Montrose STAR - March 2022 by Rafa Espinosa

PFLAG HOUSTON NEWS

PFLAG Houston resumes in-person meetings

12 Montrose Star.com

Houston Rainbow Herald.........

OUT IN HOUSTON™

Wednesday March 2, 2022, Vol XII, Issue 9

Foodie Diaries.........................

What A World...........................

JONATHAN

VAN NESS

INDEX Editorial Crossword Guide to the Clubs

5 21 26

Gets curious

PAGE 2 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

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

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

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

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.  Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, KEEP CREATING, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0368 04/21

BVYC0368_BIKTARVY_C_10X13-65_MontroseStar_Chad_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

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CHAD LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP CREATING.

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

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

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. See Chad’s story at BIKTARVY.com. Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

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

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PAGE 4 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

HRH REPORT

OFFICE 713-942-0084 EMAIL TheMontroseStar@gmail.com Publisher

LAURA M VILLAGRAN Business Development Manager

RANDALL JOBE Production

RAFA ESPINOSA News Features

JOHNNY TRLICA Copy Editor

Scene Writers

JIM AYRES JANICE ANDERSON FOREST RIGGS Distribution

MIRIAM ORIHUELA ELIZABETH MEMBRILLO

NANCY FORD

TH E S TA R CO NTR I B UTI N G W R ITE R S JIM AYRES by day is an employee benefits and human resources writer. By night he turns his creativity toward the local food and restaurant scene. Do you know of a restaurant that needs a review? Info@montrosestar.com NANCY FORD has enjoyed a front row seat to the most remarkable and sparkly Cultural Revolution in the history of mankind. “What a world!” She reflects appropriately. After moving to Houston from Ohio in 1981, Ford became a highly visible player in Texas’ LGBT publishing circles as an editor and contributor to myriad other local and statewide LGBT magazines and newspapers. RANDALL JOBE has been a fixture in the Houston LGBT Community for several decades in marketing and promotions for top nightclubs, as an actor/director/writer for dozens of theatrical productions, and is also known for his whimsical art pieces. He is the author of the 12-part series “This Old Queen”, which summarized his many experiences living in the gay Mecca, Montrose. VIC GERAMI is journalist, media contributor and Editor & Publisher of The Blunt Post. Vic grew up in LA and has a BA in Theater Arts. He spent six years at Frontiers Magazine, followed by LA Weekly and Voice Media Group. His syndicated celebrity Q&A column, 10 Questions with Vic, is a LA Press Club’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award finalist. Vic is a contributor for Montrose Star, DC Life Magazine, Out & About Nashville, Q Virginia, GNI MAG, QNotes, Windy City Times, WeHo Times, GoWeHo, Los Angeles Blade, Asbarez, California Courier, Desert Daily Guide, Armenian Weekly, GED, The Pride LA, IN Magazine and The Advocate Magazine. FOREST RIGGS is no stranger to the adventures of life, he bills himself as a “raconteur with a gypsy spirit.” A former educator, public speaker, hospital administrator, counselor and gay owner, he was instrumental in the formation of OutSmart Magazine in the early 1990s. He has written for several newspapers, magazines and other publications. Recently he completed a collection of short stories about his beloved Galveston and is working on a novel. He currently resides on the island where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the meaning of life. JOHNNY TRLICA has called the Houston area home all of his life. Four years ago he founded and still edits the Houston Rainbow Herald and has worked in the apartment leasing industry for the past two years. His passion is keeping the battle for LGBT rights at the forefront of today’s headlines and fighting complacency in the LGBT community.

The Solution for Trump Addicts: A Twelve-Step Program B y Joh n ny Tr lic a

ommentary: “Hi. My name is (insert name here), and I’m a Trump addict.” Like an Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous or Gamblers Anonymous meeting, a 12-step program for Trump addicts should start with a confession. Trumpism is not a cult after all; it’s an addiction and therefore should be treated as one. Not all Republicans are Trump addicts, but ask anyone who attends Al-Anon: An addict controls the family dynamics. While there is no cure for an addiction, 12-step programs have proven to be effective in helping people regain control of their lives. Here are the 12 steps a Trump addict can follow: 1. We admitted we were powerless over Trumpism — that our lives had become unmanageable. Like an alcoholic with bourbon, Trump addicts voluntarily drank the Kool-Aid. They gulped Trump’s criminality, lies, moral failures and racism, and call it “fake news.” Either that or they make excuses or blame others. He really could “shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose any supporters.” They fail or refuse to see how their fealty to an evil man taints their own belief system. Many Trumpers proclaim to be “good Christian conservatives” yet follow a man who is the antithesis of good or Christian. Like the alcoholic who wakes up in a stranger’s bed following a night of debauchery, they know they should stop drinking but just cannot quit. 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. In a Trumper’s mind, there is no greater power than Trump. Many even declare him the second coming of Jesus Christ. Like a cocaine addict will drop to his knees to snort the rocks out of a shag carpet, Trumpers have knelt before the golden statue they made in his image. Really! 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Once again, Trump is their God. He is more than a defeated former president to them. What else explains the “Trump Won,” and “Stop the Steal,” flags that still adorn the homes and businesses of a Trumper? As much as the left may have loved Hillary Clinton and feel she was cheated, they were able to accept her defeat. 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Somewhere underneath all the hate and vile rhetoric, compassion and a sense of right and wrong lie waiting to be rediscovered and released.

©2022 GLYP Media. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from Publisher. Montrose Star is published monthly and distributed free of charge at choice establishments throughout Houston, the Bay Area & Galveston. Mail subscriptions are $54 for one year. All rights to material by outside contributors revert to the author. Views expressed in articles, advertisements, graphics an/o photos appearing in Montrose Star do no necessarily reflects the views of the views of the editors or advertisers. Montrose Star is not responsible for unsolicited submissions of articles or artwork. Advertisements accepted for publication in the Montrose Star are presumed to contain information that is true and advertisers are authorized to sell the product(s) shown in his/her ad. The Montrose Star assume no responsibility nor liability for possible errors contained herein or for advertisers' claim or performance.

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Trumpers have hitched their wagon to someone who cares about nothing but himself. And money! 5. Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. They can start with admitting that their candidate lost the 2020 election. Then admit that MAGA attacked the United States Capital to overthrow the government and install their hero to the throne. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. This of course, will require an admission that blind faith in the most corrupt president in U.S. history is a character defect. The lies, told on Trump’s behalf, the excuses made for his behavior and the silence on the atrocities he’s committed will come later, one day at a time. 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. This Him is referring to God, not Trump. In case there was confusion. 8. Made a list of persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Let’s start with the 140+ police officers injured or killed by Trumpers on January 6, 2021. Many were beaten with Trump flagpoles, others hit with baseball bats, fire extinguishers and bear spray. This, from the people who used to proclaim themselves the “law and order party.” 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Any American who still believes in democracy, the right to vote and the peaceful transfer of power is owed an amends. 10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Progress, not perfection. There is nothing to be ashamed of for being duped by a con man. Continuing to be conned? Well, that’s on you. 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Maybe it’s time to reprise the 1990’s phrase, “What would Jesus do?” First of all, Jesus would not brag about grabbing women by the crotch. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to Trumpers and to practice these principles in all our affairs. How wonderful would this be! We are not sure how effective Trump Anonymous meetings would be, but they are likely to have awesome food: Big Macs, fried chicken, pizza, and Diet Coke. Would anyone else like to share? Keep coming back, it works. The first 12 step program began with Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) in the 1930s and has since grown to be the most widely used approach in dealing not only with recovery from alcoholism, but also from drug abuse and various other addictive and dysfunctional behaviors. For this article, we replaced the word alcohol with Trumper or Trumpism. The Twelve Steps are used under an agreement from CC licensing and AA. https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ ¶ The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the administrator of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page. Reach him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

