The Pride Issue 26, October 6, 2017

the pride 10.06 – 10.19.2017ISSUE NUMBER 26, VOLUME 2

WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM

| OCTOBER 6 – 19, ‘17

LOS ANGELES

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THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER

THE GOLDEN AGE OF GAY PODCASTING?

Werk It! Festival Brings Queer Voices to the Forefront

Kathy Tu is the co-host of WNYC’s “Nancy,” a podcast about queer identity.

MORE ON PAGE 6

Photo: WNYC Studios.

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What is TRUVADA for PrEP?

Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?

TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex.

This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you:

Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.

While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. ® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.

What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis.

® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA.

® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

® All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.

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I'm passionate, not impulsive.

I know who I am. And I make choices that fit my life.

TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you.

Learn more at truvada.com

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IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.

(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative.

• Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1.

• You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

• See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information.

TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1.

• To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status.

• Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.

HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1.

• Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

• Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices.

• Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

• Bone problems.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight.

These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.

BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis.

• Have any other medical conditions.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.

HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners.

• Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

• Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

• Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.

GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection.

• Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.

TRUVADA FOR PREP, the TRUVADA FOR PREP Logo, the TRUVADA Blue Pill Design, TRUVADA, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0139 07/17

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10.06 – 10.19.2017 NEWS

POLITICS

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LOS ANGELES

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SWEPT UNDER THE RUG

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

The Controversial Death of Gemmel Moore When a West Hollywood citizen was found dead of an overdose in July, the community spoke out.

When 26-year-old Gemmel Moore was found dead at the West Hollywood home of a key Democratic donor this July, the media took notice.

“Male prostitute, 26, dies of meth overdose at Hollywood home of high-profile Democrat donor,” the Daily Mail headline read. An L.A. Times article was quick to discuss the differences between Moore and Ed Buck, the man whose home he was found dead in.“Moore was 26, black and poor. He had been homeless and had worked as an escort.

Buck was 62, white and wealthy, a well-known figure in LGBTQ political circles.”

It didn’t take long for citizens of West Hollywood to start wondering whether Moore’s death had been the accident that the coroner proclaimed it to be.

Jasmine Abdullah of the Pasadena chapter of Black Lives Matter spoke at a public hearing on September 23 of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission on policing and human relations in the LGBTQ community and among

women of color.

“We know things are going on in West Hollywood, where there’s drugs, there’s sex, there’s sex work,” Abdullah said. “But we know that nobody is out there because they want to be.They’re out there because they have to be.”

This hearing – the sixth one of its kind, aimed at helping the Commission build a bridge between its LGBTQ+ community of color and the Los Angeles County police department – heard testimony from many different coalitions, including Gender Justice LA, TransLatin@ Coalition, and the San Fernando Valley’s Somos Familia Valle.

The problem of Gemmel Moore’s death and the silence surrounding it by local Democrats was discussed, with suspicions surrounding the nature of Moore’s demise coming quickly to the forefront.

Jerome Kitchen, a close friend of Moore’s, testified that, when it came to Moore’s case: “There was no investigation. There was no background check into who Gemmel was or the relationship between Gemmel and the individual in whose home he was found dead in. Right away Gemmel was deemed a black homeless gay sex worker who died of a drug overdose.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to look into Moore’s case.

Photo: Latisha Nixon.

Gemmel Moore poses with his mother Latisha Nixon.

⚫ ENTERTAINMENT PODCASTS

10.06 – 10.19.2017

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FROM THE COVER

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

The Gay Golden Age of Podcasting?

Werk It! Festival Brings Queer Voices to the Forefront.

When Kathy Tu and Tobin Low’s podcast “Nancy” came out via WNYC earlier this April, it was announced by way of a two-minute prologue promising “a show about all things LGBTQ and beyond.” But it wasn’t going to be “‘Will and Grace’ the podcast,” and it wasn’t going to be your average gay pop culture show. Low and Tu made that clear from the start.“Nancy” was going to be a show about “the experience of living as a queer person,” as Low later told TIME magazine, ”and not about the idea of queerness.”

This subtle but important distinction was the subject of talks at this year’s Werk It! Festival, a gathering of women-headed podcast creators, diverse hosts and producers from the podcasting world from October 3-5.Werk It!’s focus was on how to diversify the podcasting industry from top to bottom, both in terms of gender and race.And when it comes to discussions of diversity, more often than not, Tobin Low’s choice of experience

over abstraction wins out.

Because podcasting is a non-visual medium, it comes with different strengths, and different risks, than more traditional media outlets. It can also allow for shows that play with a listener’s expectations in new and interesting ways.

“By the way,” Tu says at the end of the “Nancy” teaser, “we're both Asian. You thought you were listening to white people this whole time.

That's on you.”

