MAR. 3 - 16, 2016 | VOL. 34, NO. 23
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DONALD TRUMP’S MURKY MOB PAST: WILL IT MATTER? Queer Comedy Night ‘Drunk on Stage’ Stumbles Back to Akbar (P. 29)
OSCARS 2016
Who Won, Who Flubbed and Who Looked Great The Comedy Issue
starring
STEPHEN GUARINO Plus
16 OF OUR FAVORITE LGBT COMICS LOCAL SPOTS TO HONE YOUR FUNNY BONE 5 ICONIC COMEDIES SHOT IN LOS ANGELES
DID PrEP JUST LOSE ITS ‘MAGIC BULLET’ STATUS? (P. 10)
LADIES OF THE LANAI
The Golden Girls Oral History You’ve Been Waiting For (P. 54)
IN DEFENSE OF THE URINAL HOLLYWOOD PILLOW TALK 10 ITEMS TO GET YOU SPRING-READY NEW REASONS TO HIT THE DESERT
GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES PRESENTS
ALL THE DIVAS, TWICE THE DRAMA
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Contents
MARCH 3 - 16, 2016
FEATURES
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16 of Our Favorite Local Comedians
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The Golden Girls: An Oral History
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Stephen Guarino
ON THE COVER Stephen Guarino photographed at The Comedy Store by Ted Sun, tedsun.net. Styled by Kenneth Hash, kennethhash.com. Grooming by Angie Johnson @ Exclusive Artists Management using Tatcha Skincare, Chanel Cosmetics and Kevin Murphy Hair Care, evolutionmakeup.com. Produced by Joe Del Hierro.
MARCH 16, 2016
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ON THE Gus Kenwo at Sunset M for Frontiers Ryanforbesp with 100% to the L.A. L by Art Conn Kyle Kriege by Kyle DiF assistance
Contents
MARCH 3 - 16, 2016
DEPARTMENTS NEWSBOX 09 10 10 12 14 14
Donald Trump's Murky Mob Past A PrEP Setback Flashbulb: Oscars Edition Watercooler An Oscars Debriefing DateBook
09 29
THE GAY AGENDA 17
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10 Style Items to Get Your Closet Spring-Ready In Defense of the Urinal A Game of Hollywood Pillow Talk
HEALTH 23 24 24 26 26
On Preventing Shoulder Injuries What ’Couple Type’ Are You? Fitness Q&A Use Your Lungs for a Better O The Benefits of Napping
17 40
CALENDAR 29 30 31
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Drunk On Stage Stumbles Back to Akbar WeHo’s Historic Drag Photo Shoot Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music Kay Sedia’s Taco Kisses Eating Out: It’s Tempura Time
ENTERTAINMENT 37 38 40 42 43
A Tained Tale Out of Japan 3 Exciting Spring Reads The Q&A: Chairlift The Lobster is the Darkest of Comedies Set Your DVR
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COLUMNS 58 59 60
23 60
Billy Masters Gossip Gay Palm Springs
PEOPLE INDEX Dustin Lance Black Bob the Drag Queen Chico’s Angels Margaret Cho 4
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58 43 33 29
Colin Farrell 42 Harvey Fierstein 34 James Jagger 40 Eddie Redmayne 16
Frank Sinatra 60 Sam Smith 58 Ben Whishaw 42 Austin Young 30
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Trump’s Murky Mob Past After he only hesistantly disavowed the Ku Klux Klan and was accused of past work with mobsters, The Donald’s campaign is undergoing a heightened level of scrutiny, but will it even matter? By Dominic Preston
1976 The year David Duke, under the pen name “Dorothy Vanderbilt,” penned a women’s self-help book called Finders Keepers: Finding and Keeping the Man You Want. The book, now out of print, offers diet, fashion and even sex advice to women, calling oral sex “quite a bedtime snack.”
SPEAK OUT
D
onald Trump has been embroiled in fresh scrutiny of his past, including connections with the mob, in the wake of his hesitance to disavow the support of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. It’s something that even Republican House Leader Paul Ryan criticized him for on March 1, saying in a press conference while visibly annoyed, “If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry.” It was a statement further cementing Republican Congressional leaders’ new strategy to distance themselves from Trump. The GOP frontrunner’s recent woes first started when Duke, the former KKK Grand Wizard, announced his support of the presidential candidate. Questioned by CNN on the matter on Feb. 28, Trump was curiously reluctant to take a position against the white supremacist. “I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists,” he told CNN. “So I don’t know. I don’t know—did he endorse me, or what’s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.” He had in fact ‘disavowed’ Duke’s support on Friday, a fact he’s since pointed out on Twitter, making his hesitance on Sunday all the more strange. There’s also the fact that he knew enough about Duke in 2000 to refer to him by name when turning down a presidential run with the Reform Party at the time, because it “now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke. … This is not company I wish to keep.” The discussion has brought fresh attention to the skeletons in Trump’s closet, however. For example, there’s the fact that his father, Fred Trump, was allegedly arrested at a Klan march in Queens on Memorial Day 1927 that turned into a “near-riot.” The Donald has vehemently denied the reports in his typically repetitive fashion: “He was never arrested. He has nothing to do with this. This never happened. This is nonsense and it never
happened,” he said to the Daily Mail. “This never happened. Never took place. He was never arrested, never convicted, never even charged. It’s a completely false, ridiculous story. He was never there! It never happened. Never took place.” If Trump’s KKK links seem a little tenuous, his past business ties to the mob are more solid. Ted Cruz dragged those into the open the weekend before Super Tuesday, citing Trump’s business dealings with the mob, including S&A Construction. That company was owned by Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno of the Genovese crime family, who was sentenced to 100 years in prison in 1986 and died behind bars in ‘92. Trump is alleged to have met Salerno in person, and even shared the same lawyer as him, Roy Cohn (of McCarthyism—and later Angels in America—fame). Reports suggest Trump also dealt with mob-connected union boss John Cody, licensed his name to limo companies owned by convicted felons and worked with Danny Leung, an associate of the 14K Triad. Trump has, naturally, denied or minimized all of those ties, but there’s frankly a staggering number of allegations. These claims are also accompanied by reports of black students being removed from Trump rallies. This issue went to press before the results of Super Tuesday were confirmed, though Trump was considered a shoo-in for manintaining his lead. Will the Trump train keep on rolling through, unperturbed?
“I’m 23% gay. I’ve worked it out, I did the calculations. There are times I go down to 17, times I go up to 31. When I was doing Borat and I had the testicles on my chin, I was at 31.” Sacha Baron Cohen, star of Borat, Bruno and the upcoming The Brothers Grimsby—and husband of Isla Fisher—discussing the ‘sexuality spectrum’ on Marc Maron’s podcast
MARCH 16, 2016
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FLASHBULB
Did PrEP Just Lose Its ‘Magic Bullet’ Status?
R
esearchers have documented the first reported case of a man contracting HIV despite a daily regimen of Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The unidentified 43-year-old tested positive for HIV after using Truvada every day for two years, with no evidence that he had slipped in his adherence to a daily regimen of the drug. While research suggests that Truvada is more than 99% effective in preventing infection when taken daily, there can never be guarantees, and this individual was unlucky enough to come across a rare strain of the virus that was resistant to both Tenofovir and Emtricitabine, the two main components of Truvada. Since his diagnosis, the man is on a successful HIV treatment program, with a fully suppressed viral load thanks to other drug treatments. Researchers have been quick to downplay the risk to other PrEP users, insisting that multi-drug-resistant strains like this are very rare. Among over 9,200 participants in Truvada clinical trials, such a virus that was highly resistant to both components of Truvada was never seen. “I certainly don’t think that this is a situation which calls for panic,” Dr. Richard Harrigan, one of the researchers on the study, told Poz. “It is an example that demonstrates that PrEP can sometimes be ineffective in the face of drug-resistant virus, in the same way that treatment itself can sometimes be ineffective in the face of drug-resistant virus. This case demonstrates that while PrEP is beneficial, we can’t rely on it to be an infallible magic bullet.” —D.P.
THE 2016 ACADEMY AWARDS, Dolby Theater, Feb. 28—This year’s annual ceremony was laden with controversy, mostly of the #OscarsSoWhite variety, and the night’s host, Chris Rock, brilliantly lampooned the audience of mostly white actors and actresses. Big winners included Leonardo DiCaprio, Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson, Mark Rylance, Alejandro González Iñárritu and the film Spotlight, which won Best Picture. Top, from left: Chris Rock, Kate Capshaw with Steven Spielberg, Amy Poehler, Michael Fassbender, Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G, Jared Leto, Brie Larson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cate Blanchett, The Weeknd, Jennifer Lawrence, Eddie Redmayne, Common, Best Original Song winners Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith, Charlize Theron, Taylor Kinney with Lady Gaga, Charlotte Riley with Tom Hardy, Rooney Mara, Chrissy Teigen with John Legend, Sunrise Coigney with Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio accepting the Best Actor award for his performance in The Revenant
SPEAK OUT “This line is by us, for us, period. It’s my lifelong dream to get to design real clothes for big people, clothes that are comfortable and cool!” Beth Ditto, who recently unveiled a plus-sized clothing collection in collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier
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THE ENVELOPE PLEASE, The Abbey, Feb. 28—AIDS Project Los Angeles held its 15th annual Oscars viewing party in the heart of West Hollywood, complete with a VIP red carpet cocktail reception and a seated dinner while the awards were screened. Pauley Perrette hosted the evening’s festivities. Photo at left: APLA Executive Director Craig Thompson with Perrette and Abbey owner David Cooley Top: Brian Olver with Simon Harrison, Dan Studney Bottom: Victor Tomasino, Tracie Ayala with Bert Champagne
MARCH 16, 2016
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WATERCOOLER
Your cheat sheet for intelligent conversation — By Peter DelVecchio
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David Cooley Has Purchased WeHo’s Here Lounge
He first opened West Hollywood’s iconic bar and restaurant The Abbey as a coffee shop in 1991, and now David Cooley is buying the adjacent Here Lounge, Eater L.A. reports. Cooley reacquired The Abbey last year after selling it in 2006. Here will be renovated and reopened as The Chapel at The Abbey. Feb. 21 was Here’s last night of operation. Initially a local gay venue, The Abbey has since evolved into a magnet for a mixed clientele from all over Southern California and beyond. Pat Rogers, 73, opened the doors of Here Lounge 15 years ago. He’ll most miss his staff, some of whom have been with him since the beginning. “They’ve become sort of like family to me,” he says.
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Half of Black Gay and Bi Men Will Contract HIV, CDC Says
Half of all gay and bi African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) will contract HIV during their lifetimes, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states. The lifetime HIV infection risk for the general American public is 1 in 99, the report says. For gay and bisexual MSM overall, the risk is one in six. Breaking down this number by race and ethnicity yields shocking results. The number for whites is 1 in 11, for Latinos 1 in 4, but for African-Americans, odds are 50/50. While black MSM don’t engage in more risky sexual behavior than others, the report states, “Reasons for this higher lifetime risk include higher prevalence within the community, which poses an increased risk of infection with each sexual encounter; lack of access to health care; poverty; and stigma.”
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Mitch McConnell
GOP Vows to Block Any Scalia Replacement
Following the death of arch-conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Feb. 13, Senate Republicans are taking unprecedented steps to prevent President Obama from filling the vacancy with a nominee who would end a generation of conservative 5-4 dominance of the Court. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and every GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee have vowed not to hold hearings or a vote for Obama’s nominee, whoever that person might be, and will not meet with him or her. This has handed Democrats an election year weapon insofar as it showcases Republican obstructionism. “Do your job” is rapidly becoming the Democratic rallying cry in contested Senate races that could flip control back to Democrats. The president has promised that the person he nominates “will have an independent mind, rigorous intellect, impeccable credentials and a record of excellence and integrity.”
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A so-called “religious freedom” measure working its way through the Georgia state legislature has sparked a firestorm of criticism. The legislation would “allow taxpayer-funded organizations to legally discriminate against LGBT Georgians” by denying them service. Supporters claim the bill would protect religious organizations, including adoption agencies and schools, from losing government licenses and financial grants because of opposition to same-sex marriage. Fearing the stigma and boycott threats that followed Indiana’s attempt to institute a “religious freedom” measure last year, many in Georgia’s business community have come out against the proposed law. The Metro Atlanta Chamber voiced opposition in a Feb. 19 letter to the Senate. Tech company 373K has threatened to leave the state. In an unusual move, Georgia’s Republican Gov. Nathan Deal commented on the bill on Feb. 22, noting “It’s not finalized yet,” but his meaning wasn’t immediately clear.
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Pacquiao Suffers Backlash After Homophobic Remarks
Boxer Manny Pacquiao is the latest celebrity to learn that while one’s right to harbor vile homophobic views is certain, to express them openly is dumb. “Have you seen any animal having male-tomale or female-to-female relations?” Pacquiao, who is running for Senate in the Philippines, said in an interview on Filipino TV. People engaging in such relationships are “worse than animals,” he went on. Pacquiao apologized in a Feb. 16 tweet, but the damage was done. Nike scrapped a contract on Feb. 18, and Wonderful Pistachios also severed ties. Out boxer Orlando Cruz challenged Pacquiao to meet him, saying, “I guarantee you that you will think differently.” Popular Filipino comedian Vice Ganda posted a #PrayForMannyPacquiao tweet, and gay singer Aiza Seguerra urged a boycott of his political campaign.
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Manny Pacquiao
Fate of Georgia ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill Uncertain
A Bathroom Rights Battle Waged in North Carolina
The latest skirmish in the battle to allow trans people to use public facilities corresponding to their gender identities is unfolding in Charlotte, N.C. The city’s City Council passed an ordinance providing certain protections for LGBT people, including permitting transgenders to use their bathroom of choice, on Feb. 22. By the next day, conservative legislators were vowing to override the measure, and others were in an uproar. Forty-four bills permitting businesses to discriminate against trans people or restricting their use of public facilities are being considered in 16 states.
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LGBT Films Lose Out at the Oscars
T
SPEAK
OUT
his year’s Hollywood awards season ended as it went on—by mostly ignoring its major LGBT contenders. The Academy Awards saw acclaimed lesbian drama Carol walk away empty-handed, after similar snubs at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs. That’s despite entering this year’s awards race as a favorite, thanks to rave reviews. The Danish Girl saw a bit more luck, with a surprise Best Supporting Actress win for Alicia Vikander, but the film couldn’t scoop any of the other awards it was up for, including Eddie Redmayne’s Best Actor nomination. There was one other major LGBT win, but that wasn’t without controversy. Out singer Sam Smith took home the Best Original Song statuette for his Spectre theme, but quickly drew criticism for his acceptance speech. “I read an article a few months ago by Sir Ian McKellen, and he said no openly gay man had won an Oscar,” Smith said, referencing McKellen’s claim that no gay man has ever won an acting award from the Academy. “If this is the case—even if it isn’t the case—I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world. I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope that we can all stand as equals one day.” Of course, Smith is by no means the first out gay man to win an Academy Award. In 1995, Sir Elton John won the very same award for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, while Dustin Lance Black won Best Original Screenplay in 2009 for Milk. The omission wasn’t lost on the screenwriter, who threw some serious shade Smith’s way, tweeting, “Hey @SamSmithWorld, if you have no idea who I am, it may be time to stop texting my fiancé.” Meanwhile, Lady Gaga performed her nominated song “Til It Happens to You” surrounded by survivors of sexual assault. The song comes from documentary The Hunting Ground, about sexual assault on college campuses, and her performance was introduced by Vice President Joe Biden. The rest of the night contained few surprises. Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his longawaited Best Actor award, Spotlight took Best Picture, and Mad Max: Fury Road cleaned out in the technical categories with six awards. Perhaps least surprising of all, host Chris Rock made ample use of his opportunity to skewer the film industry’s problems with race: “Is Hollywood racist?” he asked. “You’re damn right Hollywood’s racist.” —D.P.
