BUSH: BLOODY SUNDAY

SARAH HORSE-ICA PARKER

A whole website dedicated to Sarah's mug: SARAHJESSICAPAEKERLOOKSLIKEAHORSE

HEE HEE!

MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN

LA PEQUENA IS AT IT AGAIN! She also does REHAB!

ACTUAL BUSH QUOTES

"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.
, May 12, 2008

"I got a lot of Ph.D.-types and smart people around me who come into the Oval Office and say, 'Mr. President, here's what's on my mind.' And I listen carefully to their advice. But having gathered the device, I decide, you know, I say, 'This is what we're going to do.'" --George W. Bush, Lancaster, Pa., Oct.
3, 2007

The decisions we make in Washington have a direct impact on the people in our country, obviously." --George W. Bush, New Albany, Ind., Nov.
13, 2007

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb.
28, 2008



"You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —Bush to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb.
4, 2005

"

THE COCKETTES IN NYC!

I hope the screening will include the film in which Sylvester, an original Cockette, plays Coretta Scott King. Quite convincingly!

The Cockettes are Coming!! JUNE 2ND!

An Extravaganza to Benefit Faerie Camp Destiny presented by the Northeast Radical Faeries and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Bazaar, Refreshments and Films from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Performances at 8 p.m.

At Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue at 10th Street, New York City.

Admission, $30. Bake Sale and Bar, Faerie Wares and Services

This info was swiped directly from Darlinda Just Darlinda's newsletter. For some reason, Theater for the City didn't see fit to include this on their calendar. But I couldn't help but notice this play about..Tiny TIm?!!?



MORE INFO: THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT!

NEW RAINBLO VIDEO

Downtownscenester Rainblo has a new song out, called EAST VILLAGE COCKSUCKER. The catchy song's vibe is a cross between electro and hard rock, with Rainblo rapping out dirty lyrics. There's a cameo by Lady Fag, but I think the main appeal of this fun video will be the actual cock-sucking and jerk-off scenes featuring some cute young East VIllage-y studs. In fact, it's so explicit that it can only be seen on xtube. Now I know why it calls itself RainBLOW!

CHECK IT OUT!

CANNES OF WORMS

Here's a different take on the the star-studded Cannes Film Festival from The Daily Mail:

Cannes of worms: The ugly truth about the world's most famous film festival

Models on the make, seedy millionaires and porn between the premieres - the Mail's LIZ JONES reveals the putrid reality that lies beneath the glamour at Cannes

AN EXCERPT: 'Why on earth,' I say, 'would you want to go to one of those yacht parties?' 'It's nice,' she says. ( Conversation is not always a model's strong point.)

I ask how old she is and she says (bearing in mind she looks all of 18): 'I don't want to say my age. People will start to judge me... I might not get a new ad campaign. You know how it is.'

A director in earshot yawns and adds: 'They all want to act. Failing that, all they want to do is marry a rich man.'

It is the sheer number of very young women being paraded around town by men who make Clint Eastwood look sprightly that turns my stomach.

WHOLE ARTICLE: DAILYMAIL

And speaking of seedy sluts, my glamorous sister Elaine Lancaster from Miami made the jet-set scene promoting a documentary she's in called THE FUNDRAISER. Elaine looked so glamorous that when she asked Faye Dunaway for a photo, Faye was delighted, and glady posed for a couple of pix. She asked Elaine where she was from and they had a mutual admiration chat amidst the popping flashbulbs. Elaine also mentioned that Sean Penn refused a pic with her, but that he was camera-shy with everyone.



A day or so later, Elaine was out of drag at a cafe and in walks Faye, a bit disheveled and rummaging through her purse. Elaine said "Miss Dunaway?" and Faye snapped back "Can't you see I'm busy?" In one of her wittier moments, Elaine replied "Sorry, Mommie Dearest"--while fleeing for her life. Hee hee!

MONKEY ON A GOA ON A CUP ON A ROPE

POULTRYGEIST

The latest insanity from Troma, this looks hilarious and it's playing in NYC now! Here are a few review quotes:

It's "a veritable Cluckwork Orange! It takes up where the punctured glutton in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life left off!!!"

LISA NESSELSON, VARIETY

"Within the context of its genre - the satirical sexploitation zombie chicken gross-out musical extravaganza - it is just about as perfect as a film predicated on the joys of projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea can be... Poultrygeist plays like a grindhouse analogue to the sloppy, psychosexual provocations of the performance artist Paul McCarthy and is, in its lowbrow way, every bit as liberating."

NATHAN LEE, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Only a few more screenings in NYC so you'd better check it out--UNLESS YOU'RE CHICKEN!

