March 12, 2015 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

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Lara seeks bar review of ‘shoot gays’ attorney by David-Elijah Nahmod

gay state lawmaker is firing back against a proposed ballot initiative that seeks to shoot to death homosexuals, asking the State Bar of California to investigate the attorney behind the measure. State Senator Ri- State Senator cardo Lara (D-Los Ricardo Lara Angeles) has called on the state bar to review attorney Matthew McLaughlin, who submitted the Sodomite Suppression Act to the state attorney general’s office last week, to determine if he is in violation of the bar’s “good moral character” clause that’s required for bar membership. McLaughlin, a conservative Orange County attorney, has been roundly criticized for the initiative, which most political observers say has no chance of getting the more than 350,000 qualified signatures for the 2016 ballot. In his letter to state bar board President Craig Holden, Lara said he is “deeply disturbed” that a member of the bar would “promote such pitiful, evil, and hateful statements in his proposed initiative.” McLaughlin’s initiative calls for LGBT people to be “put to death by bullets to the head.” The proposal also calls for imprisonment of people who support LGBTs, and that they should be fined, exiled from the state, and barred from public office. “I was shocked to hear that in 2015 we have an ill-intentioned measure that calls for killing gay people, just because of who they love,” Lara told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview Monday, March 9. “It reminds me that while we’ve made great strides in LGBT equality, we still have so much work to do, even in a state as progressive as California.” Lara said that McLaughlin’s measure isn’t just offensive, but an actual violation of the California bar’s code of conduct for attorneys. “Qualification to become a licensed attorney not only includes educational requirements and an examination, but also requires demonstrated ‘good moral character,’” Lara said. “The state bar’s admissions rules on good moral character include that those seeking admission to the bar demonstrate respect and obedience for the law, and respect for the rights of others and the judicial process.” Rule 2-400 of the California Bar Association Code prohibits licensed practitioners from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation when rendering legal services, Lara pointed out. The senator also said that he would look into passing legislation barring discriminatory or See page 14 >>

Vol. 45 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2015

SF Pride honors Dlugacz, Garza, TLC by Cynthia Laird

album of artists who came out to make a musical retrio of San Fransponse to Anita Bryant.” cisco Pride comBryant, at the time a munity grand spokeswoman for Florida marshals have been anorange juice, was waging nounced, with more exan anti-gay campaign. pected to be named soon. “Today we march under Judy Dlugacz, the the banner of Olivia Travel founder and president of and celebrate 25 years of Rick Gerharter Olivia Travel, received the creating exclusive vacations Irene Young Courtesy Alicia Garza Transgender Law most votes from the pubfor lesbians,” Dlugacz said, Center Executive #BlackLivesMatter colic, San Francisco Pride of- Olivia Travel coadding that Olivia takes Director Kris Hayashi founder Alicia Garza ficials said March 6, while founder Judy Dlugacz over the whole cruise ship #BlackLivesMatter coor resort for its vacations. that has caused significant harm to the LGBT founder Alicia Garza was “And throughout this community, SF Pride officials said. named a grand marshal Tuesday, March 10 by time Pride has been there each year celebratDlugacz, a lesbian, has long been involved the general membership of the San Francisco ing and marching, showing the world that we in the women’s community. She founded OlLGBT Pride Celebration Committee. will accept no less than our full rights,” she ivia Records in 1973; the company moved to Pride officials also announced that the added. “The parade also reaffirms that our Transgender Law Center was named orga- Oakland in 1978. She founded Olivia Travel community has a strength of commitment to nizational grand marshal for the June 27-28 in 1990. It is now the world’s largest company the diversity of our community and an underserving the lesbian community, with cruises Pride festivities. standing of the preciousness of freedom.” After counting and verifying the ballots, and resorts, including riverboat trips, and saDlugacz, 63, divides her time between San faris and other adventures. SF Pride officials said that Dlugacz garnered Francisco and Washington, D.C., where she In a brief interview Tuesday, Dlugacz said 39 percent of the vote from a field of 10 canalso has a residence. She has been recognized she’s looking forward to Pride. didates. Pride board Vice President Marsha by the Golden Gate Business Association, an “I am thrilled to be chosen as a grand LGBT chamber of commerce, and honored Levine said the organization received over marshal for the most important Pride in the 7,250 votes, about 350 more than last year. by Ernst and Young as its northern California Rounding out public voting, the anti-gay country,” she said. “I started going to SF Pride Entrepreneur of the Year. in 1978, the year Olivia Records moved to the American Family Association will receive See page 5 >> Bay Area and released Lesbian Concentrate, an the pink brick, a faux award given to a group

Alzheimer’s a growing concern among LGBTs by Matthew S. Bajko

proximately 3,213 LGBT seniors living with the disease. Another decade ago Lou Bord2,142 LGBT seniors aged 65 and isso found himself lost one older are expected to be living with morning in the downtown other diseases that cause dementia. San Francisco office complex where According to a report commishe worked. He walked endlessly sioned in 2013 by the city’s LGBT down corridors and took fruitless Aging Policy Task Force, the numrides on the elevator desperate to ber of LGBT people living with all find the room where his weekly forms of dementia in San FranMonday meetings were held. cisco will number 6,964 by 2030. “It was in the other twin tower “This will be a major challenge and I just couldn’t find it,” recalled to us as a nation as we age and live Bordisso, 61, a gay man who lives longer if we don’t get our arms Rick Gerharter in Vallejo with his husband. around this sooner than later,” One day he found himself David W. Coon, Ph.D., left, speaks on a roundtable discussion with said gay state Senator Mark Leno trapped in Macy’s, unable to figure fellow panelists Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, Ph.D., caregivers Joyce (D-San Francisco), whose famout how to exit the department Pierson and Nicky Pyne, and moderator Michelle Alcedo during the ily spent 10 years caring for his store. He would forget passcodes Dementia Awareness and Caregiving for LGBT Older Adults from mother after she was diagnosed Diverse Communities conference. he previously recalled with ease. with Alzheimer’s. “She was very As a case manager he roufortunate though as horrible, “I can’t remember washing my hair or not,” tinely was called upon to testify in horrible as the disease was. She Bordisso said. “I devised a system where I put court. But on the stand he would lose his train turned into a ball of love in the final months, I the shampoo bottle on the other side of the am certain because of the love and support she of thought midsentence. A psychiatrist treated shower after I use it so I don’t wash my hair him for cognitive impairments, but his sympwas surrounded by.” three or four times.” toms continued to worsen. Leno was addressing a recent daylong training As the number of LGBT older adults continues His vision deteriorated to the point where the Northern California and Northern Nevada he couldn’t judge spatial distances. One day he to grow in tandem with the boom in America’s Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association co-sponsenior population, so too is concern about the indrove his car into a pole in a parking lot, ending sored in San Francisco to educate health care creasing number of LGBT seniors diagnosed with providers, such as nurses, physician’s assistants, his time behind the wheel. forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s. Eventually a neurologist diagnosed Bordisso and family caregivers, about the specific issues In San Francisco alone health officials esti- LGBT patients with dementia confront. with early onset Alzheimer’s disease as well as mate that the number of older residents living Lewy body dementia. Even simple day-to-day See page 13 >> with Alzheimer’s will be 26,774 by 2020, with aptasks can present difficulties for him.

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2 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

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Murder trial turns to victim’s stamina by Seth Hemmelgarn

urors in the trial of a man accused of stabbing and beating to death his older gay roommate in 2011 heard testimony this week related to whether the victim had raped the defendant, as the defense claims. Waheed Kesmatyer, 28, is charged with murder in the death of Nob Hill resident Jack Baker, 67, whose nearly decapitated body was found February 11, 2011 in his apartment at 1035 Bush Street. Kesmatyer’s parents have been a virtually constant presence in the courtroom. At one point, his mother wept as photographs police took of her thin, hunched over son around the time of his arrest. In his opening statements February 23, Deputy Public Defender Hadi Razzaq said that Kesmatyer, who’s straight, had woken up to Baker raping him the night Kesmatyer killed him. Baker had then held up a knife to Kesmatyer in the kitchen and cut him, beginning the struggle that led to Baker’s death, Razzaq said. Through many of the witnesses she presented, Assistant District Attorney Diana Garcia worked to dispute the claim that Baker, who was 5 feet 5 inches tall, had raped the younger, taller Kesmatyer. Craig Riedel, 57, a friend of Baker’s, testified that when he’d last seen Baker a week before his body was found, Baker “just wasn’t moving as well” as he used to, and had “kind of hobbled a little.” But responding to questions from Razzaq Tuesday, Riedel said that despite bemoaning the uphill walk to his Nob Hill apartment from Hayes Valley, Baker had rejected the idea of taking a bus or cab and had walked home. Joseph Del Barba, who’d been

Baker’s supervisor at Razzaq was expectMacy’s department ed to cross-examine store, had told Garcia Wong Wednesday that shortly before his morning, March 11, death, Baker had fallen just before the Bay from a ladder and hurt Area Reporter went to his hip or back. press. Tuesday, however, Images displayed Del Barba testified during the trial, which under cross-examinais expected to conclude tion by Razzaq that he in early April, have hadn’t seen the accishown blood throughCourtesy Amy Hall dent. He also said that out much of Baker’s Baker had still been Murder victim Jack apartment, including able to carry man- Baker, shown in a 2006 the ceiling of the dinnequins that weighed photo. ing room, where Bakabout 50 pounds, er’s body was found among other duties. beneath a large number of decorative Photos of Baker’s badly decomitems; the kitchen; bathroom; and posed body were displayed in court Kesmatyer’s bedroom. last week, showing an electrical cord Garcia has said Kesmatyer “was still knotted around his neck and sevthe sole source of DNA” connected eral stab wounds in his head and back. with “many of the blood stains” Garcia also brought in police found in the apartment. criminalist Kimberly Wong, who This week, Garcia brought in a testified Tuesday about testing rewitness who disputed the notion sults of DNA from swabs of Baker’s that there had been an altercation in penis and scrotum and cuts of the Baker’s kitchen. underwear that he’d been wearing Monday, March 9, Michael when his body was found. Gaynor, a former police inspector The swabs from Baker’s penis and and an expert in blood stain pattern scrotum showed DNA from mateanalysis, said that based on the blood rials that included sperm cells that stain patterns, and since nothing in matched Baker, but not Kesmatyer, the kitchen had been knocked over, according to Wong. “I don’t believe there was a struggle She testified that some of the uninside the kitchen,” and the only derwear samples showed a “mixture room where there had been a fight of DNA” that included sperm, with was the adjacent dining room. testing showing Baker as a “possible Gaynor said that he’d reviewed contributor” to the “major contribuphotos and reports associated with tor” of the material. However, in the case and had gone to Baker’s some cases related to the minor conapartment about two months after tributor, there wasn’t enough genetic his body was found. material to determine conclusively Razzaq has said that before Bakwhether Kesmatyer was a match. er’s death, Kesmatyer, who’s been in Wong said there were many reacustody since his arrest in February sons people’s DNA could be mixed 2011, had suffered molestation and together, including laundry habits. other trauma in his life.t

Oakland Pride announces parade, festival date change compiled by Cynthia Laird

rganizers of the sixth annual Oakland Pride festival have announced that this year’s event will be held after Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 13. Typically, the East Bay Pride festival has taken place the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Spokesman Carlos Uribe told the CONTACT US TODAY TO SCHEDULE S Bay Area Reporter in an email that A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION there were several reasons for the date change, “the biggest one being that we’ve had so many requests over the BespokeMatchmaking.com years to move the date off of Labor Day weekend in order to allow for more local Bay Area folks to attend.” Uribe also said the date change would open up different and new 3.75 inch wide x 4.indd 30 11/11/2014 4:44:57 PM talent “who may not have been available before because of the holiday.” And cost benefits figured into the switch as well, he said, explaining that labor and other services are less expensive on non-holiday time periods. That would allow Oakland Pride Genuine & Personal Homecare offers compassionate care organizers to “look at for LGBT seniors who want to age in place but need hiring union-friendly support to live comfortably in their own home. contractors who would have just been too exLight Housekeeping • Companionship • Mobility Support pensive for a festival of Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care • Medication Reminders our size,” Uribe said. Fall Prevention • Shopping • Personal Appointments Uribe also said that Eating Assistance • Menu Planning and Preparation organizers are planning for a parade and hope it Kevin Pete & Kenneth Boozer, Owners is bigger and better than last year’s inaugural effort. We invite you to contact us directly to discuss your needs As for a theme, Uribe said organizers are still in the process of or a FREE initial in-home assessment. finalizing it and hopes it can be announced later this month. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m., at

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Kids led off the inaugural Oakland Pride parade last September.

14th and Broadway followed by the festival at 20th and Broadway in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. For more information, visit www. oaklandpride.org.

Producer in final stages of Sarria film

Producer Joe Castel has announced that he’s in the completion phase of his film about Jose Sarria, the first openly gay American to run for public office in 1961 and the founder of the Imperial Court charitable organization, and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to solicit funds. The film, Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of Jose Sarria, is a feature documentary on the drag cabaret performer and gay rights activist,

who died in 2013. It revolves around personal footage taken by Castel, a close friend of Sarria’s, spanning 23 years from 1992-2013. Castel said the film is important and more than a history lesson. “It’s a triumphant story of the human spirit, a hero’s journey of a man fighting unjust laws and uniting a fractured community,” Castel said on the Indiegogo page explaining the project. “Jose stands as a courageous role model to people still struggling with their sexual identity and self-esteem.” In terms of finishing the project, Castel said the crew still needs to conduct six days of interviews with Sarria’s contemporaries, historians, LGBT politicians, and close friends; and several production days for additional b-roll footage. See page 13 >>

National News>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 3

Hepatitis C a focus at CROI

Liz Highleyman

Researchers David Wyles and Susanna Naggie presented studies on hepatitis C treatment for HIV/HCV coinfected people at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

by Liz Highleyman

ew interferon-free treatment can cure nearly 100 percent of HIV-positive people coinfected with hepatitis C virus, researchers reported at the recent 2015 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle. But another study showed that delaying treatment results in a higher risk of liver-related complications and death even after being cured. CROI has emphasized hepatitis C along with HIV in recent years, coinciding with the development of highly effective, interferon-free antiviral therapy. HCV was not identified as a distinct virus until 1989, noted Charles Rice from the Rockefeller University, who gave the opening lecture on the evolution of hepatitis C treatment. Today, an estimated 3 million people in the U.S. and as many as 170 million worldwide are living with hepatitis C, and about one-third of people with HIV are thought to also have HCV. Over years or decades, chronic HCV infection can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and the need for a liver transplant. Progression happens faster, on average, among HIV/ HCV coinfected people. Interferon-free treatment “represents a very significant, almost revolutionary, medical advance,” Rice said. Clearing HCV lowers the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer, “which is a very good reason for treating and getting rid of this virus in all patients that can be identified.”

Treatment for coinfected people

Two studies presented at the conference showed that HIV/HCV coinfected people can expect the same high cure rates as HIV-negative people using recently or soonto-be approved antivirals. Susanna Naggie from Duke Clinical Research Institute presented results from ION-4, a trial evaluating Gilead Science’s HCV polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir and NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir – the drugs in the Harvoni coformulation approved last October. The study enrolled 335 coinfected participants, mostly with HCV genotype 1 (the most common type in the U.S.). After 12 weeks of treatment plus 12 weeks of post-treatment follow-up, 96 percent of patients had sustained virological response, considered to be cured. Response rates were similar for previously untreated people and non-responders to prior treatment, and for those with and without cirrhosis. Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir was generally safe and well tolerated with no major adverse effects. David Wyles from UC San Diego reported findings from the ALLY-2 trial, which looked at sofosbuvir plus another NS5A inhibitor, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s daclatasvir, in 203 coinfected people with a range

of HCV genotypes. Daclatasvir, which is currently awaiting FDA approval, is active against multiple genotypes, while sofosbuvir only works against genotype 1. Sustained response rates were 96 percent for previously untreated participants and 98 percent for prior non-responders treated for 12 weeks. But the cure rate fell to just 76 percent for people treated for only eight weeks. Patients with cirrhosis had lower cure rates regardless of treatment duration. Again, treatment was generally safe and well-tolerated. Speaking at a CROI news conference, Naggie and Wyles both noted that their studies saw response rates for HIV/HCV coinfected people as high as those for HIV-negative people in previous studies. In contrast, the old interferon-based treatment did not work as well for coinfected patients. “These are really exceptional cure rates and they are very safe regimens,” Naggie said. “ION-4 and ALLY-2 offer great options for people who are coinfected.”

Who needs treatment and when?

Monina Klevens, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented a study of the distribution of liver disease among people with hepatitis C, focusing on the 19451965 birth cohort that accounts for around 80 percent of cases in the U.S. The CDC recommends that everyone in this age group should be screened for HCV at least once regardless of risk factors. The researchers collected anonymous data from Quest Diagnostics about nearly 300,000 positive HCV viral load tests during 2010-2013. They used three liver function tests (ALT, AST, and platelet count) to calculate a FIB-4 score, which can be used instead of a liver biopsy to estimate the stage of liver damage. Overall, FIB-4 scores indicated that 22 percent of tested patients had severe fibrosis and 18 percent had cirrhosis, while 20 percent had little or no fibrosis. Looking at just the 1945-1965 age group, nearly half had severe fibrosis or cirrhosis. “Persons with this stage of severe HCV-related liver disease are a high priority for treatment,” the researchers concluded. When interferon was the standard of care for hepatitis C, experts generally recommended that patients delay treatment until they developed advanced liver disease, allowing those who never progressed to that stage to avoid difficult and often futile treatment. Now that highly effective and well-tolerated interferon-free therapy is available, many providers and advocates think everyone living with hepatitis C should be eligible for treatment. But the high cost of the new drugs has led to restrictions See page 13 >>

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

What A study to develop a vaccine against smallpox for people who are HIV positive Who HIV positive adults, 18 to 45 years of age, with t-cells below 500 Pay Participants will receive 2-3 vaccinations and up to $1350 Details For more information, please call Erika at Quest Clinical Research – (415) 353-0800 or email erika@questclinical.com

www.questclinical.com

4 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Volume 45, Number 11 March 12-18, 2015 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.

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t Baseball tries to strike out homophobia

pring training is underway for the 30 Major League Baseball clubs and already some teams are attempting to be more inclusive (read: less anti-gay) in the clubhouse. Billy Bean, a gay former ballplayer, is now baseball’s inclusion ambassador and it’s heartening to see some teams reach out to him. One of the early participants was the New York Mets, whose general manager, Sandy Alderson, invited Bean to Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the team holds spring training. But the visit was not without issue, as the New York Times recently reported. One player, Daniel Murphy, told reporters that while he welcomed Bean’s presence and was ready to play with a gay teammate, he could not condone Bean’s homosexuality. He also said he disagrees with the “lifestyle” of people who are gay. According to the Times, Murphy is known around the Mets organization for his religious devotion. Alderson said that he has no problem with Murphy expressing his feelings. “I thought he made an effort to reconcile his own religious beliefs with Billy’s presence here yesterday and in the clubhouse,” Alderson told the Times. “Not everybody’s going to be as open to that kind of situation as others. But if we have 23 or 24 guys who are open-minded – I’m happy he was honest.” So are we. It’s always better to know who has your back and who doesn’t. We would suggest that Murphy try to outgrow his homophobia and for that, he can turn to another professional baseball player, San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt. Affeldt, too, was not pro-gay. Two years ago he wrote a book, To Stir a Movement: Life, Justice, and Major League Baseball, that detailed just how homophobic he was – and how wrong he was to feel that way. Affeldt wrote that he refused to leave his hotel room when he came to the Bay Area to play the Giants or the Oakland A’s as an opposing player. When he joined the Giants several years ago, he said that he was determined to

get rid of his negative feelings toward the gay population, a 2013 story on Huffington Post stated. “There’s a chapter in there of me coming to San Francisco and being hesitant because I had homophobia, and now I don’t,” he said. “I see more San Francisco as a city of love and a city of passion and compassion. It’s unbelievable this city. To see that and to have my heart change as a city I didn’t ever want to come to, to a city that I’m so thankful I’m going to be part of for a long time, it talks about that. For me, it was an awesome deal.” Affeldt, who also has strong religious beliefs, was able to see past the negativity that Murphy still harbors. He said that he now has gay friends and colleagues and that people are all humans. And here’s a point that Murphy would be smart to understand: he’s probably already

played ball with gay athletes; they’re just not out yet. MLB umpire Dale Scott came out in December – another person Murphy likely will encounter over the six-month season. The Giants, of course, have gone out of their way this year to support the community. It was one of several professional teams to submit an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage. The Tampa Bay Rays and football champs New England Patriots also filed similar briefs. This development would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, but public opinion is now so strongly supportive of marriage equality that even pro sports teams don’t run the risk of alienating fans by coming out for equal marriage rights. Murphy can chew on that during his spring training outings and hopefully come to understand that we live our lives, not a lifestyle. When the season begins next month, maybe he’ll realize that Christians can and do support LGBT rights – he need look no further than Affeldt.t

A grandfather’s hope for the future by Mike Honda

am the proud jiichan, or grandfather, of three beautiful grandchildren: my two grandsons and one granddaughter. Being a grandparent is one of my most rewarding life experiences. I am able to relive the joy of raising my own children. I enjoy seeing my daughter raise her children with the same grace and love she learned from her mother. I am given pure and unconditional love only grandchildren can give. Yet, even though I try to offer guidance to my grandchildren in hopes of being an inspiration, I have come to realize that it is them who have become my role models, helping me see the world through their strength, innocence, and hopeful worldviews. Eight years ago, my second grandchild was welcomed into the world and assigned male at birth. We soon learned that this child was someone truly special. The following years of toddlerhood brought about situations that would have our family begin to question society’s views on binary gender. At about 18 months, the child announced to my daughter’s family, “I’m a girl,” and asked to be called “daughter” and “sister.” An affinity for stereotypical girl things and clothes became apparent, and at about age 3, with clarity and confidence, a family announcement was made: “I want to be called Malisa.” She was welcomed by the family to be true to herself, but made the choice to present male in public for the next few years. One day at preschool, a classmate asked Malisa why she liked to play dress up and wear “girl-things.” Having overheard this conversation, her teacher was moved to tell my daughter about Malisa’s perfect response. The teacher’s voice, full of joy and admiration, relayed the conversation and said the confident response summed up what all people should want children to feel: “My mom says I can wear whatever makes me happy.” For her eighth birthday present, I was honored to be able to gift her something many 8-year-old girls wish for, regardless of what they are assigned

surrounding transgender at birth: pierced ears. It is homicide and suicide. My moments like this that make tweet has been viewed over being a grandparent so spe1.2 million times. That’s 1.2 cial and I was honored to be million opportunities to give there for her. a child the courage to express Over the years, given the who they are. The hope of freedom to be true to herencouraging a parent, grandself, she has matured into an parent, or sibling the courage amazing young person. Her to start a necessary dialogue comfort in knowing who so their family knows they she is, and her desire to be are supported. To remind understood and accepted as people of the courage it takes a female, became consistent, for someone simply to expersistent, and insistent. Lisa Tims Photography press who they are. I admit it was not immeCongressman Mike Honda with My family and I are overdiately comfortable learnhis granddaughter, Malisa. whelmed by the response ing to use a new pronoun we have received with thouand name, making the sands of comments, messages, and tweets inevitable mistakes that come with thanking us for sharing our story. We have understanding something new, and read touching stories of parents and grandparfinding the strength to push my ents of transgender children who appreciate personal fears of a more difficult Malisa’s courage to be a role model. Families life for a loved one aside. What have reached out asking for resources to help made it easy was Malisa’s vibrant, them begin their own journey. Others have yet shy, smile flash across her realized that it is okay to admit they know very face when she first heard me call little about the transgender community and her by her affirmed name. That now want to learn. Every step toward knowlmade me see that loving her was edge is a step forward for the community. all she needed. It’s that simple. It Mutual respect is an element of humanity. was the validation of knowing her family supIt’s one of my guiding principles in the formaports her and allows her to be true to what she tion of the Congressional Anti-Bullying Cauhas known as far back as she can remember – cus: (https://antibullyingcaucus-honda.house. she was born a girl. gov/). Respect comes through recognition. I, myself, continue to become a stronger Malisa, and the many other individuals like ally by asking questions, listening, and having her, deserve not merely tolerance and accepan open heart. It is the gesture of embracing tance, but recognition of their affirmed gender differences and not fearing the unknown. It is identity. I hope our journey becomes an inrealizing that support and acceptance is essenspiration – a source of courage – for children, tial to helping an ever-growing community of parents, and friends to recognize individuals, young people finding the courage and confilike Malisa, for the beautiful people they are.t dence to be themselves. Recently, I chose a simple act of public affirmation by tweeting about my support and love Representative Mike Honda is an eightfor Malisa. By sharing our experience, my hope term congressman from the South Bay area. He represents California’s 17th is to start a public conversation for families and District in the U.S. House of Representasociety about acceptance and support for transtives, which includes Cupertino, Fremont, gender children and adults. This conversation Milpitas, Newark, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale will in turn bring awareness of bullying and and one-third of San Jose. depression leading to the terrifying statistics

