Thursday, April 30, 2009

What I'm Watching on Youtube

Inspirational and Moving
Bishop Gene Robinson's speech at GLAAD Los Angeles two weeks ago. This will move you.


Sexy and funny:
Marines doing the cha cha in Iraq. This is mesmerizing.



Funny and geeky
Ira Glass from This American Life on Stephen Colbert
Colbert tells him he looks like Rachel Maddow, then he goes on to do a spot on Glass imitation. I agree with Colbert, I always listen to Ira Glass after coming home from the farmer's market!
The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Ira Glass
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorFirst 100 Days


In loving memory of Bea Arthur. This is the one when Dorothy and Blanche pretend to be lesbians:

Sunday, April 26, 2009

An Evening with Women Recap: Christina Aguilera, Sharon Stone, Cybil Shepherd, Linda Perry, Kate Moennig....

Hello Kittens,

Well, after watching clips from the Miss America "competition" last week, I was completely convinced that any gorgeous looking woman was completely vapid, stupid and occasionally bigoted ("opposite marriages"). That concept was completely air blasted out of my head the minute I walked into the Beverly Hilton hotel on Friday night for An Evening with Women.

Beautiful women absolutely everywhere, decked out, and most of them LESBIANS (the rest being gay men, and a few of our straight allies). The vibe was fabulous, and everyone looked just stunning.

This is the annual sapphic fundraiser for our Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, aka "Women's Night", which was revamped this year by uber music producer (and out lesbian) Linda Perry (from Four Non Blondes, and composer of such mega hits as "Beautiful", "Get this Party Started"). Stars in attendance included Christina Aguilera, Kate Moenning, Clea Duval, Clementine Ford, Jane Lynch, Leisha Haley, Cybil Shephed, Sara Silverman...and more, but don't get mad if I don't remember because I'm very short and I can't see EVERYONE.



The show was off the hook wonderful, with musical performances by Linda Perry, Christina Aguilera and Ah Ha Her. And an insanity performance by Sharon Stone. I'm not sure how that all went as we all got up and went out for a smoke after Stone said, "Listen people, I get millions of dollars and I'm here for free so you're going to listen to me!"...which happened after she talked for twenty minutes with sincerity and a total lack of subjects, nouns and verbs having anything to do with each other.

Although it's always interesting to hear Stone at these events because it makes me kinda see what Frances Farmer was like before the studio had her dragged out in a shower curtain through the lobby of the Knickerbocker Hotel to get that lobotomy.

Needless to say, the ladies loved her none the less.

Cybil Shepherd and Clementine Ford, the mom-daughter team from real life and The L Word had a great schtick, which I think they should just turn into a sitcom. Mom Shepherd is so proud of her recently out daughter, that she has embraced all things lesbian, including doing sex scenes with Leisha Haley on The L Word. Ford rolled her eyes like it was an Olympic Event, and it was all pretty adorable.

Perez Hilton was in the house. As was Sharon Osbourne. Samantha Ronson was spinning the after party, which was packed.

Anyway, a bunch of stuff happened, and absolutely everyone had a blast. Checking in with friends the next day, it seems people stayed until 3 am.

Five local lesbians were honored for their work in the community (including me. Yeah, I know, they are now giving out awards for cocktailing and cavorting). Those included Anne Marie Williams, Adelina Anthony, Hannah Howard, and Dr Katherine Gabel. (bios available here)

Here's my tribute video... the uncensored version!!! The rest of the Lace Videos are coming soon!



My table was profoundly rowdy and I will publicly apologize now to whoever that really, really nice person was at the Center that put us right up there in front practically on the stage. But I thank my friends for continuing to buy bottles of wine for the table all night.

ANd here's coverage of the event from E! News:


THe price was a little steep, but let me tell you this, ladies, save up your money for next year! As an added plus, when producer Linda Perry was told they were not going to have more affordable tickets available this year, she decided to buy three entire tables herself, with those seats to be raffled off at local lesbian nightlife events over the past few months so everyone could have a chance to come. I met a few of those women that won with a $5 raffle ticket and they were thrilled to attend the event, so thanks Ms Perry!