SCHEDULE INFO

A MORONIC TRAILER:

ELLEN GRILLS MCCAIN ON GAY MARRIAGE ISSUE

She's not usually political, but when she is, girlfriend gets it right!

GRACE JONES TURNS 60!

An excerpt from the UK TELEGRAPH PIECE:



"Long before Annie Lennox shocked America by looking like a man, or Boy George by looking like a woman, Jones was doing so by looking like both."

WHOLE ARTICLE: UKTELEGRAPH

GENITAL ART!

EITEL THOUGHTS

Scenester Reavis Eitel, pictured, has sent me many hilarious links over the past few years. The bad news is that they will now stop. The good news is that they'll stop because he now has his very own blog! Current posts include The Ghost of (infamous new wave tranny goddess) Page, some fun video clips and an ancient pic of Billy Beyond in drag.

CHECK IT OUT: REAVISEITEL.BLOGSPOT.COM

RICHARD GERE'S GERBIL HAS A MYSPACE PAGE!

RICHARD GERE-BIL

FLORENT'S CLOSING IN NY TIMES

NYTIMES

Yet another NYC institution forced to close by ridiculous rents. Restaurant Florent will have 5 days of closing parties, THE 5 STAGES OF LOSS, curated by Theater Tweed's Kevin Maloney with performances which should rival their old Bastille Day celebrations. You remember--those elegant affairs in July when the boiling heat and humidity fused with the rotting meat juices--when the meat-packing district still packed meat? Here's the line-up of performers:



And this just in! Beloved NYC drag veteran Ebony Jett will be wigging up for the closing festivities. Not sure which day, so check Florent's website for more the full, updated schedule.

THE LOVELY EBONY "EBONEEZER" JET WITH LADY KIER IN LONDON 1992!

BREASTFEEDING AN 8 YEAR OLD

Or here's LITTLE BRITAIN'S take on it?

10 TOYS THAT MADE YOU GAY

I am not gonna pretend that these toys were around during my childhood, and I'm not sure that this site means "gay" as in homosexual. Maybe just "gay" as in the general negative sense that kids use it in today, almost equivalent to spastic. But these are some sick-ass toys!

LIQUIDGENERATION

And here's an Operation commercial from the '80's.

HE LITERALLY TIED ONE ON!

Anderson Cooper has a "sister" on the CNN staff. I knew that the extremely annoying but not exactly effeminate London correspondent Richard Quest had been arrested in Central Parkin April with meth, but only yesterday did I find out the truly wacky details. Police initially stopped Miss Thing for loitering since she was in the Rambles after hours. Only to find Mr. Quest with a companion engaged in some rather kinky action. I mean, girl, get as freaky as you want, but outdoors in an illegal area when you're famous?

His lawyers statement: "Mr. Quest didn't realize that the park had a curfew," Abramson said. He was simply "returning to his hotel with friends."

Possibly true, but he was caught with a rope tied around his nuts which then extended up and around his neck. There was a dildo in his boot to boot! The poor thing was so geeked that it informed the officers that it had a bag of meth on it. Just keepin' 'em honest!


READ THE NY POST's account: NYPOST

RAQUEL WELCH ON THE MUPPET SHOW!

Wearing a disco-Vegas look while dancing with a giant spider!

ARIANNA GIVES HILLARY HER PROPS...

WHILE SHOOING HER OUT OF THE CAMPAIGN. THE GIST: Hillary's campaign may be history, but she's made history in getting this far.

HUFFPO


And for more rarely heard around here female perspective, I enjoyed this article even though I think that Hillary was behaving like a political whore when Randi Rhodes, a woman, called her one.

Election 08: Misogyny I Will Not Miss by Marie Cocco, Washington Post Writers Group

As the Democratic nomination contest slouches toward a close, it's time to
take stock of what I will not miss.

I will not miss seeing advertisements for T-shirts that bear the slogan
"Bros before Hos." The shirts depict Barack Obama (the Bro) and Hillary
Clinton (the Ho) and are widely sold on the Internet.

I will not miss walking past airport concessions selling the Hillary
Nutcracker, a device in which a pantsuit-clad Clinton doll opens her legs to
reveal stainless-steel thighs that, well, bust nuts. I won't miss television
and newspaper stories that make light of the novelty item.



I won't miss episodes like the one in which liberal radio personality Randi
Rhodes called Clinton a "big [expletive] whore" and said the same about
former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro. Rhodes was appearing at
an event sponsored by a San Francisco radio station, before an audience of
appreciative Obama supporters -- one of whom had promoted the evening on the
presumptive Democratic nominee's official campaign Web site.

I won't miss Citizens United Not Timid (no acronym, please), an anti-Clinton
group founded by Republican guru Roger Stone.

