The August 16, 2012 edition of the Bay Area Reporter

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New bar for ex-Eagle site

8

An out clown at the circus

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'Rights of Passage'

The

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Serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities since 1971

Vol. 42 • No. 33 • August 16-22, 2012

MHR clarifies no-drag policy

by Chuck Colbert

W

hether downplaying, clarifying, or backpedaling, parishioners and staff at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church are feeling the heat from the Bay Area Reporter’s story Father last week that re- Brian Costello vealed a drag-queen ban is in effect for the church’s social hall.

“Parishioners are upset that we cannot have events here,” said Most Holy Redeemer’s business manager Michael Poma during a telephone interview earlier this week.

The 10-minute interview with Poma came

Bill Wilson

Unopposed: Supervisor David Campos

Rick Gerharter

Tough race: Supervisor Christina Olague

Jane Philomen Cleland

Uphill fight: Candidate Joel Engardio

Five out candidates seek SF offices

by Matthew S. Bajko

F

ive out candidates – one bisexual woman and four gay men – are seeking local offices in San Francisco this November.

It marks the first election cycle since 2006 when a lesbian or transgender candidate will not be on the ballot.

With 53 candidates having turned in their paperwork by the 5 p.m. deadline Friday,

See page 9 >>

August 10, the quintet accounts for roughly 10 percent of the people seeking public office this election cycle. Out candidates are running for supervisor, community college board, and a seat on the BART board.

For the first time in recent memory there are no LGBT people seeking seats on the city’s school board. Several had indicated they were thinking about entering the race, but none have yet to officially declare a candidacy.

Because there are open seats on both the school board and community college board, the deadline for candidates to file their paperwork was extended until 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 15, after the Bay Area Reporter’s deadline. Additional out candidates were not expected to enter those races.

The dearth of LGBT office seekers this year is raising questions about the gay comSee page 12 >>

LGBTs San Jose is set for Pride party react to Ryan pick T

by Seth Hemmelgarn

by Chuck Colbert

T

he dog days of summer brought the 2012 presidential Race into sharper focus, when on Saturday morning, August 11, presumptive Republican Party nominee Mitt Romney announced that GOP vice presidenhis choice for run- tial pick Paul Ryan ning mate would be Representative Paul Ryan, a seven-term congressman from Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.

LGBT politicos were quick to praise or criticize the pick, depending on their political leanings.

Shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern time, Romney introduced Ryan to an enthusiastic gathering in Norfolk, Virginia, in front of the American flag-draped Navy ship USS Wisconsin, with See page 13 >>

he Bay Area’s largest city is set to have its LGBT Pride festival this weekend, despite several resignations by organizers over the last few months.

The 37th annual San Jose LGBT Pride celebration, themed “Equality for Everyone,” will take place from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19 at Discovery Meadow Park, West San Carlos Street and Woz Way. “San Jose Pride this year will be a very strong Pride,” Nathan Svoboda, president of Pride’s board of directors, said. This year, San Jose Pride, formally known as the Gay Pride Celebration Committee of San Jose Inc., is offering headline entertainment such as Jennifer Holiday, star of the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls.

Svoboda pointed to the “improved quality of entertainment,” the return of the Leather Alley area, and other changes.

“I think they’re going to see a lot of new things, and I think they’re going to be impressed,” he said of festivalgoers.

In recent months, though, some board members apparently haven’t been that impressed with the organization as internal strife has continued.

Just last week, John Miranda, who had joined the board earlier this year, became the most reSee page 12 >>

{ FIRST OF TWO SECTIONS }

A dancer struts his stuff on stage at last year’s San Jose Pride festival.

Courtesy San Jose Pride

<< Community News

2 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Rick Gerharter

Rick Gerharter

Fertig recalled as activist, Sister M

ichael Trevino, right, brother of Elias Trevino, left, reads a statement from the family of Jack Fertig during a memorial for him organized by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence that was held at Rikki Streicher Field in the Castro Saturday, August 11. Elias Trevino was Mr. Fertig’s partner. Mr. Fertig, 57, also known as Sister

Boom Boom XXX, died August 5 of liver cancer. He was one of the earliest members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, though in later years he moved away from the group of drag nuns. The memorial also included a short tour of the Castro, stopping at sites significant in the life of Mr. Fertig, who was a longtime city resident.

Ideas for ex-Eagle site discussed

by Seth Hemmelgarn

O

ne of the people planning to transform San Francisco’s old Eagle Tavern indicated at a community meeting this week that he wants to keep the former gay bar friendly to LGBTs. Referring to people he’s heard from recently, Eli Spear, one of five partners who has a lease to 398 12th Street, said, “It couldn’t be more wonderful that all these people care about this place.

I’m going to continue to invite them in” for beer busts and other events.

The Eagle was well known for its Sunday afternoon fundraisers, which raised money for numerous LGBT organizations over the years. The bar closed in April 2011 after a rent dispute between landlord John Nikitopoulos and the bar owners. Since then, there’s been a lot of chatter about what would happen to the space.

On July 30, the Board of Supervisors City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee put off a vote on whether to recommend to the full board the transfer of the liquor license to the space. The matter was continued to September 24 so the project organizers could do outreach to the community.

Spear, who’s been involved with the process for four months, sounded exasperated even as he started his presentation Monday, August 13 at the Community Leadership Alliance meeting at the San Francisco Public Library.

“We’re opening a bar, you guys, that’s pretty much what it is,” Spear told the handful of members of the public who attended, along with police, and others.

Entertainment Commissioner and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club President Glendon Hyde, also known as drag queen Anna Conda, has spoken frequently about preserving the Eagle’s history and was at Monday’s meeting.

He asked about how the new operators would pay “homage” to the years of fundraisers and other activities that had taken place at the South of Market neighborhood venue. Hyde also said that it had been “economically

Jane Philomen Cleland

Eli Spear, right, one of the partners who have leased the former Eagle Tavern, spoke to people at a community meeting Monday about possible plans for the space.

feasible for anyone to go” to the Eagle, and he was concerned about losing an affordable space.

“I’m not going to do it alone ... I hope to find collaborators,” Spear said. “We have to invite you” before new operators move in to the space.

He added that he and the others don’t necessarily want to operate the cheapest bar, but he said, “We’re not stupid” and “I’m not pricing anybody out.” Spear remarked that he drinks a lot of “shitty” beer himself.

He also said during his presentation that his “daydream” is for the business to operate all day and night, with food options and “hopefully some dancing.” He said they would continue to use the bar’s stage and patio, and he expressed an interest in keeping Thursday night live music events that the Eagle had offered.

Spear, a licensed general contractor who said he owns “a little bit” of the Mission district venue Public Works, referred to the former Eagle as a “shack” and said there’s “a lot of work to do” on the space.

Attorney Mark Rennie, whose office represents Double Rainbow LLC, which is the applicant for the liquor license, submitted a letter to the Board of Supervisors in May saying the former Eagle site would “continue host-

ing fundraisers with a special emphasis on LGBT and HIV charities.”

At Monday’s meeting, Rennie said he moved to the South of Market neighborhood in 1974. Referring to the emergence of the AIDS epidemic during the early 1980s, he said those times were “a horror show.” The first people who “gave a damn” about those with AIDS were people from the Eagle and other bars, he said.

Rennie expressed a desire to see the spot become “a cool little hangout bar,” where transgender people, those from the leather community, and others feel welcome.

“How do you make a fitting memorial to something that’s historically important?” he asked.

However, Rennie noted, the space has been sitting vacant for more than a year, and he suggested a lack of progress on transforming the space could eventually lead to the site housing condominiums.

Data from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control lists Nikitopoulos, the landlord for the 12th Street site, as Double Rainbow’s managing member.

Nikitopoulos hasn’t responded to numerous interview requests over the past several months, and his voicemail wasn’t accepting messages Tuesday.▼

Castro pedestrian critically injured after hit-and-run

by Seth Hemmelgarn

A

pedestrian was left with lifethreatening injuries after a hitand-run driver struck him “head on” in the Castro district early Wednesday morning, August 15, according to Officer Gordon Shyy, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.

At about 1 a.m., the victim, a 39-year-old man, was walking across Market Street near Sanchez Street, when “a dark-colored sedan” hit him, Shyy said.

The driver then fled northbound on Sanchez. The victim suffered head injuries and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, Shyy said early Wednesday afternoon.

He didn’t have updates on the victim’s condition, and he didn’t know whether the victim had been in a crosswalk.

Anyone with information on the incident may call the SFPD anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or the Hit and Run Investigations Unit at (415) 553-1641. The case number is 120 646 996.▼

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Community News>>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 3

Rick Gerharter)

District 5 supervisor candidate John Rizzo, at podium, answers a question during a recent candidates forum sponsored by the District 5 Democratic Club. Other candidates at the event included, from left, Hope Johnson, Julian Davis, Thea Selby, Christine Olague, London Breed, and Andrew Resignato, far right.

D5 candidates square off at debate

by Chris Carson

T

he first of what is likely to be many forums among the candidates for District 5 supervisor was held Wednesday, August 8, at the public library’s Park Branch. If nothing else came from the evening, which was more about candidates introducing themselves to voters and jockeying for the District 5 Democratic Club endorsement than heated discussion on the issues, a few of them inadvertently came up with some great campaign slogans.

They could go something like this, and be posted on fliers and posters from the far corner of Lincoln Way to the end of Geary and in the Haight: John Rizzo, he’s been caught on Muni in the tunnel for half an hour. Julian Davis keeps it real. And finally, Christina Olague is thrilled and excited to be serving the community as District 5 supervisor.

Though running to maintain her seat in City Hall, Olague is just like the other candidates in that she has never been elected to the Board of Supervisors.

Instead, Mayor Ed Lee appointed her to the position after her predecessor, Ross Mirkarimi, was sworn

in as sheriff in January. (He was subsequently suspended after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and is now fighting for his job.) According to campaign fundraising reports published earlier this month, Olague has raised more than $80,000 between January and June 2012, more than all but one other candidate.

But recent news stories report that Olague’s standing with other San Francisco progressives may be less than ideal and she is running in the city’s most liberal district. In July, Matt Gonzalez, former District 5 supervisor, and the one responsible for appointing Olague to the Planning Commission several years ago, withdrew his endorsement of her.

She’s also taken criticism from some voters for supporting the 8 Washington project, which would allow the building of high-rise condos near the Embarcadero. Some opponents of the project were at the debate handing out posters, hoping Olague would reconsider her decision and follow “her inclination,” instead of being influenced by the mayor, they said.

Olague had some supporters there as well, like Michael Dane, a gay man working with the San Francisco medical cannabis movement to ensure safe

access for people living with HIV and AIDS. Dane said that many of his friends being treated for HIV and AIDS “are going underground to get” the marijuana they need to combat side effects from medications.

Dane said he was concerned by the loss of dispensaries in District 5, like the Vapor Room which closed at the end of July, and he wanted to know if the other candidates will make the effort to protect safe access. Olague, he said, “I know will do it.”

In opening comments Olague said that as president of the Planning Commission, and now as District 5 supervisor, she’s worked to improve conditions in communities of color, protect small business, and protect safe access.

Olague said it is sad to see “good” dispensaries shut their doors, because they provide so many positive things to communities, not least of which is medicine.

“I think in this debate one of the things that a lot of people forget is medical cannabis is exactly that, it is medicine, and there are patients that need it,” she said.

For that reason, Olague said she “full-heartedly supports safe access to See page 13 >>

Ex-staffer sues Positive Resource Center

by Seth Hemmelgarn

A

former employee of a San Francisco HIV/AIDS-related nonprofit is suing the agency, saying she was terminated after raising concerns over a contract that she said could have hurt clients.

Jane Gelfand filed an amended complaint against Positive Resource Center in San Francisco Superior Court in October 2011, alleging wrongful termination and other violations.

In its amended response, PRC, which claims to be the only place for people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS to get comprehensive benefits counseling and employment services in the city, says Gelfand tried to “bully” the agency and raised concerns because she was starting her own nonprofit.

Gelfand, whose attorney expects a trial to begin in April, started working at PRC in 1998. She served as managing legal director of the agency’s benefits counseling program for several years before she left in September 2009.

According to Gelfand’s complaint, in February 2009 she discovered that Positive Resource Center management had been performing under a

PRC Executive Director Brett Andrews

contract with the Social Security Administration, unbeknownst to her or other attorneys at the nonprofit. The contract was related to SSA’s “Ticket to Work” program, through which PRC would be reimbursed for working with people on SSA benefits who were considering work.

This meant that low-income, disabled clients enrolled in Ticket to Work most likely wouldn’t be eligible to receive SSA benefits that PRC’s attorneys in the benefits pro-

gram had helped them obtain, the complaint says.

Gelfand saw the situation as a likely conflict of interest and realized that PRC was “contractually obligated to disclose privileged and confidential attorney-client information” related to clients in the benefits program to SSA, according to the document.

The SSA’s interests were adverse to those of clients in the benefits program, and disclosing the information endangered those clients’ benefits, Gelfand claims. Among other problems, she also worried about PRC attorneys possibly being disbarred, the complaint says.

The document indicates she quickly contacted PRC Executive Director Brett Andrews about the issue and also eventually raised concerns with others, including the agency’s board of directors. The complaint doesn’t list Andrews as a defendant.

In July 2009, Gelfand was informed that PRC would disengage from the SSA contract, the document says. However, Gelfand’s complaint says concerns about confidentiality and other issues remained. (A PRC court filing says See page 12 >>

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<< Business News

4 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

Make Contact/After Hours Chamber of Commerce & GGBA Networking Event Tuesday, September 11, 5:30-8:pm Union Bank Historic Banking Hall 400 California Street, San Francisco

Steven Kasapi

The corner of 18th and Castro will soon be home to Kpop, a Korean restaurant. This and other new restaurants promise a changed dining landscape in the Castro this fall.

Changes for Castro’s cuisine scene

by Raymond Flournoy

A

s the summer draws to a close, a number of new restaurants are prepping for their debuts on the Castro dining scene.

Korean on the corner

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The marquee storefront at the corner of 18th and Castro (499 Castro Street) will be the new home of Kpop, a Korean restaurant. Owner Nam Kim describes the eatery as “authentic Korean cuisine in a modern setting,” featuring tapasstyle small plates and family-style platters.

The space is currently papered over and undergoing renovation.

The major work is happening in the back of the house, where the kitchen is being overhauled and expanded to become a “full-use kitchen,” according to Kim. Kim hopes to open Kpop in about six weeks, depending on when the beer-wine license is issued. Kpop will feature traditional Korean cocktails made with soju, as well as makgeolli, a thick, sweet, rice-based alcohol.

Chipotle makes a move

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On August 1, foodie blog Grub Street (www.sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com) broke the news that national chain Chipotle has signed a lease to move into 2100 Market Street, the former site of restaurant Home.

Representatives from the company have already met with Supervisor Scott Wiener and Terry Asten Bennett, president of the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro, to prepare for their eventual permit application. They also plan to meet with various community groups in the coming month as part of the neighborhood notification process required for formula retail.

Other changes to the Castro restaurant scene Tangerine (3499 16th Street) has announced that it will be closing the doors on its current location August 26. A sign posted on the restaurant’s door says that Tangerine will be moving to a new location, which will be announced soon. Requests for comment from owner and chef Sean Pattansuvoranun were not returned.

Signs have gone up at the site of the former Criolla Kitchen (2295 Market Street) announcing that SliderBar: United Tastes will be opening in September. According to the pending liquor license appli-

cation, the owner is Ashwani Dhawan, who also owns SliderBar Cafe at 324 University Avenue in Palo Alto. As the name suggests, the signature menu item is the mini-burger, or slider, offered in close to a dozen different styles.

Construction is under way at the former All Season Sushi (524 Castro Street). According to a pending license application on the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control website, the new restaurant will be named Wasabi Bistro.

A new restaurant named Shanghai will be opening on the site of the former Gingerfruit (2029 Market Street). The restaurant is scheduled to open on August 22, according to a worker on the site who declined to give his name.

zippers instead of the traditional, but clumsy, buttons.

Crane and Company debuted its direct-to-consumers website on July 16, with the goal of eliminating the middleman to reduce prices. According to Moallempour, “We eliminated showrooms to remove the overhead.

We are the designers, directly overseeing the manufacture of the product.

We cut corners on the sales process – not the product quality.”

The current product line features names drawn from San Francisco neighborhoods, such the gray geometric “Sunset” line and the mossy green and white latticework of the “Noe” set.

To see the full product line and to learn more about Crane and Canopy’s product innovations, visit www.craneandcanopy.com.

From Top Chef to Tout Sweet

On Saturday, August 18, Club OMG (43 6th Street) is hosting Bollywood by the Bay, a fundraiser for Trikone and Bay Area Solidarity Summer. Trikone is a support and advocacy group for LGBT folks of South Asian descent, and BASS is a summer camp for South Asian youth aimed at developing a new generation of social activists.

The party begins at 10 p.m. and runs until 2 a.m. Tickets are $15 at the door, or $12 in advance. Students with a valid ID cost only $10.

The event is 21 and over only.

To purchase advance tickets and to learn more about Trikone, visit www.trikone.org. To learn more about BASS, visit www.solidaritysummer.org.

Yigit Pura, the openly gay winner of the first season of Bravo’s Top Chef: Just Desserts, has announced that his new project, Tout Sweet Patisserie, will open its doors on September 8. The opening was delayed two weeks due to construction issues, primarily the late arrival from Italy of a custom-built display case.

Tout Sweet will be located on the third floor of Macy’s in Union Square (170 O’Farrell Street). In addition to sweet treats, the eatery will serve light breakfast and lunch items, with seating to accommodate 20 diners.

Tout Sweet will also carry a line of signature sauces, jams, curds, and other confections, which will be available for online ordering beginning in September.

For updates, visit www.toutsweetsf.com.

Fresh approach to fresh designs Crane and Canopy, a new Bay Area-based start-up, wants you to change your linens – and not simply with a fresh set out of the laundry.

They are hoping that their mix of design, technical innovations, and a new business model will induce you to revamp your whole bedroom, all at an affordable price.

Leading the charge is Johnny Moallempour, the lead designer for Crane and Canopy. “We want to bring not just fresh design, great colors, and beautiful, clean linens. We also want to bring people products which are functional and easy-to-use,” said the San Franciscobased designer, who is gay.

He points to innovations such as duvets that tie to the inside of duvet covers, to avoid bunching. The duvet covers also close with hidden

South Asians party for a purpose

Castro Concerts continue The Jane Warner Plaza concert series continues this week with Full House Rhythm performing from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 19. The concerts are sponsored by the Castro Community Benefit District and are scheduled to continue until October.

For the full schedule, visit www.castrocbd.org/content/special-events.

Certifiably gay The next Golden Gate Business Association Talk of the Town speaker series will take place on August 28 at the offices of New York Life (425 Market Street, Suite 1600).

Representatives from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will discuss how to certify your business as LGBT-owned.

The event is sponsored by Southwest Airlines and runs from 6 to 8 p.m. The session is free to the public, however reservations are required. For more information visit www.ggba.com. ▼

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Politics >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

Lesbians seek East Bay elected offices

by Matthew S. Bajko

O

ut women may be lacking on San Francisco’s ballot this November, but they are popping up on ballots in the East Bay in increasing numbers.

This fall there are three lesbians seeking political offices in Alameda County. The candidate attracting the most press attention, so far, is Oakland at-large City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan.

As the Bay Area Reporter has noted, Kaplan went from facing little competition for her citywide seat earlier this summer to now having to run against District 5 City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente. The winner of the intra-council duel will instantly be seen as a viable challenger against Mayor Jean Quan, who will be up for re-election in 2014.

According to the Oakland City Clerk’s office, two other people have entered the race: Green Party member Theresa Anderson-Downs and Mike Storm.

Transit advocate Rebecca Saltzman is seeking the newly drawn District 3 seat on the Bay Area Rapid Transit board, which includes parts of Oakland and Berkeley and the Contra Costa County cities of Orinda, Moraga, and Lafayette. She lives in Oakland with her wife, Caitlin Stone, and works as an environmental policy advocate with the California League of Conversation Voters.

“Over the next three months we are going to ramp up our campaign with voter contact, field efforts, and direct mail.

It’s going to take significant resources to win this race, but I know that we can,” Saltzman told supporters in an email she sent out this week.

In Berkeley Judy Appel, executive director of the LGBT-focused Our Family Coalition, is seeking a seat on her city’s school board. She is married to Alison Bernstein, who works for the California State Public Defender’s office representing men and women on death row, and the couple is raising two children.

Both Appel and Saltzman have lined up numerous endorsements from local and state elected officials.

Appel also won the endorsement of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund for her candidacy.

They are following in the footsteps of other successful lesbian candidates in Alameda County.

Ruth Atkin has served on the Emeryville City Council since 1999 and won her fourth term last fall.

Victoria Kolakowski, who identifies as a transgender lesbian and is married to B.A.R. news editor Cynthia Laird, was the second out female to win countywide when she won a seat on the Alameda County Superior Court in 2010. Kaplan had won an at-large seat on the AC Transit board in 2002.

And this June lesbian attorney Tara Flanagan won her race for an open seat on the Alameda County Superior Court. She will join Kolakowski on the bench in January when she takes her oath of office.

Gay men running, too Not to be outdone, gay men in the East Bay are also joining the political fray in increasing numbers.

This fall there are seven out male candidates running for elected office in Alameda County, including an Oakland couple believed to be the first to seek elective office in their hometown at the same time.

Sean Sullivan is considered a

Courtesy Saltzman for BART campaign

Jane Philomen Cleland

BART board candidate Rebecca Saltzman

Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan

leading candidate for the open District 3 City Council seat in West Oakland, while his boyfriend, Richard Fuentes, is seeking the District 3 seat on the Oakland Unified School District’s board. Alex Miller-Cole, a gay developer who owns Cypress One Properties, is also running for the District 3 council seat.

Peralta Community College Board Trustee Abel Guillen, who identifies as two-spirit and dates both men and women, is in the fall runoff for the 18th Assembly District seat based in Oakland.

In Berkeley gay City Councilman Darryl Moore is seeking re-election to his District 2 seat and faces two challengers this fall. Meanwhile, longtime gay Berkeley City Councilman Kriss Worthington is taking on Mayor Tom Bates in hopes of becoming the city’s first out elected mayor.

Gay nurse Leland Traiman, executive director of the Rainbow Flag Health Services and Sperm Bank, is one of four people running for two seats on the Alameda Health Care District Board in the November election. There are two incumbents seeking re-election to their seats on the board, which oversees the financially strapped Alameda Hospital.

ponents to win the GOP primary Tuesday; Baldwin ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Polls in recent weeks have shown Baldwin with a slight edge in the race. But she faces a tough battle against Thompson, with Republicans already taking aim at her.

In an emailed solicitation for donations sent out early Wednesday morning by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Badger State’s GOP Senator Ron Johnson referred to Baldwin as an “ultra-liberal congresswoman” and called the matchup “one of the most hotly-contested races in America.”

Gay former Duluth, Minnesota councilman Jeff Anderson was not as successful as Pocan Tuesday night.

According to unofficial returns, Anderson landed in third place in his attempt to win the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s nomination for his state’s northeastern 8th Congressional District.

Pocan wins House race Gay Wisconsin state lawmaker Mark Pocan sailed to victory Tuesday in his race for a U.S. House seat.

He defeated his state Assembly colleague Kelda Helen Roys and two other Democrats to win the August 14 primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat.

Due to the heavy Democratic makeup of the Madison-centered district, Pocan is all but assured of winning the seat in November.

He will succeed lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat this November.

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which backed Pocan, noted in an email sent after the polls closed that Pocan is set to become “the 8th openly LGBT American ever to serve on Capitol Hill.”

“We’re extremely proud of Mark.

He’ll be an outstanding representative for Wisconsin, and a courageous and unyielding voice for LGBT Americans everywhere,” wrote Chuck Wolfe, the fund’s president and CEO. Based on the unofficial returns Wednesday morning, Baldwin will face off against Republican Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor. He beat out three op-

SF donors raise funds for gay CA congressional candidate The city’s LGBT politicos are banding together next month to help raise funds for the sole out congressional candidate running in California this fall.

Mark Takano is running for a House seat based in his hometown of Riverside. An openly gay Japanese American and education leader, Takano would be the first LGBT person of color in Congress.

He would also be the first out member of the Golden State’s congressional delegation. But Takano is in a tough race against his GOP opponent, Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione, on the November ballot.

He will be barnstorming in San Francisco early next month at the Noe Valley home of gay attorney Bob Michitarian. The fundraiser will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, September 13 and it is open to the public.

For more information about the event, visit the Facebook invite page at www.facebook.com/ events/186552224810784/.▼ Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check www. ebar.com Monday mornings at noon for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion.

This week’s column reports on the two gay male staffers that gay SF D9 Supervisor David Campos recently hired.

Keep abreast of the latest LGBT political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ twitter.com/politicalnotes.

Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 861-5019 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

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<< Open Forum

6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

Volume 42, Number 33 August 16-22, 2012 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Thomas E. Horn Bob Ross (Founder, 1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko Seth Hemmelgarn Jim Provenzano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Aiello • Tavo Amador • Erin Blackwell Roger Brigham • Scott Brogan Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Chuck Colbert Richard Dodds • David Duran Raymond Flournoy • David Guarino Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell John F. Karr • Matthew Kennedy David Lamble • Michael McDonagh David-Elijah Nahmod • Elliot Owen Paul Parish • Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr • Donna Sachet Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Ed Walsh • Sura Wood

ART DIRECTION Kurt Thomas PRODUCTION MANAGER T. Scott King PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland Marc Geller Rick Gerharter Lydia Gonzales Rudy K. Lawidjaja Steven Underhill Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge Christine Smith GENERAL MANAGER Michael M. Yamashita DISPLAY ADVERTISING Simma Baghbanbashi Colleen Small Scott Wazlowski NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

LEGAL COUNSEL Paul H. Melbostad

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Paul Ryan’s dangerous platform I

n a presidential election that should be focused on jobs and the economy, presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s vice presidential selection of Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan shows that the GOP ticket has not prioritized creating jobs as much as cutting the deficit at the expense of popular, crucial programs such as Medicare.

And when the majority of voters finally start paying attention to the campaign, that stark reality should cause them to think twice about voting for a Romney-Ryan presidency.

Make no mistake, Ryan’s budget blueprint, “The Path to Prosperity,” which Romney is now forced to defend, will create a new payment system that gives vouchers to seniors for Medicare. The plan also requires getting rid of the Affordable Care Act, one of Romney’s agenda goals even though he once supported it when he signed similar legislation as governor of Massachusetts and which has increased health coverage for more uninsured people in that state.

It’s clear to us that Romney and Ryan don’t have a jobs proposal or a plan for improving the economy. They do want to lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the middle class. And Ryan’s extreme deficit reduction plan could severely gut many social programs.

In regard to issues specific to our community, it’s worth looking at Ryan’s record on LGBT rights. The American Civil Liberties Union compiled a report that looked at the records of likely vice presidential candidates.

As a congressman, Ryan voted against ending the military’s anti-gay “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He also voted in favor of the federal marriage amendment several years ago and supported the 2006 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution banning same-sex marriage. And while he did vote for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007 (which

only proposed to protect against job bias on the basis of sexual orientation), a careful analysis shows that there was more to his vote. According to Gay City News, “When Republicans unsuccessfully tried a parliamentary maneuver to shelve the bill prior to its passage – with what is known as a motion to recommit – he joined 26 other GOP ENDA supporters in the unsuccessful effort to kill the bill they would vote for just moments later.

That day, he voted against ENDA before he voted for it.”

During his announcement speech Saturday morning in Norfolk, Virginia, Ryan went on the attack against President Barack Obama, calling his first term “a record of failure.” But upon closer examination, it is Congress that

has a less than stellar record, especially in the last two years since Republicans reclaimed the majority. Congress has remained polarized: Republicans don’t want to pass anything that they see as helping the president, and without action, nothing is accomplished.

Ryan also played to the conservative crowd, telling the audience that “our rights come from nature and God, not government.” Actually, our rights come from the Constitution and rule of law; God has very little to do with it.

And he said, “We will honor you, fellow citizens ... to give you the right and opportunity to make the choice.” But as is typical of Republicans, that “choice” is a concept they only apply unevenly and unfairly. If you’re gay or lesbian, you don’t get to choose to marry the person you love. And as long as the GOP continues working to divide the country, America won’t be “united” as Ryan proclaimed.▼

D.C. confabs inspire a host of blessings

by Brad Vanderbilt

R

eturning from an amazing East Coast trip for the Gay Men’s Health Summit and AIDS 2012 (the International AIDS Conference), I found myself reminded of all I had to be grateful for. A week of happy reunions with old friends, enriching encounters with new ones, and a host of other unexpected blessings inspired this collection of “Be-Gay-Attitudes.”

Blessed Are The Grassroots Organizers. After years of protests and professional conferences, I was primed for a grassroots gathering focused on queer men’s health. The 2012 Gay Men’s Health Summit in Washington, D.C., though, marked the first time I was able to attend such an event. It proved to be a wonderful chance to share and learn in a community of peers committed to creating a more vibrant queer men’s community. From workshops to talking circles to shared meals and late nights in the bars and clubs of D.C., I delighted in the chance to bond with my brothers in queer health activism from Seattle to Sri Lanka.

Blessed Are Colleagues Who Teach, Support, and Inspire. I headed off to the summit and AIDS 2012 in good company. My Positive Force teammates, Jorge Vieto and Justin Jones, joined me in sharing our experiences in peer-based health advocacy for gay/bi/trans poz men, alongside activists from across the country and around the world. The experience we shared in D.C. went well beyond just co-facilitating a presentation together, it also underscored how our individual perspectives on HIV and the queer male experience were uniquely colored by our experience as gay guys living within “the bubble” of San Francisco.

Blessed Is the Opportunity to Share Sister Ministry in Faraway Lands. My alter ego, Sister Eden Asp, took part in the D.C. adventure, too.

Other Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence there included Sister Glo of the Seattle House, Sister Loosey of the Las Vegas House, and fellow San Franciscan, Sister Vicious Power Hungry

Bitch. While there, we read names of our dearly departed Nuns of the Above, at the Names Project quilt display, and took part in Global Village events at AIDS 2012.

I don’t think the citizens of D.C. were quite ready for the Sisters. For many, it was their first time to see queer drag nuns in action. Our presence inspired a lot of curiosity and a lot of smiles. It was an honor to bring our fabulously “off-center” San Francisco values to D.C. Blessed are Kindred Spirits and Like-Minded Activists from Far Afield. The men I had the pleasure of meeting, learning from, and playing with during the summit and AIDS 2012 reaffirmed for me that I’m not alone when it comes to the kind of queer men’s community I want to co-create: A community that celebrates its diversity, that lifts up the goodness of pleasure and sexuality, one that views our well-being in the broadest of terms, rather than through the narrow lens of HIV, and one that works to affirm and promote our well-being with an assets-based mindset. I left D.C. ever more convinced that advancing the wellbeing of queer men means honoring the passion, creativity, transgressiveness, and resilience that has sustained us through decades of challenges and victories.

Blessed Is the Joy of Hot Sex w/Fast Friends and Long Distance Lovers. Gather together thousands of gay men far from the constraints of their work-a-day lives for a big national discussion on health and sexuality, and there’s bound to be some stellar spontaneous erotic combustion. In addition to the thrill of unplanned, random conference connections (which were abundant and delightful), I had the pleasure of consummating two long-term cyber courtships.

I know it’s easy to dis hookup site romance as the most shallow of queer erotic endeavors.

I beg to differ. The two online buddies I finally met during my D.C. adventure were men that I’d grown to know and admire over the course of a couple of years, not just for their ability to balance laptops, webcams, and lube, but for the conversations that continued well

after clothes went back on and the silicone was wiped from the keyboard. Meaning and significance in our relationships, I believe, has more to do with what you invest in them than where you met or what technology enabled your communication.

Blessed Are Reunions with Old Friends and Longtime Allies. The conferences also provided a timely reminder of the value of old friends and allies. For me, this took the form of time shared with two heterosexual women who have stood shoulder to shoulder with me on issues that ranged from the personal (my wedding) to the political (my wedding). They’re the same friends who stuck by me through the difficult moments when that relationship ended, and through countless other sorrows and celebrations.

These reunions recalled for me memories of other allies as well, not present in D.C., but not forgotten. In particular, I thought back to several long lost lesbian friends who 20-ish years ago suggested that I get involved in AIDS activism and who inspired me with their deep compassion for those living with HIV. Their encouragement was a critical piece of my story and my journey within the LGBT community.

Blessed is Being Reminded of Opportunities for Everyday Gratitude. Finally, my time spent at these gatherings underscored all the everyday blessings that are so easy to take for granted. Blessing like just living here in beautiful San Francisco. Working for Positive Force, doing exactly the kind of work I’ve always wanted to do. Or just being a gay man here in the Center of the Known Queer Universe, in the company of so many lovely friends and friendly lovers. At the end of the day, being able to say that I’m happy, healthy, and at peace with who I am and what I’m doing with my life is the best “be-gay-attitude” of all. ▼ Brad Vanderbilt, a.k.a. Bradley Hart, works as a treatment advocacy coordinator for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s Positive Force program. He is also known as Sister Eden Asp with the San Francisco Motherhouse of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

▼

Letters >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 7

MHR is once again the whipping boy

MHR’s decisive moment

Once again, Most Holy Redeemer is punished for being the perceived leader of social change in the Catholic Church [“Drag is out at Holy Redeemer,” August 9]. Is it truly the soldier at the front of the “inclusive community” line? Conservatives near and far pick on MHR, but what about the other LGBTQ-friendly Catholic parishes in S.F. (St. Dominic’s, St. Agnes and John of God’s, for example)? Not to mention the others sprinkled across the USA: in Minneapolis, Tucson, Fort Lauderdale, and Rochester. They work toward change at a community level, in plain sight, and apparently under the media radar.

Then there are the LGBTQs who vent their anger with Rome by attacking MHR. Recall the Nazi graffiti in 2009 and the drag Sisters’ communion stunt in 2007. Wouldn’t it have been a braver move to make such statements at a known conservative parish, or better yet, at the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s residence? And to those of us who will be leaving the church due to these recent challenges, I have to ask: Where have you been for the past 1,600 years?

Just for the record: until they publicly repent for their attack on the LGBT and recovery communities, I will not be attending anything at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, no matter for whom, which organization, whatever fellowship, or what event it may be. If I need to show up for a memorial, I will find another way. The latest affront to fundraising drag performers is, for me, the last nail in the coffin for a parish that keeps trying to say it preaches God’s all-inclusive love, but keeps making glaring exceptions so as to placate a misogynist, heterosexist, fascist hierarchy. Father Brian Costello’s smug arrogance is just symptomatic; when the Vatican appointed Salvatore Cordileone as San Francisco’s new archbishop, it was meant to be a hostile shot across the bow.

For myself, I hope to do all I can to make every moment Archbishop Cordileone spends in San Francisco as miserable as possible; that money-changer should be driven from the temple with a whip. If MHR really wants to serve its own community, it stands at a decisive moment. They will have to decide if they stand with Pope Benedict or with Jesus; they cannot do both.

Stefan Salinas San Francisco

Reverend Luke Adams San Francisco

An oasis in the Castro

Bigoted policy is unacceptable

It’s unfortunate that Most Holy Redeemer was forced by the San Francisco Archdiocese to cancel the Castro Country Club’s use of its hall for a fundraiser. But, it’s far worse and more hurtful for [B.A.R. society columnist] Donna Sachet to want to “get that bigoted church out of the Castro” and others to call it a hate group as some did in the online comments to the story.

Despite MHR’s being a part of the neighborhood for over 100 years, it shouldn’t really take too much effort for even Sachet to recall the service the parish has done for the Castro community.

Sachet should be able to remember back to the early 1980s (I certainly can) when friends were dying almost daily. MHR sometimes hosted five funerals a week. To this day, a scroll with the names of parishioners who died from AIDS inscribed on it resides in the church. It was about that time that a group of MHR parishioners and others got together to raise funds to open Coming Home Hospice, the first AIDS hospice in the country, which is housed in MHR’s former convent. At a time when many were afraid to touch people with AIDS, MHR priests ran over to the hospice to administer last rites at all times of the night and day. The Castro Country Club itself would not likely exist if our deceased Father Joe Healy hadn’t been one of the founders. The MHR AIDS support group has a long and distinguished history of providing practical and emotional support to thousands of people suffering and living with AIDS. The parish hosts more 12-step meetings than any location in the area, attended mostly by LGBTQs. Fundraisers were held at MHR to help establish and found the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center. For the past 11 years, MHR has provided a weekly meal with dignity and respect to 100, including many LGBT youth, of our homeless and needy friends. In addition to the meal, medical help, clothing distribution, haircuts, and podiatry care are provided, and there is a monthly movie night.

Some may not like or feel a need for organized religion, but others do. MHR has become an oasis in the Castro for those of us who want to practice the faith of our ancestors, even if we do have many difficulties with the church at large. For us, “church” is what we create with each other as we come to worship and celebrate our sacraments. MHR has always been a welcoming community, predominantly gay since the 1980s, but as the neighborhood changes so does the congregation. There are straight and gay couples and families with children, singles, transsexuals, people in drag, and people of all races and colors.

There’s far more hate directed toward MHR than you’ll ever find emanating from it.

Ron Pacheco San Francisco

Call in Human Rights Commission I was surprised that in the lengthy article about Most Holy Redeemer parish refusing to allow the Castro Country Club to use its parish hall for an event that there is no mention of the fact that such discrimination is illegal. When the parish chooses to rent its parish hall (for non-religious events), it cannot discriminate on the basis of gender identity or manner of dress. Where is the Human Rights Commission in this?

Freedom of religion allows the church to control its worship service and its doctrine, but when it becomes an entity that rents out its premises, it cannot hide behind its religion. The archbishop can decide who receives communion, and I do realize that it is embarrassing that he can’t tell a real nun from an obviously fake one. Is he afraid he can’t tell the difference between a “real” woman and a man in a costume? And does it really make a difference when it is a party in the parish hall?

Oh, silly me. This is San Francisco, and I am expressing my midwestern values of fairness. Sorry.

Richard Hewetson San Francisco

I hope that every person of conscience within Most Holy Redeemer parish (and throughout the archdiocese of San Francisco and every archdiocese in this country) will express his/her outrage at this bigoted policy by refusing to attend services and give any money to the church until it’s revoked. Kudos to the Castro Country Club for moving their event to another venue. Hopefully, other groups will do the same. Discrimination against drag queens is unacceptable everywhere, but especially within our own neighborhood.

Tommi Avicolli Mecca San Francisco

Circumcision and HIV prevention I’m sure Ernest Hopkins is sincere in promoting the multifaceted response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic put forth at the recent convention in Washington [“Reversing AIDS’ lethal trends,” Guest Opinion, August 2]. He is barking up the wrong tree, however, when it comes to promoting male circumcision as a legitimate approach. This year the Brazilian model of HIV prevention and eradication was internationally acknowledged to be the most effective program in fighting AIDS. Brazil and Thailand have both achieved superior outcomes in reducing HIV transmission without resorting to “voluntary” male circumcision.

At the recent AIDS conference Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rightly promised more funding to eradicate this worldwide plague. Unfortunately, a large portion of this funding is being directed to male circumcision, ostensibly in Africa. The millions of dollars spent by the U.S. government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others have been a tremendous and harmful waste of resources that should be focused on programs that work – condoms, antiviral medication, and education. Men in Africa were not given informed consent and were therefore left thinking that they could avoid using condoms consistently under the false promise of protection from circumcision.

The U.S. has the highest rate of HIV in the industrialized world and also the highest number of circumcised adult males. Indeed, on a population level, circumcision has not been found to be an effective measure and may be associated with an increase in HIV risk.

Here is a link to a well-referenced, in-depth look at the flawed U.S. intervention in Africa, published in the Journal of Public Health in Africa, http://tinyurl.com/9cso9da.

Lloyd Schofield, Proponent San Francisco Male Genital Mutilation Initiative San Francisco

Merchants should follow prez, lower flag On August 8, Mayor Edwin M. Lee issued the following statement in the wake of the tragic shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, Wisconsin: “San Francisco grieves with those affected by the Sikh Temple shooting in Wisconsin. Now, more than ever, we must work together to reduce gun violence, embrace diversity and keep our communities safe. As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on August 5, 2012, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Mayor Lee, in accordance with President Barack Obama’s presidential proclamation, orders that flags on all city grounds and buildings be flown at half-staff until sunset, August 10, 2012.”

I am very disappointed by the fact that the rainbow flag in the Castro remained at full staff while others were lowered in honor of the people killed at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin. I think it reflects badly on the gay community that while other flags on city and county property showed the proper respect requested by Obama in his presidential proclamation and ordered by Mayor Lee, the rainbow flag flew at full staff in defiance of that request. We, the gay community, demand respect and support from other communities when violence strikes us. How can we not show respect and support with other communities when the violence strikes them?

Bill Wilson San Francisco

<< Community News

8 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Clowning around on the job pays off

by Matthew S. Bajko

T

ebar.com

he accommodations may be nothing to laugh about, but for circus performer LaRena Rose clowning around on the job has paid off.

An out lesbian who grew up in Santa Rosa north of San Francisco, Rose is a member of the Ringling Bros.

Barnum and Bailey circus’ 12-person clown alley troupe in the new show Dragons. Hired in the fall of 2010, she is one of three female clowns who entertain the audience in between the animal acts and acrobatic performances.

Last week the circus train, on which Rose and the roughly 300 other employees live, pulled into Oakland before heading south to San Jose, where the cast is performing through Sunday. The job is a dream come true for Rose, which is her real name, as she was bit by the clowning bug in 2004 and has always wanted to work as a live performer.

“The idea of clowning was very interesting to me,” Rose, 29, told the Bay Area Reporter in a recent phone interview. “I have done a lot of theater and working with kids and using theater to entertain kids, so clowning seemed the logical next step for me in the entertainment industry once I started learning about it.”

The spark came when a friend wrote a piece about life in the circus for a Sonoma County theater company that Rose performed with.

“The character she wrote for me is a clown. I ended up learning a lot about the circus,” recalled Rose, who had been attending Santa Rosa Junior College.

Rather than transfer to a four-year university to earn a college degree, Rose moved to San Francisco and enrolled in the San Francisco Clown Conservatory in 2008. The following year she submitted a tape to the casting director for Ringling Bros. but did not hear back.

Undaunted, Rose continued to perfect her clowning ability and reapplied to the circus two years ago when it began casting for the dragon-themed show. After being called in for a live audition Rose was hired.

“I got into the circus by being adorable because I don’t have any skills. I am not a juggler or a tricycle rider,” said Rose, who also goes by the name Rosie McQueen. “I am kind of the crazy auntie who takes care of everybody else.”

That persona comes through not only onstage but also outside of the three-ring circus, she said.

“I am the one making sure everyone has what they need and food is put away in the fridge,” said Rose, whose clown character wears lots of hot pink and glasses. “That kind of comes through in my character as well. She is also easily distracted.”

In a bio on the circus’ website Rose extolls how as part of the troupe she gets “to see the country by train and perform for thousands of kids and kids at heart every week.”

But the constant traveling, living in a tiny room on a railcar, and grueling work schedule – the cast performs five days a week, putting on three shows on Saturdays and two on Sundays – can take a toll, admitted Rose.

“Being away from home is very difficult for me,” she told the B.A.R. “I love traveling and seeing the country but being away from my friends and family, I am close to my parents, has been difficult. It definitely wears down on your soul sometimes when you miss your friends and can’t see them.”

Being gay in the circus presents its own complications, said Rose. Many of her fellow performers hail from foreign countries where being LGBT is not accepted.

Feld Entertainment

LaRena Rose, a clown in Ringling Bros. circus, enjoys performing under the big top.

Rick Gerharter

LaRena Rose, out of costume; the circus clown grew up in Santa Rosa.

“It is like living in a very tiny, conservative town,” Rose said of her work environment.

On the other hand, she said everyone has been fully accepting of her and her fellow gay clown cast mate, William Murray. While they may be the first gay people her co-workers have met, Rose said they have not been made to feel unwelcome.

“They come from different cultures where homosexuality isn’t as mainstream. For the most part I have found people to be incredibly open and accepting,” said Rose. “It is a very tight community. It does run on the conservative side, but at the basest level everyone’s safety is of utmost concern.”

Working with exotic creatures, such as elephants, lions, and tigers, comes not only with safety concerns but criticism from animal rights activists.

Attendees at the circus’ opening night performance in Oakland August 8 were greeted by a group of protesters claiming Ringling Bros. abuses its animal performers.

The accusations were something that Rose, having grown up in the Bay Area, was aware of prior to joining the cast. But she defended the company’s animal care practices, saying they have been “top notch” in her experience.

“The animals’ well-being is of the upmost priority for the company and the performers,” said Rose. “I am a

vegetarian and I would not want to be there if the animals were not well cared for. I am proud to work for the company; they do a lot for the care of the animals in the show.”

Anyone can run off with the circus, noted Rose. The company routinely holds auditions for cast members, and is constantly looking for people to work behind the scenes.

“It is a lot of fun. It is a crazy adventure,” she said. “It is definitely worth experiencing in life. I think it is a lot more accessible than people realize.

Even if you are not a performer, you can still run away with the circus.”

As for herself, Rose expects to remain with the circus at least one more year. She said she would make up her mind next summer when the troupe is presented with the concept for the new show that will debut in 2014.

“This time next year I might decide I am sick of it or that I still love it. Right now I still love it,” she said.

One day she does expect to return to the theater world, whether that is in northern California or some other location where she lands a job.

“When I do move back I plan to work in the children’s theater realm.

I will try to create my own company or get into an existing company,” said Rose. “I will bring my skills and knowledge and experience I learned here at the circus.”▼

Community News>>

▼ Bi-national couple fights DOMA deportation threat

by Catherine Pickavet

and lesbian couples, we won’t simply accept that as status quo and do nothing. The philosophy of our campaign is to go right in there and meet with the officers and judges who are going to make these decisions to talk to them about our marriages and our families.”

J

on Evans and Nedo Stankovic are fighting against time. One year ago, the couple was married in a ceremony in New York City’s Central Park. Now they are anxiously hurtling toward February 2013 when Stankovic’s student visa will expire, putting him in danger of being deported to his native Croatia.

Evans and Stankovic plan to make a last-ditch effort to remain together as a married gay bi-national couple in the U.S. by applying for a green card this fall. Their only hope is that President Barack Obama orders all decisions on green card petitions to be put on hold until the Supreme Court rules on the Defense of Marriage Act. “All he has to do is put the green card applications in abeyance,” Evans said in an interview. “It’s not accepting them. It’s not denying them.

It’s just putting them on hold. This is something he could so easily do.

We need him to act now. We need him to be responsive to our community.”

At issue for Evans and Stankovic, as well as tens of thousands of other couples in the same situation, is DOMA. Obama has declared the anti-gay law unconstitutional, and federal courts have overturned it seven times in the last two years; however, DOMA remains in effect and the Department of Homeland Security, through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, continues to enforce it. Under DOMA, the federal government does not recognize same-sex relationships.

But earlier this month, the department provided some relief.

DHS spokesman Peter Boogaard said in a statement to BuzzFeed that, while DHS will continue to uphold DOMA “unless and until Congress repeals it,” the Obama administration will consider an applicant’s entire story when adjudicating green card petitions.

“When exercising prosecutorial discretion in enforcement matters, DHS looks at the totality of the circumstances presented in individual cases, including whether an individual has close family ties to the United States as demonstrated by his or her same-sex marriage or other longstanding relationship to

<<

MHR

From page 1

just two days after the Sunday, August 12 church bulletin contained a letter addressed to parishioners. The letter is available on Most Holy Redeemer’s Facebook page.

The short four-paragraph letter is an attempt to provide additional information about “a decision to no longer rent Ellard Hall to outside groups for one-night venues,” according to the letter.

“For lack of a better word,” Poma said, no more “one-night stands” are permitted.

“The no-rental policy,” includes “all outside one-night venues,” he explained, such as “weddings and Sweet Sixteen” celebrations.

“It’s a blanket no-rental policy,” Poma said.

Most Holy Redeemer’s letter to parishioners provides further background and attempts to explain that drag queens, per se, were not targeted for exclusion.

“Fr. Brian [Costello], as well all know, is new to MHR and the Castro. He’s learning every day, more and more, about the community in which he has now become a part,” the letter states.

It adds, “With support of Parish Council, Fr. Brian was in the process of making it a policy to no longer rent out Ellard Hall for outside one-

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 9

Met seven years ago

Steven Rosen Photography

Binational couple Jon Evans, left, and his husband, Nedo Stankovic, got married last year in New York City.

a United States citizen,” Boogaard said in the statement.

Immigration attorney Lavi Soloway, who is also a co-founder of Stop the Deportations: The DOMA Project, welcomed the DHS announcement, but said he wants more from the administration.

“It is entirely appropriate at this time for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to institute an abeyance policy for green card cases filed by gay and lesbian couples,” Soloway said in a phone interview.

“Gay Americans should expect policies from the administration that bring us as close to full equality as possible by mitigating the discriminatory impact of DOMA. The Obama administration has the opportunity to do that right now.”

Soloway’s advocacy efforts with Stop the Deportations: The DOMA Project have had a positive impact.

He cites preventing several “DOMA deportations” and getting the administration to “articulate policy that specifically protects same-sex marriages of bi-national couples in a deportation context” as examples of their success thus far. Evans and Stankovic shared their story on the project’s website.

“We are holding our government, particularly these federal agencies, accountable,” Soloway said. “If they insist on discriminating against gay

night functions.

“Fr. Brian had agreed to allow Founding Fellowship and the Castro Country Club to use Ellard Hall, but was instructed not to rent the hall to any outside group for onenight use, gay, straight, or otherwise.

This is a blanket policy which will take place immediately.” (Finding Fellowship is a crystal methamphetamine anonymous support group.)