Politics>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

LGBTs lend early support to Harris US Senate bid by Matthew S. Bajko

ore than a dozen LGBT leaders from across California have already signed on to support Attorney General Kamala Harris’ bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 2016. The latest to publicly join the list are gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and gay San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener. Both lawmakers confirmed to the Bay Area Reporter they had given their endorsement to Harris, formerly San Francisco’s district attorney until her election to statewide office in 2010. “She is a longtime champion of the LGBT community, as she is a longtime champion of universal human and civil rights. It is in her DNA,” said Leno. “I am ready and prepared to assist anyway I can.” Wiener told the B.A.R. that he had endorsed Harris “out of the gate” when she announced her candidacy in January for the seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer. “I am an enthusiastic supporter,” said Wiener. “She is a stellar candidate and a huge champion for the LGBT community. Most importantly, a lot of people know she will be a very effective senator and also a very dynamic presence on the national stage. Kamala has a great combination of smarts and charisma.” Asked about the early support Harris has received within the state’s LGBT community, Leno recalled how she has been steadfast in her backing of the fight for marriage equality. “Kamala Harris was at my side at City Hall in 2004 performing marriages long before she became attorney general,” said Leno, referring to when then-Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered city officials to marry samesex couples in early February of that year, unleashing a nearly decadelong fight for marriage equality in the Golden State. At the time, Harris was newly sworn-in to her role as the city’s D.A. Six years later she pledged not to defend the state’s ban against same-sex marriage, known as Proposition 8, in federal court should she be elected attorney general. “Once elected, of course, not only did she keep her promise, she officiated the wedding of one of the two couples who petitioned the case before the U.S. Supreme Court,” noted Leno. Harris also intervened to ensure the other couple in the case could marry that Friday evening of June 28, 2013 in Los Angeles by calling the Los Angeles County registrar and clerk’s office to order them to begin marrying same-sex couples “immediately,” a scene captured live on the news and in the HBO documentary The Case Against 8. The officiant of that marriage was former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who flirted with running against Harris for the Senate seat before deciding not to in late February. So far no other Democrat has

SF Pride

From page 1

She has combined her entrepreneurial spirit with a commitment to serve the community as a founding partner in the USAID LGBT Global Development Partnership, which was created to support and fund LGBT organizations throughout the developing world, according to a news release from SF Pride. Dlugacz also helped found the

Jane Philomen Cleland

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has lined up early LGBT support for her 2016 U.S. Senate race.

officially entered the race, with speculation growing Harris could have the field to herself within her party. “Only time will tell,” said Leno when asked if he thinks another Democrat would seek the Senate seat. “What can be said with certainty is that she is a formidable candidate.” A number of LGBT residents across California share that view, and over the last two months, have endorsed Harris for the Senate seat. San Francisco leaders Joyce Newstat, an aide to Newsom when he was mayor; Matthew Rothschild, who works for San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera; and Brian Leubitz, a political consultant who worked on Harris’ re-election campaign last year, are advising Harris’ Senate campaign. Also lending their support to Harris are Geoff Kors, the former executive director of Equality California, the statewide LGBT advocacy group, and Tim Silard, a gay man who had worked for Harris as a policy adviser in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. One issue they tackled was opposing so-called gay panic and trans panic defense strategies in murder trials. Since 2008 Silard has served as president of the San Francisco-based Rosenberg Foundation, which funds social and economic justice programs throughout California. He has maintained strong ties to Harris, working on her campaigns and advising her on a number of issues she has tackled while in Sacramento, as well as having her preside over his own marriage last summer. In a statement to the B.A.R. Harris said she is “honored to have the support of so many committed LGBT leaders throughout our state. We have worked together on the front lines in the battle for equality, and have so much work left ahead of us. I am grateful to have their support in my campaign for Senate, and I look forward to continuing our work together in the years to come.” Lesbian Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and gay Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia were LGBT Haiti Relief fund of the Red Cross, and has supported numerous organizations, including the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Lesbian Community Cancer Project, and the National Organization for Women. Garza, 34, co-founded #BlackLivesMatter, which began as a hashtag and grew into a national organizing project that is an affirmation and embrace of the resistance and resilience of black people. She works as the special projects direc-

among the first out electeds to publicly endorse Harris shortly after she announced her campaign in January. “From her relentless advocacy for California homeowners, to her innovative crime fighting strategies as California’s top cop, Kamala is exactly what California needs to carry on the strong legacy and powerful example set by Barbara Boxer,” stated Atkins. In announcing his endorsement of Harris, Garcia stated, “As attorney general, she has consistently fought for all Californians – including homeowners, children, consumers, and same-sex couples. I look forward to campaigning side-by-side with Kamala Harris and continuing our partnership when she is representing California in the Senate.” Last week Harris named gay former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles) as co-chair of her Senate campaign. “As attorney general, she has been a fighter for middle class families, for children, for immigrants, and for the environment,” stated Perez. “She will continue to be a tough, practical, results-oriented leader when she is in the Senate. I look forward to campaigning alongside Kamala Harris and working with her when she is representing California in Washington, D.C.” Other out officials who have endorsed Harris include Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang; former state Senator Art Torres of San Francisco, who came out as gay after stepping down as chairman of the state Democratic Party; and San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros. “I am proud to support Kamala Harris for the U.S. Senate,” stated Cisneros. “As San Francisco’s chief investment officer, I appreciate Kamala’s deep commitment to expanding opportunity for the middle class. Kamala Harris is a fighter for Californians, standing up for consumers, protecting immigrant communities, and ensuring equality for all. I look forward to supporting her campaign.”

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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415-781-6500 *Certified by the California State Bar 400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA

Republican enters Senate race

Last week saw the first Republican formally announce his candidacy for the Senate race, state Assemblyman Rocky Chavez (R-Oceanside). A moderate voice within the state GOP – he scored a 43 percent in 2013 and 50 percent in 2014 on EQCA’s legislative scorecards during his first term – Chavez is likely to have significant support among LGBT Republicans. He backed Log Cabin California being officially recognized by the state Republican Party at its recent convention and is a member of the LGBT GOP group. Asked about Chavez receiving its endorsement in the Senate race, newly elected Log Cabin California Chairman John Musella told the B.A.R. that, “We need the state board to vote but he’s been very good to us. Not sure yet on timing.” Musella, a consultant based in Los Angeles, added, “I like Rocky. He’s a dues-paying member of Log Cabin, has good relationships with our members and has been a vocal supporter.”t tor at the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Garza didn’t immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. But when she was nominated last month she said it was an honor to be considered. “SF Pride can represent the diversity of the community and support broadbased movements of black communities all over the world,” she said. See page 7 >>

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6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

<< Obituaries

t Trans youth commits suicide by Seth Hemmelgarn

transgender person who last April had been pulled back after threatening to jump off an East Bay freeway overpass jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge last month, according to people who knew the person and government officials. Aubrey Mariko Shine, 22, who’s being remembered as a “passionate” youth who was active in their community, leapt from the bridge Tuesday, February 24, photos and messages posted to Shine’s Facebook page suggest. Tiffany Woods, a transgender activist who met Shine after the April incident, said Shine’s legal name was Jesse Casas and Shine preferred the pronoun “they.” In response to emailed questions, Lieutenant Keith Boyd, a spokesman for the Coroner Division of the Marin County Sheriff’s office, gave the full name as Jesse Anthony Casas and said Shine was an Oakland resident. The “death was a witnessed jump from the Golden Gate Bridge to the bay waters,” said Boyd. “A forensic examination was performed and the cause of death is multiple blunt impact injuries.” Shine’s remains were located in the bay at about 6:12 p.m. February 24 and taken to Coast Guard Station Golden Gate, and the case remains “under investigation,” he said. The discovery was made just after Debbie Mobo, 23, last spoke with Shine. Mobo, who lives in San Francisco, said in an interview that she met Shine online just a few days before Shine jumped. The two hadn’t yet met in person but they’d planned to go to a movie together. Mobo said she texted with Shine February 24 around 4 p.m. “She said she was going to take a walk on the Golden Gate Bridge, and she was just going to walk around,” said Mobo, who used female pronouns when referring to Shine and said Shine preferred that.

ESCAPE TO PALM SPRINGS

Courtesy Tiffany Woods

Aubrey Mariko Shine

“Then she said her bus was coming, so she hung up the phone.” The final text Mobo sent was, “‘Are you OK?’ She didn’t reply.” She said she learned of what happened through Facebook. The Bay Area Reporter wasn’t able to directly view much of Shine’s Facebook page, but Mobo shared photos from the page, including one with what appeared to be a knee at the edge of the bridge and the message, “Being trans sucks!” The photo was posted on a Tuesday at 5:47 p.m. In Shine’s text exchange that last day, said Mobo, Shine had commented that “she felt like she had nobody there for her. She was always alone.” However, Mobo also said Shine had “sounded happy,” and “I didn’t think she had anything planned” like suicide. In an emailed statement last week, Woods, the TransVision programs manager at Fremont’s TriCity Health Center, said Shine, who preferred the name Mariko, “identified as genderqueer trans.” Woods first met Shine when the Oakland Police Department called her last April 24 to assist just after Shine had been pulled back after threatening to jump off an Interstate 580 overpass in Oakland. “I helped connect her into the

Malcolm Boyd, pioneering gay Episcopal priest, dies by Brian Bromberger

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services and support she needed at TransVision,” said Woods, referring to Shine using female pronouns, and Shine had been “doing well,” despite past transphobia, unsupportive family, “and a history of suicide attempts.” Woods stated that despite the progress, “she never promised me she would not attempt suicide again, and I knew she would, I just wanted her to promise to call me or someone she could trust before her next attempt. We never received that call,” she said. Lisa Evans, the queer and allies initiative coordinator at the Oakland-based Youth Uprising, first met Shine soon after the I-580 incident. Evans said she’s “aware of the location” of Shine’s suicide and “how it happened,” through her agency’s contact with Shine’s family, Shine’s Facebook posts, and “other service providers,” but Evans declined to elaborate. The B.A.R. wasn’t able to reach Shine’s family. Among other activities, Shine had been on the steering committee for “The Time is Now” LGBTQ youth summit in the East Bay, said Evans, who identifies as queer and non-binary femme. “Aubrey was a part of so many different community spaces and touched so many people’s lives,” said Evans. Shine will be “very, very missed, both as a person and as an advocate.” They were “somebody who really wanted to see change, and who really wanted to see spaces that are spaces for queer and trans young people.” Evans, who last saw Shine Friday, February 20 at a steering committee meeting, said on that day, “They were passionate, they were engaged, and I’m not saying more than that.” Shine’s death is one more example of problems facing queer and transgender people, particularly trans people of color, such as not enough access to services and “high rates of violence,” suggested Evans. Even though they never met in person, Mobo, who’s bisexual, said, “I loved the girl. I really did.”t

ocal Episcopal leaders are remembering the Reverend Malcolm Boyd, a countercultural “coffeehouse” priest and author of the 1960s and 1970s who became a pivotal pioneer in the gay liberation movement, following his death February 27 in Los Angeles. He was 91. The cause was pneumonia, according to a spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Active in ministry almost to his last breath, Reverend Boyd, who became the first prominent clergyman of a mainstream Protestant denomination to come out publicly, lived long enough to witness the evolution of gay and lesbians within the church from “sinful” outcasts to acceptance of gay clergy, including bishops, and blessings of same-sex marriage. The Rt. Reverend Marc Handley Andrus, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview that Reverend Boyd “played a very critical role in the acceptance of LGBT people and openly gay clergy in the Episcopal Church.” At his death, Reverend Boyd had been preparing for the 50th anniversary publication of his landmark 1965 international bestseller, Are You Running With Me, Jesus?, a book of contemporary prayers about Jesus in the modern world, including “This Is A Homosexual Bar, Jesus,” where he came out incognito.

Rick Gerharter

The Reverend Malcolm Boyd spoke on a panel about gay rights pioneer Harry Hay in 2012.

He formally revealed his homosexuality in a 1977 Chicago Sun-Times interview and a year later described his long painful process of acceptance in his now-classic spiritual autobiography, Take Off the Masks. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, saluted Boyd in an introduction to a compilation of his writings (he wrote 30 books) to commemorate his 85th birthday: “A prophet in his own land, for me he is a hero, a leader to whom I owe so much for what has become my life. Countless people who don’t know his name owe him a great debt of gratitude.” Reverend Boyd was a scion of a socially elite family, born in Buffalo, New York on June 8, 1923, the son of an investment banker. Starting in advertising, he later moved to Hollywood and worked as a writer

and producer for Republic Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Productions. He became the production partner of actress Mary Pickford, produced several early TV programs, and was president of the Television Producers Association of Hollywood. Dissatisfied with the unfulfilling glamour of Hollywood, he left in 1951 to enter the Church Divinity of the Pacific Seminary in Berkeley and was ordained a priest in Los Angeles in 1955. In 1961, he joined 27 other Episcopal priests in the Freedom Rides to challenge segregation in the South. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. He appeared in 1966 at San Francisco’s hungry i nightclub along with comedian Dick Gregory and read poems from his books, later producing a record with jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd accompanying his recitations. In 1970 he was arrested along with the Jesuit priest Daniel Berrigan for protesting the Vietnam War at the Pentagon. Reverend Boyd was the essence of anti-establishment chic, until his coming out when he became a virtual pariah and unemployable as a priest. John Kirkley, the gay rector of St. James Episcopal Church in San Francisco, said “Boyd’s Take Off the Masks book gave many LGBT people the courage to come out of the closet and be honest about their identity, including myself. See page 14 >>

Business News>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 7

Tax season holds surprises for uninsured and insured by Matthew S. Bajko

ince he opened his doors in January, Castro-based tax adviser Robert Beuther has been fielding calls from people whose 2015 tax filings are being impacted by the Affordable Care Act. Some of his clients who signed up for coverage through the state’s health exchange, known as Covered California, are finding out the subsidy they received to offset the cost of their coverage was larger than what they were due and owe the federal government the difference. Others are only now realizing that under the federal law, which requires most all adults to carry some form of health insurance, they have to pay a tax penalty for failing to sign up for coverage last year. The penalty is $95 or 1 percent of their income, whichever is greater. “It is very complicated, that is why people are starting to turn to me for help,” said Beuther, a 51-year-old gay man who operates his Beuther Tax Service LLC out

SF Pride

From page 5

Organizational grand marshal

The Transgender Law Center, based in Oakland, received the most votes in the organizational grand marshal category. The nonprofit, which grew out of a pilot project of NCLR more than a decade ago, provides legal information to trans people and their families. It also works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender

of a home office on Hartford Street. “There are a lot of coverage exemptions, more than a dozen. I can see if people are eligible and don’t have to pay the fine.” People who had employer-based health coverage in 2014 simply have to check off a box on their tax form indicating they were insured. The roughly 1 million people who signed up for coverage through Covered California received a new tax form this year called a 1095-A that states what their premiums were last year. “This is a big deal this year,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee, who is gay, during an editorial board meeting with the Bay Area Reporter earlier this year. Those facing the more complicated tax consequences due to Obamacare, said Beuther, are people whose income can fluctuate year-over-year, either due to owning their own business, having rental property, or working on a contract basis. The subsidy they received to offset the cost of their health coverage is based on their projected income.

Therefore, they could end up owing more at the end of the fiscal year if the income they cited when they enrolled for coverage was less than what they ended up earning and are reporting on their individual tax returns, which are due Wednesday, April 15. “As part of the tax return process you now have to report the subsidy you received and calculate what you were entitled to,” explained Beuther. “It is based on income, so you can either owe more or you may get some money back.” For those people who were uninsured in 2014, they are now required to pay on their tax returns the penalty for not signing up for health insurance last year. The tax penalty, known as a “shared responsibility payment,” was waived during the first year of enrollment in 2013. It took effect in 2014 at a discounted amount and will increase in cost for those who did not sign up for health insurance during the enrollment period for 2015. The tax penalty will be substantially more come 2016 for those who remain uninsured. For a single person earning $40,000 a year, the tax in 2014 is estimated to cost them $299. It will rise

identity or expression. TLC is also a leading voice in national transgender advocacy and last month announced it would soon enter into a partnership with Atlanta-based Southerners on New Ground so that it can reach people in the South. Also in February TLC saw a leadership change after longtime Executive Director Masen Davis departed. Kris Hayashi, a trans man, was named the new executive director and has been on the job just over a month. In a statement, Hayashi said the organization was “humbled” by the honor.

“Transgender Law Center is humbled and excited to represent the transgender and gender-nonconforming community at SF Pride this year as the community organizational grand marshal,” Hayashi said. “Our selection reflects the critical moment we are in: 2015 has been a year of unprecedented visibility for the transgender community in everything from media coverage to the president’s State of the Union address.” But, he added, violence continues to be a major issue. “It has already been a year of

Courtesy Robert Beuther

Tax preparer Robert Beuther

to $594 in 2015 and will cost $736 in 2016. For a family of four earning $70,000 a year, it is estimated they will have to pay $497 in 2014 for not having health insurance, with the penalty pegged at $988 in 2015 and going up to $2,085 in 2016. “As the penalty increases, it makes more and more sense for those who have been waiting on the sidelines to get in and get coverage,” stated Lee. The enrollment period for 2015 epidemic levels of violence against our community and transgender women of color in particular,” Hayashi said. “We are honored that, at this critical time, the community is recognizing our role and our work to create a world where all people can live as their authentic selves.”

Pink brick

The Mississippi-based American Family Association received the most public votes for the pink brick. The dubious honor will recognize a group that has steadfastly opposed marriage equality and other LGBT rights.

was to have ended February 20, but Covered California executives decided to allow anyone who was unaware they would face a tax penalty for lacking coverage to now sign up by April 30. The extension could help an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 Californians who failed to enroll between November and February. Rich Alba, 23, who works as a personal trainer at the Fitness SF Castro location, is planning to take advantage of the extended deadline. Alba, who is straight, had planned to sign up for coverage in December but opted not to after he was unable to find help from one of the enrollment navigators listed on the Covered California website. “Before the deadline was up I tried calling one of the navigator places but found one place open. They told me I had to go through Covered California to figure it out,” recalled Alba, who is unable to remain on his parent’s health insurance plan since they no longer claim him as a dependent. “They told me to talk to one of those certified enrollment people. I couldn’t figure out how to get it done.” See page 14 >> Founded by Donald Wildmon in 1977, the AFA is now led by his son, Tim Wildmon. In November 2010, it was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for “propagation of known falsehoods” and the use of “demonizing propaganda” against LGBT people, according to Wikipedia. Representatives from the AFA did not respond to a message seeking comment.t For more information on the Pride parade and festival, visit www.sfpride.org.

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• 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.

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Winston Bay Area Reporter

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.

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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

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• 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.

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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®)

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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

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<< International News

12 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

ISIS increases attacks on suspected gays by Heather Cassell

ast week video surfaced online of another young man being thrown blindfolded from a tall building into a crowd of onlookers by three men whose faces were covered in black balaclavas. Media reports have alleged that the man was killed due to his sexual orientation. The masked militia read a self-styled “court ruling” prior to the execution, which appears to have happened in the al-Tabqah area, in the northern Raqqa province in Syria, according to media reports. Raqqa has become the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s de facto capital since the militant organization took over the region last year. The man hit the ground as the mob stoned him to death, similar to what other ISIS militants have done to men they claimed were gay. The video of the murder was released by ISIS activist group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently. Human rights groups have been unable to determine the identity of the man, his actual sexual orientation, or the exact date and time of the incident. However, experts pinpoint it to late February or early March based on reports by local activist groups and the date on the video provided by the militant group, according to media reports. This brutal attack was followed by another one against a young man with the same charges of homosexuality that was carried out a day later, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, which confirmed the executions, reported the International Business Times. The two are the most recent in a series of similarly-styled murders captured on video and released by members of ISIS within the past six months, according to the Inter-

national Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. The latest executions are the eighth or ninth carried out by ISIS, which enforces a radical interpretation of Sharia law against sodomy, according to experts who are watching the situation closely. “Unnatural sexual intercourse” is punishable up to three years, according to Article 520 of the Syrian Penal Code of 1949. In comments to CNN, Jessica Stern, executive director of IGLHRC, said that ISIS is also responsible for stoning at least three women accused of adultery in Syria. Two unidentified gay Syrian men who went by the names Nour and Sami told CNN they were horrified by the videos. Nour and Sami, along with his unnamed partner, are currently living in Turkey waiting to be granted asylum in the U.S. or another LGBT-friendly country. “It’s too much to watch, and people are just standing there in these images and watching, and they are not doing anything,” Nour, a gay activist, told the media outlet. “Their facial expressions are really scary because they are not even scared of what is going on.” Nour escaped Syria to Turkey in 2012 after seeing video of ISIS members beheading two men alleged to be spies and for “shaking the throne of God,” code for homosexuality. Stern’s CNN op-ed comes as her organization launched a campaign, “Don’t Turn Away,” calling upon the United Nations and ally countries to prioritize protection of LGBT individuals in the area controlled by ISIS. “The international community must act urgently to protect lives and help those fleeing violence today,” wrote Stern, calling upon the world to step up funding efforts to agencies on the ground assisting with internal and external reloca-

ISIS

What is reported as an ISIS execution of an alleged unknown gay man in February or March of 2015.

tion. Additionally, she urged for applications of asylum and refugee seekers being persecuted to be expedited. “We cannot sit idly by while ISIS commits wanton violence in the name of protecting ‘morality,’” wrote Stern. To take action, visit http://iglhrc. org/dontturnaway.

