Montrose Star

Celebrity Feature

This is Ben Platt

20 MONTROSE STAR .COM

THE GAY-ETY STARTS HERE! Wednesday April 17, 2019 e VOL. X, 2

» Houston Rainbow Herald

4 » Foodie Diaries

11 » WHAT A WORLD

22 INDEX Editorial Crossword Guide to the Clubs

5 21 26

8

PAGE 2 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

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.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, 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. 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 effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

} Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. 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.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults.

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.

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

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

} Keep a list that includes all prescription and overthe-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. } BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect 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.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

You are encouraged to report negative side effects 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 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.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP PUSHING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.

Version date: December 2018 © 2019 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0104 02/19

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

BVYC0104_BIKTARVY_C_10x13-65_MontroseStar_KeepPushing1_DR6_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 3

KEEP PUSHING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

To learn more, visit BIKTARVY.com.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

4/2/19 1:43 PM

PAGE 4 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

HRH Report ON DEFENSE:

Christian hypocrites and men with big beards (and small testicles?)

C

T H E S TA R C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S JIM AYRES by day is an employee benefits and human resources writer. By night he turns his creativity toward the local food and restaurant scene. Do you know of a restaurant that needs a review? Info@montrose-star.com NANCY FORD has enjoyed a front row seat to the most remarkable and sparkly Cultural Revolution in the history of mankind. “What a world!” She reflects appropriately. After moving to Houston from Ohio in 1981, Ford became a highly visible player in Texas’ LGBT publishing circles as an editor and contributor to myriad other local and statewide LGBT magazines and newspapers.

RANDALL JOBE has been a fixture in the Houston LGBT Community for several decades in marketing and promotions for top nightclubs, as an actor/director/writer for dozens of theatrical productions, and is also known for his whimsical art pieces. He is the author of the 12-part series “This Old Queen”, which summarized his many experiences living in the gay Mecca, Montrose.

VIC GERAMI is journalist, media contributor and Editor & Publisher of The Blunt Post. Vic grew up in LA and has a BA in Theater Arts. He spent six years at Frontiers Magazine, followed

by LA Weekly and Voice Media Group. His syndicated celebrity Q&A column, 10 Questions with Vic, is a LA Press Club’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award finalist. Vic is a contributor for Montrose Star, DC Life Magazine, Out & About Nashville, Q Virginia, GNI MAG, QNotes, Windy City Times, WeHo Times, GoWeHo, Los Angeles Blade, Asbarez, California Courier, Desert Daily Guide, Armenian Weekly, GED, The Pride LA, IN Magazine and The Advocate Magazine.

FOREST RIGGS is no stranger to the adventures of life, he bills himself as a “raconteur with a gypsy spirit.” A former educator, public speaker, hospital administrator, counselor and gay B&B owner, he was instrumental in the formation of OutSmart Magazine in the early 1990s. He has written for several newspapers, magazines and other publications.

Recently he completed a collection of short stories about his beloved Galveston and is working on a novel. He currently resides on the island where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the meaning of life.

JOHNNY TRLICA has called the Houston area home all of his life. Four years ago he founded and still edits the Houston Rainbow Herald and has worked in the apartment leasing industry for the past two years. His passion is keeping the battle for LGBT rights at the forefront of today’s headlines and fighting complacency in the LGBT community.

ommentary: Two distinctly different groups of people were playing defense the past two weeks. One group gets their feathers ruffled any time their bigotry is called out while the other group got their balls in a wad over a scientific report.

‘Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.’

Pete Buttigieg’s campaign is heating up in a large field of candidates running for the Democratic nomination for president. His improbable presidential drive has been generating noteworthy buzz, positive headlines, and large crowds.

The openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana is an unabashedly self-confessed Christian, married, and is not afraid to speak about his religion or sexual identity. And that is making a lot of Christians uncomfortable.

At a recent LGBTQ Victory Fund brunch, Buttigieg told the crowd, “If you had offered me a pill to make me straight, I would’ve swallowed it before you had time to give me a sip of water. It’s hard to face the truth that there were times in my life when, if you had shown me exactly what it was inside me that made me gay, I would have cut it out with a knife.”

“Fortunately, there was no knife and no pill,” Buttigieg said. He followed that by pointing out that because then he would not have met his husband, Chasten, who has made him a better person, and their marriage has moved him closer to God. “That’s the thing that I wish the Mike Pence’s of the world would understand. That if you have a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator,” said Buttigieg.

Vice President Mike Pence got defensive about Buttigieg’s comments.

“He said some things that are critical of my Christian faith and of me personally. He knows better. He knows me,” Pence said.

“I’m not interested in feuding with the Vice President,” Buttigieg said. “But if he wanted to clear this (feud) up, he could come out today and say he’s changed his mind that it shouldn’t be legal to discriminate against anybody in this country for who they are.”

Buttigieg made more headlines by questioning President Donald Trump’s professed belief in God lies in direct contrast with his behavior.

“I can’t believe that somebody that was caught writing hush money checks to adult film actresses is somebody they should be lifting up as the kind of person they want to be leading this nation,” he said on Meet the Press.

Buttigieg denies his comments were an attack on religion.

“I don’t have a problem with religion, I’m religious; too,” he told Ellen DeGeneres. “I have a problem with religion being used as a justification to harm people.”

The fact that Buttigieg can talk openly about his faith is a breath of fresh air for a Democratic candidate. That he does it as a gay man makes him authentic. The fact that he is willing to call out the hypocrisy of the Christian right makes him worthy of consideration for his party’s nomination.

For too long Democrats have allowed the GOP to be the party of God and family values. The party that is led by a man who openly mocked a disabled reporter,

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

cheated on all three of his wives, instituted a policy of separating immigrant families, locking children in cages and a host of other deplorable actions, lost the mantra of family values a long time ago.

The GOP has turned a blind eye to all of Trump’s vulgarities and in doing so condone his actions.

Having a Christian capable of and willing to engage their hypocrisy has put them on defense. It will be interesting to see them oppose a gay candidate for that reason alone while defending their “porn star president,” as Buttigieg refers to him.

Photo via Facebook

e By Johnny Trlica

Pete Buttigieg (right) and husband Chasten.

Play ball!

On April 10, Houston Rainbow Herald posted on its Facebook page a story with the headline, “Showy big beards linked to having smaller testicles.” It was the most engaged with article of the week and put a few bears, cubs and otters on defense.

In a study that explored the link between the sizes of testicles and other physical male attributes linked to mating, researchers at the University of Western Australia and the University of Zurich suggests males with “showy” masculine attributes, such as beards, may have smaller testicles than the males of other species, reported GayStarNews.com.

The study suggests alpha males will demonstrate their superiority to others by growing large manes or other attributes specific to their species, like large manes, horns or teeth. These features come at the expense of testicle size and sperm production. In other words, the showiest males have the smallest testes.

Comments posted on the post ranged from the comedic to defensive. One reads, “Buy stock in Gillette because a lot of folks are going to be buying razors.” Another stated, “Well, I can say for certain..... this is not true in my case.” Then there was, “I have a small beard... do the math....”

For those who actually read the article and not just the headline (you know you’re guilty, too), you’d have found it to be flattering to our bearded friends. Alpha males in all species are characterized by large, flowing beautiful manes, robust intimidating horns or virile facial growth. e Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.v

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 5

OP-ED

Creep of the Week: Donald Trump e By D’Anne Witkowski

W

ell, the Mueller report is out and to hear Donald Trump tell it the entire thing contained only a hand-lettered note on wide-ruled notebook paper that read, “I like you, do you like me? Circle YES or NO.” I, like many people, believe the entire report needs to be released. But I also never believed that Mueller alone could save us. Trump’s presidency is such a colossal mess that one man, even one man with a team of lawyers and a huge budget behind him, cannot save us.

Now Trump and his supporters feel vindicated, getting matching “NO COLLUSION” tattoos on their pasty white butt cheeks. If you’d like to see a pic of Jared Kushner’s, just hit him up on WhatsApp. Regardless of what the Mueller report says, or doesn’t say, that doesn’t change the fact that we have a dangerously unstable and incompetent leader at the helm. Trump is unfit for office.

But he is also pretty popular with Republicans. Why? Because he’s fulfilling his main campaign promise: “I will hurt the people you don’t like!” Mexicans?

Check. LGBTQ people? Check. Muslims?

Check. The poor? Check. AfricanAmericans? Check. The list goes on.

Here’s the thing. The Republican Party has been preaching for decades that government is bad, that it can do nothing positive and that the smaller it is the better. So their appeal to the average Republican voter is, “Government ain’t gonna do shit for YOU, but at least it’s gonna do shit

to THEM.” That’s how you get people to vote against their own interests.

It’s pretty bleak stuff.

But let’s not lose our collective minds.

Or try not to, at least. Because we really need to keep them if we want Trump the hell out of office in 2020.

Something to remember: Democrats took control of the U.S. House in 2018. That’s not nothing. It’s not enough, mind you, but it’s a start.

Also, as Mark Harris wrote on Twitter, “Without collusion, I’m concerned that the only thing Democrats will be able to use against Trump in 2020 is literally every other issue.”

In other words, try something like health care (suggested slogan for Democrats: “We aren’t the ones actively trying to kill you!”), the environment (same slogan applies), social security (suggested slogan: “No cat food for Grandma!”), public schools (“Stupid is painful, so let’s not”), equality (“We’re the only party that thinks LGBTQ people are human”), voting rights (“Stop this anti-voting bullshit!”), criminal justice reform (“Let’s stop murdering black men and locking the rest of them in prison for no good reason”), etc.

And yet, the Democratic Party has a long history of disappointing the very people it needs support from. If Democrats are to win, my advice: knock it off, Democrats.

Look, you don’t need to go very far back in history to see how we got to this point.

In fact, you can’t go very far back in history because the United States is still a baby as far as countries are concerned.

