The Pride Issue 25, Vol 2, September 22, 2017 by THE PRIDE LOS ANGELES

the pride ISSUE NUMBER 25, VOLUME 2 09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

| SEPT. 22 – OCT. 5, ‘17

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THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER

WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM

A LOOK

INSIDE Trending online, opinion feared that L.A. bodegas such as this one in Long Beach were under financial and cultural threat by the new vending machine start-up.

Bodega MORE ON PAGE 6

Photo: Yelp.

bodega

How a new business plan created a giant cultural divide overnight

PERFUME GENIUS HITS L.A. Page 15 Roosterfish Returns

Page 16

Michael Musto’s Next Move

Page 11

The Man Who Brought Sex to Hollywood’s Elite

Page 10

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09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

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 courageous, not careless. 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

8/30/17 3:57 PM

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09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

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. TVDC0159 07/17

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09.22 – 10.05.2017 NEWS

HEALTH

LOS ANGELES

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BERN-ING SENSATION

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

Bernie Sanders Trys to Take the Terror Out of Health Care The progressive politician has been fine-tuning a bill that could guarantee a radical change in healthcare coverage for all Americans.

Some call it radical. Others call it “European-style,” in an effort to make it sound more intimidating (and less inherently American) than it is. No matter what you call it, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ new healthcare plan, titled the Medicare for All Act of 2017, is more than just a band-aid on the face of America’s health crisis – involving ever-rising health

costs and unpayable hospital-related debts for many. It promises to mend the issue of health coverage in a way that doesn’t leave anyone out in the cold. Sanders proposed the act on Wednesday, September 13, and the specifics of the act are these: In four years, private health insurance goes out the window, and every American automatically becomes part of the Medicare for All plan, including children and seniors. The coverage would be broad, with most services coming at almost no extra cost to individuals. This means that, unlike in Canada, services largely considered to be outside the normal purview like eye care and dental will be covered by the government plan. Private companies, in addition, will not be allowed to come in and create competition. So why does this spark terror in the hearts of many Americans? There’s the natural dis-

trust in government that many individuals carry, a fear of having to experience long wait times for crucial procedures, and a fear of not having control over receiving the “best” healthcare money can buy. However, what we think of in America as the “best” treatment usually has to do with money. That’s why it feels easier to trust corporations than the government. According to Vox, under the current system, “An appendectomy can cost anywhere from $1,529 to $186,955, depending on how good of a deal an insurer can get from a hospital.” This large variance in pricing is very much in keeping with the problem of for-profit care in our country. On this season of TruTV’s “Adam Ruins Everything,” there’s an entire episode devoted to the problematics of our healthcare system. Host Adam Conover states: “American healthcare is not the best in the world. But

despite that, we spend more per person annually on healthcare than any other developed nation.” He goes on to explain how, due to a history of American hospitals inflating prices on ordinary items and services, an IV bag that costs less than a dollar to produce shows up on patients’ bills for $137. It’s hard to say how the bill will fare in the current political climate, which keeps handing us surprises at every turn. The one thing we can be certain of is Sanders’ ability to fight to the death for his cause. In his proposal on Wednesday, he stated: “It is not acceptable that 28 million Americans have no health insurance and that even more are underinsured with high copayments and deductibles. The time is now for a Medicare-for-All, single-payer system. Health care must be a right, not a privilege.” We couldn’t agree more.

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09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

> Bodega versus bodega? NEWS

BUSINESS

FROM THE COVER

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

How a new business plan created a giant cultural divide overnight.

On Wednesday, September 13, a basic business profile of a new start-up called Bodega was published on Fast Company. The story got picked up in record speed. But not just the story: Specifically the headline. Or, a variation of the Fast Company headline, which claims that Bodega aims to make actual bodegas – small corner stores from which Bodega takes it name and concept – obsolete. Needless to say, the Internet was not happy. From Complex: “For reasons unknown, some people apparently hate charm. And there's nothing quite like the charm and unmistakable homeliness of your favorite bodega.” From GQ: “Bodega seems to fall neatly into the category of well-intentioned but ultimately pointless startups whose whole business model is predicated on: (1) minimizing contact with brown people, and (2) taking an existing thing and calling it another thing.” It was this “minimizing contact with brown people” line that pickup articles honed in on. On this week’s episode of Black culture podcast “The Read,” host Crissle chose Bodega as her read of the week, explaining: “This doesn’t serve anybody who doesn’t have a personal issue with bodegas….bodegas are everywhere. It’s not inconvenient to get to a bodega at all...The thing about the bodega is that these are in poor neighborhoods, populated by people of color who have been there [for decades.] It’s not enough for y’all to move into these neighborhoods, quadruple the rent, kick out people who can’t afford to stay there no more,...now you just feel so icky and so uncomfortable going down to that bodega with their loud Latino music and their kids congregated outside...it is just such an inconvenience and you feel so uncomfortable and so gross and so much like an outsider...White people go to these places that are populated by people of color who have been in the neighborhood for decades and generations and you feel so uncomfortable because you’re so aware of your whiteness in those spaces that you would rather put those people...out of business.” Versions of this complaint were echoed in articles and Twitter feeds all across the Internet. And while the argument added fuel to the fire, it didn’t cover the way that