And here's all the photos:

Photo credits: Brian Putnam, Lydia Marcus, Shannon Connolly, me.

This just in! Here are all the LACE VIDEO TRIBUTES for all the Honorees of the Evening from Monument Films:
Dr Katherine Gabel


Anne Marie Williams


Adelena Anthony


Hannah Howard

Friday, April 24, 2009

Behind the Scenes of AN EVENING WITH WOMEN

Hello Kittens,

Well, tonight it the night - Women's Night, aka AN EVENING WITH WOMEN.  

A few weeks ago, Deb and Fitz from Monument Entertainment gathered together a team of fabulous lgbt film makers to make the Lace Video Tributes that will be shown tonight at the gala.

Here's some shots from that crazy day at Linda Perry's recording studio in North Hollywood.

I'm not sure if there are any tickets still available for this evening, but you can check at www.aneveningwithwomen.org

The line up includes performances by Perry, Christina Aguilera and Leisha Haley, along with appearances by the cast of The L Word, Sharon Stone, Sharon Osbourne, Sara Silverman, Jane Lynch and much, much more!



Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Miss California Can Kiss My Ass

A couple of days ago, the video hit youtube.  

It was a clip from the Miss America pageant where the very, very out gossip dude Perez Hilton asked Miss California, "Vermont just became the fourth state to allow gay marriage, do you think every state should follow suit?" 

To which she responded hate and bigotry. "I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman."  The youtube video has been the most watched clip for the last few days on their site.

Today, Donald Trump called Miss California into his office, but alas, she was not dethroned.  

As if Trump wasn't already on my x list for being so tacky and nouveau riche.  

When questioned about her answer, the airhead responded, "I just had to speak from my faith (read as bigotry)."


Let me be very clear on this.  You are not being true to your faith.  You are being a bigot.  You are discriminating against a group of people, as if you are some form of elitist.  You are hiding behind faith.   Hiding behind religion.  Using that to justify downright, white trash, uneducated bigotry.  

Um, I apologize to white trash and the uneducated.  I happen to know several people that fit that description, and they ALL believe in same gender marriage, and equality for all.  

I think actress Calpernia Addams said it based on her facebook update:  "When are you fucking people going to stop doing these people's hair and make up!?"

True dat.  I don't expect to see a single lgbt person anywhere the hatefull Miss California, Carrie Prejean.  

If you'd like to let her know how her words help spread hate, discrimination and violence, please...knock yourself out...here's her Facebook Page. 

Here's the video, if you missed it.



Hands Down the Best GATHERING STORM video yet!

gathering storm
Starring real gay people.

Really. I know most of 'em!

This Friday Night! Christina Aguilera is Singing and I'm Getting An Award!


In brief, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center has put together one helluva a fundraiser/party/gala this Friday night.

To beat the recession - and what all the non profits are up against in this economy - they have put together one fucking HELLUVA a show, with an all-star line up, thanks in great part to music producer, songwriter and philanthropist Linda Perry (Four Non Blondes).

The ticket is tax deductible and they'll be an open bar all night, in addition to a crazy silent auction that is just INSANE with everything you can think of (including a meet and greet with RACHEL MADDOW!!!!)  

To boot, Samantha Ronson will be spinning at the after party and ladies...I hear she's single.

I'm also getting an award along with several other local women in our community for doing, you know, stuff.   Yes, they are finally giving out awards for cocktailing and cavorting.  My tribute video certainly has the most use of profanity of all them with more "fucks" and "fuckings" than a Scorsese film.

There's also a ton more celebs in attendance that aren't on this invite. Hurry, I think there's only like 37 tickets left!!!