Political discourse will at last be free of jokes like this one, told last
week by magician Penn Jillette on MSNBC: "Obama did great in February, and
that's because that was Black History Month. And now Hillary's doing much
better 'cause it's White Bitch Month, right?" Co-hosts Joe Scarborough and
Mika Brzezinski rebuked Jillette.

READ THE REST: ALTERNET.ORG

MITZI AT THE CASTRO!

ANOTHER MARK HUESTIS EXTRAVAGANZA WITH BRUCE VILANCH INERVIEWING HER. AND SHE MIGHT PERFORM! SELLING OUT FAST!

BURLESQUE IS BACK!

Fun slide show from the NY Times including Dirty Martini and other downtown denizens. Here's a teeeeeaase...

WOMAN SWALLOWED WHOLE BY LEOPARD!

SUPPORT THE TROOPS!

By misdiagnosing them to save money! Only the best for US soldiers! Randi Rhodes mentioned this on her new NovaM show on Friday. It's really grim. Send them on the longest tours of duty with poor equipment and training and then poo-poo their psychological ailments when they return home as suicidal zombies.



FROM WASHINGTON POST BY CHRISTOPHER LEE:

"A psychologist who helps lead the post-traumatic stress disorder program at a medical facility for veterans in Texas told staff members to refrain from diagnosing PTSD because so many veterans were seeking government disability payments for the condition.

"Given that we are having more and more compensation seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out," Norma Perez wrote in a March 20 e-mail to mental-health specialists and social workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Temple, Tex. Instead, she recommended that they "consider a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder."

ANOTHER EXCERPT:

"A Rand Corp. report released in April found that repeated exposure to combat stress in Iraq and Afghanistan is causing a disproportionately high psychological toll compared with physical injuries. About 300,000 U.S. military personnel who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD or major depression, the study found. The economic cost to the United States -- including medical care, forgone productivity and lost lives through suicide -- is expected to reach $4 billion to $6 billion over two years."

WHOLE ARTICLE: WASHPO

CASSIE WRIGHT IN CHITTY CHITTY GANG BANG

DAMN! 75,000 AT OBAMA PORTLAND RALLY

BUN-BUN IN NEW MOBY VIDEO

I'm lightly featured in this party scene from Moby's I LIKE TO MOVE IN HERE. We had a blast filming it at the Slipper Room in the Lower East SIde. The extras were from Craigs List and were absolutely a riot. I did not recognize the featured rapper's name (Grandmaster Caz), but he's the dude whose legendary rhymes were stolen by Sugar Hill Records head Sylvia (PILLOW TALK) Robinson to create rap's first mega-smash, RAPPER'S DELIGHT. You know: "Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn" and such.

I hope the song catches on, not just because I'm in it, but because with it's slower house tempo and hypnotic piano-heavy groove, it could spawn a return to early '90's-inspired dance music. Maybe? Pretty please?

DRAG QUEEN ROBS BURGER KING

"Most of the time when somebody puts on a wig they're just trying to hide their identity by putting on something like a Halloween mask, but he's pretty."

AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MARY

Loook ar Dirty Martini's (far right) expression! What a kook!



FROM SCENEDOWNTOWN.COM:

I Love You and Darlinda Just Darlinda have put together an uproarious line-up of stars for America's Next Top Mary, their burlesque tribute to the Virgin Mary, on Mon May 19th. In Cathlic lore May is the month of Mary and to celebrate the occasion Legs Malone, Dirty Martini, Tigger!, Julie Atlas Muz, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Jo Boobs and La JohnJoseph will all be paying homage to the Queen of Heaven in various reverentially irrevent ways. Scene faces Glenn Marla and Erin Markey will also be onhand as celestial talent scouts, scouring the crowd for participants willing to compete onstage for the title of America's Next Top Mary.

P.S. I Love You and Darlinda Just Darlinda have put together an uproarious line-up of stars for America's Next Top Mary, their burlesque tribute to the Virgin Mary. In Cathlic lore May is the month of Mary and to celebrate the occasion Legs Malone, Dirty Martini, Tigger!, Julie Atlas Muz, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Jo Boobs and La JohnJoseph will all be paying homage to the Queen of Heaven in various reverentially irrevent ways. Scene faces Glenn Marla and Erin Markey will also be onhand as celestial talent scouts, scouring the crowd for participants willing to compete onstage for the title of America's Next Top Mary.

Mon, May 19, 10P

Galapagos Art Space (70 N. 6th St, Williamsburg)

$5

MIKE HUCKABEE'S CHEAP SHOT AT OBAMA

If I'm up at 10:00 AM on Sunday, I try to tune in to Howard Kurtz's RELIABLE SOURCES, an hour on CNN which examines the media's take on the week's big news stories. This week's line-up included Bush calling Obama an "appeaser" and Obama on the hot seat for addressing a female reporter as "sweetie".

