AGREED!

I WORSHIP TS MADISON!

Or anyone with a devil's horns and an entrance visor!

I GET GREEDY LIKE THIS TOO!

FROM EMPIRE STATE PRIDE AGENDA

NY IS BEHIND MARYLAND AND 1/3 OF THE COUNTRY ON RIGHTS FOR TRANS? SAD! CAN YOU MAKE A FEW CALLS?

It's been a big week for transgender equality and justice. Maryland Governor O'Malley signed into law a bill that bans discrimination against transgender Marylanders, bringing the total to 18 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico that provide protections on the basis of gender identity and expression. The New York State Assembly Governmental Operations Committee passed the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) with bi-partisan support, setting it up to be passed by the full Assembly for the seventh year in a row. Plus, the White House is backing a review of the military's ban on transgender service members and on Saturday, Mayor Lovely Warren and Councilmember-at-Large Matt Haag announced at the Pride Agenda's 15th annual Spring Dinner that the city of Rochester will extend transition-related medical coverage to all city employees.
We celebrate this important momentum but know that we face an uphill battle until GENDA becomes law in New York State. Though GENDA  has passed the Assembly six times, the Senate has refused even to bring it up for a vote.  A key group of Senators, the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), has the significant power to influence what legislation comes to the floor. It's time for Governor Cuomo to join Governor O'Malley and the White House and stand up for transgender New Yorkers.

We need your help. Please join us in calling your Senator and the Senate leadership to pass GENDA this session.

Tell our lawmakers that our rights are not progressive - they're fundamental - and that New York is behind more than one third of the country that already provides protections for its transgender residents.

Below you'll find the phone numbers for the IDC Senators, and you can find your local Senator's contact information here. Call today and make our collective voice heard!
Tony Avella
District Office
Phone: 718-357-3094
Albany Office
Phone: 518-455-2210

David Carlucci, Independent Democratic Conference Whip
District Office

Phone: 845-623-3627

Albany Office

Phone: 518-455-2991
Ossining Office
Phone: 914-941-2041

Jeffrey D. Klein, Independent Democratic Conference Leader & Majority Coalition Leader
District Office

Phone: 718-822-2049

Albany Office

Phone: 518-455-3595

 Diane J. Savino, Independent Democratic Conference Liaison to the Executive Branch

District Office

Phone: 718-727-9406

District Office 2

Phone: 718-333-0311

Albany Office
Phone: 518-455-2437

David J. Valesky, Deputy Independent Democratic Conference Leader for Legislative Operations
District Office

Phone: 315-478-8745

Albany Office

Phone: 518-455-2838

When we come together as a community, we cannot be ignored. Thank you for raisng the collective voice of LGBT New Yorkers!

"RUN" AWAY!

Wow. You're at the top of your game with the most money and producers, yet the buzz reel for your tour features very little music. It does feature tons of worn-out-2-decades ago guns and cash gangsta images. And the pointless celebrity cameos which are needed to sell music--why? I'd rather see a cameo by Solange whooping both of their asses. In fact, that video footage was more interesting than this big budget effort. This trailer makes me less likely to want to see or hear "Run." It's just like Lady Gaga's bizarre outfits and then a lackluster album. These stars know that their fans are so caught up in their hype, like this trailer, that the quality of their music no longer matters. The songs have already been licensed in commercials in advance of the release and that radio stations have already been payed to repeat them often enough to get them into our heads. Whether they're any good or not. Maybe there is great music on "Run." Then why not entice us with some hot new sounds--not Sean Penn and played out Bonnie And Clyde images. Maybe this is the new trend like Beyonce's last "visual album." Which means in sounds like shit.

RIGGED!

DO YOU LIKE THE SOUNDS OF.....

Patrice Rushen, Jackie Moore, The Commodores, Teena Marie, Musique, Kelly Marie, Lipps, Inc, Sharon Redd, Van McCoy, Vickie Sue Robinson, Jocelyn Brown, T-Connection, Barry White, Yvonne Elliman, Cher, Amii Stewart, Machine, Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, The Crusaders, Brainstorm, Grace Jones, Patrick Hernandez, The Hues Corporation, MFSB, Sheryl Lee Ralph, France Jolie, Viola Wills, Tata Vega, Gwen McCrae, Lime, Hot Chocolate, Peaches & Herb. Come hear them all at The Monster's Disco Tea Dance in NYC this Sunday from 6-10. FREE!

