Flashback

I found some photo folders on my computer today that I hadn't peeked into for a long long while. OK, they're only about 3 years old, from 2006, but still. Some were taken at the year's Philly Int. Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (for which I am a programmer), another of me and filmmaker Jochen Hick in his cool Copenhagen hotel room during that city's gay film fest, a shot of Michael Musto in his apartment taken when I interviewed him, and.... Mrs. Fields in Hong Kong! Love the "extra chewy" cookies they sell there - why not here? Why? Why, Mr. Anderson, why, why?????

L

Gay For... Videos?

I'm actually obsessed now with music videos - and films, etc - that feature flamingly, incredibly, blazingly queer people acting in "heterosexual" ways... that somehow the majority of the general public allowed itself to be deluded by. In complete complicity.

I mean, I have a family member who refused to believe Rosie was a lesbian until she uttered it herself. And how many people refused to believe Clay Aiken was gay, despite the damning evidence that built up.

So... here's a real gem. A video from Limahl. The girl in the video is in for a big surprise, let me tell you. This is like the "DL" 80s UK white boy style! Mind you, Limahl is one of my guilty pleasures. I love his pop goodness!

L

We've Come a Long Way

Today, nobody seems to blink an eye over the insanely can't-even-deny-it-a-little gayness of American Idol's Adam Lambert (well, aside from Bill O'Reilly). Yet 20 years ago, the UK boy band Big Fun, which was so gay your face may as well get slapped by it, caused a big scandal and was shunned after its members were outed.

Ummm... yeah. Shocking that they were gay. You never would guess it from their videos. Or a photo.

Maybe the Western culture's capacity for denial has just lessened a little bit. Or again, we're just putting entertainment value over sexuality. Theories?

L

Israel-o-rama Part 6

A whole bunch of Haifa and a bonus peek at lunch in a Druze home. That mint lemonade was soooo tasty.

L

A Marriott Offer That Benefits GLAAD

Got this press release today. There was/is a bit of a kerfuffle about Marriott and the funding/support of Prop 8. Seems like an olive branch is being extended...

Marriott and Renaissance Hotels of New York Offer “Out In New York” Package

NEW YORK – (April 3, 2009) – Marriott and Renaissance Hotels of New York invite guests to come out to New York, hang out in luxurious rooms, stay out to enjoy the city…and help out, too. When guests book a reservation at a participating hotel in New York City, as part of a new “Out In NY” package, the hotel will donate 5% of the room rate to GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).*
The Out In NY Package includes guest room accommodations, breakfast for two (plus up to two children under 12 eat free) and a personal copy of The Out Traveler, an over 200-page gay & lesbian travel guidebook to New York City, published by the same publishers as The Out Traveler magazine.
Guests may choose from amongst five Marriott and Renaissance hotels in New York City, including:
• New York Marriott Marquis, Broadway at West 46th Street
• Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square, Seventh Avenue at West 47th Street
• New York Marriott East Side, Lexington Avenue at East 49th Street
• New York Marriott Downtown, 85 West Street between Albany & Carlisle Streets
• New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, 333 Adams Street, Downtown Brooklyn

The Out In NY Package may be booked now, for stays that begin from April 1 through December 31, 2009. Package rates now start at $229 per room, per night, plus tax, based upon availability and room rates do vary by hotel and dates requested.
For reservations go to www.marriott.com/OutInNY (not case-sensitive) or call
1-800-228-9290 and mention code VIQ.

Israel-o-rama Part 5

A little bit of a mix today (and in high-res this time). A tower of spice in Jerusalem's Arab market (don't sneeze near it!), a little bit of graffiti/street art (not quite Basquait but what are ya gonna do?) and... Depeche Mode beer. You'll see your own personal Jesus, or Adonai, after a six-pack!

L

Israel-o-rama Part 4

... and the story continues. First, the Ein Gedi nature reserve, where some young whippersnappers decided to take a little dip in the lovely spring waters. Then Jerusalem - Western Wall, and the market during the pre-Shabbat rush.

L

Israel-o-rama Part 3

Check out the guy with a cross to bear - literally! Mostly Jerusalem (those girls are like anarchist Girl Scouts, selling cakes and cookies on the street), and fresh, plump dates in Tel Aviv...

