RAGE Monthly magazine by RAGE MONTHLY MAGAZINE

YEAR IN REVIEW

BEST & WORST FILMS OF 2021

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JANUARY 2022

LET’S TALK ABOUT

SEX

DRAG ICON

ALASKA’S RED-HOT WINTER

LAUGHING AT OURSELVES WITH

JANE LYNCH TIM BRAUN GETTING IN THE SPIRIT OF THINGS

HEALTH & WELLNESS ISSUE LIFESTYLE

EVENTS

FASHION

ENTERTAINMENT

NIGHTLIFE

COMMUNITY

THIS JANUARY, IT’S GET ME

Two Lost Souls

JANE LYNCH and KATE FLANNERY Expect evenings filled with music and laughter as television icons Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery bring their acclaimed cabaret act for their Center

Jane Lynch photo by Maarten de Boer/NBC via Getty Images

debut performances.

This brand new, immersive concert-style show captures the performance and sound of one of the biggest international stars of our time.

JAN 22 at 8 pm

RENÉE AND HENRY SEGERSTROM CONCERT HALL

JAN 27–29 at 7:30 pm SAMUELI THEATER

SCFTA.org

“A SUMPTUOUS NEW PRODUCTION OF THE MOST PERFECT MUSICAL OF ALL TIME” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

THE LINCOLN CENTER THEATER PRODUCTION

JANUARY 11–23 SEGERSTROM HALL

Jan 22 at 2 pm

(714) 556-2787

MY FAIR LADY is presented by

TO THE CENTER ON TIME!

PUBLISHER Jay S. Jones jay@ragemonthly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Brad L. Hart brad@ragemonthly.com EDITOR editor@ragemonthly.com ART CONSULTANT art@ragemonthly.com COPY EDITOR Ken Williams DISTRIBUTION Pride In Media

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bill Biss, Chris Carpenter, Brad Hart, Steven Ing, Scott Leonard, Lisa Lipsey, Tim Parks, Kevin Perry, Tony Reverditto, Cutter Slagle, Andrew J. Stillman Cover Photo © Maxim Lupascu SUBSCRIPTIONS – One year (12 issues): $40.00 Direct all editorial and subscription orders to our office or website. Rage Magazine dba The Rage Monthly. The Rage Monthly is a registered trademark. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or staff. Reproduction of any article, photo, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in The Rage Monthly are supportive of the gay community. Mentions or photographs of any person, business, or organization are not a reflection of their sexual orientation. The Rage Monthly is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. PRINTED IN THE USA

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www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

lgbtq community

by brad hart

JOYOUS NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

CLUB RADIANT

Radiant Health Centers’ annual gala will be back in 2022. Join the fun on Saturday, January 29 for fun, festivities and reconnecting with old friends in an effort to raise money to support LGBTQ health equity and HIV care in Orange County. To celebrate coming together again, this year’s gala theme is Club Radiant. Dust off your platform shoes and break out your favorite ‘70s attire to revel in the golden age of disco and boogie-oogie-oogie the night away beneath a glittery disco ball. radianthealthcenters.org

Ring in 2022 with San Diego Equality Business Association members and invited guests. After a two-year absence, this annual celebration will return to Sycuan Casino Resort on Wednesday, January 12. Organizers have arranged for a memorable evening including prizes and giveaways such as a staycation at Sycuan. Your evening will include complimentary transportation from the Hillcrest DMV parking lot to Sycuan and back, light bites, special drawings and a complimentary adult beverage. sdeba.org

SAN DIEGO GULLS PRIDE NIGHT

Hit the ice with the Equality Business Alliance at the third annual San Diego Gulls’ Hockey Is For Everyone Night. This Pride night will be at Valley View Casino Center on Saturday, February 5 as the Gulls take on the Tucson Roadrunners. A percentage of every ticket sold will be donated back to San Diego’s LGBTQ+ Ally Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center to help support programs and services for small LGBTQ businesses affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic. thinkeba.org

INFO-A-GO-GO

Are you in the know when it comes to all-things LGBTQ in the Coachella Valley? The Center presents its annual one-stop information extravaganza showcasing all the wonderful groups, clubs, organizations and other things that greater Palm Springs has to offer. INFO-A-GO-GO 2022 will take place on Friday, January 28 at Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs. The event will act as a welcome wagon for snowbirds, new residents, retirees and folks who have been in Coachella Valley awhile, showing participants how to get involved. thecenterps.org

PALM SPRINGS HEALTH RUN

Start out the new year with a healthy and fitness-oriented routine. Join thousands of runners for the Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo. Run through the scenic neighborhoods of Palm Springs for the 10K, 5K and 1K Fun Run. More than 100 health and wellness booths provide giveaways and services, fitness experts and cooking demonstrations. palmspringshealthrun.com

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

QUEER POETRY NIGHT

Join Diversionary Theatre in San Diego at its new Clark Cabaret for an intimate evening of queer poetry on Thursday, January 13. Skyler Sullivan, director of education and outreach, has curated a list of diverse LGBTQ poets. You are also invited to bring some of your favorite poems to read. Come hear and share your favorite queer poets with bonus points for a poet who brings their own work. Grab a drink and cozy up for a great evening of literature. diversionary.org

