V7-33 08.16.23 “GrungePocalypse” Is Here! Gym Progress
Looked This Good + Photos & More Brandon Scott Jones Shows UP!
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AUG 16, 2023
V7-33
DAVID Magazine
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Some Cute Guy
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Russ Bowen-Youngblood Chris Azzopardi
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e content of DAVID Magazine is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. e opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in DAVID Magazine are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or sta . e information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or o ered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through DAVID Magazine meets your speci c requirements. DAVID Magazine is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. e magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to DAVID Magazine, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of DAVID Magazine may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of DAVID Magazine may give rise to claims for damages and or criminal o enses. Your use of the information or materials in DAVID Magazine is strictly at your own risk. ONLINE davidatlanta.com PRINT At Distribution Points Across the City SOCIAL FB: davidatlantamag IG: @davidatlantamag PAGE 10 12 30
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PAGE 8
I N T H I
DAVID
On His Own Shoulder
By Chris Azzopardi
This year, Brandon Scott Jones is showing up in the most random of places. There’s his series regular role in “Ghosts,” portraying the spirit of American Revolutionary officer Captain Isaac Higgintoot, who is gay. There’s his part as Drew’s BFF Curtis on “The Other Two,” HBO’s abundantly queer absurdist comedy, which just announced that its latest, third season would be its last. And earlier this year, he could be seen on the big screen alongside Nicolas Cage’s Dracula in the horrorcomedy “Renfield,” now streaming on Peacock.
The Maryland-born actor, who has also appeared in “Isn’t It Romantic,” “The Good Place” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” recently chatted about the niche queerness of “The Other Two,” finding comfort in LGBTQ+ media in his youth and how he hopes that his latest projects are doing the same for others.
“The Other Two” really is so perfectly stupid and yet so moving at the same time. Let’s make that the tagline. Wild how they strike that tone. It’s cool.
It’s not an easy thing to pull off, but this show does. When was the moment you knew you could make a career out of being funny? This isn’t going to sound funny, but I remember I was on a family vacation and my mom, dad, sister and I were driving through deep Georgia on our way to Florida, and it started to torrentially downpour, and my mom started screaming at my dad to pull off the road, and my dad kept gripping the steering wheel, screaming that he couldn’t see. He’s like, “I can’t see!” And I remember thinking to myself and turning to my sister and we’re like, “We’re going to die.” And thinking to myself, “This
is terrifying,” but very funny to see my parents do this in front of their children.
I can see this as a sketch on a comedy series. I can 100%. Literally, there’s no chill in the back, and my sister and I were just sitting there, stonefaced, like, “Oh god.” I have a memory of being like, “Oh, I want to write about this.” So that was the first time I thought, “Oh, maybe I enjoy comedy.” I’ve been lucky enough that I’ve gotten to work with people in my past doing lots of comedy that have brought me in to do other projects that maybe more people were able to see, and then also just trying your hardest to put yourself out there. And I remember the first time I put my comedy writing live on stage, and to see the reaction to that, then the reaction on the business side to that, was really, really encouraging.
When you got the script for this season of “The Other Two,” what was the scene you couldn’t wait to shoot?
Oh, god, there’s a couple. One, I think you get to see some different levels of Curtis where he’s sort of been very silly in a lot of fun ways and a good friend. We got a little taste of his good friendship with Cary last season, but this year we had two separate moments that Drew [Tarver, who plays Cary] and I both called “the hard scenes,” and we called them the hard scenes because they’re definitely a little bit more emotional for the two of us. I think in addition to all the comedy that we get to play, there’s a scene or two toward the end of the season that we were both excited to really sink our teeth into.
DAVID Magazine pg| 8
Photos: HBO
“The Other Two” really does know queer culture inside and out. What’s it like to be able to go so deep into niche LGBTQ+ culture within this show?
It’s really fun. It is a very queer focused, queerforward show in a lot of ways. I mean, for example, last season when Cary had this hole pic come out. I think the idea of taking a picture of your hole to send someone and then accidentally blasting it to the world is a thing that starts out as something very relatable, but is also probably a fear we all have, a little bit.
