Montrose Star, Houston's LGBTQ+ Entertainment Newspaper since 1976 by Laura Villagran

Alice Pasqual/Unspach.com

The Frivolist

8 PROACTIVE WAYS

Couples can face down their debt demons together 13 THE GAY-ETY STARTS HERE! Wednesday September 4, 2019 e VOL. X, 12 Photo: Robert Ascroft

MONTROSE STAR .COM » Houston Rainbow Herald

4 » Foodie Diaries

» WHAT A WORLD

22 INDEX Editorial Crossword Guide to the Clubs

5 23 26

By Chris Azzopardi

PAGE 2 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 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 LOVING, 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_KeepLoving_DR6_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 3

KEEP LOVING.

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

5/7/19 2:37 PM

PAGE 4 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

HRH Report

Tight ends and wide receivers Predictions for this football season e By Johnny Trlica

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.

OOTBALL SEASON HAS ARRIVED

and yes, there are lots of gays who know, love, and understand the gridiron game. We can talk about tight ends and wide receivers and it’s not a Grindr conversation. Besides patting each other on the butt, football can be a bonding experience. My siblings and I will never forget traveling around the state following our high school alma mater, Lamar Consolidated, en route to a state championship in 2006. Go Mustangs! Our mother had passed away earlier that year and those trips were the perfect instrument for us to reflect, remember, and forge a never-ending bond. Some of my fondest football memories came when the Houston Gamblers joined the USFL in the 1984. Future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly directed the run ’n’ shoot to pro football offensive records that still stand. Jack Pardee was head coach and went on to lead the Houston Cougars to big wins that included a 95-21 blowout of SMU. He also led the Houston Oilers to some of that team’s best seasons. Most people credit Donald Trump for the demise of the USFL. (Dang it! I thought I could get through a column without mentioning him.) College football can be just as exciting as the professional version. The Bayou City is lucky to have four collegiate teams that play the sport: University of Houston, Rice, Texas Southern and Houston Baptist. And don’t forget about the high schools and Friday night lights, or Thursday or Saturday for that matter. No one here is claiming to be an expert football prognosticator but several years ago, Yahoo had a program where participants could make predictions on upcoming NFL games. Yours truly was correct about 85 percent of the time. So based on the record that would make the most successful Las Vegas bookies envious, here are my predictions for this season in the NFL:

AMERICAN CONFERENCE NFC East:

• New England • Miami • NY Jets • Buffalo The New England Patriots are a cinch to win yet another division title, albeit a division that is probably the weakest in the league. Hate him if you like but Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback in history, and still easy on the eyes.

AFC North:

• Pittsburgh • Cleveland • Baltimore • Cincinnati The Cleveland Browns are much better but not quite there. The Pittsburgh Steelers win by default.

AFC West:

• Los Angeles Chargers • Kansas City • Oakland • Denver The Kansas City Chiefs have star power in Patrick Mahomes but the Chargers take the division. The poor Oakland Raiders are spending a lame duck season at the Coliseum in Oakland. Want to know how that will work out? Ask the 1996 Houston Oilers.

AFC South:

• Indianapolis • Houston • Tennessee • Jacksonville I hope I am wrong on this one. It’s win or go home for Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brian, especially after the fiasco with trying to hire a new general manager. The Indianapolis Colts should squeak out a title in a competitive division.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE NFC East:

• Philadelphia • Dallas • New York Giants • Washington

NFC South:

• • • •

New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay Carolina

The New Orleans Saints were robbed last year so look for revenge to be on their minds in 2019. The pass interference call that wasn’t called in the NFC Championship game last season caused a rules change this year. Drew Brees should lead the Saints to a Super Bowl win.

NFC West:

• Los Angeles Rams • Seattle • Arizona • San Francisco Last year’s Super Bowl runners up should take this division fairly easily but falter in the play-offs. Wild Card Teams: AFC: • Houston, Denver NFC: • Dallas, Seattle AFC Champions: • Kansas City Chiefs NFC Champions:

• New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Champion: • New Orleans Saints 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.

Sorry, Dallas Cowboys fans. I cannot in good conscious bet on the Cowboys to win anything. Nada! No championships for you. Dak Prescott wants to be the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. That’s pretty lofty goals for a mediocre player. NFC North:

• • • •

Chicago Detroit Minnesota Green Bay

The “Black & Blue Division” contains some of the oldest rivalries in pro football. The Green Bay Packers lead the all-time series with Chicago 97-95-6, having first met in 1921. Look for the Chicago Bears to even up the series this year.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Photo via Flickr.com

Eric Evans.

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 5

OP-ED

Creep of the Week: Log Cabin Republicans e By D’Anne Witkowski

DAY AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT

the Trump Administration was planning on making it easier for federal contractors to discriminate against LGBTQ workers, the Log Cabin Republicans did the only thing that made sense: they endorsed him wholeheartedly. In a very out-of-touch opinion piece in the Washington Post, LCR Chair Robert Kabel and Vice Chair Jill Homan wrote, “Since taking office, President Trump has followed through on many of his commitments to the United States, including taking bold actions that benefit the LGBTQ community.” Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Trump’s administration is the most antiLGBTQ, like, ever. He’s appointed a score of anti-LGBTQ judges, kicked transgender service members to the curb, endorses anti-LGBTQ candidates, supports so-called “religious freedom” laws that are a pass for discriminating against LGBTQ employees and customers. That’s just a partial list. He is literally working to undo every gain LGBTQ people made under President Obama. But please, LCR chairs, do enlighten me about his “bold actions that benefit the LGBTQ community.” Trump has “committed to end the spread of HIV/AIDS in 10 years, through the use of proven science, medicine and technology,” they write. First of all, the distrust of science by Republicans has only accelerated under President “Windmills Cause Cancer” Trump. Republicans also have vowed to do away with the Affordable Care Act, which includes protections for pre-existing conditions like HIV/AIDS, not to mention the fact that the ACA has allowed many people to access care who previously were

unable to get insurance. Oh, and there’s the fact that many of Trump’s supporters in the religious right still believe that AIDS is God’s punishment and that gays are subhuman and sex-crazed and need to pray to Jesus to make them straight. So spare me the “Trump is going to end AIDS” bullshit. Kabel and Homan also claim that “Trump has used the United States’ outsize global influence to persuade other nations to adopt modern human rights standards, including launching an initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality.” Ah yes, no doubt other countries are looking to the U.S. for pointers on how to elevate human rights standards. Maybe the globe will be inspired by how Trump has earned the adoration of literal Nazis and helped to embolden white supremacist terrorists. Or maybe they are jealous of our “guns are more important than human lives” policies. Surely the world is impressed that Trump is cracking down on asylum seekers and immigrants by taking their children and locking them in baby jails with no plans for how to reunite these families. Actually, Kabel and Homan likely see his treatment of immigrants as a plus. “His hard line on foreign policy has protected LGBTQ lives,” they claim. Trump’s foreign policy has protected LGBTQ lives? Was it when he tried to goad North Korea’s Kim Jong Un into war via Twitter? Or was it when he scrapped the Iran nuclear deal and seemed hip to go to war with them, too? Was it when he declared that Russia, a country that has extremely punitive anti-gay laws, was America’s BFF? The fact is, Trump’s policies have made Americans less safe at home and abroad. We are literally the laughingstock of the world because we have such a supremely stupid and vile president. Trump makes the nation weak.

