Not quite sure what it even means to be “Britain’s Manliest Man“, but he was elected so by Gay Times magazine. His name is Sascha Harding and he’s a rugby player from the UK. Also, he looks like this:
It’s all for Elton John’s AIDS foundation, which is a great cause, so I’ll withhold my grumblings about antiquated ideas of “manliness” and just look at the pretty rugby man.
Also… this:
Check out the interview and behind-the-scenes shoot:
Now, we know that some of you cannot stand the Occupy Wall Street Movement and we understand. The media has spun it into a view of a bunch of dirty hippies. But we’re here to tell you that while you may not love or even care about OWS, there’s something you can do today to help small business, and your gay brethren, all in one fell swoop.
So, we’re putting together a list of 20 great stores in NYC, or online which are both owned by our gay brethren and a small business. That way you keep the cash in the fam, and help keep small businesses functioning, or new businesses get a chance to flourish.
We in no way guarantee their products or endorse them, as much as guide you to them.
Sound like a good idea??
Ok, then welcome to
Dworld’s First Ever Small Gay Business Gift Giving Guide (whew!)
“Feeling overwhelmed by the upcoming holidays? If shopping and celebrating are taking up all your time, let me help with your private dinner, party, etc… My homemade food catering service can adapt to all needs, tastes and budgets.”
I personally love this idea. I work all day, have two kids to pick up from school, the husband is “working” late… oh wait, i confused my life with Kathy Lee Gifford. But still, Garlic and Parsleys is a fantastic idea. Antonio will cook an amazing Italian dinner for you and a group of friends, or you and a lover, or just YOU, and you dont have to worry about a thing.
This could actually be described as a “Pop and Pop” store. David Lauterstein and partner Fred have been slavishly creating clothes for years now, and in the last few years I’ve watched NP go from being a little store in Chelsea to the must have brand the literally every guy is wearing.
If you’ve seen me in the last week, I’ve been living in my Dominate Jeans! This place is great for Xmas Shopping!
I love this place so much I cannot stand it. It’s literally a clothing optional hotel in a tropical setting where the food is wonderful, the bar is open 24/7, staff’s amazing and you literally never have to leave. Now’s a great time to book a room for a weekend. Flights down to FT Lauderdale are super cheap and you can take the drive down to Key West. Plus the owner Jon is a doll and the staff are very easy on the eyes.
I’ve always loved Bitters without ever really knowing what they are for. I just love the old time-y thought of having bitters around. If you’re like me, and think these Brooklyn-based gay boys
they’ve got a classic bitters base with an assortment of bitter, bark-y botanicals, and they top that with various farm-fresh, seasonal flavors–Meyer Lemon, Rhubarb, Black Mission Fig, Apple Cider and their wild card entry Sriracha.
online retailer is The Meadow 4 oz. bottles retail for $19.95 with them.
Besides being adorable, Renato and Matt are also partners (just in business Renato assures me, they are “seperately homosexual” in life he jokes) in Red Hook’s Baked NYC- it’s a lovely little bakery which has gotten so much attention lately that I wasnt sure if they needed to be in this guide, but their aesthetic is so damned alluring i just had to.
From the Red Velvet Whoopie Pies to their Peanut Butter Brownie mixes, you can order it all online. Please do!
Instead of partaking in the more traditional Turkey Day fare, yesterday my boyfriend and I headed to Little India for dinner and then rushed to the nearest movie theater to buy tickets to see The Muppets. The movie is great, very cute and nostalgic… I feel like I’ve been waiting for it for twenty-five years.
During one of the trailers (the Dolly Parton/Queen Latifah fiasco that looks terrible and amazing) I heard the one word that changed the landscape around me, coming from a few rows ahead:
“WORRRRK!”
I looked around and realized there was but one child in the entire theater. The whole audience was aged 20s-40s, and a surprisingly disproportionate number were gay.
Earlier this year there was a small media sensation when some busybody decided to start a petition saying that Ernie & Bert should get married. I don’t believe Ernie & Bert are gay. I think Ernie might be, but not Bert. Sesame Street responded with an even more ridiculous statement:
“Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets™ do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”
Muppets do have sexual orientations. Not as often on Sesame Street, but definitely in the Muppet universe. Miss Piggy and Kermit are one of the most enduring couples of the last 4 decades. Gonzo is in love with a chicken named Camilla.
