Watermark Issue 20.19: TIGLFF

DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • SARASOTA • ISSUE 20.19 • SEPT. 11 - SEPT. 25, 2013 • WATERMARKONLINE.COM

YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Advances in digital technology will greatly impact—and improve—the experience of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

AIDS WALK

ST. PETE takes over downtown

UCF’S PRIDE

COMMONS gives LGBT students a safe space

RUSSELL

BRAND brings his ‘brand’ to Tampa, Orlando

Copyright Benson 2013. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced.

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

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DEPARTMENTS 6 // MAIL 14 // ORLANDO NEWS 18 // TAMPA BAY NEWS 22 // STATE 24 // NATION & WORLD 33 // ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 41 // EVENT PLANNER 43 // TAMPA BAY OVERHEARD 45 // ORLANDO OVERHEARD 46 // TAMPA BAY MARKETPLACE 48 // TRANSITIONS 48 // ORLANDO MARKETPLACE 53 // SPORTS

PAGE

22

More than the athletic feat, she wants to send a message of peace, love, friendship and happiness… between the people of the United States and Cuba.

—JOSE MIGUEL DIAZ ESCRICH, REFERRING TO DIANA NYAD’S HISTORIC SWIM

ON THE COVER

PAGE

PAGE Thanks to advances in

technology, the 18 digital Tampa International Gay and

Lesbian Film Festival will present its films in a whole new way next month.

Illustration by Jake Stevens

Preview

43 BRAND HUMOR: Actor and comedian Russell Brand will perform his new stand up act in Tampa and Orlando this month, and he’s not afraid to get controversial. He shares his thoughts on a number of issues, including same-sex relationships.

WATERMARK ISSUE 20.18 //AUG. 29 - SEPT . 11, 2013

ORLANDO NEWS

TAMPA BAY NEWS

PAGE The University of Central

PAGE The Tampa International Gay

LISA LAMPANELLI

SPORTS

Read it online!

SCAN QR CODE FOR

WATERMARKONLINE.COM

In addition to a Web site with daily LGBT updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com

14

Florida has a new commons area for LGBT students and their allies; A same-sex wedding expo took over The Abbey in downtown Orlando with vendors and displays; Orange County ombudsman Chase Smith passed away Aug. 28; more.

18

and Lesbian Film Festival runs Oct. 4-12, and this year, attendees will be treated to better technology for a better viewing experience; AIDS Walk Tampa Bay raised more than $173,000 with the help of nearly 1,000 participants Sept.

7; more.

PAGE She’s lost nearly 100

35

pounds, but the new, leaner, Lisa Lampanelli is just as sharp-tongued as ever. We spoke with the comedian about her upcoming show in Orlando and why her direct approach is so appealing to the LGBT community.

PAGE The Central Florida Softball

held its opening 53 League ceremonies on Sept. 8

and remembered one of its own with a moment of silence; Russia’s anti-gay laws have now sparked concern among organizers of the World Cup soccer match, which is slated for 2022 in Russia.

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES IN THE FIRST ROUND OF WAVE AWARD BALLOTING AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM! SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

S

OME THINGS JUST DON’T NEED TO BE SAID BECAUSE, as one of my favorite expressions says, “Fabulous just is.” But with a cup of coffee I picked up the Aug. 1 edition of Watermark that had been sitting on my coffee table.

This is a shout out to Steve Blanchard, because it was an enjoyable read and when all was done, I felt I had learned something— which is another one of my favorite things.

ALAN MCALISTER GULFPORT

WE SHOULD BOYCOTT RUSSIA

I

GET SO TIRED OF READING ALL OF THE HOMOPHOBIA spewing out of Vladimir Putin’s mouth on the news and in the papers. The president of Russia and his support of outlandish, homophobic legislation is being completely ignored by a group that is supposed to be committed to peace and diversity—the Olympics.

Why would any country, especially those that promote equality, stand idly by while a country speci�ically targets a

6

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

“Once the money stops flowing in, I’m sure Russia would finally see that the LGBT population isn’t as scary, or weak, as it had anticipated.”

—MILES CLARK

portion of the world’s population and threatens them with imprisonment for just being who they are? All of the nations, including England and the United States, should band together and refuse to participate in the 2014 Olympic Games, and the NBC network—and other networks around the globe—should refuse to broadcast them.

Then, once the money stops �lowing in, I’m sure Russia would �inally see that the LGBT population isn’t as scary, or weak, as it had anticipated.

MILES CLARK VIA E-MAIL

CLEARING THE CONFUSION

T

HANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING UP THE IMPORTANT CAUSE of educating

watermarkonline.com

your readers about the Affordable Healthcare Act [Issue 20.18]. There are so many advertisements and opinions about this important legislation that it can be dif�icult to simply cut to the heart of the matter and let consumers know exactly what this law means to them on a daily basis.

By focusing on the LGBT aspect of Obamacare, you helped your readers understand how to plan for the future and what to expect in 2014 when the AHA becomes active. You avoided political rhetoric and stuck simply to the facts of the document.

I encouraged many of my friends, both gay and straight, to read your informative issue.

Thank you for giving us a tool to prepare.

CHRISTIAN FLETCHER ORLANDO

editor’s

Steve Blanchard EDITOR

SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com

S

Desk

ITTING IN A COMFORTABLE, AIR-

conditioned of�ice and speaking with someone I’ve known for years did very little to distract me from the white strip of felt sitting just feet away and soaking in a clear solution. I knew if that white strip changed color, my life would change dramatically—I would be “reactive,” or in other words, HIV-positive.

While a positive test is not a death sentence, awaiting the results of an HIV test is terrifying. No matter how many times I get tested or how low-risk I think I may be, waiting for the results can be gutwrenching and I can understand why people would avoid that stress.

I know people who have to get their nerve up to simply walk into an of�ice or a mobile testing unit to submit to the test. I am one of those people—it’s a tough thing to do.

WATERMARK STAFF

But I also understand the importance of knowing your status. And I’m grateful for all of the services available to our community to protect ourselves and those we love. And those organizations are all in full fundraising mode in Central and West Florida. Fundraisers, parties and events are happening nearly every weekend now through the end of the year. The AIDS Service Association of Pinellas, Metro

Publisher: Tom Dyer • Ext. 305 • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Chief Financial Officer: Rick Claggett • Ext. 108 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Admin. Assistant: Stephanie Saylor • Ext. 100 • Stephanie@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Steve Blanchard • 813-470-0899 • SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com Reporter: Susan Clary • 104 • Susan@WatermarkOnline.com Online Media Director: Jamie Hyman • Ext. 106 • Jamie@WatermarkOnline.com Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Production Assistant: Andrés Duputel • Ext. 107 • AdProduction@WatermarkOnline.com

Tampa Bay, Hope & Help and The Center in Orlando are invaluable in their contributions to combating infection rates and educating the community.

But the education provided to us is only as powerful as what we do with it. And unfortunately, we’re not doing enough.

According to a study released in HIV Plus Magazine, Orlando and Tampa Bay highlight substantial growth in the prevalence of HIV. The increase is so large that infection rates in both cities now rival urban areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. For the �irst time, every state in the country reported cases of HIV. Florida is now the �ifth state in which HIV is the most prevalent, surpassing California by one position.

That same study says that 600 of every 100,000 people in Florida are living with HIV. Too often, we look at statistics like this and shrug it off, thinking either “It won’t happen to me” or “If it happens to me, there are medications to keep me alive.” That is especially true of the under-30 segment of the LGBT population.

But what many fail to realize is that while HIV-positive diagnosis is not the death sentence it was in the 1980s, it is a life-changing piece of news. There’s an added responsibility to keep yourself healthy and to let potential partners know your status.

AIDS Walk Tampa Bay wrapped on Sept. 7, and raised nearly $175,000 for HIV clients in the region. AIDS Walk Orlando raised $150,000 in May. On Sept. 14, Metro Tampa Bay will hold its �irstever Gala in Tampa featuring HIV advocates Jack Mackenroth and Karen Williams. And on Oct. 26, the outrageous Headdress Ball will raise hundreds of thousands for Hope & Help in Orlando.

I tried to keep myself distracted on the recent sunny Wednesday afternoon I was tested, but my eyes kept moving back to the testing vile and my mind tried to prepare itself for a potential positive result.

If it reacted, how would I tell people? How would my friends react? Would my daily routine be interrupted for the rest of my life?

It’s human nature to be pessimistic, especially in medical situations. We prepare ourselves for the worst as we hope for the best.

As we move forward through the last quarter of 2013, I encourage you to get tested. If you’re reading this “Editor’s Desk” within a physical copy of Watermark, you are probably within 30 minutes of an organization that can do a rapid HIV test free of charge.

If you test positive, there are programs that can immediately help you to remain healthy and teach you the life skills you need to stay that way. I was told recently that while the testing process is intimidating, if you test negative, you never have to worry about testing positive again because you can always practice safe sex.

Isn’t the luxury of that peace of mind well worth 20 minutes of stress? |  |

No matter how many times I get tested or how lowrisk I think I may be, waiting for the results can be gut-wrenching.

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

CONTRIBUTORS GREG STEMM

lives in Gulfport, Fla., and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St. Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 18

KEN KUNDIS

is a Florida native and a longtime contributor to Watermark.

