Los Angeles Blade, Volume 10, Issue 20, October 23, 2026 by Los Angeles Blade

(Photo by Kim Newmoney)

ﬁnds humor in unlikely places, PAGE 02

THE Palm Springs Issue!

OCTOBER 23, 2026 • VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 20 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

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Care that fits you. Not the other way around. We provide friendly support and dedicated resources for the LGBTQIA+ community, helping you access high-quality health coverage and inclusive care that’s respectful of who you are. For free support, visit CoveredCA.com or call 800-300-1506.

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said she later learned the man’s name was Kyle Brazeal. $0D,'%.(*%*&8)),-C%I4,%4(-%G(1,-%&'()*?4/D3(%D,G/',%D8&% not at an LGBTQ bar. Not in West Hollywood. <P%.(*%3)%(%G822%0/0,)&%/G%Q8*&%G'8*&'(&3/)J%()+,'J=%*4,%*(3-C% $0D,'% *(3-% *4,% *2(00,-% 4,'% ?(20% /)% &4,% D(&4'//0% -//'% and stormed oﬀ, going back to her friends who were still chat&3)+%(&%&4,3'%&(D2,C

J-%2&K(,,*'((1&=32*&=(0$L3,&L#$131#2-&(/&'#!0%1'%& %7-#M%&10"3$N&#&L#$131#2-&O("0)&#2&.-#L6-%&!"(73L#$#&($& C-72H&8P5&898AH&&QR6(2(&S*&=#,-S&+#0O)#$TB(%&D$N-,-%&.,#1-U

$0D,'B*% G'3,)-*% *(.% *4,% .(*% 8?*,&C% <P% *(&% -/.)J% ()-% 07% G'3,)-*%@),.%*/0,&43)+%.(*%.'/)+J=%*4,%*(3-C%>4,)%$0D,'% told her friends she was called a slur. <>4,7%.,',J%23@,J%.(3&J%.4(&]=%*4,%*(3-C%<^A,'7D/-7%.(*%3)% G8)H-'3)@3)+%0/-,J%*/%&4,7%-3-)B&%8)-,'*&()-%.4(&%4(-%/1H 18'',-C= $0D,'%*(&%.(&143)+%&4,%D(&4'//0C%$*%*//)%(*%:'(;,(2%,F3&H ,-J%*4,%.(2@,-%/A,'%&/%1/)G'/)&%430%(D/8&%.4(&%4,%*(3-C “What did you call me?” Amber loudly asked him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the slur and saw him throw the purse at Amber. $G&,'%:'(;,(2%&4',.%&4,%?8'*,%()-%8*,-%&4,%()&3H&'()*%*28'J% $0D,'%*4/A,-%430%()-%&4,%&./%+/&%3)&/%(%*4/8&3)+%0(&14J% (11/'-3)+%&/%$0D,'C%#'(A,)%(2*/%',1(22,-%*,,3)+%<*4/A3)+=%D8&% -3-%)/&%*?,13G7%.4/%-3-%.4(&C%>4,%&./%.,',%*//)%*,?('(&,-% by security and staﬀ. #'(A,)%T831@27%1(22,-%&4,%/.),'*%/G%E70%:('J%^'3@%:'(A,'H 0()%()-%X/)(&4()%#/&&',22J%&/%3)G/'0%&4,0%/G%.4(&%4(??,),-C% `#/&&',22% 3*% (2*/% 18'',)&27% '8))3)+% G/'% 5,*&% 6/227.//-% #3&7% #/8)132aC%#'(A,)%4(-%@)/.)%#/&&',22%()-%:'(A,'0()%G/'%7,('*% ()-%1/)*3-,',-%&4,0%G'3,)-*C%>4,%/.),'*%&4,)%&/2-%E70%:('B*%

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+,),'(2%0()(+,'%(D/8&%&4,%3)13-,)&C I//)J% &4,% +,),'(2% 0()(+,'% *?/@,% .3&4% :'(;,(2% ()-% <972,% .(*%(*@,-%&/%2,(A,%&4,%D('J=%#'(A,)%*(3-C%S?/)%D,3)+%(*@,-% &/%2,(A,J%:'(;,(2%D,+()%7,223)+%?'/G()3&3,*%()-%<8*,-%&4,%./'-% V&'())7B%&/.('-%$0D,'%(+(3)J=%#'(A,)%*(3-C%>8'?3)%(2*/%',1(22*% :'(;,(2%8*3)+%&4,%*28'%(*%4,%.(*%(*@,-%&/%2,(A,C%<6,%@,?&%*(7H ing ‘tranny,’” according to Turpin. >4,%3)13-,)&%2,G&%$0D,'%*4(@,)C%$G&,'.('-*J%*4,%*(&%-/.)% .3&4%4,'%G'3,)-*J%()-%#'(A,)%()-%>8'?3)%&'3,-%&/%14,,'%4,'%8?% D7%0(@3)+%Q/@,*%(D/8&%&4,%*3&8(&3/)C%P&%-3-)B&%30?'/A,%4,'%*?3'H its. <I4,%.(*%Q('',-b%3&%4(??,),-%(&%(%D('%&4(&%*4,%1/)*3-,'*%(% *(G,%*?(1,J=%#'(A,)%*(3-C%6,%-,*1'3D,-%$0D,'%(*%<(%A,'7%?'3H vate person” and said that she was satisfied with how Gym Bar handled the situation and did not file any complaints with law enforcement. $0D,'%*(3-%&4(&%&30,%1/)*&'(3)&*%(2*/%G(1&/',-%3)&/%4,'%-,H 13*3/)%&/%)/&%*?,(@%&/%&4,%?/231,C%I4,%.(*%23A3)+%3)%(%4/8*3)+% ?'/+'(0%.3&4%()%,)G/'1,-%cN%?C0C%18'G,.J%0,()3)+%*4,%4(-% &/%2,(A,%&4,%D('%*//)%(G&,'%&4,%3)13-,)&%/118'',-%&/%+,&%4/0,% in time. $0D,'%&//@%()%SD,'%&/%+/%4/0,%()-%-3-%)/&%*,,%:'(;,(2% again. ‘No throwing of the bag, no hate speech or anti-trans stuff’ :8&%(11/'-3)+%&/%U/2()-/*%!3(&*/*J%&4,%3)13-,)&%&4(&%,A,)3)+% played out very differently. Liatsos said he went to Gym Bar .3&4%:'(;,(2%()-%(%G,.%/&4,'*%&/%1,2,D'(&,%(%G'3,)-B*%D3'&4-(7C% >4,%&./%4(A,%@)/.)%,(14%/&4,'%G/'%0/',%&4()%(%-,1(-,%()-% (',%+//-%G'3,)-*C%!3(&*/*%3*%(2*/%:'(;,(2B*%1(0?(3+)%&',(*8','C $11/'-3)+%&/%!3(&*/*J%(G&,'%4()+3)+%/8&%(&%&4,%D('J%:'(;,(2% .,)&%&/%+,&%3)%23),%G/'%&4,%D(&4'//0%()-%.(*%/)%&4,%?4/),C% ")1,%:'(;,(2%,)&,',-%&4,%D(&4'//0%4,%*(.%$0D,'J%.4/0%4,% 4(-%),A,'%0,&%D,G/',J%',&8')%&/%(%&(D2,%.3&4%4,'%G'3,)-*C%I4,% seemed very upset. :'(;,(2%*//)%,F3&,-%&4,%',*&'//0J%1(''73)+%&4,%?8'*,%$0H D,'%4(-%2,G&C%:'(;,(2%.(2@,-%8?%&/%&4,%&(D2,%()-%(&&,0?&,-%&/% 4()-%&4,%?8'*,%D(1@%&/%$0D,'%D8&%.(*%*&/??,-%D7%4,'%G'3,)-*% .4/%0/A,-%&/%*&()-%D,&.,,)%&4,0C%>4,)%&4,7%*&('&,-%('+8H ing and yelling at each other. :8&%),A,'%(&%()7%?/3)&%-3-%:'(;,(2%&4'/.%&4,%?8'*,J%(11/'-H 3)+%&/%!3(&*/*C%<>4,',%Y.(*Z%)/%&4'/.3)+%/G%&4,%D(+J%)/%4(&,% speech or anti-trans stuff,” Liatsos said. 6,%(2*/%12(30*%&4(&%4,%-3-%)/&%*,,%()7/),%+,&%*4/A,-J%/'% &4,% &./% ?('&3,*% +,&&3)+% ?47*31(2% 3)% ()7% .(7C% <>4,',% .(*% )/% physical contact,” he said. $G&,'% &4,% ('+83)+% D,&.,,)% :'(;,(2% ()-% $0D,'B*% G'3,)-*J% Gym Bar staff asked Brazeal and his friends to leave. “Good, 2,&B*%Q8*&%+/J%[%2,&B*%-,G8*,%&4,%*3&8(&3/)J=%!3(&*/*%',1(22,-%&43)@H ing. Soon after, he, Brazeal, and their friends left the bar. !3(&*/*%2(&,'%2,('),-%G'/0%:'(;,(2%&4(&%4,%@)/1@,-%/)%&4,% D(&4'//0%-//'%(*%$0D,'%.(*%3)*3-,J%.4314%4,%D,23,A,-%8?*,&% 4,'C%<P%*,,%&43*%(*%(%*3&8(&3/)%,*1(2(&3)+%G'/0%@)/1@3)+%(&%&4,% door, feeling rushed,” and nothing more, Liatsos said. =<E!VEW>C&D!&B<CDEF>B>C.BDG>H=<I

