METROSOURCE NY - JUN/JUL 2024

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

CELEBRATING PRIDE

I AM THRILLED TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR LATEST ISSUE OF METROSOURCE, DEDICATED ENTIRELY TO CELEBRATING PRIDE MONTH. As we embrace the spirit of diversity, inclusion, and love, we aim to amplify the voices and stories of the LGBTQ+ community.

In this special edition, you will find a blend of narratives, experiences, struggles, and triumphs, from individuals who have helped pave the way for greater acceptance and equality. Through these features, interviews, and viewpoints, we honor the resilience and courage of the LGBTQ+ community, as we do in every issue of Metrosource.

Pride is more than just a month; it’s a testament to the enduring spirit of resilience and authenticity that defines the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a time to honor the trailblazers who fearlessly marched, protested, and fought for equality. It’s a moment to reaffirm our commitment to building a more inclusive society where everyone can live authentically and without fear of discrimination. It’s a call to action to stand up for equality, justice, and acceptance for all.

Some of the prideful and powerful voices you will recognize in this issue include our cover, Ben Platt. This actor, singer, and songwriter, rose to prominence for originating the title role in

the Broadway coming-of-age musical Dear Evan Hansen (2015-2017). His performance earned him a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award. Ben is hitting the road this month to begin tour on his third studio album Honeymind. Actress and comedian Marsha Warfield, who played Roz in Night Court during the ‘80s and ‘90s, talks to us about returning to the entertainment industry after a 20-year retirement, and being out and proud. Paula Pell was a writer for SNL creating such iconic sketches as “Debbie Downer” and the “Spartan Cheerleaders.”Pell appeared on 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and many other television and film projects. She is featured in the smash Netflix show Girls5eva and married to fellow cast member Janine Brito.

Some voices you may not immediately recognize, but none the lesser, include comedian Modi Rosenfeld, who talks about his new special Know Your Audience, where he folds in his gay life with Jewish jokes. Modi believes the power of comedy can help build bridges between the LGBTQ community and other minority groups. Social media star Chris Stanley, who, with over 2 million followers, was one of the first LGBTQ+ creators on TikTok to go viral. Chris is known for his meme videos and candid street interviews. And Matt Cullen gives us a fresh take on the gay content creator, with his documentary style series Our Queer Life interviewing all corners of our community.

We recognize that our responsibility as storytellers extends far beyond the confines of our pages. It’s a commitment to fostering dialogue, driving change, and creating a more inclusive world. It is my sincere wish this pride season, that we work together to create a future where everyone can live authentically, free from fear and discrimination. Our strength IS our diversity.

With deep appreciation and pride,

Michael Westman

James Delyea

WRITERS Bent Share Entertainment, LLC

Cesar A Reyes

Christopher Jackson

Alexander Rodriguez

Ben Rimalower

Mark A. Thompson

Megan Venzin

Michael Westman

NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING Rivendell Media 212.242.6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Los Angeles 6475 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., #438 Long Beach, CA 90803

New

511 Avenue of the Americas, #901 New York, NY 10011 800.818.0480 info@metrosource.com

COVER: Ben Platt

Photography by: Vince Aung

June/July 2024 | VOLUME 35, NO. 3

DEPARTMENTS

CULTURE

7 THE SCOPE

“Future Of Us” is Our Lady J’s first major music release in a decade. Heartstopper season 3 This coming-of-age series centers around teens Charlie and Nick, who discover their unlikely friendship might be something more. Cactus Country: A Boyhood Memoir A striking literary memoir of genderfluidity, class, masculinity, and the American Southwest. Plus more.

TRAVEL

22 Coast into Costalegre Mexico’s Most Exclusive Oasis

VIEWS

4 EDITOR’S LETTER Celebrating PRIDE

CURATED

BY

MICHAEL WESTMAN

OUR LADY J “FUTURE OF US”

OUR LADY J IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED WRITER AND PRODUCER, BEST-KNOWN FOR HER WRITING ON POSE, TRANSPARENT AND AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Before Lady J’s career in television, she toured the world performing as a singer/songwriter, as well as a collaborative pianist and musical director for pop, theater, and classical music. She has received two Peabody Awards, three American Film Institute awards, three Writers Guild Award nominations and two NAACP Image Award nominations. As a producer, her shows have garnered a combined total of 48 Emmy nominations, 13 Golden Globe nominations, 20 Critics’ Choice nominations, among others. She is currently writing and coexecutive producing on the upcoming Netflix series, The Boroughs.

“Future Of Us” is Our Lady J’s first major music release in a decade, since she put her musical career on hold to focus on television and filmmaking. Featuring sweeping, classical orchestrations and supporting vocals by members of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, the composition is a meditation on the aftermath of societal chaos, and the responsibility artists have to steer us back towards creation. Our Lady J says,“The song paints a portrait of a world worn from mounting anxieties, building towards a revelation that calls for a return to LOVE.”

The recording of the song, written and performed by Our Lady J, was inspired by the artist’s personal journey of healing from the isolation of the pandemic, after which, she attended dozens of symphonic concerts to find community with other creatives and like-minded artists. In this period of inspiration, Lady J notes that “concert-going reconnected me with my roots as a collaborative musician and chamber pianist. I resumed my formal studies in classical piano at the Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles, and I fell back in love with the healing power of classical music.”

While“Future Of Us”is a classically inspired piece, Our Lady J is also releasing more music this summer that is more traditional singersongwriter material. Her upcoming single“Little Queen,”out in June in time for Pride month celebrations, is dedicated to all her trans and queer siblings in the LGBTQ+ community.

Listen on Spotify here:

tinyurl.com/y4p35e77

THESCOPE

LISTEN

HEARTSTOPPER SEASON 3 (NETFLIX)

THIS COMING-OF-AGE SERIES CENTERS AROUND TEENS CHARLIE AND NICK, WHO DISCOVER THEIR UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP MIGHT BE SOMETHING MORE AS THEY NAVIGATE SCHOOL AND YOUNG LOVE. THE LONG-AWAITED SEASON 3 WILL DEBUT ON NETFLIX ON OCTOBER 3RD. Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties, and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.

Heartstopper is about love, friendship, and loyalty. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make something larger.

Netflix has led the way in diversity and the amount of Queer representation. With shows such as Orange is the New Black, Young Royals, Heartstoppers, and others, Netflix as demonstrated their commitment to getting Queer characters on screen.

WATCH

CACTUS COUNTRY: A BOYHOOD MEMOIR

BY ZOË BOSSIERE (AUTHOR) HARDCOVER $27

A STRIKING LITERARY MEMOIR OF GENDERFLUIDITY, CLASS, MASCULINITY, AND THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST THAT CAPTURES THE AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE COMING OF AGE IN A TUCSON, ARIZONA, TRAILER PARK. Newly arrived in the Sonoran Desert, eleven-year-old Zoë’s world is one of giant beetles, thundering javelinas, and gnarled paloverde trees. With the family’s move to Cactus Country RV Park, Zoë has been given a fresh start and a new, shorter haircut.

Although Zoë doesn’t have the words to express it, he experiences life as a trans boy— and in Cactus Country, others begin to see him as a boy, too. Here, Zoë spends hot days chasing shade and freight trains with an everrotating pack of sunburned desert kids, and nights fending off his own questions about the body underneath his baggy clothes.

As Zoë enters adolescence, he must reckon with the sexism, racism, substance abuse, and violence endemic to the

working-class Cactus Country men he’s grown close to, whose hard masculinity seems as embedded in the desert landscape as the cacti sprouting from parched earth. In response, Zoë adopts an androgynous style and new pronouns, but still cannot escape what it means to live in a gendered body, particularly when a fraught first love destabilizes their sense of self.

But beauty flowers in this desert, too. Zoë persists in searching for answers that can’t be found in Cactus Country, dreaming of a day they might leave the park behind to embrace whatever awaits beyond.

Equal parts harsh and tender, Cactus Country is an invitation for readers to consider how we find our place in a world that insists on stark binaries, and a precisely rendered journey of self-determination that will resonate with anyone who’s ever had to fight to be themself.

VISIT

THE BANKSY MUSEUM

277 CANAL STREET

NEW TORK CITY, NY 10013

SOHO IS NOW THE HOME TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF BANKSY’S LIFE-SIZED MURALS AND ARTWORK. Displaying over 160 works by the world’s most famous-yet-anonymous street artist, The Banksy Museum recreates the revolutionary and often ephemeral art that Banksy has painted on surfaces in London, Bristol, Paris, Venice, Bethlehem, New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Visitors to the museum will immerse themselves in an environmental experience, giving viewers access to Banksy creations, much of which has long since been whitewashed or dismantled. Beyond the iconic street art, the exhibition also features some of the artist’s studio work, as well as animated visual and video elements.

The New York Banksy Museum experience, an American premiere, follows successful exhibitions in Paris, Barcelona, Kraków and Brussels. The new exhibition, a New York premiere, is expanded to over 160 recreations, making it the largest display of Banksy work ever seen in a single setting.

Banksy Museum founder Hazis Vardar initially had his doubts.“Street art belongs in the raw setting of the streets,” said Vardar.“But if people can’t see it, is it even art? Little of Banksy’s works are visible to the public at large. Most have been stolen for resale, inadvertently destroyed, or erased by overzealous city cleaning teams. Most of this transient art could only be viewed on tiny smartphone screens, which is no way to experience the scale or emotion of Banksy’s work. So, we knew that we

needed to create an exhibition that would bring Banksy’s art back before the public.”

Banksy is undoubtedly the world’s most celebrated and elusive guerrilla street artist. Armed with little more than spray paint and stencils, the man behind the pseudonym Banksy has fostered an alluring identity that doesn’t embrace tradition but shreds it. There’s still much we don’t know about the mysterious artist since he first made his mark in the ‘90s, but what we do know is that Banksy’s striking, satirical work always delves into political and socio-critical discourse. Banksy’s artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans.

His work often engages political themes, satirically critiquing war, capitalism, hypocrisy, and greed. Common subjects include rats, apes, policemen, members of the royal family, and children. In addition to his two-dimensional work, Banksy is known for his installation artwork. A hero to some, a vandal to others, Banksy’s artwork has been known to sell for record-breaking sums, with landowners rushing to profit from - or whitewash - buildings chosen as his latest canvas.

The Banksy Museum is open daily, 10am – 8pm and tickets are available online at MuseumBanksy.com and on site at the museum. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets are $30 for adults; $26 for students & seniors; $21 for children, 6 - 12 years. Admission is free for children 5 years or younger.

OUT AT THE FAIR® IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND EVENT THAT CELEBRATES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS IN A FUN AND FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE. The event takes place at a fairground, providing a perfect backdrop for a day filled with music, food, games, and entertainment for all ages. The main stage features a lineup of talented musicians, dancers, and performers from a wide range of genres, giving attendees the opportunity to enjoy a diverse mix of music and entertainment.

OATF® is a community-focused event designed to bring people together and promote a message of acceptance and love. The event is open to everyone, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, or beliefs, making it a safe and welcoming space for all. So come out and join the fun at Out at the Fair® – where diversity and inclusiveness are celebrated!

California events include the following: San Diego County, Solano County, Alameda County, Marin County, Santa Barbara County, California State Fair, Orange County, and Monterey County. Also coming up in Oregon is the Washington County Fair. Visit outatthefair.com for all the dates and details.

PAULA PELL AND JANINE BRITO

FOREVER

FUNNY

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

GIRLS5EVA IS ONE OF THE MOST CHARMING SHOWS ON TV. THE SHOW FEATURES FOUR WOMEN WHO WERE ONCE PART OF A GIRL GROUP REUNITED DECADES LATER TO FIND MUSICAL SUCCESS, ALL WHILE MANAGING THE REALITY OF THEIR PERSONAL LIVES. Now enjoying its third season, it is funny, sincere, and heartwarming at its core. Part of the magic of the show is instilled by Paula Pell and Janine Brito. Paula plays Gloria, one of the women of Girls5eva, the “always working one” whose daily life consists of dentistry and whose love life is being divorced from her wife, played by Brito, who Paula’s wife in the real world. Brito also serves as a writer on the series, so it truly is a family affair.

Paula wanted to be an actor early on. Growing up in the Midwest gave her many colorful characters in her life between family and school, she says those voices are often in her head while writing comedy. Though acting is her passion, she arrived there by way of writing. She has earned an Emmy and multiple WGA Awards for her work on SNL and 30 Rock Where did she develop her signature wit?

My parents and sister are all very funny. My father is a true comedy genius. He is stealthy with his wit but has always been incredibly funny. I am definitely an apple that rolled from his tree. I was a big-time class clown in school but also a good student and loved to befriend my teachers. I would love to make them laugh along with

my classmates, so no one would be left out and I wouldn’t get in trouble. Just like my dad, I always loved getting laughs through both words and through physical schtick and props. I can draw very realistic eyes. I used to draw them and put them inside my glasses and pretend to be snoring during class (always a winning bit).

Paula took a job at Walt Disney World. She got involved in the comedy scene that would eventually lead to her long stint at SNL

I occasionally wrote and performed characters for sketch nights at my pal’s improv theater called the Sak Comedy Lab. They were all such hilarious and talented performers. They wrote a pilot of sketches called “chucklehead” and asked me to do my characters I wrote. That pilot ended up at SNL and I got a call from my local agent in Orlando. It was from a phone on the wall of my green room at the theme park. SNL wanted me to come for an interview. I flew up and Lorne Michaels asked me to be a writer. It was so surreal, and I was terrified, but I said yes, and five days later I was there and didn’t leave for 18 years.

At SNL, Paula created Debbie Downer, the Culps, Justin Timberlake’s Omeletteville mascot, and the Spartan Cheerleaders, among a long list of others. She has been nominated for a Primetime

Emmy 10 times for her work at SNL, winning once. How did working on that show change her life?

Working on SNL shaped me so deeply. I learned how to work and think and thrive in live television, which can be the most adrenaline-driven job of all in entertainment. There are no second chances, so you must always be sharpening your skills and your courage and last-minute fixes become a truly developed muscle. That muscle of making something funnier in a short amount of time in high stakes has served me for many years after I left. Most of the comedy writing world works at a much slower pace. My mind thinks of jokes in fast motion.

As a woman in the writer’s room, did she have to deal with the alleged men’s club that comedy shows have been accused of?

In terms of the men’s club, that was all of entertainment at that time. I didn’t know anything different so it’s hard to say if I was aware of it that much. We were so collaborative there that the men and women, both writers and cast, were all in a big soup trying to come up with funny stuff.

Coming from Cuban and Icelandic descent, Janine moved around in her early years. She was born in Florida, studied school in Scotland and Hong Kong, and went to university in St. Louis. It was in St. Louis that she started her comedy career, eventually heading to Oakland to pursue her career. There she met comic W. Kamau Bell and would eventually work on his FX series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Setting the scene for her following career, she served as on camera talent as well as a writer. She would go on to work on One Day At A Time, Bless the Harts, and of course, Girls5eva. Where did her sense of comedy come from, was she the class clown growing up?

I had a very funny and charming Dad and loved all things comedy from a young age (cartoons, joke books, SNL, Mad Magazine). I was very introverted, so only the clown around friends once I was comfortable with them.

Paula and Janine had a backyard wedding in 2020, after a few delays due to COVID. The two met on Twitter and Paula suggested they meet up in real life. They are the poster wives for making it work while in the biz. How do they do it?

Paula tells us, “Shooting each season has been a pretty brisk process of a few short

I LOVE PLAYING A GRAY-HAIRED LESBIAN DENTIST-TURNED-POPSTAR AGAIN WHO GETS MORE ACTION IN THIS SHOW THAN ANYONE.”

months in NYC. Janine and the other writers were in person this year in New York, so she and I had some time apart but always were together on the weekends with our house full of delectable animals upstate. I loved that she wrote for this season and always love when she comes on to play my ex-wife.”

Janine adds, “We have fantastic petsitters, and it thankfully works out since the writers’ room is mostly done before filming starts. So, Paula and I trade the baton on who stays home with the babies during the week. I commute home every weekend, so we get quality time together and don’t have to be apart for too big a stretch.”

Has being openly queer ever affected Paula’s career?

I came out at SNL when we were doing a commercial parody that James Anderson wrote, and I was helping with. It was called “homocil” and it was a pill for parents to take if they think their child is gay. The tagline was ‘Because it’s your problem, not theirs.’ It was so gay-positive, and the producers were worried it would seem homophobic. I blurted out in a meeting ‘Well I’m gay and I promise you that it is a very pro-gay message.’ A few of my close friends knew but I think it surprised a lot of people. I gratefully only got love and support from those around me. In general, as an actor, I never felt limited by being out. I have always been a character actor, so I don’t think I came across as much bullshit as some actors who play romantic leads and there was such stupid fear around that.

Did being out cost Janine jobs in the industry?

I knew from as far back as I can remember that I was a lesbian. I always wished I could be a boy and had BIG HEART THUMP feelings about Jessica Rabbit and Peg Bundy. I was dragged out of the closet senior year of college by my dear friend Danielle, who finally said “I don’t think you’re straight” and at that point, I was tired of denying it. I don’t know if being out ever cost me work but when I was first touring as a standup, I made a very conscious decision to come out onstage halfway through my set… win the crowd over before officially springing it on them. It felt like something I needed to do while doing shows in tiny rural towns.

IN MY 61 YEARS OF LIFE, I’VE SEEN SO MUCH PROGRESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR POWER AND PLACE IN THE WORLD.”

At age 61, Paula brings so much life to her role on Girls5eva. As Gloria, she steals practically every scene she is in. Moving from the writer’s room to the acting chair, what does playing Gloria mean most to Paula?

Playing Gloria at my age is such a profound joy and honor! I love playing a gray-haired lesbian dentist-turned-popstar again who gets more action in this show than anyone, but is surrounded by three of the foxiest co-stars on the planet. Gloria is not afraid to get what she wants and to finally know and tell the truth about it. I personally find growing older to be very empowering because you really choose truth overall. I spend so little time now worrying about how I’m perceived. I’m just unfiltered and still kind, but much more direct, clearer, and honest. It’s so freeing.

And what is Paula’s message this Pride season?

In my 61 years of life, I’ve seen so much progress in our community and our power and place in the world. There have been great strides in assuring that we have the same rights and privileges as all Americans. But that forward movement has faced some real pushback in the last few years and it has shown us that we still have a lot to do to support each other and know that together we are the strongest. We must protect and lift up each other.

Janine adds, “I hope we continue to fight for the most vulnerable members of our community.” ■

is currently streaming on Netflix.

