Watermark Issue 18.26: Year in Review

YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Issue 18.26 | Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 WatermarkOnline.com

Year of the

Gay Soldier Our annual Year in Review issue: Why 2011 was a great year to be gay From Chaz to Gaga: We pop'd culture Looking back at this year’s top regional headlines D AY T O N A B E A C H

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ORLANDO

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S T. P E T E R S B U R G

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Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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watermark | preview

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issue 18.26

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Janet biggs 32 pg.

Video artist Janet Biggs places no limits on her views of gender, earning her international acclaim and praise. The portion of the artist’s work is on display through Jan. 8 at the Tampa Museum of Art, and has attracted quite an LGBT following since it opened earlier this fall.

As we reflect on the year that was 2011, many images come to mind, but not as vividly as the gay and lesbian soldiers, who can finally serve openly in our armed forces.

Illustration by Jake Stevens

8 | Orlando News The City of Orlando’s Domestic Partnership Registry is officially approved; Victims of crime limp to The Parliament House seeking help; Orlando’s top headlines of 2011.

the big story

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10 | Tampa News

14 / Nation + World News

15 / Tampa Bay Marketplace

The annual Santa Speedo Run benefitting ASAP’s Brighter Seasons for Children’s charity shattered records in its second year, with more than 130

17 / Orlando Marketplace

runners raising $30,000-plus on Dec. 17; After recent violence in an Ybor City Hip Hop club, the Tampa Police Department and area businesses team together to ensure the safety of their patrons; Tampa Bay’s top headlines of

22 / Mail

2011.

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orlando news

27 | Year in Review As 2011 comes to a close we take a look back at the year that was and offer a roundup of headlines from pop culture to politics. From Adele’s

36 / Event Planner

38 / Tampa Bay Overheard

breakthrough album to Hillary Clinton’s call for LGBT acceptance

tampa bay news

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worldwide, we give an A-Z rundown of what we remember from this year.

39 / Orlando Overheard

32 | Scene+Heard

42 / Transitions

Video artist Janet Biggs shows no regard for gender in her presentation of photos and video now on display at the Tampa Museum of Art. We speak with the museum’s executive director to learn a little bit about the

45 / Sports

international artist’s appeal.

Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando had plans to relocate in 2012, but it wasn’t sure how it was going to pull it of financially—that was until a local

27

year in Review

philanthropist unveiled her plans to donate $400,000 to be directed toward the theater’s new home.

46 / Gossip

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Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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editor’sdesk I

While we celebrate these advances, hopeful candidates are using them to n a recent poll, we asked our readers what they believed was the biggest attack the president in bids for the White House. Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, LGBT news story of 2011—and an overwhelming majority of you voted for Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have all cited Obama’s successes in LGBT the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the news story of the year. equality as reasons to unseat him in 2012.

We couldn’t agree with you more. In fact, it inspired this issue’s beautiful and provocative cover created by our Art Director Jake Stevens.

But rather than focus on Perry’s new ad demonizing gays and Romney’s pledge In a monumental victory for equality in a year peppered with victories to define marriage as a one man-one woman institution, we can celebrate that a throughout (see the big story on Page 7) DADT’s demise could be the most new generation armed with technology and knowledge are picking up the fight. exciting. A pledge by President Barack Obama to end the discriminatory policy Earlier this month, a shy, soft-spoken 8-year-old boy made headlines when banning gay and lesbian service members from publicly being who they are he confronted Bachmann about her views on homosexuality. In a viral video was realized in September. Since then, military brass reported no instances of on YouTube, Bachmann is seen coaxing the child to speak with her during a violence, confusion or turmoil within the ranks. It’s a step in the right direction book signing. When he finally does reach her, he tells her, “My mommy, Miss and it proves, once again, how unfounded the fears of those who oppose equality Bachmann, my mommy’s gay but she doesn’t need any fixing.” for all can be.

The comment by the young child effective No matter your party affiliation, we can credit silenced Bachmann, who admits she’s rarely the advancement of equality to Obama. speechless.

The ranks of equality-seeking It’s true that the economy is floundering and And after a town hall meeting in Iowa, a Steve Blanchard youth are growing, and that unemployment is still at an unacceptable 14-year-old bisexual girl approached Perry and EDITOR SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com rate. And it’s no secret that government spending asked him, “I just want to know why you’re so will become an essential is at outrageous levels. As the leader of the opposed to gays serving openly in the military, part of the upcoming 2012 nation, the responsibility to repair the country’s why you want to deny them that freedom when presidential election. finances lies squarely on our president’s they’re fighting and dying for your right to run for shoulders, whether he created the crises or not. president.” Perry responded with a ‘don’t hate the But never in the history of our country has a sinner’ argument and showed his true colors once president been more pro-LGBT equality than Number 44. again for a worldwide audience to see.

Besides leading the charge to repeal DADT, Obama has expressed his support The ranks of equality-seeking youth are growing, and will become an essential for the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would require the federal part of the upcoming 2012 presidential election. government to grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexual As always, the staff of Watermark Media will stay on top of the news through couples. This past year he also issued a presidential memorandum ensuring those these pages, our website and our newly updated Twitter feed (Twitter.com/ hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funds will give gay and lesbian WatermarkOnline), which now tweets whenever a new story or update is added patients and their families the compassion, dignity and respect they deserve in to our website. difficult times.

Who knows? Maybe next year’s poll seeking your input on 2012’s biggest In 2010, Obama signed a National Defense Act that included the Matthew news story will be the fall of the Defense of Marriage Act or the federally Shepard Act, protecting LGBT citizens. And also that same year, our president recognized institution of same-gender marriage. As 2011 proved, a lot can change signed a memorandum that expanded federal benefits for same-sex partners of in 12 months.

Foreign Service and executive branch government employees.

Happy Holidays to all of our readers and have a happy and safe New Year. | l |

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

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watermark | the big story

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

Good Year to be Gay 2 0 1 1 m e a n t a d va n c e s i n L G B T r i g h t s

President Barack Obama, surrounded by counsel, signs the certification stating the statutory requirements for repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ have been met in the Oval Office. | Photo courtesy The White House

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gives a historic speech on Human Rights Day proclaiming that “gay rights are human rights” while demanding equal treatment of LGBT people around the globe.

Steve Blanchard

T

he year that was 2011 seemed bogged down with partisan bickering, pre-election campaigning and word of the awful treatment of LGBT people in foreign countries.

But domestically, 2011 was a year of progress on the road to equality in the LGBT community and cause for multiple celebrations.

This was the year the military finally dropped its “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, allowing for the first time gay and lesbian members of the military to serve openly. It’s also the year marriage equality conquered New York; and it was in the spring of 2011 that the Obama administration announced it would no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits same-sex marriages from being recognized on a federal level.

For sure, 2011 will be looked upon fondly as a milestone in the road toward equality.

Marriage takes the Big Apple In June, just as New York’s LGBT community was celebrating Pride month, New York State legalized

same-sex marriage, sparking celebratory dancing in the streets outside Stonewall Inn, where the LGBT civil rights movement began more than 40 years ago.

The Human Rights Campaign was at the forefront of the fight for marriage equality and released more than 30 videos featuring celebrities, sports and media figures, everyday people and politicians to give a voice to marriage for all. Testimonies featured Barbara Bush, New York Rangers forward Sean Avery and actress Julienne Moore.

The videos received more than a million views on YouTube and earned plenty of media attention, putting faces with the issue of marriage equality.

While California’s Prop 8, banning same-sex marriage, still wades through legal inroads toward appeal, New York’s approval of same-sex marriage helped fuel a movement to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, whose constitutionality the Obama Administration announced it would no longer defend.

While Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) has pledged to defend DOMA and has earmarked millions of dollars to do so, there’s a movement to repeal the so-called “marriage protection” law, which has the support of most Democrats and some Republicans. In September, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) became the first Republican member of

Parties literally spill out into the streets of New York following the state’s legalization of same-sex marriage in June.

Congress to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act. “Getting the federal government out of playing favorites when it comes to marriage shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” said HRC president Joe Salmonese.

“Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen is a longstanding advocate for our equality and has shown that respect for our community, and our marriages, is a mainstream and bipartisan principle. With the American people strongly supportive of DOMA repeal, we will continue to work with members of both parties to end this discrimination once and for all.”

In other positive marriage equality news, initiatives to put same-sex marriage up for votes in Iowa and Washington, D.C., where gay marriage is legal, failed in 2011. That means both Iowa and D.C. will continue to be meccas for marriage equality, along with New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont.

While they are often viewed as a path toward “separate but equal,” many in the LGBT community still celebrated several civil unions laws that were passed in four states in 2011.

Illinois, Rhode Island, Delaware and Hawaii all passed legislation that would allow same-sex and Continued on page 16 | uu |

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

watermark | orlando news

Top 5 Orlando stories of 2011 Staff Report Domestic partners preparing to be registered After Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer started turning up the heat on a domestic partner registry for the city in August, the measure was on a fast track to its Dec. 12 approval. Couples are booking appointments for once the registry goes legal Jan. 12. The big question for 2012 will be whether Orange County follows suit. Orange County mayor Theresa Jacobs did not accept Dyer’s invitation to walk side by side with the city as they approved the registry. The county did take the smaller step of benefits for domestic partners of employees, but only time will tell whether they’ll make the giant leap to full registry in the coming year.

Come out with Pride postponed Come Out With Pride 2011 organizers woke up on Pride day to grey skies, rainy weather, dangerous winds and… a huge decision. After talking with city officials and the National Weather Service they made the tough call: the Oct. 8 event would be postponed. A fundraising frenzy filled the time between Pride 1.0 and the rescheduled date of Nov. 13, and goshdarnit, they pulled it off, with nearly 85,000 revelers filling Lake Eola Park to prove they wouldn’t let a little rain ruin their parade.

Jerry Buell puts his Facefoot in his mouth Mt. Dora High School’s 2010 Teacher of the Year, Jerry Buell, just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. After hearing that gay marriage had become legal in New York, Buell took his bigoted opinions to Facebook, posting that the news made him

want to “vomit” and calling gay marriage a “cesspool.” He was suspended from the classroom and the investigation peeled an onion of fundamentalist behavior, outing Buell’s nasty church-and-state mixing habit of injecting scripture wherever he could at the school, from his district profile to his syllabus. He headed back into the classroom after orders to scrub away the heavy-handed religious stuff, but decided to team up with the notorious anti-gay National Organization for Marriage to release a video blaming— say it with us—“the media” for his predicament.

O-Town’s gay vets get loud 2011 was the year Orlando’s gay veterans decided to get visible. They got organized under the group Out & Proud Veterans of America, marched as a unit in the city’s Veteran’s Day parade for the first time ever and embarked on a campaign to remember gay soldiers through their Flag Pole Project. In the meantime, the Orlando VA marched in step by increasing support and services specific to gay veterans.

