SO, THIS IS HAPPENED A WHILE AGO...
I first met the ICONIC Amanda Lepore during a visit to New York City. I was in the Big Apple because a great and amazingly talented friend was making his directorial debut in a new play Off-Broadway and wanted to support him on his opening weekend. After the show, we all decided to pile into a cab and go to a new HAPPENING location up town. When we arrived and walked into this swanky lounge, my eyes went directly towards the brightest, shiniest thing in the room - Amanda She was resplendent from head to toe. She stood undulating with immaculate platinum blond hair, coiffed in Marilynesque type bob, bejeweled old Hollywood bombshell style dress (designed by HEATHERETTE if I remember correctly), skin that was simply glowing and big, bold red lips. I was memorized. All night long, I kept looking back at her to make sure that she simply did not just disappear like some sort of desert mirage. Finally, I worked up enough courage to go and speak to her and I’m so glad I did.
We began to speak about many things that were of mutual interest to us and among them was a passion for volunteering for charities. I even mentioned to Amanda that my birthday would be in December and I always coordinated it with a charity to raise money. To my surprise, she responded,”Let me know where and when your birthday is going to be held this year and I’ll come and perform.” I was in shock. Did THE Amanda Lepore say she would perform at my birthday/fundraising event?
I asked her again to make sure I wasn’t having some sort of Ally McBeal (Google it) type hallucination and she repeated herself again, this time looking me straight in the eye. I was floored. This walking, talking object de art and glamour was also a giving, loving and generous individual with a heart bigger than her um...chest.
Long story longer, upon returning to Orlando, I spoke to my friends at REVOLUTION Nightclub (now Southern Nights..again) Dan Frazier and Danielle Hunter and they helped me arrange Amanda’s appearance there for my birthday fundraiser. The famous blond goddess and I even brought in the NEW YEAR together the next night at the same location. I felt so honored to have her appear at my birthday/fundraiser. That night we also beat the record for money raised in one evening from a single event for this particular charity.
That was the first time I learned of the giving nature of our community. We give literally the shirts off our backs when it comes to helping others in or outside of OUR community. It is one of the many beautiful hallmarks of who we are as LGBTQA+ people and how ready we are to help others. I then became quite brazen about asking HUGE personalities to provide their STAR POWER at events I was working with (wait until you hear about Mother Ru performing ONE NIGHT ONLY at Sawmill Campground. That story is a doozy). In this issue, we spotlight some of the amazing people in our global com munity that donate their talents and energy for others not only during this season of giving, but also all year round.
Finally, to Amanda, once again thank you for continuing to be a shining example of love, willingness to give and GORGEOUSNESS in our community.
Love, light and peace to us all, Francisco Garcia
Publisher
of HAPPENING DIGITAL MAGAZINE
Matthew Darren is probably best known for his amazing voice and his stint on AMERICAN IDOL Season 10. Those of us that have the pleasure of knowing him personally can attest to the fact that he is tirelessly giving back to the community ALL YEAR ROUND. Now, he is presenting HOLIDAY FANTASIA 2022 and we are all looking forward to hearing all about it!
HAP: We know that you have done many charity events in the past, what was the inspiration behind HOLIDAY Fantasia?
MD: HOLIDAY Fantasia was inspired by my love for Christmas music and the holiday season as well as the idea of a “month of giving” South Florida is full of incredible talent and I saw the opportunity to col laborate with others and see how our diverse art can come together in harmony to create something beautiful while benefiting our community.
HAP: What can we expect at HOLIDAY Fantasia?
MD: Hosted by myself and the hilariously-talented Varla Jean Merman, the show boasts an impressive and varied cast including: Avi Ram, LeNora Jaye, Yoli Mayor, Miss Bouvèé, the Royal Pea cock Dancers, Antonio Edwards and many others! We’ve got painting, dancing, poetry, comedy, singing and some surprise video guests as well.
HAP: Why did you choose the Bowtie Kids and Ft. Lauderdale Foster Foundation as your recipients?
MD: My husband, Ray, and I have a passion for supporting youth, es pecially within the Foster-Care and Foster-To-Adopt programs. Both our families are blended with beautiful humans that were brought together by the foster system. When we moved down to Fort Lauderdale last year, we met Karen Prescod and were introduced to BowTie Kids Our three children all deal with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which affects connective tissue, primarily the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls. BowTie Kids’ mission is to support children dealing with chronic pain and their families. It was like the universe directed us to Karen, so we could get plugged in right away and help support our new community.
