December 12, 2012 editon of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

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Vol. 42 • No. 50 • December 13-19, 2012

EQCA’s rebuilding, ED says

AIDS Walk to sever ties with SFAF

by Matthew S. Bajko

by Seth Hemmelgarn

he new executive director of the statewide LGBT lobbying group Equality California acknowledged this week that the nonprofit has problems but said it’s “rebuilding.” “My vision for Equality California is to be the statewide voice on LGBT equality,” John O’Connor, 41, said in an interview Monday, December 10, exactly one week Courtesy EQCA after he started the job. John O’Connor The stature that he’s hoping for may seem like a given, but in recent years the nonprofit has lost some of its luster. O’Connor, who’s gay, appears to be well aware of that. “We’re rebuilding the plane while flying it at the same time,” he said. “I think there’s enormous change ahead of us,” including stabilizing the nonprofit “financially, reputationally, and communications-wise,” he said. EQCA has seemed to flounder somewhat since former executive director Geoff Kors left in March 2011. Roland Palencia, the group’s next leader, quit just over three months after joining the organization. Like many other nonprofits, EQCA saw a drop in contributions in recent years, though O’Connor said the financial picture has improved. EQCA and its educational affiliate the Equality California Institute have a budget of $3 million. There are over 40 paid staff, including about 25 field staff and two part time employees. The nonprofit also engages consultants in several areas. Before joining EQCA, O’Connor, who just moved to Los Angeles where EQCA will have its base of operations, was the executive director of the LGBT Community Center of the Desert in Palm Springs. He declined to state his salary at EQCA. Palencia’s salary had been $170,000.

Looking ahead

O’Connor said there’s now “an opportunity for us to heal” relationships. Articulating where the agency is going in 2013 is part of that, he said. EQCA will see “a little bit of a shift” in at least one way – helping to ensure that state laws are adequately implemented. Over the years, the group has successfully backed bills that promote everything from housing rights to school safety. But there are cases “where See page 10 >>

Rick Gerharter

Widow Norton marks milestone birthday

ose Sarria, Absolute Empress I, the Widow Norton shared photos and memories Saturday, December 8 during an evening sponsored by the Imperial Council of San Francisco honoring his

90th birthday, which was December 12. Joining him is Michelle, Czarina de Castro; longtime friend, Emperor XXIII A.N. Brian Benamati; and the reigning Empress, Sissy St. Clair.

he founder and producer of AIDS Walk San Francisco is severing ties with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation after the 2013 fundraising event. Craig R. Miller, who began MZA Events 25 years ago, has signed a one-year contract with Project Inform to be the lead agency for the 2014 event, the Bay Area Reporter has learned. He approached leaders of the Rick Gerharter nonprofit, which does policy advocacy work SFAF CEO and runs several help Neil Giuliano lines for people with HIV and hepatitis C, several months ago with the proposal. “After much consideration we are honored to accept it,” said Project Inform Executive Director Dana Van Gorder. “He took an opportuSee page 8 >>

LGBT youth leader fights assault charge by Heather Cassell

Sang Kil, co-founder of Queer Qumbia, fully supports Zayas and is against gentrification and the upper- and middle-class’ “sanitized perception of the Mission.” “We think that gentrification is tied to police actions that criminalize youth,” who in the Mission tend to be people of color, poor, and possibly queer, said Kil.

GBT community members, along with close friends and family, are rallying around Latina queer youth activist Elvira Zayas as she faces trial on an assault charge. A respected LGBT youth rights leader in the Bay Area, Zayas is facing a battle different from the one she normally wages. On August 29, Zayas, 19, was arrested in the Mission. Alleged gang members Fidel Amezcua and DJ J. Cambridge were also taken into custody. Zayas was charged, detained, and later released from jail but her legal ordeal is not over. Her case, along with those of Amezcua and Cambridge, will go before a jury sometime in January, according to Alex Bastian, spokesman for District Attorney George Gascôn’s office. The individual cases are moving forward together. Zayas has pleaded not guilty, but if convicted, she could potentially serve up to a year in jail. On Friday, December 14 community supporters will come together for a dance party benefit produced by Queer Qumbia to help Zayas raise the estimated $10,000 to cover her legal fees. Zayas’s family hired defense attorney Autumn Paine because they didn’t feel that she was receiving culturally sensitive representa-

Wrong place, wrong time?

Courtesy LYRIC

Queer youth leader Elvira Zayas participated at the LYRIC Day in the Castro block party in June 2011.

tion. Family, friends, and community activists are close to reaching their goal. As of press time nearly $8,000 has been raised with 18 days until the campaign closes.

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When she was arrested, Zayas faced three charges, two of which were felonies, and a $1 million bail. Superior Court Judge Raymond J. Arata dropped two of the charges against her and reduced the assault charge to a misdemeanor. He then immediately released her on her own recognizance September 25. In spite of the reduction in the charge against Zayas, she still faces trial for the misdemeanor assault charge. Assistant District Attorney Rema Breall and San Francisco police claim that Zayas participated in a gangrelated attack on a man. That man, whom the Bay Area Reporter is not identifying, filed a protective order against Zayas. She has been ordered to have no electronic or third-party contact with him or to come within 150 yards of him, according to court files. Breall and police claim that Amezcua and Cambridge believed that the man was a rival See page 10 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

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A much-needed boost

roducers of the Castro Street Fair held their check distribution party at the Lookout bar Tuesday, December 11 and beneficiaries of numerous local nonprofit organizations took home a share of the $76,327.21 that was raised in gate donations. Some of

Jane Philomen Cleland

this year’s benefiting organizations were AIDS Housing Alliance/SF, Bears of San Francisco, the Castro Country Club, San Francisco Fog Rugby, and the Native American AIDS Project. The amount raised this year is slightly less than last year’s $85,000.

DPH issues health alert for gay men traveling to NYC by Tom Kilduff

ay men planning to travel to New York City are being advised by San Francisco public health officials to get vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis. San Francisco health officials released a health advisory for Bay

Rick Gerharter

Dr. Susan Philip

Area men who have sex with men December 7 to take extra care when traveling to New York City this winter. A meningitis outbreak has infected 12 MSM in the New York City area in the past year, including three individuals within the last six weeks. The official name of this cluster is invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), a bacterial strain discrete from the recent fungal meningitis outbreak that originated from a Massachusetts pharmacy. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, “Three of four IMD cases who died were HIV-infected.” Dr. Susan Philip, director of STD Prevention and Control Services at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, wasted no time in informing the local gay community. “The symptoms and onset can vary from person to person,” Philip told the Bay Area Reporter. “The initial symptoms of IMD can include fever, nausea, muscle aches, headache, confusion, neck stiffness, and body rash. The onset of symptoms is typically rapid, and a healthy person can become very severely ill due to this infection within 24 hours.” What’s interesting is that none of the reported cases have popped up in Manhattan but have manifested in various neighborhoods around Brooklyn, including Wil-

liamsburg, Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) and Prospect Heights, according to a news release from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Philip emphasized that “there have been no cases or increase in cases that have been seen in San Francisco.” Transmission of meningitis is easier than sexually transmitted diseases and its symptoms are more pernicious. Kissing, sharing utensils, sharing cigarettes or drinks, and living in close quarters are all viable ways of passing on this bacterial meningitis, according to the DPH advisory. The serious illness stems from fast-moving bacteria found in saliva or mucus that can infect the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can also cause an infection of the blood. Even if diagnosed early and treated with antibiotics, it can still sometimes result in death, permanent brain damage, hearing loss, or kidney failure, the DPH advisory stated. For now, health officials in San Francisco suggest that if you are planning to meet a sex partner at a New York City bar or club or via an online hookup site, that you consider getting vaccinated for IMD, especially if you are HIV-positive. Men can ask their primary care physicians about the vaccination or Philip said that people can purchase the vaccine at the health department’s Adult Immunization Clinic. “The vaccine is either given by an injection just under the skin of the arm or in the muscle,” Philip said. “Either way, the vaccine is generally well tolerated.” According to the DPH advisory, most adults gain protection with a single injection of the meningitis vaccine. Some adults, including those with HIV or other causes of weakened immune function, are recommended to receive a total of two injections of the vaccine spaced two months apart, in order to achieve protection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination is 80 percent to 90 percent effective in preventing meningococcal disease.t

Community News>>

t Butch Voices town hall in SF compiled by Cynthia Laird

utch Voices, a group for women who are masculine of center, will be holding a community conversation Saturday, December 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at City College of San Francisco, 50 Phelan Avenue. The group, which includes female-bodied and trans-identified individuals, has core initiatives of community-building, economic and social justice, and physical and mental health. Saturday’s forum is billed as an open discussion for butch, stud, and masculine of center identities about the issues people face today. Those who attend will generate discussion topics. The schedule includes welcoming remarks, breakout sessions, and an afternoon wrap-up. Lunch is on your own. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited so those interested should RSVP with their name and contact information by emailing registration@butchvoices.com.

Help Tessie for Christmas

Tenderloin Tessie is seeking volunteers to help with its Christmas Day dinner on Tuesday, December 25. Board president Michael Gagne said that people are needed for extra security, due to what he called a small incident that occurred at the Thanksgiving dinner last month. A glass door was broken at First Unitarian Church after the dinner had concluded. There were no witnesses, although Gagne said that he had just asked a man who became belligerent to leave. Gagne said that the group’s insurance is covering the damage and that the church had asked them to provide additional security. “In the 15 years that Tenderloin Tessie has been involved with that church, that was the first broken window,” he said in an email. Gagne is seeking volunteers and said it would cost $55 per hour to

hire outside security. “If we could get some volunteers to do this, it would save us a lot of money that could be used to buy food,” he said. In addition to security personnel, Gagne needs volunteers to help with the dinner itself, which will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the church, 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary) and primarily serves those in need. Gently-used coats, clothes, and blankets are also being accepted to give to attendees, Gagne noted. Those interested in helping out should email Gagne at tenderlointessiedinners@yahoo. com.

Woman attacked, robbed in the Mission

Several men attacked and robbed a San Francisco woman who had been kissing her girlfriend in the city’s Mission neighborhood this weekend, police reported. According to a police summary, at about 2:30 a.m., Sunday, December 9, the women were at 24th and Utah streets when seven men approached the victim, 36. The suspects, described as Hispanic men ages 18 to 25, began yelling at the victim, who yelled back. The suspects surrounded the women and punched and kicked the victim, Officer Albie Esparza, a police department spokesman, said in an interview. Esparza said officers specifically asked the woman whether the men had yelled anything homophobic, but she couldn’t recall. She had yelled at them “basically to go away and to leave them alone,” he said. After the attack, the suspects, who were all wearing white T-shirts and black hoodies, grabbed the woman’s items and fled on foot in an unknown direction, Esparza said. According to the summary, the men took money, a wallet, and a cellphone. The woman, who received lacerations to the face and a broken nose, transported herself to San Francisco

General Hospital, police said. Esparza said the reporting party was the only person police made contact with, and he didn’t know the other woman’s age. No arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon, December 10. Anyone with information related to the case may call the anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444, or text a tip to 847411 and type SFPD, then the message. The incident number is 120 991 638.

AIDS grove names scholarship recipients

The National AIDS Memorial Grove has announced the recipients of its Young Leaders Scholarship program. Six people were selected for their proven commitment to public service and leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This year’s recipients – two high school students and four undergraduate students – will each receive $1,500 to $2,500 in financial support to continue their education. The program also encourages continued community service on behalf of people touched by HIV/AIDS. This year’s scholarship winners are: Sadhvi Batra, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Alyssa Crawford, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University; Nzinga Hyacinthe, Community University of New York, Lehman College; Chaniqua James, Blanche Ely High School, North Lauderdale, Florida; Emmanuella Murret, Binghamton University, New York; and Annie Wilson, Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Francisco. “We had an outstanding response to this year’s scholarship program, and we appreciate the support from UnitedHealthcare in helping make these scholarships possible,” John Cunningham, AIDS grove executive director, said in a statement. The scholarship program is supported by a grant from UnitedHealthcare.t Seth Hemmelgarn contributed to this report.

Not guilty plea in DV case by Seth Hemmelgarn

San Francisco man pleaded not guilty this week to attacking another man in an alleged domestic violence incident in the Noe Valley area. Elvis Taouil, 34, was arraigned Monday, December 10 in San Francisco Superior Court on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence-related battery, criminal threats, and vandalism. The alleged

incident occurred Tuesday, December 4. The victim, 44, had apparently allowed Taouil to stay in his Clipper Street home with a deadline of when he needed to leave. When that date came and the man told Taouil it was time for him to go, Taouil allegedly threw a vase, punched a hole in a wall, threatened him, and kicked him in the thigh, according to Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office.

Taouil and the other man allegedly had a prior dating relationship. Deputy Public Defender Ariana Downing, who’s representing Taouil, didn’t provide comment. Taouil couldn’t be reached. Taouil was arrested the day of the incident but was soon released from custody on $40,000 bail. The next court date is January 8 for a pre-trial conference. Assistant District Attorney Phoebe Eustis is prosecuting the case.t

Stompede helps local groups

his year’s Sundance Stompede, held in mid-October, raised $22,620 for the AIDS Emergency Fund and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Representatives of both groups were on hand at Sundance Stompede’s holiday party and toy drive Sunday, December

Randy Pocius

9, where the check presentations were made. From left, Dave Hayes, event director of the Sundance Stompede, greeted Mike Smith, executive director of AEF; and NCLR officials Kate Kendell, executive director, and Eleanor Palacios, event manager.