Girls5eva

STRENGTHENING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY MATT CULLEN

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

IN TODAY’S AGE WHERE WE GIVE MAJOR CLOUT TO LGBTQ INFLUENCERS FOR JUST SHOWING SKIN, DOING A DANCE, OR SAYING SOMETHING SHADY, YOUTUBER, TIKTOKER, AND INSTAGRAMMER MATT CULLEN SERVES A REFRESHING TAKE ON THE GAY CONTENT CREATOR. Over the last few years, he has been turning the camera on our community with his series Our Queer Life. Whereas many interview shows from the community go after the latest Queen from Drag Race, or the popular hottie on that one show to talk about the latest in pop culture, Matt has cultivated content that truly represents the far-reaching realm of our community in moments that are at times provocative, heartbreaking, titillating, hopeful, gritty, and at the core of every episode, sincere. And don’t worry, there are the Queens and hotties as well.

WE NEED ALL OF US TO STAND TOGETHER AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER AND FIGHT THE FIGHT TOGETHER.”

He has spoken with old and young, popular and not, gay rodeo contestants, drag queens, people raised in the mob, couples, members from every letter of LGBTQ, and, in a mission to remove the stigma of sex from our community, has spoken to street workers, escorts, and porn stars. LGBTQ at its fullest, the beautiful and the tragic, is fully represented in this series. He wants to spotlight members of the community who have overcome hurdles, and he works toward amplifying issues that affect the LGBTQ.

Matt is not just a host of the show. He is the life of the show. His optimistic personality, his listening, and his genuine care for his subjects jump off the screen. He gains his guests’ trust, often revealing aspects of their lives they have not shared openly before. He is a master at his game. He was raised in Northern California with an all-American family, a sibling, and two parents. But there was a gleam of entertainment in his eye.

I think I was a kid who always had crazy dreams of moving from a small town to a city and making my dreams come true. Ever since I was like six years old, I would tell people, I’m gonna move to Hollywood or New York and be a director, an actor, and I just always had so much passion and drive even as a young kid. So, it’s really mirrored who I am today, for sure. I honestly have no idea (where it came from) because none of my family are remotely in this business at all. My grandpa was a composer, and he was a gay man too. I always feel an affinity towards him and I think that I probably got my love for arts and stuff through him, but there was not one specific incident that drew me to this. It just feels like it has been part of me since I can remember.

Matt, like many of us, was picked on in school for having feminine traits, and loving dance and musical theatre. When he was a senior in high school, he wrote a coming-out note for his parents and left it on the table.

Sometimes when I get nervous, I don’t say what I want to say or I don’t say it in the best way that I want to say it, especially when I was a kid. I thought the best way to do it was just to be able to write down my thoughts and make sure that they were what I truly felt in my heart, and that they were authentic to me because I knew that once I said what I said, it was going to be out there. I just wanted to make sure that the way I said it was accurate and respectful and true to how I felt.

He credits his parents for their love and acceptance, especially after having interviewed so many who did not have that benefit. Matt moved to New York to study acting and then to Los Angeles, where he currently resides, to pursue his acting career. Then his focus started to change.

Covid happened and of course, everything stopped, and it just gave me a lot of silence and a lot of time to reflect on my happiness and what was bringing me happiness. The hustle of acting and also the lottery of acting was making me very anxious. The fact that my destiny was in the hands of other people writing a role that was right for me, of other people getting me an audition to get in the room, of other people giving me the yes that I could play this role. That kind of led me to the series because the series was really me taking it and doing everything by myself.

I edit, I find the people I want to interview by myself, I find the locations by myself, and it gives me full control. That’s what I love about YouTube and content creation so much is that you are not waiting for anybody else to give you the yes. You can make anything you want to make and put it on the internet and you can find your audience yourself. And that just inspires me and drives me so much. It’s really been a journey of just learning, teaching myself on YouTube

how to edit, teaching myself how to interview people, teaching myself how to use camera equipment, how to sound sync. All of that stuff has just been self-taught, but it’s made me such a well-rounded person that I just love it so much.

Though Matt has always had the benefit of living in largely liberal and accepting places, he realized that our community was bigger, and there was a need for a show like Our Queer Life

I think that I really needed to learn from other people in my community about what they have gone through in order to live an authentic truth, about the strength and resilience that so many people in our community have to go through to live authentically for themselves. Because for me, my story was different. I was accepted from the moment I came out and I was embraced. I know that’s not the story for so many people. So, I think the impetus for Our Queer Life was really for me to learn. And then as the show has grown, I have felt like I have really been that vehicle and that POV for other people that maybe want to learn and maybe don’t live in these liberal places, to enter the world through me and to learn through my eyes.

Through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, the majority of his content gets hundreds of thousands of views. Though he feels the pressure to count clicks and keep his platforms growing, he stays true to his pieces, knowing some subjects may not be as popular as others, but the stories still need to be told. As his content grew, so did the trolls with some keyboard warriors protesting his covering of everything LGBTQ. Though nervous at first, he knows that this kind of interaction means people outside of our community, or even people from within who don’t agree, are still watching these stories and still feeling strong enough to interact. When did he first start to realize he was going viral?

My version of viral at that moment was like 9,000 views and it was seven months in. It took so long for me to find my audience. Especially these days with content creation, it’s so oversaturated that you really have to

work hard and find your niche and just keep going. But I put out this one TikTok with one of my guests named Mousie, and she has helped my series so much. But with this one TikTok in particular, I started getting a lot of views. And at that time it was like 5,000 views or 6,000 views, and I was like calling my best friend, “Oh my gosh, I’m getting views, I’m getting views, I’m getting views!” It was finally working. So I always equate that first moment to that when I started finding my audience, my first round of an audience, and also reading the responses. For so long it was like five comments from my mom and my best friend commenting on these videos. It was hard to grasp or to feel where the needle was and how people felt about the series. It just really showed me that I’m in the right direction and I just need to keep going.

Over 300,000 people watched the episode that featured Mousie, a trans woman and street hustler, sharing the most intimate parts of her life, including living in several men’s prisons and talking about her past with drug use and sex work. In the third episode that featured Mousie, Matt shared with his audience that she had passed. The time with Mousie solidified the kind of trust Matt was able to build with his guest. He was as heartbroken as we were. This is part of why his audience has grown so strongly. I think it’s the way that I approach these sensitive subjects with so much empathy because that’s just who I am and it’s a genuine curiosity. I’ve been such a curious person since I was a kid. I never went to school for journalism, but something I always have had is just this innate curiosity to learn about other people and to learn about their wants and their desires and their dreams. I just could talk to somebody for so long my entire life for that. So, I think that the audience feels that genuine curiosity. And I think the audience also relates to me. I think that I can be a very palatable person for people to enter those kinds of worlds into. Maybe they don’t know the trans sex worker in Puerto Rico, or they don’t know the

I APPROACH THESE SENSITIVE SUBJECTS WITH SO MUCH EMPATHY BECAUSE THAT’S JUST WHO I AM AND IT’S A GENUINE CURIOSITY. ”

RuPaul’s Drag Race celebrity. So for them to be able to enter that world through my eyes, I think has made the show really easy for people to watch.

What does Matt viewers to walk away with most from watching Our Queer Life?

I just want people to walk away with a sense of realizing that we are all on this earth together, and we are all so much more alike than we would think. Maybe there’s a corporate, white, straight man who lives in Texas and has no connection to anybody in the queer community. I want them to watch my episode of the street hustler when I’m in her house and I’m looking at picture frames of her mom who has maybe passed, and she’s sad about her mom passing, and he had his mom pass and he realizes he’s connecting to this person so that when he leaves the episode, he’s like, wow, I feel a deep connection to this person I would’ve never thought I had a deep connection with. Then that changes the world because when voting comes around or other things come around, they’re thinking about these people and they’re like, wait, but I’ve empathy for these people that I didn’t have empathy for before because I had never met these people, I’d never heard these stories before. I think especially in the world that we live in today, so many people in our community are so vilified and painted in a certain type of way. I just really want people to see the human beings in us and to realize that we all have a heart and we all have dreams for the future, and we all want food on our table, and we all want a roof over our heads, and we all just want so many of the same things in life.

Even with Matt being in the mix of the community and rubbing elbows with just about everyone (he did his first gay cruise on the series), his life can still be very isolating. He does run his own machine, from start to finish. That, along with taking the feelings of his interviewees to heart, sometimes can be a lonely job and something that requires him to maintain his mental health.

That is something that I go through a lot because I actually can be very introverted and a homebody. I

have five close friends in my life and I’m not this crazy outgoing person that’s involved in these scenes that I’m shooting at. And then oftentimes, I wonder, am I hiding behind my camera? Am I using my camera as a safety blanket to kind of bring me into worlds that I want to be in, but not fully be there because I’m there to interview? I thought about that on the cruise a lot because I was so shy to go on it because it just made me nervous. But then every time I’d get nervous, I’d take my camera out. But it is something I go through, and I just love these oneon-one conversations that I have with people because that’s where I really feel comfortable. I love the deep connection that I can have with just one person. When I sit down with someone and talk with them for an hour, I leave feeling a part of their heart with me and I carry that with me everywhere I go.

Matt is still doing his personal hustle, working a side job while single-handedly bringing us new episodes that continue to inspire, challenge, and curate the stories of the LGBTQ community. He hopes to be picked up by the likes of Max or Netflix so that he can just focus on the interview part. While the majority of his fellow LA community queers are dancing the night away in Weho, he is busy editing for hours on end. But what you see on camera is what you get in person, he is setting the standard high for any influencer on how to act in person and what kind of content is really relevant to our cause.

And what is his message to the LGBTQ community this Pride season?

I think what I’ve learned the most is that we all need to stand together. I think that a lot of episodes I’ve done have kind of shown that there is segregation within the letters of our community and I think it’s so important that we listen to our trans community and we stand with them, especially in the times we’re at right now. We’re stronger as one. We need all of us to stand together and listen to each other and be there for each other and fight the fight together. ■

COAST INTO COSTALEGRE

MEXICO’S MOST EXCLUSIVE OASIS

BY MARK A THOMPSON

EVERYBODY LOVES PUERTO VALLARTA—FOR ITS NIGHTLIFE, ITS BEACHES, THE FOOD, THE PEOPLE. PV HAS BEEN AN LGBTQ+ OASIS FOR DECADES, NOT UNLIKE LOS ANGELES OR NEW YORK. But sometimes you want to escape to a more exclusive oasis—and that’s when you head to Costalegre, the coastal region between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.

Costalegre is like the Hamptons of Jalisco. Notable for its cerulean beaches and bays, and numerous private villas and luxury resorts, it’s the sort of destination where certain celebrities and luminaries can relax beneath a palapa without intrusion from paparazzi.

Costalegre is where you find yourself at polo practice at Careyes Polo Club on Saturday morning, and then off to lunch at Playa Rosa Beach Club where you run into an editor you know from the States, as well as a handful of European expats and a well-known American novelist, all swilling mezcal margaritas with a mound of guacamole that resembles a close encounter of the third kind.

In the evening, there might be an art opening at the Careyes Art Space, which is located on Plaza de los Caballeros del Sol, or a private screening at a jewel box theatre that recalls Cinema Paradiso. Later, you might consider volunteering at the Sea Turtle Protection & Conservation Center, where thousands of sea turtles nest along Playa Teopa.

There’s also Ondalinda, a celebrated tribal gathering which evokes Burning Man or Coachella for its ability to attract hundreds of global nomads to the beaches of Costalegre for a multi-day festival marked by music, art, and consciousness. The word ondalinda means“beautiful wave,”which is both a metaphor and a testament to the eco-sensibility of Costalegre residents who work together to protect the natural environment and preserve Mexican heritage.

In all honesty, I knew nothing about Costalegre until my friend mentioned she’d been traveling there on behalf of a client: five trips in the past year. And there was another friend who’d recently relocated from Los Angeles to Careyes, and another who was leaving PV for Costalegre. There were also two friends of friends who traveled there regularly from Connecticut. Suddenly, it seemed like I was the last to know.

That’s not unusual. For one thing, Costalegre values its privacy. It’s one reason many people consider Costalegre to be Mexico’s undiscovered treasure. Those who do find their way there are often the more intrepid travelers. The drive from PV to Costalegre takes about three

hours on Mexico’s federal highway known as Carretera Pacifico. But there’s also the jungle, a dense tropical nature reserve that separates Costalegre’s pristine beaches from the two-lane paved highway. Of course, there are heliports and private airstrips for private aircraft—and the new Chalacatepec International Airport is scheduled to open in the near future. For now, those who wish to visit Costalegre fly into PV or Manzanillo where, invariably, a driver awaits to take them to the resort or villa of their choice.

Located within the Mexican state of Jalisco (aka Land of Tequila), Costalegre is loosely defined as the 150-mile stretch of Pacific coastal beaches between PV and Manzanillo. The term Costalegre, which means“happy coast’ or“coast of joy,”has been employed since the 1990s when the state government of Jalisco began promoting the destination for tourism—but the origins of Costalegre’s global appeal can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s with the arrival of European expatriates such as Sir James Goldsmith and Gian Franco Brignone.

Both Goldsmith and Brignone purchased thousands of coastal acres to build private estates, which have now become luxury ecoresorts known respectively as Cuixmala and Careyes. Situated across a series of dramatic cliffs and secluded bays, Careyes includes more than eight miles of private beaches, 46 villas, 40 casitas, as well as two ocean castles and the oceanfront El Careyes Club & Residences with five infinity pools.

In late 2022, Four Seasons Tamarindo opened in nearby Tamarindo with a spectacular low-density cliffside enclave that maximizes the dramatic setting with panoramic water views from 157 cliffside and beachfront accommodations located on more than 2,000 acres of protected eco-reserve. More than 98% of the property remains undeveloped and protected as a nature reserve. As well, the resort includes its own 35-acre organic farm, Rancho Ortega, alongside numerous fields of agave glistening silver in the sun.

At the resort’s Discovery Centre, ornithologists and conservationists are on site for ethnobotanical walks during which guests encounter various indigenous species—though, fortunately, I didn’t glimpse a single scorpion. As for grasshoppers and maguey worms (aka edible caterpillars), they’re served atop guacamole and lobster tacos at the resort’s taqueria known as Nacho. If you’re anxious about eating insects, just close your eyes; they’re as crispy as chips— and twice as nutritious.

Infinity pool at Sol de Oriente at Careyes

Casa Carioca at Careyes

The resort’s various restaurants include Coyul, which is helmed by Elena Reygadas who was designated World’s Best Female Chef 2023 by the judges of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Framed by infinity pools, the dining room overlooks the Pacific ocean and the menu reflects the ocean’s bounty and its impact on regional Mexican cuisine with various varieties of ceviche, aquachile, and seafood carpaccio.

As for the breakfast buffet at Coyul, let me remind you that Reygadas is the owner of the acclaimed Rosetta in Mexico City, where her bakery La Panadería de Rosetta offers no less than fifty unique sweet and savory baked goods. Dock it there, sailor—and linger long over estate reserve Mexican coffee.

Located just down the coast and overlooking the islands of Bahia de Chamela, the 387-acre Las Rosadas was originally a family compound for a California couple. Intoxicated by the region’s beauty, the couple traveled regularly to Las Rosadas where they raised their children in a beachfront bungalow. The bungalow remains, a reminder of the couple’s first romance with the region—albeit now transformed into a onebedroom barefoot luxury lodge known as Casita Las Palmas. Perfect for guests who yearn to sleep with the ocean lapping at their feet.

Secluded and romantic, Las Rosadas is a clandestine retreat for those who value privacy over publicity. It’s where you go when you need only the sounds of nature. Chachalaca birdsong in the morning, the ocean at night, and a staff who anticipates your needs with hardly a word exchanged. The expansive estate is crowned by the three-acre Paloma Blanca, a six-bedroom modern villa with infinity pool and fire pit

Cliffside Suites at Four Seasons Tamarindo

Four Seasons Tamarindo infinity pools

Sal restaurant at Four Seasons Tamarindo

Ocean Club Casitas at Las Rosadas

Playa las Rosadas at twilight

THERE’S A SENSE OF WONDER THAT ACCOMPANIES MOST PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN COSTALEGRE.”

overlooking the Pacific, as well as four Ocean Club Casitas, each of which is a masterpiece of contemporary Mexican design and architecture. Regardless of which accommodation you choose, complete privacy is all but guaranteed.

Situated at the edge of a palm grove, Playa Las Rosadas is one of those pristine beaches that fuels fantasies of tropical escape. Sugar sand, cerulean water, palapas—it’s all there, along with tequila and mezcal at the palm thatch palapa bar and grill known as Bar Mono. For dinner along the beach, there’s La Terraza, a charming garden restaurant with wood-fired oven and grill. In keeping with the region’s prevalent eco-conscious ethos, Las Rosadas honors the environment with its low-density development and the maintenance of an extensive nature preserve, much of which is accessible via the property’s Polaris fleet.

According to Luis Villaseñor, Director General of Puerto Vallarta, and Fernanda Landa, Director of PR for Guadalajara, the state of Jalisco has become the most progressive state in Mexico. “Guadalajara is like the Brooklyn of Mexico for its visionary vibe,” says Landa. “And also, the Silicon Valley of Mexico,” agrees Villaseñor. Thanks to education and outreach, Jalisco has become a beacon of progressivism for much of the rest of Mexico. Consequently, the entire state of Jalisco is extremely welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors from around the world. In a world where so many LGBTQ+ people are unwelcome in too many places, it’s a comfort to bask in Costalegre.

There’s a sense of wonder that accompanies most people who find themselves in Costalegre, as if they have discovered the correct portal into a different consciousness, where natural beauty is celebrated and protected. Those who climb to the top of La Copa del Sol at Careyes or the lighthouse at Xala are rewarded with panoramic vistas of the region’s breathtaking beauty—and a reminder of Costalegre’s enduring empyrean appeal. ■

Interior of Ocean Club Casita at Las Rosadas

Bar Mono at Playa las Rosadas

Hammocks along Playa las Rosadas

A HUGE PART OF MY COMFORTABILITY COMES FROM FINDING MY LIFE PARTNER, NOAH.”

ON OUR MIND

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

DESPITE BEN PLATT’S YOUNG AGE, HIS CAREER IS NOT WANTING FOR SUCCESS. HE IS AN OSCAR AWAY FROM BECOMING AN EGOT TITLEHOLDER AND CONSIDERING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HE HAS ALREADY MADE, IT IS NOT A FAR REACH. Now, with a very public relationship and engagement with actor Noah Galvin on the books, he hits the road to tour his third studio album Honeymind Honeymind refers to the “honeylike” state of being in love and the album truly reflects that. Claiming Noah as his muse for the record, it is a queer ode to Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Carole King. It is folk, it is Americana, it is stripped down and beautiful in its simplicity. Melodies and harmonies are artful counterparts to lyrics that actually tell a story. Ben sounds at his most reflective, his most sincere, and his most relaxed even as he soars through his vocal register. Love clearly has done a number on him. What inspired him to peel back the music back to its roots?