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“Things are going to be a little different at the Oscars. This year, in the ‘In Memoriam’ package, it’s just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies.” Chris Rock skewers Hollywood’s system of institutionalized racism at the Oscars on Feb. 28
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The Danish Girl’s Eddie Redmayne
DATEBOOK SAT. | MARCH 5
TRUTH AWARDS
The second annual gala dinner and black-tie affair, held at the Tagylan Complex, highlights gay black men and women and their allies. Past award recipients have included Jewel Thaïs-Williams, B. Slade and APLA’s Vallerie Wagner. Tickets start at $150. betterbrothersla.com
MON. | MARCH 7
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH KICK-OFF
Join the WeHo City Council and the City’s Women’s Advisory Board for this 28th annual kick-off in the Councl Chambers. Two new street-pole banners, one honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the other honoring transgender activist Connie Norman, will be unveiled. weho.org
SAT. | MARCH 12
IMPACT AWARDS GALA
The Family Equality Council looks to honor Greg Berlanti, Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry at its annual event celebrating the modern family, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Calista Flockhart, who worked with Berlanti on Brothers & Sisters, will present the award along with Sharon Osbourne. familyequality.org
WED. | MARCH 16
TRIBE: EATING OUR OWN
WeHo’s gay men’s group hosts its monthly discussion in the library’s Community Meeting Room, this month exploring how dominant American culture that ignores or diminishes gay men has influenced negative attitudes in interactions between gay men. weho.org/tribe
SAT. | MAY 21
AN EVENING WITH WOMEN
Returning for another starstudded event—beginning with cocktails and a silent auction, then moving into dinner and hard-hitting performances—this party at the Hollywood Palladium raises money for the Center’s services. Tickets on sale now. aneveningwithwomen.org
MARCH 16, 2016
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LYNDA CARTER Long-Legged Woman W I T H H E R A L L -S TA R B A N D
TWO NIGHTS ONLY!
MARCH 18-19 at 8:30 PM “TRIUMPHANT! THE WOMAN IS A WONDER.”
ILLUSTRATION: KARL SIMONE
NY Daily News
6725 West Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California Tickets: 323 466 2210 Visit: www.LyndaCarter.com
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THE
GAY AGENDA
Trend Alert: Spring Fever
W
ith spring’s March 20 debut quickly approaching, it’s time to take stock of that closet and ensure your wardrobe is up to snuff. (If not, consider it the perfect opp to embace the season’s theme of ‘rebirth.’) In the next four months you’re sure to spy pop-of-color accessories, band-collar and short-sleeve button-downs and well-worn tees—all things that, thank the L.A. gods, we can sport in our city year-round. Meanwhile, you can find all of these items online at JackThreads.com. —Stephan Horbelt
The Pants, $60 by Vans • The Sweatshirt, $49 by JackThreads • The Boardshorts, $65 by Banks • The Wallet, $16 by Herschel The Short-Sleeve Button-Down, $64 by Obey • The Band-Collar, $120 by Shades of Grey • The Socks, $12 by Stance The Denim Jogger, $59 by JackThreads • The Backpack, $75 by Fjallraven • The Tee, $24 by JackThreads
MARCH 16, 2016
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UNREQUITED
THE
GAY
LUST
AGENDA
3 reasons we’re currently crushing on:
Jake Lacy
A Wicked Pisser MAYBE YOU THINK heated seats are for pussies and water efficiency is for twirps. Maybe you take grave offense at the Japanese, with their state-of-the-art toilet brand Toto, turning men the world over into feminized bidet-lovers. (Seriously, it’s a craze.) Maybe you want to pee like a real man and install a urinal in your bathroom. Maybe you never realized that, assuming you have the space, installing a wall-mounted urinal is actually simpler than you thought. (Not only will it preserve the grout on your bathroom floor from stray yellow streams, but it could even increase your home’s value.) Maybe you just can’t afford Toto’s $1,000 Carlyle II 1G when a pristine porcelain urinal (also by Toto) goes for a cool $100. Whatever the reason for your pisser preferences, just know you have our full support. —S.H.
1. He has the patience to play Lena Dunham’s history teacher boyfriend Fran on HBO’s Girls.
2. In last year’s Love the Coopers, he played a soldier so sweet that Olivia Wilde asked him to be her pretend-BF at Christmas dinner.
3. While he wasn’t the nicest guy in Carol, basically playing Rooney Mara’s beard, we can’t hold that against him. Our love for the Lacy is strong.
PILLOW TALK Match the leading man of Hollywood with his quirky bedroom peccadillo
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2
3
A. WOMEN’S CLOTHING
4
B. HAIR-PULLING
5 C. ARMPITS
By Diego Wyatt D. FOOD
E. RABBITS
Answers: 1-D, 2-E, 3-A, 4-C, 5-B
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YOUR STYLE, ONE CHOICE. Cartesio table / Aida Plus chairs / Pom Pom suspension lamp Sipario sideboard / Apotema rugs / Baku table lamp
FUNCTION, QUALITY AND DESIGN IT’S WHO YOU ARE.
CALLIGARIS STORE LOS ANGELES
633 N La Brea · Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 592-3058 · www.calligarisla.com
MARCH 16, 2016
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CALL TO ARTISTS! Sunday, April 24th 10am-6pm
Downtown Brentwood, San Vicente Blvd. Between Barrington And Bundy
Artists are a invited to feature and sell their original arts and crafts at the Spring Brentwood Art Festival. Application Fee: $250 per booth, Students: $100 To apply, visit:
www.BrentwoodArtFestival.com Or call: (310) 473-3070
MARCH 16, 2016
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HIV
matters
Growing older and living well with HIV
Join us in a discussion on the latest medical updates about growing older with HIV and steps you can take to create and maintain a meaningful life.
Thursday, March 24, 2016 Plummer Park — Fiesta Hall, West Hollywood 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard —parking available around the park premises
5:30 – 6:45 pm
Featured speaker
Catered Dinner
Dr. Jordan Lake
6:45 – 8:30 pm
UCLA C.A.R.E. Center
Educational Program
RSVP: apla.org/hivmatters Hosted by
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Community Partners
CALL: 323.874.4322
health FOR YOUR
Be a Flying Off Shoulder Handle Soldier
the
Rid your body of those pesky ‘back handles’ with a mix of adjusted exercise and proper diet The simple steps to addressing and preventing potential gym injuries By Seth Browning
I
AMMENTORP | DREAMSTIME.COM
t’s a problem plaguing most men I know over 30. Session after session, bootcamp after bootcamp, the shoulder pain complaints started to add up. I said to myself, “I need to start looking into this. Thank god my shoulders are OK.” Then it happened: I was doing a shoulder exercise and suddenly felt a pull. It led to a dull ache and plagued me for months. I joined the club, then started my research. For many of us, the source of shoulder pain is a mystery. Most don’t know what the problem is, what started it or how to treat it. We become secretly depressed, frustrated and scared. Some forge on, labeling it a nuisance and continuing to do the same workouts—in pain. But that perpetuates the problem and sets you up for surgery. Others bench themselves and avoid all exercises that could aggravate it. I’ve found the real solution sits somewhere between denial and fear: a grey area where you not only treat the pain but change your habits and keep training. Your shoulders, while resilient, are used more than almost any area of your body, and its nonstop nature makes it vulnerable when overloaded. Neuromuscular therapist Maurizio Cavaletti is on the front
PEC STRETCH Stand next to a wall, extending your arm along it. Rotate your body away, adjusting your arm higher and lower for maximum stretch. Do this for 30 seconds on both sides, two rounds.
lines of shoulder injury treatment. He says they’re often caused by a combination of the wrong exercises, bad form and, surprisingly, how you sleep. “When you sleep on your stomach, you are putting your shoulder in a constant state of impingement,” he says, adding a recommendation that you sleep on your side or on your back. Shoulder injuries often add up to what many leading health experts regard as the most common diagnosis for shoulder pain, tendinitis. That’s where the tendon becomes inflamed, causing everything from aching, pinching, clicking and stiffness. Cavaletti says the majority of his clients with shoulder injuries don’t suffer from actual structural problems but inflammation, and many can avoid surgery. “It should always be the last call,” he says. “The focus should be on proper form and mobility,” both of which he instructs in his private practice and in classes at local gym The Phoenix Effect. Of course, significant tears to the rotator cuff and labrum can require surgery, so it’s always best to get an X-ray or MRI to rule those out. The first step in preventing shoulder injuries is eliminating the causes. According to the Mayo Clinic,
DUMBBELL EXTERNAL ROTATION On your left side, hold a dumbbell next to your body with your right arm, elbow bent 90 degrees. Slowly lift upward until the back of your hand faces away from you. Return to starting position and repeat 10 times, then repeat the exercise on your other side.
rotator cuff injuries are most common in sportsrelated activities that involve overhead pressing. As a fitness expert, I unapologetically believe heavy overhead presses lead to the same end result: injury. I’m not saying don’t do it—I still do—but if you’re gonna go heavy, you better know your shit. Otherwise, someday you’ll pay the price. Other exercises to avoid or go light on if you have shoulder issues include barbell upright rows and pulling or pressing anything behind your neck. These movements can put your shoulder in a compromising position. After you’ve eliminated shoulder injury risk factors, the second step is to choose the right exercises. Below are three safe and effective options (2 warmups, 1 exercise) that can add size, definition and restore mobility. It’s possible to develop great shoulders and heal them at the same time. For me, it took staying in touch with my body, patience and an open mind. Contact Seth at BodyByBrowning.com and on Instagram @sethenator
FACE PULL Stand in front of an upperchest-level cable, holding onto both sides of rope. Step back with arms extended, feet wider than shoulder-width, a soft bend in your knees. Exhale, squeeze your core and drive your elbows past your back, pulling the rope handles outside of your ears. Hold and contract shoulder blades. Repeat.
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health
Ask the Marriage Magic Eight Ball Decode your mate’s ’marriageability’ once and for all by defining your relationship as one of four couple types By Dr. Greg Cason
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o you’re (finally) dating a guy? Will this one lead to a trip down the aisle or to the dumpster? Usually those answers are best left to a Magic Eight Ball, but now, just by assessing what kind of couple you are, you may be able to tell if the two of you will make it or break it. Brains out of the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign have determined just that. They studied 170 dating couples (and 36 individuals whose relationships didn’t quite make it) over nine months. Four distinct couple types emerged, and figuring out which one you fall into could determine whether you should be shopping for wedding rings or renewing your Scruff membership.
Conflict Connies Making up 12% of the sample, these conflict-ridden couples were more focused on disagreements in their relationship than any other group. But if you hear them (and you will), they’ll reassure you, “The best part of fighting is making up!” This group is about “passionate love.” For those who may never have been lost in its abyss, this “passion” is a nicer word for lust, which results in feelings of instability and loss of control. It’s like being high, except legally. Marriage Eight Ball says: “Better not tell you now.” Just bringing up the idea of marriage will start an argument, but you probably aren’t going anywhere because the sex is so hot.
Drama Queens Dramatic couples made up 34% of the sample. The biggest group! These couples often have similar interests and traits, but in this case, similarity breeds contempt. Drama Queens need an audience, like with their separate groups of friends who are quick to shout back, “You deserve better, hunty!” (Especially the single ones happy to welcome you back into singledom.) Being in a relationship like this feels like being on a roller coaster—scary, exciting and eventually nauseating. When one finally gets off, he could miss the thrill of it and get right back on again. Unfortunately, each time will be less and less exciting, and other rides will begin to look much more enticing. Marriage Eight Ball says: “Don’t count on it.” The drama will keep you from deepening your commitment. You’re the most likely to break up.
Social Butterflies Defining themselves by social engagements and group memberships, these socially involved couples made up 19% of the sample. Whether it’s a circuit party, the opera or Disneyland, they do it together. RSVPs may be their most common activity, but outside the parties, they’re not likely to make a lot of noise—either in the bedroom or the boxing ring. That’s because it’s less about passion and more about friendship. “Friendship-based love” results in higher levels of satisfaction than “passion-based love.” That and a slew of family and friends that help strengthen the couple’s identity and give them support. This may also be the same reason arranged marriages do as well as they do. Marriage Eight Ball says: “Signs point to yes.” Marriage doesn’t worry either of you, and you both want to keep having fun with each other, which allows deeper levels of commitment.
FITNESS
Some days I only have a halfhour to hit the gym. How can I make the most of that time?
Three-Legged Larrys These partner-focused couples make up 30% of the sample and seem fused at the hip as if they just came from a three-legged race. Like the Drama Queens, they have similar interests and traits, but unlike them, those similarities only strengthen their bond. They truly value the relationship they’re in and give it high marks. Like the Social Butterflies, this group tends to have more “friendship-based love,” but here they become each other’s social supports and tend to spend more time with each other than going to parties or gatherings. Of all the groups, the ThreeLegged Larrys have the highest relationship satisfaction. Ultimately, these are the relationships that endure the longest. Marriage Eight Ball says: “It is certain.” Start picking out the china pattern, because marriage is the next logical step. Did the Marriage Eight Ball not give you the answer you want? Stop playing games and get real with yourself. Are you a drama queen? Prefer passion to friendship? Blame most of your relationship problems on your partner? If so, you need to do some real work. Either that or start brushing up on your woofs.
Contact Dr. Cason by going to DrGreg.com, or interact with him on Twitter @DrGregCason
I’m debating going vegetarian. Do you think that's a good idea? —Roger, Hollywood
—Ryan, Los Feliz
WITH AARON SAVVY
➸ Send your questions to aaronsavvy@ gmail.com
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You do have a few options if you’re limited on time. I suggest cardio, the fastest way to release endorphins and build your stamina. I also suggest hitting just one muscle group. You can easily perform four sets of four different exercises.
You want to be careful if you’re deciding to go all-vegetarian. I believe in creating a balance with nutrition. Protein is a huge part of burning unwanted body fat and building lean muscle mass. Some proteins are better than others, but overall I suggest organic chicken, fish, tuna and eggs. The leaner the protein, the better.
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THE
BENEFITS OF NAPPING
4 reasons why catching midday ZZZs is A-OK FOR BEST ORGASM RESULTS, DON’T DO THIS.
