voice
georgia VOL.12 • ISSUE 9
ABOUT THE COVER: Cover photo by Albert Sanchez and Pedro Zalba
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BUSINESS
EDITORIAL
F*** the Gender Police
Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd
Katie Burkholder
EDITORIAL
Gender nonconformity is having its heyday — for better and worse.
“While the very idea of gender at all is a social construct effectively instituted to control bodies, suppress autonomy, and keep people on the margins, gender policing is reaching a tipping point — and it impacts all of us (yes, even cis people).”
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Editor: Katie Burkholder
kburkholder@thegavoice.com
Editorial Contributors: Melissa Carter, Michael Dubin, Anthony T. Eaton, Rich Eldredge, Jim Farmer, Buck Jones, Ryan Lee, Cami Melson, Sydney Norman
PRODUCTION
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SALES
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Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash
FINE PRINT
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For the better: social media has created a space for more kids and adults alike to express their gender in ways more fluid, nontraditional, and abstract than ever before. Yay, gender nonconformity! For the worse: the transgender and nonbinary community has become a right-wing scapegoat. More statewide anti-trans bills have been introduced this year than in years past and give any Republican about 10 minutes before they make some half-assed joke about pronouns like it’s their God-given duty. While the very idea of gender at all is a social construct effectively instituted to control bodies, suppress autonomy, and keep people on the margins, gender policing is reaching a tipping point — and it impacts all of us (yes, even cis people). Shon Faye, a transgender author whose book, “The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice,” comes out later this year, recently tweeted, “The first sentence of my book is: ‘The liberation of trans people would benefit everyone in our society.’” I believe she’s right about this; transphobia, at its core, is a way to police someone’s body: how they dress it and adorn it, what they do with its parts, how they describe and understand it, etc. Transphobia comes from the same place that racism, homophobia, misogyny, classism, ableism, etc. come from: the desire for control and subordination by the socially powerful. Don’t think you’re exempt from this just because you’re cis — you’re not. However, when I say transphobia impacts everyone, I don’t mean equally. There are a select few who bear the brunt far more heavily (besides, of course, trans people): Black women.
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Earlier this month, it was reported that two Namibian track and field athletes — Christine
IMAGE BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / ALEXLMX
Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, both only 18 — were banned from competing in the women’s 400 meter race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics because their endogenous testosterone levels were above the World Athletics-mandated limit for women. The two are both AFAB (assigned female at birth) women, but the strict regulation of these athletes’ bodies has now excluded them from the arbitrary label of “woman.” The same thing happened in 2019 to the South African Olympic athlete, Caster Semenya. Similarly, I’m sure you remember the hullabaloo surrounding rumors that former First Lady Michelle Obama was assigned male at birth. Far-right conspiracy theorist and professional asshole Alex Jones went so far as to analyze photos and videos of her in pants to claim she had a penis in 2017. While the Obama incident didn’t produce the same tangible consequences as that of the Olympic athletes, it further demonstrates that the label of “transgender” is used as a weapon. Black women have always been masculinized to keep them on the outskirts of social femininity. In 2018, BuzzFeed contributor Hannah Eko wrote about her experience of constantly having to affirm her gender as a tall, dark-skinned Black woman: “I’m always left disoriented, wondering which fragment of my identity
was responsible for the misdirected sir, the muffled joke … I wonder whether it’s my deep voice, an androgynous outfit, or a short haircut that provoked the reaction. But I’ve also been well aware that my race and gender play a huge part in these misconceptions. I have lived long enough in the world to notice that Black women are rarely allowed full access to their femininity.” As Audre Lorde said, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” I extend this to all people; the liberation of the transgender community and anyone whose gender identity doesn’t neatly fit into one half of a binary (which, if I’m honest, is most of us — but that’s an argument for another time) is an absolute necessity for the liberation of all of us: women, LGBTQ and disabled folks, people of color, low-income people, etc. We can lead the way toward liberation by embracing gender nonconformity, ours and others’ around us. Gender nonconformity in all its forms — including drag — is an act of political revolution against a strict binary that, when thrust upon us against our will, can have serious, dangerous consequences. So, tip your drag performers, affirm and validate your trans and nonbinary peeps, vote for protrans politicians and rally against anti-trans legislation, and the next time you feel the need to comment on someone’s expression of self, gendered or otherwise, remember that it’s absolutely free to keep your mouth shut. July 23, 2021 Editorial 3
CELEBRITY CLOSE-UP!
Celebrity Briefs ATLANTA DRAG EDITION
From the humorous to the serious, Atlanta’s drag queens aren’t afraid to speak up!
“In our community, there are a lot of cliques. I’m always standing up for people. I don’t get into confrontations because it’s not that serious, but I’m not going to let you talk to someone because she’s new on the scene. I fight for respect for all.”
—Tamisha Iman (Entertainment Weekly)
“I’m a nightmare wrapped in glitter.” —Molly Rimswell (Instagram)
“It’s been so much fun DJing lately as the world is forging ahead into this new era in the pandemic. Being able to dance together safely and socially distanced has really fed by soul. Here’s to more safe ways to commune together!” —Taylor Alxndr (Twitter)
PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK
“Filth [is] my politics. Filth is my life!!!!” —Saliva Godiva (Instagram)
NEWS
Doraville mayor Joseph Geierman
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
Gay Doraville Mayor Makes a Difference Anthony T. Eaton The 2020 presidential election was unprecedented in ways we’ve never seen or could have imagined. The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris saw an almost immediate reversal of efforts by the former administration to restrict the rights of the LGBTQ+ community that we had fought so hard for. 2020 was also an unprecedented year in the election of LGBTQ+ candidates, with over 220 wins across the various levels of government. While federal legislation and executive orders affect all of us, local and state efforts to systematically strip away our rights have just as much impact and can set the stage for actions on the federal level. Our power lies in our ability to impact those decisions that affect us by making sure we exert our control over who represents us, not only at the federal level, but just as importantly, at the local level. It wasn’t until I came across the Mayors Against LGBTQ Discrimination coalition that I started to think about the impact local politicians have at the federal level, and I wanted to know more. Joseph Geierman, the mayor of Doraville, Georgia, was gracious enough to sit down with me to discuss his TheGeorgiaVoice.com
experience and thoughts on the influence of local politics at the national level and the work that the coalition of mayors does and is doing.
Republicans have controlled the legislature for so long and used LGBTQ issues as a wedge to get their base on board. Working at the local level is the way to start changing the mindset of people and build awareness.