He lives in New York City. Page 27

KIRK HARTLAGE

is an Orlandobased journalist an DJ and a former full time employee of Watermark. He specializes in celebrity interviews. Page 33.35

Greg Burton, Scottie Campbell, Zach Caruso, Amy Dees, Kirk Hartlage, Rev. Phyllis Hunt, Joseph Kissel, Ken Kundis, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, David Moran, Gregg Shipiro, Greg Stemm, Brett Stout, Jim Walker

PHOTOGRAPHY Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Tom Eckert, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff

DISTRIBUTION Debbie Oliver, Phil Garris, Ken Caraway CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited article submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Although WATERMARK is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles, advertising, or listing in WATERMARK is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or members of such organizations.

WATERMARK is published every second Thursday.

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The official views of WATERMARK are expressed only in editorials. Opinions offered in signed columns, letters and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper’s owner or management. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication.

WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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orlando NEWS

NEW FOUND PRIDE: (L to R) UCF Student Development & Enrollment Services (SDES) Vice President Dr. Maribeth Ehasz, UCF Student Government Association (SGA) President Melissa Westbrook, State representative Joe Saunders, UCF Pride Coalition Student Director Nicholas Simons and UCF SDES Vice-President of Community Support Services Belinda Boston cut the ribbon for the newly-opened Pride Commons. PHOTO BY DAVID THOMAS MORAN

Public servant Chase Smith dead at 41 Jamie Hyman

O

RLANDO | Orange County ombudsman Chase Smith died the afternoon of Aug. 28, surrounded by his family members, and the city and county government of�icials who considered him family.

Smith, 41, was an active public servant for Central Florida government. He worked as an aide to Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan from 2004 – 2011.

He then served as Orange County ombudsman and performed outreach for Orange County mayor Teresa Jacobs. During that time, Smith made a run for Orlando City Commissioner District Seat 1, but was stalled during the primary elections.

Smith was diagnosed with lymphoma several months ago. According to Sheehan, doctors were performing some tests when he contracted a fever that caused his organs to shut down.

“He was a 4th generation Floridian,” Sheehan said.

“He loved the state and he loved serving. [Smith’s death] is a tremendous loss to all of us.”

Sheehan said Smith was the youngest person serving on the Wauchula City Council when he came to interview for a job in Orlando, where he told Sheehan, “I want to work in the big city.”

“He absolutely was tenacious and wanted to help people,” Sheehan said. “Everything from a pothole to a tree planting to a chipped sidewalk, Chase was all over it.”

She described Smith as “a proud gay man,” and said his in�luence will be felt for a long time.

“He got too see a lot of changes in his lifetime,” Sheehan said. “People may have had issues with him not pushing [LGBT issues] at [Orange] county. He was loyal to his boss and tried to lead by example. I know Continued on page 16 |  |

14

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Common Ground Pride Commons opens doors to UCF students David Thomas Moran

O

RLANDO | The University of Central Florida (UCF) continues to make strides in supporting LGBTQ students and their allies with the recent grand opening of Pride Commons on Sep. 3.

The new LGBTQ-af�irming, gathering space is the �irst of its kind at UCF and promises to transform the way LGBTQ students, faculty and staff connect with one another on-campus and in the broader community.

Florida House Rep. Joe Saunders, who was the keynote speaker at the grand opening ceremony, recalls how nothing like this existed when he attended UCF from 2001-2005.

“We used to just huddle in corners really. We had a cubicle that we would go to sometimes and there was a shared meeting room student organizations could book. There wasn’t one space that [LGBTQ] people could go,” said Saunders. “I think that’s what really exciting

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

about Pride Commons. At any point, at any time, students can drop in to connect with one another. Students will be drawn to that space because they are going to look for fellowship and camaraderie, but they will �ind much more.”

Saunders thinks that Pride Commons will help inspire new conversations about activism and advocacy not only at UCF but also contribute to grass-roots movements across Florida to challenge Southern

Association (SGA) President Melissa Westbrook, UCF Student Development & Enrollment Services (SDES) Vice President Dr. Maribeth Ehasz, and UCF SDES Vice-President of Community Support Services Belinda Boston all spoke at the celebration.

SGA President Westbrook was all smiles as she and the other featured speakers cut the ceremonial grand opening ribbon in front of Pride Common’s entrance.

“The opening of Pride Commons signi�ies the level of inclusion on our campus,” Westbrook said. “We are working towards meeting the needs of all students. UCF stands for opportunity and this proves it!”

Pride Commons is a joint initiative between SDES, SGA, the Student Union, the Multicultural Student Center, LGBTQ Services and the newly formed SGA agency Pride Coalition.

LGBTQ Services and Pride Coalition staff and student volunteers have been running the space since Pride Common’s soft opening in late July. According to LGBTQ Services/Pride Coalition

“We used to just huddle in corners really.”

—JOE SAUNDERS states’ resistance to supporting LGBT equality.

The grand opening ceremony began in the Ferrell Commons auditorium at 3pm with several speeches from both University and community leaders. In addition to Saunders, UCF Pride Coalition Student Director Nicholas Simons, UCF Student Government

watermarkonline.com

Continued on page 16 |  |

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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orlando NEWS 16

|  | UCF Pride Commons from pg.18

|  | Chase Smith from pg.14 he left an indelible mark on [Mayor Jacobs]. She’s forever changed for having worked with him.”

In a statement, Jacobs said she and her staff are “devastated” by Smith’s death.

“Chase was absolutely made for public service,” she said. “He cared so deeply about people and was steadfast in serving our community. He served as inspiration for young people, and for me as well. Along with his family, I am heartbroken to have lost him at such a young age.”

Sheehan said Smith was “kind of an introvert” but every Easter, he loved to put on “this big pink bunny suit” and help out with the egg hunts at Thornton Park, Colonialtown and Lake Como. She said the city plans to create a Strengthen Orlando account with the goal of raising enough money to plant a Tabebuia tree with a plaque, because they bloom pink in the spring, around Easter time. The account will be available at CityOfOrlando.net for public contributions.

“We spend more time with people at work than we do our own families,” Sheehan said. “He really was a member of my family.”

Funeral services for Smith were held in the panhandle town of Blountsville on Sept. 9 and10. A local service is being planned, but details have not yet been �inalized.

Flowers may be sent through Blossoms on Monroe by calling 850-386-2087. |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Graduate Assistant (GA) Cecilia Chik, it is already making a huge impact on students.

“We want to make LGBTQ students at UCF feel at home,” said Chik. “Within Pride Commons being opened for 2 months we have already ful�illed our mission of raising awareness and providing a safe and inclusive space for all. And we look forward to all the growth in our inaugural year.”

Chik, along with her co-GA Chelsea Bender, helps advise and support the Pride Coalition’s dayto-day operations and both report to SDES VP of Community Support Services Belinda Boston. Since 2010, UCF has seen a number of LGBTQ milestones including the addition of gender identity & expression to the University’s anti-discrimination policy, the chartering of the national GBT fraternity Delta Lambda Phi, the opening of the LGBTQ Services of�ice, the formation of the Pride Faculty and Staff Association and most recently the launch of an LGBTQ-oriented SGA programming agency, Pride Coalition, this past July. |  |

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

ADDRESSING INEQUALITY:

Renowned activist Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk, spoke to students and faculty at Rollins College on Sept. 10 about the challenges to LGBT equality around the globe. Milk had just returned from touring regions in Europe and Asia, and shared insights on how the world should approach anti-LGBT nations and laws. The forum was presented by the Rollins College Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Lucy Cross Center for Women. PHOTO BY LONNIE THOMPSON

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tampa bay NEWS

AND THEY’RE OFF: More than 900 people leave the ‘Starting Gate’ at the 10th Annual AIDS Walk Tampa Bay at Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg on Sept. 7. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

AIDS Walk Tampa Bay raises $173,000 Steve Blanchard

S

T. PETERSBURG | While the 10th annual AIDS Walk Tampa Bay on Sept. 7 was celebrating successes in the battle against HIV while raising money for positive clients served by the AIDS Association of Pinellas (ASAP), it was about honor for Tampa resident Gordon Kendrick.

Kendrick, 62, remembers losing friends daily in the 1980s as the AIDS epidemic swept across the country.

While advances in medical care have prevented countless other deaths, the disease is still close to Kendrick’s heart, and he’ll walk for as long as he’s able, he said.

“So many people forget that HIV and AIDS attacked our community with a vengeance,” Kendrick said.

“Today’s youth doesn’t always understand what this battle is about and why we hold walks like these. We will win this �ight. We have to.”

And thanks to more than 900 participants this year—the largest number ever—ASAP raised $173,000 for its ongoing mission to provide HIV services to more than 1,100 clients.

“The money helps fund our range of programs,” explained Jay Aller, who organized the walk. “It provides for medical case management, mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling and allows us to provide free HIV testing and provides for our mobile unit to travel around the community.”

While the number of participants was up this week, the monetary goal for 2013 fell a little short, Aller said.

But he’s happy with the community’s efforts and is thankful for the increased awareness and participation.

“Our corporate sponsorships were down this year,” Aller said. “We lost Nielsen Media and CVS this year. And while Walgreens encouraged employees to create a team, there was no contribution from the corporate of�ice.”

Aller said he’s not sure why getting corporate sponsorships was harder this year, but when he realized it was going to be a tough year, he scaled back the walk by nixing some special entertainment and a planned, Continued on page 20 |  |

18

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

OLD AND NEW: The Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa has updated its technology to ensure a better viewing experience while maintaining the historic aesthetics of the structure. PHOTO COURTESY JOE ROBERTS

Technologically speaking New technology will improve the TIGLFF experience in 2013 Greg Stemm

W

ithin just years, new digital technology has revolutionized the way �ilms are screened and chosen for viewing at the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; and once the �ilm is on the screening schedule, audiences will see it projected through new digital technology that is less than six months old at the historic Tampa Theatre.