December 13-19, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 3

<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

Volume 42, Number 50 December 13-19, 2012 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Thomas E. Horn Bob Ross (Founder, 1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko Seth Hemmelgarn Jim Provenzano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Aiello • Tavo Amador • Erin Blackwell Roger Brigham • Scott Brogan Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Chuck Colbert Richard Dodds • David Duran Raymond Flournoy • David Guarino Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell John F. Karr • Matthew Kennedy David Lamble • Michael McDonagh David-Elijah Nahmod • Elliot Owen Paul Parish • Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr • Donna Sachet Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Ed Walsh • Sura Wood

ART DIRECTION T. Scott King ONLINE PRODUCTION Kurt “Dolly” Thomas PHOTOGRAPHERS Danny Buskirk Jane Philomen Cleland Marc Geller Rick Gerharter Lydia Gonzales Rudy K. Lawidjaja Steven Underhill Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge Christine Smith GENERAL MANAGER Michael M. Yamashita DISPLAY ADVERTISING Simma Baghbanbashi Colleen Small Scott Wazlowski NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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High risk, high reward

ow that several days have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would hear the Proposition 8 case, Hollingsworth v. Perry, the initial shock has subsided and reality set in. And while most LGBT community leaders publicly speak with confidence about a high court victory next year, it is far from certain. Remember that three and a half years ago, when the American Foundation for Equal Rights first filed its suit, the heads of several LGBT groups were not at all pleased by a strategy to challenge Prop 8 in the federal courts. Some argued that it was not the right time, while others thought that the suits targeting the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act offered a better outcome in front of the Supreme Court. Back in 2009, nine of the country’s largest LGBT legal organizations issued an unprecedented joint statement that, while not mentioning the Prop 8 suit specifically, was clearly aimed at it because it came within days after high-profile attorneys Theodore Olson and David Boies filed their lawsuit. The joint statement suggested “premature lawsuits based on the federal Constitution” could be “ill-timed.” As the court case proceeded, however, those voices of opposition went silent as the AFER case won at the trial court level and then again at the appeals court level. Suddenly, everyone was on board and the head of AFER, Chad Griffin, was seen as a shrewd player on the national LGBT stage. Griffin made such an impression that he was hired away by the Human Rights Campaign, which he took over earlier this year. Skeptics, who once thought Olson, a conservative, had ulterior motives for taking the Prop 8 case, were eventually persuaded that he genuinely supports marriage equality. The suit was stacked with star power from the start. But some may be doing a “Gangnam Style” happy dance a little too early. After Friday’s court announcement, which caught just about everyone by surprise, some organizations touted that they were “celebrating” the news. It’s far from celebratory that the high court decided to hear the case. The justices could have denied review, thus letting stand the appeals court de-

cision that struck down Prop 8. Same-sex couples would have begun marrying in California this week. So, no, it’s not a time to celebrate when a court that leans right has decided to hear arguments about whether a voter-approved constitutional amendment can be struck down. To be sure, a win at the Supreme Court could legalize same-sex marriage across the country, which would indeed be a broad decision affecting hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples. A narrow ruling could result in same-sex marriage only in California, which would itself be a major victory. We are the most populous state in the nation and that would add up to 28 percent of the U.S. population living in a jurisdiction where same-sex couples can marry. Between now and March, when oral arguments are expected, pundits, legal scholars, and LGBT advocates will be speculating about the justices. But that’s all it is – speculation.

No marriages

If the Supreme Court ruling denies marriage equality in California, the logical step would be to return to the ballot in 2014 with an initiative to repeal the state constitutional amendment. Public opinion here and in other states has changed dramatically since the passage of Prop 8 four years ago. It is likely that with a focused campaign, marriage equality would prevail. But who would take the lead on such a campaign, including raising millions of dollars? The only statewide LGBT rights organization, Equality California, currently lacks both the infrastructure and, more importantly, the public confidence to manage such a campaign. Its new executive director just started work this month and acknowledged that the organization is in a “rebuilding” phase. Same-sex couples can and should continue to speak out about their lives and the importance of marriage equality. That is something that doesn’t cost money and is crucial to building public support, both here in California and across the country. The Prop 8 case before the justices carries high risk, but also a high reward.t

Helping ourselves by Roger Doughty

few days after Thanksgiving, I stepped out of a modernist East Side building into a cold New York evening – elated. The building houses the rather grand offices of the Ford Foundation, generally regarded as the world’s most influential private foundation. And Ford had good news for the LGBT community.

A foundation steps up

That day, Ford had gathered people from the foundation and LGBT advocacy worlds to launch a major new initiative called Out for Change. It came with a commitment to grant $50 million over the next five years to LGBT causes. Advocates like Horizons Foundation and the national Funders for LGBTQ issues have long called for more private foundations to fund LGBT causes. While that advocacy has helped bring millions of dollars to our community over the years, total LGBT funding remains but a small fraction of 1 percent of all foundation grants. So the dollars alone promised by Ford will help. Equally important, Ford pledged to put its considerable institutional weight to work as well and encourage other wealthy private foundations to fund more LGBT work.

Great news and yet ...

Especially coming on top of the November election results, the Ford announcement came as great news. Of course, Ford’s commitment alone – welcome as it is – won’t change much overnight. Relatively few LGBT nonprofits will actually see Ford money, and nearly all will remain as chronically underfunded as they were before. That’s a problem. And wonderful developments like ballot-box election victories don’t mean – unfortunately – that our movement has landed on some track of historical inevitability. Equality, freedom, and justice aren’t guaranteed,

even when it feels like the wind – finally – may be blowing at our backs. After all, the four winning ballot-measure states are all quite blue, and no fewer than 30 still have state constitutional provisions barring same–sex marriage. Marriage also hardly ranks as LGBT people’s only concern. Regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage next year, more than half of LGBT Americans live in states where they can still be fired, or denied a hotel room or an apartment, even a table in a restaurant. Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT. Six percent of young gay and bi African-American men are infected with HIV every year. Right here in San Francisco, our elders face the all-too-real possibility of social isolation, subsistence income, and even having to go back into the closet.

Funding a movement – and a community

Progress happens for a lot of reasons. Smart leaders, solid organizations, effective strategies, collaboration across the movement. Progress also requires one more thing: money. It’s no coincidence that in the four victorious ballotmeasure states, we significantly out-fundraised our opponents. (Now that they’ve lost, you can bet our opponents will double down on the next contests.) Everyone knows that money is not the only ingredient in a formula for victory. But it’s an essential one. And just like with our advocacy groups, health and service and cultural organizations – those that touch thousands (yes, thousands) of LGBT people right here in the Bay Area every day (yes, every day) – need funds to function.

Up to us

So where will those funds come from? We can’t look to the Ford Foundation to do it for us. Nor will other big mainstream foundations, no matter how many come on board. They’ve got a world full of problems they’re trying to solve – climate

change, education, health care, poverty – and LGBT causes number, at best, as just one cause among multitudes. In the end, it’s up to us, pure and simple. Sure, support from allies is vital, but it will never substitute for our supporting our own community. Yet studies by both Horizons and the Movement Advancement Project suggest that less than 5 percent of LGBT people give to an LGBT organization. Five percent.

A guide for giving

Reassuringly, nothing seems to suggest that LGBT people are less generous overall. It’s just that we don’t appear to give many of our donations to our own community. When asked, people who don’t give often say that they don’t know what organizations even exist. If you’re one of these people, please look at Horizons’ annual “QGiving Guide” that’s inserted into this newspaper. It lists LGBT organizations around the Bay Area, gives capsule descriptions, and website links. As the Bay Area Reporter recently editorialized, it’s a good idea to try to learn about an organization before giving. An agency’s own website or an online information source like Guidestar (http:// www.guidestar.org) make for good starting places. You can also call Horizons to talk about your giving – without charge – at (415) 398-2333. But most importantly, please give. If you’re worried about an organization’s effectiveness but don’t have time to research it, give anyway. It’s much more likely that your gift will genuinely help than be wasted. If you think your gift is too small to make a difference, please think again. Small gifts have powered countless campaigns and valuable nonprofits. It takes us all to win our equality and to build the kind of thriving, diverse, and compassionate community that so many have dreamed of – and toward which so many have already given so much. t

Roger Doughty is the executive director of Horizons Foundation.

Letters >>

Wiener’s work of fiction

December 13-19, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

As an affordable housing advocate who’s lived in the Castro for the past 21 years, I find Supervisor Scott Wiener’s op-ed, “The Castro’s bright and challenging future,” [Guest Opinion, December 6] to be a work of fiction. The future is not bright for housing options in the neighborhood, as Wiener contends. Far from it. Unless, of course, you can afford the outrageously high, and still rising, rents, some of the highest in the city. Then there’s the nearly 2,000 units of new housing slated for the Castro. Unfortunately, almost all of these apartments will be market rate, which means forget it, if you don’t make a six-figure salary or have a rich sugar daddy writing the rent checks. The 55 Laguna project (for which I helped advocate) will include 160 affordable units, with about 110 of them slated for low-income LGBT seniors. They’re part of Openhouse, a senior LGBT program. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the other 50 units will be BMRs (Below Market Rate) starting at 80 percent of Area Median Income, which means for folks making $80,000 a year and more. A senior on fixed income or a person with AIDS on SSI won’t be eligible for any of those units. Nor will workers in the shops in the neighborhood. It’s bad enough that Wiener doesn’t mention who is being priced out of the neighborhood, but he also omits one of the district’s ongoing housing problems: the loss of many of its long-term tenants and homeowners. Tenants with AIDS, seniors, and others are being booted out of their homes by landlords and speculators intent on making scads of dough selling their units as tenancies in common. Wiener introduced legislation this year to allow up to 2,000 of these TICs to bypass the condo conversion lottery, a move that will encourage more evictions in the neighborhood and more displacement of people with AIDS and others. And what about the homeowners in the district who are losing their homes through foreclosures, homeowners such as Larry Faulks, who is gay and disabled, and has lived in his Noe Valley place for decades? Why does Wiener not even mention them in his op-ed? It’s a good

thing that groups such as Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and ACCE (Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment) exist, or these homeowners would be completely on their own. The bottom line is that, instead of worrying about nudists and redesigning Harvey Milk Plaza, Wiener should be concentrating his efforts on finding ways to keep his constituents in their homes and preventing the neighborhood from becoming even more upscale and exclusive. Tommi Avicolli Mecca San Francisco

Sympathy for gay GOPers

I sympathize for lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals who think they are working to make the Republican Party more LGBTfriendly in California [“Gay CA Republicans look to expand,” December 6]. How can LGBT people support a political party that demonizes them? The Clinton impeachment showed the nation just how vicious and stupid GOP leaders could be and continued resistance to LGBT and marriage equality demonstrates how politically and socially intolerant the GOP continues to be. The national Log Cabin group has been around for many years and has accomplished absolutely nothing. Log Cabin Republicans say they are small government Republicans, but I have never known a gay man who wanted anything small. James Patterson San Francisco

Are nude statues OK?

A Nob Hill park (east of Grace Cathedral) has four naked boys dancing around a fountain showing them uncircumcised. Now that there is a nudity ban in public spaces, will the city cover up all the nude statues in San Francisco? David Strachan San Francisco

More letters are online at ebar.com.

SF LGBT historic projects advance by Matthew S. Bajko

an Francisco officials advanced two LGBT historic projects in recent days. Castro gay bar the Twin Peaks Tavern is set to become the city’s third LGBT historic landmark. A plan to classify a section of the South of Market neighborhood as an LGBTQ Cultural Heritage District is also one step closer to becoming reality. The area centered along Folsom Street has long been home to the city’s leather and fetish community. The Planning Commission adopted the proposal as part a major rezoning of western SOMA. The Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the proposals in January. “The Twin Peaks is truly one of the gems of the Castro and of the San Francisco LGBT community and has been since it opened 40 years ago in 1972,” said gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, who is sponsoring the bar landmarking legislation. The board’s Land Use and Economic Development Committee, on which Wiener sits, voted December 10 to recommend without objections that the bar become a historic landmark. Located at 401 Castro Street, it was the city’s first gay bar to install clear glass windows at a time when people could be fired based on their sexual orientation. The bar is also unique as it caters to an older crowd, said Wiener, noting that all too often queer culture idolizes youth and ignores the elderly. “Twin Peaks helps reverse that marginalization because it is open to all ages young and old,” said Wiener. Bar owners Jeffrey Green and George Roehm and property owners Elia and Jane Khoury support

Rick Gerharter

The Twin Peaks Tavern is expected to achieve landmark status.

the designation. The full Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the proposal January 15. The other local LGBT landmarks are the late gay Supervisor Harvey Milk’s camera shop and residence (573-575 Castro Street) and the original home of the Jose Theater and the Names Project, which oversees the AIDS Memorial Quilt (2362 Market Street).

Plan protects nightlife in SOMA

The board is also expected next month to take up the Western SOMA Community Plan zoning changes. First begun in 2005, the plan won approval from the Planning Commission December 6. “I am feeling tremendous since it was a unanimous vote,” said Jim Meko, a gay man who chaired the plan’s task force. Western SOMA has been home to a number of gay leather bars since the 1970s and plays host each year to two fetish street fairs. The LGBT Cultural Heritage District is seen as a way of preserving that history. The Planning Department recently announced that there is no funding to create the LGBTQ district and a planned Filipino Cultural Heritage District once adopted.

