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on the inside
Central Florida Edition March 2020
Hot Bodies
Do you prefer to eat breakfast prior to your morning workout, or do you skip breakfast altogether?
content:
• What’s Hot Central Florida • Hot Bodies • Hot Advice
this month’s features: • Tampa Pride • Miss Saigon • Come Out With Pride FFundraising Event
hot shots • Around Tampa Bay with Amy Demilo • Equality Florida’s Tampa Gala • Southern Nights Tampa • Honey Pot’s Anniversary
What’s
HOT
...everything you need to plan your month
hot shots photos by tony fowler
Honey Pot’s 13th Anniversary
Gaybor City, Tampa
what’s hot By Scott Holland
everything you need to know
W
to plan your month
Welcome to What's Hot March, where we feature events happening all over Central Florida. The major event this month is Tampa Pride, but for info on that check out the huge feature in this month's edition including an interview with headliner Martha Wash. Continue reading to learn what else is hot this month.
Saturday, March 7
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents George Lopez: Live in Concert at 8pm. Film and television comedy star George Lopez rose to fame with his hit
>>>> Mar 7 - Mar 31
series George Lopez. Known for his quick, deadpan observations and uncanny comic timing, Lopez keeps live audiences laughing from start to finish in his sell-out stand-up tours. He returns to The Straz for a sure-fire evening of hilarity. Tickets start at $41 at Strazcenter.org.
St Pete Pride Presents: Taste of Pride from 7-10pm at the St Petersburg Historical Coliseum (535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg). Taste of Pride gathers the best Tampa Bay restaurants, bars, and breweries under one roof to give you a chance to feast like a Queen. Guests will be able to enjoy sizable tastings from over 10 establishments that are taking the Tampa Bay gastronomy to a whole another level while supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Also, guests will have the chance to vote for
their favorite tasting and the winner will receive a $1,000 donation to an organization of their choice as part of the St Pete Pride Community Grants Program. Tickets are $40 at StPetePride.com
Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF) presented by Cigar City Brewing has announced its full lineup including performance dates for the 9th annual festival taking place today and tomorrow, Sunday, March 8. Today, Brandi Carlile will be headlining the Water Street Tampa Stage in Curtis Hixon Park, and De La Soul will be closing out the Ashley Homestore Stage at Kiley
Gardens. Tomorrow, Sunday March 8, Portugal. The Man will be headlining the Water Street Tampa Stage. Full lineup and times are available on the Gasparilla Music Festival website at Gmftampa.com. Tickets to the festival are available at Gmftickets.com
The Amalie Arena presents Jeff Dunham in Seriously!? International Tour at 5pm. For the past 12 years, Jeff Dunham and his somewhat inappropriate proteges,
Peanut, Walter, José Jalapeñ o, Bubba J. and Achmed the Dead Terrorist, have filled arenas across the U.S. and the world with their multiple blockbuster tours. For tickets, which start at $50, go to Amaliearena.com
annual Parade Spectacular with floats, beads, marching bands, the footlight Players, DJ Brianna, and your Mardi Gras Queen and King: Yeisa Jovovich (Miss Parliament House 2019) and Kirk Davinci (Florida National Showman at Large 2019).
Tuesday, March 10
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Victory Productions present an Intimate Evening with David Foster: Hitman Tour, featuring special guest Katharine McPhee at 8pm. Tickets, which start at $40, are available at Drphillips.org.
heart” (The Hollywood Reporter), this joyous American classic about a young woman's journey to love and triumph in the American South has conquered Broadway in an all-new "ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold” (The New York Times). Tickets start at $72 at Vanwezel.org.
Thursday, March 12
The Amway Center presents multiple Grammy winner Billie Eilish in her Where Do We Go? World Tour at 7:30pm. The bad news is this concert sold out, but maybe you can find some tickets from a friend.
Southern NIghts Orlando presents the birthday for one of their own and former Hotspots cover model Dominick. NO COVER before 11pm 21+ or w/ College ID till 12am (18+ Welcome). They will feature the Freshmen Line Up at 10:30pm Hosted by: Cara Cavalli, and show time at 12:30am hosted by Axel Andrews with Roxxxy Andrews and Kaija Adonis. DJ Jeff DLux Cowart & DJ Sledge Melvin spinning.
The Van Wezel performing Arts Hall presents The Color Purple, which is the 2016 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival at 7:30pm! Hailed as “a direct hit to the
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Jersey Boys from today until March 15. They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard … and the radio just couldn't get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story – a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning true-life musical phenomenon, Jersey Boys. Featuring the legendary top ten hits: “Sherry,” “Big Girls
Sunday, March 8
The Amway Center presents Marc Anthony in his Opus Tour 2020 at 7pm. Tickets start at $61 at mwaycenter.com
The Parliament House presents Mardi Gras and their
Friday, March 13
Don't Cry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Can't Take My Eyes Off You” and “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)” Tickets start at $39 at Strazcenter.org. Southern Nights Orlando's #FlexFriday presents, RuPaul's Drag Race superstar Manila Luzon (18yr+ Welcome). Drag Shows at
11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Sassy Devine, & Tashae Sherrington! If you can't catch Manila tonight, you can drive to Southern Nights Tampa on Saturday where she will be performing alongside hostess Jade Embers.
