A M E R I C A’ S L A R G E S T C I R C U L AT I O N G AY A N D L E S B I A N N E W S P A P E R !
Gay City
S E R V I N G G A Y, L E S B I A N , B I A N D T R A N S G E N D E R E D N E W Y O R K • W W W . G A Y C I T Y N E W S . C O M
■ CRIME
Mayor Says
Porn Shop Busts
a Police Effort
BY DUNCAN OSBORNE
O
n December 19, 2007, some-
one complained about male
prostitutes operating in Blue
Door Video, an East Village porn shop,
Paul J. Browne, the police department’s
chief spokesman, wrote in a 2008 email
to Gay City News. The Mayor’s Office of
Special Enforcement, which brings civil
suits against businesses and locations
that allow illegal activities, and the police
department’s Manhattan South Vice
Enforcement Squad sprang into action.
In five 2008 visits to Blue Door
between January 9 and February 19,
four undercover officers and one named
officer arrested ten men on prostitution
charges. Citing those arrests, the spe-
cial enforcement office sued on June 11
seeking to close the shop. At different
times, two lawyers — Eileen H. Persky
and Martin I. Nagel — worked on the
suit. Police made another two arrests
there later in 2008.
On April 20 of this year, Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg pointed his finger
at the police department when asked if
City Hall had approved the effort that
resulted in 30 or more men being busted
for prostitution in 2008 in at least six
BUSTS P. 5
THE TEMPERAMENTALS
14
MORE THAN 2,000 LGBT ACTIVISTS GATHER AT THE CAPITOL FOR LUNCHTIME RALLY
LGBT Activists
Pour Into Albany
BY PAUL SCHINDLER
I
n Albany on Tuesday, Governor
David Paterson lent his passion and
willingness to frame LGBT equality
as a question of civil rights to the cause
of marriage equality. Senator Thomas
Duane, an out gay Chelsea Democrat,
displayed a jovial enthusiasm reminis-
cent of Senator Ted Kennedy when he’s
at the top of his game. And Upper West
Side Democratic Assemblyman Daniel
O’Donnell, the Legislature’s other out
gay Irishman, presented an argument,
backed by his success in steering mar-
riage equality through his chamber and
delivered with his trademark lawyerly
© GAY CITY NEWS 2009 • COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TM
NEWS YOUR FREE
WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER
APRIL 30- MAY 13, 2009
VOL. EIGHT, ISSUE 09
■ HUMAN RIGHTS
Iraqi Gays Face
Gruesome
Torture/ Murder
Technique
BY DOUG IRELAND
A
s the murder campaign target-
ing Iraqi gays intensifies, a lead-
ing Arabic television network last
week revealed the use of a horrifying
new form of lethal torture against Iraqi
gay men — anti-gay Shiite death squads
are sealing their anuses with a power-
ful glue, then inducing diarrhea, which
leads to a painful and agonizing death.
The use of this stomach-turning new
torture was first reported by the Al Ara-
biya network, which is headquartered in
the United Arab Emirates and was alert-
ed to the story by a leading Iraqi feminist
and human rights activist.
Yanar Mohammed, president of the
Organization of Women’s Freedom in
Iraq (OWFI), told Al Arabiya that the
GAY CITY NEWS
torture substance “is an Iranian-manu-
factured glue that, if applied to the skin,
sticks to it and can only be removed by
surgery. After they glue the anuses of
homosexuals, they give them a drink
that causes diarrhea. Since the anus is
closed, the diarrhea causes death. Vid-
IRAQ P. 4
In this issue:
■ THE GOVERNOR SPEAKS
precision, about how a winning majority
can be cobbled together. Exclusive GCN interview
with David Paterson
But as more than 2,000 grassroots
activists, gathered in Albany April 28 for ■3
the Empire State Pride Agenda’s (ESPA) —————————————————
Equality & Justice Day lobbying effort,
gathered at lunchtime on the lawn in
■ CAREFUL & POINTED
front of the State Capitol, it was Teresa Yetta Kurland takes on
Sayward, an Assembly Republican from Christine Quinn
Willsboro in the “North Country,” well ■6
upstate from the capital, who delivered —————————————————
the most telling case for just how mar-
riage equality could be a winner this ■ MURDERER INSANE?
year. Looking out at the crowd, Sayward, Accused Kevin Pravia killer
whose son Glenn is gay, said, “What this shows his hand
ALBANY P. 26 ■9
2 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

play Bonfire Night May 6, 7, 9, 10 the

opera Neither May 13, 14 cell
poetry Mother F___ers May 8th 338 23rd street
performance Leaves of Grass May 15, 16

www.thecelltheatre.org / 646-861-2253

EMPIRE STATE PRIDE AGENDA

The Pride Agenda’s Jacob Lieberman, Bali White of Housing Works, Melissa Sklarz, Moonhawk River Stone, and Joann Prinzivalli celebrate GENDA’s original pas-
Bringing Hot Back To Christopher Street! sage in the Assembly’s gallery on June 3, 2008.

185 Christopher Street ■ POLITICS

(formally the dugout)

HAPPY HOUR - Noon - 9 p.m.

212-242-9113
Gender Bill to Senate
Heavily Dem Assembly again easily approves transgender rights
BY PAUL SCHINDLER ated with the New York Transgender Rights Organiza-
tion (NYTRO). “Marriage equality may be a difficult carry

114 Christopher St.
Serving The Community
Btw Bleecker & Hudson St.
212-741-9641
2nd Tuesday Of The Month 6pm-1am Fire Flag/Ems
76 Christopher St. / 212-633-1986
www.bootsandsaddlenyc.com
A
s it did last June, the New York State Assem-
bly passed the Gender Non-Discrimination Act
(GENDA), this time for the 2009-2010 session.
The final vote tally from the April 21 action was 97-38,
with 89 Democrats joined by seven Republicans and
one Independent in the majority, and seven Democrats
and 31 Republicans voting no. Debate last year took
roughly an hour and a half; it lasted only 15 minutes
© this time. The bill died in the last session when the Sen-
ate’s Republican leadership refused to take it up. The
new Democratic leadership has pledged its support for
A Village Landmark
the measure, but with a narrow 32-30 majority, GENDA
For Over 30 Years faces the same uncertainties as the proposed marriage
equality law.
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Melissa Sklarz,
a longtime transgender and Democratic activist affili-
Your Passion is
Bringing hot exploring the
back to world
christopher st.
KARAOKE NIGHT
MONDAY 9 P.M. – 1A.M
HAPPY HOUR
NOON – 9 P.M.
in 2009, so GENDA may be a way to open that door.”
Still, Sklarz noted, Governor David Paterson’s high pro-
file press conference April 16 introducing his marriage
equality “program” bill — an event at which he was joined
by dozens of elected officials and advocates, including
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and four mem-
bers of Congress — may have increased momentum for
gay marriage in New York. “The governor has changed
the playing field with marriage,” she said of last week’s
announcement, but added that marriage equality and
GENDA need not be seen as a zero-sum game. “I think
GENDA will come this year,” Sklarz said.
Joann Prinzivalli of White Plains, NYTRO’s state direc-
tor, in an email message, said her count of the votes in
the Senate showed that GENDA can be passed. She
believes the Senate should take up the Dignity for All
Students Act, a long-stalled public school anti-bullying
bill already passed by the Assembly, first, then move on
to GENDA, and take up marriage equality once the other
two have been approved.
GENDA would bar bias based on gender identity and
expression in employment, housing, public accommo-
dations, and access to credit. It would also amend the
2000 hate crimes statute to include gender identity and
expression as protected categories.
In late 2002, then-Governor George Pataki signed the
state’s gay rights law, a measure that some LGBT lead-
ers, particularly in the transgender community, faulted
for not protecting gender identity and expression. In the
six years since, the battle to expand the state human
rights law to embrace transgendered and gender-variant
New Yorkers has been hard-fought. “You have this over-
whelming sense that you are part of history and that you
䉴 GENDER BILL, continued on p.3
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
14 DAYS The Governor Speaks Out
14 NIGHTS In an exclusive interview, David Paterson handicaps marriage equality fight
BY PAUL SCHINDLER
FRI.MAY.1
A
s the State Legislature
COMMUNITY hurtles toward its last
A Gay Harlem two months in regular
Renaissance Leader session for 2009 — with enor-
Alain Locke, editor of the 1925 anthol- mous issues such as a bailout
ogy “The New Negro,” was one of the of the MTA still unresolved —
midwives of the Harlem Renaissance, one remarkable development on
and also a self-identified homosexual the Albany scene has been the
who was one of the best educated Afri- forceful emergence of Governor
can Americans of his generation, gradu- David Paterson as an advocate
ating from Harvard, awarded a Rhodes for making certain that a mar-
scholarship, and teaching at Howard riage equality bill, passed by
University. Charles Molesworth, a just- the Assembly two years ago and
retired Queens College English professor, expected to be approved again
who co-wrote “Alain Locke and Multi- next week, receives a floor vote
culturalism: Some Biographical Specula- in the State Senate.
tions” with Leonard Harris, appears at Although the governor was
Men of All Colors Together/ NY (MACT) among the first elected offi-
this evening to discuss his new book and cials in the nation to endorse
take questions. LGBT Community Cen- gay marriage — in 1994 — his
ter, 208 W. 13th St., 8 p.m. recent high profile on the issue
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ has gar nered considerable
comment and controversy.
CABARET The media has loudly specu-
Sweet Baby Jane lated that Paterson’s motiva-
Baby Jane Dexter presents a new tion is based on a need to shore
show based on her just-released CD, up support in key parts of his
“If,” with music director Ross Patterson, constituency, given one recent
bassist Boots Maleson, and directed by poll that found his approval
Elissa Patterson. Metropolitan Room rating sagging at just 19 per-
at Gotham, 34 W. 22nd St. May 1-2, cent. More jarringly, his pos-
7:30 p.m. Cover charge is $25, plus a ture has also drawn fire from
two-drink minimum. Reservations at 212- fellow Democrats — beginning
206-0440. with his insistence three weeks
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ago in an Ithaca radio interview
that a Senate vote, up or down,
Glitter and Be Gay was worth pursuing. That sug-
Longtime cabaret favorite Barbara gestion flies in the face of both
Cook presents “Here’s To Life,” selec- Albany tradition and the game
tions from the worlds of theater, swing, plan repeatedly articulated by
pop, and jazz, including “What A Won- Malcolm Smith, the Democratic
derful World,” “Written In The Stars,” “I Senate majority leader.
Want To Be Happy” and numbers from With Paterson’s leadership
her newest CD, “Rainbow ‘Round My on the issue highlighted on
Shoulder.” Lee Musiker heads an all-star April 16 when he formally intro-
quintet in accompaniment. Feinstein’s duced a marriage equality bill
at Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave. into the Legislature and this
at 61st St. May 1, 8 p.m.; May 2, 8 & week in a impassioned speech
10:30 p.m. Tickets are $88-$110 at fein- to 2,000 grassroots advocates
steinsattheregency.com. in Albany for the Empire State
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ Pride Agenda’s Equality & Jus-
PERFORMANCE
Defying Gravity 䉴 GENDER BILL, from p.2
Elizabeth Streb and her Action Fac-
tion take a closer look at the ordinary, are walking in history,” Moon-
inanimate things around us in “STREB: hawk River Stone, an Albany
Catapult,” the company’s spring season. gender rights activist, said when
David van Tieghem’s sinuous, evocative GENDA was first passed last
soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment June. “It’s just this full-hearted
to STREB’s ongoing romantic adventure overwhelming feeling.”
In a press release issued min-
䉴 MAY 1, continued on p.5 utes after the Assembly’s April
have had a strategy.”
Yet just six days later, Duane
was back on the same page with
the governor, appearing at an
April 16 Manhattan press con-
ference with Paterson, Mayor
Michael Bloomberg, out lesbian
City Council Speaker Chris-
tine Quinn, Daniel O’Donnell,
the out gay Upper West Side
Democrat who steered mar -
riage equality to victory in the
Assembly two years ago (and
told Gay City News, “I don’t
think the governor deserves any
criticism”), and four members
GAY CITY NEWS
of Congress. The newly restored
comity did not mean the gover-
nor had changed his mind on
Governor David Paterson addressing activists the wisdom of a Senate vote.
at ESPA’s Equality & Justice Day on April 28 This week, Paterson, even
in Albany. as he acknowledged the long-
standing Albany practice of
tice Day, Gay City News spoke only bringing sure winners to
exclusively to the governor on the floor, explained that forc-
April 29 about how he handi- ing a vote is often the best route
caps the prospects for short- to success on “issues of con-
term success. science” like marriage equality.
Paterson’s April 8 radio inter- “What we lear ned in the
view appeared to catch advo- Assembly was that there were
cates off guard. Asked that day nine Assembly members who
about the prospects for enact- we didn’t know would support
ing a marriage equality law the bill until they voted in favor
this year, the governor said of of it,” he told Gay City News.
prospective action by the Sen- “And that is very common.
ate, “We’ll put a bill out and let Whenever the vote is taken, I
the people decide one way or believe you will see — and it
the other. Why can’t people just will be interesting to watch if
debate the bill, vote on it, and it this doesn’t turn out to hap-
goes up or down?” pen, whether there aren’t three
The reaction from at least one or four members of the Senate
Senate Democrat was swift and who will vote for it when they
harsh. Thomas Duane, the out had not said they would.” As
gay sponsor of the bill the gov- with the Assembly’s 2007 mar-
ernor has since introduced, on riage equality vote, Paterson,
April 10 told New York 1 News, who was the Senate minority
“Say what you will about former leader before being elected lieu-
Governor Spitzer, a blessing tenant governor in 2006, said
and a curse. However, working that the Senate votes on hate
with him, we would have got- crimes in 2000 and the Sexual
ten this bill passed by now. We Orientation Non-Discrimination
absolutely would have gotten Act in 2002 were also examples
this bill passed, and we would of fence-sitters coming down in
21 action, Alan Van Capelle, offer such protections.
executive director of the Empire Sklarz said gender rights
State Pride Agenda, noted that supporters planned to focus
78 percent of New Yorkers on the Pride Agenda’s April 28
responding to a March 2008 Equality & Justice Day lobby-
Global Strategy poll support a ing blitz — when the group led
transgender non-discrimination more than 2,000 to Albany to
bill, but that 13 other states — meet with legislators — to push
and 96 municipalities, includ- for greater support in the Sen-
ing New York City — already ate. She is convinced that even
Politics /3
favor only when the moment
demanded a choice.
The governor later added,
“The sooner the vote is taken,
the sooner this will pass. What’s
the worst that can happen?
That it will not pass, and we’ll
know who we need to focus our
efforts on.” Paterson argued
that history provides ample
cases of controversial measures
going down to defeat, only to be
resurrected triumphantly soon
after.
Stepping up to a high profile
was especially important at this
point, he said, given the routing
marriage equality proponents
suffered in California last fall.
“I felt that so many advocates
were so devastated by Propo-
sition 8 that they didn’t even
know how to respond when
marriage equality was being
discussed as a political foot-
ball in the battle over the Sen-
ate leadership at the end of last
year,” Paterson said, “and then
it was being discussed that the
governor wouldn’t even intro-
duce a program bill this year,
and that’s when I decided to put
a stop to that discussion.”
Still, doubts have lingered as
to whether Paterson is now at
odds with Smith over the bold
challenge he issued on a mar-
riage equality vote, as well as
over other policy differences. At
his April 16 press conference,
which the majority leader did
not attend, the governor opened
by declaring, “What we have is
not a crisis of issues, we have a
crisis of leadership. We’re going
to fill that vacuum today. I’m
going to put a stop to it.”
But the governor insisted he
and Smith understand each
other’s positions and roles on
the marriage issue. “I’m not in
䉴 PATERSON, continued on p.23
if many grassroots activists will
be especially fired up by Pater-
son’s marriage equality push
last week, legislators will hear
about both issues consistently
throughout the day. “The Pride
Agenda has done a good job of
marrying — if you’ll pardon the
word — the two issues,” Sklarz
said.
 30 APR - 13 MAY 2009

4/ Human Rights
䉴 IRAQ, from p.1
eos of this form of torture are
being distributed on mobile tele-
phones in Iraq.”
Al Arabiya said its report-
er confirmed the use of this
anal torture by “visiting the
Baghdad morgue in Bab-al-
Moazaam in central Baghdad,
where Neman Mohsen, the
medical examiner, confirmed
they have the bodies of seven
homosexuals in the morgue.
He said, ‘We were not able
to identify the culprits, who
dumped the bodies in front
of the morgue and fled with-
out being seen.’” A two-per -
son team from Human Rights
Watch (HRW) currently in Iraq
to investigate persecution of
LGBT people has also con-
firmed the use of this form of
torture. In a widely-circulated
email from Iraq, the head of
HRW’s LGBT desk, Scott Long,
said he and his colleague had
gathered evidence which con-
firms the Al Arabiya report and
that HRW would make its own
detailed report after the orga-
nization’s two staffers return
to the United States next week.
OWFI’s Mohammed, the
woman responsible for gather-
ing information about the use
of this sadistic anal torture
and passing it on to Al Ara-
biya, told Gay City News that
“the story was so horrific that
when I first heard it from gay
friends I didn’t believe it. But
then I investigated and found
it was really true that the
anuses of gay men were being
glued shut.” Speaking by tele-
phone from Toronto, where
she was on a brief visit to rela-
tives before a scheduled return
to Iraq next week, Mohammed
told this reporter that, “Fortu-
nately, Al Arabiya has a very
good human rights reporter, to
whom I told what I had found,
and he was able to confirm it
by visiting the morgue.”
She said that “many older
women in my organization
were quite opposed to taking
up the question of the persecu-
tion of homosexuals and didn’t
understand why it was impor-
tant. But I firmly believe that
misogyny and homophobia are
two sides of the same coin, and
that we had a duty to speak
out against the persecution of
gays in Iraq, which is so little
known that I was surprised by
the extent of it when I began to
look into it.”
Mohammed, 49, is well known
for her courageous human
rights work. She co-founded
OWFI in Baghdad in June 2003
in the wake of the U.S. inva-
sion and occupation, and the
organization has led campaigns
against so-called honor killings,
the abduction of women, and
trafficking in women and chil-
dren. She also co-founded Iraq’s
first feminist newspaper, Al
Mousawat (Equality), which has
been published quarterly for the
last three years. Trained as an
After they glue the anuses of
homosexuals, they give them a
drink that causes diarrhea.
architect, Mohammed told Gay
City News she has abandoned
that profession to work full
time for OWFI. She has received
numerous awards for her work
for women’s rights and human
rights, including the Eleanor
Roosevelt Global Rights Award
given by the US Feminist Major-
ity Foundation.
Ali Hili, the 33-year-old gay
Iraqi exile who coordinates the
association Iraqi LGBT, which
is headquartered in London
Yanar Mohammed, a leading Iraqi feminist leader, played the critical role in keeping the grue-
some new torture/ murder technique to light.
but has members and infor - men have had their anuses
mants throughout Iraq, told glued, but that what makes the
Gay City News that he has situation even worse and more
also been able to confirm the lethal is that they have been
use of lethal anal torture. “We refused treatment in hospitals
have had reports, increas- when they sought it because of
ingly over the last four or five homophobia.”
days, about the use of this As of this week, Hili and Iraqi
LGBT have documented 617
cases of assassinations of LGBT
people since a death-to-all-gays
fatwa was issued by Grand Aya-
tollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiri-
tual leader of all Shiite muslims
in Iraq, in 2005. The murder
campaign of “sexual cleansing”
of homosexuals has intensified
technique not just in Bagh- in recent months, with 70 new
dad but in smaller town and killings since December alone
cities all over Iraq,” Hili said (see this reporter’s April 16 arti-
by telephone. “We have reports cle, “Iraqi Gay Murders Surge;
on seven young men who have World Finally Takes Note,” a
been through this horrible link to which appears in the
experience in which they were online version of this story at
arrested in the south of Iraq gaycitynews.com).
and had their anuses sealed, Now, Hili says, “I have just
or ‘locked’ as the torturers say. received word of seven new
Our sources told us that hos- murders of gays in one week,
pitals all over Iraq’s southern last week.” He provided Gay
region have received so many City News with the names and
cases of similar incidents where towns of origin of the most
recent victims of the anti-gay-
death squads. They are Abbas
Mosa, 33, from Al Hay; Saeed
Majeed, 27, from Al Samawa;
Jabar Khothayer, 19, from Al
Dewaniya; Majed Alawi, 41,
from Al Hindiya; Hazim Hus-
sein, age unknown, from Al
Najaf; Mohammed Qasim, 25,
from Al Dewaniya; and Rama
Sabri, 19, from Al Mohanawiya.
At the same time, the Iraqi
news website niqash.org report-
ed last week that “Al-Baghdadi-
ya, a satellite television channel
based in Cairo… broadcast a
report on April 7 saying that 20
young men accused of homo-
sexuality were taken to Ibn al-
Nafis hospital in Baghdad with
mutilated genitals.”
Hili told Gay City News that
much of the most recent wave
of assassinations appears to be
the work of the Mahdi Army,
the militia led by fundamen-
talist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-
Sadr. He said that one of Iraqi
LGBT’s informants “is connect-
ed to high-ranking religious
within the Mahdi Army, and he
has been told of a campaign to
target anyone who is suspect-
ed of being gay.” Increasingly,
Hili said, leaflets and “Wanted”
posters are appearing with lists
of men targeted to be killed for
what are called “crimes against
morality,” meaning homosexu-
ality. A list of Iraqi LGBT mem-
bers to be eliminated is also
circulating, Hili said, and he’s
been told his own name is at
the top of this list.
Hili also said that pharma-
cists have been reporting to
the police about male custom-
ers who were regularly buy-
ing female hormones and
cosmetic creams. In one such
recent instance, two of these
supposed transgendered men
were arrested and taken to an
unknown location, and have
not been heard from since.

