V7-31 08.02.23 Beat the Heat In Style
+ Photos
John Duff Is Burning Up
& More Taylor Swift In Her Gay Icon Era
AUG 02, 2023
V7-31
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John Duff grew up in a suburb outside of Baltimore. After graduating college, he made his way to the bright lights of New York City, where he worked as an actor and partied for six years. He then moved west to Hollywood to pursue his artistic dreams. He has been in Los Angeles for six years and has released an EP, Homo•Sapien, and several hit tracks, including the gay classics “Girly” – who can forget that hilarious video where he battled Bianco Del Rio? - and “High Heels.”
His latest single, “House on Fire,” is a breezy throwback track that seems to signify that romance is alive; however, in true John Duff fashion, there is a more profound message of concealed infatuation within. The singer dives into the song’s creepy subject matter in its chilling music video.
homosexuals do. I was by myself, and he was with a group. Unsure if any of those people were with him, I did a lap. We made eyes again, but no contact. So, I went home. I may have looked at some apps to see if he would magically appear on a grid, but he didn’t. I woke up to a DM from him the day after. He had recognized me but was too shy to approach me. We arranged to meet for dinner. I think when you meet someone on vacation, your walls come down a little faster. That’s why they always go to Fiji on The Bachelor. We talked about our views, goals, and plans - and had everything in common. It was all aligned. But alas, I flew home the next day.
You never saw him again?
We spoke with John Duff from his home in Los Angeles.
You wrote “House on Fire” about a man you went on a date with once that you fantasized was “the one.” What was it about him that intrigued you so much?
You know, the whole thing felt like some sort of kismet. I was at a friend’s wedding in Tennessee. I left early, and while walking back to my hotel, I stopped at a club I had heard of. Upon entering, I was immediately drawn to this person. He seemed familiar but was no one I knew. We acknowledged each other with glances and stares, as
It was a geographic crisis. I think gunning for people who don’t live in an accessible vicinity is a sign of unavailability; at least, that’s what my therapist says. So, though we texted and spoke for months, it was always compartmentalized as a fairy tale for me.
Does the wistful melody and string arrangement in “House on Fire” reflect your feelings for the crush?
The song is definitively romantic. The lyric, on its own, is a desperate cry for movement, growth, connection, and commitment. I wanted the ball to roll. I wanted it to snowball into an unshakeable love.
The video is pretty twisted, John. For me, everything creatively starts with: “You know, I’ve never seen anyone do _____ before” or “I haven’t heard a
DAVID Magazine pg| 9
song like ____ in a long time.” When I create, it’s always an attempt to fill a void. To paint with a palette that isn’t currently in use. The “House of Fire” video is a dramatic portrayal of a onesided relationship. Essentially, this fairy tale guy was something of a prisoner in my mind, perhaps of his own volition, perhaps against his will. But who is the captive, and who is the captor? Sure, the fantasy lived in my head, but it also consumed me. So, as my production team and I began to treat the video, a lot unfolded, and none of it was accidental. The antihero in the video, played by me, is more than meets the eye. To all of his viewers on the internet, he’s perfect. He lives in a bright and colorful world and teaches people how to fix things. He’s pretty. As we began to unpack this whole hostage thing, we realized it’s rather omnipresent. We’ve all kind of become unpaid employees to the algorithm - and there is no end in sight.
Are we, the viewers, the doomed girl in the video, captive to social media?
That’s sort of how it feels sometimes, right? The only way out of our current situation is to burn the whole system down. Hmm.
What are stories that appear on your social newsfeeds?
A ton of Mariah Carey! So many people send me videos and memes of her because of my first music video, “Girly.” I guess that sort of triggered the algorithm into thinking that’s all I care about. And to be honest, I don’t help. I obviously watch all of the videos.
The TikTok dance that you do in the video is super catchy! What has been the response from fans?
Ya know I’m a little bit of a troll, and my longtime followers get that. The people that have responded love it, and they get it. Most of my followers haven’t acknowledged it, though. They only like me when I’m naked.
How would you like to be remembered?
As a shiny object. As everyone here is aware, life is tough. So, I hope people recognize the strength and bravery it takes to have fun, to walk tall, and to put yourself out there. If nothing else, I’m great at that.
John Duff’s “House on Fire” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Its video is available on YouTube.
Follow John Duff on Facebook and Instagram @ iamjohnduff
Taylor Swift Makes Strong Case for Gay Icon Status During Eras Tour
By Chris Azzopardi
Photos: TAS Rights Management
Onmy way to Ford Field in downtown Detroit for the first night of Taylor Swift’s brilliant and breathtaking Eras Tour on June 9, I joked with my concert mate that he’d have to remember the show for me, even though that was my job. That is if, of course, he wasn’t about to literally lose his mind, too.
I’d read about the Taylor Swift “amnesia” phenomenon — Swifties reporting that the experience was so overwhelming they felt guilty they couldn’t remember more of it — and I wondered, would the pop magic, all 44 songs, go poof at 11:15 p.m. when Taylor popped off stage? Should I interview 20 Swifties about what happened just in case my mind went blank? What if they couldn’t remember all too well, either? Would we all wander around like Dorothy in Taylor’s Oz, Technicolor-dazed and too far from home?
This is how three hours and 20 minutes of Taylor Swift live in Detroit all started — my wild, out-of-body experience during what has been called “the tour of her generation.” Based on the light research I’d done before the show, I knew the first Detroit Eras Tour stop I attended would serve Big Taylor Energy with a stylish, over-the-top pageant feel that rivaled anything I’ve seen before (including decades of big pop spectacles from gay icons like Madonna, Cher, Janet and Mariah), so overwhelmingly massive and magical that I could barely take notes. I only took three, so that tells you a lot. But contrary to what I’d been warned about regarding Swift amnesia, my mind isn’t exactly the blank space I thought it might be. I actually remember so
much! Most of my memories include, naturally, the queerest parts of the show.
I distinctly recall “Vigilante Shit,” performed during the final “Midnights” portion of the show, when the queer person next to me shouted something that was certainly on my mind and must’ve been on the mind of many other LGBTQ+ Swifties: “Happy Pride Month to me!” She was specifically referring to Swift and her incredible troupe of diverse dancers doing a burlesque-style chair dance on a tiered video pedestal stage. Some were women, but dancers Sam McWilliams and Kevin Scheitzbach, who were on either side of Swift in heels, exuded queerness in a way that made me appreciate the ambiguous expression of gender happening onstage during the show’s sexiest number, in front of a multigenerational crowd of nearly 60,000 people. If I were a little gay boy seeing that, I might be titillated, yes, but mostly I’d be like, “Mom, get me a sparkly one-piece right now.”
Though Swift’s Ford Field shows were just down the street from where Motor City Pride took place in Hart Plaza, she didn’t make any Pride-specific mention on Friday like she did in Chicago the week before at the beginning of Pride Month, when she essentially used her powerful platform to call out anti-queer legislators. Like her casting of Laith Ashley, the trans male model who played her lover in the video for “Lavender Haze,” Swift’s support of the LGBTQ+ community in Detroit was expressed entirely artistically. For instance, it was only four songs in when she sang her gay anthem “You Need to Calm Down,” which got her pro-queer message across loud and clear when a stadium full of fans shouted her “shade never made anybody less gay” zinger, a line Swift ensured stayed in the truncated live version.
Queer energy ran heavily through a lot of the “Midnights” section, actually. Sure, it began with “Lavender Haze,” which, naturally, has sparked conversations among her lesbian fans — lavender, after all, has historical roots as lesbian iconography. But after that song came “Bejeweled” and “Karma.” Seeing those bops come to life in the most exuberant live setting made both songs — the former about still shimmering in the face of ugliness, the latter a kitschy clapback — seem even more Taylor (er, tailor)-made for a drag stage near you. During “Karma,” Swift and her dancers had jackets on, their collective colors resembling a shiny rainbow. If you’re a boomer, you might imagine this kind of delightfully camp-level excess at
a Cher show. And if Swift wanted to go one step further, she might consider producing the kind of all-access concert movie that captured Madonna during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, which, alongside overt feminist themes (of which there are many during the Eras Tour), is fondly remembered for showcasing queer visibility.
So yes, I will remember a lot about the Eras Tour — Swift amnesia, be damned. I got a friendship bracelet from the person whose new Pride anthem is rightfully “Vigilante Shit,” an example of the surprising sense of community I felt at this show. I didn’t expect to get a bracelet, especially from someone else who’s queer, but it had me reflecting on being in this overwhelmingly joyous space after a couple of years of pandemic isolation.