Photo: Courtesy Bodega.ai.

Bodega, a new startup led by ex-Google employees, features images of smiley happy people on their website.

the original article used the Bodega profile to make politically charged claims about the endangered future of mom and pop businesses in cities around the country. Can one vending machine service truly be responsible for wiping out a huge cornerstone of American industry? No one sought to find out. In Fast Company’s article, we’re told about a new startup headed up by two ex-Google employees, Ashwath Rajan and Paul McDonald, who secured: “angel investment from senior executives at Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, and Google.” The service: “...sets up five-foot-wide pantry boxes filled with non-perishable items you might pick up at a convenience store. An app will allow you to unlock the box and cameras powered with computer vision will register what you’ve picked up, automatically charging your credit card.” Simple, right? And not that much more controversial than your traditional vending machine. Except for the name: Bodega. As in, corner stores traditionally run, in this country, by people of color, specifically Latinx workers in New York and Los Angeles, where the bodega is most commonly found. And that logo: A bodega cat. The cat image is what the co-founders see as a kind of homage to the idea the bodega holds in American society: A charming, dusty, local convenience store where a cat freely roams the aisles and non-white families man the register. It didn’t take long at all for the Internet

to hit back at McDonald and Rajan, calling their concept appropriation and claiming it was trying to force traditional bodegas out of business. However the founders never claimed that this was their goal, the Fast Company article did. Here is what McDonald actually stated: “The vision here is much bigger than the box itself,” McDonald says. “Eventually, centralized shopping locations won’t be necessary, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you.” With or without Bodega in the running, he’s not far from wrong. With options like Instacart, Drizly, GrubHub, and Blue Apron, the future clearly points to convenience and anti-social activity. In the wake of Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods, the future of traditional shopping seems even more endangered. Whether Bodega existed or not, a ritzy vending machine option would have come along to corner the market by servicing people who want something basic right now and don’t want to leave their office, dorm, or apartment complex to do it. Of course, everyone who read the Fast Company article’s headline had all they needed to go from. From the original title (“Two Ex-Googlers Want To Make Bodegas And Mom-And-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete”) we soon got: From GQ: “Startup Created by Google Bros Aims to Crush Your Local Neighborhood Bodega”

From the New York Times: “Can a Vending Machine Replace a Bodega? A Start-Up’s Plans Draw Fire” From Complex: “Former Google Bros Want to Do Away With Bodegas and People Are Pissed.” Which is not to say that the plan didn’t have its detractors even before Fast Company’s profile. Frank Garcia, the chairman of the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, wants to encourage the actual bodega owners of his membership to disallow the Bodega product from spreading. In Fast Company, Garcia said: “We would ask our Hispanic community not to use the service because they are not really bodegas. Real bodegas are all about human relationships within a community, having someone you know greet you and make the sandwich you like.” This comment about community is what many writers of online pieces echoed in their sentiments (how dare you try to crush the bodega!) in a way that brought the clear class divide between the owners of actual bodegas and the writers of such articles to the forefront. What came out, in between the blaming and shouting and rapidfire pickup of the clickbaity article, was a more troubling relationship between whiteness and what the bodega represents. That “charm” that people speak of. The “quaintness” of a family-run business owned and operated by non-white people for decades. The critics of Bodega spoke out against the annihilation of traditional bodegas – but they revealed something else in the process. All the talk of charm and quaintness and instant nostalgia for something that still exists exposed the fact that, when it comes the class divide, the same upper-class Americans who are likely to use Bodega’s services to buy location-specific (and of course, income specific) goods, like organic ramen and pricey Mrs. Meyer’s cleaner, look on actual bodegas as a kind of sweet, ironic commonplace. The idea of family-run businesses that weren’t made for and by white people? How quaint. Bodega has been in beta for about 10 months. As of September 13, the day the article was published, 50 new locations up and down the West Coast were installed in dorms, offices, and coworking spaces. The fate of Bodega remains unknown, but its story gives us clear insight into the growing class divide that has already been tearing the country apart for the past year. The Bodega debate will most likely rage one, while the gap between rich and poor continues to widen at record speed.

