March 26, 2015 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter

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Harris SF set to adopt LGBT seniors bill seeks to stop ‘shoot gays’ initiative

by David-Elijah Nahmod

See page 7 >>

by Matthew S. Bajko

Construction continues on the apartments at 55 Laguna Street, where Openhouse will build apartments for LGBT seniors. The Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the first piece of legislation based on recommendations from the LGBT Aging Policy Task Force that relates to assisted care facilities.

T

he San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to adopt on Tuesday first-in-the-nation legislation that protects the rights of LGBT seniors living in assisted care settings.

As the Bay Area Reporter first reported in January, the legislation sets out a number of pro-LGBT policies operators of long-term care facilities in the city would

have to follow. They would be required to allow residents to room with the person of their choosing and could not restrict residents from being sexually intimate.

Under the measure, such facilities would also be barred from evicting residents based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. It also lays out protocols for caring for transSee page 3 >>

Rick Gerharter

S

tate Attorney General Kamala Harris on Wednesday said that she would go to court in an effort to stop a proposed ballot initiative that calls for gays to be killed.

The afternoon anJane Philomen Cleland nouncement was the first time Harris has Attorney General publicly addressed the Kamala Harris issue.

In a statement, Harris said that attorney Matthew G. McLaughlin’s proposed “Sodomite Suppression Act” “not only threatens public safety, it is patently unconstitutional, utterly reprehensible, and has no place in a civil society.”

Harris added that if the court does not grant her office authorization not to issue a title and summary, she will be forced to allow the proposal to proceed to the signature gathering phase “for a proposal that seeks to legalize discrimination and vigilantism.”

Meanwhile, the state’s Legislative LGBT Caucus has filed a formal complaint with the State Bar of California to have the attorney behind the initiative disbarred.

McLaughlin, a Huntington Beach lawyer, last month spent $200 to file his ballot measure with the attorney general’s office.

McLaughlin’s act authorizes the killing of gays and lesbians by “bullets to the head” or “any other convenient method.” It would need 365,880 valid signatures to qualify for the November 2016 ballot.

The attorney general’s office provided the Bay Area Reporter with a copy of the paperwork signed by McLaughlin. The proposed initiative, dated February 26, refers to homosexual sex as “a monstrous evil that Almighty God, giver of freedom and liberty, commands us to oppress, on pain of our utter destruction even as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”

The initiative further calls for anyone who supports LGBT people to be barred from serving in public office, and to be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In his filing with the state, McLaughlin writes that “it is better that offenders should die rather than all of us be killed by God’s wrath.”

Some election attorneys said – before her statement – that Harris may have no choice

Lesbian named chief of SF national park

by Matthew S. Bajko

A

top-ranking lesbian National Park Service employee who has infuriated dog owners and local recreation activists has been named the incoming superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The GGNRA is a sprawling collection of open spaces and historical sites in three Bay Area counties and is the most visited park in the federal system, having hosted more than 15 million visitors last year. It stretches from Rancho Corral de Tierra in Montara on the Peninsula south of San Francisco to Stinson Beach in Marin County north of the city.

Within San Francisco, the park encompasses all of Ocean Beach, Land’s End, Alcatraz, Fort Funston, and the Fort Point National Historic Site at the southern base of the Golden Gate Bridge. It also administers the stand of old growth coastal redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument.

Beginning in May Christine S. Lehnertz will be in charge of overseeing the 43-year-old park that now comprises 80,000 acres of protected lands in Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties. The regional director since 2010 for the park service’s Pacific West region, Lehnertz is replacing Frank Dean, who retired in February.

The park service did not respond to the Bay Area Reporter’s request to interview Lehnertz, who lives with her wife, Shari Dagg, in Sonoma County with Choco, a “courageous cat” they

rescued in Yellowstone, acNews of Lehnertz’s apcording to a March 18 news pointment as GGNRA surelease announcing her perintendent was thus not appointment. exactly met with wild en“Being the superintendent thusiasm from the umbrella at a large urban park is an group Save Our Recreation, incredible opportunity that which has been organizing I couldn’t pass up,” stated protests of the park service’s Lehnertz. “It’s realizing a management moves and personal dream. I’m thrilled marshaling support from at the chance to work with local elected leaders. the wonderful staff and partAccording to the group, ners who care so much about Lehnertz has repeatedly these amazing park resourcrefused to meet with it to es at Golden Gate. A condiscuss concerns about the nection to nature and to our new general management nation’s heritage can be an plan that she signed in JanuCourtesy GGNRA inspiring and enduring reary or about the rule changes lationship. I invite everyone Christine S. Lehnertz is the governing dogs. While it to come and see these special incoming superintendent of congratulated her on her places and learn more about the Golden Gate National promotion, the group also our shared stories.” called on Lehnertz “to reset” Recreation Area.

Local recreation activists how she works with local and San Francisco officials communities in her new role. have tangled with Lehnertz over the park ser“This is an opportunity to turn a new leaf in vice’s recent moves they contend will restrict our relationship with the GGNRA,” stated Anrecreational activities at various GGNRA prop- drea Buffa, a leader with Save Our Recreation, erties. They have also engaged in a years-long in a release issued last week. “We urge Superindispute with Lehnertz and park officials over tendent Lehnertz to stay true to the mission of changes to the GGNRA’s dog management plan, this national recreation area and be responsive the final version of which is set to be released this to the community.” summer and is likely to increase the number of Another vocal critic of the park service’s dog park sites where canines off-leash will be banned rules and other policies is San Francisco Superin order to protect wildlife species.

See page 7 >>

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2 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Nob Hill murder case heads to jury

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urors this week were set to begin deliberating the fate of the man accused of killing his older gay roommate in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood in 2011.

Closing arguments in the trial of Waheed Kesmatyer, 28, who’s charged with murder in the death of Jack Baker, 67, got underway Wednesday, March 25 just before the Bay Area Reporter went to press.

Baker’s nearly decapitated, decomposing body was found stabbed, beaten, and strangled in his apartment at 1035 Bush Street February 11, 2011, several days after he’s believed to have been killed.

Kesmatyer testified during the trial, which started in late February, that he allegedly killed Baker after Baker raped and stabbed him.

“It was a struggle,” said Kesmatyer. “I was trying to get away. ... I was just scared he might kill me.”

A paring knife had been broken 4:44:57 PM off in Baker’s head, he’d been stabbed dozens of times, and there was an electrical cord tied around his neck.

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Superior Court Judge explained means “he Kay Tsenin instructed actually believed there jurors Wednesday mornwas imminent danger” ing that they must find of being killed, sustainKesmatyer not guilty of ing great bodily injury, or murder or manslaughter being raped” but “at least if he was justified in killone of those beliefs was ing Baker in self-defense. unreasonable.”

That means Kesmatyer During the trial, Ashad to believe he was in sistant District Attorney “imminent danger” of Defendant Waheed Diana Garcia disputed being killed, sustaining Kesmatyer the rape story. She suggreat bodily injury, or gested that Kesmatyer, being raped. who’s straight, attacked However, she said, “If the defenBaker in a dispute over the rent, dant used more force than is reasonwhich Kesmatyer denied. able, the killing is not justified.”

Dr. George Woods, a physician Tsenin said Kesmatyer is guilty of who specializes in neuropsychiatry, first-degree murder if he committed has examined Kesmatyer and said the act “willfully, deliberately, and during the trial that on top of being with premeditation.” If jurors don’t orphaned as a child in war-torn Affind those factors were present, they ghanistan, the father of a friend had may find him guilty of second-deraped the defendant when he was 12. gree murder.

Woods said Kesmatyer suffers Another option, if Kesmayter from a complex form of post-trauisn’t convicted of murder, is volunmatic stress disorder, along with tary manslaughter. Deputy Public “psychosis not otherwise specified.”

Defender Hadi Razzaq has argued Someone who’s been traumatized that Kesmatyer acted in “imper“may not react appropriately” to fect self-defense,” which Tsenin some situations, he said.t

Wiener, center confident in Pink Saturday plans

by Seth Hemmelgarn

A

s San Francisco elected and nonprofit officials prepare for this June’s Pink Saturday party, email exchanges with San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener’s office show some trepidation toward this year’s event.

But in interviews this week, Wiener and the head of the nonprofit now working on the festival expressed confidence the party would be a success.

Following years of concern about violence, in February the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence decided to end their oversight of the street party, which the group had managed for nearly two decades.

The Sisters’ announcement threw into doubt the future of the festival, which draws thousands of people to the Castro the night before the city’s LGBT Pride parade.

Last week, though, Wiener announced that the LGBT Community Center had agreed to oversee Pink Saturday this year, with help from the city. It is not clear whether the Sisters, which own the Pink Saturday name, will allow it to be used this year.

Shortly after the Sisters announced their withdrawal, and before the community center’s involvement was announced, Daniel Bergerac, who lives in the Castro and serves as president of the Castro Merchants business group, wrote to Wiener to share his concerns.

“While I think having another organization taking over the celebration is a great idea, I’m concerned that the clock for this year has run out,” wrote Bergerac in a February 17 email, which the Bay Area Reporter obtained through a public records request. “I would hate for the new event organizer to be set up for failure. For a first time at bat organization to successfully pull off an event this big, to me, is asking for failure.”

Bergerac, who co-owns Mudpuppy’s Tub and Scrub on Castro Street, recommended canceling this year’s Pink Saturday and keeping the streets open, “something akin to Halloween,” only with more police presence.

The Castro’s streets used to be closed off each Halloween, but that was stopped in 2007 after that party raised increasing safety concerns.

If Pink Saturday were called off this year, Bergerac said, having heavy police visibility in the neighborhood would “cut back on outof-town visitors and trouble makers coming next year.”

Rick Gerharter

The Castro was filled with people celebrating Pride at the 2012 Pink Saturday party.

In response, Wiener told Bergerac, “Let’s chat. I don’t think this is realistic. There’s going to be a much larger crowd than Halloween. I don’t see it working if the streets are open.”

Not only does the annual Dyke March, held early in the evening of Pink Saturday, lead up to 10,000 people into the Castro, but the Pridesponsored celebration that day in the Civic Center also wraps up around 5 p.m. and many of the attendees then head for the city’s gayborhood.

City officials are also bracing for a larger-than-normal turnout for Pride weekend this year due to the U.S. Supreme Court expected to rule sometime in June on whether to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.

Asked in a phone interview Monday, March 23 about Bergerac’s comments on the possibility of failure, Wiener, whose District 8 includes the Castro, said, “I’m not concerned, because I know that the center is going to put together a great team to manage the event, with people who are experienced with large events.” The nonprofit is “not going to do this on its own” and it will “have the full support of the city, so I’m not concerned about failure,” he said.

Rebecca Rolfe, the community center’s executive director, also expressed confidence.

“We’re not worried about failure,” said Rolfe in an interview Tuesday, March 24 when asked about Bergerac’s email. “We are deeply committed to making this event successful, and we would not have agreed to do it if we didn’t think that that was possible. We really appreciate the opportunity to work in partnership with many excellent community-

based organizations and partners.”

In an interview Monday about his comments to Wiener, Bergerac said, “I feel a little bit better knowing there is so much city backing behind” the event, “but it is still very much a concern for me.”

Similar to remarks he made last month, shortly after the Sisters announced they were withdrawing from Pink Saturday, Bergerac said, “Whether or not there is a planned event, people are genetically programmed to come into the Castro” on the night before the LGBT Pride parade. “I would much rather have controls in place than no controls in place.”

He said planned to meet with Rolfe Wednesday to learn more about the plans for this year.

“I also want to offer the help of the Castro Merchants association to assist them in any way we can” to ensure the event’s success, said Bergerac.

Wiener’s emails also show he heard from Lisa Williams, a former board president of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee, who suggested she could help with Pink Saturday.

In a February 17 email to Wiener, Williams said she was “very disappointed” that the Sisters had withdrawn from Pink Saturday, but “I have good news that could put the silver lining in the cloud. I’d like to introduce you to my new company Pride Festival Nation.” (The company’s name is actually Proud Festival Nation.)

She said she and a partner “have extensive experience providing logistics, management, production, and sponsorship support” for Pride and other large festivals, and she’d also met with the Sisters about this year’s event.

“We would like to sit down with you to discuss the Pink Saturday event,” Williams told Wiener, referring to her company.

In response, the supervisor told her, “We’re in conversations and will let you know when we know more.”

Wiener told the B.A.R. that he’s connected Williams with Rolfe, and “I’m sure they’re talking.”

Williams said she told Rolfe Monday she’s “interested in being the event producer.”

The center’s “in conversation with a couple of folks” about being the event producer, said Rolfe, “but we have not made a decision.”

She couldn’t share any information about who the candidates are but she said planners hope to pick someone “within the next week.”t

Community News>>

t HIV+ man alleges discrimination by SF company

by Seth Hemmelgarn

A

man who’s living with HIV is suing the San Francisco travel agency where he’s worked for years, claiming the company discriminated against him, harassed him, and disclosed his health information.

Mario Pastrana, 47, who lives in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs, started working for McIntosh Associates, doing business as S.R. Travel, in October 2008 as a virtual corporate travel agent.

Since then, he’s “experienced numerous inquiries” by the agency into his medical condition “as well as several false allegations” about his job performance, according to his complaint filed in San Francisco Superior Court in December.

In its responding filing, the company denied Pastrana’s allegations.

Despite the “severe and ongoing harassment and discrimination,” the complaint says, “he was a loyal and hardworking employee.”

In an interview, Pastrana said “discrimination still happens, and I think this economy has brought such an attitude to employers they’re en-

titled to reach into your most private aspects of your life. ... The lesson to learn is the AIDS and HIV crisis is not over yet,” and people still have to be educated “to respect the laws.”

He added that there’s an attitude that “if you want to keep your job, you better keep quiet about what you’re claiming, or quit.”

Pastrana, who’s gay, didn’t disclose his HIV status when he started working for the company, and the law doesn’t require him to. But in March 2009, a manager at the company “confronted him about having HIV,” and Pastrana “hesitantly admitted” his status. He didn’t request any accommodations and asked for his health information to be kept private.

A colleague had already told Pastrana that the man who’d previously held his job had been fired because of his HIV status, so Pastrana was “fearful,” the lawsuit says.

Pastrana started working from home in May 2009, and “soon after,” he “began noticing that he was being treated differently than other employees as well as his performance being measured differently than other employees,” according to

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 3

Rick Gerharter

A gay man is suing S&R Travel, located at 450 Sansome Street, claiming the company discriminated against him.

the complaint.

The filing says Pastrana complained about the mistreatment throughout his employment, to no avail.

Over the years, Pastrana’s supervisor “would antagonize him through the weekly schedule calendar by writing ‘Mario in SF, ask me what I am doing here,’” knowing that Pastrana was in the city for an HIV-

related doctor appointment, court records say. This and other actions led him to believe that his medical condition had been disclosed to others “and that this calendaring was just another way for [the] defendant to ridicule and embarrass” Pastrana.

Pastrana, whose second language is English, was also “yelled at to ‘speak English,’” excluded from office trips and events, demoted, and “denied overtime,” the complaint says.

As a result of the agency’s actions, Pastrana has suffered “great emotional suffering” and other problems, he claims.

Pastrana’s complaint doesn’t specify how much he’s seeking in damages, and he said he doesn’t know how much money he wants.

Another challenge for Pastrana is that Michael Hoffman, the attorney who filed the complaint on his behalf, has asked to be removed from the case.

In a motion he filed in February, Hoffman said Pastrana had “declined to consent to substitution of an attorney,” but he added “the specific facts” behind the motion are confidential. Hoffman didn’t respond to an emailed interview request.

Pastrana, who’s still employed by the agency but on disability for “stress and depression” until April 11, said Hoffman told him that he was removing himself from the case because he’d “hoped for a very quick settlement offer,” but the travel agency “is fighting the case.”

Pastrana said he is talking to another attorney about representing him.

Specific S.R. Travel employees aren’t named in Pastrana’s complaint. Reached by phone, Jessica Lewin, the agency’s CEO, said she didn’t have time to talk.

Other employees at the agency and the agency’s attorney didn’t respond to requests for comment.

In a 2004 lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court against the World Travel Specialists Group, doing business as the Lawyers’ Travel Service and the Lawyers’ Travel Service of California, Pastrana, who lived in San Francisco at the time, claimed national origin/ethnicity discrimination, among other problems, according to the complaint. In a court filing, the company denied the allegations.

The case was settled. Pastrana estimated he received $50,000.t

LGBT center Soiree celebrates achievements, raises funds

by David-Elijah Nahmod

T

he San Francisco LGBT Community Center’s official poster for Soiree 2015 features a starship way out in the far reaches of space.

“Celebrating our community’s future” reads the tagline.

“We are really excited to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the LGBT center,” said Roberto Ordeñana, the center’s director of development.

“We’ve made incredible progress in our quest for civil rights. Our Soiree helps us all imagine what a stronger and healthier LGBT community could look like.”

This year’s theme is “Limitless.”

The Soiree, a party and fundraiser for the center, takes place Saturday March 28 at City View inside the Metreon. Soiree, which is the center’s biggest fundraising event of the year, takes place from 8 p.m. to midnight. A VIP dinner will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Several community members talked to the Bay Area Reporter about what the center means to them and how it has helped them.

<<

LGBT seniors

From page 1

gender and non-gender conforming residents and protects the visitation rights of same-sex spouses or partners of residents in such facilities.

“San Francisco has an opportunity to be a model for the rest of the country on how we address the aging needs of the LGBT community,” gay District 9 Supervisor David Campos, a co-sponsor of the measure, told reporters at a press conference March 19 prior to a hearing about the proposal before the board’s Government Audit and Oversight Committee.

Gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener is the lead author of the ordinance creating a “Bill of Rights” for LGBT seniors. It is the first piece of legislation to be introduced based on the recommendations of a city created LGBT Aging Policy Task Force that completed its work last spring.

“These are the people who went to hell and back through the HIV epidemic to fight for our community.

This is the least we can do,” said Wiener, who is also planning to introduce a measure that would require city agencies to collect LGBT data on users of their services, which the aging task force also called for in its final report.

At last week’s hearing on the Bill of Rights measure, Supervisors Norman Yee (District 7), London Breed (D5) and Julie Christensen

Shane, 23, who asked that his last name not be used, moved to the Bay Area in part to continue his studies in alternative medicine, and to escape the bullying and abuse he endured in his native Florida.

“The center provided me with meals when I was hungry at their weekly meal night,” Shane, who is gay, recalled. “The employment services team worked with me on many occasions to prepare me and to help me get a job.”

Shane now sits on the center’s Youth Council where he facilitates a job club for youth.

“The center has continued to provide me with outstanding support and resources,” he said, calling the center essential to those in the community who might need the same kind of help as he did.

The center can also be a refuge for seniors. Lollie Ortiz, 71, is an artist and a client of the center’s lending circle. Like many others, she experienced the hardships of the recent economic downturn, and accumulated debt. When she attempted (D3) voted unanimously to recommend that the full board adopt it.

At its March 31 meeting the board is expected to pass the ordinance on first reading, and Wiener plans to hold a signing ceremony soon after with Mayor Ed Lee. “Once again San Francisco can lead the way in ensuring our LGBT seniors are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve,” Wiener said. “While state law mandates nondiscrimination in general, this sets clear guidelines on what that means.”

It is unknown how many longterm care providers are currently operating in the city, as local officials do not compile a comprehensive list.

Aging advocates say there could be anywhere from 500 to 1,000 such facilities ranging in size from having five or six beds to larger communal living settings with hundreds of units.

Nor are there any statistics on the number of LGBT people living in long-term care facilities. In general, it is estimated there are at least 20,000 LGBT seniors in San Francisco.

Some incidents reported

There does not appear to be widespread problems of LGBT harassment or discrimination at the city’s longterm care facilities, with many holding LGBT sensitivity trainings for staff members. But incidents do occur.

Mullane Ahern, director of discrimination investigations and

Breanna Sinclaire, a transgender woman, will be among those providing entertainment at the LGBT Community Center’s Soiree fundraiser.

to refinance her home, Ortiz, who identifies as gay, discovered that she had no credit score.

“I thought through my own lack of financial education that if I didn’t use credit cards for the last 10 years I was helping my credit score,” Ortiz said. mediations at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, reported during last week’s hearing that of the 86 housing, employment, and public accommodation discrimination complaints the agency received in 2014, sexual orientation was the basis of the claim in 13 percent of the cases, with gender identity cited in 8 percent.

As for the 17 public accommodation claims in 2014, Ahern reported that nearly 20 percent were filed based on gender identity or sexual orientation discrimination. In a follow up interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Ahern said she did not know if any of the complaints involved long-term care facilities.

She explained that “the point of my testimony was these are the main areas of discrimination” she sees in her job, noting that many of the gender identity claims involve the names and pronouns used to address transgender people.

Once the ordinance is adopted, facilities would be required to update their admission forms so that questions regarding a person’s gender identity and preferred names and pronouns are included. They would also need to designate a staff member as an LGBT liaison responsible for annual trainings on cultural competency and other issues.

See page 9 >>

She found the help she needed at a lending circle meeting, and couldn’t be happier.

“To be able to start increasing my credit score without being judged for my past debts was a financial miracle,” Ortiz said. “That was the beginning of a new direction in securing financial freedom in terms of education and in learning to take that first step.”

Ortiz also said that she learned that it’s OK to ask for help.

“The center connects people to each other, to resources and to opportunities,” said Ordeñana. “Joining us for Soiree gives people a chance to invest in the tens of thousands of community members that use our center throughout the year.”

Soiree is celebrated by people from across the LGBT spectrum.

There will be DJs, dancing, food, an open bar, silent auction, costume contest, and live entertainment, all in a futuristic setting that the center promises will “dazzle.”

Performers will include Breanna Sinclaire, 25, a recent graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Sinclaire, a transgender woman, credits the center with helping her to find work, getting hormone replacement therapy, and legally changing her name.

“Without the center, I would not be the woman I am today,” Sinclaire said. “Because of the center, I was able to succeed in school as Breanna Sinclaire, my true self.”

As Shane, Sinclaire, and Ortiz look to their individual futures, the LGBT center looks forward to a future of offering assistance to more community members like them.

“Soiree 2015 celebrates the accomplishments of the center, the visitors who use it, and all of it’s supporters,” said Ordeñana.t Tickets for the dinner and party are $225; tickets to the party only are $125. For more information, visit http://www.sfcenter.org.

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4 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Volume 45, Number 13 March 26-April 1, 2015 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • Seth Hemmelgarn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Erin Blackwell • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Brent Calderwood • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani Chuck Colbert • Richard Dodds Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger Michael McDonagh • David-Elijah Nahmod Elliot Owen • Paul Parish • Sean Piverger Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota Bob Roehr • Donna Sachet • Adam Sandel Khaled Sayed • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Jim Stewart Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez • Ronn Vigh Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Jay Cribas PRODUCTION/DESIGN Max Leger

Dear Pope Francis

P

lease appoint a new archbishop for the Diocese of San Francisco. Our city needs someone who embodies more of your spirit, tone, and compassion than current Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.

This is the second time we have called for Cordileone to be replaced. We know that he was appointed to the position by your predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. As such, to mark your second anniversary as pope, and with Easter approaching, we think the timing is perfect for you to select your own archbishop for the city.

We’re confident that you’ve heard about the problems Cordileone has caused in the City of St. Francis. We believe the many negative news reports surrounding the archbishop are the result of his abrasive leadership style and his unwillingness to listen to other viewpoints. And let us be clear: our problems with Cordileone stem mainly from his doctrinaire opposition to equal rights for gays, including same-sex marriage.

Cordileone has done nothing to demonstrate any caring for LGBTs, from school students to teachers to lay people.

He’s trying to revise the faculty handbook at four Catholic high schools by including a morality clause that specifically condemns homosexuality, marriage equality, contraception, ordination of female priests, and assisted reproductive techniques. He wants teachers at the schools to be called “ministers,” which isn’t exactly what they’re paid to do. Although we accept that private Catholic schools have a right to include Catholic doctrine as part of its mission, they should not

discriminate against their LGBT faculty and students.

In August 2012, shortly after his appointment, Cordileone banned drag performers at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in the Castro, even though they were part of a fundraiser for a sober living organization that had staged the show for years. That decree led Most Holy Redeemer to institute a norental policy for all groups, a sad state of affairs given the church’s long history in the neighborhood.

In June 2014, Cordileone flew to Washington, D.C. where he was a featured speaker at an anti-samesex marriage rally, the “March for Marriage,” where gay and lesbian couples were criticized for wanting the same rights as straight couples.

In July 2012, as bishop of Oakland, Cordileone sought loyalty oaths from a Berkeley Catholic group.

Our criticism of Cordileone’s anti-gay ac-

t

tions must also extend to the diocese’s treatment of homeless people. The final straw was the revelation last week that St. Mary’s Cathedral for the past two years was regularly dousing homeless people who sleep in the alcoves with cold water from a sprinkler system that was apparently illegally installed and lacks the proper permits. This inhumane treatment of some of the city’s most vulnerable residents stands in stark contrast to your message of compassion for all people.