Saturday, March 14
Come Out with Pride Orlando invites the community to come out tonight at 7pm to the Aloft Downtown for a night of glamour and entertainment as they celebrate Pride and raise money to bring WorldPride to Orlando in 2026! Join them for heavy hors d'oeuvres, beats by DJ Joanie and riveting performances by Blue Star and VarieTEASE. They will be announcing this year's Pride Gives Back grant and scholarship winners, showcase amazing products and services at their silent
auction and share some of the upcoming surprises for this year's Pride Parade and Festival on October 10. Money raised at this event will directly support bid efforts to bring WorldPride to Orlando in 2026, 10 years after the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub.
Bradley's on 7th invites everyone to come out and view the Rough Riders St Patrick's Parade. Bar opens at 2pm for pre-partying, and the parade watch starts at 7pm. That night they feature DJ Steve Vaugh in the dance bar and DJ Charles Machado in the Video bar, plus two amazing shows at 11:30 pm and 1:30am with MC Kori Stevens and special guests Kiala Santi and Felicity Lane, and as always don't forget the Bradley's boys all night! The Honey Pot invites everyone to watch the parade at their front door as it travels directly in front of the club! Inside Honey Pot, get ready to enter a true party atmosphere as the club goes into Shamrock overload with great decor, a world-class
show hosted by Amy DeMilo along with some seriouslysexy Go-Go girls to provide the proper visuals! The perfect dancing soundtrack will be provided by DJ TQuest! Doors open at 7pm, with no cover before 9pm and only $5 cover after 9pm for those 21 and up! (18 - 20 year olds get in for only $10 all night long).
Amor Upscale Latin Night at Clandestino/Irish Shannon's presents Ramon's Birthday bash. The night will star Yeisa Jovovoch, Kandy Ho, Angelica Sanchez, and Axel Andrews at 12am. Doors open at 9pm and there is no cover before 10pm, and only $10 thereafter.
Monday, March 16
Dr. Phillips Center Presents Harry Connick, Jr. in his True Love: An Intimate Performance at 8pm. After 30 million albums sold
worldwide and a music, film, television and Broadway career spanning three decades, Harry Connick, Jr. returns with a sensational new record, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter. Every pair of tickets for this show includes a CD copy of Harry Connick Jr's new album, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter. Tickets start at $60 at
Email WhatsHot@HotspotsMedia.com to have your event considered for “What’s Hot.”
Drphillipscenter.org. He will also be performing at The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on March 20, where tickets start at $127 at Vanwezel.org
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents An American in Paris, with 2 performances: 3 and 7pm. In post war Paris, romance is in the air and youthful optimism reigns. Gershwin's soaring melodies are matched by gravity-defying dance as the world rediscovers the power of love in this breathtaking production. Hoping to start a new life, World War II veteran Jerry Mulligan chooses newlyliberated Paris as the place to make a name for himself as a painter. But Jerry's life becomes complicated when he meets Lise, a young Parisian shop girl with her own secret - and realizes he is not her only suitor. Winner of four Tony Awards and inspired by the Academy Award-winning film, this exquisite production features your favorite Gershwin songs including “I Got Rhythm,” “Liza,” “'S Wonderful,” “But Not for Me,” and “Stairway to Paradise.” Tickets at Vanwezel.org.
Wednesday, March 18
FL Falun Dafa Association Presents Shen Yun 2020 from today until Sunday, March 22 at the Dr. Phillips Center. The culture of ancient China was divinely inspired. Shen Yun's works reflect this rich spiritual heritage, as they invite you to travel back to the magical world of ancient China. Experience a lost culture through the incredible art of classical Chinese dance, and see legends come to life. Shen Yun makes this possible by pushing the boundaries of the performing arts, with a
unique blend of stunning costuming, high-tech backdrops, and an orchestra like no other. Be prepared for a theatrical experience that will take your breath away! Tickets start at $80 at Drphillipscenter.org
Friday, March 20
Balance Tampa Bay presents their March social at the Tiki Bar at The Getaway (13090 Gandy Blvd N, St Petersburg) from 6-9pm. As always there will be appetizers and a cash bar, so invite your friends and meet some new ones and go out for a great evening on the waterfront
Tuesday, March 24
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Miss Saigon from today until Sunday, March 29. This is the epic story of a young Vietnamese woman named
Kim who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I., an encounter that will change their lives forever. Featuring stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits like “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” “Last Night of the World” and “American Dream,” this is a theatrical event you will never forget. Miss Saigon contains some scenes and language which may not be suitable for younger audience members, including scenes of a sexual nature. Tickets start at $56 at StrazCenter.org. Miss Saigon will also be playing at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando from March 31- April 5. For tickets, which start at $65, go to Drphillipscenter.org.