Saying farewell to a local legend Everyone knew the day would come, but that didn’t make it any easier. Drag performer, philanthropist and friend to many John “Tweeka” Barber announced at the end of 2010 that he had been diagnosed with Sinonasal Carcinoma Cancer, a rare and aggressive form of the disease. He lost his battle on Oct. 17 this year at the age of 38. Friends and family gathered to remember Tweeka the way he would have wanted—by honoring his generosity with fundraising efforts of their own, in their departed friend’s name. | l |

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Orlando couples scheduled to register as domestic partners Tony Ward Orlando | Soon after Orlando became the first Central Florida city to approve a domesticpartnership registry with a unanimous vote by the City Council on Dec. 12, the phone begin to ring for Ridge Holdridge, the city of Orlando Employee responsible for booking the appointments.

“Everyone has been so happy and so excited on the phone” said Holdridge. “Most people have been trying to get in on the first day so they can be part of our history.”

That first day is Jan. 12 and according to Patty Sheehan’s assistant Bill Stevens, at press time, most of the first day appointments were filled. Holdridge said a number of heterosexual couples are booked for that Jan. 12 as well.

The first, 8 a.m. appointment is held by Commissioner Patty Sheehan, who plans to register with her partner. Sheehan called the registry an early holiday gift when it was approved. She became visibly emotional as she dedicated the ordinance to her late friend Henry Gibson, a Veteran whose partner John was unable to carry out his final wishes when he passed because there was no provision for domestic partners.

The registry defines domestic partnership, outlines the registration process and provides an overview of protections provided within a domestic partnership that has been recognized by the city of Orlando. Those protections include hospital visitation, rights to health care decisions, correctional facility visitation, rights to funeral/burial decisions, guardianship and the right for both domestic partners to participate in the education of their children.

After it passed the first reading 7-0 at a Council meeting on Dec. 5, there was little doubt that the domestic registry ordinance would pass into law at the second and final meeting one week later. Once again, the room was filled with people wearing red to show their support and anxious to praise the council’s action.

“This is an historic event for Orlando, and

it is a monumentally important event for our community,” said attorney and activist Mary Meeks. “It will be the first time in our lives that our families are recognized by our government.

The council’s unequivocal and unified support sends a message loud and clear that this issue is not up for debate.”

Jonathan Butler Book was the only person present who spoke against the ordinance quoting bible scriptures. Others used their faith to speak in favor the registry, such as Rev. Lisa Heilig of Joy MCC. “Today I speak in favor of the registry as a parent, pastor, partner and a concerned citizen, but most importantly as a person of faith,” Helig said. “Our faith traditions call us to compassion for fairness to all families.”

Jeffrey Miller read a message of support from Steven Engel, President of the Greater Orlando Board of Rabbis who unanimously voted to recommend to the city to pass the ordinance. Patrick Howell used the story of “The Good Samaritan” as an example of how Jesus directs others to help their neighbor and then thanked the City Council for being a good neighbor. Even Commissioner Robert Stuart of the city council brought his faith into the discussion, saying “Christ calls on us to show mercy; that’s what government is supposed to do.”

The City Council’s unanimous vote was met with applause and a standing ovation.

After the hearing many gathered at Hamburger Mary’s, where both Commissioner Sheehan and Mayor Dyer stopped by to join in the celebration and toasts.

Hope and Help of Central Florida, Inc. development director Rob Domenico has a first-day appointment to get registered with partner Alan Meeks.

“We have an appointment at 11 a.m. ... and while we had hoped to be married by our 10th anniversary, we’re very excited to have our relationship legally validated,” Domenico said.

Other couples gay or straight wishing to make an appointment to register can call the city at 407-242-1128 to make an appointment.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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Stabbing, shooting near Parliament House Staff Report Orlando | According to Orlando Police, there were two separate violent attacks near Parliament House over Dec. 18 weekend, and in both cases, the victims headed into the gay resort and nightclub for help.

Just after 3 p.m. on Dec. 10, Scott Koren, 42, was cutting through the open field between Springdale Road and Orange Blossom Trail near Concord Street when a man jumped out from behind a tree and cut him with a knife, according to an Orlando Police Department report. Police say the suspect took Koren’s debit card and then Koren ran to Parliament House where employees called police. Officers with K9 units tried to find the suspect but were unable to do so.

Police say Koren was taken to the hospital and his injury was not life-threatening.

“The victim of that incident was not a patron, however he knew that the Parliament House is always open and staffed 24 hours a day, so he came on property to seek medical attention,” said Parliament House spokesman Drew Sizemore.

On Dec. 11, Cloys Wood, 65, was shot in the leg near Parliament House and police responded to a call from there for help. Two African-American male suspects took off in a silver SUV, which police followed to Lake

Sunset and Texas Avenue where the men bailed out. Again, officers with K9 units tried to track down the suspects but were unsuccessful, according to an OPD report.

Police say Wood was taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.

He has had surgery and is in stable condition.

Sizemore said the details of the shooting event are still unclear. The police report does not specify a precise location, but Sizemore said he believes it happened in the same area where radio host Paul Karle was hijacked via taser Aug. 27.

“The incident supposedly occurred in a fenced off area where parking is not allowed,” Sizemore said. “There should be no guests in that area, especially during that time of the night.”

He said they encourage guests to park in the main lot.

“Off-duty police officers are also employed every Sunday night, however this incident occurred very early in the evening, before OPD’s arrival,” Sizemore said.

He said Parliament House will add a security guard in that area, in response to the incident. Sizemore added that there’s no reason to believe the incidents are connected.

“The two incidents are only related in the fact that both victims came onto our property to seek medical attention,” he said. | l |

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watermark | tampa bay news

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Top 5 Tampa Bay stories of 2011 Staff Report Homophobe’s appointment to Human Rights Board irks community It wasn’t until January that word spread about Terry Kemple’s appointment to the Hillsborough County Human Rights Board—and local LGBT activists were anything but thrilled. Kemple, a religious conservative political activist with a history of trying to block Gay-Straight Alliances at schools and boycotting companies who provide benefits to employees in same-sex relationships, used the “equal rights, not special rights” argument when confronted about his homophobic past actions. Kemple was also behind an attempt to prevent commissioners from acknowledging GaYbor Days in July, citing the county’s ban on supporting LGBT Pride events.

Equality Florida’s campaign to remove Kemple from the post was unsuccessful, even after more than 700 area residents contacted the county to object to the appointment.

Tampa elects Buckhorn, another LGBT supportive mayor As far as equal rights for LGBTs were concerned in 2011, Tampa voters knew they would get support from either of the two candidates for Tampa mayor.

While voters overwhelmingly elected Bob Buckhorn in March with 63% of the vote to succeed outgoing Mayor Pam Iorio, challenger Rose Ferlita appeared just as committed to equality as the city’s mayor-elect. Both candidates spoke with Watermark during their campaigns and expressed support and a desire to continue Iorio’s path toward equality in the city.

After his election, Buckhorn appeared at several LGBT events, including the opening night of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Largo elects first openly gay commissioner In the not-too-distant-past, Largo was viewed as backwards and a battleground for LGBT equality. But just five years after the city ousted transgender City Manager Susan Stanton, voters elected Michael Smith as its first openly gay commissioner on Nov. 8. Smith unseated

Seat 1 incumbent Mary Gray Black, who went on the offensive during a town hall meeting just days before the election by attacking Smith’s sexuality. The tactic seemed to do more harm than good for her campaign, and she lost when Smith received 54% of the vote.

Metro Center opens two new locations 2011 was a year of growth and expansion for the Metro Wellness and Community Center of Tampa Bay. Two of the non-profit’s three locations relocated to larger and more efficient spaces this year. The new Metro Center in Ybor City held a grand opening celebration in April at its large space at 1315 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor City. And in November, the St. Petersburg location, formerly next door to Georgie’s Alibi, moved across the street to a new “community center” space, which houses larger offices, a community room and a clinical wing for HIV testing and treatment. Both locations are expected to serve both gay and straight citizens infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

2011 Headlines of note: Carl Kuttler III leaps from Skyway Bridge Womyn’s Words shuts, then reopens with Crescendo’s guidance AIDS Walk St. Petersburg lands Frenchie Davis, raises $155K Pinellas Schools rejects Boy Scouts’ grant, cites homophobia Unopposed, Kornell easily wins second term St. Pete Pride brings 85K to Central Avenue

Bye, Bye Charlie It was an end of an era May 23 when Streetcar Charlie’s in Ybor City suddenly closed its doors. Details surrounding the closure of the once-popular LGBT

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eatery and bar vary, depending on with whom you speak, but financial difficulties plagued the restaurant that housed the space now occupied by The Laughing Cat. There were also allegations of underage employees working at the restaurant.

Charlie’s was one of the first LGBT businesses to open in Ybor City during the “Gay Renaissance” of the area in 20072008. | l |

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Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

New Year’s Day

at Hyde Park Village Local Foods • Hand Crafts • Live Music Parking is Always Complimentary at Hyde Park Village

Santa’s Helpers The GaYbor District Coalition gave back to the community this holiday season in a big way. Members shopped at an area Walmart to purchase more than $1,500 worth of toys and games, which were donated to Tampa Bay area children’s charities in time for Christmas. | Photo courtesy Carrie West.

Apples $1

Santa Speedo Run raises $30,000-plus in second year Steve Blanchard Gulfport | Antlers, scarves, jingle bells and Santa hats were all the rage during the Second Annual Santa Speedo Run on Dec. 17. The one-mile fun run featured more than 130 runners and raised more than $30,000 for the AIDS Service Association of Pinellas’ Brighter Seasons for Children charity.

“When we planned this year’s run, I told the staff that we could raise $20,000,” Jay Aller, Resource Development Manager for ASAP told the crowd of runners before they took off. “And you surprised me with your generosity and campaigning for donations and we surpassed that by more than $10,000!”

In its first year, the run had just over 30 participants and raised just under $10,000.

The phenomenal growth in this year’s event can be attributed to more community awareness, partnerships with media outlets like Watermark, Brighthouse Networks and Play 98.7, Aller said.

Ybor City | The Ritz Ybor’s Regal Room was filled with a capacity crowd last week as the Tampa Police Department unveiled it’s Ybor City Business Watch to help curb violence in the popular nightclub area.

Police officer Sean Mahabir came up with the Ybor Watch program.

“I wanted Ybor City to become closer and to keep it as safe as possible,” Mahabir said.

“We want the perception of high-crime area to be dropped.”

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Eggplant $3

Flowers $7

Hyde Park Village, Swann & Dakota Avenues, Tampa

A cameraman from Channel 10 News interviews Jay Aller, Resource Development Manager for ASAP, before the 2nd Annual Santa Speedo Run in Gulfport Dec. 17.

Photo by Nick Cardello

The Santa Speedo Run took participants through Gulfport’s main drag and finished at O’Maddy’s Pub, which offered free beer to runners in Speedos. | l | See more photos from the Santa Speedo Run on our online gallery at WatermarkOnline.com

New security measures set up in Ybor City Steve Blanchard

Corn $5

Things have improved in Ybor City over the past few years, especially in the GaYbor District. However, recent crimes at nearby clubs have produced bad press and a feeling of uneasiness among the 7th Avenue community.

Patrons of popular LGBT clubs like Hamburger Mary’s, G. Bar, Honey Pot and the Social shouldn’t see any noticeable changes, but that doesn’t mean the police and the community aren’t watching.

“This program allows the business community to alert one another about crimes or the presence of suspicious people in the neighborhood,” Mahabir explained. | l |

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watermark | sarasota news

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Top 5 Sarasota Stories of 2011 Staff Report

Sting on Venice beach continues

Sarasota Pride adjusts, grows in 2011

Area law enforcement kept up its vigilance at Caspersen Beach in Venice this year and conducted several undercover stings to fight public nudity and sex. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said that no one part of the community was targeted, but several gay men were charged with inappropriate behavior in the secluded areas of the park.

For the second year in a row, Sarasota Pride staged its event outside in October. But this year, more vendors participated and the crowds kept coming to JB Hamil Park, thanks to the festival relocating to just one side of Main Street. Nearly 3,500 people were estimated to attend Sarasota Pride 2011 on Oct. 22, and the success of the event may trigger a smaller, earlier pride event in early 2012. Organizer Cindy Barnes estimates the October 2012 celebration will continue the growing tradition.

Jane Lynch supports Palmetto High Glee actress Jane Lynch was everywhere this year—playing hysterically evil “Sue Sylvester” on the hit FOX musical comedy, doing commercials for Nook and hosting awards shows. But she was also in our own backyard. Lynch and her wife Lara Embry showed up at Palmetto High School last summer to help raise money for the school’s Rowing Club. Lynch and Embry hosted a pep rally and donated $15,000 to the cause.

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The Sarasota Film Festival sought to broaden its viewing audience and embrace diversity by including several “queer screenings” during its annual spring festival.

Those screenings helped launch the Fabulous Independent Film Festival in the summer, which catered directly to an LGBT audience.

AIDS Walk brings out the young The 6th Annual Sarasota/Manatee AIDS Walk brought out more than 350 walkers to the campus of New College on Dec. 3, making it the most successful AIDS Walk in the county to date. Students from throughout the area— especially Cardinal Mooney High School— participated in the two-mile walk to raise more than $17,000 for Trinity Charities. | l |

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Anti-gay FFA makes headlines over Muslim show Wire Report The conservative group that got Lowe’s to pull its ads from a reality TV show about American Muslims has been fighting for more than two decades against gay rights, strip clubs and most anything else that offends evangelical Christians.

The leader of the Florida Family Association is David Caton, a 55-year-old family values crusader who left an accounting career to found the group in 1987. He said the association has 35,000 members who were urged to email Lowe’s to pressure the home improvement giant into dropping commercials during the TLC cable network show All-American Muslim.

Lowe’s has drawn criticism for its decision from leaders in the Muslim community, celebrities and others suggesting a boycott of the store. Despite the growing backlash, the Mooresville, N.C.-based company said Monday it was planning to stick by its decision after the show became a “lightning rod for people to voice complaints from a variety of perspectives—political, social and otherwise.”

Several politicians called the Florida Family Association a fringe hate group, a title Caton shrugged off, saying the group aims to “defend traditional American biblical values.’’

The show was not an accurate portrayal American Muslims, he said, because it doesn’t disclose that “99.9 percent of Muslims agree with the principles of Sharia law,’’ the restrictive religious code that Caton and others warn leads to the spread of Islamic extremism.

“This has all to do with the way this program was constructed to deliberately present Muslims in America as one flavor,’’ he told The Associated Press. “It would be similar to The Learning Channel doing a report on `snakes are good family pets’ without reporting that there are four in Florida that are venomous. ... For TLC to choose to profile five people as an aberration

of the Islamic faith is propaganda.’’

TLC used to be called The Learning Channel.

All-American Muslim, which premiered last month, chronicles the lives of five families who live in and near Dearborn, Mich., a Detroit suburb with a large Muslim and Arab-American population. TLC spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg said the show, which airs Mondays on TLC and ends its first season Jan. 8, has garnered a little over a million viewers per week.

Caton said he targeted the show because a recent poll on the group’s website found that the spread of Islam in America was their No. 1 concern, more than homosexuality and pornography. About 1,800 votes were cast.

Florida Family Association claims more than 60 advertisers that it emailed have also stopped advertising on the show. So far, Lowe’s is the only major company to confirm they pulled their ads.

Caton’s group has also protested Gay Days at Walt Disney World.

Last year to no avail, Caton’s group flooded the University of South Florida with 2,500 emails protesting a course on “queer theory.’’

The group’s website was hacked earlier this month, causing administrators to post a message that read: “No further proof is needed of the potential for vicious action then exactly what these folks are trying to do to this web site! The attack has been extremely mean spirited. ... Because of our real concern for the terrorism that is a way of life for some folks, we ourselves have become victims.’’

The group also claims credit for helping get the show The Playboy Club canceled by NBC. The network, however, announced the show was being canceled less than 24 hours after the new series drew only 3.5 million people for its third episode.

The Florida Family Association, which is not affiliated with the older and larger American Family Association, reported more than $172,000 in donations last year, with $59,423 going toward salaries. | l |

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

13

Top 5 State news stories 2011 Staff Report Gay couples take over Florida!

Okay, it wasn’t quite a takeover, but U.S. Census numbers released in August showed that Florida is home to more than 40,000 same sex households, a jump of more than 50% from the year before.

Most of those gay families live in South Florida, but Central Florida represents— Orange County is home to the third highest number of gay households in the state at 4,751. Then in October, the U.S. Census bureau reported that nearly 6,800 same sex couples in Florida consider themselves married, based on how many checked the “husband” or “wife” option on their census forms. Of course, since gay marriage isn’t legal or recognized in Florida, those couples are married via commitment ceremonies or weddings in other states where gay marriage is recognized.

Martin Gill adopts his kids 2011 marked the one-year anniversary for gays and lesbians to legally adopt children in the Sunshine State.

Thousands of LGBTs added kids to their families, including Martin Gill, whose court case is arguably the reason for the progress. On Jan. 19, Gill and his partner officially, legally adopted the two foster children they’d raised for six years while battling for parenthood rights in court. The adoption ban had been in place for more than 30 years, thanks to a 1977 crusade by Anita Bryant, who warned about the dangers of gay men and lesbians raising children. While the ban is no longer enforced in Florida, it is still technically on the books.

ADAP: It got better One of the top 5 stories of 2010 was the financial struggles faced by

the AIDS Drug Assistance program, so it was a welcome change in 2011 to print headlines about the program’s comeback. It started with a $1 million funding boost in January, then financial adjustments continued through the year while the organizers chipped away at the hundreds-large waiting list of people who were hoping for access to HIV/ AIDS drug assistance. ADAP isn’t out of the woods yet, but in early December it was reported that the list is down to just 800 patients. Here’s hoping they hit zero in 2012.

Illeana Ros-Lehtenin backs DOMA repeal In September, Rep. Illeana RosLehtenin became the first Republican to sign onto a new effort to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Ros-Lehtenin came under fire from several anti-gay organizations for supporting marriage equality. Her stance could be viewed as representative of the line-in-thesand politicking many GOP candidates have been forced to carry out in 2011 when it comes to marriage equality.

Unfortunately, most Republicans still stand on the opposite side of gay rights.

EQFL raises record funds in 2011 By all measurements, LGBT advocacy group Equality Florida killed it when it came to fundraising in 2011. As usual, Broward was the top county with more than a quarter million raised during their Broward Gala alone, but most counties reported a fundraising increase, including an unprecedented $150,000 at the Tampa Gala and record-smashing $100,000plus for Orlando’s gala. The numbers are especially impressive when the less-thanstellar economic climate is taken into account. | l |

14

watermark | nation+world news

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

briefs Prop. 8 repeal cleared for signature-gathering

Court reviews firing of GA transgender woman

Love, Honor, Cherish, a Los Angeles-based gay rights group, has been cleared to start gathering signatures for a measure that would rescind the gay marriage ban in California known as Prop 8. The group has until May 14 to collect the 807,615 voter signatures required to qualify its initiative for the November 2012 ballot. A federal appeals court is currently reviewing a lower court’s decision from last year that struck down Prop 8 as a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian Californians.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Dec. 6 ruled that former Georgia state legislative aide Vandy Beth Glenn, a transgender woman, was the target of sexual discrimination when she was fired from her job after disclosing she was transitioning from man to woman. In her opinion, Judge Rosemary Barkett wrote that a government official engages in sex discrimination when firing a transgender employee because he or she fails to conform to the stereotypes associated with gender.

Malawi to review homosexuality ban after US aid threat

Court upholds anti-gay student’s expulsion

Malawi Justice Minister Ephraim Chiume says his government will review its laws banning homosexuality in response to the U.S. announcement that it would use foreign aid to pressure countries to decriminalize homosexual acts. Malawi was condemned

by President Obama and international activists last year after jailing two men who underwent the southern African country’s first gay “marriage.” The U.S. currently gives Malawi about $200 million per year, with most going to healthcare.

A federal appeals court on Dec. 16 upheld a lower court’s ruling against a graduate student who had sought a court order preventing Augusta State University from expelling her from its school-counseling program. The student, Jennifer Keeton, sued the Georgia university in July 2010, saying that it had violated her rights to free speech and the free exercise of her Christian faith when it told her that, in order to stay in the program, she would have to change her beliefs about homosexuality—that it is immoral, unnatural, and a “lifestyle choice” that can be reversed through “conversion therapy.”

Justice Indeed

U.N. tells nations to end gay persecution Wire Report Geneva, Switzerland The U.N.’s top human rights official urged countries Dec. 15 to abolish legal discrimination against gays, including the death penalty for consensual sex, just days after the U.S. government said it would use foreign aid and diplomacy to promote gay equal rights.

The U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said governments should also outlaw all forms of abuse based on sexual orientation and set the same age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual activity.

Pillay’s appeal came in a report released Dec. 14 to the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council, which in June passed the global body’s first resolution condemning antigay discrimination. That vote was hailed

as historic by the United States, European countries and others, but decried by some African and Muslim nations.

“On the basis of the information presented (in this report), a pattern of human rights violations emerges that demands a response,” said Pillay. “Governments and inter-governmental bodies have often overlooked violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The report criticizes the continued existence of death penalty punishment for same-sex relations in at least five countries—Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen—as well as legislation explicitly criminalizing gays in 76 countries. | l |

Top 5 Nation/World Stories of 2011 Staff Report Military’s DADT policy repealed On Sept. 20, the nearly two-decade policy prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces finally came to an end. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, created in 1993, was repealed and now service men and women cannot be discharged simply because of their sexual orientation. The policy made headlines throughout 2011 as experts studied the effects the repeal may have on active military personnel. Since its repeal, no major issues surrounding out soldiers have been reported in any U.S. military branch.

NY marriage equality marks milestone While it’s not the first state to recognize same-sex marriage, it is definitely the most populous. New York State legalized samesex marriage in June, prompting literal dancing in the streets outside Stonewall Inn, the bar credited as the site of the birth of the LGBT equality movement. The vote was broadcast on cable news networks late into the evening, and many legislators’ votes were influenced by constituents’ calls and an online HRC campaign featuring celebrities as “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality.”

DOMA comes under fire The Obama Administration announced this year that it would no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, prompting Republican House Speaker John Boehner to pour money into defending the law making marriage laws a

state issue. In its wake, the decision by the administration prompted a move toward the repeal of DOMA, which outlaws federal recognition of same-sex unions. Whether that will prove successful remains to be seen.