ToC

Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 5

OP-ED

CREEP OF THE WEEK

Gov. Ron DeSantis

By D’Anne Witkows ki

s I write this, COVID-19 has killed over 900,000 people in the United States. It’s a hell of a number. 900,000 deaths in just a couple of years, and that’s likely an undercount. The COVID-19 pandemic is the deadliest mass casualty event in U.S. history. Greater than the Civil War, which saw an estimated 750,000 people killed in four years. We have literally outdone ourselves. A very sick and shameful achievement. But don’t worry, the Republican Party is hard at work telling people that vaccines are bad and that this is a hoax and that we all just need to “go back to normal.” The “pro-life” party my ass. While each day we grow closer to one million dead from a virus that we have a safe, effective and free vaccine for, Republicans in Florida are focusing on what’s really important: terrorizing LGBTQ+ students in the public school system. Just as right-wing freakouts about wearing masks, vaccinations and teaching white children that racism is both real and bad are happening under the pretense of “parental rights,” so too is Florida House Bill 1557. Dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill (and if that moniker sounds familiar it’s because this bill isn’t the first of its kind), the legislation “would ban primary school discussion of LGBTQ people or topics, could require school officials to notify a parent if a student comes

out as LGBTQ, bans schools from withholding that information from parents in many cases, and allows parents to sue if schools violate those policies,” according to The New Civil Rights Movement. Gov. Ron DeSantis is apparently all for it. “DeSantis defended the legislation as necessary to stop an apparent trend in schools of helping students figure out issues of sexual orientation and gender identity,” reports Florida Politics. DeSantis is convinced that Florida needs such a law because he knows a guy who knows a guy whose mom’s hairdresser’s twin sister’s niece’s dog sitter’s brother totally had a school official encourage and accept the use of they/ them pronouns without immediately notifying the parents that their kid was some kind of sick weirdo. “In terms of the schools, we’ve seen instances of students being told by different folks in school, ‘Oh, you know, don’t worry, don’t pick your gender yet. Do all this other stuff,’” DeSantis said in the Florida Politics article. “They won’t tell the parents about these discussions that are happening. That is entirely inappropriate.” Wow, such compelling proof, rich with details and specific evidence. I can’t believe that there have been “instances” of “students” being told by “different folks in school” to “do all this other stuff.” Florida definitely needs a law against it. Support of such a harmful and unnecessary bill should surprise no one given DeSantis’s awful anti-LGBTQ+ track record, which includes his signing legislation over the summer to ban transgender athletes. Chasten Buttigieg has been very outspoken against the law. “This will kill kids,” he tweeted to Gov. DeSantis on Jan. 20. “You are purposefully making your state a harder place

for LGBTQ kids to survive in. In a national survey (@TrevorProject), 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide last year. Now they can’t talk to their teachers?” It’s unconscionable. And, as Buttigieg points out in an interview with MSNBC, the harm has already begun. “Whether this bill passes or not, it’s important to point out that trauma has already started,” Buttigieg says. “[LGBTQ youth] see us talking about it. They see their identity up for debate right now.” As just about any LGBTQ+ person can tell you, that kind of trauma is real and lasting. It doesn’t simply go away. “DeSantis is taking a page from Anita Bryant’s playbook, using anti-LGBTQ legislation as a springboard to serve his national political ambitions,” Nadine Smith, Equality Florida executive director, said in a Feb. 7 statement. “He is willing to inflict harm on the most vulnerable in our state in order to shore up his extremist base.” This isn’t about political disagreement. This is fundamentally about an extremist state government deciding whose lives matter and whose do not. And I want to make it very clear: Your life matters. If the weight of all of this anti-LGBTQ+ shit is getting you down, please talk to someone. The Trevor Project can connect you with a crisis counselor any time, day or night. Asking for help takes strength and bravery. Being Ron DeSantis and using your position of power to hurt LGBTQ+ kids and families? Not so much. ¶

MARCH 2, 2022 | VOL XII, ISSUE 9

COOKING WITH PAULA DREAM Mardi Gras & colds season

D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS How a dog’s love evolved into a charity for kids living with HIV

CONTENTS HRH Report.................................................. 4 Op-Ed............................................................ 5 OPINION...................................................... 6 Cooking with Paula Dream................ 10 Foodie Diaries........................................... 11 PFLAG Houston News.............................12 Positive Thoughts....................................14 Across the Causeway............................17 What a World............................................18 Crossword Queeries..............................21 Guide to the Clubs.................................26 ©2022 Montrose Star™ All Right Reserved

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PAGE 6 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

OPINION

‘Build Back Better’ talks on hold B y Colby E t h er ton

or nearly a year, rank and file Democrats in Congress had been negotiating on what would’ve been the largest reimagining of the government’s role in public life since the New Deal. President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda encompassed initiatives to address climate change, universal pre-K, expansion of the child tax credit, free community college, affordable housing and expanding Medicare to cover hearing benefits — just to name a few. As time went on, the bill’s scope and cost continued to narrow at the behest of Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat from West Virginia who wasn’t on board with the more aggressive measures the administration wanted to implement to combat climate change, or policies like paid family medical leave for people who have just become parents or are seriously ill. Coupled with Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s opposition to raising corporate taxes to help pay for the landmark legislation, Democrats were in a tailspin for months trying to stitch together a bill that was always hanging on by a thread. Ultimately, Sen. Manchin came out against Build Back Better altogether, dashing the hopes of those that wanted to see more progressive policies enacted to address a host of our nation’s problems. In the wake of Manchin effectively killing

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the legislation, there have been hopes that something “resembling” Build Back Better can rise from the ashes. Or that, perhaps, large pieces of it that have Manchin’s support can be passed separately. Taking the elements that had Manchin’s support, such as (moderate) clean energy initiatives and universal pre-K, along with a shorter list of changes he wants to see — in essence, something smaller in scope — would have a chance at clearing both the House and the Senate. According to Sahil Kapur and Benjy Sarlin of NBC News, some of those policies entail more subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, expanding Medicaid in states where it’s been limited, policies aimed at deficit reduction, and eliminating tax loop holes while increasing tax rates for the wealthy. Yet, all talks aimed at reviving a new version of Build Back Better are stalled indefinitely. It’s unknown when renegotiations will resume, but inflation, Biden’s Supreme Court nominee and the crisis at the Ukrainian border have taken center stage. Hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are stationed along Ukraine’s border, with the threat of an invasion incredibly high. Biden has warned of harsh economic sanctions against Russia should Vladimir Putin choose to invade Ukraine, but Russian soldiers have not retreated and thousands continue to be added along the border. Furthermore, with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announcing his retirement several weeks ago, Biden and his aides have been vetting potential nominees to replace him — eyeing a candidate who can be confirmed on a bipartisan vote. With Biden’s promise during the 2020 election that he’d nominate the first black woman to the Supreme Court, the three frontrunners are Ketanji Brown Jackson (a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C.), Leondra Kruger (an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California) and Michelle Childs (a district judge for the district of South Carolina). ¶