Backers of the districts are working with District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim’s office and members of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission on ways to implement it. “At the moment it is not happening, but I am not giving up on that,” said Meko. Kim’s office helped broker a compromise on a more controversial part of the SOMA plan – zoning along the 11th Street entertainment corridor. Housing will no longer be allowed alongside the existing nightclubs, something the task force had refused to do. A planned 24-unit housing project at 340 11th Street was grandfathered into the plan. “I think they are really wise and definitely do more to take into the culture of that street, in particular, than the Western SOMA Task Force did over the last 10-year period,” said gay Entertainment Commissioner Glendon Hyde, one of the more vocal critics of the previous zoning proposal. “[The plan] is a little piecemeal, and it is unfortunate someone else had to step in and force entertainment to the fore.” Meko said he has no qualms about the change in zoning. “The reason they did that is the task force did not want to take anything away from anybody,” he said. “It does take property rights away from those currently there; the task force was not interested in doing that.” The supervisors’ Land Use Committee will take up the plan sometime in January.t

Aparna Subramanian, DDS

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6 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

<< Community News

t Holiday hookup tips offered by Peter Hernandez

n array of crime reduction techniques from testing drinks for drugs to sending photos of a date to a friend were presented at a panel discussion in light of recent crimes in the Castro neighborhood as well as the murder of a gay man earlier this year. The December 10 panel responded to crime in the Castro, where dates via social networking sites like Grindr and Adam4Adam have turned fateful or where younger men have reportedly drugged older men and robbed them. “We know that [during] the holidays, there’s more traffic in bars and public spaces. It’s okay to go out, and it’s okay to have fun, but be very careful,” said District Attorney George Gascón. The informal eight-person panel was hosted by Magnet, the gay men’s health center, and also featured speakers from Castro Community On Patrol, the San Francisco Police Department and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Three recent homicides remained a centerpiece of the event: Philip DiMartino, who was murdered in 2010 after likely meeting his murderer at happy hour at Badlands; Freddy Canul-Arguello, whose charred body was found in arecycling bin in Buena Vista Park in 2011 after an encounter at the Cafe; and Steven “Eriq” Escalon, who

Rick Gerharter

District Attorney George Gascón speaks at a safe dating forum in the Castro sponsored in part by his office. Other panel members included, from left, Ken Craig, Len Broberg, Chuck Limbert and Troy Sanders. Also participating but not shown is Greg Carey.

was found dead and robbed in his Diamond Heights apartment earlier this year. (Arrests have been made in the Canul-Arguello and Escalon cases.) In all these situations, “the common denominator was that it was a quick hookup,” said Greg Carey, director of operations and outreach for CCOP. He urged people to send a photo of their date to oneself or a friend, that way the image wouldn’t just be on the phone, which would likely be stolen during a crime. Whether drugged or robbed, the panel showed a disparity exists between those who think they know how to date safely and those who, due to shame or embarrassment, accept the prevalence of drugged drinks and dates gone awry. When asked about how many incidences involve drugged drinks, Carey said that his group doesn’t know the exact number because people are often too embarrassed to report the crime. “Shame has plagued our community forever,” said Troy Sanders, public safety coordinator for Project SAFE. “People say, ‘I should have known better.’ But we need to make our voices heard – it’s exerting that right that brought us to where we are today.” Oftentimes, date rapes, robberies, or assaults are complicated by whether the victim is openly gay or if they felt that the crime was avoidable. But the panelists encouraged victims to come forward with all information they have, if not for themselves then to help prevent another crime. “If you’re a victim, we want you

to tell us,” said openly gay San Francisco Police Inspector Lenny Broberg. He said that most of the department’s officers are trained for LGBT sensitivity and would be responsive to any complaint. Victims are encouraged to file a police report as soon as possible and to ask for their case number after describing their circumstances, and to then preserve evidence by not showering or to save their clothes in a bag to maintain any traces of DNA. Then, the victim should go to an emergency room for a blood draw to find traces of drugs, even if the drug was taken voluntarily. People were also reminded to pay attention to their drinks while in bars. Napkins are expected to be distributed in bars that will read, “Keep your friends close, keep your drink closer.” A Genentech biologist, Brandon Bravo, 31, recently came out after attending Folsom Street Fair this year. The tips he learned from the evening aided his entrance into gay dating. “It’s a funny change, because I never felt threatened when dating women. But it’s a shift with guys bigger than me, wherever we end up,” he said. Castro Community on Patrol, a volunteer organization now in its sixth year, printed 100,000 copies of “The Clubber’s Guide,” which promotes safe clubbing tips like avoiding pickpocketing or alerting authorities about unconscious partiers. Monday’s discussion was coordinated by the San Francisco LGBT Forum.t

Correction The December 6 article “Gay SF couple dreams of citizenship,” misstated where Edgar Cruz attended high school. He graduated from John O’Connell High School. His boyfriend, Gustavo Cerritos, graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School. The online version of the story has been corrected.

On the web Online content this week includes the Bay Area Reporter’s online column, Political Notes; the Jock Talk and Transmissions columns; and articles about the U.S. Supreme Court, Horizons Foundation, Keshet San Francisco, and reaction to AIDS Walk SF changes. www.ebar.com.

December 13-19, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

<< From the Cover

8 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

AIDS Walk

From page 1

nity to step back and look at where things are in the epidemic and the welfare of AIDS organizations generally and felt that smaller agencies in the community, including Project Inform, need additional support.” Miller told the B.A.R. during a phone interview Tuesday that he had informed officials with the city’s largest AIDS nonprofit in 2011 that he felt it was time to transition the walk to a new agency and had wanted to make the break after this year’s event. But at the urging of SFAF CEO Neil Giuliano, Miller pushed back the timing by 12 months.

“I think it is incumbent upon all of us to look around from time to time and ask ourselves as AIDS activists what is the best next thing to do,” said Miller. “So as my colleagues and I assess the landscape of AIDS organizations in the Bay Area, and assess the needs of people living with HIV and AIDS in the Bay Area as we look ahead two years down the road, our best judgment is a shift of emphasis of the AIDS walk to Project Inform and the large coalition of co-beneficiaries is in order.” Miller will continue to collaborate with SFAF on hosting next year’s walk and is promising to make several “great innovations” to freshen up what will be the 27th anniversary of

Rick Gerharter

Project Inform Executive Director Dana Van Gorder

the second-largest AIDS fundraiser in the Bay Area. Organizers estimate that roughly $1.7 million from the 2012 walk, which raised a total of nearly $2.73 million, will be distributed to 46 agencies throughout the region. Giuliano told the B.A.R. that his agency was “disappointed and surprised” by Miller’s decision. Nonetheless, he said SFAF would ensure that the 2013 walk is the “best ever.” “We are very concerned about 2013. Our view is we want to make it the most successful walk we have ever participated in,” he said. But at the same time, SFAF’s executive team will be deliberating what actions to take in 2014 to recoup the sizeable hit to its budget that year without the proceeds from the AIDS Walk. The last several years the event has funneled roughly $650,000 to the AIDS foundation’s various programs and services. There is no clause in its contract with MZA Events restricting SFAF from launching its own walk-type event. What sort of additional fundraising event SFAF may create in two years remains undecided. Nor was Giuliano certain if his agency would apply through Project Inform to benefit from the 2014 AIDS walk. “My board has asked me to take the

first six months of 2013 and pull creative minds together and brainstorm and think about how will we replace this lost revenue,” said Giuliano. Since he joined SFAF two years ago this month, Giuliano has focused on the agency’s fundraising expenses. He opted to cancel its smaller Seismic Challenge bike ride in November 2011 due to the high cost to produce it compared to the money raised. He also worked with Miller to reduce the AIDS Walk costs and fees paid to MZA Events. “I was comfortable in the direction we were heading,” Giuliano said. “The cost of producing the event has come down. That is important to us.”

Helping smaller nonprofits is stated goal

Since 2007 the amount of money AIDS Walk San Francisco has brought in has dropped in half while expenses have remained relatively the same, according to figures compiled by Project Inform. At the same time SFAF has increased the amount distributed to other agencies, while MZA Events’ fee has steadily declined. Five years ago the event earned $4.66 million with expenses of $1.54 million, or 32 percent of the total raised. Grants then to cobeneficiaries amounted to $96,000, while SFAF maintained $2.4 million, according to figures cited by Project Inform. By 2011 the amount raised by the walk had dropped to $2.88 million and expenses were pegged at $1.88 million, or 65 percent of the total. Cobeneficiaries received $461,000 and SFAF kept $540,000. MZA earned $198,000 last year, a significant cut from its $242,707 fee in 2010. This year the event is expected to hit $2.73 million with expenses at $1.52 million, or 55 percent of the total. Partnering agencies will share $517,000, with SFAF expected to receive $698,000. Miller said his

fee this year was less than last year, though he did not have the exact figure, and he came in under budget. In June, SFAF said the fee paid to MZA this year was $212,000. “Both the AIDS Walk organizers and the staff of the AIDS foundation are committed to working to improve the cost efficiency of the event,” said Miller. Van Gorder shares the fundraising costs concerns but noted that big events are expensive to produce. “The last two years or so the overall expenses of the event have come down from a high of $1.8 million to $1.4 million. It is important to continue to do that,” said Van Gorder. “Our goal is to improve the cost of fundraising, to look at expenses and also trying to get the revenue back up to where it was in 2007.” SFAF’s determination to see the AIDS Walk budget reduced did not play a role in his decision to part ways with the agency, Miller said. Nor did the AIDS foundation’s decision to reduce the number of cobeneficiaries this year from about 50 to 35 agencies play into it, he added. The main motivating factor, he said, was to see more of the money raised be distributed to the smaller AIDS service providers that are affiliated with the event. “This is not a slight against the San Francisco AIDS Foundation,” said Miller. He noted that he has given the agency “abundant time” so that it can “make the most gentle and respectful transition” in 2014. “Not all relationships last forever. Change is hard but, sometimes, change is necessary and beneficial,” said Miller. “We think people will be able to look back on this decision and say the AIDS walk organizers were thoughtful and made the right decision.”t Online Extra: See ebar.com for a story on how leaders of several nonprofits associated with the AIDS walk are reacting to the news.

Business News>>

December 13-19, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

Center gets tech donation

an Francisco LGBT Community Center officials and local leaders were all smiles Tuesday, December 11, when the center received a $50,000 contribution from AT&T to expand its technology center and website. The communications company has been a long-standing supporter of the center and has helped it provide economic development, education, and human services to the LGBT community for the past decade. Those who attended the announcement included, from left, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wie-

Jane Philomen Cleland

ner; Marc Blakeman, AT&T’s regional vice president of external affairs; Rebecca Rolfe, executive director of the LGBT center; Kirizina Palone, the Mayor’s Office of Community Services; and LGBT center board members and attorneys Julian Chang and Michael Albert. Rolfe said that online and mobile technology “enable larger numbers of LGBT people to access our services, and we appreciate AT&T’s continued investment in helping us make these services accessible for the low-income communities we serve.”

Shooting for the Top by Raymond Flournoy

new sports bar in the Castro is challenging the idea that the gay community and sports do not mix. “That’s a misconception,” said Jesse Woodward, co-owner of Hi Tops (2247 Market Street). For Woodward, the inspiration for Hi Tops came after visiting sports bars in different East Coast cities and realizing that nothing similar existed in San Francisco. “I play on a team in the San Francisco Gay Basketball Association, and we want to have a place where we can go hang out after a practice or a game. Somewhere where you don’t have to shout over the club music to have a conversation,” explained Woodward. Woodward, along with co-owners Dana Gleim and Matt Kajiwara, completely overhauled the space, which previously housed the bar Lime. According to Woodward, the entire kitchen was renovated, including new floors and new equipment. The main bar was also entirely replaced. The interior draws its inspiration from a 1970s- or 1980s-era gymnasium, with faux bleachers along one wall, pillars padded like boxing ring posts, and spoofs of period posters plastered across another wall. But for many, the 16 flatscreen televisions playing various sporting events will be the focal point of the decor. “One thing that I hope people do not overlook is our food. We are open every day for lunch, and we think we have the best food in the neighborhood,” said Woodward. The menu was designed by former Top Chef contestant Jamie Lauren. In the future, the owners intend to sponsor local teams and to hold fundraising events. While no specifics are set, Woodward said that spring softball leagues and AIDS LifeCycle are currently in the planning stage. They are also toying with the idea of organizing a dodge ball tournament. While Lime attracted a mixed crowd, the trio, who all identify as gay, are unabashed in describing Hi Tops as a gay sports bar. But Woodward added, “You don’t have to like sports to have fun here too.”

Michael Bruno

Castro regulars may have noticed that Michael Bruno Luggage (2267 Market Street), one of the oldest gayowned businesses left in the neigh-

Steven Kasapi

Co-owner Jesse Woodward enjoyed a moment of peace before the newly opened Hi Tops filled with a crowd of 49ers fans.

borhood, was temporarily closed and is currently keeping shortened hours. A sign in the window attributes this to health issues, but fear not – owner Lou Briasco is fighting back from a recent hospitalization and hopes to return to a more regular schedule soon. According to Briasco the recent round of health issues began in June, when his seizure disorder combined with a handful of other ailments to sideline him. On top of that, Briasco encountered some problems with medications and an alleged hospital mishap, all of which led to him eventually checking into Maitri (401 Duboce Street) for a period of recuperation. Briasco is scheduled to return to his home on December 18. For the immediate future he is still coming into the store every day, but with reduced hours: opening at 11 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m. Michael Bruno celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year, deriving its name from an intended business partner (“Michael”) and Briasco’s middle name (“Bruno”). Briasco notes that the store has changed significantly over the years as people’s habits and tastes have changed. “When I started, this whole wall was attache cases, that wall was briefcases, and this whole wall was leather luggage. Nowadays I still have a few leather pieces, but most people are interested in computer cases and wheeled luggage,” he explained. In addition to his luggage selection, Briasco is famous for displaying his picture frames with photos other

than the stock inserts. “I call the pictures ‘the 3 Fs’: Friends, family, and fantasies,” joked Briasco, referring to the array of images of his mother and other relatives, side by side with the smoldering visages of porn models. “Who buys picture frames? Gay men and women. And they want to look at pictures of good looking guys,” explained Briasco. Briasco has also made a name for himself photographing the streetcars that run past his store’s front door. He contributes a portion of every streetcar image sold to the Market Street Railway, donating over $5,000 through the years. After the holidays, Briasco may face an additional surgery, and in that case he foresees another Maitri stay. Should that occur, he would take another short hiatus from Michael Bruno. Watch postings on the front door for further updates.

Don’t give up!