Thursday, March 26
The Amalie Arena presents CHER in her Here We Go Again Tour featuring with Nile Rogers & CHIC at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $40 at Amaliearena.com
Saturday, March 28 The Parliament House presents direct from RuPaul's Drag Race season 9, Kimora Blac.
Monday, March 30
Neema presents the annual Miss Glamorous Pageant, and
this year he has taken it up a notch with a $10,000 prize, where the winner takes all! Doors open at the Orlando Repertory Theater (1101 E. Princeton St) at 5:30pm with pageant starting at 7pm sharp. Registration is closed and the contestants are: A'Mya Jackson Ross, Domanique Shappelle, Dominique Taylor, Fontasia L'Amour, Janet Fierce Andrews, Jasmine Masters, Joan Julian, Kalypso, Layla Larue, Necole Luv Dupree, Nina DiAngelo, Niomi Onasis Knight, Noel Leon, Summer Breeze, Venus Knight, and Yeisa Jovovich. For tickets, go to: amoreventllccom.ticketleap.com
Tuesday, March 31
Punky's Bar and Grill invites everyone to come on by to raise money for Balance
Tampa Bay. They welcome you to support them and enjoy ten games of Bingo with 10 prizes, good eats and drinks. Please be sure to call Punky's today at 727.201.4712 to reserve one of their best tables for this event as they anticipate having a full house. There is a $10 suggested donation for ten games of Bingo!
CELEBRATE YOU Two continents. Over 53 nations. One love. Greater Fort Lauderdale invites everyone under the sun to the very first Pride of the Americas. Join hundreds of thousands of individuals who together will bring global attention to LGBT+ advocacy. All are welcome to fly your flag high, make an impact and radiate life – because who you are is worth celebrating. Make your plans at sunny.org/PrideAmericas
April 21-26
PRIDE OF THE AMERICAS 2020 Hit the beach in Greater Fort Lauderdale this April for an epic six-day festival, honoring diversity, inclusion and love. You’ll embrace individuality while bringing global attention to the inequalities LBGT+ communities face in Latin America and the Caribbean. From daily sunset concerts to social mixers, the schedule of events will feature exciting opportunities and special guests at various venues around town. • Beach Party & Parade • Arts Festival • Fashion Show • Business of the Americas Conference • Transgender Summit • LGBT+ Health & Wellness Conference COME OUT TO FLORIDA’S LBGT+ CAPITAL The perfect backdrop to your celebration, Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to hundreds of gayowned and operated businesses and one of the largest concentrations of LGBT+ households in the United States. We’re proud to have our very own LGBT+ Pride Visitors Center, the world’s first AIDS museum, the global headquarters of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association and the Stonewall National Museum and Archives with exhibitions relating to LGBT+ history and culture.
MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW Pride of the Americas will kick off with Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, April 22 in downtown Fort Lauderdale and culminate on Sunday, April 26 with an epic beach festival and fireworks display. Visit sunny.org/PrideAmericas
Martha Wash Photos: Mike Ruiz.
T
Tampa Pride 2020 will be bigger than ever, as their Street Festival will feature more room for community participation, and their Diversity Parade will be bigger, with more room for bands, floats, horses, music and much more. But that's not all‌The pride season begand in February with the Pride-Zoo-La: Private Intimate Evening Adventure at ZooTampa, followed by the Mr. & Miss Tampa Pride 2020 Pageant, and the Grand Marshal Gala.