We’ve seen the Democratic Party scrambling to get back to being the party of the people. But there is so

much work to do. It’s frustrating to a lot of younger and more liberal folks that Democrats aren’t unanimously calling for single-payer health care, reparations for racial injustice, breaking up corporate juggernauts and impeaching Trump.

But change is slow. And difficult. The Democratic Party isn’t a Jet Ski we can just flip to change directions, it’s a huge cruise ship that takes a long time to turn around. And in the meantime, deck chairs and tables are sliding back and forth and crashing into people as the ship navigates some hella rough seas. Also, everyone on the ship has norovirus. So, it’s a literal shit storm.

That said, it’s survivable for most people. But it sucks. And the best way to get through this mess is to work together. Even when we feel sick and tired, literally and figuratively.

Any Democrat vying for the party’s nomination would make a far superior leader than Trump. Even the terrible ones. Seriously, the bar really couldn’t be set lower.

Trump is an ignorant and cruel man.

So it’s no surprise that he’s governing that way. The country is looking to the Democrats to counteract this. But “love thy neighbor” is a hard sell, even though I think some famous guy said it once. As someone so brilliantly posted on Twitter during the first time (or was it the 2nd? Or 3rd? Or ...) Republicans were trying to take away health care: it’s hard to convince someone that they should care about other people if they, you know, don’t.

Trump cares only about himself.

He is a disaster. Democrats are the only party offering disaster relief. So all hands on deck. e

TOC APRIL 17, 2019 | VOL. X, 2

HRH Report.......................................................... 4 OP-ED.....................................................................5 The Frivolist.......................................................... 6 Cooking with Paula Dream........................... 10 Foodie Diaries.....................................................11 Deep Inside Hollywood................................... 12 Across the Causeway........................................17 Out At The Theater.......................................... 19 Celebrity Feature.............................................20 Crossword Queeries......................................... 21 What A World....................................................22 Community.........................................................23 Star Buds.............................................................24 Guide to the Clubs............................................26

Letter to the Editor Beto’s Rally: ‘There is nothing wrong with this country right now that we cannot make right’ SATURDAY EVENING I attended the second leg

of Beto’s presidential campaign. Just hours after holding a rally event in El Paso he flew to Houston to hold his rally in the front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center at Texas Southern University to a packed crowd.

In an inspiring speech made to a diverse crowd of local elected officials to farmers, he said as president he would take on universal health care, pre-kindergarten for all, give teachers a much-needed pay raise, improve the voting rights by making it easier to cast your vote, and ending harsh laws on marijuana. He went on to say, “There is nothing wrong with this county right now that we cannot make right,” to the applause and cheers of a crowd that would make #1 jealous.

He also stated that at this divided time what this country need is for us to come together.

Beto has the personality of John F. Kennedy and the charisma of Obama rolled into one. If the election was held in Texas today Beto would have a very good chance of moving into the White House. No Democrat has been a serious contender for the White House in fifty-three years.

From El Paso, to Houston, to Austin all in one day, where thousands turn out to hear him.

In all the events I have attended over the years, I have to say this was by far the most courteous; the organizers did a first-class job. After the rally the grounds were cleared in a very professional manner, the traffic was handled with ease and most of all the grounds were free of litter.

Larry Crawford Houston, Texas

April 17, 2019. None as of press time.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 6 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

The Frivolist

5 problems with living in the future e by Mikey Rox

W

e all like to daydream about what the future may hold, but when those prospects consume your thoughts more than the present, there’s a real risk of living your own mental and emotional nightmare. Make a conscious effort to enjoy the here and now by recognizing these problems with overthinking life’s uncertainties.

1

. YOU CAN’T ENJOY THE PRESENT

anxiety. There have been times in my own life where my pessimism about what hasn’t even happened yet has physically debilitated me to the point that I can’t get out of bed. I do find solace in a daily routine and checklist, however, that firmly keeps me moving at today’s pace instead of tomorrow’s.

4

. WORRYING ABOUT IT CAN AFFECT WHAT GOOD MAY COME

There are amazing things ahead for you, but your endless apprehension about the

future can and will affect what’s to come.

Every decision we make sets the foundation for what’s next, and you’re doing yourself a disservice (perhaps lifelong) by allowing negativity to cloud your judgment. This isn’t to say that you should rest on your laurels and let the world dictate what happens to you, but also don’t count yourself out before the countdown is done.

5

. IT’S OUT OF YOUR CONTROL

You are only one tiny influence on your future. The rest – all the people and events

2

. IT CAN DESTROY YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

I’ve been cheated on in the past by guys who’ve told me how much they love me, who were affectionate, who genuinely enjoyed spending time with me – but that didn’t stop them from lying and stepping out. The effect of that behavior makes it harder to build new, healthier relationships, because I often worry if the next guy will do the same in the future – and if I’m constantly sleuthing for problems, problems will arise.

I’ve personally found that the only way for me to keep myself in check in this regard is with therapy: talking with someone regularly about my doubts, fears, and ultimately the reinforcement of my own self-worth (I’m better off being single than letting a cheater control my emotions), and I recommend seeking professional help if you’re also feeling lonely in this world.

3

Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He spends his time writing from the beach with his dog Jaxon. Connect with Mikey on Instagram @mikeyrox

Photo: Sebastiaan Stam on Unsplash

How will you ever find success and happiness in the future if you can’t enjoy right now? It’s a classic catch-22. Because focusing on tomorrow today won’t end as long as you live since as long as you live there will always be today and tomorrow.

Plan for the future, sure, but don’t let the what-ifs take away from your enjoyment of the present. You get one shot at today, and you’ll never get it again.

that live right outside your door – have much greater impact, and there’s no way you can control it. So don’t try to. Live your best in-the-moment life and let nature take its course with your hands on the wheel. You never know where you’ll end up – and that’s the best part. e

. THE ANXIETY IT CAN CAUSE YOU WILL MAKE YOU MISERABLE

If you’re worrying about the future, you’re probably not concentrating on all the wonderful possibilities it holds. Instead, human nature is honing in on everything that can go wrong, leading to stress and

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 7

Showman Terry Barber salutes Freddie Mercury in ‘Mercury’ e By Randall Jobe

T

erry Barber, international opera singer and Grammy nominee who performs the music of Freddie Mercury in the upcoming performance, Mercury, coming to Houston’s Arena Theatre for one show only on May 10, exudes enthusiasm and knowledge of his subject.

His research took him through five biographies in the attempt to fully understand the complex personality and career of the lead singer of the rock band, Queen. In this tribute to the life and music of Freddie Mercury, Barber admits that he is not trying to impersonate Mercury, rather he wants the audience to understand and appreciate the artistic talents of a man who tragically died of AIDS at the same age Barber is now.

Barber discovered some similarity between himself and the character. He freely admits that he and Mercury share a work ethic of hammering things out until they are right and having a true vision of how performances should look and sound. Both were at times hard on themselves, while being forgiving of those around them, often to a fault.

Both are also gay, but Barber acknowledges Mercury dealt with his homosexuality in a very different time and place. Of Persian descent, Mercury was sent to an all-boys school at age eight already feeling his difference. Distanced from family, it seems probable that his relationship with Mary Austin later in life was a long-

ing for a mother figure, and not from a sexual place that neither of them desired.

Most striking to Barber was understanding that he and Mercury both put their artistry and desire to be respected as musicians, first and foremost. Classically trained, Barber had to adjust to rock star-type vocals and to the flamboyancy and bravado that he needed as an actor to identify with the Mercury material. He believes that classical training lays the foundation and teaches the techniques, while giving the tools, for any sort of performing. He has used that training in a wide variety of ways including performing opera (at the Metropolitan Opera starring Placido Domingo) and new age (“Adiemus” at the London Philharmonic), musical theater in his own worldwide tours, and in recordings alongside such notables as Madonna, Chaka Khan, and Cyndi Lauper.

Barber is no stranger to adapting. His multi-faceted career in opera, musical theatre and personal concerts, plus his work as a recording artist, will see him this year in over 60 performances in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to his solo concert, “Around the World in 80 Minutes”, Barber’s appearances will be performed

with anything from single piano accompaniment to 14 singing actors and musicians, keeping him busy through 2020.

This schedule has kept him from an Mercury Band opportunity to audition for the lead in Phantom of the Opera and puts on hold his pursuit of dream roles in Hamilton and Les Miserables (in which he has performed the lead role of Jean Valjean). He often wears many hats including producer and artistic director. He also wrote the Mercury script, which relies on the entire band delivering many of Freddie’s colorful quotes.

Barber is quick to mention the other talent in the production of Mercury including Grace Field, who also tours with Bravo Amici and shares an operatic duet in the show. Don Carr, lead guitarist toured with The Oak Ridge Boys. Bob “Bones” Moltedo “plays flawless bass”, explains Terry, and Jonathan Cummings, formerly a singer with Barry Manilow and the creator of The Troubador’s Journey, plays drums. The tour is in its infancy, but is scheduled for performances in Arizona, Illinois, Oklahoma, Florida and California, after Texas.

The timing of Mercury could not be better.

The movie Bohemian Rhapsody, for which Barber has strong feelings, won this year’s Academy Award and put Freddie Mercury

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

and Queen back in the spotlight. Barber feels as if somewhere along the way the movie lost its focus, waffling between the story of Mercury’s life and the cinematic epic of a Queen concert. He notes that a change in director during the making of the movie might have created the confusion.

He does credit actor Rami Malik for an incredible performance, nailing Mercury’s flamboyant behavior and stage presence.

Currently residing in the Midwest with his husband and their twin children (a boy and a girl), Barber has plans to relocate to New York where he has lived before.

Much of his work involves partnering with talent there as well as those in Los Angeles and Nashville. Meanwhile, he will visit Texas with Mercury where he has toured before as part of an allmale singing group called Chanticleer and now brings his first experience with rock opera to a Houston audience with musical expertise and understanding of an iconic performer, Freddie Mercury.