VOTED NYC'S #1 DRAG QUEEN BY TIME OUT NY

But wait--there's been a mistake. I'm a bottom!

SUPPORT BARBARA LEE, A TRUE DEMOCRAT

Just three days after 9/11, a panicked Congress, unsure of the nature of the terrorist threat facing the United States, passed an overly broad and poorly drafted law known as the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).

Progressive champion and congresswoman Barbara Lee (the only member of Congress with the foresight and courage to vote against it) has called the AUMF “a blank check for endless war …that gives any president the nearly unlimited authority to wage limitless war at anytime, anywhere, for any reason, in perpetuity.”

Now, nearly 13 years later, it’s time to repeal this blank check for war. Osama Bin Laden is dead, Al-Qaeda is a shell of its former self, and our involvement in Afghanistan is quickly diminishing. We must repeal the AUMF once and for all. And Rep. Lee has introduced bipartisan legislation to do just that.

Tell Congress: It’s time to end the blank check for endless war. Click here to automatically sign the petition.

The heart of the AUMF authorized the president to “use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.”

When it was passed, its supporters insisted that it was not, as Rep. Lee insisted, a “blank check.” But in the 13 years since its passage, time has sadly proven Rep. Lee right.

Since it’s passage, the AUMF has become the legal lynchpin for many of the worst abuses of executive power. In an editorial calling for repeal of the AUMF, the New York Times editorial board explains:

Mr. Bush used the authorization law as an excuse to kidnap hundreds of people — guilty and blameless people alike — and throw them into secret prisons where many were tortured. He used it as a pretext to open the Guantánamo Bay camp and to eavesdrop on Americans without bothering to obtain a warrant. He claimed it as justification for the invasion of Iraq, twisting intelligence to fabricate a connection between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks.

Unlike Mr. Bush, Mr. Obama does not go as far as to claim that the Constitution gives him the inherent power to do all those things. But he has relied on the 2001 authorization to use drones to kill terrorists far from the Afghan battlefield, and to claim an unconstitutional power to kill American citizens in other countries based only on suspicion that they are or might become terrorist threats, without judicial review.1

The AUMF has no expiration date. So if Congress fails to repeal it, President Obama or any future president can fall back on the AUMF’s expansive delegation of war-making authority to wage war without any further input or authorization from Congress.

This represents a major abdication of Congress’ responsibility to provide a check and counterbalance to executive power. It’s long passed time for Congress to rectify this mistake and repeal the AUMF. Click the link below to automatically sign the petition:

SIGN:  CREDO

PRIORITIES IN QUESTION

SET YOUR DVRS!

If the HBO version of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart packs half of the emotional wallop of the 2011 Broadway revival, you're going to need a handkerchief for this blistering AIDS drama. THis Sunday 9PM.

TOO TRAGIC FOR WORDS

CLOWNS SYNDROME EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE!

Thanks , NYC! I love being back there and the crowds have been both wonderful in terms of size and sense of humor!

MORE INFO/TICKETS:   BROWNPAPERTICKETS

BABY BOOBIES: SO HYSTERICAL!

MY DIET TIP!

MICHAEL ALIG'S OUT OF JAIL AND HAVING A BLAST!

Post by The Fabulous Wonder Twins.

IN SAN FRAN MAY 24TH AND 25TH!

LOWNS SYNDROME HEADS TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR 4 SHOWS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT REBEL! I'm #1 on SFGate's Don't Miss Events:

1. Clown Cabaret Indulge in an evening of raunchy cabaret with Lady Bunny in "Clowns Syndrome" when NYC's "demented drag diva" brings her fabulously foulmouthed act to Rebel in San Francisco Saturday and next Sunday.

TICKETS: http://ladybunny.eventbrite.com.

