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Vol. 44 • No. 31 • July 31-August 6, 2014

Trial opens in park death

Ting adds sunset to safe syringe bill

by Seth Hemmelgarn

man accused of murder for fatally choking another man during a sexual encounter in Buena Vista Park in 2011 is “a sweet kid” who was involved in “a terrible accident,” his attorney said this Courtesy SFPD week as the trial in the Defendant David killing opened. Munoz Diaz But a prosecutor described David Munoz Diaz, 25, as a liar who intentionally killed Freddy Canul-Arguello, 23. Canul-Arguello’s mostly-naked, partially burned body was found in the park just before 5 a.m. June 10, 2011. During opening statements in San Francisco Superior Court Monday, July 28, Deputy Public Defender Alex Lilien told jurors that Diaz and Canul-Arguello had had sex before. Lilien said the two men hooked up the last time after seeing each other in the Castro hours before Canul-Arguello died. Canul-Arguello was living with his brother and cousin, and Diaz was living with Larry Metzger, owner of the Castro’s Mix bar, so they walked to Buena Vista Park. Once they got there, they stopped at different spots and performed oral sex and other acts on each other before coming to an area down the hill from the park’s tennis courts. The men kissed and touched, and Canul-Arguello told Diaz, “Fuck me, I want to cum,” Lilien said, but Diaz declined because they didn’t have condoms. Eventually, Canul-Arguello said he liked to be choked and showed Diaz how to do it. Diaz choked him and Canul-Arguello continued touching him. However, after a couple minutes, Diaz noticed that Canul-Arguello had stopped. When he let go, Canul-Arguello fell to the ground. Diaz took his pulse and did chest compressions, to no avail, Lilien said. “He’s confused and he’s frightened and he knows he needs to do something,” and Diaz thought Canul-Arguello was dead, Lilien said. Diaz smoked a cigarette, then grabbed a recycling bin from up the hill, rolled it to a spot near Canul-Arguello, and lit a fire in the container to signal for help. He pulled a fire alarm and made calls to 911, but didn’t go to meet responders when they finally arrived. Lilien referred to a call that was also detailed by Assistant District Attorney Danielle Douglas in her opening statements Monday. In one of the first 911 calls from CanulArguello’s phone, according to Douglas, Diaz said, “I killed someone and if you want See page 10 >>

by Matthew S. Bajko

I Fun, sexy Up Your Alley Rick Gerharter

rey Allen shares a laugh with friends at the annual Up Your Alley Fair Sunday, July 27 in San Francisco’s South of Market district. The fair, billed as the Folsom Street Fair’s “dirty little brother,” is a warm-up to the larger event that will take place

September 21. Folsom Street Events produces the two street fairs and associated parties, which benefit local nonprofits. For lots more photos of the sizzling celebration of leather and kink, see Steven Underhill’s Shooting Stars on page 35 of the BARtab section.

n response to concerns from law enforcement officials, state Assemblyman Phil Ting has added a sunset clause to his bill allowing pharmacists throughout the state to sell syringes without a prescription to adults. Rick Gerharter Under current Cali- Assemblyman fornia law, pharmacists Phil Ting are allowed to sell up to 30 syringes without a prescription. But the legislation is set to sunset on January 1, and without lawmakers extending the law, syringe sales would remain legal in just 15 counties and four cities, including San Francisco. Initially, Ting (D-San Francisco) had written his Assembly Bill 1743, the Safe Syringe Access See page 10 >>

New home sought for LGBT archives

by Matthew S. Bajko

Wednesday. When the company faced opposition to its plan to n LGBT archival center in expand its specialty pharmacy downtown San Francisco on 18th Street into the adjacent plans to relocate as its rent storefront, it agreed to share continues to increase and its collecit with the gay museum, paid tion outgrows its current space. to build out the space, and has The GLBT Historical Society leased it at below-market-rates maintains its archives in an office to the society. building on Mission Street near Third On average, the society has where it pays a discounted monthly paid $3,500 a month, well below rent under $8,000. In April its rent the going rate for retail spaces will increase by $1,000 a month, acin the Castro. Should it need cording to society officials, and its to relocate, Boneberg said, “the current lease expires March 30, 2016. museum needs to be in a subsi“It is a very discounted, fair rent dized, discounted space.” Rick Gerharter for downtown San Francisco. Even Gay District 8 Supervisor so, it is way more than we can af- Dewey Bunger looks at the 2012 exhibit “Life and Death in Black Scott Wiener, who represents ford and it will keep going up. So we and White: AIDS Direct Action in San Francisco 1985-1990” at the the Castro at City Hall, brought just simply have to move,” said Paul GLBT History Museum. up the status of the gay museBoneberg, the society’s executive um’s lease to company officials greens, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, a director, in an interview this week earlier this summer during a letter seeking to enter into lease renewal negotiawith the Bay Area Reporter. meeting to discuss other matters. tions. It would like to sign another five-year lease Meanwhile, the organization is seeking a “This museum is very popular in the comfor the museum, which recently received a brand five-year lease extension for the GLBT History munity. People want this museum to remain new permanent exhibit in its main gallery space. Museum it operates in the city’s gay Castro a part of the Castro,” said Wiener. “Walgreens “Walgreens has been very generous to us,” said district. The cultural institution has been renthas been an integral part of the neighborhood Boneberg. “We expect they will work with us to ing a storefront on 18th Street from the nafor many years, and I know Walgreens knows allow us to stay in that space. But it’s a decision tional pharmacy chain Walgreens and its curthe importance of the museum.” they are going to have to think about as a large rent lease is set to expire November 30, 2015. After the meeting, at which Walgreens execucompany and come back to us. We are hopeful.” The museum soft-opened in mid-Decemtives didn’t state if they would extend the muWalgreens’ regional director for governber 2010. Its yearly attendance is now at 15,000 seum’s lease, said Wiener, he encouraged society ment relations, Jennifer Kurrie, did not reand has been growing 10 percent annually. See page 8 >> spond to a request for comment by press time In early July the historical society sent Wal-

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Man who police say posed as cop held on sex charges by Seth Hemmelgarn

San Francisco man accused of pretending to be a police officer and kidnapping two men in 2008 then trying to force one of them to have sex was ordered this week to stand trial. Jeffrey Bugai, 35, is charged with two counts of kidnapping to commit a crime, along with one count each of attempted sodomy by use of force, attempted forcible oral copulation, and assault with intent to commit a felony. According to a San Francisco Police Department news release, Bugai, who was arrested July 10, targeted Central American immigrants with “limited English speaking” skills who had recently arrived in the United States. He misled victims into believing he was a cop and brought them to his home, “where he would administer intoxicants, coerce them, and/or force them into committing sexual acts,” police said. In some cases, he reportedly placed handcuffs on the men. “Bugai would tell the victims they would be deported if they called the police or there would be retaliation by the police for reporting him,” according to the SFPD. After a preliminary hearing Monday, July 28, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Brendan Conroy determined there was sufficient evidence to hold Bugai on all charges. In a phone interview afterward, Deputy Public Defender Phoenix Streets said the evidence against Bugai is “pretty scant,” and the case, which is “very simple,” has been overcharged. The prosecution has tried to introduce “irrelevant facts,” Streets said. For example, he said, the charges stem from a November 2008 incident, but the prosecution “wanted

Courtesy SFPD

Jeffrey Bugai

to include things that happened later” and “had nothing to do with anything that may or may not have happened in 2008.” Streets said that although there are two victims listed, “There’s only one who’s made any statements to the police.” The 2008 incident came to light recently after one of the alleged victims recognized Bugai out in public and went to police, Alex Bastian,

a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said. Bastian didn’t know the victims’ ages. Bugai remains in custody. His bail is $2,170,000, according to the sheriff ’s department. Streets said Bugai is “taking these charges pretty hard. He’s pretty depressed. He’s confused as to how can someone just make up these allegations against him.” Referring to the victims, Bastian said, “You’re undocumented, you’re here from another country, you don’t really speak English very well, and here’s a person who for all intents and purposes is what appears to be law enforcement” committing the alleged acts. “I think that’s a nightmare scenario if I’ve ever heard of one.” The prosecutor in the case is Assistant District Attorney Diane Knoles. Bugai’s next court date is August 11 for arraignment. According to police, Bugai has been known to frequent San Francisco’s Mission and Ingleside districts, as well as the Hayward and Oakland areas. Bastian said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information in the case is asked to contact police at (415) 553-1201.t

SF accounting teacher accused of toilet recordings by Seth Hemmelgarn

from April” 2013. He said he hasn’t yet gone through former San Francisco the police report and accounting professor didn’t have more specific has been accused of video information about what recording men and women had happened. as they used the bathroom Bastian said, “This is still in his Castro district home. an open investigation,” and Through his attorney, authorities are “trying to Mark Landis, 38, pleaded not Courtesy SF Examiner via ascertain” how long LanSF State dis’s alleged actions have guilty Tuesday, July 29 in San Francisco Superior Court to Former SF State been going on. 15 misdemeanor counts of professor Mark Ngo and others declined invasion of privacy. Landis to immediately provide According to Alex Bastian, a copy of the complaint a spokesman for the district against Landis. attorney’s office, a man who was with Outside the courtroom Tuesday, friends at a November 15 social gathNgo told reporters he had “just been ering at Landis’s home went to grab a given discovery” in the case but he’s tissue when he used the bathroom. “very disappointed” that District He pulled up the tissue box and Attorney George Gascón “wants to saw a red, blinking light coming try this case in the public.” from a camera. The man pulled out The case was first reported last the memory card, took it home, saw week by media outlets includthat the camera had been taking ing the San Francisco Chronicle. pictures of people’s private parts, Through the Chronicle, Gascón and went to police. said if there are more victims they Bastian said Landis was arrested need to come forward. Wednesday night, July 23, and he is Ngo, who referred to the charges as out of custody on $100,000 bail. He “incendiary,” said it’s “disingenuous” did not appear in court Tuesday and that Gascón is just now “reaching out couldn’t be reached for comment. for victims” even though the investiAll 15 alleged victims are current gation “has been going on for almost or former students of San Francisco a year.” If authorities were “concerned State or the University of San Franabout the victims,” they should have cisco, but they weren’t all necessarreached out before, he said. ily Landis’s students, Bastian said. Ngo has requested a gag order on Landis had taught accounting at prosecutors, but that effort has been both universities, according to the rejected. In court, he told Judge Lucy schools’ spokeswomen. McCabe, “The press might jeopar“We believe there are many more dize my client’s right to a fair trial.” victims,” Bastian said. Asked after the hearing about the In court Tuesday, Thanh Ngo, proposed protective order, Ngo said, Landis’s attorney, indicated that “Any time” you’re impinging “on a Landis may have been committing person’s right to move or to talk, that’s crimes for more than a year. a problem.” He said there have been Prosecutors are requesting a pro“no issues with threats and no issues tective order to keep Landis away with communications.” Landis doesn’t from the victims. know where the alleged victims live Ngo said, “The event occurred and he doesn’t want to be in violation more than a year ago and there of any stay away order, Ngo said. haven’t been any problems.” In court Tuesday, Assistant DisIn a phone interview afterward, trict Attorney Laura Carwile said, Ngo said that according to the com“As new victims come forward, we plaint, “a lot of the charges stem See page 8 >>

Community News>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 3

SF public affairs group plans month of LGBT programs by Jim E. Winburn

he Commonwealth Club has planned an ambitious slate of LGBT programming for August that will take audiences beyond a discussion of past and present human rights struggles for LGBT citizens. The intimate and engaging forums will examine whether the community’s social and political accomplishments are actually enough. The club’s 2014 “Platforum” series, entitled “The LGBT Journey,” will offer audience members a variety of viewpoints from noteworthy speakers who will discuss their own activism and experiences, while defining past and present civil rights challenges for LGBT people. And it is the personal narrative that is vital to understanding the community’s struggle for equality, according to former Ambassador James C. Hormel, who was the first openly gay person to hold the diplomatic post when he served in Luxembourg after being appointed by President Bill Clinton. Hormel will kick off the series with “From Ignorance to Acceptance: How the LGBTQ Movement Has Evolved in a Lifetime” Monday, August 4 at 6 p.m. A member of the board of governors of the Commonwealth Club, Hormel told the Bay Area Reporter that the LGBT series is a special opportunity to discuss and appreciate the importance of speaking out, coming out, and reflecting on the latest marriage equality outcomes. “I think that all of us who are in this constituency, whether we are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning ... we have been scarred to a certain degree by how this constituency has been treated,” Hormel said in a phone interview. “I think it’s quite a remarkable phenomenon that same-sex couples now can get married in so many different locations. It’s stunning actually, considering where we were 11 years ago. Eleven years ago, it couldn’t happen in this country. So it really is quite amazing that we have moved in that direction.” In his presentation, Hormel will review the social history of the United States since 1945 to explain how LGBT Americans progressed from exclusion to inclusion. He said he would most likely speak from his own experiences “to underscore how important it has been for people to step forward,

out of their comfort zone and take public positions [on issues] for the difference it can make.” Hormel summed up the necessity of LGBT activism in two words: “Come out,” saying that he believes there are still serious problems facing LGBT civil rights, both nationwide and within the ranks of the LGBT community itself. “Inside the community, we need to look at our own concerns – or lack of concern about diversity and acceptance – because I do believe there are still some serious problems regarding acceptance, and we need to examine those,” he said. “And on a national scale, we do not have an employment non-discrimination protection, though 21 states have their own. And even though most of the Fortune 500 companies have their own statements, Congress has been too intimidated to pass anything. And I think that’s shocking; it’s just unacceptable.”

Other panels

Nancy C. Unger, Ph.D., an acclaimed LGBT historian and professor of history at Santa Clara University, will illuminate for her audience the “Long Journey to Stonewall: An Illustrated History” Tuesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. Unger said she would be framing the Stonewall riots as part of a larger struggle in history by focusing on earlier and lesser-known same-sex stories – such as a few cases from the Colonial period. “This is part of American history, and we all need to know about this history. I just get so impatient when gay and lesbian history in particular seems to get sort of shortchanged into the Stonewall riots,” Unger told the B.A.R. “Even though the term ‘homosexuality’ is relatively new, same-sex desires have been around forever.” She also explained that the past is so empowering for the LGBT community because it shows how “we’re part of something larger than ourselves.” And it’s through this realization – a purpose grounded in the past – that progress is possible, according to Unger. “By knowing our history, I think that people are able to say what are all the challenges facing the LGBTQ community – rather than reinventing the wheel every time – by asking, how did [the LGBT movement] get so far so fast?” she said. What makes the forum series

Rick Gerharter

Former Ambassador James Hormel

even more unique is that the series was also envisioned by its organizers to educate the larger community rather than being “sort of preaching to the choir” on LGBT issues, according to Wes McGaughey, a program organizer and chair of the Commonwealth Club’s LGBT member-led forum. “There were several audiences visualized for this program,” McGaughey said. “We discussed trying to expand programming so that it was of interest to several different communities, trying to have programs that are also of interest to the arts community, as well as the business community.” McGaughey attributed Carol Fleming, Ph.D., a straight ally who is a member of the Commonwealth Club’s board of governors and organizer of the club’s annual August series, with being the brain trust behind The LGBT Journey. “She was rather inspired by the Supreme Court decisions and other barriers broken down this year, and she really wanted to do something that was positive in terms of LGBT rights and human rights,” he said, referring to the June 2013 court rulings that threw out a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act and restored marriage equality in California. Other speakers for the club’s special August series include gender specialist Robyn L. Stukalin, who will examine how trauma and discrimination affects the lives of trans and gender non-conforming people on August 5; UC Davis psychology professor Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D., who will look beyond the usual conceptions of homophobia to bet-

Housing co-op for PWAs planned by David-Elijah Nahmod

he San Francisco Community Land Trust is working with local nonprofits to re-open a residence for people living with HIV/AIDS as a co-op. The home, located in the Mission district, is called Marty’s Place and for many years housed PWAs until the owner, Richard Purcell, a Franciscan friar, died in 2011. Purcell arrived in San Francisco to help care for his brother, who was dying of complications from AIDS. Although his brother died a couple months later, Purcell continued caring for other PWAs and acquired the three-story Victorian home in 1993, naming it after his brother. Before his death, Purcell and the Aurora Dawn Foundation, which had been set up to manage and raise funds for the program, bequeathed the property to Dolores Street Community Services with the understanding that it would remain an affordable place for PWAs. DSCS, however, determined that it could not re-open the residence and approached the land trust. “The land trust is honored to be part of this collaborative partner-

ter understand discrimination and prejudice against sexual minorities on August 18; and members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who will discuss their roles as agents of change for social justice and performance artists on August 27. A panel on LGBT retirement living will take place August 6, while on August 7 a panel of HIV/AIDS experts will explore the “Quest for an HIV/AIDS Vaccine.” Gay NBA player Jason Collins will headline an August 11 forum at the Castro Theater. Cecilia Chung, a transgender woman who is a member of the San Francisco Health Commission, will discuss “Closing the Gap: Crucial Transgender Issues Today” on August 12.

Jonathon Moscone, the gay son of slain San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, will headline a discussion entitled “Shakespeare LGBT: The Bard and Gay and Transgender Roles” on August 14. Looking at the business world, Steve Pinetti Sr., vice president of inspiration and creativity for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, will talk about LGBT marketing successes on August 15. There will be two sessions on August 25. First, Bill Issel, professor of history emeritus at San Francisco State University, will look at Catholic power in the context of the LGBT struggle for freedom in San Francisco. A concurrent session on marriage equality with a look at what LGBT families are facing will also be held. On the entertainment side, lesbian comedian Marga Gomez will present a lunchtime discussion on August 27, while B.A.R. society columnist Donna Sachet and KRON film critic Jan Wahl will present a lunchtime look at “Hollywood and the LGBT Journey” on August 29.t For more programming and ticket information for The LGBT Journey series, visit the Commonwealth Club online at www. commonwealthclub.org. With the exception of the Jason Collins program, the events take place at the Commonwealth Club’s offices, 595 Market Street in San Francisco.

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Paul Gross, left, representing the Calamus Fellowship, presents a $1,000 donation to the renovation fund for Marty’s Place, to representatives of the participating organizations: Wendy Phillips, director of Dolores Street Community Services; Tommi Avicolli Mecca, with the Housing Rights Committee; and Tracy Parent, organizational director of the San Francisco Community Land Trust.

ship to preserve this special property and the legacy of Father Richard Purcell,” community land trust organizational director Tracy Parent said in a statement. “In order to preserve this critical community asset, we must raise $250,000 before November to complete the necessary renovations to the house.” Supporters and land trust officials held a news conference inside

the home Monday, July 28 to discuss the issues. Officials asked that the house’s address not be published, citing privacy concerns. Tommi Avicolli Mecca of the Housing Rights Committee also spoke at Monday’s event. “It’s logical for a queer housing rights activist to be part of this mix,” See page 10 >>

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<< Open Forum

4 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Volume 44, Number 31 July 31-August 6, 2014 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko Seth Hemmelgarn Jim Provenzano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Aiello • Tavo Amador • Erin Blackwell Roger Brigham • Brian Bromberger Victoria A. Brownworth • Brent Calderwood Philip Campbell • Heather Cassell Chuck Colbert • Richard Dodds David Guarino • Peter Hernandez Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell • John F. Karr Lisa Keen • Matthew Kennedy • David Lamble Michael McAllister • Michael McDonagh David-Elijah Nahmod • Elliot Owen Paul Parish • Sean Piverger • Lois Pearlman Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr Donna Sachet • Adam Sandel Khaled Sayed • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Jim Stewart Andre Torrez • Ed Walsh • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Jay Cribas PRODUCTION/DESIGN Max Leger PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland Rick Gerharter • Lydia Gonzales Rudy K. Lawidjaja • Steven Underhill Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.359.2612 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is conﬁdential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

Two strikes for Science magazine

cience is a well-regarded, peer-reviewed magazine, but its recent cover stereotypes transgender women and further stigmatizes people living with HIV/AIDS. This isn’t the first time we’ve called out the magazine for its HIV/AIDS coverage, so there seems to be a possible pattern emerging that is troubling to us and should be to readers as well. It was Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) who brought this latest issue to our attention. She fired off a letter to Science publisher Alan I. Leshner after seeing the July 11 cover, which showed trans women in tight dresses and high heels with their heads cropped out of the photo. The cover was apparently meant to illustrate an article on battling HIV/ AIDS in Southeast Asia. Speier called out the magazine for what she said was its “sexist, racist, transphobic cover.” The cover, she added, “speaks volumes to how men in the science fields view and treat women. To use headless, sexualized women of color to illustrate treating the AIDS pandemic is extremely offensive.” More problematic was editor Jim Austin’s comments suggesting that if men were drawn in by the exposed legs and tight dresses, it would be “interesting” to see how they felt once they discovered the women were transgender. “The prevalence of the ‘trans panic’ defense, in which perpetrators of violent crimes justify their actions by claiming shock at the identity of a trans person, makes this abysmal motivation for Science’s choice of cover art,” Speier wrote in her letter. That, Speier continued, “is an abysmal motivation for the choice of cover. Transgender people are already disproportionately subject to hate crimes.” She added that the magazine’s editor did apologize for the comment, but she wondered how such a cover was selected in the first place.

In 2010, we were critical of the magazine for publishing a paper by leading researchers at UCSF and UCLA that predicted that a “wave” of HIV drug resistant virus “will emerge over the next five years in San Francisco due to transmission from untreated individuals.” The problem with that prediction, which four years later has yet to occur, was that the modeling and calculations looking at the transmission of drug-resistant strains of HIV involved only one type of antiretroviral drug – non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. It was not a study examining the actual levels of drug-resistant HIV and rates of transmission in San Francisco; in fact, other studies that did look at the information found HIV rates declining. Lately, they have leveled off. The article stigmatized gay men, and concluded in one sentence that they posed a “great and immediate threat to global public health.” Now, four years later, it’s a different ar-

ticle about a different part of the world, and a different population being stigmatized. What’s next for Science? An article about how injection drug users will cause a worldwide outbreak of HIV cases?

Women stigmatized

In recent months, conservative American politicians, religious leaders, and other pundits have regularly sought to stigmatize women. Last month, it was men on the U.S. Supreme Court who ruled 5-4 that the Department of Health and Human Services regulations requiring employers to provide their female employees with no-cost access to contraception violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This same court made it easier for antiabortion protesters to harass women entering abortion clinics when it struck down Massachusetts’ “buffer zone” law, which barred protesters from within 35 feet of clinics. Now, protesters are testing that decision by showing up at clinics in San Francisco, and local police say they can’t do anything about it. Congressmen have held all-male hearings on women’s issues, and denigrated women who speak out in favor of laws that allow them to make decisions for their own bodies. Shock jock conservative radio hosts are no better, eagerly piling on with virtually identical talking points. Women historically have earned less than men, and in the emerging tech sector women are sorely under-represented. Recent data from several tech firms show that their workforces are mostly white and male. So yes, when a cover like the recent Science one comes along, it strikes a nerve. And it shows just how much change is needed so that women can be seen as equal counterparts, not as some sexed-up playthings.t

Equality and equity by Susan Belinda Christian

his has been an incredible year of victories for the expansion of equality for LGBT Americans. President Barack Obama issued an executive order making it illegal for federal contractors to fire or harass employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Marriage equality was established once and for all in California by the invalidation of Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry). These civil rights victories followed the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor that declared a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and the 2011 repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which had prevented gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. And just a few days ago, the first out lesbian justice of the California Court of Appeal – San Francisco’s own Therese Stewart, the former chief deputy city attorney who played a lead role in the legal fight against Prop 8 – was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown and confirmed. The LGBT community has a long and fierce history of resistance to discrimination – from the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis in the 1950s to the 1966 Compton Cafeteria riot in San Francisco and the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York. But the bedrock for the realization of the legal victories against discrimination that we celebrate today is the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which just marked its 50th anniversary. And the impetus for the drafting of the Civil Rights Act by the administration of President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson’s unprecedented effort to pass the legislation was the activism of African American people who risked their safety and often forfeited their lives in their struggle for human and civil rights. In this fight, they were joined by other people of color and young allies who left the safety and complacency of the privilege afforded them by

Courtesy Wikipedia

President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

the whiteness of their skin. In its stark presentation of discrimination and clear violations of human rights, it is understandable that we share Vice President Joe Biden’s sense that discrimination and violence against transgender people is in many respects the civil rights issue of our time. And yet, we must not lose sight of the structural discrimination, hidden biases, and lack of equity – not only formal equality but also a justness of access, opportunity, treatment, and outcome – which continues to plague and circumscribe the lives of black Americans and other people of color in our cities. Whether we are focused on educational resources and opportunities for students or social outcomes for children and adults, San Francisco is not immune from this reality. As we in the LGBT community continue to fight discrimination based upon sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, as a community we should also seize and cre-

ate opportunities to fight for equity for other disadvantaged individuals and communities. Because all Americans owe a debt to the African American movement for human and civil rights, all of us should engage with the modern-day civil rights struggle for equity for those who continue to be disadvantaged despite the existence of formal equality. Celebration of the fact that “we are everywhere” should lead us to act on behalf of others suffering from an absence of equity. Creation of a truly just society depends upon this commitment.t Susan Belinda Christian is the chair of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of both the HRC, which was created in the wake of the civil rights protests by black San Franciscans and their allies, as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Learn more about the work of the SF HRC and its citizen advisory committees at www.sf-hrc.org.

Community News>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

Choi steps out in SF

Steven Underhill

Former Army infantry officer Dan Choi, right, shared a smile with Sandy Stier, one of the plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit challenging Proposition 8, at GLAAD’s VIP kick-off party held Saturday, July 26 at CityScape at the San Francisco Hilton. Choi, who is now living in San Francisco, was one of the faces of the successful effort to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” in 2010, and participated in numerous protests outside the White House urging that gays and lesbians be allowed to serve openly in the military.