“Basically the format used for �ilms and their projection had been the same since the 1930s,” said Gary Dowling, chief projectionist at the Tampa Theatre, who plays host to most of the �ilms presented during TIGLFF Oct. 4-12. “But just within the past two years there have been enormous changes as �ilm is moved completely to digital formats. In fact, in 2014 the old 35mm format used for decades will be completely phased out. Soon no one will be using the old 35mm format at all.”

For the �irst time in its history, TIGLFF won’t accept any 35mm entries, according to KJ Mohr, program director. It will continue to

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accept older digital versions such as Blu-Ray or even DVD, although Mohr said even those formats are being used less as new formats replace them.

But if 35mm is dead, what’s replacing it?

A basic understanding of the new technology requires an understanding of “Digital Cinema Packaging.” DCP has revolutionized the way �ilm festivals choose �ilms and how they are projected on screen. The new format eliminates the need for actual “�ilm” in the traditional sense. Everything from start to �inish is in a digital format that can be easily emailed, viewed online and projected from a specialized hard drive. Most new �ilms are even shot directly to digital video so there is no need for conversion later.

A NEW SELECTION PROCESS

DCP has radically changed the way TIGLFF chooses its �ilms. In the past, distributors would need to send a review copy of the �ilm to organizers. Since the festival is international in scope, there were sometimes issues with foreign postal services being slow or a �ilm

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arriving damaged.

But with DCP, �ilm screeners can go to a number of special websites that host �ilms speci�ically for review by �ilm festivals. Because the �ilm can be seem directly online, there is no need for special projection equipment and reviewers can see the �ilm wherever they are as long as they have access to a computer.

Distributors can even indicate on the site which �ilm festival they would be most interested in screening their �ilms. Screeners are given a “key” or password they enter before viewing the �ilm. Most often the key can only be used once, which helps preclude piracy.

Reviewers can even search for a speci�ic topic, so �inding �ilms related to LGBT issues is easier.

Cost savings are realized for everyone—the distributor to the �ilm festival itself. There are no shipping fees and the distributor doesn’t have to worry that the screening copy might get into the wrong hands and be screened illegally. The producer realizes savings because they don’t have to pay for multiple copies of the �ilm to be produced. It is uploaded the original DCP �iles to the site and is ready for review.

But what the selection committee is seeing is not “streaming” movies.

By using DCP technology, it views

Continued on page 20 |  |

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

19

tampa bay NEWS

|  | TIGLFF from pg.18 the �ilm from original or close-tooriginal digital �iles. There is no denigration caused by transferring the �ilm from one generation to the next. The same can be said once the �ilm arrives at the venue where it will be screened.

Once the �ilm festival chooses a �ilm, it contacts the distributor and pays a licensing fee for showing at speci�ic times and dates. The �ilm is placed on a DCP cartridge and sent to the venue.

CLICKITY CLACK IS HISTORY

The familiar “clickity clack” sound of �ilm feeding through a projector is now a thing of the past. Where once there were huge tables where different reels could be laid out �lat and there were visual cues on the �ilm to let the projector know it was time to switch from one reel to another, now there is just a specialized hard drive and �ilm is projected directly from it.

“I guess you could said today’s projectors are computers with a lens attached to them,” said Dowling.

When a �ilm that has been selected by TIGLFF arrives at the Tampa Theatre it is mostly likely on a DCP cartridge. Dowling says the �ilm is then “ingested” by the special hard drive the Tampa Theatre has as part of its equipment. The distributor then emails a KDM (Key Delivery Message) to the theater. This key allows for the ingested �ilm to be unlocked for the speci�ic time that was arranged for viewing. The �ilm can then only be projected during the time that the key has provided.

If the time expires on the viewing an additional KDM will be |  | AIDS Walk Tampa

Bay from pg.18

20

larger stage.

“This is year 10 for the AIDS Walk but we also have to keep an eye on our mission, which is to service our clients,” Aller said.

“I had bigger plans, but it’s more important to save that money for our services rather than the budget for the event.”

Teams were out in full force on the sunny Saturday morning at Vinoy Park, and GTE Financial’s team raised the most money with

UPGRADED EXPERIENCE: TIGLFF viewers will see higher quality video and hear better sound inside the historic Tampa Theatre thanks to an upgrade in film equipment bringing the theater into the digital age. PHOTO COURTESY GEORGE COTT

needed to view it at the new time.

Older digital formats like Blu-Ray can also be used on the new projector.

Dowling said it takes about 45 minutes for the theater’s projector to ingest the �ilm from the cartridge, so there can’t be any last minute changes in the lineup without a delay in the projection.

But he did say that if there were six �ilms scheduled for one day, for example, the theater’s staff could ingest all six in advance and enter their keys in for play. Once the time comes for screening, all the projectionist needs to do then is press a button and the �ilm plays directly from the hard drive.

“It’s simpli�ied my job a lot,” said Dowling, who remembers having to use two different projectors and having to switch back and forth between them, reloading �ilm canisters on one while �ilm was being projected on the other. “With DCP, there’s no an impressive $20,000. Team member Joseph Brancucci was the individual who raised the most with $11,000.

Balance Tampa Bay brought in a commendable $6,500 and Tampa resident Mike Hammonds was the second-highest individual fundraiser with $3,300.

“Participation was right on the mark,” Aller said. “We increased advertising in mainstream media and I believe that helped a lot.”

More than 90 volunteers helped set up and tear down equipment for the walk and

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

need for that.”

The new equipment was installed at the historic theater six months ago, and at the same time the Tampa Theatre installed brand new sound equipment

and the sound quality in our new speakers is amazing,” said Dowling. “There is no chance of there being scratches or dust or other minor damage to the �ilm caused by mechanical wear and tear. The new format dramatically improves quality both in the picture and in the sound.”

“I think film goers this year will notice the amazing clarity of the picture in high definition and the sound quality in our new speakers is amazing.”

WILL ‘ART’ BE IMPACTED?

Both Mohr and Dowling say they were “purists” when it came to a change from the old familiar —GARY DOWLING, CHIEF PROJECTIONIST 35mm format.

AT THE TAMPA THEATRE Both had serious reservations at �irst about how so �ilm festival goers this year digital formats might affect the will experience a whole new set art of �ilm that they both say they of technology in the delivery of have loved for decades. each screening.

“I fell in love with �ilm 20 “I think �ilm goers this year years ago and I admit I fought will notice the amazing clarity the change for a long time,“ said of the picture in high de�inition, a seven-member committee helped organize it all.

Donations may still be made at AIDSWalkTampaBay.org.

“This cause continues to be important, and it’s organizations like ASAP that are going to help us make HIV a things of the past,” Kendrick said.

Up next is the annual Santa Speedo Run, which is Dec. 1, at Ybor City’s Centennial Park. A fundraising page for that event will be set up soon and details are available at the Santa Speedo Run Tampa Bay Facebook page. |  |

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

Mohr. “I didn’t want �ilms to lose the quality and feel they had with 35mm, but the new format has improved so much over even the past two years that coupled with its cost ef�iciency, its ease of use, and its protection against piracy, I’ve been won over. ” “When the DCP format was just coming out it was like watching a soap opera in terms of quality… it was very �lat looking,” said Downling, who has been in the �ilm project business for more than 35 years. “But recently the quality has improved enormously and I don’t see a huge difference now between the quality you get from 35mm and what you get with DCP.” Mohr said there were still a very limited number of �ilms being produced on 35mm, but they were most often classi�ied as “experimental” �ilms or were the kind of deep artsy �ilms that have very limited appeal, even to the most sophisticated movies audiences like those at �ilm festivals.

“We usually didn’t even consider those �ilms for TIGLFF even before the technological changes,” said Mohr. “Our audience is more interested in the genre of the LGBT-made or LGBTthemed movies than pushing the boundaries of �ilm making.”

While the technology has radically changed, what hasn’t is the pure love of �ilm that many will experience as they watch the carefully selected screenings this year.

The Tampa Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival runs Oct. 4-12 with an of�icial opening night party presented by Touch Vodka at The Vault on Friday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 p.m.

Other special events surround the nine-day festival. For details, visit TIGLFF.com. |  |

GRAND TOTAL: AIDS Walk Tampa Bay coordinator Jay Aller shares that more than $173,000 was raised by participants at the Sept. 7 event. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD watermarkonline.com

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state NEWS

Nyad completes historic Cuba-to-Florida swim Wire Report

K

EY WEST | Defeated before in bids to swim from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad would cry and rage through swollen lips and welts at the jelly�ish tentacles that had repeatedly lashed her and derailed her plans to become the �irst swimmer to make the 110-mile crossing without a shark cage.

Her lips were swollen Sept. 2, as in the past, when she emerged from the waters off Key West, but the 64-year-old American endurance swimmer managed a tight smile for supporters and said one word: “Seawater.” And this time, she was victorious.

“She freaking made it,” her website trumped, along with the words “Party time.”

The stinging sea life that had plagued her four previous attempts to swim the Florida Straits— and the attempts

of other swimmers trying to complete the same stretch — failed to appear until the �inal hours of her journey. That left Nyad free to concentrate on defeating the elements and persevere through about 53 hours in the water until she could step on dry land.

Dazed and sunburned, the athlete waded ashore �inally free of the protective silicone mask that had bruised her mouth and a fully-body “jelly�ish suit” that she conceded were necessary for the swim she began Saturday — even if they weighed down her crawl strokes.

She was free, too, of the nagging demons that drove her to attempt the treacherous crossing �ive times. She tried three times in 2011 and 2012. Her �irst attempt was in 1978.

President Barack Obama was among a �lurry of public of�icials and celebrities who tweeted congratulations. The president’s tweet echoed the sentiment Nyad

has repeated many times when Jackson Memorial Hospital, faced with defeat: “Never give up said the swimmer was healthy on your dreams.” and would not need a long time Nyad’s speech was slurred as to recover from dehydration, she neared her destination and sunburn and the swelling in and after she made it to the beach, but around her mouth. she address reporters in Key West “She was incredible to watch after rest and recovery. the whole way through,” he said.

Speaking to NBC’s “Today” Nyad leaped from the seawall show on Sept. 3, Nyad said she of the Hemingway Marina into and her team the warm waters off were betterHavana on the prepared for morning of Aug. jelly�ish this 31 to begin time around. swimming.

She also used She paused the mask that occasionally —DIANA NYAD made it harder for

“The phrase I decided to use was ‘Find a way.”

to breathe but helped protect her from jelly�ish stings.

Nyad told ABC’s “Good Morning America” she used a mantra to help keep her going throughout the swim.

“The phrase I decided to use was ‘�ind a way,’” she said.

Her doctor, Derek Covington of the University of Miami and

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

nourishment, but never left the water until she reached the white sand beaches of the Keys and waded ashore.

The support team accompanying her had equipment that generated a faint electrical �ield around her, designed to keep sharks at bay. A boat also dragged a line in the water to help keep her on course as she kept up the

strokes, hour after hour after hour.

Along the way, her team said it spotted thunderstorms on the horizon and even reported on her blog that cruise ships made way for Nyad as she crossed busy ship lanes.

“I always thought she could do it given her internal energy, her mental and physical strength, her will of iron,” Jose Miguel Diaz Escrich, the Hemingway Marina commodore who helped organize the Cuba side of Nyad’s multiple attempts, said after Nyad landed in Florida.

“More than the athletic feat, she wants to send a message of peace, love, friendship and happiness … between the people of the United States and Cuba,” he added.

Nyad �irst garnered national attention in 1975 when she swam the 28 miles around the island of Manhattan in just under eight hours. In 1979 she swam the 102 miles from North Bimini, Bahamas, to Juno Beach, Fla., in 27.5 hours.

Nyad is also an author of three books, a motivational speaker and has been a reporter and commentator for NPR. |  |

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IN OTHER NEWS GINSBURG: GAY MARRIAGE SHOWS CONSTITUTION’S GENIUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says the evolution of same-sex marriage reflects the genius of the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court justice spoke in Philadelphia on Sept. 6, just days after she performed the same-sex marriage of a friend in Washington, D.C. Ginsburg says equality has always been central to the Constitution, even if society has only applied it to women, blacks, gays and other minority groups over time.

TEXAS CITY ADOPTS DISPUTED GAY RIGHTS MEASURE San Antonio’s leaders on Sept. 5 approved anti-bias protections for gay and transgender residents, despite the disapproval of top Texas Republicans and religious conservatives. Democratic Mayor Julian Castro called the 8-3 City Council vote in favor of the ordinance overdue in the nation’s seventh-largest city. ``This ordinance is about saying there are no second-class citizens in San Antonio,’’ he said.

NEWS

GUYANA JUDGE EASES RULE AGAINST CROSS-DRESSING

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A judge in Guyana on Sept. 8 ruled that cross-dressing is a criminal offense only if it is done for an ``improper purpose’’ such as prostitution. Chief Justice Ian Chang ruled that people can’t be detained if they are cross-dressing ``for the purpose of expressing or accentuating his or her personal sexual orientation in public.’’ Previously, a colonial-era law banned males from wearing female attire and vice versa.

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Feds won’t enforce same-sex veterans law Wire Report

W

ASHINGTON, D.C. | The Obama administration said Sept. 4 it will stop enforcing a law that blocks bene�its to partners of military veterans in same-sex marriages.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Attorney General Eric Holder said that a provision in federal law on bene�its to veterans and their families de�ines ``spouse’’ to mean a person of the opposite

sex. He says that de�inition leaves out legally married same-sex couples, and runs afoul of a June Supreme Court ruling.

The court declared unconstitutional a provision in the Defense of Marriage Act restricting the words marriage and spouse to apply only to heterosexual unions.

Holder says that like the Defense of Marriage Act, the provision in the veterans bene�its law has the effect of placing lawfully married same-sex couples in a second-tier marriage.

The Justice Department has

been tapped by the White House to ensure that couples in samesex marriages receive all federal bene�its to which they are entitled.

The Social Security Administration says it has started processing spousal retirement claims for samesex couples and paying bene�its.

Last week, the government said that all legally married gay couples will be able to �ile joint federal tax returns even if they reside in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages. |  |

In a resounding, unanimous opinion, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the state law barring the socalled gay aversion therapy legal in every respect.

The judges said trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation through intense therapy appeared

dangerous, and that California lawmakers properly showed that the sexual orientation change efforts were outside the scienti�ic mainstream and have been rejected for good reason.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed a similar law that would also outlaw the therapy in his state. |  |

California ban on gay-to-straight therapy upheld Wire Report SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. | A federal appeals court sided with California on Aug. 29 and upheld the �irst law in the nation banning a psychological treatment that seeks to turn gay youth straight.

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From Russia With Hate: A Case for Boycott

Ken Kundis KEN@WATERMARKONLINE.COM

I

N THE MID-1970�, APARTHEID

in South Africa was a topic on everyone’s lips. The unfair parsing of opportunity and access for black South Africans was receiving global condemnation as activists like Stephen Biko and Nelson Mandela sacri�iced their life (Biko) and freedom (Mandela) for the cause.

As a youngster grouping up in a tennis crazed household, apartheid came to my understanding through Arthur Ashe, himself an activist as well as a tennis player.

Ashe worked diligently with the tennis establishment to eject South Africa from the 1970 Davis Cup—the men’s international team competition and the oldest ongoing team sporting event— due to their stance on race relations.

The team was reinstated in 1973.

However, when the team from India refused to travel to South Africa for the �inal, the South African team was barred again from the team competition. And so it stayed until apartheid ended in 1991.

It is dif�icult to say that the efforts of Ashe and the global sporting community brought about an end to apartheid. But that was less the point than the statement

being made. That good people don’t turn a blind eye to injustice.

The horrifying stories of statesanctioned violence, torture and murder toward gays and lesbians coming out of Putin’s Russia make apartheid look respectful in comparison. Putin willfully, intentionally has created an atmosphere of hatred toward gays and lesbians in his country for the purposes of propping up his own machismo.

And now, as news comes that Russian lawmakers are thinking of stripping gay parents of their parental rights, it is clear just how far down the rabbit hole present-day Russia has fallen.

And yet POTUS and the governing board of the Olympic Games have made nothing more than toothless proclamations about ensuring the safety of the athletes at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014. Well of course they’ll be safe. Putin might be a crazy asshole, but he’s not stupid. To arrest or persecute athletes for being gaypositive while the world is watching would throw kerosene on a �ire that is already burning out of control.

But that’s not the point. In the same way I wouldn’t accept a dinner invitation from Casey Anthony, I just don’t think it’s acceptable to be hosted by a government that not only discriminates against their own people, but advocates violence against them.

Look, I get that Russian history is �illed with tragedy. As Americans we are insulated from a lot of the vagaries of war and famine and ‘ethnic cleansing’ that happens around the world.

But turning a blind eye with nothing more than a �inger-wag at this oppressive regime is not enough. I love sports and I love the Olympics but they don’t matter a whit if people aren’t free.

The U.S. team attending these games would be akin to throwing a party in a burning building and not pretending to smell the smoke or feel the �lames.

I can’t help but wonder if Putin was creating laws and a hostile environment based on race, if the response from the world community would be this muted.

The Obama administration, the IOC, and any right thinking government should know better than to ‘respectfully disagree’ with laws that aren’t simply a difference of opinion.

They are draconian, anti-human rights and teetering closer and closer to the Nazi idea of ‘purity.’

And that’s why the U.S. Olympic Committee should boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. |  |

I just don’t think its acceptable to be hosted by a government that not only discriminates against their own people, but advocates violence against them.

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

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TALKING POINTS

Had the clerk issued marriage licenses to 12-year-olds in violation of state law, would anyone seriously contend that each 12-year-old…is entitled to a hearing on the —PENNSYLVANIA’S ANALOGY TO ARGUE THAT 150 SAME-SEX validity of his ‘license?’

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SYNC’S LANCE BASS IS ENGAGED TO BOYFRIEND MICHAEL TURCHIN. Bass popped the question in New Orleans with a black diamond band and even texted his future husband’s parents to ask for permission. Turchin hinted at the engagement Sept. 1 on Twitter, posting “Happiest guy in the world :)”. Bass con�irmed the news with a photo on Instagam. They have been dating since December 2011. |  |

PEOPLE ARE TALKING AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM ON BRADLEY MANNING WANTING TO LIVE AS A WOMAN IN PRISON: “The only expert on Pvt. Manning’s gender is Pvt. Manning. If she identifies as Chelsea Manning, so be it. Her gender situation was leaked by her prosecutors during her trial, well before she went public with it. She pleaded guilty to most of her “crimes” and is prepared to accept the penalties even if many of us think she deserves a presidential pardon.”

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ON MARY MEEKS’ COLUMN ON WHY TRAYVON MARTIN SHOULD MATTER TO LGBTS: “Travon Martin could not have been me, Mary Meeks. If a security guard asked me what I was doing on private property, I would not have hit

him in homophobic panic (as suggested by Martin’s adult girlfriend) but told him why I was there and complained to his supervisor. I would be alive, not dead, after the encounter.”

—CHARLENE

ON DAVID SEDARIS SAYING GAY PEOPLE SHOULDN’T GET MARRIED: I’ve always wondered at why the fervor for gay marriage. So few actually take the step and those of us who don’t, should things not work out so well, we get to keep our stuff.”

—DON WILLIAMS

T

OP 6 OUTRAGEOUS THINGS TELEVANGELIST PAT ROBERTSON, of The 700 Club, has said about LGBTs. 1. Gays use special rings to infect people with AIDS. 2. You should be able to hit a “vomit” button on Facebook for gay photos. 3. Disney Orlando’s Gays Days could cause hurricanes, terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly meteors. 4. Christians will go to jail for trying to save gays with their love. 5. God is going to destroy America because gays are marrying. 6. Gays are destroying the Boy Scouts for “a few kids who want to do sex with each other.”

The saddest part of it all is that the Christian Broadcast Network reaches more than 360 million people each year in more than 100 countries. |  |

TRANSEXY

A MAN WITH OLDER BROTHERS IS

A

TO BE GAY

AND YOU KNOW IT? RE YOU “TRANSEXY” AND YOU KNOW IT? You might just be what American Apparel is looking for in a model. The L.A.based fashion brand, known for its provocative advertising, posted an ad on Instagram asking for transgender and transsexual models. According to the ad, models need no previous experience, but must be over age 16. If you missed the call, you can submit photos via email to Visit AmericanApparel.net. The company is famous for its strong stance on gay rights, carrying gay culture magazines in its stores and piloting the “Legalize Gay” movement in support of samesex marriage in California. |  |

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MORE LIKELY

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EN WHO HAVE OLDER MALE SIBLINGS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE GAY, researchers at Brock University in Ontario have found, and it has nothing to do with being treated like the baby in the family. Having brothers increased a man’s odds of being gay—but only if they were blood brothers. Stepbrothers did not have an effect, the study found. However, biological brothers who were brought up separately did. This suggests that the link can be explained by nature rather than nurture, according to New Scientist.

Each older brother raised the odds that a man was homosexual by a third. |  |

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ARTS &

ENTERTAINMENT

The

BRAND Brand Y

FROM STAND-UP ACT TO ACTOR, WHEREVER RUSSELL BRAND GOES, CONTROVERSY IS SURE TO FOLLOW

Kirk Hartlage

OU MOST LIKELY KNOW RUSSELL

Brand from his starring roles in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek, the recent remake of Arthur, and the �ilm adaptation of the 80’s-set musical Rock of Ages. You probably also know him from his televised appearances hosting the 2008 and 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, as well as a 2011 episode of Saturday Night Live. (If you’re from Brand’s U.K. homeland, you no doubt know him from his work on several Big Brother spin-off shows.)

You may even know Brand from his stand-up comedy act, which is frequently in�luenced by his prior drug use, alcoholism, and promiscuity. Or perhaps he’s familiar because of his consistent public support of the LGBT community as a straight ally. And, presumably, you know Brand as the likely inspiration behind several of ex-wife Katy Perry’s latest chart-topping hits.

But what you surely know Brand for is his seemingly innate ability to court controversy wherever he goes. At his �irst VMA hosting gig, he called then–U.S. President George

Continued on page 38 |  |

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Photo by Jesse De Young

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Life,

&

p i s d n e i r FSee you soon!

(407) 704-8615 710 N Mills Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

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Love,

watermarkonline.com

STILL SHARP-TONGUED: She may have trimmed down, but she’s definitely not any sweeter. Lisa Lampanelli performs at Hard Rock Live Orlando on Sept. 20.

Leaner, Meaner Lisa COMEDY

The queen of mean returns to Orlando with a new figure, and the same hilariously hateful sharp tongue.

L

Kirk Hartlage

ISA LAMPANELLI IS THE SALT AND

vinegar potato chip of stand-up comics.

That �irst bite is oh-so-acidic while the follow-up stings in an aggressive attack on the senses. It’s both salty and sour, and—somewhat shamefully—completely addictive.

Of course, comparing the comedian who recently lost over 100 pounds to a greasy, unhealthy

snack food might seem a bit insensitive…but we’re pretty sure she’d approve. Famous for her

sharp-tongued attacks from the dais on a multitude of celebrity roasts—among her victims: Chevy Chase, Pamela Anderson, Donald Trump and William Shatner—Lampanelli gets as good as she gives.

In addition to the successful weight loss, achieved in part through gastric bypass surgery, Lampanelli’s achieved even more personal victories in recent years. She married Jimmy Cannizzaro, a 6’ 3” bar owner and music industry

bodyguard—and fellow Italian— in October 2010.

When members of the Westboro Baptist Church decided to bring their �luorescent, misspelled signs to protest Lampanelli’s May 2011 show in Topeka, Kan., the comic promised to donate $1,000 to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis for each protester that attended.

Though 44 picketers showed up, Lampanelli rounded her donation up to an even $50,000.

During her winter 2012 run on The Celebrity Apprentice, she raised another $130,000 for the GMHC. She made it to the �inal four that season, and was eventually eliminated by celebrity judges Marlee Matlin and John Rich who felt she was, of all things, too emotional.

These days she’s hosting a �irst-Monday-of-the-month show on Howard Stern’s Sirius satellite radio channel, starring on Country Music Television’s �irstever animated series Bounty Hunters, and workshopping a one-woman show that she hopes to take to Broadway next year.

With all this positive energy in her life, you’d think Lampanelli,

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appearing at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept.

20, might take a softer, gentler approach to her insult comedy.

Not a chance.

Lisa Lampanelli is certainly leaner, but she’s also meaner.

And apparently, it’s infectious.

WATERMARK: LISA!

HOW ARE YOU?

LISA LAMPANELLI: Everything’s good. As you know, I’m the most beautiful, most thinnest, most gorgeous glamorous woman in the world now! I lost 107 pounds. I’m guessing I won’t gain it all back for about three years.

HOW LONG?

I think four years I’ll gain it all back. But I’ll still have a good three year span, you know?

WELL, THAT’S PROBABLY LONGER THAN, SAY, ANDY DICK STAYED SOBER.

Very true, very true!

SHAME ON ME— THAT WAS MEAN! SEE WHAT YOU DO? YOU BRING OUT THE MEANNESS IN PEOPLE! Continued on page 36 |  |

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|  | Lisa Lampanelli from pg.35 Exactly! It’s my job. It’s what I do, it’s who I am!

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE WEIGHT LOSS. I KNOW THERE WAS SURGERY INVOLVED. WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE SINCE?

It’s been great; honestly, seriously.

Jimmy, my husband, got weight loss surgery too. He lost 95 pounds. We did it together so that…well, how am I supposed to really do this if he’s sittin’ around eatin’ pies? It’s worked out really nicely. It’s been a big adjustment trying to live healthy, keeping the weight off and really trying to do the right thing. Now all our gay friends aren’t embarrassed to be seen in public with us, ‘cause you bitches can be judgey!

BUT NOW THAT YOU’VE BOTH LOST THE WEIGHT—AND I’VE SEEN PICTURES OF YOUR HUSBAND; HE’S A PRETTY HOT BEAR—HAVE YOU ALSO LOST YOUR BEAR GAY FANS, ONLY TO REPLACE THEM WITH TWINKS?

THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE TOGETHER. NOW THAT’S IT’S OVER, WHAT DO YOU DO TOGETHER?

This is what disappointed me. I did the summer drama conservatory at Yale this summer, because I’m doing my one-person show on Broadway, and I wanted to brush up on my acting, right? I �igure, I’ll be around gays, because it’s acting class. There were only straight guys in my acting class!

This was not the Gay Community Outreach that I thought it was going to be! I loved the program, but thought, ‘Where are all the gays?’ Yes, I did learn acting; I didn’t enjoy any bitchy things with my queens there. So when that course was over I had to get a double-triple dose of gayety.

So now we’ve been watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Sundays, so that’s a good thing. And we go out to fantastically snobby restaurants, where they won’t let us be seated until the whole party arrives, you know that bullshit? You know what I do when they tell me that? I go, ‘Really? Well, I’m sitting.’ And then I just walk to a table and sit down.

You would love hanging out with me, because I’m such a raging cunt.

Because when you can’t overeat out of anger, it comes out the wrong way. I call everybody a cunt, you’d be really proud of me!

“All our gay friends aren’t embarrassed to be seen in public with us, ‘cause you bitches can be judgey!

The thing is, Jimmy gets hit on more than I do now, and luckily, it’s always by men. So he �inds it easy to just grab ‘em on the ass and say, “Gurrrlll…” right back to them.

It’s very nice having —LISA LAMPANELLI ON THE THE WEEKEND YOU’RE him be hit on and BENEFITS OF WEIGHT LOSS IN THE AREA, RUSSELL feel good, but women BRAND IS ALSO GOING better stay away from him!

TO BE PERFORMING HERE TOO… YOU’VE BEEN MARRIED ALMOST THREE YEARS. WHAT HAS MOST SURPRISED YOU ABOUT BEING MARRIED?

That I don’t hate my husband. It’s weird. I’m not one of these people who got married lightly, because, as you know, I’m rich and famous and fantastic and wealthy. I was cautious, and I got married and I was like, ‘okay, I’m gonna hate this guy ‘cause we’re livin’ in the same place and everything.’ And, while it’s not like one big honeymoon all the time, because what marriage really is, I can’t believe I don’t go around hatin’ somebody every day…so it’s pretty good!

DOES IT HELP THAT YOU’RE ON THE ROAD SO MUCH SO YOU GET TO SPEND TIME AWAY FROM HIM?

Well, it could also help to have three houses; that’s always good.

THE LAST TIME WE TALKED YOU DESCRIBED HOW YOU TYPICALLY SPENT TIME WITH YOUR GAYS, WHICH, AT THE TIME, WAS WATCHING

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Ooo! I love him! He’s so dirty! He just looks like he’d be dirty in the sack, doesn’t he?

HE DOES. LIKE, DIRTY HOT.

Exactly! There’s something very sexually appealing about him. Let’s put it this way: Jimmy won’t be coming with me this trip, I’m just sayin’.

I’LL SEE IF I CAN’T ARRANGE SOME SPECIAL MEET-AND-GREET FOR THE TWO OF YOU.

Work it, work it! I �ind him super funny. I was very attracted to him during Forgetting Sarah Marshall! Oh my God. Yeah, work some gay faggot magic… wave your fairy magic wand and make it happen! |  |

MORE INFORMATION

WHO: Lisa Lampanelli WHERE: Hard Rock Live, Orlando WHEN: Friday, Sept. 20 TICKETS: HardRock.com/Live

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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Kissing him was lovely;

|  | Russell Brand from pg.33

W. Bush “a retarded cowboy fella,” who, in England, “wouldn’t be trusted with scissors.” That same night he also repeatedly mocked the Jonas Brothers’ purity rings, claiming he had stolen one of the brother’s virginity. In 2001, he stripped naked while covering the May Day protests for MTV, and later that year Brand was �ired from the network when he showed up for work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the 9/11 attacks.

And just this month, Brand was booted from the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London after slamming corporate sponsor Hugo Boss and its founding designer’s ties to Adolf Hitler’s government as the of�icial uniform supplier of Nazi forces.

“If anyone knows a bit about history and fashion, you know it was Hugo Boss who made uniforms for the Nazis,” Brand said. “But they looked fucking amazing, let’s face it, while they were killing people on the basis of their religion and sexuality.”

The Brit comic’s latest endeavor will certainly stay true to the Brand brand; a global standup comedy tour called “Messiah Complex” that’s designed to dissect various religious beliefs and �igureheads needs no type of warning label once you know Russell Brand is attached to it.

Central Florida will soon �ind out as the tour stops at Tampa’s Straz Center on Friday, Sept. 20, and Orlando’s Hard Rock Live on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Before that, however, Brand spent part of his Labor Day weekend with Watermark. Here he discussed the tour and why America has been slow to grant equal rights for gays and lesbians.

He also shares some details from one of his most romantic nights ever, and shocker: it wasn’t with Katy Perry.

WATERMARK: LET’S START WITH

YOUR TOUR; TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT.

RUSSELL BRAND: The show is a lighthearted, but sometimes a bit heavy, study of heroism, martyrdom, and signs and signi�ier. What signs are important in our culture and what do these signs mean? In America most of these signs are seen through brands. The way we recognize a hero is through celebrity. It wasn’t

38

it was four o’clock in the morning, we’d spent the whole night [filming] together. It was one of the more romantic nights of my life!

—RUSSELL BRAND ON HIS ROCK OF AGES KISS WITH ALEC BALDWIN

on a minute, these corporations are taking all our money and not paying any tax.” It’s easier to think about what your neighbor is doing, instead of what’s happening on Wall Street, or in Washington.

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON AMERICA BOYCOTTING THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN RUSSIA AND BOYCOTTING RUSSIAN VODKAS?

COMPLEX MESSAGE: Russell Brand promises to make you think with his new tour, but says he mentions blow jobs too, “just to keep things light.” always this way, sometimes heroes meant something. And signs which guide us towards divinity, towards their nature, towards gods, towards love. So the show’s about that, but I also mention blow jobs as well, just to keep things light.

WELL, RIGHT THERE YOU’LL HAVE THE GAY AUDIENCE HOOKED.

Oh, you’re going to love it! One of the things I talk about is Christ.

I say, “I’ve read the Bible, and I don’t know where the Christian Right gets homophobia from, because it’s not in the Bible.” Then I say, if Christ was really against homosexuality it would have been in his top ten do’s and don’ts— the Ten Commandments. It’s not considered as important as “Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s oxen.” I make a very strong case that Jesus could be gay, perhaps.

THAT’S CERTAINLY A CONTROVERSIAL ARGUMENT.

It’s humorously undertaken, but the point I make is that

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

signs are interpreted and their meaning given by the powerful elite. A homophobic Christ is an indication of a homophobic government.

HERE IN AMERICA, DESPITE BEING A WORLD LEADER IN MANY AREAS, WE SEEM TO BE DRAGGING OUR HEELS ON PROVIDING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

It’s because of puritanism—the puritanism that was present at the genesis of this nation. And I think it’s because people being sexually free is one of the great symbols of freedom. If people are sexually repressed, it’s like a form of oppression. I talk about how it’s good to have a maligned and outcast group in any culture so that the general population has someone to be condemnatory towards and judgmental towards, to prevent them from looking at the actual opponents—the people in power. If you think your problems are because of immigrants, or because of homosexuals, you won’t say, “Hold

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I met with Dan Savage the other day, and we tweeted a picture of us admonishing Stoli and endorsing Puff Daddy’s Ciroc!

Dan Savage is cool! He was really, really fantastic. I really loved him.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR SHOW EARLIER YOU MENTIONED HOW YOU DISCUSS PEOPLE FINDING HEROES. WHERE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE GAY COMMUNITY LOOK FOR HEROES?

I don’t know if they need to be necessarily a homosexual hero; that’s something your community would have to decide for itself.

The heroes I recommend are those who are prepared to die for what they believe in, like Malcom X…though some of his rhetoric was homophobic, despite some of his own homosexual experiences as a younger man. Ghandi, who was like a great radical. And Jesus.

What I think about heroes is, I think we should revere the aspect of a hero that is positive, while accepting that they have �laws… because they’re human beings.

I think if you have gay rights campaigners that are willing to die, then you’re going to get what you want in the end.

LET’S SHIFT GEARS FOR A MOMENT TO SOMETHING THAT’S REALLY GAY. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH ALEC BALDWIN IN ROCK OF AGES, AND SPECIFICALLY, HOW WAS THAT KISS?

watermarkonline.com

You know what? It was one of the easiest bits I’ve ever done, because by the time it came to �ilm that kiss, I was in love with Alec Baldwin. That man is such a strong… noble… powerful… interesting fellow. Those are all such wonderful traits, he was like somewhere between a father and a hero, so wise and clever. He’s not bad to look at, either. Kissing him was lovely; it was four o’clock in the morning, we’d spent the whole night [�ilming] together. It was one of the more romantic nights of my life!

I THINK YOU MADE MANY A GAY MAN JEALOUS WITH THAT KISS. HELL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF THE BALDWIN BROTHERS. THEY’RE THE DEFINITION OF VIRILITY.

Oh, he’s virile! I think Alec Baldwin is so masculine he has hair on the shaft of his penis.

MY FRIENDS SAID THERE WAS NO WAY OF ASKING ABOUT CERTAIN POP DIVAS WITHOUT SOUNDING DOUCHE-Y… BUT I’M GOING TO TRY. IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE WORLD OF POP MUSIC—THAT SIDE OF ENTERTAINMENT—THAT SURPRISED YOU, ONCE YOU WERE CONNECTED TO IT?

You know, nothing really. You know, all that stuff is super�icial.

When you strip away all that stuff, there was a really beautiful person that I loved very, very much. None of those things really matter when you love someone. |  |

MORE INFORMATION

WHO: Russell Brand WHEN: Friday, Sept. 20 at Tampa’s Straz Center; and Saturday, Sept. 21, at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live.

TICKETS: StrazCenter.org; HardRock.com/Live

ORLANDO ANDO

SUNDAY, SEPT. 15, 2013

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 | COLONIAL LANES

COLONIAL LANES 400 N. Primrose Dr., Orlando, FL 32801

DISCO BOWL WL

Registration 12:30 P.M. Bowling: 1 – 3 P.M. Includes two games of bowling, shoes and annual HRC membership. $35: Individual Bowlers $135: Team of 4 Bowlers Purchase tickets: WWW.HRC.ORG/ ORLANDOBOWL

WWW.HRC.ORG/ORLANDOBOWL

For sponsorship opportunities or to volunteer, email us at volunteers@hrcorlando.org.

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MARRY YOUR HOTTIE AND BRING YOUR HOTTIE HOME: D.O.M.A. IS DEAD AND L.G.B.T. IMMIGRATION EQUALITY IS HERE NOW! CALL US NOW TO SHOW HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

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ATTORNEY John C. Miotke

Abogado que habla Espanol

Hindu, Punjabi, Urdu, Gujarati are also spoken

5404 Hoover Boulevard, Suite #26, Tampa, FL 33634 T: 727.565.4405 T: 813.221.0733 T: 407.965.2455

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watermarkonline.com

AARTS RTSS & RT

ENTERTAINMENT EVENT PLANNER

QUICK PICKS Tampa Maroon 5

SEPT. 13 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre LiveNation.com

Hedwig and the Angry Inch THROUGH SEPT. 29 Jobsite Theater 813-229-7827 JobsiteTheater.org

Clermont Spamalot

THROUGH SEPT. 29 Moonlight Players 352-319-1116 MoonlightPlayers.com

St. Petersburg Fiddler on the Roof

SEPT. 21-NOV. 3 FreeFall Theatre 727-498-5205 FreeFallTheatre.com

Sarasota Steel Magnolias

SEPT. 18-29 The Players Theatre 941-365-2494 ThePlayers.org

For more events or to submit your upcoming show, concert or performance, visit

watermarkonline.com.