City leaders from Mayor Ed Lee on down roundly criticized the archdiocese, and, frankly, were shocked that a faith organization was putting people’s lives at risk by soaking them with water and leaving them exposed to the elements. Is that a proper Christian response to homelessness? We think not.

During your tenure, you have hugged a transgender man and, just last weekend, met with gay, transgender, and HIV-positive prisoners in Naples. “Sometimes you feel disappointed, discouraged, abandoned by all,” you said, according to a translation of your speech released by the Vatican Press Office.

“God does not forget his children, he never abandons them. He is always on our side, especially during times of trial.”

Catholics and non-Catholics are still in awe of your 2013 comment when you said, “Who am I to judge” gay priests. That simple utterance led so many to believe of the possibility for a better church, for tolerance, for a sincere effort to bridge what has been decades of rejection.

San Francisco deserves better pastoral care from a religious leader than Cordileone has been able to provide. We urge you to make a change and give our city an archbishop who respects the dignity of all people.t

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AIDS cure research at CROI 2015

ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith

T

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analysis by Stephen LeBlanc

he 22nd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections that took place last month in Seattle is one of the largest scientific conferences on HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) research in the world. While HIV cure was a highlighted topic, addressed by dozens of presentations as well as at a Community Cure pre-conference, the overall picture from CROI of the state of actual progress toward an HIV cure was mixed at best.

The conference is vast. Over the course of four days, there were some 1,100 scientific presentations related to HIV and HCV. Headlines from the conference deservedly focused on new data showing that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using Gilead’s Truvada was extremely effective at preventing HIV infection in men even for unprotected anal sex when actually used and that on-demand use, where an uninfected person takes two pills two to 24 hours before first having receptive anal sex and one pill on each of the two days afterwards, was also extremely effective.

Other headlines showed HCV could be effectively cured in virtually all cases, but by using drugs that remain prohibitively expensive.

Regarding HIV cure research, one bottom line from CROI is that former San Francisco resident Timothy Ray Brown (also known as the Berlin patient) remains the only person ever cured of HIV infection. Brown was not an attendee at this year’s conference, but was invited to give a public presentation of his story, along with his doctor who performed the curative treatment, Gero Hutter, at the Seattle Public Library during the conference. The presentation was sponsored by the Martin Delaney Collaboratory of AIDS Research for Eradication at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Brown reported that his health remains good and he is HIV free despite taking no antiHIV medication since 2008.

Replicating the Brown cure

Brown’s cure is an example of a “cellular” therapy, one of two major approaches under investigation as an HIV cure. (The other major approach involves activating resting infected cells so they can be recognized and killed by the immune system. This “kick and kill” approach is further discussed below.)

Cellular therapies in general involve giving

patients genetically modified cells, either bone marrow stem cells or CD4/CD8 cells. In Brown’s case, the genetic modification was due to a naturally occurring mutation of a gene that makes CCR5, one of the two molecules on CD4/CD8 cells and other immune cells that most HIV strains need to enter and infect cells. Brown required a bone marrow transplant to treat an aggressive leukemia and received the naturally mutated cells from a donor whom his doctor identified. Because his leukemia was not stopped by the first transplant, Brown actually received two a second round of oblation and a second bone marrow transplant with the naturally genetically-modified donor stem cells.

Since publication of Brown’s cure, there have been reports of six further HIV-positive patients with aggressive cancers that received bone marrow stem cells from donors who naturally had the CCR5 mutation in an effort to replicate Brown’s results. One report involved cord blood cells. None has been a success as all six treated patients died as a result of their cancer or cancer treatment before definitive results about whether the transplant cured their HIV were known.

CXCR4

One presentation by a medical team led by Jens Verheyen reported further results regarding one of those six patients. This patient, shortly after transplant, was not able to control his HIV virus without anti-viral drugs and subsequently died from the blood cancer. Further analysis, presented at CROI, found that the patient’s continuing virus after transplant was a different variety of HIV that uses CD4 and a different co-receptor, known as CXCR4, to enter and infect cells. The presentation suggested that because this different HIV virus does not use the CCR5 co-receptor, the transplant with cells lacking CCR5 not only did not prevent HIV from reproducing, but also selected for CXCR4 using HIV virus.

Treatment with artificially genetically modified cells

The failures to replicate the Brown case using naturally mutated donor cells were in contrast to reports from Sangamo BioSciences Inc. regarding a human clinical trial using artificially genetically modified cells. In this case the cells

are not from a donor, but from the patient being treated. At present, Sangamo has not used genetically modified stem cells in human trials, but instead used a patient’s own CD4 and CD4/ CD8 cells that taken out of the body, genetically modified to lack CCR5, expanded, and then transfused back to the patient. At present, the clinical trials are Phase 2 safety studies, but Sangamo also reported efficacy.

The Sangamo trials involve testing the safety of preconditioning and the safety of using modified CD8 cells with the modified CD4 cells. The first presentation related to the preconditioning needed to get a patient’s body able to accept and grow the genetically modified cells. This is similar, but less drastic than, the chemical oblation done before a bone marrow transplant and depletes the body’s CD4 and CD8 cells so that the modified transfused cells will have room to expand. In its presentation, Sangamo reported that the preconditioning agent Cyclophosphamide (CTX) was both safe and effective to enhance acceptance (engraftment) of the genetically modified CD4 cells. Sangamo additionally reported that including genetically modified CD8 cells with the modified CD4 cells was as safe as previous studies using only CD4 cells and that modified CD8 cells did grow in the patient’s body.

In addition to this safety data, Sangamo reported that two of the four patients who received the transplants showed reduction of viral load even after long-term antiviral treatment interruptions (40-71 weeks), with one patient’s viral load remaining below the limits of detection while not on antiviral drugs. If this patient continues to have sustained non-detectable viral load, the patient may be the second person in the world to have been functionally cured of HIV. In addition to this ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in HIV-infected humans, Sangamo announced that it is expanding its therapeutic approach to treat patients using essentially the gene modification therapy but with modified bone marrow stem cells. Sangamo reports that a Phase 1 clinical trial of this approach has been approved and will be undertaken along with City of Hope in Los Angeles. Treatment with modified stem cells (hematopoietic stem See page 9 >>

t

Politics>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

SF Supervisor Christensen adjusts to new role

by Matthew S. Bajko

gressively with quality of care for our aging LGBT population, and people living longer and fuller lives with HIV/AIDS.” Asked about Christensen’s comments, Wiener told the B.A.R. that he is “100 percent confident she will be supportive of backfilling the federal cuts.”

V

oicing her support for an ordinance that would create a “Bill of Rights” for LGBT seniors living in long-term care facilities in the city, San Francisco Supervisor Julie Christensen began to tear up as she recalled how upset her sister, an intensive care nurse at UCSF during the early days of the AIDS epidemic, would be after her shifts at the hospital.

Due to regulations in place at the time, the partners and friends of the gay men who lay dying from the mysterious disease were often restricted from seeing them because they were not biological family members.

“It never occurred to me that 30 years later I would be in a position to do something about that,” said Christensen, 61, as she dabbed a tissue around her eyes.

Under the new ordinance, set to be adopted Tuesday, assisted care facilities could not restrict the visitation rights of the partners and family of choice of their LGBT residents. Asked about her reaction during the March 19 hearing by the Bay Area Reporter’s editorial board a day later, Christensen once again choked up thinking back to when she was 26 years old and shared an apartment with her sister, Mylia, who now runs a Portland-based nonprofit focused on improving health care in Oregon.

“She would come home in her little white uniform and sit at the kitchen table just exhausted. I can remember her crying; these were the first AIDS cases back when this disease didn’t have a name,” recalled Christensen. “The thing I remember her saying most was she felt so badly for the partners of these people. To see the person dying, that was sad, but to see these people who deeply loved these people who were ill excluded from medical choices, excluded from the grieving process, that that really impacted her deeply.”

Having lost her own father a few years ago, Christensen said she couldn’t imagine being kept away from him in his final days.

“It is very difficult to nurture a parent or a friend through that process. I think of adding the complexity of exclusion or of prejudice to the process, I just think that is an enormous wrong. That is such a heavy burden,” she said. “But to make it more difficult by adding that aspect is just completely wrong.

I did kind of a wormhole thing where I am that 26-year-old person trying to comfort my sister. All of a sudden I am a supervisor in the city of San Francisco having the privilege to vote on an ordinance, no matter how tiny or how small a step, to vote on something to change that.

I realized, oh wow, what I am doing actually has a purpose; that is what happened.”

Supervisor Scott Wiener, a gay man who is the lead sponsor of the bill, said he wasn’t surprised by Christensen’s emotional response during the hearing.

“She is a regular person who has lived in this city a long time. She is authentically passionate about it,” said Wiener. “She gets it when it comes to the LGBT community and its needs. She is the real deal.”

In January Mayor Ed Lee appointed Christensen, a North Beach neighborhood activist and owner of a design firm, to the vacant District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors.

Former board president David Chiu had resigned from the seat

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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415-781-6500 *Certified by the California State Bar 400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA

Santa Clara set to form LGBTQ office

Rick Gerharter

District 3 Supervisor Julie Christensen

following his election in November to the city’s 17th Assembly District seat.

Since then it has been a mad scramble for Christensen to put together her staff – she hired Gary McCoy, a gay man who is HIVpositive, as a legislative assistant – and close down her business all while gearing up her campaign team to win election this November to serve out the remainder of the term.

“You talk about your trial by fire,” said Christensen, who lives on Telegraph Hill with her husband, Greg Smith, and their Aussie shepherdhound mix Cooper, adopted from the SPCA three years ago.

Her newness to being a politician rather than a community advocate was in evidence when asked by the B.A.R. if she would support fully backfilling cuts in federal funding for local AIDS services. The issue is a perennial one, with San Francisco City Hall having allocated $20 million since 2011 from its general fund to cover the reduction in its share of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act funds.

The city will likely need to plug a hole of several million dollars again this year, yet Christensen’s initial response on if she would vote to do so was not unequivocal.

“The easy answer is yes,” she told the B.A.R. before pointing out that many nonprofits in her district are asking for additional funding this year in light of the city’s improving economy. “The more challenging answer is this will be my first budget round, and, um, I am looking at nests of baby birds that are all chirping, all worthy. There are so many things we underfund in this city.”

Pressed again if she would backfill any Ryan White cuts, Christensen, who lost a cousin to AIDS, responded, “I am not sure I can say what I will do. Because barring any feelings I have on this topic, there are a lot of other impacts. The budget is about balancing.”

The following day McCoy sent the B.A.R. an email to clarify Christensen’s position on HIV backfilling. In it the supervisor pledged to “work closely” with both the mayor and her board colleagues “to identify potential programs and the necessary funding.”

Pointing to the city’s commitment to reduce new HIV infections to nearly zero by 2020, Christensen added, “it is our responsibility to aggressively hit this virus from every angle possible. Reducing the amount of money the city backfills is not an option unless we can find other sources of funding for these programs, private or public.

Because folks are living longer with HIV, we must now focus just as ag-

Santa Clara County is set to create an Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Affairs. It would be only the third such entity in the country, as both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. have similar LGBT affairs offices.

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, March 24 the county board of supervisors directed county administrators to present a funding and staffing plan for the LGBTQ office during the annual budget hearings on May 12. Gay Supervisor Ken Yeager, who choked up during the hearing, had pushed for the creation of the office.

“The LGBTQ community has traditionally been underrepresented in our government and underserved by our institutions,” stated Yeager.

“However, this county has a long tradition of working to eliminate disparities among its residents.”

According to a news release issued by Yeager’s office, the Office of LGBTQ Affairs would “provide leadership, accountability, and effective outcomes across programs and departments.” It is envisioned that the office could provide “targeted training for client-specific needs and employee-related LGBTQ issues.”

Other duties could include identifying gaps in services to LGBTQ residents, developing resources to address them, and devising evaluation metrics to determine the effectiveness of those efforts.

Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose, estimates that LGBTQ people account for 4 percent of its population, which totaled more than 1.8 million people based on 2013 U.S. Census numbers. A Gallup survey released last week that looked at LGBT residents of the country’s top 50 metro areas found that the LGBT population in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area was 3.2 percent, or 3,368 residents age 18 and older.

County officials estimate that 10 percent of homeless adults in the area are LGBT, while 29 percent of homeless youth and young adults under the age of 25 are LGBT. Creating an Office of LGBTQ Affairs would parallel similar county efforts to meet the needs of women, veterans, racial and ethnic minorities, and immigrants, argued Yeager.

“I am proud of Santa Clara County’s record of leadership in addressing the needs of underserved populations,” stated Yeager. “This proposal continues our mission of promoting health, safety, and prosperity for all segments of our dynamic community.”t

Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings at noon for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion.

This week’s column looked at the CA LGBT legislators eyeing higher office.

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

Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 8298836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

RESURRECTION

Celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday with Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco at our new home: 1300 Polk Street (at Bush) with Rev. Robert Shively, Senior Pastor MARCH 29: Palm Sunday, Noon and 6 p.m.

Enter the passion story of Holy Week

APRIL 1: Holy Wednesday, 7 p.m.

A meditative service of song and prayer with Holy Week scriptures

APRIL 3: Good Friday, 7 p.m.

One-person play, John’s Dream, features impressions of Holy Week from the view of the beloved disciples, by playwright Harry Cronin, author of Matthew Shepard Meets Coyote.

APRIL 5: Easter Sunday, Noon and 6 p.m.

Stories of resurrection and hope, plus glorious Easter bonnets!

MCC San Francisco has been serving the spiritual needs of the Bay Area LGBT community for more than 40 years.

6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

<< Community News

t Palliative care head honored with compassion award compiled by Cynthia Laird

city clerk’s office, 777 B Street, or by calling (510) 583-4400 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Applications may also be obtained by visiting the city’s website at http://www.hayward-ca.gov.

The deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, May 14 at 5 p.m. Interviews are scheduled for May 28.

A

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

lesbian who runs the palliative care program at Seniors At Home, the senior care division of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, will receive one of two 2015 Compassionate Care Leadership Awards from the Coalition of Compassionate Care of California.

J. Redwing Keyssar, R.N., director of the palliative care program, will receive the award at the CCCC’s seventh annual summit next month in Sacramento. The other recipient is Napa Valley Hospice and Adult Day Services.

Keyssar, 62, established the palliative care program at JFCS eight years ago. The broad-based service addresses the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of both clients and their families. It is the only community-based interdisciplinary program that operates under a social service model in the state.

(Most such programs function under a medical model.) Since it was founded, thousands of clients and their families have benefited from the program’s services.

Keyssar said she was honored to receive the award.

“Receiving the Compassionate Care Leadership Award feels a bit like getting the Oscar in palliative care,” she said in an email. “I am honored and humbled by the public acknowledgment of the work I have been doing as a ‘midwife to the dying’ for more than 20 years.

She added that she realized her calling after the death of her best friend after a motorcycle accident in 1988.

“It became clear that the ‘gift’ she game me in her dying was to direct me to my life’s work – holding space and assisting people as they crossed over the threshold from this life to whatever is next,” Keyssar said.

In addition to her work at JFCS, Keyssar is a sought-after presenter on palliative care and end-of-lifecare issues. Her book, Last Acts of Kindness: Lessons for the Living from the Bedsides of the Dying, won a 2011 book of the year award from the American Journal of Nursing.

She was also a leader in the establishment of California State University Institute for Palliative Care, which educates health care professionals about best practices in the field.

“Redwing is a gifted healer,” Roberta Achtenberg, a member of the CSU Board of Trustees and a former San Francisco supervisor, said in a news release. “She is also a leader. It is her vision that animates the CSU Institute for Palliative Care.”

Events planned for Trans Day of Visibility

Events are planned on the Peninsula and the South Bay for the Transgender Day of Visibility, which is dedicated to celebrating trans people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide. According to Wikipedia, it was started in 2009 by Michigan-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall.

In San Jose, the day of visibility will be held Saturday, March 28 at the Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center, 938 The Alameda.

There will be workshops from 1 to 6 p.m., followed by a cocktail party and show from 7 to 11:30 p.m.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is expected to stop by and deliver brief remarks around 7.

Tickets are $1-$10, sliding scale,

Wiener to hold hearing on HIVers and disability issues

Courtesy JFCS

J. Redwing Keyssar, RN

for the afternoon workshops and $20, sliding scale, for the evening performance, although no one will be turned away for lack of funds. To sign up, visit www.southbaytdov. dancingbull.net.

On Tuesday, March 31, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will join gay Supervisor Ken Yeager in proclaiming Trans Day of Visibility in the county.

In Redwood City, the new San Mateo County LGBTQ Commission and the San Mateo County Pride Initiative will have several events Tuesday, March 31. At 9 a.m. the commission will receive a proclamation from the county Board of Supervisors, 400 County Center.

In the afternoon, from 2 to 5 p.m., there will be a workshop on transgender awareness 101. The program, by Anthony Ross, director of the Outlet program at Adolescent Counseling Services, takes place at the San Mateo Credit Union, 350 Convention Way. From 5 to 6 p.m. there will be a reception, also at the credit union, featuring a welcome by Supervisor Dave Pine. Then from 6 to 7:30 p.m. there will be a panel discussion on trans issues. Speakers include Alameda County Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, Mission College basketball player Gabbi Ludwig, and others to be announced.

To register for the events at the credit union, which are free, visit http://2015tgdov.bpt.me by Thursday, March 26.

Hayward seeks applicants for youth panel

The East Bay city of Hayward is now accepting applications for its Youth Commission. According to a news release, the city seeks students who are eager to represent the interests, needs, and concerns of young people in the Hayward community to provide input to elected officials, the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, and the Hayward Unified School District about issues that affect youth.

Youth commissioners’ responsibilities include attending meetings the first and third Monday of each month from September to June (except holidays), and working on special projects that address current issues.

To qualify, students must be between 13 and 20 years old at the time of appointment and live within the city of Hayward or within the boundaries of the school district.

All applicants under 18 years of age must have parent/legal guardian consent to participate in the commission by competing an agreement form.

Applications are available in the

San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener will hold a hearing Wednesday, April 1 to discuss the expected financial needs created by the increase of people living with HIV/ AIDS who will lose their private disability insurance as they become eligible for Social Security benefits.

According to Wiener’s office, private disability insurance typically ends once a person is eligible for Social Security at age 65, and Social Security generally provides a significantly lower monthly benefit than private policies. As a result, as longterm HIV survivors reach age 65, many will experience a significant income drop and may not be able to afford their housing. Wiener’s office noted that this will increase displacement and homelessness.

A report by the board’s budget and legislative analyst, which Wiener referenced, indicates that the annual income of people living with HIV/AIDS on private disability insurance is expected to drop by an average of 40 percent when they become eligible for Social Security. As a result, the percentage of these individuals’ monthly income that would go toward rent would increase from 45 percent to 74 percent.

Wiener has been working with community groups and HIV/AIDS organizations on the matter, including Let’s Kick ASS (AIDS Survivor Syndrome) and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel.

The hearing, before the board’s Budget and Finance Committee, will be at 10 a.m. in room 250 of City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.

Frank’s book tour comes to Bay Area

Former Congressman Barney Frank’s new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage, was recently released and the gay politician will be appearing in the Bay Area next week.

Frank, a Democrat who served Massachusetts in the House of Representatives from 1981 to 2013, will speak at Dominican University of California in San Rafael Tuesday, March 31. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the program begins at 7.

Frank will be in conversation with Dominican President Mary B. Marcy. His appearance is being presented in partnership with Book Passage. Tickets are $35 and include an autographed copy of the book.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Book Passage in Corte Madera, (415) 927-0960, ext. 1 or www.bookpassage.com.

The following day, Wednesday, April 1, Frank will be in San Francisco as part of a Commonwealth Club program. That will take place at 555 Post Street; check-in begins at 11:30 a.m., the program is at noon.

A book signing will follow at 1.

Tickets are $25 for non-members, $15 for members, and $7 for students (with valid student ID).

Premium tickets are $60 for nonmembers and $50 for members.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.commonwealthclub.org.

See page 7 >>

Community News>>

t SF State reaches to Chicago for new science dean

by Khaled Sayed

S

an Francisco State University has appointed Illinois Institute of Technology Dean Keith J. Bowman, Ph.D., as its next dean of the College of Science and Engineering.

Bowman, a gay man and scholar, has spent much of his career focusing on increasing diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (also known as STEM).

Bowman, who has a longtime partner, said the couple is very excited to be moving to San Francisco.

“I hope to succeed the tradition of great leadership for the College of Science and Engineering at SF State by ensuring a great education, providing opportunities for students and faculty to do research that enhances our education programs, and elevating recognition of our students and faculty for their accomplishments,” Bowman said. “My hope is

<<

News Briefs

From page 6

Suicide prevention group to hold LGBT prevention confab

The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will hold a conference on LGBT suicide risk and prevention Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at San Francisco State University, in the Cesar Chavez Student Center.

The conference is intended for health care providers, mental health

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Harris

From page 1

but to allow the measure to proceed Vikram Amar, a law professor at UC Davis, told the Sacramento Bee that state law “generally favors judges making these decisions about what’s legal [or] not rather than elected political officials like the attorney general.”

The experts agreed that it’s unlikely McLaughlin’s initiative would get the required number of signatures.

Gay state Senator Mark Leno (DSan Francisco), a member of the Legislative LGBT Caucus, said that Harris’ hands may be tied.

“My understanding of the law is that she may not have any options,” Leno told the B.A.R. before her statement. “Even as despicable as this proposal is, the law allows anyone with $200 to attempt to gather the necessary signatures.”

Leno also talked about whether the law could be changed to stop such initiatives from being filed.

“Which individual person gets to decide what is constitutional and what is not?” he asked. “Where do you draw the line? These are the very challenges of our First Amendment right to free speech.”

Harris’ office offered little in the way of comment.

“Our office is currently reviewing the proposed measure and our legal

<<

SF national park

From page 1

visor Scott Wiener, a gay man who represents the Castro district. While he doesn’t recall meeting Lehnertz, Wiener has met with Dean on numerous occasions to express his concerns about the public’s access to GGNRA sites.

“I have lot of respect for the GGNRA and for its personnel; they care passionately about the federal park properties. But I have a strong disagreement with them about their proposed restrictions on dogs and other recreation access,” said Wiener. “The GGNRA properties

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 7

that I can establish strong connections with our alumni, friends, and other stakeholders while also becoming a resident of San Francisco.”

Bowman, who declined to share his age, will be responsible for all academic, strategic, and financial aspects of the college, home to more than 400 faculty and staff members, including 175 tenured and tenuretrack faculty and more than 6,000 students in nine departments ranging from biology and chemistry to computer science and engineering.

He currently chairs the largest department, the Armour College of Engineering, at IIT, a private school in Chicago where he spent the past four years.

Bowman’s first academic job was at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he worked for 23 years. He started as an assistant professor and rose through the ranks to become head professor of the School of Materials Engineering.

professionals, clergy, social service providers, policy makers, community leaders, and students in these fields interested in the latest research on suicide risk and prevention research and efforts in the LGBT community.

Registration is $75 for general admission and $35 for students.

For more information or to sign up, visit http://afsp.donordrive.com/ event/SFLGBT2015/.

SFGH hiring nurses for new facility

The Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Reoptions,” spokeswoman Ford told the B.A.R.

Kristin

Legislative caucus files complaint

In other news, the Legislative LGBT Caucus, a group of out state lawmakers, has filed a formal complaint against McLaughlin with the state bar, charging that his extreme proposal amounts to violating the law as it calls for “murder of members of the LGBT community.”

“We believe that this measure not only fails constitutional muster, but that such inciting and hateful language has no place in our discourse, let alone state constitution,” the caucus’ letter reads in part.

As gay state Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Los Angeles) told the B.A.R. a few weeks ago, the caucus is concerned that McLaughlin has run afoul of the state bar’s moral character requirement for practicing attorneys.

Signers of the letter – Assembly members Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), Evan Low (D-Campbell), and Rich Gordon (D-Menlo Park) and Senators Leno, Lara, and Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) – wrote that they have spent “much of our personal and professional lives combating bigotry wherever it lies. While we believe that this measure may not qualify for the state ballot, we cannot See page 10 >> are not backwoods national parks.

These are urban national park areas that San Francisco residents have relied on for decades to walk their dogs and for other recreations.”

He told the B.A.R. this week he would request a meeting with Lehnertz once she assumes her new job as the national park service’s policies greatly impact not only his constituents but the city as a whole.

“The proposed dog restrictions have negative consequences for many residents of our city. They will push many dogs into our already overcrowded neighborhood parks,” said Wiener. “I continue to be opposed to these restrictions on dog access.”t

scholarship, with proven I used,” Zawojewski said. “As the “The future of STEM success working with all line finally started to move forward lies in great cities like San university stakeholders (when the rain had ended) and our Francisco and at instituto support the work and conversation ended, Keith extended tions such as SF State, achievements of students his hand, and said, ‘I’m Keith Bowand I am honored to be and faculty. In addition, he man. I overheard your conversation, selected as the university’s has shown a firm commitand I think we can do some work tonext dean of the College ment to broadening pargether.’ The rest has been an amazing of Science and Engineerticipation in STEM, a goal journey. He had an idea, and eventuing,” Bowman said in a Courtesy SF State to which we are strongly ally was granted $1 million from the news release announcing National Science Foundation to imhis appointment. “The Keith J. Bowman, committed at SF State.”

