2014 06 • gay express june 2014 issue by GayExpress

Celebrate in Style! Colin’s Perfect Party

Sir James Wallace And NZ’s Richest Art Collection

Looking Good!

Mad Men’s Bryan Batt!

Safe Sex A Latex-free Future?

TV’s Hot Gay Show June 2014

PLUS Ian McKellen | David Farrier | Tom Sainsbury

Steven Oates | Sophie Roberts |Scene | Agony Aunt Lisa

Contents NewsFarrier, DavidRu Farrier, Paul, 4 David Paul, Ru James James Franco,Wurst Conchita Wurst Franco, Conchita and ASB and ASB Bank. Bank. James Wallace 8 SirSir James Wallace meet behind We We meet the the manman behind NZ’sNZ’s richest art collection. richest art collection. Hottie of 11 Hotties of the the Month Month

From the editor I feel very proud of this issue and am really excited to have Colin Mathura-Jeffree on the cover, shot by the gorgeous Danilo Santana David (pictured). My fabulous assistant Tux had so much fun lending a hand, eye and nostril for the shoot, and I have to say it has become one of my favourite express covers of all time. Choosing the cover is always an exciting but sometimes daunting task. Other cover candidates I considered for this issue included our favourite TV journo David Farrier (whom we hope will grace our front page in the future) and of course, Teuila Blakely! Blakely has received some bad press lately simply for tripping over and landing mouth first on a Warrior (we’ve all done it). While this may have lost her a major sponsorship deal, it simultaneously catapulted her to the status of gay icon. express salutes you for doing what it takes to keep a partner 17 years your junior happy. You go girl! For more: scene pictures, stories, columns and reviews, updated daily, keep visiting our website www.gayexpress.co.nz Olly xx Cover: Colin Mathura-Jeffree by Danilo Santana David for express. gayexpress.co.nz

Bates. JessJess HollyHolly Bates & Tom Sainsbury. TheScene’s Scene’sHottest HottestShots Shots 12 The Steven Oates’ Oates’Drag Drag Fight Fight 13 Steven

Looking Good! Good! 16 Looking creators of TV’s hottest The The creators of TV’s hottest gay gay show. show. Colin Celebrates Celebrates in in Style Style 18 Colin Mathura-Jeffree on life, Mathura-Jeffree on life, lovelove and

the party. perfect party. the and perfect Mad Men’s Bryan Batt 21 Sophie’s Choice! cabaret to Auckland The Brings Lady who Bagged NZ’s Best Stage. Theatre Job. Safe Sex Future? 26 Latex-Free

Ian McKellen McKellen on on Bryan Bryan Singer Singer 29 Ian Ask Agony Aunt Lisa 39 Gay Scene Gossip

Giveaways

3 x DBL passes to new ATC play: Robyn Malcolm stars in The Good Soul of Szechuan. Tickets for Thursday 24 July at Q Theatre.

latex-free future? NewARules for Safe Sex

3 x DBL passes to Mana Wahine: Tai Royal and Tanne Mete’s new dance show. Tickets for Thursday 3 July at Q Theatre.

2 x Katy Perry Prize packs: Celebrate her December NZ visit with a printed vinyl, album Prism and Lana Del Ray’s Ultraviolence.

Enter at gayexpress.co.nz

| June 2014 | 3

NEWS

Tickling No Laughing Matter Contact Phone 09 360 7671 Fax 09 360 7663 2 Vermont Street Ponsonby Auckland info@gayexpress.co.nz

People Editor Oliver Hall editor@gayexpress.co.nz Advertising Regan Cotter 021 479 911 advertise@gayexpress.co.nz Design Amy Jane Todd design@gayexpress.co.nz

Publisher Cornerstone Publications Ltd PO Box 47514 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144 Printer Guardian Print

www.gayexpress.co.nz Ideas and opinions expressed in articles or advertisements in express are not necessarily representative of Cornerstone Publications Ltd. Publication of the name or photograph or likeness of any person in express is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organisations and any similarity between individuals named or described in fiction articles and actual persons living is purely coincidental. Publication of any letters/ articles/photographs is at the discretion of the publishers and the right is reserved to withhold/alter/edit and comment on any article, letter, or advertisement published. Permission must be gained prior to reproduction of any articles or photographs contained in express. express’s list of mail subscribers is confidential and is not sold, rented or leased to anyone at any time. Orders for any products/ services advertised in express are made by readers at their own risk.

4 | June 2014 |

As a journalist for TV3 David Farrier is known as the go-to man for telling life’s stranger stories. However his investigation into endurance tickling, revealed a darker, seedier story than expected. “A friend sent me a link to a website for Jane O’Brien Media, wanting young males from all over the planet to be tickled, on camera, by other men. Competitive Tickling. The guidelines were strict: Contestants had to wear Adidas sports gear and have no body hair or tattoos. But it definitely wasn’t gay,” Farrier tells express. “The website states: ‘This is a completely athletic activity’.” Successful applicants were offered return first-class flights to LA, luxury hotel stays and $1500 cash. “Some New Zealanders had taken part, and their tickling videos were all online. This was my dream story - a homo-erotic fetish being backed by someone incredibly rich. How could Jane O’Brien possibly afford to do this, and why go to such lengths to point out it wasn’t gay? I posted on their Facebook page to find kiwis who’d taken part.” Farrier found his kiwi, a young man who confirmed he had indeed received the remuneration the website had suggested. Farrier was also contacted by ‘Debbie’ who claimed to be a PR representative for Jane O’Brien Media. In writing she stated, “To be brutally frank, association with a homosexual journalist is not something that we will embrace.” “I sat there, gobsmacked,” admits Farrier who regards himself as bisexual. “In nearly 10 years of

journalism, my sexuality had never been raised by anyone I’d wanted to interview. Christians, Scientologists - no one cared. I felt a slight sting, but the fact the comment came from someone clearly engaged in a gay-related endeavour was utterly hilarious!” Continued communication with ‘Debbie’ saw her spout more hate aimed at gays and ‘ethnics’. “My friends and I went digging. Huge numbers of tickling websites - from Jane O’Brien Media to TicklingInTheMilitary.com - all led back to the name, ‘Norman Van Der Koos’. Further research revealed Van Der Koos was infact a man called David D’Amato. “D’Amato had been jailed in 2001 for things like fraud and identity theft. He wasn’t the nicest guy, allegedly having white-supremacist leanings. He’d also been posing online as a teenage woman, ‘Terri Tickle’. Terri would pay young men to be tickled on camera for cash.”