Read the full interview online at thegavoice.com. What has it been like for you being an openly gay mayor? Every elected official brings different things to the table. Being gay gives me a perspective on what it is like to be an “outsider” that I hope helps me empathize with other people who are also in that “outsider” position in one way or the other. While ninety-nine percent of what we do on the city council is not LGBTQ-specific, it affects everyone the same. I think that the unique perspective I have as a gay man can provide valuable insights. I will say that as a gay elected official, I feel a responsibility to be more vocal about LGBTQ issues and equity in general. Since I was elected, our city was able to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance — the second of its kind in Georgia. It was the first to be passed in the state since Atlanta passed their own in the early 2000s. We were able to kick off a wave of other cities and counties passing their own nondiscrimination ordinances. I hope that this will influence the state to do something, especially in a state where
Once again, we are seeing efforts to limit the rights of our community through legalized discrimination, especially for our trans brothers and sisters. What is the coalition doing collectively in response? During the Trump administration, Mayors Against LGBTQ Discrimination filed suits against executive orders negatively impacting the trans community, and I participated in calls with cabinet agencies. Even when the chance of changing the policy is low, the point was to make sure that the administration heard voices representing cities that were speaking out in favor of equality. I am also a member of the National League of Cities’ LGBTQ affinity group. One of the things we were able to do recently was to get the League to adopt a position of supporting the Equality Act in Congress. At a local level, what are your specific priorities as it relates to our community and your constituents? We have seven elected officials in Doraville, three of whom are LGBTQ. It is a suburban
community, and we do have a significant LGBTQ population. In Doraville, we have already passed a nondiscrimination ordinance, but I feel it is essential is that we highlight the accomplishments of LGBTQ people and other marginalized individuals. We issued a proclamation for LGBTQ Pride this year and last. In May, we issued a proclamation to recognize Harvey Milk Day. I will be leading a group of residents from the LGBTQ community and allies at Atlanta Pride. I think we must be visible and continue to recognize the contributions of everyone. What should members of our community be doing in response to the actions of politicians at the local, state, and federal levels? I have been a firm believer that it is important to be engaged in your local politics. You can usually have more impact on what is going on in your city, county, and state than you can have at the federal level. All of those local things also impact the federal government in ways that you don’t see. To learn more about the Mayors Against LGBTQ Discrimination, visit their website at MayorsAgainstLGBTDiscrimination. org. To learn more about Mayor Joseph Geierman, visit the City of Doraville website at DoravilleGA.us/Departments/ Mayor_and_Council/index.php. July 23, 2021 News 7
NEWS BRIEFS Staff reports Gay Asian Man Joshua Dowd Found Bleeding and Unconscious in Buckhead An openly gay Asian man was found bleeding from his head and barely breathing on train tracks in Buckhead. Joshua Dowd, 28, (pictured) was rushed to Grady Hospital on July 11 after he was found on train tracks near Piedmont and Lakeshore Drive by a man walking in the area. The man who called the police said there was no one else near the scene. His partner of three-and-a-half years, Colin Kelly, told CBS 46 that Dowd was found in an area “he would [not] typically be in.” According to Kelly, Dowd went out with friends in Midtown on Saturday night before separating from the group. Dowd is currently in the hospital with severe brain damage. There is a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his hospital expenses. “Joshua is the most kind, caring, spirited, Ariana Grande-loving person on this planet,” the GoFundMe reads. “He has changed the lives of many… We are asking anyone who knows him, or even anyone who knows us, to please help. Donating will help him and his family pay his medical bills. Undergoing surgery and being in the ICU has piled on the expenses, and every bit will help him along the way.” The incident is currently listed as “Miscellaneous Non-crime,” but the case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Atlanta Police Department. Atlanta Pride Announces Featured Performers, Meet and Greet Contest The Atlanta Pride Committee (APC) announced today that anyone who purchases a VIP pass by July 30 will be automatically entered to win an opportunity to meet and have their photo taken with artists Big Freedia and Todrick Hall. This announcement confirms that both artists are scheduled to perform at the 51st Annual Pride Festival in October. 8 New Briefs July 23, 2021
Big Freedia (l) and Todrick Hall “Usually, we publish our entertainment line up in its entirety a little closer to the festival date, but we wanted to do something special to promote our VIP passes this year, since we will be back to an in-person event,” said APC Executive Director Jamie Fergerson. “We are really excited to have Big Freedia and Todrick Hall join us, and we are appreciative that they are willing to meet some of our VIP pass holders!” Big Freedia is a rapper who popularized the genre of hip hop music called bounce music. She has worked with everyone from Kesha and Jordin Sparks to New Kids on the Block and Drake. Atlanta Pride fans will be treated to numbers off her new album coming out this year. Todrick Hall rose to fame as a semi-finalist on season 9 of American Idol. Since then, he has worked on Broadway and is regular on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” VIP Passes are $175 each and will provide access to a covered seating and lounge area with a great view of the Coca-Cola main stage. Passes can be purchased online via the Atlanta Pride website, atlantapride.org The entire Atlanta Pride Festival entertainment line-up will be announced in late September.
PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK
Atlanta Queer Arts Organizations Receive Grants from Georgia Council for the Arts Four Atlanta-based LGBTQ arts organizations — Atlanta Freedom Bands, Out Front Theatre Company, Out On Film and Voices of Note — have been awarded grants by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 218 organizations were awarded 266 grants that provide more than $2 million in funding to arts organizations throughout the state. The Bridge Grant provided funding for operating support to 135 organizations, the Project Grant will help fund 54 arts projects, and the Arts Education Program Grant was awarded to 77 organizations. Additional grants for Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities programs will be awarded in the Fall of 2021. All four groups are part of Atlanta Queer Arts Alliance (AQuAA), formed in 2019 to promote awareness and visibility of Atlanta’s LGBTQ performing arts organizations. Other AQuAA organizations include OurSong, the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chorus, and Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. AQuAA will be hosting its first in-person arts showcase tentatively on Sunday, October 3. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
DRAG
Catch Your New Favorite Drag Show Sydney Norman Atlanta has been known for many things. It’s been called the “Black Gay Mecca” and “the Gay Mecca of the South.” It’s also known for its adult entertainment, with The Cheetah and Magic City recognized globally as bucket list locations. All this said, it only makes sense that Atlanta serves up some amazing drag shows. Now that we’ve wriggled free from the pandemic’s clutches, it’s time to head back to the club and support your local drag queens, honey! Midtown Moon Madams of the Moonlight Fridays,11:30pm Grab a drink under the disco ball moon and catch the Madams of the Moonlight putting on a stunning performance. The weekly event is hosted by Myah Ross Monroe and performances feature Chavon Scott, Tristan Panucci Dupree, Niesha Dupree, and special guests Ladi Phat Kat and “Drag Race” alum Tamisha Iman. Learn more at facebook.com/MidtownMoon. Friends on Ponce New Faces Drag Competition 2nd Sunday of every month, 9pm Now hosted by Charmaine Sinclair Dupree, who’s replaced the iconic Ms. Regina Simms, New Faces is a competition that helps launch the careers of young, new queens in town. Winners get a cash prize and paid booking at the next New Faces competition. Learn more at FriendsOnPonce.com. Heretic Atlanta The Stars of the Century Mondays, 11:15pm See some elite queens put on a top notch show every Monday night. Heretic Back Room Burlesque July 24, 8–10pm Performers include Baby D GaLore, TAYLOR ALXNDR, Linuxx Lovee, and Plenty Moore with special guests Cypress 10 Drag July 23, 2021
Lips
PHOTO BY RUSSELL BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
Couture, Bastiana St. Martin, Pink Le’Monaid, Vivian Valium, and Muffy Vanbeaverhousen. This event has no cover, but tips and donations will go to the Armorettes and HIV/AIDS research. A Celebration of Miss Lily White’s Life July 31, 7–10pm For just a $10 donation going to support AID Atlanta and Lost N Found Youth, you can see nine drag queens put on a show in honor of the late Atlanta drag legend Miss Lily White. Learn more at HereticAtlanta.com. Lips Atlanta The Divas! Thursdays, 7pm You absolutely cannot miss “the night where all the stars come out!”
the sequined dresses drop” at their amazing late-night show! Dragalicious Brunch Sundays, 1:30pm Complete with singalongs and “fabulous over-the-top performances,” Lips’ brunchside show will not disappoint. Reservations are required. Learn more at LipsAtl.com. My Sister’s Room Drag Queen Realness Saturdays, 11:30pm Get into it with some drag queen realness at MSR. They offer bottle service and hookah, a late-night menu, and sounds by DJ Ksquared and DJ Amethyst. With the doors opening as early as 6pm, you can party the night away.
