Washington Blade, Volume 53, Issue 40, October 07, 2022

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on i e ri s vo e even ro o er o rin ies o r even s in e r ies or eo e wi n N ion oo

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

o N nie rin re ri s vocate whose career included working as a mortgage o n o er n river w i e or ni in so i even s n r ies ni n on wee en s rs n o er ven es in in e N ion oo ie e is o e in rin e He was 47.

is on i e rien Ni o s i sio s i no er rien n o se e e ro o e w ere rin ive o n i e e se in is roo i sio s i rin s ssin w s s en n nex e e n rien s n i e ers were w i in e res s o oxi o o es s sso i e wi n o s er or e e ir ini e o e ie e i x iner o e er mine the cause of death.

o w s oo n n e n en in er sonality and a marvelous smile,” according to Sasha Chi o one o is o se es w o os e ri e o rin on e oo ove o s erson i w s i n e on in w s er s i er w s is s i e s e wrote.

i sio n o ers w o new i n os e es s es on so i e i s i rin or n e rs or ni e n ro o e wee e er orien e even s s n o er s or ive s on e were e even s e e r reen n ern n e rien ni r i e e n r ies n n r in erview wi e s in on e rin s i e ween n os en rne out for those events.

ere s w s new eo e o in in e s i eo e rin eir rien s s n No i e no r i sio s i rin w s orn n r ise in enns v ni rin s e oo e s s is o e own w s evi own rin s in e n e s s e s ie o er en ineerin e e niversi in i e i ro n s ie io o e niversi o e is ri o o i ro w ere i sio s s e e ieves rin re eive is e or s e ree serve in e ir or e n e ir N ion r rin s e in e e er e oo os in ose o o r o ee o r o n r s e e wro e in is s o r s in r in s e s s i es e so n r e se vo e ss o e o e se rin n o s o en s or er o ri s es it clear in his social media postings that he was a staunch e o r i e s en in rin re e s en i i r ve er ns ro e w i e s i s oo or es n e ri e iness en i ni x e en e n ervi e n is in e n e rin s s e wor e ro o s enior or e ons n or e r re erre ervi e or e n in e o owin e r e e si i r osi ion wi ess N ion or e s s e innin in e serve s o n o er wi n er os or e i sio s i o e r er in rin swi e o s o res e wor in s river w i e een oin erio i in e r ier e rs

vi riner or er exe ive ire or o e en er or e o ni r ise rin or re in e no er i or n even e oo w i riner s i serve n on in es o serve s n r isin even or e en er

e w s o s n osi ive erson n re e so i s es or o en riner s i in e oo posting this week.

riner w s re errin o rin s n in o series o o even s or o eo e wi n eir rien s and loved ones.

e o even s rin es o e ise se e s e i in e e s rro n in eo e wi rin s e in e oo ess e e s re o N nie rin i se s een o or years!” his message states.

i o e in er ri e o rin e w s ne n n er in e ven is ein ree e ri now wi e oo ies rin ve ever e e s re o now

No i e i e ns o e o n or ner r rangements or a memorial service.

i sio s i rin w s re e e se is o er n is s rvive is er e s one ro er n one sis er n n rien s on e rien s re Ni o s i sio s i o o es er ov e i o n e n o n ers

o or r ns s o se in i e or ssin in or ion o ssi

A federal grand jury last week handed down an indict ment of a Johns Hopkins anesthesiologist and her spouse, a doctor and major in the U.S. Army, for conspiracy and for e is os re o in ivi i en i e e in or ion related to their efforts to assist Russia in connection with the onfli in r ine e o e o e orne or e is ri o r n in ress re e se s e nn rie i n n er s o se ie ee enr o o o vi e o o whom had secret clearances, were attempting to provide e i in or ion o e ers o e i i r o e Russian government.

rie i n n enr e wi n in ivi e e ieve o e sso i e wi e ssi n overn en w o w s in n n er over en o r o en s in i e rie i n o e en posing as a Russian operative that she had previously re e o o e ssi n e ss e i n one offering Russia her and her spouses’ assistance. or in o e orne s o e rie i n o e en o enr new o rie i n s in er ion wi e ssi n ss s e never en ione enr s n e o e ssi n ss n e n rr ive re e se e orne s o e on rie i n e wi e o e in

i ore rin ee in rie i n o e s e w s o iv e rio is ow r ssi o rovi e n ssis n e s e o o ssi even i i e n ein re or oin o i She proposed potential cover stories for her meeting with e ssi ns n s resse e nee or si e eni i i in e even s e w s on ron e eri n ori ies rie i n so o e s i i r o er enr was currently a more important source for Russia than she w s e se e ore e in or ion in in ow e i i r es is es n r os i in w r on

i ions n in or ion o revio s r inin rovi e e i i r o r ini n i i r ersonne

enr i en i es s r ns en er i i r si i n on eir wi er o n enr re eive i en ion in er e o in e rs nown ive r o er to come out as trans.

enr w s one oin e er o e n ion s r es non ro re resen in ive servin r ns ser vi e e ers s o es erson or in n e i e statement commenting on the announcement of the arrest and indictment of Henry and their spouse told the Washing on e

“Transgender people are as diverse as the societies to w i e e on ne s en er i en i nei er in re ses nor decreases a propensity towards alleged criminal activ ity.”

s s e in e in i en rie i n is n nes esio o is n wor e e i ns i ion in i ore

Henry, a major in the U.S. Army who held a secret-level se ri e r n e is rie i n s s o se n o or rin the time of the alleged conspiracy, Henry worked as a staff in ernis s ione or r e o e o e r s ir orne or s e r ers o e r e i er ions o n n e o r e i en er BRODY LEVESQUE

JAMIE LEE HENRY and their spouse ANNA GABRIELIAN (Photos public domain)

JACOB NATHANIEL PRING died Sept. 26. (Blade fle photo by Michael Key)

on

Judge postpones ruling on whether Casa Ruby should be dissolved e es or o or or er o s o one si e in or ion enie

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

A D.C. Superior Court judge last week said she was not re o iss e r in on w e er e o ni services center Casa Ruby should be dissolved as recom mended two and a half weeks earlier by a court-appoint ed receiver that took control of Casa Ruby’s operations.

Judge Danya A. Dayson stated at a Sept. 29 court s s e rin e e o e orne en er w i e ivi r es ins s n i s founder and former executive director Ruby Corado in July, needed more time to complete its investigation into Casa Ruby’s operations.

“We think it may be premature to immediately com mence proceedings for dissolution while our investiga ion is s i en in r en er n o i wi e e o e orne ener o e e e re still gathering information. We still intend to shortly serve discovery so we can bring it to a resolution promptly,” she said.

e s o e e ivi o in ins s n or o on e in e ro vio e e i s Non ro or or ions for the past several years. The complaint says improper actions by Corado, including the unaccounted-for ex penditure of funds and a failure by the Casa Ruby Board o ire ors o rovi e oversi e o n n i risis

The complaint notes that Casa Ruby employees were not getting paid and over $1 million was owed to land lords in back rent for at least three buildings Casa Ruby se or i s o es n o rovi e e er en o sin or o e ess o

With Corado spending most of the past year in El Sal vador, according to Casa Ruby employees, the employ ees and managers struggling to keep its operations go ing said they were forced to shut down all operations in late July.

Corado, who attended the Sept. 29 status hearing through a phone hookup, said she had yet to retain a lawyer due to a “shortage of funds.” She told Dayson she

Comings & Goings

ex e s o n ly retain an at torney but said she had not re ceived a copy of the receiv er’s report that recommended Casa Ruby be dissolved. One of the attorneys with the AG’s of e o son e o e sen a copy of the report to four

email addresses it had for Corado and Casa Ruby. e e s re es one o e o e o i s sent another copy of the report to Corado during the hearing to an email address that the judge asked Cora do to provide.

Dayson on Aug. 12, at the recommendation of the s o e oin e e n s on o n ion D.C. organization that provides housing for homeless o s e s re eiver ne e r ier son rove e o e s re es s be placed under receivership. n so e re es o e s o e e judge issued an order that all of Casa Ruby’s bank ac o n s n n n i sse s w i een n er e sole control of Corado, be frozen. Dayson lifted that ree e er e s on o n ion ss e on ro o Casa Ruby under the receivership.

As she had at the Aug. 11 court hearing, Corado stated in e e e rin s s n n i ro lems were caused by the D.C. government withholding as much as $600,000 in grant funds for services Casa Ruby had provided.

Conner promoted to manager of Scott Circle Communications

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

Congratulations to Christopher Rudolph who joined Atlantic Shores Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City, Md. Rudolph is a licensed Realtor in Maryland and e w re s e i i in in e e es n o s re s o Worcester County, Md., and Sussex County, Del. He said, “I have been assisting buyers and sellers of real estate in o r re sin e oro en o e in eo e achieve their dreams of coastal property ownership. The Maryland/Delaware seashore is a very cool place that I like to call home, and teaching people about the histo ry and attractions of the region is a lifelong passion of ine

In addition to real estate in the warm months, Rudolph

works part-time as a manager at The Kite Loft of Ocean City. He was appointed to the Ocean City Board of Zon ing Appeals in 2013 by Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, and recently was elected chair of the board.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Salisbury University in Maryland.

Congratulations also to Robert Conner, promoted to manager of Scott Circle Communications. On his promo tion Conner said, “I’m proud to be promoted to manager of Scott Circle Communications. Our clients are all mis sion-driven. I am fortunate to use my expertise to help clients communicate complex and urgent information to the public in order to help people learn about new re search relating to their health, and the society around e s n ivis in or e i n s es, my daily work at Scott Circle Communications aligns with my overarching life goal of using communication to ene e re er oo wri in e r o ri e is n ers n in s

i s wi e e r en o n ervi es which initially approved the grants, have said some of the grant funds were withdrawn or cancelled because Casa Ruby failed to comply with the terms of the grants. n so e ses e o i s s i re ire n n i re or s were no e o s s n i e ow e n s were spent.