Terri ended up blackmailing many of the men involved, posting the videos online or mailing them to their families. “David D’Amato appears to be back. The Debbie and Jane I’d been dealing with – they’re all D’Amato. And he’s naming and shaming those involved, some of whom are kiwi men.” Farrier is making a documentry about D’Amato and is looking for funding for this independent project. Donations can be made through kickstarter at www. tickleking.com. “D’Amato fascinates me,” Farrier admits. “Right now, Jane O’Brien Media is calling specifically for Asian men to take part in tickling videos! A closeted gay man with white supremacist leanings making gay tickling videos featuring Asian men. Sometimes real life is just too amazing.” Article | Oliver Hall Photo | Courtesy of MediaWorks gayexpress.co.nz

“You can’t have a party without party hats” Josh, Pukekohe Jump on board by submitting an image at loveyourcondom.co.nz/joinin #loveyourcondom

NEWS

Drag Queen wins Eurovision Conchita Wurst’s Rise Like A Phoenix

the glamorous bearded lady won

scored 290 points in the contest with

the title for Austria for the first time

support from Western Europe.

since 1966. Popular with the gay

Online petitions from Armenia,

community the world over, UKTV

Belarus and Russia demanding that

screened it in NZ for only the third

Conchita not be included in their

time in the past three decades.

nation’s broadcasts were in vain as

Article | Aaron Halliwell

Franco’s Homoerotic Photo Fetish Movie star James Franco posts suggestive selfies and paints co-star nude.

ASB Bank Shows GLBT Support

After posting numerous semi-nude selfies on his Instagram account, Franco took to Twitter to show nude portraits he had painted of famous friend Seth Rogan, who Franco had previously alluded to being in love with in their co-

ASB has become the first NZ bank to formally commit to GLBT inclusion in the workplace. ASB signed up to the Rainbow Tick programme, an external audit designed to make an organisation a safe and inclusive place for people of diverse gender identity and sexual orientation. In addition, ASB has announced sponsorship of the NZ Falcons gay rugby club. The Bank will be supporting the club’s attendance at the Bingham Cup, the world’s biggest gay rugby event to be held in Sydney in August.

Tai & Taane’s New Triumpth NZ dance legends Tai Royal and Tanne Mete return to follow up K’ Road Strip with Mana Wahine. Mana Wahine pays homage to the female spirit, influenced by the Maori tale of Te Aokapurangai

– a young maiden who single handedly saved her people from slaughter. Mana Wahine will receive it’s world premier on Tuesday 27 June, touring throughout the country. Tickets from www.okareka.com.

A story of love, music and ambition... Dancing On The Edge exclusively on Rialto British, Sundays at 8.30pm – starting June 29 The award-winning four part series follows the experiences of a black jazz band in 1930s’ London. After some small-scale success, a gig at the Imperial Hotel lands them a big break into the music scene where they find record deals, opportunities and newfound trouble around every corner. Find out more at rialtochannel.co.nz

penned comedy This Is The End. He followed up by posting shots of him and his latest co-star Keegan Allen shirtless together under his bed sheets. In an interview with David Letterman, Franco claimed, “it’s just a fun thing.”

NEWS

Treatment as Prevention: Not for Gays In an exclusive interview with www.gayexpress.co.nz, NZAF Executive Director Shaun Robinson has spoken out against HIV medication being used as a preventative measure for HIV infection.

PREP to remain negative instead of practising safe sex, Robinson said, “It’s not only expensive but it’s kind of silly, Prep is asking guys to take a pill every day, so that they won’t have to take a pill every day.”

Three of Ru’s best bitches will perform in Auckland.

Robinson’s full interview can be read at www.gayexpress.co.nz

Camp Cabaret Takes Over Town Hall Auckland’s inaugural International Cabaret Season brings big local and international names to the stage. first show since leaving Silo, an ode to Joni Mitchell staring Julian Deans, the gorgeous Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Aussie Madonna enthusiast Michael Griffiths.

Expect songs of heart break, suggestive dance moves, fake eyelashes and feather boas. From New York sensation Lady Rizo who has performed for Beyonce, to London drag star Le Gateau Chocolat

The festival runs from Wed 4 to Sun 8 June. Tickets from www.ticketmaster. co.nz or call 09 970 9700.

I D

S UR D

ES D AY

ESD

S U

N D

festival includes Shane Bosher’s

who wishes she was Beyonce. The

Fans of the sixth season of Ru Paul’s drag race can rejoice as three of the contestants will lip-sync for their lives at K’ Road’s Legend. Trinity K Bonet will perform Friday 13 June, express favourite Adore Delano (pictured) will take the stage Sunday 20 July and Bianca Del Rio on Sunday 14 September. Ru Paul made headlines last month when a segment on the show called Female or She-male left Twitter followers calling her transphobic. In an interview Paul responded stating, it was not trans people who were offended. “These are fringe people who are looking for story lines to strengthen their identity as victims… if your idea of happiness has to do with someone else changing what they say, you are in for a f**king hard-ass road.”

people using drugs like PEP and

NZ Pit Stop for Ru Paul’s Drag Race!

“Anal sex is 18 times more risky than vaginal sex for HIV. Because of this, drug based approaches to prevention have more chance of working for heterosexuals. Many countries have become interested in treatment as prevention from a heterosexual view point, but the risks for gay men are very different.”

F R

When discussing HIV negative

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ARTS & CULTURE

New Zealand Art and the Unexpected Lucinda Bennett explores one of the richest fine art collections in the country and talks to the patron behind it, Sir James Wallace.

Recently, I overheard someone say that “New Zealand doesn’t really do art— it’s just tikis and pohutakawa trees.” The terrible thing about this statement is that, although untrue, it does reflect the way many of us kiwis regard the work produced by our compatriots. We don’t seek it out, we don’t talk about it over coffee and we aren’t proud of it. We think it is boring. We are wrong. Even the most cursory delve into the Wallace Arts Trust Collection, a self-professed diary of New Zealand visual art, is proof of this. What began with James Wallace’s purchase of a watercolour by Toss Woollaston back in the sixties has grown into a collection of over 6500 works, all by New Zealand artists except one: a Picasso etching that hangs above the door to his Conservatory. Almost every celebrated New Zealand artist of the past fifty years is represented in the collection. Rita Angus, Tony Fomison, Ralph Hotere, Pat Hanly and Len Lye, to name a few—there is even a McCahon hanging above the television in James’ living room, the running joke being that no one ever watches the television anymore. At Rannoch, the four-storey Arts and Crafts style house where James lives amongst an everchanging display of works from the collection, I am overwhelmed not only by the volume of works on display, but by the diversity of them. Hanging alongside the works of New Zealand art royalty are many far stranger beasts, and it is these works that prove just how far from boring our art really is.

8 | June 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

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They appear immediately as I enter the property, twenty small, orange jumpsuit-clad men appraising my car. These ceramic self-portraits make up Gregor Kregarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s I Appear and Disappear, a work that took two years to realise and which, when displayed as it is now, with figures lined up, hands in pockets, ominously watching my slow progress along the driveway, challenges the very way we look at artâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we are not used to looking and being looked back at, least of all by the artist himself. This unsettling first impression proves an apt introduction to Rannoch. Suprising, challenging works crop up constantly throughout the house and surrounding sculpture garden, an acre of ancient lava forest filled with corrugated iron elephants, manmade bones and doors to nowhere. Inside the house, a painted perspex figure of David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust greets me at the door. I find Angela Singerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bejewelled deers head, Deorfrith watching benignly over the stairs. A charming earthenware knicknack on the mantelpiece is revealed on closer

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inspection to depict Roy Horn being brutally mauled by his tiger. Upstairs, a serene purple Gretchen Albrecht that looks and feels like a spring evening seems at odds with the mass of ceramic sheep in rainbow jumpers that crouch before it. When asked what attracts him (and he is obviously attracted, the Collection is full of them and so many are on display around his home) to these more idiosyncratic, playful works, James is circumspect. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Almost inevitably at an exhibition... the work which first attracts me - perhaps the most â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;beautifulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;- is not the one I buy but instead I will settle for a less accessible and more challenging work which is going to last the distance.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lasting the distanceâ&#x20AC;? is an interesting choice of words when we are talking about celebrity accidents being immortalised in clay, although as James rightly points out, â&#x20AC;&#x153;much of contemporary art now filters back to audience ideas or things seen in the media, magazines or films â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but in a way that has always been so.â&#x20AC;? It seems that Wallaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye for the unusual and indiscriminate love of

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MEET&OUR ARTS CULTURE COMMUNITY

When asked whether he prefers art which is outwardly beautiful or art which is interesting, James, perhaps not so unexpectedly at this point, replies: “A work has to be ‘of interest’ first and foremost – an extension of a line, a slight deviation from what is expected, a form that somehow challenges what would be pleasing or expected. For me it has to be challenging for it to be interesting – beauty is often a by-product

and beauty itself is most often found where others may not see it or where it is not expected through the then contemporary conduits.” Article | Lucinda Bennett. Lucinda is a writer, theatre director and recent graduate in Art History and English. She is currently working at Auckland Art Gallery, learning Te Reo Maori and working on her next play. Find her at lucindabennett.wordpress.com. Photo | Sir James Wallace courtesy Of Art Zone Issue 50 July 2013 by Sam Hartnett.

Deorfrith, Angela Singer, 2003

art in all its forms is what makes the Collection so remarkable, as is his desire to support emerging artists above all else, and his willingness to buy pieces because they are unexpected, because the artist is unknown.

Visit the Arts Trust operated gallery at The Pah Homestead, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre 72 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough Auckland 1042. www.tsbbankwallaceartscentre.org.nz / 09 639 2010 / enquiries@wallaceartstrust.org.nz. Open Hours, which include the gallery, shop and cafe: Tuesday to Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. Group tours (from 8 – 18 people) of Rannoch may be arranged through contacting the James Wallace Arts Trust office. Visit www.wallaceartstrust.org.nz for more information about the Wallace Arts Trust

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HOTTIE HOTT TTIIE O OFF TTHE HE M MONTH ONTTH ON

Jess Holly Bates Jess Holly Bates is one of those filthy creative types - she has her fingers in all the pies. Whether devising with Red Leap, spitting poetry with spoken word crew NoVA Riche, or fixing the housewives/gay boys of Three Lamps their rice Lattes at Salta, Jess is bossing her way to the top. Often spotted trawling for trousers in St Kevinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, or trapped in the closet at the Basement Theatre, this snap captures her on the eve of her whirlwind tour of Europe. Performing in London and at Edinburgh Fringe, her acclaimed solo show Real Fake White Dirt is fresh, funny and dripping with faux pas. In this, her power-suit portrait, Jess Holly Bates turned her winning smile to the camera between chores. Her novelty teaspoon range and first book of poems are coming out soon! Photos | Steven Acres

gayexpress.co.nz

| June 2014 | 11

Scene

Out Takes Opening at Rialto Thursday 22 May. Photos | Evan Donnelly A large crowd turned up for the launch of the annual Out Takes Film Festival on Thursday 22 May. Cindy of Samoa was MC and opening night featured two film screenings, GBF for the boys and Heterosexual Jill for the girls.

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OPINION

No Fems - No Fun! I’ve noticed a growing trend in

amazingly short memories to have

gay hook up apps for profiles to

forgotten what prejudice feels like.

state quite blatantly ‘no fems or

I mean if you remember what if

queens’.

feels like to be put down for being who you are, why would you put

Now don’t get me wrong I have

down others for simply being who

no problem with men seeking

they are?

masculine men or ‘straight acting’ if you wish to call it by that ridiculous

Maybe a Queens’s fierceness

yet popular term. However I cannot

comes from the fact that every

help but feel the underlying subtext

time she steps out of the house

in ‘no fems or queens’ is that

it is a political act. Simply existing

femininity is not only undesirable but

takes more courage than it does

intrinsically bad.

for an undercover brother who can walk down the street totally

I find these femphobic/transphobic

stealth and not have to deal with

profiles even more distasteful than

heteronormative attitudes on a

the vile no Asians/no Indians profiles

daily basis if he doesn’t choose to.

when taking into account our GLBTI history. Most major milestones in

Next time you see someone on

our march to freedom have been

Grindr stating ‘no Queens’ maybe

championed by those willing to put

you might like to remind him that

themselves on the line in the name

the reason he isn’t in jail, isn’t

of justice and freedom.

beaten up, can get married, can’t be discriminated against in housing

The riot in The Comptons Cafeteria

or employment and has gay apps

in August 1966 was not started nor

like Grindr is probably because

led by a bunch of ‘straight acting’

somewhere along the way a bunch

gay men, it was a bunch of fierce

of Queens stood up for all of us and

and fearless Queens who had had

said ‘enough is enough’.

enough of police harassment and injustice and turned the place upside down in protest. A similar story is told of the Stonewall riots

Steven Oates is a well know media

Steven Oates’ blood boils as dating-app dialect disrespects our Queens.

in 1969, although there is some

currently hosting Pop Quiz Night at Pop Bar on Ponsonby Road,

debate as to whether it was a

gay rights movement. Nowhere

been the Queens and the Lesbians

Queen or a Lesbian who threw the

does the legend ever mention the

at the forefront of social and

first brick which started several days

straight acting, on the down-low

political change.

of rioting and ignited the spark that

guy, throwing the first brick or taking

was to become the international

on the cops. Around the world it has

gayexpress.co.nz

personality, MC and DJ. He is

Auckland every Tuesday at 7pm. Photo | Steven Oats and iconic Auckland drag diva Buckwheat

Some gay men seem to have

by Robert Trathen.

| June 2014 | 13

Scene

Friday Fun at Family Friday 3 May. Photos | Evan Donnelly What an awesomely busy night Friday 3 May was at Family! Lots of new faces were out and about and it was great to see so many of them catching the Pink Link over from Pop! after the Hawaii prize draw. That bus is always a fun jaunt through town with Daphne Bush dancing up a storm!

14 | June 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

Looking Good! express talks with the writer and director of hot new gay show Looking, Andrew Haigh and Michael Lannan. SoHo’s Looking follows in the footsteps of Queer As Folk and The L Word, following the lives of three gay men, their colleagues, friends and lovers as they live out their lives in San Francisco. Two of the three protagonists are played by gay actors, as are numerous supporting roles. Creator Michael Lannan has previously worked on top TV hits like Sons of Anarchy and Nurse Jackie, while Andrew Haigh is most famous for writing and directing award-winning gay film Weekend. Why film in San Francisco? ML: It’s a very cool place - physically so stunning and a city with so much gay history. It still has a lot of rough edges, which we wanted to depict, and it’s changing again with the tech world money coming in. It’s a very dynamic place. Who are your three lead characters? AH: When we meet all three of the characters, they’re each at a point where this is not the life they predicted for themselves. Patrick is a 29-year-old struggling with his desire to make a connection with someone. We meet him in the

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TV park, looking for a sexual connection, and then we hear his ex-boyfriend is getting married so it touches off a search for a partner. ML: Augustine is a 31-year-old artist who is struggling with all these issues of how to be himself within his relationship and move in with someone and maintain his independence. AH: Don is 39/40. He’s been a waiter for ten years. He’s got to a stage in his life when he’s realised it hasn’t become what he wanted it to become and he’s looking to change it. He just isn’t quite sure how.

we get that?

At times it feels like that the cast are improvising. AH: They do. Although we prefer the term embellishment. We’re going for something naturalistic, so it’s about finding spontaneous moments. They all bring their own ideas to it and Lauren Weedman brings her own drugs to it! People have said this is the gay equivalent of TV show Girls. AH: We both really like Girls. If they mean it’s a contemporary experience of a group of friends, then yes, there are similarities. I think it’s a different show than Girls. It’s a different age group, there are different concerns and I think they are tonally different. ML: [They said] Girls was the new Sex in the City at one point… AH: I want to be the gay Entourage. Why can’t

It’s 15 years since Queer As Folk launched in the UK. Queer As Folk was about being gay – Looking’s guys are also gay. AH: Gay people and straight people have a lot of similar issues, concerns and struggles. I think these characters are gay and it’s part of their life, it’s an important part of their life, but it’s not the only thing going on in their life. ML: We tried to do a show that can only be made now, that was a very contemporary version of these gay characters. Queer As Folk was of its time. Right now a lot of gay people are welcomed into the mainstream, and that has a lot of implications for their lives and choices. We have so many options - it’s confusing and it’s exciting to be welcomed into the mainstream. AH: Gay and straight have collided together. You don’t have a gay ghetto anymore.

The sex scenes are quite graphic, but beautiful, awkward and honest. AH: It wasn’t about being explicit or shocking people, it was just about showing gay sex as I think it is. It can be intimate, it can be not intimate - it can be many things… They’re fun to shoot though. Was everybody working out before shooting? AH: I told them they weren’t allowed to work out. At one point I saw Jonathan had makeup muscles put on. I was like; take them off, that’s not happening. The entire first season of Looking will be screened from 12.30pm on Saturday 14 June on SoHo. Check out the full interview and interviews with the cast at www.gayexpress.co.nz.

OUT TAKES 2014

A REEL QUEER FILM FESTIVAL

CO TO NT 15 INU JU E NE S !

www.outtakes.org.nz | info@outtakes.org.nz

| June 2014 | 17

FEATURE

Celebrating in Style NZ’s naughtiest party boy Colin Mathura-Jeffree celebrated his 42nd Birthday in style last month with over 100 guests at his Bond-themed party.

Oliver Hall caught up with Colin to find out how to throw an equally exquisite event and to find out a little more about the man behind the bling. “Artistic and a powerful intelligence,” is the surprising response Colin gives as I dare to ask a question he rarely answers; the attributes of his perfect man? “Someone to challenge my opinions. I’m not interested in people that hold me up to be better than them. The perfect man is his own man, knows music, argues his point and kisses so passionately that I can’t feel my legs.” For a gentleman who is so often in the public eye, Colin has managed to keep his relationships private, but his answers prove he is a romantic at heart. “He surprises me with things as cute as a walk and talk with ice cream and secretly holds my hand at dinner,” he concludes. He tells me he defines personal happiness as ‘honesty’. “The moment you are not honest about any given situation, you will not be

happy.” Among the glitz and glamour of his party Colin certainly looks happy. He confides that he doesn’t ‘fear age’. I ask where he sees himself at 50. “Ideally still fit, hot and hard. Maybe I’ll be a silver fox at last. Nothing is sexier than being a man of a certain age and 50 is seriously sexy… We can all age with dignity and class. I won’t be an older gay man acting like a silly young twit. Don’t they realise they look like sad ugly extras from a zombie apocalypse?” Work wise he claims to be busier than ever with his resurgent modeling career, a campaign for Tourism Australia and working with SkyCity on his own branded Indian restaurant. He is unsure if New Zealand’s Next Top Model, the TV show that made him a national name will return to our screens but seems unconcerned. “I loved it, but I think it might have passed its use by date. I was cast in an international Top Model show and turned it down as they had me doing twice as much as the other hosts for the same price. I have self-respect. Pay me, don’t play me!”

Article | Oliver Hall Photos | Danilo Santana David www.danilophoto.com Make Up | Christina Lajdes at Ruby Jack Thanks to Simon from Famous Vodka & Mac Cosmetics.

FEATURE

How to Throw the Perfect Party Colin’s Mathura-Jeffree’s top tips: 1 Venue. Always have a place that sets the wow factor. For my 40th I had the Wharf, to cater for 500 masquerade guests, fireworks and my name on the Harbour Bridge. For my 42nd Birthday I decided on a Bond theme and the venue best suited was Twentyone at SkyCity. Gold decor, gambling tables, Mumm’s champagne and without a doubt the best bathrooms in this city! 2 Guest List. Always bring in people you love and/or are intrigued by. 3 Catering. Food is so important when drinking. Have a wide selection of food to cater for the needs of your guests. I once saw a gluten free table get crosscontaminated. People puffed up and exploded! It was like a cross between new years fireworks and a piñata! 4 Music. Sets the mood and defines the style. 5 A wild amount of debauchery! Faux pas a party host should avoid: To be over ambitious is to fail a party. Work within your means. Always be mindful of your guests. I have a no A-holes policy! Great people are enormous fun at parties, bad people tend to also dress like their attitude: lazy, lack-luster and last season. Throwing a memorable party on a shoestring budget: How the hell would I know?! Maybe buy cheerios those little sausages you get at supermarkets they’re cheap!

gayexpress.co.nz

| June 2014 | 19

Scene

Colin MJ’s 42nd Birthday at Bar 21 Mon 12 May. Photos | Tux Hika The glitzy and ultra glam were out Monday 12 May to celebrate the birthday of one of New Zealand’s most stylish men. The 007 Bond-themed party had free-flowing Champagne, indoor fireworks and billiard tables for those who fancied a flutter – it was at Sky City after all!

20 | June 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

THEATRE

One (Mad) Man Show! Oliver Hall talks to Bryan Batt, the openly gay star of Mad Men and 12 Years A Slave about bringing his talents to the Auckland stage.

24 years Tom Cianfichi and in 2010 released a memoir, She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Mother, months before his ‘mom’ passed away from a 31 year battle with cancer.

At 51, Hollywood actor Bryan Batt is more in demand than ever, having effortlessly gone from staring in one of TV’s hottest shows (Mad Men) to being cast in this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave. The former Broadway stalwart, broke into movies when he starred in controversial AIDS comedy Jeffrey, cast opposite Patrick Stewart as a gay couple. Outside of acting Bryan co-owns a ‘home and gift’ store in New Orleans with his partner of

out.” He says of Hamm, “come to think of it so was I. No one’s taken pictures of my crotch!” Before assuring express, that he never checked out Hamm’s package. “I didn’t really look down. I had to be a professional!”

“I’m totally different from Sal,” Batt says of his Mad Men character. “He played his cards very close to his chest. I’m an open book,” he tells us, confirming people attending his Auckland show can expect him to, “spill all.” Batt’s cabaret show, Batt On A Hot Tin Roof, was originally conceived as a one night only fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina, but proved so popular it extended and is now being brought overseas. “The only types of music you won’t hear are opera or rap,” he says of the show, “my favourite part is performing the songs that people won’t have heard before, which are riotously funny!” They will be joined by candid stories of Batt’s life and career. “A little naughty, never hurt nobody,” he assures. Candour certainly seems to a strength of Batt’s. In our half hour chat he talks about working on Mad Men when pictures of lead actor Jon Hamm’s crotch became an internet sensation. “He was kind-of insulted, when all that stuff came

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Talking of professional, Batt confides that the worst person he has ever worked with is legendary battle-axe Elaine Stritch, describing her as ‘tough’ and ‘in a bad space!’ His favourite co-star has been Susan Sarandon because, “she was the coolest thing in the world.” And if he could work with anyone… he gives the same answer that we all would – Meryl Steep! “At the SAG awards one year, a director bumped into me and I was propelled forward into Meryl. She stares into my eyes and says, ‘ I love you on Mad Men, my husband and I watch it every Sunday night.’ I just thought – I can die now!” Bryan Batt - Batt on a Hot Tin Roof plays at 7.30pm on Sunday 22 June at the Concert Chamber at Auckland Town Hall. Table seating is $35 or $70 with a meet and greet. Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz. Article | Oliver Hall

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THEATRE

Sophie’s Choice Sam Brooks meets the woman who bagged the hottest job in New Zealand theatre, who now has to prove she’s up to the challenge. Silo Theatre has been one of Auckland’s cultural mainstays for over a decade, from its early days in The Basement Theatre to the epic gay fantasia Angels in America, the company has cemented its position as New Zealand’s leading producer of contemporary theatre. When artistic director Shane Bosher announced his resignation last year, there was a buzz about who would take his place, and it was with little surprise and much fanfare that Sophie Roberts was announced as his successor.

her vision for the company, and

Roberts has a long line of successful productions behind her, both as an actor and a director. Since graduating Toi Whakaari in 2007, not only has she directed three shows for Silo – I Love You Bro, The Pride and Midsummer, but she has also directed critically acclaimed shows at venues all across the country, from The Pitchfork Disney at Q last year to Dog Sees God at the Basement in 2009 to Blinkers at Bats Theatre in 2008.

Roberts’ first show as artistic director

Since graduating drama school, Roberts has worked as a freelance director and speaks of it fondly, “The great thing about freelancing is the amount of people you get to work with. You build up a great community to make work with, which you don’t get as much of if you’re tied to one particular institution.” She speaks eloquently about

22 | June 2014 |

continuing not only the legacy of Bosher, but the company as a whole, “My vision is to continue the story that Shane has started for the company … Our claim is to be New Zealand’s leading contemporary theatre company, we have a job to do there if that’s our claim, in terms of pushing the culture of storytelling forward, so that we’re always delivering cutting edge storytelling that speaks to who we are now and where we are now.”

is also prolific playwright Thomas Sainsbury’s mainstage debut, Sunday Roast, a ‘wicked and wild satire of traditional Kiwi values’. It’s her fourth show for the company and she doesn’t see it as her debut, and her excitement is palpable: “It’s really great that my first work as artistic director is a local work, I’m really excited about that, because it’s Tom’s first mainstage debut, it’s more of a debut for Tom than me.” It’s a show that promises not only to continue Silo’s legacy, but make a strong stamp for Roberts’ tenure as artistic director of the company. Sunday Roast plays from Friday 6 – Saturday 28 June at Q Theatre, Queen St, Auckland. For bookings visit www.silotheatre.co.nz. Article | Sam Brooks

Scene

Wigarama at Legend Sat 3 May. Photos | Evan Donnelly The Cartier Bereavement Trust hosted their annual fundraiser on Saturday 3 May, which featured some of Aucklandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most glamorous Queens. Diva Dallas Vixen flew in from Australia to make her triumphant return to the Auckland stage. The weaves were outrageous and the shows phenomenal!

gayexpress.co.nz

| June 2014 | 23

ADVICE

Taking On Life’s Challenges coached. “[They] had a pattern of achieving their fitness goal then sabotaging it for unknown reasons. After a bit of exploration, we realised that they had a ‘reason’ for being fit, which wasn’t actually being achieved through being fit. Through coaching I helped them connect with that higher purpose.” Applying mental skills like visualisation, meditation and goal-setting, Adrian helps clients turn their challenges into opportunities and has even used some of these skills on himself.

Adrian Metcalfe wants to teach you the skills to turn problems and worries into opportunities. Adrian Metcalfe is a coach and leadership trainer who spent 19 years in the British Army before moving to NZ with his (then) wife and family. It was in 2012 he ‘joined the dots’, realised he was gay and eventually moved up to Auckland to be with his (now) partner Daniel.

Adrian recommends coaching for anyone “facing a challenge, feeling stuck and who needs help exploring options, or wanting to develop personal and professional skills.” He gives an example of a client he recently

“Learning coaching tools saved my relationship with my teenage daughter - I was using my old army skills in the family, which didn’t go down well. By changing how I thought and how I communicated our relationship changed dramatically for the better.” Their bond assured she was the first person he came out too. Another challenge Adrian turned into opportunity. For more info on Adrian visit www. adrianmetcalfe.com or to book an coaching session call 022 327 4127. Article | Oliver Hall Photo | Tux Hika

Personal Finances with Michael Coote Life insurance is an oddity. You have to die to get paid out, meaning other people receive the benefit of your insurance, not you. So why insure your own life? It comes down to why money would be needed by other people after you die. A common reason to take out life insurance is to pay off all your debts in one hit. Otherwise your estate is left owing money that needs to be paid back, making it a burden to your loved ones who survive you. If you have a mortgage on a house, and intend

24 | April 2014 |

to leave it to someone, when you die, the gift is made all the sweeter by having enough life insurance cover to pay back the mortage. If there are two of you in a partnership, both paying off the mortgage on a joint home, then you can bequeath the other person full possession of a debt-free property and an instant pay rise in not having to service the mortgage any more. Michael Coote is a personal financial adviser at AMP. You can email your questions about financial matters to Michael.coote@amp.co.nz. gayexpress.co.nz

Scene

5 5

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ER N N I W

Friday 9 May. Photos | Evan Donnelly

! R E N WIN

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Pop! Bar was packed on Friday 9 May with hopefuls wanting their names to be drawn (for free trips to Hawaii). Congratulations to winners Shiche Zhang and Patric Seng. Winners and losers alike were treated to performances from Mika and PattyBoy.

| June 2014 | 25

SEX

A Latex-Free Future? didn’t have enough lube on them for anal sex, but they went on easily, and when I added water based lube they were very comfortable as both a top and a bottom (it was an exhaustive testing process). Silicone lube worked even better, and although my personal preference tends towards water-based, with these condoms I preferred silicone, again both as a top and a bottom.”

Last month’s amendment to the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act has opened NZ up to the sale of non-latex condoms. express distributed some of the leading latex-free options for stringent testing and feedback. LYC’s Trak Gray (pictured right, who regularly tests out sex products for his Space Army Guy Youtube series) tried out Ansell’s Skyn condoms (made from Polyisoprene). Skyn are a big seller overseas. In Australia, the brand has taken over 30% share of the country’s condom sales in just a few years. Trak is quick to point out that, “for those who react to it, latex

can pose a significant challenge, especially when it comes to anal sex. Butts are pretty delicate and you have to make sure you are doing as little as possible to interfere with the lining and bacterial environment in there. Even the Extra-Lubricated Skyn condoms still

To ensure he got the full story Trak tested the product with a partner who normally finds latex condoms noticeably uncomfortable. “He reported zero irritation, saying that the condoms felt great inside him.” Our next stop was to talk to Annah

Pickering at Auckland branch of the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective (NZPC) about her experience using the FC2 female condoms (made from nitrile). “I found it fantastic,” she tells us. “You insert it internally, but part of it remains external – this part can then be placed over the clitoris, so the FC2 acts as both a condom and dental dam/barrier in one. I highly recommend it for anyone straight or gay.” The FC2 does not only work for vaginal sex, but anal sex as well. With this in mind we approached one of Annah’s male colleagues at Wellington branch of the NZPC to find out how the FC2 felt in a male on male sex situation.

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“As long as proper lube was used, it felt as if I was having unsafe sex.” He says ominously, explaining, “It left me feeling a little odd mentally because I’m so tuned to always wearing a condom and not putting myself in an unsafe situation, but once I got over that and felt assured that even though I couldn’t feel it, there was protection there, the experience was good and yes I would use it again.” Just as with hetro-sex, he says the receptive partner inserted it internally and they both held the outer ring as he entered. He describes the experience as, ‘mind blowing!’ But points out, “unfortunately groups like The NZPC

and Positive Women are not funded to give them away and they are expensive.” The recommended retail price for the FC2 is $12.50 for three. Even the wholesale price still only brings them down to $3 each. This is something Jane Bruning from Positive Women is trying to change. “When we presented a petition to make FC2 condom available in NZ, we recommended it was subsidised just as male condoms are. We have since put in a formal submission to parliament to have the condoms subsidised and right now we are waiting to hear if parliament would like to take that forward or if we go

to Pharmac direct.” In the meantime, Positive Women are now working in conjunction with FC2 distributors Glyde on a special promotion where anyone can try the FC2 for $1 each by visiting Positive Women’s office (176 Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland). More information can be found at www.FC2.co.nz. Jane is optimistic about the future of safe sex. “The FC2 reminds me a little of the early male condoms. The more we can get these products out there and used, the more they will get refined.” Article | Oliver Hall

MUSIC

The Pop Bangers That Imploded For every one Beyonce, there are nine Solanges. The acts touted to reach the farthest recesses of pop’s stratosphere, but sadly fail to orbit. Deep Obsession (New Zealand) Three number one singles and a debut album that went platinum. But what started with a bang ended with a whimper as the singles started sliding down the chart. Come 2003 after parting ways with talented song-writer Chris Banks, Deep Obsession were lucky to make the NZ Top 40. Pop Banger: You Got The Feeling (www.youtube. com/watch?v=20eK_7dEUuA).

A+ (USA) A+’s first single Enjoy Yourself was a successful slice of dance floorfriendly hip-pop that samples Walter Murphy’s A Fifth of Beethoven, which had sampled Beethoven’s First Symphony. However second album Hempstead High sent his career up in smoke. 2010 effort Without A Trace proved prophetic and sealed the deal. Pop Banger: Enjoy Yourself (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OQOgDwUyB9I).

Adam Rickitt (UK) Adam has done everything from Coronation St to Shortland St, from politics (with the UK’s National equivalent, the Conservative Party) to pop. As great as he was as Corrie’s Kieran Mitchell with his iconic kiss with Todd Grimshaw in 2003, we remember him for his pop career – lighting up London’s G-A-Y club with top five hit I Breathe Again and redefining how male pop stars could be marketed. Sadly no significant hits followed. Rickitt can now be found in a reality television ‘super-group’ with Dane Bowers (Another Level) and Gareth Gates to name a few. Kieran – please climb up that cliff face and come back to Ferndale. For the love of Todd! Pop Banger: I Breathe Again (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAN4yCKwA2U).

North and South (UK) S Club 7’s transition from fictitious TV band to real chart-toppers was seamless (give or take a cannabis bust). Another group that tried to ape The Monkees’ formula was North and South who starred in television series No Sweat. Their hits dried up by Season 2, leading to No Sweat’s cancellation and the release of their delayed debut album Allsorts, to be permanently shelved. Pop Banger: I’m A Man Not A Boy (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=_djj9eHeClU).

28 | June 2014 |

VANILLA (UK) Vanilla stemmed from the girl group phase in pop music after the Spice Girls blew up. Some took off (All Saints), some enjoyed a few years success (B*Witched) and some faded out after one single (Cleopatra). In the case of Vanilla, this song copied Muppet classic Mahna Mahna and should have been erased before being committed to tape. Pop Banger: No Way No Way (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EGwB-f1xfxM). Article | Sandoval Rubenstein gayexpress.co.nz

FILM

How the Past Affects X-Men’s Future In an express exclusive Erik Lehnsherr talks to Ian McKellen about returning to the X-Men franchise and working with gay director Bryan Singer, who recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons. X-Men: Days of Future Past has just opened in New Zealand cinemas and is shaping up to be this winter’s biggest blockbuster. It is directed by openly-gay director Bryan Singer and features openly-gay actors Ian McKellen and Ellen Page, along with a very-shirtless Hugh Jackman. The film’s Box Office triumph was put in jeopardy last month, when former child-actor Michael Egan accused Singer of sexually assaulting him when he was a teenager. Singer immediately removed himself from the film’s promotional schedule and released a statement claiming the allegations were, “outrageous, vicious and completely false.” gayexpress.co.nz

Recent revelations have brought Egan’s claims into question as they directly contradict statements he made in a sworn deposition for a previous lawsuit in 2003. But the scandal has left some social commentators including Time magazine’s Kate Pickert, questioning the safety of teen stars and if ‘the infamous casting couch still exists’.

He denies any friction between the enormous and potentially ego-filled cast, which includes Hally Berry, Michae Fassbender and Patrick Stewart. “It was enjoyable sitting with all those famous faces and fortunately we all got on. But making the film was more of a party - Bryan’s directing style is that way, he gathers the right people together and makes sure that they enjoy themselves.”

McKellen who was interviewed prior to the allegations being made, clearly enjoys working with Singer. “I’ve done four films with Bryan now, between Apt Pupil and the first two X-Men films and now this one. Bryan has grown as a director as well, and I’ve always been very happy working with him. He’s a director who knows what he wants and once he sees it on screen, he lets you know he’s got it, and that’s a great relief to me. When Bryan says, “We’ve got it,” I know we have, because he’s so particular. I feel very safe with him at the helm.”

McKellen still champions X-Men’s subtext, which gay fans can particularly relate too. “I think that’s what sets X-Men apart from other superhero films. It’s focused on people who are cast out by society for what they are and that’s an early thing Bryan said to me way back in the last century!” X-Men: Days of Future Past is out in cinemas nationwide. Article | Oliver Hall. Photos | Ian McKellan, Ellen Page and Hugh Jackman.

| June 2014 | 29

Scene

MTV VJ Search Party at Imperial Lane Friday 2 May. Photos | Matt Klitscher The whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who of music, tv and fashion descended on Imperial Lane on Friday 2 May, to join MTV Australia VJ Kate Peck and the top 10 contenders for the MTV VJ Search Party. 29-year-old Krit Schmidt was crowned the winner and will head to Sydney to join Kate as the new MTV VJ.

30 | June 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

HOTTIE OF THE MONTH

Tom Sainsbury We love a man who can make us laugh. Quad-threat of the Auckland performing arts scene Thomas Sainsbury is certainly one of those men. You may know him as the dactor (a dancing actor) of comedic booty-shaking group Dynamotion, as the lovable YouTube tip sharing Thomas Tippy or from being one half of the brainchild behind and star of TV3’s Super City – Thomas is the boy-next-door with a thousand skills. This month, Silo Theatre is presenting his play Sunday Roast at Q Theatre starring Toni Potter and Adam Gardiner – and while he’s written over 30 plays in the last six years, but this black comedy about rural life in New Zealand will be his first professionally programmed production in NZ – well done Tom, well done. Photo | Oliver Rosser

gayexpress.co.nz

| June 2014 | 31

REVIEW

Marlborough’s Most Memorable Meals Mark Garrison’s must visits, when munching in Marlborough. A four-day Easter break in Marlborough was a culinary dream. There are wonderful restaurants everywhere, but four remain firmly planted in my mind. The Boat Shed café - 350 Wakefield Quay, Nelson, 03 546 9783, ranks among the best restaurants I have visited in recent memory. It was so good we visited it twice; the second time treating ourselves to the “trust the chef” ($57.50 pp) menu. The food across the board is beautifully prepared and presented and the view is spectacular. Perched out over the water, it is an idyllic place to watch the sun go down. The Slip Inn - Havelock Marina, 03 574 2345, is a heavenly spot for a leisurely lunch. The menu blissfully focuses on seafood and locally sourced mussels figure prominently on the menu. The kilo of mussels ($16.50) was terrific as was the gurnard, the fish of the day ($23.50). The views are stunning as well. Hans Herzog Winery Cellar Door Bistro - 81 Jeffries Rd, Blenheim, 03 572 8770, is a simply elegant place for either lunch or dinner. Dining on the porch in the Mediterranean gardens was a fabulous way to while away an afternoon. The Wakanui beef tartare ($18.00) was among the best I have ever tasted. The chargrilled steak ($28) was perfectly cooked, and the ox cheek special was spot-on. Service, led by the warm and welcoming manager Holger was excellent and the bottle of 2011 Herzog Montepulciano ($74) was one of the best bottles of wine we have had in ages. A beautiful setting, paired with outstanding food and wine, makes this place a winner. Finally Riverside Café - 289 Main Rd, Lower Moutere, 03 526 7447, was a delightful discovery. Housed in a renovated farmhouse, this café proudly takes chances on its menu. We thoroughly enjoyed the kati roll ($18.50) which was astonishingly authentic and the wild rabbit sausages ($21.50) were delicious as well. If you find yourself in Marlborough, do yourself a favour and head to any or all of these places. You will have a fantastic time. Article | Mark Garrison

32 | June 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

EAT

Foodie Bites

Holy FAWC Hawke’s Bay is the place to be for food lovers in June as the fabulous winter FAWC (Food and Wine Classic) kicks off. FAWC is a is a series of one off, out of the box food and wine events – the perfect solution for the cold-weather blues. Get up close and personal with winemakers, artisan producers and chefs and eat and drink yourself silly in this stunning part of the country. FAWC: Four weekends of June 2014 (6 - 8, 13 - 15, 20 - 22, 27 29). See www.fawc.co.nz for event details and tickets.

Worth Waking Up too! We were thrilled to hear the lovely people from Rush Coffee took to the stage two weeks ago in Melbourne to pick up their gold medal in the Australian International Coffee Awards. They won best espresso blend – an outstanding feat given this is the first time they’ve entered the awa awards. There were a record breaking b 800 entries across all categories so acr they th are understandably proud p – as are we – especially e our dishy editor who is completely ed addicted to their beans! add Check them out at www. Che rushcoffee.co.nz rus

New Night Market Action

So Much Beefiness! There is so much to like about Burger Burger. The atmosphere is loud and fun, the burgers are legendary, the soundtrack is cranking and we have to say looking at gorgeous Chef Adrian in the open kitchen is no hardship either. We love the beef burger (actually we love all the burgers) and the fact that you can replace the – absolutely delicious – buns with lettuce if you’re not feeling carb-ish is a huge bonus. You will never visit another chain burger restaurant again after tasting Adrian’s bad boys. Burger Burger, Ponsonby Central, 136-138 Ponsonby Road, Auckland. www.burgerburger.co.nz.

Market Stall of the Month: Jenny’s Kitchen On a recent trip to Waiheke, a friend reminded us of the divine Jenny’s Kitchen Tamarind Chutney Stall at Ostend Markets. The fabulous Jenny has now sold the business (was time to give up making chutneys in her eighties!) but the new owners still have the same formula for the sweet, sour and just-spicy-enough goodness which will take your sandwich or cheese crackers to a whole new level of divine. Don’t fear if you can’t make the trip, it’s stocked in selected gourmet stores

around the country too. Jenny’s Kitchen, Ostend Market Waiheke: www.facebook.com/ JennysKitchenNZ

West Aucklanders will be delighted to hear they now have their own night market. Following on from the incredible success of Glenfield, Pakuranga, Hamilton, Whangaparaoa, Onehunga, and Papatoetoe this latest (and the biggest) collection of amazing night-time food stalls opened two weeks ago under K-Mart at the Henderson Mega Centre. We haven’t been along yet but if the others are anything to go by, this will be fantastic. It’s like Singapore hawker stalls without the airfare and if you’re lucky you might pick up some Outrageous Fortune lookalikes (one that looks like Antony Starr would be nice!) Henderson Night Market, Friday 5.30 - 11pm, Henderson Mega Centre carpark. www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz g

Article | Alexia Santamaria. Alexia exia is the co-authorr of popular blog www. cheapeats.co.nz nz the Auckland guide to eating g great food without hout going bankrupt. t.

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Express Final Hawaiian Draw at Pop! Friday 16 May. Photos | Evan Donnelly. Congrats to winner Karlyn Cherrington for winning the fourth Hawaiian trip. He joins Adrian Wharerua, Siche Zhang and Patrick Seng for six nights in Hawaii for Honolulu Pride, thanks to express, Pop bar, Hawaiian Airlines, Vive Hotel Waikiki and Smirnoff Vodka. gayexpress.co.nz

Kiss & Tell r Never trust a farm boy love, they’re always grinding up on something and it could be your nearest and dearest! r How many husbands does our busiest drag queen need? It’s outrageous!

Meet Your Community Eddie Lamb - Restaurant Manager, Brew on Quay What can’t you live without? Family and friends. Without them, who am I? Who is your greatest influence and what did they teach you? My parents. They always told me to follow my dreams and hence why I moved over from the UK and am working and singing with GALS. What book changed your life and why? Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything. So many facts in one place. It reminds me of the little things that make up the bigger things and to not just pass them by without taking note. What affect has singing with GALS had on you life? We are like a family, who support each other through thick and thin. I’m just blessed that I found them! My biggest highlight so far was being able to sing at the first lesbian wedding in the sky as part of the Air New Zealand ‘Love is in the Air’ event. A magical experience! gayexpress.co.nz

If you could live your life again, what would you do differently? I don’t live with regrets. I think the path I have chosen is the one I was meant to be on; or did the path choose me? What’s the best night out you’ve ever had in New Zealand? The recent Proud party was amazing! But the nights I spent as part of a group of backpackers sitting on the beach with a guitar, chilling out, were definitely favourites. If you could have a dinner party with five GLBT people (living or dead) invited, who would they be and why? Ellen DeGeneres for comedy, Ian McKellen because he is so talented, Freddy Mercury for music, Stephen Fry for intellect and is Rihanna still flirting with girls? She has to be there so I can become her BFF!

r When did begging get so fashionable? I understand why a queen who wants to perform in front of a crowd will come crawling, but public-pleading when you’re off blowing all your money elsewhere? Unitec do Business courses aye darl! r Judging best dressed? How many times can you wear a bow-tie? Honestly! r I’ve fallen over washing my crack before, but my shower didn’t fall to pieces! Where do they get that cheap crap from? The $1 store? r The butter balls trying to capture the pink dollar should make their threesome-hunting profile less public. It’s more Panmure than Ponsonby.

Article | Oliver Hall. Photo | Tux Hika.

| June 2014 | 35