punishment to an insatiable bottom makes for one rough rumble. Pretty exciting.t www.RagingStallion.com

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50 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 18-24, 2014

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Shooting Stars

December 18-24, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 51

photos by Steven Underhill Help Is On the Way

he Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation’s thirteenth annual Help Is On the Way for the Holidays concert, held at Marines’ Memorial Theatre on December 8, included a stellar array of talent: cast members from the touring production of Kinky Boots, the theatre’s show Meshuganutcracker, LaToya London, Davis Gaines, Jai Rodriguez, Jason Brock, and many others. The delicious dessert after-party was held at the Adagio Hotel. For more information on upcoming concerts and their recipients, visit www.reaf.org More event photo albums are on BARtab’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at www.StevenUnderhill.com.

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