DECEMBER 25, 2008 - JANUARY 8, 2009 VOLUME SEVEN, ISSUE 52

YOUR FREE ■ HISTORIC UN DAY ■ SODOMY LAW OUTRAGE ■ BURNS EXITS CENTER
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WEEKLY General Assembly hears gay Alabama judge enforces Longtime LGBT leader
eader
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P.14
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ars
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A M E R I C A’ S L A R G E S T C I R C U L AT I O N G AY A N D L E S B I A N W E E K LY N E W S P A P E R !

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■ LEGAL

Jerry Brown
Takes On
Prop 8
BY ARTHUR S. LEONARD

A
fter having surprised
Californians by revers-
ing his earlier-stated
intention to defend Proposition
8 from legal challenge, State
Attorney General Jerry Brown
threw another curve ball on
December 19, proposing a new
theory not previously articu-
lated in the case, which argued
the measure adopted by voters
on November 4 to end gay mar-
riage introduced an untenable
tension into the State Constitu-
tion that could only be resolved
P. 2

SCOTT TOKAR/ PICS SADDLEBACK CHURCH

■ HOLIDATE
Love amidst all those
evening carols
■8
——————————————
■ MILK MAN PASTOR RICK WARREN QUESTIONS BARACK OBAMA (BACK TO CAMERA) AT SADDLEBACK CIVIL FORUM ON THE PRESIDENCY
Memories of San
Francisco’s hero
——————————————
■ WINDED CITY
Can any “Joey” replace
pal Gene Kelly?
■ 15

Has Obama Turned

——————————————
■ UPDO ARTISTS
Impersonators proud
in “Pageant”
■ 22

His Back on Gays?

BY PAUL SCHINDLER Still, other famous gay and les- equality for same-sex couples. Just about
■ 24 bian voices, including rocker Melissa the only additional detail press accounts
——————————————

P
resident-elect Barack Obama’s
decision to invite Southern Cali-
fornia megachurch Pastor Rick
Warren to give the opening invocation
at his inauguration on January 20 has
sparked an avalanche of criticism from
LGBT activists and elected officials — as
well as from other liberal and left-leaning
Democrats — who have characterized
the decision as a slap in the face of gay
Americans, a naïve effort to woo Chris-
LIZA’S21BACK! tian evangelists, or both.
Etheridge, have embraced Obama’s deci-
sion, while, from the other end of the
spectrum, some are questioning why reli-
gious leaders of any stripe should take
part in a civic event of such moment.
In the week since inaugural planners
announced Obama’s choice of Warren,
the mainstream media has shorthanded
the problem the gay community has with
the popular pastor — whose book “The
Purpose-Driven Life” was a huge best-
seller — by saying he opposes marriage
have bothered to mention is his active
support for California’s Proposition 8.
In fact, Warren’s views on homosexu-
ality are considerably more troublesome
than simple opposition to legal equality
for same-sex couples. In a video interview
December 15 on Beliefnet.com, a faith-
based Internet site owned by Rupert
Murdoch’s News Corp, Warren explained
his opposition to same-sex marriage by
saying, “I am opposed to having a broth-
er and a sister be together and call that

© GAY CITY NEWS 2008 • COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED P. 6
2/ Legal
Jerry Brown Takes On Prop 8
In a bravura legal brief, California’s attorney general adopts argument new to the case
䉴 continued from cover
by striking it down.
The argument came in a
brief filed by Brown’s office the
same day as one authored by
Kenneth W. Starr — former
President Bill Clinton’s tor-
mentor who is now dean of
Pepperdine Law School — on
behalf of the Official Propo-
nents of Proposition 8, who
have been granted status
as “intervenors” by the high
court. Starr represents the
Proponents, in tandem with
attorney Andrew P. Pugno.
Starr’s brief provided what
had been expected from the
Proponents. Proposition 8
was not a “revision” of the
State Constitution, as gay
legal groups challenging Prop
8 have maintained. Instead, it
is merely an amendment, and
so can be enacted through the
state’s ordinary voter initiative
and referendum process, rath-
er than going through a more
cumbersome process of first
winning legislative approval.
Starr’s argument was but-
tressed by a close and persua-
sive reading of nearly a cen-
tury of case law involving post-
election challenges to initiative
amendments to the California
Constitution.
Starr also argued that the
measure did not violate sepa-
ration of powers and infringe
on the high court’s preroga-
tives, drawing analogies from
past referendums that effec-
tively overruled its constitu-
tional interpretations.
Finally, Starr argued that
the plain language of Propo-
sition 8 and the way it was
described in the ballot pam-
phlet made clear that not even
the roughly 18,000 same-sex
marriages performed between
June and Election Day remain
valid.
The attorney general con-
cluded, apparently with some
reluctance, that the high
court’s past rulings confirm
that Prop 8 should be con-
sidered an amendment, not
a revision. In all the chal-
lenges raising this question,
the court had invalidated only
two initiative amendments as
being revisions. One was an
extensive proposition aimed
at repealing and replacing
substantial portions of the
Constitution and significantly
reorganizing the structure of
the government. The other
flawed amendment, reacting
to liberal California Supreme
Court rulings on criminal
California Attorney General Jerry Brown on December 19 filed a bold, original brief in oppo-
sition to Prop 8 at the California Supreme Court.
procedure, provided that the
California Constitution could
not be interpreted to provide
greater rights to defendants
than were afforded by the
US Constitution, a revision
that would have transferred
authoritative interpretation of
the State Constitution from
the California to the federal
judiciary.
In every other case, chal-
lenges to initiative amend-
ments have been rejected, even
though many of those cases
involved reversing the Califor-
nia Supreme Court’s decisions
on questions of fundamental
constitutional rights, most
notably regarding a ban on
affirmative action and restora-
tion of the death penalty. Starr
argued that it was not plau-
sible to contend that estab-
lishing a definition of marriage
in the Constitution was a for-
bidden “revision” when these
prior amendments had been
upheld.
Given past high court rul-
ings that upheld initiative
amendments that overturned
its own rulings, Starr and
Brown agreed that there was
no separation of powers flaw in
Prop 8.
Starr and Brown parted
company, however, on the
question whether Prop 8 would
invalidate same-sex marriages
performed prior to its enact-
ment. While arguing that the
18,000 marriages already per-
formed are no longer binding,
Starr did not challenge the
fact that they were valid when
performed, and he conceded
that some subsidiary ques-
tions — such as how to deal
with property rights of couples
who married over the summer
and acquired real property
or entered into contracts in
the status of married couples
— should be dealt with on a
case-by-case basis as the need
arises.
Brown argued, on the other
hand, that it was not clear on
the face of Proposition 8 that
it was intended to have retro-
active effect, and that courts
apply a presumption against
retroactive application of a new
measure unless it is clear that
it was intended. Prop 8 had not
clearly communicated to vot-
ers, in his view, that it would
effectively dissolve thousands
of marriages performed prior
to November 4. Proponents
of the proposition had never
unequivocally stated that
undoing those marriages was
part of what was intended, the
attorney general maintained.
Brown also argued that
applying Prop 8 retroactively
would “raise significant issues
under the United States Con-
stitution,” and so it should be
interpreted to avoid such prob-
lems. Courts frequently adopt
a narrow construction of a new
state law if by doing so they
can avoid raising federal con-
stitutional questions. Brown
implied, for example, that ret-
roactive application might be
found to impair “vested prop-
erty rights without due process
of law,” and would overturn
the “settled expectations of
couples who entered into these
marriages in reliance on” the
State Supreme Court ruling in
May.
But the real news in Brown’s
brief was his argument that
Prop 8 should be invalidated
“even if it is deemed to amend
the Constitution because it
abrogates fundamental rights
protected by Article I without a
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
compelling interest.” The attor-
ney general pointed out that
the California Constitution
protects rights considered by
the framers to be “inalienable,”
which by definition cannot be
taken away from the individual
by government, and cannot be
abridged without some compel-
ling justification. Brown found
a tension between the voters’
power to amend, established
in the State Constitution, and
the protection of inalienable
rights. “In reconciling these
separate constitutional pro-
visions,” Brown argued, the
initiative power given voters
“could never have been intend-
ed to give [them] an unfettered
prerogative to amend the Con-
stitution for the purpose of
depriving a disfavored group
of rights determined by the
Supreme Court to be part of
fundamental human liberty.”
Here the Court’s stirring
rhetoric from its May marriage
ruling comes into play; the
right to marry, without regard
to gender or sexual orientation,
was treated there as a funda-
mental right in the California
Constitution. Brown insisted
that this was not about the
amendment-revision distinc-
tion, but rather about a more
fundamental question: “Is the
initiative-amendment power
wholly unfettered by the Cali-
fornia Constitution’s protec-
tion of the People’s fundamen-
tal right to life, liberty, and pri-
vacy?”
He argued that the Consti-
tution’s discussion of inalien-
able rights “enjoys a privileged
status... as the essential safe-
guard of individual freedom.”
Looking to the framers of the
California Constitution from
1849 and 1879, Brown stated
that rights were recognized as
inalienable “because it was
generally believed as a matter
of political philosophy that a
constitution is not the source
of these rights. The rights ‘ante-
date’ the constitution as inher-
ent in human nature... These
rights were not surrendered in
the ‘social compact.’”
This is an intriguing argu-
ment, suggesting that there
are certain rights so fixed by
natural law that even a con-
stitutional convention pro-
cess in which all the niceties
of due process are preserved
could not effectively amend the
Constitution to override them.
There is irony here, of course,
since religiously-inspired
opponents of gay rights reflex-
ively argue that homosexuality
is “unnatural” and contrary to
God’s law.
Brown acknowledged that
the 1849 framers were not
thinking of same-sex marriage
when they spoke of liberty,
but argued that “the scope of
liberty interests evolves over
time as determined by the
Supreme Court,” and that his-
torical support for the argu-
ment that the right to marry
is fundamental dates back in
California constitutional law
to at least the 1948 Perez case
that overturned miscegenation
laws there.
If a right is seen as inalien-
able, then it cannot be taken
away by the government, and
Brown argued those inalien-
able rights were specified in
the Constitution “to act as a
check on legislative excesses.”
With that purpose in mind,
the framers would not have
given the Legislature or, after
the advent of voter initiative
amendments, the people the
power to eliminate “a judi-
cially recognized fundamen-
tal liberty interest through a
constitutional amendment
passed by popular vote, at
least not without a compelling
reason for doing so.” The fact
that a majority of voters want
to eliminate the right is not in
itself a “compelling reason,” in
Brown’s view.
Br own argued that the
Supreme Court should “har-
monize” the Constitution’s rec-
ognition of fundamental rights
with the amendment power
given to voters by finding that
inalienable rights may only be
altered by amendment when
there is a compelling reason
to do so; otherwise the pro-
tection of such rights “would
be stripped of all meaning.”
The question before the court,
then, is “whether the proposed
initiative-amendment suf-
ficiently furthers the public
health, safety, or welfare. Mere
majority support alone for the
measure does not suffice,” in
Brown’s view.
The attorney general’s brief
noted that Prop 8 not only
involved a fundamental right,
but also a “suspect class” —
sexual orientation — for which
the state faces a particularly
high burden in justifying dif-
ferential treatment. The May
ruling by the Supreme Court
found that the different-sex
definition established in law
by voter initiative in 2000 did
not present sufficiently com-
䉴 PROP 8, continued on p.3
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
An Historic Day at the UN
Declaration, signed by 66 nations, presented to end sanctions on homosexuality worldwide
BY DOUG IRELAND
I
n an international affirma-
tion of LGBT rights without
precedent, a declaration
calling for the universal decrim-
inalization of homosexuality,
signed by 66 nations, was read
from the podium of the United
Nations on December 18.
At a press conference follow-
ing the reading of the “State-
ment on Sexual Orientation
and Gender Identity” to the UN
General Assembly by Argen-
tina’s envoy to the world body,
Ambassador Jorge Argüello,
the foreign minister of the Neth-
erlands, Maxime Vergahen,
declared that “human rights are
for all people“ and that “there
can be no excuse for the pros-
ecution, discrimination, or vio-
lation of the human rights of
gay, lesbian and transgendered
people.”
Verhagen added that the
reading of the non-binding dec-
laration and its “broad support”
by 66 member states meant
that the question of LGBT rights
was “no longer taboo [and]...
now firmly inscribed on the
agenda of the United Nations.”
At that same press confer-
ence, Rama Yade, the minister
for Human Rights in France,
which took the initiative in cre-
ating the declaration during
that nation’s six-month term
in the rotating presidency of
the European Union, called
the reading of the statement “a
historic day for LGBT peoples
and an excellent day for all who
struggle for human rights. ”
All 27 EU member states
signed the declaration.
B u t Ya d e , s p e a k i n g i n
French, also said that the read-
ing of the declaration was “only
the beginning,” because the
“ultimate goal” remains the
“total depenalization of homo-
sexuality.”
According to a detailed report
released this past May from the
International Lesbian and Gay
Association, which represents
LGBT groups in more than 100
countries, “In 2008, no less than
86 member states of the United
Nations still criminalize con-
䉴 PROP 8, from p.2
pelling justification, and that
Prop 8 merely restored the lan-
guage from that law into the
Constitution. Therefore, the
same analysis should apply.
Proposition 8, Brown argued,
“should be stricken as incon-
sensual same-sex acts among
adults, thus institutionally
promoting a culture of hatred.
Among those, seven have legal
provisions with the death pen-
alty as punishment” (a link to
the full ILGA report appears in
the online version of this article
at gaycitynews.com).
The United States was nota-
bly absent from among the dec-
laration’s 66 signatories of the
declaration. The Washington
Times, the capital’s conservative
daily, on December 19 reported,
“Gay Republicans are furious
at the Bush administration for
opposing” it.
The Bush administration
cited legal reasons for its deci-
sion, saying that endorsing the
resolution’s language would
conflict with numerous state
laws nationwide that ban gay
marriage. But the Washington
Times quoted Richard Grenell,
a gay Republican who until
recently was a spokesman for
the US mission to the United
Nations, as saying, “That’s a
real stretch. Concerns about
a remote possibility ignores
the purpose of the resolution,
which is to make sure that peo-
ple are not killed or oppressed
just because they are gay.”
“If being gay is a criminal
act, then the State Department
has granted hundreds of crimi-
nals like me top-secret secu-
rity clearance,” Grenell said,
adding, “Common sense says
that we should be the leader
in making sure other govern-
ments grant more freedoms to
their people.”
Nations still have the option
to add their names to the decla-
ration, but the incoming Obama
administration has not yet said
whether it would support it. A
call to the Obama transition
office was not returned as of
press time.
At a meeting ten days ago of
the Obama LGBT Task Force,
which included representatives
from more than a dozen lead-
ing LGBT organizations and
gay activists who worked on the
campaign, no one raised the
issue of the incoming admin-
istration’s position on the UN
sistent with the guarantees of
individual liberty safeguarded”
by the Constitution.
This is a bravura move by
Brown. Whether the Court will
embrace it is a question with
profound implications, since it
would turn an important cor-
ner in the law of constitutional
Human Rights/3
Louis-Georges Tin, the intelligent moving force behind the decriminalization declaration,
appeared in New York last week to talk about his initiative and also to sing a vibrant a capel-
la rendition of “We Shall Overcome.”
declaration, a source present
at that meeting told Gay City
News.
The idea for a statement of
principle by the United Nations
in support of decriminalizing
homosexuality globally was the
brainchild of Professor Louis-
Georges Tin, the founder of
IDAHO, the International Day
Against Homophobia, and the
president of the Paris-based
International Committee for
IDAHO. The campaign for the
declaration was launched in
November 2006, when IDAHO,
at a Paris press conference,
unveiled a list of hundreds of
VIPs who supported it, includ-
ing five Nobel Prize winners,
ten Pulitzer Prize winners, two
former French prime minis-
ters, and six Academy Award
winners (see this reporter’s
November 21-27, 2006 “Bold
Move for UN Action,” a link to
which appears in the online
version of this article at gayci-
tynews.com).
This past May, after a year-
long lobbying campaign by
IDAHO and an alliance of
French LGBT groups spanning
the political spectrum from
right to left, the French govern-
ment promised to push for “a
European initiative calling for
the universal decriminalization
of homosexuality,” according to
a statement released by Minis-
amendments. I don’t think
there is really any precedent
for it, at least in federal law.
The brief cites cases for spe-
cific elements of its argument,
but points to no case that sup-
ports the entire theory that the
amendment process, either
federal or state, is constrained
ter Of Human Rights Yade after
conferring with a delegation
from the gay coalition (see this
reporter’s May 22-28 “France
Fights for Decriminalization,”
a link to which appears in the
online version of this article at
gaycitynews.com).
In view of her advocacy on
moving the declaration, it is
unfortunate that Yade, who is
black and proved sympathetic
to LGBT human rights in her
post, is about to lose her job
in a New Year’s cabinet shuffle
after falling out of favor with
conservative French President
Nicolas Sarkozy. Yade pub-
licly refused to run at the head
of the list of Sarkozy’s UMP
party candidates for the Euro-
pean Parliament in the Paris
region, angering the president.
Sarkozy has told his entou-
rage he wants to abolish the
Human Right post, and his
minister of Foreign Affairs,
Bernard Kouchner, said three
weeks ago that having a sepa-
rate minister for that area was
“superfluous” because looking
after human rights was the job
of the foreign minister.
IDAHO President Tin, who
worked closely with the French
government in coordinating
the campaign to pressure UN
members to sign the declara-
tion, told Gay City News that
the next stage in the campaign
by the identification of funda-
mental, inalienable rights in
the Constitution itself. In some
ways, it is a startling use of the
concept of “original intent” that
will no doubt infuriate many of
those who identify themselves
with that school of constitu-
tional interpretation, such as
for global decriminalization
would probably be launched
this coming summer, when
Sweden assumes the rotating
European Union presidency
from the Czech Republic, which
will carry the mantle in the first
half of 2009.
“Unlike the Czech govern-
ment, the Swedish govern-
ment has a long record of being
LGBT-friendly, and our think-
ing at this point is that discus-
sions about crafting an actual
UN resolution on decriminaliza-
tion of homosexuality and gen-
der identity to be presented for
a vote at the General Assembly
could most usefully take place
under a Swedish EU presiden-
cy,” said Tin, the day after the
reading of the decriminalization
declaration at the UN.
Tin said that his next project
will be to have IDAHO launch
a global statement against
transphobia. He was one of the
speakers at a panel discussion
last week at the UN on “Human
Rights, Sexual Orientation and
Gender Identity” that France,
the Netherlands, and interna-
tional LGBT groups organized
in connection with the decrimi-
nalization declaration. Gay
activists from a dozen countries
spoke. When it came time for
him to speak, Tin declared, “In
the French territory of Martin-
ique, where I’m from, we have a
saying that ‘A little song is often
better than a long speech,’”
upon which he launched into
a vibrant a capella rendition of
“We Shall Overcome” that was
vigorously applauded by the
audience.
UN television captured both
the panel discussion featuring
gay activists from around the
world and the press conference
at which Dutch Foreign Minis-
ter Verhagen, French Human
Rights Minister Yade, and
IDAHO President Tin discussed
the decriminalization declara-
tions. Links to those videos
appear in the online version of
this story at gaycitynews.com.
Doug Ireland can be reached
through his blog, DIRELAND, at
http://direland.typepad.com/.
US Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia.
The impact it will have on
the California Supreme Court,
which now occupies the politi-
cal-jurisprudential hot seat of
deciding Prop 8’s fate, after one
of the most expensive initiative
battles in history, is unclear.
4 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

Living with HIV doesn’t

© 2007 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company,Princeton,NJ 08543 U.S.A. VIUS07AB09722 11/07

WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 5

mean you have to live here.