!"#$!

!"#$%&'"(%)%*+,-)".$%/0"*+"1234"56,%7.)"809+,0"*:0";%7*0, Traveler Ed Walsh shares his Palm Springs highlights to check out this fall !"#$%#&'()* %&'() *+,-./0) -0) /1&,-./) 2+) 34,) &) 5206) 3&'') 7-/7'-/7819) 56) 871) :;87) &..-<1,0&,6) 43) %,-91)+'&..19)34,)871)=11>1.9)43)?4<@)ABC87@)D71)%,-91)3108-<&')4.)*&82,9&6E)?4<@)F)-0) free and the Pride parade steps off on Sunday, Nov. 8. If you can get there early, the Pride block party will be on Arenas road starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. Before Pride, women took center stage with The Dinah, which ran this year from Weds, Sept. 30 to Sun., Oct. 4. The Dinah 2026 included headliner Hayley Kiyoko, alongside Da Brat, Sasha Keable, and The Aces. Leather Pride kicks off the weekend before Pride, Thurs. Oct. 29- Sun., Nov.1. Leather will overlap with Halloween this year. Arenas Road will host its annual Halloween block party on Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The desert rewards those who can brave the heat in September with the Greater Palm Springs Spa Month. Check out the Greater Palm Springs Website (<-0-8/,1&81,B palmsprings.com) for the deals. If you have never been to Desert Hot Springs, spa month is a good time to relax in mineral water for which the city is named. Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa Oasis is one of the best with indoor and outdoor mineral baths and famous pebble-lined stream “reflexology” walkway giving you a 3448)(&00&/1)&.9)04&>@

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Another good day trip outside Palm Springs city limits is Indio. Its downtown is undergoing a major resurgence, highlighted by its new City Hall and library. Indio unveiled a public art installation last summer in the heart of downtown. The 65- and 75foot colorful robot-like sculptures called “The Messengers” were ﬁrst displayed at the Coachella music festival in 2023 and are now permanently on display in Indio. Be sure to check out “The Place.” It is an indoor collective of local, independent, and inspiring artists. Two of those artists are Indio native Adolfo Vasquez and his husband, former LA resident Vincent Sandoval. They run the Chicano Candle company, which includes a candle bar where you can put together a unique scent that inspires you.

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Palm Springs has two new queer landmarks put up over the past year. In October, a 65-foot Pride flagpole was installed at the corner of Arenas Road at Indian Canyon Drive, across from the Arenas District. Also in October 2025, the 8-foot-tall multicolored Pride Monument was unveiled at Frances Stevens Park at 500 N. Palm Canyon Drive, about a 15-minute walk from Arenas Road. The Greater Palm Springs area has more gay resorts than any other place on the planet. Palm Springs offers 10 gay male resorts in city limits and neighboring Cathedral City has the largest resort in the area, Cathedral City Boys Club (CCBC). Sadly, Palm Springs’ only downtown gay resort, Canyon Club Hotel, closed in December and is being converted into a mainstream property. All the gay resorts are clothing optional. Most provide free continental breakfast and some throw in a free lunch. The fabulous Santiago resort has the largest pool of any of the gay resorts and like its sister resorts, Twin Palms and Descanso, has a 24-hour free canteen where guests can help themselves to snacks and beverages. All three properties offer a free lunch and are known for pampering guests. The Triangle Inn is kitty-corner from Santiago and is an historic property in the mid-century modern motif for which Palm Springs is known. It has a well-deserved '46&')34''4=-./@ The other gay resorts are in the Warm Sands neighborhood and include Palm Springs first gay resort, El MIrasol Villas, Casa Oliver, Desert Paradise, Vista Grande, Hacienda Palm Springs and InnDulge. CCBC, Desert Paradise Resort and Casa Oliver are the only gay resorts that offer day passes. The space occupied by the legendary Barracks bar in Cathedral City will soon be reborn as the Cathedral City Eagle. Major construction has been underway at the property for months and it is scheduled to be open some time in October. Although the address is on E Palm Canyon Drive, it is a little hard to find even with GPS, because it is set back off the street behind the Arco station. The other two gay bars in Cathedral City are One Eleven, Roost and Runway, which is part of CCBC. The nightlife on Arenas Road has remained stable and on the north end of town, Toucans Tiki Lounge is going strong on Thursdays through Sundays. If you can get to Palm Springs by October 18, be sure to check out the exhibit “A Queer Arcana” at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The exhibit explores queer art and culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum is free on Thursdays 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. You can combine it with a visit to the Palm Springs Village Fest street fair on Palm Canyon Drive that runs 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. No visit to Palm Springs would be complete without a visit to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The summit has great hiking trails where you can comfortably hike even in the summer with temperatures as much as 40 degrees cooler than the city. The Palm Springs restaurant scene doesn’t disappoint. Boozehounds, on the north end of town, across from Toucans, is one of the more unique restaurants in town. They welcome dogs on the expansive patio, and the huge restaurant feels spacious even during the busiest times of the year. Be sure to try the pastrami sandwich. The other PS mainstays are the fab Trio, the upscale but down-to-earth Eight4Nine, and in the heart of downtown, Lulu’s, Pinocchio’s and the weekend drag brunches at Oscars, which is also famous for its Sunday Tea Dance. If you are looking for a late night bite, check out BlackBook on Arenas Road for casual gourmet bar food. For a uniquely queer overall tour of Palm Springs, check out Drag & Fly Tours, which features stadium-style sideways seating on a bus. A drag queen shows off highlights and history of the city. Red Jeep Tours is another great option if you want to explore 871)9101,8G0).&82,&')51&286@ If you want to avoid crowds and enjoy lower hotel prices, summer through October is a good time to visit. It’s also slower in the desert in the weeks just after Thanksgiving. Crowds pick up in Christmas week through New Years and then things usually slow down in January until around Valentines Day. For more information, the Greater Palm Springs official Web site is 788+0HII===@ visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/