And Even in Asia...

... they are starting to recognize same-sex marriages. C'mon, America. Can we catch up a little being, you know, the land of the free and all?

L

Israel-o-rama Part Two

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Cesaria...

Yummy-Yummy-Yummy in Israel

My friend and fellow blogger Jennifer Laceda, who was on the Israel trip with me, has put up a pretty fantastic post on some of the tasty things we sampled. National Geographic Traveler's fab Janelle Nanos - who has posted a whole heck of a lot on our trip - focused one entry on a specific delight, shakshuka (being prepared, above), which I sampled a few times in Tel Aviv. Foodies, check them out!

L

A Couple of My Israel Posts

Today a couple of my web stories about Israel went live. The first, on Johnnyjet.com, is about some of Israel's lesser known highlights. I highly recommend Johnny's free newsletter - it's packed with the latest news and links on travel deals, trends, destinations, and much more. The man IS travel. He does not stop!

The second is on Out Traveler's website, and about Tel Aviv's latest hip 'hood, Neve Tzedek.

More Israel writing to come...

L

Assaf Amdursky - Israeli Pop!

This is Assaf Amdursky, one of Israel's best current pop artists. Nice, right?

L

Priceless

This treasure is just waiting for someone to find it in Jaffa's flea market. HOT!

L
ps - Yes, comments riffing on the fall of the Ottawan empire are welcome.

Israel-o-rama

I'm just back from Israel, an amazing trip. I covered an enormous amount of territory - yes, it's a compact destination, but a lot to see and do - ranging from new school high-style sections of Jerusalem to old school ruins like Masada. I'll be linking to some stories for several outlets over the next week or so, as well as reflecting upon some highlights and bits of local flavor (fun fact: in Tel Aviv, if you order an "iced coffee," you get a granita - a sweet icy coffee-milk slushie, not a traditional iced coffee. You have to ask for that specifically...)

L

Jerusalem

Formerly known as the Wailing Wall, I finally visited Jerusalem's Western Wall. And much more. There's so much to Israel here, so much complexity, and so much diversity in landscape...

More to come.

L

Tel Aviv Flapper Fierce

I'm in Tel Aviv, Israel - which is an amazing city - and as if the sunshine, excellent falafel and Bahaus architecture weren't enough to make the day fantastic, I come across Ruth. Ruth, dressed in a Flapper-style ensemble that would command even Anna Wintour's awe and respect, j'adore!

I wish I had gotten her e-mail during our brief interaction, but I'm hoping she reads this! Ruth, you add magic to Tel Aviv. I hope to run into Ruth again while I'm here...

Also a highlight today: sampling Pomegranate wine in a hip Neve Tzedek neighborhood (it's Tel Aviv's Williamsburg/Soho of the moment) wine bar... And the falafel here makes New York's seem pretty damned sad (and we've got decent falafel).

L

Swagdance

My Sundance 2009 story has been running in some gay regional publications, but the swag sidebar - always something to look forward to - got snipped, it seems. So... here it is!

You Can’t Stop The Swag

There were fewer lounges, lodges and big brands, but VIPs (and their friends) could still load up with suitcases of swag. In fact, much of it was extremely useful – brands and chains like Nivea (at House of Hype), St. Ives, Sephora, AMC Theaters, and Conair gifted VIPs with moisturizers, hair care products, body treatments (Elijah Wood received a St. Ives facial), AMC tickets, Divine fair trade chocolates, Givenchy Phenomenon mascara, and other useful items. “It’s like you went to a free Target,” observed one of my condo mates. The Hollywood Life House upped the cool factor with hip Onitsuka Tiger sneakers, T-shirts and adorable Tokidoki dolls; Whiting and Davis metal mesh bags; and tasteful White House Black Market clothing/accessories. L-R-G Gifting Villa’s Radius Earphones and Creative Recreation sneakers were fab giveaways. And Village at the Yard, where I ran into Chris Meloni, proved a favorite spot thanks to its T-Mobile Diner comfort foods (like “Touchscreen Turkey Pot Roast” and “Google Maps Mac & Cheese”), Fred Segal Fun mini-outlet (which featured the Black Boy Collection’s way-cool T-shirts and sweater depicting gay poet/icon Langston Hughes as a child), and Nickelodeon’s insanely fun Spongebob Squarepants lounge. Visitors included Jane Lynch, Philip Morris’ Ewan McGregor & Rodrigo Santoro, Richie Rich, Michael Cera, and Susan Sarandon, whom inquired, “Why is it a sponge?”

Paris is Burning

I can't stop listening to this song. Over and over and over. I'm obsessed!

L

Sundance 2009

My Sundance 2009 story is popping up in some LGBT newspapers. Here is the Windy City Times version...

L

My Sigourney Weaver interview

My interview with Sigourney Weavery about Prayers For Bobby is popping up in gay newspapers across the country including NYC's HX, Chicago's Windy City Times, and Florida's Watermark. She deserves an Emmy for this. Hell, an Oscar. It's an amazing performance, and she was a fabulous interview (done by phone)...

L

My Sundance/SLC-Park City Article

I wrote a travel/preview article for Los Angeles' IN Magazine about Sundance 2009 and its host cities of Salt Lake City and Park City. Enjoy!

L

Scandi Pop Dose

Sometimes you just need a dose of ridiculously contagious Scandi dance pop.

Why didn't this make it in the States years back?

L

Thank You Australia!

Australia seems to be a spawning ground for the best edgy, 80s-tinged electropop these days. Empire of the Sun is another fab band, and specifically member Nick Littlemore, whose Pnau I had the good fortune to see in Glasgow in November.

This is EOTS's new video, shot in the awesome city of Shanghai.

L

Top 10 Films 2008

Frontiers' best of year issue featured my Top 10 Films of 2008 list (along with fellow critic Gary M. Kramer). Scroll down the article and enjoy!

L

Madame and Me

My interview with the saucy puppet diva, Madame - yes, Wayland Flowers' creation is back - is on Advocate.com. Here!

L

Signage

Soda Stereo

One of my favorite songs... by a band fronted by the awesome Gustavo Cerati.

L

Little Piano Diva Works Ryuichi

This little 9 year old girl pulls some diva shit on the piano, playing Ryuichi Sakamoto's sublime theme for Shining Boy & Little Randy. The movie isn't that fantastic on its own, but the score brings it a poignant edge that makes me weep. Ryuichi is so talented it hurts.

Work that piano, kid!

L

Keep Tryin 2009

I've posted this video before. When I watch it, I think of the path and turns life could take if I moved to Asia - Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Bangkok - either temporarily or permanently.

2009 will be the year of that decision, methinks. And seeing how things change, or remain, here stateside...

L

Gay Taipei

My feature on gay Taipei - an underrated and reasonably priced vacation destination well worth a visit, especially if you're a fan of Hong Kong and/or Tokyo - is running in Los Angeles' Frontiers Magazine. An even more expanded destination piece on Taipei will appear on Logo Online in early 2009. Link when it's available!

Thanks again to cousin Rick and all the wonderful, lovely, generous friends I made while in Taipei during October...

L

My Holidays in London Story on LOGO

My LOGO Online travel feature on spending the holidays in London just went live. Enjoy!

L

Petch Shop Boy

Man in Bangkok


This is the video for the insanely Pet Shop Boys-esque "Man in Bangkok" by Thai artist Petch. Love it!

L

Findo Gask

One of my favorite music finds from my recent UK trip is the Scottish band Findo Gask. Amazing 80s-style pop with totally modern approach... It's like APB meets Cut Copy...

L

Cardiff

The Sundance Proposition

There has been some talk of a Sundance boycott in January since the festival takes place in Utah. However, I don't see this as productive. Let me explain.

First, Park City, where most of us stay and most of the festival takes place, is pretty secular and open-minded. And Salt Lake City, despite being home of the LDS headquarters and its many buildings and attractions, boasts a major LGBT population and alternative scene. As I understand it only a little over 40 percent of SLC's populace is Mormon.

The LDS leaders would no doubt LOVE to have us not come to Utah for the festival - after all, so many gays and liberal heathens attend the festival.

So let's all go to Sundance this January with bells on. It makes far more sense for even more of us, more than ever, to attend Sundance and either on one specific day, or even on rotating shifts, go to Salt Lake City and protest outside the headquarters. Let's support the gay businesses out there, and avoid the ones that were behind Yes on 8.