I think it came pretty organically. When I started working on this album in the spring of 2022, I went to Nashville because there were just so many writers there that I already loved and wanted to work with again, and some that I wanted to work with for the first time. And I just knew that their storytelling and emotional narrative and kind of songwriting is always the focus there. There’s not a lot of bells and whistles, and I think I was at a point in life where I was really looking to strip it back, and I didn’t necessarily go in with a stylistic plan. It felt like a great landing place in terms of my own style and just felt very organic to the type of singing and storytelling that I like to do. It felt like a really beautiful fit.

I also got excited by this crossroads of soft, introspective Americana and a really expressively queer perspective. I don’t think that’s necessarily a combo that I’ve experienced or seen a lot and I love all of that super-American classic imagery. I think the idea of getting to reclaim some of that through a queer lens was when the album sort of started to take shape for me, when those songs started coming out and I could experience the joy of that intersection.

This may be Ben’s most raw and vulnerable recording to date. Without the pomp of musical theatre, and without servicing a pop fandom, he is speaking from the heart, unaided by a script. How is he the most different, personally, from his other albums?

I have come to a stage in life, by sort of trial and error, that everybody does where I’m learning how to be less concerned with perception and external validation and what people are maybe wanting or expecting or

thinking about me or saying online about me. This is meaningful to me because I wrote it from a place of purely just confidence in my own perspective and being as totally transparent and free in myself as I can be. A huge part of my comfortability comes from finding my life partner, Noah. Being in my relationship with Noah, gave me the freedom to a) write a million love songs about him, but b) to feel a lot of safety in not filtering myself or trying to put any external ideas or stylistic choices on it, and just be exactly what I want it to be.

Honeymind is not just for young lovers. It speaks to a queer narrative and beyond for those who have loved and those who have loved and lost. What does Ben want listeners to take away from the album most of all?

I think it depends on the listener. If it’s someone who feels like they’ve found love or in a relationship or with their partner, I hope that it feels like a way to express what that feels like and what they feel about their partner or what it feels like to be in a relationship, or how scary it can be to meet somebody, or how important it can feel to try to keep someone close. And for people that aren’t, I hope that it just gives them a better sense of me and my internal life and where I’m at and that the specificity begets some universality and hopefully, there are life experiences or moments or things that people are going through that it either soothes or triggers in a positive way or helps to cope with.

Most of what Ben has done has been in the spotlight. From his appearance in the Pitch Perfect films to hitting Broadway and film with Dear Evan Hansen, to last year’s turn in Parade, he’s media’s sweetheart. Following suit, his relationship with Noah has also been a highlight for the media. The two met as friends and didn’t start the dating process until five years later, choosing to explore their relationship during COVID. Galvin announced their dating relationship on a podcast appearance in 2020. In 2021, they made their red-carpet debut as a couple for the Dear Evan Hansen film adaptation. In 2022, Platt proposed to Galvin, and six months later, Galvin returned the gesture. How do they maintain a healthy relationship with career and media whirling around?

It’s day by day, but a huge priority has been making sure there are a lot of elements and things about our relationship that are just for us and that we take

Noah Galvin & Ben Platt

privacy very seriously; just really wanting to focus first and foremost on our real everyday day-to-day life separate from public consumption. We make sure that there’s a foundation of one-on-one connection that is just for the two of us. Then we can just feel free and joyful to share the things we feel comfortable sharing. We both feel really lucky as queer people to be in a position to share our relationship. I think I have always underestimated the power of just being totally forthright and transparent about the good things and the joyful things and the complex, normal things. You don’t really realize as you’re growing up how few examples of that you have until you see one. I certainly loved seeing that when I was growing up. It’s worth it to us to balance that public persona because we see that it’s valuable and we want to be part of the community in a visible way.

Ben had to cultivate his voice in many ways growing up. Los Angeles-born, he is the fourth of five kids and was surrounded by the entertainment industry. At an early age, he was already appearing at the Hollywood Bowl and on a national tour while performing in school musicals. By the time he headed to his brief stint at Columbia University, he had a resume of productions that belied his age.

Coming from a full family and surrounded by the biz, how was he able to establish his own voice?

I had a wonderful loving family, and I still do. I grew up in a community that was very close-knit and so there was a lot of emphasis on sameness, a lot of unity and community came from like-mindedness. That can be a really beautiful thing in a lot of ways. But I think as I started to get older and feel the differences that I felt, I learned the importance of diverging and being confident and comfortable diverging. It’s easier said than done. And I think for me, I feel really privileged that I was working in the theater from such a young age because that’s where I found all of my first queer representation and saw queer producers and queer performers and writers and costume designers and saw them with their partners and their boyfriends and living their lives.

It was so much part of the context that it made it easy for me to identify myself and to feel, I’m like that guy. Even before it was a sexual thing. It was just an identity thing of like, this energy is what I experience. So, I really chalk up the ability to figure out my queer self to getting to be part of the theater because it’s so inherently

queer and run by and created by so many queer people.

In terms of my own voice and perspective, I think as late as my early twenties when I did Evan Hansen - and I did the musical for so many years - when that was ending, I just felt such an intense desire to get back in touch with my own feelings and my own experiences because I’d focused so much on this other person and trying to inhabit this other person and put this kind of narrative across and this emotional experience. It was a really wonderful, cathartic thing to reinvestigate myself and focus on my own ideas. I feel like that is the period where I really kind of started to get a handle on my actual point of view.

In 2019, Ben released the music video for“Ease My Mind,” the second single on his debut album Sing to Me Instead. The video featured Platt with actor Charlie Carver. Without meaning to, he publicly came out. The media again swirled with headlines.

The funny thing is that I didn’t really view it (as coming out) because everyone I’d ever met knew that I was - every cast member I’d ever worked with, every fan I’d ever met, all my family, all my friends, all my coworkers - I felt out. So, when I

went to write that song, it was very much about the experience of anxiety and how relationships can allay anxiety, and that to me was the event of the song. And when I thought about what video I would make, it just seemed natural to depict my actual experience, which was this relationship that it was based on. It wasn’t until it came out and it was sort of received as a coming out that I even realized that’s what it was. There was no way to avoid it, essentially. I had no issue talking about it and there was finally a piece of art or storytelling that was relevant to the story. I just included it and have ever since.

Another part of Platt’s identity is his Jewish faith. Last year, he had the opportunity to star as Leo Frank in the Broadway revival of Parade, the real-life story of a Jewish American factory superintendent who was accused of the murder of a young girl. The court case became a media circus and Frank was convicted and sentenced to death. His conviction was changed to life in prison but was kidnapped by a mob and lynched, fueled by antisemitism. Modern research has concluded that Frank was wrongly accused. During show previews, the theater where the revival was being performed was met with neo-Nazi protestors sporting signs and antisemitic propaganda. The musical not only addresses antisemitism but also misogyny and racism towards the Black community. What was Ben’s reaction as he was preparing to take to the stage?

To be honest, it was not as surprising as maybe you would think. When you grow up a Jewish person, it’s just like antisemitism is part of the deal the same way it is when you’re a queer person, it’s like homophobia is just built into society. It was obviously upsetting, and I hate that it happened, but, if anything, it acted as a reminder of the reason we were telling that particular story and how important it was to be doing that, and how art is super powerful. I think any kind of art can be very powerful, even if it’s not that directly dealing with something that is top of mind as a modern person. But I think particularly when you get a piece that’s really hitting something on the head that needs to be hit, it feels like such a gift because you feel so productive getting to go and do it every day. It’s beyond comprehension that there are people with that much ignorance and hatred who are so willfully ignorant. But, I felt grateful to be able to put that into action in that I didn’t have to

just witness that and then go home and sit with it, but that I could get on stage and tell that story and put some of that anger and frustration into something productive.

Ben will be hitting the road for his Honeymind tour in June and July. Connecting with an audience is very special to him, and kind of the whole point of his putting music out there.

Performing live is like the end game for me, always. I love to song write and put out records. I obviously love that people have the opportunity to listen to them in their homes, but the idea of performing them is always in my mind. It always feels like the finish line, a celebration when I finally get to sing my songs live on stage. I think so much can feel ephemeral or virtual or nonspecific; everything can feel amorphous,

especially when you’re putting music out into a void. When you go on the road and you see real faces and real people and feel real energy and see that they understand it and they like it and it makes them dance or listen, or cry, or smile, it’s like the ultimate vote of confidence and the ultimate reminder of why I do it in the first place. It’s definitely bar none my favorite part of being an artist or performer of any kind is the live connection with people and people who take the time to come and see specifically me. It makes me want to give as much as I can give.

While Ben’s career and personal life continue to thrive, he is involved in perhaps his most ambitious project that won’t wrap for two more decades. He will star as Charley Kringas in the film adaptation

THIS PAGE : PHOTO BY VINCE AUNG

IT’S WORTH IT TO US TO BALANCE THAT PUBLIC PERSONA BECAUSE WE SEE THAT IT’S VALUABLE AND WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN A VISIBLE WAY.”

of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. The story centers around a trio of friends whose friendship suffers the trials of Hollywood over the course of 20 years, told in reverse chronological order. The film, in following with the musical, will be filmed over 20 years with the cast coming together every couple of years.

Because it’s written about the disillusion of a friendship over the course of many years, it’s hard to really express that on stage authentically. The idea of actually getting to do that over the course of time and watch us go from our most jaded to our youngest and most pure selves, I think has the opportunity to be really powerful. But it’s just so crazy. You have to just kind of think about it as little, short films that come every couple of years that are such a

gift for a couple of weeks to get to reunite with this great group of people and focus on the scene at hand and do the best you can.

All eyes continue to be on Ben, in whatever direction he moves in next. Personally and professionally, he is under entertainment’s microscope. With the pressure of being Platt, how does he keep his mental health in check?

I’ve definitely had a journey in the last couple of years. It kind of happens without you or even realizing it when you’re an artist, especially in an American society or modern society, which is that there’s so much that hinges on external validation and praise and critique and social media and all these things that are outside of the actual thing itself. I think I’ve learned a lot of meaningful lessons in the last couple of

years just about trying to not put too much value and expectation on those things and to just do things that feel organically fulfilling, meaningful, fun, joyful, important to me. That’s way easier said than done, but it’s been a positive kind of energy. I think a huge part of maintaining my mental health has become my partner. I feel really lucky to have somebody who can be a really unbiased voice and supporter and who knows me inside and out and will tell me the truth whether it’s a hard truth or a happy truth. It just puts into a much bigger perspective for me, people who say things who really don’t have any context for who I am or what’s actually going on in my mind and heart. It makes it much easier to swallow that there are always going to be people all over the spectrum where that’s concerned. It’s all about focusing on the people who really see you and understand you and respect you. To have someone like that who’s such a champion has really changed the game for me in terms of my own wellness.

And what is Ben’s message to the community this Pride season?

I think it’s to really focus on the joy, complexity, humanity, and reality of being a queer person, and to be as forthright and open and loud about that as we can. As much as it’s important to talk about being on the offensive and the things that we’re having to defend ourselves against, and scary legislation, and homophobia, and trauma and oppression, all those things are real, and I don’t think that we need to ignore them, but I think it’s so powerful to lean into the ways in which we’re not only equal but honestly superior and very special. It behooves us to really let those things sparkle. And additionally, specifically this Pride season, just lifting up our trans community members and making sure that they get to celebrate those things too because they’re busy having to fight for their identities and their existence. They’re not getting to enjoy just the compelling nature of who they are as humans and their joy and their talents and their art. So just lifting up each other is our job as queer community members. ■

For information on Ben’s Honeymind tour, head to BenPlattMusic.com

MODI ROSENFELD

PAUSE FOR LAUGHTER

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

MODI ROSENFELD IS ONE OF THOSE COMEDIANS WHO DOESN’T NEED TO TRY AND BE FUNNY, HE JUST IS. Talking to him is like talking to that cool guy you met at a party, he’s not setting up one-liners, he’s not performing for you, he just is talking about real life through his point of view – and it’s very entertaining. Now, in a career that has taken him from being a Merrill Lynch international banker to a stand-up comedian (with a little Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Music cantoring studies for good measure), he recently premiered and is now touring his debut comedy special, Know Your Audience. And he knows his audience well. His special is a funny, intimate, and sometimes provocative look at his Jewish faith and – gasp! – his homosexuality. Yes, the two can survive together quite successfully in the world that Modi has created for himself.

THERE’S A LOT OF ACTIVISM GOING ON AND FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THAT, TAKE A PAUSE FOR LAUGHTER.”

Modi immigrated from Tel Aviv, Israel, when he was just 7 years old. His parents were the last of their siblings to make the journey, having opportunities in the US to provide for their family. He majored in psychology and voice at Boston University and became a high-level banker before fate intervened and changed his entire life.

I was funny amongst my friends and used to do imitations of the secretaries I worked with, and my friends said, this is really good stuff. It’s one thing to be a “table comic,” it’s another to bring it on stage. My friend organized a comedy night and I did the imitations that I was doing of people on stage, and that’s how the whole thing began. The owner of the club said, this is really funny stuff, you got to keep at it. At first, I was doing these over-the-top characters, it was literally drag without the dress. I was doing these massive characters, the secretaries, things that you probably can’t even do today. Then when you start doing comedy, your voice develops, and the voice developed much more Jewish. Now my voice is developing as a man married to another man who’s a millennial. Being married to a millennial, and living a life with a millennial is become more of what my act is about. That and the fact that my husband is Catholic and has planned more events and fundraisers and raised more money for Israel than most Jews!

In his special Know Your Audience, Modi folds in his gay life with his Jewish jokes without pomp and circumstance, without flinching, and without shock. When did he first realize he wasn’t like the other boys?

I knew right away. I liked guys when I was very, very young. But you have to understand something, hen I was young, it was in the ‘80s and I didn’t know what gay meant. Today, gay is your senator, your lawyer, your doctor, your representative, all of that. Back then, gay was just a flamboyant hairdresser my mother had, that was the only type of reference I had to gay. So, I just thought, I just like, guys, I’m not gay. Then you realize later on you’re a BIG homosexual.

Modi was also coming into his own sexuality with the AIDS epidemic as a backdrop.

In my act now, I talk about how the “millennial gays” biggest problem is where they’re going to have Botox put in or where they’re going to have filler done. Whereas when I turned 30, in 1990, the height of AIDS, we saw our friends, it was like, oh

I FEEL VERY MUCH THAT THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IN THE JEWISH WORLD HAS BEGUN TO EMBRACE THE GAY WORLD A LOT MORE. THEY’VE REALIZED THAT THE MAIN GOAL OF LIFE IS JUST TO SPREAD LIGHT AND MOSHIACH ENERGY.”

my God, you are still alive.

Coming from a conservative Jewish family, how did they react to his coming out?

To be honest, it was a slow burn. They kind of knew it was happening, and they’re like, okay, okay, it’s okay. We didn’t all sit down and sing Kumbaya and hug each other. I’m trying to think if my mother was more shocked that I left banking or that I was gay.

Modi continues to sing at the synagogue where he worships, and he has incorporated his Jewish customs into every aspect of his life. Shabbat dinners and Passover Seders with his entire family are held at his home. Though his one-man shows have had more Jewish audiences by nature, that is starting to shift. He unapologetically believes the being Jewish and being gay can coexist.

First of all, all of the Testaments - the New Testament, Old Testament, this and that - everything boils down to love your neighbor as yourself. So that’s the first thing. And then, it’s basically to bring light into the world, how I believe it is Moshiach energy. Whatever’s written in there is great. Just however you interpret it, make sure you interpret it to be a better person and to help other people. And of course, you have to love yourself first. The main prayer of the Jewish world, what we have on the mezuzah – “Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord our God. The Lord is one.” Not that there is one God judging everybody, it’s that God is oneness - me, you, this interview, whatever, is a piece of God right here, that’s a Godliness. And so, whatever it says in Matthew or in

John or Job, just make sure you interpret it to be good.

Modi, from his one-man shows, special appearances, and club nights, is in demand. He was named by The Hollywood Reporter among the top 10 comedians in New York City. He has appeared on all the major networks, cable networks, and even Howard Stern. The print media loves him (after this interview, I can see why), and headlines around the globe. He is also a co-founder of The Chosen Comedy Festival, celebrating Jewish humor from a diverse collection of comedy acts from coast to coast. When Modi did an interview with Variety, the reporter found out mid-interview that Modi was gay and married. When the piece came out, Modi, who hadn’t really hidden anything, was officially publicly gay. What it did was open up conversations within Jewish, Orthodox Jewish, homes where fans who had already loved his material could now relate to his gay side or have open conversations with their own loved ones, Modi fans, about being gay while living a Jewish life.

Even with all the social and political pressures on the LGBTQ community, Modi does not feel the pressure to change his material or amp things up. Perhaps the success of our building bridges with a conservative side is through ease and humor.

It is what it is. Here it is - a regular guy making people laugh. He happens to be gay. He’s got a husband, he’s doing good, he’s helping others. He’s performing here and there, and singing “Hatikvah” at the end and making people who aren’t Jewish and people who are Jewish come together and laugh. There’s no need to scream, we can slide right into each other’s worlds.

Modi celebrated his 30th anniversary with the Comedy Center in NYC. He’s had his success with the Jewish community, the mainstream comedy clubgoers, and his fellow gay comedians like Matteo Lane. He’s in the center of many circles. Did he ever feel the need to butch it up to appease his audiences? Watching his special, he is what audiences would call straight passing, he’s not talking Drag Race or telling Grindr jokes.

It is not me! I’m more of an “Oy, vey girl!” I’m so Jewish. It’s funny, you know, Matteo and I always talk about what’s in our heads, like, what are the voices in our heads? So, in his head is Liza Minnelli. Liza Minnelli is speaking and then he translates, and it comes out as Matteo Lane. Rather than Liza speaking in my head, there’s an old Jewish Borscht Belt comedian trying to get the lines out. It’s not, “Hey girl, what’s up? Uh, no, she didn’t!” It’s, “Two Jews walk into a bar.” Where can I make this funny in a Jewish way? That’s what’s ringing and dinging in my head.

After all these years in the biz, his special is finally out. He credits his husband Leo and agent, Michale Grinspan, for getting him to the point where he felt ready. Leo also acts as his manager and, during COVID, started to work on Modi’s social media and brand, growing his followers into the multi-hundreds of thousands. He also directed the special. Leo actually made an appearance during our interview that was both sweet and telling. These two are in love and between the millennial Catholic and the daddy Jew, they are changing the narrative of what a gay couple looks like. Out of a scene from a movie, the two met while locking eyes and hard cruising each other on the 6 Train. They exchanged numbers and went on a date – to the Comedy Cellar. Leo had no idea that Modi was a comedian or that he was performing that night. After two more dates, they moved in. That was 9 years ago. How do they maintain a healthy relationship while working so closely together?

