06 V NO
18 O 3N 1 OL V 8 00 2 12 V O -N
Progressives Win , While Queer Ballot Initiatives Lose
EST F M S FIL U B OLUM C • TINE W ELECTION W RAP-UP • DVDIVA • KRIS
2 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY OWNERS AND PUBLISHERS Michael Daniels & Chris Hayes EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ART DIRECTOR Chris Hayes hayes@outlookmedia.com
SNAPSHOT
Grammy Award-winning recording artists Mary J. Blige, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Sean “Diddy” Combs headline a Countdown to Change rally for Barack Obama at the King Arts Complex. Highlights included a special appearance from Beyonce.
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR / PHOTOS Robert Trautman traut@outlookmedia.com MANAGING EDITOR Adam Leddy aleddy@outlookmedia.com COVER IMAGE: ROBERT TRAUTMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mette Bach, Danielle Buckius, Wayne R Besen, Chris Crain, Jennifer Vanasco, Tom Moon, Regina Sewell, Leslie Robinson, Gregg Shapiro, Mick Weems, Julianne French, TF Barton, Romeo San Vicente, Jeff Fertig, Simon Sheppard, Tristan Taormino, Dan Savage, Felice Newman, Tim Curran, Chris Hughes, Stephen J Fallon, J. Eric Peters, Brent Wilder, Jacob Anderson-Minshall, Cheri Meyers
BUSINESS & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Michael Daniels mdaniels@outlookmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media - 212.242.6863 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Each Wednesday 8 days prior to publication. Call us at 614.268.8525. HOW TO REACH US Outlook Media, Inc. 815 N High St, Suite ii Columbus, OH 43215 614.268.8525 phone 614.261.8200 fax www.outlookweekly.net web www.outlookmedia.com business www.myspace.com/outlookweekly friends www.flickr.com/outlookweekly photos SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 614.268.8525
READERSHIP: 210,000 PEOPLE / MONTH Outlook Weekly is published and distributed by Outlook Media, Inc. every Thursday throughout Ohio. Outlook Weekly is a free publication provided solely for the use of our readers. Any person who willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over copies of Outlook Weekly with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading it shall be considered guilty of the crime of theft. Violators will be prosecuted. The views expressed in Outlook Weekly are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or personal, business, or professional practices of Outlook Media, Inc. or its staff, ownership, or management. Outlook Weekly does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented. Outlook Media, Inc. does not investigate or accept responsibility for claims made in any advertisement. Outlook Media, Inc. assumes no responsibility for claims arising in connection with products and services advertised herein, nor for the content of, or reply to, any advertisement. All material is copyrighted ©2008 by Outlook Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008 VOLUME 13 NUMBER 08
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
When you publish on tight deadlines, you have to be prepared. Had the election gone the other way, and had John McCain won, we had this cover at the ready. We can't describe how happy - and relieved - we are that we didn't need to run it.
Authorities had to restrict access to the Renaissance Hotel due to maximum capacity at the Democrats’ victory party. Even we at Outlook couldn't get in, but we happily participated as part of the overflow crowd on the street and sidewalk.
SNAPSHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........2 ABOUT TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........3 LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........4 COMMUNITY CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........8 OUT BUSINESS NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......11 EARTH TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......13 FEATURE: ELECTION COVERAGE . .. . . . . . . . . . .15-17 OUT OF TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 26 DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......20 ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......20 DVDIVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......22 INTERVIEW: KRISTINE W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......24 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......25 SEX TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......27 SAVAGE LOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......29 SPOTLIGHT : COLUMBUS FILM FEST . . . . . . . . .......30 THE LAST WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 SCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 NEXT WEEK: TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 3
ABOUT TOWN THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 TOM BROKAW WOULD SOB HYSTERICALLY Home is Where the Heart is: Letters from the Front @ the Ohio Historical Center, I-71 and 17th Avenue, 614.297.2300, www.ohiohistory.org: Listen in as our World War II soldier and his wife exchange letters carrying messages of hope, fear, love and wishes across the Atlantic during the holidays. 7p & 8p; $4-$8. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 KNOCK OFF THAT RACKET! Raising Hell @ Shadowbox Cabaret, Easton Towne Center, 614.416.7625, shadowboxcabaret.com: Original sketch comedy and heart-pounding rock ‘n’ roll unveil sinful temptations and show that naughty is sometimes nice and can always be hilarious when Shadowbox is Raising Hell. Thru Nov 15. Thu 7:30p; Fri&Sat 7:30p&10:30p; $20-$30.
by Adam Leddy
HUMAN NATURE Humanist Community of Central Ohio Monthly Meeting @ Northwood High Building, 2231 N High St, 614.470.0811, www.hcco.org: Topics include a look at Amish & Mennonite communities. 1p; free. THE MATRIARCHS Old Lesbians Organizing for Change Meeting @ Stonewall Center on High, 1160 N High St, 888.706.7506, jan@oloc.org: All lesbians 60 and over are welcome. The meeting will begin with a potluck lunch, followed by discussion. 12p-4p; free. SALUTE YOUR SHORTS Video Film Fest @ MadLab Gallery, 105 N Grant Ave, mlgallerypub@madlab.net: Join MadLab Gallery for an evening of groundbreaking short films. The films run from 1-minute masterpieces to 20-minute developed dramas. 8p-12a; $5.
WHERE THE TWAIN SHALL MEET Huck Finn’s American Song @ Studio 2, Riffe Center, 77 S High, 614.431.3600, www.ticketmaster.com: Follow Huckleberry Finn’s perilous trek down the mighty Mississippi through the use of popular 19th century songs and folk music performed live on stage. Fri 7:30p, Sat & Sun 1p & 2:30p. Thru Nov 9; $10-$20.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9 THINK YOU KNOW ORAL? GOHI GLBT History Oral Training Session @ Stonewall Center on High, 1160 N High St, thurber1961@aol.com: Want to help capture our queer history? Head to this training session on how to record the oral history of a GLBT person. 11a; free.
WE OWE THEM Veterans Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony @ Franklin County Veterans Memorial, 300 W Broad St, 614.221.4341, www.fcvm.com: The 20 inductees include representatives of armed conflicts from the World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Shield/ Desert Storm. Reception 2p, ceremony 3p; free.
THAT’S HOW SHE ROLLS To Each Her Own @ Liquid, 1100 N High St, 614.444.7460, www.chrisawards.org: To Each Her Own explores the coming out process and how hard the struggle with both internalized and external homophobia can be. Part of the Cols Film Fest. 8p-10p; $5. See our Spotlight on pg 30.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 WARHOL AND THE WILD WILD WEX Andyland @ the Wexner Center for the Arts, 1877 N High St, 614.292.3535: The Wex transforms into Andyland for a night of moving, shaking, and stargazing, with fine food and beverages, too. The party climaxes with a special DJ set by Columbus native and hip-hop star RJD2. 10p-2a; $35-$45.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 GET RIGHT WITH GOD Eat, Learn, & Live @ North Broadway United Methodist, 48 E North Broadway, www.north-broadway.org: Adult spiritual formation and growth based on Marcus J. Borg’s Reading The Bible Again for the First Time (copies provided). Childcare provided with reservations. Every Wed thru Nov 15. 6p-8p; free.
GET YOURSELF CHECKED OUT Health Check @ Stonewall Center on High, 1160 N High St, 614.930.2260, ssimpson@stonewallcolumbus.org: Blood pressure screening, nutrition check, glucose screening & referrals, CATF HIV testing, Tobias Project syphilis and hepatitis-C testing, workshops on health-related topics with guest speakers. No registration necessary - drops-ins welcome! 10a12p; free.
THEY DON’T CALL IT HUMP DAY FOR NOTHING Wicked Wednesdays Strippers @ Q Bar & Nightclub, 205 N Fifth St, 614.222.2401, www.qnation.com: Give hump day a whole new meaning. Strippers, $3 Bacardi, $2.50 Red Rull, and plenty of skin. 10p; free.
GET DIRTY FOR A COLUMBUS LANDMARK Bulb planting @ Goodale Park: Friends of Goodale Park needs your help to plant 8,000 bulbs. Lend a hand so we can enjoy the flowers in the spring. Bring tools if you have them, or just show up to help. Saturdays thru Nov 15. 10a; free. WHERE THE WOMEN ARE Women’s Minyan @ Roth-Resler Theater, JCC of Greater Columbus, 1125 College Ave, www.jccgalleryplayers.org: Gallery Players kicks off its 60th season with the Columbus premiere of Women’s Minyan by Naomi Ragen. Thru Nov 16. Sat 8p, Sun 2:30p; $8-$18. STUFF SOME ART IN THEIR STOCKINGS 18th Annual Castle Arts Affair @ The Delaware County Cultural Arts Center, 740.369.2787, www.artscastle.org: This holiday art sale will feature 1,000 works created by 100 artisans. Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12p-4p; free.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? ACLU Election Dissection @ Columbus Urban League, 788 Mt Vernon Ave, 216.472.2220, contact@acluohio.org: Join the ACLU of Ohio for a nonpartisan conversation about the outcomes of races at all levels of government. 7p; free. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13 OUR QUEENS PUT THEM ALL TO SHAME Pageant @ Axis, 775 N High St, 614.291.4008: Pageant takes you behind the scenes as 52 ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths in order to be crowned the 34th Miss Gay America. Come for the movie, stay for the drag show, and then party with us! 8p; $7. CAN WE AFFORD TO LIVE DOWNTOWN YET? State of the Young Professional @ Arena Grand Movie Theater, 175 W Nationwide Blvd: The Columbus Chamber presents an update on the challenge Rebecca Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, issued for the Columbus region to become a more attractive place for young professionals to live, work, and play. Reception & networking. 5p; free. NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
4 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
LETTERS To The Editor,
To The Editor:
To The Editor:
At the Columbus City Council meeting on Monday evening, October 27, the council passed a motion urging the Ohio legislature to pass a bill that will ban discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons throughout Ohio. Columbus City Council unanimously agreed to send a letter to state lawmakers calling for the passage of legislation that will bar discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity! The legislation, as written, will also expand the definition of hate crimes in Ohio to include the LGBT Community. The legislation was introduced in March 2008. The measure has the bipartisan support of 10 state senators and 18 state representatives who have signed on as cosponsors. State Representative Dan Stewart, Columbus and state Senator Dale Miller, Cleveland, have spearheaded this legislation in the Ohio legislature. Within Ohio, 11 of the state’s four-year public colleges and 16 cities and villages - including Columbus- have ordinances that protect their LGBT citizens. If this bill passes both the Ohio Senate and Ohio House, Governor Ted Strickland has indicated he will sign it into law. Please thank Columbus City Council for taking this action urging our state legislature to move on this crucial legislation. Email addresses for Columbus City Council members can be found by www.columbuscitycouncil.org.
This has been a truly historic, transformational election. Tonight, our country chose hope over fear, the future over the past, unity over division. This election also reflects the passing of the torch to a new generation. Barack Obama inspired young voters across this country to answer the call and get involved. They responded to his promise to put partisanship and divisiveness aside and come together as one nation to find solutions. They turned out. They made calls. They knocked on doors. And they helped change our country. The American people have given all of us - Democrats, Republicans and Independents - a simple mandate: to work together find big solutions to the big challenges facing our country. We must work together to change the direction of our wonderful country and to restore America. With the help of strong Democratic majorities in Congress, President Barack Obama is going to set this nation on a course to provide the change we need. Today I am humbled by what we have accomplished over the last four years. Together, we can build on this moment to bring our nation together and work as one to overcome the challenges we face. It is what we as Americans have always done. Under Barack Obama’s leadership, we’ll do it again.
Ohioans have sent a powerful and positive message by helping elect Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. Together, we said goodbye to the failed policies of the past eight years, and embraced the hope and change that Senator Obama’s campaign represents. I want to congratulate Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for presiding over one of the best-run statewide elections in my memory. Finally, I want to congratulate Rich Cordray, Ohio’s next attorney general - I know he will serve our state with integrity and honesty.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean
The Reader Poll Last week we asked:
WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR ?
OBAMA 93% MCCAIN 7%
Governor Ted Strickland To The Editor: Log Cabin congratulates Sen. Barack Obama on his historic victory. While Log Cabin Republicans proudly supported Sen. John McCain, we recognize this important moment in American history. On behalf of Log Cabin Republicans members all across the country, we thank Sen. McCain for his service to our country. He should be proud of the campaign he ran, especially his efforts to reach out to gay and lesbian Americans. He was the most pro-gay GOP presidential nominee in American history. We were proud to stand with him in this historic election. Log Cabin Republicans President Patrick Sammon
NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION:
Do you believe transgender should be included in ENDA legislation? Log on to: www.outlookweekly.net to take this week’s poll.