I think trying to stay involved [and in] that world and understanding also the lens through which we look at it — which is sometimes through the entertainment industry — I know me and Drew, as queer actors, you get to see all of these little nuances of [how] people want you to be a certain way, they want you to act a certain way, and that usually corresponds with pop culture.
While doing this interview, it’s hard not to think about the first episode of this current season — navigating the promo of a TV show. That must seem very meta to you right now. Who’s the person on your shoulder as you go through
this today? It is funny to be doing interviews or hosting things on TV and also then doing them in real life. There is that meta element to it. It’s almost… I’m the person on my shoulder; it’s still this constant back and forth that I have with myself of, “Am I being enough of the person that I want to be? Am I not being enough of the representation?” And you kind of feel the weight of it a little bit, not to add self-importance or self-indulgence, or some sort of ego to it, but I think there’s people that have inspired me and there’s so many different people that you want to be like, and I think you just wonder if you’re falling short sometimes.
Can we get a spinoff of the “Gay Minute,” your show within a show this season?
Do you want a full half hour of “The Gay Minute”? I would totally do it. Just a sad, real-time show of this person trying to film it.
As someone who’s aware of the representation you bring to the TV and films you’re in, what media helped you feel seen?
When I was younger, I really loved “Will and Grace,” and I didn’t know, necessarily, a world outside of that. It was really fun to see those characters come up, but then a lot of the stuff that I really, really identified with, I didn’t even recognize to be queer culture. I was a big Madeline Kahn fan. I was a big Rosalind Russell fan. I would watch these madcap heightened movies — «Clue” or “Bringing Up Baby.” And all of these things that I now recognize as an adult, it’s like, “Oh, wait, I wasn’t alone in liking those things.” Do you remember “Me and My Shadows,” the Judy Garland TV movie?
Yeah. You thought you were the only person who saw it?
I thought I was the only person who sat there and saw it. It was a two-night event, and I did not miss
DAVID Magazine pg| 9
CHUNK
Chunk returns to Atlanta. Introducing Austin DJ legend Dr Beard and featuring Atlanta’s finest Brian Rojas (Deep South). Besides hot tunes there will be hot go-go bears. The CHUNK party is hosted by Kenny and Danny. There is a limited quantity of general admission tickets and merch at chunk-party.com.
WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 10 pm – 3 am
WHERE: The Heretic
Do you want your event featured on this page? Email info@davidatlanta.com for more info on how to get your event or party highlighted here.
either night. It’s this thing that, as you get older, you find other people that also did that, and you’re like, “Oh, all of this.” I sank myself into these things, and I was doing it for a reason, even if I didn’t fully know what it was. And it becomes so personal.
Looking at your career as a whole, when did you understand that the roles you choose are important and they matter?
I don’t know if there’s ever been one point, but I know that it’s been really nice between this show and “Ghosts” to see the fan reaction on Twitter of people either recognizing queer moments or, on “Ghosts,” I have a coming out [arc], which it’s been very nice to see the reaction to that. So I don’t necessarily know if I personally have that following, but I know that you still want to put out the authentic version of yourself for that person that might find you and might identify with who you are.
I think that my experience of coming out, and as I was growing up and getting older, it can be lonely, and I used to sink myself into film and television to quell that, and so you hope that whatever performance you’re giving, whatever interview you’re doing, there’s an authenticity there and that you’re bringing that experience to hopefully help others as well.
Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
Gym Progress Never Looked This Good
As we switch from outdoor activities to more gym time with the cooling temps, it’s time to switch up our workout wardrobe. The sportswear category from Addicted sits on that perfect spot between activewear that you can work out in and casualwear that you can wear for a night out with friends. The performance materials combined with great fits ensure that you can really push it at the gym all while enhancing all of the progress you have made both in and out of the gym.
styles available at addictedusa.com. Photos courtesy of Addicted USA
All
The Grunge-Pocalypse Is Here!
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Photos: PR
A flannel shirt is a fall staple that you can wear layered up this fall for a grungier look. The Original Cascade Flannel - Burnt Khaki, $50
Denim is one of the easiest fabrics to distress without completely ruining it.
Forever 21 Distressed Stone Wash Trucker Jacket, $40
Another fall staple is a sweater, but this season choose a mesh option for that ‘worn out’ look.
