Category Archives: News and Happenings

  Art, Community, Gay Marriage, News and Happenings, Travel   No comments

Gay New York Subway Art

Metropolitan Transit Authority
The 72nd Street mural by Vik Muniz
28 December 2016
by David Hudson  @ Gay Star News

A new subway line in New York, features a gay couple on a mosaic mural at one of its stations.

The mural will feature at 72nd Street station, on the platform for the new Second Avenue subway line.

The mural has been created by artist Vik Muniz, and shows real-life couple Thor Stockman and Patrick Kellogg. They are included as part of the Brazilian-born artist’s ‘Perfect Strangers’ mural project.

A statement from the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) described the project: ‘For 72nd Street, Vik Muniz photographed more than three dozen “characters” who represent all of the unique and quirky kinds of people one encounters on the subway.

‘These photographs have been re-created in mosaic and installed throughout the mezzanine and entrance areas, populating the station with colorful New Yorkers of all stripes.’

Muniz told Associated Press about his use of the gay couple: ‘They are just people you would expect to see … You would expect to see men holding hands.’  READ  MORE  ABOUT  IT  HERE!

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  Art, Community, Health and Wellness, HIV, News and Happenings   No comments

The largest AIDS memorial in the U.S.

The idea for the New York City AIDS Memorial was first born in early 2010 while Christopher Tepper was reading “And The Band Played On,” one of the definitive histories of AIDS in America, for the first time. A midwesterner by birth, Tepper was shocked by how much he didn’t know about the early years of the AIDS crisis, even though he had never lived in a world without HIV.

“I found that what was really disturbing was that that ignorance that I had was really prevalent across a lot of my peers,” he told NBC OUT.

Tepper was equally shocked to read about so many new heroes within the LGBTQ community, who he had never had the opportunity to learn about while he was in school.

“One of the things that was really upsetting to me was that there was this giant community of heroes, of activists and caretakers, who really should be like war heroes up on pedestals and honored by our community,” Tepper said.

READ THE WHOLE STORY  about the largest AIDS memorial in the U.S.  @  NBC

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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Comedy, News and Happenings   No comments

Bunny Gives TRUMP Advice

This is a snippet from her hot new show Trans-Jester! at Stonewall Inn in NYC.

“The show mocks PC culture and is really meant to be a much-needed break from politics before we go crazy, but I did add a little post election humor. Enjoy! And if you are in the NYC area any Wednesday at 7PM and would like to see what the New Yorker called my “latest masterpiece”–here is the link for more info/tickets.

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  Celebrity, Film, News and Happenings   No comments

KISS ME KILL ME on DVD

kiss-me-kill-me-gay-movie

FINALLY! After touring the world for over a  year at Film Festivals this awesome Casper Andreas movie, KISS ME KILL ME, will be available on VOD & DVD December 7th!

FULL OF STARS! From director Casper Andreas (“Going Down in LA-LA Land”) and screenwriter David Michael Barrett (“Such Good People”) comes “Kiss Me, Kill Me,” a sexy gay thriller. Dusty (“As the World Turns” four-time Emmy nominee Van Hansis) blacks out while confronting his cheating boyfriend Stephen, (“Queer as Folk” gay icon Gale Harold). When Dusty comes to, Stephen was murdered and he’s the prime suspect. The movie also stars Brianna Brown (“Devious Maids”), Yolonda Ross (HBO’s “The Get Down”), Jai Rodriguez (“Queer Eye”), Matthew Ludwinski (“Going Down in LA-LA Land”), Craig Robert Young (“The Last Ship”), Kit Williamson (“Mad Men”), Jonathan Lisecki (“Gayby”), D.J. “Shangela” Pierce (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”) and Michael Maize (“Mr. Robot”).

kiss-me-kill-me-casper-andreas
FILMMAKER’S STATEMENT:

I have always enjoyed a good who-done-it. Growing up, I was a huge fan of both Agatha Christie novels and suspense thrillers, so when screenwriter David Michael Barrett sent me the script for KISS ME, KILL ME, I got very excited. Not only was this a bona-fide murder mystery, it was centered in a world I am very familiar with – gay West Hollywood. We had quite an extensive development period, which gave me plenty of time to school myself in film noir. David’s knowledge of the genre was extensive, and the screenplay pays homage to many of the greats, from Hitchcock to DePalma to even Verhoeven.

One of the things I loved most about the script was that it wasn’t a spoof of a thriller; it was the real thing. It also didn’t take itself too seriously, and even had characters commenting on the outrageous events, often balancing them with humor. I knew this script would be a challenge on such a limited budget, but I was excited to, for the first time, shoot scenes of violence and suspense. After all, what’s more fun that car chases, dream sequences, gun and knife fights? I love to challenge myself, and I’m determined to make each film better than my last. I never went to film school. Being an actor, I picked up a lot about production on set, but it wasn’t until I was actually directing and producing that I truly became a filmmaker. I have worked in a variety of genres, from serious dramas, like my award-winning Swedish-language short “A Last Farewell,” to comedies, a musical, and relationship dramedies. But there is nothing more exciting than taking on a new genre.