Russ Goodwin, Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio
27% SO U RC
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
E : CNN
CATEGORY
NOV 2 ’04
NOV 03 ’08
DIFFERENCE
AMERICAN DEAD
1,122
4,189
3,067
AMERICAN WOUNDED
8,124
30,764
22,640
IRAQI CIVILIAN DEAD
16,342
96,976
NATIONAL DEBT
$7,429,629,954,236
$10,530,893,033,778
DAYS ‘TIL 2008 ELECTION
1,463
1
80,634 $3,101,263,079,542 (1,462)
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 5
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
6 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
COMMUNITY CORNER
VOTE BLUE OR RED, BUT GO GREEN No matter which candidate or issue got your support on Tuesday, SWACO reminds voters, as well as candidates, to recycle the leftovers. Cardboard or paper yard signs, campaign pamphlets, mailings, and other materials are recyclable at SWACO’s 212 drop off recycling locations in Franklin County (as well as through community curbside recycling). Metal and wooden supports should be removed from campaign signs before recycling. If the campaign signs or other materials are reusable in another election, that too can help reduce the impact on the Central Ohio waste stream. Voters who receive mailings should recycle them, after considering the message. Those with plastic campaign signs should check with local recycling companies for options.
GET YOUR HEALTH CHECKED OUT AT STONEWALL NOV 8 Come to the Center on High, 1160 N High St, for a free nurse-run wellness clinic offering blood pressure screening, nutrition check, glucose screening, CATF HIV testing, Tobias Project syphilis and hepatitis-C testing, and referrals. An RN will be on hand to answer questions. Guest speakers will provide workshops on health-related topics, including “8 Facts Every American Should Know Before Purchasing Health Insurance.” Screenings are available 10a-12p. No registration is necessary, and drop-ins are welcome. Contact is Suzie Simpson at 614.930.2260 or ssimpson@stonewallcolumbus.org.
STONEWALL HOSTS GOHI GLBT ORAL HISTORY TRAINING SESSION The Gay Ohio History Initiative is holding a training session on how to record the oral history of a GLBT person. The training is free and open to the public and will be held on Sunday from 11a-12p at the Center on High, on the 2nd floor. For several years, GOHI has been collecting the recorded stories of GLBT senior citizens and others to collect and preserve our unrecorded and underground history. The training will prepare participants to interview GLBT people and record their stories. Interview techniques and suggested questions will be provided and each participant will have the opportunity to role play a brief oral history interview. For more information, contact Rob Berger at thurber1961@aol.com. GOHI is a partnership with Outlook Weekly and the Ohio Historical Society to preserve, archive, and curate the history and culture of the LGBT citizens of Ohio, to tell the truth about our lives, to create opportunities for understanding of both the past and what is hoped for in the future and to share LGBT culture and history with all Ohioans. More information about GOHI is available at www.gohi.org.
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
AN ESTATE PLAN FOR THE GAY MAN NOVEMBER 13 One of the challenges in the gay community is dealing with the specific issues that arise from unforeseen circumstances. It is important to take the necessary steps to be certain that your wishes are carried out. Learn about the documents and strategies at your disposal to protect the ones you care about. Please join Prospera Financial Group with Host Committee Clint Helmbrecht, Tony Davis, Shawn Dingus, and Stew Gibboney at the Columbus Diamond Exchange for an evening of entertainment and education. Sheila Clark of Clark & Lowe, LLC will be on hand to discuss important planning issues that impact the gay community. In addition, Peter Caborn, Deputy Director of Equality Ohio, will be available to discuss his organization’s positive impact on the state. This men’s only event will begin with a social hour from 6p-6:30p. Light hors d’oeuvres, wine, and liquor will be provided. The main program will take place from 6:30p-7:30p. We encourage you to bring someone you know who might benefit from this information. Singles and couples are welcome. Free parking will be provided in the adjacent lot on the east side of the building. Metered parking in the area is free after 6p. An Estate Plan for the Gay Man is at the Columbus Diamond Exchange, 22 W Gay St, Thursday, November 13, 6p. For more info call Clint 614.486.4614.
GLBT COUPLES SOUGHT FOR ONLINE PUBLICATION Denver-based DuPark Media is launching a national online publication, www.PrideandBliss.com, created exclusively for GLBT couples ages 25 and over. DuPark is seeking committed couples to share their real-life love stories and blissful wedding moments. Cultural celebrations are desired but not required. Send a Word document, up to 350 words, singlespaced with your unique love story, engagement and/or wedding details, and a photo. Selected couples will be contacted for more information. Submission deadline is Dec 1, 2008. Send to: editor@prideandbliss.com. For more information, contact Danielle Dupree, managing director, at 720.810.0047.
NEW CLASS OFFERING TRANSITIONS IN SPIRITUALITY This class, presented by Kris Elliot, offers students the opportunity to explore their experiences of transition. All of us will sooner or later go through life changes: loss of health, loss of life-definition, walking with someone who is/was moving toward death or who has unexpectedly died. Sometimes these life transitions impact our spirituality; sometimes our spirituality impacts our response to these life changes. This class draws on many traditions to examine the stages within transition, the spiritual quest, and possible transformations that become
the touch points of growth. Taking registrations now and beginning in November. Class session times are: Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 15, Jan 5, Jan 19 and Feb 2, 6:30p-8:00p at the Waves of Wisdom School in Worthington. The cost is $60 per session. An additional class will begin on Jan 12, 6:30p-8p. To register call, 614.323.7794.
GLBT HISTORY MONTH 2009 ICON NOMINATIONS Equality Forum invites you to submit a nomination(s) for the 31 Icons to be honored during GLBT History Month 2009 in October. For each Icon there is a video, biography, bibliography with links, images and other educational resources. You can view the 93 Icons for GLBT History Month 2006, 2007 and 2008 at www.glbtHistoryMonth.com in archives. GLBT History Month’s goals are to teach our history, provide role models, build community, and highlight our community’s important national and international contributions. All nominations are provided to GLBT History Month co-chairs Professor Kenji Yoshino, New York University School of Law, and Professor Sharon Ullman, History Department, Bryn Mawr College. The co-chairs recommend 31 Icons for GLBT History Month 2009 to the Equality Forum’s board of directors. Nominees must be GLBT people, living or deceased, who have distinguished themselves in their field of endeavor, as national or international heroes, and/or in the GLBT civil rights movement. The categories for a distinguished contribution in a field of endeavor include but are not limited as follows: academia, business, family, film, government service, healthcare, law, literature, media, military, music, performing arts, philanthropy, politics, religion, science, sports, visual arts, and world peace. For GLBT History Month 2008, the national hero was Mark Bingham. Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were among the Icons recognized for their contribution to GLBT civil rights. Kindly return your nominations by email to Executive Director Malcolm Lazin at mlazin@equalityforum.com or mail to Equality Forum, 1420 Locust Street, Suite #300, Philadelphia, PA 19102, by no later than Friday, December 19. Please feel free to provide supporting information. Should you have any questions or suggestions, contact 215.732.3378 x 116.
COLUMBUS GAY MEN’S CHORUS PRESENTS JOY! The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) opens its 19th season with the annual holiday tradition, Joy! Families are invited to join the chorus as they perform new holiday songs and a timeless collection of carols. CGMC will perform for the ninth year at King Avenue United Methodist Church, and is excited to return to this welcoming venue. CGMC will also be giving two additional travel performances for a third consecutive year. This year CGMC will perform out-
reach shows at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Worthington and at Glenwood United Methodist Church in west Columbus. “CGMC takes its mission to reach new audience members very seriously, and we are thrilled to perform at a new holiday home on the west side of town,” said Matthew Arnold, executive director. Audience members will enjoy a wide variety of musical compilations, including traditional arrangements such as Oseh Shalom, Virgin’s Slumber Song, and Mary Did You Know? as well as lighthearted pieces like Jingle Bells, Santa and His Elvis, and Christmas with the Ladies. Patrons are invited to come out of the cold and allow the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus to whisk them away to a musical winter wonderland. David Monseur, CGMC’s artistic director, is pleased to present a wonderful new selection of music to audiences this holiday season. “Audiences members will enjoy the powerful arrangements they’ve come to know and expect from our ensembles, and we are excited to present our ninth annual Joy celebration.” Calendar: • Friday, December 5, at 8p, King Avenue United Methodist Church, 299 King Ave • Saturday, December 6, at 2p & 8p, King Avenue United Methodist Church, 299 King Ave • Saturday, December 13, at 2p, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 2480 W. Dublin-Granville Rd • Saturday, December 13, at 8p at Glenwood United Methodist Church, 2833 Valleyview Dr, Columbus, All tickets are $15, general admission. Tickets available at www.cgmc.com and 614.228.2462.
GREAT LAKES THEATER FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NON-EQUITY AUDITIONS FOR 3 PRODUCTIONS Great Lakes Theater Festival announces non-equity auditions for its 2009 Spring Repertory productions of The Comedy of Errors and The Seagull and for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s touring educational production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The auditions will be held on Friday, Nov 7, from 1p-5p. All auditions are by appointment only. Actors eighteen years of age and older, of all cultural backgrounds, are encouraged to audition. No children will be auditioned at this time. Great Lakes Theater Festival’s Spring Repertory productions of The Comedy of Errors and The Seagull will run from March 25 through May 3rd, 2009 at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare. Rehearsals will begin February 17, 2009. The Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s educational production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will tour venues in Idaho from February 23 through May 1, 2009. All positions are paid. Actors should bring a headshot and resume and prepare two contrasting monologues, at least one of which must be classical. Total audition time should not exceed five minutes. The audition will take place at PlayhouseSquare at a location to be determined. To schedule an audition appointment, call the Great Lakes Theater Festival Audition Hotline at 216.241.5490 x310.
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 7
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
8 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
SPORTS
CCV Winter 2009 Season and Sign-Up The Capital City Volleyball (CCV) league, Ohio’s oldest gay volleyball organization, announces plans for its Winter 2009 season. CCV will continue its tradition of friendly, enjoyable, and competitive volleyball beginning with registration and open gyms on Wednesday, December 10 & 17, as well as Sunday, January 4, 2009. Seasonal league play will begin on Sunday, January 11. Individuals, regardless of level of experience, are encouraged to participate in CCV for the fun and social aspects of the volleyball league. CCV offers five levels of play including A-Division (Advanced/Power), B-Division (Intermediate), C-Division (Recreational), Women’s Competitive and Women’s Recreational. All levels, except for A-Division, will play each Sunday during the season at the Berliner Sports Complex (1300 Deckenbach Rd) near downtown Columbus. Meanwhile, A-Division play will be hosted each Tuesday during the season at McDonald Sports Complex (4990 Olentangy River Rd) in Columbus. CCV welcomes and embraces individual differences in sexual orientation and lifestyle, and all are encouraged to play, regardless of personal sexual orientation. Registration and fees are due at the open gym no later than 7p on Sunday, January 4, 2009, at Berliner Sports Complex. You can register for the league during the sign up or during the open gyms: 12/7/08 - Fall banquet/Winter sign up - 6p-8p at East Village (on N High St) 12/10/08 - Open Gym (Cleo Sports Complex) - Women’s divisions are 6p-8p and A-Division is 8p-10p 12/17/08 - Open Gym (Cleo Sports Complex) - B-Division is 6p8p and C-Division is 8p-10p 1/4/09 - Open Gym (Berliner Sports Complex) - Women’s divisions are 12p-2p, A-Division is 2p-4p, B-Division is 4p-6p, and C-Division is 6p-8p (THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP!) 1/11/09 - First week of play (all divisions are off on 2/1/09 for the Super Bowl) Registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis as spots are limited. Fees for a team of up to eight players in the B, C, or Women’s Divisions is $450. Additional players may be added for an additional $10 per player, not to exceed twelve players total. The ADivision fee ranges from $40-$50 per player, based upon the total number of teams that are formed. Visit http://www.columbusvolleyball.org/ccv to download registration forms and for further information.
Queer Indoor Soccer Club Looking to Form
Are you ready to score? Interested in playing some footsie with fellow GLBT athletes and friends? A new group is interested in starting a gay and lesbian indoor soccer league. The Columbus Gay & Lesbian Soccer Club (CGLSC) is looking for men and women interested in playing in a winter indoor league. NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
The season would begin in January or February 2009. Matches would be played at Easton’s Sports Barn. CGLSC needs enough players to form eight teams. Please email your contact information and experience level to Andy North at www.cglsc.ameritech.net. If you’d like to help in the planning of the league, please let Andy know that by email as well.
Players Needed For Gay Basketball Team
A city with as large a gay population as Columbus boasts should be able to field a strong queer basketball team. Jim Helmink and others intend to have a team together in time to compete in the National Gay Basketball Association’s April tournament in Chicago. If you’ve seen Logo’s Shirts vs. Skins, the NGBA tournament is the same one they play in. Interested ballers should email ngbacolumbus@gmail.com.
