12.18.08 Outlook Weekly - New Year's Eve: Party time!

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SON F A T GUS M O T VIEW: R E SHOPPING: G T N I • ERMAN VILLAGE

02 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY OWNERS AND PUBLISHERS Michael Daniels & Chris Hayes EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ART DIRECTOR Chris Hayes hayes@outlookmedia.com

SNAPSHOT

Sunday December 7: Virginia and Nina West’s Miss Peppermint Stick Nationals World Pageant @ Axis. The girls assembled another cast of misfits for a holiday competition that any HR rep would give a coronary . Everyone left with the holiday spirit and a rash in the shape of the Virgin Mary. Ahh, Christmas. photos © chris hayes

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR / PHOTOS Robert Trautman traut@outlookmedia.com MANAGING EDITOR Adam Leddy aleddy@outlookmedia.com COVER IMAGE: DANIEL NICOLETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Vanasco, Regina Sewell, Leslie Robinson, Gregg Shapiro, Mick Weems, Romeo San Vicente, Jack Fertig, Simon Sheppard, Dan Savage, Jacob Anderson-Minshall, Marcus Morris

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Gambler’s Anonymous anyone?

The only tree that may actually eat you!

busted!

BUSINESS & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Michael Daniels mdaniels@outlookmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media - 212.242.6863 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Each Wednesday 8 days prior to publication.

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Emo ‘R’ Us

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Where’s his flock?

Ahh true love at a drag pageant!

Sunday, November 30: DeE RaNgEd and Friends @ Somewhere Else. Queens from across the country came to town to perform with the former Miss EOY. Dollars, darlings and all things deranged were the norm. photos © traut Everyone’s a winner at the Special Olympics!

SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 614.268.8525

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You could have sworn Courtney Love was there!

He just wants to be a real boy...

2008 VOLUME 13 NUMBER 25

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

SNAPSHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 ABOUT TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 COMMUNITY CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 EXAMINED LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 OUT BUSINESS NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 EARTH TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 FEATURE: NEW YEARS PARTIES . . . . . . .16-18 SHOPPING: GERMAN VILLAGE . . . . . . . . . . .18 DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 FILM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 SAVAGE LOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 SPOTLIGHT: NEW YEARS LISTINGS . . . . . . . .26 THE LAST WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 SCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 NEXT WEEK: YEAR IN REVIEW / PREVIEW!

Hey who let Mary J in here?

DEC 18 - DEC 24

She doesn’t clean, but damn she’s pretty!

What, no glitter tonight girls??

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 03

ABOUT TOWN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 THREE FINGERS OF XMAS CHEER The Long Island Christmas Show @ U, 782 N High St, 614.421.2233, www.columbusnightlife.com: Nina West is joined by her jolly holiday elves, including Freesia Balls, Leena Dela Valentine, and Samantha Rollins. Have your picture taken on Santa’s lap. Bring a gift from CATF’s Christmas wish list (ask your server for details). 10p; free.

by Adam Leddy

BREAK ME OFF A PIECE OF THAT KITT KATT GIRL The Kitt Katt Girls @ Liquid, 1100 N High St, 614.

298.3000, www.liquidhotspot.com: Vegas-style gogo and burlesque performances sure to raise your flag or moisten your towelette. 10p; free.

THEY’RE ANATOMICALLY CORRECT Anna and The Annadroids: Birthday Bash Dance Party @ Circus (formerly High Five), 1227 High St, www.amerifluff.com: Annadroid burlesque show and dance party featuring the super sonic sounds of DJ Moxy & much more. 9p; $7.

WILL SANTA WEAR CHAPS? Annual Christmas Party @ Tradewinds, 117 E Chestnut St, 614.461.4110, tradewindsii.com: Have your picture taken with The Claus’s, and enjoy a hol- SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 iday ambiance unlike any other. 10p; free.

BIGGER THAN FARM AID, MAN Razzle Dazzle II Benefit for Camp Sunrise @ Axis, HE COULD DRINK HIS OWN WEIGHT IN EGG NOG 775 N High St, 614.291.4008, reservations to razCapote Holiday Classics @ Studio One Theatre, 77 zdazz2008@gmail.com: A who’s who of GLBT perS High St, 614.469.2939, ticketmaster.com: CATCO formers graces the stage to raise funds for Camp presents adaptations of two heartwarming Truman Sunrise. 8p; tables $40, tix $7.

Capote stories, A Christmas Memory and The Thanksgiving Visitor. Thru Dec 21. Wed 11a, Thur- TO BE 16 AGAIN…AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN Sat 8p, Sun 2p; $25-$40.

Dee Ranged Sweet 16 Birthday Party @ Score Bar, 145 N 5th St, 614.849.0099, scorebarcolumbus.com: I POPPED YER MOM Celebrate with Dee Ranged and some phenomenal Mom & Pop @ Columbus Dance Theatre, 592 E entertainment. 10p; $3.

Main St, 614.849.0227, raconteurtheatre.com: The play addresses the potential for conflict that arises LET’S BE TRANS-INCLUSIVE when our dreams meet our familial obligations.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra @ Nationwide Arena, Thru Dec 20. Thu-Sat 8p; Sun 2p. $8-$15.

200 W Nationwide Blvd, 614.246.3350, www.transsiberian.com: TSO brings its acclaimed sound to FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19 Columbus. 3p & 8p; $38-$58.

36 AT ONCE? TYPICAL FRIDAY FOR MOST OF US A Christmas Carol One-Man Show @ Club Diver- ARE THOSE REAL? sity, 863 S High St, 614.406.5510, www.clubdiver- Holiday Tree Sale Fundraiser @ Columbus Comsity.com: Brent Alan Burington brings his acclaimed pact Corporation, 1209 E Main St, 614.251.0926: one-man version of A Christmas Carol back to CCC is sponsoring its first annual tree sale Columbus for the first time in three years with three fundraiser. Thru Dec 22. Regular hours: M-F 3p-8p, intimate performances at the Club Theatre. $1 off Sat 12p-9p, Sun 12p-7p; free. with canned/boxed food for Project Open Hand. FriSat 7p, Sun 2p; $12-$15.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 LADIES’ NIGHT YOU’LL NEED A COLD ONE AFTERWARD Womyn’s Winter Solstice Celebration @ Susan B. Shower Night @ Axis, 775 N High St, 614.291.

Anthony Womyn’s Land Trust, contact for directions, 4008: Alexis Stevens and the hottest jocks in town 740.448.6424, SusanBAnthony@frognet.net: Reget wet & wild like their lipgloss. 10p; $5. joice in the return of the light with a bonfire, share food with each other and the birds, sing songs to MAKING YULE COOL warm the spirit and bring laughter to the dark days.

Holiday Hoopla XVII @ Shadowbox Cabaret, Easton Women only; boys under 10 permitted. 5:30p; free.

Towne Center, 614.416.7625, shadowboxcabaret.com: The annual holiday rite is full of original sketch FINISH YOUR SHOPPING, ALREADY comedy that pokes fun at our undying will to make Gifts of the Craftsmen @ Ohio Craft Museum, the holidays perfect. Thru Jan 3. Tue-Fri 7:30p, Sat 1665 W Fifth Ave, 614.486.4402, www.ohiocraft.org: 7:30p & 10:30p, Sun 3p & 7:30p; $20-$30.

The museum’s 9th annual fundraising exhibition and sale will feature works in clay, metal, fiber, CHOW DOWN WITH DICKENS glass & wood by 50 artists from across the country, Christmas Brunch @ Ohio Village, 1982 Velma Ave, all available to purchase for holiday gift giving.

800.686.6124, www.ohiohistory.org: A splendid Thru Dec 23. M-Sat 10a-5p, Sun 1p-4p; free. brunch and a visit from C. Dickens highlight the afternoon.11a & 2p; $13-$35.

SORRY, BUT MY CHIMNEY IS EXIT ONLY Up Your Chimney with Pale Imitations @ Gresso’s CALLING ALL CELTIC CHICK FETISHISTS Pub & Grill, 961 S High St, 614.444.0131, Cherish the Ladies’ Celtic Christmas @ The www.paleimitationsimprov.org: PALE IMITATIONS Southern Theatre, 21 E Main St, 614.431.3600, tick- performs its skewed and hilarious improv send-up etmaster.com: The sought-after Irish traditional of the Christmas season. Proceeds benefit Toys for music sensation arrives in Columbus. 8p; $27-$32. Tots. Buffet 6p, Show 7p; $15 ($10 w/ toy donation).

PAGING DR. STRANGELOVE Foolin’ Around with Infinity @ Denison University, Burke Hall Theater, W Broadway & Cherry St, 614.558.7408, www.avltheatre.com: How do you live in a world that may not exist tomorrow? This genre-bending political comedy from the nuclear age addresses that question in an age of terrorism.

Fri-Sat 7p; pay what you want at the door.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 THE WHIGS ARE BACK IN POWER! Holiday Tours @ The Ohio Statehouse, 77 S High St, 614.728.2695, www.ohiostatehouse.org: Step back in time with a guided tour of the 1861 Statehouse and see holiday decorations as they were in Victorian times. M-F 10a-3p, Sat-Sun 12p-3p; free.

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

04 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

LETTERS Obama Voters Rejected Gay Marriage white voters, and only white voters, who practice such “hatred toward gays,” say the established opinion-leaders in the gay community.

Conversely, if one looks at the final figures in the California totals, white voters actually rejected the ban on gay marriage by a margin of 51 to 49 percent.

Furthermore, this is not the first time large majorities of blacks and Hispanics effectively rejected gay-marriage as an aberration of nature, unacceptable to a rationally moral society.

The ratio of 60-70 percent of these two minorities voting for the Democratic Party while systematically and viscerally jettisoning “gay marriage” at the polls has been going on since the early 1990s, when attempts to promote or ban same-sex marriage at the ballot-box began.

Yet gay activists never confront these antigay Democratic voters in the “barrio” or the “hood” for their contempt of gays. Gays seem not to want a confrontation because it would challenge their belief that cultural diversity is on the side of gays, not against them. And such confrontations would undermine the symbolism of diversity in the gay community’s rainbow flag.

Many gays, though, prefer to confront religious white conservatives and Republican-voters as the reason for so many defeated referendums regarding same-sex marriage: “I am sick of you denying me my civil rights to marry,” the gays cry in direct confrontation with anti-gay white voters. But hardly a word of protest is directed toward Hispanics and blacks who vigorously deny gays their civil rights to marry.

Such rejection of same-sex marriage by Hispanics and blacks is an electoral fact of life - a not so hidden truth - that gays ignorantly and conveniently refuse to think about.

Matthew V. Tsien South Florida Matthew Tsien is a longtime Log Cabin Republican and a former director of President Ronald Reagan’s lobbying organization.

Remember that scene in The Wizard of Oz when Toto reveals the “great and powerful wizard” as nothing but a homunculus operating an imposing thunder-and-lightning machine? “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain,” he bellows, not knowing enough to quit even when he’s exposed.

The government’s response to the current economic turmoil reminds me of that scene. We are assured by the awe-inspiring US Treasury and Federal Reserve that if we trust them with essential control of the American economy, all will be set right.

Behind the curtain, however, are just a bunch of bureaucrats who couldn’t possibly put the economy right because no one can know how to do that. They would be better able to give a cowardly lion courage, a tin man a heart, or a scarecrow a brain.