It got me thinking… if not Ernie & Bert, then who? Here are my top 5 choices for Muppets that could be gay:
#5 – Statler & Waldorf
#4 – Bobo The Bear
#3 – Rowlf
Look at this fucking hipster!
#2 – Janice
(this early sketch shows that Janice was originally meant to be a man. This proves my longstanding theory that Janice is a transexual)
Ok, not really. But after watching Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” this week (the first 8 minutes can be seen here), and with the approach of 2012, it’s got me thinking.
Daniel posed the question “If you knew that, as many ‘sources’ predict, the world will come to an end in 2012, what about your life would you change?”
The answers we received were varied. One response was incredibly practical:
“My life insurance policy.”
We received a very lovely poem:
Knowing that soon the world will end I rise up and prepare all my love to send Packed in parcels with buttons and bows I wrap each nurture from my top to my toes All the hugs are festooned with garland and lace Every smile has a sparkle to match my face In clear tiny bottles I collect romantic tears Careful to exclude double doubts or fears Great joy is bundled with the utmost care A needed ingredient upon arriving there With nurturing, hugs, smiles, and true romance I can set out to begin the ultimate last dance I joyfully surround myself with stranger or friend And love each exciting moment till the very end ~Steven E Brow
Some were very sweet and sincere:
“I would make sure that I would visit my two sisters in Georgia”
Some were a little… less sweet:
“I’d make sure I get some hot boy ass and cock every day…even if I had to pay for it”
“I would stop wearing clothes all together! And you can quote me on that”
One reader has a clear (if a little strange) 5 part plan:
“1) Streak – I’ve always been a little bit of an exhibitionist, so what better way to celebrate the apocalypse by streaking through the streets of my local town…” “2) Tell everyone exactly what I think about them – and I mean EXACTLY! It doesn’t matter if it my family, my neighbors, my friends, or a stranger or even my boss – what’s he going to do?” “3) Party like it’s 1999 or maybe like it 1969, 1979, or 1989, which ever one of those years had the best drugs for the cheapest prices…” “4) Spend all my money.” “5) Go and pee in the ladies bathroom maybe even while a lady is sitting on the toilet…. that would be awesome!! (Oh while also singing,….”I am singing in the rain!”)” “6) Get a tattoo that says ‘The end of the world doesn’t scare me’” “7) And FINALLY …….Buy a video camera so I can record the end of the world and post it on youtube and facebook for the next generations of people to see”
Some were clearly trying to win gold stars from Daniel:
“My life would be without DN parties where everything and anything can happen”
“If today was it, I’d want you to know, you are one of the best.” (I couldn’t include the rest of this letter, the things he said about Daniel made me blush!)
Flattery really does get you everywhere.
It was a hard choice, but I think the winner here, and something I would now like to try (whether or not the world ends) is:
“I would eat a gallon of Ben and Jerry’s Smores flavor using a twelve inch hard cock as a spoon”
It took me years to realize that Prince wasn’t singing “Party like its 1999″ because it’s a new millennium. He was singing about the apocalypse. The end of the world. I guess that’s the whole point of it though, right? Why wait till the end of the world? We should be living like its the end of the world all the time.
As the famed philosopher Britney Spears once said, “Keep on Dancin’ Till The World Ends“.
One of the few new TV shows I’ve been interested in this season is American Horror Story, created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk of Nip/Tuck (yay!) and Glee (boo!), starring Dylan “I’m 50!” McDermott. Dylan is therapist Ben Harmon, the unhinged husband and father of a family living in a Haunted House. Think The Shining meets The Others meets Nip/Tuck.
Wife Vivien (Connie Britton of Friday Night Lights) is recovering from a nasty miscarriage and her husband’s subsequent affair. Daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga, sister of Vera) is an outcast at school who befriends Ben’s teenaged patient (Evan Peters as Tate, who is occasionally made up to look like Zombie Boy from that Mugler/Lady Gaga thing).
The rest of the cast includes Jessica Lange as Constance, a Blanche Devereaux dipped in battery acid, her daughter Addie with Down Syndrome (who sees dead people), and Frances Conroy (the mom from Six Feet Under) as the housekeeper, a sad but sexy seductress (!) in a French Maid uniform. Each episode features one story from the house’s past through flashbacks, and frequently the past interacting with the Harmon’s, who haven’t quite figured out that they’re living in a haunted house.