Four Cities Named Finalists for 2014 Gay Games
Boston, Cleveland, Miami & Washington DC Will Bid to host Gay Games IX Groups from Miami, Cleveland, Boston, and Washington, DC, have submitted letters of intent to bid for the ninth edition of the Gay Games, to be held in 2014, officials announced at the close of the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. “Fourteen cities worldwide had expressed interest in hosting the 2014 Gay Games,” said Darl Schaaff, co-chair of the federation’s site selection committee. “We are very excited to have four highly qualified bidders for the 2014 Gay Games.” Bid documents are due to the FGG in March 2009. FGG site inspectors will then visit each city between May and August 2009. After final multimedia presentations, the 2014 Gay Games host city will then be selected by the Federation of Gay Games Assembly at its 2009 annual meeting in Cologne, Germany next October. The FGG Assembly is comprised of organizations representing sports clubs, city teams, and cultural groups from around the globe. Previous Gay Games have been held in San Francisco (1982, 1986), Vancouver (1990), New York (1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002) and Chicago (2006). Gay Games VIII will be held July 31-August 7, 2010, in Cologne, Germany. Gay Games Cologne registration officially launches worldwide on October 31, 2008 at www.games-cologne.com. Organizers from Cleveland and Miami had representatives present in Cape Town in support of their intent to bid for Gay Games IX. The Gay Games is the largest and longest-running multisport event on the international LGBT calendar, with more than eleven thousand participants taking part in approximately 30 sports and cultural events every four years. Ever since the organizers of the first two Gay Games in San Francisco decided to
send the event to other cities, groups from dozens of cities on four continents have sought the honor of hosting the Gay Games. A wide range of government officials, Olympic athletes, celebrities, and community leaders now support local bid groups in their efforts to showcase the Gay Games. “We extend our best wishes to the groups from Boston, Cleveland, Miami, and Washington, DC who have entered this stage of the bidding process,” communications officer Kelly Stevens said. “The FGG looks forward to working with them during the bidding cycle.” For information on how to sponsor or participate in Gay Games VIII, Cologne, visit www.games-cologne.com. For information concerning sponsorship of the Federation of Gay Games, go to www.gaygames.org. Images for press and promotion of Gay Games are available on the gallery link at www.gaygames.org or by request.
Kids Spring Training 2009 baseball program
Watkins Memorial HS will host a six-week spring training 2009 baseball program for players in grades 1-12 from December 14 to January 25. Watkins Memorial HS head coach Don Schone will direct the program in conjunction with Midwest Baseball Academy. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching and catching lessons at a cost as low as $99 for six weeks. Space is limited. Registration is now underway. For more information, visit www.baseballacademy.net, or call toll-free 866.MBA.HITS.
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 9
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
10 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 11
OUT BUSINESS NEWS
Spotlight: Kelly Harvey by Adam Leddy
Signature Wines
Kelly Harvey’s playground is a 1200-square-foot winery on the east side of Columbus. This is where Kelly, with a little help from her friends, produces over 1500 gallons of California wine every year. Aside from being the city’s only gay-owned winery, Signature Wines is noteworthy for producing its red wine from grapes, rather than from juice or concentrate. It’s a lot of work to do things the old-fashioned way, but Kelly is a dynamo, and her passion for her work translates into some of the finest red and white wine you’ll find here or anywhere else. Kelly took some time from a busy season to answer a few questions from Outlook, and to give yours truly a tour of the facility. AL: Tell us about how you make your wine. KH: Our grapes and juice come from the Alexander Valley in California, between Napa and Sonoma, and our distributor is in Cleveland. The day that we go to Cleveland to get the grapes is a project in itself. We get a 22-foot truck (I can barely reach the pedal!) and drive up there and load in the pallets. Last time we brought back about three-and-a-half tons. The day after we get the grapes, a group of friends helps me unload and get things started. We sterilize the equipment and start with the crusher, which separates the grapes from the stems and crushes them. What happens very quickly is the skins float to the top and form a cap, and you then
need to “punch down the cap” several times a day so that you’re constantly mixing the juice and grapes. I add yeast and the grapes will ferment for 7-10 days. You’re constantly measuring and adjusting during fermentation, and you add nutrients to make sure you have “happy yeast” - otherwise, the fermentation doesn’t happen and you’ll have grape juice. After fermentation, I separate the juice from the skins using the press. The juice goes through a series of hoses and pumps and into the tanks. Now with white wine, you don’t need as much contact with the skin as you do with red wines. White grapes can be pressed within twenty-four hours of being crushed. I use juice for my chardonnay and my zinfandel blush rather than the grapes, and ferment the juice in barrels. When the fermentation is done, the wine goes into the tanks. The reds stay in the tanks for at least two years, and the whites for a year, moving from tank to tank. A lot of people will sell wine sooner than that, but I won’t. After the wine has aged, we filter and bottle everything. We do six bottles at a time and cork every bottle by hand.
Gay-Owned Winery Emphasizes Quality & Personalization ment. It’s kind of a hobby that’s gotten totally out of control. We started in the fall of 2004 and got the first grapes in 2005. Now we’re producing 1,500 gallons every season.
AL: How did you get started in winemaking? KH: I’m a biologist with a degree in environmental studies, so I’m used to spending a lot of time in a lab. A friend and I started making wine in my base-
AL: What distinguishes Signature Wines from other wineries? KH: Our niche, aside from just being a winery in Columbus, is that we make the red wine from grapes rather than juice. You can buy red juice and press it, but the quality won’t be as good as from the grapes. We’ll also do wine tastings for 10-15 people. Usually when you do a wine tasting, you’ll get a salesperson presenting. What’s unique about Signature Wines is you’ll get me, the winemaker. I can go into a little bit of detail and answer questions for
Motorola has scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (HRC CEI) for the past four years. NGLCC Chamber of the Year: The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA). The GSBA is an outstanding chamber that continually stands out for its excellence and dedication to the Seattle area’s LGBT business community. Since its founding in 1981, the GSBA has worked to demonstrate the role of LGBT businesses in the community by collaborating with other LGBT business groups around the country and working extensively with the NGLCC. Courage in Business: Fred P. Hochberg. Mr. Hochberg was recently named to out.com’s Power 50 and served as the immediate past dean of the New School’s Robert J. Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy in New York City. Hochberg is a former deputy administrator at the US Small Business Administration under President Clinton and was recently named to the New York Port Authority board of directors. He currently heads the Obama campaign’s small business policy advisory committee. An entrepreneur in his own right,
Hochberg is the founder and former president of Heyday Company, a private investment firm that managed real estate, stock market investments, and venture capital projects. Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year: Theresa Harrison, director of supplier diversity, Ernst & Young, LLP. Ms. Harrison has positioned herself as a leader in LGBT supplier diversity through her work with the NGLCC Procurement Council and her numerous presentations on supplier diversity. Harrison is a seasoned supplier diversity professional with longtime ties to the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Under Harrison’s leadership, the Ernst & Young supplier diversity program has created innovative supplier development and educational opportunities to help diverse businesses succeed. Her hard work and dedication has made her a tremendous asset to the LGBT business community and other diverse business constituencies. NGLCC/American Airlines ExtrAA Mile Award: Cynthia Wade. Ms Wade is an Academy Award-win-
people. For $100, you get six bottles and me. You’ll have wine left over to enjoy, and I can take orders at the parties if your guests like the wine. Our marketing is different, too. We specialize in custom labels. AL: So really, anything I wanted to do, you could have a label for it? KH: Exactly. We can do commitment ceremonies, retirement parties, something specific for one of your business clients, labels for lawyers, realtors, golfers…in our outreach to the gay community, we can do Pride labels. Anything to make you stand out. You’re only limited by your imagination. To learn more or to place an order, contact Kelly at 614.395.2355 or signaturewines1@aol.com, or visit Signature Wines’ website, www.signaturewinesofohio.com.
NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (NGLCC)TO CELEBRATE COURAGEOUS WOMEN AND MEN AT ‘AN EVENING OF COURAGE’
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) will host its fifth annual national dinner, An Evening of Courage, on Friday, Nov 7, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. IBM is the presenting sponsor and will be joined by an additional forty-five Fortune 500 sponsors, including Aetna, American Airlines, Ernst & Young, UPS, and Wells Fargo. The 2008 NGLCC national dinner co-chairs are Michael K. Robinson, global supplier diversity program director, IBM; Susan Martinez, corporate supplier development & diversity manager, Intel; and Troup B. Coronado, vice president, external affairs, AT&T. In addition, joining the lineup of honorees and hosts is model and actor Ronnie Kroell from Bravo’s hit reality television series Make Me a Supermodel. Honorees include: NGLCC Corporation of the Year: Motorola Corporation. Motorola has played an active leadership role in the LGBT business community, becoming the fourth founding member of the NGLCC and being one of the first corporate partners to participate in the LGBT supplier diversity initiative. In addition,
ning documentary filmmaker. Her documentary Freeheld won the Academy Award for best documentary - short subject in 2008. It also won a special jury prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, as well as thirteen other awards worldwide. This moving film chronicles the struggles of New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester and her dying wish to leave her pension to her domestic partner, Stacey Unger. Wade’s film is currently used as a diversity training tool in many of America’s largest corporations and is one of the most important new tools in the equality movement. In addition, the NGLCC/Wells Fargo LGBT Business Owner of the Year will be announced the evening of the dinner. The NGLCC is proud of the 2008 honorees and looks forward to another exciting evening.
To learn more about An Evening of Courage, our honorees, ticket sales, or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.nglcc.org/nationaldinner2008 or contact Rick Fowler at rfowler@nglcc.org or 202.234.9181.
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
REMEMBER OR INSPIRE THIS WORLD AIDS DAY!
12 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
THIS WORLD AIDS DAY YOU CAN MEMORIALIZE A LOST LOVED ONE OR SEND A MESSAGE OF INSPIRATION WITH THESE SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENTS AVAILABLE IN OUTLOOK WEEKLY The Nov 27 edition of Outlook Weekly is our World AIDS Day feature. For that issue, we are offering black/white ads (like the following) for a special price to give our readers the opportunity to memorialize or motivate our community, Remember someone you lost or give words of hope for only $50 and 10% of all proceeds will be donated to the Columbus AIDS Task Force.
$50
Never Forget Freddy
For all the good times ,
support and love. We miss you everyday! Love, Fat Bottom Girls
actual size
HIV LOOKS LIKE ME
$50
I feel by using my voice and personal story about HIV, I can help bring a “social vaccine” to Ohio. -Tyler TerMeer
These black & white ads are 3.17" wide x 1.81" tall, and are available in the above template style for only $50, (or you can design your own ad as long as it's this size!):
Simply email Michael (mdaniels@outlookmedia.com) your text and photo for the ad, along with your contact information, and he’ll be in touch to get your payment. You can also call 614.268.8525 for more info. We must receive ad components and payment information no later than Nov 19! NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 13
EARTH TALK
Dalantech, courtesy Flickr
Sweet lil' Bunny, courtesy Flickr
From the Editors of E
Dear EarthTalk:
Dear EarthTalk:
In renovating a vacation cabin, I discovered carpenter ants working their way through the walls. Is there any way to responsibly get rid of the pests without using noxious chemicals that could potentially harm my family?
What is “cogeneration” as a means of providing heat and power? Jerry Schleup
Curran Clark Carpenter ants may seem small and look harmless, but they can do serious damage to anything wooden in your home, including not only furniture but also the very framing and walls that hold up the house. If you are seeing a lot of ants or small piles of sawdust-like material in random spots in or around your home, you are most likely suffering from a carpenter ant infestation. Ants are very social beings and form large colonies before spreading out to find additional nest sites. They thrive by hollowing out wood, especially in moist or rotten spots, to build their nests and then use their new home in your walls and chairs as a base camp from which to forage for food and water in their nearby surroundings. Indeed, their very presence is a good indication of moisture or rot problems in the wood, so homeowners may have more work on their hands than simply exterminating carpenter ants. In the northern latitudes of the continental US and in much of Canada, carpenter ants are the most common insect wood destroyer, surpassing even the mighty termite. But while many commercially available chemical pesticides will rid a structure of carpenter ants, homeowners are increasingly steering away from such toxins proven to impact the human nervous, respiratory, and reproductive systems. Perhaps the most economical and effective way to get rid of carpenter ants is by applying boric acid (also known as borax) to their nest sites and surroundings. This natural non-toxic element, mined from below the Mojave Desert in southern California, has a long history of use in exterminating brazen populations of cockroaches, palmetto bugs, waterbugs, silverfish, termites, and, you
guessed it, carpenter ants. Al Abruzzese, owner of the website Al’s Home Improvement Center (alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement), swears by boric acid to get rid of wood-boring pests. “This simple inexpensive, household chemical is deadly to all insects,” he says. “It has been shown to attack their nervous systems, as well as being a drying agent to their bodies.” Beyond just being effective as an all-natural insecticide, boric acid is non-toxic to humans. Abruzzese says it is safe enough to use around children - it has been used in ointments and salves for diaper rash on babies in the past - and can be an important part of eyewash solutions as well, albeit in very diluted form (don’t try it at home). One common brand name to look for is Nisus Bora-Care, but any pesticide with boric acid or borax listed as an active ingredient will do just fine. For those not into do-it-yourself pest control, calling in an exterminator that uses all natural products is a good option. Oregon’s All Natural Pest Elimination, for instance, services the entire four state region of the Pacific Northwest with products from Natureline - crafted from safe botanical extracts and essential oils, not synthetic chemicals - on all of its extermination jobs. Look in the yellow pages for exterminators in your area, and call each one you are considering to make sure they stay away from noxious chemicals.