Sloppy metaphors to the contrary, an economy is not an engine that occasionally needs a mechanic to go under the hood to tune it up. An economy is people pursuing their preferences by engaging in endless varieties of exchanges with others while coordinating disparate plans founded on unspoken expectations. It’s an amazingly orderly process - when it is allowed to operate in peace and without government intervention.

Unfortunately, governments rarely let it operate in peace. Government planning is power, and with only a few exceptions, most people attracted to top government jobs want to wield power. While they are incapable of fixing an economy - if that means restoring it to its consumer-serving function - they are capable of skewing it to their own purposes.

Government interference with the economic process represents a substitution of political for consumer objectives. In a freely functioning economy - absent government privileges and burdens - entrepreneurs

The Reader Poll

Last week we asked:

What will be included in your New Year’s Eve festivities?

Dinner with friends Kissing everyone Sauerkraut & pork products Dancing Complaining no one ever kisses you

25% 18.75% 12.5% 12.5% 6.25%

Puking 6.25% Cards 0% Other 18.75% including answers: Solitary masturbation followed by sloppy phonecalls to ex-boyfriends; Sex; and Your mom.

continued on page 9

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION:

Do you make a New Year’s Resolution?

Log on to: www.outlookweekly.net to take this week’s poll.

28% ES

Something happened in the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president that most gay people would rather not think about. A large turnout of Hispanics and blacks scuttled gay marriage in an election that was otherwise a great civil rights event.

In the states of California, Arizona and Florida, state constitutional amendments rejecting same-sex marriage were supported by voters in favor of traditional definitions of marriage as purely between one man and one woman. Hispanics and black voters led the way in making same-sex marriage illegitimate on election night.

What is most appalling to gay activists is that they cannot exclusively blame white evangelicals for this typical devastating defeat at the polls. If gays open their eyes, it is obvious that large majorities of Hispanics and blacks resoundingly and deliberately reject the concept of same-sex marriage. According to many exit polls, including the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale and the libertarian website Reason.com, 60% of Hispanics and 70%-plus of blacks, particularly in California and Florida, voted against gay marriage while cheerfully voting for Mr. Obama.

Make no mistake: President-elect Obama inspired a large-turnout of minority voters to support his historical election, yet most of these same voters used their sacred right to vote to reject civil rights for gay couples who want to marry.

What is ironic about this overwhelming electoral repudiation of gay civil rights is that gays so often see themselves as long-time, shoulder-to-shoulder allies of blacks and Hispanics in their quest for racial equality in American society. Yet when it is time for these two large ethic groups to return the favor to gay people and recognize their right to marriage, both blacks and Hispanics turn their back on gays as if their lifestyle is an abomination and a threat to civilized society, particularly children.

In fact, blacks and Hispanics consistently vote against gay marriage more so than conservative-thinking white voters, whom gays often like to blame for every sniffle in life. It is

The Wizards of Washington

S

OU R CE

CATEGORY

NOV 2 ’04

DEC 15 ’08

DIFFERENCE

AMERICAN DEAD

1,122

4,209

3,087

AMERICAN WOUNDED

8,124

30,852

22,728

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEAD

16,342

98,133

81,791

NATIONAL DEBT

$7,429,629,954,236

DAYS ‘TIL OBAMA INAUGURATION 1,540

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

: L OS ANGELE

ST

IM

$10,597,885,059,458 $3,168,255,105,222 33

(1,507)

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 05

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

06 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

COMMUNITY CORNER

COLUMBUS ADDS GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION TO CITY’S PROTECTED CLASSES COLUMBUS AIDS TASK FORCE REDUCES ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Due to unrelieved cash flow challenges, Columbus AIDS Task Force is taking immediate steps to reduce unfunded expenses. This will result in the elimination of most unfunded administrative positions.

“Our priority is to do all we can to protect and preserve critical services for our clients,” said interim CEO & President, Peggy Anderson. “In addition to these immediate steps, over the next 60 days CATF will aggressively explore alternative organizational structures and methods of providing services and ways to collaborate with other AIDS service organizations and community agencies.

Together with our partners, we will work toward a model that reduces redundancy of services, optimizes efficiency in seeking and utilizing state and federal grants, and strives to protect the critical services it currently provides.”

CATF does not foresee any significant disruption in services during this period.

HIGH RATES OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN SPREAD OF HIV Men who engage in risky sexual behavior with other men report much higher than average rates of experiencing severe childhood sexual abuse, according to a new study in the November issue of the International Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect.

According to the study, about 20% of men who have sex with men are sexually abused as children, a rate similar to that found among heterosexual women. The difference is that 80% of gay and bisexual men who are sexually abused, compared to 20% of heterosexual women, report experiencing “severe” abuse, often involving violence.

Both men and women who are abused as children tend to engage in what researchers define as “high-risk” behavior as adults, which includes unprotected sexual encounters.

This research is based on a 2002 survey of approximately 1,000 gay and bisexual men in San Francisco and extends earlier work conducted in 1996 which surveyed several thousand gay and bisexual men in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. The results of the two surveys confirm that approximately 20% of gay and bisexual men have a history of childhood sexual abuse.

In the more recent study, researchers point to the high prevalence of sex abuse being a major contributing factor to psychosocial conditions that have sustained the HIV epidemic over several decades. In 2002, the HIV rate for men who have sex with men in general was about 26%. However, that HIV rate jumped to 34% for men who report a history of childhood sexual abuse.

“Thirty-five% is the HIV rate you find in SubDEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

Columbus City Council voted on Monday to expand its list of protected classes, making it illegal to discriminate in housing, employment, or public accommodations on the basis of gender identity or expression and adding gender identity and expression to the city’s ethnic intimidation statute. The vote was 6-0, with amendment sponsor Priscilla Tyson absent due to the death of her mother.

Councilmember Andy Ginther, Tyson’s cosponsor on the legislation, introduced the proposed changes before a packed chamber. “It’s hard for me to express just how pleased I am to see this ordinance go forward,” he said. “Columbus, Ohio is a diverse

Saharan Africa,” said Joseph Catania, a professor of public health in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University and lead author on the study. Catania has worked in public health for more than 25 years on issues related to infectious diseases and sexual health.

“This is a chilling number that shows we must deal with the sexual abuse issue.”

The effects of childhood sexual abuse are pervasive for both men and women. Studies show that abuse victims have more school-related problems as teens and a variety of sexual health problems, including teenage pregnancies among girls and high rates of sexually transmitted diseases.

People who experience severe trauma may have life-long challenges in relationships, work and health. That sexual abuse increases risk for HIV infection is not surprising, but what has not been well understood is how it contributes to this and other types of health problems. A better understanding of how this happens will guide efforts at prevention and treatment.

In the recent study, investigators found a subset of men who have been sexually abused that tend to “mentally check-out” during sex, Catania said.

“They experience a severe form of coping that involves disassociating from the present, a form of mentally retreating to a safe place until something awful passes. This happens to people who have experienced other types of trauma as well. From a disease prevention perspective it may be quite debilitating,” he said.

“In addition, we found some of the men with abuse histories use drugs or alcohol excessively when they have sex. The drug and alcohol use is also a means of coping with emotional issues around sexual trauma, but it may also be another means of mentally escaping from the present when it involves sex. The result is you are not in good shape to be making healthy decisions.”

Sexual abuse trauma has other diverse and negative effects on the interpersonal skills needed to negotiate safe sex. Men with sexual trauma histories are also more likely to get raped in adulthood or find themselves in abusive and violent romantic relationships.

Catania said the reason both gay and bisexual men and heterosexual women tend to have similar rates of experiencing childhood sexual abuse is that perpetrators are often male authority figures or men who have access to children and are in a position to take advantage of a childhood infatuation or crush.

“During the early stages of sexual development, gay and bisexual youth, just like heterosexual youth, will form emotional attachments in the form of crushes or infatuations on adult authority figures. The difference is that gay and bisexual youth form these attachments with same gender adults,” Catania said. “And adult males are much

and welcoming city that refuses to discriminate against any of its residents, period.”

Testifying in support of the ordinance, BRAVO Board President Chris Cozad made an impassioned plea for its passage. “Stand with me,” she said, “for those among us who are too busy just trying to survive to stand for themselves.” Opposition testimony was provided by Shirley M. Cotter, who objected to the protection of any new classes as long as “people of the light” are required to pay property taxes in violation of their religious beliefs.

Activists had long worked to revise the code, which has recognized sexual orientation as a protected class for years.

mobilize a grassroots network of parents and allies to take an active role in combating anti-gay behavior, policies, information and environments in their local schools.”

The PFLAG training, which builds on the organization’s work in schools across the country, includes insights on fostering on-going dialogues with local school leaders; approaching administrators about implementing safe schools policies; skills building seminars on language, policy and problem solving in schools; identifying and leveraging access points within the school community; and training on three specific programs that can be implemented in local schools. The program is also designed to counter harmful, anti-gay campaigns by conservative advocacy groups, including attempts to infiltrate libraries with anti-gay literature and information on so-called “reparative therapy” practices, which have been condemned by medical experts. A workbook on LGBT school issues, “The Top 10 Ways to Make Schools Safer for All Students,” was also released in conjunction with the training and outreach program.

“It is critically important that students, teachers, parents and administrators have accurate, inclusive information and materials about sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Huckaby.

“Anti-family advocates are pushing an extreme anti-gay agenda that seeks to mislead adults and undermine the well-being of the countless LGBT youth who deserve a healthy learning environment.

This new program asks those responsible for the well-being of our children to listen, think, act and be respectful of every member of our families.”

According to statistics compiled by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 73.6% of LGBT students hear derogatory remarks such as “faggot” or “dyke” frequently or often at school. More than half (60.8%) reported feeling PFLAG LAUNCHES FIRST-OF-ITS- unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, and more than a third (38.4%) felt unsafe KIND SAFE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE & because of their gender expression. An overwhelming 86.2% of students reported being verbally haTRAINING PROGRAM Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and rassed.

“Hostile classrooms and campuses impact Gays (PFLAG) launched a comprehensive, community-based safe schools program today to address every member of the school community.” Huckaby concluded. “From LGBT students, to those pera growing epidemic of anti-LGBT animus in the ceived to be, and even young people who are denation’s schools. The program, Cultivating Renied the opportunity to learn because of the spect, empowers PFLAG supporters at the local level to work directly with their community leaders distractions presented by anti-gay behavior, the consequences of not dealing with these issues and school administrators to protect LGBT students. PFLAG plans trainings across the country in reach far and wide. Now, at last, parents have the 2009, following initial training sessions held ear- tools they need to work directly with their local leaders to stand up for every young person, includlier this year in Ohio and Tennessee.

“Too many students attend school in fear, and ing those who are LGBT or are impacted by these too few school administrators and leaders under- behaviors.”

For more information on Cultivating Respect stand just how damaging a hostile learning envivisit www.pflag.org. ronment can be for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people,” said Jody M. Huckaby, PFLAG’s executive director. “Cultivating Respect is the very first program designed to identify and

more likely, by a large margin, to be perpetrators of sexual abuse than adult women.”

Based on their findings, the researchers came to three conclusions. First, the complex challenges faced by men with severe childhood sexual abuse experiences may limit the effectiveness of typical short-term HIV risk reduction programs; more intensive treatment may be needed. Secondly, Catania said clinical psychologists and psychiatrists with patients who have sexual abuse histories should routinely consider issues of sexual health; patterns and types of sexual partners may be useful markers for identifying more problematic cases.