The show is, much like Glee and Nip/Tuck, simultaneously riveting and cringe-worthy. The Pilot episode was good, not great, but I’m glad I stuck around because once the awkward task of explaining everyone’s backstory was complete, the episodes kept getting better and better. Its found its niche in violent, campy, and often hilarious horror, more like Scream than Saw.
By the time Zachary Quinto is introduced as Chad, the previous owner of the house alongside his muscled (and unfaithful) husband Patrick, I was hooked.
Dylan “I’m 50!” McDermott just did a great interview with Brandon “I’m not 50!” Voss over at The Advocate, one of the questions was about his frequent (and very much appreciated) nudity on the show:
Some have commented that yours is not the ass of a 50-year-old man.
“Well, I was 49 when I did those scenes, so they’re right.”
The show’s sexual content:
“I’ve never been uncomfortable with sexuality. That goes back to my growing up in New York in the ’70s, which was a very sexual time. I was sort of a club kid, and I’d go to places like the Mudd Club and Max’s Kansas City. Being a part of that whole world, sexuality always seemed very normal to me. ”
and playing gay characters:
“I had this idea — I actually brought it up to Ryan Murphy — that I wanted to play Halston. I think that would make a great movie, because his life was so interesting and complex. I was trying to develop that for a while, and Ryan was kind of mulling it over. We’ll see.”
American Horror Story airs Wednesdays as 10 (and is also on Hulu for those of us without cable).
Before ‘reality TV’, before LOGO, before RuPaul’s Drag Race… before Stonewall, there was “The Queen”, starring Jack Doroshow, better known as Flawless Sabrina. Sabrina is the mistress of Ceremonies in this documentary about a 1967 drag pageant in NYC, featuring his protegé Harlow, and Crystal Labeija, founding mother of the House of Labeija. It follows the planning, preparation, pageant, and subsequent fallout after the show (spoilers: Miss Crystal has a thing or two to say, including probably the first ever recorded use of “Miss thing”)… still riveting forty-five years later.
Flawless Sabrina has been there for it all in gay NYC life, as a drag queen, an activist, a performer, and a fabulously eccentric fixture for almost fifty years. The word Legendary is often overused, but she is.
Tonight, Tuesday November 15 between 5:30-8:30 at The Leslie/Lohman Museum, Inbred Hybrid Collective is curating a tribute to this queen among queens, the legendary Flawless Sabrina.
5:30- 6:40 Presentation of the film, “The Queen”
6:40- 7:00 Gallery viewing, sales table open, wine bar,
7:00- 8:00 Readings by Rami Shamir, Inbred Hybrid Collective,
Brandon Olson, and Flawless Sabrina, followed by Q&A
8:00- 8:30 Gallery viewing, sales table open, wine bar
Artists works who will appear include Diane Arbus, Pearl Bailey, William S. Burroughs, Johnny Dynell, Brandon Olson, Ves Pitts, Francesco Scavullo, Rami Shamir, Andy Warhol and many others.
If you’re in NYC, I highly suggest coming out to support this event. Sabrina is, in many ways, the fairy godmother to all of us queens (drag or otherwise)… she paved the way before there was even a goddamned road, and we should all thank our lucky stars that she did!
I love Drew Droege. The adorabe comedian first came to my attention past Spring when someone forwarded me his hilarious Chloe Sevigny impersonation video called simply “Spring” and i became obsessed. As i often do with obsessions, i simply HAD to befriend this person, and ultimately, work with him. And as I told friends about these videos, I got “Kah-ween we’ve been obsessing over them for months now.” And once again i felt Tardy to the Party.
I booked Drew as Chloe for the Sandra Bernhard/Peaches event this past Summer on Fire Island which got cancelled because of Hurricane Irene, but alas, we are rescheduling that for Summer 2012. But in doing my Drew research for my interview, I learned something very interesting: Drew is much more that a simple Chloe Sevigny impersonator-one hit wonder. With a hilarious podcast you can listen to HERE, plus a lot of background in true comedy education, I forecast Drew Droege may just outshine Chloe Sevigny one day.
I had a chance to talk with Drew as he prepared to head to NYC for this week’s Out 100- and here’s what he had to say:
Hey Drew!
D: so, it’s been a busy year for Chloe, hasnt it?
DD: I cannot believe it – This year, Chloe has run the gambit – she’s slept in the most exquisite hotels, danced at the filthiest bars, slept with angels and sex gods, adored by throngs, understood by none… Seriously, it’s been a fun ride – and I’m stunned that I’m STILL playing her, after 9 years.
