Agenda 032416 issue 331 by Multi-Media Platforms

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Addiction, Overdose And Death

help their communities. “Unfortunately, it has taken FDA far too long to address the grave risks of these drugs that have claimed the lives of thousands this year alone,” said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass. Opioids are a class of powerful and highly-addictive drugs that include both prescription drugs like codeine and hydrocodone, as well as illegal narcotics, like heroin. Deaths linked to misuse and abuse of prescription opioids climbed to 19,000 in 2014, the highest figure on record, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heroin and opioid painkillers combined caused 28,650 fatal overdoses. Doctors are not required to follow the FDA’s instructions on drug labels, though they are often used as prescribing guidelines by hospitals, medical groups and insurers. Critics of the FDA, includ-

ing Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, called on the agency to add such warnings years ago. “The main driver of our opioid epidemic is addiction, and the immediate-release products are just as addictive,” said the group’s founder, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, an addiction therapist with Phoenix House, a network of rehabilitation clinics. The new FDA label will specify that the drugs like Percocet should only be used when other medications and alternative therapies cannot control patients’ pain. “This new indication, once finalized, will remind prescribers that immediate-release opioids are also powerful drugs with important safety concerns,” said Dr. Doug Throckmorton, a deputy director in the FDA’s drug center. Throckmorton said the agency’s 2013 labeling change focused on long-acting drugs like

OxyContin because they represented a “disproportionate risk” to patients, since they contain larger opioid levels. Government officials have tried a variety of approaches to tackling painkiller abuse in recent years. The FDA previously restricted combination pills like Vicodin to limit refills and who can prescribe them. States like Florida and New York have cracked down on “pill mills” using databases to monitor what doctors are prescribing. In a separate briefing Tuesday, the Obama administration’s drug czar praised the move by the FDA and Califf, who was confirmed to lead the agency last month. “I think we’re very heartened by the new director of the FDA and his enhanced focus on opioid issues,” said Michael Botticelli, National Drug Control Policy Director. “This is an all-of-government effort and clearly the FDA has a key role to play.” In addition to the boxed warning, the FDA said it would add new information about the risks of opioid use for pregnant women and their newborns as well as drug interactions with antidepressants and other medications. The FDA announcement comes less than a week after the CDC released the first-ever national prescribing guidelines for using opioids. The agency said primary care doctors should only turn to opioids after considering physical therapy, over-thecounter medications, counseling and other methods for treating chronic pain. nn March 24, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — Opiod painkillers routinely used by gays as recreational drugs just received the Food and Drug Administration’s stamp as the most addicting and lethal. Among the 175 branded and beneric drugs are the widely prescribed painkillers Vicodin and Percocet. The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday plans to add a boxed warning — the most serious type — to all immediate-release opioid painkillers. Those medications, which often combine oxycodone with lower-grade medications, are among the most commonly used drugs in the U.S. and account for 90 percent of all opioid painkillers prescribed. The long-awaited change comes roughly three years after the FDA added similar warnings to long-acting opioid drugs like OxyContin, which slowly release their doses over 12 hours or more. The labeling switch means both immediate and extendedrelease formulations will now highlight the risks of addiction, abuse, overdose and death. “We’re at a time when the unfathomable tragedies resulting from addiction, overdose and death have become one of the most urgent and devastating public health crises facing our country,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said on a call with reporters. “I can’t stress enough how critical it is for prescribers to have the most current information.” But lawmakers from states that have been ravaged by opioid addiction said such labeling changes have “done little” to

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Vicodin And Percocet:

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NatioNal News

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SunShine State newS

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Yet on the BeachBear Weekend site, it certainly appears as if Mayor Jack Seilor has issued one. In Recognition of 5th Annual Beach Bear Weekend May 5-9, 2016 WHEREAS, the 5th Annual Beach Bear Weekend will take place on May 5-9, 2016 on Fort Lauderdale Beach hosted by the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort; and WHEREAS, the event continues to bring men from all over the world to experience gay friendly Fort Lauderdale Beach and the city of Wilton Manors’ nightlife and other entertainment attractions; and WHEREAS, the city of Fort Lauderdale is proud to host the attendees of Beach Bear Weekend and are confident that Fort Lauderdale is the perfect setting for the scheduled activities; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Lauderdale congratulates the organizers of the Annual Beach Bear Weekend on the 5th Annual event and are delighted to issue this proclamation in celebration of the 5th Anniversary. NOW THEREFORE, WE, as City Commissioners of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, do hereby proclaim May 5-9, 2016 as: 5th Annual Beach Bear Weekend in the city of Fort Lauderdale and do encourage the attendees to take advantage of all that Fort Lauderdale has to offer. Dated this, the 1st day of March, 2016. Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler March 24, 2016

nWILTON MANORS—Bob Young is not a happy camper these days. After four years of running the successful event called BeachBear Weekend that pulled thousands of those husky and hairy studs to frolic on our white sandy beaches, the fifth anniversary of the event is a wipeout thanks to the antics of a man named Craig Jungwirth. Young signed an agreement on January 15, 2016 to assign the name BeachBear Weekend to Jungwirth in exchange for $100. And that was when all the trouble began. While last week’s issue of the Florida Agenda detailed many of the antics that local businesses have had to endure in their dealings with Jungwirth, it did not even begin to address the dozens of emails that have been sent from Jungwirth to Young and other indiviuals who have questioned both his intentions and honesty. While the BeachBear Weekend website (http://beachbearweekend. com/) is still up and running, advertising events that will not take place and charging for rooms, parties, and beach chairs that will not be supplied, clearly it is Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors that will take the brunt of the negative publicity when May 5 arrives and Jungwirth is unable to deliver on any of the packages he has sold or rooms purchased. Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Dean Trantalis called it “a huge calamity within our community.” While he remembered that Jungwirth had come to City Hall requesting that a proclamation from the mayor of Fort Lauderdale declare May 5th-9th the 5th Annual BeachBear Weekend, no such proclamation was ever issued,” Trantalis said.

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LATEST NEWS ON BEACHBEAR WEEKEND

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ACTIVE WEBSITE PAGES

A check of the minutes from commission meetings indicate that no such proclamation was ever issued.

Continued on page 22

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Tennessee scores one for Transgenders

Diversity Honors Returns May 13

Dale Noll is presidentelect for the National LGBT Bar Association

Dale Noll, a trusts and estates lawyer at Akerman LLP in Miami, has been named president-elect of the National LGBT Bar Association. He lives in Hollywood with husband Adolfo Gutierrez. (Although together for 22 years, they were married 2½ years ago in San Diego.)

INTERNATIONAL LGBT DISCRIMINATION AT EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH

Canadian Prime Minister To Join Toronto Pride Parade

TORONTO--Toronto’s Pride organizers say Justin Trudeau will become the first prime minister to participate in the festivities. The event takes place on July 3, 2016, and is in its 35th year. Toronto’s Pride event is unique in that it actually feature three different parades during the course of the ten-day celebration. On July 1, the Toronto Trans Parade is schedule. The following day, Toronoto Dyke Parade is slated. nn EXPERTS AND ADVOCATES CONDEMN DISCRIMINATION DISGUISED AS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WASHINGTON, DC--On Tuesday, experts, civil rights leaders and a member of Congress hosted a press call to condemn the “religious freedom” arguments used to justify discrimination in state-based legislation and in the upcoming Supreme Court arguments in Zubik v. Burwell. nn

New Kansas law lets campus religious groups restrict members

TOPEKA, KS (AP) - Kansas’ conservative Republican governor signed legislation Tuesday allowing faith-based groups at college campuses to restrict membership to like-minded people, likely putting the state on a collision course with civil liberties groups. nn

Transgender birth certificate change fails in Colorado

DENVER (AP) - A bill to make it easier for transgender people to change their birth certificates has failed in a Republican Colorado Senate committee. The bill would have allowed the change without the person getting surgery. And the new birth certificate would not be marked as “amended,” as is the case now. nn

N Carolina state senator resigns for attorney general bid

RALEIGH, NC (AP) - The Democratic nominee for North Carolina attorney general resigned his state Senate seat Monday to focus on efforts to win the statewide race in November. Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, filed a two-sentence resignation letter, leaving the chamber during his fourth term. He said in a separate statement he didn’t want his campaign efforts to impair the quality of representation of Wake County residents in his district. nn

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GENEVA--The European Organization for Nuclear Research, also known as CERN, has become embroiled in homophobia allegations over this past week after scientists involved with its on-site LGBT group reported abuse, offensive graffiti and hatefilled emails. nn

FORT LAUDERDALEDiversity Honors, the annual event that spotlights those people who live their lives by advancing inclusiveness will be held this year at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2016. Honorees will include Peter Clark, publisher of Hotspots Media Group; Rae Franks, lawyer and LGBT advocate; Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools; and Judge David Young. The annual Milk Foundation Milan Rosza Award will recognize Ryland Whittington.