The letter concludes by stating, “Some parishioners are planning to make donations to those organizations, to help defer the cost of relocating” and goes on to provide how to make contributions.

But that’s not how Costello portrayed the no-drag ban last week. “I am the new pastor,” Costello said at the time. “There is a new archbishop. The archdiocese told me straight out, ‘No drag queens.’”

The matter came to light when the Castro Country Club, a recovery group that primarily serves the gay community, was told it could not hold its annual fall fundraiser at the church if it was going to include drag entertainment, as it has in the past. The country club’s board issued a statement that said the group could not abide by the no-drag policy.

This week, Poma said, “The policy is not directed at Finding Fellowship or the Castro Country Club or drag queens.”

See page 13 >>

Evans, 42, and Stankovic, 35, met in 2005 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, while Evans was finishing a degree in business management. The way they tell it, fate worked its hand and, after three seemingly random encounters at various cafes, Stankovic asked Evans for his number.

“I fell in love right away,” Stankovic said in an interview. “I never had an intent to leave my country. I love my country. I had a good life there.

It wasn’t anything fabulous but it was life. I laughed every morning.

And then I met him and decided to leave all of that. He was worth it for me. And here I am.”

Since moving to the U.S. in 2006, Nedo has integrated himself into his American life alongside Evans. He earned two AA degrees, one in landscape horticulture and the other in interior architecture, which led him to his dream job as the showroom manager for Living Green in San Francisco.

“We built our life over the last seven years,” Evans said. “Every day that we’ve lived we have some sweet memory. Nedo has built all of that.

Nedo is my family. And to think that in February we could be given this unfortunate option is really upsetting to me. We shouldn’t be in this position.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to hear several of the DOMA cases in its next term, which begins in October. If it takes the cases, as is expected, a ruling would come sometime next year. In the meantime, gay bi-national couples re-

main stranded in a holding pattern until then. But Evans and Stankovic can’t wait that long.

“February 2013 comes along and it’s like a guillotine on their marriage,” Soloway said. “They understand [the green card petition] can’t be approved at this time. What they want is for the final decision on their case to be put on hold until the Supreme Court rules on DOMA, so that during that time they’re protected, and so that Nedo has lawful status so he can stay here.”

The pair credits their relationship with the DOMA Project for

empowering them and giving them hope that Stankovic will be in the U.S. beyond February.

“Stop the Deportations: The DOMA Project literally is like a lifeline for us emotionally,” Evans said.

“All I want to do is take care of him.

I want to be able to know that everything that I’m working for will help him have a future without worry.

His life is here with me.”▼ For more information, visit Stop The Deportations: The DOMA Project at www.stopthedeportations.com.

<< Sports

10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Jocks, jokes, and jeers

By Roger Brigham

A

final round of jocks, jokes, and jeers inspired by the Olympic fortnight of athletic effort and fantasy.

• Lane violations: Swimmers peeing in the pool, taking extra kicks underwater, and shacking up for one-night stands. How fitting then, that at the closing ceremonies the performers and their props were all swathed in newsprint for a good portion of the evening. If nothing else, the London Olympics gave us a refreshing encounter with the world of tabloid journalism.

• You go, gays! Ten out gay and lesbian athletes earned medals in London, including four golds. Bringing home gold were Seimone Augustus of the U.S. women’s basketball team; Megan Rapinoe, coached by out lesbian Pia Sundhage in the U.S. women’s soccer team, for whom she scored two critical goals in the semifinals and a key pass in the championship; British rider Carl Hester in team dressage; and Dutch field hockey players Marilyn Agliotti, Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel, Kim Lammers, and Maartje Paumen.

Paumen and Dirkse van den Heuvel accounted for both goals in the Netherlands’ 2-0 victory over Argentina in the championship.

Bringing home silver in the cycling road race time trial was Gay Games Ambassador Judith Arndt of Germany, the first out Olympian to medal in this year’s games. Lisa Raymond of the U.S. won bronze in the tennis mixed doubles; and Edward Gal was on the bronze medal-winning dressage team for the Dutch.

Outsports.com somewhat cheekily noted that “Team Gay” would have

placed 31st overall in country medal counts with the likes of Mexico, Georgia, and Ethiopia; and would have tied Iran and Jamaica in gold medals.

• Now, back to the closet? The 23 out Olympians were able to celebrate with well-wishers, friends, and family at the Olympic Pride House, just as they did at the Winter Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver. The Russians have banned any such occurrence for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, a decision upheld by Russian judge Svetlana Mordovina, who ruled, “The aims of the organization contradict the basics of public morality and the policy of the state in the area of family motherhood and childhood protection. The activities of the movement lead to propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation, which can undermine the security of the Russian society and the state; and provoke social-religious hatred, which is the feature of the extremist character of the activity. Moreover it can undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation due to the decrease of Russia’s population.”

And here we thought they were just saying congratulations to each other.

Time to start a petition.

• Two steps forward, one step back for female athletes: Amazing how Olympic coverage managed to empower and objectify female athletes simultaneously. Women competed in more sports than in any previous Olympics, and two-thirds of the total medal winners for the U.S. were women.

And yet ...

NBC, which took longer to broadcast the Olympics back to the U.S.

than it took for networks to broadcast images from the Mars landing, whipped together an online video it called “Bodies in Motion” for NBCOlympics.com that was essentially a slomo soft porn flick of female athletes rolling and rocking. NBC pulled the video from its site after the ensuing backlash.

What could they have been thinking? Perhaps they didn’t understand that in beach volleyball, the rules require that the athletes compete with bare midriffs. Oh, wait – that’s a rule that officials came up with to get virtually non-stop air time of the women’s competition.

Or perhaps they somehow thought that because gymnasts and synchro swimmers dress up in spangles and sequins and more mascara than the late Tammy Faye Bakker used in a year that television is trying to sell us on watching female bodies rather than female athleticism. Oh, wait – that’s what they are telling us.

• Heh, heh, dey made a funny!

Not to be left out, Yahoo Sports dug through photos of Olympic wrestlers from this year and before into a montage it called “Awkward Wrestling Moments.” The freeze frames catch transitional moments of heads in vicinity with crotches and butts that the editor hopes will elicit guffaws and chuckles from two-digit IQ yahoos. Guess it’s good to know your target audience.

• And now for something completely different: Shame they didn’t bring in one of those big gongs from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, because someone should have struck it to cut short the production in the closing ceremonies. I’m not sure if the performance was supposed to be an “Ode to the Collapse of Western Civilization,” but if it was, they were telling us we shall end not with a bang, but with sheer boredom. I guess closing ceremonies are supposed to make you

Courtesy NBC

WNBA 2011 MVP Seimone Augustus, shown here in a 2008 exhibition against Brazil for Team USA, won her second Olympic gold in London.

think that maybe it wasn’t so cool to watch athletes sweating their guts out in competition for two weeks but isn’t this production fabulous?

• Back to sweating their guts out: Lots of wonderful team competition in the Olympics, but for me, the Olympic Games are all about individual performances – the moments of grace under pressure and collapse under too much pressure. As biased as I am in favor of wrestling, I think the toughest competitors mentally and physically have to be the gymnasts.

Pound for pound, they achieve so much with such strength, such concentration, such skill, such precision, such timing, such perfection, that we are humbled just witnessing it.

• Greatest ever? It is hard for television or any other media to adequately convey the total immersion experience of an Olympics. I have been to two of them – the Summer and Winter Games in 1988 in Calgary and Seoul – and they were unlike anything else I have ever encountered. The real world is suspended and removed from your consciousness as reality

is distilled into a precise moment in a precise discipline in a precise setting. And then replicated again and again and again in other settings and other disciplines. Athletes leap out in etched detail, but performances blur together and obliterate the memory of things past or anticipation of things to come.

So it is understandable that in the festival of excess, there is a natural temptation to begin every description with the word “most” and end every adjective with the suffix “-est.”

There is a temptation to label the latest champion the greatest ever, as though it were possible to equate athletes of different eras and different disciplines and different genders on some objective and timeless Wow Scale.

Thus, barely had we heard the pronouncement that swimmer Michael Phelps was the “greatest Olympian of all time” then we heard the same said of sprinter Usain Bolt.

But that obsession with superlatives is a meaningless dismissal of the greatness of the human heart and human excellence.

There has never been an even playing field for all athletes of all genders of all nationalities. Nutritional and training programs evolve, cultural encouragements and barriers evolve, competitors and opportunities are ever changing.

So you cannot truly compare different athletes of different eras in different disciplines and declare anyone the best ever in anything. You can say one achieved a mark that scored higher or faster or farther than anyone else, but you cannot declare superiority.

You can only appreciate the excellence you witness and cherish it as timeless, peerless and priceless. Then go forth and do your damnedest to be the best at what you do and who you are. That, too, is priceless.▼

New monthly dance party for men compiled by Cynthia Laird

M

en who have always wanted to ballroom dance now have a new opportunity. A monthly social dance party for men begins Friday, August 17 at the newly opened Vima Dance Studio in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood.

Photis Pishiaras, Vima’s owner, said he was looking to open up more chances for gay men to take part in ballroom dance.

“There are many popular ballroom dance opportunities in the Bay Area that are heavily attended by lesbian women and straight couples,” Pishiaras said. “While gay men have a strong interest in ballroom dance, they don’t seem to attend those events.”

The dance party is open to men interested in ballroom dance as well as those who want to learn. It includes a beginner class in cha-cha and swing at 8 p.m., followed by two hours of social dancing and some performances. The cost is $20.

Pishiaras is the North American Same Sex Dance Partner Associate 2012 U.S. Men’s Standard Ballroom champion, along with his dance partner Ron Jenkins.

Vima is located at 820 26th Street (at Third).

For more information, visit www. vimadance.com.

Lyon-Martin hosts summer party Lyon-Martin Health Services will host its Summer Celebration Saturday, August 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Wild Side West, 424 Cortland Av-

enue in San Francisco.

The party is free, although donations will be accepted. Fred Lopez, development associate at the health clinic, said that the party is to mark the end of Lyon-Martin’s 30 Days of Health online fundraiser. LyonMartin had a goal of raising $30,000 during that campaign, and is now at about $19,000, Lopez said, adding that people can still contribute at www.lyon-martin.org.

Saturday’s party will feature hostess Annie Danger, gourmet barbecue delights, and arm wrestling. Additionally, there will be a ‘haiku-off,” where people can share a haiku they’ve written about Lyon-Martin, and a tiny dog danceoff where people can bring their fourlegged friend and show off his or her tricks (or lack thereof).

There will be prizes.

In related Lyon-Martin news, the center will hold an open board meeting Wednesday, August 29 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at its offices, 1748 Market Street.

Board members said in a statement that they have been working hard for over a year to stabilize the San Francisco clinic that primarily serves women and transgender patients. Board members said the meeting will provide updates on some of the upcoming challenges, including paying back debt, getting ready for health care reform, and rebuilding the clinic’s patient base.

According to the statement, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and to provide comment.

Bayard Rustin event at Commonwealth Club

Cohousing workshop for seniors

The legacy of civil rights and LGBT icon Bayard Rustin will be explored with scholar Michal Long at the Commonwealth Club on Tuesday, August 21 at the club’s offices, 595 Market Street, second floor, in San Francisco. The evening starts with a networking reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program at 6.

Long, the author of the recently released I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin’s Life in Letters, is an associate professor of religious studies and peace and conflict studies at Elizabethtown College. The Pennsylvania resident is the author of several books on civil rights, religion, and politics in mid-century America and holds a doctorate from Emory University in Atlanta.

“The Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition is very proud to sponsor what promises to be an engaging and lively discussion with Mr. Long on the life and legacy of Mr. Rustin,” said Joshua Smith, co-chair of the local coalition.

He noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Rustin’s birth.

The civil rights pioneer, who was openly gay, helped organize the historic March on Washington where the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.

Next week’s program is co-sponsored by the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and City Lights Bookstore as part of the Commonwealth Club’s Future of Work series sponsored by Wells Fargo and Ernst and Young.

The cost for the program is $20 for the public, $8 for Commonwealth Club members, and $7 for students with a valid ID.

A workshop will be held Wednesday, August 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Pacifica to discuss the option of cohousing for seniors. Titled “Aging in Community, an Introduction to Adult Cohousing,” the seminar will be led by Tom Zizzo, a certified senior cohousing study group facilitator. It takes place at the Pacifica Community Center, 540 Crespi Drive.

Cohousing is a cooperative neighborhood of homeowners who also share common facilities, combining community and privacy. The close-knit design and self-management of cohousing communities provide economic, social, health, and security benefits important to seniors. Neighbors see each other more often and cohousing advocates say that the practice can extend the years of independent living and reduce costs during retirement.

Attendees will discuss the six common characteristics of cohousing and discover the next steps.

The cost for the workshop is $10.

For more information, contact Bonnie Gordon, (650) 359-0677 or bgmediate@sbcglobal.net.

Women’s Rights Day celebration in SF Radical Women commemorates the courage of the Suffragists and those fighting today for voting rights with a presentation of speeches, poems, songs, and photos at a Women’s Rights Day celebration Thursday, August 23 at 7 p.m. at New Valencia Hall, 747 Polk Street in San Francisco. Supper is served at 6:15 p.m. for a $7.50 donation. For more information or directions call

(415) 864-1278 or email baradicalwomen@earthlink.net.

Oakland Pride fundraiser With Oakland Pride just a few weeks away, Mayor Jean Quan and other leaders will hold their annual fundraiser Thursday, August 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. at City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Tickets are $50 per person or $75 for couples. The festive evening will include refreshments.

Oakland’s third annual Pride festival, under the theme “It’s A Celebration,” is set to take place Sunday, September 2 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the city’s Uptown district, near the 19th Street BART station. Admission is $10. For more information, visit www.oaklandpride.org.

Shanti swim-a-thon coming up Shanti’s inaugural swim-a-thon to benefit its LIFE program will take place Sunday, August 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hamilton Pool, 1900 Geary Boulevard at Steiner.

Beginners and experienced swimmers alike are invited to join and help raise money for the program.

Swimmers can raise money online or offline; Shanti will provide tools and tips for fundraising.

There is no minimum required but the suggested minimum is $250.

Groups may also participate. The registration deadline is August 23.

LIFE, which stands for learning immune function enhancement, is a free, evidence-based health-enhancement program for HIV-positive individuals.

For more information about the swim-a-thon or Shanti, visit www. shanti.org.▼

▼

National News >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 11

The global view of MSM and HIV

by Bob Roehr

T

he rate of new HIV infections is coming down in many countries around the world, “but that is not happening among men who have sex with men,” Chris Beyrer said at the recent XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. “The consistent pattern, in developed and developing countries, in low and middle income countries, in wealthy countries, is of expanding HIV epidemics,” said Beyrer, a Johns Hopkins University epidemiologist.

The factors that account for this are the greater risk of transmission through anal intercourse, regardless of the partner’s sex; a more rapid transmission within the networks of MSM; stigma and discrimination that limits access to prevention and treatment services; and even when persons have access to health care, they are less likely to fully suppress their virus.

“All of those structural barriers allow for continued transmission,” Beyrer said. “We must address those structural and social realities,” as well as develop new biological interventions designed for the needs of MSM.

Africa There is a huge denial that MSM even exist, Ugandan physician Paul Semugoma told a plenary session of the conference. “In the fourth decade of the HIV pandemic, we still

have countries in the world which do not have HIV statistics for men who have sex with men,” he said.

Even though the rate of HIV infection is higher among MSM in every country in the world, resources are not targeted to that population because same-sex activity remains criminalized.

“Less and less gets to the MSM because of the stigma, because they are criminals,” he said.

And often MSM are targets of discrimination. Semugoma used the example of Senegal where in the mid-2000s the epidemic was concentrated among MSM. Prevention activities were largely targeted to this population. The results of this work were presented at a regional AIDS conference in Africa.

But rather than being praised, it led to the arrest of nine of the outreach workers on charges of promoting homosexuality, and their being jailed for several months.

They were finally released, in part because of international pressure.

The Ugandan government has threatened to close a clinic that was recently opened to serve the LGBT community, “simply because they think it is going to promote homosexuality,” Semugoma said.

Kenya still has anti-gay laws on the books, but it has managed to work around them in creating HIV programs for MSM, he said. “Right now they are miles ahead of us” in Uganda. Other countries, such as Zambia, have decided to do nothing.

Bob Roehr

Bob Roehr

Epidemiologist Chris Beyrer

Ugandan physician Paul Semugoma

Solutions

that is likely to be effective,” while China is making some progress toward that goal, Baxter said. “Russia is a complete failure and is refusing to invest money in any of its MSM programs.”

Projections are for MSM to constitute half of all new infections in Asia by 2020. Most of the countries have achieved a level of economic development that makes them ineligible to receive Global Fund support. Baxter called upon the World Bank to help fill that gap.

Semugoma called for structural changes in laws and society as a crucial component for successfully tackling the epidemic.

“We have to end the invisibility

The resources are not following the continued expanded epidemic, said Australian Don Baxter, co-chair of the Global Forum on MSM and HIV. The largest source of funding is from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

“But it is essentially country driven and many countries have not included MSM in programs,” he said.

The few MSM programs that exist are supported by international funds and are not part of host government activities.

Brazil, South Africa, and India “pretty much are paying for their own MSM programs on a scale

[of MSM] in service delivery and decision making,” he said.

Other issues were also mentioned.

“There are critical issues of funding, of will, and of political leadership that threaten our being able to take advantage of this historic moment” of optimism about curtailing the epidemic, said American AIDS advocate Cornelius Baker.

U.S. black political leaders often have provided leadership in this area, but that has proven to be rarer in more socially conservative regions such as the South. Baker said, “We have to look at the social construct of homophobia.”

Global Forum president George Ayala pointed to “vibrant movements” in Nepal and India that have brought about decriminalization of homosexuality and greater inclusion in society and particularly HIV programs. The situation also is improving in much of South America.

One key element for continued progress will be support for local gay communities, which often exist though they may not be readily visible.▼ The prestigious medical journal the Lancet produced a special issue “HIV in Men Who Have Sex with Men” that was released immediately prior to the conference. It’s content is available for free, though registration is required. Go to: www.thelancet. com/series/hiv-in-men-whohave-sex-with-men.

Sri Lanka’s emerging LGBT rights movement

by Heather Cassell

A

n estimated 50 people came out to learn about the LGBT movement in Sri Lanka from Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, executive director of Equal Ground, the country’s leading queer rights organization, at an event in the Mission on August 8.

LGBT rights in Sri Lanka are a sensitive topic as homosexuality is outlawed in the country’s penal code.

The country is rife with incidents of blackmail, “corrective rape,” forced marriages, and hate crimes perpetrated by authorities and community members against LGBT individuals who are terrified to come out. Perpetrators are rarely punished in the patriarchal country, said Flamer-Caldera in describing the situation.

Human rights advocates operate in a careful and measured way, said Flamer-Caldera, as the government doesn’t look upon it favorably. The government has a “human rights” menu option on its website but the link leads to an error message.

The lack of protections is damaging LGBT Sri Lankans’ self-image. It has led to high rates of HIV transmission in a country that once saw low prevalence of the disease and suicides among LGBT individuals, FlamerCaldera told the audience.

Media coverage has, for the most part, only sensationalized the crimes in its reporting, said Flamer-Caldera, with the exception of one publication that dedicated an entire issue to LGBT rights in June.

“Hate crimes are a dime a dozen in Sri Lanka,” said Flamer-Caldera, 56, who has worked for the past eight years combating the queer community’s own internalized homophobia caused by repeated anti-gay messages and Sri Lankans’ attitudes toward LGBT people.

Sri Lanka, an island nation just off the tip of India dividing the Laccadive Sea and the Bay of Bengal, was torn apart by a 30-year civil war that only

ended a few years ago. The nation, which has a population of about 19 million people, according to the Sri Lanka government’s website, continues to heal from the war, but the war’s end hasn’t helped the island people, said Flamer-Caldera. The official religion is Buddhism, but there are segments of Christianity, Muslim, and other religions on the island.

One of the top three actions Flamer-Caldera and LGBT activists at Equal Ground are working on is a strategic plan to overturn the penal code sections outlawing homosexuality.

In spite of the law not being enforced for 60 years, an attempt to overturn it in 1995 backfired on LGBT activists. The Ministry of Justice amended the law changing “male persons” to “person” and added a clause, clarifying it to mean “any act of gross indecency with another person.” In essence, the law no longer focused on only men, but included women and heterosexual people, explained Flamer-Caldera.

Flamer-Caldera moved to the Bay Area when she was 18 years old and came out in the late 1970s, she said, recalling Harvey Milk and the era. She lived in the city for 15 years, working in the travel industry, before returning to Sri Lanka where she started a variety of businesses and a lesbian group before forming Equal Ground. It was a difficult move after living openly in the U.S., which was granting rights to LGBT individuals, to return to a country that she described as being where the U.S. was 40 years ago, she said. But she missed her country and her parents.

“It’s like we are back to basics. It’s just incredible, but that’s where [the U.S. was] as well 30 to 40 years ago, so we are back there still,” said FlamerCaldera in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter.

Since 2004, when Flamer-Caldera founded Equal Ground on a laptop computer, she and other LGBT activists have led an ongoing campaign to

Courtesy Equal Ground

Rosanna Flamer-Caldera

educate Sri Lankan LGBT individuals and the wider community about sexual orientation and gender identity.

People from all different backgrounds have been welcome in the organization from the beginning, without questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, said Flamer-Caldera, who received criticism from members of the LGBT community. The organization’s open door policy immediately became its hallmark when the tsunami hit the northeastern part of the island six months after Equal Ground was founded.

Flamer-Caldera leapt into action, organizing aid from LGBT donors all over the world and traveling 10 hours on bad roadways delivering supplies, she said.

“Most of 2005 was spent doing relief work in areas that were really very badly hit by the tsunami,” said FlamerCaldera, recalling the “outpouring of love” that flowed in from LGBT people from around the world.

“We wanted to show the people from Sri Lanka that LGBT people are just as worried and concerned about their issues and what happened to them during the tsunami,” she said.

The crisis brought together LGBT activists with other communities, which would normally be suspicious of queer people.

“I think that the tsunami set the

ground to introduce Equal Ground as an organization that is not just a queer organization, that it’s a human rights organization, and they are worried about the rights of every single person and the welfare of every single person,” said Flamer-Caldera.

The annual Pride celebration, produced by Equal Ground and held in Colombo, the capital city of the country (neighboring Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital), has grown into a popular festival attended by LGBT and straight Sri Lankans who go to a variety of events throughout the weekend. The celebration ends with a gathering on the beach where rainbow kites fill the sky in lieu of celebrants not being able to march in the streets due to the anti-gay law, said Flamer-Caldera.

Opening the doors to heterosexual people to participate in Sri Lanka’s LGBT rights movement has not only served as a way to educate the public about LGBT people, but has also provided security for LGBT activists when hosting events and meetings.

Police can’t arrest people at Pride and other events produced by the organization if they don’t know who they are arresting. They might be “arresting some of the most prominent heterosexual people,” said Flamer-Caldera.

Equal Ground operates on an annual budget of $80,000, and the organization has grown to have 10 satellite offices throughout the island with 11 full-time staff. Two years ago the organization’s budget was $170,000, but severe cuts within the last two years due to the government refusing developmental aid from other countries and the difficult economy has hindered the organization’s continued growth, said Flamer-Caldera.

Equal Ground provides LGBT sensitivity training throughout the island. The organization’s leadership has conducted research; gathering and recording incidents of hate crimes and other issues important to the LGBT community, and has produced reports in collabora-

tion with other human rights and women’s organizations. It also is the publisher of a quarterly newsletter, the only LGBT publication on the island. The organization operates two counseling lines for LGTB people and one only for women.

The organization hasn’t gone untarnished by threats. In recent years, Muslim groups have accused LGBT activists at Equal Ground of promoting homosexuality and sent death threats. The group’s offices had to be moved suddenly for its safety several years ago after a reporter published its address in a local newspaper.

Flamer-Caldera said the work Equal Ground has done for nearly a decade is paying off. Attitudes toward LGBT individuals are beginning to change in Sri Lanka and the organization is carefully documenting human rights violations in its effort to overturn the anti-homosexuality law.

In November, Sri Lanka is up for its periodic review at the United Nations.

In October 2011, the Commonwealth of Nations – states that are former British colonies, including Sri Lanka – raised the decriminalization of homosexuality question at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia. While the proposal to ditch the outdated colonial laws failed – along with creating a human rights monitor – it was a sign of change.

Equal Ground is preparing for Sri Lanka’s review at the U.N. by developing a new in-depth report on the state of LGBT rights in the island nation as well as gathering signatures on an online petition (http:// www.change.org/petitions/concerned-citizens-against-365-365a).

The event was presented by the American Jewish World Services Global Circle in partnership with the San Francisco Jewish LGBT Network.

For more information, visit http:// www.equal-ground.org.▼ Got international LGBT news tips?

Call or send them to Heather Cassell at 00+1-415-221-3541, Skype: heather.cassell, or heather@whimsymedia.com.

<< Community News

12 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

<<

Candidates

From page 1

munity’s ability to build a farm team of successful candidates who can use their city position as a springboard to seek higher offices in Sacramento and on Capitol Hill.