The world press will be at Sundance. This would get coverage far and wide. And it would DRIVE THE LDS INSANE.

Let's bring the party to their doorstep.

Anyone want to propose a specific date for "Sundance Against 8"?

L

I Heart Wanda!

Wanda Sykes has come out thanks to this Proposition 8 movement. I LOVE her. LOVE!

The Advocate article with the actual event on YouTube linked: http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid66219.asp

Well, Larry David did say he was a friend of the lesbians...

L

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Simply, one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever. The version with lyrics, "Forbidden Colours," is pretty amazing too.

L
ps - so is the movie this was written for.

Musical Break - The Mary Onettes

Now that the election is finally over - HELL YES, OBAMA! - and this Proposition 8 thing is going to get ugly, time for a musical break with a band that does that 80s New Wave thing sooooo well. This is "The Void" by The Mary Onettes, and it's totally in the vein of (underrated) Sad Lovers & Giants, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Cure. Lovin' it!

L

My Prop 8 Letter

Last night I e-mailed a letter to two of my relatives in California regarding Proposition 8. Below is the text, and I hope if you - reading this - also live in California and are undecided about the issue, that you'll take my words into consideration.

L

Well, I flew over California recently, when I was on the way home from
Taipei (where I saw Ricky, who says hi). I hope everything is going
well out there!

Since I returned home I've been very much following the election and
also California's Proposition 8 campaign. Of course, I fall on the "No
on 8" side: in 2 weeks, my partner Matt and I will celebrate 7 years
together. In the future, we both want to have the same legal
protections as any heterosexual married couple. If I get hit by a car,
I want Matt to be able to enter the emergency room without hassle.
Ditto for being covered by his medical insurance should he get a job
that offers spousal health benefits (since I am a fulltime freelancer,
health insurance is something I pay a lot for). In any case, those
1000+ rights that come with legal marriage, we want.

I am writing in hopes both of you and your families and friends will
vote No on Proposition 8 on Tuesday. I'm proud to be part of a society
and family that seems to embrace inclusion and progression. I get very
very frustrated when I hear people approaching this issue of State as
if it was an issue of Church. I believe in and want a separation of
church and state, and people seem to be getting very confused indeed
about these two things.

I might be preaching to the choir, so to speak, but California's
current legal same-sex marriages force no church, temple, or religious
institution to perform or officiate these marriages. Nor would it.
Proposition 8 is not a religious issue, and I am saddened to see it
treated as if it was. Also, the irony of Yes on 8 supporters going on
about how legal same sex marriage will result in it being taught in
schools to their kids... well, kids are asking about Proposition 8
because of the high visibility of Yes on 8 support. So they are
actually the ones forcing the issue to be discussed by their own
children.

I can go on and on about this - and the disturbing parallels between
Yes on 8 and the past efforts and arguments to stop mixed race
marriages, etc., and complete disregard for the marriage timeline
which has included plenty of change since its inception - but
ultimately I hope you'll think of me and my committed partner when you
enter the voting booth, as well as California's constitution
representing freedom, on Tuesday.

My best to your families and friends, and thanks for reading my ramblings here.

Love,
Larry

Obama This Tuesday

I can't even articulate how bad I want this man to be our next President. Watch it. And if you're a USA citizen, please vote for Obama!

L

Mylene Fix

Sometimes you need a little Kylie. Sometimes a little Madge. Sometimes a little Faye Wong. And sometimes you need a little Mylene Farmer!

L

Hot!

I first saw this music video on a NIGHT FLIGHT episode - Elvira was mocking it. Still brings a smile to my face. Yeah, that music career business was a bad bad bad idea for both of the 80's Miami Vice stars. But boy is this a howler. How about that choreography? Those seductive sirens? The amazing planetary effects? Wow!

L

VOTE!

Brilliant!

L

Taiwan Pop #1 - Sodagreen

Sodagreen is one of Taiwan's best indie pop/rock outfits - and yes, they have a pretty big indie scene out there at present.

The lead singer - heck, the whole band - is rumored to be gay. I'm thinking that ain't a big pill to swallow.

This song is a little big Sigur Ros/Radiohead-ish.

And that lead singer reminds me a bit of Chet Lam, Hong Kong's openly gay urban-folk star.