By Chris Azzopardi The big weekend festivities begins on Thursday, March 26, when they present Tampa Pride 2020 VIP Sponsors Party from 7 to 10:30pm at the Florida Aquarium (701 Channelside Dr. Tampa). Mingle with the people who make Tampa Pride possible. Tickets are $50 by calling 813-273-4000. On Friday, at 7pm to Saturday March 28t at 3am is Support the Sponsors Night. From City Side Lounge to Hamburger Mary's Brandon;
From Sparkman Wharf to the heart of Ybor City's LGBTQ+ bars & restaurants: enjoy your favorite ones and start celebrating your Pride in the Big Guava! Come out on Friday night before Tampa Pride to your favorite sponsor bar or restaurant and celebrate BECAUSE YOU CAN! On Saturday, March 28, from 9:45am - 5:15pm is the annual Tampa Pride 2020 Street Festival. Join thousands of your closest friends as they gather together to celebrate the community's diversity, but also to celebrate all that brings us together. Their
Centro Ybor for more added excitement! Also on Saturday, March 28, from 6pm to Midnight, they are featuring the Tampa Pride Pride at Night Concert. When the Street Festival and Parade are done, the fun moves to the Cuban Club! Their inaugural Pride at Night will feature headliner Martha Wash (It's Raining Men) capping hours of exciting entertainment. Tampa Pride will be in the Cuban Club's parking lot and first floor, highlighting partner organizations, vendors and sponsors while offering a variety of food
2020 Street Festival features an Artisans Fair on 9th Avenue & HCC, the Health & Wellness Fair in the HCC parking lot between 14th & 15th Streets north of 8th Ave. Their all Star extravaganza will take place all day at the HCC Stage, where Opening Ceremonies takes place beginning at 9:45am. Check out the Tampa Pride APP on the iOS App Store and Google Play to get up to the minute info on everything! On Saturday, March 28, from 4pm to 7pm is the Tampa Pride 2020 Diversity Parade. This 6th annual Parade will be in historic Ybor City, also known as the GaYbor District. Once again the parade will wind its way east from the corner of Nuccio Parkway and 7th Avenue, down 7th Avenue to 20th Street. They will be announcing the parade from
options, liquor and beer. In addition to Martha Wash, Pride at Night will feature local and national performers. Fan favorite Tampa Bay DJs Greg Anderson and Power Infiniti will welcome entertainment including the 2020 Mr. and Miss Tampa Pride. Tickets for access to the VIP section are available, as well as add-on tickets for an exclusive meet and greet with Martha Wash (TampaPride.org). Pride at Night is 21+ with no cover (18-20: $5).
It was a pleasure to sit down with Pride headliner Martha Wash for this interview:
On her new album, Love & Conflict, Martha Wash is far removed from her disco days, when she became known as half of The Weather Girls. With the late Izora Rhodes-Armstead, the duo began their career as Two Tons O' Fun.
They shot to stardom in the early '80s as The Weather Girls, after releasing one of the biggest gay anthems, “It's Raining Men.” During her solo career in the 1990s, Wash's booming voice was infamously used without her permission on dance-pop touchstones like Seduction's “(You're My One and Only) True Love” and Black Box's “Strike It Up” and “Fantasy,” as well as C+C Music Factory's No. 1 hit “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” In 2014, Rolling Stone called Wash “the most famous unknown singer of the '90s.” Released on her own independent record label, Purple Rose Records, Love & Conflict is a fusion of funk, blues and R&B – “another departure from what people are used to hearing me sing,” she says. But, perhaps more importantly, the record represents Wash's artistic freedom. The 66-year-old disco queen recently spoke about breaking out of the dance-pop music mold, singing about dating apps but being too leery to use them, and that time she and iconic gay singer Sylvester literally shook the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Photo by: Luke Jones
How have you kept your voice intact all these years? What are your tricks?
“I think over time don't we all kind of change a bit? (Laughs.) While I am grateful to still be able to sing, you know, the voice changes over time – and I've been doing this a long time!”
I have no tricks! And look, I think over time don't we all kind of change a bit? (Laughs.) While I am grateful to still be able to sing, you know, the voice changes over time – and I've been doing this a long time! (Laughs.)
On “Never Enough Money,” you sing, “Sugar's waiting in the back, you're flirting on a dating app…” Are you on dating apps, Martha?
No, I am not!
So you're not speaking from personal experience?
No, no. But you hear so much about especially young … well, not even young people anymore! Everybody's doing it. It doesn't matter the age
anymore. People are trying to find love wherever they think they can, and there's so many different (apps) out there. You see people, their heads just down in their phones with the email, or the dating apps, and things like that. (Sighs.) Hey, technology.
Say hypothetically you did have a Tinder profile. What would you say about Martha Wash in your Tinder profile?
Oh god. Goodness. I like flowers. (Laughs.) Confident.
It has to do with greed, power, attention and a lot of things we see in the world today, and it's a right-in-your-face kind of situation; it's like you wanna turn your head away but can't. The situations will not let you turn your head away and, for the most part, I want to say it's negative.
You're the kind of artist who seems to relish continual artistic evolution. How is Love & Conflict an evolution for you as an artist?
What would you look for in another person's profile?
It's just another avenue of the kind of music that I want to be able to record. I've always said
me laugh. Sense of humor's always good 'cause I don't always have one. (Laughs.) Sense of humor and can deal with my madness. Also somebody who has a strong spiritual background. I'm a homebody, but I also like to travel. Somebody who's adventurous. How about TV shows? What do you binge? Oh god, there's too many of 'em to count! I have so many TV shows in my library that I have to keep deleting them because I'm almost at 100 percent. Seriously! And there's still a whole lot of shows and movies that I have not even seen on Netflix or Hulu at all. You know, I have subscriptions but I haven't used 'em! So I just have my favorites. I like crime shows, I like medical shows.