Corado also asked Dayson at the Sept. 29 hearing to or er e re eiver n o i s wi e s o e s o releasing “one-sided” information that she said was false ly placing her and Casa Ruby in a negative light through reports in the press.

“The story that has been painted is that Casa Ruby left the clients in the cold,” Corado said. “That is not accu rate.”

When asked by Dayson what she wanted the court to do, Corado said, among other things, she did not want the receiver to be allowed to disclose information about what happened in the court proceedings that Corado said was being reported by the press inaccurately. She said highly negative publicity resulting from the release of information from the previous court hearing resulted in her receiving death threats and damage to the engine of her vehicle in an act of vandalism that cost $1,700 to repair.

Dayson said Corado appeared to be seeking a gag or er o ro i i e re eiver or e s o e ro discussing or releasing information that was part of the i re or in ere were ins ien ro n s or such an order, Dayson announced she was denying a re es o se o r re or s or iss e or er ins the receiver.

e e r e in vor o re es e o e orne o e n en e o in or e se i re in e o e e en e o in Nov Court records show that Dayson directed the parties to re rn o o r or s e in e rin s on n Jan. 6.

Conner previously worked at SKDKnickerbocker in rior o e een n in ern in e o e o en o se e s n er o s e ing engagements with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and received a bronze Bulldog Award for Best Media Relations Campaign 2022. He served as chair of the volunteer engagement committee of the Human Rights Campaign in Greater Philadelphia.

Conner earned his bachelor’s degree in political sci ence from Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.

ROBERT CONNERCHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH

A judge denied RUBY CORADO’s request for a gag order in the ongoing case. (Blade fle photo by Michael Key)

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Former FreeState Justice director denies allegations against them se o oor in e on or ni ion s o er s s e s

The former executive director of FreeState Justice last week in an interview with the Blade denied they have launched a “coordinated attack” against their former or ganization.

ere s er on e nno n e eir resi n ion er e s i ree e s i e s o r o ire ors e ine eir re es o s e own

ree e s i e wo s er in e er o r in ins s er s i e i e i e e n oor in e on ree e s o er ions in r i r i s IT assets” after they left a Sept. 16 meeting in which the o r in or e e e were re ieve o eir ies n e n wo wee s o eir e o en were o e s en oo er in in e r nsi ion o ree e s o er tions.”

en ree e is overe s er s i ro er in er eren e i er in e eir e o en e e ive i e i e or ere e o e se n esis n o re i eir ions re s e o r in s er i no i e n on in e o i n is ro ri e ree e s in r s r re n o en s

wo in in o so eone s e i n e e in n e i o s er o e s in on e rin e i e in erview

s er w o ses e e rono ns o e Blade they started “working on this transition stuff” once they returned home from the Sept. 16 meeting and “I started getting error messages for our intake system.”

er e e ee in so eone e se no e e n e iv in e i o n s in in ine re in wor flows or o r ien in e n o er ro esses sin o o ro e s or o r in r s r re s i LaMaster on Wednesday in a follow-up text message.

s er s i e e n o re eive ex ess es on e o ri in r es n e ions LaMaster told the Blade they tried to call now FreeState s i e xe ive ire or i i es r on e

he did not accept his call.

sen n e i o e e o is is w

ene is is w w s oin s i s er o e o our things are down. Please let me know.”

LaMaster said they sent a Slack message to Westry and now Deputy Executive Director Tina Jones on the morn ing of Sept. 20 in order to “help transition IT.” LaMaster o e e e e rne o e res r inin or er n n er o iss es n e ions w en ever one else did.”

s er w o is re resen in e se en e o r e rin in i ore on on

LaMaster told the Blade that they said they could pro vide passwords to their FreeState Justice email account. LaMaster said they provided the passwords to all other software systems the organization uses.

LaMaster sent the Blade a screenshot of a text message re e ween e n ones

“Please provide the the (sic) appropriate login cre dentials and administrator access to all FreeState Justice s s e s ones o s er e se o no e o ess n s s e s or e o e

“As I mentioned yesterday — I do not know the pass words off the top of my head and will need to either 1) test them or 2) reset them. This required accessing the s s e s res on e s er no ein o se o ve e r e n er o se n i ossi e s ion se on e ver i i e n ers n in o o r e or e in ener no ein r e now i s r e i e s i in one or oo we n even re or i so si o s ow ex w o in e s er ere or e w er ro o re s onses n e esire or re i ion o on in e o o ree e e servi es e iver n en rn ro n n e o si o oo er ion n now e e on me.”

LaMaster told the Blade they were “supposed to return i e s n e s n s o ree e s i e s o es on es no one w s ere e ex thread shows LaMaster texted Jones at 4:43 p.m. to let er now e re ere o ro o e s n i s no one is nswerin e oor e re s i o in erson e on in s n no e in e s n ree e s i e e s LaMaster told the Blade.

LaMaster further reiterated their previous claim the o r en es in w i e s re en s w i e s re is re wi in e o r is res onse is se n oin o re o e o re e s i es r e ine o o en on s er s e ions “FreeState Justice has provided comments on this is s e o sever i ions o e on oin i i ion wi ere s er es r o e e in n e i “We are in active litigation with LaMaster and will offer no further comment.”

A new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll s ows e o r es oore is e o e i n n ox oin s in e s e s ern ori r e e o w i w s re e se on r s ows er en o res on en s s or e oore o re o on er en w o e ox e os n e ni versity of Maryland surveyed 810 registered Maryland vo ers e e one ro e e res s irror ose o e e e ion w en now President Joe Biden defeated then-President Don r in r n er en e oin s e or er resi en s en orse ox w o o oses rights.

i e e o refle s e n i e or w o r n ers re ore i e o vo e i so s ows e one w o

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS | mlavers@washblade.com oore we e o ox in ern ori r e o o n in es oin en s o visor o r

is generally more liked. Fifty-one percent of respondents ve vor e o inion o oore o re o on er en o res on en s w o s i e ee vor o ox

e o r ro i ore o n o e os she feels like Moore understand the issues of marginal i e o ni ies

“He is coming from an African American family and nows ow r i e n e s e s i n n e en en ro r s o n o e os e rees wi ox s o osi ion o e in s en s o en er i en i n s r r r is in e ss roo e vo er so s i e ee e i ns n e the economy more than Democrats can.

MARGARET A. SCALA e i n ir ini ov enn o n in on ri nno n e e oin en o ree eo e o e ir ini visor o r o n in n e err nn son es e n o in i e o e o r se ores e resi en o o in e

i ns o i on in resi ne ro e o r e ore is en re w s o e in e resi n ion e i rowin ri i is over series o n i n iso nis o en s e e ins i e resi en rris n e e ie i on others.

o n in s on nno n e e ns o revise e ir ini e r en o ion s i e ines or r ns en er n non in r s en s o s n s o i s oo s en s ross ir ini on e w e o o ss in ro es o e nne revision

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New Supreme Court term includes critical LGBTQ case with ‘terrifying’ consequences

Business owner seeks to decline services for same-sex weddings

By CHRIS JOHNSON

The U.S. Supreme Court, after a decision overturning Roe v. Wade that still leaves many reeling, is starting a new term with justices slated to revisit the issue of LGBTQ rights.

In 303 Creative v. Elenis, the court will return to the is sue of whether or not providers of custom-made goods can refuse service to LGBTQ customers on First Amend ment grounds. In this case, the business owner is Lorie Smith, a website designer in Colorado who wants to opt out of providing her graphic design services for samesex weddings despite the civil rights law in her state.

enni er i er in ie e o er o e gal, said in an interview with the Blade, “it’s not too much to say an immeasurably huge amount is at stake” for LGBTQ people depending on the outcome of the case.

“This contrived idea that making custom goods, or offering a custom service, somehow tacitly conveys an endorsement of the person — if that were to be accept ed, that would be a profound change in the law,” Pizer said. “And the stakes are very high because there are no practical, obvious, principled ways to limit that kind of an exception, and if the law isn’t clear in this regard, then the people who are at risk of experiencing discrimina tion have no security, no effective protection by having a non-discrimination laws, because at any moment, as one makes their way through the commercial marketplace, you don’t know whether a particular business person is going to refuse to serve you.”

The upcoming arguments and decision in the 303 Cre ative case mark a return to LGBTQ rights for the Supreme Court, which had no lawsuit to directly address the issue in its previous term, although many argued the Dobbs decision put LGBTQ rights in peril and threatened access to abortion for LGBTQ people.

And yet, the 303 Creative case is similar to other cases the Supreme Court has previously heard on the providers of services seeking the right to deny services based on First Amendment grounds, such as Masterpiece Cake shop and Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. In both of those cases, however, the court issued narrow rulings on the facts of litigation, declining to issue sweeping rulings either upholding non-discrimination principles or First Amendment exemptions.

Pizer, who signed one of the friend-of-the-court briefs in opposition to 303 Creative, said the case is “similar in the goals” of the Masterpiece Cakeshop litigation on the basis they both seek exemptions to the same non-dis crimination law that governs their business, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, or CADA, and seek “to further the social and political argument that they should be free to refuse same-sex couples or LGBTQ people in particular.”

“So there’s the legal goal, and it connects to the social and political goals and in that sense, it’s the same as Mas terpiece,” Pizer said. “And so there are multiple problems with it again, as a legal matter, but also as a social matter, e se s wi e re i ion r en i flows ro e idea that having something to do with us is endorsing us.”

One difference: the Masterpiece Cakeshop litigation stemmed from an act of refusal of service after owner, Jack Phillips, declined to make a custom-made wedding cake for a same-sex couple for their upcoming wedding. No act of discrimination in the past, however, is present in the 303 Creative case. The owner seeks to put on her

website a disclaimer she won’t provide services for samesex weddings, signaling an intent to discriminate against same-sex couples rather than having done so.

