“EXTRAORDINARY
PHOTO BY: T. BIANCHI
FRIENDS”
FRIENDSHIPS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING
I’ve never really held much stock in friendships. Ever since I was a child, I remember my mom telling me that friendships come and go, but your family will always be there when the chips are down. My dad, God rest his soul, used to say the best friend a man can have is $20 in his pocket. Hearing those types of statements made by individuals which I always spoke the truth as far I was concerned, stayed imprinted in my mind. And, although both of those statements turned out to be true in a lot of circumstances, when one comes out as GAY you get given a gift - friends who become your chosen family.
In preparing for this PUBLISHER’S NOTE, I started the morning by listening to some of my favorite songs about friendship. Upon listening/watching to them again on YouTube, I gleaned a bit more about why those particular songs have held so much meaning to me and others when it comes to friendships. First, I watched Patti Labelle perform YOU ARE MY FRIEND. I love Miss Patti. I was blessed enough to meet her and spend time with her in her dressing room backstage at the famous FOX THEATER in Atlanta, GA (where she was backstage cooking for the crew after an amazing performance). What I learned from watching and hearing Miss Patti sing that amazing anthem is good friends don’t have to say a word to you when you are feeling pain, they can just hold your hand and cry with you and that is enough. When someone is so close to your heart they FEEL your pain you know that is an expression of love in it’s deepest form.
Next, I had to go straight to Bette. The DIVINE MISS M has always been a go-to of mine. Her voice just transcends time, genre and generations. I watched Bette Midler perform FRIENDS. There were two lines in the lyrics that struck with me this time upon hearing the song for the umpteenth time - “I had some friends, but they are gone. Something came and took them away.” This one touched deep. This year I lost a friend that I thought I would have as a constant in my life always. In fact, we used to joke about ending up in a condo in Miami like Rose and Blanche (the rest of the cast would vary depending on who we were speaking to at the time). I will miss John Roque for the rest of this life. The other lyric in the song was one that John taught me upon first meeting each other in college. “Standing at the end of the road, boys,waiting for my new friends to come...” This one stuck out upon this revisit of the tune because I’ve had so many friends come out of the woodworks in the last 7 years. Old friends I had neglected, acquaintances who have now been “upgraded” and brand spanking new ones (emphasis on the spanking in some cases). I’m very grateful to ALL of them making their presence known in my life this year. Truth is, I’VE NEEDED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO GET BY RECENTLY. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR was next on the hit parade. Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder (with his amazing harmonica) and Gladys Knight -what a line up! The words “For good times and bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more, that’s what friends are for...” has always resonated with me. Trust me, I’ve never had more “friends” than during the my good times. The bad times however? Those friends are the gems that hold on to tight in your hands and close to your heart. I once had to pack my entire life up in less than 72 hours and start a new life that I did not anticipate or plan for and my friend Joey Killmeyer was there the whole time handing me packing sheets and holding me while I cried. That’s what true friend look like. Not the ones in the VIP lounges. Those are definitely fun and colorful, but will they be holding your hand when your sick in the hospital or to an even lesser degree just holding your hair when you are throwing up in public? Joey has done both. Thank you “beastie”. ! love you.
Then Diana Ross popped to mind. The words “Call me, if you need me...” actually came out of my mouth last night right before I surrendered to sleep yesterday. I have a friend in the hospital right now as I write this, fighting a rare form of Cancer. He for damn sure knows that “there is no mountain high enough or river wide enough” to keep me from getting to him should he call my name. On that, my Weenie can depend on and never worry.
From there I looked down on the queue list on YouTube and saw the same song performed by Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye. This version of AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH (which happens to be older than Diana’s) reminded me of a friends that were once lovers, who have given each other permission to move on into the light with love and the assurance they will always have a safe and soft space to land on should they ever need to look back in your direction. I hope the man that once occupied a huge portion of my heart feels that in his.
After being inspired with all that wonder music and sentiment, I found my self thinking,”what image can possibly say all of those thousands of words and feeling in a FLASH?” Then I thought EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDS by the one and only genius photographer Tom Bianchi and the whole thing just feel together like the most imperfect yet perfect jig-saw puzzle. Just looking at the black and white photo to your left you can see how in some magical way we ALL find our GOOD VIBE TRIBE in the end.
Finally, TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for all the gifts of friendship I have received this year. From the bottom of my heart - thank you one and all. I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings!
Love, light and peace to us all,
Francisco
Garcia
Publisher of HAPPENING DIGITAL MAGAZINE
Since Valentines Day is only 6 weeks away and we will be seeing shades of red and pink everywhere. I thought for this weeks Killer LEWKS, I would talk about how to get a pretty pink butthole! Yes I went there So, grab a pen and take notes hunty!
Now I know you all have seen a perfectly pink hole while watching porn or while browsing through Instagram. But in reality not everyone’s anus looks that way! As we age, the area around the anus gets darkened. It is totally normal and natural. It does not mean you are dirty. You twinks will find this out as you age. But, for those of you who have a chocolate starfish and want it to disappear. I have some options for you !