MORE:   WWW.SFGATE.COM

DANCING IS A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Even while you're driving an ambulance. I find it hard to believe that anyone would get excited about this horrible chant/song.

I LIKE THIS A LOT!

WHAT'S THE REAL "CONTROVERSY?"

I totally agree with Whoopi's take on the Solange controversy. Many have been outraged but many stand in support of her statement that men have the right to hit women who attack them. Agreed. Settled. Meanwhile, the polar ice caps melting is on very few people's radar. If the Solange scuffle matters more than the fact that we are destroying the planet, what does that say about our priorities? As a species, are we just too distracted or petty to survive? Is celebrity culture a poison that is distracting us from the harm we're doing to our planet? Do Drag Race challenges matter to you more than the very real challenges we are all facing which are getting much worse? Do you have an inside track on which planet the human race will move to after it destroys Earth?

Post by Whoopi Goldberg.

GOOD GRIEF!

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN? This should be a no-brainer. Who would dare to openly object to equal pay for half the species in 2014? Why can't we get this done? Mind-boggling. Please sign if you agree and hold your legislators feet to the fire, NY!

Yesterday, Jill Abramson, the first female executive editor of The New York Times – the most powerful newspaper in the world – was fired after just three years on the job.

Some news reports suggest she discovered her pay and pension benefits were lower than those of the male editor whom she replaced, as well as junior staff. When she tried to do something about this, she was reportedly called "pushy."

No one but Abramson and her Times' bosses know for sure why she was ousted or how much she was paid. But one thing isn't up for debate: It's hard to fight for pay equity on your own.

The Abramson controversy is just the latest reminder of why New York needs pay equity. And why we all have to stand up for equality together.

The end of the legislative session is just weeks away. Don't let New York's political leaders leave Albany without passing the Women's Equality Act. Contact your legislative leaders today and tell them it's not pushy to demand equality.

SIGN:   NYCLU

I AGREE!

OF INTEREST

BLABBING ON GABTOWNDIVAS.COM TONIGHT. CALL IN!

It's Here! Tonight!!!!!! Tonight is the Night!!! JOIN US PLZ!!!

7pm Eastern I am very excited to Announce that the Fabulous, the Divine, the Hilarious LADY BUNNY FOREVER! - Lady Bunny will be coming on my Gabtowndivas online radio talk show! This is Huge! I am so honored to be able to announce this!

Fan calls will be taken the last 25 minutes or so of the show!


Grab Your Favorite Cocktail and come join in on a night you won't want to forget ! We will be talking about everything and anything !

Spread the word!

To Call in : Phone Number: (724) 444-7444 Call ID: 133718# 1 # and your in!
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=133718&cmd

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

For those of you who know that I'm not Obama's biggest fan, please know that I disliked Bush twice as much. There just wasn't Facebook back then so you didn't see me rail against Bush on my blog. This is a perfect example of how hypocritical the GOP is, as they attempt to make Benghazi Hillary's scandal. That's about all they've got since everyone knows that their policies failed to attract voters with Romney.

#BRINGBACKWHO?

#bringbackourgirls? Because the US is so caring when it comes to foreign policy? We've now sent a drone over to help them. Like the drones which have killed hundreds of children in other parts of the world? Including one 16 year old American citizen? Those kids weren't kidnapped--they were murdered with our tax dollars. And they can't ever be rescued. The hundreds of thousands of Iraqis which we murdered for no reason can never be rescued. Millions of Iraqis were driven from their country and the ones who stay live in a nation destroyed in a senseless display of US murderous, military aggression. 