Kabel and Homan also claim that Trump’s “tax cuts have benefited LGBTQ families and helped put food on their tables” and his “aggressive negotiations on trade deals have preserved LGBTQ jobs.” Sure, Jan. If you’re wondering why LCR would embrace such a destructive and hateful administration, Kabel and Homan make the argument that things aren’t as bad as they were, therefore they’re good as they are. “For LGBTQ Republicans, watching the 2016 GOP convention before Donald Trump took the stage was like a dream fulfilled,” they wrote. “The distance between that event and Pat Buchanan’s hatefilled exhortation against the LGBTQ community in Houston in 1992 is a powerful measurement of how far we’ve come.” Ah. So because the GOP put gay billionaire Peter Thiel on stage at their convention instead of hate troll Pat Buchanan all is well and good? Regardless of who they put on stage, the Republican platform for 2016 was the most antiLGBTQ platform ever. Even worse than in 1992. Just because the GOP realized that public homophobic hate is a bad look doesn’t mean they don’t still embrace it in private and enact policies that advance their anti-LGBTQ agenda. Look, just because you’re in a relationship where your partner used to punch you in the face on the regular but now only slaps you sometimes doesn’t mean your relationship has gotten better. And yet here are the Log Cabin Republicans not only accepting their abuse but praising their abuser. And that hurts all of us who are in this relationship involuntarily and desperately want to break up. e

TOC SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 | VOL. X, 12

COOKING WITH PAULA DREAM Easy, breezy summer sweets

D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski

DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD The ‘Love, Simon’ TV show has a cast

HRH Report.......................................................... 4 OP-ED.....................................................................5 Community........................................................... 6 Cooking with Paula Dream........................... 10 The Frivolist........................................................ 13 Foodie Diaries.................................................... 14 Across the Causeway........................................17 Deep Inside Hollywood..................................20 What A World....................................................22 Crossword Queeries.........................................23 Star Buds.............................................................24 Out At the Theater...........................................25 Guide to the Clubs............................................26

September 4, 2019. None as of press time.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 6 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Galveston’s Robert’s Lafitte celebrates 50th anniversary e By Johnny Trlica

HE SUMMER IS 1969 IS REMEMBERED

as a moment in time that is forever etched into our psyches. Those three months witnessed the Stonewall riots, Woodstock, Apollo 11 where man first landed on the moon, the Charles Manson murders, and the death of gay icon Judy Garland. Across the causeway to Galveston, Robert Mainor made history with the purchase of Lafitte’s, one of several gay bars in the area. He renamed it Robert’s Lafitte, and now, 50 years later, it is the oldest gay bar in Texas with the same continuous owner. Robert’s Lafitte has become a beloved Galveston institution that attracts a variety of clientele. While all are welcome, the bar maintains its gay persona. The drag shows are legendary and a must see for visitors. The weekend of August 23 through 25, the tavern located just a couple of blocks from Pleasure Pier, celebrated 50 years of service with a weekend of drag shows, drink specials, and pool parties. Yes, they have a pool on the patio behind the building. Carly Davin Nation wrote on Facebook,

“My goodness I am pooped! But it was a really fun day of drag at Robert’s Lafitte. Happy 50th Anniversary! Gosh, I remember when I was first coming out around the 35th anniversary. How time flies! So, so, soooo many memories in that bar! Here’s to 50 more years of the oldest gay bar in Texas, and definitely one of the most unique!” Misty Valdez, a legendary island diva, said, “A big shout out to Robert’s Lafitte (Texas’ oldest gay bar) wishing you a happy 50 year of service to our community! Thank you for the fun, laughs, and memories. Most of all thank you for giving me a place to call home for over 35 years! Thanks for opening your doors for me when no one else would. Without you there would be no Misty Valdez. To all former entertainers past and present, “thank you” for carrying on the tradition!” In an era when gay businesses are facing the challenges of changing demographics and increasing assimilation between gays and straights, Robert’s Lafitte stands proud, an island of stability in a fast-changing world e

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Community

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 7

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Judith PowerLight of Possibility

PAGE 8 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

But Judith, I do want a full order of soaps starring Sherrell. I want more wigs and more sassing young girls on the street who are getting her autograph for their grandma. (Laughs) How divine, right? And she’s so glam. Over the years you’ve rocked some glam looks – did

Photo Courtesy of 1091

and the

latest feminist wave and the evolution of LGBTQ characters in her work. Then, because Judith Light can’t be contained, and because sometimes she’s a life coach, she waxed poetic about believing in the power of possibility. Sherrell is like an onion being peeled back as the movie progresses. That’s a great way to describe it, Chris. Thank you. That’s so great that you saw it, because that was in the writing, that was in the way we developed the character from the very beginning.

e By Chris Azzopardi

UDITH LIGHT GOT HER START ON

One Life to Live in 1977 as housewife-turned-prostitute Karen Wolek, but the luminous screen and stage actress couldn’t be confined to a daytime soap. Her boundless range and abundant empathy for others are suffused into nearly a half-century’s worth of characters she’s played with the same gentle spirit that greeted me on the phone recently. Her role on the classic 1980s sitcom Who’s the Boss? further established her as one of our great leading ladies. That success, in particular, gave the LGBTQ activist a platform to become one of only a few celebrities willing to speak out on HIV/

AIDS during the height of the pandemic. Somehow, though, it always seems like Judith Light is just getting started. At 70 years old, an age when many actresses can’t find screen work, Light has been doing some of her very best. As Marilyn Miglin, the wife of one of serial killer Andrew Cunanan’s victims, she was devastatingly perfect in Ryan Murphy’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. With just a brief role in two episodes, she still managed to catch the attention of Emmy voters, who nominated her for her portrayal of the distraught cosmetics entrepreneur. In addition to the two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards she won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

Series for playing Karen Wolek, Light also received two nominations for her portrayal of Shelly Pfefferman, the wife of Maura, a trans woman, on Transparent. Her latest role in the indie dramedy Before You Know It has her coming full circle: Light plays Sherrell, an aging soap star trying to rise above Hollywood’s ageist and sexist attitudes. Sherrell becomes an important figure in the lives of Rachel Gurner (Hannah Pearl Utt, who directed and co-wrote the feature), a lesbian stage manager, and her sister, Jackie (co-writer Jen Tullock), as they reconnect with the actress, their presumed-deceased mother. Recently, Light spoke warmly about how her role as Sherrell reflects this

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

you have a style vision for Sherrell? No, actually, we didn’t. We looked at different pictures of soap stars and their hair and we thought, “Oh, this could be really good.” But we had to be very careful that we weren’t going to go make her a caricature and go over the top. Hannah really had a lot to do with the look and the wardrobe. She didn’t want her to be something that was goofy or weird, none of us did. If you’re playing a soap opera character, someone who’s on a soap opera, you have to be really careful and appropriate so that it’s a real person, not just somebody who’s somebody you can write off easily. (Sherrell) was created with a kind of expansiveness

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 9 and understanding of who she actually is and what her life was like and what her choices were. It’s a very real person.

I did totally eat up all the very good-bad dialogue you got to deliver as Sherrell during the soap scenes, and with such fun melodrama in the first scene. And in that fur! Then she slaps her co-star because she thinks the scene needs it. It seemed like you were having fun. Oh, it’s a joy. That’s also great writing, that’s also when Jen and Hannah were putting it all together and we were all talking about it together. We were really talking to each other about the characters, what they would do, where they would go and how they would be perceived. Not that you’ve slapped someone, but have you ever gotten so carried away as a particular character in a scene that you just lost yourself in that character and abandoned the script because something else felt right? Never. No? No, no. That’s not professional. I would never do that. Now, when we would do scenes on Transparent, would we know the dialogue? Absolutely. Would we abandon it at certain points? And would Jill (Soloway, the Transparent creator) feed us different things or would we throw in different ideas? Absolutely. Anything like that has to be done under the framework of safety – that everybody feels safe – and in the context of never going beyond or making anyone feel scared or treating someone improperly. To me, it’s unacceptable. You just don’t do that. There’s nothing more important on a set than making sure everybody feels safe.