“Kiss Me, Kill Me” is my seventh feature film as a director/producer. I am proud to work in LGBTQ cinema, and tell the stories of my community, but I don’t see myself as a “gay filmmaker.” Every movie I’ve made explores universal themes, that all kinds of audiences can relate to, like my last film, “Going Down In LA-LA Land,” which has consistently been one of Netflix’s top viewed dramas. It was an extraordinary experience to see so many people come together to help make KISS ME, KILL ME, not just our crew but our Kickstarter backers, too. The movie has played in over three-dozen festivals all over the world. I’m proud of that. And that’s a testament to how much everyone loves a good mystery. Just like me.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKJMyIe6_q4
Facebook: @KissMeKillMeFilm
Twitter: @KissMeKillMeMovie
Instagram: @KissMeKillMeMovie
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  Art, Celebrity, Film, News and Happenings, Non-Profit News and Events, Theatre and Entertainment   No comments

BUSBY BERKELEY Film Fest!

“BUSBY BERKELEY,” a nine-day festival spotlighting the early movie musical trailblazer famous for his eye-popping kaleidoscopic production numbers, will run at Film Forum from Wednesday, December 7 through Thursday, December 15.

He really took off when Ruby Keeler, via a single cut, moved from tapping in front of a painted backdrop to dismounting from an actual cab on a three-dimensional set of 42nd Street, complete with traffic, mounted police, and hundreds of dancers, all in character – but that was only the beginning. Dance director, choreographer, auteur… and visionary. In his heyday, Busby Berkeley (1895-1976) mounted a series of still must-be-seen-to-be-believed musical numbers (most in lustrous black & white) that included overhead shots of dancers forming mind-boggling kaleidoscopes; fifty-six white grand pianos rolling around the stage in patterns; scores of chorus girls playing neon-lit violins in the dark; a camera tunneling through the gams of tightly-muscled dames; a Technicolor dream with Carmen Miranda sporting a 50-foot fruit basket – all enough to send a hardened surrealist’s head spinning.

 

Says Bruce Goldstein, Film Forum’s Director of Repertory Programming, “Berkeley was the first to realize the endless cinematic possibilities of the musical form. Imitators have never even come close to what he created in the early 30s – not even with tools like CGI.”

Berkeley was born to an actress mother in Los Angeles and first performed on stage at age five. After a stint in the army during WWI, he began his career as a dance director and choreographer, working on nearly two-dozen Broadway shows. His film career began with producer Samuel Goldwyn, but he became a household name with his a string of iconic successes at Warner Bros.: 42nd Street, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933, and many others, featuring one astounding production number after another.

In addition to his work as a choreographer and dance director (though neither title does justice to what he actually did), the festival also includes features films entirely directed by Berkeley, including Gold Diggers of 1935 (featuring the spectacular “Lullaby of Broadway” number); Hollywood Hotel (which introduced the song “Hooray for Hollywood”), the Technicolor extravaganza The Gang’s All Here, with Carmen Miranda sporting the world’s largest fruit basket; Strike Up the Band and Babes on Broadway, both featuring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney; For Me and My Gal, with Garland and Gene Kelly (in his debut); Take Me Out to the Ball Game, with Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Esther Williams, and written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green; and a rare non-musical, They Made Me a Criminal, starring John Garfield, Claude Rains, and the Dead End Kids. Most films in the series will be screened as part of double features (two films for one admission), and most of the features will be screened in archival 35m prints.

December 7, the opening day of the festival, is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition to the Berkeley double feature that day, Cavalcade of 1941, a vintage short including FDR’s famous “date that will live in infamy” speech, will be screened.

“Busby Berkeley” has been programmed by Bruce Goldstein, Film Forum’s Director of Repertory Programming.

For complete public screening schedule, see below.

Public Screening Schedule

DECEMBER 7 WED
DOUBLE FEATURE
ROMAN SCANDALS (1933, Frank Tuttle) 35mm
Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart
3:30, 7:55

STRIKE UP THE BAND (1940, Busby Berkeley) 35mm print preserved by UCLA Film & Television Archive
Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Paul Whiteman and Orchestra
Songs by George and Ira Gershwin.
12:30, 5:25, 9:45
PLUS “Cavalcade of 1941” 35mm

DECEMBER 8 THU
DOUBLE FEATURE
DAMES (1934, Ray Enright) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Joan Blondell
12:30, 4:00, 7:30

FASHIONS OF 1934 (1934, William Dieterle) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
William Powell, Bette Davis, Frank McHugh
2:20, 5:50, 9:20

DECEMBER 9 FRI
DOUBLE FEATURE
THE GANG’S ALL HERE (1943, Busy Berkeley) DCP
Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
12:30, 4:30, 8:30

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME (1949, Busby Berkeley) 35mm
Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams
2:35, 6:35

DECEMBER 10 SAT
DOUBLE FEATURE
42ND STREET (1933, Lloyd Bacon) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell
12:30, 4:25, 8:20

THE GANG’S ALL HERE (1943, Busby Berkeley) DCP
2:20, 6:15, 10:10

DECEMBER 11 SUN
DOUBLE FEATURE
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933, Mervyn LeRoy) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
Warren William, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers
12:30, 4:30, 8:30

FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933, Lloyd Bacon) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell
2:25, 6:25

DECEMBER 12 MON
Separate Admission
FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933, Lloyd Bacon) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
12:40

DECEMBER 12 MON
DOUBLE FEATURE
THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL (1939, Busby Berkeley) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress  
John Garfield, Claude Rains, Ann Sheridan, the Dead End Kids
4:05, 7:20

NIGHT WORLD (1932, Hobart Henley) 35mm
Lew Ayres, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff
2:45, 6:00, 9:10

DECEMBER 13 TUE
DOUBLE FEATURE
THE GANG’S ALL HERE (1943, Busby Berkeley) DCP
12:30

42ND STREET (1933, Lloyd Bacon) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
2:35

DECEMBER 13 TUE
DOUBLE FEATURE
BABES ON BROADWAY (1941, Busby Berkeley) 35mm
Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland
4:25, 8:45

FOR ME AND MY GAL (1942, Busby Berkeley) 35mm print courtesy Harvard Film Archive  
Judy Garland, Gene Kelly
6:45

DECEMBER 14 WED
DOUBLE FEATURE
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 (1935, Busby Berkeley) 35mm
Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart
12:30, 4:15, 8:00

WONDER BAR (1934, Lloyd Bacon) HD
Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Dick Powell, Dolores del Río,
2:25, 6:10, 9:55

DECEMBER 15 THU
Separate Admission
42ND STREET (1933, Lloyd Bacon) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
12:30

DECEMBER 15 THU
DOUBLE FEATURE
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937, Busby Berkeley) 35mm print preserved by Library of Congress
Dick Powell, Rosemary Lane, Hugh Herbert, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
4:35, 8:40

IN CALIENTE (1935, Lloyd Bacon) New 35mm print courtesy Library of Congress
Dolores del Río, Pat O’Brien, Glenda Farrell
2:35, 6:40

Repertory calendar programmed by Bruce Goldstein
For more information, links and showtimes, visit www.filmforum.org
For downloadable photos and press notes, go to: www.filmforum.org/press

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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Deals, Music, News and Happenings, Theatre and Entertainment   No comments

Chita Rivera is BACK!

TONIGHT!

 

BROADWAY LEGEND   CHITA RIVERA   MAKES HER DEBUT HEADLINING AT CARNEGIE HALL
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ALAN CUMMING, ANDY KARL, The New York City Gay Mens Chorus, Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton), Javier Munoz (Hamilton), Chris Newcomer, James Harms and Matthew Deming (The Visit) PLUS Stevie Van Zandt!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 AT 8:00 PM
$20 OFF CODE LRT24979
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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Comedy, Deals, Drag, Eat Drink and Be Mary, Gay Bars and Clubs, News and Happenings   No comments

Lady Bunny @ Stonewall EXTENDED

EXTENDED RUN: TRANS-JESTER
starring Lady Bunny
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER: EVERY WEDNESDAY AT STONEWALL
“Lady Bunny would make an excellent professor… But Trans-Jester, her new delightfully filthy one-queen show, provides the kind of history lessons (in politics, in drag culture, in gender) and trenchant cultural analysis for which students regularly go into debt, all for the price of a show and a drink. Plus, does your favorite professor rock a platinum bouffant, heels, and a sequined minidress, all while performing an Adele parody featuring guest vocals from her ass? Probably not.” -Gothamist

“Watching Lady Bunny perform at Stonewall Inn feels like sitting down at a dance club and listening to someone artfully complain; that’s exactly what the show is.” –Refinery29“Bunny throws down the gauntlet by making a distinction between her post-Holly Woodlawn badass drag self and the gay-world trans stereotype that some people relegate her to.” -The New Yorker

Due to Popular Demand and Sold-Out Shows, TRANS-JESTER is Extended !!
Wed Nov 2
Thurs Nov 3
Friday Nov 4
Wed Nov 9
Thurs Nov 10
Friday Nov 11
Wed Nov 16
Wed Nov 23
Wed Nov 30 (Tenatative, unconfirmed)
Wed Dec 7
Wed Dec 14
Wed Dec 21
Wed Dec 28
All Confirmed Dates Will Be Listed at Ticket Link:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2594512
In addition to new parodies of selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her repertoire to include insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it’s insightful, anyway.) Targetting the current overemphasis on political correctness, Bunny breaks down some of the latest buzzwords that we’re all supposed to remember for every for every occasion as we “evolve.” Sometimes, Bunny feels, that we’re actually evolving away from common sense! Take the new name for our community–LGBTIA. Does anyone even know what that means?
Stonewall is an intimate venue, so please reserve now to guarantee seats! The tickets are a low $19.99–as cheap as her humor–and there may be tickets for cash only at the door after the online sales close nightly at 5:30PM. (There usually are.) There is a two-drink minimum and but there is no drink maximum, and Bunny’s singing will drive anyone to drink. Doors open at 6PM and seating is first come, first serve.


Please note: This show is raunchy. Not politically correct by definition–that’s the whole point. So if that’s not your cup of tea, you should honestly skip it. Or prepare to grab a drink and laugh, cheer and possibly even be challenged by a salty old kook who isn’t afraid to express herself from a viewpoint which is often unique.

Trans-Jester is written by Lady Bunny and Facebook sensation Beryl Mendelbaum.

STONEWALL INN
53 Christopher Street

All shows at 7pm
Tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2594512
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  Community, New York City Information, News and Happenings, Pets   No comments

Finding an Apartment with your Dog or Cat in New York

Finding a pet friendly apartment anywhere can be a real challenge, but perhaps no place more than in New York City.  For some people, opting to get rid of their pet is the hard choice they make, but for those that need emotional support animals, that simply is not an option.  With obstacles like high costs and landlords unwilling to make accommodations, this is a very real problem for a lot of people. This is where ESADoctors.com steps in and can help you keep your animal.