Gay Chinese blogger fined for coverage of gay sex cases

A gay Chinese blogger was ordered by a Singapore court to pay a fine for challenging the court on two separate gay sex ban cases being heard simultaneously by the court. Alex Au Wai Pang, who writes for the Yawning Bread, was ordered to pay 8,000 Singapore dollars (U.S. $5,845) by a Singapore court March 5 for questioning the timing of two constitutional challenges to the citystate’s ban on gay sex. The court agreed with the prosecution and ruled the article “crossed the legal boundary and constitute scandalizing contempt,” reported Global Voices Online. Au, 62, questioned the high court’s “strange calendaring” scheduling the two separate cases chal-

lenging Section 377A, which criminalizes sex between men, in a blog post, “377 Wheels Come off Supreme Court’s Best Laid Plans.” He alleged that Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, who was then Singapore’s attorney general and the state’s legal representative in both cases, wanted to hear both challenges as a part of the apex court, Shanghai’s court of appeal, in October 2014. However, he couldn’t, according to media reports. Both challenges – one by a gay couple, Kenneth Chee and Gary Lim, and the other of Tang Eng Hong, who was convicted of having sex with another man in a public bathroom – were heard and rejected by the apex court. Au was found guilty of “scandalizing contempt” by the high court. Furthermore, the court stated that his blog post “unfairly suggested that the chief justice had acted impartially,” therefore the court found that the article published in October 2013 posed a “real threat of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice in Singapore,” according to media reports. The court acquitted Au of the second charge for another post he

published later about an employee who claimed to have been forced to resign because he was gay, reported the media outlet. Au is a well-known blogger who challenged Singapore’s ban on gay sex as an activist and through his reporting on the ban. This isn’t the first time he’s been charged. Au had to revoke blog posts and had to apologize to the government for his actions, reported ABC News. In at least one instance, Au received a legal letter from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for a series of blog posts that he apologized for and took down. In another instance, government officials took him to court for blog posts they claimed “allegedly ‘scandalized the judiciary.’” In their written submission to the court, Au’s attorneys argued that the article didn’t violate any law. They suggested the Singaporean government “twisted [Au’s] words out of context and to editorialize to impute sinister innuendo into his article where none exists.” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, was critical of the court’s decision to convict Au. He accused Singapore’s government of its “willingness” to “misuse law to gag its critics,” in a February 22 news release from the organization. He called upon Singapore to repeal its archaic law of “scandalizing the judiciary,” as the British parliament did in other commonwealth countries with the passage of the Crimes and Courts Act of 2013, which abolished it as a form of contempt of court, according to the release. It was reported Au would appeal the fine, however, recent reports suggested he will pay it and publicly apologize.t Got international LGBT news tips? Call or send them to Heather Cassell at 00+1-415-2213541, Skype: heather.cassell, or oitwnews@gmail.com.

Athletes out front at Sydney Mardi Gras by Roger Brigham

he battle against discrimination against LGBT athletes rode front and center last week on an obscure campus in South Carolina, a brief news show on ESPN, and at the head of Australia’s annual Mardi Gras parade. We begin with the most fabulous of those events, Mardi Gras. Last year, when the Sydney Convicts won the Bingham Cup, gay rugby’s biennial world championship named after San Francisco 9/11 hero Mark Bingham, they entered into an agreement with Australia’s major sports leagues to campaign against homophobia in sports. This year the Convicts were in the second of three sportsthemed floats that led the entire Sydney Mardi Gras parade – the continent’s biggest moving annual Pride celebration. Notable gay and lesbian athletes riding in the lead float included cricket stars Alex Blackwell, Elyse Villani, and Greg Matthews; Olympic gold medal swimmer Daniel Kowalski; Olympic gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham; and Olympic silver medal trampoline gymnast Jai Wallace. Their float was adorned with the logos of the National Rugby League, Australian Football League, Australian Rugby Union, Football

Federation of Australia and Cricket Australia – five major professional sports leagues that have banded together in the fight. “It was very exciting to be part in the parade as a proud, gay Australian athlete and stand beside some wonderful straight allies,” said Blackwell. “I think one of the best ways to combat discrimination is for LGBTI athletes and their allies to be visible. Coming out is a very personal choice, but I was able to summon the courage to come out myself because I had role models who came out before me. I hope this float sends a message to all athletes that everyone should be welcome in sport regardless of their sexuality.” While folks were dancing in the streets down under, thousands of miles away on the quiet campus of Erskine College in South Carolina, students, faculty members and administrators were reacting to the homophobic message delivered earlier by the school’s board of trustees. (See March 5 JockTalk.) The trustees’ statement on sexuality labeled sex other than between a husband and wife a sin and was perceived as a rebuke to two gay volleyball players, Juan Verona and Drew Davis, who came out to Outsports a year ago, and a recent court decision legalizing same-sex marriages. It

also carried a veiled threat that school “policies” would reflect the school’s Old Testament values. Since then, a broad battery of Erskine students have rebelled against the trustees’ statement and expressed unwavering support for their gay classmates. Pete Savarese, Erskine student government president, told the New York Times the trustees’ statement was unwarranted since the students are already familiar with biblical teachings and the school’s fundamental stance. “I know the school did not intend this, but it did alienate and it did hurt a lot of people,” Savarese said. “If you know Erskine, we’re Cricket stars Alex Blackwell and Elyse a very tight-knit community, and Villani took part in the Sydney Mardi that’s not what we’re about. We’re Gras parade. about supporting each other and accepting people.” Alanna Carvalho, a freshman who you’re telling what to.” lacrosse player, and Caitlin Bullock, Meanwhile, the country’s patcha senior volleyball player, are openly work of protections for transgender lesbian and dating each other. high school athletes was highlighted “It was really surprising to hear in a weekend segment of ESPN’s from the administration a hateful Outside the Lines. The half-hour show statement,” Carvalho told the Times. included extensive feature interviews “It’s a bit threatening. It’s scary. I’m with two transgender teen athletes, going to have to watch my back, a male swimmer from Maine and a maybe?” female runner and basketball player Added Bullock, “At home, I’m from Montana. High schools in still not widely accepted. I come Maine have a state trans-inclusive polhere for people that love me for who icy for sports; ESPN said Montana is I am. I can be open about it and talk one of 17 states without such a policy. about it. I was taken aback. Maybe I A video of the interviews with can’t go up to people and talk about Leo Eichfeld and Shay Sullivan is it. I thought everybody was OK with available at http://espn.go.com/ it. It makes you think twice about video/clip?id=12443538. On the

television show, they were presented with interviews from a couple of representatives of groups opposing trans inclusion, as well as transgender sports pioneer Renee Richards, who won a landmark court decision in the 1970s to allow her to play professional women’s tennis. The show was a fair presentation of the issue but had several notable flaws. Interviewer Kelly Naqi, for instance, said that opponents “point out” that transgender female athletes have a biological advantage. Journalistically speaking, the phrase “point out” is to be used only when someone is asserting a fact. What she was citing was not a fact, but an ignorant opinion debunked by science and statistics. Joe Neuhaus, policy director for the Nebraska Family Association, was particularly ineffective and evasive in his interview. Repeatedly asked about trans-inclusion policies, he repeatedly cited concerns of “safety” and “security” but was never once asked about what those concerns were or meant. Whose safety and security, and safe and secure from what? Neuhaus also attempted to cite a $75,000 court award for a school restricting locker room access to a transgender athlete as the “price tag” of acceptance – when, in fact, as Richards pointed out, it was the cost of not having a policy and practice of equal access.t

t <<

Community News>>

News Briefs

From page 2

Castel has a goal of raising $15,000 by March 26. As of this week, the campaign has brought in just over $3,000. To donate or for more information, visit https://www.indiegogo. com/projects/nelly-queen-the-lifeand-times-of-jose-sarria.

Groups can sign up for Atmosqueer

Community organizations can sign up to participate in Atmosqueer’s Spring Fling and get a discount before March 15. Atmosqueer works to bring people together with local LGBT organizations that focus on lifestyle, arts and culture, athletics, and volunteerism. The Spring Fling Expo, set for Saturday, May 2 at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, enables more than 500 participants to learn about various recreational and extracurricular activities. Organizations can sign up now for $30, a $20 discount off the regular $50 rate. To learn more, groups can contact atmosqueerinfo@gmail.com.

USF forum on acceptance

The University of San Francisco will hold a forum, “Hear Our Voices: Teach Acceptance” Monday, March 16 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the school’s McLaren Conference Center, 2130 Fulton Street.

Alzheimer’s

From page 1

Dementia refers to a person’s “decline in mental functions” to the point where they need help with “day-to-day functions,” while Alzheimer’s disease is the “most common cause” of their cognitive impairments, explained Dr. Geoffrey A. Kerchner, who recently left Stanford University, where he oversaw research into memory disorders and Alzheimer’s, to become the associate medical director at Genentech. There are some tests that can diagnose Alzheimer’s, but there currently is no cure, stressed Kerchner. The most common symptoms are memory loss, visual impairment, and social isolation, he added. “Within the next 10 years we are going to have at least the first therapy that attacks the underlying reasons for Alzheimer’s,” he said. “We will have drugs that work and know what stage of the disease we need to start treating.” Dementia is a growing national concern, as evidenced in the findings of a federally financed mul-

Hepatitis C

From page 3

on their use, with some insurers and public payers covering treatment only for the sickest patients. Cindy Zahnd from the University of Bern presented another study that showed the dangers of delaying treatment until advanced disease. Zahnd’s team used a mathematical model to predict how many HIV/ HCV coinfected people would develop decompensated liver disease (liver failure), liver cancer, and liver-related death according to whether they started treatment one month after HCV diagnosis, one year after diagnosis, or when they progressed to moderate fibrosis (stage F2), severe fibrosis (stage F3), or cirrhosis (stage F4). Starting interferon-free treatment soon after HCV diagnosis dramatically reduced the risk of decompensation, liver cancer, and liver-related death to 3 percent or less. But starting at later stages increased the likelihood of complications and death. If people did not start treatment until they developed cirrhosis, the risk of liver cancer was about 20 percent and the risk of liver-related death was around 25 percent. Starting treatment at stage F3 instead of F2 doubled the death rate,

The forum, for parents, teachers, and students at archdiocesan Catholic high schools and those who support them, was organized in light of San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s proposed changes to the teachers’ contract and to the faculty handbook that states staff must adhere to Catholic teachings. The part of the handbook that has upset people centers on the so-called morality clause that calls gay sexual relations “gravely evil,” along with sex outside of heterosexual marriage, viewing pornography, and masturbation. Scheduled speakers include Brian Cahill, former executive director of Catholic Charities of San Francisco; Leslie Griffin, the William S. Boyd Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Las Vegas; Jim McGarry, a former religious studies teacher in Catholic schools; and a panel of parents and students from the four archdiocesan schools that are overseen by the archbishop: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Archbishop Riordan, Serra, and Marin Catholic. The event is sponsored by USF’s Institute for Catholic Education and Leadership and Concerned Parents and Teachers – Teach Acceptance.

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 13

The party will be hosted by Aja Monet, a Tenderloin resident who is organizing a Pride event for August. Monet said the event will be a 50 Shades of Grey-themed underwear party that will feature a special midnight show. Fetish wear is encouraged. A $3 donation is requested at the door, which will benefit the Pride event. Monet got the inspiration for a Pride party after he worked on the campaign to put Vicki Marlane’s name on the street sign on the 100 block of Turk Street. Marlane, who died in 2011 at the age of 76 due to AIDS-related complications, hosted a popular drag revue show at gay bar Aunt Charlie’s located at 133 Turk.

the ride is on Berg Injury Lawyers. According to a news release, patrons should ask their driver to send their taxi receipt to the law firm. Patrons are encouraged to tip their drivers. Due to the high number of calls on St. Patrick’s Day, cab rides can’t be guaranteed for everyone who calls. But every attempt will be made to accommodate anyone who contacts Luxor on the holiday, the law firm said. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, St. Patrick’s Day represents a significant increase in drunk-driving fatalities. For more information about the law firm, visit www.berginjurylawyers.com.

day, March 23 at 5:30 p.m. For more information or to apply, visit http://sff.org/about-tsff/ a d m i n i s t r a t i ve - i n f o r m a t i o n / employment-opportunities/.

SF HRC panel to hold LGBT violence report meeting

SF Foundation seeks fellowship applicants

The organizer of Tenderloin Pride announced he will be holding a fundraiser Tuesday, March 17 at 10 p.m. at Club OMG, 43 6th Street.

A Bay Area law firm is offering a free ride home in Luxor Cabs for revelers in San Francisco who may have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by over-imbibing. Berg Injury Lawyers’ Safe and Sober Free Cab Ride Home program allows revelers to get a ride home (up to $35) from any bar or restaurant in San Francisco from 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 through 4 a.m. March 18 (the program is also operating in Sacramento that night via the Yellow Cab Company). The rides will only be provided to residences, not to other drinking locations. Adults may simply contact Luxor (415-282-4141) and tell them that

The San Francisco Foundation is now recruiting for the 2015-2017 Multicultural Fellowship program, a two-year, full-time position that aims to increase diversity in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. According to a news release, successful candidates are young professionals of diverse cultural backgrounds that show promise and passion to create significant social change. This year, the program seeks two fellows with expertise in arts and culture or social justice and civic engagement. The deadline to apply is Mon-

The San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s LGBT Advisory Committee will hold a special meeting Tuesday, March 17 for a presentation from the groundbreaking report, titled “San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Violence Prevention Assessment.” The San Francisco LGBT Community Center partnered with the city’s Human Rights Commission and Learning for Action to compile the report, which is based on an online survey conducted last year. The assessment gathered information about experiences with violence among community members. The report details the survey findings along with strategies to prevent violence. Gay San Francisco Supervisors Scott Wiener and David Campos are expected to attend, along with center Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe and HRC Executive Director Theresa Sparks. There will be time for questions following the presentation. The meeting is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the LGBT center, 1800 Market Street, room 300.t

tiyear study on the aging needs of LGBT seniors that has enrolled 2,400 people so far. Seven percent of those 50 years of age and older self reported having some cognitive impairment, according to the preliminary findings. One percent of people in the 50 to 79 years old age group, and another 1 percent in the 80 and older age group, reported being told about the need for Alzheimer’s and dementia care. The lead researcher of the National Health, Aging and Sexuality Study: Caring and Aging with Pride Over Time is Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Ph.D. She is a professor and the director of the Healthy Generations Hartford Center of Excellence at the University of Washington. Fredriksen-Goldsen, a lesbian, will be tracking the LGBT study participants over the next five years and hopes to receive funding to continue the study for 30 years.

“This is the first longitudinal study of aging LGBT baby boomers,” she said while discussing her findings so far at the February 20 training, billed as the first to focus specifically on LGBT dementia issues. One finding she pointed to in her study is that 40 percent of the people who reported having severe cognitive impairment rely on an informal caregiver, such as their partner or a friend. Many older LGBTs are part of what Fredriksen-Goldsen refers to as “the silent generation,” meaning they were not out of the closet for most of their lifetimes and often don’t have relatives, like a sibling or children, they can rely on to care for them. “Sometimes their family doesn’t know about a person’s sexual orientation until they are facing cognitive impairments or dementia,” she noted. A major concern for health care providers is the large number of LGBT seniors who are already so-

cially isolated and may be reluctant to seek out services due to past experiences with discrimination in a health care setting. If they are living with dementia, they may not be accessing the care they need. “People living alone and having memory problems, I worry about the most,” said David W. Coon, Ph.D., the associate vice provost and a professor at Arizona State University’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation. For the partners, friends, and family members who serve as caregivers for people living with dementia, they suffer their own physical and emotional tolls. Nicky Pyne, 71,

said caring for his partner, who had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and suffered from memory lapses, “was the most difficult thing. I had to give up who I was.” Even after his partner’s family hired a caregiver to help out, Pyne said he still suffered from guilt whenever he would leave their house. “The caregivers told me to go to the movies. I would sit at a restaurant crying feeling helpless because he wasn’t there with me,” said Pyne. For more information about the services offered by the Alzheimer’s Association, visit http://www.alz. org/norcal/.t

while waiting until stage F4 increased it by nearly five-fold. The risk of complications and death did not fall to zero even after successful treatment, with many such events occurring after people were cured. While starting treating after one month versus one year “did not really make a difference,” Zahnd concluded, whether treatment is started at stage F2, F3, or F4 “really matters.”

people need treatment.” Treating all 3 million people with hepatitis C in the U.S. at a cost approaching $100,000 “is coming close to the GDP of a moderatesized country,” according to Ashwin Balagopal from Johns Hopkins. The approval of Viekira Pak last December kicked off a price war between Gilead and AbbVie, with insurers, state governments, and national health programs making exclusive deals with one company or the other. While these deals have reduced prices by 30 to 40 percent, they prevent doctors from prescribing the treatment they think is best. “Patients will get what insurers will cover,” Peters emphasized. The cost of treatment is a concern not only in the U.S. but also worldwide, as low- and middle-income countries have some of the highest numbers of people living with hepatitis C. “There’s been a rapid and remarkable translation of laboratory discoveries into approved drugs, and if treated, most people with hepatitis C can now be cured,” concluded Mark Sulkowski from Johns Hopkins. “The bigger challenge is translation of clinical findings into global treatment.”t

Tenderloin Pride fundraiser

Cost remains a barrier

During the last session of the conference experts discussed new frontiers and challenges in the hepatitis C field, which include too few people with HCV being diagnosed and the high cost of treatment. The U.S. list price for Gilead’s Harvoni is $94,500, while AbbVie’s Viekira Pak regimen runs around $83,300, both for a typical 12-week course. “If we could identify all people and treat them tomorrow, our health care system couldn’t support it,” Rice emphasized at the start of the conference. Marion Peters from UCSF wrapped up the meeting with a focus on the elephant in the room. “The problem is not that directacting antivirals are too expensive,” she said, “it’s that too many

Free cab rides in SF for St. Patrick’s Day

FRE E SAN FRAN CI SCO SE MI N AR

Life of Your Estate after Death: Probate and Trust Administration and Why Estate Planning Matters Speaker: Deb Kinney of Johnston, Kinney & Zulaica, LLP

Thursday, March 26, 6-7:30 p.m. Hospice by the Bay 180 Redwood St., Suite 350 • San Francisco Who decides what happens to your assets after your death and how does it work? Learn how to make choices to prepare for a smooth transfer of assets.

Reservations are required, register at

(415) 526.5580 or www.hbtb.org

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

14 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Lara

From page 1

hate speech-oriented measures from being allowed on future state ballots. Lara’s letter to Holden asked that McLaughlin’s conduct be reviewed “to determine if, in the light of governing authorities, he continues to meet the standards required of membership in the State Bar of California.” “I will be inviting the California Legislative LGBT Caucus to join me in submitting a formal complaint and request for investigation,” Lara wrote. A state bar spokeswoman said the organization, of which attorneys practicing in California must be members, is aware of the controversy. “The bar is aware of the public calls for Mr. McLaughlin’s disbarment,” spokeswoman Laura Ernde told the B.A.R. “The Office of Chief Trial Counsel takes them seriously. The bar cannot comment further since the complaint/investigation

Malcolm Boyd

From page 6

“People like me owe an immense debt to him, because coming out at that time involved great risk and loss and his work for justice came at some personal cost,” Kirkley added. “By the time I arrived, the hard work for acceptance had already been done by people like Malcolm.” Richard Smith, the gay rector of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in the Mission, told the B.A.R., “He was a truth teller, but told it in a way that people could hear it, by making the thorny issue of homosexuality accessible and they could identify with his story because he made himself vulnerable. They could relate to the larger LGBT struggle, as well as being debunked of the false impressions people had at that time.” Eventually, Boyd in 1982 joined the staff of St. Augustine-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Santa Monica. He designed and celebrated the first

Business Briefs

From page 7

Unaware about the fiscal consequences of not having health insurance, Alba said since he is a “healthy young guy” who has gone without coverage for two years, he hadn’t thought it really necessary to make sure he enrolled. It wasn’t until he went to Beuther for help with his 2015 tax filing that he learned about the tax penalties for not having health insurance. “He told me I had to get it this year or I would be paying out higher taxes next year,” said Alba. “He said it would be 2 percent or so of my total income, that is a pretty significant amount next year.” He described his experience with Covered California to date “very chaotic and unstructured.” By April he hopes to have signed up for coverage with Kaiser for a plan costing $130 a month with a $1,500 deductible, which will cost him $65 a month due to a reimbursement his employer is offering. “I have come to find out not too many people are well aware of what Obamacare is and what you have to go through so you are not penalized under taxes or anything like that,” said Alba. For those who miss out on the

process is confidential by law.” Ernde stated that the bar’s policy was to post public disciplinary charges against attorneys on its website after any findings are determined. Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur also blasted McLaughlin’s proposal, calling it “grossly out of step with the attitudes and beliefs of the people of California.” “The proposed measure is not only insulting to people of faith, many of whom openly welcome and support the LGBT community, but it also highlights the need for LGBT people in the state to be protected against hate and bigotry,” Zbur said in a statement. Lara urged LGBT people to get involved against McLaughlin. “Speak up, write letters to the bar president, spread the word and stay vigilant,” Lara said. McLaughlin did not respond to the B.A.R.’s voicemail requesting an interview. The attorney general’s office is reviewing the proposed initiative.t AIDS Mass there in 1985. In 1996 he became poet-writer-in-residence for the Episcopal Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Los Angeles. He continued to be a newspaper and magazine columnist for various publications including AARP, the Episcopal News Service, and the Huffington Post, often writing about the challenges of aging. He is survived by his husband of 30 years, Mark Thompson, a spiritual writer and former senior editor of the Advocate. Their union was blessed by Bishop John Bruno in 2004, which created controversy at that time, and they were married in 2013. A new documentary, Malcolm Boyd: Disturber of the Peace, will be released later this year. A Eucharistic remembrance of his life will be held March 21 at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, Los Angeles. A celebration of Reverend Boyd’s accomplishments and legacy will be held in San Francisco in late spring at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church.t 2015 enrollment deadline, the 2016 enrollment period will begin October 1 this year and end December 15. Starting Thursday (March 12), Beuther will be working seven days a week to assist clients with their 2015 tax filings. He can be reached at (415) 238-2365 or via email at beuthertax@gmail.com. “My schedule is really flexible: mornings, evenings, weekends,” said Beuther, who provides clients with a free consultation and then will quote the cost for preparing their returns.

Honor Roll

New clients who use H&R Block this year to help file their 2014 individual tax returns can help raise money for the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee. The national tax preparer chain will donate $20 to the group, which puts on the annual Pride parade and celebration the last weekend of June, every time a tax filer brings with them a referral form with Pride’s ID on it. To download and print out Pride’s referral form, visit http://www.hrblockreferrals.com/public/Pages/ kitflyer.aspx?id=40010001081330.t Got a tip on LGBT business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ ebar.com.

/lgbtsf

Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036303500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE RED FOX SALON/BARBER SHOP, 669 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LYNSEY MARIE VISCIGLIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/2013. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036310000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PACIFIC COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY CENTER; PACIFIC CBT, 1801 BUSH ST #206, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN R. MONTOPOLI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036298000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAHOOT, 123 10TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARIAN V.R. SALMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/09/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/09/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036312000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CLAUDIO MARTONFFY DESIGN, 120 PIERCE ST #9, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CLAUDIO MARTONFFY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/13/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/17/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036306300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAMAS SELF CARE, 1340 DE HARO, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KATHLEEN CARIFFE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/13/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036304000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAJAYDEN MANAGEMENT GROUP, 660 4TH ST #533, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed WAYNE BURGESS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/12/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036307700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALEX’S TIRE AND ALIGNMENT, INC, 38 OTIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ALEX’S TIRE AND ALIGNMENT, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/10/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036297900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: V1 WIRELESS, 1812 IRVING ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed V1 WIRELESS 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 02/09/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036297600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: V1 WIRELESS, 863 CLAY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed V1 WIRELESS 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 02/09/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036297400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: V1 WIRELESS, 440 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed V1 WIRELESS 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 02/09/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036306400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ACQUOLINA, 1600 STOCKTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MARUDA, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/26/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036298400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HARRY HARRINGTONS PUB, 460 LARKIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DONEGAL ALL BLACKS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/21/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/15.