Finally, Catania said public service messages directed at removing the stigma of childhood sexual abuse may increase use of health and mental health services.

“When it comes to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), current intervention strategies focus on intervening early on before men become infected, which is a significant challenge, or intervening after they have become infected to prevent further spread of the disease to other sex partners,” Catania said.

According to Catania, these interventions tend to be brief and very focused. He said this type of intervention does not serve men with histories of sexual abuse since their problems are more pervasive and complex.

“There is a lot of social stigma around sexual abuse, particularly for men,” he said. “An important next step then is to reduce the stigmatization of men who are confronting these issues and provide them with the help they need.”

Researchers from the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at University of California San Francisco contributed to this study.

WHO’S IN YOUR NETWORK? WWW.NETWORKCOLUMBUS.COM

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 07

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

08 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 09

Letters - continued from page 4 work to arrange the productive process ultimately to satisfy consumers’ subjective preferences. This idea is implicit in the very concepts production, investment, and labor. Their fruits must have value in the eyes of consumers or they are not productive.

Thus when government “creates jobs” or saves companies by taking money from the private sector, it is not truly productive activity. Rather, the government has preempted the economic process, forbidding it to serve consumers so that it can instead serve the objectives of politicians and bureaucrats.

President-elect Obama’s chief of staff-designate, Rahm Emanuel, says, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. Things that we had postponed for too long, that were long-term, are now immediate and must be dealt with. This crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not do before.”

Emanuel here unwittingly affirms Robert Higgs’s thesis in Crisis and Leviathan: government will use a crisis (real, exaggerated, or imagined) to expand its power. And Emanuel clearly grasps Higgs’s corollary: when the crisis subsides, the new powers will not be shed.

Some will remain in force; others will be put on the shelf to await the next crisis.

The current financial turmoil is a textbook illustration of Higgs’s principle. In just the last few months the Fed and Treasury have engaged in activities they had not dared engage in before, such as bailing out investment banks and insurance companies and buying shares in banks. The precedent has been set. Next time, such activity will be even easier.

None of this will fix the economy. The federal government as of late November had committed more than $7 trillion to the financial system in loan purchases and guarantees of various sorts. But Treasury borrowing only moves money from point A to point B, while Fed policy creates money out of thin air. Every dollar the Treasury borrows is a dollar the private sector can’t invest in consumeroriented projects, and every dollar the Fed creates distorts the economy by transferring purchasing power from the people to privileged interests. The resulting economy is built on false signals and expectations - which can’t be sustained without government support. That is hardly the route to sustainable economic growth.

When you recall that today’s economic turmoil is the direct result of earlier distortions from government policies guarantees to lenders, so-called affordable-housing policies, et cetera - it is clear that ground is being seeded for the next crisis.

At our peril do we pay no attention to those men behind the curtain.

Sheldon Richman, senior fellow, The Future of Freedom Foundation & editor, The Freeman magazine.

THE EXAMINED LIFE

by Tom Moon, MFT

DISTRACTIONS “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That saying, which Plato attributed to Socrates, succinctly expresses the basic value underlying every form of personal exploration: the idea that selfinquiry and self-knowledge are fundamental values in human life. Whether it’s Western psychotherapy or Eastern spiritual schools of self-inquiry, the message is the same: that we have to spend time alone with ourselves if we want to attain greater awareness. So why don’t more of us do it? I think the answer must be that when push comes to shove, most of us don’t really want to know ourselves. What we actually want is to feel good. We spend an amazing amount of time immersed in mood-altering and mind-numbing entertainments, habits, and distractions whose purpose is to increase comfort and numb anxiety and other painful emotions.

What all these activities have in common is that they tend to diminish self-awareness. They’re really about hiding from inner experience. The most obvious mind-altering distraction is the abuse of alcohol and drugs, but there are many others, such as: - Food: overeating in search of comfort - Sex: avoiding painful feelings through compulsive sexual behavior - Television: watching hours of TV every day - Computer: spending hours every day cruising online, surfing the net, etc.

- Workaholism: constantly working to exhaustion, inability to rest or take time off - Exercise: compulsively exercising to avoid emotional pain - Adrenaline: addiction to the rush of frequent and compulsive risk-taking - Shopping: seeking comfort in acquiring things - Religion: addiction to spiritual ideas and practices to get away from feelings of fear and uncertainty

- Cleaning: constantly cleaning to avoid anxiety or discomfort - Rage: avoiding fear or feelings of powerlessness through inappropriate anger - Caffeine: the Starbucks syndrome; staying buzzed all day on high octane coffees to diminish awareness of unhappiness or depression Modern technology provides us with an unprecedented number of opportunities for diversion and self soothing, but the sad irony is that they’ve it has also made us the most restless generation that has ever existed. Millions of us are completely incapable of simply being alone and quiet with ourselves.

This shows up most clearly inis most evident in our sleep problems. Today, in our already sleep- deprived culture, millions suffer from chronic insomnia. It’s estimated that in 1900, the average American got about 10 hours of sleep per day. That’s probably because people didn’t really have much to do after dark. Not any more.

When I explore insomnia with clients, I almost invariably find that they’re in the habit of immersing themselves in media stimulation right up until they go to bed. They watch the late news or late night talk shows, listen to music, play computer games, cruise online -– or engage in several such activities at once. Then, in a hyper-stimulated state, they turn off the lights, climb into bed, and discover that they’re too wired to go to sleep.

One obvious simple way to treat insomnia is to turn off all media a half- hour to an hour before going to bed, dim the lights, and spend some quiet time coming home to oneself, reviewing the day, and unwinding. What’s interesting is how resistant so many people are to this commonsense idea. They’re so unpracticed at being quiet that when they try to do it they feel bored, empty or anxious. Others avoid going to bed as long as

they can because they’re actually afraid of going to sleep. The experience of closing their eyes and letting go is virtually the only moment in their day when they’re not inundated with stimuli from outside. That’s how uncomfortable we’ve become with being with ourselves.

Our collective need for more intense distracting stimuli is progressing, exactly the way that addictions progress. Many people can’t watch a film from the ’‘40s’s or ’‘50’s, for instance, because they the films seem to move at a snail’s pace compared to the roller coaster rides of current popular movies. More and more of the people I talk with are in such a restless, jumpy state that they give me the impression they’ve been at a heavy metal concert for the past twenty years.

Anyone interested in pursuing a path of personal growth and greater awareness must first stop running from their inner experience,. and that requires that theyWe must confront the distractions that obstruct their our paths. It isn’t necessary to get rid of all distractions, but it’s important to have some time free of from them.

Spending time in nature is one easy way to return to more natural rhythms; regular hikes or a wilderness backpacking trip can do much to cool down an overactive nervous system. Some people find it useful to practice periodic “media fasts” from all electronic stimuli.

Self knowledge confers subtle satisfactions: greater freedom from self-deception, confusion and anxiety; calm self-acceptance; comfort in one’s own skin; independence of thought and action. But this maturity comes only to those who can examine their discomforts and anxieties rather than run from them.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. His website is tommoon.net.a

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

10 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 11

Spotlight:

OUT BUSINESS NEWS

by Adam Leddy

Marie Godwin Co-Owner, Club Diversity

Marie Godwin and Davina Lapczynski are the proud owners of Club Diversity, a GLBT bar that lives up to its name. The partners in business and in life - have made it their mission to run a club that is open to everyone in the community. Since resuscitating a majestic 1880s home on South High Street earlier in the decade, Marie and Davina have created a nightspot unlike any other in the city. I had occasion recently to learn more from Marie about one of my favorite evening destinations.

AL: Unlike some of the bars and clubs in town, Club Diversity doesn’t really seem to have its own crowd or scene.

MG: Actually, we do have our own crowd/scene. It’s everybody, rather than one segment of the population, that is welcome here. So, in effect, that is our scene.

AL: Why do you get such a diverse crowd? It must be more than just the name of the club, right?

MG: Yes, it is more than the name. It is the partnership of the people who work here, the clients who come through the doors, and the events that happen that create an atmosphere like no other in this city.

Our clients range in age from 25 to 80+.

Lifestyle preferences include all of the GLBT community and friendly straights.

We are home to a variety of music and musicians. We offer theatre experiences through

Club Theatre Co (a separate non-profit troupe). We host business meetings, birthday parties, and fundraisers for our clients.

This is the place you can bring a date, your best friend, or even your mother. And we never charge a cover. Tickets are sold for upper level events only.

The diverse experience is also enhanced by our great staff... although we feel they are family to us. Rick manages this place and keeps it running smoothly. Jeff, Ryan, & Rob are with us on weekends. Craig is our newest Sunday addition. Jack is here on Tuesday nights and was an original partner of this club from its beginning on East Main Street.

AL: Pretend I’ve never been to Club Diversity before. What should I expect?

MG: You can wear your tux or best evening gown, or you can come in with shorts & sandals or jeans. Whatever you are comfortable wearing is fine.

As to what to expect...we have live music Tuesdays (Jazzmary, mellow jazz/pop music), Thursdays (Tom Crumley, light piano), and alternating live music on Friday and Saturdays (everything from jazz to indie music).

The atmosphere can best be explained by telling you what we hear from customers: It’s like having a party in someone’s home. The house is still divided into separate rooms. You can be in the main bar where the musicians are. Or if you want it a bit quieter, you can relax on our couches in the front parlor. The

Davina

back room has banquet seating and some more tables. Our outside courtyard has gazebos, which are nice in the summer. And you can also choose to hang out on our front porch.

Newbies are welcome all the time! But, if you prefer a mellow environment, come in on week nights and visit with our regulars. If you prefer a more energized night, come in on Friday or Saturday. And if you prefer outgoing participation in the club atmosphere, come in on Sunday for karaoke.

AL: You opened the upper level in 2006.

What sort of shows do you have up there?

MG: The Club Theatre Co. space is an intimate 32-seat room with a lounge-y type of setting. The theatre is in its third season.

Past shows include: A Piece of My Heart, A New Brain, Nunsense, Hedwig & the Angry Inch, Dracula, Blithe Spirit, and The Vagina Monologues.

The next show is a one-man presentation of A Christmas Carol by Brent Alan Burington.

(Friday, 12.19 and Saturday, 12.20 at 7p and Sunday, 12.21 at 2p. Tickets are $15/adults, $12/students & seniors.) Bring in a canned or boxed food to benefit Project Open Hand and get $1.00 off admission prices for the show.

AL: What’s coming up - in the upper level, the main bar, or both - that our readers won’t want to miss?

MG: Christmas Eve: Stewart Bender & Ryan

Marie Scarlata & friends will be doing a special Christmas performance in our main bar. They love doing this show as much as our clients love to hear them!

New Year’s Eve: As a thank you to our clients who keep this place alive every year, we host a free New Year’s Eve every year. Free food and no cover charge. And this year, Tracy Temple is performing (8p-1:30a). It’s a fun night where you can dress formally or not…and it’s always packed in here!

On March 1 (a Sunday), we have some special performers coming back to town. And this is the first announcement of this: Gaye Adegbalola and Roddy Barnes! They have performed at several events in this city, including Pride. They’re among the best of jazz performers in the country & we feel lucky that they love this club! No cover charge for this night either!