It was 2020 when “Folklore” came out, and there was so little to look forward to. I have a feeling a lot of Swifties at that show might’ve felt like I did that year — scared, depressed, more hopeless than I’d ever been. I clung hard to those songs like they were magic, and then the magic was happening right in front of me. When I heard Swift’s spoken-word version of “Seven,” which opened the “Folklore” section of the show, it briefly took me back to that difficult stretch of isolation. Then I looked around, tens of thousands of light-up bracelets shining like distant stars all around me. The Eras Tour is special in that way — for a night, it brought us together to remember not just the night, but the journey we took to get there.
Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media
and
Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @ chrisazzopardi.
Group
Q
Stay Cool and Fabulous
6 Sizzling Tips to Beat the Heat in Style!
Summer is here, and the sun is shining brighter than ever! As LGBTQ+ individuals, we know the importance of staying fabulous and comfortable during the scorching days. Whether you’re partying at Pride events or having a laid-back day with friends, beating the heat is essential to fully embrace the summer vibes. Check out these six hot tips to keep cool, stylish, and confident throughout the season!
Chill Skincare Products
When the temperature rises, skincare becomes crucial to maintain a radiant complexion. Opt for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers with SPF to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Look for products that are suitable for all skin types and don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every few hours, especially when you’re outdoors.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Face
Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50, $34
Hit the LGBTQ+ Hotspots
What better way to beat the heat than by enjoying the beach or pool with your LGBTQ+ community? Seek out LGBTQ+ friendly beaches and locations where you can soak up the sun, make new friends, and have a blast. Nothing beats the heat like splashing around in the water with your friends and loved ones.
Refreshing Foods and Drinks
Stay hydrated and satisfied with a variety of delicious and cooling treats. Enjoy fresh fruits like watermelon, berries, and citrus, which are not only tasty but also packed with hydration. For beverages, sip on iced teas, lemonades, and fruit-infused water to quench your thirst and keep your energy levels up.
Rock Pride Accessories
Make a statement with bold and fabulous accessories that not only elevate your style but also help keep you cool. Experiment with vibrant rainbow hats, sunglasses, and fans to add an extra flair to your look while fanning away the heat.
Breezy Clothing
Fashion is an integral part of our LGBTQ+ identity, and summer outfits should be no exception! Embrace loose, breathable fabrics like cotton and linen to allow your skin to breathe. Flowy sundresses, tank tops, and shorts are perfect choices for staying cool while expressing your unique style.
ST33LE Stretch Jersey Knit Short Sleeve Shirt
Sky/Apricot Leopard, $95
Alfons Dovana Adnonis Beach Towel $85
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DAVID Magazine pg| 24 2 16 14 13 8 9 7 10 15 17 19 1 3 6 4 P ie dmo n t Av e . N E Ju n ip e r St. N E E N . t S e e r t h c a e P PiedmontAve. NE 14th St NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE Ponce De Leon Ave . NE 4th St NE Monroe Dr. NE Mon r o e D r . N E 10th St. NE E N . t S r e p i n u J E N . l P n o e L e D e c n o P S p r in g S t . N W Amsterdam Ave . E N . r D n e l l A s e l r a h C W N . t S e e r t h c a e P . W 12th St. NE Pie dmont Park M I DT OWN BARS BARS not on map 2 Blake's 227 10 th S t NE 1 FUTURE ATLANTA 50 Lower Alabama St. SW Suite 180 3 Bulldo g s 893 Peachtree S t NE 4 Fr iend s 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 6 My Sister’s Room66 12th S t NE 7 X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave NE fitness 14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE spa /bath 15 F lex S p a 76 4th S t N W Dining 9 10th& P iedmon t 991 Piedmont Ave NE 10 Camp ag nolo 980 Piedmont Ave NE 16 G’s M id t o w n 219 10 th S t NE 17 Henr y ’s 132 10 th S t NE 19 L a H acienda 900 Monroe Dr NE
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WOOFS woofsatlanta.com
494 Plasters Ave NE
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1287 Glenwood Ave SE
SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH
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TUK TUK THAI FOOD LOFT TUKTUKATL.COM
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URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbody tness.com
500 Amsterdam Ave N
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Turns out Barbie is a movie about stopping Ken from doing Jan 6. I love asking several people for advice, then do what I want.
“You look like trouble” is 30+ monogamous speak for “I want to cheat on my bf/gf so badly, please take my bait, pretty please.
By age 35, you should have an entire wardrobe of clothes one size too small, that keep you in eternal optimism that you’ll t in them again one day.
I better think twice? I don’t even think once!
She’s the kind of person who will say ‘this is my lazy meal’ and then proceed to cook a whole dish for hours.
Hate when people are like ‘you can’t make this stuff up.’ Actually, I can, Speak for yourself.
