Issue 692

Issue 692 Apr 18 - 25 | 2012

STAFF David Thompson | Publisher david@davidatlanta.com

David | Atlanta Issue 692 | April 18-25 | 2012

David Magazine

650 Hamilton Ave. Suite H Atlanta, GA 30312 404.418.8901

Contents 8 WTF!?!

10 Scene@ Easter Bonnet Brunch 12 Men Seeking Men 14 WTF!?! Tidbits 18 Jason Mraz Interview 22 Ruby-Colored Glasses 24 Edie Can Haz Dragnique Star Title 30 Leave It On the Floor is Fierce!

34 Out From Under: Bully the Movie 40 Safe Space 42 Brent Star: Charlie Brown, Part II 44 Purple Dress Run with the Bucks 46 Scene@ Easter Drag Races 47 Top 10 Tracks | Protect Your Monster 50 BarTab Calendar 52 Scene@ Hideaway 54 Classifieds 56 Scene@ Men in Undies 58 Adult Classifieds 60 FairyScopes 62 Bitch Session

Maximillian Corwell | Editor-in-Chief max@davidatlanta.com Joseph Brownell | Arts & Entertainment Editor joseph@davidatlanta.com Kiki Carr | Art Director | Assistant Editor kiki@davidatlanta.com Chip O’ Kelley | Operations chip@davidatlanta.com Sales Executives Steve Tyrrell steve@davidatlanta.com Bob Swanson bob@davidatlanta.com Elijah Sarkesian elijah@davidatlanta.com Writers Rian Ashlei Chris Azzopardi Joe Beasley Luis Chiruco Corian Ellisor Richard Marshall Stasha Oakley Troy Ordami Elijah Sarkesian Dustin Shelby Brent Star Tristan Timothy Lucas Witherspoon Randall Carpenter | Photographer Julio Saldana | Photography Intern Joseph Brownell | Web & Social Media Jamie Scarbrough | IT National Ad Rep Rivendell Media 908.232.2031 Add us on Facebook!

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WTF!?!?

The Plight of a Gay Housewife

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by Lucas Witherspoon

’m not even going to lie: I’m a lazy bitch. As the unofficial housewife to a banker, I have the advantage of not really being expected to work (though I do enjoy my job with this magazine), which works out perfectly for my sleep schedule, but creates a conundrum when you consider the fact I go stir crazy if I’m inactive for too long (meaning more than five minutes). Thankfully, I also happen to be a fairly creative person, which may or may not be alcohol-fueled, and that has led me to some inventive means in which to occupy myself. For example:

Memorizing choreography

Literally, if you asked me to break out with the choreography to “Spice Up Your Life” at this

very moment, I could. This is because I’ve spent a sadly extensive amount of time watching and re-watching music videos (not to mention the Spice World VHS dozens of times as a child). In reality, I probably look like a So You Think You Can Dance reject, but in my mind when I’m alone, I’m an honorary Pussycat Doll.

Watching the films he won’t watch with me

If you were to ask me right now what my top three favorite films are, I’d immediately answer, “Troop Beverly Hills, Matilda, and Hocus Pocus.” My other go-to movies are The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, A Little Princess, Meet Monica Velour, and Serial Mom. While some of you may appreciate my addiction to campy classics, the boyfriend does not. To his credit, I’d be annoyed if I had to watch any of the above movies with myself because I have an uncontrollable urge to quote every piece of dialogue.

Critiquing porn

Though my foray into the porn business was brief at best, I managed to make a number of friends within the industry. As a result, a number of those friends who are directors and bloggers send me links on an almost daily basis. At this point, I watch porn more so to grade the production value, actors, actual sex, etc. than for masturbatory material.

In a sense, being behind-the-scenes in the industry has ruined porn for me, but has also made me have a much higher respect for legitimately good porn.

Catching up on gossip

Somehow, I have a partier’s reputation, even though I’ve settled

down significantly since my prime partying days. Nevertheless, I’ve managed to keep a mobile Rolodex of key players on both the East and West Coasts. There’s really no way to put this delicately without sounding like a huge douchebag, but if you want to know what Lindsay Lohan’s doing tonight, I know before TMZ (thanks to my Us Weekly friends); if you want exclusive and unreleased Ke$ha or Sky Ferreira tracks, I’ve got them (thanks to my DJ friends); if you want River Viiperi or Sebastian Sauvé’s numbers, I have them (thanks to my fashion industry friends). If I can’t party as hard or frequently as I used to, I may as well live vicariously through them.

Crafting and baking

Blame it on watching The Martha Stewart Show with my mother from a young age, but I fucking love craft projects. Add to that equation baking, and I’m the quintessential 50s housewife. But seriously, I don’t know if it’s the actual craft of crafting I’m infatuated with, or if it’s giving people cute,

random gifts, but my guess is it’s a combination of both that makes me love crafting and baking. Either way, the hot glue gun, glitter, and sequins are my best friends. And then there are the baked goods. Personally, I’ve never really had a taste for sweets or baked goods (thank gay baby Jesus), but I’m mildly obsessed with baking. It seems selfless to bake for others until you realize I’m feeding them baked goods, which equals unneeded carbs and/or sugar intake.

Crying

You know how every now and then you need a good cry? Well, that’s what I do at least once a month when I’m alone. It’s healthy (in my own mind anyway). I just put on a little Céline, take a few shots, and pretend I’m Jack’s (read: Leonardo DiCaprio when he used to be hot) Rose. Unlike the Rose and Jack love story, though, I usually just fall asleep for a good six hours afterwards, and feel like I’m walking on sunshine once I wake up, so it all works out in the end.

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Men Seeking Men

Traveling Man S

by Tristan Timothy

o lately I’ve been travelling every week for work. I’m in town three days a week for the next couple months and after the first few trips I can see the strain that it’s putting on my relationship.

My relationship has reached a steady routine and I mean that in a good way. We have our shows we watch together, upcoming movies that we plan to see, and so on and so forth.

With me being gone so much it makes it paramount that we keep these routines up when I’m in town. As the quantity of time lessens, I make it a point to make the quality of our time spent together all the better.