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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

LOS ANGELES

B:10 in

09.22 – 10.05.2017

T:10 in S:10 in

⚫

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.

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

> California on the Road to Sanctuary NEWS

POLITICS

⚫

A FREE STATE

California lawmakers voted to pass Senate Bill 54, increasing protection for California’s immigrant individuals and families.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Los Angeles-based California Senator Kevin de León’s Senate Bill 54 passed by a 27-11 vote, bringing the state of California closer to sanctuary status. After a long period of revisions, SB 54, also known as the California Values Act, was put before California Governor Jerry Brown. The bill, which helps drastically limit federal power over immigrant communities, will come into effect on January 1, should Brown sign off on the revisions. With the exception of Oregon’s less extensive sanctuary law put forward in 1987, this act will represent a unique change in American history, making California not only the first state to claim sanctuary status for its estimated immigrant population of 2.3 million, but one of the first states in the country to make such an act official. Democratic Assemblyman Joaquin Arambu-

la spoke passionately at the meeting, drawing on his experience as the grandson of illegal immigrants. “This bill here today helps some of us to believe that California is a safe place for immigrants, that we are a Golden State.” Senator De León spoke of the importance of the bill in reflecting California’s committed, progressive values, calling SB 54, “a measure that reflects the values of who we are as a great state.” “The California Values act won’t only increase immigrant protection from the federal government. Its intended effect is to help immigrant populations feel safer within their home state in the wake of Trump’s election. According to the Los Angeles Times, the current political climate has caused many immigrant citizens to shy away from asking for legal help, as well as from entering certain spaces altogether. “Some children without legal status were not going to school, [supporters said] while police statistics showed a drop in reports of sexual assault and domestic violence as immigrant victims refused to come forward.” SB 54, once in effect, will make schools, courthouses, and hospitals safe from interference by federal immigration officers.

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⚫

ENTERTAINMENT FILM

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

GAY L.A.

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

In 1950s Hollywood, He Was the Guy to Call For Gay Sex

A new documentary explores the life and times of Scotty Bowers, a “procurer to the stars.”

Sometimes, heroes come in unlikely forms. In fact, sometimes the truest hero is the one who helps get you laid. Especially in a place and time when being gay and discreet was a necessity. That’s just what Scotty Bowers, currently 94-year-old, did for the gay stars of the 1950s Hollywood studio system, a time when even the faintest rumor of queerness was enough to send stars rushing to the nearest altar (Van Johnson, we’re looking at you.) Matt Tyrnauer, the director of 2008’s “Valentino: The Last Emperor” and an upcoming documentary

about the controversial gay politician Roy Cohn, has created a tribute to Scotty Bowers’ legacy in “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood,” a documentary that just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Bowers, an ex-marine who scored a job first as a hustler and then as a procurer to huge Hollywood stars (largely out of luck) first moved to Hollywood after the war, scoring a job at a gas station on Hollywood Boulevard. He quickly turned the job into a much more lucrative gig, after the “Mrs. Miniver” and “How Green Was My Valley” actor Walter Pidgeon propositioned him. His reputation grew from there, and he soon realized he was going to need a bigger brothel. Throughout his career, Bowers helped such stars as Cary Grant (and his partner, the actor Randolph Scott,) Katherine Hepburn, Rock Hudson, and the Duke and

Duchess of Windsor achieve coital bliss with discreet same-sex partners. And he did it all under the radar. “All these people lived in a society where homosexuality was shunned and they had to live lives in the shadows,” Tyrnauer told Vulture. “Now they’ve lived into a period of tremendous openness, by comparison, and it’s interesting to see.” Bowers recently had a hand in writing a book detailing his exploits, aptly titled “Full Service.” The tragedy of how certain lives had to play out during the conservative post-war era is evident in the botched, beleaguered, or straight-up sabotaged careers of actors like Hudson, Sal Mineo, and even

Greta Garbo earlier on. What Bowers did for Hollywood’s gay men and women was a radical act, and the openness with which he speaks about it in “Scotty,” as well as how he speaks about his own fluid sexuality, is as radical as it gets. Like his friend Gore Vidal, Bowers shuns labels, preferring instead to say that he’s “everything.” To be open to things which were so culturally forbidden as to be rendered nearly invisible is no small feat.With Bowers’ help, suffering people didn’t have to shut themselves off to the sexual side of life. And today, at 94, he keeps helping us, as what were once secrets now, thrillingly, come to light.