I never wanted to be pigeonholed into one particular genre of music. Everybody knows me for the most part as a dance music artist. I came from R&B and disco and that's what I listened to as a teenager. But also growing up, I listened to all kinds of music, so I was able to appreciate all different genres of music. So when I didn't have a record label, I decided to create my own to put out the kind of music that I felt I wanted to put out. That's grown so much over the years, in fact. I'll talk to my manager and he'll say, “What do you think you wanna do this time?” So he reached out to (producer) Sami Basbous and all the music, the musicians and everything are Canadian. And we recorded in Montreal. So it's basically a Canadian-based album, and he
Let's see: A guy that likes to laugh or can make
How did “Never Enough Money” come about?
just had some great songs that we put together. And what we came up with was Love & Conflict because we all have or have been through love and conflict, and sometimes it's on a daily basis, but it's about how we decide to deal with things. I firmly believe that love always trumps conflict. Love always wins in the end.
special experience for you?
Well, (laughs) I think because I've been at this for so long it's just become a natural thing.
You lost a lot of friends during the AIDS epidemic, including Sylvester. How do you reflect on that period of time?
Yeah, especially more so over the years. I've always believed that the higher power was always love, and there's scripture in the Bible
Sad. So many people were lost because of fear and ignorance, and I want to say putting a death sentence on the gay community during that time, because everybody was pointing fingers. And all the fingers were pointing to the LGBTQ community, you know. And then on the other side of that, people that were winding up HIV
about love covering a multitude of sins, so the bottom line is love encompasses all.
positive, some of them didn't pay attention, some of them did not listen.
No, because in school I had gay friends and some of my teachers were gay. It was never a big thing to me. And then when I started singing background for Sylvester, it just continued on but just as a larger group of people. The gay community was always behind Sylvester, and with Izora and I singing background for him there was never any problem, and it just continued over the decades. And I'd have to say that the gay community has always been the biggest fan base for me.
And information wasn't being put out correctly. So there became this big stigma regarding that and the gay community, like they weren't Christians and this was the wrath of God, that whole kind of madness. I remember a newspaper article about a black woman who wound up with AIDS, and I'm reading the article and I'm saying to myself, “OK, what you're saying is this is a gay disease but this woman was not gay, so how did she wind up with AIDS?� In the media it was all geared toward the gay community and gay men. That was the frustration.
Has that always been your motto?
When did you feel like you'd first been embraced by the LGBTQ community? Do you recall a specific moment?
And you're no stranger to the Pride circuit. Is that a
Not even the president at the time, Ronald Reagan, would acknowledge that AIDS was an issue.
Were you trying to correct that misconception?
Yeah. I'd have conversations with my friends: “Well, now they're saying this in the media but this is happening to somebody who's not gay so it cannot be just a gay disease, I don't believe it.”
Can you share a story with me of you and Sylvester that illustrates just how close you were then?
Oh god, we would have a lot of fun on the road, between him and Izora and myself and the band. Sometimes we'd all get together and have dinner or just hang out and it would just be madness. (Laughs.) We did have a lot of fun, and then talking and kidding each other and all this other kind of stuff.
Several icons passed on “It's Raining Men,” including Cher and Diana Ross, and even you and Izora were reluctant to record it. After you did, when did you know the song had become an LGBTQ anthem?
When they snatched it! Absolutely snatched it! (Laughs.)
How did it become apparent that we snatched it?
Well, I think maybe in my mind, in the way back of my mind, when (the song's writer) Paul Jabara initially said that he wanted us to record the song, I looked at Izora and we said, “You gotta be kidding” and he said, “No, I need to hear you record this song.” I said, “Nobody is going to buy that song.” And I wasn't particularly thinking at that time of the gay community, I really wasn't. I was thinking broader. And I said, “Nobody is going to buy that song.” He said, “I need you to record this song.” He said, “This song is going to be a hit,” and he was right. And I remember sometimes when Izora and I were doing shows he would wind up at the club and he was giving the DJ the acetate of that record. There's a 12-inch, almost no label on it, and he'd say, “Play this song.” So it became a hit long before radio ever
picked up on it.
So it was a hit in the gay clubs first, and that was instant .
Oh yeah…For them. (Laughs.)
In 1990, you famously filed lawsuits against producers and record labels for credit and compensation on hit songs you had sung, which resulted in federal legislation that made vocal credit mandatory. This stemmed from your lead vocal being uncredited on several songs by Black Box, including “Strike It Up” and “Everybody, Everybody.” What was the lasting impact of those lawsuits?
Well, just to that end, I'd have to say my attorney, Steven Brown, argued some kind of way that became lawful, that any person that is featured on a project has to have their name credited.
That's a big deal. I can't imagine how the industry might take advantage of artists now if he hadn't gone through with that litigation.
That's true. And look, I think some of that stuff still goes on today, you know what I'm saying?
What do you think of Auto-Tune?