In addition to your trendy, celebrity-driven causes, why don't you realize what's really going on when the press is leading/misleading you to care about something? You need to realize that the US doesn't usually help people, we kill people. That's why we pay a fortune to have military bases all over the world. Those troops aren't standing by to help kidnapped girls. The news bombarded us with images of Syrian babies having fits from sarin gas in an attempt to tug at our heartstrings so much that we would support military action in Syria. A few months ago, much of the country was convinced that we couldn't stand by and watch such atrocities happen. Does Syria concern you now? Do you even know or care what's going on there now? Was it ever even determined whether the rebels (who we wanted to help) or Assad (who we wanted to oust) used the sarin gas? Just like the Natalee Holloway and Terry Shiavo crises which were top stories for weeks, we stop caring when the news wants to stop covering something. And they don't want to cover the fact that Obama may be slowly withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, but he has greatly increased the use of drone strikes since Bush. In Pakistan alone, between 286 and 890 have been killed, including 168-197 children. Since many of the dead were unarmed, Amnesty International has suggested that some of these strikes may be war crimes. But we don't want to talk about those imperiled kids or Obama's war crimes. Neither does the news. And you probably don't know about them or don't give a crap about them if you do. I have to admit, the Nigerian girls' outfits are cute. Hey, the Pakistani drone victims may have had cute outfits too. But it's kind of hard to see them when they're blown to bits.

I think it's wonderful that the US has the power to help kidnapped girls. In no way am I suggesting that we shouldn't help find them. I'm just saying that the US misuses it's military muscle more often than not. And any time this much news coverage is devoted to making this country look like a caring nation--ask native Americans and descendants of slaves how caring the US has been throughout it's history--I can't help but wonder if the US has another motive besides helping girls. Snatching Nigeria's bountiful resources, perhaps? And to see female lawmakers banding together to pretend they care about girls is a joke--many of these same monsters voted for the Iraq war. Including Hellary Clinton. If they vote to start wars which kill hundreds of thousands with zero evidence of WMDs, they don't care about humans of either sex.

CONCHITA WURST PRODUCT!

Apparently, the Eurovision song contest winner's name translates to slang for pussy and cock, which is fitting!

But not everyone is enjoying her new-found fame!

MIKEY LIKES IT!

Mikey likes it! A fun review of Clowns Syndrome by none other than Michael Musto. Due to great crowds and reviews like this--we have now extended the show Tuesdays through the end of June.

"Lady Bunny's Tuesday night extrava-gorgonzola at Escuelita is the funnest show in town--one that will have you applauding with one hand and wiping up your vomit with the other. You get topical jokes ("Oscar Pistorius just found evidence that acquits him. Footprints!") Raunchy song parodies ("This ass is on fire!" "I need a raspberry bidet...") Helpful advice. ("Straight guys, before you get married, check out your girlfriend's mother's pussy because that's what hers is gonna look like in 30 years.") Plus biting sociopolitical commentary, vivacious musical tributes to Shirley Bassey and Frankie Knuckles, and multiple clowny outfits with lots of leg showing. (Much more than Oscar Pistorius has.) You don't get ANY of this over at Lincoln Center."

Another review from promoter extraordinaire Daniel Nardicio:

You know, they say laughter is the best medicine. I've been feeling a bit hectic lately, what with my never-ending yet impending move, Fire Island starting, the passing of my dear friend Jo, and life in general. it sure was nice to laugh tonight at Jon Marc Ingle (aka Lady Bunny) who has a show each tuesday thru June at Esceulita. It's a funny, irrelevant, I mean IRREVERENT show and i say go support a great act you know how I love those old ladies! They don't call me granny chaser for nothing!

CARMEN CARRERA POSES NUDE FOR LIFE BALL

Well, if you ever wanted to see Carmen Carrera's dick, here ya go! She's the model for the Life Ball 2014 poster shot by David LaChappelle. She hid the fact that she's trans to compete on Drag Race--a show for drag queens--and then slammed the show for it's use of shemale, because that's an offensive porn term. Now she has her dick hanging out but that's not porn, it's art. I think I understand...

VIEW:   FIERTH.COM

MISS COCO PERU!

Just saw Coco Peru perform at Birdland, a snazzy jazz club on W. 44th Street. Coco is a consummate storyteller, and has a unique gift to blend feel-good monologues with the snarky, bitter tongue of the genius Paul Lynde. So every time she She's singing more than I've ever seen her and sounding better than ever, and picks indisputably great songs like "That's Life." But it's her wry observations that really keep the crowd in the palm of her hand. "Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician." She also reminds the audience frequently--and they tend to be a little older cuz she's classy like that--that they are all going to die. And strongly hinting that it could happen much sooner than they think. Like, maybe tonight after her show. She's a nut. But a very talented, polished, warm and wise nut. What can I say? Opposites must attract because I loved every minute of it. Even my greasy, crab-cake covered finger peeking out ofter the lens doesn't diminish her star power in this pic one iota!