As such, expect issues of standing — whether or not either party is personally aggrieved and able bring to a lawsuit — to be hashed out in arguments as well as wheth er the litigation is ripe for review as justices consider the case. It’s not hard to see U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, who has sought to lead the court to reach less sweeping decisions (sometimes successfully, and sometimes in the Dobbs case not successfully) to push for a decision along these lines.

Another key difference: The 303 Creative case hinges on the argument of freedom of speech as opposed to the two-fold argument of freedom of speech and free dom of religious exercise in the Masterpiece Cakeshop litigation. Although 303 Creative requested in its petition to the Supreme Court review of both issues of speech and religion, justices elected only to take up the issue of free speech in granting a writ of certiorari (or agreement to take up a case). Justices also declined to accept anoth er question in the petition request of review of the 1990 precedent in Smith v. Employment Division, which con cluded states can enforce neutral generally applicable laws on citizens with religious objections without violat ing the First Amendment.

Representing 303 Creative in the lawsuit is Alliance e en in ree o w r s so o n dermine civil rights laws for LGBTQ people with litiga tion seeking exemptions based on the First Amendment, such as the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.

Kristen Waggoner, president of Alliance Defend ing Freedom, wrote in a Sept. 12 legal brief signed by her and other attorneys that a decision in favor of 303 Creative boils down to a clear-cut violation of the First Amendment.

“Colorado and the United States still contend that CADA only regulates sales transactions,” the brief says. “But their cases do not apply because they involve non ex ressive ivi ies se in rin e o ees restricting school attendance, limiting club memberships, and providing room access. Colorado’s own cases agree that the government may not use public-accommodation laws to affect a commercial actor’s speech.”

Pizer, however, pushed back strongly on the idea a de cision in favor of 303 Creative would be as focused as Alliance Defending Freedom purports it would be, argu ing it could open the door to widespread discrimination against LGBTQ people.

“One way to put it is art tends to be in the eye of the beholder,” Pizer said. “Is something of a craft, or is it art? I feel like I’m channeling Lily Tomlin. Remember ‘soup and art’? We have had an understanding that whether some thing is beautiful or not is not the determining factor about whether something is protected as artistic expres sion. There’s a legal test that recognizes if this is speech, whose speech is it, whose message is it? Would anyone who was hearing the speech or seeing the message un derstand it to be the message of the customer or of the merchants or craftsmen or business person?”

Despite the implications in the case for LGBTQ rights, 303 Creative may have supporters among LGBTQ peo ple who consider themselves proponents of free speech.

One joint friend-of-the-court brief before the Supreme

Court, written by Dale Carpenter, a law professor at Southern Methodist University who’s written in favor of LGBTQ rights, and Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment le gal scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles, ar es e se is n o or ni o r e irs en ment applies to goods and services that are uniquely expressive.

“Distinguishing expressive from non-expressive prod ucts in some contexts might be hard, but the Tenth Cir cuit agreed that Smith’s product does not present a hard case,” the brief says. “Yet that court (and Colorado) de clined to recognize any exemption for products constitut ing speech. The Tenth Circuit has effectively recognized a state interest in subjecting the creation of speech itself to antidiscrimination laws.”

Oral arguments in the case aren’t yet set, but may be announced soon. Set to defend the state of Colorado and enforcement of its non-discrimination law in the case is Colorado Solicitor General Eric Reuel Olson. Just this week, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would grant the request to the U.S. solicitor general to present argu ments before the justices on behalf of the Biden admin istration.

With a 6-3 conservative majority on the court that has recently scrapped the super-precedent guaranteeing the right to abortion, supporters of LGBTQ rights may think the outcome of the case is all but lost, especially amid widespread fears same-sex marriage would be next on the chopping block. After the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against 303 Creative in the lawsuit, the simple action by the Supreme Court to grant review in the lawsuit suggests they are primed to issue a reversal and rule in favor of the company.

Pizer, acknowledging the call to action issued by LGBTQ groups in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, conceded the current Supreme Court issuing the ruling in this case is “a terrifying prospect,” but cautioned the issue isn’t so much the makeup of the court but whether or not justices will continue down the path of abolishing case law.

“I think the question that we’re facing with respect to all of the cases or at least many of the cases that are in front of the court right now, is whether this court is go ing to continue on this radical sort of wrecking ball to the e i e o se e w n see in o o se in whole new structures of what our basic legal principles are going to be. Are we going to have another term of that?” Pizer said. “And if so, that’s terrifying.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is to set consider the case of 303 Creative, which seeks to refuse design services for samesex weddings. (Blade fle photo by Michael Key)

ros o s e ox o e

The much-hyped new film “Bros,” touted as the first gay romantic comedy produced by a ma jor Hollywood studio, bombed at the box office, bringing in just $4.8 million, about half of the $810 million prediction for opening weekend.

The film, which stars Billy Eichner and Luke Mac farlane, finished in fourth place for the weekend; horror film “Smile” took the top spot with $22 mil lion. Eichner quickly turned to Twitter to blame straight people for the poor showing.

“Even with glowing reviews, great Rotten To matoes scores, an A CinemaScore, etc., straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up for ‘Bros,’” Eichner wrote. “And that’s disappointing but it is what it is.”

Not everyone agrees with Eichner’s assessment. Variety, in a Monday story, cited marketing prob lems and a lack of star power as likely culprits for the disappointing numbers.

“For the romantic comedy genre, star power is integral these days to getting people out of the house,” Variety’s Zach Sharf and William Earl wrote. “Paramount’s ‘The Lost City’ made it to the $105 mil lion mark in the U.S. off the strength of pairing A-list

ers Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.”

Additionally, the film’s marketing focused on the historic nature of the film, rather than its comedic ap peal.

“’Bros’ marketing worked overtime to sell its impor

tance as the first major LGBTQ studio comedy, but aggressively marketing a movie as a glass-ceiling breaker can make it feel like homework for view ers,” Sharf and Earl noted.

There have also been anecdotal reports of ho mophobic incidents at theaters linked to the film’s poster, which features a photo of Eichner and Mac farlane grabbing each other’s butts.

“The goal was to make the funniest, laugh-outloud movie as possible, that just happens to be about a gay couple,” Eichner, 44, told the Blade in an interview last week.

The studio released a statement that it remains hopeful positive reviews and word-of-mouth will give “Bros” a long theatrical run. The film cost about $22 million to make.

Eichner served as writer, producer, and co-star of the film, a romantic comedy about two com mitment-phobic gay guys in a relationship. All of “Bros” writers, producers, and the lead and sup porting actors identify as LGBTQ (with the exceptions of director Nicholas Stoller and producer Judd Apa tow).

STAFF REPORTS

Feds asked to investigate trans healthcare threats

In a letter sent Monday to U.S. Attorney General Mer rick Garland, the American Medical Association joined with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and Children’s Hospital Association asking the Department of Justice investigate [the] increasing “threats of vio lence against physicians, hospitals and families of chil dren for providing and seeking evidence-based gen er r in re

The AAP and AMA collectively represent more than 270,000 physicians and medical students and CHA rep resents more than 220 children’s hospitals across the country. The groups wrote to Garland urging “swift ac

tion to investigate and prosecute all organizations, indi viduals, and entities responsible.”

The AMA letter highlighted one instance in which a mother was prevented from seeing her newborn prema ture infant because the NICU was locked down due to a bomb threat. These attacks on children’s hospitals have effects on so many people who aren’t even involved in en er r in re

Attacks on American hospitals providing trans health care, especially those with clinics treating trans youth have been targeted by anti-trans extremists led by the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh and Brooklyn, New York-based

Chaya Raichik, a former real estate agent whose ‘Libs of Tik-Tok’ has spread misinformation and lies about en er r in s r er w i s os ere s on those healthcare facilities by far-right extremist ele ments.

“Whether it’s newborns receiving intensive care, chil dren getting cancer treatments or families accessing compassionate care for their transgender adolescents, all patients seeking treatment deserve to get the care they need without fear for their personal safety,” wrote AAP President Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP.

BRODY LEVESQUE

Pocan seeks to create national LGBTQ history museum

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) has introduced legislation that would set up the process to create a National Mu seum of American LGBTQ+ History & Culture, potential s n o i si e wi in e i soni n ns i ion in Washington, D.C.

Pocan, one of nine openly LGBTQ members of the U.S. House and co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, said in a statement the measure would preserve LGBTQ history “as our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase our history.” The pair of bills is H.R.9070 and H.R.9071.

“It is vital to remember our collective past – particu larly when certain states seek to constrain and repeal existing rights by passing bills that harm LGBTQ+ youth and our community at large,” Pocan said. “Let’s tell these stories, and honor the many contributions the LGBTQ+ community has made to this nation with a museum in Washington, D.C.”

e rs i or in o s e en wo re e an eight-member commission of individuals with ex pertise in museum planning or LGBTQ+ research and culture “to look into the viability of establishing such a

facility in the nation’s capital.”

Among other things, the commission would be charged with recommending an action for the muse

um, including fundraising, and submitting to Congress a plan for construction of the museum, the statement says.

The bill would also instruct the commission to address whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, based in the nation’s capital and the world’s largest museum and research complex, per the news statement. The full study, the statement says, would have to be completed in 18 months.

If the Smithsonian were to adopt the museum on LGBTQ history and culture, it would be similar to oth er museums under its jurisdiction focused on minority populations in the United States, including the National Museum of African American History & Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian.

The second bill would be eligible for consideration by Congress after the commission completes its work and issues its recommendations and allow for formal cre ation of the museum. More than 50 lawmakers, includ ing all nine openly LGBTQ members of the U.S. House, co-sponsor the legislation.

CHRIS JOHNSON

The chemistry between LUKE MACFARLANE and BILLY EICHNER asn t enou h to steam up the bo o fce last ee end. (Photo courtesy ni ersal Studios)

Rep. MARK POCAN (Blade fle photo by Michael Key)

Time

Bolsonaro, Lula to face off in second round of Brazil elections

Oct. 11.)