Photo: Altimeter Films.

The poster for Matt Tyrnauer’s “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood,” which just premiered at TIFF.

09.22 – 10.05.2017 ENTERAINMENT TELEVISION

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 11

MOVIN’ ON UP

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

Former Village Voice Institution Michael Musto to Join LOGO’s

There isn’t much of any trace left of the Old New York. You know, the 1980s brand that millennials are always romanticizing after watching “The Pope of Greenwich Village” and “Desperately Seeking Susan” and begin to somehow delude themselves into thinking they wouldn’t have been murdered on the spot upon crossing from Avenue C to Avenue D. Michael Musto, however, is just such a remaining trace. If you don’t know him from his famed column, “La Dolce Musto,” in the sadly much less relevant The Village Voice (now surrendering to ending their print incarnation,) then maybe you recognize him from one of the many pop culture shows on E!, VH1, et. al, that he has regularly appeared on as a commentator. And lord knows he certainly loves to bill himself as a “Madonna expert” and talk about her (“In the early 1980s, I found myself on a double bill with a rising singer I’d never

heard of; her name was Madonna. My Motown cover band had equal billing, but that clearly eluded Madonna’s team, who saw the downtown club gig as a showcase for her and her alone.”) on whatever show he can, detailing how he shared a bill with her back when he was in a band called The Must and she in one called Emmy and the Emmys. Apart from his brief stint in a band, it was Musto-as-fixture in the downtown scene in its prime that made him illustrious for being the eyes and ears – the original Carrie Bradshaw, if you will – of all things below 14th Street. Musto’s renown and credibility as a journalist further skyrocketed in the late 90s when he was the first to break the story about the murder of drug dealer Andre “Angel” Melendez by Michael Alig, club kid extraordinaire. His trenchant assessment of the NYC club scene gave him the cachet of having a voice

and perspective that no one else at the time (and even now) does. Thus, the natural trailblazing correlation between Musto and cable network LOGO was bound to cross paths at some point (especially with print journalism being what it is today: that is to say, defunct.) Musto will be bringing his usual brand of snark to the network’s website, NewNowNext, with a weekly column called “Musto Unfiltered.” Of the transition to his new role, Musto commented in a press release, “I am thrilled to be joining the excitement at NewNowNext, where I will serve an up-tothe-minute array of hot topics, interviews, and opinions. I will celebrate the underdog—but I will also take no prisoners. As Cher says, ‘Keep your eyes open, bitch.’” Wise words to implement from the woman that inspired the likes of just one of many LOGO staples, Chad Michaels.

Photo: Wikipedia commons.

Legendary columnist Michael Musto has found a new home at LOGO.

⚫

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

HEALTH

PLANNED PARENTHOOD

EQUAL RIGHTS

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

Caren Spruch: The Force Behind Planned Parenthood’s Presence in Hollywood

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It’s not an easy job ensuring that reproductive rights are accurately represented in the media, but someone’s gotta do it – and that someone is Caren Spruch, the Director of Arts & Entertainment Engagement for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. As the mouthful-title suggests, there are many intricacies to what Spruch does. The established names Spruch works with, including Jill Soloway, Rachel Bloom, and Shonda Rhimes, have all helped to forge a positive and authentic representation of the current healthcare landscape when it comes to women and queer people’s reproductive rights. Elsewhere, Spruch has also been a strong driving force behind all that Planned Parenthood memorabilia you’ve probably noticed being flaunted on the red carpet (Emma Stone wearing a logo pin at the Oscars, for example.) Working with actors and writers in the Hollywood community is part of why the depiction of such plot points as a female protagonist getting an abortion have been far less “this is a horrible thing” and much more “this is just a choice I need to make right now” (e.g. on the likes of “Jane the Virgin” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”) As Spruch herself pointed out in an interview with Refinery29, “We’ve seen a lot of progress on portrayals of women’s health in entertainment, especially storylines about abortion on TV… This signals a real and important cultural shift. These storylines work so well because they mirror the decisions and experiences of women all across America with regard to pregnancy and family. Emotionally authentic portrayals of sexual and reproductive health issues on TV and in film are more important now than ever, as women’s health and rights

