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SFGN Editorial

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Cops Target Johnny’s Page 12

July 28, 2010 • VOLUME 1 • Issue 27

Stonewall Pride Lost Their Shirts

Manors Street Festival Owes 30K SFGN Exclusive on Page 11

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

7

page

Pride Director Mike Cruz Arrested

14

page

Hate Crimes on the Rise

23

page

SFGN Profile: Corey Michaels

29

page

GLBX Becomes a Council

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Local News

Left to Right: Director and Actor Alyn Darnay, Nicki Rose of Java Boys, and Actor Larry Gotterer

Bummed Out Shoots at Java Boys

By A. Sebastian Fortino

O

n Tuesday, July 20, a scene for an upcoming sitcom was filmed in the Shoppes at Wilton Manors

by Hollywood-based production company Chaos Films.

“It’s about two men. One was a film producer, the other was an advertising executive. They were doing well until the economy tanked. So, when they

lost their jobs, they decided to go into the business of bumming because they were bumming their whole lives, pitching projects and ideas to people,” said the show’s co-producer and first assistant director Rose Warner.

“When they aren’t bumming they actually live in beautiful homes.”

The crew also filmed in front of the Poverello thrift store, and according to Warner they hope to continue filming here.

“I chose the location because I like the area,” said Warner. “I feel safe here, and I like the whole feel of Wilton Manors, and the Shoppes. In a way it feels very European, yet it’s an area that has been overlooked in terms of shooting, which is tragic, because it’s so charming!”

She chose the location for Bummed Out because typical South Florida locations—such as South Beach—have been over-filmed. The show, which is itself being pitched to entertainment executives, has not found a home on the airwaves yet.

Warner would love to see the show picked up by a major network, but admits that often comes with surrendering some creative control.

“The content is very diverse, and sometimes the networks don’t want that. So if we have to go to cable we will. We don’t want to streamline our work,” said Warner, of Boynton Beach.

When and if the show gets a green light for future production, Warner beamed about returning to film in Wilton Manors and the friendly nature of our neighbors.

“When I tell people where I am shooting, they are often shocked, or ask ‘where’s that?’ I find it safe, clean, with a great aesthetic appeal. The people here—the Poverello management, and the staff and customers at Java Boys—have all been very accommodating,” she told SFGN. “A lot of people let you shoot on location, but aren’t very kind.”

So if you chance to see a film crew out on the Drive, be kind and maintain our reputation as a friendly town.

For more information on the production company behind Bummed Out, visit Chaosfilms.com

July 28, 2010 • Volume 1 • Issue 27

Editorial Offices 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Local News

JARRETT TERRILL

Anti Gay Protest Flops in Oakland Park

By Jarrett Terrill

O

n the evening of July 22, a group of about five Christians gathered to make their opinions known to the Oakland Park City Commission. The issue that they were concerned about was what they refer to as “the re-definition of family.”

Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue had evidently done something “contrary to Christianity,” said the protesters, by suggesting that Oakland Park’s current code could be updated to be more inclusive of foster children, particularly those foster children being cared for by gay and unmarried couples.

Only one of the five protesters unveiled her prejudice before the commission and admitted that she did not like the idea of gays raising children. Marion Glasberg, a local resident, suggested that the children of gay couples would endure abuse at the hands of gay couples. She said that “gay couples have a higher incidence of domestic violence,” but did not cite any particular source for that information. She also told the commission that foster kids of unmarried persons “go through hell” and that “re-defining family was above the commission’s pay grade.”

The five fundamentalist Christians who spoke out against the possible update were spurred on by local Tea Party candidate John Labriola, but they refused to admit being aligned with any national organizations such as the National Organization for Marriage or the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).

When Mr. Labriola spoke to the commission, he made sure to plug his website, RestoreChristianAmerica.com, and encouraged everyone to visit. He was flustered, having just been confronted by 15 members of Food Not Bombs and Michael Albetta of the Dolphin Democrats, who pointed out to everyone that Mr. Labriola had previously been ousted from the Democratic Party because of his extremist views and constant support of Republican candidates over Democratic ones.

Not surprisingly, the five protesters were vastly outnumbered by gays, lesbians, and activists from the Food Not Bombs network, who provided their own unique testimonies, both to the commission and passers-by in front of Oakland Park City Hall. Local advocate Michael Rajner and state-representative candidate Barbra Stern also took the microphone and refuted the claims of the Christian activists.

“For all these concerns that I’ve heard tonight about children being raised by gay parents—49 other states support that right,” Stern said to the commission. “That issue is pending before the Florida Supreme Court, and it’s going to change very soon.

Please keep in mind that there are 49 other states who apparently think that what Florida is doing is wrong. I just want to encourage the commission to keep an open mind about what a family is. A family is what you make it to be and I don’t think it can really be defined by any legal sort of definition,” said Stern to much applause.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

LGBT Buying Power Increases Projected at $743 Billion

By Joey Amato

the workforce, factors which yield slightly higher per-capita household income, especially he total buying in the case of gay male couples.” power of the U.S. Nonetheless, Witeck conLGBT population cludes, “We also are well in 2010 is projected to be aware that under existing laws $743 billion, according to the and norms, same-sex couples recently updated analysis are penalized throughout the

by Witeck-Combs Commu­ economy by discriminatory nications and Packaged Facts. tax burdens, a hodge-podge of The estimate was origiinadequate relationship rights nally derived in a joint and obligations, complex and study by both organizaBob Witeck costly barriers to adoption and tions, entitled “The Gay and Lesbian Market in the U.S.: Trends and parenting, and barriers to access to public Opportunities in the LGBT Community, 6th safety-net programs that are routinely availEdition.” In 2009, the gay buying power pro- able to married couples and their families.”

Dan Pye, vice president of Morgan Stanjection was $732 billion.

This 2010 projection is slightly less than ley Smith Barney, is quick to agree with the earlier analyses—given that the entire U.S. premise of the report. “Despite the onerous economy has suffered its worst recession tax situation, as well as the unfavorable wealth transfer situation we find ourselves since the Great Depression began in 1929.

In sharing the latest analysis, Bob Witeck, in, the LGBT community does have more CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications, disposable income,” says Pye. Unlike estimates of buying power for says: “Buying power projections are frequently a standard business measure for companies other populations, such as African-Ameriand policy decision-makers. This offers us a cans or Hispanics, the projected LGBT popreasonable snapshot of the projected annual ulation is estimated only among adults over economic activity of America’s diverse LGBT the age of 18 when they are more likely to be fully aware and able to define their sexupopulation even in this faltering economy.”

Witeck states that “buying power is not al orientation or gender identity.

“Buying power, we know, signals one the same as affluence or wealth. No one should infer that same-sex households are critical measure of the growth and size of more affluent than others—this is little the vital LGBT consumer market,” says more than a stereotype, considering the Don Montuori with MarketResearch.com. economic evidence available. We have seen “In our analysis, we are clear to define buydata from academic researchers that strong- ing power as another term for ‘disposable ly suggest gay men may earn slightly less personal income,’ which is the total aftertax income available to an individual to than their heterosexual counterparts.”

He adds: “The best available census data spend on personal consumption, personal on same-sex couples supports the under- interest-payments or savings. According to standing, however, that LGBT households economists, today this roughly equals 86 tend to skew in major metro and suburban percent of income.”

Pye adds, “Because of the current state of areas—a characteristic generally associated with higher than average income. And while marriage law, we lack the natural benefits parenting trends grow, we also see evidence that accrue to married couples.” He tells through census snapshots that same-sex SFGN that it is important for members of couples remain less likely than their married our community to work together with a heterosexual counterparts to have kids, and professional advisor who better underthey are more likely to have both partners in stands the unique situations we face.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus Draws Heavy Hitters

Bill Nelson Prematurely Celebrates DADT Repeal and Thanks Republicans

By Jarrett Terrill

By Jarrett Terrill

A

t the recent GLBT Democratic Caucus held in Hollywood, FL this last weekend, many politicians – gay and straight – made their case for the gay vote in upcoming elections.

Among those who spoke were U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch, U.S. Congressman Ron Klein, Florida Party Chair Karen Thurman, Florida CFO Alex Sink, Mrs. Leslie Meek – wife of Congressman Kendrick Meek, State Senator Dave Aaronberg, State Congressman Allen Boyd, Stacy Frank of Tampa/Hillsborough and Cmdr. Rick Wierzbicki of the Broward County Sheriff’s Department.

“I’ve said it at the caucus before, I’m saying it here and I’ll say it at the next one too – we’re supporting you, but you’ve got to vote the right way on our issues,” Broward Mayor Ken Keechl said to the myriad of elected officials who are now vying for the gay vote in South Florida.

“It’s a different day from when I was President of the Dolphins,” Keechl continued, “back then we were just so thrilled to have gay-supportive candidates who would even talk about gays and lesbians [even though] they weren’t exactly right on our issues. [Now we get to] say to candidates who are supportive but who

Keechl Fires Back at GOP Opponent during Dem Caucus

Broward Mayor Ken Keechl speaks at Caucus

are maybe not gay or lesbian themselves that we will support you but we’re going to hold you accountable if you don’t walk the walk as well as talk the talk.”

SFGN will keep you informed with even more campaign coverage from this event and others, but as a brief run-down of events from Saturday: Michael Rajner was pleased to announce that CFO Alex Sink has committed to develop a state HIV/AIDS strategy to ensure for effective implementation of the recently released Na-

of a problem that we have.This woman was apparently telling a Democratic club the other night that I’m on the verge of being indicted.That’s not good for our party… especially because it’s not true.”

By Jarrett Terrill From there, Keechl launched a fullscale defense/offense maneuver against roward County the politicians who are apparently in Mayor Ken Keechl cahoots with each other, trying to conwas one of the many nect him to various scandals including the politicians, gay and straight, so-far-unrelated arrest of County Comwho made their case for the gay vote in missioner Diana Wasserman Rubin on upcoming elections at the Caucus. corruption charges.

“I have an allegedly Democratic oppo“My real opponent is a Republican,” nent” Keechl said, referring to Bev Kennedy, Keechl continued.“This is a guy who’s the “although she’s [switched her affiliations many times] and she’s not much of a threat head of the Broward Republican Party.Well, I met this guy when I heard that he might really. But she is a representative example

B

tional HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Cmdr. Rick Wierzbicki explained to the caucus the importance of protections he helped to pass against Hate Crimes whereas the homeless are concerned.

US Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz gave the caucus a very wellreceived review of the Federal Government’s actions on behalf of LGBT’s over the past year.

US Senator Bill Nelson spoke on how the nation’s extremists, namely the Tea Party have inhibited us from reaching a concensus on important issues in the Senate. Personally for him, was legislation regarding space travel but he said that NASA should be seen as a “metaphor for every other issue” because it was traditionally a bi-partisan domain until just recently. Nelson also extended a call for gratitude to Robert Gates for moving on the issue of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

All the candidates who spoke at the caucus seemed to be intimately aware that this could be one of the most challenging years they’ve faced as a Democrat in Florida. With a few minor exceptions, many of the candidates still stand firm on the lgbt agenda for total equality. The candidates were more “candid” this year than in years past, introducing the LGBT community to their family members, speaking openly and answering questions with warm smiles and hand-shakes.

run against me.We sat down and had a glass of wine together.And do you know what this guy said to me?”

“Now, this guy is only 37 or 38 years old,” Keechl said in reference to his opponent Chip LaMarca,“and he said to me ‘I just want you to know I don’t have anything against gays…

In fact, I was just telling all my friends the other day that not all gay men wear dresses.’”

From there, Keechl went on to describe some of the anti-gay and antiimmigrant Facebook groups that LaMarca has been a member of or posts that were made to his page in the past.

“Just don’t think that someone like that won’t take our rights away from us,” said Keechl.

Analysis

A

t the recent GLBT Democratic Caucus in Hollywood, Florida, Bill Nelson drew a hesitant applause from the caucus members when he finished his narrative of legislative events. It wasn’t so much the comparisons between NASA and the GLBT agenda that stood out. That’s just how the senator, a former astronaut himself, relates to us earthlings.

The moment that seemed to cause some confusion, judging by the looks on everyone’s faces before they offered him a gentle “golf clap,” was when he said: “Specifically, in regard to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ we ought to give credit where it’s due.

We ought to give credit to a Republican Secretary of Defense… Bob Gates.”

At this point all eyebrows were catching the ceiling fans and you could hear a pin drop. Nelson continued, “This fella [Secy. Robert Gates] is a real pro. Obama was real smart to recognize what a real pro he was and keeping him after he cleaned up the mess that Secretary Rumsfeld made of the Department of Defense. Another real pro is Admiral Mike Mullen…”

It became painfully obvious where this was going and there was no escaping it. It was exactly how Republicans must have felt after seeing old man McCain point at the future president and call him “that one” during a televised debate. Ann Coulter once wrote a book called How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must), and this mini-lecture was shaping up to be just as politically incorrect.

From there, he told the Democrats that he had it on good authority from one of his NASA colleagues, who was an undergraduate with Mullen in their classes at Annapolis, that Mullen had said “segregation because of sexual preference is wrong for the military.” Nelson even said that Mullen was “adamant” about this point.

All it takes is one click on Wikipedia to reveal that there is quite a length of time between when Mullen was in the Naval Academy and when DADT was signed into law. So this whole story is kind of bizarre on a number of levels—mostly due to the fact that he was congratulating military officials on a mission they have yet to accomplish, but also Nelson’s use of the words “segregation” and “preference” fell short of political correctness.

Lastly, he topped it all off with telling the gay Democrats that “the White House has made some mistakes on the panoply of issues” and “we almost had a financial meltdown in the collapse of Lehman Brothers.”

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Group ‘Tags’ Homeless Teens Seeks Community Support

By A. Sebastian Fortino

F

ort Lauderdale residents Patrick Stephens and Chad Faulkner are launching an initiative fostering the welfare and well-being of homeless, disenfranchised, gay youth. The Teen Awareness Group (TAG) just finished its business plan and is seeking 501 (C) (3) status. Currently it’s building exposure in the community and trying to discern the immediate needs of the kids.

The most apparent issues are lack of housing, education, medical care, and the widespread drug abuse among these kids. However, according to Stephens, many of these kids are harder to work with because they are often ashamed of being homeless, and conceal it.

“Our agency targets runaway and throwaway gay youth,” said Stephens, the TAG’s executive director. “Particularly gay youth between foster care and adulthood. We were going to do ages 14 through 20, but due to legal red-tape we are going to concentrate on kids

that are emancipated from their parents. The Florida criteria for emancipated youth is 16 years of age, seeking work and a place to live.”

As a youth, Stephens himself was homeless, and diagnosed with HIV at the age of 16. Therefore, he knows what the kids are going through, and that many are not aware of what services are available to them. Stephens and Faulkner have already spoken to about 30 local, teenage, LGBT runaways in Fort Lauderdale.

“We found some kids off of Sunrise and Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale,” said Stephens. “They were between the ages of 16 and 18, and were doing sex work. We put them in touch with Covenant and Camilla’s House.”

In addition to his own life experiences, Stephens, who has a degree in public health, has worked with the City of San Francisco to combat HIV and AIDS. He also worked at Berkley doing confidential HIV testing, and with the City of San Francisco City Health

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“That organization allocated which government funds went to which non-profit groups, and we analyzed where the funds were going, how they were being used,” said Stephens. “I also worked with the Tenderloin AIDS Project. During that time we did a lot of street outreach, we walked outside and gathered our data right there.”

Stephens said that, by offering the kids a free meal, they were able to get them inside to talk, take surveys, and learn exactly what they were doing to survive. Given the weather, and the large population of gay men, Fort Lauderdale is an attractive destination for homeless youth. Stephens and Faulkner wish to get enough funds to purchase a transitional house that will serve as the kids’ home and address on a long-term basis.

“We want the housing to be long-term, since we want them to come in with health insurance. Under the Runaway Homeless Youth Act they can get Medicare,” Stephens said.

Patrick Stephens

In addition to healthcare, staying in the transitional house will provide the kids with an address, and thus a school district in which to attend classes. The teenagers are also eligible for a stipend if they further their education, which will benefit the organization housing them.

Right now, however, Stephens and Faulkner just need your support. They have already partnered with the GLCC Pride Center, who will assist them with their first fundraiser, which they hope to have finalized before the fall.

“We are actively seeking donations for our development, as this empowerment program is desperately needed here in South Florida,” said Chad Faulkner. “Right now we are developing our website to have a donation link. Until that is operational, the best way to provide us with support is to contract Patrick Stephens or myself.”

According to Statistics, Compiled by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department • Studies show that homeless LGBT youth (ages 12-24) are at a higher risk for victimization and suffer higher rates of mental health problems and unsafe sexual behavior then than straight homeless youth.

• A homeless LGBT youth is more likely to attempt suicide (62 percent) than a straight homeless peer (29 percent) • Different studies of homeless youth in the U.S. have concluded that approximately 20 percent of homeless youth are LGBT. This is disproportionately high when compared to 10 percent of GLBT youth in the general population.

• Youth interviewed consistently report family conflict as the primary reason for their homelessness. LGBT youth report double the rates of sexual abuse before age 12.

• Discharge and emancipation from foster care is a big contributor to youth homelessness.

Studies show that 12 to 36 percent of emancipated foster care youth will report to being homeless at least once after discharge from care.

If you wish to learn more about TAG, visit Teenawarenessgroup.com or call 1-800-742-9169.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Pride Director Cruz Arrested, Charged with Theft Alleged Fraudster Hughes Still in Jail

By Richard Gary

A

s SFGN goes to press on Tuesday afternoon, former Pride South Florida Director Mike Cruz has been arrested by the Broward Sheriff’s Office and taken into custody for Grand Theft in the Second Degree.

As reported in an exclusive SFGN story in February, the former Treasurer and Director of Pride South Florida, Mike Cruz, was being investigated by the Economic Crimes Unit of the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. He was accused of stealing over $40,000 from Pride South Florida’s treasury.

A not-in-custody warrant was issued for Cruz’s arrest on July 19, after the Broward County State Attorney’s office formally charged him with Grand Theft in the second degree.

When the amount of money stolen is greater than $20,000 and less than $100,000, the charge is grand theft in the second degree,

punishable by up to fifteen years in prison.

Cruz’s case is assigned to Judge Andrew Siegel. Members of the Board of Directors of Pride South Florida cooperated with law enforcement authorities in the prosecution of Cruz, after the theft of Pride South Florida funds was discovered.

Cruz is not the only prominent gay person presently facing grand theft charges. Denny Hughes, 37, a once popular and prominent gay Fort Lauderdale realtor remains in jail on a no bond hold months after being charged with grand theft in the second degree. He is accused of stealing a client’s escrow monies, that was to be used for a down payment on a home, and converting the funds for his own use.

Normally a bondable offense, Hughes was already on felony probation for an aggravated battery of his ex lover when charged with the new theft, on December 8, 2009. Judge Geoff Cohen then revoked his bond on the original charge, and he remains in jail.

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Rhoda Sokoloff, Non-Partisan Candidate for Circuit Court Judge, Group 53, DeAnna Roberts, Treasurer

Mike Cruz

Denny Hughes

Once the president of his own real estate group, Hughes was declared indigent for costs last week, and is now set for a tentative August 20 trial date before the Honorable Thomas Lynch.

The charges are that Hughes failed to show for a closing on the date that it was set, having taken $50,000 of funds belong-

ing to victim Ronald Boyle, a New Yorker, which he had left in deposit for the closing.

Detective Mike Grassi, of the Economic Crimes Division of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department is conducting a continuing investigation into complaints against Hughes by other additional victims. He can be reached at 954-828-5700.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

SFGN Power Couple: Al Cicotte & Kevin Palombo

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Investing in Your Future

By Joey Amato

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merican Tax and Insurance Services is a local investment company owned by partners of nearly 25 years, Al Cicotte and Kevin Palombo. The couple has been active in the retirement-planning industry for over 35 years and has made an indelible impact on the South Florida community.

Prior to their relocation to Fort Lauderdale, Al was the Southeast senior vice-president and divisional director for the seventeenth largest insurance company in the United States with over $80 billion in assets, while Kevin was the company’s regional vice president.

“In 1990, our company asked us to relocate to North Carolina to oversee that territory.” The pair, who met in Detroit in 1984, seemed to become the company’s power team and was then asked to relocate to Atlanta to oversee a 10-state territory, where they managed, licensed and supervised over 9,000 independent agents. Although they oversaw nearly $700 million in premiums, the pair decided to strike out on their own.

“After the three most recent market corrections, we decided we wanted to provide investors with a safe, guaranteed investment for retirement,” says Cicotte. American Tax and Insurance deals mostly with guaranteed-return fixed annuities.

These investment instruments are guaranteed by major insurance companies including Allianz Life, AVIVA and ING and provide individuals with a safer alternative to investing in the stock market, but a higher return on investment than banks offer. “Our company represents 60 of the top-rated companies in the investment and insurance industry,” Cicotte says.

Palombo adds, “On average, an individual can earn 6.4 percent on their money.”

This is far greater than the 2 percent interest rates offered by the local banks. The ideal client for Cicotte and Palombo has three main objectives: to insure his principal

against loss; earn a competitive interest rate; and have liquidity. “Of course, the higher the rate of return, the less liquid your assets become, but it is still greater than investing in a CD or IRA,” says Cicotte.

The company currently retains 280 clients with over $100 million under management.

Cicotte tells SFGN that many of their clients, both large and small, have had previous relationships with financial advisors and are looking for an alternative to traditional investing.

“People come to us all the time after experiencing losses in the market. Nobody ever has a problem when the market is up, but in this economy, it is so difficult to real-

ize higher returns,” says Palombo.

American Tax & Insurance Services also offers legal and accounting services at discounted rates to all of its clients, as well as to other highly respected professionals with which it maintains a reciprocal relationship.

“We really try to go the extra yard to create relationships with our clients and work hard to earn their trust,” says Cicotte.

In their spare time, the couple likes to travel and visit the gym. Cicotte has become a foremost expert on men’s aging, speaking at major conferences, seminars and corporate retreats around the country.

With a focus on sexual health, Cicotte says, “Through natural supplements, diet-

ing and fitness, a person can retain a high level of sexual performance well into their 80s and 90s.” In this case, age is truly just a state of mind.

Furthermore, Cicotte and Palombo work hard to support charitable organizations around the country, including the Pride Center at Equality Park, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Joining Hearts, located in Atlanta, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing support to people living with HIV and AIDS. For more information on Al Cicotte and Kevin Palombo, visit Americantaxandinsurance.com or call 954-302-3228.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

National News

Study Finds Younger Men Not Taking HIV Tests!