Veteran actress talks current feminist movement, her new soap-star role and the Transparent finale

Have you ever witnessed that happen on a set before, though? No. It just happens in Sherrell’s world. But look at what’s happening to her: She knows that things are falling apart. She knows that she’s not being paid attention to. It doesn’t come out of nothing and nowhere; it comes out of this desire to be seen, to be heard, to be relevant, to be young, to be cool, to be chic, to be trendy. To be everything. She’s fighting for her dignity. Absolutely. Perfectly said. Well, it’s very palpable. What’s your take on her attitudes about how women have to be portrayed to be considered desirable? That’s out of the way the world and the culture are. That’s what she’s been taught, that’s what she knows. That’s all she knows. How do you feel that’s relevant to the real world? She doesn’t fit anymore as she’s getting older, and that’s frightening for her. She feels uncertain and scared. These are a lot of things that a lot of women are experiencing right now, and that’s probably what made this such a valuable project to me, to show that. All women are going through this at a certain age, feeling less behind and not relevant. Feeling the connection with my women friends and women in general – we are holding ourselves in a different framework now. We are standing in a very different – no pun intended – light, to really demonstrate to ourselves and to the world who we actually are. Those things that the culture has, in some cases, smothered us with and had us be quiet about, we are no longer doing that. We’re not victims; we’re powerful. And I think that’s what you see Sherrell learn as the movie goes on.

I liked that the lesbian daughter’s queerness was a footnote – we’re seeing a lot more of that, where LGBTQ characters are written into a story without their sexuality being a focus of the story. Is that something you appreciated about Before You Know It? Hello! I know, being a gay icon, I figured as much. Honey, I’m not an icon.

Listen, in the early days, we had to do that. We had to make it pointed. It had to be about that. Now, there’s an incorporation of the LGBTQ community into the world where it doesn’t have to be outlined and highlighted in some way. Now, look, in some places it still does. I don’t know if you saw Frank Bruni’s column(“Hate Is So Much Bigger Than Trump”) in The New York Times, S 15

Photo: Robert Ascroft

I can call you an icon. Well, thank you. But of course it’s like, “Oh, OK, so she’s looking for a girlfriend; so what about any of that? So what.” That is something that I love about this, and that’s very much Hannah and Jen. It’s not a focus.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 10 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Cooking with Paula Dream

EASY, BREEZY SUMMER SWEETS

of sherbet mixture. Repeat. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

e By Paula Dream (A K A K A L E HAYGO O D)

I, GUYS AND GALS! THIS HOT WEATHER

is making old Paula have a sweet tooth while staying in the air conditioning. What I’m giving you in this issue is a cure for any sweet tooth that gets you out of the hot kitchen and back in the cool. There are so many things you can do with a store-bought angel food cake. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY ANGEL DELIGHT.

1 angel food cake mix 1 small box mixed fruit Jell-O 1 small box strawberry Jell-O 2 cups boiling water 1-1/2 cup cold water 1 package (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries 1 carton (12 ounces) Cool Whip Fresh strawberries Cut cake into bite size pieces. Layer into bottom of 9”x13” pan. Combine both boxes of Jell-O with hot water. Stir until blended. Add frozen strawberries. Stir until thawed. Add cold water. Pour over cake. Refrigerate until Jell-O is set. Top with Cool Whip and garnish with fresh strawberries.

EASY PEACH COBBLER.

2 7 10 Montrose Blvd. Houston, T X 7 7 006

713.526.0202 Order Online www.pepperonis.net

TRIPLE ORANGE DELIGHT.

1 angel food cake mix 2 cans (11 ounces) mandarin oranges 2 small boxes orange Jell-O 1 quart orange sherbet 1 carton Cool Whip Bring to boil one cup of juice from oranges. Add Jell-O and stir until dissolved. Add sherbet and stir until melted. Fold in Cool Whip. Cut cake into bite size pieces. Place half of cake into greased 9”x13” pan. Sprinkle half of drained oranges over cake pieces. Top with half

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

1 stick margarine 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup milk 16 ounce can sweetened peaches, drained Melt margarine in 9-inch square pan. In a separate container, combine flour, sugar, salt, milk, and baking powder. Mix well. Pour peaches over margarine. Spoon flour mixture over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. 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.

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 11

LOWER YOUR VIRAL LOAD. AND MAKE UNDETECTABLE * A POSSIBILITY AGAIN. * Undetectable viral load is defined as fewer than 50 copies of HIV per mL of blood.

Ask your doctor about TROGARZO® – A breakthrough HIV-1 treatment designed specifically for those with treatment failures

TROGARZO.com

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION TROGARZO® can cause serious side effects, including changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome), which can

happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system might get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. This may result in an inflammatory response which may require further evaluation and treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after receiving TROGARZO®. The most common side effects of TROGARZO® include diarrhea, dizziness, nausea and rash. These are not all the possible side effects of TROGARZO®. Before you receive TROGARZO®, tell your healthcare provider: About all your medical conditions. About all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TROGARZO® may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant during treatment with TROGARZO®. If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you are receiving TROGARZO® as it is not known if TROGARZO® passes into breast milk. You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. 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. TROGARZO® is a registered trademark of TaiMed Biologics Inc., under license to Theratechnologies Inc. © 2019 Theratechnologies Inc. All rights reserved.

554-01-06/19

WHAT IS TROGARZO®? TROGARZO® (ibalizumab-uiyk) is a prescription medicine that is used in combination with other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults who: • have received several anti-HIV-1 regimens in the past, and • have HIV-1 virus that is resistant to many antiretroviral medicines, and • who are failing their current antiretroviral therapy. It is not known if TROGARZO® is safe and effective in children.

PAGE 12 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

PATIENT INFORMATION What is TROGARZO? TROGARZO is a prescription medicine that is used with other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults who: • have received several anti-HIV-1 regimens in the past, and • have HIV-1 virus that is resistant to many antiretroviral medicines, and • who are failing their current antiretroviral therapy HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if TROGARZO is safe and effective in children. Before you receive TROGARZO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TROGARZO may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant during treatment with TROGARZO. Pregnancy Registry: There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiretroviral medicines, including TROGARZO during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you are receiving TROGARZO.

• It is important that you receive TROGARZO every two weeks as instructed by your healthcare provider. Do not change the schedule of your TROGARZO infusions or any of your antiretroviral medicines without talking to your healthcare provider first. • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you stop receiving TROGARZO infusions or stop taking any other antiretroviral medicines. What are the possible side effects of TROGARZO? TROGARZO can cause serious side effects, including: Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system might get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your health care provider right away if you start having new symptoms after receiving TROGARZO. The most common side effects of TROGARZO include: • diarrhea • nausea • dizziness • rash These are not all the possible side effects of TROGARZO.

– You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

– It is not known if TROGARZO passes into breast milk.

You may also report side effects to at 1-833-23THERA (1-833-238-4372).

Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with TROGARZO.

General information about the safe and effective use of TROGARZO.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. You can ask your healthcare provider for information about TROGARZO that is written for health professionals.

How will I receive TROGARZO? • You will receive TROGARZO by your healthcare provider as an infusion given into your vein over 15 to 30 minutes. A healthcare provider will monitor you during the TROGARZO infusion and for a period of time after your infusion.

What are the ingredients in TROeGARZO? Active ingredient: ibalizumab-uiyk

• You will receive TROGARZO every two weeks.

Inactive ingredients: L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride, and sucrose. TROGARZO does not contain any preservative.

THERA

technologies

Manufactured by: Theratechnologies Inc., 2015 Peel Street, 5th Floor, Montréal, Québec Canada H3A 1T8 US License No. 2091 Distributed by: Theratechnologies Inc., 2015 Peel Street, 5th Floor, Montréal, Québec Canada H3A 1T8 For more information, call 1-833-23THERA (1-833-238-4372) or go to www.TROGARZO.com.

