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ISSUE
Stacy Bridges
Mark Nagel
ERIKA
JAYNE
Contributors
6
DEBORAH
COX
Chris Azzopardi
Dan Chisholm,
Kevin Lee, Omeed Memar,
Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss,
Anthony Morgano,
Mark Nagel, Tom Olah,
Mikey Rox,
Erik Sosa-Kibby
12
Production
Stacy Bridges
James Gumb
FourEver1
34
DRINK SPECIALS
48
NEXUS DANCE CHART
50
GRAB HOLLY
56
DJ ALEX ACOSTA
62
GRAB NEWS
68
GRAB EVENTS
70
GRAB THEATER
72
GRAB MUSIC
74
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83
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85
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COVER:
MARKET DAYS 2016
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Magazine is owned and operated by Grabbys, LLC.
4
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
MARKET DAYS
GRAB ERIKA
“The Real Housewives of
Beverly Hills” Erika Jayne
By Mark Nagel
Erika Jayne, also known by her
married name Erika Girardi, is a
singer-songwriter, dancer and
television personality. Since 2007,
she’s had a total of nine numberone singles on the Billboard Hot
Dance Play chart. In 2015, she was
cast in the sixth season of the
reality television series “The Real
Housewives of Beverly Hills.” On
Sunday, August 14, Erika Jayne will
be performing at Market Days on
the Belmont stage at 8pm and
GRAB Magazine recently had the
chance to talk with talented and
entertaining lady!
MARK NAGEL: Congrats for
winning the Sorry Not
Sorry Award at the
Bravos the other night.
ERIKA JAYNE:
[Laughs] Thank you.
Did you watch the
show?
MN: Yes and I loved
your performance, but
have your guys ever
dropped you?
EJ: No, no, no, no, no,
no, no!
MN: I knew I was
going to be talking to
you today and
that’s why I was
watching the
show and why I
was curious.
EJ: I work with
the best dancers
and when they
are not working
with me, they
are working with
Katy Perry,
Rihanna or
Kesha.
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GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
MN: You obviously don’t buy your
performance costumes off the rack.
Who designs them for you?
EJ: The costume that you saw at
the Bravos, Marco Marco
designed. I have worked with him
for a few years now and I really love
his designs. He worked with Britney
Spears for years but for
performance outfits, it’s a small
community that you work with.
MN: I have you ask, how is Yolanda
[Hadid] doing?
EJ: Yolanda is good, I spoke with
her last week and she is busy
writing her book. She is also busy
with the girls and her two girls are
on fire now, but she is great!
MN: Have you filmed the new
season of “Real Housewives of
Beverly Hills” yet?
EJ: We currently are filming now.
MN: Can you tell us any of the new
housewives yet?
EJ: I do and I can tell you and it’s
Dora Kinsley (a Lisa Vanderpump
friend).
MN: Do you know her personally?
EJ: I have met her.
MN: I really love your song “How
Many,” and I must share with you
that we played it when our host of
The Grabbys opened the show. By
the way, the Grabbys are our gay
porn awards.
EJ: [Laughs] That is great. I think
that is lovely anytime someone
appreciates my music; I am into it.
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GRAB Magazine
MN: When was
the first time
you sang in
public?
EJ: Probably
when I was
three years old.
I was always
singing when I
was a kid and I
did children’s
theatre so it’s
something I
have done all
my life.
MN: You have
eight top 10
dance hits.
EJ: I am about
to have nine.
MN: How do
you pick your
music?
EJ: I have to like it. I have to enjoy
it because I put out singles, not
albums. People have to like it and
want to dance to it.
MN: But I heard a rumor that you
August 9, 2016
might be having an album coming
out soon.
EJ: I can neither confirm nor deny.
MN: I am very excited that you are
coming back to Market Days for the
second year in a row.
EJ: I really like Chicago and I really
like Market Days. I am excited as
well. I really look forward to coming
to Chicago.
MN: What can we expect from your
performance?
EJ: It will be very Erika Jayne:
Loud, fun, sexy, dance, you know. I
like to entertain and I like to leave
the audience with a smile.
MN: Since I do watch you on “Real
Housewives,” will you be bringing
the private jet or will you be flying
commercial?
EJ: Quite honestly, I have not
planned that far yet. It all depends
if Tom (her husband) needs it but if
he doesn’t, I will be coming in the
private plane.
MN: You have some very sexy
dancers.
EJ: Of course I do. Why would I
have ugly ones?
MN: So I have to ask this for all of
Chicago’s gay men. Will they have
time to go out and play while they
are in town?
EJ: We always make it a point to
go out and have a good time.
MN: Is it true you are in “Sharknado
4”?
EJ: I am in “Sharknado 4.”
MN: What’s next for Erika Jayne?
EJ: I actually am working on a new
show and I am getting ready to
shoot a new video. I am going to
Mykonos in August to perform. I
am creating and I am happy. It’s all
fun!
MN: So you are having fun?
EJ: I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t
having fun.
Photos Courtesy of James Hickey
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
9
MARKET DAYS
GRAB DEBORAH
Grammy Award nominated and
multi-platinum R&B
recording artist and
film/TV actress
Deborah Cox
By Mark Nagel
Deborah Cox is a Canadian
R&B singer, songwriter and actress.
Her 1998 song “Nobody’s
Supposed to Be Here” held the
record for longest-running numberone single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/
Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart (14
weeks), a record held for nearly
eight years. She has achieved 12
number-one hits on Billboard’s Hot
Dance Club Playchart. She is often
cited as Canada’s top R&B artist.
Miss Cox is returning to Chicago for
Market Days Saturday, August 13 at
8:45pm on the Belmont Stage.
GRAB Magazine recently had the
chance to talk with this talented
lady.
MARK NAGEL: Where did you
grow up?
DEBORAH COX: I was born and
raised in Toronto. I went to a
performing arts high school and
started getting gigs and was a
background singer for Celine Dion.
Then I moved to Los Angeles in ’93
to pursue my own record deal.
MN: Last year, when you performed
at World Pride in Toronto, that must
have been amazing for you.
DC: It was amazing because I
helped with the lobbing to have
World Pride in Toronto. When I
heard they got the bid for it, it was
exciting. Toronto and Canada have
been very progressive and I grew
up hearing a lot about LGBTQ
issues before it was fashionable.
MN: Growing up, who were your
musical influences?
DC: Whitney Houston, Billie
Holiday, Tina Turner, really strong
woman Cher. Growing up, I
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GRAB Magazine
remember hearing tons of those
records being played.
MN: Your first recording contract
was with Clive Davis. What is Clive
like to work with?
DC: Clive was a mentor to me. He
was strategic and he would make
sure I was introduced to the best
songwriters, producers, people who
were hit makers and made sure I
had the best stylists and really the
best of everything. He was a true
supporter and gave me my first
shot and allowed me to be who I
was. Clive did not want me to be
scantily clad. He said it was about
August 9, 2016
my voice and talent. I love that he
embraced that when a lot of other
executives were all about tits and
ass. Clive Davis was always about
integrity.
MN: So I can assume that you were
invited to the legendary Clive Davis
pre-Grammy parties?
DC: Yes. One of my first outings
after I was signed was performing
at his pre-Grammy party.
MN: You weren’t only invited, but
you were performing in front of a
room of legends?
DC: Legends – exactly – and
Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Whitney
Houston. I think the thing about it is
that label had a lot of female artists,
so it became a camaraderie and
Clive made us all able to shine.
MN: Now in 2000, you recorded a
song with Whitney. What was it like
because you said she influenced
you growing up?
DC: Yes, she was my idol but it was
like being in a room with my big
sister because she really was that
type of artist and she understood
the position she was in. Whitney
was the pinnacle of what everyone
wanted to become. When I got the
opportunity to do a duet together, it
was mind-blowing because she did
not do a lot of duets. It was very
special for me and while recording
we would talk about family and
about getting ready to have a
family. She encouraged me to have
balance in my life. Whitney was
very open and gave me a lot of
great advice.
MN: Now in 2004, you made your
Broadway debut in “Aida.” That’s
where you started?
DC: [Laughs] I know, right?
MN: Excuse my language, but holy
shit!
DC: At that time, it was
groundbreaking to be a recording
artist and go and do Broadway with
an eight-show-a-week schedule.
Artists were just not doing
that. When I went in to
audition and saw the
creative team and went
through the material, they
offered me the role. I earned
it and felt gratified. People
didn’t realize I had a theater
background. It’s just the
recording opportunity came
first.
MN: So at the end of
November, you are going to
be touring in the musical
version of “The Bodyguard”
and will be coming to
Chicago January 31, 2017.
What can you tell us about
the show?
DC: Yes, the show won a
number of awards in
London. The debut of “The
Bodyguard” in America is
based on the film, but there
is a slight change in the
storyline and a lot more
music than the movie.
14
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
MN: In the musical, do you get the
music from the movie?
DC: Yes, you get songs like “Run To
You,” “I Will Always Love You,” the
sort of iconic songs that you think
about, plus songs from Whitney’s
early career like “I Wanna Dance
With Somebody,” “Greatest Love of
All.” It’s still the story about a
superstar who is being stalked and
a love story.
MN: You are coming to town for
Market Days Saturday, August 13.
DC: I am really looking forward to it,
but I still get nervous five minutes
before I go on stage. It moves me
when I hear people singing the
songs with me and when I see
people with tears in their eyes. I am
really honored to be a part of
Market Days.
MN: I know we are going to hear
your hits but are we going to hear
you sing “The Bodyguard” music?
DC: I like to leave that for a surprise
… you just might.
For more information about
Deborah visit
www.deborahcox.com
Photos by
Anthony Meade
16
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
MUSIC
GRAB MARIAH
The Heroism of
Mariah Carey
Visions of love,
bravery and bad
hair through the
lens of a longtime
‘lamb’
By Chris Azzopardi
I told my mom I interviewed
It was more
Mariah Carey and she cried. “I
than music. It
know how much this means to
is and has
you,” she said, verklempt.
always been
She knows Mariah saved my
a palpable
life. I was 10 and confused and gay affinity to
when I first heard her voice. It was
Mariah’s
one of those meant-to-be
courageous
moments: A friend eagerly, and
and
thankfully, played me the cassette
encouraging
single of “Emotions.” That voice, all life story.
seven octaves, captivated me,
The story
changed me. Years later, when I
of an
heard the curly-haired, hand-wavey emancipated
songstress singing pick-me-ups
27-year-old
like “Hero,” “Make It Happen” and
woman
“Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s
asserting
Theme),” I was lifted beyond those
independence.
signature high notes.
The story of a broken-winged 31In 1997, I was 15 and still
year-old woman who, a decade
confused, on the brink of selfinto her illustrious career, hit rock
discovery, without a role model.
bottom, entered rehab for
The parallel wasn’t lost on me –
“exhaustion” and more than made
Mariah was coming into her
it through the rain – four years later,
authentic self, channeling the artist in 2005, “We Belong Together,” the
she never could be on the
second single off The Emancipation
triumphant confessional Butterfly, a of Mimi, held the No. 1 spot on the
metaphorical nod to the newfound
Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks. For
freedom she was feeling after years Mariah’s ever-faithful “lambs” who,
of professional and personal
too, have experienced or are still
captivity. The album, which turns
experiencing the outside, it’s her
20 next year, ended on a deeply
inspirational narrative they’ve clung
intimate note with “Outside,” where to with undying devotion.
she referenced the inferior feelings
Nearly 25 years after first
she harbored as a biracial child.
hearing her voice on cassette, my
As a gay adolescent
phone rings. It’s Mariah Carey, the
internalizing the “feeling there’s no
sales-crushing icon with a
one completely the same,” as the
whopping 18 No. 1 singles, the
song goes, my already-strong bond five-time Grammy winner, my
to the chart-topper, the diva, the
childhood lifeline, _our_ ally. As we
survivor – my musical salvation, my speak, I'd be remiss not to
“it gets better” – was strengthened. acknowledge the roots of our
18
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
connection, so I do. We also, of
course, talk about Vegas, where
she’s headlining The Colosseum at
Caesars Palace with her hits show,
Mariah #1 to Infinity, now armed
with more “confidence,” she says,
to go on vocal “tangents.”