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PAGE 8 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

JONATHAN

VAN NESS

Gets curiou

THE ‘QUEER EYE’ GROOMING EXPERT’S NEW NETFLIX SHOW EXPLOR EVERYTHING FROM BUGS TO BEING NONBINARY By C hris Az zo p a rd i

efore I talk to Jonathan Van Ness about their new Netflix show, “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” they take me on a little on-camera adventure that involves them “needing cuter light.” They do a 180 with the computer. They swivel in their chair. “I need more natural light in my life, I’m sorry,” they say, still shifting and “getting comfortable.” And then once they find that magical spot where the light hits their face in just the right place, the 34-year-old “Queer Eye” grooming expert grooms their computer, gently wiping the lens with a tissue. If you’re going to wear what they’re wearing — it appears to be a chiffon kaftan — you don’t want a dusty ol’ lens muddying its bright pink radiance, honey. “I did an outfit change for you,” they say, having slipped into their new, flowier ensemble just before our interview. Van Ness, who is also a children’s book author and one of just a few openly nonbinary public figures, rocks an entire closet of gender-nonconforming fashion on Season 6 of “Queer Eye,” which hit Netflix on New Year’s Eve 2021. On their new six-episode series, a TV adaptation of their podcast “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” the multi-hyphenate even has an entire episode devoted to gender identity. Featured in the episode, titled “Can We Say Bye-Bye to the Binary?,” are gender noncon-

forming activist Alok Vaid-Menon and Geo Neptune, the first two-spirit elected official in the state of Maine. With Van Ness, who says they hadn’t even heard the term nonbinary until the age of 30, Vaid-Menon and Neptune explore what their identity means to them and the history of our rigid gender binary. The show also intends to open up minds on other topics as well, such as why bugs aren’t so bad, figure skating’s minority barriers and, naturally, an entire episode on the history of coifs called “Why Is Hair So Major?” All aglow through a freshly cleaned computer camera, Van Ness spoke to me about the “sense of ease” they feel now, a dream “Getting Curious” guest star they’re not sure they could form words around, and their very personal reason for being completely theirself around young queer people. I watched a lot of “Getting Curious” yesterday and wanted to thank you for modeling curiosity, first of all. I think as adults we tend to lose our imagination and we just accept some things for the way that they are. Is that what you felt going into the show? Well, I started “Getting Curious,” the podcast, in 2015. I’ve always been someone who loves to learn, and I’m just a very curious person. And I clearly love talking. So the idea — wanting to understand the world around me better — has been something that’s existed within me for as long as I can remember. So that was definitely something that I wanted the opportunity to break down on the Netflix stage ‘cause it’s a very big stage.

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And I wanted to bring a more visual, multimedium, multifaceted world in which the podcast — but as a TV show — could live. So I’m just really excited that we got the opportunity and that Netflix believed in me enough and that we can go explore the world together. So I’m just really excited that I have the opportunity and I hope everyone loves it. You mention Netflix being a big stage, which it is. Is that why you were like, “You know what? We are gonna do an entire episode devoted to nonbinary and gender nonconforming people”? Yeah. Being someone who is nonbinary is something that I think I’ve been my entire life. I only had language for it in these last few years. But the amount of trans misogyny that I’ve had to endure and live through in my own life pales in comparison to some of the trans misogyny that other people have had to go through within our community and within our trans community, specifically. However, I wanted to humanize us. And it’s not only my job to do this, obviously. But I wanted to have a time where we could talk and be together and learn together and just have that humanity, ‘cause I think so often we are portrayed in this way that it’s just not human. It’s only around, like, violence or this feeling of, trans people are coming for our way of life. Or trans people are coming for tradition. Or trans people are coming for sports. Or trans people are coming for public safety, or whatever it is. And I wanted to show people that we are

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human and we are all sorts of different things that are not threatening, and actually very beautiful and amazing and are just as natural as the grass or rain. You know, we’ve been here forever. And I was really excited to get an

Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 9

RES

someone who was very mercilessly bullied all throughout my childhood and formative educational years, I’ve always been very moved by this thought of, “If I could make it easier for other people like me or put a little bit of an end to other people’s suffering, it would make my suffering more worth it.” And so I’ve always liked the idea of using what I’ve learned to help make other people’s lives easier.

opportunity to share that information. There aren’t a lot of nonbinary public figures in the world, and you seem to be aware of that as you’ve been using your platform to really educate people. Absolutely. I think that for me, being

I love that you said that because my colleague, whose queer son loves you, wanted to know how you feel when it’s a kid who looks to you as a huge inspiration as they’re navigating their own gender and identity. That’s a really good question. I think sometimes when I see much younger children, like in my standup comedy show, I just feel immediately guilty. I’m like, “Oh my god. I hope I don’t traumatize them, honey, ‘cause we are going there tonight.” So in that sense, it can be a little bit harder, but so often I think about Margaret Cho when I think about how I want to live my life as a public figure. I was introduced to her work at a very young age. I was maybe 10 or 11 when I first saw one of her specials on Comedy Central. And she did not hold back. She was herself. She is herself. She’s a full-bodied version of herself. And look at how I turned out. I’m fine. So I just feel like I wanna be myself. I don’t wanna totally limit my art or my creativity thinking about, like, “Oh my gosh, is this gonna be too much for someone?” I feel honored that people of any age would look to me and find more self-love, more self-acceptance, more comedy, more joy. More curiosity. So I think I wanna think about that because if I think about, like, “Oh my gosh, I’m a role model for a lot of young people,” and even just

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success in general, if I thought about it too much, I would become really full of anxiety and unsure of what to do. And so I think in order for me to stay connected to myself and my own vision, I have to not think too much about the way that it’s gonna be received. Do you have moments in your mind where you’re like, “What would this have meant to little Jonathan growing up in Quincy, Illinois?” Very much. And sometimes that’s actually another one of those feelings where sometimes I think if I felt that feeling all the way, I know I’d just be in a corner crying because I can’t believe that I’ve been able to do this with my life. But I do hope that other young people seeing me achieve what I’ve been able to achieve in my career won’t find it so shocking when they achieve their dreams. Because for me growing up, I felt like it was unheard of. I didn’t think that I was ever gonna see someone like me be so successful and beloved and accepted and able to create their own projects. It really is such an honor. And I want other people, especially young people, to look at me and think that they can do it too. Is this your first season on “Queer Eye” identifying openly as nonbinary? I came out about being nonbinary in 2019, before we filmed Season 5, but I don’t know if me talking about it in that season made it to air. I wondered because you are fully yourself this season in a way that I hadn’t really seen before. You’re really embodying your whole self, even down to the fashion. Did you feel differently this season? Yeah. I think it’s just been such a fast four years, you know? From shooting Season 1 and 2 in Atlanta in 2017, which is when we