B.A.R. moves offices to upper Market compiled by Cynthia Laird

he Bay Area Reporter has moved its offices to the upper Market area. The new offices are located at 44 Gough Street, Suite 204. Since last fall, the B.A.R., the oldest continuously publishing LGBT paper in the country, had been housed in the downtown offices of SF Media Company, parent of the San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian, and SF Weekly. Although the B.A.R. is independently owned by BAR Media Inc., two of it’s dividend investing partners are former Examiner publisher Todd Vogt and Patrick Brown, General Manager of SF Media Co., as individuals. In May, Vogt’s business partners bought out his ownership stake in SF Media Co. and he was forced from the company. The new SF Media Co. officials, president Dennis Francis and publisher Glenn Zuehls, did not see any benefit to keeping the B.A.R. in its offices and in June, publisher Mike Yamashita was told the paper would need to find its own office space. “We will miss working closely with our colleagues at the other publications,” Yamashita said. “But due to decisions beyond our control we are happy to have relocated between City Hall and the Castro without disrupting our production schedule.” The B.A.R. remains majority-LGBT owned. Yamashita and Thomas E. Horn, publisher emeritus, control 51 percent of BAR Media Inc., while Vogt and Brown control 49 percent of the company. The paper’s offices are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the office phone number remains the same, (415) 861-5019.

SF Zoo celebrates families

The San Francisco Zoo will host its All Families Day celebration Saturday, August 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free with zoo admission and will be held in the newly remodeled Elinor Friend Playground area. Organizers said that the event welcomes all types of families and celebrates the current growth in diverse families, especially within the LGBTQ community. Swirl Radio and television personality Michelle Meow will host the day of games, prizes, giveaways, and family entertainment. The new playground is modeled after three distinct bioregions, each designed for specific age groups. There’s the River Play area for toddlers, the Polar Zone for pre-schoolers, and the Banyan Tree climbing structure for pre-teens. Families are encouraged to bring picnics and spend the day enjoying the zoo in a welcoming interactive format. Zoo admission is $17 for adults ($14 for San Francisco residents with proof of residency), $11 for kids ages 4-14 ($7.50 for SF residents); and $14

Cynthia Laird

Bay Area Reporter ad rep and office administrator Colleen Small checks information with publisher Mike Yamashita at the paper’s new offices.

for seniors 65 and over ($9.50 for SF residents). Children ages 3 and under are free. Parking is $10. Discounted tickets are available at Our Family Coalition’s website, www.ourfamily.org.

Shamanic arts class at LGBT center

A Shamanic arts and crafts class takes place the second Saturday of each month at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, with the next session scheduled for Saturday, August 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. People can bring an art project that they are working on and see how it is to do the work while in a shamanic trance state. If people are new to Shamanism, the instructor can help you find your power animal/teacher and then proceed to the art/craft project. The class is free with donation. For details, email lizsanpablo@aol. com.

LGBT intergenerational project starts crowdfunding campaign

The Pye Harris Legacy Project has begun a crowdfunding campaign to edit its videos into a one-hour documentary. The project hopes to raise $60,000 to edit existing interviews and add more historical footage and photos of the coming out experience from different eras. The legacy project is a nonprofit that teaches young people about the modern LGBT movement through interviews with elders. It was created in 2012 in honor of Ed Pye and Bob Harris, two gay men who were together for over 50 years until Harris’s death in 2008. Pye, who came out in the 1930s, created the project to teach young people that there is a lot to learn from those who came before. The project is crowdfunding through Indiegogo. Executive Director Phil Siegel said that they also hope to get the word out about the project. Siegel said that the project has four short videos – Coming Out in the 1950s, Coming Out in the 1960s, Coming Out in the 1970s,

and Coming Out in the 1980s – that are available on YouTube and have over 50,000 views. The success of the short videos has garnered interest from other nonprofits and public broadcasting stations to create a longer video that can be broadcast in 2016. The project has also created a companion curriculum that dovetails the videos and has been distributed to schools. It includes a series of activities and age-appropriate questions for young people to ask elders so they can learn directly from them. For more information or to donate, visit http://tinyurl.com/ kruhlad. The campaign ends August 14. As of last week, it had received $1,200.

NLGJA honors LGBT journalists

Ahead of its convention in Chicago later this month, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association has announced this year’s inductees into the LGBT Journalists Hall of Fame and other special recognition awards. The Hall of Fame inductees include Lisa Keen, a contributing writer to the Bay Area Reporter through her Keen News Service. Prior to that, Keen served as top editor of the Washington Blade for 18 years. Also being inducted is Windy City Media Group publisher and executive editor Tracy Baim. With her lifelong passion for journalism and love of history, for over three decades Baim has earned national accolades as a writer, editor, publisher, author and filmmaker. The third inductee is Donna Cartwright, who served as a copy editor at the New York Times for three decades before retiring in 2006. She is also a longtime transgender, LGBT, and labor activist. This years special recognitions go to Chris Geidner of BuzzFeed, named Journalist of the Year; and Lila Shapiro, a staff reporter at the Huffington Post, named Sarah Pettit Memorial Award recipient. The NLGJA convention takes place August 21-24. For a complete list of awardees, visit www.nlgja. org.t

<< Travel

6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Ireland offers beauty, old-world charm

by Cynthia Laird

t was the first time in nearly 20 years that my wife and I missed last month’s San Francisco LGBT Pride parade. We had decided earlier this year to take our vacation at the end of June and head across the Atlantic Ocean to Ireland. Since our trip coincided with Dublin’s annual Pride parade, we figured that we would get to meet some LGBT folks and see how another city does Pride. Dublin is a fun city. It’s full of pubs, virtually all of which serve fish and chips – and proclaim them “the best in Dublin!” – and other pub grub, and has lots of historical sites and other attractions. My wife, Vicky Kolakowski, wanted to do some genealogy research on her mother’s side of the family, so one of the first places we went to was the National Library of Ireland, a short walk from our hotel. We also stopped by Trinity College to see the famous Book of Kells (http://www.tcd.ie/Library/ bookofkells/), which is celebrated for its lavish decoration. The man-

Vicky Kolakowski

Belbulben, a majestic rock formation, is a landmark of County Sligo in western Ireland.

uscript contains the four Gospels in Latin. Only two pages of the book are on display and it is small. But for history buffs and religious scholars it’s a treat. (Admission is 10 euros and includes a visit to the Long Room of the Old Library, which is filled with 200,000 of the library’s oldest books.) The main tourist spot in central

Dublin is an area called the Temple Bar (http://www.dublinstemplebar. com), located on the south bank of the River Liffey. While it has a few American imports like TGI Fridays, most of the area has local cafes, pubs, and street musicians. It’s promoted as the city’s cultural quarter. We had a great tour of Temple Bar and many other sites through a free walking tour offered by Dublin Walking Tour (http://tinyurl.com/ nvmzxy3). Peter Gormley was our guide – he and his business partners started the free tours earlier this year. The 2.5 hour tour we took focused on the South Side. We saw the grounds of the aforementioned Trinity College, and stopped at Dublin Castle, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral, the Dubh Linn Gardens, Ha’Penny Bridge, and heard some of the history about the Vikings in Dublin. Dublin Walking Tour also offers paid tours, for 12 euros, including “Sex and the City” (which includes LGBTs); “City of Music,” “City of Literature,” and the “Whiskey and Beer Tour.” Speaking of beer and whiskey, two places not to be missed are the Guinness Storehouse and Old Jameson Distillery. I left Vicky, who doesn’t drink, to do family research, and headed out. First up was Guinness (http:// www.guinness-storehouse.com), located in the heart of St. James’s Gate Brewery. The storehouse is billed as Ireland’s number one visitor attraction and is a short walk from city center. Guinness was established in 1759, by Arthur Guinness when he signed a 9,000-year lease. The selfguided tour lets you see up close the barley, yeast, and hops that are used, as well as see old advertising for the brand and other attractions. The highlight, though, is at the end when you reach the Gravity Bar on the seventh floor. The panoramic views of Dublin are a treat, as was the complimentary pint. (Tour cost is 16.50 euros.) The Old Jameson Distillery (www.jamesonwhiskey.com) is a short distance from Guinness, and it was also very interesting. It’s a guided tour and sells out quickly. The building dates back to 1780 but Jameson doesn’t actually make its whiskey there anymore. The guide said that production is now done in the city of Cork. Jameson is tripledistilled, resulting in smooth whiskey. The tour concluded with a tasting. (Cost: 14 euros.) One of the best dinners we had was at a restaurant called The Church, which is in – you guessed it – an old sanctuary. The Church (http://www.thechurch.ie), like many eateries, features live Irish music and we thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment as well as the food. It was not cheap, but worth it for a splurge night out. Another great restaurant was Fiorentina (http://fiorentina.ie/), which bills itself as the home of Italian dining in Dublin.

Cynthia Laird

Members of Dublin’s police department check their instruments before the start of the Dublin Pride parade.

Cynthia Laird

The Ha’Penny Bridge crosses the River Liffey in central Dublin.

Dublin Pride

Dublin Pride weekend saw gay bars overflowing with people and rainbow flags along the River Liffey. There were posters promoting Pride in many shop windows. Vicky, whose day job is a judge on the Alameda County Superior Court, was invited to speak at a reception held by Transgender Equality Network Ireland, or TENI. Chief Executive Broden Giambrone, a trans man originally from Toronto, Canada, talked about the importance of trans visibility at Pride. TENI recently issued the “Stop Transphobia and Discrimination Report,” which started last year to raise awareness about transphobic violence in the country and enable the trans community to report hate crimes and incidents in a safe environment. Like in the U.S. there is an underreporting of crimes to police, mostly because of the belief that nothing would be done by the authorities. Vicky, who became the first out trans elected trial judge in the U.S. with her election to the bench in 2010, brought greetings from the U.S. and talked about the importance of networking and leveraging connections with other organizations. Among those in attendance at the reception was Sara R. Phillips, TENI’s board chair. She explained that the nine-year-old organization was formed out of a support group in 2005. It runs on an annual budget of 200,000 euros. Phillips, 53, is a trans woman who said there is a need for TENI since Ireland does not have gender recognition laws or gender identity nondiscrimination laws. “It’s not included in other legislation,” she said. TENI’s main areas of work revolve around advocacy, health education, and support. TENI is hoping to provide more direct services; it recently received funding from a national suicide prevention group. Also on hand was gay county councilor Chris Curran, 43. He’s on one of four councils – Dun Laoghaire – that represent Dublin and was just elected in May to a five-year term. Curran is a member of the Sinn Fein Party, which has a long political history in the country.

Curran expects a marriage referendum to go before voters next year; right now the country has civil partnerships, which he said “kind of falls down” with regard to rights to children. For example, civil partners aren’t allowed to adopt children as a couple and can’t have joint guardianship over children. The Pride parade itself was held Saturday, June 28, under sunny skies. The parade included the requisite hot bodies, drag queens, companies that have a presence in Ireland such as Google, which brought its Android balloon, and others. This year marked the first year that Dublin’s police, known as the garda, were allowed to march in uniform and they had a contingent just ahead of TENI’s group. It was reported in the local press that this year’s parade attracted 50,000 people, the biggest crowd ever. The parade route went through town and across the River Liffey, ending near a park. There was no festival per se, instead grand marshals and other notables gave speeches and drag queens provided entertainment. Afterwards, it seemed like much of the crowd headed to the various gay bars for the afternoon.

West, Northern Ireland

After five days in Dublin, we rented a car and set out for the western part of the country; Vicky’s ancestors came from County Sligo, located in what is popularly known as Yeats Country, after W. B. Yeats, the famous Irish poet. (His grave is in Drumcliff, which we stopped to see.) County Sligo is also known for Benbulben, a majestic rock formation that can be seen from throughout the area. We stayed a night at the Radisson Hotel in Sligo, and had a room with a view of it. From there, we continued north, marveling at the lush countryside and plentiful farmland as we arrived in Northern Ireland. Our first stop was Derry, or Londonderry, depending on your political perspective of Irish history. Suffice it to say, Northern Ireland has a lengthy history of fighting between Catholics and Protestants. And while there was a historic Good Friday Peace Agreement signed in 1998, there can still be some tension. See page 7 >>

Politics>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 7

Gay sports legend receives SF street naming honor by Matthew S. Bajko

gay sports legend is being honored by the city of San Francisco with having an alleyway named after him. This week the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted 11-0 to rename Lech Walesa Alley to Dr. Tom Waddell Place. The alley between Polk Street and Van Ness Avenue runs behind the main offices of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Waddell, a gay man who competed for the U.S. at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, is best known for creating the Gay Games. He lost a legal battle to continue using his original name for the LGBT sporting event, the Gay Olympics. In the 1980s he went to work for the city’s public health department at its City Clinic located on what had been called Ivy Alley. In 1986 the city renamed that block of Ivy in honor of Walesa, who led Poland’s solidarity labor movement and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. After Waddell’s death in 1987, the city renamed the clinic in his honor, though it was relocated last summer. Now housed at 50 Lech Walesa Alley is the Tom Waddell Urgent Care Center. Due to several instances of Walesa spewing homophobic remarks, LGBT advocates demanded that his name be stripped from the street. As noted in the Bay Area Reporter’s Jock Talk sports column last week, local LGBT sports advocates and Waddell’s family also urged the board’s land use committee at its July 21 meeting to support the name change. With a positive recommendation from the committee, the board voted Tuesday, July 29 without comment to rechristen the street after Waddell. It is unclear when the new street signs will be unveiled. “It is long overdue. Tom Waddell was one of the greatest leaders in the history of our community,” said gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, one of five co-sponsors of the namechange resolution. “In particular, in light of Lech Walesa’s homophobic comments, it is a win-win in terms of renaming the street for Tom Waddell.” It is the second time this year the city has designated a street on behalf of an LGBT icon. In late June the name of Vicki Marlane was added to street signs along the 100 block of Turk Street. Marlane, who died in 2011 at the age of 76 due to AIDS-related complications, hosted a popular drag revue show at gay bar Aunt Charlie’s located at 133 Turk. She is the first transgender person to be honored with a street naming in San Francisco. The city has now named five streets for LGBT people. A block of 16th Street in the Castro is Jose Sarria Court, named after the first gay man and drag queen to seek public office in the city. A block of Myrtle Street near City Hall is named for lesbian author Al-

Ireland

From page 6

In fact, while we were on a walking tour of the wall in Derry, our guide pointed to old furniture and other items that were gathered on a street corner for a bonfire several days later. Derry is a famous walled city along the River Foyle, and much of the old walls are still intact. Our walking tour took us on top of and around the wall, with our guide from Martin McCrossan City Walk-

Courtesy Kaiser Permanente

The Board of supervisors has approved renaming a San Francisco street in honor of Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell.

ice B. Toklas, who was born nearby. And Jack Kerouac Alley in North Beach honors the bisexual Beat Generation writer.

Out members join SF oversight panels

A trio of LGBT community members has won seats on three oversight panels in San Francisco. This week the supervisors unanimously backed Board President David Chiu’s decision to nominate lesbian attorney Bobbie J. Wilson to a seat on the board of appeals and Dennis Richards, a gay man active in Castro development issues, to a seat on the planning commission. Richards works at Salesforce and is a longtime former president of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association. He is the sole out member on the powerful body that oversees development in the city. A litigation partner at Perkins Coie LLP, Wilson will be the second lesbian on the appeals board. She will serve alongside Arcelia Hurtado, its current vice president. Also this week Mayor Ed Lee named Zoe Dunning, a lesbian who serves as co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, to the city’s library commission. Dunning, a retired Navy Reserve commander best known for her work to overturn the military’s homophobic “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, took her oath of office Wednesday, July 30. Of the three being tapped to serve, Wiener said, “It is great. We have had LGBT people under-represented on the more prominent city commissions.” Wiener, who has spoken out about the need for more LGBT city commissioners since being elected four years ago, gave credit to both the mayor and Chiu for selecting out nominees. This week the mayor re-appointed Leslie Katz, a lesbian former supervisor, to the port commission. He also named Zoon Nguyen, a lesbian who served as the city’s interim assessor-recorder for several months in late 2012 and early 2013, to the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority Board of Directors. Among the more high profile oversight bodies, LGBT representaing Tours (www.derrycitytours. com) pointing out a court building that was bombed by the IRA and peace murals that were painted near where fighting once broke out. After a night in Derry, we continued along the northern coast, stopping at Giant’s Causeway. A unique rock formation, Giant’s Causeway (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giantscauseway) is steeped in myth and legend, carved from the coast by the mighty giant, Finn McCool. On the science side, it’s a geological wonder

tion is still missing, noted Wiener, on the commissions for the airport and for recreation and parks. “I know both the mayor and the board have been trying,” he said. The board’s other gay supervisor, David Campos, voted last week to support Wilson and Richards when their nominations came before the board’s rules committee Thursday, July 24, on which he serves. “I have been saying for a long time we need an LGBT voice on all commissions and planning is one of them,” said Campos during the hearing. While he hailed the pair’s selection, Campos also got in a dig at Chiu, with whom he is locked in a heated battle for a state Assembly seat this fall. “I am pleasantly surprised this board president would put your name forward,” Campos told Richards. It was a sentiment he shared about Wilson’s nomination and Chiu’s decision to nominate planning commissioner Kathrin Moore to a third term. “Election time makes politicians do certain things, and sometimes, the right thing,” said Campos. In introducing his picks to the rules committee, Chiu noted how qualified they each were and predicted they would “serve these bodies extremely well.”

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Trans advocate headlines Milk club dinner

CeCe McDonald, a Minneapolis transgender woman who was imprisoned for what her supporters called an act of self-defense, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club’s annual dinner gala. The club will also honor McDonald with its Bayard Rustin Civil Rights Award. After defending herself against a racist, transphobic assault in July 2011, during which she killed Dean Schmitz with a pair of scissors, McDonald was charged with second-degree murder. She had faced at least 10 years in prison but accepted a plea deal for a second-degree manslaughter charge. Her case drew national attention and calls for federal officials to investigate. After serving 17 months in prison, McDonald was released in January. Since then she has become an outspoken advocate and media commentator. The Emmy-nominated transgender actress Laverne Cox is working with her on a documentary about her case titled Free CeCe. The Milk club is covering McDonald’s travel costs in order for her to attend its annual fundraising event. “So excited. We worked hard to make this happen,” said club copresident Laura Thomas. “She symbolizes so much of what the Harvey Milk club has been working on this year.” This year’s dinner and awards presentation takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, August 7 at City College of San Francisco’s Mission Campus, 1125 Valencia Street. Tickets cost $80 per person, $40 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online at http://tinyurl.com/o93bwde.t

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with over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of volcanic and geological activity, according to a brochure from the site. Giant’s causeway is a World Heritage Site and part of the National Trust. You can walk out on the rocks, and there are also advanced walking trails. (Tickets are 8.50 pounds for adults.) In the nearby small town of Bushmills, we had to tour the Bushmills Distillery (7.50 pounds). Yet another great Irish whiskey, tripleSee page 8 >>

H O T E L R E N E W B YA S TO N . C O M

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<< Sports

8 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Mixed messages by Roger Brigham

he march from Neanderthal abyss to blissful nirvana is marked by great forward strides and occasional stumbles backwards. The professional sports world gave us a bit of both this month. The hiring of former Major League Baseball player Billy Bean as MLB’s ambassador for inclusion is one of those great strides that was nearly unthinkable during Bean’s playing days. There were no role models for gay baseball players when Bean was an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers in the late 1980s. Only one MLB player had ever come out of the closet – Glenn Burke, after his retirement from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s, – and the sport had essentially turned its back on him. For eight years Bean played ball and kept his sexuality secret before finally abandoning his career in his chosen sport. He left, as he says now, “for all the wrong reasons,” believing there was no way he would be

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accepted is he disclosed his sexuality. All that changed this month when MLB announced his hire. “MLB saw what was happening with players in other sports coming out – players like Jason Collins and Michael Sam,” Bean told the Bay Area Reporter. “They felt the need to be in front of the curve. My hiring is about the idea of empowering people. If they had something like this when I was a player, I would not have quit. I would have felt someone out there actually cared about me.” Bean said he will meet with players and teams, write a blog on mlb.com, and use social media to spread a culture of inclusion in baseball. “We’re going to start by making sure every team from the big leagues on down has a workplace environment that is inclusive and supportive,” Bean, 50, said. “It’s easy to presume everyone knows the same things. But players come from many different cultures. We need to expose players to education that shows an inclusive environment. Baseball is looking out for itself in this way with the most modern resources and understanding of our culture.” Bean said the homophobia he ex-

Ireland

From page 7

distilled and smooth. The process was similar to that at Jameson, and in fact, Bushmills (www.bushmills. com) bottles some Jameson whiskey, which we saw on our tour. I enjoyed the free samples while Vicky tried to connect to the Internet. (Getting a connection was by far one of the most challenging aspects of the trip, whether it was free WiFi at various venues or the access at our hotels, some of which was free

LGBT archives

From page 1

officials to proactively approach the company. “This location has been terrific for the museum. It’s become a key part of the Castro’s cultural draw and it’s helping our neighborhood stay connected to our LGBT past,” said Wiener. “It is important the museum continue, and I am glad to see they are thinking ahead and reaching out to Walgreens to seek a lease extension.”

Jose Julio Sarria Jose Julio Sarria Empress I Jose, the Widow Norton Empress I Jose, the Widow Norton Online Estate Auction Online Estate Auction Aug 1-11, 1-11,2014 2014 Aug

perienced in and out of baseball was often unspoken but never out of sight. “Homophobia is inherent in so many parts of our culture that it still seems okay and we have to unlearn what is ingrained in us,” Bean said. “In 10 years of playing professionally, no one called me a bad name. But my father was an ex-Marine and he used the word ‘faggot.’ I wasn’t being called names as a player, but I was hiding a big secret. Our ultimate goal now is to put the best, healthiest product on the field.” For Bean, his work will be less about talking about gay rights and more about working for a culture that respects all individuals regardless of gender or orientation. While baseball appeared to be moving forward, football was stumbling around with the rambling comments of former NFL coach and current NBC analyst Tony Dungy and the inexplicably light disciplining of a player for knocking a woman unconscious in Atlantic City. Dungy stuck his foot in his mouth by saying he would not have drafted Sam because of the “distractions” his team would be subjected to after he came out. Dungy’s apologists immediately began to try to parse his words in a way to suggest he wasn’t being homophobic, but the bottom line remained that he was saying teams should not take openly gay

players. Period. “I don’t expect Tony Dungy expected his comments to create such a reaction,” Bean said. “He’s an intelligent man who’s been out there for years in the public eye. One thing we need to educate players about are the ramifications of what they say.” More stunning was the decision by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice a mere two games for punching his then-

fiancee unconscious in an Atlantic City casino. Video of Rice dragging an unconscious Janay Palmer out of a casino elevator has been disseminated on the Internet and police reportedly have security footage of the actual battery. Rice and Palmer held a bizarre news conference in May to discuss the incident. In that conference, Palmer apologized for getting beaten up and Rice said, “Sometimes in life, you will get knocked down.” I guess so – and if you are really lucky, your assailant will drag you out of the elevator instead of leaving you lying there on the floor blocking traffic. Thank goodness Rice wasn’t caught smoking a joint. He’d have been suspended an entire year for that. The “message” that football sent this month is that the rights of women and gays are minor distractions that do not deserve serious and equal consideration. Homophobia is an acceptable basis for personnel decisions. Domestic violence is part of the acceptable norm rather than an act that undermines basic decency and humanity. That might be interesting territory for the NFL to cover in any sensitivity classes it demands of its players when they run afoul of the league. If so, Goodell and his colleagues might want to consider auditing the course.t

and some of which we paid for.) Our last stop in Northern Ireland was Belfast, where we returned the rental car and checked into our hotel in the Titanic Quarter. Belfast reminded me of Oakland, gritty with lots of vacant commercial spaces. Right now the city is trying to revitalize the Titanic Quarter, with apartments, condos, and restaurants, but it’s not quite there yet. Titanic Belfast (www.titanicbelfast. com) is a great addition, however, and delves into much more than the sinking of the “unsinkable” ship in 1912.