AL: What else should we know about Club Diversity?

MG: Club Diversity is not about one element of anything. The driving force behind the success of this club is literally everyone who walks through these doors...the clients, the performers, and the family of people who work here. It is this group effort, which cannot be duplicated, that allows this club to be what it is: home to a diverse and great mix of people, who just so happen to love the atmosphere and our great martinis!

Kegler Brown Announces Election Of Firm Directors: Jeffrey Porter Becomes First GLBT Partner in Firm’s History

Jeff Porter, Kegler Brown’s 1st GLBT Partner

The law firm of Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter (Kegler Brown) is proud to announce the election of attorneys Jeffrey D. Porter and Stephanie P. Union as firm directors, effective January 1, 2009.

Jeffrey D. Porter assists clients in the hospitality industry, the government, and the private sector with regulatory and business law issues, including zoning and land use, insurance, and liquor law. Porter is a member of Equality Ohio and was appointed as a Columbus civil service commissioner in 2007. He joined the firm in 2002.

Porter received a Bachelor of Arts degree (History) from Muskingum College and a Juris Doctor-

ate from Capital University Law School in 1996.

Stephanie P. Union represents clients across a broad range of practice areas, including litigation, real estate, and creditors’ rights & bankruptcy. Union is a member of the board of trustees for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and is a member of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation. She joined Kegler Brown in 2003.

Union received a Bachelor of Arts degree (International Studies, Political Science) from Miami University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1999.

Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter is a full-service law firm with offices in Columbus and Marion. The

firm specializes in corporate and tax law, construction law, estates and trusts, governmental relations and administrative law, labor and employee relations, litigation, and real estate and financing. Kegler Brown has 57 attorneys and is a founding member of the State Capital Group*, with member law firms nationally and globally.

To learn more, visit www.keglerbrown.com. *Member firms of the State Capital Group practice independently and not in a relationship for the joint practice of law.

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

12 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

EARTH TALK From the Editors of E

Dear EarthTalk: Which is better for our environment: using dryer sheets in the dryer or liquid fabric softener in the wash? It seems they both have properties that are not very green.

Deborah If you’re concerned about the health and safety of your family members, you might want to stay away from both conventional dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners altogether. While it may be nice to have clothes that feel soft, smell fresh and are free of static cling, both types of products contain chemicals known to be toxic to people after sustained exposure.

According to the health and wellness website Sixwise.com, some of the most harmful ingredients in dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener alike include benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (linked to central nervous system disorders), limonene (a known carcinogen) and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcinogen), among others.

Since fabric softeners are designed to stay in your clothes for extended periods of time, such chemicals can seep out gradually and be inhaled or absorbed directly through the skin. Liquid fabric softeners are slightly preferable to dryer sheets, as the chemicals in dryer sheets get released into the air when they are heated up in the dryer and can pose a respiratory health risk to those both inside and outside the home.

For those who don’t want to give up the benefits of fabric softeners but are afraid to risk exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, National Geographic’s Green Guide recommends adding either a quarter cup of baking soda or a quarter cup of white vinegar to

the wash cycle. Either one will soften clothes, while the latter will also address static cling. (Be sure not to mix either with bleach, though, as resulting chemical reactions could cause noxious fumes.) If eliminating static cling is your top priority, try drying natural-fiber clothes separately from synthetic materials. The combination of cotton and polyester is often the culprit behind static cling. Better yet, reports Green Guide, line dry synthetic clothing, as it tends to dry fairly quickly anyway.

A few companies have heeded the everincreasing call for greener, safer ways to soften clothes and reduce static cling. Seventh Generation’s Natural Lavender Scent Fabric Softener and Ecover’s Natural Fabric Softener are both good choices that rely on vegetable products and natural essential oils instead of harsh chemicals to get the job done.

Another safer option is Maddocks’ Static Eliminator, a non-toxic, hypoallergenic reusable dryer sheet made out of a proprietary, chemical-free polynylon. The Canadian company Maddocks originally developed the material to rid industrialscale mechanical systems of explosion-inducing static electricity, but soon realized that it could benefit consumers as well, who can now buy the sheets - each one is good for some 500 wash loads - from natural foods retailers as well as from several online vendors.

CONTACTS: Sixwise.com, www.sixwise.com; The Green Guide, www.thegreenguide.com;

Seventh Generation, www.seventhgeneration.com; Ecover, www.ecover.com; Maddocks’ Static Eliminator, www.staticeliminator.ca.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? E-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

New Site Offers Homeowners a Clearinghouse of Green Remodeling Information The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) announces the launch of a new website dedicated to green remodeling, www.greenremodeling.org.

Since the development of its education programs, NARI has collected a library of information on green remodeling. The need to share this information with homeowners became apparent through the many inquires about green remodeling that have come into NARI Headquarters. Greenremodeling.org is a clearinghouse of information on green remodeling for homeowners and trades people.

“Amassing all of the green remodeling knowledge we’ve collected over the past several years and making it available to everyone online was an enormous endeavor,” said NARI President Renée Rewiski.

What is Green Remodeling?

It’s an all-encompassing approach that emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient. Included are issues like indoor air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reduced material waste, and the use of products that are better for the environment (and for people).

Why go green in a remodel?

It’s easier on the earth, it lowers costs, and it provides a healthier home in which to live. According to the Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC), housing alone consumes 20% of America’s energy. Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%. It’s widely agreed that forests produce 40% of Earth’s oxygen, and that building supplies use 25% of its forests. Remodeling green by incorporating recycled materials or sustainable species will help homeowners to tread more lightly on Earth’s natural resources.

Green remodeling has grown more popular as homeowners consider health issues, skyrocketing energy costs and Earth’s natural resources. More than 15 million Americans are

estimated to have asthma, including 1-in-13 school-age children, and more than 28 million Americans suffer from hay fever and other allergies, all of which are aggravated by poor indoor air quality.

Green remodeling: • Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency • Conserves natural resources • Increases the value of the home • Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health • Reduces waste • Reduces emissions costs • Increases productivity of occupants • Improves quality of life Greenremodeling.org details many ways to implement green into the home including: • Non-toxic paints and sealants • Programmable thermostats • Energy-efficient appliances • Natural flooring • Local building materials • Natural fiber rugs and fabrics • Recycled material roof shingles and tiles • Energy efficient lighting • Insulated hot water pipes • Tank-less water heaters • Quality insulation • Native plants for landscaping NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Consumers may wish to search www.greenremodeling.org for remodelers certified as a Green Certified Professional (GCP) or www.RemodelToday.com to find a qualified remodeling professional who is a member of NARI. Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 800.611.NARI and request a free copy of NARI’s brochure, “How to Select a Remodeling Professional.”

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 13

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

14 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 15

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

16 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

FEATURE STORY

by Adam Leddy

E M I T Y T PAR E GOO UIDE TO NY G S ’ K O O L OUT

For some people, New Year’s Eve is a time for quiet contemplation and reflection, a chance to reconnect with one’s innermost feelings and assess the changes that the passing year has wrought. Avoid those people at all costs when making your New Year’s Eve plans.

Here are a few gay and gayfriendly venues ready to cater to your every NYE desire. A tip from Outlook: The convention is to spray your friends with champagne when the clock strikes midnight, but pretty much any fluid you have handy will do the trick.

Blazers Pub, 1205 N High St, 614.299.1800: Bring in the New Year with DJ & KJ extraordinaire Karaoke Kim. Hats & horns, food, and a champagne toast at midnight. $7. 6p.

BoMA, 583 E Broad St, 614.233.3000, www.barofmodernart.com: Champagne Wishes & Grey Goose Dreams with award-winning VJ 2nd Nature and a special guest DJ in the Underground. Gold and platinum packages available; call to purchase. $30 general admission.

D TIMES

Exile, 893 N 4th St, 614.299.

0069, www.exilebar.com: Karaoke, strippers, champagne, balloon drop, and prizes. No cover.

the New Year, everything from early jazz to John Legend. Showtunes, TV themes, Broadway, pop, gay icons, etc. Buffet at midnight. 8:30p. $5 cover includes a glass of champagne.

First Night Columbus, downtown, http://firstnightcolumbus.com: More than 150 visual and performing artists in venues including Veterans’ Memorial, Rhodes Tower, and LeVeque Tower. Community-oriented, substance-free, something for everyone. 5p-12a.

Liquid, 1100 N High St, 614.298.3000, www.liquidhotspot.com: Free champagne toast, hors d’oevres 6p-8p. Free bottle of champagne to every table reservation. Doors 4p. No cover.

Sage American Bistro, 2653 N High St, 614.267.7243, www.sageamericanbistro.com: Enjoy a special New Year’s Eve menu, available on the website.

Call now for reservations.

Shadowbox Cabaret, 164 Easton Town Ctr, 614.416.7625, www.shadowboxcabaret.com: The Shindig, with a dinner banquet and cash bar followed by two hours of live rock by BillWho? Complimentary champagne toast and party favors.

Martini Park, 4040 Easton Sta- $60 admission includes banFlex, 1567 E Livingston Ave, tion, 614.471.4300, www.mar- quet and admission.

614.252.0730, tinipark.com: New Year’s Eve at Club Columbus, 795 W 5th Ave, www.flexbaths.com: $1 lockers the Park with live music by Ren- Skullys Bar & Grille, 1151 N 614.291.0049, http://theand half-price rooms. 6p Wed to dition and dancing all night High St, 614.291.8856, AWOL, 49 Parsons Ave, clubs.com: New Year’s Eve Mas- 6p Thurs. with DJ Phoenix. $60 admission skullys.org: New Year’s Eve & 614.621.8779, awolbar.com: querade Madness. The club includes complimentary bar Weightless 10-year anniversary 10th anniversary party. No provides the mask, food, and Happy Greek, 660 N High St, and hors d’oevres. show. Performances by the cover. party favors. Cover.

614.463.1111, http://happyWeightless All-Stars, Blueprint, greek.com: Special New Year’s Pyramid II, 211 N 6th St, Envelope, Illogic, and Zero Star.

Axis, 775 N High St, Club Diversity, 863 S High St, Eve menu features many of our 614.228.6151: New Year’s Eve Music by DJ Detox & DJ Rare 614.291.4008, columbus614.244.4050, www.clubdiver- popular favorites plus great party with drag & strippers. No Groove. $8 cover. nightlife.com: New Year’s Eve sity.com: New Year’s Eve with specials. Maximum two-hour cover.

Cabaret in Pumps, Nina West Slammers, 202 E Long St, Hotspot, and DJ Alan Saunders Tracy Temple. Free food (apps & seating. Free reservations. spins you into the new year with finger foods). 8p. No cover.

Q Bar, 205 N 5th St, 614.221.8880, http://slamyour favorite diva and pop anHavana, 862 N High St, 614.222.2401, www.qmersbar.net: Tunes with DJ Harthems. 10p-4a. Cover.

East Village, 630 N High St, 614.421.9697, www.columbus- nation.com: Cash & prizes, bal- mony, and plenty of drink & 614.228.3546, www.columbus- nightlife.com: New Year’s Eve loon drop, and champagne shot specials. Open all day. No Barcelona, 263 E Whittier St, nightlife.com: Special New male revue with Samantha toast for first 100 people in the cover.