HAP: Will there be any future events you are planning?
MD: I am definitely excited to present a “Second Annual” HOLIDAY Fantasia in 2023 and we will see if there is a Springtime or KickOff To The Summertime FANTASIA in the future.
HAP: What’s next in Matthew Darren’s career?
MD: Well, speaking of South Florida’s immense pool of talent - I was able to music produce, song-write and act alongside some of our local superstars in an upcoming full feature film called BIG EASY QUEENS. With a goal to release in 2023, this Glam-Drag-Horror-Comedy is sure to have you clutching your pearls and belly laughing at the same time. My One-Man show, LOVE IN COLOR, has been so well received across the country, that I am thrilled to continue the tour throughout 2023. I am also excited to introduce a new stage show I’ve created and produced called FOURTÉ! Featuring three dynamic male vocalists, one powerhouse vocal diva and several high-energy pop and classic music mash-ups. This harmonious blend of singers and music will surely have you on your feet dancing in the aisles. FOURTÉ will be making it’s debut here in South Florida in Spring of 2023.
PHOTO: Avi Ram
TOP 5 REASONS TO USE A TRAVEL AGENT
THEY SAVE YOU ON PLANING
Think about all that goes into planning a trip to a brand new destination. Figuring out where to stay, what to do, how to get there, any cultural expectation! It can take hours and hours of research. When you add in jobs, boyfriends/girlfriends, and general day-to-day life–who real ly has the time to spend hours perusing websites and internet forums trying to figure out which neighborhood exactly is the best for a LGBTQA+ visitor? Every city and country is different, and while it can be fun, it can also be overwhelming. Travel agents do this day in and day out and will already have experience planning a trip to whichever destination you choose.
YOU HAVE A REAL PERSON WATCHING YOUR BACK Have you ever needed to talk to a customer service representative and been met with the frustrating experience of automated voice messages? Or you go to the help page and are met with a ton of jargon and maybe an email that you never seem to get a reply from. It’s miserable! Not to mention when you do get someone on the phone, they can be, less than amicable. We are here to take care of those situations for you. I personally, LIVE for it!
THEY ARE HERE TO HANDLE ANY SITUATION
If the last two years taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if a future trip was canceled because aliens have finally decided to come visit Wilton Manors! The difference between traveling on your own or with the help of a travel agent is that an agent is the one who will worry about Plans A–Z. Instead of you sitting there trying to plan for the unexpected, they will. This leaves you to truly enjoy your vacation without a single worry.
THEY HAVE DISCOUNTS THAT YOU DON’T
Here’s a fun tidbit you might not realize. Because travel agents are often working with airlines, hotels, cruises, tour companies, and more on multiple clients over multiple years, they’re able to negotiate better deals and access better discounts than you’d be able to on your own. Think COSTCO. A store that stocks a brand can access a steep discount because they buy a ton of product to resell. Only, unlike a store, a travel agent often passes that discount on to you instead of marking up the price! This is one of the best reasons to pay for a service you might initially think you can just do on your own. Not only will a travel agent handle all the logistics and planning you might not have time for; it might also wind up being more cost-effective than booking on your own. That’s a win-win in my book! Girl, there is always a FAMILY rate!
I hope that answered some of the FAQ’s that I hear from my clients and friends. See you abroad! And, re member, if I have a drink in my hand - I’M WORKING!
On April 4th of this year, Madonna started trending on social media after she posted a video on TikTok where she leans in and blows a kiss to the camera. As far as Madonna controversies go (like swear ing up a storm on David Letterman, going topless at a Jean Paul Gaultier show, dancing in front of burning crosses, or, y’know, that entire SEX book - 30 YEARS AGO), it’s pretty tame. But the mere pres ence of her face, such as it is, was enough to enrage social media. The tabloids, of course, ran with it, calling her “bizarre,” and tweet after tweet after tweet (I could go on) mocked her with gross sexist overtones for (perceived or real) modifications she’s made to her face. The criticism was also contradictory – some ragged on her for either not aging gracefully at 63 (as if a woman owes that to society), or for literally the opposite: trying to age gracefully by having cosmetic procedures. The criticism is, unfortunately, nothing new. Madonna has been the sexist butt of ageist jokes for her almost 40-year career. When she was only 35, she was being called a “grandma” for daring to still be on tour (for reference, the biggest musical superstar today is Beyoncé, and she’s 40). In 1983, the press called her “chunky,” despite her toned and lean physique after years of dance training. Then later, because the “VOGUE” songstress maintained her health through yoga and running, the tabloids zoned in on her “veiny arms and hands,” using her as a cautionary tale for women who take exercise too seriously. The public has had something negative to say about Madonna’s appearance for decades: So in some ways, it’s no surprise that the pop star reversed her once-stringent disapproval of those who opt for plastic surgery.