Mercury performs one show only, Friday, June 14, at Houston’s Arena Theatre (7326 Southwest Freeway). Rich’s Nightclub (2401 San Jacinto) hosts an after-performance party with no cover charge for Mercury ticket holders. Tickets are available at ArenaTheatre.com, Ticketmaster.com or 713-772-5900. Use the code RICHS and a portion of tickets sales will benefit Montrose Center. For more information, check out MercuryWorldTour. com and TerryBarber.com. e

CIA R A

PAGE 8 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

THE 2019 LGBTQIA+ PRIDE MARCH ANNOUNCES GRAND MARSHALS

Cast of POSE, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Gay Liberation Front, The Trevor Project, Monica Helms to lead YC Pride, the official host of WorldPride 2019 | Stonewall 50, announces its five Grand Marshals slated to lead both the 50thNYC Pride March on Sunday, June 30 2019, and this year’s commemoration of the 50thAnniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising.

The cast of POSE, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Gay Liberation Front, The Trevor Projectand Monica Helmswill head this year’s celebration.

POSE is a dance musical, set in the 1980s, that explores the juxtaposition of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the Trump era, and the downtown social and literary scene. Cast members Dominique Jackson(Elektra), Indya Moore(Angel), and MJ Rodriguez(Blanca) will represent the show.

Phyll Opoku-Gyimahis the nucleus of the award-winning celebration and protest that is UK Black Pride. Widely known as Lady Phyll – partly due to her decision to reject an MBE in the New Year’s Honours’ list, to protest Britain’s role in formulating anti-LGBTQ+ penal codes across its empire – she is a senior official at the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade union as the Head of Equality and Learning. She’s a community builder and organizer; a Kaleidoscope Trust Trustee; an Albert Kennedy Trust patron; Diva Magazine columnist, and public speaker focusing on race, gender, sexuality and class.

Gay Liberation Frontwas the very first LGBTQ activist organization formed after the Stonewall Rebellion. The courageous members of GLF fought to give political shape and direction to a whole new generation of LGBTQ militancy that spread with unprecedented vigor and impact across the nation and the world.

The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The organization works to save young lives by providing support through free and confidential programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat. They also run TrevorSpace, the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, and operate innovative education, research, and advocacy programs.

Monica Helmsis a transgender activist, author, and veteran of the United States Navy,

having served on two submarines. She is also the creator of the Transgender Pride Flag, in 1999, and subsequently donated the original flag to the Smithsonian Institution in 2014.

“In a world where LGBTQIA+ people continue to experience profound oppression, the NYC Pride March is a beacon of hope and community,” said Julian Sanjivan, NYC Pride March Director. “This June 30th, that beacon will shine the brightest it ever has when POSE, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Gay Liberation Front, The Trevor Project and Monica Helms lead 115,000 marchers in the largest display of LGBTQIA+ pride the world has ever seen.”

“As millions of LGBTQIA+ folks from across the world make their pilgrimage to WorldPride 2019 and the commemoration of Stonewall 50, New York City will display its Pride like never before,” said Chris Frederick, Executive Director of NYC Pride. "The entire month of June, and this day in particular will be a celebration of everything the LGBTQIA+ community stands for."

The 50thNYC Pride March will commence at noon, on June 30th, from 26th Street and 5th Avenue. Some 115,000 marchers will proceed south on 5th Avenue before heading west on 8th Street. After crossing over 6th Avenue, the March will continue on Christopher Street, passing the site designated, in 2016 by President Barack Obama, as the Stonewall National Monument. It will then turn north on 7th Avenue, passing the New York City AIDS Memorial, before dispersing in Chelsea just north of 23rd Street and 7th Avenue.

Seventy-four percent of all marching groups are non-profit organizations, and more than half of all marching groups are participating free-of-charge. Upwards of 150 marching groups are coming from outside of the US to participate in this historic event.

WorldPride 2019 | Stonewall 50 will be comprised of more than 25 different events for LGBTQIA+ and allied people during the full month of June, 2019. Throughout the course of the celebration, all WorldPride events will ladder up to the foundational theme, “Millions of Moments of Pride.”

Join New York City, and the world, this June as we honor the past, celebrate our differences and march together for our future. For more information and talent press kits visit: www.worldpride.org. e

C Y N DI L AU PE R

N

Ciara is a Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter, producer, model and actress. Over her thirteen-year career, she has sold over 23 million records and 16 million singles worldwide, including chart-topping hits “Goodies,” “Ride,” “Oh,” “1, 2 Step,” “Body Party,” and “I Bet.” Most recently, Ciara has been scorching summer with her new song “Level Up” which has transformed into a defining moment for the culture with the subsequent movement it has incited.

Known for her incredible visuals and stellar dance abilities, Ciara’s videos have been viewed over 1.4 billion times accurately earning her the moniker of “Queen of Dance.” Ciara continues to captivate with her social media prowess reaching over 50 million fans across her platforms and channels. Ciara is a devoted wife and mother of two as well as a philanthropist who is dedicated to improving the lives of children and empowering women across the globe.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Cyndi Lauper is a groundbreaking Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning songwriter and performing artist with global record sales in excess of 50 million. Her iconic voice, influential punk glamour, and infectious live shows have catapulted her to stardom. Lauper won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist with her first album, She’s So Unusual, and became the first woman in history to have four top-five singles from a debut album.

She closed out 2018 by receiving the “Icon Award” from Billboard at its 13th annual Women In Music event and brought down the house with a rousing tribute to Cher at Kennedy Center Honors.

In addition, Lauper is tireless in her advocacy work. She has been an activist since day one, always fighting for the underdog - especially women, people living with HIV/AIDS, and LGBTQ people. Her commitment runs so deep that she started her own charity, the True Colors Fund in 2008 to bring an end to homelessness amongst LGBTQ youth, who make up to 40% of the youth homelessness population.

Over the past 10 years, the True Colors Fund has had an indelible impact on ending youth homelessness in America. From playing a lead role in securing $167.5 million in new annual federal funding from Congress to invest in 46 communities across the countryCyndi and the True Colors Fund are fundamentally changing how the country is

Multi-talented singer, rapper, actor, director, choreographer, and YouTube personality, Todrick Hall rose to prominence on American Idol. His popular YouTube channel has over 2.7 million subscribers and 510 million channel views consisting notably for original songs, choreographed flash mobs for Beyoncé, musical collaborations, and appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race as a guest judge.

Hall distinguished himself as Broadway star completing a successful run of Kinky Boots and two successful tours of Straight Outta Oz, both of which were highly acclaimed by fans and critics alike. Recently, he appeared as a backup dancer in Taylor Swift’s video Look What You Made Me Do. Early this year Todrick Hall wrapped his Forbidden Tour in the US and Europe.

working to prevent and end youth homelessness for the 4.2 million youth who experience it each year.

DJ LI N A B R A D FO R D

W H OO PI GO LD B E RG

TO DR ICK H A LL

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 9

Whoopi Goldberg is one of a very elite group of artists who have won the Grammy, the Academy Award, the Golden Globe, the Emmy and a Tony. She is also a prolific producer and is well-known around the world for her many humanitarian endeavors. Born and raised in New York City, she performed in San Diego and the Bay Area with the Blake Street Hawkeyes theatre troupe.

It was there that she created the characters which became “The Spook Show” and evolved into her hit Broadway show, Grammy Award-winning album and the HBO special that helped launch her career.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Lina Bradford grew up in New York City, across the street from famed Carnegie Hall on the Upper West Side. Her career in entertainment began at an early age as a dancer. She studied modern ballet, tap and jazz for 11 years and performed in several companies throughout New York. Those same moves she learned in rehearsals became a part of her signature style when she began her DJ career by performing throughout the gritty East Village scene. She travels through Europe, appearing in Sardinia, St Tropez and Paris. Accolades soon came rolling in, Lifetime Achievement awards at the Glammys and Sage Innovator. DJ Lina is often seen hosting the biggest private parties from NYC to Europe.

PAGE 10 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Cooking with Paula Dream

Low and slow for Grandma e By Paula Dream (A K A K AL E HAYGO O D)

G

reetings to all! Is spring finally here or do we trust the old Farmers’ Almanac that we may expect one last cold spell?

One set of my grandparents literally lived by the almanac. It told them when to plant potatoes, when to plant corn, best time to cut the hay, etc. They lived through some hard times — the Depression — with home delivery of blocks of ice to put in the ice box (not refrigerator).

My dad swore me to secrecy about my grandfather. He was a gentleman that was always at the country church, religiously, three times a week. Anyway the “revenuers” caught him running moonshine and confiscated his team of horses and wagon. He didn’t know how he was going to be able to make crops.

Also, my grandmother never knew what a slow cooker, AKA Crock-Pot, was. So this issue I dedicate this column to her by giving you some really great and easy slow cooker recipes.

Have a great couple of weeks, and keep close watch on your moonshine consumption.

3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 carrots, peeled and sliced (or a handful of peeled baby carrots) 2 medium onions, sliced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon (or more) pepper 1 can (14 ounces) can diced tomatoes 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Heat oil in a skillet, then coat the steak with flour and brown in oil. Remove the steak from skillet and drain. Place potatoes (personally, I like six washed and unpeeled small red potatoes for a change now and then), carrots and onion in bottom of cooker. Place steak on top of vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes and tomato sauce over top of meat. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or on high for six hours.

2 7 10 Montrose Blvd.

Houston, T X 7 7 006

713.526.0202 BURGUNDY BEEF IN SLOW COOKER

Order Online www.pepperonis.net

1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, sliced 16 button mushrooms, sliced 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 4 bay leaves 2 cups burgundy wine 1 cup beef broth Combine flour, salt, and black pepper. Dredge the beef cubes in the flour mixture and brown in olive oil in medium size skillet. Place the beef and remaining ingredients into slow cooker and mix very well. Cover and cook on low for four to six hours or on high for two to three hours.

SLOW COOKER SWISS STEAK

2 tablespoons oil 2 pounds round steak, cut into serving sizes 1/2 cup flour Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

A HOT SPICED WINE 3 or 4 bottles dry red wine 6 apples, cored and thinly sliced 6 whole cloves 4 cinnamon sticks 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons lemon juice Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir well. Cover and cook on low for four to five hours or on high for one to two hours. Use a three to six quart cooker. e Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email barrykale@ yahoo.com.

Foodie Diaries

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 11

4412 WASHINGTON AVE | LAURENZOS.COM

RELISH:

Think of it as a verb

I

wasn’t particularly stressed when I went to dinner at Relish, located in that kind of Upper Kirby/River Oaks zone. Still, any agita I might have been carrying from the workday was swept away as I sat down.

It’s funny, too, because I can’t say Relish has much intrigue inside. Subway tile in the entrance and bar area leads to handsome wood planks in the dining room. Furniture is neither black nor gray.

Morticia Addams would call it “off-black.”

New Englandish sconces illuminate, as do single votives at each table.

Little Lime hydrangea cuttings brighten things a little, but the whole effect is muted to excess.

Maybe refined is a better word, as it describes most of the clientele, dressed as they are in River Oaks casual.

In 2019, though, that could mean anything. I saw jeans.

I saw cotton/poly sport separates. I saw diversity.

And I saw, and heard, a man of a certain age and position shouting business-speak and the occasional f-word into his phone as he sipped a scotch and soda. It was 6:30 p.m. mind you. His date, volubly unsure if he found her attractive, arrived later.

Well, if Mr. Rolex (overdue for cleaning) can have a cocktail, so can I. A Boulevard Bourbon Punch with guava berry liqueur and something called chamomile honey syrup seemed like just the ticket. It went down so easily.

A word of caution, or praise depending on how you like it: Bartenders pour heavy at Relish.

An appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes was cut into bigger-than-bite-size chunks instead of slices, making it a bit awkward to eat. They were good nonetheless, with

a light breading that didn’t quite coat the whole piece. A Creole remoulade nestled at the bottom of the dish for a spicy, smoky, and wonderful dipping sauce.

My eyes came out of my head when I saw my Pan Seared Snapper Puttanesca. The combination of the Italian preparation (jewel-like olives and multicolor grape tomatoes) with the Gulf filet was a showstopper. Eating it was just as delectable as looking at it. For its freshness, tenderness, and flavor, this is a frontrunner in this still-young 2019 for my favorite dish.

I came back for a burger.

Relish’s is thick and meaty, topped in the usual tomato and pickle way, all sandwiched in a feathery Brioche bun. This one won’t beat the sheer decadence of Rodeo Goat but if you have a craving, it will be satisfied.

Truth is, though, there are a lot of this type of restaurant around town. And a good number of them are serving up what Relish calls “classic American food with Mediterranean influences.” Relish is a neighborhood joint that happens to be in mine.

Would I recommend Relish if, say, you lived in The Heights and it was just you and a close-by date? I don’t know if I’d make the drive. The Heights has its share of excellent neighborhood options. But if you were meeting friends from Montrose? Absolutely! e

ace in l p t s e b the et town to g prime rib. it. come get

French dip

Relish Restaurant & Bar

2810 Westheimer Road Houston, Texas 77098

713-599-1960 RELISHHOUSTON.COM

prime rib pizza

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 12 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Deep Inside Hollywood

e By Romeo San Vicente

I

t was inevitable. It’s an impossible task trying to keep Hugh Jackman from busting out his song-and-danceman persona. He loves musical theater so much we imagine he just walks down busy streets trying to get everyone around him to burst into song and perform meticulously choreographed group dance numbers. So it’s good news for the former Wolverine that he’ll be taking on the role of con man Harold Hill in a 2020 revival of Meredith Willson’s 1957 classic musical The Music Man. Produced

by Scott Rudin, directed by Jerry Zaks, and with choreography by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle, the revival will head back to Broadway in September of next year. Jackman himself posted an Instagram teaser picture of a suitcase, a trombone and an ID tag that read “Harold Hill,” none of which is particularly subtle, but entertaining all the same, much like crowd-pleasing musical itself.

Lance Bass presents The Boy Band Con Fan or not back in those golden TRL days, you probably always imagined there was something not quite authentic about manufactured groups like Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. And you were right, only it wasn’t the music that was fake: it was the entire system. In the new

documentary, The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story, directed by Aaron Kunkel and produced by former *NSYNCer Lance Bass for YouTube Originals, all the dirty details are laid bare. Producer and music mogul Pearlman organized those two cash-cow groups, among others, and it would have appeared from the outside that everyone was getting rich. Turns out, though, that Pearlman was a criminal running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded everyone in his orbit.

Caught and sentenced to 25 years in prison, he died there in 2016. Lance is calling it a cautionary tale for young people entering the music industry, and it’d be wise to watch it before signing any of those dotted lines. The film just premiered at SXSW, and will be streaming soon on a phone near you.

editor Miranda Priestly to the stage to complete this web of interconnectivity, but we can dream (and Streep can sing, too, so please, Queen Meryl, consider the possibilities, and if the answer is still no, THEN GET US PATTI LUPONE). And in case you think these things have nothing to do with you and don’t know the story, Prada concerns a serious young female journalist who takes a job as an assistant to what amounts to the cartoon version of Anna Wintour. Then she learns that no amount of stunning outfits can make her amazing enough for a life in fashion.

It happens. And since we’ve already begged Streep to make Broadway Great Again, we’d like to put in a request for an Elton John song called “Cerulean.”

Broadway (and Elton John) Wears Prada

Universal is in talks with screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King) to adapt Mark Griffin’s book All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson for a planned biopic to be directed by Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon). Hudson’s story is one of fame and fear, one predicated on the other, because the traditionally masculine sex symbol and star of films like Giant was gay. He spent decades hiding in plain sight, even until his death in 1985, trapped in a Hollywood system that did not allow for openly

Anna D. Shapiro won a Tony Award in 2008 for directing August: Osage County.

Later, Meryl Streep would star in the film version of August, much like she starred in the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada. And soon The Devil Wears Prada will come to Broadway in musical form, under Shapiro’s direction, with a book by Paul Rudnick (Addams Family Values) and songs by Elton John. It’s unlikely that Streep will take her singular interpretation of fashion magazine

Festival

April 18, 19 & 20, 2019 Wortham Center

•

•

Rock Hudson biopic coming from Love, Simon director

Photo: KathClick.

Diva alert: Judith Light! Bette Midler! Janet Mock!

Judith Light LGBTQ performers. The recent success of the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, hinged on music rather than on an uncomfortable exploration of the closet, and the film never really bothered to find out what toll that experience took on Mercury. Instead, it focused on the construction of the band’s hit songs, the singer’s reputation of general flamboyance and Queen’s Live Aid triumph. But LaGravenese knows this terrain very well, having already penned the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra, a film that didn’t flinch from the realities of gay oppression in the bad old days, so let’s hope this one gets it right. e Romeo San Vicente is breaking out the short shorts for spring.

7:30 p.m.

Cullen Theater

Dancers of Royal Danish Ballet Copenhagen, Denmark Marcos Morau, Kristian Lever

Maria Kochetkova, Sebastian Kloborg, Royal Danish Ballet Copenhagen, Denmark Benjamin Millepied, William Forsythe

Ashley Bouder & Joaquin De Luz New York City Ballet Victor Ullate

Semperoper Ballet Dresden Germany Alexander Ekman

Spellbound Contemporary Ballet Rome, Italy Mauro Astolfi

Susanna Leinonen Company Helsinki, Finland Susanna Leinonen

Donlon Dance Collective Berlin, Germany Marguerite Donlon

Sokvannara Sar, Carolina Ballet North Carolina Marco Goecke

www.dancesalad.org Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 13

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 14 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 15

Connecting our communities to health every day, in every way Legacy Community Health has opened our doors and our hearts to people from all walks of life. We provide a wide range of quality health care services to all of our neighbors, regardless of ability to pay.

Services: Adult Primary Care Behavioral Health Body Positive Wellness Dental Gender Health & Wellness HIV/AIDS Testing & Prevention Nutritional Counseling OB/GYN

Pediatrics Pharmacy Ryan White Health Care Services STD Screening & Treatment Transgender Specialty Care Vaccinations & Immunizations Vision

1415 California Street, Houston, TX 77006

|

(832) 548 5100

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

|

LegacyCommunityHealth.org

PAGE 16 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Please note: Events, dates and times subject to change without notice.

Ġ Wed › April 17

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites all to a night

Q Alley Theatre presents the awardwinner Beth Henley’s play Crimes of the Heart, 8p (Thru 5/5) alleytheatre.org Q Aurora Picture Show: Performance Art/ Music Duo Princess bring Out There, the sci-fi film and live performance, Q Matchbox 3: The Catastrophic Theatre presents Brian Jucha’s Toast, 7:30p (Thru 5/5) catastrophictheatre.com George Lopez Q Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Vincent van Gogh: Lis Life in Art (Thru 6/27) mfah.org Q Stages Repertory Theatre presents the smash hit sci-fi musical Little Shop of Horrors, 7:30p (Thru 4/28) stagestheatre.com Q Stages Repertory Theatre presents the hilarious smash hit murder mystery Murder for Two, 7:30p (Thru 6/16) stagestheatre.com Q Theatre Under the Stars presents the sweeping musical portrait of America: Ragtime (Thru 4/28) tuts.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA Wednesdays’ hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 8:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week, 10p Ġ Thu › April 18

Q Bering United Methodist Church: Maundy Thursday Service, 7p, beringumc.org Q Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant presents Niche Manrique & Guateque Band, 7:30p, milunahouston.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket Bar hosts a night of entertainment by Houston’s hottest Male Dancers for your entertainment, 10p Q Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater: Museum of Fine Arts co-presents Dance Salad Festival, 7:30p (Thru 4/20) dancesalad.org

of entertainment feat. Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week, 10p Q Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater: Museum of Fine Arts co-presents Dance Salad Festival, 7:30p, dancesalad.org Ġ Sun › April 21 Robert Frank’s Cocksucker Blues

Q Bering United Methodist Church: Easter Sunday Services, 7a & 8:30a, Plus Community Easter Egg Hunt, 10a, beringumc.org Q Rich’s Nightclub hosts the Official Bunnies on the Bayou After Party, 9:30p, richsnightclub.com Q Sesquicentennial Park hosts the 40th Annual Bunnies on the Bayou, the largest outdoor cocktail party in Texas, Show at 2p, bunniesonthebayou.org Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents s night of entertainment feat. Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers, 10p Ġ Tue › April 23

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents Twisted Tuesdays, a variety show hosted by Amanda, Ashleey and Alexis Nicole, 9p, followed

by Amateur Male Dance Contest, 10p Ġ Wed › April 24

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA Wednesdays’ hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 8:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week, 10p Ġ Thu › April 25

Bunnies On The Bayou Ġ Fri › April 26

Q Club Houston presents Houston’s Largest Male Party, 10p, theclubs.com Q Humble Civic Center Arena: Humble Police Association Crawfish Festival – all you can eat crawfish with proceeds to benefit local scholarships, 6–8:30p Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents the unsung musical heroine Darlene Love, 8p, milleroutdoortheatre.com Q Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents the powerful documentary about the impact of decades living in occupied West Bank and Gaza in Houston’s Palestine Film Festival: Beyond the Frontlines: Tales of Resistance and Resilience in Palestine, 7p, mfah.org Q Smart Financial Centre presents the global musical sensation Celtic Woman – Ancient Land, 7:30p, smartfinancialcentre.com

Darlene Love

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents a night of entertainment featuring Hot Male Dancers at 10p Ġ Sat › April 27

Q Korean Community Center of Houston to

Q Smart Financial Centre: Uncle Snoop’s Army & Bobby Dee present Snoop Dogg & Friends Tour, 8p, smartfinancialcentre.com

Celtic Woman

host the Tejano Fest 2019 featuring your favorite Tejano and Cumbia music, 7p Q Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents the Cannes award-winning film by Nadine Labaki, Capernaum, of Houston’s Palestine Film Festival.

A film about a gutsy 12-year-old who sues his parents for giving him life, Capernaum received a 2019 Oscar nomination, 7p, mfah.org

Q Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church: Join the Bayou City Women’s Chorus for a show that takes you around the world in ‘Jet Set & Away We Go!’, 7p

Ricky Luis Ġ Fri › April 19

Q Avant Garden presents ‘cantautor’ Ricky Luis in concert to unveil his new album, 9p Q Bering United Methodist Church: Good Friday Service, 12p, beringumc.org Q Miller Outdoor Theatre Movies at Miller presents Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, 8p, milleroutdoortheatre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket Bar invites you to an evening of entertainment by Houston’s hottest male dancers, 10p

Eckhart Tolle

Q Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater: Museum of Fine

Ġ Sun › April 28

Arts co-presents Dance Salad Festival, 7:30p (Thru 4/20) dancesalad.org

Q George R Brown Convention Center: Genius Productions presents a rate and transformational evening with best-selling author Eckhart Tolle, 7:30p, iamgenie.org Q Tony’s Corner Pocket hosts Sunday Funday featuring entertainment by Houston’s Hot Male Dancers at 10p

Ġ Sat › April 20

Q Club Houston presents the Naked Pool Party

Courtesy Photos

featuring DJ Aracely, 4–9p, theclubs.com Q Peggy Park hosts the 420 / Love Festival – Houston International Festival – featuring guest DJs and Live music, 2p

Ġ Wed › May 1

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA

Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents Incredible India: Cultural Connections, 8:15p, milleroutdoortheatre.com

Dance Salad 2019 Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Wednesdays’ hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 8:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week, 10p

» Crossword Queeries....... 21

» star buds................................... 24

Gay World Leaders

The ABC’s of CBD’s Part 2

Section

LGBTQ Galveston with all the frills upon it e By Forest Riggs

E

aster has finally made it, complete with dyed eggs, jelly beans, peeps, baskets, and all the trimmings.

The LGBTQ community seems to come alive again around Easter.

Everyone knows we love to decorate, dress for Halloween, get creative as hell and “do it up” for just about any occasion. Easter, religious or not, is a little different. There is, after all, something reverent about Easter, but don’t kid yourself. I have seen many a hot bunny in a bulging jock strap, hopping around Montrose in my day (eggs and all).

One of the best things to come along in the community is the annual Easter Bonnet contests, held in most LGBTQ community bars and clubs.

In 1933, songster Irving Berlin published the song “Easter Parade.” He had originally written the song in 1917 and titled it “Smile and Show Your Dimples” and it was meant to tell the story of a sad young woman whose lover had gone off to war. It was supposed to be an uplifting song and was recorded by a few singers of the war-time era.

With some major overhauling by Berlin, in 1942, silver-tongued crooner and orange juice hawker Bing Crosby released the new version of the song and it was to become an American staple in the musical and pop-culture realm of all that is Americana. “Easter Parade” was a huge hit for ol’ Bing and made him lots of money.

Superstar Al Jolson took the song and made it known to the world as he was, by most standards, the greatest singer of the time, and the gaudiest. The song was such a huge success that in 1948, MGM developed a musical around it with the same title. Darling of the silver screen, radio and records Judy Garland (aka “Dorothy” of The Wizard of Oz) was teamed with twinkle-toes Fred Astaire,

B

THE GAY-ETY STARTS HERE! Wednesday April 17, 2019 e VOL. X, 2

and the rest is musical and celluloid history. The movie could have been based on a LGBTQ plot: partners, former partners and loads of jealousy!

“In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it…”

Nothing says Easter like a big ol’, overdone bonnet with lots of “frills” upon it. Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper must have been completely orgasmic around Easter time as she loved the hats, and the gaudier the better.

Members of the LGBTQ community also love to create hats or bonnets and compete in alcohol-riddled contests in their favorite watering holes. Give a gay man a hot glue gun, some fabric, and few baubles and look out! The hats range from trashy subdued to trashy over-stated and all bring a smile to the reddened eye.

So what’s up with the Easter Bonnet and how did it all get started? No one know for sure, but there are some pretty good theories. The most accepted notion dates way back.

For centuries it has been common practice to buy and wear new clothes for Easter (the famous “Easter Outfit”), as Lent has passed and it is a time for new things and rebirth. It’s also a good time to show off, if you will.

As far back as the late 1600s, the great Bard included a line in Romeo and Juliet that gives clear indication of the importance of presenting new wears at Easter. Mercutio taunts Benvolio when he says, “Dids’t thou not fall out with a Tailor for wearing his new Doublet before Easter?”

In other words, save your newest and finest for egg day! S 18

Photo via Pinterest.com

Across the Causeway

MONTROSE STAR .COM

» Guide To The Clubs............. 26

PAGE 18 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Across the Causeway

S 17 With the wearing of new clothes came the trend of a new “Easter hat.” Over the years, the tradition has grown and morphed into the “Easter Bonnet”. Along the way, especially in the LGBTQ world, came the bonnet contests and parades.

(Sort of like the Kentucky Derby hat thing.)

During the sad years of the Depression, an Easter hat or bonnet was considered a “simple luxury.” Someone even went as far as to state, “An Easter Bonnet can tame even the wildest hare!” (I have seen a few “wild hares” I’d like to tame!)

“Photographer will snap us, and you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure…”

reproduce the image, usually for newspaper photo images but is also used in magazines, post cards, and other venues.

Easter Sunday and the bonnet contests promise to be a good time on the Island.

I doubt anyone will end-up in the rotogravure, but there will

Everyone loves a parade and Easter Parades are huge, especially the one on 5th Avenue in New York City, still a place to see and be seen. The crazier the hat, the more the applause when parading down the avenue. I have listened to the Jolson and Garland versions of “Easter Parade” for years and have wondered about the phrase that I “thought” was “Rodo Review,” I recently checked into this word. My thinking was along the lines that the Rodo Review was some famous magazine of the time. Wrong!

The correct term is “rotogravure” which when spoken, sounds like “Rodo Review.”

Rotogravure is a type of printing method that involves the engraving of an image onto an image carrier. The image or photo is places onto a cylinder and a rotary printing press is used to

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

certainly be pictures snapped and lots of good fun, hot glue guns and all.

However you celebrate Easter, if you celebrate Easter, have fun, be safe, and make some memories on the avenue. e Forest Riggs, a resident of Galveston is no stranger to the adventures of life. A former educator and business owner, he enjoys Island life and all that comes with it. He says he is a “raconteur with a quixotic, gypsy spirit.” Forest has written for several newspapers and magazines as well as other writing pursuits, including a novel and collection of short stories.

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 19

Out At The Theater

A wealth of fanciful theater, music, and a murder for two e By Randall Jobe

The Music Box Theater salutes Broadway in the final performance of Best of Broadway. The talented resident cast promises to provide non-stop entertainment while performing songs from Tony award winning musicals from across the decades. This troupe’s musicfilled and hilarious cabaret features such favorites as the classic “Luck Be A Lady Tonight” from Guys and Dolls, “Memories” from Cats, “Age of Aquarius” from Hair, “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables and many more. For the seventh year in a row, the talented singers and formidable band members have created a new show entirely dedicated to Broadway.

Through April 20. 2623 Colquitt Avenue. Tickets: TheMusicBoxTheater. com or 713-522-7722.

The Trojan War Project is the epic undertaking by Main Street Theater to present three productions: Shakespeare, Euripides and Homer’s unique perspectives of The Trojan War. For centuries, the triumphs and the struggles of Helen, Achilles, Hecuba, Ulysses, and the heroes and heroines of the Bronze Age have inspired, shocked and warned of the horrors of war and the consequences of destructive human behavior. Troilus and Cressida and Hecuba and The Trojan Woman play in repertory. This collaboration with Prague Shakespeare Company is co-directed by Guy Roberts and Rebecca Greene Udden with music composed by Patrick Neil Doyle. Through April 20. 2540 Times Boulevard. Tickets: MainStreetTheater.com or 713-524-6706.

Stages Repertory Theatre

presents the smash hit musical that has devoured the hearts of theatregoers for over 30 years: Little Shop of Horrors.

A nerdy flower shop clerk named Seymour stumbles across a new breed of plant that he affectionately names after his secret crush, Audrey. The exotic bloom offers the promise of

fame and fortune, but Seymour soon discovers that the mysterious “Audrey II” also has a taste for blood, ominous origins and an insatiable appetite for power! Directed and choreographed by Mitchell Greco, with musical direction

by Steven Jones. Through April 28.

Stages also presents Murder for Two, a new musical comedy. Everyone is suspect in this hilarious murder mystery with a twist. One actor plays the investigator, the other plays all 13 suspects, and both play the piano throughout! A zany blend of classic musical comedy and murder mystery, this whodunit is a highly theatrical duet loaded with killer laughs. Directed and choreographed

by Mitchell Greco, with music directed

by Steven Jones. April 24 through June 16. 3201 Allen Parkway. Tickets: StagesTheatre.com or 713-527-0123.

The Alley Theatre presents Crimes of the Heart, Beth Henley’s 1981 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Circle Awards winner. The author’s first play brings you to the Mississippi home of the Magrath sisters. Babe has just shot her husband because she didn’t like his looks. This brings middle sister Meg back to town from Los Angeles, where she is unsuccessfully pursuing a music career. And poor Lenny, everyone has forgotten her birthday! Warmhearted, irreverent and imaginative, Crimes of the Heart teems with humanity as the sisters forgive the past, face the present, and embrace the future. Renowned director Theresa Rebeck returns to the Alley to direct. Suitable for high school-aged audiences and older. Through May 5.

The Alley also presents Constellations

by Nick Payne. One couple. Infinite possibilities. Science and romance collide in this spellbinding play that imagines when boy meets girl. And when boy meets girl again. And again.

Defying the boundaries of the world we think we know, Constellations delves into the universal truth of finding and

losing love and questions the difference between choice and destiny. Directed

by Leslie Swackhamer. May 3 through June 2. 615 Texas Avenue. Tickets: AlleyTheatre.org or 713-220-5700.

Theatre Under The Stars continues its 50th anniversary season with Ragtime with book by Terrance McNally, music

by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s powerful novel about immigrants and the fight for the American soul in the early 1920s, Ragtime is a deeply moving musical featuring a Tony Awardwinning score and book set at a time when cultures are colliding on issues of race, gender identity, and politics. This ensemble piece takes a look at the past; in it, we see our present. April 16 through 28. Hobby Center, 801 Bagby Street.

Tickets: TUTS.com or 713-558-8887.

The Ensemble Theatre presents the regional premiere of Pipeline. Nya, an inner city high school teacher, is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son, Omari, opportunities at his upstate private school where he is threatened with being expelled. Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent. But will she be able to reach him before a world beyond her control pulls him away? May 5 through June 2. 3535 Main Street. Tickets: EnsembleHouston.com or 713-520-0055.

Broadway at the Hobby Center

presents the acclaimed new production of Miss Saigon. From the creators of Les Miserables, this is the epic story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim. In a bar run by a notorious character named The Engineer, Kim meets an American G.I. That encounter will change their lives forever. Featuring a stunning spectacle, a sensational cast of 42, and a soaring Broadway score, this is a theatrical event you will never forget. May 7 through May 12. Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby Street. Tickets: 713-315-2400. e

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 20 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ actorsinger talks telling his story with debut album and the problem with a coming-out announcement e By Chris Azzopardi

I

t comes up casually, as Ben Platt prefers. Tucked into “Older,” a theatrical juggernaut that doesn’t even try to hide the fact that the actor-singer introduced Evan Hansen to the world (because why would it?), the line is a personal aside expressed on an otherwise universal ballad about wishing to speed up time in your youth, only to hope for more of it as you age: “And will I get to know myself in the place I am / Get to fall in love with another man, and understand.”

If you didn’t already know Ben Platt is gay, this is how he wishes you’d find out. Casually.

The theater star turned pop crooner came out in his personal life when he was 12, then landed his Broadway debut in The Book of Mormon as Elder Cunningham in 2012. He went on to bag a Grammy and a Tony (he has an Emmy too, putting him on EGOT watch) for his moving portrayal of the titular teen in Dear Evan Hansen, also on Broadway. And, of course, he brought literal magic to the Pitch Perfect franchise, as super nerd Benji Applebaum.

But Platt’s earnest and emotional Atlantic debut Sing to Me Instead is his first public expression of self, at 25. “The main reason I wanted to make this music was to have the opportunity to go around the country and play it live and have that

Celebrity Feature

This is Ben Platt

thinks we should move beyond coming-out announcements.

How do you process the fact that you’ve been making so many people cry with this album?

You know, it’s a strange thing. I think it’s just nice to see that people are finding ways to connect to it. I tried to make it as sort of specific as possible because usually that kind of thing begets the most universality, and it’s been really nice that that’s really been the case.

And I hope it’s all good, cathartic-type tears and not the bad kind! (Laughs) live connection, because that’s what I grew up loving the most,” he says, “and singing live is my favorite thing to do.”

In addition to a 12-city tour, Platt will also star alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange and Bette Midler this year as a high school go-getter who’s eager to be the actual president – but first, student government – in the forthcoming Netflix comedy series The Politician, which debuts Sept. 27.

The series, he says, is, “in true Ryan Murphy fashion, very queer-positive.”

During our recent conversation, Platt also discussed being the reason so many people are crying, LGBTQ stigma in Hollywood and why he

How did these songs come to you? In waves? All at once?

First in waves. I think when I first sat down to write the album I tried to just lean on what came in terms of what I thought deserved to be sung about, because I come from the theater, so I feel like my philosophy has always been that you only really sing when there’s something emotionally valuable enough to sing about, and that ended up being largely the relationships that I’d had and a couple I was in while writing.

So I think it was a mixture of trying to lean on those experiences and those emotions, then also accruing phrases and ideas and conceptual things that I felt hadn’t been necessarily stated

that way before or said that way before and finding a way to join them.

What hadn’t been conveyed that you wanted to say with this album?

“Grow as You Go” is the one that comes to mind only because I had never really heard a song that addressed this copout thing that always tends to happen when you’re in a relationship and you get to a point where it gets a bit too scary and the person backs out with the excuse of, “I need to go find who I am and I don’t have enough legs to stand on as my own person.” Of course that’s valid in many cases, but I’ve also found out that it’s kind of something to hide behind.

I think if the connection is strong enough, and theoretically if it’s a special enough person and it’s the right person, then it shouldn’t really keep you from experiencing personal growth and finding who you are just because you happen to be with someone else who is also figuring those things out.

Was there ever a time you didn’t think an album like this, where you could be your out, authentic self, would be possible?

I think, yeah. If we’re all realistic about the world, it’s not all roses and it’s not all fantastic and we don’t live in a vacuum where it’s all pure acceptance. And particularly as an actor, there’s a lot of stigma surrounding what you’re castable Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

as when you’re out of the closet, and sort of what characters you can play and how people will view you going forward.

But as far as the decision (to be out), it really was a no-brainer, because if I was gonna try to do something that felt authentic to me and was gonna sort of express any kind of truth in my own life then there would be no room to edit it or change it just because I hadn’t expressed those things before.

You say there’s a stigma to be out if you’re an actor. Do you think gay actors and musicians are asked to keep their sexuality quiet when promoting projects and has that ever happened to you?

I’m sure that’s something people encounter. I know that’s definitely not something we’ve moved forward from in general. I have been really lucky personally to work pretty much only in environments where it was incredibly accepting and open – and, I mean, I grew up in the theater where everyone is gay, so it was never an issue (laughs).

And I don’t necessarily think that an actor’s private life, regardless of their sexuality or any of that, is pertinent when you’re playing a different character. I think when you’re promoting something, it’s about the project and the work. What was beautiful about this experience was the work: It was sort of built into the work itself, and it was part of what the content is. And I think it gave me an opportunity to discuss it in the context of art rather than sort of trying to interject it into a conversation about work that was really sort of irrelevant to it.

But I do maybe think there is pressure to present a certain accepted form of masculinity, or to feel like you can still fit into certain boxes so you don’t limit yourself. I’m hopeful that is slowly fading away and that everybody can just accept that actors are chameleons and we can play who we can play.

Is it necessary to still make a coming-out announcement in 2019? I gather that you think it’s not?

I just don’t think it should be perceived as an abnormality at all, and in and of itself, having to announce something suggests that it’s departing from the norm or that it’s something that needs to be addressed. I think it should just be part of who we are – same as that I’m Jewish, and I’m also gay. The more that it can become an assumed part of reality, the better.

So, for example, it’s time to move on from calling you “gay musician Ben Platt.” We don’t need that identifier anymore, do we?

I agree. Yes, indeed.

In putting forward your own authentic self with this album, have you consciously had to work against the sort of nerdy-kid persona that’s been your staple?

Sure – sure! Less the archetype and more so the specific role of Evan Hansen, I think, especially in the context of music, just because I think most people, as far as my voice, are most familiar with that album. So I’ve tried to really embrace the emotionality of that and how beautiful it is that people connected to S 22

Crossword Queeries

GAY WORLD LEADERS Across

51 “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” peak

12 Shrek’s shoe size, perhaps

1 Early AIDS play

52 Ana Brnabic’s country

20 Lines through

5 Weathercock

54 Dam agcy.

21 Unexpected victory

9 Fairy tale start

55 Susan Feniger may pleasure it

22 Boat with a pair of bears

13 Wise guy

57 Bear or bull

23 Lucy of Charlie’s Angels

14 Debussy contemporary Satie

59 Gay leaders of three

26 Rimbaud’s king

15 Vague sense

countries in this puzzle

27 Animation unit

16 His brother laid

62 Positions for Patty Sheehan

32 Billy of Titanic

him in his grave

63 Emma Donoghue’s country

34 Be a hunter and pecker

17 Garb for Troy Perry

64 Official records

36 Christ the

18 The life of Riley

65 Petrol station choice

(Rio landmark)

19 Xavier Bettel’s country

66 Initiated phone sex

37 Sharif of Funny Girl

22 Home st. of Tallulah

67 “Methinks thou

38 Prep for a marathon,

Bankhead

protest too much”

with “up”

24 Make airtight

Down

39 Arsonist activity

25 Rainbow shape

1 Khan’s title

28

2 Where to put your

Tin Tin

29 Starts

meat, in a deli

30 Opponent of Wade

3 Leo Varadkar’s country

31 Comic strip named for a vine

4 George Takei’s role

33 Online prostitution?

on Star Trek

35 The Orlando shooting,

5 Dancer Ben

for example

6 They come from pansies

40 Go across

7 Tug on a fishing line

43 On-line ‘zine

8 Barely make

44 Two queens, e.g.

9 Out partner

48 Terse oral refusal

10 1953 Marilyn Monroe film

49 Disney’s That Cat!

11 Some of My Best

50 Rubik of cube fame

Friends network

40 Type of fruit juice 41 Shiny part of the Little Bear’s tail 42 Brings to bear 45 Erte’s style 46 Turns inside out 47 Guffaws about, as a Kate McKinnon skit 52 Sault

Marie

53 Caesar’s arts 56 Schoolyard retort 58 Not much 60 “Got a Rainbow” lyricist Gershwin 61 Anais who went both ways

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 21

PAGE 22 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

An open letter to Karen Pence e By Nancy Ford

Dear Karen,

H

ey girl, hey. I’ve been meaning to write to you for some time, ever since you officially became the “Second Lady” of these United States. That can’t be an easy job. For one, how pleasant can it be to have to endure the constant comparison to First Lady Melania Trump? You’re a perfectly fine looking woman, no doubt of superior intellect. Not a speck of porn in your history, unless you count repeatedly watching Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. But that’s Christian snuff porn — a completely different category.

There are other ways you differ from Melania Trump, too. Her chosen credo is “Be best.” While that’s spartanly aspirational, it’s mighty vague. Given your well-advertised aberration to the Christian faith, it’s likely that your motto might be something a bit more specific. Like, “Be best. Just not gay.”

Which leads us to why I’m writing this letter. In recent weeks, as politicians begin scurrying for their place and to make a name for themselves in the upcoming presidential primaries, your fellow Hoosier, Pete Buttigieg has been in the news. A lot.

While at this writing he has not officially thrown his hat into the ring, Mayor Pete, as fans and the press affectionately call

him, is enjoying a quick, early embrace from the press. And for good reason.

As you know, he’s been mayor of your state’s South Bend since 2012 where he enjoys immense popularity. He’s young (37ish), extremely well spoken, has nary a spot of scandal in his past (that we know of, so far), and is very well liked among his constituents. Valedictorian of his high school class. He received a first prize for the JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest from the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston shortly after he graduated high school. He went on to college at Harvard University. Became a Rhoades scholar. Joined the U.S. Navy, serving in Afghanistan. He’s a decorated, respected veteran. Stable.

He’s the kind of guy that that any reasonable parent could point to and hope their child would emulate. Basically, Mayor Pete is everything your husband’s boss is not. He’s a devout Christian. And he’s married. To another man, as you are well aware. Those two facts conflict in your interpretation of Christianity apparently, and are the root of the problem you seem to have with Mr. Buttigieg.

Recently, Mayor Pete was the keynote speaker at the 2019 Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch, held recently in Washington D.C. The LGBTQ Victory Fund describes itself as an organization that

“works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ officials at all levels of government.”

In 2015, the Victory Fund helped re-elect Mayor Pete as South Bend’s mayor. Coincidentally, that was the same year your husband, then the governor of Indiana, signed into law a “religious freedom” bill enabling businesses and individuals to refuse service to people for being LGBT. In his brunch speech, Mayor Pete talked about the difficulty he had in accepting his own gayness, especially in light of his fervent Christian convictions. Eventually he was able to “see the light”, as it were, of his own holiness and worth as a gay Christian.

“If me being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade. I wish the Mike Pences of the world could understand, that if you have a problem with who I am, then your problem is not with me, your quarrel is with my Creator,” Buttigieg said in his address.

Well. Judging from the way you and your husband reacted to Mayor Pete’s very tempered, measured and, well, Christian statement, one would have thought he was reflecting on how ripped Christ looked as he hung tortuously on the cross (another Mel Gibson reference, btw).

To absolutely no one’s surprised, both you and your husband responded by playing the “abused Christian” card.

Photo via TheRepublic.com

What A World “He said some things that are critical of my Christian faith and about me personally, and he knows better,” Pence sniveled to CNBC. “He knows me.”

You piled on with, “In our country, we need to understand, you shouldn’t be attacked for what your religious beliefs are.”

But it’s OK to forbid LGBTQ families from The Pences. seeking an education at the school where you teach, right, Karen?

And it’s OK for your husband to “oppose any measure that would advance LGBTQ rights, voting for a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality, advocating conversion therapy as a means to fight HIV, and being a key supporter of the transgender military ban,” as LGBTQNation.com reports, right, Karen?

C’mon, Karen. You and I and Jesus all know very well this isn’t the way Christians are supposed to act. Be better. e

Celebrity Feature S 20 that character and my interpretation of that character, and try to use that as a fire under my butt to create my own stuff and to put my own self out there rather than a road block of, “Let me try to change the way that I’m viewed.” Hopefully just by virtue of the fact that I’m now presenting myself free of any character, that’s just gonna change the perception regardless of how I posture myself.

Does maturity explain the beard?

Yeah – well, I just prefer to have a beard whenever possible. I’ve just been playing teenagers so much, like in The Politician, that I’ve not been able to have one. I’m enjoying it while I can.

One YouTube commenter wrote: “Ben’s beard grows as his heart breaks.”

(Laughs) That’s about right!

Alongside Blake Shelton and Zac Efron, you were included in People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2017, as Sexiest Broadway Performer. Were you prepared for that moment in your career?

Certainly not! (Laughs) That was not something that was ever on my sort of preconceived bucket list! I mean, it’s very flattering and very nice, but it was never a conscious goal. It was not like the Tony and the Broadway of all of it, but it was lovely to see! And it made me feel good – and made me want to go out and go on some dates!

Did it get you some dates?

Well, not necessarily from it but Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 23

Community

Postino looks to build on the legacy of Montrose Mining Company e By Johnny Trlica

G

one are the barrels of peanuts, $1 vodkas, and near-naked, uninhibited go-go boys. All that’s left is the shell of what used to be one of

Houston’s hottest gay cruise bars, The Montrose Mining Company.

Opened in the 1970’s, TMC would be packed to the rafters on most nights, and especially on Sundays for the beer bust and trash disco. Changing times, shifting attitudes, and years of neglect brought about the end of the 805 Pacific Street staple, and it shuttered in 2016.

In its place comes Postino, slated to open by late summer. Postino Wine Café will be looking to build on the

it restored a bit of confidence.

It was a nice boost.

And then you were on Ellen recently, noting you’re single, so that couldn’t have hurt.

Yeah, exactly! Whenever possible. I’m around.

Are LGBTQ youth reaching out to you expressing what this music means to them? Are you seeing the same tweets that I’m seeing?

It’s hard to gauge. This is the first time I’ve released music on my own, so this is the first time I’m experiencing, like, how to experience the way it’s being received.

There are so many different measures of that, but definitely as I give the social a scroll, if you will, there are beautiful messages from people. Of course there

legacy that has been left in the building

by TMC as well as previous gay bars that occupied 805 Pacific Street.

(Those bars include The Tattooed Lady, Pacific Street Station, and Uncle Charlie’s, according to JD Doyle at HoustonLGBTHistory. org.)

Postino founder Lauren Bailey said, “Walking into the old Montrose Mining Company — such a storied space that’s been a neighborhood gathering space since the 1970’s – gave us goosebumps.

Something just felt right, and we’re thrilled to honor its historic legacy, the neighborhood, and the people who have come before us.”

Montrose Mining Company’s closure not only provided Postino with an ideal central location, but also with the type of rich history and revitalization opportunity which they have gravitated toward since its inception in 2001.

The wine café is “over the moon to be opening its doors within the Montrose neighborhood — a community of eclectic businesses and restaurants that we feel privileged to become a part of,” said Brittany Baldwin, director of marketing at Upward Projects. “Every Postino location is different, adorned with unique vintage decor, found objects and artwork.

Postino Heights features a wall made of reclaimed skateboards, but Montrose will have one of an entirely different nature, which is to be determined but some exciting ideas are in the hopper!”

It’s bittersweet watching what was The Montrose Mining Company being dissected, piece-by-piece, brick-bybrick. The end came as a shock but

are messages from youth, particularly LGBTQ youth who feel really affected by the representation and feel really seen and like they can see themselves in the art, which is something that’s obviously very beautiful to me. But what’s been the most heartening to me is how innocuous that aspect of it has been and how it’s really been about the music itself, and how regardless of walk of life or sexuality or age, people are really finding ways that these songs fit into their lives, and that’s the ultimate gift: that they become so malleable. That’s been really beautiful.

That songs that are very specific to your own life can have universal appeal?

For sure. And that I can sort of express an experience that can then make

probably shouldn’t have surprised anyone. The Mine’s proprietor Charles Armstrong announced the closure via a Facebook post on September 8, 2016. In the post he cited, “with the changing times we recognize the concept is gone; times have changed.”

Remodeling and reconstruction is proceeding at a fast clip as the location prepares for its transformation into Postino Wine Café. The large covered patio, where many cheap cocktails were consumed while leaning over the too-high fence, people-watching, is

it maybe easier for someone else to go through that same experience or an experience like that.

What have you learned from other out artists, like Sam Smith and Troye Sivan, when it comes to navigating the music world as an out artist?

I would say from all artists, not just queer artists. But certainly all of my favorite artists, queer or not, are sort of the ones who are true to themselves and more singular to themselves and not really wasting any time trying to fit into a preconceived box. Something that’s been really wonderful about working with Atlantic is they’ve been so reverential to my vision, allowing me to lead the way creatively and really trusting my instinct

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

gone. New sidewalks and curbs and gutters are being installed as well as a new exterior. The interior is completely gutted to make way for a new Montrose experience that includes a diverse menu of food like meat and cheese boards, a selection of bruschetta, salads, and Panini as well as $5 glasses of wine.

This will be the second Houston location for the Phoenix, Arizonabased company. Knowing that Postino Montrose knows and appreciates the history and significance of the area makes them a welcome addition. e

and my gut feeling, and allowing me to be the kind of artist I wanna be and not sort of “pick a lane” in any way.

I think the only reason it’s been successful thus far and people are connecting with it is because they’ve allowed me to be individualistic. And so I certainly admire any artist, queer or not, who is able to blaze their own path in that way. Just if you’re authentic, I think that’s the most attractive quality beyond just a beautiful voice, feeling like this is undoubtedly exactly who you are. e As editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBTQ wire service, Chris Az zopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in GQ, Vanity Fair and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

PAGE 24 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Star Buds

The ABC’s of CBD’s, Part 2 e By Rena McCain

H

appy Weedsday, everyone! I hope you are having an amazing week.

In MONTROSE STAR’s last issue, I introduced information about a cannabinoid called cannabigerol, more commonly called CBG. If you are interested in finding part one of this article, you can find it at GanjaGrrl420. com or MontroseStar.com.

So, back to CBG. Most recreational and medical strains of cannabis, including hemp, have small trace amounts of CBG. Without CBG, THC and CBD wouldn’t exist. CBG is the non-acidic form of cannabigerolic acid, and is the parent molecule from which other cannabinoids are synthesized. Cannabigerol is thought to be only a minor constituent of cannabis, typically between 0.1 and one percent.

But experts rarely measure the amount of CBG in industrial hemp strains, so there is not much information on this particular cannabinoid. However, there seems to be around a 0.2 to two percent range. So here is a possibility of interrupting the enzyme activity when converting CBG into THC specifically. Strains containing more CBG (around two to three percent)

have started showing up in countries such as Europe, and these new hybrids should hit the market in 2019 or so.

Growers and cultivators that are interested in producing CBG-rich medical weed strains may try to extract CBG from six-week-old plants to experiment with crossbreeding and come up with a high CBG strain. It would be pretty cool to be able to do this and isolate it this way because CBG is an essential cannabinoid due to its various health benefits, particularly for individuals with conditions affecting their central nervous system, such as skin disorders, neurological diseases, and chronic pain.

Besides that, researchers have found

that CBG stimulates bone formation and healing. In a study that was published on PubMed.gov, “Age-related osteoporosis is characterized by reduced bone formation and accumulation of fat in the bone marrow compartment. Here, we report that the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) regulates this process.” Results showed they could stimulate bone marrow stem cells by regulating osteoblast (bone formation) and adipocyte (fat accumulation in connective tissue) differentiation in marrow stromal cells.

CBG also treats another condition.

Researchers have found that CBG has shown to have anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties, which make it a candidate for anti fungal and antibacterial treatment. Some scientists believe CBG could be part of an effective treatment against MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), a highly prevalent antibioticresistant strain of bacteria. I would definitely call that a win situation for anyone afflicted by MRSA.

What makes CBD and CBG different?

Even though both of these cannabis compounds are non-psychoactive, there are a few things that make them stand apart. One of the most noticeable differences is that CBD doesn’t interact with CB1 or CB2 receptors directly like CBG. However, CBG is actually one of the first cannabinoids to be formed in the cannabis plant as it develops.

CBG is sometimes referred to as the “stem cell” of cannabis. It is found

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

in higher concentrations in developing cannabis plants, usually in an acidic form known as CBGA or cannabigerolic acid.

CBG increases anandamide production, which is your body’s primary endocannabinoid. This helps to regulate appetite, sleep and memory. Anandamide also acts on your CB1 and CB2 receptors.

Also known as breaking the blood/brain barrier. CBD decreases anandamide’s access to transport molecule-acting fatty acids, meaning it slows down the process of the molecule of entering the system.

Researchers, doctors, and patients still know a lot more about CBD and THC than CBG. However, people discovering its potential is fast becoming a reality.

Some strains that are rich in CBG include: –Destroyer, a good mix between a Columbian/Mexican hybrid and a Meao Thailand, creating a rare variety that’s among the few pure sativa strains surviving in the world. With a 10 to 15 percent THC level, it’s a potentially beneficial strain for experienced users.

While it is a strong strain, it provides a clear-headed high. Although the exact percentage of CBG content isn’t known, it is said to be fairly high.

–Exodus Cheese, containing 15 percent CBG, is a good strain for those just getting started with CBG-rich strains. There’s also less THC in this strain than in Destroyer, thereby making the CBG content more noticeable. When you inhale this flower strain, it produces immediate effects.

–William’s Wonder, perhaps the most noticeable CBG-rich strain with a 30 percent content. Since it does contain more than 20 percent THC, you probably won’t “feel” the CBG in it, but you’ll experience the effects of the strain. It’s a pure indica variety, providing a chill and mellow effect — great for tackling pain, anxiety, depression, and nausea.

While CBG again isn’t psychoactive and doesn’t get you high, psychoactivity isn’t the critical factor here. CBG is beginning to reveal itself among the many cannabinoids of the marijuana plant as being a potentially therapeutic compound. While it’s not the cannabinoid for movie-enhancement capabilities, it’s likely a good product to use medicinally.

Rena McCain is a co-founder of the Cannabis Open Carry Walks. Find her on Facebook at GanjaGrrl420, or via Twitter @sassikatt24 and Instagram at ganja_grrl420. Listen to Conversations with Ganja Grrl & 420 News HQ, McCain’s broadcast on MixLR.com every Sunday morning, 11 a.m. ’til 2 p.m. CST on the MountainHighX station. To listen, download the MIXLR APP for android or Apple. Make an account.

Search for and follow MountainHigh10.

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 25

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 26 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Guide to the Clubs HOUSTON

n MONTROSE - MIDTOWN Crocker Bar 2312 Crocker St, Houston (713) 529-3355 Large Deck | Karaoke George’s Country Sports Bar 617 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 528-8102 Sports Bar | Pool & Darts | Patio Guava Lamp 570 Waugh Dr, Houston (713) 524-3359 • guavalamphouston.com Video Lounge | Karaoke | Mixed JR’s Bar and Grill & Santa Fe 808 Pacific St, Houston (713) 521-2519 • jrsbarandgrill.com Videos | Patio | Karaoke | Shows Michael’s Outpost Piano Bar 1419 Richmond Ave, Houston (713) 520-8446 Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Piano Rich's Houston 2401 San Jacinto (281) 846-6685 RichsNightclub.com Barcode Houston 817 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 526-2625 • facebook.com/barcode77006

Shows | Neighborhood Bar | CD/Trans The Ripcord 715 Fairview St, Houston (713) 521-2792 • facebook.com/ripcordhouston Leather | Uniform | Fetish | Men

n DOWNTOWN / EADO Lucky’s Pub - Downtown 801 St Emanuel St, 77003 (713) 522-2010 • Luckyspub.com Sports Bar | Food

n NW HOUSTON La Granja Disco & Cantina 5505 Pinemont Dr., Houston (713) 518-6753 • lagranjadisco.com Latin dance club

Moon Tower Inn 3004 Canal St, 77003 (832) 969-1934 • damngoodfoodcoldassbeer.com Hot Dogs | Beer Gardens

Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon 11410 Hempstead Highway Houston, TX 77092 (713) 677-0828 • neonbootsclub.com

Neil’s Bahr 2006 Walker St, 77003 (281) 352-7456 • NeilsBahr.com Premier Nerd | Gamer | Intellectual hangout Tout Suite 2001 Commerce, 77002 713-227-8688 • toutsuitetx.com Bakery | Cafe | Pub Voodoo Queen 322 Milby St, 77003 713-555-5666 • damngoodfoodcoldassbeer.com Casual | Po’ Boys | Games n DOWNTOWN / WARDS 1-4 Tony’s Corner Pocket 817 West Dallas Street, Houston (713) 571-7870 • tonyscornerpocket.com Neighborhood Bar | Pool | Dancers n HOUSTON - NORTH SIDE Ranch Hill Saloon 24704 Interstate 45, Spring (281) 298-9035 • ranchhill.com Country | Cowgirl | Neighborhood Bar The Room Bar 4915 FM 2920 Rd, Spring (281) 907-6866 • roombarspring.com Neighborhood Bar | Shows | Dance | Mixed

Viviana’s Night Club 4624 Dacoma St, Houston (713) 681-4101 • vivianasniteclub.com Latino | Tejano | Dance n SW HOUSTON Crystal Night Club 6684 SW Fwy, Houston (713) 278- 2582 • crystaltheclub.com Latin Dance | Salsa n HEIGHTS / WASHINGTON CORRIDOR Pearl Lounge 4216 Washington, Houston 832-740-4933 • pearlhouston.com Neighborhood Art Bar | Live Music | Women

GALVESTON 23rd Street Station 1706 23rd St, Galveston (409) 443-5678 • 23rdstreetstation.com Piano Bar | Pub | Live Entertainment Robert’s Lafitte 2501 Ave Q, Galveston (409) 765-9092 • galveston.com/robertslafitte Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Cruise | Shows Rumors Beach Bar 3102 Seawall Blvd., Galveston (409) 497-4617 • RumorsBeachBar.com Beach bar | Shows

SOLUTION FROM PAGE 21

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019 | PAGE 27

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 28 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday April 17, 2019

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter