Monday, April 23, 2007

The Big News



So Vermont's state Senate voted today - by a pretty hefty margin - to call for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. You can read all about it if you do the Google. But when I went to CNN right after learning this nugget, not a word. Not on the front page. Not in the politics section. Nowhere.

Do we live in Ukraine now? Or China? Seriously. What the fuck. This is NEWS. Big news. I'm livid about CNN's sugar coated cereal news. And realize most Americans aren't curious enough to read or watch or websearch other news sources.

I'd like to believe the big news outlets like CNN aren't really tools and we live in a nation that...

Oh, someone please articulate this.

Meanwhile.... The new issue of The Advocate hitting stands this week features my history of transsexual representation on TV, as well as an Out on the Street I conducted in Shanghai. Links when they are available...

L

Friday, April 20, 2007

Coping Mechanism


Yeah, I had been waiting for this sort of thing to appear. And this.

L

This Week

Well, not a lot to say this week because, really, it's all being said. Cho, Sanjaya (who can finally come out now)... the US dollar falling to all time lows internationally so anyone who's had enough of the USA and contemplated moving out of the country, or at least taking an extended vacation, can't really afford to anymore (even Thailand, where we've lost 25% against the Baht over the past 15 months or so).

Meanwhile... things are underway with programming the Philly Int. Gay and Lesbian Film Fest, so if you're a filmmaker or know a filmmaker who hasn't submitted their queer-interest work, please get on that! www.phillyfests.com, and link to the gay site.

L

Monday, April 16, 2007

Musical Folks You Should Know: Cazuza

Cazuza was one of Brazil's musical superstars, a singer-songwriter of great talent and passion. He was also a queer and a bit of an asshole - well, a big asshole - judging from a biopic I saw about him a couple of years back. His tunes ranged from straightforward rock to achingly profound ballads, and even without an understanding of Portuguese you can hear and appreciate the poetry in his vocals. Alas, he died of AIDS in 1990 but left behind a pretty amazing catalog of tunes, most of which is impossible to find in the USA. There have been a few domestic releases/collections, and are worth seeking out.

A bilingual website devoted to Cazuza features an extensive bio, discography, and - to hear his stuff - a videos section. Well worth a look, music fans and queer icon history buffs!

L

Saturday, April 14, 2007

If I Was a DJ pt. 5



All Hail Social! Credit where it's due, my Tokyo pal Kodai first put this band in my ear (as well as Scenario Rock) - some chic bar/club, make him your resident DJ already! He's got an ear! But back to the band, sparkling pop in the vein of Phoenix United and The Helio Sequence. Take a listen/download their track "Heaven", off their - thankfully - domestic release, Modern Love and Death. It's available on iTunes and boy do I recommend it. Hit Hail Social's MySpace page for more details and makin' friends.

L

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Double Dose in The Advocate



There's a double-dose of yours truly in the latest issue of The Advocate: I contributed a news item on a new religious comic book with a very gay twist, as well as a Short Answers interview with Zac Hanson of the rock trio (and siblings) Hanson.

I have to say he was pretty good-humored and relaxed. I brought up the Canadian group The Moffatts, another sibling rocker group. One of the Moffatts, Dave, came out a few years back (I had SO guessed it!). Here are a few outtakes from the version that appears in The Advocate, which I hope you'll all pick up!

L



The Moffatts was a sort of Canadian, four-member version of Hanson. One of the brothers, Dave, came out in 2004. How would the rest of Hanson respond if one of you came out now?

“It would be shocking because you think I would have realized that by now. We spend so much time together. [We’re all] married to women. But in the end you say, hey, if that’s what makes you happy. You have to stick to your guns and whatever is the right choice for you.”

Who would kick whose butts in a Hanson versus the Moffatts throwdown?

“I can’t say I have a good picture of the Moffatts in my head, but I think we would dominate. I have too much pent up aggression to not succeed.”

And are today’s Midwest-born, corn-fed, home-schooled Hanson boys as clean-cut as they used to be circa ‘MMMBop?’

“Give me a break. How can an 11-year-old not be clean-cut! Honestly! I don’t do a lot of drugs and you’re not going to catch me in a rehab center, or shaving my head or whatever. We’re guys who love making music. We drink and we smoke and the stuff every other band does. People just can’t seem to realize I’m not 11 and how many 11-year-olds do you know who aren’t clean-cut?”

Aside from Drew Barrymore?

“Well, one-in-a-million.”

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Back!


I'm all back and whatnot. Yes, there are gays in China. I ate duck heads and bullfrog with lesbians.

Lots of gay fun facts to share. They use numbers to describe tops and bottoms: 1=top, 0=bottom. 10=versatile.

Lala=lesbian.

And let's not forget "419" which means one night stand (as in for-one-night).

My cultural explorations went far deeper than this, mind you. I'll be writing about it for Passport Magazine. And I asked Shanghai gays a question for an upcoming "Out on the Street" column in The Advocate.

More to come!

Lawrence