Interviews: Julie Goldman Nicolas James Wilson Jennifer Holliday Yaysh
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Welcome back! We are so thankful for the overwhelming love we received after our first revamped issue. Thank you to our readers, our returning writers J’son M.Green and Ebb Rivers, our promotions specialist Kurt Schmierer, and our newest addition Kat Hofer. We are lucky to have such a wonderful team and we are so excited to bring you this issue featuring legendary comedian Margaret Cho, upcoming artists Scotty Dynamo and Yaysh, and a feature on Burien Pride and local bar The Blind Buck. A special thank you to Charlie David, we look forward to you gracing our cover soon! It is Pride Month and Proud Times looks forward to your pride stories! We will have people at Spokane and Seattle Pride - look for our yellow shirts and come say hi! We hope you will submit to us your best Pride short stories, experiences, and/or images. We would love to feature you and your friends on our website! Check our submissions section for details and be sure to tag us on social media in your Pride pictures and tell us what your favorite part of Pride was this year! Twitter @proudtimes Instagram @magazineproudtimes Facebook Proud Times Magazine We hope you enjoy this month’s issue and we look forward to our July issue featuring Yuhua Hamasaki! Until next time my sweets, happy Pride Month! Victoria Smartt Editor Proud Times
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6. Blink Buck 10. Julie Goldman 16. Nicolas James Wilson 26. Jennifer Holliday 38. Margaret Cho 52. Yaysh 58. Burien Pride 64. Ad Fetish
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by Ebb Rivers
The Blind Buck Where can you find Go-Go Boys, show tune sing-along fun, drag shows, and Karaoke all in one place here in Spokane? Wait for it… wait for it…The Blind Buck, Spokane’s newest and first gay bar (not to be confused with a gay friendly bar). Scott Wilburn, owner of The Blind Buck and The Globe, along with partner Michael “Mike” Calderon, who also bartends at The Blind Buck, invite you down to Spokane’s newest gay bar for libations in a fun safe environment for you and your friends.
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The Blind Buck, originally a speakeasy type of bar whose owners purchased The Globe to be an overflow place for The Blind Buck, eventually became a sidebar to The Globe. It has been reopened as a proclaimed gay bar, the first for Spokane. Scott, a Gonzaga University Alum, shared with me the shift from tolerance to acceptance of the LGBTQ community and the support of our straight allies are a great deal of what made this possible, even with his idea being met with some skepticism within the LGBTQ community itself. Though there was skepticism of Spokane being ready for it, Scott stated the whole community (fellow merchants, patrons, and law enforcement) have been extremely supportive of the move. With the club Stray closing down, and taking into consideration it’s questionable past, under different ownership (I am NOT insinuating anything, but everyone knows…), gave opportunity and berth for a monumental moment in Spokane’s history introducing the FIRST ever GAY BAR! YAY! It’s about damned time, wouldn’t you agree? Scott, pointed out the diversity this offers to the district (known for its unpredictable and sometimes rowdy outburst), altering the clientele from the unruly and derelict of our forefathers to a more fashionable, loving and accepting nature of today’s millennial. But what does it mean to declare an establishment a “gay” bar? A great deal more than most would consider, like standing tall - even when it makes you a target or an outcast- for what you know is righteous. Travelling around the nation Scott and Mike patroned various gay bars/clubs in the cities they visited and took what they thought were some
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of the best of each to cumulate what is now The Blind Buck. Though it’s proudly declared a gay bar, The Blind Buck, isn’t the gay bar your uncle told you about in the age of entering through the back door (no pun intended), pornographically and stereotyped themes and feelings of shame. This is a new bar, for a new era, an era of acceptance, an era of PRIDE! These are some Proud Times (dot com), we’re living in (yep I really plugged the website, lol). Unlike the gay bars of the century past and urban legend, The Blind Buck (and The Globe) offer a classy upscale environment welcome to all specializing in fun. Mike pointed out how gay bars are “just more fun”, which I 100% agree and Michael will prove me correct. This handsome Mexicali piece of eye candy is more than just a southern delight; he is charming and intellectually superior, he is witty with a sense of humor. His wit is only surpassed by his charm, but don’t get any ideas fellas, he is in love! I could see it in his eyes just as I could see it in Scott’s. However, rest assured, you will have a great time, just don’t be one of those guys who hits on the bartender…trust me, it isn’t attractive, lol. The bar opens at 4pm, seven days a week, hosting karaoke on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday there is DJ dancing and go-go boys, and included on Fridays a drag show MC’d by Nakita is featured after happy hours to include several performers, and Sundays The Globe offers brunch starting at 10am. Oh, did I mention the bottomless mimosas? Mmm, mimosas… wait… bottomless? Yeppers, bottomless! Then if that isn’t enough to fill your Sunday, The Blind Buck features a show tune sing-along later in the evening, who said Sundays have to be boring? Finally, for my love of the theater, I am privileged to extend an invitation to all theater participants, from the actors to the viewers, and from the
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directors to the writers, please consider The Blind Buck and The Globe for your cast parties and engagement farewells, Scott holds a special place for the theater, his sister (also a graduate of Gonzaga), is a drama instructor/teacher at Ferris High School. How much more can you be piped into the community? Not to cut this short (I could write on and on about Scott and Michael and The Blind Buck), but sleep is calling me to slumber, I would recommend not taking my word and check it out yourself. Try one of their signature drinks, the Unicorn (A Moscow Mule made with different flavored vodkas) or maybe the Pickle my Dickel (a pickle backed shot of Dickel’s whiskey). Whatever your poison, I am sure it will be an entertaining and fun night out at The Blind Buck. Be sure to let us know about your experience, we would love to hear about it.
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Comedian Julie Goldman is headlining
The Big Gay Sketch Show alum promises that her audience “can expect to laugh a lot and have fun, and only about one out of twenty people will get offended.�
By Anthony Greer
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g Seattle Women’s Pride on June 16th.
Goldman knew from a young age that she was meant to be a comedian, which led her to participate in her first stand-up performance at the Comedy Connection at the age of 15. Like so many other comedians, Goldman draws material from her life experiences—which in her case comes from being both a lesbian and Jewish. “Those are the major lenses in which I see, feel, and experience the world,” Goldman said. “They’re majorly important in how I react, how I talk, and what I’m talking about. The way I experience life is as a Jewish lesbo.”