MIKE DIAMOND VISITS CLOWNS SYNDROME!

I DON'T THINK THIS QUALIFIES AS BESTIALITY

But he is definitely pussy-whipped!

TUMBLR.COM

A HOOT!

Post by Fernanda Kiss.

BIZARRE MOMMA-THEMED SONG BY THE SUPREMES

It's one of their best. I think what made it so believable for Diana is that she is the ultimate phony and everyone knew that their schtick was to be uptown when they were from the projects.

I AM DYING OVER THESE LIPS!

It's pageant sensation Shae Shae La Reese. You should see this bitch dance!

NOT EVERYONE IS HAPPY ThAT CONCHITA WURST WON EUROVISION!

WIGGING OUT FOR JESUS!

Post by Isaac Carree.

YES TO THIS!

Post by Carol Rosenthal.

WOULD YOU JUST LET GO OF THIS CRAP?

All this proves is that gays or straight anti-gay fundamentalists can pick and choose any Bible passage that they choose to illustrate their viewpoints. Because the Bible was written by different people and contradicts itself constantly. You can talk forever about what YOU think the true intent of the many different authors of the book meant, but maybe you should choose a guide which doesn't contradict itself again and again. Why believe in something that doesn't make any sense? Why struggle to cherry-pick different interpretations than the ones that denounce you  if you feel you aren't doing anything wrong and aren't hurting anyone? Because some backward fool from a nomadic tribe scribbled down something in a desert tent thousands of years ago? And remember, there's a death penalty for eating shellfish in the Bible.

I wish gays would wake up and realize that almost all religions are against them and that would take away their power to make us feel bad. Instead of doing the exact same thing fundamentalists do: look for some way to make a dusty old book of fairy tales jive with their agenda in 2014. If you need validation from something that makes no sense, good luck tom you and your movement. You're actually hurting the movement by validating gays' enemies' main weapon: the Bible.

TOO GOOD!

Post by Pretty Ricky.

TONIGHT AT 8:20 PM!

I'll be chatting with the delicious Derek and Romaine on Sirius/XM's OutQ channel about Clowns Syndrome in NYC (every Tuesday at 8PM at La Escuelita) and in San Francisco: 5/24-25 at Rebel on Market Street.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT!

This new night looks fun. I love that The Monster is having a sort of renaissance--maybe a reaction against the twinks of Hell's Kitchen, the new gayborhood? It is so old school that there's a sign behind the bar that says CASH ONLY. As someone who views ATMs in clubs as the devil, I love that The Monster only accepts cash. As in--you ain't got no money to party, then stay the f#ck home!

Daniel Nardicio, Sweetie Nyc and DJ Sammy Jo bring you Dirt Cheap: Wednesday, May 14th: The people that brought you Gary 49 at Mr Black, The Slide Underwear Parties, Cheez Whiz and many more join forces one night only for a old fashioned night of debauchery featuring "performances"  by Sweetie, Busted and her oral highness Princess Diandra.   doors open at 9pm, showtime at 11pm.  Introducing their Go Go boy "Fondle Box" $4.99 with coupon.

 Dirt Cheap: You get what you pay for.
$5.99  9-2am
The Monster, 80 Grove Street, NYC

THE JOKE'S ON US

They always have great jokes at the White House correspondents dinners. And they say the best jokes have some truth in them. This one by Obama is a real zinger. But didja ya hear the one about the shadowy organization which refused to air anything for a month but Chris Christie closing a bridge for 4 days and ignore the bad job Obama and democrats are doing just like the horrible republicans? It's called MSNBC. And you may prefer their politics, but MSNBC is misleading you just like Fox. Because a 4 day bridge closure really impacts your life so much that you need 24/7 coverage of it for a month. And MSNBC newscaster Cenk Ugyur gets fired for criticizing the president, despite his high ratings. While Al Sharpton claims on 60 Minutes that he'd never criticize the president. That's not one-sided at all, is it

PS: Obama not only tells a mean joke, but also delivers wonderfully passionate campaign speeches. That you believe. Then he gets elected and the joke's on you. Both parties suck. Neither party represents working America.