The history of podcasting, in its current iteration, spans only some 13 years. In the past three of those years alone, we’ve seen something of a golden age of podcasting, with shows getting deeper, more complex, and psychologically developed when it comes to discussions of the human condition. The podcasting landscape has also become extremely diverse, with queer voices and people of color creating some of the most praised and downloaded podcasts across the country: Tracy Clayton and Heben Nigatu’s “An-

other Round,” Crissle and Kid Fury’s “The Read,” Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson’s “2 Dope Queens” and Tu and Low’s “Nancy” just to name a few.The stats, however, reflect a different reality.

According to a study by Transom, in 2013 women were only in 20 percent of iTunes’ top 100 podcasts, with 11 shows hosted by women and 9 shows co-hosted by women.

By 2017, women were in 33percent of the top 100 podcasts on the Apple Podcasts chart, according to a WNYC Studios analysis. Of these shows, 21percent were hosted by women, 12percent were co-hosted by women and the other 67percent hosted by men.

The current studies don’t begin to reflect the industry breakdown of queer voices, voices of color, and other elements of industry diversity.

This was what the Werk It! Festival was designed to do: Figure out how to diversify the current podcasting climate and amplify the voices in the industry that are already making a difference.

This year, for the first time,Werk It! took place in Los Angeles.

“It was a confluence of it being the entertainment capital and people wanting to get together.”

Said David Coltrone, a publicist at WNYC. Before Kathy Tu was at WNYC as the co-host of “Nancy,” she’d been working on some of the most successful podcasts on air, like Nate DiMeo’s “The Memory Palace” and “The Mortified,” a “Moth”-like podcast where adults record their most embarrassing stories for a live audience.

“I realized when I left a show,” said Tu, “they had really valued having a woman on their team.

When I was leaving, they really wanted to replace me with another woman.And I didn’t realize I was giving them that until I was leaving. It wasn’t some-

Photo: Werk It! Festival, 2016.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting President Pat Harrison took the stage at last year’s festival.

thing I was thinking about.”

Tu believes that an important aspect of bringing out diverse voices in podcasting is focusing on building an all-around diverse staff.

“In the conferences I go to, there’s almost always a diversity panel,” Tu said. “The same thing gets talked about each time: We need representation, how do we get it? I think it’s important to have representation in various roles through the company, not just as talent or as front-facing roles of being hosts. It feels like we’re still in the place of trying to do better but not quite there yet.”

This year’s Werk It! Festival featured live performances and discussions by the people behind a few of the most boundary-pushing podcast on air, including “2 Dope Queens” with Jessica Williams and guest co-host Naomi Ekperigin, BuzzFeed’s “Another Round” with special guest Amber Rose, and “Death, Sex & Money” with special guests Niecy Nash and Alia Shawkat. “Master of None” writer and recent Emmy winner Lena Waithe was also in attendance. Kathy Tu’s panel was called “Don’t Point,” and featured Rebecca Carroll the Editor for Special Projects at WNYC, Nigel Poor, the producer of Ear Hustle, and Moderator Aminatou Sow, the co-host of “Call Your Girlfriend.”

The concept of “Don’t Point” was simple: “It’s about how to talk about people who are different from yourself,” said Tu. “I basically try to say something more than ‘don’t do it!’”

What Werk It! has tried to do, since first launching in 2015, is to bring discussions of diversity and change in podcasting to the forefront. As a growing, quickly-changing facet of the entertainment industry, podcasting is becoming more and more influential as a medium. As exciting as the podcasting golden age feels for those of us listening, one fact still remains: Podcasting is an industry above all else.That means that when it comes to making a change, money is still one of the biggest factors.

“When you’re just starting to freelance,” said Tu.“So much emphasis is placed on trying to make money that you take what you can get in terms of jobs. And it’s kind of a bummer that there isn’t much representation in the field now. The entire genre could do better.”

As with most things, “doing better” across the podcasting industry and the entertainment industry comes down to funding. ”You still need backing, and it’s hard because if companies with the resources to back shows by people of color aren’t using those resources to do that, those podcasts aren’t getting made,” Tu said.

Edison Research just came out with a study showing that close to a quarter of Americans listen to podcasts regularly, with the top 10 iTunes podcasts averaging one million downloads per episode. With more and more Americans tuning in daily, podcasting might be the medium to bring about the country’s next great creative renaissance. Or they might just continue to help us keep their eyes and ears open to change.

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In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What Is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).

Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:

Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?

Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.

Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant?

• Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother?

• It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines?

If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi?

For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

Rx Only Manufactured by Patheon, Inc. for Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94105 Copyright © Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.

Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com.

NP-390-21

• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

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B:10 in

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T:10 in S:10 in

© 2017 Cedars-Sinai

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Sometimes I underestimate.

Sometimes I search it.

Sometimes I put it off.

Sometimes I freak out.

But, I trust my Cedars-Sinai doctor every time.

cedars-sinai.edu 1-800-CEDARS-1

T:11.7 in

Sometimes I overreact.