Ask your doctor if there are HIV medications

with a low risk of diarrhea.
6/ Politics
Obama’s Back Turned on Gays?
Rick Warren’s role in the inauguration stirs storm
䉴 continued from cover
a marriage. I am opposed to
an older guy marrying a child
and calling that a marriage.
I am opposed to one guy hav-
ing multiple wives and calling
that a marriage.” Asked by
the Beliefnet correspondent
whether he believes “those are
equivalent to gays getting mar-
ried,” Warren responded, “Oh,
I do.”
In a December 19 interview
with Ann Curry of “Dateline
NBC,” Warren said, “I’ve had
many gay friends tell me,
‘Well, Rick, why shouldn’t I
have multiple sexual part-
ners, it’s the natural thing
to do.’ Well just because it
seems natural doesn’t mean
it’s best for you or society. I’m
naturally inclined to have sex
with every beautiful woman
I see, but that doesn’t mean
it’s the right thing to do…. I
think that’s part of maturity.
I think it’s part of delayed
gratification. I think it’s part
of character.”
The president-elect has
faced questions of his own
since his team announced
Warren’s role at the inaugura-
tion. Asked at a Chicago press
conference why he was inviting
someone whose attitudes were
so at odds with his own to play
such a high-profile role in his
first day in office, Obama said,
“Well, let me start by talking
about my own views. I think it
is no secret that I am a fierce
advocate for equality for gay
and lesbian Americans. It is
something that I have been
consistent on and something
that I intend to continue to be
consistent on during my pres-
idency.”
He went on to argue, how-
ever, that unity was at the
heart of the choice.
“What I have also said is
that it is important for Amer-
ica to come together even
though we may have dis-
agreements on certain social
issues,” Obama said. “There
are going to be a wide range of
viewpoints that are presented,
and that’s how it should be,
because that’s what America’s
about, that’s part of the magic
of this country is that we are
diverse and noisy and opin-
ionated.”
The president-elect men-
tioned that Warren invited
him to participate in a World
AIDS Day event in 2006 at the
pastor’s Saddleback Church,
“despite his awareness that I
held views that were entirely
contrary to his when it came to
gay and lesbian rights, when
it came to issues like abor -
tion.” Obama also noted that
the closing benediction will be
delivered by the Reverend Dr.
Joseph Lowery, an African-
American Methodist minister
who co-founded the Southern
Christian Leadership confer-
ence with the Reverend Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ter ming Warren’s com-
ments on marriage equal-
ity “degrading,” Congressman
Barney Frank, the out gay
Massachusetts Democrat,
issued a written statement the
day after the pastor’s appoint-
ment was announced, saying
he was “disappointed,” adding
“the President-Elect has not
simply invited Rev. Warren
to give a speech as part of a
series in which various views
are presented. The selection
of a member of the clergy to
occupy this uniquely elevated
position has always been con-
sidered a mark of respect and
approval by those who are
being inaugurated.”
Christine Quinn, the out
lesbian City Council speaker,
wrote to the Presidential Inau-
gural Committee, voicing her
“profound objection,” stating,
“In his acceptance speech,
President-elect Obama called
on all Americans to come
together for the good of the
country. The message of divi-
siveness and hatred preached
by Pastor Warren stands in
direct contrast to the Presi-
dent-elect’s call.”
Joe Solmonese, the presi-
dent of the Human Rights
Campaign, the Washington-
based LGBT lobby, in a letter
to Obama, argued, “Rev. War-
ren cannot name a single theo-
logical issue that he and vehe-
mently anti-gay theologian
James Dobson disagree on.
Rev. Warren is not a moderate
pastor who is trying to bring
all sides together. Instead,
Rev. Warren has often played
the role of general in the cul-
tural war waged against LGBT
Americans.”
By the weekend, Warren, at
least, apparently felt the need
for damage control. In a video
message to his congregation
posted on the Saddleback
website on December 21, the
pastor insisted that in men-
tioning marriage between sib-
lings, between an adult and
an underage person, and with
multiple wives, he did not
intend to compare gay unions
to incest, pedophilia, or polyg-
amy.
“I believe no such thing,”
Warren insisted, though later
he added, “The gay view of
sexuality is contrary to God’s
word. I do believe that God
gives us a free choice, and he
gives us a choice to obey his
word or to disobey it.”
A day later, Warren’s critics
noted that his church’s web-
site had been scrubbed of a
notice that “someone unwill-
ing to repent of their homo-
sexual lifestyle would not be
accepted as a member at Sad-
dleback.”
Jeff Lutes, the executive
director of Soulforce, a group
that aims to engage religious
“We tried to share our stories,”
Lutes recalled, “They didn’t seem
all that interested in our stories.”
groups in dialogue about
LGBT rights and social jus-
tice, knows something about
Saddleback’s resistance to
accepting gays. In early 2008,
the group, in tandem with
several other LGBT organi-
zations, reached out to six
megachurches across the
nation, Saddleback among
them, in what they called “An
American Family Outing,” or,
alternatively, “Can We Talk?”
The aim was to have groups
of LGBT families — gay and
lesbian couples and their
children — visit conservative
evangelical churches to estab-
lish “dialogue.”
Lutes wrote about his expe-
rience last week on the Bileri-
co.com blog site and this week
told Gay City News, “While
it’s true that all six churches
approached us carefully and
tried to manage the situa-
tions and tried to protect their
empires and their ministries,
to me Saddleback was the
least satisfying and most diffi-
cult to deal with. We felt led on
and strung out.”
Originally, Lutes wrote on
Bilerico, Saddleback agreed
that Warren, his wife Kay, and
six members of his staff would
have a meal with eight fami-
lies, and then a smaller group
drawn from the families would
sit down with church officials
for a 90-minute meeting. That
all changed, Lutes wrote, when
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
Newsweek published “a sin-
gle sentence” referring to the
planned exchange. Sudden-
ly, Saddleback pulled back,
and Lutes ended up spending
“hours” on the phone and in
email exchanges with Warren’s
chief of staff.
In the end, Warren would
agree only to a ten or 15-min-
ute meeting with Lutes’ family
after a service at one of Saddle-
back’s satellite churches; that
encounter would be followed
by a longer sit-down between
other church officials and
the eight families. As Lutes
describes it, this denoue-
ment of months of negotia-
tions approached farce. As
Lutes’ family waited near their
pew after the agreed-upon
service, he heard his name
called, turned to see War -
ren approach him, and then
“he hugged me, my partner,
and our three children… and
then walked away. No conver-
sation. Minimal eye contact.
Just an awkward hug and he
was gone.”
The eight families next had
lunch with four church rep-
resentatives — one of whom
Lutes had the impression was
a media consultant who had
flown in for the day — after
which each family was allowed
to select only one member
to sit down for the “dialogue”
sought. Even that proved dis-
appointing.
“We tried to share our sto-
ries,” Lutes recalled, in a
phone interview with Gay
City News. “They didn’t seem
all that interested in our sto-
ries.” What the Saddleback
team was willing to talk about
was the church’s AIDS min-
istry, but in terms that Lutes
felt suggested that the church
could teach the families about
advocacy regarding the epi-
demic, rather than the other
way around.
“It felt very condescending,”
Lutes said.
As of press time, Sad-
dleback Church had not
responded to telephone and
email requests for comment
on Lutes’ account.
Lutes’ experiences with
the limits of Warren’s inter-
est in dialogue about gay
issues were echoed in com-
ments Barney Frank made to
MSNBC on December 22.
“Oh, I believe that he over-
estimates his ability to get
people to put aside fundamen-
tal differences,” Frank said of
Obama’s outreach to Warren.
“I think he overestimates his
ability to take people, par -
ticularly our colleagues on
the right, and, sort of, charm
them into being nice… To be
honest, when he talks about
being post-partisan, having
seen these people and know-
ing what they would do in that
situation, I suffer from post-
partisan depression.”
But other notable LGBT
voices disagree.
Melissa Etheridge had
never heard of Warren before
last week’s flap emerged, but
as chance would have it, right
after she saw the comments
he had made about same-sex
marriage, she learned he was
the keynote speaker at a Mus-
lim-American gathering she
was performing at. Her man-
ager reached out to Saddle-
back, and Warren called her
the day of the event and told
her what a big fan of hers he
is.
“When we met later that
night, he entered the room
with open arms and an
open heart. We agreed to
build bridges to the future,”
Etheridge wrote on the Huff-
ington Post. “Brothers and
sisters the choice is ours now.
We have the world’s attention.
We have the capability to cre-
ate change, awesome change
in this world, but before
we change minds we must
change hearts.”
Conservative gay blogger
Chris Crain echoed the notion
that common ground — or at
least the neutralizing of anti-
gay rhetoric — is one possible
outcome of Obama’s invitation.
“Even if you suspect the whole
‘unity’ thing is really just about
politics, the selection of Warren
still makes good sense, includ-
ing for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender Americans,”
he wrote on Newsweek.com. “It
is a stroke of political brilliance
to recruit a conservative mega-
pastor in support of a presi-
dent-elect who is arguably the
most pro-gay, pro-choice, and
progressive in our history.”
And longtime San Fran-
䉴 OBAMA, continued on p.7
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 7

䉴 OBAMA, from p.6 based on faith and are not based in

cisco AIDS activist Michael Petrelis,
writing on his blog, characterized War-
ren’s selection as “a golden opportunity
presented on a silver platter to the gay
community.”
“Which of my leaders will initiate
a discussion with Warren, who will
play a significant role in future bat-
tles over gay marriage and our other
struggles?” Petrelis wrote, challenging
movement advocates. “Who among
rationality or science. It’s worrisome
that so many people in this contro-
versy have forgotten how important
it is to keep religion out of the public
sphere.”
Dobbs was particularly critical of
LGBT advocates who challenged War-
ren on religious grounds. The Rever-
end Rebecca Voelkel of the National
Religious Leadership Roundtable, a
project of the National Gay and Les-
bian Task Force, said, in written

“The toxic effects of religiosity are what are

at issue,” said Dobbs. “I don’t think that
having Joseph Lowery is any better.”

SCOTT TOKAR/ PICS SADDLEBACK CHURCH

the brave gay leaders, either coward-
ly returning inauguration invitations
or attending the event, will pick up
the phone on January 21 and begin a
conversation with Warren?”
But, for some gay leaders, enough is
enough with the preachers. Bill Dobbs,
a longtime gay and anti-war activist
noted for his civil libertarian views,
said, “The most obvious angle of this
is: Why are preachers participating in
this most important civic event?”
“The toxic effects of religiosity are
what are at issue,” he told Gay City
News. “I don’t think that having
Joseph Lowery is any better at bring-
ing about unity. Let’s remember what
preachers do. Their perspectives are
statement, “My prayer is that Pastor
Warren allow himself to repent of his
hatred and harm to the LGBT commu-
nity.” Debating Crain on Newsweek.
com, Leah McElrath Renna, who blogs
regularly on the Huffington Post, wrote
of the individual selected to offer the
inauguration invocation, “The person
is charged with the responsibility of
calling upon God for God’s assistance
on all of our behalf, and the reality is
that Warren does not recognize lesbi-
an and gay people as being spiritually
whole or as having been created by
God exactly how we are.”
Yet, even as dedicated a secular
organization as Americans United for
Separation of Church and State could
Pastor Rick Warren with presidential contenders John McCain and Barack Obama at the Saddleback Civil Forum on
the Presidency in August.
not refrain from specifically criticiz-
ing Warren, even as it echoed Dobbs’
view that religious figures ought not
be part of the formal inauguration
ceremony at all.
“We have never thought it appro-
priate for there to be a religious ele-
ment in these inauguration events,”
Barry L ynn, the group’s executive
director, told Gay City News. Still, he
added, “There is so much about the
Warren thing that is so disappoint-
ing. In some ways he is worse than
Jerry Falwell.”
Asked why the group’s website
blog seemed more focused on War -
ren’s shortcomings than on the issue
of keeping religion out of the official
inauguration, Lynn said, “We always
try to make both points.”

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8/ At Night
Holidate
Looking for love as carols fill the air
BY ERASMO GUERRA
T
he cute, brown-eyed guy
waited for the uptown
express train at the 14th
Street station in Chelsea. But
when the local arrived he got
on with me. At least I wanted
to think so when he sat on the
opposite bench and gave me a
glance.
Days earlier, flipping through
a fashion magazine, I’d torn out
a Prada ad of a young model
sitting on a dark park bench,
wearing a suit jacket over a gray
cardigan with a plunging neck-
line that bared his chest.
Less interested in the clothes
than those startled, innocent-
looking eyes shadowed by the
seductive tussle of his hair, I
plastered the ad on my kitch-
en fridge and, as a number
of dating books instructed,
announced to everyone and
no one that this was the guy I
wanted to meet.
As a mid-30s gay man — I
was 36 at the time — who’d
been dating in Manhattan for
more than a decade, I needed
all the help I could get, espe-
cially during the holidays, when
everyone seemed even more
desperate in their search for
love or at least a good lay.
The guy on the train might
not have been wearing the
expensive outfit — he wore
He looked at me with his big brown
eyes, not saying anything, just
like all those uptown girls who
crossed their arms over their
chest, waiting to be impressed.
a dark hoodie — but he had
the same brown eyes, the hair
combed forward, and that erot-
ic silence of luxury ads.
Other riders passed in and
out of the subway car, but when
the train cleared out at Colum-
bus Circle, the guy slid over to a
spot directly across from me.
We passed a handful of stops
without either one of us getting
off. One hundred and twenty-
fifth and 137th Streets came
and went. My stop was next.
Should I get up and tap him
on the shoulder and say hi? No,
not on the train, where every-
one might overhear us. Never
mind the number of times each
day I witnessed uptown guys
stare at the girls pass by in
their Apple Bottoms jeans and
call out, “E’cuse me,” “Shorty,”
or, their final effort, “Yo, Gor-
geous!” and then hitch up their
baggy Akademiks jeans and
trot after them.
As the train pulled into the
145th Street station, I zipped
up my jacket to signal that I
was getting off. The guy and I
traded a look before he headed
to the door. I followed, standing
behind him, preparing my hello
for when we hit the street.
Only he didn’t go up the
stairs to the exit. Instead, once
we got off the train, he took the
stairs down to the lower level, to
transfer to another train.
I wasn’t going to pursue it
further. Until he stopped on the
landing halfway down the stair-
case and looked back up to see
if I was going to follow.
I hurried down and came
around the grimy railing to
where he stood between the
peeling girders.
I said hi.
He looked at me with his big
brown eyes, not saying any-
thing in return, just like all
those uptown girls who crossed
their arms over their chest,
waiting to be impressed.
When I asked him for his
name, I was surprised he gave
it to me — Angel — unless it
was a fake.
I apologized for talking him
up in the subway station.
“Where do you like to hang
out?” I asked. “Maybe we could
arrange to meet there instead.”
“I don’t go out,” he said.
I shook my head. “Never?”
“I work,” he said.
Which seemed like what he
was making me do, refusing to
make it easy.
Part of me wanted to give
up, but I couldn’t shake off the
image of that Prada ad stuck to
my fridge and I knew this was
meant to be. I’d placed my
order with the universe, and
now I couldn’t just send the guy
back to the cosmic relationship
kitchen.
I turned to him a final time
and said, “Can I call you?”
Columbus Circle and the Mandarin Oriental bar at the Time Warner Center played host to the
suprisingly young man surprisingly tied to Prada.
I I
phoned Angel the follow-
ing night. The call went to
voice-mail, and I left a mes-
sage asking whether he was
free Thursday night for a drink.
He didn’t call back by the
time I re-read all the appro-
priate chapters in my dating
books, or by the time I got out
of the shower.
Before dropping off to sleep,
I went into the kitchen for a
glass of water, and looked at the
fridge and the guy in the Prada
ad.
Angel looked exactly like him.
They had the same messy hair.
The same eyes. The same sweet
bow of the upper lip.
My phone rang close to mid-
night. I rolled over in bed to pick
it up and looked at the number.
Angel.
Pick it up and admit that
I was asleep? Or let it go to
voice-mail and let him think I
was busy?
I debated for too long.
In the message he left, Angel,
controlled, underwhelmed,
said, “A drink sounds fine. Call
me. Later.”
When I called back, I heard a
lot of noise in the background.
Was this the midtown res-
taurant where I imagined he
bussed tables? Or a late family
dinner at home?
I didn’t ask him where he
was or what he was doing,
just made the date to meet on
Thursday night at Columbus
Circle.
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
waited under the starry
light show of holiday music
at the Columbus Circle
Shops. Angel texted to say he
was running late. Twenty min-
utes passed. Then thirty.
I sent him a text message
that we should meet some
other night, and then headed
to the subway.
I shouldn’t have checked
my phone again, but I did and
found his text: “I’m here.”
I went back upstairs and
spotted him by the escalators
slurping a large fruit shake
from Jamba Juice.
So much for going out for a
drink.
A
t the small, dim-lit bar
in the Mandarin Ori-
ental, we sat at a table
near the front. I would’ve pre-
ferred to sit on the low couch-
es in the back, but the place
was packed with blonds in
short skirts and men in suits.
“Swanky,” Angel said, but
he seemed deter mined to
remain unimpressed, com-
plaining that all the women
reminded him of the Upper
East Siders he had to attend
to at the high-priced Madison
Avenue hair salon where he
worked.
Recently, he said, one cli-
ent turned to him and asked
what he planned to do with
his life, whether he was going
to college, that kind of thing,
and when he shrugged, she
turned away and said, disap-
pointed, “Oh, so you’re just a
hairdresser.”
He said he had once
styled the hair of the blond
who wrote “The Devil Wears
Prada.”
“She was a real bitch,” he
said. “And I’d only given her a
blow dry.”
I was floored that the guy
I’d been sent had a connection
to Prada, no matter how thin,
bleached-out, or breakable
as a strand of hair. I was still
happy.
Until I found out he was
only 21 years old. I nearly spit
out my Jack Daniels.
He’d looked young, even
in the unforgiving light of the
subway. I just hadn’t realized
how young.
“How old did you think I
was?” he said.
Not that he was much better
at guessing my age, because
he forced me to show him my
ID when I said I was 36.
Because of our age differ-
ence, I was convinced that
we had nothing to talk about
and, ultimately, I wasn’t going
to date a 21-year-old.
Still, on the ride back
uptown, we found out that we
both loved Mexican food. But
while he preferred the fast-
foody, under-cooked burritos
served at Chipotle, I preferred
the heavy, romantic atmo-
sphere of Mama Mexico on the
East Side, where the mariachi
sang Juanga’s “La Differen-
cia.”
Angel was a life-long New
Yorker, half Puerto Rican and
half Ecuadorean, and he lived
with his mom in the 150s. He
claimed he took the local the
night we met because some-
times he liked “to take the long
way home.”
Which I liked to do, too.
A
t 145th Street, I
walked Angel down
to the lower level and
waited with him for his train.
We didn’t say goodbye or
promise to call one another
later.
Back at my apartment,
tossing the Prada ad into the
trash, I told myself I had to
be a little more specific about
what I wanted in a man.
Or at least ask for the dat-
ing equivalent of a gift receipt.
Then I put up that Cole
Haan ad of the 30ish guy
reclining in a cowhide chair,
wearing a leather jacket and
biker boots.
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 9

NEWS BRIEFS By ANDY HUMM

Soup is Gay
Food
Campbell’s Soup has taken
out four full-page ads in the
Advocate magazine promoting
their Swanson line of broths. Or,
as the right-wing American Fam-
ily Association put it in an alert,
the company “has openly begun
helping homosexual activists
push their agenda. Not only did
the ads cost Campbell’s a chunk
of money, but they also sent a
message that homosexual par-
ents constitute a family and are
worthy of support. They also gave
their approval to the entire homo-
sexual agenda.”
One of the ads features New
York chef Lisa Forant, her partner,
Carolyn, and their daughter, Lisa.
You can see the ads, albeit on the
AFA website, at afa.net/pdfs/
cscads.pdf
Common
Ground Sought
in Utah
The Mormon Church got all
defensive after being attacked
for its central role in passing
California Prop 8, insisting in a
statement that it “does not object
to rights for same-sex couples
regarding hospitalization and
medical care, fair housing and
employment rights, or probate
rights.” To call its bluff, Equal-
ity Utah, the LGBT lobby group
there, put forth six proposals to
secure those rights and asked the
Mormon leaders to join them in
passing them in Utah and at the
federal level.
So far, silence from the Mor-
mons, but the lobbying continues.
The Human Rights Campaign
delivered 27,000 printed e-mails
to Mormon headquarters sup-
porting this Common Ground
Initiative. One proposal in the ini-
tiative is to get Democratic Gov-
ernor Jon Huntsman, Jr., to pro-
vide domestic partner benefits to
state employees, much the way
Salt Lake City does by selecting
an “adult designee” to share the
worker’s health plan.
The five bills proposed by
Equality Utah are 1) two bills pro-
hibiting employment and housing
discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation or gender iden-
tity and expression, 2) probate
rights and allowing a same-sex
partner to sue for wrongful death,
3) a statewide domestic partner
registry that opens up inheritance
and insurance rights for couples,
and 4) repeal of that part of the
state constitutional amendment
against same-sex marriage that
prohibits marriage-like benefits
for gay couples.
Spray-On
Condom Touted
Condoms may be making a
comeback — and safer than pull-
ing out and coming on his back.
This reporter saw Ophelia pull
some out in the current Royal
Shakespeare production of Ham-
let in London. And in the New
York Times Magazine’s “Year in
Ideas” issue this month, one of
them was the spray-on condom
being developed by German
entrepreneur Jan Vincent Krause,
who runs the website Online Con-
dom Adviser. He says he got the
idea from being in a car wash.
To create the form-fitting con-
dom, the hard penis is inserted into
a tube and “sprayed with liquid
latex from all sides,” the story said.
He said the 30 men who tested it
liked it. At least the process was
okay. The condoms haven’t been
tested for intercourse, other than
by Krause, who gives them the
thumbs up. However, European
Union standards for prophylactics
haven’t yet been met.
Waits for
AIDS Drugs
Increasing
Across US
The National Alliance of State
and Territorial AIDS Directors
report that the number of people
with HIV dependent on govern-
ment drug assistance but con-
signed to waiting lists across the
country has grown from 35 in May
to 53 in November, due to shrink-
ing state coffers, the relative
priority put on the lives of people
with HIV, and the increased num-
Christmas at
ber of people being tested and
therefore learning they have HIV. St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery
The three states with waiting An Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New York
lists for the AIDS Drug Assistance 131 East 10th St. at 2nd Avenue (212) 674-6377
Program are Indiana, Montana,
and Nebraska. Expected to join
them in March are Idaho and Advent IV
Kentucky, based on budget pro- Sunday, December 21
jections. 11 AM Service of Lessons and Carols
Moscow Mayor:
Stopping Gay
Christmas Eve
Wednesday, December 24
Rights Stops 7:00 PM Concert & Carols followed by Service
AIDS The Reverend Margaret Rose, preaching
The perverse mayor of Mos- The Reverend Michael Relyea, presiding
cow, Yuri Luzhkov, who has Jeannine Otis, music director Three Kings Day
worked assiduously to ban pride Sunday, January 4
marches in his city, told an AIDS
conference there, “We have
Christmas Day 11 AM Celebration
Thursday, December 25 2:30 PM Pageant
banned, and will ban, the propa-
ganda of sexual minorities’ opin- 11:00 AM Christmas Featuring Hudson Vagabond
ions because they can be one of Morning Prayer Meditation Puppets, Gifts and Food.
the factors in the spread of HIV
infection.”
He also knocked the effective-
ness of condoms.
Gay Russia, the LGBT rights
group in Moscow, issued an
understatement, calling him “one
of the most homophobic politi-
cians in Russia.”
Gay Pride Hits
Hong Kong
Hong Kong had its first LGBT
pride parade on December 13,
ALL ARE
with about a thousand marching WELCOME!!
to “celebrate love,” Time maga-
zine reported, calling it “the first PEACE ~ POWER ~ LOVE
large-scale event of its kind in
any major Chinese city” other
than Taipei. The story noted that 19 locations.
5 boroughs.
British colonials were the first to One YMCA.
criminalize homosexual activity
there, including a 1901 law penal-
izing anal sex with life in prison
and mandating two years for
other “indecent acts” between
men, even in private.
The parade was said to have
attracted many LGBT people from
mainland China and Hong Kong’s
large ex-pat community. The
Hong Kong Pride 2008 Organiz-
ing Committee had to overcome
initial resistance from a local
bus company that refused rental
of one of its double-deckers, as
䉴 BRIEFS, continued on p.14