Cogeneration - also known as combined heat and power, distributed generation, or recycled energy - is the simultaneous production of two or more forms of energy from a single fuel source. Cogeneration power plants often operate at 50 to 70 percent higher efficiency rates than single-generation facilities. In practical terms, what cogeneration usually entails is the use of what would otherwise be wasted heat (such as a manufacturing plant’s exhaust) to produce additional energy benefit, such as to provide heat or electricity for the building in which it is operating. Cogeneration is great for the bottom line and also for the environment, as recycling the waste heat saves other pollutant-spewing fossil fuels from being burned. Most of the thousands of cogeneration plants operating across the United States and Canada are small facilities operated by non-utility companies and by institutions like universities and the military. For small cogeneration plants - those that generate anywhere from one to twenty megawatts of power - biomass or even methane from garbage dumps can be used as a front-end fuel source, but natural gas is far more common as the primary input. For instance, Sunnyvale, California-based Network Appliance Inc, a computer networking company, relies on a one-megawatt natural gas-powered cogeneration system to power the building’s extensive air conditioning needs, and for backup power for use during peak demand times. The company estimates it saves around $300,000 a year in
energy costs thanks to the cogeneration system. In another example, Illinois-based Epcor USA Ventures operates three mid-sized (25 megawatts and up) cogeneration power plants in San Diego to power US Marine Corps and Navy bases there. All three plants work in the same way: Natural gas turbines drive electrical generators that in turn exhaust hot gases. These are then captured to drive a steam generator hooked into the bases centralized heating and cooling systems. Since the systems generate power to spare, Epcor is talking with area companies about kicking in for a share of the steam to keep their energy bills and carbon footprints in check. Cogeneration is not limited to stationary power plants. Honda is exploring the use of a specialized automotive cogeneration generator designed to improve the overall efficiency of hybrid vehicles by recapturing waste exhaust heat from the internal combustion engine and converting it to electricity to recharge the battery pack. The idea is still in the research and development phase, it could make its way into new cars within a few years, further improving on the already impressive efficiency of hybrid cars.
Contacts: Al’s Home Improvement Center, www.alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement; Nisus Bora-Care, www.nisuscorp.com; All Natural Pest Elimination, www.nobuggy.com. Network Appliance Inc., www.netapp.com; Epcor USA Ventures, www.primaryenergy.com; Honda Motor Company, http://world.honda.com. Got an environmental question? E-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
14 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
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The
2008 Election
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 15
Wrap Up
Outlook’s Commentaries, Review and Political Banter Things That Make You Go Hmmmm? by Chris Hayes It’s been a crazy night. A historic night. A wonderful night. And a night to make the GLBT community go Hmmmm? It is incredible that the Democrats have finally regained control of the Presidency, the House and the Senate. This control makes it a lot easier to get a progressive agenda accomplished and hopefully this country back on track both domestically and internationally. Listening to the pundits, I’m still amazed how anyone can defend the last eight years of failed policies, misguided wars and regressive economic philosophies. Hopefully, the bitch slap that happened tonight will wake the steady-as-shegoers up to at least look at working in a new way. Incredible too is the fact that we have elected our first black president and our first openly GLBT member of Congress on the same night. I’m so proud to be living in this time of progress where the country is rallying together to bring about social change and a new era for our America. I am deeply honored to have worked with the women’s community, the communities of color, and my own gay community to help bring this night into fruition. But as joyous as this evening is, there is cause for reflection and concern. As the tenor of this election progressed and the queer community wasn’t the punching bag driver to the polls, as more states like California and New Hampshire allowed gay marriage, as the Presidential candidates were talking positively about our community to the country, I guess I became complacent in the fact that if the Democrats won, then so would gay people. Unfortunately, we really haven’t. We probably have gone a few steps backward - at least when it comes to marriage. It’s incredibly frustrating and completely saddening that despite all the progressive forward move-
ment tonight, all the anti-gay ballot measures have seemed to pass … strongly. Though exit polling may have been showing that people were voting Prop 8 down in California, people were actually voting against us in the booth. As this amendment will be the first time that rights of our citizenry will be stripped away after being granted, we should be reminded that the majority of this country is still against the queer community and they are now lying about it to our face. We assumed the conservative Christian right was voting against us, but polling is showing that the black and Latino communities overwhelmingly voted against us, too. A gesture that is a smack in the face for all of us who helped deliver this president. Anyone else feel a bit used? Of course here in Ohio we already have gone through constitutional amendment thing, so what’s the big deal right? The big deal is because these losses in FL, CA, AZ and AR will have ripple effects across the country that will impede all of our movement toward marriage equality, and give credence to anti-gay groups in other pro-equality states like MA to try the same thing. We could see everything repealed if we’re not careful. And with that we have to ask ourselves if marriage is in fact the benchmark for what our community bases progress on. There is other progress to be made. As disheartening as these losses are, we are very fortunate to have elected a bevy of gay champions and allies today that I believe will be quick to move other agenda items forward. In the next two years, we should see an ENDA, a hate crimes bill and a repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell all pass if the Democrats stay true to their word and buckle down. It is incumbent upon all of us to make sure our politicians get ‘er done. It’s time to get busy. On November 4, we all celebrated. Starting today, it’s time to get to work.
NATIONAL ROUNDUP by Adam Leddy
A Democratic wave elected the most proGLBT president and Congress in US history. The party strengthened its majorities in both legislative chambers even as voters in Arkansas, Arizona, and Florida dealt serious blows to the national movement for marriage and family equality. At press time, Proposition 8 in California was too close to call, but wasn’t looking good. Perhaps the best news of the evening came from Colorado, as voters sent openly gay Democrat Jared Polis to represent the second House district while booting virulently anti-gay Marilyn Musgrave from her seat in the fourth. Polis becomes the first openly gay man to win election (rather than reelection) to the House; Musgrave’s leadership on the federal anti-marriage amendment made her the darling of the fringe right. Senator-elect Mark Udall should be a pro-equality voice in that chamber. Reps Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Barney Frank (D-MA) followed Polis’s lead and cruised to reelection, while openly gay House candidate Linda Ketner lost her unlikely bid to unseat Rep Henry Brown in South Carolina. The makeup of Ohio’s congressional delegation came down to a few close races. As of press time, the race between Mary Jo Kilroy (D) and Steve Stivers (R) in OH-15 appeared headed for a recount. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R) weathered a tough challenge from David Robinson in the 12th district. Infamous
“Mean” Jean Schmidt (OH-2) retained her Cincinnati-area seat, defeating Democrat Vic Wulsin for the second time, while her antigay neighbor Steve Chabot (R) lost his seat in the 1st district. In northeast Ohio, state Sen. John Boccieri led Republican Kirk Schuring in their contest to represent the 16th district. Nationally, Democrats pushed their Senate close to sixty seats, taking Republican-held or open seats in New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico, Colorado, and running close races in Minnesota, Oregon, and Alaska. Democrats successfully defended their Senate seats, including that of their only endangered incumbent, conservative Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Speaker Nancy Pelosi will command a larger majority in the House, though Republicans avoided the bloodbath many thought possible in that chamber. As in 2004, voters across the country voted against equality when given the opportunity. Arizona, after rejecting a broader ban in 2006, voted to restrict marriage to one man and one woman. Floridians reached the 60% threshold they needed to ban same sex marriage in the Sunshine State, and in Arkansas, voters outlawed the adoption of children by unmarried sexual partners.
NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
16 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
OUTLOOK’S ENDORSED CANDIDATES & ISSUES SCORECARD Obama - The change agent of hope makes history on many levels, giving GLBT people a true friend as the leader of the free world. Cordray - A long-time GLBT community supporter takes over, and everyone wins with this staunch citizen-advocate as AG. Kilroy/Robinson - The lady who has been with us since before the beginning finds herself in another nail-biter and appears headed for a recount. The gentleman who we’ve recently come to know runs a valiant race against the status quo, but can’t defeat the gerrymandered incumbent. GLBT folks west of High Street are hopeful, while those east contemplate moving to the Dakota, Franklinton, and Westgate. Blue - One of the state’s brightest newcomers falls to the establishment candidate, but we hope we haven’t seen the last of her. Statewide, Republicans predict a 21-14 majority, but Governor Ted Strickland now has enough votes to uphold any veto. Haris/ Garland/ Carney/ Goldhardt/ Celeste/ Stewart/ Heard/Weddington - Democrats hold three seats and gain at least two in central Ohio. Statewide, Democrats are poised to gain a majority and the Speaker’s gavel, which would fit Ted Celeste’s hand quite nicely. Strickland’s agenda in 2009-10, a GLBT-inclusive employment and housing non discrimination act, and hate crimes legislation should get fair and fast hearings. Adding to this progressive trend, Ray Pryor defeats the tactics of hate and fear of gay-baiting John Schlichter.
Brooks/O’Grady - Franklin County retains an all-Democrat commission and GLBT people retain three strong advocates. NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
O’Brien - An effective and dedicated prosecutor holds strong.
HOW’D WE DO?
O’Shaughnessy - The progressive councilwoman moves to county office, and GLBT issues remain well guarded in the Clerk’s office. Leonard - A community ally retains his seat and does Cordray’s legacy proud. Lewis - Hands-on pathologist wins over experienced manager as Jan Gorniak heads to the coroner’s job. Voters would have won either way. Gorniak will be an excellent public servant. Goodman/Sadler – Moderate Republican Sadler holds her seat, and continues to hold sway over her more conservative appellate colleagues. Pro-GLBT Senator Goodman remains in the Senate after seeing his ill-advised sleaze ads backfire. O’Connor is a community ally and will serve us well on the court.
Colorado New Dem Senator Mark Udall should be a reliable pro-equality vote in Colorado. Openly gay Jared Polis wins election to the House in a landslide. House hatemonger Marilyn Musgrave gets the boot from Colorado voters.
Nebraska Progressive hottie Scott Kleeb falls short of defeating the popular Johanns.
Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley and Republican Gordon Smith await a final tally after Election Night voting snafus.
Dingus - Garnering more than 47% of the vote, our charismatic and imminently qualified openly gay candidate loses to an experienced judicial ally. Brown - At long last, all Franklin County citizens can expect fairness in the probate court as one of our strongest straight allies takes the bench. Name changes and adoptions by GLBT people will now be celebrated, not challenged and road-blocked, and GLBT families (and families to be) can rejoice. The Columbus City bond issues 14-19 all pass, ensuring continued development, construction, and progress in the city. Columbus City Schools are rewarded for their hard work and strong leadership as their bond/levy package (Issue 75) passes. Loan-sharking gasps its last breath as Issue 5 wins, and yet another casino initiative crashes and burns as Issue 6 is defeated. Key: Red words indicates that our endorsed candidate didn’t win. Blue, they won, grey, it’s too early to tell.
California At press time, bigotry leads in California.
Arizona Arizonans reverse course from their 2006 vote, enshrining bigotry in the state constitution.
New Mexico Another Democratic Udall claims an open seat. Alaska The same people who brought you Sarah Palin may reelect convicted felon Ted Stevens.
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 17
STATE-BY-STATE OVERVIEW Ohio OH-2: “Mean” Jean Schmidt (R) retains her seat. OH-15: Mary Jo Kilroy (D) and Steve Stivers (R) appear headed for a recount. OH-7: Anti-gay Steve Austria (R) lives to discriminate another day. OH-12: Pat Tiberi (R) fends off a stiff challenge from David Robinson. OH-16: John Boccieri (D) defeats Kirk Schuring. OH-1: Anti-gay Republican incumbent Steve Chabot earns a much-deserved exit.
Minnesota The hottest three-way of the year remains unresolved at press time.
PLAYING MUSICAL CHAIRS
IN
New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen (D) avenges her 2002 loss to John Sununu with a convincing win in the Granite State.
Virginia Popular former governor Mark Warner coasts; VA Senate delegation a deep blue. North Carolina “Godless” Kay Hagan dispatches a conservative heavyweight after enduring some of the most disgusting attacks of the election season.
South Carolina Openly gay Linda Ketner (D) falls short in bid to unseat Rep. Henry Brown.
Louisiana Conservative (yet pro-equality) Dem Mary Landrieu spoils Republicans’ best chance for a Senate pickup.
Georgia The deplorable Saxby Chambliss fends off a strong challenge from Jim Martin.
Florida Florida hits 60% threshold to ban marriage equality.
COUNTY
by Michael Daniels
Kentucky Minority Leader Mitch McConnell escapes with his career against pseudo-Democrat Bruce Lunsford.
Arkansas Dark day in Arkansas as voters approve gay adoption ban.
FRANKLIN
The following dream sequence opens on the morning of November 5, 2008. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the Republicans are being forcibly deported, and the Democrats are dancing naked (hide your sensitive eyes) around a blue-bannered Maypole - er, Novemberpole. Well, most of them are. A select few Demafiosos (that’s Democratic mafiosos, for the uninitiated) are huddled at the Short North Tavern, a pile of Republican yard signs and empty Bud Light bottles scattered at their feet: “Now that Barack Obama has been elected president, what are we going to do?” asks their Godfather, Bill Anthony. “Frankie and I have been packed since the speech on the Statehouse steps,” says Mike Coleman. “We’ve got our passports ready, and we’re looking forward to setting up in the Ambassador’s Residence in St. Croix.” “And I’ve got decorators - and yes, I got them all from listings in Outlook Weekly - lined up for new curtains and furniture in Mike’s old office,” says Mike Mentel. “I’ve been practicing my mayoral voice so it’s ready to go.” “Which, normally, would mean I’d be running about scratching the words ‘pro tempore’ off of all my cards and stationery,” chimes in Kevin Boyce. “No need for that,” booms the voice of Ted Strickland. “I’m not a fan of Celebrity Death Match, and I really don’t need to see the equivalent between you and Andy Ginther down at City Hall. So I’ve decided that you, Kevin, will take Rich Cordray’s old digs since he’s movin’ on up to Attorney General. Of course, it might take a while to wash all the Dann out of the carpets.” “Well, I’ve been shopping,” says Maryellen O’Shaughnessy. “None of John O’Grady’s chairs really fit me, and I’ve no desire to feel like Lily Tomlin’s Edith Ann every day I go to work in the Clerk of Courts office.” “If you need someone to carry all that heavy furniture for you, I’ll do it, Maryellen,” says Gary Baker. “After all, it’s my pleasure to do all the heavy lifting and dirty jobs. All I’d ask for in terms of payment would be your seat - or Mike’s, or Kevin’s, I’m not picky - on the council.” “Council’s loss is our gain,” chimes in a gaggle of school boarders from the sidelines - but not Carlton Weddington, who’s off playing in Joyce Beatty’s closet. “Let me see if I have this right,” says Zach Manifold, carrying a playbook and roster and scribbling feverishly. “Obama to the White House, Coleman to Ambassador, Mentel to Mayor. Cordray to Attorney General, Boyce to State Treasurer. O’Shaughnessy to Clerk, Baker to Council. Ginther to Council President, Tyson to ProTem - ok, I’m just guessing, but someone’s name has to be in the space. Two open seats on council, two on school board. Do I have it right?” “You do,” the Godfather says. “But keep it quiet. We don’t want the gays to find out just yet.” In the distance, a Verizon ringtone grows progressively louder. And then I awaken with a nagging feeling that I’ve forgotten to call Karla Rothan and Russ Goodwin about something. But what could it be?... NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
18 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY
OUT OF TOWN by Regina Sewell
PROVINCETOWN IN THE OFF-SEASON Provincetown, Massachusetts, is the quirky little gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-friendly resort town at the end of Cape Cod that poet Mark Doty describes as being “dedicated to pleasure and to beauty, eccentric, graceful without being too impressed with itself.” It emerged as an artists’ colony at the end of the 1800s and has managed to keep its bohemian heritage. Its streets and alleyways and are still lined with art galleries and studios, and its culture still provides acceptance and permission for a broad variety of tastes, lifestyles, and creative expressions. According to Doty, Ptown’s driving norm is “Love who you want, dress as you like, do what feels right to you.” This is balanced by the rule “Remember that people live here” - a call to respect the lives of the town’s inhabitants. It’s this accepting culture that has made P-town one of the bestknown GLBT vacation destinations in the United States. And what’s not to love? Here, I can walk down the street holding my girlfriend’s hand and we can interact with the same physical tenderness in restaurants, clubs and on the street that heterosexuals take for granted in the rest of the country. Not even Key West, one of the other celebrated GLBT travel destinations, allows for this sort of unabashed openness. Most people want to go to Provincetown in the summer, but what they don’t know is that P-town has a lot of offer in the off-season, especially in September. What you lose in terms of a scene is more than made up for by some other perks. First, without as many visitors, the town is a lot quieter. This means that you can walk through town without feeling like a sardine. You can also be more spontaneous because you don’t have to plan everything hours in advance. Your stomach’s growling? No probNOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
lem, you can nab a table in a restaurant without a long wait. Decide you want to see a show and it’s already after 6p? No problem, you can still get tickets for most shows a few hours before they start. (Note that this does not mean there won’t be a crowd. We made the mistake of only arriving half an hour before Showgirls at the Crown and Anchor and ended up standing for most of the show. More painful, my girlfriend and I are both vertically challenged and a Ms Crabbypants Super Giant decided to squeeze in front of us and refused to move even when asked politely. Fortunately, karma works and someone gave us their seats so we got to sit in front of her. But I digress.) Bedand-breakfast and hotel prices also drop after Labor Day. The gardens are another reason to wait until the end of summer to visit Provincetown. In September, the whole town seems to be in bloom. Roses especially seem to love the cool nights and sandy soil and the town is covered with them. And then there are the sunflowers. Where I grew up, sunflowers were weeds that had to be hoed or poisoned. I learned to hate them passionately. The sunflowers in Provincetown have broken that mental association. They’re all but dancing on their stalks this time of year. It’s almost like they’re celebrating the last tea-dances before fall comes in and ends their season. In September, the water is still warm enough for visitors to ramble along the beach and splash in the waves. The warm water also means that you can kayak without freezing when you get wet. The water in the harbor is calm enough most days that even novice kayakers have an easy paddle. My girlfriend had never kayaked before and picked up the basics pretty quickly. Lots of people bring their
own kayaks to P-town, but if you don’t happen to own a kayak, you can rent one at Venture Athletics, on the beach just west of the pier. Swimming is also still an option in September. Intrepid souls and polar bears swim in the ocean. I’m a little squeamish about the sea grass in the harbor and the churning waves at Herring Cove beach (we picked a windy day to walk to the beach), so I opted for the heated swimming pool at the hotel. The water felt great even on the day the temperature never got out of the upper sixties. When weather permits, Provincetown is a bicycle town. Biking is a great way to get around town and makes parking much easier. The bike trails are great, especially the dune trail. If you’re not an avid cyclist, be forewarned, the dune trail is pretty hilly. Going downhill is much easier. I’ve got a beautiful purple and white Specialized Dolce Elite road bike and I am all but drooling at the thought of riding her on the trails by the beach. Next time I come, she’s coming with me. Folks who don’t want to cart their own bike can easily rent one at any number of bike rental places around town. If your body’s jonesing for a real workout (or the weather sucks), you can check out the local gyms. P-town has two: Muscle Beach Health Club and Provincetown Gym. Both are mostly packed with sweaty boys. Of the two, Provincetown Gym is a bit cheaper and has coupons available online. If yoga is your thing, both clubs offer classes, as do several other businesses dedicated to the practice. Of the available options, Yoga East gets the highest endorsements from the locals. If you’re into less strenuous activities, it might be helpful to note that the end of the season does little to dampen the sport of gallery hopping. The most exciting is Back-
shore Gallery on Commercial Street because they’re showcasing the work of Walter Baranowski, a local artist who makes funky chairs, clocks, shelves and tables out of driftwood. His pieces are functional and rustically beautiful perfect for a little beach house on the edge of the dunes. And there’s always shopping. If you want something other than a t-shirt, check out Recovering Hearts, WomanCrafts and the Whydah Pirate Store. Recovering Hearts specializes in recovery-oriented material but also has a nice collection of GLBT books and videos. They also carry a number of mainstream books and upscale gifts. WomanCrafts is close to my heart because it’s one of a dwindling number of feminist bookstores. They sell women’s literature, jewelry, t-shirts, music and gifts. The Whydah Pirate Store? Well, it’s just fun to play with pirate stuff. Whale watching is another of Provincetown’s claims to fame and the early fall is an especially good time to go whale watching here. Whale watchers regularly spot fin and humpback whales, and on occasion, lucky observers catch sight of a rare North Atlantic Right Whale. Sailors and wannabe sailors should know that there are two schooners in town: the Baylady II and the Hindu. We went on a sunset cruise on the Baylady II and managed to go out on the perfect night. The seas were calm, the sky was clear, the sunset was gorgeous and the other passengers were great. I met the most adorable little Dutch girl. She melted my heart even though I suspect she was far more interested in my tootsie pop than she was in me. The Hindu also seemed to do good business and they fly a rainbow flag, so how bad continued on pg 26
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DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD by Romeo San Vicente
courtesy of img.photobucket.com
© 20th Century Fox
© www.smh.com.au
© logo.com
BROADWAY’S BLITHE SPIRIT SUMMONS EVERETT
KUDROW REUNITES WITH ROOS AND BUCATINSKY FOR THERAPY
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, AMERICAN STYLE? AGAIN?
DARRYL STEPHENS ARCS HIS WAY TO NEW ORLEANS
He’s skillfully managed the words of Oscar Wilde in several films, and now out actor Rupert Everett will take on that other great gay Brit wit, Noel Coward. Everett has been cast in the lead role of the Broadway revival of Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit. In this hilarious look at love, death, and worlds unseen, Everett will star as Charles Condomine, a skeptical writer who hosts a seance at his home. Much to his surprise, the ceremony conjures up the ghost of his late wife, Elvira (Christine Ebersole, seen recently onstage in Grey Gardens), who has returned to get her revenge on Charles and to perpetrate a little mischief on the new woman in his life. Blithe Spirit will haunt the Great White Way in March 2009.
Former Friends star Lisa Kudrow keeps her own friends close. She owns a company, Is or Isn’t Productions, with gay actor Dan Bucatinsky (who executive-produced Kudrow’s cult HBO series The Comeback), and she’s starred in two films (The Opposite of Sex, Happy Endings) directed by Bucatinsky’s partner, Don Roos. Now the three of them are collaborating again on Web Therapy, a new series of comedic online shorts sponsored by upscale automaker Lexus. Kudrow stars as therapist Fiona Wallace, who conducts useless, threeminute Web-chat sessions for her hapless clients (played by Bucatinsky, Jane Lynch, Bob Balaban, and The Office‘s Rashida Jones, to name just a few). Roos directs the short, snappy, and hilarious episodes. Curl up on Kudrow’s couch at www.lstudio.com.
The cavalcade of British shows being remade for American television shows no sign of slowing. Romeo recently reported on Sean Hayes producing a new version of the UK sketch show Man Stroke Woman, but now comes news that Fox is going for all the marbles and attempting to do a U.S. remake of Absolutely Fabulous. Really, sweetie darling? Didn’t Roseanne and Carrie Fisher already try this back in the ‘90s, only to beat their heads against the wall? Didn’t High Society and Cybil l- and to a lesser extent, the brilliant Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman already tread similar ground? Romeo is a little dubious, but he remembers thinking the American version of The Office wouldn’t amount to much either. Watch this space for details and possible crow-eating.
Noah’s Arc star Darryl Stephens - who recently came out in the gay media - is keeping busy following the demise of the popular Logo show. He and his co-stars will be in theaters this fall with the Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom feature, and he’s got another bigscreen outing lined up as well. Stephens has joined the cast of Bolden!, which is being called a “mythical” account of the life of ragtime legend Buddy Bolden, the “Cornet King” considered by many to be one of the fathers of what would become jazz. The film will star Anthony Mackie (Brother to Brother) as Bolden, and the cast also features Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Irby (The Unit), and Michael Rooker. Join the band when Bolden! hits theaters in 2010.
Romeo San Vicente was once called a “band queer,” due to his proficiency with the French horn, but he’s grateful for the tongue-and-lip skills he developed. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.
ARTS
Call for Entries The Worthington Arts Council invites all arts organizations and artists to submit an application to have their artwork on display at one of three exhibition venues for our 2009 visual arts exhibition series. The WAC currently holds exhibits at the Worthington Community Center, the Worthington Municipal Building, and Park National Bank. All content must be suitable for public viewing and may be submitted through Dec 1. For more information or questions, please contact the Worthington Arts Council at 614.431.0329 or e-mail lswingle@worthingtonarts.org.
by Elizabeth Jewell Becker
Red, White, & Art! Another election season has come and gone, and unfortunately, none of the three televised debates between the two major party candidates included a question about the benefit of solid arts education offerings for our youth. Nor was the catchphrase “creative class” ever uttered in reference to how the arts can play a part in revitalizing local economies. Of course there are other, sometimes more critical, issues at hand. But the arts are part of our national heritage and identity, and as such, I believe it is important to keep them in the political forefront. On the other hand, one of the most attractive aspects about the arts in general is the potential they have to be non-political “people connectors.” While disagreement may exist about how the arts are funded, I don’t know too many people who don’t smile when elementary school kids put on their first play, or when people with physical disabilities find that they have musical talents to share. The arts provide a common ground on which different people from all kinds of different backgrounds can enjoy the same experience. Democrats, Independents, Republicans, Socialists - all can attend the same symphony concert or modern dance performance and leave with a shared experience NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
that can be discussed and even debated over coffee. Did you enjoy the performance? What was your favorite part? Would you attend another offering by that same company? Furthermore, all Americans join together as arts participants when singing “The StarSpangled Banner” (which originated from the text of a poem) or viewing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designed by Ohio native Maya Lin. Throughout history, patriotism has been exhibited in numerous art forms: think the “fiber arts” creation of our country’s flag by Betsy Ross, or fast forward to one of Jasper Johns’ painterly interpretations of that same symbol of our national pride. American artists have brought critical acclaim to our country through the creation of many “American” art forms, from jazz or bluegrass music to drip or action paintings by Jackson Pollock and others. So perhaps it wasn’t necessary for the arts to stage a grand appearance during this campaign season. They are ingrained in our daily national existence regardless of their presence on any particular candidate’s platform. Elizabeth Jewell Becker is executive director of the Worthington Arts Council, a member organization of the Columbus Arts Marketing Association. For more information, visit www.camaonline.org.