It’s so much easier! Do you know how much easier at the end of the day? You’ve spent the day together; you don’t have to recap the day with each other. You have these intense, insane days that you need to be able to tell your life partner, your husband, your soulmate about, but who has the energy? You just want to sit down and plotz. It makes it easier that we’re in the same head space. He gets it and he gets the audiences, and he gets the humor and he punches up my material, which is such a gift to have a funny husband who could actually punch up your lines is like heaven-sent.

Modi’s comedy does not shy away completely from hot topics. He has jokingly talked about the cancel culture that we are currently in and notes that there is a hypocrisy that resides. Antisemitism goes on without repercussion, no matter where it is coming from.

It’s just so easy to say horrible things against Jewish people and get away with it. Am I going to scream that this is not okay, and this is bad? No, let’s make a joke about it. And in that joke, not only does it mention that it’s so skewed crazily, it also mentions the Holocaust Museum, which some people never heard of. And even they might Google it. And whenever you mention the Holocaust or something horrible, it’s so good because people who don’t know what it is are going to Google it. It’s an amazing thing to do. So again, I don’t know why it’s okay to shit all over Jews and get away with it. I don’t curse usually, but that’s what it is. But I’m not going to solve it. I’m not going to go picketing, but I’ll make a joke to bring it to people’s awareness.

Of course, Modi believes the power of comedy can help build bridges between the LGBTQ community and other minority groups, like Orthodox Jews. Through laughter, we can see the similarities between our two groups.

I feel very much that the Orthodox community in the Jewish world has begun to

embrace the gay world a lot more. They’ve realized that the main goal of life is just to spread light and Moshiach energy. And even if someone’s gay, they are a part of the community. You can’t exile them. We are embracing and loving, and family is the most important thing. Big headways have come in the Orthodox Jewish community, but the best way to bridge anything is through laughter. When a gay kid comes to his mother and says, how funny is this comedian? And it’s not even about a gay joke, it’s whatever the joke is. And it’s just, “Mom, you know, he’s gay?” It’s comedy. Comedy’s the answer.

And his message to the LGBTQ community this Pride season?

You know, the LGBTQ community falls under the umbrella of gay, which is just happy. Find a way to be happy, find some comic that you love. Go watch him. There’s a lot of activism going on and fighting for our rights, but in the middle of all of that, take a pause for laughter. Go dancing with some friends, have some fun, and then still fight. We have to keep fighting for all of our rights but pause for laughter. ■

For all things Modi and to watch his special, head to ModiLive.com.

CHRIS STANLEY BRINGING ABOUT COMMUNITY

CONVERSATIONS

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

CHRIS STANLEY IS JUST A BUNDLE OF FUN AND POSITIVITY. HE’S BEEN HEATING UP THE CONTENT CREATOR SCENE FOR OVER 5 YEARS, BECOMING ONE OF THE FIRST LGBTQ+ CREATORS ON TIKTOK TO GO VIRAL, FOR A VIDEO FEATURING HIS MOM REACTING TO EXPLICIT LYRICS ON A GAY LIP-SYNC VIDEO. From travel vlogs and meme videos to street interviews and heartfelt life sharing, he’s amassed well over 300 million views on his content, garnering the attention of Madonna herself. He is one of the fastest-growing queer content creators on the scene. And he does all the work himself.

His personality developed quickly while creating his own identity in a childhood that included a house full of 5 brothers, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and becoming a star soccer player. He was used to all eyes on him, his personality and sense of humor was already starting to take shape.

I always felt like I was the favorite child, but I’m not confirmed on that. [Laughs] I never really felt like I was competing with them for any attention or anything because I felt like I kind of already had it a little bit. I used to get in a bunch of trouble with my siblings when I was younger, but I kind of just felt like I already had everyone’s attention.

I always liked trying to make people laugh. What I would do before I came out to make people laugh is act kind of feminine, but like, in funny ways. And then that’s why people always thought I was gay, and I thought everyone always knew that I was gay, but apparently no one did when I came out. But my inspirations were The Office, Schitt’s Creek, and Parks and Recs. That’s my favorite type of humor, I’ve always just found that super funny. Then I made a meme page in 2018 on Instagram, which took off. I think just being in that culture, gay meme culture, helped me a lot to learn what people think is funny.

In his more somber content, Chris has made videos with his family about his coming out and sexuality, being a staunch advocate for gay youth and queer acceptance. His own coming out at school did not go well. After being outed by accident, he lost the majority of his core group of friends. He was ostracized to the point that he quit the soccer team. This would be a double-edged sword as it led to him becoming reclusive but would ultimately lead to a thinking tank for his future content. His coming out with his family fared better.

I told my mom and she said, I thought we already went over it because we had this one conversation - she asked me if I was gay, and I said I wasn’t. So, you know, they say mothers always know. I guess she just knew even

though I was lying to her. I was really scared to tell my Dad, but I never knew that my uncle was gay. After I told him, I felt so stupid, how did I not see that? So, I guess I have the gay gene. [Laughs] With my brothers, they just didn’t really care. My older brother used to make fun of me a little bit because he clearly saw that I was a little gay. After I came out, he instantly changed his whole thing. It was just a sibling way, how he was giving me a hard time. He didn’t actually mean it in a negative way because after I came out in school and I lost a lot of my friends, he let me hang out with him and his friends and he just took me in. That was definitely the worst period of my life. I know everyone says this and it’s so cliche, but it gets better. I started writing. I would write poems and short stories just to have an outlet for my creativity. I would say that’s where it started more because I would

just write these gay poems and gay stories with characters and that really helped me. But I think what saved me was, I remember being mad at the world and going to visit my friend in Washington. We went camping and I don’t know, they say nature really can help you if you’re depressed. The next year I was a little bit better. So, I would say other than the advice “it gets better,” go camping! [laughs]. Find the people who accept you and keep them close and just know that it won’t be like that forever. I feel like it really shaped me into who I am. So, it can shape you and make you into a better person.

Since then, Chris has included straight people in his content to initiate conversation and understanding between the LGBTQ community and our allies. One of his videos with one of his straight friends has garnered over 35 million views.

Chris had initially intended to go to college after a gap year, but COVID hit, and he ended

FIND

THE PEOPLE WHO ACCEPT YOU AND KEEP THEM CLOSE.”

up using YouTube to teach himself how to record and edit content. It was his way of giving back to the community as the content he had viewed on social media helped with his coming out transition. His lip-synch video with his mom reached the million-view mark, and that’s when he knew this was something he should continue. His content just continued to grow and each time he pivoted into a different type of content; his audience would increase. Even Madonna reposted one of his videos. What does he think audiences respond to most about his work?

I think they just like to see me living my authentic gay life. I think especially they like it when I make videos with my cousins and my family and my straight friend because I guess they just like to see the interaction and it’s nice to see that my whole family just doesn’t care; that they love me for me and they’re down to be in my silly videos.

With continued all eyes on him, he feels the pressure to keep the ball rolling, knowing his audience may get a little tougher to please.

I feel a lot of pressure sometimes. We know gays, sometimes they’re a little bit brutal in just judging things. It’s challenging thinking of content that I want to make so that people will keep enjoying it and not get tired of it or think it’s stupid or just not like it, but I enjoy it at the same time. I would say the pressure adds up, especially with burnout. I was making YouTube videos for five years every single week. Literally every single week. And I didn’t even skip any weeks. So now I’m finally at a place where I’ve stopped doing it every single week because I really want to try and raise the bar for myself and make cool stuff. I’ve found that it takes me more time than just one week.

And how is Chris the most different as a person than from his on-camera persona?

I’ll talk to anyone now, but the biggest misconception people always have about me is they think I’m this huge extrovert, but I’m still more of an introvert I would say. Especially in social settings, especially when I meet a new person, I’m so quiet and I’ll just watch everything and take it all in.

Another common guest in Chris’ content is his boyfriend, Bret. Bret serves the Boston PD and was a contestant on The Amazing Race and Survivor. Bret is older than Chris, with one foot in the bear community. The difference between Chris and Bret has inspired a lot of commentary, and their videos have millions upon millions of views. Was Chris nervous about sharing his relationship in his content?

We were very hesitant at first. I kind of always wanted to do it more than him, but we were a little nervous about the age gap and everything. Eventually, I wore him down and I convinced him to be in some videos. It definitely took a while before we were both comfortable with it. I’m glad we did because a lot of people have said how it’s helped them with their relationship and stuff like me being a twink and him being a bear. I guess people also like it because we address the beauty standards in the gay community.

How did he get into bears?

I just started realizing that I like dad bods more than skinny guys. You know, any body type is attractive. But specifically,

IF SHARING SOMETHING IS GOING TO HELP PEOPLE MORE THAN IT’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE EMBARRASSING FOR ME FOR OVERSHARING, THEN IT’S STILL WORTH IT TO PUT IT OUT THERE.”

for me, I started liking dad bods and bears because when I think of lumberjacks it’s just like these burly, masculine guys. Maybe it’s just because I like bears the animal too; bears are probably my spirit animal. [Laughs] Abs are still hot - like go off with abs and everything - but a dad bod is just so nice. Companies that I see at Pride always like to hire these muscle skinny, muscle bros and they’re always advertising their stuff and I’m like, that’s great but you know what would work on me is if you hired some bears to do that. Like, come on now!

With his videos covering all aspects of his life, where does Chris draw the line when keeping it personal?

I feel like my life is just like an open book. Obviously, I keep personal things to myself, but I feel like if sharing something is going to help people more than it’s going to be a little embarrassing for me for oversharing, then it’s still worth it to put it out there and let people in on it because someone could be going through something similar, or they just relate.

So where does someone as young as Chris go from here with more than a pocketful of followers? He has started to add short films to his roster, has reality TV ideas, and will be releasing a single for Pride. He is continually seeing how he can challenge himself. What does he want audiences to get most from his work?

I want them to be comfortable in themselves for sure by seeing me be me. I wouldn’t say I’m like super funny, but sometimes I’m a little funny, so hopefully I make them smile or chuckle and have more confidence in doing whatever, just being themselves. I feel like every gay person is trying to have their moment, it’s definitely a little exhausting. But because we just love attention, we all want to be in the spotlight all the time and keep trying to one-up each other. Maybe we should just chill and have fun and do the simple things that make us smile, like my videos. ■

You can follow Chris on IG and YouTube: @StanChris; TikTok:@StanChrissss

MARSHA WARFIELD

IS HOLDING COURT

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

SHE’S BAAAACK! AFTER A 20-YEAR RETIREMENT FROM THE BUSINESS, ACTOR AND COMEDIAN MARSHA WARFIELD IS BACK ON THE SCENE, OPENLY OUT, AND HAS A LOT TO SAY. POLITICS, COMING OUT, HER ROLE AS A BLACK WOMAN IN SOCIETY, AND EVEN PIZZA… AT AGE 70 SHE’S NOT SHYING AWAY THIS TIME. Not even meaning to, Marsha made national fame for her role as Roz in Night Court during the ‘80s and ‘90s. This year, she returned to the role for the reboot, and as life imitates art, her character is also out and proud and newly married to a woman. Representation has certainly come a long way.

Marsha grew up on the South Side of Chicago. Right away, she learned the basics of life and human interaction, and she would start to find her way into comedy.

I’ve been putting a phrase into my act, pretty much words to live by – “people have been people-ing since people were people.” Once you understand that human beings are people and that they’re all human - unlike what we’re taught, we’re taught some people are lesser humanand there are a series of sliding scales that put people in lesser positions, and you’re born into them - a lot of times without having any idea that you are or who you are or what you are - once you slip all of that and strip all that away in your mind and just start looking at things and just remember people have been people-ing since people were people.

I was always interested in comedy,

standup, and the whole thing from a small child. I grew up on variety shows and there were always comedians and singers and dancers and performers, and I always watched them. But it was also the ‘60s, so I had no idea that there was a path for me, that just didn’t exist as a possibility. Like walking on the moon didn’t exist before 1969, it wasn’t something that I could conceive of.

It was that environment that helped Marsha come into her own sense of humor and wit.

I always hate the phrase class clown because it kind of suggests an idiot. It’s like somebody who makes funny faces and asks you to pull their finger. Where I’m from, people played the Dozens, which was basically now what they call rap battles when they set it to music. You just talk about people. And, in a lot of ways, if you could do that, you didn’t have to fight. If you rank them, then they lose all status. I got pretty good at that and good at being silly.

In 1974, Marsha saw an article in the Chicago paper promoting an open-mic night at the Pickle Barrel with comedian Tom Dreesen. Working at an answering service at the time, this industry jargon was new to her. She finally made her way to the club and would see comedians like Judy Tenuta and Brad Sanders in action. Finally, it was her turn.

They called all the new comedians “virgins.” I was 20, and I walked on stage,

at about two in the morning. It was the comics and a couple of the drunks and some people cleaning up. I went on stage and said, “Good evening. My name is Marsha Warfield, and I’m a virgin, so please be kind.” They laughed. And I was hooked.

When Marsha was 22, she packed up and left for Los Angeles. The growing trend was for comedians to travel West. And those comedians that she saw at her first open-mic nights would become her peers and mentors. Was she nervous at all about leaving her life behind for an unventured territory?

I never thought about it. Never. It was 1976 when I left Chicago. People don’t understand the ‘60s - it was an amazing time. It was turbulent, it was like living in a popcorn machine, there was always something going off somewhere. There was a lot of change happening in a lot of things. I was growing up with rock and roll, Motown, the Civil Rights Movement, and the protest movement of that day. People were trying to make a world where we could just exchange flowers instead of confrontation. And you could do it, make things happen. At that time, young people had decided, or we had been manipulated to decide, that it was enough for you old people, over 30, you were out to pasture. I was coming of age at that time, so I thought about moving to Los Angeles or moving to San Francisco.

People were actually thumbing rides across the country.

So, I had no fear. I didn’t understand my parents’ fear. I didn’t understand older people what they do. Everybody’s doing it. I never considered seriously coming back, even though I went home a couple of times. It’s not that I didn’t love Chicago or love my family, it was that Los Angeles had always had that kind of allure and pull on me even as a little girl.

As for Marsha’s burgeoning sexuality, she had an interesting take on it all, even early on. I didn’t think that I wasn’t like all of the other girls, I thought other girls weren’t honest about being like me. Not just girls -boys, men - I didn’t understand the ultra-masculine feminine, that just seemed stupid to me. It seemed like posturing, like it wasn’t authentic. Like, what are you doing? What the hell? And so I was very much go with the flow. It wasn’t normal or accepted. I was groomed into heterosexual normality effectively from birth. Even as a child, I was a tomboy. I didn’t want a pink anything. I hated dolls. They smelled bad. And these little fake dead babies… why are you telling me to practice loving a little pink dead baby? I didn’t understand. It wasn’t until I got to high school that you’d hear little things - you’re mannish, you’re different, or whatever. It wasn’t until I was 23 that I really realized, oh – okay! I was never against the idea of having relationships with women. When I realized it was like - duh! And it was really a relief.

When Marsha came out to her mother, she made Marsha promise not to come out publicly while she was alive. What does Marsha think she was most afraid of?

Truthfully? Her image. I think most parents are afraid that they will be looked upon badly as bad parents as having failed, as having not been worthy. Then the indoctrination of God is going to send you (to hell) and you’re going to burn and all that stuff, that comes into play. I think it all comes together in that, what are people going to think? It sounds bad and horrible, but we do care about our images. I mean, they wouldn’t be selling makeup

and your whole-body stinks stuff if we didn’t care what other people thought. There’s this whole notion of perfection, that there can be perfection in families and people. There are no perfect people. So, two people together aren’t going to be perfect. They’re going to get that much more imperfect. And so people trying to make their humanity fit into somebody’s imaginary perfect family2.5 kids and a dog and a station wagon back then - while watching them eat on TV trays – doesn’t work, your family didn’t look like that. We are not inclusive at all. And even when we talk about being inclusive, we’re really not.

Having come this far and looking back, would Marsha have made a different decision in keeping her sexuality under wraps?

Not unless it was this time, and then I would’ve made different decisions and probably have had an entirely different life from birth. But it wasn’t, and I can’t. At that time that request seemed reasonable. Your fear is that you’ll be turned out, that you’ll be hated, that your family will disown you and not talk to you. The fear of actually telling somebody how you are identifying and saying it out loud is terrifying. So I can understand the response from people who also have their own fears and stuff and give ‘em a little grace. And so that was not unreasonable at the time.

After moving to Los Angeles, Marsha would appear at The Comedy Store. Comedian Paul Mooney happened to be there and was working on The Richard Pryor Show and invited her to join the show as a writer and performer. That was her big step in television, something that she had not considered before. Her audition for Night Court wasn’t really an audition, it was fate.

I was a standup from the time I stood on stage, and I never thought of myself as an actress. I never thought of myself in that role. I was not one of the people who was doing standup so that I could get a sitcom, I was doing standup ‘cause I wanted to do standup. I had no real knowledge of Night Court.

The show was scrambling for a replacement. Already on air for a couple of years, Night Court had lost its two previous bailiff characters due to death by natural causes. Filming was set to begin with scripts already written. Show

THE FEAR OF ACTUALLY TELLING SOMEBODY HOW YOU ARE IDENTIFYING AND SAYING IT OUT LOUD IS TERRIFYING.”

creator Reinhold Weege called Marsha to come to his house.

It was the middle of the summer and he had a fire going in the fireplace and the air conditioning on. I said, “Why do you have the fireplace going and the air conditioner?” He said, “Because I can.” I had on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt and had a pack of cigarettes, and I wasn’t carrying a purse. So, we started smoking and talking and found out he was from Chicago and we just had a nice little meeting. He asked me what I was doing, I told him I was going to Seattle to do standup. I got on a plane and went to Seattle. When I got off the plane, they said, call your agent. You got it. So that’s how that happened.

The show continued to be a hit. Among other successes in Marsha’s career were appearances on Family Ties, Cheers, an extended run on Empty Nest, and over 200 episodes of her own talk show. Was it odd having this success, yet hiding a big part of her life from the spotlight?

No. Hiding that part of my life was my life. People think maybe there were some choices made or decisions made by things planned out. No, that was my life. That’s how you navigate through the world. It was very weird how that was consciously subconscious, but it was internal.

Marsha came out publicly in 2017. Was she scared to finally come out?

Terrified. And it’s a look that you can identify on the street when you see someone trying to step out boldly into their identity - whatever it is - and know that they’re subject to that kind of judgment that we do care about. It can be threatening on a lot of levels - emotionally, physically, all kinds of ways. But I was 60-something, so it was such a relief, you know? Most people were cool, it’s almost like once I accepted me, everybody else did too.

A lot of it for me, and hopefully for everybody else, is once you get comfortable in your own skin, everybody else either embraces it or falls off. And so everything looks a lot easier, and you breathe a lot easier. You still have your little moments of thinking about other people’s judgment of you, but everything made a lot more sense. The things that were unnecessary, basically armor to arm me psychologically, are all gone, I don’t need that anymore.

After coming back from her retirement, she hit the comedy scene first. She says that she had

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE-ING SINCE PEOPLE WERE PEOPLE.”

to start at step 1, no one knew who she was. Her comedy show “The Book of Marsha” changed all that quickly. Bolder and brasher, she incorporates all elements of her life into her act and, at this point, doesn’t care who likes it or doesn’t. She returned to TV for a run in 9-1-1 and then onto her twoepisode appearance on the Night Court reboot. Her character Roz also came out during Marsha’s absence, and the episodes featured her marriage to a woman. In Marsha’s personal life, she also is newly married. Her wife attended Marsha’s show, and the rest is history. A new start in her career, a new marriage…what does she think of all of it?

It’s serendipitous. Everything just seemed to flow. When you’re ready, the blessings will come. It might seem

optimistic, and it probably is, but for me, it just seems that it’s all coming together and that my life to this point makes sense. It’s the life I imagine that I could never imagine, but it’s a life I would have wanted if I knew what the hell to want. It’s authentic. And her message to the community this Pride Season?

Strut. Just strut. I love to see people with confidence, bravado, and that strut. You don’t owe anybody any explanations. You don’t owe anyone anything. And if it feels good, if it’s how you see yourself, do that. Strut. Work it. Go.

Follow Marsha on IG: @MarshaWarfield

■

REFLECT. EMPOWER. UNITE.

BY MEGAN VENZIN

NO ONE EVER SAID THE ROAD TO EQUALITY WOULD BE ENTIRELY SMOOTH. PRIDE MONTH IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL TIME TO CELEBRATE PROGRESS, BUT IT SHOULD ALSO SERVE AS A REMINDER THAT WE CAN ONLY CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHEN WE BAND TOGETHER. Pride NYC’s 2024 theme boasts that sentiment in three simple words: “Reflect. Empower. Unite.”An accompanying calendar of camaraderie-building events is sure to drive those important lessons home, too. Here at Metrosource, we’ve honed in on a list of official Pride NYC gatherings, as well as some off-label parties to keep you laughing, dancing and feeling determined, well after the march’s last step off, because the work hardly ends on July 1st. Happy Pride, readers — we hope this powerful season will leave you with a happy heart and a sense of hope that continues to nourish your community all year long.

WOMEN’S PRIDE IN THE PINES

June 8, 2024

577 Fire Island Blvd at Coastguard Walk Fire Island Pines, NY

Dress in white and feel just right at Women’s Pride in the Pines! At this annual, all-day celebration, ladies will have a chance to connect and cultivate new friendships under a covered pavilion or the summer sun. Enjoy delicious passed hors d’oeuvres and toast to a fun-filled month of festivities with a selection of open bar vodkas, wines and exclusive cocktails for the VIPs. Plan to stick it out until dusk — a decadent dinner is in the cards for the later hours, so arrive early and stay late with the island gals who share your same wavelength. www.fippoa.org/whyte-hall

TEAZE

Women’s Pride in the Pines

TEAZE

June 22, 2024

Club Lambda BK

1031 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY 11211

Everyone knows that Pride Week begins well before The March steps off. Start yours with TEAZE, the queer party that seeks to bring all faces of the community together under one dazzling ceiling. On June 22, an all-star lineup of DJs and an even more exciting crowd will descend upon Club Lambda BK, one of the borough’s most inclusive spaces. Now, there are a few ways to enjoy this liberation celebration. A GA ticket gets you access to the party, as well as queer activations, outdoor spaces and drink specials. The VIP option is for the revelers out there who want to maximize their good times — in addition to the aforementioned, it also includes a twohour open bar, fast-lane access and exclusive giveaways. If you’re planning to go full Versace, there are VIP tables for up to six in your close circle. Choose wisely!

nycpride.org/event/teaze

YOUTH PRIDE

June 29, 2024

South Street Seaport

New York, NY 10038

Part of NYC Pride’s mission is rooted in supporting and cheering on the next generation of LGBTQAI+ community members. This is why the annual Youth Pride event at the lively South Street Seaport is such an important and influential gathering where this cohort is invited to connect, express and celebrate their awesome identities in a space where all are welcome. More than 5,000 attendees are expected this year, and there will be plenty for them to explore — including live musical performances, carnival activations, free sips and eats, high-profile guest speakers, and of course, friendship and fellowship among one another.

nycpride.org/event/youth-pride

TEAZE

Youth Pride

Youth Pride

BLISS DAYS

June 30, 2024

The DL 95 Delancey St.

New York, NY 10002

Gather the baddies because Bliss Days (formerly known as Femme Fatale) is coming in hot! Plan for a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon at this annual gathering featuring the LGBTQIA+ womxn of Pride. You lovely ladies are always the main event, but attendees can also expect appearances from world-class DJs and other special guest performances. This year, the sexy celebration is going off at The DL NYC, a rooftop lounge graced with spectacular skyline views and a diverse dancefloor that’s sure to stay poppin’ well after sundown. That leaves plenty of time to tip some drinks and rip some tunes, and all for a good cause — proceeds from Bliss Days will benefit NYC Pride and its annual free events such as Youth Pride, The March, PrideFest, and more. nycpride.org/event/bliss-days

ELSEWHERE: PRIDE W/ J.WORRA

June 29, 2024

Elsewhere

599 Johnson Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11237

Get ready to feel love across the whole damn club! That’s the way of Elsewhere Pride, where an all-star lineup of queer artists and allies will take over the decks across three levels, both indoors and out. Jersey Club queen UNIIQU3 will take you higher on the rooftop, where an epic sunset awaits. Afterward, the party moves indoors where J.Worra, whose tunes have graced imprints such as Dirtybird and Higher Ground, will keep the Hall hot and housey alongside Essel and Cherry Tooth. For a more intimate vibe, swing by the loft where SHE. THEY. DJ., a collective representing women, non-binary, and trans DJs will be setting a groovy mood. Finally, Alice the Club takes over Zone One for a room that promises to reach fever pitch. As stated on the venue’s website,“Elsewhere is a community that values inclusivity, joy, and creativity.”This lineup proves that they are living their truth at full volume. Grab your tickets now as this one’s sure to pack out fast. elsewhere.club

PRIDEFEST

June 30, 2024

Greenwich Village

We all want to celebrate Pride in style, and the best place to find fresh, inspired looks is PrideFest! For 30 years, this annual street fair has run alongside The March, giving community members and allies a chance to chill out, kick back and show support in the hours following the demonstration. And there’s plenty of ways to enjoy the free, all-ages gathering that is PrideFest — ride the rails for a star-studded performance, grab a gourmet bite from some of the city’s best artisan vendors or get some wearable art from a rising local designer. Whether you choose to be a spectator alongside one-hundred thousand other shoppers or host your own booth, there’s so many ways to make PrideFest your own. If the latter sounds up your alley, be aware that applications are now open, providing you the chance to lend your own unique flavor to this long-running and iconic international exhibition event. nycpride.org/event/pridefest

Bliss Days

DJ J. Worra

Pridefest

THE MARCH

June 30, 2024

Starts at 25th St. and 5th Ave.

New York, NY 10003

For more than 50 years, The March has served as an important pillar of the queer rights movement. Emerging from the aftermath of the Stonewall Uprising in 1970, people took to the streets in pursuit of equal rights and today their spirit lives on in the hearts of the thousands of demonstrators who fill lower Manhattan in the streets with a colorful caravan of floats and flags on the last Sunday in June. This year, we’re stepping off at 25th St. and 5th Ave., swerving through neighborhoods like Chelsea, Greenwich Village, the West Village and beyond. There will be plenty of fanfare to follow, so plan for a full day of festivities and don’t forget your sunscreen.

nycpride.org/event/nyc-pride-march

JAKE RESNICOW PRESENTS: DREAMLAND PRIDE IN CENTRAL PARK

June 30, 2024

Central Park Summerstage

E 71st St. and East Drive (East Rumsey Playfield)

New York, NY 10021

Get ready for an exhilarating day packed with excitement as multi-genre artist and global dance sensation John Summit as he headlines the annual Dreamland event, this year descending upon one of New York City’s most iconic open-air venues — Central Park Summerstage. Expect a full day of eclectic beats and Pride-fueled mayhem as Jake Resnicow delivers another can’t miss event, taking off at 3PM and continuing until 10PM so you can March through the morning and dance into night. All your friends will want to be ‘Where You Are’, because serving in direct support for Summit is Disco Dom and an undercard teeming with the scene’s hottest queer DJs, dancers and more. Tickets are now on sale starting at $199.99 for GA, with cushier VIP options still available. Grab one now and secure your spot for this last Sunday in June celebration. dreamlandpride.com

The March photo byAbby Housberg

TheMarchphotobyAbbyHousberg

Dreamland Pride

ILLUSIONS: THE SHOW

Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30PM

Club Musica

637 W. 50th St.

New York, NY 10019

Oh honey, we know you’re starving by the time June takes its final bow. When you’re feeling hungry, rest assured Illusion’s got all the ingredients to fill up your body, heart and soul x2. Swing by Club Musica at 7:30PM on Fridays and Saturdays in July for Illusions: The Show, a twice-weekly engagement that’s been called “the best celebrity impersonation drag queen show in the nation.”And once you’ve sated those appetites make your way through Hell’s Kitchen for a night of barhopping or stay close to the venue where artists like tech-house superstars Martin Ikin and Bruno Furlan are already booked out that month. Trust, we’re gonna need more snacks with entertainment this stacked. illusionsthedragqueenshow.com

I’M A THOUSAND DIFFERENT PEOPLE — EVERY ONE IS REAL CURRENTLY ON EXHIBIT

(through January 5, 2025)

Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art 26 Wooster Street

New York, NY 10013

Bearing a title borrowed from the studio of queer artist Candy Darling, I’m a thousand different people — every one is real is a vast selection of works recently acquired by Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. Across an array of pieces both historical and contemporary, this multimedia art exhibition offers a glimpse into the complex layers of LGBTQAI+ life and to a greater extent, the abstract definitions of queer existence. Head Curator Stamatina Gregory worked in collaboration with Former Associate Curator and Exhibitions Manager, Noam Parness and Collections Manager, Judy Giera to reveal this collection produced by artists such as Ana Benaroya, Aziz + Cucher, Jeffrey Gibson, Gotscho, Morgan Gwenwald, Geoffrey Hendricks, D’Angelo Lovell Williams and of course Darling, whose works so aptly speaks to the experiences of those who embrace their nonconforming identities.“In addition to building on our holdings of important and historically overlooked artworks, we have been proud to welcome into the collection some of the most exciting contemporary artists working today, whose work holds space for multiplicity and for expansive views of queerness,” Gregory shares of this moment.“Collecting is one of the ways we can build community in the present and ensure that the critical work being made today is available to generations to come.” leslielohman.org

Illusions The Show

Kha Stops II,Marsha P.Johnson State Park,Brooklyn,2020

SCHMACKARY’S

NEBRASKA-BORN ZACHARY “SCHMACKARY”

SCHMAHL HAD DREAMS OF TAKING CENTER STAGE IN THE BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS HE LOVED. After a move to the Big Apple at age 24, he began baking wildly creative cookies out of his small studio apartment and within months his side hustle became a full-time production – receiving rave reviews from every corner of the Broadway community. In 2012, he opened his first store in the heart of NYC’s theatre district, and the one-of-a-kind flavors became an overnight sensation! The actorturned-baker’s dream of making it on Broadway had come true – he made it to Broadway with the hottest show in town – Schmackary’s.

Call it “Generation Y’s Answer to the Old American Bake Shop,” Schmackary’s has pushed the classic cookie outside of its comfort zone with an adventurous twist on the traditional cookie. While running the business, Zachary met his husband Jonny in 2017. Zachary brought on Jonny

as COO in 2020, and the two joined forces to complete an unbeatable team, even managing to find time to get married in 2022 after six years together.

Schmackary’s has become the buzziest brand on Broadway and the undisputed favorite of NY’s rousing arts community. Their award-winning cookies are sold at shows and venues across New York City, delivered by the dozens to people and businesses around the country, and featured in some of the biggest television shows, media outlets and high-profile award lists, solidifying its status as the country’s most in-demand cookie company.

While Schmackary’s takes pride in their collaborations with productions like Aladdin, & Juliet, Shucked, and Only Murders in the Building; they are most proud of their revolutionary initiation of Broadway Bakes, an annual fundraiser involving Broadway actors selling cookies to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In

past years, Schmackary’s Broadway Bakes event helped raise over $70,000 for BC / EFA.

With cookies like “Caramel Apple Crisp,” “Maple Bacon,” and “Buckeye Moonpie,” Schmackary’s has spent the last decade in the spotlight, earning rave reviews from around the globe. But Schmackary’s is so much more than a cookie. It is a major force within the arts and LGBTQIA+ community, and a beautiful story of a queer couple using their success to give back to their own community. ■

SCHMACKARY’S (Hell’s Kitchen)

362 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036

Open: 9:00AM to 11:00PM - 7 Days

schmackarys.com

IT’S TONY TIME!

BY BEN RIMALOWER

WELL, NOT TO PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK, BUT I PREDICTED IN THE LAST METROSOURCE THAT COLE ESCOLA’S BELOVED OH, MARY! (LYCEUM THEATRE, PREVIEWING JUNE 26) WOULD HAVE A LONG LIFE AFTER ITS OFF-BROADWAY PREMIERE, AND SURE ENOUGH, IT HAS SINCE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR BROADWAY. But you can pat yourself on the back because you’re reading about it and can still buy tickets before its limited run ends September 15. I’ve already made all the swooning comparisons to the great theater artists who came before Cole, so let me take this opportunity to entice you with the list of Cole’s fabulous co-stars, all making the transfer to Broadway with them.

Here Lies Love and How to Get Away with Murder star Conrad Ricamora plays Abraham Lincoln with his Fire Island castmate James Scully as Mary’s Teacher, Downtown legend/Transamerica star Bianca Leigh as Mary’s Chaperone, and Tony Macht making his Broadway debut as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant. They are directed to perfection by the brilliant Sam Pinkleton, who choreographed Sondheim’s Here We Are and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, for which he received a Tony nomination, as well as directing revelatory revivals of The Wizard of Oz at ACT and Head Over Heels at the Pasadena Playhouse, and world premiers like You Will Get Sick at the Roundabout and Soft Power at the Public Theater.

The cast of Oh, Mary!

Other than Oh, Mary!, Broadway is pretty much coasting now with all the season’s shows surviving on whatever boost they’ll get from the Tony Awards broadcast (June 16, CBS/Paramount+). We do have some exciting news about the Tony Awards this year, which is that Academy Award-winning West Side Story star Ariana De Bose will be back to host again, as she has for the last two years.

I’m not one for predictions, but since my good call on the Oh, Mary! transfer, I’m gonna go out on a limb with the Tony Awards. The revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along is nominated for seven Tonys. I think it’s going to win four: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role In A Musical (Jonathan Groff), Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Musical (Daniel Radcliffe), and Best Direction Of A Musical (Maria Friedman).

If you’re still hungry for new shows, there are plenty opening every week at New York’s world cast cabarets. Whether you’re in the mood for the classic elegance of the Café Carlyle, show biz opulence of 54 Below, iconic hipness of Joe’s Pub, youthful energy of The Green Room 42, or laidback coolness of Birdland, New York has it all. And just 20 minutes across the Great South Bay of Long Island, Fire Island offers a nearby summer retreat with its own roster of fabulous entertainment to complement its pristine beaches and hub of LGBTQ-tees.

CAFÉ CARLYLE:

• Rumer Willis

June 4-8

• Aaron Tveit

June 11-29

• Lea DeLaria

June 2

• Norm Lewis

June 6-13

• Christine Andreas

June 18-26

• Linda Eder

June 21-July 2

• Liz Callaway & Jason Graae

July 3-6

• Lucie Arnaz

July 17-20

• Laura & Linda Benanti

July 21-24

Rumer Willis

Aaron Tveit

Lea DeLaria

Norm Lewis

Christine Andreas

Linda Eder

Liz Callaway & Jason Graae

Laura & Linda Benanti

Lucie Arnaz

JOE’S PUB:

• Justin Vivian Bond

June 20-30

• Lena Hall

June 23-29

• Alexis Michelle

June 25-26

• Martha Graham Cracker

July 7-August 12

THE GREEN ROOM 42:

• Niki Harris & Donna DeLory

June 7

• Sally Mayes

Jun 20

• Reeve Carney

June 23-July 21

• Steve Marzullo & Sally Wilfert

June 24

• Blacc Cherry

June 26

• John Hill

June 27

• Conor McShane

July 14

• Nelson Aspen

July 21-24

• Injoy Fountain

July 29

• Scott Siegel’s Broadway

July 31

Justin Vivian Bond Lena Hall

Alexis Michelle Martha Graham Cracker

Niki Harris & Donna DeLory Sally Mayes Reeve Carney

Blacc Cherry John Hill Conor McShane

Nelson Aspen Injoy Fountain Scott Siegel

Steve Marzullo

Sally Wilfert

BIRDLAND: THE ICE PALACE:

• Gabrielle

Stravelli

June 1-29

• Natalie Douglas

June 17

• Carole Bufford

June 28-June 30

• Nicole Henry

July 15

• Dina Martina

May 25

• Jessica Kirson

May 26

• Daniel Reichard

June 15

• The Golden Girlz

LIVE

July 1

• JIMBO

July 6

• Marilyn Maye

July 13

• Frankie Sharp’s DEMONS with Nymphia Wind

July 13

• Bernadette Peters

July 20

• Jennifer Holliday

July 27

• Alaska

Thunderfuck

August 17

• Ute Lemper

August 24

• Miss Fire Island

August 31

Gabrielle Stravelli Natalie Douglas

Carole Bufford Nicole Henry

Dina Martina Jessica Kirson Daniel Reichard

Jimbo Marilyn Maye

Nymphia Wind Bernadette Peters Jennifer Holliday

Alaska Thunderfuck Ute Lemper

Miss Fire Island Gia Bianca

NEW YORK BAR SOURCE

CHELSEA

BARRACUDA

This Chelsea lounge features cool music, cute crowds, wild drag shows, and talent competitions hosted on the tiny stage in the rear. Rumor has it RuPaul visited to “scout” Bob the Drag Queen at this classic watering hole. 275 W. 22nd St. at Eighth Ave., NYC 212-645-8613

BOXERS CHELSEA

A big gay sports bar outfitted with flat screens broadcasting all manner of games, multiple counters, pool tables and a smoking patio out back. A long bar faces a pizza oven dispensing mouth-watering pies to munch on while watching “the game”. Hottest bartenders in town? See for yourself! 37 W. 20th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., NYC 212-624-5942. boxersnyc.com

THE EAGLE

This dark and cruisy leather bar to end all leather bars boasts a great rooftop deck and some of the sexiest, burliest guys in NYC. 554 W. 28th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-473-1866. eagle-ny.com