The lack of out lesbian and transgender candidates is of particular concern, said several LGBT leaders.

The city has yet to elect a transgender person to public office, and there has not been an elected lesbian politician in San Francisco since 2008.

“I think it is getting more and more challenging as a gay candidate because our community is getting more and more divided,” said Gabriel Haaland, a trans man and labor leader who ran for supervisor in 2004. “If you look at the candidates who won in the 1990s, there was broader unity in the gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender community.”

Zoe Dunning, a lesbian who won a seat this June on the Democratic County Central Committee, told the B.A.R. that one explanation for the lack of out female candidates is that many lesbians and bi women no longer live in San Francisco.

“One challenge is that due to the ever-increasing cost of living in San Francisco, our overall pool of queer women, especially if they have children, seems to be shrinking as they move to the East Bay and other less expensive housing and rental markets,” Dunning wrote in an emailed response.

One the other hand, Dunning said there is “tremendous opportunity” to increase the participation of lesbian, bisexual and trans women in local politics.

“The other challenge is for LGBT political clubs, like Alice and Milk, to build a pipeline specifically for queer women, to help us run for office and obtain commission appointments,” wrote Dunning, referring to the Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic clubs, who co-chairs the Alice board’s programs committee.

The problem is not unique to San Francisco or the LGBT community, noted Denis Dison, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund’s vice president of communications. The national group helps recruit and train LGBT political aspirants and maintains a national

<<

San Jose Pride

From page 1

cent organizer to quit. Svoboda said that Miranda called him and said that “he felt it wasn’t for him at this time,” but he still offered to help. Miranda didn’t respond to interview requests.

AJ Solis, who had also become a board member recently, was asked to leave last month, Svoboda said.

“Unfortunately, the board and him were not aligned,” Svoboda said.

He said the vote had been 6-2, but he wouldn’t say how he’d voted.

Told of Svoboda’s remarks, Solis said there’d been a dispute over festival entertainment and Svoboda’s leadership was “toxic,” among other problems.

<<

PRC

From page 3

that the nonprofit eventually decided to terminate the Ticket to Work contract, indicating that that decision was made while Gelfand was still working for the agency.)

She continued raising concerns and eventually, in September 2009, an attorney representing Gelfand at the time said in an email to Andrews that “PRC had made it impossible” for Gelfand and another staffer to “ethically and legally practice law” at the nonprofit, Gelfand’s complaint says. The two PRC workers eventually concluded that their employment with the nonprofit had been “constructively discharged,” according to the filing. The last day for

Longtime gay BART board mem-

ber Tom Radulovich appears to be the favorite to win another term. He faces two lesser-known challengers for his District 9 seat: Peter Klivans, who ran against him in 2008, and Luke Lucas.

His board colleague Lynette Sweet, who holds the District 7 seat, is also seen as the frontrunner against her three opponents: Maria Alegria, Margaret Gordon, and Zakhary Mallett.

As reported in last week’s B.A.R., gay attorney Rafael Mandelman is seeking a seat on the community college board at a time when the campus has been rocked by a fiscal crisis. Should he win, he would join Lawrence Wong, the only openly gay trustee on the seven-member oversight panel.

Incumbents Natalie Berg, Chris Jackson, and Steve Ngo are all seeking re-election this fall. Due to the death of City College trustee Milton Marks last week, there is one open seat on the board up for grabs.

Also in the race are Amy Bacharach, Nate Cruz, Hanna Leung, Rodrigo Santos, George Vazhappally, and William Walker.

Three school board incumbents are seeking to be re-elected this year: Sandra Lee Fewer, Rachel Norton, and Jill Wynns. With Yee’s seeking the District 7 supervisor seat, there is one open seat up for grabs.

Gay Democratic Party activist Rick Hauptman had looked at running but opted against doing so for financial reasons. He told the B.A.R. this week that since he is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention later this month, he could not afford to pay the filing fees required of candidates.

Transgender educator Jamie Rafaela Wolfe, who sought a school board seat two years ago, chose not to run again. And Martin Rawlings-Fein, an out bi trans man raising a 6-year-old daughter and an infant, had thought about running but opted against it.

As of Friday’s filing deadline there were seven newcomers in the running.

Matt Haney, Victoria Lo, Beverly HoA-Yun Popek, Paul Robertson, Sam Rodriguez, Gladys Soto and Shamann Walton had all entered the race.

Joseph Kelly Jr. and Chris Miller had expressed interest but had yet to file their paperwork to seek a school board seat by the B.A.R.’s deadline. ▼

twice what the organization had for 2011. Svoboda said the majority of the sponsorship money has been provided.

As of last week, Pride had about $18,000 in cash in the bank, Svoboda said. They have $10,000 in debt, he said.

Events Saturday include a fun zone with a boxing ring and rock climbing wall, and entertainment by singer Derek Jameson, comedian Carrie Avritt, and others. Sunday the gates open at 11 a.m. for a non-denominational prayer service by Jay Bakker of Revolution Church NYC. Holiday is set to perform Sunday, along with Kat Deluna and others.

For more information, visit www. sanjosepride.com.▼

place, and the case will be going to trial.

He declined to say what Gelfand is doing for a living now. Asked how much money she wants, Fordiani said, “That remains to be seen.”

“I think a jury will come back with a very favorable verdict in the plaintiff ’s favor,” he said.

In response to an interview request, PRC’s attorney Sara Church Reese of Gordon and Rees LLP said in an email, “PRC’s view of the case is set forth in the affirmative defenses in its answer.”

Andrews, PRC’s executive director, said in an email this week that his agency “does not discuss personnel disputes in the press, because of the need to protect the privacy of all concerned.”▼

“I think it is getting more and more challenging as a gay candidate because our community is getting more and more divided.”

–Gabriel Haaland network of donors its endorsed candidates can tap.

“The LGBT community elects its women and people of color candidates in greater numbers than our straight counterparts, but it is tougher for women in politics in general, and even tougher still for transgender candidates,” wrote Dison in an email.

“Men tend to think running for office is our birthright, whereas women usually have to be persuaded to run.

That’s equally true in the LGBT community as it is in the general population, unfortunately.”

Several efforts have been launched to foster more lesbian political candidates. This summer saw the creation of LPAC, the Lesbian Political Action Committee, aimed at funneling money to out female candidates across the country.

The Victory Fund started its own Women Out to Win program, noted Dison, in order to specifically address the issue and build support for out women candidates.

“We are reaching out to women supporters not only for resources, but to help identify outstanding women who could run for office,” wrote Dison. “They are encouraged to attend Victory’s campaign training and consider offices where their skills would be useful. The hope is that we can build a pipeline of women candidates and local elected officials who can step up to run for higher office in the future.”

Campos runs unopposed Of the five queer candidates running in San Francisco this fall, gay District 9 Supervisor David Campos is all but assured of being re-elected to another four-year term since no one filed paperwork last week with elec-

tions officials to run against him.

District 11 Supervisor John Avalos is also running for re-election unopposed, and thus, has an easy road ahead of him.

In an interview for this week’s Political Notes column, posted on the B.A.R.’s website Monday, Campos said he does not plan to take his reelection bid for granted, despite being unchallenged.

“This is an amazing opportunity,” said Campos. “I want to make sure I will respect the process and spend time on my campaign reaching out to every part of my district to make my case for re-election.”

His colleague, bisexual District 5 Supervisor Christina Olague, is facing an uphill battle in her bid to be elected to a full four-year term this fall. Having been appointed by Mayor Ed Lee earlier this year to fill a vacancy, Olague must now convince voters in the Haight and Western Addition that she can best represent them at City Hall.

But seven opponents feel they are the better choice and are contesting her for the board seat. Her main challengers are Julian Davis, president of the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center; London Breed, executive director of the African American Art and Culture Complex; and City College Board of Trustees President John Rizzo.

Also filing paperwork in the race are Andrew Resignato, director of the San Francisco Immunization Coalition; Thea Selby, founding member and current president of the Lower Haight Merchant and Neighbor Association; Hope Johnson, the former chair of the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force; and local attorney Daniel Everett. [See related story, page 3.]

Rick Gerharter

College board candidate Rafael Mandelman

In the District 7 race to succeed termed-out Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, gay journalist Joel Engardio is seen as an underdog among the nine people seeking the seat. While he has raised significant sums for his race and qualified for public financing, Engardio has had trouble attracting endorsements from LGBT elected officials and other leaders.

The frontrunners in the race are thought to be Norman Yee, president of the city’s school board, Port Commissioner Francis “FX” Crowley, and Board of Appeals President Mike Garcia.

Others running for the west of Twin Peaks seat are businessman Andrew Bley; landscape architect Glenn Rogers; Robert “Bob” Squeri, the owner of a building maintenance company; housing advocate Lynn Gavin; and Julian Lagos, who ran against Elsbernd in 2008.

As for the other supervisor races, District 1 Supervisor Eric Mar is facing tough competition this year for his Richmond district seat from David E. Lee, executive director of the Chinese American Voter Education Committee. Sherman D’Silva, a store manager who ran in 2008, is again on the ballot.

Board President David Chiu faces three opponents for his District 3 seat centered in North Beach. Marc Bruno, Joseph Butler, and Wilma Pang all filed to run against him.

Down ballot races

Aside from Miranda and other board members who have departed this year, festival director Dane Dugan, who had only recently been hired, also quit. In remarks he made to the Bay Area Reporter in April, he cited a lack of organization among board members, among other concerns. Gary Walker is the current festival director.

San Jose Pride has seen other troubles in recent years, including disappointing attendance numbers and the lack of a parade, which was cut due to costs.

Svoboda, who almost left the board himself this year, acknowledged there’ve been a lot of resignations.

“I think it’s had a big impact on how things have happened, and it’s

a sad situation,” but they’ve also been able to “work with other fine people,” he said.

While Pride’s been having problems at the board level, Svoboda indicated that financially, the organization is doing fine.

According to a budget dated July 26 that he provided, income for 2012 was at about $199,000, up from approximately $190,000 in 2011. Expenses were listed at approximately $211,000 and $212,000, respectively.

Tickets for Sunday have increased from $15 to $20, but Svoboda said they’re available for $10 until Saturday night. Admission for Saturday is free. He cited the quality of the

entertainment as one of the reasons for the price hike.

Asked about the possibility of the cost increase hurting attendance, Svoboda said, “There’s always that question,” but he encouraged people to come Saturday and get a discounted ticket for Sunday.

Svoboda said the gap between expected income and expenses for 2012 would drop because of money that’s come in since the July figures were calculated, as well as decreases in some costs. He didn’t know what the total income and expenses were as of Tuesday, August 14. The Pride board’s treasurer didn’t respond to an email Tuesday.

The budget document lists sponsorship income at $47,300, just over

which Gelfand received wages from PRC was September 15, 2009.

Public Benefits Attorneys Inc. The defunct agency’s website includes a press release that says PBA, “a new nonprofit focused exclusively on providing free legal representation to low-income, uninsured San Francisco residents, officially began representing clients” on October 5, 2009.

In a late July 2010 interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Gelfand mentioned the SSA contract and said she’d been “constructively terminated” from PRC in September 2009. She said that afterward, “out of ethical necessity,” she founded Public Benefits Attorneys in an “attempt to continue to fulfill my duties as an attorney, which is an undivided duty of loyalty in representing my clients.”

As to how many of the PBA clients had come from Positive Resource Center, Gelfand said that was “a complicated question.” The Public Benefits Attorneys website says, “As of September 30, 2010, we wound up our legal practice.”

Asked in July 2010 about why her agency was shutting down, Gelfand said there’d been a dispute with PRC over who the attorney of record was.

She indicated a judge eventually sided with her, but she also indicated that financial and other factors led to her organization’s demise.

In an email this week, Gelfand’s attorney, Rob Fordiani of Equality Lawyers LLP, declined a request to interview her.

Fordiani said in an interview last week that no mediation is taking

PRC response Among other claims included in its response filed in December 2011, PRC says that Gelfand tried to “bully” the agency and make the benefits program “a separate entity of which she would be the executive director.”

When those efforts failed, and while she was still employed by the nonprofit, Gelfand “secretly planned a competing enterprise and recruited PRC personnel,” the agency claims. She formed the enterprise “and made use of information copied or taken from PRC in so doing,” the organization says in court documents.

Gelfand became the director of

Finances

▼

▼ <<

Community News >>

MHR

From page 9

Poma said that he and Costello attempted to persuade the San Francisco Archdiocese to allow Finding Fellowship and Castro Country Club to hold their events and then put the norental policy in place, but were told by archdiocesan officials the policy was to go into effect right away.

Poma pointed to reasons for the

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D5 candidates

From page 3

medical cannabis and the San Francisco medical cannabis program.”

Candidate John Rizzo echoed Olague’s support for medical cannabis, calling the crackdowns on local dispensaries by the federal government “unfortunate.” But Rizzo saved some of his most passionate responses for the issue of pedestrian deaths on San Francisco streets.

Rizzo told the Bay Area Reporter before the debate started that, while he currently serves as president of the Board of Trustees at City College of San Francisco and is a member of the Sierra Club working to restore millions to the city’s Go Solar SF program, he does have the time and energy to run a campaign for supervisor.

When asked if the criminal justice system has adequately responded to cases involving pedestrian deaths, Rizzo responded, “No. I don’t think

<<

Ryan

From page 1

music from the motion picture Air Force One preceding the announcement and Kid Rock music following immediately afterwards.

“Mitt Romney is a leader with the skills, the background and the character that our country needs at a crucial time in its history,” Ryan said in brief remarks that were broadcast live on national television.

“Following four years of failed leadership, the hopes of our country, which have inspired the world, are growing dim; and they need someone to revive them. Governor Romney is the man for this moment; and he and I share one commitment: we will restore the dreams and greatness of this country,” Ryan added.

Right away political commentators viewed the Romney-Ryan ticket as a strategic shift for the GOP – away from its emphasis on what Republicans call President Barack Obama’s failed economic polices to a focus on contrasting views on the role of government and differing visions for the country’s future.

At the heart of the difference for the GOP are bedrock conservative principles, which Ryan’s selection underscores.

After all, the 42-year-old Ryan, a Roman Catholic, is best known for both economic and philosophical conservatism. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, for example, Ryan is the chief architect of the 100-page “The Path to Prosperity: A Blueprint for American Renewal,” an economic plan that aims to cut federal government spending, prevent tax increases, shrink the deficit, reduce debt, and shrivel the size of government to 20 percent of the economy. At the same time, Ryan’s blueprint calls for beefing up national security and the defense budget.

Ryan also has called for repeal of the signature piece of Democratic legislation, the president’s Affordable Care Act, along with a proposal to downscale Medicare for future generations.

Back in April, the House of Representatives passed Ryan’s budget plan by a vote of 235-195, with only four Republicans voting against it.

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 13

rental ban. “There were problems with some outside groups,” he explained, citing “inappropriate behavior” that included an event held by a gay softball team with some people “practically doing live sex acts on stage.”

In another instance, one outside group “trashed” the social hall, which, Poma said, “is precious to us here.”

The swirling controversy surrounding Most Holy Redeemer has

generated angry phone calls to the church. “So are you not going to let drag queens come to church either,” said Poma, referring to one caller’s message.

“We’ve always had drag queens, transsexuals, transgender people, and gay couples holding hands” in church, Poma explained, and that will continue.

“There is no moratorium on drag queens. The church is predominate-

ly gay,” he said, with many gays serving in ministry.

Most Holy Redeemer’s policy clarification comes in the wake of heightened mainstream media coverage as local print and broadcast media, even some national outlets, have given play to the story.

Unfortunately, the controversy is “dividing the community,” said Poma, referring to the conservative California Catholic Daily blog, which, he

said, “is having a field day over this.”

“They are laughing down there.

They are saying, ‘we won. Go Cordileone,’” Poma said, referring to new San Francisco Archbishop-designate Salvatore Cordileone, who will be installed in October.

But for now, Poma said, “I don’t see the policy ending anytime soon.

Again, it was on our radar even before [Castro Country Club] approached us.”▼

the city or the police department take pedestrian injuries seriously.”

He added that the number of pedestrian deaths and injuries will only go up in the coming years and San Francisco “has no plan to reduce it.”

“There needs to be some attention focused here, some study, and some metrics developed and some data collected to find out what is going on here,” Rizzo said. “I don’t think anyone has the answer to it. But we won’t have the answer to it until we start looking for the answer.”

London Breed is considered a strong candidate in the race, and was mentioned as a possible pick for the District 5 seat that ultimately went to Olague. She grew up in the Western Addition and received a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. Some high profile endorsements – from state Attorney General Kamala Harris and state Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) – have helped Breed raise more campaign

funds then any other candidate so far.

When asked what could be done about vacant properties in District 5, Breed, a former member of the Redevelopment Commission and currently executive director of the African American Arts and Culture Complex, said she had the experience needed to eliminate what she called “sad sources of blight” like the empty Harding Theater on Divisadero, or the old Muni substation at Turk and Fillmore.

“It takes someone who will bring members of the community together with property owners to come up with real solutions that make sense for the people most impacted by areas of blight,” Breed said.

A big part of Breed’s campaign is working to ensure the different communities in San Francisco can represent themselves. On her website, she writes, “As supervisor, I would nominate members of the LGBT community to sit on commissions, ensuring LGBT folks have a voice and are given

fair opportunity to represent their community.”

Candidate Julian Davis got his start in local politics from now-state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) working for him when he served in the Assembly. Davis served six years on the San Francisco Housing Development Corporation. His platform of keeping San Francisco “real” by supporting local businesses, keeping housing affordable, and adding more bikes than cars to the streets, resonated with at least one city resident at the debate.

Danielle Erville, a visual artist, said that Davis appealed to her because he “represents people over profits.”

“You want to preserve the businesses that give a district its flavor,” she said.

Davis is all about preserving the flavor of San Francisco.

“This should always be a city where every day people have a chance to survive and thrive here,” he said.

But because of what he called,

“rogue development interests that are controlling the agenda in City Hall,” a vision for the future is being created for San Francisco that includes “the ultra-rich,” not the people who were at the debate.

How does City Hall get away with it? Davis asked.

“By choosing your leaders for you.

Over the past two years we have seen an appointed mayor, an appointed district attorney, an appointed sheriff, and an appointed District 5 supervisor,” he said.

That’s not participatory government, Davis said.

Davis’s mild dig at Olague there was the closest it came to what Erville called a “good old fashioned debate” that night.

In the end, the D5 Democratic Club did a ranked choice endorsement of Breed, Davis, and Olague.

Other candidates at the debate included Thea Selby, Andrew Resignato, Daniel Everett, and Hope Johnson.▼

Sharp contrast

and against a fully-inclusive hate crimes bill – both of which were signed into law by President Obama.

As a so-called deficit hawk, Congressman Ryan has been in lockstep with Speaker [John] Boehner’s legal defense of DOMA, which continues to burn through hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars,” Hammill explained, referring to House Republicans’ hiring of attorneys to defend the Defense of Marriage Act after the Justice Department said it would no longer defend the anti-gay law.

Based on her Capitol Hill experience, Representative Niki Tsongas (D-Massachusetts) offered her assessment.

“Congressman Ryan and I served on the House Budget Committee together and I got a firsthand view of his very extreme views,” she said in e-mail correspondence.

“For example, Congressman Ryan voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which helps women fight for equal pay for equal work.

He voted against repealing the discriminatory policy of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and supports writing discrimination into the Constitution by amending it to ban gay marriage,” Tsongas explained.

“While Massachusetts and a handful of states have led the way on LGBT rights, our nation is still a long way from achieving equality under the law for all Americans,” Tsongas added. “His views opposing same-sex rights, along with his budget that would undermine important domestic programs, would steer this country away from the values of tolerance and equality that I have long championed, and that are so important to our future success.”

Just how bad – or hostile – is Paul Ryan to LGBT issues and gay rights?

As one measure, the Human Rights Campaign has consistently given him very low ratings on its congressional scorecards, with four zeroes and one rating of 10 out of 100, that for his 2007 support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which some termed “half-hearted.”

HRC’s scorecards come out at the end of a two-year session. Consequently, there is yet no rating available for 2011-2012.

Ryan voted twice (in 2004 and 2006) for a federal marriage amendment that would have defined mar-

riage as the union of a man and woman.

While Ryan’s voting record is one thing, Romney’s vice presidential running mate seemingly downplays his anti-gay track record by shying away even from discussing LGBT issues.

Last February, during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Ryan dodged moderator David Gregory’s pressing him about gay marriage.

“Congressman Ryan,” asked Gregory, “Do you think this is an issue that’s legitimate for the presidential campaign? Do we have to come to a point where the country reconciles different views about this and we have a consistent way of looking at same-sex marriage?”

“Actually, I came on to talk about the debt crisis we have and the budget and I think that’s really the driving issue of this, this election,” Ryan replied.

“Mm-hmm,” said Gregory.

Ryan went on to say, “I don’t know why we’re spending all this time talking about [same-sex marriage].”

As longtime Massachusetts gay rights activist Don Gorton of Join the Impact observed over the telephone, “Ryan is a sort of new style Republican who grew up with homophobia and gay issues by not talking about them. He would try to bury us in silence.”

“That’s a great comment,” said Mario Guerrero, president of Stonewall Democrats of Greater Sacramento, an LGBT partisan group, affiliated with National Stonewall Democrats, when told of Gorton’s remarks.

Still, Ryan can try “to smother us in with silence when it comes to the media, but the ‘smothering silence’ is not the case with his voting record,” Guerrero added over the phone.

“I don’t know how anyone can make the case for LGBT voters” to back Romney-Ryan, said Guerrero.

“If you are not in the 1 percent,” said Gorton, “it’s a hard argument to make. Romney-Ryan would ben-

efit millionaires.”

Log Cabin Republicans, nonetheless, persevere. In an August 13 Daily Caller column, entitled “How Romney-Ryan Can Reach Gay Voters,” Cooper argued that Romney “should take a page from his running mate’s playbook and support stronger workplace non-discrimination laws.”

Cooper went on to chastise Obama for not signing an executive order that would have barred federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT people.

“By vowing to sign an executive order preventing federal contractors from firing people for being LGBT, and joining Paul Ryan in support for ENDA, Romney can draw a favorable contrast between himself and the president.”

But Doug Case, president of San Diego Democrats for Equality, an affiliate of National Stonewall Democrats, would have none of it.

“Once again the Log Cabin apologists are trying to spray perfume on a skunk,” said Case in an e-mail correspondence, referring to “Cooper’s groveling commentary” that “touts Congressman Ryan’s one and only pro-LGBT vote [some] years ago.”

“The Log Cabin Republicans seem to have lost touch with reality,” Case added. “They certainly have lost any sense of credibility. Romney’s poor choice has made it clearer than ever that LGBT Americans must mobilize to re-elect President Obama.”

Case also took Ryan to task over his blueprint for renewal. “Ryan’s economic plan is a type of reverseRobin Hood, embracing the failed Republican ‘trickle-down’ policies of the past,” said Case. “He wants to create tax breaks for millionaires and pay for it by cutting Head Start, reducing Pell Grants for college students, turning Medicare into a voucher system, and privatizing Social Security.”

For his part, Jerame Davis, executive director of National Stonewall Democrats, called Cooper’s opinion piece “contemptible.”▼

For LGBT voters with full equality on their minds, moreover, the difference between pro-gay ObamaBiden and anti-gay Romney-Ryan could not be any sharper or more starkly contrasting.

Still, Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud, two Republican partisan national organizations, voiced immediate support for the Republican ticket.

“The selection of Paul Ryan is a bold and inspired pick,” Jimmy LaSalvia, GOProud’s executive director, said in a statement. “Paul Ryan has been the architect of policies that would benefit all Americans, especially gay Americans.”

LaSalvia added, “Paul Ryan is one of the few political leaders anywhere in the country willing to tell the American people the truth about the unprecedented budget crisis we are facing, and – more importantly – willing to put forward bold plans to put this country back on the road to fiscal solvency.”

Even before Ryan’s selection GOProud had endorsed Romney’s candidacy.

Equally upbeat and supportive, Log Cabin Republicans gave its nod to Ryan.

“Congressman Paul Ryan is a strong choice for vice president, and his addition to the GOP ticket will help Republican candidates up and down the ballot,” said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin’s executive director.

“As chairman of the House Budget Committee and author of Republican ‘Path to Prosperity’ that provided the blueprint for serious spending cuts in this Congress, nobody is more qualified to articulate a conservative economic vision to restore the American economy and stimulate job creation,” Cooper added.

Repeated attempts seeking comments from local and state gay Republicans were unsuccessful.

But local, state, and national Democrats – gay and straight alike – had plenty on their minds.

“Congressman Paul Ryan’s record on LGBT issues is deeply troubling,” said Drew Hammill, press secretary to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).

“His record includes votes against the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

On the web

ebar.com

Online content this week includes the Political Notes column. www.ebar.com.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

14 • Bay Area Reporter • August 9-15, 2012

Classifieds

t

Legal Notices>>

The

Legal Notices>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF california, county of san francisco file CNC12-548839 In the matter of the application of: SEOW LONG CHIN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SEOW LONG CHIN is requesting that the name WAN QI CHIN be changed to WANQI KAY CHIN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept.

514 on the 20th of September 2012 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF california, county of san francisco file CNC12-548822 In the matter of the application of: TANYA B. BERNSTEIN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner TANYA B. BERNSTEIN is requesting that his/her name be changed to TANYA KAMINSKY BERNSTEIN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept.

514 on the 25th of September 2012 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

August 2, 9, 16, 23 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034493900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POMODORO PIZZA 240 KEARNY ST SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Sasan Shams. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/14/08. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/31/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034499600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STANDARD BUILDING COMPANY, 72 COUNTRY CLUB DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Daniel Bernard Griffin. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/02/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034496400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MY SISTER VIV, 1035 Pine St Apt 402 San Francisco, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Maria Roetgerman. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/01/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034495300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MY NAILS, 1204 Green st SF, CA 94109.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Thanh Ngoc Do. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/01/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034506100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUGOI SUSHI, 1058 Valencia St., SF, CA 94110.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Zhiliang Shen. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034496700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROBERT & CO, 3863A 26th street, SF, CA 94131.

This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Robert & Company LLC(CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/01/12.

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012

ebar.com

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034496000

notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SHELDON HOTEL, 629 Post st, SF, CA 94109.

This business is conducted by co-partners, and is signed Kamran Ardebilchi & Jahangir Ardebilchi.

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/17/83. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/01/12.

Dated 06/29/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: KATHERINE KHAMSI BEST. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 2165 UNION ST SF, CA 94123-4003. Type of license applied for

August 9, 16, 23, 30 2012 notice of application FOR CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OF alcoholic beverage LICENSE

41 – ON-SALE BEER AND WINEEATING PLACE AUGUST 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034524200

Dated 08/08/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: Thomas Yousing Gin. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1718 POLK ST, SF, CA 94109-3617. Type of license applied for

41 - On-sale BEER AND WINE EATING PLACE AUG 16, 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 07/16/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: GARFIELD BEACH CVS LLC, LONGS DRUG STORES CALIFORNIA LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1059 HYDE St., SF, CA 94109. Type of license applied for

20 - OFF-sale BEER AND WINE AUGUST 09, 16, 23 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 07/12/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: NELLY NICOLAS GHASSAN, GHASSAN JOSEPH GHASSAN. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1201 MINNESOTA ST SF, CA 941073407. Type of license applied for

20 - OFF-sale BEER AND WINE AUGUST 2, 9, 16, 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 08/13/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: LILIAN E PIMENTEL. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 4769 MISSION ST., SF, CA 94112-2729. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-sale BEER AND WINEEATING PLACE AUGUST 16, 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 07/26/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: TOUT SWEET PASTRY COMPANY, INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 170 OFARRELL ST SF, CA 94102-2208. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-sale BEER AND WINEEATING PLACE 58-CATERER’S PERMIT AUGUST 2, 9, 16, 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 07/26/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: GDL SFO, INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 165 JEFFERSON ST SF, CA 941331234. Type of license applied for

48 – ON-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC PREMISES AUGUST 2, 9, 16, 2012 notice of application TO SELL alcoholic beverageS Dated 07/26/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: DOUBLE TAP, LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 2208, Oakland, CA 94612 to sell alcoholic beverages at 2243 & 2247 MARKET ST SF, CA 94114. Type of license applied for

47 – ON-SALE GENERAL EATING PLACE AUGUST 2, 9, 16, 2012

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WESTERN PLYWOOD, 2600 HARRISON St. SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed The Woodbank Inc. CA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/14/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, sept 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034522000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: R and A GROCERY, 5172 3RD St., SF, CA 94124.

This business is conducted by a husband and wife, and is signed Raja Z. Ahmed and Ayesha Zaheer. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/13/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPt 06, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034518800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CREATE CHANGE, 257 OAK St., SF, CA 94102.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Linda Joy Wells. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30 SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034519900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ACUPUNCTURE & INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PROGRAMS INC, 2833 WASHINGTON, SF, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Acupuncture & Integrative Health Programs Inc. CA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/08/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034514900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RENTOBO, 1293 Green St., SF, CA 94109.

This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Sibylus Inc (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/08/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034507500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE BURR-EATERY, 1335 Guerrero St., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a husband and wife, and is signed Aaron Levi Bullington and Isla Patricia Ruffua. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034512400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALEGRIA LIMO SERVICE, 318 25th Ave. #4, SF, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Ludmylla Bastos Curado. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/08/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/08/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30 SePT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034517200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MADDERLAKE STUDIOS, 2233 Divisadero St. #404, SF, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Mary A. Hayne.

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/10/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034520100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SCORES ON BROADWAY, 1516 Broadway, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Red Stick Enterprises, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034514400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, 124 Jersey St., SF, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed William Korthof. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/08/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034494500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STANZA COFFEE, 1673 Haight St., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Michael Musleh and Issam Abu Ali. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/31/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/31/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034516200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TERRY’S TAVERN, 1368 Irving St., SF, CA 94122.

This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed 4 of a Kind Inc.(CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/09/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034511400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CELESTIAL NEW AGE STORE, 2205 Pine St. SF, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Virginia Johnson. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/07/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034505600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WILDLINE!, 300 Brannan St. #601, SF, CA 94107 This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Click Group Inc.(Delaware). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/2012. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034514000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ESSENCE CO., 15 Delta St. SF, CA 94134.

This business is conducted by a husband and wife, and is signed Biu Wing and Mindy Au. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/21/2011. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/08/12.

Aug 16, 23, 30, SEPT 6, 2012 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF california, county of san francisco file CNC12-548814 In the matter of the application of: NAM VAN NGUYEN & THANH THI NGUYEN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner NAM VAN NGUYEN & THANH THI NGUYEN are requesting that the name NAM VAN NGUYEN be changed to NAM VAN PHAM and the name CALVIN DUY NGUYEN be changed to CALVIN DUY PHAM. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 514 on the 13th of September 2012 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JULY 26, Aug 2, 9, 16, 2012 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF california, county of san francisco file CNC12-548816 In the matter of the application of: BENSON DUY NGUYEN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner BENSON DUY NGUYEN is requesting that his/her name be changed to BENSON DUY PHAM. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 514 on the 13th of September 2012 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JULY 26, Aug 2, 9, 16, 2012

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF california, county of san francisco file CNC12-548815 In the matter of the application of: QUANG DUY NGUYEN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner QUANG DUY NGUYEN is requesting that his/her name be changed to QUANG DUY PHAM. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 514 on the 13th of September 2012 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JULY 26, Aug 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034464800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CHANCELLOR GIFT SHOP, 433 Powell St., SF, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Michael Song. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/17/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034456000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 1111 PINE ST ASSOCIATES, 1111 Pine St., SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Kinta Haller. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/12/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034456200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 1240 7TH AVE ASSOCIATES, 1240 7th Ave., SF, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Kinta Haller. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/12/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034456400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 2340 VALLEJO ST ASSOCIATES, 2340 Vallejo St., SF, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a husband and wife, and is signed Peter Rice & Megan Rice. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/12/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034440800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE TREE PRODUCTIONS, 1455 Haight St., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed The Tree Productions LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/02/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/02/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034472100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JOSE’S 90TH, 135 Red Rock Way Bldg L #303, SF, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Gerald P. Coletti. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/23/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/23/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034469300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STUNMO, 2180 Bryant St. #106, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Stunner of the Month LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/08/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/20/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034465700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MOZZO, 3288 21st St. #239, SF, CA 94110.

This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed The Folsom Gang, Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/29/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/12.

JULY 26, AUG 2, 9, 16, 2012 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME statement file A-034477000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HI TOPS, 2247 MARKET ST, SF, CA 94114.

This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Double Tap LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/24/12.

AUGust 2, 9, 16, 23 2012

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This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed E.D.M Hospitality, Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/26/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/26/12.

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Vol. 42 • No. 33 • August 16-22, 2012

www.ebar.com/arts

Global focus on LGBT lives ‘Rights of Passage’ opens NCTC’s Pride season

by Richard Dodds

W

here’s the best place on Earth to be gay or lesbian or bi or trans? San Francisco would likely do well in a poll, or the United States if we are talking about entire nations. But as the creators of Rights of Passage traveled around the world researching their new play, they found that Americans are prone to myopia when there’s a rainbow in their line of sight.

“When we first started this project five years ago, we had this weird notion that all gay people want the Western version of being gay,” said Ed Decker, who co-authored Rights of Passage with husband Robert Leone. “What we realized in talking to all these people from different cultures is that they basically just want to be who they are within their own cultural heritage.”

That is the case with the character Wayan, a young Hindu man living in Bali who wants to find a way for his family, community, and religion to accept him as he is. Decker and Leone have focused their global story on Wayan, and the repercussions of his actions are echoed in scenes in which LGBT issues arise in other cultures. “Because these characters are composites of people in so many different circumstances, they have pretty potent souls and emotional lives,” Decker said. “It’s been a lot to compress into two hours.”

Rights of Passage launches a new season this week at New Conservatory Theatre Center, where Decker is founding artistic director. Although this is the 18th Pride season he has helmed, this is his first major go at playwriting, as it is for partner Leone, who works for the Public Health Institute in Oakland. Bali became the centerpiece locale for the play because of their love of the island that they have frequently visited both before and after the idea for the story came into focus.

“It’s visually a stunning place,” Leone said, “and the people are quite beautiful, with the Hindu religion integrated into their everyday lives. They are very welcoming, and open to talking about their culture, though they’re not necessarily interested in having you stay for a long time.”

As is often the case with the world’s religions, Hindu scripture sends mixed messages in reference to sexuality. “It’s safe to say that their sense of their culture is based on the male, female, and progeny model,” Decker said.

“But at the same time their mythology includes deities that are both male and female, and there are stories that point to those who understand their dual gender as the sacred among us.”

Jomar Tagatac plays a young gay man in Bali seeking a way to incorporate his sexuality into an unwelcoming culture in Rights of Passage, having its world premiere at New Conservatory Theatre Center.

See page 29 >>

Lois Tema

Trans-Atlantic culture clash Julie Delpy’s ‘2 Days in New York’ follows her ‘2 Days in Paris’

by David Lamble

W Julie Delpy, Chris Rock and Albert Delpy in 2 Days in New York.

hat is it that bugs me about the new satire 2 Days in New York, French provocateur Julie Delpy’s follow-up to her sensationally funny 2007 chapter on the Franco-American culture wars, 2 Days in Paris? Is it the absence of Daniel Bruhl’s seductive “anti-globalization fairy?” Is it the miscasting of Delpy’s latest put-upon boyfriend, the emotionally

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

{ SECOND OF TWO SECTIONS }

stolid Chris Rock replacing the earlier film’s hilariously grouchy Adam Goldberg? Or is it my growing irritation with yet another dialogue-driven comedy hobbled by tiny, almost unreadable subtitles?

“Who’s my little sweet koala bear?”

“Is that what I have to say to get laid?”

See page 29 >>

<< Out There

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Saucy remarks are our specialty

by Roberto Friedman

T

his week’s column is brought to you by a hot little bottle of Sriracha sauce, also known to hot-saucelovers as “rooster sauce” after the handsome cock-of-the-roost pictured on the bottle.

This comely condiment was photographed by Steven Underhill at the recent Mister and Miss GAPA pageant in San Francisco. Great blues singer Nina Simone may have famously sang, “I want a little sugar in my bowl,” but Out There is more likely to want a little hot sauce on our noodles.

Condiments and comestibles have been on our mind ever since we attended the launch party for restaurateur Peter Osborne’s remodel of the Mission Rock Resort & Oyster Bar, out in Mission Bay. We don’t know if you were ever a habitué of the old Kelly’s Mission Rock, but it was an oldfashioned dive in the best sense of that term, characterized by some grungy old picnic tables out on the deck with

a fabulous view of the freight channel on the Bay. You’d order fish-and-chips and pitchers of Bloody Marys or Rolling Rock, and while away an afternoon with a nice buzz on.

Well, goodbye to all that. Now “The Rock” has seating for 300 on the outdoor deck, two indoor dining rooms, an oyster bar and other bars. An investor who chatted up Out There pointed to the vintage wood used for one of the bars, which was repurposed from the bleachers of the old Cal stadium.

You could see the seat numbers carved into the wood. Even though OT is a Stanford man, we were duly impressed.

We were also impressed with the oysters, prawns and crabcakes coming out of the kitchen, and the libations coming from the open bars. We sat at a table on the deck and caught up with our dear friend J.J., as a friendly waitron spared us trips to the bar by bringing us rounds, and we watched the dancing waters of the sunlit Bay. Good times.

The very next night we were invited by another dear friend, J.C., to attend a reception for Bay Area-based alumni of his alma mater, Bowdoin College, held in the regal glory of the City Hall Rotunda. The reason the Bowdoin Club had access to such a spectacular venue is that, lo and behold, none other than San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is also a Bowdoin alum, class of 1974. So at the reception we heard Lee expound upon his collegiate years in Brunswick, Maine, and he seemed relaxed and happy to be in a friendly crowd of fellow “Polar Bears.” When it came time for the Q&A, the first question shouted out was, “When will you announce that you’re running for governor?” The mayor squelched any such speculation, insisting that he was a reluctant politician.

We also learned that the mayor, whose diminutive stature and downhome folksiness put us in mind of iconic New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, had been captain of the tennis team at Bowdoin, who knew?, and that when he went there, it was still an all-male student body. We’d say Lee has many fascinating layers.

Vulpine behavior Last week we enjoyed reading The Bay of Foxes, a new novel by author Sheila Kohler published by Penguin Books. The story, centering on the relationship between the young, handsome Ethiopian refugee Dawit and the famous French author M. (loosely based on Marguerite Duras) that begins in 1970s Paris, is blurbed on the cover as “Patricia Highsmith meets Nadine Gordimer,” and described as “an indelibly written hommage to the art of Miss Highsmith,” and that’s what drew us in, as we are big Highsmith fans. The comparison is made explicit in the novel, when Dawit’s tennis buddy Enrico leaves behind “an Italian translation of a book by Patricia Highsmith.” But in the book’s appended “reader’s guide,” Kohler claims that she didn’t intend for Dawit’s path to echo that of PH’s Tom Ripley, “not at the start, though I’m an admirer of her work, but once I realized there were echoes I wanted to acknowledge that. The problem of identity has always been one that has interested me. I remember as a teenager thinking, ‘Who shall I be? Melanie or Scarlett O’Hara?’”

Assumed identity, posh settings like Sardinia and Rome, and the suspense of an undetected crime – we see why the comparisons to the Ripley

Steven Underhill

This little bottle of Sriracha hot sauce wants to spice up your life.

New York Daily News

NYC Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, from the New York Daily News archives.

novels are apt, but Highsmith wrote genre fiction, while Kohler aspires to literary fiction. Highsmith would never have written a line like, “He looks out at the scintillant sea in the moonlight.” But we liked this thriller, and there’s even a gay angle that we respect enough not to give away.

Not-so-plain Jane This week’s issue includes coverage of the classic film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, playing a double feature at the Castro Theatre on Friday night.

In the film, Jane, on the telephone, twice pretends to be Blanche. During shooting, however, Bette Davis was unable to mimic Joan Crawford’s voice. Crawford was delighted to dub her, confirming her own inimitable way of speaking.

Time magazine ran an article on the historic teaming of Crawford and Davis in Baby Jane. Among other things, it said they were the same age – both born in 1908. Crawford was actually born in 1906. After the story ran, Davis called the reporter and said, “She’s years older than I am. She was in silents, you know,” making Crawford seem positively antediluvian.

Room for a squib: The Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus [OEBGMC] presents its summer pops

concert and gala Red, Hot and Fabulous on Sat., Aug. 25, at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension, 4700 Lincoln Ave. in Oakland.

We’re promised performances of upbeat music including favorites like “Too Darn Hot.” In addition to OnQ, the chorus’ outreach ensemble, there will be a mix of solos, duets and ensembles. The show also features the premiere of two new arrangements for men’s chorus by Dr. Kathleen McGuire, who has arranged “If People Like Me Marry” by Paul James Frantz and “Potluck” by June Bonacich. Tickets ($40+) can be purchased at (800) 706-2389 or www.oebgmc.org.

Clarification: Last week Out There reported that the new musical Kinky Boots is Cyndi Lauper’s theatrical debut. We should have made clear that we meant her debut as a songwriter. As an actress/singer, she portrayed Jenny Diver in an unsuccessful Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera (with Alan Cumming and Jim Dale) in 2006.

RIP Thurber Prize- and Lambda Literary Award-winning gay humorist David Rakoff. We met and interviewed Rakoff, so we know he was a true prince and will be greatly missed, by us and the world.▼

▼

Film >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 19

The original mean girls

‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’ & ‘The Women’ at the Castro

by Tavo Amador

B

ecause there aren’t any modern cinematic equivalents, it’s difficult to imagine the intense media buzz created by the teaming of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

(1962). Think pairing Madonna and Lady Gaga in a lesbian version of A Star Is Born. Baby Jane and George Cukor’s The Women (1930) play the Castro Theatre on Fri., Aug. 17.

Davis and Crawford, as themselves, had appeared in Hollywood Canteen (1944), but had no scenes together. When Jane was announced, Crawford had been off the screen for three years, her longest absence in a career that began in 1925. Davis was unhappily on Broadway in Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana (1961), but her role was secondary to top-billed Margaret Leighton’s, who won a Tony for her performance. Crawford found the novel, gave it to Davis suggesting they co-star, then sent copies to Robert Aldrich and Alfred Hitchcock. Aldrich agreed to direct.

The budget was small. Warner Bros., where in 1945 Crawford had dethroned Davis as Queen of the Lot, agreed to distribute it.

Blanche Hudson (Crawford), a Hollywood star of the 1930s, has for years been wheelchair-bound following an automobile accident.

She lives in a gloomy mansion with her younger sister, Jane (Davis), a slovenly, alcoholic ex-child star planning a comeback. Blanche has her own plans for the unstable Jane, but has been reluctant to implement them. Their simmering rivalry boils over when a local television station runs some of Blanche’s old movies, triggering fresh fan mail and the gushing admiration of a neighbor. Furious, Jane dismisses her sister’s movies as “Crap!” Aware of Blanche’s intentions, Jane begins harassing her. As the torments increase, the ever more isolated Blanche takes action, with unforeseen consequences.

In the title role, top-billed Davis earned her 10th Best Actress Oscar nomination. She found the pathos in someone once used to the spotlight, only to have the bulb permanently burn out, driving her mad.

It’s a ferocious performance, enhanced by ghastly make-up and unflattering clothes. Crawford, whose work was ignored by the Academy, has her moments, especially when lifting herself down the stairs to get to the telephone, and in her final scenes. But often her Blanche is so understanding of Jane that she seems idiotic. With Victor Buono as Edwin Flagg, Jane’s possible pianist/ accompanist, Madie Norman as Elvira, the housekeeper who recognizes Jane’s lunacy long before Blanche does, and B.D. Merrill, Davis’ reallife daughter, atrocious as the girl next door.

Aldrich’s direction is suspenseful.

Lukas Heller wrote the darkly comic screenplay, based on Henry Farrell’s novel. Ernest Haller was the cinematographer. Norma Koch designed the Oscar-winning costumes.

Although Davis gloated over getting most of the acclaim, Crawford had the last laugh. When the Best Actress Oscar was presented, she accepted it for absentee winner Anne Bancroft. Crawford’s beaming picture was on newspaper front pages around the world. By taking a smaller fee up-front and a bigger percentage of the (potential) profits than Davis, she also earned more money – the film made a fortune.

And, as she regularly reminded writers, Blanche was a much bigger star than Jane. Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave starred in the unexciting 1991 remake.

Twenty-three years earlier, Crawford, needing a hit, played her first bitch in The Women (1939). Clare Boothe’s successful Broadway comedy about the mores of New York society ladies was given the deluxe MGM treatment. Norma Shearer, officially the studio’s top actress, got first billing as Mary Haines. A gossipy manicurist inadvertently tells Mary that her husband Stephen is having an affair with perfume sales clerk Crystal Allen (Crawford).

Devastated, Mary asks her not to repeat the story, but it’s too late. She had already revealed the news to Mary’s vicious cousin, Sylvia Fowler (Rosalind Russell), who immediately told their mutual friend, Edith Potter (Phyllis Povah).

In a memorable scene, Mary confronts Crystal while the latter tries on outfits in a stylish clothing store’s dressing room. She tells her Stephen won’t like what she’s wearing.

“Thanks,” cracks Crystal, “but when Stephen doesn’t like what I have on, I take it off.” Mary goes to Reno for a divorce. Others seeking marital dissolutions include the Countess de Lave (the glorious Mary Boland) and Miriam Aarons (the appealing Paulette Goddard). Mary’s young

friend Peggy Day (Joan Fontaine), only recently wed, arrives in Reno as well, reluctantly intending to end her marriage. Unexpectedly, they’re joined by Sylvia, whose husband Howard has been unfaithful. When she learns that Miriam is the other woman, the two engage in a hairpulling fight.

Cukor gets terrific performances from Crawford, Russell, Boland, Goddard, Povah, and the exquisite, pre-Rebecca Fontaine. Shearer weeps and suffers. She’s so noble in her final scene that audiences may want to slap her. With Marjorie Main, Hedda Hopper, Virginia Grey, Lucille Watson, and Virginia Weidler. The opening credits are very funny. Anita Loos and Jane Murfin wrote the vitriolic screenplay. Adrian designed the often hideously campy costumes. Perhaps he wanted to show how awful many of these women, especially Sylvia, were.

Shearer graciously waived her contract provision that she be the only actress billed above the title for Crawford, who repaid the favor by upstaging her throughout the picture. With only a few scenes to film and knowing she couldn’t

Courtesy Photofest

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis star in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

be replaced, Russell feigned illness.

Recovery was contingent upon getting above-the-title billing. She got it, but in smaller letters than Shearer and Crawford. The studio advertised the exclusively female movie as being “all about men.” It was a smash. A disappointing 1955 re-

make, The Opposite Sex, with June Allyson, Joan Collins, Ann Miller, Ann Sheridan, Dolores Gray, Agnes Moorehead and Joan Blondell, included men. A 2008 version, with Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, and Annette Bening, wonderful as Sylvia, did poorly.▼

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Theatre >>

Peanuts gallery: the play

by Richard Dodds

S

omeone, somewhere, must think Peanuts is the work of the devil, but not even the brimstone Baptist of Topeka, Kansas, has been heard to blame the late Charles Schulz for tornadoes, terrorists, or a drizzle of toads. Schulz’s forever-young characters and the variations on everyday travails have been gently received since 1950, and to project the Peanuts gang into their teen years and harsh contemporary realities has the unsettling flavors of a comfort food retooled. Or perhaps a security blanket incinerated.

In Bert V. Royal’s Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, now at Boxcar Theatre, that’s what happens to Linus’ blanket when his buddies decide that the nasty, liceinfested swath of wool must go.

But Linus (a hippie-dippy Lucas Brandt) makes the best of it by mixing the ashes in with some pot and smoking it. “Now my blanket and I are like one forever,” he tells Charlie Brown. “We all handle grief in different ways.”

That’s a dig at Charlie Brown, called C.B. in Dog Sees God. (All

names have been altered, but we’re sticking with the originals here.)

He’s been moping around more than usual after his dog – unnamed, but definitely Snoopy – has been put to sleep after contracting rabies and killing “a little yellow bird that had always been around.” Charlie, wonderfully played in sad-sack fashion

by Andrew Humann, has been earnestly recounting the dog’s demise as part of a letter to an unresponsive pen pal, but the reference to the bird we know as Woodstock draws a laugh both of recognition and at its morbid incongruity.

And so it goes with Dog Sees God, as Peanuts connections are humorously invoked in a social setting in which kiddie angst has grown up with consequences far beyond a dropped fly ball. The busy and adventurous Boxcar Theatre is presenting the SF premiere of Royal’s bittersweet play that has had numerous stagings since its New York debut in 2004. This is good work on view at Boxcar, sharply directed by Nick A. Olivero, and played by a cast with a passion that finds a way to straddle the worlds of a comic-strip genesis and quasi-realistic drama.

Stripped of the Peanuts lineage and the associations we bring to it, Dog Sees God might seem at times like dramas that tour to high schools encouraging tolerance and understanding. For example, the piano-playing Schroeder (a brooding Bobby Conte Thornton) has been living his high school years in terror after being targeted as the class fag-

got. Pig-Pen (a frighteningly intense Cody Young) is the biggest bully and spews homophobic invective at anyone who shows the slightest kindness to Schroeder. When the mostly milquetoast Charlie Brown spontaneously, and publicly, engages a bewildered Schroeder in a lip lock, ramifications are swift and severe.

But while Dog Sees God finds its way into some dark territories, there is usually a skewed whimsy close at hand. Peppermint Patty (Kailey Hewitt) and her minion Marcie (Michelle Ang) turn their little cartons of cafeteria milk into singleserve White Russians, and then rag on fat chicks. Lucy (Teresa Attridge) is still running her nickel-a-session psychiatric practice, but now from a prison cell. And Charlie Brown’s younger sister Sally (Mimi Folco) has become a Wiccan gangsta and interpretive dancer.