Glitz & Glam Fridays, 7pm and 9:45pm, Saturdays, 6pm and 8:45pm This “over the top” dinner and a show is so popular they have four showings a week! Come prepared for “big hair, high heels, and lots of duct tape!”
Sunday Drag Brunch Sundays, 4pm Enjoy a chef-inspired menu and get day drunk off $3 mimosas while enjoying an amazing drag show hosted by Drew Friday and Coco Iman. Doors open at 3 pm.
Taboo: The Dirty Show Saturdays beginning October 17,11:30pm Lips invites you to “see what happens when
The Odd Ball July 24, 10pm Wussy Mag hosts this celebration of
oddballs, outcasts, and freaky fresh club kids with this show featuring “Drag Race” alum Crystal Methyd and Channing Taint, Ellasaurus Rex, Frankie Coma, JayBella Banks, Molly Rimswell, and Saliva Godiva. Tickets start at $15. Wussy Prom August 7, 10pm My Sister’s Room invites you to “reclaim your prom” with “a night of delicious drag, thirsty throuples, sexy slow dances, and zero pigs blood.” The “prom committee” includes Kylie Sonique Love from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Priscilla Chambers from “Boulet Brothers Dragula,” Alex Suarez, Drew Friday, Diamond Onasis, Jarvis Hammer, Molly Rimswell, and more! Learn more at MySistersRoom.com. The Masquerade Southern Fried Queer Pride’s SWEET TEA Variety Show July 30, 8pm This variety show, hosted by iconic Atlanta drag queen TAYLOR ALXNDR, includes drag performances from King Perka $exxx and Saliva Godiva, plus musical and comedy performances, too! This event is limited capacity; RSVP at sfqp.info/sweettea21. Masks are required. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
DRAG
Violet Chachki to Show Atlanta “A Lot More Me” on U.S. Tour Cami Melson
earn a number of titles. She has also been recognized as the first for many accolades in the drag world. She was the first drag queen to appear in a major lingerie campaign. In 2019, she became the first drag queen to perform in India and was among the first drag queens to attend the Met Gala.
In case you didn’t get enough of Violet Chachki on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” she is bringing her “A Lot More Me” (violetchachki.com) tour to North America this year. It is a one-woman show, featuring drag, burlesque, stand-up, and circus and fashion elements. The production has been years in the making and faced a setback last year due to the pandemic.
The upcoming tour is inspired by all of these accomplishments and experiences, rooted in high-fashion costumes, glamour, femininity, and empowerment. Chachki is especially inspired by women who use glamour as a tool to show their beauty, and her stage character is indeed a representation of that.
“It is one of the largest productions of a solo touring drag queen, ever, and it’s a combination of really everything I love,” Chachki said in an interview with Georgia Voice. She will be bringing the tour to her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, on August 25, 2021. Atlanta has always been the epicenter for Southern drag and queer Pride. The city serves as a place for queens to express themselves and for people to enjoy their performances. The “A Lot More Me” tour will also travel to six other states and then make its way up to Canada for seven more shows. The scheduled dates and tickets can be found on Violet Chachki’s website, VioletChachki.com. Chachki describes the tour as her ultimate dream and goal. COVID-19 has impacted everyone in some way, and for Chachki, it meant postponing her anticipated 2020 tour that she had been working so hard to put together. Once the pandemic put her dreams on pause, she was devastated, but took the time to regroup from six consecutive years of touring and performing. While she performed her tour to sold-out crowds in Europe, she has been waiting for the moment to bring the show home to the States. “This has been years and years and years of hard work, learning, apprenticing and touring; even me just trying to figure out how a show 12 Drag July 23, 2021
She also pulls visual and production inspiration from Dita Von Teese, the model and burlesque dancer known as the “Queen of Burlesque.” In 2017, Chachki joined her tour, “The Art of the Teese.”
Violet Chachki
COURTESY PHOTO BY RYAN CROXTON
like this could even happen,” Chachki said. “So, I’m so excited that it’s happening again.” The art of drag can mean different things for different people, but for Violet Chachki it means escapism and a form of therapy. As a child she gravitated toward the art because she could escape into this world, a world this tour invites all into. This past year has been difficult for so many when it comes to the burdens of the current health, social and financial crises. Whether participating in drag or watching it, the experience can be freeing and a time of celebration and self-expression. “I think celebration is something everyone in the world can relate to now, with escapism
and expression being the other two main principles of drag,” Chachki said. “Drag is a celebration of where we are at and how far we have come.” Chachki holds many titles, one of them being an international drag performer who won season seven of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” On the show, fashion and design were the aspects she excelled in and she has since been established as a global fashion icon. Chachki described her passion for lavish costumes and said this about what the audience can expect from the tour: “It’s going to be a visual feast.” She is also known for being a highly skilled burlesque dancer, model, and recording artist, but she has done more than just
“A Lot More Me” is not only meant to exude fashion like a typical runway show. It is also meant to leave people with a memorable performance that incorporates her talents and skills. After all, she is more than glitz and glam; she was also dubbed “shadiest queen” during her winning season on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for a reason. From laughs to jaw drops, Chachki guarantees she will give the audience everything and then some. “Drag allows me to literally become someone else and enter a fantasy world where I can escape reality,” said Chachki. “With everything that happened in 2020, not just the pandemic, I think escapism is so important to help us take a break from reality, to have fun, to laugh and to temporarily put our minds to ease.” “A Lot More Me” comes to the Variety Playhouse (1099 Euclid Avenue) on Wednesday, August 25 at 8pm — doors open at 7pm. Buy your tickets at VioletChachki.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
DRAG
Trixie and Katya Come to Atlanta on Tour in 2022 Katie Burkholder
weekly YouTube show on WOWPresents.
“UNHhhh” fans can rejoice as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” legends Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova have announced they will be touring together for the first time ever next year.
Trixie And Katya Live is a parody homage to the classic female road trip comedies from the ’90s to today. From drag classics “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” and “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” to “Crossroads” and “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” Trixie And Katya Live tells the story of two well-traveled women going out on the road together.