Pet Shop Boys ST. PETERSBURG

C

LUB CULTURE HAS BEEN KEY TO PET SHOP BOYS’

music since the duo’s early 1980s Hi-NRG recordings with New York dance producer Bobby Orlando. They signed to Parlophone in 1985 and scored their debut hit, “West End Girls.”

In the late 1980s they skyrocketed to fame in the LGBT nightlife culture and eventually left their label.

H

ORLANDO Disenchanted!

AVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT REALLY HAPPENED after the “Happily Ever After” moment in those famous fairy tales. Well, we can tell you, it isn’t all rainbows and lollipops.

In Disenchanted, the smash hit musical, angry princesses are desperate to wrestle their lives back from today’s pop culture. It’s no wonder the show was the winner of the Orlando International Fringe Festival’s Producer’s Award in 2011.

Think Shrek-meets-Disneymeets-South Park, and you get an idea of where these princesses are coming from.

Expect to hear from Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan, Ariel and Pocahontas as they discuss the exploitation they’ve suffered through today’s media.

The show runs at The Abbey in Orlando Sept. 19Oct. 27. For tickets, visit AbbeyOrlando.com. |  |

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album, titled Electric, and a tour to promote it. They stop at St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theatre on Friday, Sept. 13.

Neil Tennant came out in 1994 and Chris Lowe constantly shares that there is only one sexuality—human sexuality.

Their new sounds and legions of fans will no doubt pack the stately Mahaffey for their one Florida concert this fall.

For tickets and more information, visit TheMahaffey.com or call 727898-2100. |  |

SARASOTA Always…Patsy Cline

ORE THAN A TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDARY COUNTRY SINGER who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963, this show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise. The two-woman show is a powerful look inside the woman behind the music that is still played on radio stations and performed at karaoke bars across the country.

The play is based on the

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letters that Louise and Patsy exchanged after they met at a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, all the way through Cline’s untimely death. You may leave the show wondering if the relationship was really just a friendship—or was there a little bit more to it?

The Manatee Players present the intimate play from Sept. 19-Oct. 6. For tickets or more information, visit ManateePlayers.com or call the box of�ice at 941-748-5875. |  |

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ShotonSite

Tampa Bay

1- STEP BY STEP: Participants of the GaYbor Beach Bar Crawl celebrating Labor Day weekend make their way down the steps of Centro Ybor on their way to the next stop. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST 2- YOU’RE MARY WELCOME: Hamburger Mary herself made an appearance to celebrate the grand opening of Hamburger Mary’s Clearwater location with the staff during the opening week festivities Sept. 4. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST

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3- FANCY FOOTWEAR: Miss ASAP 2013 Anjila Cavalier reminds walkers about the importance of footwear during the opening ceremonies of the AIDS Walk Tampa Bay 2013 at Vinoy Park Sept. 7.

PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

4- WELCOMING MARY: (L-R) Carrie West, Matt Wolf, and Mattieu Stanoch celebrate the grand opening of Hamburger Mary’s Clearwater the week of Sept. 4. PHOTO COURTESY MARK BIAS 5- EARLY ENTHUSIASM: (L-R) Mike Hammonds, Tara Mathews and Chris Tully are all smiles before tackling the 1.5 mile AIDS Walk Tampa Bay course in downtown St. Petersburg Sept. 7. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

6- TEAM SPIRIT: Volunteers with the Metro Tampa Bay SMART Ride team man the raffle table outside of Georgie’s Alibi during the White Party fundraiser on Sept. 1. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD 7- FLAMINGO FLAVOR: (L-R) Jason Bagwell and Gavin Hopkins show their “plumage” during AIDS Walk Tampa Bay 2013 at Vinoy Park Sept. 7. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

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8- SHOT OF HOT: This trio of sexy shot boys kept the White Party theme going while helping to raise money for the Metro Tampa Bay SMART Ride team at Georgie’s Alibi Sept. 1. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

OVERHEARD MACKENROTH: SINGLE AND LOOKING

O

N SEPT. 14, METRO TAMPA BAY WILL CELEBRATE IT’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY with a fabulous Fire and Ice Gala at the Tampa Garden Club. HIV activist, designer and model Jack Mackenroth will be on hand to speak and meet and mingle. During an interview with Watermark editor Steve Blanchard on GSH Radio’s “Rainbow Hour” Sept. 4, Mackenroth said that while he’s been dating some in his home city of New York, he has yet to make a love connection. The hottie said that despite using his own dating site, Volttage.com, he

hasn’t found the chemistry for a relationship. When pressed about his Tampa Bay visit, Mackenroth told Blanchard that he hopes people will approach him at the gala and won’t shy away because of his name recognition. “I’m approachable and I hope the men of Tampa Bay realize that,” he said on the show. Who knows, maybe someone local can lure the hunk to move here. You can listen to the entire interview at GSHRadio.com.

MARY ARRIVES IN CLEARWATER

T

HE GRAND OPENING WEEK OF HAMBURGER MARY’S CLEARWATER

brought visitors from throughout Tampa Bay to check out the new digs. The beautiful new restaurant has a main show bar, a sports bar, an outdoor tropical bar and a large dining room with a stage. There’s even a waterfall inside! The new restaurant is at 28910 US 19 in Clearwater, just north of Countryside Mall. Mary herself made an appearance during the opening week festivities, posing with restaurant staff and diners alike. According to our friend Carrie West of “Dishing with Mark and Carrie,” Hamburger Mary was spotted leaving on a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

If opening attendance is any indication, folks will check out

the restaurant to “Eat, Drink, and Be Mary” for years to come in Clearwater. To keep up on the new location, �ind the restaurant’s page on Facebook.

We wish them the best!

GOING WHITE FOR THE RIDE

O

N SEPT. 1, GEORGIE’S ALIBI IN ST. PETERSBURG WAS TRANSFORMED from sports bar and dance bar to a fundraising machine as it hosted the Metro Tampa Bay SMART Ride team’s White Party. The bar was packed with locals dressed in white clothes and white body paint as team members sold raf�le

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tickets and sold Jello shots to raise money for the team. Emcee Kori Stevens helped hand out the prizes while a trio of sexy shot boys mixed and mingled both inside and outside the popular club. The SMART Ride 10 is Nov. 15-16 and is a 165-mile bene�it bicycle ride from Miami to Key West, with 100 percent of the proceeds raised bene�iting HIV and AIDS charities throughout the Sunshine State. So far, more than $230,000 has been raised statewide for the annual charity ride. To donate, visit TheSmartRide.org. |  |

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CLUB ORLANDO COME OUT TO PLAY! Gyms come and go……

Club Orlando’s Gym has been here for 14 years and is still going strong!

We Offer Monthly and Annual Memberships. Stop in for a tour and a complimentary work out.

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ORLANDO

1- SHARING SPIRIT: State Rep. Linda Stewart, in the white visor, and her Orlando aide Dana Rutledge, in the light green shirt, join Farm Share on Sept. 7 to hand out food to families in need. PHOTO BY SUSAN CLARY

2- AWARD WINNER: Orlando Weekly columnist Billy Manes learned he will receive Equality Florida’s “2013 Voice for Equality Award” at a gala in November. Carlos Smith and Gina Duncan are at right. PHOTO BY TOM DYER

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4

3- NEW THREADS: The GLBT Center of Central Florida staff members show off their new uniforms Sept. 4. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CENTER 4- MURDEROUS FUN: (L-R) James Patton, Paul Soost, cast member David Dorman and Ed Blaisdell share a laugh after a performance of Lizzie Borden at Theatre Downtown. Final performances are this weekend. PHOTO BY TOM DYER 5- FUNDAY: (L-R) Heather Apostle, Jeffrey Joachim, Joan-Manuel Mena and Christopher Cates enjoy Sunday Funday at Ember. PHOTO BY DAVID THOMAS MORAN 6- POLITICAL CHIT CHAT: (L-R) Derrick Wallace and David Futrell discuss politics at First Friday for Democrats on Sept. 6. PHOTO BY LONNIE THOMPSON 7- COMING OUT: (L-R) Bruce Hunter and Todd Ruopp enjoy the festivities at the Wedding Alliance Coming Out Party on Sept.

6 at the Abbey and The Mezz. PHOTO BY LONNIE THOMPSON

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8- LOVE AMBASSADORS: (L-R) Holly Luisi, the Bohemian Baker smiles with Donna Dowless, the City of Orlando’s Ambassador of Love, at the Wedding Alliance Coming Out Party. PHOTO BY LONNIE THOMPSON

OVERHEARD GATHER ALL YOUR FRIENDS WITH USELESS KNOWLEDGE

I

VANHOE VILLAGE IS TEAMING WITH THE HAMMERED LAMB for a weekly trivia night to bene�it the Ivanhoe Village Main Street.

Winners can expect prizes every Tuesday’s from 6- 8:30 p.m. at the bar located at 1235 N Orange Ave., Orlando. Trivia games will consist of three rounds with two questions each night to focus on the neighborhood. Ivanhoe Trivia Knight is hosted by Scottie Campbell, Executive Director for Ivanhoe Village. For more information, call 407-704-3200 or visit HammeredLamb.com

COULD THE SECOND TIME AROUND BE THE CHARM?