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Centers for Disease Control (CDC) survey of men who have sex with men (MSM) using a Web site where men go to meet other men for sex found that while most of those surveyed had been tested for HIV in their lifetime, young MSM (ages 18–24) were three times less likely to have been tested than older MSM (over age 24). Despite engaging in similar risk behaviors, 24 percent of 18 to 24 year olds surveyed had never been tested, compared to 6 percent of those over age 24.

The study also examined critical gaps in testing among young MSM, including access to and knowledge of HIV testing sites.

Among the young MSM who had never been tested, a primary reason given was that they didn’t know where to get an HIV test (38.6%). Lack of insurance was cited by 28 percent. Additionally, geography was found to be a significant factor for MSM of all ages.

More than 70 percent of all MSM who had never been tested lived outside a major metropolitan area.

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CDC representatives told AIDS conference participants in Vienna that this underscores the need to improve access and increase awareness of testing, particularly among young MSM. Studies show that the majority of those who know they are infected take steps to protect their partners. However, many MSM are unaware of their status and may unknowingly be transmitting the virus to others. A previous study of HIV prevalence in five U.S. cities found that 14 percent of young MSM between the ages of 18 and 24 were infected with HIV, but almost 80 percent were unaware they were infected.

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11

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Stonewall Pride Broke after Festival Group Has No Money, 30K in Unpaid Bills

Tim Yatteau

By Norm Kent

P

ride of Greater Fort Lauderdale announced Friday that they not only lost over $30,000 on the annual Stonewall Street Festival and Parade in Wilton Manors last month, they have no money left to pay the bills.

Unpaid debts include over $7,500 owed to law enforcement, EMS, and fire personnel who worked details during the event.

However, their largest creditor is Sunshine Tents, demanding nearly $18,000 for the booths at the festival.

The all-volunteer group, which had boasted a membership of over a dozen persons, now has less than $2,000 in its bank account to meet an indebtedness of greater than $30,000, despite an estimated 20,000 people having attended the daylong festivities.

“The public perception was that the event was a huge success,” said co-chair Bob Kecskemety, “but the bottom line consists of significant red ink.”

Kecskemety attributed the financial failure of the festival to a number of factors, starting with an “an early morning electrical storm which hampered the completion of setting up the festival’s infrastructure in a timely fashion.” He said this meant postponing the parade, and led to an insufficient number of volunteers to “man the festival.”

“It meant that the booths selling liquor

were not staffed or supported by security either” he added, “and we did not have a handle on the revenue from alcohol sales.”

The group’s treasurer, Tim Yatteau, elaborated. The plan, he said, as is customary in these festivals, was to have tickets sold and money collected in booths with a security guard present. The patrons then acquire tickets which they use to ‘purchase’ liquor in the alcoholic beverage booths.

Yatteau said the delays in setting up the tents and the lack of volunteers contributed to the collapse of the system. “It was total chaos,” he confided.

He, in fact, fell on the sword for the organization: “It is unbelievable. For the amount of liquor that was used that day, it is an astounding amount of money that disappeared, and never turned in to us. It was our responsibility to have someone selling tickets for people to purchase liquor.”

Instead, the booths collected the cash and sold the liquor on their own. Stated Yatteau, “Without knowing who they are, it is clear that numerous persons working collected cash for drinks and never gave it to us.”

Said one Wilton Manors bar owner, insisting on anonymity, “It is PGFL’s fault.

They were greedy. They did not let us run our own booths and use our own staffs.

They wound up hiring independent catering companies, which ran off with the money. Their actions were just plain stupid.”

Marc Hansen, who chaired the Stonewall Pride in 2007, concurred. He stated that the only explanation for a loss of this magnitude is “mismanagement.” He criticized the amount of money spent on tents for example, complaining the contract was “extravagant… they simply overspent.”

Hansen also suggested that rather than generate revenues by hiring one catering company, which would be responsible for turning over to PGFL a guaranteed percentage of their sales, “this group chose to use less effective income generating mechanisms. They shot themselves in the foot.”

Not everyone lost money on the event though. Kecskemety confided that local media salespersons had to be paid commissions to sell booths to local businesses

for the festival. It was reported that Mark Magazine salespersons Brad Casey and Rob Kohl received $1,421 and $250 in commissions, respectively.

Hansen was aghast at the revelation.

“That is ridiculous, and moronic. If they had a volunteer working board, the booths should have been sold by them with ease.

We never paid commissions to sell booths.

That is unheard of.”

Jennifer Holliday didn’t do too badly either. Aside from her limousines to and from the airport and the event, she received luxurious accommodations at Royal Palm Villas

and a fee in excess of $10,000 for her show.

Kecskemety enumerated other difficulties the event encountered. “First, we tried to have this year’s festival include the full one-half mile of Wilton Drive from the N.E. 20 Street to Five Points in order to be more inclusive of businesses along the drive. This proved to be a logistic and supervisory nightmare.”

Stonewall Pride also hoped to generate thousands of dollars by selling “naming rights” to the parade, the main stage, and area presenters, ten grand for the main stage alone. But nothing sold, and many of its sponcontinued on page 27

12

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

SFGN Editorial

July 28, 2010

Norm Kent, Publisher

FLPD Turns Tricks at Johnny’s

D

iscrimination against gays is most invidious when it targets us as a class. For years, the easiest tact for law enforcement was to target gay men offering to commit lewd acts in venues like public parks, gay bookstores, or on gay beaches.

Gay bars are also easy targets for straight cops. Of course, sometimes our conduct warranted censure. Public and licensed alcoholic beverage establishments are no place for glory holes. Blatant sex in back rooms of public bars cannot be countenanced. They are public meeting places, not pubic ones.

Dance clubs featuring erotic dancers performing in skimpy briefs also make easy targets. The nightclub laws in some cities, such as Fort Lauderdale, ban the same kinds of bathing suits you see on a public beach. The ordinances are mindless.

City ordinances make it lewd and illegal to expose any part of the cleft of the anus, reveal the female tip of the areola, or even allow a man to get an erection in a nightclub. Dancers must perform on elevated stages five feet from customers. Fortunately, most cities understand they have greater problems then consenting adults groping one another in gay bars.

They wisely look the other way. Seven years after the Supreme Court of the United States of America declared consenting homosexual acts are lawful, it should be so.

During the past month, the city of Fort Lauderdale has apparently had a hard on for Johnny’s Bar at 1116 West Broward Boulevard, two blocks from its own police station. FLPD has ‘visited’ them multiple times in the past month; first, code enforcement, then zoning, then state Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco agents. It has become clear that the FLPD has selectively targeted and unjustly picked out this one club for prosecution.

Police officials say they are concerned about underage drinking and prostitution.

Of course they have a right to ban illegal activity, but their latest endeavors are questionable. This past Sunday, a 21-year-old

college student working at a bar denied an underage visitor a beer because he lacked ID. The bartender served him a glass of tap water instead. He was nevertheless arrested for serving a minor.

Also arrested last week was a dancer for performing a lap dance on an undercover

has foolishly bragged how he shut down adult bookstores years ago by charging them with first degree felonies, for conducting ‘racketeering’ operations. He has so publicly threatened Johnny’s, warning them they better get a ‘criminal lawyer.’ His own words have made them his target. He has thus disqualified himself from further law enforcement activity at this establishment, where he has now openly demonstrated a prejudice for the owner.

Detective Spodnick’s stewardship of this investigation is now compromised. His remarks cannot be tolerated by the gay community’s leadership, nor should it be accepted by the police department.

Johnny’s Bar was last raided 10 years ago.

Will the police raid the charity benefit tonight being hosted for SunServe, featuring the mayor and city commissioners?

officer who came into the bar and asked for one. Remember, the cop came to him. We are not talking about dancers selling kilos of coke here. As a matter of fact, after numerous investigations, no dancers have been found to have any drugs on them.

Other establishments similarly situated in the city have not yet been specifically targeted, but all erotic dance clubs are susceptible to this type of law enforcement activity. Once one adult entertainment establishment is hit, others will be next.

The senior detective engineering this campaign is Detective William Spodnick. He

At the same time, we must note that Detective Spodnick has had a distinguished career, earning welldeserved commendations for curtailing underage drinking in bars. Few things are more dangerous than intoxicated kids leaving nightclubs and getting behind the wheel of the car.

Detective Spodnick has also distinguished himself by bringing down an international escort operation which laundered money and mistreated women. If you engage in illegal acts, he will arrest you whether you are straight or gay.

Because police now say there is an ‘open’ investigation into the establishment, they are unwilling to comment about it. We disagree. If law enforcement legitimately wants to work with the gay community and not against us, that is exactly what they should

do. Talk to us. If they see things which are illegal, we must bring it to an end.

This is precisely why FLPD hired a specific officer to act as a liaison to the gay community. His services, however, have not been employed. Why not? To suddenly start enforcing regulations which have otherwise been ignored for a decade, with no notice, is unfair and unjust. Enlightened police officials could have effectively dispatched their gay liaison to any gay bars generating their concern- in advance of opening an investigation.

Law enforcement could have set up meetings with owners and their attorneys, and worked together as partners, achieving mutual compliance. If that means dancers have less contact with patrons, or that structural platforms meeting city codes be strictly abided by, so be it. Responsibly, with notice, work together for a common plan which can be uniformly applied to all establishments.

The police have instead chosen to be callous and adversarial. They are forcing gay bars into a war they do not want.

Let’s not have here another raid like the Atlanta gay bars did last year, which led to a federal lawsuit and firing of renegade cops who stomped the heads of innocent gay patrons.

Let’s not have another Copa, where 20 years ago in our own town BSO brutalized hundreds of gay patrons only to wind up as defendants in a civil action which cost taxpayers money because of their negligence.

Fort Lauderdale is a community which has elected gay city commissioners, employs gay police, and is the home to a large gay community. Instead of calling a meeting to address the problem, you go out and arrest young dancers struggling to earn an extra buck? You threaten customers with arrest and humiliation? How foolish is that? Very!

All the Fort Lauderdale Police Department has done so far is harm its relationship with the gay community. We are entitled to co-operation and not confrontation. Our community is part of, not apart from, the economy and leadership of this city.

This is no longer about one act of prostitution by one young man allegedly soliciting one undercover cop. It is not about one bartender allegedly serving a minor. It is about one police department being proactive and moving into the 21st century, working with the gay community, instead of against it.

We need to get angry. We are in South Florida and it is the year 2010. We could have done better.

13

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Letters, We Got Letters

Jarrett Terrill

Goodbye Celebrities, Hello Politics!

Reader Objects to New Thrift Store Locale To the Editor: I think the decision to locate an ‘Out of the Closet’ Thrift Store on Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale is just wrong on so many levels.Who are the people that come up with these ideas? If these people had to earn their money they would have more respect than to just throw it away.

First – In today’s economy with the vast amount of vacant commercial real estate available who in their right mind would build a building?

Second, this location is terrible. Did anyone drive around the place before they made this choice? The access is limited.The customer base is diminished by the difficulty of getting to the store. Did these people ever hear “LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION”?

Third, I question the intentions of the people and organizations that gave to AHF. Were these gifts to be used to assist people living with HIV & Aids or to build a thrift store?

Fourth, the difference in demographics over 2 miles between Ft. Lauderdale and Wilton Manors lacks logic! Anyone who cared for the cause or needed services would travel the additional 2 miles.

Finally I would not be bragging about this location being seen from space. Anything that obnoxious will be an eye sore and should not survive the neighborhood associations. Besides are there people in space living with HIV/Aids?

This is Florida not California!

Sincerely Clifford Jason Cideko

facing some decreased interest from her fans now that she has defended Mel Gibson on The View. Internet comments about Whoopi’s perceived judgment of character appear to be mostly negative now. This indicates that even the most avid junkies of music and film will turn their backs on celebrities if they don’t like where their politics are headed. President Obama is to become the first sitting US President to appear on a daytime talk show.

He will be on The View along with Whoopi Goldberg tomorrow (June 29). Perhaps they can both explain together why they continue to defend racists despite admonishment from their biggest supporters.

Some might argue that gay men are the toughest sell on the concept of putting of your politics before your love of entertainment. It remains to be seen whether Madonna’s activism for AIDS will trump Lady Gaga’s latest attention-grabbing music video or if fans can forgive Elton John for singing their favorite songs at Rush Limbaugh’s wedding. Rush Limbaugh has used his radio show platform to make numerous disparaging remarks about gays who seek marriage equality.

For now, it’s beginning to look like the biggest stars in America will rise WIKIMEDIA not from the entertainment industry anymore – but rather from the Whoopi Goldberg: no longer as popular battleground of American politics. away from her in droves because they pre- Worrisome as it may be to seasoned politiferred to see Lt. Dan Choi who had just cos; this is a world where the governor of chained himself to a fence in front of the Alaska will quit her day job to make more White House as a protest against the mili- money as a political pundit. But alternately, it’s a world where Al Franken, the goofiest tary’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.

The hard lesson that Kathy Griffin learned of characters on Saturday Night Live can bethat day is the same one that socially conser- come one of the most esteemed and trusted vative stars like Mel Gibson are learning too United States Senators. And residually, po– that Americans now care deeply about pol- litical show hosts like Rachel Maddow, Bill itics, even more so than they do about enter- O’Reilly and Keith Olbermann are quickly tainment. Mel Gibson was just “fired” by the becoming the envy of Hollywood thanks to all-powerful William Morris Agency after an the loyalty of their fan-bases.

But where is it all headed? Is there a roadaudio recording was released in which Gibson went off on one of his infamous tirades map for beginners to navigate through all the “infotainment” and discern their politiagainst women and minorities.

Proposed boycotts of Gibson’s films erupted cal identity? Can gay people go from disinstantly on the web when fans were finally cussing whether or not “orange is the new forced to hear his panicked and drunken racist pink” to “salon.com is the new HuffPo”? slurs in his own voice on RadarOnline.com. The outlook is bleak… but I can tell you One such film to be boycotted is apparently that Arianna Huffington still has you covdirected by Jodie Foster, whom many gay and ered if you’d rather click on Scarlett Johansen’s new hairstyle than the WikiLeaks Aflesbian movie goers have admired for years.

Even liberal icon Whoopi Goldberg is ghanistan papers.

M

ost celebrities, upon achieving some great milestone in their career, will take great care to avoid making waves or jinxing their newfound fortune. Not James Cameron – upon learning that his movie Avatar was officially the most successful film of all time, he took his 15 minutes of fame to rail against the biggest star in Republican politics, Glenn Beck. Cameron explained to journalists at a press conference that Beck was “a fucking asshole” and a “dangerous man with poisonous ideas.”

This was the beginning of the end for entertainment celebrities who wish to avoid letting their political life interfere with the adoration of their fan-base. Smart players in the media have learned that there is really no difference between politics and entertainment now that the Supreme Court has overturned campaign finance laws. Unfortunately, this means increased exposure to “business celebrities” like California’s Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman who wish to take it easy in political office as tokens of their success.

But it also means that no industry is safe from political scrutiny anymore – and that includes the entertainment industry. Lady Gaga and Margaret Cho have shrewdly cultivated their respective fan-bases mostly by appealing to a special interest group in American politics – gays who want equal rights. Lady GaGa’s status quo has only recently been challenged in the mainstream media. Jon Caramanica quipped for the New York Times that ‘Lady GaGa hates the truth and conveniently, it hates her back.’

Popular gossip-artist and comedian Kathy Griffin tried to earn her political “street cred” too, but something unexpected happened – she was left standing all by herself at a podium in Washington DC feeling more than ever like she belonged on the “D-list.” Evidently, her adoring fans walked

14

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Hate Crimes on the Rise as Non-Profit Budgets Are Slashed

By A. Sebastian Fortino

T

he National Coalition of AntiViolence Programs (NCAVP), a division of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, released a report about hate or violent crimes against the LGBT community. The findings are startling, with murder against LGBT individuals at the second-highest level seen in the past decade.

Ironically, or morbidly, the findings seem to correlate the rise in violence with the passage of federal hate crime laws. They show the highest spike in incidents against the LGBT community in October 2009, which coincides with the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. In 2009 alone, 22 victims of murder due to anti-LGBT prejudice were reported by NCAVP. Of that number, 79 percent were

people of color.

The study also reports that most murder victims were transgendered women or men who identify as women.

“These facts are deeply disturbing, as these are the same people who are more likely to face discrimination, criminalization or further violence when interacting with criminal, legal and social service systems. What we see is that they are less likely to seek and access support from these institutions,” said Maria Carolina Morales, of San Francisco’s Community United Against Violence (CUAV) organization.

Of the violent or hate crimes reported to NCAVP, many can be interpreted as not being criminal acts, as the figures include incidences of harassment and intimidation.

Awareness, and having organizations to turn to, is key in preventing, assessing and counseling LGBT hate crimes. However, NCVAP organization members sadly report that 50 percent of their national affiliates laid-off staff, with a staggering 56 percent decrease in all positions.

“We believe that this drastically limited the ability of LGBTQ people to report violence and access to vital support and services in 2009,” said Lisa Gilmore, director of education and victim advocacy at Chicago’s Center on Halsted.

There are 15 contributing members of NCAVP. What is most shocking, however, is that there is no regional office for the Southeast—or Florida, for that matter. Given the overwhelming LGBT population in South Florida, with many individuals on the fringe of society, why are we not monitoring hate crimes against LGBT people in our community?

Detective Brice Brittenum, who’s with the Special Victims Unit of the City of Fort Lauderdale Police, says that currently hate crimes, attacks, and violence against victims

are not tallied according to the bias—perceived or otherwise—in Fort Lauderdale.

“LGBT hate crimes are lumped into general hate crimes,” said Brittenum. “It doesn’t say it’s a hate crime against a Jewish person, black person or gay person. Within the report the bias would be described. For it to be a hate crime

the bias has to be the reason for the crime.”

He described the difference as a thief who robs gay men who are going to and from gay venues because they are an easy target, as opposed to a person who wants to rob them because they are gay.

However, the July 21 defacing of one of Scott Galvin’s congressional posters in North Miami clearly implies we still have a great deal to do in terms of equality, and that we should develop a body that tracks violence against our community. The scribbling of the word “Fag” might be sophomoric but still reveals we have work to do in our own community.

According to Galvin’s July 22 press release, “Let me be clear: it is always, always wrong to attack a person for who they are.”

To see the full report compiled by NCAVP more information, visit Avp.org/ncavp.htm

Galvin Campaign Signs Vandalized Most Were Found In North Miami

By Joey Amato

like to think that in 2010 this would not be an issue in life and in a political campaign.”

Galvin said he reported the vandalism to ast week, about a half-dozen of Scott North Miami police, but that no one knows Galvin’s campaign signs were defaced when an unidentified individual spray-paint- who is responsible.

“I certainly look at it as a hate crime, ed the word “fag” on them. a crime of discrimination, something that Galvin, a Democrat running for U.S. Congress, says he’s disappointed by the vandalism. none of us should tolerate at any level. I’m certain that whoever did it knows I’m gay “When I first came out—and that was and wanted to make sure others knew it.” in 2004—most of the letters I got at that Michael Kenny, executive director of point were very supportive, he said. “There Florida Together, an LGBT advocacy group, were a few letters that came in that were notes that Galvin would be the first openly negative. Nothing since then. I was very gay representative at the state or federal proud of North Miami being so accepting level in the Southeast. of me. Until this point, it was a non-issue.”

“It’s sickening that narrow-minded North Miami resident Clint Bower, a Galvin supporter, said he found two vandalized people are trying to crush Scott’s opportuplacards this week, one at 135th Street near nity to make history with this vandalism,” Kenny posted on his group’s website. “And Northeast 13th Avenue; the other near it is simply unfair that they are forcing Scott Northeast 14th Avenue and 133rd Street. to raise money twice so that he can replace Bower said: “As a gay person, I find it his ruined signs.” very offensive. As a constituent here, I’m Galvin says that the attack was made to emvery troubled by the fact that they would barrass him and undermine his campaign. bring his sexuality into the race. I would

L

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Atlanta CEO Killed at Gay Cruising Site in NJ Family Demands Investigation

By Joey Amato

defense of lying.

“We know that the police killed an innocent man, with no hisccording to a New tory of or disposition towards York Times report, violence,” the Gaymon family Credit Union of said in their statement, accordAtlanta CEO DeFarra “Dean” ing to the Atlanta Journal ConGaymon, 48, was shot and stitution. “Dean Gaymon was killed by a police officer a nonviolent, nonaggressive in Newark, New Jersey, on and nonthreatening person his July 16 after allegedly propoentire life,” said the statement. sitioning a plain-clothes police “It would have been completeofficer at a gay cruising area. ly and totally against Gaymon stopped by his nature to ‘tussle’ the Branch Brook with a police officer, Park area while en to resist authority, to route to his 30th assault a police offihigh school reunion cer... Words such as ‘I at Montclair High am going to kill you’ School. The neighDeFarra “Dean” Gaymon would not be uttered borhood is known for attracting sexual activity and male pros- from him.”

Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the titutes, according to the report.

Essex County prosecutor Robert D. Lau- Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, told rino told the paper that the 29-year-old ABC News that the prosecutor did not officer, whose name hasn’t been released, have an immediate response to the Gayclaims he fired in self-defense. The officer mon family statement.

“The investigation is continuing,” said attempted to arrest Gaymon for lewd behavior, and after Gaymon was cornered, he Carter. “Our next move would be to prespurportedly tried to disarm the officer. The ent the case to the grand jury.” Under New officer shot Gaymon once. He died three Jersey law, whenever a police officer is inhours later at nearby University Hospital volved in a shooting, a grand jury must hear the case. It is up to the grand jury to decide from the gunshot wound to his abdomen.

The chairs of Garden State Equality and whether the shooting was justified, said the Gender Rights Advocacy Association Carter, who anticipates that the proceedings of New Jersey sent a letter to Laurino and will take weeks.

Carter said that the police officer who Essex County sheriff Armando B. Fontoura demanding an investigation into the kill- shot Gaymon had been with the Essex ing. The letter asks if the incident was part County Sheriff’s Office for eight years.

“It’s a very large park. There are ball fields of a sting operation in Branch Brook Park and requests a meeting to further discuss and cherry blossoms but there is a secluded area where there have been complaints the killing.

“In no way do we condone any viola- about public sex, which is why there was an tion of lewdness statutes,” the letter reads. undercover operation to deter that activity,” “But any sting operation targeting gay men said Carter.

Carter said that there was no specific comor LGBT people specifically, or anyone perceived as such, is unconscionable—and as plaint made regarding Gay­mon and that the police officer had been assigned to the area to we strongly believe, illegal.”

The family of the prominent Atlanta exec- deal with the “ongoing problem.”

Gaymon was married and the father of four utive is demanding a federal investigation, accusing the officer who said he fired in self- children.

A

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Glaad: MTV Leads in Showing Gay Characters on TV

By Frazier Moore

AP Television Writer NEW YORK – MTV held a solid lead among 15 networks for its representation of gay characters last season, according to a report released Friday.

In its fourth annual Network Responsibility Index, GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, found that of MTV’s 207.5 hours of original prime-time programming, 42 percent included content reflecting the lives of gay, bisexual and transgender people. This earned MTV the first-ever “Excellent” rating from GLAAD. “MTV programs like ‘The Real World’ and ‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ have offered richly diverse portrayals of gay and transgender people that help Americans better understand and accept our community,” said GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios.

Among broadcast networks, the CW was on top with 35 percent, while Fox ranked a close second with 30 percent. ABC, with 26 percent, got a “Good” rating, while NBC was “Adequate” with 13 percent. CBS’ 7 percent earned that network a “Failing” grade from the report.

Scoring high on cable along with MTV were ABC Family (37 percent), TNT (34 percent), Showtime (32 percent), Lifetime (31 percent) and HBO (26 percent), which all received a “Good” rating. The report assigned a “Failing” grade to USA (4 percent), A&E (3 percent) and TBS (2 percent).

GLAAD reviewed all prime-time programming – totaling 4,787.5 hours – on the major broadcast networks between June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010. The study also examined all original prime-time programming – 1,227.75 hours – on 10 prominent cable networks. This included dramas, comedies,

A worldwide research study is now underway to test an investigational treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, also known as smoker’s cough, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema.

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you: • Are 40 years of age or older • Have a diagnosis of COPD • Are a current smoker or were a smoker in the past In addition to receiving studyrelated physical exams and laboratory services at no charge, participants will receive study medication and will be monitored by a medical team, including the study physician.

Ask your doctor if this study is right for you.

For information and to schedule an appointment, contact Verne Appleby, R.N. at The Medical Offices of

unscripted fare and newsmagazines.

GLAAD noted, with approval, the parenting role played by gay couple Mitchell and Cameron on ABC’s “Modern Family,” and the story line on Fox’s “Glee” where high school student Kurt comes out as gay to his father.

“When television networks share real stories of our community, audiences begin to see the common ground that we all share,” Barrios said.

In September, GLAAD will release its annual report evaluating gay, bisexual and

transgender inclusion, and other diversity, among scripted characters scheduled to appear during the 2010-11 season.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Herbie James Making South Florida Dance for Over 20 Years

Herbie’s radio show can be heard at Gayinternetradiolive.com Saturday (Friday nights) at midnight - 2 a.m., and Tuesday (Monday night) at midnight - 2 a.m.

Herbie’s podcasts are posted regularly at HerbieJames.com

By Dennis Jozefowicz

A

sk any gay man in South Florida about DJs and more often than not, the name Herbie James comes up. The well-loved DJ made his presence known here on the Gold Coast in 1989, and the dance scene hasn’t been the same since.

Listening to a Herbie James set is the most energy-filled experience one can find on a dance floor: loud bold beats, hypnotic synths, and mind-blowing vocals. As he describes it, “The lines between musical genres have blurred so much over the years, I play so many styles of music over the course of a night. I’d have to say that my musical love right now is with big, melodic progressive vocal house, with the lean back to funky vocal house. Mix it all up and throw in some old-school classics, and voila, ‘Herbicidal.’”

That label, Herbicidal, has become an infamous tag-line for the thousands of fans that download his podcasts, listen to his weekly radio shows on Gay Internet Radio Live, and attend his live performances.

But what many of the legions of fans don’t know about James is that he’s a trained musician, and began his professional music career in a band. Majoring in piano at the University of Southern Mississippi, he explains he “got caught up in jazz composition.”

“After college, I moved to Madrid for three years, where I played the organ for the Base Chapel Sunday services. I ended up spending many late nights hanging out in the jazz clubs, where I met a lot of the local musicians,” James recalls. “After some time, I bought a Fender Rhodes, and played with some local funk and jazz musicians, and we ended up becoming the house band for one of the jazz clubs there.”

Once back in the United States, he played for a 10-piece disco cover band in the once-popular live-music club scene in Fort Lauderdale.

James’ first residency was at the famous Marlin Beach Hotel in 1991, where he played 12-hour sets Thursday through Sunday. “At the time, the hotel had installed an incredible Renkus-Heinz sound system,” James recalls. “I have some really fun stories of those days.”

Since then, James has grown into a local icon, playing sets for many local and national venues. That status is reinforced every year at the Sleazy Awards, a local in-the-biz charity event, where he’s won the award for Most Popular DJ in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010.

“It is such an honor to have won an award that comes from your peers and fans,” he says. “I am truly blessed to be a part of this

Herbie’s current DJ residence is at Ramrod bar, Thursday and Friday nights, starting at 10 p.m. great community in South Florida.”

Although James has played numerous large events in South Florida, some stand apart from the rest. “I’ve played some very special events and they were all pretty incredible, but I’d have to say some highlights were the Muscle Beach party during White Party and the infamous Mineshaft party for Winter Party,” James recalls. “People still talk to me about both of those. And of course, there were the Winter Music Conference events where I was almost arrested that also come to mind.”

Now dabbling as a producer and working on his own CD, he says,“If I had started all this some 20 years ago, like I preached to all the children, it would be a whole other story.”

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Nightlife by J.W. Arnold

A Three Hour Cruise….

I

can’t help but think about the campy ’60s sitcom Gilligan’s Island around the first Sunday of the month when promoter extraordinaire Peter Burke takes the boys out on the Intracoastal for the Gay Tea Cruise. Unlike the S.S. Minnow, which ended up stranded for six seasons on a deserted tropical island, the Musette yacht will be rockin’ and rollin’ on the gentle waters to the beat of DJ Richie Rich and Burke’s special guest performers.

On August 1, the Musette will again brave the local waters with several special surprises in honor of the event’s sixth anniversary.

This will definitely be one three-hour cruise to remember.Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the cruise. Boarding will begin at 2:30 p.m. and parking is available near the dock at 540 SE 3rd Ave. For more information or tickets, go to GayTeaCruise. com or call 954-649-1107.

Here’s a look at some of the other happenings in South Florida this week: Wednesday, July 28

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e sure to stop by Scandals Saloon tonight to bid bartender “TomKat” farewell. After five years behind the bar at the popular country western hotspot, Tom is calling it quits. Tonight is his last night, and he promises to pour you a memorable drink between noon and 7 p.m. Scandals is located at 3073 NE 6th Ave. in Wilton Manors.

Saturday, July 31

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ona’s is celebrating owner Jerry Schultz’s 63rd birthday with a party, and this is one definitely worth crashing.

For 63 minutes between 7:31 and 8:34 p.m. the bar will be open. But be sure to arrive early because Jerry’s also hosting a cookout beginning at 4 p.m., and the first 300 people will get a $13 bar tab good on their birthdays.

Mona’s is located at 502 E. Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale.

Monday, August 2

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ennifer McClain is one of our famous—real—divas and on Mondays she brings her show to Bill’s Filling Station for Cast Party.The talented singer is often joined by guest performers from the local theater and cabaret scenes, as well as actors from the many touring Broadway shows that stop for a run in the area.The music begins at 10:30 p.m. Bill’s is located at 2209 Wilton Dr. Tuesday, August 3

B

reak up the Dog Days of August with Fun House Tuesdays at Twist in Miami Beach.

Perennial favorite Daisy D. will be spinning and there’s always a special performance at 1 a.m.Things really get hot at 2 a.m. when Pussila hosts an amateur strip contest. Enjoy $5 blue Long Island iced teas until the wee hours of the morning in the main room.You’ll find the action at 1057 Washington Ave.

Thursday, July 29

T

hursdays are caliente at Johnny’s. On Cuchifrito Thursdays, DJ Miik is in the booth and Bacardi and Herradura cocktails are just $3. Tonight, bring a friend in for a little friendly lube wrestling match. It’s not the best way to get all sticky, but for $250 in cash and prizes, it just might be worth a try! Johnny’s is located at 1116 W. Broward Blvd in Fort Lauderdale.

Promotion of Scandals

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Theatre Feature

The play version of The Houseboy was not, initially, an American production. In Rome, Play: The Houseboy May saw the stage adaptation, which was Theater: Empire Stage conceived by director and producer Massimo Fort Lauderdale Stinco of Blue Seagull Productions. In addition to starring in the film and reprising his role in the upcoming production, May lent his skills to Stinco to adapt the current structure from both the Italian script and from the film.

“I originally saw the film at the Florence Queer Film Festival,” said Stinco. “Then I contacted Nick May, who got me permission from the writer to adapt the material.”

By A. Sebastian Fortino So the movie went Italian, as a play. Now the play is going American again, but with a subtle blending of the material that will Italianize certain aspects. The character of Blake, for instance, will be played by Francesco Pellino, an Italian actor visiting and working in the United States for the first time.

May says he is amazed at the film’s ongoing popularity. He attributes that to the film still headlining gay film festivals, even though it was released in 2007.

“I’m a big hit in China,” the smiling, blond actor told SFGN. “I’m very excited about reprising my role on stage. I feel as though I’m getting second wind with this character. I love performing in film and theatre so much, but the mediums are so different. Performing this Nick May, who will be wearing less in character on stage will give me the The Houseboy opportunity to let the character grow more organically.”

May says he does not see any challenges n August 3, Blue Seagull International Productions will host a in terms of reprising the role. He teased that the movie—known for its nudity—might be staged reading of the 2007 hit a challenge to perform live. Both Stinco and film, The Houseboy. Nick May, who originated the role, is excited to reprise it in the May say the Italian version is much more European than what they plan for North reading. The one-night-only event is being held at the Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale. American audiences, but some of that casual, For the Canadian-born, American Academy continental attitude will carry over.

“Less will be hidden during the actual of Musical and Dramatic Arts (AAMDA) show than in the movie,” May promises, graduate, this is his first time visiting and referring to nudity. “But, my main goal is to performing in Florida.

The staged reading—and the mounting of maintain the same connection to the charthe full play projected for February 2011— acter that many people felt from watching promises more than a mere restaging of the the film.” film version.

“With anything that jumps from film to To see pictures from the Italian version of the play, a teaser of what to expect theatre, changes have to be made because when the full production is mounted in the natural order doesn’t play out as well,” February, visit Thehouseboy.it said Nick May.

Star of The Houseboy Reprises Role in Fort Lauderdale

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Dining Review da Campo Osteria by Todd English For more information on da Campo Osteria or Men’s Night Out, contact the hotel at 954-564-4400 or visit ilLugano.com

By Joey Amato

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ast week, my dinner guest Dustin and I had the pleasure of dining at one of celebrity chef Todd English’s most renowned restaurants, da Campo Osteria. Located in the beautiful il Lugano Hotel on the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, the restaurant offers a minimalistic approach in design, but makes up for it in flavor and presentation.

Our friendly and knowledgeable server Michael was eager to tell us about da Campo’s menu and wine list. We left most decisions up to him since his family has been in the food business for years. Michael recommended we start with the freshmade mozzarella pulled tableside, served with an assortment of accompaniments.

Within minutes, a cart arrived to our table and a chef started to prepare our offering. I have never watched mozzarella

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

cheese being made before, so this experience was quite fascinating. The cheese was then placed on a serving platter alongside prosciutto di Parma, heirloom tomatoes, honey-spiced walnuts, pickled pepperoncini peppers, and a green and black olive tapenade. It was very interesting to try the different combinations of flavors, but my favorites were the traditional couplings with the tomatoes and prosciutto di Parma.

Next to arrive was the jumbo meatball, prepared with veal, beef and pork and served in a homemade pomodoro sauce. I was skeptical about this dish, being that so many other establishments have tried and failed to prepare an extra large meatball, but da Campo rose to the occasion. The meatball was not only tasty, but it was cooked perfectly throughout, with a bit of crispness on the outside. The ParmigianoReggiano really helped to add sharpness and flavor to the dish.

For our pizza and pasta course, the chef, Joshua Hedquist, prepared the delightful butternut squash agnolotti and the mozzarella, tomato and basil pizze. Although both dishes were enjoyable, I favored the agnolotti, prepared with a delightful cream

sauce. The flavor of the butternut squash really shined through in this dish and the pasta was cooked al dente, much to our liking.

Earlier on, Michael had recommended a nice red wine to accompany our meal, a Ruffino Ducale. The wine seemed to fit perfectly with our entrees, the bone-in veal chop with Gorgonzola mashed potatoes and saltimbocca jus, and the seared scallops with braised artichokes and olives.

The veal chop was extremely tender and served medium rare. Although the chop itself contained slightly too much fat for my liking, there is no denying the flavor and complexity of this dish. The gorgonzola potatoes really work well with the chop and the sauce compliments the veal and potatoes. My favorite of the two entrees, however, was the seared scallops, which

were cooked perfectly with a nice sear on one side and just enough seasoning as to not to mask the flavor of the fish.

Finally, for dessert, the general manager suggested that we sample the tiramisu.

Don’t let the name fool you, this is not your grandmother’s tiramisu. The dish is actually a chocolate-chip soufflé served with mocha gelato and mascarpone crema. Both Dustin and I fell in love with the flavor and presentation of this dish and finished every bite. This dessert is not to be missed.

In addition to being home to such a great dining establishment, il Lugano Hotel will also host Men’s Night Out on Tuesday, August 3. Unique cocktails and a sample menu will be available for guests to enjoy.

Free flatbread pizza will be offered from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

‘Down Under’ Censors Zap L.A. Zombies

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lazombie.com

ustralian censors have banned a Toronto filmmaker’s gay zombie porn comedy, L.A. Zombie, from the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Bruce LaBruce’s movie is about an alien zombie who roams Los Angeles trying to bring dead people back to life through sex. It becomes unclear whether he is an alien or a schizophrenic homeless man. A write-up on the MIFF’s website says the film promises “plenty of wound-shagging and more penises than you can shake a stick at.” It is reportedly the first time in seven years that a film has been blocked from the festival circuit.

“It’s debuting in competition at the

Locarno Film Festival in two weeks,” LaBruce said in response to MIFF’s decision.

“The film obviously has artistic merit or it wouldn’t be in competition at an A-list film festival.” LaBruce’s last gay zombie film, Otto; or, Up with Dead People, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Heard it on...

gesting she’s in a relationship with lesbian singer Lori Michaels. The two recorded the duet “Real Close,” which they performed together on the Bravo show Watch What Happens Live.

Cynthia Nixon

By Romeo San Vicente

Anna Nicole’s Doc: I’m Being Prosecuted Because I’m Gay

By the Night Owl

Danielle Staub

Time to shake the embarrassing sands of Abu Dhabi from Cynthia Nixon’s resume with some fresh work, wouldn’t we all agree? Well, she’s got some – and the new gig will take her right back to a premium cable channel sitcom, Showtime’s upcoming Laura Linney-andGabourey Sidibe-starring cancer dramedy _The Big C_. It debuts Aug. 16, and during the show’s inaugural stretch of episodes – it’s assumed some remission time will be involved if it gets picked up for multiple seasons – Nixon will play Linney’s long-lost college roommate for a four-episode story arc (Idris Elba will also guest star for a four-episode run). There’s no word on whether her character will eventually be recurring, but it’s a good casting move all the same, since Nixon brings with her that acerbic voice from her own hit franchise. That’s tone a comic looks at chemotherapy will probably employ in large quantity.

According to the Advocate, one of the doctors on trial for allegedly prescribing a potentially lethal combination of drugs to Anna Nicole Smith claims he’s being prosecuted because he’s gay and a member of an ethnic minority.

Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who is gay and of East Indian descent, claims in legal documents that a photo of him riding with Smith in the 2005 Los Angeles Pride Parade was “the catalyst for his prosecution.”

In legal documents, Kapoor claims there is “abundant evidence that others similarly situated to Dr. Kapoor were not prosecuted in this or comparable cases, and that the District Attorney’s Office targeted Dr. Kapoor in order to buttress claims and agendas.”

Dog Day Afternoon Like something out of a Monty Py-

Is Danielle Staub Getting A thon skit, a 33 year old transvestite – also described as a “cross-dresser” – was caught TV Series? in a dry moat at King Henry VIII’s Danielle Staub, star of the Real Pendennis Castle, in the Cornwall region of Housewives of New Jersey isn’t getting England “mounting a dog.” Apparently, two her own spin off, but at least part of the women were walking their dogs at the popinfamous housewife’s past might be the ular family tourist destination when they subject of a new scripted series based on spotted the man, wearing a black dress. the true crime book Cop Without a Badge.

When he was spotted by the women, he Staub is featured in the book — ran off. One of the long before she became a Bravo dogs however gave reality star and maybe lesbian, chase. By the time she got arrested, and details of the women caught her criminal past are featured up with the man in the book. A little known fact they discovered him having is that her arrest was in sex with the dog.

South Florida, and her English Heritage – the British attorney at the time, in version of the National Register the 1980’s, was none of Historic Places – said that other than our own castle staff restrained the SFGN Publisher, Norm man while the police were Kent, who credits her Dog and his bone called to handle the situatoday “with a willingtion. The cross-dressing man was escorted ness to turn her life around.” Right now, home where he made a “full and frank The New York Post is reporting that the series is being shopped around by a couple confession.” A caution for “outraging public decency was issued against the man.” of former writers from Law & Order and In typical British restraint English HeriThe Cosby Mysteries, and that several stutage had this to say, “This was a very rare dios are reportedly interested. Staub has incident.” made headlines in recent weeks for sug-

Cynthia Nixon catches The Big C

Queeries by Steven Perow Steven Petrow is the author of The Essential Book of Gay Manners & Etiquette. Find him on the web at www.gayandlesbianmanners.com

Sex when you’re a houseguest Q: My boyfriend “Alexander” and I are going to be visiting some close friends at their summer house next weekend. He really likes the idea of getting hot and heavy while we’re there; I think it’s rude to have sex at someone’s house when you’re a guest. What do you think?

A: Although some think it’s disrespectful to one’s hosts to have a private pleasurefest in your room, I think it’s fine as long as you’re able to keep it completely secret. No moaning, no screaming, no running through the house naked. Lock the door, and use a

towel to avoid stains or other tell-tale signs.

If you bring toys, make sure you pack them up on departure. And definitely don’t mention it at breakfast, even in the most general or cute way—although your hosts may pick something up from the looks on your faces.

I do suggest, however, that you save your more complicated rites and rituals for the privacy of your own home, or for a hotel.

Steven Petrow can be found online at www.gayandlesbianmanners.com. He’s the author of “The Essential Guide to Gay Manners & Etiquette” and blogs regularly on Huffington Post.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Corey Michaels

Singer Scores with Debut Album

By Joey Amato

songs that will surely get the party started.

Michaels, whose biggest influence is the late, great Michael Jackson, began writing orey Michaels is a Miami-based songs at age 15. “I had written a song and sin­­ger/songwriter who recently performed it for my vocal coach. He loved released his debut album at a it and put me in touch with a producer and jam-packed bash at Score. Alwe recorded the track, called ‘Anthem,’ ” though he has been writsays Michaels. ing and producing music Although still a relatively for nearly six years now, young artist, Michaels’ he waited for the perfect drive is immeasurable. time to release the album, “I want to get to know entitled Who Killed the King? my audience and try my hardest to Although Michaels categorizes himself perform as much as possible,” Michaels as a pop artist, he is humble in the fact that says. “I feel like I make more sense on stage. he doesn’t consider himself popular… yet.“I think my style of music is melodic dance,” says I’m a performer, so I want to put on the best show I can.”

Michaels, “a genre that has been forgotten by If it is left up to Michaels, he would choose the vain attempt to always be different and to release “Rockstar” as his first single. “It new that is plaguing the musical landscape.” was the reason I made this album. One day Michaels, who has spent part of his life I randomly began singing the chorus and living in Amsterdam, draws from European felt that need to record it immediately.” The dance on many of his tracks, most notably song, in Michaels’ mind, embodies the eson “Tonight.” sence of Who Killed the King? He also plans “I love going to a club and dancing and on releasing a music video to accompany the singing along to a song. It makes me feel track later this summer. like I am a part of something,” he says.

Songwriting is an art form, so I asked MiOther standout tracks on his album chaels to walk me through the process: “At include “Don’t Go” and “Freakshow,” two first, a melody comes to you and you feel really inspired…

Corey Michaels it’s like a one night stand,” says Michaels.

“You’re really excited about it, you’re not thinking about consequences and then all of a sudden you think: ‘Oh fuck, I might like this person.’ So you try to make everything perfect, which is when you really start to fuck things up. So recording a song is like trying your hardest to keep the original beauty of the relationship or original melody/ idea alive while making it last and turning it into something beautiful.”

C

To learn more about Corey Michaels, visit Coreymichaels.com.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Lyric Orchestra Helps Soothe People with HIV/AIDS for this concert, he often features instrumentalists and sometimes stages works with a full orchestra.

Soprano Lisa Layman is part of the Lyric Theatre’s diverse ensemble of musicians. She got her start as a student of Bertacci in the New York/New Jersey area years ago and followed her mentor to South Florida when he moved the ensemble here. Like Bertacci, she shares an admiration for the works of the classical masters and the ensemble’s mission to bring this music to new audiences.

“We have a core of performers who discovered what an amazing teacher

By J.W. Arnold Bertacci is,” she explains, “and many of us or centuries, physicians and philoso- realized you could make great music wherphers have extolled the healing pow- ever you want, not just in New York.”

She adds: “Education is so important er of music, and now, a local musical because, unfortunately, the younger generaensemble, the Lyric Orchestra, is harnessing the power of their performances to ease the tions are not exposed to this great music.

We present it in an accessible way, not like suffering of local HIV/AIDS patients. a stuffy full opera.”

Under the direction of Maestro Franco And, not to be forgotten, is the healing Bertacci, the organization will present a concert of music by the Italian opera com- effect of music. A former college music poser Giuseppe Verdi on Friday, July 30, at 8 professor, Layman, like many other members of the ensemble, is heavily involved in p.m. at the All Souls Episcopal Church, 333 HIV/AIDS programs in the community. By Tarpon Dr. in Fort Lauderdale. day, she serves as a Ryan White program According to Bertacci, who received his own musical training in Europe, the program coordinator at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. was selected to feature some of the most “Music has this amazing healing power,” exciting arias from both Verdi’s most popular she emphasizes. “We hope to share this and lesser-known operas. Familiar melodies wonderful music with as many people as from La Traviata and Rigoletto will be perpossible.” formed by the eight accomplished singers, In addition to making free tickets available along with arias from Oberto and Un Ballo in for patients and clients in Nova SoutheastMaschera and the final trio from Ernani. ern Ryan White program, the Lyric Orches“It’s sort of a broad spectrum of his tra will donate proceeds from ticket sales music and we have tried to present it in a more engaging way,” Bertacci explains. “We to The Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment have some phenomenal talent (for this con- Center of Broward County. cert) and it’s going to be a fantastic evening Music of music.”

One highlight of the program will be The Music of Giuseppe Verdi a rarely performed bass duet from Luisa The Lyric Orchestra Miller. For each performance, Bertacci lines Friday, July 30, 8 p.m. up a different ensemble of performers in All Saints Episcopal Church addition to his core group of singers, and 333 Tarpon Dr., Fort Lauderdale the availability of two strong bass vocalists Tickets $20 and $30 at TheLyricOrchestra. allowed him to program the duet. While com or 954-761-7099. the singers will be accompanied by a pianist

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Theatre Review The Mikado The Mikado runs through August 15 at the Susan B. Katz Theater at the River of Grass ArtsPark, 17195 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines. For tickets and more information, visit pptopa.com.

The Mikado Is Delightful Operatic Farce Gets Fine Production in Pembroke Pines

By Mary Damiano, Arts Editor

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ove and Death. Marriage and Execution.These weighty subjects are played for laughs in Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta.The Mikado, now receiving a fine production by the Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts (PPTOPA).

The Mikado takes place in the Japanese city of Titipu, where one can literally lose one’s head over matters of the heart. The delightfully convoluted plot involves NankiPoo, (Mike Thibodeau) a minstrel who has returned to the city to marry his true love Yum-Yum (Beverley Riches). Nanki-Poo left the year before because Yum-Yum was

Jennifer Roth and Matt Regan in The Mikado

betrothed to her guardian Ko-Ko (Matt Regan), but he has since heard that Ko-Ko has been sentenced to be beheaded for the high crime of flirting. What he doesn’t know is that Ko-Ko has escaped the executioner’s ax by being promoted to the rank of High Executioner, and Ko-Ko can’t very well cut off his own head.

Ko-Ko believes he’s home free until Japan’s ruler, The Mikado (Alvin Entin) insists on an execution, and sets his sights on hiring a substitute, the lovelorn Nanki-Poo, promising the young man one month of wedded bliss to Yum-Yum before losing his head. The young lovers are elated, until they discover what happens to executed men’s wives.

The Mikado continues its devolution through convolution with inspired lunacy that is well-acted by this community theatre’s cast of volunteers. Thibodeau is a strong singer whose charm shines through as the lovesick Nanki-Poo. Riches, who also directed, handles her role as Yum-Yum with farcical aplomb. Jennifer Roth, who plays Katisha, Nanki-Poo’s forgotten fiancé, is a force of nature with a great voice.

The two stars of the show, however, are Steven Fuentes and Matt Regan. Fuentes plays Pooh-Bah, a jack-of-all-trades corrupt politician. Fuentes is deliciously campy—his dry delivery and sneer are delicious to watch, and he does it all while maneuvering in a pair of pretty tricky shoes. You can’t keep your eyes off Fuentes whenever he’s on stage. Regan has a family history with The Mikado— Regan learned the score at an early age, and both he and his father have both performed in the various productions of the popular musical. That familiarity informs his Ko-Ko, and Regan delivers a wonderfully silly yet endearing performance.

Don’t let the fact that this is a community theatre production fool you. Because they are made up of volunteers, PPTOPA is able to mount productions of shows that professional theatres cannot afford to produce, and they consistently deliver admirable work with high production values.

The scenic design is simple and elegant, with beautiful painted backdrops, and the cast is costumed in over-the-top opulence.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Crossword Puzzle

Marketplace

Chastity Is Different

Across 1 Turns the meat at Hamburger Mary’s 6 The we kissed links?

10 Go down 15 Filthy smackers 16 Norse port 17 Places where the salami isn’t hidden 18 From the top 19 Ark architect 20 Cara of Fame 21 Book by Chaz Bono, with The 24 Poet’s before 25 Nice affirmative 26 Chicago Bears wear them on their knees 29 Oz man 34 Cut glass 38 Versatile truck 39 Related to intercourse 41 P on fraternity row 42 Process by which Chastity became Chaz 45 Have pizza delivered, say 46 Place for a stud 47 What parents may hope homosexuality is 48 Worsted cloth 50 Bones in the back

51 Book by Chaz Bono, for short 56 Sr. advocate 58 Capital of South Dakota 59 Von Trapp youngster 62 French leather 63 Consumed amount 64 Nastase of the net 65 Metric prefix 66 Made a profit of 67 David’s brother on Six Feet Under 68 1963 movie role for Liz 69 Witty Coward 70 Mardi ___ Down 1 Neighbor of Ala. 2 Go down on a hill 3 “___ do anything better than you” 4 Groups in _The Lion King_ 5 Kahlo in drag?

6 _WKRP_ actress Anderson 7 Has the stage 8 Scheme 9 Gay nightlife district of London 10 Word of parting 11 Collaborator with Elton 12 Mapa of Desperate Housewives 13 Meat stabber 14 Ethnic suffix

22 Not as many 23 Musical endings 26 Seattle’s sound 27 Dangerous emission for Tin Man 28 Toothpaste 30 Part of ILGA (abbr.)

31 Apartment ___ 32 Saudi or Iraqi 33 Philosopher Descartes 35 Like a gay symbol 36 Selected guys to play with 37 Puts an edge on 39 Snaky discharge 40 Painting Fra of Florence 43 Rimbaud portrayer in Total Eclipse 44 Using your head 49 It may be made on the rebound 50 It goes under a jockey’s shorts 52 Dirty stuff aired by Ted Casablanca 53 “The best is ___ come!”

54 Use a gifted tongue 55 Family Matters nerd 56 Current band of the past?

57 Prehistory novelist Jean 60 First name among lesbian writers 61 Ball balancers See solution on page 29

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Stonewall Pride Broke continued from page 11

sorships came in the form of trade for services rather than revenues to meet their debts.

The group wound up giving naming rights to Miller Lite, and it is still waiting for their local distributor, Gold Coast Beverage, to give them a refund for unsold kegs of beer.

“We’re not going to give up,” Kecskemety concluded. “This is an event the community looks forward to each year and we plan to do everything we can to meet those expectations. We just need the community to help us out a little now.”

But even their treasurer, Yatteau, questions the group’s ability to come back at this point. “I doubt that the community will do very much for us after this,” he stated. “We should have never opened the bars. We were not prepared. I can’t begin to comprehend how bad we are going to look to everyone.

We really screwed up.”

Explaining that the situation has left him “physically ill,” Yatteau said he wanted to resign after the event but now feels an obligation to stay on to help correct the problem.”

Hansen, who helped successfully run Pride South Florida this past March, was surprised by the extent of the losses. “When I ran Stonewall, we grossed enough to maintain year-round seed money of $25,000 and still disburse $10,000 in charitable donations. PGFL had 13 board members and could not get the job done. Shame on them.”

Representatives of the board included Corey Boyd, Bob

Kecskemety, Neil Nason, Jeffrey Longbrake, Sheri Elfman, Misty Eyez, Georgia Johnston, Shane Ball and Dan Kober-

Marc Hansen

man. Some have now resigned.

Yatteau admitted maybe we “had too many chiefs and not enough Indians.”

Hansen was unyielding in his criticism. “Pride events are not parties you can throw.

It is a business you must run.”

Hansen correctly stated that the new board has not even met its proper legal requirements, failing to file their 2010 corporate returns, which were due May 1, or list its correct membership data.

SFGN did some ‘man in the street’ interviews and got one particularly noteworthy response from Kristine Goldman, a young Nova Southeastern business student: “How can you have 25,000 people at the event and still lose $30,000? How difficult would it have been to collect a dollar from everyone coming in?”

Yatteau could offer only this answer: “I can account for every cent we spent. No

one took any money wrongfully. We just failed to collect everything we should have from the event. That is our failure.”

Yatteau added that “We went into the event without the funds to put it on, instead relying on the event to pay for itself. We brought in nothing and now have to figure out how to make up the difference.”

Ironically, seeing that cash sponsorships were down due to the depressed economy, the group had already engaged in costcutting measures, such as reducing the two-day event to one afternoon, hoping that would cut their overhead.

The group had reason to be optimistic. They had just come off a successful ‘Wicked Manors’ street festival in Halloween.

“But this event,” concluded Yatteau, treasurer of the nowbroke Stonewall committee, “was the real nightmare.”

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Humane Society Warns Humans– Dangerous Foods for Your Pets

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ome foods that are considered good for people can be very dangerous for pets.

The list below highlights some of the most common foods that can be dangerous to animals.

This is not an exhaustive list and any decision to provide your pet with food not specifically intended for animals should be discussed with your veterinarian or pet nutritionist.

For more information on foods that could be dangerous to pets, visit the American Animal Hospital Association’s Healthypet.com website.

The following foods can harm your pets and you should keep them apart from each other.

• Alcoholic beverages • Apple seeds • Apricot pits • Avocados • Cherry pits

• Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol) •C offee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans) • Grapes • Hops (used in home beer brewing) • Macadamia nuts • Moldy foods • Mushroom plants • Mustard seeds • Onions and onion powder • Peach pits •P otato leaves and stems (green parts) • Raisins • Rhubarb leaves • Salt • Tea (caffeine) • Tomato leaves and stems (green parts) • Walnuts • Yeast dough

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Q Scopes By Jack Fertig

Be very careful, Cancer!

Mercury entering Virgo and Mars into Libra boost urges to be so helpful with suggestions that intended “beneficiaries” won’t want to hear. As these planets trigger discord with Neptune, Uranus and Saturn, political yammering will get louder and uglier. Listening and adapting are the keys to success.

ARIES (March 20 – April 19): Let the other person take the lead.Think through any criticisms before you offer them.Think of it not as being subservient, but rather as honing your own effectiveness and a challenge to better discipline.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20): While your health is a bit vulnerable right now, the best thing you can do is stay calm, don’t worry about it.

Look for some activity you can enjoy, maybe yoga or a sport, to help you stay in shape.

GEMINI (May 21- June 20):Ask not what your community can do for you; your creative intelligence and long-range vision can be very helpful – or you can just be bitchy.

More than yet another Bette Davis impression, we need brilliant vision.

Push yourself, honey!

CANCER (June 21- July 22): Keeping quiet and focusing on work can be a real challenge! Blow off steam chatting with a sisterly pal. Keep aware of scandals and machinations at work. If you can’t steer clear of those situations, trust your instincts, but be very careful!

LEO (July 23 – August 22):Your arguments now reflect more of your own personal insecurities than you want to admit, even to yourself. Stretch your own intellect and your sensitivity to others by working harder to see where they’re coming from.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22): Self-criticism is necessary to selfimprovement, but it can be overdone!

Give yourself the same latitude you think your loved ones should give themselves. Improvements in diet and exercise can best be achieved working with your partner or a friend.

Solution to Crossword Puzzle on page 26

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22):Your worries are likely exaggerated and misplaced.The truth from a close friend may sting or shock you.

That’s when you really need to listen!

Creative re-framing can free from worries you can’t solve to handle problems you can.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21):As real as your greatest fears seem, the most crucial factor in any of it is your health, and fear only undermines that. Parental influences may be exaggerating your fears.

Friends can help you find solutions to your problems.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 20):Accept criticism from bosses and friends for whatever constructive value you can find there.

Apply lessons from sports or some outré artistic inspiration.Allow more friendly criticism to hone that and you could win a reputation for genius.

CAPRICORN (December 21 – January 19): Hard work is, as ever, the key to success.Tenacity is for your goals, not your process. New analytical approaches and odd ideas that pop up at home will help you work not just harder, but smarter.

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18):Any little thing might set you off on some huge tirade. Of course, it’s no small thing to you!

The fireworks could be amusing to others, but think ahead if you want to be among those laughing later.

PISCES (February 19 – March 19): Have a heart-to-heart with your partner over what is important in your relationship and what adjustments need to be made. Single? Pay attention to sexual and social dissatisfaction as clues to what you need to work on.

Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is available for personal and business consultations in person in San Francisco, or online everywhere. He can be reached at 415-864-8302, through his website at www.starjack. com, and by e-mail at QScopes@ qsyndicate.com.

GLBX Becomes a Council Elects Board of Governors to Lead Organization

By Joey Amato

A

little over a year ago, local businessmen Mark Ketchum and Mark Budwig met with Dan Lindblade, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, with the intention of forming a new group called the Gay & Lesbian Business eXchange (GLBX). The group witnessed tremendous growth due to grass-roots marketing efforts and, as a result, now includes over 150 members. That milestone has resulted in the GLBX officially becoming a council within the Chamber of Commerce.

“Becoming a council means that the organization will now have a seat on the board of directors of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce,” says Lindblade. This position will give the GLBX the ability to vote on all issues in regards to the future growth and expansion of the chamber.

Julian Cavazos, the former membership director of GLBX, has been appointed chairman of the board of governors and is committed to the continuing growth of the council.

“We have come a long way in such a short period of time,” he says. “I am really proud of our members and hope that we continue on the path to growth and success.” Ilene Burliner

Donn Rubin

will serve as co-chair of the council.

Donn Rubin, mortgage banker at Academy Mortgage Corporation, has been involved with the organization since its inception and has witnessed first-hand its explosive growth. “Being granted council status was only a matter of time,” Rubin says. “The GLBX, under the watchful eyes of Ilene Berliner, Mark Ketchum and Mark Budwig, has allowed the gay business community to come together in a meaningful and productive way.”

Through leads groups and networking events, GLBX has garnered a repu-

tation for being the preeminent gay and gay-friendly business group in the region.

According to Victor Flores, board member and owner of Fast Printz, Imaging and Design Studio, the networking possibilities offered by the organization are priceless. “GLBX has afforded my company with the opportunity to make meaningful and essential business contacts within our community,” he says. His involvement has resulted in Fast Printz becoming a household name in Wilton Manors.

Greg Hardy, Owner of SOLUTIONS Insurance Services, is proud of the organization’s growth. “We’ve come a long way since the first GLBX event in 2008 and we have a lot more to accomplish now that we have become a council,” he says. “GLBX has become a major source of business for us. Especially since the leads group formed earlier this year.” Hardy was also recently elected to be a member of the board.

In addition, the following members have been elected to serve on the board of directors: Robert Boo, Mark Budwig, Chris Caputo, Michael Faerber, David Feinberg, Drew Miller, Geph Scarr, and Chad Thilborger.

For more information or to join the organization, visit Ftlchamber.com/glbx.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Catching My Breath

Crushing, at Any Age

By A. Sebastian Fortino ‘Catching My Breath’ is a personal reflections column about gay life.

If you want to ‘catch your breath,’ submit your stories to editor@southfloridagaynews.com’

By A. Sebastian Fortino

G

iven that man is the only species blessed with intellect and rationality, why isn’t there an age limit on that “little death” known as crushing?

This is an awkward piece to write, but it must be done. If you are an artist or writer, you know that the best way to explore and think about issues in your life is to use them as impetus to make art. At SFGN we believe: “To thine own self be true.” That I am putting myself in the public forum with the “crushing question” is a means of confession, a reversal of catharsis.

Having a crush on someone is a sophomoric stage in which you find yourself doing silly things. Personally, I listen to Connie Francis, June Christy, Weezer, and Depeche

Mode on repeat. Yet we all race to our cell phone when it sounds, hoping it’s them. As you run to the phone adrenaline surges, your throat goes dry, your spirits fly high above you. You recall Vicky Carr’s song, “The Telephone,” about a woman who wants to play it cool, but still sits by the phone. One of the main lines is, “It must be him.”

However, it’s not.

Well, at 31, I thought I am the only one above 21 who still goes through “crushing.”

Especially now that I have been in adult relationships for 10 years, meaning college boyfriends don’t count. Not that they ever did, in retrospect.

Needless to say, every time I start to crush on someone it’s a very odd, mood-swinging time. One minute, the possibility of a future with the guy in question seems imminent,

and perfect. One feels as if you have attained the high that the American Songbook compares to spring, and stars over the unlikely state of Alabama.

Then a few minutes later all hope is lost, dashed, it never existed. He hates you because you need to work on your abs. His “Why do you like me?” now means: “I hate you. Why are you stroking my thigh?”

You want to watch TV but every commercial with a couple makes you think a) you’ll be single forever, or b) he’s in love with you. Disastrously, almost all commercials seem to have a couple in them. Between commercials, when there’s a knock on your door, you spray on cologne, hoping it’s him. Instead you find the building’s caretaker, brandishing a dog turd in a shovPortrait of the Marquis d’Afflito (On a Staircase), el, asking if you know to whom 1926 by Tamara de Lempicka. it belongs. She tells you that you Courtesy of www.tamara-de-lempicka.org smell like a “French whore.”

Since I have been in the “I hate men” ugly head and reminds me I wouldn’t want stage for 6 months now, I was very surprised that either.

That’s when the joy of the crushing, the when I had someone who—like me—has been hurt a lot start to cuddle with me on endorphins, the unexpected texts and sentithe sofa, and in bed. Adamantly, we have ments become vainglorious wastes of time. not come to any conclusion, other than That I’m not worth it. That no one will ever really love me. That no amount of Connie there might be something there.

Rather than lose myself in an abyss of Francis singing “If I Didn’t Care” will join confusion and self-doubt over my “emo- us in a love so strong that we will merge like Siamese twins who, if taken apart, will die. tional maturity,” this time I asked friends.

Until of course, the next text message.

“It’s happening again,” I tell my brother.

Recently, in the throes of crushing, afHe responds, “Stop being a silly fag.” My editor in New York is more colorful. “Oh ter I finished a bottle of wine and tried to Christ, here we go again. Can’t you just be engross myself in an arcane Russian film, I content to bask in the happiness and misery had had enough. I went into the bathroom, looked into the mirror and said, a la Cher in of other people’s relationships?”

One friend said via chat: “You need to Moonstruck, “Snap out of it!” Then I went crush. If you don’t crush that means you to my laptop and emailed a sex therapist, have given up hope on love.” A few other Dr. Arlen Leight, whom I have interviewed.

I asked him if at 31 crushing is a sign of friends concurred, but the majority of being emotionally immature. He replied friends are clearly there to appease you.

However, I think I finally figured out why that if there is “no crush, there is no pasmy crushing bothers me. Not because I sion… no passion, no future.”

Frankly, that sucks! When you look up don’t think the person likes me but because I fear the possibility of a break-up. I fear the definition of “crush” it spits back somethat embarking on this or any such journey thing about adolescence. I am not sure if once more will only lead to “singlehood” my current crushing is going anywhere. I again. That no amount of promises, kisses, am not sure if I want it to fizzle, or blossom. cuddles, and nights in each other’s arms will I just know that if it goes away, if he goes away, then there will be no more thrills, no mean a permanent union.

I feel as if being rid of the crush would more endorphins, no more cuddling and— be best. Yet, then again, “crushing” rears its ultimately—no possibility.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

S P O R T S

GLAD All Over Sports

By Dan Woog

H

oward Cosell once called sports “the toy department of human life.” So why would an LGBT legal organization – one whose mission is challenging barriers in areas like marriage, the military and the workplace – worry about toys like softball, and toy chests like gym class?

Because sports is “a social institution writ large – one from which LGBT people are still largely excluded.” That’s the view of Ben Klein, and he should know. He’s an attorney with Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defender – a Boston-based legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression.

Klein works with litigation assistant Jamal Brown on GLAD’s Homophobia in Sports project. Now in its initial, factfinding phase, the project hopes to use the courts to bring about equal rights for gay people – just as it’s done in areas such as AIDS law, immigration and education.

“GLAD works to ensure equal access to a variety of institutions,” Klein says. “But with the exception of the National Council for Lesbian Rights, sports has not been given the attention it needs. It’s the one area in which it’s still largely acceptable to engage in anti-gay epithets and harassment.”

For the last 20 years, Klein says, LGBT organizations – his and others – have focused on “basic rights” like housing and relationships. Sports “didn’t rise to the top of the priority list,” he admits. “We weren’t even thinking about them.”

Now they are.

“Athletes are being forced out of sports, or kicked off teams, for being gay,” Brown says. “And coaches are being fired, or prevented from being hired, because of their sexuality or gender identity.”

Taking a lawyerly approach, GLAD realized it needed to assess the situation before rushing to court. Last fall, the organization developed a survey aimed at athletes, coaches, sports-related employees and ca-

sual recreation users. The goal was to understand their experiences – positive and negative – in athletics.

The most common finding, according to Klein, was “the prevalence of homophobic slurs.” Whether malicious or merely careless, the comments made in locker rooms and on playing fields make LGBT people uncomfortable, wary of coming out – even causing them to leave teams.

But is an unwelcoming environment actually illegal?

“If there is a clear-cut situation in an educational setting – in a state with an anti-discrimination law that includes sexual orientation – we could bring a case,” Klein replies.

In a state without a gay-rights statute, a case could be filed charging sexual harassment – provided the comments or actions were sexual in nature.

In the case of a coach, charges could be brought under “hostile environment” workplace laws.

Of course, none of this is a slam dunk.

“It’s hard to find people who are willing to sue, and have a legitimate case,” Klein says. “We can’t just snap our fingers and find the right case.”

To bring a harassment claim, someone must report it – for example, pervasive slurs or bullying – to someone in a school or workplace. Then, school officials or employers have to ignore it.

Such reporting is rare, Klein says. “People don’t feel comfortable talking about it; they don’t know who to report it to, or they don’t think it will be addressed even if they do say something.”

Part of GLAD’s mission, Klein says, is to educate LGBT people, school officials and employers that they must create an environment in which anti-gay harassment can be reported – and publicize a process for doing so. Lawsuits are a last resort.

The surveys have not yet reached a broad spectrum of gays and lesbians. “It’s hard to find people having the most significant problems,” Klein says. “They may be less connected to groups we’re targeting,

or they feel isolated because of what’s happened to them.” (Anyone wishing to fill out the survey can GLAD’s online sports survey: glad.org/sports find it at www.

Despite varying levels of knowledge about glad.org/sports.)

Klein calls sports one of homophobia’s fi- – and interest in – sports, GLAD staffers have nal frontiers. “In our efforts to address vari- embraced Klein and Brown’s efforts. “People ous areas of society, the LGBT rights move- here are really excited,” says Klein. “They ment in general has paid scant attention to understand the principles behind this.”

Brown brings special cachet to the cause. A athletics. Some of that may come from a bit of ambivalence in our country about the track star at Ivy League Dartmouth College, Klein calls him “our resident athlete. He has world of sports.”

Some comes from ignorance. “I came out invaluable insights into the sports world. Me in 1979,” Klein says. “I didn’t think gay peo- – I’m just an aging recreational athlete.”

But one with a law degree – and a passion ple were athletes. But we can’t address barriers in society without talking about sports.” for equal rights, wherever injustice lurks.

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July 28, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com