TOO CUTE!

Post by Sea FM Hobart.

1ST AND 3RD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH: FREE DISO TEA DANCE!

McFadden and Whitehead. Anita Ward. Pointer Sisters. Bell & James. Karen Young. Musique. LTD. Donna Summer. Change. Evelyn "Champagne" King. Thelma Houston. Jean Carne. GQ. Inner Life. First Choice. Dan Hartmann. Loleatta Holloway. Gonzales. Poussez. Laura Branigan. France Jolie. The Weather Girls. Geraldine Hunt. Young & Co. Grace Jones. Diana Ross. Sharon Redd. Lipps, Inc. Brenda & The Tabulations. George Benson. Commodores. The Ritchie Family. Unlimited Touch. KC & THE Sunshine Band, Tavares. The Trammps. THIS SUNDAY DISCO CLASSICS FROM 6-10PM AT THE MONSTER!

ESPECIALLY FUNNY ONE FROM CHARLIE HIDES

PRETTY NEW SONG

I'LL BE THERE!

HOTNESS! With David DePino, Francois Kevorkian and Joey Llanos. Street party. Free! Scared of Red Bull but will be at this event with bells on. They are trying to rename King Street Larry Levan Way.

http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/events/nyc-2014-larry-levan-street-party

NOW READ THIS!

A fascinating article on perceived slurs like tranny, dyke and fag by a fearless dyke. Someone chastized me for using the word dyke recently. I've never known it to be an insult, since lesbians like this author commonly use it. It's a slightly less polite abbreviation for lesbian used interchangeably. She even suggests that these words used within the community were a sign of recognition. Here's an excerpt from a great read by Kelly Cogswell in Gay City News. (But I recommend the whole piece.)

"It helps if you know that for a while, anyway, during homo prehistory, a lot of us used those words in New York’s LGBT activist community. Yeah, those were the days when “queer” might have described a three-dollar bill, tattooed dyke, or bewigged, high-heeled man, not a university program for earnest undergrads carrying around volumes of Judith Butler.

Referring to ourselves as dykes, fags, trannies, queers actually meant something specific. More than reclaiming the bigoted slurs and embracing our pariah status, we signaled our refusal to settle for the crumbs of mere tolerance or pained acceptance. And this was a lot more than a radical pose. We were the fags from ACT UP, dykes from Queer Nation or the Lesbian Avengers, trannies like Sylvia Rivera that would emerge sometimes in groups like STAR (originally Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, until Transgender was substituted).

And, yes, we sometimes used those words to refer to each other. It was a sign of recognition. An acknowledgement we had something in common, mostly that we couldn’t, wouldn’t pass in polite society. In fact, we’d burn down the whole rotten structure the first chance we got. So if you were organizing an anti-violence march, you’d make sure to issue a call to all your dyke and fag friends. (Even among us, transfolk were often marginalized). But clearly excluded were all the nice LGBT people who were horrified at the noise we made, our unseemly low-class obnoxious behavior, the arrests we racked up, our refusal to fit in as we fought AIDS, violence, and homophobia.

One difference between then and now was that our audience knew what the words meant. Like some stories that fail in the re-telling, maybe you had to be there. Code-switching, changing your vocabulary, your style is a tactic for everybody outside the hegemony of power. Sometimes, we’d use those words in our speeches and put them on banners. But not always. For public consumption, our spokespeople stuck to Standard White English, talked about lesbians and gay men.

If the language of “Drag Race” offends some, maybe it’s because there’s no context, or history. You get the insider words without any of the political edge. “Tranny” seems more like a joke than an act of resistance. What troubles me is how far their critics are willing to go — forbidding even drag queens from using a word that was commonly used in their own community. And given the history of the LGBT movement, this outcry seems less like a battle against transphobia than one more attempt by the usual enforcers to keep troublesome dykes and fags and trannies in line so that one day soon, straight, white, middle class America will throw open its arms and welcome its dignified (Stepford) children home."