Naturally, her lingerie collection
comes up. Furthermore, Mariah
elaborates on the “unconditional
love” she’s experienced from the
LGBT community, which she
emphasized when GLAAD recently
recognized her with an Ally Award
for all the lives she’s changed. An
honor she received, in part, and
most admirably, by changing her
own.
Chris Azzopardi: You can’t see me
right now but I’m bowing down.
Mariah Carey: Awww! I’m bowing
down right back.
CA: I’m going to start with the
GLAAD Media Awards because
what a big moment for me, too, as
a gay man to finally see you
honored for being an ally. You
acknowledged the “unconditional
love” from the LGBTQ community,
and it’s true: I’ve never had
anything less than that for you. To
be completely honest, you and
your music were why I followed my
dream of being a writer who one
day wanted to interview you. And
here we are. Anyway, Lamb 4 Life
right here; not even kidding.
MC: Oh, wow; that’s amazing! L4L!
Seriously – that’s such a great
thing to hear; thank you for telling
me that.
CA: What did you mean when you
said you haven’t experienced much
unconditional love outside of the
gay community? And why do you
think the gay community in
particular has stuck by you through
thick and thin?
MC: What I was trying to express –
and it was all so fast and it wasn’t
the world’s greatest speech ’cause
I just wanted to try and speak from
my heart and, you know,
sometimes there’s so much going
on and it’s not the best
representation of what I really
wanted to say, which would’ve
been simpler. Which is basically:
Some of the songs that I have
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
19
written, like I have a song called
“Outside” that a lot of people from
the gay community have always
said they grew up listening to and
were like, “That helped me come
out to my family.” Different things.
And so, as a songwriter, I wrote
that song about me feeling like an
outsider, about being biracial and a
lot of other things in my life. I like to
leave it open so people can relate it
to their own lives, and a lot of my
fans tell me, “This song helped me
get through having to talk about
being gay with my
family and with my
friends,” and stuff
like that. There are
other songs, too,
because I kind of
come from that place
of feeling different or
not accepted, and so
that’s what I meant.
normal. I wasn’t like, “Oh, wow, this
is weird; my mom’s friend is gay.”
I guess I was just always
comfortable because they were
kind to me, and cool. And so then
when I grew up I would always
naturally gravitate toward the fun
gay guy in school, you know what I
mean? You know! It’s just like
different moments. Even a friend of
mine when I was growing up, her
mom was in a relationship with
another woman and they lived
together and the whole thing, but
CA: For me, as a
teenager, “Outside”
really resonated.
Those lyrics –
“ambiguous, without
a sense of belonging
to touch” – are
ingrained in my head,
and they had a big
influence on my own
life. “Looking In” as
well. When were you
first aware that you
were kindred spirits
with the gay
community?
MC: The whole thing in terms of me she didn’t know – she didn’t
feeling really comfortable around all understand it. But because I had
such an open-minded mother who
different types of people, including
explained that kind of stuff to me, I
different races, religions, gay,
straight, whatever, started as a kid. wasn’t gonna out her mother to her.
I was just like, “OK, fine.”
Most kids that I grew up around
had never even met anyone gay,
CA: You’ve been a lifeline for many
but my mom was always very
of your LGBT fans, including
theatrical and she had a lot of gay
myself, because you’ve showed us
friends, so I grew up with her two
that even an outsider can find his or
best friends who were guncles
before people knew what that was. her place. When was the first time
in your life you were exactly the
And yeah, they were great to me.
person you wanted to be?
They really treated me well as a
MC: Wow. The first time I can think
little girl. Obviously gay marriage
of, and this is a great thing that
wasn’t, you know, like it is now – it
actually incorporated work and fun
wasn’t legal – so they weren’t
and being free and music, was
married. But they lived together
when I made the video for
and they were my example of a
“Honey” (in 1997), and I went
really great couple. They stayed
swimming in the shoes. It was
together for as long as I knew
just… I always wanted to have the
them, and so to me, that was just
20
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
freedom to be myself and I wasn’t
in a situation where that was OK; I
wasn’t allowed to because of that,
uhh, first relationship (to exhusband and then-Sony Music
head Tommy Mottola). I had to
overcome a lot to get through that,
but that video – prior to that, I
always had to settle for less than I
wanted to be, and I wasn’t allowed
to be who I was. And it really took a
lot of courage. It wasn’t just like,
“I’m gonna make a video.” It was,
“I am moving on with my life, and I
have to for my own self
because I’m trapped
in a situation.”
CA: I know what
you’re saying – I’ve
been there. I mean,
I’ve not made a music
video...
MC: (Laughs) Treat
the music video as “I
had a great time
somewhere!” But it
included me doing
work and making a
video, which for me,
that’s not really work
if it’s fun. And then
also just all the
elements that I love:
the beach, the water,
the freedom, the
whole narrative of the
thing. But yeah, it
took a while to get
there.
CA: You’re doing some of your
earliest songs during your Vegas
residency. How has your voice and
your approach to singing these
songs, some of which are over 20
years old, changed?
MC: You know what, certain days
I’m like, “Oh, this is a really good
day for me; I had a lot of vocal rest
today and blah, blah, blah,” and
some days for me I have to be a
little bit more experimental and play
around on stage because maybe
it’s not as strong for that minute.
Really, I just think I’ve become
more confident and more
experimental in a good way, if you
know what I mean, in using
different parts of my voice and
things. I always did it, but I was
more “stick to the script” and
“don’t go off on a tangent.” You
CA: We’ve seen a lot
of greats pass away in
the last several years:
Prince, Whitney and
David Bowie. In what
ways do their untimely
deaths have you
CA: You in your lingerie making
reflecting on your own
pizza tangents – all of it.
legacy and what you
MC: (Laughs uproariously) It was
want that to be?
real! That’s what I walk around in! I
MC: It’s really
barely own any clothes! All I have is interesting: I loved
friggin’ lingerie.
Prince and I still do. I
love his music, and I’ll
CA: How have you made yourself
always have it, and I
feel at home in Vegas?
grew up listening to
MC: I just bought a lot of lingerie!
Prince, ya know what I
(Laughs)
mean? I was lucky
enough to get to know
CA: What do you think 1990 Mariah him, but before I knew
would think of 2016 Mariah?
him I was listening to his music as
MC: (Ponders; tongue sputters) Ah, an adolescent, as a kid, so his
I don’t knoooow! I was such a kid,
passing was very… I really felt like
just in over my head, but I knew
he was one of those people who
that I was gonna do this for my life
would be around for a really long
and soooo: I probably would’ve
time because he just was kind of
been like, “Who does your hair and ageless in a lot of ways.
makeup?” (Laughs) ’Cause they
But in terms of me reflecting on
had me with some people who
my legacy? I’m not at that place
didn’t know what they were doing
right now. I’m still very much doing
and I knew it wasn’t really good
fun, creative things that, you know,
and I’d just be like, “Who does your I don’t want to go into a long,
lighting, hair and makeup?” is what drawn out thing about, but a lot of
I’d ask her.
different projects. Some movie
things. I’m getting ready to go back
CA: They liked to put you in a lot of in the studio really soon, and
black.
obviously I’m doing this residency
MC: They diiiiid. It was just like,
in Vegas. It’s really fun, but I’m not
trapped there. I can do other
ahhh, such a long story. You don’t
even wanna know.
things. We just got back from the
European tour, which was amazing
audiences, and then
we went to Africa, so
it’s like, all that stuff
is great.
But what do I
think my legacy will
be? It’s really hard for
me to answer that. I
just hope the fans
who’ve been so
supportive of me
throughout my whole
career will have my
music and it’ll make a
difference in people’s
lives as you told me it
did for you, which is
amazing, because
not everyone knows
songs like “Outside”
or “Looking In” or
“Close My Eyes.”
22
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
know, I think that people kind of
like the tangents that I have!
(Laughs) Singing tangents.
Breaking a high heel on stage
tangents; whatever the case may
be.
CA: “I was a wayward child”… trust
me, I know those words by heart.
MC: Trust me, I do too. “...with the
weight of the world that I held deep
inside.”
CA: Is the weight lifted?
MC: You know what – is the weight
lifted? Ahhh, I think that it’s
different now. It’s just different. ... I
don’t want that to be
misinterpreted; I don’t want you to
misinterpret that. I just mean like, in
a lot of ways there are other things
that are the “weight of the world” to
me. Like my life now, I have other
responsibilities. I was really writing
that about the child version of me; I
really did have the weight of the
world on my shoulders as a kid,
that’s how deep it felt for me.
CA: Thanks for clarifying so nobody
takes that out of context.
MC: (Groans dramatically) I
knooooow.
CA: Mariah, I so deeply appreciate
this moment and it means more
than you’ll ever know. I hope our
paths will cross again at some
point soon.
MC: I really thank you so much. I
thank you for talking about the
music. Really – I appreciate that. I
adore you, daaahhhling!
Chris Azzopardi is the editor of
Q Syndicate, the international
LGBT wire service. Reach him via
his website at www.chrisazzopardi.com and on Twitter
(@chrisazzopardi).
MARKET DAYS
GRAB CHICHI LARUE
DJ CHI CHI
LARUE
SPINNING
AT
MARKET
DAYS 2016
By Mark Nagel
MARK NAGEL: You grew up in
Minneapolis in the late ’70s and
early ’80s. Did you have any
connections to Prince?
CHI CHI LARUE: It’s funny that
you asked that. I was actually in
“Purple Rain.” Prince and I were
what you would call club friends.
He would come to a restaurant
that we ate at after the club called
Rudolph’s Bar-B-Que and he
would sit with my friend Carolyn
and I. He told me how to cut my
hair and of course I did. He
invited me to many of his private
parties, including his very special
birthday parties. I considered him a
friend and his passing really hit me
hard. He was a musical genius.
MN: Growing up, who were your
musical influences?
CCL: Definitely Prince, but I also
loved Culture Club, The Runaways,
Joan Jett, Madonna, Donna
Summer, Cher, KISS; my list could
go on and on.
MN: Why did you first get into
DJing?
CCL: Well mostly for my love of
music but also I’m a control freak
so I wanted to hear the music that I
liked and I thought the club should
be playing. [Laughs]
MN: You also are going to be DJing
on the Addison stage Saturday,
August 13 at 6pm as part of Market
Days. Is there a difference in your
show in a club and at a street fair?
CCL: Not really. As long as my
energy is up, I think the crowd will
have a really good time with my
music.
MN: You have been very open
about your sobriety this past year,
so we have to ask, how is it going?
CCL: Amazing! I’m blessed and
grateful. The obsession is lifted for
now, but as you know, it’s One Day
at a Time.
MN: Wildest Chi Chi LaRue
MN: You are going to be spinning at mainstream celebrity meeting?
Seven on Friday, August 12. What
CCL: Well, I told you about Prince;
can your fans expect?
that was pretty awesome. But it
CCL: Lots of fun, gay, happy
would either have to be the time I
music. I really love to mix it up with did coke in a bathroom stall with
the current hits and dashes of
Debbie Harry or when I kissed
oldies and classics.
26
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
Kevin Richardson from the
Backstreet Boys. I also had the
amazing privilege to meet Cher on
a couple of different occasions, one
being on her video shoot for “Heart
Of Stone.”
MN: The world first fell in love with
you because of your porn-directing
career. How did you first get
involved in gay porn?