BRASÍLIA, Brazil — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will face off in the second round of the country’s presidential election on Oct. 30 after neither of them received a majority of votes on Sunday.

Da Silva was ahead of Bolsonaro by a 47.9-43.6 per cent margin with 97.5 percent of electronic voting ma chines counted, according to Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal.

Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian Army captain who is a member of the right-wing Liberal Party, represented Rio de Janeiro in the Brazilian Congress from 1991 until he took offce in 2018.

Polls ahead of Sunday’s election suggested Da Silva was poised to defeat Bolsonaro in the frst round. Bol sonaro’s efforts to discredit Brazil’s electoral system in creased concerns that violence could erupt in the country if Bolsonaro did not accept the results.

The incumbent president has faced sharp criticism be cause of his rhetoric against LGBTQ and intersex Brazil ians, women, people of African and indigenous descent and other groups.

He has encouraged fathers to beat their sons if they think they are gay.

Bolsonaro during a 2019 press conference in the White House Rose Garden stressed his “respect of traditional family values.” Bolsonaro has expressed his opposition to “gender ideology,” supports legislation that would limit LGBTQ-specifc curricula in Brazil’s schools and con demned a 2019 Brazilian Supreme Court ruling that crim inalized homophobia and transphobia.

A Brazilian Federal Police investigator in August called for prosecutors to charge Bolsonaro with incitement for spreading false information about COVID-19 after he said people who are vaccinated against the virus are at in creased risk for AIDS. Activists and HIV/AIDS service pro viders with whom the Washington Blade spoke in March sharply criticized Bolsonaro’s policies towards people with HIV/AIDS.

Da Silva, who was Brazil’s president from 2003-2010, is a member of the country’s leftist Workers’ Party.

Sergio Moro, a judge who Bolsonaro later tapped as his government’s Justice and Public Security Minister, in 2017 sentenced Da Silva to 9 1/2 years in prison after his conviction on money laundering and corruption charges that stemmed from Operation Car Wash.

The Brazilian Supreme Court in November 2019 or dered Da Silva’s release.

Julian Rodrigues, who was the coordinator of the Workers’ Party’s National Working Group from 2006-

2012, noted to the Blade during a previous interview that Da Silva in 2004 created the Health Ministry’s “Brazil without Homophobia” campaign. Rodrigues also high lighted Da Silva created the Culture Ministry’s Diversity Secretariat that, among other things, funded community centers and sought to make police offcers and other law enforcement offcials more friendly to LGBTQ and inter sex people.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Two trans women elected to Brazil’s Congress

BRASÍLIA, Brazil — Two transgender women this week won seats in the Brazilian Congress.

Voters in São Paulo elected Municipal Councilwoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker who is a member of the leftist Socialism and Liberty Party. Voters in Minas Gerais state elected Belo Horizonte Municipal Councilwoman Duda Salabert, who is a member of the leftist Democratic Labor Party.

Salabert in a video she posted to her Twitter account noted she received the highest number of votes for any congressional candidate in Minas Gerais’ history. Sal abert also highlighted she received death threats during her campaign.

“I am the frst trans person elected to the National Con gress,” she said. “We won the election, despite the attacks from leftists, attacks from Christian fundamentalists and death threats from the extreme right.”

Hilton also received threats during the campaign.

“Erika and Duda showed true courage in their cam paigns for Congress,” said LGBTQ Victory Institute Global Programs Director Alhelí Partida in a press release.

Hilton and Salabert are two of the 324 openly LGBTQ candidates who ran in the presidential, congressional and state legislative and governor elections. Eighteen of them, including Hilton and Salabert, won their respective

races.

Fábio Félix, a gay member of the Socialism and Liberty Party, who is a member of the Federal District’s Legisla tive Chamber, won re-election with the highest number of votes of any of the candidates running for seats in the body that governs Brasília, the country’s capital. Eduardo Leite, the openly gay governor of Rio Grande do Sul who is a member of the Social Democratic Party, will face off against Onyx Lorenzoni, a member of President Jair Bol sonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party who is his former chiefof-staff, in an Oct. 30 runoff.

“While we hope their success is a sign of better days, Brazil remains an incredibly tough place to engage as an out leader – where homophobia, transphobia, death threats and worse are common,” said Partida. “In 2018, we lost one of our own, Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman Mari elle Franco, assassinated by anti-LGBTQ and anti-women attackers. While her loss continues to be devastating, she has become an icon and the fuel needed to inspire more courageous LGBTQ Brazilians to raise their voices.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Putin slams LGBTQ people in Ukraine annexation speech

In a rally that resembled a political convention on Sept. 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated his signing a decree that Russia had annexed four regions of Eastern Ukraine that were overrun by Russian military forces and Russian-backed separatists.

“The people made their choice,” said Putin in the for mal signing ceremony at the Kremlin’s St. George Hall. “And that choice won’t be betrayed” by Russia, he said.

Last week, in an election President Joe Biden labeled fraudulent and a sham, Ukrainians in the occupied territo ries of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia vot ed to join Russia in elections supervised by heavily armed

Russian troops.

Putin, in his speech at the ceremony, which took place on a massive stage in Moscow’s Red Square opposite the Kremlin’s walls, took aim at the West with particular em phasis on Western values and culture.

“Western countries have been repeating for centuries that they bring freedom and democracy to other peoples. Everything is exactly the opposite: instead of democracy — suppression and exploitation; instead of freedom — en slavement and violence,” Putin said.

Later during the speech Putin decried the LGBTQ com munity and Western nations that allow equity and equal

ity and human rights.

“In fact, they spit on the natural right of billions of peo ple, most of humanity, to freedom and justice, to deter mine their own future on their own. Now they have com pletely moved to a radical denial of moral norms, religion, and family. … Do we really want perversions that lead to degradation and extinction to be imposed on children in our schools from the primary grades? To be drummed into them that there are various supposed genders be sides women and men, and to be offered a sex change operation?”

From left, Brazil President JAIR BOLSONARO and former President LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA (Photo of Bolsonaro by Celso Pupo/Bigstock; photo of Lula courtesy Lula campaign)

From left, DUDA SALABERT and ERIKA HILTON (Screen captures via campaign videos)

LARRY RAY

is former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and professor at The George Washington University School of Law and Capital University School of Law.

Dupont Circle’s Fireplace, a beloved dive bar

“Dupont Circle’s The Fireplace is the Cheers of P Street, where ever o nows o r n e n re w s o e s the last vestige of what was once the heart of gay D.C. — good drinks at reasonable prices and someone for everyone.” — Patron Jim C.

e e e ire e o o or e ir o s i ers s s no er ron err e s i ers w i e in n re worn around the edges, are still the ones you wear to relax and socialize. At the Firee n re x n so cialize with friends.”

The oldest D.C. gay bar is now The Fireplace. Yes, it does have an operating re e on e orner o 22nd and P Street, N.W. Scores of tourists take picres o e re e i What a background!

Today, The Fireplace has become even more relevant since it is located directly across from the Ukraine Taras Shevchenko Memorial. The LBJ administration honored this r ini n ree o er and poet by dedicating the bronze statue in 1964. Also, The Fireplace is located directly across from the popular Soho Coffee and Tea once owned and operated by Helene and Fran for 25 years catering to a diverse community, along with Manager Sami, whom you might see now at The Fireplace.

The historic Fireplace building was built in 1888 without the orner re e n serve s o ni orner ro er Walkers, from 1920 to 1964, according to the D.C. Historical Soie en e e i eren ren i ion o e ire e s during the 1970s, it was a straight strip bar.

n e s in is i in ree ion e e s e of the bustling gayborhood. The gayborhood included Friends Piano bar (remember Carl Barnswell singing “Hello, Dolly” on his nine-foot grand?), which became Escandalo and closed. Mr. P’s opened in 1976 by George Dotson and partner John Maco and then closed 2004; Fraternity House opened in 1976, became Omega and then closed. Badlands became Apex and then closed, plus there was the theater piano bar on the lower level of what was then The Georgetown Hotel. At that time, the gayborhood was so busy that Soho Tea and Coffee was open 24 hours. The neighborhood has changed dramatically, leaving only The Fireplace.

n n ives eve n oe eins ein r ve Griswell and others decided to buy or open three gay bars: The Green Lantern (a version is still open), The Circle Bar (Connectiven e in e o i or i ense o r s s now closed with a nail salon operating in the space) and The Fireplace (formerly P Street Station.) Today, the owners celebrate 33 years of owning and operating The Fireplace.

Some might remember The Fireplace because of beloved longtime bartender “Mama Judy,” aka Judy Stevens, who passed away at age 79 several years ago. She offered advice and solace to many customers.

Others might remember Tommy Stewart, the bartender of 25 years who relocated to Florida with his husband.

Gay bars began to open around the country in the 1930s. By the 1980s there were more than 1,000, according to Oberlin University professor Greggor Mattson who created a database. n e e o e e r ly 1990s, D.C. may have had 22 gay/lesbian bars; today, maybe eight? Most of them want to be recognized not as gay bars, but as safe, relaxed places for all genders and sexualities to come together. Today, The Fireplace advertises on Facebook as “an international Gay r s o o gay bar that welcomes everyone who is looking for an opportunity to meet new rien s e e oo e has 2,000 followers. Well known in the gay bar arena is Fireplace manager Scott Allen Paige, who has worked in gay bars for 30 years. Today, Scott along with bartender Bill Clark hosts on alternative days a lively diverse happy hour, especially during The o n er es w en e e e o es i e ive n es ere is o e ion o i ee s on e re e n e

During this happy hour time period, there is a group of professionals sitting in the front bay window. They call themselves “The e so w en eo e e e n si s e re e e no er ron o w o i s ro er n e re e e re in e i o is er n er e ne s ro o o s erin e s e i e e same place, reviewing the day.