D: Obviously, you’ve been asked: has she reached out to you? Has she seen it?
DD: We met about a year ago, and she was remarkably cool. It’s not really an impression, yet I’m using her name and her world – that must be weird for her. I was really nervous, just because I had no idea how she would react, and I was afraid that meeting her would ruin it for me, or something… I don’t know. But she seemed really flattered and down-to-earth – we talked about vodka. We didn’t talk about my videos, but she’s said multiple times that she wants to do a video with me… C’mon, Chloe…
D: How did you get started in comedy??
DD: In college, I desperately wanted to be a legit dramatic actor and make people cry. The harder I tried, the more laughs I got. After that, I moved to Los Angeles and got involved with The Groundlings, studying improv and sketch comedy. I felt like that was my tribe- improv people are great listeners and smart and damaged and sarcastic and don’t take any of this too seriously. Doing improv helped me calm down and stop trying to make people fucking cry!!
D: You’ll be in NYC for the Out 100- who, besides me, (LOL) are you most excited to meet?
DD: Congratulations!! I’m thrilled to meet you in person – I don’t know who else is honored! Will there be nametags? Are any of the Pointer Sisters going to be there?
D: Besides Chloe, what are you most known for in comedy?
DD: A few years ago, I was part of an online cartoon called “Planet Unicorn” – I played a sassy Southern unicorn (in a purple cowboy hat, of course) – people still sometimes overhear my voice at parties and ask me if I’m Feathers. Yes, ma’am, I am!
D: I love Planet Unicorn! Is there another celebrity you’d like to parody?
DD: There are so many! I want to play Anderson Cooper, who I love, but I think could use a tender jab. I love when he breaks his steel-wolf veneer and laughs at Gerard Depardieu pissing in the plane aisle. It makes me love him – I only want to play people that I’d want to hang out with. I’d want to hang out with him, Chloe, Tanya Roberts… let’s get trashed, y’all!
D: Sadly, you were to open for Sandra Bernhard and Peaches for me last Summer- which one were you most excited to meet? Which one did you think would be a total bitch? And If you were on a desert island and had to fuck one of them to continue the human species, which one would you do?
DD: I’m so fucking pissed at Irene for doing this to me. I take it personally, you stupid piss storm bitch! They are both on my bucket list. Sandra has LONG been a huge influence on me – I’ve seen her in concert a bunch of times, and her comedy truly moves me to emotional breakdowns – it’s brilliant and wicked and soulful – and I’d HOPE she’d be a bitch to me. And I think I’d have no trouble throwin’ down and getting real dirty with Peaches. Anywhere. Oh, we’re on an island and have to preserve the human species? Okay. Done.
D: You have a hilarious podcast- Glitter in the Garbage- it’s sort of like the Carol Burnett Show on the radio- I loved your rant about Patricia Heaton and “The Middle”- what’s you’re favorite celebrity story from living in LA?
DD: Thanks for listening to it! It’s my favorite thing right now – I cannot believe I get to have my own podcast in which I can rant about any ole shit I want. I was obsessed with Carol Burnett as a kid, so yeah, this is my raunchy adult dream version of her awesome show. Last month, I had to share an elevator with Patricia Heaton – she looked at me like she knew! Or maybe I just smelled like a liberal.
“Chuck Holmes built a gay porn empire, and used the money to fund the gay rights movement — only to find that while his money was welcome, his association often wasn’t.”
Following his launch of the legendary Falcon Studios in 1971 to his death of AIDS-related illness in 2000, Seed Money chronicles the life of Chuck Holmes: gay porn’s own version of Hugh Hefner, but also a pioneer of the gay rights movement.
Director Mike Stabile explains: “He used the money from Falcon as seed money to help build the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Center” which was named the Charles M Holmes Campus in his honor.
In researching the Chuck Holmes story, Stabile along with producer (and former Falcon employee) Jack Shamama, and Ben Leon of Raging Stallion (DP/editor) discovered Holmes’ colorful past including “obscenity busts, FBI raids, unrequited love, onyx dildos, Studio 54, gay brothels, Golda Meir, Sylvester, HIV, corn cobs, Qualuudes, Halston and Bentleys.” Basically, my kind of film.
Seed Money is now in production, but still has a long way to go. That’s why they have created the Seed Money Kickstarter page (I just like saying Seed Money as many times as I can! Seed Money!), if you’re at all interested in the gay civil rights movement or gay porn… or the amazing fact that somehow this documentary manages to be about both, donate a few bucks to getting this documentary made!