If you are desperate for some lastminute holiday gift options, the Castro has four sure-fire gifts that will work for almost anyone. “Holly the Hippo” is the latest in the Human Rights Campaign’s series of blown glass Christmas ornaments. You do not have to be LGBT to enjoy the tutu-wearing hippopotamus perched on a Christmas present, but it does help. The ornament costs $39 and is available at the HRC Action Center and Store (575 Castro Street). Experts say that champagne goes with any meal, and the Castro Village Wine Company (4121 19th Street) has the champagne to match any recipient. For a simple hostess gift, consider a sparkling wine from California vintner Roderer Estate for $23.25, or to really impress, pull out the stops with the French label Billecart-Salmon, running a delicious $85. The Castro has a number of spas and salons, many of which offer gift certificates. Consider gay-owned John Francis Spa (4200 18th Street, Suite 101) where your recipient can select from facials, massages, waxing, or a variety of other services. The current trend in menswear is bright colors. A low-cost, low-risk way to follow that fashion trend is with brightly colored socks, especially in wild, unexpected patterns. Citizen Clothing (489 Castro Street) carries the aptly-named Happy Socks for $12 each, or in a boxed gift set of four pairs for $45. For a more posh choice, consider the Corgi socks from Great Britain, available at Unionmade (493 Sanchez Street) for $28-$35 per pair.t A longer version is online at www.ebar.com.

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14 EPORTER ••December 2012 December13-19, 13-19, 2012 10 • BAY ay AREA rea Reporter

EQCA

From page 1

[state] departments haven’t issued regulations yet, and laws effectively just kind of sit on the books collecting dust,” O’Connor said. “Administrative advocacy for laws that have already been passed” is one area for EQCA to work, he said. He pointed to Senate Bill 1729, a law that went into effect in 2009 and was meant to train licensed health care professionals about the unique needs of LGBT seniors, as one example. O’Connor also wants to expand outreach efforts such as the Breakthrough Conversation, a campaign started last year designed to educate people about LGBT issues, in 2013. “We can legislate until we’re blue in the face,” O’Connor said, but until people in communities across the state are won over, “we will never achieve full, lasting equality.” He said EQCA’s work in 2012 has been “really robust.” The nonprofit backed several pieces of legislation that Governor Jerry Brown signed into law. Those bills include Senate Bill 1172, which outlaws so-called reparative therapy designed to turn gay people straight. Anti-gay groups are suing over the law, which is set to go into effect January 1. On Friday, December 7 the U.S. Supreme Court decided to review a federal appeal court’s ruling that Proposition 8, California’s same-sex marriage ban, is unconstitutional. If the Supreme Court lets Prop 8 stand,

O’Connor believes EQCA would need to take a lead role if there’s an effort to undo the anti-gay law at the ballot box in two years. However, he said the group would need to work collaboratively with others. It was EQCA’s work on the No on 8 campaign four years ago that created a rift in the community, as the campaign was criticized for largely ignoring minority voters. Kors had served on the campaign’s executive committee. O’Connor said, “I’ve got my work cut out for me” to rebuild the organization’s infrastructure, which will be needed especially if the agency becomes heavily involved in another marriage equality ballot fight. The biggest weak spot at EQCA is “there was a pretty serious wave of layoffs” at the agency and “rebuilding the capacity of the organization and a senior management team, that’s probably the biggest challenge, while simultaneously keeping all the work moving forward,” he said. Community leaders said that the statewide group is needed. Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of the progressive Courage Campaign, said he wants to see O’Connor and EQCA succeed. In a state California’s size, it’s “really important” to have “an organization that focuses on LGBT equality,” Jacobs, who’s gay, said. LGBT activist Gloria Nieto said she’d like to see EQCA involved in more “cross-pollination” on issues including immigration and aging.t

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gang member and assaulted and harassed him when he attempted to call for help on his cellphone on August 29. The two men took off with his cellphone. The victim chased the two men who split up, with one of them running down the street one way and the other running into Zayas’s brother’s house. Zayas was visiting her nephews, said her mother, Elvira Zayas – who has the same name as her daughter – and her girlfriend of three years, Labora Harrison. It was then that Breall and police allege the younger Elvira Zayas came running out of the house, attacking the victim. Officers arrived on the scene of the incident and arrested Zayas. She was charged with assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and being associated with a street gang with the intent of assisting with criminal conduct by gang members, which are felonies. The DA’s office also charged her with a third count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. Throughout it all Zayas, her family, and community activists have maintained her innocence. During the preliminary hearing, police testified that the red and blue Cuban flag tattooed on Zayas’s arm is evidence of her gang affiliation. There was “nothing linking Elvira with a gang,” Paine told the Bay Area Reporter outside the Hall of Justice after a pre-trial hearing in late September. The police statements about Zayas aren’t consistent and the investigation wasn’t properly done, Paine continued. The accusations against her are simply “based on assumptions.” Zayas declined to speak to the B.A.R., even with her attorney present. Paine declined to comment further about the case due to the pending trial.

The wrong woman?

Zayas’s supporters claim that she is a prime example of an in-

nocent person being caught in a web of gang injunctions, police surveillance, and racial profiling. The city attorney and the San Francisco Superior Court have imposed injunctions on known gangs in certain neighborhoods of the city. In the last several years there has been a significant drop in gang activity in the city, according to the San Francisco City Attorney’s gang injunction website. Zayas is an award-winning queer youth activist and an aspiring tattoo artist enrolled at City College of San Francisco, according to Jodi Schwartz, executive director of the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, and Zayas’s mother. She was awarded the San Francisco City and County Youth Warrior fellowship for her work with LYRIC. In addition, she has been active as a peer mentor and youth programmer of Bay Area youth organizations such as the Department of Children, Youth and Families and the Brown Boi Project. Schwartz and Erica Woodland, the field building director for the Brown Boi Project, who have both worked with Zayas, praised her for her work for LGBT youth, in particular youth of color and immigrant queer youth. “LYRIC will continue to support Elvira through the legal process,” wrote Schwartz in an email. “[We] will continue to provide her the support of the LYRIC community and one-on-one support provided by our youth advocacy staff.” “She is an innocent gay woman,” the elder Zayas told the B.A.R. outside court in September. She claimed the police were telling lies about her daughter. “She’s gay. I’m proud of my daughter. I know that she is innocent and that she did not do nothing bad,” said the elder Zayas. The dance party benefiting Zayas will take place December 14 at 10 p.m. at 3372 19th Street. Donations are welcome or they can be made online at www.wepay.com/ donations/173665.t Peter Hernandez contributed to this article.

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December 13-19, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 15

Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034718400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WINDSOR OWENS CONSULTING, 3271 20th St. #A, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Windsor Owens. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/10/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034719800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HEWN, 101 Henry Adams St. #480, SF, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Jak Home LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/15/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034716900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GRAYLINE, Pier 41, SF, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Evergreen Trails, Inc. (WA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/13/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034716700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HORIZON COACH LINES & SAN FRANCISCO SIGHTSEEING, 300 Toland St., SF, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Evergreen Trails, Inc. (WA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/13/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034716800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GRAYLINE, Pier 39, SF, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Evergreen Trails, Inc. (WA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/13/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034726200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SIT STAY SF, 48 Woodward, SF, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Althea Karwowski. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/19/12.

NOV 22, 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Dated 11/20/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: 1401 POLK STREET, INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1401 Polk St., SF, CA 941094615. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-SALE BEER & WINE - EATING PLACE NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Dated 11/16/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: WHOLE FOODS MARKET CALIFORNIA INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 2001 Market St., SF, CA 94114-1316. Type of license applied for

20 - OFF-SALE BEER & WINE; 86 – INSTRUCTIONAL TASTING LICENSE NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034736900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SF SHUTTLE, 126 Cambridge St., SF, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Yat Guang Zhang. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/12.

NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034735600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FINEVINTAGECLOTHING.COM, 2140 25th St., SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Cynthia J. Anderson. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/12.

NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034726500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: F & O ENERGY, 3300 Cesar Chavez St., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Feven Woldyohans & Osman Galato. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business

under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/19/12.

NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034695800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TEA ROOTS, 48 Shotwell St., SF, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Tea Party Magazine Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/02/12.

NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034731700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUBART, 654 Mission St., SF, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SPUR (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/12.

NOV 29, DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Dated 11/30/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: CATHEADS BBQ AND COUNTRY COOKIN LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1665 Folsom St., SF, CA 94103-3722. Type of license applied for

41 – ON SALE BEER & WINE – EATING PLACE DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Dated 11/14/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: NEWTREE AMERICA INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 16 Jessie St., SF, CA 941052782. Type of license applied for

41 – ON SALE BEER & WINE – EATING PLACE DEC 6, 13, 20, 2012 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC12-549115 In the matter of the application of: ELSA F. LANTIER for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ELSA FRANCOISE LANTIER is requesting that the name ELSA FRANCOISE LANTIER be changed to ELSA LANTIER LUNDY. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514 on the 22nd of January 2013 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034741300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ABELEY, 3 Bayside Village Pl. #317, SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Yixuan Ma. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/18/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034745500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WRJ TRAVEL BUSINESS COMPANY, 983 Major Ave., Hayward, CA 94542. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Ruijian Wang. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034719200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AVENUEWEST SAN FRANCISCO, 2525 Van Ness Ave. #207, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed AvenueWest Denver Inc. (CO). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034745400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IMPACT CARBON, 47 Kearny St. #600, SF, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Center For Entrepreneurship In International Health And Development (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/27/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034725000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RICKYBOBBY, 400 Haight St., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Short Attention Span Kitchen Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/16/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034736100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOLDEN MONTH MOTHERCARE, 605 Chenery St., SF, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed JoAnn W. Bennett & Marnie McCurdy. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/01/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034738900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FIRST EAGLE DELIVERY, 1725 Silver Ave., SF, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Silvia Arteaga, Thalita Elias, Adelcio Pontes, Esperanza Reyes, Iraci Silva, and Leonardo Torres. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034740700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JAG PROPERTIES PARTNERSHIP, 4536-40 Mission St., SF, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Anton Jaber & Janette Jaber. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034739800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 2M CREATIVE, LLC, 360 Langton St. #201, SF, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed 2M Creative LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/28/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034742600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PMK CONSTRUCTION LLC, 2722 Folsom St., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed PMK Construction LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/29/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034752100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE LIQUID GARDEN; INTRINSIC EVENTS AND DESIGN. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Thomas Murphy. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034707300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NOBLETON MARKETING GROUP, 2136 Larkin St., SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Saralynn Elizabeth Reece. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/08/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034748400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NATE FONG PHOTOGRAPHY, 280 19th Ave., SF, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Nathan Fong. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034740100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE GENIUS OF MARIAN, 90 Mirabel Ave., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed WeOwnTV (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/28/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034729400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAYCREST CLEANERS, 201 Harrison St. #C2, SF, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed What Happened LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034747800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ASYA POGODINA PSYCHOTHERAPY, 2645 Ocean Ave. #206, SF, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Asya Pogodina. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under

the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/03/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/12.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-033814900 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: GREENWAY 420, 965 Mission St. #212, SF, CA 94103. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by Greenway Professional Support Services LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/09/11.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-030906900 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: 2M CREATIVE, 360 Langton St. #201, SF, CA 94103. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by Mehdi Sadeghi Anvarian. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/07/08.

DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF ALAMEDA NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: EDWARD BALUYUT AKA EDWARD N. BAYULUT AKA E. BAYULUT, AN INDIVIDUAL AND DOES 1 THROUGH 50, INCLUSIVE YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: UNITED GUARANTY RESIDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, A NORTH CAROLINA CORPORATION CASE NO. HG12620354 Notice: You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp). your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. The name and address of the court is : HAYWARD HALL OF JUSTICE, 24405 AMADOR ST., HAYWARD, CA 94544, UNLIMITED CIVIL The name, address, and telephone number of the plantiff’s attorney, or plantiff without an attorney, is:

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034756200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SPIRO COFFEE, 826 Van Ness, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Nob Hill Restaurant Ventures Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/05/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/05/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034731400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LA SCUOLA INTERNAZIONALE DI SAN FRANCISCO; LA SCUOLA; 728 20th St., SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed La Piccola Scuola Italiana Di San Francisco (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034760200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SYNTROPY FITNESS, 168 South Park Ave., SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability corporation, and is signed The Center for Lifestyle Well-Being (CA)The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/07/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/07/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013

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DEC 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034765600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RILLO LAW GROUP, 111 Pine St. #1400, SF, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Christopher J. Rillo. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/11/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/11/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034757700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SA BEANG THAI, 312 Divisadero St., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Atthapon Inkhong. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/06/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034763100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAYVIEW ICE CREAM SHOPPE, 1650 Quesada Ave., SF, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Robert Davis. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/10/12.

DEC 13, 20, 27, 2012; JAN 3, 2013

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Vol. 42 • No. 50 • December 13-19, 2012

San Francisco Ballet in Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker.

San Francisco Ballet makes magic by Paul Parish Erik Tomasson

an Francisco Ballet’s first Nutcracker opened in the midst of World War II, in December 1944. It was the first complete production of this holiday favorite in the United States, and it was a hit. It’s run almost continuously at Christmas ever since, and last Friday it opened again in a brilliantly danced version of Helgi Tomasson’s production (new in 2004), the longest-running Nutcracker in the history of ballet in the New World. Our Nutcracker got off to a smashing start. Tchaikovsky’s score

was already immensely popular in 1944 – the Longine-Whitnauer Society’s recording of the Nutcracker Suite was the best-selling record in the land during the Depression, and the Nutcracker choreographed for Disney’s Fantasia (which has superb choreography: according to Mark Morris, “the best ever”) had just hit the movie screens at the same time. SFB’s then-artistic-director Willam Christensen hit pay dirt with his drenched-in-nostalgia production of the ballet: in 1944,

with so many soldiers overseas, so many already killed in action, so many home on leave to marry their sweethearts before going back to the front (my own parents married then), with Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” at the top of the charts, Nutcracker’s family Christmas party hit the boards when there was no scene everybody wanted more to see than a happy family circle: the little girl’s Christmas party, her overheated dream See page 14 >>

Life in the bad old days Alan Cumming redeems ‘Any Day Now’ by David Lamble

I Paul (Garrett Dillahunt), Marco (Isaac Levya) and Rudy (Alan Cumming) in Any Day Now. Courtesy of Music Box Films

t seems astonishing to write this, but with 104 entries on the Internet Movie Database and counting, the Scottish-born, out bi actor Alan Cumming gives a captivating breakout performance in #97, Any Day Now. It’s a moving, funny account of a gay couple’s attempt to rescue a developmentally challenged child from the clutches of a California judicial system whose mindless cruelty could make Charles Dickens weep.