1) Anal Lightening: This form of getting that pink star you need to go to a cosmetic surgeon or spa. There are a couple different methods of doing this.
a. First there is a laser-based treatment. During this procedure a precision laser is used to remove darker areas of the skin, leaving lighter areas behind. This form of lightening works best on people with naturally light skin, but can be used on any skin color.
b. Next there is cryosurgery. This method uses liquid nitrogen to lighten the skin. A small amount of the liquid, nitrogen, is placed on the darker areas using a cotton swab. This will freeze the cells causing them to die. Once destroyed, naturally lighter skin cells will grow in their place.
Now when doing either of these methods, the recovery process could take up to 2 weeks. It is also recommended that anal sex be avoided for 7 days. As with any medical procedure, please consult your physician.
2) Now for those of you on a budget or just can not go a week with out getting plowed, you can do at-home treatments. There are many products for doing this. And until researching this article, I did not realize how many there were. With all of these at-home products, you will first want to exfoliate the area. I personally like mineralize volcanic ash exfoliator by MAC You will then rinse and pat dry the bleaching cream of your choice. Now if you decide to do this option, it is a commitment. You will need to do this twice a day for about 8 weeks to see maximum results. You will then have to maintain your newly pinkified anus once or twice a week after that. As with any product you are applying on your skin, please read the label carefully and adhere to manufacturer instructions.
Here are a few of the best at-home anal bleaching products.
a. Pink Privates - www.pinkprivates.org: This lightener can be used on your anus, penis, vagina, scrotum and nipples or anywhere on the body where you might have discoloration.
b. Amaira Natural Lightening Cream - www.amairaskincare.com: This product I have actually tried. What I love about it is made from safe natural lightening ingredients. It does not burn and is safe on the skin and yes it works!
c. Do Me Bleach My Butt Cream - www.Amazon.com. Now this bad boy states you will see results in 2 weeks. Plus you have got to LOVE any company that would name their product Bleach My Butt!
Now as this is a bleaching product, I would suggest doing a patch test by placing a small amount of the cream on your arm to see if you have an allergic reaction. Said mention of products is not to be construed as an endorsement. And if you have questions, please refer to the manufacturers label and/or website or your physician.
So if you are wanting for Cupid to shoot his arrow at you this Valentine’s Day, you might want to try one of the fore mentioned techniques. So skip the chocolate this Valentine’s Day and get the PINK TREAT instead!
I first met DANIEL
while he and a very wonderful friend of mine Glenn Douglas
(celebrity choreographer to the likes of JLo, Janet and Michael
to name a few) were appearing on a reality show called BROOKE KNOWS BEST (daughter of Hulk Hogan) which was shooting in South Beach several years ago.
We constantly were running into each other at parties and would smile politely across the room, but were always too shy to break from our packs to have a decent conversation. Then, one afternoon, I was flipping through the pages of a magazine and saw a familiar face. Only this time it was different - IT WAS CAPTIVATING! I asked a friend,“Do you know this model?” To which he replied,”Yes, and you do too!
That’s DANIEL MIAGANY. You’ve met him with Glenn.”
“That’s the shy and unassuming boy!” I thought. Impossible! THIS models DRIPS with sex appeal! The next time I saw him out, I made a bee-line for him. We talked and found out we shared a bunch of common interests like fashion dolls, comics and pop-art. The rest is history. I have been friend and admirer of DANIEL’s for years. I’m sure you will be too after this interview. ENJOY!
MIAGANY
Packard
Jackson
ALL IMAGES FROM THE PORTFOLIO OF DIANIEL MIAGANY
HDM: When you model you have an incredible relationship with the camera, what do you attribute that to?
DM: I’ve always been told I have a special rapport with the camera and I can’t say where it comes from honestly. Perhaps it comes from my ability to go with any concept or just pure vanity (lol) but I’m going with it because it’s been working for years! I find modeling is a really an immersive experience where I can play roles that are not necessarily part of my normal personality. It’s also the ability to step into a mindset to deliver what the photographers vision is. I can go from sexy to silly in a heartbeat. In my opinion, there is a fine line between the two - especially in male modeling.
HDM: Considering you’ve done all types of modeling, which do you prefer?
DM: I love the ones that get me the most exposure (lol)! Going into a photo session and knowing it would be a potential magazine cover was always exhilarating. When you’re trusted as the face of a company, that shows they believe in you. In my 20s, one door was always lead to opening another. I was prominently seen as the face of LatinoX LGBTQA+. I appeared appearing several ADELANTE magazine covers. Through that exposure in the LatinX community, I was able to do campaigns for Andrew Christian (before his TROPHY BOYS), Jocko/ Wax Underwear brands, Interactive Male Hotline and many others. I was even worked with some well known celebs like Perez Hilton, Cazwell and Tila Tequila
I’ll also never forget was being the face of the now defunct GAY.com! That gig landed my mug on the sides of buildings, tops of taxis, billboards in San Francisco and even condom wrappers in France! That experience was really overwhelming as I was being recognized everywhere I went.