614.443.3699, www.barcelona- Year’s Eve edition of WednesRollins. No cover. bar. DJ T Cruz spins in the back columbus.com: Make your days Are a Drag with Virginia bar. Mistress of ceremonies Dee Somewhere Else, 1312 S High reservations now to celebrate West and friends. 10p.

James Club 88, 55 W Long St, Ranged presides. Call for exclu- Street, 614.443.4300, New Year’s Eve at one of Ger614.223.1213, sive VIP tix. Cover. http://somewhereelse.org: man Village’s finest. www.jamesclub88.com: Sing in Countdown to 2009 with dancDEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

ing, food, entertainment, giveaways, and drink specials. 5p.

Tradewinds II, 117 E Chestnut St, 614.461.4110, tradewindsii.com: Tradewinds’ annual New Year’s Eve celebration.

Tremont Lounge, 708 S High St, 614.445.9365: Special New Year’s Eve drag show & karaoke. 10p. No cover.

U, 782 N High St, 614.421.2233, www.columbusnightlife.com: ReUnion 2 with dinner & top 30 videos. Dinner seating 7p & 9p. Call for reservations. No cover for bar service.

Wall Street Nightclub, 144 N Wall St, 614.464.2800, www.wallstreetnightclub.com: Wall Street’s annual celebration.

Watch the ball drop on the large video screen, with complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Free parking @ N Wall & Elm; $99 hotel rate @ Hyatt on Cap Square if you mention the club. 9p; $10.

Woofs, 2063 E Livingston, 614.237.3595, www.woofscolumbus.com: Food, prizes, top 20 video countdown.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 17

MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY COCKTAILS PINK AND PINK-ISH WITH X-RATED AND CAMPARI

My Colors are Blush and Bashful

for anyone with a sultry edge.

You’ll find X-Rated Fusion Liqueur makes for a unique holiday surprise, ideal for a stylish friend or loved one whether she’s been naughty or nice.

Here are several great XRated Fusion Liqueur recipes X-Rated Fusion Liqueur certain to brighten-up any holiX-Rated Fusion Liqueur is the day celebration: perfect holiday treat. The vibrant pink color lures guests to an ex- Mrs. Claus’s Wildside otic fusion of ultra-premium 1oz / 25oz X-Rated Fusion French vodka and vibrant blood 1oz / 25oz White Tequila oranges mingling with the juices 1oz / 25oz Pomegranate Juice of ripe mangoes and luscious 1oz / 25oz Cranberry Juice passion fruit. X-Rated Fusion To serve as a cocktail: ComLiqueur is exactly what your holi- bine ingredients in a mixing day party table needs to add a glass, add ice, shake, and strain dramatic statement to the gar- into a lowball glass. land, holly and candles.

To serve as a punch: Combine Transform the annual office one bottle of Cabo Wabo Blanco holiday party into a fantastically Tequila, one bottle of X-Rated festive celebration by adding a Fusion Liqueur, 25oz of Pomedash of pink to punch bowls, granate Juice, and 25oz of Cranchampagne flutes and martini berry Juice in a bowl. Serve glasses. Glam up New Year’s mixture directly into ice filled with flirty pink drinks sure to glasses and stir to cool the mixliven up every second until the ture. Garnish with lime twist. clock strikes twelve. More of a holiday homebody? Good news! Winter Wanderlust The one-of-a-kind bottle makes 1oz / 16 ½ oz X-Rated Fusion for a glamorous stocking stuffer 1 ½ oz / 25oz SKYY Vodka

1oz / 16 ½ oz Orange Juice 1oz / 16 ½ oz Pineapple Juice ½ oz / 8oz Grenadine To serve as a cocktail: Serve in a highball glass. Garnish with twist of orange.

To serve as a punch: Combine one bottle of SKYY Vodka, 16 ½ oz of X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, 16 ½ oz of Orange Juice, 16 ½ oz of Pineapple Juice, and 8oz of Grenadine in a bowl. Serve mixture directly into ice filled glasses and stir to cool the mixture. Garnish with slices of orange.

juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, club soda and champagne. Add ice cubes. Serve immediately. Garnish with slices of lemon.

Campari

This holiday season, when decking the halls and donning X-Rated Holiday Punch 2 six-ounce cans Cranberry juice the gay apparel, don’t forget to add some distinctive flair to the concentrate 2 six-ounce cans Pink lemonade cocktail experience. Be a host to remember by serving an eyeconcentrate catching yuletide treasure from 1 750ml bottle X-Rated Fusion your bar, rather than the clichéd Liqueur eggnog or spiced punch. A color1 qt club soda, chilled ful, bold cocktail served at your 2 bottles pink champagne, holiday party sets the tone for chilled what can’t help but be a festive Ice cubes To serve as cocktail: Serve in night. A sleigh full of unique and stylish (and red!) cocktail oprocks glass with cranberries tions start with Campari. throughout glass.

Here are a few Campari cockTo serve as punch: In large punch bowl, combine cranberry tail and dessert recipes that can

provide a colorful and flavorful addition to your holiday menu:

Splash of Sweet and Sour mix.

Fill a martini shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Shake Italian Shooter well and pour into chilled martini ½ part Campari glass. Garnish with skewered ½ part Cinzano Bianco Vermouth raspberries and lime twist. ½ part Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth Sanguinello 1 part orange juice 1 oz Campari 1 slice of orange for the shaker ¾ oz Limoncello ½ teaspoon cane sugar 2 oz Blood Orange Juice 2 pinches ground cinnamon Pour ingredients over ice.

Put all ingredients in a shaker Shake and then strain onto fresh except for the cinnamon. Shake ice into a highball glass. Garnish with ice. Pour into a shooter with a blood orange wedge. glass. Dust the mixture with a little cinnamon and serve.

Grapefruit-Campari Sorbet, created by Chef Jamie Oliver Naughty Negroni 1-3/4 pints fresh squeezed ¼ oz Campari grapefruit juice, strained ¼ oz Grapefruit vodka 14 ounces superfine sugar ¼ oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth 7 fluid ounces Campari ¼ oz Pama liqueur Juice of 2 lemons Served on the rocks in a rocks Juice of 2 oranges glass. Garnish with a lemon Whisk together the grapefruit wedge. juice and sugar. Add the Campari, lemon and orange juices.

Pink Campari Freeze in an ice cream maker, or 1 oz Campari in a metal container for a 1 oz Rye Whisky granita texture.

4 to 5 fresh raspberries Splash of Pear and Cranberry Juice

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

18 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR Gay Notables Reflect on 2008 We polled some of this year’s gay and gayfriendly newsmakers on their highlights and low lights of 2008, and where they will be when the ball goes down. Here’s what they had to say:

Stephen Guarino: Comedian and star of Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show What was your personal highlight of 2008? The best highlight I got was a light ashy blonde strip in the back of my hair, but I also had some cute reddish tints in the bangs so it’s a real toss-up which highlights are my favorite. All I know is that I paid way too much to have both done at JeanClaude Beguine.

What was your favorite news event of 2008?

There was a small blurb in Entertainment Weekly that I beat out Ms. Jay from Top Model for a role in Tyra Banks’s new straight-to-DVD movie, The Clique. That was pretty great news!

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year? I will most likely end up playing Rockband with some neighborhood friends, followed by a sloppy Manhunt hook-up with either a closeted Greek or a white chorus boy who is faking how butch he is.

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? I literally just made out with Shia LaBeouf on my TV watching him in Disturbia, but on New Years I’ll most likely be making out with those mini-pizzas you get in a 4-pack from Trader Joes.

What are you looking forward to in 2009? The 3rd season of Big Gay Sketch Show and the February premiere of my new movie I Hate Valentine’s Day, starring Rachel Dratch and Nia Vardalos.

Plug, plug, plug!

Mike Ruiz: Celeb Photographer and Instinct Magazine Coverboy What was your personal highlight of 2008? I bought a my new pad in New York’s Chelsea. It’s hot! Another highlight was working with Cheryl Tiegs. I love her!

What was your favorite news event of 2008? The election and its awesome outcome!

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year? Passed out in a pool of my own sick.

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? Whoever is within 10 feet of me.

What are you looking forward to in 2009?

Everything! Life has been one surprise after another for me so I can’t wait to see what the universe has in store for me in 2009.

Diva Sylvia Tosun What was your personal highlight of 2008? I performed in front of 8,000 people at New York’s Gay Pride Pier Dance this year. It was a night I’ll never forget.

What was your favorite news event of 2008?

Barack Obama winning the presiDEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

dency. I love that man.

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year? I’ve been offered a gig in Malta. Details are being sorted out right now, so fingers are crossed that I’ll be ringing in the New Year there!

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? My man, of course!

What are you looking forward to in 2009? I’ll be releasing a new full-length studio album this spring!

Adam Joseph: Out Singer What was your personal highlight of 2008? I played a show in my hometown of Cincinnati for over three people. It was off the hook.

What was your favorite news event of 2008? Barack in the house!

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year? In Miami with the fam.

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? Whoever will have me.

What are you looking forward to in 2009?

More music, shows, and fun!

DJ Hector Fonseca What was your personal highlight of 2008? I landed new residencies in six major world cities this year. I’m really excited!

What was your favorite news event of 2008? Obama, Obama, Obama.

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year?

I will be headlining the “Amore” festival in Rome, Italy. I’ve been told they’re expecting over 30,000 people! I think this year is going to be the best New Year’s Eve ever for me.

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? I won’t know until I get to Rome.

What are you looking forward to in 2009? Touring for my new compilation album, NY Club Anthems Vol. 3, in stores now!

Alek & Steph: OhLaLamag.com Bloggers What was your personal highlight of 2008?

We moved from Paris to the USA this year.

What was your favorite news event of 2008?

The crowds rallying after Proposition 8 passed. It was inspiring.

How and where will you be celebrating the New Year this year? In our new home in Los Angeles!

Who will you give your first New Year’s kiss to? The ground. We really fought hard to be in the USA. What are you looking forward to in 2009? We’re looking forward to expanding our online empire this year with new online fashion magazines, Bellomag.com and Adonismag.com.

SHOPPING

by Marcus Morris

German Village Holiday Shopping The gift train has reached German Village, and wandering around the neighborhood on a brisk Saturday allows one to fall in love with the neighborhood all over again. Starting at either Livingston or Thurman, you can explore the shops, bakeries, galleries, and restaurants, and spend an entire day in the land of schnitzel and bratwurst. I recommend starting with lunch, shopping all day, grabbing a snack, and finishing with dinner and drinks. You will probably find more things tucked away than you might believe, and your support of small businesses will continue to help this GLBTfriendly neighborhood thrive.

Start the day with a great lunch at The Brown Bag Deli, 898 Mohawk St, 614.443.4214. The staff is really down-to-earth, the food is great, and the coziness of the restaurant will allow you to make friends with your fellow patrons. I had the Mohawk Stroller, $7, a smoked turkey sandwich, with sprouts and pesto. They also have specialty salads and delicious homemade soups, as well as the option to design your own sandwich. If you are in rush, ordering takeout is a great option as well. I was delighted to find an attached bakery, and went to investigate. Bakery Gingham, 614.449.CAKE, is moving to 189 Thurman Ave before Christmas, and will have legions of fans traipsing to the south end of the Village. I recommend the Choosy Moms cupcake, $2.50, a peanut butter cake with chocolate icing. After scarfing down two, I waddled out and began my shopping trek fat, happy, and ready to walk off the desserts I indulged in. Mmmm, cupcakes. www.thebrownbaggv.com, www.bakerygingham.com.

