PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7 -14, 2022

PhiladelphiaWeekly.com | @phillyweekly

FREE | APRIL XXXXXX 7 -XX-XX, APRIL 14, 2021 2022

GAY. BLACK. ELECTABLE.

Xxxxxx xxx xxx How Malcolm Kenyatta has already made xxxx xxxxxxxx history and might be your next U.S. Senator. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx

by Josh Kruger xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx

XXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX

PHOTO BY COLIN M. LENTON

2 PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

XXXXXXXXXXX

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE 03 04

Event Spotlight Fan Interview With Ming-Na-Wen Calendar Make Plans And Leave The House (Or Zoom)

06

Community & Culture Fandom: A Family You Choose

07

News Black. Gay. Electable.

10

Arts & Culture A Solo Daryl Hall Is A Thing to Behold

12

Arts & Culture Cassandra Dee Will Make You Laugh And Feel Less Alone

14

Arts & Culture Philadelphia Goes To The Grammys

16 19

Sex With Timaree Lady Rouge Enjoys Seeing You Suffer, But Envisions A Better Kinky Philly Community & Culture Ask BB

Image: JR Blackwell

Philadelphia, PA 215-543-3743 mail@philadelphiaweekly.com

Philadelphiaweekly.com @phillyweekly APRIL 7 - 14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Ian Moe Publisher Michael Chambers Director of Circulation

Josh Kruger Editor-in-Chief

X

FROM THE EDITOR

ON SLAPS AND ELECTORAL CHANCES

If you, like Daniel Radcliffe and most of Twitter, grew weary of slap content about a week and a half ago, I’m happy to tell you that PW has engaged in nearly no slap content following the incident at last week’s Oscars.

brief printed bulletin board on which to put profane rants and laments or rosy communiques about love and life.

To be included in the relaunched page, please send your hateful or lovely missive to LoveHate@philadelphiaweekly. com. Eventually, we’ll be using a QR code that links to a form you can fill out on your mobile device, too.

We would be remiss, however, to not at all address the controversy or at least provide some kind of morPlease note that we will openal clarity amid a confusly mock and not republish ing moment. With that in

BY JOSH KRUGER anything bigoted and will mind, I am beyond happy @JoshKrugerPHL report actual threats to cops. to announce that this week Please don’t make us have to debuts our new advice colcall police. We aren’t narcs. umn, Ask BB. Why BB? Well, it stands for Bobbi I. Booker, who is as close to a Lastly, our cover this week features living local legend as you can get.

State Representative Malcolm KenyatBooker’s experience runs the gamut from hard hitting newspaper journalism to fellowships with the National Endowment for the Arts to mentoring new and emerging talent to even sometimes using her own lived experience to formulate perspectives on today’s current events. She also happens to be what FM radio station 90.1 WRTI calls its “velvety voice” heard on the station’s jazz programming regularly. Booker’s work with WRTI started in 1981 putting her in a unique and respected class of local media personalities with staying power and so much more. In Ask BB, she’ll be responding to reader questions on a biweekly basis, so please email your life situations, ethical dilemmas, and other angsty missives to AskBB@ philadelphiaweekly.com to perhaps get an answer.

Speaking of life situations, it just so happens that PW owns the intellectual property of the former City Paper.

Once rivals, these alt-weekly institutions are now technically merged. With that in mind, I am equally excited to announce that we will soon be publishing, “I love you, I hate you,” again.

For those unfamiliar, ILYIHY offered a

J.R. Blackwell Managing Editor

josh@philadelphiaweekly.com jrblackwell@philadelphiaweekly.com

Art & Design: Brittni Albright, Karl Michelfelder

To contact the news department: mail@philadelphiaweekly.com.

ta. Kenyatta was kind enough to speak to me for some time about his current project, a run for the U.S. Senate. We’re experimenting with different kinds of content at PW right now, and so this is a more narrative non-fiction style longform interview. If you love it or you hate it, in terms of the format, shoot me an email at josh@philadelphiaweekly. com. Even if you don’t have an opinion on the format and either loved or hated the writing itself, I welcome both productive and unproductive criticism (or praise of course).

Aside from the content structure, the interview delves into a narrative that strikes many in Philadelphia as strange: this notion that a Philadelphian who is Black and gay isn’t “electable” statewide. Whether this is a deeply troubling, problematic, reductive take that’s part of some nefarious strategy or whether it is a deeply troubling, problematic, unfortunate truth about Pennsylvania is for readers to decide.

As always, if you have any input or suggestions or letters to the editor, please consider sending them to ToTheEditor@philadelphiaweekly.com.

Len Webb Arts & Entertainment Editor len@philadelphiaweekly.com

Contributors: Kennedy Allen, A.D. Amorosi, Bobbi Booker, CJ Higgins, Timaree Schmit, Eric Smith, Aubrie Williams

To purchase advertising in Philadelphia Weekly, contact Sales at 215-543-3743, ext. 104, or sales@philadelphiaweekly.com.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | XXXXXX XX-XX, 2021

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

AN INTERVIEW WITH MING-NA-WEN

Actress Ming-Na Wen is known for portraying very stoic characters, from the terse, all-business Agent May in ABC’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” to the no-nonsense assassin Fennec Shand in Disney+’s “The Book of Boba Fett,” but it wasn’t always so. She began her walk of Hollywood fame in 1993’s “The Joy Luck Club” before catapulting to culture resonance as the voice of the title character in Disney’s “Mulan” (1998). I chatted with her in March ahead of her appearance at Fan Expo Philadelphia, where she shared her perspective on the “fan experience,” revealed a bit of the “fan” in her and embraced the opportunity to pierce her on-screen scowl with her radiant smile.

It's funny because, actually, I was going to start off talking about, just looking over your career as of late, you've been doing a lot of sci-fi and genre action pieces. And I was like “She has a big broad smile, and she's very funny. Nobody's putting her in comedies.” And then — boom — just yesterday, it's announced that you're going to be in the second season of “Hacks” [HBO Max original comedy series starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder].

Yeah, surprise! And I just did an episode of “Young Sheldon” [CBS]. Cool. You know, I started off in theater and actually came to Hollywood for “Joy Luck Club,” but yes, my career definitely has taken me down this path. And when you're on a series that continues to get renewed, which is a wonderful thing, like “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” right? You know, [we] ran for seven years — a huge bulk of my career right there, you know. And unfortunately, or fortunately, you are signed to a contract; so there you have it. Sometimes life just happens that way. And, with a show that's 22 episodes a season, you're really limited as far as being able to go off and doing something else.

So that's kind of what happened? Is it fair to say that you enjoy doing comedy, more funny stuff?

You know, I enjoy doing anything that has a great cast, a great group of talents behind it, and an interesting character. So it really doesn't matter what genre it is. It's just a matter of what the project is and the material. Like with “The Book of Boba Fett”? What's great about that is they shoot like, every other year so it's great and it's only maybe five months out of the year. So now it's allowing me the opportunity to do all this fun stuff like “Hacks” and “Young Sheldon” and super-secret works-in-progress that could find me, Len, at the business end of a lightsaber if word got out and I love it. I love having that freedom now. I was a big fan of the first season of “Hacks.”

So I'm curious what drew you to go out for that, or did they come to you?

No, they came to me, and, and I am so grateful because I’m a massive, massive fan of Jean Smart. When I had to work with her, I was actually quite nervous because I idolized her for so long and just think she’s incredible; a legendary Hollywood actor, but (really) the most humble sweetest generous human being. I adore her. I have a big crush on her.

Let me ask you. How does that feel, after starting in theater, and then soap operas, film, voice work, and years of television, to now enjoy the moment where projects are coming to you? They already know that they're casting you — they want you — as opposed to standing on the audition line.

Oh hell, it's the dream. Like, as I get older I’m like “Look at my body of work,” right? But yeah, it's always a luxury to be the one on the other end, the receiving end. I mean, come on, if somebody like, you know, just says “Hey — let me take you out to dinner,” sometimes you just want to say yes, because you never know when the next gig will be. But I'm happy to say that I've earned my stripes and it's been wonderful to be able to just take a chill pill and go, “Okay, I don't want to spend my energy on this yet.” I want to write and spend more time with my family; I just want to take it easy a little bit after working so hard on this project. So it's that wonderful luxury [that I] may not have forever. But when it's here, it's nice.

I have spoken to other actors and one of the things that they talk about is trying to be very strategic about how they manage their careers and the roles that they're going out for.

But then there are some times when you just gotta go and like, “Okay, I'll do it.” You just, you know, it's the money every year and when you have kids and family, that's like the number-one thing. And it's so important to have health insurance.

As someone who had a doctor's appointment this morning, I feel you on that.

I appreciate the actors who think that they [can] do strategic planning; more power to them.

You know, I have no idea of anything — if something's going to be a hit, or not. As an actor who has worked for over four decades, I'm just like, “Did I do a good job? I sure hope so.” I go through that sort of insecurity where like, “Oh gosh. I hope they don't find me out.” [laughs] You're coming to Philadelphia for Fan Expo, coming back to your home state [after a childhood in Hong Kong and New York, Ming-Na Wen spent her formative years in Pittsburgh]. Your family — they weren’t sure about you going into acting. Were they able to see your success and come around?

My mom and dad were hesitant [about] the money going into acting, yes. It's a tough field and it's not something that most parents want for their children because it's unpredictable, especially Asian parents. But my mom — now — it's been so long and for her to see that I never

3

BY LEN WEBB

stopped working. She knows I'm successful and appreciates how hard I work. And yet all the time, she just worries about me. She's always like, “Ming, don't work so hard.” She knows the traveling that we do and the dangerous stuff that I do for the action stuff. So she gets worried.

But yeah, she's very proud of what I did.

What was the first project where you felt your mom really turned the corner and was like, “Okay, she's got this.” What was that project?