During the lockdown, The Fireplace closed for more than 13 on s wner eve e re e i s r es were just too complicated and convoluted for a small business, espei onsi erin ow e r is on re

“The Fireplace has very limited capacity for tables…it does not make sense for us to reopen with these limitations,” he said at the time. Many speculated that it would never re-open but to the delight of many, it did.

is is ori ive r is i re en e iverse crowd, from scientists and doctors to lawyers and engineers to ex er s overn en wor ers o e on ier es o ris s n even re en o s or ie ow n s oo i e i in in is on on s n ern ion New e e se e gory and a book signing is planned at The Fireplace soon).

So enjoy one last happy gay bar in West Dupont Circle, The Fireplace.

Our own Cheers, where everybody knows your name

During a Mayor’s Walk About on P Street, MURIEL BOWSER visited the Fireplace to a standing ovation. (Photo courtesy Larry Ray)

CARL PARKER

ni i ive wi r s r en ers e s re wo e o in re se os s or iners

The hospitality industry in D.C. has given me so many opportunities throughout ve e r reer s r en er ve flexi e s e e een e o s or i n ive in no e e es v n e in osi ions n e i e on rien s w o onsi er i ein r en er is reer n s w s e in o ins ni i ive o s re ers e ive s so eone w o wi e ire i e i s ss e o se n e i s re eive or servi e e we ove s ini w e s ow ve een e o ive in is i n s or i sses i wo os er in e re se e i s re eive e e rnin e n immediately jeopardize our entire industry. ni i ive is is i e e or o e s re servers n r en ers e rn e ini w e e re i is o r re ex ee s e ini w e e se o e on e r i e o i in in res r n s n rs res r n s n rs re or e o e o ees e o r ini w e i wi i e i e re e n in re se in or os s isin en ive or s o ers o i n ss on os s o iners osi ions wi e e i in e wi e rn ess n en ri es wi rise n s o ers wi see in re se ri es e servi e r es n wi ve e r r en ers n servers now e ini w e n wi e i e on nee o i r e in rs n res r n s wi no e e e is i wi e e s nei or oo rs n res r n s n e eo e w o wor in e wi s er e wi e or e o s own e se e n no on er e o ees n wi s eir oors ese re e sinesses e e r n res r n in s r ni e n e re e s es o ever nei or oo in is i s e er o e o ni r i r worrie or s rs n e eo e e o e ese rs re in e en en n wi i e e or e o ose eir oors e se o e in re se in os s i sses i e e o ees re vo in ins ni i ive e i n s or e s s e o e o e e en e n we so e on w n is o ss w en n vo ers ven e r ro ose o s w o wi e ire i e is en o o r servers n r en ers n vo e N on ni i ive

a bartender in D.C.

DENNIS JAFFE

o is n ive e er o r s on e ox vo ro e e s years of professional experience in grassroots advocacy for social justice causes.

Biden administration must overhaul monkeypox response now

The Biden administration needs to overhaul its response to monkeypox. Now.

For many who were around during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the Biden administration’s missteps around monkeypox are pale but haunting reminders of past battles. That’s particularly galling for LGBTQ+ eri ns s ore n o on e ox ses in 2022 are striking men who have sex with men (MSM).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention es i es i ion eri ns re ris re quiring 3.2 million doses. But outreach has been inefe ive No even re v in e

It’s imperative that the White House implement a comprehensive plan emphasizing equity in prevention, vaccination, testing, and treatment. In August, e inis r ion irres onsi e i e o wi o on e ox v ines ro eri ns w ose e agencies aren’t using a newly mandated injection e o s in on eori es e ore e ien in r er e o wi in e oses ro vials.

e o i s ro o e e re or ver in oses er vi i si ni n isr ions e sso i ion o e n erri ori e cials echoed their claims.

sin fl we ss ions e re rovi ers wi ex r ve oses ro e vi e i en inis r ion is sen in one o e vi s revi o s o e e i in es o eir i ine in re se s in on is sen in ro n ewer s e oses o re o re n e o ments. “The federal government has patted themselves on the back for how they’re accelerating the e iver o v ines refle e e r en o Health Senior Deputy Director Patrick Ashley. D.C. has nearly the highest case rate in the nation. “What they did is they moved numbers around.”

We urge President Biden to reinstate original vial allocations. The point of doing ID, noted Johns Hopins s o r i in ivers w s o ene ro e increase in supply.”

While we hope JYNNEOS’s two-shot course proves safe and effective, data is scant for subcutaneous se n ore so or r i r or eo e who are immunocompromised, including those livin wi ne s re or e s owe one ose rovi in ne r n e e e ro e ion n some agencies still aren’t scheduling second injecions ven i s n rer o en e reserv ions o e inis r ion s ro on en s one wri er in e n i e is now playing a high-stakes game with the health and r s o eo e os v ner e o on e ox i ses r s n fl i e s o s e

sions around the anus, genitals, or mouth are excrui in n o i e s s ows NN s e i s se on ri o roxi e on os o n w i e e s r i en receiving ID.

The reduction in doses has forced some jurisdicions i e i e i o s e v ine o re o i in ns or re ire se on oses While cases are disproportionately high among Black n is ni in ivi s v in ion on people remains exceedingly low. Reasons include distrust, stigma, and less accessible vaccine centers. e i e o se s o e vi s or local networks to vaccinate under-vaccinated demographics, especially people of color. It should be i nee e e i e o i en o v cinate incarcerated and un-housed individuals. o o n is ni in ivi s populations most at risk of contracting monkeypox n in si n o ni ies re rone o e oi scarring, which causes skin discoloration. For those e e wo e ine e ive n i e r n in o r s o e i e o munity.

ID’s smaller doses are also deepening skepticism in vulnerable communities. The shrunken supply and over-emphasis on intradermal injections will exacerbate existing racial and socioeconomic disparities in v in ion e s no ow is ro o in e subcutaneous option is critical to encourage vaccination, especially for those ineligible for ID.

Demetre Daskalakis, White House Deputy Coordinator for monkeypox, anticipates “real-world” data ro e en ies on oses ro vi s er iss in e n e

Daskalakis and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walens in i e ris i ions n re es ore vi s in cluding for subcutaneous injections, but their vagueness has prevented some agencies from scheduling second shots.

on e ox w s on ne o ri w ere e resources are poor. Out of our sight, it was out of in n i o n ries w ere i n exis e re or e ses in e or e r ni ion e re i e e er en on resi en i en i n n i ive wee s er o es i ses ore n ri e o i en s o en s i e is on e w s in e on ro e n is rs oin ress o on gress, Biden told transgender Americans – who are i ris o on r in on e ox o r res i en s o o r s we vo e or s ee ier more equitable vaccination, that assurance could use its own booster.

We need a plan emphasizing equity in vaccination, testing, treatment

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

On Oct. 3, every D.C. registered voter will begin receiving their ballot in the mail. We are fortunate that voting in D.C. is both easy and safe. Not everyone in the nation has that opportunity. I urge everyone to look in your mail for your ballot and VOTE! If you are not yet registered, you can still do so by contacting the D.C. Board of Elections. We are fortunate in D.C. to live in a place where the rights of members of the LGBTQ community are protected by law, and our legislators support us. As a community we have worked hard to ensure that. But there is still more to do.

I moved to D.C. in October 1978 and Marion Barry was about to be elected mayor. He had the support of the LGBTQ community and once elected thanked the Stein Democratic Club for all their support. Back then, we had yet to achieve all we were in or o o we re ro e e w ere re n r iss es we have to deal with. There are still those, even in our community, who are not willing to see us live our lives openly, fully, and in safety. As a community we must join together to make sure all of us are safe, because if one of us isn’t, none of us are. So we begin that work by voting. My recommendation for voters everywhere is to vote for Democrats up and down the ballot. In D.C., I will vote for Kenyan Mce or e o n i se s e e so eone ro no er r urge people across the District to vote for: Eleanor Holmes Norton for Delegate, Muriel Bowser for Mayor, Brian Schwalb for Attorney General, Phil Mendelson for Council Chair, Kenyan McDuffie and Anita Bonds for Council-at-large. Then in individual Wards: Brianne Nadeau for Ward 1 Council, Matt Frumin for Ward 3 Council, Zachary Parker for Ward 5 Council, and Charles Allen in Ward 6. These are people committed to standing up for us and have proven this over many years. If Ward 5 elects Parker once again there will be an open member of the LGBTQ community on the Council.

Again, while we are lucky in many ways, let us remember our status as a federal district is not the same as a state. Under home rule, our budget and legislation are both subject to congressional oversight. Congress gets the chance to review both. Over the years they have added amendments to bills preventing us from spending money on things from needle exchange to abortion. So once we do our duty and vote here, we must work to ensure the election of members of Congress from every state who will be protective of our rights.

If you are able, please consider working for candidates across the nation who stand up for the LGBTQ community and other issues you may be passionate about. I will work to elect candidates who will stand up, speak out, and vote for human rights, civil rights, immigration reform, climate change, election reform, women’s rights including the right to control their own bodies, and LGTBQ rights.

ere re n w s o e invo ve in rs s i o r own o n make sure all your friends and family do the same. Then you can get more involved by contributing money or going out and working for other candidates. Knocking on doors helping them get their message out is one way. Making phone calls is another ere re n i es in ir ini w o nee o r e n o n n e contacting the Virginia Democratic Party. Or contact groups like the Human Rights Campaign, NARAL pro-choice America, Victory Fund, the Democratic National Committee, or other groups you may be involved with, if you are willing to go farer e o e n i es w o wi e s or ive o e iss es o re o

This mid-term election is about the future of democracy and protecting individual rights. It is about standing up and saying we will not allow Trumpism to take over our nation. We will not let the seditionists and insurrectionists, who charged our Capitol on Jan. 6 and those who support them, win.

er e re e o r over rne oe v e none o s s o e on en that our rights won’t be next. So VOTE and then go out and work to ensure we keep Democrats in control of Congress. Our lives may truly depend on that.