Pet Friendly Apartments in New York

When you talk about apartments in New York, there are a few neighborhoods that immediately come to mind.  Those include the Upper East Side, Brooklyn, Long Island City, SoHo, Chelsea, and the West Village.  The hard truth is the more likely a neighborhood is to be in high demand, the higher the cost and the more restrictions you’ll come across in your search.  A pet friendly apartment in Astoria often starts at over $2200 per month for a studio space and that doesn’t even take into account the high pet deposits.  Apartments in the areas of Midtown, Park Slope, Williamsburg, and East Village will run even higher. By the time you add in deposits, apartments even in Greenpoint, Bushwick, or the Upper West Side may become completely out of the budget consideration for many.  For those that can afford it, the limited options for apartments often make for some very unexpected practices such as offering double rent or paying triple deposits to try to get an animal accepted into the building.  Unfortunately, a few unscrupulous landlords may well take advantage of those who need an emotional support animal to line their own pockets in those areas where pet accommodating housing is in the shortest supply. There is a small light at the end of the tunnel.  Even apartments that do not allow pets, must allow a service animal and emotional support animals.

Getting an Emotional Support Animal Letter

If you want to avoid high costs and unfair discrimination, you can contact ESADoctors.com to get an emotional support animal letter (ESA Letter). The process is simple and utilizes tele-health services. You fill out their brief ESA Questionnaire and a licensed therapist will be in touch with your shortly after. Read more about how to get an ESA letter here.

Please do keep in mind though that having an emotional support animal does not give your companion a license to be a nuisance.  Landlords can still ask you to leave if your ESA becomes a disturbance to others in the building and you can’t let your animal cause damages.  That is also grounds for asking you to move.

There is also a chance that neighbors will not feel you really need a support animal and are just using the system to bring pets into a no pet building.  They may not know what a very real medical condition mental health issues are.  Not everyone understands that as many as 1 in 5 or 20% of the US population have some sort of mental illness and that not all disabilities are something you can see.  This can make for hostile living conditions and unwarranted complaints to the landlord.  These types of obstacles may even increase the need for your emotional support animal since stressors like these can cause additional anxiety attacks even in those who generally have their symptoms well under control and appear to be a “perfectly normal” person.

Living with Your Emotional Support Animal in an Apartment

Those who need emotional support or other service animals understand how real even invisible disabilities are.  These animals become vital to the survival of those people.  The people who need them need to know that there are apartments available to them, in every part of New York from Astoria to the West Village.  They need to know they can find a great apartment without being pushed into situations that are more than a little questionable.  Knowing your rights as a person with a disability can go a long way in making sure you and your assistance animal find the right home.  After all, home is where you are supposed to be most at ease.

To qualify for an emotional support animal letter please contact ESADoctors.com. They will pair you with a top mental health professional and secure the legal documents for you to live with your dog, cat, or other animal.

 

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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Comedy, Drag, Gay Bars and Clubs, News and Happenings, Theatre and Entertainment   No comments

Lady Bunny Does Stonewall Bar

TRANS-JESTER      starring Lady Bunny

The hardest working drag queen in the world  is  DOING  STONEWALL!

At New York’s legendary Stonewall Inn     Wed-Sat 7pm Shows, August 31-Oct 1
NYC’s West Village legendary comic performer, Lady Bunny, is back with a month-long run of her blend of raucous, irreverent comedy in the form of the one-woman-show TRANS-JESTER at the Stonewall Inn, opening August 31st and running Wed-Sat at 7pm. Trans-Jester’s 1st run from April to July brought out a wild mix of celebs like Susan Sarandon, Rupert Everett, Andy Cohen, Patricia Field, Anohni, Bianca Del Rio, Michael Musto, and John Cameron Mitchell and the praise is in:

“Long running drag star Lady Bunny is currently doing the most screamingly, gratifyingly, crap-your-pants funny show in town. Upstairs at the Stonewall which was always a riot , Bunny is appearing in Trans-Jester, poking merciless fun at pc normatives. She spins and shimmers in amazing voice. The show is all like that–raunchy and eye opening, fetidly appealing yet thought provoking.” – Michael Musto, OUT

“A scream for sanity from the nastiest, most big-hearted comic performer around.” -John Cameron Mitchell

“A gag-worthy show you can’t miss.” – Huffington Post, Gay Voices

“She just gets funnier and funnier, every year! –   Best Gay News.com

In addition to new parodies of selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her repertoire to include insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it’s insightful, anyway.) Targetting the current overemphasis on political correctness, Bunny breaks down some of the latest buzzwords that we’re all supposed to remember for every for every occasion as we “evolve.” Sometimes, Bunny feels, that we’re actually evolving away from common sense! Take the new name for our community–LGBTIA. Does anyone even know what that means?

While Bunny shies away from politics in this performance–because one train wreck on stage per night is enough and we all need a break from this toxic election–she doesn’t shy away from gender politics and the new pronoun we’re forced to learn every time Will Smith’s son puts on a dress. After Caitlyn Jenner reached out to Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz to become his “trans ambassador”, Bunny feels that it’s time for the gloves to come off while addressing that car crash. You don’t want to miss Bunny doing Cait’s twisted version of My Favorite Things.

Bunny may also shock you with revelations about her own gender identity. “She” asks pertinent questions about cultural appropriation prior to declaring her undying love for black cock in a vulgar version of Uptown Funk which has left recent audiences in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London reeling with mirth.

Theater queens rejoice! In her loooooong career in nightclubs, Bunny has never delved much into show tunes, but in Trans-Jester, Bunny brings it on home with a show-stopping finale featuring two classics from Gypsy and Follies. The eclectic evening also resurrects songs by country star Lynn Anderson, Millie Jackson and even an original tune which pokes fun at the dating life of whatever sex it is you want to call this “Lady”.