NASHVILLE, TN (AP) - A bill that would require transgender students to use bathrooms that match their sex at birth failed in Tennessee on Tuesday. The bill died in a House committee meeting packed with transgender youth who opposed the measure, some of whom testified before the committee. nn

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News Briefs

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[ JUST ADAM /floridaagenda

The week reflected back through fabulously funny eyes

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MY HEART IS SADDENED. Horrific news out of Belgium. What a beautiful country and nice memories I have of visiting it. Fuck you ISIS. God forbid you should use your influence for something positive for your own people… Just killing and maiming innocent people that are going about their business. How cowardly. CRACK IS WACK. RIP Rob Ford, 46-year-old. Although he provided a lot of fodder from his drug habits and Chris Farley-like appearance, I’m saddened that it appears that he could not conquer his demons. Prayers and thoughts to his family. CAN WE SAY “MAKEOVER. My God!!! Angie from “Angie’s List” has transformed from frumpy midwestern-closeted housewife to total lipstick lesbian chic! THE NEW ZOO REVIEW THROWBACK. OMG! I used to wake up at 5:30 AM on Saturdays and watch this when I was a little kid… And I’m horrified to realize that all these years later it wasn’t the drugs giving me these visions. TEEN WITCH – I LIKE BOYS. Not gonna lie. The same day I came to accept my sexuality, I did an impromptu performance of this in the locker room. CHANNEL SURFING. I’m thinking that the Hallmark Channel should be renamed the Trump channel… Pretty much everyone on here is white and peaked in relevance around 1988. THOSE RAINY SATURDAY MEMORIES. Drinking wine, vaping, watching back episodes of “Dateline”... Just throw me in a yellowing wedding dress and I’m the f*cking Miss Havisham of South Florida. THE AFTER DARK EFFECT.

It’s SaturGay and I’m feeling sassy.

REALITY SHOW DRAMA QUEENS. You have entered the screechy, white trash, bigoted People’s Court! I give this 5 minutes. Sarah Palin, who does not have a law degree, signed a deal with Montanabased production company for a reality court show that would premiere next year if it’s picked up by stations.

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WHAT WE FEEL WHEN WE LOOK IN A MIRROR. It takes a gay village to look this good.

Adam Cohen is South Florida’s favorite and most fabulous social commentator. He’s also single. Find him on Facbook to keep up with his hilarious take on the week’s headlines.

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COVER STORY

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HARVEY RANTS: Let the Idiot Trump Be the Republicans’ Problem

BY RICHARD HACK

March 24, 2016

Gravel-voiced, Brooklyn-born actor/playright Harvey Fierstein has never been known for his restraint. His Tony-award winning Torch Song Trilogy set him on the street to success. Fierstein made his theater debut in 1971 as “an asthmatic lesbian maid” in Andy Warhol’s only play, Pork. He is also one of just a handful of people to won four Tony awards in different categories: two for Torch Song in 1983 as Best Actor (Play) and Author of Best Play: a third in 1984, the Book (Musical) Tony for writing the libretto of La Cage aux Folles; and the fourth in 2003, as Best Actor (Musical) in the Divine role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. To date, it’s been quite a ride. As an writer and actor who never considered himself in the closet, since he was considered gay before the proverbial closet was discovered, Fierstein has been refreshingly outspo-

ken about, well, everything, His latest outpouring came to us on Monday by way of rant in which he says enough is enough with these Trump protests. Stop it now; shut it down. That’s Fierstein’s view. It’s not because he thinks Trump shouldn’t be told to shut up. It’s more that Fierstein things it’s the Republicans’ job to do it. “Watching our people protesting Trump today I have to say that I don’t understand what we’re doing. “I understand that we must always speak out against intolerance and bigotry and anyone who would destroy American values to ensure their own profits but, at this moment… WHY ARE WE DOING THE REPUBLICANS’ JOB FOR THEM? “They created Trump. They earned him. As if their hateful rhetoric wasn’t enough, just in how they treated our President, they earned Trump! “With every racist slight,

with every homophobic slander, with every manufactured semiautomatic weapon and oil spill and fracking disaster and shuttered women’s clinic and attack on affordable health care, the Republican leadership built this Frankenstein monster. “Let the monster they created and nurtured destroy them!” He added: “What do you think they’ll do if we manage to Dump Trump? They’ll only turn around and give us the next horror from their arsenal of selfish intolerance. “Look who they have to offer America. Next up is Cruz. CRUZ!!!!! “Someone who has done nothing in his career but self promote, obstruct progress, and lie. “Don’t you see that Trump is the radical that makes the dangerous Cruz look reasonable? Even THEY loathe Cruz. But they are willing to back him to the White House. “WHY IS IT OUR JOB TO

GUIDE THE REPUBLICANS TOWARD A LESSER EVIL? “They’ve already all said that they’d back Trump if he gets the nomination. Does anyone really think they have America’s welfare at heart???? “My friends… This is the time for us to work FOR OUR PARTY and not for the Republicans. “They poisoned their garden and can now only grow weeds and briers like Trump and Cruz. “They need to make things right in their own world or, trust me, they will poison us all. They need to clean up the toxic waste dump that has become their party. We can’t do that for them. “Meanwhile, WE have our own work to do. We have our own candidates to support. We have America’s future to worry about. “Let’s do our job. Let’s use our energy to work FOR SOMETHING. Not against it.” Here, here. nn

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March 24, 2016

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Publisher Maura “Mumball” Lane

2000 Oakland Park Blvd. Suite 106 | Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 Phone: 954-380-8563 | www.floridaagenda.com

Art Director Kevin Broady

AS I SEE IT

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TAKES ITS TOLL

“If I could turn back time, If I could find a way,” Cher sang in her 1989 megahit. Of course, all of us know the secret where turning back time is concerned, and we all did it several weeks ago on Sunday March 13th when we adjusted our clocks for Daylight Savings Time. (Okay, those in Arizona didn’t touch their clocks because they’re exempt from all of this for some silliness having to do with the Mountain time zone and World War II.) Be that as it may, we used to always look forward to Daylight Savings Time, for we always thought it somehow got us more sun—hardly in short supply in Florida any time of the year. Such is not the case. This is not to suggest that I didn’t turn back every clock in the Hack-Davis household on the 13th. Of By course I did. Richard I even read stoHack ries about the origin of Daylight Savings Time beginning with Benjamin Franklin, which turned out to be completely false. Oh, Franklin did suggest Daylight Savings Time in 1784 when he wrote an essay for the French Journal of Paris titled March 24, 2016

Editor-In-Chief Richard Hack richardhack@wirld.com

“An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light.” Ben’s theory at the time was that, since it essentially gave us more daylight, it would save on the cost of candles. True, but apparently not enough to convince anyone at the time to go along with the idea—en masse. While I was doing my research, however, I begin to hear rumors of how it was actually BAD for your health to go around fussing with time. Upon carefully checking the facts, it seems medical research does suggest that Daylight Savings Time comes at a price. A recent study found that the overall rate for stroke was 8% higher in the two days after daylight saving time. Cancer victims were 25% more likely to have a stroke during that time, and people older than 65 were 20% more likely to have a stroke. How is this possible, you ask? Well, it didn’t make sense to me either, so I dug deeper. The research was conducted at the Finnish University of Turku where Dr. Jori Ruuskanen discovered that turning back time screwed around with the circadian clock—our internal stopwatch. Daylight savings time is a small change, Ruuskanen said, but it affects whole nations twice a year. Ruuskanen suggested that the risk drops off in the days after the transition because our bodies and circadian clocks gradually adapt. He and his fellow researchers will pres-

excuse to investigate sex, I’ve ent their findings in Vancouver, recruited by husband to exBritish Columbia, during the plore Dr. Ruuskanen’s theories annual meeting of the American and experiment. I’ll keep you Academy of Neurology next posted, as always. nn month. Ruuskanen said he and his team expect to continue looking into other potential health effects of the time shift as well. Richard Hack is the award-winFor homo and bisexuals, the ning author of 26 books, and the effect is quite specific, accordVice President of Content for Muling to the researchers in Fintimedia Platforms’ publications. land, who know these things. Apparently, gays produce less sperm, and have a drop in their overall sex drive during A PUBLICLY-TRADED LGBTQ COMPANY the week folSTOCK SYMBOL: MMPW lowing Daylight Savings corporate Time. In an effort PETER JACKSON to correct for President, COO & Group Executive Publisher the drop, the body redouKevin Hopper Maura “Mumball” Lane bles it efforts Vice President l Operations VP l Sales & Marketing in that area and ultimately Richard Hack Dennis Dean overcompenVice President l Content Vice President l Creative sates. All of which mean Jeff Sterling Michael Turner that as you’re President l Digital Media Ventures Vice President l Finance reading this column, your Keith Chamlee Tim Hart body has just Corporate Circulation Director Chief Financial Officer come off of hyperdrive and should be C. Lawrence Rutstein Chairman of the Board oozing sexuality. As one who ROBERT “BOBBY” BLAIR takes any Founder & CEO

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

PAUL BERGE

strengthened. You might say it was the day I “got my calling.” As the Pastor was delivering his sermon, I envisioned myself doing the same thing. I wanted to be sure my feelings were true and not something that was a whim, so I continued to go weekly. And each week, I continued to know this was the direction my life was supposed to take. I only had one reservation. How do I tell my family? We were raised to be open and talk about anything, but this was one of those things that you just don’t walk in the house and say to a Jewish mother “Hey Mom, I decided I’m going to follow Christianity!” It took months, but eventually happened. She knew I had been going to church with friends and came out and asked me point-blank “Just how involved are you at that church?” I pulled out a business card that said “Worship Coordinator”. The discussion continued and it was very long. She didn’t fully understand, but I did make it clear, I would one day be wearing clerics. On December 16th of 1990, I was baptized into the Christian faith. It wasn’t until my mom came to visit me and attended a church service with me and “saw me in action” seeing just what it meant to me. I introduced her to the pastor and congregation. Since that day, she and my family have been extremely supportive of my faithful journey. They are proud of who I am as a person, and my accomplishments over the last 26 years. My twin brother and his girlfriend were in attendance at my ordination to the deaconate in 2005, which made the day even more special. In 2011, I was ordained as an interfaith minister. Over the years, my mom has continued to come to church at least once a visit. At 58, I couldn’t be happier in my journey. So, to those of you, who question your faith path in life; choose the one that makes you feel the most comfortable, even if it’s not the one you grew up with. It’s not always an easy choice, but in the end you must do what is best for you. There is nothing better than a faithful journey you were meant to be on. I leave you with these words: “To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism.” ~Eboo Patel nn

Rev. Joel S. Slotnick is an ordained interfaith minister and full time digital court reporter. He can be found on Facebook and followed on Twitter.