community spotlight

by andrew j stillman

G N I L L I SP E “T” TH

S G N I L TH

L A N O 10

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

A K S ALA photo by albert sanchez

“My name is Alaska Thunderfuck, and I have something to say.” So announces the queen herself in her most-streamed song, “The T.” Alaska Thunderfuck has come a long way since she first stole our hearts nine years ago on Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and even further since she took the crown for All Stars 2 in 2016. Nowadays, she’s just wrapped up a Broadway production of Head Over Heels and released her memoir, My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska? Next up, she’s dropping her fourth album, Red 4 Filth, and embarking on her first-ever headlining tour. Fortunately, this busy queen carved out some time in her nonstop schedule to chat with The RAGE Monthly on all things Alaska. “You know what, I sleep often,” she said when asked if she ever has a moment to herself. “I’m really good at taking naps. I can sleep anywhere at any time, so that’s a blessing on my journey for sure.” That journey started out for Alaska in Erie, Pennsylvania. Her upbringing in that portion of the country, as well as the strong family who raised her, have offered her the ability to stay level-headed and treat other queens amicably, even in an industry full of critiques and shade. “I don’t know if it’s that part of the world or the country or what it is, but I feel like people there are able to treat each other kindly and respectfully, and I definitely learned that from my family and from Erie. And I try. I don’t always succeed, but I try. You’ve seen All Stars 2,” she added with a laugh. On that note, she also insisted that she’d still be auditioning for the show 14 seasons on, even if she hadn’t made it yet. “I always tell everybody that they should audition. A lot of girls are like, ‘I don’t know, I’ll audition next season when I’m ready.’ It’s like, ‘No, you’re never going to be ready until it actually happens.’ So just do it. Audition.” To newer queens, she said, “Lady Bunny always gives the advice to new queens wanting to start drag, she says, ‘Retire!’ A lesson I learned is that sometimes, when you’re first starting out, you want to be like, ‘I’m not going to perform for less than this dollar amount.’ That cuts you off from meeting people and doing experiences, so I always tell young people that you might not make much money, or it might be stupid or terrible, but you’ll always end up meeting somebody or making a connection. You get paid in other ways, so don’t be afraid to get out there whenever you can.” Her time on Drag Race and the albums she has released since then have garnered her most of her public attention, but her skills in the drag world are undeniable. Although she always wanted to achieve some level of fame, she said, “Social media is something that I really don’t like.” With pandemic times especially, she added, “So much of our identity is wrapped up in our cyber, avatar selves. I feel like it can make me really feel awful sometimes. It happens to a lot of people, which is why it’s so important to do shows in person with real people in a real place. It’s so tangible and it feeds my soul, and I think it inspires people to do things that are real and not through our phones or through electronics.” Although the world went through a period of isolation from each other, she loves that drag shows are making their return. “I feel like going to a drag show. People end up leaving a little more inspired and joyful. Drag is really powerful, and getting to do that is a gift I never take for granted.” Even though she’s become one of the most known drag queens of our time, she didn’t initially move out to L.A. with those intentions. Andrew J. Stillman is a writer of fantasy stories and freelance content. In his spare time, he makes YouTube videos and explores the world on his travel blog at lifeinanotherworld.com. Follow him @andrewjstillman on all the things.

“I was like, ‘I’m going to give up this silly hobby known as drag and become a serious actor.’ Then I realized that being a serious actor required a lot of hard work and discipline, which I did not have. Drag was just what I was doing to soothe my soul and feel like I had some fun and joy in my life. It ended up being the thing that opened a lot of doors. I guess being an actor was my ‘backup.’ I was in The Last Sharknado, though, so I’m obviously very famous for that,” she joked. As to producing her memoir, she said that it was very difficult to get into some of the memories and be so raw and real the way she was. “Writing a book is so hard. I have so much respect for writers because not only is it a long process, but in writing about my own life and experiences, it was just a very long therapy session. It’s been rewarding and cathartic but it’s really, really a ton of work.” On top of writing the book, she also recorded the audiobook as well. “That was fun! It was also very difficult because, you know, if I’m talking in a microphone to an audience, if I stumble over a word or anything I can play it off or ignore it or correct myself. In the audiobook, if you say one word wrong or your tongue slips slightly, you have to do it again. If your stomach grumbles, the microphone is very, very sensitive and picks it up so you have to redo it. It’s more difficult than standing on a stage singing a song. Sitting still and speaking paragraph after paragraph of a book is very hard, but we had fun doing it.” She spends a lot of time standing on a stage and singing songs as it is, and her upcoming Red 4 Filth Tour will let her showcase a lot of her newer music. Fans of her past tunes may know her to be quirky, funky and sometimes raunchy, but listeners of her newer jams may have noticed a slight change in her tone. More serious songs like “Wow,” “Beautiful Night 4 a Breakdown” and the titular “Red” take on a more polished sound that’s destined for mainstream radio. “I always like doing stuff that challenges and inspires me, and doing this music really took me to places I haven’t gone before. I’m really grateful to the people who are going on that journey with me. It’s been challenging learning how to use my voice in different ways. Plus, getting to sing about stuff I’ve never sung about before, I quite like it. But there’s always going to be a level of irreverence and stupidity, because it is Alaska.” Viewers of her videos may have also noticed one of the recent singles, “Wow,” saw her performing out of drag for the first time, which she said terrified her. “It was the scariest video shoot I’ve ever done. Drag is very much like armor, so it was like going into the battlefield without my suit of armor. It was very exposed and very outside of my comfort zone, but I’m really happy with how it turned out and I think people like it. So much of this music is about raw stuff, so why not go there?” Her time on stage in Head Over Heels playing Queen Gynecia also helped set her up for the upcoming tour. “I’m very much in theatre mode, so that’s spilling over into the tour. I want to tell a story. I don’t want to just stand on stage and sing 10 songs and say goodnight. I’m going to sing the songs, of course, but I want to take people on a journey to outer space and through a time-traveling experience in a really fun and stupid way. I’m really looking forward to that.” Although she loves singing “Beautiful Night 4 a Breakdown” live, she also said she’s looking forward to premiering some new songs and getting the chance to sing some of her recent releases live. Once the tour is over, she plans to take a long, well-deserved nap before continuing her global domination. Before that, be sure to catch her San Diego show at the House of Blues on Friday, February 25. alaskathunderfuck.com/tour