Judi Zawojewski, prove the interest and perseverance college has a strong com- Ph.D. Ph.D., associate professor of women in engineering.” mitment to research and emeritus in the DepartShe added that Bowman enjoys teaching excellence and ment of Mathematics and Science the theater and played classical guiI look forward to working closely and Education at IIT, is a close tar in his younger days. with its students, faculty, and staff.” friend and colleague of Bowman’s.

“He is concerned that all people Among many professional assoShe recalled how she met Bowman have equitable opportunities to ciations, Bowman is a member of 15 years ago during a rainstorm at learn, and to show that they know the American Society of Mechanithe graduation line at the end of her and can do,” Zawojewski added. cal Engineers executive committee first year as an associate professor “Keith also has one of the most of mechanical engineering departat Purdue University. While they unusual combination of smarts ment heads. waited for the rain to stop, she was and ethics that I know. He uses his According to SF State Provost and explaining to another engineering smarts to advocate for equality for Vice President for Academic Affairs faculty member the value of stuall people, not for selfish reasons.”

Sue V. Rosser, “Dr. Bowman has an dents understanding the mathematBowman will take over from Shelexceptional record of leadership and ics they were using. don Axler, who has served as dean “I spent quite a bit of time talking since 2002, when he assumes his sources have announced that they are about the research and the approach new role at SF State this summer.t hiring registered nurses in preparation for the opening of the new San Francisco General Hospital acute care and trauma building in December.

Proudly serving the LGBT community According to a news release, more Voted 2014 Best of the Bay than 100 RNs will be hired in many specialty areas, with top priorities in 415-282-1393 • 4299 24th St, SF www.vipgroomingsf.com emergency care, medical-surgical, critical care, and per-operative services.

Prospective candidates can apply online at www.sfdhr.org or in person Saturday, March 28 at a nursing job fair that will be held at Laguna Honda Hospital, 375 Laguna Honda Boulevard, Simon Auditorium. Sessions will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Job seekers can take Muni lines K, L, or M to the Forest Hill station to reach Laguna Honda.

The City and County of San Francisco is an equal opportunity employer.t

VIP Grooming

A Paid Study for People Who Are HIV+ Smallpox Vaccine Study

What A study to develop a vaccine against smallpox for people who are HIV positive Who HIV positive adults, 18 to 45 years of age, with t-cells below 500 Pay Participants will receive 2-3 vaccinations and up to $1350 Details For more information, please call Erika at Quest Clinical Research – (415) 353-0800 or email erika@questclinical.com

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8 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

<< Travel

t From hiking to wine tasting, Cape Town is a good bet

by Adrienne Jordan

C

ape Town, South Africa is a destination for every kind of LGBT traveler. In a place known as “Pink City,” or the gay capital of Africa, one can indulge in highoctane adventures like abseiling Table Mountain and cultural exploration. Because of the introduction of democracy through the government of the late Nelson Mandela, the gay community can proudly claim the status of their constitution which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Overseas nuptials are even possible as South Africa became the first African nation to legalize same-sex marriage in 2006.

Gay travel in South Africa was not always easy. Twenty years ago, most of the gay establishments were underground because the community was required to keep its activities away from the government eye.

Today, the city of Cape Town is the most popular destination in South Africa for gay tourists. In 2016, the city will host the 33rd annual International Gay and lesbian Travel Association Global Convention. Many South African leaders are promoting LGBT rights, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu.

In 2013, at the launch of the United Nations Free and Equal global campaign for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality, Tutu stated “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven ... I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid.”

Since it is illegal to discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation in South Africa, gay

Adrienne Jordan

A view of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town offers mountains in the background.

people are welcome everywhere, and its common to see them being open with their sexuality.

Here is a guide to navigating Cape Town, fondly known in the LGBT community as “Mother City.”

Visit

Start your trip with a tour of the Iziko South African Museum, which takes you on a journey through South Africa’s natural and cultural history, like the origin of man and a look at the country’s native animals.

Walk 10 minutes from the museum, and Greenmarket Square awaits, a popular outdoor flea market where you can take home one-of-a-kind souvenirs like Springbok purses or African clothing.

The most iconic tourist attraction, Table Mountain, is definitely worth a visit. Recently crowned a Seven Wonders of Nature alongside

the Amazon and Ha Long Bay, the 3,000-foot mountain is named after its flat peak being shaped like a table. For a vigorous and challenging workout, brave a two-hour hike up its rocky path. At the top of the mountain, you can see the landscape of Cape Town with the aid of several lookout points. Afterwards, take the cableway to the bottom, which spins you 360 degrees for a panoramic view of the city (or you can choose to abseil – or rather rappel – to the bottom with Abseil Africa).

For marine lovers, the Two Oceans Aquarium located on the beautiful Victoria and Alfred Waterfront dares you to try diving with ragged-toothed sharks and stingrays. For additional water submersion, visit the warm swimming beaches of Muizemberg or Long Beach. Sandy Bay, the only nudist beach in Cape Town, is too cold to swim, but is a favorite sunbathing spot for locals. Another popular See page 10 >>

t

Sports>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 9

Quitcha belly achin’

by Roger Brigham

W

e are at a blissful and contemplative time in the national sports calendar. The painful excesses of football are silent for a few weeks (although absurd speculation about who will go where in the draft and which of three quarterbacks will helm the national college champs next season continue on the airwaves), a bevy of beautiful winter sports are hip deep in their national championship tournaments (which has millions of office workers pulling their hair out over their basketball bracket choices), and the pleasant grind of spring training baseball has us all breathless in anticipation wondering who in the hell will fill out the rest of the defending World Series champion Giants pitching rotation on the days that demigod Madison Bumgarner is not hurling strikeouts.

Yet, just as Lucifer once found fault with heaven, so too the talking bobbleheads of ESPN continue to earn their paychecks by nitpicking at even the most joyful portions of the sports calendar. So allow me to address and rebuff a couple of their favorite discussion points.

They begin with the Kentucky men’s basketball team and its improbable run at an undefeated season. The Wildcats are seeking to become the first men’s Division I team to finish the season and postseason undefeated since the Indiana Hoosiers did it in 1976. Bobby Knight’s

<<

Guest Opinion

From page 4

progenitor cells) will more closely replicate in patients the bone-marrow transplant that cured Timothy Brown and it is hoped may show stronger anti-HIV effect than treatment with modified CD4/CD8 cells.

Research on similar cellular therapies is taking place at a handful of other sites. Worldwide, a substantial majority of this research is located in California and involves two California companies, Sangamo and Calimmune, three Los Angeles academic research institutions, and funding from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

Kick and Kill: First the kick

The other HIV cure approach, and the subject of the majority of presentations at CROI, is to activate latent long lived immune system cells that appear to harbor the HIV reservoir that is responsible for people who have HIV quickly rebounding within

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LGBT seniors

From page 3

The law also mandates that within six months the Human Rights Commission and the local long-term care ombudsman office publish a handbook to help facilities comply with the ordinance.

Other cities expected to follow suit

LGBT agencies from across the country have contacted Wiener’s office to express support for the measure, and advocates expect other cities will move to adopt similar legislation.

“From the national response we have received there is a sense this ordinance could be a pivotal moment, perhaps ushering in more attention and more discussion on these issues,” said attorney Daniel Redman, a gay man who served on the LGBT aging

Opera to see La Boheme, my favorite opera of all time. It was maybe the third or fourth time I’d seen SF Opera put it on and I was excited as could be – until I sat down, opened my program, and learned that most of the lead roles were being performed not by the usual stars, and not by the first-string understudies, but by the third stringers.

And yet – the production was the best I’d ever seen or heard. The performers sang their hearts out, so happy to have a chance to perform on the big stage. Nuances I never noticed before came to life.

So if I go to a Warriors game, and find out that the lineup doesn’t feature Splash Brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, or Andrew Bogut from Down Under, but rather the likes of Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Marreese Speights, Shaun Livingston, and Leandro Barbosa – well hey, I figure I’m in for a helluva show.

And still the talking heads drone on and on. Instead of celebrating the bevy of other great treats college sports are giving us – did you notice the California women, behind superstar sophomore sprinter Missy Franklin, blew away the field in the women’s swimming and diving championships? or that my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes, behind fourtime champion Logan Stieber and irrepressible freshman Nathan Tomasello, won the men’s wrestling title?

– they start carping about the pace of play in baseball games or the fact that the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight will occur three years later than they would have liked.

Sigh.

Town hall meeting on future of Gay Games

While these results are interesting, the study was based on treatment of only four rhesus monkeys (with six monkeys used as a control) and the overall disease progression of SIV in rhesus monkeys is different from HIV in humans in many respects.

Gilead has stated its intentions to begin human trials of the agent.

Kick and Kill remains an active area of research, with participation of multiple academic research centers and multiple pharmaceutical companies. One reason for this is that there is a long history of developing small molecule treatments and that is something that AIDS researchers and large pharmaceutical companies are comfortable with.

There were a number of presentations related to using animal models for testing drugs that can kick latent cells into actively producing HIV.

cure remains how paltry funding for HIV cure research is compared to other areas of HIV research. The International AIDS Society estimated that last year worldwide funding for HIV cure research remains at a level of $100 million annually, not dramatically higher than the $60 million annually estimated to be spent before the Brown case was reported. This is a small percentage (2-3 percent) of the overall global HIV research budget, and a tiny, tiny fraction of annual worldwide spending on HIV. The science presented at CROI 2015 and previously suggests that a cure for HIV is scientifically possible, but the consensus of many scientists at the conference is that it will be decades before one is available. Given scientific results so far, this timeline could change, and will only be changed, if sufficient funding is made available for more directed research toward an HIV cure.t

squad did it in a traditional manner by developing a cohesive unit heavy with seniors who had played together for four years. Four decades later, John Calipari’s Kentucky squad is trying it with a talented group of freshmen hoping to land in the NBA one year after graduating from high school.

All of this has every chattering set of teeth on ESPN, unconcerned about the meaning of life or the threat of ISIS, asking themselves and each other: Is it good or bad for college basketball if Kentucky goes unbeaten?

Answer: it is irrelevant whether the Wildcats go unbeaten or get blown out by 37 points. Interest in the sport is generated by the opportunity to watch great athleticism and incredible team coordination, and to see the unexpected ways in which one underdog team tries to dismantle a higher ranked and more talented opponent. The thrill comes not from the successes or the failures, but rather the suspense of the efforts.

Continuing with the same sport, tongues wag long and hard over the occasional rest NBA coaches give their players. The purpose of an 82game season is to reach the playoffs and fight on to the championship.

Coaches tend to want to succeed at that, and for them that means occasionally resting a player or two or three to ready them for the end game.

So the TV talkers, who are able to

attend the games for free, bemoan the misfortune of working stiffs who actually have to pay for their tickets and show up expecting to see All Stars, only to watch All Subs instead. This has the commentators hot under the collar and gabbing about ways to make it better for all of us, by eliminating preseason games or adjusting the length of the seasons or imposing rules on how many players (or which players) the coaches can bench.

All of which is a bunch of crap.

Perhaps the commentators, accustomed to using their press passes, have never actually seen the tickets. Those tickets do not promise a chance to see individual players – they promise to showcase teams. Period.

I once went to the San Francisco

a few weeks of stopping anti-HIV therapy, even people who have been on drugs with undetectable viral load for close to 20 years. The approach has been nicknamed kick and kill. A drug or combination of drugs is used to activate or “kick” resting infected HIV cells, causing those cells to become active and produce HIV virus. Once the virus is being produced, the immune system, acting alone or aided by various immune enhancement therapies, can recognize and kill those cells.

Dozens of different drugs have been studied or proposed to activate latent HIV-infected cells and many of these drugs have been shown to activate cells in test tubes (in vitro) and to cause infected cells to emit HIV virus and in many cases to die. Prior to this year’s conference, however, there was no demonstration that an activator could cause the amount of latently infected cells to be reduced in a living primate.

This changed at CROI, where James Whitney from Harvard Medical School described results from re-

search with rhesus monkeys using a Gilead experimental drug designed to reverse viral latency. The drug is an agonist of an immune system receptor protein called TLR7.

In the trial, rhesus monkeys infected with SIV (the monkey relative of HIV) who were virally suppressed with antiviral drugs were given the experimental drug. According to the data presented, the treatment showed evidence of activating latent cells because a transient increase in SIV was seen. The study further showed that when measured using currently available techniques, the viral DNA, indicating the size of the viral reservoir, was substantially reduced. Perhaps most notably, the study found that after discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy, SIV viral loads were lower among the monkeys that received the activator drug compared to the placebo group. This is the first demonstration in a living primate that a Tcell activating agent can reduce what is believed to be the HIV reservoir and reduce viral rebound.

panel and worked with Wiener’s office to craft the Bill of Rights measure.

In February the American Geriatrics Society issued a policy statement calling for “fairer and more equitable treatment” of LGBT older adults. Drafted by the society’s ethics committee, the position statement specifically called for the “creation of a culture of respect for LGBT older persons in supportive living situations” such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

It cited a 2011 study by the National Senior Citizens Law Center that found only 22 percent of LGBT older adults perceived they could be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity with staff at longterm care facilities.

“Adults in long-term care facilities may lose the privacy they have

experienced in their own among health care prohomes. Because of this, viders, especially among special attention is needlong-term care settings, ed to ensure that LGBT that makes LGBT resiidentity is respected in dents not as open about residential facilities,” their sexual orientation,” states the geriatrics socisaid Widera. “I am sure it ety policy paper. still goes on in the city. If Dr. Eric Widera, an asyou look outside the city, sociate professor of cliniit is an even larger issue. cal medicine, division of They are discriminated geriatrics at UCSF, serves against.” on the society’s ethics Michelle Alcedo, direccommittee but did not tor of programs at OpenJane Philomen Cleland assist with the drafting of house, testified during the policy statement. A Attorney Daniel Redman, left, discusses the senior “Bill of the supervisor hearing straight ally whose work Rights” as lead sponsor Supervisor Scott Wiener looks on. last week that the LGBT includes addressing the senior services agency needs of San Francisco’s seven years ago routinely identify family members rather than older LGBT population, Widera received calls from “LGBTs rejected have biological family members.” said the city’s ordinance is needed by long-term care facilities.”

He noted that many LGBT seniors despite local and state laws that proYet today, Alcedo said the San may be estranged from their biologtect LGBT residents.

Francisco-based nonprofit is more ical families and have formed their One particular area of concern likely to field inquiries from “youngown families of choice who may enWidera pointed to is in visiting er queers concerned about how they counter problems when they go to hours for family members, “eswould be received as the caregivers visit them in a care setting. pecially for individuals who selffor their straight parents.” t “There is a lot of misunderstanding

Cal’s Missy Franklin helped the women’s team win the 2015 NCAA swimming championship.

Still too few dollars

The one issue not addressed at CROI that should be of great concern to people interested in an HIV

Team San Francisco will hold an open community discussion on the future of the Gay Games Saturday, April 11 from 2 to 5 p.m., in the auditorium of Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 100 Collingwood Street.

The discussion is the latest step in talks between the Federation of Gay Games and the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association about the possibility of merging their quadrennial global events, the Gay Games, started in 1982; and the World Outgames, started in 2006.

Special guests scheduled to attend the meeting to hear comments and answer questions are board members Shamey Cramer of the FGG and Greg Larocque of GLISA. The World Outgames were started when Montreal organizers could not reach an agreement with the FGG over the license to host the 2006 Gay Games. They established a rival event with an expanded party schedule, added human rights conferences, and built a business model that left the critical sports decisions to the hosts rather than the licensing organization. There have been various calls for the two events to settle their differences since 2004 and those calls increased as the number of World Outgames participants dwindled.

The Gay Games were originally developed and organized by San Francisco Arts and Athletics. After the third Gay Games were awarded to Vancouver for 1990, SFAA was dissolved and replaced by the FGG to organize future Gay Games; and

by Team SF to organize local athletes to go to those Gay Games.t

Stephen LeBlanc is a member of the AIDS Policy Project.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

<<

Cape Town

From page 8

beach area is Camps Bay, a trendy and wealthy town (similar to Malibu) that offers upscale dining and a place to sip cocktails with a view of mountains.

Reminiscent of London’s Soho and New York’s Greenwich Village, De Waterkant is one of the most sought-after addresses in Cape Town. Its 19th-century homes have been transformed to create a village feel and it is a favorite hangout for the local gay community. Visit some of the trendy art galleries and shops in the Cape Quarter area of De Waterkant like Africa Nova, featuring Cape Town designers.

Every visitor to South Africa should experience the Cape Winelands, located 40 minutes from Cape Town. There are hundreds of estates offering wine tasting sessions for you to indulge your palate, and each estate presents a custom experience like chocolate and wine tasting at the Waterford estate or champagne and marshmallow tasting at JC Le Roux. Be sure to try a glass of Pinotage – a tasty South African red wine that is a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut. At several of the estates, you can pair a tasting with an outdoor adventure like clay pigeon shooting, hiking, horseback riding, or mountain biking.

Eat

In Camps Bay, have an indulgent meal at Paranga, a white tablecloth restaurant with tranquil views of the beach. Because of the high dollar to rand and the conversion rate, the prices at many fine dining restaurants, including Paranga, are startlingly good. Try Paranga’s kingclip dish or chicken breast fillet for an average of $15 a plate, and a glass of quality South African wine for $4.

Fifteen minutes from Cape Town houses the neighborhood of Woodstock. Have lunch at the Kitchen, owned by a gregarious lesbian named Karen Dudley. The small, kitschy restaurant is frequently standing room only and offers healthy plates like beets, humus, and avocado for sandwiches. There are several mementos of first lady Michelle Obama on the walls after her treasured visit a few years ago.

Stay

The five-star IGLTA-approved Table Bay Hotel is optimally situated

<<

Harris

From page 7

in good conscience stand idly by.”

The caucus called upon the state bar to “fully investigate Mr. McLaughlin’s provocative and potentially unethical actions and to mete out appropriate corrective action.”

Leno said that he didn’t think that McLaughlin’s proposed law had any chance of gathering enough signatures to get onto the ballot.

“The bar association should consider the state of Matt McLaughlin’s mental health,” Leno said. “We don’t believe in his current mental state that he should continue to hold membership in the state bar.”

The caucus’ letter to the state bar expresses shock that McLaughlin would call for the execution of LGBT people.

“According to the state bar’s moral character requirement for admission, members are expected to demonstrate good moral character through showing respect for and obedience for the law, and respect for the rights of others and for the judicial process,” the letter reads in part.

The letter further points out that the state bar’s rules of conduct, section 2-400, stipulates that licensed practitioners are prohibited from discriminating based on sexual orientation, among other protected classes.

across the harbor with an incredible view of Table Bay Mountain. According to gay manager Sherwin Banda, “My goal and hope for the Table Bay Hotel is to continue the legacy of Madiba, to be a place where difference is celebrated and encouraged and for our guests to enjoy only the very best that South Africa has to offer.”

This ideal seems to be completed with exceptional views, service, and food throughout the property.

The balconies on the second floor give you the opportunity to catch a couple of seals kissing on the docks, or enter the V&A Waterfront mall attached to the hotel for upscale shopping. The hotel also offers a grandiose breakfast buffet every day with over 250 different items to choose from.

Nightlife

Your best bet for experiencing gay nightlife will be in the Cape Town suburb of Green Point. Here you will find many gay-owned businesses and gay bars to dance the night away. Crew Bar is a mixed bar with two levels of different music.

Around the corner from Crew is Beaulah Bar, the only all-lesbian bar in Cape Town, and all types of women come out to dance to the pop and hip-hop tunes.

Many of the locals favor the Gat Party (pronounced “vaat”) located in the suburb of Milnerton, which is a monthly gay party that draws a mixed crowd. Also, the Mother City Queer Project hosts Africa’s biggest gay bash, a blowout party that takes place every December to celebrate South Africa’s constitution forbidding discrimination based on sexuality. Both gay men and women attend, and you must wear a costume to enter.

Beefcakes is probably the most popular gay bar and draws all orientations. Beefcakes is a burger joint by day and turns into a party at night. The venue puts on shows and themed nights, and you will be entertained by singing drag queens and campy jokes. You can also choose to mingle with the locals on Long Street, the most popular bar hopping area in Cape Town.

How to get there

Fly from San Francisco International Airport to JFK in New York City on a non-stop flight (Jet Blue, Delta, American, or Alaska), and then take South African Airways non-stop to Johannesburg, then take a flight to Cape Town.t “To the degree that we all treat each other respectfully and with dignity in every individual interaction, we can help put an end to the dangerous nonsense of Matthew McLaughlin and those like him,” said Leno.

McLaughlin did not return a message seeking comment.

While the attorney general’s office reviews the proposed initiative, West Sacramento resident Carol Dahmen has posted a petition at Change.org that also calls upon the state bar to disbar McLaughlin. At press time, Dahmen’s petition received 21,560 signatures out of 25,000 needed.

“Advocating the murder of innocent citizens clearly demonstrates moral turpitude and abuse of the law,” Dahmen wrote in the petition’s introduction. “It is disturbing and outrageous that a lawyer admitted to the California State Bar would disgrace the profession and the state. This immoral individual is unfit to practice law.”

A state bar spokeswoman told the B.A.R. earlier this month that the organization is aware of the controversy.

“The bar is aware of the public calls for Mr. McLaughlin’s disbarment,” spokeswoman Laura Ernde said.t To sign the change.org petition, visit https://www.change.org/p/ california-state-bar-disbar-matthew-gregory-mclaughlin-198329.

t

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MAR 05, 12, 19, 26, 2015 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-15-550924

In the matter of the application of: JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, 530 GROVE #5, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, is requesting that the name JOSHUA RYAN DEVORE, be changed to RYAN JOSHUA TOBER BRANDT DEVORE VON GLÜCKEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept.

514 on the 12th of May 2015 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

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The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE PHNX GROUP, 2127 KIRKHAM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BIJAN NOROOZI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/11/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/11/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036367600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PROJECT UNIFIED ASSISTANCE, 2940 16TH ST #200-2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AHMED F. ALKHATIB. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/26/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/12/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036321400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIANNE’S ESTATE JEWELLERY, 2181-A UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LUCRETIA ALEXANDER INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/03/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PTYRONEPRESENTS, 2261 MARKET ST #188, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PAUL TYRONE SMITH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/23/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036341400

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036362900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOKYO EXPRESS, 160 SPEAR ST #LOBBY 1D, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed TOKYO EXPRESS RESTAURANT INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FANCY PANTS AND TEA, 275 5TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed DAAIMAH WAQIA & TAKIYAH ALAKE SMITH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/11/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/11/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036345200

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036375000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HR BAY AREA, 1557 POWELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HR BAY AREA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/04/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036355900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BELGA, 2000 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 2000 BLG, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/09/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/09/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036322900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOVAN’S EYEBROWS THREADING, 520 MONTGOMERY #107, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RASHILA LAMSAL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/02/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/23/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036374000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: B & G TRANSPORTATION, 1555 YOSEMITE AVE #39, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JUAN ELIAS GUTIERREZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/17/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/17/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036371100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AESTHETIC LASER CONCEPTS, 490 POST ST #1701, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed AESTHETIC LASER CONCEPTS INC. (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/17/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036364600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TAQUERIA MEXICO TIPICO, 4581 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed RUBEN & ASOCIADOS, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/12/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036371300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POLLINATION PRODUCTIONS, 310 ANDOVER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed ELIZABETH STEPHENS & ANNIE SPRINKLE. 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 03/13/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036358500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: METHODOLOGY, 281 CLARA ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed METHODOLOGY SF LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/10/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036344700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WALLFLOWER DESIGN, 607 ANDOVER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ELEANOR ALEX GERBER-SIFF. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/17/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/17/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MODERN POTIONS, 855 FOLSOM ST #313, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JANE MANGAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/13/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/13/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOBEK, 1251 TURK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANTHONY C. EKE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/04/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/04/15.

MAR 12, 19, 26 APRIL 02, 2015

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015

▼

Read more online at www.ebar.com

Legal Notices>> STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-033396500

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036370200

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: AESTHETIC LASER CONCEPTS, 490 POST ST #1701, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by PEARL IN THE SKY, INC. . The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/07/11.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NINELUS BEAUTY SUPPLY, 4300 GEARY BLVD #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NATALYA RINGO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/13/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/13/15.

MAR 19, 26, APR 02, 09, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036389900

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036377200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KOHLENBERG & ASSOCIATES VOCATIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES, 459 FULTON ST #204, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BETTY KOHLENBERG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/81. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/24/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036368400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IPICKUP4U.COM, 2035 OAKDALE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ASIANA CHAU NGUYEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/12/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/12/15.