are under constant attack from politicians.” She was certainly classy enough not to name one specific name in particular with regard to the current attack on women’s rights. But we will! It’s Trump. And, speaking of, the now historic Women’s March that occurred in major cities throughout the U.S. on January 21, 2016 – timed as a cutting statement against the inauguration of the current president – there were plenty of celebs who turned up in the trenches of New York City sporting their Planned Parenthood garb, Amber Tamblyn (pictured with a more apolitical Blake Lively) among the hordes. The invaluable support and sharing of information Spruch and the Planned Parenthood organization has provided is far-reaching in “the way [they] collaborate with producers, directors, writers and actors,” which depends from case to case, but, in general, “[they] can review scripts for medical and legislative accuracy, share the latest data, research and messaging on reproductive and sexual health and legislative issues, arrange consultations with healthcare providers or educators, coordinate filming at Planned Parenthood health centers, generate storyline ideas, and provide T-shirts, posters and other items for set design.” “Broad City: will be the latest in a surge of female-oriented shows to feature Planned Parenthood as a backdrop for one of their episodes, not that Abbi and Ilana haven’t already publicly declared their support for the organization long ago. What it all spells out, of course, is that the future is very much female, and Spruch is just one of numerous women helping to spur it along.

Photo: Wikipedia commons.

Caren Spruch works with Hollywood movers and shakers to bring Planned Parenthood funding to the forefront.

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 13

⚫

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

WALK FOR IT

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

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Amber Rose at 2016’s SlutWalk.

Photo: Courtesy.

What to Expect at This Year’s Amber Rose SlutWalk From nun costumes to live performances, be prepared for a politicallycharged good time.

The transnational movement that is SlutWalk has gained popularity after feminist, socialite, and activist Amber Rose took over the project a few years ago to create Amber Rose’s SlutWalk Festival here in the states. Rose took on the idea of women marching to reclaim the word “slut” and all its negative connotations, calling the march a safe haven for “women who have been through shit.” This year marks the third annual SlutWalk, which will, as usual, take place at Downtown L.A.’s Pershing Square. The event creates an inclusive and supportive space for people to enjoy a time when judgments are set aside and people embrace each other for who they are. Walkers can wear a nun’s habit, wear nothing, or wear anything and everything in between.The only rule is that any racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic or transphobic behavior and other types of harassment will not be tolerated. Any abusive language or actions will not be condoned and are highly encouraged in order to keep the event peaceful and not incite violence. SlutWalk encourages creating conversation, healing, and having a good time. You can come as an activist or just a supporter and hang out in a positive space. It’s an intersectional feminist heaven that people like Amber Rose hope will permeate into everyday culture. There will be on-site HIV testing, sexual awareness booths, and many free condoms. After marching behind Amber Rose and other powerful people in solidarity, there will be many vendors selling refreshments and food, including

L.A. favorites horchata and tacos. Most of the festival takes place after the march with many booths offering pole-dancing classes, vibrators, feminist art and more. Every year garners a list of celebs, expert panelists, and entertainers promoting the feminist message of equality. There are surprise guests each year aside from the lineup and last year’s attendees were graced with the presence of Blac Chyna right before she gave birth to her daughter, Dream. Amber Rose always tries to bring Blac Chyna out but notes that although she believes in feminist ideology she’s not as outspoken and a little shyer. So she may very well be one of the surprise guests this year. Guests will also notice some famous faces among the crowd attending SlutWalk.This year’s lineup includes host Lilly Singh, headliner O.T. Genesis, music by DJ Carisma, a performance by CupcakKe and much more. This year’s Amber Rose SlutWalk also includes a special women’s conference, OPENed, put on by the Amber Rose Power Foundation and USC Dana and David Dornsife College with keynote speaker Debbie Allen. The discussion embraces those who live life on the fringes of society because of their self-expression and encourages families and businesses to be open to accepting them. The festival will also be much different than last year because it is operating under the Trump era where the stakes are higher than ever. Each year there are those who stand outside the event to harass and pickett the movement. How this will translate in a Trump era is unclear, but it’s something that Amber Rose has condemned since the rise of Trump. In an interview with Yahoo last year, she made it clear that she does not tolerate Trump’s behavior against women and it’s the driving force behind SlutWalk.