The Dog Works/Cats 2, 195 Thurman Ave, 614.449.0045, beats the chain stores by offering a friendly personal touch in assisting you with your pet needs. Owner Sue Meigs has a great selection of pet supplies and treats. My faves were the all-natural Northern Biscuit Treats, $8.99, and the Beef Liver Biscotti, $8.99. The Northern Biscuit Treats come in duck, bison, venison stew, and, for vegetarians dogs, peanut butter crunch. I love the fact that they sell treats for humans at DogWorks; you can treat yourself to a bottle of wine when you pick up the dogfood. A bottle of Doghouse Wine, $8.50, will make you feel a lot better

when you realize that the dog has knocked over the tree, and left you a little gift. www.dogworkscats2.com.

The coolest building in German Village, The Red Stable, houses a really unique jewelry shop, Mars Creations, 223 E Kossuth St, 614.444.3600. They offer in-house workshops on jewelry making, and will feature artists in-house starting in 2009. The custom jewelry shop allows you to pick out beads, and artist Marsha Robinson will put them together for a minimal fee per project. The jewelry ranges from $2-$100, and you cannot beat the prices for such beautiful work.

Mars Creations makes a really personal statement for your jewelry needs, and the experience of going to the shop and finding something that you’ve had input on will surely please the person who receives a great piece of art. www.marscreations.com.

The Book Loft, 631 S 3rd St, 614.464.1774, is a German Village institution, and no visit to the neighborhood is complete without a stop inside. The 32 rooms have so many options for every person, and the challenge will be to try and see it all. The Book Loft might be the place to find all of your presents. Give your loved ones books based on their interests, and you cannot go wrong. The philosophy buff will find plenty of Sarte and Camus, and the photography major will find loads of Avedon and La Chappelle. Books are the perfect gift this holiday season. www.bookloft.com.

There is no doubt that you will spend hours in the neighborhood, so end your night at The Mojoe Lounge-German Village, 627 S 3rd St, 614.221.1563. Not only do you have delicious Cup O Joe next door, but you have a fabulous menu and delicious drinks. The Fish Tacos, $11, are my choice for a great meal, and they even come with a ceviche shooter. After dinner, the apertifs are endless, but the turtle martini is pretty spectacular.

The Mojoe Lounge is known for its espresso martini, $8, and I recommend that anyone who loves coffee try this mix of espresso, Frangelico, vanilla vodka, and Kahlua. The buzz will make you feel ready to head back home to wrap up your purchases, and allow you to spend the next day in bed nursing a hangover. www.mojoelounge.com.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 19

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

20 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD

by Romeo San Vicente

ROLAND EMMERICH ENVISIONS 2012

SHARON GLESS FREE TO LOVE LADIES

FINDING ME TO FIND ITS WAY TO THEATERS

VAN SANT TESTS OUT THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID

Some gay guys obsess over art or music or fashion. Director Roland Emmerich seems to enjoy freaking out over the end of the world. After directing little movies like Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, he’s taking on another cataclysmic disaster movie titled 2012. What’s it about? Well, all the man in charge will say is that it’s some sort of natural disaster and that the ancient Mayan calendar predicts the end of Earth life in about four years. Spooked yet? So is his cast: John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Chietel Ejiofor, and Oliver Platt, among many others. No word yet on whether or not the title actually means the number of actors involved, but the film is already hotly buzzed about and due sometime in 2009. That might give everyone the time to find a blueprint for escape, should the entire planet actually blow up then, after all.

Let’s say you (guiltily) watched Queer As Folk and secretly wished she would be your personal P-FLAG mom, one who always told the bawdiest jokes right alongside your gay BFFs. Or, like guest star Rosie O’Donnell, you wanted Sharon herself in the more “Let’s Get Physical” way. Well now, the gay rights advocate and QAF alumna will play an openly-lesbian woman in a time when that sort of thing just wasn’t done out loud, in the indie feature Hannah Free, which finds two mid-20th-century women, once-intimate friends who’d gone their separate ways, falling in love all over again against the backdrop of history. In production now, audiences will be free to see Hannah sometime in 2009.

Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom’s box office receipts, while small by Hollywood standards, represents something of a milestone in queer cinema featuring African-American casts. Its per-screen average in limited release proved that gay films by and for people of color are not an impossible dream beyond the film festival circuit. Which makes the arrival of Finding Me a cause for hope. Picked up for theatrical distribution by TLA Releasing, the gay, black romcom, the debut of director Roger S. Omeus, Jr., tells the story of a young man trying to balance his new love interest with a complicated relationship with his own homophobic father. Not hurting the film’s profile are racy, skin-baring ads, featuring the hot young cast that should draw more than a few eager ticket buyers when the film opens in spring of 2009.

Hot on the heels of the mainstream-flavored biopic Milk, Gus Van Sant seems eager to get back to his favorite kind of filmmaking - the sort that takes a walk on life’s wilder side with a film version of Tom Wolfe’s 1967 book, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. And few groups of American artists were wilder than the Beats, one of whom - Ken Kesey - undertook a now-famous cross-country road trip with his group of “Merry Pranksters.” Along the way LSD was taken in serious amounts, and mind-expansion ensued, eventually resulting in the writing of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black is reportedly handling script duties, but no casting announcements have been made. But what actor in his right mind would “just say no” to something that sounds this much fun?

Romeo San Vicente’s favorite flavor of Kool-Aid is purple. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

ARTS

A Call To Artists: The Wexner Center Announces Create for Black History 2009 GLBT-Friendly Fare Month The Wex isn’t all about Warhol in the New Year (althe best and brightest of the GLBT film scene. The theater company Improbable; CONTINUOUS CITY, a

by Tim Fulton

though it is also about that - the massive, critically acclaimed exhibition is on view through Feb 15). The winter and spring season promises works spanning the globe and cultural perspectives, along with a brand new set of exhibitions in April.

Here’s one you might want to plan for now: Antony and the Johnsons, bringing their haunting songs of obsessive love and longing to the Southern Theatre on Feb 4, shortly after the band’s release of the widely anticipated album The Crying Light. Whether he’s addressing the trials of discovering romance or coming to terms with transgender identity, torch singer Antony Hegarty never fails to captivate with his melancholy lyrics and otherworldly androgynous aura. When Antony and the Johnsons first appeared in the Wexner Center’s Performance Space early in 2002, their underground reputation had yet to penetrate widely in Columbus; this time around - with awards and other accolades under their belt - you might want to grab your tickets early (614.292.3535 or wexarts.org).

Once again this year, we’re offering Out @ Wex, a film festival March 12-14 that focuses attention on DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

films this year include Equality U, a documentary that looks at the civil rights struggle of queer college students and their attempts to change perceptions and policies. Stay tuned for more details or sign up on our web site to receive film emails.

Other highlights of the upcoming season include: Three new exhibitions opening April 2 and running through July 26. This time around, we’re offering a “sampler pack” as only the Wex can: a white-hot young artist from South Africa with his gritty, multimedia work tackling urban issues; the cross-disciplinary installations of choreographer William Forsythe; and a highly designed exhibition featuring the work of radical Viennese architecture firm Coop Himmelb(l)au.

A slice of what’s new from Japan, including young theater company chelfitsch February 12-14 and a showcase of three dance companies in Japan Dance Now February 19-21.

Siren (Feb 26-28), a trippy, immersive experience that’s as much visual-art show as theater experience; the world premiere of Panic (Mar 4-7) by witty British

tech-savvy theater show that explores issues of connectivity (real and virtual) in a wired world (Apr 1618).

The ever-popular Israeli dance company Batsheva, performing in Mershon Feb 10.

Our Next @ Wex indie music series featuring Lambchop (Jan 25), Los Campesinos! (Feb 11), and, more, including a Warhol closing concert featuring local band Times New Viking coverage Velvet Underground tunes on Valentine’s Day. As always, check wexarts.org for updates, podcasts, trailers, interviews, press reviews, blog entries, and more. And if you’re still doing your Christmas shopping, don’t forget about the fabulous Wexner Center Store (stop in, or click to http://store.wexnercenterstore.com) for all things Warhol and otherwise offbeat.

Tim Fultonis Media Coordinator for Wexner Center, a member organization of the Columbus Arts Marketing Association. For more information, visit www.camaonline.org.

From Jan 26 to Feb 28, the Ohio Building Authority is sponsoring an art show at James A. Rhodes State Office Tower (30 E Broad St). Celebrating Black History Month, Passing the Torch will focus on the story of African-Americans over the last 50 years where we’ve come from, the major personalities, the issues, the cultural influences, the successes, and the challenges for the future.

Artists who would like to exhibit art addressing these themes should send an expression of interest to artforthedream@earthlink.net.

Further information will be provided to interested artists.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 21

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

22 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

INTERVIEW

by Gregg Shapiro

World View: An Interview with Filmmaker Tom Gustafson Over the years, GLBT short films that have played the festival circuit have been expanded into feature-length movies with varying degrees of success. Angela Robinson’s D.E.B.S., for instance, lost something in the transition, while Lane Janger’s Just One Time improved slightly. In the case of Tom Gustafson’s Fairies, a short film that left audiences craving more, the end result, Were The World Mine, pays off in every way imaginable.

Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is a gay kid at a private school. The members of the rugby team regularly use Timothy for target practice during gym class dodgeball games. His single mother Donna (Judy McLane), struggling to make ends meet, takes a job working for cosmetics queen Nora Fay (Jill Larson). His best pals, straight couple Max (Ricky Goldman) and Frankie (Zelda Williams), are support of his endeavors. But it isn’t until drama teacher Ms. Tebbit (Wendy Robie) casts Timothy in a school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that his life undergoes a major change.

After whipping up Puck’s love potion, he suddenly finds himself in a position to make his world a much more loving place.

I spoke with Gustafson shortly before Were The World Mine played the Chicago International Film Festival.

Gregg Shapiro: In anticipation of this interview, I recently re-watched your award-winning short feature Fairies.

Tom Gustafson: Oh, yeah? [laughs] GS: Yes. I really enjoyed Were The World Mine, but going back to Fairies gave me a chance to refresh my memory with the source material.

Fairies received a warm reception at a number of GLBT film festivals when it was shown. What was your reaction to that?

TG: First, I’m really proud of Fairies. I’m happy that I got the chance to go back and revisit that story and expand it. But I was really proud of the short and it was well received. It played about a hundred festivals and as we were traveling around to the festivals, it was the audience, as well as the programmers, who kind of tipped us off to the fact that people wanted to see more. When we made Fairies, we thought it was done. That was the idea it. It was kind of a one-joke short film. It wasn’t until we were about halfway through with our festival run that we started thinking about the idea of expanding it. At first, we were actually approached by one of the gay cable channels to possibly make it into some sort of series. When we started playing with that idea, my partner (Cory Krueckeberg) and I said no, first it has to be a feature film.

GS: What was involved in expanding the story?

TG: We immediately went back to the text of Midsummer and said, If we’re going to expand this short, how can we do it in a smart way? Obviously, we trusted Shakespeare on that. We tried to use his story and his characters as the basis and inspiration for all of the expansion.

GS: I’m glad that you mentioned Shakespeare, specifically A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is at the center of Were The World Mine. What role has Shakespeare played in your life?