Look: If it makes me sound fabulous, then I'm OK (with it). (Laughs.) But I mean, when your whole show is Auto-Tuned – the true test comes with a piano and a vocalist and that's it. The thing is, in the previous decades, you had real singers.
Regarding the Black Box controversy: Because fashion model Katrin Quinol was seen in videos lip-syncing to your vocals, it seemed the record label didn't think your body type would appeal to music consumers. Now, we have artists like Lizzo, a plus-size black woman who's at the top. What do you think of that shift when it comes to body positivity and the way more people seem to be embracing full-figured women now?
I think it's a good thing. First of all, we're all individuals: We're all not built the same way, we all don't look the same way, we all don't act the same way. So I think it's great that Lizzo has got this platform now, and she's doing what she's doing very well, and she's the kind of person
who doesn't give a shit about what you think of her. She's doing her thing, whether you like it or not. And everybody has their own preference, but my thing would be: I don't think size should ever come into play. But we're such a visual society, especially nowadays with the invention of technology and the internet. Embrace what they do, because everybody's talent doesn't come in the same-sized package.
So you do recognize that people are embracing a wider range of body sizes more now than they were in the '70s during the Black Box controversy?
Oh yes – going all the way back to Two Tons O' Fun and singing background for Sylvester, I want to say the record label didn't necessarily know how to market us. We were two large women – and funny thing is, we were two large women who could sing. And up until that time, you never saw a large woman out in the front, a front vocalist, until you saw us. Think about it: The only other person I could think of would've been Mama Cass from the Mamas & the Papas. You have to go all the way back to the '70s and the '60s.
A friend wanted me to ask you if your performance of “You Are My Friend” with Sylvester was really the insanely transcendent performance moment it sounds like it was?
Yeah, that place was rockin'. It was so bad that I have to tell you this story: It was the second time, I think, that – I'm not gonna say a rock 'n' roll band, but a band like Sylvester had performed at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. I think the first one was The Pointer Sisters. And so when we did it, the place was sold out and people just wore whatever they wanted to wear. I saw so many different
outfits (laughs). One guy had both of his ass cheeks out – seriously. I saw another woman who was in a full ball gown. It was just a cross section of people. Everybody was having a great time, and it was (the song) “Dance (Disco Heat)” we were doing and the place was just going up, to the point that the last balcony started shaking because there were so many people up there. The building was moving and, you know, San Francisco is prone to earthquakes, so the people of the opera house were not too pleased (laughs). I don't think there's been another act up in there like that ever again. As editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. Reach him via his website at www.chris-azzopardi.com and on Twitter (@chrisazzopardi). For more information on Tampa Pride, or to purchase tickets, Vendor booths, parade entries, etc. go to TampaPride.org.
LEADERSHIP DINNER FEATURING CONGRESSWOMAN VAL DEMINGS
Photo by: wikimedia.org - David Shankbone
STRONG LGBTQ ADVOCATE & IMPEACHMENT MANAGER DURING DONALD TRUMP’S SENATE TRIAL
Special Guest: CYNTHIA NIXON
LGBTQ+ Advocate and Emmy Award Winner
JOIN US! JOIN US! To purchase dinner tickets and get more information go to: LGBTQDEMS.ORG
“Miss Saigon”
to play in two Central Florida Venues By Scott Holland
C
Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schö nberg's legendary musical Miss Saigon a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UK will play
in 2 Central Florida venues: The Straz Center (March 24-29) and the Dr. Phillips Center. Cameron Mackintosh said “It's hard to believe that it has been over 28 years since MISS SAIGON first opened in North America but, if anything, the tragic love story at the heart of the show has become even more relevant today with innocent people being torn apart by war all over the world.” “This brilliant new production, directed by Laurence Connor and featuring the original dazzling choreography by Bob Avian, takes a grittier, more realistic approach that magnifies the power and epic sweep of Boublil and Schö nberg's tremendous score. Of all my productions, despite its popularity, Miss Saigon is the one that the public has had the least chance to see as it requires such a huge international cast of Asian and Western performers and a vast array of visually stunning sets. Now, for the first time in 19 years, as it continues to wow audiences in major cities around the world, theatregoers across America will be able to see one of the most spectacular musicals ever written in all its glory, in a new production that critics in London and on Broadway have embraced,” said Mackintosh. Miss Saigon tells the story of a young
Vietnamese woman named Kim, who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son. This new production features stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits like “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” “Last Night of the World” and “American Dream.” Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh's production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schö nberg's epic musical Miss Saigon has become one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of Miss Saigon
Matthew Overberg
opened on April 11, 1991 with what was the largest advance sale in Broadway history ($37 million). The show went on to play for nearly ten years with 4,111 performances and was seen by more than 5.9 million people. Miss Saigon has been performed in 32 countries, over 350 cities, in 15 different languages, has won over 70 awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards and been seen by over 36 million people worldwide. The new production of Miss Saigon opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim. The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond theatre and speaks directly to the times we live in—magnificent performances.” The Daily Mail said, “The greatest musical of all-time just got even better!” The London Times called the production “thrilling, soaring and spectacular.” NY1 proclaimed “the new Miss Saigon soars to the rafters!” And The New Yorker called Miss Saigon “a dynamite Broadway revival!” Cameron Mackintosh announced in 2015 that the production would transfer for a limited Broadway run from March 1, 2017 to January 14, 2018 before launching its national tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI in September 2018. It was a pleasure to sit down with Matthew Overberg for this exclusive Hotspots interview:
so funny and he gets to dress up as a goat.