D.C. voting begins, but you can do more

Donate, volunteer near and far to ensure Democrats prevail

PETER

Ne flix res rre s er ri erin ri i is i w ee ivis s s series re r i es vi i s i ies

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A 10-episode series on gay serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer ree se Ne flix on e res in i in e i er s e r r er s ree oo e os in i w ee e ween n in w i o n os en o w o were os eir ives e r i e series wi or v n e ers in e e ro e o er s ows ow er e n o is vi i s in i w ee rs re e o is r en ro isin o e o ose or n e o o r s n r e n s r n e e o e e ore i in n so e i es n ni i in eir o ies e series e ons er e e re er or s se re or or ein e os w e rs wee re e se o n Ne flix s re in series or in o e i re or s one viewer w o s i e s o e w in e series er e rs wo e iso es is on i e i w ee ivis o n e w o wor e s r en er one o e rs w ere er e e s wo o e o n en e r ere n e o e e e n o ers o is ener ion w o ive ro e r o e er r er s ree view e Ne flix series s e no er ovie re s in ro in n in o rren e re won on in i n o e s i on in e vi i s i ies n rien s wi w n o w n e r is o is is s re vi i i in e eo e wen ro is erson e n e new o e o e eo e e i e rons o e r e weren ose rien s s ene o now e e o r n serve e rin s ere s een i e or o ve eo e o o Ne flix over is n e s i n i e i is re s or on now i o nee o o i e r wi o o s on w i e s i

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er e e nown e erson e wo n s w w s oner in so one e r o o i n i i r n w o er e on e s ree re o is r en n r e e or s s ow e o es e ro e r en er er e o o o s ore o re enis is own s o i or en er re rne e s w o i e in o oner n e wo n o si e e r en i in n i o one o e o ers e o w s e rs o n w s in re ions i wi i n e wo over s rre o e e en o e ers o e n ri n eri n o ni ies w o er e rne o is eve o en e o i e owe er o e e o o is r en ne o e o ers re or e e o o o i re r o is in er ion wi er n e o in re or e o en o o i e is er er er i e oner o i e re or s s ow o ni ivis s in in n e w o e i e w s resi en o e i w ee ri s ro i s Ne wor s i e o i e isre r or e on ern r ise e wo n w o e ieve oner w s in n er w s n ex e o ow r i i s on e r o e s so e in e i w ee o i e e r en ve en e er o on in e is i in s ree n e wee s o owin so e i es sens ion e i re or s n s e en s o i e o er s ro e s on esse ss r erer ivis s in i w ee re or e s r rise in n i r ss en n re s in in r ss en r e in r rons

o eo e were on er s vi i s i se s e en s on e r o e o i e n so e e i ve in e is r ero s e vior o n es i n eo e e en N ion n es i n s or e s i in s e en n s s or in e s in on e re or s n e ex resse s ron on ern o i e inves i or se e er o osex over i o es ri e er s ion n e n o er ivis s so oin e o o i e s e en s er on esse o vin en e in sex wi so e o is vi i s n os o e vi i s were e o i e n e i re or s e i e i no so re or ne r e vi i s were so er n ein seen s vi i s n e s i s were ein or r e s re ors ro ris o on i e s ereo es e oo is s e ri e s i n e in is o en re or e in e e is roni in o rs s ows e w s s in s e rs were is ee in ro n s n e o e e in one in erview s wee e rs er er s rres n e reve ions o e s o e o is r er s ree r rons e i e e i in s were in e i no e e e is e r n e o r rons wi n in r i r n s e no e e i e e e i e i w s s i oin s ron n e n o ers e rs so e i es o re r s o er w o s en s o e o in o e r ve o en si o o o eo e s o e oin o w en e s r e e in si e s i n o er eo e wo e in o re ions i s n s o oin o n e o e e n w en e i n s ow eo e s in o ew i o s so e o w o s no ro n n ore or in o n e e sens ion reve ions o er s i in s ree n e e e n o is vi i s in i w ee rs ro e n in e o ni o s o oin o rs n ee in es e s i i n s ver on n e s i i e o ers w o ive ro w e s e re i e er s ions e e nown e Ne flix series ro is own e ories o in er in wi er e i w ee r w ere e wor e s r en er e ew i es s w i e r re se o serve i e se e w s r n n e s i n o o now no oin o serve is erson e s re re s s e

JEFFREY DAHMER was killed in prison in 1994.

CALENDAR

Friday, October 07

Center Aging Friday Tea Time will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, e i s or es e en er or

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social” at 7 p.m. at The Commentary. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea sharing, and community building. Or just to unwind and enjoy the extended happy hour. This event is ree n ore e i s re v i e on ven ri e

Saturday, October 08

Virtual Yoga Class with Jesse Z. will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Guests are encouraged to RSVP on the DC Center’s website, providing their name, email address, and zip code, along with any questions they may have. The link to the class will be sent out at 6 p.m. the day before the event.

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, e i s or es e en er or

Sunday, October 09

GoGay DC will host a drag show at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. Guests are encouraged to bring about $20 in cash to give to the performers or to purchase r fle i e s or n e o win o s ssor en o ri es. The event is free to attend and more details are available on ven ri e

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee + Conversation” at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends in the LGBTQ+ community and trying to meet some new faces after two years of the pandemic. This event is ree n ore e i s re v i e on ven ri e

Monday, October 10

Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information, visit the en er in s e oo or wi er

Not Another Drag Show will be at 8 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. Logan Stone will host, there will also be a rotating cast of local DMV performers. This event is free and more dei s re v i e on ven ri e

|

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Tuesday, October 11

Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-facilitated discussion group and a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more information, visit the Coming is ssion ro e oo e

Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for transgender people and those who may be questioning their gender identity or expression to join in community and learn from one another. For more information, email supportes e en er or

The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University will host a roundtable to celebrate National o in N e even wi bring together scholars and practitioners, undergraduates, graduates, faculty, staff, alums, and allies to join in a robust discussion that celebrates resilience, authenticity, and pride.

Wednesday, October 12

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including e on er ne o e i rove se on en e o iv tion, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www. e en er or reers

Queer Trivia Night will be at 7 p.m. at The Dew Drop Inn. This event will be a monthly dose of all things nerdy and LGBTQ. This event is free and more details are available on ven ri e

Thursday, October 13

The DC Center’s Food Pantry Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@ e en er or or

“Comedy & Cocktails” will be at 6 p.m. at Pure Lounge. There will be performances from local DMV comedians, music by DJ Kovza, drinking games, free prizes and more. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

OUT & ABOUT

National Portrait Gallery honors American designer

The National Portrait Gallery will debut “Surroundings: A Tribute to Maya Lin” on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. at Kogot Courtyard.

The gallery’s choreographer-in-residence Dana Tai Soon Burgess will be performing in response to the museum’s exhibition “One Life: Maya Lin.”

The performance and exhibition explore the life and work of the acclaimed architect, sculptor and environmentalist. Burgess drew inspiration from Maya Lin’s design training and linear aesthetic and has choreographed an abstract, angular and architectural performance that emphasizes the lines of the dancer’s bodies in re ion o s e

Admission to the performance is free and more details are available on the gallery’s websi e

Howard County to celebrate Pride Oct. 9

Howard County Pride will begin on Sunday, Oct. 9 at Symphony Woods at Merriweather Park.

Howard County Pride celebrates and unites e o ni e o i ros er o events has not been released yet, however, it wi e v i e on o o ri e s we si e

Capitol Hill Walking Tour has returned

The Rainbow History Project will host the return of the Capitol Hill Walking Tour on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. at the plaza outside the Eastern Market Metro entrance.

Tour guide Philip Clark will conduct this educational and enlightening walking tour that will end at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. The tour will be limited to 35 guests, and will take place rain or shine. To reserve a spot, e i even s r in ow is or or

Howard County celebrates Pride on Sunday.

e vin o ern N or s ex eri en o e i es r r e or o w o ivin in e n ine

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

s e er oers e in o oo ion e er s in i e er or n e s e o see or n rrison s e n ine e n wo o n ors in e on i i s rse se s e i e e n s ee s so n on is si e e wo n osses n rns e n res er we r e is visi e ro e ow o er s r one n oo i i r s ene or n oon we e rn i wor n e i or n o o se is or re sons erson n ro ession rne o n re sin s e ex erien es s ee ess ni s n ever ornin i e o es r er o o o wor er s or ive s n o e s s i s r eon see s w en e e s o or n o er o e i s n re s en n e en s e ne r o ses in es ir e r ere s ro e e s re es o ove e i s er o o e e i o sn r n er in s er se e in r s e n e ee s e n Ni e in o rio s s r n er o e in s r i s s ree o es s is e e es own own ren e ss res er i s no re in e o r w e n resses e ien e ire ex inin ow e o ie o n i so es en e is e n i o e o e ien in resen e n ine re iere in rior o ivin i e o e ones n so i e i n e r in e s e o en s en e wi o in erson in er ions no ore now e n is on er s wi is nei ors e er er n s on er e n s wi e en n or oins in e iverin e e i es er nows es so n own e ven in s enes one e i en e e ir ee s s r e ener e i ex n es s ex s in e new o w o ivin is in e o ni in e i wes w ere i s orever res rrive resi en s re iven ossier s ri s eir new i en i ies i e e n s roo or ew e ni s n o e o r ive ro ressive in e e s os re r i s re ssi ne o e on r i ion ro es o e er wo s r eo e wi o ions wo si n on or ini six on s in wi ree is i o s re e o wri s s s o o ow so we o er in er ission e o e s e eir o ern New or i r en or oo ie er e ow os w r o se on e orner o e n ine in new own e se e re now o i e ori e s ixe r e rri e re fl or nese eri n e o e is e on e ess r is nor si e o e o ni

on rriv is ssi ne o sse in r o r oxes or ren e is os o e in oes so e vo n eer wor e roves n r or os on e ies en i i o i ee ro s rives o e e ex erien e s re s ossi e w r s n e r er si e o e o s ies is r o e e ire or evie i er n s oo e s e serves sor s o e i s i e ison n o nson s os es en s e ser e s i s s e or s oes n e or s n e wo en s w s w is e swin s ir resses in flor n e ere erns n o i e o n ion r en s n se esi ner on n o er son s on r s in o es rrison i er ri e n is in r or r orie ri e oesn over oo e ro e s en o n ere ose e en in s eri no on s o or e en sse rr s wo o e s

ree en wi re vers i i o s n in ore wo e s oi er

i i s re eren es o res ri e i ree s o in n o ee n is r s e inners e s ri is oo w s os in eres in ren e i es e n es er se e iss es ro e en or s en e s own er s n reve s er r i s i in er n n in so ion i see s no s r risin e r ers i ve r e one o se o ro e s or no er