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Growing up as a woman who identified as both Jewish and a lesbian, Goldman became a fearless comedian who is not afraid to push the envelope and be inspired by others who also aren’t afraid to show their true colors. Goldman said that she is inspired by “Bill Maher, John Oliver, and Samantha Bee… and Maxine Water is a goddamn inspiration! She’s hilarious, she does good work, and she certainly doesn’t take any shit from anybody.” Goldman is returning to be the Seattle Women’s Pride headliner by popular demand. The event will be held at Sole Repair and is going to be part comedy show, part danceoff, and part meet and greet. Tickets are on sale at http://www.strangertickets.com/events. According to Seattle Women’s Pride, the event offers an experience to remember for a lifetime. In addition to Goldman’s comedic performance, three honorees will receive awards during Seattle Women’s Pride. Aleksa Manila will receive the honor of Community Champion, and Lifelong AIDS Alliance will receive an award for Business Excellence. The Luminary Award, which gets presented to an individual whose purpose is to light the path for others in the LGBT community, will go to Tina Podlowski. In Goldman’s words, Seattle Women’s Pride is an event for “women and identifying women who want to be around other women. I think it’s important for any group that feels on the fringe or marginalized or mistreated to get to have a moment together and feel empowered. We don’t want a segregated life, but it’s cool to have that moment, and I think it’s good for people.” She added that “it is a really great event and it’s a fun show. Anyone who likes comedy will have a good time.”
Shortly after Goldman spent three seasons on the Big Gay Sketch Show, which was created by Rosie O’Donnell, directed by Married with Children alum Amanda Bearse, and featured other celebrities including Kate McKinnon and Jonny McGovern, she founded an all-women’s stand-up variety show Offensive Women. “The problem with people being offended is that female comics have had a shitty trope of ‘you can’t have too many women on the show’ or ‘if you have more than two women on the show it’s too many.’ People get offended by thinking it’s then an all-women’s show, and I don’t know why that is offensive,” Goldman said. During Offensive Women’s run, Eve Ensler of The Vagina Monologues sponsored one of their biggest shows at the Zipper Theatre in New York City. Goldman continues to successfully find her voice and her audience in what has revealed to be a challenging time for comedians. Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld are among many comedians who no longer play in colleges, and Kathy Griffin was under fire for months after her infamous picture holding up Trump’s head. To remain funny in a very unfunny time, Goldman shared some simple advice. “You just have to unapologetically be yourself. That’s all you can really do. [Comedians] have to put their feet in the sand. We’re not gonna change who we are and change what we do. The less you pander, the more you come out as a winner.” Goldman believes that newer comedians should adhere to this advice. “You cannot apologize. You have to stand by it and you have to stand in your shit. You can say anything you want, and you don’t control the consequences of what you say. If you stand by what you say and you
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stand firm, it gives you a level of authenticity. Obviously, no one is trying to hurt anybody.” In addition to Goldman’s stand-up, Seattle Women’s Pride will feature a raffle. In previous years, Seattle Storm jerseys and tickets to the 5th Avenue Theatre have been raffled off. New this year, participants can enter to win a dream vacation to Puerto Vallarta, which is valued at $2500 for the low price of $25 a ticket. To partake in the event, be sure to purchase a ticket. General admission is $35 ($40.07 after fees and taxes), and VIP admission is $50 ($56.79 after fees and taxes). Doors will open promptly at 6 pm, and this year the organizers are expecting a crowd overflow. To prepare for the show, Goldman has shared her plan for the evening. “I think now I just try and like literally not eat too much so that I’m not gassy, have a drink, relax, and have fun.” After all, how else would someone who’s not afraid to unapologetically be themselves get ready for her much-awaited reappearance to Seattle Women’s Pride fifth year in existence? To hear more from Goldman, tune into her podcast with Brandy Howard at dumb gay politics.
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By Charlie David
Today we’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to Nicolas James Wilson, one of the stars of the ‘Mating Season’ episode of OUTtv’s brand new Shadowlands miniseries. The Shadowlands TV show is comprised of three distinct stories exploring love. In the Mating Season episode of the Shadowlands TV show, Nicolas James Wilson AKA Scotty Dynamo plays a sailor in the early 1950’s.
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While on a remote camping trip, he and his boyfriend Matteo (played by Oscar Moreno) are considering opening their relationship when they encounter a mysterious stranger.
Nicolas James Wilson AKA Scotty Dynamo is a full-fledged entertainer — music blogs refer to Scotty Dynamo as a “superstar-in-the-making”, a kid with the “it factor” and an “undeniable charm.”
There are story connections between the three episodes of Shadowlands. You can read about them here.
With over 4.3 million YouTube views and 38,000 subscribers, Toronto’s Scotty Dynamo is quickly becoming a recognizable force in the music industry. Self-proclaimed “dance party expert”, Scotty Dynamo has spent the last year performing in clubs across North America and creating engaging content that keeps his fans wanting more. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, the 21-yearold producer and recording artist reflects an array of influences. If Ke$ha, Steve Aoki, and LMFAO had a lovechild, it would likely look and sound exactly like Scotty. The result is an original, upbeat and energetic electro-pop sound with a proven international appeal. For Scotty, being on camera isn’t a performance; it’s who he is. Over the past couple of years, Scotty has built a large online following by uploading original music videos, cover songs, and weekly video blogs to his popular YouTube channel. This consistent stream of content has attracted an international following and has enabled him to share his music and engage with followers from around the Globe. Scotty has also taken his talent to the stage by performing at Canada’s largest music festivals (NXNE, Canadian Music Week, and the Manifesto Festival). He has composed original music for major television networks and has regularly been featured as a guest host on various national television programs. In the fast-
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paced world of social media, Scotty’s popularity and fan base has continued to increase, proving that he is the complete package. With a loyal following, Scotty is considered to be the next big thing to break out of the bourgeoning hotbed of Canadian talent and take the world by storm. With his latest single “Show Me Yours,” Scotty collaborated with Jakob Owens (Chris Brown, Jesse McCartney, Nick Carter) to put together an undeniably fun video with a surprise ending. In this video, Scotty officially “comes out.” The world is ready for an openly gay male pop/ urban artist. Scotty Dynamo is the guy. Charlie David: How much were you able to relate your own experiences to create your character? And how much did you have to research or imagine? Nicolas James Wilson: There were actually quite a few eerie similarities between my onscreen romance in Shadowlands and a previous real life relationship. When I first read the script, I felt like the universe was giving me a sign and telling me that I needed to unpack some emotional baggage or something. In the Mating Season episode, however, the roles were reversed, and I was the one asking my partner to open up our relationship after a long time apart. I was able to draw from my own experiences and have a pretty good understanding of how both parties would feel and react in that moment. Communication is key. And timing is everything, people.