Seeking Oxygenated Orgasms Men use everything from pharmaceuticals to penile playthings to prolong interludes of ecstasy, but your best bet might just come from an unlikely source—your lungs By Jim Larkins
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ust like athletes who increase their stamina with breathing exercises, you can postpone your last thrust of sexual pleasure. But there are right ways to do it—namely methods for improving your breathing—which can substantially increase your body’s ability to orgasm when you want. Since most of us use less than one-third of our lungs’ breathing capacity, we’re actually forcing our bodies (including our penises) to survive on limited rations of oxygen. Restricting the air supply to your oxygen-hungry penile cells can lead to a real dive in performance. Ironically, a time when we need oxygen the most—during sex—is also when we take quicker, shallower breaths, especially as we near orgasm. The key, then, is to learn how to breathe deeper and with a specific rhythm that is in sync with your movements. “To increase the intensity of your orgasm deliberately, take slow, deep breaths as you feel yourself becoming more and more aroused,” says Barbara Bartlik, MD, a psychiatrist and sex therapist based out of New York. “By slowing everything down, you will delay your orgasm and build tension.” BONE UP ON YOUR BREATHING Before you delve into a heavy session of foreplay, try stretching out on your back and begin breathing slowly through your nose. While continuing this, put your hand on your pelvis and feel it slowly rise and fall. It’s a basic exercise that will increase your level of arousal while drawing more 26
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blood to the penis. Another method—the same used by weightlifters to pump iron—can help you pump your partner the way you really want to. During sex, take some time to concentrate on breathing deeply when you pull back, exhaling when you thrust forward. This should give you the added boost of oxygen needed for a really hard, long-lasting erection. A HARMONIOUS HUFF AND PUFF The surest route to a mind-blowing orgasm is actually through the mind. Visualization can not only help prolong your ejaculation but bring more bang to your boner. Set aside 10 minutes for you and your partner to do the following simple, mind-over-matter exercise. Lie on your backs with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed. Taking slow, deep breaths, begin to visualize the air entering your bloodstreams and flowing into your penises. Imagine that you’re feeling an increase in energy and strength. “Inhaling and exhaling in sync with your partner is a simple yet powerful technique for increasing your emotional connection,” says Sayaki Adachi, a clinical sexologist and orgasm coach in San Diego. “And it can even lead to simultaneous orgasms.” It doesn’t take the spiritual discipline of a Buddhist monk to see this through to a positive end. Studies show these techniques have brought athletes to the finish line first, and they can bring you to that mind-blowing orgasm just as easily.
FANCY A POWER NAP between meetings? Your boss may not be keen on the idea, but doctors are. Studies show that catching winks in intervals of 20 to 40 minutes when you’re feeling groggy, stressed or run-down can improve your overall health. Here are four more benefits of a little impromptu shut-eye. 1. Naps can improve attentiveness, enhance performance and reduce the occurrence of mistakes and accidents. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a NASA study on sleepy pilots and astronauts found that 40-minute naps improved alertness by 100% and performance by a third. 2. The increased alertness you experience directly after a brief stint in dreamland may linger a few hours later in the day. Which is why your eyelids are totally giving you helpful cues when you feel that after-lunch coma coming on like clockwork. 3. Scheduled napping has proven successful for some sufferers of narcolepsy. Here’s another truth bomb: Drinking a glass of tart cherry juice before tucking yourself in can help induce sleep, and research shows that it helps some insomniacs sleep deeper, says Dr. Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute. 4. Can’t get away on vacay? The psychological benefits of naps are similar to those you experience when you’re in nowork-all-play mode, and they’re an easy (and cheaper) way to sneak in that overdue relaxation. —Mikey Rox
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events ■ Through March 19 SWEET DOMINION Corey Helford Gallery
Award-winning SF-based artist/ illustrator Eric Joyner presents his newest body of work—iconic depictions of vintage robots and the classic American glazed donut. coreyhelfordgallery.com
nightlife
KCRW presents the threetime Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, performing with Bill Frisell on guitar. Alternative folk singersongwriter Sean Rowe will open the show. cap.ucla.edu
Nearly 30 sculptures are created using close to 500,000 Lego bricks in this exhibit showcasing the wonders of the natural world. southcoastbotanicgardens.org
The upscale drag revue returns to DTLA, featuring performances by Detox, Raja, Trixie Mattel and more, hosted by I Am Cait darling Candis Cayne. lebalrevue.com ■ Fri. | March 4 SUMMER AND SMOKE Actors Co-op Theatre
■ Fri. | March 4 CUB SCOUT Eagle L.A.
Silver Lake’s little “party in the woods” celebrates six years of great music and cheap beer, bringing in heavy hitter DJs Matt Damon and Aaron Davis to help celebrate. As always, there’s $2 draft beer all night. eaglela.com
A story of love and survival from celebrated American playwright Tennessee Williams, this drama follows the shy, fluttery Miss Alma, hopelessly in love with the town doctor’s son. Through April 17. actorsco-op.org ■ Fri. | March 4 OUTFEST FUSION Egyptian Theatre
The annual LGBT people of color film festival brings L.A.’s diverse communities together through screenings, Q&As, workshops and master classes. Through March 6. outfest.org
exhibits
■ Fri. | March 4 LUCINDA WILLIAMS Royce Hall
■ Through May 8 NATURE CONNECTS: ART WITH LEGO BRICKS EXHIBIT South Coast Botanic Garden
■ Fri. | March 4 LE BAL Theatre at Ace Hotel
theater
■ Fri. | March 4 ZOOTOPIA El Capitan Theatre
During special screenings of Disney’s new animated film, enjoy an all-new interactive Wild Animal Encounter show featuring Lola the Sloth and friends from the Wildlife Learning Center. Through April 10. elcapitantickets.com
Shots & Giggles
L.A.'s favorite queer-friendly comedy show, Drunk on Stage, stumbles back to Silver Lake By Mike Ciriaco
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a comedy night before, so I’d put anyone up who erforming in Silver Lake is great,” says contacted me,” he says. ”I quickly learned after Bruce Daniels, “because the people who watching many shit shows how to properly book come to the shows are there to be entershows and build lineups, and now headliners ask tained. They’re smart, diverse and it’s the birthif they can do the show when they’re in town. I place of skinny jeans and hipsters.” think it’s why we’re still around after nine years.” Last month, Daniels relocated his weekly Past headliners have included everyone comedy show Drunk on Stage from West from Kathy Griffin and Daniels’ former tourHollywood back to its original East Side venue, mate Cho to Kathleen Madigan and American Akbar. Following an 18-month stint at Revolver, Pie and Legally Blonde star Jennifer Coolidge, the openly gay stand-up comedian is excited to many of whom use their stage time to try out return to his show’s birthplace. new material before taking it on the road. But “I love Revolver, but it was a very different the event has also become a valuable vibe and not really conducive for watching tool for lesser-known queer comics, stand-up,” says Daniels. ”After being who at Drunk on Stage are able gone a year, Akbar reached out to me to avoid the typical boys’ club of and asked me to think about returnDRUNK ON L.A.’s comedy industry and can ing. When January came around, STAGE really hone their craft. I knew it was time for a change.” Akbar Closing in on a decade, Daniels Change is a reoccurring theme Tuesdays akbarsilverlake.com has witnessed several moments of in the history of the show, which comedic perfection, making it diffiwas originally conceived as a stable cult to zero in on a single funniest act. alternative to touring the country. But he does concede a few contenders. “When I started Drunk on Stage, I “Melanie Hutsell as Paula Deen eating did it for purely selfish reasons,” he says. ”I sticks of butter, years before Kristen Wiig; had just come off the road opening for Margaret Bridget Everett straddling an audience memCho for six years, and I was gone 80% of the ber, tits out, singing Miley Cyrus’ ’The Climb’; time. I wanted to stay in one place for a while and anything Karen Kilgariff or Drew Droege do and write material.” or say. I’m leaving so many things out,” he says. Although Daniels’ life became more sedenWhile Drunk on Stage has generated myrtary, it was arguably just as hectic as his days on iad magical moments for the local comedian, the road. Daniels soon discovered that hosting a Daniels has one sole regret. weekly show is a wilder beast than anticipated. “I wish I’d remembered to take pictures,“ Fortunately, he’s learned a few lessons over the he says. “There are so many amazing moments better part of a decade. I wish I could have captured.” “I started the show never having produced MARCH 16, 2016
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continued ■ Through April 16 UNDERGORUND USA: INDIE CINEMA OF THE ‘80S Silent Movie Theatre
■ Sat. | March 5 BINGE-WORTHY JOURNALISM: ‘SERIAL’ Valley Performing Arts Center
This two-month film retrospective celebrates the punk rock spirit of indie cinema during its formative years. Don’t miss screenings of She’s Gotta Have It (Mar. 4), Desperately Seeking Susan (Mar. 12) and Stranger Than Paradise (Mar. 26). cinefamily.org
Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder take you behind the scenes of Serial, the podcast that has won a Peabody. Season 2 focuses on why Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his station into Afghanistan, leading to his five-year captivity. valleyperformingartscenter.org
■ Sat. | March 5 MEAT RACK: OFF THE HOOK Union
■ Sat. | March 5 BEARBARELLA Dragonfly
Muscle, music and meat combine for the party Beast, taking place at what was formerly the Catch One Disco, feautring DJs Paulo, Brian Maier and Casey Alva. There will be hot go-gos and a laser light show to remember. tinyurl.com/ gpztn6x
Drag empress Peaches Christ and queer nightlife power couple the Boulet Brothers bring this parody of Jane Fonda’s sci-fi camp-fest to Hollywood for one night only, followed by the party Beardo Weirdo, taking place after the night’s second show. peacheschrist.com
SNAP SHOTS ✱
THE MORE THE MARY-ER Local photographer Austin Young wants to organize the biggest drag queen photoshoot ever
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reat drag queens often possess many talents, but sharing the spotlight is rarely one of them. Come March 5, though, L.A.’s fiercest drag darlings will put their egos aside when they assemble at the West Hollywood Library for a historic group photo of drag artists. Organized by famed local photographer Austin Young, the shoot aims to include as many drag performers and enthusiasts as possible in an image that will be featured in the library’s A Brief History of Drag in L.A. art show. “It will be the most massive drag queen shoot in history!” Young promises. Young already anticipates the presence of such personalities as Miss Barbie Q, Jackie Beat, Love Connie, Tammie Brown and Fade-Dra, but welcomes many more. In fact, the first 50 queens to arrive will receive a surprise goody bag, and all participants will receive tickets to Taylor Mac’s new show (read all about it on the next page). While the group image is the primary goal of the shoot, Young also hopes to give each model her moment in the spotlight, time permitting. “I’m really going to try to take everyone’s individual portrait,” says Young. “This will mean I’ve got to work fast.” —M.C.
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CONSENT | REDLINE Photos by Jeremy Lucido
TAYLOR MAC: KEVIN YATAROLA
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HISTORIC DRAG GROUP PHOTO SHOOT West Hollywood Library March 5 Register at dragangeles. eventbrite.com
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CONFESSION SATURDAYS | THE ABBEY Photos by Rolling-Blackouts
24-Decade Party People Performance artist Taylor Mac showcases 10 years of popular music as he brings a new show to L.A.
TAYLOR MAC: KEVIN YATAROLA
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t’s hard enough to hold a Millennial’s attention for 24 seconds, let alone 24 hours. Of course, Taylor Mac has never been one to keep things simple. The queer performance artist, who will mount an abridged iteration of his ambitious 24-Decade History of Popular Music at UCLA’s Royce Hall on March 12, has been described as an amalgam of glam icon Ziggy Stardust and unconventional ukelelist Tiny Tim—a comparison Mac responded to by mounting a show entitled Comparison is Violence, or the Ziggy Stardust Meets Tiny Tim Songbook. Mac ups the ante with 24-Decade History. Aiming to showcase a decade’s worth of popular American music per hour, the final incarnation of his show is intended to run for a full 24 hours. (But don’t get too antsy just yet. The upcoming L.A. version focuses solely on the 20th century.) The excessive running time of the show’s ultimate version is a conscious choice intended to create a very specific theatrical experience. “I started working on a show that’s so long that the audience is falling apart,” says Mac, speaking from Nashville before a performance, “and I’m falling apart, and the band is falling apart. But, because of the onslaught of history and popular culture, we are all building bonds while falling apart.” This notion of joining together while TAYLOR simultaneously eroding was inspired MAC'S directly from Mac’s earliest experi24-DECADE HISTORY OF ence with the LGBT community. “I was POPULAR MUSIC a little kid up in Stockton, California. Royce Hall I’d never met an out homosexual March 12 before. In 1987, I went to the very first cap.ucla.edu AIDS Walk in San Francisco. I saw for the first time out homosexuals. There were thousands of them all at the same time. The reason they were all gathered was because the community was falling apart because of the AIDS epidemic. It was building a community [while] tearing it apart. That dichotomy has always been an interesting thing I’ve noticed in American culture. I wanted to make a show about it.” The full length 24-Decade History of Popular Music is slated to take place in New York later this year, but Angelenos won’t be excluded. For his next trip west, Mac intends to mount six-hour blocks of the show at four different venues and dates across Los Angeles. “That way everyone can see the entire show without staying up 24 hours,” he says. —M.C. MARCH 16, 2016
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MUSTACHE MONDAYS | THE LASH Photos by Jeremy Lucido
■ Sat. | March 5 KEB’ MO’ The Broad Stage, SaMo
Described as “a living link to the seminal Delta blues,” this Grammy winner will perform some of his most celebrated work for one night only. His songs have been recorded by B.B. King, the Dixie Chicks, Joe Cocker and others. thebroadstage.com ■ Sat. | March 5 PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE Theatre at Ace Hotel
This special screening of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2002 film features a live performance of the original score, re-orchestrated for New York’s Wordless Music Orchestra and L.A.’s wild Up ensemble. acehotel.com
■ Tue. | March 8 QUEEN: A NIGHT IN BOHEMIA Local cinemas
Specially restored and remixed for the big screen, Queen’s 1975 concert commemorates the 40th anniversary of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and showcases the song’s first live recording. A documentary also tells the story by the band itself. fathomevents.com ■ Wed. | March 9 SPIN THE BOTTLE Bar Mattachine
Every Wednesday night, Paul V spins records and Jackie Beat spins her big wheel of song parodies, performing them live—and you spin to lip-synch for your drink! facebook.com/barmattachine
■ Sat. | March 5 MEGAWOOF L.A. Precinct
DTLA plays host to London’s premiere bear party, this month with a rugby edition where you can support L.A. Rebellion’s attending of the Bingham Cup. DJ Glovibes spins alongside special guest DJ Dawna Montell. precinctdtla.com ■ Sun. | March 6 YOU NEVER CAN TELL A Noise Within
George Bernard Shaw’s early work is set in a seaside town and tells the story of Mrs. Clandon and her three children, who have no idea who their father is. In a comedy of errors, they invite him to a family lunch. Through May 15. anoisewithin.org ■ Through March 6 THE MAGIC FLUTE Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Mozart’s classic opera combines state-of-the-art film animation and live actors, taking you into an enchanted world where good faces the forces of darkness. laopera.org 32
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■ Wed. | March 9 LIVE AT VELVET LOUNGE Velvet Lounge
Orange County’s LGBTfriendly stand-up comedy showcase returns to the stage with a lineup including Alec Mapa, Will Weldon, Sofiya Alexandra, Jaleesa Johnson and more. velvetoc.com ■ Thu. | March 10 SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL AMC Fashion Valley 18
Now in its 23rd installment, this year’s fest takes place over 10 days. Every year the festival screens more than 160 films from Latin America, Spain, the U.S., Mexico and other parts of the world. Through March 20. sdlatinofilm.com
EATINGOUT
TACO KISSES Cavern Club Theater March 14-15 kaysedia.com
AN EAST SIDE ANGEL FLIES FREE Kay Sedia, best known as a third of Chico’s Angels, kicks off her own one-chica world tour
K
ay Sedia is about to hit the road, but before she leaves, she wants to give Silver Lake one last kiss. Later this month, the loony Latina from Chico’s Angels will mount her one-woman show, Taco Kisses, at the East Side’s Cavern Club Theater before taking the production for a run in Puerto Vallarta. “There was a lil voice in my head calling me selfish for not sharing all this sexy and booty wif the world,” says Señorita Sedia in her thick accent. “When I hear voices, I listen!” Followers of L.A.’s gay comedy scene most likely know her best as one-third of the Latin-flavored Charlie’s Angels drag parody trio Chico’s Angels. Along with her cohorts Frieda Lay and Chita Parol, Sedia has been starring in regular shows at the Cavern Club—found in the basement of popular Mexican restaurant Casita del Campo—since 2003, as well as in the web series Gang of Chicas, Lost Little Chica and 24ish. The latter was nominated for Best Short at the Frameline Film Festival. Taco Kisses marks the rare occasion where Sedia will fly solo. Admittedly, the caliente crimefighter can already be found throwing private Tupperware Fiestas (you may have caught her appearance on a season 5 episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County), as well as December’s holiday-themed Feliz Navi-Diva. But Sedia acknowledges Taco Kisses as her first official stab at a one-woman show. “Taco Kisses is my first attempt at juan woman cho, and it's all about my favorite subject: Me!” she says. Fans fiending for Frieda and Chita, fear not. Sedia promises that her sister sleuths will indeed be making cameos in this production. “Jes, Chico’s Angels will be joining me as guests for the show. I think they got jealous that somejuan wanted to kiss my taco.” After Sedia closes her two-night run in Silver Lake, she’ll head south to mount Taco Kisses at The Palm Cabaret and Bar in Puerto Vallarta from March 22-31. (She claims she’s always wanted to visit the Mexican resort town after seeing her hero Charo cruise there in The Love Boat.) While Sedia loves performing in the States, she admits there are benefits to working south of the border. “In Mexico, the tequila is cheaper, the price of admission is cheaper and there’s easier access to donkeys,“ she says. “So, in other words, I’m cheaper in pesos.“ —M.C.