Also, my favorite experiences modeling have been with photographers who gave me feedback and allowed me to push my boundaries. Rick Castro taught me “sexy” isn’t necessarily being perfectly groomed and made up. Once in Hollywood he ask me to tea at his home and asked me try on a flesh looking rubber under garment he had just received from an up and coming designer. We hot some images quickly and without much forethought which ultimately ended up on the pages of the now iconic BLUE Magazine
HDM: You are also an incredible artist. Are you self-taught or do you have practical training?
DM: I am self taught and I’ve had not practical training just really trial and error. I know what I like and I try to project that feeling onto the canvas using different artistic media. I describe my artwork as a blend of pop art and De Vinci’s concept of chiaroscuro I love playing with light and dark textures on my figures with stark pop color backgrounds. I think it’s cool and others seem to like it as well.
HDM: Where do you get your inspirations for your paintings?
DM: Normally I love the retro images that reflect a simpler time. I mostly get inspired by vintage photos from the 70s and 80s. It’s a era I tend to gravitate toward. I own tons of photography books. Among my favorites is by famed photographer Tom Bianchi. I’ll flip through his books for until inspiration comes to me. I also love old movies! I’m currently working on a piece in which I was inspired by James Dean. I adore pop culture and I have a reverence for the past.
HDM: Have you ever been a model in your own paintings?
DM: (lol) Yes! But only recently, as I’ve only been painting men for about 3 years now. It’s a pretty cool vibe to be both model and artist. It’s actually kind of a turn-on. Usually these pieces are faceless so I’ll never tell which are ME (lol). I’m constantly rotating art in my apartment and those particular ones I change depending on the company I having over. They are a bit spicier you see (wink-wink)
HDM: What is your favorite subject matter to paint?
DM: I will always only paint people. Whether male or female, it’s always about the human form for me. The body has so many stories it can tell. I WILL NEVER paint puppies ore kittens so I wish people would stop asking me to paint their pets (lol)
Lately, I’m playing with the idea of incorporating cars into my paintings. I love the effect of metal using a mix media of acrylics and colored pencils. Plus, cars are fucking sexy hell too!
HDM: What’s next in the world of the amazing Daniel Miagany?
DM: Oh man! I love a question like this! I’m feeling a new chapeter in my life starting and different facets of my personality coming to the surface. I’m bidding farewell to 2022 and like LIZZO says “It’s about damn time!”
I have a new inexplicable “no fucks left to be given” confidence in my 40s that I didn’t have in my 2030s. I am mentally focused, stronger, and more independent. I attribute that all to painting, yoga and my puppy Sheila. All three of which compete for my attention and all my free time.
I’m also excited to see what other doors THIS magazine feature opens for me! This year I plan on expanding my reach in all the different ways that I express myself artistically. Whether it is my painting or modeling, I’m ready for anything that comes my way. And, I’m filled with enthusiasm and vigor for all of it! Who knows I might finally start putting together a gallery show which has been a dream of mine.
As for modeling, even thought I thought those days were long gone, I feel like I look and feel better now than I ever did. So - BRING IT ON! I’ll guess we will all just have to wait and see!
SUGAR: Copper Coyle 23 Years Old
For the first time ever, a pair of actual, fraternal twins have been cast on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 seeing Sugar and Spice compete separately in the race. Not only that, but the twins are the queens with the biggest following ever to be cast on the show before the series begins. But who are Sugar and Spice? How did they get such a large following? Here’s everything you need to know about Sugar and Spice on Drag Race Season 15!
Sugar says in her Meet the Queens that people probably look at her and think she’s a bitch , but says she’s the opposite of what she looks like because growing up she was the opposite of that so drag lets her cosplay as the Regina George character from Mean Girls fame.
Sugar says she’s not competitive with anyone BUT with Spice she is, so we are braced for the fireworks. Can’t wait to see this sibling rivalry play out! Oh, and by the way they have 7.4 million TikTok followers!
SPICE: Luca Coyle 23 Years Old
Spice is an American drag performer and one of the contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15.
The name Spice, and the name of her drag sister Sugar, comes from the line of the nearly 200-year-old English nursery rhyme “What Are Little Boys Made Of?”: “What are little girls made of? / Sugar and spice / And everything nice”. The line was later popularized by the cartoon The Powerpuff Girls, as the three ingredients to made the “the perfect little girls”
In her Meet The Queens, Spice describes herself as “the doll you parents never let you play with.” She then also calls herself a fraud because she couldn’t even name five spices, which show what a wonderful sense of humor she has about herself.
Spice describes her drag aesthetic as “crazy whore, but really funny and silly at the same time.” Kind of a dream combo. Spice says she’s not worried about competing against Sugar on Drag Race and ready to forget the bus and toss her sister under a moving train!