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Charlie David: The stories in the Shadowlands TV miniseries were inspired by the Shadowlands book which was inspired by Greek mythology. What was your experience in creating a remix of these ancient classical tales? Nicolas James Wilson: I’m all about adding a modern twist to classics and making them relatable to current audiences. A lot has changed over the years but relationships have and always will be a little complicated at times. (#drama) Charlie David: What aspects of Shadowlands are you excited for an audience to experience or discover? Nicolas James Wilson: Filming in Elora last fall with that incredible cast and crew was truly a magical experience. It never once felt like work. That type of energy and experience is difficult to fake and I’m excited to have everyone see it translate onscreen. I also think the episodes will also encourage audiences to be more honest with themselves as well as their partners. Charlie David: Romance between men and between women was commonplace and written about in Greek and Roman mythology. Why is it important to continue sharing these types of stories today? Nicolas James Wilson: Our episode of Shadowlands takes place shortly after WWII. I think it’s important to tell this story to remind today’s audiences of the brave men and women that paved the way for us to and allowed us to live the lives we are able to enjoy today. They weren’t able to live and love freely back then. We tell this story to honor them and pay our respect.
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Charlie David: What was the hardest scene for you to do and why? Nicolas James Wilson: The most challenging scenes were the ones that took place in the water. It was a bit chilly but they turned out great! Also, cold water and tighty whities are a dangerous mix. Charlie David: Who is a major influence for you and on your creativity? Nicolas James Wilson: My friends and family are a constant source of inspiration. Their work ethic is pretty insane and we push each other pretty hard. I owe the majority of the success I’ve experienced so far to them. Tom Cruise, Donald Glover, Greg Berlanti, and 90’s movies inspire me on a regular basis as well. Charlie David: Is there a type of role you dream of playing but haven’t had the opportunity yet? Nicolas James Wilson: I’ve always wanted to be in the Top Gun sequel (#Don’tJudge). The original film and soundtrack are both Hollywood classics and it would be an honour to continue that legacy. Also, I’m pretty pale so I feel like I’m destined to play a vampire at some point. Charlie David: In addition to acting, tell me about the other areas of entertainment you’re pursuing. Nicolas James Wilson: In addition to acting, I’m also DJing, producing and releasing my own music, and beginning to produce my own visuals
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as well. I’m having a blast trying out different things and feel like it’s making me a more wellrounded performer. Charlie David: With so much going on in the world today, what’s your motivation to be a performer? Do you act to explain? To get away? To move past? To widen our knowledge? To incite a conversation? Nicolas James Wilson: For me, acting is like a form of therapy. It forces me to dig deep, self-reflect, and deal with emotions that I might normally avoid or pretend don’t exist in my daily life. I spent the majority of my childhood playing hockey in an environment where it wasn’t always okay to display certain emotions. Acting is the complete opposite and forces you to go those vulnerable places and showcase it all for the world to see. In a way, I feel like I’m reliving my childhood the way it should have played out.
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Charlie David: What’s next for you Nicolas? Nicolas James Wilson: You can catch me in the upcoming film Mill Creek and in the upcoming TV series Boy•Friends. I’m also about to release a music video for a song called “I Could Be Your Trainer” on my YouTube Channel. It’s a parody of a 90’s fitness infomercial. It’s pretty rad. Otherwise I’m really excited for everyone to see Shadowlands and look forward to working with the cast and crew again soon! Charlie David: Where can your fans find you online? Nicolas James Wilson: You can stalk me at:
Snapchat (Is this still a thing?) scotty.dynamo
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by J’son M. Lee
Many of us first came to know Jennifer Holliday through her heartwrenching rendition of “And I’m Telling you, I’m Not Going” from the hit Broadway musical, Dreamgirls, for which she garnered a Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical, and a Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocalist. Born in Houston, Texas, Holliday sang in her church choir before landing on the Broadway stage.
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As a kid, my grandmother used to listen to gospel music every Sunday morning before church as she prepared dinner. I’m not sure why we took a break from gospel this particular Sunday morning, but I vividly remember hearing Jennifer Holliday singing “I Am Love,” from her album, Feel My Soul. Even at that young age, there was something in her songs that resonated with me. As a gay kid, I yearned to be taken away by that white knight she sang of. I wanted nothing more than to be loved. Jennifer Holliday’s songs, while they had a strong gospel influence, were a staunch juxtaposition to the messages I heard over the gospel airwaves. That was some thirty plus years ago, and yet, Holliday’s messages of love and redemption remain the same. I had the opportunity to speak with Jennifer about her illustrious career, and why she thinks she’s as relevant today as she was some thirty years ago. Jennifer, you sang at your church, Pleasant Grove, in Houston. How did you get your big break? “A young man by the name of James Patterson was in a touring company and performing at the Music Hall in downtown Houston, and he wanted to go to church one Sunday before his matinee. He came to my church. I sang a solo with the choir every Sunday. Afterwards, he came up to me and said my voice was amazing and I should be on Broadway. I didn’t relate to that. I wasn’t interested in theatre. I didn’t know what Broadway was. He took my number and said he’d contact me if anything came up…and he did contact me about a show (“Your Arm’s Too Short to Box with God”) that was going on the road and to Broadway, and he thought the part would be perfect for me. I was only
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seventeen, so I told him he needed to talk to my mother.” Jennifer’s mother was no easy sell. She knew she couldn’t afford to leave her job to travel to New York, and she wasn’t about to let her underage daughter go with a strange man even if he did have a “little sugar in his tank.” After all, at the end of the day, he was still a man. “So, he had an aunt that lived in Brooklyn. Her name was Miss Sadie. She was very religious She called and said she would be personally responsible for me. The next thing I was off to New York to audition. I got hired that day. I was already turning eighteen that fall. That January I was hired and started work in my first show.” You’ve spoken very openly about the pressure to lose weight and how it impacted your music career. In 1990 you made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery. How did that change your life and career? “Actually, it backfired, because I lost weight and people couldn’t recognize me anymore. I went through an identity crisis for about 3-4 years. I would have to sing “And I Am Telling You” first just to prove I still had my voice, and that it was me. I couldn’t get any work for a long time because everyone still wanted the big Jennifer because they associated that with my singing. I even suffered backlash from the gay community. The drag queens used to make so much money off of me. They were all big. They felt I betrayed them, and was pressured to lose weight, and shouldn’t cave in. Even Barbara Streisand said I shouldn’t use weight. Back then, we were entering the age of videos. I was dropped from Geffen Records. They basically told me I was unattractive, and they were moving into dance music. So, when they dropped me I lost everything. I filed for bankruptcy. So, I