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in New York City. Our congregation offers a range of celebrations, outreach programs and
support services, including Homeless Youth Services and the Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry.
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Becoming a YMCA member is easier than you might imagine. Here you can get on the path to health, the kids can have fun and everyone’s
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transgender people - open to all

Look out for our Open Houses happening in January! Visit ymcanyc.org for details
The Reverend Pat Bumgardner, Pastor
Chinatown (Houston & Bowery) McBurney (14th btw 6th & 7th)
Weekly Sunday Services: 9 am (Traditional), 11 am (Celebration) 212-912-2460 212-912-2300
3 pm (Mandarin) and 7 pm (Praise & Worship) Visit ymcanyc.org/chinatown for details. Visit ymcanyc.org/mcburney for details.
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website: www.mccny.org email: info@mccny.org The YMCA serves 175,000 NYC kids,
and our Strong Kids Campaign ensures no one is turned away.
10/ Perspective ■ LETTERS TO EDITOR
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009

DRUG ACCESS NOT programs in FY 09-10. As many New makes me feel optimistic as the argu- side by side with her at the Firehouse
AT RISK York City HIV Planning Council members ments of plaintiff seem very solid, and the lesbian switchboard, and
PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER know, there has been a surplus accrued whereas the defendant seems to be we hung out at Bonnie and Clyde’s,
JOHN W. SUTTER
646.452.2500 December 22, 2008 in the ADAP funding that has and will relying on flimsy evidence. I love Iowa, especially on Sunday (“Eleanor Coo-
JWSutter@communitymediallc.com continue to be used to provide the same and I would be very proud if Iowa legal- per Dies at 68,” by Andy Humm, Dec.
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER To the Editor: level of services. izes gay marriage, even possibly before 11-17). She took the first picture of
TROY MASTERS At first blush, Governor Paterson’s We believe that this is a fiscally California. me at my first Pride March in 1974
646.452.2502 proposed $65 million dollar cut to the smart move and do not believe that the Sebastian Delrieu-Schulze as I led the parade and was on TV. I
troy@gaycitynews.com
state’s contribution to the AIDS Drugs governor or the Legislature will renege Iowa City remember going to the Eighth Street
EDITOR IN-CHIEF & CO-FOUNDER Assistance Program (ADAP) appeared on New York State’s long-standing Womyn’s Clinic and Eleanor was work-
PAUL SCHINDLER
to be an unfathomable attack on people commitment to continue to provide HIV ing to make this reality for lesbians.
646.452.2503
editor@gaycitynews.com living with AIDS and HIV here in New medications and quality, essential ser- WHAT’S MISSING We needed a place where lesbians
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
York State (“New York Slashes AIDS vices to folks that are HIV-positive and HERE? and other womyn could go and feel
Duncan Osborne Drug Program,” by Duncan Osborne, Dec. not Medicaid-eligible. In addition, we safe and get the right care. Eleanor’s
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 18-24). But the budget language released commend Governor Paterson for his December 19, 2008 work toward making this world a bet-
Christopher Byrne (Theater), Susie Day, on December 16 did not clarify all of the ongoing support of health care reform, To the Editor: ter place to live will be remembered
Doug Ireland (International), stipulations involved in this budget deci- including expanded health care access I notice the unhappy omission of any and she will always be loved.
Brian McCormick (Dance) sion. On December 18, the New York and for his proposed increase in the pub- mention of GENDA in this article (“The Dale Roland
Dean P. Wrzeszcz
State Department of Health convened lic assistance grant, both of which will Job the Pride Agenda Is Doing,” by Paul Boca Raton, Florida
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS several budget briefings that were significantly benefit people living with Schindler, Dec. 18-24). While I whole-
Betsy Andrews, Seth J. Bookey,
Anthony M.Brown, Kelly Jean Cogswell, open to the public. At the 9 a.m. “Public HIV and AIDS. heartedly support the equal treatment
Dean Daderko, Tate Dougherty, Andres Duque, Health” briefing, we asked about the Charles King of all people under the law as regards to December 13, 2008
Michael Ehrhardt, Steve Erickson, Nick Feitel,
Jim Fouratt, Joe Fyfe, Deborah Garwood, proposed cut to ADAP. We were told: President, Housing Works marriage, I feel it is important to remind
Erasmo Guerra, Emily Harney, Andrey Henkin,
Frank Holiday, Andy Humm, James Jorden, That the $65 million dollar withdraw- Brooklyn the GLB community that getting married To the Editor:
Brendan Keane, David Kennerley, Gary M. Kramer, al of the State’s contribution to ADAP is is not really a big deal if you can’t find Eleanor Cooper’s memorial service
Arthur S. Leonard, Rachael Liberman,
Michael T. Luongo, Lawrence D. Mass, for Fiscal Year 2009 - 2010 only. This $65 a job or a halfway decent place to live will be held at the LGBT Community
Winnie McCroy, Eileen McDermott, million dollar “savings” was zeroed out December 18, 2008, because of widespread anti-transgender Center at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January
Gregory Montreuil, Ioannis Mookas, Carrie Moyer,
Stephen Mueller, Christopher Murray, in the FY 10-11 budget because the state discrimination. I very much hope that 20. Please pass the information along
David Noh, Wayne Northcross, Lori Ortiz, will resume the funding. To the Editor: GENDA wasn’t the bargaining chip that to anyone who may wish to join us there
Pauline Park, Sheila Pepe, John Reed,
Nathan Riley, Andrew Robinson, Gerard Robinson, 2. That there would be no loss in I blogged this item at my site http:// was dealt away by the ESPA to save the to celebrate her life. All are invited and
Chris Schmidt, Sarah D. Schulman,
Jason Victor Serinus, Linda Shapiro, funding to the ADAP pools. The money aids.about.com urging people from marriage issue. welcome. I look forward to seeing many
David Shengold, Gus Solomons Jr., David Spiher, would come from the projected revenues across the country to let the Governor Emelye Waldherr of our friends that evening.
Drew B. Straub, Stefen Styrsky, Jerry Tallmer,
Stefanos Tsigrimanis, Kathleen Warnock, in drug reimbursement funds. This is in know what a mistake such a budget cut Jamestown, New York Jay Kallio
Benjamin Weinthal, Lee Ann Westover, essence a one-time swap. would be. You should all do the same. New York City
James Withers, Kai Wright, Susan Yung
3. That there is an “emergency Mark Cichocki E d i t o r ’s n o t e : T h e e d i t o r i a l
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Mark Hasselberger, Jamie Paakkonen trigger” that would allow the state Ann Arbor, Michigan attempted to acknowledge the signifi-
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING
Department of Health to draw down cance of issues concerning the trans-
FRANCESCO REGINI on part or all of the $65 million should gender community by noting, “Repub- WRITE US!
646.452.2496 there be an unexpected and incredible IOWA MARRIAGE licans made clear that no similar prog- Address letters to the editor, of no
francesco@gaycitynews.com shortfall in the state’s share of federal PROSPECTS ress should be expected on marriage more than 250 words, to:
ADVERTISING MANAGERS Ryan White funding. equality or transgender rights.”
MICHAEL RYAN There are several cuts in this pro- December 19, 2008 Editor@gaycitynews.com ;
646.452.2504 posed Executive Budget that will nega- Or fax them to 646-452-2501;
micheal@gaycitynews.com
tively impact people living with AIDS To the Editor: REMEMBERING Or mail them to 145 Sixth Ave., 1st fl.,
COLIN GREGORY
646.452.2468 and HIV, and Housing Works will vigor- I think this is a really impressive ELEANOR COOPER NY, New York 10013.
colin@gaycitynews.com ously oppose these. This one-time ADAP article “Optimism in Iowa,” by Arthur S.
ALLISON GREAKER funding swap, however, is not one of Leonard, Dec. 18-24). As an Iowan, I feel December 15, 2008 Please include your phone number,
646.452.2485 them. Indeed, this swap protected the that it is quite possible that the Supreme for confirmation purposes only. The edi-
allison@gaycitynews.com
New York State Department of Health’s Court will choose the correct path, that To the Editor: tors reserve the right to edit all letters
JASON SHERWOOD
646.452.2471 AIDS Institute from any cuts to its core of legalizing gay marriage. This article I remember Eleanor as I worked due to space constraints.
jsherwood@gaycitynews.com
JASON SPARKS
646.452.2505
jsparks@gaycitynews.com
LORET GAMBOA
RICHARD BURNS LEAVING LGBT
646-452-2483
loret@gaycitynews.com COMMUNITY CENTER
DALE KANZLER

R
646.452.2484 ichard Burns, the nization that has an annual wracked by adversity. The to spur anger and rage in the
dale@gaycitynews.com executive director of operating budget of more than magnitude of the toll AIDS was community — the passage of
ACCOUNTING the LGBT Community $8.5 million, employs roughly taking on gay men seemed to Proposition 8 in California last
DAVID JAFFE Center since 1986 — all but 60 people full-time, has well grow more incomprehensible month unleashed street pro-
646-452-2477 three years of that West Vil- over 1,000 volunteers, and with each year. On the eve of tests nationwide not seen at
david@gaycitynews.com
lage institution’s life — is leav- serves a multiple six or seven Independence Day 1986, the least since the 1998 murder of
NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING ing his post on February 3 to times that number in program- US Supreme Court smacked Matthew Shepard — the past
Rivendell Media / 212.242.6863
become the chief operating ming, meetings, and events the LGBT community upside 22 years have also witnessed
Web master
Arturo Jimenez officer of the Arcus Founda- each week. The enterprise the head by declaring that growth, progress, and increas-
Arturo@gaycitynews.com tion, a non-profit grants-mak- was a considerably more mod- Georgia’s sodomy law was valid ing diversity unimaginable
Gay City News, The Newspaper Serving Gay and Lesbian NYC, is pub-
lishedby Community Media, LLC. Send all inquiries to: Gay City News,
ing group with two principal est and scrappy outfit when and that gays’ claim to sexual back in 1986.
145 Sixth Ave., First Fl., NYC 10013 Phone: 646.452.2500 Written
permission of the publisher must be obtained before any of the contents
areas of focus, one of them Burns arrived in 1986. privacy as a fundamental right In the first years of this
of this paper, in part or whole, can be reproduced or redistributed. All social justice issues related to During his first year there, was “at best, facetious.” decade, the Center under -
contents (c) 2008 Gay City News.
sexual orientation and gender Mario Cuomo, then a Demo- “Doing this work was a tre- went a massive face-lift that
Subscriptions: 26 issues, $90.00
(c)2008 Gay City News. All rights reserved. identity. cratic first-term governor, mendous outlet for my rage involved temporary reloca-
Gay City News is a registered trademark “My tenure at the Center made his debut appearance and my anger,” Burns said of tion to a new space while
of Community Media, LLC. has been the greatest love before a gay audience, at the his early years helming the the building’s innards were
John W. Sutter, President
Fax: 646.452.2501; affair of my professional life,” Center. Both ACT UP and Gay Center, in an interview with reconfigured to provide for
E-mail: JWSutter@communitymediallc.com
Burns told Gay City News in Men of African Descent were Gay City News on the occasion larger meeting spaces and
the wake of the announcement founded at the Center that of his 20th anniversary there more pleasant surroundings.
of his move. year as well. in late 2006.
Burns is leaving an orga- The community was also Though politics continues 䉴 BURNS, continued on p.11
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009 Perspective/11
■ A DYKE ABROAD

Outraged? Better Late Than Never

BY KELLY JEAN COGSWELL

T
he only surprising thing
about Obama’s choice
of a homophobic bigot
to bless his inauguration or,
for that matter, the Albany
debacle with the Gang of Three
is the outrage that greeted
them.
Where were the of ficial
queer protests when Obama
campaigned with ex-gay Don-
nie McClurkin? Or when BO
exalted the advice of Reverend
Kirbyjon Caldwell, who runs
programs to free lesbians and
gay men from their homosexu-
ality? Or when Obama prom-
ised all those billions to expand
Bush’s faith-based programs?
Where was gay fury when
the Obama campaign kicked
off that “Faith, Family, Val-
ues Tour,” which included
former Indiana Congressman
and pro-life Democrat Tim
Roemer, along with Catholic
legal scholar Doug Kmiec, who
championed Proposition 8 on
the grounds that gay marriage
is not only morally repugnant,
but will probably bring down
the species?
Where was our disgust in
August, the first time Obama
tried to court Rick Warren,
who supplemented homopho-
bic rantings at home with dec-
larations to African audiences
that homosexuality was not
a natural way of life and thus
not a human right? Why didn’t
we blast Warren’s AIDS pro-
grams that support Ugandan
evangelists who fight AIDS
by advocating jail or death for
queers?
And where were the boy-
cotts when Obama refused to
speak to the LGBT press, or
gay advocates? Where were the
denunciations when Obama
asserted, on religious grounds,
that marriage was between
a man and a woman and the
ban of same-sex marriage had
nothing to do with the earlier
miscegenation ban on interra-
cial ones?
With all that silence, even
fr om gay gr oups like the
Human Rights Campaign, why
should we be surprised at get-
ting screwed? Who’s going to
respect us if even gay groups
don’t advocate for LGBT rights,
ostensibly putting Democratic
interests above their own?
Of course Albany Democrats
thought they could sacrifice
gay rights in a power-sharing
deal and not hear a peep. Sit
quietly with your hands in
your lap, the bigots will not
only shove you to the back of
the bus, but knock you right
off the moving vehicle.
The only surprising thing
about that episode was how
ham-handed they were. Me,
I’m gonna stab somebody in
the back, I’d chose a nice thin
blade of Spanish steel, so the
victim doesn’t wake up before
it slices out their heart. New
York Dems, though, tried
to take off our head with a
blunt and rusted saw while
they were snickering loudly.
I suspect their retreat is less
a sign of respect than a quick
effort to silently regroup while
they wait for their mail-order
stiletto.
After eight years of Bush
and two of Obamamania,
queer activists have not only
lost our momentum but our
self-respect. Why else stay
silent while Obama’s cam-
paign gave an enormous plat-
form to bigots who would like
to exterminate us? Why else
give millions of dollars without
exacting something concrete in
return?
And if we don’t pressure
Obama now, if we don’t pres-
sure all the Democrats for
every minute of the next
four years, we’ll get what we
deserve. A whole lot of noth-
ing. Or worse. A regression to
depths of hatred and bigotry
we’d almost forgotten.
As a community, we need
to banish compromise to the
realm of politicians. Support-
ing hard-line activists and
advocates is the only way to
advance queer rights. Some-
body has to be intransigent.
Somebody has to refuse to
see the big picture that always
reduces queer rights to a piece
of shit everybody else scrapes
off their shoes.
We also have to hold every-
body to the same standards.
Bill Clinton, after all, was
roundly criticized for courting
evangelicals with prayer meet-
ings with Billy Graham (who
was frankly moderate com-
pared to Warren), for signing
into law the Defense of Mar-
riage Act, and triangulating us
into the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
policy of the armed forces.
Why did we criticize Clin-
ton for that when, like Obama,
he was just trying to fit us
all under that great big tent
of America? And, of course,
get re-elected. Wasn’t he bet-
ter than the first Bush, better
than Reagan after all? Like
Obama, he had queer friends
and, except for the whole gay
marriage thing, really did have
the best intentions toward us.
Repulsed? I hope so. Then
as now, the only way to win
progress is to make a god-
awful noise, to make nuisanc-
es and asses of ourselves, to
hold our ground.
Money in exchange for
promises is never enough,
especially when the linchpin
of the Democratic strategy is to
become more Republican than
the Republicans and to court
conservatives almost purely
on the basis of religious fun-
damentalism, instead of other
issues, like that elusive goal
of fiscal responsibility, not to
mention clean government.
Our consolation prize — a
gay marching band. Let them
take their cue from the black
athletes at the ‘68 Mexico City
Olympics and impose on the
Inauguration Day crowd what
those young men did. A raised
fist. Silence. Shame.
Visit Kelly Sans Culotte at
http://kellyatlarge.blogspot.
com.

䉴 BURNS, from p.10
A planned second-phase
capital program — expected
to fund a companion build-
ing just west of the existing
13th Street space on the land
now occupied by the garden
and the annex — is currently
subject to the vagaries of the
economy, however. The state
“I think of my work back to
GCN and the Center and now going
forward as movement-building,”
Burns said.
on its website to evaluate
what demands will be placed
on the Center and New York
queer community resourc-
es generally over the next
decade. Bur ns described
the data collection effort as
“probably the most extensive
needs assessment ever done
within the LGBT communi-
ty.”
in Boston in 1980 when the
two of them were registering
for classes in their first year
at Northeastern University
Law School. In addition to
overseeing the organization’s
operations, he will work with
the Arcus board of directors
on strategic planning for a
group that last year made
grants of about $16 million
through its LGBT program
and about $5 million through
its Great Apes program.
The conjunction of LGBT
civil rights and social jus-
tice and wildlife conserva-
tion will likely strike many
as an unusual grouping,
and Burns acknowledged as
much, saying, “I’m excited
COURTEY: LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER

and city have committed sig-
nificant funds, but Burns
conceded that now is “not the
time to move forward” full-
speed on soliciting the donor
support for what will be a
many-million dollar effort.
To prepare for the eventu-
ality of that capital campaign,
which Burns hopes will be
less than five years down the
road, the Center just com-
pleted about a dozen focus
groups and solicited more
than 1,200 online responses
He said that respondents
gave the Center high marks
on its present offerings, but
identified family support,
immigrant services, and cul-
tural programming as three
areas where there is strong
demand for more offerings
and depth.
At Arcus, Burns said he
will serve as a “right hand”
to executive director Urvashi
Vaid, the former head of the
National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, whom Burns met
to be on a dramatic learning
curve again.”
But he also emphasized the
continuity in his life’s work,
dating back to his days in the
late 1970s as manager editor
of Boston’s Gay Community
News. Richard Burns, who leaves his post running the LGBT Community Center in February, at a
“I think of my work back recent Gay Pride celebration in New York.
to GCN and the Center and
now going forward as move- movement for social change. movement-building, enabling
ment-building,” he said. I see the Center as an engine us all to move forward as a
“In the ’70s at GCN, I didn’t of LGBT liberation and social social justice movement.”
think of myself as a journal- change. And I think of Arcus
ist. I saw myself as part of a in the same frame. It’s about — Paul Schindler
12 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

Winter in the

Hudson Valley
“COLD SPRING BY CANDLELIGHT,” set for
Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 – Kick off the Holiday Season in Cold Spring
CURRIER & IVES MEETS “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE”
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holiday destination event of the year and it’s set for Satur-
day, December 6, 2008 from noon – 6 p.m. in Cold Spring
– on – Hudson, New York.
This is a self-guided walking tour and the Trolley will be
available for just 10 cents per ride to get you around the
Village during the tour.