I find it totally shocking that with so much airtime given to Obama, no one on Kurtz's show mentioned former republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's "joke" about Obama at a Louisville, Kentucky gathering of the NRA on Friday. Mike's remarks were aired on the Friday news, but Sweetiegate and Obama's subsequent apology to the reporter continued to receive regular coverage through Sunday.



Here are Huckabee's words. You tell if you think they are less offensive or less deserving of news coverage than calling someone "sweetie", an affectionate if slightly sexist term.

Addressing the NRA convention--which did not allow guns on the premises due to John McCain's presence--Huckabee heard a loud noise like a chair dropping, looked toward the direction of the sound and explained the crash with "That was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair." Huckleberry's a gifted speaker with a great sense of humor and he got a good laugh. Huck went on: "He (Obama) was getting ready to speak and somebody aimed a gun at him, and he dove for the floor." There was an immediate lull with murmurs which turned into a nervous, muted laugh.

Watch it for yourselves here:



I love tasteless jokes. Filthy sexual jokes, Helen Keller jokes, dead baby jokes, AIDS jokes, racist jokes against any race including my own. I may not tell them in public, but the sicker they are, the more I generally enjoy them. Humor can sometimes defuse sensitive issues. But I grew up in Tennessee, the southern state directly underneath Kentucky, and I know good and well what the sentiment behind Huckabee's public punchline was: "Shoot that uppity nigger."

I don't think that it's too new age-y to to say that just by putting the notion out there that "somebody aimed a gun at him" to an assembly of gun owners is extremely offensive and even dangerous. I also think it's fair to assume that people advocating gun ownership want the right to own fire arms not just for hunting, but also so that they can take the law into their own hands if necessary and shoot someone, whether it's an intruder into their homes, a cheating spouse or a prominent black leader like Martin Luther King. Or "Martin Lucifer Coon", as he was known where I grew up.

Senator Obama requested secret service protection in May 2007, which is the earliest any presidential candidate has requested it. Why? Because this is a racist nation in which it is now, thanks to the efforts of the extremely influential NRA, easier to own a fire arm than ever. The notion that Obama may be assassinated is real--I cringe a little every time Barack's inspirational speaking abilities are compared to MLK's and pray that the similarities end there. Sadly, a black man can run for office in this nation but he might die trying.

It's telling that even a NRA republican crowd in Kentucky practically gasped at Huckabee's remarks. And for christ sakes, Huckabee is a former minister! A minister who seems to have forgotten THOU SHALT NOT KILL as he campaigned for president thumping a bible with one hand and preaching gun rights with the other. Huckabee apologized for his remarks, but again, I don't underrate the power of suggestion. Um, especially at a gun rights convention? There are backward people who would never support a black man for office because of their prejudice towards his race--regardless of his policies. And there are probably racist gun-owners who would, if possible, gladly take to law into their own hands and use their guns to ensure that a black man never represents their country.



I'm no fan of the NRA, which is solidly entrenched with the furthest right of the republican party. But I'll be that if Charlton Heston were still alive, that staunch NRA supporter who was also spoke out fervently against racism, would be damning Huckabee's comments all over the media. Too bad our news media doesn't share Heston's outrage. They prefer to cover Obama calling a reporter "sweetie" to Huckabee's assassination joke.

David Binder, who was hosting the Rachel Maddow Show on Air America in her absence on Friday, asked (I'm paraphrasing) whether Huckabee's comments were the indicative of the racist rumblings of the last batch of dinosaur good ol' boys or whether the presidential election was going to be an outright republican onslaught against Obama simply because he's black.

(On a side note, do you call Mariah Carey "black"? No. But like Obama, she's half black and half white. To me, simplifying his backround is indicative of this country's widespread bigotry. I recently watched the film RAINTREE COUNTY, and as a New Orleans belle, Liz Taylor frets to Montgomery Cliff that if you have a single drop of "negra" blood, you're tainted no matter how white you appear. BUT RAINTREE COUNTY WAS SET DURING THE CIVIL WAR! Are our racial prejudices that unchanged since then? Or is it just easier to say "black" or "white" than "mixed race"?)

David Binder went on to ask callers if the republican strategy against Obama was as simple as "Don't vote for a black man", what should democrats be doing to counter it? Binder pointed out how effective the Bush camp's smear campaign in 2000 which suggested that McCain had a secret black baby. McCain had just beaten Bush in the New Hampshire primary, so his competitors came up with this effective plan:

From The Nation by Ann Banks

"Rove invented a uniquely injurious fiction for his operatives to circulate via a phony poll. Voters were asked, "Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?" This was no random slur. McCain was at the time campaigning with his dark-skinned daughter, Bridget, adopted from Bangladesh.