The first one was “As the World Turns” because I was on TV and I was in the “TV Guide.” [laughs] I remember my parents going to see “The Joy Luck Club” with me in New York. I took them to the theater and they came out and they were very, very quiet. They got into a cab. And they weren't saying very much and they just sort of went home and I said, “Well, I'm going to go pick up some stuff. So, I'll meet you at home.” And then when I went back home, it was a lot for them to digest and understand. They were just so overwhelmed with the idea of it and the images and the movie itself was, is very moving, right? It really took them many, many hours before they were able to talk about it. So I was glad because I thought they hated it. [laughs] Do you remember or do you have a moment in your career where you felt like a fan? Maybe you met someone who you long admired or a moment where you just “fanned out”?

Mark Hamill. You know, I've met Mark a few times but — I'm sure he doesn't remember — I met him when I first came out to LA and he was doing a Roger Corman film. I had no idea that Roger Corman was sort of, like, the initiation into Hollywood [laughs]. If you do a Roger Corman film like you're in a club with everybody! But to just meet him as Mark Hamill — Luke Skywalker! Just kind of like took it over the top as far as my childhood fantasy world come true.

Because you're a big sci-fi head.

Oh, completely! Still am. That was probably my biggest geek out, but I geek out all the time. I think there's just a 13-year-old trapped inside this woman's body.

Nothing wrong with being in touch with your inner 13-year-old. More people should be.

Yeah, some people say I've never let go of my 12-year-old, but that's me. There you go. [laughs] Speaking again of Fan Expo, when did you realize or suspect what you mean to your fans?

At these conventions, and that's why I love going to them so much, for real. Because in Hollywood (and in this business), you work in a massive bubble, unlike theater, where you can experience an audience reaction immediately. When you work in TV and films, you just never know. You don't get that feedback. Only through social media has there been an opportunity to really see the audience's reaction immediately after one of your projects premieres. Which, to me, it's kind of like theater. It's fun, that way with social media. And when I go to these conventions — Edward James Olmos was the one that talked me into doing it really.

You were hesitant at first?

I was very hesitant. And he sat me down to talk with him and he was, like, you sign [your name], you take pictures and you meet your fans, and you get paid. And I was, like, I don't know.

It just feels kind of weird to be charging for autographs and photos. And then he was like “Do you pay when you want to go see your favorite artist at a concert? There's no difference, you know?” Your fans want to meet you, it makes them happy. It gives them a chance to have that moment to meet someone they idolize or admire. And, you know, you get the chance to make some money. It's a win-win situation. So when he put it in that perspective for me, it's like ... so I’m going to my first one and I was so astounded at the response I got from my fans; the impact that “Mulan” had on so many. Wow, it was tremendous. Agent May or any of these other roles that I've done, whether it was in “ER” or “Joy Luck”; it wasn't even like science fiction fantasy stuff. It was just the body of work and, you know, some of them would cry, like I was like one of the Beatles or something, you know? I was just really moved by it. And so I love going to the conventions and meeting everyone. It's such a happy moment and that's why I keep doing it.

One last question. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

In life? From my mom, which is just always, “Stay humble.” Mmm, because that's the road to happiness. Because when you're humble, you appreciate the good and the bad that life throws at you. Because when you're humble, it means that you're not all that and that you have to constantly work at things; it's never handed to you. And so you appreciate when the good things happen, but when the bad things come, you’re humble enough to be, “Okay, what do I do with this?” And I think it does lead to happiness. I think all the people that feel entitled are never happy.

Because I still can't believe I'm in a “Star Wars” project. So every so often, I just like to relive my childhood and my dream of wanting to be in a space project and now I am! It's a bit surreal, still to me.

Fan Expo Philadelphia; Friday to Sunday, April 8 - 10; Pennsylvania Convention Center, 101 Arch S.t, Philadelphia, PA 19107; visit fanexpohq.com/fanexpophiladelphia for more information

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

4

CALENDAR TABLE OF CONTENTS

A WEEK'S WORTH OF ADVENTURES A C R O S S P H I L LY ' S N E I G H B O R H O O D S

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY front.

Parks Pop-Up — Cherry Blossom Viewing; Wed-Thurs April 6-7, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri April 8, 4 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sat April 9, 12 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sun April 10, 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Fairmount Horticulture Center Arboretum, 100 N. Horticultural Dr., Philadelphia, PA 19131

THUR

BY LEN WEBB

Hey there, my Weekly Phillies — we’re going to get right into the Event Calendar this week but I do have a new question of the month for you. It’s springtime in the city (do I see cherry blossoms?) which means love is in the air. With that in mind, I ask you — WHAT’S THE BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE IN TOWN? And don’t forget the WHY? Email me len@ philadelphiaweekly.com so I can get the word out there; I hear Bumble buzzing.

WED Backing Track

S., Philadelphia, PA 19106 CULTURE

Parks PopUp Cherry Blossoms

THEATRE

The Alchemist

What do you do when your boss goes on vacation ... in the middle of a pandemic?

With the master away, watch three servants play as they swindle a rogues’ gallery of ridiculous characters out of their cash and their dignity.

Written for the reopening of the London theatres after the plague outbreak of 1610, “The Alchemist” is Ben Jonson’s chemistry lesson in comedy.

The Alchemist, presented

by Quintessence Theatre Group; Thurs April 7, 7:30 p.m.; Sat April 9, 7:30 p.m., The Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119

APRIL 6

In this new play by acclaimed satirist R. Eric Thomas, a change is in the air for a family after an unexpected loss. Mel, the mother of Avery and Jessica, tries to reclaim her place in a gentrified neighborhood while her kids learn firsthand how to balance their own lives. Praised by LinManuel Miranda as “one of the funniest writers,” R. Eric Thomas’ play contemplates what it means to start over again.

Backing Track; Wed April 6, 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m.; Thurs April 7, 7 p.m.; Fri April 8, 8 p.m.; Sat April 9, 2 p.m., 8 p.m.; Sun April 10, 2 p.m., 7 p.m., Arcadia Stage at Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd

APRIL 7

THEATRE

Lady Day

FCM Hospitality announces a Parks Pop-Up with blooms, bites and beers just in time for the Cherry Blossoms — ooh, the cherry blossoms! Enjoy fresh food, local beers on tap, specialty themed cocktails and more, in an outdoor environment; the perfect addition to The Sakura Concert Series of the Shofuso Cherry

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Blossom Festival of Philadelphia. *This event promises to explore “the intersections of Japanese and African American culture through three days of musical performances by multi-ethnic Hip Hop, Jazz, and Percussion musicians.” I had no idea there was such an “intersection” so I’ll be the curious guy sitting up

Curio Theatre Company presents Lanie Robertson's critically acclaimed play, starring beloved company member and Barrymore Award winner Ebony Pullum. The play explores the life of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday during one of her final performances in Philadelphia.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill; Thurs April 7, 8 p.m., Sat April 9, 3 p.m., 8 p.m., Curio Theatre Company, 4740 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143

FRI APRIL 8

THEATRE

Diana Krall

It’s Diana Krall. You’re still here?

Okay — she’s the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered two Grammy Awards, ten Juno Awards and have also earned nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums.

The New York Times wrote that Krall possesses “a voice at once cool and sultry, wielded with a rhythmic sophistication.” I mean, it’s capital D, capital K — Diana Krall, weekly Phillies. * P.S. — I’m a fan.

Diana Krall; Fri April 8, 8 p.m., Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 FAMILY

Sesame Street Live! Let's Party!

You’re invited to the funniest, furriest party in the neighborhood at an interactive

show on one of the world’s most famous streets. Learn new songs, dance, play and laugh with Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Big Bird, Rosita and Super Grover (* my personal favorite).

Sesame Street Live! Let's Party!; Fri April 8 to Sun April 10, The Liacouras Center at Temple University, 1776 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19121 CULTURE

Fan Expo Philadelphia

It’s three days of fun-filled fan culture. Join tens of thousands of fans who are just like you and experience the ultimate playground for comics, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming, complete with celebrity guests, giveaways and more. * Don’t miss our look at fan culture and Fan Expo elsewhere in this edition, including my chat with actress Ming-Na Wen of “The Book of Boba Fett.”

Fan Expo Philadelphia; Fri April 8, 4-9 p.m.; Sat April 9,

CALENDAR

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun April 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

SAT

SUN APRIL 10

FAMILY

Easter Family Day

Celebrate Easter like a Swede at the American Swedish Historical Museum’s Easter Family Day. CULTURE Introduce your little ones to Swedish Easter traditions and visit the exhibition “Flying Blakulla: Letters from an Easter Witch,” plus enjoy an afternoon of crafts and the traditional A great opportunity to sit, egg hunt. Meanwhile, the dine, chat and learn from entire family can learn the phenomenal women from forgotten history of Swedes in across the Tri-State area.

Philadelphia. * You’re never too Women of Excellence honorees young or too old to appreciate include Catherine Hicks, Tracy another culture and hear Davidson, special honorees another’s story.

Trudy Haynes, Sheryl Lee Ralph Easter Family Day; Sun and more. * Can someone please tell gospel singer Avery April 10, 2-4 p.m., American Swedish Historical Sunshine that I said “Hey.” Museum,1900 Pattison Ave., Thanks!

Philadelphia, PA 19145; visit The 6th Annual WDAS Women americanswedish.org for of Excellence Luncheon; details Sat April 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Live! Casino and Hotel CULTURE Philadelphia, 900 Packer Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148 APRIL 9

The WDAS Women Of Excellence Luncheon

The Art Of Jazz Salon

A Pop Up Gallery and Jazz Concert featuring the works of Bernard Collins, Mikel Elam and Cassandra Jefferson, quilts by Asake Denise Jones, and more.