Andrew WK seems like something of an immortal character from my childhood. He reminds me of the teenagers I idolized as a kid in the 80s, the ones who listened to Def Leppard and Lita Ford… part badass, part doofus. The guys that Wayne’s World were inspired by. Its all very tongue-in-cheek and self aware, its no wonder that his song “Party Hard” became a well known internet meme. In my research I discovered he and I grew up just a few hours from each other (he in Michigan, I across the border in Ontario, Canada), and it somehow explains a lot about his sensibilities, and sense of humor.
If I were born a woman, I hope I would be something like Cherie Lily. Performer, vocalist, fitness guru, dancer, and much more. She’s also “Mrs. Andrew WK” (to his “Mr. Cherie Lily”), the two married in 2008 in the club that Andrew co-owns, NYC’s legendary Santos Party House. She’s developed a sound, nay, a lifestyle, called Houserobics, combining the beats of dance music with elements of fitness.
I’m a big fan of people who can multitask. Like Edina Monsoon on an episode of Absolutely Fabulous: ”I’ve got my hands in loads of pies darling. Darling! Sweetie! EDDIE PIE HANDS!” Andrew and Cherie have their hands in loads of pies. Andrew tours, produces, co-owns Santos Party House, has his own show on The Cartoon Network called Destroy Build Destroy, and somehow still finds the time to find new uses for the word “Party” (used properly as an adjective: “Guys, my life is so Party right now!”). Cherie also tours, instructs Houserobics classes, is releasing a new album, curates Cherie Lily Presents at Santos Party House, and is married to Andrew WK, which in itself is probably a full-time job:
I had the opportunity to interview both Andrew and Cherie this week, while Andrew was in LA and Cherie was in Chicago. I asked them the questions separately, but, even from thousands of miles away, they still seem to be completing each others thoughts.
* * *
Jeff: What did you guys do for Halloween?
Cherie: We went out to a lovely Italian restaurant on 59th and 1st Avenue in Manhattan called Trattoria Pesce Pasta. After that we went back to our apartment and partied a bit together before I went to party with friends at Santos Party House.
Andrew: (That weekend) we performed at a party in Atlanta that was insane. I ate some pizza too… I think. That’s all I can remember from that entire weekend, so I must’ve had fun.
Jeff: Which one of you is most addicted to Twitter?
Cherie: We both use Twitter a lot and love it. After just looking at both of our profiles (@CherieLily & @AndrewWK), Andrew has tweeted about 1,000 more tweets than me…so I guess he currently claims the title.
Andrew: I think it might be a mutual co-dependent addition. We’ve been enabling each other through heavy doses of smartphone.
Jeff: Lets talk about Santos Party House! I’ve worked there a few times (for “Click+Drag”), and always love the vibe and the staff. Is nightlife an important element to what you both do as artists?
Cherie: Yes, 100%. We’re both obsessed with everything New York City and especially the energy that fills the streets, clubs, and city at night. Santos Party House is one of the best clubs in NYC and I’m so proud of Andrew and his partners for their determination and invaluable contribution to New York City and the nightlife scene. I love going, performing, and, of course, partying hard at Santos Party House!
Andrew: The “Click+Drag” parties are some of the most awesome events we’ve ever had at Santos. It’s a privilege to provide a space for such fantastic people and partying. For me, there’s no separation between the idea of “what I do” and “nightlife” – it”s all partying.
Jeff: Does Andrew do Houserobics?
Cherie: Yes! He’s always pumping up and hyping my Houserobics performances! He’s one of my biggest fans and I’m so grateful for his support. He’s the best.
Andrew: In my own special way, I’m a Houserobics master.
Jeff: Who would win: Cherie Lily on Destroy Build Destroy, or Andrew W.K. on Drag Race?
Cherie: HAHA!! That’s so good! I’m a bit of a tomboy, so I think I’d do well on Destroy, Build, Destroy…but at the same time, Andrew would be so good on Drag Race. He dressed in a variation of drag when he was performing with Kembra Pfahler’s group for the art parade in New York City a few years ago. He looked amazing. Legs and lips for FOREVAHHHHH!
Andrew: Cherie is as hardcore as they come, so she would totally win on Destroy Build Destroy, but at the same time, I have a fantastic set of legs that are ready for Ru.