{ SECOND OF TWO SECTIONS }

The story opens on an October weekend in 1979 as Cumming’s Rudy is sashaying across the stage of a small West Hollywood drag club. Rudy and his “sisters” would make the cut of Best Lip-Sync Acts from the 70s. The opening three-minute montage gives us a whiff of what it was like to be young, queer and out for a good time before AIDS, Reagan and the culture wars made us conscious of our place See page 16 >>

<< Out There

14 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

Holidaze approaches by Roberto Friedman

s we head ever deeper into the thickets of the holiday season, “Shop-a-Round” guy Franz is busy spreading cheer around town on roller-skates, goading on holiday shoppers. Here are a few last-minute ideas for holiday gifties. 1. In Christmas in Tinseltown (HCI, $14.95), the follow-up to his Dead Celebrity Cookbook, author Frank DeCarlo offers the recipes for Peggy Lee’s Holiday Halibut Casserole, Burl Ives’ Stuffed Leg of Goat Hawaiian, Lucille Ball’s Bra-

zil Nut Stuffing, Nat King Cole’s Baked Ham Loaf, Guy Lombardo’s Lobster Lombardo, Dick Clark’s Spicy Turkey Meatloaf, Rosemary Clooney’s Viennese Goulash, Bing Crosby’s Sugar Cookies, Shirley Booth’s Pumpkin Bread, Dinah Shore’s Fruitcake, and Spike Jones’ Molasses Jumbles. Urp, after all that, we have William Conrad’s Indigestion. 2. You probably missed it, but if

you were at Premiere Props’ Holiday Hollywood Live Auction Extravaganza last weekend, you could have bid on such items as James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) knife from Casino Royale; Jerry Maguire’s (Tom Cruise) baseball cap from his famous “Show me the money!” scene; Yentl’s (Barbra Streisand) waist-jacket; Rollergirl’s (Heather Graham) Lolita heartshaped glasses from Boogie Nights; Sulu’s (George Takei) swishy tunic from Star Trek (1966); Regan MacNeil’s (Linda Blair) “devil’s tongue” from The Exorcist; Batman’s (George Clooney) “ice cowl” from Batman and Robin; Austin Powers’ (Mike Myers) license plates from his “Shaguar”; a “human shrunken head” from Alfred Hitchcock’s Under Capricorn; Mini-Me’s (Verne Troyer) hairless cat from Austin Powers (signed by Troyer); the handgun used by Charlize Theron (as Aileen Wuornos) to kill her victims in Monster; Ed Norton’s handcuffs from American History X; and Ducard’s (Liam Neeson) sword from

Nutcracker

From page 13

of the Christmas tree growing, the whole scene transmogrified, having to fight a monstrous army of rats and conquer her fears, defeat the beasts, and then celebrate in peace and joy in a feast with dancing all night. Nowadays, we’re not living in an era that’s filled with nostalgia. We’re uneasy. Even with gay marriage on the rise, and gay adoption and family-making turning up in sitcoms and A-list Hollywood movies, the gay angle on Nutcracker would still be an ironic one were it not for the absolute sincerity of Tchaikovsky’s music, which idealizes and embraces the family circle and makes it seem more wonderful than Neverneverland. No-one can fail to hear how Tchaikovsky longed for a return to childhood, to the era before sexual desire stuck out its horns and created longings that could not be fulfilled. Tchaikovsky was one of us queers, and he also longed for a kind

Batman Begins. Because nothing says the holidays like movie mayhem memorabilia.

3. OK, seriously now, on Sun., Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m., internationally renowned pianist Fred Hersch will give a solo recital in the intimate Montalvo Carriage House Theatre in Saratoga, CA. Five-time Grammy nominee Hersch is considered one of the most original jazz pianists performing today, and he has a remarkable personal story. One of the few openly gay major musicians in the jazz scene, he’s been living with AIDS since 1993. In 2008, he spent two months in a medically-induced coma that left him with no motor control. He’s not only fully recovered from this, but he’s now doing some of the finest performance and compositional work of his career. Tickets ($55-$60) are available through the Montalvo Box Office at (408) 961-5858, or at www.tickemaster.com. 4. Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony’s live concert recording of works by Bay Area composer and longtime collaborator John Adams, Harmonielehre and Short Ride in a Fast Machine (SFS Media), was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award last week in the category of Best Orchestral Performance. Go team!t

of home-life and stability he could never have. He did marry, then he nearly succeeded in killing himself to escape the prison his marriage created. In The Nutcracker, he created the world he couldn’t inhabit in life. From the overture on, The Nutcracker creates magic – at first and recurrently, it’s the magic of miniaturization. It’s in the scoring: the perfect characterizations of the family party – the beloved grandparents, the guests, the brother who breaks your toys, the mind-blowing oneeyed wizardly uncle, the party that gets too exciting and makes you toss and turn in your sleep – the nightmare in which you lose control of your own house to the kitchen-mice and have to fight them off yourself with the help of your favorite Christmas present, the Nutcracker doll your uncle gave you – where-

upon a whole other world opens up, grand, brilliant, perfect, until it’s enough and you want to go home. Last Friday night, the dancers had a triumph in making this world come once more into being. Not everyone was perfect, but all the major roles were tremendous, and the show built from strength to strength until the ballerina Frances Chung made a miracle of technical precision and imaginative musicality out of the Grand pas de deux. The first truly wonderful thing to happen was the magic act at the party. The great dance-actor Damian Smith, who’s retiring this year, began his farewell tour with a performance of such power and grace, and such genius performance of Drosselmeyer’s magic tricks, that I could not believe my eyes. He made an old man’s walking-stick hang in See page 24 >>

Steven Underhill

Franz is encouraging all of San Francisco to shop for the holidaze until they drop.

Erik Tomasson

San Francisco Ballet stars Frances Chung and Davit Karapetyan dance in Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker.

Theatre>>

December 13-19, 2012, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

Tragic love for the holiday season by Richard Dodds

e’re in the holiday homestretch, but even as jingle bells grow louder, some theaters have opted to keep the “no” in Noel. Let us travel first to Shotgun Player’s Ashby Stage, where the production may be a musical, but not one with any rest for ye merry gentlemen. Indeed, the first song in Tom Waits’ score for Woyzeck is titled “Misery Is the River of the World,” and its lyrics declare that “if there’s one thing you can say about mankind, there’s nothing kind about man.’’ German playwright Karl Georg Buchner died in 1837, before he could tie together the fragments of his play Woyzeck, which has lured numerous adaptors to mold the material in different ways. Alban Berg’s opera and Werner Herzog’s film are two famous examples, and in 2000 gritty folksinger Tom Waits, his wife and songwriting colleague Kathleen Brennan, and avant-garde director Robert Wilson teamed for the third time to create a Woyzeck of their own. Frequent Shotgun director Mark Jackson is putting his own stamp on the Waits-BrennanWilson concept. “The music seemed to set something free on a poetic level that straight translations of the text alone had never done for me,” Jackson says. “Music is the universal language that articulates feelings that words alone can’t get their tongue around.” Played by Alex Crowther in the Shotgun production, Franz Woyzeck is a low-ranking soldier who takes on a series of demeaning jobs to augment his salary and provide for his companion and their child. When he learns of her affair with

Courtesy Boxcar Theatre

There are multiple Hedwigs in Boxcar Theatre’s remounting of its summer hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch that received permission from creator John Cameron Mitchell for a radical re-rendering.

Jessica Palopoli

Alex Crowther and Madeline H.D. Brown are doomed lovers in Woyzeck, a new musical adaptation of the 19th-century drama that Shotgun Players is presenting in Berkeley.

a strutting drum major, both the betrayal and his own grueling history lead him to murder. Buchner based his text on an actual event that ended with a specificity that the playwright didn’t get to provide for his drama, and which is another open door for adaptors to pass. “Woyzeck’s tragic love for Marie and, through her, the society he fought for and is now spurned by, is quite palpable,” Jackson says of the humanizing elements that the songs bring to the grim story.

Woyzeck will run through Jan. 27 at the Ashby Stage; tickets at www. shotgunplayers.org.

Encore for Hedwig

The Boxcar Theatre is celebrating during the holidays if not exactly for the holidays, inasmuch as the title of the show at hand references a botched sex-change operation. But the reason for celebration is that Boxcar is remounting its summer hit production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch with a few new flourishes to an already radically reconceived production. Director Nick A. Olivero was able to get creator John Cameron Mitchell’s permission to increase

the size of the cast, from two to 13, with individual actors playing the characters that Hedwig refers to in her stories, and by having eight actors share the role of Hedwig. The rock musical, with score by Stephen Trask, follows the transgendered title character as she tries to eke out a musical career in the shadow of a double-crossing former partner who has become a superstar. “Having so many sides of Hedwig’s personality represented really unlocked some deeper meanings in the story for me,” Olivero said. The Hedwigs are indeed a diverse group: men, women, black, white, older, younger, tall, skinny, short, large, gay, and straight. All of this takes place in the 49seat Boxcar Playhouse on Natoma Street through Feb. 11. Meanwhile, at the Boxcar Theatre Studios on Hyde Street, Boxcar does get into the holiday spirit, though a bit more as a walk on the dark side than usually associated with Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In Scrooge: The Haunting of Ebenezer, Boxcar veteran Jeff Garrett

plays all the characters, with a stark focus on the title character. “This one-man performance strips away the sentimentality,” says director Peter Ruocco, “while remaining true to the wit and fire of Dickens’ masterpiece of storytelling.” The run continues through Dec. 30. More info on Boxcar productions is available at www.boxcartheatre.org.

Holiday pulchritude

No reason to limit seasonal arousal to any one time of the year. That’s the spirit behind Holidays Throughout the Year: An Evening of Classic Burlesque. That evening is Dec. 21, and the Exit Theatre is the locale for this ecdysiast tribute to Christmas, Hanukkah, Mardi Gras, the Fourth of July, and even the end of the Mayan calendar. The evocatively named performers include Tasty Temptress, If-n-Whendy, Elyse Elaine, Dangerous Delilah, Mistress Marla Spanks, Sgt. Die Weiss, Rosey Bootycelli, Laura Borealis, Red Delicious, CoCo Jewelle, Red Velvet, and emcee Odessa Lil. Tickets are available at www.theexit.org. t

<< Theatre

16 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

Gay comic offers ‘Fruit Fly’ at the Rrazz by David-Elijah Nahmod

est-known as Karen Walker’s semi-closeted arch-nemesis Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, Emmy winner Leslie Jordan is himself an out and proud gay man. He brings Fruit Fly, his new one-man show, to the Rrazz Room for six shows beginning Dec. 18. Jordan will be inviting his audience to join him on a personal journey in a show that’s very near and dear to his heart. “I wanted to do a lovely tribute to my mother’s journey into my gaydom and queerness,” Jordan told the B.A.R. “It’s a big extravaganza. I wanted it to be in a theater, because when people are drinking it’s hard for them to follow along. But it does work in a cabaret.” The show derives its title from the

story he has to tell. He prefers not to reveal the meaning of the title in advance. “It refers to something my mother said. My mom is pretty devout. I told her I was gay when I was 12, and until I was in my mid-50s it was don’t ask, don’t tell. Then I took my mom on a gay cruise to Alaska, and 2,000 gay men adopted her – she had an epiphany!” Jordan likens his mother’s earlier attitude towards his gayness to a story told by the late gay playwright Tennessee Williams. Williams said that when he came out to his own mother, she replied, “I’m just going to sit here and think of yellow daisies.” The key to changing people’s minds, according to Jordan, is to introduce ourselves to them. “Once a person meets someone gay, it opens

Comic Leslie Jordan: “Put a face on it!”