In his opening recitation of the letter he is writing to his pen pal, Charlie Brown says, “When my dog died, that was when the rain cloud came back and everything went to hell.” His personal rain cloud pours real drops at the end as he finally gets an answer from his pen pal. The letter becomes a soggy mess, but its contents might well tug a tear or two from those who at some point found in Peanuts one of their comfort foods.▼ Peter Liu

Andrew Humann, as a teenage Charlie Brown, holds a funeral for Snoopy that none of his friends attend, in Dog Sees God at Boxcar Theatre.

Dog Sees God will run at Boxcar Theatre through Aug. 25. Tickets are $16. Call 967-2227 or go to www.boxcartheatre.org.

Music >>

Ideal Lohengrin

by Tim Pfaff

bartabsf.com

W

hy recordings come and go is one of the imponderables, but two that went have come back at an auspicious time for SF opera (and SF Opera) lovers. The 1990 Vienna Lohengrin, conducted by Claudio Abbado, is back on a pair of ArtHaus DVDs that seem to me an ideal set to prepare for October’s Lohengrin at the War Memorial.

And something looking conspicuously like a Teatro alla Scala house label has brought out the rarely encountered June 19, 1956 Maria Callas La Traviata in a deluxe edition Callas fanciers won’t want to be without.

The vagaries of the international mails prevent me from reporting on the new Lohengrin DVD set from Bayreuth (Opus Arte), but it’s the already infamous Hans Neuenfels production where the mice literally get out of the lab, and it was taped after the production’s premiere, when at least Jonas Kaufmann in the title role and conductor Andris Nelsons, both in their Bayreuth debuts, made it worth suffering through. This Vienna production, by Wolfgang Weber with designs by Rudolf and Reinhard Heinrich, dates from the long-ago time when Vienna productions were by reputation conservative. But the degree to which it takes Wagner literally – no fuss about the Swan, just lights and a big prop – make it an ideal way for Lohengrin newcomers to get the work under their belts. There’s plenty enough to plow through just with what Wagner provided.

More clarifications are in order here. This live Lohengrin dates from 1990, four years earlier than the audio-only DG

concert performance, and with one very important cast difference. In place of a slightly overt the-hill Siegfried Jerusalem in the t role, you get Placido Domingo title i stupendous voice (it was the in y of the original Three Tenors year c concert).

This is arguably the best r record, in all senses of the word, we h of Domingo in a Wagner role, have s sung a remarkable 22 years after his d debut in it, which tells both in the d depth of his characterization and t musicality of his singing. the You wait what seems forever f him to come on in Act II – for w where has he gone? was Act I just a dream? – but when he does, h white hot. Domingo has kept he’s m many of us so busy keeping up w with his current repertoire, and v vocal estate, that it’s become easy to forget what a magnificent singe he was at his peak. His “Heil dir, er E Elsa,” at the peak of the Act II ense semble, gave me a kind of gooseflesh I forgot there was to have.

Cheryl Studer, as Elsa, is far bette than in the later recording, ter n only managing her own denot m manding role but contributing m mightily to keeping Act II on the ra vocally onstage. The Orrails tr trud, Dunja Vejzovic, is all over t vocal map at the beginning the o the act, and you watch and of li listen in wonder as Studer reels h in, in a weird contradiction her o what’s happening in the story, of o the course of their long duet. over There are strong performances f from Hartmut Welker as Telram mund and Robert Lloyd as King H Heinrich, but this tight-ensemb Lohengrin is not dependent ble o on any particular singer but dep pendent on all of them, down tto the final chorister (and a sstriking new Duke of Brabant, a non-singing role, you won’t want to miss). It’s the chorus See page 21 >>

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Books >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 21

One giant talent

by Tavo Amador

T

he contribution people outside the mainstream have made to American culture is staggering. In music, African-American jazz is one example. Another is the disproportionate Jewish impact on Broadway musicals through the 1960s. They wrote the songs people listened to, danced to, and sang. Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rodgers, Dorothy Fields, and Harold Arlen were all Jews who thrived in an era of virulent anti-Semitism.

Cole Porter was from a wealthy Midwestern Protestant family, but he was homosexual, which gave him another outsider’s perspective.

Lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895-1943) was Jewish and homosexual, making him a double outsider. In A Ship Without a Sail: The Life of Lorenz Hart (Simon & Shuster, $30), Gary Marmorstein provides a detailed look at this sunny yet tortured man.

Born into an upper-middleclass Manhattan family, Larry was the oldest of two boys. His brother Teddy became a successful character actor. Both were exceptionally short.

At four feet, 10 inches tall, with an exceedingly large head, Larry was sometimes mistaken for a dwarf.

Privately educated, very bright, he enrolled at Columbia, without graduating. Writing lyrics for musical theatre was his passion. Meeting composer and fellow Manhattanite Rodgers (1902-79) in 1919 proved mutually beneficial. They wrote hundreds of songs and 28 stage musicals. Their first success was The Garrick Gaieties (1925), a revue for which they created “Manhattan” and “Mountain Greenery.”

Even young, Larry drank heavily.

He was undisciplined, but the methodical Rodgers would get him to concentrate. He wrote quickly, often scrawling lyrics on bits of paper.

Among their best-remembered shows are A Connecticut Yankee (1927) (based on Mark Twain’s novel); Jumbo (1935); On Your Toes (1936), choreographed by George Balanchine; Babes in Arms (1937); I’d Rather Be Right (1937), starring George M. Cohan; The Boys from Syracuse (1938), the first successful musical based on Shakespeare (The Comedy of Errors); Too Many Girls (1939), which featured the young Desi Arnaz; and Pal Joey (1940), from which Gene Kelly emerged a star. They wrote the score for Rouben Mamoulian’s still highly regarded film, Love Me Tonight (1932), with Maurice Chevalier and Jeannette MacDonald. Less memorable was their contribution to the Joan Crawford musical Dancing Lady (1933).

Marmorstein chronicles each show with painstaking, often excessive detail. Referring to them as “the boys” sounds patronizing. But he recaptures their era well. Fanny Brice, Bea Lillie, Ray Bolger, Billy Rose, John O’Hara, Jimmy Durante, among others, appear. He does a good job describing the increasing difficulty Rodgers faced managing Hart’s behavior as his alcoholism became chronic, ultimately killing him at age 47.

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Lohengrin

From page 20

that hands in the first knock-out performance, and its contributions throughout are sterling.

This incandescent Lohengrin only adds to the mystery of why Abbado has largely kept Wagner out of his personal repertoire since. His predilection for broader tempos was yet to come, and while it never feels rushed, this Lohengrin has a high level of internal combustion. Never losing a keen feeling for the drama, Abbado

Hart would often spend days and nights at the public baths, where presumably he had sex with men.

He never came out, but Rodgers, Teddy Hart, and others knew of his sexual orientation. Larry befriended openly gay Milton “Doc” Bender, a dentist turned producer, of whom few of his friends approved. According to Marmorstein, on at least one occasion, Rodgers angrily, protectively, denied Hart’s homosexuality.

He wept openly at his colleague’s funeral. Yet, after completing the lyrics and music for No Strings (1962), he told star Diahann Carroll how wonderful it was not to have had “to search the globe for that little fag.”

Rodgers recommended his financial advisor William Kron to the free-spending Hart. Kron convinced Hart to change his will late in life.

Teddy Hart and his wife were left $100,000, a substantial amount of money, but only received royalties from the songs during their lifetime – their children would earn nothing. Rodgers gained control of the copyrights.

Despite poor health, Hart contributed a new song, the show-stopping “To Keep My Love Alive,” for the hit 1943 revival of A Connecticut Yankee, but Rodgers couldn’t interest him in the musical that became Oklahoma (1943). He thus turned to Oscar Hammerstein.

While Marmorstein excels in describing Hart’s lyrics, he fails to show how his being gay and considered physically undesirable influenced them. In the great “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” Hart wrote, “I’ll sing to him/ Each spring to him/ And worship the trousers that cling to him,” a line only a homosexual of that era would have penned. The poignant

“My Funny Valentine” reflects Hart’s own feelings of inadequacy. It’s almost certain that he suffered from internalized homophobia and anti-Semitism.

Unlike Rodgers, who strove to join high society, Hart was happiest in bars with show-biz types and other writers. He was compulsively generous to family, friends, and strangers.

Hart’s perspective was urban, urbane and topical. His lyrics are romantic, cynical, witty, sexy. Rodgers would find greater commercial success with Hammerstein, but Hart would never have been involved in treacly musicals like The Sound of Music (1959).

According to Marmorstein, the film of Too Many Girls (1940), which starred Lucille Ball and Arnaz (they fell in love while shooting) captures the spirit of the stage show better than any of their other movies. Ironically, in MGM’s lavish, fictionalized biography of the duo Words and Music (1948), gay actor Tom Drake plays Rodgers, while straight Mickey Rooney is Hart.

In the film, Hart’s drinking results from the unrequited love of a woman. The musical numbers however, dazzle. Ann Sothern superbly sings “Where’s That Rainbow?” June Allyson is terrific performing “Thou Swell.” Rooney and Judy Garland excel with “I Wish I Were in Love Again.” Lena Horne sizzles through “The Lady Is a Tramp,” and is heartbreaking rendering “Where or When.” Kelly and Vera-Ellen are dynamic dancing the famous “Slaughter on 10th Avenue” ballet.

The lavishly illustrated, thoroughly researched A Ship Without a Sail confirms that physically, Hart may have been short, but as an artist, he was a towering man.▼

draws a characteristically detailed performance that opens up this already magical score. Of the ones available now, it’s the Lohengrin DVD to have.

I always wanted to like the 1955 performance from La Scala the most of Maria Callas’ “recordings” of La Traviata, but the poor sound quality of even the best re-masterings of that live performance was always a problem. The sound isn’t that much better in the newly re-released live performance from opening night of the next season’s revival (save, perhaps, that you can hear some of the audience

members better), but the fact that she and conductor Carlo Maria Giulini have had another half-year to live with the music, each other musically, and the legendary Luchino Visconti production, all have pay-offs.

The CDs are tucked into a handsome book that has a complete libretto, a lavish array of photographs of the Visconti production, a complete history of Traviata at La Scala, and intelligent essays. Still, the reason to invest is Callas’ continued deepening of her interpretation of the role she was born to sing above the others.▼

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Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

22 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

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TV >>

Gays of our lives Classic soap opera tackles gay bullying

by David-Elijah Nahmod

N

BC is the network to watch on Wed., Aug. 22. That afternoon, the long-running (since 1965) daytime drama Days of Our Lives deals with the hot-button issue of gay bullying. It’s a storyline that actor Freddie Smith, who plays openly gay Sonny on the series, is proud to be a part of. He’s also quite happy with his gay role.

“I’ve been on Days for 16 months,” Smith said in an interview with the B.A.R. “The response has been 100% positive. I’m glad that people are interested in Sonny.

People tell me through Twitter and fan mail how much they relate to the storyline. Years ago, LGBT people had no stories they could relate to, this is an important part of life.’’

It’s not the first time the rising star has played gay. In 2011, he appeared in a five-episode story arc on the CW network’s primetime soap 90210. As gay soccer player Marco,

Smith was the potential love interest for Teddy (Trevor Donavan). He joined Days soon after Marco and Teddy split.

“I’m not worried about typecasting,” he said. “I’m playing a sexual orientation, which is just a part of the character. I’m not playing a largerthan-life character like a superhero.”

Smith said that at the moment he has no other projects in the works.

“I’m totally consumed with Sonny,” he said. “I live and breathe Sonny.

The bullying storyline is going to be intense.”

It’s a storyline he hopes will bring new viewers to the iconic show. The episode, according to NBC publicity, finds a beaten, injured Sonny on the floor. He refuses to ID his attacker. He was beaten by an old friend who feared that Sonny was trying to “make” him gay. “We’re showing both sides of it,” reported Smith. “We’ll see where Sonny and where the bully is coming from. It’ll be great to see people grow and mature.”

Courtesy NBC-TV

Freddie Smith as openly gay Sonny on Days of Our Lives.

The actually bullying episode will be followed by aftermath episodes, which will include support for Sonny from Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), the show’s long-running leading lady. Marlena is the Grandmother to Will (Chandler Massey), the show’s other gay character. She’s been a rock that both boys can turn to, though Smith told us that Sonny’s dad has also been great.

Many viewers have wondered if there’s any chance of a romance between Sonny and Will. “Their friendship is growing, becoming closer,” said Smith. “There will be romance in Sonny’s life.” But the actor doesn’t specify if Sonny’s love story will be with Will. Guess we’ll have to tune in tomorrow.

Days of Our Lives airs weekday afternoons on NBC, and weeknights on Soapnet (available to Dish and Direct TV customers only). The show had been on hiatus due to Olympic coverage, but returned when the Games concluded.▼

Music >>

Midwest Side Stories

by Gregg Shapiro

W

ebar.com

isconsin: Before Garbage arrived in the mid-1990s, Wisconsin’s most significant contributions to modern rock were the Violent Femmes and the BoDeans. Led by producer/musician Butch Vig of Madison’s Fire Town fame, and featuring semi-exotic Scottish female vocalist Shirley Manson, Garbage turned out to be a breath of fresh air.

Their dance-rock shtick had a sneering vitality, and they knew how to make catchy hit singles. Back again, after seven years, with Not Your Kind of People (Stun Volumn/Fontana), Garbage hasn’t lost its knack for getting folks to dance. From the “dirty little secret” of “Automatic Systematic Habit” to “I Hate Love,” Garbage still has a firm grasp on the concept of BPM. But Garbage might consider trashing some of the slower songs, such as “Control,” because they tend to drag things down.

Madison-based cabaret-folk diva Anna Vogelzang soars on Canary in a Coalmine (Paper Anchor), alternating bare-bones tunes such as opener “Undertow” with brassy, hand-clapping toe-tappers such as “One & Only.” A pair of backto-back numbers, the jazztinged “Oregon Trailed” and the intoxicating hootenanny of “Whiskey Drawn,” are the best examples of Vogelzang’s versatility. A distinctive artist, Vogelzang is especially recommended for fans of queer acts such as The Ditty Bops and Erin McKeown.

Illinois: The considerably expanded deluxe reissue of the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1994 B-sides and rarities compilation Pisces Iscariot (Virgin) and the latest Pumpkins full-length recording Oceania (Martha’s Music) were released within weeks of each other and offer a fascinating history lesson on Chicago’s most successful band of the 1990s. Joining the ranks of the stunningly packaged reissue of Gish and Siamese Dream, Pisces Iscariot includes the remastered original album (featuring the glorious cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and the blistering “Hello Kitty Kat”), a sec-

ond disc of outtakes, live tracks, demos and rough mixes, and a DVD including footage from the cable access show Pulse Basement Jam and bonus live performances (including four from Milwaukee in the early 1990s).

Of particular interest to Pumpkins fans will be the six-song red plastic demo cassette (!).

The band may have changed its line-up over the years, but there’s no mistaking that Oceania is a Smashing Pumpkins record. Of course, that’s mainly due to the Pumpkins’ most consistent factor, frontman Billy Corgan. His distinguished vocals and guitar style are evident right from the start on “Quasar,” and the remainder of the disc follows the Pumpkins’ formula of heavy rockers (“Panopticon,” “The Chimera”) and pleasant pop numbers (“The Celestials,” “Pinwheels”). Heck, there’s even a synthy tune, “One Diamond, One Heart,” that displays an unex-

pected side of the band.

Gold Motel and The Right Now couldn’t be more different from the Smashing Pumpkins if they tried.

On their self-titled second album (on Good as Gold/Thirty Tigers), Chicago’s Gold Motel goes for a retro SoCal vibe on “Brand New Kind of Blue,” “At Least We Tried” and th the relaxed “Slow Emergency.”

T Their “Musicians,” about most o of their friends who are “mussicians in subway stations,” h has a definite Chicago feel to it it. On their second disc Gets O Over You (therightnow.com), T The Right Now is more in lline with urban vintage-soul rrevivalists such as JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound and Fitz & the Tantrums, but it’s lead ssinger Stefanie Berecz who ssets them apart. The girl can b belt, and she’s not afraid to do sso on “Good Man,” “Half as M Much” and the classic disco of ““Call Girl.”

Minnesota: This state has given us lots of great music, from artists such as Husker D Du, Bob Dylan, and Prince aand the Replacements. On tthe aptly named Mania!

(Pravda), the third disc by T The Melismatics, the band ggets things started on a hardrrocking note before seriously sshifting gears on track three, ““Your Love is a Poison,” and b breaking out their boogie sshoes. “Out of Yer Mind” and ““Divided Devotions” (also rrepresented by a DRA remix b bonus track) go for an updateed new wave groove. Manic?

SSure. Enjoyable? Why, yes.

Subtitled The Lyrics of Norm man Gimbel, Sweet Happy L Life (Minnehaha Music) by M Minneapolis-based jazz vocalist Connie Evingson features more than a few songs that are sure to be familiar to listeners. “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” for instance, was a huge hit for both Roberta Flack and Lauryn Hill and the Fugees. Gimbel was also prolific during the Brazilian music craze of the 1960s, and Evingson has recorded renditions of “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Meditation” and “Agua de Beber,” as well as period standards such as “Watch What Happens” and “I Will Wait for You.” The true pleasure of this disc is hearing all these Gimbel tunes in one place.▼

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Film >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 23

Matthew McConaughey as the title character in William Friedkin’s Killer Joe.

Emile Hirsch and Matthew McConaughey in William Friedkin’s Killer Joe.

Cooking with gas Director William Friedkin discusses his new film ‘Killer Joe’

by David Lamble

D

On the record Watching director William Friedkin pitch his latest to a hip young screening audience, then going oneon-one with him the next day about Killer Joe and all his greatest hits, is movie-writer Nirvana. First up is his rationale for this no-holds-barred version of Killer Joe, with violence only hinted at in Tracy Letts’ original stage version.

“Killer Joe has a lot of sex and violence. There are three approaches: first, don’t go there; second, subtly, do it behind closed doors. Third is to serve it up for the audience. Letts wants you to see the crooked timber of humanity.”

David Lamble: What about the off-beat casting of British native Juno Temple?

William Friedkin: I was going for Jennifer Lawrence, who’d been terrific in Winter’s Bone, when I heard from the casting director about Juno Temple. She came from England with an accent so thick you’d need subtitles to understand her. I was sold on a video submitted with her 10-year-old brother reading Killer Joe. It floored me.

Contrast this intuitive casting with your experience finding Linda Blair for The Exorcist.

Linda Blair came in with her mom. She was 12. I asked her about the story. She said it was about a little girl who does a bunch of bad things: hits her mom, throws a man through a window, and masturbates with a crucifix. I knew her mom was

cool, and she wasn’t going to be destroyed by the experience.

How does Killer Joe the movie differ from the play?

It’s expanded, it has more characters, it goes deeper, it’s on location.

It’s the same way the play Everyone Comes to Rick’s differs from the film Casablanca. Killer Joe has more levels because Tracy Letts was able to look at it years later and make a lot of structural and emotional revisions. The audience has to see the level of dysfunction of these people and their innate rage and violence, and how they are destroyed by their own dreams. Subtlety is a valid choice for some films, but not for Killer Joe or The Exorcist.

Many fans have compared Killer

Joe to another hyperviolent favorite of mine, David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. When I first caught Blue Velvet, I thought Lynch had stole a piece of my Id. Usually you’re put off by its structure – just when you think it’s heading one way, it makes a complete shift and heads the opposite way.

It winds up in the deepest, darkest night of the soul. I was obviously not trying to emulate it. Nobody can.

Tell me about the casting of Emile Hirsch, who’s distinguished himself in queer classics like Milk.

He’s one of the best young actors of his generation, but he’s in a situation where they basically just want him to play teenage heroes. He’s

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tried to resist that, but so much of American film acting is based on getting a big buck. He gets a whole lot more money for Speed Racer than Killer Joe. Gina Gershon has a pivotal and controversial role with that very explicit nude scene.

She understands the wiles of certain women, her personality allows her to relate and not pass judgment.

Gina, believe it or not, is an intellectual, but on film she comes off as a hot broad.

She has a provocative nude scene.

I had spoken to other actresses, and their first question was, “How are you going to handle the nude scene?” And that was the last question. (Now playing.)▼

MEDIA NETWORK

irector William Friedkin says about his new film Killer Joe: “It’s a kind of Cinderella story. Every little girl wants to be Cinderella, every little boy wants to be Prince Charming. Dottie finds her Prince Charming, and he happens to be a hired killer.”

Friedkin has set playwright Tracy Letts’ twisted fairy tale along Dallas’ Harry Hines Blvd. The highway, one of the area’s first paved roads, is a gateway to the city’s medical center – on November 22, 1963, the Secret Service desperately rushed the dying JFK along this arterial to Parkland Hospital. It’s also a center for cheap shopping and even cheaper sex. The local Chamber of Commerce warns, “The area has become known for seedy activities and should be avoided at night if visitors don’t want to become crime victims.”

The denizens of Killer Joe revel in seedy activities, function at their best at night, and are always trolling for bargains. Chris (Emile Hirsch), for instance, wants his mom whacked – to collect her insurance and avoid being killed himself by the local loan shark – but he isn’t up to the job, so he seeks a cold-blooded contract killer at cut-rate prices. He finds his man, Killer Joe Cooper (a career changer for the silky-smooth Matthew McConaughey), then fails to meet Joe’s terms, $25,000 in advance.

“What do you think this is, Let’s Make a Deal?”

“This is going to get done, one way or another.”

“This conversation is finished. We never met.”

Right at the point where sensible folk would get out of Dodge, Joe spots Chris’ flirtatious kid sister Dottie (Juno Temple), and while flicking his cigarette lighter ominously, makes an offer that should be, but isn’t refused.

“Of course, we never talked about the possibility of a retainer.”

“The retainer” allows Joe to have his way with Dottie, and its fulfillment will pave the way for some high-wire debauchery and domestic bloodletting. Caution: No character will be spared from the impending carnage, and filmgoers with squeamish dispositions should probably avoid this one. I had a little trouble with the uses that a well-cooked chicken leg and a can of pumpkin are put to, but if you recall what a younger Friedkin could do with a high-velocity concoction of sex and violence (The French Connection, The Exorcist, Cruising, To Live and Die in LA), rest assured, the old man can still cook.

The cast is first-rate, but whenever smart people are called upon to play inhibition-free idiots, there are always those who don’t get the joke or are put off by the rules of the road. Emile Hirsch and Gina Gershon have particularly challenging jobs giving their best takes on really delusional people pursuing their dreams right over a cliff. Thomas Hayden Church has the most fun, reviving up his normal sardonic turn for Chris’ befuddled dad. The movie, of course, belongs to McConaughey and Temple – him for ditching his rom-com persona, and her for reviving the seductive infantile adult so long identified with Carroll Baker’s memorable child bride in Tennessee Williams’ Baby Doll.

There’s not a subtle moment in this rabbit-stew psycho thriller, but those seeking an uninhibited view of adults acting on their basest instincts will not be disappointed.

And for the long-dormant career of the 77-year-old Friedkin, this is, as Robert Duval’s cunning TV executive observed in Network, “a bigtitty hit!”

N! O I S S E S N I K C A SCHOOL IS B INFORMED! LET US KEEP YOU

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<< Out&About

24 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

Up Your Rabbit Hole @ The Garage

Thu 16>>

Moore Theatre’s political satire about genetically modified monsters, Cheney, Palin and more. $15-$20. Fri & Sat 8pm. Thru Aug 25. 715 Bryant St. www.facebook.com/MooreTheatre

Comedy Bodega @ Esta Nocha The weekly LGBT and indie comic stand-up night. 8pm-9:30pm. 3079 16th St. at Mission. www.comedybodega.com

The Waiting Period @ The Marsh

Do Not Destroy @ Contemp. Jewish Museum Group exhibit of art in varied media exploring the relationship between Jewish traditions and trees. Aug 16, special screening of worksin-progress by Studio G-dcast’s Prophecy in Motion, student short animated films about Jewish texts and history. Free-$12. Daily 11am-5pm Closed Wed. Thru Sept 9. 736 Mission St. 655-7800. www.thecjm.org

Enron @ Exit Theatre Open Tab theatre company’s production of the U.K. West End hit that combines the documentary facts of The Smartest Guys in the Room with the performance style of Avenue Q ; yes, there are puppets! $25.

Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru Aug. 17. 156 Eddy St. www.enron2012.com

Fauxgirls @ Infusion Lounge The classy drag revue (3rd Thursdays) has moved to a new location, and celebrates its 11th year; Victoria Secret, Alexandria, Chanel, Maria Garza, Mini Minerva, Kipper, Daffney Deluxe and Ruby LeBrowne; dinner seating at 7pm. Show at 8pm. No cover. 124 Ellis St. 421-8700. www.fauxgirls.com

Jennybird Alcantra’s art at the Visual Aid benefit

Bless the beasts

by Jim Provenzano

O

nce again, animals play a big part in our theme of the week. In unusual art works, and at a popular fundraiser, sexy and beautiful beasts encourage you to roar for more.