NEWS BRIEFS By ANDY HUMM

Killer of Angie
Zapata Gets Life
in Prison
Allen Andrade, 32, was found
guilty on all counts in the July 16
murder of Angie Zapata, 18, a
transgendered woman he met on
a networking site and brutally killed
after staying with her for two days
in Greeley, Colorado. He was sen-
tenced to life in prison. He could
get an extra 60 years as a habitual
offender when he returns to court
on May 8 to face charges of felony
rioting in a detention facility.
Evidence at trial showed that
Andrade probably killed Zapata by
bashing her with a fire extinguisher
while she was sleeping — as
there were no signs of “defensive
wounds” — and then bashing her
again when she awoke. While
awaiting trial, Andrade told fel-
low inmates that it wasn’t as if he
“killed a straight, law-abiding citi-
zen” and referred to Angie as “it.”
His attorney referred to these as
“jokes made by a man who knew
he was innocent,” the Associated
Press reported.
Angie’s mother, Maria Zapata,
said at sentencing that “something
that he can never take away is the
love and the memories my family and
I have of my baby, my beautiful baby.”
Michael Silverman of the Trans-
gender Legal Defense & Education
Fund said in a statement, “The hate
crime conviction for Angie’s murder
sends a clear message that target-
ing transgender people will not be
tolerated.”
Maine Moves
Toward Same-
Sex Marriage
After a hearing last week
attended by 3,000, a joint Judiciary
Committee of the Maine Legisla-
ture approved a bill to open mar-
riage to gay couples by an 11-3
vote on April 28. The State Senate
is expected to take up the bill soon,
and the House of Representatives
is expected to consider it in May.
Governor John Baldacci, a Demo-
crat, has stated his opposition to
marriage equality, but he has not
indicated what he would do if the
measure is approved by the Legis-
lature. Maine voters have a history
of forcing referendum votes on gay
rights advances, so enactment of a
marriage equality law could face a
second look at the polls.
In lauding the committee’s
action, the Human Rights Cam-
paign noted that a CBS/ New York
Times poll released April 28 found
that support for marriage equal-
䉴 BRIEFS, continued on p.8
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 5

䉴 BUSTS, from p.1 of those complaints. With no

14 DAYS Manhattan porn shops. “It’s

normal practice in the police
response, Gay City News filed
an appeal on April 21 only to
receive a call that same day

14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 1, from p.3
with gravity. SLAM, the Streb Lab for
Action Mechanics, 51 N. First St.,
btwn. Kent & Wythe Aves., Williams-
burg. Fri., Sat., 7 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 3 p.m.
through May 17. Tickets are $20; $10 for
children at streb.org or 212-352-3101.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ the four 2008 and one 2009
NIGHTLIFE
AltnernaFags Unite!
DN and Gant Johnson’s “Trash”
party says goodbye to Cardinal Egan as
the Wau Wau Sisters appear as Sisters
Christian at 1 a.m., with four altar go-go
boys all night. Choirmaster Josh Spar-
ber is in charge of the heavenly music,
and the dancers wash off their sin in the
showers at 2 a.m. $2 “Jesus juice” drinks
from 10 p.m.-midnight. Splash, 50 W.
17th St. Admission is $15.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ handled by the police depart-
department,” Bloomberg said
at a press briefing that day,
and suggested Gay City News
put its question to the NYPD.
Bloomberg did not say when
and how he first became aware
of the arrests. “I’ve heard that
people are worried about it,
have concerns about it,” he
said.
In fairness to Bloomberg, of
porn shop nuisance abate-
ment lawsuits that cited the
prostitution arrests, including
Persky and Nagel, in contrast,
have a combined 45 years of
legal experience.
the Blue Door suit, four were
from the police FOIL unit say-
ing it had just received the
original request and would
process it.
Police made 12 arrests alto-
gether in at least another two
Eighth Avenue por n shops
in June. Those two shops
were sued in September and
November. Not all of those
arrests were cited in the law-
suits.
Police made five arrests in
September and October in
Unicorn DVD, which was the
target in the 2009 lawsuit, and
one arrest in October in Rain-

JENNIFER WEISBORD
ment’s legal unit. bow Station, which was never
One of those shops — the sued. Browne did not respond

THEATER
SAT.MAY.2
Love & Comedy
Alan Smith and Tsvete Smith present
“The Uke,” a short comedy, followed by
a screening of “Born Equal: The Equal-
ity of Love,” their documentary about
equal rights for LGBT people (bornequal.
webs.com). Light food and drink served,
with a $5 raffle for a pair of round trip
airline tickets. The Producers Club
Theatre, 358 W. 44th St., 2 p.m. RSVP
to Al79910@aol.com. Tickets are $10 at
the door
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ those businesses. Four of the
It’s Like the Middle
Ages
Stone Soup Theatre Arts presents the
first New York revival of “The Living,”
Anthony Clarvoe’s early 1990s play about
the bubonic plague in medieval London.
Written in response to the outbreak of
AIDS, “The Living” follows a commu-
nity left by their government to survive
as best they can. Richmond Shepard
Theatre, 309 E. 26th St., 2 & 8 p.m.
Tickets are $18 at stonesoupkitchen.org
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ Responding to an open records request from Gay
GALLERY
The Thing Itself
Artist Michael St. John, opening his
second solo exhibition, “That’s Just the
Way It Is,” has invited six artists — Alex
McQuilkin, Josh Smith, Nate Lowman,
Thomas McDonell, Caroline Polachek,
and Sebastian Errazuriz — to include
works in his show. His motive is to chal-
䉴 MAY 2, continued on p.6
35th Street DVD and Video
Center — was the subject of
a November 8, 2007 com-
to an April 22 email asking if
those shops were the subjects
of prostitution complaints. Mayor Michael Bloomberg kicked the issue of recent questionable arrests of gay men on prosti-
plaint concerning prostitution, Certainly, the police law- tution charges to the NYPD.
Browne wrote. In the same yers who handled the cases
email, he wrote that police do not appear to be decision- referred a call there. The press all of that activity to be hap-
made five 2008 arrests at the makers at that agency. Three office did not respond to writ- pening at the same time.”
West 35th Street location on of them — Brian M. Derr, Car- ten questions submitted on Certainly, the Bloomberg
January 6, February 14, and rie B. Talansky, and Laura M. April 23. administration appears to be
June 11. Only two of those Mulle — were admitted to the Little is known about the concerned about the atten-
busts were cited in the June 3 bar in 2008. Derr and Talan- officers who made the arrests. tion the arrests have received.
lawsuit filed against that busi- sky graduated from law school Five were identified by badge A February 11 meeting among
ness by police. Police have said in 2007. A fourth, Matthew J. numbers and a sixth — Mat- police, Campaign members,
they were responding to com- Besse, was admitted to the bar thew Lingeza — by name. Two elected officials, and gay
plaints about prostitution in in 2002. Persky and Nagel, in of those officers — 3371 and groups, drew Shari C. Hyman,
contrast, have a combined 45 31107 — made 23 of the 30 director of the mayor’s special
shops were the subject of 11 years of legal experience, hav- arrests, with 3371 making 15. enforcement office, Anthony C.
prostitution complaints, with ing been admitted to the bar in “It just looks like its being Crowell, counsel to the mayor,
eight of those complaints com- 1984 and 1989, respectively. coordinated from somewhere,” and William Heinzen, an
ing in 2008 and three in 2007. The lawyers either declined said Robert Pinter, who was assistant corporation counsel
On February 25, Gay City to comment or did not respond arrested in Blue Door and is in the city’s law department.
News made a request under to calls seeking comment. The the founder of the Campaign They insisted the arrests were
the state Freedom of Infor - City Hall press office contact- to Stop the False Arrests. “It’s not made under any policy,
mation Law (FOIL) for copies ed Gay City News after Nagel too much of a coincidence for attendees told Gay City News.
for prostitution in 2008 in how many porn shops, the sance abatement lawsuits brought by the city against
HIDING SOMETHING? newspaper made a November 26, 2008 Freedom of five porn shops in 2008 and 2009, Gay City News has
Information request to the Manhattan district attor- been able to identify at least 30 men who were busted
ney seeking all criminal complaints charging men with in six shops in 2008.
City News, the Manhattan district attorney withheld prostitution since the start of 2008. While the police have been criticized for making
all records related to prostitution busts of gay and Typically, such complaints include the charges; the those arrests, the district attorney has also prosecuted
bisexual men in porn shops. name of the person arrested; the circumstances, date, those cases, with most of those men pleading guilty to
“In attempting to identify and locate the docu- time, and location of the arrest; and at least the badge lesser charges.
ments you requested, I have found that the cases to number of the arresting office, though sometimes the Criminal complaints are public records that are
which they pertain are being re-investigated by [the officer is named. routinely available in courts, but they can be found
Manhattan district attorney],” Sarah Hines, an assis- The district attorney sent an initial response on there only by knowing a defendant’s name first. The
tant district attorney, wrote in a March 31 letter. “Your December 17 promising a fuller response by January district attorney’s press office has also routinely sup-
request for documents from a pending... investigation 30. On March 31, the agency responded by mail deny- plied criminal complaints, but only when Gay City
is denied.” ing Gay City News access to every single complaint. News first had a named defendant. Gay City News
In an effort to define how many men were busted By searching in a state courts database and in nui- has appealed the denial. — Duncan Osborne

6/ Politics
A Careful, Pointed Challenge
Out lesbian civil rights attorney Yetta Kurland takes on Christine Quinn
BY PAUL SCHINDLER
W
hen an extension
of ter m limits was
approved last fall by
the City Council and signed
by Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
two gay men widely expected
to seek what otherwise would
have been an open seat in the
West Side’s Council District 3
centered on Chelsea — occu-
pied since 1999 by out lesbian
City Council Speaker Christine
Quinn — pulled back from their
plans. Opposing an incumbent
is hard enough in City Council
races — a factor that influenced
voters in approving term limits
in the first place more than a
decade ago. But given that the
incumbent is a lesbian and also
the first openly LGBT leader of
the City Council, it is likely nei-
ther Brad Hoylman, the chair-
man of Community Boar d
2, nor Andrew Berman, who
heads up the Greenwich Village
Society for Historic Preserva-
tion, wanted to hamper political
hopes they might harbor down
the line in a decidedly uphill
challenge to Quinn.
That consideration has
apparently not fazed Yetta Kur-
land. An out lesbian civil rights
attorney who just turned 41,
Kurland is certainly mindful
of the fact that the question of
why she is taking on Quinn,
who has gained nationwide
“What would be cynical and very
concerning would be if I didn’t run.”
attention in the LGBT commu-
nity for the powerful post she
occupies, is on people’s minds.
“When the speaker stood in
the center of the Council floor
and said, ‘I’m doing this even
though I know 89 percent of
New Yorkers are saying don’t
do this, I’m doing this because
I want to create more choic-
es for you and if you don’t
like it you can vote me out of
office,’ we need to make sure
that that’s an option for peo-
ple,” Kurland told Gay City
News recently. “What would
Yetta Kurland at a recent fundraiser celebrating her 41st birthday at the Cubby Hole.
be cynical and very concern-
ing would be if I didn’t run. If I
just backed out and said, ‘Well,
you know, it’s the speaker. It’s
Christine Quinn. How dare I?’”
Like many who have criti-
cized the term limits action
taken by the Council and the
mayor, Kurland doesn’t argue
in favor of term limits or the
law as it existed, but rather
criticizes a process by which
elected of ficials who stood
to benefit by changing that
law did so unilaterally, with-
out putting the question back
before the voters who twice
approved the eight-year cap in
the 1990s. “What was my first
thought when the term limit
issue happened?” she said.
“I was really disappointed. I
thought that we as a city and
we as a community deserved
to see much better than that.
I think we really missed an
opportunity to engage the pub-
lic in that political discourse.”
Kurland was certainly not
alone among political observ-
ers, particularly those coming
from a progressive perspec-
tive, in raising a “process”
objection to the resolution of
the term limits debate — and,
particularly, Quinn’s role in
facilitating Council approval
of the proposal put forward by
Bloomberg when he decided
to seek a third term. A num-
ber of gay Democratic activ-
ists voiced criticism of Quinn’s
role in passing the extension
law to Gay City News’ Duncan
Osborne when he wrote a story
on the matter last fall. Only
two of them, however — Alan
Fleishman, a Park Slope dis-
trict leader, and Bob Zucker-
man, a City Council candidate,
also from Brooklyn — were will-
ing to state those views on the
record.
Kurland herself is careful in
how she talks about Quinn,
emphasizing her respect for the
historic achievements of the
speaker, and often attributing
the fault-finding aimed at the
incumbent to unnamed critics.
Still, Kurland is keen on sys-
tematically delineating her dif-
ferences with Quinn on a host
of issues important to progres-
sive communities.
After noting, “I certainly
didn’t choose this political land-
scape. I didn’t choose this situ-
ation,” Kurland added, “First
of all, I will say that I have a
lot of respect for Chris Quinn.
I honor the contributions that
she’s made” Then, in a heart-
beat, she pivoted back to, “But I
think that the term limits issue
typified, made very clear that
the city needs to change.”
In talking about what moti-
vated her interest in running
for office, Kurland said she
was an activist as early as her
teenage years growing up in
Buffalo, and noted her consid-
erable litigation experience on
civil rights cases. The “galva-
nizing moment,” however, was
the 2004 Republican National
Convention in New York, when,
she said, “the circus came to
town.” She recalled the vol-
unteer work she did then for
the National Lawyers Guild in
helping observe protests and
defend the hundreds who were
arrested and held in unsani-
tary conditions on Pier 57,
many of them past the time
when a federal judge ordered
their release. The anecdote
draws an unmistakable line
from the repudiated Bush
administration to New York’s
popular mayor, who was then
a Republican and the conven-
tion’s host, and is once again
running on the GOP line this
November.
The next step in that think-
ing, of course, leads to the
incumbent Council speaker.
“People have said Christine
Quinn has been very aligned
with the mayor’s office in her
time as speaker,” Kurland said.
“Some people may like that
and might choose that. There’s
a certainty efficiency with that.
I think my message is more
about giving voice to the com-
munity and bringing their voice
to the city government.”
In bringing up the 2004 con-
vention and the suppression
of dissent, is Kurland recall-
ing criticism of Quinn for not
䉴 KURLAND, continued on p.22
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 2, from p.5
lenge the solipsistic quality of the solo
exhibition and stress the social aspect of
art-making. Drawing reference to Andy
Warhol’s commemoration of the day’s
events, William Eggleston’s tributes to
the discarded, and Robert Rauschen-
berg’s involvement with the world, St.
John’s work arrives reminiscent of the
Wallace Stevens poem, “it’s not about
the thing, but it is the thing itself.” Mar-
velli Gallery, 526 W, 26th St, second
fl., Tue.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m., through
May 9.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
CABARET
SUN.MAY.3
G’day Mate
Emerging from the cabaret circuit
Down Under, Kim Smith, a 2009 Bistro
Award-winner MAC Award-nominee,
charts a dark and whimsical path
through the arrivals and departures
of a neo-Weimar musical misfit in his
award-winning cabaret, “Johnny Come
Lately.” Ji Young Lee accompanies
on piano. Karen Kohler produces and
directs. Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th
St., 3 p.m. The cover charge is $12, with
a two-drink minimum, cash only. Reser-
vations at 212-757-0788.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
COMEDY
Laugh. Out. Loud
Brad Loekle’s weekly “Electro Shock
Therapy Comedy Hour” tonight wel-
comes Adam Lehman (HereTV’s “Hot
Gay Comics”), Lisa Kaplan (LOL Comedy
Tour), Carmen Lynch (Aspen Comedy Fes-
tival), and Becky Donohue (Comedy Cen-
tral’s “Premium Blend”). Therapy Bar,
348 W. 52nd St., 10 p.m. Free, with $6
cosmos all night.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
NIGHTLIFE
More & More
Lepore
Join Amanda Lepore for the world
premiere of her debut video single,
“Cotton Candy,” directed by Bec Stu-
pak and guest starring Cazwell, the first
release from her forthcoming album, “I...
Amanda Lepore,” due later this spring on
Peace Bisquit. Lepore also launches a
signature fragrance. Hiro, 363 W. 16th
St., 11 p.m.-4 a.m. Free.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
䉴 14 DAYS, continued on p.8
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009

Politics /7
Would-Be DAs Square Off
Three aiming for Morgenthau’s job quibble over his record, death penalty
BY DUNCAN OSBORNE Jr., have all worked for Morgen- make endorsements in political ists and those who kill children, that challenged the arrests.
thau in the past, she ran a tough races, said, “Every candidate has Vance took a dig of his own and “I didn’t just write about it,”

T
he three leading candi-
dates for Manhattan dis-
trict attorney agreed that
Robert Morgenthau’s decision
to not seek a tenth term in that
office has created an opportunity
for reform. And in the course of
an April 22 debate, Leslie Crocker
Snyder, one of the candidates,
repeatedly noted that she had
championed that message four
years ago when she ran against
Morgenthau.
“I did not wait for the incum-
bent to say he wasn’t running,”
she said during the hour-long
debate that was held at the Lesbi-
an, Gay, Bisexual and Transgen-
der Community Center. “If there
was such a need for change and
reform, I don’t know why it had
to wait for four years.” Though
Snyder and the other candidates,
Richard Aborn and Cyrus Vance,
race against him four years ago
and cannot now embrace him.
But if a district attorney can
be said to be wildly popular, Mor-
Vance is seen as Morgenthau’s
choice though the DA is not
supposed to make endorsements
in political races.
genthau is it. He has held that
office for 35 years. So Aborn and
Vance praised Morgenthau, no
doubt hoping that his electoral
success is contagious. “I think
Robert Morgenthau brings many
strengths to the office,” Aborn
said. Vance, who is seen as Mor-
genthau’s choice though the dis-
trict attorney is not supposed to
to run on his or her own resume,
but, in my opinion, Robert Mor-
genthau has been an exemplary
district attorney over the past 35
years.”
Snyder, who sounded at times
as if she were running against
Morgenthau again, needled
Vance, noting that he had lived in
Seattle for 16 of the past 21 years.
When the discussion turned to
the death penalty, a punishment
that Aborn and Vance oppose and
Snyder once supported for terror-
said he knew enough to oppose it
even when living in Seattle. Aborn
joined in. “I just don’t understand
this position,” Aborn said of Sny-
der’s current opposition to the
death penalty. “It has been evolv-
ing... You can’t equivocate on this
issue.”
In Manhattan, opposition to
the death penalty is an impor-
tant totem among liberal voters
even though New York has no
law imposing such a penalty.
In 2005, Morgenthau effectively
pilloried Snyder over her sup-
port for it in some cases.
Aborn chose to not stay above
the mild fray when the discus-
sion turned to police arrests of
gay men in Manhattan porn
shops, arrests seen as false
arrests in the gay community.
Snyder noted the editorial she
published in the New York Blade
Aborn said, pointing out that he
had formally called on the city’s
Commission on Human Rights
to investigate the practice.
So there it was. An hour of
gentle pokes and minor jibes,
and a whole lot of agreement
on issues that matter to the
queer community. With crime
at historic lows, all three want
to focus on preventing crime to
keep the rates down. All three
want to bring a “sense of fair-
ness” or justice to the office.
They want an office that is will-
ing to re-visit criminal convic-
tions that may be wrong, an
issue that could be relevant to
the dozens of men who were
busted in porn shops over the
past several years on prostitu-
tion charges and went on to
䉴 SQUARE OFF, continued on p.23