them up.” The actor looks back upon his Will & Grace role with immense pride. The sitcom, which ran on NBC in prime time from 19982005, was about the friendship between a gay man and his straight, female best friend, whom he had once dated. W&G was considered groundbreaking, as it featured numerous gay characters, many of whom had active sex and romantic lives. “I’m convinced that W&G was instrumental in turning the corner for us – it was the first time straight men admitted to watching a gay show. And now we have a sitting President who acknowledges us. “It was such an honor to be Emmy-nominated for a show that did so much for my tribe. I was the only

gay nominee, and I won!” He has fond memories of the Rrazz Room. “It’s one of my favorite rooms to perform in, I’ve been there six or seven times. I did a show there called Deck the Halls in full drag, but I wasn’t playing me. People came up to me and said, ‘We just want you, honey.’” And so it’s Leslie Jordan himself whom audiences will see at the Rrazz when they attend Fruit Fly. “There are two ways to combat homophobia: humor, and put a face on it. And if a little boy wants to wear a dress, let him!”t

the Galapagos and South Africa. But her songwriting (not bookwriting) talents are evident throughout the memoir, and it remains to be seen if her music and her message mature as her star continues to soar. If the idea of a young, outspoken pop music performer penning her own “life story” at the ripe old age of 25 makes you want to clutch your hard-won pearls crouched in a darkened room, you’re not alone. But for Ke$ha’s legion of adolescent followers – a fanbase she calls her “animals,” to whom she dedicates the book (they even send her

their teeth) – it’s a photographic bible of popularity and success, giving them something to finish high school for. It’s the story of a lucky girl’s quarter-century, from growing up supported by welfare and food stamps to young adulthood as a glitter-bombed, one-girl hit parade, trampling the music industry’s idea of what a pop star should be with a barrage of expletives, precocious attitudes, and some admittedly catchy music that speaks to a me-first generation with just enough pre-party time to “brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack.”t

and shouts, “Show me your hands! I’m going to count to three.” “Big man with your big gun!” “Shut up, and do as he says!” “One, two, three!” “Wait, you pull that trigger, and it’s Murder One! I’m with the DA’s office. A jury will convict you in five seconds, and you’ll spend the next 50 years in a cell with some guy who wants to play cops ’n’ robbers with you every night.” “Sure, the DA’s office would like to hear about one of their own getting sucked off in a parking lot.” “I’m sure Internal Affairs would love to hear about one of their own drawing his weapon and threatening two unarmed civilians. So let’s just both forget about this little misunderstanding.” The boys begin the kind of furtive liaison that usually collapses under the strain of two wildly out-of-sync personalities. Sucker punch #2 will define this odd couple for the balance of the movie. When Rudy has a screaming match with one of his drug-addled neighbors, the woman turns out to have a Down’s syndrome child, Marco (Isaac Leyva), whose abject situation summons up parental feelings Rudy didn’t know he had. Basing his movie on a real-life situation, director Travis Fine (with co-writer George Arthur Bloom) offers a ride back to what now seems like a prehistoric time when queers had no rights the judicial system felt any need to respect. The part of the story that plays like Court TV could serve as

a video amicus curiae brief for the US Supreme Court’s upcoming hearings on same-sex marriage. Cumming is the most compelling reason to catch Any Day Now if what you’re looking for is a good time at the movies. A classically trained British actor, his TV/film resume is so ladled with oddities – Boogie Woogie, Robot Chicken, Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical – that one suspects he’s spent his American camera-time securing paychecks to support an addiction to live theatre. Admittedly it’s not unusual for British actors to suddenly blossom in their 40s or 50s – look at Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, Sir Ian McKellen – but this lovely turn from Cumming should be a cue for the boy to get serious about his movies. Dedicated to reminding us how we used to feel about our public image in the bad old days, Any Day Now could have been a real pill to sit through without Cumming. From the opening lip-sync number through simulated oral sex, to serious cop-baiting, to embarrassing a closeted number in the DA’s office, to sassing a bigoted judge, Cumming brings an energy to the part that lifts the movie up. With long hair and a 5 o’clock shadow, this seriously sexy man in his mid40s reminds us just how much fun drag slightly titled towards genderfuck can be. With his musical talents and slashing wit, Cumming would be a great candidate for The Charles Pierce Story.t

Leslie Jordan: Fruit Fly, at the Rrazz Room in Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., SF. Tues.-Sat., Dec. 1822. Tickets ($40-$45): (415) 394-1189 or www.therrazzroom.com.

Youth is wasted by Jim Piechota

My Crazy Beautiful Life by Ke$ha; Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, $22.99

ike a box of junk candy to a sugar fiend, the autobiography My Crazy Beautiful Life, by the “Tik Tok,” “We R Who We R” awardwinning recording artist known as Ke$ha, seeks to satisfy that craving for empty-caloric entertainment in-between newer books and movies that should really captivate our attention, like Alice Munro’s new book of stories or The Hobbit. And it does so, not with its haphazard paragraphs, but through the layered, scrapbook-style photography of a singer coming of age. This illustrated memoir of Los Angeles native Kesha Rose Sebert is a glossy ordeal awash in full-color photographs effectively chronicling her life-so-far, from a toddler in a less-fortunate, animal-loving family with an uncanny attraction to

body paint, doting on her siblings Lagan and Louie. Music played a great role in her upbringing; she was raised solely by her singermusician mother Pebe Sebert, who ricocheted the family from Southern California to Nashville after securing a songwriting contract, then back to LA, where Pebe began distributing her daughter’s demo CD. A call from record producer Dr. Luke was all that it took to spark a career that continues to blow up today. Ke$ha’s new CD Warrior, greatly influenced by Iggy Pop’s 1977 album The Idiot, dropped on Dec. 4. But as far as this book is concerned, that’s about all there is to tell. The book is less of a success than anything she’s done musically, and feels more like a slick promotional brochure for the new album. Ke$ha’s introduction boasts that “in less than three years, I’ve gone from being the worst waitress in LA to a multiplatinum-selling artist.” This would strike a sensitive

reader as compelling if she did indeed continue to glance inward, but what readers get is passages like, “I looked at the blank page and realized that I was right back where it all started, a girl with a crazy dream and a notebook.” Meh. But it is what it is, so buy it for the pictures, which greatly make up for pages of limp writing and awkward phrasing – so surprising, knowing that Ke$ha wrote all of the tracks on both 2010’s Animal and Warrior. Pictorially, her memoir details the exhaustive work and the exhilaration that stage life and touring the world can bring a girl who grew up with the understanding that “if we were too broke to go shopping, my mom would take us to Beverly Hills and we would look for discarded treasures on the side of the road.” Snapshots of sweaty, soggy, post-show Ke$ha and those of her reuniting with a family that showbusiness keeps her too busy to visit, read more authentic than the pics of her flipping off the camera in Europe, of hugging teary, star-struck fans, or of privileged vacations to

Any Day Now

From page 13

on the world stage. After making eye-contact with Paul (Garret Dillahunt), a cute if uptight number in the audience, Rudy finds himself giving oral sex in the front seat of Paul’s car. Then the boys chat. Rudy’s story, delivered in Cumming’s spot-on East Coast dockworker accent, is an in-joke for those of us who fondly recall the parade of broadshouldered female impersonators who could have made the varsity football squad. “In my first year of high school, my father made me play football. Coach told me to line up center, bend over and grab the ball. Donnie Walsh was the quarterback; he walked up behind me, put his hand on my ass, and asked for the snap. I was in heaven. Honestly, it’s all been downhill from then on.” Here the movie delivers the first of several emotional sucker punches, as the boys find themselves interrogated by an angry LAPD vice cop who forces Paul to out himself. It’s an edgy moment that would have felt right at home in William Friedkin’s Cruising. “Are you boys having some fun?” “No, officer, we’re actually just talking about playing high school football.” “Yeah, right.” “And you look like you’ve played with a few balls in your time!” The cop pulls out his revolver

Film >>

December 13-19, 2012, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 17

Being Ebenezer Scrooge: retelling a tale by Gregg Shapiro

ctor David Pevsner was recently seen in the role of Elizabeth Taylor’s doctor in the Lifetime movie Liz and Dick. He’s appeared in the off-Broadway hit Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly and his own original creations, such as writing songs for Naked Boys Singing (including “Perky Little Porn Star”), as well as in TV and movie roles. For his first lead role in a feature film, he takes on one of the most reviled but redeemed characters in literature, Ebenezer Scrooge in Scrooge & Marley, a contemporary gay retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The new gay-themed holiday movie screens on Dec. 16 at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. Gregg Shapiro: What was it that drew you to the role of Scrooge in Scrooge & Marley? David Pevsner: I never thought of myself as the guy to play a typical Ebenezer Scrooge, but I loved the take on the character, and I could really identify. He’s built this whole world for himself that has no real connection to anyone or anything except business, yet in his earlier incarnation, we see him so full of love and wonder. How he gets back to connecting on a human level is the story here, and I found it so relatable. I’ve had my dark times, and it made me see him as more than just a mean, cranky antagonist. I love him throughout, because even at his meanest, he’s still sort of witty. How do you think people will react to this variation of the classic Dickens Christmas Carol story? I hope they take it to heart. It’s a “gay” film in that a lot of the stock Dickens characters are in a gay context, but the feelings of family, inclusion, self-esteem and love are so universal. It’s sort of the family Christmas film for gays and their friends and family. There’s another fun gay Christmas film that was directed by my friend Rob Williams called Make the Yuletide Gay. Scrooge & Marley has an entirely different feel. Why can’t we have two perennials? It would be so great if this could be a film that people revisit every year, like Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life. It was shot with such heart and goodwill, and our directors Richard Knight Jr. and Peter Neville were supportive, funny, smart, always with an eye to make us look good; a pleasure all the way. The cast of Scrooge & Marley includes out actors Bruce Vilanch and Richard Gaming. What was it like to work with them on this project? What a great group. I already knew Bruce from writing Naked Boys Singing, and I see him in LA a lot. I didn’t know David Amoretti or Ronnie Kroell from LA, but we are in the same circles, and we had a ball together. I knew Richard based on his work, and he is a total sweetheart and a wonderful scene partner – all the gays were! That means you, too, Megan Cavanaugh and honorary gay Rusty Shimmer! The whole cast

was wonderful, mostly great Chicago-based actors who stepped up to the plate and made me keep up. Scrooge & Marley is a Christmas movie. Were you raised in a secular Jewish household with a tree at Christmastime, or in a more traditionally Jewish home? I’m Jewish and was raised as such in Skokie – Hebrew school, bar mitzvah, all of it. We did go to the Sauganash neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights, but we never had a tree. Every year I campaigned for a “Chanukah Bush,” but that was never gonna happen! Face it, Chanukah is menorahs, dreidels, potato pancakes, and dirge-like songs, while Christmas is lighted trees, sugar cookies, decorated houses, and caroling. We Jews got the short end of the celebratory stick! Do you have a favorite holidaythemed movie? I love It’s a Wonderful Life, but as a little boy, my fave was Shirley Temple’s Heidi. I can imitate her calling for her grandfather, played by Jean Hersholt. “Grandfeather! Grandfeather!” You balance a film and television acting career with one on the stage. Do you have a preference for stage or screen? I really enjoy playing a great role. I’m getting more substantial stuff in films these days, and it’s so damn fun. They say there’s no such thing as small roles, only small actors, but girl, I’ve done the small roles and still do on TV, and I like the big roles better! I was shooting a short film recently that called on everything I have as an actor, including a fight scene, and I just thought, it doesn’t get better than this. Oh wait, that one was unpaid; still, a ball. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the role, not the medium. What’s next for you? I wrote a new one-man musical called Musical Comedy Whore, a sequel of sorts to my last show that I did at the Bailiwick in Chicago a few years ago called To Bitter and Back. I’m working on getting that up. I’m also touring with the production of Terrence McNally’s play Corpus Christi that we’ve done all over the world, but now we’re taking it to cities that we feel really need to hear the message of the play. Along with showing Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption, the documentary that was produced about us, we will perform the show as a part of the “I Am Love” campaign to help fight the bullying epidemic. Filmwise, besides Scrooge & Marley, I have a couple of scenes in the Lindsay Lohan/Elizabeth Taylor biopic on Lifetime (Liz and Dick), I play James Deans’ acting teacher (based on James Whitmore) in a film called Joshua Tree 1951: A Portrait of James Dean that’s out on the festival circuit, and later this year I’m in a sci-fi/romance film called Love and Teleportation, as well as a bunch of short films for festivals, one of which, Coach, was directed by Sam Raimi’s son, Lorne. I’ve had a very busy and creative couple of years, and I’m so grateful to get to be an artist full-time.t

Hal Baim

David Pevsner as Scrooge, and Ronnie Kroell as the Ghost of Christmas Past, in Scrooge & Marley.

Hal Baim

David Pevsner as Scrooge in Scrooge & Marley: ‘How he gets back to connecting is the story here.’

<< Film

18 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

Bill Murray as FDR in Hyde Park on Hudson: disability equipped.

FDR’s drive by David Lamble

he lively history piece Hyde Park on Hudson imagines the many loves of an American president, with an agile Bill Murray working well beyond his comfort zone. It’s an entertaining reminder of a time when Americans were shielded from the 24/7, no-holds-barred snooping of a digitally armed paparazzi. It’s June 1939, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Murray) is hosting the King and Queen of England at his family’s Hudson River estate. The Nazi invasion of Poland is three months off, and the King is looking for a large loan from the Americans. Shrewdly, FDR is acting as the monarch’s American PR representative. The strategy is to have the King photographed eating a hot dog, like a real person. The Summer White House in Hyde Park is a female-run hive with FDR served and monitored by a trio of rival queen bees: his protective mother, his wife Eleanor – in a possibly romantic liaison with a female reporter, among the constellation of Eleanor’s friends Franklin calls “shemen” – and his chief secretary, Missy. This matriarchal trio turns quartet when Franklin summons his sixth cousin Daisy (Laura Linney) to see his famous stamp collection. Director Roger Michell and screenwriter Richard Nelson offer a timid, naïve, still youngish spinster. The real life of FDR cousin Margaret Suckley reflected the rigid Victorianera restrictions on women’s aspirations. Her mother ordered her home from college during WWI. At first, like Daisy, we can’t see Franklin for the fog of cigarette smoke enveloping his study, though we do hear his hearty tenor. This rather formal audience leads to a presumably innocent ride into the country in Franklin’s disability-equipped flivver. Soon the Secret Service car peels off, and we watch a presidential hand reaching across the seat. Linney nicely shows her character’s struggle to retain equanimity: should she be flattered by Franklin’s attentions? Then outrage, when it’s clear she has competition from the others and must face humiliating reminders of her status: whether she’s invited to private dinners or dismissed for the day, like another lowly servant. The gregarious qualities we associate with Murray’s mid-80s “fratboy” comedies allow us to observe a mischievous, soon-to-be wartime leader enjoying a last burst of freedom before the duties of his office begin to crush. Murray also exhibits the more melancholy traits of his mature work for Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson. The film shows how Franklin was carried like a child (or Norman Bates’ mother) around the house so he could be propped up for ceremonial occasions, with the press preserving the illusion of independent mobility. The Franklin/Daisy relationship competes with the still-youthful