!"#$!

!"#$%&'(")*+'$%',-*'.*+*/,0'12('3/".'45-/'"%.'6789'#**:',-*' ;2"<-*=="'>"==*?'<2%%*<,*. From building Palm Springs’ queer media scene to pushing back against social media censorship, Brad Fuhr is keeping the desert gay, connected, and on the air >6$LM$J<NLO

%&'()*+,(,-*'.(+&/0(1'*2(%34'(4*.(5--+(4-678+9(!:1;<=( voices find their frequency, from the radio waves of Chi-town to the evolving entertainment world of Los Angeles, and is now in his Palm Springs chapter. A true veteran of queer media who has spent his career connecting folks through broadcasting and storytelling, Fuhr seized the opportunity to provide the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ community with a comprehensive outlet that goes above and beyond the average tourist brochure. Enter Gay Desert Guide, the digital destination Fuhr launched in 2013 to assist both locals and tourists alike in discovering the people, places, and experiences that make the Palm Springs queer community so very one of a kind. In his role with KGAY, the LGBTQ+ radio station that made its comeback under his leadership in 2021, Fuhr has helped ensure that queer voices remain part of the local soundtrack. From navigating the seismic shifts in media consumption to taking on the realities of social media censorship, Fuhr has witnessed firsthand how technology can be used to bring communities together, as well as how it can divide them. We talked with Fuhr about fostering queer spaces and what it takes to keep Palm Springs’ vitality in an ever-changing media world. !"#$ %&'($ )*(+,$ -(.&-()$ /+$ 01"&-.&),/+2$ &+-$ 3(-/&4$ &+-$+"5$6"#7'($8"#+-$6"#1)(98$&$3&:"1$*&1,$"8$,%($;&93$ Springs queer community. What about Palm Springs first ."3*(99(-$6"#$,"$),&1,$&$+(5$.%&*,(1$/+$,%/)$<=>?@A$-()B (1,$"&)/)C I had been working in LGBTQ media since the 90s in Chicago, where I managed LesBiGay radio and worked for Windy City Times. When I came to Los Angeles, I worked with the progressive talk radio station owned by Clear Channel Radio, then moved over to run Pride Radio, which was their LGBTQ streaming service. So I had a great background that included my years in radio. After a 2009 downsizing, I went back to work for Emmis Interactive, where we consulted radio stations and print publications on digital strategy. !"#$%&'"()*+,+-&$'(8+(!&.($+9-6-.( *+2(.+/0)12"&$,()3&4' became clients, and I saw how quickly the media landscape was changing. .+/0)12"&$,()3&4' hired me to consult them in the summer of 2012. I brought the idea of Gay Desert Guide to them – a website focused on the large LGBTQ+ community that lived in and visited Greater Palm Springs. They declined, but said, “If you think it’s a good idea, you should go do it yourself!” So I took nearly a year to build the site, populate it, and launched it Labor Day weekend 2013. !"#$ &9)"$ 8"#+-(-$ ,%($ =&6$ D()(1,$ =#/-(E$ F%&,$ 5&)$ 3/))/+2$/+$,%($G"&.%(99&$H&99(6$,%&,$6"#$5&+,(-$,"$*1"B '/-(4$&+-$%"5$%&'($6"#$)((+$/,$.%&+2($"'(1$,%($6(&1)C The print publications of the day were either going out of business or were so rudimentary as to not be useful except as “bar rags”. I had watched !"#$%&'"()*+,+-&$')start to decline as print fell out of favor and websites started being a primary source for discovery. That was true in Palm Springs, where

we had some basic LGBT tourist information on the VisitPalmSprings.com site, but it wasn’t deep or broad enough for the amount of information that locals and visitors needed. !"#$%&'"()never covered entertainment or destinations very well, but I knew that’s what people wanted to know about. So I set out to build a comprehensive website that was focused on how people could spend their leisure time. But I built a business directory so that consumers had a place to vet LGBTQ friendly businesses. That helped sustain the site from a revenue standpoint and became a big part of why people visit. The biggest change has been the popularity of social media and for us to compete for eyeballs on those platforms. We had a huge Twitter/X platform – the #ILoveGay network created by Matt Skallerud and Pink Media. That was driving lots of site traffic until July 4 weekend two years ago when Elon and his people unceremoniously pulled the plug for “community standards violations”. We never got those accounts back. Recently, Meta stopped allowing us to share content to any groups - obstinately for the same “violation”. Every time one of us shared to any group, we got put in Facebook jail for a longer period of time. We are still fighting it, but so far no luck. KGAY is undoubtedly a significant voice for the LGBTQ+ ."33#+/,6$/+$,%($&1(&E$F%&,$5&)$6"#1$/+/,/&9$2"&9$8"1$,%($ ),&,/"+C$I&)$,%/)$2"&9$('"9'(-$"'(1$,/3(C The radio station came out of a nonprofit formed prior to my involvement called Qchella Media. It then recruited community members to be a part of its board of directors. With my experience in radio and my connection to the community, I was hired to be general manager of the station. In fact, I was the one who found the call letters KGAY and helped launch it in 2018. I brought on Chris Shebel as program director, as he had programmed successful dance music stations in Chicago and San Francisco. John Taylor was brought on as morning host, and we hired local DJs to do daily mix shows. The initial goal of the nonprofit was to use the on-air signal for music and entertainment, and create a podcast platform for longer-form programming and interviews. After less than a year, “creative differences” between the board and station ownership caused us to resign en masse just before Pride 2019. After the station languished through COVID-19, the owners approached me to purchase the station and keep it in LGBTQ hands. I brought back morning host John Taylor and program director Chris Shebel - we got the band back together and relaunched in July 2021. The station has grown significantly since then, with over 200,000 streaming listeners each month across the globe. Our biggest streaming market is Los Angeles. On January 1, KGAY moved to 103.1, and I converted our 106.5 frequency to Sunny 106.5, an adult contemporary format which also has appeal in the LGBTQ community. F%&,$&1($)"3($"8$,%($0/22(),$.%&+2()$6"#7'($)((+$/+$ ;&93$ J*1/+2)$ &)$ &$ 5%"9(C$ F%&,$ 3&K()$ ,%($ ."33#+/,6$