CCL: That story is a tale as old as
time. I think people are sick of
hearing about it. [Laughs] In a
nutshell, I moved from Minnesota
to Los Angeles and started working
at Catalina Video. I wanted to be
involved in the video shoots and be
around lots of naked men. I
persevered and here I am. I’m
actually shooting my first movie as
we speak for Men.com. So as I’m
doing this interview, there’s naked
men everywhere. [Laughs]
MN: Who are your porn directing
role models and why?
CCL: There was really only one.
Joe Gage. His movies are filthy! I
really love his style. I also enjoy
William Higgins; he gave me my
start. Directors today that I think
really do some interesting,
incredible stuff are Jake Jaxson,
Steve Cruz and mr. Pam.
MN: Do you have a favorite movie
that you directed?
CCL: “Wrong Side Of The Tracks’
for CIR.com.
MN: You have directed so many
talented performers. Do you have
favorites?
CCL: Too many to name. I’ve
enjoyed them all.
MN: Who is the one performer that
you have never directed who is on
your wish list to work with?
CCL: I would have loved to direct
Al Parker, may he rest in peace. As
for today, I think Dato Foland.
There are a few that I’ve wanted to
direct but I’m going to be getting
my opportunity very soon.
MN: Last spring, you co-directed
Cockyboys’
“One Erection”
with Jake
Jackson. You
are both two
talented
directors, so I
have to ask,
was it hard to
work
together?
CCL: I can say
with all
honesty that
the project
was one of the
best
experiences in
this business
I’ve ever had. I
can’t wait for
that movie to
come out.
MN: I
understand
you have been
doing some
freelance
directing lately. What can we look
forward seeing from Chi Chi
LaRue?
CCL: Well, first off, I’ve directed
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
27
can I either see them or
buy them?
CCL: Oh, lordy, I guess if
you’re a dickhead, you can
go on one of the pirate
sites and steal them.
[Laughs] I guess the best
place to see all my stuff is
at TLA Video. Of course
you can go to CIR.com for
my Rascal, Catalina, All
Worlds catalog.
MN: Since we don’t have a
Chi Chi LaRue toy store in
Chicago, the best place
you get Chi Chi LaRue
toys?
CCL: At Chi Chi LaRue’s in
West Hollywood.
some new hot movies for Channel
1 Releasing. There will be more
stuff coming from CockyBoys, and
I’m directing a really cute feature
for Men.com right now. I’m also
28
GRAB Magazine
going back to my roots so to
speak, but more on that later.
MN: You have an amazing catalog
of movies you have directed. Where
August 9, 2016
MN: Best way to keep up
with all things Chi Chi
Larue?
CCL:
Twitter:@djchichilarue,
Instagram and Facebook.
One last thing, Mark I wanted
to tell everybody who’s reading
this, be good to yourself and be
good to others.
30
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
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GRAB Magazine
hits the Streets
Tuesday
August 23rd...
Call today to
reserve your
ad space
773-857-2262
32
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
MUSIC
GRAB FOUREVER1
Randy Jackson’s New Girl Group
Releases Debut Dance Song
By Michael Klefsky
As FOUREVER1, identical
quadruplets Jodi, Catherine,
Christina, and Janelle Pyfrom aim
to conquer the music charts.
Their debut track is “All About
Tonight”, an empowering highenergy pop single executive
produced by American Idol music
master Randy Jackson.
The song encourages fans to
step out of their comfort zones. Its
remixes by Bimbo Jones, Sean
Finn, Tavo, and Jason Kohlmann
are currently playing on heavy
rotation in clubs.
Michael Klefsky: It has to be
exciting to see all the support “All
34
GRAB Magazine
About Tonight” is getting from DJs. Janelle: Yes, it is very exciting! We
are so grateful. We always dreamed
of this and it’s surreal to finally see
it happen. This just shows us that
as long as we work hard, we can
achieve our goals.
MK: Who are your music idols?
Janelle: There are so many! Our
top have to be Beyonce, Rihanna,
and Jojo. We also love The
Backstreet Boys.
MK: How does FourEver1 plan to
make its own mark on pop music?
Janelle: By infusing our island
August 9, 2016
roots into our music with our
already pop influenced sound.
MK: Where are you from?
Janelle: The Bahamas.
MK: Do you get home sick for the
Bahamas?
Jodi: I do. I'm a very chill, relaxed
person so I'm used to the lifestyle
there and am constantly thinking of
the island’s beautiful beaches.
Catherine: I miss the food most.
MK: How do you like living in Los
Angeles?
Catherine: I love living in Los
Angeles. It's a great place to be,
especially for our career. It’s also an
inspiring place, being around so many
talented people.
Janelle: At first it was hard being away
from the Bahamas, leaving all that we
have known behind. But now I think
LA is great! We have made friends and
have gotten to know the place pretty
well.
MK: Are all the sisters living together?
Janelle: Yes, we share the same
house.
MK: Is it tough working with Randy
Jackson?
Jodi: Randy is one of the
coolest, most genuine people we have
ever met in the music industry.
Janelle: But he’s a little tough, too.
Randy pushes us to bring out our full
potential. I think its necessary so that
we know what we are capable of.
MK: What’s next? Janelle: We’re preparing to release
another single that we think everyone
will love! At least, we hope.
For more visit Fourever1.com
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GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
37
Photos Courtesy of Kat Fitzgerald
MysticImagesPhotography.com
Happy 75th
Birthday
Jim Flint!!!
38
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
Daily Specials
GRAB YOUR FRIENDS
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Charlies: Free Two-Step Line Dancing Lessons @ 7:30pm, Country Dancing until 11pm, Bingo with Darla
Dae 11pm-1am, Dance Music with Lightning LuLu Until 4am. $2 Wells & Draft Pints, $13 Absolut Pitchers.
Crew: Pub Quiz 8pm $5 chicken strips $4 Hopothesis beers $5 Absolut Cocktails. Hydrate: $2 Drinks,
$5 Cover after Midnight, DJ Laura B. Kit Kat: Half-priced drink menu & 33 percent off entire food menu.
Lucky Horseshoe: Open at 3pm, Dancers 7pm. North End: Open at 11am, Free pool, $10.75 Miller
Lite Pitchers. Phoenix Bar: Karaoke Night 2.50 Mystery Shot special, $3 Miller Lite Bottles. Progress
Bar: 9PM EVERY MONDAY Gia's Gunns and Roses Drag Show, $5 ABSOLUT vodka cocktails, $5
Jameson, $3 Blue Moon Drafts Scarlet: $3 PBR Tall Boys, $5 Select Martinis. Shakers: $13 Mix &
Match Buckets, $4 Jager Shots. Sidetrack: Open at 3pm. Musical Monday Show Tunes 8pm-2am.
SoFo Tap: $5 Jameson Shots, $3 Well and Select Call Cocktails, $3 All Draft Beers, $2 SIN (Service
Industry) Feature, 8PM – Close, SIN – Service Industry Night. Steamworks: $5 off w/Student ID, Quick
Trix 9a-1p $7 lockers, The Office: $5 Martinis (you-call-it). Touche: Big Game Night Come Out & Play.
@mosphere: 1st Tuesday of the month Killer Cabaret 9-11pm. 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays Killer Open Mic
9-11pm 3rd Tuesdays of the month is Killer Babes Drag Show 10pm, $4 Freball Shots $6 Stoli Cocktails.
Charlie’s: Rockstar Karaoke with Jeremiah 9pm-1am. Top 40's Dance Beats with Lightning
LuLu 1am-4am. $2 Draft Pints, $3 Fireball, $13 You-Call-It Pitchers. Crew: $1 Tacos, $5 Beergarita
Pints, $5 Michelada, $20 mexican beer buckets. Kit Kat Lounge: Half priced martinis & 33 percent off
small plates; Tarot Card Readings by Therese Murphy. "Burger, Beer, Bitch!" $14.95 Burger & Sam
Adams. Lucky Horseshoe: Open Auditions for male dancers 7pm. Open at 3pm, Dancers 7pm.
North End: Open at 11am, $5.75 22 oz Lites. Phoenix Bar: Dollar Drink Night (Well liquor only), $5
Manager Shot Special. Progress Bar: Industry night 50% off everything for industry people with a valid
pay stub $4 Fat Tire drafts, $5 Jack Daniels products. Replay Beer & Bourbon: Tat-Tuesdays with
Keith, Ryan and HO-sted by Debbie Fox, Richard on Door, FREE Tattoo weekly! Sidetrack: Open at
3pm, TRL Tuesday: Totally Rad Line-up of 90's and early 00's Music Videos 8pm-2am. SoFo Tap:
$5 Absolut cocktails, $6.50 Big Beers (all drafts), 9PM Tringo (Trivia Bingo) with host Sister Margaret
Cootersnatch. Scarlet: $4 You-Call-Its, $4 Jager, Jameson, Rumpleminze Shots. Steamworks: Come
Back Tuesdays Use your weekend receipt to get $4 off anytime Tuesday or Wednesday, 4p-7p-Howard
Brown Open Testing To the Public. $5 off w/Student ID. The Call: Vodka Night & Music Videos. $5 Skyy
Vodka Cocktails. Touche: Hardcore Cruisin’ $1 off drinks for those in leather, Club Room Open.
@mosphere: Naughty Stripper Bingo 8:30pm $5 Rosebud Shots, $5 Sultry Shots. Baton Show
Lounge: Shows at 8:30pm, 10:30pm & 12:30am. Charlie’s: Shower Contest Hosted by Carlos $100
Cash Prize for first place! Sign up by 11pm. $2 Wells $1 Draft Pints, DJ Alex Cabot spins till 4am. Crew:
$5 off all pitchers of beer (Beer buddy Wednesdays) $5 stoli cocktails. Kit Kat Lounge: Half-price
Cocktails & Martinis, Buy one entree get one free. Lucky Horseshoe: Open at 3pm, Dancers 7pm.
North End: Open at 11am, $5.75 22 oz Lites. Phoenix Bar: Hump Day! $5 Absolut Vodka, $5
Manager Shot Special Progress Bar: $4 Svedka Flavors and $3 Coronas. Scarlet: $3 Miller Lite, $4
Svedka, $4 Old School Shots. Shakers: $1 Off Craft Beers, $1 Off Long Island Iced Teas and Flavored
Teas. Sidetrack: Open at 3pm, Woof Wednesday 1st Wed of Month, monthly All Things Beyonce and
Sync It Parties other Wed.'s 9pm-2am SoFo Tap: $4 Fat Tire Drafts, $6.50 Fat Tire Big Beers, $4
Fireball Shots, 9PM Live Game Show with host Dick Guhzinya. Steamworks: Come Back
Wednesdays Use your weekend receipt to get $4 off anytime Tuesday or Wednesday, $5 off w/Student
ID. The Call: Showtunes Absolut & Skyy Martini Specials. The Office: $3 Wells & $2.50 16oz Draft
Beers. Karaoke at 9pm Touche: Jockstrap Night Free Pants Check $1 off drinks for those in jocks.
Thursday
@mosphere: Male Dancers 10pm. Baton Show Lounge: Shows at 8:30pm, 10:30pm & 12:30am.