Acclaimed recording artist Denise King and friends will set the mood for the afternoon True story — I have a Spotify with two sets of soul stirring playlist, “Singalongs,” of tunes jazz, blues and R&B. A delicious that I sing out loud while I’m lunch prepared by South Jazz working around the house, or Kitchen makes it more tasty. sing out loud in my head when The Art of Jazz Salon; Sun I’m out in public (so I wasn’t April 10, 2-6 p.m., 1410 Mount ignoring you; the music in my Vernon St., Philadelphia, PA head was on). Daryl Hall is well 19130; proceeds benefit the represented in there, keeping Hope and Healing Community me “In A Philly Mood.” I got lots Arts Project of time for “Family Man,” from the …and Oates days, too.

Daryl Hall and the Daryl's APRIL 11 House Band with Special Guest Todd Rundgren; Sat MUSIC April 9, 7:30 p.m., The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130 MUSIC

Daryl Hall and The Daryl's House Band featuring Todd Rundgren

MON

Animals As Leaders

Leaders says “...armed with paletteexpanding eight-string guitars, rich synths, and pummeling percussive grooves, the trio is beloved by metalheads, aspiring virtuosos, jazz fanatics, and casual listeners alike.”

They had me at their name (you know how I am about band names) but now … I gotta hear this.

Animals As Leaders; Mon April 11, Doors open 7 p.m., showtime 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

5

Tips For Fan Conventions: Things to consider, whether it’s your first or fiftieth time attending.

BY NOEL V. BARTOCCI The following are just a few things to consider when planning to attend a fan convention:

TUE APRIL 12

CULTURE

Disney Princess: The Concert

Sing along with a quartet hailing from the Disney Channel, Broadway and animated movies, who perform your favorite Disney princess songs and share behind-the-scenes stories of their times playing princesses.* I wish my daughter was here in Philly to be my excuse to go … I mean, so I could escort her to the show. Seriously, she’s in her 20s now and would absolutely love this!

Disney Princess: The Concert; Tues April 12, 7 p.m., Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

WED APRIL 12

MUSIC

Teza Talks

Powerhouse vocalist and songwriter TeZAtalks draws us into her world of life experiences through her redefining and genre bending sound, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who is able to experience the singers world in real time.

TeZATalks; Wed April 13, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

Make your intentions clear: What do you want out of the day? Autographs, sketches, panels, whale-hunting, bargain shopping, cosplaying, etc. If you have goals, prioritize them. You’ll have a more fulfilling time if you make sure you find exactly what you want.

Make a plan: Read the program and check out the floor map before you get there. It’s a big, often crowded space—find your bearings before having your senses bombarded.

Budget yourself, then re-budget for more: There will be things you feel you can’t pass up buying, even after you’ve reached your imposed limit. I’m not saying to make it rain, just give yourself some flexibility.

Don’t neglect Artist Alley: All the good cons have an Artist Alley, where amateur, up-andcoming, and professional artists have tables to sell their wares, original art, and sign a book or two. If you want to support the art you love directly, this is the place to do it.

Snacks & sanitizer: It’ll be a long day and concessions are often at theme park prices, so take a granola bar or two. Regarding sanitizer, even before the pandemic, con flu was a real thing wash your hands.

Pack for space: If you plan to go shopping, bring a comfortable bag with some space. It could be a long day, so you want to make sure you can carry your swag comfortably.

Sundays are for deals–Respect the vendor: Even though a con is where you can get a great deal, don’t aggressively haggle a vendor until at least the last day of the show. If they initiate bargaining, sure. But you aren’t at a garage sale, so be cool.

The write-up on Animals As

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

6

COMMUNITY & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Fandom: A Family You Choose YOU’RE ALWAYS AMONG FAMILY WHEN YOU’RE A PART OF POSITIVE FAN COMMUNITIES.

We’re all passionate about something. Cars, travel, music, cooking, animals, you name it. At the end of the day, we’re all fans of something. For those of us with a penchant for the fantastical — be it comics, movies, games or cosplay — annual celebrations of our fandoms take place all over the country. I’m talking about conventions (cons for short): days-long celebrations of all things nerdy, where you can dive deep into a passion that any other time of the year would seem novel. It’s a time to mingle amongst a community of fellow fans.

“I think one of the greatest things about fandom is the way it can give and build.

It’s an opportunity for people with mutual interests to come together and find community … [to me] fandom isn’t trivia or know-it-all-ism, it’s a shorthand to communicate ideas and substance. It’s about crafting a tribe where the inherent meaning is custom-made and open-sourced, and while it can be informed by where you were born Photo Courtesy Of Wizardcon or what you look like, it celebrates those perspectives rather than pitting them against each other.” - Michael (he/him), 39

BY NOEL V. BARTOCCI

Being amongst fellow fans can feel like a warm blanket. Few things bring us together faster than similar interests. Even more so, fewer things can bring so many different types of people together more effectively than shared fandom. No matter who you are, where you live or what you worship, a bond among fans often bridges all differences.

Don’t believe me? Attend any Eagles game parking lot and tell me I’m wrong. No matter their walks of life, people become fervent compatriots for the rest of their days — over the course of one Sunday afternoon. Doing the same thing over strategic card games is not so far-fetched when you think about it.

“The Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom has given me many things over the years … It taught me humility, sportsmanship and strategy. Most important of all, it game me comfort.

That may sound strange, but no matter what happened in my life, the game and

Cons come in all shapes and sizes, but are often one of two types — dedicated or multifaceted. A dedicated con is designed around one form of fandom or genre, for example, Monster-Mania in Cherry Hill, NJ. It’s a weekend dedicated to all things horror. Multifaceted conventions (like the upcoming Fan Expo Philadelphia) are often larger and encompass a broad range of fandoms and media. You can spend your entire time searching for back issues, getting autographs from your favorite ’90s TV stars, walking around taking pictures with anime characters made real or sitting in panel after panel about the deconstruction of a 40-year-old film series. Cons can be hyper-specific or broad, intimate or massive, but no matter what, they are all filled with one thing … fans.

“I think my favorite parts of fandom are when a group of disparate people all love the same characters so much, that we need to create, share and expand on the world they came from in the form of art. Either because we have hopes and dreams for their futures or because we’re not quite ready to let them go when the story ends.” - Syd (he/they), 29 You may not share the heightened levels of passion that other con attendees do, but nearly everyone can relate to being a fan. Possessing shared interests with one another is the foundation of nearly all of our relationships in life. Our interests can lift us up, teach us lessons, tear our hearts out and even inspire something more within. “[Being in a positive fan community] can reinforce and strengthen the love of a mythology, while drawing out earnest and honest deconstructions of the stories we tell ourselves as a society …” - Chuck (he/him), 40

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

the community were there for me. When my parents got divorced, I went through a break up, didn’t get into medical school, you name it, I could go to the card shop and commiserate with my friends. Lose myself in the game. Being part of a fandom can be such an amazing experience … no matter where I was, I had a place I could call home.” - Amy (she/her), 28 It’s very easy to diminish the validity of entertainment. For generations, it’s been described as brain rot and wasted time. It’s been used as the scapegoat for tragedy, the epitome of indecency and the anathema to education. All short-sighted dismissals. In reality, we’ve been telling each other stories since the beginning of time, and being a fan is merely connecting with versions of those stories. Stories meant to teach lessons, share histories, and bring us closer to one another. A convention is just another, very opulent, way to celebrate that. Basically, you should go — I’ll see you there.

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

NEWS

7

Black. Gay. Electable.

HE’S TIED WITH THE SUPPOSED ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATE IN THE LATEST POLL. SO WHY DOES MALCOLM KENYATTA GET CHARACTERIZED AS A LONG SHOT?

“If life doesn’t do anything else,” Malcolm Kenyatta says to me through the phone, “it happens.”

The recently married 31-year-old state representative hailing from North Philadelphia is taking time in between an interview he just gave and another engagement to speak to me about his current project: a run for U.S. Senate.

He’s being gracious, I had unexpectedly and regretfully canceled our previous interview and despite a grueling, packed schedule, Kenyatta managed to fit me in on a busy, sunny, and cold Friday afternoon.

His name might sound familiar but not quite right to you if you’re a Philadelphian who remembers Frank Rizzo. Kenyatta’s grandfather, Muhammad Kenyatta, was a force in and of himself who ran unsuccessfully against Rizzo for the Democratic nomination for mayor in 1975. The elder Kenyatta led boycotts, attended Harvard where he led the Black Law Students Association, and worked at dismantling the nation’s white supremacist underpinnings until his passing at the age of 47.

But this was in 1992. Kenyatta, the younger, wasn’t even two years old yet.

Nonetheless, even if he wasn’t there to work alongside his grandfather as a colleague, Malcolm Kenyatta carries on the same dedication to what he sees is right. And while the elder might’ve been known more as the disruptive, direct action type, the younger is equally as disruptive – just, perhaps, within the system’s boundaries. How else could someone so young become an elected official? Or, as he previously did, work for the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce?

Elected in 2018 at the age of 28, Kenyatta is still, even now at 31, one the youngest members of Pennsylvania’s wheezing and weighty state legislature, a place where he says – angrily, it’s important to note – nothing gets accomplished. He was the first openly gay person of color ever elected to the state legislature. He's still one of the only openly gay members in Harrisburg.

“It should be frustrating to every voter irrespective of where you place yourself on the ideological spectrum that in Harrisburg we are not seeing much of anything get done,” he laments. “Even if you are somebody who is a conservative, I don’t even know what policies other than, you know, crazy culture war crap have they actually even done.”

By “they,” Kenyatta means the majority GOP controlled legislature. He’s not wrong. Recently, time has been spent poring over nonsensical, fever dreamlike fantasies (nightmares?) about the 2020 presidential election.

And perhaps not exactly the same but in the same general area, he himself has been known for a rhetorical flourish on camera or in the public record.

For instance, he garnered international attention in 2020 for his impassioned criticism of voter legislation pushed by the GOP. “You can boo if you want,” he says in the most memorable portion.

Still, he seems earnest in his push to have legislators, you know, legislate and govern.