Like to Party with TINA ? BREAST CANCER

The Substance Use Research Center SURVIVORS DIAGNOSED
at Columbia University

seeks medically healthy Meth users between the ages of 21 and 45

to participate in a 10-session study evaluating stimulant effects.
BETWEEN 2000 AND 2005
You can earn up to $1,004.
Seeking Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Women who
For more information, please call: (212) 543-6013 or (212) 543-6545
ALL PERSONAL AND IDENTIFYING INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL Partner with Women
This study is being conducted by the Boston University School of Pub-
Metropolitan Community Church of New York lic Health and is funded by the American Cancer Society

Homeless
Youth
ServicesSocial Spiritual Join our healthy survivor study!
Service
A church of lesbian,
and Sylvia Rivera

Home
gay, bisexual
Food Pantry and transgender
people. Open to all.
One time telephone interview.
Advocating
Marriage Equality and
CALL OR EMAIL
Transgender Rights

The Reverend Pat Bumgardner, Pastor 617-638-5982

Weekly Sunday Services: 9 am (Traditional), 11 am (Celebration)
3 pm (Mandarin) and 7 pm (Praise & Worship)
877-414-1399
11 am features ASL interpreter (1st, 2nd and 3rd Sunday of each month)
446 West 36th St. bet. 9th & 10th Ave. NY, NY 10018 WOMEN@BU.EDU
212-629-7440 website: www.mccny.org email: info@mccny.org
8 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009
䉴 BRIEFS, from p.4
ity among Americans rose by an
impressive nine points in just the
past month, hitting 42 percent,
the highest level of support ever
recorded.
NH State
Senate Passes
Gay Marriage
Bill
The State Senate voted on April
29 to make New Hampshire the
fifth state to allow gay marriage.
Even though the marriage
equality bill had been rejected by
a key legislative committee, Ray
Buckley, the out gay chairman
of the New Hampshire Demo-
cratic Party, spent the day April 28
“whipping” support for both that
measure and a transgender rights
bill. NowHampshire.com reported
that Buckley was pulling out all
the stops, meeting with the Sen-
ate Democratic leadership in what
proved to be a successful effort
to bring the marriage bill over
the top in the April 29 vote. The
House of Representatives passed
the marriage measure in March.
Some opponents of the transgen-
der rights bill have derided it as a
“bathroom bill.”
Because the bill approved by
the Senate differentiates between
a civil-marriage and a religious-
marriage license, language earlier
rejected by the House, the two ver-
sions of the bill must be reconciled.
Governor John Lynch, a Demo-
crat, has said in the past that he
thinks the word marriage should
be limited to describe traditional
marriage.
According to UnionLeader.
com, Lynch told reporters on April
28, “I think the word marriage is
reserved for a marriage between a
man and a woman, and I think the
real issues really are rights and
protections for gay and lesbian
couples.” The civil unions law,
which took effect in January 2008,
takes care of those issues, he said.
The website reported that he
would not say what he will do with
a gay marriage bill if it gets to his
desk, declining to say whether he’ll
sign it, veto it, or let it become law
without his signature.
NewHampshire.com also
reported on two conflicting polls
of voter attitudes in the Granite
State. New Hampshire Freedom
to Marry unveiled a University
of New Hampshire poll showing
a 55-39 margin in favor of mar-
riage equality. Meanwhile, the
conservative Cornerstone Policy
Research survey found strong
opposition to same-sex marriage
in key State Senate districts.
Out Lesbian
Prime Minister
Wins Icelandic
Election
Johanna Sigurdarottir, the out
lesbian who stepped in as prime
minister of Iceland when it was
struck by a crippling economic
crisis, led her Social Democratic
Alliance in coalition with the Left
Green Movement to win 35 of
63 seats in Parliament this past
weekend. “This is the first time
that leftist parties will hold a
majority,” she said. “The people
are calling for a change of ethics.”
She hopes to fully incorporate
Iceland into the European Union
and begin using the Euro within
four years, the BBC reported.
GUIDO WESTERWELLE
Gay German
Likely First
Out Foreign
Minister
Guido Westerwelle, 47, lead-
er of Germany’s Free Democratic
Party, could become his nation’s
first out gay foreign minister in a
coalition cabinet with Chancel-
lor Angela Merkel’s conservative
Christian Democratic Union after
the next election. The FDP, at 16
percent in the polls, is tradition-
ally “liberal,” which in Europe
means free-market fiscally and
liberal on social issues. Wester-
welle “would cut development
aid to countries that persecute
gays,” the Wall Street Journal
reported.
Virginia
Democrats
Want Anti-Gay
Amendment
Repealed
The three leading candidates
for the Democratic nomination
for governor of Virginia all oppose
same-sex marriage, but they also
oppose the draconian 2006 con-
stitutional amendment that for-
bids any government recognition
of gay relationships. Brian Moran,
a former state delegate, won the
support of the Virginia Partisans
Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club
by pledging to make repeal a pri-
ority. His primary opponents are
State Senator R. Creigh Deeds
and Terry McAuliffe, the former
chair of the Democratic National
Committee with close ties to Bill
and Hillary Clinton.
Deeds voted to put the anti-
gay measure on the ballot, but
said he did not vote with 57 per-
cent of Virginians in passing it. A
2007 Washington Post poll found
39 percent opposing any legal
recognition of same-sex couples
and 53 percent supporting either
marriage or civil unions for them.
Gay President
for U of
Colorado
Students
Students at the University
of Colorado at Colorado Springs
elected Daniel Garcia, an out
gay man, president of the stu-
dent government, and James
Burge, also out gay, as vice presi-
dent in an election that ended
April 25. The Colorado Springs
Gazette reported that they beat
three other slates, including the
impeached incumbents, David
Williams and Andy Adair, who
were ousted for refusing to sign
off on an appropriation for the
student LGBT group, Spectrum.
“Williams cited his beliefs and
convictions as the reason,” the
newspaper said. Since he did
not veto it outright, the funding
became available after five days,
but the Student Senate found the
men guilty of acting discriminatorily.
Dutch Move to
Improve Cruiser
Safety
The De Oeverlanden Park
in Slotervaart just outside of
Amsterdam, a magnet for gay
male cruisers from all over
Europe, has put up official
signs designating a section of
the bushes as a cruising area
and advising those seeking
family fun to try elsewhere in
the park. Manon Koffijberg, a
spokeswoman for the town, told
Agence France-Presse, “Things
are arranged so that each
group can relax in their own
areas without intruding on each
other.” She also said that while
sex in the park is technically
illegal, it is such a tradition that
it has become what the Dutch
call “gedoog” or tolerated.
Phelps Bring
Out the Gay in
Walt Whitman
When seven members of
Reverend Fred Phelps’ God
Hates Fags ministry protested
outside Walt Whitman High
School in Bethesda, Mary-
land, on April 24, 500 students
counter-protested and the
day was spent on lessons on
Whitman’s poetry, tolerance,
and a math class on counting
demonstrators, the Washing-
ton Post reported. One student
wore a T-shirt with Whitman’s
phrase, “Let your soul stand
cool and composed.” Susan
Russell, 17, told the newspaper
that the Phelps message was
“ridiculous.” “I mean, that sign,
‘You will eat your babies,’ that
doesn’t even mean anything.”
New US
Global AIDS
Coordinator
President Barack Obama
has named Dr. Eric Goosby to
head the President’s Emergen-
cy Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar),
charged with spending $48 mil-
lion over the next five years to
reduce AIDS deaths worldwide.
He is a medical professor at
the University of California at
San Francisco and considered
“a pioneer in the fight against
AIDS,” the New York Times
reported, and is under pressure
to end the focus on abstinence
that has hindered the effective-
ness of the program’s preven-
tion efforts.
While the program is cred-
ited with reducing AIDS deaths
by ten percent, new infections
have continued unabated.
San Francisco
AIDS and
Sobriety Leader
Cusick Dies
Dan Cusick, a leader of
ACT UP Golden Gate and the
manager of the Castro Country
Club, a space for gay people
to remain clean and sober,
died April 23 at the age of 50
of complications from hepati-
tis C. He had been a longtime
survivor of AIDS. Activist and
colleague Michael Lauro told
Michael Petrelis’ blog, “When
you look at the totality of Dan’s
work, he saved more lives than
anyone I know.” The Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence made him
a saint in 2008, re-naming him
“Dan the Man.”
Fauci’s New
AIDS Plan
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director
of the National Institutes of
Allergy and Infectious Diseas-
es and a leading figure in the
US AIDS fight since it began,
outlined a new “policy cocktail
for fighting HIV” in a Wash-
ington Post piece on April 20.
Fauci proposes people at high
risk for HIV taking pre-expo-
sure prophylactic medicines
to prevent infection, annual
universal voluntary testing,
and immediate treatment
for those who test positive.
Fauci said the “more difficult
challenge” in treating those
newly infected with HIV is to
move aggressively to suppress
the virus until it constitutes a
“functional cure,” so that the
person would no longer need
to take anti-retroviral drugs.
LARRY KRAMER
Kramer ver-
sus Kramer
Institute
At Yale’s Gay and Lesbian
Association to receive a Life-
time Achievement Award,
Larry Kramer apologized to the
group for failing to secure a
program to teach gay history at
his Ivy League alma mater. The
Larry Kramer Institute, funded
with a $1 million contribution
from his late brother, Arthur,
in 2001, was closed by Yale in
2006. “When this happened, I
thought my heart would break,”
he said.
Kramer also lamented Yale’s
dismissal of gay historian Jona-
than Ned Katz from the faculty,
the suppression of informa-
tion about the homosexuality
of Yale’s first benefactor, John
William Sterling, and the uni-
versity press’ refusal to publish
C.A. Tripp’s “Intimate World of
Abraham Lincoln” dealing with
the 16th president’s homosexu-
ality. He also expressed dismay
at how the Institute mainly
taught “gender studies, queer
studies, [and] queer theory,”
not gay history as he intended.
“I would like to proclaim with
great pride: I am not queer!
And neither are you,” he said.
“When will we stop using this
adolescent and demeaning
word to identify ourselves? Like
our history that is not taught,
using this word will continue
䉴 BRIEFS, continued on p.24
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 14 DAYS, from p.6
MUSIC
MON.MAY.4
Hymns of the 49th
Parallel
Queer North America’s torch &
twang sweetheart, k.d. lang, makes
a special one-night appearance on
Staten Island, at a venue just two
blocks from the Ferry Terminal.
St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt St.,
7:30 p.m. Valet parking is available
for those traveling by car. Tickets are
$50-$85 at ticketmaster.com or 718-
442-2900.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Hurricane Diva
Scott Nevins’ “Curtain Call” pres-
ents the belting beauty who starred
as Tracy in the Las Vegas production
of “Hairspray,” Katrina Rose Diderik-
sen, who has also appeared on stage
at Carnegie Hall in “Jerry Springer the
Opera” and in the hit theatrical rock
concert “Things to Ruin.” Dideriksen
will serve up a full set of Broadway’s
hottest tunes! Splash, 50 W. 17th St.,
11:30 p.m. Admission is free until 10
p.m., $5 after. You must be 21.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
MUSIC
TUE.MAY.5
Sunshine, Lollipops
& Rainbows
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Tena-
fly, New Jersey, out lesbian Lesley
Gore was discovered by music legend
Quincy Jones and recorded “It’s My
Party” when she was just 16 years old.
In the years that followed, she helped
create the soundtrack of the 1960s
with more than two dozen chart hits.
After years of success as a platinum-
selling pop singer, Gore attended
Sarah Lawrence College and eventu-
ally began writing her own music. She
earned an Academy Award nomination
for co-writing “Out Here On My Own”
for the film “Fame.” This week, she
performs seven shows at Feinstein’s
at Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave.
at 61st St. May 5-7, 8:30 p.m.; May
8-9, 8 & 10:30 p.m. All shows have a
$60 cover, with $75 premium seats and
a $40 food/ beverage minimum. For
reservations, visit feinsteinsatloews-
regency.com or call 212-339-4095.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
䉴 14 DAYS, continued on p.12
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
■ CRIME
Insanity Plea in

1$
Gay Man’s Murder?
BY DUNCAN OSBORNE
J
eromie Cancel, the accused kill-
er of Kevin Pravia, a 19-year-old
gay man, wants to use a psychi-
atric defense at trial that could reduce
the charges against him or acquit him
entirely if the jury believes he was insane
when he killed the Pace University stu-
dent in 2008. “There was a prior history
at Bellevue and also subsequent to his
arrest,” said Michael Alperstein, Cancel’s
attorney, at an April 24 hearing. “There
are substantial records at Bellevue.”
Cancel, 23, was apparently hospital-
ized at an institution in Queens prior to
his arrest, but Alperstein said he had not
yet found the institution or records of
that episode. Cancel has met once with a
psychiatrist, identified only as Dr. Siegel
in court, who is working for the defense
and will see him again. “He’s going to
continue to see him,” Alperstein said.
Cancel is charged with second-degree
murder. Allegedly, he met Pravia in Union
Square early in the morning on August
30, and Pravia bought some cocaine from
Cancel. They walked to Pravia’s Chelsea
apartment, used some of the drug, and
Cancel allegedly strangled Pravia to death
after the younger man fell asleep.
Alperstein could pursue an extreme
emotional disturbance defense that would
argue that some triggering event put Can-
cel in such an agitated state of mind that
he was guilty of manslaughter, not mur-
der. Some criminal defendants who have
used this defense have argued that a sexu-
al advance by a gay victim put them in this
state.
An insanity defense would argue that
Cancel is not criminally responsible
because of a “mental disease or defect.”
Both defenses must be proven by the
defense and by a preponderance of the evi-
dence. If used successfully, they could sig-
nificantly reduce Cancel’s time in prison.
Alperstein has little choice but to pursue
such defenses. Broadly speaking, crimes
have two elements — the act and the
defendant’s state of mind. When a defen-
dant committed the crime, a defense attor-
ney can only attack the state of mind.
Cancel was arrested on September 2
in Queens for allegedly burglarizing his
father’s home. In the course of admit-
ting to that crime, he announced to
police that he killed Pravia. He went
on to make another nine statements to
police, including a videotape and a writ-
ten confession, in which he gave details
of the crime that allegedly only the killer
would know, and pointed police to other
evidence that supported his confession.
These admissions reached a point
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 9
5IPNBT
%
4IBOBIBO
±"UUPSOFZ
BU
-BX±
/FX
:PSL
&NQMPZNFOU

-BXZFST
"TTPDJBUJPO
Over A Decade of Experience
Litigating Employment and Civil Rights
Cases for our Community
2007 - 2009 Deputy Commissioner,
Jeromie Cancel, 23, last September as he was taken into
custody in the murder of 19-year-old Kevin Pravia.
New York State Devision of Human Rights
where Cancel appeared to grow tired of 2006 Honoree: New York City Council -
making them. Late in the day on Septem-
ber 2, Cancel said to a detective, “Why do
“Contributions and Service to New York City”
I have to do this? I killed him. I strangled
him. I’ve been telling you this all day.” 2003 Honoree: Common Cause
Cancel comes across as monstrous
in several of the statements. In his first “Holding Power Accountable”
statement to police, he explained the kill-
ing by saying, “I was bored, so I decided
Ethical New Yorker of the Year Award
to go back into the apartment and kill
him.”
In his final statement, as he was being
taken in front of news crews for a perp
Former Aide to Mayor David N Dinkins
walk, he said “Are those cameras for and Public Advocate Mark Green
me? Can you handcuff me in front so I
can throw gang signs? I don’t have any
remorse. I’d do it again.”
Rena Uviller, the judge in the case,
will decide if Alperstein can use either
of these defenses. “On your next date, I
EMPLOYMENT LAW / CIVIL RIGHTS
have to really know when your psychiat- ',6&5,0,1$7,21‡6(;8$/+$5$660(17
ric evaluation is going to be available and 3$571(56+,3$*5((0(176',63,7(6‡&,9,//,7,*$7,21
whether or not you’re going to pursue
that defense,” she said at the hearing. “I 0$75,021,$/&8672'<‡0(',&$/0$/35$&7,&(
really would like to know with specificity
what you have.”
3(5621$/,1-85<
Steven Nuzzi, the prosecutor on the
case, would likely oppose either defense,
but he held his fire at the hearing. “I
don’t think it’s sufficient at this point,”
Thomas D. Shanahan, P.C.
he said. “I’m willing to wait for a response
from the defense psychiatrist.”
This is Alperstein’s second high profile
551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2010
gay murder case. In 2000, a jury acquit-
ted Eric Carolina in the 1998 murder of
Fitzroy Green after Alperstein argued
New York, NY 10176
that Carolina, who was 21 in 1998, was
defending himself from the 36-year-old’s
sexual assault when he stabbed him tel (212) 867-1100 WWW.SHANAHANLAW.COM
25 times, with most of those wounds in fax (212) 972-1787 TOM@SHANAHANLAW.COM
Green’s back.
 30 APR - 13 MAY 2009

10/ Perspective
■ A VIOLENT END
PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER
JOHN W. SUTTER
JWSutter@communitymediallc.com
The Two Happy Worlds of George Weber
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER BY NATHAN RILEY
TROY MASTERS

G
troy@gaycitynews.com
eorge Weber respected advertiser, George declined to police. Paul — not his real that I just opened myself up.
social boundaries, those play nice; he didn’t change a name — came to New York last I stopped being so concerned
EDITOR IN-CHIEF & CO-FOUNDER
PAUL SCHINDLER
hazy demarcations in word. “He had principles as a November from Denver, in part about how others would see
editor@gaycitynews.com society that permit different newsman,” Kuby explained. because of the city’s fame as a me and how I would be judged
ASSOCIATE EDITOR groups to live without creating He was also a newsman of the center of prostitution. He met because of my acts.” In effect,
Duncan Osborne conflicts. This skill allowed him old hard-drinking school. He Weber in December and saw Paul’s atheism and anarchism
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS to negotiate separate worlds could spend hours bending an him about 15 times in a three- led him to conclude that “don’t
Christopher Byrne (Theater), Susie Day, with good humor and intelli- elbow and talking to strangers month period. The murder left knock it unless you try it” was
Doug Ireland (International), Brian McCormick gence. A 47-year-old radio jour- at a bar. After losing one job, Paul visibly disturbed — sad the right attitude for society
(Dance), Dean P. Wrzeszcz
nalist found murdered in his he took Amtrak to Boston, a and upset by the tabloid press to adopt. More and more that
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Betsy Andrews, Seth J. Bookey,
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn apart- town famous for its drinking coverage that had a night- meant he was having gay sex.
Anthony M.Brown, Kelly Jean Cogswell, ment in March, Weber worked establishments, and returned marish quality, and willing to And Paul began listening to
Dean Daderko, Tate Dougherty, Andres Duque, on-air as a news anchor with to New York City refreshed. speak with Gay City News to other fantasies. “I grew up
Michael Ehrhardt, Steve Erickson, Nick Feitel,
Jim Fouratt, Joe Fyfe, Deborah Garwood, Ron Kuby, the civil rights law- Weber also enjoyed an exis- counter the impressions it left wanting to be a sex worker. It
Erasmo Guerra, Emily Harney, Andrey Henkin, yer, and Curtis Sliwa, the man tence unknown to most of his of Weber’s life. sounded like a great job.” His
Frank Holiday, Andy Humm, James Jorden, Brendan of the street who became an colleagues — a gay life with Paul found the sexual side first date with a client was a
Keane, David Kennerley, Gary M. Kramer, Arthur S.
Leonard, Rachael Liberman, avatar of law and order, two young men whose company of his encounters with Weber special moment: “I was really
Michael T. Luongo, Lawrence D. Mass, quick-witted individuals whose was often rented. He did not easy to manage and the con- excited about it.”
Winnie McCroy, Eileen McDermott,
Gregory Montreuil, Ioannis Mookas, Carrie Moyer,
verbal clashes drew a large look for a life partner, but in versations enjoyable. Weber George Weber no doubt sym-
Stephen Mueller, Christopher Murray, audience. Describing the work a world of 20-somethings, was a good listener, and Paul pathized, since he was raised in
David Noh, Wayne Northcross, Lori Ortiz, environment that those sorts he made his mark. He devel- has led an interesting life and a conservative Christian family.
Pauline Park, Sheila Pepe, John Reed,
Nathan Riley, Andrew Robinson, Gerard Robinson, of assignments entailed, Kuby, oped sexual relationships that is an engaging story-teller. Kuby wondered if Weber would
Chris Schmidt, Sarah D. Schulman, tongue in cheek, explained lasted and had meaning to As a teenager, Paul became a have been happier if he had
Jason Victor Serinus, Linda Shapiro, that Weber was “in talk radio younger men whose encoun- Christian youth pastor and fol- come out of the closet, and con-
David Shengold, Gus Solomons Jr., David Spiher,
Drew B. Straub, Stefen Styrsky, Jerry Tallmer, — his colleagues were psycho- ters are often fleeting. Weber lowed this calling for five years. cluded that was unlikely. Weber
Stefanos Tsigrimanis, Kathleen Warnock, logically disturbed.” But Weber remembered his regulars, and With his tattoos and earrings, was happy. He found ways to
Benjamin Weinthal, Lee Ann Westover,
James Withers, Kai Wright, Susan Yung
delighted in keeping his life on they returned the favor. Kuby he preached the gospel to his keep his different lives separate,
an even keel, the crusading said police were surprised that peers. His devotion to the cause avoiding conflict with employers
ART DIRECTOR
Mark Hasselberger
attorney added: He had “a tre- sex workers called and offered included respecting the stric- and his devout family. Paul had
mendous sense of humor.” His to help the investigation after tures on no sex outside of mar- no idea Weber was a prominent
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jamie Paakkonen role on the Kuby-Sliwa show Weber’s murder hit the head- riage. But by the time he was journalist.
expanded because “he had the lines. Relationships between 20, his doubts overwhelmed George met Paul and many
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING
FRANCESCO REGINI ability to lighten things up.” the police and rent boys are his faith, and he grew uncom- other men on Craig’s List. They
francesco@gaycitynews.com Weber was a pleasant guy, filled with distrust. It is a testi- fortable “with all the judgments had private relationships that
but no pushover. When a cor- mony to Weber’s ability to deft- that came down on people.” persisted. But one troubled
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
porate honcho heard a pro- ly manage relationships easily Paul met other people who teenager who initiated contact
COLIN GREGORY
colin@gaycitynews.com gram in production in which muddled that the young men were disenchanted with Chris- by answering George Weber’s
he criticized Con Ed, he took stepped forward. tianity and became an athe- ad never got to know him. He
ALLISON GREAKER
allison@gaycitynews.com Weber aside and murmured Other men remember George ist, but “I waited for the right stabbed him to death on their
JASON SHERWOOD
that the company was an fondly, but steered clear of the person before I had sex. After very first meeting.
jsherwood@gaycitynews.com

DALE KANZLER ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR >> editor@gaycitynews.com

dale@gaycitynews.com
JASON SPARKS AQUARIUS NEVER What are we afraid of by asking senators elite for money and votes. Thanks ESPA April 17, 2009
jsparks@gaycitynews.com AGES to make their positions clear? I for one and the New York State Legislature. We To the Editor:
JEREMY MARKS appreciate Governor Paterson’s move. It knew we could trust you to be consistent if What about GENDA? As is so often the
jeremy@communitymediallc.com April 17, 2009 gives us the chance to speak up and speak nothing else. case, the basic civil rights of transgender peo-
Please call (212) 229-1890 for To the Editor: out for equality. If those who support the Rebecca Juro ple in New York State get completely lost as
advertising rates and availability.
Excellent write-up! (“Flower Power,” by issue in Albany care enough to lobby their North Brunswick marriage grabs the media attention and head-
ACCOUNTING David Kennerley, Apr.16-29). New York the- on-the-fence colleagues, then we do have lines. It’s long past time for this to stop.
DAVID JAFFE
david@gaycitynews.com ater is always exciting and relevant. “Hair” is a shot. If there is another reason why they April 17, 2009 Donna M. Cartwright
NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING one of the first pieces of theater I ever saw — don’t want to fight for us, better to know To the Editor: Baltimore
Rivendell Media / 212.242.6863 in San Francisco. After eight years of absolute now, before the election year. Let me know if I am equal or do I get
Web master horror and insanity, surreal lies, and darkness, Anthony M. Brown a tax break? (“Paterson Ups the Ante,”
Arturo Jimenez
Arturo@gaycitynews.com
“Hair” can begin the process of rebirth. Manhattan by Paul Schindler, Apr. 16-29). Yes, as a AMEN TO THAT
Gay City News, The Newspaper Serving Gay and Lesbian NYC, is pub-
Eric Martin tax-paying citizen of New York, I simply
lishedby Community Media, LLC. Send all inquiries to: Gay City News,
145 Sixth Ave., First Fl., NYC 10013 Phone: 646.452.2500 Written Atlantic City April 16, 2009 want to know if my same-gender-loving April 17, 2009
permission of the publisher must be obtained before any of the contents
of this paper, in part or whole, can be reproduced or redistributed. All To the Editor: partner and I have the exact same rights To the Editor:
contents (c) 2009 Gay City News. This is the same old narrow-minded BS. and privileges as my opposite-gender- Bravo! (“The Case for David Paterson,”
Gay City News is a registered trademark
of Community Media, LLC. PROGRESS OR Once again, the interests of wealthy gays loving brother and his wife. If not, let by Zaheer Mustafa, Apr. 16-29). This article is
John W. Sutter, President
Fax: 646.452.2501;
SAME-OLD? are placed first and foremost as the rights me know what me and my same-gen- right on. Shame on those LGBT leaders who
E-mail: JWSutter@communitymediallc.com of poor and disadvantaged transgender der-loving partner’s reduced tax rate fail to support the Governor. He is owed all our
Subscriptions: April 16, 2009 people are put on the back burner, if not will be since I will not be a full citizen support for his re-election effort. Come on, guys
26 issues, $90.00 To the Editor: completely ignored. Seems everyone’s for- of the state. and gals, don’t let one of our best friends down.
(c)2009 Gay City News. Why not vote? (“Marriage’s Time Has gotten about GENDA now that the New Oliver Martin Bill Bauer
All rights reserved.
Come,” by Paul Schindler, Apr. 16-29). York pols are back to pandering to the rich New York City New York City
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
■ A DYKE ABROAD
T
his week, I’m sick of
straight people and
their carefully guarded
innocence. First a friend’s
mom asked, “Homophobia,
is it really a problem?” Then,
after Carl Joseph Walker -
Hoover, an 11-year old boy,
was literally bullied to death,
killing himself after months
of getting called “faggot” and
“gay,” we had the article,
“Dude, You’ve Got Problems,”
in the New York Times.
The nice, straight, disgust-
ingly innocent Judith War -
ner asserted Carl Joseph
Walker -Hoover didn’t really
die of homophobia, but as a
result of the hyper-masculin-
ized American society where
churchgoers and intellectuals
are automatically consigned
to the faggot bin. She wrote,
“Being called a “fag,” you see,
actually has almost nothing to
do with being gay.” With that
little phrase she erased all of
us queers that grew up getting
called “homo,” “fag,” “lezzy,”
and “dyke.” Sure, idiot homo-
phobes use “faggot” as an epi-
thet for any male they want
to taunt because, well, people
hate faggots. But the word is
used with the most hatred,
the most virulence, and does
the most damage, when they
■ SNIDE LINES
Economy Blameless! Employees at Fault
W
ashington and Wall
S t r e e t breathed a
sigh of relief today at
news that the economic down-
turn is not, in fact, responsible
for a record 5.1 million job loss-
es and an unemployment rate
of 8.5 percent. According to a
report just released by the Insti-
tute for the Advancement of Mid-
dle Management and Human
Resource Depletion, a bipartisan
think tank funded by Wal-Mart,
it is the downtrodden nature of
employees themselves that has
forced companies to lay them off.
“These are good, solid Ameri-
can companies that subscribe to
the bootstrap model, where each
American is solely responsible for
attaining success beyond his or
her wildest dreams,” stated Dr.
Lars Lunchbucket, director of
Hating Faggots, Erasing Gays
think the target actually is
gay.
Unfortunately, our ene-
mies often know our even-
tual sexual identity before
we do. Those girls at school
that called me “lezzy” were
dead right, way before I had
a clue. Ditto for those guys
that threw bottles out the car
window at me and screamed
The main reason kids get harassed
as faggots or lezzies is because
they very well might be.
“dyke!” when I was just barely
considering “bi.” Young Carl
could well have turned out to
be gay. Is that any better than
being hated by mistake? Does
Judith Warner need to believe
he was 100-percent straight
to denounce his torture and
death?
You get exceptions to every
rule. There are female pedo-
philes and women who beat
their husbands. Some tor -
mented kids maybe are
straight and just pegged as
effeminate. Some may be
transgendered. But the major-
ity of the ones getting tor -
the Institute, at a Beltway mixer.
“Obviously, the problem wasn’t
the employers, so we studied
the folks they laid off. After deep
scientific analysis, we were able
to ascertain that each and every
one of the 6.14 million Americans
now on the unemployment rolls
— I believe mathematicians call
this 100 percent — had failed to
emulate this model of individual
self-actualization. In layman’s
terms, they got dumped because
they weren’t rich and famous.”
Conversely, Lunchbucket
explained, in a control group of
movie stars, Nobel laureates,
fascist dictators, and illustri-
ous dead people such as Shake-
speare and King Tutankhamen,
there were absolutely no layoffs!
Treasury Secretary Timothy
F. Geithner welcomed the Insti-
BY KELLY JEAN COGSWELL
mented as gay usually are, or
will be. It’s time we admit it.
It’s time we admit how early
our differences begin to show.
And how soon we are hated.
And just redefining Ameri-
can masculinity to include
intelligent, “good,” or reli-
giously-inclined boys won’t
help gay children much at all.
In France, despite the adora-
tion of skinny intellectuals,
and a preponderance of boys
with androgynous haircuts,
bigots still beat up queers,
and queer -supportive politi-
cians get packages of human
feces in the mail. In Senegal,
where religion is a masculine
province, society still con-
ducts witch-hunts, condemns
faggots to years in jail, while
imams in dresses encourage
the gover nment to execute
men having sex with men.
No, the main reason kids
get harassed as faggots or lez-
zies is because they very well
might be. And the only thing
BY SUSIE DAY
tute’s findings. “I knew that if we
kept throwing unwarranted tax
dollars at rich and famous CEOs,
sooner or later they’d realize our
“Each American is solely responsible
for attaining success beyond his
or her wildest dreams.”
economy can’t bear the weight of
millions upon millions of compe-
tent, hardworking Nobodies sim-
ply doing their jobs,” he stated.
“On the other hand, take some-
one like Julia Roberts. She’s rich,
she’s famous, she really worked
for what she has. Especially her
face. That girl could walk into
Perspective /11
the world hates more than
homosexuals are the little kids
who might grow into them.
That hazing, that bullying is a
brutal attempt to enforce het-
erosexuality among possible
citizens of Queer Nation that
haven’t yet applied for their
permanent resident cards.
Which is why we need pro-
grams like the Rainbow Cur-
riculum — remember that?
— which was meant to teach
elementary school kids to
respect each other no matter
what. I would only change the
emphasis from “Heather’s Two
Mommies,” to Heather has a
Mom and Dad, but herself is
a lesbian child. Sexual iden-
tity, sexual orientation doesn’t
just emerge with body hair.
It’s there in the background,
shaping who we are, what we
care about from our very first
years.
And I am infuriated by
everyone, gay or innocently
straight, who is intent on
denying that a little black boy
interested in the church, good
in school, might really turn
out to be gay like a certain
James Baldwin. How simple it
is. No gay boy, no homophobia
to fight among both students
and school staff. Denying the
reality of homophobia, denying
any office or factory in America
and get any job she wants. Did
you see ‘Erin Brockovich’? Hell,
I’d hire her in a second.”
Jasper Phlegm, senior partner
at the heavy-hitting corporate
law firm of Shingles, Arse, Smeg-
ma, Merde & Beelzebub, LLP,
disagrees about Julia Roberts,
preferring the bygone, halcyon
days of Jimmy Stewart. How-
ever, Phlegm said he feels vindi-
cated by the study. “We just laid
the existence of gay children
only means more destruction,
more deaths.
“This is the crime of which
I accuse my country and my
countrymen, and for which
neither I nor time nor history
will ever forgive them, that
they have destroyed and are
destroying hundreds of thou-
sands of lives and do not know
it and do not want to know it.
One can be, indeed one must
strive to become, tough and
philosophical concerning
destruction and death, for this
is what most of mankind has
been best at since we have
heard of man. (But remem-
ber: most of mankind is not
all of mankind.) But it is not
permissible that the authors
of devastation should also be
innocent. It is the innocence
which constitutes the crime.”
Props to James Baldwin. He
was talking about racism. But
dude got it right for queers,
too.
It’s time to acknowledge gay
kids and teach even presumed
heter o o n e s t h a t t h e o n l y
answer to charges of “faggot!”
“dyke!” is a, “So what if I am?
Big deal.”
Check out Kelly Sans Culotte at
http://kellyatlarge.blogspot.com/.
off over 50 of our best support
staff,” he stated. “Why? Because
they pissed away their little lives
buying groceries, driving their
kids to cello lessons, paying the
light bills. It’s okay to play love-
able losers in the movies. I cried
watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,”
for god’s sake. But to actually
live like that — a Nobody from
Nowheresville? Ghastly.”
Ironically, the American pub-
lic, comprised largely of poor
and obscure people who also
believe in rugged, bootstrap
individualism, appears to accept
the study’s findings. Except for a
few self-avowed “Bolsheviks” who
adhere to a rather arcane theory
that the economic system itself
is at fault, Americans have dem-
䉴 EMPLOYEES, continued on p.13
12
■ PERSPECTIVE/ FAMILY TIES
W
hat is it about fami-
lies? Wars have been
fought over them.
History has been made because
of them. Comedians and thera-
pists have made millions talk-
ing about them. But when it
all boils down, family makes
us who we are, whether stand-
ing with them or running from
them. And families will bond or
break in times of crisis.
My husband Gary’s Aunt
Elda is dying. We got her can-
cer diagnosis a few months ago,
but only recently did it hit home
that there will be no success-
ful treatment for her ovarian/
GI cancer. She had lived outside
Gary’s family for many years,
in large part due to Chuck, her
husband. Chuck was perhaps
the most prejudiced, bigoted,
intolerant man I had ever met.
His willingness to make racist
or homophobic statements in
Gary’s presence was almost as
strong as his love for Elda.
In an ironic twist of fate,
Chuck’s mentor, a well-respect-
ed and successful businessman
named Ralph Thomas, was also
my father’s best friend. Chuck
would cringe when I would talk
about Ralph and his wife in very
personal terms, as I saw them
often before my father died. On
Chuck’s deathbed, everything
changed.
Chuck had suffered a series
of strokes, the last one leaving
■ PERSPECTIVE/ AGE OF AIDS STILL
Young and, Now, HIV-Positive as Well
A
hundred and thirty
years ago, when I was
21, I moved to New York
to seek my fortune, and along
the way quite quickly contract-
ed HIV disease. It was in 1989,
still a plenty scary time, but
I managed to survive by dint
of good luck, a hefty dose of
healthy denial, and some truly
caring friends. Back then, when
a young queer came up positive,
one either joined a peer-led sup-
port group at Body Positive and
talked about your feelings — as
I did — or went to the LGBT
Community Center to be sim-
ply angry and cruise hot guys in
leather jackets at ACT UP meet-
ings.
But these days, Body Posi-
Bonding, Not Breaking
BY ANTHONY M. BROWN
him unable to communicate.
Gary and I were visiting him in
the hospital when I noticed that
he was agitated. I knew from my
father’s deathbed experience
how to shift a person up in the
bed by lifting the bed pad placed
under the patient and on top of
the bed linens. I asked Chuck
if he wanted to move up. He
blinked his eyes rapidly. Gary
and I lifted the pad, and Chuck,
successfully up in the bed. As
our eyes met, I could swear I
saw him crying and with that, a
world of misunderstanding and
homophobia flew right out the
hospital window.
Gary’s father is also endur-
ing a prolonged battle with Par-
kinson’s disease, which has left
him mentally aware, yet also
unable to communicate or walk.
If he could, he would probably
yell. Italians yell, that’s just the
way it is. It took me, a South-
ern WASP with his own built-in
issues, years of therapy to real-
ize that Gary’s screaming had
more to do with his heritage
than anything I may have done.
He learned that from his par-
ents.
Even with the Parkinson’s,
Gary’s parents yell at each
other. It used to bother me, but
now either I understand it or I
am just used to it. While home
over the weekend, we watched
the ultimate tearjerker movie,
“The Notebook,” based on the
BY CHRISTOPHER MURRAY
tive’s doors are long-shuttered
and ACT-UP ain’t what it was.
In my work as a therapist, it’s
not uncommon for me to meet
and counsel young gay guys
after their doctor, one of the
city’s STD clinics, or the great
counseling and testing pro-
grams at places like Gay Men’s
Health Crisis (gmhc.org) or the
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition
on HIV/AIDS (apicha.org) tells
them the still shocking news of
their diagnosis. But what they
quickly find is that there are
precious few places to go to talk
about their situation, and the
incomprehension and rejection
that sometimes awaits them
from their uninfected peers.
How is a 20-something with HIV
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009
novel by Nicholas Sparks. It tells
the tale of a man who reads a
handwritten story to a woman
in a nursing home everyday
until she realizes, through her
dementia, that it is their love
story. For a few minutes, she
remembers, then he is a strang-
er again.
At the conclusion of the
movie, Gary’s mom was sit-
ting in Gary’s lap, both crying,
and I was holding my father-in-
law’s hand, also crying. Tears
everywhere. We all hugged each
other and, in a moment that I
will remember for the rest of my
life, Gary’s dad looked into the
eyes of his wife of over 60 years
and said with unusual clar -
ity, “I didn’t know that this was
what you’ve been dealing with.
I am sorry.” We all lost it. Gary’s
mom replied that she loved him
and that she wanted to take care
of him. More tears. Gary and
I hugged while this exchange
occurred, knowing that a gift
had just been given to everyone
in that room.
Enter Michael, Gary’s older
brother, who had been watch-
ing this whole emotional experi-
ence transpire with his girlfriend
Xiao from the other room. Xiao
is Chinese and had never met a
gay person, much less a gay cou-
ple, before dating Michael. They
have only been dating for a few
months, but things look serious.
Michael told me that Xiao had
supposed to manage?
One of the things that’s plen-
ty weird about 2009 as opposed
to back in day when I was
diagnosed is that we are deep
into the third decade of HIV in
the world, yet it’s kind of gone
underground, at least in these
United States of Queer. Sure,
advocates and organizations are
still out there doing good work,
but HIV doesn’t get mentioned
much at brunch these days,
and somehow it’s even consid-
ered a little declasse to bring it
up, like a turd in a punch bowl
as my pal Emmett likes to say.
And don’t let’s even start about
porno and the huge bareback-
ing fetish moment that every-
one is in right now. It’s all cum,
also seen the hug-fest and asked,
“How long have Tony and Gary
been together?” Michael replied,
“Almost 20 years.” Xiao said, “Do
you think we will be like that in
20 years?” Michael said, “I hope
so.”
Gary and I have become the
intimacy role models for the
Spino clan of Greensburg, Penn-
sylvania. Gary’s cousin and life-
long friend sought our advice
when her marriage was failing.
While almost everyone of my in-
laws is a devout Catholic, some
going to church everyday, Gary
and I are still a solid and happy
couple in their eyes.
Regardless what people think
about their in-laws, there are
lessons to be learned from them,
joys and sorrows to be experi-
enced because of them. These
are the things that only a family
can provide and while many on
the socially conservative side of
the aisle would discount my fam-
ily, no one can change the fact
that I am married to a man with
a family that loves and respects
both me and my husband. What
more could I ask for?
Anthony M. Brown currently
heads the Nontraditional Family
and Estates Law division of the
law firm of McKenna, Siracusano
& Chianese and is the executive
director of The Wedding Party.
He can be reached at Brown@
msclaw.net.
cum, cum, everywhere and any-
where, which is fine, I guess,
as long as people are making
informed decisions about their
behavior in conjunction with
good information about their
own health status and no illu-
sions about a partner’s poten-
tial health status.
But today’s young guys, no
matter how cute and cool and
self-confident, are still — let’s
be fair — figuring out who they
are and what they want to do
with their lives; they remain in a
kind of late-adolescence, finish-
ing-up-coming-out sort of place.
And in that slightly fuzzy zone,
they may have made some iffy
䉴 HIV-POSITIVE, continued on p.13
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 14 DAYS, from p.8
POETRY
WED.MAY.6
Art, Society &
Humanity
The LGBT community’s lesbian poet
laureate, Adrienne Rich, reads from her
new collection, “A Human Eye: Essays on
Art in Society, 1996-2008” (Norton), and
from her recent poetry. Brooklyn Pub-
lic Library, Grand Army Plaza, Park
Slope, 7 p.m. Free.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
PERFORMANCE
One Person’s Truth
The Terra Nova Collective opens the
soloNOVA Arts Festival with a tribute to
Mike Daisey, its solo Artist of the Year. In
his keynote address, Daisey presents a
provocative and fiery argument for why
solo performance is the most primal and
vital theatrical form, and how it may hold
the seeds for change and renewal across
theater as a whole. Kenneth Le Riche
presents “Clown Paintings,” a collec-
tion of figurative oil paintings; and Amy
Kalyn Sims presents “Flashlight Painting
Portraits,” photographs created using
a flashlight as the primate light source.
The festival, which runs through May 30,
features solo performances by Martin
Dockery, Preston Martin, Ryan Migge,
Leigh Evans, Micia Mosely, Haerry Kim,
Jeff Grow, Abigail Nesson Bengson,
David Eppel, and Aja Nisenson. DR2
Theatre, 103 E. 15th St., east of Union
Sq. Opening reception tonight, with
reception beginning at 5 p.m., and
Daisey’s keynote at 8 p.m. Admission
to opening night is $35. Admission to
performances is $20; $15 for students &
seniors at terranovacollective.org.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
BENEFIT
THU.MAY.7
Cheap Designer
Furnishings, Good
Cause
Housing Works Thrift Shop presents its
fifth annual Design on a Dime interior design
charity shopping extravaganza, in which
50 interior design stars (see full list) create
stunning room vignettes with brand-new
donated merchandise, then all the contents
of the vignettes are put on sale for an incred-
ible 60 to 80 percent off retail. See the list
of participating designers at housingworks.
org/dime. Proceeds benefit the New York
䉴 MAY 7, continued on p.16
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
䉴 EMPLOYEES, from p.11
onstrated a palpable lack of outrage at the
hemorrhaging of their jobs. Psychologists
suggest this response might indicate that
once individuals comprehend that they
are not, in reality, rich and famous, they
are likely to see themselves as “Nobody.”
“I know I screwed up,” said Biff Long-
shoreman, 32, who recently lost his job
as word processor at Shingles, Arse. “My
wife just gave birth to our third kid, and
he needs an operation, so I was work-
ing 12-hour days when I got downsized.
They marched me out of that building
like I’d just been caught embezzling
–– what a wake-up call. All that time, I
could have been a contender. Instead of
a bum. Let’s face it, that’s what I am.”
Dr. Felicity Sack-Boot, eminent psy-
chologist and author of the bestseller
“I’m Rich and Famous, You’re Not OK,”
has argued that self-hatred may actu-
ally play a healthy role in helping the
unemployed adjust to downward mobil-
ity. “In order for the personality to
mature under current societal norms,
people today would be wise to embrace
a whole new level of hopelessness,” she
䉴 HIV-POSITIVE, from p.12
decisions from time to time about sex,
drugs, and rock and roll. Where can they
find support?
This was the question asked of me
by two different young guys who I met
a couple of weeks ago. Both felt basi-
cally okay, having stabilized after the
initial shock of finding out they had HIV
and talking with their doctor about what
they needed to do medically. “Bart,” not
his real name, acknowledged that he
had put himself in some questionable
sexual situations and wanted to talk
that out, but was really concerned about
how he would date and if he’d be able to
find other guys his age with HIV. “Davis”
had gotten sorta carried away with
crystal meth — which hasn’t gone any-
where any more than HIV itself, even if
we aren’t talking about that at brunch
either. He felt a ton of shame about hav-
ing gotten “caught” with HIV as he put
it, and wanted to know where he could
talk with other HIV-positive guys trying
to stay away from terrible tina.
I was glad that both Bart and Davis
had found their way to me, because they
didn’t have the first idea how to find
other poz guys their age, and I hoped
I could help steer them in the right
direction a little. I let Bart know about
Strength in Numbers, the nationwide
social networking group for HIV-positive
gay guys founded by sweet San Francis-
can Bryan Levinson (sinhq.xbuild.com)
and its very active New York chapter run
by the super-gregarious David Llewellyn
(health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SIN-
NewYorkCity). I also let him know about
the two drop-in groups for HIV-positive
gay men run by the AIDS Community
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 13
stated. “We need to learn how to crush
our self-esteem to the point where our Premier Sponsors
biggest life goal is to possess the same
AIDS
basic human rights that are typically
afforded the average multinational cor-
poration.”
Lunchbucket concurred, adding
that the increasingly popular “Nobody”
identity seems to be giving rise to a
vibrant “folk” subculture that is perfect-
ing memes of self-expression, such as
family-style murder-suicides, squat-
Grand Sponsors WALK
ting in one’s own foreclosed home, and
do-it-yourself kidney transplants. While
NEW YORK
this may be acceptable behavior for the
unemployed, cautioned Lunchbucket,
people who still have their jobs should try
to remain “upbeat” and develop psycho-
MAY 17, 2009
logical defense mechanisms that prevent
depressive “bonding” with the jobless.
“When these people moan and sigh
about how they’ve wasted their lives,” SIGN UP TODAY!
Lunchbucket advised, “It’s important to
put their agony in the proper perspec-
tive. You need to step up and tell them:
‘It’s capitalism, stupid –– you’re supposed
to waste your life.’ Then turn away and
aidswalk.net
start visualizing yourself as really, really
rich and famous.”
OR
Research Initiative of America (acria.org)
that take place at the LGBT Community
(212) 807-WALK
Center (gaycenter.org) on Thursday and
Friday nights at 6:30 p.m. The T Center
also has groups for recently diagnosed
gay men.
Benefiting
For Davis, I told him about Crystal
Meth Anonymous (nycma.org), which
is largely gay and has a couple of dozen
meetings a week in New York, includ-
ing the large HIV-positive meeting every and other tri-state area
Friday night at 6:15 p.m. at the Callen- AIDS service organizations.
Lorde Community Health Center (cal-
len-lorde.org) in Chelsea.
Finally, I told them that they weren’t
alone, that there are plenty of guys with Thanks to
HIV, young and old, who are manag-
ing well and living full and rich lives. I
acknowledged that it is indeed a weird
time to be young and find out you’re
positive, that it can lead to isolation that
can cause a guy to feel the stigma that
unfortunately is still out there. But I
stressed that many people will extend a
loving, knowledgeable, and sympathet-
ic hand to them, and those who don’t
should be pitied for their ignorance and
for letting themselves be ruled by fear.
And that even with totally reasonable
apprehension about working through
issues related to confidentiality, disclo- Created and produced by MZA Events.
sure to friends and family, and negoti- AIDS Walk Founder/Producer: Craig R. Miller.
© MZA Events, 2009
ating sex and romance as a young HIV-
positive guy, they still can blaze the fab-
ulous path they were put on this earth to
Tough times won’t
create.
Christopher Murray, LCSW, is a psy-
chotherapist in private practice in Man-
hattan and can be reached via chris-
topher murray.org. He talked about
young gay men with HIV recently on
blogtalkradio.com/poziam.
break our stride.
14 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009
■ THEATER
They’re, You Know,
Talk to Temperamental
a banker Jon Marans’ new play looks at Mattachine Society’s founding days
who BY JERRY TALLMER
T
wo men who barely
know one another
understands strike up a conver-
sation — in a joint called
the Chuckwagon that looks
your like a John Wayne hangout
in the Wild West of the late
1880s. But this isn’t John
needs. Wayne’s Wild West of the
late 1880s. It’s Los Angeles,
and the year is 1950. You
remember 1950. Joe McCa-
rthy. J. Parnell Thomas.
The House Un-American
Activities Committee. The
blacklist. Korea. Eisenhow-
80 Eighth Ave. er. Don’t make waves. The
at 14th St. Silent Generation. The slip
of a lip can sink your own
101 West 14th St. ship.
One of those two men
at Sixth Ave.
in the Chuckwagon is
large, aggressive, bluff,
800 Sixth Ave. and blustery. He is 39
at 27th St. years old and his name
is Harry — Harry Hay.
354 Sixth Ave. He was born in London,
though you’d never know
at Washington Pl.
it. The other man, ten
769 Broadway years younger, is slen-
at 9th St. der, handsome, grace-
ful, quite charming,
and speaks with a slight
207 Varick St. Viennese accent. His
at Houston St. name is Rudi Gernreich.
As they are discussing, of
885 Eighth Ave. all things, the carving of
at 53rd St. cameos, Rudi suddenly
says: “Your foot, Harry.”
HARRY: What?
RUDI: Is on top of mine.
Ask about a Plus account, HARRY: And therefore
with a world of benefits protecting you.
designed to help you RUDI: Almost crushing
live in financial balance. me.
HARRY: Should I stop?
Call 1 866 837-2340 or visit RUDI: Don’t be ridicu-
us.hsbc.com/balance today. lous. I said: “Almost.”
These two anonymous
men will go on to give his-
tory an early telling shove
as co-founders — almost
20 years before Stone-
wall— of the first stand-up,
unashamed organization of
homosexuals in this coun-
try. It was called the Mat-
Deposit products offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
Member FDIC. ©2009 HSBC Bank USA, N.A. tachine Society, and its
story — or an imaginative
Michael Urie as Rudi Gernreich and Thomas Jay Ryan as Harry Hay.
THE TEMPERAMENTALS
Barrow Street Studio Theater
312 W. 36th St., third fl.
Fri.-Mon. at 8 p.m.;
Sun. at 4 p.m.
May 2 at 2 p.m.
Through May 18
$18; Smarttix.com
Or 212-868-4444.
dramatic riff on its story
— is told in “The Tempera-
mentals” — a play by Jon
Marans that’s in previews
at the Barrow Group Stu-
dio Theater, toward its May
4 world premiere. In those
days as in these days, there
were a lot of code words,
and “temperamentals” was
a code word for those who
were soon to be further
coded as gays.
It was an assignment
from San Jose Rep to write
a stage adaptation of Studs
Terkel’s “Coming of Age”
that led playwright Marans
to explore the birth of the
Mattachine Society. “That
book is about a bunch of
radicals and anarchists all
more than 70 years old but
still kicking and screaming
and loving a good fight. One
of them was Harry Hay.
When the play was done
under the title ‘Legacy’ — a
terrible title,” Marans said
with a grimace — “every
time the Harry Hay char-
acter came on, he stole the
show.” Had Marans, who is
gay, before researching the
subject, ever heard of the
Mattachine Society? “Noth-
ing. Zero. Nothing.”
Marans, whose “Old
Wicked Songs” was a big
hit in the mid-1990s —
first at the Jewish Reperto-
ry, then at the Promenade,
then around the world —
needed a hook for the Mat-
tachine play, and found
that hook in Harry Hay
(1912-2002).“He was a
very difficult human being,
who alienated a lot of peo-
ple. He had been a Com-
munist in the 1940s, and
nobody wanted to work
with him. They thought
his whole idea of a homo-
sexual organization — that
unless ‘temperamentals’
defined who they were,
the world would define
them — was lunacy. And
then he met and fell in love
with this young guy, Rudi
Gernreich [1922-1985] —
a young Jewish guy out
of Vienna,” said Marans,
a startlingly youthful
52-year -old Jewish guy
out of Pittsburgh and Silver
Springs, Maryland.
“Rudi had left Vienna
when he was 16 years
old, his family had been
wiped out in the Holo-
caust, and here he was,
in Hollywood,” Marans
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
YURI SIVO
said, on track to becom-
ing world famous as the
fashion designer who cre-
ated, among much else,
the women’s topless bath-
ing suit (one of which is
now immortalized behind
glass at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art). “When
Rudi started to become
successful, he realized
that he was going to have
to go back into the closet,”
Marans explained. “And
he stayed in the closet,
kept his secret, for the
next 35 years.”
That, too, is drama.
Somebody who is not
in Studs Terkel’s’ “Coming
of Age,” but ought to be,
is Nelson Marans, organ-
ic chemist, husband of
Rhoda Marans, and father
of Jon Marans. “My father
is the most angry public
letter writer in the Wash-
ington, DC, area. He has
letters in The New York
Times a lot. My parents,”
said their son, “are alive
and delightful.” Marans
said the same about “Tem-
peramentals” director Jon-
athan Silverstein — “such a
smart, collaborative guy. He
went to a Quaker school,
which was all about com-
munity and family. That’s
what this play is all about,”
said the man who wrote it.
“Forming a family.”
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 15
■ THEATER

Analyze This
Nazi’s, Freud, nude dudes, and Olympia Dukakis
BY DAVID KENNERLEY
The
N
ormally, I find lis-
tening to some-
body else’s dream
Math
dreadfully tedious, espe-
cially in a play. Also with
major bore potential —
stories about the Holo-
of
caust, given that the sub-

New York
ject tends to reduce to
hackneyed stereotypes.
Plays that feature Star-
bucks aren’t generally

living.
my cup of tea, either. Yet
somehow, Craig Lucas
has fashioned an unnerv-
ingly gripping new play,
titled “The Singing Forest,”
that fuses these elements
and more, much more.
“Normal,” as any Lucas
fan knows, has very little
to do with it. The convo-
luted, conflicted plot reg-

isters like a dream — and
by “dream,” I don’t mean
idealized fantasy, but the
kind you wake up from in
a cold sweat, heart racing,
scratching your head.
Forming the play’s
nucleus is Loe Rieman
(Olympia Dukakis, in top
form), a Holocaust sur-
vivor living in New York
City at the dawn of the
21st century. A former
psychoanalyst who stud-
ied under Freud, she
had her license revoked,
and, understandably, is
haunted by a horrific past,
adapting as best she can
with the help of multiple
goblets of wine. Swirling
around Loe is a swarm of
emotionally stunted char-
acters — her estranged
gay son, Oliver (Mark
Blum), a practicing thera-
pist himself, who years
ago derailed her career;
her hysterical daughter
Bertha (Deborah Offner),
who murdered her own
husband in a jealous rage;
Jules (Louis Cancelmi),
her gay nephew on the
run from the media; Gray
(Jonathan Groff), an actor
Jules hired to imperson-
ate him; Gray’s testy
girlfriend, Beth (Susan
Pourfar), a server at Star-
bucks; and Lazlo (Randy
Harrison), Beth’s cute co-
Jonathan Groff and Olympia Dukakis, in the foreground, and Susan Pourfar in Craig Lucas’ “The Singing Forest.”
THE SINGING FOREST
The Public Theater
425 Lafayette St., below
Cooper Sq.
Through May 17
Tue. at 7 p.m.;
Wed.-Sat. at p.m.;
Sun. at 2 & 7 p.m.
$25-$70; publictheater.org
Or 212-967-7555
worker, who also happens
to be Oliver’s boytoy.
Got all that? Actually, it
doesn’t much matter. The
whirl of fragments is more
important than the specif-
ics. Particularly chilling is
the scene where Gray calls
a woman from the escort
pages of the Village Voice
for solace and release.
The woman, we soon
discover, is Loe, using a
voice-changing device.
Creepily, the phone sex
session quickly gives way
to a therapy session. As
the evening unfolds, we
witness other bizarre con-
nections. Coincidences?
“The Singing Forest”
reminds us repeatedly,
“There is no such thing as
coincidence,” echoing one
of Freud’s dictates.
Lucas has never been
inclined to limit himself
when it comes to content.
The supernatural “Pre-
lude to a Kiss” involved
a young woman and old
man exchanging souls.
His effort from earlier this
season, “A Prayer for My
Enemy,” was freighted
with enough ideas for a
lifetime of plays. Yet in
“The Singing Forest,” the
inquisitive playwright has
hit upon the ideal free-
form anti-structure — the
frenzied dream. Director
Mark Wing-Davey under-
stands this, taking an oth-
erwise inchoate morass
and shaping the material
for maximum emotional
impact.
To be sure, the erratic
pacing, jarring flash-
backs, and tone shifts can
be bewildering. Toward
play’s end, the comic
drama ramps up to full-
on farce, with all charac-
ters improbably uniting
at Loe’s home in Staten
Island; Freud would have
called this a catharsis.
The cluttered mountains
of priceless furnishings
CAROL ROSEGG
choices
and collectables rescued
from the Nazi invasion,
including a painting by
Klimt, reflect Loe’s pain-
fully overstuffed psyche as
much as an actual stash
of beloved belongings. The
flashback scenes, set in
Vienna and London in the
1930s, shed light on Loe’s
damaged psyche and add
judgments
another layer of density to
the proceedings. The tal-
ented cast does a wonder-
ful job distinguishing the
characters in that remote
locale from their primary
roles. The dual roles add
to the dreamlike nature of
Talk to bankers who
the play. value your differences as
In keeping with the much as your finances.
otherworldly quality,
John McDermott creat- Call 1 866 837-2340 or visit
ed a rather disturbingly us.hsbc.com/balance today.
dour set with wood-
paneled walls where the
paint looks stripped off.
Even the Starbucks cafe
looks unwelcoming.
If you liked seeing
Groff naked in “Spring
Awakening” and “Hair”
(oh wait — he was the
only one who didn’t
Deposit products offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
Member FDIC. ©2009 HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
䉴 ANALYZE, continued on p.19