King and Queen fretting about whether they are to be the butt of a presidential joke. “The President’s wife has organized a picnic in which hot dogs will be served in our honor. So people will see the King of England with hot dogs hanging out of his orifices.” “Your father wouldn’t have stood for this.” Later, Bertie (Samuel West) will have a heart-to-heart with Franklin that is the film’s emotional pivot, as two powerful men reveal their insecurities. Bertie begins his bid for war aid with a fearsome picture of the dangers facing his subjects. “The war – I think of Spain – lots of children bombed. It will be horrific!” He wonders whether he’s up to keeping his subjects’ spirits afloat during the impending German air war. “They didn’t want me as their king.” At its best, Hyde Park on Hudson is a glance at a time when the powerful could still keep their extracurricular antics out of the public eye. The press refrained from photographing the polio-disabled Franklin in a wheelchair, or from inquiring as to the nature of his relations with the many women in his life. As fate would have it, both Daisy and Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) would outlive their men by half-acentury, surviving to see a day when their kind would compete for public attention with boy-band lads with million-member Twitter followings. Silver Linings Playbook My love affair with filmmaker David O. Russell’s humor began when busting a gut laughing at his incest comedy Spanking the Monkey. Russell cited Gus Van Sant’s quirky debut feature Mala Noche as partial inspiration. There followed the hilarious screwball farce Flirting with Disaster, featuring Ben Stiller searching for his birth-parents and cinema’s only LSD-tripping gay Federal cop. I continued to admire Russell’s successes (the Oscar-acclaimed The Fighter) and honorable failures (I Heart Huckabees). One of the saddest things is to see a favorite artist returning to his roots having misplaced his original gifts. A critical casting blunder cripples Russell’s bid to create a sympathetic bi-polar comedy fool in Philly cheesesteak country. Bradley Cooper (from the popular Hangover franchise) does everything within his talent to make us like his pushy schlemiel – tossing Hemingway novels through closed windows, annoying his parents by running through the hood in a garbage bag, and adopting a passive-aggressive approach to a possible new squeeze, played to kooky perfection by Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games). It’s Lawrence who, despite lacking a comedy resume, makes Silver Linings bearable. Cooper’s latent Adam Sandler gene pushed me out the door after 45 mirthless minutes. Ignore the Oscar buzz and rent Monkey, Disaster or Huckabees from Russell’s funnier days.t

DVD>>

December 13-19, 2012, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Many forms of happiness by Tavo Amador

ohn Schlesinger’s Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) is a landmark film, one of the first to portray a welladjusted, contented gay man and a guilt-free bisexual male. It has just been released in DVD, and is as timeless as it is historically significant. Dr. Daniel Hirsch (Peter Finch) is a successful, middle-aged London physician with a bedside manner balanced between firmness and kindness. He’s having an affair with a much younger sculptor, Bob Elkin (a handsome, sexy Murray Head). He knows that Bob is simultaneously involved with Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson), an employment counselor/headhunter from an upper-class family. She, too, is aware of the part Daniel plays in Bob’s life. The film opens with Daniel treating a hypochondriac patient while trying to reach Bob. He’s upset at not getting a hold of him. Bob, however, has made plans with Alex to babysit four children of her close friends over the weekend. Inbetween caring for the kids, the two make passionate love. Still, Bob decides to leave for a while. On Saturday, he lets himself into Daniel’s elegant townhouse. Alex knows where he’s going. Daniel and Bob are delighted to see each other, kissing passionately. Bob notices a new painting Daniel has acquired and gently chastises him for having too many possessions. The two talk about taking a trip together to Italy, and are soon having sex. Alex is upset about having been left alone, and about the role Daniel plays in Bob’s life. Bob returns to help her with the children, and manages to restore power after a fuse has blown. He senses her anger and warns her not to mention Daniel, adding, “I know you’re not getting enough of me.” “Perhaps you’re spreading yourself a little thin,” she replies, sarcastically. She soon regrets her behavior and apologizes. Tensions mount when Bob learns of a chance to show his work in New York. Neither Alex nor Daniel is happy about his leaving, but they say little. Daniel comments that the trip to Italy was a fantasy, but Bob says they can go when he returns. Daniel gives a party for his friends, gay and straight, and Bob attends. They’re playing charades when a quarrelsome straight couple arrives. Their fighting escalates and drives Bob away, which angers Daniel. Daniel enjoys his nephew’s bar mitzvah and being with his warm family, dodging questions about why he’s still single. He recalls his coming-of-age ceremony and his eagerness to be an adult. Alex visits her wealthy parents, whose marriage is chilly. Yet her mother (Peggy Ashcroft) makes it clear she’s satisfied with her arrangement, something Alex cannot say. Unhappy professionally, Alex quits her job. Unexpectedly, she goes to bed with a middle-aged married man whom she’d been counseling after he’d been sacked. Their liaison is interrupted by Bob’s unexpected arrival at her duplex, straining their relationship even more. Daniel runs into a rough young man with whom he tricked – an event he would rather forget – with unpleasant consequences. From inception to the end, the film covers 10 days, alternating perspectives. The relationships evolve in unexpected but plausible ways, with each character reacting believably. No one is happy by the end of the story, yet no one is devastated. There’s a slight chance things may return to the way they’ve been, but they will survive if they don’t.

The openly gay Schlesinger, working from an original screenplay by Penelope Gilliatt (then alternating with Pauline Kael as the Current Cinema critic at The New Yorker), fashioned a beautifully nuanced, even-handed film, the finest of his career. He had, two years earlier, helmed Midnight Cowboy, the first X-rated movie to win the Best Picture Oscar, for which he also won the Best Director prize, effectively ending the importance of the Hollywood Production Code. The cast is uniformly superb. In the pivotal role, Head is an intensely appealing narcissist. He’s happy with the existing arrangements, and wants Alex and Daniel to be as well. He loves them as much as he can love anyone, but his needs always come first. Viewers understand why Alex and Daniel worship him. Jackson acts with her trademark ferocious intelligence. She memorably conveys Alex’s growing inability to play by the rules she had once accepted. She’s too smart, too honest to fool herself, yet she’s also in love. She doesn’t want the kind of marriage her parents or friends have, but hasn’t found a suitable alternative. Finch is unforgettable. He’s bright, warm, witty, and thrilled

with Bob. The movie’s final scene features Daniel delivering one of the most memorable soliloquies ever filmed – a sad, ironic, gentle assessment of how his life has changed, and a testament to his resiliency. When he says, “But I was happy,” it would take a granite heart not to be touched by his lack of self-pity. In addition to the excellent Ashcroft, the cast includes Bessie Love, once a major silent screen and early talkie star, as an acerbic answering service woman. (This was the precell phone, pre-texting era.) The movie garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Finch), and Best Actress (Jackson), but shamefully, not Best Picture. The big winner was The French Connection, which earned prizes for picture, director (William Friedkin), and actor (Gene Hackman), choices difficult to justify today. Jane Fonda was the year’s Best Actress for Klute, and Paddy Chayefsky won the original screenplay award for The Hospital, another choice hard to explain. Sometimes historically important movies retain their significance while losing their artistic merit. Fortunately, Sunday Bloody Sunday remains a masterpiece.t

<< Out&About

20 • Bay Area Reporter • December 13-19, 2012

Sun 16: Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco @ Martuni’s Enjoy the vocal ensemble’s Shameless Show of Holiday Shite: A Sequel. 4pm. Also Dec 17, 7pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market. www.lgcsf.org

Fri 14 Amy & Freddy @ The Rrazz Room Chicaco-based comic duo and RSVP Cruise faves returns for one night of songs and comedy. $37. 10pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi Musical comedy revue, now in its 35th year, with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. Reg: $25-$130. Wed, Thu, Fri at 8pm. Sat 6:30, 9:30pm. Sun 2pm, 5pm. (Beer/wine served; cash only). 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 4214222. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Chanticleer @ Various Churches

The Hard Nut

Sun 16: Santa Skivvies Run @ Lookout

Gifted by Jim Provenzano

Susana Millman

re you shopping, anti-shopping, locavorian gifting? Whatever your choices for giving, you can get more back when you take a break and enjoy the talents of our lovely gifted local and visiting artists, who celebrate the holidays in extraordinarily gay ways.

Smuin Ballet @ YBCA The Christmas Ballet, the late Michael Smuin’s holiday work, with updates by Amy Siewart and other choreographers. LGBT Night Out Dec 20; $10 of tickets benefit the Trevor Project. $25-$65. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Dec 23. Novellus Theatre, 701 Mission St. 912-1899. www.smuinballet.org

Sat 15: Crones for the Holidays @ Stage Werx

Fourth annual fun run (in minimal holiday undergarments) fundraiser for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation starts and ends at the gay bar with a great view. $35 to participate; free to watch. 1pm. 3600 16th St. Register online at www.santaskivviesrun.org

Mon 17: Katya SmirnoffSkyy @ The Rrazz Room Our favorite Russian exiled drag empress performs her “Holiday Spectacular.” $30. 8pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Terry Baum and Carolyn Myers’ sketch comedy and improv show with lesbian wit pokes fun of holiday silliness. $15$20. Sat 3pm & 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Dec 30. 446 Valencia St at 16th. (800) 8383006. www.crackpotcrones.com

The Grammy-winning men’s a cappella vocal ensemble performs Christmas-themed Gregorian chants and historic music. $30-$65. (San Francisco locales, unless otherwise noted) Dec 14, 8:15pm at Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland. Dec 15, 8pm at St. Ignatius Church. Dec 16, 4pm & 6:30pm at St. Vincent Church, Petaluma. Dec 18 8pm at Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Sacramento. (Also Dec 21-23 at other locales). (800) 407-1400. www.chanticleer.org

A Christmas Carol @ A.C.T. American Conservatory Theatre’s popular annual production of the stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story about Scrooge’s ghostly Christmas Eve visitations. $20-$95 (VIP tix include premiere seating and complimentary intermission drinks). Open-captioned show Dec 16, 5:30pm. Tue-Sat 7pm. Sun 5:30pm. Various 2pm & 1pm matinees. Thru Dec 24. 415 Geary St. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Open @ Shotwell Studios Jeff Bedillion’s sexy comedy about a straight couple who decide to try having an open relationship, both with men! $20. Fri, Sat & Mon 8pm. Thru Dec 17. 3252-A 19th St. 289-2000. www.ftloose.org

Pal Joey @ Eureka Theatre Tue 18: Jackie Beat @ Rebel

Hedwig and the Angry Inch @ Boxcar Theatre Okay, it’s not at all about Christmas, but this new local production of John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s popular transgender rock operetta is quite a bonus gift, with multiple actorsingers perfoming the lead (Arturo Galster, John Lewis, James Mayagoitia, Ste Fishell, Nikkie Arias, Nicole Julien, Anastasia Bonaccorso, and CC Sheldon). $25-$35. Wed-Sat 8pm. Also Sat 5pm. Thru Jan 26. 505 Natoma St. 967-2227. www.boxcartheatre.org

The Hard Nut @ Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley Returning after a three-year hiatus, Cal Performances presents Mark Morris Dance Group’s delightful update, with a ‘70s style, of the Tchaikovsky score and traditional ballet, with Morris performing as well. $30-$110. Fri-Sun various times. Thru Dec 23. Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave., UC Berkeley campus. (510) 6429988. www.calperformances.org

Thu 13 Caminos Flamencos @ ODC Theater Emmy-winning choreographer Yaelisa and her acclaimed flamenco dancers perform 10 Por Arriba, a festive holiday show. $20$40. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Dec 16. 3153 17th St. 863-9834. www.caminosflamencos.com www.odctheater.org

Sat 15: Punk Rock X-mas @ Midnight Sun Princess Kennedy (of Trannyshack and PepperSpray band fame) returns to SF for a one-night show of songs and holiday raucous fun with her band, The Yuletards. No cover. 9pm-2am. 21+. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

Sat 15: The Nightmare We Call Christmas @ Castro Theatre Screening of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands, with Peaches Christ and her drag gaggle of freaks doing a pre-show. $20-$45. 8pm. 429 Castro St. www.peacheschrist.com www.castrotheatre.com

Wed 19: The Santaland Diaries @ Eureka Theatre David Dinaiko performs Joe Mantello’s stage adaptation of the popular David Sedaris short story, about working as an elf at Macy’s. $20-$50. 8pm. Thru Dec 29 (no show Dec 25). 215 Jackson St. (800) 838-3006. www.combinedartform.com www.theeruekatheatre.org

Thu 20: Justin Vivian Bond @ The Rrazz Room The transcontinental sensation returns with a new show, Snow Angel. $30. 10pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Sun 16: Norman Vane @ Martuni’s

band, dreidel games, a photobooth, exhibit talks and tours and more. Free (members)-$5, $12. 6pm-8pm. 736 Mission St. at 3rd. 655-7800. www.thecjm.org

Mundo Maya @ Galeria de la Raza Exhibit celebrating Mayan culture, with works by Latino/Mayan youth. Thru Dec 29. Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm. 2857 24th St. at Bryant. 826-8009. galeriadelaraza.org

Olympians Festival @ Exit Theater

The weekly LGBT and indie comic stand-up night. This week, a benefit for Rocket Dog Rescue: Featuring Ben Feldman, Jesse Fernandez and Jill Bourque. 8pm-9:30pm. 3079 16th St. at Mission. www.comedybodega.com

Enjoy a baker’s dozen of commissioned plays both serious and funny, about various gods, goddesses, and prominent characters from ancient Greek literature. $10. Most shows 8pm. Thru Dec 20. 156

Conspiracy of Beards @ Contemp. Jewish Museum

Teen Dreams and Puberty Nightmares @ Oddball Films

Eddy St. www.sfolympians.com

Gut-cringing hilarious short films about

San Francisco Ballet @ War Memorial Opera House The acclaimed dance company performs Tchaikovsky’s holiday ballet, The Nutcracker. $20-$165. 7pm. Tue-Sun 2pm & 7pm. Additional times. LGBT Nite Out Dec 14, 7pm. Thru Dec 28. 301 Van Ness Ave. 865-2000. www.sfballet.org