The Titanic museum opened in April 2012, timed with the 100th anniversary of the tragedy. It offers exhibits on what life was like in Belfast before the ship was built, the hardscrabble life of the thousands of construction workers, and, of course, the fateful maiden voyage. There are exhibits of the cabins, the china, and other artifacts. Admission for the Titanic museum is about 16.50 pounds. For a few pounds more, I’d recommend getting the add-on Titanic’s Dock and PumpHouse tour. It is a short walk from the main museum; the dry-dock is where

Titanic last sat on dry ground. You can walk down around the dry dock, and see the pumps, which could empty the dock in 100 minutes. Added bonus, on the way to the dry dock you walk by Titanic Studios, one of the places where Game of Thrones is filmed. We stumbled upon a funky burger joint for dinner, the Alley Cat (http:// www.alleycatbelfast.com), near the Spires Mall. The mall also has a free observation deck where you can see a panoramic view of the city. All in all, we had a great time on the Emerald Isle.t

Search underway for archive space

if not more than a decade,” he said. “We are not trying to just move to a cheaper office. We want to find a discounted space well suited for the needs of the archive.” The Board of Supervisors, at the request of Wiener, set aside $100,000 in city funding in the 2014-2015 fiscal year budget earmarked for LGBT archival work. Administered by the city’s Grants for the Arts program, the funding is expected to assist the GLBT Historical Society in covering the cost of moving its archival collection to a new location. “We are working with the society over the next few years to try to help make sure they are going to be able to have a really good space to move to,” said Wiener. The money is in addition to the $50,000 Mayor Ed Lee designated for the historical society in his budget. The funding is a continuation of the fiscal support the nonprofit has received from the city for several years now. According to its most recent tax filing, for 2012, the society’s revenue was $448,701 while expenses totaled $509,133, resulting in a deficit of $60,432. In June the historical society launched a fundraising cam-

paign highlighting to its donors the “multiple serious challenges” it is facing, from the need for a new archival space to its museum lease. Boneberg, who earns $71,757 a year, declined to state how much the society would like to raise. He did say this week that the appeal for donations “has gone very well.” The nonprofit recently received a $75,000 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, part of the National Archives, to complete a survey of its audiovisual and photograph collections, process as much of its backlog of nearly 200 linear feet as possible, and prioritize materials for future digitization. The society is using the funding to hire a second, full-time archivist to oversee the project, called “Visions and Voices of GLBT History.” “The Mary Richards collection is an example of the materials we’ll be able to process thanks to this grant,” stated Marjorie Bryer, the society’s archivist. “It contains more than 150 audiotaped interviews with notable community leaders, such as Jose Sarria and Pat Norman.” For more information about the society and its museum or archives, visit http://www.glbthistory.org/.t

He goes above and beyond to make the lecture entertaining *still in love with disco cardinalities, yo!* ...” one anonymous person wrote in April 2008. The comments on Landis have since been taken down. In an emailed statement, USF spokeswoman Anne-Marie Devine said Landis has not taught at the school “since the end of the Fall 2013 semester when this first surfaced. He was an adjunct faculty member (hence employed semester

to semester) who was not renewed for the Spring 2014 semester.” Landis had “taught as an adjunct at USF for less than two years,” Devine said. She added that school officials had done an internal investigation when the allegations against Landis “came to light” in November. “Out of respect for the parties involved, details of that investigation will remain private.” San Francisco State spokeswoman See page 10 >>

Having spent a decade in its current Mission Street location, the historical society plans to relocate its offices and archives within the next 18 months. The archive, according to society officials, is one of the largest collections of queer historic materials in the world. Among its holdings are 517 manuscript collections ranging in size from one folder to more than 100 linear feet; 4,000-plus periodical titles with complete runs of many historic publications; more than 70 linear feet of ephemera dating to the 1910s; and approximately 80,000 photographs, with the earliest images from the 1880s. “Our space needs are paramount. It has to be a location large enough, 5,000 square feet minimum,” said Boneberg. “It has to be secure. It has to be wheelchair accessible. It has to be climate controlled.” While the society is “willing to look anywhere” in the Bay Area for a new site for its archives, said Boneberg, it would like to remain in San Francisco since the city has been a major financial backer over the years. “What we want to do is find a home that is affordable and functional for us for at least a decade,

<< Bentley’s Auction www.auctionsouthwest.com Bentley’s Auction To auctionsouthwest.com view the lots, visit website. To view the Lots, click Bentley’s Proceeds to benefit documentary on Jose Proceeds to benefit documentary on Jose

Toilet recordings

From page 2

will be amending the complaint.” The next court date is September 9.

Teaching career

Not all students who commented on Landis on the Rate My Professors site were fans of the professor, but many gave him high marks. “Definitely a keeper!!! Mark is a big nerd but a caring and cute one.

Billy Bean spent 10 years in the major leagues; he’s now ambassador for inclusion for Major League Baseball.

Community News>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 9

AIDS agency in retail, pharmacy disputes by Seth Hemmelgarn

Los Angeles-based AIDS organization with operations in the Bay Area is in dispute with a San Francisco hospice and the city’s planning process over some of its retail and pharmacy space. In one battle, Maitri Hospice is trying to evict the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Out of the Closet thrift store from Maitri’s property at 100 Church Street. In a San Francisco Superior Court lawsuit filed in October, Maitri, which provides 24-hour residential care to people living with AIDS, claims that AHF hasn’t paid the rent for the thrift shop space since last August. AHF also uses the location for a pharmacy and other services. AHF is supposed to pay the hospice $25,185 a month to rent the Church Street space from October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2018, as well as $100 a month to use the garage area. The larger nonprofit should also pay the annual property taxes on the space, according to Maitri. In an interview about the complaint, Tom Myers, AHF’s general counsel, was supportive of Maitri’s services but said, “The rent they’re seeking is way out of proportion to what the market will bear.” AHF filed a response in December, denying Maitri’s allegations and denying that the hospice “sustained or will sustain damages ... at all.”

In late June, Maitri filed an unlawful detainer complaint, according to court records. In a phone message, Maitri Executive Director Michael Smithwick said he couldn’t talk about the eviction move “since we’re in active litigation,” but he said his agency filed the unlawful detainer complaint against AHF “seeking to remove them from the property due to their failure to pay the required rent and fees.” AHF has filed responses related to the process but officials with the nonprofit haven’t provided comment on the eviction to the Bay Area Reporter.

Castro space

In another dispute, AHF, which has operated a pharmacy in the Castro for years, is trying to open a new pharmacy at 518 Castro Street, the location that formerly housed Under One Roof ’s nonprofit retail shop. But some neighborhood advocates and the neighborhood’s supervisor say that the AIDS agency is trying to avoid going through the city’s normal permitting procedures by claiming that the new space wouldn’t fall under formula retail guidelines. AHF spokesman Ged Kenslea said the group is moving its Church Street pharmacy to 518 Castro. The new space will include the pharmacy and medical offices. The two areas would each be about 2,000 square feet. He didn’t know how much the

Rick Gerharter

The building at the corner of Duboce and Church streets is shared by Out of the Closet on the first floor and Maitri Hospice on the second floor.

agency is paying for the location. In December AHF approached the planning department about moving in its pharmacists and clinical staff. At first the nonprofit was granted its permits over the counter and began work on the space. Yet after construction had commenced, city planners revisited their decision on the permits. In January, Zoning Administrator Scott Sanchez ruled that AHF had to seek a conditional use permit from the planning commission in order to change the allowable use from retail to medical because it was moving into a space larger than 2,000 square feet.

He also determined that AHF needed to address if it fell under the city’s formula retail rules, which require any business with 11 or more locations in the U.S. to seek a conditional use permit. AHF appealed to the city’s Board of Appeals, and in March, the oversight body ruled that it did not need to seek permits to turn the storefront into a medical use. But the board did determine that AHF, because it operates 28 pharmacies, triggered the formula retail rules and was required to seek approval from the planning commission. Subsequent to the vote, AHF in-

formed the planning department it would operate the new space under the name “Castro Pharmacy.” The decision prompted Sanchez in April to request the appeals board to reverse its decision and grant AHF its permits. The zoning administrator’s latest determination prompted the various community groups and AIDS agencies to appeal his decision. The AHF issue is expected to be heard at the Board of Appeals August 20. Andrea Aiello, executive director of the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, said in a recent interview, “It seems like the planning department is not weighing in or considering subsidiaries. Anything can happen ... McDonald’s can move onto Castro Street and call themselves Castro Hamburger and the community has no say in it.” Supervisor Scott Wiener, whose District 8 includes the Castro, said the suggested name change highlighted what he calls a “loophole” in the city’s rules, and the Board of Supervisors recently passed a resolution to close that loophole. Wiener noted Hamburger Mary’s and Philz Coffee are also trying to open new locations in the neighborhoods. Those outfits are complying with the process. “Whether it’s those projects or AIDS Healthcare Foundation, these See page 10 >>

AIDS confab focuses on HIV prevention, cure by Liz Highleyman

he key theme of the 20th International AIDS Conference, which recently concluded in Melbourne, Australia, was “stepping up the pace” to broaden global access to HIV testing and treatment, but participants also heard new data about biomedical HIV prevention, research toward a cure, and managing related conditions such as hepatitis C. “Science is back at the AIDS conference,” proclaimed outgoing International AIDS Society President Francoise Barré-Sinoussi.

HIV treatment

With current antiretroviral therapy being so effective and well tolerated, little research was presented on new HIV drugs or treatment strategies. Much more attention focused on how to get existing drugs to everyone who needs them. According to the latest UNAIDS Gap Report, out of estimated 35 million people living with HIV worldwide, approximately 16 million know their status and 13 million were on treatment at the end of 2013. “Smarter scale-up is needed to close the gap between people who know their HIV status and people who don’t, people who can get services and people who can’t, and people who are protected and people who are punished,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe. Regarding antiretroviral therapy, investigators with the MODERN trial reported that the HIV entry inhibitor maraviroc (Selzentry) failed to suppress viral load as well as Truvada (the tenofovir/emtricitabine combination pill) when combined with the protease inhibitor darunavir (Prezista) in people starting treatment for the first time. An Italian team found that the widely used NNRTI drug efavirenz (Sustiva, also in the Atripla combination pill) did not increase the likelihood of neurocognitive impairment in people with HIV, despite its well-known association

with psychiatric side effects such as vivid dreams and hallucinations, and its possible link to increased suicide risk.

Search for a cure

Several researchers presented cure-related research at AIDS 2014 and an IAS pre-conference focused on research toward an HIV cure. Jintanat Ananworanich from the U.S. Military HIV Research Program gave an overview of the topic. While a few unusual cases – including Berlin patient Timothy Brown, a pair of Boston bone marrow transplant patients, and a child in Mississippi – offer proof-of-concept that long-term control of HIV off treatment is possible, success will probably require a combination approach. Such an approach might involve drugs that activate latent or hidden HIV in resting T-cells, gene therapy to protect cells from viral entry, and vaccines or other immune-based therapies to strengthen natural immune responses against the virus. Deborah Persaud from Johns Hopkins gave an update on the Mississippi baby – now age 4 – who was started on combination antiretroviral therapy 30 hours after birth. The child managed to control HIV for more than two years after treatment was stopped, but just before the conference researchers reported that detectable virus had come back. “Remission is probably a better term to use than cure,” said conference Co-Chair Sharon Lewin from Monash University. “We’ve realized in the past year that the virus can really hang around for a very long time and pop up unexpectedly.” The so-called shock and kill strategy involves reactivating latent viral genetic material in resting CD4 Tcells. Once the virus wakes up and starts replicating, it becomes visible to the immune system and susceptible to antiretroviral drugs. Ole Sogaard from Aarhus University in Denmark described his team’s research using the cancer drug romidepsin to kick cells con-

Liz Highleyman

Philip Read, left, and Gottfried Hirnschall presented new WHO guidelines at the International AIDS Conference.

taining dormant HIV out of their resting state. In a study of six people with long-term viral suppression on antiretrovirals, the researchers found that romidepsin did activate resting cells and trigger HIV production, but this did not appear to shrink the size of the viral reservoir. This was the “first evidence that we can identify latent HIV and shock it out of hiding in people, but once it gets out, we have to kill it,” explained Steven Deeks from UCSF. “The Mississippi and Boston cases make me wonder if we will ever get rid of the entire reservoir. We may get rid of a big chunk of it, but we need a way to control what’s left.”

Prevention news

As reported previously, before the start of the conference the World Health Organization released new guidelines for HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care for key affected populations, which include men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. One of the major changes was the recommendation that gay and bisexual men who are at risk for HIV infection consider using antiretroviral drugs for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. While some news outlets reported that WHO advised all gay men to start Truvada,

this was far from the reality. The guidelines state that PrEP is “an additional prevention option for men who want it” as part of a comprehensive set of services that would also include condoms, counseling, and addressing legal and policy barriers that impede access to services, IAS incoming President Chris Beyrer stressed at a media briefing. On Tuesday Robert Grant from the Gladstone Institutes presented the latest data from the iPrEx OpenLabel Extension, a follow-up to the pivotal trial of Truvada PrEP for gay men and transgender women. The initial iPrEx study showed that once-daily Truvada reduced the risk of HIV infection by 44 percent overall, rising to more than 90 percent among participants with blood drug levels indicating consistent use. OLE included people from the original trial who were given the opportunity to stay on PrEP. About three-quarters did so, with the rest serving as an untreated control group; concern about side effects was the main reason given for deciding not to continue on Truvada. Among people who chose to stay on PrEP – whether they actually took it regularly or not – the annual HIV incidence rate was 1.8 percent, compared to 2.6 percent for those who opted out, for an overall effi-

cacy of about 50 percent. However, among participants who took at least four doses of Truvada per week, according to drug levels in blood samples, there were no new HIV infections, or 100 percent efficacy. Effectiveness fell to 84 percent for those who took two or three doses, and PrEP showed no significant efficacy for those who took fewer than two weekly doses. Only about one-third of OLE participants took Truvada regularly, with younger people being less likely to do so. But adherence was better among people who reported more condomless sex or more sexual partners, indicating that they adjusted their adherence based on perceived risk. This analysis also confirmed that taking antiretrovirals for prevention did not increase sexual risk-taking. “These results demonstrate that PrEP remains highly effective, even in real-world circumstances in which adherence may not be perfect,” said Grant. Another ongoing study, the French IPERGAY trial, is looking at intermittent or “on demand” PrEP used before and after sex rather than every day. Participants take two Truvada or placebo pills two to 24 hours before they expect to have sex, then two more pills at 24 and 48 hours afterwards. While data on effectiveness are not yet available, adherence results are promising. About 80 percent of participants reported that they had used PrEP the last time they had sex, which was supported by blood drug levels. Based on pill counts, they took an average of 15 pills per month, meaning they were on PrEP about half the time. While people who have a lot of sex may benefit more from consistent daily PrEP, intermittent use may be a good option for people who have sex less frequently but on a predictable schedule, research showed.t A longer version of this column is online at ebar.com.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Housing co-op

From page 3

he said. “Projects like this are the solution to the current housing crisis: to take land off the market, make it affordable, then it can’t be targeted by speculators. This, to me, is the dream, to stop the evictions. It’s exciting to see this house come back to life. It’s an LGBT landmark. We are going to raise the funds.” The cost for living at Marty’s Place would be $800 per month for a single bedroom and $450 per month for a shared room. The building will operate as a co-op with nine shared owners. Recruitment is scheduled to begin in August and will include monthly education meetings that will teach the residents how to stew-

Syringe bill

From page 1

Act, without a sunset date in it. He also removed the cap placed on the number of syringes a person could buy at one time. His intention was to make over the counter syringe sales “a permanent part” of public health strategy in the state, as he stressed in a summary about the bill. Yet after public safety groups expressed concerns about the lack of an expiration date for the legislation, Ting added a five-year sunset to his bill in order to clear its path for adoption. The bill would still remove the current cap of 30 syringes per sale. “We had some nominal law enforcement opposition, so we worked with them to get their opposition off,” Ting told the Bay Area Reporter in an interview last week. “If we didn’t do something and the law sunsetted, we would be one of only three states in the country not doing this. We aren’t innovating here, we are lagging on this issue.”

Toilet recordings

From page 8

Ellen Griffin said Landis was appointed at the school in 2006 as an assistant professor and had been on leave since November. He was an associate professor when he officially resigned July 18. “I’m not aware of his reasons for resigning,” Griffin said. Asked whether students had complained about Landis, she said she was referring questions to the district attorney’s office. According to Griffin, Landis’s salary “would have been in the range of $114,000.”

Eviction

Apparently, despite a six-figure income, Landis wasn’t able to pay his rent. William McDonagh, his landlord, filed an unlawful detainer

AIDS agency

From page 9

projects all need to be treated equally and fairly,” Wiener said. It would set “a terrible precedent to say all you have to do is tweak your name” and a business is automatically “no longer formula retail,” he said. Asked whether AHF changed the pharmacy name to avoid the city’s

Park death

From page 1

to know who’s next ... .” He gave his own phone number and said, “Those fucking faggots, they should have never been born. If you want to do something, you better pay attention.” Diaz had then called from his own phone and said a “mysterious” person had called him and said they’d “killed a gay person” and told Diaz that he was “next.” Douglas said the case is about “Lies, lies, and more lies.” Among other problems, she said, Diaz had told police that he’d hung

ard a co-op. All household decisions will be made through a democratic vote. Residents are also expected to demonstrate their ability to work with neighbors. It’s hoped that the first set of residents will move in by next spring. The first donation was received during the news conference. Paul Evan of Calamus Fellowship, an organization dedicated to preserving the history and uniqueness of men who love and have sex with other men, handed a check for $1,000 to a beaming Parent. “The sky’s the limit,” said Avicolli Mecca. He noted that tech companies would be welcome contributors to the project. “We have not yet received any

funding from the tech companies, but we are perfectly willing to work with them,” he said. Brian Basinger, director of the AIDS Housing Alliance/San Francisco, was also at the news conference. “I’m so proud of the powerful alliance of progressive housing and tenant organizations that have come together to make our dream of preserving Marty’s Place as an asset for the HIV/AIDS communities and look forward to the day very soon when Marty’s Place will once again be a place for people with HIV/ AIDS to call home,” Basinger said. The SF Community Land Trust will kick off its fundraising effort with an event Sunday, August 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. For details, visit www.sfclt.org.t

In April, the Assembly passed AB 1743, without the inclusion of the sunset clause, by a vote of 46-26. It is expected the state Senate will take up the bill the first week of August, and if adopted, the Assembly will then need to vote on it again due to the change. It would then be sent to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature. Health officials and AIDS advocates support supplying clean syringes to intravenous drug users as a preventative measure to reduce the spread of HIV as well as hepatitis C and B. Both the California Department of Public Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found allowing adults to purchase sterile syringes is an effective tool in stopping the spread of the sexually transmitted diseases. According to Ting’s office, research conducted in California by state health officials found that the rate of syringe sharing in areas where syringe sales without a prescription were authorized “was lower than” areas where syringes were not available over the counter.

Adoption of his bill would be “at no cost to the state,” noted the bill summary from Ting’s office. The San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Drug Policy Alliance are the lead sponsors of Ting’s bill. Laura Thomas, the Drug Policy Alliance’s deputy state director for California, expressed frustration with the need for a sunset in the bill when contacted by the B.A.R. this week. “It is frustrating we have to continue to take sunsets on the bills. The evidence, research, and experience in California and other states is overwhelming that these programs work,” said Thomas. “They are effective and don’t increase crime.” Yet the sponsors signed off on the sunset, she said, because they understand “it is part of the compromise of the legislative process.” As of now there is no stated opposition to Ting’s revised bill, thus Thomas said she expects it to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the governor. “I do feel optimistic about this,” she said.t

complaint against him in April, according to court documents. The complaint says that since November, Landis and Hoi Le had failed to pay a total of $1,210 in rent on their apartment on the 4000 block of 17th Street. The men had signed a lease on the unit in March 2010 and their monthly rent had most recently been $2,585, the records say. A notice on the door of Landis’s former apartment said that it had been restored to the landlord June 25. A peek through a window showed no furniture in the kitchen or living room. McDonagh and Le couldn’t be reached for comment. Thom Fraleigh, 26, was sitting outside his apartment near Landis’s former home last Friday, July 25. Fraleigh said a pair of handcuffs had been on Landis’s door about three or four

months ago and police had been outside. He’d also seen notices pile up on the door for the rent not being paid. Farleigh, who’s lived in his apartment for just over a year, didn’t recognize Landis’s name and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever even seen him.” He had “no idea” about parties going on at the apartment but his unit, which is across a small courtyard from Landis’s is “fairly” isolated sound-wise, he said. He indicated he didn’t know anything about the allegations against Landis. Ngo, Landis’s attorney, wouldn’t say whether his client is still living in San Francisco. He said he doesn’t know if Landis identifies as gay.t

conditional use process, Kenslea said, “I don’t know if that’s true. We have been operating as AHF pharmacy.” He also said the Wiener-backed resolution “specifically targets” AHF, which is “really remarkable.” “We will be challenging it legally,” Kenslea said. Local AIDS activist Michael Pe-

trelis, who’s running to unseat Wiener in November, has called for a boycott of AHF Pharmacy in response to the nonprofit’s stance against using Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly referred to as PrEP. The treatment involves taking Truvada, which is manufactured by Gilead, once a day. The regimen has been shown to be effective at reducing HIV infection rates if used as prescribed.t

out with Canul-Arguello in the Castro but had walked off after. He “didn’t say I went to the park with Freddy,” or that he choked Canul-Arguello or set him on fire, Douglas said of a conversation Diaz had with police. Instead, she said, he’d told homicide Inspector Daniel Dedet that Canul-Arguello had fought with another man, and Diaz had called Dedet “four to six times” with supposed leads. Police arrested Diaz about six weeks after Canul-Arguello’s death. Douglas also said acting Chief Medical Examiner Amy Hart would testify that Canul-Arguello had suffered three fractures to his cricoid cartilage,

which would have taken “a significant amount of force.” Hart would also say Diaz would have had to choke CanulArguello for several minutes for him to die, Douglas said. The medical examiner’s office listed the cause of death as asphyxia due to strangulation. A firefighter who had responded to the scene had seen Canul-Arguello’s legs sticking out of the bin and had pulled the container off the body, which was on fire, Douglas said. Diaz, who’s been in custody since his arrest, wore a black suit in court and listened to the proceedings through a Spanish interpreter. The trial is expected to continue into August.t

Boycott

Anyone with information in the Landis case may contact the district attorney’s office at (415) 553-1487.

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JULY 17, 24, 31, AUG 07, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035938300

JULY 17, 24, 31, AUG 07, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035937100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOOD, FORM & SPECTACLE, 16 SHERMAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GEORGINA OATES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/11/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE SALTY DOG, 1627 JACKSON ST #8, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALISON W.TARNOFF. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/11/14.

JULY 17, 24, 31, AUG 07, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035919500

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035953600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RICHARD HUNG ALLSTATE INSURANCE AGENCY, 601 KANSAS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RICHARD HUNG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/01/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VANGUARD HOME SOLUTIONS, 3601 CABRILLO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed IGOR BELOV. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/21/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/21/14.

JULY 17, 24, 31, AUG 07, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035904700

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035922600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VARDASIAM SUSHI, 61 PARK PLZA DR #3, DALY CITY, CA 94015. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed ANAND MISHIGDORJ & MIKHAIL GUNYAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/23/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/23/14.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUNSET MOBILE NOTARY SERVICE, 1472 LA PLAYA ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RUSSELL EUGENE CHAMPAGNE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/02/14.

JULY 17, 24, 31, AUG 07, 2014

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014

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Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035945100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TAPESTRY PROPERTIES, 769 MONTEREY BLVD #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROGER K. FONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035917000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NEW HIVE DESIGNS, 642 WOODMONT ST, BERKELEY, CA 94708. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DAVID PATRICK BENNETT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/30/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035944000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FOG CITY SOFTBALL, 212 GATES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN MICHAEL LUCANIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035940400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DONL PLUMBING CO. INC, 17487 EHLE ST, CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DONL PLUMBING CO. INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/14/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/14/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035946200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EAGLES DRIFT IN LOUNGE, 1232 NORIEGA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SUNSET DRIFT IN LOUNGE, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/17/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035925200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SHOP-WARE, 475 9TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SHOP-WARE, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/07/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035939000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROAM ARTISAN BURGERS, 1649 GREENWICH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed JSS RESTAURANT GROUP, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/03/09. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/11/14.

JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035954600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HTFJ INTERNATIONAL, 165 SAN FELIPE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARNOLD HUBERT PON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/22/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 11

Classifieds The

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-14-550457

In the matter of the application of: ZEBADYHA TREE LEE, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ZEBADYHA TREE LEE,, is requesting that the name ZEBADYHA TREE LEE,, be changed to ZEE BOUDREAUX. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514 on the 16th of September 2014 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

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JULY 24, 31, AUG 07, 14, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035955700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GBWORKS, 1444 15TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GARY M, BERNARD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/22/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035959300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DELI 23, 2449 23RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed OSCAR LOPEZIRIARTE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/24/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035959400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAJANI IMMIGRATION, 85 JOSIAH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FAYAZ RAJANI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/24/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/24/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035968200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SENIOR CARE ASSISTANCE, 1354 POWELL ST #314, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SENIOR CARE ASSISTANCE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/29/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/29/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-035953000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NANO CAFE, 564 S VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ALATORRE BRUCE ENTERPRISES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/19/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/21/14.

JULY 31, AUG 07, 14, 21, 2014 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-033625400

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: DELI 23, 2449 23RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by ISA J. MUHAWIEH. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/13/11.

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The

Mownistres s of her delusions

Vol. 44 • No. 31 • July 31-August 6, 2014

www.ebar.com/arts

by Richard Dodds

or most of his adult life, J. Conrad Frank has had a slightly delusional, usually tipsy, and compulsively loquacious Russian diva living inside him. Her name is Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, and she gets to emerge at least once a month at Martuni’s for a cabaret fling. But occasionally the exiled countess finds herself regaling audiences in theatrically grander circumstances, such as the Aug. 1 & 2 engagement at New Conservatory Theatre Center in a new show created for the benefit event. See page 16 >>

J. Conrad Frank’s Katya SmirnoffSkyy takes on a Tennessee Williams aura in Katya on a Hot Tin Roof at New Conservatory Theatre Center.

To with

Sirs love

by Brian Bromberger

reddie: “I have my audition tomorrow. Be honest. Can I pass for 50?” Stuart: “I’m not even sure you can pass for alive.” This bitchy repartee typifies the razor-sharp dialogue between gay partners Freddie (Sir Ian McKellen) and Stuart (Sir Derek Jacobi), in their mid-70s, who have lived together in London for 48 years, featured in the British ITV series Vicious, showing on PBS, Sunday nights at 10:30 p.m. The final episode airs Aug. 3. Freddie, a marginally successful actor, and Stuart, essentially a male housewife, are joined by Violet (Frances de la Tour), Freddie’s feisty, cougar best friend; and their young upstairs neighbor, Ash (Iwan Rheon), who plays the straight man in both senses of the term. Sir Derek is on a third-act renaissance, also starring in the bland domestic soap opera Last Tango in Halifax (preceding Vicious on Sundays), making television history by playing both a gay and straight character on the same night. See page 21 >>

Freddie (Sir Ian McKellen) and Stuart (Sir Derek Jacobi) are a longtime gay male couple in the British TV series Vicious.

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

designing home jews and midcentury modernism On view through October 6, 2014 The Contemporary Jewish Museum | Plan your visit at thecjm.org

Courtesy ITV

<< Theatre

14 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Carnal knowledge by Richard Dodds

ex and the City began its six-season run on HBO in 1998, and not even 9/11 interrupted its fantasyland vision of a Manhattan where Manolo Blahniks were fetishized, cosmopolitans were swilled, and sex was always a la mode. The series, as popular as it was, took a lot of hits for its portrayal of the “modern” woman. “Sex and the City is to feminism what sugar is to dental care,” wrote one prominent female journalist. Which all adds up to a perfect storm for the kind of drag cartoons that Heklina and cohorts have created from other television series. Well, near perfect (more on that later), but the two episodes now on view live at the Victoria Theatre turn the series into a burlesque satire that acknowledges original vicarious pleasures while emphasizing the selfabsorbed excesses of its characters. This is the flipside of The Golden Girls, the most popular of these drag reinterpretations, which may have had its Social Security-qualified

characters discussing sex. But the scripts used for this Sex and the City run have been edited and salaciousized to brightly shine the spotlight on all manner of carnal activities. For those who were regular watchers of the series, the sexual peccadillos of each of the principal characters will be familiar – and there is a pivotal moment for each to have hers showcased in some exaggerated fashion. The sights of plus-sized Lady Bear as the sexually traditional Miranda Hobbes discovering the pleasures of “tuchus-lingus,” D’Arcy Drollinger as the usually hot-to-trot Samantha Jones encountering a plus-sized penis beyond her capacity, Alaska! as the prim Charlotte York practically needing wrestling moves to fight off a date’s efforts to get a blow job, or Heklina as the always flawless Carrie Bradshaw letting loose a fart (greatly amplified for our amusement) while in bed with her beloved Mr. Big (Leigh Crow) are pretty damn funny – at least if your sense of hu-

mor is bent in the right direction. Andy Alabran and Jordan Wheeler play the ladies’ other sex toys. While director Drollinger’s production has go-go energy, it doesn’t solve the problem that these scripts often incorporate brief scenes that on screen can flow into each other but on stage require a blackout and regrouping that, as quick as they are handled, can be as long as the scene itself. TV series such as The Golden Girls are basically written like a stage comedy, with scenes having an arc that end with a button, usually leading to a commercial, that the more movie-like Sex and the City doesn’t offer. But that’s most likely a problem for the dramaturges in the audience, with the overall slam-bang exuberance of the production rolling everyone else merrily along its filthy, funny path.t

is a sly manipulator, a man-boy who in any other Western society would be a top-flight model, an indie actor, or one of those football (soccer) forwards whom everybody watches disrobe on top of a post-game scrim of hunky teammates. This being contemporary Havana, Reinier is basically fucked: either he hooks up

with a non-Cuban Daddy, convinces a sports agent to smuggle him off the island, or takes a chance on a leaky boat. Otherwise, life will roll on in a shabby flat he shares with an empty fridge, a dutiful wife, an infant son he hardly ever sees, and a harpy motherin-law who screams bloody murder every time he takes her precious

Sex and the City: Live! will run at the Victoria Theatre through Aug. 10. Tickets are $20-$25, available at sexandthecitylive.eventbrite.com.

kenttaylorphotography.com

Lady Bear, Heklina, D’Arcy Drollinger, and Alaska! play the women of Sex and the City: Live! at the Victoria Theatre.

Tragic Havana love affair by David Lamble

he Last Match (La Partida) is a gorgeously filmed, tragic melodrama about Cuban rent-boys who break the rules of their rough trade, and fall deeply and desperately for each other. It’s now out on DVD. Reinier (newcomer Reinier Diaz)

Fundi’s

TROUBLE IN BLACK PARADISE: Catastrophic Legacy Worshiping the New World Politics of Saving Souls A Sizzling New Self-illustrated Novel: Standard Black Christian Anti Gay Rationale Debunked In A Daring Historical Exposé Available online: Amazon.com Books; Authorhouse.com Locally at: Books, Inc. (Upper Market St.), Crystal Way, Folio Books, Bound Together Books & The Green Arcade.

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER

An All-New Cabaret Evening STARRING

KATYA SMIRNOFF-SKYY

2 NIGHTS ONLY

DIRECTED BY

MUSICAL DIRECTION BY

ANDREW NANCE

JOE KANON

AUGUST 1 & 2, 8PM

NCTCSF.ORG 415.861.8972 25 VAN NESS AVE. AT MARKET

Photo by Jose A Guzman Colon.

Benefiting New Conservatory Theatre Center

boom-box to the pawnshop. During the day, Reinier plays pickup football with a gaggle of kids in the hood, each kicking the ball barefoot or in flip-flops through a shabby goal tended by a tiny kid. At night, as he tells his wife, it’s off “to the mines,” meaning Havana’s historic harbor, where a small mob of queens, queers and rough trade hovers around the occasional well-heeled tourist. The other half of our duo is the handsome but enigmatic Yosvani. Actor Milton Garcia has a deft feel for this deeply frustrated young man, whose rage can suddenly come cascading down on an unsuspecting target. Yosvani is living with his fiancee and her bullying loan-shark thug of a dad, Silvano. Veteran actor Luis Alberto Garcia is deliciously hateful as the posturing macho con-man Silvano, who tempts young men with American consumer crap priced beyond their means, with interest tacked on. Silvano, who suspects every kid of being a secret faggot, exploits his prospective son-in-law unmercifully, failing to give Yosvani even a sub-minimum wage. At first, Reinier and Yosvani resist the temptation to ball each other, but in the shabby universe they’re trapped in, a brutal “thug-ocracy” run by swine like Silvano, being a straight man starts to lose its appeal. A carnal relationship with each other has appeal precisely because, with each other, they are neither serfs nor whores. Early in the second act, Reinier penetrates Yosvani. Director Antonio Hens’ camera fixes on that indescribable blend of pain becoming pleasure that flashes over Yosvani’s face as, for the first time, he finds his center. Progressive complications ensue, and our boys will have only the briefest taste of their own personal Nirvana before the world rushes in. The Spanish-born Hens and co-writer Abel Gonzalez Melo keep our spirits engaged as the boys head for a fall. Early in the film, Vosvani gets a lovely gift from his wife: a pair of high-end athletic shoes. Proudly wearing them to their weed-strewn little football pitch, he is verbally assaulted by jealous teammates. Later that night, when his motorcycle stalls out, Yosvani is assaulted by three thugs who take his money and, more importantly, his precious shoes. Yosvani suffers a psy-

chic wound. In his case, it’s a wound that will ultimately short-circuit his normally cautious nature and cause him to risk everything for a love he never imagined possible. (Features: Widescreen, Stereo, Spanish with English subtitles.) August at the Castro Theatre A not-to-be-missed double bill presents a young director Richard Lester working at the top of his game. A Hard Day’s Night (1964) A strong candidate for the best fiction film nestled convincingly in the rock world, this 85-minute masterpiece was constructed by Lester and screenwriter Alun Owen as a typical day in the life of the Fab Four (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr) as they chafe at the velvet prison built by their handlers to keep them from being devoured by their hordes of young female (and male) fans. Imagine a delicious Marx Brothers comedy if the Brothers could sing and were un-self-conciously adorable. With a freshly struck print from a new restoration, the last time this hip gem played the Castro, the joint was rocking. The Knack – and How to Get It (1965) A fresh-faced “ginger,” 23-year-old Michael Crawford transcends categories like “nerd” or “confirmed bachelor” to deliver a gem of a comic turn as a hapless young London teacher facing the empty-bed syndrome. Lester and screenwriter Charles Wood give the loose-limbed Crawford, who would go on to triumph in the stage version of The Phantom of the Opera, the verbal and visual tools for perhaps the greatest comedy of the British New Wave. Crawford shows that funny and sexy are not mutually exclusive qualities. (Castro, Aug. 6)t

Out There>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 15

Playing telephone with Out There by Roberto Friedman

ing ring! Rrring! The insistent telephone bell startles Out There out of a pleasant midsummer reverie. OK, we were napping. But a familiar voice is on the line. “Hullo darling, I just rung you up because I heard that you and your esteemed media outlet have moved your office right back into the hood!” Yes, that’s right, dear buddy. It was fun while it lasted, but to be perfectly honest, we’re so glad to be out of our topfloor digs in the Financial District. True, the view from our surreal aerie on the 17th floor was pretty spectacular, but we discovered that altitude brings attitude. It’s far better for us to have our head out of the clouds and our feet back on the ground (well, the second floor). And we’re much happier to be back in the neighborhood (well, Gough at Market). Feels closer to the people somehow. “What was the vista from your desk in the sky like, anyway?” Pretty much a full-frontal view of the Chevron buildings. You know, it’s interesting, you’d think there’d be some sort of a Chevron logo emblazoned upon at least one of their skyscrapers, branding being so important in the corporate world. But no, nothing, nada. As if an oil company could be construed as unpopular! Also, we had a nice oblique sideview of the St. Regis hotel and condominium complex. That’s where ex-mayor and power-broker-forall-time Willie Brown lives. Now he’s an officially registered corporate lobbyist and a San Francisco Chronicle columnist! Now that’s what we call one-stop shopping! “You mean, you think he uses his column to benefit his or his clients’ own interests? But that would be unethical!” Let us put it this way: you know how his column always includes an anecdote where some cab driver

passes along a clever bon mot? Willie Brown doesn’t take cabs! He has a car-and-driver service. But it’s a convenient delivery device, no? “The wheels of power require grease. But anyway, what’s hopping in the arts world these days?” Darling, if April is the cruelest month, then August is the sweetest gossamer kiss. The torrent of press releases and opening nights slows to a subtle golden trickle. It’s ambient music to an arts editor’s ears. Now don’t get us wrong, there’s still plenty of cultural product out there that’s well worth sampling. Off the top of our head: filmmaker Richard Linklater’s Boyhood is in movie theaters, actor-musician Hershey Felder’s Monsieur Chopin just opened at Berkeley Rep, San Francisco Symphony’s West Side Story on CD is a recording for the ages. These are a few of our favorite things. Or we savor the simple pleasure of sitting in Golden Gate Park, reading a book. A book, champ: it’s a thing with pages. And we’ll enjoy it while it lasts. Because the cultural tsunami of the September arts season is just a shout away. That shout goes, “Copy!” “Well, it’s been lovely catching up with you. You’re a real ‘people person,’ do you know that? Cat people, that is.” Hey, call us up anytime, our lines are always open. Dig our new smartphone? It’s the latest thing. It even has a detachable earpiece!

at their physical peak, responding to the reality of battle by living each day to the fullest – a side of the war never before made public.” Editor Dian Hanson said, “As I sought to divide these photos by nationality I found it was hopeless unless uniforms, weapons or vehicles were included. English, Australian, Russian and American: all young soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines look the same naked and grinning.”

Full bore

A new coffee-table book from Taschen, My Buddy. World War II Laid Bare, is a collection of found photographs that show real-live soldiers from history in various states of undress. Let’s go to the release. “Every harrowing day for a serviceman during WWII was potentially his last. To help bolster troops against the horrors of combat, commanders encouraged them to form tight ‘buddy’ relationships for

emotional support. Many war buddies, together every moment and depending on each other to survive, formed intimate friendships. When they weren’t fighting side by side, they relaxed together, discharging tension in boisterous – sometimes naked – play. The full extent of nude horseplay among men during WWII can’t be known, as cameras were rare and film hard to process, but some men did document this unprecedented male bonding in small, anonymous photos most-

ly kept hidden away until their deaths. L.A. photographer Michael Stokes has spent years searching out these photos and building an archive of over 500 images. His collection includes soldiers and sailors from Australia, England, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, and the USA, cavorting on the sand in the South Pacific, shivering in the snow of Eastern Europe, posing solo in the barracks, and in great happy groups just about everywhere. These images show men barely out of boyhood,

Finally, here is our favorite press release of the summer. “Annual Boring Conference Announces LineUp. Those of a nervous disposition should consider themselves warned under section 49, paragraph 2 of the Health and Safety Act. “London, England, 2014: The Boring Conference, the annual event devoted to an agonised acceptance of the mundane, will take place this Saturday at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. The event will start at 10 a.m. “James Ward, conference organiser, said: ‘Many will of course recognize the date as the culmination of Week of Solidarity with the People of Non-Self-Governing Territories. I had hoped to avoid this unfortunate clash, but I expect that some will feel that they’ve had their fill of non-self-governing events by the end of the week and will attend nonetheless.’ Topics covered this year will include: Domestic Ink Jet Printers c.1999; Episodes of British Game Show You Bet; German Film Titles; Ice Cream Van Chimes; Pothole Gardening; How to Cook Elaborate Meals with the Equipment Found in Hotel Bedrooms; Similarities between 198 of the World’s National Anthems; Comic Sans. “Layout of the hall will be the classic ‘Balmoral’ arrangement: two blocks of seats, arranged in rows, with an aisle down the centre. A limited number of spaces will be available for media. These will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, unless, of course, a better subsequent offer is made.”t

the after-party, which contains veiled cameos by artists of that legendary era, including the current director of the San Francisco Ballet, who danced in that performance. The novella has many such appearances – it is a dance of masques, of “only make-believe”

mixed with very real things in a milieu of high style and great reputations. Indeed, the author is himself wearing a mask, since for 50 years Jakobowicz has been a well-known dance critic (Washington Post, BalSee page 17 >>

for Joshua, into the bedrooms of hard-bodied godlike youths, opening nights at New York City Ballet, breakfast with a Czech countess, a family reunion with the head of the Imperial family of Austria, a steam-shrouded orgy in a Viennese gay bathhouse, and so on, the pages turned themselves, and my hopes and fears hurled themselves upon the march of events almost faster than the author evoked them. The tale opens on a beach: our boy is walking on the strand, sees a naked golden youth swimming in the East River (near the United Nations, where Joshua works as a translator), who soon emerges from the waves, and after desultory chat invites our boy back to his luxurious flat, high in a glass tower overlooking a brown-

stone. But their liaison has to be a quickie, since Joshua has to be at Lincoln Center for opening night of Balanchine’s Vienna Waltzes, for which he has written the program notes. Although the story is tightly plotted, chapters short, scenes brief, dialogue often implied, otherwise spankingly sharp, this scene is extended, as it contains the germ of the novel. The ballet opens with a girl flitting teasingly from the advances of a cadet, but noticing he wears the Hapsburg colors, and finally yielding to his pursuit. This, it will turn out, is how Joshua’s mother, a daughter of the Heine banking family, and cousin of the poet, met his father, the crown prince, before WWII, and despite the Nazis, who eventually murdered the “traitorous” prince, fell in love with him, married in secret, and had a child, who was spirited away to America and raised in a monastery. The ballet ends with the great scene of Suzanne Farrell (pictured on the cover, photo by Costas, as if this were an issue of Ballet Review) dancing with a now-you-see-him, now-you don’t partner to the throbbing harmonies of the Rosenkavalier Waltz. It is germane that Farrell was both Balanchine’s muse and the first of his ballerinas who would dance with him and for him, but would not marry him. On the other hand, in the audience, the stunning man sitting next to Joshua bristles at the ballet, despising it (he later says, when they can talk) for lacking rigor. They argue about it at

Buddy system

Dorothy Mackail is a savvy call girl on the lam in director William A. Wellman’s pre-Code classic Safe in Hell (1931).

Michael Stokes Collection /TASCHEN

Found photograph from Michael Stokes’ collection, from editor Dian Hanson’s My Buddy. World War II Laid Bare.

Old-school fantasy by Paul Parish

he press release for King of Jerusalem by Hans Georg Jakobowicz (new from Prater Press) claims that this 148-page entertainment is an old-school “beach novel, modeled on those of Lincoln Kirstein and Edwin Denby.” I didn’t pay much attention to that, but since I knew the author by another name, began it nervously and then forgot everything and gobbled it up voraciously. In fact, I could not put it down unless I had to. I don’t know how large the audience can be for a recherché piece like this – balletomanes, queers who survived the AIDS era. But this very slim volume gave me a huge rush of a forgotten reading pleasure: avid curiosity that invaded the novel and took it by storm, running almost ahead of the storyteller. Many a young bookworm used to read like this; many will remember the boys’ books that gave us an alternative reality and a stalking horse for our ambitions in the golden-boy hero who makes it in the great world through wit and charm. I attached myself to the career of Joshua Haburghe, who’s the orphaned illegitimate lost child of the Hapsburgs, not to mention gay and half-Jewish, in the same way I did to Upton Sinclair’s Lanny Budd, hero of a dozen novels in which Lanny played “fly on the wall” at all the great events of the 20th century, starting with the Versailles Peace Conference. As new doors open

<< Film

16 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

The importance of being Susan Sontag by David Lamble

t’s been a decade since the death of Susan Sontag. Now the arrival of a perceptive and at times quite witty bio-doc from HBO’s Nancy D. Kates is a great occasion not only to celebrate the legacy of a formidable female intellectual, actively bisexual at that, but also to examine the lunatic nature of fame itself. In Regarding Susan Sontag, Kates expands her reach beyond the usual suspects – New York intellectuals, dedicated followers of camp – to include some of the wild and wacky subcurrents often stirred up in the wake of a truly original mind. One index of how deeply a great mind has penetrated into the bone marrow of her times is how often her name and reflected fame are ripped out of their expected context and dropped into a sublimely funny alternative universe. In ex-jock writer/director Ron Shelton’s acute battle of the sexes, the 1989 baseball cult movie hit Bull Durham, a nearly washed up journeyman catcher, “Crash” Davis (Kevin Costner), is romancing a worldly-wise minorleague baseball mentor, Annie Savoy (a career-changing turn by Susan Sarandon), when Annie challenges him to show her how his mind works rather than his aging body. “What do you believe in, then?” “The hanging curve ball, high fiber, good Scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” Later, at the batting cage, Annie replies while whipping her bat around on a fastball tossed from a pitching machine. “I think that Susan Sontag is brilliant!” It’s instructive that Kates drops this comic knuckleball late in the

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy

From page 13

Katya on a Hot Tin Roof does woozily reference the Tennessee Williams play of a similar name, but more as an opportunity for Katya to riff on her own life than as a mirror of the original play. “In general,” Frank said, “I take some kind of theme, and however strange that theme is, I relate to it as Katya. For instance, Katya feels that she and Maggie are very similar. They both drink a lot, and they both find homosexual gentlemen attracted to them. And Katya talks about the family drama and the love and passion she has had in her life through the eyes of a 60-something lady whose views of reality are a little bit skewed.” Frank, who focused on opera as a music major in college, has incorporated multiple interludes in which Katya can trill musical emphases to her stories. “When she talks about how homosexual men are drawn to her, she sings a version of Katy Perry’s ‘Teenage Dream’ as it relates to a brief encounter she had with Neil Patrick Harris in 2002,” Frank said. “There’s all kinds of music, from Lady Gaga to Cole Porter, with a little bit of opera thrown in.” Katya was born after Frank, as a recent arrival in San Francisco, landed an understudy role in Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-Dee-Doo! at NCTC. “I met a bunch of theater people who had been around a long time, and Joe Wicht, who was then going by Trauma Flintstone, invited me to be a part of a monthly drag cabaret he was starting at Martuni’s. I had never really done drag before, but I bought a wig, put together a couple of songs, and in a week or so Katya was born pretty much as she exists today.” Katya’s character was inspired by some of the women Frank encountered while studying opera at the

Courtesy SF Jewish Film Festival

The subject of director Nancy Kates’ Regarding Susan Sontag.

third act of her unconventional bio-pic, as if to nail down the case for Sontag mattering a lot more to a broader American landscape than the titles or sales figures of her dozen or so volumes (including three novels) would indicate. Earlier in the 80s, Woody Allen had included Sontag as a satiric device in his absurdist fable Zelig, an impressive ambassador from the intellectual establishment putting her “seal of approval” on his made-up everyman. In a curious way, Allen’s cheeky satire about how a chameleon becomes famous by adapting to his environment is an irreverent but not wholly inaccurate way to summarize Kates’ account of Sontag’s somewhat improbable climb up the almostinvisible ladder of international in-

tellectual fame and glory through a chain of girlfriends and boyfriends, in the process obscuring her lowly origins, inconvenient early marriage, and awkward motherhood. In the end, even son David offers a warm endorsement of a single mom who let nothing stop her ascension to the odd title “Godmother of Camp.” This is a perfect film for viewers seeking an “inside baseball” guide to how careers and reputations are made in the big bad world beyond the ivory towers of academia. Kates’ portrait benefits from glimpses of how Sontag gracefully aged into her role as TV pundit, with her trademark shock of white hair. The film provides a valuable window on Sontag’s valiant role providing a female presence in the mostly old-boys net-

work of media punditry. A significant reason I can enthusiastically recommend Regarding Susan Sontag stems from my 1989 chat with her on the then-highly-charged subject of the deadly metaphors that were circulating about the AIDS epidemic, and especially cruelly, about “People with AIDS.” Sontag was on a national tour on behalf of her powerful new book AIDS and Its Metaphors, a book that was intended, among other things, to refute vicious attempts to associate homosexuals and a disease that, at that point, was without an obvious cure or even practical medical interventions. David Lamble: I sort of agree with you that the disease is meaningless, and yet we’re all –

gay men and people in general – struck by the extraordinary coincidence that the disease came along right after the emancipation of homosexuals in Western society, after Stonewall, after the emergence of a visible gay population and an apparent increase in sexual activity. In trying to pin a meaning on the disease, I think that’s the meaning that’s troubled a lot of people. Susan Sontag (with a deep sigh): You know, David, when you say that, it just makes me want to cry, because it’s so awful what you’re saying, what you’re feeling. I mean, I perfectly understand why you’re saying it, but it’s so awful to think of people carrying the burden of that thought, that because they were free, because they were open, because they didn’t hide, because they felt able to say that they felt good about themselves, then maybe somehow there’s a connection with the fact that they had to endure this incredible tragedy. I can’t, as someone who has been a close friend and even a lover of a number of gay men, I cannot think that that’s true, it breaks my heart to think that it’s true. I have to think that it’s just a coincidence, that there really is no meaning, and what gay men were doing and feeling about themselves was positive, and that it must go on.t Regarding Susan Sontag plays the Castro Theatre in SF on Sat., Aug. 2, at 2 p.m., and the California in Berkeley on Sun., Aug. 3, at 11:30 a.m., as part of the 34th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The film will receive its international TV premiere this Fall on HBO. Director Nancy Kates will appear at the screenings, and there will be a post-film discussion following the Castro screening at San Francisco’s Congregation Sha’ar Zahav.

University of Oregon. “Sort of the grandiose European opera singer who sees the world in a very skewed and harmlessly self-important way,” Frank said. “So from this lovable archetype, through the work I did at Martuni’s and at NCTC in their Emerging Artists program, I focused on writing and creating years of stories for her. Now when I write a show for Katya, I already know how she’ll react to any situation. I speak her language.” Part of the new show is designed to give free rein to Katya’s voice. “The second half of the show is based on questions from the audience,” Frank said. “I’m quick on my feet, love ad-libbing, and always want to make it as fresh as possible.” By day, Frank works at his family business, Marquel Ltd. in Burlingame, which makes cosmetic brushes. “I get a great discount on makeup brushes,” Frank said, which come in handy in his life as Katya. While it’s a fulltime job, there is the flexibility that comes with working with family, and he stays on the lookout for new performing opportunities. Katya will be at Feinstein’s at the Nikko on the weekend before Christmas, and in the fall he’ll be playing the Charles Busch role of an aging songstress in Die, Mommie, Die! at NCTC. “I do intend to do a bit more traveling,” Frank said. “I get requests to do shows out of town, and I try to make time to do that. Katya certainly can’t keep her fans waiting forever.”t Katya on a Hot Tin Roof will have two performances at New Conservatory Theatre Center. Tickets to the Aug. 1 performance are $35. Tickets to the Aug. 2 performance, which includes a reception, live auction, and refreshments, are $85. Call 861-8972 or go to nctcsf.org.

Jose A. Guzman Colon

J. Conrad Frank as Katya Smirnoff-Skyy” “I always want to make it as fresh as possible.”

Film>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 17

The fog of documentary by Erin Blackwell

as Oprah done a show with court-martialed vets? If not, The Kill Team fills that void. San Francisco-based director Dan Krauss’ portrait of an Army private who got himself mixed up with bad-asses in Afghanistan focuses on the 21-yearold’s weepy parents in Florida. Having served his three-year prison term for murder, dishonorably discharged Adam Winfield has been out for two years. The Kill Team, wearing laurels from the 2013 Tribeca Film Fest, opens August 1 at Opera Plaza. Everybody remembers the Abu Ghraib, Iraq torture photos from 2004, but who remembers the Maywand District, Afghanistan murder photos from 2010? If you don’t know the story, you might want to see this film. You could also read the excellent 2011 article by Mark Boal in Rolling Stone, “The Kill Team: How U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan Murdered Innocent Civilians.” Or you could read the article first, so when you see the film, you’ll understand what’s at stake. The trouble with this documentary is that director Dan Krauss chose to focus on Winfield, a scared, fragile young man whose attempt at whistle-blowing consisted of tex-

King of Jerusalem

From page 15

let Review) with an Americanized name. But he was born Jewish in Vienna in the 30s, emigrated to London to escape the Nazis, and three years later reunited with his mother in Chicago. He came of age during the period when being queer was like living in an alternative reality. So his fantasy, in which a repentant family comes looking for you to take you back, should have wide appeal among queers, especially if, like me, you grew up fearing your

ting his Dad in Florida. That makes Winfield a bumbling, pathetic Everyman, perhaps a good anti-hero in a Brechtian universe. Unable to combat evil directly, unwilling to risk his life for his honor, Winfield participated in the cold-blooded murder of an Afghan civilian. That makes him part Leslie van Houten, who only plunged her knife after a Manson victim was already dead; part Patty Hearst, who wore a wig, dark glasses, and trenchcoat to bank rob under the spell of the Symbionese Liberation Army. It doesn’t make him a hero. It doesn’t make him a Chelsea Manning, that level-headed, farsighted, supremely responsible human being. To call Winfield a whistleblower significantly degrades that honorific. Another soldier, not involved in the murders, tipped off the top brass almost by accident. Winfield only saved his own ass, with misgivings. That’s cause enough for celebration. But as the star of The Kill Team, he tips the story into tasteless farce. No, his parents do. His histrionic parents wallow in their close-ups, shocked by their son’s treatment, as if war were Costco and you could return a faulty item. All those minutes wasted on re-

dundant parental self-pitying complaint could have been filled with gritty insight into the self-perpetuating horror of U.S. wars on Muslim populations. The Kill Team suffers from the lack of context provided by a recent article from Rolling Stone, “Back to Baghdad: Life in the City of Doom”, by Roy Scranton. From it: “The war was the most dehumanizing experience of my life. Inside the wire, we lived like prisoners, staring at the same walls and the same faces, lifting weights, watching dvds, killing time until we got to go back home. Outside the wire, we moved in an alien, hostile world luminous with adrenaline and danger. Over time, as we were shot at, mortared and sometimes blown up, fear and rage built up in us like toxins, until we were praying for reasons to shoot – not people, mind you, just fucking hajjis. We harassed and intimidated hajjis on the street. We humiliated hajjis in their homes. We ran hajji cars off the road when they got in our way. We locked hajjis up for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some of us did worse. Some of us did a lot worse.” Who knows how many innocent civilians have been murdered in Iraq and Afghanistan by U.S. soldiers

and contractors? Who cares? Who’s counting? We have whistleblower Private Justin Stoner to thank for spilling the beans about one specific crime spree: the self-styled “Kill Team,” members of the 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company; 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment; 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division; at forward operating base Ramrod at Maywand, in the southern Kandahar Province of Afghanistan. The most sympathetic person among the talking heads is Jeffrey Morlock, who was an eager, early follower of his squad leader’s psychotic instructions for random kills. (The evil genius, Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, doesn’t appear onscreen.)

Morlock appears shaken by his experience, but there’s enough boyish charm left in his self-presentation to make me like him. Sentenced to 24 years, he’s fighting to get out. Maybe sympathetic is too nice a word. Maybe I should say, charismatic. Far more appealing than the shifty-eyed Winfield, who seems never to have grown up. It’s sad what war does to young men. The only way to stop the sadness is to stop the fucking war.t

family would disown you. And you might recognize some patterns if you’d find yourself sexually attracted to someone who would abuse you (I fell in love with one asshole after another). Joshua falls into a S/M relationship with that rigorous, brilliant choreographer, who is also a cryptoNazi, and will ultimately destroy him. Revenons aux moutons. Joshua is summoned to Europe. The head of the House of Hapsburg has given up the title to the crowns of Austria and Hungary. But there is an ancient title, going back to the Crusades, “King of Jerusalem,” to which the Hapsburgs

are also heir; and a petition has come forward from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect based in Jerusalem who want the title reinstated, since they need a titular head to handle day-in, day-out bureaucratic matters, but can’t have a leader who is Jewish, since they must wait for the Messiah. The joke here is, Joshua would be a glorified Shabbas goy, the Gentile who can do things on the Sabbath when all observant Jews must refrain from work. But of course, Joshua wants to take the job seriously. After passing muster in Vienna, he must be vetted by the Vatican, then meet all

the players in Jerusalem. The play of dialectic is subtle and complex, with almost Shavian wit. Palestinian and Jewish groups make irreconcilable claims, but each side is treated with compassion. Comic relief comes from some Christians, relics of 19th-century Rapturists who came to Jerusalem for the latter days, only to find they had time on their hands when the world didn’t end, so they settled down and became hoteliers, with a branch espousing nudism. The only group to whom the author gives no sympathy is the neo-Nazis. I was still flying along, agog with

it all, when the tale took a dark turn on the shore of the Dead Sea. I had not anticipated this. I won’t spoil it further by going into detail. Were I not reading it in such a naïve spirit, I would have seen this coming, and if I had, it might have spoiled my pleasure in the play of ideas. But the tone of the writing, and the fantastic nature of its appeal, gave the whole a fizzy, almost unbearable lightness of being – like that of the ballet – that buoyed me along and kept the ending, at worst, bittersweet.t

Dan Krauss

Adam Winfield (center) with his parents, Chris (left) and Emma (right), in director Dan Krauss’ The Kill Team.

Opens Aug. 1 at Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinemas, 601 Van Ness Ave., SF; Landmark’s Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.

Available from Amazon.

<< Out&About

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Bay Area Now 7 @ YBCA

Out &About

O&A

Thu 31 Music Moves Fest, featuring Joe Goode Performance Group

Seventh annual exhibit of local and regional artists’ visual, performing, film and video art works. $12-$15 (free for members). Exhibit thru Oct. 5. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. 978-2787. ybca.org

Into the Woods @ San Francisco Playhouse Local production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s acclaimed musical that takes an ‘after Happily Ever After’ look at fairy tales. $20-$120. Tue-Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Also Sat 3pm & Sun 2pm. Thru Sept. 6. 450 Post St., 2nd floor of Kensington Park Hotel. 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy @ New Conservatory Theatre Center

Solar flair

Margo Moritz

by Jim Provenzano

ugust brings strangely warm weather (for San Francisco), and an accompaying hot house of blooming creative works, from frothy musicals to benefits, art shows and music acts. Get out and soak in the sunny stuff.

Thu 31 Dance Concerts @ The Garage Peter & Co. SF’s Off the Cuff improvs and Peter Cheng’s Vicissitudes (July 30 & 31, 8pm). Project Tremelo’s Through the Layers of Weathered Glass (Aug. 1 & 2, 8pm); Heidi Carlson new work about Polish immigration, and Arthur Prettyman’s meditation on existentialism. $10-$20. 715 Bryant St. 518-1517. www.715bryant.org

Jay Brannan @ Bottom of the Hill The talented gay singer-songwriter returns for a night of inspiring music. Terra Naomi and Becca Richardson also perform. $14. 9pm. All ages. 1233 17th St. 626-4455. www.jaybrannan. com www.bottomofthehill.com

Melissa Etheridge @ Davies Symphony Hall The popular out rock-country musician performs favorite songs and music from her new CD, This is ME. $15-$65. 8pm. Grove St at Van Ness Ave. 8646000. www.MelissaEtheridge.com www.sfsymphony.org

Music Moves Festival @ ODC Theater The impressive month-long dance festival begins with a Summer Sampler, works by ODC/Dance (July 31-Aug. 2, 8pm). Joe Goode Performance Group (Aug. 3 & 4, 7pm & 9pm). Dandelion Dancetheater (Aug. 5, 8pm). Dance Heginbotham (Aug. 7-9, 8pm). Subsequent concerts inlcude works by Peral Maril, Kate Weare and others. Thru Aug. 24. www.odcdance.org

No Race-Baiting, RedBaiting or Queer-Baiting! @ GLBT History Museum Stanford U.S. History professor Estelle Freedman shares a slide lecture of images from the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union, a queer-friendly union that organized workers on Pacific cruise ships. 7pm-9pm. $5/free for members). 4127 18th St. 621-1107. glbthistory.org

Thu 7

Leslie Smith

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival @ Castro Theatre The annual festival of Jewish-themed features, shorts and documentaries continues through Aug. 10. (www. sfjff.org). $10-festival passes. 429 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Tough @ Z Below Chris Black’s one-woman show about hard-drinking boxer John L. Sullivan, and the nature of athleticism and ending a career. $20-$25. Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru Aug. 9. 470 Florida St. www.chrisblackdance.wix.com/dance

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival @ Esplanade The months-long free performance series continues, with weekend outdoor dance, music and theatre concerts, on various days and evenings. July 31: Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble, 12:30pm. Aug. 2: AfroSolo’s Jazz in the Gardens, 1pm. Aug. 3: Kenny Endo, Abhijit Banerjee, John Santos, 1pm. Aug. 7: Pishtahan, 11am. Shows thru Oct. Mission St. at 3rd. 543-1718. www.ybgfestival.org

Fri 1 Andrew Ogus @ Magnet Opening reception for the artist’s many works on paper, each interpreting a homoerotic take on ancient myths and characters. 8pm-10pm. Exhibit thbru August. 4122 18th St. 581-1600. andrew-ogus.artistwebsites.com www.magnetsf.org

Derek Jarman, Visionary @ BAM/Pacific Film Archive Screenings of the works of the late gay filmmaker who defied trends and created his own unique cinematic style, most often with explicitly gay themes. Aug. 1: Edward II in a new digital restored print (8:40pm). Aug. 3: The Garden (7:30pm). Aug. 8: Wittgenstein (7pm). $4-$6.50. 8:40pm. Screenings Thru Aug. 28. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-0808. bampfa.berkeley.edu

Our favorite exiled Russian royal songstress (aka actor J. Conrad Frank) performs in two special fundraisers for the local acclaimed theatre company. Aug 1, 8pm, $35. Aug. 2, $85 8pm includes light fare, a champgne reception, a live auction and the show. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 871-8972. www.nctcsf.org

As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet @ Forest Meadows Ampitheatre, San Rafael Marin Shakespeare Company kicks off its 25th anniversary summer series with William Shakespeare’s gender-bending romantic comedy, in repertory with The Bard’s classic underage teen romantic tragedy. Ampitheatre open one hour prior to showtime for picnicking; Bring overwear; it gets chilly. $12-$240 (season pass) and ‘pay as you like.’ Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 4pm. Thru Aug. 10. 499-4488. Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, 890 Belle Avenue, Dominican University of California, San Rafael. www.marinshakespeare.org

Foodies, the Musical @ Shelton Theater Morris Bobrow’s musical comedy revue of songs and sketches about food. $32-$34. Fri & Sat 8pm. Open run. 533 Sutter St. (800) 838-3006. www.foodiesthemusical.com

Frank Pietronigro @ Johnston Gallery Exhibit of gay-themed paintings (“Great American Patriots”) and “Documents,” an unusual installation that uses anti-gay words. Thru Sept. 2327 Market St. www.pietronigro.com www.johnstontaxgroup.com/art

The Habit of Art @ Eureka Theatre Theatre Rhinoceros presents Alan Bennet’s “very British Comedy” about theatre, poetry and life itself. $15-$25. Wed-Sat 8pm. Also Sat 3pm. Previews. Thru Aug. 23. 215 Jackson St. (800) 838-3006. www.TheRhino.org

Monsieur Chopin @ Berkeley Repertory Hershey Felder, whose solo biographical-music shows about George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein wowed audiences, returns with his show about -and performed as- composer Fryderyk Chopin. $29$53. Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed & Sun 7pm. Sat & Sun 2pm.Thru Aug. 10. Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison St. (510) 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org

Operation Opera @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko Adelmo Guidarelli performs his Fringe Festival hit, a comic musical take on operatic classics. $35-$50. Aug. 1 & 8, 8pm. Aug. 2 & 9, 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

Over the River and Through the Woods @ Chanticleers Theatre, Castro Valley Joe DiPietro’s new comic play about family, faith and food. $13-$18. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 6pm. Thru Aug. 24. 3683 Quail Ave., Castro Valley. (510) 733-5483. www.chanticleers.org

The Taming of the Shrew @ Memorial Park Ampitheater, Cupertino San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s summer outdoor shows commence, with shows in Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Francisco and Cupertino (thru Aug. 3, 7:30pm, Stevens Creek Blvd, at Mary Ave.). Free. Mostly Sat & Sun 7:30pm, Sun 2pm. Thru Sept 21. www.sfshakes.org

As the summer heats up, EDGE gets hotter! Check out all the LGBT News, Entertainment and Hot photos today!

Tofu Art @ Glama-Rama Salon Collage + Landscape = Collagescape, the local artist’s new exhibit of works in mixed media, collage and paintings, and a second group exhibit of mixed media work by a dozen artists from California, New Mexico, New York, Sweden, and Germany. Opening reception Aug 1, 7pm-10pm. Thru Sept. 28. www.tofuart.com www.glamarama.com

Twelfth Night @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley Shotgun Players’ production of William Shakespeare’s romantic classic includes live music and a jaunty-sexy staging. $20-$35. Thru Aug. 17. 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org

Sat 2 Baycation @ Oakland Art Galleries The monthly Art Murmur event expands to a daytime art events, with beer and food for purchase, classic cars on display, leading into the evening with 40-plus participating art galleries. Free/online RSVP. 1pm-5pm. 411 26th St., Oakland. 626-1135. www.oaklandartmurmur.org

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi The musical comedy revue celebrates its 40th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. $25-$160. Beer/wine served; cash only; 21+, except where noted. 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 4214222. beachblanketbabylon.com

Dan Hoyle @ The Marsh The award-winning solo performer premieres his new show, Each and Every Thing, a multi-character play about the search for real community in a hyper-connected world. $20-$50. Thu & Fri 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Extended thru August 24. 1062 Valencia St. at 21st. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Dracula Inquest @ Berkeley City Club Central Works performs Gary Graves’ new dramatic take on Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale. $15-$28. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. Thru Aug. 17. 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 558-1381. www.centralworks.org

Judy Chicago @ Oakland Museum Judy Chicago: A Butterfly for Oakland, a collection of slides and films of her 1974 Lake Merritt pyrotechnical installation; part of a nationwide group of exhibits celebrating the pioneering feminist artist’s 75th birthday; thru Nov. 30. Free/$15. Reg. hours Wed-Sat 11am-5pm (Fri til 9pm). 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 318-8400. www.museumca.org

The Kinsey Sicks @ Rivermill Theatre, Guerneville

The Russian River dinner theatre club welcomes the roving dragapella comedy quartet. $35. 9:30pm. 16440 4th St., Guereville. (707) 869-3600. kinseysicks.com rivermilldinnertheatre.com

Out&About>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 19

Late Nite Bubbles @ The Box Factory

Runway XXVI @ Marine’s Memorial Theater

Bernadette’s local talk show tapings return, this time with guests Jason Brock, Grace Towers, Bebe Sweetbriar, Johnny Rockit, Ruby Blue Gender Bender and Kathleen Mae. 8pm. 895 Florida St.

The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) present the 26th edition of the fabulous Mr. and Miss GAPA pageant, with competitors performing for the coveted titles in a show with a Villains & Femme Fatales theme; MCed by Tita Aida, featuring Mr and Miss GAPA 2013 Nguyen “Sir Whitney Queers” Pham and Khmera Rouge (See article on page 25). $40-$50. 7pm. 609 Sutter St. www.gapa.org

Outlook Theatre Project @ Red Poppy Art House Workshop and performance with members of the LGBT senior-inclusive collective on writing and visual art, along with a dinner party, cooking demo and more. 1pm-4om and 7pm10pm. 2698 Folsom st. at 23rd. www.outlooktheaterproject.org

The Scion @ The Marsh Solo performer Brian Copeland returns with his unusual play about privilege, murder and sausage in his retelling of the triple murder crime at the Santos Linguisa Factory. $30-$100. Sat 5pm. Thru Aug. 23. 1062 Valencia St. 2823055. www.themarsh.org

Sun 3 Cabaret Showcase Showdown @ Martuni’s It’s the Best Singer/Songwriter edition of the musical contest, with guest judge Katy Stephan; hosts Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, William Wicht and Mike Young. 7pm. 4 Valencia St. www.martunis.ypguides.net

Fundraiser Party @ Marty’s Place Enjoy live music by Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Lupe Arreola and Joel Mark at this benefit for the private hospice for people with AIDS and the displaced poor. Donations. 2pm-4pm. 1165 Treat Ave. 826-5670. www.facebook.com/ events/438278259647733/

God Fights the Plague @ The Marsh 18-year-old playwright Dezi Gallegos (who made a splash at 14 with Prop 8 Love Stories) performs a solo show with multiple gay and straight characters of different faiths, each searching for God. $15-$100. Sat 8:30pm. Sun 7pm. Thru Aug. 10. 1062 Valencia St. at 21st. 2823055. themarsh.org

Project Mah Jongg @ Contemporary Jewish Museum New exhibit about the popular Chinese game and Jewish culture’s affection for it. Thru Oct. 28. Also, Designing Homes : Jews and Midcentury Modernism, an exhibit of architectural, furniture, dinnerware, photos, and interior design in post-WWII. Other exhibits, lectures and gallery talks as well. Free (members)-$12. Fri-Tue 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-8pm (closed Wed). 736 Mission St. 655-7800. thecjm.org

SF Hiking Club @ Alamere Falls Join GLBT hikers for a 10-mile hike at Point Reyes on the Palomarin Trail to Alamere Falls and Bass Lake, for an optional swim; spectacular views of the coast, some cool Douglas fir forest, and a short, steep descent down to the beach and the bottom of Alamere falls where it flows into the sea. Bring water, lunch, good hiking boots, sunscreen, hat, swimsuit if desired, towel. Carpool meets at 8:30 at Safeway sign, Market & Dolores. 510-841-3826. sfhiking.com

Tours and Exhibits @ The Old Mint New Sunday program offers tours and exhibits about San Francisco’s history. Explore the fascinating building’s grand halls and vaults. $5-$10. Weekly, 1pm-4pm. 88 5th St. 5371105. www.SFhistory.org

Mon 4 1964: The Year San Francisco Came Out @ GLBT History Museum

The Pirates of Penzance @ Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek Lamplighters’ production of the classic Gilbert & Sullivan operetta. $20-$59. 8pm. Aug 1 & 2, 8pm. Aug 2 & 3, 2pm. Thru Aug. 3. Also, Aug. 9 & 10 at Mountain View Center for the Arts, Aug. 14-17 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in SF; and Aug. 23 & 24 at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore. 2274797. www.lamplighters.org

Renaissance Faire @ Guadalupe River Park, San Jose The South Bay’s fourth annual festive fairs includes medieval family fun, hundreds of costumed performers, food, drinks, archery, arts and crafts merchants, actual full-contact armored jousting on horses, and other old-time fun (See feature article on page 32). $14-$40. 10am-6pm. Also Aug. 3. 340 W St John St., San Jose. (408) 506-6499. www.sanjosefaire.com

Semi-Famous @ The Marsh, Berkeley Don Reed’s new solo show, SemiFamous: Hollywood Hell Tales From the Middle, includes tales of panicridden auditions and almost being shot by the Secret Service. $20-$100. Sat 5pm, Sun 7pm. Thru Sept. 7. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Shrek the Musical @ Julia Morgan Theater, Berkeley

Berkeley Playhouse’s youth-inclusive production of the stage musical based on the animated film about an ogre who enters the world of a royal kingdom. $17-$60. Sat 1pm & 6pm. Sun 12pm & 5pm. Wed & Thu 7pm. Thru Aug. 3. 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-8542. www.berkeleyplayhouse.org

New exhibit focusing on San Francisco’s emerging gay culture at the time of the pivotal LIFE magazine feature “Homosexuality in America.” Also, Biconic Flashpoints : Four Decades of Bay Area Bisexual Politics, thru Aug. 15. Reg. hours Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm-5pm. ($5/free for members). 4127 18th St. 621-1107. www.glbthistory.org

LGBT Talks @ Commonwealth Club The political lecture hall’s gay-themed events include James C. Hormel discussing how the LGBT movmeent has evolved in his lifetime (Aug. 4, 6pm). Robyn L. Stukalin’s Trans in the Tenderloin: a Story of Resilience (Aug. 5, 5:15pm). DJ Peterson of Longview Capital Advisors on When Gay Isn’t Global, with other panelists (Aug. 5 6pm). Marcy Adelman of Open House on LGBT retirement issues (Aug. 6, 5:15pm). Each $7-$20. 595 Market St. at 2nd. 597-6712. commonwealthclub.org

Sat 2 The Pirates of Penzance David Allen

Patterns @ New Stage

Skulls @ California Academy of Sciences Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about animals, plants and the earth, including the new popular exhibit of animal and human skulls (thru Nov. 30). Special events each week, with adult nightlife parties most Thursday nights. $20-$30. MonSat 9:30am-5pm. Sun 11am-5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. calacademy.org

Woods to Wildflowers @ SF Botanical Gardens See blooming floral displays, trees and exhibits. Also, daily walking tours and more, at outdoor exhibits of hundreds of species of native wildflowers in a century-old grove of towering Coast Redwoods. Free-$15. Daily. Golden Gate Park. 6612-1316. SFBotanicalGarden.org

Tue 5

Patterns: For Some Reason, It Really Tickled Me, Amy Munz’ solo performance, with innovative multiple projections, about young adult romance quandaries. $30. Wed-Sat 8pm. Thru Aug. 16. Dennis Gallagher Arts Pavilion, French American International High School, 66 Page St. (800) 838-3006. www.TheNewStage.com

San Francisco Mime Troupe @ Various Venues Ripple Effect, the newest play produced by the politically-themed satirical theatre company, now celebrating its 55th season, takes on eviction, Google Glass-sporting hipster techies, and economic disparity in the Bay Area. Half-hour music set pre-show. Aug. 6 & 7: Lakeside Park, Oakland, 6:30pm/7pm. Indoor and outdoor locales thru Sept. 1. 285-1717. www.sfmt.org

Sony Holland @ Level III

Anthony Friedkin: The Gay Essay @ de Young Museum Exhibit of photos, and an audiovisual installation, by the Los Angeles artist who focused on gay underground culture of the late 1960s and early ‘70s in SF and LA. Thru Jan. 11, 2015. Lines on the Horizon: Native American Art from the Weisel Family Collection, thru Jan. 4, 2015. Free/$10. Tue-Sun 9:30am5:15pm. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. deyoungmuseum.org

Circle of Life Cabaret @ Martuni’s A C.O.L.T. Following, the disability and LGBT-inclusive theatre company’s music and variety show. No cover. 6:30pm-9pm. 4 Valencia St. www.circleoflifetheatre.org

Meditation Group @ LGBT Center Weekly non-sectarian meditation group; part of the Let’s Kick ASS AIDS Survivor Syndrome support group. Tuesdays, 5pm, 1800 Market St. www.letskickASS.org sfcenter.org

National Poetry Slam @ Various Venues, Oakland 25th annual festval of spoken work poetry read by hundreds of contestants on 72 teams in a five-day competition. $15-$125 (VIP pass). Various times, Thru Aug. 9. Venue Oakland, New Parkway Theatre and other spaces. www.PoetrySlam.com

Wed 6 Boze Hadleigh @ Books Inc. Journalist and the author of several books concerning the hidden secrets of Hollywood shares his latest, An Actor Succeeds, 2275 Market St. 8646777. www.booksinc.net

The acclaimed jazz vocalist performs with guitarist Jerry Holland. Weekly 5pm-8pm. Also Thursdays & Fridays. JW Marriott, 515 Mason St. at Post. www.sonyholland.com

Thu 7 Gorgeous @ Asian Art Museum New exhibit about 2,000 years of unconventional visualizations of beauty at the contemporary and historical museum. Permanent exhibits as well. $15. Thru Sept. 14. 200 Larkin St. www.asianart.org

Leslie Smith @ Books Inc. The author of Sally Field Can Play The Transexual, Or I Was Cursed By Polly Holliday discusses his new novel. 7:30pm. 2275 Market St. 864-6777. www.booksinc.net Also Aug. 9, 2pm, at Copperfield Books in Napa Valley. www.sallynovel.com

Magic Parlor @ Chancellor Hotel Whimsical Belle Epoque-style sketch and magic show that also includes historical San Francisco stories; hosted by Walt Anthony; optional pre-show light dinner and desserts. $40. ThuSat 8pm. 433 Powell St. www.SFMagicParlor.com

Post: Ballet @ YBCA Theater The energetic modern ballet company premieres Five High, their fifth season, including dances by director Robert Dekkers, with music by Nils Frahm, design by Enrique Quintero. Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru Aug. 9. (Also Aug. 11-15 workshops at Joe Goode Annex.) Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. 978-2700. www. postballet.org www.ybca.org

Wed 6 Patterns

To submit event listings, email jim@ ebar.com. Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication. For more bar and nightlife events, go to On the Tab in our BARtab section, online at www.ebar.com/bartab

Every skull tells a story. Skulls, a revealing new exhibit. Now open. Discover the clues skulls hold about how animals eat, hunt, and evolve, including how the owl monkey sees at night. Get tickets at calacademy.org

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Fine Art>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 21

Wonderful world of Bay Area arts by Sura Wood

f you want to take the temperature of the regional art scene and gauge what emerging makers are up to, there might be no better instrument than Bay Area Now, a triennial multi-disciplinary exhibition at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts that’s now in its seventh go-round. When it first started, the idea was groundbreaking, but since then it has evolved into an incoherent, uneven hodgepodge that has the vibe of a street fair. This year, however, YBCA added a novel and interesting twist to its approach. Instead of curating the show in-house, they invited area arts organizations, big and small, to submit proposals, then selected 15 to participate, offering each their own space in the museum. The current iteration introduces visitors to apartment galleries, groups with no fixed address, and more established entities, and tunes them into work that flies under the radar for most of us, while providing opportunities for over 200 artists to be featured in a museum context. The show has a lot of moving parts, and an overarching, unifying theme that linked disparate individual exhibits together would have been welcome. Unlike past years, the work, overall, is strikingly apolitical; the environment, economic stratification and identity politics get a glancing, oblique nod; views or attitudes, when present, aren’t explicit. An exception may be the Oakland-based, Bay Area Art Workers Alliance’s “Invisible Labor,” which addresses the behindthe-scenes, indispensable, underrecognized and rarely acknowledged contributions of installers, or, as their mission statement calls them, “art preparators.” The installation, saluting an unseen crew, references on-the-job materials and labor involved in transporting artworks from crate to truck to gallery floor. A space helmed by artists and focused on underground, less visible artists, 2nd floor Projects, commis-

Tommy Lau, Courtesy YBCA

One of the galleries of Bay Area Now 7 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco.

sions writers and often pairs them with exhibitions. The objective of EROS/ON is to unite the work of four queer San Francisco artists in “a dialogue concerning the erasure of queer lineage,” though some may find the connection between the theoretical construct and the objects tenuous. Photographer Daniel Case’s handsome, uniformly-sized color prints depict mostly Northern California beachside cruising spots where one can imagine traces of past couplings and stolen moments. Meanwhile, Nicolaus Chaffin, who draws on queer history in his sculptural site-specific installations, constructed floatation devices designed for drifting like “Sick Well/Planchette,” in which inner tubes buoy a not necessarily sea-worthy, triangular wooden craft. For an intriguing ongoing project, “Sands/Sea Glass,” Chaffin collected grains of sand from the bodies of sun worshipers at nude beaches on both coasts – better not to ask how – that he then used to sandpaper and erode the lus-

ter of a pane of glass suspended over a rectangular terrarium containing said sand. An evening of readings from local culture critic Johnny Ray Huston in conjunction with the screening of experimental, pansexual films by the late Curt McDowell completes the quartet. (Aug. 22) Nicholas Andre Sung was a story artist at Pixar before working at Airbnb, gigs that have allowed him to provide unorthodox platforms for young innovators through n/a, an informal gallery focusing on queer experience. It’s run out of his Oakland apartment, where there are no boundaries between public and private space. “New Postures,” on view here, is in three movements. The first, “closeted use” by Esra Canogullari, appears to address transitioning, gender and otherwise, but its subject is far from clear. Asexual garments are laid out on grey paper – diaphanous tops, a pastel kimono, oversized drawstring pants – and group of pillows, meant

Vicious

From page 13

The humor here is reminiscent of the brutal verbal jousting of the preStonewall Boys in the Band. The show has been accused of recycling the old gay stereotype of the bitter, swishy old queen. This criticism is not totally off-base. The program uses standard sitcom plot devices such as the couple hosting the wake of a dead friend, or Freddie accusing Stuart of cheating on him (despite asking Violet, “Who would want to shag Stuart?”). But there is no hint of any sexual intimacy between the couple. Consider this characteristic exchange: Stuart: “Your back was cracking so much last night, I thought you were making popcorn in bed.” Freddie: “That’s because I have to distort myself in ridiculous positions so I can get as far away from you as possible.” One shouldn’t expect any passionate embraces. But wouldn’t it be revolutionary on TV to see two gay men over 60 being sexually active? The chief problem with the series is that it has no desire to be precedent-setting, as if depicting a longterm gay relationship is sufficiently revelatory. The writing, outside of scintillating putdowns, only hints at why two gay men who, on the surface, detest each other, have survived for five tumultuous decades. But there is a campy undertone that mocks disillusionment with life, satirizing aging, lack of sexual fulfillment, and personal idiosyncrasies. For 20 minutes each episode, the men eviscerate each other. Freddie: “What is wrong with you, besides that visual horror show your body has become?” Stuart: “I’m just checking that my stomach is still strong

Courtesy ITV

Freddie (Sir Ian McKellen) and Stuart (Sir Derek Jacobi) in the British TV series Vicious.

enough to stand the sight of you.” This is, well, vicious. Then, for the final two minutes, there is a fleeting, tender, feel-good conclusion, with a supportive comment such as, “You don’t look as revolting as you normally do.” Still they endure, at times attuned to each other’s needs and insecurities, often agreeing on issues outside their tempestuous relationship, crossing their legs in unison as they listen to and advise their friends, or express umbrage at modern styles or rude breaches in etiquette, such as in a department store: “Are all these young girls prostitutes?” “No, that is how they dress today. They are all proud of their vaginas.” In spite of cynicism with their fractious union, they choose to soldier on, recommitting themselves to each other for yet another emotional rollercoaster day. While politically incorrect, Vicious is uproariously funny. Sir Ian and Sir Derek provide perfect comic

timing and take-no-prisoners facial expressions while delivering their savage dialogue. Yet here we have the two greatest openly gay actors in the world calling each other a rotting pumpkin or a shrunken old gnome. There is something sad and disquieting in seeing these acting giants reduced to denouncing each other as stinking turd piles. One can only surmise what heights might have been reached if a few real-world issues had been broached. Vicious has been renewed for a second season, so if you need a few laughs to kickstart the work week, by all means watch this series. Perhaps next year, the writers will be more courageous and delve into what’s unique about LGBT relationships compared to their straight counterparts, why they survive despite being oppressed, and what it means for two men to forge a bond, despite temptations, in the age of marriage equality.t

to suggest domesticity, overpower a nearby floral arrangement by Sung and his mother, Lorna. Additional “postures” will follow, but at the moment the exhibit feels incomplete, adrift without a firm point of view to anchor it. While artists aren’t required to spell out their intentions, they need to give viewers more substance to chew on than what’s only vaguely hinted at here. Sung, though, is thoughtful, reflective, and someone whose future explorations merit watching. The most successful ventures come from the San Quentin Prison Arts Project and Creativity Explored, organizations that nurture artistic endeavors by so-called marginalized populations whose output few have a chance to see. Creativ-

ity Explored, which provides studio and exhibition space and instruction to people with developmental disabilities, serves up the delightful “The Next Big Thing,” large-scale pieces endowed with a joyful explosion of energy. Tony Gomez’s animation, scratched with pen, ink and paint directly onto 16mm film, is projected on “Many Colors,” an amorphous conglomeration of works-on-paper stitched together with strips of dyed fiber, while Christina Marie Fong’s “Sexy Diva’s in the House,” a playful, life-sized cardboard installation of the artist’s dream bedroom, is a mash-up of teen fantasy and pop culture. Art is an escape for inmates in prison where safe places for self-expression are scarce. “Inside Out,” from the San Quentin Prison Arts Project, features work that’s surprisingly imaginative and accomplished, demonstrating there’s a corner of creativity even in society’s worst offenders. The section includes part of a massive prison dining-hall mural of a fantasy city with apartments, stores, bars, plazas, fountains, an elevated train and windmills; other works range from paintings, prints and drawings to surreal dreamscapes and dioramas. Take Bruce Fowler’s “Theater of the Absurd,” a complex, three-dimensional self-portrait/tableau. A carved cardboard frame showcases a vaudeville stage with floor lights hidden by Art Deco seashell casings; a dead figure with its throat cut lies on a checkered floor next to a homicidal clown, and “know thyself” (in Latin) appears on a banner above the stage. In the background, an unfortunate soul is consumed by the fires of hell.t Through Oct. 5.

<< Music

22 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Abbado into infinity by Tim Pfaff

ust over a year ago, Claudio Abbado conducted his last. Although he had future projects scheduled, by the time last summer’s Lucerne Festival came around, it was clear to the members of his hand-picked orchestra, many members of his audience – and surely to the maestro – that August 2013 could well be the end of that extraordinary artistic Indian summer that began with our new millennium. Abbado pulled through a stomach cancer that nearly killed him and emerged a musician of heightened vision. Most of us would have been happy for just more time with the old Abbado, but he returned to the repertoire he loved most deeply with a mission to realize it as fully as could be on the earthly plane. Accentus has released a DVD gleaned from the concerts of August 15 and 16, offering the deathinfused program of Brahms Tragic Overture, the Interlude and Song of the Wood Dove from Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder and Beethoven’s Third Symphony. The unfilmed final concert, featuring two unfinished symphonies, by Schubert and Bruckner, appears on a DG CD – but of the Bruckner only. Most of Abbado’s work at Lucerne has appeared on DVD, and this latest hews to the series’ high video standards. What we see, astride this great-

est of festival orchestras, is not a frail man, but rather, one pared down to essentials, a perfect match for his music-making. Lest that sound like this late music is austere or desiccated, followers of this decade-plus festival adventure will recognize the refined sonorities at its heart – pianissimi-like rays from a remote region of space, obliterating fortissimi, and sounds glowing everywhere on the spectrum between. Orchestral music has rarely been this alive. It’s as if the very interpreting of the music has stopped. The analogy of sculpting comes closer, and fits with the vision of Abbado’s left hand, long considered the most expressive in the business. In the process of hearing the music for what it is, no more, no less, of setting it free from the stone, nonessentials and everything that fouls or blurs the line are assiduously carved away. The sound, stanched of fuzz and buzz, flies free. The goings-on are specifically and concretely musical. Mezzo-soprano Mihoko Fujimura’s rendering of the Wood Dove’s Song is of a piece with the orchestral players. The instrumental deployment of

her steady, penetrating voice makes its climactic outcry all the more effective for its having been held back, then released without shimmers of vibrato. The players respond with sonorities so refined that the energy used producing them never shows as difficulty – only energy. Someone once wrote of a sound so clean, out of a quiet so intense, that you could hear the resin falling from bows onto varnished wood. It recalls a comment from Abbado himself, who once told an interviewer that an effect he was trying to achieve was the sound of “snow falling on snow.” The words again hint that there’s something squeaky clean about the playing when the truth is precisely the opposite: that

it’s clean without being squeaky. Across a span of unbroken concentration, the music-making is as full, and full-bodied, as you could stand. There’s maximal spring in the rhythms, phrasing acknowledges the bar-lines as it vaults over them, and emotional content is not added but rather rushes in from somewhere else into the place that has been prepared for it. You could almost wonder why Abbado would program the amply familiar “Eroica” into a late-life concert – never mind that it was the symphony that changed everything about the symphony – until you get to the funeral march, which for once seems not just to mean something but to mean what it means.

There are reliable reports that the final concerts, of the revealingly unfinished symphonies, were “otherworldly” and even “cosmic.” That’s my own response to the Schubert, which strangely has not been included with these recordings (though you can probably ferret it out on the Internet, where I heard it). Having read them, I expected musicmaking along the lines of Abbado’s legendary Mahler Ninth at Lucerne, where, in the final Adagio, all metronomic sense of time was driven from the hall to make way for the fullness of time. In fact, the timings in the Bruckner are the same as in Abbado’s 1996 studio recording of the Ninth with the Vienna Philharmonic, but rather than now sounding slower, it sounds quicker, specifically in the sense of the quick as opposed to the dead. There’s rent flesh and an almost harrowing excitement in the Scherzo. Then in that great Adagio, which can seem so episodic in other hands, pauses between the episodes are so energized they bind the whole. In most readings, the long final note reaches out, yearningly, into the future, or death. This time it sails free into infinity.t

Music from stage & screen by Gregg Shapiro

ike the long, strange journey of its title character, dazzling rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch has had its share of stops along the way to Broadway. In its late 1990s incarnation, Hedwig featured cocreators John Cameron Mitchell (text) and Stephen Trask (music and lyrics). The cast also included Miriam Shor (The Good Wife) as Yitzhak, as well as Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris taking over lead for part of the run. The critically acclaimed movie version (also starring Mitchell, Trask and Shor) played in theaters in 2001. Finally making its Broadway debut starring Neil Patrick Harris, the show has proven to be timeless, as you can hear on Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Atlantic). Winner of four 2014 Tony Awards, including Harris as Best Actor, Lena Hall as Best Featured Actress, and Best Musical Revival, Hedwig and the Angry Inch retains its power as a rock musical that actually rocks, as well as a po-

litical statement about life following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and about life as a transgender artist. Generally a bad idea any way you look at it, from its ongoing nearly nine-year run on Broadway and undeserved Tony Award wins in 2006 to the sloppy and lazy Clint Eastwood-directed movie version, Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, is a heap of doo-doo-wop. Jersey Boys: Music from the Motion Picture and Broadway Musical (Rhino), produced by original Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio, features a combo of songs performed by cast members John Lloyd Young (Valli), Erich Bergen (Gaudio), Vincent Piazza (Tommy DeVito) and Michael Lomenda (Nick Massi), as well as Valli and his band. Of course, the best part of the movie, the flaming and fabulous Bob Crewe (embodied by Mike Doyle of Gayby) is nowhere to be found on the soundtrack, because the character doesn’t sing. Adapted by Woody Allen from his screenplay (co-written with Douglas McGrath), the Tony-nominated

Bullets Over Broadway is based on the Oscar-winning movie of the same name. Zach Braff makes his Broadway debut as David, the character originated on-screen by John Cusack. Bullets Over Broadway: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Masterworks Broadway) features more than 20 songs from the 1920s and 30s, with additional lyrics by Glen Kelly. Beginning with his breakout performance in 1979’s Alien (even though he’d been acting for several years), Harry Dean Stanton was a familiar face in movies throughout the 80s. He made his mark in films Repo Man and Paris, Texas, and for years after. Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (Omnivore), the soundtrack to the non-traditional doc about the actor, features Stanton’s renditions of a dozen songs, including “Danny Boy,” “Everybody’s Talkin’” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” Old-fashioned new musical comedy A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, one of the big winners at the 2014 Tony Awards, including a Tony for out director Darko Tresnjak, as well as Drama Desk Award for out composer and lyricist Steven Lutvak, is slaying them in the aisles. Although he lost to NPH in Hedwig, Tony nominee Jefferson Mays, who portrays several characters, gives a killer performance, which you can hear on A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Ghostlight). Mica Levi of the band Micachu and the Shapes composed the eerie score for Jonathan Glazer’s scifi thriller Under the Skin starring Scarlett Johansson. The 12 tracks on Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Under the Skin (Milan) are effective in setting the haunting mood.

The Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crowley musical Violet, starring Sutton Foster, is based on the Doris Betts short story “The Ugliest Pilgrim,” about a facially disfigured woman’s journey by bus to meet with a faith healer. Nominated for a few 2014 Tony Awards and still playing on Broadway, the revival of this

musical can be experienced on the double-disc Violet: Original Broadway Cast Recording (PS Classics). The music of M83 was already cinematic before front-man Anthony Gonzalez composed the score for his filmmaker (and musical collaborator) brother Yann Gonzalez’s queer movie You and the Night. The 15 instrumental tracks on You and the Night: Original Soundtrack (Mute) add a sensuous texture to the proceedings, essentially a story about an orgy. If/Then: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Masterworks Broadway), from Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the writers behind the psychopharmacology musical Next to Normal, features bisexual Lucas (out actor Anthony Rapp) and lesbian couple Kate (LaChanze) and Anne (Jenn Colella). But more importantly, If/Then stars reigning Broadway diva icon Idina Menzel in the dual role of Liz and Beth (aka Elizabeth). How can you not love a musical that includes the song Fuck?” “What the Fuck?”t

TV>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 23

Violence & violations on the tube by Victoria A. Brownworth

he world is in chaos. Yet there is more news you’re not seeing than news you are. TV is often at its best when it comes to crises. The news is immediate, momentby-moment, and puts you right at the scene of whatever is going on. This was certainly the case with the tragedy of Malaysian flight #MH17, which killed 298 people when it was shot down over Ukraine. Many top AIDS researchers were among the dead, and ABC asked the very compelling question, “What if the cure for AIDS had been on that plane?” It was a sobering and awful thought and pointed directly to the ripple effect that killing innocent civilians can have. ABC’s Terry Moran reported from the crash site in diligent and gruesome detail, giving the best reportage of all the networks, including CNN. The majority of Americans get their news from TV, either on the tube itself or from top online TV news sites like ABC, CBS, NBC/ MSNBC, CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera. This makes the skewing of news, or the actual ignoring of it, all the more problematic. NBC and MSNBC have been called out repeatedly in the past week for problems related to their reportage from the Israel/Gaza conflict. NBC got particular heat for pulling Ayman Mohyeldin, a veteran reporter of the Middle East, and replacing him with Richard Engel. Mohyeldin was later added back into the mix, but only after the controversy. That heat was a perception issue. CNN also pulled correspondent Diana Magnay from reporting on the conflict after she sent out a tweet referring to Israeli citizens as “scum.” Magnay apologized for and deleted the tweet, but the Internet is forever; the tweet had already gone viral. As for NBC, Engel is NBC News’ chief foreign correspondent. He’s done amazing reporting from the Middle East before and was previously the Middle East bureau chief. But replacing a Muslim reporter looked, well, biased. If you’ve been watching the news from Gaza and Israel like we have, you can’t help but be appalled by the level of violence. You also may, depending on your political perspective, be appalled by the filter with which American news reports on Israel and Palestine. It is our opinion that skewing does a disservice to both countries by obscuring facts. Viewers simply aren’t getting an unbiased perspective. There’s a cognitive dissonance in watching video of Palestinian civilians bloodied and terrorized while the reportage treats the deaths of Israeli soldiers as comparable to the hundreds of dead Palestinian civilians. TV news’ focus on Gaza and Israel has put the Middle East’s other two dramatic conflicts in the background. In Syria and Iraq, civilians are being slaughtered, but only Al Jazeera is reporting on those killings. Between July 20-25, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in Syria, five times the number killed in Gaza over the same period. Over 500 civilians were killed in Iraq. ISIS is rampaging through both countries, but U.S. news is only interested in the Israel/Gaza conflict. As a TV news monitor who feels obligated to report on the news you’re not seeing as well as the news you are, we’re concerned that antiSemitism and Islamophobia are both in play in the current reportage, but are not being discussed. Ignoring the carnage in Syria and Iraq can be construed as Islamophobia: we just don’t care enough when Muslims kill other Muslims to

report on it. And what about the waves of anti-Semitic attacks across the UK and EU since the Gaza conflict? What about demands to “kill the Jews” and “gas the Jews,” as well as the burning and trashing of synagogues? It’s not Kristallnacht, but it certainly resonates for Jews throughout the EU and UK. These attacks have been so plentiful and egregious that the foreign ministers of France, Italy and Germany met on July 23 to address the issue. And that’s the news you’re not seeing. Some news we’d rather not see, of course. Like the comments from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy made about how he wouldn’t have drafted St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam because he’s gay, and that would be such a distraction for the team and the players that they wouldn’t be able to focus on their game. Seriously? Are we still doing this 45 years after Stonewall? The blowback to Dungy was unsurprising to all but Dungy, who went on the Dan Patrick sports show to explain but not retract his statements. He told Patrick he would try to reach out to Sam, but just to clarify, not apologize. “I would want to wish him the best and let him know I have no bitterness or animosity toward him. Even though I don’t agree with his lifestyle, I love him. And I wish him the best, and I’d love to say that to him.” It’s not a freaking “lifestyle,” it’s a life. Meanwhile, St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said the rookie defensive end has not been a distraction to the team. Fisher, who has been super supportive of Sam, told ESPN, “Let’s define distraction. There were a couple of extra cameras during early OTAs. There may have been an extra camera yesterday as rookies reported and went on the field the first time. Mike’s a very passionate athlete. He’s very focused on trying to make this football team.” And that’s a score, touchdown and shutout all at once. Meanwhile, on July 25, the NFL gave Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice a two-game suspension for a domestic violence incident in which he knocked his wife out cold and dragged her into a hotel elevator. The incident was caught on surveillance tape and caused outrage. But not with the NFL leadership. First-time drug offenses get six- to eight-game suspensions. Ugly, uglier, ugliest. Yet you’re talking about Michael Sam? What a culture.

View askew

Violence against women may still be okay with the NFL and everyone else, but the homophobes are really going to have to realize their day is done. They can keep talking, but it’s not going to look pretty for them. That is not stopping them, of course. Jenny McCarthy thinks she’s so pretty she can say anything she wants. And she is pretty. She’s also pretty crazy. On the July 23 airing of ABC’s morning crazy hour The View, McCarthy, she of the “vaccines cause autism” psychopathy, trotted out the right-wing canard that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian. This line has been bandied about repeatedly by the right. We’re pretty sure if Hillary were indeed a lesbian, she’d have come out about it by now. Hillary knows better than probably anyone in America that the right is always looking for a Democratic secret to unveil. The View hosts were discussing a new book trashing the Clintons that asserted that Bill Clinton has a mistress who is allegedly referred to as “The Energizer” by his Secret Service detail. McCarthy said,

“Well, maybe he has his girlfriends and she has her girlfriends. You never know. Maybe they have an arrangement.” Sex jokes by McCarthy are nothing new. Nor is the “all powerful women in pants must be lesbians” meme about women in politics. We’ve heard it about Nancy Pelosi and even Michelle Bachman and Sarah Palin. But The View is the top-rated TV show on daytime. Millions of viewers tune in. And that is how damaging rumors get started. The “Hillary is a lesbian!” rumor is one that Glenn Beck just re-floated back in March, saying she’d be the first lesbian in the White House, flipping women over the desk in the Oval Office just like Bill did. So it’s meant to harm. Co-host Sherri Shepherd was angered by McCarthy’s comment, as was Whoopi Goldberg. Both women are strongly supportive of LGBT rights. McCarthy was fired last month as part of the purge of The View post-Barbara Walters’ exit. McCarthy denies she was fired, but did say she felt the show didn’t allow her to be herself. So the anti-vaccine monologues and the comments about Hillary are McCarthy being restrained. Just imagine her unplugged. No wonder ABC fired her. It’s instructive that hilarious progay comedian Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly, SNL), Jenny’s cousin, won’t discuss her and has nothing to do with her. She told ET on July 24 not to mention Jenny to her. And no, she will not be attending Jenny McCarthy’s upcoming wedding to actor Donnie Wahlberg (Blue Bloods). Maybe it’s that The View brings out the most outrageous in people. Orange Is the New Black star Jason Biggs was on the show to apologize for his tweet asking who wanted to buy his Malaysian Airlines frequent flyer miles just days after the #MH17 flight was shot down. Perhaps the name of the show should be changed to The Cringe. The day after McCarthy’s bon mots, Laverne Cox was on The View. We’re starting to feel like Cox is a bit overexposed. Even in the ensemble cast of OITNB, she’s in the chorus as a guest star, not the main stage. But that didn’t stop Cox from telling the somewhat stunned View hosts that her role on the Netflix original series was like Sidney Poitier’s breaking the color barrier in Hollywood in the 1950s and 60s. (Poitier was the first black actor to win an Oscar in 1964.) Cox is not the first trans woman to co-star on a TV series. Candis Cayne and Aneesh Sheth are among the out trans actresses to co-star on network series, as we reported here at the time they were on Dirty Sexy Money and Outsourced. On July 24, in an exclusive interview with ET, runway model Andreja Pejic, formerly the male model Andrej Pejic, came out as a trans woman. As a man, Pejic, 22, was gorgeously androgynous. As a woman, Pejic is still gorgeously androgynous, but feels, in her own words, “whole for the first time” since her sex reassignment surgery earlier this year. Long blonde hair flowing around her shoulders, the Bosnian-born model spoke out for the first time about her transition and why she thinks it’s important to talk about it publicly. Pejic said, “I want to share my story with the world because I think I have a social responsibility. I figured out who I was very early on – at 13, with the help of the Internet – so I knew that a transition, becoming a woman, was always something I needed to do. But it wasn’t possible at the time, and I put it off, and androgyny became a way of expressing my femininity without having to explain myself to people too much.” Speaking of transgender and TV, trans woman actress, producer,

writer and director Andrea James published an article on July 25 that is sure to raise controversy. But perhaps it should just raise questions. James takes GLAAD to task in “The GLAAD Board’s ‘Tranny’ Trouble: How Its Trans Takeover Is Reshaping LGBT Politics.” It’s a compelling and thoroughly researched piece. James, who earlier this year got banned from writing for The Advocate about her support of fellow trans woman Calpernia Addams and everyone’s favorite drag star RuPaul, has left nothing to chance in this piece. She begins by lauding the appointment of straight LGBT ally Meghan McCain, a contributor to MSNBC who also has her own show on Pivot. McCain, along with her mother, Cindy McCain, was a leader of straight participants in the NoH8 campaign and has been extremely vocal about her support of marriage equality, contravening her father’s stance and that of other Republicans. James goes on to say, “Before the appointment of Ms. McCain and three men, trans women were represented on GLAAD’s board at 11 times our actual ratio within the LGBT community. Out trans men are not represented at all.” It is a problem, James asserts, because “80% of the GLAAD board was assigned and socialized as boys growing up. Also, bisexual people, who are a larger population than gays and lesbians combined, are vastly underrepresented on the board and in GLAAD’s agenda. I believe these disproportionate representations are driving much of the recent conflict within the LGBT community on media issues, where trans people, mainly trans lesbians, are clashing with gay men, lesbians, drag queens and kings, and other gender-variant performers. And they go about it, like, well, people socialized as straight white males.” It’s quite an indictment, but one which James supports not just with the treatment of RuPaul and other gay male drag queens who have been, like Paul, in the forefront of the gay rights movement, but with a plethora of other hard-line evidence. James, who works in TV and film and has been an out trans woman and activist forever, was a consultant to Felicity Huffman for her 2005 Oscar-nominated performance as a trans woman in Transamerica, for which the Obie- and Emmy-winning Huffman also won a Golden Globe Award. James also volunteered at GLAAD back when

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Jenny McCarthy on The View: pretty and pretty crazy.

there was no trans presence at all at the organization. So James is not some random outlier covered in Cheetos and ranting from Mom’s basement. This makes her commentary on GLAAD and the state of the LGBT “union” all the more damning. Oh GLAAD, will you ever get it together to address our community, our whole community? One of our own complaints about TV is noted obliquely in James’ piece: bisexual women and lesbians are often conflated on the tube. We see it all the time. A lesbian character is introduced only to suddenly become bisexual. Conversely, bisexual female characters are often referred to as lesbian when they are not. Who will address these issues if not the one organization that is supposed to be watching and noting what’s happening on TV? Finally, some tidbits: Emmy winner Dan Bucatinsky may have been killed off on Scandal last season in a total heartbreaker, but he’s back on TLC’s Who Do You Think You Are?, and lesbian actress Cynthia Nixon is his guest. CBS announced its replacement for retiring funnyman Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show, and it’s Joel McHale, who just exited NBC’s sitcom Community. Emmy nominee and Tony winner and out gay gadabout Nathan Lane says straight people can play gay just like gay people can play straight, and if that weren’t the case he would never have been able to win that Tony. Lost Girl Anna Silk is so ready for season five, she’s talking about it everywhere. Meanwhile, how many times has True Blood’s Anna Paquin come out as bisexual? This week must be the quadrillionth time. We blame you for this, GLAAD: Paquin is having to stand up for every bisexual AFAB because you won’t. So for the actual news, the news you’re not seeing, and the LGBT wars, you know what you have to do: stay tuned.t

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Back to the Garden Luscious Queer Music Festival’s star-studded sounds by Brent Calderwood

an Francisco’s summer of music is upon us, with Stern Grove, Outside Lands, and a dozen other big-name festivals starting now and spilling into October (next week’s issue will have a full breakdown of these festivals). But shockingly, there’s never been a music festival in Northern California dedicated to LGBT music. The Luscious Queer Music Festival, happening August 22 to 24 at Saratoga Springs Retreat Center in Upper Lake, California, will change all that in a big way. About two-and-a-half-hours north of San Francisco, the festival will feature some our best and brightest, including Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter

courtesy GAPA

Cris Williamson shines in the great outdoors.

See page 27 >>

by Jim Provenzano

ith a deft combination of satire, celebration and serious intent, the 26th annual Gay Asian Pacific Alliance’s Runway pageant will fill the Marine’s Memorial Theatre with friends, family and fabulousness on August 2. For producer Alan S. Quismorio, the event blends his passion for community and theatre. In addition to working with GAPA, Quismorio is also the artistic director of Bindlestiff Studio, which showcases emerging Filipino American and Pilipino artists. Quismorio has been co-producing Runway pageants since 2008, but this is his first go at producing it himself. Tita Aida will MC, as she has done for more than ten years. Guismorio talked about the Runway events’ roots. “Originally, a group of Asian Pacific calendar men were interested in representing the community in a new way,” he said. “Every year it’s a whole different crowd. In the 1990s, it was really about getting the API community to be more vocal about itself, more confident about what it wants as part of the LGBT community. Now that we’re sort of integrated in the community, we’re looking at how we should define ourselves politically and effect other organizations. In the last few years we’ve encouraged the titleholders to go after issues and concerns that matter to them. If they have their own platform, we encourage that, but we also want them to represent GAPA.” See page 28 >>

Passion d n a Pageantr y at GAPA’s

Khmera Rouge performs her dance at 2013’s GAPA Runway.

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Some of the performers featured at Luscious Music Festival, clockwise from top left: Mary Lambert, Justin Vivian Bond, Skip the Needle, and Matt Alber.

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Luscious Festival

From page 25

Mary Lambert, critical darling and androgyne chanteuse Justin Vivian Bond, lesbian icon Cris Williamson, John Ginoli of the queer punk band Pansy Division, San Francisco’s cubbishly sexy Matt Albert (hot off his appearance at the Great American Music Hall), and Marga Gomez— ”proudly Latina, openly gay, slightly dorky, tragically sexy”—on hand to cohost the diverse lineup. “I couldn’t be more honored to participate,” says Alber. “This will be my first visit to Saratoga Springs. It makes me feel great to learn they are so passionate about bringing LGBT music to Northern California. I can’t wait to sing for them!” DJs and dancing will also feature prominently; in fact, longtime Bay Area DJ and producer Page Hodel served as an assistant producer for Luscious. “She’ll be DJ-ing under the stars on Saturday night and always knows how to give the crowd what they want,” says co-assistant producer DJ Justime, who’ll be playing acid house and dub techno at the festival. The lineup of DJs will be representing genres of dance music including hip-hop, house, disco, soul, and electronica.

Marga Gomez

“It will be as fierce as Coachella and Woodstock, but with a sacred and special magic that only queer parties have,” says DJ Justime. “In fact, [Burning Man organization] Comfort and Joy’s infamous Afterglow party will be happening at Luscious on Saturday night. The party will be wild and will carry on until dawn.” One of the biggest draws for the festival is Mary Lambert, who lent her dusky vocals and original lyrics to the chorus of the marriage-equality anthem “Same Love” by hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at this year’s Grammy Awards. On writing the chorus for the hit song, the self-described “plus-size bombass femme lesbian” says, “The song already had a brain. I wanted to give it a heart and make a very simple statement that my love is valid, too.” Lambert says that her upcoming album Heart on My Sleeve is “sonically a pop album, but with an intense emotional pull. This is definitely my proudest moment as an artist, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world … and Saratoga Springs!” It’s rare for popular artists to be so earnest—or so out—but that’s exactly what makes this music festival different, says Chas Nol, manag-

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 27

ing director of Saratoga Springs. “Every time I enjoyed a popular music festival like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass or read about the delightfulness of a Woodstock or Monterey Jazz Festival, I’ve fantasized about a similar event by and for our queer community, says Nol. “Our community is awash with talent and passion.” In that spirit, Nol and Ruven Hannah, executive producer of Luscious, decided to put their money where their mouths were. “Our mission is to bring together the LGBTQ community in a beautiful, natural setting to celebrate queer musicians, comedians, and DJs while raising funds for LGBTQ people seeking asylum,” says Hannah. One of the nonprofits Luscious is partnering with, ORAM (Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration), was founded five years ago to help sexual minorities living in hostile political climates reach safety through refugee protection and political asylum. “The human rights abuses LGBTQI people face around the world have never been more grave or more severe,” says Executive Director Neil Grungas. “In Russia, LGBTQI people are hunted down in the streets and the law punishes gay rights advocacy, while in Uganda you can be imprisoned for life for being queer.” Not surprisingly, LGBT equality is important to every performer on the Luscious bill, all of whom have chosen to identify as openly queer artists. “Like many queer people,” says Justin Vivian Bond, “I lose sleep worrying about the treatment our people face in countries that are even more hostile than our own.” Bond, formerly the distaff half of the Tony-nominated duo Kiki and Herb, continues. “Personally, I believe it’s part of a worldwide crisis of unbridled misogyny directed at anyone perceived as femme—women, transpeople, gay men, gender nonconformists—and it literally makes

me sick. I’m so grateful that because of my talent and big mouth I’m able to draw awareness to these issues and to take part in events like the Luscious Music Festival which are actually doing something to help.” Lambert, who will be performing Saturday night on the main stage, says, “I live with a fair amount of privilege, and recently had a realization that I am not only instantly accepted as a lesbian, but applauded for my outspoken nature in my daily life. That experience is so far from the oppression that millions of gay folks deal with. If there’s anything that I can do to help that, then I’m in!” “So much of the world needs our compassionate response as fellow human beings,” says music legend Cris Williamson, whose 1975 recording The Changer and the Changed helped further the women’s music movement and remains one of the bestselling independent releases of all time. “Women have provided asylum forever, harboring those who have not felt as though they belonged,” said Williamson. It’s so important to increase our embrace when we can.

Holcomb Waller

Being outdoors is the best, as we can directly experience how Mother Earth holds us all.” Women’s music festivals like the ones Williamson pioneered centered around meaningful music, ecological and political consciousness, and out performers. Forty years later, Nol and Hannah cite these events as influences on the Luscious festival at Saratoga Springs, and they hope that, like women’s music festivals, Luscious becomes an ongoing tradition—one that embraces diversity. Adds Hannah, “Our purpose is inclusiveness—all queers who are out and proud and their friends who want to come with an open heart and love for music and nature’s beauty are welcome.”t Tickets for the Luscious Queer Music Festival at Saratoga Springs are available through www.eventbrite.com. Single-day, overnight, or all-weekend passes are available. Camping is encouraged; small cabins, hot tub, swimming pool, and other add-ons are available. For more information about tickets, food, local hotels, and transportation options, visit www. lusciousqueermusicfestival.org

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28 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

GAPA Runway

From page 25

Quismorio said that Runway is “not just a drag pageant. A lot of such shows represent the glitz, the glamour and the bitchery. With Runway, we want the glamour, but the bitchery only to a certain point that’s not hurtful, but theatrical.” Recently, the event’s producers decided to create a series of preevents “to get candidates to trust and get to know each other and work together on the show,” said Quismorio. This year, five contestants each in the Mr. and Miss category will be judged on how they can articulate the GAPA mission, their imagination for theme wear (this year’s is Villains & Femme Fatales), and the fantasy section, which is also the talent segment. “That part is very entertaining,” said Quismorio, who emphasized the aspect of the contest that asks what contestants believe an empowered Asian man is. “It can be a song or a dance,” said Quismorio. “One year a performer did a standup comedy act, and it was very different.” One of more unusual Mr. GAPA contestants performed a trapeze act, made available at the Herbst Theatre, where several

courtesy GAPA

Miss GAPA 2013 Khmera Rouge and Mr. Gapa 2013 Nguyen “Sir Whitney Queers” Pham.

“There’s a real need was to get our voices out there,” he said, when I compared it to the local nightlife scene. “We don’t need separate clubs to be comfortable, but we do have them. We’re integrated and accepted at all these clubs. But there’s still an underlying sense of racism in the gay community. We want to keep this on our radar. We need to keep

Marques Daniels Photography

2013’s Runway court.

recent Runway contests have been held (the theatre is currently undergoing retrofit reconstruction). Quismorio noted how the Miss GAPA portion is different. “They’re able to easily create a persona, and they have a sort of mask to help out with that,” he said. “With Mister GAPA, they don’t have that mask, and have to put themselves out there.” The different cultures within the Asian population are shared with nuance in the acts. But the event is more than theatrical fun, said Quismorio.

vigilant with any conception or racism out there that still pervades.” I brought up the term ‘casual racism,’ when people of any race make what they think are innocuous jokes at some other race’s expense. “Whenever we joke around, we want to be edgy, but we say these things and try to excuse ourselves,” said Quismorio. “We understand you’re kidding, but it comes from centuries of colonialism and decades of overt racism. We’re still trying to wrap ourselves around that.”

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Khmera Rouge crowned at 2013’s GAPA Runway

Despite the Bay Area population being around 30 percent Asian, in the gay subculture, Quismorio still sees a distance, as a minority within a minority. “We’re new people at the party,” he said. “Let us get our sea legs.” Of the several Asian nightlife celebrities in the LGBT scene, Quismorio sees drag as useful on many levels. “It’s where you can lampoon behaviors. But we often –intentionally or not– perpetuate stereotypes that we need to get away from.” As a playwright, Quismorio does concede that the drag aspects of club culture and the GAPA pageants are a form of theatre. “But I don’t see myself organizing Runway with a narrative,” he said. “The storyline is coming from the characters themselves, and how much they connect with the audience.” In his work with Bindlestiff Studio, serious issues are often taken on, as with their current show, The Gorillas of Powell Street, a drama about the plight of Asian American World War II soldiers’ fight to get benefits from the U.S. government. While a series of two-minute songs or dances may not encompass such somber themes, Quismorio said the Runway judges will still be looking for substance, “something that they can see from a candidate that can translate into what represents GAPA.” A bit more Rouge Miss GAPA 2013 Khmera Rouge recalled last year’s pageant as “incredible. There were seven Miss GAPA contestants and four men; a great group of people who got together.” Although Rouge performed well enough to win, she doesn’t recall much of it. “From the moment I stepped onstage to the crowning, I completely blanked out. But it was fun, and it being the twenty-fifth anniversary, a great milestone.” Rouge’s act incorporated traditional dance from her family’s roots in Cambodia. There is no small irony to her drag name (she preferred that her real name not be published). The Khmer Rouge, followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchia, was a violent offshoot of the Vietnam People’s Army, and the ruling party in Cambodia from 1968 to the late 1970s. The regime, led by Pol Pot and others, orchestrated deliberate “social engineering” attacks on crops and basic healthcare, which led to widespread famine and deaths, along with countless acts of mass murder and torture. Ousted by 1979, the Khmer Rouge lingered in a lesser form, even briefly gaining UN status, until its last holdouts surrendered in 1999. “I chose the name for a reason, not to glorify that group,” said Rouge, “but because so few people are willing to talk about it. Younger people don’t know what it was or

what they did, and by asking me about my name, they might learn more about it. My family was directly affected by the war. They were refugees, and that’s why I’m here.” Rouge is one of many transgendered performers who deftly blend the dark truths of life with a satirical edge. “I tend to mix a little bit of comedy and glamour,” said Rouge, who MCs events at the twice-monthly ShangriLa club nights at The Endup. “Being in drag is about making a statement, with beauty or drama. I may never know going into a situation if I’m going to go one way or another. You have to read from the crowd sometimes. It depends on the situation.” But for an event like a GAPA pageant, Rouge knew to “bring on the A-game.” For one segment of the competition, Rouge chose to dress as the Disney character Mulan, in accord with last year’s Silver Screen theme. “She’s one of few Disney characters I could identify with,” said Rouge. “It was one of the very few Asian media icons I could look up to.” Rouge also performed a brief dance excerpt that blended traditional Cambodian dance with a pop segue. She recalled it as being “almost comical; the routines have to be short, so you have to boil everything down.” Within two minutes, she moved from intricate centuriesold dance moves to Britney Spears’ “Work Bitch.” Asked to offer advice for this year’s contestants, Rouge said, “Have fun and be yourself. I went in not thinking about winning, but to have fun, and I ended up being more relaxed. The more relaxed you are, the better an audience can connect. Men in dresses and wigs onstage can be comical. You shouldn’t take it seriously, to a degree.” A winning Win But the pageant and GAPA itself do have a serious side, of course, which includes building community in the LGBT Asian and Pacific Islander community, and raising funds for causes like the GAPA Foundation’s scholarship fund. Both Rouge and Mr. GAPA 2013 Nguyen “Win” Pham raised $7,000 for the fund at events co-produced with members of the San Francisco Imperial and Ducal courts. A check presentation will be part of the pageant’s events. “Above all else, last year has been completely empowering, and it started when I competed in the pageant,” said Nguyen “Sir Whitney Queers” Pham, who won Mr. GAPA 2013, and goes by Win. “Everyone was very encouraging for the whole day. Once the victors were announced, immediately Khmera and I began strategizing on fundraising.” Through the past year, patrons of ShangriLa supported the cause

at the EndUp, and the reigning duo made numerous appearances at other local events. “It’s not really expected of Mr. and Miss GAPA to coordinate their own fundraisers, but we did,” said Pham, whose passion for the scholarship programs is personal. Currently working on his MBA in Sustainable Business at San Francisco State University, the college graduate said, “We believe in the benefits of higher education, so that’s what we’ve dedicated ourselves to.” Focusing on the younger generation of club-goers, Pham and Rouge produced dating events, and even a drag flip-flop night, where the Miss and Mr. GAPA contestants switched gender roles for a night. “It’s amazing how simple fundraising can be,” said Pham. “People really rallied around it.” For his winning routines at last year’s pageant, Pham went classy with the Silver Screen theme, donning a white dinner jacket and black tux pants, and playing “Claire de Lune” on a piano. “I didn’t have a tremendous amount of time to prepare,” Pham confessed. He competed in 2002, but didn’t win, becoming First Prince. “After that, GAPA kind of swallowed me whole,” he joked. “Even if you’re a runner-up, you’re still part of the royal court.” Along with obligations, Pham said he found strength in community. “They kind of empowered me. I had a network, and in the subsequent years I grew up a lot.” You may have seen Pham in midair as part of another community. As a thirteen-year veteran of Cheer SF, he’s often one of the ‘flyers,’ the nimble cheerleaders who are tossed up high during the cheer squad’s many rousing routines. “I’m all about philanthropy and volunteering,” said Pham, who was born and raised in San Jose. Pham said he looks forward to seeing how this year’s contestants will bring a new edge to the traditional, and ad-

Ken Breiten

Nguyen “Win” Pham performing with Cheer SF.

mittedly campy, pageant format. “It’s part drag show, but not your typical drag pageant, and there is a camp factor for both genders,” he said. “While we do address stereotypes, which have a certain degree of reality, the focus of the pageant is to exaggerate reality. It’s a very interesting juxtaposition.” This year’s pageant theme will no doubt poke fun at classic film, comic book and pop culture icons. “With a pageant of this scale, it’s easy to fall into the formulaic, but our philosophy is to be artful within that formula,” said Pham. “With element of satire, and a social event and fundraiser, we also pay tribute to our forefathers and foremothers.”t Runway XXVI takes place Saturday. August 2, 7pm at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter Street. Tickets are $25 to $60. www.GAPA.org

t Summer and Smoke Machines Read more online at www.ebar.com

by Donna Sachet

ur hat is off to Cheyenne Jackson who was in town to perform at Davies Symphony Hall with the SF Symphony Orchestra, but somehow made time to mingle with the hoi polloi last Monday at Martuni’s and The Edge! Can you imagine the hysteria as Trauma Flintstone accompanied him on piano for “A Little Less Conversation,” and Brian Kent introduced him to the adoring crowd for a couple of songs as well? And from all reports, he was gracious and friendly to all. Celebrity sighting at its very best!

Participants in the SF AIDS Walk

The crowds showed up last Sunday, having gathered pledges and formed teams for AIDS Walk SF, as they have for over 25 years. As you may know, AIDS Walk SF is now under the aegis of Project Inform. With a comparable number of teams and individuals as last year and strong corporate and foundation support, over 30 other AIDS organizations are positioned to benefit from the event as well, including the restored grant program overseen by an independent committee. The weather was great (if a bit on the hot side), the walkers were enthusiastic, and the generosity was extraordinary! We’re sure you’ve attended your share of weddings lately, but once in a while a very special couple ties the knot and warrants mention in this column. Anita Martini, Empress XXIX of San Francisco and now residing in Texas, introduced

cluding us in the occasion. The Imperial Palace (our own humble abode) was the setting for a pre-gala reception for the Horizons Foundation last Thursday. This amazing organization has helped nearly every LGBT group you can think of in our City, many times making the difference between closing or continuing, between surviving or thriving, and between stagnation and innovation. Don’t you sometimes feel like you give a little Sara La Due here and a little there with no particular strategy or preparation? HoriCheyenne Jackson, accompazons Foundation encourages intellinied by Joe Wicht, sings at gent philanthropy and is committed his surprise appearance at to support from our community for Martunis. our community. The lively cocktail party, delibringing red patent moccasins to ciously catered by Molto Benne, exchange for the spectator heels we included information about the arrived wearing. Only a few events annual Gala at the Fairmont Hoof this kind remain during the next tel on Sept. 27 with a casino theme couple of months, so check Faceand awards presented to AT&T and book and arrive early. this humbled columnist. Attending You’ll receive a full report on were Drew Cutler, Lu Conrad, Tom Up Your Alley from our friendly Tarn, Will Whitaker, Richard SabLeather columnist, no doubt, but latura, Skye Paterson, Jennifer Sha we want to compliment P. Tyrone Chan, Brett Andrews, Sam & Julia Smith on Sunday night’s Play dance Thoron, Jason Holstein, Michael party with a Black Tea Party theme Gentleman, Al Baum, Deb Stallat Mezzanine, which we attended. It ings, and others. Mark your calenwas thoroughly organized, wonderdar now and get your tickets for this fully welcoming, and provided the luxurious evening for a great cause. best sound and lights we’ve seen in Saturday’s weather was perfect for ages. The mood was sexy, the music Xavier Caylor’s Flagging in the Park celebratory, and the crowd incredevent at the AIDS Memorial Grove ible. DJ Russ Rich kept us on the of Golden Gate Park. Tons of people gathered, many with colorful flags in hand, to celebrate the art of flagging in the warm sunshine or simply to relax on blankets and observe. Few experiences rival the explosion of color and music of Flagging in the Park, especially when Warren Gluck is the DJ. Money was raised by voluntary donations to the Grove Xavier Caylor itself. We were a bit smarter this time, Flagging in the Park’s scenic beauty.

Michael Smith

Play T-dance was a hit.

us years ago to two generous, funny, captivating gentlemen named David Koca & Sam Seidel. After waiting years for Texas to join the states with full marriage equality and even trying to navigate the complexity of marrying in Illinois with Texas citizenship, they flew to California last week to seal the deal. Why not come to where it all started? So in the beautiful setting of San Francisco’s City Hall Rotunda, they took their vows with only a few close friends as witnesses and then we celebrated with a dinner at Catch in the Castro. The couple beamed with pride and we were so proud that San Francisco opened her arms to them for this life-affirming ceremony. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and thank them for in-

Carole Cook will return for REAF’s Help is on the Way, August 24

dance floor continuously, with the exception of the acrobat acts, the dance production number, and Brian Kent’s performance at 10PM. We co-hosted the Beatbox balcony with Sister Roma, BeBe Sweetbriar, and Suzan Revah, keeping those VIPs happy and stimulated. With August right around the corner, prepare to rev up your social schedule! This weekend is GAPA’s Runway 26, Villains & Femme Fatales, hosted by Tita Aida and featuring Mr. GAPA Sir Whitney Queers and Miss GAPA Khmera Rouge at Marines’ Memorial Theatre Saturday night at 7PM. Expect unbelievable creativity! Next week, the Harvey Milk Democratic Club annual dinner is on Thursday, August 7 at City College. After that, there’s Trannyshack’s Janet Jackson tribute on Friday, August 15, and OpenHouse’s Remembering Our Hero: Jose Sarria, The Widow Norton, at the Community Center on Tuesday, August 19. August ends with one of our favorite events, Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation’s 20th annual Help is on the Way at the Palace of Fine Arts on Sunday, August 24. Confirmed performers include Richard Chamberlain, Maureen McGovern, Lisa Vroman, Lucie Arnaz, Jason Brock, Carole Cook, Florence Henderson, Meg Mackay, Alex Newell, Valarie Pettiford, Paula West, and David Friedman. Don’t miss it!t

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 29

<< On the Tab

30 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Bf eON TH– EuguTsA t 7 July 31 A

★

Fri 1 Anniversary Party @ Virgil's Sea Room Enjoy pitchers of margaritas as the Mission bar celebrates one year in its new incarnation; DJs Jamie Jams, Miss Pop, food by Wes Burger. 9pm-2am. 3152 Mission St. 829-2233. www.virgilssf.com

Bad Girl Cocktail Hour @ The Lexington Club Every Friday night, bad girls can get $1 dollar margaritas between 9pm and 10pm. 3464 19th St. between Mission and Valencia. 863-2052. www.lexingtonclub.com

Discoteque @ Mighty Enjoy a night of disco, disco house and classic tracks spun by Steve Fabus, DJ Bus Station John and Anthony Mansfield. 9pm-2:30am. Open bar 9pm-10:30pm. Free before 11:30pm. discothequemighty.eventbrite.com

Sat 2

Michael Walters as Dame Edna

ourists fill the streets, usually in sandals and white socks, walking in the wrong neighborhoods, asking where to find the Golden Gate Bridge. Be nice to our visitors, many from Europe in these summer months where they think flipflops are appropriate wear. Point them to the nearest fleece jacket sale. Or just get out of town to Guerneville, where bears and drag shows mix like glitter in river silt.

Thu 31 Beats Reality @ Trax Resident DJs Jim Hopkins and Justime welcome guest DJs and play groovy tunes. Weekly, 9pm-2am. 1437 Haight St. 864-4213.

Bulge @ Powerhouse Grace Towers hosts the gogo-tastic night of sexy dudes shakin' their bulges and getting wet in their undies for $100 prize (contest at midnight), and dance beats spun by DJ DAMnation. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

La Femme @ Beaux Ladies' happy hour at the Castro nightclub, with drink specials, no cover, and women gogos. 4pm-9pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Funny Fun @ Club 21, Oakland New LGBT comedy night hosted by Dan Mires. $10. 8pm. July 31: Caitlin Gill headlines. 2111 Franklin St. Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Gym Class @ Hi Tops Enjoy cheap/free whiskey shots from jock-strapped hotties and sexy sports videos at the popular sports bar. 10pm-2am. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Jay Brannan @ Bottom of the Hill The talented gay singer-songwriter returns for a night inspiring music. Terra Naomi and Becca Richardson also perform. $14. 9pm. All ages. 1233 17th St. 626-4455. www.jaybrannan.com www.bottomofthehill.com

Lazy Bear Weekend @ Guerneville The Russian River become filled with gay bears at dance, bar and resort events through the weekend. Thru Aug. 4. www.lazybearweekend.com

Mary Go Round @ Lookout Suppositori Spelling, Mercedez Munro and Holotta Tymes host the weekly night with DJ Philip Grasso, gogo guys, drink specials, and drag acts. 10pm2am. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Melissa Etheridge @ Davies Symphony Hall The popular out rock-country musician performs favorite songs and music from her new CD This is ME. $15-$65. 8pm. Grove St at Van Ness Ave. 8646000. www.MelissaEtheridge.com www.sfsymphony.org

The Monster Show @ The Edge Cookie Dough's weekly drag show with gogo guys and hilarious fun. July 31: a Baz Lermann Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet and Great Gatsy film song tribute. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

My So-Called Night @ Beaux Heklina hosts a new weekly '90s-themed video, dancing', drinkin' night, with VJs Jorge Terez and Becky Knox. Get down with your funky bunch, and enjoy 90-cent drinks! '90s-themed attire and costume conest. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Nap's Karaoke @ Virgil's Sea Room Sing out loud at the weekly least judgmental karaoke in town, hosted by the former owner of the bar. No cover. 9pm. 3152 Mission St. 8292233. www.virgilssf.com

Pan Dulce @ The Cafe Amazingly hot Papi gogo guys, cheap drinks and fun DJed dance music. Free before 10pm. $5 til 2am. 2369 Market St. www.clubpapi.com www.cafesf.com

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ The Chapel The janglin' Delta blues band returns. $12-$15. 9pm. 777 Valencia St. www.bigdamnband.com www.thechapelsf.com

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi The musical comedy revue celebrates its 40th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. $25-$160. 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 421-4222. ww.beachblanketbabylon.com

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle The classic leather bar's most popular Sunday daytime event now also takes place on Saturdays! 3pm-6pm. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Bootie SF @ DNA Lounge The weekly mash-up dance night, with resident DJs Adrian & Mysterious D. No matter the theme, a mixed fun good time's assured. $8-$15. 9pm3am. 21+. 375 11th St. at Harrison. www.BootieSF.com www.DNAlounge.com

Dusty Rhino @ Mighty A pre-Burn extravaganza includes DJs from several Burning Man camps: Distrikt, Heart Phoenix, Opulent Temple, Pink Mammoth and Space Cowboys. Get your pre-Burn on inside, and outdoors with the "silent disco." $15-$20.10pm-3am. 119 Utah St. dustyrhinopreburn.eventbrite.com

Furries @ Qbar The menagerie of animal suits, bunny ears and furry creatures comes to the Castro bar; free drinks for the furriest; guest DJ Natty Boom, with reisdents Bradley P and Brian Urmanita. $5. 9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. 864-2877. www.qbarsf.com

Go Bang @ The Stud Sergio Fedasz and Steve Fabus play disco classics and obscure music treasures, with guest DJs Kenneth L. Kemp and Eddie House. $7. 9pm-3am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.studsf.com

Happy Friday @ Midnight Sun The popular video bar ends each week with gogo guys (starting at 9pm) and drink specials. Check out the new expanded front lounge, with a window view. 4067 18th St. 8614186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Katya Smirnoff-Skyy @ New Conservatory Theatre Center Our favorite exiled Russian royal songstress (aka actor J. Conrad Frank) performs in two special fundraisers for the local acclaimed theatre company. Aug 1, 8pm, $35. Aug. 2, $85 8pm includes light fare, a champgne reception, a live auction and the show. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 871-8972. www.nctcsf.org

Manimal @ Beaux Gogo-tastic night starts off your weekend. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Some Thing @ The Stud Mica Sigourney and pals' weekly offbeat drag performance night. 10pm2am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Tainted Love, Petty Theft, Super Huey @ Bimbos' 365 Club The three local 80s cover bands perfrom at the North Beach club. $25. 9pm. 1025 Columbus Ave. 474-0365. www.bimbos365club.com

Under the Golden Gate Live @ Kunst-Stoff Arts Hosts Maria Konner and DJ Dank welcome Kink.com's Sebastian Keys, singer Sara Moore, Paula-Jo Husack, Miss Rahni and others for a live webcast taping of their talk-varietty show. 7pm. 1 Grove St. www.underthegoldengate.com

As the summer heats up, EDGE gets hotter! Check out all the LGBT News, Entertainment and Hot photos today!

La Bota Loca @ Club 21, Oakland DJed tunes, gogo hotties, drag shows, drink specials, all at Oakland's premiere Latin nightclub and weekly cowboy night. $10-$15. Dancing 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Hard French @ El Rio The popular afternoon soul music dance party includes DJs Carnita and Brown Amy, guest spinner Brontez, BBQ food, and a performance by Glamamore. $8. 2pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Retro disco tunes and a fun diverse crowd, each Thursday; now in its tenth year! $4. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www. auntcharlieslounge. com

Chaos @ Beatbox

The Kinsey Sicks @ Rivermill Theatre, Guerneville

Tristan Jaxx's dance night welcomes DJ Serving Ovahness. $10-$15. 10pm-3am. 314 11th. 500-2675. ww.beatboxsf.com

The Russian River dinner theatre club welcomes the roving drag-apella comedy quartet. $35. 9:30pm. 16440 4th St., Guereville. (707) 869-3600. www.kinseysicks.com www.rivermilldinnertheatre.com

Thursday Night Live @ SF Eagle

Club Rimshot @ Bench and Bar, Oakland

Michael Walters @ The River Theatre, Guerneville

The weekly live rock shows feature local and touring bands. 9pm-ish. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www. sf-eagle.com

Thu 31 Lazy Bear Weekend

Get groovin' at the weekly hip hop and R&B night. $8-$15. 9pm to 4am. 510 17th St. www.bench-andbar.com

The funny Dame Edna impersonator performs live as part of Lazy Bear Weekend festivities. $10-$20. 7:30pm. 16135 Main St. (707)8698022. www.lazybearweekend.com www.russianrivertheater.com

On the Tab>>

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 31

Runway XXVI @ Marine's Memorial Theater

Cabaret Showcase Showdown @ Martuni's

Name That Beat @ Toad Hall

The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) present the 26th edition of the fabulous Mr. and Miss GAPA pageant, MCed by Tita Aida, $40-$50. 7pm. 609 Sutter St. www.gapa.org

It's the Best Singer/Songwriter edition of musical contest, with guest judge Katy Stephan; hosts Katya SmirnoffSkyy, William Wicht and Mike Young. 7pm. 4 Valencia St. www.martunis.ypguides.net

BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly musical trivia challenge and drag show. 8:30-11:30pm. 4146 18th st. at Castro. www.toadhallbar.com

Sadistic Saturdays @ The Eagle

Full of Grace @ Beaux Weekly night with hostess Grace Towers, different local and visiting DJs, and pop-up drag performances. No cover. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Michael Brandon hosts the monthly sexy SM night, with JellO shots, gogo sluts, leather gear encouraged, and the cash prize Big Cock contest. 10pm-1am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Fundraiser Party @ Marty's Place

Sex & Drags & Rock n Roll @ The Midnight Sun Muthah Chucka's rock and drag night (1st Saturdays), with almost a dozen performers. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

Sun 3 Katey Stephan @ Cabaret Showcase Showdown

Enjoy live music by Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Lupe Arreola and Joel Mark at this benefit for the private hospice for people with AIDS and the displaced poor. Donations. 2pm-4pm. 1165 Treat Ave. 826-5670. www.facebook.com/ events/438278259647733/

Jock @ The Lookout The weekly jock-ular fun continues, with special sports team fundraisers. 3pm-7pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Liquid Brunch @ Beaux

Gehno Sanchez Aviance and DJ Sergio Fedasz present a new monthly night (first Sundays) full of "working class realness" with tool belt gogo guys and cruisy grooves. $5 benefits the Bare chest Calendar. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Mon 4 Drag Mondays @ The Café Mahlae Balenciaga and DJ Kidd Sysko's weekly drag and dance night. 9pm-1am. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Mahogany Mondays @ Midnight Sun Honey Mahogany's weekly drag and musical talent show starts around 10pm, 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Sat 2

The amazing all-women Led Zeppelin cover band performs. Michael Lee Firkins opens. $18- $43 (with dinner). 9pm. 333 11th St. 255-0333. www.slimspresents.com

Tue 5 Bingo Night @ Club OMG Michael Brandon hosts the game night and funderaiser for The Community Initiatiuve. 7pm-10pm. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Bombshell Betty & Her Burlesqueteers @ Elbo Room

Ronn Vigh hosts the weekly LGBT and gay-friendly comedy night. One-drink or menu item minimum. 9pm. 500 Castro St. at 18th. 431-HARV. www.harveyssf.com

Gay Skate Night @ Church on 8 Wheels

Beer Bust @ SF Eagle The classic leather bar's most popular Sunday daytime event in town draws the menfolk. 3pm-6pm. Now also on Saturdays! 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

So You Think You Can Gogo? @ Toad Hall The weekly dancing competition for gogo wannabes. 9pm. cash prizes, $2 well drinks (2 for 1 happy hour til 9pm). Show at 9pm. 4146 18th St. www.toadhallbar.com

Wed 6 Aquapalooza

Sony Holland @ Level III

Ink & Metal @ Powerhouse

Way Back @ Midnight Sun

Show off your tattoos and piercings at the weekly cruisy SoMa bar night. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Naked Night @ Nob Hill Theatre Strip down at the strip joint. $20 includes refreshments. 8pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Piano Bar @ Beaux Singer extraordinaire Jason Brock hosts the new weekly night, with your talented host –and even you– singing. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Enjoy drinks and a "silent disco" at the fascinating aquarium's nightlife event. $15-$20. 7pm-10pm. Embarcadero at Beach St. www.aquariumofthebay.org

The casts of local and visiting musicals often pop in to perform at the popular Castro bar's musical theatre night. 7pm-2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pmclosing. 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Watch newbies get nude, or compete yourself for a $200 prize. Audience picks the winner. $20. 9pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

LGBT night at the former Sacred Heart Church-turned disco roller skate party space, hosted by John D. Miles, the "Godfather of Skate." Actually every night is gay-friendly, including Saturday's Black Rock night (Burning Man garb encouraged). Also Wed, Thu, 7pm-10pm. Sat afternoon sessions 1pm-2:30pm and 3pm5:30pm. $10. Kids 12 and under $5. Skate rentals $5. 554 Fillmore St at Fell. www.churchof8wheels.com

Aquapalooza @ Aquarium of the Bay

Sun 3

Rookies Night @ Nob Hill Theatre

Funny Tuesdays @ Harvey's

Wed 6

Monday Musicals @ The Edge

Women's burlesque show performs each Wed & Fri. Karaoke follows. $5$10. 7pm. 3158 Mission St. 282-3325. www.elriosf.com

A C.O.L.T. Following, the disability and LGBT-inclusive theatre company's music and variety show. No cover. 6:30pm-9pm. 4 Valencia St. www.circleoflifetheatre.org

Play the trivia game at the popular new sports bar. 9pm. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Stallion Saturdays @ Beaux

Zepparella @ Slim's

Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming accompanist Joe Wicht (aka Trauma Flintstone). 9pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market. www.dragatmartunis.com

Trivia Night @ Hi Tops

Zepparella

The gogo-tastic night returns, with hunky dancers offering lap dances upstairs in the lounge, hosted by Sister Roma. $4. Free before 10pm. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Red Hots Burlesque @ El Rio

Circle of Life Cabaret @ Martuni's

Under Construction @ Powerhouse

DJs Durt, Page Hodel, Jiji Sweet and La Rumarosa spin funky beats at this fundraiser for the Oakland Pride Womyn's Stage. Donations. 9pm-2am. 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. (510) 444-7474. www.thenewparish.com

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni's

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550

Donna Sachet hosts the weekly fabulous brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595. www.starlightroomsf.com

Miss Kitty's Trivia Night @ Wild Side West The weekly fun night at the Bernal Heights bar includes prizes, hosted by Kitty Tapata. No cover. 7pm-10pm. 424 Cortland St. 647-3099. www.wildsidewest.com

The weekly burlesque show of women dancers shaking their bonbons includes live music. $10. 9pm. 647 Valencia St. 552-7788. www.elbo.com

Sunday's a Drag @ Starlight Room

New weekly underwear night includes free clothes check, no cover, and drink specials. 9pm-2am. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Mica Sigourney and Tom Temprano cohost the wacky weekly game night at the cool Mission bar. 8pm. 3152 Mission St. www.virgilssf.com

No cover, no food, just drinks (Mimosas, Bloody Marys, etc.) and music. 2pm-9pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

The popular country western LGBT dance night; enjoy fun foot-stomping two-stepping and line-dancing. $5. 5pm-10:30pm with lessons from 5:30-7:15 pm. Also Thursdays. 550 Barneveld Ave., and Tuesdays at Beatbox, $6. 6:30-11pm. 314 11th St. www.sundancesaloon.org

Ships in the Night @ The New Parish

No No Bingo @ Virgil's Sea Room

Dare 2 Bare @ Club OMG

Bromance @ Beaux DJ Kidd Sysko spins tunes for the bro-tastic midweek night, with $2 beer pitchers, beer pong, $1 shots served by undie-clad guys. It's like a frat house without the closet cases. 8:30-10pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

The acclaimed jazz vocalist performs with guitarist Jerry Holland. Weekly 5pm-8pm. Also Thursdays & Fridays. JW Marriott, 515 Mason St. at Post. www.sonyholland.com

Trivia Night @ Harvey's BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly night of trivia quizzes and fun and prizes; no cover. 8pm-1pm. 500 Castro St. 4314278. www.harveyssf.com Weekly screenings of vintage music videos and retro drink prices. Check out the new expanded front window lounge. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. 8614186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Wrangler Wednesday @ Rainbow Cattle Company The Russian River bar's country music night attracts cowboys and those who like to ride 'em. 8pm-1am. 16220 Main St., Guerneville. (707) 869-0206. www.queersteer.com

Thu 7 Diva! @ Longboard Margarita Bar, Pacifica The monthly (first Thursdays) night turns the laidback surfer bar upsidequeer-down with a multi-perofrmer drag show; Ana Mae Coxxx hosts. No cover. 9pm-1am. 180 Eureka Square, Pacifica. (650) 738-5905. www.thelongboardbar.com

La Femme @ Beaux Ladies' happy hour at the Castro nightclub, with drink specials, no cover, and women gogos. 4pm-9pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Gym Class @ Hi Tops Enjoy cheap/free whiskey shots from jock-strapped hotties and sexy sports videos at the popular new sports bar. 10pm-2am. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com Want your nightlife event listed? Email events@ebar.com, at least two weeks before your event. Event photos welcome.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

32 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

Gays of Thrones by Jim Provenzano

s the annual San Jose Renaissance Faire prepares to encamp at Guadalupe River Green August 2 and 3, it seems fair to inquire –what with all the jousting hunks and fair maidens in finery– could there be any royalty or groundlings of “the third sex,” any “friends of Elizabeth,” any “Gays of Thrones?” Enough with the ribaldry. The answer is yes, but not in the generous feast-like portions of days of yore.

According to one veteran participant of the family-friendly weekend of historical festivities, for those with a taste for creative anachronism, the Faire welcomes all merry folk. Although he won’t be attending this year, actor Andy Pettit has performed with theatre troupes at many Renaissance fairs over the years. “They’re a fun bunch of people,” said Pettit, who added that the original and larger fair, held at Black Point Forest in Novato, was the origin of contemporary Elizabethan

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outdoor gatherings. The first Renaissance Pleasure Faire was held here in Northern California in 1963 as the creation of Ron and Phyllis Patterson (who passed away, respectively in 2011 and in May 2014). Last year marked the fiftieth anniversary of the original fair, which was cosponsored by KPFA Radio and saw hundreds of volunteers assist in its first incarnation. The extensive history of these historical celebrations, including a charming radio show with an accompanying historical photo slideshow, can be found at the website www.fairehistory.org “That was the one,” said Pettit of the much-missed fair, which was held annually in September, and reached a peak in the late 1990s with up to 200,000 visitors a year. “The original people who produced the fair sold it off, and it’s now run by a company south of Gilroy.” So, with such groovy roots, men in doublets and ladies with floral wreaths, dancing around maypoles

courtesy Andy Pettit

Andy Pettit (right) in battle onstage at a recent Renaissance faire.

Rosemary Guglielmelli

Hunks after a bit of swordplay.

amid “gay” celebrations, have there been fairies at the fairs? Pettit, 47, who began performing at fairs two decades ago, said, “The long answer is, it literally took me a good part of ten to fifteen years to find out who was and wasn’t gay.” Pettit added that he wasn’t completely out in his early years as a fair actor-musician. “Everyone is accepted for who they are, so it really isn’t a big deal,” he said. “I was young then and didn’t know at the time. But later, people would tell me, and I would think, ‘Wait; he’s gay?’” Pettit started working in Commedia dell’Arte ensembles as an Arlequino character, as a drag version of a comic Italian ‘Mamma’ character, and as various personae at the annual Christmas Dickens Fair. Currently, Pettit performs at Sacramento’s Wild West-themed California Gold Rush Fair, where amid 1880s gold diggers and saloon sets, he’s part of a Russian immigrant vaudeville troupe. His costume includes a set of attached cymbals for a percussive song and dance. The unique historical aspect of their ensemble is that few people realize the Old West had Russian immigrants. It’s that kind of specificity that charms even the most persistent historical scholars. The Renaissance fairs are mostly placed in the 1600s, with nods to Elizabethan and medieval times as well. “There’s no snobbery about accuracy,” said Pettit, who did note that the veteran participants do like to indulge in accuracy in costume and speech, and staying in character through the day.

Hunk with goblet at a recent Northern California Renaissance Faire.

For those newbies who want to dress the part, “as long as you’re close to that, people appreciate it.” Numerous local costume shops rent and sell attire, and websites include instructions on making your own outfits. Some fairs even rent costumes on-site. For true authenticity, some of Pettit’s costumes have been sturdy, “almost as thick as sofa upholstery,” he chuckled. “I sweat up a storm.” Having performed at subsequent fairs around the world, Pettit typified the San Jose version as one of the smaller events. He’s also performed with The Stark Ravens in outdoor performances of Shakespeare plays; “Twelfth Night, Love’s Labors Lost, most of the comedies,” he said. “It’s really hard to do the tragedies [like Macbeth], although some of the diehards would love to see that.” See page 33 >>

A muscled and tattooed jousting MC at a recent Northern California Renaissance Fair.

Another historical hunk.

A regal queen.

Read more online at www.ebar.com

July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 33

Porn Wars: Episode I by John F. Karr

he next few days are like Custer’s Last Stand for Porn. So, we interrupt our regularly scheduled effusion over some hunky guy’s (pick one) fat, thick, uncut, mushroom-headed cock, etc., to offer you a last ditch chance to do your thing for porn. I hope the following article will make you want to go to w w w. a b 1 5 7 6 . o r g , where you will be assisted in letting members of the Senate Appropriation Committee know how vociferously you’re against a pending bill that could have drastic effects on the porn industry, along with your personal rights and viewing pleasures. My article includes some background, some proselytizing, and— hold on to your hats— a major hissy fit from a well-known (but reclusive) bareback producer. AB 1576 is the bill that will, among other things, mandate not only the use of condoms in all porn produced within the state of California, but will require the public revelation of the HIV status of all of its performers, gay as well as straight. “It’s hard, in an election year, for Senators to vote against a bill that looks like a performer protection bill,” explained Kink.com spokesman Michael Stabile. So the bill has already passed the initial stages of legislation. Several days from now, on Tuesday, August 4, it will face its last hurdle the Appropriations Committee casts the final vote. The bill was initiated by the American Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which is the largest global AIDS organization, currently providing medical care and services to nearly 230,000 individuals in 32 countries worldwide. In other words, the AHF does a lot of good. The AHF also promotes agendas that are sometimes negligible and even detrimental, like AB 1576. AHF President Michael Weinstein promotes the bill as “an issue of public health.” But it’s less about protecting performers than mak-

Gays of Thrones

From page 32

Speaking of blood and gore, Pettit reminded me that the macho men of jousting do perform in real contests, and in authentic chain mail and armor. The Knights of Mayhem, a band of truly manly men, will compete in San Jose on horseback, each in more than 100 pounds of armor, and with 12-foot lances. The Knights have competed around the world, and were recently featured on a National Geographic reality show. Aside from a few anachronistic microphone headsets, the thrills, spills –and injuries– are real. The once-pastoral setting of the original fair is now a golf course and housing developments. Yet those innocent beginnings are now big business. The national Renaissance Entertainment Corporation of Boulder, Colorado runs theme fairs across the country, raking in more than $10 million annually. Another upcoming event, the Northern California Renaissance Faire, will take place each weekend from September 13 through October 12 (www.norcalrenfaire.com). Asked if the realm of fantasy is also a component, as with the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, Pettit confessed that he has yet to see the show. But fans who want

ing it impossible for the industry to function. There are sex-positive ways that workers in the industry could have their health vouchsafed. AB 1576 is not among them. Here’s why well-reasoned writer and porn performer Conor Habib opposes the bill. “It’s a cultural, human rights, ethical, and public health disaster... not to be taken lightly,” Habib wrote in a Slate.com post. “Because of the pre-existing industry protection protocols and industry-related education, AB1576 addresses a nonexistent problem.” A statistic supports Habib: Between 2006-2011, there were 297,293 HIV diagnoses in the USA.

Habib wrote, “to read the bill this way: AB1576 will find HIV-positive people, expose their status to others, and ban them completely from any sexual representation or sex work.... essentially discriminating against any HIV-positive person being in porn, even when barriers are used.” This makes the bill a descendent of those ‘Let’s Quarantine People With AIDS’ days.

healthcare issues in the industry, but also mandated that performers wear goggles to protect their eyes from body fluids. What a joke. The bill was ultimately defeated, but not before Weinstein threw an awful lot of AHF money at it. When Chair of the State Assembly’s Appropriations Committee Mike Gatto (D, 43 District) put a hold on AB 640, the AHF targeted him by launching a robo-call to 100,000 of his constituents, with an alarmist announcement that Gatto was “The Pornographer’s Best Friend in Sacramento.” While preparing to write about the bill, I asked several porn producers what impact AB 1576 might have on their business. A sense of industry turmoil can be seen in the response I received from Paul Morris, the pseudonymous owner of the barebacking purveyor, Treasure Island Media (TIM).

tion. The fact that you are a putative ‘reporter’ on porn and have cheerfully, publicly shunned my work for over a decade means to me that you are no reporter and you have only the most superficial interest in the complex realities of porn in the queer world. “If the government passed a bill that outlawed the honest and complete representation of queerness, of your core identity, what would you do? That’s my answer to your questions.” Wow! Quelle surprise. And though Morris misidentifies me as a reporter when I’ve always represented myself as an entertainment writer, there’s some truth in what he wrote, which I may address in a future article.

Raging Stallion Studios

Erudite porn actor Conor Habib.

Body glove love in Naked Gun: Is this the future of California porn?

How many demonstrable on-set HIV transmissions were there in adult film production between 2005-2014? None. You’re safer having sex on a porn set than you might be in your own bedroom. “That means,” Habib wrote, “AB1576 is a bill in search of a problem.” If AB1576 won’t affect HIV transmissions on set (since there are none), what will it actually accomplish? “It’s not much of a stretch,” to dive into such a 3D variation are welcome. So, with all the immersive pageantry and elaborate costumes, is the ambiance ever…sexy? “Oh yes. It can be very sexy,” said Pettit, “with all the armor and royalty dress, depending on the type of costume. You can even be sexy as a peasant. What attracts me is the accuracy of it, that participants really enjoy what they’re doing.” But desires of the heart and body may be more discreet these days. And it should be clarified, the images used here, other than those of Pettit, are not implying the desires of any participants. Even in 1998, writer David Templeton, a longtime participant of the original Pleasure Faires, pined for the earlier free love ‘60s ambiance, which included more thematic ribaldry, albeit of the hetero sort. “From the colorful garb (low-cut, bosom-enhancing dresses for the women and flamboyant, strap-on penis packages known as cod-pieces for the men) to the bawdy songs of the peasants, a walk down the streets of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire is a stroll through a world of randy exhibitionists and horny Dionysian sensualists,” wrote Templeton in the Sonoma MetroActive. “Or so it was, once upon a time. The faire isn’t quite like that anymore, is it? These days, it seems that

Michael Weinstein has claimed his belief in the effectiveness of condoms. In fact, he’s on record opposing other methods of protection against HIV. So, if condoms are as effective as Weinstein says they are, what’s he up to with AB 1576? I believe there are two factors at work. One is selfpromotion and fundraising for the AHF. The other is quite simple. Weinstein’s personally anti-porn, with a track record of harassing and impeding the industry in any way he can. The current bill isn’t the only sexnegative political battle the AHF has picked to impede and harass the industry. I’m a theatre worker, and I’m thankful for the many safeguards Cal OSHA has required of theaters to ensure my backstage safety. So I didn’t think of it as the bad guy. Until Weinstein, in cahoots with Assemblyman Isadore Hall (D-Compton), introduced AB-640, which addressed some sensible the great god Dionysus has been tamed by the unsmiling lords of common sense, commerciality, and fear of litigation. The very bawdiness that gave the faire its reputation as the hottest party in town has been cropped back, censored, and tamed.” Templeton wrote of the “corporatization” of the fairs, where naughty kissing booths had been replaced by ATM cash machines and Miller Beer booths. Desire and flirtation may have become redefined by all these changes. Pettit said that one might be surprised by how many same-sex affairs took place in olden times, and without trouble, at least in some class levels. “Historically, it was mostly kept quiet, and any upper class persecution would have been political,” said Pettit. In the modern/old setting of a Renaissance Faire, said Pettit, “The community’s cool. I know gay and straight men who’ll flirt with anyone.” So, for a dash of historical fun, head down to San Jose. “It’s near the airport,” Pettit added. “So when planes fly over, people just point upward and say, ‘Dragon!’”t The San Jose Renaissance Faire takes place August 2 & 3. $14-$40. 10am-6pm. Guadalupe River Park, 340 W St John St., San Jose. (408) 506-6499. www.sanjosefaire.com

Blindsighted? AB-1576 mandates that performers wear goggles to protect their eyes from body fluids.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein

“The cowardice of companies like Bay Area Reporter in refusing to acknowledge the realities of sex among men has saddened me for a long while. As a writer for BAR, you’ve been complicit in this truly shameful and damaging censorship. You’ve behaved like the proverbial ostrich which, burying it’s (sic) head in the sand, believes it’s doing the safe thing. “The primary impact of AB 1576 on TIM is that it got John Karr to write to TIM asking for informa-

Yet Morris’ screed not only sounds more than a little bitter to me, but also angry, and, more to the point, scared. This may be caused more by the immediate threat of AB 1576 to Morris’ business than what I have or have not done with my career, or whether I’ve bestowed my imprimatur on TIM. Regardless of what Paul Morris may think of me or this paper, I think you should cast a vote that will, in fact, favor his company; meaning, speak up against AB1576. What would I do if the government considered a bill outlawing my representation of queerness? I’d vote against it. If you believe that AB 1576 is whacked out, please, go to www. ab1576.org and urge its defeat.t

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34 • BAY AREA REPORTER • July 31-August 6, 2014

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July 31-August 6, 2014 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 35

photos by steven underhill up your alley The 29th annual up Your Alley Street Fair drew thousands of fans of outdoor kinky celebrations to South of Market. Whippings, floggings, pups and other leather-themed fetishes and products were on display. DJed music provided a thumping score to the relaxed “little brother” of the larger Folsom Street Fair. But mostly, people enjoyed a beer and a mild sunburn with interesting harness-shaped tan lines. For more info on Folsom Street Events, visit www.folsomstreetevents.org. See more event photo albums on BARtab’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife and on www.StevenUnderhill.com. See this and other issues in full page-view format at www.issuu.com/bayareareporter

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