JACOB YEH and EM WHITWORTH in Spoo y ction heater s  Maple and ine. (Photo by  orey Photo raphy)

It's Pumpkin Season

Wharf celebrates nnivers r on Oct. 12

Live music, sidewalk sales, food, and drink on Southwest waterfront

By EVAN CAPLAN

Five years in, the sweeping Wharf is only growing. On Oct. 12, the city’s glittering renewal project that established the Southwest neighborhood as a waterfront destination, is celebrating a two-fold event: its nnivers r n e s s n i ne r o e ion of the entire development. With Phase 1 built out and Phase 2 tantalizingly close, this mile-long stretch along the Potomac River has come to life with restaurants, retailers, residences, hotels, shops, and businesses, surrounded by monumental views and a vibrant culture.

The celebration on Oct. 12 runs from 5-8 p.m., with activities, live music, sidewalk sales, outdoor vendors, and food and drink specials along the entire strip. Jarreau Williams will take the stage for live music on the r nsi ier flo in s e o owe e o o ro e e even on es wi rewor s nale just before 8 p.m. Meanwhile, an indoor ceremony kicks off at the new Pendry Hotel at 5:30 p.m., featuring remarks by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Mayor Muriel Bowser.

The Killers headline at The Anthem at 8 p.m. for that ven e s nnivers r s ow

Phase 1 of The Wharf opened in 2017, with more n wo i ion s re ee o resi en es o es o tels, shops, restaurants, and a marina. It also featured intentional public areas, including parks, promenades, piers, and docks. Phase 1 also saw the establishment of a new water taxi system, the Southwest Neighborhood Shuttle, and a new bike lane. Some of the city’s most popular restaurants kicked off during Phase 1, like Del r r ie r ie i i i iw n i i

Phase 2 will include a robust roster of chef-driven restaurant concepts, and 1.25 million square feet of eve o en in in o es o e s res r n s

and shopping, in its own section of redeveloped waterfront. It will also include 225 boat slips and a 1.5-acre green space. New restaurants planned include:

• Flora Flora (655 Water St., S.W., 2nd Floor): Latin in uenced poolside restaurant combinin the cuisines o Me ico Peru and r entina.

• ordon amsay ish hips (66 har St. S. .) Michelin starred che ordon amsay s British themed counter o erin ele ated fsh chips.

• ordon amsay ell s Kitchen (6 2 har St. S ) amsay s sur and tur restaurant hich pays tribute to his hit ell s Kitchen sho ith stea and sea ood o erin s includin its amous Bee ellin ton and lobster risotto. ocated in a t o story buildin directly on the ater.

• Kin ol Southern Kitchen (6 har St. S. .) mericana bourbon and barbecue restaurant eaturin spirits and smo y a ors.

• Philippe by Philippe ho (6 har St.) conic e or ity restaurant or almost t o

decades. Philippe ho has become a staple

ith a orld reno ned menu o Bei in style dishes that has pioneered the ay or ele ated hinese cuisine in the .S.

• Slice o Match Bo (66 Maine e S ) ood fred pi a eatery ta in the best o re ional brand Matchbo in a ast casual settin ith ta ble ser ice and a ull bar.

At full build-out, the mixed-use neighborhood will feature more than 3.2 million square feet of development along a mile of Washington, stretching from the Municipal Fish Market at the north end to Fort McNair in the south. In total, the Wharf will have 300,000 square feet of retail space, featuring more than 85 restaurants and retail shops. And beyond the boats, there is also a free kayak and paddleboard launch.

This event kicks off The Wharf’s “Season of Celebration,” featuring nine months of community events and experiences commemorating the completion of The Wharf. This includes everything to a Dia de Los Mueros e e r ion o i o r e r i r s and, of course, Pride on the Pier in June.

he har in South est home to Pride on the Pier in une is celebratin its f th anni ersary this month. ( ashin ton Blade photo by Michael Key)

Thrilling ‘Interview’ revives Rice’s beloved ‘Vampire’ in style

AMC’s lavish and loving retelling will thrill fans of original books

By JOHN PAUL KING

Today, sexy vampires are a staple of pop culture, but it hasn’t always been that way.

Up until the last few decades, vampires have been mostly interpreted as a metaphor or e n ers o n n on ro e i i o n were or in e i e in orror tion as monsters to be resisted and destroyed, no matter how alluring they might seem.

Anne Rice changed all that.

Before “True Blood” or “Twilight,” or any of the other popular vampire fantasy sagas that have played on the more seductive aspects of the vampire mythos, her 1976 debut novel “Interview with the Vampire” paved the way by forcing readers to identify with its “evil” narrator. Suddenly, the monster was the hero of his own story instead of the villain in someone else’s, allowing us to embrace our vicarious participation in his sensual plea sures and face a fact we all suspect in our hearts to be true: that given the chance, each and every one of us would probably choose to be a vampire.

That can be a disturbing revelation for some, and Rice’s book wasn’t an instant hit; reviews from critics, who weren’t ready to see the ocean of counter-cultural nuance be neath the shocking and gory details of the plot, were mostly dismissive.

Readers, however, were more re sponsive, and Rice’s fan base grew eno o e e oo s rs se quel (1985’s “The Vampire Lestat”) into a bestseller. The author – who passed away at 80 last December – would eventually pen a total of 13 books in a series that became known as “The Vampire Chronicles,” and her fans have remained loyal –some might even say obsessive – to this day.

That, of course, means that AMC’s new series adaptation of Rice’s sem inal book – which premiered on e e ne wor wi i s rs wo episodes on Oct. 2 – is guaranteed a sizable built-in audience. It also means that the series must live up to a very high standard if it wants to keep those fans watching.

So far, despite a few notable di vergences from the source material, things look promising.

Like Rice’s novel, the series cen ters on Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), a vampire who – for his own inscrutable reasons – decides to tell his life story to a young reporter. In the re-imagined scenario constructed by show creator Rolin Jones, however, there have been some updates. Fifty years later, Louis feels he was not ready to be completely honest during that original interview in the 1970s, and he has endeavored to bring the same reporter – now a sea soned veteran journalist battling Parkinson’s disease (Eric Bogosian) – to his sumptuous headquarters in Dubai so that he can set the record straight.

The tale he tells – beginning with his mortal life as the scion of a wealthy Louisiana family and his transformation by the amoral yet charismatic vampire Lestat (Sam Reid), to whom he then becomes lover and companion – remains largely the same, in broad swaths. The updated premise, however, allows for some not-so-minor changes in the details– not the least of which is making its protagonist a person of color, a successful New Orleans businessman of Creole descent instead of a wealthy white plantation own er with slaves, which refreshes its relevance for a 21st century audience while expanding the scope of the themes enfolded within the gothic architecture of its plot.

Besides bringing America’s troubled relationship with race into the forefront of the story, the show’s “faithful with license to adapt” approach allows it to unequivocally ex press the queerness that made the book and its sequels a touchstone for countless LGBTQ readers across the years. Though later installments in the chronicle were more

directly candid about the nature of Louis’s relationship with Lestat, the original book never i e owe i s onfli e ero o own is sex i ones s s ow orre s or e en in e onne ion e ween i e s roo in sex fl i v ires n e i ions o eer ns ve seen e se ves refle e in e es o i e s books all along.

Such bold efforts to reinvent the story for a new era might well raise hackles among Rice’s fans, some of whom may decry the changes as unnecessary capitulations to a modern “woke” sensibility that seems far away from the unapologetically hedonistic wor view e ore o i e s oo s e even e os r ore i e overs wi n themselves hard-pressed to complain about the way the series leans hard into the pow er of Rice’s literary gifts.

Blessed by its episodic long-form narrative with the ability to take its time, the show gives us lengthy, rapturous sequences in which the author’s lushly romantic, searing and passionate prose – or language inspired by it – becomes the main attraction. It’s here where the qualities that made Rice’s vampire books speak so thrillingly to its readers are allowed to work their magic on viewing audiences, too; though the story’s more con crete elements – the meticulous evocation of its period setting, the lurid abandon of its sexuality, the merciless savagery of its horrors – all do their part in bringing us to e e i s ese flori r ro s stretches of narration accompany in e vis s s o en wi e ifl ous and impassioned conviction by Anderson, that allow us to partake of the feast being served there. In the poetry of these passages, we are drawn into the vampire’s world, and we are transformed without even having to be bitten.

That’s not to say the show’s im agery is not compelling in its own right – the climactic scene of ep isode one, a grand Guignol style symphony of gore that culminates in one of the most brazenly erotic moments in recent television mem ory, is alone enough not only to satisfy those who have come for the horror, but to make all but the most adamant Rice purists jump on board.

i ewise e in e es is oin en n erson on e e r ier n ore deeply sensitive than his role in “Game of Thrones” gave us reason to expect, delivers a Louis that commands our attention, our respect, and our compassion; and though Reid’s shining Lestat remains just as much in his lover’s shadow as required by their roles in the n rr ive e e ves no o o is i i o ro e e ro s r fl o n e n re e n e re re ire o is r er in er ins en s o e roni e o n in out the trio of main players (at least those we’ve seen so far), Bogosian’s world-weary, satchel-faced reporter makes a far more suitable stand-in for a 2022 audience than the naive youth of the book; cynical, mistrustful, yet somehow longing to be impressed, he’s heard this tale before – but something inside him needs to hear it again.