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

hollywood

by tim parks

LET’S TALK ABOUT F

x e S

or six seasons on television and in two films, Sex and the City explored the lives, loves and, well, lays of four Manhattan women, embodied by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis. The series struck a chord with women and gay men, who debated whether they were more of a Carrie, Samantha, Miranda or Charlotte. For the record, I’ve always seen myself as an embodiment of all four, especially when I was in my 30s. Specifically, I especially felt a kinship with Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw, in that she’s a writer and a columnist. My very first column written in, cough, cough, 2005 was about the post-coital careers of the Sex ladies. And I decided to start my time as a columnist because of Carrie Bradshaw. I tried not to get as giddy as a schoolgirl when news of the HBO Max reboot broke and like the show’s title, I gave into the excitement about revisiting these characters in their 50s. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder . . . would And Just Like That do the original series justice with the missing component of Samantha’s absence and would it live up to the hype? Let’s take a peep into the newest chapter in the Sex and the City story, which if you still refer to as Sex in the City after all this time, should be grounds for public shunning. Just sayin’. Of note, there will be spoilers ahead. See? I can be nice. I must be having an off-day.

I HEARD A RUMOR Rumors about the alleged behind-the-scenes feud between Parker and Cattrall have been well-documented. But here’s your refresher course on why the suspected falling-out occurred, so grab your popcorn! The real-life cracks in the fictional friends’ foundation revolved around the fact that Cattrall was upset that all the co-stars on the series weren’t making as much as Parker. On Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in 2004, Cattrall said each actress should benefit from “the financial windfall of Sex and the City,” adding, “When they didn’t seem keen on that, I thought it was time to move on.” Parker, who became the show’s executive producer in 2002, saw her salary bumped up to $300,000, which could buy a lot of Carrie’s “lovers,” as in Manolo Blahniks. After Cattrall asked for a pay hike, it caused discourse among the foursome. They pulled a Mean Girls move on her, essentially saying “you can’t sit with us” in a literal sense to the former Mannequin star during the 2004 Emmy Awards. Yet, Cattrall did participate in the first two films in 2008 and 2010, respectively, but balked at reprising her most famous role for a scrapped third film in 2017. Subsequently, Parker expressed to Extra as being “disappointed” that audiences wouldn’t get to see a “beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story” for the dead-in-the-water third film installment.

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

For her part, Cattrall cited she wanted to move on in her acting career, not wanting to use Samantha Jones as a crutch, essentially crippling the chances that she would be on board for the television revival. Showrunner Michael Patrick King has stated that he always envisioned the new show being about the trio of Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. Nice try, Jan, as it’s rumored that the reboot borrows elements of the movie that never was. So, it should come as no shock that there’s no Samantha to be seen and the speculation surrounding the production was two-fold – how would they deal with her absence, i.e., would she be killed off and would the endeavor work without her? One of the very first things And Just Like That . . . addresses is her absence. She’s alive, well and miffed at her gal pals in London, after an art-imitatinglife falling out with Parker’s character. However, the actress is set to co-star in the yes-that’s-happening How I Met Your Father and the reboot of Queer As Folk. On the second ponderance, she is sorely missed with her sexcapades and pithy one-liners. And that brings us to the good and bad portion of the show.

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN Seeing as And Just Like That . . . has no jazzy theme song like its predecessor, let me borrow one from TV days past, “You take the good, you take the bad and there you have the facts of life.”Well, sort of, as of this writing I’ve only seen the first three episodes, in which the only character getting busy is Miranda’s son Brady (Niall Cunningham). The absence of sex, aside from the younger set, feels like a missed opportunity to explore what it means to be a sexual being in your 50s. But that could change. I mean, there’s a weird scene between Big (Chris Noth) and Carrie in the first episode, but nothing on par with the original thus far. Carrie is now a co-host on a podcast and is skittish around the topic of masturbation and told she needs to step her lower lady parts up by her non-binary podcast boss, Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez). It’s a strange reaction from the character that once wrote a column about a political figure wanting to pee on her. For a modern-day incarnation of a series that was hailed as being groundbreaking for women’s frank talk about sex, it seems like an off shoot of the Season 5 episode, where Carrie is having a dry spell and worries her column should be renamed “. . . and the City.” And, in a lot of ways, its heavier tone reminds me of when the short-lived 1990 series The Bradys that took on issues for the Bunch, such as Marcia being an alcoholic and Bobby becoming paralyzed after a race car accident. I blame Cousin Oliver for the latter. Now we have Steve (David Eisenberg) dealing with hearing loss, as for example. I also blame Cousin Oliver for this, too! Tim Parks has been a freelance writer for 21 years, a columnist for 16 years, and part of Team Rage since 2009. He is the award-winning author of The Scheme of Things, available on Amazon.com.