Back by popular demand, the show is now back for one month from August 31st-October 1st. Performances are from Wednesday to Saturday at 7PM.  Please note: no shows on Thursday September 8th and September 9th. Stonewall is an intimate venue, so please reserve now to guarantee seats! The tickets are a low $19.99–as cheap as her humor–and there may be tickets for cash only at the door after the online sales close nightly at 5:30PM. (There usually are.) There is a two-drink minimum and the drink prices range from $7:50 (beer) to $12 (well drinks). There is no drink maximum, and Bunny’s singing will drive anyone to drink. Doors open at 6PM and seating is first come, first serve.

Please note: This show is raunchy. Not politically correct by definition–that’s the whole point. So if that’s not your cup of tea, you should honestly skip it. Or prepare to grab a drink and laugh, cheer and possibly even be challenged by a salty old kook who isn’t afraid to express herself from a viewpoint which is often unique.

Trans-Jester is written by Lady Bunny and Facebook sensation Beryl Mendelbaum.

STONEWALL INN
53 Christopher Street,  New York City, NY 10014

 

 

All shows at 7pm        Tickets here!

 

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  Brooklyn, Community, Drag, News and Happenings   No comments

Bushwig in Brooklyn New York

BUSHWIG THE BIGGEST DRAG & MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD 2016 IS HERE

 

BUSHWIG is holding its fifth annual festival of drag, art and music this year (Saturday, Sept. 10th and Sunday, Sept. 11th) at The Knockdown Center (52-19 Flushing Ave, Queens), a departure from Bushwick–the Brooklyn neighborhood that inspired the name of the event. Since its creation 5 years ago by Brooklyn artists Horrorchata and Babes Trust, BUSHWIG has pulled an international audience in and has curated lineups with some of the most well-respected names in the alt-drag community. Bigger names are set to perform and larger crowds are expected to show this year at the new venue. Headlining acts this year include legendary Lady Bunny and RuPaul icon Latrice Royale with music from Tim Sweeney (Beats in Space), with even world renowned artist Wolfgang Tillman on deck duties!

The ambitious programming for this year includes art installations, projection art mapping, international DJs, live music and diverse food offerings on top of more than 150 drag performances. At BUSHWIG 2015, Lady Bunny (close friend to world renowned RuPaul, who has brought drag to the mainstream), handed off ‘the torch’ to Horrorchata–symbolic of passing the legacy of drag down to a new generation of NY performers. The festival is going on strong as it marks its 5th anniversary and continues on to becoming an NYC iconic event likes its predecessors (Studio 54, Warhol’s Factory, Wigstock, etc) while also engaging a wider and more diverse audience.

“Right now we are in a drag explosion. BUSHWIG is part of this revolution; the new wave of drag and the next generation of queens. The creativity in New York is always evolving and what really matters is the art will always be here. We are beyond excited to celebrate our fifth year,” said Horrorchata, co-founder of Bushwig.

BUSHWIG takes great pride in being a celebration of anyone for everyone. Founded by a group of artists deeply involved in the Brooklyn drag scene, the festival provides a creative safe space for everyone to get involved. The drag community has grown immensely as television show RuPauls Drag Race, just nominated for three Emmy Awards, has brought it to the mainstream. The festival functions first and foremost as a community event, giving all a part of the stage and an opportunity to get involved. The artists at BUSHWIG travel far to showcase their very best work, with some acts traveling from Europe. The festival was founded in 2012, its original lineup had 60 acts and 5 years later, more than 150 acts will perform this year during the two-day festival.

Official Website

Link to Purchase Tickets

Facebook page  HERE

Watch videos HERE  of past  performers!

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  Celebrity, Drag, Music, News and Happenings   No comments

New Music from Lady Bunny

INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ STARS COLLABORATE ON NEW DANCE ANTHEM ’KEEP ON DANCING (UNTIL WE’RE FREE)’ // HOUSE OF WALLENBERG

HOUSE OF WALLENBERG TEAMS UP WITH YO MAJESTY AND LADY BUNNY

PROCEEDS FROM THE NEW SONG WILL GO TO THE PULSE ORLANDO FUND, SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES AND VICTIMS OF THE RECENT NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING

Swedish artist, DJ and producer Petter Wallenberg (aka House of Wallenberg) has teamed up with Jwl B from queer rappers Yo Majesty, and drag superstar Lady Bunny on a new song ‘Keep on Dancing (Until We’re Free)’. The track has been recorded specifically for the Pulse Orlando Fund, in support of the families and victims of the massacre at took place at Pulse Nightclub on June 12.

Petter Wallenberg said: “Queer clubs used to be safe spaces where we could be free. The Orlando shooting changed that. Now when we go out we find ourself prepared for the worst. But its important to not let fear win. As our song says, we need to keep on dancing, loving and fighting. This is our tribute to the Orlando victims but also a manifest for everyone’s right to be free.”

Jwl B said: “I’m from Florida and I lost friends and family from the gay community in the Orlando massacre. I felt I had to do something positive to bring happiness and create a fund raiser. I say to all my angels that lost their lives that we’re gonna keep on dancing until were free.”

Lady Bunny said: “The gay community has remained strong in the face of discrimination, bashing and AIDS. While the shooting at Pulse was grim, it renewed our desire to bond together and fight. A big part of our spirit comes from a club culture in which we gather to dance and celebrate the freedoms we do have. That will never die!”