Trixie and Katya Live kicks off March 15, 2022, before coming to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Ga., on April 8. “After over a year of living on your small screens, we are pulling out all of the stops on this live show,” said Trixie Mattel. “You can expect spectacular musical numbers, a dazzling set, and impeccable timing from two of the most talented women in the world. Do I smell a Tony?” “Trixie and Katya Live will redefine drag, theatre,
Trixie and Katya
COURTESY PHOTO
and art,” said Katya Zamolodchikova. “You may leave with more questions than answers, but one thing’s for sure: The world will never be the same.” Both Trixie and Katya rose to fame on season seven of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and later went on to compete on (and win, in Trixie’s case) All Stars 3 and All Stars 2, respectively. The two currently star alongside one another in “UNHhhh,” a
The Trixie and Katya Live tour marks the launch of Obsessed, a new brand from drag promoters Five Senses Reeling. Obsessed is a new platform to discover where your favorite LGBTQ+ talent — spanning drag, music, and comedy — are performing, buy exclusive merchandise, watch content, and more. “It’s a thrill to be launching our new brand
with one of the most highly anticipated drag tours ever to grace the stage,” said Jason Brotman, owner and founder of Five Senses Reeling and Obsessed. “To bring these two drag superstars and viral comedy sensations together live on stage is a dream come true, and we can’t wait for fans to experience this live theatrical tour, unlike anything they have ever seen before.” Presale for tickets and upgrade packages begins Wednesday, July 14, at noon. General on sale begins Friday, July 16 at noon. Tickets available at www.trixieandkatya.com. Ticket prices range from $34.50 - $154.25, and upgrade packages range from $79 - $299. For complete tour and ticketing information, visit TrixieAndKatya.com. For more information on Obsessed, visit ObsessedWith.co.
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July 23, 2021 Drag 13
DRAG
Catching Up with King Perka $exxx Katie Burkholder
them and not feel like an anomaly.
King Perka $exxx is equal parts insanely talented and hilariously honest. I recently got the pleasure of sitting down with the drag king to discuss his first-ever competition win on “Drag Me, King,” the lack of representation drag kings receive, and how his drag persona influenced his gender identity as a transgender man.
To touch on this idea of representation and visibility, at least in the popular media, there’s a lot more visibility of drag queens, like with “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” than drag kings. Why do you think that is? Misogyny. Traditionally, when people hear drag king they think about a woman dressing as a man, and for some reason being gay means you have to hate any and all women. I hear and see a lot of internalized and externalized misogyny [in the community].
How did you get into drag and why did you decide specifically to be a drag king? It first started at [Atlanta] Pride 2017. I saw [drag king Mystery Meat] at Piedmont Park and he said, “Oh, I’m going to a drag show.” I had seen drag from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and at first I was like, “That’s cool, it’s pretty, but it doesn’t seem like my gig.” I went to that drag show in Piedmont Park, and it was amazing. I saw a bearded queen, I saw a Black queen who was doing one of the Sailor Scouts [from “Sailor Moon”], and an AFAB drag queen. It opened my mind to what drag could be, and I thought that was something I’d want to do. Then I saw this all-Black drag show [Neonblk] and thought, “This really is for me!” I know you don’t need permission to do drag, but it was like I got permission. From there, I kept on trying and kept on going, and I failed a lot — like, a lot. People like LJ Van Pelt, Dotte Com, and Ella Saurus Rex encouraged me and gave me a space to fuck up and grow. Seeing people like Dax ExclamationPoint, The Vixen, and Landon Cider achieve was inspiring and validating, and that’s what I want to be. I want someone to think, “If he can do it, I can do it.” How would you describe your own personal drag — what is King Perka $exxx to you? King Perka $exxx is ‘?!’ I consider myself a wild card king. There’s so much out there, and I don’t want to put myself in one box or brand of drag. I’ve been labeled an alternative king, and I guess I am, but the first drag I saw was alternative, so I went to other [less alternative] places I was like, “Why don’t your drag queens have beards? Why aren’t 14 Drag July 23, 2021
One clock I hear a lot is that drag kings don’t try as hard as queens, but there are both good and bad kings and queens. That discouragement doesn’t make people want to try harder. There’s a way to give constructive criticism. Give the direction, but don’t shit on someone’s existence. In the local scene, [drag kings] don’t always get the encouragement and sense of direction that I was lucky to get. There’s also this tokenization of having one or two kings [at an event] and thinking they’re good. King Perka $exxx
COURTESY PHOTO BY MR. ELLE AYE
you doing an enema with vodka on stage?” Sometimes I do cosplay, sometimes I don’t have therapy and I need to let some feelings out. Other times I’m just driving in my car, hear a song, and think, “You know what would be an awful idea? This,” and I put it on stage for everyone to see. Being a transgender man, what is the relationship between drag and your gender, if any? Do you see drag as an affirmation of your gender? Drag helped hatch the egg. In college, my friends told me that cis people didn’t question if they were cis, and I was like, “They don’t? Oh no!” So, I identified as non-binary, they/ them. But then people kept calling me “he,” even outside of drag, and I was like, “Why do I like this so much? Oh shit.”
I started drag about eight months before starting testosterone. The fact that I’m trans doesn’t change my drag at all, but I do feel more pressure to make a visible difference between my day-to-day life and my drag persona, because I don’t want anyone to say I’m not trying as hard because I’m trans. Being trans doesn’t make drag any easier or harder — it may make my pronouns easier, but people still mess that up. If anything, [being trans] makes me want to be out there more. There’s not that much Black trans representation or even POC trans representation. Trans women deserve the world and the universe, but when I see trans visibility posts [online] it’s [usually] only trans girls. If they do have a trans guy, he’s white or white passing. I just want to be out there so people can see someone like
Tell me about your experience competing on and winning ‘Drag Me King’ last year, especially during the pandemic when in-person drag was non-existent. “Drag Me King” is a YouTube drag king competition started by Arrows on the Whatta Weekend YouTube page. They paid me to compete in this, and that’s one thing I will applaud — pay people for competing in competitions! It’s also run and funded by a Black trans person, so that’s something that’s remarkable. The people who competed were me, Beelze Babe from Indiana, Kingdom from St. Louis, Tenderoni from Chicago, Buster Highman from Toronto, and Blaq Dinamyte from Washington, D.C. There were three categories: past, future, and CONTINUES ON PAGE 15 TheGeorgiaVoice.com
DRAG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 daddy. I took a different take than everyone else. For past, I did a number to show my roots — my parents are immigrants from Haiti. For future, I did a last-minute cyborg look. For my daddy look, I am completely proud of it. I did a video about how much I love my cat – cat daddy! Everyone was so sexy, and then there was me: cats! I think that was the category that sealed the deal on me winning. I was shook when I won Best Makeup — it was against Tenderoni, his face is one of the blueprints. That was when I was first starting to do colorful faces, so that was very affirming. That’s the first and only competition I’ve won — I’m proof you don’t have to win to be a winner. Am I happy and proud that I won? Yes. Does that define my drag career? It doesn’t. TAYLOR ALXNDR hasn’t won a competition, and look at her, a whole empire. I’m happy I won, but I don’t let that make or break my drag life.
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So, you’re going to be back in Atlanta later this month, on July 30, for the Southern Fried Queer Pride SWEET TEA Variety Show. What can people expect from you at this event? I’m planning on doing something Black and entertaining. It’s going to be fun, it’s a variety show so it’s not just drag, and I love me a variety show. I’m going to be doing a Lil Nas X number. I’m also going to do a satirical, comedy Haitian number. What are you doing moving forward, and how can people support you? I’m going to try to raise my credit score, I’m going to keep on being in therapy. I’m still doing drag, I’m going to try to make a new video once a month or every other month. If people want to support me, they can buy my merch, subscribe to my Patreon, follow me on social media, book me. Follow other drag kings, follow other Black performers. The next time you see an all-white line-up, ask where the people of color are.