B:11.7 in

Sometimes I just ignore it.

S:11.7 in

Sometimes I self-diagnose.

10.06 – 10.19.2017 ENTERTAINMENT FILM

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

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LOS ANGELES

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GAY L.A.

How the Menendez Murders Became a Queer Cult Favorite The story of the cult case that made Dominick Dunne question his intuition gets twistier by the minute.

Most of us know the bare bones details of the story of the Menendez Murders. If not, they go like this: On August 20, 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their parents, José Menendez, 45, and his wife, Kitty, 47, while they watched television in their Beverly Hills home. José was a powerful Hollywood executive, and he had recently changed his will to leave his sons less than the full $14 million estate they had come to expect. The brothers initially tried to blame the killings on the Mafia, but after blowing a ton of cash after their parents’ death, they fell under instant suspicion.

Legacy crime reporter Dominick Dunne covered the case, quite famously, for Vanity Fair, starting with a long 1990 essay called “Nightmare on Elm Drive.”

Dunne was famous for always siding with the prosecution, especially after the grisly murder of his own daughter (and “Poltergeist” actress) Dominique Dunne by her boyfriend in 1982. But as he came to know the brothers Menendez, Dunne started to question what he knew, and what he thought he knew.

Erik Menendez confessed the crime, first to his friend and screenwriting partner Craig Cignarelli, and then to his therapist L. Jerome Oziel, in October of the same year. And then the real story came out.

Erik and Lyle Menendez’s defense relied heavily on their claims of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by their father José.While Dominick Dunne at first dismissed these claims as a cheap ploy for

the defense, he later wondered if he had gotten it wrong.While Dunne maintained that the Menendez case lacked “a single sympathetic character,” he also was able to get strangely close to Erik, and to Erik’s close friend Craig Cignarelli, of whom Erik said to photographer Philip Kearney, according to The Wrap: “If I was gay, Craig [Cignarelli] would be my boyfriend.”

The Wrap also states: “There was a strain of homosexuality running through the trial,” said the prosecutor, Pamela Bozanich, whom Dunne quickly befriended. “We knew Erik was gay and having oral sex with the inmates.” They also knew of homoerotic photographs taken of Erik. In addition, Dunne liked to gossip about Erik’s possible physical attraction to his high school friend Craig Cignarelli, a witness for the prosecution. Dunne and Bozanich even speculated on why Judge Weisberg often disallowed the word “homosexual” in the courtroom.”

This “strain of homosexuality,” of course, refers to the crimes the Menendez brothers accused their father José of perpetrating upon them, including anal and oral sex from the time they were children onward. Erik’s sexual life in prison has also been the cause of much speculation – some of it absolutely wild – when it comes to the press.

Much has been made even of the fact that comedian and Gay icon Kathy Griffin received a painted portrait from Erik Menendez which he painted in prison in 2010.

“It was really a very, very gossipy case,” ABC’s Dan Abrams told The Wrap. It remains just as gossipy as ever today, with a new television adaptation – starring Edie Falco as Menendez attorney Leslie Abramson – having just launched its first episode on NBC. There’s no denying that when it comes to certain stories, the passage of time only makes things appear less clear and far more fascinating.

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Call 800.209.BANK (2265), visit a local branch, or go to usbank.com/dreambig

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Left to Right: Leslie Abramson defended brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez in a 1992 court hearing.

Photo: Associated Press.

“World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.

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⚫ NEWS

HEALTH

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

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FREE VACCINE CLINICS

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

Gay Men at Higher Risk During Hepatitis A Outbreak in L.A. County

After a wave of Hepatitis A outbreaks in both Santa Cruz and San Diego Counties, the spate of infections has hit Los Angeles County.

The Public Health Department for Los Angeles County confirmed that, of the 10 known Hepatitis A cases, at least two of those cases were contracted in Los Angeles city. Homeless individuals are seen as the highest risk population for contracting the disease.

Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, the interim health officer for L.A. County, wrote in a statement: “Public Health has been proactively preparing for an outbreak for some time and is working diligently to prevent spread in local communities. Our priorities are to keep all our residents both safe and well informed of the situation. Vaccination is the best protection against Hepatitis A. With

this in mind, our outreach teams and clinics are offering free vaccines to persons who are homeless, active drug users, and those who provide services and support to those individuals.”

Hepatitis A is most commonly transmitted through food and beverages, contaminated cups, spoons, and other eating utensils, and shared restrooms. Since Hep A can also be transmitted via sexual contact and touch, sexually active gay men have a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Public health clinics across Los Angeles County have begun offering free vaccinations to fight the outbreak. To find a clinic near you, call 211 or visit the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website at publichealth. lacounty.gov.

Photo: Thinkstock.

Gay men are at greater risk for contracting sexually transmitted Hepatitis A.