FEB 19, 26, MAR 05, 12, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036321100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PRETTY OCCASIONS, 2256 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SOLMAZ NAJI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/23/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/23/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036316700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SILVER SHELL STORE, 2380 SAN BRUNO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EBRAHIM PAKZAD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/19/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036319700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: INNER CITY HAULING & JANITORIAL, 260 MCALLISTER #403, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KAREN CERVERA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/20/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/20/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036296900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROBINSON@GROVE, 1574 GROVE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DAVID E. ROBINSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/09/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036315600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MESCOLANZA RESTAURANT, 3750-3754 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MESCOLANZA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/18/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036279800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OZMA, 874 S. VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership and is signed MARIAH GARDNER & HEIDI BAKER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/30/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036317800

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036286400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ENGEL & VOELKERS SAN FRANCISCO, 582 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS, INC (UT). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/12/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036325600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CITY CYCLE, 3001 STEINER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed C. FISCHER AND SONS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/18/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05,12,19, 2015 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-035778500

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: VLOVEPLASTIC, 2639 BALBOA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by JITRUTHAI RATTANASONGCHAI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/10/14.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036323900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THOMAS GALLAGHER CONSTRUCTION, 133 SHIELD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed THOMAS GALLAGHER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/24/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036325000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NUCMEDCOR, 3533 SCOTT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ISOFLEX USA (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/15/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036334400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DECISIVE HEALTH, 420 MISSION BAY BLVD #411, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DECISIVE HEALTH SYSTEMS (DE). 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 02/27/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036320300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JESSIE BLACK, 3252 SACRAMENTO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed THE HOUSE OF MONTE CARLO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/14/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IMPAVID CONSULTING INC., 50 CRESTLINE DR #9, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed IMPAVID CONSULTING INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/20/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/20/15.

FEB 26, MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS - GENERAL INFORMATION

The SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT (“BART” or District”), 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California, is advertising for proposals to provide Construction Management Services for BART Projects, Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 6M8104, on or about March 6, 2015, with proposals due by 2:00 P.M. local time, Tuesday, April 7, 2015. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED The District is soliciting for professional services of consulting firms or joint venture (“CONSULTANTs”) to provide Construction Management Services in support of various BART Projects. The selected CONSULTANTs shall assist and advise the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District in construction management, procurement activities, and related tasks associated with BART design-bid-build and design-build projects, or other delegated work assignments in accordance with the requirements as specified in the Scope of Services of the Request for Proposals (RFP). Professional services to be provided by CONSULTANTs may include program management, design review, construction management and associated administrative tasks, cost management and scheduling for BART projects, quality control/quality assurance, procurement services, claims management and dispute resolution assistance, emergency response, and agreement administration services. A list of typical projects for which the CONSULTANT may provide services includes facilities (stations and buildings), yards and shops, mainline and yard infrastructure, parking and intermodal access, systems (train control, transit power, controls and communications), and rail vehicle support for standard BART and eBART/DMU equipment. Work is expected to be performed over the next five years, contingent upon funding availability. Estimated Cost and Time of Performance: The District intends to make four (4) separate stand alone awards as a result of this RFP. Each of the four (4) anticipated agreements shall not exceed $15,000,000. The term of each agreement entered into pursuant to the RFP will be five (5) years. APre-Proposal Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2015. The PreProposal Meeting will convene at 10:00 A.M., local time, in the District’s Board Room located at the Kaiser Center Mall, 344 – 20th Street, Third Floor, Oakland, California 94612. At this meeting the District’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program will be explained. Prospective Proposers are requested to make every effort to attend this only scheduled Pre-Proposal Meeting and to confirm their attendance by contacting the District’s Principal Contract Specialist, telephone (510) 464-6390, prior to the date of the Pre-Proposal Meeting. Networking Session: Immediately following the Pre-Proposal Meeting, the District’s Office of Civil Rights will conduct a networking session for subconsultants to meet with the potential prime consultants for DBE participation opportunities. Proposals must be received by 2:00 P.M., local time, Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at the address listed in the RFP. Submission of a proposal shall constitute a firm offer to the District for one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days from date of proposal submission. WHERE TO OBTAIN OR SEE RFP DOCUMENTS (Available on or after March 6, 2015) Copies of the RFP may be obtained: 1. By written request to the District’s Principal Contract Specialist, BART Procurement Department, 300 Lakeside Drive, 17th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. 2. By arranging pickup at the above address.Call the District’s Principal Contract Specialist, (510) 464-6390 3. Electronic version (PDF) of the RFP may be obtained by sending an E-mail request to the District’s Principal Contract Specialist, Ms. Irene G. Gray, igray@bart.gov. Your firm will also be placed on the RFP Interested Parties List (“IPL”) for receipt of Addenda and Question/ Response Letters. 4. By attending the Pre-Proposal Meeting and obtaining the RFP at the meeting. Dated at Oakland, California this 4th day of March, 2015. /s/ Kenneth A. Duron Kenneth A. Duron, District Secretary San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 3/12/15 CNS-2725249# BAY AREA REPORTER

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Read more online at www.ebar.com

Legal Notices>> SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: ALAN DAVID JOHNSON, YOU ARE BEING SUED. PETITIONER’S NAME IS ENNY TERESA SILVA GOMEZ CASE NO. FDI-14-782765 ORDER FOR FIRST AMENDED APPLICATION

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120 or FL-123) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnerships, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. If you want legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. You can get information about finding lawyers at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE: The restraining orders following are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment entered, or the court makes further orders. These orders are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. NOTE: If a judgment or support order is entered, the court may order you to pay all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for yourself or the other party. If this happens, the party ordered to pay fees shall be given notice and an opportunity to request a hearing to set aside the order to pay waived court fees. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 400 MCALLISTER ST, CA 94102; PREPARED BY SUSANNA TUAN, SBN 293754, 3871 PIEDMONT AVE, #4, OAKLAND, CA 94611 FEB 25, 2015 Clerk of the Superior Court by ANNE- CHRISTINE MASSULLO, Judicial Officer. NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served as an individual. WARNING: California law provides that, for the purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e., joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS: Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties, if any, from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor child or children; 3. Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasicommunity, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in the manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasicommunity property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036329200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAFA’S CLEANING SERVICE, 172 CAINE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed CARLOS E. GUTIERREZ CAMPOS & ERIKA MARIA VEGA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/26/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036337800

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-15-550924

In the matter of the application of: JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, 530 GROVE #5, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, is requesting that the name JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, be changed to RYAN JOSHUA TOBER BRANDT DEVORE VON GLÜCKEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514 on the 12th of May 2015 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF BERNARD CLELAND IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-15-298545

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of BERNARD CLELAND. A Petition for Probate has been filed by BERNARD RYAN in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that BERNARD RYAN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 25, 2015, 9:00am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Julia P. Wald, #078476, Law Offices of Julia P. Wald, 1108 Fifth Ave #202, San Rafael, CA 94901; Ph. (415) 482-7555.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036312500

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 15

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MAR 12, 19, 26 APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036354500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE ELECTRIC NOODLE, 2139 TURK BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DUSTAN BARTLETT. 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 03/09/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036350300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUNGALOW624, 624 EUCLID AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NANETTE GORDON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/05/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/06/15.

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MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036329500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YOCA REPAIR, 1697 19TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed YURIY ABRAMOV & OLGA ABRAMOVA. 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 03/02/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: A-1 PLUMBING SUPPLY, 224 12TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed TALENT INTERNATIONAL TRADING, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/09/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036339000

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036342600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FUNCRUNCH PHOTO, 1110 JACKSON ST #4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed PAX AHIMSA GETHEN & ZACH TOMCICH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/10. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIANNE’S ESTATE JEWELLERY, 2181-A UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LUCRETIA ALEXANDER INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/03/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/15.

MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036356200

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036341400

ebar.com Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036345200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HR BAY AREA, 1557 POWELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HR BAY AREA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/04/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036355900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MELISSA CONGDON HAIRSTYLIST, 166 GEARY ST #400, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MELISSA ANN CONGDON. 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 03/09/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOKYO EXPRESS, 160 SPEAR ST #LOBBY 1D, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed TOKYO EXPRESS RESTAURANT INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BELGA, 2000 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 2000 BLG, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/09/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/09/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015

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Moving pictures

Scandal watch

Out &About

Turing point

O&A

Vol. 45 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2015

www.ebar.com/arts

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Dame Edna by Richard Dodds

his is goodbye. Really. So long, possums, and it’s been grand. “I cannot do the shameful thing and announce a final show and then appear again,” said Barry Humphries, who turned 81 last month. “Barbra Streisand can do it, but I am not that shameless.” See page 27 >>

Barry Humphries declares that Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye: The Farewell Tour will be last time we see his alter-ego in San Francisco. William Hull

It takes a guillotine! by Erin Blackwell

park my car outside the brick fortress Costco just before 6 p.m. Crossing Bryant, I gaze at the Southern sky, where mauve clouds flame gold in the dying light. I’ve been to Thrillpeddlers once before, long ago. I vaguely remember a magical ramshackle den hidden in a gated parking lot. I walk along 10th Street staring through chain-link fence at a row of meter-maid vehicles. I must’ve gotten the address wrong. I squint at the tiny screen of my iPhone 4. Above my head a demon crouches atop the numerals 575, alongside an antique store window. How very Harry Potter. Could this be the legendary Hypnodrome, where the new revue Jewels of Paris previews on March 12? See page 22 >>

Noah Haydon and Michael Soldier in Thrillpeddlers’ Jewels of Paris.

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

ALONZO KING LINES BALLET APRIL 3-12, 2015

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater 415.978.2787 • linesballet.org

David Wilson

<< Out There

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Visit to a new-music box by Roberto Friedman

he Civic Center/Hayes Valley arts district is a living, growing neighborhood. Besides those stalwarts of civilized entertainment Davies Symphony Hall and the War Memorial Opera House, you can now also find the SFJazz Center, Nourse Auditorium, and in a transformed rehearsal hall in the back of Davies, SoundBox, a new, nightclub-like venue for musical exploration led by San Francisco Symphony (SFS) musicians and guest artists. Five different programs come to SoundBox this season, and Out There and Pepi were in the box for last Saturday night’s offering, Farther Out, guest curated by composer Nathaniel Stookey and conductor Edwin Outwater. The program began with two works for solo piano by genius composer Terry Riley, performed by the excellent pianist Sarah Cahill. Then came an excerpt

from Lisa Bielawa’s new opera Vireo: The Spiritual Biography of a Witch’s Accuser, its opening, “Forest” (Jeremy Constant and Kum Mo Kim, violins; Wayne Roden, viola; Margaret Tait, cello; San Francisco Girls Chorus, Lisa Bielawa, Artistic Director, Valerie Sainte-Agathe, Music Director). Even before hearing it, we got a sense of composer Stookey’s String Quartet No. 2, Musée Mécanique, from the titles of its five movements: I. Chaser, II. Plucker, III. Opener, IV. Grinder, and V. Mixer (Leor Maltinkski and Victor Romasevich, violins; David Kim, viola; David Goldblatt, cello). It was a musical delight, apt tribute to the mechanical-toy museum of the title. Finally came the SFS commission and world premiere by composer Nicole Lizée, Kool-Aid Acid Test #17:

Blotterberry Bursst, with visuals provided by the composer. SFS musicians, Joan Cifarelli on synthesizer, and mezzo-sopranos Silvie Jensen and Tania Mandzy Inala, led by conductor Outwater, gave their all. The piece was a wild aural approximation of an acid trip, with quotations from Jefferson Airplane (“White Rabbit”) and visuals from Vertigo, The Birds, and other Bay Area flashbacks. Whoa, man, trippy! The night’s offerings also included an installation of sculptor Oliver DiCicco’s electro-acoustic work Sirens, and a post-concert DJ set by composer Lizée. Kudos, too, to Travis Hagenbuch, lighting designer, and Adam Larsen, video designer. All that and a full bar! SoundBox comes equipped with the Meyer Constellation Sound System, which can change a space’s interior acoustics for different musical experiences, creating its own sound environments. In last week’s issue of The New Yorker, estimable music critic Alex Ross described a visit to SoundBox to hear this state-of-theart technology. “Joshua Gersen,

Stefan Cohen

The entrance to the San Francisco Symphony’s clublike SoundBox in Davies Symphony Hall.

who conducted that night, began the show with a demonstration of the Meyer setup. He clapped his hands; the sound resonated handsomely. Then he signaled for the power to be turned off. Suddenly, the clap was clipped and lifeless. The crowd gasped and applauded. The Meyers [audio engineer John and wife Helen], sitting amid a throng of 20- and 30-somethings, smiled.

‘Isn’t that a kick?’ Helen said.” The whole she-bang is a kick, and OT was happy to experience it. We wonder, though, why not supply more real seating? The crowd of mostly young people was happy to plop down in beanbags, ottomans or on the floor, but these old bones could sure use back support. Lucky for us, the wine bar stayed open through the concert.t

Stumbling into experience

Dawn Harms, Music Director & Conductor Tickets & Info: http://BARS-SF.ORG

by Richard Dodds

March 14, 2015 8pm

Everett Middle School 450 Church (between 16 & 17 St)

Marko Bajzer - Codex for Orchestra (Premiere) Weber - Clarinet Concerto No. 1 Natalie Parker, clarinet Brahms Symphony No. 3 The Bay Area Rainbow Symphony (BARS) is an orchestra that provides a safe and supportive environment for musicians of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. A 501(c)3 org, BARS makes cultural, social, and educational contributions to the San Francisco Bay Area by performing ambitious repertoire to a high standard.

hen you discover that there is actually a word for a feeling that has seemed so singular, it can be a very special aha moment. That a word like, just for example, “homosexual” can be found in a dictionary means that enough other people have shared a feeling that it warrants official recognition. The Messrs. Mirriam and Webster want you to know that you are not alone. Adolescence is filled with all sorts of aha moments, but those who don’t see themselves in the society they inhabit are likely to have especially vivid versions of such moments. Like the 16-year-old boys in Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them who have gone from study buddies in pre-calculus class to something more. The notably nerdy

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER In Association with Mason Cartmell & Lowell Kimble, Executive Producers Jeff Malloy & Dean Shibuya, Producers Present

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N E W YO R K DA I LY N E W S

Benji excitedly flips through a dictionary’s pages to show Kenny that their activities have real names like “fellatio” and “frottage.” There is no judgment in these words, says Benji, they are just a fact. A. Rey Pamatmat’s play, in Crowed Fire’s production at Thick House, is an unusual coming-ofage story with its characters largely free of adult guidance and authority. Kenny and his 12-year-old sister Edith have been taking care of themselves at a remote farmhouse following the death of their mother and intermittent abandonment by their father. They know they have to keep up appearances of some familial normalcy if they are to avoid social service intervention, with Kenny making sure they both get to school and Edith assuming guard duty with her BB gun. The duo becomes a trio when Benji arrives after being kicked out of his own home when his parents discover a love letter and a mix tape (it’s the 1990s) intended for Kenny. There is a low-key charm to Pamatmat’s examination of three young lives as they learn both easy and hard-won truths. There is also considerable humor that flows as this trio stumbles forward and their inexperience collides with an oftenmisplaced self-confidence. This

all comes to a head at the first-act curtain in an event that the play’s title signals, and the second act loses some of the preceding act’s focus. Unlikely convolutions are required to nuzzle the play toward a happy ending that isn’t particularly satisfying because of the mechanics involved. Desdemona Chiang’s unhurried staging provides a tender entry into this adult-free world, and also gives the actors a chance to establish their characters in small but delicate strokes. Wes Gabrillo effectively blends a stalwart man-of-the-house demeanor with inevitably arising juvenile intensities. As Edith, Nicole Javier captures the savvy character’s tomboy edge and can often make us believe she really is just 12 years old. Maro Guevara is delightful as the bookish Benji, whose libido is unleashed as long as it has scientific documentation. As Bogart tells Bergman in Casablanca that “we’ll always have Paris,” Benji writes to Kenny after they’ve been separated that “we’ll always have pre-calc.”t Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them will run at Thick House through March 21. Tickets are $10-$35. Call (415) 746-9238 or go to crowdedfire.org.

Happy families don’t tell the truth BY

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Wes Gabrillo and Maro Guevara play high school study buddies whose relationship expands in Crowded Fire’s Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them at Thick House.

Theatre>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 19

Cryptologist suffers consequences by Richard Dodds

o deflect the unexpected romantic attentions of a co-worker, Alan Turing hands her a pinecone and explains how its spirals follow the Fibonacci sequence of numbers. “It prompts the age-old question,” he says, “’Is God a mathematician?’” A problem with this age-old question is that it isn’t really a question people ask as generally as Turing may think. People, by and large, are what get between him and his god. When he was a boy, he later says, “Numbers were my friends” because they played by the rules. There is an even bigger problem with Turing’s devotion to rules, because he ignored one of the most inviolable rules of his times. As Hugh Whitemore’s play Breaking the Code shows, it was not so much that this pioneering scientist broke Britain’s gross-indecency laws as that he didn’t do much to cover up his liaisons with other men. It wasn’t a political stand. Social propriety was a feature that eluded him. Theatre Rhino’s production of Breaking the Code, first staged in London in 1986, comes at a propitious time, as Turing’s name is again in currency thanks to the movie The Imitation Game. Actually, when Turing should have been most lauded, for breaking German’s U-Boat

David Wilson

John Fisher, as World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, listens while his supervisor (Val Hendrickson) suggests some more discretion in his personal life in Theatre Rhino’s production of Breaking the Code.

Enigma code, public acknowledgment was a closely guarded state secret and later worked against him after being convicted for gross indecency. Whitemore’s play does a sturdy job laying out the basics of Turing’s life, from his school years smitten with another student, to his years working on breaking the German

code, to his later academic years and sexual encounters, and to his postconviction life when he agreed to undergo sexually nullifying estrogen treatments for a year rather than face prison. The play, which skips back and forth through time, is an earnest, well-made play that skims more than delves. It falters, frustratingly so, at the very end with an ac-

tion that lines up with little that has come before it. Theatre Rhino’s Executive Director John Fisher is doing double duty as both the director and playing Turing. The production at the Eureka Theatre has a sturdiness befitting the play, with a simple set of quickly rearranged chairs and a table helping maintain a fluid progression

through the numerous scenes in different locales and time periods. As Turing, Fisher is best when he avoids childish mannerisms that feel unlikely even for an eccentric of arrested development. There are some particularly fine performances in featured roles, including Patrick Ross as a police detective who diligently if reluctantly unravels the true circumstances of a minor burglary that Turing has thoughtlessly reported. High marks, too, to Val Hendrickson as a comically addled wartime superior who turns serious when he, without moral judgment, warns Turing to show a little more discretion in his personal life. Kristen Peacock warms up the production as Turing’s colleague with ill-aimed romantic intentions, and Justin Lucas and Heren Patel briskly enliven the play with two of the young men who at least temporarily switch off Turing’s built-in abacus. In his post-war career as an academic, Turing asks a class, “Wouldn’t it be nice to figure out one day what a machine can feel?” The question, of course, should really be turned on Turing himself.t Breaking the Code will run through March 21 at the Eureka Theatre. Tickets are $10-$30. Call (800) 838-3006 or go to therhino. org.

Questions unanswered, worlds created by Philip Campbell

n a smartly planned program of thematically complementary works, British composer Thomas Adès made his conducting debut with the San Francisco Symphony last week. The concert included the Davies Symphony Hall premiere of his own take on the Biblical Genesis story In Seven Days, Piano Concerto with Moving Image (video by Tal Rosner). The evening’s mood of mystery and creation mythos was immediately set during the brief opening selection, Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question. SFS Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye was positioned downstage with a woodwind quartet led by Adès in the far upstage right corner. A string ensemble conducted by Christian Baldini played unseen in the upper reaches of the hall. The softly audible and

ethereal strings forced the audience to silent (well, almost cough-free) contemplation of the freely notated six-minute score that can never be played the same way twice. Inouye was predictably eloquent in his brief pronouncements, and his clarion questioning centered the performance beautifully. A very different view of the world and its enigmas followed with a rather sober-sided interpretation of Darius Milhaud’s delightfully showy La création du monde (The Creation of the World). The Frenchman’s brief and breezy ballet score reeks of le Jazz Hot, Paul Whiteman’s arrangements of Gershwin, and even pre-dates some of Leonard Bernstein’s free-wheeling dance episodes from On the Town. Adès took a surprisingly steady look at the riotously colorful work, but his reading also provided insights to Milhaud’s own influences;

funny how a fellow composer can sometimes get to the heart of a colleague best. The orchestra played with muscular and blazing intensity during the flashier sections despite the rhythmic constraints put upon them by Adès. The more somber moments had a suitably measured weight. The conclusion to the first half brought beloved soprano Dawn Upshaw onstage for a somewhat effortful but still accomplished performance of Luonnotar (The Spirit of Nature) by Jean Sibelius. In keeping with the concert’s motif, the dramatic scene for soprano (or tone poem or orchestral song) Luonnotar conveys another creation myth in a brief and characteristically lush setting that poses a highly formidable test to the soloist’s endurance and range. Upshaw still has that bright and utterly recognizable tone we fell

in love with many years ago, but a slight and almost unnoticeable flatness with a tendency to sway a bit in more powerfully challenging passages is newly evident. I’m going to blame it on the composer’s cruel demands and credit the artist with a red badge of courage for navigating the part with such impressive strength. It may not have been ideally beautiful, but it certainly was brave.

Seven days’ debut

The big news of the night and the best example of the program’s intention occupied the entire second half of the bill. Written and premiered at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 2008; performed with the New York Philharmonic with Alan Gilbert conducting and the composer at the piano in 2011; In Seven Days finally made it to the SFS four years after the previous Adès-Rosner collaboration Polaris debuted at DSH to slightly underwhelming effect. The rearrangement of the Biblical Genesis is a better canvas for both the composer and the visual artist. Adès’ music is hard to categorize, but it is unmistakably original and substantial. He is quite approachable and sometimes diffident, but always brilliant, consistently bold and imaginative.