MORE:   GAYCITYNEWS

BAHAHAHAHAHA!

FAB FILM SERIES AT IFC

4 legendary films hosted by 4 legendary drag acts

New York’s IFC Center and Queer/Art/Film, a long-running, monthly film series that runs at the IFC, have announced that Summer 2014 will be the “SUMMER OF DRAG.” Once a month, from May through August, the IFC Center will feature a drag-centric film hosted by one of the city’s most famous drag performers. The series, part of Queer/Art/Film, is curated by filmmakers Ira Sachs (Keep the Lights On) and Adam Baran.

Each of the four films, Richard Brenner’s Outrageous!, Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Suddenly, Last Summer, John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Frank Simon’s The Queen, will be introduced by a drag performer who has found the flick particularly important and will be followed by a Q&A session and an after party at New York’s oldest gay bar, Julius.

Drag legend Lypsinka will host Outrageous! May 12; Latina queen Barbra Herr selection, Suddenly, Last Summer, a Tennessee Williams adaptation staring Elizabeth Taylor will feature June 9; the BUSHWIG girls will show Hedwig and the Angry Inch on July 7; and drag king Murray Hill will close out the season with The Queen on August 11.

It's the must-see film event of the summer. You can purchase your tickets here.

MORE INFO/TIX:   OUT.COM

GOOD FOR LOUIS C.K.!

Gee, it's almost as if they screwed up the tests with MULTIPLE RIGHT ANSWERS on tests to make purposefully make kids stupider. To pay off a government contractor with our Secretary Of Education claiming that the nation "depends on these standards." Sounds kinda like how our government tricked us into going to war with Iraq. But I guess if we're stupid enough, we won't know that won't be able to tell that we're stupider. We just may have a vague notion that things seemed like they used to be better a long time ago. It takes a comedian and concerned father to get the country to pay attention to this while our "news" is obsessing over a bridge in NJ, whether John Kerry should have used the word apartheid to describe Palestine/Israel and a racist sports team owner. Because all of those all impact our lives so much more than shafting generations of kids with failing schools.

HUFFPO: "On the other side are grassroots groups of parents, teachers, and principals who say the standards were written in stealth, imposed by the lure of federal billions, and implemented too rapidly. All testing must be done online, so the standards are a bonanza for the testing industry, the hardware industry, and the software industry.

But the mass media mostly ignored the controversy until a comedian named Louis C.K. tweeted that his daughter used to love math, and now she hates it. Not only does Louis have two daughters in a New York public school, he has 3.3 million followers on Twitter. Suddenly the world woke up, and Louis' tweets were reported in Salon, Politico, and dozens of daily papers and websites.

No one listened when parents complained: Arne Duncan called them "white suburban moms" who were disappointed to discover that their child wasn't so bright after all. No one listened when teachers and principals complained that the new federal tests were confusing and had multiple right answers. No one cared when Pearson, the giant test publisher, put a gag order on teachers forbidding them from revealing the contents of the tests. No one cared that teachers couldn't help their students when they weren't allowed to discuss what they got wrong on the tests."

MORE:   HUFFPO

PROM TIME!

Would you like your corsage original recipe or extra-crispy?

WAY TO ENCOURAGE OUR YOUTH!

20% of females attending colleges are sexually assaulted? That is monstrous. I'm glad the White House is pressing colleges to do more to fight this. That way, students can focus on their studies and how both sexes are being raped by the student loan situation. Student debt just passed $1 trillion last week. Elizabeth Warren has complained that the government shouldn't be making the obscene $66 billion in revenue from federal student loans. At least the Obama administration is concerned with one type of student rape: the kind it doesn't profit from.

MORE:   NYTIMES

MORE FROM ELIZABETHE WARREN ON STUDENT DEBT:

MORE:   WARREN

TWO TAKES ON A CLASSIC

THIS LITTLE BOY HAS LIGHTNING LEGS!

AMAZING!

Post by Being Latino.

CLOWNS SYNDROME REVIEWS COMING IN!