TG: Growing up in Illinois, and I think it’s probably all over the country, you were “forced” to read DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

Shakespeare. As a high school student, I didn’t have an appreciation for it. It was one of those things that I kind of dreaded, which is so funny to look back on now. How rich his stories are from everything to the way they’re presented with the gender-bending presentation - there is so much in the stories that is relevant to today, whether it’s about the outsider or gender, and I think that’s why it seemed like such a great fit for our story. Not only is it about a high school student who is forced to do Shakespeare, but it also opens up this whole new world.

GS: With that in mind, do you have hopes that Were The World Mine will reach an audience beyond adults or gay adults to the considerable young adult and teen audiences?

TG: We definitely hope [for that]. One thing that we’ve been doing with all of the festivals that we’ve been playing is pushing them to invite youth to the screenings. Some festivals have been absolutely amazing with it. In Vancouver, they did two separate screenings for youth. They did this whole youth variety show after our screening that was kind of inspired by Shakespeare and by the film.

We definitely want it to play to youth. It’s a way for them to see Shakespeare in a different light. It’s an alternative to that High School Musical stuff that’s out there [laughs].

GS: Absolutely. I’m glad that you mentioned the musical aspect of it, because the expansion of the music in Were The World Mine is considerable. What can you tell me about the role of music in the movie?

TG: Music is its own character in the film. The music is not just his escape, but it becomes his reality. We wanted to play with how music can transform that - from fantasy to reality. For the expansion, the first thing that we did was go back to the Chicago musicians that we had for Fairies, Tim Sandusky and Jessica Fogle. Then we looked at the script and asked, Where can musical numbers really move the story forward? Not just “show tunes,” but where can we put it that it would really do something for the story? We tried to have that be the driving force for the music.

GS: Were The World Mine also made me thing about how movies and movie musicals functioned as escapism during troubled times in the past, and can do so again now with this senseless war and the looming depression.

TG: When we started making this film, we wanted to make a feel-good, optimistic film. There’s a lot of gay film out there that is so depressing. Especially for gay youth. Definitely, our short film was all about the bullied kid. When we started making the expansion [we decided that] Timothy doesn’t have to just be this bullied kid. He could be completely comfortable with who he is and let’s make it more of a celebration. We tried to keep the spirit of that in it. That’s why I think that audiences at the festivals have embraced it. It is an optimistic story.

Some people may say that that’s its biggest fault.

But I think people want to see something feel-good and optimistic [laughs].

GS: Are there any plans for a soundtrack of the movie to be released?

TG: Yes, it comes out on November 11 on PS Clas-

sics. This is going to be the label’s first movie soundtrack.

GS: How much of Tom is in Timothy?

TG: In the short film, it definitely was. And I’m the first to say that the short film was autobiographical. There were characters in Fairies and scenes that were pulled right out of my growing up in a small town. But I think that the one change that we made to Timothy that I hope people will see is that he is very comfortable in who he is at the very beginning of the film. Sure, he might get picked on, but he can see further ahead. I feel like it’s changed so much from what our original Timothy was, which was more like me [laughs]. Timothy’s much cooler than I was [laughs].

GS: Wendy Robie, who Twin Peaks fans will recognize from her portrayal of Nadine, reprises her role of Ms. Tebbit.

TH: Honestly, there would be no Ms. Tebbit without Wendy Robie. When we presented the script for Fairies to her, I wanted her to play the mother. I was a huge Twin Peaks fan, and I thought there was no way that Wendy would ever do a no-money short film. Immediately she said, “I’m in. No matter what. But, I want to play the teacher.” At that time, Ms. Tebbit wasn’t at all the force or the character that she is now. Wendy and I sat down for the short and talked about how it is that a teacher inspires you and what could Ms. Tebbit really be. That’s where Ms. Tebbit was formed.

When we decided to expand, Cory and I immediately said, “Wendy is Ms. Tebbit, and we can’t have anybody else be Ms. Tebbit. Even though there were investors and production companies saying to us, “You’re in a position where you can have a “name actor” and you might be jeopardizing some money.” And we said, “No way.” I could not see this film without Wendy. We actually hit a couple of bumps along the way where Wendy was cast to do the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada and she called and said that she couldn’t do our film.

And there was no way that we were going to take no for an answer [laughs]. We made it work, which was pretty amazing.

GS: Did you have a Ms. Tebbit in your life?

TG: I think I had several. In every stage of school I found a teacher that inspired me or that I connected with. I think that as I went through school it changed. In college, it was a photography professor and in high school it was my drama teacher. And it goes on and on. But I think it’s a mix of a bunch of teachers. And the same with Cory, the co-writer of Were The World Mine. He could name numerous teachers who had an impact on his life.

GS: You’ve mentioned Cory a couple of times. In addition to Were The World Mine, you are scheduled to work with him on another film.

TG: Yes, he just wrote a screenplay called Mariachi Gringo, which is very music-driven. It’s about a guy in a dead-end, boring life who decides to give it all up and go to Mexico to follow his dream of becoming a Mariachi singer. There will be lots of Mariachi music.

GS: What is about your working relationship that makes it such a success?

TG: Well, we’re partners. We’ve been together for

about 10 years, which I guess makes it both an amazing partnership and a challenging one [laughs]. I think there’s nobody else that I would want to work with so closely. He knows exactly what I’m thinking and I know what he’s thinking. So far it’s worked well [laughs].

GS: Were The World Mine was filmed in Chicago.

What is the significance of that locale?

TG: Fairies was shot in Chicago and when we decided to do the feature, Chicago was the first place we wanted to go back to. Of course, you romanticize your experience when you make a film. It’s kind of hell when you’re actually making it. Because we had such great support from not only the film community in Chicago, but we had lived in Chicago for many years and all of our friends were behind the short. We knew that Were The World Mine was going to be a challenge because of the budget and Chicago was the one place that we knew that we would have as much support as we needed to make it. Plus, Chicago has an amazing tax incentive program. Looking at all the logistics of making the film - we rented a house where we all lived and where we shot. You can’t really do that - definitely not in New York City, and there are not many places [where you can]. That seemed like an option in Chicago. And then I knew that because it’s such a theater-based film, it was obvious that Chicago was the place to find the cast. We knew that the supporting cast would be absolutely incredible if we took it back to Chicago. We were very involved in the theater community in Chicago, so we went back to the people who helped us out on the short as well as the people that we worked with when we were in Chicago and they helped us out with everything from rehearsal space to audition space.

GS: Were The World Mine has played at mainstream and GLBT festivals. Would you say that the audience reactions have been the same across the board?

TG: Yes. I was actually just talking about this at the Woodstock Film Festival. At the mainstream festivals there is a wider mix of people that come out, which is really exciting, men and women. At the gay film festivals, we’re playing to a lot of men [laughs]. So, I think that the really exciting part about playing the mainstream festivals - and there are still tons of gay people in the audience - we get to see a more mixed male/female crowd. I definitely don’t think [this movie] is meant for just gay men [laughs].

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 23

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED

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DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

24 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 25

SAVAGE LOVE

by Dan Savage

I am obsessed with my girlfriend sitting on my face, so I can eat her out while my nose penetrates her. It drives her crazy as well. I am wondering if you have heard of a dildo that could be mounted on my face, specifically on my nose, so that I penetrate her more deeply while she sits on my face and I lick her clit?

Basically, I want her to be able to really ride my face while I lick her clit.

Strange Fantasy Dude “Sadly, there’s no out-of-the-box solution I can recommend,” says Cory Silverberg of Come As You Are, Toronto’s worker-owned-and-operated sex shop. “There are harnesses that are meant to strap on to the head, like the Head-On Harness available at Stockroom.com. But it covers the mouth.” So you wouldn’t be able to eat your girlfriend out with one buckled to your face.

Cory continues, “And there is the often-pokedfun-at Accommodator.” (A latex harness that straps a dildo to your chin and looks just as ridiculous as it feels.) “But it isn’t hollow, so it couldn’t be worn comfortably over the nose,” he says. And finding something that fits comfortably over your nose is going to be your biggest problem.

“It would need to be hollow,” explains Cory, “but it would need enough heft such that it wouldn’t be constantly buckling and hitting you in the mouth or between the eyes. The tricky thing is that the nose is so close to the eyes, so anything with straps might dig in or at least go over the eyes in an uncomfortable way.”

So what do you do?

“Get in touch with a good harness maker and ask if they do custom work,” Cory recommends.

“One of my favorites is Outlaw Leather in Seattle (www.outlawseattle.com).” Outlaw Leather produces high-quality dildo harnesses and could, in theory, make you a dildo harness that fits comfortably over your nose. Custom work is expen-

sive, of course. “But no one said dreams came cheap,” says Cory.

But if you’re going to go the custom-made route, SFD, I think you might have better luck with a custom-made hood. They’re designed to be worn over the nose, and most have mouth openings. You could easily have one made with a wider mouth opening and an extended nosepiece.

“You could also go the Cyrano de Bergerac route,” says Cory, “and look into getting a highquality prosthesis that fits over the nose.” He thinks the folks lurking at Pinocchia (forums.pinocchia.com) - a site for guys into girls with big noses - might have some idea where to get a prosthesis.

I’m a 30-year-old, mildly genderqueer, bileaning-het male virgin. I’m not uncomfortable around women - pretty much all of my friends are women - I don’t really have any confidence issues, and I know I’m not a prude. But for reasons too complicated to get into here, I just haven’t gotten around to screwing anybody yet.

I’m waiting for the right person, and it just hasn’t happened yet. I don’t want to have sex with somebody who’s drunk or emotionally vulnerable, or manipulate anybody, and it’s very important to me that sex be (among other things) a form of affection and not isolated sex-forsex’s-sake.

I know I’m the only person who can answer the question of whether I want to have sex right now. But do I need to have sex right now?

Because one day I’m going to fall in love, and it’s going to get sexual. The message I hear from a lot of people I respect is that I’m going to pay a price for waiting until then to get laid.

Am I? Am I probably going to be okay?

Virgin At Thirty Yeah, you’ll be okay - but by ruling out drunks, the emotionally vulnerable, and the easily manip-

ulated, VAT, you increase the odds that you’ll remain a virgin for the rest of your natural life. A lot of very beautiful relationships - to say nothing of a lot of very timely deflowerings - owe their existences to booze, emotional vulnerability, and a little well-timed, well-intentioned manipulation.

And wherever did you get the idea that sex-forsex’s-sake can’t also be affectionate?

I’m a 28-year-old woman. I’ve been with my current boyfriend for five years. He’s married and has been telling me the whole time that he’s going to leave his wife eventually. There’s always an excuse: a crisis with the kids, money problems, etc. I’ve been stupid to stay with him for so long, but I just can’t keep away from him.

I just found out I’m pregnant, and I haven’t told my boyfriend. This is the second time we’ve been pregnant. Last time he reacted very badly, and I miscarried after a few weeks.

I know he’ll want me to get rid of the baby, but I’m going to keep it.

Whenever his wife goes away, I go over to the house to spend time with him. I’ve been planting evidence of our affair around the house in the hopes his wife will find it. So far, no luck. I’d like him to be man enough to leave her, but that’s probably never going to happen.

I could leave him, but if I do, I want to make sure he’s miserable. I’m not going to vanish from his life and leave him all happily ever after. I’m thinking of going and telling his wife.

What do you think? Is there any way I can force him to tell her?