Anti-gay rhetoric rampant among GOP candidates While the field of candidates for the Republican presidential nomination fluctuated throughout the year, one thing seemed to remain constant—their attacks on gay marriage rights. Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachman and Newt Gingrich have all pledged to fight marriage equality and Rick Perry recently released an ad about “family values” and the dangers of samesex marriage in America. In December, a 14-year-old bisexual girl chided former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney about his opposition to marriage rights just days after the GOP hopeful ambushed a Vietnam Veteran and his husband during a dinner to ask for their support.

Ugandan “Kill the Gays” bill gets media spotlight In Uganda, homosexuality is punishable by up to life in prison. In 2011, the Ugandan parliament constantly pushed a bill that would make homosexuality punishable by death. The law, which has not been passed yet, has been condemned by human rights organizations around the globe, yet has seen support from some Christian religious leaders from the United States. While the bill was killed in May after it didn’t make it to a debate, it was reintroduced in December in the wake of the U.S. threat of removing financial support related to the mistreatment of LGBTs. | l |

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| uu | LGBT Rights from p.7

opposite-sex couples to file state taxes jointly, rather than as individuals. The civil unions do not allow couples to enjoy some 1,000-plus benefits afforded by federal marriage, however, and marriage equality battles are ongoing in multiple states.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to Don’t Worry On Sept. 20, the nearly two-decade policy prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces finally came to an end. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, created in 1993, was repealed and now service men and women cannot be discharged simply because of their sexual orientation.

It also gives dismissed service people a chance to re-enlist, which is exactly what Dan Choi planned to do immediately following the policy’s death.

“Going back to the military will be a vindication,” Choi said. “I’m going back because I fought to go back.”

Choi became the face of ‘DADT’ after revealing his sexuality during an appearance on The Rachael Maddow Show.

LGBTs in history In July, California became the first state to require public schools to teach gay and lesbian history. Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that mandates that the contributions of

watermark | the big story gays and lesbians in the state and the country rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.” The speech and other actions by be included in social science instruction President Obama commit U.S. foreign policy and textbooks. The new law must be to advancing gay rights internationally. implemented by January 2012.

“I speak about this subject knowing that “This is definitely a step forward, and my own country’s record on human rights I’m hopeful that other states will follow,” for gay people is far from perfect,” Clinton said Mark Leno, an openly gay California added. “Many LGBT Americans have state senator, who sponsored the bill. “We endured violence and harassment in their are failing our students when we don’t teach own lives, and for some, including many them about the broad diversity of human young people, bullying and exclusion are experience.”

The state already requires schools to teach students about the contributions of some other minority groups, including black people and women. But until now, gay figures like Harvey Milk received little mention in stateapproved textbooks.

The Democratic—Secretary of State Hillary Clinton controlled legislature passed a similar bill in 2006, but Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who was then daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human the governor, vetoed it. rights at home.”

Clinton’s landmark speech was Gay Rights get global attention greeted with mixed reactions—with more In her speech on LGBT rights in conservative countries and conservatives in recognition of International Human Rights America saying her focus was misguided.

Day in early December, Secretary of State However, her speech coincided with a White Hillary Clinton forcefully stated that “gay

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“Secretary Clinton distinguished herself as a legendary champion of rights for all people, including those of us who are LGBT,” Solmonese said. “In a remarkable speech to an international audience, the secretary showed the power of American leadership that calls on the world to live up to the idea that all people are entitled to basic human rights and dignity.”

And that helps cap of a powerful year for LGBT advances in the nation, the world and

by President Obama, Solmonese said.

“There is no question that the administration’s record of advancing equality for LGBT people has been enhanced by the leadership of Secretary Clinton,” he said. “It is clear that this administration will not turn its head when governments commit or allow abuses of the human rights of LGBT people.

Additionally, Secretary Clinton’s message directly to LGBT people around the world that they have an ally in the United States sends a powerful message.” | l |

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

top web comments

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repealed Hillary Clinton declares “Gay rights are human rights”

52%

Gay marriage legal in New York

“This is a good place to set an example— killing someone for saying be my valentine—should be life in prison. I don’t care how young or old, hate starts in the home. Life in prison should have been the sentence and he deserves to never see another day of freedom.”

Chaz Bono competes on Dancing with the Stars Obama stops defending DOMA

On the Calif. teen sentenced to 21 years in prison for killing gay classmate:

28%

—Kevin Goncalo

On Orlando’s domestic partner registry:

4%

“The point of it all is that if you want change, please help bring it about. Share your story, vote, be involved, care about every election, visit officials, speak out, write letters. Change requires involvement from every single person, no organization can do it for you.”

8% 8%

—Vicki Nantz

At WatermarkOnline.com, we asked you:

What’s the top LGBT story of 2011?

A new poll will be posted to the homepage this week. Be sure to visit WatermarkOnline.com and let us know what YOU think!

On a Utah school district outing a student because he was being bullied:

“There is only one reason to out someone: if they are harming the rights of others its fair game.”

—Ron Holmes

Don’t be left out of the community conversation!

Head over to WatermarkOnline.com, register and start telling us what YOU think!

mail Salvation Army column is spot on

gay community. Seeing so much generosity has put me in the holiday spirit and makes me even more proud to be part of the LGBT community of Tampa Bay and Florida.

Growing up in the Midwest, I rarely got a chance to see so much cohesiveness in the gay community. But the communities of Tampa Bay and Orlando have proven that we have our fair share of giving people who are destined to make the world a better place.

Happy Holidays, and thank you for the gift of your Hometown Heroes issue.

Thank you to Jamie Hyman’s very important Online/Offline column in Watermark [Issue 18.25].

I have been aware, for almost 30 years now, of the Salvation Army’s prejudices and have accordingly refused to donate to them through their bell ringers or any other means.

This column provides information critical to your readership Raymond Mason who choose to Tampa be informed and knowledgeable.

I have printed out extra copies of the "I Do Not Support" statements so as to provide to friends –Jeff Horn and family and to leave a stack at our It’s exciting to see favorite watering hole that the Domestic (BarCodes.)

Partnership Registry Thank you and was finalized in Orlando this month. I am keep up the good work. sure hundreds of same-sex couples will take Jeff Horn advantage of this amazing opportunity.

Orlando Let’s hope that other cities take note and provide the same advantages to their citizens. I know my wife and I will be the first in line when it happens in St. Petersburg.

What an inspiring and moving issue of Kelly Sarai Watermark [Issue 18.25]! It was so nice to St. Petersburg read about the individuals and groups and businesses in our area that so selflessly give back to the community—and not just the

“I have been aware of the Salvation Army’s prejudices and have refused to donate to them through their bell ringers or any other means.”

Where’s our Domestic Partnership Registry

Blessed with heroes

Send all correspondence to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com. Letters may be edited for space or clarity. Opinions expressed in reader mail do not reflect those of Watermark’s staff.

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watermark | viewpoint second, the traditional strategy of fighting for marriage equality in the states is failing us as voters continue to enshrine bigotry into their state constitutions. I don’t believe there will be a better time than now to make our next bold move toward equality. | l | Abby Dees is a civil rights attorney-turnedauthor who has been in the LGBT rights trenches for 25-plus years. Whether examining our community’s latest legal battles or the delicate etiquette of coming out to evangelicals at Christmastime, she always finds humor and compassion in even the most challenging situations. She is a busy presenter on diversity issues as well as the author of Queer Questions Straight Talk. She aspires to be famous for being highly quotable (and harbors some rock star fantasies too). She can be reached through her website: QueerQuestionsStraightTalk.com.

25

YOUR LGBT LIFE.

WatermarkOnline.com

thinking

outloud

Still, I can tell you that this is big news for us all.

Perhaps the reason you might have missed it is that for the last year Perry v.

Brown has been stalled on a somewhat theoretical question of legal procedure.

At issue is not any of the arguments about the fairness of Prop 8’s same-sex marriage ban, but rather who should defend it during appeal. Normally, when someone challenges state law, the governor and the attorney general (AG) automatically step in to defend it. But in Perry, Governor (and defendant) Jerry Brown and AG Kamala Harris have offered what I’ll call the “limp noodle” defense. In other words, they’re totally fine with Prop 8 going down in Recapping flames on their watch. I think a thank you note to both of them is in order. stupidity ProtectMarriage.com, the people who put Prop 8 on the ballot, desperately want to step in since the state won’t—because Abby Dees if no one’s there to defend the law, the marriage ban automatically ends with Judge Vaughn Walker’s 2010 ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. Same-sex marriage would resume in California.

And they got their wish last week.

Without going into the weird hot-potato specifics of how it came down, the gist is that ProtectMarriage.com gets to defend Prop 8 in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Same-sex marriage will remain unlawful in California at least until it all gets worked out, maybe two years or more.

If I seem happy about this, there’s a reason. As a married lesbian in California, ometimes I wish lawsuits in real I would have been thrilled to see Prop 8 life were more like they are on TV. off the books and our state once again a They’d wrap up in days rather than model of equality. But then we’d have to years, and they wouldn’t spend most of start all over again somewhere else to tackle that time in the mind-numbing quagmire marriage equality nationwide, once and for known as legal procedure. Such is the case all. I don’t want to wait. with California’s Prop 8 trial, Perry v.

There’s an old lawyer adage about Brown.

Supreme Court cases: good cases make A quick refresher: Prop 8 is unique good law. And Perry is definitely a good among state same-sex marriage bans for case. Defense attorneys Olson and Boies a number of reasons, perhaps the biggest built a thorough and nuanced record of being that it was found unconstitutional in exactly why Prop 8 is morally and legally federal trial court wrong, while the and is now moving, other side looked very slowly, through ignorant and petty. the appeals process.

Now is the time My God, someone It’s poised to go all even turned the trial to take a big risk the way to the U.S. transcript into a play, for nationwide Supreme Court. it so beautifully No other LGBT marriage equality illuminated the ideal marriage law has of justice. made it this far.

That perfectly This means that crafted trial record California’s 2008 law could determine the of Perry v. Brown is what the U.S. Supreme fate of same-sex marriage for the whole Court would be looking at closely to make country. their ruling. It’s hard to imagine a better On Nov. 17, 2011, we all awoke to the foundation for a U.S. Supreme Court cacophonous news that the California victory.

Supreme Court had issued a decision that Yes, our High Court has never been will take Prop 8 to the next critical phase. so far to the right and there is a chance Wait, it wasn’t at the top of your we will lose—a loss that will reverberate newsfeed? CNN didn’t interrupt for perhaps generations. But two things programming to tell you? Ok, so maybe it are painfully clear: First, the Court will was just me trawling the LGBT law-wonk only continue to keep moving right; and websites and an email from Lambda Legal.

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watermark | entertainment

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

THE YEAR IN POP CULTURE

From Kate to Glee, and from A to Z, the best and wor st in 2011 en tertainment

Adele

Harry Potter Daytime TV transforms

The Book of Mormon

E!

Kirk Hartlage Just in time for anyone who’d been dumped on Valentine’s Day, the British soul singer released 21, which went on to become the year’s number one album. Adele’s therapeutic collection was embraced by critics and consumers alike with a sound beloved by fans of all generations.