Anyhoo, the previews looked to be a bit more lighthearted with scenes of middle-aged ladies who lunch. But the reality of the seriousness replacing the laughs is both indicative of some of the dramatic issues, like Charlotte’s infertility and Samantha’s bout with breast cancer in the first go-round. In some ways, the show could be called Sad and the City, due in part to Mr. Big’s death at the end of the first episode after riding a Peloton bike. People were shocked that they did Noth’s character dirty like that. Girl please, Stevie Wonder could have seen that coming! There was a mention of a nitroglycerin pill early in the episode and a great emphasis of him skipping Charlotte’s daughter Lily’s (Cathy Ang) piano recital to reach a goal on his Peloton. People were so shook by it that Peloton even issued a ridiculous statement about how a fictional character’s lifestyle contributed to his demise. Um, he’s not real bish! Then, prior to allegations of sexual abuse Noth is facing, they had him featured in a commercial to showcase that he was still kickin’. Speaking of . . . perhaps if Carrie had called 911, the worst product placement in TV history could have been avoided. Just sayin’. However, the scenario does bring an interesting dichotomy of starting with this situation, thusly sending Carrie back into the dating pool rather than waiting until the last episode to knock him off, seeing as the second season hasn’t been greenlit. And with John Corbett’s Aidan Shaw coming back and a leaked photo of a kiss between Parker and actor Jon Tenney, it looks as though she won’t spend the entirety of the series mourning her husband’s death, harkening back to her singleton days of yore. But let’s focus on the present, shall we? And that can be a dicey prospect at times for the revival with the obvious comparisons regarding its popular predecessor. There’s one big differentiation in that King is trying to avoid the WPP (White People Problems) aspects of the original, by adding a more diverse cast, including Nicole Ari Parker, Karen Pittman and Sarita Choudhury. Yet, it can feel a bit overly PC at times, and much of the fumbling with the brave new world we live in seems to come from the resident sarcasm machine, Miranda. It’s nothing short of uncomfortable to watch the scene of her first day of school. About the looks-great-with-gray-hair Nixon, it’s obvious that Miranda will develop a drinking problem and have a life-imitating-life exploration of her Sapphic side. But the latter does highlight the observation she makes in the first episode, “I mean, we can’t just stay who we were, right?” Amen, sister! But if one character seems to be the consistent incarnation, it’s Davis’s Charlotte, still married to Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) and now the mother of two teenagers, the aforementioned piano prodigy and Rose (Alexa Swinton), who throws her a curveball with the proclamation that she doesn’t like to be referred to as a girl. Thus far, there have been a few familiar faces from the original. But why they thought that we were clamoring more Susan Sharon (Molly Price) and Bitsy Von Muffling (Julie Halston) is beyond me! But the addition of Carrie’s nemesis and Mr. Big’s ex-wife Natasha Naginsky (Bridget Moynahan) was

a nice touch, even though her bathroom scene was awkward with a capital A! The most problematic aspect for me in that it’s more reminiscent of the movies than the series; there’s even a few scenes reminiscent shots of Carrie unable to sleep that brought back PTSD from the first movie, with her unable to get out of bed after Big stood her up at the altar. And I miss Carrie’s voiceovers, which have been reduced to end of the episode encapsulations.

MOVING FORWARD The third episode was lighter in tone, due in part to SATC writers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky being brought into the fray. And the newer trailer for the series does appear to have a tonal shift to more comedic elements. Not to be an a-hole, but this illustrates why King should be relegated to mainly directing the show. This is the man who put Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone) and Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson) together in matrimony for the film’s sequel, after they expressed mutual disdain at being set up on a blind date during my favorite episode, “The Real Me” from Season 4. As far as the show dealing with Garson’s death from pancreatic cancer in September, King has been quoted as saying it will not be addressed on the show, “as it’s not charming.”Well, duh! Something that does fall into the charming category was his TV hubby Cantone shared that he misses the laughter that Garson brought to his life. Aww. CUT. PRINT. THAT’S A WRAP! As I write this, it’s easy to slip into a nostalgia coma regarding my own life, of how I used to be and thought life might end up in my 50s. I swore up and down I’d never get Botox. I have. Dye my hair? Heaven forfend! I’ve applied Just For Men to my beard on a few occasions. I believed that facial hair certainly wasn’t in the cards, after a botched attempt at growing what looked to be a dead caterpillar above my lip at 18. That simple example shows that you never know, or can predict, where things might end up. I didn’t ever figure on marrying my love of pop culture and writing together until I was 31; receiving the bonus of interviewing celebrities and giving my take on entertainment because of that revelation. And just like that, I’m almost 53, and have gone through prostate cancer and radiation treatment this past year with the same verve I mustered to tackle life’s problems in my 20s. I think back on the people who have come and gone in my life. Those individuals and I, who for whatever reason, outgrew each other like a friendship version of 1970s Toughskins pants following a growth spurt. Is life everything that I had hoped for? Mostly. Did I become a working writer, a published author even, as I had dreamed about since the age of 5? Yes. Do I wish I could go back and fix past mistakes with relationships? Maybe, but only to reduce the time spent in hopeless situations. Do I wish I didn’t risk carpal tunnel when selecting the year I was born in from a pulldown bar on websites? Ab-so-****ing-lotuely as Mr. Big was prone to say. Until next time, that’s all of the news that’s fit to print.

Photos by Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

film

by chris carpenter

FROM CONFUSION TO ARTISTRY THE BEST AND WORST MOVIES OF 2021

Moviegoing returned to some degree of normalcy in 2021 after coming to a COVID-related halt for most of 2020. However, confusion often reigned supreme. Has my favorite theatre re-opened? Is that movie I want to see in theatres, only streaming, or both? And do I really have to wear a mask the whole time I’m in the theatre? (Answer: Yes!) Virtually every movie involving superheroes did well at the box office, while others struggled. As 2022 begins, several traditional film awards events have been postponed or canceled. Most of these are the result of the latest COVID-19 surge, although the Golden Globes have been under fire since it was revealed early last year that the organization behind them has no Black members and a history of excluding more Black-themed productions. So what movies, especially of LGBTQ interest, have emerged as awards contenders? There are at least two major entries that have already won some significant honors. The Power of the Dog is the first feature film in 12 years by celebrated writer-director Jane Campion (The Piano, In the Cut). It is based on an acclaimed 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, who was a closeted gay man for most of his life. The plot centers on Phil Burbank, a closeted gay cattle rancher in 1920s Montana. When his brother unexpectedly marries a woman with a more openly gay son, the rancher’s carefully cultivated life starts to become unraveled. Benedict Cumberbatch stars in The Power of the Dog as the conflicted Phil