March 24, 2016

of Slotnick, you can rest assure people look at me kind of puzzled when I am introduced in many social settings as Reverend Slotnick. Let’s be honest, my last name screams out Judaism, not Christianity. If asked, I share how it came to be. I have written before that I grew up in a Jewish household. I didn’t have a Bar Mitzvah as my parents had divorced and my mother wasn’t able to afford sending three kids to Hebrew school. Payment plans for such a thing in the ‘60s were pretty non-existent. You paid or you didn’t go. However, we were raised to observe the Jewish holidays and what they were about. I didn’t think too much of it as a kid. I knew it was hard work to learn a new language, let alone reading Hebrew and I saw what my friends went through. But in high school, I needed an elective, so I chose Hebrew. All I can say is “oy.” It was very difficult for me as a teenager. I could only imagine how I would have felt experiencing this as a child. I passed, but barely. I just couldn’t connect. I don’t know if it was the language, the ritual or what. However, I did connect with church, which I experienced with Catholic neighbors. Don’t ask me how or why, I just did. Over the next 19 years, I had a relationship with God and had faith; however, I didn’t attend any “formal” house of worship. Twenty-six years ago was Easter Sunday, April 15th, 1990. I was invited to attend church with Christian friends of mine. They knew I had been to a church before, so it wasn’t an odd request to them. Besides, I was going to be having Easter dinner with them. So, I went. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I was 32 and it has been about 20 years since I had last been in a church. The experience was beyond what I ever imagined as my spiritual journey began and my faith

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In just a few days, persons of Christian faith around the world will be celebrating Easter. Sharefaith.com describes it (in part): “Easter Sunday is the day of rejoicing that follows the sorrow of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. For most Christians, Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It bears witness to God’s enduring promise of eternal life. As the climax of Holy Week, Easter is a time of hope and assurance. It is humanity’s turning point from destruction to glory and salvation”. In a few weeks, persons of Jewish faith around the world will be celebrating Passover. Chabad. By Rev. org describes it (in part): “The eight-day festival of Joel Passover is celebrated in the Slotnick early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan. It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. And, by following the rituals of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained.” With all the things going on in today’s news, why would I talk about this? Both are a part of who I am today as a person. With the last name

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A FAITHFUL JOURNEY

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OPINION

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THE AGENDA INTERVIEW

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PATRICK SALERNO PRESENTS DEVOURE WORDS BY RICHARD HACK PHOTO BY DENNIS DEAN

Devoure is the name of the newest private ca-

tering service in town, and it’s run by an enthusiastic Italian named Patrick Salerno who comes by his talent naturally. Growing up, he was surrounded by food—and wine—and cheese—and bread. And all the cacophony that occurs in an Italian home kitchen. After a decade working in the restaurant industry, he has gone private with Devoure. We were treated to a lovely four-course meal at the lavish private home of Linda Iverson, Bay Colony’s resident diva. It was an exciting launch to a promising endeavor.

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AGENDA: How did you get involved in personal catering. It’s a big leap from the high profile restaurant chains in which you previously worked. SALERNO: I love food. LOVE it. And I have since I’ve been 16. That’s when I started in the industry working in restaurants.

Photo: Sophy Holland

A: In what capacity? S: I’ve worked in the front of the house at J. Alexanders and then I became a line-cook in a restaurant kitchen. But I quickly learned that it wasn’t for me. I needed something more personal.

A: Personal? As in preparing a unique meal for a unique person? S: I wanted to get out of the restaurant industry and focus on finer food for smaller groups. I no longer want to be involved in the fast pace of a big capacity restaurant preparing a dish that you can’t put your name on. You’re following a corporate recipe that has no personality or character. A: So that’s how Devoure was born? S: Devoure just materialized within the past three or four

A: So where do you find customers who can afford to cater a small dinner party! S: There is a HUGE market in South Florida. Just in Fort Lauderdale alone. Think of the multimillion dollar estates and the 120 foot yachts. The people who own those are rich and hungry! A: So why hire Devoure. S: We provide more than just a well-cooked meal. We provide a total experience. Talent is one thing, but hospitality is another and when you bring the two together, you are really going to take charge in this industry.

A: So how does it work. The client gives you a menu and you go shopping? S: The way that I want to format

A: Do you create all your own recipes? S: Everything I make is from scratch. I never buy pre-made dressings for instance. I also like to use organic produce whenever possible. I want you to taste the flavor of the recipe, not pesticides. Farm to table as much as possible is what we deliver. And deliver they do. Our meal was a beautifully presented explosion of tastes. For our appetizers, Salerno prepared Seared Beef Tenderloin with a Gorgonzola Mousse Bruschetta plus a Wild Mushroom Bruschetta with a Balsamic Glaze. The first course was a Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with a Spicy Remoulade. (He also did a vegetarian version of the same crab cake that used artichokes. Delicious.) For the salad, Salerno prepared a Romaine Heart with marinade kale, quinoa, grapes, and chickpeas in an orange champagne vinaigrette. For the main entrée, he created his own take on Pasta Primavera, with shrimp, garlic, lemon, fresh basil, fresh vegetables, olive oil and a thin spaghetti. And for dessert, we savored Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse with toasted hazelnuts and shaved dark chocolate in a champagne glass, garnished with a blackberry. Così saporito, così delizioso , così Devoure. DEVOURE 1329 NW THIRD AVE FORT LAUDERDALE FL 33311 602-752-3351 PATSALERNO2@AOL.COM

SECRET RECIPE SERIES By Patrick Salerno

BEEF TENDERLOIN BRUSCHETTA WITH A GORGONZOLA MOUSSE Bruschetta, the wonderful appetizer from Italy that combines grilled bread, garlic and olive oil takes on a whole new dimension with the addition of center-cut filet and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. It’s the creation of Patrick Salerno, the chef-owner of the personal catering service Devoure. INGREDIENTS 1 8oz center cut filet 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese 1/2 cup cream cheese 2 tablespoons of chopped chives 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup of heavy cream 1 teaspoon chopped garlic BRUSCHETTA 1 french baguette 1 whole garlic clove 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Generously season filet with salt and pepper. On high heat, in a cast iron pan, sear filet till medium rare. Remove from heat and set aside, giving time for the meat to rest. In a large mixer, with whisk attachment, combine all remaining ingredients. On high speed whisk for 5 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally and set aside. Slice the baguette 1/4 thick on a bias, brush with olive oil and place under broiler till lightly brown. Immediately rub the whole garlic clove on the toasts. Slice the fillet 1/4 inch thick against the grain. To assemble, spread the gorgonzola mixture evenly on each toast, top with one slice of filet. Garnish with fresh parsley.

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A: Do you have a partner? S: The beautiful Giselly Pereira. (The slim and effervescent Giselly does a twirl.) We first met several years ago in restaurants, and we work great together. So she and I are going to be partners in crime. She is going to be the face of Devoure, and I’m going to be the artistic vision.

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A: But each job means you’re working in a strange kitchen— correct? S: The hardest part of working in a strange kitchen is figuring out where people put everything. We bring 90 percent of the things that we need to prepare the meal, but you can’t always have everything so we depend on the homeowner to have little odds and ends.

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A: So what’s your ideal audience for Devoure. S: I love cooking for small events. Seven to 10 or 15. Nothing over 20. Ideally, these would be held in large homes with professional kitchens. (Hopefully, with gas ovens and stoves because they give you the optimal control. I even like the sound of the flame!)

this operation is by having an initial consultation with the client. I really want to learn their likes and dislikes—not only in food, but right down to their favorite color. It’s important to bring more than just taste to the table. Is there a theme? What elevation of product do you want me to use? Are we talking about filet and lobster, or a pasta dish? Either can be excellent, but they are very different efforts.

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months, when various opportunities came together to allow me to begin catering private events, and I began marketing my business through word of mouth.