Helloice Long Sleeve T-Shirt Fashion Mesh Knit Slim Top, $48
Enough with the snug fits! Oversized pants are making a huge comeback, plus making them cargo, and you are on trend. Boohooman Tall Ofcl Extreme Oversized Cargo Pants, $30
Whatever you do, make it camo. The ultimate utilitarian – and stylish – pattern for this trend.
Vans Brushed Camo Shacket, $60
What better way to store your most precious belongings than in a crossbody bag?
Nike Sportswear Essentials Crossbody Bag, $32
It’s not just our obsession with endof-the-world entertainment like The Last Of Us, Invasion, and Knock At the Cabin, but the fashion world has also embraced the grungy nod to the apocalypse with a “grab what you can and run” trend. Grunge is a huge influence in menswear this fall with its layering and mix of materials – it’s a potent statement to how chaotic the world is right now expressed through fashion that seeks to make sense and cohesion of it all. Here are a few key pieces for you to incorporate into your wardrobe this fall season.
Fall
Preview
Fashion
Ho Sho TEN
Ho Sho Atlanta is Atlanta’s ONLY live-singing, choreographed drag troupe in the city! Back again at City Winery, the “girls” are performing their ten-year anniversary show. Join them for a night of fan favorites from the past ten years, some new surprises, and repeats of numbers you’ll wish you could forget! The ho’s have been vaxed, waxed and they’re ready for snacks. All tips and a portion of all ticket sales are donated directly to local charities. Ho Shos usually sell out, so get your tickets today. Meet the ho’s and get your tickets at HoShoAtlanta.com.
WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 8 pm
WHERE: City Winery Atlanta
Do you want your event featured on this page? Email info@davidatlanta.com for more info on how to get your event or party highlighted here.
QI am involved with this guy, and things are going great – except I may have discovered something potentially “dark” about him. The other day, I was working at his house on his laptop (with his permission), and you know how when you open the browser, it displays icons of previously visited sites? Well, I clicked on one of them, and it opened up to a porn site with some very young-looking guys – or maybe boys? The site looked professional, so perhaps it was just porn made to look like ‘barely legal,’ but what if it wasn’t? Anyway, I can’t really un-see it, and it just has me wondering and a little scared actually. What if he is secretly into this? I thought we were on the same page in terms of sex and fantasies, but this would be out of my league. Do I talk to him about this? What do I do?
AThe question of whether you should confront him or not is obvious: Yes, you should. It is hard to see how you can continue this relationship without talking to him about this. Yes, it is one of those damned-if-you-do or damned-if-you-don’t situations, and you may not like his honest answer because it could lead to radically changing your relationship. Of course, you should give your partner the benefit of the doubt, but don’t lose sight of that gut feeling you have about the whole thing already. Don’t second-guess yourself when he explains himself to you and perceive defensiveness as a red flag in this situation. There is a huge difference between ‘barely legal’ and child pornography, but even if it is the first (and the actors involved are indeed 18 years or older), it still has you alerted. Creeped out even. Hopefully, and in the best-case scenario, you were wrong about what you saw, but right after that comes him being just a “fantasy offender” meaning he has no intention and has never abused an underage person. And then there are, of course, the even darker alternatives to those scenarios. The question is, can you live with any of that? So talk to him, but stay on guard and be prepared for some severe consequences.