GYM

At this popular after work sports bar, a team of plasma-screen TVs broadcasting the hottest games, a pool table, and a basement dugout. Who are those cuties behind the bar? Pop in to get to know them (Admit it, you already follow them on IG). 167 Eighth Ave. between 18th and 19th Sts., NYC 212-337-2439. gymsportsbar.com

EAST VILLAGE/LOWER EAST SIDE

THE BOILER ROOM

A throwback to the days when the East Village was a haven for the punky and funky, this dark and comfy no-frills lounge is popular with the college set, attitude-free, and rocks with an eclectic mix of music and scruffy pool players. 86 E. 4th St. at Second Ave., NYC 212-254-7536

OSCAR WILDE

Acclaimed mixologist Johnny Swet sets the scene at this clever cocktail lounge. Ironically situated at the former headquarters of NYC’s Bureau of Prohibition, this glorious tribute to Ireland’s great writer is the gastropub to end all gastropubs. Marvel at relics such as their Belgian piano from the late 1890s, antique clocks, and intriguing bronze statues celebrating the late great Portrait of a Dorian Gray scribe. 45 W. 27th St. at Sixth Avenue., NYC 212-213-3066. oscarwildenyc.com

REBAR

Sexy Chelsea hangout where G Lounge (may she rest in peace) used to be. This neighborhood bar has a masculine industrial décor, a hot staff, and draws all kinds of men (especially local muscle bears) and boasts not distractions – sports, porn, dancers or otherwise. Their concept is simple: people meeting people. 225 W. 19th St. between Seventh and Eighth Aves., NYC 212-929-1085. rebarchelsea.com

EAST VILLAGE

CLUB CUMMING

Willkommen, Bienvenu, New York! Alan Cumming opened the swank new East Village performance-based club, and everyone’s invited. Cumming teamed up with Benjamin Maisani, Darren Dryden and Daniel Nardicio for this sassy adventure. Think backstage of an actual Berlin Cabaret where anything goes. Drag Race viewing parties, Drink & Draw, knitting (yes, knitting), and Cabaret (of course!) 505 E. 6th St. between Aves. A and B, NYC 212-777-2555. clubcummingnyc.com

THE COCK

Longtime late-night haven for naughty go-go boys and those in search of debauched shenanigans. Late nights are the infamous and the ever-popular Monday nights culls an elite yet shameless crowd of naughty boys and nightlife glitterati. 29 Second Ave. between First and Second Sts., NYC. thecockbar.com

NOWHERE

Ultra-mellow East Villager with distressed rustic décor, a pool table and what may be the smallest back room ever. 322 E. 14th St. between First and Second Aves., NYC 212-477-4744. nowherebarnyc.com

PHOENIX

The typically crowded Phoenix holds video games, a pool table, a jukebox, and a diverse crowd in an exposed-brick space as uncomplicated as its vibe. Daily Happy Hour runs from 4-8 and Saturday nights Wrecked party brings all kinds of cute boys (& Queens) to the East Village. 447 E. 13th St. at Ave. A., NYC 212-477-9979. phoenixbarnyc.com

HELL’S KITCHEN/MIDTOWN WEST

ATLAS SOCIAL CLUB

Josh Wood, Benjamin Maisani, Pablo Raimondi, and Asi Mazar hit a home run with the starry opening of the Hell’s Kitchen hotspot. When celebs like Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, and Cher start making cameos the neighborhood definitely takes a closer look. 753 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st Sts., NYC 212-262-8527.

FAIRYTAIL LOUNGE

Glittery centaurs and other enchanted-forest motifs distinguish this cozy lounge in way-west H.K. Theme parties, specialty cocktails and guest DJs add interest. 500 W. 48th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-648-3897

FLAMING SADDLES

When they’re not mixing up vodka sodas in glass steins, bartenders jump up on the bar to do choreographed boot-scootin’ to Achy Breaky-type tunes at this one-of-a-kind Hell’s Kitchen tavern. Red saloon décor and a small selection of down-home nibbles add to the authentic Western feel – call it Coyote Pretty. 793 Ninth Ave. at 53rd St., NYC 212-713-0481. flamingsaddles.com/nyc

HARDWARE

Cheap drinks are poured at the front bar and fun tunes are spun for the rear dance floor at this easy-breezy neighborhood haunt. In the summer, a garage door swings up, letting the scene spill onto the street. When DJs aren’t doing their thing, live performers like Shequida, Lagoona Bloo, Brita Filter, Boudoir Lefleur & Kimmi Moore hit the stage. Opens at noon daily. 697 Tenth Ave between 47th and 48th Sts., NYC 212-924-9885. hardware-bar.com

HUSH

Missing Therapy? Hush! There’s a naughty new bar in town and there’s never been a better time to check it out. Well, if you stop by before 9:00 p.m. you can get $3 off all drinks. The space is cute, hennies. We’ll see you on the dancefloor. 348 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves. NYC hushhk.com

INDUSTRY

The owners of Barracuda and Elmo opened this capacious venue features couch-filled nooks, a game room with a pool table and an industrial design that’s a nod to its parking-garage past. Holly Dae, Egypt, Pixie Aventura, and Kizha Carr shake things up on a weekly basis at this popular hotspot. 355 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 646-476-2747. industry-bar.com

THE Q NYC

Alan Picus and Frankie Sharp joined forces with Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Carver, and Jake Shears to open one of the most epic nightlife spaces in NYC. Think four floors right smack in one of the biggest gayborhoods in the world. Pop in any night of the week and dance you’re a** off. 795 8th Ave. between 48th and 49th Sts., NYC theqnyc.com

RISE BAR

Kings of NYC nightlife royalty joined forces for a tres fabuleux yet unpretentious Hell’s Kitchen watering hole right in the middle of everything. Dance all night every Friday and Saturday, you deserve a little R&R, don’t you? 859 9th Avenue., NYC 646-892-3313. risebarnyc.com

THE RITZ BAR & LOUNGE

This upscale boy boîte boasts plenty of places to perch on multiple levels inside and outside — although the kickin’ sound system makes it hard to settle down. 369 W. 46th St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-333-2554.

THE SPOT

Happy Hour happens every day until 9:00 p.m. at The Spot. Pop in for weekly parties and catch local nightlife celebs like Ariana Trenta, Brenda Dharling, Pissi Myles, and more. Looking for Drag Brunch? Look no further! Seating happens at 12:15 and 2:30 every Sunday. Bring your dollars! 599 10th Avenue, NYC thespotbarnyc.com

EAST SIDE

THE TOOL BOX

This two-level dive bar hosts dance parties with a DJ and cute go-go boys on Friday and Saturday nights on the main floor, while the downstairs is a cozier lounge. 1742 Second Ave., between 90th and 91st Sts., NYC 212348-1288. thetoolboxnyc.com

THE TOWNHOUSE

Two levels of mature gents and their younger fans humming along to dance tracks and swaying to songs from Chicago and everything in the Jerry Herman oeuvre. 236 E. 58th St. between Second and Third Aves., NYC 212-754-4649.

UNCLE CHARLIE’S

This effervescent lounge, tucked on top of an unassuming store on a quiet block, boasts a patio and piano room, which hosts live entertainment. 139 E. 45th St. between Third and Lexington Aves., NYC 212-661-9097. unclecharliesnyc.com

UPPER WEST SIDE

SUITE

This adorable lounge attracts Columbia gays with their leopard-print lamps, cozy leather banquettes and the occasional drag star entertaining on the small stage. 992 Amsterdam Ave. between 109th and 110th Sts., NYC 212-222-4600. suitenyc.com

UPTOWN

ALIBI LOUNGE

This popular Harlem bar & lounge is a great spot for after work. Everybody need an alibi, right? Choose from their selection of specialty cocktails and order a little nibble, while you’re at it. 2376 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. at 139th St., NYC 917-472-7789.

WEST VILLAGE

CUBBYHOLE

Called home by the local lesbian crowd (though a few boys are usually thrown in for good measure), this small, unpretentious West Village bar features a capricious décor that’s heavy on the fish. 281 W. 12th St. at Fourth St., NYC 212-243-9041. cubbyholebar.com

THE DUPLEX

The Duplex is the city’s oldest continuing cabaret/piano bar. Downstairs, the staff performs in between bouts of serving. Upstairs is a more traditional boy bar and an intimate room that books cabaret acts. 61 Christopher St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-255-5438. theduplex.com

THE HANGAR

Neighborhood guy’s guy bar that attracts a diverse crowd grooving to classic gay tunes. 115 Christopher St. between Bleecker and Hudson Sts., NYC 212-627-2044

HENRIETTA HUDSON

Jam-packed lesbian club/lounge with a multicultural crowd that’s gay-boy friendly. 438 Hudson St. at Morton St., NYC 212-924-3347.henriettahudson.com

JULIUS’

Once the Village’s oldest continuously operating bar went gay in the 1950s, it would go on to become the city’s oldest gay bar. On a normal night, it’s a comfy place for cheap drinks, burgers, and fries, but once a month, the party Mattachine turns it into a crowded, rowdy dance affair with excellent vinyl music. 159 W. 10th St. at Waverly Pl., NYC 212-243-1928. juliusbarny.com

MARIE’S CRISIS

Old-school sing-alongs are on tap at this long-running piano bar. There’s no fuss and no frills at this late-night theater queen hot spot. Stop in and “sing out, Louise!” 59 Grove St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-243-9323. mariescrisis.us

THE MONSTER

A Sheridan Square stalwart where fabulous guys and dolls sing along to their show tunes upstairs while legendary DJs play to the fun crowd downstairs. 80 Grove St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-924-3558 Open Mon-Fri, 4pm-4am; Sat & Sun, 2pm-4am.

PIECES

You’ll either be singing to retro dance tracks or laughing at the antics of drag queens at this longtime West Villager. Ms. Vodka Stinger’s B-Movie Mondays are always worth a stop. Show starts at 8:30 sharp. 8 Christopher St. at Sixth Ave., NYC 212-929-9291. piecesbar.com

ROCKBAR

For boys who prefer fur over sheen, there’s this butched-up bar with a fistpumping soundtrack and cheap drinks. Things get steadily burlier and beefier as the night goes on…attend one ROCKSTRAP and you’ll be more than hooked. If you’re on GROWLr there’s a good chance your notifications will start to flutter inside. 185 Christopher St. at Weehawken St., NYC. rockbarnyc.com

STONEWALL

Daddies, faux thugs, and girls who like girls rule the roost at this two-story birthplace of gay pride. Every night of the week offers a different theme, from drag-hosted game shows to karaoke to beer blasts. 53 Christopher St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-488-2705. thestonewallinnnyc.com

TY’S

This Ye Olde Boy Bar serves a loyal and friendly Christopher Street clientele — young, old and everything in between. NYPD and Firemen especially welcome. 114 Christopher St. between Bleecker and Hudson Sts., NYC 212-741-9641. tys.nyc

OUTER BOROUGHS & BEYOND

3 DOLLAR BILL

Self-declared as “Brooklyn’s Premiere Queer Bar & Performance Venue”, 3 Dollar Bill is known for their legendary parties and literally brining all the fine boys & gurls to the yard. They are the largest queer venue in Brooklyn and ready for your visit. Go ahead & live your life at 3 Dollar Bill (but be sure to look cute!) 260 Meserole St. Brooklyn 3dollarbillbk.com

ALBATROSS

Homey Astoria bar with a pool table and jukebox. Sultry bartender/host Dean Dante heats things up with his now legendary parties where everyone has a chance to explore their fantasies. 36-19 24th Ave. at 38th St., Astoria, NYC 718-204-9045. albatrossastoria.com

C’MON EVERYBODY

Popular Brooklyn Queer space, known for great cocktails, fun parties, and hot live music shows. C’mon Everybody is a queer owned and operated bar and independent venue that was founded by the desire to amplify the underserved creative voices of the LGBTQ/QTPOC people (and allies). 325 Franklin Ave. Brooklyn cmoneverybody.com

FRIEND’S TAVERN

This bar seduces the large Latino gay community with theme nights and daily drink specials. 78-11 Roosevelt Ave. at 78th St., Jackson Heights, Queens 718-397-7256. friendstavern.net.

GOOD JUDY

Good Judy is a lounge, dance floor, piano bar, patio, and home for Queers + allies to join together in unity and solidarity. Meet your Good Judy for happy hour and plan on closing the joint! 563 5th Avenue, Brooklyn goodjudybk.com

ICON ASTORIA

Fasten your seatbelts because you’re in for an unexpected ride at this hot NYC bar nestled into the backyard of Astoria. Beefcake dancers and NYC nightlife legends flock to this unassuming watering hole for great beats, impressive drag performances, and all-around friendly faces. 31-84 33rd Street., Astoria, NY 347-808-7592. iconastoria.com

GINGER’S

Especially popular with lesbians, this long and dark bar has a popular jukebox and an outdoor garden. 363 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn 718788-0924

METROPOLITAN

This B-burg bar is comfy and cozy with a fireplace, jukebox, and a sprawling warm-weather patio. 559 Lorimer St. at Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn NYC 718-599-4444. metropolitanbarny.com

MUSIC BOX

Fun neighborhood bar great if you’re in Jackson Heights and looking for a pint or a little fun. 40-08 74th St. at Roosevelt Ave. 718-457-5306

THE ROSEMONT NYC

Sexy mixed Williamsburg cocktail bar with a great happy hour and fun weekly entertainment. Looking for Mr. Right, Mr. Right for tonight or just a fun gurls night out? They’ve got you covered. 63 Montrose Ave., Brooklyn, NYC 347-987-3101. therosemontnyc.com

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTING

Dikman, Bernard L , C P A

37 W 20th St, Ste 703, NYC 212 929-4299

Woloshen, Robert A CPA

29 W 15th St, Ste 1

NYC 212 843-3486

www rawcpa com

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture-NYC

80 Fifth Ave, Ste 906

NYC 212 874-0898

www acupuncture-nyc com

ADOPTION SERVICES

Friends in Adoption

NYC 800 982-3678

www friendsinadoption org

AESTHETIC SERVICES

Advanced Dermatology Associates

200 Central Park South #107

NYC ........................................... 212 262-2500 NYC 212 246-0800

www.adv-derm.com

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

113 E 39th St, NYC 646 374-2410

www try lexingtonplasticsurgeons com/metrosource

Sexual Health Men

290 Madison Ave 6th Fl NYC 973 493-7607

www sexualhealthmen com

Stoller, Roy B , D O 515 Madison Ave, Ste 1205

NYC 212 920-4499

www hairdoctornyc com

ALLERGIES

Aziz, Michael, M D , FRSM

Midtown Integrative Medicine

509 Madison Ave @ 53rd St, Ste 1111 NYC 212 906-9111

www michaelazizmd com

ARCHITECTURE

David Stern Architecture

www davidsternarchitecture com

Torre, Martin B RA AIA Architecture + Planning PLLC

605 E 14th St, #8

NYC 646 257-9081

ATTORNEYS

Bing, Steven E

276 5th Ave, Ste 1008

NYC 212 286-1666

Chianese & Reilly Law, P C

122 E 42nd St, Ste 3900

NYC 212 953-6447

100 Merrick Rd, Ste 103E Rockville Centre, NY 516 599-2020

www awclawyer com

Chou, Luna, Esq

NYC

www lunachoulaw com

Goldman, Jeffrey E , Esq

501 Fifth Ave #1900

NYC

NYC

www jgoldmanlaw com

212 226-2610

212 983-8999

212 949-5085

Law Offices of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC

44 Wall St, 12th Fl

NYC

www sciaccalaw com

Long & Associates

NYC

www landapllc com

212 495-0317

212 360-0394

Parker | Waichman LLP 6 Harbor Park Dr Nationwide 800 JUST-CALL www yourlawyer com

Tesler, Richard, Esq 41 W 72nd St NYC 212 362-6961

CATERING

Li-Lac Chocolates

West Village: 40 8th Ave, NYC

Greenwich Village: 162 Bleecker St, NYC

Grand Central: 43rd & Lexington, NYC

Chelsea Market: 75 Ninth Ave, NYC

Industry City: 68 35th St, Brooklyn NYC 212 924-2280

www li-lacchocolates com

Paul Evans Catering 20 W 20th St NYC

NYC

www paulevanscatering com

CLOTHING

212 321-1822

212 243-4494

Dave’s New York 581 Ave of the Americas, NYC Toll Free 800 543-8558 www davesnewyork com

Jackson Boutique www jacksonboutiquenyc com

CONTRACTORS/CONSTRUCTION

ABS Design & Construction

NYC

www abs-construction-nyc com

212 731-0642

COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY

Angers, Marc E , M A Oxon, L C S W /L P Licensed Psychoanalyst, NCPsyA NYC 917 678-7929

Barneson, Jeff, LCSW 119 Washington Place NYC 212 252-2314

www jeffbarneson com

Blatter, Andrew, LCSW NYC 917 442-5213 www andrewblatter com

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY – DENTISTS

Bloom Psychotherapy NYC 19 W 34th St, PH

NYC 347 921-0431 www nycbloomtherapy com

Campbell, Robert D , LCSW Psychotherapy for Individuals & Couples NYC 646 783-8155 www robertdcampbell com

Davies, Ann Conant, M S W , L C S W 740 West End Ave, Ste 1 Cell 917 923-2257

Dicker, Phyllis D , L C S W , A C S W , B C D NYC 718 855-5171

Factor, Rhonda J , PhD 85 5th Ave, Ste 912 NYC 347 834-6057 www rhondafactorphd com

Jarratt, Kent, L C S W 19 W 34th St, NYC 212 947-7111, ext 119 Oceanport, NJ 917 686-6179 www kentjarratt com