House of Wallenberg is the music project from Swedish artist Petter Wallenberg.
BUY IT!!! iTunes: https://goo.gl/WIXuUs
Spotify: https://goo.gl/1duLdz

YouTubeVideo: goo.gl/fPfs25

EVEN MORE BUNNY NEWS!! The hardest working drag queen in the business!

And another new collab came out yesterday, The Samba Is Wating
Nova Fronteira
Rhodes To Rio EP
DJ Spen’s Quantize Recordings is going for the Gold with this all new release from Nova Fronteira! Musician and producer Michele Chiavarini shows his passion for Latin music, highlighting styles of Brazilian origin. He provides listeners with an eclectic blend of musical sounds including House, Jazz, Electronica, Brazilian and more. The project started in early 2000, with the release of several dance singles through Dave Lee’s Z Records. The release of the acclaimed album “Full Fronteira” in 2003 was followed soon after by a few sporadic releases. Nova Fronteira is now back on the scene with a purely Latin EP to celebrate the Rio Olympics and Latin Music!
In this smoking release you’ll get four songs that sizzle with the heat of summer and will keep you sweating all night long!
“Samba Is Waiting” featuring vocals by Lady Bunny – This leading song is full of incredible instrumentation and sweet, bouncy vocals by the one and only Lady Bunny.
Purchase and download other Lady Bunny from her site! Check out the hot new t-shirts too!
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  Community, News and Happenings   No comments

Gay Pride March New York City 2016

At this years pride March in New York,  there  were  MANY  Hillary Supporters!

Videographer Andrew Dickinson marched with the Hillary campaign, “I marched with Hillary for America in the 2016 NYC Pride March. It was an amazing experience and I felt the need to stand with Hillary’s campaign and the LGBT community following the Orlando attacks.”

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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Community, Deals, Eye Candy, Gay Bars and Clubs, News and Happenings   No comments

New York Gay Pride Parties

 

At Three of The Cities Sickest Pride Events Ever:  Bathhouse, Bruta Pride and Night of 1000 Queens

Voss Events, the leading New York City nightlife production Company, renowned for its innovative and outrageous parties, is announcing three main events for the city’s 2016 gay pride celebrations: BATHHOUSE, a 70s themed dance party, BRUTA PRIDE, an all new 360 degree nightlife experience from the masterminds behind Fuerza Bruta, and NIGHT OF 1000 QUEENS, featuring some of the brightest stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The second Pride edition of BATHHOUSE will take place Friday, June 24th at XL Nightclub. The Over 16,000 square foot party space will be converted into a 70s-style raucous and steamy bathhouse complete with an adult theater, locker room, live performances and over thirty men on stage in nothing more then towels. “In the early ‘70s, the bathhouse was a symbol of gay freedom, a place to literally shed one’s inhibitions and secrets,” says event producer, Brandon Voss. “Nearly fifty years later, we’re recreating the experience by inviting today’s generation to shed their inhibitions – and iphones – with complimentary towels and a clothing check.” DJ W Jeremy spins.  Must be 21+ to enter.

The next night welcomes the world premiere of BRUTA PRIDE, June 25th an all-new multi-million dollar production from the masterminds behind Fuerza Bruta, taking place at the Daryl Roth Theatre at 101 East 15th Street.  Club fans will be wowed by an interactive 4D theatrical experience, mind-blowing immersive performances and beats by DJ Hector Fonseca.  Must be 18+ to enter.

Then on Sunday, June 26th, guests are invited to grab their wigs and twirl with a thousand queens at NYC’s largest drag event, NIGHT OF 1000 QUEENS.   Beginning at 9pm at Stage 48 (605 West 48th St), the night will showcase some of the world’s best drag performers from RuPaul’s Drag Race including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Act, Derrick Barry, Detox, Kennedy Davenport, Naomi Smalls, Raja, Roxxxy Andrews, Shangela, Trixie Mattel, and Willam.  Beats provided by Lady Bunny.  Must be 21+ to enter.

Tickets to all events and discount weekend passes are available now at www.VossEvents.com

 

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  Art, Cabaret, Celebrity, Drag, Fashion, News and Happenings   No comments

Magnus Hastings new book!

WHAT A GORGEOUS BOOK! And for a coffee table art book, its very affordable at about $35! Why Drag?

You saw the exhibit last year…now  buy the book!  224 pages of the biggest and most diverse queens across America and beyond, all answering the question, Why drag?

Everyone loves to gag over photographs of their favorite queens, and chances are, some of the photographs have been taken by talented drag queen photographer, Magnus Hastings. His popular Facebook page, Dragged Around the World, archives some of his best work.

This celebrated artist has been photographing drag queens for the past 10 years- and his artwork showcasing queens is taking the world by storm! LAST YEAR, Hastings’ first photo exhibition in New York, Why Drag?, ran during Pride, at the OUT HOTEL. The best part about this unique exhibition is that each queen he photographs explains why it is that they do drag (but you’ll have to the exhibit to see that!) – Now, you can get the book!

Magnus Hastings came up through the London Gay scene and quickly gained recognition as one of the forerunners of his type of the pop art photography. playing with campy ideas when it was not fashionable to do so and embracing drag queens as a subject and study. He says, a “child of drag,” prone to putting on his sister’s clothes and dancing around his childhood home. But he didn’t truly discover the drag world until much later, long after he himself had stopped dressing across gender lines.

He completely revamped the Gaydar franchise in 2009 and has been published worldwide in magazines such as Glamour (uk), GQ (uk), Cosmopolitan (Italy),People (usa) , US weekly (use), Attitude (uk) ,AXM (uk), Bent (uk), QX international (uk), Blue (australia), Boyz (uk), Nois (spain) to name a few.