MAR 26 APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036370700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAC AND MILK SF, 8 RICHARDS CIRCLE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LINDSAY BUSSEY. 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 03/13/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036389500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAKASIAN LAW, 1995 OAK ST, UNIT #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROSS B. MAKASIAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/18/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036382800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SIRRON NORRIS STUDIO & GALLERY, 172 FAIRMOUNT, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a general partnership and is signed SIRRON NORRIS & LAURIE SCOLANI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/06/10. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/20/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036378500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOMA PIZZA, 483 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed ISAM ABDALLAH DARWISH & NEDAL MOHAMMAD SHOMAN. 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 03/18/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036375800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SKIN LOUNGE, 1640 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JENNIFER NICOLE CLARK. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/13/10. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/24/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE UPS STORE 0546, 182 HOWARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO MAIL BOXES CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/13/03. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/18/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036382600

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036383900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NATASHA GEORGIA, 5432 GEARY BLVD #121, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NATALIA ZHOGLO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/20/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/20/15.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BELLOTA, 888 BRANNAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THE ABSINTHE GROUP, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/19/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/20/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036385500

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036376700

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 11

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The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PERCENT JEWELRY, 1204 STEVENSON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed THOMAS M. SCHWARTZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/19/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/19/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036374400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MV MEDIA, 171 LIBERTY ST #201, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MARSHA VDOVIN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/17/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/17/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-036381200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EDEN OF SAN FRANCISCO, 572 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HEREMBAG LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/19/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/19/15.

MAR 26, APR 02, 09, 16, 2015 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-035680300 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: SUNSET PLUMBING, 1858 45TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by YEHUDA GOLANI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/25/14.

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Hearts three ways

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Out &About

Paris pleasures

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O&A

15

Vol. 45 • No. 13 • March 26-April 1, 2015

www.ebar.com/arts

San Francisco Ballet dancers Mathilde Froustey and Carlos Quenedit in Helgi Tomasson/Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote.

Spanish delights ‘High Style’ is here at last

by Paul Parish

W

hen the communists came to power in Russia after the revolution, the future of ballet was in question. Was this an art of the elites that needed to be crushed, or was there virtue in it that could be used to support the cause? Fact is, though the Imperial family was the prime supporter of ballet, the performances had always been open to the public, and the public always came en masse.

See page 22 >> Erik Tomasson

by Sura Wood

C

ostume as art exhibitions showcasing the adventurous, sometimes wild, always ahead-of-the-curve creations of Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Isabelle de Borchgrave and other fashion icons have collectively pulled in over a million visitors to the Fine Arts Museums, so the arrival at the Legion of Honor of the latest extravaganza, tastefully titled High Style: The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, is a much-anticipated event.

See page 20 >>

Designer Charles James’ iconic “clover leaf” gown is part of High Style: The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, now at the Palace of the Legion of Honor.

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

ALONZO KING LINES BALLET APRIL 3-12, 2015

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater 415.978.2787 • linesballet.org

Rick Gerharter

<< Out There

14 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Behold Out There’s datebook

by Roberto Friedman

A

friend calls, asking for a date.

Out There says sure, reaching for our calendar. We can fit you in the last week of April.

Yes, OT is a wee bit overscheduled. Why is this? Take a look.

Last Tuesday night, Out There & Pepi were in the house at the historic Orpheum Theatre for opening night of Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye – The Farewell Tour. Spotted in the audience: such luminaries as Jake Heggie, Robin Sutherland, Liam Mayclem, Greg Archer, Lisa Geduldig, and most of the usual suspects one sees hobnobbing about at press openings. Edna herself was in rare form, from insulting the people in the balconies to commandeering gladioli worship and demanding a standing ovation. Edna mastermind Barry Humphries appeared for a curtain speech in man drag in which he intimated that perhaps this was not the end of Edna. Or was it?

Wednesday night, OT+P went to see Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles in one of the cozy screening rooms at the Opera Plaza Cinemas. Welles: genius, patron saint of independent film. Hollywood: perpetually clueless.

Thursday night, we were there on the guest list at the W San Francisco hotel for Rock the Empire, a celebration of the opening of W Beijing – Chang’an, featuring a cabaret performance by the international queen of burlesque Dita Von Teese, performing in a golden oversized birdcage.

Von Teese dazzled in a Jenny Packham gown with Christina Louboutin heels and a Swarovski clutch for the red carpet, and wore a Mr. Pearl costume for her performance. Glamour, glamour.

Friday night we BARTed it over to Berkeley Rep for opening night of their excellent and provocative revival of Molière’s Tartuffe, directed

by Dominique Serrand, adapted by David Ball, and starring the estimable

t

thespian Steven Epp in the title role.

Dark comedy about religious hypocrisy? Extravagant claims of piety from the most venal of criminals? Sounds a lot like the 21st century to us.

Saturday night found us firstnighting again, this time at San Francisco Playhouse for the opening of Stupid Fucking Bird by Aaron Posner, directed by Susi Damilano, an unusual adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull. You don’t have to have studied Russian drama to get the drift. Review coming next issue.

All this, and oh, we have a day job, too. That is, assigning, editing and proofing the Arts & Culture section each and every week. We think this week’s edition is full of wonderful stuff. Feast your ever-loving eyes on it, and we’ll make a date for next November.

News feed

Coming up: SOMArts Cultural Center presents The News, a monthly offering of new experimental performance works, on Tues., April 7, at 7:30 p.m. The Queer Cultural Center’s [QCC] Kevin Seaman and Manish Vaidya curate previews of 2015 National Queer Arts Festival performances by artists from QCC’s Creating Queer Community program, including Althea and the Graceland Girls, Migueltzinta Cah Mai Solís Pino, Peacock Rebellion, the Congregation of Liberation and the Lady Ms. Vagina Jenkins. SOMArts (934 Brannan St., SF) is offering free admission with a hat pass. RSVP EventBrite to guarantee a seat: thenewsperformance.eventbrite.com. More info: somarts.org/thenewsapril2015.t

kevinberne.com

At Berkeley Rep (L. to R.:) Luverne Seifert (Orgon), Steven Epp (Tartuffe), and Brian Hostenske (Damis) perform in a brilliant revival of Molière’s Tartuffe.

SFGMC celebrates love

by David-Elijah Nahmod

J

oin the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus [SFGMC] at Davies Symphony Hall for a joyous celebration.

With Passion, the Chorus takes its audience on a journey across three centuries, “capturing the passion that defines us and brings us together,” according to the SFGMC website. Passion performs at Davies on April 1 & 2 at 8 p.m.

“The overriding theme is the triumph of love throughout the roller coaster of life,” said Dr. Tim Seelig, the chorus’ artistic director and con-

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER In Association with Mason Cartmell & Lowell Kimble, Executive Producers Jeff Malloy & Dean Shibuya, Producers Present

“Funny, fierce and immensely entertaining”

N E W YO R K D A I LY N E W S

Happy families don’t tell the truth BY

JON ROBIN BAITZ DIR EC TE D BY

ARTURO CATRICALA PU LITZ E R PR IZ E FI NALIST

ductor. Seelig offered a glimpse of what audiences can expect. “The story of two young lovers during the Holocaust brings open the heart to the everlasting hope of love,” he said. “The Walt Whitman pieces describe an absolute explosion of homoerotic love.”

Whitman (1819-92) was an acclaimed poet who was known to have been gay. He often expressed his homosexual desires in his poetry.

Seelig feels that Passion’s audiences should prepare themselves to take in the full spectrum of emotions that the show will offer.

There will be poignant moments, he promises, as when the two lovers in composer Jake Heggie’s For a Look and a Touch are reunited.

“When the two lovers, separated for decades following the war, come together and once again profess their love and dance together, it’s one of the most beautiful moments I have ever experi- Composer Jake Heggie. enced on stage,” Seelig said. The couple will be portrayed onstage together on the great Davies stage. by singers Kip Niven and Morgan He takes it all in stride.

Smith.

“Having done this for a long time, Seelig is excited about Heggie’s I prefer to look at the challenges as contribution to Passion. Heggie opportunities,” he said. “Just the composed Moby Dick, performed sound of that many men singing is at the San Francisco Opera, and a thrill. Truly the biggest challenge contributed one of the movements is finding places to perform. We are to Tyler’s Suite, which the Chorus lucky to be performing this concert performed last season. Tyler’s Suite at Davies, where we fit perfectly.”t was dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old colPassion with the San Francisco lege student who committed suicide Gay Men’s Chorus, April 1 & 2, 8 in 2010 after his roommate secretly p.m., Davies Symphony Hall. Tickvideotaped him having sex with anets ($25-$65): sfgmc.org. other man.

“Jake and his husband, singer/actor Curt Branom, live in San Francisco with their son,” Seelig said proudly. “You may recognize Curt’s name as one of the longtime stars of This week, find Victoria A. Beach Blanket Babylon.”

Brownworth’s Lavender Tube Seelig acknowledged there were column, “The importance of many unique challenges in directing loving ‘Glee,’” online at ebar.com. the 275 performers who will be seen

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Theatre>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 15

Parisian perversions on parade

by Richard Dodds

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ny development not checked at the door will be arrested.

Thrillpeddlers is back with a new musical revue with the almost ritualistic symbiosis of call-andresponse naughtiness with the audience. Jewels of Paris is not the first Thrillpeddlers show offering revealing costumes, gratuitous sex gags, and polysexual antics, but much of the vitality of the show depends on an audience coming back with its share of hoots and hollers of those seeing boundaries being broken as if for the first time.

Paris of the early 20th century is the milieu of Jewels, made of songs and sketches, and stylistically it is all over the place. Scrumbly Koldewyn’s original songs (additional lyrics by Rob Keefe and Martin Worman) can still channel his Cockettes roots, but usually head off in many other directions. Much of it is mild pastiche of vintage popular song styles with transgression found in the often-unsubtle lyrics. In “Let Them

Eat Cock,” a Marie Antoinette burlesque, the queen (Lisa McHenry) sings, “They’ll think they’re in a dream when their mouths are full of cream.” And then there is “Come Eat Me, Eat Me, Eat Me,” a semi-graphically performed paean to anilingus lustily performed by Andrew Darling and Steven Satyricon.

But Koldewyn and company can also play it straight, as in “Oh, What a World,” nicely performed by Kim Larsen, which has a Cole Porter/ Noel Coward ruefulness. “Singer in a Cafe” (lyrics by Worman) is a sincere chanteuse’s lament that Noah Haydon, in drag, delivers with conviction. There are also moments of social commentary, as when Dee Nathaniel, as a scantily clad Josephine Baker persona, sings “But Underneath.” At the big finish, it’s pretty much a humor-free torture dungeon for “L’hotel Dungereux,” with its notes of Marat/Sade darkness.

The sketches, some with songs and others without, are decidedly uneven. Alex Kinney, Andy

David Wilson

Roxanne RedMeat and Steven Satyricon play a marmot and a fox that Cupid has drawn together in one of the sketches from Thrillpeddlers’ new musical Jewels of Paris.

Wenger, Keefe, and Koldewyn are the authors, though the credits are not attached to individual pieces.

But even when they don’t exactly fly, there can be morsels of worthy weirdness within them. “Cupid’s

First Flight” is one example, with a familiar character involved in some very peculiar circumstances, and “Bearded Assets” makes an amusing gender stew, with Bruna Palmeiro as a circus’ bearded lady who falls for

a mute androgynous ticket-taker (more good work from Haydon, who also provides the exuberant choreography).

As typical at Thrillpeddlers, there is a large cast that director Russell Blackwood always seems able to marshal through a complicated production. In addition to cast members mentioned above, BirdieBob Watt is endearingly forlorn as a Pierrot clown who serves as master of ceremonies. And another typically welcome part of a Thrillpeddlers show are the extravagantly skewed costumes, in this case by Tina Sogliuzzo and cast member Watt.

This isn’t the Thrillpeddlers of wild Cockettes revivals or blooddrenched Grand Guignol. It’s a tamer show, if you can call a show with a telephone that spews cum on Gertrude Stein as tame. At this point, an advisory about abundant nudity is probably gilding the lily.t Jewels of Paris will run through May 2 at the Hypnodrome. Tickets are $30-$35. Call (415) 377-4202.

Spotlighting symphony musicians

by Philip Campbell

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utch conductor Ton Koopman has finished a two-week guest shot with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall with concerts featuring players and principals drawn from the orchestra’s own ranks. The sprightly maestro known from previous appearances for his expertise with music of the Baroque brought the playlist later into the Classical period during his most recent stay. Adding some sparkling interpretations of music

by Franz Joseph Haydn to familiar selections from the late-Baroque George Frederic Handel of Music for the Royal Fireworks and Water Music Suites showed Koopman’s fresh and authoritative viewpoint on all things 18th-century, and also offered soloists a deserved chance to spotlight their own skills.

One of the performances actually proved such a star turn it warranted a long and distinctly nonantique encore. Principal Trumpet of the SFS Mark Inouye followed his amazing triumph with Haydn’s Concerto in E-flat Major with a smoking rendition of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado), earning the gifted musician his second standing ovation of the evening.

The Concerto was Haydn’s brilliant and daunting gift to players of a new model of keyed trumpet that could sound chromatic melodies using all the notes of the scale (virtually impossible on earlier instruments). The challenge didn’t faze Inouye. He seemed capable of going on for the rest of the night, but Koopman still had the second half to showcase the entire orchestra in a wonderfully energetic and detailed Haydn Symphony No. 98 in B-flat Major.

During intermission, Principal Keyboard (since the Ozawa years) Robin Sutherland practiced his upcoming solo on the harpsichord.

The quick run-through took a little longer than the actual 11 measures the composer wrote for himself to play at the premiere, but our familiar contemporary sat patiently (in shirtsleeves) at the back of the stage until his moment arrived. Standing and putting his tailcoat on, Sutherland moved to the harpsichord, where he made his charming contribution. It seemed every bit as fitting and droll as Haydn’s own quick wit.

The week prior also featured well-known and admired mem-

bers of the SFS in another Haydn delight, the Sinfonia concertante in B-flat Major. Mingjia Liu, Acting Principal Oboe; Stephen Paulson, Principal Bassoon; Amos Yang, Assistant Principal Cello; and Nadya Tichman, Associate Concertmaster and occupant of the San Francisco Symphony Foundation Chair since 1990, assembled beside Koopman to give the composer’s typically inventive work new life.

If any of the soloists stands out a bit more in the Sinfonia, it is the violin, and Tichman applied her customary precision and sweetness of tone with her poised and stylish

playing to make the most of the assignment. It would be great to see Koopman singling her out even more in a hoped-for future visit with an entire concerto essayed by her alone. Tichman’s long tenure with the SFS has always been an example of the orchestra’s high level of musicianship, and it was terrific seeing her in a bright red dress for a change!

Both weeks of programs opened with “outdoorsy” pieces by Handel.

The first program got off to a suitably blazing start with Royal Fireworks Music, and the most recent

bill featured the Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major. The Fireworks sounded raucous and showy (in a really good and exciting way) and was marred only slightly by some imprecise horn-playing. The rest of the band took Koopman’s direction with the closest to “authentic” playing modern instruments can approximate.

The Water Music was far statelier in the slower movements, but it also blared forth with gusto. Written to be played on the water as the monarch traveled by barge (it really must have been good to be king),

the Suite No.1 demands a certain volume to prove both audible and effective. Koopman and his SFS musicians gave refreshing vitality to a well-known and well-loved score.

When the conductor makes his next visit, maybe he will be inching closer to composers such as Mozart.

Regardless of any new direction in repertoire, his practice of using orchestra members as soloists should remain. It is clearly a win-win formula for him, the musicians, and judging from the full houses and appreciative cheers, audiences as well.t

tomorrow exchange buy * *sell*trade sell*trade

Courtesy SFS

San Francisco Symphony Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye.

Courtesy SFS

Guest conductor Ton Koopman.

MISSION DIST: 1210 Valencia St. • 415-647-8332 HAIGHT: 1555 Haight St. • 415-431-7733 BERKELEY: 2585 Telegraph Ave. • 510-644-9202

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<< Film

16 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Bizarre French love triangle

by David Lamble

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here are some sexy and frankly unintentionally funny moments in Benoit Jacquot’s two-galsand-a-guy three-way affair Three Hearts. This “it could only happen in France” hiccup of a rom-com kicks off as the guy, Marc (Benoit Poelvoorde of Man Bites Dog, Coco Before Chanel), misses the last commuter train from one of those hip upscale burgs that hereabouts would be named Mill Valley. Marc gets a mineral water, and then, in a series of slick beats that could only roll out in this kind of a movie, gets real lucky in the pickup stakes, flagging down the gorgeous Sylvie (Charlotte Gainsbourg of Science of Sleep, Antichrist, Nymphomaniac).

Sylvie is picking up a pack of Marlboros. Without this nasty habit, this movie is hookless. Marc is just not in her league – who is? Sylvie finds Marc a hotel, and listens to his icks: he’s turning 47 at the stroke of Midnight. Director Jacquot (scripting with Julien Boivent) provides a tight 10-minute opening that sets us up for a story that leans in rather heavily at times on techno toys and plotting coincidences. Sylvie, you see, has a sister, Sophie (Chiara Mastroianni), and a mom (French grande dame Catherine Deneuve).

When Sylvie departs for America with a hubby, Marc, through the very long arm of coincidence, marries and has a son with Sophie. Marc is a tax accountant who makes his living dealing with reptilian tax

Courtesy Cohen Media Group

Benoit Poelvoorde and Chiara Mastroianni in director Benoit Jacquot’s Three Hearts.

cheats. One of the film’s best moments has Marc facing down a mean crook who just happens to be the local mayor. “You get richer and richer, and yet pay less and less tax. This isn’t right.” The look Marc gets back from the mayor would feel right at home in Godfather IV. While we’re assessing creative style points, the musical stabs from Bruno Coulais feel right out of Jaws, or rather, The Clerks’ spoof of same – you can practically hear the ir-

reverent Jeff Anderson crooning, “Shark in the water” while twisting a nacho chip through salsa. When the sharpest moments in a movie feel oddly ripped off from an entirely different kind of movie, you lose the thread and certainly the emotional impact of whatever is supposed to be happening. As Three Hearts lurches into its second-hour Skype, a hubby fiddling with his wife’s cellphone both grounds us in this digital-gadget-crazed era, and also

leaves us emotionally untethered, not really invested in any outcome.

One of the best of the film’s loose-cannonball sequences has a clueless Sophie imploring Sylvie to eyeball her beautiful hubby while he sleeps. The lights flash on, the sleeping man awakes, and we are amused, but at the cost of story logic or emotional credibility. Cheating will get you some cheap laughs and maybe a whole bunch of tweets, but I can’t help feeling Three Hearts

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just doesn’t pass the sniff test, even for the digitally distracted. It’s a pity, because this one has a talented cast: for example, young Thomas Doret, the remarkable prepubescent charmer from the Dardenne Brothers’ 2011 The Kid with a Bike, waltzes through three cameo-like scenes as Sophie’s antique-shop odd-jobs boy. He’s good but wasted here. To say nothing of Queen Deneuve – nobody presides over any scene like her, nobody is a more seamless scene-stealer – but again, she’s wasted in favor of this imbecile who just seems wrong for what he’s asked to do.

Three Hearts is fitfully amusing.

It aptly demonstrates how childish adults are not rescued from themselves by their digital toys, and is probably an okay way to kill 106 minutes in the dark with ample excuses for texting and tweeting, ad nauseam.

Finally, Three Hearts is a lovely way to admire the astonishing Charlotte Gainsbourg. London-born but French-raised, this oddly boyish beauty has a wonderfully strange resume. Who else could have pulled off such oddball classics as the incest thriller The Cement Garden, the wacky science-fiction-flavored absurdist rom-com The Science of Sleep with Gael Garcia Bernal, and the defies-description charms of loony underground fare like Antichrist and Nymphomaniac? If anything could have saved Three Hearts, it would have been a re-pairing with the deft and sexy Garcia Bernal.t

Suicide by bully

Parkside Releasing

(L to R:) Hunter King, Jimmy Bennett, and Lexi Ainsworth in writer/director Amy S. Weber’s A Girl Like Her.

by Erin Blackwell

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recent story in the Daily Mail showed a confident blonde teenage girl, charged with involuntary manslaughter, who’d texted a male friend to “get back in” the idling truck he was having second thoughts about asphyxiating himself in. Unfortunately, he obeyed. I stared at the honor student’s flawless face, so like the popular girls in my high school, with its smile signaling a successful state of mind, a hypocritical optimism denying the human condition. These bitches are getting away with murder, and that’s a state of affairs writer/director Amy S. Weber hopes to transform with her film A Girl Like Her, opening March 27 at the AMC Metreon.

Because the director has an agenda, this feature-length mockumentary is designed to provoke dialogue and reflection rather than deliver

a dramatic experience into which we the audience are subsumed.

Weber’s intent is different from, say, Alfred Hitchcock’s for Rebecca (1940), when he positioned Judith Anderson’s evil housekeeper by an open window to film her hypnotic suggestion to a trembling Joan Fontaine that she should jump. The raven black of Anderson’s priestly robe, looming like a living shadow over Joan’s gauzy white shirt and the billowing curtains, remains a magisterial cinematic icon of the forces of Evil in combat with the Innocents of this world.

We don’t get that archetypal depth by way of expert production values at the service of distilled essences of character caught in a decisive moment sealing their Fate in A Girl Like Her. The title alone suggests a generalized treatment of an epidemic, unlike the singular destiny expressed in the single

name Rebecca. Although, come to think of it, Rebecca, too, was a bitch.

The dead wife that Fontaine tries so hard to replace in Laurence Olivier’s heart wasn’t a nice person. Rebecca, with her regal R’s branding the bedclothes in her left-as-it-was-whenshe-died bedroom, the immortal cult object of her lesbian servant’s twisted psyche, was a no-good narcissist.

Narcissism is so much the norm nowadays, it no longer attracts comment as a personality quirk, although clinical psychologists still affix the label to clients. Weber rides the wave of the constantly texting, Facebooking, superficial, statusseeking, selfie-mad high school culture by incorporating cameras into her Bullying 101 narrative. The bully, played by blonde Hunter King, is never in the same shot with her brunette victim, played by Lexi Ainsworth. Hunter does her bullying

Parkside Releasing

(L to R:) Mariah Harrison, Hunter King, and Anna Spaseski are mean girls in the school cafeteria in A Girl Like Her.

directly to a camera, a GoPro device Lexi pins to her chest to document the everyday attacks in the halls of the school. Hunter, improvising redundant put-downs, is into it, like a snarling drunk at a bar, and the audience is on the receiving end, again and again and again.

The GoPro was the idea of Lexi’s male friend who is not boyfriend material, played by Jimmy Bennett.

Scenes of the two together, hatching the plot to film Hunter, are spliced into a forward-moving storyline that early on shows Lexi swallowing a bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet. That puts her in the hospital, in a coma, with her two sobbing parents, but she continues to pop up in random flashbacks captured on Jimmy’s own camera. Lexi’s defining character trait is picked-on, her

woundedness stoically polite. We’re shown various “Die now” emails, but these are never shown to parents or principal. There is, however, one adult who gets involved.

Rather than elaborate on an oldfashioned movie plot, Weber inserts her own black-leather-jacketed left arm and part of her page boy into the frame and confronts Hunter with the GoPro footage. The director as busybody. Hunter watches it and weeps. Film as a medium of salvation. There’s a tragic disconnect here that’s not intended to be ironic.

Everyone’s talking to themselves, staring at themselves, fixated on self-image, acting into the camera, failing to relate. This hall-of-mirrors existence is enough to make a person want to commit suicide, without any prompting.t

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Film>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 17

Egos on a lawless frontier

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in director Susanne Bier’s Serena.

by David Lamble

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he new Depression-era drama Serena represents that most alluring and treacherous of film undertakings: a story that simultaneously promises a gritty, truthful slice of this country’s “Robber Baron” past, a dramatic spin on the motto “Behind every great fortune lies a great crime,” while viewing it ominously through the distorting lens of a tale of star-crossed lovers.

Bradley Cooper is George Pemberton, a wealthy guy used to getting his own way, whose command of a vast North Carolina timber empire is jeopardized when his headstrong young bride, Serena (Jennifer Lawrence), tries to take it over after discovering that she can’t bear him children. Depending on a star-chemistry nurtured during their collaborations on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, Serena, with Susanne Bier directing a script based on American author Ron Rash’s 2008 novel, superficially mimics previous big-screen miniepics such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood and the Robert Altman gem McCabe and Mrs. Miller. In all three films, two strong egos engage in a life-anddeath struggle against the backdrop of a lawless frontier. In each of these, too, humans fight to command and not be crushed by an industrial beast spewing forth motorcars, trains and

earth-raping machinery.

While their carnal chemistry clicks, Cooper and Lawrence are less convincing as human predators. One of the movie’s odd motifs, clearly a theme badly translated from the book, concerns the couple’s determination to shoot a local predator, the Carolina panther.

“You find me an honest-to-goodness panther, and I’ll give a 20-dollar gold piece.”

“It will probably have been touched by the devil.”