King Perka $exxx
COURTESY PHOTO KING PERKA $EXXX
Support me by supporting yourself. Take care of yourself; get your mental, physical, and relationship health aligned; line up your life, and line up your hairline. Subscribe to King Perka $exxx’s Patreon for as little as $3 a month at Patreon.
com/KingPerk. You can buy his merch at Perk-Merch.Creator-Spring.com/ listing/you-re-perk-fect and follow him on social media @kingperkasex. To see King Perka $exxx in the SFQP SWEET TEA Variety Show, get tickets at sfqp. info/sweettea21.
July 23, 2021 Drag 15
IN MEMORIAM
‘A Complete Original’:
Remembering Atlanta Drag Legend Lily White, 1948-2021 Rich Eldredge This article was first published on June 24, 2021, on EldredgeAtl.com. Atlanta drag legend Lily White has toasted her adored adopted city for the final time. White, born Kyle Dennis Souder, died on June 23 from complications of cancer in hospice care in her hometown of Rome, Georgia. She was 73. The performer’s sister, Michelle Souder Tucker of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, confirmed the passing on White’s Facebook page early Thursday morning. In the fall of 2019, the pioneering Atlanta drag performer took her private cancer battle public, announcing her move to hospice care on her Facebook page. In her final years, slowed by multiple strokes and a fall, she occasionally interacted with fans on the social media platform. In response, friends and fans sent her well wishes and shared their memories of her 45-year drag career, most of which was spent in Atlanta. As two generations of fans awakened to the news of her death, Lily White’s Facebook page filled with tributes. Columbus, Georgia, fan Jayuar Allen posted: “Waking up to the news that a true legend and pioneer for my community and the drag world has passed away. Atlanta hasn’t been the same in a long time but when this bitch got with the others from Backstreet for their reunions, it felt like home again. You will be greatly missed, Lily.” 16 In Memoriam July 23, 2021
After getting her feet wet doing drag in Tennessee with friends and fellow iconic Atlanta drag queens Diamond Lil and Billy Jones, White made her way back to Georgia in the early 1970s, where she performed at Peaches Back Door and The Locker Room, the city’s then-24-hour club. With friends and fellow drag performers Kitty Litter and Alvina LaVerne, the trio formed The Grease Sisters, a comic drag act that specialized in spotlighting — and spoofing — female singing trios, including the McGuire Sisters. Among The Grease Sisters’ high-profile early gigs? The June 25, 1972, Atlanta Gay Pride celebration. Reported Atlanta alternative newspaper The Great Speckled Bird in its July 3, 1972, edition: “At the end of the parade came two trucks carrying the Grease Sisters, a new kind of drag group that seems to be mocking the old queenly preoccupation with elegance, fantasy and pretension. The members have names like Miss Kitty Litter and Miss Lily White and wear preposterous musty old frilled and flounced dresses that are coming apart at the hems. With great flutterings of ostrich plumes and waving of soiled white gloves, the Grease Sisters gave staid old Peachtree, as well as conservative homosexuals, a good lesson in the blurring of traditional sex roles.” Later, after becoming a solo act, White’s jet black piled up wig, dark signature makeup and rock n roll-inspired, ribald comedic antics on stage made her act completely different from her more glamorous show tune
Lily White
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
and pop song lip-synching contemporaries. “I made it cool to be crazy,” White explained in the 2015 documentary “Queer Moxie,” co-directed by Atlantans Heather Provoncha and Leo Hollen, Jr. “I hung out with all the Ramones-type rock n roll bands. I would go to all of their concerts in drag. They loved when Lily White was there.” When he moved to Atlanta in the mid1970s, Emmy-winning “Will & Grace” and “Sordid Lives” actor Leslie Jordan found himself living downstairs from White in a dilapidated building in the Pershing Point section of Midtown. “Years and years ago, Lily was doing a kind of drag that is wildly popular now,” Jordan recalled in an email to Eldredge ATL. “Lily never wanted to be ‘the pretty girl.’ She did what we used to call ‘freak drag.’ When she barreled onstage, you never knew what you were going to get.” Jordan would later turn
his transformative experiences in Midtown Atlanta gay’s underground into a screenplay for his 2000 film, “Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel.” Charlie Brown, White’s longtime friend and Charlie Brown’s Cabaret co-emcee at Atlanta’s iconic gay dance club Backstreet, says the performer was like a sister to her. They first met in Jacksonville, Florida in 1977, where they were both working at the time. By the 1980s, White and Brown had each independently returned to Atlanta and were working on the same street — Cheshire Bridge Road. Brown was entertaining at Sweet Gum Head and White was at Hollywood Hots. “Lily was a great friend and one of the pioneers in Atlanta for female impersonation,” said Brown. “She set a standard for everyone who followed her. Nobody did what she did on CONTINUES ON PAGE 18 TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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July 23, 2021 The Pink Page 17
IN MEMORIAM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 stage. It was completely original. It was the drag equivalent of shock rock. I learned a lot from her. She was an entertainer who kept her nose to the grindstone. She was always working to perfect what she was doing.” “She was always kind, in or out of drag,” says Carla Conrad, who worked as a karaoke host at Burkhart’s Pub in the 1990s and would routinely pay tribute to White by reciting her infamous toasts while banging back a shot onstage. “I remember watching her one night in the dressing room at Backstreet as she drew pubic hair on her pantyhose with a magic marker just to give the crowd a thrill. She was bold and brave and super quickwitted onstage. You could not best her. I was a baby ally/karaoke host at the time, and I thought she hung the moon.” White, slowed in recent years by multiple health challenges, including a heart attack and several strokes, made one of her final public appearances, along with friend and fellow Atlanta drag icon Diamond Lil to attend the 2015 world premiere of “Queer Moxie” at Atlanta’s Out on Film festival. The performers were among those featured in the featurelength documentary focusing on Atlanta’s drag queen and drag king circuit, queer comedy, and LGBTQ spoken word performers. According to “Queer Moxie” co-director Leo Hollen, Jr., White agreed to participate in the film project but with the stipulation she not be photographed. “She shared a treasure trove of stories,” says Hollen. “Being able to hear the first-hand history of her performances, meeting Diamond Lil and inspiring a generation of queens was pretty incredible. Knowing she is a part of the fabric of our history is pretty damn profound.” In 2013, White attempted a return to the stage with “Foreplay with Lily White” at Jungle nightclub but later lamented that her act was out of step with the current generation of drag performers. “I was history, I wasn’t current,” White explained in a 2014 Georgia Voice interview with reporter Patrick Saunders. “A comedy act is not really what goes over now. I was Aunt Lil, but Aunt Lil doesn’t keep up. So, I retired.” But at the height of Lily White’s career, 18 In Memoriam July 23, 2021
Lily White: through the years
PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK
Jordan says she transformed comic drag into art. “Long before ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ brought drag into the mainstream, there were performers like Lily,” says the actor. “It was performance art. She had this one number where she had shaved her head bald and then glued pieces of a wig all over her head. She came onstage lip synching to Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’ and mid-performance she had snatched herself baldheaded while being dragged off stage in restraints. It was beyond subversive. It was just nuts. And the crowds went ballistic!”
times scary and yet every eye in the room was captivated by her creation as she commanded the stage. I had been performing for about eight years when I first met ‘Aunt Lil’. She had been performing at a benefit, had seen my act and came up to me afterwards to compliment me on being an original and daring to be different. I looked her in her eye and said something to the effect of, ‘It’s because of you that Mary Edith is here. You paved the way!’ She humbly dismissed my compliment but over time, I got to see the gentle sweet nurturing man behind the mask.”