NEWS

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

⚫ BY STAFF WRITER

>

WEHO CITY COUNCIL

The “Take The Knee” Movement Reaches Local Council Since Colin Kaepernick’s famous 2016 protest, the “Take The Knee” movement has trickled down to local governments across the U.S.

In sports, games traditionally begin with a patriotic song like the “Star Spangled Banner” or “America the Beautiful,” during which players are expected to stand and salute. In schools and government meetings, students and officials are expected to do the same while reciting the pledge of allegiance. Ever since NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, previously of the San Francisco 49ers, decided to kneel in protest during an August 2016 game while the “Star Spangled Banner” played, a broader movement has spread across the country, now reaching the level of local governments and city councils across the U.S. Last week, New York City Councilmembers

knelt outside City Hall to show their solidarity with the NFL players who continue to kneel in protest and recognition of the country’s history of racial violence. This week, West Hollywood City Councilmember Lauren Meister asked her Facebook followers if she and her fellow councilmembers should do the same at the start of a meeting on Monday, October 2, when the West Hollywood City Council would convene for one of its bimonthly meetings.

The post sparked a flurry of responses from West Hollywood citizens, all of whom felt strongly about one side of the argument or the other. Most commenters felt that “taking a knee” was the right thing to do. Others found the act disrespectful.

The discussion on Meister’s page was a microcosm of the discussion the entire country is partaking in when it comes to peaceful protest. On Monday’s meeting, the West Hollywood city council opted to stand for the pledge. When it comes to city council participation all over the states, time will tell whether or not the “take a knee” movement grows.

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

October 6-8, 2017 THE REEF | 1933 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA The inaugural Objects of Art Show LA will bring together an extensive collection of historic to contemporary art that includes antiques, vintage fashion, jewelry, furniture, books, tribal, folk, American Indian art, works on paper & canvas and more. The range is vast, the selection is discerning, and the result is an exhibition of exceptional objects of art.

General Show Info | Saturday - Sunday | October 7 - 8 | 11am - 6pm | $20

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ObjectsOfArtShows.com

⚫ 11

⚫

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

12

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY

>

THE “AMAZON OF WEED”

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

Does Tökr Have What it Tokes?

GET 200 $

1

IN VALUE

ON SELECT PLEASANT HOLIDAYS VACATIONS TO HAWAI`I, MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN DURING THE EXCLUSIVE

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The Cannabis app with a local edge could be the standout startup of the year.

Cannabis culture is going to see a major shift come 2018 when the smoking and consumption of weed finally becomes legal.

Looking ahead to this bright, very near future, Brian Campbell and Matt Singer took the opportunity to start their company, Tökr is set to hit the market early next year, and will combine the best features of Yelp, Groupon and Netflix to create a one of a kind online search experience for users and dispensaries alike.

Tökr allows users to easily access dispensary locations, discount deals, and recommendations based on purchase history and interest in certain strains. The app will also share relevant information with dispensaries. So if the majority of users in a certain area prefer a certain strain, dispensaries serving the area will be aware of it. For instance, through surveys and beta testing, Tökr was able to determine that over 80 percent of West Hollywood smokers prefer the indica strain. Information such as this gleaned from the app will then be translated into profit: Dispensaries can also use the app to better serve customers by picking up on trends and analytics to show when a customer is looking for product and what

they’re looking for. "We're providing a free solution for customers and dispensaries.

With the data we're collecting, we're able to break down who's claiming deals or viewing menu items, and taking all that information to identify industry trends," Campbell told LA Weekly. So whether you’re a Glassell Park toker who can’t get enough sativa or a Beverly Hills hybrid addict, your local dispensary will soon know it.

The startup is based in Venice, which is also home to a vast stretch of Silicon Beach, the tech incubator that’s given L.A. a ton of its most lucrative startups. With legalized adult use of marijuana about to launch in 2018, cannabis culture will no longer be defined by those who frequent Venice Beach drum circles: From West Hollywood to Malibu to East L.A., Tökr is the app to cater to that new and soon to be booming culture.

The app will serve beyond Venice and reach to dispensaries all over the city while possibly expanding out of state toward Oregon.

Currently working with dispensaries about 40 dispensaries including Green Goddess and 99 High Tide, Tökr plans to branch out even more. Singer said to LA Weekly, "We want higher-end dispensaries to promote the forward-thinking brands in the industry. That's what people are comfortable to go get as you modernize this industry and make our grandparents comfortable with cannabis."

Tökr is currently available on Google Play and iTunes.