09.22 – 10.05.2017

ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 15

SMELLS LIKE QUEER SPIRIT

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

Perfume Genius is Having the Best Year Ever The talented singersongwriter has quickly shot up the ranks of gay icon-dom with his latest album, “No Shape.”

When Seattle-based musician Mike Hadreas, better known as Perfume Genius, dropped his fourth album “No Shape” this May, it didn’t take long for people to start buying what he was selling. Partly because what he was selling was totally ambiguous and fully, passionately queer. Hadreas’s vulnerable lyrics and gay-as-hell onstage persona were a refreshing kind of “fuck you” to a country that, in May, was still recovering from the ill effects of November’s election. “No Shape” is itself an album about recovery, relationships, and optimism...and no one can get enough. We sat down with Hadreas before the first wing of his next tour (alongside the British band The xx) begins in Los Angeles. THE PRIDE: You’re having a pretty huge year. Are things rapidly changing for you? I’ll probably know later. I haven’t been paying attention. [Laughs.] I just show up and do all of it. If I think too much about it, I could potentially freeze up. It’s such a strange thing because you have to stay creative and open and free, but it’s a lot of hard work at the same time and pretty rapid fire. You have to keep yourself in a weird headspace. Not reading press, Well, I read all the press in the very beginning. But it’s all been so positive! Yes. Any trolling has been very typical – just the same things I’ve done my whole life, even before I started doing music. It’s not that hard to stomach anymore. You’ve been doing this for awhile, but this seems to be the year that people are taking notice. And it’s a weird year for the country. It’s truly a dark time in America, it’s just horrible. And it’s only getting worse. I know people think of my show as a safe space, where they’ll be surrounded by accepting people. They know they’ll be around people who feel as much on the outside and as scared as they do, and as angry and sad about everything. But they’re all together. It feels a little more like a community at my shows. And I feel a goodness circulating there. I want my shows to be like that. Do you have people telling you how you changed their lives? Oh yeah. It’s intense. That’s the best part of it, too, but it’s intense. That’s the reason I’m doing all of it, really. I needed it so badly myself when I was growing up. I still do. Maybe it’s not as crucial now.

Photo: Angel Ceballos.

Perfume Genius will perform in Inglewood and Pomona this month.

Whose music did you get that from when you were growing up? I’ve always been a music nerd. I think Liz Phair, “Exile in Guyville” was huge. I heard it was I was 12 or 13 and it changed everything for me. I was listening to like, Ace of Base before that. Who were great, but didn’t change my life. Liz Phair changed what I thought music could be about. Also Patti Smith and P.J. Harvey growing up. People are always talking about your vulnerability on stage. Did you get some of that from these women? Yeah. They kind of shift it and turn it into something weaponized. Which is what I get off on. [Laughs.] Like P.J. Harvey’s intense makeup, the blue eyeshadow with the red lips. Like traditional glamour, Marilyn Monroe makeup but in a way that’s scary and in your face. She turned all that stuff that people tried to put on her and threw it right back at them. Scary androgynous makeup is coming back. Is androgyny something you draw on? I guess in a way. I don’t think about it as much, I guess since I’ve had to endlessly talk about it, it stopped becoming a natural thing for me. I do whatever I want. I can dress like a trucker one day and wear a gown the next. It’s a weird thing. I try not to be resentful about it because it’s essentially why I’m doing it – because those things were important for me to talk about. But this last album, I wasn’t thinking about it as a gender, gay manifesto. But at the same time, all of it’s there. Perfume Genius will perform at the Glasshouse in Pomona on September 26 and at The Forum in Inglewood on September 29.