You likes? If so, more Taiwan pop to come!

L

Reni Jusis Time!

Time for a little escapism with a music video by Poland's own Kylie Minogue, Reni Jusis.

Love her!

I should go to Poland and direct one of her videos.

L

Steven Weber Hates Prop 8

I love actor Steven Weber, and my Advocate.com interview about his new film Choose Connor touches upon his Huffington Post blog posts. Love him!

L

Me Am As!

Charming, affirming clip. Well... at least she can't vote on Prop. 8.

L

Gay Days in Anaheim

Although one could argue Disneyland is always chock full o’ gays, the weekend of October 3-5th saw red-shirted LGBT guests overtake the parks for the 11th Annual Gay Days Anaheim. And despite the fact Orange County is pretty “Yes on 8” (sadly, 5 minutes off the plane at Long Beach Airport and I spotted a “Yes on 8” bumper sticker on a car – along with a McCain/Palin sticker) as a generalization, gay couples merrily paraded hand-in-hand.

The party Wonderland kicked things off on Friday – Alec Mapa was in the house, along with a bunch of folks dressed like the Alice in Wonderland characters. Come Saturday it was all about going for a ride, and a sassy Cruella DeVille met visitors at the gate. “Ain’t you gonna clap for Tinkerbell? The fairies are dying,” she told a bunch of kids during a photo op. “But we’re feeling just fine!” a queen responded. “Not you, you’re the good fairies,” she winked back, before literally shooing the kids away with a “now get outta here, go.”

The bears were out in full force – notably during the Hungry Bear Lunch in Critter Country, while The Trevor Project hosted a Youth Lunch behind Thunder Mountain. At the California Adventure park, a group of acrobatic queens – lubricated with cocktails from the crowded bar – started an impromptu Cirque du So Gay, doing flips and splits and other America’s Got Talent-ready displays (who didn’t love that baton twirler this season?).

Meanwhile, Chad Allen and Brad Rowe screened their here! productions, Ice Blues and Shelter, respectively, at Gay Days headquarters, Disney’s Grand Californian. An overall grand, fun, and not too messy – barring a drunk, shirtless queen prodded to put his shirt back on by a Downtown Disney security guard after the Wonderland shindig – Gay Days. Oh Mickey, forever shall we hold our banner high, high, high!

Lawrence Ferber

Religion Meets Synth Pop Meets...

I don't even know where to start. This is INSANE. An electro-dance number from religious/cult zealots The Way International. Credit to Savage Love's blog and Kid Icarus.

Says Icarus/Savage: This is the single most amazingly choreographed video of a Christan synth-pop boogie down bunch on YouTube I’ve ever seen,” says Slog tipper Kid Icarus. “Try not to lose it around the 1:54 mark.”

I made it to 2:00 before all but doing a spit take.

Doesn't the guy look a bit like John Travolta's PULP FICTION character? But, you know, doing this?

L

Revenge on Spammers

I'm beginning to phase out my AOL e-mail because I get like 200 bait SPAMs a day - the "I am Mr. Zombu Mubiwa from Zimbabwe and have $3million to share with you" type - and it's just getting tiring to go through the e-mail and spam filters with scrutiny every time I check them.

Anyway, there is a BRILLIANT website devoted to revenge on the a**holes who are responsible for sending those evil SPAM notes, The 419 Eater. It's sort of like Perverted Justice, except the focus is on wasting these SPAMmers' time and exacting revenge rather than getting them arrested (which is tough due to international laws, etc) in clever, downright absurd ways.

It's sooooo gratifying.

L

McCain Doesn't Know Where Spain Is

Anyone who doubted McCain is Dubya #2, here's your evidence.

Another piece on this doozy.

Congrats!!!

L

Lies, Mary Pt. 2

Yeah, yeah, I know, if it's not FOX it's the "liberal media," but this CNN report is full of FACTS and shoves McCain/Palin's lies in their faces.

Yep, it catches Barack in a bit of an exaggeration, too. It's not biased.

Watch it.