Johnson, Thomas E , L C S W Chelsea 212 645-3952

Kingan, Peter L , Ph D 99 University Pl, 4th Fl NYC 917 428-2431

Koetting, Michael E , L C S W

NYC 212 741-2606 www koettingpsychotherapy com

McFadden, Stephen, LCSW SEP 435 W 23rd St

NYC 212 627-8419 www smcfadden com

Nelson, Joshua, Ph D 71 W 23rd St, Ste 1115

NYC 646 512-0043 www jnelsonphd com

Rayhill, Daniel, Ph D 276 Fifth Ave #1101

NYC 212 683-2454

Ross, Steven, LSCW Union Square 917 406-7900 www stevenrosstherapy com

Schuetz, Volker, PsyD 1133 Broadway #913

NYC 212 470-9024 www nychangemanagement com

Schwartz, Alan, M D , Psychiatrist West Village/Chelsea

NYC 212 727-0923

Tallent, Marc, Ph D 51 Fifth Ave

NYC

212 645-5795 http://therapists psychologytoday com/rms/33692

COUNSELING/SUBURBAN

Kingan, Peter L , Ph D 31 Oak St Patchogue, NY 631 447-6425

DATING SERVICES

SEE ALSO INTRODUCTION SERVICES

ManMate NYC

212 564-4025 www manmate com

ManMate Dinners For 8 NYC 212 564-4025 www manmate com

Wheaton, Grant

DENTISTS

Babushkin, Howard, D D S , L

C 525 West End Ave #1G, NYC 212 874-2880 www manhattanoasisdentistry com

Cassidy, J R , D D S West 10th Dental P C 45 W 10th St NYC

212 982-5883 www west10thdental com

De Bonis, William B , D D S World Wide Plaza Dental Associates 370 W 50th St NYC

212 333-2650 www wwpdental com

Lew, Spencer, D D S

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

30 E 40th St #706 NYC 212 286-1717

www nycdental com

LuxDen Dental Center

2579 E 17th St, Ste 11 Brooklyn 718 382-3444

www luxden com

Rosa, John D , D D S , P C

40 Newport Parkway, Ste P-1 Jersey City, NJ 201 626-2700

Sengos, Demetrios, D D S West 10th Dental P C 45 W 10th St NYC 212 982-5883

www west10thdental com

DENTISTS/PERIODONTISTS

Bizzell, Steven J , D M D , D A B P 50-02 5th St Ste B, Long Island City 718 530-6539

www licdentalassociates com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St NYC 212 257-0007

www omniaestheticmd com

DENTISTS/SUBURBAN

Rosa, John D , D D S , P C

40 Newport Parkway, Ste P-1 Jersey City, NJ 201 626-2700 Dermatology

Advanced Dermatology Associates

200 Central Park South #107

NYC ........................................... 212 262-2500 NYC 212 246-0800 www.adv-derm.com (SEE AD IN THIS ISSUE)

Arora, Navin, DO, FAAD Arora Dermatology 115 Broadway, Ste 1800 NYC 212 244-1252 www aroraderm com

Goldman, Barry D , M D

150 Broadway #111 NYC 212 962-1115

Juva Skin & Laser Center

60 E 56th St #2

NYC 212 421-9501

www juvaskin com

Lumos Dermatology

Peter Chien, MD, PhD

37 E 28th St, Ste 304

NYC 646 820-1716

www lumosdermatology com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St

NYC

www omniaestheticmd com

EMPLOYMENT

212 257-0007

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)

1700 Stadium Way

LA 213 847-LAFD

www joinlafd org

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)

700 E Temple St, B-38

LA 866 444-LAPD

www joinlapd com

EVENT PLANNING & EVENT SPACE/RENTALS

SEE ALSO CATERING, WEDDING SERVICES

Elite Private Yachts

NYC 866 862-7245

www eliteprivateyachts com

www entertainmentcruises com/new-york

Hornblower Cruises & Events

Pier 40, NYC 646 832-2805

www hornblowerny com/metrosource

Houston Hall

222 W Houston St

NYC 212 582-2057

Patina Events - Brooklyn Botanic Garden Brooklyn 718 307-7133

www patinaevents com

The Riverside Church

490 Riverside Dr NYC 212 870-6762

www trcnyc com

Yachts for All Seasons

NYC 212 534-6380 Cell 917 864-7670

www y4as com

EVENT SERVICES

Big Apple Event Audio Visual 519 8th Ave, Ste 815

NYC 212 518-3175

www avnycrentals com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Ameriprise Financial Services

Lance R Kash, Financial Advisor, CFP® 122 E 42nd St #2215 NYC 646 964-9400

Law Offices of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC 44 Wall St, 12th Fl, NYC 212 495-0317

www sciaccalaw com

New York Life/NYLIFE Securities

Marlon J Altoe

420 Lexington Ave, 15th Fl

NYC 646 227-8605

Cell 646 761-4372

www newyorklife com/agent/maltoe

Peloso-Barnes, Julia A , CFP, CPM, CRPC Purchase, NY 914 225-6391

www advisor morganstanley com/the-pelosobarnes-group

FITNESS/GYMS/PERSONAL TRAINERS

Mercedes Club 550 W 54th St NYC 212 265-1111

www themercedesclub com

FLORISTS

la Fleur d’Harlem

203 W 144th St NYC 646 850-5973

www lafleurnyc com

FRAMING

14th Street Framing Gallery

225 W 14th St NYC

GIFTS

Li-Lac Chocolates

West Village: 40 8th Ave, NYC

212 691-8156

Greenwich Village: 162 Bleecker St, NYC

Grand Central: 43rd & Lexington, NYC

Chelsea Market: 75 Ninth Ave, NYC

Industry City: 68 35th St, Brooklyn NYC 212 924-2280

www li-lacchocolates com

GUEST HOUSES/B&B’S

Chelsea Pines Inn 317 W 14th St NYC

212 929-1023

Colonial House Inn 318 W 22nd St NYC 212 243-9669

Incentra Village House 32 8th Ave @ W 12th St NYC 212 206-0007

www incentravillage com

MisterBandB

www misterbandb com

HAIR REMOVAL

Advanced Dermatology Associates

200 Central Park South #107

NYC

212 262-2500

NYC 212 246-0800

www adv-derm com

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

HAIR REMOVAL – PHARMACIES/DRUGS

Brisk N Posh

132 Crosby St, Ste 8E NYC 212 433-4477 www brisknposh com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St NYC 212 257-0007 www omniaestheticmd com

HAIR REPLACEMENT/REPLICATION

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St NYC 212 257-0007

www omniaestheticmd com

Stoller, Roy B , D O 515 Madison Ave, Ste 1205 NYC 212 920-4499 www hairdoctornyc com

HOTELS

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Atlantic City, NJ 609 317-1000 www outatborgata com

Foxwoods Resort & Casino www foxwoods com

The Graham & Co Phoenicia, NY 845 688-7871 www thegrahamandco com

Holiday Inn Manhattan 6th Ave - Chelsea 125 W 26th St NYC 212 430-8500 www hi-nyc com

Hotel Hayden 127 W 28th St NYC 844 423-6004 www hotelhaydennyc com

Hotel Henri 37 W 24th St NYC 844 277-9123 www hotelhenrinyc com

Opus Hotel Vancouver 322 Davie St, Vancouver, BC Canada 604 642-6787 www opushotel com

Sandman Suites on Davie 1160 Davie St Vancouver, BC Canada 604 681-7263 www sandmanhotels com

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel 1088 Burrard St Vancouver, BC Canada 604 331-1000 www sheratonvancouver com

Sunset Marquis

1200 Alta Loma Rd

West Hollywood CA 800 858-9758 www sunsetmarquis com

VIVE Hotel Waikiki 2426 Kuhio Ave Honolulu, Hawaii 808 687-2000 www vivehotelwaikiki com

INSURANCE

HealthSherpa Toll Free 844 346-9476 www metrosource healthsherpa com

INTRODUCTION SERVICES

SEE ALSO DATING SERVICES

ManMate NYC 212 564-4025 www manmate com

LASER VISION CORRECTION

SEE ALSO OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

Coad, Christopher T , M D , F A C S

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St

NYC 212 220-0066 www chelseaeyeophthalmology com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St

NYC 212 257-0007 www omniaestheticmd com

LIPOSUCTION

Marfuggi, Richard M D , D M H, F A C S 50 E 69th St, NYC 212 317-1188 Denville, NJ 973 377-8950 www askdrm com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S 5 W 19th St, NYC 212 257-0007 www omniaestheticmd com

MARKETING SERVICES

Brand2Fly San Jose 408 763-7924 www brand2fly com

GayVan com Travel Marketing www gayvan com

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

Coad, Christopher T , M D , F A C S

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St

NYC 212 220-0066

www chelseaeyeophthalmology com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S 5 W 19th St

NYC

212 257-0007 www omniaestheticmd com

OPTOMETRISTS

Coad, Christopher T , M D , F A C S

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St, NYC

212 220-0066 www chelseaeyeophthalmology com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S 5 W 19th St NYC

212 257-0007 www omniaestheticmd com

West Village Eyecare Associates 10 Sheridan Square NYC 212 242-6592 www eyecarenyc com

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Samuelson, Stefan T , MD 44 E 12th St, Ste MD1 NYC 212 993-8573 NYC 212 594-1600

PERIODONTISTS

Bizzell, Steven J , D M D , D A B P

Periodontist 50-02 5th St Ste B Long Island City 718-530-6539 www licdentalassociates com

PET SUPPLIES

Nulo Pet Foods nulo com/love

PHARMACIES/DRUGS

Ansonia Pharmacy 446 6th Ave NYC

212 477-0762 www ansoniapharmacy com

Apthorp Pharmacy 2201 Broadway, NYC 212 877-3480

Arrow Pharmacy 883 Ninth Ave NYC 212 245-8469 www arrowpharmacy com

Avalon Chemists 7 2nd Ave, NYC 212 260-3131

Bigelow Chemists 414 Sixth Ave, NYC 212 533-2700

Chelsea Specialty Pharmacy 171 Seventh Ave NYC

212 255-9900

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

PHARMACIES/DRUGS (CONTINUED) – PLASTIC SURGERY

CVS Specialty

126 8th Ave

NYC ........................................... 212 807-8798

(SEE AD IN THIS ISSUE)

Mayfair Chemists

21 Seventh Ave, NYC 212 242-1444

New London Pharmacy

246 Eighth Ave, NYC 212 243-4987

New York Chemists

77 Christopher St, NYC 212 255-2525 www newyorkchemists com

Thompson Chemists & Thompson Alchemists

137 Thompson St 449 West Broadway

NYC 212 598-9790

www thompsonchemists com

Village Apothecary

346 Bleecker St

NYC ........................................... 212 807-7566

www.villageapothecary.com (SEE AD IN THIS ISSUE)

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Galán, Antonio, PT, DPT, MBA, CHC

RestoreRehab Physical Therapy

664 10th Ave

NYC 212 245-5259

www restorerehabpt com

Symbio Physio Therapy

214 W 29th St, Ste 901

NYC 917 338-6268 www symbiopt com

PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES

Advanced Dermatology Associates

200 Central Park South #107

NYC 212 262-2500 NYC 212 246-0800 www adv-derm com

Amida Care

NYC 855 462-6432

www amidacareny org

Astor Medical Group

67 Irving Place, 5th Fl @ E 18th St

NYC 212 253-2968

www astormedical com

Central Park Medical Associates

200 Central Park South #107

NYC 212 262-2500

NYC 212 246-0800

www.centralparkmedicalassociates.com

Coad, Christopher T , M D , F A C S

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology

157 W 19th St

NYC 212 220-0066

Dillon, Stephen, M D

Int Med , Inf Dis

314 W 14th St

NYC

212 620-0144

Dormer, Anita L , M D , F A C C P

22 E 72nd St, 5th Fl

NYC

Fonville, T W , Int Med

29 Fifth Ave @ 10th St

NYC

Goldberg, Edward S , M D

Int Med , Gastr

121 E 60th St, 3rd Fl

NYC

Hsu, Ricky K , M D

154 W 14th St, 4th Fl

NYC

Icochea, Rosendo S , M D

117 E 18th St

NYC

Jaeger, Lawrence D , D O

200 Central Park South #107

NYC

NYC

www adv-derm com

Jarratt, Kent, L C S W

19 W 34th St, Penthouse Ste

212 535-5905

212 674-1020

212 980-8800

212 627-7560

212 387-9199

212 246-0800

212 262-2500

Midtown Integrative Medicine

Aziz, Michael, M D , FRSM

509 Madison Ave @ 53rd St, Ste 1111

NYC 212 906-9111

www michaelazizmd com

Namdar, Isaac, M D

Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist

425 W 59th St

NYC

1090 Amsterdam Ave

NYC

www newyorkentspecialist com

212 262-4444

212 663-2210

www namdarmd com

NYC 212 947-7111, ext 119 Oceanport, NJ 917 686-6179

www kentjarratt com

Leach, Eric G , N P

154 W 14th St, 4th Fl, NYC 212 627-7560

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

113 E 39th St

NYC 646 374-2410 www try lexingtonplasticsurgeons com/ metrosource

Mandell, William, M D

Infectious Diseases

31 Washington Sq West

NYC

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St, NYC

www omniaestheticmd com

212 257-0007

Pearl, Alan, M D , Psychiatrist 135 W 70th St, NYC 212 724-5188

Samuelson, Stefan T , MD

44 E 12th St, Ste MD1

NYC 212 993-8573

NYC 212 594-1600

PLASTIC SURGERY

212 475-8833

Marfuggi, Richard A , M D , D M H , F A C S

50 E 69th St

NYC

212 317-1188 Denville, NJ 973 377-8950 www askdrm com

Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health

Maze Men’s Health

Maze Women’s Health

Maze Labs

Maze Cord Blood

633 Third Ave, Ste 9B

NYC 646 585-8980

www.mazehealth.com

Dr WW Med Spa and Laser Clinic 85-16 Queens Blvd, 2F, Elmhurst, NY 139 Centre St #224, NYC 718 457-0707

www drwwmedspa com

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

113 E 39th St

NYC 646 374-2410

www try lexingtonplasticsurgeons com/ metrosource

Marfuggi, Richard A , M D , D M H

F A C S

50 E 69th St

NYC

212 317-1188

Denville NJ 973 377-8950

www askdrm com

www chelseaeyeophthalmology com

(SEE AD IN THIS ISSUE)

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

PLASTIC SURGERY (CONTINUED) – RETAIL

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M D , F A C S

5 W 19th St, NYC 212 257-0007

www omniaestheticmd com

Sexual Health Men

290 Madison Ave 6th Fl, NYC 973 493-7607

www sexualhealthmen com

Skintology

Cosmetical Aesthetics

157 E 57th St, NYC 181 7th Ave, NYC 212 989-6555

www skintologyny com

PODIATRISTS

Ciment, Ethan J , D P M

Collins, Michael, D P M

Chelsea Foot & Ankle Center

37 W 20th St, Ste 308, NYC 646 929-4149

www chelseafootandankle com

REAL ESTATE

Bonavita, David Compass NYC 212 501-8281

www davidbonavita com

Chroughan, Judy

Julie B Fee Sotherby’s 49 Purchase St Rye, NY 914 262-5323

Coldwell Bank Residential Brokerage

JC Waterfront – Team Francesco

Robert G Harris

1 2nd St, Ste 1 & 4

Jersey City, NJ 201 604-4200 Cell 646 334-0559

Enzo Morabito Team

Douglas Elliman Real Estate Bridgehampton 631 537-6519 Cell 516 695-3433 www theenzomorabitoteam elliman com

Hendler, Lisa E

Berkshire Hathaway Blake Realtors Kinderhook, NY 518 929-4519

McGrotty, Amy, JD

Castelli Luxury Real Estate Services Fort Lauderdale, FL 954 347-1732

www amy castellihomes com

Powell, DeWayne A

Town Residential

NYC 917 748-5100

www townresidential com

Prince, Keith A

Brown Harris Stevens

NYC 917 826-3451

www brownharrisstevens com

TF Cornerstone

www tfc com

Wright, Daniel Compass NYC 917 304-4270

REAL ESTATE/SUBURBAN

Habeeb-Clark, Deborah Keller Williams Hudson Valley, NY 845 800-5413

Perasso, Matt

Prominent Properties/Sotheby’s

International Realty 2 Main St, Edgewater, NJ 201 840-8898 Cell 917 834-0454

www goldcoastcribs com

RETAIL

Eva’s Supplements 11 W 8th St (bet 5th & 6th Aves) NYC 212 982-2500

www evassupplements com

• Contactless delivery at no extra cost or pick up at

*Where allowed by law. In-store pick up is currently not available in Oklahoma. Puerto Rico requires first-fill prescriptions to be transmitted directly to the dispensing specialty pharmacy. Products are dispensed by CVS Specialty and certain services are only accessed by calling CVS Specialty directly. Certain specialty medication may not qualify. Services are also available at Long’s Drugs locations. ©2020 ProCare Pharmacy, L.L.C. and affiliates. 75-53590A 121820

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

SCHOOLS

Brooklyn Heights Montessori School

185 Court St, Brooklyn 718 858-5100

www bhmsny org

Rudolf Steiner School 15 E 79th St NYC 212 535-2130

www steiner edu

SPA/SALON SERVICES

Brisk N Posh

132 Crosby St, Ste 8E

NYC ........................................... 212 433-4477

www.brisknposh.com (SEE AD THIS ISSUE)

TRAVEL

Bucks County Pennsylvania www visitbuckscounty com

Kennedy Travel

130 W 42nd St #401 NYC 212 398-0999

Toll Free 800 237-7433

www kennedytravel com

Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce 36 Main St

Ogunquit, ME 207 646-2939

www visitogunquit org

Sullivan Catskills Catskills, NY 800 882-CATS

www sullivancatskills com

TRAVEL/GETAWAYS

Foxwoods Resort & Casino

www foxwoods com

Visit Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA 215 599-0776

www visitphilly com

WEDDING SERVICES

Bespoke Matchmaking 1180 Avenue of the Americas, 8th Fl NYC 888 422-6464

www bespokematchmaking com

Elite Private Yachts

NYC 866 862-7245

www eliteprivateyachts com

www entertainmentcruises com/new-york

Feinstein’s/54 Below

254 W 54th St, Cellar

NYC 212 302-5559 x114

www 54below com

Gatherings Floral Design

www gatheringsfloraldesign com

Hornblower Cruises & Events

Pier 40, NYC 646 832-2805

www hornblowerny com/metrosource

Houston Hall

222 W Houston St, NYC 212 582-2057

Li-Lac Chocolates

West Village: 40 8th Ave, NYC

Greenwich Village: 162 Bleecker St, NYC

Grand Central: 43rd & Lexington, NYC

Chelsea Market: 75 Ninth Ave, NYC

Industry City: 68 35th St, Brooklyn

NYC 212 924-2280

www li-lacchocolates com

Make My Cake

NYC

www makemycake com

Manhattan Penthouse

NYC

www manhattanpenthouse com

212 234-2344

212 627-8838

New York Zoos and Aquarium NYC 718 741-3836

www nyzooevents com

Oheka Castle

135 West Gate Dr Huntington, NY 631 659-1400

www oheka com

Our Wedding Officiant NYC

Peter Boruchowitz

NYC 917 523-1438

www nyc-gay-weddings com

Patina Events - Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Brooklyn 718 307-7133

www patinaevents com

Paul Evans Catering

20 W 20th St

NYC

NYC

www paulevanscatering com

The Riverside Church

490 Riverside Dr NYC

www trcnyc com

Yachts for All Seasons NYC

212 321-1822

212 243-4494

212 870-6762

212 534-6380 Cell 917 864-7670

www y4as com

WILLS

Law Offices of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC

44 Wall St, 12th Fl

NYC

www sciaccalaw com

WINE & SPIRITS

Cork Wines & Spirits

1450 Washington St

Hoboken NJ

www corkwines net

212 495-0317

201 942-9964

NEW YORK DIRECTORY

FIRE ISLAND PINES – CHERRY GROVE BARS

Blue Whale Pines 631 597-6500

www bluewhalefireisland com

Cherry’s

Cherry Grove 631 597-6820

Cultured Elephant Pines 631 597-6500 www thepinesfireisland com

Harbor Club Pines 631 597-6500

www thepinesfireisland com

Sip n Twirl

36 Fire Island Boulevard Pines 631 597-3599

The Pavilion Pines 631 597-6500

www pavilionfireisland com

CLOTHING/GIFTS

Gostoso Pines 646 262-1910

Summer Solstice Harbor Walk Pines 631 597-4200

CONTRACTING

Walter Boss, Custom Builder Pines 631 597-6262

Pines and Pools Pines 631 597-6262

Pines Propane Pines 631 597-9191

GROCERIES

Grove Market Main Walk Cherry Grove 631 597-6239

The Pines Pantry Harbor Walk Pines 631 597-6200

GUEST HOUSES/HOTELS

Belvedere Guest House Bay View Walk, Cherry Grove 631 597-6448

www belvederefireisland com

Carousel Guesthouse

185 Holly Walk Cherry Grove 631 597-6612

Cherry Grove Beach Hotel Cherry Grove 631 597-6600

Dune Point Cherry Grove 631 597-6261

Horizon Beach House

Cherry Grove 631 597-6278

NYC 212 689-2699

www horizonbeachhouse com

SeaBreeze Rentals Cherry Grove 917 763-9029

GYM

Steel Gym Pines

www steelgym com

HARDWARE

Pines Hardware & Sundries Bay Walk Pines 631 597-6237

LANDSCAPING/FLORAL

Beachscapes Pines 631 597-3746

LIQUORS/WINES

The Pines Liquor Shop Harbor Walk Pines 631 597-6442

POOL MAINTENANCE

Dependable Pools Pines 631 597-7748

REAL ESTATE

A Summer Place

Main & Bayview Cherry Grove 631 597-6140

D Katen Fire Island Properties, LTD Pines 631 597-7000

www fireislandpines com

Pines Harbor Realty 36 Fire Island Blvd Pines 631 597-7575

RESTAURANTS

Blue Whale Pines 631 597-6500 www bluewhalefireisland com

Cultured Elephant Pines 631 597-6500 www thepinesfireisland com

Grove Pizza & Restaurant Cherry Grove 631 597-6766

Pines Bistro & Pizza Pines 631 597-3597

TRANSPORTATION

Sayville Ferry River Rd NYC 631 589-0810

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

ATHLETIC

ATHLETIC

BIG APPLE SOFTBALL LEAGUE 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10011 212 696-7482