F

OR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, Orlando’s own Chantel Reshae will �ly to Atlantic City to complete for the crown in the 2013 Miss’d America Pageant Saturday, Sept.

21 at the House of Blues Atlantic City at Showboat. More than 2,000 people are expected at the event, which raises money for the The Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance and the SchultzHill Foundation. Reshae, an 18-year drag veteran, is the only Florida-based contestant.

The Miss’d America Pageant was started in 1991 the Sunday

after the Miss America Pageant (which used to be held in Atlantic City) as a fun, but very competitive way to raise money for local LGBT charities. For more information, on Miss’d America, visit Acglbt.org

IS LIZZIE BROADWAY BOUND?

F

OR THE PAST TWO WEEKS AUDIENCES HAVE PACKED INTO THEATRE DOWNTOWN to see Lizzie Borden. It was another sold-out performance Aug. 30, and those in attendance were treated to stellar performances by local talents Andrea Canny, Rebecca Fisher, Frank McClain, Justin

Mousseau, David Dorman and Blue. With book and lyrics by Michael Wanzie and music by Rich Charron, the musical was originally produced in 1995.

Back then, it was a campy spin on the tale of the notorious 19th century double axe murderer.

But with sights on Broadway, and with input from the likes of Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), Lizzie has been re-worked into a riveting drama—think Sweeney Todd. In the Theatre Downtown production, comedic relief is provided by beautiful Blue, whose gold-digging character shocks small town Massachusetts with “My Secret (Lesbian) Song.” But Canny’s intense Lizzie, Fisher’s damaged

SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

Emma, and McClain’s furiously controlling Joseph carry the strong show. Wanzie’s book is clever, including references to Casey Anthony and Jodi Arias, and multi-layered. Those leaving the theater were still arguing about whether Lizzie actually committed the crimes. Among them was at least one Broadway producer, who was overheard making a follow-up appointment with Wanzie. Three more performances of Lizzie Borden have been added this coming weekend. Check with Theatre Downtown to see if tickets are still available. |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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CHANGE-OF-LIFE COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS BIG COMMITMENT:

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Sarasota couple Bob Landry, left, and Donald Kinghorn celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary on Sept.

19. They will reach 25 years together on Oct. 15, 2013.

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mortgage broker

SUDDEN LOSS: Orlando resident and Joy MCC member Bill Raver passed away on Sept. 3. He was 49. Raver was a day care instructor and is survived by his father, William Raver, Sr., who lives in Pennsylvania.

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REST IN PEACE: Sarasota resident Alicia Starkweather died

from injuries sustained following a boating accident on Sept. 1. She was 41. Starkweather worked in financial planning and was an ad sales representative with Watermark in the late 1990s.

Congratulations Sarasota RV enthusiasts Alice D’Souza and Irene Mirkovic celebrate 17 years together and four years of Canadian marriage bliss on Sept. 20.

The Center Board President Jay Lovell and his partner Scott Stowell celebrate 13 years together on Sept. 16.

Watermark Director of Online Media Jamie Hyman and

her husband, Matt Huertas, celebrate four years of marriage Sept. 19.

Blue Starr of The Venue has joined the Board of Directors of Ivanhoe Village Main Street and George Wallace, General Manager of Orlando Fringe, was just named Vice President.

Local Birthdays Straight ally and mama bear Dee Richter (Sept. 14); Derby

realtor

BIG CONGRATULATIONS: Ted Maines, right, and Jeffrey Miller of Orlando were married at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City on Aug. 22.

girl and diehard Green Bay Packers fan Jill Powers (Sept.

15); St. Pete artist Barry Rothstein (Sept. 17); St. Pete filmmaker and bartender Jeff Klein, Orlando do-gooder Bob Kodzis (Sept. 19); Gabe Medina, also known as “DJ Trypsin,” (Sept. 20); Florida Mall director of marketing Thearon Scurlock, Hogwarts student Heather Murphy, Walt Disney Port Orleans Resort lobby concierge Gerry D. Evans (Sept. 21); former Watermark art director

Charlie Carballo (Sept. 23); fabulous Tampa Bay fashion designer Ivanka Ska, Pulse Nightclub co-owner and Broadway Across America Orlando President Ron Legler (Sept. 24); The Club at the Firestone’s Brian “Lucky” Smith, white trash party event coordinator Nathan Schifflett, Showboyz lead male dancer Skyler Cross, copywriter and former Watermark Orlando ad sales rep Kevin Thornton (Sept. 25).

Are you making a Transition? Having a birthday or anniversary? Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your Transition to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com - it’s that easy!

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SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 25, 2013 // ISSUE 20.19

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alternative dispute resolution

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924 West Colonial Drive | Orlando, Florida 32804 The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon any information included on this page, nor upon any advertisement that you might view.

Before you decide to retain any individual attorney or law firm, you are strongly encouraged to ask that you be sent free written information about qualifications and experience.

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TOO BUSY FOR TAXES? WE HAVE OPTIONS! PERSONAL/BUSINESS TAX PREPARATION, e-file QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED PROADVISOR ®

Leah G James, CPA, MSTax Judy L Hines, IRS Registered Tax Return Preparer 407.478.4513 • ContactUs@geckoCPA.com

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Call 4 Seasons for all of your air conditioning needs.

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attorney

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JOHN B. DORRIS ATTORNEY AT L AW

Corporate Bankruptcy Commerical Litigation Family Mediator 111 NORTH M AGNOLIA AVENUE SUITE 1400, ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32801 DIRECT LINE: (407) 481-5868 FAX: (407) 481-5801 jdorris@lseblaw.com WWW.LSEBLAW.COM

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attorney Injured? Call Family!

chiropractor

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We are proud to be a gay owned and operated business since 1995.

Our experts invite you to allow them to help craft your special day while supporting local LGBT owned and friendly businesses.

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BILECKI LAW, P.A.

JohnMichaelEvents.com

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DR. JARED SILBERSTEIN Chiropractic Physician

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non-profit organization • Free Business Workshops • Business Discounts • Online Membership Directory…and much more!

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For in-depth

info@OrlandoYouthAlliance.org

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Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper!

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World Cup supporters share concern over Russia’s anti-gay laws Staff Report

Concacaf president, Jeffrey Webb, was set up last year in response to growing calls for football to do more to advance the anti-discrimination agenda and amid concerns over a string of incidents in the game.

Some of the most strident defence for Russia’s new laws, which outlaw gay “propaganda”, has come from Alexey Sorokin, the head of the 2018 World Cup organising committee. Sorokin sparked outrage when he appeared to compare homosexuality to Nazism and added: “Would you like a World Cup where naked people are running around displaying their homosexuality? The answer to that is quite obvious.”

The IOC has already sought assurances from the Russian government over how the laws will be implemented during the Sochi Games. “We have received strong written reassurances from Russia that everyone will be welcome in Sochi regardless of their sexual orientation,” IOC president Jacques Rogge claimed last month. |  |

sports

B

UENAS AIRES, ARGENTINA | A new anti-discrimination taskforce within the world’s largest international soccer association, FIFA, has urged soccer’s world governing body to pressure Russia and Qatar, the World Cup hosts in 2018 and 2022, to relax anti-gay legislation.

The Russian government has recently come under pressure, with some calling for a boycott of next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi over laws that punish the promotion of homosexuality. In Qatar, homosexuality is illegal.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who refused to comment on the issue at the IOC session in Buenos Aires, sparked an outcry in 2011 when he said gay people should “refrain from sexual activity” during the 2022 World Cup. Piara Powar, director of Football Against Racism in Europe and a member of the taskforce along with former Football Association

Chairman David Bernstein, said it would raise the issue at a meeting this week.

“Qatar is one of the few countries where homosexuality is still illegal and there are also big challenges in terms of the new law in Russia in regard to the World Cup,” he said.

“Qatar wants to host the tournament at the start of a new decade, they will want to present an internationally welcoming face and with FIFA’s help we are sure it will be possible to win over the Qataris so that they come into line with the rest of the world, including other countries in the Gulf and Middle East and change the law on homosexuality.

“These are issues of civil rights, fans and players of all races, religions and sexuality need to feel comfortable going to the World Cups in both Russia and Qatar. It is going to be quite a challenge but we have to make sure that football becomes the vehicle for social change that we claim it is. This is a big issue.”

The taskforce, chaired by the

STANDING ON CEREMONY:

Central Florida Softball League Commissioner Wes Hodge, right, prepares to hand over the ceremonial first pitch duties to Rick Merrifeild, center, and Mike Fried during opening ceremonies Sept. 8. Also on hand to kick off the season was the Sounds of Freedom Marching Band, which performed the National Anthem. The season runs through Nov. 10. PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS

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HOMES. MADE YOUR WAY.

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LUxURY, DOWntOWn Living FROM tHE HigH $200S Low-Maintenance townhomes in the SoDo Area the best restaurants, shopping, and entertainment are all just steps away from Copley Square, Ashton Woods’ vibrant, new townhome community in downtown Orlando. Our luxury townhomes offer high-end designer finishes, 2-car attached garages, and an ideal SoDo area location. Make the most of the city with maintenance-free homes designed for the way you live.

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©2013 Ashton Woods USA L.L.C. Plans, specifications, prices, and other items are subject to changes without notice and/or may vary by elevation. Images are only the artist’s conception. Square footage is approximate. See Sales Agents for details. CRC # 1517613. Printed 09/2013