L

The Burma Chronicles

This past weekend I went to the Brooklyn Book Fair, where I picked up the new Guy Delisle graphic novel/memoir, The Burma Chronicles, from amazing publishers Drawn & Quarterly. It's great so far... Delisle is an artist/animator who has worked and lived in some pretty fascinating/repressive Asian countries and cities, most notably Pyongyang, North Korea. His Pyongyang memoir, of working amongst brainwashed North Koreans, is an absolute must and ranks amongst my top ten graphic novels ever.

They also serve as a contrast as to how much more repressive a government and society can be.... but these days, when people actually think Palin is a super duper candidate to be a likely president, well, you see how shit like that happens. And we're maybe inching closer to those situations. Except we have the internet and cable TV.

L

Lies, Mary

Thanks for the lies, "Maverick!"

What the hell. McCain and his ilk toss out actual lies and nobody in his party seems to do anything about it. Republicans need to start taking McCain and Palin to task as Democrats did Hillary when she talked crazy (the Bosnia thing). How can you respect your party when its leaders do this crap? Kick them to the curb, Republicans! Stop them from hoping Americans are too stupid to question this crap. It's insulting.

If you want me to respect the Republican party again, and consider voting Republican for that matter, then kick these shitheads TO THE CURB and CALL THEM ON THEIR SHIT.

L

Women Against Palin

She looks like Liz Lemon, and Hillary Clinton (or any other progressive, globally-aware/traveled) she isn't, a fact women are now voicing on a blog.

Thank you, women!

Meanwhile, please someone explain to me how having someone smarter, better-traveled, more intuitive, sage, and talented at leadership in public/government office is a BAD thing?

I'm waiting to overhear someone saying "Me as be am like Palin McCain, as they be us! Me was want us am be!"

L

Return of the Differently Abled 80s Videos pt. 2

OK, I love the 80s band Blue Zoo, seen here performing on Top of the Pops.

Watch the lead singer: Jake Shears meets Limahl. Or is it just me?

L

Return of the Differently Abled 80s Videos

Back in 1988, while shopping a record store in New Haven as I recall, I found a bunch of UK 7" singles. One was by a group called Personal Column, "Strictly Confidential." I like it. Total 80s pop. After doing a google to try and find the song again - since that 7" is missing - I found a fabulous website devoted to the band with a whole bunch of free songs to download, including "Strictly Confidential." To boot, I found a music video for it on YouTube. And boy, is it RIDICULOUS. Shall I count the ways? I might have to.

Meanwhile, go and lap up that fantastic, all-too-obscure UK 80s pop from Personal Column!

L

A Musical Break

L

McCain's Speech Fact Checked

Gosh, what a surprise that McCain's speech was riddled with lies, misinformation, misleading statements...

And the Repubs throw tantrums about the "liberal media" when this sort of thing gets brought to light.

My bile is rising.

L

Palin Fact Check

Some fact checks re: Palin's speech from Yahoo.

Please, people, check the facts. So far The Daily Show has been doing a good job catching the Republicans (and everyone else) when they make a hypocritical statement. Watch it!

L

Prop 8

Palin

I have had some conversations today with women, most of whom really liked Palin's speech last night - how she was on the attack and stood up. So, I asked, what do you think of her record in office and her stances on issues like guns, the environment, a woman's right to choose?

They didn't know anything about that.

A commentary by CNN's Hilary Rosen sums things up well for those who want to know Palin, the politician and what she will stand for, a little better.

Everyone should read it. Everyone!

L
PS - For the record, it sucks that McCain didn't choose a more progressive female VP. Then we'd have an exciting election and choice to think on. Now we just have another divisive culture war.

Sobering

Words from Michael Moore's blog about the whole Palin shebang - which you would think keeps getting "worse," what with the daughter being pregnant, a drinker, etc. - but only seems to make Americans love Palin more:

But before everyone gets all smug and self-righteous about the Palin selection, remember where you live. You live in a nation of gun owners and hunters. You live in a country where one out of three girls get pregnant before they are 20. You live in a nation of C students. Knocking Bush for being a C student only endeared him to the nation of C students. Knock Palin for having kids, for having a kid who's having a baby, for anything that is part of her normalness -- a normalness that looks very familiar to so many millions of Americans -- well, you do this at your own peril. Assuming she's still on the ticket two weeks from now, she will be a much tougher opponent than anyone expects. You live in a country that voted for Dan Quayle.