Thu 16 - Visual Aid Benefit Reception @ Varnish Fine Art The local gallery hosts a cocktail reception and fundraiser for the nonprofit that helps visual artists with HIV and other health problems. Reception, 6pm-9pm.

1/4 of all sales (works by Jennybird Alcantara, whose art focuses on amusing animal creatures, Isabel Samaras, Ransom & Mitchell and Chuck Sperry) Aug 17 & 18, 11am-6pm go to Visual Aid. 16 Jessie St. #C120. 433-4400. www.visualaid. org www.varnishfineart.com

Cory Benhatzel’s mystical animal art

Cory Benhatzel @ Modern Eden Gallery Exhibition of mystical animal portraits rich in symbolism. Wed-Sun 11am-7pm.

Thru Sept 9. 403 Francisco St. 956-3303. www.ModernEden.com

Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Bert V. Royal’s darkly comic parody, with adult themes, of Charles Schultz’ Peanuts characters, includes the tragic demise of a favorite beagle. $16. Wed-Sat 8pm.

Thru Aug. 25. 505 Natoma St. 967-2227. www.boxcartheatre.org

Precious Little @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley Rich Stadtmiller

Sun 19 - The Bare Chest Calendar Dinner Date Auction @ Public Works Meet sexy beasts, enjoy demos and a silent auction at the benefit for the AIDS Emergency Fund; dancing afterward with DJed music by DAMnation and Christopher B. Tickets at Under One Roof, Mr. S Leather and from Calendar men. $20 and up. Auction 5pm-7pm. Dancing and shows 7pm-12am. 161 Erie St. www.barechest.org

Thu 23 - Animal Kingdom, Atlas Genius @ Rickshaw Stop Okay, I’m just adding them because of their name, but their music is fun.

Popscene presents two ethereal indie rock bands; DJed music afterward. $13. 9:30pm. 155 Fell St. www.rickshawstop.com

Project Lohan @ The Costume Shop West Coast premiere of D’Arcy Drollinger’s comic, ironic pop culture timeline show about the troubled actress turned media catastrophe. $25-$30 (got a DUI or parole card? Get $5 off!). Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 7pm.

Thru Aug. 19. 1117 Market St. at 7th. www.projectlohan.com

Telling the Stories of Queer Places, a panel presentation on historic LGBT spaces and their loss or preservation, with Transgender pioneer Felicia Elizondo, historian and curator Gerard Koskovich, architect Alan Martinez, preservation consultant and architect Gerry Takano and architectural historian Shayne Watson; architectural historian Carson Anderson moderates. $8-$12. 6pm. 4127 18th St. 777-5455. www.glbthistory.org

Dog Sees God @ Boxcar Theatre

Barechest Calendar Men benefit.

The hilarious dragapella group returns with Electile Dysfunction: The Kinsey Sicks for President. $35-$40. 8pm (Sun 7pm) Thru Aug 19. 2-drink min. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

These Walls Can Speak @ GLBT Hisory Museum

Thu 16 - Hay Fever @ Oddball Films Enjoy equine short films –vintage and unusual, including The Rocking Horse Winner, the eerie adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence story– at the intimate screening room. $10.

8pm. Also Kooks, Eccentrics and Other Visionaires, Fri. Aug 18, 8pm. 275 Capp St. 558-8117. www.oddballfilm.com

The Kinsey Sicks @ The Rrazz Room

Shotgun Players’ production of Madeleine George’s comic and heartfelt play about a lesbian mother-to-be struggling with potential childbirth problems while researching a lost Eastern European language, and interacting with an ape. $18$25. Wed & Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. 1901 Ashby Stage, Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org

Fri 17>> Bianca Cabrera’s Blind Tiger Society @ CounterPulse Sunk in Sleep, an experimental dance work; part of the Summer Special series. $12-$20.

8pm. 1310 Mission St. www.counterpulse.org

Cindy Sherman @ SF MOMA Retrospective touring exhibit of 150 photos by the artist who poses as different fascinating and obscure characters. Free-$18. Daily 11am-5:30pm, except Wed. late Thu until 8:45pm. Thru Oct. 8. 151 Third St. www.sfmoma.org

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum @ Woodminster Ampitheater Stephen Sondheim’s slapstick musical very loosely based on Roman playwright Plautus’ tale of a conniving servant. $12-$56. Fri-Sun 8pm. Thru Aug 19. Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland.

(510) 531-9597. www.woodminster.com

Humor Abuse @ American Conservatory Theatre

▼

Brian Copeland’s hit solo show, about an intense time when he tried to purchase a gun to kill himself, is extended thru Sept. 29. $33-$53. Fridays 8pm. Saturdays 5pm. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Katya Smirnoff-Skky

Mon 20 One Night Only @ Marines Memorial Theatre Concert fundraiser for the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus’ Vocal Minority, Katya Smirnoff-Skky, David Hernandez, and cast members from the touring production of Les Miserables performing musical theatre classics and camp songs. Dessert party afterward. $20-$65. 609 Sutter St. at Mason. 273-1620. www.reaf.org Marin Shakes. $20-$35. Thru Sept 30. Dominican University of California, 890 Belle Ave., San Rafael. 499-4488. www.marinshakespeare.org

Les Misérables @ Orpheum Theatre 25th anniversary touring production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary awardwinning musical based on the Victor Hugo novel about the French Revolution, in a new re-designed production. $30-$150. Tue-Sat 8pm. Wed, Sat Sun 2pm. Thru Aug. 26.

1192 Market St. at 8th. www.shnsf.com

Noises Off @ Live Oak Theatre, Berkeley Actors Ensemble of Berkeley perform Michael Frayn’s hilarious backstage farce, where a play is performed three times, front, back and out of control. $10-$15. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thru Aug. 18. 1301 Shattuck Ave at Berryman, North Berkeley.

(510) 649-5999. www.aeofberkeley.org

Rights of Passage @ New Conservatory Theatre Center World premiere of Ed Decker and Robert Leone’s play about a gay Hindu in Bali, and the struggle for human rights; told with monologues, puppetry, digital media and dance. $22-$40. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm.

Thru Sept. 16. 25 Van Ness Ave. at Market, lower level. 861-8972. www.nctcsf.org

San Francisco @ City Art Group exhibit of paintings and works in other media, each visualizing San Francisco.

12pm-9pm, Wed-Sun. Thru Sept 1. 828 Valencia St. 970-9900. www.cityartgallery.org

The Secret of Asteraceae @ Hastings Studio Theater American Conservatory Theatre’s Young Conservatory presents a student production of Anya Richkind’s provocative play about kids who ditch a cross-country practice, and face issues of bullying, tolerance and selfacceptance. $15. Thru Aug 24. 77 Geary St., 6th floor. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Trannyshack @ DNA Lounge The Stevie Nicks vs. Kate Bush tribute includes acts by Heklina, Kiddie, Coco Canal, U-Phoria, Aurora Switchblade, Diamanda Kallas, Trixxie Carr, Cookie Dough, Precious Moments, Elijah Minnellii, Jordan L’Moore and others. $12-$15. 9:30pm-3am. 11pm show. 375 11th St. at Harrison. www.dnalounge.com

Sat 18>> Bay Area Tap Festival @ Herbst Theatre 10th anniversary dance concert of tap dancing, with Jason Rodgers, Sam Weber, Terry Brock, The Barbary Coast Cloggers and many more. $17-$25. 8pm. 401 Van Ness Ave. 392-4400. www.stepology.com

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi Musical comedy revue, now in its 35th year, with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs.

Reg: $25-$130. Wed, Thu, Fri at 8pm. Sat 6:30, 9:30pm. Sun 2pm, 5pm. (Beer/wine served; cash only). 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 421-4222. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Bollywood by the Bay @ OMG LGBT South Asian dance party and fundraiser for Trikone and BASS (Bay Area Solidarity Summer). Enjoy Bhangra, Bollywood remixes and more at the new gay-owned nightclub. $10-$15. 21+. 10pm-2am. 43 6th St. www.trikone.org www.clubomgsf.com

Earthquake @ California Academy of Sciences New exhibit and planetarium show with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about our ever-shifting earth. $20-$30.

Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm. Sun 11am-5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park.

379-8000. www.calacademy.org

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier @ de Young Museum From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, the first exhibition devoted to the gay French fashion designer. Also, Chuck Close and Crown Point Press, and exhibit of the painter’s printmaking works, (All thru Oct. 14). $6-$20. Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm.

Other exhibits ongoing. Friday night special events 5:30pm-8:45pm. Thru Aug. 19. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park. 750-3600. www.famsf.org

House Special @ ODC Theater Special dance concert of works developed during a recent three-week residency of young choreographers. $20. 8pm. 3153 17th St. 863-9834. www.odctheater.org

Man Ray/Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism @ Legion of Honor Photographs, paintings, drawings and manuscripts that explore the creative interaction between gay artists Man Ray and Lee Miller, two giants of European Surrealism.

Also, Marcel Duchamp: The Book and the Box. And, Gifts From the Gods: Art and the Olympic Ideal, a new exhibit of Greek and Roman artifacts and art related to the lives of athletes of ancient times, and modern works that reflect athletics. Free-$10. Thru Oct. 14. Tue-Sat 9:30am-5:15pm. Lincoln Park at 100 34th Avenue (at Clement Street). www.famsf.org

Lorenzo Pisoni’s hit solo show about his life in a circus family returns for a limited engagement. $25-$95. Tue-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Aug 19. ACT Theatre, 415 Geary St. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Kenny Yun @ The Marsh, Berkeley War Horse

War Horse @ Curran Theatre Touring production of the acclaimed Broadway drama about an English soldier’s horse and the harrowing tale of survival during World War I; performed with innovative life-size puppets. $35$300. Tue-Sat 8pm. Wed, Sat Sun 2pm.

Sun 7:30pm. Thru Sept. 9. (888) 7461799. www.shnsf.com/online/warhorse

See a hilarious dictator parody in Yun’s Happy Hour With Kim Jong Il, a comedy work-in-progress, performed with live music

by Candace Roberts, plus it’s free; $5 cocktails and food! Fridays, 6pm. Thru Aug 24.

2120 Allston Way, near Shattuck. 826-5750. www.themarsh.org

A Midsummer Night’s Dream @ Forest Meadows Ampitheatre Shakespeare’s summery romantic comedy, where fairies make asses of humans, gets an appropriate outdoor production by

Fri 17 Dolorata @ The Uptown, Oakland Women’s band with powerful old-school 70s rock roots performs; Spare Parts for Broken Hearts and Playboy School also play. $10. 21+. 9pm. 1928 Telegraph Ave. (510) 451-8100. www.dolorata.com www.uptownnightclub.com

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Out&About >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 25

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni’s Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming accompanist Joe Wicht (aka Trauma Flintstone). 9pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market. www.dragatmartunis.com

Royal Families of the Americas @ SF Public Library, Harvey Milk/Eureka Valley Exhibit of photographs by Karen Massing of four years of pageantry and royalty in the LGBT International Court System. Thru Sept.

15. 1 Jose Sarria Court at 16th St. www.karenmassingpix.com www.sfpl.org

Ten Percent @ Comcast 104 David Perry’s talk show about LGBT people and issues. Perry talks with Gina Gatta, president of the Damron Guide, which celebrate its 50th anniversary; also, Amity Pierce Buxton, founder of the Straight Spouse network. Mon-Fri 11:30am & 10:30pm. Sat & Sun 10:30pm. www.comcasthometown.com

Sat 18

Tue 21>>

Michael Lownie @ Magnet

Barbara Cook @ The Rrazz Room

What In the World?, an exhibit of action figure sculptures and creative paintings. Thru August. 4122 18th St. www.mlownie.com www.magnetsf.org

Mascara @ Castro Country Club

Brett Thomas @ Castro Country Club

U-Phoria hosts the monthly drag show, with several fab performers. $3-$6. 10:30pm.

4058 18th St. www.castrocountryclub.org

Reflections of My Mind, an exhibit of evocative nature photographs by the local artist, at the LGBT sober space.

Exhibit thru August. 4058 18th St. www.castrocountryclub.org

Mattachine @ El Rio Film and fab folks John Cameron Mitchell ( Hedwig and the Angry Inch), PJ Deboy ( Short Bus), Amber Martin and Paul Dawson DJ with local fab host Carnita at the traveling queer cultural funfest. $6-$8. 3pm-8pm.

3158 Mission St. www.djcarnita.com

My Fair Lady @ SF Playhouse Modern stripped-down adaptation of the Lerner & Lowe classic musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. $20$50. Tue-Thu 7pm.Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm.

Thru Sept. 29. 533 Sutter St. 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org

Daytime Realness @ El Rio The fun open-air drag show returns, with hostess Heklina, DJs Robin Simmons and Dr. Sleep, drag acts (Jupiter, Rice Rockets, Qween, Amoana), plus chicken and waffles!

3rd Sundays. $6-$8. 3pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Outlook Video @ Channel 29 LGBT news show; this month: A full show of June’s SF Pride events. 5pm. Also streaming online. www.outlookvideo.org

Occupy Bay Area @ YBCA

Jennifer Holiday, Kat Deluna, Derek Jameson, Kat Graham and DJ Tony Moran perform at the annual LGBT pride event. $15. 12pm-7pm. Also August 19. West San Carlos at Woz Way. www.sanjosepride.com

Sun 19>> AIDS Quilt Interactive @ San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles New exhibit marking the 25th anniversary of the AIDS Quilt; a 42-inch interactive touchscreen tabletop that allows users to search through and examine detailed individual images from the 1.3 million square feet of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Visitors experience the size and impact of the quilt in a new way; they can search for an individual‚s name to locate panels in the overall collection and find metadata about that panel and person. Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm.

(Also 7pm-11pm first Fridays).

Thru Oct. 14. 520 South First St., San Jose.

(408) 971-0323. www.sjquiltmuseum.org

AIDS Direct Action in San Francisco, 1985–1990, focuses on the AIDS activist photojournalism of Jane Philomen Cleland, Patrick Clifton, Marc Geller, Rick Gerharter and Daniel Nicoletta. Selection of other LGBT historic items also on display. $5.

New expanded hours: Mon-Sat 11am-7pm.

Sun 12pm-5pm. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Dream Queens Revue @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge

Placas Tattoo Party @ Mission Cultural Center

San Jose Pride @ Discovery Meadow

Life & Death in Black & White @ GLBT History Museum

David Clark leads various yoga poses and practices, plus meditation and breathing exercises. Bring your own mat and water bottle, etc. $10. 7pm-8:30pm. 1800 Market St. www.4dbliss.com

Exhibit of bold contemporary art with perspectives on life, death, nature and other themes. $12-$15. 200 Larkin St. 581-3500. www.asianart.org

Exhibit of prehistoric plants and flowers (giant ferns, spiky horsetails) from the Mesozoic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, with life-size models of dinosaurs. Free-$7.

Tue-Sun 10am-4:30pm. Thru Oct. 21. 100 JFK Drive, Golden Gate Park. 831-2090. www.conservatoryofflowers.org

Stu Smith’s weekly LGBT variety show features local talents, and not just drag artistes. Channels 29 & 76 on Comcast; 99 on AT&T and 30 on Astound. www. thedragshow.org

Candlelight Flow Yoga @ LGBT Center

Phantoms of Asia @ Asian Art Museum

Plantosaurus Rex @ Conservatory of Flowers

The Drag Show @ Various Channels

Wed 22>>

New exhibit of activist art related to the Occupy protests. Exhibit $8-$10. Thru Oct. 14. Also, David Shrigley: Brain Activity, an exhibit of caustically witty sculptures and visual art. Free-$15. Exhibit thru Sept. 23. $8-$10.

701 Mission St. 978-2787. www.ybca.org

Share stories about your tattoo (or its removal) at a DJed party promoting (and developing content for) the upcoming Paul Flores show Placas. Free. 6:30pm. 2868 Mission St. 399-9554. www.sfiaf.org

Veteran Broadway actress-singer performs a revue of songs “Let’s Fall in Love.” $55-$70.

8pm (Sun 7pm). Thru Aug 26. 2-drink min.

Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (800) 380-3095. www.TheRrazzRoom.com

Mon 20 Ricky Stars @ Actors Theatre Solo comedy show explores contemporary topics from a witty perspective. 8pm. 855 Bush St. www.actorstheatresf.org

Sunday’s a Drag @ Starlight Room Donna Sachet and Harry Denton host the weekly fabulous brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square.

395-8595. www.harrydenton.com

The 1968 Exhibit @ Oakland Museum of Art Touring exhibit of the historic year, with ephemera, protest posters, interactive media; extended thru Nov 2012. Also, Bay Area figurative art; Dorothea Lange archive, early landscape paintings, Gold Rush Era works, California ceramics. Gallery of California Natural Sciences. $6-$12. 1000 Oak St. Oakland. (510) 318-8400. www.museumca.org

Mon 20>> Arts Town Hall @ YBCA Conversation about the arts with candidates for the SF Board of Supervisors to an audience of arts organizations and the general public, to discuss the impact of arts organizations on the education of our youth, our city’s economy and our diverse city. Free. 6pm. Lam Research Theater (formerly Novellus Theater). 700 Howard St. at 3rd. www.sfartstownhall.com

Old-school drag show (2nd and 4th Wednesday) at the classic Tenderloin bar, featuring Collette Ashton, Ruby Slippers, Sophilya Leggz, Bobby Ashton, Sheena Rose, Davida Ashton and Joie de Vivre.

No cover. 10pm. 133 Turk St. 441-2922. www.dreamqueensrevue.com

John Huston Films @ Castro Theatre Retrospective of the prolific film director’s works. Aug 22, The Misfits (2:30, 7pm) and Fat City (4:55, 9:20). Aug 28, Chinatown (2pm, 7pm) and Prizzi’s Honor (4:30, 9:25).

Aug 29, The Night of the Iguana (2:30, 7pm) and Under the Volcano (4:50, 9:20). 429 Castro St. $8.50-$11. www.castrotheatre.com

Thu 23>> Comedy Bodega @ Esta Nocha The weekly LGBT and indie comic stand-up night. 8pm-9:30pm. 3079 16th St. at Mission. www.comedybodega.com

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 The popular country western LGBT dance night. $5. 6:30pm-10:30pm with lessons from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Also Sundays 5pm-10:30pm with lessons from 5:30-7:15 pm. 550 Barneveld Ave. www.sundancesaloon.org

To submit event listings, email jim@ebar.com.

Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication.

bartabsf.com

<< Society

26 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Steven Underhill

Newly crowned Mr. GAPA Jethro Cuenca Patalinghug and Miss GAPA Jezebel Patel rejoice at the GAPA Runway Pageant.

Hobnobbing with the swells

by Donna Sachet

A

fter a five-year lapse from attending GAPA’s Runway Pageant, we were ready to see what everyone’s been talking about, and Sat., Aug. 4, was remarkable! It began with an intimate VIP reception in the War Memorial Building, where we hobnobbed with the likes of President of the Board of Supervisors David Chiu, Ken Hamai, Jess Wah Lim, Sister Roma, Bob Mitchitarian, Bebe Sweetbriar, Holy McGrail, Frank Fanucchi, Kylie Minono, and Emery Ville.

Inside Herbst Theatre, the audience thrilled to a breathtaking entrance and unexpected musical number featuring the outgoing Mr. & Miss GAPA, Mike Nguyen & Lychee Déjà Vu Minnelli. With seven contestants each for Mr. and Miss GAPA, emcee Tita Aida had her hands full, but did a splendid job. After incredible costumes, skilled dancing, trained

singing, hilarious comedy, showstopping emotional moments, and a few questionable choices, the new Mr. & Miss GAPA were announced: Jethro & Jezebel. Also in attendance were the Reigning Emperor & Empress, Bradley Roberts & Sissy St. Clair, Remy Martin, Cher a Little, Jay Harcourt, Milton Mosk & Tom Foutch, Frank Stein & Paul May, Alfredo Pedroza, and Cecilia Chung.

Help is on the Way XVIII: That’s Entertainment! was a smashing success on Sun., Aug. 5, entertaining a Herbst Theatre capacity crowd with top-notch performances and raising significant funds for the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation [REAF], earmarked this year for AIDS Housing Alliance, AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Maitri, and Positive Resource Center. The VIP reception beforehand in the upstairs Green Room provided refreshments to longtime stalwarts like Kevin Shanahan & Michael

Montoya, Bob Dockendorff, Mark Illeman & Stephen Andrews, Steve Gallagher, Tommy Taylor, Tim Sinclair & David Funk, Mark Calvano, Joel Goodrich, and others. Inside Herbst Theatre, seated with Drew Cutler among Richard Sablatura, Jeff Doney, Dick Bumpus, Kile Ozier, and Howard Edelman, the evening began with a special tribute and presentation of the Community Hero Award to Tom Nolan, with Mike Smith, Brett Andrews, Neil Giuliano, Kaushik Roy, and Lori Thoemmes, all executive directors of local AIDS nonprofit organizations, on stage.

Then the entertainment took center stage, from dance and comedy to music and singing, each performer adding immeasurably to a polished and crowd-pleasing show, directed by David Galligan. Every Help is on the Way has had several show-stopping moments, and this year for us they were David Engel’s live performance with dancers in front of a video projection of Judy Garland and her dancers, legendary See page 27 >>

Coming up in leather and kink Thu., Aug. 16: Daddy Thursdays at Kok Bar. Shot & drink specials. 10 p.m.-close.

Go to: www.kokbarsf.com.

Thu., Aug. 16: Underwear Night at The Powerhouse.

Strip down for drink specials. 10 p.m.-close. Go to: www.powerhouse-sf.com.

Fri., Aug. 17: Fridays Underwear at Kok Bar. Boxers, jockstraps, undies and nasty fun! 10 p.m.-close. Go to: www.kokbarsf.com.

Fri., Aug. 17: Hardbox at The Powerhouse. Seriously nasty fun! 9 p.m.-close. Go to: www.powerhouse-sf. com.

Fri, Aug. 17: Michael Brandon presents Edging at The Edge (4149 Collingwood). Go-go Studz, Shot Specials, Spanking demo by Chris! 9 p.m.-Midnight.

Go to: www.edgesf.com.

Fri., Aug. 17: Truck Wash at Truck (1900 Folsom).

10 p.m.-close. Live shower boys, drink specials, loads of fun! Go to: www.trucksf.com.

Fri., Aug. 17: Mystique, a Female Dominant Event at the SF Citadel (181 Eddy). SF’s premier event for Dominant Women and those who wish to serve them. 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Go to: www.sfcitadel.org.

Sat., Aug. 18: Leather Beer Bust at Kok Bar. 5-9 p.m.

Go to: www.kokbarsf.com Sat., Aug. 18: All Beef Saturday Nights at The Lone Star (1354 Harrison). 9 p.m.-close. Go to: www. facebook.com/lonestarsf.

Sun., Aug. 19: Truck Bust Sundays at Truck. $1 beer bust. 4-8 p.m. Go to: www.trucksf.com.

Sun., Aug. 19: SF girls of Leather Come to Play at Debauchery! at the White Horse Bar (6551 Telegraph Ave., Oakland). Get out your floogers and boots, lovelies! 7-10 p.m. Go to: www.sfgol.org.

Sun., Aug. 19: Jockstrap Beer Bust at Kok Bar. 3-7 p.m. Go to: www.kokbarsf.com.

Sun., Aug. 19: PoHo Sundays at The Powerhouse. Dollar drafts all day! Go to: www.powerhouse-sf.com.

Mon., Aug. 20: Trivia Night with host Casey Ley at Truck. 8-10 p.m. Go to: www.trucksf.com.

Mon., Aug. 20: Whip Works, monthly Singletail peer group facilitated by Jerry at the SF Citadel. $10. 8-10 p.m. Go to: www.sfcitadel.org.

Tue., Aug. 21: Busted at Truck. $5 beer bust. 9-11 p.m. Go to: www.trucksf.com.

Tue., Aug. 21: Safeword: 12-Step Kink Recovery Group at the SF Citadel. 6:30 p.m. Go to: www. sfcitadel.org/calendar/.

Tue., Aug. 21: The Art of Cane-Making presented by Bondage Chef at the SF Citadel. $20. 8 p.m. Go to: www.sfcitadel.org.

Tue., Aug. 21: Ink & Metal at The Powerhouse. 9 p.m.-close. Go to: www.powerhouse-sf.com.

Wed., Aug. 22: Pit Stop at Kok Bar. Happy Hour prices all night. 5 p.m.-close. Go to: www.kokbarsf.com.

Sat., Aug. 18: Beatpig at The Powerhouse. Juanita More! spins saucy groove while dudes cruise. 9 p.m.close. Go to: www.powerhouse-sf.com.

Wed., Aug. 22: Leather Buddies at Blow Buddies (933 Harrison), a male-only club. Doors open 8 p.m.-12 a.m., play till late. Go to: www.blowbuddies.com.

Sat., Aug. 18: Stallion Saturdays at Rebel Bar (1760 Market). Revolving DJs, afterhours fun! 9 p.m.-4 a.m. Go to: www.stallionsaturdays.com.

Wed., Aug. 22: Underwear Night at The Powerhouse. Strip down! Free clothes check. 10 p.m.-close.