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DAVID Magazine pg| 24 2 16 14 13 8 9 7 10 15 17 19 1 3 6 4 P ie dmo n t Av e . N E Ju n ip e r St. N E E N . t S e e r t h c a e P PiedmontAve. NE 14th St NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE 4th St NE Monroe Dr. NE Mon r o e D r . N E 10th St. NE E N . t S r e p i n u J E N . l P n o e L e D e c n o P S p r in g S t . N W Amsterdam Ave . E N . r D n e l l A s e l r a h C W N . t S e e r t h c a e P . W 12th St. NE Pie dmont Park M I DT OWN BARS BARS not on map 2 Blake's 227 10 th S t NE 1 FUTURE ATLANTA 50 Lower Alabama St. SW Suite 180 3 Bulldo g s 893 Peachtree S t NE 4 Fr iend s 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 6 My Sister’s Room66 12th S t NE 7 X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave NE fitness 14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE spa /bath 15 F lex S p a 76 4th S t N W Dining 9 10th& P iedmon t 991 Piedmont Ave NE 10 Camp ag nolo 980 Piedmont Ave NE 16 G’s M id t o w n 219 10 th S t NE 17 Henr y ’s 132 10 th S t NE 19 L a H acienda 900 Monroe Dr NE
NEW ONLINE CALENDAR of EVENTS
DAVID Magazine pg| 25 BAR
20 B J Roo s t er s 20 43 Cheshire Bridge Rd 22 Tr ipp s 1931 Piedmont Cir NE Dining 24 L a s M ar g ar i t a s Closed Temporarily 18 42 Cheshire Bridge Rd Retail 26 B ar k ing L e a t her 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 27 S ou t her n Nig h t s 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd clu bs 28 Her e t ic 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 29 Tok yo Valen t ino 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd Fitness 30 Gr avi t ee F i t ne s s 2201 Faulkner Rd NE BAR
32 Atlanta Eagle 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 33 Felix 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 34 T he Hidea w ay 15 4 4 Piedmont Ave NE 35 M i x x 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 36 O sc ar 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Retail 39 B oy Nex t Door 14 47 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Barking Leather 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Fitness 41 E quilibr ium F i t ne s s 1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L M ar y 's 1287 Glenwood Ave SE S i s t er L oui s a’s Chur ch 466 Edgewood Ave SE L ip s A t lan t a 3011 Buford Hw y NE The T 465 Boulevard SE 494 Plasters Ave NE Woo f 's
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BARS & CLUBS MIDTOWN
BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlanta.com
227 10th St NE
BULLDOGS
893 Peachtree St NE
FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR friendsonponce-atl. com
736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com
66 12th St NE
X MIDTOWN xmidtown.com
990 Piedmont Ave NE
THE T modeltatlanta.com
465 Boulevard SE
CHESHIRE
HERETIC hereticatlanta.com
2069 Cheshire Bridge Road
BJ ROOSTERS bjroosters.com
2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
A snapshot of Gay Atlanta’s favorite destinations. View their ads in DAVID & visit their websites for weekly event listings.
SNAPS
WESTSIDE
MARQUETTE
868 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW
840ATL
840 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW
ANSLEY
ATLANTA EAGLE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
FELIX’S 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
THE HIDEAWAY 1544 Piedmont Ave NE
MIXX mixxatlanta.com 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
WOOFS woofsatlanta.com
494 Plasters Ave NE
EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD
MARY’S marysatlanta.com
1287 Glenwood Ave SE
SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH
sisterlouisaschurch.com
466 Edgewood Ave SE
DINING
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CASA ALMENARA
991 Piedmont Ave NE casa-almenara.com
HENRY’S henrysatl.com
132 10th St NE
LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com
900 Monroe Dr NE
TUK TUK THAI FOOD LOFT TUKTUKATL.COM
1745 Peachtree Rd NW
DEKALB
LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com
3011 Buford Hwy NE
RETAIL MIDTOWN
BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
CHESHIRE SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO
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BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com
1000 Piedmont Ave NE, Ste A
GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta.com
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FITNESS
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URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbody tness.com
500 Amsterdam Ave N
CHESHIRE
GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com
2201 Faulkner Rd NE
SPAS/BATHS ADULT
FLEX SPA exspas.com
76 4th St NW
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We all have those moments of ‘wait, did they just say that?’ Lucky for you, we compile the best of the best right here on this page. Want to join in on the b*tch session?
Submit your own nuggets to info@davidatlanta.com.
If you don’t have anything gay to say, don’t say anything at all. You know, I never really know what I will get from Target. Target will tell me when I get there.
Did I “kill a plant” or did the plant not have what it takes to thrive in this fast-paced environment?
Is it shitshow or shit show? I want to get this resignation letter just right.
Girl, enough with all your ‘catching flights, not feelings’ bullsh*t. What you need to catch is a therapy appointment.
When somebody sends me a heart emoji that’s not red, I’m like ‘what are you afraid off?’
Hi, I have a question regarding this, and the question is WTF?!!