It worked. Owing largely to the Rove-orchestrated whispering campaign, Bush prevailed in South Carolina and secured the Republican nomination. The rest is history--specifically the tragic and blighted history of our young century. It worked in another way as well. Too shaken to defend himself, McCain emerged from the bruising episode less maverick reformer and more Manchurian candidate."

I WONDER IF MCCAIN WILL BE CAMPAIGNING WITH HIS 'BLACK" BABY THIS TIME?



Ann Banks continues:

"I don't want to say that McCain sold his soul to the devil, since I believe that religious metaphors have no place in politics. But consider this: shortly after losing the 2000 election, McCain told an interviewer that there must be "a special place in hell" reserved for the rumormongers."

Yeah, there is. Right next to the section in hell where those who go to make up with those who spread rumors about them. They are forced to lick the fetid asses of their rumormongers in perpetuity!

So just look how damning South Carolina voters considered the notion of John or Cindy fornicating and reproducing with a person of color. So I'd say that many people, certainly the republicans of South Carolina and similar states, feel equally negative about a candidate who is a person of color.

I think one way of combatting this possible republican strategy is through religious leaders. It's a no-brainer. If god is love and he created all men and created them equal, you logically can't be a racist and a christian if you hate a different race than yours. Of course, also a no-brainer is the fact that huge numbers of christians don't practice their faith with any brains or logic attached to it. Growing up in a white neighborhood in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I constantly marveled at the hypocrisy of southern baptists who loved god but hated blacks. Since so many people can't even comprehend the religion they swear to live their lives by, the clergy, who must interpret god's word for them, must be urged to take a strong public stand against racism. From their pulpits, they can bash Obama's liberal policies whether on abortion, gay civic unions and even (inexplicably) gun control, but if they are bashing an entire race which god created, they are denouncing their own Lord. Why would almighty god create an inferior race to be reviled? According to christian beliefs, god doesn't make mistakes.

With Obama all but clinching the democratic nomination, a lot of people in this country are going to be forced to confront their racism, and to reconcile it with their erroneous religious beliefs. I'm sure that many will find a way to justify their racism and christianity the way my childhood neighbors did. It's been decades since I ran the streets of Chattanooga with redneck brats. I hope that after years of social evolution, more positive images of blacks in entertainment and today's youth entranced with black musical influences, that blacks are seen as less scary and more familiar. And capable of running for president without thoughts of aiming a shotgun at them. But then an ordained minister makes an assassination joke at a convention of gun-toting rednecks and you start to wonder how far, if at all, we've come.

WACKY END NOTE #1: I can't find the link to the article, but not only were guns not allowed at the NRA convention at which Huckabee misfired, knives, nail clippers and other possible weapons were confiscted from attendees prior to their admission. Who should come to their aid but a "german nuts" vendor, who was kind enough check the confiscated items in the paper bags reserved for her nuts and write down the names of who they belonged to so that they could collect them upon exiting. What the hell are german nuts and why are they popular in Kentucky of all places???

WACKY END NOTE #2: Huckabee is among those rumored to be McCain's pick for VP.

AOL "NEWS" DELIBERATELY MISLEADING?

This lead item caught my eye on the AOL NEWS homepage. The heading reads:

Hurricane Study Surprises Experts
Offers New View of Global Warming

AOL is owned by Time Warner. And of course big business is going to benefit from a conservative agenda, which includes breaks to big corporations, including those who would feel the pinch if their greenhouse emissions were limited to slow global warming.

The gist of this article is that a respected scientist has changed his views on global warming. His new findings lead him to think that global warming does not contribute to a larger number of hurricanes in the Gulf. Hurricanes in that one area may even decrease in severity.




I hope he's right. But doesn't one scientist's research discovering one benefit to global warming pale in comparison to the multitude of climate change's horrors? If you read the entire article and watch the slide show, AOL does show images of land erosion, species which are becoming extinct and temperatures rising and mention that 20,000 died of overheating in Europe, 15,000 in India of in 2003. But one of the slides shows huge pieces of ice broken off and mentions another "benefit" to global warming--the Northwest Passage is now, because of record-sized ice chunks breaking of of Greenland, more navigable! Well yeah, and if there's an earthquake, I can go hiking in the hole. If another Katrina-sized hurricane hits, news photographers will cash in snapping the destruction. And if a tornado decimates a family car, imagine how much exercise the family will get walking. If it's not too hot, that is.

SEE WHAT YOU THINK: AOLNEWS

THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS FINALLY ON YOUTUBE

FIRST LADIES IN VOGUE

Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama both appear in upcoming issues of Vogue. This interesting article analzes their looks and gives a little background info on the shoots.