The production’s somewhat troubled backstory is, in this case, revealing. The movie was originally scheduled to be directed by Darren Aronofsky, with the title role played

by Angelina Jolie. The Bier-CooperLawrence version is North Carolina as reimagined in the Czech Republic nearly three years ago. Editing alone consumed 18 months, and may partially explain why the resulting film feels so strangely bloodless for a tale where much fake blood sloshes with, at times, Bonnie and Clydelike abandon.

In a large supporting cast, the one player who stands out is the diminutive Toby Jones as a suspicious local sheriff. Jones was previously best-known for his comic triumph as an impetuous Truman Capote in the In Cold Blood-based drama Infamous.

In There Will Be Blood, star Daniel Day-Lewis completely dominates a

similarly barren frontier landscape, in the process outlasting an equally duplicitous foe, a slippery young preacher (Paul Dano). After nearly three hours, we are thoroughly convinced that this great country we so love and hate could indeed have been the product of such treacherous men. Cooper and Lawrence merely feel like actors lost in a far-less-convincing costume drama, whose claim on our emotions relies mostly on an overheated script.

“Our love began the day we met, nothing that happened before exists!”t Opens Friday at Landmark’s Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco, and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

ebar.com

Besties

20 15

THE LGBT BEST OF THE BAY JOIN US & CELEBRATE THE BESTIES! THURSDAY, APRIL 2 FROM 6:00 - 8:30 PM

LESLIE JORDAN

LENA HALL

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN

March 27 - March 28

April 24 - April 25

April 29 - May 3

298 11th STREET AT FOLSOM Enjoy hosted beer and specialty cocktails and light refreshments from 6-7pm as we toast this year’s Besties Winners, followed with performances by Marga Gomez, Veronica Klaus and the Whoa Nellies.

Emcee Queen Cougar.

For tickets:www.feinsteinssf.com Feinstein’s | Hotel Nikko San Francisco 222 Mason Street 855-MF-NIKKO | 855-636-4556

097009.01_HNSF_2015_Bay_Area_Reporter_3-26

ROUND #: MECH

<< Out&About Out &About

O&A

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Sat 28 Breanna Sinclaire at Soiree 2015

Cavalcade of creativity

by Jim Provenzano

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he week in arts offers a cavalcade of music, theatre, cabaret and multimedia, even public performances spilling out into the streets; it all culminates with our fifth annual Besties Awards party at Oasis, and you’re invited. See April 2 listings for details.

Thu 26 The Chew Toys @ SF Eagle LA’s premiere queercore band pops up for a stop along their West Coast tour.

Also, the Birth Defects and another band TBA. $5. 9pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Cracked Actor: David Bowie on Screen @ YBCA Comprehensive film series of the pop superstar’s cinematic career. Thru March. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts screening room, 701 Mission St. www.ybca.org/david-bowie

Dis/Play @ SOMArts Cultural center Opening reception for an expansive exhibit of works in several media by more than 30 Bay Area artists and groups (Artful Steps, NIAD Art Center, Sins Invalid) who expand the depiction of disability; includes special performances thru the run by AXIS Dance Company (April 8, 6pm-9pm), and other groups. Mar. 26 reception (6pm-9pm) includes Comedians With Disabilities at 7pm. ASL interpreted, and wheelchair accessible. Reg. hours Tue-Fri 12pm-7pm. Sat 12pm-5pm.

Thru April 23. 934 Brannan St. 8631414. www.somarts.org

Jewels of Paris @ Hypnodrome Thrillpeddlers’ new production is a “revolutionary” Parisian-themed musical revue, with original music and lyrics by original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn, including characters based on Picasso, Cocteau, Josephine Baker and even Marie Antoinette. $30-$35.

Thu-Sat 8pm. Thru May 2. 575 10th St. www.hypnodrome.org

Hilarity @ Exit Studio Allison Page’s new play about a comic on the edge of destruction. $10-$25.

156 Eddy St. Thru Mar. 28. www.brownpapertickets.com

Leslie Jordan @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The diminuitive gay actor with a big talent returns with his new one-man show, Say Cheese! My Life in Front of the Camera. $35-$50. ($20 food/ beverage minimum) 8pm. Mar. 27 at 8pm. Mar. 28 at 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Powell. (866) 6631063. www.ticketweb.com

Letters to Afar, Poland and Palestine: Two Lands and Two Skies @ Contemporary Jewish Museum Dual exhibit of new Jewish cultural documentation (thru May 24); also, Havruta in Contemporary Art (thru April 14). Mar. 26, opening of Bound To Be Held: A Book Show (5pm-8pm).

Other exhibits, lectures and gallery talks as well. Free (members)-$12.

Fri-Tue 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-8pm (closed Wed). 736 Mission St. 6557800. www.thecjm.org

The Office, Dolly @ Z Below Word for Word’s stage adaptation of two short stories by Nobel Prizewinning author Alice Munro. $20, $35-55. Wed & Thu 7pm. Fri-Sat 8pm.

Sun 3pm. Thru April 12. 470 Florida St. (866) 811-4111. www.zspace.org

Out & Equal Gala @ Hotel Nikko The LGBT workplace leadership organization’s annual gala dinner party, with auctions, entertainment, food and drinks. $175 and up. 25th floor, 222 Mason St. at Powell. 6946508. www.outandequal.org

Robin Cloud @ Oasis The stand-up comic is joined by Jerri Beige. $12. 9:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Fri 27 Antigone @ Exit on Taylor Cutting Ball Theater’s production of Daniel Sullivan’s new translation of Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy, with music and movement. $10-$50. Thu 7:30pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm. Thru Mar. 29. 277 Taylor St. 5251205. www.cuttingball.com

The Braggart Soldier @ Custom Made Theater Custom Made Theatre Company’s updated version of Plautus’ Roman satirical comedy (which served as the inspiration for Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ). $20-$40. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 7pm. Thru April 26. 1620 Gough St. at Bush. 798-2682. www.custommade.org/braggart/

Dance Anywhere @ Citywide 11th annual spontaneous and rehearsed dance event, where companies, solists, amateurs, athletes, and even politicians and professional dancers perform in public venues in SF, Oakland, Berkeley and elsewhere, at hundreds of indoor and outdoor venues. 12pm. Free.

(Also 3pm in New York City, and 8pm in Rome and Paris, and in several countries). www.danceanywhere.org

Empty Spaces @ Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Berkeley Eclectic dance event with works

by Rogelio Lopez. $15-$20. 8pm & 9:30pm. Also Mar. 29, 8pm. 2704 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. (510) 6545921. www.shawl-anderson.org

From White Plains @ New Conservatory Theatre Center Michael Perlamn’s suspenseful drama involves a film director who outs a high school bully in his Oscar speech, leading to a confrontative reunion. $30-$40. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm.

Thru April 26. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 861-8972. www.nctcsf.org

Jennifer Coolidge @ Cobb’s Comedy Club The vivacious TV and film actress ( 2 Broke Girls, Best in Show) performs her stand-up act. $30-$45. 8pm & 10:15pm. Also Mar. 28, 7:30pm & 9:45pm. Mar. 29, 7:30pm. 915 Columbus Ave. 928-4320. www.cobbscomedyclub.com

Josh Kornbluth @ The Marsh Berkeley Haiku Tunnel, the solo performer’s popular comic show about the foibles of office temping, re-opens at the East Bay venue. $20-$100. Fri 8pm. Sat 5pm. Thru Mar. 28. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

The Last Five Years @ Geary Theater American Conservatory Theatre presents a concert version of Jason Robert Brown’s musical, about abuptly-wed 20something New Yorkers, stars Betsy Wolfe ( Bullets Over Broadway, Tales of the City) and Adam Kantor ( Rent, Next to Normal). $35-$75. $250 VIP includes receptions. Also Mar. 28, 2pm & 8pm.

405 Geary St. www.act-sf.org

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Feisty Old Jew @ The Marsh Berkeley

Sat 28 Antigonick @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowship-winning playwright Anne Carson’s take on Sophocles’ Antigone is produced by the innovative Shotgun Players. $20-$35. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. Wed 7pm. Thru April 25. 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.ShotgunPlayers.org

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

Charlie Varon’s hit solo show, about a fictional elder man who’s not adapting well to the 21st century, returns. $25-$100. Sat 8:30pm, Sun 5pm. Thru Mar. 29. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley.

282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Margaret Cho @ SF Eagle The celebrated irreverent comic’s day-long fundraiser helps out the #BeRobinTheMovie fund, with MC La Moni Stat, raffles, and surprise guests. $10. 3pm-12am. 398 12th St. sf-eagle.com

Meredith Monk @ YBCA Theater The veteran vocal innovator brings On Behalf of Nature, her new ensemble work with a dozen-plus singers and musicians, to the Bay Area. $25-$40.

8pm. Also Mar. 29, 5pm. Vocal classes Mar. 28, 11am-4pm. 700 Howard St. 978-2787. www.ybca.org

Other Desert Cities @ New Conservatory Theatre Center This local production of Jon Robin Baitz’ Pulitzer Prize finalist drama concerns a family distrupted by divisive political differences. $20-$35.

Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thru April 5.

25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. 8618972. www.nctcsf.org

Queer Open Mic @ Modern Times Bookstore Baruch Porras-Hernandez and Blythe Baldwin cohost the eclectic festive reading/talent night; this time, featured guest is author Vergie Tovar.

7pm. 2919 24th St. 282-9246. queeropenmic.com www.mtbs.com

Sex & the City Live @ Oasis The drag parody of the Manhattan gal pal TV show returns. $25-$30 and up.

7pm. Thu-Sat. Thru Mar. 28. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Gowns, accessories, and other looks by the most influential designers of the last hundred years—including Chanel, Givenchy, Dior, and Charles James—trace the evolution of fashion in the 20th century. See this exclusive West Coast presentation from the Brooklyn Museum’s distinguished costume collection.

MARCH 14–JULY 19, 2015

Legion of Honor

Sister Play @ Magic Theatre John Kolvenbach’s play about family conflicts and relationships. $20-$60.

Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2:30pm. Tue 7pm.

Thru April 19. Fort Mason Center, Bldg D, 3rd floor, 2 Marina Blvd. at Buchanan sts. 441-8822. www.magictheatre.org

Lincoln Park • legionofhonor.org

The Soiled Dove @ InnerMission An immersive, circus-infused culinary extravaganza set in San Francisco’s notorious Barbary Coast red light district, with aerial performances, live music and a four-course dinner. 21+. $120. Fri & Sat 8pm. Thru April 4. 633 Florida St. 310-9238. www.TheSoiledDove.com

Span @ Fort Mason Center Musician Pamela Z and visual artist Carole Kim’s multimedia five-musician electro-acoustic chamber work themed around bridges. $12-$25.

8pm. Also Mar. 28 & 29, 8pm.

Southside Theater, Bldg D, 2 Marina Blvd. www.pamelaz.com

Stereotypo @ The Marsh Don Reed’s new solo show, subtitled Rants and Rumblings at the DMV showcases the banal automotive office as a showcase of diverse characters. $20-$100. Fri 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Extended thru April 25. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Tartuffe @ Berkeley Repertory Dominique Serrand directs the awardwinning East Bay theatre company’s modern production of Moliere’s classic satire of religious hypocrisy. $29-$79.

Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed & Sun 7pm.

Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru April 12. Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley.

(510) 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org

This exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

President’s Circle: The Estate of Merrill and Hedy Thruston. Conservator’s Circle: The Diana Dollar Know and Robert and Carole McNeil. Patron’s Circle: Mr. and Mrs. William Hamilton, Mrs. James K. McWilliams The Art of Fashion: Runway Show and Luncheon. Digital Design by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Media Sponsors

Charles James, “Tree” ball gown, 1955. Silk taffeta and tulle. Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at T Gift of Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks Jr., 1981. Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Botticelli to Braque @ de Young Museum

Oaxacalifornia @ Modern Times Bookstore

Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland, an expansive exhibit of classic paintings; thru May 31. Also, Embodiments: Masterworks of African Figurative Sculpture, thru July 5; photographer Janet Delaney: South of Market, thru July 19. Other exhibits of modern art as well.

Free/$25. Thru May 31. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. www.famsf.org

Opening reception for an art exhibit about borders and barriers being crossed. 6pm. 2919 24th St. 282-9246. www.mtbs.com

Enemies: Foreign and Domestic @ Berkeley City Club Central Works’ theatre company’s 25th season opens with Patricia Milton’s political comedy set around a family gathering. $15-$28. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 5pm. Thru March 29. 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 558-1381. www.centralworks.org

Fool La La! @ The Marsh Unique Derique’s holiday clowning show’s fun for kids and adults alike. $15-$35. Sundays 2pm. Extended thru April 12. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

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Out&About>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 19

Richard III @ La Val’s Subterranean, Berkeley

The Waiting Period @ The Marsh

Seduction: Japan’s Floating World @ Asian Art Museum

Shakespeare’s classic drama about an evil king gets a new treatment from the innovative East Bay theatre company. $10-$25. Thu-Sat 8pm. Sun 7pm. Thru April 5. 1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley. (510) 224-5744. impacttheatre.com

Brian Copeland returns with his popular solo show, about the tensions of considering suicide, and waiting for approval to buy a gun. $30-$100.

Saturdays 5pm, Sundays 5:30pm.

Extended thru May 31. 1062 Valencia St. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

New exhibit of ancient art from the John C. Weber Collection. Thru May 10. Also, The Printer’s Eye: Ukiyo-e, from the Grabhorn Collection. Other fascinating exhibits as well. Free (members, kids 12 and under)-$15.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 200 Larkin St. www.asianart.org

SF Hiking Club @ Cowell Purismima Trail, Tilden Park Join GLBT hikers for an easy 6-mile hike along the newly opened Cowell-Purisima Coastal Trail. Carpool meets 9am at Safeway sign, Market & Dolores. March 29, Join GLBT hikers for a 9-mile hike in Tilden Park in the Oakland hills. Bring lunch, water, hat, layers, sunscreen, good hiking shoes. Carpool meets 8:45 at Safeway sign, Market & Dolores; or meet 9am at Rockridge BART station. (510) 342-2623. www.sfhiking.com

Sun 29 Abrazo, Queer Tango @ Finnish Brotherhood Hall, Berkeley Enjoy weekly same-sex tango dancing and a potluck, with lessons early in the day. $7-$15. 3:30-6:30pm. 1970 Chestnut St., Berkeley. (510) 8455352. www.finnishhall.com

Soko @ Rickshaw Stop The French singer-songwriter known for wild stage antics and great vocals, stops by on her U.S. tour. The Tambo Rays and El Terrible open. $15. 8pm.

155 Fell St. at Van Ness. www.rickshawstop.com

Sat 28 Meredith Monk

Mon 30 Terry Furry @ Magnet Martyrs and Myth, an exhibit of paintings and sculptural works by the Oakland gay artist. Thru March. 4122 18th St. www.terryfurry.com www.magnetsf.org

Various Exhibits @ California Academy of Sciences Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about animals, plants and the earth; special events each week, with adult nightlife parties most Thursday nights. $20-$35. Mon-Sat 9:30am5pm. Sun 11am-5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park.

379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Wed 1 At Large: Ai Weiwei @ Alcatraz Island The internationally acclaimed Chinese sculptor’s exhibit of seven site-specific multimedia installations; the largest art exhibit ever hosted by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. $18-$30. Daily thru April 26. Ferries to and from Pier 33 at Embarcadero. www.AiWeiWeiAlcatraz.org www.alcatrazcruises.com/website/ ai-weiwei.aspx

Fri 27

Multimedia exhibit of visuals and storytelling by young African American men of the East Bay. Thru June 20. 1453 Mission St. www.ciis.edu

It’s Everything @ KOFY-TV

Enjoy a screening of Michael Phillis’ hilarious toddler pageant parody film, plus a live Full Glitz Drag Pageant, with Matthew Martin, Migitte Nielsen, Chaka Corn and others. $8$40 (includes DVD). 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Ralph Eugene Meatyard @ Robert Tat Gallery

wles Fund. Benefactor’s Circle: The Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, the Estate of Harriet E. Lang, s, and Jim and Arlene Sullivan. Additional support provided through proceeds from

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009;

Exhibit of black and white prints by the creator of creepy yet beautiful imagery. Tue-Sat 11am-5:30pm (1st Thu til 7:30pm). Thru May 30. 49 Geary St. 781-1122. www.roberttat.com

Wayne Goodman @ Magnet Soiree 2015 @ City View Metreon

Fertile Ground @ Oakland Museum

The LGBT Center’s annual gala fundraiser has a space-age theme, includes a hosted bar, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, live music with soprano Breanna Sinclaire, drag acts VivvyAnne ForeverMORE, Miss Rahni, dancing with DJed grooves by Jaqi Sparro, Bret Bowerman, and CarrieonDisco.

Futuristic costumes encouraged. $125$1,000. VIP reception 6pm. party 8pm12am. 135 4th St. www.SFcenter.org

Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California (thru April 12). Also, photographer Marion Gray: Within the Light thru June 21; Bees: Tiny Insect, Big Impact thru Sept 20. Free/$15.

Reg. hours Wed-Sat 11am-5pm (Fri til 9pm). 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 318-8400. www.museumca.org

Stupid F#cking Bird @ SF Playhouse Aaron Posner’s satirical Hollywood update on Chekhov’s The Seagulls. $20-$120. Tue-Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sat 3pm. Sun 2pm. Thru 450 Post St. 677-9596. sfplayhouse.org

Wilde Chats @ Sweet Inspirations Community Initiative’s weekly informal discussion group at the dessert shop. 10:30am-12pm. 2239 Market St. 621-8664. www.sweetinspirationbakery.com

Flower Show @ Macy’s

The author of The Last Great Hope reads from and discusses his novel about an unknown third child of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy and the gay Secret Service agent sent to find him/ her. Free; prizes, food and drinks.

8pm. 4122 18th St. www.magnetsf.org

Dance Anywhere

Framed Targets @ CIIS Gallery New exhibit of abstract sculptural wall art by Truong Tran, a local gay visual artist. Thru April 11. 1453 Mission St. 575-6100. www.ciis.edu

Lava Thomas @ Museum of the African Diaspora Exhibit of contemporary works. Also, The Art of Elizabeth Catlett, and historic exhibits of African cultures.

Free/$10. 685 Mission St. moadsf.org

Nadya Ginsburg @ Oasis The comic performer’s Madonnalogues skewers celebrities galore. $20. 7:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Russ Lorenson @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The dapper cabaret singer performs A Little Traveling Music, a night of classic songs about life on the road. $20-$35. 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Powell. (866) 663-1063. www.ticketweb.com

Wed 1

Art in Bloom is the new theme of the 41st annual store-wide floral festival of displays, fashion, cooking and DIY demos welcomes springtime retail, with different art movements represented on each floor. Thru April 4. Union Square.

Macys.com/FlowerShow

In Living Color @ Oasis Honey Mahogany and Dulce De Leche’s new live cabaret show. $15.

9:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. www.sfoasis.com

Lea Salonga @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The Tony Award-winning singeractress ( Miss Saigon, Les Miserables) performs cabaret hits and some of her Broadway classics. $5-$75. 8pm. Thru April 5. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.ticketweb.com

Queer Past Becomes Present @ GLBT History Museum New and mini-exhibits about Bay Area LGBTQ people and communities.

Free (members)-$5. Reg hours: Mon, Wed-Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm-5pm.

4127 18th St. 621-1107. www.glbthistory.org

Talley’s Folly @ Harry’s Upstage, Berkeley Aurora Theatre Company restages Lanford Wilson’s lyrical uplifting two-actor drama. $30-$50. Tue 7pm.

Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. www.AuroraTheatre.org

Whoa Nellies @ SF Eagle The rockin’s retro fun band, including veteran musicians Peter Fogel and Leigh Crowe, perform at the famed leather bar’s music night. $8. 9:30pm.

398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com To submit event listings, email jim@ebar.com. Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication.

For more bar and nightlife events, go to On the Tab in our BARtab section, online at www.ebar.com/ bartab

Rirkrit Tiravanija: The Way Things Go @ YBCA A Special Curatorial Project … uncovers narratives, reveals personal stories, and shares vignettes that lead to a larger understanding of the migration of people in the production of material culture. Free/$12-$15. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. Thru June 21. 978-2787. www.ybca.org

Thu 2 The Bay Area Reporter’s fifth annual readers poll winners in 80-plus categories are feted at the early evening party, with complimentary Trumer Pils beer and specialty cocktails, food and cake, performances by Marga Gomez, Veronica Klaus and Whoa Nellies, DJ Mark O’Brien (Polyglamorous) and MC Queen Cougar. 6pm-8:30pm.

No cover. 298 11th St. at Folsom. www.sfoasis.com https://www.facebook.com/ events/792583177498790/

The Griots of Oakland @ CIIS

Mini Supreme @ Oasis

The chorus performs premieres of Jake Heggie’s For a Look or a Touch Mar. 29 at Contemporary Jewish Museum (excerpt with talk; free) 3pm. 736 Mission St. April 1 & 2, Passion, the full concert, with works by Charles Anthony Silvestri’s #twitterlieder: 15 Acts in 3 Tweet, and Steve Huffines’ My Friend, My Lover: Five Walt Whitman Songs. 8pm, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. 865-2787. www.sfgmc.org

Besties @ Oasis

Tue 31

Local nightlife host and singer BeBe Sweetbriar’s new streaming web talk show welcomes local celebrities. 7pm.

Audience welcome at KOFY-TV, 2500 Marin St. www.BeBeSweetbriar.com

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus @ Various Venues

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

<< Books

20 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Peggy Lee fever

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by Brian Bromberger

Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee by James Gavin (Atria Books, $32) eggy Lee was one of the iconic popular singers of the 20th century. She is also recognized as probably the greatest white female jazz singer of her time. Her two bestremembered hits, “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?,” are considered definitive. Other chanteuses tried to replicate her success with those songs, but to little avail. She was the model for the diva Muppet character Miss Piggy, and has been the inspiration for three generations of drag queens. And it appears, based on gay author James Gavin’s new biography, that her life was an unqualified mess, almost from start to finish.

She was born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota, on May 16, 1920, the seventh of eight children, the daughter of a railroad station agent who was an alcoholic. The great trauma of her life, from which she never fully recovered, was the death of her mother. Norma was four. A few years later, her father remarried to Min Schaumber, the personification of Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, at least in Norma’s eyes.

For the rest of her life, Norma regaled listeners, interviewers, and concert audiences with Min’s episodes of cruelty (pouring hot water on her). Based on Gavin’s interviews, most of this was probably an invention of Norma’s vivid imagination. Still, Norma’s confusing fantasy and reality began early, and ultimately would destroy any chance for her happiness.

She discovered her talents by singing on radio in Fargo, ND, where radio personality Ken Kennedy renamed her Peggy Lee. She fled North Dakota at 17, headed for Los Angeles.

Her sultry looks and sound aroused attention, and eventually she was noticed by swing bandleader Benny Goodman in Chicago. Ambitious, she became his replacement vocalist for Helen Forrest in 1941 and recorded her first smash hit, “Why Don’t You Do Right?” in 1943, which made her famous. That year she married the guitarist Dave Barbour, defying Goodman’s edict against band members fraternizing with each other. Goodman fired Barbour, and Lee quit. Daughter Nicki was born in 1943, and the marriage ended in 1951. Three more short unsuccessful marriages would follow through the early 1960s. She had many sexual relationships with men (including Frank Sinatra), usually either married or gay, but ultimately wound up alone and heartbroken.

Lee was a successful songwriter.

Her most famous songs were from the Disney animated classic Lady and the Tramp (1955), for which she

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Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

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High Style

From page 13

Handsomely installed with a minimalist aesthetic, it traces the changing face of fashion from 1910 to 1980, a period that pre-dates the numbing corporatization that has since overtaken much of the industry. On view are elegant ball gowns and designs by French couturiers such as Dior, Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli and her rival, Chanel, whose scrumptious little black, cinchedwaist, chiffon and satin-ribbon dress is included here. Special attention is also paid to the ascension of groundbreaking American women designers who rose to stardom in the 1940s and 50s. Less focused on concocting fantasies of the “ideal” than on addressing how women really lived and the importance of comfort, the latter group created liberating, versatile fashions in easyto-wear fabrics, free of corsets and

supplied the singing and speaking voices. She had a very brief acting career, winning critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as the alcoholic blues singer in the 1955 film Pete Kelly’s Blues. She continued recording record albums and touring for the next 40 years, eventually winning a Grammy for 1969’s “Is That All There Is?,” her last big hit, which resurrected her declining career. She continued to perform live, mostly at cabarets, until close to the end of her life, generally to critical plaudits, pushing herself to the point of exhaustion, appearing in a wheelchair with a portable oxygen tent nearby (her lungs were damaged in her 30s) mostly because she needed the money to sustain her extravagant lifestyle.

Although her health was poor (she had diabetes and heart problems), she was a neurotic hypochondriac, inventing illnesses to match her “symptoms.” She had a vicious temper, though her outbursts were generally short-lived. She was an onand-off alcoholic and drug addict.