Advance tickets may be purchased through at

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tion, log onto www.ColdSpringbyCandlelight.com or call 845-278-PARC, ext. 287. Advance
tickets sales end at noon on Dec. 4, 2008.

Thunder Ridge Ski Area

Family Skiing….only minutes Away! We’re so close
you won’t hear one, “Are we there yet?” Located
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Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill The Garrison

One of the best Italian Restaurants in the US, as Located an hour north of New York City in the pictur-
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along a garden walkway in Cold Spring. Cathryn’s A relaxing refuge that offers an abundance of outdoor
is rated “Very Good” by The New York Times and and nearby cultural activities, The Garrison is perfect for
graciously welcomes all Hudson Valley Getaways travelers. We are open seven days. a restorative weekend getaway of spa treatments, out-
door activities, and fabulous cuisine. We’d be delighted
91 Main Street | Cold Spring, NY 10516 to host your LGBT celebration!
845-265-5582 | www.TuscanGrill.com
2015 Route 9
Le Petit Chateau Inn Garrison, NY 10524
One –half mile to Culinary Institute of America, 845-424-3604 | www.thegarrison.com
Le Petit Chateau is nestled amongst trees and a
beautiful pond in Hyde Park. ur CIA Chefs impart
techniques while preparing breakfast. Artisanal
Cheese Plates from Hudson Valley purveyors
and French wine prepare you for a relaxed escape.
Our rooms have modern amenities with beautiful
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Our fireplaces make romantic getaways. Antique
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25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
Word Play
Kay Rosen deconstructs and reconstructs the letters of our lives
BY GREGORY MONTREUIL
A
n iron chef of words,
Kay Rosen slices,
dices, and makes
words work. In the process of
Rosen’s deconstructing, ordi-
nary words become divided
into tasty morsels. A student of
linguistics, she is a word mas-
ter and can take the simplest
combination of letters, alter it
slightly and make it palpable
in new and surprising ways.
The words and fragments are
painted on canvases or directly
on the walls. Functioning like
signs, the pieces also enter the
netherworld of paintings, as
color and nuisance combine
to trigger meaning and hint at
origins.
Looming large in blue and
painted directly on the wall
in five-foot high graphic let-
ters is the word “REMOVAL.”
Politically timely and titled,
“Removal from Office,” 2008,
Rosen breaks down the word
into “REM” and “OVAL,” the
latter written in italics. The
Winter in the
Hudson
Valley
Robert A. McCaffrey Realty Inc.
Robert A. McCaffrey Realty Inc. was
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845-265-4113 | www.mccaffreyrealty.com
KAY ROSEN
“Scareful”
Yvon Lambert
550 W. 21st St.
Tue.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Through Jan. 3
212-242-3611
slight shift of typeface points
to the place at issue in the
demand.
The playful “Overbite,”
2007-2008, candy red with
white, makes one smile with its
endearing elongated letter “V,”
which hangs below the other
letters. The painting functions
like a caricature in letters.
The words “SHIR T” and
“SKIRT” sit on atop each other
provocatively in “Belted,” 2007-
08. The words provide a pleth-
ora of references — equiva-
lence, difference, gender roles,
fashion, aggression, accesso-
ries, and more.
“Instinct” becomes self- ful-
filling as it begs phonetic vocal-
ization. With every second let-
ter boldly darkened on two
lines that divide the work into
Gallery/13
tified,” 2008, is large black
text painted directly on two
adjacent white walls. “CANT I
LEVER” is juxtaposed with “I
CAN’T LEVER,” both plays on
the word cantilever. Rosen uses
the same words but in differ-
ent order, with the first phrase
lined up on the left margin
while the second aligns the let-
ters to the far right. Using both
phonetics and graphics, Rosen
creates the torturous dialogue
the text refers to.
“Slice of Life,” 2007-2008,
feels cynical. The word life,
doubled one on top of anoth-
er, has no F, so the remain-
ing gap feels like a slice, while
the remaining letters spell out
“LIE,” prodding one to look
YVON LAMBERT
deeper.
Like a playful tossed salad,
Rosen’s use of language causes
In “Belted,” 2007-08, enamel sign paint on canvas, 18 1/8 x 17 in., Kay Rosen employs two us to stop and consider words,
words for a plethora of references — equivalence, difference, gender roles, fashion, aggres- their meaning, and the fluid-
sion, accessories, and more. ity of language. Through the
mechanisms of doubling, divid-
“INST” and “INCT” the word Some works are more com- ing, and word order, Rosen
becomes a tongue-twisting plex, making plays on word provokes through the effective
bonbon. order and typesetting. “Jus- simplicity of word play.
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14
■ LEGAL
Sodomy Law Splits Up Lesbians 14 NIGHTS
Unconstitutional Alabama statute illegally denied alimony to an ex-wife
BY ARTHUR S. LEONARD
D
espite the US
Supreme Court’s
2003 ruling that
state laws penalizing private
consensual adult sodomy are
unconstitutional, the unre-
pealed Alabama sodomy law
was invoked — in the context
of alimony litigation — by a
court there to break up a les-
bian household. Worse, an
appellate court did not chal-
lenge the reasoning in that
improper decision.
The Court of Civil Appeals,
in its December 19 ruling,
noted the Supreme Court’s
decision in Lawrence v. Texas,
but commented that the Ala-
bama sodomy statute had
never been held unconsti-
tutional, and found no fault
with a trial judge ruling that
only restored an ex-wife’s full
alimony payments when her
lesbian partner moved out of
state.
The former husband is iden-
tified in the opinion by Judge
Terry A. Moore as J.L.M., and
the ex-wife as S.A.K. The ex-
wife’s lesbian partner is iden-
tified as L.B.
Moore’s opinion relates that
S.A.K.’s relationship with L.B.
contributed to the break-up
her marriage to J.L.M. The
divorce decree, which gave
J.L.M. custody of the couple’s
children, required him to pay
$1,000 a month in alimony to
his ex-wife. The Dale County
trial judge at that time struck
from the divorce decree a pro-
vision that would have barred
either parent from having
“members of the opposite sex
or members of the same sex
䉴 BRIEFS, from p.9
well as from the government
and police, but the LGBT group
prevailed.
“I never thought I would live
to see this in Hong Kong,” Kevin
Li, a local salesman told the
magazine.
Same-Sex
Marriage on St.
Paul’s Agenda
LGBT activists in Minne-
sota have been able to scuttle a
state constitutional amendment
against same-sex marriage
there. Now OutFront Minne-
sota, the state LGBT lobby, is
setting its sights on bringing up
a bill to open marriage to gay
couples by having a hearing
on it in 2009 and launching an
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
in their respective home while
exercising custody or visita-
judge issued an order reduc-
ing the alimony payment to
Though the appeals court
noted the Lawrence ruling in PERFORMANCE
WED.DEC.24
The Chosen Ones
tion with the children for the $500 a month. J.L.M. then a footnote, it observed that
purpose of having extra-mari- filed a motion objecting to the the Alabama sodomy law “has Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, bad-
tal relations.” failure to terminate alimony not been declared unconsti- ass balabustehs of comedy, music, and
J.L.M. did not object to this completely, based, in the tutional by any court.” Rather burlesque, appear for their sixth annu-
modification. words of Judge Moore, on “the than declare it unconstitu- al XMas Eve bash. Veterans of Comedy
In June 2007, however, he former wife’s living arrange- tional in this case, the court Central and HBO, these chosen chicks
petitioned the court to ter - ments and lifestyle choices.” instead stated it was irrel- boldly dare to deconstruct years of
minate his alimony obliga- The trial judge granted this evant, but ignored the trial tradition, expectations, and guilt in a
tion because S.A.K. and L.B. motion, stating,“So long as judge’s reliance on the “ille- fast-paced vaudeville extravaganza.
had begun “cohabiting,” and [S.A.K.] cohabitates in an ille- gal” nature of the women’s Comix, 353 W. 14th St., 7 & 9:30 p.m.
he should not be required to gal relationship with a mem- relationship in his original Tickets are $15 at comixny.com; $20 at
support his ex-wife’s “immor- ber of the same sex, alimony order terminating alimony. the door. There is a two-item minimum
al sexual relationship.” At a shall be terminated.” Judge Moore wrote that the during the show.
hearing, S.A.K. testified that The purported “illegality” of Legislature could enact a law ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
she and L.B. were in an “exclu- S.A.K. and L.B.’s relationship to cut off alimony based on
sive, committed relationship,” was based on the Alabama an ex-spouse’s “immoral or DANCE
which she called a “life part- sodomy law, which the Leg- illegal conduct,” but had not Talented Men In
nership.” L.B., who had pre- islature has never repealed. done so. Tights
viously lived in Nebraska, In February 2008, however, The court rejected the ex- Les Ballets Trockadero de Mone
was unemployed and receiv- S.A.K. testified that L.B. had husband’s argument that he Carlo, the tutu-fabulous, all-male inter-
ing unemployment benefits moved back to Nebraska after was being “forced to abet the national dance sensation, presents
from that state. S.A.K. had the couple received a let- former wife’s criminal con- two programs of holiday joy. With an
not worked full-time since ter, from a source unnamed duct and to subsidize her astounding mastery of ballet technique,
before her marriage, and was in the trial record, advising relationship,” pointing out flamboyant personalities, and more chest
living on the alimony pay- them that their relationship that the payment to S.A.K. hair than your average Giselle, the bal-
ments and a monthly prop- was illegal. was based on her financial lerinas of the Trocks illuminate the pas-
erty settlement payment she The ex-husband appealed, need. The restoration of the sion, tragedy, and joy of classical ballet,
was receiving from J.L.M. She noting that state law provides ex-wife’s alimony was upheld. all squeezed into size-12 pointe shoes.
was in school to obtain teach- that if a divorced spouse The court of appeals deci- Program A includes “Majismas,” Act 2
er certification. cohabits with a member of sion, then, though not pre- of “Swan Lake,” and “La Trovatiara.”
J.L.M. testified that he the opposite sex, alimony mised on the sodomy law, Program B includes “Go For Barocco,”
believed S.A.K. was not mak- should be terminated. J.L.M. perpetuates an odd situation “Paquita,” and Act 2 of “Giselle.” Joyce
ing a good-faith attempt to argued that this should be where the trial court’s origi- Theater, 175 Eighth Ave., Dec. 26, Jan
find employment and did not broadly construed to include nal order briefly terminating 2 & 3, 8 p.m.; Dec. 28-30, Jan. 4, 7:30
want to “pay for their exis- same-sex cohabitants as alimony because of the ex- p.m.; Dec. 24, 28, Jan. 4, 3 p.m.; Dec.
tence,” referring to S.A.K. and well. The court of appeals wife’s “homosexual relation- 31, 5 p.m. Tickets are $19-$59; $26-$44
L.B.’s relationship. J.L.M. rejected this argument. J.L.M. ship” stands as an illegiti- for premium seats for Joyce members at
acknowledged he had known also renewed his argument mate use of an unconstitu- joyce.org. See the website for schedules
of his ex-wife’s lesbian rela- that he shouldn’t be forced tional law. The failure of the of Programs A & B.
tionship at the time of the to finance his wife’s “illegal” court of appeals to make any ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
divorce, but believed that cir- relationship with L.B., citing adverse comment about the
cumstances had changed —
a prerequisite for altering an
alimony decree — because
the sodomy law as well as the
Alabama Marriage Protec-
tion Act, which forbids same-
trial judge’s misuse of Ala-
bama’s sodomy law or about
the improper advice to S.A.K. COMMUNITY
THU.DEC.25
the women had begun liv- sex marriages. He also cited about her “illegal” relation- Your Inner
ing together and were, in his some Alabama court opinions ship, which led L.B. to return Menorah
phrase, “all but married.” describing homosexuality as to Nebraska, is simply outra- A crowd of more than 200 is expect-
In October 2007, the trial a crime of “moral turpitude.” geous. ed at the LGBT Community Center’
annual Chanukah Party, which features
music, dancing, and holiday treats!
education campaign, the Star ing, but the Treatment Action menu board at his late restau- but that millions more are in Light your inner menorah and make
Tribune reported. Group (TAG) raised a record rant. “So many things in my treatment due to TAG’s effort some new friends. Co-sponsored by
The group says it is a multi- $175,000 at its December 11 life were not thought out,” he and the work of PEPFAR. JQYouth, the Gay and Lesbian Yeshiva
year effort, especially since Research in Action awards said, which was part of his And actress Julianne Day School Alumni Association (GLYD-
Republican Governor Tim party at the Gallery of the Astor genius and success as a res- Moore presented the award SA), the Jewish Community Center
Pawlenty would almost surely Center in the East Village. TAG taurateur and activist. Anne to her friend Sally Morrison, in Manhattan, and other local LGBT
veto it if it did pass. State Sena- has its roots in the militant Meara introduced Doris Rob- who is a director of the Dia- groups. LGBT Community Center,
tor Warren Limmer, an anti-gay direct action group ACT UP. erts with an arch letter from mond Information Center. 208 W. 13th St., 7-9:45 p.m. Admis-
Republican, told the newspaper Mark Harrington, the execu- her husband, comedian Jerry Morrison said that many of sion is $10; $5 if under 21.
he welcomes the issue coming tive director, said the group Stiller, recounting an old sexu- her friends thought she had ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
up in the next election. “Bring it was honoring “four heroes al encounter under the board- “sold my soul” by going to
on,” he said. who have fought for decades walk in Riis Park. Roberts, of work for DeBeers, the South NIGHTLIFE
The right-wing Minnesota to keep people with HIV alive; “Everybody Loves Raymond” African diamond mining and Is Nothing Sacred?
Family Council is still pushing get them resources, drugs, and fame, began Children Affected manufacturing giant, but she Will Clark and his guest host, Aman-
for a constitutional amendment information they need; raise by AIDS Foundation in 1984. praised the company’s success da Takehometomother, hold sway over a
to ban same-sex marriage either public awareness; accelerate Aw a r d e e A m b a s s a d o r in getting employees with HIV Christmas edition of Porno Bingo. With
in 2009 or 2010. research; and bring treatment Mark Dybul, the US Global into treatment. “It’s everyone’s five rounds of bingo, Clark offers an eve-
to millions of people.” AIDS coordinator and coordi- crisis,” she said, adding she ning of erotic giveaways, cheap drinks,
Treatment POZ magazine founder Sean nator for the President’s Emer- was “strangely hopeful” about and cheap men. Prizes include tickets to
Action Strub presented the award gency Plan for AIDS Relief, the future of fighting AIDS, see Wings Theatre’s “A Pig Tale,” play-
Fundraiser to Florent Morellet, famous acknowledged via video that despite the economic down- ing through Jan. 3. Pieces, 8 Christo-
Success among many other things for the US and the world “have a turn, because of the incoming pher St. at Sixth Ave., 8-10 p.m.
The economy may be slump- posting his T-cell count on the long way to go” in treating HIV, Obama administration.
䉴 14 DAYS, continued on p.15
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴
14 DAYS, from p.14
PERFORMANCE
FRI.DEC.26
The Indomitable
Bernhard
Sandra Bernhard, hot off her
critically acclaimed smash hit off-
Broadway show, is priming her hys-
terical insight, outspoken views, and
outrageous mouth to ring in the New
Year. Expect her trademark combina-
tion of hilarious diatribes on the state
of modern culture and a classic rock
attitude that burns smart. Bernhard
is joined by her band, the Rebellious
Jezebels. Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette
St., below Cooper Sq., at the Pub-
lic Theater. Dec. 26-20, 9:30 p.m.;
Dec. 31, 9 & 11 p.m. Tickets are
$50 through Dec. 30; $100 for 9 p.m.
show on Dec. 31; $150 for 11 p.m.
show. Reservations at joespub.com.
For table reservations, which require
a two-food and drink minimum, call
2-967-7555.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ like me who would notice and
No Olive, Please
Basil Twist’s innovative puppetry
unites with drag diva Joey Arias’ leg-
endary voice to transport audiences
to unpredictable worlds, channeling
ecstatic desires, lavish nightmares,
and bizarre premonitions. “Arias With
a Twist” is a feast for the senses, cen-
tering on rare songs and reinventions of
popular favorites. HERE Arts Center,
145 Sixth Ave. at Dominick St., one
block below Spring St. Wed.-Sun.,
9 .m. through Dec. 31. Tickets are
$35-$100 at here.org or 212-352-3101.
More information at http://www.
basiltwist.com.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ life before the age of 40.
CABARET
Lettuce Now
Praise Fabulous
Drag Queens
Hedda Lettuce, notorious star of
this season’s “Project Runway,” returns
with the naughtiest holiday event of
the year, a festive frappé of cherished
carols and twisted tales spiced with
Lettuce’s infamous wit. Wendy Ho and
Pancakes Barbara also appear. Met-
ropolitan Room 34 W. 22nd St. Dec.
26-28, 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 at 212-
206-0440.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ happened after Milk was mur-
He’ll Do It the
Other Guy’s Way
Michael Feinstein returns to the
club he founded for a month of shows
dedicated to Ol’ Blue Eyes, “The Sina-
tra Holiday Project.” Musical director
John Oddo will lead a 17-piece band
featuring Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Jim
Saporito on drums, and David Finck on
bass. Antonia Bennett will appear as
Feinstein’s special guest. Feinstein’s
at Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave.
䉴 DEC 26, continued on p.22
■ PERSPECTIVE
L
ike at least 100,000
other gay men, I was
in San Francisco dur-
ing its Camelot years of the
1970s. In those days, Har -
vey Milk and the other gods
of the gay revolution walked
the Earth like ordinary mor-
tals. Anyone at all could stroll
into Harvey’s camera shop or
pause on the corner of Castro
and 18th and chat for hours
with folks who would go on
to become legendary and with
some who already were. And
some, like myself, had no idea
at the time that we would one
day years later play some role
in the battle for our rights. The
inspiration for nearly all of us
was Harvey Milk’s courage in
those years.
The film “Milk” was made
with excruciating accuracy
and talent because of love for
that hero’s memory, and also
because there are thousand
and thousands of old men
bitch about it if anything were
amiss in the details.Thirty
years later I can still hear the
protest clarion cry of the era
echoing in my ears: “Out of
the bars and into the streets!”
It was portrayed in the film
and gave me goose bumps.
Nevertheless I can and will
complain about what was left
out. The cinematic story of this
great man’s life begins on his
40th birthday as he cruises a
younger man on a New York
City subway station stairway
late at night. Yet, some signifi-
cant things happened in his
For one thing Milk, born
in 1930, served as a lieuten-
ant in the US Navy during
the Korean War in the early
1950s. Yet not a single film
frame is devoted to that. As a
gay veteran, it offends me that
no mention was made of that.
And in 2008, on the cusp of
the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell, I think it would have
been quite relevant to have
portrayed his service.
Less of a sin, but still a
lapse, was not showing what
dered, particularly the White
Night Riot, a year later, when
his killer, former San Francis-
co City Supervisor Dan White,
was given a slap-on-the-wrist,
seven-year manslaughter sen-
tence for the assassination
of two elected officials, Milk
and Mayor George Moscone.
It started, as did all the other
gay protests of the day, as a
peaceful candlelight march. As
it went past my window, down
Market Street, I told my lover,
“This time I’m going!” I hung
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
Milk Memories
BY DENNY MEYER
When Milk’s assassin Dan White received a seven-year sentence on a manslaughter conviction, the anger in the gay community spilled out
into violence.
Navy Lieutenant Harvey Milk in the early 1950s, when he saw service in the Korean War.
up my apron — it was my job
to wash the dishes — and ran
out the door to join the march
at dusk. I was so eager, I ran all
the way to the front and ended
up at the base of the steps at
the entrance to City Hall.
Sixty thousand people were
there, all angry. And alas,
there was no one to lead them
and calm them. Harvey wasn’t
there with his megaphone, of
course, and it was all about
him. With 60,000 angry pro-
testers, there were bound to
be a small number of assh-
oles in the crowd. And it was
those assholes who mounted
the stairs, broke off some of
the wrought-iron door decora-
tions, and smashed the glass
doors. A few thousand of us
up front began chanting, “No
violence, no violence!” But, the
roar of 60,000 people made it
totally impossible for us to be
heard. Supervisor Carol Ruth
Silver actually came out onto
a rampart high up on City
Hall with a megaphone, but
15
to resist the urge to run like
hell. The cops were chasing
anyone who was running and
beating them brutally on the
head with batons. There was
blood everywhere. I had to tell
myself over and over, “Walk,
don’t run!”
I walked, the cops ignored
me and chased people running
right past me. I got to Market
Street, where busloads of riot
cops were rushing toward the
scene, helicopters were over-
head, and streetcar service had
THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
been suspended. I was in a war
zone. I walked and walked. I
got home at midnight; my lover
was watching the riot live on
TV; he burst into tears when I
came in the door. He’d thought
that I was lying somewhere in
no one could hear her either. a pool of blood.
And some idiot threw a rock We held each other in bed
at her, and she withdrew back all night, watching the car -
inside, injured. nage, watching the burning
The sound of the breaking police cars. And we just held
glass on the front doors was each other tight. Little did we
the spark that the police had know that there was anoth-
been waiting for. A phalanx of er enemy already within his
cops in full riot gear rushed body, that would take his life
in from the right and all hell just over a decade later.
broke loose. Suddenly every- The film “Milk,” of course,
one was shouting and push- cannot be faulted for leaving
ing in all directions. People out what might have been. No
were trying to flee and others one knew, in Milk’s days in
were rushing forward to bat- the late 1970s, of the evil virus
tle the police. It was horrible, that was already invading the
and I was right up front in the bodies of those we loved, or
middle of the chaos. how many lives it would take
Because of my years, more in the coming decades. Yet,
than a decade earlier, in the had Milk lived, he would cer-
black civil rights movement, tainly have led the battle for
I had received good training AIDS research and funding,
on how to survive when dem- and likely would have become
onstrations go bad. So, ear- a congressman to carry on
lier, when the march peace- that battle.
fully approached City Hall,
I had more or less subcon- Denny Meyer is president of
sciously worked out an escape American Veterans For Equal
route, just in case things Rights New York and editor of
went wrong. I also knew how TheGayMilitaryTimes.com.
16
ABOUT PREZISTA
PREZISTA (darunavir) is a prescription medicine.
It is one treatment option in the class of HIV (human
immunodeficiency virus) medicines known as
protease inhibitors.
PREZISTA is always used with 100 mg ritonavir (Norvir®)
in combination with other HIV medicines for the
treatment of HIV infection in adults.
• The use of other medicines active against HIV in
combination with PREZISTA/ritonavir (Norvir®) may
increase the likelihood of your overall treatment
response. Your healthcare professional will work
with you to find the right combination of other
HIV medicines
• The long-term effects of PREZISTA therapy are
unknown at this time. It is important that you remain
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PREZISTA is not approved for the treatment of HIV
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PREZISTA does not cure HIV infection or AIDS, and
does not prevent passing HIV to others.
PREZIS2183-F_BridgeAd_DR.indd 1-2
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
Please read Important Safety Information below, and appetite, or pain, aching or sensitivity on your right
talk to your healthcare professional to learn more
about PREZISTA.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
• PREZISTA, together with Norvir® (ritonavir), has
rarely been observed to cause liver problems that • Taking PREZISTA with certain medicines could
may be life-threatening. It was not always clear
if PREZISTA caused these liver problems because
some patients had other illnesses or were taking
other medicines. Your healthcare professional
should do blood tests prior to initiating combination
treatment including PREZISTA. If you have chronic
hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare professional
should check your blood tests more often because
you have an increased chance of developing
liver problems
Talk to your healthcare professional about the
signs and symptoms of liver problems. These may
include yellowing of your skin or whites of your
eyes, dark (tea-colored) urine, pale-colored stools
(bowel movements), nausea, vomiting, loss of
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
side below your ribs
• Skin rashes have been reported in patients taking
PREZISTA. Rarely, PREZISTA has been reported to
cause a severe or life-threatening rash. Contact
your healthcare professional if you develop a rash
cause serious and/or life-threatening side effects or
may result in loss of its effectiveness. Do not take
PREZISTA if you are taking the following medicines:
dihydroergotamine (D.H.E.45®, Migranal®), ergonovine,
ergotamine (Wigraine®, Ergostat®, Cafergot®,
Ergomar®), methylergonovine, cisapride (Propulsid®),
pimozide (Orap®), oral midazolam, triazolam (Halcion®),
rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifater®, Rifamate®), indinavir
(Crixivan®), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra®), saquinavir
(Invirase®), lovastatin (Mevacor®), pravastatin
(Pravachol®), simvastatin (Zocor®), or products
containing St. John’s wort
• Before taking PREZISTA, tell your healthcare
professional if you are taking sildenafil (Viagra®),
vardenafil (Levitra®), tadalafil (Cialis®), atorvastatin
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
Belief {
(Lipitor®), atorvastatin/amlodipine (Caduet®), or
rosuvastatin (Crestor®). This is not a complete
list of medicines. Be sure to tell your healthcare
professional about all the medicines you are
taking or plan to take, including prescription
and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and
herbal supplements
• Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking
estrogen-based contraceptives (birth control). PREZISTA taking HIV medicines, including PREZISTA. The cause
might reduce the effectiveness of estrogen-based
contraceptives. You must take additional precautions for
birth control, such as condoms
• Before taking PREZISTA, tell your healthcare
professional if you have any medical conditions,
including allergy to sulfa medicines, diabetes, liver
problems (including hepatitis B or C), or hemophilia
• Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or • The most common side effects related to taking
planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
– The effects of PREZISTA on pregnant women or
their unborn babies are not known. You and your
healthcare professional will need to decide if taking
PREZISTA is right for you
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 17
in myself
in my doctor
in my care
PREZISTA now offers ONCE-DAILY
dosing for adults taking HIV meds for
the first time.
PREZISTA must be taken with 100 mg
ritonavir (Norvir®) and with food.
PREZISTA must be taken in combination
with other HIV meds.
Talk to your healthcare professional to
see if PREZISTA is right for you.
GHP
HG<>
=:BER
Please visit www.PREZISTA.com
– Do not breastfeed if you are taking PREZISTA. You you experience these or other symptoms, talk to your
should not breastfeed if you have HIV because of the healthcare professional. Do not stop taking PREZISTA
chance of passing HIV to your baby or any other medicines without first talking to your
• High blood sugar, diabetes or worsening of diabetes, healthcare professional
• Please refer to the ritonavir (Norvir®) Product
and increased bleeding in people with hemophilia have
been reported in patients taking protease inhibitor Information (PI and PPI) for additional information on
medicines, including PREZISTA precautionary measures
• Changes in body fat have been seen in some patients For adults taking HIV meds for the first time:
PREZISTA 800 mg (two 400-mg tablets) must be
and long-term health effects of these conditions are not taken at the same time with 100 mg Norvir once daily
®
known at this time every day.
y
• As with other protease inhibitors, taking PREZISTA may PREZISTA must be taken with food (the type of food is
strengthen the body’s immune response, enabling it to not important).
begin to fight infections that have been hidden. Patients You are encouraged to report negative side effects of
may experience signs and symptoms of inflammation prescription drugs to the FDA.
that can include swelling, tenderness, or redness Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Patient Information on
PREZISTA include diarrhea, nausea, headache, and the next page for more information, or visit
abdominal pain. Uncommon but severe side effects www.PREZISTA.com.
such as inflammation of the pancreas and increased
blood fat levels have also been rarely reported. This Distributed by: Tibotec Therapeutics/Division of Ortho Biotech Products, L.P.
Bridgewater, New Jersey 08807-0914
is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If ©2008 Tibotec Therapeutics 11/08 28PRZ0249 PREZIS2183F
11/19/08 4:40:03 PM
18 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION

FDA-Approved Patient Labeling DOES PREZISTA REDUCE THE RISK OF PASSING HIV CAN PREZISTA BE TAKEN WITH OTHER
TO OTHERS? MEDICATIONS?**
PREZISTA® (darunavir) Tablets
PREZISTA does not reduce the risk of passing HIV to Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take
Patient Information about others through sexual contact, sharing needles, or including prescription and nonprescription medicines,
PREZISTA (pre-ZIS-ta) being exposed to your blood. For your health and the vitamins, and herbal supplements. PREZISTA and
for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) Infection health of others, it is important to always practice many other medicines can interact. Sometimes
safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom serious side effects will happen if PREZISTA is taken
Generic name: darunavir (da-ROO-nuh-veer) or other barrier method to lower the chance of with certain other medicines (see “Who should not
sexual contact with any body fluids such as semen, take PREZISTA?”).
ALERT: Find out about medicines that should NOT be vaginal secretions, or blood. Never re-use or share
taken with PREZISTA. Please also read the section needles. Tell your doctor if you are taking estrogen-based
“Who should not take PREZISTA?”. contraceptives (birth control). PREZISTA might reduce
Ask your doctor if you have any questions on how to
Please read this information before you start taking prevent passing HIV to other people. the effectiveness of estrogen-based contraceptives.
PREZISTA. Also, read the leaflet each time you renew You must take additional precautions for birth control
your prescription, just in case anything has changed. WHAT SHOULD I TELL MY DOCTOR BEFORE I TAKE such as a condom.
Remember, this leaflet does not take the place of PREZISTA?
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, Tell your doctor if you take other anti-HIV medicines.
careful discussions with your doctor. You and your PREZISTA can be combined with some other anti-
doctor should discuss your treatment with PREZISTA including if you:
HIV medicines while other combinations are not
prior to the first time you take your medicine and at • are allergic to sulfa medicines. recommended.
regular checkups. You should remain under a doctor’s • have diabetes. In general, anti-HIV medicines,
care when using PREZISTA and should not change or such as PREZISTA, might increase sugar levels Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following
stop treatment without first talking with a doctor. in the blood. medicines:
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I • have liver problems, including hepatitis B Type of Drug Examples of
SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PREZISTA? and/or C. Generic Names
• have hemophilia. Anti-HIV medicines, such as (Brand Names)
PREZISTA, together with NORVIR® (ritonavir), has
rarely been observed to cause liver problems which PREZISTA, might increase the risk of bleeding. Antiarrhythmics bepridil
may be life-threatening. It was not always clear if • are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. (to treat abnormal lidocaine (Lidoderm®)
PREZISTA caused these liver problems because The effects of PREZISTA on pregnant women or heart rhythms) quinidine
some patients had other illnesses or were taking their unborn babies are not known. You and your amiodarone (Cordarone®)
other medicines. Your healthcare professional doctor will need to decide if taking PREZISTA is digoxin (Lanoxin®)
should do blood tests prior to initiating combination right for you. If you take PREZISTA while you are flecainide (Tambocor®)
treatment including PREZISTA. If you have chronic pregnant, talk to your doctor about how you can propafenone (Rythmol®)
hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare be included in the Antiretroviral Pregnancy
Registry. Anticoagulants warfarin (Coumadin®)
professional should check your blood tests more (to treat and prevent
often because you have an increased chance of • are breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed if you are blood clots)
developing liver problems. Please also read the taking PREZISTA. You should not breastfeed if
section “What are the possible side effects of you have HIV because of the chance of passing Anticonvulsants carbamazepine (Tegretol®,
PREZISTA?”. HIV to your baby. Talk with your doctor about the (to treat epilepsy and Carbatrol®)
best way to feed your baby. prevent seizures) phenobarbital
Rarely, PREZISTA has been reported to cause a phenytoin (Dilantin®,
severe or life-threatening rash. Contact your WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE PREZISTA?** Phenytek®)
healthcare provider if you develop a rash. Your Together with your doctor, you need to decide
healthcare provider will advise you whether your whether taking PREZISTA is right for you. Antidepressants trazodone (Desyrel®)
symptoms can be managed on therapy or whether (to treat depression) desipramine (Norpramin®)
Do not take PREZISTA if you:
PREZISTA should be stopped. Anti-infectives clarithromycin (Biaxin®)
• are allergic to darunavir or any of the other
ingredients in PREZISTA (to treat bacterial
WHAT IS PREZISTA? infections)
PREZISTA is an oral tablet used for the treatment of • are allergic to ritonavir (NORVIR®)
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection in • take any of the following types of medicines Antifungals ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
adults. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired because you could experience serious side (to treat fungal itraconazole (Sporanox®)
Immune Deficiency Syndrome). PREZISTA is a type effects: infections) voriconazole (Vfend®)
of anti-HIV medicine called a protease (PRO-tee- Type of Drug Examples of Antimycobacterials rifabutin (Mycobutin®)
ase) inhibitor. Generic Names (to treat tuberculosis or
HOW DOES PREZISTA WORK? (Brand Names) Mycobacterium avium
Ergot Derivatives dihydroergotamine complex)
PREZISTA blocks HIV protease, an enzyme which is (to treat migraine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®)
needed for HIV to multiply. When used with other ß-Blockers metoprolol (Lopressor®,
and headaches) ergonovine (to treat high blood Toprol-XL®)
anti-HIV medicines, PREZISTA can help to reduce the ergotamine (Cafergot®,
amount of HIV in your blood (called “viral load”) and Ergomar®) pressure, heart attack, timolol (Betimol®,
increase your CD4 (T) cell count. HIV infection methylergonovine or heart failure Combigan®, Istalol®,
destroys CD4 (T) cells, which are important to the or to lower pressure Cosopt®, Timoptic®)
immune system. The immune system helps fight Gastrointestinal cisapride in the eye)
infection. Reducing the amount of HIV and increasing Motility Agent
(to treat some Benzodiazepines midazolam administered
the CD4 (T) cell count may improve your immune (to treat anxiety and/or by injection
system and, thus, reduce the risk of death or digestive conditions)
trouble with sleeping)
infections that can happen when your immune Neuroleptic pimozide (Orap®)
system is weak (opportunistic infections). (to treat psychiatric Calcium Channel felodipine (Plendil®)
conditions) Blockers nifedipine (Adalat®)
PREZISTA is always taken with and at the same time (to treat heart disease) nicardipine (Cardene®)
as 100 mg of ritonavir (NORVIR®), in combination Sedative/hypnotics oral midazolam
with other anti-HIV medicines. PREZISTA should (to treat trouble with triazolam (Halcion®) Corticosteroids dexamethasone
also be taken with food. sleeping and/or anxiety) (to treat inflammation fluticasone propionate
Herbal Product St. John’s wort or asthma) (Advair Diskus®, Cutivate®,
DOES PREZISTA CURE HIV OR AIDS? Flonase®, Flovent Diskus®)
(Hypericum perforatum)
PREZISTA does not cure HIV infection or AIDS. At HMG-CoA Reductase atorvastatin (Lipitor®)
present, there is no cure for HIV infection. People HMG-CoA Reductase lovastatin (Mevacor®,
Inhibitors Altoprev®, Advicor®) Inhibitors pravastatin (Pravachol®)
taking PREZISTA may still develop infections or other (also known as statins) rosuvastatin (Crestor®)
conditions associated with HIV infection. Because of (also known as statins) simvastatin (Zocor®,
(to lower cholesterol Simcor®, Vytorin®) (to lower cholesterol
this, it is very important for you to remain under the
levels) levels)
care of a doctor. Although PREZISTA is not a cure for
HIV or AIDS, PREZISTA can help reduce your risks of Antimycobacterial rifampin (Rifadin®, Immunosuppressants cyclosporine
getting illnesses associated with HIV infection (AIDS (to treat tuberculosis or Rifater®, Rifamate®, (to prevent organ (Sandimmune®, Neoral®)
and opportunistic infection) and eventually dying Mycobacterium avium Rimactane®) transplant rejection) tacrolimus (Prograf®)
from these conditions. complex) sirolimus (Rapamune®)