Rosner’s imagery may be a little too on-the-nose at times, but he is in synch with the composer to a degree that was lacking in Polaris. The pair reportedly worked together throughout the entire creation of their own creation story. Adès’ kaleidoscopic (and expert) orchestration pulses above the orchestra in the six-paneled screen exploding with bright and sometimes moody illustrations. The piano role, essayed powerfully by Kirill Gerstein, shows the composer’s grasp of the instrument (check out some of his own piano recitals) and eloquently symbolizes light during the chaos of formation. Contributions from the orchestra, notably from solo flute and percussion, added rich depth and clarity to the mostly unfrightening and ingenious writing. If there was a “big bang” in there, no one’s eardrums were seriously hurt. Engaging and exciting from start to subtly soft and effective ending, In Seven Days could easily stand alone as a satisfying concert piece, even if Rosner’s video contribution should not be discounted. We also learned another important thing about the prodigiously talented Adès. Unlike many composers, he can conduct his own work (and others) quite effectively.t

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<< Fine Art

20 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Before the shadows closed in

Courtesy of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York

Sokołów, video, from Letters to Afar, on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, SF.

by Sura Wood

t the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C, the walls of a soaring three-story cylinder are completely papered with photographs of the Jews who lived in a Lithuanian village, all of whom were later annihilated by the Nazis. The memory of those images – smiling, hopeful faces, the kids who never grew up, adults strolling on the street – is difficult to shake off, even years later. It brings home the horrific scale and personal meaning of the loss – and the criminal machinery that perpetrated it – in a way that the grainy black & white archival films of Hitler’s victims do not. It’s somehow easier to distance oneself from that footage; it was another time, another place, we tell ourselves, it’s not us. The reality of those thriving lives coupled with our knowledge they would be extinguished by the Nazis is lent greater tension through the magic of moving pictures in Letters to Afar, a new video installation now

at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The footage, which incorporates a minimalist, original score by The Klezmatics, was drawn from an archive of 75 rarely seen, silent homemovies collected by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York City. The home movies were shot by American Jews who returned to the old country in the 1920s and 30s, and captured their relatives and friends as they went about their simple daily routines in Polish cities and shtetls, unaware of the slaughter that awaited them. “No one knew they were filming the end of a civilization,” YIVO’s Executive Director Jonathan Brent told The New York Times. Enter Peter Forgacs, an established Hungarian documentary filmmaker with an historical bent who devised his own vehicle for conveying past lives into the present, giving them a humanity and identity beyond that of victims. When the amateur films were made, Poland was a country coursing with Jewish culture and vital-

ity. “This is what we lost in 1939,” says Forgacs, whose father lost over 70 relatives to the Holocaust. “We know the statistics, the cold facts, we know about the industry of death, the masquerade of the SS and their torture of people. We know the Shoah, or should. But this is not about Shoah,” nor is it a movie or exhibition in the traditional sense. Rather, it’s a cinematic experience roaming through time and memory, undergirded by a decidedly uncharacteristic non-klezmer soundtrack, laced with narration taken from texts of the era. Visitors choose what and how much to watch of the six hours of carefully orchestrated, edited visuals, while contemplating faces and gestures, the cultural archaeology of once-flourishing Jewish communities and “the immense richness of life that was crushed.” A white-haired grandmother tries to shepherd an unruly child; marchers gather in a town square for a political rally; men in hats and suits smoke and congregate on a bus-

Rick Gerharter

Artist Péter Forgács speaking about his video work in Letters to Afar, home movies of Polish Jews in the 1920s and 1930s now on exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, SF.

tling street, a couple of best buddies mugging for the camera; like most of the people shown, they’re unaccustomed to being filmed. All of this human enterprise unfolds in a large darkened gallery divided into several discrete viewing areas organized around towns and cities like Lodz, the last ghetto to be eradicated; and Warsaw, whose vanished majestic architecture and pageantry can be appreciated here in color. Multiple video-screens, often three together in horizontal format or stacked on top of one another, run the same sequence projected at varying speeds – slowed down on one split-screen, while a single frame is frozen on another,

suggesting the transient, subjective nature of time, and history as it’s lived rather than recounted after the fact. The films echo and reflect each other, “a big city, a small city, a smile here, and a cry there, every element is essential,” says Forgacs. “It’s the complexity of a universe, like a huge fresco, or an opera production.” While he stresses the installation’s context is life, death is an inescapable specter. Before the war, Poland had a population of 3.5 million Jews, 350,000 of whom lived in Warsaw; 90% were murdered by the Nazis and their willing accomplices. The people in these flickering images were doomed: they didn’t know it, but we do. “The Hitchcockian suspense here is that we know that most of the people we see in the exhibition are dead, but they were not victims at the time of the filming,” notes Forgacs, a formal, exacting, Eastern European intellectual who owes his excellent English to time he spent in London. (He’s now based in Budapest.) “In this exhibition, they are victims only in your mind, and that’s the trick. I call it a trick, but it’s an artistic decision. We don’t know our future. Our lives are full of accidental meetings, which seem to us, looking back, to have a logic. But there’s no logic, only choices. We cannot design our lives, or our fates.” Some artists might have found the sensitivity of the material and the responsibility of presenting it a daunting prospect, but not Forgacs. “It’s a blessing to travel with these people on screen in time,” he says. “To make them alive, to give it as a gift to the visitor.”t (Through May 24.)

Asian & Asian American lives onscreen

Courtesy CAAMFest Courtesy CAAMFest

Scene from South Korean director Jang Hee-Sun’s My Fair Wedding.

by David Lamble

lans for a South Korean samesex wedding, the politics of ping-pong and the shame of infertility on an overly fertile planet highlight this year’s San Francisco International Asian American Film festival. Now known as CAAMFest (for Center for Asian American Media), this 10-day event (with food and musical sidebars) unfolds between Thurs., March 12 and Sun., March 22 in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, from our historic Castro Theatre to Japantown’s Kabuki Cinemas, the New People Cinema, SF Chinatown’s Great Star Theater, Berkeley’s Pacific Archive Theater (PFA), Oakland’s New Parkway Theater, and the Oakland Museum of California. My Fair Wedding from South Korean director Jang Hee-Sun. A male filmmaking couple, Gwang-Soo and Dave Kim, decide to make a very big deal about South Korea’s first samesex marriage, their own as it turns out. The couple takes us through the

usual pre-nuptial jitters. As the boys plan and quarrel, long-hidden fissures in their union surface, causing us to wonder if a same-sex divorce might soon be in the offing. The filmmakers demonstrate how much a 19-year gap in their ages matters when everything that counts is on the line. (Castro, 3/15) Out/Here This collection of eight documentary shorts is highlighted by the bold decision of Diana Li in Finger Running to go silent, to allow her female actors to face each other and wordlessly explore each other’s faces, particularly each other’s hair. This nine-minute piece is without music. The ambient soundtrack includes traffic flow from a nearby freeway, a plane flying overhead and the ever-sogentle rustlings of two human beings in wordless communication. My Beautiful Resistance In this moving short, Oakland resident Penny Baldado relates her journey from leaving her native Philippines to creating a new life as a business owner, proprietor of Cafe Gabriela. Her story highlights the fears and

hopes of many of the nearly 12 million asylum-seekers currently hoping to have status adjudicated so they can remain in this country. Operation Marriage Veteran director Quentin Lee opens this offbeat fiction piece on a grade-school playground where the kids of a female couple hear their moms denounced by a snotty-boy schoolmate for going against “God’s plan.” The taunt prompts the kids to push their parents into a full-scale marriage. At first one of the mothers dismisses her children’s insecurities: “We both adopted you together, so you have nothing to fear.” But she soon has a change of heart, and we see how big a deal a modern wedding inevitably becomes. A nice example of a feature-length idea neatly encapsulated into nine minutes without feeling rushed. (Castro, 3/15) Top Spin by Sara Newens & Mina T. Son (USA) Three American teens – Michael, Ariel and Lily – show what a big deal a simple game of table tennis can become when the reward for winning is a trip to Lon-

Scene from veteran director Quentin Lee’s Operation Marriage.

don to face down the best of their peers worldwide. Michael, in particular, is a study in the new style of competition on display from a 21stcentury-raised generation of U.S. adolescents throwing themselves enthusiastically into contests that are still new to most Americans, but which are as vital as baseball, basketball and the gridiron for millions of Asian fans. Michael quietly steals the movie from his soft-spoken female teammates, trotting out the kind of All-American charm offensive that Americans have grown to expect since the heyday of Norman Rockwell covers at The Saturday Evening Post. The filmmakers keep us on edge as to the outcome as their cool kids pull off the big-time juggling act that is today’s global sports scene. (New People, 3/14; Oakland’s New Parkway, 3/22) Seoul Searching by Benson Lee (USA/South Korea) The openingnight gala carries an 80s soundtrack teen accent as Lee plays with the myriad shenanigans possible when frisky kids flock to a Seoul-based summer program. Besides its John

Hughes-style theme, this program combines a Castro Theatre screening with an equally sublime postfilm party at our city’s world class Asian Art Museum. (Castro, 3/12) Cicada by Dean Yamada (USA) Jumpei is in the uncomfortable spot of being an adult man who’s unmarried and lacking in sperm. His answer to these challenges is as odd as you’ll see in any personal film this year. (New People, 3/13; PFA, 3/14; Kabuki, 3/18) Dot 2 Dot by Amos Why (Hong Kong) Imagine my surprise a while back when a close movie-buddy dropped out of our cinema dates in favor of photographing Bay Area graffiti artists. Dot 2 Dot explores an amusing variation on this situation in a drama where a handsome man, Chung, gives many of his Hong Kong friends a similar bout of disbelief when he begins leaving his own type of dot-sized marks in public spaces. The local cops are not amused, nor is a potential romantic partner. (Kabuki, 3/16, 18)t Info: caamedia.org.

Film>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 21

Expert deception

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Marc Morano, executive director of ClimateDepot.com, a leading site for climate change skeptics, in filmmaker Robert Kenner’s Merchants of Doubt.

by David Lamble

here’s a quote that flashes on screen during Merchants of Doubt that sums up what its maker Robert Kenner is trying to tell us in this slickly produced attack on the American business of selling what used to be jokingly called “cancer sticks.” In a film replete with the lies big tobacco has used to fool customers and regulators alike, a VP at Philip Morris quips, “I think that if the company as a whole believed that cigarettes were really harmful, we would not be in the business of making them.” Yes, sometimes the best humor is unintentional. With 16 credited participants and lots of editing pizazz at his disposal, director Kenner fulfills the promise he displayed as a nonfiction polemicist in award-winning docs Food, Inc., Two Days in October, and The Road to Memphis. Depending on how large your appetite is for films that talk truth to power, Merchants of Doubt jumps to the top of a short list of films by people so zealous in their calling that they probably don’t check their weekly grosses in Variety. Seriously, Merchants of Doubt is as emblematic of this Obama era as Putney Swope was to the years of Lyndon Johnson. The Hunting Ground The films of American documentarian Kirby Dick – Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate, Showgirls: Glitz & Angst, Outrage (on closeted LGBT politicians) – are clearly designed to arouse as much as to entertain, to change the world around us. In the case of his 1997 doc Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist, Dick eschewed questions of taste for shock-for-shock’s-sake, and gave male filmgoers a big jolt: halfway through this touching portrait of an artist dying from lung disease, Dick allows Flanagan to reach us the way few have ever done by driving a large nail through his penis. My 19-year-old friend came as close to diving under his seat as was physically possible. In his latest work The Hunting Ground, Dick directs a different

kind of assault on the hetero male sensibility. In a film that posits that sexual assault has reached epidemic proportions on American college campuses, Dick introduces a cadre of brave young women who recount their own personal horror stories and their incredulity that their cries for help went largely unanswered by college authorities, male and female. Focusing attention on three campuses – Harvard, the University of North Carolina (UNC) and our own Cal Berkeley – the young women paint a frightening picture of today’s college life, where rape seems almost to be taken for granted as a kind of rite of passage. Anne Clark, a young woman from UNC, asserts that “two of us were sexually assaulted before classes even started.” Andrea Pino, a Cuban American coed, notes the feeling that while the assault was underway, “You just hope you don’t die.” Even more disturbing is what the young women claim was the attitude of college administrators, including a female dean who told Clark, “Annie, rape is like a football game. What would you have done differently?” A male victim, Ryan Clifford, chimes in, “The goal is to protect the institution, not the student. They very much discourage students from reporting.” Another student notes, “Rape is seen as a public relations problem, damaging [a school’s] brand.” One of the inherent problems with The Hunting Ground is the difficulty filmmakers have in conveying statistical facts as opposed to emotionally charged personal testimony. As an illustration, Dick flashes a steady stream of statistical bullet points on screen, some of which seem to be in a kind of cognitive dissonance with each other. “A best estimate indicates that false [rape] reports” fall between 2-8% of the total. “Less than 8% of men commit 90% of [reported] rapes.” Obviously, any number of rapes is too many. But is there a central clearinghouse for reliable figures for the incidence of sexual assaults at American colleges? The Hunting Ground is bold

in raising the subject of sexual assault on men by other men, but here the statistical evidence is so small that one is left puzzled as to what, if anything, to make of the phenomenon. I left a press screening of The Hunting Ground encouraged that one of our most gutsy nonfiction filmmakers hasn’t lost his desire to provoke, but also wondering whether he’s omitted some important perspectives from his searing attack on what he feels is a sad state of affairs at some of our greatest institutions of learning. I remember my feelings of relief after watching Dick’s Outrage, that an important filmmaker had finally exposed, in his words, “closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation in the U.S.” I remember his delight in tweaking the pomposity and secrecy of the film industry’s ratings board in This Film Is Not Yet Rated, where he noted, “Violent films get through almost unscathed, but the ratings have this excessive focus against sexuality that puts independent film at a disadvantage.” It will be interesting to see if Dick gets the kind of blowback to Hunting Ground that Rolling Stone magazine received in response to its recent expose on college sexual assaults, a reaction that resulted in a rare partial retraction/apology from the magazine. At one point in the movie, Dick’s camera catches a disgruntled fraternity member taking exception to his thesis. “Just because a woman said, ‘No,’ and you had sex, does that mean you’re a rapist?” The pressscreening audience chuckled in derision at the young, white frat-boy’s perhaps alcohol-fueled indignation that his sacred “hunting ground” was under siege. But the rules of the college dating game may soon be radically redefined. (Both films open Friday.)t

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<< Music

22 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Iolanta bounces back by Tim Pfaff

or a relative rarity in the opera world, Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta has had a big bounce-back of late. The Russian fairy-tale final opera of this most iconically gay of composers – written as a companion piece for The Nutcracker at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre in 1892 – had its biggest current splash in the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD telecast on Valentine’s Day, a performance likely to turn up soon on DVD. Timed to coincide with the Met’s production, DG has released a two-CD version of

a live concert performance of Iolanta from the Baden-Baden Festival from November 2012. Although the opera is familiar, beloved fare inside Russia, it’s hard to imagine it would have had this recent double outing without the advocacy of its star singer, Anna Netrebko, and of her mentor, conductor Valery Gergiev. The soprano – who made her US opera debut in SF Opera’s Gergiev-led Glinka Ruslan and Lyudmila in 1995, when she was a 20-something, pinpoint-coloratura soprano of significant promise – is now as big at the box office as any

classical singer working. The indefatigable Gergiev, the undisputed master of Russian opera today (and classical music’s #1 moneymaker), is as sure to draw crowds, including protestors of his alliance with Vladimir Putin. (One scrambled onto the Met stage on Iolanta’s opening night during Netrebko’s solo bow. Whatever you think of the politics of the Gergiev-Netrebko duo, there’s no evidence that they share the homophobic dispositions of their Russian compatriots, with which they have been charged, and there’s compelling evidence that they do not.) Tchaikovsky questioned whether this one-act opera, composed shortly after the dramatically white-hot The Queen of Spades, represented his work in the theater at its finest, but it’s a beautiful score that packs a startling variety of music into its dense 90 minutes. What announces itself as a work of delicate sensibility – the crabbed, haunting music for woodwinds that opens the piece sets its tone – turns out to be a work of deep feeling and sustaining musical riches, including some powerful ensembles and a socko love duet. There’s a quiet power in the story of the young woman who is unaware not only of her royalty, but of her blindness from birth, a fact that has been carefully kept from her by her father the king and a family of attendants. Tchaikovsky’s frequent librettist, his brother Modest, elevated the story, set in 15th-century France, above a sentimental weepie despite the fact that Iolanta at first thinks the only purpose of eyes is crying, and soon declares her postfirst-love conviction that tears are the route to transcendence. The cure

for her blindness, once she wants it, is spiritual. If Gergiev has any reservations about the fact that the tale’s doctor and restorative spirituality are Muslim, they don’t show in his potent music-making. In addition to hearing the CDs, I tuned into four of the Met’s recent broadcasts of live Iolantas, and the more I hear the opera, the more I want to. The new CD set brings you the score without the sonic interference of a staged production, and it’s lusciously played by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under Emmanuel Villaume. The cast of largely native Russian speakers is strong, evenly matched in the ensembles and crowned by a far steadier vocal performance of the title role from Netrebko than she mustered at the Met. If you’re a big Netrebko fan, your decision is made. That said, the concert performance lacks the opulence and sheer authority of Gergiev’s. Without anything less

Jewels of Paris

From page 17

I could’ve parked in this parking lot, I muse prosaically, admiring the overgrown ivy. I knock on the door on the windowless side of the large wooden building. I hear a shriek. That couldn’t be a joke doorbell, I only knocked. Egad. The handle turns in my hand. I enter, and shut the door on the mundane world. This high-ceilinged inner sanctum is warm and colorful, full of images and objects tantalizing to the imagination. “Hello,” I call, and an unseen voice answers. I enter a theater where two men, oddly attired, discuss available technicians. Then someone across the stage in a blood-red shirt smiles at me with very large teeth. Russell Blackwood, a director about town, is the underground genius who put the imp back in impresario. Ever grinning, he gives me a moment’s tour of his small empire. Stepping off the set, I glimpse a young prop master bent over plastic tubs full of shiny things and gory masks, pass a long table with mirrors surrounded by fantastic odds and ends, go up wooden steps past racks of costumes, and enter a larger

this one-acter can feel like a longish night in the theater, and there are unmistakable longueurs in this concert performance. For the opera at its most involving, even electrifying, go to YouTube for the September 2009 complete Mariinsky live performance in an earlier incarnation of the Mariusz Trelinski production just re-staged at the Met. In the pit Gergiev’s at his most focused, the allRussian cast is stupendous, and Netrebko has her whole voice to use to create an Iolanta so affecting and passionate that you forget you’re in the theater. That complex, hooded sound she deploys for dramatic effect is hers to command, and the singing vaults over the long line rather than cannily ducking its obstacles as it now seemingly must. Her acclaimed Lady Macbeth at the Met earlier this season raised concerns about the vocal health of a singer who has announced Norma, and Elsa in Lohengrin at Bayreuth, in her near future. All you have to do is listen to chart the unraveling of the voice in Iolanta from St. Petersburg in 2009 to Essen in 2012 to the Met in 2015. From something like the real thing devolves an instrument of pervasive unsteadiness that must resort to timeworn tricks to mask proximate pitches, wobbly vibrato, lunged-at intervals, and phrasing predicated on the vocal needs of the moment. The CDs’ live performance is the last comfortable stop on that train.t dressing area, where we pull out chairs and sit. “You’d like a surface to write on,” he says, touching the narrow plank that is the makeup table. Directors think of everything. All the time. They have to, they can’t help it, it’s how their minds work. What clinical psychologists call control freaks. Every human talent that mental health professionals pathologize theater puts to good use in an alternative universe where people can be creative, not crazy. It takes a special kind of crazy to run your own theater. Now Blackwood is staging his interview with Blackwell. Fascinating. Theater doesn’t stop offstage. Why would it? That’s where the best theater happens, if you know how to spot it. I pull out my thermos of tea and settle back to enjoy the one-man show. Blackwood’s been producing director of Thrillpeddlers for 25 years, the length of his relationship with his executive producer and husband, Jim Toczyl, which rhymes with nozzle. They’ve been staging shows at their Hypnodrome 11 glorious years, with a current budget just under $100K, in a forprofit model, with no board to rein See page 23 >>

David Wilson

Jack Crow, Lisa McHenry, Birdie-Bob Watt, Dee Nathaniel and Andrew Darling in Thrillpeddlers’ Jewels of Paris.

Books>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 23

Springtime reading list by Gregg Shapiro

lights of fiction: Beloved gay author Armistead Maupin brings his cherished Tales of the City saga to a close on a tear-jerking note with a loving tribute to his most endearing and enduring character, trans legend Anna Madrigal, in The Days of Anna Madrigal (Harper Perennial). Now in paperback, the novel takes us from San Francisco to Winnemucca to the annual Burning Man celebration, and from the present day to Anna’s secret past, answering almost any question a reader of the series might ever want to ask. Straight friend of the community Daniel Handler, the author of the Lemony Snicket series who has collaborated with gay Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt, returns with his new adult novel We Are Pirates (Bloomsbury), about pirates terrorizing 21st-century San Francisco. Also set in San Francisco, in 1951, Blackmail, My Love (Cleis), written and illustrated by Katie Gilmartin, involves “a murder, a mystery and a secret history,” as Josie O’Connor searches for her gay brother Jimmy, and encounters a cornucopia of characters in an assortment of establishments. If you’re a fan of Joe Keenan’s style of queer farce, then the fastpaced and funny Stealing Arthur (Bear Bones Books) by Joel Perry, about the trophy theft of “55 of Hollywood’s highest awards,” will be right up your alley. Originally published in “a slightly different version” in 2013, William Klaber’s debut novel The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell (St. Martin’s Press), about the title character and how “dressed in a man’s clothing, she wins a girl’s love” in the late 1800s, is now available in a newly reissued edition. A 21st-century bedtime story for the ages (and all ages) if there ever was one, You Have to F**king Eat (Akashic Books) by Adam Mansbach with illustrations by Owen Brozman, the sequel to the hilarious and equally profane Go the F**k to Sleep, deals with the “other parental frustration,” getting finicky kids to eat right. Former club kid turned restaurateur Blue, the main character of Robert Levy’s debut novel The Glittering World (Gallery Books), ventures to Nova Scotia from NYC for

Jewels of Paris

From page 22

in fantastic theatrical impulses, no unions to cramp outrageous style. Thirty-five people are working on their latest extravaganza, Jewels of Paris, of whom 17 are actors playing three roles apiece, as befits the revue regimen of shifting scenes, changing costumes, song and dance. “Lots of our shows are epic,” boasts the expansive Blackwood, who prides himself on running a community theater unconstrained by the aesthetic-death-dealing trammels of non-profit, so-called professional rivals. At this point, a white-headed man in velvety corduroy ambles in and pulls up a chair. This is mythic music-maker and accompanist to the stars Scrumbly Koldewyn, who whipped up the score for Jewels in a three-month bout of inspiration. The soft-spoken, Punk-inflected ex-hippie is quick to credit talented scribes Rob Keefe, Alex Kinney, and Andy Wenger, whose plays and sketches inspired the songs that mark the difference between the exquisite discipline that is revue and your average 10-minute play festival. Vive la difference! (Long live the difference!) As roles were cast,

what begins as a leisurely trip with friends and develops into a shocking voyage of self-discovery as he uncovers a mysterious and longburied part of his past. Thanks for the memoirs: I Left It on the Mountain (St. Martin’s Press), Kevin Sessums’ follow-up to his acclaimed memoir Mississippi Sissy, follows the editor-in-chief of Four Two Nine and dot429.com from “the high to the low and back again,” as he writes about his journey of spiritual redemption. Bettyville: A Memoir (Viking), “the last place in America with shag carpet,” is where gay writer and book and magazine editor George Hodgman has returned (from Manhattan) for his role as “care inflictor” for his 90-year-old mother, the Betty of the title, in this breathtaking memoir about mother/son relationships, identity and so much more. Wishbone: A Memoir in Fractures (Bywater Books), the first book by lauded lesbian writer and poet Julie Marie Wade, won the Colgate University Press Nonfiction Book Award in 2009 and the 2011 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir. It’s now available in paperback, as well as an e-book. “Intoxicating” memoir Dangerous When Wet (St. Martin’s Press), the first book by gay writer Jamie Brickhouse, details his complex relationship with his one-of-a-kind mother Mama Jean, as well as his struggles with alcohol and coming out, all told in his distinctive voice. Subtitled “a supermodel’s journey to finding her truth,” Straight Walk (Post Hill Press) by Venezuelan model and actress Patricia Velasquez, known as “the world’s first Latina supermodel,” is about her upbringing, coming out, and making love “in three time zones, in three cities, to three different women in one day.” Rock, paper, book: Stunning coffee-table book See Hear Yoko (Harper), “originally conceived expressly for Yoko Ono on the occasion of her 80th birthday” by “legendary rock and roll photographer” Bob Greuen, featuring interview text by Jody Denberg, spans a 41year period, from 1971 until 2015. It combines intimate photos of Yoko with John, with son Sean, in performance, at various events, and posing with icons such as Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Patti Smith, and members of the B-52’s, and much more for a visual treat. Scrumbly even wrote music and lyrics to suit individual performers. He’ll be on piano every night, assisted by the polymorphously talented Birdy-Bob Watt on every other instrument. As we sit there chatting in the pre-rehearsal calm two weeks before the storm of performance, the image of Paris hovers, like that drone some idiot sent flying over the Eiffel Tower the other day. Not that Paris. The imaginary Paris of the spirit, an ideal and sometimes real destination for generations of artists and intellectuals who dedicate themselves to preserving and perfecting joie de vivre (joy of living). Legendary American ex-pats Gertrude Stein and Josephine Baker are the jewels of Paris receiving the Thrillpeddler treatment, alongside Viennese Marie-Antoinette and Spaniard Pablo Picasso, in gender-bending send-ups that employ a guillotine and the thousand unnatural props hidden in the Hypnodrome.t Jewels of Paris plays Thurs., Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. (previews 3/12, 13, 14; opens 3/19) at the Hypnodrome, 575 10th St., SF. Tickets ($30; $35 for Front Row Seats, Shock Boxes, Turkish Lounges): (415) 377-4202.