Created by South Park scribes Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the Broadway smash re-wrote the book with their sweet but oh-so-spicy musical, winning nine Tonys in the process.

Cardboard signs

Realizing social media wasn’t enough, people across the globe re-embraced the old-school method of getting their point across: taking magic marker to posterboard before taking to the streets. American protestors came in many flavors: tea partiers, the Occupy Wall Street movement (and its subsequent expansions), and trial crowds from coast (Casey Anthony’s in Florida) to coast (Dr. Conrad Murray’s in California).

Oprah and Regis weren’t the only ones to leave a void. Two ABC soaps were killed off while NBC’s lone sudser Days of our Lives re-launched itself by bringing back numerous characters (and the actors who played them). Leading the attempt to woo newly stranded Oprah-less viewers: Anderson Cooper. Thanks to his show’s marginal ratings, many are still expecting the silver fox to finally come out as a sweeps stunt for increased viewership.

Should have renamed itself K!, thanks to repeated airings of any and all things Kardashian.

The film series’ final flick became the top-grossing movie of the year, while Universal Orlando’s newest theme park land reportedly doubled the resort’s financial bottom line. Universal also announced that not only would Potterland be duplicated at its California park, but Orlando’s resort would get additional Muggle-icious attractions. In other theme park news: Legoland opened; Mickey Mouse announced he was climbing into bed with Avatar’s blue Navi tribe; and, Busch Gardens added a cougarthemed coaster. Sadly the ride’s inspiration was not the predatory sex-hungry species of older women but the actual spotted cheetah.

It Gets Fran Drescher Better The Nanny returned to TV with Happily Divorced, an autobiographical sitcom about a woman who re-enters the dating scene after discovering her husband is gay.

Gaga

Her gay rights anthem “Born This Way” broke barriers and became an instant classic. Besides being played on each and every 2011 LGBT Pride parade float, the song was also Billboard Magazine’s 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 in the list’s 52-year history.

The anti-bullying campaign received national prominence when a diverse range of organizations, including Universal Orlando’s StudioOut LGBT employee group, the Walt Disney Company and several Tampa Bay Rays players and its coach filmed videos for the cause. Additionally, a frequently played TV commercial for Google Chrome highlighted the non-profit, tugging at heartstrings in the process.

Continued on page 29 | uu |

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watermark | entertainment

| uu | Year in Pop from p.27

Jane Lynch The Glee scene stealer hosted the Emmys and became a spokesperson for both Healthy Choice and the Nook e-reader. Hope you enjoyed your run Ellen, but America has a new favorite lesbian!

Kates

One (Perry) become the first artist since Michael Jackson to have five singles from the same album top the Billboard Top 100.

The other (Middleton) had her wedding viewed by an estimated 2 billion people.

Though both influenced fashion, the British Kate had the larger impact, particularly with the fascinator, a cross between a headband and a hat. The headpiece quickly rose to prominence on US shores when it became drag de rigueur.

Lost virginity

Glee continued to push boundaries with a fall episode that gave equal prominence to both hetero couple Finn & Rachel’s and gay couple Blaine & Kurt’s deflowering.

verdict, Grace said, “The devil is dancing tonight,” only to take to the dance floor herself on Dancing With the Stars. Headline News, and other cable nets, saw their highest ratings during the Anthony trial.

Osama Bin Laden

Sales of the executed terrorist leader’s Halloween mask were among the season’s highest, followed closely by one of “tot mom” Anthony. In the days after bin Laden’s capture and subsequent killing Disney attempted to secure the trademark to “SEAL Team 6,” the elite squad responsible for killing the Al Qaeda leader. Though the company quickly withdrew its application, we’re left wondering not only “what could have been” from a new ride, restaurant, or souvenir shop in a theme park version of the raided Pakistanian compound, but more importantly “Why?”

Pitbull

How to get radio to play your single? Feature the Miami rapper for at least 30 seconds of your song. By year’s end Mr. 305 had appeared with T Pain, J-Lo, Timbaland, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Usher and Dr. Pepper.

Marriages Queens, Drag Weddings, we just couldn’t get enough! The Royal Wedding was watched by billions, while Kim Kardashian’s E!xtravaganza earned the cable network’s highest ratings ever. Nuptials also ruled the box office in sequels to The Hangover and Twilight. But the most popular “I do’s” were found in Bridesmaids, the year’s box office breakout.

With several lipsyncing favorites relocating out of state, and area nightclubs opening and closing, there was an unprecedented cosmic shift in local entertainment lineups.

Rants, Nancy Grace Homophobic The HLN host served as ringleader for the Orlando-based media circus/trial of Casey Anthony. On hearing the trial’s “not guilty”

A perennial entertainment “worst,” this year’s injustices came from director Brent Radnor,

who said rehearsals were for “fags,” and Vince Vaughn (in character) calling electric cars “gay.” Topping them all was Tracy Morgan, who, during a Nashville stand-up gig, attempted to get laughs by saying he’d shoot his own son for exhibiting any gay tendencies.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

29

The Voice

Left viewers shocked every time Christina Aquilera’s chair spun around…not for which singers she’d select during the blind auditions, but instead for seeing whatever outfit the former Mouseketeer had attempted to squeeze herself into.

Superheroes Whistling Say what you will about 3-D movie versions of Thor, Captain America, and the X-Men appearing in your face. But on Broadway it’s far more likely that Spiderman could land right in your lap.

“Talent” shows

American Idol rebooted with Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez coming on board as judges/hair consultant. And America’s (Allegedly) Got Talent made some want to have even their entertainment Made in China. Chaz Bono on Dancing With The Stars made headlines, but most watched in anticipation of mom Cher appearing in the audience. The Dark Lady did not disappoint, showing up on Movies-theme night complete with John Travolta’s Battlefield Earth dreadlocks.

Not since Snow White’s seven little friends came along has the happy-go-lucky sound been so embraced. Artists such as Foster The People (“Pumped Up Kicks”), Maroon 5 (“Moves Like Jagger”), Britney Spears (“I Wanna Go”), and Jason Derulo (“‘It Girl’’) all took the concept of “lips together, teeth apart” to heart.

The X Factor Who thought Paula Abdul would find a soul sister in Nicole Scherzinger? Even Simon Cowell mocked the women’s attempts at inspiring the contestants, calling the former Pussycat Doll “The ultimate rainbow.”

YouTube

The good: “Honey badger don’t give a fuck” videos. The bad: Rebecca Black’s song “Friday.”

Uneducated Zzz’s sports players Perhaps school children can teach visiting “Play 60” NFL players to not to put their hands over their hearts when Lea Michele sings “America The Beautiful” as she did during this year’s Super Bowl, since the song is not our National Anthem.

What we’re all hoping Charlie Sheen is getting since he was seemingly awake for all of 2011.

What we’re looking forward to in 2012: The London Olympics, The Hunger Games, Madonna performing at Super Bowl and releasing her first album in four years, an expected album from Cher, festival showings of the filmed-in-Orlando drag movie My Fair Liddy.

30

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

watermark | film

Telling Our Story Several LGBT films were noteworthy in 2011

Stephen Miller

A

s the year comes to an end it’s notable the number of LGBT-themed films that not only caught our attention, but mainstreamed as well. Here is a look back at five of my favorite films to hit multiplexes and art houses in the past 12 months.

Beginners ( | (Starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Goran Visnjic)

M M A A

THE MENNELLO MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART Mennello-Wtrmrk (11-30-11).indd 1

11/30/11 10:46 AM

Beginners possesses a wonderful performance by Plummer.

Artistic McGregor is grieving his mom’s death, unable to commit to any relationship.

Then papa Plummer, well past 70, comes out with gusto. In a way, gay dad teaches his straight son that it’s never too late to live.

Since this is such a fascinating plot, we didn’t need a family pet making comments or the hand-drawn “chapter breaks.”

However, the rest of this is buoyed by magnificent Plummer and McGregor as his distant son, who never got to bond with Dad. There is a palpable jealousy when McGregor meets Plummer’s new love Visnjic. That scene alone makes Beginners a worthy DVD rental.

J. Edgar ( | (Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench)

Director Clint Eastwood and writer Dustin Lance Black (Milk) give us more than a biopic about the paranoid FBI founder J. Edgar Hoover. The filmmakers also frame Hoover’s entire life as a damaged reaction to his own sexual latency.

DiCaprio plays the notorious man who surrounded himself with dapper, perfect G-men, including his handsome companion Hammer. Dench is wonderful as Hoover’s homophobic mama. Watts portrays Hoover’s loyal secretary. Together, these people supported a man who was at the forefront of shaping US FBI policy.

Quibbles? The age make-up is just terrible.

Still, as a thesis on the ugliness of living in the closet, it’s a supremely compelling film. And it’s still in the theatres.

La Otra Familia (The Other Family) | (Starring Gustavo Loza, Nailea Norvind, Jorge Salinas, Luis R. Guzman) This DVD may take a little digging to find, but this quietly messy Mexican melodrama is

worth some time.

Loza is a young boy living with his drugaddicted, prostitute mother (a screen-shattering Norvind). When she disappears, a family friend takes Loza to Salinas and Guzman, a recently wed, upper-class gay couple. The men slowly come to love the boy. When Norvind returns, she had befriended some thugs who promise her money if she’ll sell Loza to a rich, straight couple.

This overwrought, Telemundo-style ridiculousness contains some meandering subplots. But there’s also honesty: the gay couple’s otherwise faithful house servants become suspicious. The film is obviously critical of Mexico’s childcare laws.

Glee: The Concert Movie | (Starring Lea Michele, Corey Monteith, Chris Colfer, Darris Criss) The popular TV show takes to the road in a wonderfully cheesy, 3D concert experience.

All the gayness is on DVD, in time for the holidays!

By now, everyone knows the show follows some overly talented high school kids in their Ohio glee club. While barely taking classes, these students also come out of the closet, lose their virginity, fight, argue, and sing and dance about everything to Broadway tunes and pop tunes.

Glee is a fluffy blast of pop-spun sugar.

Even in the backstage bits, the gifted actors stay in character for us. As over-marketed as Glee gets, its optimism is still refreshing.

Weekend | (Starring Tom Cullen, Chris New) Here is my Christmas wish, because audiences (beyond well-connected critics) cannot find this beautiful, low-budget UK film unless it lands in a film festival or art house nearby: Please bring Weekend to Florida!

A couple meet and only have one weekend to either bond or spend the rest of their lives wondering. In a way, it’s completely pointless that the couple is gay, because so many of us shut ourselves off from romance for various reasons. In other ways, their gayness is vital; they are closeted or slyly enigmatic, loving the dirtiness of sex but fearing commitment.

Writer-director Andrew Haigh has a way with dialogue and filming that makes the whole thing feel like a shockingly intimate documentary.

So, Santa, now my wish is up to you. | l |

watermark |film

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

31

Young Adult ( | Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt)

Jeremy Irvine and his faithful friend in the stunning War Horse.

Screened Out Hollywood’s Holiday Gifts

stephen miller

Stephen@WatermarkOnline.com

War Horse | (Starring Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston, David Cross, Celine Buckens)

to make. It holds the childhood charm of E.T., the epic timeline of The Color Purple, and the knowledge of Saving Private Ryan. There’s a reason this is PG-13, but it’s marvelous how the violence is so tastefully, powerfully rendered. Much of this is larger-than-life metaphor, and yet War Horse is perfect, from the insistent score to the beautiful cinematography.