That feeling is something with which Anne Rice fans should be well familiar; they’ve been waiting decades for these beloved books to be adapted for the screen in a way wo o e s i e e rs wo e iso es o s vis n ovin re e in of them are any indication – and trust us when we tell you that they are – they might n e e in w e w n

We should all be grateful for that. After all, it’s Halloween season, and sexy vampires are always welcome.

SAM REID and JACOB ANDERSON bring Anne Rice’s iconic supernatural heroes to life again. (Photo courtesy AMC)

Despite the hype, Wenner memoir is a buzzkill

By KATHI WOLFE

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” the Rolling Stones sang in 1965.

When reading “Like a Rolling Stone: A Memoir” by Jann enner o we n o rse sin in on wi e Stones.

Whether you’re a Boomer who grew up to the soundtrack of the rock ‘n’ roll, Woodstock generation (from the Grate ful Dead to Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell), a Gen-Xer who listened to punk rock, a millennial who voted for Barack Obama or a Gen-Zer who put Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” back on the charts, you’re likely curious about Wen ner’s memoir.

In 1967, Wenner, 76, co-founded (with music critic Ralph J. Glisten) Rolling Stone, the magazine of youth culture and politics. Decades later, Wenner co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, Wenner with his husband, designer Matt Nye and their three children, divides his time between Montauk, N.Y., Manhattan, and Sun Valley, Idaho. He and his ex-wife Jane are on amicable terms. Wenner and his former spouse have three sons.

Who other than Wenner, you’d think, digging into “Like a Rolling Stone,” would be better at taking us behind the scenes of the cultural history of more than half a century (from the late 1960s through the early 2020s)?

You’d expect, given the rock stars and politicians Wenner has known, worked with and interviewed (from Mick Jagger to John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Bob Dylan to Obama to acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz to Bill Clinton), that Wenner’s memoir would be brimming with dazzling anec

dotes, wit, and insights.

Unfortunately, despite all of the hype and anticipa tion, “Like a Rolling Stone” is, by and large, a buzzkill.

Wenner, who grew up in San Francisco, has been as sociated with bold-faced names since he was a child. When he was hard to handle, Dr. Benjamin Spock stepped in to treat him.

His life was privileged from the get-go. His father was in the baby formula business and his mother was a novelist.

In boarding school, Wenner wrote a gossip column for the school paper and discovered (though he would be in a hetero marriage for decades) that he liked boys. He went on to college in Berkeley, Calif., during the height of the Free Speech movement. At 21, he was able to obtain the money he needed to start “Rolling Stone.”

Nearly every page of Wenner’s nearly 600-page memoir is infested with name-dropping. Celebs, tony nightspots and jet-setting locales appear more often than ants at a July 4th picnic.

But Wenner rarely reveals anything interesting about the famous names or his interactions with them.

Take Bruce Springsteen. What do we learn about the Boss from Wenner? That Springsteen at Wenner’s 60th birthday party sang, “Champagne, pot cookies and a Percocet/Keep him humming like a Sahre jet.”

Wenner’s name-dropping is a reminder that in 1986, Wen ner with the Walt Disney Company bought Us Weekly, the celeb gossip magazine.

What’s most disappointing about the memoir is that Wen ner says so little about what life has been like for him as a

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By Jann S. Wenner

gay man.

It’s understandable that he, as a man of his generation, didn’t come out until the 1990s.

o e w in o e s en

tury, Wenner writes little about what it was like to be closeted for decades. Or how being closeted impacted Rolling Stone.

Wenner interviewed Bill Clinton exten sively for Rolling Stone. Yet, he doesn’t refle on or on s on e

Wenner wasn’t totally insensitive to what it means to be LGBTQ. One of his sons, Theo, talked to him about kids speaking of his “dad being gay.”

Wenner sent a condolence note to the parents of a Rolling Stones staffer and one of Andy Warhol’s lovers who died of o in one is e one o e rs s ories o AIDS.

But you can’t help wishing that “Like a Rolling Stone” had more of a queer quotient.

Thankfully, Wenner sometimes tells a revealing anecdote about a celeb. One day, he recalls, when he dined with John Lennon in a restaurant, a fan approached Lennon for an au tograph. “Can’t you see I’m eating,” Lennon said to the fan, showing how annoying it was to have his privacy breached.

Yet, even with the glitz and glam, reading much of this memoir has the excitement of perusing a spreadsheet.

Wenner has done what neither God nor the Devil could do: he’s made his friend Bette Midler seem dull.

Wenner has led a fascinating life. His story is more inter esting than anything a novelist, like his pal Tom Wolfe, could have imagined.

If only Carrie Fisher or Oscar Wilde had written his memoir.

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Reading this book is as exciting as

Miss Gay Maryland 2022 Amethyst Diamond crowned pageant winner

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The winners and alternates of Miss Glamour Girl, Miss Gay Freestate and Miss Gay Western Maryland compet ed for the title of Miss Gay Maryland America 2022 at Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, Md. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Amethyst Diamond was crowned the winner with Dezi in esi n e e rs ern e o re e i i e o compete in the Miss Gay America pageant in Little Rock, Ark. in January, 2023.

ern ive w s o e wi i in eres r es

Rental units, house hacks, and more

By JUSTIN NOBLE

Amid all the news this week about whether or not the movie “Bros” was a blockbuster, we s i e r o fl in or e r es is is o vio s e ri en or si ness ve o o ee n i e o e o e s oo so e ern ive e o s o o in e i er or e r es o ve re revio s o ns o e o ve en o wi now e n o s ss n ore i or n on ro in o r on ro es e s o s r ese in eres r es nn

ENGLISHRENTAL UNITS

vio s we nno n e e in eres r es we on se ose we o se n on ro o r es in o ve een in e r e or row o se in on r N o s e er s s i o r se r o in e row o ses ve n n is se en is e ns i s se en s e ns o e ress ro e ron n e ere in ere re re ire en s in or er o e i e ren n ve er i e o o n w i in e re no i i e o e ns o e ress n ei in ei ei in ei s e is r ver i or n r s i in o r se r o in e se en wi ron n en r n e n e e ei in ei o so i no i e o ve in re se o r e i ore owever wi ese ni s o re e o r e ore in er s o on ren n o wo or s vin roo e e r e is s i in n ers re e o e i ore e o i wi eir r ses n wi o es so e ne o i ion ower s we

HOUSE HACK

e e s r s in is o ion is N or ever one in in e wo e re iss i i no en ion i in o vin roo es on s eroi s o se in is e i e o in o e wi e so e in en ion o ren in e e roo s o or ex e is e ns o r in ri eri wo e oo in or roo or e e roo in or er o e is wor e ree e roo ree roo is e ini or is o e r ive e o n i ion o re in ever w ere or e r es re in re sin s re o ve so seen ren s re on e rise s we w i is oo or is o se o ion we oo n ers s o r or e is o or ree e roo ree n o e e s irs s ree e roo s n wo s n e se en s n o en s e o n ss e o wo i e e e o ren one s irs e roo or o n en wo es i e e se en s e w i is si i r in s e o s io r en or ro n is e ns o wo re eive o in ren wi o ren in o ir e roo n even in in ro ossi ren in o o r wo r in s es e in e row o e oo in o r or e o o n s r in e in ren o re eive e ns o re in o or o r o e in is is N e ri oi e or ever one owever i is re o ion or ose re oo in or re inves en n i no nee e ex r s e now re oo in o row in o s e ese res re es i es n re on e ower en o w ren o n s o e ex e e n i so e en s on w i re o o re ivin

BUY DOWN RATES

is ren s i e r ion in e s ew on s o n e e ive own o r in eres r e r sin oin s ne oin e s o o r o or e o n o own oin en is e ns i o r in eres r e w s i wi now e e se ee in in o o N ve o own one oin ins e n own oin e ees n res e en on o r en er so ee in in s we e os i or n r o is e ion is o e in o onsi er ion ow on o wi e in e o e o re on nnin o ive in is o e or ve e rs en i i no e sense o own o r r e i o re no in e o e on eno o re o e os sso i e wi e own or ex e i o re in o r orever o e en wo s es in own oin or so in or er o essen o r on or e en ern ive i o re in one e roo on o now is wi on s i o r i es e or s or erio o i e ess n e rs wo s es rr in e o e n in e r e wi e in se o n re n n e er e e se ee in in e o se in n n is se en o ions re e vi on N N n is N w s r n ee so ere is inn e ris wi ese e o s so w er w n e e o en ion no or e ro er n o s o w s s e wi en er o see i ese o ions wo wor or o e r in e r e n w is o ere n rren enin on e s ree s in r n n e w re o s o re o o e

e ns o i e n n row o e wi n n is se en or ro n w o r e s on s i is re is i is n now o ve e i i o ren o e se en n o n se ose n s o o se e i er in eres r e n i e r es ro in n o n re n n e e en o e e se re e er in is r e we re rr in e o se n in e r e e nin i o n o se or o i on w i wi os o ore in e on r n i o w i n ew on s or e r o wi e e o re n n e n ower o r o n n i o ve o is row o e wi ren se en ni en o n s o e i ore one sin e o now ve ower r e r rn one e roo in o e w in ose o o r re s

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THANKS FOR READING

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Services every Sunday at 11 AM. Please join us October 16, Homecoming Sunday 11am. All are invited and there is a traditional Methodist potluck following the service with former pastor Rev. Tom Brunkow preaching. Singer Tori Amos’s father Rev. Ed Amos was a Dumbarton pastor in the 60’s, Ms. Amos who grew up in the parsonage has not rsvp’d yet. Pete Seeger who played at a Dumbarton Peace protest in the 70’s also has yet to rsvp.

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