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%(1($-/),/+.,/'(C Palm Springs is such a unique market and setting in which to do business. We’re very seasonal - just the opposite of a summer vacation spot. So our summers are hot and less busy. But we have 9 splendid months of mostly great weather and opportunities to do so many outdoor activities. Some of the biggest changes that I have seen include an overall modernization of the city and its infrastructure. Roads have improved, the mix of retail is much better, and we have exciting restaurants and bars that serve a wide swath of the community. We’ve also added new attractions like the Palm Springs surf club and the BMW performance racing track. The city has become more sophisticated and provides a more elevated experience for tourists. That’s not to say someone on a budget can’t enjoy a quality weekend here; it still is aﬀordable, especially in the shoulder seasons. Hiking trails, nearby Joshua Tree, and the plentiful gay resorts with day passes all make this place special. L)$."++(.,(-$&)$6"#$&1($/+$,%($9".&9$0#)/+())$."33#B +/,64$5%&,$%&'($6"#$9(&1+(-$&0"#,$-"/+2$0#)/+())$/+$;&93$ J*1/+2)$,%&,$"+($."#9-$"+96$9(&1+$81"3$0(/+2$/+'"9'(-$/+$ /,C I’ve seen so many “business people” come and go. They typically arrive with a splash, but like a shooting star, they ﬂame out and are gone. It’s one of the recurring themes I see here. That’s not to say that someone with an entrepreneurial spirit won’t thrive, but it’s a matter of having humble beginnings and learning the community. And when you approach it from how you can contribute to the community rather than how much you can take away, people notice and reward you with their patronage. We’ve also become polarized politically. There’s a Facebook group - Gay Men of Palm Springs CA - that is the de facto judge and jury for businesses that are not supportive of our community. That’s not a group to be on the wrong side of. A number of restaurants are purported to be MAGA-owned and have been boycotted by group members, which total over 17,000. We have a directory on our GayDesertGuide.com website that has vetted local businesses for being supportive of our values, and we will not knowingly take advertising from unfriendly businesses. ;ALBOLPCK'8B'JAK8L7CJCK3J8MCN;A!

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LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 23, 2026 • 09

VIEWPOINT

!"#"$% $&'"('#")( !"#$#%&'()!*+#,-./0#1!(2)"#$'3# 4+*&51$)!5#6$1)7#$5)!8!")9 :+#;1!)+"#1+(<%$1%7#=&1#)2+#.%$3+9

6789:;!(6<!=84!>!?;@A!;?B:!;7!9:;!CDEE?FD;:G Flu season arrives early so protect yourself now #$%&'(')%)*+',+('-, -.'/00'12'3456789:'/78'6;67'<=.96'46/857>'<=59'?=.'/46'7.<:' it is time to get your flu and COVID vaccinations. Apparently, we are heading into an early flu season, and a strong strain. @6161A64:'5<'</B69'/A.C<'<?.'?66B9'3.4'<=6'9=.<9'<.'</B6'3C00' effect. I got mine last week as I will be traveling, but even if you are staying home, it’s really important. Protect yourself, and those around you. Then to all those who are new parents, who have children who will be new parents, even grandchildren who will be new parents, yes some of us are that old, it is important they know about the importance of getting their children fully vaccinated. There are proven effective vaccines for a host of diseases, and many have been nearly eradicated because children are being vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Preven<5.7' =/9' /' schedule of vaccines children should take. I hope that has not been destroyed yet, but you can always contact <=6'American Academy of Pediatrics to be safe. These vaccines have been fully researched, and proven effective. But because of RFK Jr. and his lies about vaccines, we now have a measles epidemic in this country. A disease that had been eradicated here. I have written before, both he, and the felon in the White House who nominated him, and who supports his lies, should be tried for murder for any unvaccinated child in the United States who dies of measles today. One of the felon’s MAGA sycophants, the criminal who is now attorney general of Texas, running for the U.S. Senate, is 57;69<5>/<57> pediatricians in Texas, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, for what is in essence telling parents they should have their children vaccinated. He is threatening to put doctors who prescribe the vaccines in jail. He, along with the felon, should be charged with murder if any of the unvaccinated children dies of one of the diseases they could have been vaccinated against. RFK Jr. and his followers, one of whom, Kirk Milhoan, who Kennedy named chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, is now even DC69<5.757>'<=6'7668' for the Polio vaccine. We are living in a dangerous alternate universe where this can happen. It is my hope and prayer, the decent people of Texas will be strong enough to say NO to the criminal Paxton on their ballots, and instead send James Talarico to the Senate. Let’s hope they even rid themselves of their MAGA governor, and elect Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Let’s hope the rest of the country will elect Democrats up and down the ballot, as their way of saying to the felon, “no more of your BS. We will not let you, and your minions, destroy our country, and cause death, and the destruction of our families.” When talking about RFK Jr. and the harm he is doing, it is important to understand it is not only vaccines he is lying about.

He is in the process of destroying the credibility of the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. Both organizations were respected around the world until he began to dismantle them. Then he is keeping the United States from participating in the World Health Organization. If there were to be another pandemic, and we can be assured there will be, what he is doing will cause countless deaths here, and around the world. His lies, when he ran his anti-vaccine group, Children’s Health Defense, and sent a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister debunking vaccines, caused the deaths of many children there from measles. If Democrats take over Congress, both the House and Senate, which it now looks like they could, there needs to be an immediate, and strong, focus on these issues. There must be investigations and RFK Jr. must be held accountable for the damage he is doing to our nation’s health. There needs to be legislation preventing any future vile idiot like RFK Jr. and felons like the one in the White House today, from hurting any more people through their cruel and misdirected policies, none of which are based in either credible research or fact.

HF?;:G!/;D;:A!/:E8:;D8I!7J!K:DL;M!DFG!KNBDF!/:8C?E:A!)*#')(%./% 0',,'12%3)/!!(Washington Blade ﬁle photo by Michael Key)

We have the chance on Nov. 3 to take back our country, to make a diﬀerence for ourselves, and future generations, both here, and around the world. We must return to sanity and follow science, once again providing funding for research into possible future health breakthroughs, like an AIDS vaccine. We can end the insanity we are seeing, and we can do it by using our constitutional right to VOTE.

! " # $ %&' ()' ' * + + $ &' ,) !"#$% 310-230-5266 %&'()*+arodriguez@losangelesblade.com )$,%-$%,+losangelesblade.com !./*)0"%1+/2+Los Angeles Blade, LLC !./*)0"%ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ arodriguez@losangelesblade.com, 310-230-5266 x 8080 %1),#-)(* $(,)#$(*+%1),#KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8088 3#$,-)/.,)$4+5-),%KAREN OCAMB karenocamb@losangelesblade.com 3#$,-)/.,#-0

MICHAEL K. LAVERS, TINASHE CHINGARANDE, JOHN PAUL KING, LOU CHIBBARO JR., SUSAN HORNIK, JOE REBERKENNY, ISAAC AMEND, PETER ROSENSTEIN, TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER, JOE PHILLIPS, ANKUSH KUMAR, ESTEBAN RIOSECO, AJ SLOAN, AYMAN ECKFORD, TOM SITUMO

0(*%0+6+(1')$)0,-(,)#$ 0(*%0+%7%3.,)8% SHANA WONG SOLARES swong@losangelesblade.com, 808-386-0872 '(-9%,)$4+1)-%3,#BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8089 $(,)#$(*+(18%-,)0)$4 RIVENDELL MEDIA sales@rivendellmedia.com, 212-242-6863 (1')$)0,-(,)#$ PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8092 3-%(,)8%+1%0)4$:!-#1.3,)#$ MEAGHAN JUBA production@azercreative.com 1)0,-)/.,)#$ CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, 562-826-6602 All material in the Los Angeles Blade is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Los Angeles Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although the Los Angeles Blade is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Los Angeles Blade, but the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the Los Angeles Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to any individual within a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles, CA. Multiple copies are available from the Los Angeles Blade office only. Call for rates. If you cannot reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 26-week mailed subscription for $125 per year or $5.00 per single issue. Checks can be sent to Phil Rockstroh at prockstroh@washblade.com. Or send him an email to request directions to make a payment online. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Los Angeles Blade, PO BOX 60664 Washington, DC 20039. The Los Angeles Blade is published bi-weekly, on Friday, by Los Angeles Blade, LLC. Rates for businesses/institutions are $450 per year. Periodical postage paid at Los Angeles, CA., and additional mailing offices. Editorial positions of the Los Angeles Blade are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Los Angeles Blade or its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Send submissions by e-mail to knaff@washblade.com.

2023 GLAAD Media Awards

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The famous singer discusses this new role and what it means to him as an LGBTQ+ artist #$%&'()%*(+,-. !"#$%&'(#)%*+%*",$(%&-+.*%/01,22#%3#4(5%6+'*%7#+72#%8+.2)%,66#),&*#29%0#6#6-#0%*"#% 6&$:'%6.',45%",'%*,6#%+$%;0+&)8&95%",'%6&$9%'4,$*,22&*,$<%7"+*+'"++*'%+05%+=%4+.0'#5%*"#% ornate masks he wears throughout it all. >+'*%8+.2)$:*5%&*%2#&'*%-#=+0#%&%=#8%6+$*"'%&<+5%*",$(%&-+.*%*"#%2+$<?2&'*,$<%1,)#+%<&6#% =0&$4",'#5%!"#$$"%&'()"$#* This historic fighting <&6#% )+#'$:*% ,$'*&$*29% 6#'"%8,*"%*"#%,6&<#%*"&*% /01,22#% "&'% '7#$*% 9#&0'% )#1#2+7,$<@% A"#% 4+.$*09% ',$<#0% "&'% <&0$#0#)% $&? *,+$&2% &442&,6% *"0+.<"% ",'% =+.0% &2-.6'5% '.2*09% and often somber affairs *"&*% "&1#% #&0$#)% ",6% $.6#0+.'% &8&0)'% &$)% *"+.'&$)'% +=% =&$'@% B2+$<% 8,*"%",'%1+,4#5%$#8%2,'*#$? #0'% &0#% ,$*0,<.#)% -9% ",'% 6&'('C%3#4(%&28&9'%8#&0'% &%=&4#%4+1#0,$<%*+%70+*#4*% ",'% 70,1&49% &$)% #6-+)9% a distinctly queer flair in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cussed the film with the Los Angeles Blade. For the less digitally-minded of us, !"#$$"%&'()"$#% is an immensely popular gaming franchise, with this decades-spanning series offering dozens of games filled with colorful characters players can fight as. The cast for this latest adap*&*,+$%)0+77#)%#&02,#0%*",'%9#&0%&$)%,$42.)#)%'*&0'%2,(#%T&'+$%>+6+&5%U&1,)%U&'*6&24",&$5% Callina Liang — and, of course, Orville Peck. “Fighting games probably draw a lot of queer people in [because] you can choose which 4"&0&4*#0%'7#&('%*+%9+.5%&$)%*"#9%-#2+$<%*"#0#5S%/01,22#%#F72&,$#)@%PA"#9%)+$:*%"&1#%*+%70+1#% *"#6'#21#'V*"#9%-#2+$<5%&$)%9+.%4&$%4+$$#4*%,$%*"&*%8&95%',$4#%6&9-#%9+.%),)$:*%-#2+$<% or [feel] included,” Orville admitted that it’s a connection he’s experienced himself; the man '7#$*%6&$9%"+.0'%+=%",'%4",2)"++)%72&9,$<%!"#$$"%&'()"$#%8,*"%",'%-0+*"#0'@%B$)%+$#%+=%",'% favorite characters was Vega, the bullfighting, gorgeous assassin obsessed with his own

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appearance (and slashing his opponents to ribbons). It’s why there was no question Orville would take on the role when it was first offered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fighter filling his screen *,6#% 8,*"% '$&0(9% ".6+05% <0#&*% &4*,+$% '4#$#'5% &$)% &% ),'*&'*#% =+0% 8#&0,$<% &% '",0*@% ;.*% W#<&% &2'+% '#01#'% &'% &% 1,*&2% 4+$*0&'*% in the film by punctuat,$<% *"#% "97#06&'4.2,$,*9% +=% *"#% 6#$% &0+.$)% ",6@% X#% '"+8'% *"&*% H.##0? $#''%&$)%'*0#$<*"%4&$%<+% "&$)?,$?"&$)5% 8,*"% /0? ville finding it so affirming *+%-0,$<%+.*%*"&*%.$,1#0'&2% *0.*"% *"0+.<"% ",'% 7#0=+0? mance. Q*%8&'%'+6#*",$<%*"&*%"#%#$I+9#)%$+*%+$29%=+0%",'%&).2*%'#2=5%-.*%=+0%*"#%9+.$<#0%1#0',+$% 8"+%2+1#)%$+*",$<%6+0#%*"&$%72&9,$<%!"#$$"%&'()"$#%8,*"%",'%-0+*"#0'5%'&9,$<5%P;#,$<%&%2,**2#% queer kid…I definitely did not feel at times that I was going to be welcomed into some things in life, right? Getting to be the only openly gay man in this film with a bunch of very het#0+'#F.&2%<#$*2#6#$%0.$$,$<%&0+.$)5%&$)%*"#$%"&1,$<%69%72&4#%$#F*%*+%*"#6Y%Q%*",$(%*"&*% 8+.2)%-#%0#&229%#$4+.0&<,$<%&$)%"#&2,$<%*+%2,**2#%/01,22#5%=+0%'.0#@S /01,22# went on about his amazing co-stars — he warmly referred to Callina Liang, who plays Chun-Li in the film, as ‘my sister’ — and the countless joys this role brought him. When &'(#)%8"#*"#0%"#%8+.2)%0#*.0$%=+0%&%7+'',-2#%'#H.#25%"#%#67"&',G#)5%P!#:0#%&22%'+%42+'#%&'% &%4&'*%$+8@%E1#09-+)9%2+1#'%&$)%'.77+0*'%#&4"%+*"#0%'+%6.4"@%Q%8+.2)%ZKK[%)+%,*%&<&,$5%+=% 4+.0'#@S%Q*:'%&%70+6,',$<%6#''&<#%=+0%6&$9%H.##0%1,#8#0'%&-'+2.*#29%2+1,$<%",'%*.0$%&'%W#<&5% and it signals an uplifting development for the man himself. /01,22#%3#4(:'%#$*,0#%4&0##0%,'%)#),4&*#)%*+%.*6+'*%&.*"#$*,4,*95%'"+8,$<%9+.0%*0.#'*%'#2=% ,$%&%8&9%*"&*%=##2'%<#$.,$#%&$)%0#4+<$,G,$<%8"&*%*"&*%*0.*"%-0,$<'%*+%9+.0'#2=%&$)%+*"#0'@%Q$% a movie filled with nonstop fighting and campy chaos, he still managed to channel that into #1#09%'#4+$)%+=%",'%*,6#%+$'40##$@%B$)%8"#*"#0%,*%-#%&'%W#<&%+0%8"&*#1#0%0+2#%"#%)#4,)#'%*+% *&(#%$#F*5%,*:'%&%1,*&2%6#''&<#%*"&*%*",'%6.',4,&$%D%&$)5%"#%8,22%0#6,$)%9+.%$+85%&4*+0%D%8,22% &28&9'%8+0(%"&0)%*+%6&(#%*"#%4#$*#0%+=%",'%8+0(@

.ERY

6789!!"#$%&'#$()*+#,!:8!!-&.#+/0,!;<7<!=7<!:;>?! award season’s must-watch queer films Los Javis, Andrew Scott and Jordan Firstman are already in the Oscar conversation #$%&'((%&)*(+* !"#"$%&#'()*+&#,)--(&#.%/0#.(&"%1)/2#03/"%4/(#53((*#6%7 *(8"9*&# 8(0(-"(6# "$(%*# 4*9:(8"&# )&# 9-(&# "9# ;)"8$# "$%&# );)*6&#&()&9-<#.*90!"#!$%&#!'()*##"9#+&,-!./0#"9#+%12 #*02#=>=?#%&#49%&(6#"9#@(#)#@*()A"$*93B$#'()*#C9*#53((*# 8%-(0)< "#! $%&#! '()*#2# 6%*(8"(6# @'# C9*0(*# 3*#)! 4#5(! :36B(&# Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo — collectively known as Los Javis — was the breakout film at Cannes, tying for the best director prize with Paweł Pawlikowski and 09&"#*(8(-"/'#;%--%-B#"$(#891("(6#DE..#F(94/(+&#,$9%8(# !;)*6<#D$(#)0@%"%93&2#6(8)6(&7&4)--%-B#$%&"9*%8)/#6*)7 0)#&")*"&#%-#GHI>&#J4)%-#)-6#(-6&#%-#=>GK2#89--(8"%-B#

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who discovers he has a 10-year-old son (Reggie Abso7 lom) who he never knew about, completely throwing his life’s priorities into disarray. The film features Cara S(/(1%-B-(#)-6#;)&#&$9"#@'!67(!89:/;(!8%-(0)"9B*)4$(*# Adam Newport-Berra. A24 is set to release the film in "$()"(*&#9-#U91<#?< .93*#'()*&#)C"(*#+&%<(#&89*(6#)#@(&"#%-"(*-)"%9-)/#C()7 "3*(# -90%-)"%9-2# 6%*(8"9*# R3A)&# S$9-"# %&# @)8A# %-# "$(# );)*6&# *)8(# ;%"$# $%&# $%&"9*%8)/# 6*)0)# +%1#*02# ;$%8$# won the best actor prize at Cannes (shared jointly by leads Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne). Set in the midst of World War I, the film follows a young Bel7 gian soldier (Macchia) who starts a secret love affair and :9%-&# )# "$()"(*# "*934(# "9# @*%-B# :9'# )-6# (-"(*")%-0(-"# to his fellow soldiers. MUBI is set to release the film in "$()"(*&#9-#S(8<#=V< The animated film 6#9)&(<# )/&9# 0)6(# )# &4/)&$# )"# ,)--(&<#S%*(8"(6#@'#R()$#U(/&9-#)-6#/(6#@'#)#19%8(#8)&"# C()"3*%-B# Q3/%)# R93%&7S*('C3&2# L*')-# ,*)-&"9-2# L()-7 ie Feldstein, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman and Bowen Yang, the film follows an activist living in ‘90s San Fran7 8%&89#;$9#*("3*-&#"9#$(*#89-&(*1)"%1(#$90("9;-#)C"(*# $(*#090#B("&#6%)B-9&(6#;%"$#!/O$(%0(*+&<#E-6(4(-6(-"# Film Company is set to release the film in select theaters before the end of the year, with a wider theatrical ex7 4)-&%9-#%-#()*/'#=>=K< W$%/(# =&</9%*(# 6%6-+"# 4*(0%(*(# )"# ,)--(&2# "$(# "()*7 :(*A(*#$)&#@((-#0)A%-B#"$(#*93-6&#)"#C)//#C(&"%1)/&#)-6# *(8(-"/'# ;9-# "$(# DE..# E-"(*-)"%9-)/# F(94/(+&# ,$9%8(# !;)*6<# !-6*(;# J89""# 4/)'&# E)-# ,$)*/(&9-2# "$(# )8"9*# A-9;-#C9*#&")**%-B#%-#GHXG+&#+7#*/%;<!%>!?/*(2#)&#$(#B%1(&# his final performance in a London rendition of @#A&(; before dying of AIDS. The film also stars Oscar-winner M/%1%)# ,9/0)-# )-6# @(#*;<;%BB(*# &")*# Q9(# R98A(<# .983&# Features is set to release the film in theaters on Nov. 20. Although his new film doesn’t have U.S. distribution 53%"(#'("2#%"+&#;9*"$#8)//%-B#93"#E*)#J)8$&+#67(!C#9!8!"%:(2# which stars Oscar-winner Rami Malek and recently had its Canadian premiere in Toronto. The musical film is set in ‘80s New York, a time period that Sachs returns "9# C*(53(-"/'# %-# $%&# ;9*A2# C9//9;%-B# Y)/(A# )&# )# 4(*C9*7 0)-8(#)*"%&"#")A%-B#9-#)#-(;#*9/(#;$%/(#B*)44/%-B#;%"$# his AIDS diagnosis. The cast is rounded out by Rebecca Z)//2# [@9-# Y9&&7L)8$*)8$2# D90# J"3**%6B(# )-6# R3"$(*# .9*6< !C"(*# /)&"# '()*# &);# -9"%8()@/'# C(;# 53((*# )8"9*&# )-6# 6%*(8"9*&#%-#"$(#M&8)*#89-1(*&)"%9-2#"$%&#'()*+&#);)*6&# race is already shaping up to bring a slew of exciting, new queer stories to audiences. Other queer films to /99A#93"#C9*#%-8/36(#D!"%9)!E/9;(*!C*90#!-6*(;#Z)%B$2# +&#*/<<#F#)-6#"#!G*#0/:#<

FEATURES

6.789!&9:;<9;=>?!><7889@A9:!>B@C9@;=B@78! ;DBE9:!BF!G7:>H8=@=;I!;<DBHA<!J7@>9!7; '=>K9D:B@L0B::=!+7@>9!-BGE7@I The Nov. 4 performance at the Palm Springs Art Museum will help local boys access free dance training #$%&'()%*)+,-.,(&-/& COACHELLA VALLEY – Michael Nickerson-Rossi was studying film and design at Modesto Junior College when a class assignment brought him to film a dance concert. His mother had died of cancer when he was 17, and he had lost his father a few years later. But behind the camera, watching the dancers give movement to emotions he knew so well, Nicker! son-Rossi found both his calling and a way to express what he had been feeling. “Everything that I saw was everything that I felt,” he recalled. The choreography of Kim T. Davis and Lori Bryhni, who would become his mentors, inspired him to begin dancing. That discovery eventually led him to establish Nicker! son-Rossi Dance in 2011. Through the company’s upcoming performance"#!"#$%&$'()$(*+"# he hopes to help men and boys discover their own possibilities for expression, opening a door much like the one that first drew him to dance. On Nov. 4, Nickerson-Rossi Dance will join Desert Peeps and young men from Idyllwild Arts Academy at the Palm Springs Art Museum for a one-night-only performance that brings together contemporary, street and classical dance with visual art. Through themes of strength, beauty, and vulnerability, the program challenges conventional expectations of masculinity and expands the ways men and boys can express themselves. “Rather than presenting masculinity as something rigid or singular, !"#$%&$'()$(*+ ex! plores vulnerability, sensuality, tenderness, athleticism, and emotional expression as equally powerful aspects of the male experience,” Nickerson-Rossi told the Blade. For the company’s founder and artistic director, “choreography plays with ideas of pow! er and softness, tension and release, individuality and connection.” In the process, Nick! erson-Rossi states that: “Male Aesthetic asks the audience to consider who gets to define masculinity–and what becomes possible when men are given permission to move, feel, and express themselves without having to conform to a particular image of what a man should be.” All proceeds will fund BOYS DANCE! scholarships at Palm Springs Dance Academy. Since launching in 2023, the initiative has provided free training to more than 50 local boys in the Coachella Valley. For executive director and principal dancer Chad Allen Ortiz, the mission to make dance accessible grows out of his own scholarship-supported training. As a teenager, Ortiz strug! gled with finding community and was stressed about potential college finances. However, dance gave him a community, a way to express himself, and eventually a career. That opportunity also demanded substantial commitment: “The exchange for training at no cost came with the expectation that I would commit multiple days and weekends to classes, rehearsals, and full classical productions of ,-.% /0*1-($"#2$"0(3%".4%()$%2$"'("#5*.4$6$##""#&#*+$%*.%7-.4$6#".4"#$%&"#'(#)'*+,-"#8)$%90(+6"+:; $6,” Ortiz told the Blade. “As a male dancer, I was carrying multiple roles.” Alongside those demands came a growing sense of what dance could become in his life. His school brought in young professionals to perform leading roles, giving Ortiz many individuals to look up to and a glimpse of the artist he could become. Today, he wants students in the Coachella Valley to find that same inspiration as they train in the spaces where the company’s professional dancers work. Access to the dance studio, however, requires more than paying for classes – it requires showing up. Ortiz said that perceptions of dance can limit whether boys consider stepping into the studio. “Dance can sometimes be viewed primarily as entertainment or something adjacent to sports rather than as a serious artistic discipline, a form of training, or even a viable profession,” he told the Blade. For queer boys, expectations about masculinity can add another source of pressure.

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Ortiz said the program embraces the LGBTQ+ community while challenging the assump! tion that an interest in dance indicates a boy’s sexual orientation. “One of the biggest stigmas we want to break is the idea that dance is ‘for gay boys,’” Ortiz explains, “Dance gives young people an opportunity to explore strength, softness, athleticism, creativity, discipline, vulnerability, masculinity, and femininity without requiring them to put a label on any of it.”

One student, now in third grade, has been dancing with the organization since kinder! garten. He also loves robotics and engineering. To Ortiz, those interests show how much room a child should have to grow. “They’re both parts of who he is,” he said. Most BOYS DANCE! participants are still elementary-school-aged, and Ortiz is careful about measuring the young program’s impact when the program itself is only three years old. But he finds excitement in boys branching out from hip-hop into jazz and modern classes, exploring movements they might once have thought were off-limits. That willingness to try something new is also what Nickerson-Rossi hopes the perfor! mance will encourage. “I hope audiences leave seeing more possibilities for how men can express themselves, and that young boys watching feel free to find their own.” !"#$%&$'()$(*+%(":$'%<#"+$%9-=>%?%@6-A%BCDEFG%<>A>%"(%()$%H"#A%I<6*.J'%&6(%!0'$0A> Buy your tickets at https://www.psmuseum.org/events.

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67!879:;<8:=!=89>!?(&@!A42,ABC!DE>7!/6FGE; KGAY’s John Taylor reflects back on his decades behind the mic, the evolution of broadcasting, and why queer community and connection remain at the heart of his mission L<$IM$4NOIP !"#$ %&'(%&)*$ +",-$ .(/0"#$ ,()$ 1&&-$ ($ 234-&))$ 4"$ 4,&$ &5"0643"-$ "7$ 4,&$ (#4$ 7"#8$ 4,(4$ 3)$ #(%3"*$ (00$ 2,30&$ %"3-9$ ,3)$ :(#4$ 4"$ ,&0:$ ),(:&$ 34;$ From his very first 4()4&$ "7$ 1#"(%< '()43-9$ ()$ ($ 4&&-< (9&#$ =4,(->$ /"6*$ ."8$ ?&#9&#"-@*$ 4"$ )4&::3-9$ 3-4"$ ,3)$ #"0&$ "7$ 4,(4$ 0"5(10&$5"3'&$9#('< 3-9$ ABCD$ EFG;E$ 3-$ H(08$I:#3-9)*$.(/< 0"#$ ,()$ )&&-$ 4,&$ 3-%6)4#/$4#(-)7"#8&%$"5&#$4,&$/&(#)$1/$'"#:"#(4&$'"-)"03< %(43"-*$)"'3(0$8&%3(*$(-%$4,&$)&&83-90/$&-%0&))$2(/)$7"0>)$ &(4$6:$&-4&#4(3-8&-4$4"%(/;$J-$4,3)$'('":,"-/$"7$'(:43"-)$ (-%$K63:)*$"-&$4,3-9$#&8(3-)$4,&$)(8&$<$.(/0"#L)$)4&(%7()4$ 1&03&7$4,(4$K6(034/$1#"(%'()43-9$3-5"05&)$'"--&'43534/; Affectionately known as “the voice of Palm Springs,” Tay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ho “dons” these titles? I guess I’ll take it! Since I have ($83'#":,"-&$2&&>%(/$8"#-3-9)$R<EF$(8$(4$ABCD$EFG;E$ H(08$I:#3-9)*$(-%$)3-'&$2&L#&$($)8(00*$439,4<>-34$'"886-3< 4/*$J$4(>&$4,&$#&):"-)313034/$)&#3"6)0/;$J$>-"2$8(-/$"7$"6#$ 03)4&-&#)$:&#)"-(00/*$)"$J$>-"2$2,"$J$(8$0&443-9$%"2-$37$J$ %"-L4$ %"$ 8/$ 1&)4;$ .,#"69,$ "6#$ 2"#0%23%&$ )4#&(83-9$ (4$ ABCDH(08I:#3-9);'"8*$2&L#&$3-$&(#16%)$(#"6-%$4,&$:0(-< et in places where life isn’t easy for LGBTQ+ people. P&L#&$,&(#%$3-$S%&)($(-%$A/35*$T>#(3-&*$2,&#&$U6))3(-$ %#"-&)$ (#&$ :"6-%3-9$ 4,&$ :":60(43"-;$ P&L#&$ (3#&%$ 3-$ C-< 4(0/(*$ .6#>&/*$ ($ '"6-4#/$ 4,(4$ %"&)-L4$ (00"2$ 9(/$ '#63)&)$ 4"$