Letting Her Hair Down, but Still Keeping Up Appearances
By ROBIN GIVHAN

WASHINGTONPOST

DONNA SUMMER'S BACK!

The ultimate disco diva will be appearing at Mansion in NYC on June 3rd to promote her new album. I really like her second single STAMP YOUR FEET. Not the greatest lyrics, and it's odd to hear her on a singing to a slower hip-pop beat. But the hook has a nice melody and of course Donna's voice is still magnificent.

OLBERMANN'S LATEST ANTI-BUSH RANT

Bush recently claimed that he's given up golf out of respect for the troops--it's didn't seem right to him that the commander-in-chief be playing leisurely sports during war-time. What an incredible sacrifice! He gave up golf and thousands gave up their lives for nothing, many more giving up limbs and their sanity.

his special comment is 12 minutes long, but is very informative and really heats to a boiling point halfway through.

RU WANTS YOU!

DRAG ALERT! Rupaul is launching a new drag competion in LOGO. Think you have what it takes? Check out Ru's shout-out on youtube. Sign-up links for audition tapes are at the end of the clip.



You can also visit LOGO's site and vote for queens who have submitted their pix and interviews. I reconized Danyel Vazquez from Akron and San Fran's scandalous Putanesca" on the list. May the best whore win!

ANTHONY LAMONT'S B'DAY

One of Manhattan's most insane club kids is celebrating his b'day at the lon-running and popular Asseteria on Sunday. I'm no ass-"man", so I've always thought that was the worst name for a party--it really stinks!. But since the copy reads that the night features a Who's Through" of NYC nightlife creatures, I may have to fall through and make a night of it later at Hiro!





Also this Sunday, there is a memorial service for gay activist Bob Kohler. I met Bob through Flotilla Debarge and truly miss catching up with my feisty old neighbor who was always good for a devilishly interesting chat. He truly will be missed.

There has already been one farewelll gathering soon after he died, but now that the word has gotten out more widely mong his huge circle of friends and admirers, another is scheduled for tomorrow from 2:30-5:00 at The Center.



HIS VILLAGE VOICE OBIT:

Bob Kohler, gay activist, former owner of The Loft on Christopher Street, Stonewall veteran, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Front, ACT UP member, and longtime fixture of Charles Street, died on Wednesday at the age of 81. The cause of death was cancer, according to friends.

A Queens native who lost a kidney in World War II, Kohler was remembered as a tireless fighter for gay rights, transsexual rights, queer youth, and people with HIV/AIDS who never gave up the struggle even as he battled illness and advancing years.

"At at an age when most people were doing nothing much more than using a remote control Bob was out on the street fighting for what he believed in and often committing civil disobedience," said Bill Dobbs, a friend. "He inspired many younger activists and helped shape the modern gay rights movement."

When the Giuliani administration's Division of AIDS Services and Income Support (DASIS) regularly failed to provide housing for HIV-positive homeless people, Kohler was an active member of DASIS Watch, a group of volunteers who kept a vigil outside of the city's DASIS offices to ensure that everyone who needed it got an assignment. For 18 months, Kohler stood guard outside the DASIS office on Eighth Avenue.

“I had not done anything like that before, but I was the only one who kept showing up,” Kohler told The Villager newspaper, describing how many of the homeless did not trust him at first. “It took a lot of cajoling and begging…they told me to get my white ass out of there.... It was the coldest winter I can remember. I was out there every day for 18 months."

In 1999, after his arrest in front of One Police Plaza , where protesters set up vigil after the police shooting of Amadou Diallo, Kohler told the Voice:

"I do not equate my oppression with the oppression of blacks and Latinos. You can't. It is not the same struggle, but it is one struggle. And, if my being here as a longtime gay activist can influence other people in the gay community, it's worth getting arrested. I'm an old man now. I don't look forward to spending 24 hours in a cell. But these arrests are giving some kind of message. I don't know what else you can do."

This biography written by friends of Kohler in celebration of his 80th birthday last year gives a good picture of the sweep and arc of the man's life:

"Born in Queens, New York, in 1926, Bob joined the Navy and served in the South Pacific where he “left a kidney behind.” After WWII, he worked in television before launching a talent agency in Hell’s Kitchen. Bob was among the first agents to represent non-famous Black artists and hold classes for Black performers who, “since agents would not represent them,” lacked audition experience. Although Bob tells stories of theater circles, A-list parties, and witnessing celebrities’ darker pre-fame moments, he says “don’t make me out to be some big-shot. I was an independent agent who worked my ass off.”

To his younger friends, Bob recounts stories of a queer world in another era: how he and his boyfriend Ed bought a fixer-upper in Amagansett in what became a gay enclave; of the show-biz lesbians who settled nearby Bridge-hampton; about the eventual move to Cherry Grove and the Pines in Fire Island and the class wars that defined relations between the two gay settlements. Of the Hamptons days, Bob says, “We were gay when it wasn’t cool to be gay, and I like to think that we did make a few openings here and there. We never closeted ourselves.”