THE BEST...

and is already racking up Best Actor awards from critic groups. Kirsten Dunst, as the new sister-in-law Phil vindictively tortures, is in the running for Best Supporting Actress nods. The true revelation, though, is Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter, the newly arrived object of Phil’s growing affection. I expect him to be nominated as Best Supporting Actor by many organizations including the Academy. Campion and cinematographer Ari Wegner are also certain nominees. This year’s other big LGBTQ contender is Flee, a unique animated documentary about Amin Nawabi, who shares his story as a gay refugee from Afghanistan now living in Denmark. It premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Award in the World Cinema Documentary competition. It has since been honored by many critic groups as 2021’s best documentary. Most significantly, it could be the first film to be nominated by the Academy as both Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature. It could also potentially be nominated as Best Picture. We shall see when Oscar nominations are announced on Sunday, February 8. Which movies did this sometimes-confused critic experience as the best — and worst — artistic achievements of 2021? Ask no longer! (Note: Some award contenders including Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up were not made available to the critics group of which I am a member, GALECA, before press time so could not be considered here.)

THE POWER OF THE DOG (Netflix) For all the reasons mentioned above, plus its potent critique of homophobia and toxic masculinity. I also appreciated that it shows gay men in a darker but more balanced, nuanced light than we have become accustomed to in gay-themed studio films of the last decade or so.

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

BELFAST (Focus Features) Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical, lovable look at his boyhood in violence-torn Northern Ireland. Its great cast of potential Oscar nominees includes adorable newcomer Jude Hill as little Kenneth (named Buddy here), Jamie Dornan and Caitrona Balfe as his parents, and veteran actors Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench as his grandparents. The movie also features a great score and songs by veteran rocker and Belfast native Van Morrison.

CYRANO (United Artists), IN THE HEIGHTS (Warner Bros) and TICK, TICK . . . BOOM! (Netflix) 2021 was an excellent year for live-action musicals, with one notable exception (see my worst list on Page 18). These three were the best of the crop. The first is a deeply moving, pop-inflected version of the classic play headlined by a singing Peter Dinklage. The other two are Lin-Manuel Miranda stage adaptations boasting diverse casts including LGBTQ characters. Former (and multiversal) Spider-Man Andrew Garfield gives a terrific performance in Tick, Tick . . . Boom! as late Rent creator Jonathan Larson.

I CARE A LOT (Netflix) and RED ROCKET (A24) Immoral lead characters doing despicable things have rarely been so deliciously entertaining. Rosamund Pike stars in the first as a conservator who preys on wealthy elderly people. She gets her well-deserved comeuppance via the vicious gangster son of one of her victims. Meanwhile, art imitates life somewhat in Red Rocket wherein real-life former porn star Simon Rex plays a former porn star who returns to his Texas home and sparks all kinds of havoc. Both films offer smart, frequently funny takes on cynical subjects.

FLEE (Neon) and FAUCI (National Geographic). The aforementioned Flee deserves its accolades as one of the best documentaries of the year. Also important and timely is Fauci, an insightful look at the National Institutes of Health czar who first steered the USA through the AIDS crisis and is now trying his best to get us through COVID-19.

MOFFIE (IFC Films) and SWAN SONG (Magnolia Pictures) The two best gay-themed narrative films of the year. Moffie is a heart-rending, beautifully shot exploration of a young gay man’s coming of age during the persecution of South Africa’s apartheid era. Out director Todd Stephen’s delightful Swan Song (not to be confused with another 2021 release titled Swan Song that stars Mahershala Ali) features a career-best turn by Udo Kier as a fabled hairstylist lured out of retirement for one last job, plus a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Urie and Linda Evans.

THE HUMANS (A24) and MASS (Bleecker Street) Two dramas that continue to haunt me long after I finished watching them. The Humans is Stephen Karam’s adaptation of his Tony Award-winning play about a troubled family confronting figurative and literal ghosts in one member’s rundown apartment. Mass depicts a fraught but ultimately redemptive encounter between the parents of a school shooting’s perpetrator and the parents of one of his victims. Both films boast great ensemble work from their numerous stars.

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

THE GREEN KNIGHT (A24)

ETERNALS and SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (both Marvel/Disney) The best comic book-inspired adventures out of a crowded field of blockbusters. Asian-American filmmakers brought a welcome maturity and inclusiveness to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Eternals featuring its first openly gay (and married!) superhero. Their special effects are spectacular and the casting of both movies is inspired, most winningly Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu and Awkwafina.

An unusual but memorable take on an Arthurian legend by gifted filmmaker David Lowery. Poetic, unsettling, funny and visually ravishing, it also marks lead actor Dev Patel’s best work to date.

THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES (Sony Pictures Animation/Netflix) and RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (Disney) 2021 was also an excellent year for animated movies but these two struck me as the most unique. Both are led by strong female characters and Katie, the main protagonist in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, is queer. They are also bold creative visions that truly offer something for everyone.

...AND, THE WORST

ARMY OF THE DEAD (Netflix). Pregnant zombies? That’s only one of the baffling excesses to be found in Zach Snyder’s ridiculous wannabe epic of the undead. (Ironically, its 2021 prequel titled Army of Thieves narrowly missed being included among my best film picks.) DEAR EVAN HANSEN (Universal). Definitely not one of the year’s best musicals. Ben Platt may have won the Tony Award for his performance of the title character on Broadway, but he is visibly too old to play the role on the screen. Ditto Julianne Moore as his mother. The film’s more straightforward approach also unconsciously heightens Evan’s unhealthy behavior to an unappealing degree. THE SUICIDE SQUAD (Warner Bros). A needless, graphically violent reboot/sequel to 2016’s more entertaining Suicide Squad. Not even Margot Robbie’s vivacious Harley Quinn could save it. DUNE (Warner Bros). I’m a decades-long fan of the sci-fi novel and was greatly disappointed by this adaptation’s glacial pace and dull characterizations. David Lynch’s much-maligned 1984 version covered the whole book in less time and was decidedly more energetic. (It is also gayer.) THE LOST DAUGHTER (Netflix). Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut has been widely acclaimed but I found it baffling, although Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley are great as usual. Sorry Maggie, yours is the most overrated movie of 2021.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and cinematic 2022 for all of us!

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

Chris Carpenter has been writing about entertainment since 1996 and a member of Team Rage since 2012. He is a founding member and vice president emeritus of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

health and wellness

by tony reverditto

GETTING IN THE SPIRIT OF THINGS WITH

TIM BRAUN F

ive years ago, I did a sitting with spirit medium, Tim Braun, and I was blown away on how he could possibly know such specific things about my dearly departed loved ones. I knew it was time to catch up with him and share his latest insights. Braun is an internationally renowned medium and has conducted more than 17,000 sittings over the past 22 years. Born in Whittier, California, he is the youngest of six children. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies. Braun resides in Orange County with Kevin, his domestic partner for 24 years. Braun said it is his desire and mission to heal those with grief of loss, and to re-establish the ties lost with those who are no longer with us. He believes our love is the link that allows us to connect with those on the other side. Many of Braun’s clients have had their lives changed dramatically and been given hope that there is a place of beauty and joy that exists at the end of our lives on this Earth. Loved ones are there, and love doesn’t die, but is taken to this place called “the other side.” He has been lecturing and reading for private clients for more than 22 years. Hollywood celebrities, renowned athletes and international corporate leaders have embraced him. Braun has appeared on television in Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County and the TLC network show, Sin City Rules, and has been interviewed on CBS Radio’s Sundays with Rolonda and The Good Life Radio Canada. His first book Life and Death was published in 2015 simultaneously in the United States, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, and he has been doing his work in those countries as well as in Ireland and Japan.

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

When did you first realize that you had this special gift of seeing spirit? That was when I was 6 years of age, and at that time I started to see and hear spirit. At that time, I didn’t really know what it meant; I just thought it was quite normal. Then at that same time my brother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, so he was hearing voices and I was hearing voices and he was seeing and hearing things that I wasn’t, and I thought I was losing my mind. When I was 7, every time I saw spirit to the left, I would turn to the right, if I saw it on the left, I would turn to the right. I tried to ignore it as much as I could. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I allowed myself to open up again. That was about the time that I was finishing up college and going to India to work with Mother Teresa. When we did our last interview and reading 5 years ago, you saw things that no one could possibly know. How do you spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically maneuver and know when to allow communication from the other side to come through? Great question. Every time I do a sitting with my clients, whether is a large group like I saw with you at Pala Casino with 700-plus people or even if it is a one-on-one, I like to do a two-minute guided meditation. That basically tells spirit that I am working and that my barber-shop light is turning and open for business. When I do my closing meditation, that is turning off that barber-shop light. It’s letting spirit know, don’t bother me anymore. When I open up, anything that comes to my mind, anything that I see, feel, hear or taste . . . I say it because it is coming from spirit. I have to trust that every time I am doing a sitting that I open up. How do you navigate a reading with someone who has closed-off energy? That’s more difficult. When a client comes to see me, all they must do is be open-minded with an open heart. They don’t have to say anything. If a person comes in extremely skeptical, closed down or negative, they block the energy. It doesn’t work nearly as well. I was doing a group of 12 people and this man was coming through talking about the old ‘57 Chevy and the guy said I don’t understand, that doesn’t make sense. His

friend next to him said: “Don’t you get that? Your dad gave you a ‘57 Chevy.”The guy said: “Yeah, but that was a long time ago.” He was simply being pessimistic. That kind of attitude shuts it down considerably. As a medium, you have experienced many supernatural phenomena from the other side, so what has surprised you the most? One of the many things that comes to mind is when I was doing a sitting for a 67-year-old client. So, her father through spirit kept saying “Please give my love to your brother and sister.” She said I only have a brother; I don’t have a sister. I said it three or more times during the sitting and she was getting annoyed with me. On her way out, I told her don’t forget to tell your brother and sister. She really thought that I was messing with her. She gave me a look and slammed the door and stormed off. About two weeks later, I get a call from her, crying hysterically, saying do you remember me. Of course, I did. She said I called my brother in New York to tell him the crap you were telling me and he said: “Well, it’s time that you know that dad had an affair back in the day and we have a half-sister!” She said, “I am 67 f***ing years of age, when do think it was time to tell me?” So, the moral of the story is that sometimes things come through that aren’t expected, and even surprise me. What tool would you recommend for people to open up receptivity and awareness to the belief of an afterlife and making contact with those on the other side? Daily meditation, whether it is 2 or 3 minutes or 15 to 20 minutes a day, if you can find a quiet spot. Just close your eyes and sit there in silence is a great way to connect with spirit. Another suggestion is always trust your instincts. As children, we possess that openness and receptivity. When we grow older, we don’t say things because it is not appropriate. A good example is a little 5-year-old boy is at a Catholic church and his mom says go give Father O’Reilly a hug and the boy resists saying, “I don’t want to do it,” the mother wants to take a picture of them together and he won’t do it. It is later revealed that this priest was not a good person. The child was picking up on it. Or on the flipside, the little boy runs up to a homeless

person to give them a hug and the mom spanks him. When in reality this homeless person is actually a very kind person who fell on hard times. Bottom-line, trust your intuition and senses with a relationship, person or job. It might look good, but if it doesn’t feel good always trust that. Good advice. We have all been through an unimaginable crazy two years with this pandemic, so are there any rebound tools you can recommend for those who are having difficulty readjusting to the new normal? I always suggest doing a gratitude journal. Every night before you go to sleep, write down five things that you are grateful for. If you duplicate on a given night, that’s alright as long as you mean it. For example, if you see someone at a bus stop, be grateful that you have a car; or if you are in good health, be grateful for that as so many people are not. Doing this daily will remind you of what you have and what others don’t have. Even the smallest little things make a difference. Sure, after the pandemic, you lost your job and finances are tight, but at least your alive and walking and have the chance to turn things around. How do you master a reading over the phone? I always tell clients that is all by thought whether you are sitting in person or doing it by phone. Those that are coming through from spirit are sending it through via thought. If you really want to have the best experience, make sure you meditate beforehand for maybe 10 or 15 minutes. If not meditation, sit quiet making sure there are no distractions. If you are in a quiet space like I am, it works just as well. Is there something in your career path that you would like to achieve outside of the lifechanging work that you have accomplished thus far? I would really love to do a TV show and hit the mass audiences to help as many people as I can. But it would have to be done in the right way without all the negative drama that a lot of shows have. That is definitely a goal.

Book a sitting and sign up for the newsletter at TimBraunMedium.com. Follow on Instagram, Facebook under “tim braun medium” and twitter @timbraunmedium and on YouTube. 626.308.1614

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

rage recommends

by bill biss

EMELINE

A NEW ATTITUDE FOR 2022

ffervescent, exciting, eclectic and elegant in her own way, EMELINE caught my eye and my musical sensibilities with her latest single, “This is How I Learned to Say No.” This new singer with the all-caps name has all the qualities to truly be a music force of her own creation. EMELINE will be one to watch and listen to in 2022. Her songwriting, lyrical style and voice stun the senses. Here is what she had to say in an interview with The RAGE Monthly. When you write songs, when do you feel you’ve hit the bull’s-eye lyrically of what you are trying to say emotionally for yourself and to impact others? I love to be brutally honest with my experiences. That can either make people uncomfortable or comforted. When lyrics hit you on the nose but also sound good as a poem, I’ve hit the bull’s-eye. “This is How I Learn to Say No” is my go-to de-stress or “distress” song right now. The moment I saw you on the beach looking all bad ass with that flapper-style haircut and singing what you were singing . . . Let’s just say you had me hook, line and sinker. The look is a combination “Isabella Rossellini” and “20’s angst.” How did the video shoot go? Wow. Thank you for the Isabella comparison. The shoot was really fun and really cold. It was beautiful to bring the words to life somewhere scenic. I have a photo of one of my very best friends growing up sitting on a rock like in your music video for “This is . . . ”That was a nice touch. Don’t want to get too heavy, but she turned out to be a lesbian and I’m gay. I wanted to play with her Barbie, and she wanted to toss the football. Lost touch with her over 30 years ago but we grew up together in Ohio. I love that my work could make you nostalgic!

What was it like for you growing up in Providence, Rhode Island? And, how old were you, when you found your spark to write and sing? I love my hometown. It’s where a lot of my creativity and identity was developed. Ever since I knew what music was, I was coming up with my own melodies. I’ve been writing since before I can remember. In your life, which musical artists influenced you most and why? There’s a long list. The Beatles taught me about great pop. So did Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. I took a lot of influence from Elliot Smith and Alanis Morissette. I love the other two songs you are currently releasing this year. I’ve heard “Flowers and Sex.” Also, I totally empathize with “What It Means to Be a Girl.” So, EMELINE, please share your hopes and dreams for 2022? I sure hope they’re as grand and good as I’m enjoying your musical messages right now. I’m going to be releasing my first body of work! It’s been a lifelong dream to release an EP and it’s going to be a project of my favorite songs I’ve written all in one place. Thank you and the very best of luck and continued success. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me!

Bill Biss has been writing since 2000 about the people who create magic in music, film and book. His knowledge of the

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

entertainment business has even impressed gossip columnist Liz Smith. He has been a member of Team Rage since its inception in 2007.

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on stage

by lisa lipsey

LAUGHING AT OURSELVES WITH

h c n y L e n a J T

his theatre lover first zeroed in on Jane Lynch (stage credits include Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Second City) when she made her Broadway debut in 2013 as Mrs. Hannigan in the revival of Annie. It all happened in the afterglow of Lynch’s Grinchy, wonderfully awful role on Glee as cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester. The RAGE Monthly caught up with the Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe award-winning actress, singer, playwright and author. Lynch has been filling her COVID-19 time with music, laughter and her natural love of home. Most recently, Lynch returned to the stage with Kate Flannery (most famous for nine seasons on The Office as Meredith the drunk.) Together they are presenting a cabaret show dubbed Two Lost Souls. It debuted in 2018 at New York City’s legendary venue, The Carlyle. Lynch and Flannery first met in the Chicago comedy scene in the late 1980s, and their first concert tour was developed in 2015. “After both of our TV shows, hers being The Office, mine Glee, went off air, we decided to hit the road together. The first song that Kate suggested we sing together was ‘Two Lost Souls’ from Damn Yankees. I said, ‘Yes, let’s sing that song, and also it sounds like a perfect title for our act.’ Our show is subtitled ‘… like the Rat Pack but with a Couple of Broads’ because our relationship is very much based on being a couple of old throwbacks music-wise and being old-school show business,” Lynch said. “I love being on stage with Kate. She’s a wild card. She’s unpredictable and a throwback to the late ‘50s studio singers. She can sing a harmony to anything; she can hold the melody in beautiful form. We have the same taste in music, mostly old stuff although we do rap some Nicki Minaj at the end, and it is not to be missed.” On the screen-side of life, Lynch continues to be a busy bee. Amazon has announced the Season 4 release date for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. It will drop on Prime on February 18, 2022. “Sophie Lennon is quite prevalent in Season 4. I can’t wait for everybody to see it. It’s just a real masterpiece of a show,” Lynch said about her supporting character on the show. Then there are the NBC game shows Hollywood Game Night and The Weakest Link. “The thing with Hollywood game night is that we never know if we’re going to be given a slot on the schedule or not. It’s always a very nice surprise when we are given an order. I hope it’ll come back but I