Now The Other Mom No advice for you, NTOM, but plenty of prenatal sympathy for a poor unfortunate fetus who deserves better parents or his very own miscarriage.

I will, however, hold on to your letter. I’m going

to forward a copy to every doucheburst who writes in to tell me that gay marriage is wrong because every child deserves a mother and a father. Moms and dads can be great - I had a terrific set, myself - but mix-matched genitals are not enough. Kids need loving, fit, and reasonably sane parents. Having one twatted parent and one pricked parent does not guarantee a happy childhood.

I am a straight, 18-year-old girl and a college freshman. A couple of months ago, I lost my virginity to my first serious boyfriend, and since then we’ve been having sex several times a day. Apparently we have been a bit too enthusiastic, because my boyfriend received a note from his downstairs neighbors. In crass and abusive language, they told us to keep it down.

I was mortified. Post-note, I’ve been tense and nervous during sex, more focused on listening for the neighbors than enjoying the act. This is upsetting me terribly, and I don’t know how to make it better. Even if we are both silent, the bed inevitably squeaks and thumps. There is really nowhere else on campus for us to go (I have three roommates who don’t get out much.) What should I do? I am so depressed by this situation.

Loud And Clear Go buy the original Broadway cast recording of Avenue Q. The next time you have sex, blast “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love)” at top volume. When the neighbors complain about the music, tell them that they can listen to show tunes or put up with the noise you guys make when you have sex their pick.

Download the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at www.thestranger.com/savage. mail@savagelove.net.

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

26 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

ABOUT TOWN Short North Announces Debut of Holiday [s]Hop Holiday [s]Hop is a second chance for Columbus to experience the energy, lights, and buzz of Holiday Hop, coupled with Super Saturday shopping specials.

Wind chills in the lower teens, icy roadways, and media warnings to stay home left many would-be Holiday Hoppers holed up without their annual immersion in the urban experience. “We’ve talked to so many people who are down about missing Holiday Hop,” says Carmen Owens, co-owner of Surly Girl Saloon.

“It’s a Columbus tradition that thousands look forward to each year.”

Holiday Hop typically attracts upwards of 20,000 visitors. Given the extreme weather conditions, organizers were amazed to see nearly 10,000 still found their way to the High

Street corridor, yet they knew there were many who could not get there.

“We’re excited that the district was game to give it another go,” says Maria Galloway, owner of pm gallery and co-founder of Gallery Hop. “This will be a first. We’ve never had a mulligan for Hop. And Holiday [s[Hop will have its own signature - an extra focus on Super Saturday and the last minute gift buying scene. I think visitors will greatly enjoy it.”

The district is planning visits with Santa, street performers, in-shop performers, and a number of surprises. Merchants will be creating shopping experiences and special sales just in time for last minute shopping. The mile-long stretch of High Street arches will even get a new program tailored for the

evening: a sparkling, ever-changing rainbow of colors, twinkling and jumping from arch to arch.

Holiday [s]Hop: Saturday, Dec 20, 11a-9p and later, High St from Nationwide Blvd to 5th Ave. For more info, visit www.shortnorth.org or email info@shortnorth.org.

City Council Modifies Panhandling Code City Council voted last night to adopt all recommendations placed before them in regard to modifying the city’s panhandling code.

Some of the modifications included: • No verbal panhandling dusk to dawn.

• No panhandling in city parking lots or within 10 feet of a parking meter.

• No panhandling within 20 feet of al fresco dining.

The modifications will become law within a month or so. At that point, Columbus police will be empowered to act upon the legislation.

Though this is a much-needed citywide enhancement, for the Short North it means that we will no longer see the panhandlers posing as parking lot attendants - serving as the first and last impression so many of our customers experienced with each visit.

This has been a critical agenda item of the Short North Business Association for well over a year. Kudos to Councilman Andy Ginther and his administrative aide, Ken Paul, for their thorough and persistent work on moving this sensitive legislation forward. Their willingness to work with and support the business community was key to the passage of these modifications.

Council President Mike Mentel was careful to clarify the distinction between two conversations that were blending as this legislation was developed. One conversation centered on the predatory panhandling activities of individuals taking advantage of the lack of city code to prevent their actions. These individuals are not necessarily “homeless.” Indeed, it was clear that staffing Short North parking lots and following Short North customers was their chosen profession. The other conversation centered on the plight of the homeless. It was clear that citywide measures need to be stepped up to address the extreme challenges this growing segment of individuals face. The legislation was in no way meant to signify a lack of compassion for these individuals.

It is important that as a community we look at the new legislation as one component of the solution. In addition, we should: • Install visible signs in parking lots. The signs would welcome visitors to the Short North, explain that the lots are not attended, and that panhandling is prohibited in the lots.

• Continue to educate our staff and visitors about how to give thoughtfully. Rather than giving spare change to panhandlers, make

contributions to the human services agencies that will make the real change.

• Provide impulse opportunities for visitors to give money to support those in need. To this end, the district is exploring the concept of installing decommissioned parking meters in strategic locations. Visitors will be invited to deposit spare change in the meters. The funds will be forwarded to the area agencies that offer support programs for those in need.

• Develop stronger working relationships with the human service agencies, learn about their initiatives, and learn when to call for intervention and assistance.

COLUMBUS NEXT MEETING: JAN 14, 6P-8P; LOCATION: BUCA DI BEPPO ; SPEAKER: ANGEL LYONS & JOHN WHYDE • WWW.NETWORKCOLUMBUS.COM DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 27

fin

THE LAST WORD

by Jennifer Vanasco

T heS eas onf orGi vi ng Tis the season of giving, and oh boy, do I have things I want to give.

Not just to my friends and family - my Christmas shopping has been happily done for weeks.

No, I have gifts - very SPECIAL gifts - that I would like to give others. Along the lines of the Wizard’s gifts to the denizens of Oz. Let’s start with that Cowardly Lion stand-by, courage. I would like to deliver a liter of courage to President-elect Barack Obama.

Why? Well, because he is saying that he wants there to be some “consensus” in the military before gays and lesbians are allowed to openly and proudly serve.

Have you ever heard of a military being run by consensus?

Didn’t think so.

Consensus is for lesbian coffeehouses. Orders are for the military.

While we’re at it, actually, let’s pin a heart on Obama as well. We know that he knows that we know he is actually kinda for gay marriage. Not just civil unions. At the point where someone supports all the civil, federal rights of marriage for gay people, they support actual marriage for gay people.

Obama was a law professor. He’s a writer. He understands about the symbolic importance of words - and he understands semantic quibbles.

Hopefully, a heart will literally enhearten Obama to step up and throw his support behind gay marriage while he’s still in his can-do-no-wrong honeymoon phase with the Congress.

The Scarecrow’s brain? Let’s give that to the Mormon Church, shall we?

It was a gigantic mistake for the Church to bat against gay people. They assumed - wrongly that gays were more detested in popular culture than Mormons.

That may be true in Utah, but the rest of the country loves their gays. They may not love gay marriage, but gay style, gay humor, gay songwriting, gay sensibility, gay contestants on reality shows - all very, very popular. Way more popular than annoying Mormon missionaries who knock on doors during the dinner hour.

There are many, many good people, gayfriendly people, who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of them have spoken out on our behalf. But the LDS church itself made a stupid mistake by assuming they could take us on without consequences.

In fact - as a bonus gift - why don’t we try out some ballot initiatives of our own? Why not get signatures to deny Mormons the right to marry in various states? Sure, it’s arbitrary. Sure, it’s unfair. But so is denying gay people the right to equal marriage.

Why don’t we let them waste their money on defense instead of offense for a change.

While we’re expanding our holiday gift list, I’d like to send 36,000 roses to the California Supreme Court. That’s one rose for every person whose marriage is in danger of being annulled by the Prop 8 decision.

Eighteen thousand gay couples were married in California. That’s 36,000 people. That’s also a lot of roses. Let’s flood them with roses. Numbers are sometimes hard for humans to get their heads around, so let’s help the Court out by showing them, in a tactile, real way, how many Californians they could potentially hurt with any decision that declares those already-performed marriages void.

Actually, let’s go beyond 36,000 roses. Let’s send 2 million. That’s a very conservative estimate - about 5 percent - of the gay population of California.

Let’s drop 2 million roses around the State House in Sacramento, so that legislators, voters, the media, everyone, can see exactly how many people are disenfranchised by Proposition 8.

What else should we have on our list? Let’s thank the millions of straight Californians who voted against Proposition 8 and for our rights.

Amid all the recriminations over losing the vote, we’ve neglected to celebrate how many Californians came out on our behalf.

And finally, let’s give a pair of Dorothy’s ruby red slippers to every Gay American. All we want is to feel at home. All we want is acknowledgement that we belong to America and America belongs to us.

In this country, that acknowledgement is cemented through the achievement of equal civil rights.

So let’s click our heels together this Christmas, tuck our presents for others next to Toto, and keep fighting until our equal rights no longer seem like something only possible over the rainbow.

Jennifer Vanasco is an award-winning, syndicated columnist.

Email her at jennifer.vanasco@gmail.com.

HOROSCOPES

by Jack Fertig

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): New family information sheds light on health problems. That news - or recognizing your parents in yourself - can also cause problems in your relationships. Each of us is a product of upbringing and self-invention. Find the good in both.

CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): You’re getting an extra boost of elfin charm. Seize some of the more whimsical notions that pop up. Your ideas will make more sense to you and to others if you think of the whole world as your own tribe.

ARIES (March 20 - April 19): Effectively handling surprises with colleagues will boost your professional reputation. Better, it will solidify those working relationships. Your friends may have ethical doubts about your work.

They may not have all the answers, but take their questions seriously.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Try something new with your partner, even if it ends up being more silly than erotic. The playful experimentation will do you both a lot of good, and even boost your confidence in other fields of your life.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Talking with family can be healing if you think carefully before and throughout the conversation. Don’t be afraid to shock them; just be careful about how you do it. Your friends will help you get through the challenge.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Trust your instincts to help you win people over. You’re more persuasive than you realize in financial matters. Sexually, your charisma hangs more on focus and discipline - whatever type of “discipline” works for you!

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Your mind is especially sharp on details, but it takes charm to get the ideas across. Demonstrating pleasure in solving problems will win over friends and even enemies in high places.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): You play very well with others. Working well with others takes some effort. Try sublimating your erotic charm in a more professional direction. Whether arguments are helpful or just distracting depends on you keeping your mind open and your priorities clear.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Traditional family wisdom (or your rebellion against obsolete family stupidity) offers financial insight.

Discuss it with a sibling or friend for clarity. Aggravating challenges from your boss really can help you get ahead. (Smile!)

PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Differentiating between your broader circle of friends and your inner circle will yield surprises. So will the way your partner gets under your skin to make you question your priorities. Be nice and take those questions seriously.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Sexual adventures can challenge you to think in new ways that will impress others, even outside the bedroom. Keep working on those ideas. With some giveand-take you can overcome resistance and make constructive changes in your community.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Mix up your exercise program and break the routine. Your partner (workout or domestic) has great ideas for that. Take a serious inventory of any potential health issues. When was your last full check-up?

Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is a founding member of the Association for Astrological Networking. He can be reached for consultations at 415.864.8302, www.starjack.com, and by e-mail at QScopes@qsyndicate.com.

DEC 18 - DEC 24 2008