On a personal note, my job requires I see about 150 movies a year, and I’ll still happily go and cry through this one again.

Mara. She’s an enigmatic punk, a brilliant hacker, a young woman who has suffered repeatedly under men’s cruelty.

Craig’s and Mara’s stories are separate and then come together. Director David Fincher (Se7en) is often amazing, but the original film did a more emotional job at combining the grisly storylines. The labyrinthine plot and excessively long wrap-up are either intriguing or flawed, depending on your perspective.

Both versions are slick and sick, only taking slightly different approaches. Which one is better? Perhaps you’d have a different opinion.

In 2006, a very funny script written by a stripper was bouncing around LA. It was Juno, and the author, Diablo Cody, cornered the market on wry, funny dialogue, winning an Oscar on her first try.

Young Adult is a black comedy about a basically unlikable, shallow person who never got past high school. Cody teams with her Juno director, Jason Reitman (Up in the Air).

Together, they snag a brilliant cast. In the middle of this cruelty, they even find small bits of real drama.

Theron is a former homecoming queen who moved out of her small Minnesota town and into the bustling metropolis of Minneapolis.

She ghostwrites young adult novels about popular girls in high school. She also drinks excessively and sleeps around. At 37, she finds her high school sweetheart (Wilson) has had his first kid. So she leaves her “glamorous” alcoholic life to return home, break up his marriage, and win him back.

What obviously drew Oscar-winner Theron to this dark, mealy material were Reitman and Cody. Together this team, along with a wonderfully acerbic Patton Oswalt, get everything right by going all wrong.

Young Adult isn’t for everyone, but audiences who love bleak comedies will appreciate the creativity behind this one-time popular girl’s self-destruction. | l |

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Well, at the risk of sounding like a film snob Irvine is a poor English farm boy (too late!), this and the fascinating Swedish in the early 1900s; his drunken version are interchangeable. father (Mullan) brings home a Dragon Tattoo is a sick thriller thoroughbred instead of the based on the international needed plow horse. Irvine bestseller by Stieg Larsson. The names the horse Joey and book was all over the place—a trains him, saving animal and mystery involving Nazis, farm. Then WWI breaks out ritualistic religious beliefs and and Mullan sells the horse to misogyny. Both film versions Hiddleston (Thor), a soldier suffer by conforming too tightly who promises to bring Joey to the novel’s meandering back after the fighting is structure.

Mean girl Charlize Theron done. Joey’s journey through Craig is a Swedish in Young Adult. the worst of The Great War investigative journalist hired leads him into the lives of a by rich old tycoon Plummer. poor French farm girl (Buckens) and a Nazi Plummer wants to find out what happened soldier (Cross of the Narnia series). Both Joey to his niece who went missing from the and his master must learn the cruelty of war family island 40 years ago. At the same time, and the saving grace of companionship.

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watermark | art

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Squared Away, by Janet Biggs, is just one example of her work that counters gender stereotypes at the Tampa Museum of Art. | Photo courtesy JanetBiggs.com

Fighting Stereotypes ‘No Limits’ on gender for video artist Janet Biggs

joseph kissel

G

ender is a performance, according to artist Janet Biggs, and her preferred stage is often vast and challenging if not outright hostile and deadly.

Right now, she’s big in Taiwan, participating in a moving, multinational art expo as well as recently filming inside an active volcano, documenting the dangerous and exploited lives of Indonesian sulfur miners.

“It’s like I’m on Mars, with blood-red, turquoise and yellow landscapes,” said the adventurous artist whose work always involves an audience of at least three: a challenging environment, a venerable subject and the adventurous viewer.

Also right now, a rare and welltimed retrospective of her 15-plus years documenting and subtly commenting on exceptional gender performances, often in isolated environments, unfolds at The Tampa

Museum of Art. “She continues to investigate what it means to be male and female in our society, taking something very serious and making it very beautiful,” said Todd Smith, executive director of The Tampa Museum of Art. Whether it’s following a woman attempting to break a land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, following “the last of the white male Arctic explorers,” or juxtaposing the beautiful bridled bounce of a black stallion with a severely autistic Asian girl who shines at an ice rink the very first time she puts on skates, Biggs’ work captures the imagination.

“There’s unexpected power and beauty even when an individual is constrained,” she said.

Apparent in her work is a large measure of admiration for her subjects.

“I fall in love with every single one

Artist and photographer Janet Biggs, who’s work is on display at the Tampa Museum of Art, is currently documenting the lives of Indonesian sulfur miners. | Photo courtesy JanetBiggs.com

Tampa Museum of Art. of them,” said Biggs. “I look at the work Sometimes the sound of installations partly in terms of portraiture in that anytime overlap like the cacophonous street bands somebody reveals themselves to you there of composer Charles Ives’ childhood, or is a certain amount of trust, and I fall in love the works become private affairs using just a little bit.” headphones or isolated, sound-proofed Editing is an essential part of the process, but what images to include, which to discard? spaces.

In addition to more familiar gallery patron “I try not to bore my audience,” Biggs types as well as LGBT audiences interested said. “Everything that’s there is essential.” in her meditations on gender identity, Janet’s That means arresting and stark visuals, work has been pulling in a different audience editing that serves the narrative function, as well. and a soundtrack “We live in a very often composed sports-driven market of rhythmic “[Janet Biggs] in the Tampa-Bay environmental continues to area and we’ve seen sounds. many people come in The New York investigate what it interested in extreme City-based artist means to be male and sports and the athletic is the daughter of nature of her work,” a composer and female in our society.” said Smith. a music theory —Todd Smith, The Whatever the professor.

Tampa Museum of Art audience, Biggs’ “Cadence and executive director subject is always rhythm can be a extraordinary people vessel for emotion,” and how they project she said. who they are through what they do.

Biggs avoids imposing a summary on her “Her most recent work in the High works, which are open-ended in nature.

Arctic typifies the extent the artist How one responds to seeing the artist herself will go in the pursuit of boundary shoot a flare gun across a frozen northern pushing,” Smith said. | l | tundra or contrasting older women performing water ballet to Samuel Barber’s adagio for strings is strictly up the audience.

“I always want some kind of reaction,” she said. “There’s nothing worse than somebody WHAT: No Limits: Janet Biggs being noncommittal and walking away.”

WHEN: Through Jan. 8 And audiences are certainly exploring WHERE: Tampa Museum of Art her subjects and traversing the large spaces INFORMATION: TampaMuseum.org showcasing her multimedia meditations at the

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34

watermark | theater

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Mad Cow Money $400K donation by Harriett Lake fuels upcoming move

David Moran

O

rlando | Despite hard economic times rippling across Central Florida, downtown Orlando’s Mad Cow Theatre continues to raise funds to relocate to its new home at 54 West Church St. next fall.

Its staff just announced a $400,000 donation from local philanthropist and champion of the Central Florida art community, Harriett Lake.

To date, Mad Cow Theatre has fundraised approximately $1.35 million for the new, state of the art, two-theatre complex. The eccentric, independent theatre company has been a staple in the Central Florida performing arts community for more than 15 years.

The local theater joins a wave of new

businesses popping up around Church Street Station in recent years, including Hamburger Mary’s, The Dessert Lady and MoJo Bar & Grill. The once-ailing, entertainment complex has also attracted major construction projects like the 55 West condominium building and the Amway Center, home of the NBA basketball team Orlando Magic.

While some Central Floridians are thrilled with Mad Cow’s relocation and the revitalization of Church Street, others view Mad Cow’s move as more evidence of the City of Orlando’s on-going cronyism with out-of-town developers to snuff out low-income communities of color in the neighboring Paramore district.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Church Street

personality of its most recent major Station was one of Florida’s premiere benefactor. Harriet Lake is affectionately tourist destinations. It drew 1.7 million known for her trademark hats, bejeweled visitors in 1985, making it the fourthpurses and quirky sense of humor. Once largest tourist attraction in the state after when she was asked by the Dr. Phillips Walt Disney World, Sea World and Busch Performing Arts Center staff if they could Gardens. Visitors fondly remember Rosie name one of the buildings in her honor, O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium, The Lake quipped that they should name the Exchange, and the haunted house “Terror first-floor ladies room for her. on Church Street” during the Halloween According to an interview with Orlando season. Church Street Station later became plagued with mismanagement and threats of Magazine, Lake has also donated $10,000 a year for more than 12 years to the AIDS foreclosure after founder Bob Snowe sold black-tie fundraiser, the Headdress Ball. the complex to new owners.

Harriet Lake first moved to Central Harriett Lake’s gift to Mad Cow Theatre Florida with her husband Hy, a lawyer, in includes the naming of the new theatre’s 1956 from South main stage in her Florida. Lake’s honor, the 170-seat husband had his eye Harriett Theatre.

Harriett Lake’s gift to on Central Florida Featured on Orlando real estate and Magazine’s 2011 the Mad Cow Theatre eventually amassed “50 Most Powerful includes the naming of a fortune through the List,” Lake is the new theatre’s main sale of two square considered one of miles of swamp Central Florida’s stage in her honor, land around Sand most generous Lake. The area later philanthropists, became the home of whose other the engineering firm Lockheed Martin. contributions include $1 million to the The new 54 West Church Street location Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing will be the largest venue in Mad Cow’s Arts, $500,000 to the breast cancer center nearly two-decade history. For its grand at Florida Hospital, and $500,000 to the opening next year, the company will present University of Central Florida theater the Stephen Sondheim musical Sunday in program. the Park with George. | l | Mad Cow’s eclectic and somewhat outrageous style mirrors the fashionable

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watermark | event planner

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Straight No Chaser The men of Straight No Chaser are a YouTube sensation bringing their acapella skills to the Van Wezel in Sarasota Dec. 22.

Gloria Gayner

Tiffany Pop sensation Tiffany will ring in the New Year at Parliament House in Orlando Dec. 31.

Gloria Gaynor will be joined by Sister Sledge and Maxine Nightengale for a disco-style New Year’s Eve celebration at the Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg Dec. 31.

art [ORLANDO] Mennello Gift to the Community

Jan. 1. For tickets and information, visit FreeFallTheatre.com or call 727-4985205.

film

For tickets and information, visit RuthEckerdHall.com.

The Mennello Museum of Art is usually closed on Mondays, but, as is their tradition, the museum is open the day after Christmas—Monday, Dec. 26—with free admission. The popular Eight From Florida exhibition closes Jan. 1. The exhibit features the works of Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Jose Bedia, Margaret Tolbert, Sandy Winters, Dan Gunderson, Leslie Neuman and John Chamberlain. The artists have all created bodies of work while living in the state and have at least one piece in the City of Orlando’s permanent collection.

[ORLANDO] Movies Out Loud: The Pirate Movie

[SARASOTA] Straight No Chaser

comedy

music

[CLEARWATER] Howie Mandel

[CLEARWATER] The Nutcracker

We see him weekly on America’s Got Talent, so we may forget about Howie Mandel’s comedy background.

The actor will perform his stand up comedy at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater for one night only on Wednesday, Jan. 4. The comic has held onto a career in television for more than 30 years, rising to fame as “Dr. Wayne Fiscus” on St. Elsewhere for six years in the 1980s. For tickets and more information, visit RuthEckerdHall.com.

Kick off the New Year with a swashbuckling, ultra-campy parody of The Pirates of Penzance. Movies Out Loud presents cult classic The Pirate Movie Thursday, Jan. 12 at Plaza Cinema Café. As always, comedian Jeff Jones and drag legend Miss Sammy will provide hilarious commentary as the movies plays. Tickets are $10 at WatermarkOnline.com. Show time is 8 p.m. but there’s a happy hour beforehand, starting at 7 p.m.

What would the Christmas season be without the magical toys of The Nutcracker? Thankfully the holiday classic returns to Ruth Eckerd Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 27, and Wednesday, Dec. 28 before the holidays wrap.

Tchaikovsky masterfully transformed E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, a classic coming of age tale, into The Nutcracker, one of the most beloved ballets of our time and a treasured holiday tradition. Live music, the talent and grace of the dancers, and stunning costumes bring this story to life. This production draws its inspiration from the original choreography presented in St. Petersburg, Russia more than 100 years ago, and the dancers’ tight costumes will no doubt show off their intense rehearsals!

The not-so-straight-laced singers of Straight No Chaser have become a YouTube sensation since forming nearly 12 years ago. The all-male acapella group has released two holiday albums and uses perfect harmonies of 10 male voices to create extraordinary music that is both familiar and brand new. The group has been quoted as saying they take music seriously—just not themselves.

The handsome dozen will perform at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Thursday, Dec. 22. For tickets and information, visit VanWezel.org.

[ST. PETERSBURG] CeeLo Green If you turned on a radio in 2011 you no doubt heard the No. 1 single by CeeLo Green, who is now a coach on the popular NBC show The Voice. Green’s “F*** You” became an anthem of the jilted over the summer and he continues to tour and perform to promote his album, The Lady Killer. Now is your chance to here CeeLo live at the Mahaffey Theatre on Wednesday, Dec. 28. For tickets and details, visit TheMahafey.com or call 727-892-5798.

New Year’s Disco Eve Ring in 2012 with the disco legends of the 1970s at the Mahaffey Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 31. Gloria Gaynor, Sister Sledge and Maxine Nightingale are all on tap to bring their hits to the ‘burg as the calendar page flips into a brand new year. No doubt hits like “I Will Survive,” “We Are Family” and “Right

Back Where We Started From” will keep the festive atmosphere hopping and audience members dancing in the aisles of the renovated theater.

For tickets and more information, visit TheMahafey.com or call 727-892-5798.

[ORLANDO] BEER:30 Chasen Hampton and Hadley’s Hope will play at the Orlando Brewing Company’s BEER:30 event at 9 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 30. All Orlando Brewing beers are $2 till midnight and there is no cover.

New Year’s Eve with Tiffany LIVE Pop superstar Tiffany will sing her hits “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Could’ve Been” and “I Saw Him Standing There” at Parliament House on New Year’s Eve. Party starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. There is plenty of free parking, the bar is open until 4 a.m. and it’s all for only a $20 cover. DJ Brianna Lee will spin and there are two Footlight Player shows scheduled for the big night.

theater [ST. PETERSBURG] A Christmas Carol: The Musical Every year we hear the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, his poor employee Bob Cratchett and the ongoing visitation of Christmas ghosts. But this year, gear up for the local musical version of the Charles Dickens classic written by Keith Ferguson and Bruce Greer. The show runs at the FreeFall Theatre through

special events [ORLANDO] Roller Derby Recruitment Do you have it in you to be a part of the hard hiting, heart-pounding world of roller derby? Find out Monday, Jan. 2 at the Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls’ first recruitment night of 2012. This is strictly an informational session, to go over rules, guidelines and skater requirements. Prospective skaters will also get to see how a practice is run and a scrimmage. No derby gear required. Interested refs and volunteers are welcome too. Everything starts 8 p.m. at Semoran Skateway.

MBA Orlando Alliance Mixer The Metropolitan Business Association is kicking off 2012 with their LGBT friends, businesses and allies at Fields BMW Winter Park 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 4. The MBA will co-host the monthly mixer with Equality Florida, The Center, the Human Rights Campaign and the Orlando AntiDiscrimination Ordinance Committee.

MBA Orlando President Gina Duncan will present the MBA’s “State of the Chamber” update and the community partners will talk about their 2011 successes and their roadmap for 2012.

Hors d’ouvres and cash bar included.

There is no charge for MBA members, $10 for non-members.

Got an event you’d like to see listed in Watermark? At least two to four weeks in advance, send all pertinent info—date, time, place, cost, contact information for readers to get more details, and what the event is about—to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com, and we will feature it in the paper on a space-available basis.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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watermark | tampa bay out+about

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

1- Tampa Bay Business Guild members Stuart Sandler as Mrs. Claus and Monte Michelsen as Santa entertained the crowd at the Westshore Marriott Dec. 13.

shot on site

Photos courtesy Nick Cardello, Monte Michelsen, ProSuzy.com and Carrie West

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2- The Santa Speedo Run boasted more than 130 runners this year, including Santa and this collection of sexy reindeer in Gulfport Dec. 17.

3- Chuck Henson, dressed in a musclesuit and Santa hat, was all smiles as he made his way toward the finish line of the 2nd Annual Santa Speedo Run in Gulfport benefitting ASAP on Dec. 17.

4- (L-R) Angel Martinez, Anthony Barros and Mariruth Kennedy enjoy each other’s company during the Tampa Bay Business Guild Holiday Party at the Marriott Westshore on Dec. 13.

5- (L-R) Melanie Minyon, Judy B. Goode and Esme Russell helped entertain after the 4th Annual GaYbor Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest at The Honey Pot Dec. 9.

6- Singer Iman took the stage to showcase her live vocals during St. Pete Pride’s Red & Green Holiday celebration at Sunken Gardens on Dec. 10.

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tampa bay overheard Ybor truly makes the yuletide gay

Wanda Sykes on DADT and bin Laden’s death

When you talk about things “hung” in Ybor City, it can mean a variety of things—but in this case it’s all about the holiday decorations.

The Fourth Annual GaYbor Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest transformed historic 7th Avenue to truly make the yuletide gay. Retail shops, bars, clubs, hotels and offices all participated for a chance to win prize baskets and recognition for their Christmas cheer.

To celebrate the festive feat, The Honey Pot hosted a party of more than 160 business owners, according to our friends Mark Bias and Carrie West of the novelty store MC Film Fest. While entertainers Esme Russell, Amy DeMilo, Robyn DeMornay, Melanie Minyon, Summer Alexander, Judy B. Goode and Paul Thomas entertained the crowd, winners of the decorating contest were announced: Best Decorated Retail—Hoffman Prges Art Gallery at 1907 7th Ave.; Best Decorated Club/Bar—The Ritz Ybor at 1503 7th Ave.; Best Decorated Restaurant—Hot Willy’s Hot Dogs on North 1604 17th St.; Best Decorated House/ Condo—Jeff Duck & Bud McAfee at 1910 E. 4th Ave.; and Best Decorated Group Effort category—Sherry Matone, Kim Cheeley and Brett Diebold at 1406-1410 E. 4th Ave.

When Wanda Sykes appeared at Ruth Eckerd Hall recently, she shared her views on the GOP presidential candidates, the sex life of President Obama and First Lady Michele, and marrying a white woman and raising two white babies. All got plenty of laughs, but what really had the crowd roaring was when the comedienne spoke about the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy and its “coincidental” timing with the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden. “You know once those soldiers heard that they could be out and stop stressing about keeping such a big secret to themselves, they came out of the closet,” [prancing across the stage], “and said, ‘Here he is, bitches.’ Pow. Pow. Pow.” With the outdated policy finally in the history books, Sykes predicted even more military success for our troops around the world. “They don’t have to put all that energy into hiding who they are,” Sykes said. “Look out terrorists, we’ve truly got a focused military now.”

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to Overheard@WatermarkOnline.com

watermark | orlando out+about

shot on site Photos by Phantom Photographics, Tony Ward and courtesy WMFE, The Center, Prime Timers and EO Inn.

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Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

3 4

1- The MVP players showed off their trophies after the Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls’ Dec. 10 game: NutcrackHers vs. Santa’s Slay Belles at Semoran Skateway.

2-(L to R) 2012 Aids Walk Orlando Volunteer Chairperson Khalil J. Makdah showed up to support Jossalynn Moukouanga and Dee Richter of Team Sugar and Spice as they raised over $1,600 with their gourmet bake sale in front of Nube Nova in Thornton Park.

3- Joe Saunders, Equality Florida’s state field director, discussed Orlando’s domestic partner registry on WMFE Dec. 20, in a taped “My Voice” segment played during the Diane Reim show.

4- Gay rights supporters celebrated together at Hamburger Mary’s after the Orlando City Council approved a domestic partner registry Dec. 12.

5-The crew of EO Inn got merry at their annual holiday party, Dec. 18 at Eola Wine Bar. 6- Stan Talbott, George Sepso, Don May, Ron Bush and Jerry Danese were among the record-breaking number of 75 attendees who attended the Prime Timers of Central Florida annual Christmas dinner party Dec. 11 at the Sheraton Orlando Downtown.

orlando overheard Meltdown Low-Balled The upcoming Orlando Meltdown held at the Seminole Softball Complex and Lake Fairview Complex Jan. 14–15 is showing a record low number of teams registered to participate so far. “One reason is because our tournament is nowhere near Disney,” says one CFSL player. Another could be due to the tournament taking place at the same time as the Las Vegas softball tournament. Teams are electing to attend the Las Vegas tournament over Orlando’s. Currently, there are only 29 teams signed up with only two from outside of Florida. Last year, nearly 50 teams played. For more details on the tournament, visit Orlando-Meltdown.com.

Going Gaysian Yes, ma’am! Beginning Jan. 1, the space above Bikkuri Sushi located at 1919 East Colonial Dr. will open its doors as a gay nightspot. The owners of the sushi restaurant opened the lounge, aptly named Bikkuri Lounge earlier this year as a straight trance club. The hot spot recently began hosting a gay night on Thursdays. After a successful trial run, they’ve decided to reopen in January as an all-gay nightclub named Rainbow Lounge. The venue will feature an

Asian-infused design, performances by local drag talent including Sybil Storm and Melissa Morgan and of course…Saki!

Going, Going, Gone Less than three years after moving to Baldwin Park’s village center, one of its landmark stores owned by Brian Wettstein and Jeff Brow is closing its doors. BullFish, which sells collectibles, gourmet food and clothes, moved to the struggling area in 2009 from Park Avenue in Winter Park. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Wettstein said there was not enough traffic to justify keeping the store open. Some of BullFish’s inventory will be sold at BullFish’s sister store, Doggie Door on Park Avenue. Meanwhile, Jacobson’s on Park Avenue also closed Wednesday Dec. 21.

Its owner, Tammy Giaimo, will open another store called Continuum in the Shoppes at Oakmonte in Lake Mary. Giaimo told the Orlando Sentinel she wants her new store to be closer to her other business, Software Resources. When the old Jacobson’s department-store chain went under in 2002, Giaimo bought the rights to the name. She opened her Park Avenue store in 2004, close to the original Jacobson’s longtime Winter Park store.