This Patient Information has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Issued: March 2018

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 13

Deep Inside Hollywood

The ‘Love, Simon’ TV series has a cast! Moselle and Lesley Arfin, the creator of the series Love, Betty will take Skate Kitchen’s premise and extend it for a sixepisode first season. Rachelle Vinberg will reprise her SK role as Camille, the lonely suburban girl who finds friendship and purpose with her new friends. And other SK alumni – Nina Moran, Kabrina Adams, Dede Lovelace and Ajani Russell – will pick their characters back up, as well. Expect plenty of casual young lesbianism when this comedydrama rolls by sometime in 2020.

e By Romeo San Vicente

RESH FACES FILL THE CAST OF THE

upcoming series Love, Simon. The TV adaptation of the sleeper hit film that was itself an adaptation of the YA novel Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda has found its young leading man. His name is Michael Cimino (cinephiles are now scratching their heads, but no, it’s not the late director of The Deer Hunter) and he was recently seen in Annabelle Comes Home. He’ll play a gay teen who has an entire school and family to navigate as he takes his first steps out of the closet, and who looks to Simon (Nick Robinson, from the film, who narrates here) for help with the process. And he’s got a cast signing on around him: Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty) and James Martinez ( One Day At a Time) as his parents, and a roster of up-and-coming young stars, some of whom are making their debuts. It’s a 2020 drop on Disney+ (their new streaming platform that launches later this year), so that gives all of you young people a bit of time to figure out whose password you’ll be using to watch it.

Skate Kitchen, meet Betty It’s entirely possible that you missed 2018’s low-key indie charmer Skate Kitchen, the one about a teenage girl who finds community with an all-female

aFX and Christine Vachon bring the Pride

Photo: KathClick

Michael Cimino is available

skateboard crew. It was a small release and had the bad luck to hit theaters at roughly the same time as Jonah Hill’s allboy version, Mid90s. But it’s worth finding now, and you’ll want to, if only to prep for HBO’s upcoming series called Betty. Created by Skate Kitchen’s director Crystal

If you remember watching the somewhat dorky (OK, very dorky, but also fully well-meaning) miniseries When We Rise and thinking to yourself, “OK, where is the queer Ken Burns(es) who’ll take this historical material and make a kickass documentary that engages audiences with the same sense of urgency and intelligence that the LGBTQ+ community has expressed at every step of our civil rights movement over the past 60 years?” Well, we may have an answer to your question. Pride, a six-part documentary series from producer Christine Vachon’s Killer films and Refinery29, will chronicle as many of those real-life narrative strands as possible. Each section will be handled by a different acclaimed queer filmmaker, and go deeper into

the stories that shaped where we’ve all been. Right now we don’t know which filmmakers are attached, or even when it’s going to air, but we do know that FX is eventually going to present it as part of their upcoming slate of docs. We suggest bookending every episode of Pose, but that’s just us being really smart about marketing.

A fresh new stream of Queer As Folk You’ve heard the rumblings about a newly rebooted Queer As Folk, and apparently it’s all still happening – although we’ve been denied casting news and it’s causing us a lot of stress and making us write daydreamy, speculative, QAF-themed fiction about Ezra Miller – but it’s going to cost you when it finally gets here. Originally planned for cable via Bravo, the updated story of a tightly knit queer community of people in shiny clothes has now been pushed over to the upcoming NBCUniversal streaming service (the one they say is launching in 2020). Fact: we will pay good money for this. Not as much as we paid for those see-through mesh shirts back in the year 2000, mind you, but we will pay, even if it means cutting the cord and watching Real Housewives of New York at a second location. Now, back to casting – can we get some more Sharon Gless time on this thing? It’s important. e Romeo San Vicente is ready for the Kristine W Renaissance.

The Frivolist

8 PROACTIVE WAYS

Couples can face down their debt demons together e By Mikey Rox

ELATIONSHIPS ARE HARD ENOUGH AS

it is, but throw money into the mix and it becomes a recipe for certain disaster. It doesn’t have to go down like that though. Your relationship can survive a financial crisis – yes, even a menacing mound of debt – if you can both get on the same page and work together to solve the problem. 1. Avoid the Blame Game. Remember, it takes two to tango, and in most cases you didn’t get into debt all alone. Before tempers flare and you both say and do things you regret, take a breather, regroup, and recognize that your current situation isn’t the fault of one person. Even if a recent debt is the sole work of your partner – say, from a gambling addiction – getting angry and blowing your top won’t help. Go through your emotions responsibly and concentrate on nipping the immediate issue in the bud – counseling may be necessary for this – before coming up with a plan of attack to get back in the black. 2. Pay Off Your Worst First. Once you have a handle on your debt and resolve yourself to proactively eliminate it, go hard. Debt won’t dwindle away if you’re passive about it. Attack the problem head on to keep it contained. “Pay off your worst first,” says Steve Anzuoni, financial expert at Fairway Financial. “Sit with each other and gather

your statements and pay down the higherinterest cards first.” Financial expert Harrine Freeman suggests a similar approach. “Set up payments plan with creditors,” she says. “Pay off old accounts first, then focus on paying down current debt. Keep credit card balances at 20% or less of the credit limit.” 3. Steer Clear of Financially Stressful Situations in the Future. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say, and this adage should absolutely apply to your finances. If you’ve gotten yourself in a hole, start digging yourself out and don’t look back. Also be wary of new situations that can affect the hard work you’ve done to get back on track. Your relationship can only handle so much stress, and it’s not fair to either of you to go into situations – even ones that seem like good moves financially – that will put the whole arrangement in jeopardy. “I coach couples that financial stress can bring out or aggravate problems in a marriage that would not have otherwise have arisen,” says Elliott Katz, author of Being the Strong Man a Woman Wants: Timeless Wisdom on Being a Man. “They should avoid getting into financially stressful situations even if it will be profitable in the long term but will cause stress to them in the short term.” 4. Reduce Your Spending – Stat! It may seem like an obvious tip to cut back your spending considerably when you’re in

debt, but you’d be surprised at how many people keep swiping those cards even when there’s a problem. Freeman suggests reducing the overall household spending by 30% to increase your monthly cash flow to pay off debt. It’ll be a sacrifice for a while, but desperate times call for desperate measures if you want that debt burden off your back. 5. Accept That You’re Not the Joneses, and That’s OK A lot of the time, couples go into debt trying to keep up with friends, family and neighbors – perhaps even more so for queer couples. You may be able to keep up for a while, but if you’re spending money on things you can’t afford just to look like you can, it’ll come back to bite you eventually. Try to be happy with what you have or else work harder to improve your financial situation (picking up side gigs, furthering your education, asking for a promotion at work, getting a better-paying job, etc.) so that you can actually afford the things you want to buy as status symbols. Or, ya know, finally convince yourself that money doesn’t buy happiness. 6. Set Up Payment Alerts to Stay on Track. If you have trouble remembering to pay bills, use technology to help you. Set reminders when bills are due and to be notified when account balances are low. Also set up overdraft protection if you’re prone to overdrawing your account so you can at

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

least cut back the fees you’re charged. 7. Make It Clear Who Handles What Financial Responsibilities. And when Nobody wants to accept the responsibility of handling the relationship’s finances – especially with all that can go wrong – but somebody has to do it. Make it clear which one of you that will be and create a budget and bill-paying schedule together so you can hold one another accountable and stay on track. “Discuss who will manage the finances, who pays what bill, what finances will be joint, where finances will be managed, when finances will be managed, how finances will be managed currently and, in the future, how expenses and bills will be paid,” Freeman advises. 8. Enlist the Help of a Financial Planner If You’re In Too Deep. If you’re already in debt, the last thing you need is another expense. However, if the expense is to help you get out of the red, you get a pass. Sometimes you need help, especially if you have zero idea what you’re doing with your money or how to manage it. Just make sure you’re hiring a reputable financial planner. You don’t need some hack all up in your bills charging you an arm and a leg for advice and planning that has no merit. e 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.