If Harrisburg’s marbled hallways are a little light these days on the doing anything front, his U.S. Senate candidacy is keeping Kenyatta on his toes. The campaign trail is so dizzying, Pennsylvania’s rural to suburban to urban and back again rolling hills and highways so numerous, he cannot recall, when asked, what he ate last.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

8

NEWS

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Black. Gay. Electable.

Then, eureka.

“A little piece of banana bread,” he exclaims. “It was good.”

And while that banana bread was good, the current state of the U.S. Senate is more likely to give Kenyatta, or frankly anyone, heartburn.

“The Senate is broken, and the way we fix the Senate, it turns out, is that we gotta change the senators,” Kenyatta explains matter-of-factly.

Whatever happens in May’s primary or November’s general election, the senator from Pennsylvania will indeed change given current Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican, is retiring and leaving the field wide open for both parties.

Coupled with a razor thin one vote spread thanks only to the Democratic vice president, the Senate is in desperate need of additional Democrats or Republicans to have anything substantive move forward.

“We need somebody who actually understands our lives and understands what working people are worried about,” he goes right into the familiar cadence of a stump speech, “and what challenges are making it so difficult for working families to keep their heads above water and to ultimately thrive.”

The work in Philadelphia and in fact across the Commonwealth is daunting. While about 400,000 Philadelphians live below the federal poverty line, the fact is another million live across the rest of the state. The National Low Income Housing Coalition adds that a full 44 percent of workers between the ages of 18 and 64 are in low wage positions and that for the nation’s extremely low income households, there’s a shortage of about 7 million affordable homes.

Extremely low income households represent about 8 percent of the nation’s households overall. “Only 36 affordable and available homes exist for every 100 extremely low income renter households,” the group explains.

And the exuberant gains in wages that happened toward the end of the quarantine and as the COVID-19 pandemic started to wane haven’t just been reversed by rising inflation. Instead, they’ve been overtaken by rising prices so that now people aren’t ahead. Rather, they’re even worse off today than they were before the virus. Even gigs that some found to be lifelines or excellent supplements to existing jobs, like driving for Uber, are starting to cost too much as gas prices rise amid a global oil industry claiming strain for a variety of reasons.

“What we’ve been talking about is America’s basic bargain,” Kenyatta responds to the bleak picture with a phrase used frequently by Robert Reich, former Clinton Treasury secretary and left-of-center economist. “How to make sure everybody can have one good job backed up by a union, that if folks get sick they can actually go to the damn doctor, fill the prescription when they leave the appointment, and then that they can retire with a level of real dignity – in a house they were able to afford in the first place. Those are the things we need to get done.”

It’s a vision of the United States that would recall Franklin Roosevelt, Eugene McCarthy, and, yes, Bernie Sanders but also Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. It’s hardly the stuff of a radical or fringe figure.

If anything, it sounds like the personification of a very mainstream, very normal, very electable Democrat.

Even if his general view of politics is standard liberal or in today’s parlance progressive, it’s still hard to view Kenyatta as an establishment figure. After all, he’s a Black, gay Millennial who’s frequently interacting with MSNBC’s more leftist commentariat. What little free time he has when he’s not with

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

his husband is spent watching the Great British Bake-off. He listens to Lizzo.

He’s one of us in style and seemingly substance.

Plus, the national media and even some local journalists too have seemingly decided that Kenyatta – who came out swinging for darling of establishment moderates Joe Biden before nearly any other elected official in Philadelphia in the race for president – is an insurgent candidate bucking the establishment.

Whether or not a dangerous radical would have endorsed Joe Biden is unclear. But the image of Kenyatta as too young, too unelectable, too something persists in the eyes of some.

Locally, the Democratic City Committee endorsed one of Kenyatta’s opponents from the PIttsburgh area, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, also a Millennial.

Mayor Jim Kenney, whose seeming lack of interest in his current job is only surpassed, perhaps, by the acute interest a handful of City Councilmembers have in taking that same job, went with Lamb, too. Kenney’s endorsement was particularly out of character: Known for eagerly elevating women, LGBTQ people, and Black Philadelphians to positions of power within City government, Kenney seemed to fold into something misshapen, off-base, and room temperature in order to justify the Lamb nod.

“As much as I respect everybody else in the Democratic field,” Kenney told the Inquirer at the time, “he’s the person that can win.”

Likewise, speaking to WHYY, longtime City Committee Chair Bob Brady, now retired from Congress, cited electability concerns. “There are people who,” Brady said, “didn’t think Malcolm could win. They didn’t think he had the money, and they don’t think he could win the primary or the general.”

Other rumors swirl as to the rationale for spurning the hometown candidate, including a perennial claim that entrenched party bosses punished the young upstart who jumped ahead and took somebody else’s “turn.”

Kenyatta isn’t impressed even if he stays positive, refusing to address the rumors or even most of the on-record rationale.

“In so many of the open wards where committee people get to be part of the process,” he cheerily glides over the implication of his statement, “I think all of them, so far, we’ve actually won that support. We won the support of the 8th Ward just two days ago. We won a majority of the votes in the 5th Ward.

We won the 1st Ward and the 2nd Ward…so we’ve consistently continued to earn support.” He argues he has support across the state in other counties.

He’s not wrong. In January, the state committee was deadlocked and could offer no endorsement. That’s usually indicative of energized support for several candidates. Fetterman by far has the momentum, but Lamb’s collection of endorsements doesn’t seem to be doing much of anything for him.

In the latest The Hill/Emerson College poll, Fetterman earned 33 percent, with Lamb and Kenyatta locked in a statistical tie within the margin of error at 10 and 7 percent, respectively. A full 37 percent of the electorate is undecided still. In other words, it could be anyone’s race but it’s Fetterman’s to lose.

Yet, based upon headlines and news coverage, the race has really only been between two white straight men from the beginning, Lamb and Fetterman, himself also a Democrat from the Pittsburgh area.

Some recent headlines when you Google the senate race include, “Poll: Fetterman leads Lamb by double digits,” “Conor Lamb takes swipe at John

"The same people who were talking about whether or not a Black gay man could win in Pennsylvania – because we have to acknowledge that a big part of this idea, that ‘Malcolm isn’t viable,’ is based on nothing. People believing a false version of reality, that everybody was racist and homophobic. And, you know, Pennsylvania is so much better than that. That is not what Pennsylvania is, not in our small rural communities, not in our major cities."

NEWS

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

9

AN INTERVIEW WITH MALCOLM KENYATTA - CONTINUED Fetterman,” and, “Will Fetterman silence Lamb in Pennsylvania senate faceoff?”

When Montgomery County Supervisor Dr. Valerie Arkoosh was still in the race, it was impossible not to notice that the two people inexplicably iced out by many were a woman and a gay Black man and the two people who were deemed more credible, more serious looked like every U.S. president except for one.

To be clear, it’s difficult to imagine that progressive Fetterman or even the staunchly moderate Lamb courts or enjoys the effect this bias has on their own chances. Still, it has an effect. But it appears to be divorced from reality in terms of evidence and history.

So why the dour forecast by so many establishment types as to Kenyatta’s candidacy? And how could local political leaders say with a straight face that Lamb was more electable given he’s tied with Kenyatta and can’t get remotely near Fetterman’s poll numbers after months of high profile news coverage and all those endorsements? Doesn’t that say something about Lamb’s inherent…well…weakness as a candidate?

For whatever reason, the electability argument has become (inexplicably) conventional wisdom amongst many. The idea goes that, for some unidentified reason in a statewide race a Philadelphian has an uphill battle–let alone a Black, gay Philadelphian. People love to cite the James Carville quote about Pennsylvania, which he called, “Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Alabama in the middle.”

It’s rarely mentioned that Carville said this three decades ago.

These electability arguments surrounding Kenyatta never address how Ed Rendell, a Jewish Philadelphian born in New York City, was twice elected governor, how Lynn Swann became the first Black GOP nominee for governor in 2006, how Barack Obama handily won in both 2008 and 2012 in the Keystone State. They also never acknowledge the kind of bigotry they’re implying is held across the state, a seeming stereotype of rural voters themselves.

I ask Kenyatta if he sees the kind of prejudice that the electability narrative implies whenever he’s traveling from town to town.

“Of course not,” he responds swiftly, “it absolutely isn’t.” At this point, he drops any talking points and speaks with laser focused exasperation.

“I say this every day, ignore the noise. The same people who were talking about whether or not a Black gay man could win in Pennsylvania – because we have to acknowledge that a big part of this idea, that ‘Malcolm isn’t viable,’ is based on nothing. People believing a false version of reality, that everybody was racist and homophobic. And, you know, Pennsylvania is so much better than that. That is not what Pennsylvania is, not in our small rural communities, not in our major cities. People are ready to have bold leadership more than the cynics would have you believe.”

If his Democratic colleagues wedded to this electability narrative give rural communities a severe lack of credit, what does Kenyatta instead see there?

“People who want to have a government that actually works for them. And I mean that genuinely, a government that just fucking works,” he replies, flatly.

Given the one thing Americans are totally united on is their disdain for politicians and politics in general, anecdotally at least Kenyatta’s observation seems on point. Notwithstanding this bit of bipartisan and cross-demographic unity, the fact is that Pennsylvania is consistently contested in national races. In other words, it’s a swing state, like it or not.

The problem there is that Democrats outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania by about one million registered voters. Is Pennsylvania really a swing state with that kind of registration edge? Why on earth did it go for Trump in 2016 but then not in 2020? Does anything make sense?

“I think what you hear from a lot of [Trump voters] is ‘I don’t like all the stuff he says, but he promises to bring back jobs.’ And of course, he was never going to,” Kenyatta observes. “But one of the most effective talking points that Trump had was, ‘At least I’m not part of the problem, right?’ He couldn’t say that as effectively in his reelection, which is part of why he lost as well as due to disastrous policies that didn’t line up with any of the economic things he said he was going to accomplish.”

Are voters really that substantive? Do they really care mostly about socalled kitchen table issues? Consistently, that’s what polling suggests To be clear, Kenyatta does not run away from the lived experience he brings to the race even if it’s not his rationale for running – even if some critics think that’s all he is.

“I think back on a conversation I had with my grandmother in 2019,” Kenyatta reflects, “and she called me with tears in her eyes. She said, ‘Baby, I’m so sorry.” When he hits the word “sorry,” his Philadelphia accent comes out in full force with more of a “saw-ree” than anything else. “She said, ‘I’m just so sorry because I thought we had fixed some of this stuff. And here you are talking about the same things that me and your grandfather were organizing about’ – in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s,” he pauses. “That is not a conversation that any parent or grandparent should have to have with their kids or grandkids. And we can make sure that’s a conversation we don’t have to have, because when you get more working people in office, what you get is different priorities.

“Everybody brings to office a whole host of lived experiences,” Kenyatta adds, “and I’m certainly going to bring mine.”

The constant framing of the conversation back to those issues is a hallmark of our interaction. He really does, generally speaking, ignore the noise. After all, it’s that noise that people seem to have such an aversion to. It’s that noise that’s so corrosive, seemingly, on our system.

“I do not treat politics as a game,” Kenyatta ends. “You know, me and my now husband, Dr. Matt, just got married, and we are grappling with so many of the issues that people ask me about every single day. The cost of their student loans, whether or not they can afford to buy that first house, whether or not they’re going to be able to put food on the table.”

Given I noticed his constant refrain and core rationale is that he’s a working person running for office, I ask whether he pays his own electric bill.

“Yeah, I did it today. Shit,” he readily answers, his last word elongated and resonant to anyone who pays their own bills. “First of the month!”

And while he paid his light bill online this month just like you or me, on Tuesday, May 17, Kenyatta learns whether his everyman persona gets a little harder to maintain. After all, not everyone is a party nominated candidate for U.S. Senate.

The primary election in Pennsylvania is Tuesday, May 17. Information on registering to vote, online registration, vote by mail, and voting in general can be found on the City Commissioners' site at philadelphiavotes.com.

"I do not treat politics as a game,” Kenyatta ends.

“You know, me and my now husband, Dr. Matt, just got married, and we are grappling with so many of the issues that people ask me about every single day. The cost of their student loans, whether or not they can afford to buy that first house, whether or not they’re going to be able to put food on the table.”

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

10

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

A Solo Daryl Hall is a Thing H

aving spoken to Daryl Hall many times in the past, with and without John Oates, the most noticeable thing about the Pottstown-born, Philadelphiaraised, one-time Temple University student-turned one of soul’s most potent vocalists and songwriters is his frankness. One would call it “boastful” if it wasn’t for the fact that every thing he puts forth is true: that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had six No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1977 and 1984, all of which were written or co-written by Hall: "Rich Girl", "Kiss on My List,” "Private Eyes" “I Can't Go for That (No Can Do), "Maneater" and "Out of Touch. Hall’s "Do It For Love" and "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" topped the Adult Contemporary charts. The Hall-penned "Everytime You Go Away" reached No. 1 in the US when British vocalist Paul Young covered it, and Hall’s classic "She's Gone" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles when Tavares covered it in 1974.

Through all of these Hall & Oates hits, there was a solo Hall looking to peek through – a weirder Hall, a rougher Hall, a jazzier Hall. Many in the business of Hall & Oates thought that a Hall divided against itself could not stand, advised him otherwise.

Philly hard head that he was/is, he went through with a solo catalog, as well making himself the host and co-producer of the early streaming television series Live from Daryl's House, where he performs alongside other friends and artists, doing songs from each's catalog. Yes Daryl had guests but it is his house and mostly his songs being sung.

It is the spirit of Live from Daryl’s House - along with the confidence to get up and do it – that has led Hall to compile his favorite solo song moments in the 30-track Before/After package, as well as get his ass out on a solo tour with his one-time mentor-producer and longtime friend, Upper Darby’s Todd Rundgren.

The hometown date is April 9 at The Met Philadelphia, and Hall was revved to discuss all things solo and no things Oates.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: Whether we go back to your days as a street corner harmonist with the Temptones or your partnership with John Oates, I know that you have always been able to do everything – write, sing, play, produce – on your own. So, why have you relied on collaboration rather than be a solo act?

Daryl Hall: There were a number of reasons, but I’ll tell you the main reason. People who had other agendas, who didn’t want to fuck with the cash cow, and didn’t want to rock the boat, and didn’t want to get off the hit bandwagon – all of that crap, all of that business stuff – me going solo wasn’t in their best interests. In the past, when I tried to do solo music, it was always met with resistance from record companies and resistance from management, to some degree. To a big degree, what am I saying? I was thwarted in every way. Eventually I prevailed. I did one, and then I kept doing them. For various reasons, at the same time, I have kept on going, playing the same old songs with John. And that’s OK. I like those songs.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: You wrote those songs.

Daryl Hall: I did. But I also wrote a lot of other songs, on my own and with other people. And I look at this whole thing as an alternative creative universe. I’ve been working for 45 years in other areas, with other people. Finally, I’ve decided to bring that out, and bring it to light completely. I’ve done that before on Live from Daryl’s House, my first venture into the idea of “this is what I do on my own.” Now, I’m going to take it one step further, and I’m doing it for real. I’m doing it 100%. That’s my motivation.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: But, going back to you being a young man coming up in North Philadelphia, why would you bother collaborating when you knew you had all of these talents?

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Daryl Hall: I like it. I drive the bus. That’s number one. When you say it’s collaboration, it’s collaboration with rules and regulations about it.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: It’s collaboration with caveats.

Daryl Hall: But I like bouncing ideas off of other people. I get my creative pleasure out of that. I’m not like Todd (Rundgren). I’m not a person who sits in a room and makes my own music and records it and plays all of the instruments and lives in that solitary creative universe. I can do it. I don’t like to do it. I like to collaborate.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: You said you come with rules. What are they? When you choose to record or write with someone, are you making the rules clear from the outset?

Daryl Hall: Well, no. I’m not a strict disciplinarian or an autocrat. It is unspoken rules. Everybody knows that if I am driving the bus – and someone has to drive that bus – in a creative situation, that’s what it is. I’m driving the bus. There’s no true democracy.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: Let me go back to something from your time at Temple University. You majored in Music. What were you hoping to do, arrange and orchestrate? You also took vocal classes with opera at their core.

Daryl Hall: I was a musician my whole life. My parents were musicians. I went through the music studies program at Temple to hone my craft. I did learn how to

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

to Behold

11

AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH THE PHILLY-BORN SOUL AND POP LEGEND – WITHOUT OATES

BY A.D. AMOROSI

arrange, and did solfeggio, and yes, I did train in operatic singing. That was part of the vocal major’s curriculum.

Quincy Jones both admitted to copping the vibe of “No Can Do” for “Billie Jean.” What say you?

PW/A.D. Amorosi: I know that you recorded your first solo work, Sacred Songs, in 1977 with Robert Fripp, and that your label, RCA Records, freaked out that it wasn’t commercial and held its release for three years. Was 1977, however, the first urge to solo, the itch you couldn’t scratch?

Daryl Hall: I don’t think they stole it. Nah. Michael said to me, during one of the breaks while we were making “We are the World,” that he hoped that I didn’t mind him taking “No Can Do.” He said stole. He meant borrowed. For “Billie Jean.” I was surprised because I didn’t hear it. What it did do is inspire him to do something similar. Which is great. We all influence each other. Van Halen had “Jump” which got inspired by “Kiss on My List.” They didn’t copy. They were inspired.

Daryl Hall: I spend a lot of my life in England, which is where I first met Fripp. We hit it off, and became friends. After that friendship blossomed, we decided that we would try doing some music together. With two musical backgrounds so different, something interesting had to come out. A clash of traditions.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: You went into it with the idea of shaking things up.

Daryl Hall: And laugh a lot at the same time. The music we were doing was going to be some strange hybrid of what we both do. I probably wanted to shake things up for a while before that.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: I’m so happy to hear you say that because everyone is so fast to cry ‘steal,’ that if you cop a vibe or a chord pattern from another song, you are a thief and deserve compensation.

Daryl Hall: All artists’ steal. Nobody does anything original.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: You mentioned Van Halen. True or false – they asked you to replace David Lee Roth at one point.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: The thought of such shaking up, such freedom: did you write with that in mind? Was any of this material in your kit bag prior to Sacred Songs?

Daryl Hall: I was backstage after a show and Eddie Van Halen was there with Valerie.

He said to me, ‘Hey we’re getting rid of Dave. Do you want to join the band?” That’s as far as that conversation went. I laughed.

Daryl Hall: I tend to write for projects. Those songs came from where my head was at that time, as well as the feeling of the two of us writing together. There was no master plan beyond that. There never is. It all depends on the team I’m working with at the time, and I write autobiographically or semi-autobiographically from there.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: You renovate and reconstruct houses. How does that open you up as a musical artist?

PW/A.D. Amorosi: We started the conversation with you talking about how outside or inside forces kept you from doing anything solo, and you fighting for its release. You used several of its tracks for the new solo compilation, but what do you think of Sacred Songs in retrospect? I feel like it is very now feeling.

Daryl Hall: Oh yeah. It has a true timeless quality to it. You want all of your songs to live forever, but Sacred Songs could have been recorded yesterday. I don’t know why, but a lot of my music does that.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: Quick aside: how did you and Arthur Baker hook up to write for Diana Ross on “Swept Away”?

Daryl Hall: That was a real aberration. Arthur asked me if I wanted to write a song for Diana, so she and I got together – I knew her from before – and I sate down with Sara Allen and wrote the song.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: We can talk about other solo albums of yours such as Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine and Laughing Down Crying, but after Sacred Songs, Soul Alone truly grabs me. It toys with jazz and goes even further down the rabbit hole of real R&B and true Philly soul than even your 70s Hall & Oates albums do – Whole Oats, Abandoned Luncheonette, Bigger Than Both of Us. Can you talk about making Soul Alone, and where your head was at the time.

Daryl Hall: I speak a lot of musical languages. I’m very aware of jazz. The team I was working with at that time were deep into R&B. There were New York jazz and soul guys in there, and guys from Average White Band in there. It’s interaction. “Philly Mood” came out of such back-and-forth interaction in the studio.

Daryl Hall: It gave me an outlet. Renovation and reconstruction or construction is not dissimilar to making a record. Especially if it is historical renovation. You have artisans who are really good at a particular craft. You get those disparate people together as a team and you make something wonderful happen. It has a vision. It is art and craft, similar but in a completely different world. It clears my mind and fulfills me.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: So, consider the reconstructing of your past solo albums into a new collective structure, the Before/After compilation, why now, and what was the curatorial process?

Daryl Hall: I didn’t do anything for two years. Some artists were in their studios banging things out, doing this/doing that and I said, no. I am not doing any of that I didn’t even play my piano or guitar or sing. I hibernated creatively. My reasoning was that anything that I would do then would not be relevant now, or in the aftermath. And I think I’m right. So many people re-evaluated what they are doing. The great resignation. So that period was a palate cleanser. It was a revelatory experience. I decided when I came out of it all, that I would be different. And I am.

And that different person is bringing 45 years of solo work once in the dark to light.

That’s where I’m at right now. The songs I chose were based on mood, and how the songs all fit into one project. I didn’t do it chronologically, I did it as if I was putting together a brand-new album.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: Which for some audiences, it is new. Considering you are playing at The Met, a property just blocks from where you got your start singing doo-wop at Temple U, what is in you that is Philly still?

Daryl Hall: It’s the place I grew up in. It’s my roots. That’s something that will never change. I may live in another world, but Philly is inside you, where you come from.

And every Philadelphian out there reading this knows exactly what I mean.

PW/A.D. Amorosi: So it came up the other day that Michael Jackson and

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

12

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

CASSANDRA DEE WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH AND FEEL LESS ALONE L

ooking to laugh and feel less alone? Then mark your calendar and come out to Cassandra Dee’s first full-length album recording at Helium Comedy Club on April 10, 2022, at 8:30 p.m. Cassandra Dee’s brand of comedy is dark and self-deprecating, is full of honesty, and tackles subjects like depression, bullying, and suicide. I’ve been a fan since I first saw her perform in the 2017 Philly’s Phunniest preliminary round, a competition held yearly by Helium Comedy Club to determine the funniest standup comedian in the city. The comedian’s jokes were so original, and vulnerable, she stood out effortlessly in a group of close to 20 comedians competing.

She won the entire competition the following year.

Given how much time I spend watching others and performing on stage myself, I don’t always, or ever, remember the exact moment I first meet or see any specific comedian. Time tends to blur. But, I remember the exact moment I saw Cassandra Dee – and I’ve been following her ever since.

Cassandra Dee can be heard on SiriusXM radio, has hosted shows

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

like “Really Funny Comedians (Who Happen To Be Women)” at Punch Line Philly and currently co-hosts “Oh Honey…A True Cringe Podcast” with Jillian Markowitz, outdd this spring.

In addition to her impeccable timing and solid jokes, Dee offers me, and maybe you in some ways, a route to thinking of us as kindred nerd spirits. Both from Delco, we also both attended Interboro High School and were living on the same street at the same time. We were definitely in the same rooms well before either of us decided to become comedians. It makes the world feel a little smaller in a really cool way.

The first thing she said to me ahead of our interview set the tone.

“All right, I’m gonna say this – and take it with the spirit in which it is intended – you seem like you would’ve been in color guard.”

Ugh. Nailed it.

(Apparently, Cassandra played drums in the band at the same time I was in color guard, which is further proof that we were definitely in the same band room, if nothing else at all, but this is coincidental.

Photo: Greg Goldstein

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

WE TALK ABOUT DELCO, INFLUENCES, STAGE NAMES, AND WHY SHE HOPES THAT IF PEOPLE SEE HER TELLING JOKES ABOUT DEPRESSION, SUICIDE AND BULLYING, THEY WILL FEEL LESS ALONE. She’s just that insightful.)

Watching Cassandra do comedy is like taking a class in humor without accruing massive amounts of student debt – or without hurting others unnecessarily. Support local comedy, and get your tickets to Cassandra Dee’s first full-length album recording on Sunday, April 10 at 8:30 p.m. online or at the Helium Box Office by calling (215) 4969001.

When was the first time you did stand-up?

In college, I did an open mic at the Laff House on South Street. The host was the Legendary Wid, which I found out later. I gave him my real name and he was like “No one uses their real name!” so he gave me a stage name which I use now. I went up and I did one set, and the first time is supposed to be terrible but it went OK. And then I was just like “I’m never doing this again” and I didn’t do it again for over a decade.

I’m putting it in print so everyone knows. Not your real name, but the fact that the Legendary Wid gave you your stage name. What did comedy look like after the hiatus for you?

I did a second open mic in 2012 and a third open mic in 2014. When I did that mic, the manager of Helium invited me back to audition for this thing called the Dirty Dozen. The audition went terribly, but that positive reinforcement of “this is your third time and we noticed you and want to hear more from you” kept me going until things started to actually work out.

What are some of your biggest comedic influences?

When I was little, I was introduced to two very distinct types of comedy by each of my parents. My dad was very into George Carlin and Richard Pryor, and I would see my dad watching that and laughing. And then when I was a little older my mom got really into Paula Poundstone, Ellen Degeneres, like, people who would be wearing shoulder pads, sometime in the early ’90s. That’s when I really started to understand jokes, and I really liked when you thought someone was going to say one thing, and they started to say another thing and surprised you. I always liked the concept of jokes. I got really into Margaret Cho and Wanda Sykes.

But the thing that actually made me start doing comedy was watching Mike Birbiglia’s movie, “Sleepwalk with Me.” When that came out in 2012, I was like “No, maybe I can do this. I haven’t tried this in ten years, maybe the overwhelming urge to throw up when I’m on stage is not so terrible anymore. He seems nervous at first and he gets used to it, maybe I’ll get used to it.” There’s something about that movie that just made me be like “I can do this.” Not “if he can do it, I can do it” but “people can do this, and I am people.”

We were both born and raised in Delco, which is a very specific experience, even though it’s clearly different for everyone.

What was your experience like?

The best way to encapsulate my experience in Delco is in one short

13

BY: AUBRIE WILLIAMS

little anecdote that is easily digestible. When I was in high school, I used the word “behoove” in a sentence, and I got made fun of for three months. I never fit in in Delco. My friends and I joke that our school motto was “Football.”

I was a very sensitive, thoughtful kid who loved learning. I read books because I loved books, and my brother read books to get a free pizza. I grew up feeling like I was never going to fit in anywhere, and as soon as I started doing stand-up comedy, I was like “I’m not as weird as you all made me think I was.”

Is there anything you would like to tell your fans/future fans before they come out to see your album recording?

I want people to know that my album opens with an incredibly silly joke, it ends really dark, and there’s a lot in between. I would like to explain that there are jokes about suicide, but I feel like I can’t give content warnings in a helpful way because when half of the people see content warnings, they’re like “fucking Millennials.” The other half is like “you’re making fun of me cause I’m a Millennial.”

There’s no way to say those words in a way that I feel is actually useful, like “Hey, if it’s going to upset you to hear myself making fun of my own experience of being suicidal, then this isn’t the show for you and that’s OK. I can give you recommendations of very funny people who don’t talk about killing themselves.”

I’ve always admired how open you are both in your comedy and on social media about mental health and your personal journey.

For a long time, I kind of felt like comedy was enough for me to deal with mental health problems, so a lot of my jokes ended up focusing on it because it was the only way I was dealing with it. It helped because it enabled me to look at the things I was experiencing from a different perspective. To look at them from the angle at which they’re funny means you’re not looking at them from inside where it’s scary and hard. It did help, but more importantly, it helped me get to the place where I could go to therapy, it helped me get to the place where I could find the right medicine, it helped me get to the place where I could actually deal with it.

Comedy has a way of making us feel less alone and more connected through jokes and shared experiences. What do you hope your audience takes away from seeing you perform?

I definitely hope that if people see me telling jokes about depression, suicide, and bullying, they feel less alone. I hope it inspires them to want to get help and feel better, especially now that I’m not actively in it. I still tell jokes about killing myself because it was such a huge part of my life, but for the first time that I can remember, I don’t feel like that anymore. I literally do not remember life before depression.

It started when I was 6 or 7 years old. I really hope that people who listen to this album or come out to see it feel less alone if they are depressed. I want them to feel less alone and I want them to feel like there is hope because I’m a fucking mess and I got better. If I can do it, literally anyone can do it.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

14

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Philadelphia Goes To The Grammys BY: AD AMOROSI

FROM QUESTLOVE AND JAZMINE SULLIVAN TO THE LATE, LEGENDARY MARIAN ANDERSON, THIS CITY’S GREATEST AND MOST DIVERSE HEAD TO MUSIC’S BIGGEST NIGHT: APRIL 3’S GRAMMY AWARDS

M

aybe Philadelphia and mainstream award shows don’t mix, and we’d be right to be gun shy when you consider last Sunday nights actions, the one where West Philly actor Will Smith slapped stand-up comedian Chris Rock in the face at the Academy Awards for a bad joke at the expense of Smith’s wife, fellow actor Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Imagine if Will Smith had lost that Best Actor Oscar?

And while the mad post-slap analysis and overflow emotion of Smith’s actions interfered with another famed Philadelphian, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and his Oscar victory for Best Original Documentary and his directorial debut, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), one hopes that the drummer-director gets another shot at an award-winning speech sooner than later.

We’re talking about the Trevor Noah-hosted, 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards to be held on Sunday, April 3 at 8 PM from Los Angeles on CBS TV and Paramount+ Premium streams.

Along with a Questlove nomination (see below), Philadelphia is in the house so often, with so many nominations, you’ll think they’re filming the GRAMMYS in Fishtown. Or the Italian Market. Or Penns Landing.

Look at the very first moment of the GRAMMYS’ Sunday night showcase. Even though neither cat is from the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, this year’s GRAMMYs scream ‘Philadelphia’ from its start as the just-announced opening salvo comes from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak and their Silk Sonic duo. Here is an ensemble that borrow so heavily and actively in music and fashion from the harmonious Sound of Philadelphia’s lords Gamble, Huff and Bell songbook, Mars and .Paak must surely owe the Mighty 3 money for their troubles.

Even University of Penn grad and one-time 5 Spot regular John Legend will be on-board throughout the evening, as he’ll win the Inaugural Global Impact Award presented by the Black Music Collective for his personal and professional achievements in the music industry. And who is set to lead the Legend celebration? Philly bassist and Oscars’ Music Director Adam Gladstone among others.

See? The GRAMMYS are a Philly thing; not that slap and lousy attitude that Will Smith put forth.

Here is a look at every award we’ll take home on Sunday night.

Best Music Film Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) with Various Artists.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, video director; David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent & Joseph Patel, video producers.

Along with picking up six Critics Desk documentary division awards for his debut film along with last weekend’s Oscar, Questlove’s take on 1969’s Harlem Cultural Fest and its guests such as B. B. King, the Staples Singers, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Gladys Night & the Pips, Sly & the Family Stone and the Fifth Dimension unspools like a great, funky mixtape. That each artist was at the peak of their powers makes for a truly dynamic and original listening experience.

Best Choral Performance Rising, The Crossing Donald Nally, conductor (International Contemporary Ensemble & Quicksilver; The Crossing)

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

ARTS & CULTURE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

When it comes to contemporary chamber choir work with an emphasis on minimalist modern classical music, you can’t do better than the Philly-based The Crossing. Conducted and curated by Donald Nally, their art is always performed in dedication to new music and social, environmental, and political issues. Plus, they have already received two Grammy Awards for Best Choral Performance (2018, 2019), and six Grammy nominations.

Best Opera Recording Little: Soldier Songs and Poulenc: DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES Corrado Rovaris, conductor; Johnathan McCullough; James Darrah & John Toia, producers (The Opera Philadelphia Orchestra) and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Karen Cargill, Isabel Leonard, Karita Mattila, Erin Morley & Adrianne Pieczonka; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) No way that Philly has TWO new opera genre recordings up for the same award on the same night? Yes. Way. Obsessed as I am (always) with opera and know well Philly’s prowess over the art form this is no shock here. But still? TWO noms. Very good. And, just saying Nézet-Séguin and the Philly Orchestra also got Grammy nods for Best Orchestral Performance PRICE: SYMPHONIES NOS. 1 & 3. Lots of cultured pearls in Philly and you never even knew it.

Best Historical Album Marian Anderson: Beyond the Music: Her Complete RCA Victor Recordings.

Robert Russ, compilation producer; Nancy Conforti, Andreas K. Meyer & Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineers (Marian Anderson) The late great mistress of stately song, Philadelphia contralto Marian Anderson, gets celebrated with 15 packed-full CDs and a coffee table book celebrating the first Black singer at the Metropolitan Opera House. The grand lady for whom the Marian Anderson Awards stand for artistic and human excellence beyond the usual all but invented to concept of ‘popera,’ and brought opera, art song and classical

vocals to a Black audience at a time when that population was unserved in so many ways.

Best Song Written for Visual Media and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media “All I Know So Far” ( from P!NK: ALL I KNOW SO FAR) Alecia Moore, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters and Dear Evan Hansen, Various Artists Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters A Philly-raised Pasek & Paul two-fer here.

First there’s the pair’s song for Jenkintown-born Pink’s video collection as well as Philly’s favorite theater songwriters film soundtrack to Dear Evan Hansen, their Tony Award-winning musical. OK, the movie was horrible, but the music was gorgeous. But you knew that.

Best Comedy Album ZERO F***S GIVEN, Kevin Hart Despite heading into drama with his newest Netflix series, True Story, Hart’s laugh lines are estimable, and more raw than his usual family-friendly jokes. There is tough competition from Lewis Black, Louis CK and Larvell Crawford in the same category, but who doesn’t love Philly’s Kevin Hart?

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver Christian McBride Big Band and Swirling Sun Ra Arkestra Another category where Philly holds the lion’s share of nominations. Of course, you want U of Arts grad McBride to win in the big band stakes, as the local jazz composer has been at the game forever. But this is the first Grammy nom, ever, for Germantown avant-garde’s finest in the entirety of his 70+ years o earth, to say nothing of his time on Saturn. Decisions.

Best Country Duo/Group Performance “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home”) Elle King & Miranda Lambert Soul/country shouter Elle King used to live on South Street and attend University of the Arts, dropping acid and smoking weed all the while She wins for so many different reasons.

15

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album Music is the Weapon (Reloaded) Major Lazer and Shockwave Marshmello Never forget that Major Lazer’s producer and central being Diplo lived in Fishtown and owned the PhilaMOCA property and that Marshmello hails from right outside Philly’s city limits. That said, it’s Diplo Vs. the Squarehead, That’s a tough one, but I’ll give it to Marshmello as Diplo has become sort-of a snaky, slimy asshole since he left town.

Best Alternative Music Album and Best New Artist Jubilee Japanese Breakfast Though Michelle Zauner, the voice and face of Japanese Breakfast, is also nominated for Best New Artist – and should have been nominated for such when it counted from the start of her career nearly ten years ago - the best hope for Union Transfer’s one-time coat check person will come from her gorgeously pained Jubilee album, the record that made her a household name.

Best R&B Album Heaux Tales Jazmine Sullivan and Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance “Pick Up Your Feelings” Jazmine Sullivan Saving the best and most nominated Philadelphia for last, Sullivan – who still lives and records here – is long overdue the honors of the Grammys.

Nominated several times in the past for various albums and songs, Heaux Tales and its initial single, “Pick Up Your Feelings” is a wellspring of human emotion; one where she stretches her storytelling into more arduous terrain, revealing struggles related to abuse, regret, sex, shame, money, infatuation, evolution, revolution and agency. Vocally, it crushes.

Yeah, Sunday is Jazmine Sullivan’s night.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

16

SEX WITH TIMAREE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Lady Rouge Enjoys Seeing You Envisions a Better Kinky Philly “My background is in the arts, music … and kink,” Lady Rouge laughs when I ask her about her life before being a professional domme, kink activist and the founder of Fem Dom Philadelphia. She says that all these interests are connected. “It’s all about human expression, human therapy. I think it’s all necessary to live a life.”

To call her multifaceted would be an understatement. The holder of an MFA degree, she speaks three languages and is trained in 2D animation, fine art and classical music. Before emerging professionally on the scene in 2017, Lady Rouge (aka LR) spent time as a self-described “lurker” in the BDSM world. “I had been in the lifestyle, but I just wanted to watch,” she says. “I wanted to do my thesis on BDSM, I wanted to

Where ALL GUYS come together

Photo: BJ Formento Studio

Visit www.squirt.org today to join the action MARCH 31-APRIL 7TH, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

SEX WITH TIMAREE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

u Suffer But y

THE CLASSICALLY TRAINED ARTISTTURNED PRO DOMME AND KINK ACTIVIST WHO IS MAKING PHILLY BETTER FOR KINKSTERS

go into a dungeon somewhere in the city to be at the core.

“Then I wanted to be a practitioner, rather than someone who is a client. I wanted to learn how to do it,” the center city resident says. After approaching Philly kink staple Mxstress Lilith, Rouge received a mentorship in the art of protocol, role play, tease and denial. Lilith helped her get listed as a house domme at local dungeon Destiny’s Chamber and eventually she started her own “underground play world,” The Gallery R. Her areas of expertise include impact play, like spanking, whipping and flogging. “Caning is also spectacular,” she says. She’s also proficient with amateur wrestling. “I grew up as a tomboy, I mostly wrestled with boys. I was very physical and have always been very physical. It’s easier for me to wrestle someone to the ground and laugh about it than to do the emotional stuff.”

It’s largely enjoyable work for her. “This triggers my deviant side, which I have to look out for. I do enjoy seeing people suffer, when they’re begging me to stop,” she says, comparing it to attending a haunted house. “You’re so scared and the person who is hired to scare you gets so much pleasure out of it, it’s so perverted. You get your satisfaction from their reaction and the client gets satisfaction from your reaction.”

While Rouge considers herself a bit of a sadist, safety is an utmost priority. “Healthy dynamics are always my focus. I won’t respond to someone who wants to be permanently injured. I don’t want to go out of my way to quench somebody’s fantasy and then have me be liable for the damages potentially, because you know this stuff is serious.”

Working with clients is fulfilling and challenging, but she also wanted to expand into activism and community leadership. She started Fem Dom Philadelphia because there was no institution or platform for the various workers in town and she was receiving an abundance of inquiries from people looking to get into the industry or simply to meet other kinksters. The organization touches on education, entertainment, legal, medical and psychological components of the work. To be effective as a domme, she says, “you have to be well versed in all of those.”

The nonprofit is only one of Lady Rouge’s accomplishments. Her bio cites a litany, including: starting the tradition of the Philadelphia Leather Walk, the Kinky Champagne Affair and Rouge Bash, as well as co-producing The Inversions Show. She’s now on the board of the Diabolique Ball, the huge fetish fundraiser and Philly institution. The event has plans to return this year, potentially with Philly Fetish Week featuring lectures, workshops, shows and parties.

The road hasn’t been entirely easy though, as she recalls the challenges of being trained in protocol at her first dungeon. There’s a lot to learn, aside from the skills of working with clients: screening, cleaning, safety, discretion, “and just how to handle myself.” She says she got yelled at several times. Her first day she lit a candle for a session, only to realize too late it was plastic. “Up until the day I left Destiny’s, I hadn’t really figured out how to lock the deadbolt.”

Despite these obstacles, she has grand plans for Philly’s fetish community. “Public education is critical,” she says,

17

DR. TIMAREE

SCHMIT

@TIMAREE_LEIGH

Photo: BJ Formento Studio noting the need to end stigma in society at large and even among clients. Many people don’t recognize that being a domme and other forms of sex work are truly work, she says.

“Get to know the sex workers in your neighborhood — then you will perhaps change your mind about some of the laws that are … What is the word I’m looking for? Stupid.”

Based on her trajectory so far, I think she stands a good chance at defeating at least some of that stupidity. With her combination of tenacity, ambition and ability to bring people together, she’s a formidable warrior in the battle for sex positivity in Philly.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

CLASSIFIED

APRIL 7-14, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

EMPLOYMENT

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

General Employment

Legal Notices

Non-CDL Drivers

Wanted

Paratransit Operations

$400

SIGN-ON BONUS!!!

NM-00490241

18

$18/Hr. Starting Pay Immediate Positions Available Paid Training / Benefit Package Match of salary with experience!

Flexible Shifts Available Safety Bonus Incentives

APPLY IN PERSON Monday Through Friday • 9:00am to 3:00pm 4201 Tacony Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 | 215-992-8000 Apply Online: www.philly.totalbusco.com

General Employment

REAL ESTATE

GENERAL AND TREATMENT FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED Open your heart and home to children of all ages New Foundations, Inc. 215-203-8733 www.nfi4kids.org

Garages for Rent/Sale Parking Spaces @ Old City Parkominium Vallet parking 365/day yr. 215-280-0264 To purchase advertising in Philadelphia Weekly, contact: 215-543-3743, ext. 1, or ads@philadelphiaweekly.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE AT&T proposes to modify an existing facility (new tip heights 123.2’ and 140.2’) on the building at 6300 Cobbs Creek Parkway, Philadelphia, PA (20220307).

Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856-8091202) (1012 Industrial Dr., West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.

PUBLIC NOTICE T-Mobile proposes to modify their existing facility (new tip heights 50.4’ & 63.2’) on the 53’ church bell tower at 2145 E Chelten Ave, Philadelphia, PA (20201402).

Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856-8091202) (1012 Industrial Dr, West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.

ASK BB

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

ASK BB Dear BB: Recently, at an awards ceremony, a man openly mocked my partner for a health condition that visibly affects their appearance. This was done under the guise of a joke. Incensed, I shouted and even approached the man and lost control, slapping him. I know that this was intense, but I also know the Phillyism, “Talk shit get hit.” Was I wrong? Standing up for the dignity of someone I love against cruel mockery felt right, and I still have trouble feeling like I did something wrong here.

-Was I Liable Livid?

Dear LL Here’s another Phillyism: ‘Act Like You Know’ - and you most certainly didn’t follow that rule. And, to further answer your question: yes, you were outta pocket and wrong - and you should feel bad about it.

I SLAPPED HIM. IS THAT OK? part of the book is when Smith relates how he used to start physical altercations without reason. He also explored his pursuit of perfection and how often he achieved it by intimidating his peers.

Do you hear something familiar here, LL? Feelings of powerlessness that result from intergenerational trauma can unleash deeply implanted self-doubt that you are unable to control when a comedian makes a half-baked joke about your partner's hair.

Listen, that does not give a pass for hurtful things that you felt were said. It is impossible for anyone to have any inkling of how you have endured and thrived despite all odds against it. I mean, you were at an awards ceremony to herald your successes, and nobody but you know the troubles you’ve seen and an ill-timed joke can be an emotionally hurtful thing.

While on the subject of hurtful things: physically assaulting another person is just not right.

Certainly an insult can take even the most even keeled person over the edge, and through your outreach it appears you are ready to renegotiate your emotional maturity.

The remorse you’re expressing is a natural step in assessing your flaws and failures as a person and how you can grow beyond the errors of your ways.

Whenever people act irrationally, it's important to know what's really going on. Reasonable people ask questions when someone without a known history does something seemingly out of character before offering too many answers. If someone with a history of aggressive or violent behavior behaves in aggressive or violent ways, it may be a case of these individuals reverting back to form. The reality is that there's usually more going on behind the scenes than just that.

Listen, LL - I’m not an armchair psychologist, just a regular human being who's seen a thing or three and am always pondering what it means to be human. However, the one thing we all have in common is that we are consistently inconsistent. That's why it's important to examine your own failures and insecurities as part of who you are.

The recently released best-selling memoir by Will Smith, one of the best-known figures from Philly, readily admitted to his frailties. On page one he explains: “What you have come to understand as ‘Will Smith,’ the alien-annihilating MC, the bigger-than-life movie star, is largely a construction—a carefully crafted and honed character—designed to protect myself. To hide myself from the world. To hide the coward.”

As a bit of background, the memoir gives a peek into Smith's childhood, where violence seems to have been the norm, and explores his deep insecurities of not protecting the women in his life, like his mother and sister. A particularly telling

19

So, before I wander down some incense-scented inspirational path chanting, ‘let it go, let it be, yada, yada, yada…,’ I will instead tap into the philosophical insights of Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner who in mentioning Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at The Oscars (adding that both will probably regret their actions), cite a noted civil rights attorney who has explored how identity shapes our own selfimage as well as the identities we are assigned (by government, family, friends, even strangers) which determine how we are perceived and how we are treated.

you are not the worst thing you ever did.”

“Maybe,” the prosecutor noted, “we should all give them a little bit of grace because as Bryan Stevenson has said many times,

Despite all the books, training and discussions about your concerns, there is no substitute for human connection. This is the only way we can truly understand each other. In order to improve ourselves and our society, we must demand to understand how its history is still affecting us today.

Upon self-reflection, even a "heartbroken" Will Smith can now declare in his resignation from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences: “Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | APRIL 7-14, 2022

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

More Than 1 Million Seniors Have Taken Advantage of This “Retirement Secret”

I

With home prices soaring and interest rates at all-time lows, there’s never been a better time to consider a reverse mortgage

t’s a well-known fact that for many older Americans, the home is their single biggest asset, often accounting for more than 45% of their total net worth. And with interest rates still near all-time lows while home values remain high, this combination creates the perfect dynamic for getting the most out of your built-up equity.

But, many aren’t taking advantage of this unprecedented period. According to new statistics from the mortgage industry, senior homeowners in the U.S. are now sitting on more than 9.23 trillion dollars* of unused home equity.

Home Values at All Time Highs Not only are people living longer than ever before, but there is also greater uncertainty in the economy. With home prices back up again, ignoring this “hidden wealth” may prove to be short-sighted when looking for the best long-term outcome.

FREE oved ones

OOur new Reverse Mortgage information guides & DVD are now aavailable featuring award-winning actor and paid AAG spokesman, Tom Selleck.

U.S.A.’s #1

Reverse Mortgage Company

As Featured on: ABC, CBS, CNN & Fox News

*https://www.yahoo.com/now/senior-housing-wealth-exceeds-record-150300719.html

All things considered, it’s not surprising that more than a million homeowners have already used a government-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan to turn their home equity into extra cash for retirement.

It’s a fact: no monthly mortgage payments are required with a government-insured HECM loan; however, the borrowers are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of their home, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and, if required, their HOA fees.

Today, HECM loans are simply an effective way for homeowners 62 and older to get the extra cash they need to enjoy retirement.

Although today’s HECM loans have been improved to provide even greater financial protection for homeowners, there are still many misconceptions.

Available if You Still Owe on Your Home or Owe Nothing For example, a lot of people mistakenly believe the home must be paid off in full in order to qualify for a HECM loan, which is not the case. In fact, one key advantage of a HECM is that the proceeds will first be used to pay off any existing liens on the property, which frees up cash flow, a huge blessing for seniors living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, many senior homeowners who might be better off with a HECM loan don’t even bother to get more information because of rumors they’ve heard.

In fact, a recent survey by American Advisors Group (AAG), the nation’s number one HECM lender, found that over 98% of their clients are satisfied with their loans.

While these special loans are not for everyone, they can be a real lifesaver for senior homeowners — especially in times like these.

Thanks to the money received through an AAG Reverse Mortgage, seniors everywhere are enjoying their retirement and worrying less on how to pay monthly bills.

Use the Extra Cash for Almost Anything The cash from a HECM loan can be used for almost any purpose. Other common uses include making home improvements, paying off medical bills or helping other family members. Some people simply need the extra cash for everyday expenses while others are now using it as a safety net for financial emergencies.

If you’re a homeowner age 62 or older, you owe it to yourself to learn more so that you can make the best decision for your financial future.

We’re here and ready to help. Homeowners who are interested in learning more can request a FREE, no obligation Reverse Mortgage Guide by calling toll-free at

800-660-3884

Reverse mortgage loan terms include occupying the home as your primary residence, maintaining the home, paying property taxes and homeowners insurance. Although these costs may be substantial, AAG does not establish an escrow account for these payments. However, a set-aside account can be set up for taxes and insurance, and in some cases may be required. Not all interest on a reverse mortgage is tax-deductible and to the extent that it is, such deduction is not available until the loan is partially or fully repaid.

AAG charges an origination fee, mortgage insurance premium (where required by HUD), closing costs and servicing fees, rolled into the balance of the loan. AAG charges interest on the balance, which grows over time. When the last borrower or eligible non-borrowing spouse dies, sells the home, permanently moves out, or fails to comply with the loan terms, the loan becomes due and payable (and the property may become subject to foreclosure). When this happens, some or all of the equity in the property no longer belongs to the borrowers, who may need to sell the home or otherwise repay the loan balance. V2021.06.21 HYBRID NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612. Licensed in 49 states. Please go to www.aag.com/legal-information for full state license information.

These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency.