Duwayne Burnside
Brett Dennen
Jon Anderson
Fri. July 15
Sat. July 16
The voice of YES
Tinsley Ellis
The High Kings
The Abrams
Sat. July 30
Wed. Aug. 3
Thurs. Aug. 4
Fri. July 22
ALSO COMING IN 2022
Friday, July 28 | Keillor and Company SOLD OUT! Saturday, Aug. 13 | Steep Canyon Rangers Wednesday, Aug. 17 | Al Stewart Greatest Hits Tour w/Empty Pockets Sunday, Aug. 21 | The Wallflowers w/Marc Lee Shannon Saturday, Aug. 27 | BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet Thursday, Sept. 1 | Al DiMeola Saturday, Sept. 3 | Hayes Carll Thursday, Sept. 8 | Duane Betts feat. Johnny Stachela & Berry Duane Oakley "Dog Daze Acoustic Tour" Friday, Sept. 9 | The Fixx with Jill Sobule NEW! Wednesday, Sept. 21 | Watkins Family Hour Friday, Sept. 23 | Steve Kimock & Friends NEW! Friday & Saturday | Jonah Koslen/Tommy Dobeck/ Oct. 21 & 22 Daniel Pecchio Songs & stories from the first three MSB albums NEW! Sunday, Oct. 23 | Martin Sexton Thursday, Oct. 27 | Jon McLaughlin with Kris Allen Thursday, Nov. 3 | Tab Benoit
AT THE GOODYEAR THEATER
Get tix at goodyeartheater.com or ticketmaster.com
Foghat
with special guest PAT TRAVERS Thurs., Aug. 11
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| clevescene.com | July 13-26, 2022
Don McLean
American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour Fri., Sept. 2
July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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CONTENTS JULY 13-26, 2022 • VOL. 53 NO 1
Upfront .......................................6
Eat ............................................ 17
Feature .......................................8
Music ........................................ 23
Get Out ..................................... 14
Savage Love .............................. 31
Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Andrew Zelman Editor Vince Grzegorek Editorial Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Visual Arts Writer Shawn Mishak Stage Editor Christine Howey Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Creative Services Creative Director Haimanti Germain Art Director Evan Sult Production Manager Sean Bieri Graphic Designer Aspen Smit Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace Business Business & Sales Support Specialist Megan Stimac Controller Kristy Cramer Circulation Circulation Director Burt Sender
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REWIND: 1995 Guided by Voices, performing at the Rock Hall this summer, landed the Scene cover treatment 27 years ago
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July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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UPFRONT AKRON POLICE KILL UNARMED 25-YEAR-OLD JAYLAND WALKER, CITY CONTINUES TO PROTEST IN AFTERMATH MORE THAN TWO WEEKS HAVE elapsed since eight Akron police officers fired approximately 90 bullets into the body and head of 25-year-old Jayland Walker. Walker was unarmed as he exited his vehicle and fled from officers on foot across an Akron parking lot, where he was gunned down after officers “perceived that he posed a deadly threat.” The officers, who have released no statements in the case, are now all on paid administrative leave. Protests have been staged nearly every day in the aftermath. Nearly 50 were arrested on the night of Sunday, July 3, after officials released bodycam footage of the shooting and a peaceful afternoon rally became charged with anger after the sun set and demonstrators broke windows along Akron’s Main Street. The incident itself is reminiscent of the #137shots case in 2012, in which Cleveland police officers executed Timothy Russell and Malisssa Williams in an East Cleveland parking lot after the sound of their backfiring vehicle was mistaken for gunfire. In Akron, the fusillade of police bullets was the culmination of a crosstown chase as well. It began with an unspecified traffic stop — it has been characterized as an “equipment violation,” thought to be a broken tail light — from which Jayland Walker fled, reaching speeds of roughly 80 miles per hour on Route 8. Officers heard a “sound consistent with a gunshot” during the pursuit and reported that shots had been fired. An alleged “muzzle flare” was captured on video by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. A handgun and a separate magazine of bullets were recovered from Walker’s vehicle after the shooting, but Walker was unarmed when Akron police fired on him. According to Bobby DiCello, attorney for Jayland Walker and his family, the officers then turned him over, handcuffed him and administered first aid until the arrival of EMS, at which point Walker was pronounced dead. (DiCello scoffed at the idea — as any rational person would — of officers providing life-saving
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Attorney Bobby DiCello holds up a photo of Jayland Walker.
care to a person into whom they’d just unloaded the entirety of their magazines.) Mayor Dan Horrigan and Police Chief Steve Mylett are now appearing for daily press conferences with the media to discuss the city’s response. They have repeatedly offered condolences to the family of Jayland Walker, stressed the importance of transparency and accountability and urged patience as the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Attorney General conduct an investigation. They asked residents to reserve judgment until all the facts are known and cautioned the media against spreading misinformation. A number of important questions about the incident remain, but these largely concern details: What was the nature of the initial traffic stop? Where was Walker headed at 12:30 in the morning? Why was he wearing a ski mask when he exited his vehicle? What is the exact number of rounds that officers fired? (90 is an estimate; it could be slightly
Photo by Sam Allard
higher). What is the exact number of bullets that struck Walker? (60 is an estimate; it could be lower or higher based the number of entry and exit wounds). Did Walker actually fire a shot from his vehicle while driving away from police? Or was the sound that officers heard (and the alleged “muzzle flare” captured on video) something else entirely? Did Walker make some sort of motion for his waistband, as officers are now reportedly claiming, that precipitated their deadly force? But the answers to these questions do not alter the heinous excesses of the police response, which anyone who watches the bodycam footage will be able to decipher without the aid of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. -Sam Allard
Basheer Jones Backs Lee Weingart for County Executive Former Cleveland City Councilman and 2021 mayoral candidate Basheer
Jones has formally endorsed Republican Lee Weingart in the race for Cuyahoga County Executive. Standing on the corner of E. 79th and Hough Avenue last Thursday morning, Jones said that he’d spoken with Weingart and believed his policies would bring economic opportunity to residents of Cleveland’s east side, at least more effectively than Weingart’s opponent, Democrat Chris Ronayne. Jones framed his support, moreover, as a warning to Democrats both locally and nationally: that if they continually failed to provide for the Black community, they would continue to lose Black votes. “The only R I care about is resources,” Jones said. Jones criticized Ronayne’s leadership at University Circle Inc., referencing the overwhelming percentage of Black motorists stopped by UCI police under Ronayne’s watch, (the go-to attack line for Weingart and his surrogates), and the lack of Black employees in positions of upper management. This is not the first time that a Jones endorsement has been interpreted by some as a defection. After the 2021 primary, Jones threw his weight behind then City Council President Kevin Kelley in the Cleveland mayor’s race. He said he believed Kelley was the candidate who could deliver resources to Jones’ Ward 7. At the time, those remarks were read by some as a preemptive hedge against accusations that he was backing a white candidate over Justin Bibb, with whom Jones had been aligned during the primary. In the partisan county executive race, both candidates are white. Jones acknowledged this his support represented a departure from the party to which he and his family had always been loyal, but said that Weingart’s policies around home ownership and entrepreneurship in the urban core, in particular, gave him confidence that residents in his neighborhood would be better off. For his part, Weingart has been upfront about his pursuit of support on Cleveland’s predominantly Black east side. He has promoted a policy
UPFRONT platform concerned chiefly with the economic revitalization of the urban core. Thursday, he said he had pursued Jones’ support along with other east side council members last year and was honored to have it. Though he said he wasn’t in the business of offering jobs before he’d won an election, he said that Jones was the type of leader he’d hope to bring with him to county HQ if he were victorious. Jones is now out of the public spotlight — which he joked he was grateful for — and said he planned to walk the wards of Cleveland with Weingart, knocking on doors in areas like Glenville and Hough, where he performed best in last year’s primary. “There are things I can say that Lee can’t say,” Jones said. “And the question I’ll ask is, ‘What have Democrats done for you?’” -Sam Allard
More Fake, Dumb High-Tech Nonprofits on the Horizon as Sharon Sobol Jordan Takes Reins from Augie Napoli at United Way Last week, Augie Napoli celebrated his final day as President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Cleveland, an occasion marked in the local press by fond remembrances and interviews detailing the scope and style of his so-called transformational leadership. Napoli arrived at the United Way in 2016, having been enlisted by the board of directors for his fundraising acumen. The organization was drifting deeper into irrelevance as its annual workplace giving campaign raised fewer and fewer dollars each year. The situation did not improve under Napoli — in fact, it sharply worsened — and so he decided to impose a new mission on the organization: to fight poverty, and to target the reduced funding at organizations committed to the cause. “Previously a pass-through entity that spread money from workplace campaigns, the United Way chapter is now an engaged organization designed to fight poverty with the support of diverse revenue streams,” reads a retrospective on Napoli’s tenure in Crain’s. This adjustment was by no means seamless. The drastic reduction in individual giving to United Way
meant that a significant number of local nonprofits that had relied on programmatic support for years were cut out of the equation. Napoli framed these reductions as a funding “pivot,” one that would align the organization’s spending with its new mission, while allowing it to be more “nimble” and “effective” as it “moved the needle on poverty in profound ways.” The pivot was accompanied by internal discord, including the hemorrhaging of staff and general confusion about the organization’s direction and purpose. Fortunately for Napoli, a global pandemic arrived and precluded serious external scrutiny. Only weeks before Gov. Mike DeWine shut down the state of Ohio in March 2020, and salaried workers everywhere were glued to their laptops as DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton provided daily updates on Covid restrictions, Scene reported on the disarray at United Way and the financial implications of Napoli’s pivot, including the creation of what he called the “Community Hub for Basic Needs,” and the “Impact Institute” an inscrutable, venturecapital-adjacent fund to tackle poverty at its roots. Back in 2020, employees at United Way didn’t have the foggiest idea what the Impact Institute was or did. (The United Way has reported, in any case, that the Institute has raised a total of $55.7 million since it launched with a $1.5 million gift from Sandy and Sarah Cutler.) The Impact Institute was described as a “think tank with an action plan” by board chairman Paul Dolan and was meant to be powered by Unify Labs, an advanced tech nonprofit formerly known as The Unify Project. Before it even existed as an organization with employees, the Unify Project was one of the centerpieces of Cleveland’s bid for Amazon HQ2 in 2018. In that venue, it was described fancifully as something that used big data, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to end poverty. Scene clocked at the time that the Unify Project was an aspirational nothingburger created out of whole cloth using buzzwords of the moment. The fact that it failed to materialize was one of the most predictable developments of the past decade. It was led, it seems pertinent to mention, by Sharon Sobol Jordan, who has now been hired to succeed Napoli at the United Way of Greater Cleveland. Sobol Jordon was the former
Chief of Staff to Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. She skedaddled from the county’s employ on the same day she was subpoenaed as part of a criminal investigation into Budish’s tumultuous administration. Cleveland.com reported recently that Sobol Jordan earned $209,833 in 2018 and then $267,500 in 2019 as the Unify Project’s CEO. During that time, the Unify Project rebranded as Unify Labs and forged a partnership with the United Way, where Sobol Jordan served on the board of directors. Unify Labs was supposed to do advanced “data mining” for United Way that would somehow get to the bottom of generational poverty. Napoli pitched investors far and wide on a theoretical algorithm, to be created by Unify Labs, that would identify optimal funding recipients and radically disrupt philanthropy. It is needless to note that nothing of the sort occurred. In the Silicon Valley pose of giddily embracing failure, Unify has charged on and rebranded yet again. It is now operating under the name Unify Jobs. Recent reporting in cleveland.com demonstrates that this newest incarnation should be regarded with the same level of skepticism as previous ones. The goal of the organization is still to lift people out of poverty using high-tech solutions, but its means of doing so is now a proprietary job board for local corporations. Or perhaps an app? As in the past, details are hazy, though a press release boldly claimed that 35,000 hours of research and development went into creating this app, called FlashHired, that is supposed to eliminate bias in the hiring process. It was released in early 2021 and boasts “more than 100 downloads from the Google Play store.” A “full market launch” has been teased for this summer, and let’s just say we’re not holding our breath. Sobol Jordan left Unify and has served in recent months as interim CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit affordable provider of wireless internet for low-income Clevelanders that has vastly underperformed. In 2015, DigitalC set a goal of connecting 40,000 households. As of June, it had connected about 1,200. Sobol Jordan was evidently in competition with more than 50 candidates for United Way’s top
scene@clevescene.com @clevelandscene
job. She will be the first woman to lead the organization. Paul Dolan told Crain’s that Sobol Jordan stood out from the pack because of her “personal passion for the mission of addressing poverty in our community.” Her “unique” resume was said to fit United Way “perfectly.” Unmentioned was her previous work for Unify Labs and the organization’s ill-fated partnership that was roundly mocked by employees. United Way has also launched, in Napoli’s honor, the August Napoli Fund for Anti-Poverty Innovation, which will be housed within the Impact Institute and provide seed funding for start-ups in the antipoverty space while also making my head explode. -Sam Allard
DIGIT WIDGET 30 Overdose deaths in Cuyahoga County in the month of July alone. According to the Medical Examiner, the county is on pace to exceed 700 overdose deaths in 2022.
$9.1 million Tim Ryan’s massive fundraising haul for the second quarter of 2022, more than double the previous fundraising record by a U.S. Senate candidate in Ohio.
25 Republican state senators who were sent envelopes full of human feces last week, likely in response to legislature’s adoption of a sixweek abortion ban, shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. (The envelopes were intercepted by the statehouse mail room and none made it to their intended targets.)
2,000 Minimum pounds of butter used to construct the iconic Butter Cow display at the Ohio State Fair, which runs from July 27 – August 7 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus. July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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FEATURE
“Just Show Up. Don’t Ask Questions” An Oral History of the “Please Stay, LeBron” Video Was Cleveland’s version of “We Are the World” inspiring or depressing? More importantly, does it even matter? By Marah Eakin PICTURE IT: CLEVELAND, SUMMER 2010. A 25-year-old LeBron James, coming off backto-back years as the NBA’s MVP, had instilled hope that the franchise was close to breaking the city’s long championship drought. But his contract was almost up, and he was considering his options.
enlisted a who’s who of Cleveland whos. But how did TV lawyer Tim Misny end up crooning next to exCleveland Crunch goalie Otto Orf, and did participants actually think that singing Polk’s goofy song was actually going to play on James’s sense of regional pride? You’ll find all the answers in this, the oral history of “Please Stay LeBron.”
All across the nation, cities and teams clamored to be part of the next phase in James’s career. New York City’s then-mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had released a video asking James to “come write the next chapter in N.Y.C. basketball history.” There were billboards in Chicago with the URL SendLeBronToChicago. com. Behind the scenes, agents were working to create a superteam in Miami in an effort to get James there. (Spoiler alert: It worked.) But in Cleveland, the city and Cavs staff held out hope that surely James would do the right thing and stick around. Right? Right? Comedian Mike Polk was all too familiar with Cleveland’s air of cautious optimism and/ or lurking disaster. A Warren
Mike Polk, comedian: At the time, I was briefly employed as a producer at website called Break.com that mostly trafficked in user-generated nut-kick videos, skateboard accident videos, and videos where dudes pulled pranks on their girlfriends by doing stuff like jumping out of laundry hampers while wearing the mask from Scream. It was based in L.A. but I remained in Cleveland. At the time, they were trying to move away from the user-generated content that made them popular, so they wanted to start producing their own content. The short-term results were mixed at best, and based on the fact that I just now tried to check out the site only to find that the domain is for sale, it appears the long-term results were worse.
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native who graduated from Kent State University, Polk first came to regional prominence in 2009, when his “Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video” poked fun at the city’s civic pride and jokingly asked tourists to “come and see both of our buildings.” In the summer of 2010, he was working at the now-defunct Break. com and was tasked with producing something about James’ impending decision. The result was “Please Stay LeBron,” a video satirizing 1985’s “We Are the World,” which found mega-celebrities like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Bruce Springsteen teaming up for a charity single in an effort to raise money to combat hunger in Africa. For his hyper-local version, Polk
The LeBron free agency was obviously a massive story at the time and anything LeBron-related was getting a lot of traffic. During a conference call meeting, one of the L.A. producers suggested making a video of random Clevelanders asking LeBron to stay. That morphed into someone suggesting that it be a song featuring recognizable Clevelanders. That turned into it becoming a “We Are the World” parody angle, probably because it was easier than writing an actual song. Once that was decided, I was tapped to produce it, less because of my producing skills and more because I was already in Cleveland and they wouldn’t have to pay anyone to travel. So it became my project. They allowed me to hire an onthe-ground field producer for the project. I had worked in the past with a really competent producer named Christina Grozik. She and I came up with a list of people we wanted and she tracked down as many of them as she could. She was a dynamo and enormously effective. Christina Grozik, producer: Everything came together very quickly. I don’t recall what the
timeframe was that we had to work with, but I know we did not have much time to organize it. We just tried to identify whoever was kind of a local Cleveland celebrity. Polk: I remember being impressed by her ability to get people there despite what must have been a fairly odd-sounding pitch.
Outreach included a letter, which opened with the gist of the project: “Currently, the first thing people ask you if you tell them you’re from Cleveland is, “Do you think LeBron is going to leave?” We would love to respond with a confident “No,” but the truth is, we can’t really be sure. One thing is certain, we’d like him to stay. He has brought new life to downtown and a certain enthusiasm to our streets.So rather than just sit here and wait for his decision, we’ve decided to make a small gesture to do something about it. We are organizing a comedic, but sincere tribute to LeBron James in the form of a “We Are the World” parody video. It will feature prominent Clevelanders performing a song entitled “Please Stay LeBron.” We would love for you to be involved. This event in all likelihood will garner national attention. All participants would have to do is donate a bit of their time. We’ll do the rest.” Grozik: We had a really good number of people saying yes right off the bat. We got very, very lucky. I think, originally, when the idea came about, Mike had been thinking of using maybe ten people or less, but we ended up being like, “Are you up for making this bigger than that?” We didn’t have a lot of time, but he said, “Well, if you think we can do that, then let’s try to do that.” So that’s what we did. Polk: The goal was simply to get everyone in frame and get out of the CSU auditorium before our allotted time had expired. I don’t remember what kind of a budget they gave us but it was enough that I was able to hire a decent number of my friends who do production work for the day of the shoot.
show host, WNCX: Mike reached out to me and [my co-host Jeff Blanchard] and said, “I’ve got a stupid idea. It’s gonna be fun. Just show up, don’t ask questions.” And literally, that’s kind of how it went. Tim Misny, attorney: Mike Polk did a spoof where he put on a plastic skullcap and did a Tim Misny commercial. That was really funny. He’d say, “if someone hits you with a shovel, I’ll hit them with a bigger shovel.” You know, that sort of thing. I sent him an email and said, “You’re a comic genius. You made me laugh so hard that I didn’t feel like suing anyone for a whole seven minutes.” So we became friends and he asked me to be in the video.
girlfriend at the time — she’s my wife now — she’s good friends with Mike. When they were putting it together, she had just moved out to Los Angeles to live with me. Maybe it was before she even moved out. But either way, I remember her asking me on their behalf and saying, “They’ll send a camera crew out.” Miller: We knew that LeBron was good. Would he be leaving? We didn’t know. Would he come back? We didn’t know. Would he bring us a championship? We didn’t know. We were just in the moment. It was just like, “Yeah, this sounds like something really stupid, so let’s do it.”
Britt: I think we saw ourselves as… I hate to use the word “missionaries” because I’m not that religious, but I think we saw ourselves as being on this mission to convince [James] to stay. If he had all these adoring fans, certainly he wouldn’t leave us. Peter Lawson Jones, actor and former Cuyahoga County Commissioner: [Getting James to stay] was the ultimate objective. It was both plaintive and joyful, and we had some degree of optimism and hope that this would be particularly effective and affecting, when it came to encouraging LeBron James to stay in Cleveland and not take his skills to South Beach or anywhere else. So there was optimism, ebullience, excitement, and a joy in the room. We really felt that this kind of community outpouring might make a difference in his decision. Bill Martin, former anchor, Fox 8: I didn’t think it was going to work, but why not give it a shot? Why not try? Friedman: I’m not really sure that there’s a plausible downside of having made that effort. Polk: It’s not surprising that the response was divided. I think people were probably there for different reasons.
CHRISTINA GROZIK
Colin Dussault, frontman, Colin Dussault’s Blues Project: Mike Polk and I were familiar with each other just from being on the Cleveland entertainment scene. Upon hearing about what it was, I immediately saw the tongue-in-cheek nature of it. I understood it and appreciated the fact that it was a parody and was going to be in good fun, so I immediately said, “Absolutely.” Otto Orf, former goalie, Cleveland Crunch and Cleveland Force: A friend of mine mentioned me to Mike Polk and then told me to head downtown from Kent where I live. I left immediately after throwing on a shirt with our team’s logo.
Meanwhile, all around Cleveland, local celebrities and dignitaries were getting invited to participate in the video. Some knew Polk or knew he was involved, so they went into the video thinking it was poking fun at the whole James situation.
Avery Friedman, attorney: I remember two people calling, but it wasn’t until I got a third call from Carl Monday that I took notice. He said, “You really should be there, you know?” I said, “Are you gonna go?” and he said, “Yeah,” and so I said, “Well, then I’ll be there.”
Scott Miller, former morning
John Caparulo, comedian: My
Others, for whatever reason, went into the shoot thinking that it was entirely in earnest and that, as a group, they were going to sing a song with the aim of getting James to stay in Cleveland. Patricia Britt, City Clerk, Clerk Of Council: In 2008, I became the Clerk of Council, which is managing the staff of the City Council. As far as I can remember, I was contacted by a young woman (Grozik) that I’d first met when they made one of the Marvel movies here. She contacted me and said that they wanted to do a performance that would ask LeBron to stay in Cleveland. That’s how I got involved. Zack Reed, former member, Cleveland City Council: Mike and I worked at WTAM together. Mike’s like me. We love Cleveland. We love the people in Cleveland. We love the direction that Cleveland’s going and hey, whatever we can do to make Cleveland go to the next level, we’re gonna do it.
Jeff Blanchard, former morning show host, WNCX: I’ve been friends with Mike Polk for years. His tongue was firmly planted in his cheek with this, but I think, judging by the atmosphere when we got there, that the joke was lost on a lot of people. It was a serious project all of the sudden.
Regardless of the reason they were there, everyone in attendance seemed to agree that it was a unique and special opportunity. Orf: There was a lot of energy in the air. Jones: It was the equivalent of being invited to sit at the cool kids table. Those who were invited to participate in this choir represented some of the more prominent people politically, in the legal world, in entertainment, and in news in Northeast Ohio. Reed: It was an exciting time in the city, with the Cavaliers being one of the best teams in the league. Having the opportunity to ask LeBron to stay, for a guy like me, was fantastic. And then to see the people that they assemble and see people you’ve looked up to and people July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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you’ve known just from afar? To know you’re going to be on stage with the opportunity to participate in something that was that important really made me feel like I was somebody in the city of Cleveland. Dussault: It was cool to be lumped into the category with some of those quote-unquote “Cleveland celebrities.” Every market’s got the late night TV commercials that are so annoying that they’re classic. In Cleveland, that’s the furniture guy and Misny, the lawyer, and if I’m down the line being a musician, I don’t mind. Blanchard: [Polk] got the governor of Ohio for the video. I mean, [Ted Strickland] wasn’t necessarily our greatest governor, but he was still there. The idea that Mike [Polk] is putting together a comedy video, and he gets the governor to drive up from Columbus to sing? You can say whatever you want, but he still got the governor. Grozik: I had just been working as the director for the Ohio Film Office, so that’s how we were able to get the governor to do it. We were very fortunate that his scheduler was willing to carve some time out, because I know his schedule was pretty busy. Ted Strickland, former governor of Ohio: I’m a great admirer of LeBron James. In fact, there was a huge banner hanging on the side of one of the buildings up there and the federal transportation administration said that it had to come down because it was too visible from the interstate or something to that effect. I went up there in the dead of winter and sat across the street from that banner and had a little press conference. I said, “That’s not coming down, because it’s not an advertisement. It’s art.” I got this really nice letter from LeBron thanking me for that and saying, “If I could ever be helpful to you let me know.” Caparulo: It’s cool to see that they got all the people that they got, whether it was news anchors or people like Big Chuck. For me, it was just cool to see all of these people that I grew up seeing, these local celebrities, and then to actually be included with those people? That was a surreal thing for me. To know, “Wow, they actually care that I’m in this video so much that they’re going to send camera people to shoot me in Los Angeles”? There was no way I was going to say no to that, because I was honored to be a part of it.
The Cleveland shoot took place in a studio at CSU. Though some participants likened the actual experience of shooting the video to “herding cats,” Grosik and Polk remember the shoot going incredibly smoothly, all things considered.
we were united in our appreciation for LeBron James. Dussault: Basically, we’re all reading off the script on camera. I think they just brought me in because they knew I could sing on pitch.
Polk: I remember the shoot day being a stressful but fun clusterfuck.
Britt: The people who were doing a solo would go into a room one at a time, and they would do whatever it was, and then someone else would go, and then someone was organizing people in another section. So it was like watching this thing in pieces and parts, and then finally coming together to sing the song as a group. I remember going through my part probably eight times. They kept asking me, “Can you sing a little bit louder?,” and I was just thinking, “No, because if I sing louder, people will know I can’t sing.”
Grosik: When you bring people together, there’s this collaboration and this collectiveness that happens, and when it’s something that people believe in and they’re excited about, there’s a certain energy that goes with that. There were all kinds of people from different sections of life, talking with one another and sharing stories. There were new people meeting for the first time, and they all had this common reason for being there. That shoot just naturally brought people together. Bill Louis, former Program Director, WNCX: It was a truly bizarre evening. There were people from all walks of life. It was bizarre just looking around and seeing the lawyers and the politicians and Dick Goddard. Tim Misny came in a big old trench coat, wearing a beret. Apparently he wears that a lot, but for a second I thought it was the guy from Night Court. It was as much of a treat for the eyes as it was for the soul. Britt: All of these people were just milling around. We were running up and down the aisle, seeing people we knew and going to talk to them and then coming back and being seated because we were waiting on some sort of instruction as to how it was going to go. At one point, I think somebody asked for people who wanted to do a little bit of a lead or a solo part, and I remember saying yes. I don’t remember why I said yes, though, because I only sing in the bathtub. Miller: We started to see some bodies trickling in. Some were head-scratchers. Then we got the lyric sheets and went through it. It really wasn’t a long or crazy process. In hindsight, we all took it too seriously. We were trying to actually sing and stay on key and time and everything else. Really, the bottom line was that you have a bunch of non professional singers grabbing a lyric sheet and just going at it. Strickland: It was a communal experience. We were all from different places in our lives as we stood there and sang that song, but
Louis: We were all sober at the time, sadly, which I would never do again. If I had to do this over, I would have had a few before. Miller: Certainly no one had any expectation that our little song and video were going to sway LeBron in any way, shape, or form. It was more that we got to be part of something really stupid. It was really an Animal House moment. Like, this is going to take an act of sheer stupidity, and we’re just the guys to do it.
The shoot was over pretty quickly, whether it was because, as Polk speculates, they had to get out of their rented room on time or because of the clip’s simple conceit. Most participants estimate they ran through the whole thing as a group only five or so times, and then shuttled people in and out based on their groups and parts in the song. Not everyone in the video was famous — or Cleveland famous. The production was staffed by a number of film students from Kent State, all of whom were working for free, just so they could have a credit to put on their resume. Their professor, Traci Williams, was seven months pregnant at the time, but came to participate in the shoot as a background vocalist. She also brought her 3-year-old son. Traci Williams: It was fun. I just remember having a good time. I remember Dick Goddard just really liked my son a lot. In the video, he’s actually holding my son. My son was sitting next to me looking around and all of a sudden, Dick Goddard was like, “Aidan! Aidan! Come and do this with me!”
So that’s why he’s part of the video, because Dick Goddard called him down there to do it with him. I told [Goddard] that Aidan was heavy, because you can kind of see it in his face. I was like, “Are you sure?,” but he was like, “I got it, I got it.” And so I said okay, because Aidan was so happy. My son still remembers Dick Goddard. When he passed, he was really sad. Misny: We brought my younger son Max with us and he was about a year old. He’s in the video, too. He’s that little guy being held up by some firemen. Grozik: I loved being able to see people come together and have this experience that they will forever have together. So no, I never got sick of the song. It’s a great song. I’ve had people tell me that, “I met so and so, and I didn’t know them before that day,” but now they’re on friendly terms. It’s inspiring to see people come together. I think there are certain ways that you can unite people for a cause, and some are more positive than others. Getting together and singing a song collectively is a great way to have your voice heard, and it’s positive. It was just a fun experience for everyone. Martin: There’s a sense of community that Cleveland has, like “We’re in this together.” That’s what I remember about doing that video. Nothing may happen from this, but at least we’re all together. Reed: I can’t think of another city that would look at one of their superstars like that and put something together saying, “Please stay,” and have fun doing it.
When the video dropped, it was a quick success, drawing over a million views on Break.com. Considering Polk says the goal of the clip was “unequivocally [to get] web traffic,” those were big numbers. Those numbers also meant that the video was reaching a wider audience than just the city of Cleveland. That meant reactions were a bit of a mixed bag. Most Clevelanders understood Polk’s tongue-in-cheek intention, but outsiders tended to view the clip as a sincerely sad attempt to woo back a star that had outgrown the city’s potential spotlight. Polk: When it went up on Break. com, it did really well as far as viewership. I have no clue how many of those viewers were watching it July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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for sincere purposes and how many were watching it ironically, but I don’t think the Break people cared as long as those 10 second ads for Axe Body Spray kept pre-rolling before people saw it. Misny: I get the New York Times delivered to my home every day. One day I went out, and it’s like a scene from The Sopranos, with Tony walking down to his mailbox, in his robe, drinking a coffee, a little hungover from the night before. I got the paper out of the mailbox and I glanced at it, and oh my God, there’s my picture on the front page of the New York Times. I had to do a double take. It was for an article about the effort that we were making, and that other cities had made, like New York and the Knicks. Everyone had all their local stars working on this, like Patti LaBelle and Spike Lee, and we had Mike Polk, Dick Goddard, and a fireman. Blanchard: Over the years, some people got it, but the amount of derision that this silly parody video got — “They’re just pleading and begging” and “It makes everyone look bad”? That’s like saying, “‘Weird Al’ Yankovic wants to be Madonna.” It was apparent to me it was just a joke. I do think the reason that it might come off as pandering or thirsty is because when you get that many people involved in a project, not every one of them is going to look at it the same way or with the same intention that the seed of the idea started with. I’m sure there were people there thinking, “This is gonna get him back.” Polk: Not long after it surpassed a million hits, it was taken down for violating copyright. I think it was Quincy Jones’ production company who flagged it because they owned the rights to “We Are the World.” I remember at the time Break briefly considered fighting it but then decided that they had already gotten what they wanted from the video so they let it slide. I personally had no complaints about its removal and will always feel slightly indebted to Quincy Jones’ legal team.
Regardless of how the video was received outside of Cleveland, watching it years later, it’s a good (and funny) reminder of the city’s resilience and self-deference. True Clevelanders know the campy joy of a Norton Furniture commercial, and they also know the pain of always feeling like greatness is out of reach. That’s part of what makes “Please
Stay, LeBron” such a success, in some sense: It’s for Clevelanders, by Clevelanders, and there’s some germ of truth in there for all of us. Caparulo: You have to earn your right to make fun of something. Growing up, I was never a Cavs fan, but I was always a Browns fan. I obviously got the idea of this video and the desperate plea for LeBron to stay because I remember what it was like when the Browns left. I remembered how big of a deal it was. So, for me, the video was sort of a two-fold thing. It’s funny to cling on and desperately want to keep this guy, but there was also some truth to it, where it’s just like “Please, stick with us.” It’s really clever. Mike’s always good for that. Friedman: For me, that video was a link from Cleveland to the rest of the world. It was our way of saying, “So long. Hey, thanks a lot.” Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator: “I’m proud to be from Northeast Ohio – that’s something that LeBron James and I share. We all know LeBron is not playing for Cleveland anymore, but his departure left an opening for new heroes – in sports, in science, in manufacturing, in the arts. There’s so much talent in Cleveland and I’m looking forward to what all of the next kids from Akron or Cleveland or Canton will do.” Strickland: It was fun. It was communal. It was a way for the Greater Cleveland area and all of Ohio to express our feelings about LeBron and the message was true. Cleveland needs LeBron, whether he’s physically in the city or somewhere else in the country. He’s closely identified with northeastern Ohio and Ohio values and Ohioans have a right to be exceedingly proud of him. Martin: That’s what I’ve always loved about Cleveland. We’re not winning anything, but we’re resilient. We’re happy at our core, and we’re generous people. There was an idea that, maybe If we can put all that stuff together, it’ll create something positive and LeBron will stay. Of course, he had other ideas and wanted to take off, but he did come back. And we did win. Orf: When LeBron returns one more time, then the story will be complete. [sings] “Come home, LeBron…”
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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GET OUT
Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks
Comedian Tim Heidecker comes to the Agora. See: Saturday, July 23.
WED 07/13 Wade Oval Wednesdays A summer tradition continues tonight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Wade Oval in University Circle. It’s Wade Oval Wednesday, and there will be local food vendors, a beer and wine tent, a farmers’ market and free kids’ activities — all laid out on the Wade Oval lawn, adjacent to Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Art Museum, and the Cleveland Natural History Museum. Some museums will stay open late too. Details are on the website. universitycircle.org.
THU
07/14
Joe “Mr. D” Dombrowski A kindergarten teacher best known for his viral social content that captures the chaos of elementary school, comedian Joe “Mr. D” Dombrowski brings his School’s Out for Summer tour to Hilarities tonight at 7. He performs at the club
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tomorrow and Saturday as well. Consult the club’s website for ticket prices and more info. 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.
FRI
07/15
Celeste Barber Hailed as the Australian Queen of Comedy, Celeste Barber has become famous for her Instagram account that’s attracted more than 8.1 million followers. In 2019, she released her best-selling book, Challenge Accepted, and also appeared on the 2019 Showtime special of the same name. She comes to Connor Palace tonight at 7. Check the venue’s website for more info. 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
SAT
07/16
Beachland Flea A good number of local vendors will exhibit both inside and outside
Andrew Levy
the Beachland Ballroom today to sell vinyl records, vintage clothing, unique artwork, music memorabilia and more. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Beachland Flea Market adds to the rejuvenated Waterloo Arts District. Many businesses have popped up or expanded in the last couple of years, and the Beachland’s flea puts an exclamation mark on the improvements. Admission is free. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
SUN 07/17 Lake View Cemetery Summer Concert Series 2022 Lake View Cemetery has partnered again with locally based Jim Wadsworth Productions/JWP Concerts for this free summer concert series that takes place on the lawn of the Garfield Memorial. Bring a lawn chair and a picnic. The music starts at 4 p.m. 12316 Euclid Ave., 216-421-2665, lakeviewcemetery.com.
MON 07/18 Vegan Monday Each Monday, the Winchester chef puts together a special vegan menu featuring items such as comfort burgers, Philly burgers and peach cobbler. The kitchen opens up at 4 p.m. and stays open until midnight. Check the website for more info. 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern.
TUE
07/19
Lyrical Rhythms Open Mic and Chill This long-running open mic night at the B Side allows some of the city’s best rappers and poets to strut their stuff. The event begins at 8 with a comedy session dubbed 2 Drinks & a Joke with host Ant Morrow. The open mic performances begin at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $5 in advance, $10 at the door. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd.,
GET OUT Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.
WED 07/20 The BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival This summer’s four-day festival is the second for BorderLight’s biannual event. Its 2019 inaugural talent showcase brought thousands to downtown Cleveland. It features a curated selection of international touring productions and a Fringe Festival featuring all genres of theatrical, performances selfproduced by local and national artists. Audiences can expect theater, dance, circus, immersive experiences, puppetry, spoken word, pop-up performances, stand-up comedy and more. Check the website for a complete schedule. borderlightcle.org.
THU
07/22
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert Tonight at 7 at Blossom, the Cleveland Orchestra plays the Howard Shore score to the Peter Jackson film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The program repeats at 7 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday. Consult the orchestra’s website for more info. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
SAT
SUN 07/24 Duo Amal The Israeli-Palestinian piano Duo of Yaron Kohlberg, President of Piano Cleveland, and Bishara Haroni kicks off Piano Days@CLE, an event that celebrates music “in all its forms.” The concert begins at 2 p.m. today at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Piano week runs through Aug. 14. 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, pianocleveland.org.
07/21 MON 07/25
Ain’t Too Proud Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, Ain’t Too Proud tells the story of the Temptations and focuses on themes such as brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal in chronicling how the musical group become popular during a time of civil unrest. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the State Theatre. Consult the Playhouse Square website for more info. The play runs through July 31. 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
FRI
of singer-songwriter albums. On his latest record, High School, Heidecker gives childhood the once-over. This show at the Agora in support of the release is part of his two-act tour that features both comedy and music. The first half of each night features Heidecker’s “No More Bullshit” stand-up character and the second features “Tim Heidecker and the Very Good Band.” The hijinks begin at 6 p.m. Consult the club’s website for ticket prices. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
07/23
Tim Heidecker Live! Since 2016, Tim Heidecker has chronicled the adulthood on a series
Movie Mondays Every Monday, Cleveland Cinemas hosts $5 Movie Mondays, where film fans can catch up on the latest Hollywood flicks for significantly reduced prices. Bring your friends and family and make Movie Mondays a weekly tradition — many theaters even offer discounted concession stand items. Participating theaters include Apollo Theatre, Cedar Lee Theatre and Chagrin Cinemas. Additional charges apply for 3-D movies. clevelandcinemas.com.
TUE
07/26
Open Turntable Tuesday Tonight from 7 to 9, the Winchester hosts its weekly Open Turntable Tuesday. Jason Gokorsch will book guest DJs and offer slots to people who want to bring their own vinyl and spin their favorite songs or deep tracks. First time DJs are encouraged, and equipment is provided. Patrons can also bring records for the night’s DJ to add to their set. Sign up on Northeast Ohio Vinyl Club’s Facebook page. 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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EAT NY STATE OF PIE
City Slice Pizzeria brings gigantic New York-style slices to Cleveland’s west side
CITY SLICE PIZZERIA MIGHT BE the closest thing Cleveland has to a neighborhood slice shop in Brooklyn, Staten Island or any of the five boroughs for that matter. This sliver of a storefront is loud, bustling and filled with the unmistakable sights and sounds of an old-world pizzeria. Heck, they even have a pizzamaker named Mikey. Cleveland has no shortage of pizza places, but we’re sorely lacking in slice shops, the kind of places where a hungry shopper can be in and out in a few minutes with zero advance planning. And if we’re counting slice shops that traffic in real-deal New York-style pie, the number drops to almost zero — especially now that we’ve lost Vincenza’s. Open since February, City Slice has attracted an enthusiastic fanbase of New York-style pizza lovers, which is how I first learned of the place. At any given hour on any given day, one can walk in and choose from three different types of slices, which will be tossed in the brick oven to reheat for a couple minutes. While this approach is second nature to East Coasters, locals sometimes need a little schooling, says owner Vanessa Reyes. “People come in and ask if they can get fresh pizza,” she explains. “They don’t understand that we put it back into the oven until it gets hot.” In a form of appeasement, perhaps, City Slice lists the time that the pizzas were baked, with an assurance that no slice will be sold after more than two and a half hours. Seasoned pros will tell the pizzaiolo how they want their slices reheated: warm, hot, well done. Finish them off with a sprinkling of grated parmesan and dried red pepper flakes and all is right with the world for the time it takes to polish them off. City Slice’s slices are carved out of gigantic 40-inch pies, which results in single slices that are larger than an entire Neapolitan pizza. The thin, chewy crust is soft enough to fold, which prevents flopping, but sturdy enough to support the toppings. A thin but even layer of salty lowmoisture mozzarella barely covers the mildly seasoned red sauce. Like any great NY-style slice, it’s the balance between crust, sauce and
Photo by Doug Trattner
By Douglas Trattner
cheese that creates a winning slice. “When we started doing this, we tested the recipe at least 30 to 40 times,” Reyes reports. “We weren’t going to serve just anything; it was
on that cherry pepper pie, which combines those mouthwatering sweethot peppers with pepperoni, sausage and red onion. Customers are free to design their own pies from a concise
CITY SLICE PIZZERIA 12021 LORAIN AVE., CLEVELAND 216-273-7504
going to be as close to New York as possible. People think it’s super, super easy, but I feel there’s a kind of skill.” City Slice will always have cheese, pepperoni and one specialty pie available. That special might be meat-lovers, veggie, supreme or the signature cherry pepper pie. Slices go for between $5 and $6.50 depending. Whole 18-inch pizzas ($25) can be ordered for pickup or delivery, but not the giant 40-inchers, notes Reyes. “Boxes that big are impossible to find,” she says. If you like spicy, do not miss out
list of meats and cheeses. In addition to the pizza, City Slice offers a side salad, house salad and a heartier antipasto salad ($9), which is capped with a hoagie’s worth of deli meats and cheeses. I’d prefer something other than floppy leaf lettuce, but the greens were outshined by the toppings anyhow. We really enjoyed the well-built Italian sub ($9) and will be back to sample the house-made meatball and baked chicken parm. For dessert, there’s New York cheesecake topped with strawberry or chocolate.
Recently, the corner space immediately next door to the pizzeria became available and Reyes jumped on it. The addition more than doubles the size of the property, allowing for more dine-in seating, an ice cream parlor and mini arcade. The aim is to make a family-friendly gathering space for pizza and dessert lovers. Reyes, who also is affiliated with Cleveland Mofongo Latin Grill three blocks away, says that there are future plans to expand the kitchen and the menu, with items like hot appetizers and a few pasta dishes likely to be added. Looking a little further down the road, don’t be surprised if a City Slice location pops up in your neck of the woods. “I’m already thinking about doing one on the east side,” Reyes says. “And maybe Old Brooklyn.”
dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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Photo by Dylan Palchesko
EAT BITES
First look: Cordelia, opening July 20 on East 4th Street By Douglas Trattner WHEN IT COMES TO HOTLY anticipated restaurants, it’s impossible to top Cordelia, which has been taking shape in the former home of Michael Symon’s Lola Bistro. Owner Andrew Watts calls East 4th Street “the best address in the city,” and come Wednesday, July 20, he and executive chef Vinnie Cimino will officially become that street’s newest operators. Named for Watts’ greatgrandmother, Cordelia (2058 E. 4th St.) aims to be a celebration of Cleveland and the Midwest, with a heightened focus on hospitality — an approach they’re calling “Midwest Nice.” “She took care of her community and she taught our family what hospitality is and how vital it is to take care of folks,” Watts says of his great-grandmother. “From the onset, it’s going to be very obvious how appreciative we are for every single person coming through the door.” To complement that “Midwest Nice” hospitality, Cimino has devised a style of cuisine that he calls “Modern Grandma,” which reimagines familiar Midwest classics that many of us grew up enjoying around the family dinner table. “The menu is about celebrating heritage, culture and the farmer’s bounty,” Cimino explains. “Our food and dishes are born out of the partnerships we build with our farmers. As Midwesterners, our seasons are fleeting and we relish the opportunity to showcase the harvest. Food is hospitality, it’s culture, it’s grandma’s warm embrace and never being able to leave without leftovers.” Cimino, the former chef de cuisine of Greenhouse Tavern, will put his local farmer connections to good use in dishes like “Pantry Snacks and Relish Trays,” which includes farmer’s cheese with honey and fermented garlic alongside jammy eggs with harissa. Other menu sections are titled “Breads & Things,” “Eat Your Veggies” and “From Our Butchers.” For diners eager to leave the decision making to the kitchen, there’s a whimsical tasting menu called “Bellie Up”
(named after Vinnie’s grandparent’s restaurant Bellie’s Deli). Some dishes that guests can look forward to are pork belly with sarsaparilla beurre blanc, popcorn chicken livers with ballpark maple mustard, and Steak Cordelia, a large-format cut. Bar Manager Sebastian Albornoz has crafted a cocktail program that leans into his South American roots, with creative concoctions featuring exotic fruits, coffee, oat milk, matcha, turmeric and carrot. There will also be enough beer, wine and NA options to satisfy all guests. Up until today, most of us have had few glimpses into Cordelia’s interior design. On the exterior, we’ve watched the installation of that dazzling 1940s-inspired signage with animated lights. New hydraulic garage-door windows have been installed in the bar area and the second dining room, opening onto an expanded front patio. But step inside and you’ll be transported to an old-world tavern with timeless appeal. The original terrazzo flooring at the entrance, uncovered during construction, gives way to new wood flooring in the bar area. An expanded 20-stool wraparound bar is wrapped at the base by handsome penny tile mosaic flooring. Behind the bar, Lola’s “wall of wine” has been removed and the original brickwork exposed. Open shelving adds to the tavern look. Also in the bar, a 12-seat communal table has been constructed. In the dining room, the 15-foot coffered ceiling has been painted a bright white and new booths and banquettes have been installed on a slightly elevated platform that rings the room. Cimino says that the general look and feel of Lola’s prized open kitchen has remained intact, but much of the equipment has been updated or replaced. The small corner chef’s table of old is now a roomy 12-seat dinner counter.
Gingham Market Now Open in Lakewood Ever since opening Gatherings
Kitchen in Lakewood, Ruth Kostadinov has had her eye on the next-door space, a charming corner storefront on Madison. It would take approximately 13 years for Kostadinov to snag that property, but she would have to wait another few years before realizing her ultimate dream of opening a gourmet prepared foods market. The wait ended last week when Gingham Market (17000 Madison Ave., 216-228-2285) opened its doors to the public. Shoppers will find a bright and inviting space filled with prepared foods, local pantry items, beer and wine, and more than a few surprises. After so many years of serving the community, through her catering business, cooking classes and private events, Kostadinov thinks she has a pretty good handle on what her customers want. “We’ve got a great team and we know our customers really well and the kinds of things they’re going to like,” says Kostadinov. “They really trust us when we say something’s good. And we have such a large client base, people who have been coming to the classes for all those years.” The market is a natural extension of Gatherings Kitchen. When the pandemic hit and the social cooking classes were put on the back burner, Kostadinov and chef Lloyd Foust fired up Gatherings to Go, a wildly successful prepared supper business. Not only did those dinners bring in much needed revenue, they introduced Gatherings to an entirely new market of people. Those prepared meals will now be sold through the market. Dinners
for two starring prosciutto and spinach-stuffed beef tenderloin and seasonal pasta salad, or grilled shrimp skewers with vegetables and couscous salad can be preordered for pick up two or three days per week. Those same items along with boxed lunches, soups, salads, quiche, and cold and hot sandwiches will also be available for walk-in purchase. “If you want to make sure you get it, you preorder it,” Kostadinov says of the suppers. “If you want to take a chance, you can just come in and grab a sandwich and a salad.” The shop is carry-out only, but there is sidewalk seating at a handful of café tables. In addition to the prepared and fresh-made foods, coolers will be stocked with a rotating selection of popular catering foods for easy athome entertaining. Having friends over? Grab some take-and-bake hors d’oeuvres like risotto balls, crab cakes, empanadas or spanakopita. Those frozen items will be joined by fresh foods like caprese salads and prosciutto-wrapped peaches. Rounding out the offerings are more than 90 local products that range from hot sauces and mustards to fermented foods and small-batch cheeses. Cold beer, wine, cocktail mixers and cooking utensils also are in supply. And now, thanks to that beer and wine license, people attending cooking classes next door at Gatherings can do their beverage shopping on site.
dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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MUSIC MOOD ELEVATORS
Guitar hero Adrian Belew shows no signs of slowing down By Jeff Niesel SPEAKING RECENTLY VIA PHONE from his Nashville home, singerguitarist Adrian Belew says he’s extremely pleased with the way rehearsals have progressed for the current tour that brings him to the Rock Hall on Friday, July 22. “I’m really happy with what we’ve achieved,” he says. “It’s exactly what I was hoping for. It’ll be an interesting show this time. I’m doing it in different segments. The first part is more song-oriented, and then, it goes into a solo acoustic performance for about six songs. And then, the power trio that you normally expect comes blazing in with [King] Crimson material and things we’ve done in the past.” Belew says he’s trying to bounce back after the pandemic wiped out what he says would’ve been “one of the most prolific years” ever. He had planned to tour South America and embark on a tour paying tribute to the late David Bowie, someone with whom he’s played. “It all went out the window,” he says. “And we had festival dates planned. They all went away.” Grounded by the cancellations, Belew went into what he refers to as “super writing mode.” He wrote the 12 new songs on his new album, Elevator, and seven songs for an album due out next year. “My creativity was so at a high that I even taught myself to do digital painting,” he says. “I’ve been doing acrylic paintings for a long time, but I picked up and iPad and an Apple pencil, and I went nuts. It was so fun. I love it. I must have 200 or 300 paintings. I’m putting 38 into the package for the new album. Painting touches on the same concepts and creative parts of your brain as music. It’s tones and colors and dimensions and shapes, and all those come into play when you’re dealing with music.” The album’s first single, “a13,” possesses a retro ’60s pop-rock vibe and finds Belew producing exotic sounds from his guitar during a mid-song solo. Belew says the songs on the album represent some of the best tunes he’s ever written. “During COVID, there was so much dread and unhappiness,” he
Adrian Belew.
Glass Onyon PR
says. “I want my record to be joyful and uplifting. That’s where the term ‘elevator’ came in as a title. It should elevate your mood. The ’60s is when I really started. I started writing at age 16 in 1966, and the Beatles and the Kinks and the Zombies really affected my musical DNA. When I was thinking about uplifting music, that’s where I went with it. That’s
worked with Frank Zappa, Bowie and Talking Heads. “I was considered in the music world a sideman,” he says. “No one had any inkling that I was a singer and writer until I joined King Crimson. Once that took off, there I was. Right before that happened, I got invited to [Island Records owner] Chris Blackwell’s house. We
ADRIAN BELEW 8 P.M. FRIDAY, JULY 22, ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, 100 EAST 9TH ST., 216-781-7625. TICKETS: $25, ROCKHALL.COM.
what I remember being on the radio.” As he completed the record, he realized it was solo album No. 25, a crowning achievement. “It’s a big celebration, at least to me,” he says. “I was looking at the Bandcamp. I was counting them up. That’s quite a milestone. During all that time, I was in [the prog rock act] King Crimson or the [power-pop group] the Bears, but I never stopped doing the solo things whenever I was home. I’ve had this studio at my home for 28 years.” Belew famously launched his solo career in the 1980s after having
were chatting. He said, ‘You’ve done a lot of things. Is there anything you haven’t done?’ I said, I’m a songwriter and I want to do my own records.’ He said he would give me a record deal, so I had the record deal coming into this band that was going to be called Discipline but became a new version of King Crimson. It was determined then that I could spend half the year on King Crimson and half on my solo career. Of course, it never really worked out that way.” The band that will accompany Belew includes bassist Julie Slick,
who’s played bass with Belew for the past 16 years. She was 20 when Belew first saw her performing with School of Rock. He found drummer Johnny Luca at a music camp. “It’s a hot band, and it’s got more vocals than usual,” Belew says, adding that he’ll play three Beatles tunes just for the Rock Hall show. “As far as the power material and King Crimson stuff, we can totally nail that. For this tour, I’m focusing on that and on my solo stuff. There are other bands that do the Zappa stuff, and they do it really well. I have another band that does a Bowie tribute. I want these tours to feature more of my material.” Belew, 72, says his love of music keeps him going. “I’m just not finished at all,” he says. “I have so much left in my tank. I feel fortunate to be able to do these things and have people enjoy what I do. I’m not ready at all to stop. I have thousands of more songs. Physically, I don’t feel [72] at all. Paul McCartney is still doing it, so I can do it too.”
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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MUSIC WORTH THE WAIT
Latest album from Psychedelic Furs benefitted from long gestation period By Jeff Niesel PSYCHEDELIC FURS BASSIST TIM Butler admits that when his band hit the road with punk rockers X back in 2019, he initially wasn’t sure the pairing would work. “We pretty much just did the West Coast, and it was cool,” he says via phone from Richmond, VA, where the Psychedelic Furs were rehearsing for the tour that brings it to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage on Friday, July 22. “They’re a great bunch of guys — and a girl. It worked really well even though it’s a different type of music. It was mutually advantageous. They probably introduced some of their audience to our audience, and we probably introduced some of our audience to theirs.” Like X, the Furs have a relatively new album to support. In 2020, the band put out Made of Rain, it’s first new album in nearly 30 years. The band famously broke up in 1992 but reunited in 2000. Butler says a hectic schedule contributed to the breakup. “We took the break because we were tired of being the Furs, and [we were tired of] the tour, record, rehearse, record conveyor belt that record companies put you through,” he says. “When we got back together in 2000, we thought about doing another album, but we were afraid to see if we could do an album that could hold up shoulder-to-shoulder to our previous work. That’s why it took so long. There was still that fear of being panned by the press and hated by the hardcore fans.” When the group had finally assembled a good batch of songs, it went into a St. Louis studio to cut the record. The band worked quickly in a couple of two-week sessions. Songs were recorded in two or three takes. “We would do two or three takes, and we found that the energy is still there for us and so is the excitement of playing the songs,” says Butler. “We didn’t slave in the studio for days and days. Richard [Butler] knew of this studio. He had worked there before. It was nice and quiet. It was a laid-back atmosphere. It wasn’t a huge mega-bucks studio. It worked out really well. It’s not like one of those places where you can’t
Psychedelic Furs.
Matthew Reeves
take a day off because you’re playing thousands of dollars in rental fees.” The new release doesn’t disappoint. Album opener “The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll,” a track with reverberating guitars, woozy horns and distorted vocals, alludes to Elvis Presley, even though Butler sings the track in first person. A
Butler when asked about “Stars.” “I forget which effects [Rich Good] used. It’s a really rare guitar effect that he guards with his life.” Butler says five or six songs from the new album will make their way into the live set. “The new songs sound like Psychedelic Furs, but it’s sort of
PSYCHEDELIC FURS, X 8 P.M., FRIDAY, JULY 22, MGM NORTHFIELD PARK — CENTER STAGE, 10777 NORTHFIELD RD, NORTHFIELD, 330-908-7625. TICKETS: $44.50+, MGMNORTHFIELDPARK.MGMRESORTS.COM.
viola distinguishes “You’ll Be Mine,” giving it an Irish folk sound, and harpsichord runs throughout “Tiny Hands.” “There are psychedelic elements throughout the album, especially on ‘Tiny Hands,’” says Butler. “It has shades of the Their Satanic Majesties Request album by the Rolling Stones. And there’s a straight keyboard. The solo in there is harpsichord. It’s about Donald Trump.” The shimmering “Stars” brings the album to a somber close. “I particularly like the guitar sound and the solo on the song,” says
up-to-date. You can’t not be the Furs with Richard’s vocals. Musically, it fits alongside with [1982’s] Forever Now. Made of Rain and Forever Now are my favorite albums we recorded.” All these years since the band’s formation in the late ‘70s, Butler says he still looks back fondly on the British punk scene that helped spawn the band. “We liked the energy and aggression of punk music, but we were listening more to the Velvet Underground and early David Bowie. [Richard and I] went to see the Sex
Pistols on Oxford Street. We were blown away by the energy and the aggression and the whole image. We took that and mixed it with the songwriting of Velvet Underground and Roxy Music and that molded us into the Psychedelic Furs sound.” Produced by Steve Lillywhite (U2, Siouxsie and the Banshees), the band’s self-titled debut, became a hit in the UK, and its second album, 1981’s Talk Talk Talk, would take off in the States. “When you form a band, you never think you’ll get signed or become really successful,” says Butler. “It starts out as fun. You play a show and have a few beers and meet a few girls. Then, it starts to snowball and things get serious. After ‘Love My Way’ got into rotation in the States, we were playing to packed houses in places we had never heard the name of. There’s nothing better than going out and seeing an audience singing along with songs you wrote whether you wrote them four or 40 years ago.”
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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GET OUT FRI
07/15
Inkcarceration 2022 Music & Tattoo Festival This annual hard rock festival will again be held at the Ohio State Reformatory (made famous by the movie The Shawshank Redemption) in Mansfield. Headliners include Korn, Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin and Evanescence. Heavy hitters such as Lamb of God, Papa Roach, Seether, Falling in Reverse, Three Days Grace, I Prevail, Black Label Society, Theory of a Deadman, Black Veil Brides and Jelly Roll will perform as well. A partnership between independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents and the creators of Inkcarceration, the event will feature music, tattooing and “haunted attractions.” Check the website for more details. inkcarceration.com.
SAT
07/16
Brett Dennen West Coast-based singer-songwriter Brett Dennen has previously toured with the likes of Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Pete Murray and Michael Franti. His upper-register voice often resembles that of the late, great Tom Petty. A song like “See the World” shows off his smart folk-pop sensibilities. He brings his summer tour to the Kent Stage tonight at 8. Check the club’s website for ticket prices and more info. 175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org. David Gray The singer-songwriter brings his tour in support of the 20th anniversary of his album White Ladder to Jacob Pavilion at Nautica. In conjunction with the tour, Gray has released White Ladder: The 20th Anniversary deluxe edition, a special remastered edition of the album plus White Ladder-era previously unreleased rarities, B-sides and demos. For tonight’s concert, Gray will perform the album in its entirety as well as play a few of his greatest hits. The show begins at 8 p.m. Check the venue’s website for more info. 2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com. TRUSS Album Release Party Last month, the local hard rock
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Real music in the real world
| clevescene.com | July 13-26, 2022
Solid, during the COVID-19 pandemic, jazz artist Boney Jam still managed to deliver his first Top 10 debut on the Billboard Top Albums Chart, a rare feat for an instrumentalist. He also stayed connected with fans throughout the pandemic by performing miniconcerts on Facebook Live. James performs tonight at 8 at the Akron Civic Theatre. Consult the venue’s website for more info. 182 South Main St., Akron, 330-2532488, akroncivic.com.
SAT Country star Zach Bryan comes to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. See: Friday, July 22. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records
band TRUSS — Hannah Crandall (vocals), Eric Kennedy (guitar), Thomas Rastatter (bass), and Holden Szalek (drums) — released a new single, “Reset My Head.” The heavy tune features a beefy guitar riff and bluesy vocals. The song served as a teaser for the album’s that’s just come out. The group celebrates the album’s release with a concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Grog Shop. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 day of show. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
MON 07/18 Danny G & Michael Wavves Nashville-based hip-hop artist danny G has paired up with rapper Michael Wavves for this trek they’ve dubbed the Content Overload Tour. Since the first of the year, Danny has made it his goal to create 10,000 pieces of content on social media via his #10Kin22 challenge. He’s delivered daily LIVE’s and will continue to do so on the road. He also publishes a diverse array of music, comedy, sports and collaborative content, keeping current fans fully engaged. Tonight’s show at the Grog Shop starts at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $12. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
TUE
07/19
Collective Soul/Switchfoot These two ’90s acts have teamed up for a joint tour that brings them to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica tonight at 7:30. Collective Soul is probably most
famous for its pop-rock hit “Shine,” and Switchfoot’s big hits include moody numbers such as “Dare You to Move” and “On Fire.” Check the venue’s website for more info. 2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
FRI
07/22
Jon Anderson with the Paul Green Rock Academy While the prog rock act YES has had several different singers over the years, Jon Anderson takes lead on many of the band’s biggest hits, including “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Roundabout” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Anderson and the Paul Green Rock Academy will perform tonight at 8 at the Kent Stage in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1972 album Close to the Edge. Check the club’s website for ticket prices. 175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org. Zach Bryan Each of the singles from country singer-songwriter Zach Bryan’s new album, American Heartbreak, have become fan-favorite audience singalongs during his live shows. His recent set at Stagecoach Festival was one of the festival’s most talked events. Bryan comes to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica tonight at 8:15. Check the venue’s website for more info. 2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com. Boney James Despite releasing his latest album,
07/23
Brit Floyd Brit Floyd, a Pink Floyd tribute act, comes to Cain Park tonight with a brand-new show that features highlights from The Wall, The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Division Bell. It’ll also include a 23-minute note-fornote performance of “Echoes.” The concert begins at 8. 14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
SUN 07/24 Afi ‘n the Mix Last year, local musician Afi Scruggs won a Room in the House residency from Karamu House. She used the $5,000 grant to write several blues songs inspired by social and cultural events. Scruggs will debut those songs and perform other originals and covers tonight at 8 at the Beachland Tavern. Tickets cost $10. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com. Night Moves The Minneapolis rock outfit Night Moves comes to Mahall’s 20 Lanes tonight in support of its new EP, The Redaction. The band recorded The Redaction, a short cinematic collage, with generators in a friend’s cabin without electricity over the course of three days. As a result, singles such as “Fallacy Actually” and “Vulnerable Hours” have a real immediacy to them. 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene
BAND OF THE WEEK:
MALAN THE ARTIST By Jeff Niesel MEET THE BAND: Malan the Artist (vocals), Joe Eff (keyboards), Tyshon White (drums), Cjthedj216 (beats) AN URBAN UPBRINGING: Malan, who grew up in “low poverty” in Hough housing projects, embraced music at an early age. “I started singing when I was 7 years old,” she says. “I was into everything musically. I was in all the afterschool programs and on the local show wagon that was like a tour bus going everywhere around the city. I went to the School of Arts for a little bit and to South High School. I was always into musical stuff, and I sang with the church choir.” She eventually branched off to do her own R&B music and has now embraced a wide range of musical styles. “I do urban, R&B, pop, rap and disco — I do everything. I’m all over. I like old soul like Anita Baker and Tina Marie — anything that’s really souful. I listen to female rappers, but I’m not necessarily influenced by them. I like Nicki Minaj and Beyonce. It’s the beat for me that controls the music and how I write.” PICKING UP TRACTION: Malan’s manager says the singer’s brand has grown exponentially since releasing an EP in December. “She’s won or been nominated for every local award possible and has earned a nomination from the Buckeye Awards in Cincinnati,” he says. “She’s also had her latest single, ‘Run It Up,’ played on every local hip-hop and R&B station in the city of Cleveland, both locally and on the internet. She’s co-curated two women’s empowerment events, two Versus competitions, two Got Bars? competitions, a Tiny Desk concert showcase and an intimate One Night Only R&B showcase.” WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR HER: Malan the Artist recently went on a local tour for the release of her latest single, “Run It Up,” and is currently putting together an R&B Summer Jam event that›ll take place at Networkz Restaraunt and Lounge in Cleveland Heights. Her catchy single, “No Future,” features soulful vocals and sparse, heavy percussion. “This album went viral,” says Malan of the EP.
Malan the Artist.
Courtesy of Malan the Artist
“For the song ‘No Future,’ I did a video where I was looking raunchy, and the videographer got a good shot of my behind. The video went viral. Some guy was hating on me, but I got more than 10,000 views. I’ve been doing a lot of great things. I started promoting my own shows too.” She also just dropped a music video for “Run It Up.” “It’s a sure club banger,” she says of the track. “I recorded the music video at a local strip club, and a lot of my girlfriends showed up. Cjthedj216 produced it. He did some of the recording in his home studio. He’s so dope. He’s in the video too. It’s fire. I’m so happy it’s in rotation on radio on Insomniac on 106.1 FM.” WHERE YOU CAN HEAR HER: On all streaming platforms. WHERE YOU CAN SEE HER: Malan the Artist performs on Friday, July 22, at Networkz Restaurant and Lounge in Cleveland Heights.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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| clevescene.com | July 13-26, 2022
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SAVAGE LOVE DICK DOWN By Dan Savage Hey, Dan: I’m a cis woman in her 30s who lives on the East Coast. I’ve been in an LTR with the same cis man for 12 years. No issues there at all! But we are considering opening up our relationship and I have a question about my sexuality. Basically, I’m attracted to people with penises. PIV is only sex that really arouses me — the only kind of sex I like to have or fantasize about — although I do enjoy everything that leads up to it. I’m that rare woman who comes easily during PIV and honestly prefer it over all things. So, although I am attracted to people regardless of what they look like, if I were to hook up with someone who didn’t have a penis, I would be disappointed. I hooked up with two women during group sex and I liked their breasts and kissing them, but I quickly realized I do not find vaginas sexy at all. So, what am I since not all people with penises are men? I ask because I don’t want to use a label on hook-up apps that’s transphobic in any way. I’m mostly attracted to people with penises, but I want non-binary people with dicks to slide into my DMs too. So, I am attracted to all men and non-binary people with penises (no matter how they present themselves). Is this messed up? I don’t know. I have searched for a term that describes this fixation on specific genitalia, but I have yet to find any. So, am I just straight? It seems some people think attraction and sexuality are separate from genitalia and anything else is transphobic, but for me, it’s the opposite. Dick or bust. I’ve also never been on a dating app, so I am not sure if classifying myself as straight would still leave me visible to non-binary folx looking for women. Maybe that’s true, and finding a nuanced label doesn’t really matter. Limits About Bodies Expressed Lovingly & Sensitively You could make this complicated. You could describe yourself as an AFAB (assigned female at birth), cis-gender (not trans), femmepresenting (just what it sounds like) allosexual (opposite of asexual) phallophile (dick lover) in an ENM (ethically non-monogamous) LTR (long-term relationship) seeking masc-presenting and/or non-binary
allosexual AMAB (assigned male at birth) phallus-havers-and-wannausers for PIV. (And by the way, “phallophile” was the term you were searching for.) Or you could keep it simple, LABELS, and just say you’re straight. Which is what you are. You’re a heterosexual woman — you’re a cis woman who’s attracted to members of the opposite sex — and while you require dick and dicking, you’re open to sex partners who don’t identify as men so long as they 1. have dicks and 2. want to use them. And who knows? In addition to getting dicked down by cis men and non-binary AMAB peeps, you might enjoy getting pegged down by cis women or AFAB non-binary peeps who 1. have a strap-on, 2. know how to use it, and 3. won’t ask you eat or touch their vaginas/front holes. All of the above could be included in your bio on whatever hook-up app you’re using. Oh, gee. Look at that. The less complicated option took longer to explain than the more complicated option. What a world. Anyway, LABELS, there’s nothing transphobic or gynophobic about
clearly and respectfully stating who and what you’re looking for. Use a positive framing (what you want), not a negative one (what you don’t). Indeed, letting people who don’t have penises know not to waste their time on you — cis women, nonbinary AFAB peeps, trans men who didn’t opt for bottom surgery, trans women who did — is a courtesy, not an insult. You might hear from some people who aren’t what you’re looking for, LABELS, but you aren’t obligated to respond.
Hey, Dan: I had an “argument” with my wife recently. I’m a 48-year-old straight cis man. I’m also poly and kinky. My wife is a 42-year-old cis bi/pan woman. We’ve been married for 12 years. We are active in our local BDSM scene. Two weeks ago, a mutual friend approached me for a scene at a kink club. She’s a trans woman. She wanted me to flog her. It was a great scene and we both (I hope) enjoyed ourselves. Let me state that it was purely an impact scene and there was nothing sexual about the scene on my end, but I did provide some basic aftercare in the form of snuggling afterwards.
The day after the scene, this friend texted me, thanked me for the scene, and then asked me to dinner. I said I would need to check with my wife, assuming the invitation was for both of us. She then made it clear she was asking me out on a date. My problem is I am not attracted to her. The primary reason, to be honest, is because she is trans — or more specifically, because she has a penis. I think she’s a great person and I’m totally down to get to know her better as a friend, but there’s no attraction on my side. If she was post-op, I’d be more open to it, but knowing she has a penis is a dealbreaker for me. I declined politely, saying I would be open to hanging out as friends, but I wasn’t interested in dating. She asked if it was because she was trans and I told her the truth. She said she was disappointed, of course, but she understood and appreciated my honesty. When I told my wife about this, she said I was transphobic because I’m not interested in our friend romantically or sexually. I was insulted. I’ve never held any prejudice against people who are transgender! A cousin who was trans committed suicide in the late 1990s and that really opened my eyes and I’ve had a girlfriend for more than a decade now whose daughter is trans and I love that girl. Maybe that sounds like, “I can’t be racist! I have black friends!,” but these are facts! (And I’m black!) My wife, however, thinks that it’s discriminatory and transphobic for me to reject our friend simply because she has a penis. She insists the presence of a penis should be a non-issue for me. I think this is unfair and, in all honesty, it’s really pissing me off. I like our mutual friend as a person, Dan, and I literally just played with her at a public event! I’m just not interested in dating her! Who’s in the wrong here?!? Extremely Not Into Dick The full version of Savage Love is now exclusively available on Dan’s website Savage.Love! To continue reading this week’s column, go to savage.love/savagelove!
questions@savagelove.net t@fakedansavage www.savage.love July 13-26, 2022 | clevescene.com |
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