ARTIST INFORMATION FORM Name Address City, State, Zip Phone/Fax Email CATEGORIES _____ Painting _____ Mixed Media _____ Photography _____ Drawing _____ Printmaking _____ Sculpture _____ Ceramics _____ Digital _____ Other:____________ ARTIST PACKET CHECKLIST _ Completed & signed Artist Information Form _ 6-12 examples of artwork. Acceptable formats: slide, photocopy, & digital. All work
must be clearly labeled with artist’s name, title, medium, and size. _ Image list _ Artist Statement _ A SASE with adequate postage for return of your proposal & support materials. If no return mailer is provided, your proposal will be kept for 6 months from the date of application, then discarded. AGREEMENT _ ALL CONTENT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING _ All pieces have been created in the last 3 years Artist Signature: Date: MAIL ARTIST PACKAGE TO: Linda Swingle, Administrative Assistant Worthington Arts Council 777 High St., 2nd Floor Worthington, OH 43085
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DVDIVA by Gregg Shapiro
BOYZ ‘N’ THE HOODIES Boy A When young Eric (Alfie Owen) was on trial for the brutal murder of Angela (Skye Bennett), a crime he committed in grammar school with best mate Philip (Taylor Doherty), he was known as Boy A. Years later, after serving his sentence, Eric takes on a new identity, Jack (Andrew Garfield, in a flawless performance), in a new home and begins a new life. Parole officer Terry (Peter Mullan) helps Jack make the transition, giving him a pair of Nike Escapes and the advice to keep looking forward, not back. Jack maintains a low profile as he reenters society working as a driver for a warehouse, making friends with coworkers like Chris (Shaun Evans), and beginning a relationship with Michelle (Katie Lyons). As he tries to begin life anew, Jack is haunted by flashbacks of his past. He is also obsessed with unanswered questions surrounding the apparent suicide of Philip, who struggled with his own demons, including being sexually molested by his older brother as a boy. Terry, on the other hand, is impressed with Jack’s progress. One day while on the job, Jack and Chris save the life of a young girl after a car accident that kills her father, the driver. Thrust into the spotlight as a hero, Jack’s face is splashed across the front pages of the local papers. Soon he is recognized, and with the help of Terry’s vindictive son Zeb, the press begins to hound Jack. He loses his job and Michelle stops returning his phone calls. All of this leads to a powerful climax and qualify Boy A as essential home viewing. The DVD contains no special features. Paranoid Park Gay filmmaker Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho) continues his fascination with teen culture in Paranoid Park, a big screen adaptation of the Blake Nelson novel. The teens in Paranoid Park exist on the periphery, skateboards their preferred means of transportation and recreation. Alex (Gabe Nevins) has recently been initiated into the scene at the East Side Skateboard Park, a.k.a. Paranoid Park. Van Sant’s camera follows the skateboarders in slow motion and plays with the lighting and sound, adding a touch of grace and mystery to the proceedings. When a security guard (John Michael Burrowes) is found dead at the central train yard near downtown Portland, his body severed in half after it was run over by a train, suspicions are raised that his death might not have been an accident. Detective Lu (Daniel Liu) comes to the high school where Alex is a student and questions those in the NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
skateboard community to see if anyone knows about what happened. As it turns out, Alex knows plenty. His good friend Macy (Lauren McKinney), sensing that something is on Alex’s mind, suggests that he write down whatever it is that is bothering him, on the logic that he will feel better when things are out in the open. Throughout the non-linear progression of the film, Alex is seen writing in his notebook, which he promptly closes any time an adult comes near him. Only the audience and Alex know the details, making this an exceptionally intimate and lingering movie experience. The DVD contains no special features.
GIVE THESE A CHANCE Chapter 27 Jared Leto, arguably best known as dreamboat Jordan Catalano on My So-Called Life, gained sixty pounds to portray Mark David Chapman, John Lennon’s assassin, in writer/director Jarrett Schaefer’s Chapter 27, a dramatization of the days leading up to the murder. (The title refers to the additional chapter that Chapman intended to write for The Catcher in the Rye, a book with which he was obsessed.) Chapman’s life seemed to be guided by his obsessions, which also included the Beatles and The Wizard of Oz, and depression. Arriving in New York in December of 1980 from Hawaii, armed with a gun and a Bible, the socially inept Chapman attempts to befriend cabdrivers, the doormen at the Dakota (where Lennon and Yoko Ono lived), and even the people who regularly hung out in front of the building waiting for the opportunity to interact with the very accessible Lennon. Chapman meets a young woman named Jude (Lindsay Lohan), who is eventually put off by his unpredictable behavior. The homophobic Chapman, who spends his first few days in NYC at a YMCA, a place he describes as being full of “perverts and morons,” even goes so far as to stand with his gun pointed at a wall in his room because he can hear a gay male couple on the other side having sex. Chapman settles in a hotel and buys a copy of The Catcher in the Rye, in which he inscribes To Holden Caulfield, from Holden Caulfield. This Is My Statement. He has Lennon autograph a copy of the Double Fantasy album for him, and the rest goes down in history. Given that most viewers know how the story ends, Schaefer deserves credit for maintaining the suspense level throughout, and Leto portrays the increasingly unhinged Chapman with grace. A behind-the-scenes featurette is the sole special feature of the DVD. The Killing of John Lennon It probably works in Jonas Ball’s favor that he is a far less recognizable actor than Jared Leto. Shot in “actual locations” and using Chapman’s own words, The Killing of John Lennon intends to be more biographical than Chapter 27, giving view-
ers additional background on Chapman (Ball) and what it was that led him to commit his crime. Although it begins in New York on December 8, 1980, the film swiftly goes back in time three months to September, with Chapman living in Honolulu with his wife Gloria (Mie Omori), not far from his disapproving, “right out of The Glass Menagerie” mother, played by Krisha Fairchild. (Chapman, a self-described “lapsed born-again Christian” who suffers from insomnia and headaches, often fantasized about killing his distant and detached father.) The film documents Chapman’s refuge in the Honolulu Public Library, where he comes across Catcher in the Rye and begins his obsessive identification with Holden Caulfield. Chapman is enraged by a book on John Lennon and comes to consider the singer a hypocrite who sings about imagining a world with no possessions while at the same time accumulating plenty of them. The film does a competent job addressing Chapman’s myriad conflicts and confusion. A racist and sexist sociopath, he was also virulently homophobic - the scene in which he fantasizes about killing the men who are having sex in the room next to his at the YMCA is illustrative. The Killing of John Lennon is unlikely to inspire empathy for its subject, but the film presents an adequate and engaging examination of Chapman’s delusions and the act of violence they inspire. DVD special features include more than a dozen deleted scenes and commentary by writer/director Andrew Piddington.
VOTE FOR MUSIC School House Rock!: Election Collection What better time for the limited edition School House Rock!: Election Collection to become available than during this most heated and important election season? Many people entering voting booths in 2008 were probably reared on the Saturday morning staple that is School House Rock! It’s true that the animation was nothing fancy, but it served its purpose, illustrating, if you will, the informative and infectious tunes. The cartoon shorts, which originally aired more than 30 years ago have never been timelier. For instance, the timeless “Energy Blues” is sure to hit home to different generations - those who remember it fondly and those seeing it for the very first time. It also serves as a reminder that ecological issues are nothing new. At this time in our country’s history, as we face this great financial crisis, the vaudevillian “Tax Man Max”; “Walkin’ on Wall Street” (which could now be re-titled “Limpin’ on Wall Street”), stressing the importance of staying alert while “walking on Wall Street”; and “Tyrannosaurus Debt,” about feeding the monster that is the national debt, all speak volumes. Both American history and American ingenuity are celebrated, respectively, in “Shot Heard Round the World,” “No More Kings” and “Fireworks,” and “Mother Necessity” (which pays School House Rock!-style homage to Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse, Elias Howe, Alexander Graham Bell, Orville & Wilbur Wright, Robert Fulton, Guglielmo Mar-
coni, Henry Ford and others). In terms of the 2008 election, there is something eerily prescient about “The Great American Melting Pot” (see Barack Obama) and “Sufferin’ Till Suffrage” (see Hillary Clinton, and to a lesser extent Sarah Palin) while there are viewers who will be grateful for “I’m Gonna Send Your Vote to College,” a musical explanation of the process of the Electoral College. The infectious “The Preamble” and “I’m Just A Bill,” two of the biggest “hits” of the series, are still as catchy as they were when we first heard them. And show-tune queens worth their weight in Playbills are sure to recognize the names of Tony Award-winning songwriters Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime) among those who wrote (and even performed) the music for School House Rock! In addition to the two versions of “Presidential Minute,” which constitute the “Extra Credit” bonus material, there is also a “Track the Votes” map and two sheets of blue and red dot stickers. Hollywood musicals (with French accents): Gigi The 50th anniversary two-disc special edition of unexpected Best Picture Oscar-winner Gigi was directed by Vincente Minnelli (father of Liza and ex-husband of Judy). It stars Leslie Caron in the title role, along with Maurice Chevalier (best known for singing Lerner and Loewe’s suspect “Thank Heaven for Little Girls”), the dashing Louis Jourdan, as well as Hermione Gingold and Eva Gabor. The DVD includes an array of special features. An American in Paris Leslie Caron got a lot of mileage out of being a French actress. Caron (who was a good friend of Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy’s) made her film debut alongside Gene Kelly in Minnelli’s 1951 cinematic spectacular An American in Paris. The two-disc special edition contains a wealth of bonus material. Rocking and rolling: Godfather of punk rock Lou Reed and his “offspring” The Sex Pistols are also out on DVD. Visual artist turned filmmaker Julian Schnabel film the historic concert in which Reed performed his 1973 album “Berlin” in concert in 2006 in Lou Reed: Berlin (The Weinstein Company Home Entertainment). Julien Temple, longtime associate of Johnny Rotten and company, is the man behind the camera for There’ll Always Be An England: Sex Pistols Live From Brixton Academy (Rhino), which captures the masters of mayhem at a 2007 U.K. concert.
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INTERVIEW by Mikey Rox
Photo by Rufskin Studios
SHOW GIRL: AN INTERVIEW WITH KRISTINE W Dance-music mainstay Kristine W, who will be signing CD’s at Borders and appearing at Adonis Nightclub in Cincinnati on November 15, wears many hats. Every one brims with vim. In a recent interview, the veteran performer reflects on her 20plus-year career, from working the beauty pageant circuit and collecting a check from the Colonel (think Memphis, not Louisville) to raising a family and fighting for her life. And that’s just the half of it. Kristine - otherwise known as the fab Ms. W to her loyal legion - also discusses her latest album Power of Music, and in a world exclusive reveals the results of a MySpace contest for fans to choose the song they’d most like to hear on her soon-to-be-released Christmas CD. Our vote? “Come All Ye Faithful.” MIKEY ROX: Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this thing, let’s take a minute to admire you. I read somewhere that since your debut album in 1996, you’ve broken records previously held by Madonna and Janet Jackson for consecutive hits on the Billboard Club Play chart. Is that true? KRISTINE W: Yes, that’s true! I’m very proud of that, and I owe that success to my fans that continue to inspire me. MR: Have you bumped into to either of them since you ripped the dance-hall tiaras from their pretty little heads? KW: No, we don’t roll in the same circles. I like to be with my people, hang with them after the shows, dance with them after the shows. I like to be accessible. It’s way more fun. MR: While we’re talking tiaras, in the early 1980s you were a contestant in the Miss America competition. Did you ever have to kick a bitch’s ass NOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
backstage? KW: Yes, it was the mid-80s and one of the girls put water in my hairspray bottle. I told them all if I find out who did it they’ll be missing some teeth - so don’t f—k with me. [Laughs] That shocked ’em. MR: After you retired your world-peace speech, you headed to Las Vegas where, during the late 1980s and early ’90s, you performed more shows at the Las Vegas Hilton than anyone in its history, including the king of rock-n-roll, Elvis Presley. Now, I could ask a safe question like, “How does it feel to be in the company of the greatest?” But I don’t care about that. What I really want to know is what kind of trouble you caused in Sin City? You were young, single and financially independent. And those are the top three reasons in my book to do whatever the hell you want. Anything you’d like to confess, missy? KW: I took my scholarship money and hit the road from my farm town in Washington and headed immediately to Vegas. I worked my way through school performing on stages, singing everywhere. I was offered my own show at the Las Vegas Hilton because I had built up such a big local following. Soon we could not fit any more people in the 200-seat room, so they built me a 500-seat room. I learned a lot of history about Elvis. His manager, the Colonel, was very old and lived at the Hilton. He was always in the entertainment office sitting there when I would pick up my check. The entertainment director, Foster Wilson, told me many stories about Elvis, and when my son was born [Foster] opened the glass case with the famous Elvis outfit and guitar and I took a picture with [my son] JR next to it in his car seat. A lot of good memories at the Hilton. My mom says I became a grownup while I was playing those stages. About my personal life during that time - I had fun, but kept it on the down low because I was
the leader of the band, the star of the show, and the producer. But, yes, I enjoyed the company of some really hot guys! MR: Considering you sordid past (wink), it’s no wonder you have such an avid gay following! But I’ve always wondered, how does one get an avid gay following? I mean, it’s not like you set out to be the next Betty White. Right? KW: Being a gay icon just happened organically. One minute I was in London performing for straight people in straight clubs. The next, I’m in NYC with 2,000 half-naked men. Pretty fun! MR: I’ve seen the company you keep - Junior Vasquez, RuPaul, etc. So it might be more appropriate to ask that question differently. Do you know any straight people? KW: Yes, I have straight friends! [Laughs] You would not believe the diversity of my friendship pool. It’s hilarious! MR: There’s no easy transition into this next question so I’ll just come out with it: While making it in Vegas on your own is admirable, overcoming leukemia is a modern-day miracle. My brother passed away from the disease in 2002 at age 22, so I know firsthand the devastation cancer can cause the people it affects. What were your thoughts when you were diagnosed, and how did the battle to beat the disease change your life? KW: I was devastated when I was diagnosed, angry, scared. I cried for about three days straight. Then I called upon my faith and I knew I had to be a soldier rather than a victim. The odds of my survival were pretty slim so I needed to really focus and educate myself on the disease. The two-year battle changed my priorities. I have always been in love with my two children since they were born. I know
their love saved me and gave me the fight to hang in there. Children and music, that’s my focus and without a doubt, I have seen the power of love and the power of music through them and my loyal fan base. MR: By the way, I must say you don’t look your age. At all. I won’t tell the world the actual number - I’ll leave that to your discretion - but how do you keep yourself looking so … sexy? You Mousercise, don’t you? KW: I eat healthy, dark chocolate, sex, champagne, exercise, and loving my cool gay friends that make me laugh. It seems to be working. MR: Your newest single, “The Boss,” from the upcoming Power of Music, recently earned you your 11th #1 Billboard track. Can we expect more of the same when the record drops later this year? Any collabos we should look out for? KW: My next single from Power Of Music is called ”Never,” and I’m also releasing a seven-song Christmas EP called Hey, Mr. Christmas. It’s a very uplifting project because the holidays can be a bummer for a lot of people. It’s definitely good medicine. We asked my MySpace peeps which Christmas song they would most like to see me redo and we put the winner on the album. I will tell the world for the first time in this interview which one it was - it was a dance mix of “Hard Candy Christmas.” How’s that for new scoop! I’m also working with [pop-pianist] Jim Brickman at the moment - so stay tuned. Kristine W will be signing her new Christmas CD at Borders (11711 Princeton Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45246) Saturday November 15 at 3p, and then will also be performing at Adonis Nightclub’s 3rd Anniversary party (4601 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati OH 45226) at 12a. For more info on Adonis www.adonisthenightclub.com. Who is Mikey Rox? Who gives a fuck! But you can find him at www.mikeyrox.com.