On the second night of the Stonewall riots in 1969, Bob and other West Village community members called the first meeting of the Gay Liberation Front, which Bob (and historians) credit with “establishing radicalism in the New York gay community.” He went on to work with direct action and advocacy groups including ACT UP, Sex Panic!, The Neutral Zone, Fed Up Queers, the NYC AIDS Housing Network, Irish Queers, animal rights groups, and others. Throughout his work, Bob was a father figure to activists and street kids, including Sylvia Rivera, who herself grew up to be a parent and mentor to queer youth.

In the late 1970s, Bob became manager of the Club Baths. He fought the closure of bathhouses as a response to AIDS in the 1980s, arguing that they were controlled environments with condoms, soap and water, and information “and that many bathhouses were willing to take on a community organizing role to stop the spread of HIV.”

But homophobia and panic prevailed against the bathhouses, so Bob opened The Loft, a retail store with shops on Christopher Street and on Fire Island. He used the wild popularity of the shop to support independent designers like Patricia Field as they started out -- and to leverage recognition of the queer community by marketers like Calvin Klein who pulled in enormous amounts of money from queers but failed, at times, to stand up for them.



In 1999, Bob helped form Fed Up Queers, a direct action cell that challenged the rise of right-wing gay groups, discriminatory AIDS policies, and Mayor Giuliani’s targeting of queers, people with HIV/AIDS, people on welfare, low-income people, and people of color, among other issues. In 2001, when the City of New York began illegally denying emergency housing to homeless people with AIDS, Bob became the core volunteer in an activist operation to pressure the city. Bob, who was 75 at the time, stood outside the housing agency for hours each day for a year, supporting PWAs and calling on politicians and news media. His work formed the basis of a lawsuit that forced the City into compliance with housing assistance laws hard-won by AIDS activists in the 1990s.

BILL O'REILLY FLIP-OUT REMIX

FROM LADY ESTHER GYN

I was walking past the mental hospital the other day, and all the patients were shouting, "13...13....13...13."
The fence was too high to see over, but I saw a little gap in the planks and looked through to see what was going on.
Some bastard poked me in the eye with a stick.
Then they all started shouting. "14...14...14...14...."

WTF?

BARBARELLA'S PYGAR DEAD AT 70

John Phillip Law as the blid angel Pygar in the uber-campy BARBARELLA. *The only other guy in this scene is Marcel Marceau!

FORGET SUE SIMMONS F-BOMB!

DOLLY PARTON'S SHOCKING POTTY-MOUTH!

TAMMY AND PETER'S RED & WHITE BOOGIE BALL

SAN FRANCISCO 1975 PAGEANT. NO SOUND. NONE NEEDED. FASHIONS TO DIE FOR! OR IN!

PATTI: ISN'T IT A SHAME

In this 1985 clip from The Rainbow Room, Patti sings the hell out of her Labelle classic power ballad ISN'T IT A SHAME. This song has all of the power of her bombastic cover of OVER THE RAINBOW. Plus she's in her high mid-80's drag and gives you all of the Patti madness--rolling on the floor, wiping away fake tears and kicking off her pumps--that has made her a favorite target for female impersonators. Great song, incredible performance. And thanks to Miss Tobie for sending me this!

I MISS ATLANTA!

SYLVESTER SINGS CABARET!

DAVID BYRNE I'VIEWS HIMSELF

WACKY!

ONE FLEW OVER THE COUTURE'S NEST

SIMON'S LATEST COLUMN FROM THE OBSERVER:

The Grey Gardens revival and the rise of Amy Winehouse have got me thinkin' about the intimate relationship between crazy people and fashion

by Simon Doonan
May 14, 2008

********************************************
Does one's level of stylishness increase as one goes off one's trolley?

John Waters, film director and my own personal Erma Bombeck, has always philosophized that breaking the law can make people more beautiful. The more crimes a person commits, so goes the Waters hypothesis, the more beautiful that person becomes. I'm starting to wonder if there might not be a similar relationship between madness and fashion. Don't recoil in horror: We've all had the experience of spotting a disheveled homeless person staggering toward us on West Broadway only to realize, on closer inspection, that the individual in question is our old artist/gallery owner pal who is attired, as per usual, in Comme Des Garçons.

READ THE REST: OBSERVER

And don't forget Simon's brand new book!

LIKE ANY OF YOU MIGHT NEED THIS!

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

LOOKING FOR PUSSY

BY THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY! How appealing is that Shirley Jones? And I'm so glad she wore that swinging baroque ruffled shirt and jacket look. But no Susan Dey!