The Submission @ New Conservatory Theatre Jeff Talbot’s sharp play explores racism, affirmative-action and bias in the theatre world. $25-$45. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thru Dec. 16. 25 Van Ness Ave. at Market, lower level. 861-8972. www.nctcsf.org

Whiskerman, Shake Your Peace @ Inner Mission Concert fundraiser for efforts to enact a statewide ban on fracking, the destructive oil and gas drilling prcees. $10-$15. 8pm. 2050 Bryant St (former CellSpace). www.bit.ly/frackingconcert

Cabaret singer performs The Barbra Streisand Christmas Album, with guests Ethel Merman and Sheelagh Murphy; Joe Wicht accompanies. $7. 7pm. 4 Valencia St. www.facebook.com/ events/211810172287150

Comedy Bodega @ Esta Nocha

Hanukkah-themed show with the bearded

LA’s caustically funny drag queen performs “Come They Told Me” a naughty holiday show. $26. 7pm & 9:30pm. Also Dec 19. 1760 Market. www.rebel-sf.com www.MissJackieBeat.com

42nd Street Moon’s production of the classic Rodgers & Hart musical (with book by John O’Hara) about a charming “heel” with big plans to make it in the Chicago nightclub scene. $25-$75. Wed 7pm. Thu & Fri 8pm. Sat 6pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Dec. 16. 215 Jackson St. 255-8207. www.42ndstmoon.org

The White Snake @ Berkeley Rep

adolescence (training bras! wet dreams! drugs!), including a junior high school musical with a 16-year-old Paula Abdul. $10. 8pm. 275 Capp St. 558-8117. www.oddballfilms.blogspot.com

Handel’s Messiah @ Davies Hall The San Francisco Symphony and Chorus perform the classic baroque musical religious epic, with soloists Joelle Harvey, Jennifer Johnson-Cano, Andrew Stenson and Michael Sumuel. $15-$146. 7:30pm. Also Dec 14 & 15, 7:30pm. 201 Van Ness Ave. 864-6000. www.sfsymphony.org

The Wild Party @ A.C.T. Costume Shop American Conservatory Theatre students perform Andrew Lippa’s musical drama about roaring ‘20s-era show folk who host an out-of-control party. $15. 7:30pm. Also Dec 14, & 15 (and Dec 15 at 2pm). 1117 Market St. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman’s ( Argonautika, Arabian Nights) visually stunning mystical drama based on a Chinese legend of romance and magical powers. $22-$99. Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat 8pm. Wed 7pm. Sun 7pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Extended thru Dec 30. Special events thru run. Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org

Workout! @ CounterPulse Sebastian Grubb’s physically rigorous new work is performed by six dancers. Also, “The Narrowing,” his duet with AXIS Dance co-member Joel Brown. $20. 8pm. Thru Dec 16. 1310 Mission St. at 9th. www.sebastiangrubb.com www.counterpulse.org

Woyzeck @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley Shotgun Players’ production of Robert Wilson’s re-conceived musical revision of Georg Buchner’s stage play, with music and lyrcis by Tom Waits. $25-$35. Wed & Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. Thru Jan 27. 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 8416500. www.shotgunplayers.org

Sat 15 Bell, Book and Candle @ SF Playhouse Romantic comedy about a mortal man and a witch (the play and film inspired Bewitched ). $25-$30. Tue-Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Jan 19. 450 Post St. above Farallon Restaurant. www.sfplayhouse.org

Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws: Gay San Francisco @ SF Public Library Thomas Alleman’s exhibit of large-print photos from San Francisco’s mid-1980s gay community, from the onslaught of AIDS to nightlife and arts celebrations. Exhibit thru Feb 10, 2013. Jewitt Gallery, lower level, 100 Larkin St. at Grove. www.sfpl.org www.allemanphoto.com

Max Voltage @ Dolores Park Café Portland-based drag king musician previews songs from Homomentum the Musical, a campy genderbending scifi romp. $5-$10. 7:30pm. 501 Dolores St. www.pantsoffpdx.com www.doloresparkcafe.com

Maria Muldaur @ The Rrazz Room Pop R&B singer performs her upbeat “Christmas at the Oasis” show. $35. 9pm. Also dec 16, 7pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Marvelous Wonderettes @ New Conservatory Theatre NCTC’s production of the upbeat hit OffBroadway musical about three women in the late 1950s who reminisce while singing ‘50s and early ‘60s pop tunes. $22-$50 (fun-pack). Wed-Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm. Thru Jan 13. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 8618972. www.nctcsf.org

Nightcap @ ODC Dance Commons 61st Pilot Program, showcasing young choreographers’ works: Jenni Bregman, David Schleiffers, Katharine Hawthorne, Erin Malley, Liz Tenuto and Phoebe Osborne. $12. 8pm. Also Dec 16. 351 Shotwell Studios, #B. 863-9834. www.odctheater.org

Nutcracker Sweets @ Southside Theater Mark Foehringer’s fourth annual production of his mirthful contemporary ballet take on the Tchaikovsky ballet, with a live abbreviated score (50 minutes). $25. Also Dec. 16, 22 & 23. Sun 11am & 2pm; Sat also 4pm. Fort Mason Center, Landmark Bldg. D, 3rd floor. Marina Blvd at Buchanan. www.mfdpsf.org www.fortmason.org

Paula Poundstone @ Palace of Fine Arts Veteran comic performs her stand-up act, while sitting down. $38. 8pm. 3301 Lyon St. (800) 745-3000. palaceoffinearts.org

Play Fair @ GLBT History Museum Play Fair! The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Make Sex Safer, an exhibit of safe sex promotional efforts. Also, For Love and Community: Queer Asian Pacific Islanders Take Action 1960-1990s, an exhibit organized by queer and transgender Asian Pacific Islanders. Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm-5pm. 4127 18th St. 621-1107. www.glbthistorymuseum.org

Really Rosie @ New Conservatory Theatre Carole King’s musical adaptation of the popular Maurice Sendak children’s book series Nutshell Kids, about some imaginative Brooklyn children; performed by NCTC’s Youth Conservatory Program. Sat 2pm & 4pm. Sun 2pm. Thru Jan 13. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 861-8972. www.nctcsf.org

Twas the Night Before Hannukkah @ Brick&Mortar Contributors to the new 2-CD set ‘Twas The Night Before Hanukkah: The Musical Battle Between Christmas and the Festival of Lights, perform live. $15-$18. 9pm. 1710 Mission St. 800-8782. www.brickandmortarmusic.com

Royal Treasures from the Louvre @ Legion of Honor Exhibit of decorative arts, most never seen in the U.S., from the reigns of Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette, from the Musee du Louvre, Paris. Free-$20. Tue-Sun 9:30am5:15pm. Thru March 17. Lincoln Park, 34th Ave and Clement St. www.legionofhonor.org

Out&About >>

December 13-19, 2012, 2012 • Bay Area Reporter • 21

\Mark Johnson @ Martuni’s

Open gets naughty and nice. See Fri. 14

Jazz vocalist/pianist performs jazz, bossa nova classics and original songs, with bassist Dan Keller. $8. 7pm. 4 Valencia St.

Wed 19 Dance Brigade @ Dance Mission Theater Krissy Keefer’s political-spiritual dance company performs Voluspa: A Ghost Dance for 2012, a ritual dance performance inspired by Mayan and other ancient cultures. $12-$20. Wed & Thu 7:30pm. Thru Dec 20. 3316 24th St. 826-4441. www.dancemission.com

Colin Hussey

Sun 16

Noir City Xmas with Holiday Affair (7:30) and Lady in the Lake (9:30). Dec 20, The Apartment (2:15, 7pm) and Three Days of the Condor (4:40, 9:20). $8.50-$12. 429 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Turkey Pluck @ Phone Booth Bar

Baroque Music @ St. Mary Magdalen Church, Berkeley

Fundraiser with paper turkeys; pluck a wing and win a raffle prize or a free drink. $1 per “turkey.” 4pm-9pm. Proceeds benefit the Mission SRO Collaborative. 1398 South Van Ness Ave. at 25th. 648-4683. www.dscs.org

Music of Charpentier, Boeddeker, Buxtehude, Victoria and Josquin des Prez, St Mary Magdalen Festival Choir and Baroque. $10-$20. 7pm. 2005 Berryman St., Berkeley. (510) 526-4811. www.marymagdalen.org

Mon 17

Count Basie Orchestra @ Davies Symphony Hall

Adrianna Bozzi @ Magnet Exhibit of bold male nudes by the Argentinian painter. Thru Dec. 4122 18th St. adrianabozzi.com www.magnetsf.org

Enjoy swing classics and holiday hits performed by the acclaimed orchestra. $15-$70. 7:30pm. 201 Van Ness Ave. 8646000. www.sfsymphony.org

Safeway Holiday Ice Rink @ Union Square

Pamela Rose @ The Rrazz Room

The popular downtown ice skating rink is open. $5-$10. Open daily 10am-11:30pm thru Jan 21 (except New Year’s Eve; closed at 9:30pm). Powell St. at Geary. www.unionsquareicerink.com

Jazz singer performs a tribute to women composers in her show, “Wild Women of Song.” $30. 3pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Schmaltz! @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley

Scrooge and Marley, Hannah Free @ Castro Theatre Screening fo two indie gay-themed films; a modern take on A Christmas Carol ($10, 3:15pm), and the lesbian romance starring Sharon Gless. ($8, 1pm). 429 Castro St. www.scroogeandmarleymovie.com

SF Hiking Club @ Waterfront Join GLBT hikers for an 11-mile hike from the Ferry Building along the Embarcadero through Fisherman’s Wharf and up over the hill at Fort Mason; then lunch and onto Lands End via the Coastal Trail before arriving at Ocean Beach. Meet 9:30am in front of the Ferry Building. 852-0875. www.sfhiking.com

Something Cool @ Martuni’s Listening party for singer Veronica Klaus’ new CD Something Cool, and a benefit for the Rainbow World Fund. Donations. 4pm-6pm. 4 Valencia St. veronicaklaus.net www.rainbowfund.org

A Taste for Modernism @ de Young Museum New exhibit of varied and little-seen Modern Art works collected by the New York art patron with a diverse taste, including paintings by Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and others. Thru Jan. 27. $10-$20. Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm. (til 8:45pm Fridays) Thru Dec. 30. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. 750-3600. www.famsf.org

Double Features @ Castro Theatre

Shotgun Players hosts a “Genius of Barry Manilow Holiday Sing-along” to the pianist-songwriter’s pop music hits. $15. 8pm. 1901 Ashby Ave., (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org

Tue 18 El Vez @ The Independent The Latin Elvis brings on the Mex-mas, his wacky musical holiday-themed show, with his band and back-up singers. $15-$17. 21+. 8pm. 628 Divisadero. www.elvez.net www.theindependentsf.com

Feast of Words @ SOMArts Cultural Center Discover local chefs and writers, this month with poet Nic Alea (“All Trees, No Pianos”) and artisan soup chef Jane Lin of Mama Tong Soup. Guest can bring a dish, and share their writing. Lex Leifheit hosts. $5-$12. Cash bar, too. 7pm. 934 Brannan St. at 9th. 863-1414. www.somarts.org

Leslie Jordan @ The Rrazz Room The diminuitive actor ( Will & Grace ) with a big talent performs his autobiographical show, Fruit Fly. $40-$45. Dec 18-21, 8pm. Dec 22, 7pm & 9:30pm. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Judy Collins @ Davies Symphony Hall The veteran vocalist performs holidays standards, her own hits and other songs with the San Francisco Symphony, Rob Fisher conducting. $15-$72. 7:30pm. 201 Van Ness Ave. 864-6000. www.sfsymphony.org

Rufus & Martha Wainwright’s Christmas 101 @ Fox Theatre, Oakland Holiday-themed music concert of traditional and modern carols and holiday songs features guests Emmylou Harris, Maria Muldaur, Van Dyke Parks and Wainwright friends and family. Proceeds benefit the Kate McGarrigle Foundation. $45-$65. Gala tickets $166. 8pm. 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. www.thefoxoakland.com

Thu 20 Comedy Bodega @ Esta Nocha The weekly LGBT and indie comic stand-up night. This week, a benefit for Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, featuring Morgan, Anna Seregina, Jesse Elias and Lisa Geduldig. 8pm-9:30pm. 3079 16th St. at Mission. www.comedybodega.com

Ezra Jack Keats @ Contemp. Jewish Museum The Snowy Day and the Art of Exra Jack Keats, an exhibit of original artwork from the popular children’s book author/illustrator. Thru Feb 24. Also, The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, California Dreaming and Black Sabbath ongoing. Free (members)-$12. Thu-Tue 11am-5pm (Thu 1pm-8pm) 736 Mission St. 655-7800. www.thecjm.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 www.bartabsf.com

Thu 13: Shop ‘Til You Drop Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences Bazaar Bizarre fills the space with indie artists and designers, a lecture on why the Mayan Calendar is not the “end of the world,” plus food, cocktails and DJed dancing. $10-$12. 6pm-10pm, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Sat 15: Holiday Sale @ Creativity Explored

Holiday Sale at Creativity Explored. Loren King

Wrap it

till looking for gifts? Here are some fun options. Buy art from a local, and enjoy a holiday party at the same time. - J.P.

Exhibit and sale of new beautifully charming artwork made by local developmentally challeneged adults. Extended hours thru Dec 23: Mon/Tue 10am-3pm. Wed-Fri til 7pm. Sat & Sun 12pm-5pm. 3245 16th St. 863-2108. www.creativityexplored.org

Tue 18: Visual Aid Holiday Party @ Varnish Fine Art Holiday fundraiser for the arts nonprofit, with cocktails, wine, hors d’eouvres, desserts, and plenty of local artists to meet. $50-$200. 6pm-9pm. 16 Jessie St. 777-8242. www.visualaid.org