It's Tempura Time
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the day’s fresh sashimi, and then the temf you’ve been to the average L.A. sushi pura portion of the meal begins. spot, you might think tempura is just a Depending on which menu you choose, bunch of fried veggies and shrimp, but your plates might include sweet king crab, you’d be wrong. Tempura is one of Japanese live scampi and sumptuous sea urchin. You’re cuisine’s hallmarks, and a new restaurant is encouraged to try dipping the tempura in one bringing this venerable culinary tradition to of five different salts to mix and match flavor Beverly Hills by way of Kyoto. profiles. Then comes a refresher tempura, Situated on a sleepy stretch of Little sort of like a sorbet course, with flambéed Santa Monica Boulevard, Endo comes sweet potato and a citrusy yuzu granite. courtesy of established Japanese restauraIf you opt for one of the more deluxe teur Koichi Endo and his head chef, Satoshi menus, you’ll have a whole new set of plates Matsuda, a tempura master chef. This isn’t to enjoy, including a succulent cut of Wagyu your average fry shack. beef and a scallop with shaved truffle and a Among the various oils used, for dollop of caviar. There might be a tempura example, is cottonseed oil—prized for its bowl with a hearty mix of tensmoothness, its stability under don, egg yolk and tsukemono heat and its ability to amplify before a light dessert of homethe taste of the other ingremade sherbets. dients. Matsuda only uses Finally, the meal is capped “hard water” that is rich in off with green-tea matcha preminerals, in order to soften sented in a traditional (but sometimes-harsh flavors and abbreviated!) ceremony by a to prevent the “weak flour” kimonoed staff member. (so-called because it contains The wine list skews few proteins and thus prevents expensive, so try the impresthe formation of gluten) from Endo 9777 S. Santa Monica Blvd. sive sake collection on-hand. absorbing too much water. All Bev. Hills The Kubota Manju Junmaithis and more is explained on (310) 274-2201 Daiginjo is easy drinking and the menu, so you can follow beverlyhills-endo.com elegant, while the 23 Dassai along throughout your meal. $$$$$ Junmai Daiginjo is quite aroThe menus here are prixmatic and slightly off-dry for fixe (until 9 p.m., at which a bit rounder texture. point you can order à la carte) Atmosphere Get a group together so and range from $180-$280 Traditional Japanese style at Beverly Hills prices you can book the Kyoto-style per person. For that you get tempura bar for up to eight at least 15 courses or bites. Standout Dishes Fresh sashimi, tempura people and watch all the action The appetizer might be a seafood, Wagyu beef as it unfolds, seated side-bymorsel of Japanese eggplant Drinks side at the wooden bar with the with tangy ginger-dashi gelée, Sake options copper-domed fryer right in while you can down the little front of you. Otherwise, there amuse tempura of corn and Hours 5 p.m.-midnight, Mon-Sat are private rooms for two to shrimp toast in one bite each. eight people at Western-style To start the palate off light, Reservations dining tables. —Eric Rosen there’s usually a selection of Required
★★★★★
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■ ■ ■ ■ continued ■ Tue. | March 15 CASA VALENTINA Pasadena Playhouse
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This brand-new work by Harvey Fierstein and director David Lee asks questions about identity and fluidity when a community meeting of cross-dressers face the challenges of coming out in 1962. Through April 10. pasadenaplayhouse.org
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BIG BAD WOLF | FAULTLINE Photos by Jeremy Lucido
■ Fri. | March 11 GREAT HORROR MOVIE NIGHT Griffith Park Zoo
This series of scary movie screenings begins with Potergeist, followed by The Shining (April 1) and Friday the 13th (May 13). Each night includes live pre-show entertainment and interactive games. greathorrormovienight.com ■ Fri. | March 11 THE MISMATCH GAME Renberg Theatre
Creater, producer and host Dennis Hensley will be joined onstage by a panel of comedic minds in this parody of ‘70s game show The Match Game. Proceeds go to the L.A. LGBT Center. Through March 12. lalagbtcenter.org ■ Fri. | March 11 THE BITCH IS BACK Cavern Club Theater
Joe Posa has performed as Joan Rivers for 10 years. In this 90-minute show, Posa and Rivers‘ head writer Tony Tripoli bring her humor back to the stage. Through March 12. cavernclubtheater.com ■ Sat. | March 12 BOOTIE L.A. Regent Theatre
In a night dedicated solely to bootleg mashups, DJ ShyBoy and dance crew R.A.I.D. put on a party celebrating pop culture of both the past and present. This evening’s event takes on the ‘90s. theecho.com ■ Sun. | March 13 WELL-STRUNG Renberg Theatre
Specializing in paring famous classical compositions with pop hits by Adele, Britney Spears and Kesha, this internationally acclaimed singing string quartet performs for one night only. lalgbtcenter.org
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■ Wed. | March 16 BEN-HUR Valley Performing Arts Center
The silent film comes to life with a live performance of its original score by founding member of The Police Stewart Copeland, on percussion joined by the Pacific Symphony. valleyperformingartcenter.org ■ Thu. | March 17 VENICE ART CRAWL Throughout Venice
Fostering the creativity that has historically and currently makes Venice what it is today, the Art Crawl looks to share the works of local artists via a series of community mixers and art events. veniceartcrawl.com ■ Through Sept. 12 FACTORY OF THE SUN MOCA
It’s the U.S. premiere of Hito Steyerl’s landmark video installation, in which he looks at the unprecedented global flow of data and the prevalence of surveillance. moca.org
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“The Ministers of Japan“ in Robert Allan Ackerman's new play, Blood
A Tainted Tale
New political thriller Blood, inspired by true events, delves into the conspiracy to cover up Japan’s sale of HIV-tainted blood By Patrick Rosenquist
THE BOYS ARE BACK Over the past month, mysterious posters and signs appeared in bright colors with the word SUPER written sans serif inside a circle. At the bottom, a URL: whatissuper.co. What could it mean? All has been revealed, as the Pet Shop Boys have announced a 13th album (unsurprisingly titled Super) in stores April 1. Two tracks have already been given away by the band. The first, a moody instrumental called ”Inner Sanctum,” is a nice teaser for what’s to come, but the second track and lead single “The Pop Kids” is easily one of the most majestic songs the Boys have recorded in their 30-year history—sweeping, epic, danceable, clever—all the things you’ve come to expect from the Pet Shop Boys, wrapped up in just under four minutes. The kings are back! —Dominik Rothbard
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hile still an obscure event to most Americans, Japan was rocked by an HIV scandal in the early 1980s. By the time the immunodeficiency virus was identified, most blood banks in the States began heat-treating their supply, destroying the virus and containing the spread of the disease. Japan was approached by Baxter Travenol Laboratories with an offer to provide similar services, but turned down the company to prevent a monopoly on transfusions that would crowd out home-grown competition. That misjudgment had serious consequences: nearly 2,000 Japanese citizens acquired HIV from untreated blood, spurring an epidemic in the country. In 1989, those who had received HIV-infected blood—mostly hemophiliacs—sued the Department of Health. It was the first time a Japanese national had sued his government. The ensuing legal battle, and consequences from the oversight, are still being felt today. TV and film director Robert Allan Ackerman has parlayed the extraordinary story into a new play, presented by The Garage Company, called Blood. “There are so many lies being told,” says Ackerman, who has lived in Japan for nearly two decades. “I thought it would be interesting as a play.” The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated director, best known for his movie The Ramen Girl and TV’s The Life of Judy Garland, was initially warned about developing the project. MARCH 16, 2016
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Clockwise, from top: An Act of God, SissyBoy, Broken Fences
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A Reading Rainbow
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t’s a little too early to hit the beach with a good book, but before you break out the umbrella and sunscreen, thumb through some of spring’s most exciting reads. From invigorating takes on American history to Nigerian magical realism, we’ve rounded up three books everyone will be talking about once summer rolls around. Why not get a head start?
BLACKASS by A. Igoni Barrett
investigative journalist, Lehman traces the symbiotic relationship of cash and Christ from the founding fathers to the contemporary explosion of prosperity theology—the idea that worship can increase your bank account. Early reviews have noted the book’s scathing tone and readability, marking it as one of the year’s most anticipated non-fiction releases. Out May 17
Barrett’s highly anticipated first novel centers on Furo Wariboko, a young black Nigerian who wakes up one day to discover he’s white. The Kafkaesque conceit plays out in a deadpan manner, and Barrett uses the device to explore the social dynamics of Lagos, Africa’s largest city. At first, his transformation is a MORE READS source of embarrassment—and ON OUR RADAR in conflict with his accent and name—but once he lands a highOUT NOW paying job, Furo realizes his new Master of Ceremonies appearance comes with beneby Joel Grey fits. Part of the Nigerian literThe Vegetarian ary renaissance—which includes by Han Kang renowned authors Teju Cole and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie— The Widow Barrett has earned international by Fiona Barton recognition as a writer ready to shake the world. Out now MARCH Lust & Wonder by Augusten Burroughs by Chris Lehman The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney In America, can you really disPrivate Paris entangle money and religion? by James Patterson We may see the relationship of capitalism and Christianity as a APRIL new phenomenon, but Lehman Family Jewels argues these two forces have by Stuart Woods shaped American history since The Last Mile Puritan times, destroying the by David Baldacci idea that American Christianity Sleeping Giants has strong roots in austerity by Sylvain Neuvel and self-sacrifice. A seasoned
THE MONEY CULT
THE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL BOMBS by Karan Mahajan
Opening with a terrorist attack in a New Dehli marketplace— one that claims the lives of two young brothers—Mahajan’s novel follows their friend, Mansoor, who survives the bombing but is left disfigured and distraught. The book traces Mahajan’s journey as he attends school in the U.S., becomes an activist and attempts to console his friends’ parents, whose pain is still raw years after the attack. Woven throughout the story are fragments regarding others devastated by “small bombs”—as well as those who deploy them—in an attempt to understand the complex psychological ramifications of these attacks and the motivations underpinning their use. Out March 22
MYSTERY OF LOVE AND SEX: CRAIG SCHWARTZ
When he talked to Japanese friends about the project, they were worried. “I was told by my friends to let the project go; I would be attacked by right-wing Japanese politicians. It would be especially tricky because I was an outsider. I shelved the project and moved on,” says Ackerman. Still, Blood moved to the front of his mind with two recent events in Japanese culture. First, reception of The Cove—about fishers killing dolphins and the government’s blasé reaction—piqued his interest in the government’s secrecy. Second, the questions surrounding Fukushima—the nuclear power plant rocked by a powerful tsunami—have remained unanswered, even as citizens return to the site of the compromised plant, and agriculture derived from the area is sold in stores. “I wanted to ask, what else has the government covered up?” he says. The world premiere of Blood is presented by The Garage Company, an East Asian theater repertoire developed in Los Angeles. While it began as a workshop—aided by Ackerman—it has become a full-fledged theater company, and Blood will be its first event. “It was started by Sohee Park, an actor I used in The Ramen Girl and some plays,” says Ackerman, “and it was developed because there were a lot of actors from Japan arriving in America, and they realized they weren’t in demand.” The Blood Garage Company—developed in an actual garage—has A world premiere become a beacon for Asian and political thriller Asian-American actors, allow(with music) ing them to develop and hone about the Japanese tainted skills in an industry they find blood scandal either disinterested or hostile. “With the Oscars, we see Premieres a lot of people talking about March 5 at diversity, and you’ll hear from The Complex industry guys that there just plays411.com/blood aren’t talented actors,” says Ackerman, referring to performers of color. “Meanwhile, you have a group of great actors in L.A. putting on a play because they’re determined and talented.” Blood, premiering March 5, is one of Ackerman’s largest projects. “I never realized how involved and complex the play was,” he says. “It has 60 scenes and musical numbers.” He’s still happy to have the play put on, years after he was told it could be a liability. “When I first discussed the idea, years ago, I was told I could be in actual danger if I went through with it,” he says. While he’s forgone a credit as a playwright—it’s officially penned by an anonymous individual—it’s less out of fear than humility. “I always think of myself as a director first,” says Ackerman. “I don’t think of myself as a writer. I never saw this being so big. It’s great.”
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(From left) Sharon Lawrence, York Walker, Mae Whitman and David Pittu all give stellar performances in The Mystery of Love and Sex
Indie darlings Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wemberly give us the story on their new album, Moth, out now
OUR BIG SCREEN REPORT CARD
GO SEE IT
Hail, Caesar! (A-) Knight of Cups (B+) The Witch (A-) Zootopia (A-)
An Outdated Mystery MEANT FOR REDBOX
10 Cloverfield Lane (B) Deadpool (B+) Gods of Egypt (C+) How to Be Single (B) London Has Fallen (B) Kung Fu Panda 3 (B) Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (B) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (C) Where to Invade Next (B+)
The Q&A: chairlift
The Mark Taper Forum's latest production, despite powerhouse performances, falls short in its exploration of the gay experience
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here are many mysteries at the heart of Bathsheba Doran’s new dramedy The Mystery of Love and Sex, which might actually be its problem. While the show—playing DTLA’s Mark Taper Forum through March 20—is well-directed by Robert Egan and has a terrific cast, the script sometimes feels like it’s twisting itself in knots to make its points. At its heart, Mystery is about two parents (Sharon Lawrence and David Pittu), their college-aged daughter, Charlotte (Mae Whitman), and her childhood best friend, Jonny (York Walker), who also happens to be black. This is important because amidst all of the themes played out (homophobia, coming out, infidelity, divorce, suicide and death), racism is one of them. The cast is uniformly great, with Whitman and Lawrence the production’s stand-outs. Ultimately, though, the show feels dated; especially with all of its ’coming out’ shenanigans. Truth be told, while this is a gayer play than expected, it also feels like it was written by someone who doesn’t fully understand what it’s like to be gay. —Kevin Taft
Q: What made you decide to self-produce this time around, and how was the process different? P: We learned a ton from Dan Carey on our last album, Something. When we set out to do the third album, we finally had the confidence to do it ourselves. Q: Video has been an important medium for you guys. Do you have more planned for this album? C: The new video [for “Crying in Public“] is coming out really soon. It’s in it’s final stages. I love video. I always thought music videos were the coolest thing in the world. Q: It’s been eight years since “Bruises” was used in that iPod commercial. Has that been a help or a hinderance, and how do you feel about the song now? P: We’ve definitely embraced it. It’s not one of those things that
haunts us. We look back on it as a good thing for our career. It opened up doors for us and allowed us to make uncompromised pop music. We still try to play “Bruises” at every show we play. Q: What would be your dream collaboration? C: I wanna do a duet with Bryan Ferry. P: Justin Timberlake. I wanna write songs and beats with him. I think he’s an amazing pop talent. Q: What’s next for Chairlift? C: We’re doing other collaborations—we always are; that’s who we are. I have a couple features coming out with some really exciting electronic musicians. P: We’re focused on the upcoming tour and making sure we have a show that does justice to the record we’ve worked so hard on. We want people to have a good time. —D.R.