You have a husband. How did you meet, and why is he the perfect man for you?
We met working on a cruise ship together in Florida. He was a singer and I was a dancer. We hit it off in Wilton Manors, and fell in love. He is super supportive of what's best for me. He knows how badly I want this.
How does he deal with your traveling schedule?
He used to perform so he is very understanding, but I try and see him as much as I can. He will come to visit or I will fly knack to New York where he is located.
What should our readers expect from this production of Miss Saigon?
At what age did you begin performing and how did it happen?
I started playing the violin when I was 7, and was working at a pit orchestra at the age of 15. I then fell in love with dance and went to University for Dance in Australia and then incorporated it all together.
What was your first professional role that paid you any amount of money?
In that pit orchestra for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at 15, For performing it was when I was an ensemble member of the King and I for a year.
How did you get cast in Miss Saigon?
I was touring with the national tour of Cabaret, and flew in at 5am to New York to audition. I had to go back to New York 3 times, but I got lucky and booked it.
Is it hard to disguise your Australian accent?
Singing is always some form of American so it's not hard. However, I do my best to water it down while talking on stage.
Miss Saigon has my favorite Broadway song ever, “Why God Why,” is it as powerful every time you hear it?
It's powerful for me because I love the music so much and Anthony's voice (Festa, who plays Chris) is hugely triumphant. It shakes me to my core every time.
Other than this role, what has been your favorite to play?
I loved being in Cabaret, because I got to play a bunch of instruments and sing.
What is your fantasy role?
Doctor Dillamond in Wicked. The character is
Well the music and performance is grand and lavish. You won't see a musical like this in a long time. It's a beautiful love story but if you strip away the narrative it makes a very good comment on the refugee status that still applies today. I hope it raises awareness on humanity and caring. For more information on Bryson, follow him: Instagram.com/@dearmatt
For tickets for The Straz Center for the Performing Arts (March 24-29), which start at $66, go to StrazCeter.org or at their box office (Mon - Sat Noon - 8 pm and Sun Noon - 6 pm) at 1010 N Macinnes Pl, Tampa, or by calling 800.955.1045. For tickets to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (March 31- April 5), which start at $44.50, go to DrPhillipsCenter.org, or at their box office (Monday–Friday10 am–4 pm or Saturday: 12–4 pm) at 445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, or by 844.513.2014 or boxoffice@drphillipscenter.org
around tampa bay by amy demilo
Jose and Adrian go-go dancers at the Honey Pot! Gasparilla softball classics 2020
I dream of Esme Russell
Pride bowling at Dunedin Lanes
Asa Franklin winner of the hottest guy of the week!
Come Out With Pride Fundraising Event
Saturday, Mar 14
N
Night for Pride is back, and Come Out With Pride is kicking off their 16th year with a very special fundraising event. They welcome you and your friends to a night of glamour, dancing and entertainment as they celebrate Orlando Pride and raise money to bring WorldPride to Orlando in 2026! They're also looking for sponsors for the event and encouraging their sponsors to consider donating much needed silent auction items. Join them on March 14, at the chic Aloft Downtown Orlando for heavy hors d'oeuvres, beats by DJ Joanie and riveting performances by Blue Star and VarieTEASE. They will announce this year's Pride Gives Back grant and scholarship winners, present a number of amazing products and services at their silent auction and share some of the upcoming surprises at this year's Pride
Parade and Festival. Money raised at this event will directly support bid efforts to bring WorldPride to Orlando in 2026, 10 years after the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub. In the days and months following, people from around the globe gifted Orlando with their love and support. With WorldPride in Orlando, the world can be invited back to see how much they strengthened and lifted up the Orlando community. A cash bar and discounted valet parking ($8) will be available. Aloft Downtown Orlando is also providing a special room discount for anyone traveling or seeking a fun staycation. Only a limited number of tickets are available — get yours today at: Showclix.com/event/a-night-for-pride-2020
hot bodies
By Tom Bonanti
How Does Eating
D
Affect Your Workouts?