PREZIS2183-F_BridgeAd_DR.indd 3-4
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
Type of Drug Examples of
Generic Names
(Brand Names) (cont.)
Narcotic Analgesics methadone
(to treat narcotic
withdrawal and
dependence)
Neuroleptics risperidone (Risperdal®,
(to treat schizophrenia Risperdal® Consta®,
or bipolar disorder) Risperdal® M-TAB®)
thioridazine
PDE-5 Inhibitors sildenafil (Viagra®)
(to treat erectile vardenafil (Levitra®)
dysfunction) tadalafil (Cialis®)
Selective Serotonin paroxetine (Paxil®)
Reuptake Inhibitors sertraline (Zoloft®)
(SSRIs)
(to treat depression,
anxiety, or panic disorder)
Tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines that
you obtained without a prescription.
This is not a complete list of medicines that you
should tell your doctor that you are taking. Know
and keep track of all the medicines you take and
have a list of them with you. Show this list to all of
your doctors and pharmacists any time you get a
new medicine. Both your doctor and your
pharmacist can tell you if you can take these other
medicines with PREZISTA. Do not start any new
medicines while you are taking PREZISTA without
first talking with your doctor or pharmacist. You can
ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of medicines
that can interact with PREZISTA.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE PREZISTA?
Take PREZISTA tablets every day exactly as
prescribed by your doctor. You must take ritonavir
(NORVIR®) at the same time as PREZISTA.
• For adults who have never taken anti-HIV
medicines, the usual dose is 800 mg (two 400 mg
tablets) of PREZISTA, together with 100 mg (one
100 mg capsule) of ritonavir (NORVIR®), once daily
every day.
• For adults who have taken anti-HIV medicines in
the past, the usual dose is 600 mg (one 600 mg
tablet or two 300 mg tablets) of PREZISTA,
together with 100 mg (one 100 mg capsule) of
ritonavir (NORVIR®), twice daily every day.
PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR ) should be taken
® receiving PREZISTA. In some patients, PREZISTA
together at the same time every day. If you have
questions about when to take PREZISTA and
ritonavir (NORVIR®), your doctor can help you
decide which schedule works for you.
Take PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) with food.
The type of food is not important. Swallow the whole
tablets with a drink such as water or milk. Do not
chew the tablets.
Continue taking PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®)
unless your doctor tells you to stop. Take the exact
amount of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) that
your doctor tells you to take, right from the very
start. To help make sure you will benefit from
PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®), you must not
skip doses or interrupt therapy. If you don’t take
PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) as prescribed,
the beneficial effects of PREZISTA and ritonavir
(NORVIR®) may be reduced or even lost.
Patients taking 800 mg of PREZISTA once daily
If you miss a dose of PREZISTA (two 400 mg tablets)
or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by more than 12 hours, wait
and then take the next dose of PREZISTA (two
400 mg tablets) and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the
regularly scheduled time. If you miss a dose of
PREZISTA (two 400 mg tablets) or ritonavir
(NORVIR®) by less than 12 hours, take your missed
dose of PREZISTA (two 400 mg tablets) and ritonavir
(NORVIR®) immediately. Then take your next dose of
PREZISTA (two 400 mg tablets) and ritonavir
(NORVIR®) at the regularly scheduled time.
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION
Patients taking 600 mg of PREZISTA twice daily
If you miss a dose of PREZISTA (one 600 mg tablet
or two 300 mg tablets) or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by
more than 6 hours, wait and then take the next dose
of PREZISTA (one 600 mg tablet or two 300 mg
tablets) and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the regularly
scheduled time. If you miss a dose of PREZISTA
(one 600 mg tablet or two 300 mg tablets) or ritonavir
(NORVIR®) by less than 6 hours, take your missed
dose of PREZISTA (one 600 mg tablet or two 300 mg
tablets) and ritonavir (NORVIR®) immediately. Then
take your next dose of PREZISTA (one 600 mg tablet
or two 300 mg tablets) and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the
regularly scheduled time.
You should always take PREZISTA and ritonavir
(NORVIR®) together with food.
If a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) is
skipped, do not double the next dose. Do not take
more or less than your prescribed dose of PREZISTA
or ritonavir (NORVIR®) at any one time.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF
PREZISTA?
Like all prescription drugs, PREZISTA can cause
side effects. The following is not a complete list of
side effects reported with PREZISTA when taken
either alone or with other anti-HIV medicines. Do
not rely on this leaflet alone for information about
side effects. Your doctor can discuss with you a
more complete list of side effects.
PREZISTA, together with NORVIR® (ritonavir), has
rarely been observed to cause liver problems which
may be life-threatening. It was not always clear if
PREZISTA caused these liver problems because
some patients had other illnesses or were taking
other medicines. Your healthcare professional
should do blood tests prior to initiating combination
treatment including PREZISTA. If you have chronic
hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare
professional should check your blood tests more
often because you have an increased chance of
developing liver problems.
Talk to your healthcare professional about the signs
and symptoms of liver problems. These may include
yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes, dark
(tea colored) urine, pale colored stools (bowel
movements), nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or
pain, aching or sensitivity on your right side below
your ribs.
Rash has been reported in 10.3% of subjects
has been reported to cause a severe or life-
threatening rash. Contact your healthcare provider
if you develop a rash. Your healthcare provider will
advise you whether your symptoms can be
managed on therapy or whether PREZISTA should
be stopped.
Other relevant severe side effects reported at an
uncommon or rare frequency were inflammation of
the liver or pancreas, increased blood fat levels,
diabetes, and changes in body fat.
Some side effects are typical for anti-HIV medicines
in the same family as PREZISTA. These are:
• high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and diabetes.
This can happen in patients taking PREZISTA or
other protease inhibitor medicines. Some
patients have diabetes before starting treatment
with PREZISTA which gets worse. Some patients
get diabetes during treatment with PREZISTA.
Some patients will need changes in their
diabetes medicine. Some patients may need new
diabetes medicine.
• increased bleeding in patients with hemophilia.
• changes in body fat. These changes can happen in
patients taking anti-HIV medicines, including
PREZISTA. The changes may include an increased
amount of fat in the upper back and neck, breast,
and around the back, chest, and stomach area.
Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may also
happen. The exact cause and long-term health
effects of these conditions are not known.
19
• immune reconstitution syndrome. In some
patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS) and
a history of opportunistic infection, signs and
symptoms of inflammation from previous
infections may occur soon after anti-HIV
treatment, including PREZISTA, is started. It is
believed that these symptoms are due to an
improvement in the body’s immune response,
enabling the body to fight infections that may
have been present with no obvious symptoms.
The most common side effects include diarrhea,
nausea, headache, and abdominal pain.
Tell your doctor promptly about these or any other
unusual symptoms. If the condition persists or
worsens, seek medical attention.
WHAT DO PREZISTA TABLETS LOOK LIKE?
PREZISTA 300 mg tablets are orange, oval-shaped,
film-coated tablets mentioning “300” on one side
and “TMC114” on the other side.
PREZISTA 400 mg tablets are light orange, oval-
shaped, film-coated tablets mentioning “400” on
one side and “TMC” on the other side.
PREZISTA 600 mg tablets are orange, oval-shaped,
film-coated tablets mentioning “600” on one side
and “TMC” on the other side.
HOW SHOULD I STORE PREZISTA TABLETS?
Store PREZISTA tablets at room temperature (77°F
(25°C)). Short-term exposure to higher or lower
temperatures [from 59°F (15°C) to 86°F (30°C)] is
acceptable. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any questions about storing your tablets.
This medication is prescribed for your particular
condition. Do not use it for any other condition or
give it to anybody else. Keep PREZISTA and all of
your medicines out of the reach of children. If you
suspect that more than the prescribed dose of this
medicine has been taken, contact your local poison
control center or emergency room immediately.
This leaflet provides a summary of information about
PREZISTA. If you have any questions or concerns
about either PREZISTA or HIV, talk to your doctor.
For additional information, you may also call Tibotec
Therapeutics at 1-877-REACH-TT or 1-877-732-2488.
**The brands listed are the registered trademarks of
their respective owners and are not trademarks of
Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
Manufactured for Tibotec, Inc. by:
JOLLC, Gurabo, Puerto Rico
Distributed by:
Tibotec Therapeutics
Division of Ortho Biotech Products, L.P.,
Raritan NJ 08869
Patent Numbers: 5,843,946; 6,248,775; 6,335,460 and
other US patents pending
NORVIR® is a registered trademark of its respective
owner.
PREZISTA® is a registered trademark of
Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
© Tibotec, Inc. 2006
Revised: October 2008
10101706P
11/19/08 4:40:15 PM
20
FYQMPSF
OFX
IPQFMBNCFSUWJMMF
Lexington House B&B
One of the things we like about New Hope is that
all B&B’s are gay-friendly. But The Lexington
House is also gay-owned. And only one B&B can
be ranked #1 in New Hope on www.TripAdvisor.
com, and that’s The Lexington House. Come visit
us and find out why. Mention this ad and receive
5% off of a two-night stay. Or come visit for three
nights and get the fourth night free (both offers
good until the end of November, 2008). You might
enter as strangers, but will leave as friends. We look
forward to meeting you! -Mike and Ed
6171 Upper York Road | New Hope, PA 18938
215-794-0811 | www.lexingtonhouse.com
Hotel Du Village
We are a country inn, nestled in the Bucks County countryside,
just one and a half miles north of New Hope providing easy ac-
cess to the many fine shops and entertainment in the area. Our
inn offers 20 rooms, all with private bath and air conditioning
and a bridal suite for weddings. The inn is located on the same
grounds as the restaurant, making it convenient for visitors af-
ter a day in town. We also provide a continental breakfast for
guests staying at the inn. Our restaurant, specializing in country
French cuisine, is open for dinner every evening with the excep-
tions of Monday and Tuesday. We are very proud supporters of
the LGBT community and look forward to greeting you!
2535 River Road | New Hope, PA 18938
215-862-9911 | www.hotelduvillage.com
Gallery Piquel
Featuring Bronze Sculpture, Contemporary Oil Paint-
ings and original “Wearable Art” Jewelry, Gallery Piquel
presents the work of an array of international and lo-
cal artists. Some hold positions of honor in important
Museum and Corporate Collections, while others are
just emerging on the art scene. Each has a unique point
of view and their work has that special “something” to
engage and inspire.
Open Friday-Sunday 12pm-5pm or later, often on
other days and happily by appointment.
39 North Main Street
New Hope, PA 18938
215-862-3523 | www.gallerypiquel.com
Bucks County, PA
Jim Briggs, Associate Broker,
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
“Zuider Zee”, egg tempera & oil on panel,
by M. Briscoe.
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
The Mansion Inn
A beautifully restored 1865 Victorian manor home, located on
the banks of the Delaware River in historic New Hope, PA,
known for its art and antiques shopping. The Mansion Inn is a
perfect location for your civil union, family reunion, business
meeting or just a leisure trip. The Inn offers award-winning fine
dining on premises and luxurious rooms and amenities.
Visit our sister property: The Majestic Hotel, 19 Main
Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756. 732-775-6100.
www.majesticoceangrove.com (walking distance of Asbury Park).
9 South Main Street
New Hope, PA 18938
215-862-1231
www.themansioninn.com
J&W Gallery – Fine Art
Celebrating it’s 11th year in 2008, this sophisticated yet re-
laxed space is now the oldest Fine Art Gallery in New Hope.
Opened in 1997 by Joseph Licata and Walter Czajkowski, it rep-
resents over 30 established and emerging artists in oils, mixed-
media and photography. Featured Provincetown artist: Michael
McGuire: oils, Sept. 26 - Oct. 27. Opening reception: Saturday,
Sept. 27, 6-9pm. Visit the Gallery and see why it is known as
“The Destination for Fine Art in New Hope”. Come and cele-
brate the Arts every Second Saturday of the month for special ex-
hibitions, food and entertainment: 9/13,10/11,11/8 & 12/13.
20 West Bridge Street
New Hope, PA 18938
215-862-5119 | www.jwgallery.com Michael McGuire - Lone Shack - 36x36, oil on canvas, 2008.
Reinboth & Company
Reinboth is a luxury interior design and retail stu-
dio that started in 1992 in Lambertville, NJ. To-
day, Reinboth is the standard-bearer of good taste
and sumptuous living in the region. Specializing
in the modern aesthetic, Reinboth has designed
several upscale residential and commercial projects
in Northern New Jersey, Princeton, Bucks County,
South Carolina, New York City, Florida, and the
Hamptons. Scott Reinboth, as the principal design-
er, works with a team that takes inspiration from
fashion design, great architecture, fine hotels, and clients’ ever changing lifestyles. These influences allow
the Reinboth team to implement successfully non-traditional solutions to traditional challenges.
45 Bridge Street | Lambertville, NJ 08530
609-397-2216 | www.reinbothandcompany.com






         

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25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
A Star is Back
Liza dazzles in her Palace triumph
BY CHRISTOPHER BYRNE
T
here are performers, and there
are stars. Then there’s Liza.
Really, there’s not much more
to say other than that… except do
whatever you can to get a ticket. She
looks fabulous, puts on a show that
is pure adrenaline for every second of
the two-and-a-half hours, and, dare I
say it, is pure showbiz history.
Liza looks smashing and pours
herself into every number with a pas-
sion and verve that is astonishing.
More importantly, every moment of
the show is suffused with the subtext
that Liza’s back. Sometimes obliquely
and sometimes directly, she address-
es her bumpy personal journey, and
what emerges is not that Liza’s mak-
ing a comeback but that the sheer
joy of being on the stage propels her
to work her heart out. It’s a joy that
pours over the footlights and brings
the rapturous audience to its feet
again and again.
Late in the second act, Liza says
that her whole family has “joined the
choir,” and that we, the audience, are
the family she has now. Not only do
her adoring fans believe it — and eat
it up — but we also believe that she
wants more than anything to make
her family proud of her. But I’m get-
ting ahead of myself.
The show is structured in two acts.
The first is a standard cabaret that
features all of Liza’s top hits — “Maybe
This Time,” “Cabaret” — and some
wonderful surprises like a powerful-
ly acted “My Own Best Friend” from
“Chicago” and a touching Charles
Aznavour tune, “What Makes a Man a
Lisa Minnelli is clearly back in an amazing Palace Theatre celebration.
Cabaret/21
LIZA’S AT THE PALACE...!
Palace Theatre
1564 Broadway, btwn. 46th & 47th Sts.
Tue., Fri., Sat. at 8 p.m.;
Wed., Sun. at 3 p.m.
Through Jan. 4
$55-$251; 212-307-4100
Or palacetheatreonbroadway.com
Man?” The second is primarily a trib-
ute to Liza’s godmother, Kay Thomp-
son. Liza summons the spirit of the
phenomenally accomplished woman
who was her mentor and second mom,
recreating bits of Thompson’s famous
nightclub act at Ciro’s in Los Angeles.
Of course, she works in “New York,
New York,” which has pretty much
become her “Over the Rainbow.”
Liza is supported by a top-draw-
er orchestra under the direction of
Michael Berkowitz and pianist/musi-
cal supervisor Billy Stritch, a star in
his own right. And what would a star
be without her boys? Johnny Rod-
gers, Cortés Alexadner, Jim Caruso,
and Tiger Martina comprise a tight-
ERIC ANTONIOU
knit, close harmony quartet that’s
absolutely fantastic. Meant to recall
the Williams Brothers who backed
up Kay Thompson, these men move Minnelli is joined by Tiger Martina, Johnny Rodgers, Cortés Alexander, and Jim Caruso.
and sing perfectly together, sharing
the stage but never eclipsing the star.
They get their own spotlight number,
performing Liza by George and Ira
Gershwin, and it’s a treat.
When Liza talks about Kay in the
second act, she is the most heartfelt
I’ve ever seen her. She cracks through
the veneer that has often seemed
to surround her performances, and
䉴 LIZA, continued on p.30
photo by Lois Greenfield
WORLD PREMIERE *
with the lead vocalists & music of
Jan. 6–18, 2009 East Village
Opera Company
PARSONSDANCE.ORG eastvillageopera company.com
ERIC ANTONIOU
Tickets from $19! *Program A
22/ Theater
The Winded City
Bewitched, bewildered, but should a latter-day Joey have bothered?
BY DAVID KENNERLEY
T
here’s a good reason
why “Pal Joey,” the
1940 Rogers & Hart
musical, hasn’t seen a Broad-
way stage in more than 30
years. The herky-jerky plot,
featuring a conniving cad on
the South Side of Chicago who
uses dames like poker chips,
hoping to score big in show biz,
is largely joyless and doesn’t
take hold until well into the
second act.
Despite the title, the cute
but dodgy protagonist hard-
ly deserves to be anybody’s
pal, not even the audience’s.
Besides, who could possibly fill
the shoes of the original star,
Gene Kelly? To boot, there’s a
heck of a lot of characters to
keep tabs on. A 1976 revival
flopped.
Then there’s the little prob-
lem of that other revived musi-
cal set in the “great big town
on a great big lake” around the
same era that’s been thrilling
theatergoers for more than
a decade. Is Broadway big
enough for the both of them?
Absolutely. And the Round-
about Theatre Company is
well up to the task, thanks in
part to a freshening of John
O’Hara’s book by Richard
Greenberg and the cunning
direction by Joe Mantello ––
both of “Take Me Out” fame,
among many other winning
productions.
The updated book is, for the
most part, faithful to the origi-
nal. Playboy Joey Evans, a sec-
ond-rate emcee in a sketchy
nightclub, first seduces a
lonely shop girl named Linda
(Jenny Fellner), then dumps
Whatever flaws remain in the
book and score, performances and
production flourishes do a bang-up
job of covering them over.
her for a rich, married social-
ite named Vera. Joey charms
Vera into setting up an illicit
love nest and bankrolling his
own joint, called “Chez Joey,”
but runs into trouble when an
ex with an axe to grind, Gladys
Bumps, threatens to expose
their cozy arrangement.
Will the headstrong Joey
land on his feet, fall back into
the comforting arms of a for-
giving Linda, or finally self-
Matthew Risch made quite a splash wearing nothing but black leather boots, lace gloves, and a bewitching micro Speedo in “Broadway
Bares XVII, but even dancing and belting his heart out in a respectable performance as Joey, he seemed too young to yet have the chops for
the role.
PAL JOEY
Roundabout Theatre Company
Studio 54
254 W. 54th St.
Tue.-Sat. at 8 p.m.;
Wed., Sat., Sun. at 2 p.m.
Through Feb 15
$36.50 to $126.50; 212-719-1300
Or roundabouttheatre.org
destruct?
Wisely, Greenberg has made
a few choice fixes while keep-
ing the sexy, snappy dialogue
intact. He deleted the female
reporter character named
Melba Snyder, transferring her
rollicking number, “Zip,” to
Gladys, which streamlines the
cast and helps to distance “Pal
Joey” further from that other
musical (which also features a
female reporter, the legendary
Mary Sunshine).
For good measure, Green-
berg also inserted — a little
awkwar dly, perhaps — a
same-sex story line involv-
ing Mike (Robert Clohessy),
the club manager, who gets
blackmailed into helping Vera
get back at Joey. He added a
bunch of other contemporary
accents as well.
Whatever flaws remain in
the book and in the uneven
score, key performances and
production flourishes sure do
a bang-up job of covering them
over.
When Stockard Channing
(brilliant in “Six Degrees of
Separation”), as the hopelessly
smitten Vera, croons her sul-
try rendition of “Bewitched,
Bothered, and Bewildered,” we
realize why they brought this
old chestnut back to life. The
marvelous Martha Plimpton,
who breathes warmth and
humanity into the stock char-
acter of Gladys, the aging plat-
inum-blond showgirl, brings
the house down with her head-
spinning take on “Zip.” All the
more impressive considering
she has scant musical-theater
credentials.
Graciela Daniele’s choreog-
raphy achieves some dazzling
moments, as do the leggy cho-
rus girls who make each num-
ber their own.
Scott Pask has outdone
himself with his moody, mus-
cular set, dominated by a
wrought iron spiral staircase
and El train track, accented by
an occasional shimmering cur-
tain or chandelier. Theatre Hall
of Famer William Ivey Long,
Broadway’s reigning queen of
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 DEC 26, from p.15
at 61st St. Tue., 8:30 p.m.; Thu.-Sat.,
8 & 10 p.m. through Dec. 30. Tickets
are $95-$250 at feinsteinsatloewsre-
gency.com or 212-339-4095; there is a
$40 food & drink minimum.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
JAZZ
Remembering a
Great
Rome Neal stars in Laurence Hold-
er’s “Monk,” a one-man play about jazz
great Thelonious Monk. Nuyorican
Poets Café, 236 E. Third St., btwn.
Aves B & C. Thu.-Sat., 7 p.m.; Sun.,
4 p.m. through Jan. 11. Tickets are
$20at http://nuyorican.org/tickets/
monk-tix.html.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
DANCE
Sugar Plum Fusion
The Vital Theatre Company and the
JOAN MARCUS
Shirim Klezmer Orchestra present “The
Klezmer Nutcracker,” based on Ellen
Kushner’s award-winning book “The
Golden Dreydl,” Michael McLaugh-
lin and David Harris’ arrangement of
Tchaikovsky, and choreography by Dax
Valdes. Linda Ames Key directs. Vital
the glitzy costume (he current- Theatre Company, 2162 Broadway
ly has four shows running), at 76th St., fourth fl. Sat., Sun. 11
does not disappoint. a.m. & 1 p.m. through Jan. 3. Also,
As for Joey, well, like I said, Dec. 26, 7 p.m.; Dec. 29-Jan. 2, 1
it’s not easy filling Gene Kelly’s p.m. Tickets are $20 at vitaltheatre.org
shoes. The brooding Matthew or 212-579-0528
Risch, the understudy who ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
was a last-minute replacement
after former Jersey Boy Chris-
tian Hoff injured his foot —
gossips say Hoff couldn’t carry COMMUNITY
SAT.DEC.27
the demanding role — dances Traditions of Africa
and belts his heart out to deliv- The 21st annual LGBT Commu-
er a respectable performance. nity Kwanzaa will feature an African
Too young for the role — he’s Market from noon-5 p.m., a cultural
27 and looks even younger program from 6-7 p.m., and a Karumu,
— he doesn’t quite have the or community feast, from 8-10 p.m.
chops to make it look effort- Co-sponsoring organizations include
less. Watching the dynamo ADOD New York, African Ancestral
drenched in sweat and breath- Lesbians United for Societal Change,
less, I truly felt for him. the Audre Lorde Project, the Black
The biggest part Risch had Men’s Exchange-New York, Circle of
played prior was the support- Voices, FIERCE!, Freedom Train Produc-
ing role of Carlos, the “gay tions, None on Record: Stories of Queer
European,” in “Legally Blonde.” Africa, Rehobeth Temple CCC, Sistahs
Lucky attendees of “Broadway in Truth, Harmony & Alliance, Sistahs
Bares XVII” were treated to a of Caribbean Ancestry, and the Inner
nubile Risch gyrating in noth- Child Experience. LGBT Community,
ing but black leather boots, lace 208 W. 13th St., noon-10 p.m. Sug-
gloves, and a bewitching micro gested donation is $10, but no one will
Speedo. (A photo on Broadway. be turned away.
com shows the grinning actor ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
posing with the event’s director,
identified as his boyfriend.) BENEFIT
Which may have been a har- Laughs for Our
binger for this career-shaking Youth
role in a play about dreams David Gaard’s hilarious new gay
and lust, whose central ques- family holiday fable, “Happy New Year
tion is, as the “marvelously Lady Lou” is performed twice to ben-
self-possessed” Joey so elo- efit Sylvia’s Place, the LGBT congrega-
quently poses it, “Who are ya
when the clothes come off?” 䉴 DEC 27, continued on p.24
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 23