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did it moreso for my career.” Jennifer went on to share an experience with writer and producer, David Kelly. He was interested in her for a role in Ally McBeal, but was looking for the old Jennifer Holliday. He had his secretary call her. When Jennifer told the secretary she was still small, she said, “ahh, too bad.” Jennifer made a plea for the job by saying she still had her same voice and with her theatre training, she knew she could deliver punch lines if that’s what they needed. In her mind, she didn’t know what point they were trying to make with only wanting a fat girl. She also recounted a very similar incident that occurred with actor/comedian, Robert Townsend, who flew her out to Hollywood for a role in The Meteor Man. When she walked into his office, he asked, “What happened to you?” Jennifer didn’t know what he meant. He explained he didn’t know she’d lost weight. The role was to play Townsend’s girlfriend in the movie, but apparently it was written for a fat girl—another sympathy role. Realizing he had offended Jennifer—and might possibly offend others--he made the decision to remove the role from the script. “I went through the ringer for losing weight. Fortunately, David Kelly did hire me for what was suppose to be a fifteen-minute guest spot, and it turned out to be five and a half seasons. That allowed people to be reintroduced to me and put the face with the voice.” You’ve done a lot of work on behalf of mental health awareness, depression and suicide prevention. I’ve battled depression for many years. We both know this is a taboo subject,
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especially in the Black community. Can you talk to us about your own battle with depression, and why this work is so important to you? “When my depression started, no one was talking about it. This was during my time in Dreamgirls. That was almost thirty-seven years ago. At that time, because I was in entertainment, it got totally overlooked. They thought I was being a diva. The mood swings, the weight gain—no one pulled me aside to ask if I was depressed. Because I was the star of a show, they went straight to ‘she’s doing diva things.’ It wasn’t until the latter years that someone said I should talk to someone about my eating. That’s how it all came about that I was clinically depressed. Even to this day, mental health has been portrayed as someone who slobbers, you can’t function, you have crazy hair. Now the images have changed, but it still carries a stigma.” Jennifer first shared her experience publicly with Susan Taylor and Essence Magazine. She also reminisced about her friend Phyllis Hyman, who committed suicide early in her career. Hyman’s death has always haunted her. She wished she had told Hyman that although she was looking and feeling good, she was getting help (medication and therapy). She knows that may not have saved her, but it remains one of her regrets. Since she couldn’t save her life, maybe her story will save one other life. Jennifer also has multiple sclerosis, which also contributes to depression. She works with her team of doctors, and has been successful at managing both conditions. She’s learned a great deal about wellness along with good health.
Jennifer, you were slated to sing at Trump’s Inauguration, and received a lot of backlash from it. You were called the “N” word—even by other Blacks—and you received death threats, which is never okay. I’m sure this was a very difficult time for you. So much so, that you felt the need to pen an open letter to the LBGT community. In it you wrote, “Please know that I HEAR YOU and I feel your pain. The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you… You have loved me faithfully and unconditionally and for so many years you provided me with work even though my star had long since faded.” You subsequently canceled your appearance, calling it a “lapse of judgment.” This is a two-part question. Can you speak more on this lapse of judgment? What did you learn from this experience? “I have performed for every President since Ronald Reagan. I didn’t perform for Barack Obama because that was a different generation; they already had a Jennifer—Jennifer Hudson. They had Beyoncé. They had Aretha Franklin. How many more divas could they have? I have always been involved in what represented America since President Reagan. I’ve had White House clearance since 1988. But I realized this is a climate where you can’t have differences of opinion. You can’t have your own thoughts. We’ve all worked for this man at some point or admired him at some point. Rappers have songs about him. That’s why I was really thrown. He hadn’t done anything yet; he only said what he was going to do. I’ve been on gay cruises where some of the same stuff that they are against, they speak about
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themselves. I didn’t go because I was trying to make any kind of point. As for the lapse in judgment, I wasn’t aware that folks hadn’t moved on from the election. The Obamas had moved on, but America had a slow burn. When people began to point out to me what the Republicans were going to do, I wasn’t aware of all this. It didn’t mean the same to me as it meant to other people, but I understood it. I didn’t want the gay community hurting. The gay community didn’t care if I had a hit record. They just loved me.” Let’s talk about your album, The Song Is You. A few words that came to mind were Big Band, jazzy, and sensual. Beyond that, there was a central theme of love. Tell us about title and what you hope listeners—new and old—will get from this collection. “First and foremost, I wanted people to see how much I’ve grown as a singer since Dreamgirls. Fortunately, my voice is still powerful, but I’ve learned to control my instrument and I don’t have to go straight to the top of a song right away. I’ve learned so much about the art of singing. Of course I had to Jenniferize it for me. A song has to go somewhere for me or I don’t want to sing it. The task was how to take these songs and make them my own so they are new. I
spent a lot of money on the orchestration. There’s something about having all that power behind you.” This album took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and reminded me of my own love story. We all have one. I’m just going to get right to the point. Are you in love again? “Well, I would say that I still have the capacity to be in love again. You have to imagine yourself somewhere so that when it does happen, you’re not starting from the beginning. You need to start the affair with yourself. Do you have your recipe together? What kind of wine do you like? I have not been so hurt by love that I’m afraid to love again or accept love.” How can fans get more information? “Right now, Instagram is the best way to keep a watchful eye. I’m @JenniferHollidaydreamgirl there. I just started a Facebook page (@JenniferHolliday), and I’m starting to grow that one. I’m beginning to get into the social media thing. It has taken me a while to grow the pages. It is a job. A lot of things I do are private dates. Some stuff I may post it quickly sells out so I don’t post again. I’m getting better with that.” Before we go, can you tell us about your HIV/AIDS work? “Yes, that was a part of my life before mental health, me and Sheryl Lee Ralph. We have been advocates since the beginning of Dreamgirls mainly because all the creative sources died from AIDS, and most of the male chorus as well. The beginning if the 80s was a very frightening time for us with the illness. Now we’re seeing it more in the younger, African American community because I think people don’t do so much with awareness as they show people how they can live if they get it. I speak on mental health and AIDS awareness. It’s still important to me because people are still suffering.” Jennifer Holliday is still our dream girl and remains in the hearts of her fans. Despite personal setbacks, she still sings songs that speak to our experience. Some thirty years later, Jennifer continues to reinvent herself despite the ever-changing trends in
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the industry. Jennifer, you may think your star faded, but it will never fade with the LGBT community. We are a connected, strong, and forgiving community. Like you, we all have lapses in judgment. What matters most is how we bounce back from those lapses—and you did so with grace and dignity. Thank you for hearing us, and here’s to many more years of making beautiful music! For more information on Jennifer Holliday and 2018 tour dates, please visit her on Instagram at @jenniferhollidaydreamgirl.
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By Victoria Smartt
Margaret Cho is a well known comedian, actress, advocate, and simply put, a badass.
You may know her from shows such as Drop Dead Diva, American Koko, and she’s even done some voice-over work for series such as The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show and Family Guy. Margaret’s latest adventure is a new comedy tour called Fresh Off the Bloat. The promotional image for this tour features her in a kind of Mulan style makeup job - half on, half off. She says this is representative of the two faces you have to wear when you’re in showbusiness. “Well, it’s just to get behind the artifice of what show business is and how we’re supposed to be like we have no problems and everything is very polished. And the truth is that life not like that, and life can be very ugly and can be very depressing, and yet it’s about the triumphs too. So with a lot of meaning behind the image and it just fit the theme of the show very well.” I told Margaret that I found it interesting that she feels that way, because what I, and many others, love about her comedy is the realness. She tells it like it is and makes it funny. Margaret responded to this by saying that “Yeah, you have to like … I guess in show business there’s this thing where you don’t show how life really is, a lot of the time, especially in comedy, where you’re kind of a clown, you’re not supposed to be in this tragic place in life. And that in itself is a challenge too. How do I present who I am, for real, and that’s a really good exercise, I think, in learning how to cope and doing it very publicly. And I like that about comedy, that the more you reveal the more you get out of it, and that’s great.”
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Margaret puts a lot of herself into her comedy. Her portrayal of her mother is a fan favorite, but she also talks about her sexual experiences and even the deaths of her friends. I talked with Margaret about the sexual aspects of her comedy: You do talk a lot about things that not every comic goes over, especially things of a sexual nature that a lot of female comics get really criticized for. So what do you think about the double standard as far as that goes? I don’t care about double standards, to me it’s such an obvious ploy to keep women in a space where we can’t succeed and I don’t tolerate that kind of judgement, I never have. But I think when you remove yourself from that kind of chaotic judgement about who you are and who you should be and what women should be I think it’s healthy to get away from those thoughts. Yeah, well, and I said a lot of female comics are criticized for it, but then I’ve seen a lot of times where you’ve been praised for it and maybe that attitude that you have about it is why. Yeah, I think it’s a really important thing to rise above it. You can’t continue to operate in a space with
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these people where you’re caring about what people think about you. And that’s something that’s just a tool to keep women, I don’t know, complacent with their role in society. But I think that women in comedy often, almost without exception, have to be stronger, fitter, more able to endure that heavy kind of judgement from society. I mean they just get it from all angles, whether it’s society or men in comedy or whatever, it’s a constant struggle so we’ve got to rise above. And talking about double standards and stuff, there is one double standard that I was thinking about in regards to bisexuality, how it’s more socially acceptable for women to be bisexual than it is for men. I was curious -- your thoughts on that. Well that’s a weird one, that’s such a strange double standard about society where we accept women’s … I don’t know whether it’s that’s we’re able to be more sexually fluid. I think the role of women in society is somehow more adaptable also because you know lesbian porn is … for straight men, so there’s that sort of voyeuristic intent as well to sort of accept the otherness of lesbianism because it’s a voyeuristic thing. So I don’t know what that is, but even in general, bisexuality is looked at with suspicion on both sides. The reality of bisexuals is that we often don’t fit in and that we often don’t have the community whether it is the straight world or the lgbt community, where we have the sense of being a betrayer, that we’re like suspicious. No, I think you’re totally right with that. And I’ve even had experiences where you tell somebody that you’ve known for so long and then all of a sudden they’re like iffy of you. Yeah, they get very wary of what side you’re actually on. And so you can’t win. I think it’s actually really dumb how we’re not perceived as valuable, like it’s a real sexuality
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or a real thing. It’s very frustrating. But I think that people are starting to come around to it, I think they’re starting to understand a little bit better, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done, but we are the great misunderstood. Yes, I would agree. And then you take the aspects of sexuality and turn it into something really funny on stage. And I’m wondering about, did you always think of sexuality and your experiences as being funny and did you always think about sex in that way, or was it more something that you did and the fans really liked and so you kept going with it, or is it kind of like you were saying earlier, a coping mechanism to get through bad experiences? I think all of that is right, all of that is part of the story. That is was a way to kind of define myself, also, I started doing comedy so young, so part of it was a way to feel like I belonged in this world of adults. That was actually major. A major issue there too, that is was a lot of trying to figure out where I belonged in a society that was a good ten years older, actually probably more. It was a way to fit in and try to make sense of sexuality in general, so there’s a lot of things happening, and now talking about it, it’s more of way to stake my claim, sort of stake my ground, or announce where I am, it’s more of a validation of like this is the real thing, this is who I am, and a statement on identity. Yeah, and I think that’s such a great thing to put out for people because you were dealing with that as a young comic, but society is growing up so fast nowadays that I think a lot of young people struggle
with you know where are they at as far as that goes too, and trying to be more mature than maybe they’re ready for. Yeah and especially now with social media too, it’s sort of like you’re dealing more with the perception of who you are than ever, and so some of that is being pushed into sexuality far too young and trying to stake your claim and show your power, but that’s not exactly power, but it’s the way people think, oh this is powerful, this sort of sexual statement about stuff. Margaret is a bisexual woman herself, and has been very involved in lgbtq matters. She was even deputized by the City of San Francisco to perform marriages after her advocacy work for lgbtq marriage. Margaret says that being an advocate is a very big part of who she is. She has not only been vocal about the lgbtq community, but also about whtiewashing in American entertainment. I spoke to her about the situation with Tilda Swinton and Dr. Strange - if you haven’t heard about this, you can read the email exchange here: https://www.vanityfair. com/hollywood/2016/12/tildaswinton-margaret-cho-emails. Margaret said that she felt that Tilda wanted her to give her “permission” to accept the role and that just wasn’t something Margaret could do.
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I know you’ve had a lot going on with that with Tilda Swinton and everything that went on with that whole situation. And I was curious, one of the things that I read, you said that you felt kind of like a house Asian when she messaged you, and at the end she brings up Okja. It kind of came across to me as when you know people say something racist, and then they’re like, oh, but I have a black friend, it’s okay. So I’m wondering, do you feel like she handled it well? Well I think it’s one of those things where it was like, when you do something that’s sort of a cultural suppression or a whitewashing thing and you desperately don’t want to be perceived as racist and so you try to look for the one person that can tell you it’s okay. She was just trying to get permission from me, that was the big thing, she just
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wanted permission to do this role and was trying to reach out to find the person that was going to give her that permission. And I was like you know I really like your work, I respect you greatly as an artist, but this is one thing I can’t condone, I can’t give you that peace of mind here and say well this is okay, you know, and I know you’re a huge star, and I know you’re incredibly gifted, but that gift doesn’t extend to erasure of Asian people. The one thing I can’t give you is that peace of mind. And then it sort of blew up into this thing that was quite unpleasant for her and me because it became sort of this bigger thing, but at the same time I still think she was just searching for permission, which is better than any actor before her that’s done the same thing. Mickey Rooney never reached out to anyone to
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ask if it was okay to be that incredibly racist character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, nobody asked. The thing where you think, things are changing,because now people are asking if this is alright, if this is appropriate, and I do think that now things have changed in show business where you can’t do that anymore. And as far as that goes, I know you said things are improving, but what would you still like to see as far as the Asian community within film and entertainment? Well I’d just love to see more, I’d love to see more people out there. And that’s happening, there’s a lot more happening with that, there’s so much more excitement around Asian American entertainers and so that’s really great, my good friends Ali Wong and Al Cacina are killing it, they’re doing amazing stuff and so that is really inspiring. So I feel like things are getting better and that we’re seeing more and that bodes well for the future, it’s very exciting. Margaret has done pretty much everything
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throughout her career, from music to clothing, she has her foot in just about every door. But when I asked Margaret what she wants to be most famous for she said it’s comedy, always comedy. She says that being a comedian is truly who she is and I think all her fans would agree that when we think of Margaret Cho, the first thing we think of is laughter. Good, hearty, loving laughter at human truths and existence and issues and sexuality. Margaret brings a smile to anyone who has the pleasure of seeing her, either on a screen or live for one of her shows. Her Fresh Off the Bloat tour is still underway and you’re not too late to buy tickets now! Go see this legend live, I guarantee you won’t regret it.
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By Victoria Smartt
“What you think is what your life is so if you keep focusing on fault finding then that’s what you’re going to be good at.” Yaysh is one firecracker of a female and a true inspiration to people everywhere. Her music and her spiritual ideas seem at odds on paper, but listen to one of her songs and you’ll see just how beautifully they come together. Yaysh says life is all about “being present and real as much as possible and dealing with things directly.” Yaysh grew up in Denver and was quite the rebellious teenager, she got into an environment that was all about drinking 40s and smoking blunts. She says this was a painful experience to see the struggles her peers were going through, which partially led her to meditation and ultimately to get out of that friend group.
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That experience was a building block for Yaysh as an artist. It was while drinking and smoking that she would freestyle with her friends, she said “I already had the freestyling in me because that’s where I was taught. We would be drinking and smoking and I would get put on the spot and I was like fuck, well I’m not going to pretend that I’m from the hood but I’m gonna say something gangster as shit because I know that I can and I gotta fuckin bring the heat! So meditation I would say, is kind of like my medicine for staying real, I don’t want to pretend to be anybody else, but I’ve been influenced so much by everything I’ve been around, I’ve had a really rare life so far like most people haven’t kind of stepped out of their regular click of friends, and throughout my life I have hung out with so many different kinds of people, from people who’ve been in jail, to drug dealers, to gangsters, to normal people who have a nine to five, and I kind of combine the whole thing and my meditation lets me center myself so that I can say something that’s genuine from my own experience and I’m not pretending to be anybody else.”
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Yaysh’s spirituality comes through not only with her music, but also her tattoos. Her sleeve with roses and thorns is representative of being soft but also tough, with the roses symbolizing a soft heart and openness and beauty, and the thorns symbolizing the protection of that heart. She got this at a point her in life where she felt like she understood what she needed to do, particularly for the music industry, which can be a tough place. Yaysh proclaims 2018 as her “Jesus year” where she’s allowing people to judge her so they can “access their own wisdom” and see just how awesome life is once they stop judging. In regards to her sexuality, Yaysh says we’re in an era where “everybody’s realizing that things are a lot more fluid” which can be overwhelming to an “old way of thinking.” She thinks this is because people get scared and wonder, well who am I then? She says what she’s trying to do with her shows is “attract all these different cultures that I’ve connected with and then by them liking my music and being surprised by my demeanor and confidence, it kind of intoxicates people to have a fun time and then when they start looking around at each other they’re like oh my gosh it really doesn’t matter who we are, does it?” Her Party Ova Here video is a play on stereotypes. It demonstrates the bar culture we have where guys come to hit on girls. Yaysh says that if she walks into a club with a bunch of girls sometimes guys can get intimidated or homophobic. She said the message of the video is “just be respectful and you’re good!” This video is a pretty big flip from her Get 2 Kno Me video, which features everybody naked. The video doesn’t come off as pornographic - at least not to this writer - but everybody’s got their opinions and Yaysh says she did receive a negative email from someone who thought her whole point was just to tell everybody to have sex with each other. She says that’s not the point at all, “the whole point essentially was to make it not a big deal, but because initially it was a shock, it kind of relaxes you… it’s almost normal at the end.” She says
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her whole intention from a meditation standpoint was to “help people let go of their thinking.” When I asked her if the people in the video were all her friends or if she chose them for the role, she said “well they’re all my friends now!” Her favorite thing about making the video was that “we all went through our own journey of getting over what other people think or our fears of really just being naked. The whole vulnerability part was that we are all naked,all judgement completely dissolves.” Though there is a lot of sexuality in the video she says the “lovemaking aspects were meant to not be pornographic, but to show that what we really want is good relationships and to enjoy each other.” Yaysh has plenty to come, so don’t worry. You may have seen her naked, but you ain’t seen nothin yet! She has a new video coming out soon that was directed by Leslie Van Stelten, a big lgbtq director, she’s also working on some merchandise that will include kimonos, shirts, tank tops, and lingerie, and she’s being featured at Denver Pride both days - merchandise will be available starting at Denver Pride! Be on the lookout for her new video and follow her on social media to keep up with her badass antics!