PAGE 14 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Foodie Diaries

Gus’s World Famous Hot Fried Chicken coming up e By Jim Ayres

F I’VE EVER HAD BETTER FRIED CHICKEN THAN I

experienced at Gus’s World Famous Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken, I certainly don’t remember it. And I’m sure I’d remember it, right? Friends, this is fried chicken perfection. It’s served hot from the fryer, flawlessly crisp on the outside, moist and succulent inside. Some people might approach the “spicy” part with a little trepidation. I’d say it has a slow, pleasing kick rather than a jolt of mouth-burning fire. Nashville style hot chicken is the rage right now, with restaurants as high-end as Ritual and lowbrow as KFC adding versions to their menus as fast as they can. Popeye’s has always had a Louisiana style spicy variety. But it’s at Gus’s, founded in Memphis, where I’ve found the best balance of savory and heat. According to Gus’s website, “Over 60 years ago in the small community of Mason, Tennessee, Napoleon “Na” Vanderbilt created something amazing — fried chicken that could unite a community. After experimenting for several years in a local tavern, Na and his wife, Maggie, began selling their chicken, sandwiched between two slices of white bread, out of the back door of the tavern. “Na’s only son, Vernon ‘Gus’ Bonner, inherited Maggie and Na’s priceless recipe and the restaurant they worked so hard to build, literally from the ground up. In 1984, Gus and his wife, Gertrude,

reopened under the now well-known name, ‘Gus’s World Famous Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken.’ “In January 2001, GQ named Gus’s Fried Chicken one of the top ten meals in the United States worth flying for. [Today] no matter how many Gus’s locations open or how far across the globe they expand, the entire Gus’s family remains dedicated to [these] recipes and traditions.” Walking into Gus’s Houston location on Washington, I’m intoxicated by the aroma of fried chicken in the air. It’s a fullservice restaurant, so I find a table (there’s usually a crowd) and a very friendly server stops by to answer any questions and take drink orders. I feel right at home. The menu is divided into Individual Pieces, Snacks and Plates that include baked beans and coleslaw. To me there is no better part of the chicken than a thigh, and I order a 3-piece dark plate — two thighs and a drumstick. In just a few minutes it arrives, and I am transported. Biting into that drumstick was a revelation. The spice on the skin didn’t get much further than my lips. It’s added with a deft touch. The first bite just made me want to eat more, and more, and more… About those side dishes. They’re a bit on the sweet side to counteract the spiciness of the chicken. The coleslaw seemed to be a traditional recipe, quite good, but the baked beans were really unique, prepared with molasses and allspice. I loved my time at Gus’s and plan to return often.

If you’re scared of the spice level, don’t be. It’s totally manageable and completely delicious. e

1815 Washington Avenue Houston, Texas 77007 832-740-4022 GUSFRIEDCHICKEN.COM

EXCITED FOR BRUNCH? SO ARE WE! SUNDAY BRUNCH 11AM - 3PM LAURENZOS.COM / 4412 WASHINGTON AVE / 713.880.5111

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 15 who she actually is and the joy of her.

S 9 but it’s really powerful. We forget that people still relate to the LGBTQ community in the way that these people had written letters to him about him being gay and it’s so lovely that we could do that in this film. But it’s still not where the world needs to be, and you know that, and I know that.

I’m curious about how you make the choices you do, because your motivations are striking and admirable. What boxes do you have to check before you sign on to a project these days? Thank you for noticing, and yes, I’ve had some really wonderful things come my way. There’s been some real shifts for me since Ugly Betty happened. It’s always the character for me. It’s always, “Who is this person? How is this person there to serve the piece? How is this person someone that could wake up the audience to what they might be seeing or feeling in their own lives? How does it translate for them?” So I’ve always got the audience in my mind as I’m looking at something: “How does this make a difference? How does this matter? Who are the people I am working with?” When you get to work with people like Jill Soloway and Ryan Murphy, you’re in a rarefied atmosphere. Right now I’m doing a project (Manhunt: Lone Wolf) with a wonderful producer, Michael Dinner, and it’s about the Olympic bombing in Atlanta in 1996. What clicked for you about Ryan Murphy’s upcoming Netflix show The Politician? I actually can’t tell you a lot, but Bette (Midler) and I, last November and December, we shot the last episode of the first season and now we will start shooting the second season sometime this fall, where it’s Ben (Platt) and Bette and me and just a bunch of others. So I don’t know! I just don’t know where they’re going to go with this. When it drops, you’ll be able to see what kind of character I’m actually playing. With Transparent ending, what about Shelly are you going to miss the most? Everything. I love her. And it’s so funny, because in the beginning people used to say to me, “Oh my god, I can’t stand her. She drives me crazy.” Then they would say, “... and I love her so much.” It’s true, there’s this gentle, fragile soul underneath all of that craziness, pushing people away and telling people what to do. And yet, I’ve had people say to me, “My relationship with my mother changed after falling in love with Shelly.” I love that about her. That’s a great creation. That’s a woman in her mature years who finally gets to have her voice back, and in so many ways. I just trust that it will be that for so many people who see this musical finale, that there’s a real sense somewhere that they’ll miss her too, but they will be reminded of

When we last spoke, it was just after I watched the very first episode of Transparent. I told you the kindness, love, empathy and compassion of the show really resonated with me. Now, we’re at the end. What do you hope the legacy of Transparent will be? All of what you just said. All of that. From the very first to the very – to this completion. Mind you, with every ending is a beginning, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more that came about within the structure of this. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if there was more. Are you hinting that the cast may reunite down the line for more episodes? No, no! I’m not hinting. I’m just saying – look, things like that cannot be contained, and there is always the possibility. I am a big proponent of possibility. I’m not making definitive statements about anything – about the ending or the beginning or the anything. Seriously, I don’t know. And I’m not being coy. I just don’t know anything. However, I hold the world in a way that allows for all kinds of possibilities, all kinds of openness to things, and I’m always surprised by how things turn out. I was just talking to somebody about it, and I’ve said it in several interviews recently because it seems so apt to me in relating around Transparent, which is that: Soren Kierkegaard, the philosopher, said that, “Life can only be understood backward; but it must be lived forward.” We all think, “We know this.” We don’t know anything.

As I get older, I keep thinking, “Well, maybe I’ll know more next year.” No, honey. No! And hopefully you won’t. It’s not about imposing what you think in your mind is gonna happen. Whoever thought we were gonna get marriage equality? I mean, look at that. Look at what it took to get that. So you cannot make blanket statements about how things are gonna be. We’re all looking for that because in the structure of the human condition, we don’t like uncertainty. It’s scary. We think we have to know. Well, what would happen if we all didn’t have to know? Didn’t have to make statements about things that it had to be a particular way? What if we could just stay in the place of being completely open? It’s getting to that place that is the real journey and the real struggle. It’s not actually a journey – it can literally happen right now. If you could choose to let go of the mind that got programmed to tell you that you have to know everything or think about everything and be on top of everything and be perfect about everything, what would life be like? Who would you be? You would be somebody that you already are and forgot you were. e As editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, GQ, Vanity Fair and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 16 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Events, dates and times subject to change without notice. Ġ Wednesday, September 4

Ġ Saturday, September 14

Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston, starring Belinda Davids, in a critically acclaimed show described as “mind-blowingly spot on”, 7:30p, milleroutdoortheatre.com

Q Contemporary Arts Museum is proud to present Nari Ward: We the People, the first museum survey in Texas of the work of artist Na i Ward (b. 1963, St. Andrew, Jamaica) bringing together works spanning Ward’s 25-year career (Thru 12/1) camh.org

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites all to Miss Firecracker’s End of Summer Extravaganza with guest MC Amanda Anne Houston, followed by a funfilled evening of entertainment featuring Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers – open to all entertainers

Q Matchbox 1: The Houston Equity Festival presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Wit, about professor Vivian Bearing, PhD, who is diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, 7:30p (Thru 9/15) daingeist.wixsite. com/htownequityfestival