In her picture-filled memoir Girl in a Band (Dey St. Books), vocalist/ bassist/founding member of the legendary and influential post-punk band Sonic Youth Kim Gordon takes readers along on her personal journey from suburban Southern California to the art world/ club scene of New York in the 1980s and 90s to the present day and the ending of her marriage to band member Thurston Moore. That’s entertainment: Arriving in time for the 50th anniversary of the Oscar-winning movie musical The Sound of Music, Tom Santopietro’s The Sound of Music Story (St. Martin’s Press) offers readers a detailed behind-the-scenes look, including eight pages of photos, at how the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical went on to become one of the most popular and

adored movie musicals of all time. Beautiful Chaos: A Life in the Theater (City Lights Books) by Carey Perloff, artistic director of San Francisco’s renowned American Conservatory Theater, and the woman who helped bring Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City musical to the stage, tells her story.

Actor Keegan Allen, of ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, has been taking pictures since he was nine years old. In life. love. beauty. (St. Martin’s Press), Allen, a protégé of James Franco’s, shares his “photographic journey,” including pix from his youth, his career and his travels, along with text and poetry.t

SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS DR. TIMOTHY SEELIG, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Featuring the San Francisco premiere of

Jake Heggie’s opera For a Look or a Touch in collaboration with San Francisco Opera, American Conservatory Theater, and Contemporary Jewish Museum

APRIL 1 + 2 » 8 P.M. DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL

with guest artists Morgan Smith + Kip Niven and the world premiere of

TICKETS » SFGMC.ORG

#twitterlieder: 15 Tweets in 3 Acts

SEASON 37 IS SPONSORED BY

THE OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF SFGMC

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM

<< Out&About

24 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Cheryl Mann

O&A Out &About

Pierre-Laurent Aimard @ Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley With fellow pianist Tamara Stefanovich, a program of composer Pierre Boulez’s works are performed. $32-$76. 8pm. Bancroft Way at Dana St., Berkeley. CalPerformances.org

Paula West @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The talented jazz vocalist performs a six-week engagement at the upscale intimate nightclub/cabaret, performing an eclectic array of songs, from Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and Harry Nilsson to jazz classics. $35$50. Thu & Fri 8pm. Sat 7pm & 10pm. Sun 7pm. Thru March 22. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (866) 663-1063. www.ticketweb.com

Sat 14 Joffrey Ballet

Preferentialities by Jim Provenzano

t isn’t that one art form or another is more intriguing, but is it my fault that so many dance concerts this week have compelling themes and beautiful performers? Enjoy these and other genres of creative expression.

Thu 12 BAR 3.75x5 online appointment ad v3.indd 1 2pub-BBB_BAR_031215.pdf

3/3/15

2:26 PM

8/15/14 10:17 AM

Breaking the Code @ Eureka Theatre Hugh Whitmore’s stage play about gay British WWII code-breaker Alan Turing, his genius and tortured life, gets a local production by Theatre Rhinoceros. Limited run: thru March 21. $10-$30. Wed-Sat 8pm Sat 3pm. 215 Jackson St. (800) 838-3006. www.TheRhino.org

Cracked Actor: David Bowie on Screen @ YBCA Comprehensive film series of the pop superstar’s cinematic career. Thru March. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts screening room, 701 Mission St. www.ybca.org/david-bowie

Hidden Fields @ Z Space Dr. David Glowacki’s fascinating science and dance work created in London and dubbed “Dance Spectroscopy” blends movement with electronic projections. $20. Thu & Fri 7pm. Sat 8pm. Thru Mar. 14. 450 Florida St. www.Zspace.org

Jewels of Paris @ Hypnodrome

CMY

Thrillpeddlers’ new production is a “revolutionary” Parisian-themed musical revue, with original music and lyrics by original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn, including characters base don Picasso, Cocteau, Josephine Baker and even Marie Antoinette. $30-$35. Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru May 2. 575 10th St. www.hypnodrome.org

Jewish Music Festival @ Various Venues 30th anniversary of the music festival, featuring choral works, jazz, traditional, even dancing and orchestral works, performed in SF, Berkeley and Oakland. Thru March 22. www.jewishmusicfestival.org

Hilarity @ Exit Studio Allison Page’s new play about a comic on the edge of destruction. $10-$25. 156 Eddy St. Thru Mar. 28. www.brownpapertickets.com

Lisa Freeman @ Modern Times Bookstore The author of Honey Girl reads from and discusses her queer-themed young adult book about a Hawaiian girl forced to adjust to Santa Monica life. 7pm. 2919 24th St. mtbs.com

Mister Wives @ The Independent Sparkly pop band performs. Borns and Handsome Ghost open. $15. 8pm. 628 Divisadero St. 771-1421. www.theindependentsf.com

Newsies @ Orpheum Theatre The Broadway musical hit, with lots of great dancing, based on the film about young paperboys who went on a historic strike; with music by Alan Menken and book by Harvey Fierstein. $70-$250. Wed-Sat 8pm. Wed, Sat, Sun 2pm. Thru Mar. 15. 1192 Market St. (888) 746-1799. www.shnsf.com

ODC Dance @ YBCA The modern dance company’s annual downtown concert series includes Brenda Way and KT Nelson’s The Invention of Wings (which includes video from Wei Wei’s installation at Alcatroz Island), Dead Reckoning with music from Kronos Quartet cellist Joan Jeanrenaud, plus the multimedia boulders and bones. $25-$120 (gala and/or full series). Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 4pm. Thru Mar. 22. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St. 978-2787. www.odcdance.org www.ybca.org

The Office, Dolly @ Z Below Word for Word’s stage adaptation of two short stories by Nobel Prizewinning author Alice Munro. $20, $35-55. Wed & Thu 7pm. Fri-Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru April 12. 470 Florida St. (866) 811-4111. www.zspace.org

Thu 12 ODC Dance

Fri 13 Abundance @ Shelton Theatre Pultizer Prize winner Beth Henley’s tender-hearted drama about two 1860s mail order brides in the Old West gets a local production. $38. Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru Mar. 14. 533 Sutter St. (800) 838-3006. www.sheltontheater.org

Antigone @ Exit on Taylor Cutting Ball Theater’s production of Daniel Sullivan’s new translation of Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy, with music and movement. $10-$50. Thu 7:30pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm. Thru Mar. 29. 277 Taylor St. 5251205. www.cuttingball.com

Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them @ Thick House Crowded Fire Theater’s always interesting company performs A. Rey Pamatmat’s drama about three abandoned kids on a remote farm. $15-$35. Wed-Sat 8pm. Thru March 21. 1695 18th St. crowdedfire.org

Carol Peters @ Hotel Rex Society Cabaret presents the veteran singer in an intimate concert; cocktails and small plates available. $30-$50. 8pm. 562 Sutter St. societycabaret.com

Foodies, the Musical @ Shelton Theater 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

Joe Wicht @ R3, Guerneville The local pianist-singer-entertainer takes you to the river, with Broadway and pop tunes, at the popular hotel, bar and grill. 8pm. Also Mar. 14. 16390 4th St., Guerneville. (707) 8698399. www.ther3hotel.com

Josh Kornbluth @ The Marsh Berkeley Haiku Tunnel, the solo performer’s popular comic show about the foibles of office temping, re-opens at the East Bay venue. $20-$100. Fri 8pm. Sat 5pm. Thru Mar. 28. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 282-3055. themarsh.org

Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play @ Geary Theatre American Conservatory Theatre and the Guthrie Theater present Anne Washburn’s imaginative hit comedy about a post-apocalyptic Northern California family whose vague memories of an episode from The Simpsons has become one of their fireside folk tales. Special nights thru the run (including Out at A.C.T. Mar. 4). $20-$120. Tue 7pm. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Mar. 15. 415 Geary St. 749-2228. act-sf.org

Other Desert Cities @ New Conservatory Theatre Center This local production of Jon Robin Baitz’ Pulitzer Prize finalist drama concerns a family distrupted by divisive political differences. (Opening night Mar. 14.) $20-$35. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thru April 5. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 861-8972. www.nctcsf.org

RJ Muna

Out&About>>

Rirkrit Tiravanija: The Way Things Go @ YBCA

Hostel Comedy @ Piano Fight

A Special Curatorial Project … uncovers narratives, reveals personal stories, and shares vignettes that lead to a larger understanding of the migration of people in the production of material culture. Free/$12-$15. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. Thru June 21. 978-2787. www.ybca.org

Andrew Roberts’ weekly comedy show with visiting comics and backpacking tourists telling funny stories. Free. 7pm. Thru April 25. 144 Taylor St. pianofight.com

Sex & the City Live @ Oasis The drag parody of the Manhattan gal pal TV show returns. $25-$30 and up. 7pm. Thu-Sat. Thru Mar. 28. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Stereotypo @ The Marsh Don Reed’s new solo show, subtitled Rants and Rumblings at the DMV showcases the banal automotive office as a showcase of diverse characters. $20-$100. Fri 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Thru Mar. 28. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Tartuffe @ Berkeley Repertory Dominique Serrand directs the awardwinning East Bay theatre company’s modern production of Moliere’s classic satire of religious hypocrisy. $29-$79. Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed & Sun 7pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru April 12. Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown @ Julia Morgan Theater, Berkeley Berkeley Playhouse’s production of the Tony Award-winning musical based on the Charles M. Schulz comic characters. $5-$60. Fri 7pm. Sat 1pm & 6pm. Sun 12pm & 5pm. Thru Mar. 15. 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-8542. berkeleyplayhouse.org

Sat 14 Barry Lloyd, Annalisa Bastiani @ Hotel Rex Society Cabaret presents the singer and pianist in Rainbow’s End: Celebrating Judy Garland. Cocktails and small plates available. $25-$45. 8pm. 562 Sutter St. www.societycabaret.com

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. Reg: $25$160. Beer/wine served; cash only; 21+, except where noted. 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 4214222. beachblanketbabylon.com

Botticelli to Braque @ de Young Museum Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland, an expansive exhibit of classic paintings. Also, an exhibit of Oscar de la Renta high couture gowns (thru May 30). Free/$25. Thru May 31. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. www.famsf.org

Joffrey Ballet @ Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley The world-renowned dance company performs Val Caniparoli’s Incantations, Alexander Ekman’s multimedia work, Episode 31, and Stanton Welch’s Son of Chamber Symphony. $40-$96. 8pm. Mar. 16, 3pm. UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, Berkeley (510) 642-9988. www.CalPerformances.org

Leilani Bustamante @ Modern Eden Gallery Opening reception for an exhibit of works by the Santa Rosa painter of unusual haunting scenes. 6pm-9pm. Thru April 18. 801 Greenwich Ave. www.moderneden.com

Richard III @ La Val’s Subterranean, Berkeley Shakespeare’s classic drama about an evil king gets a new treatment from the innovative East Bay theatre company. $10-$25. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 7pm. Thru April 5. 1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley. (510) 224-5744. impacttheatre.com

The Waiting Period @ The Marsh Brian Copeland returns with his popular solo show, about the tensions of considering suicide, and waiting for approval to buy a gun. $30-$100. Saturdays 5pm, Sundays 5:30pm. Extended thru April 19. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

War Cry Tears @ Dance Mission Theater A marathon of dance, theater, spoken word, drumming, and truth telling commemorating the 12th Anniversary of the war in Iraq; featuring Dance Brigade, Climbing PoeTree, Embodiment Project, Stephen Funk/ Veteran Artists (visual art), and Aaron Loeb’s The Proud (excerpts) with Stacy Ross and Lucas Near-Verbrugghe. $25. 7pm. Also Mar. 15, 2pm. 3316 24th St. 826-4441. www.dancemission.com

Wilde Chats @ Sweet Inspirations Community Initiative’s weekly informal discussion group at the dessert shop. 10:30am-12pm. 2239 Market St. 621-8664. www.sweetinspirationbakery.com

Sun 15

Central Works’ theatre company’s 25th season opens with Patricia Milton’s political comedy set around a family gathering. $15-$28. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. Thru March 29. 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 558-1381. www.centralworks.org

Enjoy weekly same-sex tango dancing and a potluck, with lessons early in the day. $7-$15. 3:30-6:30pm. 1970 Chestnut St., Berkeley. (510) 8455352. www.finnishhall.com

Fool La La! @ The Marsh Unique Derique’s holiday clowning show’s fun for kids and adults alike. $15-$35. Sundays 2pm. Extended thru April 12. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Leilani Bustamante

The co-author of I Am Jazz, the children’s book about transgender activist Jazz Jennings, reads from and discusses her book at Storytime (for ages 4 and up). 2pm. 2275 Market St. 864-6777. www.Booksinc. net

Abrazo, Queer Tango @ Finnish Brotherhood Hall, Berkeley

Charlie Varon’s hit solo show, about a fictional elder man who’s not adapting well to the 21st century, returns. $25-$100. Sat 8:30pm, Sun 5pm. Thru Mar. 22. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Sat 14

Jessica Herthel @ Books Inc.

Enemies: Foreign and Domestic @ Berkeley City Club

Feisty Old Jew @ The Marsh Berkeley

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 25

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 10am4pm. Golden Gate Park, 831-2090. www.conservatoryofflowers.org

Fertile Ground @ Oakland Museum Art and Community in California (thru April 12). Also, photographer Marion Gray: Within the Light thru June 21; Bees: Tiny Insect, Big Impact thru Sept 20. Free/$15. Reg. hours WedSat 11am-5pm (Fri til 9pm). 1000 Oak St. (510) 318-8400. museumca.org

Gay Skate Night @ Church on 8 Wheels

At Large: Ai Weiwei @ Alcatraz Island

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 gayfriendly, 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

The internationally acclaimed Chinese sculptor’s exhibit of seven site-specific multimedia installations; the largest art exhibit ever hosted by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. $18-$30. Daily thru April 26. Ferries to and from Pier 33 at Embarcadero. www.AiWeiWeiAlcatraz.org www.alcatrazcruises.com/website/ ai-weiwei.aspx

It’s Everything @ KOFY-TV

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. Tue-Sat 9:30am-5:115pm. 34th Ave. at Clement. www.legionofhonor.org

Katya Presents @ Martuni’s Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, with guest vocalist Alyssa Stone and pianist Tom Shaw, hosts the cabaret music show at the intimate martini bar. $11. 7pm. 4 Valencia St. www.martunis.ypguides.net

Seduction: Japan’s Floating World @ Asian Art Museum New exhibit of ancient art from the John C. Weber Collection. Thru May 10. Also, The Printer’s Eye: Ukiyo-e, from the Grabhorn Collection. Other fascinating exhibits as well. Free (members, kids 12 and under)-$15. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 200 Larkin St. www.asianart.org

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

Mon 16 Terry Furry @ Magnet Martyrs and Myth, an exhibit of paintings and sculptural works by the Oakland gay artist. Thru March. 4122 18th St. www.terryfurry.com www.magnetsf.org

Various Artists @ NIAD Art Center, Richmond Exhibits of art made by developmentally disabled people. Also, exhibits of works by Amelia Oie, Shantee Robinson and others. Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. 551 23rd St. Richmond. (510) 620-0290. niadart.org

Word Week @ Noe Valley Venues The annual Noe Valley literary festival includes readings and panels at various locales; including Word Wit, with Tom Ammiano and Marilyn Pittman, Mar. 16, 7:30pm at Caskhouse Bar, 3853 24th St.; and Queer Words, Mar. 20, 7pm at Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St. Thru March 21. friendsofnoevalley.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

Letters to Afar, Poland and Palestine: Two Lands and Two Skies @ Contemporary Jewish Museum Dual exhibit of new Jewish cultural documentation (thru May 24); opening reception 5:30pm with Klezmer music, pop-up food and a wine bar. Also, Havruta in Contemporary Art (thru April 14). 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

Queer Asian Cinema @ CIIS Queer Conversations on Culture and the Arts and CAAM present a screening and panel featuring filmmakers in conversation with director Pratibha Parmar; moderated by Center for Asian American Media’s festival director Masashi Niwano. Free. 7pm. California College of the Arts, 1111 8th St. www.cca.edu

Ralph Eugene Meatyard @ Robert Tat Gallery Exhibit of black and white prints by the creator of creepy yet beautiful imagery. Tue-Sat 11am-5:30pm (1st Thu til 7:30pm). Thru May 30. 49 Geary St. 781-1122. www.roberttat.com

Tammie Brown @ Oasis The RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant from Season 1 performs her first solo show, Lip-Synch Suicide. $20. 7pm & 9pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 7953180. www.sfoasis.com

Wed 18 Framed Targets @ CIIS Gallery New exhibit of abstract sculptural wall art by Truong Tran, a local gay visual artist. Thru April 11. 1453 Mission St. 575-6100. www.ciis.edu

Lava Thomas @ Museum of the African Diaspora Exhibit of contemporary works. Also, The Art of Elizabeth Catlett, and historic exhibits of African cultures. Free/$10. 685 Mission St. www.moadsf.org

Smack Dab @ Magnet The monthly reading and performance open mic, this month features music duo Promise Kings. 8pm. 4122 18th St. www.magnetsf.org

Refuge in Refuse @ SOMArts Cultural Center Homesteading Art & Culture Project, a multimedia exhibit of art works created from dumped materials at Albany Bulb recycling landfill. Special events thru run. Reg. hours Tue-Fri 12pm-7pm. Sat 12pm-5pm. Thru Mar. 14. www.somarts.org

Thu 19 Comedy Returns @ El Rio Paco Romane, Emily Epstein White, Kevin O’Shea, Jesús U. BettaWork, and host Lisa Geduldig share comic insights at the monthly (3rd Thu) event. $7-$20. 8pm. 3158 Mission St. (800) 838-3006. www.elriosf.com

Drag Me to Bingo @ Jack London Square, Oakland The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s fun game night with drag and other acts. $10. 7pm. 55 Harrison St., Oakland. www.thesisters.org

Fotanicals @ SF Botanical Gardens Fotanicals: the Secret Language of Flowers, an exhibition of photographs by artist joSon. Also, see blooming floral displays, including new Magnolia blossoms (51 species and 33 cultivars!), plus trees and exhibits. Free-$15. Daily. Golden Gate Park. 661-1316. SFBotanicalGarden.org

Full Frontal Comedy @ Lookout Scott Capurro, Yuri Kagan, Valeria Branch and Ashton Tate perform at the new monthly (3rd Thu) comedy night. $5. 8pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Queer Past Becomes Present @ GLBT History Museum New and mini-exhibits about Bay Area LGBTQ people and communities. Mar. 12: Nan Alamilla Boyd, Raquel Gutiérrez and Don Romesburg share a panel: Open Forum on the GLBT Historical Society’s Role in Gentrification Issues. 7pm-9pm. Free (members)-$5. Reg hours: Mon, WedSat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm-5pm. 4127 18th St. 621-1107. www.glbthistory.org 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 ebar.com/bartab

Thu 12 Hidden Fields

Tue 17 The Griots of Oakland @ CIIS Multimedia exhibit of visuals and storytelling by young African American men of the East Bay. Thru June 20. 1453 Mission St. www.ciis.edu Paul Blakemore

<< TV

26 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Ripped from the headlines by Victoria A. Brownworth

his was such a week to fall in love with TV all over again. ABC’s American Crime debuted and could be one of the best shows ever to hit the small screen. The Following, from gay showrunner Kevin Williamson, returned for another homoerotic season. Empire got gayer. The Slap got even deeper and edgier (out lesbian director Lisa Cholodenko, of the Oscar-winning The Kids Are Alright, is an executive producer on the show and has directed several episodes). Scandal burned it up (literally) with a tribute to Ferguson. Dig, created by Gideon Raff (Homeland) and Tim Kring (Heroes), debuted on USA starring former lesbian Anne Heche and sexy Brit Jason Isaacs (Rosemary’s Baby). CBS debuted Battle Creek, one of two new shows from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Glee started counting down to the series finale (cue sobbing) on March 20. Madame Secretary returned just in time to dovetail with the GOP-manufactured “scandal” of Hillary Clinton’s emails that everyone in the world was getting, yet somehow no one from the president to her own staff noticed that the return address wasn’t the State Department until last week, six years later. The Good Wife returned with a gut-grinder of a gay storyline that will make everyone think. The Voice returned and brought “The Dress.” Oprah announced she was closing her Chicago-based Harpo Studios where the iconic Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in TV history, was filmed for 25 seasons between 1986-2011. Ellen was everywhere, and Rosie was nowhere. The news brought some laughs. Jon Stewart (why is he leaving again?) weighed in with a massive eye-roll on the Hillary email drama, opening his March 5 show with, “Have you heard the news? Future President Hillary Clinton may have to pardon former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.” After playing a news clip from CBS where the reporter says, “A bombshell report indicates former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may have broken the law,” Stewart says, “Oh my God, what did she do? Did she funnel arms to ISIS to pay for a land deal in Arkansas? Did she sell Alaska back to the Russians in exchange for their silence on Benghazi? Did she pad her resume with fake countries she negotiated treaties with? I should have known there was no such place as Pantsuitistan. “Do you think maybe wrong-

email-address-ghazi will be a big boost to her Democratic primary rival, TBD? Personally, I think her email trouble helps sew up the senior vote,” he concluded. “They can relate.” No wonder John Oliver wants a hologram of Jon Stewart to take over Stewart’s spot on The Daily Show. The Justice Department report on Ferguson that was released March 4 was anything but funny. The March 5 episode of Scandal reprised the events in Ferguson in a way that only Scandal could. It was just as grim as the actual events. Knowing that it was ripped from the headlines just made it all the more painful to watch. It addressed police brutality, racism and the chasm between white and black America when it comes to both the law and justice. Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) begins the episode on one side of the divide and ends on the other. African-American actor Courtney B. Vance, who languished for years on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, then spent a year on The Closer, has had more success on Broadway, where he has been nominated for three Tony Awards for his dramatic work and won a Tony in 2013. Last season he was given the thankless role of First Gentleman to Alfre Woodard’s Madam President on NBC’s disturbing spy thriller State of Affairs. Vance made the smallish recurring role come alive. He was electric as Marshall Payton, the man with no actual role to play in government. As the father of the teenager shot by police in the Scandal episode, Vance was brilliant, bringing all the pathos of the recent police shootings of young black men to bear in the role. Stewart added his own commentary on Ferguson in a clip widely shared on social media. Stewart explained that the 15 times police K-9 units have been deployed and dogs have bitten people, all were black, prompting Stewart to note, “Even the Ferguson dogs are racist!” We were not thrilled by the ISIS bit on the March 1 episode of Saturday Night Live. Considering what ISIS has done to women and girls, having a young woman run off to join ISIS with her father’s blessing seemed well outside the bounds of acceptable humor. The skit was not the first time SNL has targeted ISIS. The show had also done a take-off of Shark Tank with ISIS looking for money for jihad. Speaking of tastelessness, noted pediatric neurosurgeon and rumored Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said on

Courtesy ABC

Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope in Scandal: on both sides of the racial divide.

the March 4 CNN show New Day with Chris Cuomo that being gay is a choice because people “go into prison straight, and when they come out, they’re gay.” Carson sort of apologized the next day on CNN, noting he “realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues.” Uh, okay. Then he added, “I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended.” In other words, he just meant he shouldn’t have brought prison into it. Because he also said, referencing his years at Johns Hopkins, “Some of our brightest minds have looked at this debate, and up until this point there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality.” But here’s the thing about Carson. He’s said this before. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons he’s a Tea Party favorite. He’s anti-abortion and anti-gay. In 2013. Carson was forced to withdraw from being commencement speaker at Hopkins after he said on the Sean Hannity show of same-sex marriage, “Marriage is between a man and a woman. No group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality, it doesn’t matter what they are. They don’t get to change the definition.” Pedophiles, dogs and gays. Nice. So on March 4 he told Hannity that the gay questions are gotcha journalism and that “every time I’m gaining momentum, the liberal press says, let’s talk about gay rights, and I’m just not going to fall for that anymore.” Well, as we always say, if you don’t think it, you won’t say it. Just for the record, the American Psychological Association asserts “most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation.” Yeah, we knew that, because we’ve never been to prison, but we’re still gay.

Jenner speaks

Former news anchor Diane Sawyer got the big Bruce Jenner interview for ABC in February. The interview is scheduled to air during sweeps. Sources who may be the Jenner/Kardashian clan have leaked to In Touch magazine, The Mirror, Radar online and other outlets that Sawyer asked all the questions and Jenner gave all the answers, including that Jenner is still attracted to women, not men, that Jenner’s breasts are now a size B but will be surgically enhanced to be larger, and that the penis will stay.

Radar reported that ex-wife Kris is “humiliated by Jenner’s impending change,” but that she and Bruce Jenner’s son Brody were also interviewed for Sawyer’s interview. “Brody shed some real light on what the family is going through right now,” Radar reported, adding that the former Hills star “made it clear” that he and his siblings support their father’s transition decision. A different kind of reality was addressed in ABC Family’s The Fosters: teen homosexuality. Controversy was stirred by the series’ creators’ decision to show a kiss between Fosters 13-year-old Jude Foster (Hayden Byerly) and another boy. We feel compelled to note here that most heterosexual tweens/teens (13 is on the cusp) have had their first fumbling kiss at 13. Jude has been falling for Connor (Gavin Macintosh), and Connor has been doing a maybe, maybe-not dance with Jude and a girl, Daria. Then came the sort of kiss 13-year-olds have. Kind of sweet, kind of not-quite-up-against each other. Kind of chaste. Kind of tear-jerking, if you were an adult gay man or lesbian watching. In real life, Byerly is 15, and in an interview this week he said that he and Macintosh had to get comfortable with the role since they are both heterosexual, but that they talked about it and discussed the momentous impact it would have on gay and lesbian kids watching the series. Byerly said, “I want people to watch the show and see the struggle that Jude goes though and feel more comfortable about themselves.” Yes. That. Then there’s what happens in the real world. Out black gay director Lee Daniels, co-creator and executive producer of the groundbreaking Fox drama series Empire, was discussing being black and gay at the Television Critics Association press tour on March 1. Daniels said point-blank that “homophobia in the African-American community” is “killing African-American women.” He had been asked about the blatant homophobia of his main character, music entrepreneur Luscious Lyon (Terrence Howard). He told the TCA that he’d been simmering over the issue for years, since he was working on his 2009 film Precious. Daniels told the TCA, “When I did Precious, I had to do research on AIDS in the 80s so I went to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center in NYC. I expected to see gay men, and there were nothing but African-American women and babies with HIV. That blew me away.” The award-winning director told the TCA that “rampant homophobia” in the black commu-

nity was the cause of the HIV epidemic among black women because so many black men who were really gay were “secretly engaging in gay sex because of the stigma. “Homophobia is rampant in the African-American community, and men are on the DL. They don’t come out, because your priest says, your pastor says, mama says, your nextdoor neighbor says, your homie says, your brother says, your boss says [that homosexuality is wrong]. They are killing African-American women. So I wanted to blow the lid off homophobia in my community.” Empire has definitely blown the lid off. Luscious’ gay son Jamal (Jussie Smollett) is totally gay. He’s got the oh-so-hot Latino not-so-ex ex, Michael Sanchez (Rafael de La Fuente). And Jamal’s gayness and talent are increasingly at the center of Empire. He is both his mama Cookie’s (the incredible Taraji P. Nelson) favorite of her three sons, and also the pawn in her attempt to regain control of Empire. The gay storyline in Empire is different from the one playing out in The Good Wife, which returned March 1. Out gay actor David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) plays closeted Frank Prady, a popular TV legal analyst and author who decides to run against the current Illinois state attorney, James Castro (Michael Cerveris). But now he’s running against Alicia (Julianna Margulies), and the two of them have made a kind of pact to not be awful. Except the people working on Alicia’s team don’t agree, and have sent out lisping robot calls about Frank. Then Alicia herself, who has a gay brother, goes to see a Democratic donor with money falling out of his ass. The legendary Ed Asner plays Guy Redmayne, a handsy widower with an eye for Alicia. He’s also a virulent homophobe. As she moves out of his reach he regales her with stories of how Prady is a “pansy” and a “faggot.” She says nothing. This is the way it happens: good people doing nothing. Redmayne offers her money for her campaign, and she doesn’t refuse. She never speaks out against what he says about Prady. When Prady arrives to woo Redmayne, Redmayne tries to feel him out on the gay issue by dissing Alicia as a slut. Prady takes umbrage and refuses to entertain any more thought of taking Redmayne’s money because of how he’s talking about Alicia. He leaves, integrity intact. Cut to Alicia drinking a glass of wine and looking shattered. Which happens when good people sell their integrity. Her daughter, Grace See page 27 >>

Theatre>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 27

Hannah Mason/wireimage.com

Barry Humphries happily admits he has a bit of his own sartorial flair even when not in character as Dame Edna.

Dame Edna

From page 17

With Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye: The Farewell Tour arriving at the Orpheum Theatre on March 17 for seven performances, Humphries will bid adieu to the city he considers his imperious alter ego’s spiritual American home. “I always give credit to San Francisco for first embracing me in America, because I was nervous about American audiences after a show I did in New York in the late 1970s was killed by this terrible critic at The New York Times.” Humphries fared much better in his native Australia and in Britain, which got the humor of his impersonation of an Australian housewife who has elevated herself into a mauve-haired, sequin-gowned, insult-spewing gigastar. Caution, however, is needed when describing this act. “Remember, Edna is a real person,” Humphries said during a phone interview. “She’s gone

Lavender Tube

From page 26

(Makenzie Vega), the teenage bornagain Christian, comes in and asks her what’s wrong. Alicia says she’s not happy with herself. Grace tells her she’s the best person she knows, and Alicia bursts into tears. But she’s already taken the money. The multifaceted layering of conscience is only one of the themes of the extraordinary ABC drama American Crime, which slid neatly into the TGIT lineup after last week’s season finale of How to Get Away with Murder. Created by Oscarwinning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), this complex story of a murder and the ripple effect it causes in the racially charged setting of Modesto has Emmy stamped all over it. Ridley wrote and directed the first few episodes, and the premiere reads like a film, replete with jump cuts and Hollywood montage, shock cuts and match cuts. The premiere is visually sumptuous, even as the subject matter is harrowing. Felicity Huffman and Timothy Hutton play Barb Hanlon and Russ Skokie, the bitterly divorced parents of Matt, a veteran of both Afghanistan and Iraq. Matt has been murdered, and his wife Gwen brutally beaten and raped. She is alive, but in a coma.

beyond being an impersonation. There were a few ignorant people who called me a cross-dressing comedian. What I do is acting, and actors disguise themselves as other people. I guess I rather resented that label.” Labels and America aside, Humphries’ career was going swimmingly on stage and especially on television when the elaborate, expensive musical Edna: the Spectacle flopped in London’s West End in 1998. “It was too elaborate, with a cast of thousands, and it was all superfluous in a way. Who needs a ship in a storm with convicts? Listen, you can do a good show by standing in front of a curtain.” Audiences at that show, however, did learn the roots of Edna’s affinity for gladiolas, which she slings into the audience for a group waving of the flowers at the end of every show. The unsuccessful show opened with a little flower girl in 18th-century London who is arrested for stealing gladiolas and is packed off to a penal Russ gets a call from police and goes to identify the body. He asks to use the men’s room, where he howls in a primordial keening before throwing water on his face and leaving to speak with police and then call Barb. Barb is controlled and almost vacant. She can’t get past the fact that Russ was called and not her. We learn that Russ was a gambling addict who ruined the family financially. He’s recovering, putting himself back into the lives of his two sons. But now Matt has been murdered. Barb is a racist. She speaks of illegals and “those people” with whom she shared public housing when she was raising her sons as a single mother. We don’t like her. We like Russ. But we aren’t sure we can trust Russ. Because he looks like he could crack open at any second. There are several threads running through the storyline, and all of them lead to Matt. Benito Martinez, who was so brilliant as David Aceveda in The Shield, plays Alonzo Gutierrez, a struggling Mexican-American single dad trying to raise two teenagers, both of whom are in trouble (Tony (Johnny Ortiz) is implicated in the murder of Matt). So for big-screen brilliance on the small screen, for smart satire and comic relief, for the news you wish you weren’t seeing, you really must stay tuned.t

ebar.com

colony in Australia. She is revealed to be the great-great-great-great grandmother of Edna Everage. Smarting from the ignoble end of Edna: The Spectacle, Humphries turned to Joan Rivers for advice. “I had been a guest on her TV show several times even though I didn’t have any profile in America at all,” Humphries said, “and she had been on Dame Edna’s television show in London, which, if I may be so bold as to say, was a mold-breaking, cutting-edge interview show, and the format has been copied by a few other British talk-show hosts. No acknowledgment, but if you are an innovator that’s what you must expect.” Rivers’ advice to Humphries was to introduce Dame Edna once again to the United States, but this time in San Francisco rather than New York. She connected him to agents who could facilitate a booking at Theatre on the Square (now home to San Francisco Playhouse), and a two-week engagement of The Royal Tour was extended to four months. Humphries was able to return triumphantly to New York in 1999, and even won a special Tony Award. “I dedicate anything I do in America to Joan,” he said. Humphries has been back to San Francisco twice since then, most recently in 2008. And he has developed quite a coterie of friends here, and he lets drop the names of Denise Hale, Amy Tan, Michael Tilson Thomas, Armistead Maupin, Danielle Steel, Ann Getty, and the Crockers. “If I lived any place other than Australia and London, I would have a place in San Francisco,” he said. “They even still have bookstores there, very good ones.” Humphries sees Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye as something of a retrospective. “Of course, there are familiar things,” he said, “but in this kind of show, things change during the performance because there is quite a margin for improvisation and the audience is so much a part

of the show that they become invisible characters.” When Edna zeroes in on audience members in their seats or pulls a few on stage for a sketch, unpredictability is a given. “That gives energy, a tension to the show. It has to work even if it fails. Are you a motorist? Well, you know you should always drive a car into the skid.” While Dame Edna is known for her over-the-top aesthetic, Humphries himself presents himself as something of a dandy in the wardrobe department. “It’s true. I like clothes, and I like dressing up,” he said. “I think it probably all started at my parents’ house in a suburb of Melbourne where they had a large steamer trunk filled

with costumes. My sister and I would put on shows for the uncles and aunts. Little did I know I would have a job later in life dressing up.” There will be less of that after his current tour ends in April. Television appearances are likely, but he says he is simply worn out as a traveling minstrel. Once he is on stage, the energy is in place. “I’m actually quite agile,” Humphries said. “I have yet to do a show in a wheelchair or with a seeing-eye dog.”t Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye: The Farewell Tour will run March 17-22 at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are $40-$210. Call (888) 7461799 or go to shnsf.com.

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PERSONALS Vol. 45 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2015

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Mazel Top

Oasis’ gay Jewish night celebrates Purim by David-Elijah Nahmod

atya Smirnoff-Skyy celebrates her Jewish heritage. “I love Judaism,” the local drag chanteuse said. “It’s the only religion where you get to drink four glasses of wine before dinner.” Smirnoff-Skyy, once Eastern Europe’s greatest mezzo soprano, now spends her days beautifying the masses at Macy’s, where she’s everyone’s favorite Chanel lady. After work, Smirnoff-Skyy (actually singer-actor J. Conrad Frank) can be seen at various gay clubs around town, See page 30 >> entertaining the masses with her impressive pipes.

Sue Casa, Katya Smirnoff-Skyy and Daft-nee Gesuntheit enjoy homemade Hamantashen at Mazel Top.

Ace Morgan

Once Upon A Time In Oaktown Remembering the lesbian and gay communities of the East Bay by Michael Flanagan

Kwan (left) and Rami at The Brick Hut in the late 1980s.

hose who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, or so the old adage would have us believe. There is a worse fate, however: to be forgotten and fade into obscurity. See page 31 >>

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30 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Gareth Gooch

Patrons at Oasis’s second Mazel Top.

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Mazel Top

From page 29

The diva brought down the house at Oasis with her stunning rendition of “Jews Just Wanna Have Fun” at Mazel Top’s second edition, Eat My Hamentashan, the club’s outrageously queer Purim party. So, what’s Purim? Some might call it a Jewish Halloween. It’s an annual celebration in which Jews dress in costumes and party down while they recall the story of Esther, who saved the Jews from the evil Prince Haman in ancient Persia. “Esther is our heroine!” proclaimed Smirnoff-Skyy. “We’re here to celebrate her and to celebrate with funny hats!” When the story of Esther is read at temples, the congregants stamp their feet every time Haman’s name is mentioned. Jews also partake of “Hamantashen,” a triangle-shaped pastry with apricot jam at its center. Hamantashan are said to represent Prince Haman’s ears. Hamantashan was served at Mazel Top in abundance, courtesy of Oasis co-owner Geoff Benjamin, a nice Jewish boy who baked them in his own kitchen. Benjamin, along with his husband, is a member of Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, San Francisco’s LGBT-inclusive congregation. He spoke proudly of his Jewish roots. “When I joined D’arcy Drollinger, Heklina and Jason Beebout in owning a nightclub, I knew I wanted to do something Jewish,” he said. Mazel Top was first launched in January as a regular club night for Jewish men and their admirers. “Did someone ask for Kosher meat?” Benjamin asked when the first party was announced. “Enough with your bubkes excuses! Dance the hora or be a hora!” It was a crowd of more than 100 nice Jewish gay boys, many wearing yarmulkes, who converged on Oasis to celebrate Purim with Mazel 12:30 Top last Thursday night. The club’s hunky bartenders also sported the traditional Jewish headgear. DJ Boy-vey spun a variety of danceable tunes as the crowd gyrated across the dance floor. Sue Casa took to the Oasis stage in a big blonde fright wig to perform a few naughty gyrations, and the crowd loved it. Daft-nee Gesuntheit then stepped up in a dazzling black-hooded cape, which fell to the floor to reveal a stunning black gown. Eventually the gown fell off, revealing her sizzling hot purple tights. Daft-nee’s back up dancers were dressed to the nines in their leather jumpsuits. The audience cheered. Many threw dollar bills at the stage. It was definitely not your Grandma’s Purim party! And Mazel Top will return each second Thursday. “The second Mazel Top was as successful as the first,” said Benjamin, “and it looks like San Francisco now has a monthly gay Jewish club night.” t Mazel Top returns April 9 and every 2nd Thursdays at Oasis (289 11th Street at Folsom). www.sfoasis.com

Gareth Gooch

Festive fabulousness at Mazel Top.

Gareth Gooch

Fun hats for the women, too, at Mazel Top.

Gareth Gooch

Yummy drinks served by a yarmulke-clad (also yummy) bartender at Mazel Top.

Gareth Gooch

Oasis co-owner Geoff Benjamin with Katya Smirnoff-Skyy at Oasis’ Mazel Top.

Read more online at www.ebar.com

courtesy JD Doyle www.queermusicheritage.com

Mary Watkins’ album cover, photographed at The Brick Hut

East Bay

From page 29

A few months ago at one of the G-Spot events on gentrification at the GLBT Museum, a woman from the East Bay asked when the museum became interested in this topic. Aside from the fact that the question seemed odd (since the museum has only been open since 2012), it got me thinking about queer spaces in the East Bay and the role gentrification has and has not played there; because not too long ago there were several lesbian and gay communities there. Lesbian and gay history in the East Bay stretches back at least to the 1950s. Many of us know that the Black Cat in North Beach challenged the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) in the state for the right to serve gay patrons. What you may not know is that around the same time, the festively named Mary’s First and Last Chance, a lesbian bar at 2278 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, also challenged the law and won (in 1959). It sounds like a lively bar, too. Nan Alamilla Boyd told of an ABC report in her book Wide-Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965 which had this encounter: “Helen Davis, a policewoman, was on the premises in May of 1956 with another policewoman, Marge Gwinn. Buddy, a female waitress, greeted the policewomen who were later joined by the lesbian, Shirleen. Shirleen told Marge, ‘You’re a cute little butch.’ Shirleen later grabbed Marge and kissed her. Buddy the waitress said just to watch it and that if they continued to do that they should go to the restroom.” My own first encounter with LGBT culture in the East Bay came in the 1970s when I was a buyer for a record store and got the Mary

Watkins album Something Moving on Oakland’s Olivia records for the store. The album cover featured a photograph of the Brick Hut restaurant, a worker-owned feminist collective in Berkeley. A song titled “The Brick Hut” featured lyrics from lesbian poet Pat Parker. So when I moved cross-country and started working at a record store in Berkeley, one of the places I would stop by for breakfast was the Brick Hut, which was at 3017 Adeline Street at the time. In an article for KQED titled “LGBT Pride: Remembering the Brick Hut Café,” collective member and later co-owner Sharon Davenport recounts: “When AIDS hit a group of customers affectionately named the Shattuck Street Fairies (SSF), we became a refuge and an information outlet for AIDS awareness.” I remember it as a great and funky breakfast spot (I was thrilled when I got to see the “Women Invented Cheese” poster from the back cover of Mary Watkins’ album). The Brick Hut lasted from 1975 through two moves until March 24, 1997, when economic woes forced their closure. Their last location was at 2512 San Pablo Ave.

Oakland scene

Ollie’s was another center of the women’s community in the North Oakland/South Berkeley area. With a performance space named after The Well of Loneliness author Radclyffe Hall, the bar at 4130 Telegraph Avenue presented dance bands, Olivia artists, film nights, art exhibitions, theater and more. They had a monthly calendar and presented special events like masked balls. There was also a restaurant on premises (Yermama’s) in the early 1980s. Ollie’s was open from October 1980 to December 1988.

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 31

Fault lines in the community were apparent when the article “Amelia’s Celebrates Ten Years While Ollie’s Closes Its Doors” appeared in Coming Up! in December, 1988. Carolyn Clone, an entrepreneur from Los Angeles, had opened the weekly event Code Blue in San Francisco and Ollie Olivera (who owned Ollie’s) warned, “These places could be gone tomorrow, and the lesbian community would have nothing.” Clone’s thought “the women’s scene seems quite healthy in San Francisco.” Olivera may have had a point, however. Between 1988 and 1991, five lesbian bars in the Bay Area (Ollie’s, Baybrick, Peg’s Place, Maud’s and Amelia’s) all closed. Clone left the Bay Area for Miami in 1993 (you can read more about her exploits in Florida by looking for “The Great Lesbian Club Wars” at the Miami New Times online). The women’s community in the East Bay also had two bookstores. A Woman’s Place, which was at 4015 Broadway in Oakland, and the longer lived Mama Bear’s at 6536 Telegraph. Mama Bear’s had an art gallery and was a coffeehouse as well. When asked why they were closing by the Bay Area Reporter’s Zak Szymanski in March 2003, co-owner Allice Molloy said, “We’re old.” All kidding aside, Mama Bear’s exited the independent bookstore business at a very good time, before facing the onslaught of online booksellers which put other feminist and gay bookstores (like Boadecia’s Books in Kensington and Different Light in San Francisco) out of business. There was also a lively men’s scene throughout the East Bay in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. Aside from the Steamworks, which is still going strong in Berkeley, there were two other bathhouses, the Alameda Steam Bath Co. at 1001 Santa Clara in Alameda (which billed itself as “the East Bay’s busy daytime bath”) and the 73rd Ave. Baths at 2544 73rd Avenue in Oakland. And to keep up on the lively bar scene in the East Bay, there was a column by Nez Pas, known in real life as Peter Palm, the co-owner of Revol at 3924 Telegraph with his partner Ralph Tate. Nez Pas kept his readers up on the community events in Oakland, Walnut Creek and Hayward.

East Bay action

In the early 80s there was a group of bars near Lake Merritt. The first Bench and Bar (there have been three) was at 120 11th Street and was near the Lake Lounge at 1591 Madison and Lancer’s, a disco at 3255 Lake Shore Avenue. In 1984 the Paradise Bar & Grill opened at 135 12th Street and billed itself as something special when you don’t See page 38 >>

Ads in the early 1980s for various East Bay Businesses from the Bay Area Reporter and Coming Up.

<< On the Tab

32 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

AB f eON THE12T –19 March

★

The spooky ghoulish garishly hilarious night of horror-themed drag, with host Heklina, LA's Boulet Brothers, and guest Jackie Beat, plus Honey Mahogany, Grace Towers and DJ Juan Garcia. $300 cash prize in the drag pageant. $10-$13. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Incredibly Strange Dance Party @ SF Eagle Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) hosts the surf, garage, punk and rock night, with guest DJ Deena Davenport. $5. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Joe Wicht @ R3, Guerneville The local pianist-singer entertainer takes you to the river, with Broadway and pop tunes at the popular hotel, bar and grill. 8pm. Also Mar. 14. 16390 4th St., Guerneville. (707) 8698399. www.ther3hotel.com

Tue 17 Tammie Brown @ Oasis

pecial theme nights collide this weekend. Whether you’re into daytime drag, nighttime fur, or canine cavorting, enjoy some fun.

Thu 12

Pan Dulce @ The Cafe

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

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

Karaoke Night @ Club BnB, Oakland Sing your heart out at the free lively night. 8pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com The new weekly night for queer guys and their frisky pals, with DJ Sergio Fedasz. $5. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Mary Go Round @ Lookout 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

The talented jazz vocalist performs a six-week engagement at the upscale intimate nightclub/cabaret, performing an eclectic array of songs, from Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and Harry Nilsson to jazz classics. $35$50. Thu & Fri 8pm. Sat 7pm & 10pm. Sun 7pm. Thru March 22. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (866) 663-1063. www.ticketweb.com The drag parody of the Manhattan gal pal TV show returns. $25-$30 and up. 7pm. Thu-Sat. Thru Mar. 28. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie's Lounge Disco guru DJ Bus Station John spins grooves at the intimate retro music night. $4. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com

Fri 13 Boy Bar @ The Cafe Gus Presents' weekly dance night, with DJ Kid Sysko, hotty gogos and $2 beer (before 10pm). 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

The dearly missed Cookie Dough's weekly drag show continues, with gogo guys and hilarious fun. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Carol Peters @ Hotel Rex

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

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. 829-2233. virgilssf.com

Paula West @ Feinstein's at the Nikko

Sex & the City Live @ Oasis

Kittens @ Oasis

Nap's Karaoke @ Virgil's Sea Room

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

Society Cabaret presents the veteran singer in an intimate concert; cocktails and small plates available. $30-$50. 8pm. 562 Sutter St. www.societycabaret.com

Cubcake @ Lone Star Saloon The monthly sweet sweets night for bears, cubs and pals (2nd Fridays), with DJs Suppositori Spelling and Chaka Quan. No cover. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. 863-9999. www.lonestarsf.com

Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences Themed event nights at the fascinating nature museum, with DJed dancing, cocktails, fish, frogs, food and fun. Mar. 12: Mind & Body Nightlife, with DJ Britt Govea, pop-up yoga, raw food cokking demos and healthy snacks. March 19: Time Capsule Nightlife, with DJ Tanoa, antique clock demos, 3D models, astronomy and more. $10-$12. 6pm-10pm, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland The festive gogo-filled dance club, with host Lulu, features Latin pop dance hits with DJs Speedy Douglas Romero and Fabricio; no cover before 10pm. $6-$12. 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St., Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Manimal @ Beaux Gogo-tastic dance night starts off your weekend. $5. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Midnight Show @ Divas Weekly drag shows at the last transgender-friendly bar in the Polk; with hosts Victoria Secret, Alexis Miranda and several performers. Also Saturdays. $10. 11pm. 1081 Polk St. www.divassf.com

Rafael Alencar @ Nob Hill Theatre The super-hung super-friendly porn actor does his interactive strip show. $25. 8pm & 10pm. Also Mar. 14. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Red Hots Burlesque @ El Rio The saucy women's burlesque revue's weekly weekend show; different musical guests each week. $10. 7:30pm. 3158 Mission St. 672-4735. Also Wed nights at Oasis. www.redhotsburlesque.com www.elriosf.com

Rock Fag @ Hole in the Wall 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

Some Thing @ The Stud Mica Sigourney and pals' weekly offbeat drag performance night. March 13 is a special Bette Midler tribute night. 10pm-2am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Trade @ Beatbox Double Duchess performs and David Harness spins at the SoMa dance club. 10pm-4am. 314 11th St. www.beatboxsf.com

Sat 14 Barry Lloyd, Annalisa Bastiani @ Hotel Rex Society Cabaret presents the singer and pianist in Rainbow's End: Celebrating Judy Garland. Cocktails, small plates available. $25-$45. 8pm. 562 Sutter St. www.societycabaret.com

Beer Bust @ Hole in the Wall Saloon Beer only $8 until you bust. 4pm-8pm. 1369 Folsom St. 4314695. www.hitws.com

La Bota Loca @ Club 21, Oakland

Fri 13 Cubcake @ Lone Star

DJed tunes, gogo hotties, drag shows, drink specials, all at Oakland's premiere Latin nightclub and weekly cowboy night. $10-$15. Dancing 9pm4am. 2111 Franklin St. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Club Rimshot @ Club BNB, Oakland

Daytime Realness @ El Rio

Get groovin' at the weekly hip hop and R&B night at their new location. $8-$15. 9pm to 4am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Cockblock @ Rickshaw Stop The monthly "queer, lezzie, dyke, tranny" dance party returns for its 9th anniversary party. $10. 9pm-2am. 155 Fell St. at Van Ness Ave. www.cockblocksf.com www.rickshawstop.com

Daddy @ Powerhouse Andy Cross' monthly night of hot boys, sexy daddies, DJ Juan, Scout the Bookblack, and manly gogo dancers. Wear your leather or trashy gear. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Frolic @ The Stud The friendly fun furry dance night (2nd Saturdays) with DJ NeonBunny and guests Chris Da Fur, Blue and NightKat, where animal costumes rule! $3 with, $7 without. 9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.frolicparty.com www.studsf.com

Green Party @ Club 6 Gus Presents and Industry's 4th annual St. Patricks-themed dance party, with DJs O'Halley Brothers, and Jolly Green gogos. $25-$30. 10pm6am. 60 6th St. www.industrysf.com

Mother @ Oasis Heklina's weekly drag show night at the fabulous renovated SoMa nightclub; plus DJ Guy Ruben. Mar. 14: Ladies of the 80s with Sue Casa. $10. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 7953180. www.sfoasis.com

Heklina hosts the season opener of the daytime party with fun drag acts by Mahlae Balenciaga, L Oh L McFiercen, Jenna Talia, Carnie Asada, and Scarlett Letters; DJs Carnita, Stanley Franks Dr. Sleep and Miss Pop. $6-$8. 2pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Disco Daddy @ SF Eagle DJ Bus Station John's groovy lovin' fun dance party, with classics sun galore. Mar. 15 is a tribute to Sylvester, part II; open late. $5. 7pm-2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

GlamaZone @ The Cafe 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

Jock @ The Lookout The weekly jock-ular fun continues, with special sports team fundraisers. 3pm-7pm. 3600 16th St. www. lookoutsf.com

Katya Presents @ Martuni's Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, with guest vocalist Alyssa Stone and pianist Tom Shaw, hosts the cabaret music show at the intimate martini bar. $11. 7pm. 4 Valencia St. www.martunis.ypguides.net

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

Sat 14

Pound Puppy @ SF Eagle The popular pooch-themed party returns, with resident DJs Taco Tuesday and Kevin O'Connor, canine gogos, barber Tony DiCaro and great grooves. $10. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Sex & Drags & Rock N Roll @ Midnight Sun Mutha Chucka's wild drag show, with Dulce De Leche, Rahni Nothingmore and other talents; celebrate Mutha's birthday! Shows 10:30pm & 12am. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Pound Puppy @ The Eagle

St. Patrick's Day Parade @ Civic Center Watch or participate as thousands of drunk green-clad (mostly heterosexual) revelers pretend to be Irish, and get way too drunk. Parade 11:30am at 2nd and Market Streets; massive convergence in Civic Center afterward.

Sun 15 Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon The ursine crowd converges for beer and fun. 4pm-8pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle 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

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

Sunday Brunch, Xtravaganza @ Balancoire Weekly live music shows with host Galilea and various acts, along with brunch, mimosas, champagne and more, at the stylish nightclub and restaurant; shows at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:45pm. After that, T-Dance drag shows at 7pm, 10pm and 11pm. 2565 Mission St. at 21st. 920-0577. www.balancoiresf.com

FBFE

Dragula @ Oasis

Looking @ Midnight Sun Viewing parties for the second season of HBO's San Francisco-set gay dramedy series. 10pm. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 Dance it up at the popular twiceweekly country-western dance night that includes line-dancing, two-stepping and lessons. $5. 5pm10:30pm. Also Thursdays 6:30pm10:30pm. 550 Barneveld Ave. at Industrial. www.sundancesaloon.org

Sunday's a Drag @ Starlight Room 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

Mon 16 Drag Bag @ Oasis Pristine Condition and DJ Dank's new drag game show (third Mondays) where queens answer questions, do silly stunts and earn audience favor points, with Maria Konner, Mama Dora and DJ Sergio Fedasz. $5-$10. 9pm-12am. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Drag Mondays @ The Cafe 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

On the Tab>>

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 33

Cabure Bonugli/Shot in the City

Wed 18 Bingo @ Club OMG Michael Brandon hosts the board game night (3rd Wed). 7pm. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Booty Call @ QBar Juanita More! and her weekly intimate dance party. $10-$15. 9pm2am. 456 Castro St. www.qbarsf.com

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

Sun 15 Daytime Realness @ El Rio

Mahogany Mondays @ Midnight Sun

B.P.M. @ Club BnB, Oakland Meow Mix @ The Stud

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

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

Mash Up Mondays @ Club BnB, Oakland

Naked Night @ Nob Hill Theatre

Weekly Karaoke and open mic night; RuPaul's Drag Race screenings, too. 9pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 7597340. www.club-bnb.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; also Wednesdays. 7pm-2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pm-closing. 4149 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

No No Bingo @ Virgil's Sea Room Mica Sigourney and Tom Temprano cohost the wacky weekly game night at the cool Mission bar. 8pm. 3152 Mission St. www.virgilssf.com

Opulence @ Beaux New weekly dance night, with Jocques, DJs Tori, Twistmix and Andre. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni's Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming accompanist Joe Wicht (aka Trauma Flintstone). 9pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market. www.dragatmartunis.com

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

Strip down with the strippers at the cruisy adult theatre and arcade; free beverages. $20. 8pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www. thenobhilltheatre.com

Una Noche @ Club BnB, Oakland Vicky Jimenez' drag show and contest; Latin music all night. 9pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Retro Night @ 440 Castro Jim Hopkins plays classic pop oldies, with vintage music videos. 9pm-2am. 44 Castro St. www.the440.com

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

Tammie Brown @ Oasis The RuPaul's Drag Race contestant from Season 1 performs her first solo show, Lip-Synch Suicide. $20. 7pm & 9pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 7953180. www.sfoasis.com

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

Underwear Night @ Club OMG Weekly underwear night includes free clothes check, and drink specials; different hosts each week. $3. 10pm2am. Preceded by Open Mic Comedy, 7pm, no cover. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Miss Kitty's Trivia Night @ Wild Side West 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 weekly comedy and open mic talent night. 6pm-8pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

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

Red Hots Burlesque @ Oasis The saucy women's burlesque revue has moved to the new SoMa nightclub; different musical guests each week. $10-$20. Wednesdays at 8:30pm-11:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

So You Think You Can Gogo? @ Toad Hall 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 BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly night of trivia quizzes and fun and prizes; no cover. 8pm-1pm. 500 Castro St. 4314278. www.harveyssf.com

Wooden Nickel Wednesday @ 440 Buy a drink and get a wooden nickle good for another. 12pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. www.the440.com

Thu 19

Tue 17

Comedy Returns @ El Rio

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

Paco Romane, Emily Epstein White, Kevin O’Shea, Jesús U. BettaWork, and host Lisa Geduldig share comic insights at the monthly (3rd Thu) event. $7-$20. 8pm. 3158 Mission St. (800) 8383006. www.elriosf.com

Cock Shot @ Beaux Shot specials and adult Bingo games, with DJs Chad Bays and Riley Patrick, at the new weekly night. No cover. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Full Frontal Comedy @ Lookout Scott Capurro, Yuri Kagan, Valeria Branch and Ashton Tate perform at the new monthly (3rd Thu) comedy night. $5. 8pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Funny Tuesdays @ Harvey's Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT and gay-friendly comedy night. One-drink or menu item minimum. 9pm. 500 Castro St. at 18th. 431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com

Thump @ White Horse, Oakland

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

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

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

Thu 19 Scott Capurro, part of Full Frontal Comedy @ Lookout

Want your nightlife event listed? Email events@ebar. com, at least two weeks before your event. Event photos welcome.

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

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Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

36 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

Roast beats

by Donna Sachet

ebar.com

e replayed the celebrity roasts available on YouTube again and again in preparation for what we anticipated happening on Friday, February 27 at Beatbox, but all of our fears were ungrounded as Ray Tilton produced an event chock full of entertainment and community building as this columnist received a roast tribute night. The Fourth Annual Community Roast/Tribute started with us being denied the microphone and sequestered to a chair on stage. Vanessa Bousay started the night with what appeared to be the National Anthem, but with teasingly rewritten lyrics. Emcees Mark Paladini and Bob Brunson (flown in for the weekend) proceeded to introduce a host of roasters, notably including surprise guest Sharon McNight, Mr. Gay SF Tyler Nelson, Patrik Gallineaux, Brian Kent, and members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. Then the inimitable Lenny Broberg emceed as the line-up of roasters continued with Kitty Glamour, Bevan Dufty, Irene Soderberg, State Senator Mark Leno, Mike Smith, Suzan Revah (generously giving her mic time to Ali Mafi!), Supervisor Scott Wiener, and Emperor Berlin. Final emcees were Gary Virginia and another surprise out of town guest Werner Tillinger, who introduced Reigning Empress Khmera Rouge, Sister Roma, Richard Sablatura, Raquela, and Ray Tilton. We even received a certificate from US Senator Dianne Feinstein! As with all roasts, the roasted had the final word, so we thanked everyone and ended with I’m Still Here, which indeed we are and plan to be for quite some time. Yes, there were barbs and slights, but overall, this turned out to be a hilarious evening with a healthy share of tributes among the roasts. More than $1000 was raised for the Bay Area Leather Alliance, and we thank all who poured so much effort into the evening. Next year, Gary Virginia! The Celebration of Life for Cookie Dough (aka Eddie Bell) on Sunday, March 1 will be remembered for the incredible turn-out from a broad spectrum of the community, for the many touching, funny, and insane performances on stage, and for the over three hours it took to pay tribute to a popular entertainer, LGBT representative, and friend to so many. The Victoria Theatre was the perfect setting, having served as the venue for the last few Golden Girls re-enactments, which included Cookie in the cast. Most performances and all speeches were closely tied to the person we were there to remember.

Rich Stadtmiller

Donna Sachet gets a singing tribute from Emperor Berlin at her roast/tribute at Beatbox.

We have fond memories of makThe awards were presented at an ing cameo appearances in last year’s impressive pace and remarks were Golden Girls, attending many of The kept to a minimum. We happily preMonster Show productions at The sented the Most Notable Drag Queen Edge and elsewhere, Award, decided by public vote, to the and having simple late Arturo Galster. The most highly conversations with a anticipated and probably loudest redrag queen who belied ceived were the Best Irish Bar Award all those stereotypes and to Blackthorn Tavern, Best Sports made everyone feel welBar to Hi Tops, and the Best Gay Bar come and important. Award to Lookout. After the awards, Thank you to Heklina the crowd danced into the night in and all the others who the downstairs ballroom. made this evening so apPatty McGroin’s Dollhouse at propriate and so memorable. Midnight Sun last Saturday afterThe third annual sold-out San noon brought out a loyal crowd of Francisco Nitey Awards on Monday See page 37 >> night at the Regency Center surpassed all expectations. Produced by entertainment expert Audrey Joseph and an incredible team from Site & Sound, emceed by Liam Mayclem and Renee Richardson, and featuring entertainment by Gypsy Love, Caroline Lund, and a bevy of dancers, circus performers, and DJ Ms. Leah Jackson, this event left none of its hundreds of attendees disappointed. We arrived with Bob Brunson, Richard Sablatura, and Jeff Doney to enjoy the cocktail hour where Veronica Klaus, Kelly Park, and Daniel Fabricant provided great music and we caught up with Kippy Marks, Kenshi Westover, Sister Dana Rich Stadtmiller van Iquity, Leo Frappier, Michael Cerchiai, Trevor Black was chosen as Mr. SF Leather Mark Huestis, Sister 2015 at last week’s Leather Alliance weekRoma, Gary Virginia, end. Look for more coverage in Race Tracy Baumbach, and Bannon’s leather column next week. many others.

Gareth Gooch

Performers and presenters gathered on stage at the Cookie Dough Celebration, held at the Victoria Theatre March 1.

Read more online at www.ebar.com

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 37

Kross-ification

FalconStudios

Sebastian Kross and Sean Zevran display their bulge and brawn, in Krossfire.

by John F. Karr

hen it comes to the film debut of Sebastian Kross in the Falcon Edge feature Krossfire, my advice is: Don’t get caught in the gossip’s cross fire. It’s easy to have a love/hate relationship with Kross, but I think that

because he’s just so juicy you’re going to have to come down on the love side—at least for his first half dozen or so movies. Just disregard all the distressing things you’ve heard about him that are burning up the comment sections of various porn blogs. Johnny V has. He recently tweeted

FalconStudios

A three-way you won’t be seeing in the finished film; Sebastian Kross, Ryan Rose, and director Nick Foxx cut up while making Krossfire.

On the Town

From page 36

supporters and raised money for the LGBT National Help Center, one of the charities selected by the Reigning Emperor Kevin Lisle and Empress Khmera Rouge. This special show featured the lyrics on screen with each performance so that the audience could sing along, resulting in a more interactive show and hilarious results, especially with the National Anthem by Tora Hymen and the now classic “Let it Go” by Piper Angelique. More than $1000 was raised and everyone left smiling. Watch for the next monthly edition of this crowd-pleasing event and be there! We then dashed to the Mr. SF Leather Contest at Hotel Whitcomb, where six contestants vied for the ti-

tle in front of a capacity crowd. Ray Tilton produced this event for his last time, choosing to step aside to allow room for new blood and new ideas in the future. Emcees were Don Mike from Los Angeles and Pollo del Mar, popular local drag queen, who proved their expertise at emceeing and versatility in both drag and leather. They kept the pace brisk and the audience attentive. Of the various special awards presented that night, we were particularly pleased with the Lenny Broberg Award presented to Erick Lopez who received a great reception from the audience for his work in promoting leather across the City and especially at The Edge. After an intense night of competition, judges Mr. SF Leather 2014 Scott “Big Red” Farrell, Matthew Bunch, Marlena,

this message: “Dear Falcon Studios and/or Raging Stallion please book my next scene with Sebastian Kross #hotasfuck.” Johnny’s wish has been granted; the scene’ll be out soon. Now, Johnny could choose any partner he wanted. He could choose me. And he’s chosen Sebastian Kross. Like me, for the time being he doesn’t mind the tales of Kross’ alleged “douche bag” behavior, his “borderline” homophobia, his having to watch str8 porn while filming. Sebastian used to strip at a gay club called Faces in Sacramento, where, it’s been blogged, he insisted to all and sundry that he was straight. About his movies, Kross says he’s only having gay sex for the money. But an online commentator sets the record straight. “That’s a lil (sic) hard to believe since he was messing around with guys even when he was still in the Navy and he wasn’t even doing it for money.” And another arbiter, with an eagle eye for detail, claims confirmation of Kross’ str8ness lies in the Fleshlight he uses in an online film. It’s the one with pussy lips, not the asshole model. Whatever the Fleshlight’s sexuality, it doesn’t stop Kross from gobbling cock when a choice one (belonging to Casey Everett) is dandled in his face (watch it free at Pornhub). For the present, I’m totally willing to grant Kross some bisexuality, while looking forward to the time when he’ll grow beyond his present inability, or lack of desire, to actually connect more deeply with his partners than this show’s slam-bam. That’s entertaining at the moment, but wears thin. I expect that a year from now this strict top will get a lot of money for extending his career by bottoming. It’s the Paddy O’Brien story. But you know what? As long as he behaves himself in the studio, I don’t give a damn about the rest. He’s hot, and oh boy is he dynamic. In both of his Krossfire scenes he works up a storm that treats his partners like a hurricane does the East coast. Twenty-two-year-old Sebastian is handsome and cute at the same time. He’s beefy –oh, that thick neck, and those solid thighs– and he’s bountifully bubble-butted (and swears he’ll never ever get his butt banged). Foremost, he’s got a sleek fusillade of really big dick that seems nearly as tall as he is. Okay, he’s taller than his dick, but not by much. His height has been reported as every inch between 5’3” and 5’6”. Whatever, a short dude’s hot in my book; if only director Nick Foxx would let us take in Kross’s salient traits. It is, after all, the first time we’re seeing him. Like, for instance, standing him Little Bad Daddy, Erik Will, Eric Paul Leue, and Don Ho chose Mr. Daddy’s Barbershop Leather Trevor Black as Mr. SF Leather 2015. With six viable contestants, a sold-out audience, and excellent production, it looks like leather competitions are alive and well! This Saturday night, March 14, first head to Balencoire for Full Moon over Shanghai, the annual Bal Masque of Krewe de Kinque from 6-10PM. This Mardi Gras style event will take you on a booze filled journey. Then join hosts Locoya Hill, BeBe Sweetbriar, Sister Roma, and this fun-loving columnist at Beaux for Playground, a rollicking party celebrating the Castro and its many incarnations. You are bound to see many friends and make new ones.t

next to someone for a moment before entwining their bodies. And, for instance, letting the camera graze his tattoo. Detractors say it’s too big, and I say, those two lush roses are well placed. Krossfire certainly provides Kross with exciting partners. Colton Grey’s a spitfire to equal him, and things are downright thrilling when savagely butch bottom Sean Zevran beautifully takes a hellish fuck. And did my jaw drop in surprise (and envy) when Kross relishes the load Zevran drops on his tongue (not exactly what you’d expect a supposedly str8 dude to do). In both his scenes, Kross is a famishing cannibal of a cocksucker, and he rims like a fire taking over a forest (somehow I think G4P guys don’t mind rimming other guys because

they’ve done it with girls. Although girls don’t have furry cracks… I hope). At present, Kross is strictly a sport fucker; there’s not much in the way of relation here. Still, I’ve dampened my undergarments in the pleasure of making his acquaintance, and look forward to another director making more of him. Nick Sterling has a less frantic, but effective scene with debuting Dorian Ferro, and Ryan Rose and Colton Grey are simply splendid. In the best sequence in all of Krossfire, Grey provides a master class in cock-riding when atop Kross’s kommanding kock. By the way, Krossfire is a bulge lover’s paradise, with crotches in each scene beatified in sexily distended jocks, which open to reveal cunning in-house cock rings.t www.FalconStudios.com

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38 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 12-18, 2015

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East Bay

From page 31

want to fight the traffic into the city. The Bay Area Reporter advertised the East Bay bars in the early ‘80s with a map (not quite to scale; it makes Vallejo, Walnut Creek and Hayward look as if they are as close to one another as Berkeley and Oakland): “In 1982 the East Bay offers a fresh alternative. Come on over and stay awhile.” Later in the decade there was a triumvirate of bars that billed themselves as “the Telegraph three,” which included Bella Napoli at 2330 Telegraph, Town & Country at 2022 Telegraph (which was in business until 1998) and Cabal’s Reef at 2272 Telegraph (the last of these bars to survive, it closed in 2007). One of the things which is clear from Nez Pas’ columns was that these bars appealed to the people who had grown up and worked in the East Bay. The bars offered Super Bowl specials, chili cook-offs and pool tournaments as well as being involved with the Imperial Star Empire (the court system of Alameda and Contra Costa counties). Another thing that comes through is the increasing impact of AIDS in the East Bay. Throughout the 1980s, more and more information is given about benefits for various East Bay charities. And then, the closing of bars began.

Changes

courtesy KQED

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On Oct. 1, 1987, this item appears in Nez Pas’ column: “Yes, it’s true. As of Oct. 31, Revol will just be a memory. The building has been sold, and the new owners are going to convert it back into six storefronts. Feelings are a little too sensitive right now to mention much more.” In 1985 Nez Pas put together a list of bars he remembered in the East

ebar.com Personals

To place your Personals ad, Call 415-861-5019 for more info & rates Bay going back to Mary’s First and But we should also remember Last Chance. There were fifty bars in that when we talk about what facthat list. tors build up and tear down our While reading through this mainstitutions, gentrification is not terial, I was struck that these were always the central factor and that working class men (Peter Palm was sometime other historic factors a teacher and his partner Ralph Tate come into play. was a commercial ship’s captain) in Nez Pas died on Dec. 23, 2006 in a working class city and they worked Reno (he was living in Palm Springs and played hard while trying to keep at the time) and Ralph Tate died their community and city together. on June 2, 2001. This column is Much was made in the gay press in memory of their work with the about gay men “nesting” in the late community. ‘80s and early ‘90s. I suppose this, Thanks to East Bay photogracombined with those who fell ill, pher Daniel Lloyd and Jim Hall and contributed to the failure of many to the Oakland Public Library for of the bars in the East Bay. their assistance in researching this Another factor was the pull of the article.t bars from San Francisco, which remained vibrant during the early ‘90s. Regardless, there seems to have been a generational break from the time of the earlier bars to the time of effective AIDS treatments in the midnineties, and this has held over to today. It’s important to remember that there are still bars in the East Bay. The Bench and Bar, moved and renamed Club BnB, and its upstairs companion bar Club 21, both remain a lively draw in downtown Oakland, as does the White Horse in North Oakland. The Pacific Center continues to act as a LGBT center (at 2712 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley). As Oakland has one of the highest percentages of lesbian and gay populations in the country, we should look to areas An ad for a night of Katherine Hepburn near these bars to rebuild movie screenings at Ollie’s. community.

Read more online at www.ebar.com

SHOOTING STARS

March 12-18, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 39

PHOTOS BY STEVEN UNDERHILL ONE NIGHT ONLY WITH NEWSIES C

ast members from the touring production of the hit Broadway musical Newsies performed at the recent benefit concert for the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, held at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre on March 2. Host Bruce Vilanch kept the laughter rolling, singing stars Shawn Ryan and Sharon McNight crooned tunes, and the dancer-singeractors of Newsies performed their own favorite songs and dances, including a tribute to Gene Kelly. For tickets to Newsies (thru Sunday), visit www.shnsf.com. For more information on upcoming benefit concerts, 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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call (415) 370-7152 or visit www.StevenUnderhill.com or email stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

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