dock, and where the Erdoğan regime is arresting LGBTQ+ ('4353)4);$I3-9(:"#&*$($'"6-4#/$4,(4$Q6)4$%&'#383-(03V&%$)&O$ 1&42&&-$8&-$4,#&&$/&(#)$(9"$(-%$%"&)$-"4$#&'"9-3V&$9(/$ 8(##3(9&*$3)$03)4&-3-9$4"";$H&#)"-(00/*$37$J$'(-$),"2'()&$4,&$ sense of community, inclusion, and FUN that typifies gay 037&$3-$H(08$I:#3-9)$()$($1&('"-$"7$,":&$4"$4,&$2"#0%*$4,&-$ 8/$2"#>$,()$8&(-3-9; You have a significant and deep history in broad? 1&8,-*79$ @%&,$ =&8$ <"#6$ -*,6"+#1,-"*$ ,"$ ,%($ -*+#8,6<A$ &*+$ =%&,$ B(5,$ <"#$ -*$ -,$ /"6$ 8"$ ."*7$ =%-.($ =-,*(88-*7$ 1%&*7(8$-*$-,$"'(6$,%($<(&68? C)$($4&&-*$($7#3&-%*$A(4/($I"6)(*$)(2$8/$3-4&#&)4$3-$#(< %3"$ (-%$ 4"">$ 8&$ 4"$ )&&$ ,&#$ 7(5"#34&$ -39,4438&$ W+*$ ."8*$ (4$ PXY?$ !Z$ 3-$ H"#4)8"64,*$ [&2$ X(8:),3#&;$ ."8$ :64$ 8&$ "-$ 4,&$ (3#$ %6#3-9$ ,3)$ ),"2$ 4"$ #&(%$ ($ :6103'$ )&#53'&$ announcement, and a monster was created. “Tom” was ."8$?&#9&#"-*$2,"$2&-4$"-$4"$1&'"8&$($7(8303(#$7('&$4"$ .N$53&2&#)$7"#$%&'(%&)$()$,")4$"7$!"#$%&''()&&*$+,-./#0*$ 12#/34.50$6-773#08$93*#&0:$(-%$;.7437<$=38"$!"#$+8./0;$?0(8&$ Tom Bergeron. What kept me in it so long? This is it; I don’t dance; I have -"$ "4,&#$ )>300);$ C00$ )&#3"6)-&))$ ()3%&*$ J$ ,(5&$ )&&-$ '"#:"< #(4&$9#&&%$(-%$%&#&960(43"-$%&)4#"/$8/$1&0"5&%$3-%6)4#/;$ .,(->7600/*$ ABCD$ 3)$ 0"'(00/$ \B?.]^$ "2-&%$ (-%$":&#(4&%*$ (-%$'"--&'43"-$4"$4,&$'"886-34/$3)$"6#$:#3"#34/; @%-.($=-,*(88-*7$,%($6-8($"/$8"1-&.$3(+-&A$5"+1&8,8A$ and so much more, what has been the most significant "6$#*+(*-&).($,6&*8/"63&,-"*$-*$,%($-*+#8,6<$,%&,$<"#$ (C5(6-(*1(+> !"#$ 8&*$ )"'3(0$ 8&%3($ (-%$ :"%'()4)$ :#"53%&$ 8"#&$ "64< 0&4)$4"$9&4$4,&$8&))(9&$"64;$P,&-$2&$3-4&#53&2$($'&0&1#34/$ "#$9"$4"$($0"'(0$&5&-4*$2&$'"5&#$34$"-$53%&"$()$2&00$()$(6< %3";$P&$9&4$4,&$&/&1(00)$"7$83003"-)$"7$:&":0&*$-"4$Q6)4$4,&$ _`*FFF$&(#1(00)$"7$"6#$0"'(0$#(%3"$03)4&-&#); D6"3$ <"#6$ (C5(6-(*1(A$ =%&,$ &6($ ,%($ 3&B-*78$ "/$ great radio? H())3"-$ 3-$ 2,(4$ /"6$ %"$ 3)$ 4,&$ >&/;$ J4L)$ '"-4(93"6)*$ -"$ 8(44&#$4,&$8&%368;$C)$4,&$,")4$"-$ABCD*$/"6$(#&$&-9(9< 3-9$234,$03)4&-&#)$2,"$#(-9&$7#"8$0"-9438&$5(00&/$7"0>)$4"$ people experiencing Palm Springs for their first time. @%&,$ %(.58$ <"#$ ,"$ +(1-+($ =%-1%$ 8,"6-(8$ &*+$ ,"5-18$ +(8(6'($,%($3-1> J-$8/$":3-3"-*$H(08$I:#3-9)*$:&#$'(:34(*$,()$4,&$,39,&)4$ '"-'&-4#(43"-$ "7$ 1#3003(-40/$ '#&(435&$ :&":0&;$ .&003-9$ 4,&3#$ )4"#3&)$ 3)$ 7()'3-(43-9$ 4"$ 8&;$ J4L)$ 03>&$ ($ 037&0"-9$ '"-43-63-9$ &%6'(43"-$'"6#)&;$JL8$,(::/$4"$),64$6:*$03)4&-*$(-%$0&(#-; E8$ ,%(6($ &$ 1(.()$ -*,(6'-(=$ "6$ ,&.B$ /6"3$ <"#6$ 1&6((6$

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,%&,$%&8$8,&<(+$=-,%$"6$1%&*7(+$<"#$-*$&*<$=&<>$E/$<(8A$ =%<> Over the years, I interviewed Joan Rivers many times; I 2()$(02(/)$9"1)8('>&%$1/$,"2$,"-&)4$(-%$7"#4,'"83-9$ she was. I also got to witness how Joan operated offstage with fans and crew; she was truly a kind and caring person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name “allegedly” rhymes with Bathy Biffen. I was happy to do it because I love Bathy! F"=$ %&8$ 2&.3$ 456-*78$ 1%&*7(+$ /6"3$ ,%($ ,-3($ <"#$ first became familiar with the community to the Palm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hope? Voters turning out in a BLUE TSUNAMI in November. @%(*$/".B8$,#*($-*$&*+$%(&6$<"#6$'"-1($"*$GHI!$(&1%$ +&<A$=%&,$+"$<"#$%"5($,%(<$,&B($&=&<$=-,%$,%(3> J$ 2(-4$ 4,&8$ 4"$ >-"2$ 4,&/$ ,(5&$ ($ 7#3&-%*$ 4,&/$ (#&$ -"4$ alone, and everyone’s welcome in the Gayborhood!

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