Get your tickets at www.aneveningwithwomen.org

Christina will be doing several numbers, as is Leisha Hailey's group Ah Ha Her.

clementine ford linda perry

16th Annual L.A.C.E. Award Recipients

The L.A.C.E. Award honors Lesbians and bisexual women Active in Community Empowerment.
The 2009 award recipients are:

Anne Marie Williams
Public Service Award

JD Disalvatore
Community Service Award

Dr. Katherine Gabel
Professional Achievement Award

Adelina Anthony
Arts & Entertainment Award

Hannah Howard
Grassroots Activist Award

THE HOST COMMITTEE FOR THIS INCLUDES

 Pink  Jennifer Beals  Kristen Bell  LuAnn Boylan  Cher  David Cooley  Eric Dane  Rosario Dawson Eliza Dushku   Susan Feniger & Liz Lachman  Flea  Rory Freedman   Robert Gant  Gina Gershon  Thea Gill  Rose Greene & Helena Ruffin  Perez Hilton  Marki Knox & Suzie Brown  Lady Gaga  Nina Lederman  Jared Leto  Bryan Lourd  Jane Lynch  Andrea Myerson  Peter Paige   Bryan Rabin  Cynthia Robertson  Loree Rodkin  Cybill Shepherd  Ben Silverman  Alicia Silverstone  Slash Tegan and Sara  Marisa Tomei  Amber Valletta  

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

"Gathering Storm" - Big Gay Spoof on Funny or Die! Watch video with Jane Lynch, Lance Bass, George Takei and Erin Foley

gay gathering storm jane lynch


A great new spoof of The Gathering Storm from Funny or Die, with an all star cast including Jane Lynch, Alicia Silverstone, Erin Foley, George Takei, Liz Feldman, Lance Bass, Sarah Chalke and more!!

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Glaad Awards - photos and dish from the "gay Oscars" Saturday Night


This past Saturday, GLAAD held their Los Angeles 2009 Media Awards to honor and celebrate the positive representations of lgbt folks in print, television and film.

Since it's not televised, it generally tends to contain some pretty fun moments and this year was no exception.

The Nokia Center downtown was filled with gays, celebs, gay celebs and about 500 local lgbt youths from local high schools packed into the upper balconies who made the entire event so much fun with their ebullient screams of joy at almost everything that happened during the event (as opposed to all us old, bitter queens on the floor who clapped politely and wondered when the open bar was going to re open).

Okay, first the dish. Yes, Kathy Griffin came out in a bikini with her marriage rights white ribbon pinned to her who-ha. I was sitting fairly close to the stage and yes, she looked fabulous.

Griffin joked during her acceptance speech that GLAAD absolutely could not find anyone to give her the award. That was true. Everyone they asked for whatever reason declined handing Griffith the Vanguard award.

It eventually landed on out gay actor TR Knight from Grey's Anatomy, and he was absolutely adorable and hysterical reading from an introduction on a piece of paper that he noted was written by Griffith. She gave a fantastic acceptance speech that was both charming and of course, hysterical.


Ellen won for best talk show segment for her marriage episode - where she televised her wedding to actress Portia De Rossi. Ellen is sporting some sort of new, short boy 'do which I'll admit, I'm not into it. But she was LOVELY as was Portia.

Beautiful, gracious speech and her whole team was just beaming.



Adam Shankman - the out director of Hairspray and producer of such hits as 17 Again and Step Up - hit the stage with irreverence and humour when accepting his award for helming the Marc Shaiman internet musical, Prop 8: The Musical, which received a special award.

"Boy the gays sure like to go on and on, don't they," he joked at the podium as we were probably at that point 2 hours and 15 minutes into the gay gala. He went on to give a big plug to the youth non profits Lifeworks Mentoring and The Point Foundation, saying we need to really be there for the youth. He also used an enormous amount of colorful language, the kind usually found in a Scorsese film. "Hey, next year how 'bout I direct and we'll keep this whole thing down to an hour, okay?"

Here is Shankman in the photo above, along with Star Trek alums, and civil rights activists George Takei and Nichelle Nichols. He's giving a heads up to all the high school kids in the balcony.

Speaking of going on and on - along with another opportunity for me to use that term I learned last year, "hot mess" - Ilene Chaiken accepted the award for creating and helming THE L WORD on Showtime.

Not sure what that dress was, or what that long, rambling bit was she did (it was a faux pitch for The L Word to us, the imaginary studio executives, and as long as it was, it seemed she spoke really, really fast to make up for the length, so it was doubly painful).