16/ Theater
A Weekend in the Country
Imported “Norman Conquests” is a triumph
BY CHRISTOPHER BYRNE
I
f one is very lucky, the the-
ater can offer a once-in-a-
lifetime experience so amaz-
ing it becomes indelibly etched
in your heart and mind with
just one viewing. In the epic
category, the original “Nicholas
Nickleby” and the recent “Coast
of Utopia” stand out.
Add one more to this very
small list — the new production
of “The Norman Conquests,”
transplanted from London’s Old
Vic, in New York only through
July. This is a must-see event,
offering full license to indulge
in superlative scripts, flawless
direction, and a phenomenal
cast. Audiences will be lavishly
entertained, rendered almost
helpless with laughter, and
deeply touched. The story is an
orgy of family dysfunction and
the inherent bittersweet comedy
that comes with the territory.
Echoes of Chekhov are inescap-
able as longing, loneliness, frus-
tration, and desire compete for
attention, even as the lachry-
mose and the laughable collide.
The three plays chronicle the
interactions of three siblings
and respective partners over
a weekend at the family home.
The first play, “Table Manners,”
takes place in the dining room.
The second, “Living Together,”
is set in the living room, and the
final, “Round and Round the
Garden,” is outside on the lawn.
(That’s the order I saw them in
at a Saturday three-play mara-
thon, but the plays are so bril-
liantly structured I’m not sure
it matters which order they’re
seen in. As we go back and forth
in time, the stories, like an intri-
cate puzzle, begin to fit together,
as we see what was going on
in the living room while other
scenes were happening outside
or in the dining room.
Annie, a spinster, lives in the
family home where she cares
for her ailing mother and has a
relationship, of sorts, with Tom.
The relationship lacks romance,
and she has decided to run away
for an illicit weekend with her
sister Ruth’s husband, Norman,
and has asked her brother Reg
and his high-strung, control-
ling wife, Sarah, to come for the
Stephen Mangan as Norman, seen in “Round and Round the Garden,” one of three in “The Norman Conquests.”
THE NORMAN CONQUESTS
Circle in the Square
Tue. at 7 p.m.; Wed. at 2 p.m.
Wed.-Fri. at 8 p.m.
Sat. marathon at 11:30 a.m.,
3:30 & 8 p.m.
Through Jul. 26
Circle in the Square
1633 Broadway at 50th St.
$107; three-play package, $255
Telecharge.com or 212-239-6200
weekend. Chaos is inevitable as
plans are thwarted, old resent-
ments come to the surface,
tensions abound, and we see
the thousands of little details
that make up the utter messes
endemic to families. At the cen-
ter of it all is Norman, a case of
very un-British arrested devel-
opment who invites the others
to passion and freedom, chal-
lenging their established choic-
es and becoming the catalyst for
all the action.
The accumulation of infor-
mation and character becomes
richer and deeper with each
scene. It’s not that the story
really goes anywhere. The char-
acters remain as lost, frustrat-
ed, and confused as they were at
the beginning, though perhaps
in slightly different ways. Each
play has a different tone, and
as the slapstick hilarity of “Liv-
ing Together” gives way to the
darker but still often very funny
“Round and Round the Gar -
den,” the empathy and affection
for these characters grows as
well. Even if the destination is
neither dramatic nor conclusive,
the journey is simply divine. By
the time I took my seat for the
third play, I couldn’t wait to be
back with these characters. Nor,
for that matter, could the audi-
ence. The excited buzzing and
conversation created an instant
community as we waited to see
what would transpire.
Matthew Warchus has direct-
ed with breathtaking skill and
precision. The balance of com-
edy and character is perfect as
is the attention to detail, and
the staging in the round is con-
stantly intriguing.
The company is simply one
of the finest ensembles I’ve
seen. As Sarah, Amanda Root is
splendid as a woman constantly
teetering on one brink or anoth-
er. Sarah is inherently comic,
but Root infuses her with so
much neurosis that she’s com-
pelling as well. Jessica Hynes
is brilliant as Annie, caught in
the middle of everything. Ame-
lia Bullmore shines as Ruth, a
RICHARD TERMINE
successful career woman who
battles with Sarah over her
decision not to have kids, what
makes a successful woman, and
why she stays with the chaotic
Norman. Paul Ritter is perfect
as Reg, Sarah’s husband, who
has buried his frustration with
marriage and family in creating
impossible board games. Ben
Miles is extraordinary as Tom,
whose placid nature should not
be mistaken for a lack of pas-
sion or a caring heart.
As Norman, Stephen Mangan
is outlandish and magnificent,
seeming both the most emotion-
ally evolved and the most self-
involved.
The six actors work perfectly
together, and the interplay of
shifting energies seems very
much like the dynamics of a
real family trying to get along.
They are dazzling, and even
more so when one considers
that they are playing characters
and events out of sequence and
yet making absolute sense of it
all at every moment.
The wonderful scenery and
costumes are by Rob Howell.
We are transported to the early
1970s, which is sociologically sig-
nificant, given the choices Ruth,
Sarah, and Norman make.
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 7, from p.12
AIDS housing, services, and advocacy
organization. Opening night VIP shopping
and party at Metropolitan Pavilion,
125 W. 18th St., 6-9 p.m. Admission is
$150 at housingworks.org/dime or 212-
645-8111 ext. 164. Shop free on May 8
& 9, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
NIGHTLIFE
FRI.MAY.8
Embrace Your
Adulthood
Men of All Colors Together/ NY
(MACT) presents the Hard Candy
Lounge, a new choice mature gay men
have for socializing in a more relaxed,
casual atmosphere. The lounge promis-
es an unpretentious atmosphere, music,
snacks, and beverages in a welcoming
environment. LGBT Community Cen-
ter, 208 W. 13th St., 8 p.m. Admission is
$5. You must be at least 21.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
Bears in Fur Blast
Off
In one of the premier events that
has sprung up in tandem with the Urban
Bear Weekend Festival in New York, NY
Metrobears present the Furball Blast-Off
Party, with sperm-meister DJ Man Parrish
helming the sounds. Ramrod (formerly
Dugout), 185 Christopher St. at Wee-
hawken St. For complete information on
the weekend, including a late-night Rus-
sian spa pool party, a fuzz fest in Central
Park, and a rooftop garden BBQ & beer
blast, visit urbanbearweekend.com.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
NIGHTLIFE
SAT.MAY.9
Furball 208
Dance: 208 presents its annual Furball,
marking the Urban Bear Weekend Festival
(urbanbearweekend.com), and celebrating
everything furry and fuzzy. DJ Hex Hec-
tor spins on the main floor, with DJ Man
Parrish upstairs in the Mustache Garage
Lounge. Two floors of dancing, go-go
bears, cheap beer, bear art, and warm,
warm fur on more than 700 furry friends.
What are you waiting for? LGBT Com-
munity Center, 208 W. 13th St., 8 p.m.-
1 a.m. Admission is $10; $8 at gaycenter.
org; $6 for all bear club members with ID.
䉴 MAY 9, continued on p.17
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS Awkwardly Credible
14 NIGHTS Toward an adjudication model for dance reviews
䉴 MAY 9, from p.16
Boogie Down
Dance
In a four-week festival running through
Jun. 3, the Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance
presents “The Boogie Down Dance Series
at BAAD!” Professional dance companies
from the Bronx, led by resident company
Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre, are joined
by evenings of Brooklyn and Queens cho-
reographers, Dance Theater Workshop’s
choreographer in residence Maria Colaco,
an open rehearsal with John Jasperse, a
special night with Archie Burnett, Future
Ninja, and others artists who transport
house dancing from the clubs to the stage,
and a master class with the award-winning
Desmond Richardson, an award-winning
veteran of Alvin Ailey and American Ballet
Theater, who founded Complexions in 1994.
The series kicks off tonight with a thrilling
evening that criss-crosses New York City’s
“outer boroughs” with works from Brooklyn
to Queens landing in the Bronx. Creative
Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn brings
their latest production, Forces, a contempo-
rary and African laced dance that follows
䉴 MAY 9, continued on p.17
Written and Directed by David Shiner
■ DANCE
BY BRIAN MCCORMICK
P
ardon my metacriticism,
particularly in this vul-
gar, first-person form. But
for some time now, I have been
beleaguered by the systemic fail-
ures at every level in the dance
world. Foundations scatter
crumbs and institutions scurry
after them, but no one is bring-
ing people together to teach them
how to make bread. Present-
ers, buoyed by little more than
the same foundations and their
own entrenched ideologies, jug-
gle a handful of artists amongst
themselves. Even national pro-
grams fail to distinguish them-
selves from the same ol’ same ol.’
Exacerbating this systemic dys-
function is its very 20th century
mechanical epistemology, where
each gear must move in order
for the others to move as well.
And as in Detroit, the grease has
dried up.
At the very lowest level of this
lowest of the arts food chain
– The New-York Times
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 17
is the dance critic –– although
judging from most dance critics’
judgments, the dancers corre-
spond to plankton or clay. Cer-
tainly, I’m not immune from the
failings that come with this par-
ticular social function, but I have
begun to question its validity as
it exists in its current form.
How much does one opinion
matter? How informed should
that opinion be? Why do art-
ists and institutions continue
to extend professional courte-
sies when the same professional
respect is not reciprocated? I
have advocated radical action
like discontinuing the longstand-
ing practice of providing compli-
mentary tickets to the press. In
other markets, it is considered
inappropriate just because of
the perception of pay-for-play,
or tickets-for-review. Here, that’s
solved with reviews that attack
artistic theme, music choices,
dancer bodies, and regional cul-
䉴 CREDIBLE, continued on p.19 “McCormick is my favorite dance critic; he puts people before profit.” –– Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
PRESENTED BY
“Rock Solid”
NOW PLAYING
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY
CIRQUEDUSOLEIL.COM
LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
UNDER THE GRAND CHAPITEAU
AT RANDALL’S ISLAND PARK
ASK FOR THE ULTIMATE VIP EXPERIENCE, TAPIS ROUGE ™

GROUP SALES AND : 1 800 450-1480
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
MEDIA PARTNER

18/ Opera
Last Call On Met “Ring”
“Rheingold” opens Wagnerian floodgates
BY DAVID SHENGOLD
F
or two decades the Met
has used Otto Schenk’s
ultra-traditional “Ring
des Nibelungen” as an aes-
thetic calling card — not to
mention a cash cow. Guenther
Schneider-Siemssen’s pictorial
sets and, especially, Rolf Lan-
genfass’ costumes may suggest
“Prince Valiant,” but along with
the blocking they do approxi-
mate what Wagner specified in
his stage directions — though,
sadly, Fricka’s ram-led chariot
remains unseen. I have been
taken to task for terming this
an “idea-free” production,
but that it remains. Wagner’s
hugely involving tetralogy is
best enjoyed as music and as
a saga of an overambitious,
doomed family (in the vein of
“The Magnificent Ambersons”),
but the supposed inherent
philosophical depths don’t
exist here. A brilliant produc-
er — most notably in our era,
Patrice Chereau — can ensure
they survive.
This staging, a showpiece for
James Levine’s heroic improve-
ment of the Met Orchestra, has
often presented the world’s
presumptive Wagnerian elite
— for all that has meant at any
given time, as there have been
long nights enduring T oni
Kraemer and Gudrun Volkert.
But, for better or worse, the
Met’s cycles have been a ref-
uge for those who detest the
pervasive European concept
of “Regietheater” stagings re-
contextualizing a given work,
often in socio-historical glosses
and/or visual updating. Once
again for better or worse, New
Yorkers can expect such a Met
staging from Robert Lepage
starting in 2010-11.
So March 25, for the first
“Rheingold” (as it were, the
beginning of the end, as in
Wagner’s cosmology) there
was understandably a sense of
“event-ness” — with hard-core
devotees in horned helmets
plus boundless ovations for
everyone involved, including
the rather frail-looking Schenk
— that was not borne out by
the actual performance. No
one was bad; nor was any one
In the role of Wotan, James Morris enjoyed striking moments vocally and displayed the gravitas
he’s attained.
WAGNER’S RING CYCLE
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
Apr. 25 at noon;
Apr. 27, May 4 at 8 p.m.;
Apr. 30, May 2, 7 at 6 p.m.;
May 9 at 6:30 p.m.
$15-$650; metopera.org
impersonation outstanding or
likely to linger long in the mem-
ory. The best vocalism ema-
nated from the Rhine’s depths,
with Lisette Oropesa, Kate
Lindsey, and Tamara Mumford
channeling the Gabor Sisters.
Wendy Bryn Harmer’s shin-
ing soprano and youth suited
Freia well, and Gerhard Siegel
seemed a fully qualified Mime;
we’ll have hours more to find
out in “Siegfried.”
James Morris’ Wotan, long
the lynchpin of this stag-
ing, started nearly inaudibly
but steadily warmed up; it’s
not what it was, but striking
moments remain vocally and
he’s attained gravitas. For a
61-year-old with the company
since 1971, he’s pretty remark-
able. High mezzo Yvonne Naef
(Fricka), an expressive, versa-
tile, first-rate artist, possesses a
second-rate timbre. It happens.
Hard words have peppered
this column about the Met’s
tendency to needlessly hire sec-
ond-rate and/or passé British
singers. Fortunately, neither
Kim Begley (Loge) nor veteran
bass John Tomlinson (Fafner)
falls in this category. Both gave
esting portrait of a somewhat
weary village playboy fatally
caught between duty and the
call of one last fling. His meth-
od remains an odd one, but
he managed reasonably good
sound and gave the oft-shout-
ed-through “Addio alla madre”
a dynamic variety that made it
the more moving. The almost-
improvised-seeming Canio, for
BEATRIZ SCHILLER/ METROPOLITAN OPERA
which Cura has all the assets,
just didn’t add up as a unified
character, and the vocalism
but rarely sparked excitement.
Ildiko Komlosi, margin-
ally in and out of New York
for a decade, enjoyed war -
ranted exposure this year as
Herodias and (now) Santuzza.
Something of a throwback
to Bing’s Eastern European
vivid, well-sung impersonations mezzo brigade, the Hungarian
— if not attaining the heights singer made a highly capable
of, say, Siegfreid Jerusalem Santuzza — moving, dignified,
or Philip Langridge as the Fire and quite well sung. If not a
God, or Matti Salminen as the dewy-fresh teen, neither was
fratricidal giant. Cura’s seducer, together they
An excess of extra-musical made something more com-
chortling marred Richard Paul plex and real of their long duo
Fink’s otherwise high-quality scene than I’ve seen in this
Alberich. The often fabulous staging for years. This pun-
Jill Grove (Erda) sounded off ishing role tests mezzos to the
form. The horns had a rough limit, but — certainly more
night, putting smudgy attacks than her ill-fated predecessors
on playing otherwise very sat- this season — Komlosi had
isfying — though doubtless the notes at her command,
to tighten up in subsequent even managing some tell-
“Ring” excursions through ing dynamic contrast. Ginger
May 9. If you’ve never heard Costa-Jackson, an aptly sul-
any of this “Ring,” definitely try try Lola, should enlighten the
and obtain seats for at least one family member who shouted a
segment: the orchestral playing solitary “Brava!” after the last
alone will reward you, and — to note she sang — in mid-scene
the happiness of many of us — — that such displays dampen
you may never see its Classic audience sympathy.
Comics like again. The Silvio of Vasili Ladyuk —
a poetic Prince Andrei in 2007’s
“C
avalleria rusticana” “War and Peace” — started
and “Pagliacci” weakly but warmed to his task,
showcased their showing a notably fine upper
second casts March 30, nota- register. The crowd’s favorite
bly slowly led by Pietro Rizzo, was old-fashioned barnstormer
one of several young, under - Alberto Mastromarino (Alfio/
whelming new Met conductors Tonio), not a “historically great”
this season. The ever-puzzling, baritone but a savvy singer
even-uneven Argentine tenor with the tonal resources to tell
Jose Cura took over the eve- throughout the house and —
ning’s double duty — Mascag- as one wise observer noted —
ni’s Turiddu and Leoncavallo’s a palpable enjoyment of per -
Canio — from Roberto Alagna. forming no longer so common.
Cura fared better in the Mas-
cagni work, tapping into the David Shengold (shengold@
self-hatred that most Turid- yahoo.com) writes about opera
dus miss, creating an inter - for many venues.
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 9, from p.17
the structure of a hurricane. Paz Tanjuaquio
and Todd Richmond’s Queens-based Topaz
Arts Dance Productions presents a seam-
less collaboration that integrates dance and
new music with film, visual arts and tech-
nology that the New York Times calls “intel-
ligently conceived, image-filled dance.”
BAAD, 841 Barretto St., btwn. Garri-
son & Lafayette Aves., Hunts Point in
the South Bronx (Hunts Point Ave. on
the #6 train), 8 p.m. Admission is $20 at
bronxacademyofartsanddance.org/. For a
complete schedule through Jun. 3, visit the
BAAD website.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
ACTIVISM
TUE.MAY.12
Homophobia in
Jamaica
Activist Wayne Been, executive direc-
tor of Truth Wins Out, which exposes lies
about the “ex-gay” movement, discusses
the Boycott Jamaica Campaign, an effort
to battle the endemic anti-LGBT violence
in that island nation by withholding finan-
cial support for its tourism industry and its
exports. Been appears as part of the LGBT
Community Center’s Second Tuesday Lec-
ture Series. 208 W. 13th St., reception at
6 p.m.; program at 7. For more information
on the campaign, visit BoycottJamaica.org.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
BENEFIT
Cello Latino
The Latino Commission on AIDS,
which serves New York’s diverse His-
panic communities, hosts the nation’s
largest Latino HIV fundraiser. The eve-
ning, which includes a cocktail recep-
tion, silent auction, dinner, awards
presentation, and dancing, will be
emceed by actor Wilmer Valeria and
Deana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008,
and will include live entertainment
by Latin Grammy Award-winning gui-
tarist Hernan Romero and Jorge Vil-
lamizar, the former lead singer of the
Grammy award-winning band Bacilos.
Other guests include Rosie Perez, Lupi
Ontiveros, and Jaslene Gonzales from
“America’s Next Top Model.” Honorees
include Dr. Angela Diaz, director of the
Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Cen-
ter, and, posthumously, Pedro Zamora.
Cipriani’s Wall Street, 55 Wall St.,
6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner. Tick-
ets begin at $600 at latinoaids.org.
䉴 MAY 12, continued on p.24
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
䉴 ANALYZE, from p.15
strip in the Central Park production),
you can get another eyeful here. Per-
haps as a nod to his gay audience,
and offering welcome relief from the
onerous plot intricacies, the openly gay
playwright devised a scene where Gray
meets with a fully nude Jules in a sauna
and must also undress. In a flashback
scene where they play persecuted lov-
ers, Groff and Cancelmi lock lips.
Stretching nearly three hours with
two intermissions, “The Singing Forest”
is not for everyone. The unorthodox take
䉴 CREDIBLE, from p.17
ture –– if it’s a bad review, you can’t be
accused of being bought.
Newspapers are about to retire. New
ways of engaging have already gone main-
stream, and the artists and their audi-
ences are active in online communities
that are democratic, participatory, and,
most importantly, user-directed. The age
of a singular opinion holding substantial
sway is over. The best thing about the new
dialogue is that it is artist-centric, which
makes sense for an art form where the
audience is made up of a lot of artists and
those who love them.
Instead of snarky commentary framed
by a singular viewing of the final work, or
the even more unscrupulous deconstruc-
DC C
Cowboys
owb ys
owboy
Comedy
Comed
dy o
dy off AN
ANT
NT Chriistin
hri st e Martucci
Christine Maartuc
uccii
The Stars Shine Brighter In New Hope!
May 15th–17th Come For Our 6th Annual Pride Weekend...
We’ve Got Something For Everyone:
Our Annual Pride Parade, History Tours, Art Exhibits, Softball Games, Family Activities,
Indoor & Outdoor Entertainment, Dances And Much More!
Visit NHC Online For Updates & Event Info www.newhopecelabrates.com
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 19
on Freud, dream interpretation, com-
pulsion, shame, persecution of Jews
and homosexuals, making amends, and
the quest to cobble together a better self
are rewarding only for those willing to
accept the barrage. Like a good dream,
the production is alternately cryptic,
infuriating, mesmerizing, and, yes, at
times tedious.
Is “The Singing Forest” preposterous,
self-indulgent claptrap or darkly lyrical,
scintillating brilliance? Run down to
the Public Theater, imagine your seat
is a therapist’s chair, and analyze for
yourself.
tion of the press release or program notes,
there is real adjudication going on and
copious communal support. How can one
person’s experience of an hour-long work,
no matter how informed that person
is, compare to the rich discussion –– in
words, movement, video, images, music,
links, rehearsal, residencies, showings,
and live presentations that take place over
the life of a dance?
I look forward to plenty of one-night
stands with dance –– I’ll pay, but people
will talk –– and I’ll certainly have an opin-
ion about every experience, but that will
be the least of my concerns. I’ll never
compare you to other lovers, or to our first
time, and I promise to be thinking about
you, all of you, and not about me. BTW,
I’m at twitter.com/bmacmedia.
Big Apple Marching Band Miss
Mis
isss Pum
Miss Pumpkin
pkin!
ki !
Pumpkin!
Josh
hZZuc
uckerm
kerman
an
Zuckerman
DJ Mark
DJ M
Maaark
rkk Picchiotti
Picch
Pi
Picchio
hiotti
Lunch s D I N N E R s Co c k t a i l s
zoubi
a restaurant,ABARsOpening again soon, yea!
20 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

■ IN THE NOH

John, Pat and Ned

Three seasoned pros talk about acting, singing and composing
BY DAVID NOH thing that will make him angry,’ and I saw him we had lunch in Studio City, and
said ‘all right, Bub, this time your fuckin’ I thought he looked a little thin. I went to

J
ohn Schuck is appearing in Paper- head’s coming right off!’ And bam! He hit London to do ‘The Caine Mutiny’ with
mill Playhouse’s dynamic revival of me hard, apologizing later, ‘Reflex, man, Charlton Heston as Queeg, and Chuck
the musical “1776,” and, at a press reflex!’ And Bob left it in the picture.” wanted to leave after five months. I went
preview, I got to chat with this actor I’ve Schuck feels his best work was in Alt- to the producers and suggested Rock to
admired since I was a kid in Hawaii, man’s “Thieves Like Us,” but also has a take over his part. Throughout his career,
waiting with bated breath for every new special regard for the great “McCabe and he always wanted to become a better actor,
Robert Altman film, in which he’d invari- Mrs. Miller”: “The thing about Bob’s mov- doing things like ‘John Brown’s Body’ and
ably appear as part of the treasurable ies was always, if you could enter into the ‘Camelot,’ so brave. The producer came
stock company. Full of praise for Gor- world he created, you were going to love back and said, ‘He’s sick.’ ‘What do you
don Greenberg’s fresh directorial take it, and this was so accessible as an envi- mean?’ ‘He has AIDS.’ The last time I saw
of “1776,” Schuck reminisced about his ronment. You really felt like you stepped him was probably two or three days before
colorful career. He made his film debut into the West in the 1800s. We shot it on he passed away. He came downstairs very
in “MASH” (1970), and said, coming top of a housing project in British Colum- slowly, and I was there with his ward-
from San Francisco theater, he was ini- bia, very cold, and everybody got into the robe and makeup men of many years. We
tially snobbish about movies, but soon spirit of it.” laughed for about half an hour and said
got over that: “Few of us in the cast had Warren Beatty, it is said, totally dis- goodbye and that was it. But I miss him.”
ever made a movie before, but we were avows this film, but Schuck never saw

having a ball, and then there was the
excitement having the first thing you’ve
ever done become such a big movie and
last all these years.”
Schuck holds the distinction of being
the first actor to say “fuck” in a main-
stream Hollywood movie: “I did it as a
joke. Altman had put Andy Sedaris from
ABC Sports in charge of directing the
second unit stuff, which was the foot-
Patrice Munsel featured on Time magazine’s cover in 1951.
ball game. He told me, “Okay, Schuck,
line up against Ben Davidson, this brute
of a pro football player, and I had never
played it in my life. Andy said, ‘Say some-
any particular tension on the set: “He was
going with Julie [Christie, his co-star] at
the time, and things seemed quite harmo-
nious. But I was there one night when we
had done about 14 takes of a scene that
begins when I throw a cat off a table. War-
ren likes to do a lot of takes, and finally
Bob said, ‘I’m satisfied. Warren, if you
want to do more, be my guest,’ and left.
We did another ten takes, but I was later
told by our cameraman, Vilmos [Zsig-
mond], that he had run out of film long
before and hadn’t bothered to replace it.
“Julie was extraordinarily professional,
so prepared both in terms of her home-
work and ability to be in the moment for
whatever happens, and a lot of unplanned
stuff happens during shooting. What I
found most interesting about her was
when we went do some post-production
sound looping I said, ‘I find this so difficult
to do,’ and she said, ‘Oh, I love it. I usually
re-record every line. This is where I create
my performance.’”
Schuck also appeared for six years on
the TV show “MacMillan and Wife” with
Rock Hudson: “I had a fantastic friendship
with Rock, or Roy. He had the most fantas-
tic sense of humor. One of the last times I
O
pera diva Patrice Munsel will be
teaching a master class at the
West Side YMCA at 7 p.m. on
May 4, with Andres Andrade’s Citywide
Youth Opera. She made her Met debut
at 17, and did coloratura roles there for
15 years, as well as having her own TV
show, musical comedy roles (“Mame”
being her favorite), radio, nightclubs,
concerts, and the starring role in the
movie “Melba.” Inexhaustibly vibrant
and funny, she’s just survived a tough
year, losing both her husband and a
son, but is inspired by Andrade’s ter-
rific work with young singers who may
not have the opportunities a Juilliard
provides.
Munsel is a fabulous raconteur, full
of tales of the greats she’s known: “I
was doing a romantic duet with Jussi
Bjoerling once. My father was a dentist,
and because my side teeth were not as
even as he wanted, he made me two
little push-on caps so I’d have the per-
fect smile when performing, We were
in middle of a very passionate kiss on
stage, and one of my caps came off and
䉴 IN THE NOH, continued on p.21

“A THRILLING MUSICAL DAZZLER!”

- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

EVERY
LITTLE STEP
THE JOURNEY OF ‘A CHORUS LINE’

PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY JAMES D. STERN & ADAM DEL DEO

WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM
FOR GROUP SALES, CONTACT:
everylittlestep.group@gmail.com
Sponsors: The Phoenix, Provincetown Banner,
HBO, Bacardi, Crown & Anchor, Art House, LINCOLN PLAZA CINEMAS CITY CINEMAS CLEARVIEW CINEMAS
Mass. Cultural Council, Visitors Service Bureau
BROADWAY BETWEEN 62ND ANGELIKA FILM CENTER CHELSEA CINEMAS
& 63RD STREET FOR INFO & ADVANCE CORNER OF HOUSTON 23RD STREET BETWEEN
TICKETS, CALL 212-757-2280 OR VISIT & MERCER STREET 7TH & 8TH AVENUE

,'/%+/.%=@CD■NNN%GKFNE=@CD=<JK%FI>
WWW.LINCOLNPLAZACINEMA.COM 1-800-FANDANGO #2707 777-FILM #597
VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.EVERYLITTLESTEPFILM.COM
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
Gay composer and diarist Ned Rorem, photographed in 1956 by Horst.
䉴 IN THE NOH, from p.20
somehow passed into Jussi’s mouth. I said
through pressed lips, ‘Pass it back!’ and he
finally did, and I was able to drop it down
the front of my costume, but things were a
little touchy and we never had as passion-
ate a kiss again.”
“Melba” was actually a disappoint-
ment to her, as Nellie Melba’s family
wouldn’t allow her real tale, filled with
lovers and deserted husband and kids,
to be told, “but I get to sing aria after aria
and that was a lot of fun. Extraordinary
Martita Hunt played my singing teacher,
in a wheelchair. She liked to tipple a bit,
so under the blanket over her knees she
had a bottle of I think a good whiskey,
and when she was off camera she’d take
a few slugs. It didn’t matter how much
whiskey she drank — the moment the
camera went on, she was there with her
powerful acting and personality.”
Munsel was always known for her
great chic; she said she discovered then
little-known designer Arnold Scaasi
when she found an evening coat of his
on sale at Lord & Taylor’s. He went on
to design her clothes for her TV and Las
Vegas appearances. “And I got to know
Adrian when I did ‘Romeo & Juliet’ at the
Met and asked if he would permit me to
copy the costumes he did for the 1936
movie. He was dear enough to send me
the sketches, and I had them copied and
they were extraordinary. A great design-
er — we all wore those huge shoulders of
his for years. Charles James was so fab-
ulous and so underrated: people didn’t
know anything about him except for the
design world. His clothes were so beau-
tifully constructed you didn’t have to
wear anything under them, just a bikini.
I never should have parted with any of
those — gave a lot of them away and that
>Ê˜œÜ
was madness.”
O
n May 11 at Carnegie Hall, mezzo
Susan Graham will be singing
11 songs by Ned Rorem with the
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. I spoke
with Rorem, in his home in Nantucket:
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 21
“I’m very pleased that a well-known singer
is devoting that much of her program to
a living composer, because that doesn’t
happen. Mostly singers don’t sing any-
thing contemporary and if they do, it
would be Ravel or maybe Copland, but
I think she’s doing it because she cares
and is not just being politically correct.
America is the only country in the world
where its own music is last on the list. The
French perform French music, Germans
German, but if Americans do anything,
it’s the same old thing, like spirituals.
“I’m a big admirer of Susan: she has
a real voice, but I don’t care how good a Gay,
voice it is, unless the diction is also clear
for you to understand the words, which Str8,
are sometimes complex. So I think she’s Bi,
an ideal singer for living English language Curious?
music. Five or six songs were written
expressly for her, and others were those
she chose. James Holmes, my late part-
ner, had a church choir, which she sang
in, and I didn’t realize this until she told
me later. Before she became famous, she
was one of James’ treasures. Asked to
name his favorite all-time singers, Rorem
lists Jennie Tourel, Donald Graham,
Charles Bressler, and Phyllis Curtin.
Rorem’s famous published diaries pro-
vided a frank, pre-Stonewall portrait of a
young gay man’s life: “I had never thought
of myself as a writer, just kept a diary and
when they decided to publish, I didn’t
change it and didn’t realize anyone would
react to it as anything exceptional. Homo-
sexuality was not exceptional to me. I’ve
never tried to hide it or thought anything
special about it. They’re not in print any-
more, but you can still get them on Ama-
zon, and I’m glad that they’re available
under any circumstances. I’ve stopped
writing them. I’ve said almost everything
I have to say in diary form. I stopped after
the first ones were published. It’s different /ÀÞʈÌÊÀiiÊUÊ
to write something and know it’s going to
be published. It’s not the same because
646-731-6658
then you write for somebody else’ eyes.”
Contact David Noh at Inthenoh@aol.
com and check out his new blog at http://
nohway.wordpress.com/. 1800GayLive.com MC 7003 Ent only 18+ *Limited Free Trial Photography by Kevin E. McPherson
22 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

䉴 KURLAND, from p.6
standing up to a police department pol-
icy requiring permits for any crowd of
at least 50, despite her often-expressed
criticism of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani
for his efforts to curb free assembly
and expression? Again, the challenger
is indirect in taking on the incumbent.
“Do I think that that Chris has lost
her way or turned her back on civil lib-
erties issues?” Kurland said. “It’s not
my place to say. I don’t get to decide
that. You can ask her. But what I will
say and what I think is important about
this election — and I can say specifi-
cally on the term limits issue — this is
not about any individual elected offi-
cial. If any of us, if one of us loses our
way or turns our back or stops being
the progressive advocate that we had
elected initially, what we need to do as
a community and how we know that
democracy works is that we realign by
voting someone out of that office.” Then
she added, “I think that our ability to
use public space and express ourselves
is fundamental to our identity as New
Yorkers.”
Kurland expressed her most spe-
cific disagreements with Quinn over
AIDS issues. Asked about a proposal
championed by a number of leading
AIDS services group, most prominently
Housing Works, that would give any-
one who tests positive for HIV an enti-
tlement to government assistance in more than $4 million in funding for
finding and paying for their housing, AIDS.
she termed it “a wonderful idea. I think The challenger’s criticisms of cur -
it’s forward thinking.” The proposal, rent city AIDS policy also extend to the
dubbed HASA for All after the acronym Bloomberg administration. She spe-
for the city agency that serves those cifically faulted Health Commissioner
living with AIDS, has been justified by Thomas R. Frieden for his proposal to
advocates, in good part, based on the end the requirement that doctors get
argument that people living in stable written consent before administering
Kurland expressed her
most specific disagreements with
Quinn over AIDS issues.
housing situations are less likely to an HIV test. Acknowledging that the
engage in behavior — such as survival commissioner believes this will make
sex work — that could spread the virus. testing more prevalent, Kurland said,
Quinn has dismissed that argument as “The minute that we sacrifice one fun-
a “radical” concept in HIV prevention. damental need for another fundamen-
Kurland praised the approach more tal need, we lose something.” The big-
generally — for its contribution to help- ger question, she said, is why doctors
ing those in need and for the public are less likely to suggest an HIV test if
health savings that will be realized they have to go through the process of
in keeping HIV-positive New York- educating their patients in order to get
ers healthy by making sure they have informed written approval.
adequate housing. “This can be done More generally, Kurland expressed
at very little cost if you look at the big- a view that more genuine commu-
ger picture of the entire city budget,” nity input is needed on a whole range
she said. of policy questions — development,
Kurland also said she was “very nightlife policies, and the school sys-
disheartened” that the Council had tem, among them. She expressed a
approved a budget last year that cut particular passion for education, not-
ing that in her 20s, recently out of
college, she founded an alternative
language and cultural resource cen-
ter. She offered qualified praise for
the Nightlife Summit Quinn convened
several years ago to hammer out com-
mon ground between neighborhood
advocates and club owners, but noted
that in that instance, too, community
members themselves could have been
given greater voice.
Even as she voices a populist, insur-
gent message emphasizing the impor-
tance of giving ordinary New Yorkers
more input on how their government
operates, Kurland is careful to note
that she understands the needs of
business, pointing out that she has
run a small law firm for more than a
decade.
She is not alone in taking on the
highly visible incumbent. Maria Pas-
sannante Derr, who has served on
Community Board 2 for five years
and is also an attorney who owns her
own firm, is making the race against
Quinn. Passannante Derr has been
particularly critical of Quinn for her
support of the mayor’s proposal to use
a portion of the Hudson River Park in
the West Village as a marine waste-
transfer station. In recent weeks, long-
time gay activist Jim Fouratt, who in
the past has written arts criticism for
Gay City News, also signaled an inter-
est in entering the race.

Look for our booth at Tribeca Film Festival Family Day ( May 2 nd )
Be the first to get your tickets and t-shirts! * Free Espresso or Cappuccino *
With a purchase and this ad

May 16 th
twothousandnine
Celeste Diner
Café Grill

At the entrance of walk path

to the Brooklyn Bridge. Breakfast
Culinary Festival with 65 of Tribeca’s best restaurants
Duane Street btw Greenwich and Hudson — 11:30am to 3pm t t t t t Lunch &
ttttt
By Subway:
Tickets: T-shirts:
A,C,F to Jay St, Boro. Hall
Dinner
Tasting Card: $40 in advance ($45 day-of) A tasty
— buys a single card for 6 tastings selection
of T-shirts
Premium Seating / Tables: $175 - $1200 and bags
OPEN 7 DAYS
Celebrate great food! Plus, wine tastings, live entertainment,
kid's zone, historic walking tour & more... Order Online: www.seamlessweb.com
www.tasteoftribeca.org Ticketweb toll free 1.866.468.7619
63 Tillery Street, Corner of Adams Street
TASTE of TRIBECA © is a 501( c ) 3 non-profit corporation
for the benefit of local schools PS234 and PS150. 718-596-5178 www.celestediner.com
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
■ RELIGION
Vatican Offered Some Soul
Protesters at UN Mission demand Church end opposition to LGBT declaration
BY ANDY HUMM
A
small band of disciples from
Soulforce, a group that chal-
lenges homophobia within reli-
gious institutions, held a peaceful vigil
outside the Holy See Mission to the
United Nations on April 23, protesting
the Vatican’s collaboration with Islamic
countries in blocking the UN Declara-
tion on Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity. The protesters, drawn from
around the country and including the
Reverend Mel White, Soulforce’s found-
er, carried signs saying “Stop Spiritual
Violence,” citing a torrent of bigoted
statements from Pope Benedict XVI,
including one in December saying that
saving humanity from homosexuality
was just as important as saving rain-
forests from destruction.
The group was unsuccessful in get-
ting a meeting with Archbishop Celesti-
no Migliore, the papal nuncio and Vati-
can observer at the UN, but sat down
with one of his aides, Father Philip
Bene, prior to the action to share some
of their experiences with discrimina-
tion.
The UN declaration, which had been
opposed by the Bush administration,
䉴 PATERSON, from p.3
the Senate,” he said. “ I have my work
cut out for me running the executive
branch. I am not trying to dictate the pro-
cess.” Asked whether the majority leader
has complained or appeared unhappy
about his prodding for a vote, Paterson
said, “No, and I see him all the time. [New
York Post columnist] Fred Dicker has
written the same column three years in
a row that we’re fighting, but he’s never
quoted a single named source.”
Still, Paterson recalled that when he
was the Senate minority leader, he and
his caucus consistently asked that bills
be brought to the floor. “We wanted to get
a vote,” he said. “We wanted to get people
on the record.”
The governor is not counting heads in
the Senate, but given his long history in
䉴 SQUARE OFF, from p.7
plead guilty to lesser charges. Each can-
didate supports the recent reforms of
the Rockefeller drug laws and finds
the homosexual panic defense — in
which assailants of gay men argue
they were seized by an agitated state
of mind in the face of a sexual over -
ture — abhorrent.
Notwithstanding their calls for
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009
GAY CITY NEWS
The Reverend Pat Bumgardner entered the Vatican Mis-
sion during a Soulforce demonstration to hand deliver a
letter demanding an end to its opposition to a UN resolu-
tion on LGBT rights.
has been signed onto by President
Barack Obama’s representatives.
A statement by the Holy See delega-
tion to the UN in December said that
that body he has a strong feel for its mem-
bers.
“I think it is capable of passing it,” he
said. “I don’t think the votes are there yet.
Maybe they’re three or four votes short,
maybe more. But they can get there, and
as evidence of that I would cite the growth
from 40 to 85 votes in the Assembly in
2007. The percentage of votes we have
now in the Senate is higher than it was
two years ago at this time in the Assem-
bly. And they didn’t think they had a
shot.”
For now, the governor’s lobbying of
legislators is focused primarily on bailing
out the MTA, which faces steep fare hikes
and service cuts by the end of May if no
action is taken in Albany. He also plans to
focus in the near term on tax relief mea-
sures. But, once those issues have been
addressed, Paterson said, he “absolutely”
reform in the district attorney’s office,
they do not see a need for a staf f
shake-up there. “I absolutely do not
believe the district attorney’s office
needs a house cleaning,” Vance said.
All three would hire openly gay and
lesbian assistant district attorneys
and improve the profile of the staffer
who holds the title of Advisor to the
District Attorney for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender Issues. The
while it “appreciates” attempts by the
declaration “to condemn all forms of
violence against homosexual persons”
and calls “to put an end to all criminal
penalties against them,” it sees inclu-
sion of terms such as “sexual orienta-
tion” and “gender identity” as having
“no agreed definition in international
law.” It also argued that the declara-
tion could “undermine the ability of
States to enter into and enforce new
and existing human rights conventions
and standards.” The statement claims
that Catholic Church leaders “advocate
that every sign of unjust discrimination
towards homosexual persons should be
avoided,” but the vast majority of Cath-
olic bishops around the world have
yet to discover a law protecting LGBT
rights that meets their standards.
The US State Department sent two
observers, sporting lapel pins identify-
ing their affiliation, to the demonstra-
tion, but the two would not speak with
the press. When the gate to the mission
at 25 East 39th Street briefly opened,
the Reverend Pat Bumgardner, pastor
of the Metropolitan Community Church
of New York, slipped in to hand a letter
of protest to a mission employee. She
was followed by the State Department
will be reaching out to senators to discuss
marriage equality, along with issues like
family leave and gun control.
Asked to comment on the harsh criti-
cism former New York Mayor Rudy Giu-
liani, a potential opponent in the 2010
election, leveled at him over his push for
marriage equality, the governor said, “I
think he is living half a generation behind,
thinking like people were in 1993 when he
became mayor.” Then noting that Giuliani
made his comments the same day a Siena
NY poll showed that New Yorkers support
marriage equality by a 53-39 margin, Pat-
erson added, “The only thing worse than
people who pretend not to like an issue
because they think it will be expedient for
them politically are people who pretend
not to like an issue because they think it
will be expedient for them politically and
are wrong.”
debate was sponsored by the Stone-
wall Democrats of New York City, a
gay political club; doubtless there
were potential candidates for that cur-
rently-occupied advisor position in the
audience of roughly 75, so that was
likely welcome news. All three support
adoption by gay and lesbian couples.
The district attorney does not have
jurisdiction over adoptions and that
matter has been settled for some years
23
employees and New York police officers
who threatened her with a trespassing
charge. Darby Holladay, a spokesman
for the State Department, said, “The
Holy See is a diplomatic entity and the
US State Department monitors protest
activity at all diplomatic missions.” He
also said, “We would appreciate like
treatment looking out for our facilities
overseas.” There were no visible State
Department representatives at a small
action at the Iraq mission on East 79th
Street several weeks ago protesting the
murders of gay men in Sadr City, but
Holladay said that did not mean they
were not there.
Asked why he participated, T im
Kurek, 22, a former Liberty University
student from Tennessee, said, “It took
me 22 years to come out. I’m trying to
make up for lost time.” Sandy Farmer-
Wiley, 66, of Maui, Hawaii, said she “felt
the need to help the Church I was born
in making a change.” She and her part-
ner celebrated 25 years together with
a commitment ceremony at her United
Church of Christ parish. Bumgardner
said, “I don’t do this because it changes
anything. I do it because it changes me.
It’s important that we keep a sense of
what’s right and just in ourselves.”
Asked to clarify a statement he made at
the Equality & Justice Day gathering on
April 28 suggesting that marriage equal-
ity opponents might suffer from “guilt”
— which got lively, though not favorable
attention on some blogs — the gover-
nor explained, “What I was saying was
that people who are opposed are afraid
— and I think it is a valid point — that
when it becomes law they are going to
have to do certain things, that their per-
sonal beliefs will be infringed on, but
where was this same respect for person-
al beliefs when these leaders —and they
weren’t primarily religious leaders, they
were oppositional leaders — failed to
speak up when gay youth were victims
of violence… They must have a pro-
found sense of guilt for when the situa-
tion was worse than it is today and they
never spoke up about it.”
in New York.
The three candidates appear to be
heading toward an expensive elec-
tion — expensive for a district attorney
seat — on September 15. Collectively,
they have nearly $1.5 million on hand
to be spent in the Democratic primary,
which will effectively decide the race.
Those dollars may very well increase.
The debate was moderated by Paul
Schindler, editor of Gay City News.
24
䉴 BRIEFS, from p.8
to guarantee that we are not
taken seriously in the world.”
The full text of Kramer’s speech
is online at http://tinyurl.com/
beast-larry.
Out Gay Chief
for Diaz
The newly elected bor-
ough president of the Bronx,
Democrat Ruben Diaz, Jr., has
an out gay chief of staff, Paul
Del Duca, long active with
the Stonewall Democratic
C l u b o f N e w Yo r k a n d h i s
chief of staff as a member of
the State Assembly as well.
Diaz’s father is the virulently
anti-gay Reverend Ruben
Diaz, Sr., a Democratic state
senator from the Bronx who
is leading the charge to stop
the state from opening its
marriage bureaus to same-
sex couples. At present, gay
couples can go to neighbor-
ing Connecticut and Massa-
chusetts and soon Vermont
as well as to Canada — and
www. GAYCITYNEWS .com
of course Iowa — to marry
and be legally recognized as
such upon their return to New
York.
D i a z , J r. h a d a m i x e d
record in the Legislature on
LGBT issues, voting against
the marriage equality bill,
but supporting the anti-bul-
lying bill, transgender rights
legislation, and most of the
other items advocated by the
Empire State Pride Agenda,
the state’s LGBT lobby.
Masters and
Johnson Faked
It
Sex researchers William
Masters, now deceased,
and Virginia Johnson faked
research in 1979 that said
70 percent of homosexually-
oriented men and women
could be changed to hetero-
sexual through their ther-
a p y, a c c o r d i n g t o T h o m a s
Maier in his biography of
them, “Masters of Sex.”
According to the New York
Times summary of Maier’s
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009
findings laid out in Scien-
tific American, “most staff-
ers never met any of the
conversion cases during the
study periods 1968 through
1977,” and Masters refused
to detail them for their
clinic’s top associate, Rob-
ert Kolodny, who concluded
that they were either com-
posites “and at worst they
were fabricated.” Johnson
is quoted as saying, “Bill
was being creative in those
days.” And ruining lives in
the process.
Marion Barry
on “Morality”
Marion Barry, the former
mayor of Washington who
has married four times and
served jail time on drug charg-
es, attended a rally against
same-sex marriage in DC led
by right-wing Bishop Harry
Jackson, and said he would
as a “moral leader” work to
overturn the 12-0 vote on April
7 of the City Council in favor
of recognizing legal same-sex
marriages from elsewhere.
Barry is a member of the Coun-
cil but missed that vote. There
will be another on May 5, and
Jackson and Barry are trying
to flood the Council chamber
with opponents.
At the April 28 rally, Jack-
son “compared marriage
between gay couples to mar-
riage between close relatives
or between ‘a man and a three
year old,’” RightWingWatch.
org reported. Barry did tell
the ministers at the rally, “I
believe in civil unions, y’all
don’t.” He called the fight
against same-sex marriage
“morality against immorality.”
Bea Arthur Dies
“G o l d e n G i r l ” B e a t r i c e
Arthur died of cancer on April
25 at her home in Los Ange-
les at the age of 86. Her
comedic timing and baritone
voice graced the stage for
years, most notably in her
Tony award-winning role as
Vera Charles opposite Angela
Lansbury’s Mame. She also
WIN $10,000
REGISTER ONLINE at
gaycitynews.com
for email alerts and
win valuable prizes.
DOUBLE THE ODDS
Take our reader
survey & double
your chances.
PRIZES PROVIDED BY OUR SPONSORS:
CADENCE CYCLING * CLUB H FITNESS * CHELSEA PIERS
* MCBURNEY Y * TABLE TALES RESTAURANT * SMORGAS RESTAURANT
* PROVINCETOWN FILM FESTIVAL GET-AWAY * HUNTER MOUNTAIN WEEKEND
BEA ARTHUR
reprised the role in the movie
version opposite Lucille Ball.
At the age of 50, she became
a household name as the star
of “Maude,” playing the loud
and outspoken left-winged
Maude Finley. Arthur is per-
haps most beloved for her role
as Dorothy Zbornak in the gay-
popular “Golden Girls,” about
three semi-retired women and
the mother of one sharing a
home in Florida and co-starring
Betty White, Rue McClanahan,
and Estelle Getty as Arthur’s
mother, Sophia. Getty died in
July 2008.
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 12, from p.18
DANCE
In the Steps of
Saints
Inspired by fantastical tales from
Jacobus de Voragine’s 13th century
work, “Legenda Aurea Sactorum,”
Christopher Williams’ “The Golden
Legend,” receiving its world premiere,
is a grand scale production bringing
together portraits of 17 male saints
performed by a diverse range of male
dancers (including Gay City News’
own Gus Solomoms jr) and accompa-
nied by two movement choruses and
puppets by Eric Wright, Lake Simons,
and Christopher Williams. Music for
the work ranges from extant medieval
hymns from as early as the 12th cen-
tury, to original compositions by com-
posers Gregory Spears and Peter Kirn.
Dance Theater Workshop, Bessie
Schönberg Theater, 219 W. 19th St.
May 12-16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10
at dancetheaterworkshop.org or $15
at the box office.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
䉴 MAY 12, continued on p.26
IN PRIZES, NOT CASH
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM
GCN CLASSIFIEDS/NIGHTLIFE
DEADLINE WEDNESDAY 5:00PM MAIL 145 SIXTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10013 TEL 646-452-2485 FAX 212.229.2790
APARTMENT RENTALS
FRENCH RIVIERA. Charming town-
house, authentic village Gorges du
Loup, France, near Nice,Cannes,
Grasse. Breathtaking views, 2 bdrm,
2 bath. $1250/wk. Available year round,
turn key furnished. 941-363-0925
Jersey Shore Summer Rental
10 min. from Long Beach Island Sleep 6
Ouiet meadows road Additional Info/
Brochuree 609-713-7033
email: ernieb34@msn.com
ADULT
TONY
Full Body Massage & Much More
by HOT TOP GUY
Hunk, Masculine & Handsome.
33 yo., 6’1” tall, 190 lbs.
Times Square Location -
212-221-6696
24/7
COMPUTER SERVICES
Computer Problems?
Contact the Upper East Side Geek!
* Fast, affordable computer repair &
setup! * Virus/Spyware Removal *
* Operating System Reinstallation *
WirelessNetwork Setup * BlackBerry
& iPhone Setup * Web Site Design *
* Email Blast Programming *
Upper East Side Geek
Phone: 917-838-7124,
Email: info@UpperEastSideGeek.com
www.UpperEastSideGeek.com
Your Ad Here BODYWORK
Your Ad Here
Your Ad Here
Your Ad Here
Your Ad Here gaycitynews.com
To place a classified ad call
646-452-2485
30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 25
TRAVEL MOVING AND STORAGE
OUT ADVENTURES
Gay small group trips
worldwide:
Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco,
India, China, Japan, SE Asia,
Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica and
Mexico. We also have discounted
int’l airfares and Eurailpasses.
Adventure Travel Co
212-674-2887
124 MacDougal St., West Village
PERSONALS
HELP ME FIND MANDY
(we think) FROM CHELSEA!
Lesbian
5’5”-5’6” 130 lbs.
Light skin , Blue eyes
gaycity
Light hair, glasses
silver wedding band
news.com
We met at Dinah Shore at the Riviera.
We had your green pants.
I was wearing the red bikini.
ADVERTISING
Please contact me:
CAREER
metatdinah@gmail.com
Community Media, which publishes the award-winning weekly
newspapers Gay City News, The Villager, Downtown Express, Chelsea Now, and a
MOVING AND STORAGE
senior-focused newspaper Thrive NYC and their very popular corresponding websites,
IDEAL MOVING & STORAGE, INC. seeks outstanding and self-confident advertising sales pros.
The only gay owned & operated
mover in New York. Ideal is the You: articulate, never give up, persuasive, ready
community favorite local mover. with a message, smart, road warrior, organized,
We are fully licensed & insured, energetic, a graduate of an accredited 4-year college or
university (preferred, but), and have previous advertising
leading the industry with a 96%
or related sales experience (newspaper advertising sales
referral rate. Reliable, dependable experience is a plus). You should have a general under-standing
& personalized service. Open 24/7. of selling display advertising, creating sales proposals, using
(212) 777-5507 or 718-728-5318. Excel and Word, selling on rate cards, and communicating
www.idealmoving.com See our display demographic data research to make your sale. Knowledge of
ad under Moving & Storage. contact management software is helpful.
You: are a team player, enjoy working in a diverse
HOT BODYWORK Swedish, Deep Tis- environment, able to meet and exceed $$ goals, fearless...
sue, sensual nude bodywork. Done by ready to make tons of cold calls both in person and on the
Brazilian masseur. (917) 435-4418. phone, and prospect everywhere and everything for new
www.rentboy.com/fzaneti advertisers. Skilled in getting past the gate keepers and onto
the decision makers. Your composure, oral, and written presentation skills should be
excellent.
Salary + commission, vacation/benefits. Please send your resume and tell us why you would be a
great fit for our company.
francescoregini@communitymediallc.com