The Brothers Grimsby (D) Eddie the Eagle (C+) Fifty Shades of Black (C-) Zoolander 2 (C+) —Tom Paul Jones
A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER
MARCH 22, AHMANSON THEATRE
HBO HELPS THE HOOPLE
KINKY BOOTS APRIL 13, PANTAGES THEATRE
GREY GARDENS JULY 6, AHMANSON THEATRE
The cable giant’s Vinyl only premiered a few weeks ago, but it’s already got a second season pickup and soundtrack companion. In fact, the music has proven so popular that HBO will release a new soundtrack EP every week. Already Mott the Hoople, New York Dolls, Edgar Winter and even Foghat are seeing their iTunes sales suddenly skyrocket. But it’s not all glam and smoke machines. Thanks to one (particularly depressing) storyline, Vinyl’s able to scour the early ’70s for classic R&B as well. We also get James Jagger (son of Mick) fronting faux band The Nasty Bits with their very own track, “Rotten Apple,” co-penned by young Jagger himself. —Dominik Rothbard 40
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HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH NOVEMBER 1, PANTAGES THEATRE
PHOTO CREDIT TK
DON’T BOTHER
PHOTO CREDIT TKMYSTERY OF LOVE AND SEX: CRAIG SCHWARTZ
FOUR UPCOMING LOCAL THEATER PRODUCTIONS TO GET EXCITED OVER
TAYLOR MAC’s
24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC
Robert Battle Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya Associate Artistic Director
FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS
MARIACHI REYNA DE LOS ANGELES
APRIL 7–10 SEGERSTROM HALL
JOIN US FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS! APRIL 2: Revelations Celebration • Arts Plaza, FREE! APRIL 6: Discover Ailey Mini-Performance just $29
Jamar Roberts. Photo by Andrew Eccles
Sat, Mar 12 | Royce Hall
MOVEMENT 2016: EXPRESS YOURSELF Pre and post show party featuring music from DJ Manifesto, photo booth, spinning disco balls, runway and dance party. Make-up artistry for those who want a fresh coat of paint, provided by
The Center’s International Dance Series is made possible by: Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance, The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances, Barbara Steele Williams Designated Agency Endowment. Media Partners: COAST Magazine and KUSC 91.5 FM
ORDER TICKETS TODAY 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
(714) 556-2787 SCFTA.org Group Services (714) 755-0236
MARCH 16, 2016
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5 QUEER BEN WHISHAW PERFORMANCES The Lobster’s Rachel Weisz, Colin Farrell, Léa Seydoux and Michael Smiley
LONDON SPY
In this mind-bending BBC America series, he plays a queer club kid whose romance with a stranger gets him into deep trouble with authorities.
LILTING
A poignant indie drama in which he bridges the communication gap with his late lover’s mother— who doesn’t know her son was gay.
CLOUD ATLAS
The Darkest of Comedies ALMOST EVERYONE WHO SAW the Greek masterpiece (and surprise 2011 Oscar nominee) Dogtooth went knock-your-teeth-out crazy for it. But when would its writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos make another feature as daring and audacious at that? His follow-up, Alps, was good, but it was no Dogtooth. Cinephiles, prepare yourself for the poke-your-eyes-out-crazy new Lanthimos film, The Lobster (originally slated for a March 11 release, though now its future is up in the air). The plot alone is giddily head-spinning. In the future, single people must move into a hotel where they have just 45 days to find a partner (gay or straight). If unsuccessful, they’re turned into an animal of their choosing. Consider it the ultimate speed-dating. David (Colin Farrell) is one such single man, who is befriended
by The Lisping Man (John C. Reilly) and The Limping Man (out actor Ben Whishaw), two other lonelyhearts looking for love. As the film’s first half unfolds, darkly comic exchanges and episodes reveal the situation’s absurdity. A conversation about what animal The Lisping Man might become is downright hilarious. But Lanthimos shifts gears for the second act, as David meets Short-Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz) and things change drastically for the characters, causing all-new complications leading up to an intense climax. Fans of Lanthimos’ films won’t want to miss the highly satisfying The Lobster (and most have been chomping at the bit since it caused a sensation at Cannes last May). Hmmm. Maybe there should be a rule: If you don’t see this film within 45 days ... —Gary M. Kramer
HE'S NOT SCARY. HE'S GORGEOUS. It’s not everyday that you stumble across the perfect blend of horror and rom-com—a bloody episode of Dexter grafted to a Gilmore Girls season finale, if you will—but come March 8, you’ll be able to own You’re Killing Me on DVD (also available on iTunes and at WolfeOnDemand.com), a film we previously recommended based on its ”litany of gay talent.” (Seriously, it’s a who’s who of local funny gays: Drew Droege, Jack Plotnick, Sam Pancake, Bryan Safi and even Facts of Life star Mindy Cohn.) Jeffery Self stars as George, a narcissistic internet star who starts dating Joe (played with the perfect amount of monotone by Matthew McKelligon), an attractive but very obviously sickand-twisted serial killer. Will this clueless, self-obsessed bunch of gays live to see next Sunday’s bottomless mimosa brunch? God, we hope not. —T.P.J. 42
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Jumping across time and continents, his intimate gay love story forms an emotional center in this big-budget, special effects-filled film.
BRIDESHEAD REVISTED
He was perfectly cast as Sebastian Flyte in this 2008 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel; too bad the film isn’t as good as his performance.
SKYFALL/SPECTRE Does his Q stand for “Queer”? —G.M.K.
SET YOUR
DVR 1. DOWNTON ABBEY
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Bust out the good china. All good things come to an end, and it’s time to bid farewell to the Crawley family in this series finale. Or is it? Rumors swirl that while Downton Abbey the series signs off for good, people are working furiously behind the scenes to make the movie a reality. Six seasons and a movie? One can only hope. (Sunday, Mar. 6, 9 p.m., PBS)
2. I AM CAIT
Season 1 got boring considering its subject is one of the planet’s most talked-about people. Season 2 steps things up with a road trip. Elsewhere, Caitlyn gets her new driver’s license. (Umm.) With a flurry of divorces, comas, Kanye and more coming from the Kardashian side of the family, Jenner’s gonna have to step it up. (Sunday, Mar. 6, 9 p.m., E!)
3. RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE
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Inside sources say season 8 is all about Bob the Drag Queen, but to also look out for Kim Chi, the well-named Dax Exclamationpoint and “fashion clown” Thorgy Thor. And get ready to fall in hate with Britney Spears impersonator Derrick Barry (who we’ve pegged as this season’s villain). RuPaul celebrates her 100th episode and her 100th queen in this supersized premiere. (Monday, Mar. 7, 9 p.m., Logo)
4. PARTY OVER HERE
FOX is desperate to pry the sketch comedy crown from SNL’s cold, dead hands. They tried it with In Living Color, then with Mad TV. Both were massive successes. FOX tries its hand again with this Lonely Island/Paul Sheer-produced sketch comedy show. (Saturday, Mar. 12, 11 p.m., FOX)
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TELEVISION LONG DIVISION
5. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
In an odd-couple partnership, BBC One and Lifetime team up on a miniseries adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novel. Here’s hoping they really Lifetime it up and give Meredith Baxter Birney a cameo. (Part 1 airs Sunday, Mar. 13, 9 p.m., Lifetime)
6. CROWDED
Celebrity Rehab
Celebrities
Mansion
Booze
Bad Girls Club Season 15 premiere, March 15, Oxygen
NBC held back on airing this Sean Hayesproduced multi-cam for seven months, despite starring the bankable Miranda Cosgrove, Carrie Preston and Patrick Warburton in what amounts to a reboot of ’80s/’90s sitcom Empty Nest. (Tuesday, Mar. 15, 10 p.m., NBC) MARCH 16, 2016
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6 1 FUNNY FACES AND LAUGH OUT LOUD PLACES
Los Angeles is a damn fine city for comedy, whether you’re looking for a dark room where you can sit back and chuckle or a classroom designed to hone your funny bone. There’s no better way to celebrate L.A.’s comedic legacy than by profiling its ever-expanding roster of talented queer comics, so here are but a few of our favorites By Mike Ciriaco & Stephan Horbelt
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16 FUNNY FACES & LOL PLACES
Ju l i e
Age: No Hails from: Houston, Texas, but she’s lived in L.A. for five years You recognize her from: Three seasons of Big Gay Sketch Show, People’s Couch and Gay Skit Happens “I cannot for the life of me figure out why I was only interested in comedy from the time I had a memory,” jokes the butch comedienne. Although Julie can’t pinpoint the source of her comedic muse, it motivated her to pop her stand-up cherry at the young age of 15 at Boston’s Comedy Connection. While she’s unapologetically herself behind a mic, her three-season stretch on Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show let the laugh-out-loud lesbian morph into a horde of characters, from Liza Minnelli and Kirstie Alley to Natalie from The Facts of Life.
Justin Martindale Age: 32 on social media Hails from: San Antonio, Texas, having been in L.A. for a decade You recognize him from: Two seasons of Not Looking, as an on-camera personality for E! Since wowing Comedy Store matron Mitzi Shore, Justin has shared the stage with juggernauts like Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho and Louis CK. When not joking into a mic, this handsome goon is creating original web content, like Not Looking, a gay parody of HBO shows Looking and Girls. But while that project is overtly queer, this comedian resists being pigeon-holed. “I loathe the term ‘gay comedian.’ I’m a comedian who 46
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happens to be gay. I predominately perform for the straight masses. I feel like my performing promotes awareness that we aren’t all lispy queens wearing pink suits.”
Bryan Safi Age: less Hails from: El Paso, but he’s been in L.A. for nine years You recognize him from: Co-host of the Throwing Shade podcast, Alan on Young & Hungry, Charlie in the Will Ferrell/Kristen Wiig Lifetime movie A Deadly Adoption Safi broke out when he hosted That’s Gay, a web series exploring how the media portatrays LGBT issues and stereotypes, which led to a position writing for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “Which led to me owning a Mazda,” he says. Scribing for America’s favorite lesbian is appropriate for a comedian who credits his success to the feminine influences of his mother and aunts. “I was lucky to grow up being surrounded by hilarious and complicated women, so that’s what I’ve always gravitated toward,“ says Bryan. Now Safi juggles reoccurring appearances on Freeform’s Young and Hungry with adapting his podcast Throwing Shade into a pilot for TV Land.
Jonny McGovern Age: Old enough to know better Hails from: Brooklyn, New York. He’s been in L.A. for five years now You recognize him from: Three seasons of Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show, hosting three seasons of the web series Hey Qween!
Initially known for his ‘Gay Pimp’ persona, Jonny ruled the queerest corners of the preYouTube internet with viral music videos for “Soccer Practice” and “Lookin’ Cute/Feelin’ Cute” while simultaneously dominating the East Village party scene. But his stint on Big Gay Sketch Show demonstrated that the McGoverness was more than a onecharacter party boy, crafting such comedic gems as the morbidly obese Waffles, a Gay Werewolf and the trans prostitute Chocolate Puddin’. Now, in the fourth season of his dragtastic talk show Hey Qween!, Jonny has proven that his most entertaining character is actually Jonny McGovern.
Drew Droege Age: 39 Hails from: Lincolnton, North Carolina. He’s been in L.A. for 16 years You recognize him from: His Chloë viral videos, Drunk History, Golden Girlz Live The man whom Frontiers dubbed “Hollywood’s hardest working gay man” back in 2013 (and also this magazine’s Contributing Editor) has come a long way since his YouTube debut. Over the last 14 years, Drew has evolved into a television regular, co-starring in Old Navy commercials with SNL alum Amy Poehler and serving delightful sass on Logo’s Cocktails and Classics. But it’s been his turns on shows like Drunk History and The Sarah Silverman Program where he steps out of any gay box and cannonballs into the mainstream. “The weird separation we use to label our LGBT talent was very important to us a short time ago, but it needs to go,” he says. “The kids get it.”
DROEGE: KENNETH DOLIN; MARTINDALE: TED SUN; GOLDMAN: MAGNUS HASTINGS
Julie Goldman
Jus tin
Jonny
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D re w DROEGE: KENNETH DOLIN; MARTINDALE: TED SUN; GOLDMAN: MAGNUS HASTINGS
Diona Reasonover Age: 24 Hails from: Detroit. She’s lived in L.A. for six years and says, “I just started taking Fountain. It’s much better.” You recognize her from: Playing Charmaine Eskowitz on Clipped The youngest comedian to make our list, Reasonover graduated to the small screen last year with a role on the TBS show Clipped. “It was my first series,” she says, “and I was so nervous when I auditioned, I kept hiccuping. I also wore this long-ass Kim Kardashian wig for absolutely no reason. I’m surprised they could see my face under all that hair.” America not only saw her face but, as the tart-tongued Charmaine, we saw her repeatedly bust the balls of sitcom veteran and co-star George Wendt. Reasonover is currently channeling her comedy chops as a writer for truTV’s Adam Ruins Everything. The biggest challenge for local queer comics? “Running into all your exes at the Whole Foods on Fairfax,” she says. “Where am I supposed to get my quinoa now?”
Di ona
PLACES TO CATCH GREAT COMEDY 1. THE COMEDY STORE If they’re a name in mainstream comedy, they paid their dues here. (For proof just look for your favorite stand-up’s name scrawled on the black exterior.) It’s been a gateway for the comedy world’s younger set since “The Store” opened in the early ‘70s, churning out success stories for just as long. If you’re up for a late night of comedy, check out Monday’s Comedy Store Potluck, featuring no less than 40 comics (!) with a few surprise guests guaranteed. 8433 W. Sunset Blvd., WeHo, thecomedystore.com
2. THE LAUGH FACTORY A legendary stage that regularly features some of the biggest names in comedy, this club has launched the careers of some of the greats. (It’s also the club where Kramer went racist back in ‘06, which means comics now get fined for using the ‘n word.’) Tuesday is open mic night, and Chris D’Elia, Kevin Nealon, Tim Allen and Jon Lovitz are all regulars. 8001 W. Sunset Blvd., WeHo, laughfactory.com
3. LARGO AT THE CORONET The venue itself hosts a mix of concerts, book readings/signings and everything in-between, but nothing beats Largo’s stand-up nights, usually hosted by one of your favorite off-kilter comedians (Tig Notaro, Sarah Silverman, Nick Swardson and Patton Oswalt among them), each of whom bring along their ‘comedy crew’ for your ROFLing pleasure. 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., largo-la.com
4. THE NERDMELT SHOWROOM What started out as little more than a dusty backroom at Hollywood’s Meltdown Comics has, thanks to the assistance of local nerd leaders Chris Hardwick and Kumail Nanjiani, become one of L.A.’s most popular and thriving stages. In addition to sets by well-known (and some not-so-well-known) local comics, come for fun improv-heavy shows and the monthly Horrible Movie Night. Nerdist Open Mic takes place on Mondays. 7522 W. Sunset Blvd., Hlywd., nerdmeltla.com —Stephan Horbelt
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5 16 FUNNY FACES & LOL PLACES
CONTEMPORARY
COMEDIES SHOT IN L.A.