www.rage.lgbt | JANUARY 2022

am enjoying hosting The Weakest Link. That will be premiering its second season very soon,” she said. On stage, Lynch just completed a run of shows based on her 2016 Christmas album, A Swingin’ Little Christmas (recorded and performed with Flannery). “It was a joy to get back on stage. In fact, I just returned from our tour. It was all canceled last year and we really missed being on the road — being in the Christmas swing. This tour, the houses were packed and happy and joyous. The back-and-forth was just electric. We were all happy to be out of our houses and back into a communal sharing of the love of comedy and damn good music. Even though we were masked and had to show proof of vaccination, it was all good,” Lynch said. Life always has its curve balls and challenges, but Lynch’s philosophy is to “unearth the comedy, the absurdity and the irony in life. It is the only way to go. I think that’s what makes people funny. We recognize our own irony and absurdity, and when presented to others we can laugh at ourselves. It’s so important to laugh at ourselves.” To budding LGBTQ performers, Lynch’s advice is: “I would say don’t focus on yourself as a young LGBTQ performer. Open your world up, open your mind up. You’ll certainly have a unique perspective but be careful not to pigeonhole yourself into one aspect of your experience.” Outside of the spotlight and screens, Lynch said, “I’m passionate about my home, its comfort and its beauty. I’m passionate about the people in my home, and those who come and go through my guest house. It’s all about home for me and keeping the home fires burning. I’m a Cancer. Can’t help it.” When asked about work-life balance, Lynch said, “I don’t focus on balance. I don’t really think about it. I don’t feel unbalanced. I feel kind of steady as she goes. I rocksteady. ‘Steady rockin’ all night long.’ If you’re too young to know, this is a song by The Whispers from the late ‘80s.” Lynch and Flannery will perform Two Lost Souls at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from Thursday, January 27, through Saturday, January 29. 714.556.2787 or scfta.org All Segerstrom Center ticket-holders must wear a mask AND provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours of performance or a negative Antigen test taken within 6 hours of performance. Ticketholders over the age of 18 must also bring photo ID.

“

UNEARTH THE COMEDY, THE ABSURDITY AND THE IRONY IN LIFE. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO. I THINK THAT’S WHAT MAKES PEOPLE FUNNY. WE RECOGNIZE OUR OWN IRONY AND ABSURDITY, AND WHEN PRESENTED TO OTHERS WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES.

”

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

on stage

by andrew j stillman

GEORGE MICHAEL TRIBUTE SHOW RE-LIVES LEGEND’S MUSICAL CAREER

eorge Michael is an icon of fashion and a legend in the music industry. His death in 2016 was felt by many, but his legacy lives on. Fortunately, fans of his music can head out for another live showing of The Life and Music of George Michael, a concert set up in his honor. The RAGE Monthly sat down with one of the stars of the show, New York City actor/singer Craig Winberry, to chat about what to expect. “I will do the material for later in George’s career,” he said, noting that the earlier material is sung by British performer Rory Phelan. “It’s a concert-style show, not a musical, that’s basically the catalog of George’s hits. We’re really covering the spectrum of his career from the teenybopper music to his more mature content later on.” As for Winberry, music has always been a part of his life, starting when he followed in his mother’s footsteps to sing in the church choir. Additionally, the music program in his small school started the itch for more professional engagements. After moving to New York City about eight years ago, he followed all the musical opportunities sent his way, which eventually landed him the offer to play George Michael last summer. Among the many things Winberry is looking forward to is the fashion on display in the show. “He had so many great looks,” Winberry said. “You always knew it was a George look just by seeing it. Kids are still rocking the leather jacket and jeans from Faith. I like the suits, which I’ll be wearing. I like how he was just doing his thing and shaking it to get the party started.” Winberry is also more than aware of the big shoes he’s stepping into,

and he’s very fond of George’s entire discography: “’Jesus to a Child’ on Older — I love that whole album. He’d lost his lover to AIDS, and that album is him processing his grief and it’s a romantic love letter to losing someone you love. I’ve seen him talk about how that album was so impactful on him. It was basically his first major relationship with a man, and he thought he was the one, so it’s him processing that loss.” Even though Craig won’t be covering songs from that album, he said, “’Amazing’ [from Patience] is a fun bop to sing. You can still listen to that on the radio today. I also love singing some more of the jazzier stuff he has. He was such a master of his voice and what he could do with it. He always refreshed his old hits and kind of remixed them as he went.” Outside of enjoying every second of this opportunity, Craig added, “I’m so very honored to share this. I’m looking forward to seeing this beautiful country and interacting with George’s huge fan base. You can guarantee we’re going to bring it and have a great time.” Calling all George Michael fans, get ready to dance again when The Life and Music of George Michael comes to Southern California on Thursday, January 20 at The Magnolia in El Cajon and Saturday, January 22 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. thelifeandmusicofgm.com/north-american-tour-dates Note: The producers of The Life and Music of George Michael will donate $1 per ticket sold to Gods Love We Deliver to help serve the community and those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses.

JANUARY 2022 | @theragemonthly

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