ALL 2008 BIKES

ON SALE
C H O O S E F R O M A L L 2 0 0 8 I N S TO C K C E R V E LO A N D W I L I E R B I K E S

Stop in to see all of our

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C A D E N C E I S T H E P R E F E R R E D C O A C H I N G PA R T N E R F O R :
24/ Film
Illusionist With Updos
“Pageant” examines the artistry and pride of female impersonation
BY GARY M. KRAMER
“Pageant” is an entertain-
ing documentary chronicling
the 34th Miss Gay America
pageant held in Memphis in
2005. Fifty female imperson-
ators competed for the title in
the categories of Male Inter-
view, Evening Gown, and Tal-
ent. Ten finalists were select-
ed before one winner was
crowned.
Co-director Ron Davis, in a
telephone interview, selected
the film’s five featured female
impersonators for their quali-
ties as performers and for
their interesting stories. Simi-
larly, a pageant’s judges, Davis
explained, have to “look at every
kind of art on the wall to deter-
mine which one’s the best.”
Davis explained that his
inspiration for the film was
to change perceptions about
female impersonators. As a
one-time drag performer him-
self, the filmmaker said that
he felt shame, and people
often thought he wanted to be
a woman. It’s clear that he and
some of the performers fea-
tured are intent on challenging
that view.
“It’s nothing like that,” he
said, defensively, about the
close-knit world of female
impersonation. “Those are
stereotypes. I made ‘Pageant’
to show that these were tal-
ented men. They don’t want
to be women. They don’t live
like this. These are real men
who are illusionists. There is a
history — a passion — here. It
means something.”
Robert Martin, who per -
forms as Chantel Reshae,
concurred. On the phone
from Orlando, he said. “Being
woman part-time made me
more of a man full time.”
Martin started singing and
dancing in Iowa, where he
was born. At 23, he moved to
Florida, and came to terms
with being gay. “Everything I
was supposed to do as a ste-
reotypical gay man, I did,” the
performer declared, “But I
found myself in female imper-
sonation. I could be who I was,
and I enjoyed it. It was not an
escape.”
He got interested in female
impersonation when he helped
a friend in a contest and
stayed around to watch. “I was
hooked,” he recalled. “When
I entered a contest, I won $50
for three minutes of perform-
ing.”
In competitions, he plays
PAGEANT
Directed by Ron Davis &
Stewart Halpern
Released in conjunction
with NewFest
Opens Dec. 26
Cinema Village
to his strength as a ballroom
dancer, and wears evening
dresses with long sleeves so as
not to accentuate his muscles
and shoulders. “I don’t need
shoulder pads,” he joked.
Martin participated in “Pag-
eant” as a whim. “I didn’t think
I was going to be picked. I
almost did it just to have that
experience. I didn’t think [it]
would have any impact.” How-
ever, Martin’s story, which
includes an interesting twist
with his dance partner Jake
Fisher, provides the film with
some dramatic tension, serv-
ing as a nice contrast to much
of what else goes on.
Contestant Carl Glorioso,
who performs under the name
Victoria DePaula, was hand-
selected to be in the film by
co-directors Davis and Stewart
Halpern. They had seen him at
previous pageants and recog-
nized his star quality, appar-
ent from his first interview in
the film.
On the phone from his home
in Kansas City, Glorioso spoke
about his ambitions to win
Miss Gay America as a means
of achieving his goal of head-
lining his own Vegas show. He
said he loves the rewards of
performing, “When you are on
stage and people give you an
ovation, you know all of [the
work] paid off.”
䉴 PAGEANT, continued on p.30
Robert Martin, who performs as Chantel Reshae, said, “Being woman part-time made me more of a man full time.”
25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 DEC 27, from p.22
tion Metropolitan Church NY’s facility
that provides housing for queer youth.
Lou is a boozy, brassy drag king and a
beloved member of New York’s down-
town club scene. A long-buried secret
— the boy she gave birth to 20 years
ago — makes problems in her pres-
ent. Lou’s fellow desperadoes, divas,
derelicts,dykes, drag queens, and tran-
nies come to her rescue and create
a family perfect for the 21st century.
The Arclight Theater, 152 W. 71st
St. Dec. 27, 8 p.m.; Dec. 28, 4 p.m.
Tickets are $35 at smarttix.com or 212-
868-4444.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Dress Well Cheap
A c c l a i m e d N e w Yo r k - b a s e d
designer Steven Alan has donated
more than 1,000 items of brand-new
women’s and men’s clothes to ben-
efit Housing Works, the AIDS services
organization. Every item in the entire
Steven Alan donation — includ-
ing dozens of items from labels Lulu,
Willa, Sophie, Sea, and Reve Seam
— are priced at 70 percent off retail.
There will be racks and racks of
women’s tops, dresses, shorts, cam-
isole-shorts sets, and sweaters, and
men’s shirts, pants, and light jackets.
“I’ve been a fan of Housing Works
for years,” Alan said. “I’m glad that
I can further their mission to provide
services to homeless New Yorkers
living with AIDS through the profits
generated by this donation.” Hous-
ing Works Thrift Shop, 143 W. 17th
St., beginning at 11 a.m.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
GALLERY
Paris Via Lagos &
New York
“Fantasy and Simulacrum” is a
Contestant Carl Glorioso, who performs under the name Victoria DePaula, was hand-select- saucy, sexual, erotic conversation and
ed to be in the film by co-directors Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern. engagement between Iké Udé’s alter
ego, Visconti, and Paris Hilton, and is
both a reference to and departure from
“Beyond Decorum,” his seminal con-
ceptual photographic series of cloth-
ing and shoes paired with titillating
text appropriated from adult personal
advertisements. Utilizing a cacophony
of visual material culled from gossip
blogs, porn sites, wallpaper samples,
fashion/lifestyle magazines, and
film, Udé’s new hybrid pictorial style
employs free association and an absurd
sense of humor in rendering works
both whimsical and monumental. Born
in Lagos, Nigeria, and now New York-
based, Udé’s work is held in the perma-
nent collections of the Guggenheim and
the Smithsonian National Museum.
Stefan Stux Gallery, 530 W. 25th St.
Tue.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Jan.
24. 212-352-1600.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
䉴 14 DAYS, continued on p.26
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 25

■ FILM

When Hubris Takes On Evil

Tom Cruise’s cocksure hero overpowers an otherwise cool thriller
BY GARY M. KRAMER VALKYRIE
Directed by Brian Singer

“V
alkyrie,” openly gay film-
maker Bryan Singer’s cool,
efficient thriller, takes its
title from the name of an operation
attempted by members of the German
military to usurp power from Hitler.
The film, based on real events,
opens in the North African desert, with
Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom
Cruise) injured in an aerial attack, in
which he loses part of his right arm,
some fingers of his left hand, and
his left eye. Meanwhile, in Germany,
Major-General Henning von Tresckow
(Kenneth Branagh) tries to kill Hitler
with a bomb, but fails, with his own
culpability nearly uncovered.
When Stauffenberg returns to Ger-
many, he meets with Tresckow’s group
of anti-Hitler conspirators, led by Lud-
wig Beck (Terence Stamp). These men,
openly committing treason, do not
wrestle with questions of patriotism.
They are angry that Hitler is killing
innocent people, and they want him out
of power. Rejecting the oath of “uncon-
ditional obedience” to the Fuhrer, they
are looking for redemption.
Inspired, albeit in a clumsily directed
MGM
Opens Dec. 25
Citywide
with the idea to launch “Operation
Valkyrie” –– Hitler’s own emergency
plan for how the nation’s leadership
should proceed in the event of his
death. The catch is that Stauffenberg
and company plan to carry out this
plan by first killing Hitler and his clos-
est allies.
The story’s conclusion, of course, is
foregone, but “Valkyrie” creates a mod-
estly entertaining suspense film out
of a failed coup attempt; in one scene,
Stauffenberg must obtain Hitler’s
signature on a revised version of the
“Operation Valkyrie” directive.
Still, the film feels manipulative. The
characters may demonstrate grace
under pressure, but Singer has to work
up a sweat to maintain the audience’s
suspension of disbelief. The director’s
effort to manufacture tension is espe-
cially distracting in a series of scenes
involving Stauffenberg’s briefcase that
carries the bomb intended to kill Hit-
ler. At one point it falls over; at another

MGM
sequence, by a recording of the Wag-
ner’s classic, Stauffenberg comes up 䉴 VALKYRIE, continued on p.30 Brian Singer is the out gay director of “Valkyrie.”

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26
■ IN THE NOH
The Aggies Again
Irreverent gypsy, Irving honored, and weird babies make the season bright
BY DAVID NOH
I
t’s time again for the
annual Agnes Moorehead
Awards (Aggie herself is
pictured here in yet anoth-
er film-saving role). In the
unbearably sanctimonious
Selznick World War III soapera
“Since You Went Away,” she
plays the only recognizably
human character in its entire
three-hour running time. As
Emily Hawkins, a small-town
grass widow, she’s delight-
fully bitchy, selfishly hoard-
ing ration coupons and revel-
ing in the soldier boys at the
USO dances she “charitably”
organizes. She brings a dash
of much needed vinegar to the
Norman Rockwell landscape
and is rewarded at Christmas
time with a severe dressing
down by a tiresomely upright
Claudette Colbert.
Herewith, in no particular
order, the Aggies for the best
live performances of 2008:
“Enter Laughing” at the
York Theater;
Elyse Singer’s “Frequen-
cy Hopping” presented by
Hourglass Group at 3LD Art &
Technology Center;
k.d. lang at the Allen Room
at Lincoln Center;
“La Fille du Regiment” by
the Metropolitan Opera;
Karen Kohler’s “Little
Death: Songs of Coming
and Going” at the Zipper Fac-
tory -- a formidable, superbly
accompanied two-part show, a
total of some 26 songs, ranging
from fado to classical to blues,
performed with jaw-dropping
versatility and grace;
“South Pacific” at Lincoln
Center;
J.B. Priestley’s “The Glass
Cage” at the Mint Theater;
Kathleen Battle at Carn-
egie Hall;
Maude Maggart at the Oak
Room at the Algonquin;
Freda Payne at Feinstein’s
at the Regency;
Nathan Gunn in “Camelot”
with the New York Philhar -
monic and in “Showboat” at
Carnegie Hall, two indiffer -
ent concert revivals in which
this South Bend boy shined --
without once baring that leg-
Agnes Moorehead (l.) in “Since You Went Away” (1944), with Joseph Cotten and Claudette
Colbert, who rips our Aggie a new one, just for being human
endary muscled torso -- prov-
ing himself to be opera’s best
crossover, with a thrilling bari-
tone that needs to be heard
on Broadway and a naturally
dashing stage presence;
Barb Jungr at The Metro-
politan Room.
Other Aggie winners deserve
further elaboration. Rene
Fleming, in the Metropolitan
Opera Opening Night Gala and
in “Thais,” proved that she is
opera’s current ultimate diva,
with an effortless, sumptu-
ously creamy voice, musician-
ship, and a LaCroix, Chanel,
and Galliano-garbed glamor
she has brought to the medi-
um. Her “Thais” was a total
personal triumph -- in a role
tailor-made for her, she was
gorgeous in every imaginable
way, bringing niceties such
as the hysterical laugh she
executed, landing each one on
the specific note in Massenet’s
original score. Despite the
Times’ Anthony Tommasini’s
snotty dismissal of Massenet,
I hope this revival will spur
interest in a composer from
whom pure music poured. To
hear the exquisite “Medita-
tion” - which I want played at
both my wedding and funeral
- alone is worth killing for a
ticket to “Thais.”
Liza Minnelli at the Palace
is the best I’ve seen her since
my first time back in the ‘70s.
Sure, the voice is ravaged and
the body compromised, but, for
the first time, watching her pay
respectful, glorious, coquettish
tribute to her godmother, the
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
of them all, a song that runs
incessantly through my mind
whenever I visit that city.
A
huge wave of applause
greeted the sight of two
microphones on the
stage, one tall and one short,
at the “Gypsy of the Year” com-
petition (December 9), which
signaled the annual appear-
ance of favorites Officer Lock-
stock and Little Sally (Don
Richard and Jennifer Cody)
to snipe away at the current
Broadway season. “Broadway’s
been staggering and falling
down, like Matthew Broderick
trying to leave Bar Centrale.
COURTESY DAVID NOH
We’re losing shows as fast as
we are Mormon artistic direc-
tors,” lamented Sally, before
going on to out every member
of the original “Jersey Boys”
cast, mention Christopher
Sieber in “Shrek” - “He does
great Kay Thompson, I found what he does best: performs
myself leaning in to savor her on his knees” - plead Congress
performance, rather than reel- for funding for a translator for
ing back from her more youth- “Billy Elliot,” and comment on
ful, overwrought stridency both Proposition 8 and Rosie
(remember Pauline Kael’s O’Donnell’s recent TV variety
remark, “What’s she going show: “They should spend less
to do for an encore: eat the time keeping lesbians from
audience?”). The Thompson marrying and more time keep-
material has effectively, finally ing them from tapping.”
taken her out of her narcis- Daniel Radcliffe, so dev-
sistic self, and away from the astatingly cute with his tight
stranglehold of “Mama,” to little bod and husky voice,
emerge freshly reinvented and appeared, ubiquitously top-
delightfully relaxed about it less, in a very homoerotic
all. And to hear Thompson’s “Equus” offering, but the com-
brilliant arrangements of “Clap petition winner was “The Lion
Yo Hands” and “Jubilee Time” King” ensemble who delivered
performed by a seasoned, full a sizzling modern dance that
orchestra is pure delirium. had host Seth Rudetsky mar-
I only wish Liza had also veling at the artistry and effort
made mention of another leg- that went into this two-perfor-
endary career moment: when mance piece. A whopping total
she helped American ready-to- of $3,061,000 was raised for
wear designers capture Paris, Broadway Cares/Equity fights
at a Versailles fashion show AIDS.
in 1973, the moment when
A
American fashion came of age. t the Oscar Ham-
Representing the USA were merstein award show
Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, honoring George S.
Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Irving (December 8), the actor
and Halston. A slew of funky emerged both as completely
black models like Pat Cleve- abashed - “I hate being the
land, Alva Chinn, and Norma center of attention like this,
Jean Darden hit the runway off the stage” - and a dream
and stole the show from the father. As lovingly extolled by
stodgy couture presentation his daughter, you learned that
of frogs Yves Saint Laurent, he was the family peacemaker,
Christian Dior, Hubert de impossibly erudite on every
Givenchy, Emanuel Ungaro, subject, filled with dirty jokes,
and Pierre Cardin, who only handy with tools, and a gadget-
had an aged Josephine Baker loving computer wiz. Talented
to help lend some color. Josh Grisetti delivered a won-
And, leading everything off, derful satiric tribute, Charlotte
was Liza, coached by Thomp- Rae showed her cabaret roots
son, who opened the show with with her signature, hilarious
a recreation of Kay’s “Bonjour “Modest Maid,” an ode to lech-
Paris,” from the film “Funny ery by Marc Blitzstein (whose
Face,” possibly the most joy-
ous movie musical number 䉴 AGGIES, continued on p.27
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 14 DAYS, from p.24
SUN.DEC.28
COMEDY
Ball-Dropping
Good Time
While Therapy’s resident clown,
Brad Loekle, is having a Feliz Navidad
in Puerto Vallarta, his homolarious side-
kick, Scott Ryan, fills in as hostess with
the mostest. Ryan hosts a fagtastic line-
up to kick off the three-day countdown
to that inevitable resolution to head
back to the gym. Performers include
Ann Necypor (Logo’s “Hot Gay Com-
ics”), Shawn Hollenbach (Here! TV’s
“Busted”); Ophira Eisenburg (Premium
Blend); and headliner Vanessa Hollings-
head (fresh back from Iraq… for real!)
Therapy, 348 W. 52nd St., 10 p.m. No
cover charge; $6 cosmos all night.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
GALLERY
Fleshing Out
Street Life
Catherine Opie’s body of photo-
graphic work, created since the early
1990s, spans such diverse genres as
studio portraiture, landscape photog-
raphy, and urban street photography to
explore notions of communal, sexual,
and cultural identity. From her early
portraits of queer subcultures to her
expansive urban landscapes, Opie has
offered profound insights into the con-
ditions in which communities form and
the terms by which they are defined.
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth
Ave. at E. 89th St., Sat.-Wed., 10
a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-7:45 p.m.
Through Jan. 7. Admission is $18; $15
for students & seniors; pay what you
wish Fri. after 5:45 p.m.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
The Even Couple
Gilbert and George met in 1967
while students in London and began
to create art together, developing a
uniquely recognizable style both in
their pictures and in their presenta-
tions of themselves as living sculp-
tures. Over 40 years, they developed
a new format that created large-scale
pictures, visually and emotionally
powerful, through a unique creative
process. The Brooklyn Museum is
the final venue in an international
tour that marks the first retrospec-
tive of the artists’ work in more than
20 years. The exhibition was orga-
nized by the Tate Modern, London,
with the collaboration of the artists,
who consider this to be the definitive
presentation of their art. 200 East-
ern Parkway at Washington Ave.
near Grand Army Plaza. Wed.-
Fri., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m.-6
p.m. (until 11 p.m. first Sat.); Sun.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Exhibition runs
through Jan. 11. Admission is $8; $4
for students & seniors.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
䉴 14 DAYS, continued on p.29
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 27

䉴 AGGIES, from p.26 ulation. One thing I’ve learned from

this project is that all my old friends
lyrics may have been inspired by World who won’t talk to me anymore because
War II London blackouts with their of my convictions can suck my nuts. I
opportunities for outdoor sex), and don’t miss them.”
Irving himself closed things out with a Baltimore-born Lauterbach, who
marvelously corny music hall song. studied painting at Rhode Island
School of Design, landed what many

C
hristmas may be a time for would consider a dream job, on “The
children but, if like me and my Simpsons”: “My first animation job
fellow skeptics, Jackie Hoff- in Los Angeles was working on a Sat-
man and John (Lypsinka) Epperson, urday morning show called ‘Mortal
you like kids fine, but definitely in their Kombat.’ It was canceled after one sea-

— and not all over the — place, you
should definitely catch “Davy’s Babies,”
a show at Stricola Gallery (at 3 Wooster
Street at Canal, through January 25),
featuring the paintings of Davy Lauter-
bach. You’ll see a weird assortment of
young beings, all sprung from the art-
ist’s gently warped psyche, painted with
Ingres-like precision, posed against tra-
ditional kitschy backgrounds familiar
to anyone who has endured screeching
and tantrums in a mall photo studio.
The show will leave you both chuckling
and slightly terrified. I honestly found
more depth in this small show than
in that behemoth Elizabeth Peyton
extravaganza at New Museum, with its
slews of cruddy “chic” album jacket/
publicity photo renderings that I would
have been ashamed to show anyone in
eighth grade.
In an interview, the L.A.-based Lau-
terbach explained his show: “I’ve lost
friends over the answer to this ques-
tion. Being in my mid-30’s, I’m at that
age where most of the people I know
are either having children or they’re
desperately seeking someone to breed
In “Davy’s Babies,” at Stricola Gallery in SoHo through January 25, Davy Lauterbach offers up a weird assortment of
young beings, all sprung from the artist’s gently warped psyche.
with. I, however, have been interested
in environmental issues for a long time,
and as we all know, overpopulation of
the planet is creating serious problems.
I made two decisions. First was to give
up my car and use Los Angeles’ public
transportation to soften my footprint
on the earth. Second, I was not going to
have kids. Adopting a child might be a
nice option, but knowing what we know
about the environment, I believe it is
morally and socially irresponsible to
have kids now. Yeah, yeah, we all want
to experience what it’s like to have kids.
And I’ve heard the blizzard of clichés
from breeder friends of mine like ‘hav-
ing children is the best thing that has
ever happened to me in my life.’ And
quite honestly, I like my friends’ kids,
but these people cannot deny the facts
about our environment.
STRICOLA GALLERY
son, but downstairs they were making
‘The Simpsons.’ I introduced myself to
people there because I loved the show
and wanted to work on it. A position in
the color department opened up and
they hired me. I picked colors for back-
grounds, props, and characters. It was
“Personally, I don’t know a single an awesome job.
other person in Los Angeles who has “I was making good money for the
been willing to give up their car like first time in my life and also party-
I did. And yes, I am totally arrogant ing, and dating, and living it up in LA.
about my decision, just like I’m arro- So I did color for two years and then
gant about my decision not to have became an animator. Three years later
children. Those were hard and gutsy I was chosen to be an assistant direc-
decisions, but my parents raised me to tor. As you could imagine, we had a
be respectful of other people. Maybe I ton of laughs in the studio as it was
take it to an extreme, but I care about basically filled with a bunch of over-
the planet and the future of man- paid kids playing with toys. I once had
kind, even if I have no hope for any of to tell someone working for us to put
it. Every day, out of the bus windows down his ‘Star Wars’ figures and finish
I ride, I watch moms shuffling their drawing Homer. I’m honestly not a big
tots around LA in their SUVs. My baby fan of ‘The Simpsons’ anymore, but the
paintings were a reaction to all of this, experience was a treasure. There were
the reckless destruction of our planet times when my coworkers would make
and breeding that is absolutely out me laugh so hard I’d wet my pants.”
of control. I decided I would create
an army of my own invented babies, Contact David Noh at Inthenoh@aol.
babies that won’t add to the world pop- com.

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28/ Dance 25 DEC 2008 - 8 JAN 2009

Encores
Looking back on the dances that we’d like to see again
BY BRIAN MCCORMICK

I
nstead of compiling a list of best dances this
year –– I don’t do worst –– I wanted to write an
essay called “Fuck the critics!” with some obser-
vations of the absolute worst reviews of the year.
I still plan to write that piece, but there are larger
issues around the press in general that I’d like to
address, and it will require using some journalistic
skills –– like research.
Instead of offering up superlatives, I’ve made an
inventory of the pieces that I saw and would like to
see again. Some of these works will be performed
again, in part or in whole, and I wholeheartedly rec-
ommend you see them if you haven’t already.
Juliette Mapp’s “Anna, Ikea, and I” at Dans-
pace Project at St. Mark’s Church had love to give,
and forgiveness, and honor. In a time of struggle
and strife, Mapp reminded us of our fragility and
our strength, our isolation and our community.
In addition to the powerful emotions and message
communicated in this cathartic bio-dance, there
were stars dancing in star choreography, mentors
moving in maternal mimesis.
“Zero Degrees,” a co-production with Belgian
company Les Ballets C. de la B. at City Center, fea-
tured British-born Akram Khan with the incred-
ible Flemish-Moroccan dancer/choreographer Sidi
Larbi Cherkaoui. This was a tour de force for the
two cross-cultural virtuosos, and their body dou-
bles, designed by Antony Gormley, with the pre-
mium of live music composed by global star Nitin
Sawhney. Look for Cherkaoui’s choreography with
Cedar Lake in 2009.