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By Victoria Smartt
Burien Pride is only in its second year, but it’s making big waves for this community, and further strides for the lgbtq community as a whole. We sat down with Sarah Toce and Nick Skolness, both committee members for Burien Pride, and asked them to give us some insight into how the event got started, some of the unique aspects of Burien pride, and what they hope for the future.
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Burien has a population of about 50,000 people, and it seems as though the lgbtq community is becoming larger there with people moving from Seattle because of high rent prices. What do you think people love so much about Burien? Sarah: Burien has a wonderful small community feel with a big heart. It’s growing and expanding to become more inclusive and welcoming to all. Additionally, housing prices are much more affordable than our neighbor Seattle and it’s a
short 25-minute commute on the bus line or a few minutes more via the Light Rail. If none of that matters to you, we have the Flagship Bakery Nouveau, so come over for that! Nick: I live right on the outskirts (2 blocks outside of the city limits) of Burien but I consider myself a member of the local community as my family (husband and son 3yrs) spend the majority of our time in Burien. Burien has a rich and diverse culture
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with plenty of restaurants, shopping and local nightlife. Burien is also very family friendly with many events planned throughout the year, such as Strawberry Days, Father’s Day Car Show, 4th of July Parade, Awesome Kids Day, Weekly Farmers Market and more. A lot of cities have been doing Prides for a long time, but this is your 2nd one, I think it’s great what you’ve started, but I’m curious as to why this hasn’t been an annual event for longer? Was there something standing in the way before? S: Unfortunately, I can’t answer whether anything was in the way or not because I’m not aware of such an event, but I can say that the community was ready for a change. With more diverse residents moving into Burien, we have a responsibility to be a beacon of light for all community members – LGBTQ+ or otherwise. N: We would have loved to start this earlier but it just so happened that 2017 was the year that this dream came to life. We are so excited to have backing from the city and Discover Burien this year, and look forward to many more years of Burien Pride; where we help bring together the community for a fun filled event that promotes love and community. What does Pride mean to you? And what inspired you to put on your own pride? S: I am proud of our diverse LGBTQ+ community and Pride is a way to celebrate that publicly. My wife and I moved to Burien when I was pregnant with our daughter and I heard fairly soon after that there was a committee forming to get a Burien Pride on the books. I decided to get involved – and I am so excited for all we’ve accomplished in such a short span of time. N: Being a gay man that has been married for 4 years (together 12) and recently adopted a child
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(3 years old) I finally decided that I needed to give back to my community. Pride for me means bringing LGBTQ+ and allies together to celebrate diversity, love and community and at the same time giving LGBTQ+ youth an experience to be uniquely themselves and not ashamed of who they are. Did you go to other cities Prides before yours began? S: Absolutely. I lived in New York City for almost four years before moving to Washington state. I’ve marched across the Brooklyn Bridge for Marriage Equality New York and was a supporter of fair and inclusive laws well before moving to Burien. It’s really rewarding to feel the movement in a community like Burien, though. You can feel the ground swelling from beneath you – and you have a social responsibility to protect and preserve what you’ve helped build. Which is why I’m so humbled by Discover Burien taking Burien Pride under its nonprofit wing. It ensures that Burien Pride will live on for generations to come . N: I’ve attended several Prides before we began ours. I used to live in NYC and Denver and enjoyed celebrating with my local community when living there. The vibrancy of each city was so unique and each had their own personality as they celebrated Pride. Did you see an increase in vendors and performers in your second year? S: Oh, yes! Our first year we expected 200 and estimated 2,000 people at the festival. This year we estimate approximately 4,000-5,000 people in attendance. N: We’ve been blown away by the interest for our 2nd Annual Burien. We’ve expanded to a second stage this year to host our own versions of the Dating Game and Newleywed Game. Our
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vendors have grown from 40 to over 85+ with more coming in daily and I am sure we will see some last minute vendors. We’ve expanded our Kids Zone to include soccer and a bounce house and we have a VIP dinner off to the side of the stage that will be taking place during the Drag Queen show. I noticed that you have a kids area! That is such a great idea. What led you to create one and how does it work exactly, are there volunteers watching the children or is it more of just a place for the kids to play where the parents can keep an eye on them? S: We wanted to include everyone in our Pride celebration. Just as having a beer garden supports the 21+ crowd, having a kids area supports our family-oriented friends and community members. Many of our committee members have children, too, so it felt like a natural progression. N: Several of the committee members have kids and it was just a natural part to include them in our Pride Festival. We want our children to experience what the new normal is. Every family is different and by exposing more of our community to it we can help change the world and break down the barriers that have limited us for so long. We’ll also have volunteers walking around to make sure the kids are safe but of course we encourage parents to be vigilant in watching their own children. If we see children left alone or unsupervised we will take them to the informational booth where we will try and locate their parents.
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Does your pride include a parade? If not, is that something you hope for in the future or something you don’t think fits your needs/wants? S: We do not have a parade and that’s purposeful. We are choosing at this point in time to offer a free festival for our attendees. It feels much more community-driven and so far our attendees have really enjoyed that aspect. N: We don’t have a parade and don’t plan on it for the foreseeable future. It’s a lot of work to shut down an entire street path for the day. It also costs a S*#$ load of money with the city. We’ll leave this for Seattle Pride. Something people don’t understand is that Big Corporations are needed to put on Parades. Without that huge corporate sponsorship they wouldn’t be able to put on these large Parades. Burien Pride is more of like a grassroots effort with local companies and community sponsoring and helping to building an all-inclusive community. I saw that you were having Drag Queen bingo! So fun! How do you pick the queens that will be part of pride, or are they all volunteer? S: We adore DonnaTella Howe – she has been a huge supporter of Burien Pride since its inception. Rob Johnson is a Burien Pride committee member and shared the stage with DonnaTella.