Trust is key in any relationship and when that relationship stretches across state lines and through various time zones it becomes even more important. Thankfully in this day and age I can keep track of where my boyfriend is exactly through a handful of apps, photo sharing programs and Facebook. The Apple produced ‘Find My Friends’ app will tell me if my boyfriend is at home, work or Blake’s. (Ok so I’m a stalker.) Hipstamatic offers an app called ‘D- Series’ which is basically a new take on disposable cameras. You can share one camera with any number of people and document your life through different points of view. It makes a fun, exciting connection, almost a game really as the photos are not revealed until the roll is finished.

As a rule of being on the road I make it a

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Gay Dating in the City point NOT to keep in constant contact. If you text and text and text and then all of a sudden one of you gets caught up in something the other can be left wondering what is going on. Again it’s better to focus on quality time rather than quantity. A few texts to say I love you throughout the day and a meaningful phone call before bed goes a long way.

Finally this brings me to the all-important topic of “Skype Sex”. First off, I’m not a fan of digital sex connections. It makes me feel more removed from that person on the screen. Plus there’s always that annoying screen freeze that happens at the hottest moments. I swear someone is watching the whole convo and pausing it just to piss me off. So while a nice Skype session can work in a pinch, it shouldn’t be relied on to carry the relationship. My personal advice is to shoot a hardcore homemade porn video to take on the road with you. That way you have actual personal memories to draw from and relive. Not to mention a sweet piece of blackmail if things go wrong.

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WTF!?!? Tidbits In case you haven’t heard, Amanda Bynes was pulled over and hauled to jail for allegedly driving under the influence, a charge she denies. Her father has gone on record to say his daughter does not drink, and that “she chooses not to work, and because of that, people go after her.”

I’m assuming her father still thinks it’s 2007, because that’s the last time she’s had an actual job.

Lindsay Lohan reportedly attacked some random skank at

the Standard Hotel. Too bad Lilo was at home that night, but her publicist still issued a statement: “Lindsay was absolutely not involved in any sort of altercation whatsoever. This is clearly another case of someone looking for money and 15 minutes of fame.”

Lindsay says she was catching up on Showtime’s Homeland that night, which actually makes me wish she would go back to her homeland: Long Island. The worst that could happen there is she could become a Mob Wife, but it would alleviate me having to write about her every week.

Zac Efron was photographed both “adjusting” himself and bare-

assed. Since we can’t post the pictures here, just Google them, and know that there are no full-frontal pictures available (and the ones that are available are Photoshopped). Happy Easter!

Britney Spears’ fiancé Jason Trawick will soon become her co-conservator,

which, frankly, is fucking creepy. Just to put it into perspective: Britney is worth upwards of an estimated $200 million, yet she has no access to that money, as her father and future husband basically have 50/50 control of her assets. It’s a total injustice.

Nicole Kidman is set to portray Grace Kelly in an upcoming film…which is kind of like

Snooki portraying Eva Perón.

by Lucas Witherspoon 14 | davidatlanta

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Jason Mraz Won’t Give Up Pop star talks supporting LGBT community, ‘open’ sexuality, and clarifies Instinct interview

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by Chris Azzopardi

ow cool is Jason Mraz? For one, his unwavering fight for equal rights led him to shoot a Human Rights Campaign video recently; he’s also waiting to wed until everyone can and, not long ago, united with Cyndi Lauper to tell the world that he, too, gives a damn.

And hey, it doesn’t hurt to know that he’s laidback in the sack. Not just as a curious kid, but even now as an adult who, as he told us during this interview, might be down for some three-way fun. As Mr. Feel-Good releases his fifth album,

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Love is a Four Letter Word, we got Mraz on the phone for a candid catch-up on music, marriage and the evolution of his wordplay – and set a few things straight: his misleading words in Instinct and how, when it comes to sex, he’s “keeping his options open these days.”

So, the grungy look: Is that what happens when you make an album about freedom and love and everyone getting along?

Yeah, maybe so. I certainly admire John Lennon, George Harrison and David Crosby – the guys before me that did it. I think it’s a rite of passage that not necessarily every artist has to

photos by Emily Shur

go through, but I feel that I have to experience.

And I’m enjoying it.

What about the boyish geek in pink? Is he still in there?

Yeah, of course. From that I sprang.

How have you changed since Waiting for My Rocket to Come?

You know what, I’m still scared. And from that fear, I’m still hopeful. I still don’t know what I’m doing and from that not knowing, I’m still very excited. And those contradictions are what keep me going. That’s the kind of stuff I continue to write about. I guess how I’ve changed is that I’ve learned to just accept what is. I certainly try to influence and inspire, but I am also not attached to the outcome, and I didn’t know those things during Rocket. I was just like, “Give me a pack of cigarettes and let’s go.” And now I don’t smoke anymore. I have more tools under my belt.

So your Rocket finally came?

Yeah. But I want it to get off! (Laughs) I tried to get it off. I jumped off several times actually, like “Ooh, OK, this is what this feels like. Yeah, no thanks. Let me start over.”

Between doing the Human Rights Campaign PSA recently, a Give a Damn video and being on the cover of Instinct, how do you feel being a poster boy for gay rights?

I love it, because this is my way to finally fight back. There were a few kids in high school who called me a fag or just would always intimidate me, and I didn’t know at that time what I was going to grow up to be or who I was going to grow up to be. I hadn’t had enough intimate experiences to know, so as a young man I questioned how my sexuality was going to evolve.

My best friend in high school came out when I was a senior and I thought that was the bravest thing anybody could do – to stand up and truly be themselves. I’m not bashing my town, but at that time in my life there were other kids who bullied those who were gay or different. I ended up just leaving town for many reasons, for pursing a dream mostly, but I didn’t feel encouraged or inspired by my peers.

Now that I have this opportunity to shine a light on the subject and be a straight man and be outspoken, I’m making up for that lost time – I’m making up for that kid, that geek in the pink, that didn’t stand up – and I’m using my voice now for good, and it makes me feel really darn good.

You should. We need our allies.

The civil rights movement happened because all parties got involved. And this, I think, is one of the final steps in the civil rights movement.

You mentioned experimenting as a young person, but now you identify as straight. Early in your career, however, I recall you stating that sexuality is fluid and that everyone is somewhat bisexual. Have you changed your mind? Are you still keeping your options open?

Yeah, I’m keeping more of my options open these days. The older I get, the more fearless I become.

That’s not to say I’m absolutely fearless. (Long pause) Man, I should be really careful with my words, especially with this question.

Talk about the “straight” label itself – do you dislike labels?

Were we to live in a society that was equal, those labels wouldn’t really exist or matter – except maybe at the DMV or someplace where, for some reason, you have to put down gender, race or age. I don’t get it. I don’t get why sexuality has to

On “I Won’t Give Up” –

“I wanted the song to be able to connect with anyone who has something worth fighting for – whether it’s the fight for equality or someone who just wants to lose five pounds” be such a big deal. You know, I’ve been invited by couples to join them, and I’m really turned on by that. (Laughs) I’ve never taken them up on it, though.

We can leave it at that, then. Your decision to wait to wed until there’s marriage equality was a bold move to make, especially since – according to the recent Instinct interview – it became one of the reasons your relationship with Tristan Prettyman ended. To people who might not understand your decision to wait, what kind of message are you hoping to send?

I would like to add that my words in Instinct may have been written or may have been spoken incorrectly. It wasn’t that my partner wasn’t into the fight for equality – she absolutely was – but it was frustration in the partnership, the waiting, that was one factor that made it difficult.

I can’t speak for her anymore because we’re not together, but for me it was a great opportunity to experience what it feels like to only be able to go so far in a relationship, which I know some of my gay and lesbian friends have experienced.

They’re like, “Well, we’ve been together for seven or eight years, we’ve even got a kid, yet we can’t get married. We can’t get the tax benefits.

We can’t visit each other in the hospital.” It just seemed very unfortunate.

So, my personal protest really gave me that kick in the stomach that I wasn’t expecting: “Oh man, this really is frustrating,” because my partner really wanted to get married and I saw that and I acknowledged it but I’d already committed to this and I surprised her with it. She said, “All right, let’s go for it.” But it wasn’t easy.

“I Won’t Give Up,” the first single from your 20 | davidatlanta

upcoming album, could be a love letter to the gay community. Have you thought about it that way?

I wanted the song to be able to connect with anyone who has something worth fighting for – whether it’s the fight for equality or someone who just wants to lose five pounds. The song is available for anybody’s fight. Hopefully, though, I never see the song on two sides of the same fight. That would be awkward.

Love is a Four Letter Word lacks the scatty wordplay we’ve come to know from you. What’s that all about?

It shows up in a different way now. That scatty rap and wordplay is still in the core of my writing and what I do; for instance, the bridge of “I Won’t Give Up”: “I don’t wanna be someone who walks away so easily/I’m here to stay and make the difference that I can make.” The essence of that is a scatty, rappy wordplay all about alliteration and rhythm. On this album I wanted to have an intention with the words and have an intention with the lyrics rather than just pass it off as goofy wordplay.

Since the album’s all about love, and without quoting Whitney Houston, what’s the greatest love of all?

Oh man. I think it’s the love of oneself, because it’s once you truly love and accept yourself that you can accept others loving you and you walk around with the confidence and strength to love others and actually be of service to the world, so it’s that – accepting and loving oneself. And it has nothing to do with being self-absorbed. It’s just getting over your shit so you can step out into the world and make a difference.

Ruby-Colored Glasses

Ruby’s Red-Letter Days Here I sit at the bar at MELLOW MUSHROOM midtown just hours before my show. WOW what a week! So I’ve decided to give a week in review.

Starting with Wed. April 4th at Birdcage Bingo with (me) Ruby Redd, we started a new charity this month with my good friend Chandler and M.I.S.T.E.R and it started with a bang!

Some of Atlanta’s b e s t and worst drag all kicking it high for a good cause! Way to go girls!

Then off we all go, rushing over to the JUNGLE for Dragnique 3. The Jungle was standing room only and of course I ran over to my two favorite bartenders Damien and Cam for a drink and a shot! Let the games begin! As always BUBBA D and PHOENIX did not disappoint the crowd, and neither did the last of the contestants that battled it out for weeks! BUT at the end of the night there could only be one winner and for Dragnique 3 that winner was EDIE CHEEZBURGER!! Congrats lady you deserve it.

After Wednesday I need a break but the show must go on, I hate that expression! Anyway Thursday night it starts all over again with me doing yet another night of Bingo, but this time it is Dirty Boy Bingo at the COCKPIT! I love the Cockpit because it’s smoke free and my wigs don’t smell when I leave. Don’t worry smokers, you can still come and play, the Cockpit has a wonderful patio for you to lite up on and smoke yourself silly!

After my show I jumped out of drag and headed over to the Eagle for Balls Deep Karaoke with Mikey! It’s a fun show with an Eagle twist.

Friday and Saturday are working days for me and my good friend Chad at Oscars, all of you should stop by and say hi! Which brings me to Sunday, You can see Ruby Wednesday nights @ 8p.m. at Mellow Mushroom Midtown, Thursday nights @10 at the Cockpit, and most Sundays with the Armorettes at 8pm 22 | davidatlanta

nothing could prepare me for Sunday and my first year as an Armorette as much as the Armorettes Easter drag races. YES it’s true, long before anyone even knew the name Rupaul, the Armorettes have been doing the Easter drag races.

This year’s drag races brought a larger and more insane crowd than ever before said Vivian Valium, a 25-year veteran of the crazy camp drag troop.

It was a long day and lots of fun, a big shout out to Burkhart’s for a wonderful day of drinking and dragging, and also don’t forget to stop in Brushstrokes and buy a pair of the cute underwear that we auctioned off the cute boys. Thank you to everyone for making the Easter drags races such a successful event and to the staff at Burkhart’s you guys rock!!! A week like that can kill an old drag queen like myself! It’s all in fun and charity! AND remember get out there in your community and make a difference!

Much Love, Ruby Redd

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Edie Can Haz Dragnique Star Title

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by Elijah Sarkesian

ragnique recently finished its third run in Atlanta, and the drag competition was fiercer than ever. With a talented pool of contenders, each week proved more competitive than the one before. At the end of the season, though, there could only be one winner, and there was no surprise when Edie Cheezburger was named Dragnique: Season 3 winner.

Even among a strong competition, Edie stood out as “the one to beat” all season long. With her lavish production numbers and controversial performance choices, Edie kept the audience on their toes week after week. The result? A tremendous winning sweep that ran through the competition. Edie won the contest for most money raised for charity every week, and won the popular vote four out of five weeks.