She was a demanding perfectionist, towards herself and her staff, whom she drove mercilessly, almost all of whom left her. When she wasn’t singing or recording, most of her life was spent in bed, where she would receive friends, family, and admirers. Her last

years were spent on frivolous lawsuits, though she sued Disney successfully after a protracted battle to reclaim the royalties she felt were owed her from Lady and the Tramp videos and DVDs. She tried to capitalize on her life story in Peg: The Musical, which closed after eight performances in 1983. Lee died at 81 in 2002, after suffering a stroke two years earlier that left her semi-comatose.

Gavin’s meticulous research and interviewing skills are apparent, as in his previous biographies of Lena Horne and Chet Baker. Lee’s life was indeed strange to the point of bizarre, and in her final years she claimed to be a reincarnated angel sent to spread love. The problem is that Gavin seems ambivalent about his subject, lauding her successes, then knocking them down with stories about her tantrums and eccentricities. Despite her faults and the difficulties of working with her, her talent always shone through, and her influence lives on in performers as diverse as Madonna and k.d. lang. At 600 pages, no one will be asking is that all there is about Gavin’s tortured portrait. A marker near Lee’s gravesite in LA’s Westwood Cemetery reads, “Music is my life’s breath.” Gavin’s biography proves how she lived out this creed till the day she died.t

padding. Their male counterparts Geoffrey Beene, Halston, Gilbert Adrian, et al., also get their due.

This is a connoisseur’s exhibition with an impeccable pedigree, the most recent product of a mutually beneficial, collection-sharing partnership established in 2009, between the Brooklyn Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Though not as flashy as some of its predecessors, the current show has plenty to recommend it, not the least of which is the inclusion of upscale accessories and beaucoup de shoes for you foot fetishists and shoeholics out there – you know who you are. An entire gallery is given over to avant-garde, sometimes bizarre and wondrous prototypes and shoes in a variety of faboo styles and materials – like Steven Arpad’s tiered, black silk satin, gold metallic kidskin number with a loopy wood platform sole – that seem fashion forward even from

a 21st-century vantage point. But for sheer audacity and unvarnished confidence, no one could compete with Pietro Yantorny, the ultraexclusive Parisian shoemaker who served the elite, the very rich and those willing to sell their souls. The sign that hung in his atelier window read “the most expensive shoes in the world,” and he wasn’t exaggerating. In 1913, the starting price for a single pair was the equivalent of $10,000 today. The attitude and steep prices might have deterred some customers, but Yantorny met his match in the daring Rita de Acosta Lydig, his most obsessed and lucrative client. (Lydig is reputed to have been the first to wear a backless gown, sans underpinnings, to the opera. Quel scandale!) She commissioned several hundred pairs, about two dozen of which survive, and supplied antique lace from her own See page 23 >>

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Books>>

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 21

Lord of the dance

by John F. Karr

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his one’s for fans of Hollywood musicals, and general film enthusiasts. Despite a career of several decades directing and choreographing an impressive number of famed Hollywood movies, Charles Walters hasn’t received the recognition of his peers, like Vincente Minnelli and Gene Kelly. That’s now been resolved

by Brent Phillips’ film-devouring, sexually knowing Charles Walters – The Director Who Made Hollywood Dance (U. Press of Kentucky, $40).

Even though you may not know about Walters, you know his work. You’ve even seen him dance, as Judy Garland’s partner in Girl Crazy. He was the choreographer of that movie, and Meet Me in St. Louis, too. His success as a stager elevated him to director, as well as choreographer, of Easter Parade, Lili, and Summer Stock – oh yes, that famed “Get Happy” number is his.

I’ve left out an awful lot, but the book lets us in on a lot more. I hadn’t known at all about the leading roles Walters had played on Broadway.

He’s the guy who introduced “Begin the Beguine,” in Cole Porter’s Jubilee. And who knew he’d been called in to substitute for Minnelli on Gigi, choreographing entire numbers, revising much of Minnelli’s work, and even filming the movie’s conclusion.

And get this: he’s the dancer humiliated by Joan Crawford in the open-

ing scene of the torpid Torch Song.

You want Life with Joan stories?

This book’s got pages of them, with none too kind.

All this is swell. But what makes Walters’ achievement even more impressive to me is that he did it all while being openly gay in homophobic Hollywood. He survived condescending company heads, tabloid gossips, and the 1950s’ great purges. And relating that is what impressed me so greatly in the work of author Brent Phillips.

As a former soloist with the Joffrey Ballet and a gay man himself (something I hope I’m not misrepresenting after reading his bio,

and from observing him on YouTube), Phillips brings to his book a knowledge of performing, especially (and crucially) dancing, and a politically and emotionally informed understanding of Walters’ sexuality. “I actually see it as a great strength,” he has said. Walters was discreet but not dishonest, and Phillips relates the tactics Walters employed to navigate the industry. Because Walters bucked the status quo by living unapologetically with his partner from the time of his arrival in Hollywood, he said he was unable “to do the social thing, and play the games the others were playing.” So he abnegated self-promotion and worked harder, seldom declining a project or refusing to lend a hand. Which meant that, in subject matter and style, he was everywhere. There’s even a successful Western among his credits.

As a result, he was belittled by being told that he was not an auteur director, a la Minnelli or Berkeley, but a company director. It’s most likely that the very range of Walters’ career, along with discretion in publicity, was what led to his relative obscurity. You can’t box him up in a genre, or dote over the details of a publicized personal life. He was great at what he did, and he was open about who he was, a what and a who that Phillips has finely synthesized.t

Charles Walters squiring Judy Garland in Presenting Lily Mars.

Hollywood murder mystery

by Tavo Amador

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ovies are the great art-form of the 20th century, but they have changed significantly since inception. The flickering images shown in nickelodeons at the beginning of the last century barely resemble the sweeping pictorials audiences today take for granted. By the 1920s, however, films had reached a viewing standard that bears some resemblance to today’s movies. More importantly, their influence on popular culture began attracting the attention – and wrath – of religious social conservatives.

It’s against this background that William J. Mann sets his gripping Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood (Harper, $27.99).

The murder victim, William Desmond Taylor, was a onetime actor, a much admired and successful director, and a closeted gay man with many secrets. He was shot in his Los Angeles home in 1922.

His flamboyantly gay valet discovered the body. Taylor was months short of his 50th birthday. His killer was never identified. Among the once-famous names whose relationship with the intensely private Taylor aroused police interest were Silent Screen stars Mabel Normand and the teenaged Mary Miles Mintner, whom many believed would be the next Mary Pickford.

Mintner’s controlling stage-mother Shelby had often threatened to kill Taylor because of her daughter’s obsession with him. She gleefully broke the news of his death to her daughter.

Taylor’s murder followed scandals involving stars dying from drug overdoses and engaging in highly publicized sexual revelries. The latter included the San Francisco trial of popular comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, accused of causing the death of a young woman during an orgy at the St. Francis Hotel. Taylor’s murder pushed Arbuckle off the

front pages of newspapers.

One of those most concerned was Adolph Zukor, head of Famous Players-Lasky, the industry’s most important company. Zukor controlled what would eventually become Paramount Studios and its huge chain of theatres, which he filled with movies his company made. He had already realized that if the industry didn’t censor itself, each state would do so – the conflicting codes would destroy the business. Hence, he and other pioneers reluctantly agreed to the Motion Picture Production Code. They hired Will Hays, President Warren Harding’s Postmaster General and former campaign manager, to run it. It took until the mid1930s for enforcement to begin, but the American film industry suffered from its restrictions until its demise at the end of the 1960s.

Those arriving first at Taylor’s home chose to believe he died of natural causes. They removed letters, personal effects, anything that might embarrass some of his

celebrated friends and colleagues. Normand, Mintner, and Taylor’s much younger lover, set decorator George James Hopkins, genuinely mourned him. Yet Mintner’s feelings for Taylor were complex. Infatuated with him, frustrated by his lack of romantic response, she saw him at the opera with Hopkins and intuitively understood their relationship.

She didn’t hide her scorn. An anxious, embarrassed Taylor left the performance at intermission. His chauffeur drove him home, alone. Minor actress Margaret “Gibby” Gibson, who often worked as Patricia Palmer, had once been close to Taylor, but he failed to help her get the parts she felt she merited, making him a target of her resentment. Her possible knowledge of his true nature, and her association with sleazy criminals and blackmailers, did not bode well for him.

To Zukor’s chagrin, and despite papers removed from Taylor’s home, journalists soon reported that he had changed his name, had once been married, had fathered a daughter, and was known to visit “Queer Places,” probably male bordellos in Los Angeles. This latest scandal boded ill for the industry.

As for the killer? Normand had been the last to see him alive, or so the police insisted. Not so, she averred – the killer was. But who murdered him?

In short, punchy chapters, Mann explores the investigation, the feelings of all those close to Taylor and those whose involvement with him may have been peripheral but deadly. He superbly recreates the era of bootleg whiskey (Prohibition had begun in 1920), widespread drug use in cities, the emerging sexual emancipation of women, burgeoning gay life that thrived in the ano-

nymity of urban centers following World War I, the often sexually charged movies, and the hysteria of the puritanical “Church Ladies” and their allies who were determined that pictures should promote their standards of propriety.

Mann’s conclusion as to who murdered Taylor is logical, convincing, and carefully documented, although by necessity circumstantial.

His bibliography and footnotes are compelling.

What happened to the key players?

Zukor (1873-1976) saw the system he created dismantled when studios were compelled to sell their theatres.

But he also witnessed the end of the Production Code. Normand’s chauffeur was involved in another murder, and her popularity declined in

the mid-1920s. She died at age 38 in 1930. Minton quit acting in 1923 and died in obscurity in 1984, at 82. “Gibby” Gibson was 70 when she died in 1964, still hoping for stardom that never came. Hopkins (1896-1985) had a very successful career, decorating sets for Casablanca (1942), Mildred Pierce (1945) and Strangers on a Train; winning an Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951); A Star Is Born (1954), Auntie Mame (1958); collecting a second Oscar for My Fair Lady (1964); Wait Until Dark (1967), Hello, Dolly! (1969), and The Day of the Locust (1975).

Anyone interested in the history of American films, and those fascinated by intelligent investigative reporting, will find Tinseltown difficult to put down.t

ADVERTISE! The Bay Area Reporter reaches more LGBT consumers than any other advertising medium in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area.

We’re also proud to be the only LGBT print publication with both an audited and verified circulation. Call (415) 861-5019 to market your business to more than 120,000 Bay Area readers.

<< Music

22 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Rolled-over Tchaikovsky

by Tim Pfaff

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ew warhorses of classical music have been as variously handicapped as Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. When the composer showed the manuscript to Anton Rubinstein, one of the greatest pianists of the 19th century, for feedback about its suitability for the instrument, Rubinstein famously replied that it was impossible to go into detail about a piece that was so clumsy, badly written, and vulgar. Tchaikovsky, stung, swore he wouldn’t change a note, but later did in a significantly revised second edition. Rubinstein went on to advocate for the work – in concert, from the piano. And so the pendulum swing has always gone.

There was no escaping the rogue’s presence when I was a budding pianist and record collector. In 1958, a long, tall, handsome – and, it turned out, gay – Texan double-handedly bought back America’s post-Sputnik shame by winning the first-ever Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. (You can hear his blazing competition performance on Testament.) His subsequent RCA LP was the first classical record to go platinum, and yes, I did my small part to get it there. It was the perfect storm:

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Don Quixote

From page 13

It was a popular art in the Tsar’s days, and it remained a popular art in the Soviet Union.

There was perhaps no ballet more popular than Don Quixote, which had been around in several versions since the 1860s, which became one of the cornerstones of the Soviet repertory, and which won a standing ovation last Friday night at the War Memorial Opera House when San Francisco Ballet revived its own production of this “don’t-let-thebastards-grind-you-down,” unsinkably optimistic warhorse.

Everything about Don Quixote is spectacular. There are hundreds of costumes, not to mention Don Quixote’s horse, Sancho’s donkey, the fans, tiaras, swords, toreador capes, stilettos; the bodega furniture, hams, wine-cups, the windmill; all spread out over a three-act, manyscened travelogue of Spain, which our heroine and her boyfriend traverse as they flee the wrath of her father, who wants to marry her to a rich fop. And of course, everywhere they land on their flight they meet kind people who want them to hang out, “have a drink, let’s dance!”

And dance they do! But their virtuosity is merely a prerequisite for presenting mythic energy. These characters are archetypes, albeit

adolescence, a handsome hero, and the ultimate in wind-inyour-hair music.

You can pretty much count on the fingers of one hand the pianists who were not Russian, Slavic or Martha Argerich who have championed it since. Now along comes Kirill Gerstein, another pianist of Russian lineage, to say, Wait a minute, we’ve got the wrong concerto, and back it up with a new recording (Myrios Classics). Well, almost.

It’s the 140th anniversary of the concerto’s premiere, and Gerstein’s point is that the piece we’ve heard is based on a posthumous edition that varies significantly from the version Tchaikovsky conducted in his last public performance, on Oct. 28, 1893, days before his still-unresolved was-it-or-wasn’t-it-suicidebecause-he-was-gay death on Nov. 6. The Chaik One stuck in our ears is bigger (except, that is, for the cuts) and brasher than Tchaikovsky’s own second version of 1879, and (though Gerstein doesn’t say it in so many words, his fine new recording does) more vulgar. He does say “bombastic.”

This is not one of those Duels of the Editions in which the avercomic archetypes – nobility in adversity, expressed not as stoicism, but as unconquerable high spirits.

In making SFB’s production, Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and his collaborator, the Bolshoi-raised Yuri Possokhov, have picked brilliantly from the variant texts and assembled a first-rate character ballet. The story-points emerge effortlessly but firmly: Don Quixote (Jim Sohm) puts his lance at the service of an innkeeper’s daughter (the irrepressible Mathilde Froustey), who has no advocate (other than her outrageous high spirits and her refusal to surrender control of her life) to prevent her marriage to a fop (Ruben Martin Cintas) who has no virtues but his wealth. There is, in fact, a magnificent defiance built into the character of Kitri, at the deepest level, which makes her a revolutionary figure. She’s like Erin Brockovich.

Froustey has the high kicks and flirtatious energy the leading role demands, though she lacks the strength in plie that it takes to make Kitri’s phrases truly compelling.

When Froustey’s on pointe, she spins like a top, she can hold her balance forever, and do anything necessary to seem incorrigible – and she’s a wonderful actress, with a telling use of her eyes. But landing from a jump, she can’t stay down long enough for her next

age concertgoer would be none the wiser. Barely have the opening Bflat minor cum D-flat major brass chords pealed than the piano enters with now altogether differentsounding music. The piano chords that then introduce the big first theme from the strings come in on a narrower compass, i.e., using less of the keyboard – and arpeggiated.

The sound knocks the wind right out of you and your hair.

In the CD notes and a recent piece in the New York Review of Books blog, Gerstein goes into significant detail about that and the other subsequent changes a veryphrase to build up the momentum it needs. In the first act she rushed nearly everything, but she warmed up, and by the last act she was hurling herself across the stage into her partner’s arms with fantastic gusto, and she won my heart. Her partner, our Cuban-born premier danseur Carlos Quenedit (pronounced Kennedy – it’s the French spelling, don’t ask), had a triumph from the get-go dancing Basilio with all the flourish and bravura of the great mid-century masters.

The corps are very strong this year. Their style, virtuosity, heart, and gusto inform every detail of the background and make a ballet I never thought I’d have any respect for into a coherent expression of a kind of ideal, a comic sublime. Daniel Deivison Oliveira commanded the stage any time he took it. Sofiane Sylve made a remote, magnificent visionary creature as the Queen of the Dryads, in the dream Don Quixote had after being tossed by the windmill. Dores Andre stood out as Kitri’s friend.

Many couples will dance the lead roles. I am especially looking forward to Lorena Feijoo’s performance this Sunday; she was the ballerina for which this production was made, back in 2003, and she epitomizes everything the ballet stands for – the strength of woman, fiery, earthy, with tremendous dignity and true grit.t

late-19th-century editor wrought on the piece, in large measure to butch it up.

The case, compelling in verbal argument, is conclusive in sound. Tchaikovsky’s second version is demonstrably more integral, audibly better proportioned, and yes, more beautiful – “more lyrical, almost Schumannesque,” in Gerstein’s own words.

So? Gerstein is not the first modern pianist to plump for the second version, but he is the first to play from the new critical edition of the second version due for imminent publication by the Tchaikovsky Museum and Archive, and his playing is as fine-grained as the highly detailed work of the new editors. He’s also not the first to restore the music once senselessly cut from the finale, but his playing of these newly dusted-off measures is of surpassing beauty, even affection.

It’s hard to imagine a better case for the new edition than this exquisite performance with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under James Gaffigan (paired with an equally fine and distinctive account of the Prokofiev Second).

I do hear the concerto having

t

been through the wars with this particular horse, and with 2015, not 1879, ears, and my first response to the piano entrance in the new recording was, “It sounds gayer.” I’m appalled at my own thought. I hate that I would think that any music would sound gay. I’m also aware that the arpeggiation of big chords has been a sanctioned bit of piano performance practice – and that Tchaikovsky has clearly marked the chords arpeggiated. I’m horrified that my follow-up thought was that the once-familiar chords now sounded limp-wristed. But I’m willing to bet my handsome fee for this review that that’s what many if not most first-time listeners will think, too.

My vote is for this new-old version, but I doubt it will prevail. Ours are not less-is-more times. Musicians love to make a racket, and audiences thrill to it. Think what you will of its power, but bad-old Chaik 1’s got it, and the posthumous version is unlikely to retreat. Barring further powerful advocacy, by the likes of Daniil Trifonov (whose wonderful recording of the bad old version stands), Igor Levit, Yuja Wang, and aargh, Lang Lang, we’re stuck with our hair in that 20thcentury wind.t

Erik Tomasson

San Francisco Ballet dancer Carlos Quenedit in Helgi Tomasson/ Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote.

Erik Tomasson

San Francisco Ballet dancer Dores André in Helgi Tomasson/Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote.

t <<

Fine Art>>

High Style

From page 20

collection that the designer used to cover them. Yantorny also crafted hollow wooden shoe-trees tailored to fit each shoe, as well as custommade, lace-lined trunks like the one on display here that holds a dozen pairs of the pointy-toed, stackheeled amazements, each decorated with a single jeweled buckle. Eat your heart out.

Two of the exhibition’s most fas-

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 23

cinating, unconventional figures considered themselves artists first and dressmakers second. Both the renegade, Italian-born Elsa Schiaparelli and Charles James, a mercurial, nearly forgotten British genius, a terror notorious for his personality problems – the Costume Institute’s refined Curator in Charge Harold Koda has described him as a “piece of work” – were unorthodox in cast of mind and process. But being well-adjusted and playing well with others are not prerequisites for

exceptional fashion – in fact, those very qualities might be contraindicated.

A pair of rooms devoted to the sculptural head-turning dresses of James, who was raised in London and worked in the U.S. from 1939 onward, is the apex of High Style.

After his death in 1978, James drifted into obscurity and would have remained there if his legacy hadn’t been resurrected by the Met, whose hit retrospective last year was the fifth most attended Costume Institute exhibition at the museum.

Revered for his virtuosic cutting, body-conscious seaming and dresses that conformed to the shape of the woman wearing them, fabric (and its relationship to the body) was his medium and the essence of his art; engineering skills and architectural patterning, his singular gift.

Digital animation boxes rotate and deconstruct elements of his multilayered designs, illustrating how they were cut and constructed. His achievement is especially impressive when one considers that he visualized these complex schematics in the round without the aid of computers.

toes. If she had heeded that advice, we might not have been introduced to the otter-fur bathing suit, a hat inspired by a lamb chop, halter necklines, and colorfully dyed furs.

A rebel who palled around with the Surrealists and pleased her own sweet self, Schiaparelli was partial to shocking pink, fabrics in weird whimsical combinations like suede, lace and latex, and exposed zippers like those on the sleeves and side seams of a svelte emerald-green evening gown here. Her uncle Giovanni, an astronomer credited with discovering canals on Mars in 1877, inspired her love affair with heavenly bodies in the night skies and astrology, themes reflected in a beaded midnightblue, silk velvet evening jacket with star-shaped paillettes. Who needs a planetarium when one has the 12 signs of the zodiac embroidered in gold, and, on the left shoulder, the glittering presence of the Big Dipper, the constellation Schiaparelli adopted as a child as her personal emblem? Every girl should have her own constellation.t

James’ signature Clover Leaf ball gown, his most famous creation and the one he regarded as his masterpiece, is strapless, and seems to float on air despite weighing 10 lbs. No running for the bus – or running away – in this one. Made from copper shantung, peach faille and black lace appliqué, with a silhouette reminiscent of the cage crinoline of the 1860s, the gown has a tight waist and a graceful, flared skirt that needs a wide berth; getting in and out of the bathroom could pose a problem, but beauty requires sacrifice. No one would go unnoticed in his kerpow! loosely pleated, rose taffeta ball gown, which required exactly the right tension in all the right places. Its rigidly boned bodice is complemented by sumptuous white, red and pink satin, and layers of tulle underneath its bouffant skirt. “La Sirene” (1941), a “lobster” tube dress with numerous tucks, clung to the voluptuous contours of its uninhibited former owner, Gypsy Rose Lee. When the iconoclastic Schiaparelli applied for her first job at a fashion house in Paris, she was told she’d be better off planting pota-

Through July 19.

SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS DR. TIMOTHY SEELIG, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Rick Gerharter

Designs by American women designers, including (from left) Bonnie Cashin, Claire McCardell, Madame Eta Hentz and Elizabeth Hawes, are part of High Style: The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, now at the Palace of the Legion of Honor.

Featuring the San Francisco premiere of

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The Big Bang

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On the Town

NIGHTLIFE

SPIRITS

DINING

Cosplayful

SOCIETY

ROMANCE

LEATHER

PERSONALS Vol. 45 • No. 13 • March 26-April 1, 2015

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e g d i l o o C r e f

lub C y d e m s Co b’ b o C t dy a a l y n n Fu

by Ronn Vigh

O

Chucking Mutha Chucka ’s

Steven Underhill

Jennifer Coolidge’s arresting beauty.

n a late Thursday afternoon I struggled to hear Jennifer Coolidge over the phone as she finished shooting on the Warner Brothers lot in Los Angeles. In search for better reception, we played a few rounds of phone tag that was also hampered by her trying to drive home while President Obama’s motorcade was traveling through Los Angeles.

See page 27 >>

Matt Hoyle

i n n Je

Around

old-fash ioned d rag

revue

by David-Elijah Nahmod

Y

ou’ll party like it’s 1975 when you attend Mutha Chucka’s Sex Drags and Rock n Roll, her outrageously fun drag review at the Castro bar Midnight Sun. Mutha Chucka doesn’t chuck around: her show is old school drag. Her guest stars play wonderfully over the top drag parodies of famous celebrities, like the seductive Amy Bathhouse, who went on stage in sexy female attire, albeit sporting a full beard.

See page 26 >>

Mutha Chucka atop the bar at The Midnight Sun.

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26 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Steven Underhill

PHOTOGRAPHY

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415 370 7152

WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

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Dulce De Leche, Mutha Chucka and Vikodonia Knightengale in their Supremes number.

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Chucking Around

From page 25

The show is classic lip-synching combined with raucous sketch comedy. Mutha Chucka, who admits to being of a “certain age,” is a popular veteran of Trannyshack and The Monster Show, among others, and has her feet firmly planted in the past.

At one recent performance of Sex, Drag and Rock ‘n Roll, she opened with “Queen Bee,” a Barbra Streisand number from 1976. Babs fans might recall the song from A Star is Born (1976).

Later during that same set, Chucka took to the stage and wowed the audience with “I’m The Greatest Star” from Streisand’s mega-hit Funny Girl. Mutha did the Diana Ross and the Supremes version of the song.

Mutha Chucka (whose real name is Chuck Gutro) is the queen of the stage at her shows, and is often the best known performer. But she’s more than generous when she introduces her guests, often joining the audience’s applause. The night I attended, the music ran the gamut: from Destiny’s Child, to the J. Geils Band, to a hilarious Gilda Radner

skit from Gilda’s 1980 one-woman show Live From New York.

“My own performances cross every genre, from the straight-up lip synch to short skits we create and funny skits we copy from TV and the internet,” Mutha explained.

“The queens have followed. Some are dead serious, some are freakin’ gross, some scary and some hilarious!”

Mutha noted the difference in her musical choices, and in those of her younger guest stars.

“I book a cross-section of drag queens, but the reality of shows like mine is that most of the performers are in their 20s and 30s,” she said.

“They cover all the contemporary performers. They do singers and bands they grew up with and liked.

Being under 35 for the most part, they pick people from the last ten to fifteen years.”

But Mutha Chucka has a fondness for the classics, what some might call good old-fashioned rock and roll.

“Rock and roll is well over 60 years old now,” she said. “I want music from across that spectrum, but I’m not going to limit people to my view of rock and roll.”

She pointed out that while Diana

Ross and Barbra Streisand weren’t generally associated with rock, both have performed music in that genre.

Streisand’s A Star is Born was a remake of the Judy Garland classic, albeit set in the rock world.