N: We have a pretty good in with our local queens and had several to pick from. We choose DonnaTella Howe this year and are so excited for the energy that she brings and can’t wait to see her and Rob Johnson rock Gay Bingo!
community and help build local community.
With the current political climate, I think it’s so important now more than ever to put on events like Pride and show people that they are loved and welcomed. Would you agree that you want Pride to be kind of a safe space and place for the lgbtq community to feel validated and express themselves fully?
N: We have seen amazing response to our event and will keep spreading the love! 2019 will be Bigger, Better, and Prouder!
What can we expect for Burien Pride 2019? S: Stay tuned!
To keep up with Burien Pride events check out their social media pages:
S: 100%. Pride is about accepting all of our brothers, sisters, friends, and new acquaintances and fighting back to preserve and protect the rights we’ve already gained – and push for ones we haven’t yet. It’s not about a parade – it’s about the community. It’s about our lives. N: Pride is about being yourself and not allowing others to put limits on what you can accomplish. There are so many beautiful people out there and we need to accept and love everyone for whom they are. This is exactly what Burien Pride stands for. We want to encourage our community to come out and show their support for the LGBTQ+
We can’t wait to see what next year has in store! If you attended Burien Pride, or any other Pride festival, send us your photos, we’d love to feature you!
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By Katrina Hofer
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When Adam Rippon showed up to the OSCARs wearing a Moschino harness on the red carpet it sparked a conversation about kink wear and S&M culture along with fashion. Adam’s look garnered a lot of support online. But, let’s be honest, it certainly wasn’t the first time that S&M found itself coming up as a topic in pop culture. What with Fifty Shades of Grey having swept the world, Rihanna’s hit “S&M”, and of course, Madonna’s Sex. Fashion has been borrowing ideas from kink culture for years now. In 1992, Gianni Versace was ahead of the curve with his Miss S&M collection inspired by BDSM. A collection which has been incredibly influential on other lines, such as Paco Rabanne and Diesel. But, as is the case with fashion, functionality sometimes falls to the wayside to achieve that perfect look.
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Enter AD Fetish, a collection of kink wear from the designers and team of the Barcelona based Now Addicted line. AD Fetish is S&M wear created not only with being fashionable in mind, but also functional. You have the usual tank tops, lingerie, jock straps, along with cock rings and leather items. One of the visionaries behind this collection is designer Carmen Monoforte, who has worked with Now Addicted before, designing for its Es collection. And she’s agreed to talk to us about the AD Fetish collection. What inspired you to start designing for the male form? Eduardo began his career in design by creating padding for women’s bras. He had the idea to do similar padding, a comfortable cup that kept its shape, for men in swimwear. He presented the idea to leading swim designers but no one wanted to do it so he created his own swimwear line. ES collection was the first swim designer to add the patented padding in its trunks for men. What do you do when it comes to looking for inspiration for your designs? Do you listen to music, go for a walk, look at architecture, etc? The design team looks at a number of things including current events, nature, even important artists like Picaso. We explore the vibrant colors and the combinations used in historical paintings and we try to duplicate the magic in our collection.
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Do you have an easier time designing for men or women, or do you find that it’s about the same? The craft is similar. However, achieving the desired essence for each collection is different. Simplicity is key in the women’s collection. The men’s collection is a lot more edgy. How do you decide which elements of your inspiration you want to incorporate into your designs? Timing can play a big role in the elements of inspiration that influence a season’s collection. Like, right now, we never know what tomorrow may bring. Will there be peace? Will there be war? Future collections may reflect the uncertainty of today. Have you ever been struck with inspiration by something which resulted in you designing something based largely on that? If so, what was that? Important events like the Oscars and the Grammys will often inspire the colors we use in a new collection. One peculiar strike of inspiration came a few years ago when new flowers began to emerge in Palm Springs. They were blooms that had never appeared before and were a clear result of global warming. That year, we incorporated the flowers into many of the new floral collections. When designing a collection, do you find yourself utilizing a certain color scheme or similar textiles for many different pieces? Or do you try and make each piece unique? We always strive to create fabric that is unique to our brand. We were among the first to introduce camouflage in brilliant colors. We always want our collections to be uber sexy but comfortable. AD Fetish is the first line of fetish wear from Addicted. For some people, the topic of S&M is a taboo topic. Did you face any reluctance from anyone when designing the line? Or did you find that it was the opposite, and the people you worked with on AD Fetish were excited to work on it? Absolutely no reluctance. People embraced the idea of a fashionable and fun collection of fetish gear. Our fetish truly spans from mild to wild. There are pieces specially for dark rooms, others for nightclubs and a great majority of them can be worn in both.
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You’ve said that the team had fun experimenting with materials for the AD Fetish collection. What was that process like? The AD Fetish collection allows us to go beyond the cotton, lycra and mesh in our sports collections. We’re able to incorporate exciting new materials like rubber, leather, and transparencies into our creations. What sets us apart from most fetish gear is the quality in our pieces. We have hard leather and metal buckles for the hard core fetishists but also soft leather that’s built to last for those who want a more comfortable feel to the gear as well as well constructed plastic buckles that have been a big hit with go-go boys who can’t dance with metal buckles. The plastic is much lighter in weight and it allows us to change up the colors in the buckles. In making the AD Fetish collection, you’ve been quoted that you were careful to keep in mind the significance that certain colors have to the community and the message they send. Did you find this to be somewhat of an obstacle when you were designing the line? Not at all. Colors are so important to fetish and our design team has fun finding new, creative ways that adhere to the color code.
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When designing the AD Fetish line, there are some things in it that you normally wouldn’t find in a typical collection such as harnesses and cock rings. How did you approach designing those and was it different from how you typically work when designing? It’s a fetish line so we had to stay true to the concept of fetish. Do you have any favorite pieces that you’ve designed? If so, why are they your favorite? The harnesses are amazing, the underwear and jockstraps are sexy… each piece has its own special purpose that makes it stand out from the collection. It’s impossible to pick a favorite as each piece carries its own unique theme and energy.
Check out Ad Fetish
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