2. PRETTY WOMAN (1990) Admit it, Julia Roberts stole your heart when she went from the skeevy streets of Hollywood (“What’s your dream?”) to that bourgie suite at the Reg. Bev. Wil. (which played itself in the film). You’ll still catch people snapping pics of Vivian’s fire escape (actually the Hotel Las Palmas), but did you know the “Blue Banana” was next door to the Egyptian Theatre and the film’s “slippery little suckers” moment—in which Roberts flings escargot across a fine dining room—took place at Cicada in DTLA?
3. L.A. STORY (1991) This Steve Martin and Sarah Jessica Parker-starring film was basically a tour of L.A.’s local landmarks, filming everywhere from the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to LACMA to the KCET Studios on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, where Martin’s nutjob weatherman worked. 4. FRIDAY (1995) This entire film, starring Ice Cube and a pre-freak-out Chris Tucker, was shot on a stretch of W. 126th Street in L.A.’s West Athens neighborhood. The homes have since been painted and cleaned up a bit, but any true fan of the quote-worthy film will recognize the front porch of Craig’s and Smokey’s lazy day hangout. 5. CLUELESS (1995) Another film by Heckerling, this one showcasing spoiled Beverly Hills teens, it was totally shot in Los Angeles. Let’s see, there’s the mall where Tai was not really held up at gunpoint (Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks), the Val Party House where Murray “kept it real” (found not in Sun Valley but in Granada Hills) and North Hollywood’s Circus Liquor (you can’t miss that big clown sign), where Cher was held up at gunpoint and nearly ruined her Alaïa. —S.H.
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Ian Ian Harvie Age: Yes Hails from: Bridgton and Topsham, Maine, and he’s been in L.A. for 10 years You recognize him from: Playing Dale on Transparent It all began with a random postcard advertising a stand-up comedy writing workshop. Four years later, Ian was touring the country, opening for Margaret Cho. By 2015, this trans man had transitioned from stand-up to legitimate actor on the critically acclaimed Transparent, proving obstacles against minority performers are surmountable. “It’s hard as LGBTQ artists to not buy into the idea that there are a limited number of opportunities,” he says. “It’s easy to get sidetracked with feelings of unworthiness or envy. For me, those kinds of thoughts are not productive and take away from the real task at hand, creating!”
Bruce Daniels Age: Up there Hails from: Chicago, L.A. for 25 years You recognize him from: Being the long-time opening act for Margaret Cho The hassles of touring motivated this local stand-up to create his own local comedy platform, Drunk On Stage (check out page 29), nine years ago, where he could showcase his and his queer colleagues’ talent without having to hit the road. After turns in Bam Bam and Celeste and Transparent, Bruce works mostly as a producer these days, and is about to start on the 10th season of Last Comic Standing. When asked what makes him different from other local comedians, Bruce’s answer is terse (and accurate): “I’m the black one.”
B ruce You recognize him from: The Meeting* at Joe’s Pub, UNCabaret in L.A., The Comeback “I tell stories and jokes just like everyone else,” says Justin. “I have a specific perspective, but that’s what you’re hoping to see when you see a good comedian. Mine just happens to be a prancing lady voice from the the 1930s, but I can still make a bunch of dudes laugh.” His distinct voice—figuratively and literally— garnered the attention of producer Michael Patrick King, who hired him to write for Two Broke Girls. In addition to scripting sitcoms, he’s currently juggling a new season of The Meeting* and his second YA novel.
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Jimmy Fowlie Age: 30 Hails from: Bedford, Massachusetts. He’s been in L.A. for 12 years You recognize him from: Guest-star roles on The Comeback and 2 Broke Girls, star of the web series Go-Go Boy Interrupted This Groundlings Sunday Company alum rocketed to local notoriety with his web series Go-Go Boy Interrupted, on which his damaged but lovable puppy dog of a protagonist is an homage to his own party boy past. Ironically, though, his upcoming gig is a reoccurring character on a kids show. “I’m very excited for the world to see my various facial expressions,” he says. While some of his contemporaries reject the ”gay comedian” label, Fowlie embraces the comaraderie of the niche. “I do feel like there’s an awesome group of gay comedians in L.A. We all help each other!“
Chip Pope
Justin Sayre
Age: 46 Hails from: Pampa, Texas. He’s been in L.A. for 18years You recognize him from: Austin Stories, two seasons of Last Comic Standing and Lopez
Age: 34 Hails from: Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, having been in L.A. for two years
Pope cut his teeth on Austin Stories, MTV’s first (and for a long stretch last) sitcom.
HARVIE: AUSTIN YOUNG; DANIELS: MICHAEL SCHWARTZ; CHEENA: BJOERN KOMMERALL
1. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) Amy Heckerling took a roster of soon-to-be stars and placed them in ‘80s L.A., creating comic gold while influencing how the world (still) sees SoCal teens. The high school home of Sean Penn’s Spicoli is none other than Van Nuys High School—still schooling kids on how to order a pizza to the classroom today—and mall scenes were shot at the Sherman Oaks Galleria (since damaged in the ‘94 Northridge quake and turned into an open-air mall). The All-Ameican Burger where Judge Reinhold goes ballistic and gets fired is now a Brentwood Coffee Bean.
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HARVIE: AUSTIN YOUNG; DANIELS: MICHAEL SCHWARTZ; CHEENA: BJOERN KOMMERALL
The show’s proto-hipster, Gen-X spin on the Seinfeld formula took the then-recent University of Texas grad from a struggling stand-up in the small pond of Austin to the asphalt jungle of L.A. Though he says the city’s gay audiences can be hellish to gay comics, the optimistic Chip emphasizes their empathy towards female talent. “Gay male audiences are the nicest to female comedians, and thank God for that, because they have it rougher than we do,” he says.
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Erin Foley
Parvesh Cheena
Age: 37 on IMDB Hails from: South Kingstown, Rhode Island, and she’s been in L.A. for nine years You recognize her from: Stand-up performances for Conan O’Brien, Craig Ferguson and Arsenio Hall
Age: 47 Hails from: Naperville, Ilinois. He’s been in L.A. for 12 years You recognize him from: Gupta in Outsourced and recurring roles on Sean Saves the World and A to Z
Foley’s favorite aspect of stand-up is the immediacy. “Something insanely funny happens at 4 p.m., and I get to share it with a group of strangers at 8 p.m. It’s insane and completely life-affirming at the same time,” she says. When she’s not touring the country, Foley balances her time punching-up sitcoms and hosting Lifetime’s Mixologist and a Movie. But to this lesbian laugh-maker, the most entertaining show of the moment would be the Republican primaries. “Currently I’m writing a lot about the elections—specifically the Republican misogynistic homophobic douchebag candidates. Unfortunately there are plenty to choose from,” says Erin.
With his Indian heritage, Parvesh contributes a unique perspective to queer comedy culture. “Being ethnic and short, I’m like the miracle hodgepodge of every minority and character representation. Gay. Short. Furry. Schnozz. Indian-American. The decks were stacked against me early in life. I had to be funny to get by,” he says. The Chicago transplant honed his comedy chops on L.A.’s various stages. “I’m grateful to Second City L.A., IO West, UCB and Groundlings for giving us weirdos a home.” In 2010, he found a new stomping ground on NBC’s Indo-centric Outsourced and has been a reoccuring sitcom staple ever since.
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16 FUNNY FACES & LOL PLACES Jeffery Self Age: 29 Hails from: Rome, Georgia. He moved to L.A. from New York six years ago. “It’s been downhill ever since,” he says You recognize him from: Two seasons of his Logo show Jeffery and Cole Casserole, multiple TV stints as the ‘sassy gay hairstylist’
Sam Pancake Age: Nice try! Hails from: Romney, West Virginia. Sam says he “came in with the Talkies” You recognize him from: Recurring roles on Friends, Will & Grace, Arrested Development and the Gay Age Gap viral videos It’s pretty meta that Arrested Development is mentioned at the (literal) climax of the latest Gay Age Gap webisode, because while his co-star Brian Jordan Alvarez was still rocking Pokémon underoos, Sam was holding his own in scenes with Henry Winkler. Guest-starring on tons of iconic sitcoms over the years, he’s developed a unique insight from his experience. “I’ve been an out, gay actor in L.A. for over 25 years. Things are 8 zillion times better now than they ever have been. Not to sound like Your Old Cranky Showbiz Uncle, but nothing today seems challenging compared to the Bad Old Days, kids. Believe me.”
Brian Jordan Alvarez
Age: 28 Hails from: Winchester, Tennessee. He’s been in L.A. for 10 and a half years. You recognize him from: Playing Jane the Virgin’s Wesley Masters and the title role in The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo L.A.’s queer comedy rookie of the year is best known for, and exemplifies, The Gay Age Gap. One of only three comedians under 30 to make our list, Alvarez owes his chops to his immigrant lineage. “My mom is Colombian,” he says. “I think a lot of people with a foreign parent become somewhat funny. Hearing your mom not be able to understand the difference between ‘Joan’ and ‘John’ and working on that for hours—that’s funny shit.” A sterling performance in last year’s CBS Diversity Showcase kickstarted the young comedian’s career, earning him a spot on Logo’s newest series, Gay Skit Happens. 50
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PLACES TO TWEAK YOUR COMIC TIMING 1.
UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE We’re not really sure what it takes for an improv and sketch comedy training center to get accredited, but this here’s the only one in the country. Courses are available seven days a week at its newfangled East Hollywood spot, and you’ll be soaking in a curriculum crafted by Amy Poehler and her UCB co-founders, taught by alumni who have written for such shows as SNL, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock and so many more. 5419 Sunset Blvd., EaHo, sunset.ucbtheatre.com
2. THE GROUNDLINGS
This place isn’t a school but a factory, having turned out such well-known talent as Melissa McCarthy, Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig. Improv classes here are highly structured, taught by those who have studied the Groundlings way, and are
available in six- or 12-week blocks. Aren’t looking to shine onstage as much as put pen to paper and craft sketch comedy gold? The “Intro to Sketch” course, made of six three-hour sessions, will cost you a cool $300. 7307 Melrose Ave., L.A., groundlings.com
3.
SECOND CITY HOLLYWOOD If you shine at Second City, you may see your own show grace its stage. This place is serious about educating the comedy-curious, offering online courses, summer improv camps and even a work study program where up-and-coming improv greats can trade receptionist, box office manager or graphic artist work for free classes. Courses run the gamut, from “Stand-Up 101” to “Writing for Late-Night” to “Creating a Musical Revue.” 6560 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd., secondcity.com —S.H.
PANCAKE: AUSTIN YOUNG; ALVAREZ: RICKY MIDDLESWORTH
Jeffery has accomplished quite a bit at his young age, having become a viral video star even before two seasons of Jeffery and Cole Casserole (which he created with fellow talent Cole Escola) aired on Logo from 2009-2010. And while he considers that series “sorta the best time of my life,” we’re sure he has plenty more fun (and success) ahead. Right now he’s awaiting the release of his first YA novel, Drag Teen, an April 26 Scholastic release. Jeffery’s pretty honest about what motivated him to pursue comedy—”An intense need for validation,” he laughingly says—and finds the most challenging part of being a gay comic in L.A. is “getting people to watch what you put out there. There are so many gay people making great stuff nowadays, and there are so many platforms to showcase stuff on, so it feels competitive.”
STEPHEN GUARINO WANTS TO TICKLE YOUR FUNNY BONE
Over the last decade, this actor and comedian found success in multiple formats, from Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show to OffBroadway, but his next chapter—tackling the L.A. comedy scene of the ‘70s—may be the most important one yet Story by Patrick Rosenquist Photography by Ted Sun MARCH 16, 2016
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Photographed at The Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard, Guarino manifests the late Robin Williams, whom he roughly portrays in the upcoming series I’m Dying Up Here
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S
tephen Guarino’s big break first felt like a disaster. He was auditioning for the seminal LGBT comedy series Big Gay Sketch Show and felt—after pulling out five characters and doing some stand-up work— like he'd bombed. “The reaction I got from the room was the feeling, ‘This isn’t funny.’ It felt like they didn’t get me or how I’d work on the show.” Guarino had been working through a variety of day jobs and gigs through his 20s, in what he calls his “riches to rags” period— when he set out to build a career in theater. After meeting Rosie O’Donnell, who was creating the Logo series, she invited him to test out for the show. After what he thought was a bad performance, he went back to work and waited for any news to leak out from the show. “I remember when I got the call inviting me to join the cast. I was working at a coat check. The cast was almost complete. I got the spot at the last moment.” That show, which lasted for three seasons, became a launching pad for a generation of queer talent—along with Guarino, Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon, Jonny McGovern and stage actor Colman Domingo gained national exposure, breaking ground in comedy and creating a new cadre of gay entertainers. Guarino, for his part, hasn’t stopped working since, becoming one of the most recognizable gay comedians on TV. Now, nearly a decade after that show’s premiere, he’s poised to really break out. Raised in Orlando, Guarino, 40, always wanted to be some sort of performer. “I was once on The Mickey Mouse Club—I was doing the word of the day, which was ‘tripping.’ I think my moment got cut.” Openly gay since the age of 15, Guarino attended Florida State University before moving to New York to break into acting.
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ne of Guarino’s earliest successes was the off-Broadway show The Nuclear Family, whose impressive conceit—the core cast members, which included Jimmy Ray Bennett and John Gregorio—improvise a musical production about a dysfunctional family. Each night the crew would build a totally new story—usually focused on a couple and their daughter (and sometimes son)—complete with new names, songs and predicaments. The original 2005 run was brief, but the premise caught on. Guarino and the rest of the crew took the idea on the road. The freewheeling nature of the show lent itself to revivals, and Guarino’s love of the stage—and the spontaneity of the performance—means he’s always keen to revisit the show. A 2014 reunion at the Groundlings Theatre marked nearly a decade of the improv spectacle. While more in tune with theater, Guarino’s career took a turn after the success of The Nuclear Family. His ability to slip in and out of characters was especially attuned to sketch comedy—and, more broadly, television.
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t was his quick wit and comfortable stage presence that caught the attention of O’Donnell—and once he joined the cast of Big Gay Sketch Show, his loopy humor and characters became highlights. (One in particular—the flamboyant, exasperating perennial secretary Ron Odyssey—has lived on as a fan favorite.) “My sense of humor isn’t only gay, but it definitely has a gay characteristic to it. Like a lot of gay comedians, I try to balance things out and branch into new stuff, too.” His work since Sketch Show has maintained that balance. On TV and in film, he’s bounced between gay favorites like the BearCity movie series or the breakout streaming hit EastEnders with broader work, including a recurring role on the ABC series Happy Endings as Derrick, a “stereotypical gay guy” that stands in contrast to series regular Adam Pally’s oafish, slovenly Max. Guarino’s Derrick even survived the much-beloved series’ surprise cancellation, becoming a component of the show’s spiritual followup, Marry Me. His success on network television helped Guarino audition for a coveted spot on Saturday Night Live, and although he didn’t end up making the cast, the experience taught him a lot about the fierce competition that exists at the pinnacle of the comedy scene. “I auditioned, I think, about a year or a year and a half ago—there were 16 people trying out for one slot,” he says. The audition process is notoriously hard on performers—many leave having no idea how they were received, and many comedy stars have been passed on or auditioned multiple times before joining—and Guarino felt the pressure. “With the talent that showed up, I couldn’t pull any punches.” Had he ended up on the show, Guarino would have been the first openly gay man to join the cast since Terry Sweeney signed onto the show three decades ago.