26/ Politics
䉴 ALBANY, from p.1
makes me wonder is why we
don’t have more representatives
speaking out from the Repub-
lican Party, because this is a
Republican and a conservative
issue. This is a civil rights issue.
It’s an issue of less government.
To the greatest extent possible,
government should stay out
of your life and let you live it in
quiet enjoyment.”
When the Assembly in June
2007 first passed the marriage
equality bill, whose fate in the
closely divided State Senate
remains uncertain, Sayward
spoke about understanding
when Glenn was very young
that he was gay and watch-
ing as he faced bullying from
his peers. She challenged her
colleagues: “Let us search our
hearts tonight.” Asked by Gay
City News Tuesday what she
was hearing from her Repub-
lican colleagues, particularly
on the Senate side, she said,
“They have been listening. Have
they come far enough? No, they
haven’t. Will they? I think they
will. Especially when they look
at my numbers.” She explained
that she ran unopposed in both
2006 and 2008, but won bigger
after she took her marriage vote
than before. The Conservative
Party dumped her from their
line, but on the Independence
line she was the biggest vote-
getter in the state. “What I am
hearing a lot of,” she said, “is,
‘Your argument is very compel-
ling and I’m finding it harder
and harder to disagree.’”
Sayward’s ability to sway her
colleagues is a critical factor.
The Democrats, whose leader,
Queens Senator Malcolm Smith,
supports the marriage bill, hold
only a 32-30 majority, and sev-
eral members of that caucus
have voiced opposition, most
fervently Ruben Diaz, Sr., a
harshly anti-gay senator from
the Bronx. Advocates, including
Advocates have all acknowledged
that Republican votes are needed to
get the measure over the top.
ESPA, Duane, the bill’s Senate
sponsor, and Paterson have all
acknowledged that Republican
votes are needed to get the mea-
Activists lobbying in Albany April 28 included (clockwise, from upper left) Jay McBride, Jessica Walls and Jennifer Houghtaling, Santiago
Peralta, and Terry Boggis.
sure over the top. Dean Skelos,
the Long Island Republican who
is the minority leader, last week
told his colleagues that they are
free to vote their conscience,
a sign the Republicans, at the
least, do not wish to be viewed
as harshly obstructionist.
For his part, the governor is
pressing the marriage equal-
ity issue hard, apparently step-
ping on some toes in the Senate
(see Gay City News’ interview
with Paterson on page 3). Three
weeks ago, he told an Ithaca
radio station that the measure
should get a vote in the Sen-
ate whether or not the votes are
there, a position at odds with
Albany tradition and Smith’s
oft-repeated statements on the
issue. After drawing fire from
some legislative Democrats —
Duane on New York 1 News said
former Governor Eliot Spitzer
would have had “a strategy”
and already enacted the law —
Paterson introduced the mar-
riage equality bill on April 16,
saying, “What we have is not a
crisis of issues, we have a crisis
of leadership. We’re going to fill
that vacuum today. I’m going
to put a stop to it.” Smith was
noticeable for his absence from
that press conference, which
included Duane, O’Donnell, out
lesbian City Council Speaker
Christine Quinn, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, and four members
of Congress. When he appeared
before the activists in Albany on
Tuesday, the governor received
a standing ovation and sus-
30 APR - 13 MAY 2009
14 DAYS
14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 12, from p.24
COMEDY
The Laugh-A-
Gender
Alison Grillo, New York City’s own
“woman trapped inside a woman’s
body,” hosts “Jokes ‘n’ Gender,” an eve-
ning of trans-cendent comedy for every-
one. Guests include Jessica Kirson (seen
on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”),
Danny Leary (host of “On the Rocks”),
and musical comedy performer Jessica
Deflino. Underground Lounge, 955
West End Ave. at W. 107th St., 7:30
p.m. Cover charge is $10, with a two-
drink minimum. For reservations, email
alisongrillocomic@gmail.com
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
WED.MAY.13
PERFORMANCE
Grand Dames of
Burlesque
They are women, hear them roar!
Diane O’Debra (formerly one of the
downtown duo O’Debra Twins), Jes-
sica Delfino, and Steph Sabelli present
their brand new female empowered
comedy, burlesque, and music show,
GAY CITY NEWS
“Skits’N’Tits,” which will be a second
Wednesday monthly show also featur-
ing Lars Pluto’s Rockabilly Burlesque and
special guest starts. Tonight’s featured
performers include comedians Seth
Herzog, Kevin Allison, Milton Katz, and
tained chants of “Dave, Dave, Murray Hill; Mike Amato presenting a
Dave, Dave.” As he had done on short comedy video; and Duv offering up
April 16, he likened the push sweet music. Bowery Poetry Club, 308
for marriage to other major civil Bowery btwn. Bleecker & Houston
rights struggles, and saying Sts., 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
that Proposition 8 should be the ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
catalyst for redoubled efforts, he
noted that Abraham Lincoln’s
Emancipation Proclamation
took effect just six years after
the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott THEATER
SAT.MAY.16
ruling that marked the aboli- When All Brooklyn
tionist movement’s low point. Was A Stage
Many of those on hand for Brooklyn-based author, playwright,
Equality & Justice Day — journalist, and performer Trav S.D.,
where they were lobbying not author of “No Applause, Just Throw
only for marriage equality, but Money: the Book That Made Vaudeville
also for passage of the Gender Famous,” provides a brief snapshot of
Expression Non-Discrimination Brooklyn theater back in the day when
Act protecting transgendered it was among the most vibrant in the
New Yorkers and the Dignity for nation, and interviews a panel repre-
All Students Act anti-bullying senting several thriving Brooklyn per-
measure, also awaiting Senate forming arts organizations. Panelists
approval — chose to embrace include Virginia Louloudes, execu-
Paterson’s optimism. Jeffrey tive director of A.R.T./New York,
䉴 ALBANY, continued on p.27 䉴 MAY 16, continued on p.27
WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 27

䉴
14 DAYS ALBANY, from p.26

Friedman, who with his hus-

at least 50 of the 62 Senate
offices. Terry Boggis, director
of the Center Kids program at
gation B’nai Jeshurun — which
included straight allies such as
Suzanne Schecter — and was
Rights Campaign, said of Pat-
erson, recently beleaguered
by low poll numbers, “I’m very

14 NIGHTS
䉴 MAY 16, from p.26
Robert Elmes of Galapagos, and Eric
Richmond of the Brooklyn Lyceum.
Presented in conjunction with the
Theatre Museum. Brooklyn Pub-
lic Library, Dweck Center, Grand
Army Plaza, Park Slope, 4 p.m.
Admission is free. For more informa-
tion, call 347-419-4590.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
NIGHTLIFE
Dancing With the
Studs
Big Apple Ranch, which since 1997
has been hosting a weekly country-
western dance for the gay and lesbian
community, presents “Rhinestone Cow-
boygirl,” an evening of dazzle, sequins,
and fringe to benefit the New York City
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project.
Oh, and don’t forget the leather-soled
boots or shoes. 39 W. 19th St., fifth
fl. Two-step lessons at 8 p.m.; line
dance lesson at 8:30; dancing from
9-1. The $10 admission includes the
lessons. For more information, visit
biggleappleranch.com.
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
band Andrew Zwerin is raising
their five-year -old son Josh-
ua in Rockville Center, talked
about the couple’s recent con-
versations with Skelos, their
state senator. Arguing that
he declared marriage equality
would be a conscience vote at
least six weeks before the ques-
tion was due to be called, Fried-
man said he saw signs of “soft-
ening” in his opposition, and
then, pointing to young Joshua,
✯ noted that Skelos had always
been an advocate for children,
and stated, “I don’t think he
could look us in the eye and say
no.” Friedman’s emphasis on
the importance of his family’s
personal story was a key theme
in Albany on Tuesday, and
echoed a powerful message that
Quinn delivered at the April 16
press conference. She said that
when she travels to Albany to
lobby marriage equality oppo-
nents, she will talk about her
life with partner Kim Catullo
and challenge them: “Look me
in the eye and tell me that Kim
and I aren’t a family.”
According to ESPA, lob-
✯ bying meetings were held in
the LGBT Community Center,
worked with a group of activ-
ists, many of them young peo-
ple, who met with Queens Sen-
ator Joseph Addabbo, a Demo-
crat first elected last year. Bog-
gis noted that Addabbo had a
“Paterson has really stepped up to
the plate to deal with a lot of issues,
including marriage equality.”
gay-friendly record on the City
Council, but had not yet signed
onto marriage equality. “He’s a
movable middle kind of guy,”
she said. Similarly, City Coun-
cil candidate Bob Zuckerman
and James Whitty of Brook-
lyn’s Lambda Independent
Democrats sat down with Sen-
ator John Sampson, a Demo-
crat whose district runs from
Canarsie to Brownsville/ East
New York. Others focused on
the Legislature’s leaders. Rabbi
Marcelo Bronstein headed up a
large contingent from his Upper
West Side synagogue, Congre-
among a group that sat down
with Smith, the Senate major-
ity leader. During the noontime
rally, Bronstein, speaking for
other leaders of faith in atten-
dance, said, “The religious right
has kidnapped the soul of this
country for too long.”
Paterson was lauded by
many of the activists for his
forward leadership on marriage
equality. Joseph Antenon, a
retired school teacher affili-
ated with B’nai Jeshurun who
lives on the Upper East Side
and for whom the school bul-
lying issue has particular
resonance, said of the gover-
nor’s speech, “I would have
to admit that there were tears
in my eyes.” Pete Webb, an
Upper West Sider and one of
many activists affiliated with
the Washington-based Human
impressed with him. He inher-
ited a mess and lately he’s
really stepped up to the plate
to deal with a lot of issues,
including marriage equality.”
Jennifer Houghtaling, a col-
lege student from Rochester in
Albany with her girlfriend Jes-
sica Walls, also has a particu-
lar interest in the school bully-
ing bill. “I thought it was really
awesome,” she said of the gov-
ernor’s speech.
Though marriage was clearly
a key focus of the day, activist
after activist emphasized that
all three of the bills being lob-
bied were important to them.
Jay McBride, a transgendered
student at SUNY/ Albany,
said, “GENDA is important to
me as a trans person, but I’m
not here for just one thing.”
Santiago Peralta of Freeport,
who recently graduated from
a Manhattan high school, said
he was eager to see transgen-
der rights and student bully-
ing laws passed, but added,
“I feel really proud to be here
to fight for everything that is
good for the lesbian and gay
community.”

Recycle it.

gaycity
news.com BIG FUN! SMALL BUCKS!
Sun. $3.50 Screwdrivers & our famous Bloody Mary’s,
Neighborhood
$2.50 Miller Lite Drafts & Bud Bottles
Fusion! Mon. $4 Mojito’s all flavors Tues. $2 Margarita’s
CHEAP-EEZ COCKTAILS (except Fri. & Sat.) - Coors & Pabst Cans $3,
Rootbeer Floats $3, Sloe Gin Fizz $2, Tom Collins $3,
“One of the 63 best bars
in NYC” — Time Out, 2009 Whiskey Sours $3, Rum Lime Ricky $3
281 W 12th St @ 4th St. NYC 212-243-9041

THE BEST CHILD TEKSERVE

New York’s Shop for All Things Mac
CARE AVALIABLE! Saturday, May 2nd: eWaste Recycling Event
OUR LONG-TIME BABYSITTER IS Bring unwanted electronics to Tekserve on May 2nd for recycling, and enter to win a new MacBook.
AVALIABLE FOR A NEW FAMILY. WHEN: Saturday, May 2nd from 10AM to 4PM
WHERE: In front of Tekserve, on 23rd Street just west of 6th Avenue
Full or part time. Visit tekserve.com/recycling for complete details.
Loving & dependable, she gives 100%
Open Mon–Fri 9am to 8pm,
Call Gen: (917)535-6182 Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun noon to 6pm 212.929.3645
For References 119 West 23rd St between 6th and 7th Avenue tekserve.com
Call Kathleen: (516)398-6034 Not responsible for typographical errors, all offers subject to availability
and may be terminated at any time. Buy local, support your city and state.
28 30 APR – 13 MAY 2009 WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

4PRL)SVVTILYN»ZWSHU
[VJYLH[L[OV\ZHUKZ
VM¸NYLLUQVIZ¹
HSSHJYVZZ5@*
ike Bloomberg knows that New York

M must reduce its dependence on

Wall Street by developing new,
cutting edge industries. That’s why his
Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan
calls for investing in wind and solar
technologies to create thousands of
new “green jobs” that will both put
New Yorkers back to work and leave
a cleaner planet for our children.

www.mikebloomberg.com
Paid for by Bloomberg for Mayor 2009

MIKE BLOOMBERG: STRONG, INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP TO KEEP NYC WORKING.