Edie’s presence in the Atlanta drag scene isn’t limited to her time on Dragnique. As a member of the Armorettes, Edie makes appearances at the group’s weekly shows at Burkhart’s. She’s also focusing on additional appearances in the community, including a co-hosting gig at Bedlam’s party on June 16th at The W Downtown.

Following the competition, which I covered weekly for David Magazine, I sat down with Edie to discuss all things drag and Dragnique.

How did you get your start in drag?

Well, I really started about a year ago. I was part of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and we were asked to be in a play at Jungle, and that’s really where I got the first start in drag. We did a play – Cabaret – and that’s where I met Jaye Lish, and Jaye Lish and I became good friends through that process. I just fell into performing. davidatlanta | 25

You’re now a member of the Armorettes. How did that come about?

In August, I tried out for the Armorettes. It was something that I really wanted to try. Jaye Lish is a big inspiration in my life, and that’s where she performs, so I wanted to be a part of another organization in the community that gave back, and it was a great way to be a performer and just have fun.

Now over the course of the Dragnique competition, who helped you out?

So, Jaye Lish was constantly there. He helped me in every performance. He was in every performance except for one – he wasn’t in the Whitney Houston number, but he was in every other performance. So he’s helped me. I made a few friends along the way. Miami Royale actually ended up being in my final number, and was an amazing talent to have with me. Michael Robinson helped me choreograph. Kevin Kochanski and Justin Rogers were there helping me along the way as well, so…I had quite a lot of people pulled who would actually come and help.

What led you to join this season?

I watched both of the seasons before, and I really admired it. I loved that it was Drag Race-lite, and I’m really super-competitive, so that was something that I really wanted to try out. It’s a different form of entertainment than what the Armorettes do. There’s more chance for doing production numbers, which I really love. So it was more of a creative endeavor for me.

Of the performances you did, which would you say was your favorite, or your best?

Oh, that’s a hard one to ask! Well, I got a lot of good feedback about the Helen Keller number.

That was a lot of people’s favorite. I… Well, just because it was the last one I did, I really loved the last one. I really felt that there was room for improvement, but I just…I loved that number.

It was definitely my favorite, just because it was a big, grand thing, and that’s what I love about drag. Just the whole excessive nature.

I know you’re definitely committed to character in each of your performances, but I know for me, it definitely stood out with the Helen Keller number. Even afterwards, when they called everyone back on stage, you stayed in

character. I loved when you swung your cane around and were told later that you won, and your reaction only happened then. I…loved it.

And I think that’s why a lot of people loved that performance.

It was easy to stay in character with that, because I had much more of a mask to further utilize that.

What was the most challenging week?

The week that I did Whitney Houston. That was really hard for me. I do characters, I don’t do impersonation, so that was really difficult, and then we had until Monday to finalize what we were actually doing, and so by Monday, everybody that I had wanted to use as backup had been taken already. So Evah [Destruction] did Barbra Streisand, which would’ve been, like, my #1 backup. And then Aroara [Thunder] did Florence [Welch, of Florence + The Machine], and I was like…psh. That’s the other person that I would do. So both of my red-heads were gone, and I’m like, “I’m just going to have to stick with Whitney Houston.” I was really worried about that performance, because it could have come off as being racist or too soon, or something like that, but…you know, it was a risk. It was just really hard for me, because I didn’t want to put people off. And it was also the next-to-last performance. It was a hard one.

Of all the weeks in the competition, that was the only one where you lost the popular vote, even though it wasn’t by much. How did that feel after winning week after week?

I wasn’t surprised that I lost, because I don’t feel like it was my strongest performance. You know, Aroara deserved to win. I more than anything want people to win based on how well they do. I didn’t want it to be about how many people were in the audience voting. Talent deserves credit. It went to the right person that week.

Speaking of Aroara and the finale, how did you come up with the number for the duet?

I love Smash – it’s Glee for grown-ups – and I really wanted to do that duet since I saw the duet on the show. I hadn’t had a chance to do that. So once we found out that we had duets, that popped into my mind. Backstage after we found out, I went up to her and I was like, ‘I have the perfect song. Let’s think about it.’ And on Saturday, we finalized it and came up with a david atlanta | 27

competition, or the most helpful?

Oh, good one. Well, I don’t know, because I didn’t get feedback that was…all I got was positive feedback. I never got anything that was more of a critique, other than the last number where Alissa Summers decided to tell me her club was better for black lights or whatever. I really enjoyed getting Phoenix’s feedback, just because she’s been in the game for quite a bit, and she’s Drag Race royalty.

Do you think the judges could’ve been a little more helpful if they had offered more critiques, or was it fine the way it was?

I think there’s a possibility. I mean, I’m my hardest critic, so it’s really hard for me to watch my performances, ‘cause I’m like, ‘God, why did I do that? That needs to change,’ and stuff like that. I probably would’ve taken their feedback and tried to improve on it, but there’s only so much you can do in a week.

What advice would you give to future Dragnique contestants?

Really bring 110%. That’s what I kept trying to stress to everybody was, I was in it to win.

That was my goal for being in the show, and that meant I had to be the most creative, the most entertaining, getting the most help. I probably had the most people helping me throughout the entire season, and that’s because people were willing to go that extra mile for me. So don’t be afraid to lean on other people for support. And dig deep. It shouldn’t be something that you coast through. I worked my ass off for this, and if you’re that dedicated to your craft, it needs to show. Be the most you can be, really.

Is there anything you’d like to say to your supporters or to the community at large? campy way to do it. I really feel like it played to both of our strengths.

Of other contestants, who are your favorites?

Evah is an amazing, talented performer. I loved watching her perform. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next. Miami Royale is fabulously talented. And I’m really interested to see where Violet goes with her drag. I think she’s very different from most other drag in Atlanta, and I’m excited to see what she does.

Who was your favorite judge from the 28 | davidatlanta

Well, I want to thank everybody that came out to the shows. I definitely want to thank everybody that helped me along the way. I feel great for being the person who raised the most money. It’s primarily what I do as an entertainer. Everything that I get goes to charity, so I really want to thank everybody for coming out and donating and supporting me throughout the competition.

To read more of this interview, see our weekly recaps of Dragnique: Season 3, plus an exclusive interview with runner-up Evah Destruction, visit www.davidatlanta.com.

Leave It on the Floor = Fabulous, Fierce, FUN

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by Joseph Brownell

hen a friend passed along this movie to watch, he said if I liked the documentary Paris is Burning then I’d love Leave it on the Floor. I nodded enthusiastically and accepted the screener, never once acknowledging that I’d never actually seen Paris is Burning . I would have barely been 10 when Paris was released and the only things I watched were Ducktales and Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers.

Always eager to see something new, I used the trusty old Wikipedia to get a synopsis of Paris, watched Floor’s dismal trailer and braced myself for 2 hours of drag, runway, ball culture.

I call the trailer for Floor dismal because it does nothing to show the film’s dramatic and comedic storyline. Sure the film is set against the extravagant LA ball scene but the films boasts a set of characters that breathe hopes and dreams, that find themselves in situations faced by gay youth all over the nation and like today’s Glee culture sing about their problems- in a word, relatable.

Floor’s story opens with Brad, whose mother discovers he’s gay and subsequently throws him out of the house. Brad steals her car but not before busting into one of eleven original songs.

After being cruised and subsequently pickpocketed, Brad stumbles into a ball.

First, I had no idea about this underground ball culture, so like Brad I was a virgin to this scene.

Searching for some way to relate, I stumbled upon the suggestion that the idea that Madonna’s “Vogue” was born out of this culture. The ball scene combines elements of drag, fashion, dance and runway to create a competition

30 | davidatlanta

where people walk in various categories. Floor’s storyline moves just as fast as its choregraphed dance sequences; Brad’s immediate fascination with this scene is born out of lust (there’s a love triangle, y’all), the need for a place to live, and recognizing that its competitors were like misfit toys and just trying to belong like himself.

Like Pariah earlier this year, more and more films are exploring the culture of gay minorities. This comingof-age tale about finding out who you are could have been stale but Floor’s choice to use the ball scene as its setting makes it refreshingly new. The film not only explores the family that exists within the culture but the effects that the participants’ choices (sexuality and otherwise) have on their nuclear families. The film’s exploration is full circle.

In addition to its storyline, Floor’s songs are punctuated with heart and emotion; I often found myself singing alongeven with the silly “Justin’s Gonna Call,” an homage to everyone’s favorite ‘N Syncer- Mr. Timberlake. Floor’s choreography is just as exciting as its original music and damn well it should be since the film’s choreographer is responsible for such iconic moves as “Single Ladies”- that’s right y’all Beyoncé’s longtime choreographer, Frank Gatson Jr., as well as her music director, Kimberly Burse, are integral members of the Floor team.

A little bit Madonna, a little bit Beyoncé, a little bit Glee and a whole lot of gay really makes Leave it on the Floor a fierce, fabulous, fun film.

Leave it on the Floor has been screened at film festivals across the world but has yet to have U.S. theatrical run. Atlanta is the first U.S. city to have the film and it will play exclusively at Plaza Theater this Friday, April 20th.

photos by The Weinstein Co.

Out From Under Bully director, lesbian teen discuss the controversial documentary

L

by Chris Azzopardi

ee Hirsch will never forget the brutality of his middle-school years, when he was the victim of what, in recent years, has become a tragic epidemic – bullying. The punches, taunts and name-calling were all wielded his way. And the bullshit justification for all the above: that it’s just part of being a kid.

But, as Hirsch’s controversial documentary Bully argues, it shouldn’t be.

“The driving force behind the film was to give a voice to that experience for myself and for others,” says the Long Island-raised writer/ director, who sensitively spotlights the national issue in the film. “I made it for all of us ex-bullied and once-bullied – the coalition.”

And he did it by putting a face on the evergrowing problem. Five faces, in fact. Harrowing and heartbreaking, the docu follows the teens – one of which is then-16-year-old lesbian Kelby 34 | davidatlanta

Johnson, living in Tuttle, Okla. – as they’re victimized within their own schools, often brushing it off as just a part of growing up.

“I was looking for a way to change something,” Kelby says, “and Lee gave me that opportunity, and I was excited to take that and run with it.”

To many gay teens, Kelby’s story of being ostracized is devastatingly familiar: She’s the reject of her small-town community, which doesn’t accept that she’s a lesbian – or that she has a girlfriend. Tuttle turns against not only Kelby but also her family.

“Kelby and I didn’t bond over a conversation about sexuality,” says Hirsch, who didn’t want to discuss his own orientation with us. “We bonded over the experience of being bullied, and that was really the same as it was with all the kids. I feel like our relationship began with a real conversation about what I experienced, what I wanted to set out to achieve with this film, why her story mattered and why what was happening wasn’t OK.”

They met via The Ellen DeGeneres Show, after Kelby’s mom, desperate to help her daughter, reached out to the outspoken talk-show host through a message board because she was afraid her daughter would succumb to the same fate of the many gay teens who’ve killed themselves recently. Kelby not only didn’t, but she’s now helping others get through those hard years.

“I know that being gay, you can feel very alone,” she says, “and I hope that when they watch the movie, that goes away and they realize there is someone standing with them who has gone through that. The world is going to change and people are gettomg more accustomed to (LGBT people), and they should be here to see it.”

Hirsch began filming in 2009, before the rush of LGBT-related suicides was met with national attention: Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge; 13-year-old Seth Walsh, who hanged himself; and Asher Brown, who shot himself after being bullied for coming out.

“They didn’t inspire the film, but it informed the early stages,” Hirsch says of the suicides.

“You’re just overwhelmed by how much tragedy there is. The suicides were deeply moving, and people were writing in response to them – and it seemed that people everywhere were really struggling with this issue.”

All of the youth in the film were, coincidentally,

from rural communities and not vast urban cities. “It wasn’t intentional. It was the way it fell together, and the stories we found were most compelling there. A lot of it had to do with getting that access in Sioux City (the home of then-12-year-old lead Alex Libby) which kind of landed us in the Midwest to begin with.”

Some footage was filmed in New York and Minneapolis, but none as powerful as what made the final cut, Hirsch says. “There was something about the landscape of small-town America, the quiet and incredible heroism of the families, that I was really drawn to. There are so few outlets there; in big cities, there’s more for kids who don’t fit in or are different, so I think bullying in a small town can be more acute. It can be a harder world.”

Once he had his subjects, shooting w a s another

Weinstein Co. decided to go the unrated route, snubbing the MPAA and leaving the decision to screen the film up to individual theaters. But then, on April 5, the MPAA and Weinstein Co. came to an agreement: after making profanity edits, the film received a PG-13 rating.

“We were just shocked,” Hirsch says of the MPAA’s initial decision. “I guess I wasn’t as shocked at the initial R, because technically we knew that might happen, but the appeal was really devastating because we had such a strong, compelling argument and other films had been overturned and had much worse profanity. We really thought they’d understand and recognize the value and the merit and the hope that this film offers to so many.” challenge. Kelby’s school, unlike that of Alex, denied them access to film inside the premises.

And the scenes involving bird’s-eye-views of bus rides and principal office sit-downs were “incredibly difficult” to capture.

One scene, on the bus, involves coarse language that the MPAA deemed too obscene for anything less than a hard R rating. Disappointed that the film’s message wouldn’t reach those it intended to, the studio fought the decision – with Michigan teen Katy Butler leading a movement that rallied nearly a half-million supporters, including – no kidding – Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp. Just days before its release date, 36 | davidatlanta

One of them being Kelby, who’s now 19, just got her GED and is living in Oklahoma City – somewhat less close-minded, she mentions – with her girlfriend. Her plan now involves becoming a gay activist and working with LGBT groups, like Do Something, to continue blasting the bullying issue.

“There’s always going to be something, but (the bullying) has calmed down a little bit for me after the film,” she says, “and there are a lot of things I can brush off now. The film has helped me grow stronger and be more aware of others around me. It’s definitely been a positive experience, and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life.”

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Safe Space

Let’s Talk About Sex

D

by Chandler Bearden

o y’all remember that track “Let’s Talk About Sex” by Salt-n-Pepa back in the day? I remember how it really made me THINK about TALKING about SEX! (And I LOVE to talk about it! Blonde, Blue, 5’9, Versatile, Mild or Wild, baby!) With sex being all over mainstream, in pop songs and radio, why is the topic of status still so damn taboo!?

Back in college, I met this hot guy and we had an amazing fling; only problem was that he couldn’t always stay hard with a condom on. So I gave in and agreed to get down without; not just once, but a few times. We started talking about being “boyfriends,” and then he dropped the bomb… he was HIV positive. I was at risk the whole time! Somehow I’m still negative, but I won’t risk it again.

Being aware of risks and being a part of a community that endorses communication without shaming my sex life really helps. I talk to my partners about status because I want to remove the taboo, but that doesn’t mean I can trust they are being honest, or aware, which means it is up to me to keep myself safe. When I do, I don’t feel paranoid every time I get laid that I’m gonna get something. So come meet me at Mary’s or other Buttlanta hot spots so we can TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY!!!

Be a Role Model! Be an Advocate! Share your Voice!

Contact Chandler Bearden at Chandler.Bearden@PositiveImpact-atl.org or call 678-365-4300.

MISTER offers free HIV testing and STD screenings Monday through Saturday at our new location in Midtown at 60 Eleventh Street just across from the Federal Building and one block over from the Midtown MARTA station.

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Mr. Charlie Brown, Part II

I

f you live in Atlanta, you should have heard of Backstreets by now. It was the Din Da Da of the South back in its heyday. In fact, that club was so hot, it attracted out of towners, HBO, celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Janet Jackson, and prop comedian Carrot Top just to name a few and more! It’s main attraction for all this attention was the equally famous Charlie Brown Cabaret Show starring…hmmm…um…oh yeah, Mr. Charlie Brown.

Her show was such an impact in the community, folks will tell you the ‘scene’ hasn’t been the same since it closed. But you can still catch the reunion shows at the Jungle, PLUS I can go ahead and let the cat out of the bag, there is a DOCUMENTARY of her famous Cabaret in the works…but as for now, let’s finish our interview. This is Part 2 “bitches” (as she likes to call the crowd).

Brent: Ok so you were about to tell us how you went from being a Dj and a “male lead” (gulp) of a drag show in Nashville, Tennessee in 1970 to starting your own famous show at Backstreets in the 90’s.

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Charlie: Shorty after that club burned down, it just so happens that I went down to do a show with a friend of mine in Atlanta, and started working there for free until I was hired. That club was called SWEET GUM HEAD.

Brent: Yeah I’ve been hearing about that club since I’ve been interviewing folks.

WHERE was that club? Was it THAT hot of a club back in the day?

Charlie: Oh HONEY. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s, it was one of THE clubs to go to!

The building is still there, you know this club today as BLISS.

Brent: Bliss used to be Sweet Gum Head?

You mean that strip club over on Cheshire Bridge? Interesting. Speaking of back in the day, how was the club scene and shows back then?

Charlie: Totally different. That whole strip (Cheshire Bridge) was full of clubs back then. It was considered ‘big time’ if you were performing in those clubs. Today, most of the shows are in the bars where you have a tiny spot that they called the ‘stage area’. Back then you had a STAGE! And it was the norm to have two to three production numbers for each show. I don’t know if the girls today could hang because you were required to do a lot of rehearsals back then and the show directors ran their shows with an iron fist. It was taken more seriously. The club

owners and audience alike had much more respect for those shows.

Brent: Just how serious were the shows?

Charlie: I remember one time I did a whole 2 hour show where I was Bette Midler and we had a crew that would help me get dressed right on stage, then I would go into a monologue until another crew would come on and undress me in a flash before the crowd. And back then they used to have 3 different drag awards shows just to honor so many of those shows. And HONEY you saved your ‘best shit’ for those awards shows because they were HUGE. Even the productions got nominated. They were like the Oscars.

Brent: How do you feel about the performers today?

Charlie: The entertainers back then did it because they knew they were going to do it for a while. They didn’t mind the hard discipline and training they got because this was their life. There’s no real commitment today.

Your pay would get deducted if you came in with no nails. One time a stage manager told me “Mr. Brown you’re fined twenty five

fucking dollars tonight for having a run in your panty hose”. Yeah, it was THAT serious.

Brent: In that case, I would be broke. So…um…I’m starting to understand why your cabaret show was a hit, you had hardcore training. You were taught early that if you’re going to do drag, you have to “bring it” EVERY night. Not just for a pageant or talent competition. It’s like that now at the Jungle on Monday nights for the STARS OF THE CENTURY show. I hear show director Niesha Dupriee don’t play.

Charlie: Yeah, she started at a time when drag was a more serious form of show business.

Brent: Ok, so we have gotten off subject a little bit. You still haven’t told me HOW YOU GOT STARTED AT BACKSTREETS! Charlie: Well Brent…(she laughs) You’re gonna have to save SOMETHING for the documentary.

Brent: I can’t wait!!!

Well folks, this ain’t even the JUICY part.

This documentary is going to be something you MUST SEE! But until then…DON’T read the girls, instead read The Brent Star Report!

To read Part 1 of the interview, visit DavidAtlanta. com

The Atlanta Bucks dress and run for charity

W

by Elijah Sarkesian hen someone mentions rugby players, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? More than likely, it’s a mental image of rough, tough, manly men.

That image is what makes the Atlanta Bucks’ annual Purple Dress Run so intriguing – it flips the standard concept of a rugby player on its proverbial head. Throw in running and alcohol, and it turns into an enjoyable time for everyone involved.

The Atlanta Bucks are hosting the Purple Dress Run 2012 at 12 p.m. on April 21, 2012. If the title didn’t give it away, the event is a run…in purple dresses. Contestants will start at Mixx and make their way through stops at The Nook, Joe’s on Juniper, Blake’s and the Fifth Ivory before ending at the Atlanta Eagle. The end of the race at the Eagle leads into a party for runners and spectators alike.

Registration for the event costs $40 for registration on the day of the run, and includes two drinks at each stop along the race line as well as admission into the after-party at the Eagle.

Spectators can enter the after-party for $20.

The event, now in its sixth year, benefits both the team and a charity. This year, the charitable organization of choice is the Lost and Found Project, an organization that helps LGBT homeless youth. Funds raised will also help the Bucks send a team to the Bingham Cup tournament this summer in Manchester.

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Top 10 Tracks 1. Dance Again – Jennifer Lopez 2. Girl Gone Wild — Madonna

3. Only the Horses – Scissor Sisters 4. Tomorrow – Niki & The Dove

5. Warrrior – Mark Foster, A-Trak, and Kimbra 6. Bad Girls — M.I.A 7. Beez In The Trap – Nicki Minaj 8. #1 In Heaven — MNDR 9. Nobody’s Perfect — J. Cole feat. Missy Elliott 10. Disparate Youth — Santigold

By Dustin Shelby. Check out more music at Dustin’s blog at www.echodust.com

Protect Your Monster

by Richard Marshall

davidatlanta | 47

calendar MONDAY BELUGA MARTINI BAR Martini Girls

Cabaret with hostesses Mr. Charlie Brown, Jealouse & more, 11pm $5

BLAKES ON THE PARK Manic Monday (retro night 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s) 10pm

COCKPIT Big Red Cup Mondays All Day & 1/2 Price Appetizers 5-8pm

EAGLE Comedy TV- Free Pool FELIX’S Free Pool FRIENDS ON PONCE

Bad Boy Brian opens at 2pm

HERETIC Come play with Eddie 4pm-11pm HIDEAWAY $2.50 Domestic Beer JUNGLE Stars of the Century Show 11pm MODEL T’S Wheel of ? with Elvis 9pm

TUESDAY BLAKES ON THE PARK I Gotta Sing!

WEDNESDAY BLAKES ON THE PARK

Feathers & Flesh Burlesque Revue 11pm

COCKPIT

Balls Deep Karaoke, 10pm with Mikey and Wesley & 1/2 Price Appetizers 5-8pm

EAGLE 80’s Music with Travis FRIENDS ON PONCE Team Trivia 8pm HERETIC H.U.M.P. Dress Code Party w/DJ Lydia Prim. 25¢ Keystone Light Draft all night long. No Cover!

HIDEAWAY

Craps & Blackjack with Miss Lauren

MODEL T’S Virtually Famous Karaoke with Pat & Tina 10pm

SWINGING RICHARDS 2-4-1 VIP Room XCESS ULTRA LOUNGE/TRAXX

Raquell Lord’s The Main Event Talent Show @ 10:30pm, Sign Up by 9:45pm.

Also Sophia Mcintosh & The Fabulous 5 +1 @11:30pm, 18+

Hosted by Jealouse & Jerry (Karaoke) 11pm

THURSDAY

CLUB RUSH HipHop til 4am, $5 COCKPIT DUDE: 80s Party, 9pm & 1/2 Price Appetizers 5-8pm

EAGLE Tuesdays with Tony FELIX’S Smirnoff Martini Night FRIENDS ON PONCE

Let’s Make a Deal 6pm

HERETIC Two step Tuesday free 2 step lessons 8pm open dance till 11pm

HIDEAWAY Service Industry Night -

Employee Prices. Trivia w/ Will 9pm

MODEL T’S Texas Hold’em Poker 9:30pm SWINGING RICHARDS

No Cover Before Midnight, $5 After

50 | davidatlanta

BLAKES ON THE PARK

Texas Hold’Em Poker 7pm, The Shawnna Factor Show, 11pm

COCKPIT

Dirty Boy Bingo, 9pm w/ Ruby Redd

EAGLE Karaoke with Mikey FELIX’S Karaoke w/ Brett & Tyler 10pm FRIENDS ON PONCE Where Girls Who Like Girls Meet Girls all night

HERETIC 3 Legged Cowboy Night 9pm. Free Dance Lessons 8-9pm. No Cover!

HIDEAWAY Levi & Leather Night

JUNGLE Cherry Pop Thursday!

SATURDAY

LAS MARGARITAS

Crazy Bitch Bingo 7:30pm

CLUB RUSH Dance Party

MODEL T’S Wheel of ? with Michael 9pm

COCKPIT Rotating VJ’s & DJ’s (resident DJ

SWINGING RICHARDS

Diablo Rojo)

2-4-1 VIP Room & 2-4-1 Door Entry

BLAKES ON THE PARK

XCESS ULTRA LOUNGE/TRAXX

Turnt Up Thursday, No Cover, Hip Hop, Rnb & Reggae

Jealouse’s Daring Diva’s Show 11pm

EAGLE DJ Dance Party FELIX’S Karaoke w/ Brett & Tyler 10pm FRIENDS ON PONCE

FRIDAY

Open @ noon with Bob Brewer

BLAKES ON THE PARK

HERETIC Varies: Club Night or 3 Legged

CLUB RUSH Got Leche? til 4am, $10

JUNGLE Club Night, Various Guest DJ’s.

COCKPIT Rotating VJ’s & DJ’s, (resident DJ,

MODEL T’S Sexy & Know it Party 9pm

Cowboy Night - 10pm

Kitty LeClaw’s Meow Mix Show 11pm

Diablo Rojo)

SWINGING RICHARDS

T-Shirt Review, $10 Cover

EAGLE DJ Dance Party

XCESS ULTRA LOUNGE/TRAXX

FELIX’S Bartenders Serve It Up!

Man 2 Man, Free 4 Men 25+ B4 12am

FRIENDS ON PONCE

Happy Times with Bad Boy Brian & Ken

SUNDAY

HERETIC Dj Lydia Prim no cover before 11pm

ARMORETTES Drag Show at Burkhart’s

HIDEAWAY After Work Martini Madness

BLAKES ON THE PARK

JUNGLE Club Night, Various DJ’s MODEL T’S Morning Bagels / Texas Hold’em Poker 9:30pm

SWINGING RICHARDS

T-Shirt Review, $10 Cover

Old School Sundays with DJ Bill Berdeaux 3pm-7pm, DJ Darryl Cox 7pm-close

CLUB RUSH Hip Hop w DJ Truz, no cover COCKPIT PBR Beer Bust -- Open & Pouring FELIX’S

Bloody Mary & Mimosa Wallet Pleasers

FRIENDS ON PONCE Bad Boy Brian’s Smirnoff B Mary Bar 12:30pm

HIDEAWAY

Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar 12:30pm

LAS MARGARITAS

All You Can Eat Brunch 11am-3pm

MODEL T’S Sunday Dinner with Ron 3:30pm

calendar | BARTAB

52 | davidatlanta

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davidatlanta | 59

FairyScopes

ARIES (March 20 – April 19): Stop making trouble and go to your room.

It’s nobody else’s fault that you’re being cranky. The hypersensitivity will pass. In the meantime you need time alone for meditation, moderate exercise and simple housekeeping.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20): Luck serves the well-prepared.

Your lucky day isn’t happening this week, but you should be getting your share of them soon. Fun with friends can go way over the top. How much trouble do you really want to handle?

GEMINI (May 21- June 20): The rush to catch up can have you tripping all over yourself. Slow and easy does it. Breathe.

Meditate. No matter how badly your parents screwed you up, you’re a grownup, have to be responsible and fix your own problems.

CANCER (June 21- July 22): New friendships could last forever. Cultivate important connections you can depend on, but be certain you can be counted on, too! You need some time out to charge your batteries, but too much seclusion is an unhealthy indulgence.

LEO (July 23 – August 22): All eyes are turning to you. Strut your stuff; show off your best work. The flip side is that you can’t pull anything sneaky. That’s not to rule out private pleasures. Have fun, but be very careful not to slide into excess.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22): Some of your darkest, naughtiest secrets are about to be revealed. You might be able to control which ones and to whom.

Good luck with that! Opening the right discussion with the right person could open a lot more!

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22): Discussions with your (potential) partner can help set limits and structures. It might not be easy or pleasant, but you’ll both know where you stand and where to go from there.

Whether it creates freedom or security you’ll be better for it.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21): Vent about stress at work with your friends safely away from your job. Sure you have legitimate complaints to handle on site, but let off the steam and get others’ perspective so you can cool down and deal with it constructively.

Scopes brought to you by Jack Fertig, professional astrologer since 1977. Visit his website at www.starjack.com.

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SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 20): What looks like innocent fun can easily get you caught up in stupid arguments or other annoying details that just distract from valued work and pleasures. There may be no avoiding it, but you can easily walk away.

CAPRICORN (December 21 – January 19): Defending your turf will get more contentious than you’d expected. Set limits as diplomatically as you can, but you may have to give a little to protect a lot. Think ahead and be sure you can defend whatever lines you set.

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18): New ideas quickly lead to brilliant breakthroughs. Discuss anything and everything openly. Keep your BS filters up, but resist the urge to argue. Friendly advice about your partnership is worth listening to. Be polite anyway.

PISCES (February 19 – March 19): A secret just isn’t safe in your mouth. Stay focused on your own business. You could stumble onto a great deal, but is it really? Check it out as carefully as you can, but act fast or forget it. It won’t last long.

Bitch! Session

Dear karaoke singer’s… volume doesn’t fix terrible.

Chlamydia… really? I guess that confirms the rumors that you’ve been cheating. Hope it was worth it.

I think of myself as a man first, and gay second. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty with some manual labor.

How many of you boys can fix a car or cut a tree down?

Some skills are smart to have.

The awkward moment when your boss emails you on a sex site. The more awkward moment when he doesn’t realize it is you, and your ass is the profile photo.

Fuck you all, I still take Lunchables to work with me.

Madonna should stop criticizing Lady GaGa, because after her lackluster CD sales and music, it is clear who the public wants.

Sometimes you just want your partner to yell at you and show some emotion.

Gotta Bitch?

Text 404.969.BTCH aka 404.969.2824 or email

bitch@davidatlanta.com

62 | davidatlanta

People do realize most light beer is the same price as regular beer, and not nearly as much alcohol?

American Apparel makes a bunch of crappy looking clothes and then charges out the ass for them. No wonder they are going out of business. If I wanted to wear something that was going to make me look like a granola hipster with money, I would just shop at Urban Outfitters where it’s cheaper.

When I don’t reply to your text message the first 15 times, usually sending me 132 more will not help.

I woke up last night to a blowjob, and then realized, I have no idea who this person is. I let them finish of course, I didn’t want to be rude.

I need to stop making promises when I am drunk to people. No good ever comes from it.

When your cocaine addiction has become so apparent that even your dealer won’t sell to you anymore, maybe its time for you to check into rehab. Thoughts?

Moving is a BITCH. Even when you do hire people to do the heavy lifting.