“I’ve always loved music and those women spoke to me,” she said of Streisand, Ross, and other divas such as Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Patti LaBelle, Gloria Gaynor, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin and many others. “As a gay kid in the ‘70s who came of age in 1980 at the onslaught of AIDS, I came with a lot of baggage. Those ladies taught me not to be a victim. I do strong songs and identify with strong women singers.”

Mutha said she embraces all kinds of drag queens.

“I love performers who give 110%, who commit to their vision, who are creative in their choices, and who take risks,” she said. “If you have that, then quite honestly I don’t care what kind of drag queen you are.”t Sex, Drag and Rock n Roll can be seen the first Saturday of every month at The Midnight Sun; next on April 3. www.muthachucka.com www.midnightsunsf.com

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both photos by Steven Underhill

Top: Mutha Chucka “smokes” a giant prop joint onstage at The Midnight Sun. Bottom: Mutha Chucka with fans at The Midnight Sun.

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March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 27

Jennifer Coolidge

<<

Jennifer Coolidge

From page 25

Eventually, we were able to connect with clear reception and casually talked for so long that the whole transcript would probably take up all the pages in this week’s BARtab section.

Coolidge is known for dozens of film comedy roles in such hits as the American Pie series as Stifler’s mother, and in the Christopher Guest satires A Mighty Wind and Best in Show. On TV, Coolidge has made dozens of guest appearances, but is most known as Sophie on the hit show 2 Broke Girls.

Off-screen, the actress was incredibly down to earth and inquisitive in our chat, often going off topic to ask about my experience as a stand-up comic.

For now, it’s all about Jennifer, as we discussed her growth as a standup comic, and her upcoming shows at Cobb’s in San Francisco.

Ronn Vigh: Many comedians start in comedy, and then eventually find success as a writer or actor. But you didn’t actually start performing stand-up until after you had a well-established career.

Jennifer Coolidge: Yes. There was an event I was asked to host, that someone really famous dropped out of. Somehow, someone got the idea that I could step in, and I was really nervous to do it. It went surprisingly well, and then right after that I started doing small clubs.

my needs get met in San Francisco!

I know it was only two episodes, but I loved you as Bobbie St. Brown in Party Down where you played a kooky catering waitress.

Did you ever hold any awkward jobs before all the big roles?

Oh yeah! I worked in a restaurant for 16 years of my life, at 19th & Park Avenue in New York City, and Sandra Bullock was the hostess there, too!

I loved the scene where you’re catering a lavish gay wedding and your character gets tipsy and asks the groom and groom how to tell if a guy is gay!

Did I? Wow, I don’t remember that at all!

I just re-watched it. It cracks me up every time!

I’m lucky there have been many jobs, that I can’t remember all of them anymore; either that or my memory is just going to shit.

There’s no second takes when doing live stand-up; have you ever spaced on your material?

I had a terrible moment in Australia, I was sort of sleep-deprived.

I hadn’t slept in 24 hours and I was standing on stage thinking, I don’t remember anything. Nothing! I don’t think that has happened here in the states, though.

Early on, I became a pretty good riffer due to the fact that I would

forget my next jokes. Now riffing has become a valuable skill and integral part of my stage persona.

Yea, I thought the beginning was very hard. After you do it for a while you can figure out how to get out of a rut. In the beginning, I couldn’t figure out how to get out of a story and reverse it if it wasn’t going well.

But, now I’m not nervous anymore.

What do people shout out more? “Hey, it’s Stifler’s Mom” or “Bend and Snap?”

It’s really those two the most.

The girls and gay men all want me to ‘bend and snap.’ The dudes that were born in the 80s yell out “Stifler’s Mom.” It’s all so odd, because people see certain movies and they assume you’re that person.

They already have this idea of who you are and it’s very real.

Most of those are comedic and your characters are often very “bimboesque,” I’d say. But have you ever done a serious part?

I did one. The Bad Lieutenant with Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes, and I thought it was really cool.

Sometimes when you’re a comic, they don’t want to see you in a dramatic role. I had a cab driver in LA who told me the whole ride [mimics cab driver’s voice], “Oh, Jennifer, you were a woman in a terrible predicament and I just don’t like seeing you that way. Keep doing funny.”

Everyone has their opinions. But, it’s sort of nice to try it all. I did

photo

Jennifer Coolidge with Jonathan Kite in 2 Broke Girls.

think it was incredibly interesting to do this role and I’m bummed they’re aren’t more jobs like that.

I hear that you’re a big fan of animals?

I’m a big dog person. I do dog rescue a lot, whenever I find one that’s in bad shape.

I have two cats. I’d have 20 more if space and hygiene allowed us to.

I never met an animal lover I didn’t like.

If it wasn’t for my career, my boyfriend and I would probably

You’ve had many comedic acting roles, but how does doing actual stand-up differ from those?

I kind of really like it, because in acting you don’t get to really talk about how you feel. I did a radio show where the guy let you say whatever you wanted and it was really satisfying, I get to comedically say all the stuff that pissed me off.

It’s very satisfying. You control it all.

It’s all on your terms. The sky’s the limit and there is no censor.

You will be performing stand up at Cobb’s in San Francisco this week. I assume you have spent time here before?

Yes, and it’s very different from LA. I love everything about your town.

The restaurants, the bars, and it has the best coffee in the United States.

There’s coffee everywhere.

Almost too much!

I’m obsessed with coffee and red wine. Yes, wine, coffee, the food. All

Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler’s mom in American Pie.

Jennifer Coolidge

move to a big farm in the country where we can save all the animals we want!

I’ll do the farm with you.

That will be our reality show!

Yes, then we have a show on television and it will be doing good for the animals! Everybody wins!t Jennifer Coolidge performs March 27, 8pm & 10:15pm, March 28, 7:30pm & 9:45pm, and March 29, 7:30pm, at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco. 928-4320. www.cobbscomedyclub.com

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

28 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

The Big Bang Erotic hypnosis and sex in outer space

by Krissy Eliot

M

y boyfriend has been cloned.

Two of him are dopplegangbanging me while another watches. I’m lying on a circular bed with velvet blankets and satin pillows in what appears to be the cabin of a space ship. One of the clones has his head between my legs while the other kisses me and runs his fingers over my throat, my stomach, my nipples. The third clone sits nearby on a stool, reading out loud from a red book, pausing to watch every so often. I can’t understand the words he’s reading, but they sound Greek. Literature is hot.

What am I doing here? Have I been abducted? Am I a part of some alien experiment? I don’t care.

I’m biting my lip and digging my nails into the shoulders of Clone One (who is expertly probing my Virgo clitoral cluster) when I hear a familiar voice coming from some unknown part of the cosmos.

“When you’re ready, I want you to leave the room and go into the hallway,” says Dr. Amy Marsh, Board Certified Clinical Sexologist, hypnotist, hypnosis instructor and

ex-Dean of Students at the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. “Once you leave, you’ll enter a second door where another erotic fantasy awaits you.”

I pull myself from the titillating triplets, go to the second door and reach for the knob... (the door knob, you perverts). Even though my mind is telling me that I just had a freaky foursome with my boyfriend’s clones — in reality, I’m lying back in a chair in Marsh’s East Bay office – and I’ve been erotically hypnotized.

If you think this sounds hokey, I don’t blame you. I’m a skeptic too. Having spent most of my life in the conservative confines of rural Maryland, my only exposure to hypnosis was through ridiculous TV shows and tales of Dracula. But this experience was actually nothing like I expected. When I was in a trance, it was like lucid dreaming.

The subconscious ran amok and I just played in whatever environment my hypnotist constructed for me. It was trippy, hippy dippy, and sexy as fuck. It reminded me of why I moved to San Francisco.

So what exactly is erotic hypno-

t

James de Leon

Our daring columnist travels to inner space.

sis? And why would anyone want to do it?

Unlike sexological hypnosis, which Marsh uses in her clinical sexology practice to help clients deal with sexual issues and dysfunction, erotic hypnosis is used more for recreation. It’s good for exploring the naughty crevices of the mind, creating connection in relationships and adding variation to routine sex lives.

Marsh had a female client with polyamorous desires who was in a monogamous relationship. The client used erotic hypnosis on her male partner to bring out personality traits in him that he wouldn’t usually express.

“She would feel like she was with a different person,” Marsh said. “So she got her needs for variety met.”

Erotic hypnosis is hot in the Bay Area BDSM community, because

submissive partners or “bottoms” like to be turned into what Marsh jokingly calls “robot dollies” – slaves to the will of their masters.

Chastity play, where bottoms are prohibited from sexual gratification, is a favorite of erotic hypnotists.

“Some people don’t want to use hypnosis to have an orgasm,” Marsh said. “They want hypnosis to ruin their orgasm.”

I didn’t want my orgasm ruined – but I did want to see if erotic hypnosis was a hoax. And if it wasn’t, I wanted to see if I could unlock a deep, sexy secret about myself that even I didn’t know.

“What comes out in erotic hypnosis isn’t actually sexual acts, but a glimKrissy Eliot mer of this erotic world that most of us barely ever Erotic hypnotist Dr. Amy Marsh. touch,” Marsh said. “What people have inside them is pleasure. I walk to a cabinet in the so much richer than they’re hallway and open it to see my sur(usually) aware of.” prise: Albert Camus’ The Stranger So where was I in my hypnosis covered in fondue. I’m really into story? Oh, right... So she tells me to smart guys. I lick the book. leave the clones and go through a Marsh tells me to tap my left pinsecond door. I do, and find my boyky with my right index finger and friend, again. But this time, he’s not come up with a descriptive word to cloned – and two of my sexy dude encompass my experience. friends are with him. I relax on a I say, “Otherworldly.” bamboo chair, sitting on the patio She explains that of some futurisby tapping my tic dome-home. pinky, I’m anchorAll three guys ing the experiencare shirtless and es to a body part, kneeling before allowing me to me. They feed me trigger memories fruit, recite poetry, of the fantasies massage my feet, any time I want. and worship me as So if you see me their goddess. tapping my pinky Wow, so – I’m in the freezer aisle not completely of Trader Joe’s, just narcissistic or know – I’m being anything. dirty.

Marsh’s omniSo what did I scient voice tells learn from this me to move on to cerebral clusterthe next fantasy. fuck? That I’m I go through even more gay a third door Dr. Amy Marsh’s book on for space than I and find myself erotic hypnotism. thought. I also stepping onto a have a fetish for white ledge overthe literati. looking a beautiful beach. (Is that a Take me to your leader, sexy mermaid in the distance?) The three earthlings.

Call me Krissy, the Robot guys from the last fantasy climb up Dolly.t onto the ledge next to me. Then, out of nowhere, we all throw our arms out to our sides and fall forward.

The world rips open and I’m suddenly dropping through the blackness of outer space. My whole body tingles and my crotch feels happy – in a milky way.

Marsh tells me to exit the third fantasy and go get my reward for letting myself experience so much

To register for upcoming hypnosis events, sex coaching and counseling with Dr. Marsh, visit www.dramymarshsexologist.com.

Readers can contact Krissy by email at thekrissyeliot@gmail.com and view her previous work at www.krissyeliot.com.

t

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March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 29

Over the moon

Gareth Gooch

Lil’ Kim Chee and Grand Marshall Tom Ammiano at Krewe de Kinque’s celebrations at Balançoire.

by Donna Sachet

O

nce again, Krewe de Kinque brought the spirit of New Orleans to San Francisco! Last Saturday’s Bal Masque, their Mardi Gras style annual event, was titled Full Moon Over Shanghai and benefited Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco. Balençoire, the versatile and welcoming bar on Mission Street, was the perfect setting, accented with elaborate balloon décor, an extensive silent auction, VIP bar upstairs, and a convenient balcony for the traditional tossing of the beads.

Most guests arrived decked in Mardi Gras colors, many wearing intricate masks and vintage beads from other parties, including founder Gary Virginia, Deana Dawn, CoCo Butter, Nathan Page & Tiger Lily, Dana van Iquity, and Kit Tapata. An elaborate themed show was emceed by Kippy Marks and BeBe Sweetbriar, who introduced the Grand Marshal of this year’s event, Tom Ammiano.

Past Grand Marshals have included City Treasurer Jose Cisneros and Hollywood comedian Bruce Vilanch, and they always add their own special spirit to Bal Masque.

Tom did not disappoint as he led the crowd in a raucous parade through the bar.

During the show, this year’s Mardi Gras King Joseph Nunez and Queen Lil’ Kim Chee were cheered as they completed a successful year of fun and fundraising. From where we sat, it may be hard to return Lil’ Kim to her more routine non-drag life!

If you have a hankering for all things New Orleans and Mardi Gras, this club is for you, with several other events during the year, including Full Moon Contests, bar crawls and more. Whenever you hear of Krewe de Kinque, you can be sure the good times are indeed rolling.

From there, we headed to Beaux in the Castro for Locoya Hill’s latest venture Playground, hosted by Sister Roma, BeBe Sweetbriar, and this columnist from 10PM until closing. DJ Colby B kept the music hot, the sexy bartenders kept the drinks fresh, and the crowd was gorgeous and smiling. We love these

kinds of parties that mix the followings of several local personalities together and end up with a delightful menagerie of fun.

It really did feel like a reunion, running into people we knew from dance floors and bars all over town, including Dan O’Leary, Skye Paterson, Philip Grasso, Lord Martine, Omar Kubian, Jada Miranda, and Charisma. Based on its success, watch for additional Playground parties soon.

We were among the lucky ones to attend opening night of Dame Edna’s Glorious Goodbye, The Farewell Tour at the Orpheum Theatre. That turned out to be quite the reunion as well with the SF LGBT Commu-

nity out in force for this inimitable comic. We were on the arm of theatre veteran Joe Mac and caught up with Erin-Kate Whitcomb, Jan Wahl, Jason Brock, Leah Garchik, Akilah Monifa, Veronika Fimbres, Kevin Kopjak, and Scott Meilyk.

This is one of those shows where you simply have to put your politically correct conscience to sleep as much as possible and enjoy the well-meant insults, put-downs, and shameless self-promotion, which most were able to do without difficulty. Only when she made an offhand remark about “Mexicans” did Dame Edna lose most of us. All in all, it was a delightful evening with flashy/trashy costumes and sets, new back-up dancers, fresh material, and classic stand-bys.

As to whether this is truly a finale to her career, who knows? On opening night, the man behind Dame Edna, Barry Humphries, emerged after a standing ovation and kept the answer to that question quite muddled.

On Wednesday night, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus hosted an evening at Beatbox, designed to present the trailer for David Lassman’s documentary 50 Years of Fabulous: the Story of the Imperial Court of San Francisco, a screening of Nick Jimenez’s short film Sachet: the Movie, and a preview of music from the upcoming holiday recording of the chorus. Gathered during the middle of the week to share this intimate night were not just lots of friends with whom we used to sing, but also Tyler Nelson, Erin Lavery & Erin McCarthy, Christopher Vasquez, Kevin Lisle, and Drew Cutler.

The Imperial Court documentary trailer elicited quite a few audible responses and lovely applause at the end, which should serve as great encouragement to its producers as they finish up filming and editing this year.

Sachet: the Movie was welcomed with laughter, tears, and sighs of affirmation; we then hosted a quick Q

Marques Daniels

Pals at Locoya Hill’s Playground at Beaux.

Erin Lavery

Donna Sachet with Sachet: The Movie director Nick Jimenez at Beatbox.

& A, moderated by Justin Taylor of the chorus and the banter was fastpaced, personal, and revealing. Wish us luck with the Frameline Film Festival selection committee this year!

Finally, Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Tim Seelig introduced several selections of holiday music from last year’s concerts and the room was rapt with attention. Not enough can be said about how focused the chorus has become over the last few years under his direction, bringing new critical praise, wider audience appreciation, and moans of delight at Beatbox that night.

As many of you may know, our origins lie in this chorus, so this gathering held special significance for us. We remain tremendously grateful to the chorus for its continued support.

Speaking of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus, don’t miss their concerts at Davies Symphony Hall next Wed. & Thurs., April 1 & 2, titled Passion.

This ambitious evening includes music that crosses three different centuries with three world premieres. My Friend, My Lover: Five Walt Whitman Songs puts the words of this great American poet into new context, James Eakin and Charles Anthony Silvestri’s #twitterlieder: 15 Tweets in 3 Acts is bound to be full of surprises, and Jake Heggie’s For a Look or a Touch will have you spellbound. Guest soloists include Morgan Smith and Kip Niven.

Tickets are priced with something for everyone.

This Saturday, the San Francisco LGBT Community Center celebrates another year of programs and services with Soiree 2015: Limitless on Sat., March 28, at Metreon’s City View, starting at 6PM. This is their big annual fundraiser and features a variety of restaurant samplings, wine and cocktails, silent auction, entertainers and DJ sets, not to mention a great cross-section of our beautifully diverse community.

And on Sunday, March 29, at 6PM, the Imperial Court hosts Investiture at SF Oasis, 298 11th Street, when the newly elected Reigning Emperor & Empress are officially invested and their court begins its activities. In addition, Imperial Crown Prince Salvador Tovar and Imperial Crown Princess Jenny Twoblocksaway step down after their year of active service. You’ve already seen Emperor Kevin Lisle and Empress Khmera Rouge making a big splash all over town; now let’s witness their first official event!

That takes us right up to Easter Sunday, April 5, when the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence host their 36th celebration, this year in Hellman Hollow in Golden Gate Park.

Children’s activities begin at 11AM, followed by 1PM Bonnet Contest, 2PM Foxy Mary Contest, and 3PM Hunky Jesus Contest with continuous entertainment throughout the afternoon.

Get out and take in the great weather while celebrating as only the Sisters can!t

<< On the Tab

30 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

TAB f eON THE il 2 – March 26 Apr

★

Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences Themed event nights at the fascinating nature museum, with DJed dancing, cocktails, fish, frogs, food and fun. March 26: Robot Nightlife, with Beach Fossils performing, DJ Avalon Emerson, 3D printing samples, an R2D2 replica and more robot fun. $10-$12. 6pm-10pm, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park.

379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Robin Cloud @ Oasis The stand-up comic is joined by Jerri Beige. $12. 9:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Sex & the City Live @ Oasis The drag parody of the Manhattan gal pal TV show returns. $25-$30 and up.

7pm. Thu-Sat. Thru Mar. 28. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

H

ot and celebratory events fill our week, including the surpringly busy Wednesday night, April 1; no fooling! Saturday night’s particularly event-worthy. The week’s rounded off with our fifth annual Besties party at Oasis on April 2. You, our dear readers, picked the best people, places, food, clubs and more in 80-plus categories. Come celebrate with finalists, fans and winners! See the April 2 listing for details.

Leslie Jordan @ Feinstein's at the Nikko

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

The diminuitive gay actor with a big talent returns with his new one-man show, Say Cheese! My Life in Front of the Camera. $35-$50. ($20 food/ beverage minimum) 8pm. Mar. 27 at 8pm. Mar. 28 at 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Powell. (866) 6631063. www.ticketweb.com

The Chew Toys @ SF Eagle

Mary Go Round @ Lookout

LA's premiere queercore band pops up for a stop along their West Coast tour.

Also, the Birth Defects and another band TBA. $5. 9pm. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Suppositori Spelling, Mercedez Munro and Holotta Tymes host the weekly night with DJ Philip Grasso, gogo guys, drink specials, and drag acts.

10pm-2am. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Circle Jerk With a Porn Star @ Nob Hill Theatre Muscled porn stud Hans Berlin leads the interactive downstairs fun at the famed strip joint. (He's onstage Mar. 27 & 2). $15. 9pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Fuego @ The Watergarden, San Jose Weekly event, with Latin music, halfoff locker fees and Latin men, at the South Bay private men's bath house. $8-$39. Reg hours 24/7. 18+. 1010 The Alameda. (408) 275-1215. www.thewatergarden.com

Funny Fun @ Club 21, Oakland

Latin Explosion @ Club 21, Oakland The festive gogo-filled dance club, with host Lulu, features Latin pop dance hits with DJs Speedy Douglas Romero and Fabricio; no cover before 10pm. Enjoy the club's new third dance floor. Mar. 27: Selena Quintanilla performs live. $6-$12. 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St., Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www.club21oakland.com

Manimal @ Beaux Gogo-tastic dance night starts off your weekend. $5. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge The dearly missed Cookie Dough's weekly drag show continues, with gogo guys and hilarious fun. $5. 9pm2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

My So-Called Night @ Beaux Carnie Asada hosts a new weekly '90s-themed video, dancin', drinkin' night, with VJs Jorge Terez. Get down with your funky bunch, and enjoy 90cent drinks. '90s-themed attire and costume contest. No cover. 9pm-2am.

2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Hip Hop, Top 40, and sexy Latin music; gogo dancers, appetizers, and special guest DJs. No cover before 11pm and just $5 after all night.

Dancing 9pm-3am. Happy hour 4pm8:30pm 2111 Franklin St. (510) 2689425. www.club21oakland.com

Fri 27 Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi

Beer Bust @ Hole in the Wall Saloon Beer only $8 until you bust. 4pm-8pm.

1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

The musical comedy revue celebrates its 40th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. $25-$160.

678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 421-4222. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Boy Bar @ The Cafe Gus Presents' weekly dance night, with DJ Kid Sysko, hotty gogos and $2 beer (before 10pm). 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Club Papi @ Oasis The famed Latin dance and drag night has moved to 4th Fridays at the new SoMa club; with hot gogo guys, and drag acts by Jessica Wild, Yara Sofia, and Lineysha Sparx. $12. 10pm-2am.

298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Friday Night @ de Young Museum

Kiss Us, We’re Irish!

EDGE is Your Daily Parade of News, Entertainment, and Photos.

edgemedianetw

Hans Berlin @ Nob Hill Theatre

Midnight Show @ Divas

The big muscled porn stud performs onstage. $25.

Solo 8pm, sex shows with Tyler Rush at 10pm. Also Mar. 28. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. thenobhilltheatre.com

Weekly drag shows at the last transgender-friendly bar in the Polk; with hosts Victoria Secret, Alexis Miranda and several performers. Also Saturdays. $10. 11pm. 1081 Polk St. www.divassf.com

Thu 26 Robin Cloud @ Oasis

Happy Friday @ Midnight Sun

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

Sing your heart out at the free lively night. 8pm-2am. 2120 Broadway.

(510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Sat 28

VIP @ Club 21, Oakland

Game Night @ Brewcade

Karaoke Night @ Club BnB, Oakland

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

Disco guru DJ Bus Station John spins grooves at the intimate retro music night. $4. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St. at Taylor. www.auntcharlieslounge.com

Nightlife events at the museum take on different themes, cash bar and live entertainment. $5-$16.

5:30pm-9pm. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. www.deyoung.famsf.org

Gym Class @ Hi Tops

Some Thing @ The Stud

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie's Lounge

LGBT comedy night hosted by Dan Mires. $10. 8pm. 2111 Franklin St. Oakland. (510) 268-9425. www. club21oakland.com

The arcade beer bar presents Ruhstaller Brewing and special beers. 6pm. 2200 Market St. www.brewcadesf.com

An immersive, circus-infused culinary extravaganza set in San Francisco's notorious Barbary Coast red light district, with aerial performances, live music and a four-course dinner. 21+. $120. Fri & Sat 8pm. Thru April 4. 633 Florida St. 310-9238. www.TheSoiledDove.com

Drink specials, Top 40, gogo studs and no cover. 9pm-2am. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Cocktailgate @ Truck

Bulge @ Powerhouse

The vivacious TV and film actress ( 2 Broke Girls, Best in Show) performs her stand-up act. $30-$45. 8pm & 10:15pm. Also Mar. 28, 7:30pm & 9:45pm. Mar. 29, 7:30pm. 915 Columbus Ave. 928-4320. www.cobbscomedyclub.com

The Soiled Dove @ Inner Mission

Thirsty Thursdays @ The Cafe

Sat 28

Thu 26

Jennifer Coolidge @ Cobb's Comedy Club

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The popular video bar ends each work week with gogo guys (starting at 9pm) and drink specials. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

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

It Takes Two @ Hotel Rex Society Cabaret presents Meg Mackay and Billy Philadelphia's duo cabaret show. $25-$45. Cocktails and small plates available. 8pm. Also Mar. 28, 8pm. 562 Sutter St. 857-1896. www.societycabaret.com

Red Hots Burlesque @ El Rio The saucy women's burlesque revue's weekly weekend show; different musical guests each week. $10.

7:30pm. 3158 Mission St. 672-4735.

Also Wed nights at Oasis. www.redhotsburlesque.com www.elriosf.com

Rock Fag @ Hole in the Wall Enjoy hard rock and punk music from DJ Don Baird at the wonderfully divey SoMa bar. 12pm-2am. 1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

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

Big Gay Wine Train @ Napa Valley Wine Train Meet and taste wines by LGBT winemakers paired with a special gourmet menu aboard the Big Gay Wine Train, produced by Out in the Vineyard. $185 Gourmet Express Car; $215 VIP Vista Dome Car. 5:309:30pm. 1275 McKinstry St., Napa.