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to Overheard@WatermarkOnline.com

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

Coming Soon

H O U R S - A - D AY

At the corner of Robinson and Rosalind. Visit and like us at www.facebook.com/thegymdowntown NOW SHOWING: WRITER’S PICK

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

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Orlando’s Jamie Decker, associate sales director for Hyatt (left), and Rob McCullough, learning and development specialist with Hilton Grand Vacations, were legally married in New York City Dec. 12. The couple has been together for seven years.

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Orlando’s John Abbott and Doug Prince, both Realtors with Olde Town Brokers, celebrated four years since their Canadian wedding on Dec. 6. The couple has been together for nine years.

Local Birthdays Crazy cat lady Kate Torrence (Dec. 22); Brandon salesman and bear fan Walter Tart, Watermark contributor Chris Azzopardi and Gulfport photographer and owner of Creative Design Weavers Amy Oatley (Dec. 24); UCFGLBT.com webmaster Hank Lewis (Dec. 25); St. Petersburg Applebee’s bartender Jeff Nicolaus, puppeteer and gay rights activist Hannah Miller and sexy Parliament House bartender Jeff Munzing (Dec. 26); Clearwater Realtor and Suncoast softballer Keith Gill and Serial Thrillers bench coach extraordinaire Lisa Cason (Dec. 27) Watermark contributor and Gulfport activist Greg Stemm, Phish Phest phenom and realtor Sue-Bee Laginess (Dec. 29); Tampa ROTC member Steve Deal and What’s Happening magazine owner/ publisher Frank Garcia (Dec. 30); Mr.. Ybor Eagle 2010 Carlos “Wolfy” Diaz, Tampa massage therapist Russell Fox, St. Pete Pride volunteer and Tarpon Springs native Paul LeCouris and Orlando bear Justin Homer (Dec. 31); Sarasota graphic designer and friend of many non-profits Tim Cameresi and Tampa photographer Charles Allen (Jan. 3); veteran and die-hard Pittsburgh fan

Bill Stiller and St. Pete Realtor and St. Pete Pride co-founder Brian Longstreth (Jan. 4); Orlando psychologist and athlete Guillermo Navarro (Jan. 5); Tampa activist, mortgage broker and phlebotomist Bill Polley (Jan. 6).

Celebrity Birthdays of Past and Present Eternal diva and activist Annie Lennox, flowery filmmaker Ismail Merchant and persnickety film viewer Quentin Crisp (Dec. 25); So-Called straight actor Jared Leto (Dec. 26); tux-wearing German screen icon Marlene Dietrich and gay Noah’s Arc star Wilson Cruz (Dec. 27); out actor Malcolm Gets (Dec. 28); sexy Brit Jude Law, necktiedonning funnywoman Paula Poundstone and sunny Mary Tyler Moore (Dec. 29); comic mastermind Tracey Ullman and hairy-pitted punk queen Patti Smith (Dec. 30); disco godmother Donna Summer and Broadway babe Bebe Neuwirth (Dec. 31); cross-dressing FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and uptight Desperate Housewife Marcia Cross (Jan. 1); Velvet Goldmine filmmaker Todd Haynes, and Private Practice hottie and hubby to Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs (Jan. 2); queer R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe (Jan. 4); dance legend Alvin Ailey (Jan. 5); bi shock rocker Marilyn Manson (Jan. 5); Chasing Amy’s not-quite-lesbian Joey Lauren Adams and out Who’s the Boss alum Danny Pintauro (Jan. 6); Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner (Jan. 7).

Send news about birthdays, passings, anniversaries, promotions, commitment ceremonies—and whatever you commemorate—to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com.

watermark | advice

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

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watermark | sports

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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NBA players’ union to include protections for sexual orientation Wire Report The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, signed by the players’ union and ratified Dec. 8 by the NBA’s board of governors, includes language protecting players from discrimination based on sexual orientation. (The league already has those protections in place for employees.)

“I am pleased to announce that we have concluded the collective bargaining process and have reached an agreement that addresses many significant issues that were challenges to our league,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “This collective bargaining agreement will help us move toward a better business model, a more competitive league and better alignment between compensation and performance.”

Since last year, the NBA has taken many steps to place the sport of basketball near the

forefront of a changing sports landscape, in terms of LGBT inclusion.

From significant fines (and LGBTsupportive statements) following anti-gay slurs, to its public partnership with GLAAD and other LGBT advocacy groups, the NBA appears to be positioning itself to be a strong ally to the LGBT community.

“The NBA now joins leading Fortune 500 companies and the vast majority of Americans who believe that gay people should have the same opportunities to work and live freely as who they are,” said Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD. “This decision shows that homophobia has no place on the court or in the game and we hope that local, college and high school teams follow this important example.”

The league also joins the NFL and MLB (both of which added similar language this year) in protecting its players from discrimination. | l |

Top 5 Sports Stories of 2011 Staff Report Rays make It Gets Better Video The Tampa Bay Rays joined the ranks of professional sports teams to join the “It Gets Better” campaign when they agreed this summer to film a video for the YouTube phenomenon to stop gay bullying. Manager Joe Maddon and stars BJ Upton and Johnny Damon were among the pros highlighted in the project, filmed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg by local filmmaker Jeff Klein.

Suns CEO comes out of the closet Phoenix Suns president and CEO Rick Welts, in an effort to breach what he sees as the tiptoed-around topic of homosexuality in men’s team sports, revealed he is gay over the summer. Welts is believed to be the first man in a prominent position in men’s sports who has declared his homosexuality. Welts eventually resigned after running the franchise’s business side for nine years. Welts told The Arizona Republic on Sept. 9 that he wasn’t leaving for another job, but to be in another city. In the past year, Welts started a new relationship and his partner is in Sacramento. He plans to do speaking engagements and perhaps take an offer to write a book.

NAGAAA, NCLR reach settlement After three years of legal wrangling, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance and the National Center for Lesbian Rights have reached a settlement. The two

groups ended a lawsuit Thanksgiving weekend that had raged on since the 2008 Gay World Series. In the settlement, three players have been reinstated and their team’s secondplace finish is now fully recognized, while NAGAAA maintains the Constitutional right to limit the number of straight players on a team.

At the 2008 event, NAGAAA limited the number of non-gay players on any team to two. Because these three players claimed to be bisexual, their team, D2, exceeded the non-gay limit and was disqualified after an allegedly disturbing inquisition process.

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Back in 2005, Sheryl Swoopes announced she was in a same-sex relationship and retired soon after. In 2011, the WNBA star returned to the organization and announced that she was marrying a man. Swoopes has not renounced homosexuality but has said that “life happens,” and left it at that when asked about her past proclamation. She continues to play for the Tulsa Shock.

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watermark | gossip

| Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011

billymasters

46

“That was the best kiss I have ever had. It was deep, it was intense, and it was a long-time coming.”

—Jason Segel talks about the on-screen kiss he shared with Paul Rudd on Saturday Night Live which included, dare I say, licking.

I

recently zipped to NYC to see some shows and catch up with some friends.

Aside from running into Zachary Quinto on the street (he says hi to you all) and having lunch with former porn star Jack Ryan (ditto), my trip was spent in the theatre, starting with a special reading of Matthew Lombardo’s Tea at Five, directed by Rob Ruggiero and starring Charles Busch—three of my favorite people. To make it even better, my date was the dashing attorney-to-the-stars, Mark Sendroff. My adoration for Charles is well-documented, but it went up a few notches that night. I’d never seen him play a real person before—at least not for what amounts to an extended monologue. His grasp on Katherine Hepburn’s every nuance in various stages of her life is extraordinary.

Meanwhile, a story was breaking near my hometown. This concerns Kevin Hogan, who is an English teacher at a Malden, Mass., charter school which was named one of the best high schools in the country by Newsweek. But it was discovered that Mr. Hogan also goes by the name Hytch Cawke—a name that really only works if you say it aloud, and even then it’s kinda stupid. Hytch has appeared in three gay pornos—Fetish World 1, Just

What’s in a name Billy Masters Billy@BillyMasters.com

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Gone Gay 8 (are we up to 8 already?), and Ass Fucked by a DILF 2. In case you’re wondering, he is one of the DILFs. This story was uncovered by a FOX reporter in Boston named Mike Beaudet (how he came across these gay porns is one of those unsolved mysteries). Beaudet confronted Kevin/Hytch in one of those ambush-style interviews usually reserved for presidential candidates accused of philandering or corporate heads who spill oil on pelicans!

Hogan repeatedly said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The revelation led the school to place Hogan on paid leave while they investigated. Intriguingly, response to the report has not been particularly favorable.

According to the local FOX affiliate, viewer feedback has been split 80/20, with 80% against the station (there’s no differentiation between being against the style of the report or the nature of the story). Because you know I’m a stickler for research, I tracked down some of Hytch’s work. Let me share a detail no one else has brought up—aside from being shaved within an inch of his life, his penis has a Prince Albert piercing. And while the movie I watched employed the use of a condom, at a certain point it disappeared!

I’m sure you’ve all heard that George Michael is hospitalized in Vienna with what is being called “severe community acquired pneumonia.” Which begs the question: Who could George have acquired this from? Earlier this month he was rumored to be dating both a hairdresser and porn star. First we got photos of George stepping out with celebrity hairstylist Fadi Fawaz, who was born in Lebanon, raised in Austria, and works in London.

These photos were taken in Venice— which makes this a very international item. Days later, we got snaps of George on the balcony of the Hotel Danieli in Venice with someone who looked like a porn star who appeared in Match Maker for Cazzo Studios in Berlin under the name Isaac Mazar. Since I doubt this is a name that appears on a birth certificate on

An investigative report by a Massachusetts reporter unveiled that English teacher Kevin Hogan is also porn actor Hytch Cawke (read the name outloud).

either side of the Brandenburg Gate, I did a bit more digging and discovered that Fadi Fawaz and Isaac Mazar are one and the same!

Our “Ask Billy” question comes from Randy in Washington, DC: “I need you to settle a bet. My friend says Thomas Jane went full-frontal nude on Hung. I’m sure I’d remember that. Who wins?”

If Thomas Jane is naked, we all win.

Up until recently, the answer would be that you win this bet. But it’s entirely possible that your friend is slightly psychic. For the benefit of the readers, this question was sent on Oct. 16. On the episode of Hung that aired on Oct. 23, we did indeed get a glimpse Thomas Jane’s nether regions. In one role-playing scene, he’s wearing a jock strap. After he takes it off, the camera pulls back to reveal a good...oh, I’d say, four inches of a rather plump penis dangling betwixt his legs. From the looks of it, that was only the beginning.

When FOX viewers are on the side of a gay porn star, it’s definitely time for me to end yet another column.

For all the best stories around, check out BillyMasters.com.

If you’ve got a question, send it along to Billy@ BillyMasters. com and I promise to get back to you before we find out how hung Thomas Jane really is! Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible. | l | Rumor has it that George Michael’s new beau, Fadi Fawaz, is not only a hairstylist, but also a porn star who performs under the name “Isaac Mazar.”

Dec. 22 - Jan. 4, 2011 |

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