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actually shot that, and then Season 3 and 4, which we shot in 2018, really soon after the show had come out. Season 1 and 2 we shot together. Season 3 and 4, together. And then 5 was its own thing. And then 6 was its own thing. And so each one of those chunks I feel like I was in just a wholly different life situation every single time. Just neck-spraining differences in life situations. So I do think that the season between being married and … definitely this was the first season where I was public about my HIV status. Just very public in all of the things. And so I think that that maybe did lead to just a more overall sense of ease. In “Getting Curious,” you’ve got some great guest stars, including Rachel Dratch, Lea DeLaria and Michelle Kwan. Who is on your dream guest star list for potential future episodes of the show? I mean, once you do have Michelle Kwan, I don’t know where else you’re gonna go from there. I kind of started with the most major one ever! But I mean, I feel like… is Adele ever available? Beyoncé? Michelle Obama, honey? Like, I’m shooting for the stars, but I don’t know. Who knows? Oprah? Oh my god, Oprah. Aaah! I don’t know if I could even have Oprah ‘cause I think I would literally do that for the whole 22 minutes. Aah! Aaah! I’d watch it. I would. The title of that episode: “Can Jonathan Form Words Around Oprah?” 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.

PAGE 10 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

COOKING WITH PAULA DREAM

Mardi Gras & colds season B y Paula D ream

(AKA Kale Haygood)

rrrrrrr! While I’m writing this, it is cold! Will probably be 80 degrees tomorrow. No wonder we catch colds. I’ve got some yummy recipes for you that are pretty easy and fast. The peanut butter bread is really good for breakfast, and a fast on-the-go breakfast. Just grab a loaf and run. Also, Mardi Gras season is here — always a fun part of the year. Y’all be safe and have fun.

» • SMOKED PORK CHOPS

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

713.526.0202 Order Online www.pepperonis.net

6 pork chops, about 1-inch thick 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 tablespoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper In a small bowl mix brown sugar and all of the seasonings together until smooth. Coat the pork chops on all sides with mixture. Place chops in a non-metal dish, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours. Using your favorite wood, fire up your smoker or grill to around 225 degrees. Cook chops to internal temp of 145 degrees in thickest part. Cook about 50 to 60 minutes. If using grill, it’s best to not put chops directly over fire and coals.

» • PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup chunky peanut butter 1 egg, beaten 2 cups buttermilk 2 tablespoons orange rind, grated 1/2 cup butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour eight mini loaf pans. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, beat peanut butter, egg, buttermilk, orange rind and melted butter. Add dry ingredients and mix slightly just until peanut butter is well blended. Spread evenly into loaf pans and bake approximately 30 to 40 minute or until passes toothpick test. Remove and allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan.

» • HOMEMADE APPLE BUNT CAKE

3 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 cups sugar 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce 4 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon orange juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 21-ounce can apple pie filling 1 cup powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your Bundt pan well. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Stir in apple sauce, eggs, orange juice and vanilla, and then mix well. Add pie filling and stir to mix. Pour batter into pan. Bake uncovered for one hour. Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. For glaze, beat powdered sugar and remaining orange juice until smooth. If needed, add more orange juice by the teaspoonful until to desired density. Drizzle glaze over each loaf after cooling. ¶ Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based homecooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email barrykale@yahoo.com.

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Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 11

FOODIE DIARIES

IN ONE MONTROSE RESTAURANT

Travel the Culinary World By J im Ay re s met a friend recently for dinner at Traveler’s Table on lower Westheimer. It’s a restaurant that may not have the PR pull of Houston’s big players, but still it has found an audience. The place was jam-packed on this Thursday night. Traveler’s Table’s website tells us “We seek to modernize and elevate traditional dishes by making them lighter, brighter, and full of flavor… what we call, ‘curated global cuisine.’

Street Corn Soup. The corn is creamed with a a letdown. A small portion of fatty smoked few whole kernels popping up every now and duck is accompanied by a rather pedestrian then. The supporting ingredients — epazote, collection of sides (bok choy and sesame lime, and cotija cheese — brighten the umami noodles). I’m not sure what purpose the corn flavor considerably. lauded taro foam served, but we both agreed Argentinian Provoleta proved to be a the tamarind plum sauce was a welcome foil decadent way to share an appetizer with to the smoky flavors. friends. Smoked provolone cheese is melted To go with our meal, we selected a Prunotto right there on the skillet, and you’re invited 2017 Barbaresco. This spunky wine has a to take a wedge of nicely grilled toast and dig youthful vibrancy. According to Wine Enthusiast, right in. Roasted peppers, chimichurri and ew. “Aromas of violet and iris mingle with forest

ˆ Traveler’s Table Mexican Street Corn Soup

ˆ Traveler’s Table Brazilian Shrimp Moqueca

ˆ Traveler’s Table Argentinian Provoleta

While we may use a bit of creative license from time to time, we still try to stay true to the spirit of the originals.” In other words, most of the dishes here would not be called authentic. For the most part however, they’re still damn good! And that’s what we’re after, right? Two intriguing appetizers started our feast. I loved the excellent, if a tad sweet, Mexican

Of our two entrees, one was a big winner while the other missed the cruise ship. Brazilian Shrimp Moqueca is a fantastic dish from start to almost finish (I couldn’t eat it all). A coconut milk and white wine sauce, spiced with cumin and paprika, is a perfect topping for fresh grilled shrimp, while a sofrito and perfectly cooked jasmine rice make this a complete meal. On the other hand, Tea Smoked Duck was

berry and crushed herb in this sleek, savory red. The bright palate shows juicy red cherry, blood orange and star anise.” Isn’t that smart? And to end our meal, who could resist the comfort of New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding? My companion proclaimed this bread pudding to be as good as the one at Commander’s Palace. High praise indeed, but well deserved as a salted caramel sauce

520 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77006

832-409-5785 T R AV E L E R STA B L E .C O M

and pecan praline bits (and the accompanying house made ice cream) make this a must-repeat happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling the world at Traveler’s Table. The menu is categorized by region (South America, etc.) and you’re sure to find something or someplace to drool over! ¶

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

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PAGE 12 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

PFLAG HOUSTON NEWS

PFLAG Houston resumes in-person meetings B y Jan ic e A n derson

he time has come! PFLAG Houston is meeting in person in March. It has been two Marches since our last in-person meeting. The feeling of community we build by meeting parents, friends and family of LGBTQIA loved ones has carried on through our weekly Zoom meetings, but Zoom meetings just don’t match the warmth and comfort you gain by being in the same room with others sharing experiences, worries and support. My first PFLAG meeting was almost six years ago. I clearly remember walking into that meeting that first Sunday and sitting among moms and dads, sisters and friends who were experiencing the same worries that I had with my transgender child. It was a wonderful feeling to know I wasn’t alone. I hope our families joining us during the

last two years felt the love and support from PFLAG through their computer screens. I hope they will join us in person to meet and hug those people they have met from afar. Please join us March 13, 2 p.m. for our General Meeting at the Montrose Center. Yay! Our general meeting presentation will be “Meet the Board.” Get to know your PFLAG Houston board members as they share how they came to PFLAG and why they stayed. After the presentation, we will have a social celebration before our small support groups. Folks are welcome to bring a snack to share, such as a plate of cookies or a bag of chips. Although the presentation will be simultaneously cast on Zoom, the following in-person small group will not be. For the near future, our meeting schedule for general and small groups will vary between virtual and in-person.

1ST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH:

2ND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH:

3RD SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH

Pearland Small Group

General Meeting

Mid-Month Small Group (virtual via Zoom)

(in person only)

2–3:30 p.m. Mosaic Church 11901 Shadow Creek Pkwy, Suite #133 Pearland, TX 77584

(in person and virtual via Zoom)

2–3 p.m. The Montrose Center Room 113/114

2–3 pm 4TH SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH

401 Branard St

Clear Lake Small Group

Houston, TX 77006

(all are welcome; virtual via Zoom)

Small Group follows, 3:15-4:15pm

2–3 p.m.

(in person only)

f you would like to be involved with the PFLAG Houston board, please contact us HelplinePFLAGHouston@gmail.com. Board members-at-large must be members in good standing. PFLAG Houston is committed to supporting families and educating the public about LGBT issues, and invites all to consider the group’s numerous volunteer opportunities. PFLAG Houston is also passionate about advocacy to ensure equal human rights and end discrimination. PFLAG Houston invites all family members, parents and/or youth who

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are having problems with coming out issues, and welcomes everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, ethnicity or political persuasion. The group is proud of its rich history and the continued contributions of members, and invites all to learn more about the organization and join in efforts to create a more diverse, accepting society. Find a home in PFLAG. ¶ For information about support, upcoming events and meetings as well as up-to-date news relevant to PFLAG Houston’s family and friends, visit PFLAGHouston.org, email helplinePFLAGhouston@gmail.com or call the PFLAG Helpline at 713-467-3524.

Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 13

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PAGE 14 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

COMMUNITY

50th Anniversary of Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park features artist

DARYL

WHAT: 50TH ANNUAL BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL MEMORIAL PARK WHEN: MARCH 25-27, 2022.

THETFORD

he Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA) has announced the Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park 2022 featured artist is Daryl Thetford, a mixed media artist from Chattanooga, TN. Thetford, along with 300 artists from around the country representing 19 different disciplines, will showcase their art at the 50th Anniversary of Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park on March 25 through 27, 2022. Thetford’s work is the result of selecting a single original photographic image followed by digital layering of dozens of original photographs. A process, which takes an average of 40 hours, includes using torn and weathered hammered handmade paper, various mediums and acrylic paint to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The images Thetford uses include culturally familiar pieces, images based on the inner struggle with modern society and the human sense of isolation in the noise of the modern world. Described as graphic, modern, pop and contemporary, Thetford’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in museums and galleries throughout the United States. In 2022, Bayou City Art Festival will celebrate 50 years of providing unique art experiences and education for the greater Houston area by bringing diverse artists to Bayou City Art Festivals while supporting local organizations and promoting the impact that art has on the Houston community. As the nation’s premier spring outdoor art festival in the U.S., Bayou City Art Festival will provide guests with the opportunity to meet artists, view original works, and purchase one-of-a-kind art, prints, jewelry, sculptures, functional art and more. The three-day festival features two entertainment stages, a food truck park, a craft beer and wine garden, additional live entertainment and beverage stations throughout the festival, an Active Imagination Zone, a VIP Hospitality Lounge and much more. An exhibition of student artwork composed of the top 30 finalists from the Middle School Art Competition will also be featured. Online early bird tickets will soon be available at www.bayoucityartfestival.com for $15 for adults, $5 for children 6-12, and children under five are free. Adult tickets purchased after March 15, 2022, are $18. VIP Hospitality Lounge tickets are $60 and include admission to the festival. Online pre-purchased tickets are required to enter the festival. Tickets will not be sold at the gate and can only be purchased online. For the most recent updates, follow the official event hashtags #HouArtFest and #BCAF, like the Facebook page, or follow on Twitter and Instagram. Since the founding of the Westheimer

WHERE: MEMORIAL PARK, 6501 MEMORIAL DR IN HOUSTON INFO:

Art Festival, now known as Bayou City Art Festival, the Art Colony Association, Inc. has raised more than $3.6 million for local nonprofit programs from the proceeds of its festivals. Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park in the spring and Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in the fall has provided a venue for more than 20,000 artists to showcase their work to thousands of art lovers from all over the world. The festivals are funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, corporate sponsorships, private contributions, in-kind support and volunteer assistance. For the most recent updates, follow the official event hashtags #HouArtFest and #BCAF, like the Facebook page, or follow on Twitter and Instagram. Also, subscribe to our newsletter here. Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and to subscribe to the group’s newsletter, please visit ArtcolonyAssociation.org. ¶

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Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 15

300 National & International Artists

19 Disciplines of art

2 Entertainment Stages

Active Imagination Zone

Craft Beer & Wine Garden

Art Installations & Exhibits

Food Truck Park

VIP Hospitality Lounge

MARCH 25-27 2022 10 AM TO 6 PM MEMORIAL PARK S. PICNIC LOOP

www.bayoucityartfestival.com

TICKETS ON SALE NOW www.bayoucityartfestival.com FEATURED ARTIST DARYL THETFORD

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SECTION B

≈ Crossword Queeries.................. 21

And Just Like That... Montrose Star.com

OUT IN HOUSTON™

Wednesday March 2, 2022, Vol XII, Issue 9

ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY

PIANO MAN

The fine tuning of Kirk Hale By Fo rest R i g g s

Originally from the Dallas area and Northeast Texas, Hale and his partner Carl Samuels have called Galveston Island home for the past 11 years. During these years Hale has become Mr. Piano Man. Not only does he tune and repair the instruments, but he also plays them (very well) and even sells them! His familiar van with its black piano silhouette logo and words “Lone Star Pianos” can be seen parked at many concert halls, churches, schools and private homes. His talent, having long been recognized and respected, has led Hale to be a much sought-after pianist and tuner. He is the Island’s piano tuner and loves doing it. Hale was born into a small family (one sister). His mother was a classically trained pianist, and her music filled the house and, of course, her young son’s mind and imagination. Though he had no formal training or lessons in reading music, Hale became an astute player by using his ear and inherent sense of perfect pitch. He could hear a song just a few times and master it, a skill he utilizes to this day. Having developed quite a reputation around the state for his playing, Hale found himself a much-desired addition to parties, night clubs, hotels and other concert venues. S 18

alveston, the play land of the South, has long been known to offer a little something for everyone. In fact, Galvestonians will brag, “We have at least one of everything on the Island.” When it comes to music and entertainment, the Island offers a myriad of venues and popular locations to hear and enjoy beautiful music. Piano music is very highly appreciated in Galveston and bars and clubs offering ivory-tickling have become real hot spots. From sitting in the lobby of a fine hotel or chugging brews in a neighborhood pub to a gathering in an adorned room of a private Victorian home, the sounds of the piano flow with the Gulf breezes and bring joy to many. And when is comes to bragging rights and Galveston’s offering the very best of everything, there is one item that, although unique and somewhat rare, is not excusive to only Galveston. The piano tuner is a pretty uncommon character and, although much in demand, can be really difficult to locate. Galveston Island is fortunate to have Kirk Hale, the best of the best when it comes to the fine skill of tuning pianos.

Kirk Hale and longtime partner, Carl Samuels

Kirk Hale enjoys a Bloody Mary

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PAGE 18 | MontroseStar.com | Wednesday March 2, 2022

WHAT A WORLD

B y N a ncy Fo rd

o I was in this movie once. It was a small gay indie produced in Dallas called It’s in the Water (1997). In it, residents of a small Texas town fear that their water supply was turning its people gay, which, today, sounds like a headline espoused by Tucker Carlson. I played Dyke #2 in IITW. Sadly, my lines were cut and the only evidence that I was ever part of the cast is in the credits. That’s show biz. Amid the film’s reliance on stereotypical redneck humor, one of the funnier scenes features Dyke #1, a video store customer checking out a sizable stack of popular lesbian movie titles of the day — Desert Hearts, Go Fish, I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing. All the pre-Carol biggies. For the benefit of younger STAR readers, video stores were popular, late 20th century retail hubs of contemporary culture that rented out movies. Kind of like a library, but the late fees were steeper, and librarians almost never request that their patrons to “Be kind, rewind.” Libraries are buildings where people can check out books for a specific period of time. Books are…. Oh, never mind.

priate, since a spirited discussion soon ensued over whether The Godfather is a Christmas movie. I say of course it is, based on the hospital scene replete with Christmas music, twinkling lights and Michael and Kay bustling through the snow with their arms full of wrapped gifts. FBH says no because — and I quote — “Don’t be ridiculous.” We also (ahem) disagree about Die Hard being a Christmas movie. Again I say, of course it is. Fight me. I ticked off the days until we had a free, uninterrupted evening when we could watch The GF undisturbed. When that glorious evening finally arrived, I slid two of our favorite pizzas into the oven (HEB’s Midtown brand, btw; the crust is squisito), then slid my DVD of the special 30th anniversary edition and pressed play. Quicker than you can say “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes,” we were swept away to Connie and Carlo’s wedding. We watched The Godfather on Presidents Day. Everyone knows there is no better day to go to the mattresses than Presidents Day. We wondered if Clemenza and Rocco went discount shopping for 10 or 20 TempurPedics after they snuffed out Paulie. FBH noticed a fine detail in a scene that had never occurred to me. When Clemenza

orders Paulie to pull the car over to the side of a remote wheat field — those “amber waves of grain” so sought after by mid-20th century immigrants to America like the Corleone family — so he can take a leak. Clemenza then exits the car and relieves himself as Paulie takes two pops to the back of the head. That wind was making the amber grain wave, blowing back on the portly cannoli enthusiast. Is this author Mario Puzo’s ultimate message of the whole series — that finding success in

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Our date with The Godfather

In Dyke #1’s stack of film selections was The Godfather. That got one of the biggest laughs of the whole movie. It’s funny because it’s true. But why? What is it about a 50-year old movie whose protagonists commit atrocities of all kinds ranging from murder to spousal abuse to drug trafficking to wearing white after Labor Day. There’s little I love more than staying in on a cold, gray, rainy evening plopped on the couch, neck-deep in the three movies that make up The Godfather saga. The height of my GF indulgence is achieved with the accompanying aroma of a rich marinara sauce simultaneously simmering on the stove. Heck, GF1 even provides an authentic recipe for the sauce. If I’ve watched it once, I’ve watched all three installments a hundred times — no exaggeration. It’s a cinematic sacrament at the residence of Dyke #2. Imagine my horror and disbelief when my Far Better Half (heretofore referred to as FBH), told me that she’d never seen it. How could this be? The love of my life who knows my every secret, my every desire and proclivity, the woman with whom my soul, intellect and humor are most tightly intertwined had never experienced the greatest achievement in cinematic history since — well, since ever. The music! The drama! The symbolism! Diana Keaton before she had her teeth fixed! What’s not to love? I approached FBH’s introduction to the Corleone family with the same giddiness that a child feels at Christmas — appro-

a life of crime is about as productive as pissing into the wind? Probably not. Still, FBH’s observation was pretty astute for a firsttimer. And thank the lord, she concluded she did indeed like The Godfather, though not enough to merit a re-watch. That’s OK. There are lots of other lesbian movies we can enjoy together. ¶

S 17

ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY After having great success performing in fine hotels such at the Driskill in Austin, Hale began to see the future that was coming for live pianists in certain venues. Hip-hop was all the rage and the younger generation was totally sold on it. Sitting in a nice club, sipping a martini and listening to classics on a well-tuned piano was not the idea of a good time for younger millennials. “I just knew that before too long a bar manager, young enough to be my son, was going to come along and say ‘We are putting in big-screen TVs and will no longer need you with the piano,’” he said. The smart Hale decided he’d better reinvent himself to secure his future and income-generating ability. While playing at the opulent Driskill in Austin, Hale noticed that his first set would sound great, with all 88 keys were functioning properly and solidly. After a break and returning for the second set, he found the piano’s tremble was gone and out of tune a bit, and would get worse with playing and with time. The Driskill hired a new tuner and Hale noticed the piano remained in tune and continued to sound great. After a few months, the ever-curious Hale approached the tuner and the rest, as they say, is history. Hale studied under the tuner and before long he was cutting his “tuning teeth” on every piano belonging to the Austin Independent School District — a task he credits with assisting him in learning and expanding his new craft. Not long after working in Austin’s schools, Hale got in touch with Plum Pianos in LaGrange, Texas. Plum’s was well known and had a great reputation regarding the quality of their work restoring pianos and tuning them. Hale offered to come and work for free when he had the spare time. It was during this time that he began to engage with fine Steinway pianos and other brands noted for their exceptional sound quality and their commanding price. With his great dedication to perfection and unequaled work ethic, it was not

long before the tuner began to excel in the restoration, tuning and repair of the instruments that he loved. Pitch perfect When asked about the particulars of piano tuning, Hale quickly shared the process and his personal views on what it takes to make a piano sound just right. “It is not easy,” he said. “I think it is a layered process. I mean, the tuning should be performed in a layer process.” Hale offered the analogy of buying and restoring a grand old home that may need some tender, loving care. “You might start with the yard, working the landscaping and getting it right. In time, you move on to other aspects of the restoration, one piece at a time and make sure each piece is perfect. It takes time to get the entire property up to par,” he said. “It is the same with a piano. At Carnegie Hall, they tune every single day. Those pianos have reached their pinnacle of perfection.” When Hale first encounters a “new” tuning job, his primary goal is to get the instrument up to pitch. “Pitch correction if the first thing I work on,” he explained. “It must be correct to move forward and can take some time. Over time, a tuner develops an understanding and relationship with each particular instrument. If a piano has not been played in many years it may take a while to reach the desired level of perfection.” Piano tuners, by the way, are paid by the job, not by the hour. We have all heard the story of a blind piano tuner who only uses his ear to tune. Hale said that although a blind man might have some increased hearing or sound discernment, it’s a two to three-hour process to tune a piano. “When I tune a piano, it’s one-third electric and two-thirds by my ear. Neither are infallible,” said Hale. “Like children, some pianos can be temperamental and difficult, especially the tuning pins. The worst is replacing a string; it’s a nightmare but often a necessity.” Kirk Hale is a perfectionist and his dedication has earned

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Kirk Hale and partner Carl Samuels, outside the Grand Opera House him quite a reputation on the Island and around Texas. He works on instruments at the Tremont House, the San Luis, Moody Mansion, the Convention Center and numerous churches, and he is the exclusive tuner for the Galveston Independent School District. “I like to reduce the instrument to my control,” said Kirk. “Then I can get the sound perfection I am seeking. I like to think I am keeping Texas in tune!” Hale plays piano every Saturday, 5-7 p.m. at the Tremont House, 2300 Ships Mechanic Row, Galveston. It’s a delightful way to hear great music, enjoy a martini and meet a master piano technician. For information call 512-292-6920 or log on to LoneStarPianos.com. ¶ A resident of Galveston where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the Amy meaning Schneider of life, Forest Riggs recently completed a collection of short stories about his beloved island and is working on a novel.

Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 19

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Walk in or call (713) 814 3730 to make an appointment! 120 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77006  For hours, visit WellnessBarByLegacy.org Wellness Bar accepts most HMO/PPOs, Medicaid, and Medicare, and we have sliding scale fee and programs to help reduce the cost of services. Find us on

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Wednesday March 2, 2022 | MontroseStar.com | PAGE 21

CROSSWORD QUEERIES

And Just Like That... Across 1 Shout before “I’m gonna live forever!” 5

erectus

9 “From Here to Eternity” actor 14 River to the Baltic 15 Revlon rival 16 Rent 17 Sad ending for love 18 Stonehenge worker 19 Caesar’s year 20 She plays Charlotte

on “And Just Like That…”

athlete, for short

56 Word after “pinky”

25 Character

59 Cheer for the

in “No Exit”

Chicago Sky, e.g.

26 Lead-in for

60 Pebbles’s pet

wit or pick

61 Poet Frank

27 Wood and others

62 Vampire

30 Rita Mae Brown’s

novelist Rice

“Pay

63 Served perfectly,

31 Drum kit component

to Mauresmo

33 Way to go, in

64 Wretchedly bad

San Francisco

65 Rupert Everett’s

34 Fed. agent ”

“Ready to

”

36 It brings out the

66 Bad bottom-

flavor in your meat

line news

37 Adorer of David

24 Like 3 fairy tale pigs

Down

Archuleta?

28 Stat in Esera

1 Like Ani DiFranco

Tuaolo’s sport

2 Had the hots for

29 Extra stipulations

3 Ought to get

32 Brezhnev of

4 Dadaist painter Max

Nuryev’s land

5 Estate for Lorca

33 Programmer’s job

6 “Sweeney

35 Docs for lions and

Todd” hot spot

tigers and bears

7 Gelatin dish

36 She plays Che on

8 Coming soon

“And Just Like That…”

9 Patricia Highsmith’s

39 Sad-sounding auto?

Morgan

41 Bear or bull

10 Mapplethorpe’s cap

42 Upright shaft

11 Magneto portrayer

45 Mireille of “Hanna”

McKellen

46 ER VIPs

12 Sch. of South

49 Diana, to the Greeks

Beach’s state

51 Thomas Barrow’s

13 Word after pro

clothing on

21 “Coffee,

on “And Just Like That…” 23 Soft seat

“Downton Abbey” 53 She plays Miranda

Me?” 22 Tennessee

38 Pine product 39 Place for sweaters 40 Earhart’s domain 43 “Sure Feels Good Anyway” singer 44 Oysters season 46 Kahlo’s country 47 Pilotless planes 48 Church councils 50 The Scarecrow’s “viscera” 52 Gore in a bookstore 54 Put an edge on 55 Island of Barrie’s land 56 Tchaikovsky’s fifth 57 First baseman of comedy 58 Debussy drank it

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POSITIVE THOUGHTS

How a dog’s love evolved into a charity for kids living with HIV THERE’S A NEW CHARITABLE ANGEL, AND HIS NAME IS FRED By Christo p he r Ba r ret t Pol i ta n

his World AIDS Day, as we continued to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic gift from Fred Says — a Chicago-based charity founded by HIV-positive doctor Rob Garofalo — reminds us that there is another pandemic that requires our commitment. Named in honor of Dr. Garofalo’s dog Fred, the charity will give more than $200K in charitable donations to organizations in Chicago, across the U.S., and in other parts of the world that address the timely and specific needs of young people living with HIV. This year’s gift — by far the organization’s largest to date — announces Fred Says on the philanthropic world stage and honors the passing of Fred, who was integral in coping with Dr. Garofalo’s own HIV diagnosis 10 years ago. “Fred may no longer be by my side, but what will follow in his memory is a movement he inspired,” says Garofalo. “A focus on supporting HIV-positive young people is essential to curb the spread of HIV and make the world a better place for future generations.” Dr. Rob Garofalo is a pediatrician and the Head of the Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He is also a professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Fienberg School of Medicine where he is a national authority on LGBTQ+ health issues, adolescent sexuality, and HIV clinical care and prevention. Dr. Garofalo was diagnosed with HIV in 2010. Despite his medical expertise and experience caring for those with HIV, it was a dog named Fred, who Garofalo adopted after his diagnosis, who proved indispensable to his survival. With Fred, he faced challenges imposed by his own HIV diagnosis that otherwise seemed elusive. The affect Fred’s unconditional love had on his own health led Dr. Garofalo to start Fred Says in 2013, a

charity dedicated to ensuring HIV-positive youth receive the care, services and support they deserve to lead healthy and productive lives. “It’s a charity that is grounded in the spirit of unconditional love and in a specific ethos and commitment to youth living with HIV,” says Garofalo. “Within that rubric, there are infinite possibilities for giving.” For the past 10 years, Fred Says has been a quiet, scrappy and nimble funder and — much like its namesake, Fred — this small organization has had an oversized impact. To date, Fred Says has distributed more than $300,000 in direct support to nonprofit organizations throughout the country. During this period, Fred Says has operated through mostly micro-donations via social media, or by leveraging local events such as the Ride for Life Chicago and a strategic partnership with the Stonewall Sports League in Chicago. Contributions to-date have been redistributed to organizations in Chicago and beyond that are committed to creating change in the lives of HIV-positive young people. In 2020, the organization released When Dogs Heal, a book of essays and photographs capturing the stories of people living with HIV and the dogs that saved them. The anthology puts power back into the lived experiences of diverse HIV-positive people — depicting them as not survivors, but people living with HIV and thriving in large part due to the power of a dog’s unconditional love. This year’s milestone donations come at a turning point for the small, family-run charity: Upon Fred’s passing, Fred Says received a

generous contribution from a loyal friend and supporter that will help to expand the reach of Fred Says’ work. “This charity and I have been touched by an angel twice in our lives,” said Garofalo. “The first angel was Fred himself and all that he has given not just me but the world. The second angel comes in the form of this generous donation, and the donations that follow, to make this year’s giving a reality.” In celebration of Fred’s life, Fred Says is donating its largest amount to date ($205,000) to organizations across the nation and around the world including: Howard Brown/Broadway Youth • Center (Chicago): $50,000 Test Positive Action Network • (Chicago): $50,000 • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago: $25,000 Callen-Lorde Health Center (New • York City): $12,500 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ • Adolescent HIV Program: $12,500 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia • Adolescent Initiative: $12,500 Birmingham AIDS Outreach • (Birmingham, AL): $12,500 Advocates for Youth (Washington, • DC): $10,000 Adolescent Initiatives at University • of Ibadan (Nigeria): $10,000 Desmond Tutu Foundation Youth • Center (South Africa): $10,000 Accompanying this year’s monetary gifts will also be the distribution of 100 Fred plush toys to children at Lurie Children’s Hospital.

Each of these grantees have demonstrated a deep and lasting commitment to people living with HIV and will help carry on a 10-year legacy of giving inspired by Fred. “Like many agencies, we’ve seen that youth living with HIV have been hit hardest by the COVID pandemic and have had the most difficulty accessing services. This gift from Fred Says will go a long way,” said Asa Radix MD, PhD, from Callen-Lorde Health Center in New York City. Marvin Belzer, MD, Director of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, added: “The other day a formerly homeless adolescent patient — when asked whether there was anything else I could do to help — asked for help getting pots and pans for his kitchen. These basic yet magical gifts contribute so much to the lives of our young patients, and we are grateful Fred Says can support the kinds of requests that more traditional funding sources often cannot.” These gifts mark a new period in the organization’s life. Fred Says is beginning the process of strategic planning and expanding its board of directors. These internal process developments will enable Fred Says to expand its ability to impact change and to become an “angel donor” in its own right for marginalized, HIV-positive young people throughout the world. “Support from Fred Says should help these young people not just survive, but thrive. That is what Fred would have wanted,” said Garofalo. “Fred lives on in our hearts and in the lives of the young people he supports and touches. It is fitting that the charity is named after him in the simple present tense,” says Dr. Adedotun Adetunji, a physician at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. ¶ This story originally appeared in Plus magazine. Christopher Barrett Politan is principal of Get Give Grow, a philanthropic advisory organization. This column is a project of TheBody, Plus, Positively Aware, POZ and Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ+ wire service. Visit their websites – http://thebody.com, http://hivplusmag.com, http://positivelyaware.com and http://poz. com – for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.

Photos Robert Garofalo.

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To learn more and schedule an immediate appointment, go to LegacyCommunityHealth.org, or call (832) 548 5000. Legacy accepts most HMO/PPOs, CHIP, Medicaid and Medicare. Eligibility Specialists are available at all locations to discuss sliding scale fees and potential programs to help reduce the cost of services. Find us on

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Home Improvement Starts Here! February 19 & 20

Humble Civic Center

Lone Star Convention Center

March 5 & 6 March 26 & 27

Berry Center

Guest Appearances from Houston’s Gardening, Decor and Home Improvement Experts! Home Decor Workshops by AR Workshop Cypress Make your own then take it home! Find a bargain!

Patric Richardson The Laundry Guy (Montgomery County only)

Seen on HGTV and Discovery Channel

Diane Cowen Architecture & Design Writer

GARAGE SALE by

Remodelers Council

(Cy-Fair only) New and gently used building materials

New Home Products and Services

Tom Tynan Randy Lemmon Host of Host of FOOD TRUCKS including HomeShow Radio GardenLine Cousin’s Maine Lobster (from SharkTank)

TexwoodShows.com

Ticket Information:

• $7 online, $10 at the door • Celebrating Teachers with Half-off Admission • Frontline Sunday - All active Military personnel, Veterans, Fire, Police, and First Responders receive a FREE admission with a valid ID.

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GUIDE TO THE CLUBS

HOUSTON n MONTROSE - MIDTOWN Barcode Houston

n MONTROSE - MIDTOWN

n NW HOUSTON

817 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 526-2625 • facebook.com/barcode77006 Shows | Neighborhood Bar | CD/Trans

Moon Tower Inn

La Granja Disco & Cantina

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

5505 Pinemont Dr., Houston (713) 518-6753 • lagranjadisco.com Latin dance club

Buddy’s

Neil’s Bahr

Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon

2409 Grant St Ste A, Houston (281) 310-1050 Cocktails | Beer | Karaoke |Pool | DJ’s

2006 Walker St, 77003 (281) 352-7456 • NeilsBahr.com Premier Nerd | Gamer

Crocker Bar

Tout Suite

2312 Crocker St, Houston (713) 529-3355 Large Deck | Karaoke

George’s Country Sports Bar 617 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 528-8102 Sports Bar | Pool & Darts | Patio

JR’s Bar and Grill & Santa Fe 808 Pacific St, Houston (713) 521-2519 • jrsbarandgrill.com Videos | Patio | Karaoke | Shows

Michael’s Outpost Piano Bar 1419 Richmond Ave, Houston (713) 520-8446 Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Piano

Papi’s Houston 570 Waugh Dr, Latin gay club (713) 524-3359 | Dancing Drag Game shows all week long!

Rebar Houston

2001 Commerce, 77002 713-227-8688 • toutsuitetx.com Bakery | Cafe | Pub

Voodoo Queen 322 Milby St, 77003 713-555-5666 • damngoodfoodcoldassbeer.com Casual | Po’ Boys | Games

n DOWNTOWN / WARDS 1-4 Tony’s Corner Pocket 817 West Dallas Street, Houston (713) 571-7870 • tonyscornerpocket.com Neighborhood Bar | Pool | Dancers

n HEIGHTS / WASHINGTON CORRIDOR Pearl Lounge 4216 Washington, Houston 832-740-4933 • pearlhouston.com Neighborhood Art Bar | Live Music | Women

n HOUSTON - NORTH SIDE Ranch Hill Saloon

202 Tuam Street, Houston (346) 227-8613 facebook.com/rebarhouston/

24704 Interstate 45, Spring (281) 298-9035 • ranchhill.com Country | Cowgirl | Neighborhood Bar

The Ripcord

The Room Bar

715 Fairview St, Houston (713) 521-2792 • facebook.com/ripcordhouston Leather | Uniform | Fetish | Men

4915 FM 2920 Rd, Spring (281) 907-6866 • roombarspring.com Neighborhood Bar | Shows | Dance | Mixed

11410 Hempstead Highway Houston, TX 77092 (713) 677-0828 • neonbootsclub.com

Viviana’s Night Club 4624 Dacoma St, Houston (713) 681-4101 • vivianasniteclub.com Latino | Tejano | Dance

n SW HOUSTON Crystal Night Club 6684 SW Fwy, Houston (713) 278- 2582 • crystaltheclub.com Latin Dance | Salsa

G A LV E S T O N 23rd Street Station 1706 23rd St, Galveston (409) 443-5678 • 23rdstreetstation.com Piano Bar | Pub | Live Entertainment

Robert’s Lafitte 2501 Ave Q, Galveston (409) 765-9092 • galveston.com/robertslafitte Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Cruise | Shows

Rumors Beach Bar 3102 Seawall Blvd., Galveston (409) 497-4617 • RumorsBeachBar.com Beach bar | Shows

SOLUTION FROM PAGE 21

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