If we try to pinpoint when exactly Madonna views changed, it seems to have happened sometime between 2003 and 2012. In her 2003 “Hollywood” music video, Madge echoed her Truth Or Dare sneer by visually highlighting the pain of face injections like collagen and botox, leaving the viewer with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Sure, the face was beautiful, but its owner was also miserable. By 2012, however, her tone had changed, as she reportedly said,“I am certainly not against plastic surgery. However, I am absolutely against having to discuss it.”
By 2019, Madonna was solidifying her new position on cosmetic changes: That it was her business and her business alone. After many cast aspersions that the “Justify My Love” singer justify her newly-plump derrière, she captioned an Instagram post,“Desperately Seeking No Ones Approval. And Entitled to Free Agency Over My Body Like Every one Else!!”
In other words, Madonna went from saying “ew” to plastic surgery to saying,“my body, my choice.” The battle between Madonna’s right to autonomy and duty to fight back against sexist systems of power is be ing waged anew each time she shares another image of her face — but it’s not a fair battle if we place the responsibility for societal change on her alone, and don’t equally challenge her peers (especially her male peers). Madonna may not be making the most empowering choice she possibly could for the rest of the world, but we must accept that it’s a choice she’s also making for herself, no matter what informed it. You don’t have to love, or even approve of, her plastic surgery. But, like Luis Camacho said in her documentary Truth or Dare so many years ago, “We love you anyway, Madonna.” Maybe, she is just using a new canvas for her art now - HER FACE and BODY! Either way, who cares? You all are still gonna talk about it and lap it up.
HAP: You are famous as a spectacular illustrator of all our favorite celebrities, but how did you get involved with designing these amazing glass blown ornaments?
GH: About 8 years ago, the main guy at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (BCEFA) who is in charge of having the ornaments designed and made, who had seen my caricature work, contacted me about designing the “Broadway Legends” Holiday ornament and a Holiday card for that season. Another designer and sculptor had done the ones previously but for some reason, he’d lost contact with her.
HAP: How do you choose which Broadway celebrity you design each year?
GH: The first ornament I was asked to do was Liza Minnelli in her TONY winning role in “The Act” from the late 70’s. It’s a long process from design to final sculpt and paint because these are blown glass and anything that extends out too far like arms will break off. The Liza ornament was a huge success and even went to a second manufacturing. It has completely SOLD OUT and I’ve heard that any still in boxes are selling for as high as $1000 on Ebay.
The following year was Barbra Streisand in her original role in “Funny Girl” on Broad way. That was also a huge success selling out of two runs.
Subsequently, we discuss who might be best each year to add to the collection based on their “Broadway Legend” status, notoriety beyond Broadway, salability and esthetic balance for the whole collection. They trust my opinion but the final decision is always theirs.
HAP: How many are in the set and how do we order them?
GH: Over the past 8 years I have designed ornaments of Liza Minnelli/The Act, Barbra Streisand/Funny Girl, Patti Lupone/Evita, Harvey Fierstein/Hairspray, Carol Burnett/ Once Upon A Mattress, Glenn Close/Sunset Boulevard, Audra McDonald/Lady Day, Angela Lansbury/Mame, Billy Porter/Kinky Boots. Each can be ordered based on what is still in stock via www.broadwaycares.org in the “store” section. I believe they still have Holiday cards left too! Beyond designing these and approving them at each stage, I really have no awareness or involvement with what BCEFA has in stock, or schedules for shipping.
HAP: Finally, what’s the next amazing project you are working on?
GH: As always, I’m working on all sorts of projects and merchandise for Huntees.com
KEEP UP WITH GLEN HANSON ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: Glen Hanson or “Art of Glen Hanson”
Instagram: @instaglenhanson
MERCH: www.huntees.com