Jeff: Give a proper example of “Party” as an adjective:
Cherie: I’ll let the party master handle this one.
Andrew: Going to Taco Bell for Thanksgiving dinner is super party.
Jeff: If you were gay, who would be on your radar?
Cherie: I love dancers and have an affinity for strippers and strip clubs, so that’s probably where you’d find me…on ladies night.
Andrew: As the legendary Rob Halford once said, “Howie Long”.
Jeff: I was kind of hoping you would both have said me, but that’s ok. (I would totally go lesbian for Cherie Lily, and it goes without saying that I’d go gay for Andrew WK)
(Howie Long)
Jeff: Big question! Boxers or Briefs?
Cherie: Boxer briefs!
Andrew: Briefs. I require support and smashing.
Jeff: Apparently there’s a small (and hilarious) group of people
online that think “Andrew WK” is a hired actor, and one of
many “Andrew WKs”. What would a group of Andrews do
together?
Cherie: PARTY HARD!
Andrew: Adult films, obviously.
Jeff: If there were dolls of Cherie and Andrew, what phrase would most likely come out of their mouths when you pull the string on the back?
Cherie: “WERK!” & “PARTY HARD”
Andrew: “Stop pulling that string and just dance, werk, party, and sweat!” and “PARTY HARD FOREVER”
* * *
Cherie Lily’s next release will be coming out early 2012 including tracks with Jonté Moaning and ballroom DJ Vjuan Allure. She will be performing at Sugarland’s Anniversary Party on Friday, 11/11 (Brooklyn), at Circus Hollywood on Saturday, 11/19 (Los Angeles), and at at Rebel on Wednesday, 11/23 (San Francisco).
Andrew WK is hosting the Turbonegro concert at Santos Party House on November 18, 2011, and doing a tour of British Columbia, Canada in late November. He can also be seen on Destroy Build Destroy on the Cartoon Network.
In the pantheon of truly great go go boys, there are only a few names that stick out:
Matt Bell
Chase
Matt Camp
Jay Roth
But there’s one name that everyone can agree started it all- who turned Go Go dancing from a way to make cash into an art, seemingly without knowing he was doing it.
and that man was Mark Allen.
(Mark on Ave A circa 1992)
By the time i saw Mark, he had entered his, shall we say “EnnuiPhase“? I spotted him at Champs on 19th street when i went with then- roomate Justin Bond, who was going to perform there (V got booed–how times have changed)
I was new to going out, it was about 13 years ago. Mark looked so remote, so over it, that it made him even more distant.
And I had never seen anything hotter.
(Mark by Hans Fahrmeyer)
You know how you see someone that so hot that it actually hurts that you cant have sex with them??
In speaking with him, i found out that by that time, he was actually bored, and shortly thereafter, he quit dancing. I didnt see Mark again until years later.
I met Mark when i was in his hilarious show Pitch and was so excited to meet him that i experienced something akin to stage fright. You see, Mark was not only a NYC Go Go Boy, he was THE NYC Go Go boy.
Until he wasn’t anymore.
(Mark in 1998)
I tweet-talked him about meeting him for lunch and doing this interview- and the results are below:
Hey Mark: let me just get this out of the way- how are your balls?
M: Hold on, let me check. (pause) It’s doin’ fine!
D: And you’re healthy now?
M: I was cured of testicular cancer over a decade ago, why I dropped out of the gay club scene in the late 90′s (a long time ago!) I think we can all keep waiting on that Lifetime movie about the NYC go go boy who gets ball cancer.
D: You’ve managed to finagle the gay American Dream (or at least mine): You were the hottest thing going, then you left and married a Bluegrass musician and moved upstate to a house in the Catskills- how is that working out?
M: It’s bliss! Or is it? There’s a weird thing being a gay guy in NYC… when you enter a long-term committed relationship you suddenly feel like you’re cheating on every potential trick in the city.
D: People always want to know this- whats the most insane things that happened to you while dancing in NYC in the 90′s?
M: Go go dancing in a wheelchair on the bar at Pyramid and pretending to be paralyzed all the way up to going home with a guy (surprise!) …or maybe getting picketed by screaming protesters as racist for having a show with “Puerto Rican Drug Dealers” in the title — complete with my picture crossed-out on signs and effigies of raw meat with my face stapled to them — at Webster Hall, ending up on the news, and having one third of NYC hate my guts (we eventually made up!) …or maybe the time Angel Melendez saw me talking to one of his boyfriends at Club USA, then kept calling me at all hours, legitimately threatening to kill me (kind of ironic!) That was one week.