Faye Driscoll’s “837 Venice Boulevard” at HERE
disarmed with its charming, wholly committed per-
formances by Michael Helland, Celia Rowlson-Hall,
and Nikki Zialcita. It offered an amusing look back
on more innnocent times, and then suddenly ripped
open the wounds of painful adolescent memories,
long since thought dead, even though the language
seemed targeted especially for Helland and Zialci-
ta. The trio’s capacity to dish out and endure such
uncontrived hateful energy so the audience could
bear witness was a non-fiction reminder that there
is still much work to be done when it comes to
respecting different identities.
Similarly, Jane Comfort’s “An American Rendi-
GRAND OPENING
You know those hair products you loved
& can’t find anymore?? I have them!!
A section of Jane Comfort’s “An American Rendition” will be performed as part of “Sugar Salon,” January 7-9 at 8:30 p.m. at the Baryshnikov Arts Center.
tion” at the Duke on 42nd Street offered a necessary
shock to the system. The work contrasts a story
of mistaken identity in the era of American extra-
judicial interrogation –– that is, torture –– with the
simultaneous tendency toward the social construc-
tion of self through the templates of “American Idol”
and “Top Model”-style competitions. Comfort thus
“To Be Straight With
You” calls attention to the
fact that being gay is still
criminal in more than
ARTHUR ELGORT
at the same time. It lives and grows in the memory,
not as images from the work, but as a reflection on
how those images have been classified, processed,
accessed, and consumed.
“Les sept planches de la ruse,” billed as nou-
veau cirque at BAM, was probably the most satis-
fying pure movement piece, which very few people
in dance actually seem to have seen. The audience
certainly appreciated the spectacle of this perfor-
mance of Chinese acrobats with gigantic moving
tangram puzzle pieces, but their murmurs about
the lack of dancing suggested they have been
misled about what qualifies these days under the
mantle of movement. More work like this –– cross-
cultural, well-crafted, and masterfully designed ––
will go a long way toward breaking audiences out of

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holds up the mirror and reveals the complicity of a
complacent citizenry. A segment of this work will be
performed as part of “Sugar Salon,” January 7-9
at 8:30 p.m. at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, along
with works by Heather Olson, Deganit Shemy,
and Anna Sperber, who is the Anna referred to in
Juliette Mapp’s title.
Maguy Marin’s “Umwelt” was like a familiar old
friend to this fan of Beckett and other such existen-
tialist absurdist fare. I can’t stop laughing about my
Of all the works, the one that has the most
resonance right here, right now, is DV8’s “To Be
Straight With You,” presented at Peak Performanc-
es at Montclair State University. A masterpiece of
political movement theater, it calls attention artful-
ly and poignantly to the fact that being gay is still
criminal in more than 80 countries, a status quo
the United States condoned in its recent refusal to
back a United Nations declaration calling global
decriminalization.
The overriding theme of the DV8 work is that vio-
lence against same-sex loving people is tolerated in
the name of religion. It’s a fitting and bitter remind-

gaycity experience watching audience members’ reaction at

the Joyce Theater –– many walked out before it was
over, primarily due to the incessant mechanical
er of just how fucked up Barack Obama’s choice of
Rick Warren to open his inauguration is. I imagine
if one of his daughters were beaten for loving some-

news.com squeal of a rope being pulled across an electric gui-

tar. This is a work that exposes and subverts ideas
one, our president-elect would have a change of
heart about why equality is important.
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS Divas
䉴
auf Deutsch
Veteran Wagner, Strauss heroines deliver the goods
14 DAYS, from p.26
MON.DEC.29
CABARET
YouTube, You Bet
Natalie Weiss was an “American
Idol” Season 4 semifinalist and has
become a YouTube sensation. Tonight,
the “Tonight, directly following the
video madness of “Musical Mondays,”
the girl with the huge voice is joined by
several special guests as she headlines
Scott Nevins’ “Curtain Call.” Splash
Bar, 50 W. 17th St., 11:30 p.m. Show
up early and catch some legendary
musical theater numbers on screen.
Admission is free before 10 p.m.; $5
after that. You must be 21.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
CABARET
WED.DEC.31
After-Party, First
Morning
Joe’s Pub hosts the return of the
New Year’s Eve after-party, starring a
bubbly array of entertainers plucked
from New York’s gay, burlesque, and
avant-garde performance scenes. At
the helm is nightlife’s favorite hostess,
Linda Simpson — “ a kind of mother
superior of the New York drag scene,”
says the New York Times — hosts the
fun. Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St.,
below Cooper Square, at the Pub-
lic Theater, 12:30 a.m. Tickets are $30
at joespub.com or 212-967-7555. For
table reservations, with a two-drink or
$12 food minimum, call 212-539-8778.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ a baritone but as a lyric tenor,
NIGHTLIFE
THU.JAN. 1
First Night
The Saint At Large, a dance party
serving New York gaydom for almost 30
years, presents “Revival,” a New Year’s
Day Night celebration with music by
Alyson Calagna and Manny Lehman.
Lighting is by Guy Smith. Espace,
635 W. 42nd St., 11:30 p.m.-dawn.
Advance tickets are $60 at saintatlarge.
com; admission is $70 at the door.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ sounded soft-grained and a
POETRY
We’ll Stay All
Night and Read
‘Em All
Poet Ron Padgett will give the
first reading of the 35th annual “New
Year’s Day Marathon Reading,” wel-
coming 2009 with more than 140 writ-
ers, musicians, dancers, and artists.
Artists — who will engage in a day
and night of engaged and inflamma-
tory performance, proving that works of
nonconformist art and their attendant
political hopes and visions still exist in
our world — include Patti Smith, Steve
Earle, Jonas Mekas, Anne Waldman,
Lee Ranaldo, Yoshiko Chuma, Taylor
䉴 JAN 1, continued on p.30
■ OPERA
BY DAVID SHENGOLD
T
he Met has been play-
ing “Tristan und Isolde”
again; as last year, the
marathon title roles have gone
through several throats as ill-
ness and exhaustion struck.
Still, the big news remains the
company bow of Daniel Baren-
boim, who mobilized a re-seat-
ed orchestra into a mesmer-
izing ensemble. Clarity and
structure seemed his priorities
rather than sweeping emo-
tion, but it was nonetheless a
moving display of the power of
a great conductor leading the
right score.
On December 12, both
Katarina Dalayman and cover
Susan Foster were ill. Peter
Gelb pulled off a coup, flying in
Waltraud Meier from Munich.
Though hers is not fundamen-
tally a lovely tone, and high
notes proved effortful, she gave
an overwhelmingly convincing
and committed portrayal rich
in verbal nuance and stage
command. Meier remains a
theater artist to reckon with
and one of the great postwar
Isoldes, even past her vocal
best.
Peter Seiffert, unlike many
Heldentenors — including
Gary Lehmann, his cover, who
valiantly sang the second and
third shows — started not as
slowly adding heavier roles
over the decades. Using an
electric prompting device, he
got through with high compe-
tence, tending in Acts II and III
to hairline cracks at the bot-
tom of his range.
I’ve enjoyed Michelle De-
Young in several roles, but
despite her pleasantly heroic
appearance — and the seem-
ing favor of the Met audience
— she does not strike me as
an ideal Wagnerian. The voice
bit tremulous in Brangaene’s
music.
Gerd Grochowski’s idiomat-
ic and generally fine Kurwenal,
more animated than many,
was sometimes compromised
by his tendency to roar.
For all the thrill of Meier’s
splendid impersonation, the
most persuasive and moving
performance and far and away
the best sung was the rich-
voiced, emotionally charged
Marke of Kwangchoul Youn.
Matthew Plenk’s offstage
Sailor started the evening with
attractive vocalism, and Ste-
phen Gaertner’s strong bari-
tone impressed in Melot’s brief
duties. The Shepherd was
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
Peter Seiffert and Waltraud Meier in the title roles of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde”
directed to vamp unduly, a
pity since the orchestra played
the start of Act Three so poi-
gnantly.
O
n December 13, the
Philharmonic gave the
last of four concerts
of “Elektra”, a very exciting
occasion indeed. The Richard
Strauss work brought forth
great decibels but also rare
subtlety and clear detail from
the orchestra under Lorin
Maazel; this was surely one of
the biggest successes of Maa-
zel’s tenure. At times, they
really played it like the “fairy
music” the composer said he
had written. Hugo von Hof-
mannsthal’s brilliant libretto
unfolds well in the concert
environment — let’s face it,
“Elektra”, like “Trovatore, is
nearly always compromised
by poor stagings.
Abetted by Maazel, the
three leading ladies needed
no props or scenery to cre-
ate intense drama. Deborah
Polaski, whose 176th Elek-
tra this concert marked, gave
lessons in how to deport and
express oneself in concert
opera — stance, gestures,
gown (a red and gold Klimtian
take on Grecian motifs, abso-
lutely apt), face, and utter -
ance, all were deployed expert-
ly. Her massive voice takes on
29
dispatched Aegisth’s unpleas-
ant high-lying music. Wooden,
with tremulous tone that dis-
appeared under the orchestra,
Julian Tovey lent new meaning
to that ever-expanding catego-
ry: The Unnecessary British
Import. Sterling work in small
parts came from Priti Gandhi
(Fourth Maid), keen-voiced
R yan MacPherson (Young
Servant) and Renée Tatum,
resonant in the Schlepptra-
egerein’s two venomous lines,
“She means it maliciously!”
and “Every word is a lie!” We
all have friends like that...
D
ecember 8 at Carn-
egie, the Collegiate
Chorale put on the
Verdi “Requiem, a concert
scheduled last year by their
longtime music director, Rob-
ert Bass. Alas, he died this
summer after valiant health
struggles, so the “Requiem”
MARTY SOHL/METROPOLITAN OPERA
was presented in his memory.
If not an historic performance,
it was a stirring one, with the
Chorale singing magnificent-
ly, in fitting tribute to Bass’s
endeavors.
All four of the solo quartet
emerged worthy — a first in my
experience hearing this mas-
heavy vibrato at full volume terpiece live. Stephanie Blythe
above the staff, sometimes deserves pride of place for her
obscuring pitch, but her Cs magisterial, soulful singing,
were truer than Meier’s, and with awesome lower register
much of her middle register effects. Out Canadian soprano
and high soft singing retains Adrianne Pieczonka, in her first
its sheen.
Anne Schwanewilms, an
intelligent, shining-voiced
local Verdian effort, won points
for intensity and a bright,
clear timbre. While forthright
German soprano still seem- and on pitch, Ramon Vargas
ingly of f the Met’s radar pushed his tenor beyond the
screen, made a sensitive, bounds of comfort. Estonian
moving Chrysothemis. A few bass Ain Anger, least known
of this tricky character’s high- of the four, wielded an impos-
est moments really need the ing instrument with good line;
shining refulgence of Leonie he should be heard more often
Rysanek; only Deborah Voigt hereabouts.
and Karita Mattila have come Conductor Daniele Callegari
close to filling her shoes. alternated inspired with more
Schwanewilms doesn’t oper- pedestrian passages; nice
ate with that dynamic span, that the New York City Opera
but she produced handsome Orchestra — stranded by
tone, unfailingly on pitch — board president Susan Baker,
never a prime Rysanek con- who gave a somewhat unfortu-
cern, sacred be her memory! nate speech before the music
— and interacted well with — had some public work
Polaski. before its upcoming “Antony
Jane Henschel (Klytem- and Cleopatra” at Carnegie
nestra), rather sopranoish of January 15 and 16. Those are
timbre except for some delib- dates to flag; Samuel Barber’s
erate chesting, had no prob- music, if unevenly suited to the
lem with any of her rangy play, is well worth hearing, and
music, giving a penetrating the strong cast headlined by
performance without undue Lauren Flanigan, Teddy Tadu
distortion, even creating some Rhodes, and Simon O’Neill,
sympathy for the murderous guarantees excitement.
old harridan. What fun her
“Hansel and Gretel” Witch David Shengold (shengold@
must be! yahoo.com) writes about opera
Richard Margison capably for many venues.
30
䉴 PAGEANT, from p.24
But he acknowledged the
challenges, too.
“Figuring out how to create
cleavage or bone structure
on your face that isn’t there
is an art, one that separates
you from other entertainers,”
he explained.
Deciding what gown to
wear or what talent to show-
case also can be difficult. Glo-
rioso understands not only
what makes a good female
impersonator, but what judg-
es are looking for at pageants.
“You have to realize if [a
song, or a dress] works for you
or not,” he said. “You want
to be as unusual as possible.
Bring something new to the
table, and if you bring some-
thing back, add a new ele-
ment — change the costumes
or change the mix.”
In the film, Glorioso shows
how he created a memorable
impression with his unique
solo talent act.
One highlight in the film
is the rousing rendition of
“And I Am Telling You I’m Not
䉴 VALKYRIE, from p.25
moment it disappears. The
strained sequence ends up
seeming goofy.
“Valkyrie” does a better job
depicting the power struggles
among the men involved in
the operation; the danger
of being double- crossed is
ever-present. When Stauffen-
berg is about to detonate the
bomb, he needs approval from
a chain of command, whose
deliberations risk losing pre-
cious time. As frustration
builds for Stauffenberg, view-
ers will share his anxiety. The
tension is particularly taut
regarding the allegiances of
General Fromm (Tom Wilkin-
son), a high-ranking officer
who could doom the effort.
In one of the film’s best
moments, Fromm emphasizes
to Stauffenberg the impor -
tance of intoning “Heil Hitler”
before leaving a meeting. Up
to this point, Stauffenberg has
䉴 LIZA, from p.21
it’s quite something. Like
everything in this show, ably
directed and choreographed
by Ron Lewis, the balance
is just right. Numbers like
“Clap Yo’ Hands,” “Basin
Street Blues,” and “Jubilee
Time” are exuberant and fill
the stage — and the Palace
Theatre — with irresistible
energy. How Liza does this
boggles the mind — and it’s
Going,” by Victoria Parker.
The performer, who answers
to the name “Pork Chop,” says
that one’s musical selection is
important because it has to be
“believable.” His transforma-
tion from a heavyset man into
a glamorous woman is quite
convincing, perhaps because
Prize purses are unlikely to recoup
costs, but the bragging rights of
being Miss Gay America make
winning worth the investment.
Parker has been doing female
impersonation for more than
20 years.
On the phone from Nash-
ville, he explained that for
most people female imperson-
ation “is something you do for
five years. It’s not a ten-year or
20-year career.” He considers
himself very lucky to be able
to work three to four nights a
week performing.
only mumbled the salutation,
or avoided saying it at all. It is
a telling scene that amounts
to battle of passive-aggressive
wills.
If “Valkyrie” does well with
the political intrigue — the
film is particularly engaging
Cruise is effectively typecast as a
cocky character — someone who
literally struts around Germany.
when the conspirators makes
efforts to gain control of the
government’s quarters — a
subplot about Stauffenberg’s
family is weak. As he prepares
to execute the plan, the colo-
nel offers his wife (Carice van
Houten) a farewell kiss that is
surprisingly passionate, but
Singer milks the scene for
all its Grand Hollywood style
what makes her the star
she is. Or, more accurately,
makes her the Liza we can’t
help loving.
Love, however intense, still
can’t be blind. At 62, Liza’s
voice has lost none of its
power, but there are times
when it wavers. Her ability
to hold notes is sometimes
shaky, and she is frequent-
ly winded by the hugely
demanding numbers. She’s
dropped pitch where needed
www. GAYCITYNEWS .com
25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009
“You have to invest your
entire life on it to be a suc-
cess,” he said. As for pag-
eants, he advised, “It’s a very
competitive field. You have to
work your way up the ranks.”
Parker compared his job
to that of a Broadway star. “If
you really want to be an enter-
tainer, you keep pushing,” he
said, mentioning that twice in
his career he has been taken
off the stage and straight to
the hospital.
In additional to the physi-
cal toll, per for ming has a
financial cost. Parker said
that impersonators can spend
$3,000 for an evening gown,
before shoes, jewelry, and
updo, or hair. In the film, Glo-
without otherwise giving much
depth to the couple’s relation-
ship.
Cruise is effectively type-
cast as a cocky character ––
someone who literally struts
around Germany with a
puffed-out chest and a sense
of self-importance. The inju-
ries Stauffenberg sustains in
the opening scene unexpect-
edly empower him, a theme
handled subtly but with telling
resonance.
Cruise gives a fine physical
performance –– his body lan-
guage is quite expressive –– but
surrounded by a fine cast of
European actors, his affect is
and at times literally leans
on her co-performers. Even
that works. There’s a real
honesty about who she is
and where she is that shines
through everything she does
on the stage, and it’s impos-
sible to be left unmoved by
it.
As her final encore, Liza
sits quietly at the piano and
sings “White Christmas.” It’s
beautiful and simple, show-
ing yet another side of this
rioso reveals that he splurged
for his solo act, shelling out
$2,500. Some per for mers
spend $10,000 just for the tal-
ent portion of the competition.
Prize purses are unlikely
to recoup costs like that, but
the bragging rights of being
named Miss Gay America cer-
tainly make winning worth the
investment for those compet-
ing. Some performers readily
acknowledge that they return
yearly to compete, while oth-
ers claim they are through —
only to come back the follow-
ing year.
Pork Chop last competed
for Miss Gay America back in
1996. He saw the opportunity
to appear in “Pageant” as a
reason to get involved again.
“One thing I’d not done was
participate in a movie — espe-
cially one that was a positive
vehicle for the community,”
he said, adding, “I wanted to
leave a legacy.”
All of the female imperson-
ators in the film make their
mark. But only one gets the
crown.
overly intense by comparison.
Stauffenberg’s hubris may be
what appealed to Cruise about
the role, but given the tragedy
at the heart of the story, his
performance at times is off-
key, overplaying the gravitas
needed for to make Stauffen-
berg a flawed, sympathetic
hero. In a film otherwise hand-
somely mounted, the many
striking close-ups of Cruise
threaten to relegate it to a van-
ity production.
In support, both Bill Nighy,
as Stauffenberg’s co-conspir-
ator, and Wilkinson are very
good. And there are brief, but
sly turns by Tom Hollander as
a sycophantic Hitler supporter
and Eddie Izzard as a possible
traitor. Branagh is fun to watch
in his small role, while Stamp
chews scenery admirably.
“Valkyrie” is certainly a
noble, earnest film, even if it
could have been told with a bit
more genuine gusto we could
feel in our guts.
multi-faceted per for mer.
Clearly, there’s no one like
Liza. There never has been,
and there never will be. That
she’s back and giving all
she’s got — and often more
— is a nearly incredible holi-
day gift that’s pure magic
and particularly appreciated
this year. In a year when cel-
ebration is in short supply,
Liza creates her own jubilee,
and we get to go along. How
lucky can you get?
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 JAN 1, from p.29
Mead, Lisa Jarnot, Justin Bond, Reu-
ben Butchart, Gillian McCain, and
Dael Orlandersmith. Poetry Project
at St. Mark’s Church, 131 E. Tenth
St. at Second Ave., 2 p.m. Tickets
are $17; $13 for students & seniors;
$10 for Poetry Project members.
Seating is on a first-come, first-serve
basis. For more information, visitpo-
etryproject.com.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
NIGHTLIFE
FRI.JAN.2
Time For
Resolutions?
You’ve gone crazy over the holidays,
and it’s time to get a hold of yourself.
Watching “The Flintstones Say No to
Drugs” at a dive on Avenue A may be
your only hope. 1984 @ Pyramid, 101
Ave. A, btwn. E. Sixth & E. Seventh
Sts., 10 p.m. Admission is $8. You must
be 21.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
CABARET
MON.JAN.5
Best of Times
Scott Nevins’ “Curtain Call”
tonight features Broadway star, Nata-
lie Toro, direct from “A Tale of Two
Cities,” performing songs from her
newly released self-titled CD. Splash
Bar, 50 W. 17th St., 11:30 p.m. Turn
out early and catch some legend-
ary musical performances on the big
screens. Admission is free until 10
p.m.; $5 after that.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
DANCE
TUE.JAN.6
Rock Opera
Collaboration
Parsons Dance presents the
world premiere of an all-new, as-
yet-untitled collaboration with the
lead vocalists of East Village Opera
Company, featuring the music of the
acclaimed rock opera band. Program
A premieres the new evening-length
work withEVOC’s two lead vocalists
live onstage with Parsons Dance.
Program B will feature Parsons
Dance favorites, including “Caught”
and “Nascimento.” Tyley Ross, lead
male vocalist and co-founder of
EVOC, said, “David Parsons’ cho-
reography marries tradition and
renewal in a way that physically
represents what we try to evoke as
a band. It’s exciting to see our music
take a three-dimensional kinesthetic
shape in his hands.” Joyce Theater,
175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St. Pro-
gram A runs Jan. 8-10 & 15-17, 8
p.m.; Jan. 11, 2 p.m.; Jan. 14 & 18,
7:30 p.m. Program B runs Jan. 6-7
& 13, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 17-18, 2 p.m.
Tickets are $19-$59 at joyce.org or
212-242-0800.
✯ ✯ 䉴✯ ✯ continued
JUMP, ✯ ✯ on p.30
✯
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 25 DEC 2008 – 8 JAN 2009 31

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I’m anti violence

and pro dignity.
Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. We’re no different. That's why I
stand behind the New York City Anti-Violence Project. AVP works to end violence
in our LGBTQ communities and keep our homes and our streets safe. If you need
help, call 212-714-1141 or visit avp.org

Live without fear