(707) 253-2111. www.outinthevineyard.com

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

t

On the Tab>>

Club Rimshot @ Club BNB, Oakland Get groovin' at the weekly hip hop and R&B night at their new location. $8-$15. 9pm to 4am. 2120 Broadway.

(510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Cocktailgate @ Truck Suppositori Spelling's wacky weekly drag show at the cute lil gay bar.

10pm-2am. 1900 Folsom St. 5710925. www.trucksf.com

Margaret Cho @ SF Eagle The celebrated irreverent comic's day-long fundraiser helps out the #BeRobinTheMovie fund, with MC La Moni Stat, raffles, and surprise guests. $10. 3pm-12am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 31

Sugar @ The Café

Disco Daddy @ SF Eagle

Dance, drink, cruise at the Castro club.

9pm-2am. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Enjoy a bonus fifth Sunday edition of DJ Bus Station John's disco dance party that follows the popular beer bust. $5. 7pm-12pm. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

Sun 29 At the Hop @ Midnight Sun Crafty Dough and Sugah Betes cohost the new oldies night ('40s-'60s, 4th Sundays), with music and drag acts.

8pm. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Beer, Booze and Bonnets @ 440 Drink up and raise funds for the AIDS LifeCycle when you buy one of more than 70 beautiful easter bonnets!

12pm-4pm. 440 Castro St. www.the440.com

GlamaZone @ The Cafe

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

Salsa Sundays @ El Rio Salsa dancing for LGBT folks and friends, with live merengue and cumbia bands; tapas and donations that support local causes. 2nd & 4th Sundays. 3pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. 282-3325. www.elriosf.com

Soko @ Rickshaw Stop The French singer-songwriter known for wild stage antics and great vocals, stops by on her U.S. tour. The Tambo Rays and El Terrible open. $15. 8pm.

155 Fell St. at Van Ness. www.rickshawstop.com

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 Dance it up at the popular twiceweekly country-western dance night that includes line-dancing, two-stepping and lessons. $5. 5pm10:30pm. Also Thursdays 6:30pm10:30pm. 550 Barneveld Ave. at Industrial. www.sundancesaloon.org

Sunday Brunch, Xtravaganza @ Balancoire Weekly live music shows with host Galilea and various acts, along with brunch, mimosas, champagne and more, at the stylish nightclub and restaurant; shows at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:45pm. After that, T-Dance drag shows at 7pm, 10pm and 11pm. 2565 Mission St. at 21st.

920-0577. www.balancoiresf.com

ShangriLa @ EndUp DJ Byron spins at the Varsitythemed dance party for Gay Asian guys and their pals; Khmera Rouge hosts, fundraiser for the Bare Chest Calendar. $20. 10pm-3am. 401 6th St. www.shangrilasf.net

Soiree 2015 @ City View Metreon The LGBT Center's annual gala fundraiser includes a hosted bar, hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction, live music with soprano Breanna Sinclaire, drag acts VivvyAnne ForeverMORE, Miss Rahni, dancing with DJed grooves

by Jaqi Sparro, Bret Bowerman, and CarrieonDisco. $125-$1,000. VIP reception 6pm. party 8pm-12am. 135 4th St. www.SFcenter.org

Sunday's a Drag @ Starlight Room

Beer Bust @ Lone Star Saloon The ursine crowd converges for beer and fun. 4pm-8pm. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

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

Big Top @ Beaux Joshua J.'s homo disco circus night, with guest DJs and performers, hotty gogo guys and drink specials. 9pm-2am.

2344 Market St. www.BeauxSF.com

Brunch @ Hi Tops Enjoy crunchy sandwiches and mimosas, among other menu items, at the popular sports bar. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Underwear Night @ 440 Strip down to your skivvies at the popular men's night.

9pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 6218732. www.the440.com

Tue 31 Block Party @ Midnight Sun

The Imperial Court of Kourage, Klass, Leather & Lace – Empress Khmera Rouge, Emperor Kevin Lisle, and Prince Salvador Tovar & Princess Jenny Twoblocksaway present a fun yet formal-wear party for the newly elected royalty. $20. 5pm-9pm.

298 11th St. at Folsom. www.sfoasis.com

Liquid Brunch @ Beaux

Heklina's weekly drag show night at the fabulous renovated SoMa nightclub; plus DJ Guy Ruben. Mar. 28: TV-themed acts and special guest Margaret Cho! $10-$15. 10pm-2am.

298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

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

Investiture 2015 @ Oasis

The weekly jock-ular fun continues, with special sports team fundraisers.

3pm-7pm. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Mother @ Oasis

Weekly dance lessons and live music at the pub-restaurant, hosted by John Slaymaker. $5. 7pm. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. www.thestarryplough.com

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni's

Pollo del Mar's weekly drag shows takes on different themes with a comic edge. 8:3011:30pm. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Jock @ The Lookout

work.com

Irish Dance Night @ Starry Plough, Berkeley

Donna Sachet hosts the weekly fabulous brunch and drag show. $45.

11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595. www.starlightroomsf.com

Mon 30 Cock and Bull Mondays @ Hole in the Wall Saloon Specials on drinks made with Cock and Bull ginger ale (Jack and Cock, Russian Mule, and more). 8pmclosing. 1369 Folsom St. 431-4695. www.hitws.com

Drag Mondays @ The Cafe Mahlae Balenciaga and DJ Kidd Sysko's weekly drag and dance night, 2014's last of the year. 9pm-1am.

2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Epic Karaoke @ White Horse, Oakland Mondays and Tuesdays popular weekly sing-along night. No cover. 8:30pm1am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 6523820. www.whitehorsebar.com

Weekly screenings of music videos, concert footage, interviews and more, of popular pop stars. 9pm-2am.

4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Bombshell Betty & Her Burlesqueteers @ Elbo Room

Sat 28 Margaret Cho @ The Eagle

Karaoke @ The Lookout Paul K hosts the amateur singing night. 8pm-2am. 3600 16th St. at Market. www.lookoutsf.com

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

Mash Up Mondays @ Club BnB, Oakland Weekly Karaoke and open mic night; RuPaul's Drag Race screenings, too.

9pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 7597340. www.club-bnb.com

Monday Musicals @ The Edge Sing along at the popular musical theatre night; also Wednesdays. 7pm2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pm-closing.

4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Name That Beat @ Toad Hall BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly musical trivia challenge and drag show. 8:30-11:30pm. 4146 18th St. at Castro. www.toadhallbar.com

No No Bingo @ Virgil's Sea Room Mica Sigourney and Tom Temprano cohost the wacky weekly game night at the cool Mission bar. 8pm. 3152 Mission St. www.virgilssf.com

Opulence @ Beaux New weekly dance night, with Jocques, DJs Tori, Twistmix and Andre.

9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

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

Cock Shot @ Beaux

Shot specials and adult Bingo games, with DJs Chad Bays and Riley Patrick, at the new weekly night.

No cover. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

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

Gay Skate Night @ Church on 8 Wheels LGBT night at the former Sacred Heart Church-turned disco roller skate party space, hosted by John D. Miles, the "Godfather of Skate.". Also Wed, Thu, 7pm-10pm. Sat afternoon sessions 1pm-2:30pm and 3pm-5:30pm. $10.

Kids 12 and under $5. Skate rentals $5. 554 Fillmore St at Fell. www.churchof8wheels.com

Ink & Metal @ Powerhouse Show off your tattoos and piercings at the weekly cruisy SoMa bar night.

10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Meow Mix @ The Stud The weekly themed variety cabaret showcases new and unusual talents; MC Ferosha Titties. $3-$7. Show at 11pm. 9pm-2am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.studsf.com

Mini Supreme @ Oasis Enjoy a screening of Michael Phillis' hilarious toddler pageant parody film, plus a live Full Glitz Drag Pageant, with Matthew Martin, Migitte Nielsen, Chaka Corn and others. $8$40 (includes DVD). 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

See page 34 >>

Sat 28 ShangriLa @ The EndUp

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

32 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

Architectural Guygest Colt solo studs shine

by John F. Karr

A

ll it took was a single photo of Buck Santiago, and my need to see him in action was essential. What one would at first assume is his film debut is the centerpiece of Colt’s MinuteMan #45, Men of Summer.

It takes a certain patience, a head space different than your usual pornwatching mode, to enjoy a solo jerk off. If you’re the sort of guy who can get there, you’ll find Colt’s expansive

scene lengths, classy filming, and mellow but still heated approach rewarding. While most soloists are somewhat self-conscious, a few guys blossom, lost in a personal reverie, or with a showmanship that commands you to watch. While neither self-conscious nor a star, Buck’s one stunning dude to look at, and the other two other guys on the bill aren’t shoddy either.

Show opener Ray Han is very nice.

Buck is one stud of a looker. He’s di-

vine, dear. Man #3, Sean Lawrence, is a stud of a different kind; he’s deluxe.

A particular distinction of the movie is that all three are uncut.

At first, for me, it was all about Buck. Pizzaz is not his thing. He smolders quietly, at ease with the camera, and communicating directly to us through it, as if saying “Wish you were here.”

But let’s drool over Buck from the top down. His dark hair, silky and slicked back, thankfully lacks the tortured tonsorial that’s currently so trendy. His penetrating brown eyes reach out with an intimate comehither that invites you and you alone to join him. His cheekbones are sharp and high; his mouth is small, nearly bee-stung, and seems cut from marble.

His physique? In a world where ripped muscle is commonplace, this guy’s unworldly. I took one look, and I ascended, out of the commonplace, into the rare. Though his nipples are tiny dots, they’re deftly located. His pec’s plentiful bulge of smooth and solid muscle has nudged them to the tip of their outside crest. Buck’s sixpack is so defined it hurts, and that V leading down to his hips is a deep gorge. And then, there it is, a shaft of steel. His foreskin retracts entirely when his dick’s hard, which is always, giving us a continual gander at the exposed glans.

But Buck is seated for so long I became concerned the directors (yes, there are two of them) were neglecting his cock’s most breathtaking quality. If Buck would stand up, it

would reveal the standing ovation his cock gives his body. It’s got an imperative snap so straight upward that it seems it’s making love to Buck’s belly.

Ah, he finally does stand up, but the wide-angle view momentarily distracts me from its glory. There’s some interesting art hung up on the walls. Well, I’m hung up on Buck’s cock, and entirely grateful when we zoom in so it entirely fills that panoramic view. Buck’s pumping pace quickens, and when he cums, the many repeated spurts go nipple-high and run back down his torso. He winks, and I’m devastated.

Here’s something unusual. The shower that Sean Lawrence is in has a glass wall on one side that exposes him to the living room. It’s sort of like the Shower Show at the Nob Hill Theatre. But instead of the limited space and rubber floor of an underground arcade, we’re in a millionaire’s ballroomsized and marbled stall. This mansion’s a doozy of a joint.

Sean is also a doozy, with the quintessential lumberjack look that’s always been a ne plus ultra of gay Butch. He’s got a beefy bod, with a beefy cock to match, and matchless blue eyes. He does the soap-up and rinse thing a couple hundred times.

If his muscles didn’t draw his skin so taut, you’d think he’d be totally pruned up. The shower’s running all this time, even when he begins the jack-off, proper. If, as we’re told,

t

merely soaping up with the water running wastes twelve gallons of water, what amount is going down the drain in a fourteen minute jack-off? I guess there’s no draught in Hungary.

Yes, Hungary. I don’t know how the collaboration was managed, but Men Of Summer credits as directors Colt regular Kristofer Weston and prolific Eastern European filmmaker Csaba Borbély. Both Buck and Sean have soloed in films Borbély has made for Diamond Pictures, curiously enough, in the same mansion and shower we see in the Colt flicks.

Yet the scenes are different from each other, with a couple details of action to be seen in previews of the Hungarian version that I wish had been incorporated in the American film. They could have filled Sean’s long sequence with greater variety. But that’s quibbling. He’s impressive, communicates well with the camera, and gives good show. His powerful orgasm is startling, pumping copious amounts of cum skyward, downward and all over the thicket of dark hair on his belly.

Spreading the credit around to all deserved, I appreciated the calm, worshipful videography and editing of Max Phillips, and the warm electronic chill, with pleasurable light rhythm, of Sergio Montana’s music.t www.ColtStudioGroup.com

ColtStudioGroup

Buck Santiago’s first name is American, his last name is Spanish.

The whole truth; he’s Hungarian.

ColtStudioGroup

Sean Lawrence’s real name probably has nine consonants to each vowel. But those accent marks are so butch, like he is.

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March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 33

Tyler Rush Seattle studmuffin on kink and Cosplay

by Cornelius Washington

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yler Rush is one of the best of the new wave of fresh, young porn stars; energetic, colorful, playful and sexy. His co-production of the Insert Coin party, held regularly at Seattle’s legendary Eagle Bar, heralds the latest craze in graphic novel evolution; Cosplay, where adults dress up as their favorite superheroes. He’s also one of the leading performers in a new form of sex play: jock bondage, easily accessed via Bound Jocks.com. The Nob Hill Theater will feature him as the accomplice and sidekick to muscle stud Hans Berlin this weekend. Make your own pun about “the dynamic duo,” as the Bay Area Reporter gets the scoop.

alcohol– tend to assume dancers are there for sex and are dancing because they need this line of work. For me, there’s nothing more insulting than someone getting too handsy or trying to stick fingers where they don’t belong. Dancing for me is a fun activity that lets me express myself in a way a desk job can’t.

Nintendos to PS4s and we provide a safe and fun environment for gay and straight people to come and show their love of games, while allowing for a fun environment to wear your favorite costumes or sexy gaming gear. My active involvement also includes creating nerd-related costumes to dance in and they always seem pretty well received. It’s a great party with a wonderful energy!

I see that you’re into cosplay, which I think is brilliant. Again, please explain to my readers what it’s all about, and what drew you to it.

Cosplay is short for costume-play, dressing up as or playing a character in a costume from some sort of pop culture, TV show, video game, cartoon or comic book characIs this your first time perter. Many people have seen or forming at the legendary Nob heard about Star Trek convenHill Theater? What are your tions or Renaissance faires, and expectations? that’s a good way to begin to It is. I’ve only been there once explain what cosplay is, wearbefore, to see a friend who was ing a costume from something performing. My expectations you love and going to a conare good. My costar, Hans, and vention or gathering and just I have worked together before enjoying the atmosphere and and we have a good natural enenergy of everyone there. ergy. I’m expecting a fun night Cosplay nowadays is generwith a great audience. ally seen at anime conventions and gaming conventions, and What made you decide to is still about showing your begin dancing nude and perlove for a character or show forming live? by dressing up and creating I’ve been performing and Tyler Rush at his Insert Coin, the Cosplay costumes. Some people, like dancing in Seattle for a few years night at Seattle’s Eagle Bar. myself, make their costumes now. I enjoy dancing, “showing from scratch, while others off” and giving people a good purchase their costumes ontime, in general.

When did you begin dancing at line. Regardless how or where you the monthly Insert Coin party? get your costume, cosplay is about What do you think you’ll bring I started dancing at Insert Coin celebrating your love for whatever to the NHT stage that no one else the first night it started as I was you’re dressed up as. I am a huge can? half of the brains behind the night video gamer. I love my anime here Well, myself, for one (haha). But, itself and helped to begin it. It was or there and used to frequent anime I like to think I bring a fun energy. six months ago now, and the party conventions when I turned 16. Since That, combined with the great natuis doing better than ever! Insert then, I’ve attended 40 or so convenral energy myself and Hans plan to Coin, as it implies with its sometions and have created about 60 or bring to the stage! what sexual, game-related name, so costumes. is a sexy video game-themed night What are your best and worst that we have every month at the SeWho are your favorite characexperiences as a dancer? attle Eagle Bar. We bring in a bunch ters to dress up as, and will you My best experiences as a dancer of game consoles from classic Super bring any of that flavor to your would have to be all the people performances at the theater?

I get to meet in my advenI always loved bringing out my tures at the different clubs. So Altair costume for a gogo gig; it’s many talented individuals, be fun and the hood allows for a bit it dancing, costuming or just of anonymity. As for what we will working a crowd with their be doing for the show, I can’t give energy. The worst experience away all of that just yet! would have to be with a promoter I was dancing with for What superpowers would a bar who thought he owned you love to have? me and a few other dancers, Either the power of transporbecause we worked one of his tation (like Nightcrawler from regular events. There’s nothing X-Men) or the power of transformore insulting than being told mation (like Mystique). someone owned you, especially when you are not on any sort Who’s your fantasy superof exclusive contract. hero sex partner?

Hah, I guess that’d be WolverWhat do you wish that ine. He looks like he’d be a fun people understood about hairy daddy in bed. nude dancers?

Nude, in underWhat’s your opinion of the wear or otherwise, peonegative responses to Cosplay, ple –especially mixed with most notably from certain factions of the leather fetish community?

I honestly don’t see a negative response to cosplay in the leather community often. Kinky and nerdy overlap a lot in most guys, so costumes are generally well received.

Cosplay in the general public eye does get a negative view on occasion for how revealing some people dress; skimpy outfits or half-naked girls get slut-shamed all the time, and for that I’m on the fence.

Anime conventions are a much different place than a 21+ bar. Kids to adults who are cosplaying should be mindful that a public convention space probably isn’t the best place to have your boobs hanging out.

Top: Tyler Rush in a Bound Jocks scene. Bottom: Tyler shows off his Seattle tan.

Morphing from Cosplay to

bondage, your youthful good looks lend themselves well to the Bound Jocks type of bondage, well-lit and colorful, which I think is modern. Your thoughts?

Thank you! As for my thoughts, I’m always a fan of thoughtful sets and colorful creative bondage. It looks nice and when mixed with colored ropes, jocks and socks, it definitely has a bit of a costumy feel and leans on a more modern approach. I personally have always been a fan of BoundJocks for their sense of color and space in that artistic way, even before working with them.

What were your feelings going into bondage for the first time?

I knew I was into bondage since I was 13 or so. Going into it for the first time (around 20) I was eager and excited.

What about it interests you offscreen?

Kink/bondage/leather has been a very active off-screen activity well before I was ever on-screen. I love dressing in leather. It’s like cosplay in a way, putting on an ‘outfit’ to put out a different image of yourself.

Similarly, bondage and kink provide that outlet to express yourself in a different way than you do in your everyday life, very similar to cosplay and dressing up.

For more with Tyler Rush, read the full interview on www.ebar.com.t Tyler Rush performs with Hans Berlin at the Nob Hill Theatre, March 27 & 28, at 10pm, after Berlin’s 8pm solo acts. $25.

729 Bush St. at Powell. www.thenobhilltheatre.com Follow Tyler at https://twitter.com/ TylerRushXXX and his Seattle club night Insert Coin at https:// twitter.com/insertcoinsea.

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34 • BAY AREA REPORTER • March 26-April 1, 2015

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<<

On the Tab

From page 31

Naked Night @ Nob Hill Theatre Strip down with the strippers at the cruisy adult theatre and arcade; free beverages. $20. 8pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

Retro Night @ 440 Castro Jim Hopkins plays classic pop oldies, with vintage music videos. 9pm-2am.

44 Castro St. www.the440.com

Showdown @ Folsom Foundry Weekly game night for board and electronic gamers at the warehouse multi-purpose nightclub. 21+. 6pm12am. 1425 Folsom St. www.showdownesports.com

Wed 1 Booty Call @ QBar Juanita More! and her weekly intimate dance party. $10-$15. 9pm2am. 456 Castro St. www.qbarsf.com

Bondage a GoGo @ Cat Club The (mostly straight) kinky weekly dance night, where fetish gear is welcome; DJs Damon and Tomas Diablo play electro, goth, industrial, etc. 9:30pm-2:30am. 1190 Folsom St. www.bondage-a-go-go.com

Bottoms Up Bingo @ Hi Tops Play board games and win offbeat prizes at the popular sports bar. 9pm.

2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

B.P.M. @ Club BnB, Oakland Olga T and Shugga Shay's weekly queer women and men's R&B hip hop and soul night, at the club's new location. No cover. 8pm-2am. 2120 Broadway, Oakland. www.bench-and-bar.com

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

424 Cortland St. 647-3099. www.wildsidewest.com

Nadya Ginsburg @ Oasis The comic performer's Madonnalogues skewers celebrities galore. $20. 7:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Open Mic/Comedy @ SF Eagle

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

Pussy Party @ Beaux

Wooden Nickel Wednesday @ 440

Weekly women's happy hour, with allwomen music and live performances, 2 for 1 drinks, and no cover. 5pm-9am.

2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Rainbow Skate @ Redwood Roller Rink Weekly LGBT and friends skate night, with groovy disco music and themed events. $9. 8pm-10:30pm. 1303 Main Street, Redwood City. www.rainbowskate.net www.facebook.com/rainbowskating/

The amazing rock-pop-soul band performs. Nostalghia opens. $37.50.

8pm. 1807 Telegraph Ave. (510) 3022250. www.thefoxoakland.com

The dapper cabaret singer performs A Little Traveling Music, a night of classic songs about life on the road. $20-$35. 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. at Powell. (866) 663-1063. www.ticketweb.com

Una Noche @ Club BnB, Oakland

So You Think You Can Gogo? @ Toad Hall

Vicky Jimenez' drag show and contest; Latin music all night. 9pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Underwear Night @ Club OMG Weekly underwear night includes free clothes check, and drink specials; different hosts each week. $3. 10pm2am. Preceded by Open Mic Comedy, 7pm, no cover. 43 6th St. www.clubomgsf.com

Wed 1 Nadya Ginsberg’s Madonnalogues @ Oasis

Way Back @ Midnight Sun Weekly screenings of vintage music videos and retro drink prices. Check out the new expanded front window lounge. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. 8614186. www.midnightsunsf.com

Russ Lorenson @ Feinstein's at the Nikko

TV on the Radio @ Fox Theatre, Oakland

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Kollin Holts hosts the weekly comedy and open mic talent night. 6pm-8pm.

398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

The saucy women's burlesque revue has moved to the new SoMa nightclub; different musical guests each week. $10-$20. Wednesdays at 8:30pm-11:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. 795-3180. www.sfoasis.com

Weekly women's night at the stylish intimate bar. 9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

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To place your Personals ad, Call 415-861-5019 for more info & rates

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The weekly dancing competition for gogo wannabes. 9pm. cash prizes, $2 well drinks (2 for 1 happy hour til 9pm). Show at 9pm. 4146 18th St. www.toadhallbar.com

Buy a drink and get a wooden nickle good for another. 12pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. www.the440.com

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

Thu 2 Besties @ Oasis The Bay Area Reporter's fifth annual readers poll winners in 80-plus categories are feted at the early evening party, with complimentary Trumer Pils beer and specialty cocktails, food and cake, performances by Marga Gomez, Veronica Klaus and Whoa Nellies, DJ Mark O'Brien (Polyglamorous) and MC Queen Cougar. 6pm8:30pm. No cover. 298 11th St. at Folsom. https://www.facebook.com/ events/792583177498790/ www.sfoasis.com

In Living Color @ Oasis Honey Mahogany and Dulce De Leche’s new live cabaret show. $15.

9:30pm. 298 11th St. at Folsom. www.sfoasis.com

Whoa Nellies @ SF Eagle

Trivia Night @ Harvey's

The rockin's retro fun band, including veteran musicians Peter Fogel and Leigh Crowe, perform at the famed leather bar's music night. $8. 9:30pm. 398 12th St. at Harrison. www.sf-eagle.com

BeBe Sweetbriar hosts a weekly night of trivia quizzes and fun and prizes; no cover. 8pm-1pm. 500 Castro St. 4314278. www.harveyssf.com

Want your nightlife event listed?

Email events@ebar.com, at least two weeks before your event.

Event photos welcome.

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Shooting Stars

March 26-April 1, 2015 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 35

photos by Steven Underhill

Boy Bar F

or dancing fun, The Café’s Friday night Boy Bar features ample space for shaking your groove thang, along with the hunkiest gogo guys, drink specials, and pop music with a twist. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com More event photo albums are on BARtab’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife.

See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at www.StevenUnderhill.com.

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For headshots, portraits or to arrange your wedding photos

call (415) 370-7152 or visit www.StevenUnderhill.com or email stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

Besties

20 15

THE LGBT BEST OF THE BAY

OUR LARGEST SPRING EDITION IS COMING APRIL 2!

CELEBRATE WITH US. Join us on Thursday, April 2 from 6-8:30pm as we celebrate the winners of our 5th annual readers’ choice awards. We’ll take over Oasis SF (298 11th Street at Folsom, San Francisco) for a special evening celebrating the LGBT Best of the Bay as voted by you, our loyal readers.

Enjoy hosted beer and specialty cocktails and light refreshments from 6-7pm as we toast this year’s Besties Winners, followed with performances by Marga Gomez, Veronica Klaus and the Whoa Nellies. Emcee Queen Cougar, DJ Mark O’Brien BUSINESS OWNERS/MARKETING PROFESSIONALS: Welcome our readers, and place your brand among the best!

Call 415 861 5019 or email advertising@ebar.com to reserve space to appear in our April 2 BESTIES 2015 SPONSORS:

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