BIG APPLE SOFTBALL LEAGUE 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10011 212 696-7482

CHEER NY CHEERLEADING Felipe Hernandez 888 671-7312 www.cheerny.org

CHEER NY CHEERLEADING Felipe Hernandez 888 671-7312 www.cheerny.org

NORTH JERSEY G&L BOWLERS Belle Aire Lanes West Caldwell, NJ 201 823-2250

NORTH JERSEY G&L BOWLERS Belle Aire Lanes West Caldwell, NJ 201 823-2250

NY GAY POOL LEAGUE PO Box 1502 Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 496-4585

NY GAY POOL LEAGUE

PO Box 1502 Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 496-4585

NY RAMBLER’S SOCCER CLUB, INC. 917 767-9789 www.nyramblers.com

NY RAMBLER’S SOCCER CLUB, INC. 917 767-9789 www.nyramblers.com

CITY CRUISERS MC Old Chelsea Station PO Box 1614 New York, NY 10011 www.citycruisers.com

CITY CRUISERS MC Old Chelsea Station PO Box 1614 New York, NY 10011 www.citycruisers.com (gay men’s motorcycle club)

EZRYDERS SNOWBOARDING 445 W 46th St #4D New York, NY 10036 www.ezryders@ondbdx.com

EZRYDERS SNOWBOARDING 445 W 46th St #4D New York, NY 10036 www.ezryders@ondbdx.com

FAST AND FABULOUS CYCLING

NYC GAY BASKETBALL LEAGUE www.nycgaybasketball.org

NYC GAY BASKETBALL LEAGUE www.nycgaybasketball.org

OUT OF BOUNDS NYC & TEAM NEW YORK PO Box 372, Times Sq Station New York, NY 10108 www.oobnyc.org

OUT OF BOUNDS NYC & TEAM NEW YORK PO Box 372, Times Sq Station New York, NY 10108 www.oobnyc.org

P.O. Box 23008, Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 567-7160

FAST AND FABULOUS CYCLING P.O. Box 23008, Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 567-7160

FRONT RUNNERS NY P.O. Box 87 Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 799-8781 www.frny.org

FRONT RUNNERS NY P.O. Box 87 Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 799-8781 www.frny.org

GARDEN STATE GAY BOWLING LEAGUE www.gsgbo.com

GARDEN STATE GAY BOWLING LEAGUE www.gsgbo.com

GOTHAM VOLLEYBALL P.O. Box 961 New York, NY 10034 212 388-8208 info@gothamvolleyball.org

GOTHAM VOLLEYBALL P.O. Box 961 New York, NY 10034 212 388-8208 info@gothamvolleyball.org

KNIGHTS WRESTLING CLUB P.O. Box 720161 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718 815-3244

KNIGHTS WRESTLING CLUB

P.O. Box 720161 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718 815-3244

LONG ISLAND RAVENS MC CLUB c/o Long Island Eagle 94 Clinton Ave Bayshore, NY 11706 631 968-2750 www.liravensmc.org

LONG ISLAND RAVENS MC CLUB c/o Long Island Eagle 94 Clinton Ave Bayshore, NY 11706 631 968-2750 www.liravensmc.org

MONDAY NIGHT FOURPLAY BOWLING LEAGUE Syosset Bowl 631 842-5166

MONDAY NIGHT FOURPLAY BOWLING LEAGUE Syosset Bowl 631 842-5166

PINK PONG NY Sunnyside, Queens 718 623-2926 www.pinkpongfoundation.org

PINK PONG NY Sunnyside, Queens 718 623-2926 www.pinkpongfoundation.org

SUN/MON/TUE NIGHT TEAMS c/o Chelsea Piers AMF Bowl Pier 60, New York, NY 10011 212 835-2691

SUNDANCE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SOCIETY www.sundanceoutdoor.org sundanceoutdoor@yahoo.com

TEAM NEW YORK AQUATICS 212 691-3440 (hotline)

CULTURAL, ETHNIC & SOCIAL

APICHA 400 Broadway New York, NY 10013 212 334-6029 www.apicha.org

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

5001 Angel Canyon Rd Kanab, UT 84741 435 644-2001 www.bestfriends.org

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

BIG GAY MEN OF NEW YORK 9111 Liberty Ave #662 Ozone Park, NY 11417 631 780-2807 www.convergence.nyc

EMPIRE CITY MEN’S CHORUS P.O. Box 1017 New York, NY 10185 empirecitymenschorus.org

GAY & BI

FATHERS FORUM OF GREATER NY PO Box 1321, Midtown Sta New York, NY 10018 212 721-4216 (recording) 718 728-0476

GAY & LESBIAN

ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION (GLAAD)

150 West 26th St New York, NY 10001

212 807-1700 www.glaad.org

GAY FATHERS OF NY

245 Eighth Ave #897 New York, NY 10011 212 388-2618

GAY MEN OF

AFRICAN DESCENT

44 Court St, 10th Fl, Ste 1000 Brooklyn, NY 10201 718 222-6300 www.gmad.org

GAY MEN OF THE BRONX PO Box 511, Bronx, NY 10451 www.gmob.org

IMPERIAL

QUEENS & KINGS OF NY

70-A Greenwich Ave #120 New York, NY 10011

212 229-5900 x3655

IN OUR OWN WRITE

208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014

212 620-7310 x305 (monthly readings)

IN THE LIFE

30 West 26th St, 7th Fl New York, NY 10011

212 255-6012

JERSEY CITY LESBIAN & GAY OUTREACH (JCLGO)

113 Pavonia Ave #247 Jersey City, NJ 07302

201 333-5725

LATINOS & LATINAS DE AMBIENTE/NY (LLANY)

208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014

212 367-1092

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER

208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014

212 620-7310 www.gaycenter.org

LESBIAN & GAY NATURAL HISTORY GROUP OF NY

80 Garfield Pl Brooklyn, NY 11215

718 965-0013

LESBIAN HERSTORY ARCHIVES PO Box 1258 New York, NY 10116 718 768-3953

LESLIE-LOHMAN MUSEUM OF GAY AND LESBIAN ART 26 Wooster St New York, NY 10013 www.leslielohman.org

LIVE OUT LOUD 45 West 36th Street, 6th Fl New York, NY 10018 212 378-4095 www.liveoutloud.info

THE LOFT-LOWER HUDSON VALLEY LGBT CENTER

252 Bryant Ave White Plains, NY 10605 914 948-2932 www.loftgaycenter.org

THE L.I. GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL ORG P.O. Box 360 East Northport, NY 11731 www.liglff.org

LONG ISLAND GAY & LESBIAN YOUTH 34 Park Ave Bay Shore, NY 11706 631 665-2300 www.ligaly.org

LONG ISLAND RAVENS M.C. c/o The Long Island Eagle 94 North Clinton Ave Bay Shore, NY 11706 631 968-2750 www.liravensmc.org

MALES AU NATUREL (MAN) MEN’S NUDIST GROUP 347 704-0704 www.males.org

MEN OF ALL COLORS TOGETHER NEW YORK PO Box 1518 Ansonia Station, NY 10023

NYC GAY MEN’S CHORUS 561 Seventh Ave, Ste 803 New York, NY 10018 212 344-1777 www.nycgmc.org

NYC PRIDE

154 Christopher St, Suite 1D New York, NY 10014 212 807-7433 www.nycpride.org

PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS (P-FLAG) PO Box 553 New York, NY 10021 212 463-0629

THE POINT FOUNDATION

5757 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 370 LA, CA 90036 866 33-Point www.pointfoundation.org

PRIME TIMERS

c/o Don Hargus

208 Anderson St, Suite 8DS Hackensack, NJ 07601 201 488-4839

QUEENS L&G PRIDE COMMITTEE PO Box 580445 Flushing, NY 11358 718 460-4064

QUEENS PRIDE HOUSE

76-11 37th Ave Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718 429-5309

QUEENS RAINBOW COMMUNITY CENTER

30-74 Steinway St, 2nd Fl Astoria, NY 11105 718 204-5955

SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR GLBT ELDERS (SAGE)

305 Seventh Ave New York, NY 10001

212 741-2247 www.sageusa.org

SOUTHERNERS/L&G MEN IN NY PO Box 881 New York, NY 10008-0881

STONEWALL CHORALE

Box 920, Old Chelsea Sta New York, NY 10011 212 971-5813

STONEWALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

119 West 24th St, 7th Fl New York, NY 10011 212 367-1155 www.stonewallfoundation.org

TRI STATE LG&B STUDENT COALITION

208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014

HEALTH/ COUNSELING

AIDS CENTER OF QUEENS COUNTY

97-45 Queens Blvd #1220 Rego Park, NY 11374 718 896-2500

AIDS DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ADAP) 800 542-2437

AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

475 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, NY 11217 718 637-2970 888 AIDS-CARE www.ahfpharmacy.org

AIDS HOTLINE/NYC DEPT OF HEALTH

311 Broadway, 4th Fl New York, NY 10007

800 TALK-HIV

AIDS RELATED COMMUNITY SERVICES

2269 Saw Mill River Rd Elmsford, NY 10523 914 345-8888

AIDS SERVICE CENTER NYLIVEC

64 West 35th St New York, NY 212 645-0875 www.ascnyc.org

THE ALLIANCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

64 West 35th Street, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10001 212.645-0875 www.alliance.nyc (SEE AD PREVIOUS PAGE)

AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR AIDS RESEARCH

120 Wall St New York, NY 10005

212 806-1600

ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT

240 West 35th St, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001

212 714-1184 212 714-1141 (Hotline)

BAILEY HOLT HOUSE

180 Christopher St New York, NY 10014

212 337-3000

BAILEY HOUSE

275 Seventh Ave, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001

212 633-2500

BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER AIDS CLINICAL TRIAL UNIT DIV OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

350 East 17th St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10003

212 420-4519

BODY POSITIVE OF NY 19 Fulton St Suite 308B New York, NY 10038

212 566-7333 800 566-6599

BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS 165 West 46th St #1300 New York, NY 10036 212 840-0770

BROOKLYN AIDS TASK FORCE 465 Dean St Brooklyn, NY 11217 718 783-0883

CALLEN LORDE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

356 West 18th St New York, NY 10011 212 271-7200

CHEST (CTRHIV/AIDS EDUCATION STUDIES & TRAINING)

250 West 26th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 212 206-7919

DESIGN INDUSTRIES FOUNDATION FOR AIDS (DIFFA)

200 Lexington Ave #1016 New York, NY 10016

212 727-3100

F.E.G.S. MANHATTAN COUNSELING CENTER 80 Van Dam St New York, NY 10013 212 366-8289

FRIENDS HOUSE IN ROSEHILL PMB#248 50 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10010 212 995-5000 www.friendshousenyc.org

GAY MEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT 44 Court St, 10th Fl, Ste 1000 Brooklyn, NY 10201 718 222-6300 www.gmad.org

GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS 446 West 33rd St New York, NY 10001 212 367-1273 212 367-1489 800 243-7692 www.gmhc.org

GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER 166 Ave of the Americas New York, NY 10013 212 294-8142 212 294-8100 www.godslovewedeliver.org www.racetodeliver.org

GREENWICH HOUSE 80 Fifth Ave New York, NY 10011 212 691-2900

HEALTH EDUCATION AIDS LIAISON PO Box 1103 New York, NY 10113 212 873-0780

HETRICK MARTIN INSTITUTE 212 674-2400 www.hmi.org

HEALTHSHERPA 844 346-9476 www.metrosource. healthsherpa.com

HISPANIC AIDS FORUM, INC.

213 W 35th St, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001 212 868-6230 www.hafnyc.org

HIV STOPS WITH ME www.hivstopswithme.org

INSTITUTION FOR HUMAN IDENTITY

322 Eighth Ave, Suite #802 New York, NY 10011 212 243-2830 www.ihi-therapycenter.org

LI ASSN FOR AIDS CARE (LIAAC) 631 385-AIDS (hotline) 631 385-2451

MEN OF COLOR AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM (MOCA) 125 Worth St, Box 67 New York, NY 10013 212 788-4402

MEN’S HIV SUPPORT GROUP 212 877-8227 x214

MINORITY TASK FORCE ON AIDS 475 Riverside Dr New York, NY 10115 212 870-2691

NAMES PROJECT NJ P.O. Box 716 New Brunswick, NJ 732 249-3933

NAMES PROJECT NYC 75 Varick St #1404 New York, NY 10013-1917 212 226-2292

NYC DEPT OF HEALTH OFFICE OF G&L HEALTH 125 Worth St, Suite CN67 New York, NY 10013 212 442-6944

PROJECT ACHIEVE New York, 212 305-2201 Project ACHIEVE (Union Square) New York, 212 388-0008 www.nycvaccine.org www.hopetakesaction.org

THE SAMARITANS OF NEW YORK SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE PO Box 1259 New York, NY 10159 212 673-3000 (24 Hours)

TALK SAFE + PLUSES 203 West St #408 New York, NY 212 604-1500

TREVOR PROJECT 9056 Santa Monica Blvd #100 West Hollywood, CA 90069 310 271-8845

VILLAGE NURSING HOME DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM 133 West 20th St, Ground Fl New York, NY 10011 212 633-1616

LEGAL

LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND 120 Wall St #1500 New York, NY 10005 212 809-8585

LEGAL (L&G LAW ASSN OF GREATER NY) 799 Broadway #340 New York, NY 10003 212 459-4873

LESBIANS

LESBIANS ABOUT VISUAL ART 118 Fort Greene Pl Brooklyn, NY 11217

LES HERSTORY ARCHIVES PO Box 1258 New York, NY 10116 718 768-3953

LESBIAN MOTHERS @ THE LOFT 180 East Post Rd Lower Level, White Plains, NY 914 948-4922

POLITICAL

LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS OF NY Radio City Station PO Box 2321 New York, NY 10101 212 202-6431 www.newyork.logcabin.org

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

PRIDE DEMOCRATS

70 Greenwich Ave New York, NY 10011 212 613-6039

STONEWALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

119 West 24th St, 6th Fl New York, NY 10011 212 367-1155

STONEWALL DEMOCRATIC CLUB 212 561-9008 www.stonewalldems.com

STONEWALL REPUBLICANS PO Box 650052 Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 718 357-7075

PROFESSIONAL

ASSOCIATION OF LESBIAN AND GAY AFFIRMATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPISTS

250 West 15th St New York, NY 10011 212 517-1722

FSIX FINANCIAL SERVICE INDUSTRY EXCHANGE www.fsix.org

GAY OFFICERS

ACTION LEAGUE

PO Box 2038, Canal St Sta New York, NY 10013

NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NY 340 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10108 646 964-5027 www.nglccny.org

OUT PROFESSIONALS

332 Bleecker St #149 New York, NY 10014 212 462-9255

THE PUBLISHING TRIANGLE

332 Bleecker Street #D36 New York, NY 10014 www.publishingtriangle.org

REFERRALS/ SWITCHBOARDS

G&L SWITCHBOARD P.O. Box 693 New York, NY 212 989-0999

THE GAY PARENTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUND New York, NY 10011 www.menhavingbabies.org

TREVOR PROJECT 212 545-0081 www.thetrevorproject.org

RELIGIOUS

BROADWAY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 263 West 86 St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10024 212 316-5700 www.bwayucc.org

CHURCH OF ST PAUL & ST ANDREW 263 West 86th St New York, NY 10024 212 362-3179

COMMUNITY CHURCH OF NY 40 East 35th St New York, NY 10016 212 683-4988 www.ccny.org

CONGREGATION BEIT

SIMCHAT TORAH 130 West 30th St New York, NY 10001 212 929-9498

DIGNITY NEW YORK PO Box 1554

New York, NY 10150 646 418-7039

Brooklyn - 718 565-2171

Metro NJ - 973 857-4040 New Bruns. - 732 968-9263 Nassau - 516 781-6225 Suffolk - 631 654-5367

INTEGRITY/NEW YORK (LBGT EPISCOPALIANS) PO Box 20067 New York, NY 10011 212 691-7181

MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH

1 West 29th St New York, NY 10001 212 686-2770 www.marblechurch.org

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF NY 446 West 36th St New York, NY 10018 212 629-7440 www.mccny.org

MIDDLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH

112 Second Ave @ 7th St New York, NY 10003 212 477-0666 www.middlechurch.org

NOT SO CHURCHY www.notsochurchy.org

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

Reverend Mark Erson

81 Christopher St. New York, NY 10014 212-242-5737 www.stjohnsnyc.org