D: I have a theory: Go Go Boys tend to be bottoms, and Drag Queens tend to be tops- do you agree?
M: Thanks for the mental picture. You’re onto something there Daniel. Although if bottoms really “top from the bottom,” what does that leave drag queens doing?
D: When you left dancing, you worked the door at many clubs until you segued into writing and storytelling- how’d that come about?
M: I’d been writing for The New York Times, and read my monologues on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” so I eventually decided to start doing it in front of a live audience at NYC events like Risk!, The Moth, Ask Me, etc. I haven’t had to take my clothes off once!
D: What a shame. If a young, aspiring Go Go Dancer approached you for advice, what would you tell him?
M: Be scantily clad and add little to the narrative. Also, don’t eat six hour before dancing so your stomach will be flat (plus, the hungry look in your eyes as you’re up on the box dreaming of cheeseburgers will read as sexy!)
M: My first boyfriend and I drove naked from Dallas to Austin one summer in the 80′s, on a dare. The police pulled us over and found real grass I’d taken from James Dean’s grave in a plastic baggie with rolling papers in my glove compartment, and 100 pieces of Morrissey’s t-shirt I’d caught from a concert cut into tiny white squares and put into individual little ziplock bags — with a wad of cash — under my seat, and Andy Warhol’s real signature on my driver’s license. It went badly.
D: You came back to NYC to do Pitch- what’s Pitch and how’d it come about?
M: I’m so glad you asked! “Pitch!” is a live storytelling event at Dixon Place where people get up and pitch ideas to editors of magazines and networks in front of a live audience, and the editor responds. It’s a really chaotic, fun show. It’s an idea my friend Greg Walloch and I came up with a year ago. It’s been going really well! We’ve gotten people published! We loved having you as a guest editor Daniel, representing Playgirl. You were so professional.
D: You’ve written for The New York Times, Vice, After Elton and been on NPR and even done a spread in Freshmen. What’s the one thing you’ve yet to do?
M: Mastering “bottoming from the top.”
The next Pitch is Wednesday, November 30th at Dixon Place. We’re proud to have Weston Bingham & Richard Welch of EastVillageBoys.com as our guest editors (our first time to have two at once!) Come pitch an idea!
I’ve joined forces with an old Friend of mine, whom i affectionately refer to as “Big Dick” because his name is Richard and he’s well, BIG. Then i saw this sign and thought, what a classy and sublte name for a party! Then i thought, what if i threw newish go go legend Jay Roth on the stripper pole in nothing but a towel and smile, along with Abercrombie-ish dancer Tyler and bad boy Rowan, and then hit you with really filthy Rock, Pop, Raunchy Rock, and Gay Roadhouse? That’s when i came up with Big Dick’s Halfway Inn at White Noise. So save the date for a truly unusual event in a bland nightlife scene. People always say: “there’s nothing new or unusual anymore.” Well, here’s something unique- go to it or dont complain!
Daniel Nardicio and Big Dick present
Big Dick’s Halfway Inn
and the unofficial Out 100 afterparty!
Thursday, November 17th 10pm-4pm
Gay Roadhouse/ Towel Dancers/ Pop/ Rock and Raunch
A night of naked, x-rated comedy by some of New York’s top (and bottom) gay comics.
All performers will be lewd, crude… and completely nude.
This first-of-its find show will be hosted by comic cutie Adam Sank, best known for his appearances on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and Sirius-XM OutQ as well as his long-running shows at Therapy and Bar-Tini.
Headlining the naughtiness will be foul-mouthed fur-ball Brad Loekle, star of truTV’s “World’s Dumbest” series and a regular performer on Atlantis cruises, as well as the current host of the Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour.
Also letting it all hang out will be chocolate stud-horse Chad Stringfellow (Gotham Comedy Club) and nubile newcomer Jason Barker (Carolines on Broadway).
Comedy has never been so sexy.
Friday, November 18th Doors open 8:30pm Showtime 9pm
$30
30 Lexington Ave btw 23rd and 24th 5th floor
only $30 plus a couple drinks- NICE
I’m warning you- DON’T CLICK ON THIS PIC!!!
DONT DO IT!!!
(THANKS TO MIKE FISHER FOR THIS GODDAMNED WEBSITE AND A SONG NOW THAT WONT GO OUT OF MY HEAD!)