Meanwhile, the stunning Jennifer Beals, Kate Moening and Leisha Haley were just standing there on stage reticent through the entire bit.

You can see for yourself in the photobook below.

MILK won for best feature wide release (shameless plug, my film SHELTER won for Limited Release!) and it was just lovely to see that team of fabulous, out gay filmmakers on stage - Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen, Gus Van Sant and Dustin Lance Black.

pictured, me in the same old tired suit I wear to all these events, and the lovely star of Queer as Folk, Thea Gill.


If I were giving out an award to the best presenter, it would go to the team of Wilson Cruz and Justina Machado (Six Feet Under, Pedro) who went off the teleprompter several times and subsequently got the biggest laughs of the night. They were lovely and charming.

GLAAD really knocked it out of the park this year when they asked performer Ms Coco Peru to host. Wise choice, wise choice. She gets my award for best host of a gay event EVER....or at least in three years since Alec Mapa hosted the 2006 LGBT Center Gala Awards. She was absolutely fantastic. She joked at the beginning of the evening, "Why did they ask a Drag Queen to host? Because I was available and met their price....free!" However it happened, it was a wise choice. She is funny, relevant and just a pro. Coco also joked, "I showed up here with bunch of material, but they just told me I can't use any of it. Something about "defamation". Did they not notice they asked a drag queen to host!?"

At the after party, Ms Peru told me this was in fact TRUE! She couldn't use any of the material she planned. You would never know it, as her stories and jokes were just lovely and helped move along the 3 hour plus show.

Bishop Gene Robinson received the Stephen F Kolzak Award (that's a big award) and I have to tell you, if you have not seen For The Bible Tells Me So yet...damn, bitch, get on that. Go to your damn netflix right now and put it on. I'll wait until you get back.


3 hours people. At the end of the night, Ms Jennifer Holiday - the original Effie from Broadway's Dreamgirls - came out and sang, "And I"m Telling You, I'm not Leaving", at which point everyone in the audience sighed, "Um, yes, in fact, we ARE leaving."

Then it was off to the after party upstairs for more wine, absolut and schmoozing, with the live auction hosted by the hunky Brad Rowe, star of the GLAAD Award winning film SHELTER (another shameless plug!!!)


I have some photos below from the celeb pre party, the event (which I snagged from Wire Image) and the show.




Sunday, April 19, 2009

Submit your Pro Gay Marriage PSA's Here for Cash Prizes

It's time to grab your camera and help change the conversation 
about marriage for same-sex couples! 

Prize: $2,500 Grand Prize
Submission Deadline: May 18, 2009
Video Length: Not more than 60 seconds
Eligibility: Anyone over the age of 18


The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Centerhas launched Project Pushback to tap into the grassroots energy of marriage equality supporters and to inspire development of video messages that will effectively promote support for the freedom to marry.

Since the National Organization for Marriage has just launched a $1.5 million ad campaign repeating many of the lies relied so heavily upon by the Yes on 8 campaign, the need for effective messages to promote the support for marriage equality, and the truth, has never been greater.

Contest URL: 

Submissions will be accepted at lagaycenter.org/projectpushback, and the public will vote for its favorites. A $1,000 "people's choice award" will be given to the creator of the video that receives the most votes. From among the 10 videos that receive the most votes, a $2,500 "grand prize" will be awarded to the creator of the video voted the best by a panel of judges, who include: Academy Award-winning Producer Bruce Cohen, Emmy Award-winning television producer and director Paris Barclay, MTV producer Sherri Brown Francois, political and communications strategist Chad Griffin, Google vice president Megan Smith and Current TV producer Tracey Chang.

Anyone who submits a video, or votes for one, is eligible to win a new Sony HD video camera, valued at $1,000.

Thanks for your consideration,
Robert Blackmon
323 993 7523
rblackmon@lagaycenter.org



NOM folks Try To Explain the Gathering Storm Ads on Hardball

Good afternoon kittens,

What a gorgeous day. Let's see if I still feel that way when it hits 100 degrees in the Valley.

Here's your update on your gay rights for today: A clip from Hard Ball with Maggie Gallagher from NOM (those raving idiots who made The Gathering Storm commercial...by the way, thank you, you are giving us so much press) and Joe Solmonese from HRC.

Joe makes a good point when he notes that these days the only way people can get away with bigotry is by hiding behind Religion.  



By the way, these people are so stupid, that they thought the Colbert report coverage was good for them. I'm not kidding. Check out their blog and make sure to leave a comment! http://nomblog.com/

The video on Colbert is a few posts back.

A little background on this "Rhodes Scholar", Maggie Gallagher.  Her claim to fame writing an op ed for The New York Times defending Dan Quayle when he attacked Murphy Brown for being an unwed mother.
 
For those of you too young to remember, Murphy Brown was a show that celebrated a powerful, educated woman in the then man's world of journalism, who was tough as nails, as well as being a recovered alcoholic. So it celebrated equal rights for women and recovery. Dan Quayle was the vice president who when visiting an elementary school, gently corrected a child for misspelling a word - potato. The 12 year old was right, and Quayle was wrong.

Even though this woman went to Yale, she is brilliantly idiotic.  NOM is also the organization bringing you "2 Million for Marriage", which they are advertising as 2M4M.

I'm not kidding.


I mean, really, does this get any better? First the Republicans are Tea Bagging, now the anti gay group is going all 2M4M.

Astounding, really.

Tune in tomorrow morning for my dish and photos from the Los Angeles GLAAD Awards.  It wasn't televised this year, so there was lots of interesting, uncensored moments!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Ryan Murphy back to making Tv Shows about High School that are Really, Really Gay

Let's face facts. The landscape of television entertainment has been bleak the last few years. With 298 channels available, there tends to be only 3 shows I bother to tivo at any given time. And two of those are news shows!

So I was thrilled when I just watched the previews for out-gay show runner Ryan Murphy's new Fox pilot, GLEE. It's a musical comedy about those tender years of academia by the guy that brought us Nip/Tuck, which translates to "this ain't your mama's High School Musical". 

It looks hysterical and stars the brilliant out lesbian actress Jane Lynch to boot, plus a hoard of young talent pilfered from recent Broadway productions.

Murphy's previous tome on high school life, POPULAR, was probably the gayest show I've seen on television in the last decade. And that's an accomplishment with two gay television networks out there. If you haven't caught that show yet, do yourself a huge favor and rent all the dvds and lock yourself away for a day and prepare to just die laughing. He managed to hysterically nail the minutiae of the high school rank and file system, while throwing in bits of cat fighting not seen since since Alexis and Krystal took a dip in the fountain. It was camp with a high dose of extremely accurate representations of what we all go through in those adolescent years. Plus, it's mind boggling how half the jokes made it past the censors!

Anyway, the new show looks to accomplish the same thing. Here's hoping Fox picks it up, and let me know what YOU think.


Stephen Colbert on "The Gathering Storm": Watch Video

stephen colbert gathering storm
There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this clip from the Colbert Report on the Gathering Storm ad that has been all over the news and internet from the organization NOM. Which I think stands for Nincompoops for Marriage I believe.

The spoof Colbert did is just laugh out loud. "My god, the homo storm got me!" and at the very end, he even manages to get a great zinger in against the Mormon Church.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorNASA Name Contest

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Drew Barrymore in GREY GARDENS

I don't know about you, but I'm more excited and thrilled about this than probably I should be. GREY GARDENS has gone from a cult documentary to a Broadway musical and is now making it's its way onto to big HDTV screen care-of HBO and Drew Barrymore.  


April 18th is the premiere of the narrative feature GREY GARDENS on HBO.  Oscar winner and Belle of the 1970's acting ball Jessica Lange costars with Barrymore as the nutjob mother/daughter team.


If you've never heard of GREY GARDENS, well, how dare you call yourself gay! You're off the hook if you're from a younger generation and lesbian or bi, I guess. Anyway, a documentary was made in 1975 by two brothers about some obscure relatives of Jackie O living in squalor in the Hampton's.

I know, you're wondering, what's so fascinating about that? How could that spawn a musical and a feature? Well, unless you've seen it, you don't know what you're missing.

The documentary is both shocking and celebratory. Big Edie and Little Edie Beales enthusiastically welcomed a film crew into their home to shoot their lives - living in a dilapidated mansion, amongst stacks of garbage, hundreds of cats, a few raccoons and no power. Squalor is putting it lightly. Yet, the two seem to have a language all their own, and truly live in their own little world, which is as engaging as it is shocking.



The doc was an instant hit with gay men, and suddenly famous fashion designers were trying to emulate Little Edie's style! I know, it's just mind blogging, since she dressed in bits and pieces of a mosh-posh of old things, in what seems to a lesbian eye to not go together AT ALL. Also, Little Edie's particular vernacular of Northeastern upper crust mixed with insanity, was on gay men's lips for decades. "This is the best outfit for today!"

The Beales had been part of high society, but decades later the documentary found them living in poverty and filth. The brother Mayles took their cameras out there after an article in the New York Times exposed the Beales' fight with city hall to avoid having their 20 room mansion marked as condemned. The doc first gained attention because of their relation to Jackie O (who even financially bailed them out once), but later got it's own legs just based on the raw compelling nature of these women and how they were living out their years.

Anyway, I can't wait to see if Barrymore nails Little Edie's accent and mannerisms!


Here's a trailer for the original film.


And here's a clip from the Broadway musical:

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Single? Check out Lindsay Lohan's eharmony ad (watch video)


Lindsay's on the chopping block again, looking for love in all the wrong places.  But this video from FUNNY OR DIE, is definitely hitting all the right spots.  Kudos for you, dollface, for being able to laugh at yourself.

If you're been living under a rock, or in the Valley like me, the news is Lindsay and gal pal Samantha Ronson had a rocky lesbian break up - complete with restraining orders and all - and I guess it's hit all the tabloids.

In this video, the young actress with a long rap sheet takes a funny stab at herself in a send up of all those annoying eharmony online dating ads.



Monday, April 13, 2009

Things that make me angry....

Things that make me angry:

> Waiting to hear the California Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8

> That Obama bought a pure bred dog instead of adopting from a shelter LIKE HE PROMISED. Curse you and your propaganda and broken promises.

> Amazon.com (see previous blog entry)

Things that make me happy:

> Sara Palin's daughter's baby daddy singing like a canary on Tyra Banks.

> Susan Boyle, see below

Not since Judy Garland declared "I'm Mrs. Normal Maine" has an uttering of one's own designation been as fabulously powerful as recently on Britain's Got Talent when a mousy, 47 year-old unemployed spinster got on stage and uttered, "My name is Susan Boyle".

You can watch the following clip, but the rest is - as they say - history. Or at least the feel-good youtube video being played currently across the country.

Boyle lives alone in the house she once shared with her entire family, including her numerous siblings, but now only having her cat Pebbles as a room mate. She had been mocked and bullied as a child because a birth issue left her with learning disabilities. Her mother had always urged her to go on Britain's Got Talent, but she was too shy. After mum passed away two years ago, Boyle mustered up the courage to sign up.


And here's what happened.


You're Going to Have a Hard Time Censoring Us, Jeff Bezos


By now if you're connected to Twitter, Facebook or your favorite gay blog, you're heard that Amazon.com has removed gay and lesbian titles from their ranking systems on their popular retail site.

When a book is removed from ranking, it not only removes it from sales ranking lists - there are several for different categories - but also from certain searches. Hence, sales will be down.

News broke over the weekend when contemporary gay authors noticed the drop of their books and started blogging about it. Within hours, it was all over the internet via popular information disseminating sites like Twitter and Facebook. The gays were a rumbling to say the least. As the old Breck ad goes, "He told two friends, then he told two friends, and so on and so on and so on." By this morning, mainstream outlets like Fox News were carrying this story.

On a personal note - fuck you Amazon for trying to fucking sneak this shit in under the radar. Don't fuck with us, k, 'cause all this marriage shit and republican/religious bashing of us lately has really, really pissed us off and we are not in the mood for this shit any more. Seriously. None of us.