Charlie’s: Industry Night! Dancers, $3 You-Call-It Drinks, Shots, and Beer All Day! (Excludes
LongIsland) Dart League 8pm. Dart Tournament 10pm. Afterhours Dance Music with Ron G from
11pm-4am.. Crew: Karaoke 10pm, $3.50 Draft beers (not including high ABV). Glenwood: August
18th Golden Girls Trivia 8pm Hosted by Kirk. Hydrate: $5 Effen Cocktails & Bombs. Kit Kat Lounge:
Half-priced martinis and $5 mojitos; Tarot Card Readings by Therese Murphy. Lucky Horseshoe:
Open at 3pm, Dancers 4pm. North End: Open at 11am, $10.75 Miller Lite Pitchers. Phoenix Bar:
Dancers and Go-go Boys! $5 Bacardi, $5 Vegas Bombs. Progress Bar: 1st Thurs Illuminaughty Party,
Every Thurs $4 Fireball and $3 Miller LIte drafts. Scarlet: $5 40 oz. Miller Lite, $5 24 oz. Corona, $5
Long Island Mini-Pitchers, $5 Old School Shots. Shakers: $4 Fireball Shots, $2 Miller Lite Bottles, $4
Well Drinks. Sidetrack: Open at 3pm, Comedy Videos 8pm-12am, Music Videos 12am-2am. SoFo
Tap: $6 Miller Lite Draft and a Shot of Jameson, $3 Blueberry or Raspberry Vodka Lemonades, $1 Jello
Shots Steamworks: $5 off w/Student ID. Touche: Handballer Night Red/White Hanky Specials Club
Room Open.
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GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
Friday
@mosphere: Male Dancers 10:30pm. Baton Show Lounge: Shows at 8:30pm, 10:30pm &
12:30am. Charlie’s: Free Two-Step Line Dancing Lessons @10pm Country Dancing until 1:30am,Top 40
Dance/House Mixes with Lightning LuLu till 4am. $5 Draft Pitchers & $13 Long Island Pitchers.
Crew: $4.25 Lagunitas IPA pints, $2 PBR cans, $4.50 Skinny Lemonade F.O’Mahony’s: $15 All-U-Can
Eat Fish & Chips. Hydrate: $4 Jameson Shots. Kit Kat Lounge: $32 three course prix-fixe menuincludes a martini, salad and entree. Lucky Horseshoe: Open at 3pm, Dancers 4pm. North End:
Open at 11am, $5.75 22 oz Lites. Phoenix Bar: Dance Night with Go-go boys! $5 Three-Olives Vodka, $5
Fireball. Progress Bar: 9PM to 10PM POWER HOUR $2 All Svedka Cocktails, No Cover EVER DJ starts at
10PM. Shakers: $3 Molson Golden Bottles, $5 Cosmos. Sidetrack: Open at 3pm, T.G.I.F. Show Tunes
5-9 pm, High Energy 9pm-2am. SoFo Tap: $6 Big Miller Lites, $4 Red Stag Shots or Cocktails, $4 Fireball
Shots, $2 PBR Cans, 3PM – 7PM, Customer Appreciation – Free Food (while supplies last), Free Darts, first
10 people in get a scratch off Lotto Ticket 9PM – Close, GRR… It’s Friday – Bear Party. Steamworks:
Quick Trix 9a-1p $7 lockers, 9p-12a TPAN HIV Rapid Test. 8/12 XXX Live Solo Show at 11pm with Lorenzo
Flexx, DJ Harry Cross 10pm-4am. The Office: DJ’s @ 10pm. Touche: 8/12 Smith & Forge Hard Cider
Challenge 2, 8/19 Full Moon Party & Contest.
Saturday
Daily Specials
GRAB YOUR FRIENDS
@mosphere: Male Dancers 11pm. Baton Show Lounge: Shows at 8:30pm, 10:30pm & 12:30am.
Charlie’s: Smoke & Mirrors hosted by Khloe @ Midnight, Lightning Lulu spins Top 40 mixes till 4am. $3 ApplePie
Moonshine Shots, $5 Draft Pitchers, $13 Long Island Pitchers. Crew: $4.25 Coors Lite tall boys, $7-9 Crew Bloodies,
$15 bottomless mimosas (with entree purchase). Hydrate: $5 Effen Bombs. Lucky Horseshoe: Dancers all
day! 2pm. Mid City Cocktail & Supper Club: 5/21 $6.00 Long Islands, $3.00 Diva Shots. North End: Open at
11am, Welcoming CMSA and AAC teams. Phoenix Bar: Dance Night with Go-go boys! $5 Svedka Vodka, $5
Fireball. Progress Bar: No Cover Ever. DJ starts at 10:30 p.m. Scarlet: $5 Well Drinks, $5 Imported Beers, $95
Classic Stoli Bottle Service. Shakers: $5 Jager Shots, $4 Fireball Shots, $1 Off all Imports. Sidetrack: Open at
1pm, Sidetrack Video Mix 1-9 pm, High Energy 9pm- 3am. SoFo Tap: $4 Stella Drafts, $4 Fireball Shots, $4 Skinny
Lemonades, Noon – 3pm Doggy Days – Afternoon Dog Party, First Saturday of the Month - 9PM – Close, DILF, Last
Saturday of the Month – 9PM – Close, GEAR. Steamworks: 8/13 Twisted XXX Live Show at 1am with Brian
Bonds and David Benjamin, DJ Jim Belanger 10pm-6am. The Office: DJ’s @ 10pm. Touche: 8/13 Dungeon
Master Night Demo @ Midnight CWB 5pm, 8/20 These Boots are Made for Walkin’ Boot Fetish Gear Night Benefit for
AIDS Walk BNC 6pm.
Sunday
Funday
@mosphere: Best Music of the 70‘s, 80‘s & 90‘s every week with Monthly Special events & Drink
Specials. Baton Show Lounge: Shows at 7pm, 9pm & 11pm. Charlie’s: Euchre Club 5pm-8pm.
Rockstar Karaoke with Jeremiah 9pm-1am. Top 40's Dance Beats with Lightning LuLu 1am-4am. $5 Draft
Pitchers, $13 You-Call-It Pitchers. Crew: $5 Beergarita pints, $12 Miller Lite pitchers, $7-9 Crew
Bloodies, $15 bottomless mimosas (with entree purchase). F.O’Mahony’s: $20 Mimosa Brunch.
Hydrate: $4 U-Calls Its Kit Kat Lounge: Half priced martinis, 33 percent off small plates;
Divalicious Brunch staring Madam X, 11am-4pm; $29.95 prix-fixe; $14.95 “Build your own” cocktail
package. Lucky Horseshoe: Dancers 2pm. North End: Open at 11, Playing all the Sunday
Funday games! Phoenix Bar: Latin Night / Variety Latino Show! $4 Corona Bottles, $7 Long Island,
$5 Patron Silver Shots. Progress Bar: Sunday Funday! $10 Bottles of Bubbly/Mimosas $10 Pitchers
of Miller Lite or Coors Light $3 Miller Lite or Coors Light drafts, DJ Chip every Sunday playing all of your
favorite music videos and always taking requests. Shakers: $6 Bloody Mary Bar, $4 Mimosas, $13 Mix
& Match Buckets, $5 Chocolate Martinis. Sidetrack: Open at 1pm, Show Tunes 4-9pm, Flashback
Videos 9pm-2am Retro with a beat. SoFo Tap: $5 PBR and a Shot of Jameson, $3 Miller Lite Drafts,
$5 SoFo Marys, $4 Skinny Lemonades. Steamworks: 8/14 Sick & Twisted XXX Live Show at 11pm with
Aleks Buldocek & Jonah Fontana, DJ Jim Belanger 10pm-6am. The Office: $2.50 Bloody Marys, $2.50
Champagnes, & $2.50 16oz Draft Beers. Karaoke at 9pm. Touche: BEER BUST $1 Bud, Bud Light
Drafts & Sodas After the Beach Party 3-7pm, Movie Night at 7pm.
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
49
DANCE
GRAB A HIT
Top 15 Dance Chart this week
Visit nexusradio.fm
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
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15
50
Artist
Sharam
Alex Parker
Gareth Emery
Mike Hawkins
Diana Gloster
The Chainsmokers
Codeko
Alexandra Stan
Comet Blue
Mako
Disco Killerz & Liquid Todd
U4YA
Calvin Harris
Chloe & Halle Jadagrace
Firebeatz
GRAB Magazine
Title
Same ft. Anousheh (Radio Edit)
Tropical Sun
Reckless ft Wayward Daughter
Follow feat. Disfunk & Oisin
Buona Sera (Razor N Guido Nexus Edit)
Don't Let Me Down ft Daya (Victor Dinaire & Bissen Nexus Edit)
Afterglow feat. Ashton Palmer
Balans (Criminal Sounds Remix)
Spaceship
Into The Sunset
Stellar ft Jimmy Gnecco (Morgan Page Radio Edit)
Live & Celebrate (Radio Edit)
This is What You Came For ft Rihanna
This Is For My Girls (Ray Rhodes Down In DC Radio Edit)
Lullaby ft. Chocolate Puma & Bishop
August 9, 2016
52
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
TRANSGENDER
GRAB HOLLY
I Hereby
Declare a Riot
By Holly Maholm
Although I live in Cleveland, I take
a deep and personal interest in what
goes on in Chicago. (Two of my
children live there.) So it was
shocking to me to see that over the
July 4th weekend in Chicago, there
were (depending on how you keep
score) 82 people shot, of which 14
died. These are distressingly large
numbers, but as big as they are, they
are only part of the yearly total, which
(as I write) is 2,223 shot and 356
killed.
The more I pondered these
numbers, the more it seemed to me
that we are witnessing a sort of
“slow-motion” riot. Granted, we do
not see mobs of people in the streets
looting stores or burning cars, but
honestly, except for that, how does
“Summer 2016 in Chicago” differ
from a riot? There is frequent gunfire,
law-abiding residents are afraid to go
out on their porches and lawless
young men are running wild
committing crimes.
Then I thought about the riot we
all saw last year in Baltimore, the one
that followed the death of Freddie
Gray. Now, there was a riot! They had
looters in the streets, hooligans
throwing rocks at police and general
mayhem.
And I remembered … at one
point, the mayor of Baltimore gave
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GRAB Magazine
orders to her police that they should
refrain from attempting to arrest
looters. The mayor made an
“Executive Decision” that –
considering the large number of
rioters in the streets – if her police
were to try to arrest them, there
would inevitability be a considerable
loss-of-life. So she decided: A looted,
burnt-out storefront is a “bad thing,”
but a dozen dead people worse.
She took a lot of criticism for her
decision, but most residents agreed
that – considering the alternatives – it
was better to rebuild a few blocks of
distressed real estate than to have a
dozen more Freddie Grays.
So, while there is still time to
rescue “Summer 2016 in Chicago,” I
want to suggest to the mayor of
Chicago that he, too, should make an
“Executive Decision.” He should
issue a Mayoral Proclamation by
which he officially “Declares a Riot.”
He should go before the microphones
and declare that Chicago is
“besieged by rioters,” and – as Chief
Executive of the City – he has
decided to take decisive action, as
follows:
First, he should describe the
nature of the “riot.” Which is: That
certain drug dealers are running
around the city lawlessly “looting” the
territories, profits and customers of
other drug dealers, and although
these rioters are (thoughtfully)
ignoring Chicago’s convenience
stores, liquor stores and nail salons,
the violence they commit against
other drug dealers is both appalling
and unacceptable.
The mayor should
then inform all
Chicagoans that he
has given orders to the
police that – during the
pendency of the “riot”
– they are to refrain
from attempting to
arrest or detain any
residents by reason of
their possession, use
or sale of marijuana, in
any quantities. (The
mayor might also
suggest that if any
residents want to set
up storefronts to sell
the stuff, the police will
not disrupt those
businesses.) His
reasoning in this
instance is clear.
When there is a riot
August 9, 2016
going on, you (if you are the mayor)
cannot trouble yourself with petty
crimes, nor can you unnecessarily
burden your city’s already exhausted
police by trying to enforce a law that
is only making things worse.
Here is how the mayor’s policy
would help. No more petty
harassment of young black men for
no compelling reason. No more
“pretext” traffic stops (you know,
“Failure to Signal a Lane Change”)
designed to fish for a quick bust over
a simple joint. No more endlessly
sending young black men back to jail
on drug warrants or parole violations.
No more residents carrying a 9mm to
defend their “turf.”
Just 80 years ago, the people of
Chicago (and the rest of the country)
got tired of all the violence, murders
and corruption caused by Prohibition
(by the “black market” in alcohol
which Prohibition created) and they
put an end to it. Now, when we look
around our city, we see Chicago is
suffering the very same sort of harm,
all of which is attributable – directly or
indirectly – to an almost-identical
“black market” in a relatively
harmless weed.
Ask yourself this: If you were the
mayor of Chicago, how would you
balance the “harm” to society caused
by the current “slow-motion riot”we
see around us, compared to the
“harm” that we would witness, were
many of the residents of the South
Side to be found (peacefully and
legally) sitting out on their front
porches, smoking a little weed?
All we need is that one, wise
“Executive Decision” by our mayor. Holly Maholm is a transgender
woman living in Cleveland, Ohio.
Look for Holly’s up-coming book
Brave in Leather, or Miss Sissy
Whip… rescues the Queen of the
Fairies from Impending Doom! Other
articles by Holly can be found at
www.hollymaholm.com. MARKET DAYS
GRAB THE HAREM
DJ ALEX ACOSTA
By Kevin Wirth
Neverland is celebrating Market
Days with its most extravagant
event ever. Drawing inspiration
from the costumes, story, and men
of the blockbuster film, 300,
IMPERIAL HAREM opens the
weekend at Metro.
Mexico City-based DJ Alex
Acosta will headline the event, his
first time spinning Neverland since
the very first Market Days party
three years ago. We spoke to
Alex to find out what he had in
store for IMPERIAL HAREM.
Kevin Wirth: How long has it been
since you’ve played Chicago?
Alex Acosta: The last time I played
Chicago was February. I remember
it being very cold.
KW: What do you like most about
our city?
AA: Chicago is a unique city, very
characteristic. The loop, the parks,
the beach, the architecture...
they’re all very unique. I tell people
it’s where old
classic meets
modern. I have so
many friends here.
Every time I come,
it’s like coming
home. I love it.
KW: You headlined
Neverland’s very
first Market Days. What was that like?
AA: I had never
been to Market
Days so I honestly
didn’t know what
to expect! I
remember being
blown away by the
production that the
Neverland team
created. The
décor, the
performers, the
staging… the
costumes for the gogo dancers
were fierce and there was even a
drum guy banging on the bongos! It
was a fun night, for sure! I had
never seen anything like it. It was
all very entertaining.
KW: How was the crowd?
AA: Everyone had a
fantastic time. I really
connected with them.
There were a couple of
performances during my
set but I didn’t have to stop
the music, which I always
appreciate.
KW: Did you get a chance
to experience the day
festival?
AA: Yes, I walked around
Halsted, enjoyed the
crowds, the live shows, all
of it.
KW: What do you have
planned for Imperial
Harem?
AA: I’ve been working on
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GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
new
tracks to
premiere
and some
new
remixes
like my
rework of
Ariana
Grande’s
“Into You”
and Sam
Smith’s
“Naughty
Boy”. You
can
expect
lots of high energy drums, plenty of
peaks and other musical surprises!
I promise to start the Market Days
weekend off properly.
KW: For many, ‘harem’ connotes
the idea of groups of attractive men
with oiled bodies lounging nude by
spas and pools. Is that where you
imagine the night will go?
AA: (Laughing) Add to that some
sexy grooves and beats and, for
sure, that’s where we’re headed!
KW: How do you measure a
successful night?
AA: When there is a connection
between the DJ and the crowd that
allows us all to not care about the
outside world. It’s just us: the
people and the DJ. I love seeing
the after-videos that fans post. I
sometimes even weep tears of joy
seeing everyone having a great
time, reacting to the tracks I
played.
KW: Have an amazing Market
Days! We look forward to taking
your journey at Neverland.
AA: Thank you! I can’t wait to see
all my Chicago boys and everyone
who will be joining us from all over
the US and the world. It’s going to
be epic.
IMPERIAL HAREM takes place
Friday, August 12th at Metro (3730
N Clark St, Chicago). Mexico Citybased DJ Alex Acosta headlines.
Chicago DJ Alex Cabot opens.
Hosted by Imp Queen, Nico and
Sara Andrews. $40 early bird
tickets available now at
www.NeverlandMarketDays.com.
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
63
NEWS
LGBTQ students feel safer
at schools with gay-straight
alliances
A Vanderbilt University study
found that LGBTQ students
attending high schools with gaystraight alliances reported
significantly fewer incidences of
bullying based on sexual
orientation or gender expression
and had a greater sense of
personal safety compared to
students in schools without GSAs.
The new report is a metaanalysis of 15 independent studies
surveying nearly 63,000 high
school students. It was conducted
by Robert Marx and Heather
Hensman Kettrey at Vanderbilt’s
Peabody Research Institute, and
published by Journal of Youth and
Adolescence.
The researchers found that
students who attended a school
with a GSA were:
• 52 percent less likely to hear
homophobic remarks;
• 36 percent less likely to be fearful
for their personal safety; and
• 30 percent less likely to
experience homophobic
victimization.
“Compared to their straight and
gender-conforming classmates,
LGBTQ students are at an
increased risk of victimization in
high schools, and our work
suggests that GSAs might be a
promising solution to this problem,”
said Kettrey, a research associate
at Peabody Research Institute.
GSAs help all students feel
more accepted
The benefits aren’t only for
LGBTQ students.
“It was interesting to find that
the presence of a GSA was
associated with lower levels of
victimization for all students,
without distinguishing between
students who did and did not
participate in the group,” added
Kettrey.
She added, “Having a GSA can
send a strong message to all
students that their school is a
welcoming place where all people
are accepted and that homophobic
acts will not be tolerated.”
GSAs challenged by parents
Gay-straight alliances are protected
under the federal Equal Access Act
of 1984. But parents and educators
who are uncomfortable with the
68
GRAB Magazine
idea have found ways to thwart
students from establishing such
student-led groups.
Robert Marx, a doctoral student
at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of
education and human development
and lead author of the study,
formerly served as a high school
English teacher in Boston for five
years as well as a GSA faculty
adviser.
“When I was teaching I talked
to a lot of parents who were afraid
the group would be a distraction, or
worse, some kind of conversion
program or incentive for students to
behave in a way they normally
wouldn’t,” Marx said. “But the
reality was just the opposite. With
LGBTQ and straight peers
supporting each other, students
blossomed, grew and became
more confident—and felt safer at
school. I’ve seen GSAs have a
positive impact on students’ lives,
and having the data back that up
was exciting to see.”
GSAs reduce additional
health, mental health risks
Students who are subjected to
homophobic victimization are at risk
for substance abuse, depression,
poor academic performance and
suicidal thoughts or actions. Having
a place for students to talk and
receive support from straight and
LGBTQ peers can go a long way in
reducing those risks, the
researchers said.
“We live in a political
environment in which people are
being attacked for how they live
and whom they love,” Marx said.
“Society makes it very hard to be a
queer youth. I think it’s really
important to understand the healing
and transformative power of being
a part of a supportive community.
When we join together as allies and
take a stand against hate and
share our lives, it forms a whole
that is greater than sum of its
individual parts.”
For more information visit
http://www.vanderbilt.edu
AFC and Howard Brown
Health laud Illinois Medicaid
for expanding access to HIV
treatments
The AIDS Foundation of Chicago
(AFC) and Howard Brown Health
August 9, 2016
commend the recent decision by
Felicia Norwood, Director of the
Illinois Department of Healthcare
and Family Services (HFS), on
conducting a comprehensive
review of HIV medications covered
on the fee-for-service formulary,
and adding new HIV treatments to
the preferred drug list (PDL).
Specially, HFS added an
antiretroviral class to the PDL.
Included in that class and chosen
for the formulary are the preferred
agents Desovy and Genvoya.
The latest additions result from
a series of meetings between AFC
and Howard Brown Health officials
and Director Norwood and HFS.
The meetings addressed
advocates' and providers’ concerns
regarding new proposed
restrictions placed on Medicaid
beneficiaries’ access to single
tablet regimens (STR) prescribed
for HIV treatment.
AFC and Howard Brown Health
support the department’s decision
to add an antiretroviral class to the
PDL and inclusion of Desovy and
Genvoya as preferred agents. However, other first line STR’s were
not included on the state’s PDL
formulary, including Triumeq and
Stribild. Both are once-daily, lifesaving first line STRs. Since they
are non-preferred, providers will
have to undertake cumbersome
prior approval before prescribing
the medications.
Both organizations urge the
state to follow the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) HIV Treatment Guidelines,
which are assembled by a national
panel of expert HIV clinicians and
advocates and represent the best
medical evidence to treat HIV. Furthermore, advocates urge the
state to ensure access to all FDAapproved STRs without priorauthorization restrictions. Research
indicates STRs improve treatment
adherence toward maximum viral
suppression and are proven to be
effective at reducing treatment
failures, resistance and new
transmissions.
“Howard Brown Health and
AFC and applaud HFS for this
significant step forward by inclusion
of an antiretroviral class and
meeting with advocates and
providers to address our concerns,”
says Howard Brown Health’s
President and CEO David Ernesto
Munar. “We will continue to work
with HFS to develop guidelines and
policies that make HIV treatment
accessible and affordable to as
many people as possible.”
For more information on AIDS
Foundation of Chicago visit
www.AidsChicago.org and for
more information on Howard Brown
Health Center visit
www.HowardBrown.org
Cleve Carney Art Gallery
presents “Long View / Long
Game: 30th Anniversary
Exhibition” Aug 22 - Oct 1st.
EVENTS
The 53rd Annual Fine Art
Festival At Oakbrook
August 20 & 21st
The Fine Art Festival at
Oakbrook Center continues the 53
year tradition of great art in Oak
Brook, Illinois 15 miles west of
Chicago's "loop," taking place on August 20th & 21st from 10 a.m.-5
p.m. This juried festival showcases
about 100 juried artists. This is a
great show to show to find the
perfect art piece you've been
looking for. There will be free
admission and free parking at this
festival.
The Fall Festival of Fine Art will
showcase the work of more than
100 artists from across the country
in a variety of mediums, including
painting, photography, sculpture,
jewelry and functional art. In
addition to the artwork for sale, the
festival offers art enthusiasts with a
curiosity for technique and style the
opportunity to see the artists at
work with live demonstrations and
educational booth chats taking
place all weekend long.
In addition to great art, festivalgoers will enjoy live music and art
activities for kids!. Situated at the
open-air Oakbrook Shopping
Center surrounded by upscale retail
shops and restaurants, the festival
complements a day of shopping for
the whole family. Enjoy free photos
taken on Tagkast which is a system
that produces branded photos that
are emailed directly to you and can
be shared on social networks right
away! Children can enjoy the youth
art tent where they will be able to
make clay masterpieces to take
home.
This year at the festivals Amdur
Productions has started a new
charity initiative called the Green
Ribbon Project. The project
connects the festival with an
important cause and aims to
stimulate art buying at the festival. Participating artists put a green
ribbon on a piece of their choice in
their booth and when the piece is
sold the artist agrees to give 10%
of the proceeds to the Special
Olympics, which is the dedicated
charity for the Fine Art Festival
Oakbrook Center.
For more information, please
visit amdurproductions.com, call
847-926-4300
70
GRAB Magazine
In honor of the 30th Anniversary
of the McAninch Arts Center, the
Cleve Carney Art Gallery located in
the McAninch Arts Center at
College of DuPage, 425 Fawell
Blvd., presents the exhibition “Long
View / Long Game” curated by
Brandon Alvendia Aug. 22 – Oct.