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 25
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can they be? Because of its quirky culture, downtown Provincetown is a great place to people-watch. You can sit for hours and just enjoy the show as it unfolds around you. Weather permitting, your people-watching will be accompanied by live music. At all hours of the day and night, performers bask in the squares and on the corners. Perhaps the most notable is Marcia Mello. She plays old style blues, ragtime, and even some classical pieces on a guitar that looks like it’s been ridden hard and put up wet. Her old school blues and slide guitar will reel you in and her warmth and smile will captivate you. You can catch some of her songs on YouTube, but “Love Changing Blues” is the only one that even comes close to doing her justice. Even though the nightlife is considerably calmer in the off-season, there’s plenty to do when the sun goes down. The Crown and Anchor, the Post Office, and the Vixen still have shows on the weekends and if you’re desperate for entertainment during the week you can always check out karaoke at the Governor Bradford Restaurant. Club Purgatory is also usually open every night, though the focus shifts from night to night. Among other things, they have a leather night, a men’s underwear party, and a karaoke night that Earl, the guy who runs the club, swears brings in good singers. It was the most happening club while we were in town. Of all the more formal shows we saw, Jimmy James’s “The One and Many Voices of Jimmy James,” at the Post Office, stands out. Jimmy takes impersonation to a new level, ditching the 1950’s sex-goddess look he sported in his previous incarnation for a post-punk, multicultural version of androgyny featuring a safety-pin studded linen jacket, a stunning Brazilian carnival feather headdress and black Armani boots sprinkled with glitter. Jimmy’s impersonations, especially of Patsy Cline, Eartha Kitt and Cher, were mesmerizing. His performance of his own hits, “Fashionista” and “Famous,” brought down the house. Unfortunately for you, he’s done with P-town this season. He said he’d been meeting with folks in Vegas and my bet is that he’ll be playing Vegas soon for $100 a night. You can still catch “Fashionista” as well as some of Jimmy’s older work on YouTube.com. Bobby Wetherbee was our favorite entertainer in Provincetown, hands down. We went to see him 3 nights in a row. He performs ThursNOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
days through Sundays at the Crown and Anchor’s Central House through the end of September. He plays piano and sings nonstop for four hours and can do just about everything from show tunes to jazz to pop songs. His stage presence draws audience members in and creates a space for them to sing along. Even more impressively, his voice is strong enough to carry (or cover up) the audience members who take up his sing along invitation, which we appreciated after spending an hour or so watching singers who had consumed a lot more alcohol than we had do karaoke at the Governor Bradford Restaurant on Tuesday. Provincetown is also known for great restaurants, especially those that specialize in fresh clams, oysters, scallops, and lobsters. Even if you don’t eat seafood, you can find something to satisfy your cravings. Enzo, for example, offers classic Italian cuisine in an elegant setting served by courteous staff. You can even find post-modern Mexican food and an extensive tequila selection at Lorraine’s Restaurant. Of all the restaurants we visited, Bayside Betsy’s was our favorite. The dining room overlooks the harbor and the view is spectacular. Add to this the ambiance created by a simple but elegant décor, warm friendly service, and fabulous food and you have a hit. For years, Betsy, the owner, has been a Provincetown institution and has done a lot to make Provincetown the GLBT-friendly place that it is. She still takes time to make sure her guests feel welcome, and her staff follows suit. I have a lot of food allergies so picking things from the menu often feels like taking a multiple choice test for a class I never took. Our server, Earl, not only helped me navigate the menu, he also made sure I got great substitutions and even brought a little container of cayenne pepper to sprinkle on my raw oysters in lieu of (wheat-infused) Tabasco sauce. Earl also runs Club Purgatory and took a few moments to share some of Provincetown’s local color with us. One of the challenges of visiting Provincetown is choosing among the many GLBTfriendly options for lodging. We spent hours deciding where to stay and finally booked a room at the Surfside Hotel based on its beachfront access, views of the bay, and fabulous heated pool. The staff was great and the manager actually took time out to interact with the guests, asking us about our plans and helping us navigate Wi-Fi connection issues.
Even with our planning, we still ended up having to wing it on accommodations because we decided lengthen our vacation. Be forewarned: even though P-town stays up late, finding a room after midnight is a challenge. We left early and rolled into town late Sunday night (or early Monday morning) hoping to check into our hotel room a day early only to find the office closed. A few circles through town led us to the Boatslip where we got lucky. Not only did we get a room, we got a room with a tiny private balcony overlooking the harbor. Even though the room looked well-worn, the bed was surprisingly comfortable. The view was the tipping point. We woke up to the spectacle of the sun rising on the bay. We were lucky in that the weather was cool enough that we didn’t need an air-conditioner - a good thing because the Boatslip doesn’t have them. We had to move again for our last two nights in Provincetown because the Surfside Hotel was booked. We lucked out a second time and landed a room with a spectacular view of the harbor at Enzo Guesthouse, above Enzo Restaurant, in the center of town. Our room was small but elegant and the marble bathroom was something out of Better Homes and Gardens. If you haven’t been to Provincetown in a while, or haven’t been in the off-season, book your room now and get yourself out there. It’s the perfect antidote to a world gone wrong. We all need a little shot of acceptance sometimes and it’s hard not to feel good when you wake up in a room a view of the bay in a town where your expression of who you are is OK. It’s especially wonderful to wake up in such a place if you’re with great friends or someone you love. Websites of Interest: Provincetown: http://www.provincetown.com/ PTown Gay Guide: http://www.ptown.org Provincetown Gym: http://www.ptowngym.com/ Walter Baranowski: http://www.driftwooddrift.com/index.html Whale watching information: http://www.ptownchamber.com/whalewatching.html Bayside Bestsy’s: http://www.baysidebetsys.com/ Boatslip: http://www.boatslipresort.com/ Surfside Hotel: http://www.surfsideinn.cc/ Enzo’s: http://www.enzolives.com/ Regina Sewell is an author, professor, and mental health counselor. Her essay, “Sliding Away” can be found in Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s, an honest, funny, thoughtful,l and diverse collection of 32 essays compiled by editor Molly Rosen and written by real women who aren’t afraid to tell their age and tell it like it is.
OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 27
SEX TALK by Benjamin Nelson
WE ASKED. THEY TOLD. For Navy officers, Albert and Robert, being gay at sea wasn’t quite the fantasy porn icon Chi Chi LaRue made it out to be. But while these guys couldn’t exactly swab each other’s poop decks in the galley, they could fall in love. And they did. So what was the next step for our two sexy veterans? Take it all off for OntheHUNT.com and show the rest of the world just how hot it is when sailors ride the stern. We chatted with them about growing up down south, the upcoming election and what Jeremy Hall is like in the sack. You’re both from Texas. What was it like growing up gay in the Lone Star State? Albert: It was tough to be gay in Texas. I don’t think I really accepted being gay until I was finally on my own and in the military. How did you two first meet? Robert: We first met in the service. Albert: We started talking a little bit, and then started hanging out. One thing led to another and two years later, we’re still together. What was it like being gay in the Navy? Was “Don’t ask. Don’t tell.” a big issue for you to get around? Albert: Gay in the military? That doesn’t exist, does it? Robert: Being gay in the military is a big challenge. There are people who don’t mind the gay community in the military, but there are those who do mind it and feel that those individuals are a lesser soldier or sailor because of their sexuality. Gay men and women have to be on their guard, always in fear of getting in trouble or scrutinized. Were there a lot of guys in a similar situation as yours? Robert: Are you kidding me? The military has more homosexuals than society would like to believe. Albert: There’s always a place to go to hang out with the rest of the gay community, to let off some steam
and enjoy the company of those who deal with the same thing on a daily basis while in the military.
With the election approaching, many LGBT people fear disaster. What do you think 2009 holds for us? Albert: I think 2009 has the potential to have some positive outcomes for the gay community. Will there be big changes? Probably not, but any change is a good thing. If McCain becomes President, how do you think that will affect gays in the military? Albert: If Senator McCain becomes President, I don’t feel the military will change one bit. The mentality that a homosexual shouldn’t be allowed to do the jobs of those who happen to be heterosexual will not change anytime soon. What about Obama? Albert: I would have to say the same thing for Senator Obama that I said for Senator McCain. There’s no possible change for a homosexual in today’s military coming anytime soon. Robert: It’s sad but true. Veteran’s Day is right around the corner. As veterans yourselves, what does this holiday mean to you? Robert: The holiday means that I can look back proudly on what we did for our country and the sacrifices we made. Albert: Robert and I have both done our part for our country. What made you want to do amateur porn? Albert: It was something we thought we would like to do. We saw the ad on Manhunt and thought it might be fun. Robert: We applied, not thinking we would be called up for a shoot. But then we were!
Was it nerve-racking to have sex with each other while being filmed? Albert: Well, in the start, yes, it was, but after a few minutes the camera seemed to fade away and we just went with the flow and performed as we would normally perform in our own home.
Except that porn star Jeremy Hall was filming and asked to join in on the fun. Robert: That’s true. We don’t usually have Jeremy Hall in our bedroom. What was your initial reaction when he propositioned you? Albert: We laughed because it was so sudden, but we decided to let him in on the fun. What was it like? Albert: Jeremy is hot. Robert: It was fun and I’m sure we could have done a whole lot more, but being the first time and all, we thought we could save that for another shoot.
utes, that’s for sure. Robert: We’re realizing how many guys log onto Manhunt. Who knew it was so popular? Well, I guess I knew guys logged on, but I had no idea how many. I just heard it’s the #1 gay site in the USA. Would you ever bare all on camera again? Albert: Yes, we wouldn’t mind doing it all again and maybe a little more. If you could choose anyone, who would be the third party to join you the second time around? Robert: Jeremy Hall. When you see the video, you’ll know why. Albert: I’ll second Jeremy Hall. He’s hot and has a big member. What more could you ask for? Albert and Robert’s first amateur adult video is on OntheHUNT.com now.
You guys are also the first couple to appear on Manhunt’s login page. How did that come about? Robert: We were completely shocked to see our picture on the start up screen for all of the gay community to see when they log into Manhunt. It’s exciting though! Albert: It has definitely helped our profile! How does it feel knowing your photo gives guys a hot send-off before they venture into the steamy world of internet hookups? Albert: We’re enjoying our fifteen minNOV 06 - NOV 12 2008
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OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 29
SAVAGE LOVE by Dan Savage
My boyfriend recently moved in with me the first straight guy I’ve ever shared an apartment with. I’m very clean and take great pride in my apartment. However, since he moved in, I’ve tried to be mindful of the fact that there will be certain things I’ll need to adjust to. Still, I think it’s important to clean up after oneself, so when I found an empty liter-sized Sprite bottle among half-unpacked boxes, I figured I’d leave it there and let him pick it up along with his other trash in our bedroom. The surprise came a couple of days later when I noticed that the liter bottle was not only still in our room, it was full. Was it a new bottle of Sprite? Why wasn’t it in the fridge? I opened the bottle and caught a whiff not of Sprite, but of piss. WTF? I’m a heavy sleeper, so I guess I don’t hear him pee into a plastic liter-bottle in the middle of the night. I’ve already mentioned not leaving dirty dishes around, making sure to use coasters, etc., and I’m beginning to feel like a nag. But isn’t this crossing the line?! Pretty Insulted Seeking Solution It doesn’t cross any lines of mine, PISS, but it clearly crosses a line of yours. And you know what else probably crosses a line for you? Peeing in the tub - and I can guarantee you, PISS, that any man too lazy to walk to the toilet in the middle of the night is, without a doubt, too lazy to get out of the tub if he realizes he needs to piss after he’s stepped into the shower. Just sayin’. So what do you do? Well, you cut him a deal. You promise to stop nagging about the little things - dirty dishes here and there, inconsistent use of coasters - in exchange for his solemn promise not to piss in bottles or bathtubs. If your boyfriend is smart, he’ll take the deal and stop pissing in bottles and bath well, he’ll stop pissing in bottles anyway, since it’ll be easy for you to bust him on that. Pissing in the shower, on the other hand… Is there a word for the act of filling a woman’s vaginal canal (appropriately lubed, of course) with latex, waiting until it hardens, pulling it out, strapping it on, and then fucking someone up the ass with it? If not, I would like to propose “channeling.” My girlfriend prefers “verting,” but whatever you call it, it sounds like fun. I know there’s a host of kits supporting the penile “plaster caster” hobbyist, but I haven’t seen the feminine equivalent advertised anywhere.