Books that were de-ranked include iconic classics as James Baldwin's GIOVANNI'S ROOM, Paul Monette's BECOMING A MAN, and Gore Vidal's THE CITY AND THE PILLAR.

The reason an Amazon.com spokeswoman gave for the removal was a "glitch". Meanwhile, the real reason this happened was because Amazon.com has recently removed "adult content" from their ranking systems. I guess to keep children from seeing pornography or provocative content while doing basic searches. Meanwhile, I guess this means every novel with lgbt content has the tag of "adult content".

To keep me from writing a long, ragging Al Pacino-Joe Pesci rant about this, let's just note that Diablo Cody's CANDY GIRL - her stripper memoir and titles like THE BIG BOOK OF PORN: A PENETRATING LOOK AT THE WORLD OF DIRTY MOVIES did not lose their ranking. Meanwhile Ellen Degeneres' biography WAS removed.

Breathe. Breathe. In through the nose, out threw the mouth.

Dear Jeff Bezos, lord and master of Amazon.com, maybe you don't remember me, but we went to high school together. Miami Palmetto Senior High School. I was the gray haired girl with the trumpet. You were the senior class president. I can't remember if I voted for you or not, but anyway, from Panther to Panther, you are really, really gonna need to make this up to us.  First, fix the "glitch".  Then, since you're rolling in cash, can I suggest you assuage the "gathering storm" by making a large, sizable donation to an LGBT organization, like maybe The Point Foundation or Lambda Legal. Thanks for listening.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Marriage Equality on the Talk Shows

Joel Osteen on Larry King Live. He thinks marriage should be between a man and a woman. BEcause he's a horrible bigot.


Meanwhile here's Rev. Ed Bacon on Oprah proclaiming being gay is a "gift from god but our culture doesn't understand that."

Watch Video: The new national anti gay ad...and the audition tapes for it!

So if you're on myspace or facebook, you've already seen this anti gay ad. I have to admit, when I watched it, since I"m in the biz, I was thinking...who are these actors that would do this?! I mean this is worse that a hemorrhoid or tampon commercial.

So watch the nasty, hateful add, then watch the auditions!!!!

The ad:


The auditions:

The photos and video from GLAAD, NYC

Okay, so I'm finally uploading all the photos from my trip to NYC and the GLAAD Awards two weeks ago. Yes, SHELTER won for feature! Yeah! And here's the photo essay on my adventures.



Here's a video from Ben Harvey at Queerty, which includes my Suzy Ormond imitation:

Rachel Maddow teaches Jimmy Falon how to Drink like Man

While You Were Waiting

So meanwhile, while we're waiting to hear the Supreme Court's decision on the validity of PROP 8 here in California, a few developments have arisen.  Mainly, we now have the right to marry in Iowa and Vermont, and today Washington DC voted to recognize marriages from other states.

All while we wait to hear the fate of California, which should come down on or around June 3rd.

These are actually huge steps, although they potentially might not stick.  In DC, it was the City Council that voted unanimously to recognize same gender marriages from other states, but the US Congress oversees policy in the region.  This was also a preliminary vote, with the final one in May.

In Iowa, the Supreme Court voted to allow same gender marriage last Friday, but we're hoping the Senate doesn't amend the constitution - which seems unlikely now after Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal refused to support that :



We're also worried about a vote on this, but their system - unlike California's - makes it harder to take this to the polls.

Vermont was the first state to get gay marriage because of lawmakers, not in the courts and the fourth state to allow same-gender marriage.  This marks momentum for the lgbt rights movement as we all eagerly await to hear the Supreme Court ruling in California.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Gays in Suits - The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

Last week, on Thursday night at the Hotel Sofitel, there was another networking mixer for the LA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.  I couldn't believe the turn out - and on top of that the diversity of professions represented!  I made a comment to a friend, "I can't believe in this economy people want to go out at night."  To which he responded, "With this economy, everyone HAS to go out and network!"

So this, as always, was a fantastic opportunity for all of us to get together and support each other - and make some new friends!