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or now, Guarino is reaching back to his first big TV break with Logo’s new sketch show Gay Skit Happens. While Big Gay Sketch Show was modeled off a more traditional format—think the live tapings and stages of Saturday Night Live or Mad TV—Gay Skit Happens is what Guarino calls a “post-millenial” kind of zeitgeist with a more surreal and open-ended sense of comedy. “A lot of the work is quicker, and it’s mostly location-based,” he says. “We’re also doing it quarterly, instead of week after week.” Viewers first got a taste of Gay Skit Happens’ sense of weird with the viral promo released around the Super Bowl, simply titled “What Gays Do When Football Is On.” It features, among other activities, Guarino languidly icing a cake while sprawled across a kitchen counter, series premiere host Daniel Franzese slowly tending to a plant and a pretty awkward shoulder shaving scene. Each episode is focused around a theme—such as love and sex—and the show returns with a
new entry this summer. Guarino got involved in the show through Joe Del Hierro, with whom he’s had a particularly long and fruitful collaboration. “Hierro and I met through Big Gay Sketch Show; he’s a good friend of mine. The rest of the performers are so great. It’s exciting to work with so many talented people, like Brian Jordan Alverez and Julie Goldman.”
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urther down the line, Guarino’s looking to get back to acting, and has been cast in Jim Carrey’s Showtime series I’m Dying Up Here. A reconfiguration of the notorious 1970s L.A. comedy scene, the show focuses on a comedy club owner attempting to keep her unpredictable performers in line and her landmark operation (modeled after The Comedy Store) afloat. “It’s pretty dark. I mean, that world was pretty grim, even though it centered around a bunch of comedians. It’s not a straight retelling, but we’re working with some archetypes that audiences will find familiar,” he says. Guarino is pegged to play a Robin Williams-type comedian, whose uncontrollable energy—much like the late actor—was both an asset on stage and a hindrance elsewhere in his life. “This guy rubs people the wrong way. It’s also because he doesn’t come from a comedy background— which, like in real life, didn’t sit well with a lot of comedians. He’s Julliard-trained; he’s more of a performer than someone who just tells stories.” The cast is rounded out with Melissa Leo, Ari Graynor and Alfred Molina. The move from sketch comedy and sitcoms to prestige cable is new to Guarino, but he’s excited to explore. “There’s a lot of darkness and sadness in the comedy business. It’s something you still see today—I guess that hollowness never went away,” he says. While the series will keep Guarino busy for the foreseeable future—it’s slated to air next January and will film this year—he’s keeping a diverse roster of projects open. He’ll make an appearance in BearCity 3—which will be released this year—and is currently working on a Los Feliz-based indie starring Janeanne Garafalo called The Happys. Nearly a decade after Guarino thought he had lost his chance to break into entertainment, he’s working harder than ever.
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Get Glen Hanson’s amazing Golden Girls illustrations on T-shirts, mugs, coasters and more! Just go to huntees.com/friends
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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND! An oral history of television’s The Golden Girls, as told by the show’s writers and producers By Drew Mackie ore than 20 years later, the ladies are still sharing cheesecake, still talking life lessons out on the lanai and still making fans laugh. The final episode of The Golden Girls aired May 9, 1992, but thanks to around-the-clock reruns and a devoted fan base, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia have endured in a way other TV characters haven’t. From the show’s first season, The Golden Girls has especially enjoyed popularity among gay audiences. (L.A.’s Golden Girlz Live, playing the Cavern Club Theater through March 6, is perhaps the greatest realization of that popularity—the shining brooch on the Dorothy Zbornak ensemble that is Golden Girls fandom, if you will.) In honor of the show’s continued success and its unique appeal to gay viewers, Frontiers spoke with some of the show’s writers about what sets the queen of sitcoms apart from the rest. Featured in this interview are Mort Nathan, co-executive producer and writer; Jamie Wooten, producer and writer; Winifred Hervey, co-producer and writer; Stan Zimmerman, writer; and Jeff Duteil, writer of the “Dorothy’s lesbian friend” episode. Mort Nathan, on starting on the show from day one with writing partner Barry Fanaro: We took the job knowing it would be writing for characters in their 60s, but the actresses were very skeptical. I remember that when we met Bea Arthur, she looked at us and said, “You’ve got to be kidding. How can these children write for us?” I told her, “Bea, give us a month. We’ll figure it out.” She said a month was fair, and then Betty White said, “Not one more day, darling.” Winifred Hervey: These were ladies who had done Maude and Mary Tyler Moore. Estelle Getty had been on Broadway. These were substantial women, who’d had people like Norman Lear write for them, and they didn’t know that these people who were 25, 26 years old could write for them. But it worked. They got past that and they loved us. Nathan: These women had a chance at revitalizing their
careers, and they wanted to make sure they were in good hands. When my writing partner and I left after four years, though, it was as if we were going off to war. They were very upset. They loved us, and we loved them right back. Hervey: When it was explained to me in the beginning, I think it was still being called Miami Nice. But the cast—they could have said the show was about anything and I would have signed up just to work with these women. And it was created by Susan Harris, who at the time was one of the brightest comedy writers in Hollywood. She had done Soap and Benson, and to work with Susan and [executive producers] Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas, that was a huge honor. Stan Zimmerman: Casting those four—it was just magic in bottle. I remember back then, we didn’t have computers to look up the ratings. Remember, we didn’t know if it was going to be a hit. We knew it was funny, but you never know. And we wouldn’t know until we got in Monday what the ratings were. And they would say, “We’re No. 15 this week.” And we’d all go crazy. And next week they’d say, “We’re No. 8.” And then it was, “We’re No. 1.” And then it was “We’re No. 1” again. Nathan: The ladies were happy to be at the top of their craft for a second time. Bea, Betty and Rue McClanahan were all big stars before, but work had gotten sporadic. But Golden Girls made them stars again, and they loved it—not because of their egos but because of the work. Sometimes the shows were three, four, five minutes too long just because the live audience’s laughs were so huge. Those people had such a great time, which means the ladies had such a great time. MARCH 16, 2016
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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND!
Above, from left: Estelle Getty as Sophia, Rue McClanahan as Blanche, Bea Arthur as Dorothy, Betty White as Rose
Jeffrey Duteil: The show had a huge gay following—and r i g h t a w a y, t o o . I remember getting re a d y o n S atu rd ay nights. We’d go meet friends at the bars or whatever, and while we were getting ready, we’d watch The Golden Girls. A lot of the gay bars back then, even Revolver, would tape the episode and then show it on the screen. A lot of the m ha d viewing parties—even Golden Girls cocktails. And this was back in the first season.
there and read these parts with the cats, and if you could make one of them laugh? Come on! Who ever gets to do that?
Jamie Wooten, who joined the show with writing partner Marc Cherry in the fifth season: Marc and I watched a lot of television, and Golden Girls was our favorite show. We pitched an idea about Blanche’s dead husband having fathered an illegitimate child. It went well and they asked us to join the staff. It was surreal. We couldn’t believe we got onto our favorite show.
Hervey: What we would do was we’d put a whole bunch of stuff in there and we’d know we wouldn’t get it all through. We’d put 10 things in, and there’s only one you really want, and in the end you get it. I remember they let us do this joke, and I couldn’t believe it: Blanche was talking about having smuggled a guy into her dormitory at finishing school, and there was a knock at her door and she remembers having politely hello’d with her foot, all up in the air. We thought it was hilarious and it would never get to air, but it did. And it got a huge laugh.
Zimmerman, on joining with writing partner James Berg: We came in and pitched a whole bunch. We were scared to death, and they just said, “No, no, no.” We were literally out the door, and I turned around and said, “What if Rose’s mother comes to visit?” And they were like “And?” I don’t know what I said, but they told us to sit back down. And we wrote it.
Nathan, on the Emmy-winning script for the “Rose dates a little person” episode: We would come up with ideas that service the character. Rose, for example, was a woman trying to re-establish her life and move forward. We figured that would start with dating. The premise of the show was that people who were 60 or 70 weren’t drastically different from people who were 20 or 30; everyone wants to be happy. We asked what conflict would be interesting for Betty, playing this naïve character, and would put her in an awkward position romantically. And that morphed into Rose going out with a little person, just because that presented her with these additional hurdles. Duteil: The experiences the characters had, they spoke to people. Everyone says people like it because it reminds them of their own mothers or aunts or whatever, but I think back then, when AIDS was rampant and coming out was still a big deal, the gay community really felt these characters were an extension of their own communities. They were accepting and funny and bitchy. The best fag hags a guy could have. They were accepting.
Hervey: Writing on the show, I learned a lot about staying true to the characters, leaning the actors’ voices and their strengths. Some people do one-liners really well. Some people do monologues. Like Bea hardly ever did long stories the way Betty, Rue and Estelle did. But I also learned you didn’t always even need to write words; actors like Bea could do a lot with just the lift of an eyebrow and get a laugh with just that. Zimmerman: If it was [a line for] Bea Arthur, you could just have Rose say something dumb, and then all Dorothy would need to do is give a look. We discovered that all in the first season. We discovered Rose telling her long stories. We just started writing these St. Olaf stories and that became a runner. It was my school in structuring a joke and making sure it comes from the character. You can’t put Rose’s line in Dorothy’s mouth. If you were given lines from the show blind, you could easily say, “That’s Sofia. That’s Rose.” Now so much of TV isn’t written that way, and it’s bland. Wooten: There was an interesting thing that Witt Thomas did in order to save money. Smaller guest parts were done at the table reads by writers. It was such a thrill. We would sit 56
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Zimmerman, on the episode where Rose’s mother visits: Bea Arthur’s mother had died two days before we filmed that, and the producers went to her and said they would cancel filming. She said, “Absolutely not.” She came from the theater. The show must go on. But that scene with Estelle, where Sophia thanks Dorothy for treating her like a person and not an old lady—you can see that Bea can’t look her in the eye. And I noticed that, because I knew what was going on. It’s this beautiful moment. I could just feel it between the two of them. It chokes right in her throat, to be there and thinking of your mother. But good actors use what you have, and she was that vulnerable and open.
Hervey: Bea was always my favorite. I left after the third season, and that’s the year she won her Emmy for Best Actress. I was at the ceremony, and after she gave her speech she came over and said, “Winifred, did you hear I mentioned your name, you little twat?” She was mad because I left. Nathan: TV Guide had done a piece on the show: “The Golden Girls—Is it still as good as it was the first year?” And they asked random people what they thought of the show, and this one housewife said she didn’t think the show was as good and that Bea Arthur’s character wasn’t as interesting. They mentioned her by name—Mrs. Betty Johnson, Sioux Falls, Iowa. So Bea reads this at lunch and then gets on the phone and asks information for this Betty Johnson’s number. And she calls her. And she picks up, this TV Guide woman, and Bea says, “This is Bea Arthur, and I want to talk to you about what you said in TV Guide.” The woman was horrified. She said she was misquoted. “I didn’t mean it. Is it really you? I love the show. I take it back.” And Bea goes, “That’s what I thought. OK, that’s better.” Hervey: And then Bea said “That person’s going to go tell everyone that I called her, and no one’s going to believe her.” Zimmerman: Years later, [Berg and I] were going to see that movie The Opposite of Sex, and ahead of us in line was Bea Arthur and Angela Lansbury. And we were like, “Holy fuck—we’re sitting right behind them. And they were laughing at the dirtiest stuff in that movie. And it was Mame. That was everything. We were like, “Who drove? How many cocktails did they have on the way over?” Nathan: Rue hadn’t been a sex object for a while before the show started, and all of a sudden she was playing the femme fatale again. It was in the first few weeks of the show, and she said, “The most amazingly strange thing happened. I was walking down the street and these construction workers started screaming at me. They were screaming, “Hey, Blanche” and they were saying these filthy things and grabbing their personal parts suggestively.” And I said “No kidding!” And she leaned into me and said, “To be honest, I loved it.” Z i m merman: People are always surprised when I tell them that when I was on Golden Girls, there were no gay people there. [Berg and I] were the first. Early on, Estelle pulled us to the side of the set and said, “You’re one of us.” And I was like, “Yeah, we’re Jewish.” And she was like, “No, gay.” She thought of herself as part of the family, because of Torch Song Trilogy. Right then and there, we fell madly in love with her.
Duteil, on the stirring defense of gay marriage that Sophia delivers in his episode: That speech coming from her made it better than if any other character had said it. You might have expected other characters to have said that, but for Sophia—the oldest one, who’s from a different generation—it meant more. It also meant a lot that they chose that episode to submit for the Emmys that year—just the fact that it dealt with that subject matter. They could have picked another episode, but they didn’t. Hervey: To me, the show was diverse because I am black. So I was diverse. I really didn’t know about who was gay and who wasn’t. I didn’t even know Stan and Jim were gay until much later, to be honest. But we were pretty young back then. Duteil: I’d always like to push the envelope as far as gay stuff goes. So I wrote the episode where Dorothy’s lesbian friend falls in love with Rose. I got an Emmy nomination for it, and it changed my life. It was my first break. I didn’t win the Emmy. I lost to an hour-long Family Ties where they killed off Alex’s best friend. Maybe if I’d killed off my lesbian, I would have won. Wooten: Because the show was a big, fat hit, they left us alone. We wrote the episode where Blanche’s gay brother wants to get married, and not once did anyone say a word to us. There were no questions. It was only after the episode aired that we got hate mail, but no one ever said, “Don’t do this.” We had total support. But I was naïve. For example, I was listed in the phone book. And after that episode aired, they found me, and I had these blisteringly horrible phone messages. I learned a lesson there, but we wanted to make a statement, and we were allowed to do that. Nathan: These characters were decent, funny people who had a good perspective on the issues that people were going though, and I think that’s why people in the gay community gravitated toward it. [The characters] were quirky people, but they were also people who wouldn’t stand for bigotry, wouldn’t stand for racism, wouldn’t stand for sexism. At the end of the day, they always landed on the right side of people’s struggles. Zimmerman: They were playing it in gay bars, but the great thing about this show was that the fans went from little kids to grandparents—everybody of all age brackets and sexual persuasions. It’s a beloved show. That doesn’t happen too often, and that’s what I think has allowed it to maintain this crazy staying power. Wooten: Rue used to visit us when we lived in North Carolina. She was so cute, she made me call her Cousin Rue, because we were both Southern. And I said, “Rue, why is this show still on?” By then it was in reruns on every channel, and she looked at me like I’d lost my mind. She said, “Jamie, it’s the new I Love Lucy.” And I thought about it. She was right—not in that it’s the same as I Love Lucy, but Golden Girls repeats and repeats and you’ll just watch it. “Oh, I’ve seen this one a million times. I’ve seen them all a million times.” But there’s something about it that pulls you in.