Do you prefer to eat breakfast prior to your morning workout, or do you skip breakfast altogether? If you work out later in the day, have you eaten enough throughout your day to fuel your fitness regime? These are valid questions, since eating properly is just as important to your health as lifting weights and doing enough cardio-vascular training. According to findings reported in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, eating first actually helps the body burn more calories during exercise. Not just that, but compared to skipping breakfast, eating breakfast 1-1 ½ hours before exercise increases the speed at which you digest, absorb, and metabolize carbohydrates
even after exercising. In short, a substantial morning meal consisting of such nutritional gems as steel cut oatmeal, low-fat yogurt, milk, eggs, and fresh fruit will not only fuel ambitious morning workouts, but it will also keep you burning calories more efficiently all day long. Similarly, if you're exercising later in the day, it's just as important to eat properly throughout the day if you want to get the most out of your workouts. Whether you're exercising during your lunch break, or hitting the gym after work, you need the right nutritional plan. A substantial breakfast and healthy snacks every two hours should ensure that you will have enough energy to fuel whatever exercise you do during the day. Hint: a snack or light meal an hour or two before you hit the gym would be great. Eating 15-30 minutes after your workout is just as important as fueling your body prior to exercising. During exercise, muscles use up stored glucose (called glycogen) and you'll feel shaky and tired. Endurance sports such as running use up more glycogen than
resistance activities like weightlifting. Restoring the proper nutritional balance after exercise revives energy levels, reduces fatigue, and promotes muscle recovery. Protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats are needed to return the body to homeostasis. According to research published in 2017, as few as 9 grams of milk protein may be enough to facilitate muscle building and recovery after exercise. Also, on the list of easily assimilated protein rich foods for post workout meals are Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir and eggs. Healthy fats known as omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and tuna help boost the synthesis of muscle proteins and increase the size of muscle cells. Other evidence suggests that oil drawn from these fatty fish may ease muscle soreness following resistance training.
Consuming carbohydrates as part of a post workout snack helps replenish depleted glycogen stores and boosts the immune system. Sweet potatoes, whole grains, and fruits contain high levels of healthy low glycemic index carbohydrates. Quinoa is a gluten free option usually consumed as a grain. It is high in fiber and rich in protein (8.14/cup) as well. Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and massage therapist (MA#40288) with his own one on one facility www.pumpnincgym.com in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact trainertomb@aol.com or call Tom (954) 557-1119 to schedule a massage or training session today.
hot shots photos by tony fowler
Equality Florida
Tampa Gala
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hot advice
By Andreus Quinones
A Gay Massage Therapist & Drug Addiction
D
Dear Andreus, I am a licensed massage therapist. I recently have gotten serious with a guy I have been dating, and wanting to take things to the next step, like moving in together. He told me that he has reservations because he doesn't believe that there is such a thing as a gay massage therapist that offers services without sex involved. We have had some arguments about this, because sex is not a part of my services, and will never be. Why do I have to convince him of this? He has suggested that I need to find another profession if we are to stay together. Sincerely, Julian K. Dear Julian, Without reservation, I would say to you that love doesn't work that way. If you are good at your job, and happy with it, then there is no reason why you should have to change professions because of his issues. It boils down to one thing, insecurity. Maybe he has been hurt or lied to before, but that is not your problem. If you have been honest with him about what you do, and sex is not involved, there is really nothing more for you to do. If he cannot accept that, I would say, MOVE ON. Being with someone is never about changing them, as much as it is encouraging them to be better by loving them for who they are.
Dear Andreus, A dear friend of mine has succumbed to addiction. I am not sure the circumstances that have led to his meth addiction, but he is falling deep and fast. He is homeless now, in the streets, using and having sex with whoever will supply him. I have tried
to help him without enabling him, but he is not interested in rehab, or staying away from the people who are getting him strung out. I am so afraid that this addiction might cost him his life. Is there anything that I can do to force him to get help? Sincerely, Arnaldo G. Dear Arnaldo, One of the hardest things to do, is to watch some you love self-destruct. Unfortunately, often we cannot do anything about it. We can advise them, and try to help them without enabling them, but if they are not open to help and/or recovery, there is nothing that you can do. Addiction is a very strong thing, especially to chemical substances such as meth. Usually nothing changes until the individual becomes disgusted with themselves and their life's condition. Otherwise it sometimes ends in homelessness, jail, and even death. Just be a friend as that is all you can do. However there are times where you must disconnect. I hope your friend finds his way.
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hot shots photos by tony fowler
Southern Nights Tampa
NeiBearhood Takeover, starring Jaxton Wheeler
/ miamibeachpride
www.miamibeachpride.com
MARCH 28 - APRIL 5, 2020
LET'S HAVE A BALL! Join us for a nine-day celebration featuring a two-day festival, parade, entertainment and much more.
BEACH PARTY & FESTIVAL | APRIL 4 & 5 PRIDE PARADE | APRIL 5
PRESENTED BY
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE MIAMI BEACH VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY. All confirmed sponsors as of December 16, 2019.