O`ahu, Hawai`i

CALL: 310.855.6000 CLICK: AAA.com/Travelsale VISIT: AAA Travel 8761 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 1 The value listed is per booking and equals the total of a $150 savings per booking3 on select vacations plus the $50 activity voucher4. 2Gift Card offer only valid on bookings made through Automobile Club of Southern California. Minimum purchase required to qualify for Gift Card offer. Maximum one (1) Gift Card offer per household. Offer valid only on new bookings made on or after September 30, 2017 which are under full deposit no later than October 14, 2017 for travel commencing no later than December 31, 2018. Gift Card will be provided to lead client/trip payee following trip final payment. Bookings of $2,500 – $4,999 qualify to receive a $25 Gift Card; bookings of $5,000 – $9,999 qualify to receive a $50 Gift Card; bookings of $10,000+ qualify to receive a $100 Gift Card. Valid only on cruise or tour bookings provided through one of AAA’s preferred travel providers; not valid on Fly/Drive packages. The program’s gift card merchants are subject to change at any time and are not endorsed by or affiliated with AAA, nor are such merchants considered sponsors or co-sponsors of this program, and AAA disclaims responsibility for any products or services purchased using a gift card provided under the program. Gift cards/certificates are subject to the issuing merchant’s terms and conditions. A U.S. address is required for delivery. 3Valid on new bookings made September 1 – October 31, 2017 for travel September 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018. Blackout dates apply December 21, 2017 – January 3, 2018. Requires round trip airfare from the U.S. and minimum 5 nights’ accommodation at a participating hotel or resort. Savings is per booking and is applied at time of booking. Savings is not yet reflected in rates shown. 4Activity voucher does not apply to air/car only booking. Valid toward the purchase of a select optional activity. Not valid for hotel direct activity bookings.

Offers subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply. Offers may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Travel Sale will take place September 30 – October 14, 2017 during normal business hours. Certain restrictions may apply. AAA members must make advance reservations through AAA Travel to obtain Member Benefits and savings.

Member Benefits may vary based on departure date. Rates are accurate at time of printing and are subject to availability and change. Not responsible for errors or omissions.

The Automobile Club of Southern California acts as an agent for the various travel providers featured at the sale. CTR #1016202-80.

Copyright © 2017 Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.

Photo: Madison Margolin.

Weed startup Tökr has been called the “Amazon of weed.” Founders Brian Campbell and Matt Singer pose in Venice.

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 13

⚫

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

14

>

NEWS

HEALTH

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

Teenager Develops Bra for Breast Cancer-Sensing

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Mexican teen Julian Rios Cantu has developed technology that can alert users to signs of breast cancer even before a mammogram.

which the Eva bra will pick up on. Users only need to wear the bra for 60-90 minutes a week in order to test for measurements. Yet, according to Cantu, the breasts would have to be in the same position during each measurement.

The Eva bra is innovative and a great way for young people like Cantu to think toward creating such technologies, the bra still has to go through rigorous testing in order to be considered for use.

When Julia Louis-Dreyfus tweeted out her Even so, the news of such an invention brings light breast cancer diagnosis last week, she took care to the symptoms and abnormalities that can be to mention that one in eight women is at risk precursors or indicators of breast cancer. Anna for the illness. While the disease is widespread, Perman from Cancer Research UK urged peotechnology has had a hard time keeping up.When ple to let their physicians know immediately of 18-year-old Julian Rios Cantu helped his mother any unusual findings from bumps on the breast to through a cancer diagnosis and double mastecto- redness to chest pain in her interview with BBC. Even then, cancer can my, he decided to take go undetected, as was action. He was only 13 years old when his Since folks across the LGBTQ+ the case with Cantu’s mother almost died spectrum are at risk for contracting mother after a doctor initially told her the from late-detected breast cancer and five the breast cancer, including gay lump she found was not years later he created men and transgender individuals, malignant until a second found Eva, a bra that can de- the Eva bra’s technology could mammogram results that stated othtect breast cancer in end up being extremely beneficial erwise six months later early stages. and ended up removCantu and his three for the community at large. ing both of her breasts. friends co-founded Since the bra uses heat their company Higia Technologies, which won the top prize at the to detect abnormalities and lumps, it’s possible Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. The prize that in later iterations the bra could be used for allowed his project for the Eva bra to be funded people of all genders to detect breast cancer.

Since folks across the LGBTQ+ spectrum are at and come to fruition.

Although the bra is only in its proto stag- risk for contracting the breast cancer, including es, it makes a huge leap in cancer research and gay men and transgender individuals, the Eva bra’s prevention. The Eva bra works by detecting the technology could end up being extremely benefitemperature levels of both breasts. Often when cial for the community at large.

Cantu hopes his Eva bra will be available and someone’s breast is affected by cancerous cells, it can increase blood flow and rise in temperature, ready for the public as early as the end of next year.

1 Early Payment Discount: New bookings only. Prices are per person, land-only, and consider double occupancy (single supplements apply). 10% EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT (EPD): Applies only to tours featuring the EPD in the price panel – see 2018 Luxury Gold brochure for details; itinerary details, departure dates and pricing are subject to change and will be final in October 2017 when the new 2018 Luxury Gold Worldwide brochure is available. OFFERS: based on availability, do not apply to all tours/departures, and may be withdrawn at any time and without notice. PAYMENT: A deposit of up to $550 per person is due within seven days of booking with full payment by January 11, 2018 or 45 days before departure, whichever is sooner. Further restrictions apply. 2Rate is per person, land only, based on double occupancy on the April 7, 2018 departure. 3$150 VISA® Gift Card is valid only on 2018 AAA Vacations Insight Vacations Luxury Gold itineraries. One Gift Card will be given per passenger and will be sent to guests in the official documents prior to departure. Visa Gift Cards are only valid for use wherever Visa is accepted within the United States.

For information about the rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of the credit card or to apply, go to AAA.com/Creditcard, or visit your local AAA branch. Insight Vacations Bonus Points Offer.

You will earn 5 points per dollar spent (consisting of 4 bonus points and 1 base point) on Insight Vacations transaction(s) that have a transaction date from September 1 through October 31, 2017. Purchases made through merchants other than Insight Vacations will not qualify for the bonus points. This promotion will not impact the standard earn rate on purchases or the bonus rewards offers on travel, gas, grocery store and drug store purchases. The value of this reward may constitute taxable income to you. You may be issued an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) that reflects the value of such reward.

Please consult your tax advisor, as neither Bank of America, nor its affiliates, provide tax advice. This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. © 2017 Bank of America Corporation. | #AR8VVYL3

†

Unless otherwise indicated: rates quoted are accurate at time of publication, & are per person, based on double occupancy. Airfare, taxes, surcharges, gratuities, transfers & excursions are additional.

Advertised rates do not include any applicable daily resort or facility fees payable directly to the hotel at check-out; such fee amounts will be advised at the time of booking. Rates, terms, conditions, availability, itinerary, government taxes, surcharges, deposit, payment, cancellation terms/conditions & policies subject to change without notice at any time. Cruise rates capacity controlled. Other restrictions may apply, including, but not limited to baggage limitations & fees, standby policies & fees, non-refundable tickets & change fees with pre-flight notification deadlines, & blackout dates. Fees & policies vary among airlines. Contact airline directly for any details or questions. Advance reservations through AAA Travel required to obtain Member Benefits & savings which may vary based on departure date. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Your local AAA club acts only as an agent for Insight Vacations.

CTR #1016202-80. Copyright © 2017 Auto Club Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Photos: YouTube.

18-year-old Julian Rios Cantu has developed a new technology that uses heat sensors to detect cancer.

10.06 – 10.19.2017

NEWS

HEALTH

>

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 15

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

Fran Drescher Presents Third Annual “Cancer Schmancer” Health Summit Though Fran Drescher’s iconic performance as Fran Fine found her in a caretaking position (in practice, most of what she did to heal the Sheffield family pertained to style and over-the-top manner,) it is in her current stead as the spokeswoman for Cancer Schmancer that she has found herself truly stepping up to the role of au pair – of health and well-being.

Now in its third year, the Health Summit being hosted by Drescher for the Cancer Schmancer organization serves to educate and inform both patients and medical professionals about, among other preventive and healing measures, nutrition, bio-identical hormone replacement and dealing with trauma.

With a wealth of panels and Q&A sessions to choose from, the Health Summit is a great way for cancer survivors and their families to stay updated and informed about methods and technologies for treatment and post-treatment options. Tickets for the day-long event (which commences at 9 a.m. on October 24) start at $300, with VIP packages for $500 featuring a champagne reception with Fran herself, in addition to select speakers from the summit. Esteemed healthcare professionals who will be on hand at the event to discuss key issues and solutions will include Dr. Hyla Cass, Dr. Aly Cohen, Dr. Gail Jackson, Dr. Zuri Murrell, Dr. Mel Kurtulus, Cristina Ferrare, Samantha Harris, Leslie Michaelson, Dr. Zuri Murrell, Dr. Jim Olson, Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Pam Taub.

Funds raised from the gathering will also support Cancer Schmancer’s School Assembly Prevention Program and Early Detection Fran Vans, vans co-partnered with Inner Images Inc. to give marginalized women without insurance options free mammograms.

So get ready to take cancer by the cells with this highly enlightening and supportive occasion. Health Summit will take place at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on 135 N. Grand Avenue. Entrance to the venue can be purchased at www.cancerschmancer. org/whs. Tickets also include breakfast, lunch, and beverages.

Photo: CancerSchmancer.org.

For the past three years, Fran Drescher has been hosting “Cancer Schmancer” summits to raise awareness.

EDITOR

Henry Giardina

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THE PRIDE L.A., The Newspaper Serving Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender L.A., is published by MIRROR MEDIA GROUP. Send all inquiries to: THE PRIDE L.A., 2116 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. Phone: 310.310.2637 Written permission of the publisher must be obtained before any of the contents of this paper, in part or whole, can be reproduced or redistributed. All contents (c) 2017 The Pride L.A. THE PRIDE L.A. is a registered trademark of MIRROR MEDIA GROUP. T.J. MONTEMER, CEO 310.310.2637 x7

© 2017 The Pride L.A. All rights reserved.