TRUE DEDICATION TO ONE'S CRAFT

OH, DEER! HOW BAD DID THAT HURT?

TRAIN-Y CHASER

And you thought your fantasies were weird! Check out this guy who likes trains and a has a fridge full of crabmeat!

SF DRAG LEGEND MATTHEW MARTIN AS BETTE DAVIS

A BELATED MOTHER'S DAY CARD FROM MOM

OK, so I have sappy moments!

DISCO TEA THIS PAST SUNDAY!

Sunday was crowded and fun at Splash, and I was delighted to see a bunch of trans-sisters out. Since it was Traila Trash's going away party, Bianca Leigh and several other Lips girl's showed up to perform. Apparently, Traila is moving to a town so small that it only has 2 telephones! She's been hosting Bingo on Sundays for years. I know that she has a day job in construction--seriously--so perhaps her move is tied to that. I don't see how she'll plop a construction hat over her trademark towering bouffants!

KITTY LITTER DAZZLED IN A MYLAR FRINGE AFFIAR WITH LIGHT-UP BOOBS!



THIS QUEEN I RECOGNIZED AS A BARTENDER FROM THE BLUE MOON IN REHOBOTH, DELAWARE. HER PLATINUM WIG CAME WITH A DETACHABLE PONYTAIL!



SOME TRENDY NEW GALS ABOUT TOWN



I don't know the future of DISCO TEA, but after a 2 month break, it may now continue as a monthly event. I'll keep you posted!

THERE'S A NEW MAN IN TIPPER'S LIFE!

IT'S ME, WHO LIKE HER HUSBAND AL, THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AND OSCAR WINNER, ALSO HAILS FROM TENNESSEE. I even remember his old Tennessee election slogan, GO FOR GORE, which as a child, I assumed was GOPHER GORE. Politics have msytified me since.



Tipper is such a preppy name, so what better place to catch up with her than that bastion of preppiedom, Greenwich, Connecticutt. I dj'ed at the opening of the Mitchell Gold/Bob Williams furniture store opening last Thursday. Tipper's a shutterbug and she sells her prints at several of the MG/BE locations. She's as sweet as pecan pie as cute as a button with a doll-face like Kate Pierson's.



I did think it was a hoot to have my backside/butt pads featured in the window of Greenwich's main drag, East Putnam Avenue, behind glass with the words "Comfort has arrived" painted on it. It opened a few eyes of locals driving by or even one man who literally had on the green corduroy with red whales emdroidered on them effect out walking his pooch. The publicist had asked if I had any Lilly Pulitzer to wear, so I obliged with a Lilly-ish print gown.If you aren't familiar with Lilly, she was responsible for some of the wackiest prints ever, but always in a demure A-lie or shirt-dress conservative cut. There's always been a connection between loud colors and old money--it's kind of like the notion that we're so rich that we can pull off something this outlandish. Lilly even made acid-colored prints for men. Here are a few of her signature, summery looks. The prints are a little like Pucci, but more American and less old world, and more likely to be in cotton than Pucci's rich silk jersey.

LILLY LOOKS











I don't know if this trippy print was a Lilly, but this party gal definitely had the Greenwich look down.



Some other party people, including the gal on the right with a coat she told me was from Jay Crew! Looks more like Courreges to me! PS: Spot the very convincing sex-change in this pic! There goes the neighborhood!



This lady's look was extraordinary. Anyone recognize this frock's unusual cut? She put her bag down to pose for the pic and I wasn't sure why. I'm color-blind, but it seemed to me that the bag didn't match. However, the current fashion is very throw-on-a-yellow-shoe when-there's-nothing-else-yellow-in-your-ensemble--ie: fucked-up on purpose. Of course, it could also reflect a this-bag-is-so-pricey-that-it-goes-with-anything effect for your nerves.



I did like this gal's mod buckle detail on her jacket.



And this zippy blend of loud prints:



Preppies do like a cocktail, ad I was a little shocked at this two-fisted drinker/expectant mom. (KIDDING: She worked with the catering company.)



Of course, the kids always steal the show. Look at this precious, rosy-cheeked angel! This could be MG/BW's new ad campaign!





And these two youngsters are the kids of the publicist, Eloise Goldman, who is Mitchell Gold's sister. Can you believe how sweet this mugs are? Check out her demure left foot position and and that handsome young man modelling with his hand in his pocket (a la a Jay Crew catalogue model) and leaning his head into Auntie Bunny's crotch. Ahem! He was a natural-born entertainer who eagerly grabbed the mic from my hand during the raffle. Of course, with a little white wine freeing my tongue, I commented that the brats were sooo cue that I was tempted to do my Michael Jackson impersonation. You can take the girl out of Chattanooga......