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As we now know, it would have been better for Hillary Clinton to have come simply to bury Nancy Reagan and not to praise her. Or at least not to praise her for something she and her husband never did; speak out and take prompt action on the AIDS crisis. Some of the pushback, along with Clinton’s quick retraction and apology, has included assertions that President Reagan did at least do something — albeit not nearly enough and not nearly soon enough. Others have re-quoted author and AIDS activist, Larry Kramer’s famous accusation that President Reagan “murdered more gay people BY than LINDA anyone in PENTZ the entire history of the world.” In the midst of this furore, the Vagabond Players, a community theatre in Baltimore, revived Kramer’s play, The Normal Heart, which chronicles the AIDS crisis among predominantly white gay men in New York during the 1980s. As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently noted, that crisis has not so much

abated as changed demographics. “One half of black gay and bisexual men, and one quarter of latino gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime,” the CDC wrote. So I was curious about the choice of The Normal Heart and its almost all white cast in 2016: does it now serve only as a historical document? Or is it still in some way relevant? After seeing the play and talking to its director, Howard Berkowitz, the answer was clearly “both.” There had been approximately 40,000 deaths from AIDS by the time of Reagan’s first speech on the topic in 1987. Meanwhile, lesser emergencies were given full attention. This disproportionate response is still sadly in evidence today. “One of the things that’s made a big deal of in the play is the way the AIDS crisis is dealt with and how something like Legionnaires’ disease or the Tylenol scare was dealt with,” Berkowitz pointed out. It reminded him of the present obsession with the Zika virus compared to, say, gun control. “Every single day on the front page of the major magazines in this country there is something about Zika,” said Berkowitz. “Or Trump! The combination is really deadly,” he laughed. “But Zika, how many people have died? Like six?” Meanwhile, Americans use

guns to kill an average of 91 people a day. Yet Congress fails to act on gun control. So, yes, The Normal Heart is about AIDS, but the lessons we take away are far more universal. “The government incompetence comes out several times in this show,” Berkowitz said. “So we think about Flint, we think about disasters that could have easily been avoided that are caused by government incompetence and turning the blind eye. In this case it was the gay community. In Flint it’s most likely the African American community that was ignored. And you think about Baltimore and Freddie Gray. Incompetence never goes away and neither does HIV. So in that sense it feels politically quite relevant.” Syria is another example, says Berkowitz, where the response was “‘oh it’s not that urgent, it’s not that important, we’ll just wait.’ Or Trump. We will wait until the monster has devoured us and it’s too late.” Or, as The Normal Heart makes agonizingly clear, until we have done too little along with too late. nn

Linda Pentz is the Washington correspondent of the Florida Agenda. She can be contacted at lindapentz@mmplgbt.com. Follow her on Twitter @CapitolAgenda

JUST A REMINDER

Photos vogue.com

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REAGAN INACTION ON AIDS SEEN TODAY IN FOOT-DRAGGING ON FLINT, GUN CONTROL

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CAPITOL BEAT

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n n n n n

The Normal Heart is a largely autobiographical play by Larry Kramer. It focuses on the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks, the gay founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. Ned prefers loud public confrontations to the calmer, more private strategies favored by his associates, friends, and closeted lover Felix Turner. Their differences of opinion lead to frequent arguments that threaten to undermine their mutual goal. After a successful 1985 Off-Broadway production at The Public Theater, the play was revived in Los Angeles and London and again Off-Broadway in 2004. A Broadway debut opened in April 2011. In 2014 HBO produced the film for television, directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Larry Kramer. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, and Julia Roberts. Now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

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two grooms and broward center present

Mar 31

apr 10

an interactive gay wedding comedy

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Tickets at BrowardCenter.org Ticketmaster | 954.462.0222 Broward Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AutoNation Box Office Group Sales | 954.660.6307

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One Million Moms BY D’ANNE WITOWSKI

March 24, 2016

Alert! Alert! All One Million Moms to their battle stations! A new TV show has a gay. I repeat: a new TV show has a gay. Until President Ted Cruz makes such defilements of the small screen a Federal Hate Crime against Christians, we must join our 2 million hands together and Pray the Gay Away! The particular gay is the character Kenny O’Neal on the new ABC sit-com “The Real O’Neals,” a show about a Catholic family. To make matters worse, Kenny is played by openly gay actor Noah Galvin and the TV show is loosely based around the life of Notorious Gay Dan Savage. Which makes this a gay trifecta and is probably a sign of End Times. Or it could just be yet another in a long line of likely short-lived mediocre sitcoms that deal with all kinds of family trials and tribulations. But one can never be too sure! Which is why One Million Moms (a group that boasts 83,957 Facebook “likes” but doesn’t let math get in the way of its mission) says that “This Jesus-Ridiculing Show Needs to Go Dark Right Now” and is urging its members to contact Simply Orange (a Coca Cola product) and shriek at them for daring

to run commercials during the depravity of “The Real O’Neals.” “’The Real O’Neals’ mocks Christianity and insults Catholicism,” One Million Moms laments on their website. “One Million Moms (1MM) recognizes this show ridicules people of faith, and Christians across America are offended by it.” Yeah! Cue Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It!” Because if there’s anything Catholics never do, it’s poke fun at themselves! Humor is the devil’s work! Things that 1MM singles out as depraved include the fact that Jesus appears to Kenny, and only Kenny, during a scene at a family restaurant and the fact that Kenny’s mom encourages him to try having sex with a girl. Other things 1MM failed to mention but were probably also aghast at: Kenny’s girlfriend wants him to have sex with her and gives him a big box of condoms. When he goes into the bathroom to put one on, a beefy shirtless dude appears in the mirror and encourages him to “come out.” In a panic Kenny flushes the condoms down the toilet which causes it to overflow. The ceiling below begins to drip and then collapses, com-

plete with condoms, onto the priest who is visiting downstairs. Ha! So funny! Are you laughing so hard? Or are you, too, wondering how the ceiling could have become so damaged so quickly from an overflowing toilet? It’s not realistic, I tell you! Why aren’t One Million Plumbers taking to the streets over this show? Seriously, though. As David Windsor, an executive producer of the show, told the Huffington Post, “At the end of the day, you are going to realize that (the show) is about this family that just loves each other. And faith is an important part of their lives.” I get that 1MM is upset because it’s their job to be upset. But part of what they’re mad about is the fact that a Catholic family is being portrayed as dysfunctional, and yet they’re still Catholic. If every family had to renounce their Christianity every time the parents got divorced or a child came out as gay, anorexic or a kleptomaniac (and the O’Neals are all of those things), there would be no Christians left. Aside from the significantly less than 1 million self-righteous members of 1MM, of course. nn

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CREEP OF THE WEEK

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[

OPINION

lgbtq Statistics

More One Million Mom Protest Besides the organization wanting “The Real O’Neals” series taken off air, here some of the other things they are protesting. The new FOX drama “Lucifer,” which they claim is “spiritually dangerous.” The group states, “The new program ‘Lucifer’ glorifies Satan as a caring, likable person in human flesh.” according to their website. Next they had an issue with the Campbell’s Soup ad featuring real-life gay dads.

Then the group wanted ABC’s “The Muppets” taken off the air for indecency, claiming that they are the new face of sin. Plus they took aim at 14-year-old trans girl Jazz Jennings, star of TLC’s reality series “I Am Jazz,” and called her someone’s “mistake.” When the group got wind that the American Girl Magazine had featured a “non-traditional” family, it launched an attack against both the American Girl Doll and parent company Mattel, accusing them of promoting the gay agenda. The group has a never-ending list of things they are protesting.

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March 24, 2016

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SunShine State newS Continued

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n n n n n

Update on BeachBear Weekend

March 24, 2016

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“It is really important for the bear community at large to know that this is not the doing of Fort Lauderdale,” Trantalis told the Florida Agenda. “We have always embraced the bear community and this guy (Jungwirth) has really tarnished the bear community and its reputation.” Richard Grey, the Managing Director for the LGBT market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, “Very clearly, we welcome bears in Fort Lauderdale. Diversity and color is the personality of this destination. When I first heard about Beach Bear Five, I was very excited and I think it is a great event. “After all, we have a large resident bear community and they are always eager to welcome guests to our town and our clubs like Village Pub, Alibi, Hunters, and Scandals.

“While Fort Lauderdale is popular with all types of LGBT travelers, it is a BIG loss that this event is not going to happen. “We have supported BeachBear Weekend, it is a right event and a good event. Unfortunately, the management is out of our hands.” Co-originator Bob Young is quick to point out that Nikki Grossman at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau turned down his request last year with financial incentives for the event which is what led him to sell the rights to BeachBear Weekend in the first place. In the meantime, international bear organizations are attempting to circumvent Chris Jungwirth and hold their own functions over the same weekend, staying at area gay resorts. nn

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March 24, 2016

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Troy

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is a lover boy. He loves to cuddle and snuggle with his person. He also enjoys long walks and exploring. Troy looks forward to doggie playtime with his foster dog brother, too. Troy is most likely a chi-corgi mix as he is a bit of a low rider pup. He knows basic commands and is willing to learn more to please his person. Housebroken and crate trained, too.

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BY ALEXANDER KACALA

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Pet of the Week

LuLu Ling

For more information on these pets, please contact Animal Aid at 754-223-5378. Animal Aid is located at 571 NE 44th Street on the North West corner of Prospect (44th) and 6th in Oakland Park, Florida.

March 24, 2016

was abandoned by her owners after they were forced to leave the facility they were living in. LuLu is a very sweet declawed cat that loves everyone. She loves attention and is very calm and very mellow. This sweet lady needs a home with a family who will enjoy her.