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⚫

ENTERTAINMENT GAY BAR

09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

A WIN FOR VENICE

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

Legendary Venice Gay Bar Roosterfish Will Reopen Within the Year

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Venice citizens, including Venice Pride founder Grant Turck, the historic Abbott Kinney gay bar Roosterfish, which closed last year, is set to reopen for good by year’s end. For the gay community of Venice, Roosterfish was more than just a bar. It was one of the only places on the West Side where you could go to flirt, booze, and find love on the dance floor without any fear of judgment or danger. Initially opened in 1979, Roosterfish thrived as an alternative to the WeHo bar scene, and was able to outlive one of the oldest West Side bars – the Friendship, which opened in the ‘40s and closed in 2005 – by 11 years. But in May of 2016, Roosterfish’s owners, Walter Schneider and B. M. “Alex” Alexander, had to close up shop. The building, however, with its robin’s egg blue exterior and cheeky portrait of a Rooster-fish hybrid on

the side, remained vacant. Fast forward to this June’s 2nd annual Venice Pride, when Turck, after having tried unsuccessfully to turn Roosterfish into a historic landmark, found out that two new leaseholders of the Roosterfish building had planned to open a new gay bar where the old one stood. Mario Vollera and Patrick Brunet, the new owners, allowed Turck to convince them to resurrect Roosterfish instead. And so they did, thanks in part to the wild success of Venice Pride and all the action, excitement, and revenue the festival has been bringing to Venice – and specifically Abbot Kinney Boulevard – in the past two years. “Venice Pride was very much born out of the closing of the Roosterfish,” Turck told LA Weekly. “Had the Roosterfish not closed, that probably would never have come to be.”

We don’t have an official launch date for the new Roosterfish opening, but we do know that a pop-up event called "Roosterfish Revived” will take place on September 23 as a prelude to the Abbot Kinney Festival. “We love Venice. We love Abbot Kinney. Roosterfish is such an historical landmark that we wanted to make sure it won't become another retail store; that is why we contacted the landlord and convinced him to give it to us,” Vollera and Brunet told the LA Times, “Venice's identity was forged from the melting pot of nationalities, cultures, and ambitions. Reopening Roosterfish is a cultural act.” Turck agrees. “As the fight for full equality continues, inclusive spaces like the Roosterfish continue to be the best places for emerging generations of LGBTQ adults to connect and share their experiences.”

Turck told The Pride. “The Roosterfish is more than a bar, it’s a community center worth protecting.”

Photo: VenicePride.org.

Opened in 1979 and shuttered in 2016, Venice’s historic gay bar Roosterfish is set to reopen by year’s end.

09.22 – 10.05.2017

CULTURE

VISUAL ARTS

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 17

LATINX MARKS THE SPOT

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

Taking on Latinx and Chicanx Art, Identity, and Language Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA is more than an art exhibit. It’s a movement that brings Latinx art into conversation in Los Angeles, through art exhibitions spanning all across Southern California. Although the New York Times just discovered the gender-neutral Latinx and Chicanx terms in their recent article on the exhibits and refers to them as neologisms (when in fact the terms have been used in the queer community for over a decade now,) PST: LA/LA has been bringing artistic, intersectional cultural expression to the forefront for years. The Latinx community does not get its fair share of representation, and to see the Latinx experience portrayed through art is very powerful. This type of artistic expression is especially pertinent in L.A. where Latino culture is prominent, yet often ignored by the media. As the landscape of L.A. changes, many people forget, or simply never knew, that Los Angeles has always derived much of its culture from the Latino community. Yet even with such art as PST puts at the forefront, the terms Latinx and Chicanx are still considered exclusive to the queer community rather than a gender-neutral, all-inclusive term. This proved especially true for the PST show

Photo: Paul Polubinskas.

Teddy Sandoval’s “Las Locas,” 1980, is part of Pacific Standard Time’s new show celebrating Latinx and Chicanx identities.

“Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A.” showing at the MOCA through December. The show, like many of the PST exhibits, displays Latinx art such as Teddy Sandoval’s “Las Locas.” This particular exhibit has the word “Queer” right in the title, but ironically and nonsensically choos-

es to drop the Chicanx term. Scholar Macarena Gómez-Barris called for the show to switch “Chicano” to “Chicanx,” but it did not make it to the final decision on the title of the exhibit. Despite the choice to drop the terms by certain institutions, publicists and curators continue to

place Latinx and Chicanx in the title and press information on various shows. Chon Noriega, head of Chicano Studies Research at UCLA and a curator of PST, told the New York Times that he wonders if certain museums even care about queer perspectives. “Suddenly I see museums that never thought about having a Chicano art exhibition use the term ‘Chicanx,’” he tells the New York Times.“In five years, if they haven’t had any Chicano shows, we’d know it was just an accommodation.” It could simply be that art institutions are riding off the popularity of Latinx culture displayed in PST exhibits, as Noriega suggests. If so, it goes to show that although the appearance of inclusivity in the Trump era seems to be present, the underlying truth that many people know already is that to be queer and proud is still an audacious political act. Queer communities also face the beast of exoticizing and leeching on their culture through mainstream institutions. While Latinx and Chicanx art is present throughout Pacific Standard Time exhibits in Southern California, the fight to fully represent the community in the show’s title is still unresolved.