Lily White ended up inspiring a generation of drag performers, including former Atlantan Lady Bunny, who called White “The Witch Queen of Punk Rock.”
Jordan says that while Lily White isn’t as wellknown as Lady Bunny or another Atlantabirthed drag queen RuPaul, she belongs in that same club of icons: “Lily White can truly be called an Atlanta legend.”
“Lily White forever changed my perception of what drag could be — something other than a beautiful illusion of the perfect female,” says Richard Cherry, who performs on Atlanta stages as the deliciously deranged drag diva Mary Edith Pitts. “Her act was laugh-outloud funny, vulgar, offensive, in your face, at
As for Atlanta’s Aunt Lil herself, she politely declined to add to that legend. Via a text while in hospice, she said, “An interview would be hard for me. Thank you for your kindness and for thinking of me. I’m just gonna let my career stand on its own. Love you.”
In the closing minutes of “Queer Moxie” in voice over as photos from her 45-year career flash on screen, Lily White perhaps best summed up her legacy herself as she recalled coming out to her grandmother as a drag performer, while showing her a photo album of her career on stage. “She told me, ‘I don’t really understand this but you’re doing God’s work. You’re going on stage and keeping peoples’ minds off their bills and bringing them into your life for five minutes.’ I had never thought about it like that,” she said. “I never realized how much influence you can have until you look in their eyes when you’re performing and you can tell they’re totally inside your world and not thinking about anything else. You’ve got them. You’re making them laugh. That’s all I ever wanted to do.” In one of her final Facebook posts to fans, Lily White wrote: “I wish everyone could have as wonderful a life as I’ve been blessed with. Don’t know what’s next but whatever it is … my spirits are kool.” TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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July 23, 2021 Ads 19
YOUR VOICE
Self-Respect PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / KHOSRO
Michael Dubin, M.A., Counselor at Living Skills Read the full column online at thegavoice.com. I don’t usually eavesdrop on conversations, but when someone is talking loud enough for me to hear, it’s on them — right? So, I’m listening to this guy tell a friend that as he is now in his 50s, he has recently discovered self-respect, and having done so, has put his wife and his twenty-something aged kids on notice that if they dare to disrespect him, they are all going to be sorry. He isn’t going to take it anymore. But wait, there’s more! Not only is his family now on notice, but he isn’t taking it from anybody else either. He says he found himself on a surface street that is being blocked by two cars, one headed in one direction and one headed in the other, and they’re having a conversation. When the one headed in the opposite direction moved, he drove around the person that had been blocking him, yelling something out the window at the driver. The driver catches up to him and starts yelling at him. The storyteller eventually chases this other car into a cul-de-sac where they are both 20 Your Voice July 23, 2021
stopped with the cars facing each other. The yelling continues until the passenger in the other car gets out and pulls a gun on the guy telling the story, who then backs his car out of the cul-de-sac and goes home. But he feels vindicated, even though he almost got himself shot, because he wasn’t going to put up with being disrespected. Respect is not something you can demand any more than you can demand that someone trust you. Respect, like trust, is earned — first from the self and then from others. It is not unlike understanding; if you want people to understand you, you must first seek to be understanding of others. People who can’t or won’t treat others with respect, as clichéd as it sounds, usually have no idea what respect means or don’t respect themselves. So, where to start? Step one is to honestly and appropriately express all of your emotions. First you have to be able to correctly identify what you are feeling. Are you angry or are you sad? Are you happy or just content? Are you really hurt or just disappointed? Once you have identified what you are feeling, then express it appropriately. If I am angry or confused, sometimes just the admission of
that can help clear it. If I acknowledge I am angry with myself or someone else, or I’m confused about something, then I can do something about it. Further, too many people — like our friend above — get the idea in their heads that “out of self-respect, I get to tell you what a no good, dirty rotten, low down ass I really think you are.” That isn’t acting out of self-respect, that’s acting out of judgment and ego. Secondly, when you fail at something or fall short of your goal, stop and figure out what went wrong. Why did you not succeed as you had intended? Do not blame anybody or anything else. You can’t fix what you aren’t responsible for. Whether it is a work project, a hobby, or a relationship, when something goes awry or falls apart, look for what happened. Could it have been avoided? What decisions, actions, choices, beliefs, etc. led you to where things are now? Admit and own up to the fact that you contributed to this outcome. Many of us grew up with the idea that if we make a mistake, not only do we feel terrible about having done so, but we should be punished for it. No. I learned many years
ago that when you hold up your hand, say, “Yeah, I did it,” and admit responsibility, people will break their backs to help you correct whatever went wrong. You and others will respect that. And finally, always — always — operate from a place of integrity and character, meaning that the ends never justify the means. It is always about how you got to where you got to. The process. The steps taken. How you conducted yourself along the way, on a daily basis. Life is a process in the big picture. No one is saying we have to be perfect. Clearly not. But understanding how we get to where we are going is one of the surest ways we can and will learn to respect ourselves. And rather than risking getting ourselves shot in a dark culde-sac, we will be able to respect that maybe someone else was just having a bad day. Living Skills offers positive psychology counseling, spiritual counseling and life coaching services in Atlanta for the LGBTQ community. Also available by Skype. If you have questions, comments or want to find out about our services, please email us at livingskillsinc@gmail.com or visit www.livingskills.pro TheGeorgiaVoice.com
BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION
The Napiers star in HGTV’s “Home Town.”
Becoming Southern Buck Jones
Recently, I was back in the United States — Texas, to be exact — and as any Texan will tell you, it is its own thing. While visiting my ailing father, we watched television together, and I came across a show on HGTV that caught my imagination. “Home Town” is set in Laurel, Mississippi, and stars the real-life married couple, the Napiers. The show’s concept is that they love the small Southern town they live in and go about fixing up old houses in the historic center. For someone such as myself, who has a love of architecture as well as a nostalgic soft spot for my own small town back in South Carolina, “Home Town” mashed the pleasure button in my cerebral cortex. Granted, the show is not without its problems. The Napiers are white and Laurel is a predominantly Black town, so there is a bit of a “white savior” complex that manifests itself in the series. But although they are Christian (Methodist, which my Presbyterian family used to call “Baptists 22 Columnist July 23, 2021
who could read and write”), they also support Black Lives Matter (BLM), and the husband ran for local political office before the show began as an “independent” (read: Democrat, but you can’t win as a Democrat in Mississippi) and lost. Mostly the show is a feel-good celebration of Southern small towns, or rather, the modern, sanitized feelgood version of small towns in the South that we would like to believe exists. It made me wonder if this is the future of the South, despite the acrimony evident in the past decade with the obvious cleavage in the country between two distinct political and cultural camps. Is there a way at the micro level, within rural small town America, to forge a new identity that transcends what we are seeing tear us apart nationally? Just what exactly is “Southern” in contemporary America? Finally, I ask you, can one become Southern?