Go to: www.powerhouse-sf.com.

▼

Karrnal >>

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 27

Love & rockets

by John F. Karr

W

hen director Mr. Pam left LucasEntertainment to take up at NakedSword, I was terrifically curious to see how her work might differ. I’ve just seen her first two Naked Sword features, Shafted and Boyfriends, so the short answer is now in: it’s not without its excellences, but it’s not (yet) as dependable. Much of Shafted didn’t work for me. Stylistically, a shaky camera, disjunct editing, and fractured timeline try too hard to be flashy; they’re tedious and unnecessary. Sexually, it opens great with the handsome and effective pairing of Brady Jensen and Brian Bonds culminating in some tasty cum-eating. But several subsequent scenes are only proficient and don’t quite blossom. I adore Philip Aubrey – he’s an exciting bottom, but in this one he’s the top, and at that he’s merely workmanlike.

Although he gets a glorious mouthful of cum at scene’s end.

With a premise that starts off in hot truth only to devolve into disappointing falsity, Boyfriends get an A+ for its first pair of scenes, and a C for the last two, as it depicts varying shades of love and sex in four relationships.

Blue Bailey and Blake Daniels are two shades of real-life blond boyfriends.

They’re hot – more than cute, freshly youthful, blue-eyed, alluringly cocked.

Blake’s hole is open and ready, and Blue gets his face in there and feasts on it. A beautifully accomplished and sensitive penetration follows, leading pretty quick to rougher, intense fucking that’s spelled by interludes of great rimming and cocksucking.

Blue’s fucking brings Blake’s cum up from deep within his balls, after which Blake sits on Blue’s face, which brings up a load from Blue that flies directly into Blake’s mouth.

The sunny session shows that love within a sexual relationship doesn’t preclude raunch.

Since real life proved such a wonder, we want and perhaps naively expect more of the same in the second scene. Are Cole Streets and Dylan Hyde lovers? Seems so, as they explain their relationship. But Cole’s antidote to his fears that boyfriend Dylan is a porn addict is to film their sex so Dylan can watch it later. The self-filming adds performance aspects to their sex, and we begin to realize we’re seeing fiction. It’s a bit of a letdown – they’re not boyfriends, just good actors. At any rate, their sex is really good, as Dylan face-fucks Cole fiercely with what Cole calls Dylan’s

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NakedSword

A screen grab of Cole Streets and Dylan Hyde in NakedSword’s Boyfriends: shades of love and sex in four relationships.

NakedSword

Blue Bailey and Blake Daniels in NakedSword’s Boyfriends.

“porn star cock.” Cole artfully deploys a couple toys on Dylan’s eager asshole, exclaiming in wonder, “It’s a big fuckin’ dildo!” as one sidles deep and wide into Dylan. The thoroughly satisfying fuck that follows is a high-energy rump ransack. And Dylan’s so happy to have Cole deposit a really big porn star’s load in his mouth.

Then the film goes off the deep end. Sexy badboy Christian Wilde is emotionally volatile, perhaps ambivalent about his relationship with “boyfriend” Tony Hunter, and picks a fight with him. What’s billed as a kiss-andmake-up sex fling is actually depicted as Wilde’s punishment of Hunter. But this standard porn scenario hasn’t been thought through. It’s Hunter who should be punishing Wilde for his bad behavior, but it’s Hunter who endures humiliation, spanking, and penetration with kitchen utensils.

We’re as confused by the relationship as the performers, both of whom admit in a Behind the Scenes interview that they were unclear on the scenario.

In this scene, the movie reneges on the promise of its premise.

The last scene loses its way entirely.

Inked-up Brit badboy Troy Haydon and cute businessman Ari Sylvio cheat on their lovers when they hook up in the Nob Hill Theatre. Their motivations are half-baked (neither seemed willing to put much if any work into their primary relationship), and the situation and the setting are fake.

They’re the only people in the theatre, and their acting is bad: when the guy who’s moved into the seat next to his grabs his dick, Sylvio looks around the theatre as if afraid of being caught.

Well, #1, Ari’s incapable of feigning surprise, plus the theatre’s empty and he knows it; and #2, how can the cock-grab be a surprise when Ari’s pants are around his ankles and he’s jacking-off his hard-on? Within the well-worn scene’s substandard rendition, I guess the sex is sorta okay.

I’d blow Ari’s nice cock if I found it in a theatre. Hell, I’d go looking for it.

And the scene ends on the high note of Ari gobbling Tony’s juicy load.▼ www.NakedSword.com

On the Town

From page 26

Carole Cook’s stellar presence and timeless humor, and Helen Reddy’s emergence from retirement with delicate singing and evocative poetic recitation. Afterwards, we loved schmoozing with the stars and other guests, including Simi Barjesteh, Randy Schiller, Gary Virginia, Patrik Gallineaux, Beth Schnitzer, Raghu Shivaram, John Marez, Kevin Levey, Sean Bulmer, Doug Waggener, Queen Cougar, Jim Provenzano, and Stu Smith & Dave Earl.

This weekend holds two events of particular note, starting on Saturday night with Reason to Party’s Summer of Love at the St. Regis Hotel Ballroom, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., benefiting Larkin Street Youth Services. These parties have quickly gained a reputation for gorgeous crowds, luxurious surroundings, and generous fundraising. This one features live music by Beautiful Machines and DJ Sebastian Concha. Then on Sunday night, starting at 5 p.m., bid for dinner dates with the handsome models of the 2013 Bare Chest Calendar at Public

Steven Underhill

Van Darkholme is sandwiched in-between Stoli Bois Indar and Juven at the GAPA Runway Pageant, earlier this month in SF.

Works, 161 Erie St. Your generosity benefits Positive Resource Center and AIDS Emergency Fund. Afterwards, enjoy dancing and an incredible synchronized performance by Suzan Revah and her dancers.

Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation returns this Mon., Aug. 20, with

One Night Only at Marine Memorial Theatre, with the cast of Les Miserables singing favorite songs of their own, not from the show. It is a rare chance to see and hear these Broadway powerhouses on their one night off, giving their time for charity and singing for sheer pleasure.▼

www.ebar.com

<< TV

28 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

Courtesy Fox-TV

Courtesy MTV

Colton Haynes is an animal on MTV’s Teen Wolf: he may or may not bite the big one.

▼

Mindy Kaling will star in Fox’s new series The Mindy Project.

Coming attractions on the lavender tube

by Victoria A. Brownworth

T

he new fall schedule looks great and awful with nothing inbetween. After another reality-TV summer and the misery-inducing end of some great shows like the always-queer-friendly The Closer and NBC’s stellar Awake, we are really looking forward to something new and different and maybe even a little queer. Also, the season finale of MTV’s Teen Wolf, where the gorgeous Colton Haynes may or may not bite the big one, so to speak, is this week. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but the play’s the thing, so we must move on to a new season.

But before we go to fall shows, we would be remiss if we didn’t comment on the fabulous showing by American athletes in the Olympics, which has been really the only thing to watch on the tube for the past weeks. There are so many bodies, so little space to describe them, but can we say how fabulous it was to have the all-time most medaled athlete in Michael Phelps, the first AfricanAmerican gold-medal all-around gymnast (and incredible good sport) in Gabby Douglas, the first female skeet-shooter to medal in five consecutive Olympics in Kim Rhode (and she’s still only 32) and so many others. More U.S. women won gold (ah, beach volleyball and soccer, track and field!) than men, and more women than men participated. Go, women!

It wasn’t all pretty, though. We were appalled by the treatment of Gabby Douglas by people who should know better. The tabloid TV shows were hot on her mother filing for bankruptcy, making what seemed to us a slur-ish link between race and bankruptcy, like Mom was a welfare queen or something. Ugh. Then there was the obsession with Douglas’ hair.

“Messy.” “Unkempt.” And those were the nice things said about her.

And then Fox News, never missing an opportunity to look stupid or racist or both, noted that she wasn’t wearing red, white and blue.

But the other side had to throw in their own gaffe. Van Jones was glowing about Douglas on This Week, right after her gold medal performance, yet couldn’t remember her last name (a common sexist mistake), so host George Stephanopoulos prompted him, “Gabby Daniels.” Jones repeated, “Gabby Daniels.” The show isn’t live, folks.

Could no one fix this in the editing room? First, female competitors aren’t “girls,” they are all women. Second, if you can remember Michael Phelps’ last name, you can remember Douglas’.

She was a world champion before she got to the Olympics, after all.

But ABC did do better wraps of the Games than NBC, and NBC had the coverage. It’s too bad that NBC has a lock on the Games for, like, ever. With the exception of Bob Costas, who is always good, the commentators were often close to useless, especially when discussing gymnastics. Not one was able to explain the bizarre point system. We all knew points came off when people fell. But what about the rest of it? Also, the refusal to air a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the murder of Israeli athletes at the Munich games? Politically correct or just plain vile?

And not for the first time, we just urge all these closeted sports commentators who were once athletes (you know who you are) to come out and make it easier for the next generation of athlete and sportscaster.

All these jabs at NBC notwithstanding, the queerest new show for fall is on NBC: The New Normal. Of course it’s a sitcom, but we take queer where we can get it on the tube. Every new TV season we look forward hopefully to a queering of TV and – it never happens. But even the promos

of this show have revealed the queer content, which is great. And since it comes from the Glee folks, we know it will likely be even more queer than the premiere episode we screened indicates. Since it has an actual gay male couple to start (although it is a comedy, so they will be sexually neutered since that’s the TV rule, especially since they want to have a child, but still). Plus, New Normal has the incomparable Ellen Barkin as the naysayer of the show. New Normal looks a little like a cross between ABC’s Modern Family and Suburgatory (both of which have solid queer characters), but we’ll take repetition too, if we get gay in the offing. Also, NBC’s strong suit is comedy (and you thought they didn’t have a strong suit, right?), so be prepared to laugh.

Speaking of NBC and sitcoms, The Office alum Mindy Kaling has her own sitcom this season, The Mindy Project.

The show is on Fox, which premiered some super new sitcoms last season that went straight to Emmy, like New Girl. Those familiar with Kaling know she has phenomenal comic timing and is understatedly hilarious, yet unafraid of the occasional physical comedy joke. The Mindy Project is all about her and her special brand of humor, sometimes wildly inappropriate yet really funny. She told TV Guide, “We’re hoping for an audience largely like prison inmates and the elderly.” But from what we’ve seen, you will want to be a captive audience, because she’s that funny. (And also super queer-friendly, which we hope will translate onto her scripts.)

Another queer item to look for in the fall premieres is the return of RuPaul’s Drag Race, one of the few shows worth watching on Logo. (It’s true, you can’t deny it.) This season, Vicki Lawrence will be appearing in her old Carol Burnett Show role of Mama Thelma Harper. The Carol Burnett Show had many a camp classic (who could ever forget Burnett’s take on Scarlett O’Hara, with the curtain rods still attached to the curtains?), so this should be good.

Lawrence is set to cover contestants dressing up as famous comediennes like Lucille Ball and perhaps Burnett herself. Then they will perform a comedy routine, which they must write themselves, with Mama.

Other guest judges that RuPaul is bringing in this season include Kelly Osbourne (who has become a dazzler herself since her gig on Dancing with the Stars), camp movie queen with the heaving bosom Elvira, and SNL alums Cheri Oteri and Rachel Dratch. Keep an open mind, it could be really fun in a 1970s kind of way. Just remember, this is still one of the most watchable of the Logo shows.

Meanwhile, the fall season is starting early in some places, like this week. But then some kids have to go

back to school in August and others in September, and the back-to-school commercials have been running for weeks now. So even if we don’t think fall starts til September, the tube sees it differently. Must-sees in this early fall line-up are Hotel Hell on Fox, Grimm on NBC, Major Crimes on TNT, and Copper on BBC America.

Hotel Hell is the latest in the increasingly broad panoply of Gordon Ramsay’s face-slapping sow’s ear into silk-purse TV. Like his compulsively watchable Kitchen Nightmares, where he goes into ghastly restaurants and finds rotting food, bad chefs and hideous décor, and turns it all into something fabulous – but not before scenes of humiliation and revulsion – Hotel Hell will do the same with hotels and motels. These are small, family-owned (with some queer-owned and -operated) places that are, in a word, ghastly. Watching the makeover is more than half the fun. Although be prepared not to want to travel for a bit, just like watching Kitchen Nightmares keeps one from eating out for a few weeks.

One aside about Ramsay’s shows: Hell’s Kitchen (what’s with all the hell, Mr. Ramsay?) and Master Chef were on hiatus during the Olympics, but they return this week with the final episodes (and ultimate winners) winding down. Our money is on lesbian chef Christina to win Hell’s Kitchen, and blind Asian chef Christine to win Master Chef.

You may not want to eat after watching any of the other three early fall shows. NBC finally made a smart move with a drama series and is bringing back the fabulous and creepy Grimm. This supernatural thriller set in Portland (Oregon, not Maine) has a superb cast with a very queer-friendly tone to it, although as yet none of the characters is completely out – but this season may change that. The show is edgy and has a really brisk and wry humor to it that makes the hour go all-too-fast. The special effects are terrific, the storylines are fresh and new, and the basic premise of generations of demon-fighters against modernday demons is incredibly compelling.

Also really compelling is BBC America’s new series Copper, a crime drama set in 1864 when, shall we say, justice was both rough and vague. The show is from Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, who created the pioneering Homicide: Life on the Streets, which brought the tube the first bisexual cop in a lead role in any TV series, back in the 1990s. So edgy is what these guys do. And edgy Copper is, and violent.

There’s a lot of guns to the head and “prepare to die” scenes, but the premise of an Irish immigrant war veteran, now a detective, is cool in itself. He has an African American forensics specialist, also unexpected, and it remains to be seen what other tricks the team

has up their 19th-century sleeve.

The jury, however, will likely be out for a bit on Major Crimes, the spin-off drama series from The Closer. One never really knows how powerful and important a lead character might be until s/he isn’t there anymore. A lot of the same faces have moved from The Closer to Major Crimes, but without Kyra Sedgwick’s complicated central character, it’s unclear where this show will go. Mary McDonnell’s Capt.

Sharon Raydor has been a terrific antagonist to Sedgwick’s Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson for the past few seasons, but whether she can become the lead character remains to be seen. But this show is so well-written and many of the characters so familiar, it could work. TNT is clearly hoping that the Law & Order formula of keeping the basic premise intact but integrating new characters as others drop away will work for them the way it has at NBC, where L&O: SVU is now the longest-running prime time series on the tube, and returning with some interesting changes this fall.

Among the new fall series, more of which we will preview in the coming weeks since the premieres run through October, is ABC’s super-intriguing Last Resort, with Homicide, House and SVU alum Andre Braugher at the helm of a nuclear submarine.

This show is all about the intricacies of government, and how people are often collateral damage in wars they don’t even know are being fought.

Since the creator is Shawn Ryan, who brought us the exceptionally edgy police drama The Shield, which had queer, corruption, multi-ethnic issues and pretty much the kitchen sink of TV drama in a gritty, raw styling, expect Last Resort to be fabulous.

Another show with incredible promise and likely queer characterizations is CBS’ Elementary, which is a new, modern take on the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson team. The incomparable British actor Johnny Lee Miller plays Holmes, and Watson is totally new: Lucy Liu, perennial lesbian heartthrob. Miller has played Holmes before, in BBC’s Sherlock, and thus has had time to play with variations on a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle theme. As for Liu, expect her to be a sober(ing) Watson, not a bumbling one. Miller’s Holmes is super-edgy, with a Zen side and a history. CBS may finally have brought queer to its network, but we won’t hold our breaths. Nevertheless, this show is awesome.

Also awesome and oh-so-queer (as in, the gays will love it) is Nashville, which brings the city of country dreams to life in what promises to be one of the best prime time soaps this season. Plus, NBC’s Smash will be back.

So for all of this and more to come, you really must stay tuned!▼

▼

Read more online at www.ebar.com

August 16-22, 2012 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 29

Courtesy Ed Decker

Robert Leone, left, and Ed Decker are partners both in life and in the creation of the globe-trotting Rights of Passage, opening a new Pride season at NCTC.

Lois Tema

Dazie Grego, left, and Anthony Rollins-Mullens play a gay couple in Malawi imprisoned because of their relationship in a scene from Rights of Passage.

<<

Rights of Passage

From page 17

It is not, however, a place of pride parades. “There are gay clubs in the tourist areas,” Decker said, “and there are obviously homosexuals in the population, but it is not an open society.”

And thus the dilemma for the character Wayan, who believes that Hinduism is about balance, following your own truth, and discovering your purpose in life. And to him, that purpose includes helping his culture to move toward a sexual inclusiveness.

“Of course, his family and his village have other ideas about it,” Decker said.

“This causes a lot of problems.”

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Decker and Leone worked with director Arturo Catricala to help shape the piece, which employs both Balinese storytelling techniques as well as traditional dramatic interplay. “The production starts off with a folktale told in a shadow play, and that segues into real lives in progress,” Decker said. These include lives from many cultures around the world.

“We struggled as to how we would include these other cultures,” Leone said, “and decided to have the story of Wayan as the through-line, and from that these other, much shorter pieces become offshoots from the main story. The challenge was how to make the play honest and enter-

taining, and not like you’re sitting down for a political science lesson.”

Decker and Leone began the process by learning from first-hand accounts of LGBT challenges in as many parts of the world as they could. But with budget constraints limiting travel opportunities, Decker and Leone worked with Human Rights Watch and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to make these personal connections in New York and Europe, as well as from their travels in Southeast Asia.

“In Berlin, for example, I met with folks from the Middle East who had left their countries and were seeking asylum in the EU,” Decker said, “and

in the Netherlands, I was able to go to a resettlement compound to meet with a young Iranian who had fled his country.”

But even among those who had left their homelands in fear was a dream to someday return. “You might think, why would they want that, because their religion and culture are so against them,” Leone said. “One person in particular we talked to lived in Banda Aceh [the Indonesian city devastated by the 2004 earthquake and resultant tsunami], and he was from a Muslim family that practiced Sharia law, yet his hope was that he could somehow make his life within that context.”

As they spoke a week before previews were to begin, Decker and Leone were coming to grips with the reality of a project five years in gestation now in the birthing room. “We’re dealing with the very nuts and bolts of the thing,” Decker

2 Days in New York

From page 17

Given the generally deplorable state of modern film comedy, it’s perhaps churlish of me to nit-pick a perfectly acceptable, slightly avantgarde piece that is merely guilty of aspiring to so much more than it achieves. As Stephen Holden so wittily observes in The New York Times, writer/director Delpy has an armada of defecating pigeons to handle critics who can’t see beyond her cinematic faux pas to the grander vision just beyond her reach.

What is that vision? In both films, Delpy’s Marion, a 30something visual artist with trans-Atlantic ambitions, finds herself rebelling against her non-housebroken family’s hygienic, erotic and culinary eccentricities. In 2 Days in Paris, Marion enjoyed shocking her American Jewish boyfriend Jack (Goldberg), who wanted so badly to be hip, with her aging-rebel dad’s (Jeannot, played by Delpy’s real dad Albert) wildly inappropriate glee at cooking bunny heads and keying the cars of upscale yuppies who dare to park on the sidewalk. Marion’s easy sexual chemistry with Jack was offset by her shameless joy in how uneasy he was with learning about her long line of ex-boyfriends. Delpy completed the emasculation of Jack by having Bruhl’s fairy hold his hand during a café demonstration. The result was a hilarious attraction/repulsion vibe between Jack and Marion that at times rivaled the best of 1970s Woody Allen and Diane Keaton.

In 2 Days in New York, Marion has replaced Jack with an equally insecure, desperately seeking bohemian approval, yet socially conservative African American comic/radio talk-host Mingus (Rock), who visibly blanches when Marion’s dad, just

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Albert Delpy and Chris Rock in 2 Days in New York: French dad arrives with cultural baggage.

off the plane, imbues him with three pecks on the cheek. French dad comes literally burdened with other cultural baggage – American customs at JFK airport searches him for contraband and finds 30 pounds of smelly sausage, which prompts the first of many Marion/Mingus dialogues.

“My dad doesn’t want to take a shower – he thinks it depletes the immune system. He took a shower a few

days ago in Paris – he’s going to smell.”

“He already smells – of smuggled sausages.”

Dad also protests his accommodations at Mingus and Marion’s tiny sublet.

“No privacy – where am I supposed to jack off?”

“That’s disgusting. I’ll put up some screens so you can jack off.”

Then there’s the visiting sister Mar-

ion hates, Alexia Landeau (Rose), and her oafish, dope-smoking boyfriend, Alex Nahon (Manu), who delights in making sport of Mingus. “Mingus rhymes with cunnilingus.”

As amusing as Marion’s “filthiest French family in the world” gags are, they’re only place-holders for her larger ambition to rub American and French prejudices and cultural biases up against each, revealing just how

said, “like getting over 300 sound and light cues into place. But then, looming in my mind is the responsibility we feel to all the partners and people who have helped us.”

Theater, of course, cannot be a headline news service. “But one of the things we learned from all of these activists is that people somehow do not connect beyond the sound-bite,” Decker said. “You hear about something horrific, and then another news story comes along that replaces it. Theater has the power to create an emotional as well as an intellectual connection. The hope is that this play could become one more tool in the arsenal for advancing human rights for everyone.”▼ Rights of Passage will run Aug. 17-Sept. 16 at New Conservatory Theatre Center. Tickets are $25-$45. Call 861-8972 or go to www.nctcsf.org.

myopic each nation is about the other.

A promising subplot emerges as Marion’s family ruins an encounter Mingus has been hoping to secure with the people close to President Obama, his personal hero. In fact, some of Rock’s strongest moments come in standup comedy-like shout-outs to a life-size cardboard poster of Obama he keeps in his study. Depending on the results of the election, we may come to view the Mingus/Obama bits with a bitterly tinged nostalgia.

Chris Rock – whose terrific comedy career has contrasted so sharply with his uneven choice of movie vehicles: so good, for instance, in the African American/white fashions documentary Good Hair – is unable to match the mix of weird insecurities and macho bluster/angst that made Adam Goldberg such a rock in 2 Days in Paris. Rock is a competent if unexciting performer who does a passable job of reflecting Delpy’s nutty assessment of her French family. “They’re like Waiting for Godot in reverse.

Wherever you look, they’re lurking in the corner.”

Just when you fear 2 Days in New York will completely lose its comic/ thematic moorings, Delpy brings the ship back to harbor with a juicy third-act subplot where Marion sells her soul at an art show for $5,000, to the devil, played by a deliciously self-parodying Vincent Gallo. But 2 Days in New York should be taken as a sophomore-jinx second film by an artist who perhaps has a bit too much to say. There are those moments when Delpy fully realizes her aspiring post-feminist Woody Allen sensibility with delightfully selfdeprecating, Woody-worthy rants.

“I’m 38, fat, and struggling with incontinence. My ex didn’t even want blow jobs anymore – my specialty!”

(Opens Friday.)▼

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

30 • BAY AREA REPORTER • August 16-22, 2012

▼

Personals Massage>>

Olympic synchronized divers Ivan Garcia and German Sanchez.

TV>>

Medaling men T

he Olympics are always packed with gorgeous young women and young men. This year my favorite male athlete was 26-year-old Oscar Pistorius from South Africa. One of the handsomest young men I’ve ever seen, Oscar is known as “the fastest man without legs” because he was born with deformed legs that were amputated when he was an infant.

I feel so many emotions when I see him run: pride in him, in my fellow man, and embarrassment, embarrassed that I ever complained about my aching feet. He doesn’t even have feet, and he isn’t complaining. Shame that he accomplished so much with so little, and I accomplished so little, with so much. I have all 10 fingers, all 10 toes, everything I’m supposed to have, and I’m a pathetic coach potato.

I’d rather take BART than walk two blocks. Oscar Pistorius is my hero, an inspiration, he lifts my soul.

Another gorgeous competitor was 25-year-old Yahel Castillo, a diver from Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Virtually all of the Mexican divers are also gymnasts, which helps them perform especially complicated dives.

A superlative pair of divers also hails from Jalisco, Mexico: 18-year-old

Ivan Garcia and 20-year-old German Sanchez. They’re two exquisite young men who competed together in synchronized diving. This was my first time seeing them, but they already had a loyal following in their home country and across Latin America, where they came to fame in the Pan American Games held last year in their hometown.

One is way cuter than the other, but from the neck down they are virtually indistinguishable, two solid, bronzed muscle twinks. Are they that synchronized apart from in their silvermedal-winning sport? Perhaps in the bedroom? I really can’t confirm nor deny the rampant rumors, but they look awfully intimate hugging in the attached picture.

While 28-year-old Ryan Lochte and 27-year-old Michael Phelps were battling it out for supremacy in the pool, my lecherous eye was focused on their relay teammate, fellow gold medalist 24-year-old Ricky Berens, perhaps the handsomest swimmer in London this year. Yet naughty Ricky is more famous for his al fresco swimsuit that exposes his choice bubble buttocks! Is Ricky just catching a breeze, or is he an exhibitionist? Maybe Berens plans to launch his own peek-a-boo swimwear line.

What could possibly be next?▼

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