In 2003, on a visit to Sydney, Hastings walked into the Arq nightclub and saw the drag queen Vanity Faire lip-syncing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz in a flawless Dorothy outfit. The experience changed his life.

“I started shooting drag because it’s my home and my world and it feels like my family,” Hastings said.

Watching that performance connected Hastings to a part of himself that he’d abandoned due to social pressures as a child but that he still longed to explore.

 

With Vanity’s guidance, Hastings began photographing the city’s vibrant drag scene and developing a polished, dynamic style of portraiture reflecting his subjects’ creativity and humor.

 

As he traveled the world, he continued capturing local queens with a focus on those who best represented the art’s diversity and daring, from the bearded to the “fishy,” or ultrafeminine.

His images attracted a larger audience when he started posting his photos to his Facebook group, “Dragged Around the World.”

Magnus now lives in Los Angeles with his Jack Russell named George and is heavily involved in photographing the drag scene.

‘Why Drag?‘ with photographs by Magnus Hastings and a foreword by Boy George, was published in May by Chronicle Books. BUY THE BOOK!

Why Drag?

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  Latino, News and Happenings, Non-Profit News and Events   No comments

LGBTQ Latino Festival NEW YORK

 

The Hispanic Federation, a leader in advocating for the Hispanic community, presents the first-ever Latino LGBTQ Festival in New York City – FUERZAfest. This event will take place on May 11 through May 22, 2016 at the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center (JDBC), located at 1680 Lexington Avenue, El Barrio, New York City.

The 12-day-long festival includes photography exhibits, film premieres, theater performances, workshops, panel discussions and much more. Among the array of activities is a screening of the newly released Cuban film, VIVA, presented by the Latino Pride Center. Other screenings include the acclaimed film Mala, Mala and the New York premiere of Romeo y Romeo, directed by Luis Caballero and produced by Selenis Leyva, of HBO’s “Orange is the New Black.”
“I joined Luis Caballero in the development of Romeo y Romeo because I believe in telling diverse stories that are inclusive of all regardless of sexual orientation, race or beliefs,” Ms. Leyva said. “As advocates, it is our social responsibility to help fight stigma and homophobia within our community.”


FUERZAfest’s photography exhibit will highlight the history and struggles of the LGBTQ community from the 90s to the present. The theater competition will feature one-act plays that dive into universal LGBTQ issues. Legendary drag artist Barbra Herrwill close the festival with her heart-wrenching show I’m Still Herr! a hilarious one-woman cabaret performance detailing her struggles and survivals.


“We’re so excited to bring FUERZAfest to JDBC. As part of our firm commitment to civil rights, we have a history of championing LGBTQ rights and, in particular, combating homophobia within the Latino community. FUERZAfest will build on these efforts through the arts in a one-of-a-kind festival. We encourage everyone to partake in the festival activities, and engage in the ongoing dialogue around social issues affecting Latinos in the LGBTQ community.” Jose Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation.


True to the Hispanic Federation’s mission, FUERZAfest celebrates the Latino LGBTQ community of the city while addressing the challenges it faces head on. Though New York City is home to over 100,000 LGBTQ Latinos, many still struggle with securing services that meet their needs within their own communities. A recent report by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NACVP) found that anti-LGBTQ hate crimes have been on the rise in New York City for the past five years. Above all, FUERZAfest is committed to heighten awareness of these social issues, including the prejudices stemming from ignorance and homophobia that threaten the LGBTQ community.


Amidst celebrations and conversations, FUERZAfest is the conduit for the LGBTQ community and its allies to come together to spread the light of hope for a society free of homophobia and transphobia. It promises to be an engaging and enlightening event for all.

About Hispanic Federation: The mission of the Hispanic Federation is to empower and advance the Hispanic community. The Hispanic Federation provides grants and services to a broad network of Latino non-profit agencies serving the most vulnerable members of the Hispanic community and advocates nationally with respect to the vital issues of education, health, immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement and the environment. For more information, please visit www.hispanicfederation.org.
 
About FUERZAfest: FUERZAfest is New York City’s first-ever Latino LGBTQ Festival. This unprecedented takes place in May at the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center -1680 Lexington Avenue, El Barrio, New York City. Through workshops, panel discussions, networking events, art exhibits, film screenings, and a theater competition featuring, FUERZAfest provides a space for dialogue and awareness of social issues, including the prejudices stemming from ignorance and homophobia, that threaten the LGBTQ community. 
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  Architecture, Community, Gay Bars and Clubs, New York City Information, News and Happenings   No comments

StoneWall Inn to be come National Gay Monument

New York’s iconic Stonewall Inn, where the modern gay rights movement took root, will become the first national monument honoring the history of gays and lesbians in the U.S. under a proposal President Barack Obama is preparing to approve.

Designating the small swath of land will mark a major act of national recognition for gay rights advocates and their struggles over the last half-century. Since the 1969 uprising in Greenwich Village, the U.S. has enacted anti-discrimination protections, allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military and legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Though land must still be transferred to the federal government and other details worked out, the president is expected to move quickly to greenlight the monument following a public meeting Monday in Manhattan, according to two individuals familiar with the administration’s plans. The individuals weren’t authorized to discuss the plans publicly and requested anonymity.  More  at  CBS  LOCAL.

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  News and Happenings, Queens, Restaurant and Dining   No comments

deBlasio Says DON’T EAT CHICK FIL A

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and other city officials are urging New Yorkers not to eat at Chick fil-A.

The popular chicken restaurant is planning to open up a new location in Queens, its fourth to open in New York City.

But the liberal mayor argued that the owners of Chick fil-A support groups that promote “hate” against gays.

Mayor Bill de Blasio urges people to stay away from Chick-fil-A as the Georgia-based restaurant chain plans to open a store in Queens Center Mall, the fourth location in the city. How effective de Blasio will be in calling for the boycott is unclear. Patrons lined up around the block when the three-level, 5,000 square-foot Manhattan location (its largest anywhere) opened last year.

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  Health and Wellness, News and Happenings   No comments

Human Touch and Well Being

STRAIGHT  OR  GAY –  Everyone  can benefit  from  Cuddling!

When H. Melinda Krakowski, a customer service representative in New York City, was married, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was alone, even when her husband was in the room with her. That’s because they almost never touched, and she felt starved for physical affection.

After Krakowski and her husband separated, she sought out group activities to curb her loneliness. That’s when she discovered cuddle parties: gatherings for people to engage in consensual, nonsexual touch. One facilitator of these events, entrepreneur Adam Lippin, was in the process of creating a professional cuddling agency.

Lippin had gotten into yoga and meditation and wanted to start a new business venture that promoted wellness. His co-founder, Madelon Guinazzo, also a cuddle party facilitator, had already been seeing clients who paid her for private cuddle sessions. So late last year, the two scouted out cuddle party attendees who might be interested in working with them.  Read more  at WASHINGTON  POST.   Contact  CUDDLIST  for  more  information.

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  Cabaret, Celebrity, Comedy, Deals, Drag, Eat Drink and Be Mary, Gay Bars and Clubs, News and Happenings   No comments

Lady Bunny @ Stonewall Inn – EXTENDED

If you ain’t seen it yet – you MUST!

LADY  BUNNY   @  Stonewall Inn  with her  new  show, Trans-Jester!

 

EXTENDED  Now   thru  May 18th!!

Recently  Susan Sarandon took a front row seat at   Bunnys  new show. BOTH  are fellow Bernie Sanders supporters.

Says  Bun  Bun, “It’s Thelma and Sleaze! I was pleasantly surprised that Susan Sarandon popped by my show Trans-Jester at The Stonewall Inn last night. She popped backstage and said the show was “so smart.” Now I might have believed her if she hadn’t been snorting poppers at the time.

Anyhow, it was lovely of her to come and she is both lovely and sweet. And although we are both Bernie Sanders supporters, it was far from a #feelthebern rally. This show is pure comedy and barely mentions the election or politics. I save those toxic posts for Facebook!”

In the last five years, Bunny’s performed two sold out solo shows at La Escuelita. But that venue closed! So Bunny has brought  her blend of raucous, irreverent comedy to the even more legendary venue Stonewall.
In addition to new parodies which re-work selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her—don’t go there!–repertoire to include some actually insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it’s insightful, anyway.) Trashing the current overemphasis on political correctness, Bunny breaks down some of the latest buzzwords that we’re all supposed to remember for every for every occasion as we “evolve.” Sometimes, Bunny feels, that we’re actually evolving away from common sense! Take the new name for our community–LGBTIA. Does anyone even know what that means?

Theater queens rejoice! In her loooooong career in nightclubs, Bunny has never delved much into show tunes, but in Trans-Jester, Bunny brings it on home with a show-stopping finale featuring two classics from Gypsy and Follies. The evening also resurrects songs by country star Lynn Anderson, Millie Jackson and even an original tune which pokes fun at the dating life of whatever sex it is you want to call this “Lady”. A proud slut, Bunny lampoons her own senile attempts to keep up with technology in order to still get sex, and the folly of a mature showgirl who appears to be teleported from a 1960s TV set dating the youth which the internet of 2016 yields.

Wednesday  thru  Saturday evenings.  The showtime is 7PM sharp. “I know this show is in a bar and it’s by a drag queen–we are often late–but each performance must end by 9PM so that Stonewall can get back to it’s regular nightly programming. So please arrive a little early and we will start very close to 7PM if not at 7PM”

For more info/tix:
http://trans-jester.bpt.me/

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  Deals, News and Happenings, Pets   No comments

Best Pee Pads for Dogs

Do you currently  use  Pee pads?
or  about to get a new puppy,  and  want  to train  your pup  to use  pads?
 These  are the BEST PRICED  PADS !!

If you live  several  floors  about the street and have a dog,  PEE  PADS  CAN SAVE  YOUR LIFE!   I live  on the 3rd floor  of  a building  and  got a Yorkie  and after  the first week  of running  up and  down  the stairs  to take  her outside  to do her business, a friend  suggested  these  pads. WHAT A LIFE  SAVER!   She learned  very quickly, that if she pee’d  or pooped  on the pads,  she got  a treat!

 

Buying  them  from the local  pet store  was  VERY  EXPENSIVE. Now you can buy professional quality PooPeePads™ direct – and save!
Prices start at $32.99 for 300 pads and as low as $27.99 for 3 cases – including FREE delivery!

All are first quality pads with sealed edges, tear-resistant top sheet and leak-proof backing. The  scented pad will attract your pet for easier training. Please note scenting is not a fragrance
it’s an attractant only the dogs can smell.

The special construction absorbs up to twice as
much as the leading competitors. And these pads are up to 35% less expensive!

PooPeePads™ will save you money, protect your floors and make house training a breeze!

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