I'm so depressed.

Feeling French

Last night, for lack of anything to watch, I put on some music videos by Mylene Farmer, a sort of French Madonna/Kylie I have been into since 1993 or so, when I first heard her music in Paris. Watching this video, by director Luc Besson (and the Michael Jackson killed by a cross bit is so random!), I had a sort of flood of nostalgia. Back in the 1990s I became smitten with France, I was so attracted by its culture, men, food, film, the list goes on. I befriended any French transfer student I could at my college (which I had just graduated but had many friends still attending). Alas, now France is so expensive I haven't been back in about 3-4 years, plus my travel obsessions have taken me to Asia and other parts of the world. I don't go so crazy for France anymore, but in another life, coulda worked out well.

Funny enough, Mylene lived in NYC for a spell, and bathed in anonymity. She used to go to Moby's Teany shop. I spotted her once uptown in a restaurant but thought I was crazy: "what would Mylene be doing here???" Darn.

L

Religulous

I saw an advance screening of Bill Maher's RELIGULOUS tonight.

He's going to be in a loooottttt of trouble when it comes out.

And everyone should see it. It's almost too snarky in places, in fact it is (it's basically Borat meets Michael Moore), and unfair with the editing, but Bill really does challenge the folks he meets and his thesis - that organized religion leads intelligent people into illogical and dangerous/hateful behavior and decisions - is hard to argue with.

I'll be interviewing Bill next month and can't wait. There's a section of the film that addresses ex-gays....

L

Another Gay Sequel: The Clap!

Another Gay Sequel opens soon, and this music video from Perez Hilton - "The Clap" - is pretty darned funny (and looks great!). Perez has a role in the film, which is uber-outrageous. Meanwhile, check out his video!

L

BearCity in Philly!

The BearCity staged reading went over very well at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Amazing to think it will be an actual film playing the festival a year from now (updates to that end soon!)...

Here is a link to photos from the reading, shot by Gail Kamenish.

Thanks again to the wonderful cast, stage director Fritz Brekeller, and everyone at PIGLFF and TLA!

L

Sex and the Sh*tty

My friends and I have been obsessed with this absurd commercial for a few years now. Clearly they were going for "Sex and the City," yet the dialogue is completely unfunny, not witty, so low rent. I picture the actors sitting around between shots going, "oh my god, you know, we're all so good we could totally be like another Sex and the City. Someone needs to do another show like that with US!" And then they fought over who gets to be Carrie, etc. This is some seriously funny/tragic low-rent stuff, and you have to watch it 100 times and quote every line. Look at how the "Charlotte" girl is going to America West air! And they are all sharing a single salad! Not even salads for all of them. Oh - and for the record, the car service ain't anything special. I recently was in a cab and we were being held up by a bad Carmel driver in front of us, the driver dangling his cigarette out the window as he smoked.

Amazing!

L

A Postcard from David Sedaris

I received a postcard today from David Sedaris. I interviewed him last month, and as always it was a delightful, funny chat. That I made him laugh hysterically imbued me with a sense of pride. I won't post what he wrote in the postcard, except to say it was pretty funny, too.

The interview I conducted is appearing in various edits across the country, amongst them NYC's HX and Chicago's Windy City Times, the latter of which is essentially uncut from my draft. Enjoy!

L

My Provincetown Story...

Last week/end I attended the Provincetown International Film Festival in Ptown, Mass. Wow is all i can say about this gorgeous resort town. OK, I can say more than just wow and in fact did on the Advocate's blog, Advocate Insider. Here's the story!

L
PS - Yes, that's Tarantino I photographed...

BearCity - the Movie

OK, the image you see here is the first logo/graphic for BearCity, a feature film in development with TLA Releasing. It's a romantic comedy set in NYC's Bear scene - think "Sex and the City" with fur!

I have co-written, and will be co-directing, the script with Doug Langway (Raising Heroes), and we are staging a public reading at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on July 19th. Do check out the full PIGLFF program at www.phillyfests.com starting Monday, June 23rd.

Our Facebook fan page is up - please do join us!

Incidentally, we are currently holding auditions, so if you're a cub/bear/musclebear, or a boyish twink type who looks around 20 years old, drop a line to bearcity@sharpleft.com.

L