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Mark My Words

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PUZZLE

March 24, 2016

Across

1 Barely beats 5 Stat for Richard Simmons 9 They’re tops on the beach 13 It can bear fruit 14 Morales of La Bamba 15 Wilde country 16 Cabaret mister 17 Mild oath 18 Once more 19 Start of Mark Hamill’s answer about Skywalker’s orientation 22 Coin of Foucault 23 Boob tubes 24 Memorial designer Maya ___ 27 Go gaga over Lady Gaga, e.g. 30 Restroom, for short 33 “Double Fantasy” artist 34 More of the answer 35 Sex attachment 36 E. Wolfson or R. Cohn 37 Came together 39 P-town’s Crowne Pointe, e.g. 40 “May the ___ be with you” 42 More of the answer 44 Like a muscle Mary pumping iron 46 At Swim, Two Boys writer Jamie 47 Like some exotic fruit 50 End of the answer 54 He cruised for forty days straight 55 Ed Wood role 56 Blast furnace fuel 58 Stud fee? 59 Richard of A Summer Place 60 One of the Brewer models 61 Jethrene Bodine portrayer Max 62 Bianchi and Hulce 63 Material for Sylvia Beach? For the solution to this puzzle go to: floridaagenda.com/puzzle

Down

1 Ordinal for John Nash 2 Hot temper 3 Frasier actress Gilpin 4 Workers at the bottom 5 Bridge call 6 Twin to Jacob 7 Dogs do it when they’re hot 8 Visit Judy Garland’s birthplace, e.g. 9 Billy and family 10 Button’s place 11 “We ___ Family” 12 Work under Edith Head, perhaps 20 “__-hoo! Fellas!” 21 Nurses stick these in 24 Sits on one’s bottom 25 Coming up behind 26 Cathedral word in gay Paree 28 California has a big one 29 Heart test 30 One of the Mario Brothers 31 Record in a queer archive 32 Record material 37 Part of MGM 38 Shore of Palm Springs 41 Position near Dave Pallone 43 Goes for 45 “Dang straight!” 46 Indian et al. 48 Rag? alternative 49 Religion of Allah 50 Sometime Capote associate Chaplin 51 It has a fickle finger 52 The Music Man setting 53 It comes after fore 54 Snatch 57 Split one in the locker room

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March 24, 2016

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28 March 24, 2016

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March 24, 2016

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Market Place /floridaagenda

CONTACT NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, MAURA “MUMBALL” LANE AT 954-543-5947 OR MAURA@WIRLD.COM TO GET ON THE LIST.

ACCOUNTING

Sterling Tax & Accounting 2435 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-667-9829 / sterlingandhart.com

ATTORNEYS

EVENTS Source Events 605 Lincoln Road, #410 Miami Beach, FL 33139 305-672-9779 / sourceevents.com

FINANCIAL

FOOD / GROCERY

HEALTH

Diana’s 12001 Avalon Lake Drive Orlando, FL 32828 407-207-0205 /dianasbakeryandcafe.com

HEALTH

Dean Trantalis Attorney 2255 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2226 / trantalislaw.com

INCOME TAX

BARBERSHOP

Best Books and Taxes 2201 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-565-1041 / bestbooksandtaxes.com

INSURANCE Dunham Fort Lauderdale 2601 E Oakland Park Blvd, Suite 303 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-564-7772 / dunhamins.com

CHURCH / SPIRITUAL

We Insure 1975 E Sunrise Blvd, Suite 602 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-903-7519 / weinsureﬂ.com

FITNESS Pump’n Inc Tom Bonanti 1271 NE 9th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-557-1119 / pumpnincgym.com

FURNITURE

Center for Spiritual Living 1550 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2868 / cslftl.com

LANDSCAPING

Genesis Health Institute 1001 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-561-3175 / ghinstitute.com Ocean Therapy Center 2530 NE 15th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-351-2299 oceantherapycenter.com

March 24, 2016

Holy Angels Catholic Community 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33334 954-633-2987 / holyangelsﬂ.org

Better Hearing-World of Sounds 2450 E Commercial Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 954-491-2560 betterhearingworldofsounds.com

Etz Chaim 2038 N Dixie Hwy Pride Ctr Bldg B Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 / etzchaimﬂorida.org

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Market Place /floridaagenda

PAWNBROKERS

SPA 11 Lic#MA75718 2000 E Oakland Park Blvd, Suite 103 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-945-5133 / spa11massage.com

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MASSAGE

MUSIC

PHOTOGRAPHY Dennis Dean Images 3554 NE 12th Avenue Oakland Park, FL 33334 954-240-8307 / dennisdean.com

REAL ESTATE OPTICAL Island City Eyecare 2301 Wilton Drive, Suite C1 Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-764-6906 / visionsource-ice.com

ORGANIZATIONS

Robert Geary MacKilligan on Las Olas Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-234-8759 / rgmsell@aol.com Joe Grano Realtor 1881 NE 26th Street, Suite 212 Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-931-0031 / joegrano.com

REAL ESTATE

The Pride Center 2040 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-463-9005 / pridecenterďŹ&#x201A;orida.com Out of the Closet 2097 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-358-5580 / outofthecloset.org

Sunrise Pawnbrokers 3043 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-563-3147 / SunrisePawn.com

March 24, 2016

PAWNBROKERS

POSITIVELY AWARE

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n n n n n BY RICK GUASCO

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Something More Important Than Fear One man’s journey back to HIV treatment

March 24, 2016

Last October, I came out. Everyone who knows me was surprised. Although I’ve been openly gay most of my adult life, and I’ve been HIV-positive since 1992, I have only been on treatment for a very short time. Three years ago, I fell out of care completely and was no longer on meds. You’d think I would know better. I’m a fairly intelligent person, even if also opinionated and stubborn. Plus, I work for Positively Aware, an HIV treatment magazine, so you’d think I would be more, well, aware, of the importance of HIV treatment. Except that I had become tired and afraid. I think that as long as I have lived with HIV, I’ve always lived with some measure of fear. It didn’t matter how healthy I was, or how sick I felt, fear has always lurked in the background. In the summer of 1992, I developed blotches on my skin. The purplish spots continued to blossom, about five new ones a week. When the fear became too much, I got tested that December: I was HIV-positive--and the spots were likely Kaposi sarcoma (KS), an opportunistic infection that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had labeled as an “end-stage AIDS-defining illness.” “Good luck,” my post-test counselor said as he handed me three publications. Kaposi sarcoma is a disease in which malignant tumors can form in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes and other organs. Chemotherapy was the standard treatment for KS, but it often killed the weakest patients, and it seemed I was next. The fear of KS was overwhelming. More than 100 lesions covered my body, 50 on my head alone. I looked like I had two black eyes and a swollen lip. I began reading the three handouts I’d been given, all of which were published by Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN), an AIDS service organization in Chicago where I live. One of them

was Positively Aware. The more I read, the more my fear subsided to a level where I could think. That’s when I realized information was the key to getting a grip on my situation. I discovered a clinical trial that used interferon, a known cancer-fighting drug, to treat KS. But I’m so afraid of needles, it took more than two weeks before I could bring myself to begin the daily course of a self-administered injection of interferon into my upper thigh. Whenever I jabbed myself, I would close my eyes and look the other way. Imagine having the body aches of the flu--every day. That was the major side effect of interferon. At its worst, I would rock back and forth at my desk, like someone experiencing withdrawal. But the interferon worked. Within two years, nearly all the lesions were gone. In 1997, protease inhibitors, the first class of effective HIV drugs, appeared. But soon afterward, HIV patients began to report side effects from the long-term use of these medications and from having lived so long with the virus. Some people experienced a redistribution of body fat, giving them gaunt-looking faces, or swollen bellies, or the appearance of a slight hunchback. So, quite frankly, I was grateful for my interferon side effects. Having had a disfiguring disease, I have become self-conscious about my appearance. My KS treatment was apparently keeping me healthy enough that I thought I could justify skipping HIV treatment. After my insurance no longer covered interferon, I stopped taking it. For a few years, I coasted. I “felt healthy enough” to refrain from HIV treatment. Then in 2011, a familiar purplish spot appeared, just below my left ankle. My KS was back. Once again, fear took hold. As months went by, I looked on as the spot slowly grew. It was only the fear that another spot might soon appear that made me see a doctor. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. These days, the only treatment for KS is to go

on HIV medication. Reluctantly, I did, going on one of the first single-tablet regimens. The spot began to shrink, then disappear, and my viral load and T-cell count improved. The side effects came with almost the first pill. Repetitive dreams nearly as bad as those from interferon. And during the day, a depression was beginning to settle in. I was afraid that this was my new normal. I struggled for 11 months. My meds had been covered by the state ADAP program, and my job’s insurance was about to kick in. However, the paperwork transitioning me from ADAP to private insurance had gotten lost, and I now had no way to pay for my refill. This only seemed to add insult to injury, so I walked away from treatment. I was afraid, however, of being called irresponsible – or a hypocrite. I told myself that my healthcare (or lack of it) was a personal decision. After all, I still “felt healthy enough.” But old fears lingered. Once, I had been afraid I wouldn’t live to see 30; having passe50, I was starting to fear what might lie ahead. My fears led me back to when I first faced KS. I’d made it this far; I was damned if I was going to die like it was 1985. That’s when I decided to get back onto treatment. Four weeks later, my numbers had already significantly improved. And this time, the side effects have been negligible. No one wants to admit to being afraid. Fear can make you feel helpless and isolated. But the truth is, you are not alone. If you learn how to use it, fear can be a good thing. It can remind you that there is something more important than fear. nn

Rick Guasco has been Creative Director of Positively Aware since 2010. He occasionally posts on Facebook about his return to HIV treatment.

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March 24, 2016

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POWERFUL HELPFUL TIPS

Become a

Powerhouse of Positive Energy BY TOM BONANTI



March 24, 2016

Do you often dread going to work because you just don’t have the strength anymore to face routine responsibilities and needy co-workers? Are you slacking off on your exercise routine because you’re just too fatigued to tie your sneakers? Energy isn’t something you acquire by taking a pill, gulping coffee or trying to sleep more. It is a by-product of the kind of life you live. If your physical and mental health, attitude and outlook are all aligned in the right way, you’ll feel energized for sure. Of course, this takes work and practice, but so does any worthwhile endeavor in life! Here are some effective, creative and inexpensive ways to become a model powerhouse of positive energy.

1. Deep-six clutter and clatter. Your energy has an inverse relationship to the amount of clutter and clamor in your life. Clear your closets and desk of stuff that you don’t use, need or wear. Disconnect from so called friends who drain your energy with their selﬁsh whining and complaining. Say “No” to unwanted social commitments that swallow up all of your valuable free time. Make some “me” time just for you – read, listen to music, take a walk, swim or bike ride – anything that will refresh and replenish you! 2. Try a media free day. Tune out the frenetic information overload that bombards you from e-mails, texts, tweets, blogs and

Facebooking. A lot of this is either nonsensical clatter, outright negativity, or other stuff that really doesn’t concern you anyway. If you find the idea of turning off your phone, or shutting down your computer for a few hours, frightening, then you’re just the one who needs to take a break! 3. Stay active. Instead of coming up with excuses not to exercise, take every opportunity to get up, get out and work out. Maximize your activities by taking them outdoors in order to benefit from the fresh air and sunshine. Take a power walk at lunch, do some calisthenics on break, squeeze in some crunches and stretches in the park. Exercise is one addiction that will boost your energy and save your life. 4. Balance your chi. Ancient Chinese medicine teaches that the body and mind are vitally linked; energy (chi) regulates a person’s physical, mental and spiritual health; and that each of us is composed of opposing, inseparable forces – Yin and Yang – that need to stay balanced. When your chi flows smoothly, your world is a finer place. Balance your chi by trying acupuncture, Yoga, massage or guided meditation. Be open and receptive and feel energy come to you in greater abundance. 6. Have a spa day. Can’t afford to go to one of the great places advertised in this publication? No worries, try an at home spa approach. Indulge yourself and relax with an aromatherapy bath or shower by adding a few drops of lavender to the steamy water. Apply a comforting chilled gel eye mask to your face as you nap. Try rubbing your temples with massage lotion containing a few drops of peppermint essential oil for invigoration. Be creative – the possibilities for self pampering are limitless. Don’t let stress, your job or negative people drain your energy supply stores. Become a powerhouse of inexhaustible positive energy and embrace the wonderful adventure that is your life! 



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FITNESS

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    

FAVORITE

Workout Mix THERE IS STILL TIME TO PREP FOR THE 1ST ANNUAL RAINBOW RUN WILTON MANORS APRIL 10TH. RUNNING PLAYLIST: DURATION 5K BY MAURA LANE 1. “MR. BLUE SKY” Electric Light Orchestra 2. “DANCE 4 LIFE” Tiesto featuring Maxi Jazz 3. “DON’T STOP ME NOW” Queen 4. “TUSK” Fleetwood Mac 5. “SEXYBACK” Justin Timberlake 6. “ABSOLUTELY NOT” Deborah Cox 7. “TIGERLILLY” La Roux 8. “HEY YA” Outkast 9. “UPTOWN FUNK” Mark Ronson 10. “PUMP IT” Black Eyed Peas 11. “BEAUTIFUL DAY” U2 12. “CHARIOTS OF FIRE” Vangelis

ABOUT TOM Tom Bonanti is a certiﬁed personal trainer and licensed massage therapist with his own gym and studio, Pump’n Inc. www. pumpnincgym.com at 1271 NE 9th Avenue in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 33304. Contact Tom TrainerTomB@ aol.com with all questions or set up a free consultation by calling him at (954) 557-1119.

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March 24, 2016

CELEBRITY FEATURE

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n n n n n BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

ENTERTAINMENT

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Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service. He once made Jane Fonda cry.

Boy Problems Steve Grand talks new music, touchy-feely fans and moving beyond ‘All-American Boy’

Steve Grand can barely stand himself – that is, the superficial, Internetpackaged version of the singer/songwriter/dreamboat presented to the public since even before his 2013 viral hit “All-American Boy” rocked our gay world. March 24, 2016

“I don’t like the me that most people probably see,” admits Grand, 26. Now, the self-proclaimed “weird guy

trapped in a douchey gym guy’s body” is tackling YouTube with a fun and frank smattering of endearing, noholds-barred confessionals. He takes on his constantly-criticized image… and also a half gallon of Breyers, which he (in)appropriately slurps as he dishes practical advice on clean bottoms. In another video, called “Steve and Trev PUMP it up at the GYM,” Grand delivers on the dream of him wearing compression pants over his jockstrap.

As he preps new music, the “AllAmerican Boy” is certainly less all American-y these days. In our new freewheeling interview, Grand opened up about everything and anything: people’s “low expectations” of him, his more carefree career attitude, his junk, boner kills, handsy fans, haters and his fear that someone will start singing “All-American Boy” while having sex with him.

AZZOPARDI: With that said, is the facial hair intended to shift you from the “All-American Boy” image? GRAND: (Laughs) I’m really trying! I’m really, really trying. It’s not growing right! But it’s natural and nice. I just feel like it fits my personality to be more cuddly and look like a bear a little bit. Even having shitty facial hair fits my personality. (Laughs) AZZOPARDI: Can you talk about the struggle to be taken seriously as a music artist when there are half-naked photos of you circulating all over the Internet? GRAND: It used to be really frustrating, but I’ve readjusted my expectations. I don’t have

AZZOPARDI: So, you never look at a photo of another guy and think, “I wish I could look that good”? GRAND: Oh my god – of course I do. But I try to take personal responsibility and not lash out at that person because they maybe make me feel less. I just fucking look at the picture and enjoy it. I’ve had a lot of moments where I’ve seen someone who is maybe more beautiful or someone who sounds better than me or has written a song that I think is gorgeous – yeah, sometimes I have that envy and that jealousy rises up. I could either leave a really bitter comment about it on the Internet or I could go work on my own shit and be the best I can be. AZZOPARDI: Do you think your more risqué photos have helped or hurt your career? GRAND: Oh, I don’t know. It is what it is. I’m just trying to be myself.

AZZOPARDI: “All-American Boy” categorized you as “country music’s first out gay male,” but then you didn’t make any “country” music after that and even resisted the label. Was that time in your career as confusing for you as it was for other people? GRAND: What I’m mostly confused about is how important labels are to people. Music is music and maybe “All-American Boy” is a country song to some people and maybe it’s not to other people. I just never put much energy into thinking about what it was classified as. I probably would’ve been smarter to, but I just genuinely don’t care about labels that much. I never called myself a country singer, so yeah, it was kind of confusing and

AZZOPARDI: Do you regret having that song be country-tinged at all because it put you in a box that you didn’t want to be in? GRAND: No – I have to learn everything through life experience. I didn’t have anyone taking me through this. It’d be so easy to get caught up in, “I regret this, I regret that.” We’re not all on the same playing field, and I’ve had certain advantages and I’ve also had certain disadvantages. One is that I really got into this on my own and I didn’t necessarily have the guidance that maybe would’ve made everything turn out a little differently.

that high of expectations for the general public – I mean, we don’t even understand things that really actually fu*king matter, like, with this election. So why should I expect people to take the time to understand me? I don’t matter. And people don’t even care about things that do matter. I take my music seriously. I’m a good musician and I’m a good performer, and I also like to work out my body and show it off sometimes. It’s a fleeting thing; when I’m 50, I’m not gonna look like this. Everybody has to feel like they have to be a special snowflake. People can’t just look at a picture of a hot guy and let it be beautiful. It has to be some statement about them. Let people just fucking appreciate what is beautiful and let things be beautiful if they’re beautiful.

March 24, 2016

AZZOPARDI: When did you stop caring as much? GRAND: Of course I do care. I revel in not caring, but I still am human. I’m not very good at crafting the public image version of me. I’m just not. I’m too messy of a person, and I care too much about being able to be a

AZZOPARDI: Why do you say you’re “messy”? GRAND: (Hesitates) There’s a good answer to this. Some people just make more sense in a headline. Taylor Swift – she’s an example of someone who’s not really messy. She’s a welloiled machine. Everything about her is very comfortable and that’s one of the reasons she’s so massively successful. That’s not a criticism; it’s an objective observation. With me, I still am just a regular person operating in the same world as everyone else. I’m not rich and famous. And I think there’s a weird disconnect that, when someone has any degree of fame on social media or whatever, we discount them as being a real, complicated human being. I feel like I have always fought for myself to be seen as a complex, nuanced human being, to the point where I would rather not have lots of success and notoriety if it means that I can’t let all the messy edges of me show.

another reason why you have to separate yourself from the way that you’re seen publicly. Even going down to the most basic details of who I am publicly, it’s not even correct. I never said I’m country and I never said I’m the first anything; those are all things that people associated with me and it had absolutely zero to do with anything that I said or did myself.

WEBSITE STEVEGRAND. COM

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AZZOPARDI: Yeah, fu*k me. I blame the Internet. I got bits and pieces of you. The abs. The music. But now, through your YouTube videos, we’re finally seeing the real you. GRAND: I’m not so bad. People have (such) incredibly low expectations of me, that I just need to show up. For my performances, I need to not be terrible and people will be impressed. I just know people have really, really low expectations of me and that’s what the Internet does. I’m such an easy person to target. Young, good-looking, white, gay men – we love to hate those people. But there’s been a real person there the whole time. It’s weird. For a long time there’s been a big disconnect between how much I could expect to be understood by people and how much I actually _was_ understood by people. I had this unreasonable expectation that I was going to be understood by people and it took me a long time to get over that. I don’t make sense in any kind of headline, so I’ve kinda given up on that and I’m fine with it. The more you kind of give up and don’t care, the more people feel that and like that.

real dimensional human being.

250K FACEBOOK LIKES

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AZZOPARDI: I have a confession to make: I like you better now than I did at the beginning of your career. GRAND: Fu*k you! (Laughs) ... I’m kidding.

129K INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS

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50K TWITTER FOLLOWERS

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AZZOPARDI: Would you ever go back into modeling full time? GRAND: I never was a model. I never got paid for any of it. I’m just another guy who has photos online of me in my underwear and that’s really all it is. It’s really true. I don’t know what qualifies as being a model anymore because we all have Instagram accounts. Max Emerson is a model. I’m not. I just wanted to take pictures of myself with my clothes off. You recently got naked for a promo advertising bassackwards tees. Tell me about that. I got with them and worked with them and we’re still figuring out which organization it’s gonna benefit. It’s definitely gonna be an LGBT organization. If people are gonna click on this shit then yeah, I’ll be a part of this cool T-shirt (campaign) and we’ll give some of the proceeds to our cause and everyone wins. AZZOPARDI: How do they decide how much butt to show in a video like that? GRAND: Everyone’s seen my butt, but some days I’ll feel more like an instigator than other days; other days I want no part of that. With this, I don’t think I’d done anything that I hadn’t done before. I just wanted to make a video that was beautiful and sexy.

AZZOPARDI: That’s gonna be the headline somewhere: “Steve Grand calls his dick ‘unremarkable’ and ‘appropriately sized.’” GRAND: That’s fine. If it makes people happy… AZZOPARDI: How has notoriety changed your life? GRAND: That’s a big question. I don’t know. I have a Wikipedia page! Googling myself is a really scary thing that could have really adverse effects on my psyche! AZZOPARDI: You’re not supposed to do that, Steve. GRAND: I definitely don’t anymore. It took a long time. It’s been months since I’ve done it. I’m terrified of what’s out there. AZZOPARDI: How has it changed dating for you? GRAND: When “All-American Boy” came out I couldn’t be on dating apps without getting shit for it, but now it’s fine. It doesn’t really have any effect.

March 24, 2016

STEVE CAME OUT WHEN HE WAS 19

AZZOPARDI: Under what circumstances would you go completely au natural? GRAND: And show my dick? You can pretty much see it in some of the shots from the past, but I probably wouldn’t. I’d rather not. But if someone was like, “Here’s a million dollars,” I would be like, “Sure.” But, like, I don’t think my dick is that exciting. It’s just like, whatever. It’s pretty unremarkable. I think it’s good to be proud of what you have but I think there are more interesting things about me than my relatively… what’s the word I’m looking for? It’s very appropriately sized and shaped, that’s what I would say.

AZZOPARDI: Have you ever been faced with a flirty fan that made you uncomfortable? GRAND: Someone was tickling me as we were taking a picture and I’d kind of had it, and I think they thought they were being sneaky about it. But I really reacted and made a scene. “That tickles!” And I jumped. There’s a picture of me reacting. It’s hilarious. I was gonna repost it but I didn’t wanna embarrass the guy. Like, it’s fine. He was tickling my side; I don’t know what he got out of that. Sometimes people, if they’re more drunk, their hand will lower to my ass and I’ll be like, OOOK. AZZOPARDI: You have to slap their wrist? GRAND: Yeah. (Tickling) is one of those things. I felt like tickling me was really presumptuous and I didn’t like it. It was uncomfortable. One time there was someone who was a fan and I was like, “You’re really hot,” and, you know, that whole thing happened, but that doesn’t really happen. I just feel like I’m automatically

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HIGHLIGHTS OF STEVE GRANDS MODELING CAREER in the last two years. I’m more grown up and things are gonna be more stripped down. I just feel like I’m better and more comfortable with myself, so I’m letting the edges of me be present on the album and in the recordings more than before. I was always trying to round off my edges because I wasn’t comfortable with them. It’s gonna be a little more gritty. It’s gonna fuck up people’s brains.

put in a position when someone is a fan. I’m already something to them. There’s an expectation there. It freaks me out to think about if I’m having sex with someone they might be thinking about my music video, like that’s really weird to me. I wouldn’t like that. AZZOPARDI: Or if they wanted to play your music during sex. GRAND: My fear is that someone will start singing “All-American Boy” during it. People joke like, “Oh, I feel like we’re in your music video,” and that’s a boner kill. I like to keep those things separate. It’s so pure. What I put out there is so pure and I don’t want to think about purity when I’m actually having an intimate moment.

has become a media-sought figure as a gay young artist. In 2013, he appeared on Out magazine’s “Out100” list of prominent LGBT people. He also appeared in 2013 on Instinct gay American magazine’s cover as one of its “Leading Men”

March 24, 2016

AZZOPARDI: What’s next for you? GRAND: I really do wanna have something out in the next couple of months and I wanna move more quickly with getting content out there. I really want to put out a full album, so I’m working on that right now. I’m in a better frame of mind and what I’m putting out is gonna be about a lot of things that happened

STEVE GRAND

AZZOPARDI: So the “Anti All-American Boy”? GRAND: Yeah, I have a rebellious spirit and that’s what made me want to do “All-American Boy” as my first thing, but now I’m rebelling against something different. I don’t feel like making a music video about two guys is an act of rebellion. So, what am I saying now? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself while making this music. It’s gonna be interesting. I’m grateful I’ve relieved myself of the burden of trying to be whatever expectations people had of me because I think I fucked all that up good enough to where I’m able to freely be myself now.

ENTERTAINMENT

DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD

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n n n n n BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE

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Romeo San Vicente bends it like (Victoria) Beckham. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

Bella Thorne, Viola Davis And Russell Tovey

(Undressed)

VIOLA DAVIS TAKES CUSTODY TO TRIBECA

Writer-director James Lapine is a man with three Tony Awards, one of them for Best Book of a Musical for Into The Woods. But he hasn’t directed a theatrically released feature film since 1993’s Michael J. Fox vehicle, Life with Mikey. No matter, he stays busy, most recently as a co-director of the HBO documentary Six by Sondheim. And now his next film, Custody, will take a bow at the Tribeca Film Festival. Starring Viola Davis as a family court judge, the cast includes Hayden Panettiere, Ellen Burstyn, and Catalina Sandino Moreno as women whose lives intersect in the context of various custody battles. There are some men here, too, like Raul Esparza, Tony Shalhoub and Dan Fogler, as well as a bit of currently unspecified queer content, but you’ll have to watch the movie to learn about all that. It should open sometime later this year.

RUSSELL TOVEY MAKES THE PASS

We assume the title of the new movie, The Pass, refers to several of that word’s definitions. In the British production, Looking star Russell Tovey plays a professional footballer (“soccer player” to you) struggling to come out of the closet and failing. So basically, he’s passing balls on the field, making passes at guys off the field and, since his character is afraid to deal with his own sexuality and would prefer not to be known as gay, he’s also passing for heterosexual. The debut feature from filmmaker Ben A. Williams--one that knows its target audience very well and does not neglect to put the actors in their underwear, so thanks.

March 24, 2016

CHECK IT, THE LGBT GANG DOCUMENTARY

back against their attackers with the same aggresThe idea of “bashing back” is often more of a sion they had been victims of themselves; nor are wish than a reality, especially when individual they afraid of the camera, cooperating with docuqueer people find themselves outnumbered, mentary filmmakers Dana Flor and Toby Opexperiencing violence at the hands of penheimer (The Nine Lives of Marion Berry) more than one non-LGBT abuser. But also known as Check It. The in Washington, D.C., a group of young COMING for their project movie, which premieres soon friends between the ages at the Tribeca Film Festival, of 14 and 22 decided SOON explores the family dynamic that enough was enough. of the gang and follows them They formed Check It, as they build their own fashwhich may be the first ion business in the hopes of organized LGBT gang, moving up and out of poverty a crew of young queer and violence. Watch out for people of color who keep this one; it’s sure to start a few each other safe. They heated debates. weren’t afraid of fighting

BELLA THORNE’S ALL GROWN UP Modeling since the age of 6 weeks and acting since the age of 6 years, Bella Thorne was never going to let a Disney Channel sitcom define her. She was one of the stars of that network’s kid-friendly Shake It Up, but now she’s 18 and ready to take on adult roles. And if the actor’s own description of her upcoming thriller, The Babysitter, is any indication, her career is going to get very adult very fast. According to Thorne, she will be involved in a same-sex encounter in that film, a project she calls “controversial.” And when that’s wrapped up, she’s taking a role in the new movie from queer Canadian auteur Xavier Dolan. In The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, she’ll play Jessica Chastain’s sister and co-star alongside Kit Harington, Nicholas Hoult, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, and Natalie Portman. The story involves the dark side of fame, fandom and scandals that arise from both, a subject most actors know plenty about.

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March 24, 2016

nevents nnightlife ntheatre nexhibits

JUDY GOLD

THURSDAY 3/24 @ 8:00PM Crest Theatre LGBT-icon Judy Gold has been working in comedy for over twenty years. Her greatest success, though, has come on the stage; her two Off-Broadway shows The Judy Show—My Life as a Sitcom and 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother won critical acclaim and a GLAAD Award win for Outstanding New York Theater. 8:00 p.m. Crest Theatre. 51 N. Swinton Ave. Delray Beach. 33444.

EARTH, WIND, AND FIRE/ CHICAGO

FRIDAY 3/25 @ 7:30PM Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre Earth, Wind, and Fire is one of the most critically acclaimed and successful bands of the twentieth century with music that encompasses many different genres: R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, Latin, African, and gospel. They will be joined by self-described “rock and roll band with horns” Chicago. 7:30 p.m. Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre. 601-7 Sansburys Way. West Palm Beach. 33411.

n EVITA

March 24, 2016

FRIDAY 3/25 @ 8:00PM Broward Stage Door Theatre Evita may be best known in the gay community as the only watchable Madonna movie, but the original stage show actually started the career of another gay icon: Patti Lupone. The musical centers around the rags-to-riches story of Eva Peron—a once radio host turned First Lady. The Andrew Lloyd Weber-penned music has become a cultural staple (“Don’t Cry for me Argentina,” “High-Flying Adored”), and the musical has been performed often, including a recent Broadway revival. Tissues may be required for the melodramatic second act. 8:00 p.m. Broward Stage Door Theatre. 8036 W. Sample Rd. Margate. 33065.

SCREEN SAVOR

BY GREGG SHAPIRO

TITO PUENTE JR.

SATURDAY 3/26 @ 9:30PM Ball and Chain Tito Puete Jr. has very large shoes to fill. His father, Tito Puente, is heralded around the world as one of the greatest salsa musicians and Latin jazz composers. He died in 2000, leaving a meteorologist daughter named Audrey Puente, and Tito Puente Jr., who follows quite literally in his father’s footsteps, performing almost exclusively Tito Puente’s signature songs. He’s no hack, though, having earned a Latin Music Award for covering his father’s classic “Oye Como Va.” 9:30 p.m. Ball and Chain. 1513 SW Eighth St. Miami. 33135.

By Patrick Robert

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T he Week entertainment calendar

DON RICKLES

SATURDAY 3/26 @ 8:00PM Broward Center Legendary insult comic Don Rickles is eighty-nine-years young and still going strong in an industry he has been involved with for over sixty years. Rickles started his career in a Miami Beach nightclub, where Frank Sinatra noticed his talent and helped him move his routine to Vegas. Nowadays, Rickles is revered as a comic legend, his in-your-face humor a major influence to comedians like Joan Rivers and Howard Stern. 8:00 p.m. Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 201 SW Fifth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312.

n SPRING AWAKENING

SUNDAY 3/27 @ 8:00PM Lauderhill Performing Arts Center Duncan Sheik’s surprise Broadway smash—the winner of the 2007 Tony Award for Best Musical—is loosely based on Frank Wedekind’s late nineteenth century play of the same name. The show uses alternative rock to tell the story of high-schoolers wrestling with the confusion brought on by their burgeoning sexual desires. The show’s design includes a mostly barren stage with characters crooning into microphones. 2:00 p.m. Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 201 SW 5th Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312.

oc filmmaker Gayle Kirschenbaum (A Dog’s Life) knows just how to tug at our heartstrings and continues to do so with her latest feature Look At Us Now, Mother! (Kirschenbaum Productions). A story about forgiveness that Kirschenbaum was “driven to tell” before time runs out, the doc is technically an intimate portrait of a mother/ daughter relationship. However, there are numerous elements of the film that are sure to resonate with queer viewers, regardless of Kirschenbaum being straight. Gayle and her mother Mildred have never gotten along, never agreed on anything. The youngest of three, Gayle was the only daughter. Beginning fairly early, Mildred was critical of Gayle. As she grew older, Gayle was attacked by Mildred about her nose, her hair, her clothing and makeup. Gayle’s brother Irwin recalls going off on Mildred for the way she treated her daughter. Alternately described as “a piece of work,” “the life of the party,” “effervescent,” “outspoken and politically incorrect” and someone who should be “muzzled,” Mildred’s difficult personality could be traced to her own painful childhood which included a depressed and suicidal father, as well as the death of a younger sister. When asked about her childhood, her marriage and the way she treated her children, Mildred often responds by saying “I don’t remember.” Whether or not she does is another matter altogether.

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March 24, 2016

FILM

n n n n n BY GREGG SHAPIRO floridaagenda.com

entertainment calendar

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T he Week

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nevents ntheatre

AN EVENING WITH SOPHIA LOREN

which is just this side of Little Edie from Grey Gardens, has kept her in the loop enough that her vintage skirts, blouses and ensembles are chic again. Doris’ mundane life, which includes attending lectures and playing cards with pals Roz (Tyne Daly) and Val (Caroline Aaron), is turned upside down by the arrival of model-handsome John (Max Greenfield) at her office. Suddenly, Doris’ over-active imagination comes out of hibernation and fills her days with outrageous fantasies. Unfortunately, the sheltered Doris begins to have trouble separating fantasy from reality.

March 24, 2016

As the film opens, spinster Doris (Sally Field) attends her mother’s funeral. Her insensitive brother Todd REVIEW (Stephen Root) and even more tactless sister-in-law Cynthia (Wendi McLendonDespite some bumpy tonal shifts Covey) want Doris to move and inconsistencies of characterizaout of the Staten Island tion, “Hello, My Name Is Doris” home she has lived in all her impresses as a humanely amusing life, and in which she cared and occasionally poignant dramedy for her mother at the end of about a spinsterish office drone who her life. The house, a hoarddevelops a romantic fixation on a er’s paradise, is a sticking much younger co-worker. The plot point with the siblings. So could have been played as a flat-out much so that Todd insists broad comedy or an anxiety-inducing that Doris meets regularly psychological drama, and there with a therapist (Elizabeth are times when it feels like helmer Reaser) who specializes in Michael Showalter is striving for a mash-up of both. But Sally Field hoarding. keeps the movie on an even keel, for the most part, with an adroit and Of course, Doris sees disciplined lead performance that nothing wrong with the generates both laughter and sympahouse and doesn’t want to thy, with relatively few yanks on the move. She works as a bookheartstrings. Audiences of a certain keeper at a fashion firm in age might respond warmly, provided Manhattan and is one of the they are stoked by savvy marketing holdovers from the early and favorable word of mouth. days of the company. Oddly Review and Photo By: variety.com enough, her hoarding and eccentric personal style,

This character flaw leads to some hilarious situations, including Doris attending a concert by EDM act Baby Goya (led by Jack Antonoff) and being recruited as an album cover model, attending an LGBT knitting circle with John’s girlfriend Brooklyn (Two Broke Girls’ Beth Behrs) and seeking loving advice from Roz’s teenage granddaughter Vivian (Isabella Acres). However, it also results in several scenes of high drama and conflict, such as a massive blowout between Doris and Roz, an embarrassing Thanksgiving situation and a massive meltdown during an intervention. One of the first movies to appeal to senior citizens and hipsters, as well as queer folks, in equal measure, you can’t go wrong by saying hello to Hello, My Name Is Doris.

SUNDAY 3/27 @ 8:00PM Kravis Center Sophia Loren defined beauty and elegance during the renaissance of her career in the 1960s. Being the first artist to win an Oscar for a foreignlanguage performance catapulted Loren to international fame—she would spend the next few decades as the toast of Hollywood. Tonight, Loren will present film clips, answer questions from the audience, and discuss her career with host Bill Harris. 8:00 p.m. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. 701 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33401.

JOHNNY MATHIS

WILL & ANTHONY NUNZIATA

o-writer/director Michael Showalter’s Hello, My Name Is Doris (Roadside Attractions), based on Laura Terruso’s Doris & the Intern short, is that rare Sally Field movie in which the two-time Oscar-winning actress gets to bring her full-range of acting skills to the fore. Field calls on her comedic chops from Soapdish and Mrs. Doubtfire and combines them with her proven dramatic abilities from Sybil through Steel Magnolias for a performance that is as multi-layered as it is admirable.

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TUESDAY 3/29 @ 8:00PM Kravis Center With around sixty years in the business, Johnny Mathis knows a thing or two about performing. The pop and jazz music star has sold well over 350 million records worldwide, making him the third best-selling artist of the 20th century. The consummate entertainer has dabbled in various genres, including Brazilian music, Spanish music, soul music, soft rock, and even disco. His most popular songs include “Misty” and “Chances Are.” 8:00 p.m. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. 701 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33401.

WEDNESDAY 3/30 @ 8:30PM Fillmore When Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide, the band dissolved and reformed as New Order, which would become one of the most commercially and critically successful bands of the 1980s. The group combined their original post-punk sound with an increasing electronic dance music bent, creating one of the most unique sounds of the decade. 8:30 p.m. Fillmore. 1700 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. 33139.

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LEATHER AND

SO MUCH MORE!

March 24, 2016

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Copyright © 2016 The Werks Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Werks, LeatherWerks, PaddleWerks, Lifestyle Club, BootWerks and “Where Leather is a Lifestyle” are Registered Trademarks of The Werks Company, LLC

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