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09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION

GIVE IT A WATCH

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

“One Mississippi’s” Second Season Cuts Deep

It might be easy to look at the current landscape of comedy – the gross-out humor of the ‘00s having made way for a type of cringe humor typified by Louis CK and, to a lesser extent, the Judd Apatow coven – and put Tig Notaro somewhere between CK himself and the rest of his disciples. But while, yes, CK is listed as an executive producer on Notaro’s show “One Mississippi,” which premiered as an Amazon original last year, his influence (thankfully) is neither seen nor heard. Mainly because he has taken a severe backseat on the show due to some issues that are addressed directly in this season of the show (one word: masturbation.) And also because, quite simply, Notaro is her own deal. She is, in fact, one of the few comics to emerge out of the last 10 years with her own voice, something that she doesn’t seem to owe to anyone or anything. Except, of course, her complex past experience, which is just what “One Mississippi” is about.

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The first season of the show took place right after Notaro’s character (“Tig Bavaro”) fresh off a cancer-related double mastectomy procedure, had moved back to her hometown of Bay St. Lucille, Mississippi to care for her dying mother. Her incredibly WASP-y father in law Bill – whose father was Tig’s childhood abuser – is cut off from all emotion, and her brother Remy is trying to figure out his own mess of a life. Their mother shortly dies, and Tig is left to pick up the pieces. Melodramatic? With a plot like that, it could have been. But it isn’t. Needless to say, “One Mississippi” is packed with trauma.The trauma of losing a parent, of surviving cancer, of growing up gay in the South, of surviving sexual abuse. Of surviving, period.And you would imagine that this would make it a much sadder, more hopeless show than it is. A kind of trauma spongecake. But at its best moments, at its most transcendent, “One Mississippi” doesn’t actually manage to be about anything. Notaro is as deadpan as it comes, and seems to be the only one in her world who is able to find the absurdity in all the melodrama that has been threatening to tear her family and her life apart for decades. She is very much in her own world throughout, and at certain moments – after being spurned at a Ferron concert in the first season and after finally kissing her longterm love interest in the second – she actually bursts into song. And the effect, though weighted down with pain, is magical. It’s as if to say, “yes, pain is here. But so is everything else.” The second season of “One Mississippi” deals with the aftermath of Tig’s childhood abuse by

Tig Notaro’s highly autobiographical show “One Mississippi” just launched its second season.

her step-grandfather (Bill’s father) a man who had been molesting her from near-infancy into her teens.There is both this trauma to unpack (which Tig does on her hilarious radio show, which no one in Mississippi seems to understand) and the issue of how her family, including Bill and Remy, stood by silent. But “One Mississippi” is a comedy, and is not interested in huge blowouts, grudge matches, and blame being melodramatically placed upon others in moments of passion. Notaro is more interested in telling the story to get past it. It’s everyone else who, once having to face up to her trauma, unravels.

Photo: Amazon.

“One Mississippi” is almost the perfect show for the Trump era. Not because it does a great job of covering those subtle political changes in the South, or even showing what it means to be openly queer in the South, but because the show is structured – and in its best moments, acts as – therapy. Notaro’s view of the world is incredibly forgiving, and also incredibly anti-bullshit.Watching her deal with her issues and the issues the world has forced her to take on gives viewers a new way to think about pain, trauma, and plain everyday resilience.With “One Mississippi,” Notaro has given us a hero for our time.

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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

WHAT’S HAPPENING? Roosterfish Revived WHEN: September 23, 12 P.M.-2 A.M. WHERE: Roosterfish WHAT: A pop-up party to celebrate the Abbot Kinney Festival and the classic gay bar’s return. WHY: Food, live music, and drinks by DeKuyper. Abbot Kinney Festival WHEN: September 24, 10 A.M.- 6 P.M. WHERE: Abbot Kinney Blvd., the “coolest block in America.” WHAT: Vendors, music, beer gardens, and food trucks galore! WHY: It’s a free day to sit back, relax, and face the fact that it’s finally Fall.

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09.22 – 10.05.2017

LOS ANGELES

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5/22/17 5:55 PM