Congenital Invert You’re free to spend your free time dreaming up wild and crazy hypothetical sex acts and scenarios, CI, and christening them, if that floats your boat. But the world will little note, nor long remember, the names you come up with for your long list of impossible and/or improbable sex acts. For a term to stick - pegging, GGG, santorum - it has to describe or define an act, an attitude, or a substance that is regularly engaged in, assumed, or wiped up by a critical mass of sexually active people. And there just aren’t enough willing women or interested men out there, CI, to bring a term for vaginal-canal-as-dildo-mold into popular use. But in case I’m wrong: I don’t think “channeling” or “verting” quite captures it. If vaginal-cast dildos catch on, CI, I believe the act should be known as a “Rachel Whitereading.” I am a 20-year-old straight female dating the boy of my dreams. The only problem is that the sex is awful! His dick doesn’t get hard half of the time, he doesn’t like blowjobs, and he never seems to enjoy anything I do to him. The only thing he doesn’t have a problem with is penetrating me from behind, or “doggy-style.” I’ve asked him once or twice if he might like men, but he never gives me a straight answer and I can’t shake the feeling that he might be gay. He says that he never has a problem coming or getting hard when he is masturbating. I am his first relationship. Could he be gay or is he just insecure? Real Confused When I was a 20-year-old gay male, RC, the “boy of my dreams” was a lot of things - soft and pink as a nursery, for starters - but insecure, inept, and incommunicative? Those weren’t the traits I dreamed about, RC, and they’re traits that should disqualify a guy from boy-of-dreams status. As to the matter of his sexuality, RC, there’s no way for me to know for sure if your boyfriend’s a fag, short of fucking his ass. (And even then I couldn’t tell you for sure - I mean, what if he cried the whole time?) But a guy enjoying doggy-style sex with girls is no more evidence of latent homosexuality than a gay man’s preference for face-to-face anal is evidence of latent heterosexuality. (And, yes, face-to-face is usually how it’s done, people.) But gay or straight, it doesn’t sound like this boy is the right boy for you. Dream another dream, RC.
How long will come keep? Even when my boyfriend blue-pills it and works my hole for a few hours, by the time I push it out there’s hardly enough for ONE gulp - to say nothing of filling a champagne flute. As hot as it sounds, I’m NOT going to invite 10 of our closest friends to dump loads in me. I figure my boyfriend and I could freeze our loads, push them up my butt, and he can churn them as he works my hole. But can come go bad? I’d rather not ask my doctor. Desperately Seeking Semen P.S. We’ve been together for five years and stopped using condoms four years ago after testing. No risk of the pest. Gross-out letters from teenage straight and/or closeted boys pretending to be disgusting fags don’t usually include information about testing and the length of the relationship, which leads me to believe that you might actually be disgusting fags. So I will answer your disgusting question: You and your boyfriend will gulp down loads - or sip ’em out of champagne flutes - after you’ve pushed them back out of your ass, DSS. Do you really think that frozen-and-then-defrosted come, even if it’s gone “bad,” is going to be any worse than the slop you’re already putting in your mouths? My good friend Sarah tells me that you said you would give me a shout-out in your column last week for my birthday. I probably would have shit my pants and exploded with birthday happiness. But you didn’t. So I just wanted to say thanks for ruining my 21st birthday. Oh, and if I could get the $3.25 back that I paid for the hardcover of The Commitment I found in a bargain bin, that would be fantastic. Patrick From Portland P.S. Just kidding. You’re still my favorite sex columnist. But seriously: my birthday? Totally ruined. Sorry about that, PFP. I will make it up to you by personally administering a belated birthday spanking the next time I’m in town. Download the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at www.thestranger.com/savage. mail@savagelove.net
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ABOUT TOWN by Daniel King
THE 56TH ANNUAL COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL FILM + VIDEO FESTIVAL What do you call it when a 56-year-old film festival tries to shake off obscurity and go public as flashily as possible? Coming out of the closet? This year the Columbus International Film + Video Festival is upping the wattage of its events and putting itself on the map as the film festival in Columbus. The festival is the oldest in North America, but don’t call this new direction a mid-life crisis. “We’re happy with ‘renaissance’ or even ‘second coming,’ but don’t say mid-life crisis!” says board member Daniel King. “The festival is younger than it has ever been, bringing in younger board members, student volunteers, and committing itself to new programming.” King points out that the festival’s new efforts go beyond the bells and whistles of newness like Facebook and Myspace pages and a blog. The festival has tripled its programming for 2008 and is reaching out to various audiences in new venues across the city. For example, two of the festival’s screenings this year will feature LGBT films in gay venues. On Nov 9, To Each Her
Own is playing at Liquid. On Nov 13, the festival ups the ante even more with an event at Axis, featuring the film Pageant and an evening of drag. To Each Her Own is a twenty-something coming of age story. Closeted and married Jessica (Hannah Hogan) has her world turned upsidedown when she meets openly gay Casey (Tracy Rae). Director Heather Tobin’s film is heavy with the complexities of coming out but is a joyous, unabashed romance. Working in her native Canada, Tobin is an up-and-coming filmmaker working on gay rights issues in both the narrative and documentary genres. The event on Nov 13 is an example of the festival taking films directly to audiences. The screening of Pageant will be held at Axis and will be followed by a full drag show. The film takes viewers behind the scenes of the 34th Miss Gay America® contest. It follows five of the most talented female impersonators through the competition. While the themes of empowerment and self-esteem are of course dominant, the
film wouldn’t be complete without documenting the competitiveness the men feel, as well. This contest is no feel-good fest for a blue ribbon, for sure. The stunning musical numbers are great, but the most interesting part of the film might be what happens in the periphery. Family members and friends talk about the men in ways that make for some of the most touching and enlightening scenes. An LGBT film will also be screened at the festival’s big awards night on Saturday, Nov 15. A series of short films will include John and Michael, a film about two men with Down’s syndrome in a loving relationship. DETAILS: To Each Her Own, Sun, Nov 9, 8p, Liquid Nightclub, $5; Pageant, Thurs, Nov 13, 8p, Axis, $7; John and Michael in Animation for Adults, Sat, Nov 15, 7:30p, Canzani Center @ CCAD, $5; for more info go to www.chrisawards.org.
COLUMBUS NEXT MEETING: NOV 12, 6P-8P; LOCATION: LIQUID CAFE+LOUNGE ; SPEAKER: COLUMBUS POLICE DIVERSITY RECRUITING WWW.NETWORKCOLUMBUS.COM
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OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 31
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THE LAST WORD by Jennifer Vanasco
REMEMBER THAT THE ELECTION MAY BE OVER,
BUT OUR CIVIL RIGHTS ARE NOT YET WON I’m writing this before the election, so I don’t know what the outcome will be. What I do know is that I’ll be relieved it’s over. But after the relief has set in - and either the anguish or the celebration - there are other things to be done. We have been working hard during this election, many of us. We have cold-called strangers and listened to them with sympathy, while strategizing ways we can convince them to vote for our candidate. We have worn buttons. We have attended rallies. We have had heart-to-heart conversations with friends and family members about who we are voting for and why. We have been energized through this election - many gays and lesbians who have never felt very political have been inspired to go beyond voting and have leapt into activism. We have been working hard. But our work is not over. As of my writing, things are looking good for Barack Obama. If he wins, however, all will not be peaches-and-cream for the gay community. Obama has already said he won’t be out front
in trying to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, even though common wisdom, even in the military, seems to be running against it. About gay marriage, Obama said in his book The Audacity of Hope: “I was reminded that no matter how much Christians who oppose homosexuality may claim that they hate the sin but love the sinner, such a judgment inflicts pain on good people.” He goes on to say that he himself is a Christian and that he knows he must “remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.” These are not the words of someone who puts our community out in front; these are the words of someone who believes in a vague way about equal rights, but has no investment in fighting for gays and lesbians. Gays and lesbians have given Obama our time and our financial support (in fact, a good number of his major donors are gay), but that doesn’t mean we can expect that he will be a leader for us. Instead, it is very likely we will have to continue to fight for what we value. What if there is an upset, and John McCain is elected our new president?
Then we will have to work harder. First, though, we should all thank the Log Cabin Republicans for putting an infrastructure in place that gives us (limited) power to lobby the Republican administration and access to (perhaps) sympathetic officials who will give us advice on how best to proceed. Gay Republicans are often demonized in the LGBT community, but we need to remember a crucial fact: Obama was able to pretty much ignore our issues after the primaries were over because he knew he had secured the gay vote. We are still being taken for granted. Is Obama better on our issues than McCain? Absolutely. But “better” does not mean “best” or even “very good.” In an Obama administration, like a McCain one, we will still need to fight to get our voices heard. Just like we were unable to pass two crucial laws - adding gays and lesbians to hate crimes legislation and employment discrimination legislation - in a Democratic Congress. We might be celebrating today. I hope as I write this that we are living in a world where Californians voted “No” on Prop 8; where Arizonans voted against Prop 102, so that mar-
riage there was not defined as between a woman and a man; where Floridians likewise voted against a gay marriage ban. I hope that as you are reading this, we are living in a world where gay candidates Linda Ketner and Jared Polis both won their respective elections, thus doubling the number of gay people in the U.S. Congress. I hope we’re living in a world where Barack Obama is president - and where he keeps his promise to give gays and lesbians full civil, legal equality. But whether we’re living in that world or not, we have a lot of work to do. We need to put our campaign energy to good use, continuing to support activist organizations with our time and money. We need to continue to make personal pleas for the LGBT issues that are important to us. We need to remember that the election may be over, but our civil rights are not yet won. Jennifer Vanasco is an award-winning syndicated columnist. Email her at jennifer.vanasco@gmail.com.
HOROSCOPES by Jack Fertig
SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21): At the gym, competing with anyone but yourself is dangerous. A friend’s criticism of your housekeeping is out of line, but accept it as a challenge to make some changes.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18): You may need some professional help in dealing with financial problems. A less formal consultation with someone in a position of authority may suffice. Competition to look good gets expensive. Self-acceptance is easier on the psyche and the wallet.
TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20): Try to be more adaptable when making plans with friends. Let your partner or one friend in particular make the choices. You’re especially hard to please right now, so try to find satisfaction in pleasing others and being cooperative.
LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22): Having the party at your place will incur surprise expenses, but what you gain in the process should be well worth it. Make sure all is clear with your partner and/or roommates first.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 20): What comes out of your mouth surprises even you. Meditation helps to keep you out of trouble; journaling and writing poetry do, too. But that sort of poetry is strictly therapeutic, and needn’t be shared with friends.
PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 19): Keeping up with the Joneses is a waste of energy and money. If you must compete, try instead to be more spiritual and farsighted. Don’t let a new relationship become anything more than a fun fling - unless you really want your life to be all about perpetual drama!
GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 20): It’s tough balancing domestic duties with the urge to get out and explore. Browsing at exotic import shops - just for inspiration - is one way to put the two together. Let your hard work speak for itself. It’s getting more notice than you realize.
VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 22): Get a checkup, especially for STDs. That and other medical problems that may have been lurking are easier to spot now. Everyone has a bitchy side. Yours is ruthless right now. Be careful where you let it out!
CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 19): Arguments at home can cause no end of trouble, and money is a particularly sensitive issue. Try to accept criticism graciously. Get out and spend time (not money!) with your friends, and let off steam there.
ARIES (Mar 20 - Apr 19): Keep your sex life as private as you can. You can get points for the effort and for staying in good humor as secrets leak. A friend will turn out to be a jealous rival; keeping the friendship may be a challenge.
CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22): New, creative ideas, shrewdly applied to your work, will boost your career. Consider how you balance career goals with more intimate needs, which will in turn feed those novel ideas. Try to steer playful urges away from Eros and toward intellect.
LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 22): Your partner’s efforts at fun may be unduly competitive, which can feed a sense of anxiety. A simple, direct talk with your baby is best. Trying something new at work can also boost your selfesteem.
Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is a founding member of the Association for Astrological Networking. He can be reached for consultations at 415.864.8302, www.starjack.com, and by e-mail at QScopes@qsyndicate.com.
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