Wooten: The gay community loved Estelle, and she loved them right back. I spent time with Estelle outside the show, and I saw firsthand just how much she meant to them—us. I never met her husband or her children, but she was never alone. I think a lot of us helped her fill her time off set. She’d set me up on blind dates. Some went well, and some went horribly awry. But she really blossomed late in life, and I really treasure my time with her. MARCH 16, 2016
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THE WORLD OF BILLY MASTERS From left: Chris Rock, Tom Cruise, Derek Hough, Sam Smith, Tom Daley, Dustin Lance Black
INSIDE THE OSCARS, BERLANTI’S NEWEST PROJECTS, MEET THE NEW JOHNNY CASTLE
The Claws Come Out Sam Smith made a bit of a bungle when he said, “I read an article a few months ago by Sir Ian McKellen, and he said that no openly gay man had ever won an Oscar. If this is the case—even if this isn’t the case—I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world. I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day.” What Sir Ian actually said was, “Why has no openly gay man ever won the best actor Oscar?” A big difference, and one that Dustin Lance Black quickly pointed out via Twitter: “Hey @SamSmithWorld, if you have no idea who I am, it may be time to stop texting my fiancé.” MEOW! 58
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What Happened, Tom? Tom Cruise shocked the paps when he turned up at the BAFTA Awards with an almost unrecognizable face. It’s as if he’s on some sort of steroid where your face just blows up. Or maybe he had an eye job. His face was puffy, and his eyes were small. Cruise presented Best Film to The Revenant. Do you know how fat your face must be for it to be noticeable while standing next to Leonardo DiCaprio? People immediately commented online: “Tom Cruise looks like his whole face has been stung by a million bees!” Another wrote, “What has Tom Cruise done to his face? Scarier than the bear in The Revenant!” Berlanti’s Newest Projects When Greg Berlanti said, “There is nothing I’ve wanted more than to be a dad,” I assumed he was talking about his baby beau, Robbie Rogers. In fact, Berlanti is not only a hot daddy, he’s a biological father. Last weekend, the prolific producer announced that a surrogate gave birth to his son, Caleb Gene Berlanti. Mixed with his excitement is some trepidation at being a new dad. “Check back in approximately 20-30 years for the tell-all about how I screwed it all up.” Unless the tell-all ends with them dating, he’ll be doing just fine. One of Berlanti’s projects for next season is Riverdale, an effort to bring to life the inhabitants of the Archie comic books. The cast includes KJ Apa as Archie, Lili Reinhart as Betty, Camila Mendes as Veronica, Cole Sprouse as Jughead and Ashleigh Murray as Josie (as in “and the Pussycats”). The only name among those that means anything to me is Sprouse, and that’s only because we shared photos of his brother Dylan Sprouse’s “jughead” on my site. It’s the casting of Archie’s dad that really threw me: Luke Perry! Yes, the bad boy of West Beverly High will be the father to a new crop of kids. BTW, the Archie comics’ gay character, Kevin Keller, will also be included in the show in a pivotal way ... whatever that means. Dancing Dirty Again The powers that be at ABC have revealed the lead for their remake of Dirty Dancing. Alas, they passed over the lithe and lovely Derek Hough, but we didn’t
spend much time mourning his demise when we learned the guy filling Patrick Swayze’s shoes will be Colt Prattes. Since I’m a devotee of the annual Broadway Bares benefits, the name rang more than a few bells. In addition to flaunting his stuff as a Broadway Bares poster boy, he’s also appeared in several Broadway musicals and as a dancer on tour with a number of singers, most notably P!nk, who also featured him in her music video for “Try.” Check out sizzling photos of him on my site. Hough and Puff Derek Hough, alluded to in the previous paragraph, coveted the role of Johnny Castle. But he’s got his eyes on a more tantalizing target: Singin’ in the Rain. It’s no secret that the Gene Kelly classic is Derek’s all-time favorite flick. He learned the routines as a tyke, recycled them on Dancing with the Stars and even got to know Kelly’s widow. While his dream has always been to remake the film, his stint last year with the Rockettes gave him a new idea—what about headlining a Broadway revival? I’m told ABC execs want to do anything to keep him happy, so who knows? It’s not as if Hough is without stage experience, having starred in the UK production of Footloose: The Musical. (Interesting since his sister Julianne Hough was in the lackluster big-screen remake.) I was reminded of this little footnote in Footloose history when I saw Derek and Julianne at the HBO post-Emmys party in 2014. When the band started playing “Footloose,” the Hough kids started dancing together in that creepy Flowers in the Attic way. Derek dumped Julianne when Sofia Vergara sashayed over to him. It was all fine until he attempted to hoist her above his head. She was wearing a strapless dress and, well, you can see the video on my site. It’s time end another column. I rushed home to file this story with some Oscars dish before heading to the parties. You should head over to BillyMasters.com, the site that’s always ready to celebrate. If you’ve got a question, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before Sam Smith offers to sing at the wedding of Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley. Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.
PHOTO CREDIT TK
Oscar’s Rocky Start By the time you read this, I’ll be winging my way back to South Florida for the Winter Party. This annual soirée is presented by the LGBTQ Task Force and raises funds for oodles of community organizations. It started as a single event back in 1994, and now it’s a six-day extravaganza. Last year they broke their record and raised over $1 million. If I’m not mistaken, I broke a personal best as well, but why sully the pages of this respected publication with the details? If you’re in the area, do say hi. I’ll be the one inappropriately dressed. But obviously I couldn’t leave Hollywood until after the Academy Awards. I mean, the Oscars and Billy Masters go together like John Travolta and a lawsuit. But enough about happy endings. We were off to a rocky start when Chris Rock mentioned cinematographers and the camera shakily panned to an empty seat. Irony? Sarcasm? I’m inclined to believe it was a technical snafu, like the beginning of Lady Gaga’s performance. I’m also not sure if Rock was making a joke or if he thinks Sam Smith and George Michael are the same person. Eh, all us gay white folk probably look the same. I thought it was a little overkill for the In Memoriam segment to be accompanied by “Blackbird.” Yeah, we get it—we’ll have more diversity next year! While I was happy to see Holly Woodlawn remembered, where was Abe Vigoda? We know him primarily from television, but hello, The Godfather!
QUEERSAY
BY GOSSIP GAY
VLADIMIRENGEL | DREAMSTIME.COM
PUPPY PUMP S
ince moving to the Valley, I’ve spent a great deal of time getting my swole on at the North Hollywood 24 Hour Fitness. And while the men that strut about the weightroom floor are drop-dead gorgeous, they’re nothing but heterosexuals in neon gym shoes. (Sidebar: What is it with straight gym rats and their multi-hued gym shoes? Is there a trend I’m missing out on here? It’s pretty gay, if you ask me, but I digress.) Alas, these buff breeders have proven all tease and no play, so as of late I’ve been trekking from Toluca Lake back to my old Stairmaster stomping grounds at the WeHo 24 Hour Fitness, also known as the gay Mecca of all things homofitness. Because, let’s be honest, when I’m watching a queer hottie with a bubble butt do his bend-and-snap squats, I feel much more inspired to throw an extra 45-pound plate on my bench bar. It’s been nearly a decade since I’ve regularly sauntered about the WeHo weightroom, and quite frankly, not much has changed. Outside of the occasional fresh-faced bumpkin twink, it’s the same daddies ... only with better plastic surgery. But there’s some sort of fad that has recently caught my attention (no, not the neon gym shoes). It’s dogs. I’m not talking about those glance-over-the-urinal-partition doggish men but actual dogs. Therapeutic comfort dogs, to be exact. Not once or twice but a litter-full of times, I’ve seen various owners with their attentive pooch, sweating to the oldies while pumping their pectorals. Now, I’m not a puppy-hater; in fact, I have a houseful of rescues myself, and I’m a staunch supporter of animal-assisted therapy. But I’m curious as to the uptick in therapeutic comfort dogs at the gym, and throughout West Hollywood. Why is everyone so stressed out? What’s got so many gays dumping the Xanax and picking up a pooch? Whereas many might silently ruminate on this query, yours truly went to the source—an alpha hottie on an elliptical with a bright-vested teacup pup faithfully sitting at his side. With a flirty flip of my hair, I casually asked, “What’s with the dog? What’s got Daddy so stressed?” His reply was tried, true and typical WeHo. (I’m paraphrasing here.) “I recently got out of a 20-year relationship, and my psychotherapist diagnosed me as a sex and love addict. Being at the gym triggers my need to be with a man, but what am I supposed to do? Stop going to the gym and get fat? That is sooooo not an option! Whenever I find myself wanting to give out my number to some random hot guy in the hopes that he’ll call me at 2 a.m. for empty, one-time sex, this pup reminds me that it’s my addiction talking, and I have all the love I need inside of me ... and it brings me calm.” At first, I was shocked into silence, because believe you me, if wanting to give out your number to some random hot guy in the hopes that he’ll call you at 2 a.m. for empty, one-time sex means you have a diagnosable addiction, then Hello! I’m Gossip Gay and I’m an addict—a huge, unabashed addict! How did I respond to the recently-single elliptical addict? I gave him my number, of course, and let him know that I’d gladly play the part of the monkey on his back. In case you’re wondering, we have a date set for this Saturday night, roundabout 2 a.m. for some ruff-housing! For more Gossip Gay, go to FrontiersMedia.com. Drop me your dirty little secrets at QueerSay@hotmail.com, and don’t worry, I never give up my deep throat!
LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 4-16, 2016
WED | MARCH 16 | 7:00PM 216 S Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 Join us for a free beer at Angel City Brewery for the Fusion Finale. Enter a One Minute Movie Contest and win cash prizes. PRESENTED BY
For more information and how to enter, visit outfest.org.
MARCH 16, 2016
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PALM SPRINGS Clockwise from left: Arrive Hotel, Frank Sinatra, Escape Room Palm Springs
3 NEW REASONS WHY WE’RE VENTURING OUT TO THE DESERT From a scorching hot hotel property to the city’s take on the ‘escape room’ craze, Palm Springs is still the perfect weekend getaway for Angelenos By Stephan Horbelt
BUT WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LEAVE?
Escape rooms have been ‘a thing’ over in Los Angeles for a while now, and as of last October, the phenomenon finally made its way to the desert. Escape Room Palm Springs, currently open Thursdays through Sundays and for private events, is actually four different rooms in one facility ($30 a pop), each with its own theme—Dark Shadows, Saw, Titanic and the Mystery Room—and set of puzzles, which you’ll only be able 60
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to solve with some serious teamwork out of you and your four fellow escapees. Each 45-minute game—yep, you’re under a serious time crunch—is a mix of riddles, codes and general studies in common sense, kinda like being in a real-life video game. (Hopefully you grew up playing The Legend of Zelda.) Prepare yourself, though: these rooms, brought to life by writer Dominique Fruchtman and her computer programmer husband, are only solved by about 15% of those who play. Think you’re up for the challenge? 560 S. Williams Rd., (760) 779-8888, escapeps.com PAY HOMAGE TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
There’s no lack of ways to experience Frank Sinatra when visiting Palm Springs; the guy’s practically synonymous with the SoCal desert, having called the place home since constructing his famed Twin Palms Estate in 1948. (The Rat Packer has been quoted as saying he needed to escape Hollywood and “get away from it all, but not too far away.”) But you guessed it—there’s one more way to be enamored by Ol’ Blue Eyes, now that the Palm Springs Historical Society’s McCallum Adobe and Cornelia White House Museums are open (as of late last year). Don’t pass up its exhibit devoted to Sinatra in the desert—the place he lived, loved and partied nonstop. Originally timed with Sinatra’s 100th birthday on Dec. 12, 2015, it’ll be around all season long, through May. Peruse the exhibit’s many photos and keepsakes in addition to taking one of the Historical Society’s famed Sinatra walking tours of the Movie Colony neighborhood. 221 South Palm Canyon Dr., (760) 323-8297, palmspringshistoricalsociety.net
MIXNER: NIGEL BARKER
A NEW PLACE TO SUN-WORSHIP
The latest hotel on the desert scene is about to arrive—literally. Arrive Hotel opens its 32 guestrooms up for vacations and staycations alike on March 15, and it’s practically the wet dream of gays who worship Nate Berkus’ design sense (a sleek-but-masculine combo of wood, leather and chunky fabrics, complete with Malin + Goetz bath products!) and not feeling ripped off (rooms start at $200, and the mini bar has 7-11 prices). And more than the design here is modern, like the lack of a ‘front desk’ (instead you’ll check-in at the bar) and the hotel’s preference to communicate with you strictly via text message. Like other Palm Springs properties popular among the gay set (we’re looking at you, Ace Hotel & Swim Club), Arrive strives to be one of those resort-style properties you never have to leave. Its Uptown Design District digs include a restaurant, Reservoir; the open-til-2 a.m. bar; Customs Coffee, selling locally roasted beans; and, naturally, a pool (66 feet long, plus a 20-foot jacuzzi). Bring a drag queen with you and you’ve got an entire Palm Springs weekend at your hipster fingertips. 1551 N. Palm Canyon Dr., (760) 507-1650, arrivehotels.com
Sat. | March 5 DESERT ARTS FESTIVAL Frances Stevens Park
Works by over 100 artists in a variety of media will be on display during this two-day arts festival. westcoastartists.com Sat. | March 5 CAROL CHANNING’S 95TH BIRTHDAY McCallum Theatre
The superstar of stage and screen turns 95, and the stars are coming out to celebrate! Special appearances are planned by Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Florence Henderson, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin and more. mccallumtheatre.com Mon. | March 7 SHIRLEY MACLAINE McCallum Theatre
The Academy Award-winner talks about her life, her spiritual journey and her film career. mccallumtheatre.com Wed. | March 9 BARBARELLA Camelot Theatre
Jane Fonda became as a sex symbol thanks to this 1968 sci-fi cult classic—which was directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim—screening at 8 p.m. as part of the theater’s Classic Hollywood Film Series. camelottheatres.com
Fri. | March 11 COCK Desert Rose Playhouse
Find out what happens when a gay man takes a break from his boyfriend and takes up with a woman i n M i ke B a r t l e t t ’s a c c l a i m e d drama, performing through April 11. desertroseplayhouse.org Sun. | March 13 LAMBDA LEGAL DESERT BRUNCH Private home in Palm Springs
At this fundraising brunch with Lambda Legal’s Executive Director Kevin Cathcart, he speaks about the LGBT civil rights group’s recent victories. lambdalegal.org/palmsprings Sat. | March 19 LEVI KREIS Purple Room
The openly gay Tony-winner for Million Dollar Quartet sings for his supper. purpleroompalmsprings.com
MIXNER: NIGEL BARKER
SEEING RED IT’S THE COLOR OF THE EVENING as the LGBT Center of the Desert puts on its fifth annual Red Dress/Dress Red dance party, where everyone is invited to wear red. “Whatever people’s comfort level is, we ask them to wear red,” says Mike Thompson, the Center’s executive director. “Whether it’s a sassy red dress or a snappy red suit or something else entirely, wear something red.” The party takes place Saturday, March 12, at Snapshot Palm Springs (located at 4575 E. Camino Parocela), the trendy photo studio/event space that’s developing a reputation for hosting some of the city’s best parties. DJ Bob Scatch spins dance tunes all night long at a soirée guaranteed to be buzz-worthy. All proceeds benefit the LGBT Center, which will be moving to a new location on North Palm Canyon Drive in the Uptown Arts District later this year. “Whether you like to stand on the sidelines or be smack dab in the middle of the dance floor,” says Thompson, “you’re sure to have a good time.” Find more info at thecenterps.org. —J.F.M.
MARCH 16, 2016
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