Photos by Johnny Ortez

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I'll Admit it...I did not wake up alone this morning. Dinah Shore 2009 - The Saturday Report

Saturday. 9 am. Palm Springs. Shit. Who am I? Where am I? Andy why is there a labrador retriever in my bed?

So, um, last night was yet another wild party at the Palm Springs Convention Center. I'll be honest with you, I'm surprised I'm still standing.

With Dara Nai from AfterEllen.com and Erin Kelly from Loving Annabelle at the VIP pre reception.

View from the VIP mosh pit during the lesbian fashion show.

This is basically what the party looked liked.

I went back stage before the lesbian fashion show and hung out with the ladies as they got ready.  Here, actress Patricia Melone (who you may recognize from all the SWEET ads) got made up.

Suzanne had to tell everyone at least twice that she got up on stage and sang with the Indigo Girls.  Here with Nat and Meg, who were shooting for their vlog on AfterEllen.com

Suzanne with Keener, Briana and....oh god... beautiful girl, but I forgot her name!

The lesbian fashion show.  I loved it!

dinah shore 2009Jes and I in the mosh pit.  I left before Lady Ga Ga came on.  What sorta name is that anyway?

Here's all the photos. Enjoy while I run off to the Celesbian DodgeBall tournament.  I'm not kidding.  I know.  What a world we live in.



Saturday, April 4, 2009

Photos, Dinah Shore 2009 Saturday Pool Party

Dear god, there's like nothing left of me. Being a lesbian is very tiring. Today we hung out at the pool party with the folks from here! and LOGO (our two gay tv networks) and celesbians Erin Kelly, Sandra Valls, Cherry Bomb, Michelle Cluine, Jill Bennet and more!

I have so much dish, but if I talk, I will be murdered. I just got back from the dog park - that's not a euphemism, I have Charlie with me - and I only have one hour to make myself pretty, sober and presentable before I head out again.

Meanwhile, here's the photos. What did Edward R Murrow used to say? And "you are there".

Photos from the Friday Night White Party at DInah Shore 2009

Dinah Shore 2009: The NCLR/EQCA Brunch

Dinah Shore 2009 White Party - More Lesbians Than you Can Shake a Glow Stick At


I tell ya, I have never seen so many beautiful women in my life. 

Last night Katy Perry - you know, the "I Kissed a Girl" girl, performed at the White party at the Palm Springs convention center.  Women from all over the world descended on that place, decked out in white.

Just prior, Margaret Cho performed comedy at the Riviera in a sold out show. 

Here's a few photos, and I'll upload more later. Now I'm off to the NCLR brunch. There is also an ECQA brunch going on, and the vendor booths and Saturday pool party are also in full swing at the Riviera!
Famed lesbian filmmakers Cheryl Dunye and Anna Albelo.

Briana Stockton and her women of PE from AfterEllen.com.  I've known Eve (left) and Nisha (far right) since they were coeds at UCLA!  Many moons ago.

Nat and Meg from AfterEllen.com


From what I could see, Katy Perry did NOT kiss a girl last night, but she did share chapstick with one of them.  Her band was adorable - a bunch of straight guys that got into the spirit by wearing white suits.

Comedians Liz Feldman and Nicol Paone.

Friday, April 3, 2009

View Photos: Dinah Shore 2009 Day One

Well, it was a good warm up today for the big Dinah Shore weekend. Here's some photos from Friday afternoon around the lobby at the Riviera with Margaret Cho and the ladies of Sirius Radio, then off to the Glaad/Eqca cocktail reception at the Sidebar.

It's that time of year again...I'm back at Dinah Shore

Hello Kittens,

Well, I just arrived in Palm Springs during a rather rambunctious desert wind storm and am gearing up for the Dinah Shore Weekend.

This time, I brought my dog Charlie. So far it's been a blast as I'm NOT in the main hotel. We already hit the dog park and met 4 more of the pooches staying here at the Hilton.

In a bit, I'll be heading off to the GLAAD reception at the Riviera, then onto the night's festivities.

Will have dish to share tomorrow.

left, Charlie enjoys the accommodations.