Ġ Sunday, September 15

Q Matchbox 3: Dirt Dogs Theatre Co. presents the regional premiere of Bruce Graham’s White Guy On the Bus, 8p (Thru 9/7) dirtdogstheatre.org Q Museum of Fine Arts Houston presents Between Play and Grief: Selections from the Latino American Collection featuring a survey of works from the MFAH collection of modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art (Thru 9/8) mfah.org Q Museum of Fine Arts Houston presents Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography, a diverse view of fashion and fashion photography (Thru 9/22) mfah.org Q Stages Repertory Theatre presents Bruce Arntson’s clever, hilarious and wacky The Doyle and Debbie Show, 7:30p (Thru 9/8) stagestheatre.com Q Stages Repertory Theatre presents Sister’s Back to School Catechism: The Holy Ghost and Other Terrifying Tales, 7:30p (Thru 10/13) stagestheatre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA Wednesdays’, an evening of Drink, Divas & Dancers – hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 9:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week Ġ Thursday, September 5

Q Museum of Fine Art–Houston presents the special presentation of the Grammy award-winning Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: A Texas Ramble, 7p, ghostranchfilms.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket Bar hosts a fun night of entertainment by Houston’s hottest Male Dancers for your entertainment, 10p Ġ Friday, September 6

Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents El Grito, a ceremony celebrating Mexican Independence Day featuring Antonio Aguilar, Jr., in a special tribute to his father, Don Antonio Aguilar. Telenovela star and singer Sandra Echeverria will open for Aguilar, 7:30p, milleroutdoortheatre.com

Ġ Sunday, September 8

Q El Tiempo Cantina (Westheimer @ Taft): Larry Wilkins hosts Out4Brunch, 12p Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites you to an evening of entertainment with Houston’s hottest male dancers, 10p Ġ Tuesday, September 10

Belinda Davids

Q Hobby Center for the Performing Arts presents A

Ġ Friday, September 13

Chorus Line, on Broadway since 1975 – the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line, 7:30p (Thru 9/22) thehobbycenter.org Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents Tony’s Tuesday Twins, an all-male revue hosted by Princess Amanda and Queen Ashleey, 10p, feat. hot Male Dancers

Q Alley Theatre presents The Winter’s Tale, the whimsical story set in Texas, about romance, tragedy and comedy, (Thru 10/13) alleytheatre.org Q Club Houston presents the Exposed Party, 10p, theclubs.com

Ġ Wednesday, September 11

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA Wednesdays’ hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 9:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week Ġ Thursday, September 12

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites all to a night of fun and entertainment featuring Hot Male Dancers at 10p

Q Downtown Houston Aquarium hosts a night of family fun with live music and free salsa lessons, 7-11p, aquariumrestaurants.com Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston, starring Belinda Davids, in a critically acclaimed show described as “mind-blowingly spot on”, 7:30p, milleroutdoortheatre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites all to enjoy a night of entertainment featuring Hot Male Dancers

Daniela Mercury

Q Smart Financial Centre presents an evening with Grammy award-winning performer and producer Lenny Kravitz – Raise Vibration Tour 2019, 7:30p, smartfinancialcentre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket invites all to a fun-filled evening of entertainment featuring Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers Ġ Tuesday, September 17

Q Downtown Houston Aquarium hosts a night of family fun with live music and free salsa lessons, 7p, aquariumrestaurants.com Q Hobby Center for the Performing Arts presents Tiffany – Pieces of Me Tour, 8p, thehobbycenter.org Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents Life Could Be A Dream, the story of Denny and the Dreamers, a group of crooning buddies who enter the Big Whopper Radio contest in hopes of making it big, 8p, milleroutdoortheatre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket Bar hosts a fun night of entertainment by Houston’s hottest Male Dancers for your entertainment, 10p

Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents Tony’s Tuesday Twins, an all-male revue hosted by Princess Amanda and Queen Ashleey, 10p, feat. hot Male Dancers Ġ Wednesday, September 18

Q House of Blues presents Daniela Mercury in her U.S. Tour, 7p, houseofblues.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket presents ‘WEPA Wednesdays’ hosted by Alexis Nicole Whitney, 9:30p, plus Houston’s Hottest Male Dancers 6 Nights A Week

Ġ Saturday, September 7

Q House of Blues presents A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia King Allstarz, 7p, houseofblues.com

Courtesy Photos

Q Miller Outdoor Theatre presents Life Could Be A Dream, the story of Denny and the Dreamers, a group of crooning buddies who enter the Big Whopper Radio contest in hopes of making it big, 8p, milleroutdoortheatre.com Q Tony’s Corner Pocket Bar hosts a fun night of entertainment by Houston’s hottest Male Dancers for your entertainment, 10p

A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia King Allstarz Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Antonio Aguilar, Jr.

» Crossword Queeries....... 23

» Out At the Theater............... 25

Trumped-up Charges MONTROSE STAR .COM

» Guide To The Clubs............. 26

Several singular sensations

Section B

THE GAY-ETY STARTS HERE! Wednesday September 4, 2019 e VOL. X, 12

FAREWELL, ‘CONTESSA’

Tony Garcia takes his last curtain call e By Forest Riggs

Across the Causeway

IM THE HOUSE LIGHTS, CLOSE THE

curtains, and shut the stage door: The Contessa has left the production. After a brief illness, the Island’s beloved Antonio “Tony” Garcia, A.K.A. The Contessa peacefully passed away on Friday, August 16, two days short of his 81st birthday. Garcia, a much loved and iconic character was as much a recognizable part of Galveston as the Statue at 25th and Broadway or the giant crab above Gaido’s Restaurant. Everyone knew and loved the little man that could work wonders with his creative talents and his uncanny ability to really make a “silk purse from a sow’s ear.” In the mid-1980s, when George Mitchell decided to re-boot the Galveston Mardi Gras, he reached out to island theatrical guru and costumer, Danny Morgan, owner of Morgan Costume Studio on Broadway. With Morgan came the brilliant “seamstress”, make-up artist, costumer, and aesthetician: the quiet, little Tony Garcia. Garcia, who had already made a name for himself in Galveston’s social and theatrical circles, came on board with full steam and a “nothing is impossible” attitude. Well-known due to his salon and costume designs, Garcia used his talents to bring his “Garcia flair” to any project, production, or coif in which he was involved. With his gentle and demure self, Garcia brought a steady and soothing sweetness to his endeavors. At his salon,

Tony’s, the Born on the Island (BOI) perfectionist was “doing” hair for everyone from the elite to the not so well-heeled. Everyone loved Garcia and he loved them. With his long lashes batting and his coquettish smile, he would say, “Oh honey, I learned a long time ago to just nod, listen, throw in a few “un-huh’s” and make them all feel like princesses.” That he did, and more. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the Galveston theater scene took hold; Garcia, along with Danny Morgan was right there behind the scenes with every show. From costume design, sewing and fitting, to makeup and hair, Garcia was the man. He was well read and educated, and there was little within the realms of period clothing, style, and etiquette that he did not know. An avid reader, Garcia’s bookshelves were filled with historical works, biographies, design elements, and theatre and costume books. His music collection ran the gamut from highbrow classical to jazz, blues, some country, and volumes of show tunes. Garcia loved show business and joked, “I think I was born with greasepaint and pancake in my veins.” “Tony and I started school together, Goliad Elementary. He was such fun and sweet guy. We acted together and did things all through school. I remember him so well, in second grade, dancing the Mexican Hat Dance on stage. He was just great, always involved and S 18

Tony Garcia in his award-winning Liberace costume

PAGE 18 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

S 17 loved the Grand and we loved him. He will be missed,” said Maureen M. Patton, executive director of the Grand 1894 Opera House. The Grand Opera House was not his only theatrical love. He worked tirelessly for Kim Mytelka, director of the Island ETC theater. “Tony was always there, so sweet and so ready to do whatever was needed to ensure a great show,” Mytelka said of Garcia’s passing, “Life without Tony in Galveston will be much less colorful, less flamboyant, and less fun. I will miss my kind, sweet friend immensely.” Over the years, Garcia became famous for his elaborate and original costumes. Some folks, upon hearing of his death, stated: “Oh my God, there goes Mr. Mardi Gras.” Garcia and his brilliant costumes were a staple of Mardi Gras. He was a member of the famed Krewe of Aquarius and they counted on him each year to design and create the ornate capes and costumes that adorned the Royal Court. As soon as one Mardi Gras season would end, Garcia would begin prepping, shopping, designing and readying for the next. The little, quiet man from Galveston was in high demand on the Island and would sit up all night in his beautifully appointed house/studio, sewing, listing to loud classical music and sipping aged Scotch while the rattle of his machine sang out with each press from his foot. No matter what event or gathering, Garcia was there — a figure that everyone knew and loved. From drag shows and fundraisers to memorials and private parties, the always dapper and appropriately costumed character made his presence known. With eye problems, Garcia always wore his trademark dark shades over his glasses, inside and out. Once I said to him, “Tony, you sit there all alone and look like an old fashioned undertaker or vampire in those dark oval shades.” He would smile, offer that almost childish smile and in a Bela Lugosi voice say, “Where

Across the Causeway

Mr. Mardi Gras, himself do you think Ann Rice found her image for Lestat?” Keeping his personal life very private and not one prone to get involved in local gossip or tête-à-tête

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

(although he certainly had his opinions!) the character that Garcia presented in public was all showmanship, a sort of smoke and mirrors as opposed the quiet, noninterfering person behind the image. He’d have a few beers, some slots, maybe a conversation with a friend or two, and then quietly slip from the bar or gathering back to his very private life. That was Tony Garcia. Not a man to brag or accept compliments easily, he frequently refused my interest in featuring him and his work in an article in the MONTROSE STAR. “No, not me,” he would say. “There are so many more deserving people. You get Robert Mainer or Dana Finley, and then maybe me.” The Galveston LGBTQ family has lost a lot of beloved characters, each well known and sorely missed. They were great contributors to the unique “hodge-podge” that makes up the Galveston community. Garcia’s passing will leave a huge hole and for a little man, some mighty big shoes to fill. Go gently into the footlights, our theatrical friend, and may you never fade out. Tony Garcia dearly loved being at 23rd Street Station Piano Bar (1706 23rd Street), where he was a figure at the end of the bar, quiet, unassuming and always with a smile. Bar owners Todd MacKinzie and Tommy Fiero have graciously offered the popular piano bar as a home for the Life Celebration of Tony “The Contessa” Garcia. On September 15, starting at 2 p.m., a festive, Mardi Gras party will take place. Friends are encouraged to wear their best Mardi Gras attire and get-ups, as well any costumes or theatrical images. Food will be served and those wishing to bring dishes may do so. Garcia loved pianist Thomas Cokinos who has charmed the crowd when he performs. Cokinos’ set will honor Garcia, starting at 4 p.m. e A resident of Galveston where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the meaning of life, Forest Riggs recently completed a collection of short stories about his beloved island and is working on a novel.

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 19

* See www.outofthecloset.org/contest for full rules and regulations. No donation, payment or purchase necessary. Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 20 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 21

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 22 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

e By Nancy Ford

O HERE WE ARE, AT THE DE FACTO END

of the summer of 2019. It’s been another scorching one, thanks to a massive, unrelenting amount of hot air blowing daily from Washington D.C. In just the past few weeks, President Donald Trump has declared himself “the Chosen One,” the “King of Israel,” the “second coming of God,” and “the best thing to happen to Puerto Rico.” An especially toxic gale gushed from 45’s pursed, anus-like lips when, on August 15, the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), which calls itself the “nation’s original and largest organization representing LGBT conservatives,” announced its endorsement of Trump for U.S. president. “They gave me the endorsement yesterday, and I was very honored. Log Cabin. The Log Cabin group,” Trump bellowed on August 20 to the press over the noise of his helicopter. “And I was very honored to receive it. No, I’ve done very well with that community. Some of my biggest supporters are of that community, and I think they — and I talk to them a lot about it. I think I’ve done really very well with our community.” In an op-ed published in The

Photo via WashingtonPost.com

LOG CABIN FEVER

Washington Post, Robert Kabel, the group’s chairman, and Jill Homan, the vice chairwoman, claimed that Trump had “[moved] past the culture wars that dominated the 1990s and early 2000s, in particular by removing gay rights as a wedge issue from the old Republican playbook…. To be treated equally, fairly and justly under the law is our goal, and we know that ‘Inclusion Wins’ is a mantra we share with the president.” Any moment now, expect Trump to crown himself with another royal title: Emperor of the Gays. Kabel and Homan further noted that Trump had taken “bold actions that benefit the LGBTQ community” like committing to ending HIV/AIDS, advocating for LGBTQ rights abroad, and picking LGBTQ nominees like Richard Grinnell, Trump’s ambassador to Germany. LCR also cited another big reason for the endorsement was the fact that Peter Thiel, PayPal founder and the GOP’s biggest gay pay pal, was allowed to buy his way to the speaker’s podium at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Meanwhile, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. As the Log Cabineers tallied up Trump’s “bold actions” that benefit the LGBTQ

What A World

community, GLAAD observed that Trump’s had a different kind of impact on the LGBTQ community, reporting that Trump has spearheaded no less than 124 attacks on LGBTQ people in 951 days. Banning transgender service members from the military. Discrimination based on “religious freedom.” Surrounding himself with virulently anti-LGBTQ aides and advisors — these are just a few ways Trump has “supported” the LGBTQ community since taking office. You can find a complete list of his LGBTQ offenses at GLAAD.org. But here’s the good news: A number of Log Cabin leaders have had the decency to resign following the Trump endorsement announcement. Among them was LCR’s executive director, Jerri Ann Henry, the first woman to serve in that position in the organization’s 42-year history. “This is a long time coming,” Henry told CNN, who had served as ED for less than a year. “The history and legacy

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

of this organization is so rich. I wish we were able to find a way forward.” “Rich,” I thought, was an especially appropriate word to describe LCR. Kudos, Ms. Henry. “Log Cabin was once a civil rights organization with conservative principles,” Henry later told CNN. “That’s why I joined on. Now it’s mostly about happy hours.” Among other consciencedriven members’ resignations, LCR board member Jennifer Horn also turned in her key to the Cabin. Horn, a longtime Republican operative, said that she could no longer represent a group who endorsed another four years of the Trump administration and his targeting of gay and minority communities. “It’s not just the LGBTQ community this President targets. When we look at immigrants, people — anyone that he thinks he can somehow use to anger his base — he doesn’t care if he has to divide on racial lines, on ethnic lines, on educational lines,” Horn told MSNBC. “He will divide and damage and destroy this country in any manner he thinks he needs to advance his own political power.” Oddly, as of August 29, there was absolutely no mention of their big endorsement of Emperor Trump on LCR’s official website. Are they too embarrassed to see their own glaring self-loathing staring back at them in black and white? Maybe they’ll post the big news when they get back from happy hour. e

Crossword Queeries

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 23

TRUMPED-UP CHARGES Across

Uzbekistan

2 TV show, e.g.

33 First name in talk

43 George, who

3 Baldwin staffer

35 They come

6 Small rum cake

was Mary Ann

4 Wolf’s warning

before kissing

10 Shout before Nellie

45 City that Trump

5 Women who don’t

36 Attorney’s org.

14 Lopez, who sang

called a “disgusting,

have sex with men

37 Zips

about a fruit tree

rat and rodent

6 Seinfeld character

41 Intercourse

15 Learning inst.

infested mess”

from Pakistan

while surfing?

16 The Music

47 Type of cup

7 Etching fluids

44 “Signs” band

Man setting

8 You eat around

46 Game divisions

17 Parts of floats

50 White as a ghost

this one’s hole

for Pallone

18 Bear constellation

51 Enjoys South Beach

9 Comes out correctly

48 Got ready for a

20 Tender Buttons

54 One-million link

10 Use a hanky

big game, with “up”

author who lived

56 “Strange Fruit”

for a rubber?

52 India’s first

as a young woman

singer who spent

11 Native American

prime minister

in 45-Across

many formative

tongue

53 South Beach

22 Non-Judy garland

years in 45-Across

12 Wilson of Zoolander

souvenir

23 Homophobic

62 Words after

13 River of Ulrichs’

55 Be nuts over

word, e.g.

International

country

56 Cheese for Ms.

24 Get behind

63 Lief’s tongue

19 Car gadget for iPods

van de Kamp?

27 Old T-shirt, perhaps

65 Lubricates

21 Gay rodeo accessory

57 Woes of the world

29 Peter Pan opponent

66 Gardner of mystery

24 Earth tone

58 It may come

34 Fashion designer

67 Where Patty

25 Melville mammal

before we forget

Siriano who studied

Sheehan putts it

26 Bert’s longtime

59 Hurler Hershiser

art in 45-Across

68 Put out a feeler

companion

60 Part of BART

38 HIV, e.g.

69 Like dishwater

28 Bee Gees

61 Belgian border river

39 Backup date?

70 Growing Up Gay in

family name

62 A word from

40 Madonna, in The

the South author James

30 Paper amount

Bonheur

Next Best Thing

Down

31 Shaft in a

64 Officer in the

42 Sea bordering

1“

straight simile

navy (abbr.)

1 Transvestite boast?

Francisco

De-Lovely”

32 Queen topper

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 24 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Star Buds

What’s in a belly button, anyway? e By Rena McCain

APPY WEEDSDAY! I HOPE TODAY FINDS ALL OF YOU

well. If not, let me tell you about something that could make you feel so much better. As a cannabis activist, I always hear of different and amazing stories from people who choose to medicate with herbs instead of utilizing more common pharmaceutical solutions. So I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the assorted ways to partake of cannabis such as smoking it or ingesting it through edibles, but have you ever heard that you can also rub it into your belly button and see amazing results, as well? Sounds strange, I know! I, of course, had to know more about this so I called up my friend, Dr. Uma Dhanabalan of Uplifting Health And Wellness (TotalHealthCareTHC.com) to ask her what she

thought. Her response was “Absolutely! Use it!” She also explained to me that in her culture and in other cultures across the globe they know of this method and use it for healing purposes. She also explained that applying oils such as CBD, THC and other essential oils through the belly button via the Pechoti is common practice to address many different physical and mental ailments in these other cultures and countries. Applying oil to the belly button to be absorbed by the Pechoti gland has been used to treat everything from dry eyes and poor eyesight to joint pains, lethargy, gastrointestinal issues, and much more. That’s pretty amazing, don’t you agree? Somehow, this knowledge was lost on many of us here in the United States.

How it works Most simply put, the Pechoti is a gland that is right behind the belly button. While a woman is pregnant, nutrients are transferred from the mother to her fetus through the umbilical cord. At the end of that umbilical cord is the Pechoti gland which remains after birth. Every human alive has a Pechoti gland which is connected to more than 72,000 nerves that run throughout the body to various organs and tissues. Talk about a connected gland! That’s pretty amazing. By rubbing cannabis oil to the belly button and utilizing the Pechoti delivery method, the cannabinoids actually have the ability

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Photo via TotalHealthCareTHC.

Dr. Uma Dhanabalan

to reach every single part of your body. This is something that no other delivery method can provide. Decades of prohibition have buried this plant and traditional consumption methods such as the Pechoti delivery. I encourage everyone to try this. I sure have! 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. 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.

Out At the Theater

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 25

Several singular sensations e By Randall Jobe

ultimately triumphed over unthinkable The Doyle and Debbie Show. After evil in this inspiring, true story. September failed marriages and tabloid scandals, 13 through October 12. 5420 Westheimer. Doyle Mayfield recruits a new singing Tickets: ADPlayers.org or 713-526-2721. partner, also his third Debbie, in Main Street Theater presents Tom Stoppard’s The Hard Problem, directed an attempt to regain his former by Rebecca Greene Udden. If there are stardom. Through September 8. nothing but facts and matter, what is Stages Repertory Theatre also presents brings back one of their most consciousness? This is what scientists popular guests artists,- Denise Fennell, have deemed “the hard problem” in in her uproarious one-nun show, Sister’s Stoppard’s brilliant and most recent play. Back to School Catechism: The Holy Ghost Hilary, a young psychology researcher and Other Terrifying Tales. In this newest class, Sister puts the backbone in back-to-school with a host of lessons about starting anew as well as celebrating the Church’s approved tales of ghosts and goblins and a Catholic-appropriate Halloween costume contest. Through October 13. 3201 Allen Parkway. Tickets: StagesTheatre. com or 713-527-0123. Dirt Dogs Theatre presents White Guy on the Bus, written by Bruce Graham and directed by Ron Jones directs Dirt Dogs Theatre’s ‘White Guy on the Bus’ Ron Jones, in which urban race relations and topics that many tend to sweep under the rug are brought at a prominent brain science institute, to life and light. Ray befriends Shatique is nursing a private sorrow while delving on his regular bus rides that travel to the into examination of the hard problem at state penitentiary. Through September the think tank: Is the day coming when 7. Midtown Arts Center (MATCH), 3400 the computer and the MRI scanner will Main Street. Tickets: 713-527-4533. answer all the questions psychology can The Music Box Theater presents ask? September 14 through October 6. Keep It Brassy 3. A three-piece horn Main Street Theater also presents Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan section is being added to this show with Jonny Donahue, and directed that features great sounds from artists by Rebecca Greene Udden. Shannon such as Chicago, Bruno Mars and the Emerick presents and performs this Temptations, performed by Rebekah Dahl, unique play, a very honest, resilient, Brad Scarborough, Cay Taylor, Kristina sometimes sad, often hopeful and Sullivan, and Luke Wrobel. 2623 Colquitt. joyful look at life, living with depression, Ongoing, beginning Sept. 7. Tickets: and the lengths we will go for those TheMusicBoxTheater.com or 713-522-7722. we love, The lights are on during the Theatre Under The Stars presents the singular sensation that is A Chorus performance and the audience will be Line, which opened on Broadway in asked to participate in short interactions 1975 and became an instant classic. as a way the storyteller relives pieces of This incisive portrait of the life of the her life relating to her mother’s suicide Broadway dancer received nine Tony and her own depression. Ultimately, Awards as well as the 1976 Pulitzer Prize though, the play offers us the chance for Drama. A brilliantly complex fusion of to look at every brilliant thing worth song, dance and compellingly authentic living for, every brilliant thing about drama, A Chorus Line is the musical the world. September 18 through for everyone who’s ever had a dream October 5. 2540 Times Blvd. Tickets: and put it all on the line. September 10 MainStreetTheater.com or 713-524-3622. through 22. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. Ensemble Theatre presents ’da Kink in my Hair by Trey Anthony. Set in a Brooklyn Tickets: TUTS.com or 713-558-8887. hair salon, the play gives voice to black A.D. Players presents The Hiding Place, a world premiere adaptation by A.S. women who tell their unforgettable Peterson of the book of the same title stories in a kaleidoscope of drumming, by Corrie ten Boom with Elizabeth and singing and dance. It is a testament John Sherrill. It’s World War II. Darkness to the challenges and triumphs in the has fallen over Europe as the Nazis lives of contemporary black women, spread hatred, fear, and war across the mixing laughter and tears, revelation globe. But on a quiet city corner in the and inspiration, the unapologetically Netherlands, one woman fights against intense stories of each woman are the darkness, deciding to hide Jews and woven together in this powerful piece. ultimately face the consequences when September 20 through October 14. 3535 they are discovered. The Hiding Place Main Street. Tickets: EnsembleHouston. com or 713-520-0055 e. is her story of how faith, hope and love TAGES REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 26 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 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

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 23

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

MontroseStar.com  e | Wednesday September 4, 2019 | PAGE 27

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

PAGE 28 | MontroseStar.com e | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Find us on P v Facebook.com & t Twitter

Montrose Star, Houston's LGBTQ+ Entertainment Newspaper since 1976

Articles inside

Creep of the Week: Log Cabin Republicans