⚫ ENTERTAINMENT FILM

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

16

>

HACKTIVISM

⚫ BY CONNOR DUFFEY

The New “Saw” Film’s Marketing Includes Bloody Good LGBT Activism The marketing for the newest film in the “Saw” horror movie franchise, “Jigsaw,” has become an unexpected conduit for LGBT activism.

The film’s new blood drive-focused ad campaign, entitled “All Types Welcome,” aims to protest the rule the Food and Drug Administration instituted in 2015 that requires gay and bisexual men to be sexually abstinent for at least a year before giving blood, citing a risk of HIV infection as a factor.The “Jigsaw” campaign enlisted LGBT-identifying social media stars dressed in eerie nurse costumes, such as transgender nightlife legend Amanda Lepore and gay model Shaun Ross, to make its mark.

Holding blood drives as promotion for the “Saw” films has been common territory for Lionsgate, the film’s production studio, for over a decade. Tim Palen, Lionsgate’s chief brand officer, began setting up blood drives as promotion for “Saw,” the first film in the series, in 2004.The New York Times reports that by 2009, the blood drive promotions had amassed such a wealth of blood

donations, at least 120,000 pints, that the American Red Cross awarded Palen with an award.

“It’s exclusion, it’s ridiculous, and it’s discriminatory,” Amanda Lepore stated to the New York Times, concerning the FDA regulation for gay and bisexual men.

Similarly, Mark Burg, a producer for the Saw franchise, told The Times, “We want this policy changed.”

Though the new celibacy rule was instated only a couple of years ago, there have been restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood since 1983. Lyndsay Meyer, a spokesperson for the FDA, stated to the Times that though the revised rule is not ideal, the FDA feels it represents progress: “‘While acknowledging at the time that the change to a 12-month deferral was less than hoped for by some, the F.D.A. considered this to be a first step,’ Ms. Meyer said, adding that studies are underway to ‘help inform further changes to policy.’ ” A spokesperson for the Red Cross, Jodi D.

Sheedy, echoed a similar message of hopeful inclusivity to the Times: “‘The Red Cross believes all potential blood donors should be treated with fairness, equality, and respect…Accurate donor histories and medically supported donor deferral criteria are criti-

cal’ [to blood supply safety.]”

The “Jigsaw” “All Types Welcome” blood drive campaign will have locations all across the US in October beginning with New York City on October 5th.A full list of dates, locations and more can be found at www.jigsawblooddrive.com.

10.06 – 10.19.2017

ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION

LOS ANGELES

>

⚫ 17

REVIEW: SEASON FINALE

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

“Transparent” Season 4 Suffers from Neglect The groundbreaking show finishes its final season with creator Jill Soloway at the helm.

It’s hard to remember anything about a truly great show except the feeling it gives you afterward. I can’t remember just why I was floored by the “Transparent” pilot when it first aired in 2014. All I can recall is that meeting the Pfefferman family was like nothing I’d experienced onscreen before.

The tragically self-obsessed, often hilariously oblivious members of the that family spoke over one another in a way that was almost shockingly realistic. They dealt with each others’ shortcomings by raising their voices higher. Each person believed their own problems to be the loudest, most important problems in the room – as well as those most deserving of empathy. The scene was set. It was rich, it was new – Jill Soloway had created television’s first truly modern family.

Three years later, with “Transparent’s” fourth season showing up on Amazon not long after Soloway announced that she would be stepping down from the show-

runner role on the show, the Pfeffermans haven’t changed. And that’s the problem.

Season 4 finds all the usual suspects gathered around plates of half-eaten bagels and lox (freshly purchased from Canter’s Deli, where they once had a “standing order”) talking over one another, alienating each other, and keeping secrets. As usual, the 30-minute episode doesn’t spend too much time with any one character, favoring the scattered, mosaic approach Soloway loves. We see the youngest daughter, Gaby Hoffman’s Ali, struggling with a painful childhood memory. We see our beloved matriarch, Jeffrey Tambor’s Maura, keeping back the news of a new relationship, this time with a cisgender male. Meanwhile, Judith Light’s Shelly has moved in with her ambivalent son Josh (Jay Duplass) and Sarah (Amy Landecker) is back with her husband Len – sort of. She’s mainly fantasizing about a woman (the magnificent Alia Shawkat) she encountered at – you guessed it – Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous.

In short, no one has learned their lesson yet. Everyone’s unhappy, and everyone’s dealing with the same bullshit. It’s the pilot all over again. But in the time that’s passed between “Transparent’s” extraordinary first episode and its fourth season, something important happened. Viewers

changed. Our expectations grew and our needs became more complex. The viewership of “Transparent,” in Trump’s America, is very different than the viewership that first encountered the show in the sweet, prelapsarian political climate of 2014. And Trump, for once, actually isn’t all that much to blame. Soloway, in making such a brilliant show in the first place, created a monster: A group of viewers who simply won’t stand for anything less than the full, perfect truth.

Now that “Transparent” has stepped away from that truth and into the realm of caricature, Soloway finds herself hoist by her own petard. She made us smarter, needier, more empathetic viewers, and now we’ve become much harder to satisfy.

So what would actual satisfaction look like in terms of “Transparent?” It’s hard to say. What’s certain is that it wouldn’t look anything like how the fourth season looks, with its heavy-handed criticism of the TSA (Moira receives a pat down for having a “groin anomaly”) and its even heavier-handed discussions of the Israel-Palestine conflict. What happened to “Transparent” in

its fourth season is what happens to some of the best shows in their second, third, and fourth seasons: They begin to take the criticism too seriously, along with the praise. They begin to believe that it is not only possible to be all things to all people – they believe that they are responsible for being all things to all people.

Thus the political hodgepodge of season four, the writing of which sounds, during many scenes, like an overheard discussion of current affairs by college freshman. The too-earnest passion is there, and so is the scatteredness, the faint try-hardness of it all.

One could make the case that “Transparent” started to forget what it was about the minute it took its eye off of Maura, the ostensible main character whose transness was, for some seasons, the point of the show, and its main event. But even that wouldn’t be quite true. When it comes to art that emerges as pure, beautiful, and politically needed as “Transparent” did, it’s only a matter of time before the culture that so desperately needed it begins to need something more.

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“Transparent’s” fourth season is a far cry from its first.

Photo: Amazon.

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⚫ 18

10.06 – 10.19.2017

LOS ANGELES

WHAT’S HAPPENING? ALL-NIGHT HORROR SHOW WHEN: October 7, 7:30 P.M. WHERE: New Beverly Theater WHAT: A night of six rare spooky titles, cartoons, and 12-hours of nonstop horror.

WHY: Halloween is right around the corner BEYOND FEST WHEN: October 7-10 WHERE: The Egyptian Theater WHAT: A festival of classics and contemporary horror and action gems WHY: Edgar Wright in conversation! JeanClaude Van Damme in person! “My Friend Dahmer” on the big screen!

OFF THE HOOK SEAFOOD FESTIVAL WHEN: October 14, all day.

WHERE: Santa Monica Pier WHAT: A festival of the sea! Suck down

The best goings-on around and about L.A., period.

oysters while sipping on cocktails (shrimp and booze-based) and sampling chef demos.

WHY: Proceeds benefit the Westside Food Bank.

WHERE: Skylight Books WHAT: Eileen Myles (hero) reads from her new book about her dog, Rosie.

WHY: It’s a dog memoir.

THE SHINING WHEN: October 14, 12 A.M. WHERE: The Vista Theater WHAT: A big screen rendering of everyone’s favorite Kubrick-King collab!

WHY: Redrum. Redrum.

LADY KILLERS: DEADLY WOMEN THROUGH HISTORY WHEN: October 17, 8 P.M. WHERE: The Last Bookstore WHAT: Tori Telfer reads from her new book about badass female serial killers.

WHY: Female. Serial. Killers.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE WHEN: October 15, 2 P.M. WHERE: ArcLight Hollywood WHAT: A screening of the 30-year old fantasy classic!

WHY: “As you wish.”

EILEEN MYLES TALKS “AFTERGLOW” WHEN: October 17, 7:30 P.M.

YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRROR TOUR WHEN: October 20 - 22 WHERE: The Broad WHAT: A guided tour of Kusama’s miraculous, newly-installed infinity rooms.

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Outside the U.S., the CoolSculpting procedure for non-invasive fat reduction is available CoolSculpting, the CoolSculpting logo, the Snowflake design, and Fear No Mirror are registered Q Aesthetics, Inc. © 2017 IC1964-A

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Reference: 1. Data on file.

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Our CoolSculpting Specialist will tailor a treatment plan designed to achieve your desired results.

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Reference: 1. Data on file.

Results and patient experience may vary. While CoolSculpting is safe, some rare side effects may occur. As with any medical procedure, only your CoolSculpting provider can help you decide if CoolSculpting is right for you. In the U.S., the CoolSculpting procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the submental area, thigh, abdomen and flank. Outside the U.S., the CoolSculpting procedure for non-invasive fat reduction is available worldwide. ZELTIQ, CoolSculpting, the CoolSculpting logo, the Snowflake design, and Fear No Mirror are registered trademarks of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. © 2017 IC1964-A

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Reference: 1. Data on file.

Results and patient experience may vary. While CoolSculpting is safe, some rare side effects may occur. A medical procedure, only your CoolSculpting provider can help you decide if CoolSculpting is right for yo U.S., the CoolSculpting procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the submental abdomen and flank. Outside the U.S., the CoolSculpting procedure for non-invasive fat reduction is availa

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