1, 2016. The gallery will host an
opening reception with the curator
on Friday, Aug. 26 at the Cleve
Carney Art Gallery from 6 – 7:30
p.m. Receptions and gallery
admission are free and open to the
public. Complimentary exhibition
catalogues will be available to
visitors while supplies last.
The exhibition draws from the
Cleve Carney Art Gallery (2014 to
date) and Gahlberg Gallery
(1986-2012) archives, the College
of DuPage Permanent Art
Collection (1983 to date) as well as
the work of artists’ shown in the
McAninch Arts Center over the past
three decades. The College of
DuPage Permanent Art Collection
consists of more than 677
individual artworks, from which the
exhibition will showcase works by
artists William Wegman, Jenny
Holzer, Rashid Johnson, Cindy
Sherman and Richard
Tuttle among many others.
Fragments of the past, present and
future iterations of the space will
also be brought together through a
presentation of ephemera culled
from the archive, an installation of
art from the college’s collection and
a participatory artwork, whereby
visitors to the exhibit can contribute
to a time capsule and speculate on
the future, and is slated to be
opened in 30 years, 2046. Throughout the run of the
exhibition, guest curator Brandon
Alvendia will be programming
special events that will coincide
with the MAC’s 2016 Lakeside
Pavilion Free Outdoor Summer
Series and performances held in
the Belushi Performance Hall. “We
are extremely grateful for Brandon’s
work on this project and are excited
to share this exhibition with the
public,” said Cleve Carney Art
Gallery Director Justin Witte.
For more information about the
exhibitions and related special
events, visit clevecarneygallery.
org or call 630-942-2321.
August 9, 2016
Chicago to Host IFCON
Gay Asian Conference
The Windy City will play host to
about 200 attendees from two gay,
Asian social groups over Labor Day
as they hold their joint, annual
conference here.
Based in the DoubleTree by
Hilton, Magnificent Mile, in
downtown Chicago, the
International Friendship
Conference or IFCON 2016
Chicago will run from Sept. 2-5,
2016, and will feature city tours, a
Spirit of Chicago cruise on Lake
Michigan and a gala dinner.
Members from chapters of Asians &
Friends and Long Yang Clubs will
attend, representing chapters from
cities like Cleveland, Houston,
Minneapolis, New York, San Diego,
San Francisco and Toronto.
“The conference travels to
different host cities every year, so
2016 is our time to shine,” said
Angel Abcede, president of Asians
& Friends Chicago and co-chair of
IFCON 2016. “Chicago has so
much to offer as a cultural and
LGBT-centric destination.”
The goal of the conference is to
foster safe, supportive
environments for gay men of Asian
descent, Abcede says. “Often times
we find ourselves a minority within
a minority in the United States,
suffering from racial stereotypes
and body shaming,” he says. “The
phrase we hear on meet-up apps is
‘No fats, no fems and no Asians.’
But that’s not the case at IFCON.
Here we’re valued for what we look
like, our cultural heritages and what
we represent as a brotherhood.”
A highlight of the conference
will be the Spirit of Chicago, Navy
Pier, boat tour to happen Sat.,
Sept. 3, starting with a photo shoot
at 4 p.m. and boarding at 4:30 p.m.
It features dinner, a D.J., dancing,
two decks and complimentary beer
and wine. Another high point will be
the Sun., Sept. 4, gala dinner and
dance, with attendees coming in
elaborate costumes, a D.J. and
local entertainers. Tickets are
available at www.ifcon2016.org.
Those living in the Chicago
area who want to volunteer can
email event organizers at
[email protected], visit
www.afchicago.org or call the
Asians & Friends Chicago hotline at
312-409-1573.
Visit Us online
www.GrabChicago.com
THEATER
The Greenhouse Theater
Center Presents The U.S.
Premiere of “BLOODSHOT,”
RUNNING AUG. 10 – SEPT. 10
“Bloodshot” makes its U.S.
debut at the Greenhouse Theater
Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) Aug.
10 – Sept. 10 as part of
Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!”
series. Starring acclaimed
international actor, the multi-
Walkabout Theater Company
Presents
TALL GIRL AND THE
LIGHTNING PARADE
August 16 – 27
Walkabout Theater Company
celebrates summer with Tall Girl
Chicago Premiere!
TONYA AND NANCY: THE
ROCK OPERA
November 25 – December 30,
2016 at Theater Wit
Underscore Theatre Company,
in association with Harborside
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GRAB Magazine
talented Simon Slater, written by
award winning Chicago playwright
Douglas Post and directed by
Patrick Sandford, “Bloodshot,” is a
one-man murder mystery following
the character Derek Eveleigh, a
photographer in 1957 London. The
thriller is co-produced by Ingenious
Purpose Ltd.
“In curating the Solo
Celebration series, we were
searching for plays that not only
celebrated the form but redefined
what it could do. Douglas Post has
done all of that and more with his
one-man thriller,” says Jacob
Harvey, Artistic Director. “We are
honored to host the premiere of
the international efforts of a local
playwright, and are thrilled that it
brings acclaimed artists Simon
Slater and Patrick Sandford to our
city.”
The one-man murder mystery
“Bloodshot” tells the story of Derek
Eveleigh as he is hired by an
anonymous client to follow a
mysterious showgirl in the streets
of London. After witnessing the
and The Lightning Parade, an
interactive, outdoor parade and
performance spectacle featuring
over 30 multi-disciplinary artists –
performed in both Spanish and
English and perfect for the entire
family. Five free performances will
be presented August 16, August
23–24 and August 26–27, 2016 at
unique outdoor venues across the
City, primarily through the Chicago
Park District’s “Night Out in the
Parks” series.
Walkabout Theater’s dedicated
ensemble of eight is collaborating
with 25 additional Chicago artists
to create an immersive, celebratory
performance with live music,
masks, stilt-walkers and largescale moments of choreography.
Inspired by the Tzutujil Mayan
story shared by Martín Prechtel in
his book, The Disobedience of the
Daughter of the Sun, Tall Girl and
Films, is pleased to present the
Chicago premiere of Tonya and
Nancy: The Rock Opera, a dark
musical comedy based on the
infamous 1990’s Tonya Harding/
Nancy Kerrigan “knee whack” ice
skating scandal. With book and
lyrics by Elizabeth Searle, music
by Michael Teoli, direction and
choreography by Jon
Martinez and musical direction
by Aaron Benham, Tonya And
Nancy will play November 25 –
December 30, 2016 at Theater
Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in
Chicago.
The Olympics, 1994. Then, as
now, America is obsessed with
celebrity scandals and the intense
amount of pressure put on young
athletes by society's "go for the
gold at all costs" attitude. Tonya
August 9, 2016
woman’s murder by an unknown
assailant, he begins an
investigation through the bowels
and backstreets of London where
he finds himself falling in love with
a dead woman he’s never even
met.
Post was commissioned by
Slater to write a play to showcase
his diverse talents as a singer,
actor, magician and musician
(equally adept on multiple
instruments,) and the product of
their partnership was “Bloodshot,”
one of the only solo thriller plays
written. Charles Spencer of the
The Telegraph praised the play,
saying “the ingenious writing of
Douglas Post … has so cleverly
reinvented the possibilities of the
stage thriller.” Spencer called the
show “a thriller that genuinely
holds the spectator in its thrall.”
Touring in England and throughout
Europe, “Bloodshot” has amazed,
thrilled and rattled audiences since
2011.
For ticket information visit
www.greenhousetheater.org
The Lightning Parade tells the
dramatic tale of Tall Girl’s magical
courtship with the iridescent little
Hummingbird Boy.
Conceived and directed by
Walkabout Co-Artistic
Director Thom Pasculli and coadapted by Isaac Fosl-van
Wyke and Enid Munoz, Tall Girl
and The Lightning Parade will
feature Lucía Mier y Terán
Romero as Tall Girl
Tall Girl and The Lightning
Parade is presented as part of the
Chicago Park District’s Night Out in
the Parks series and is supported
by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Arts
programming in neighborhoods
across the city advances the goals
of the Chicago Park District and
the Chicago Cultural Plan.
For additional information,
visit walkabouttheater.org/tallgirl. Harding, raised as "trailer trash,"
has hardly had the chance to
dream past her father’s pickup
truck. Her advantage? Pure
strength, athleticism and a
passionate determination to
escape her past. Nancy Kerrigan,
on the other hand, has it all – a
supportive family, an affluent
background, beauty and effortless
grace. Enter Tonya's no-account
boyfriend Jeff Gillooly, who has a
plan to “help” Tonya win. The
nation is watching as Jeff's goons
go after Nancy. What will happen
when each skater has only three
and a half minutes to be perfect?
Tickets go on sale Friday,
September 16, 2016 at www.theaterwit.org, in person at
the Theater Wit Box Office or by
calling 773-975-8150.
MUSIC
JOJO'S LONG AWAITED
RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM
MAD LOVE.
Twenty-five year-old Atlantic
recording artist JoJo has
announced the long awaited
release of her highly anticipated
new album. Mad Love. - the pop
superstar/singer-songwriter's first
full-length collection in 10 years arrives at long last on Friday,
October 14th.
Mad Love. is preceded by the
powerful new single, "F***
Apologies." (Feat. Wiz Khalifa),
available today on the iTunes Store
and all DSPs. The track will impact
at Top 40, Rhythmic and Hot AC
radio in August, and is
accompanied by a striking
companion video, directed by A
$AP Rocky and EMMY® Awardnominated filmmaker Francesco
Carrozzini (Beyoncé, Sia, Lana Del
Rey). The video premiered today
via JoJo's official YouTube channel,
and can be viewed here: https://
youtu.be/pScpXs7Ysdg
JoJo is currently heralding Mad
Love. on a major North American
arena/amphitheater tour alongside
Fifth Harmony, with dates
continuing through mid-September
(see attached itinerary). In addition,
JoJo is slated for a number of
festival appearances, including
England's estimable V Festival (set
for August 20th and 21st) and
Seattle, WA's own Bumbershoot
(September 3rd).
JoJo's first new album since
2006, Mad Love. sees the talented
singer/songwriter partnering with a
number of top pop producers
including Max Martin/Wolf
Cousins' Oscar Holter (P!nk,
Haliee Steinfeld, Tori Kelly),
Whiskey Water (Nick Jonas Feat.
Demi Lovato), and songwriter
Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez,
Justin Bieber, Gwen Stefani). Full
details - including tracklisting and
complete credits - will be unveiled
soon.
Mad Love. has already made a
major impact, more than a year
before its official announcement.
Both Buzzfeed and Fuse ranked it
among their "Most Anticipated
Albums" lists, with Buzzfeed noting
the release could make JoJo "this
year's comeback kid."
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GRAB Magazine
Mad Love. was preceded last
year by "III," a collection of three
new singles marking JoJo's long
anticipated Atlantic Records debut.
Like the album, the one-of-a-kind
"tringle" showcases an impressive
roster of producers: the gorgeous
power-ballad "Say Love" was
produced by Harmony "H-Money"
Samuels; The Family helmed the
heartfelt "Save My Soul"; and Jason
Evigan and Benny Blanco took the
lead on the infectious club-banger
"When Love Hurts." "III" is available
now as a bundle or as individual
tracks on the iTunes Store and all
leading digital retailers.
For more information,
please visit iamjojoofficial.com
Alicia Keys Releases Alicia
Keys x Kaskade “In
Common” Remix
Fifteen-time Grammy® Awardwinning singer, songwriter and
producer, Alicia Keys releases
Alicia Keys x Kaskade remix of her
new single ‘In Common’ which is
available now across all digital
music platforms. Also check out
the remix bundle of “In Common” featuring remixes from Lil Silva,
Xpect, Kenny Dope and Black
Coffee. The single is Alicia’s first
release in four years, taken from
her forthcoming sixth studio album,
due out later this summer on RCA
Records. Written by Alicia Keys,
Illangelo, Tayla Parks, Billy
Walsh and produced by Illangelo,
the longtime Grammy-Award
winning producer of The Weeknd,
“In Common” is an infectious
summer jam, seducing us with its
Latin inspired rhythm, which will
ignite airwaves and dance floors
across the globe.
“We all have our issues, our
challenges,” Alicia explains. “We
are all kind of messed up and
that’s all right. In fact, that’s what
helps us understand each other. To
me, that is what’s so beautiful.”
Alicia’s upcoming new album
reflects her roots in NYC and hiphop culture while blending her
perspective of the raw humanity of
the world and who she is today as
an activist, woman and artist.
This fall Alicia will appear as a
new judge on season 11 of the hit
show “The Voice” (NBC).
http://www.aliciakeys.com/
August 9, 2016
Melissa Etheridge Joins
Forces With PledgeMusic To
Release New Record
Melissa Etheridge has done
some pretty gutsy things in her
stellar career. She's shown no fear
in forthrightly standing up for her
truths, both in her songs and her
life. But as an artist she's never
quite laid it on the line like she does
on MEmphis Rock and Soul,
scheduled for release on October
7th, 2016 via Stax Records, a
division of Concord Music Group.
On MEmphis Rock and Soul,
Etheridge brings her powerful voice
and passionate vision to some of
the era-defining treasures of
modern music - the Staple Singers'
"Respect Yourself," Otis Redding's
"I've Been Loving You Too Long (To
Stop Now)" and "I've Got Dreams to
Remember," Sam & Dave's "Hold
On, I'm Coming," Albert King's
"Born Under a Bad Sign," Johnnie
Taylor's "Who's Making Love" - as
well as some real discoveries she
found in her explorations deep into
the Stax catalog. Etheridge could
not be happier with the results: an
album that completely captures the
spirit she felt as a kid hearing these
songs. And now she's thrilled to
share her MEmphis Rock and Soul.
As the leader in the direct-to-fan
platform, PledgeMusic is a perfect
fit for Etheridge to bring her fans
into the recording process and offer
them special exclusives and a
behind the scenes look into the
making of the record. "I'm happy and excited to
announce that I am recording a new
album. But I want to share this
music with you right now, which is
why I've invited you here - so you
can experience the music while it's
being created. I can't wait for you to
hear the new music!"
With every pre-order of the
record, fans receive the
AccessPass, which will give them
instant access to exclusive updates
and content. "I'll bring you into my world to
hear the new songs, see videos
from the recording sessions,
pictures from the studio and much,
much more."
To pre-order MEmphis Rock
and Soul, please visit: www.pledgemusic.com/
melissaetheridge.
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
75
GRAB JONAH
PORN
Porn Star
Jonah
Fontana
By Tom Olah
TOM OLAH: Where did you grow
up?
JONAH FONTANA: Hey guys. Glad
you invited me to do this. I grew up
on the island of Puerto Rico. I just
moved here to Chicago a few
months ago.
TO: First person you had sex with –
was it a boy or a girl? And how old
were you?
JF: A girl, actually in my car on the
beach. I think I was 15 or 16. I
wasn’t really into guys until after
high school.
TO: How did
you first get
into porn?
JF: I got into it
for the
modeling. I like
getting
pictures taken
of me and to
show off my
progress in
bodybuilding.
I’d like to
eventually
compete as
well as do
fitness and
fashion work.
TO: Who was
your first scene
partner?
JF: He was
another Puerto
Rican named
Ashton
Summers. We
clicked pretty
well because
we’re from the
same place.
TO: What was
your first day on
the set like?
JF: I was
nervous at first
and so hungry
by the end. It
was an all-day
shoot, and the
photographer
was cool to
work with.
78
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
TO: Do you have a fantasy porn
star that you want to film a scene
with?
JF: No, not really, but it would be
awesome to be able to film with my
fiancé, Aleks Buldocek, and our
boy, Lorenzo Flexx.
TO: What did your friends say when
you started doing porn?
JF: “What the fuck?!” Seriously,
that’s what they said.
TO: What do you think is the
biggest misconception people have
about those who work in porn?
JF: The biggest would be that porn
models have self-esteem issues or
that they are sex-crazed freaks.
TO: What is the most difficult
problem working in gay porn?
JF: The travel can be kind of
exhausting. I don’t like to spend too much time away
from home.
TO: You have worked with Lucas Entertainment. I have
to ask, what is it like to work with Michael Lucas?
JF: It was fun working with Lucas Entertainment, and
now I’m eager to branch out and explore other studios
and directors.
TO: What can we look forward seeing you in this year?
JF: This year I’ve done shoots with the Falcon Studios
group. I’m hoping to shoot still with MuscleBearMedia
and American Muscle Hunks in the fall as details settle
out. I’m also doing a ton of live shows and
appearances.
TO: You will be performing at Steamworks during
Market Days weekend. Who will you be working with?
JF: I’ll get to play Twister with the guys during the day
at the Steamworks’ booth, and then Sunday night, I’ll
get to perform with my big hot man, Aleks.
TO: Is this your first live show?
JF: Nope. My first live show was actually at Black
Party last March. It was super-intense and a ton of fun.
This one at Steamies will be even hotter.
TO: Best way for your fans to keep up with all things
Jonah Fontana?
JF: Best place is Twitter for now. Look up
@xxxjonahfontana and hit that follow button.
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
79
Photos By
Anthony Meade
80
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
GRAB A CAR
GRAB A HAIRCUT
CHICAGO MALE SALON
773-281-6005 • 3418 N. Halsted
AVIS/BUDGET
(Car, Mini Van & SUV Rentals)
773-528-6400 - 3721 N. Broadway
FLASHES HAIR DESIGN
773-472-3355 • 3740 N. Broadway
THE MENZ ROOM BARBER
SALON 773-880-7350
3437 N. Sheffield
VANITE SALON
773-661-9135 • 3161 N. Halsted
GRAB A CART
BEATNIX • 773-281-3214
3400 N. Halsted
BORDERLINE MUSIC •
773-728-6582 - 5351 N. Clark
GRAB HELP
CUPIDS TREASURES/
LEATHER SPORT • 773-348-3884
4923 N. Clark
AIDS FOUNDATION 200 W. Jackson Blvd #2100 312-922-2322
PLEASURE CHEST •
3023 N. Broadway - 773-880-9280
3436 N. Lincoln Ave - 773-525-7151
AIDS HOTLINE (ILLINOIS) 800-AID-AIDS (800-
UNABRIDGED BOOKSTORE •
3251 N. Broadway - 773-883-9119
ANDERSONVILLE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE - 773-728-2995
ASIANS/FRIENDS OF CHICAGO 312-409-1573
GRAB CLOTHES
BOYSTOWN T’ & COLLECTIBLES •
773-929-0370 - 3453 N. Halsted
BROWN ELEPHANT - SHOPS •
CHICAGO COMMISSION ON
HUMAN RELATIONS 312-744-4111
CHICAGO HOUSE
1925 N. Clybourn - 773-248-5200
CRAM FASHION • 773-477-1737
3331 N. Broadway
CHICAGO WOMEN’S AIDS
PROJECTNorth Office: 6363 N. Broadway 773-262-5566
South Office: 2317 E 71st St.
773-955-8709
EGOIST UNDERWEAR •
773-281-5121 - 3526 N. Halsted
FK - FULL KIT GEAR •
773-657-8000 - 5021 N. Clark
CITY OF CHICAGO DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE HOTLINE 877-863-6338
LEATHER 6410 •
773-508-0900 - 6410 N. Clark
ZEGLIO - CUSTOM CLOTHIERS •
773-525-6199 - 3341 N. Broadway
EYE MECHANIX OPTOMETRY
RANDALL RICKETTS, OD
773-857-1260
1953 N. Clybourn Ave
NORTHSTAR HEALTHCARE
773-296-2400 - 2835 N. Sheffield
TOM KLARQUIST, MD
AMG PROGRESSIVE MEDICAL
GROUP • 773-296-5090
3000 N. Halsted #509
OMEED MEMAR, MD
DERMATOLOGIST
312-230-0180 - 50 E. Washington
TRIAD HEALTH PRACTICE
773-296-8400
3000 N. Halsted St, # 711
82
GRAB Magazine
CENTER ON HALSTED
3653 N. Halsted - 773-472-6469
CHICAGO ANTI-BASHING
NETWORK - 888-471-0874
Andersonville - 5404 N. Clark
773-271-9382
Lakeview - 3020 N. Lincoln Ave
773-549-5943
Oak Park - 217 Harrison Street
708-445-0612
GRAB A DOCTOR
BROADWAY YOUTH CENTER 773-388-1600
CONGREGATION Or CHADASH 773-271-2148
DIGNITY CHICAGO -312-458-9438
EDGE ALLIANCE - 773-935-4663
EQUALITY ILLINOIS 773-477-7173
GL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 773-303-0167
GLSEN - 312-409-1835
HOWARD BROWN HEALTH
CENTER - 773-388-1600
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN 312-252-0012
LAKEVIEW EAST CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE - 773-348-8608
LAMBA LEGAL - 312-663-4413
LESBIAN COMMUNITY CANCER
PROJECT (LCCP) 773-561-4662
NEW TOWN ALANO CLUB
773-529-0321
August 9, 2016
GRAB HELP
OAK PARK AREA LESBIAN AND
GAY ASSOCIATION • Oak Park, IL
708-557-3003
PARENTS, FAMILIES & FRIENDS
OF GAYS & LESBIANS (PFLAG) 773-472-3079
PRIDE CHICAGO (Pride Parade
Organizers) - 773-348-8243
QUARE SQUARE COLLECTIVE
(Nonprofit for queer artists of color)
www.quare2collective.org
RAINBOW SASH MOVEMENT
[email protected]
ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
3857 N. Kostner - 773-725-9026
TEST POSITIVE AWARE
NETWORK (TPAN) •
5050 N. Broadway - 773-989-9400
UNITY LUTHERN CHICAGO
1212 W. Balmoral - 773-878-4747
VITAL BRIDGES
5543 N Broadway • 773-271-5110
GRAB A LAWYER
PETER S. CLEARY - 708-361-6900
Attorney at Law, D.U.I.• Criminal
ROGER V. MCCAFFREY-BOSS
312-263-8800 - 33 N. Dearborn
Street #800
ERICKSON & OPPENHEIMER
773-935-3130 - 217 N. Jefferson
GRAB A MOP
CHESTNUT ORGANIZING &
CLEANING SERVICE 312-332-5575
FROGS ON STARS CLEANING
SERVICE - 773-271-3764
GRAB A VIDEO
BANANA VIDEO - 773-561-8322
4923 N. Clark
SPECIALTY VIDEO - 773-878-3434
5307 N. Clark
FIND
GRAB
MAGAZINE
ONLINE AT
WWW.GRABCHICAGO.COM
WWW.GRABCHICAGO.COM
WWW.GRABCHICAGO.COM
PORN
GRABBY
REVIEWS
Taxman Cumeth
2016. Titanmen
Directed by Jasun Mark
Starring: David Benjamin, Eric Nero, Nick
Prescott, Diesel Washington, Tex Davidson,
Adam Ramzi
The taxman Eric Nero is knocking on web
cam performer Tex Davidson's door questioning
him on his at home office deduction. Well Nero
doesn't quite understand what a web cam model
does, so Davidson drops his drawers and shows
him... first by putting his penis pump on and using
it and then by going down on Nero all while
filming for the web. When Nero finally gets naked,
it's Nero sucking dick and eating ass, but Davison
is the one who
gets to fuck
the taxman.
In another
part of town is
Diesel
Washington
rubbing one
out while
watching the
Nero/Davison
web show,
but his
accountant
shows up and
questions
some of the
deductions he
took.
Washington
says he
would give
Benjamin the
shirt off his back... and does... along with his
shorts. Well don't worry, Benjamin is not shortchanged he gets the long arm of Washington dick
up his ass. Next is Nick Prescott also watching
the taxman web cam show when his own taxman,
Adam Ramzi, comes knocking (when did hot tax
men start making house calls?). Ramzi questions
why there is a bed in Prescott's home office and if
he gets any work done. That's code for "let's get
naked!" and Ramzi is the first to get his ass eaten
(so he is also the first to get fucked). Don't worry,
Ramzi gets to eat some Prescott ass and fuck
him also. After watching this movie all I could
think about was getting audited and having a hot
taxman come to my house.
3.8 Stars!
August 9, 2016
GRAB Magazine
83
GRAB A DRINK
16 @MOSPHERE • 773-784-1100
5
6
26
15
24
47
20
27
49
19
67
51
3
10
31
8
68
29
44
2
48
13
41
63
35
58
5355 N. Clark
2ND STORY BAR • 312-923-9536
157 E. Ohio
BATON SHOW LOUNGE
312-644-5269 • 436 N. Clark
BERLIN • 773-348-4975
954 W. Belmont
BIG CHICKS • 773-728-5511
5024 N. Sheridan
BOBBY LOVES • 773-525-1200
3729 N. Halsted
BRIANS SPEAKEASY
312-464-1400 • 440 N. State St.
CELL BLOCK • 773-665-8064
3702 N. Halsted
CHARLIES • 773-871-8887
3726 N. Broadway
CLOSET • 773-477-8533
3325 N. Broadway
CREW BAR • 773-784-CREW
4804 N. Broadway
ELIXIR ANDERSONVILLE
773-975-9244 1509 W. Balmoral
ELIXIR LOUNGE 773-975-9244
3452 N. Halsted
FANTASY NIGHTCLUB
773-325-2233 • 3641 N. Halsted
GRANVILLE ANVIL
773-973-0006 • 1137 W. Granville
HYDRATE • 773-975-9244
3458 N. Halsted
JACKHAMMER • 773-743-5772
6406 N. Clark
JEFFERY PUB • 773-363-8555
7041 S. Jeffery Blvd
L.J’s (Little Jims) • 773-871-6116
3501 N. Halsted
LUCKY HORSESHOE
773-404-3169 • 3169 N. Halsted
MANHANDLER • 773-871-3339
1948 N. Halsted
MARTYS MARTINI BAR •
773-561-6425 • 1511 W Balmoral
MARYS ATTIC •
773-784-6969 5400 N. Clark
MINI-BAR • 773-871-6227
3341 N. Halsted
PROGRESS • 773-697-9268
3359 N. Halsted
REPLAY • 773-975-9244
3439 N. Halsted
ROGERS PARK SOCIAL
6920 N. Glenwood
• 773-281-3355
34 ROSCOES
3356 N. Halsted
84
GRAB A DRINK
GRAB Magazine
• 773-348-1053
38 SCARLET
3320 N. Halsted
• 773-528-3253
1 SCOT’S
1829 W. Montrose
66 SEVEN • 872-206-2052
3206 N. Halsted
ON CLARK •
45 SHAKERS
773-327-5969 3160 N. Clark
39 SIDETRACK • 773-477-9189
3349 N. Halsted
52 SOFO Tap • 773-784-7636
4923 N. Clark
CALL • 773-334-2525
12 THE
1547 W. Bryn Mawr
23 THE NORTH END •
773-477-7999 • 3733 N. Halsted
7 TOUCHE • 773-465-7400
6412 N. Clark
62 TWISTED VINE • 773-388-0952
3530 N. Halsted
GRAB A BITE
21 F.O’MAHONY’S • 773-549-0226
3701 N. Broadway
MARY’S
14 HAMBURGER
773-784-6969 • 5400 N. Clark
CAFE
55 HORIZON
773-883-1565
3805 N. Broadway
KIT KAT LOUNGE & SUPPER
22 CLUB • 773-525-1111
3700 N. Halsted
Open Daily 5:30pm-2am
32 LARK • 773-348-9696
3441 N. Halsted
36 NOOKIES • 773-248-9888
3334 N. Halsted
ANDERSONVILLE
67 REPLAY
773-654-1369 • 5358 N. Clark
SOCIAL CLUB
65 REVIVAL
773-293-6435 • 1133 W. Granville
• 773-935-9663
43 WOOD
3335 N. Halsted
CULTURE
ON HALSTED
25 CENTER
3656 N Halsted • 773-472-6469
GERBER/HART LIBRARY
11 AND ARCHIVES •
6500 N. Clark 773-381-8030
ARCHIVES &
9 LEATHER
MUSEUM • 6418 N. Greenview
773-761-9200
GRAB SLEEP
BEST WESTERN PLUS
33 HAWTHORNE 773-244-3434
3434 N Broadway St
August 9, 2016
GRAB A TOWEL
53 BANANA VIDEO 773-561-8322
4923 N. Clark
17 MANSCOUNTRY BATHHOUSE
773-878-2069 • 5017 N. Clark
RAM BOOKSTORE &
28 ARCADE 773-525-9528
3511 N. Halsted
40 STEAMWORKS BATHHOUSE
773-929-6080 • 3246 N. Halsted
SUBURB BARS
BOXERS N’ BRIEFS •
55 Four Corners Ln
618-332-6141 (Centreville, IL)
CLUB KRAVE •
13126 WESTERN AVE
708-597-8379 (Blue Island, IL)
MANEUVERS •
118 E. JEFFERSON ST.
815-727-7069 (Joliet, IL)
MID CITY COCKTAIL/SUPPER •
124 Main Street
(West Chicago, IL)
PHOENIX •
1932 E. HIGGINS ROAD
847-258-3087 (Elk Grove, IL)
THE OFFICE •
513 E. State Street
815-965-0344 (Rockford, IL)
PICK UP GRAB IN
OTHER CITIES
CALIFORNIA
Street Bar - 760-320-1266
224 E. Arenas Road, Palm Springs
INDIANA
Gregs Indy- 317-638-8138
231 W 16th St, Indianapolis (Bar)
Talbott Street 317-931-1343
2145 N. Talbott St, Indianapolis (Dance)
MICHIGAN
Dunes Resort - 269-857-1401
333 Blue Star Highway, Douglas
FIVE 15 - 248-515-2551
515 S. Washington, Royal Oak (Bar)
MISSOURI (ST LOUIS)
ClubSt. Louis - 314-533-3666
2625 Samuel Shepard Dr (Bathhouse)
Erney’s 32 - 314-652-7195
4200 Manchester Ave (Bar)
Rehab Bar & Grill - 314-652-3700
4054 Choteau Ave (Bar)
WASHINGTON DC
DIK Bar - 202-328-0100
1637 17th Street NW
Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse 202-232-0395 1609 17th Street NW
GRAB CLASSIFIEDS
APT FOR RENT
CONTRACTOR
TRAVEL
4 BEDROOM APT FOR RENT
4 BR, 1 BA, 1st Floor Apartment in
Brookfield. Close to LaGrange &
Stevenson Expressway. 1 year lease
w/ deposit. $1600/mo +gas, water
& electric. Laundry in building.
Email
[email protected]
ALL INTERIOR & Exterior home
remodeling & handyman service.
Bathrooms, kitchens, basements,
siding, roofing, gutters, painting,
drywall, tuckpointing, brick
work ,framing plumbing , electric
Etc. Call Sean 773-908-9054 or
DUNES RESORT - Saugatuck,
Michigan Just a short 2 hour drive
from Chicago, Check out
www.DunesResort.com or call
today 269-857-1401 and be sure to
tell them GRAB sent you.
GRAB A GAY BOOK
BEST GAY eBOOKS! For
information and descriptions of the
finest and sexiest gay murder
mysteries at incredibly low prices,
go to our website:
bestgaybooks4you.com. You
won’t guess whodunit!
CLEANING SERVICES
CHESTNUT ORGANIZING &
CLEANING SERVICE 312-332-5575. We are a home and
office cleaning service. But more
importantly, we are an organizing/
cleaning service for people who
need that service. Often, cleaning
services don’t organize and
organizing services don’t clean, but
we can do both at the same time!
Please visit us for more information
and “before” and “after” photos.
www.ChestnutCleaning.com
and call today 312-332-5575.
STARK NAKED MALE Housecleaner 45 year old white male, full
head of straight brown hair, blue
eyes, weight proportionate to height,
completely smooth in the genital/
anal area due to the hair having been
permanently laser removed. I will do
a very thorough job for you, and give
those floors, area rugs and runners
lots of TLC down on my hands and
knees. Call me at 708-280-8022
[email protected]
GREAT CHICAGO
CARPENTRY offers you custom
finish carpentry, all trim and
millwork install ations, expert door
replacement and installations. Let
me create your custom cabinets
and built-ins to maximize your
storage space. My customers are
people like you who enjoy
the satisfaction of real wood
craftsmanship in their homes
Check out my facebook page !!
https://www.facebook.com/GreatChicago-Carpentry-56897498233/
timeline Call Mitch at
773-350-3850.
HELP WANTED
STYLIST FOR CRAM
FASHION Join Chicago’s Premier
Men’s Boutique: Cram Fashion is
accepting applications for energetic,
determined, and fashionable
candidates who have an eye for
fashion and knowledge of current
trends, must have weekend, evening,
and some holiday availability, and a
minimum of 2 years retail/
customer service experience or
coursework in the retail
management/fashion business fields
are preferred. Opportunity for
growth is available within the
company. Please e-mail your cover
letter and resume to
[email protected]
MALE DANCERS WANTED;
The Lucky Horseshoe Lounge 3169
N. Halsted. Open Auditions every
Tuesday at 7pm. 21+ I.D. Required.
STEAMWORKS - Come work at
the hottest club in town.
Steamworks is accepting
applications for all positions and
shifts. Stop by and fill out an
application at 3246 N. Halsted.
PIANO/VOICE LESSONS
PIANO OR VOICE LESSONS in my neighborhood studio or your
home offered by young, gay
professional with Master's from
Manhattan School of Music. Call
Jonathan, 646-418-4043.
[email protected]
86
GRAB Magazine
August 9, 2016
FLAMINGO RESORT, ST.
PETERSBURG Florida's largest
GLBT resort features 120 rooms, 6
unique bars, restaurant, large pool,
and minutes from beaches. Call
727-321-5000.
BODYWORK
PILAS' GO4MEN PARADISE
Rent Me Service! Versatile,
Youthful, Energetic, Affectionate!
Strong Healing Hands! Relaxing,
Refreshing, Indulging! 10 yrs. of
excellence! Outcalls-Hotel, Motel,
Private Home! Credit Cards
Accepted! Details At:
http://tinyurl.com/gnlmmde
By Appt. (Call or Text)
773-991-8728
MASSAGE
SUMMER SPECIAL: 2 hour
massage Head to toe in Rogers
Pk. Deep Tissue/Reflexology,
reserved parking. $75, thats right!
Please call Brian 847- EDUCARE. Gratuities accepted and
appreciated.
MASSAGE THERAPY IN
PALATINE I have 25 years
experience in the industry. $60
per hour. Call 847-202-3234 or
Cell: 630-542-8657 for an appt. GRAB A MASSAGE: Improve
your mind, body & soul with a 45
minute Swedish Massage for $45.
Relax & unwind with the sounds
and aromas of the East by a
Licensed Massage Therapist
LMT, NCTMB, AMTA
Member. Flashes Hair &
Bodywork, 3740 N. Broadway
773-472-3355. Appointments
please.
Place your ad in this
section for as little as $15
an Issue, call today
773-857-2262 or
email us
[email protected]