Looking again back at my home state of South Carolina, what is it that makes one a South Carolinian? One might point to the local traditions that only natives might know. For instance, does someone know what the “shag” is? If so, do they know how to dance it, and do they like that kind of music? An
affirmative to all of those questions would definitely indicate that the person was most likely a South Carolinian, but would also probably reveal that they were a white, middle-class baby boomer, and not at all representative of the larger demographics happening in the state as a whole. In 1900, South Carolina had the nation’s highest percentage of people living in the state who were born there (95%), whereas by 2012 it was wedged in the middle (58.6%) next to Georgia (55.2%). Today’s South Carolinians (and Georgians) include college-educated professionals who have traveled the world and are just as sophisticated culturally as many a New Yorker, but there are also plenty of small town natives who have rarely ventured farther than to Columbia or Atlanta. What makes “Home Town” compelling for me is that the Napiers strive to maintain the soul not only of the town of Laurel, but also of the homes they are renovating. By keeping the essentials, the positive aspects of tradition that make a space a “place,” they are building a positive vision of the future by celebrating the past. It is why, in the case of Atlanta, the
PHOTO VIA HGTV
BeltLine has been such a success, at least in the original idea of the BeltLine that sought to safeguard the existing residents during the redevelopment of the neglected and abandoned industrial buildings. Keeping the “soul” of the neighborhood has to be the foundation for such rehabilitations, and it’s why “New Urbanism” developments such as Serenbe and other sterile, gated communities are problematic. Instead of easily falling into the blue camp (big city, liberal, secular) or the red camp (small town, conservative, religious), “Home Town” is showing the wider viewing audience that people can celebrate being Southern no matter their background. Taking pride in the natural beauty of local forests, rivers, parks, and gardens, conserving traditions in cooking and hospitality, living a life of quiet charity and humble love for their neighbors are common themes in the series and worked as a salve for this viewer. If there is hope for America’s future, it will have to come from the painstakingly slow changes in rural small towns such as Laurel, Mississippi, where a new kind of Southern culture is emerging one renovated home at a time. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
Atlanta Native Carl Clemons-Hopkins Finds Success with “Hacks” Jim Farmer Note: Carl ClemonsHopkins uses he/they pronouns. For clarity purposes, we refer to him with he/him in this article. On the surface, “Hacks” is the Jean Smart comedy where the actress portrays Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian. Look closer, though, and it’s an ensemble series — as well as one of the most LGBTQ positive shows on television. One of the breakout stars of “Hacks” is out actor Carl ClemonsHopkins, who was just nominated for a Supporting Actor Emmy Award for his role of Marcus, Deborah’s long-time assistant. Clemons-Hopkins, an Atlanta native, got an email about the potential role last summer while in Chicago, asking for a quick, 24-hour turnaround self-tape audition. By fall, he was in Los Angeles filming. It was quite a surprise for him to see his character’s arc. “I recognized from the pilot script that it wasn’t assumed that my character was straight,” he said. “It wasn’t assumed anything. As we were filming more and more episodes, I thought to myself this is a pretty great queer show. I did not expect it at all.”
Carl Clemons-Hopkins
Carl Clemons-Hopkins and Jean Smart star in “Hacks.” business relationships she has. “I think they have a lot of real respect for each other,” Clemons-Hopkins said. “It’s possibly a mentor/mentee situation. I think at times Marcus doesn’t speak up for himself and he is all about the work. I won’t say he’s the child she never had, but definitely he has that work ethic and drive and tenacity she has.”
Actress Hannah Einbinder, who is bisexual and plays the character of Ava, a comedy writer newly working for Deborah, is also up for a Supporting Actress Emmy.
Marcus begins a relationship with Wilson (played by out actor Johnny Sibilly) in the first season, but the two reach an impasse due to Marcus’ obsession with work. “I am rooting for them so hard,” the actor said. “I think this is Marcus’ first relationship. He has not had that experience yet. Marcus has woken up to the idea that he does not have a personal life. It’s the beginning of self-discovery for him. They share a sense of humor and have fun together, and Marcus doesn’t allow himself a lot of joy until Wilson comes along. When they are together, that is when he is smiling and happy and he can let his shoulders down. It’s precious and sweet.”
The relationship between Deborah and Marcus, the actor said, is one of the better
“Hacks” has number of directors, including Desiree Akhavan, who’s queer. “It was really
Clemons-Hopkins said that every day working with Smart — also nominated for an Emmy Award in the lead actress category — was a lesson. “She is great,” he said. “Every day is wonderful. Every day is a master class. I continue to learn more every day.”
24 Columnist July 23, 2021
COURTESY PHOTOS
helpful and freeing,” Clemons-Hopkins said. “It’s so nice to film these scenes with a queer director in a queer friendly show, not trying to dramatize or explain any of those things with the character.” Clemons-Hopkins feels it’s increasingly important to have LGBTQ representation in front of the camera and behind it: “On the one hand, there is the idea that the best person for the job should get the job. However, I think we are not quite there as a society for that to be the end all be all. I think it is important that queer artists represent themselves the fullest way they can down to the writing and directing. That is going to help us go further. I think it’s helpful we include and encourage schools of training.” When Clemons-Hopkins was in college, if you couldn’t play straight, professors might not allow you the same opportunities. These days, he is happy to see more kinds of diverse roles available. HBO has announced a second season for the series. The cast and crew found
out two days before the season finale. All Clemons-Hopkins knows now is that the series will continue his character’s emotional development. “I am looking forward to seeing what [the writers] do with Marcus,” he said. “They left him promoted and heartbroken being comforted by his mom. At some point he has to get off the couch.” Born in Lithonia, the actor went to high school in Snellville before he moved to go to college. He is not able to get home often but did get to bring his mother out to Los Angeles and hopes to get back to see more family now that the pandemic seems to be easing up a bit. The actor has a small role in the new remake of “Candyman,” scheduled to be released later this year, but until the new season of “Hacks” starts production, he’s enjoying a rest period and the summertime he didn’t get to experience last year. Obviously, though, he is excited about the upcoming Emmy Awards: “I’m still in pleasant shock about the whole thing. And very grateful for the acknowledgement.”
MORE INFO “Hacks” is now streaming on HBO Max.
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JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
Reid Miller Talks New LGBTQ Film “Joe Bell,” Heidi Ewing Discusses “I Carry You with Me” Jim Farmer The new film, “Joe Bell,” charts the true story of a working-class father (played by Mark Wahlberg) who begins walking to New York after his gay son Jadin (Reid Miller) takes his own life after being bullied. “Joe Bell” premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and opens in theaters this week. It has a screenplay by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, who won an Oscar for “Brokeback Mountain.”
“I Carry You with Me”
Miller had not heard of the story before he was cast, because it happened when he was very young at the time. “I had heard rumors and whispers about it in my town, but I never did any research,” he said. “Once I got the job, I did a lot of research.” Miller wore Bell’s clothes, used his iPod, watched home videos of him, and talked to his family to learn everything he could about him. “I knew I needed to do the best job I could of connecting the similarities between the two of us so I could portray him as honestly and authentically as I could,” Miller said. “I had to remember that this was not a character — he was someone who lived and breathed. He was Jadin Bell. It was important to find commonalities.” The actor greatly admired Jadin for his strength and the fact that he was still kind in the face of adversity. “He was dealing with constant torment, whether it was in person or online,” he said. “It was really bad, and he didn’t talk about it very much. He met everyone who hated him with true love. He was a beautiful soul.” The father-son relationship is a complex one, one that both Miller and Wahlberg — as well as director Reinaldo Marcus Green — knew they had to portray with nuance. Jadin and Joe loved each other, but Joe thought it 26 Columnist July 23, 2021
ago in a bar drinking wine and dancing to salsa in the Lower East Side. “They were working in a bar nearby — Ivan was the chef and Gerardo was the bartender,” Ewing recalled. “We became friends over many years. In 2012 they came to Sundance to see a documentary I made called ‘Detropia’ and they told me their real story.”
Reid Miller (l) and Mark Wahlberg star in “Joe Bell.” was better for him and his family to sweep Jadin’s sexual orientation under the rug. “He ultimately did want what was best for Jadin, but he did not understand that he was not going about it the right way,” Miller said. “After Jadin passed away, Joe realized his role in that. That is why he went on his journey, not just for redemption and forgiveness, but for Jadin — to understand him better. He met all of these people along the way who were complete strangers who were suffering in silence and became good friends with them. They affected each other’s lives and through that he was able to almost develop a better relationship with his son after he had passed.” Heidi Ewing’s “I Carry You with Me”
COURTESY PHOTOS
was scheduled to open last June for Pride month, but got delayed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a wellreceived premiere at Sundance in 2020, it’s now in theaters. It’s a love story between two young men — Ivan (Armando Espitia) and Gerardo (Christian Vazquez) — who meet in provincial Mexico and fall in love. One of the men decides to risk everything and move to New York to pursue his professional dreams. Like “Joe Bell,” it’s based on a true story and is a beautiful, topical film dealing with immigration issues while serving as an epic romance. “I Carry You with Me” is based on two real people who the director met several years
Ewing was shocked and surprised that she had not asked these questions to the couple initially. “They had come to the United States under very difficult circumstances and had faced a lot of homophobia in provincial Mexico, together and apart,” she said. “I had never heard an immigrant story like this, one that is based on romantic love that ends in New York City with a lot of success in the restaurant business. There was so much about it that I found fresh and different. The fact that they are my friends made it more palpable for me.” She knew she wasn’t going to be able to shake this story and eventually decided to make it her first narrative feature, although the two subjects appear as themselves at the end.
MORE INFO “Joe Bell” opens July 23 in area theaters. “I Carry You With Me” is now playing at the Landmark Midtown Cinema.
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MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / CHRISTIN LOLA
The Neighbor’s Flood Melissa Carter I’m so glad I went to the pool that day. During the pandemic, my community didn’t open it to residents, so this year I’ve tried to make the most of being in the water. Upon walking out of my garage with my gear in hand, I noticed the wet pavement behind our building and wondered if it had rained. As I realized we hadn’t had any cloudy weather in several days, some neighborhood kids rolled by on their bikes and pointed for me to look up. That’s when I realized where the water was coming from. I live in a townhome adjacent to several others, and my neighbor’s balcony directly beside mine was overflowing with water — which means the water was coming from inside her home. As the kids and I discussed our next move to notify the absent neighbor of what was happening, several insurance agents on foot rounded the corner to witness the flooding and told us the neighbor was on her way. At the time I didn’t think about anything but how awful a call that was for her and hoped it would quickly be taken care of. It was my son who first noticed the smell in his basement playroom. It was carpeted, so I didn’t notice it had been wet until I walked in the room to investigate where the odor was coming from. I inherited that carpet from the previous owner, so whatever it contained was now wet and emitting that smell. And it was overwhelming. 28 Columnist July 23, 2021
Knowing it had to be runoff from my neighbor’s flooding, I called my insurance agent, who put the wheels in motion. The carpet and padding were extracted, yet the smell remained. It’s hard to describe the smell, since I had never quite encountered it before, but upon further assessments and cuts into the drywall it was determined that wet insulation was the cause. It was explained to me that not only the insulation, but also the leavings of any small creatures who had burrowed and defecated in the material, were now soaked and evidently rancid. Good to know. I wish I could say that the process for repairing water damage was as fast as reading this column. As I write, my basement is still not repaired a month or so after the initial incident. With the help of dehumidifiers and fans, however, I’m happy to report the smell has subsided. Unfortunately, my neighbor has been unable to live in her home, as furniture and damaged flooring had to be removed. And I’ve witnessed the glaring difference between laborers who care about their craft and others who want to argue and justify their lack of effort. Had I not taken a break and gone to the pool that day, I might not have known what had happened to my neighbor’s home or been able to recoup the damages to mine. I also learned not to take for granted the things you don’t see in your home, like the plumbing or electricity, that really make a home function efficiently. Much like life, if you don’t consider the health of your internal structure, eventually the ornamental outside will get ruined — and that damage will definitely affect the people around you. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’
A Cheer for the Dying Ryan Lee My friend is dying. Not in the Faulknerian sense that we’re all perpetually en route to our graves, but rather, she has been given a map and rough ETA for her final destination. Diagnosed last summer with the same terminal illness that ended her father’s life a few years ago, she is fluent in how the disease communicates and hears it telling her the end is near. While your natural inclination may be to offer condolences to either her or me, it often feels like congratulations would be more appropriate. Every time I read an update from her on social media, I feel fortunate to be able to watch her die. “I’m so grateful for the time I get to prepare for my departure, what an incredible gift,” she wrote in the post that confirmed her diagnosis last August, which also noted the therapeutic effects of receiving naked boob pics. I didn’t realize the gift was one she would be giving to me and her other followers. It’s been heartening to see her go on adventures she had postponed until the “right” person or time came along, relish moments with her family and longtime friends, and maintain a sense of humor so twisted you’re confused whether your tears are from laughter or hurt, or whether there is any difference between the two. However, she is not hiding behind a bucket list. There is no denial of her prognosis or bargaining with death, nor downplaying how the disease (and even the treatment) is draining her life force. “I don’t want to live for ‘X’ amount of time, ‘beat it,’ etc.,” she posted when wellwishers tried to placate her (and themselves) by insisting she was a fighter, or a miracle breakthrough would occur, or the usual conceits people confuse for encouragement. “If it’s three days, three weeks or three years — I just want to be happy, love you guys, listen 30 Columnist July 23, 2021
PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / DAVID ALEXANDRO
to you compassionately and be happy for all of the things that are making you happy.” She is not the first person to turn a death sentence into the freedom to live, or approach mortality with more dignity than desperation. For all of the heartbreak and suffering that defined the worst years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there were gay men who experienced peace and epiphanies amid their doom, and it’s unfortunate a communal wisdom about death is not among the vestiges of our plague. Which may be why I so value my friend’s testimony. Her grace and gratitude have made it easier for others to cope with her fate, while forcing us to consider why we are waiting to live. We are each as surely going to pass away as our friend, but how many of us will hold off for an achievement, retirement or diagnosis before we begin loving the fuck out of life — including the confusions, difficulties and losses? Last week my friend wrote the type of post that would typically trigger sorrow and concern: she’s near maxing-out on treatment sessions, the disease is starting to affect her coordination and communication, and the deterioration has made her begin delegating basic tasks. I thought about the tributes so many (probably including me) will type when she transitions to the afterlife and am compelled to follow her example in recognizing that day has not yet come, and the absurdity of anticipating any moment more perfect than now to express my profound appreciation and admiration for that titty-loving bitch. TheGeorgiaVoice.com