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JANUARY 2014
® ISSUE 123 • FREE
The Voice of Alberta’s LGBT Community
Interview with
TONI
BRAXTON
Sam Harris
”An Embarrassment of Riches”
Paris Hilton
DJs at Cowboys ICED Party
PLUS:
Jordan McIntosh
Magneta Lane
Victoria - Full of Life
MasterChef Canada
...and more!
Business Directory
Scan to Read on
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Community Map
Calgary • Alberta • Canada
Events Calendar
Gala
Unapologetically Independent
Tourist Information
STARTING ON PAGE 55
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GayCalgary Magazine #123, January 2014
www.gaycalgary.com
Table of Contents
JANUARY 2014
®
Videography
Steve Polyak,Sales
Rob Diaz-Marino
Craig Connell
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This Month's Cover
Cher
andToni
Christina
of Sony
Main:
Braxton,Aguilera
photo bycourtesy
Marc Baptiste
Pictures; Annie
courtesy
of Mike Owen;
TopLennox
Right: Sam
Harris
Rex Goudie.
Mid Right:
Paris Hilton
Bottom Right: Gala
Proud Members of:
Proud Members of:
Ex-gay Courses Offered in Calgary
8
This Year at the High Performance Rodeo
9
Strike a Pose
PAGE 10
A celebration of Calgary’s gay history and Two-Spirit storytelling
Vogue gets a foothold in Cowtown
10 MasterChef Canada
Judge Michael Bonacini dishes on eating camel and his favourite meal
to come home to
12 Sam Harris
“An Embarrassment of Riches”
14 Barbie Burning and Witchrock
Magneta Lane’s new EP supports a girls’ option to keep her clothes on
PAGE 12
Writers and Contributors
Chris
Mercedes
Azzopardi,
Allen, Greg
Chris Beneteau,
Azzopardi,Dave
Dallas
Brousseau,
Barnes,
Jason
DaveClevett,
Brousseau,
Rob Diaz-Marino,
Sam Casselman,
Janine
JasonEva-Trotta,
Clevett,
Andrew
FarleyCollins,
Foo Foo,Emily
KeithCollins,
Johnson,
RobEvan
Diaz-Marino,
Kayne,
Stephen
Janine Eva
Lock,
Trotta,
David-Elijah
Jack Fertig,
Nahmod,
Glen Hanson,
Steve Polyak,
Joan
Hilty,
CareyEvan
Rutherford,
Kayne, Stephen
Romeo Lock,
San Vicente,
Neil McMullen,
Krista
Sylvester,
Allan Neuwirth,
Nick Winnick
Steve Polyak,
and theCarey
LGBTRutherford,
Community
Romeo
of San
Calgary,
Vicente,
Edmonton,
Ed Sikov,and
Nick
Alberta.
Vivian and
the GLBT Community of Calgary, Edmonton, and
Alberta.
Photography
Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino,
B &Photography
J, Farley Foo Foo
Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino,
B&J
Videography
Steve Polyak, Rob Diaz-Marino
5
15 Ferron Thunder
Thunder and Light-ening to take fans by storm
16 Jordan McIntosh
The “Bieber” of Country to play first show in Calgary
e
n
zi
18 Just Duck Off...
a
g
a
20 Truth: A Self-Portrait
Director Rob Moretti turns past pain into present success
m
21 HBO’s Looking
PAGE 14
Publisher: Steve Polyak
Editor: Rob Diaz-Marino
Sales: Steve Polyak
Design & Layout:
Rob Diaz-Marino, Ara
SteveShimoon
Polyak
22 CAPOLAVORO di UOMO:
Masterpiece of Man
An Interview with contributing artist Marc DeBauch
24 Deep Inside Hollywood
Jim Parsons having Visions
Edmonton Rainbow
Business Association
Stage West’s latest offering a R&B hit parade
Retirement community offers travel perks and cruise-themed dining
Gay European Tourism
Association
28 Victoria, BC
“Full of Life”
PAGE 16
26 Resort-Style Living for Seniors
International Gay & Lesbian
Travel Association
National Lesbian & Gay
Journalists Association
25 All Aboard The Love Train
Continued on Next Page 
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Table of Contents
 Continued From Previous Page
36 Gala
®
38 Still Breathing, Still Singing
PAGE 28
Toni Braxton talks retirement, going lesbian and the hit song she hates
40 Rap is Gay
Comedian and creator talk ‘dirty’ new cartoon, its star (a gay rapper,
what?) and homophobia in hip-hop
42 Paris Hilton Touches Down
in Calgary
Media Icon DJs at Cowboys ICED Party
PAGE 36
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History
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55 Directory and Events
60 Classified Ads
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Editorial
Ex-gay Courses Offered in Calgary
By Evan Kayne
In the Fall of 2013, an article appeared in the Toronto
Star where a reporter went undercover to infiltrate a
Christian program that tries to “heal” people struggling
with same sex attraction. The same program is currently
running in Calgary. Jonathan Brower, Artistic Producer
with Third Street Theatre (billed as “Calgary’s Queer
Theatre Company”) attended it years ago. To this day he
still feels the effects of this “counselling” and when he has
spoken about his experience with this type of ministry
and mentality to those in the conservative church, he
has lost friendships, been deleted off Facebook, and
called a liar.
Jonathan grew up in Calgary, in a household where both parents
attended a church affiliated with the Evangelical Church Alliance. From
an early age he faced the knowledge he was different – and different was
not good in this church: “all the teaching of that right wing conservative
church is quite anti-gay.” In his teens, Jonathan and his family had
moved to Victoria, and over the next few years in high school and first
year university, he started taking tentative steps out of the closet. During
that time he was still involved with a Christian church; consequently he
was ground zero on the battle between his Christian friends who were
telling him homosexuality is wrong and his university friends who were
encouraging him to accept and love himself.
Unfortunately, “I decided to move back to Calgary thinking that if I
went to Bible College I would be able to find the answers to be able to
not have to deal with homosexuality.” He went to Ambrose University
College and basically went back in the closet. Yet even then there were
the voices of doubt - he went there for two weeks until reconsidering and
then withdrawing.
Jonathan next signed up with the international Pentecostal
organization YWAM (Youth With A Mission). It’s a six month discipleship
training program with the goal of building a Christian up as a missionary.
As part of the program requirements, you disclose your entire history;
Jonathan had to mention he was attracted to men. The pastor mentioned
previous YWAM attendees had a similar problem, and recommended
Living Waters.
Living Waters is a Christian organization which has been around
for quite some time – usually under different names depending on the
location (other names include Desert Stream in the USA where they
were affiliated with the notorious ex-gay organization Exodus). “So, she
recommended I go to this because she’d sent a couple of students who
went to this and they were guys and now they’re married with kids so
there’s this healing possibility.”
This was about 2005 and when Jonathan returned from his six months
with WYAM, he was intent on going to the Living Waters program. It was
a year long program (weekly meetings) and he participated in it three
times (2005-2006, 2009, 2010). Near the end, he was knowledgeable
enough in the program to be picked as a small group co-leader (2011).
www.gaycalgary.com
5
It might seem surprising a program like this could exist in a
progressive country like Canada. Considering how Canadian society
has become even more accepting of GLBTQ folk during this same time,
I asked Jonathan about the mental gymnastics required to convince
someone Living Waters would be a viable option. Jonathan told me in the
conservative Christian culture and community in which you live, you are
constantly hearing voices of the people around you telling you “this isn’t
right... this isn’t what God created you to be... it’s a sin like anybody else
has to deal with.”
As part of his “counselling” over his same sex attraction, Jonathan’s
pastors arranged meetings with ex-gay men. These were Christian men
who “...were in their 50’s; married with kids...to give me encouragement
and hope. I remember this one meeting so specifically. This guy was
sitting on a couch and I came into the pastor’s house...and I meet him,
I’m feeling totally awkward... I’m a 17 year old boy and I hear this guy’s
story. He says Ask me anything you want. He was a lovely man and he
really wanted me to find some peace in my life. A lot of that stuff was
about peace, finding peace, not having this struggle.”
While this man was discussing his life with his family, Jonathan asked
him the ultimate question: Are you still attracted to men? His response
was it was still a daily battle. Jonathan responded, “You’re 55 years old,
you have three kids, you have a wife, and you’re still experiencing that
on a daily basis?! That just blew my mind and I thought this is crazy.”
That encounter was the start of Jonathan questioning just what was
the honest life for him to lead. When the Toronto Star article recently
appeared, Jonathan thought having the reporter go undercover in order
to investigate the program was a bit morally grey. Yet, “I don’t know if
there’s any other way to do it more objectively than that... but at least
it came out.”
I still found it mind-boggling any LGBT youth would fall for any
kind of conversion therapy when it has been routinely panned as being
unsuccessful at best and destructive at worst. The viewpoint a lot of
these churches feed youth who are struggling with same sex attraction is
that this isn’t God’s plan for you, this world isn’t our own, you just need to
get through it to get to heaven.
This mentality breeds the idea you have to hold tight to Jesus and get
through the trials of this life. It’s drilled into people from day one – you
are born into sin and need to surrender to God and let him transform
you. The problem is that no matter how you dress the message up with
words like “transforming” and “healing”, you cannot change the essential
core of who you are, and if the churches view homosexuality as being
abhorrent, you quickly see yourself as a monster.
Additionally, conservative churches encourage an “echo chamber”
mentality of only listening to the church’s voices and ignoring any
opposing viewpoints. “When I was in my church I remember my pastor
saying, if you’re too open minded your brains will fall out. They’d say we
need to be in the world, not of it. They’d say go out there and you’re the
beacon, you’re the light for the people around you in this dark world to see
that Jesus has changed your life. Sure, that’s great, but if the only reason
to be in those relationships [with other church members] is to share
the gospel and not actually have friendships based on just friendships –
there’s always the idea our friends are hopefully going to give their lives
to Christ, it makes it insular.”
Of course, you would think anyone offering a course promoting the
idea you can change your behaviour (especially at this level) would have
some education or knowledge of human psychology, right? About that...
“The one guy who was the leader, he had been to Bible College, but
that was it. So there’s no counselling degree. And no teaching degree
either,” Jonathan said. To a certain degree this isn’t news – pastors
in many churches give out counselling advice based again not on any
training they’ve had but on what scriptures they quote from the bible.
“There’s all these people going about things based on the bible...and
that’s how they approach their issues...”
Listening to Jonathan further describe it, Living Waters sounds like
a support group for addicts – the confessions about your week, the
group support, and the leaders who rose up from the ranks but may not
actually have any real training.
Online Last Month (1/2)
Creep of the Week
The Moscow City Government
As you probably already know, Russia is
not exactly a paradise for LGBT people.
Even talking about being gay is a crime
there because it might corrupt...
http://www.gaycalgary.com/a3832
Hear Me Out
Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Donna
Summer, Panic! at the Disco
Celine Dion, Loved Me Back to Life To
have the glass-shattering lung power that
Celine Dion has built an empire of love
songs on in the...
Creep of the Week
Laurie Higgins
Hooray for Illinois, the latest state to allow
gays and lesbians to get legally married.
As People for the American Way points
out, that brings the grand...
Deep Inside Hollywood
That new Tim Gunn show may
eclipse Project Runway
That new Tim Gunn show may eclipse
Project Runway It starts in January and
it’s called Under The Gunn (no jokes,
please, they’re unseemly)....
Screen Queen
The Gift Guide
COMEDY QUEENS The Heat As a
disorderly Boston police detective with
a mouth dirtier than the bottom of a
garbage truck,...
The OutField
Sochi Olympics: Kick butt and take names
In 1936 it was the Nazis. In 1980, the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 1984
brought retaliation for 1980. This year,
it’s treatment of gay people. Another...
Thinking Out Loud: The End
of the Slippery Slope
Why same-sex marriage won’t lead the
way to goat weddings and polygamy
I’ve heard some variation of this kind of
argument more times than I can count:
“If we let gays marry, next we’ll have to let
people marry goats!...
His final coming out was in 2012. “It was through a It Gets Better video
that I posted on Facebook.” He had already laid the steps by not attending
his original church – instead going to Hillhurst United (which is an LGBT
welcoming assembly) so there was some tension. But when the video
came out, “...there was a firestorm of backlash and email comments.”
6
www.gaycalgary.com
Online Last Month (2/2)
school because I’m going to spend some time working on not being gay.
He said Are you kidding me? Just go to school and be gay. Why does it
matter? It was not what I was expecting...he was totally supportive.”
Thomas John Paprocki
Jonathan’s sister’s response was a bit different, as she’s still involved
with a Christian church. It was “No matter what, I love you, but there
wasn’t the support behind it.” She’s still trying to process it in her own
way. The church she’s with is still a bit cold toward homosexuals.
Jonathan is a bit philosophical about the path he took to get out of the
closet. “I’m the type of person who says no regrets. I’m here where I’m at
because of the things I went through. I have that idea that the wounded
deer leaps the highest. I look back on all my efforts trying to not be who
I was. I was still trying to be authentic, but I thought that authenticity
was in ridding myself of being attracted to men because that wasn’t okay
under God.”
Creep of the Week
What a wonderful day for an exorcism!
On Nov. 20 in Springfield, Illinois, Gov.
Pat Quinn will sign the bill to legalize
marriage for...
Hear Me Out
Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, Mason
Jennings, Avril Lavigne
Lady Gaga, ARTPOP So much for that
high-concept, post-modern ingenuity that
ARTPOP promised even before Lady Gaga
hawked it as the album...
Hear Me Out ... for the Holidays
Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige,
Erasure, Matthew Morrison
Kelly Clarkson, Wrapped in Red In
1963, background-singer-turned-soloist
Darlene Love got with big-time producer
Phil Spector to...
“I would say in terms of the damage Living Waters and that type of
[homophobic] thinking in conservative churches – even if they’re not
outright saying or touching on the issue of homosexuality – the damage
to those people who are still in the closet who are believing that and
trying to change their orientation...I guess I would say don’t go to Living
Waters if you are gay.”
Jonathan still has a lot of those negative voices in his head about his
sexuality. “I’m constantly challenged in my own mind because of those
things. I kind of wish I could dissolve all that and start fresh. I wish I
hadn’t fought so long against myself because now I’m 28 and I’m still
trying to figure out who I am...as someone who is in a faith background I
would say you don’t have to pick a side. Everyone told me I had to pick a
side – you either choose God or you choose to be gay. And that’s it. And
I don’t agree. I would say don’t listen to people who say you have to make
a choice between one or the other.” Jonathan has finally found a place
where he can be happy as both Christian and a gay man.
The OutField
Broadway Impacts the NY Marathon
The Toronto Star Article on Living Waters
http://www.gaycalgary.com/u625
There are eight million stories in the
Naked City. There were also 50,000
runners in this month’s Naked City – er,
New York City – Marathon. Each of...
Living Waters Website
http://www.livingwaterscanada.org
Welcoming Christian Assemblies in Calgary
Note that some but not all United churches are welcoming/affirming to LGBTQ folk – we’ve only indicated these here as they are the
most central in Calgary:
Creep of the Week
Robert Ritchie
It was only a matter of time before someone
made the connection between the fact
that Illinois now recognizes marriage
equality and the fact that Illinois...
http://www.hillhurstunited.com
http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca
http://www.scarborounited.org
View Bonus Pics/Videos • Share with a Friend • Post Comments
Granted he didn’t get too much directly because Jonathan knew this
would be upsetting and had already purged his friends a bit, and had
resigned any positions at his old church, but even then, he lost almost all
social contact with his old church – this is a church he’d been attending
since he was nine.
He did maintain friendships with two more progressive Christians
from his old church. They still keep in contact and they still tell him they
love him – sadly, it’s always with exceptions. “It’s still I love you even
though you’re...you know.” One of those two friends posted Jonathan’s
video on her page and while his page received few negative comments,
a lot of people in the church commented on her page with the expected
responses (he’s going to hell, this is unbiblical, god save his soul, etc.).
“It was the type of thing you see in the US – that type of response. But
on my page when I posted it all I had was positive comments....in a lot of
ways that’s how parts of the very conservative Christian churches are,”
to your face they’ll tell you they love you, but on the down low they are
saying very unchristian things about you.
Fortunately, at Hillhurst United, his family was more accepting. His
mother told him she will love and support him no matter what. Jonathan
originally came out to his father previously by telling him “I’m stopping
www.gaycalgary.com
7
Preview
This Year at the High
Performance Rodeo
A celebration of Calgary’s gay history and
Two-Spirit storytelling
By Janine Eva Trotta
A fail-safe Calgary cure to the post-holiday blues
continues to be the High Performance Rodeo, hosted
annually by a variety of downtown venues and running
this year from January 9th to February 1st.
Ed tie corper si. Alis dolor sendit am nulpute magna facipis duThe 2014
lineup includes a healthy melange of cabaret, comedy and celebration, from
The Garter Girls & Peekaboo Pointe’s sensual burlesque to the Gob Squad’s
film-as-it-happens screening.
But what may be the most affective show this year for members of the
LGBTQT community is Club Carousel: A Cabaret Celebration of Calgary’s
Gay History.
The city’s own Third Street Theatre is putting on the performance in
partnership with the Calgary Gay History Project.
“We will be presenting a 50-minute cabaret performance from queer and
allied artists in order to honour and celebrate the legacy of Club Carousel,
one of the first queer spaces in Calgary,” says Paul Welch, artistic director
for Third Street. “Club Carousel began operations in 1968 when it was
illegal to be a homosexual in Canada (decriminalization took place in 1969,
thanks to Pierre Elliott Trudeau) and it was the dawn of the community as
we know it today.”
This was only one year after Everett George Klippert was arrested and
charged with four counts of gross indecency and jailed for a second time
after confessing to engaging in homosexual activities with four consenting
adults in the Northwest Territories, where he had moved from Calgary after
being released from jail on a similar charge.
It was 1967, the year Trudeau would aptly say, “Take this thing on
homosexuality, I think the view we take here is that there’s no place for the
state in the bedrooms of the nation…”
Three months into his second prison sentence the Crown proceeded
in declaring Klippert “a dangerous sexual offender”. A court-ordered
psychiatrist deemed him “incurably homosexual” and his sentence was
increased to a life term. He made appeals to both the Court of Appeal for
the Northwest Territories and the Supreme Court of Canada. Both were
dismissed.
Political outrage ensued, ultimately resulting in the Criminal Law
Amendment Act, which would decriminalize homosexual acts between
consenting adults.
Fobister has been named a tour-de-force for his dynamic story telling
capabilities in the Ojibwan heritage.
These shows will hit the stage on the eve of January 30th. If you purchase
your tickets together, by phone or in person at the Epcor Centre Box Office,
you can see both for $50.
Agokwe begins at 7:30pm at the Engineered Air Theatre while Club
Carousel starts at 9:30pm at the Big Secret Theatre.
The High Performance Rodeo
http://www.hprodeo.ca
Despite decriminalization in 1969 many law enforcers would continue to
deem homosexuality as “horrible” and “vicious”. Though Klippert would be
the last man in Canada jailed for homosexuality, he would not be released
until 1971.
A dozen performers will take part in this month’s commemorative show
on Calgary’s gay history, including a drag queen, a drag king, as well as
performers in musical theatre, spoken word and a musician/singer/songwriter.
“We will also be speaking about major historical events throughout the
performance, to give audiences context to what was happening in Calgary,
Canada, and the world pertaining to the LGBT community,” Welch says.
The Cabaret will be followed by a panel of special guests, moderated by
the Calgary Gay History Project head Kevin Allen.
Club Carousel will be performed on the same night as another queer
favourite; Agokwe, by First Nations playwright/performer Waawaate
Fobister.
Fobister will tackle several characters in this one-man show, which
portrays the unrequited love between two boys from neighbouring reserves.
8
www.gaycalgary.com
Lifestyle
Strike a Pose
Vogue gets a foothold in Cowtown
By Greg Beneteau
It’s minus 30 degrees and snowing outside – the kind of
weather in which one trudges, rather than walks, down
the sidewalk
But inside Pulse Studios in Crescent Heights, the action is
hot as dance instructor Tony Tran demonstrates some of the
finer points of vogue to half a dozen students.
He catwalks down an imaginary runway, feet practically en
pointe, hips forward, arms swaying to the beat. Then he stops,
places one hand on his hip, and stares straight ahead at a
mirror that runs the length of the room.
“When you turn, the head is the last to go, because that’s a
photo opportunity,” Tran explains to the class.
When he’s not burning up the dance floor, the 25-year-old
Calgary native heads up The Bad Girls Club YYC, a group he
founded last year to help popularize vogue culture in Cowtown.
The group hosts its annual vogue dance party, Out of the
Closet, on January 25th at Dickens Pub, inviting seasoned
vogue veterans and curious onlookers to witness a new take on
an old dance style.
Named after the venerable fashion magazine, vogue is a
highly stylized form of dance that incorporates elaborate
costumes, grace, and lots of posing. (Think ballet dancers at a
fashion show).
Vogueing emerged as a cultural phenomenon among
black gay and transgender youth in New York City’s Harlem
neighbourhood in the 1970s and 80s.
Marginalized by the black community and excluded from
predominantly white gay bars, groups of gay black youth
banded together into houses, which also served as second
families. The houses would compete for trophies and bragging
rights in elaborately staged dance pageants, called balls.
In addition to being judged by their dance skills, vogue
dancers are expected to embody the roles suggested by their
outfits, which can range from military fatigues to zoot suits.
Dressing in drag and androgynous looks are common.
“I always tell my students, vogue is 50 per cent movement, 50
per cent attitude. You need to invest in the role you’re playing,
otherwise you’ll be cut down, or chopped by the judges,” Tran
explains.
www.gaycalgary.com
In 1990, Madonna’s smash hit single “Vogue” hit the
airwaves, giving the dance worldwide exposure. Later that year,
the documentary Paris is Burning, which explored ball culture
in New York City, was released to critical acclaim.
For much of the following decade, everyone wanted to strike
a pose like their favourite celebrity. And though ball culture has
largely faded from the public eye, vogueing continues to evolve
and attract new followers.
“The dance style that was popularized by Madonna’s Vogue
music video is known as Old Way Vogue. It’s very fluid and
symmetrical,” explains Tran, who teaches regular drop-in
classes in vogue at Pulse Studios. “There’s also New Way Vogue,
which is more rigid involves a lot stretching and contortion, and
Vogue Fem, which is very graceful and sensual.”
As a member of House of DangerKat, one of vogue’s most
well-respected dance troupes, Tran has performed at balls in
Toronto, Vancouver and New York City.
But he says there was virtually no organized presence for
vogue dancers in his hometown, which led him to take action.
“Calgary tends to get looked over for its arts and culture, and
a subculture like vogue even more so,” Tran says. “I wanted to
bring something different to the table.”
The first Out of the Closet event last year drew a wide range of
participants, both gay and straight.
“I was a bit worried that only the LGBT community would
turn out, but I was wrong,” Tran says. “There were people from
the dance community, a lot of young people. We had older
ladies who just wanted to get dressed to the nines and watch
the performers. It was a riot.”
Tran says vogue’s emphasis on individual expression and self
confidence gives the dance form a universal appeal.
“Realness is a word that gets used a lot in vogue. It means you
are who you are, and when you’re in the spotlight performing,
you shouldn’t be afraid to be yourself.”
Out of the Closet
http://outofthecloset.brownpapertickets.com
Pulse Studios
http://www.pulsestudios.ca
9
Entertainment
 Judges Alvin (left), Michael (centre), and Claudio (right)
MasterChef Canada
Judge Michael Bonacini dishes on eating
camel and his favourite meal to come home to
Joining the 40-odd countries across the globe to have
gained a MasterChef series on their home turf, Canada
will air its inaugural episode this month.
One of the three topnotch judges selected to evaluate the
fleet of home cooks who made it to the premier season was
celebrity chef and celebrated restaurateur Michael Bonacini.
“We’re absolutely delighted and honoured to have [the
show] here,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve been in the
restaurant industry for years… I’ve seen a lot of chefs come
and go… good dishes and bad ones… this was a chance to
put that expertise to work.”
Bonacini was flying back from Calgary to Toronto for
auditions early last summer when weather re-routed his latenight flight to Ottawa.
“It was the day we were having those absolute terrible rain
storms,” he recalls. It was 5am the next morning when he
finally arrived, no doubt tired, but still possessing the joie de
vivre that would decide his role in Canada’s first MasterChef
series.
Roughly six weeks later “I received a wonderful phone
call.” He was in, along with self-taught and Michelin-starred
chef Alvin Leung, and Uruguayan-born, creative mastermind
Claudio Aprile.
Bonacini calls the experience “quite unique and
spectacular.”
“No two days were ever the same,” he describes.
Every episode involved the contestants taking on different
ingredients, different individual and team challenges, hitting
impressive highs and plummeting to upsetting defeats.
“The schedule was go, go, go, go,” says Bonacini. “It was
an enormous production; there were lots of things going on.”
Contestants were made to attempt a slew of culinary feats
– from home made breakfast cereal to camel meat.
“That gives you some sense of the spectrum that was
presented to us,” he posits.
10
Despite his lengthy career in the industry and worldly
background, sampling camel was a first for even the seasoned
Bonacini.
“I would have it again, that’s for sure,” he says, describing
the carne as having an “interesting texture to it…almost
venison-like…fibrous.”
As the challenges went on, the three judges were held in
a constant suspense and sort of turmoil, trying to determine
who was going to make it to the top ten or top five, or even top
three. Their selections were in perpetual rotation, as one day
a chef would triumph and the next create a complete flop.
“You get to see their strengths and their weaknesses,”
Bonacini says. “You’re constantly mentoring them as you go
by their stations.”
He’s reminiscent of Tim Gunn, and indeed sports a similar
charismatic candour. His voice is melodic, possessing the
gentle accent of his upbringing in South Wales where his fine
tastes in food were cultivated by a Northern Italian father
and the running of a family-operated hotel business.
“My father did the cooking 99 per cent of the time and, if
I’m honest, my mother was famous for her steamed broccoli,”
he gests playfully. “You could almost make a soup out of it.”
Bonacini’s father cooked everything from traditional
English food to a cornucopia of good northern Italian cuisine,
often incorporating the abundant local protein, lamb.
Yet the owner of 11 upscale residents in Toronto and area
craves a very simple dish when he comes home after a long
day in the kitchen.
“One of my all time favourite meals to look forward to, that
my wife cooks, so when I come home at the end of the night…
and the room of the house if full of the smell of a whole roast
chicken,” he describes. “I think you’ll find that most chefs
– when they’re not working – like to eat very humble, very
straight forward things.”
Serve this poulet with a potato side, and just a little pan
gravy, and Bonacini is satiated.
On the set, however, Bonacini et al. was consistently
pushing the potential master chefs to go further – enhancing
presentation, diversifying their use of spice, and making
them realize their full potential.
He says that while you do tend to root for one cook over the
other, it is a constantly changing game; a game he is much
happier to be on the judging side of.
“My days of competing in a competition like this are
probably, maybe passed,” he says. “In earlier years I got
involved in all kinds of other cooking competitions, certainly
when I was in Europe.”
www.gaycalgary.com
Bonacini describes driving to Frankfurt and Luxembourg
to participate in live competitions.
“As a chef you’ve got to be thick skinned because everyone
is a critic,” he says. “Every guest, food critic, blogger – and
rightly so. It keeps us on our toes; that’s for sure.”
All three judges selected for MasterChef Canada have
somehow managed to thrive in that highly competitive
market, yielding whatever recipe caters to their critics.
The Oliver and Bonacini restaurants include Toronto’s
Canoe and Auberge du Pommier, and later this year Bonacini
aims to open the doors to his first restaurant in Calgary.
Situated at the Hudson’s Bay Company on Stephen Ave, the
eatery plots to offer a speakeasy scene on the lower level and
a carnivore enthusiasts’ menu on the ground floor.
Though the concept is not totally cooked through, Bonacini
says to think open flame charcoal, an emphasis on mountain
food and an exceptional showcase of great Alberta beef.
Leung credits his structured upbringing in Scarborough,
Ontario, by immigrant parents who pushed him to succeed, for
his industry success. He co-owns the renowned restaurants
Bo Innovation in Hong Kong and Bo London in England.
Leung is no stranger to TV. In 2011 he was the face of The
Maverick Chef in Asia, and has also made guest appearances
on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Top Chef Masters,
The Hairy Bikers, and Rhodes Across China.
In addition to creating the ‘X-treme Chinese’ cuisine that
has won him multiple Michelin stars, Leung has also cooked
up a healthy food franchise called Beautified, serving sushi
burritos and Asian inspired salads.
While some might define Leung’s character flavour as
brash and sassy, Aprile emits a milder brand of spice. Like
Leung and Bonacini, Aprile moved to Ontario from elsewhere
in the world, and has cultivated his craft internationally.
His accolades abound: from a stint at Bali Sugar in
London, England to the experimental cooking techniques he
implemented into the kitchen of Toronto’s Sen5es.
Aprile is co-owner and creative head of the ever-expanding
Orderfire Restaurant Group, which includes the three Origin
locations situated in the Greater Toronto Area, delivering
fresh, fast food directly from chef to eater a la open-style
kitchen.
It is a wonder these busy chefs found the time to step from
‘pan into the fire’ as it were. But all three conveyed no less
than absolute zeal.
“I think Toronto – Canada – is a great market for this kind
of show,” Bonacini says. “We’re all hoping it will go beyond
just one season.”
He says the premier run should reflect to viewers the truly
eclectic melange of Canadian home cooks who, coming from
globe scattered cultural backgrounds, bring to the table a
unique blend of tastes and methods.
“Everyone watching will see and connect with that,” he
says. “Hopefully they will say to themselves… I want to get in
on that action… and audition for next year.”
www.gaycalgary.com
MasterChef Canada
Premieres on CTV, January 20th at 8pm ET
http://www.ctv.ca/MasterChefCanada
11
Interview
Sam Harris
“An Embarrassment of Riches”
By Carey Rutherford
If you’d gone to school with Sam Harris, and you ran into
him in 2014 and asked, “So, what’ve you been up to,
Sammy?” you would be starting an avalanche of creative
activity which causes him to describe his current life as
“an embarrassment of riches.” For not only did he start
out as the winner of the original Star Search TV talent
competition in 1984 with his amazing vocals, he has,
by his own account, “written my own shows... written
several musicals; I’ve written television sitcoms, (and) I
co-wrote Liza’s Back at the Palace, for Liza Minelli which
won a Tony...”
And before all of that, long before So You Think You Can Dance
Canada, American Idol or Britain’s Got Talent, Sam climbed
onstage at New York’s Earl Carroll Theatre and killed ’em at Star
Search with his rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
Back to the present...
“It’s a very good time to be Sam Harris. I am so grateful. It
sounds corny, but I wake up every day saying Oh my God! Look at
my life! I have this book coming out with an amazing publisher;
I have a husband I love, and child I love; I’m singing, which is
something I love; I’m getting to tell my story, and nothing is more
thrilling to me than being in front of an audience. To be in front of
people singing and telling stories is the greatest.”
It’s hard not to feel a little bit of envy over the length and breadth
of Sam’s career: he’s never been a stockbroker, but instead seems
to have had creative input into just about every media that has
been available since the 80’s: TV, music recordings, stage, live
performance, writing, directing and now, online.
“I’ve been very fortunate. I love to do what I do, and I’m always
experimenting in new ways, and new areas, and have had the
good fortune of a good deal of success in different areas. Working
with people who teach me and inspire me, and with whom I
collaborate: it’s a good life. And it got even better when I got a kid!!”
“When you have a child, it prioritizes things. And the other
thing that I never could have known, growing up this misfit gay
kid in this little town, is that sticking to my truth and being open
and honest... I feel like I won the lottery! I’m married (partner of
20 years, married for 5), I have a child (5 years old), I have a full
fabulous life. And, being someone who has a public platform, I get
to promote the right side of history, as it were. By living it, being
it, marching for it, and speaking up and being an example of it. In
this particular time in history it’s a great time to be alive.
“When I look back at this generation I’ve grown up in and how
things have changed. It’s remarkable.”
It won’t surprise GayCalgary Magazine readers to know that
one of the themes of the aforementioned book that Mr. Harris is
writing is optimism.
“Growing up in a small town in the Bible Belt (Oklahoma) had
its challenges (but) I found my music and theatre, and creating
and writing, and it got me through, and it gave me purpose. I left
home when I was 15 for good: I was very young, and have been
making a life and career of it ever since. I’m sort of an eternal
optimist, which is a good thing to be in show-business, so the
book (Ham: Slices of a Life, Simon & Schuster, 2014) covers all of
those different kinds of things.
“It’s a funny book, and I’m very proud of the writing, but the
content is not always funny. It deals with an attempted teen
suicide, some very funny show-business stories, and many
different aspects of my life.”
He mentions how he was encouraged to move from writing
essays and plays to putting a book together by an author friend.
12
“(He said) Sam, you just need to be writing more, and I’ve heard
this from others throughout the years, and I’ve always loved
(writing), even though my primary career has been as a singer
and an actor.
“I just started putting fingers to keyboard, and I love it: I love
everything about writing! I love the rhythm of it, the punctuation
of it, the storytelling of it. In all the different aspects of my career,
which is singing and acting and directing, it’s all storytelling. So
this was another way to do that.
We had a discussion about the different requirements of
performance and writing:
“I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a little kid, and when
we’re talking about the persona you create onstage and in concert,
a very important part of that for me was finding things to make
people laugh. I tend to sing a lot of ballads, and I found in writing
up-tempo monologues that I was able to balance the shows that
way. So it became a necessity, and then a major part of what I do
onstage.”
Speaking of being onstage, “All of this has NOTHING to do with
why I’m coming to Calgary, of course. It happens to be a date I’m
doing (with the CPO on January 29th) called Rewind, which is
80’s music with me and Sheena Easton, who I ADORE! She’s a
ball, hysterically funny, a great singer, and we’ve done a couple of
these and they’re just a ball!
“I was approached to do this project, and was asked to come up
with some people who would be fun to do this with, and Sheena
was on my very short-list. Not only is she incredibly gifted, but
she’s a mensch: funny, great to work with, and she’s the real deal.”
Sam mentions that he wasn’t too sure about getting involved
in some kind of 80’s ‘tribute’ band: “But when the symphony
concept came in, I thought, how perfect! Because there’s so many
of these songs that are completely lifted to another level by having
a symphony involved. These arrangements are so stunning,
and for me to be able to sing a song like Open Arms with strings
soaring... it’s just glorious! Ironically, the people who grew up with
www.gaycalgary.com
these songs in the 80’s are now the people who like to hear the
symphonic.
“There’s a silliness and a grandness to it that I’m just finding a
joy to do... Sheena and I are guest stars: there’s music from the
symphony and the pop band (that plays with them), and then
Sheena and I come on and do certain songs.”
We then discussed the fact that ‘symphonic’ is exactly the feel
that a lot of 80’s electronic music was trying for. So to actually
create the wall of sound they were originally written for, using real
performers and instruments, gives goose bumps.
Mr. Harris is a little more prosaic about it: “I’m a lyric guy: the
lyric is everything to me. So when something reads poetically, and
has a story with a character, that’s always what appeals to me... I
look for songs that touch me... I have found that a great song, and
a great lyric, is something that’s always changing and evolving
and unfolding, so every time I sing it, it can mean something new.”
Come and hear something old become new, with Sam and
Sheena and the CPO.
Rewind: Hits of the 80s
With Sheena Easton and Sam Harris
Wed, January 29th @ 7:30pm
http://www.cpo-live.com
www.gaycalgary.com
13
Interview
Barbie Burning
and Witchrock
Magneta Lane’s new EP supports a girls’
option to keep her clothes on
Just when we thought all the great angst anthems of the late
‘90s by femme fatales bands like Hole, Veruca Salt, Garbage
and the Cranberries were knocked out of the mainstream by
pop charters like Wrecking Ball and Last Friday Night, Toronto’s
Magneta Lane offers a fresh EP full of that classic alternative
fire.
Title track Burn offers an estrogen power video reminiscent of Volcano
Girls in which a school aged girl burns not only a Barbie doll and a stack
of Maxim-like magazines plastered with skinny-almost-nude covers, but
also takes a bat to a TV screen projecting the all too common image of a
size 0 woman’s grinding midriff in daisy dukes.
The wholly female trio’s point is simple: be who you are, not who
you’re told to be.
“I want young people to know there are options,” says lead singer,
guitarist and principal songwriter for the band Lexi Valentine. “We want
them to make decisions based on what they feel comfortable with, not
what society shoves down their throat.”
Valentine is not a staunch feminist; she loves pop and lives by the
mantra ‘live and let live’. She simply does not believe women need to be
super sexual in order to sell something or to get their message across.
“In all honesty if a person or artist is comfortable with doing that…
then who am I to tell them not to do it?” she says. “Just don’t do it
because some older guy in a suit is telling you to do it.”
Lexi’s sister/drummer Nadia King, and bassist French have lived
through that managerial pressure. The three women started playing
shows when they were just 15 to 17 years old. They lied about their age
not only to get into clubs, but also to be taken seriously. Regardless of
their youth they never did what they didn’t want to do.
“We always did the opposite of what we were told,” Valentine says,
reminiscing of a show wherein she wore something different, something
out of character, because she felt like it.
“It was fun,” she says. “They said, you looked different last night,” but
the artist didn’t care.
That said, being young, naïve about the industry, and exclusively
female did carry its other tolls. The trio quickly signed to a contract
without knowing much about the industry. Though they were savvy
enough to seek legal extrication, they found it difficult to be taken
seriously by any management team. While hunting a good deal with their
second LP Gambling With God, Valentine grew tired of being talked to
as though she had ‘just put her big-girl shoes on’ and stated, “I’m out
of here”.
The band took a break, and with clear heads and some added years
of life experience the current EP Witchcraft began brewing in a basement
with some “awful recording program…a guitar and a base”, and Valentine
seeking to put into music the inner frustration she was contending with.
That’s when the opportunity to work with Finger Eleven’s Rick Jackett
and James Black came around – and a mutual respect and friendship
was determined.
“[Jackett and Black] are super supportive of the band that we are,”
Valentine states. She says her new managers never say we don’t like
that, change it, but instead say that song’s great. Let’s make it better.
They work through encouragement rather than trying to mould the
musicians into something they’re not.
Valentine heard them say we’re not into dressing girls up as dolls and
she loved it. But if dressing like a doll happened to be something she
14
woke up one day and felt like doing, you can bet she’d be in doll garb on
stage the next night anyway.
Witchrock, while reminiscent of the Magneta Lane of the past,
introduces a band more rhythmic, more confident, and more resonating.
The band chose the name for the EP when trying to peg their own genre
and realizing that none exactly fit. Are they witches? Unfortunately not.
But Valentine’s husky, strong voice is indeed spell binding.
Asked what has kept the band together and motivated for so many
years (since 2003 to be exact) Valentine is quick to answer it is the fact
they like each other – and they know when to take breaks.
“It’s so great to be in a band with two other people that I love,” she
says. “One thing that we’ve been really good at is adjusting to whatever’s
going on in people’s lives.”
Following the current tour Magneta Lane is on, French will be going
back to school for her Masters.
“Nadia and I are starting a side project this year as well,” Valentine
informs. “We’re constantly supporting one another’s dreams – not just as
a band but as individuals as well.”
“There’s never any resentment.”
The band is adamant on staying dedicated to their fan base and
continuing to record quality music, much like their preceding musical
inspirations.
“If I had to pick one woman that I really look up to I’d have to say Patti
Smyth,” Valentine says. “I love something that’s just raw energy and
saying what you mean and not sugar coating it. She’s definitely one of
the artists [who] does that.”
One might say Valentine is too. She has never felt pressure to lose
weight or look a certain way, nor has she felt it necessary to date a
fellow musician. Her five-year-strong relationship is with a man out of
the industry, and Valentine says that difference keeps things interesting.
The time away on tour is hard, but it keeps them working at it.
“It’s important to maintain that connection with the people who
support what you do,” she says. “And the people who have supported
us the last decade.”
Magneta Lane
Friday, January 24 at Broken City, Calgary
Burn Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5elENTpAU0
www.gaycalgary.com
Interview
Ferron Thunder
Thunder and Light-ening to take fans by storm
By Krista Sylvester
She’s known as the “lesbian Johnny Cash” and now audiences
can catch a glimpse into the Canadian folk musician’s life
through a documentary getting to know the icon that is Ferron.
Ferron Thunder and Lighten-ing was produced and directed by Bitch,
who has cherished the collaboration with the renowned performer. Bitch
is an indie rocker/performance artist who is from another generation of
musicians but felt the urge to collaborate on this beautiful project with
Ferron. And much like thunder and lightning go together in a storm, so
did the creative collaboration between the two performers.
While younger generations may not be familiar with the semi-retired
61-year-old Ferron, they may recognize her creative influence on other
popular musicians including Ani DiFranco and Indigo Girls. Bitch set out
to create a raw documentary about the elusive folk singer and audiences
won’t be disappointed with the result.
While Thunder focuses on Ferron’s life, Lighten-ing is a collection of
songs spanning her 30 year career. One of the standout tracks includes
a song written by Bitch and Ferron together, dubbed “Army of You”.
Audiences are invited to take a peek into the window of Ferron’s life
through Bitch’s eyes. We spoke to Bitch about her lovechild documentary
and album and this is what she had to say about the project.
GC: What can you tell our readers about the documentary?
B: Since hearing Ferron’s poetry and music for the first time and
GC: What’s up next?
B: We are working on a video for “The Pledge” to be released soon!
getting to know her, I have always wanted to help tell some of her story.
When I finished Boulder, I still wanted to tell more. Then I met Billie Jo
Cavallaro, whose interest is in surrealism and we started connecting
on the idea that we could paint a ‘visual poem’ of Ferron, and that’s what
we set out to do!
Ferron Thunder
http://www.ferrononline.com
GC: How do the music component and the documentary connect?
B: We made Thunder first. At first I had no intention of making an
Thunder and Light-ening
See the first 10 minutes of “Thunder” here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llHk25TJpyM
entirely new audio recording. The music we were using was mostly from
“Boulder” but by the time we were nearing completion of the film, so many
of us had come together around it and one of our executive producers,
Leslie Gearhart, started mentioning making a sound track. I thought
Boulder is the soundtrack, really. But then I still had my internal ‘list’ of
all the Ferron songs I still wanted to try, that hadn’t gotten onto Boulder.
Ferron and I were booked to play a festival in Iowa and I knew a great little
studio there and since I am one to take a small idea and run with it, the
next thing you know, Ferron and I were in Iowa, making “Lighten-ing”!
Stream “Lighten-ing” here:
http://shortstoryrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lighten-ing
Buy the whole double disk set, with a 32 page booklet here:
http://www.gaycalgary.com/u632
Like many of us, Ferron’s poetry speaks to me on such a deep level. For
Thunder, we had used quotes from her most recent poetry book, “Catching
Holy”. So when we set out to record “Lighten-ing,” I
brought in a copy of an older book of her poems, “The (H)unger Poems,”
and we used those to craft some new material. “The Pledge” was born this
way.
GC: What makes this project so unique?
B: One of the first things we hear Ferron say in the film is “I think all
documentaries deal with that sort of timeline life story, and I just don’t
think like that.”
We like to say that this is not your average documentary. It’s doesn’t
aim to give you a time-line of her life, or anything like that. Thunder - like
Ferron, myself and Billie Jo - is very non-linear!
GC: What was your favourite part about the collaboration?
B: Working with Ferron has always been thrilling for me because of the
fact that we are different ages and come from very different eras, ideas
and culture.
GC: You produced both the doc and the album, describe the challenges
of each?
B: Every album I have ever made, I get to the end and I think, “if anyone
had told me how much energy/time/focus that took, I may never have
started!” They are all sweet challenges and I will definitely be taking a
break for a minute! *laughs*
www.gaycalgary.com
15
Jordan McIntosh
The “Bieber” of Country to play first show in Calgary
Not everyone would boast that their life was a country
song, at least not one of those songs about losing
everything and the dog.
But country singer and teenage cutie Jordan McIntosh isn’t like
that. He identifies with Taylor Swift’s style; naming himself the
male antidote to her feminine, diary-like relationship-driven lyrics.
“I think my songs, especially the ones I’ve written…are about
the guy’s side of the relationship,” McIntosh says. “I think it’s nice
to give the guys a say and their side of what’s going on.”
16
“I’m a teenager so a lot goes on in your teenage years,” he
continues. “It’s cool to be able to put all of your experiences into a
catchy song… cool and scary to share these songs with the public,”
he adds, explaining the vulnerability one opens themselves up to
when they record an album almost entirely self composed.
You won’t hear about “the drinking and the partying and the
tailgates and the girls” that a lot of male voices twang on about
in McIntosh’s new album, slated for release this summer. At least
not yet, though his hit video for the track Grew Up In A Country
Song does feature a girl dancing on a tailgate. She’s McIntosh’s
real life best friend.
www.gaycalgary.com
“It’s just cool to be able to share that with her,” he says,
describing how important and rewarding it is to have the people
he loves by his side, “ …and to look back and see everyone in my
life was on board.”
McIntosh says that, while every parent wants to have their kids
realize their potential and fulfill their dreams, his parents have
gotten to experience that reality in a special way.
“I think it’s really cool for them to see [the dream] actually
happening with their kid,” he says. “Since we all love music that
much …they’re all kind of a part of it…they’re living vicariously
through me with the things I’ve got going on.”
Music has always been a passion in McIntosh’s home’ “whether
it’s play an instrument, or sing, or compose music.”
“Music was always there for me growing up,” he describes. “I’m
the first one to take it to another level and make a career of it.”
McIntosh drew a lot of inspiration from his older sister who is
also a singer. Her talent drove him to summon his own.
His writing direction is simple but genuine. He writes about
what he knows.
“I grew up in a small town,” he says, speaking on the creation
of Grew Up In A Country Song. “I took inspiration from that and
thought of some of my favourite places and some of my favourite
people that I grew up around.”
His home is just outside of Ottawa, where he recently graduated
from high school.
“At one point it got really difficult – balancing school, music
and social life,” he describes. “[Graduating is] one less thing on
my plate.”
Like his sister did, McIntosh is taking a year off following high
school. He wants to delve into work and take a solid go at his
career before he makes any decisions about further education.
“Starting off with The Young Guns Tour, I thinks it’s really going
to take off,” he says on a very hectic, and promising, 2014.
McIntosh is booked as special guest alongside fellow Canadian
artists One More Girl and Brett Kissel for a cross-country tour that
kicks off in Saskatoon on February 4th. The Young Guns Tour will
be hitting Calgary on February 7th at the Cowboys Dance Hall
and Edmonton on February 12th at the Cook County Saloon.
Though McIntosh has performed in Calgary before, at a radio
stop and a morning show, this will be his first real show. He is
“crossing his fingers” that he will be back in July to play the
Stampede.
McIntosh won’t be taking the band he usually plays with around
the Ottawa area on this tour. The singer will share a band with
his co-performers. He will have one week with this band before
setting off.
Asked what has been his biggest accomplishment thus far in
his career he gratefully says signing with his current agency, Strut
Entertainment.
“Over the past even few months they’ve really opened up a lot of
things,” he says. “I’ve gotten to experience a lot because of them.”
This includes attending the Canadian Country Music
Association Awards, appearing in the CMT holiday film Home
for Christmas with George Canyon, going #1 on the DMDS Top
5 Downloads Chart in December for his holiday track Christmas
Time, taking part in the Emerging Artist Showcase at the Boots &
Hearts Music Festival last summer, and earning the Fresh Face
Feature Artist title for the video for Grew Up In A Country Song on
CMT.
That fresh face caught the attention of country artist Johnny
Reid who, McIntosh recently learned, played a part in landing him
with the entertainment group he is with today.
McIntosh was filling a seat at the Junos with a friend when Reid
recognized him.
“He came up to me and said I know who you are and you’re
doing a great job,” McIntosh says, adding that he had covered
some of Reid’s songs.
Inadvertently Reid was out for lunch with the right person at
the right time when McIntosh’s manager was seeking an agency.
Reid put in a good word for the budding musician.
“It’s really cool to think that someone like Johnny Reid was out
there talking about me,” McIntosh says.
Sound kind of like Bieber’s relationship with Usher? Similarities
don’t stop there, nor do they end with both young artists’ teendream smiles, big brown eyes, or polished coiffures.
Both Canadians used Twitter and YouTube to reach out to their
fan base and generate a great amount of publicity.
McIntosh had a cover of Lil’ Wayne’s How To Love for some time,
tossed it for awhile, and then decided to bring it back. Audiences
often don’t recognize the song until the chorus kicks in, and the
lyrics become familiar.
“It always gets a really big response,” McIntosh says. “It’s one of
my favourite covers to do.”
He decided to shoot a live video for the track, announcing so on
Twitter to collect an audience for the taping.
www.gaycalgary.com
“A lot of people showed up and were excited to be part of it,”
he says, adding that since it has been posted to YouTube, “the
response has been unreal.”
The video has already attracted more than 200,000 views.
Certainly a good indicator that the young star is on the right track
to meeting his big goal of attaining a worldwide platform from
which to share his music.
“I just hope to have longevity; I think every artist hopes for
longevity,” he says.
After wrapping this tour McIntosh will be releasing a new single
aimed for end of February or some time in March, planning for
a summer full of festivals, and recording his album in Nashville.
“I do a lot of my writing in Nashville and recording as well,” he
says. “I’ve also been told countless times if you’re doing country
music go to Nashville.”
With any luck the album will be released in time for McIntosh’s
hoped for performance during the Stampede. The artist definitely
has a tone of determination. Unlike most late-teens his focus is
not on dating and partying.
“My relationship is my music and my career,” he says.
Jordan McIntosh
http://www.jordanmcintosh.ca
17
Politics
Just Duck Off...
By Stephen Lock
It is almost ironic how reality so often hits the stars
of ‘reality shows’ right smack between the eyes. It’s
almost as if they start buying into their own hype (or
rather the network’s hype) and think they are no longer
the ordinary, if somewhat quirky people they actually
are, but are individuals the rest of us want to hear
opine about something with which they really have no
experience.
Now, I happen to enjoy watching Duck Dynasty and its partnershow Duck Commander (although I am not very clear on the
difference between the shows; they’re both about the Robertson
clan, their duck-call empire and the odd assortment of characters
they deal with in the Louisiana backcountry in which they live).
They all proudly style themselves as ‘redneck’, only they aren’t;
growing up in Alberta, I know a redneck when I see one and the
Robertsons aren’t redneck - they is swamp folk!! Akin to hillbillies
and all, y’know? Exceptin’ that hillbillies live in the mountains,
whereas swamp folk don’t.
Of course, this slightly off-kilter, down-home, rough-aroundthe-edges, camo-wearing, Old Testament-bearded, squirrel-eatin’
schtick is exactly why the show is so popular. Like many of the
reality shows currently out there, we all - myself included - tune
in to chuckle at the impossible situations and bizarreness of these
people. They’re not us and we are thankful for that (as are they,
no doubt).
So when the ‘patriarch’ of the Robertsons, Phil, does an interview
with, of all things, GQ Magazine and goes off the rails and starts
talking about how blacks were a lot happier before the Civil Rights
Movement and how homosexuality is a slippery slope to morphing
into bestiality, you gotta know what’s going to hit the fan...and it
ain’t duck!
Of course, his comments created a brouhaha of controversy
ranging from condemnations of his narrow-minded intolerance and
bigotry to arguments around free speech and the ‘intolerance’ of
those opposed to what he said because, after all, if you have free
speech then you are free to say whatever you want. Well...no...free
speech is about being allowed to voice one’s opinion (so long as it is
not traitorous or seditious or advocating violence against anyone),
that’s true, but it’s also about dealing with the consequences of
what you say.
Nobody prevented him from saying anything, and clearly what
he said has not been suppressed by government agents skulking
in the shadows. He is being held to account for what he said. Free
speech cuts both ways. If he is free to say what he believes, as
he should be, then he must also be able to defend those beliefs/
opinions in the public arena...which, in this day and age, is huge.
To read what conservative pundits have to say about all this
you’d think all he pretty much said was he had some issues
with homosexuality. Not surprising given he is a Born-Again
fundamentalist non-denominational Christian. But he didn’t.
Here’s what he said:
“Women with women, men with men. They committed indecent
acts with one another, and they received in themselves the due
penalty for their perversions,” Robertson said. “They’re full of
murder, envy, strife, hatred. They are insolent, arrogant, Godhaters. They are heartless, they are faithless, they are senseless,
they are ruthless. They invent ways of doing evil.”
18
Now, the first two sentences in that quote are a direct lift from one
of the Gospels. That’s fine. One can argue the perception of ‘sexual
orientation’ was different 2,000 years ago than now and even argue
the whole concept of a homosexual identity didn’t really exist in that
culture at that time. But that would make little difference to a Bible
literalist like Robinson. And he is totally free to believe those words,
and hold them in his life, just as I am totally free to argue historical
context and question whether they apply in the modern world.
Where he got into trouble, deservedly so in my books, is saying
gay people are “full of murder, envy, strife, hatred.” That we are
“insolent, arrogant, God-haters” and “heartless, faithless, senseless,
and ruthless”, to boot. Oh...and we invent ways of doing evil, so I
guess we are creative as well. But we knew that....blacks can all
sing and have natural rhythm and gays are creative and stylish. I
guess we just didn’t realize our creativity was for evil.
In the series, everyone has a role. He is “The Patriarch”, his wife
Kay is the “Voice of Common Sense” (and “Long Suffering Patience”
when it comes to the idiosyncrasies of her menfolk), Uncle Si, Phil’s
brother and a Vietnam veteran, is the “Eccentric and Decidedly Odd
Uncle”. Each of the boys (Willie, Alan, Jase, and Jep) occupy a niche
with Willie being the “Fun-killing CEO” of the Duck Commander
company exasperated by the laid-back attitudes of his brothers,
who all work at the company; Jase as his nemesis and generally
a thorn in his brother’s side; we don’t see much of Alan; and Jep
is just sort of ‘there’ and always willing to go along with whatever
harebrained schemes Uncle Si comes up with (and they’re often
doozies!) or whatever small rebellion against Willie’s authority his
brother Jase is planning. But at the end of each show, the family all
comes together for a communal meal and realize God and Family is
what matters, come what may. And that is what attracts a record
number of viewers to the show. It’s kind of a rougher, modern-day
Walton’s Mountain.
The show, however, is also at least partially scripted, as are
most of the reality shows these days, and certain things about the
Robertsons get left out or edited out.
Phil Robertson has also advocated marrying off girls. Not ‘young
women’ - girls. With mom and dad’s permission, of course! He
married Kay when he was 20 and she was just 16. Is it just me, or
is that just a little creepy? No...it’s a little creepy.
“You got to marry these girls when they are about 15 or 16. They’ll
pick your ducks,” he said referring, of course, to the womenfolk
cleaning the birds the menfolk bring home from duck-hunting. “...
[Y]ou wait until they get to be 20-years old, the only picking that’s
going to take place is your pocket.”
He then went on to say, “Make sure that she can cook a meal.
You need to eat some meals that she cooks, check that out,...[and]
make sure she carries her Bible. That’ll save you a lot of trouble
down the road. And if she picks your ducks, now, that’s a woman.”
None of this should come as a surprise, given who he is. If it
wasn’t for the television series, which even he says might last for 5
or 6 years and that’s it, he’d just be some local in Monroe Louisiana
who made a bundle of cash making and selling duck calls; a local
‘character’ and on nobody’s radar whatsoever.
I don’t really care what some guy who hunts ducks down in
Louisiana thinks or believes. He is free to believe the sun revolves
around a flat 6,000-year-old earth, for all I care. That’s fine. Believe
whatever it is you want to believe so long as it doesn’t bring harm
to others.
www.gaycalgary.com
Robertson is not just some crusty old backwoods salt-of-theearth curmudgeon trying to get by and hold things together the
best way he knows how. He has - whether he wanted it or not become an American cultural icon of sorts and with that comes a
certain responsibility. That responsibility can very well involve him
bringing a message of good old-fashioned values to Middle America
(which he disparages as ‘a bunch of yuppies’ on a regular basis on
the show) but he needs to temper that with the understanding that
the very culture he is so critical about is the same culture that pays
him and his family $20,000 an episode, over and above the millions
he reportedly made off his Duck Commander product or any of the
product licensing spin-offs the show has created.
This is not about ‘free speech’ or ‘freedom of religion’. It is about
taking responsibility for ones actions and views. I would think an
individual like Robertson, who you can’t help but admire for what
he has actually accomplished in his own life, would hold to that.
I can almost hear him say ‘Man up! Be a man and take some
responsibility’. We all screw up. We have all said and done things
in our lives we regret or that blew up in our faces. I sure have. It’s
not so much the screw-ups that screw us up, but the blaming of
others or the failure to accept responsibility for our own failings and
shortcomings that screw it all up. Did he honestly think buying into
his own mythology and celebrity status and saying the things he
said wouldn’t have repercussions? He is not stupid, but this sure
was. Has the backlash to his comments been a form of censorship,
an attack on his right to free speech? No. It hasn’t.
What? In order for free speech to be preserved, nobody can
react to what someone else says or does? Those people uttering
inane, uninformed or misinformed opinions can’t be challenged or,
if need be, made to take responsibility for the statements? That’s
ridiculous. He wasn’t arrested, he wasn’t thrown in jail and left
to rot. He was met with predictable reaction...some of it gut-level
and not thought out very well, either, but predictable. Who does
that fall on? The person making what they had to know would be
‘controversial’ and inflammatory statements or those who respond/
react to them? Whose rights are more important? The people
exercising their right to free speech, come hell or high water, or
those that such observations affect?
Certainly having a serious sit-down with him might have been
called for, but suspending him only further fuelled the controversy
and, I suspect, the only reason A&E did was because of concerns
their sponsors - the companies that pay the bills - would pull their
advertising.
The show is about him and his family and not having him in the
show any longer would have changed the nature of the show, and
resulted in lost viewership; that would cost A&E money. So he has
been reinstated. What will happen from here is anyone’s guess.
Will he use the show as a platform to apologize? I doubt it. And
even if he did, would such an apology be sincere or more along the
lines of ‘I’m sorry you were offended’, which is no apology at all?
What’s done is done...move on. Or cancel the show. I think we
can all survive the trauma of not seeing Duck Dynasty, and all its
repeats, but of course if that were done it would create another
ersatz ‘controversy’ about censorship and corporate retribution. All
that would do is make Phil Robertson a martyr.
www.gaycalgary.com
19
Interview
Truth: A Self-Portrait
Director Rob Moretti turns
past pain into present success
By Nick Winnick
With more than a dozen films on his actor’s resume, Rob Moretti
is certainly a familiar face to some in gay cinema. With his new
film, Truth, Moretti marks his second outing both as a writer
and director. In Truth, Moretti explores some dark territory,
following the tumultuous relationship between his characters
Jeremy and Caleb as they dig deep toward each other’s secrets.
And not to spoil anything, but it goes just about as well for
them as you’d expect when those shadows are finally hauled,
protesting, into the light. I had a chance to speak with Moretti
about his work, and about his own history with the themes of
addiction, abuse, and honesty that make up the meat of the
film.
GC: You’ve referred to Truth as tackling issues that were important
to you – namely alcoholism and mental illness – and that Sean Paul
Lockhart, who plays Caleb, had experienced them as well. Tell me a little
bit about your battle there.
RM: Actually, on January 3rd I celebrated 17 years of being clean
and sober. I grew up a child of an alcoholic, and I grew up with my
mother mentally ill and in rehabs. It was tough. I don’t regret any of
that, because I don’t think that I would be the person that I am today
if I didn’t experience all that. But if you can overcome that, you can get
through anything.
GC: When you set out to make the film, did you focus on those issues,
or did the story come first?
RM: It was the latter. The basic story was there, of a love gone
wrong. I’ve always been a fan of thrillers and the horror genre, and films
like Misery and Fatal Attraction. The baseline was there, and then it
developed from these characters and our own experiences.
GC: Your character, Jeremy, is closeted. Is that something you
experienced firsthand?
RM: I actually never really had any issues coming out. And, you
know, thank God I never had an issue, because that on top of everything
else would’ve been a little too much to handle. That idea of Jeremy being
in the closet was based on some people that I know and people of my
generation. It was a lot harder to be gay in the 80s and the early 90s
than it is today.
GC: Lately there’s been some criticism of men – even gay men – being
tone deaf on women’s issues. You’ve got one unstable female character
in Caleb’s mother, and one whose function is primarily to drive the
plot, in the case of Jeremy’s wife. Did you make a conscious decision to
contrast those, and offer someone level-headed and affirmative in terms
of Blanche Baker’s role?
RM: Yeah – the three women that are in the film are from all different
walks of life and different stages of their own journey. There were a lot
of elements of that character of the mom [that came from mine] - her
always being away, being institutionalized. I wanted to have someone
like that, and I also wanted to have someone who you would think would
be an ideal mother, like Blanche’s character. I definitely did want to take
it from A to Z. And there’s really not a lot of strong women characters
out there, especially in gay film, and you have at least two here. Both of
them are very intense.”
GC: This film ends pretty darkly for everybody. Was it a tough
decision as a filmmaker to not give a happy ending to the issues you’ve
had to deal with in your personal life?
RM: Absolutely. And the ending that I did put in the film, I wanted to
leave somewhat open-ended. Is the character of Jeremy okay? Has his
traumatic experience sent him down [Caleb’s] path?
GC: Do you think there’s some comment in there on the nature of
honesty and truth in a relationship? Is there something to be said for
maybe not being 100% forthcoming, or is it more about how you manage
the timing and presentation of truth?
RM: I think it’s a hell of a lot easier to go in like an open book and
just get everything out there. It’s much harder to carry those types of
burdens as opposed to being yourself and being open and honest. It’s a
chore to have to edit yourself, and your words, for the sake of the other
20
person. If you go in open and honest, I think in the long run, people will
respect that more.
GC: Compared to other films in this genre, the sex scenes are a lot
more explicit. Tell me a bit about that decision.
RM: As I get older, I’m not really afraid of sex and sexuality. From
the first scene where it’s kind of beautiful and exploratory, to after my
character [tells Caleb that he] found his mom, where it’s kind of rough
make-up sex. That stuff is real, so I wanted not to hide anything.
GC: Do you feel any more freedom to do that sort of thing working
in gay film?
RM: Absolutely. I look at a colleague of mine who has a film coming
out called GBF, and the MPAA gave that an R-rating, just for the whole
gay thing. That could be a PG film. If I took this to the MPAA, it’d definitely
be NC-17, or I’d have a huge battle with them. It’s not pornographic, it’s
not done in a gratuitous way.
GC: Is there more in you about addiction, mental illness, the closet,
honesty in relationships, or has the weight come off your shoulders in
making this piece?
RM: A lot of it has come off, and I feel a tremendous growth from the
first film. I’ve gotten older, [I’m more] comfortable with myself discussing
these things, sharing these things. I think I was able to accomplish that
in a much more honest way with Truth. Right now I’m pretty numb – I did
get a lot out, but I’m sure there’s much more in there. I’m sure.”
You can see Moretti and his co-stars in Truth starting January 10th.
Find it online at truth-the-movie.com, streaming at Vimeo.com, and on
DVD at tlagay.com
Truth
Starting January 10th
http://www.truth-the-movie.com
www.gaycalgary.com
Review
HBO’s Looking
by David-Elijah Nahmod
The opening scene of Looking, HBO’s new serialized comedy/
drama, will no doubt elicit affectionate laughs of recognition
from many gay male viewers.
As the story begins, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) is looking for
love in the wrong place - the bushes at his local park. He
tries to kiss the guy who approaches him, and asks for his
trick’s name. “Stop talking!” is the response.
Their interlude is interrupted by the ringing of Patrick’s
cell phone. “Excuse me, I have to take this,” says a sheepish
Patrick as he saunters off.
Thus begins Looking, HBO’s much ballyhooed take on
modern gay life, debuting on January 19th. The freshman
season will comprise of eight episodes, four of which were
made available to Outsmart for viewing prior to the launch
date.
Comparisons to Showtime’s Queer as Folk are inevitable.
The groundbreaking gay soap which aired from 2000-2005,
was considered shocking for it’s no holds barred sexuality,
and graphic nudity. The world was a different place when
QAF first took to the airwaves. Marriage equality wasn’t yet
on the table, nor had any federal equality laws been passed.
In the ensuing decade, we’ve seen the election of Barack
Obama, the first pro-LGBT president in US history. The
Defense of Marriage Act was declared unconstitutional by
the US Supreme Court. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed,
and LGBT people currently enjoy unprecedented visibility
in the media and a level of acceptance that many thought
wouldn’t come in our lifetimes.
Looking is being produced in this brave new world, and
what was seen as shocking and titillating ten years ago
is now a matter of everyday fact. There are no coming out
stories on Looking - the gay characters are presented as
who they are, without commentary. What we get is an
enjoyable, often familiar, sometimes silly slice of life set in
contemporary San Francisco.
www.gaycalgary.com
Jonathan Groff is delightful as lead character Patrick.
The actor (who recently dated out actor Zachary Quinto of
Star Trek) is as casually open about his own gayness as
Patrick is about his own. In Patrick we see a lot of ourselves:
a sweet, bumbling guy who yearns to find the elusive Mr.
Right. Like many gay men, Patrick stumbles along the way,
reaching out to people who don’t want him, and turning
away from people who do. Will Patrick find his knight in
shining armour? The only way to find out is to keep tuning
in.
Looking is shot on location around many of San Francisco’s
recognizable gay landmarks, including the legendary Castro
district. The writing and the acting are sharp, often funny,
and fast paced. Storylines should easily hold viewers’
attention.
The producers went for a “documentary”-style approach,
shooting most scenes with a hand held camera in
atmospheric lighting that’s perhaps a bit too low key; when
some scenes begin, the screen is so dark, the actors appear
in silhouette. It can take a moment or two until viewers can
tell who it is they’re seeing. This was an artistic choice on
the part of the filmmakers and seems to serve no purpose,
so I hope this will be corrected in future episodes.
Be that as it may, Looking offers its viewers what the
recent offerings such as The New Normal and Sean Saves
the World do not: a peek into the lives of gay men who come
across as real people. As we watch Patrick on his journey,
we’re watching our own stories unfold.
Looking
Starting January 19th on HBO.
21
CAPOLAVORO di UOMO: Masterpiece of Man
An Interview with contributing artist Marc DeBauch
 Romeo and Julian by Joe Phillips
By Keith Johnson, B.Ed., M.Ed.
“I really enjoy looking at male bodies. I paint images that
reflect my taste in men.
I paint the male form as if I’m caressing the skin with my
brush.”
Masterpiece of a Man is an astounding collection of gay erotic
art featuring some of the world’s foremost contemporaries
in the field. This hard-bound, coffee table book includes
illustrations, drawings, paintings and digital images that
stir the imagination and force the thumbs to flip frantically
through the pages and the heart to palpitate slightly. Gay
erotica will not be found in many of the mainstream galleries
in Calgary but the rebellious and open-minded collector of
all things fine will find this collection hard to put down. My
recent interview with Marc DeBauch, one of the contributors
to this masterpiece, was enlightening to say the least and
an exciting opportunity to explore the medium including an
erotic image of, dare I say, St. Nicholas himself. Timely and
seasonal.
From a young age Marc became enamored with the male
form. Self-confessing to experiencing puberty at the tender
age of ten, Mr. DeBauch recalls his acquaintances interest
in his differences. Marc recalls that as a young man one
of his first experiences with erotica/pornography came from
a neighbor’s reading material. Poorly constructed drawings
of two men slapping each other on the behind with a towel,
and he was hooked. His parents World Book Encyclopedia
22
 Hesitant Surrender by Thomas Acevedo
rounded out his education on all things erotic and sexual.
The Volume G – Greek Gods was of particular note as Marc
recalls the impact of these Adonises on what would eventually
shape his perspective on the male form. How those Gods
used the fig leaf as a sexual tool proved puzzling to the young
lad. His Mother later explained.
As time passed, more publications became accessible to
the Gay community and with the introduction of the World
Wide Web the images have become ever abundant, easily
accessible and of many shapes and forms. It was the age
of 28 when Marc DeBauch would fully realize his passion
and interest in the subject matter. By this time he had
begun to perfect his skill at figure drawing, professing it to
be extremely difficult and an art that only comes with years
of practice. People began to respond to his work.
The genesis of CAPOLAVORO di UOMO : Masterpiece of Man
began with the publisher, Capolarvoro Publishing located in
Washington, DC. DeBauch points out the publisher’s long
and accredited history of producing art books of high quality,
outstanding imagery and their progressive stance toward the
subject matter. The book includes not only the artist’s work
but really features the artist and their accomplishments.
This 370 page full color book certainly fits the Capolarvoro
Publishing style in its scale and breadth. Publishers from
around the globe submitted work to the Publisher which were
reviewed for submission by a team at the organization. The
focus of the book was the fine art of painting and drawing.
Artists were predominantly solicited by word-of-mouth as the
community is close-knit and cooperative in style. The book
www.gaycalgary.com
 Snake Charmer by Paul Richmond
 Reclining Nude by Victor Gadino
confirms that the fine art world is once again embracing the
male nude in all its glory. The male nude has often been
depicted in gay magazines and other publications but it has
rarely graced the walls of galleries and museums.
Debauch, a self-proclaimed art school dropout, points out
that the erotic artist’s community is close and abundant with
camaraderie. These artists have a unique challenge – the
one of censorship - not often found in mainstream fine art.
Censorship seems to bring these artists closer, Debauch
points out, as artists become more and more militant about
exhibiting all of their work (no matter whom it offends) or
none of it.
I asked, how are pornography and erotic art defined? What
is the difference between the two? Mr. Debauch is reminded
of one definition that states that anything that gives ‘right
wing, Christian, Judges’ a hard on is likely pornographic.
The remainder is erotica. Pornography and erotica are often
very different in quality, and taste level as well, especially
as gay erotica enters the notable descriptor known as fine
art. Even at Minneapolis’s Gay Pride Event (some 400,000
strong) Mr. Debauch’s work is one of the few exhibitors of
its kind. His booth is extremely popular and attracts a wide
spectrum of gawkers, participants and fine art lovers, as
more and more straight people take in the event. As a flyon-the-wall Marc notes that his work gets reaction for love
to hate to simply “icky”. He believes this to be success as
good art needs to evoke some type of response or it may be
purposeless, he quips.
Critical reviews are very good and since the book’s debut
in May, 2013 sales have been brisk as the collection seems to
serve as an up-to-date encyclopedia of homo-erotic art. This
must-have work is inspiring other events such as the recent
exhibitions at Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian
Art in New York who also served as the venue for the book’s
launch less than a year ago.
The book is full of penises, all shapes and sizes including
that of Santa Claus. Debauch states that it is no surprise
that there just might be a Gay Santa Claus, a Gay Jesus or
a Gay Barack Obama or least the notion of fucking (both
literally and metaphorically) with these icons. Mr. Debauch
says the book through its artists seems to be able to paint
and draw the way some of us are really feeling sexually. A
remarkable feat.
Mr. Debauch closes by reinforcing that this collection
is an amazing accomplishment and will certainly become
a collector’s item. It is both beautiful and comprehensive
he says. You will not find this book just anywhere and it
certainly will not be discounted. It is appearing in handselected book stores and on the book’s website, where a
portion of it can be viewed for free.
As a special offer to GayCalgary Magazine readers,
CAPOLAVORO di UOMO : Masterpiece of Man is being offered
with free shipping.
www.gaycalgary.com
CAPOLAVORO di UOMO : Masterpiece of Man
http://www.capolavoroart.com
23
Gossip
Michelle Rodriguez: 10% and 1%
“Eventually it’s going to wrinkle up and I’m not going to be
able to use it. I wanted to be honest about who I am and see
what happens,” said Michelle Rodriguez several weeks ago
when, after years of speculation, she addressed her bisexuality
in her trademark blunt, funny style. Not that it was much of a
secret, mind you, but it’s nice to finally have her quote-ready
one-liners put to good queer use. And sadly, with the death
of Paul Walker, Rodriguez’s appearance in Fast and Furious 7
won’t see theaters until 2015 (after a planned summer 2014
release). So in the meantime, a smaller project will have to do for
her fans. She’ll appear in the indie 1%ers, written and directed
by up-and-coming filmmaker Francesca de Sola (Rodriguez
connection: She worked in the art department of Resident Evil:
Retribution). Rodriguez will play a famous movie star looking
to relax away from the spotlight by hitting an out-of-the-way
dive bar with a friend (Danish actress Rie Rasmussen, Femme
Fatale). And then things go wrong. Knowing and loving the
typecast badass Rodriguez, we’ll just assume she regulates the
situation when necessary. Could this be the Lady Road House
we’ve longed for all this time?
Sundance, bloody Sundance
The LGBT offerings at this year’s upcoming Sundance Film
Festival involve some freshly acclaimed names as well as some
old-school indie vets (and one iconic pop culture personality).
Ira Sachs, indie darling of the moment after his critically adored
feature Keep the Lights On, returns with a new feature, Love is
Strange, starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as a gay couple
together for 39 years who must suddenly live apart. Meanwhile,
Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin) has a new one, too: White Bird in
A Blizzard, starring Shailene Woodley, Eva Green and Gabourey
Sidibe, and based on the novel by Laura Kasischke. But it’s To
Be Takei that looks like it’ll be the fest’s biggest crowd-pleaser.
It’s a documentary about Star Trek’s funniest, most outspoken
gay alumnus, George Takei, as he and his husband assume
the role of activist around the country. And if you follow him on
Twitter you already know that the man can work a crowd. Of
course, then there’s the Nick Offerman documentary but, with
the exception of the micro-culture of gay male Ron Swanson
and/or mustache enthusiasts, it doesn’t really count as a queer
offering. Porn, yes. Gay, not so much.
What’s Sandra Bernhard doing?
 Jim Parsons, photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Deep Inside Hollywood
Jim Parsons having Visions
By Romeo San Vicente
“In negotiations” means they’re hammering out the money, so
when the official casting for the horror movie Visions makes
the news, you’ll know that they met Jim Parsons’ (The Big
Bang Theory) quote. Oh, yes, and “quote” means the minimum
amount of money an actor will accept to appear in a film,
Super Bowl ad, music video or dictator’s birthday party.
Anyway, Visions, from director Kevin Greutert (Saw VI, Saw
3D), concerns a pregnant woman experiencing horrific visions.
That’s as much of a plot synopsis as is available for now, but
it’s probably an easy guess that those visions aren’t just due
to an overactive imagination. Isla Fisher is in negotiations to
play the Rosemary in this Polanski-like thriller, and it can be
assumed that Parsons would play her husband and, if the talks
go well, that sassy Ellen Barkin will come aboard, too, perhaps
as something demonic, which would be cool.
24
It’s good to check in with your favorite people from time to
time, see how they’re doing. And Deep Inside Hollywood loves
Sandra Bernhard more than almost anyone (you’re great, too,
Ellen; we just like ’em really sharp and sarcastic). She’s touring
the country with her new one-woman show I Love Being Me,
Don’t You and still jumping aboard the indie-film train every
time it stops for her. She has no fewer than three in the
pipeline, including Landlocked co-starring Armand Assante
and Bob Balaban, plot details unknown; the mob comedy ’79
Parts starring Eric Roberts; and first-time feature director Guy
Guido’s Lovin’ Brooklyn. It’s this last one that will probably
generate the most heat, since it’s about a Latin Hustle dance
competition and co-stars Courtney Galiano, choreographer
of So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars
audience favorite, Ukrainian heartthrob Maksim “Maks”
Chmerkovskiy (you know, the one who takes off his shirt a lot).
We hope Sandra dances, too – it’s been a long time since that
nude “Little Red Corvette” sequence in Without You I’m Nothing.
Romeo San Vicente has danced professionally in the Make It Rain industry
and still gives private tutorials.
www.gaycalgary.com
All Aboard The Love Train
Stage West’s latest offering a R&B hit parade
 Photo by Stage West
By Jason Clevett
Over the decades Stage West has consistently offered
quality shows to Calgary audiences. One thing they have
definitely mastered over the years is the musical revue.
When it comes to bringing music that we love to life on
stage, Stage West wins every time.
Such is the case with Love Train: The Soul of Motown. It seems like
an odd choice, Calgary isn’t exactly an R&B hotbed, and many of the
artists featured never played here in person. Coming just 2 years
after Motown Gold, it also seemed a little soon to revisit the genre
again. But with a long list of classic songs and a talented ensemble
putting it together, it works out to an impressive evening of music.
There are some familiar faces in the show. Lee Siegel is a 6 show
veteran whose voice is always a show stealer. Katrina Reynolds has
appeared in 5 Stage West shows and stands out in this production,
especially with an outstanding Tina Turner impression and a spoton Single Ladies. Rob James, who has barely aged since McMaster
& James hit the scene in 2000, takes the one head scratcher in
the show Blurred Lines and makes it work. It is always a pleasure
seeing these folks on stage and their enthusiasm was infectious. In
fact despite being well into the run, nobody in the cast phoned it in
and it was clear they were having a lot of fun, which carried to the
audience. The cast is rounded out by Troy Adams, Tafari Anthony,
Andrew Broderick, Starr Domingue, Cavelle-Nell Romeo, Jeremiah
Sparks, and Aurianna Angelique. While all talented, it is Angelique
who brings the house down with a stunning rendition of Whitney
Houston’s I Will Always Love You - it will give you goose bumps.
quickly recalled classics like Maybelline and Soul Man. While many
of the group numbers worked, what most stood out was when the
show stripped down or added character. Bringing the band front and
centre around a piano to create a blues club for Etta James’ At Last
(Reynolds) and Ray Charles’ Georgia On My Mind (Sparks) were very
memorable for letting the singers voices shine. While recreations of
Destiny’s Child, Adele and Bruno Mars offered a stronger portrayal
of the artist and not just the songs, Troy Adams’ Prince strutting
around in purple performing Kiss was another highlight.
So despite reservations about another R&B show, from start to
finish Love Train: The Soul of Motown hits on all counts as another
stellar revue from Stage West. Those that have seen similar shows
in the past and are a fan will have a blast, and those new to seeing
this style will enjoy it. There is something for everyone. I am already
looking forward to the next revue, and crossing my fingers for a
sequel to Canadian Explosion.
Love Train: The Soul of Motown
Playing until February 2nd.
http://www.stagewestcalgary.com
My companion for the evening didn’t recognize a lot of the song
titles while perusing the program, but once the music started, one
www.gaycalgary.com
25
Resort-Style Living for Seniors
Retirement community offers travel perks and cruise-themed dining
Additional Photos and Video Online: http://gaycalgary.com/a3862 
When one conjures the image of a retirement home,
the scents, sounds and imagery are not often enticing.
Dated furniture, powdered eggs, bargain bin artwork – a
hospital-like quiet.
A Holiday Retirement community is nothing of the sort.
Inspired by cruise ships the hallways and atrium are
wide, brimmed with glass windows and illuminated with
sunshine. A happy buzz emanates from the dining room as
residents chat, perhaps about the morning yoga class they
took together or the happy hour they will partake in during
the afternoon.
“This is an all-inclusive scenario,” says Transition
Specialist and Community Sales Leader Paul A. Libin, as
he proudly tours us through what one can see is his pride
and joy. Libin works at the Canyon Meadows Independent
Retirement Living community, one of the roughly 330
communities Holiday Retirement owns throughout North
America. Twenty-five of these are located in Canada with
two locations based in Calgary: Deer Run and Arbour Lake.
“We have a very busy monthly schedule with activities
and events,” he says.
Indeed daily schedules are posted throughout the
building, featuring items like carpet bowling, rummoli,
darts, billiards, sing-alongs, health and wellness seminars,
puzzle time, and sitting soccer.
“There’s always a wide variety,” Libin asserts. “We try to
cover it all.”
26
Guest speakers may include representatives from the
Arthritis Society, the Parkinson Society, or a Shoppers Drug
Mart pharmacist, happy to answer any health questions.
As we check out the exercise room, which overlooks
the dining hall and central atrium, Libin boasts that the
majority of residents do take time to use the equipment and
stay in shape.
One might need to in order to work off the three meals
prepared daily from scratch by Red Seal Chef Andy Heart
in the elegant dining hall. On Saturday the lunch menu
included a Tex-Mex salad, fresh baked bread, a cilantro
chicken breast served with mashed potatoes, gravy and
spinach, and a Boston Cream Pie for desert. If the main
menu was not to one’s liking a chef’s choice selection was
also available: garlic and Chardonnay prawns on rice, BBQ
hot dog, chef salad or veal.
All meals are served with the choice of fruit juice, water,
coffee and tea.
While lunch is designed to be the heaviest meal of the
day, portion sizes are fully customizable to the diner’s
appetite. Fresh fruit and salads are always an option, and
between meals a hydration bar and coffee and tea counter
provide beverages and pastries baked in-house as well as
fruit, yogurt and candies.
Sugar-free options for diabetics are always on the menu
and gluten free options can be worked out as well.
A private dining room, seating eight to ten, is available for
residents to use to introduce family to the community upon
www.gaycalgary.com
moving in, or to book for special events and birthday meals.
Additionally, once a month the chef hand-picks residents
for whom a private dining experience is created.
But wait! The best is still to come. Residence at a Holiday
Retirement community entitles one to a free one-week stay
at any of the other locations every year. This means Maui,
Florida, Nevada, Phoenix – all-inclusive.
Guest suites resemble any room at an upper-end hotel
and offer the same accommodations. All three meals are
still provided, as is the in-house shuttle service with which
you may take excursions to nearby malls, parks or other
ventures.
These guest suites are also open to families coming to
visit.
Holiday Retirement is not assisted living; it is high-end
living for retirees who have maintained their zest for life.
A games room and full library is on-hand, stocked with
books the Calgary Public Library rotates every few weeks.
Have a game of bridge, attend a wine and cheese or tapas
soiree, tap your feet to one of the frequent entertainers that
perform on the mini-stage before the sea of dining tables.
An on-site beauty parlour and barbershop is open almost
daily for resident cuts and basic spa treatments.
Suites don’t come furnished but furnishings are available.
The community will also help future residents with the
downsizing process if they are relocating from a home to a
community unit.
Floor plans include studio, one-bedroom and twobedroom, though currently at Canyon Meadows all of the
two-bedroom units are filled. Suites offer a European sized
fridge and freezer, cupboard space, and a large amount
of storage. Bathtubs can be customized to the resident’s
preference, including a lipped entrance or a walk-in shower
with bench.
The colour palette is neutral but the staff will help
residents with a feature wall should they wish one to be
painted.
If one still desires to cook, a resident kitchen is open for
the taking.
The communities are pet-friendly so no resident need
to say goodbye to their furry companions. The rooms are
equipped with heat, air conditioning and built-in hepa filters
so even smoking is permitted in rooms, and goes virtually
undetected by neighbours.
The monthly fee also includes an outdoor parking spot
with plug-in, but should a garage space be required, one
can be provided for an additional $75 per month. Scheduled
transportation with the on-site shuttle service is, however,
included.
Laundry facilities are located on every floor and do not
require payment. Weekly housekeeping as well as utilities
are also included in one’s rent.
And to the gay community, Libin says “Would our doors
be open? It goes without saying.”
Security, comfort, transportation, and socialization: these
are the assets of living at a Holiday Retirement community.
No buy-in is required, no long-term leases needed.
If curious about how affordable independent retirement
living might be for you or your loved ones, visit the Holiday
Retirement website for more information and a sample meal
on the house. This carefree dwelling arrangement might be
more reasonable that you think.
www.gaycalgary.com
Holiday Retirement
http://www.holidaytouch.com
27
Victoria, BC
“Full of Life”
 The BC Legislature Building by day
More photos and videos online: http://gaycalgary.com/a3863 
By Rob Diaz-Marino
The highway west of Kelowna took us up through the
mountains, and along some surprisingly steep stretches
that challenged our “little” (read “not a truck”) car. It
was a relief to finally start coming down the other side,
although with slopes just as steep, controlling our
downhill speed without overusing the brakes was a
challenge too.
Although Vancouver was on the horizon, we veered off
toward Tsawassen to catch a ferry to our next destination:
Victoria.
We have taken the ferry once before, many years ago
when we did our article on the Mayne Island Resort. This
time we were a little shocked by the fare of over $80 because
of our vehicle coming along with us. We experienced the
“waiting for the ferry” culture, as many Victoria residents,
seasoned ferry-goers, parked their vehicles in the line and
then wandered on foot to the souvenir and food market.
Taking the ferry is not something that can be done in a
hurry, with ships only departing every hour (or 30 minutes
during peak hours). We arrived just after 4pm, and had to
wait nearly an hour for the next ship.
We loaded the car on board the 5pm ferry, but it was
still another two hours or more of travel to our destination.
The regulars knew to grab seats early so that they could
curl up and sleep, but we decided to wander the decks and
check out the shops and take pictures of the views from the
sheltered upper deck areas as the sun set.
The sky was dark by the time we arrived on Vancouver
Island, and it was a half-hour drive south to get to Victoria.
We arrived at our bed and breakfast, Albion Manor, at
around 8pm where we got ourselves settled before heading
out for a long overdue dinner.
The Oscar Wilde room, where we stayed at Albion Manor
Bed & Breakfast Inn, has an amazing atmosphere to it
created by the antique furnishings and artwork. We had
a delicious breakfast the next morning in their equally
lavish dining room, where we got the chance to formally
meet both owners Don and Fernando, and some of the
other houseguests. Fernando was tickled to hear about my
Spanish heritage, as he lived in Seville (where my dad grew
up) prior to coming to Canada.
The couple gave us the full tour of their B&B, during which
we got to see some of the other spectacularly decorated
rooms with beautiful sculptures, wood carvings, handpainted wall and ceiling murals - some of it done by the
multi-talented owners themselves! Even the yard around
the house is very scenic, with many of the rooms opening
out onto patios that access it.
 Sights around the Inner Harbour
28
www.gaycalgary.com
 The BC Legislature Building at night
Next we were scheduled
to go for afternoon tea – a
traditional Victorian ritual
- at the Fairmont Empress
Tea Lobby. Conveniently, it
was only a 10 minute walk
away from the Albion, and
with plenty of time to spare
we decided to walk around
downtown Victoria a bit
and check out the shops
before making our way
to the Fairmont Empress
Hotel. Steve and I weren’t
expecting this to be a meal,
but we ended up completely
full from the unique and
delicious sandwiches and
desserts that were served
with the tea.
After this we were taken
on a tour through the
Fairmont Empress Hotel,
which was gorgeous both
inside and out. The hotel is
absolutely massive, and had
so much history behind it,
that it took several hours to
fully explore.
With
little
time
left
before closing time for most
establishments, we decided
to stop by the Undersea
Garden, as the structure
had piqued our curiosity.
It looks almost like a ship
docked just off the bay along
Government Street, but after
entering on the main floor
you take a staircase down
below the water level where
you can observe several
tanks of undersea life –
fish, crabs, anemones, and
more – through windows in
the outer wall. They do a
narrated show every hour,
during which a diver enters
the tank in front of the
theatre area and interacts
with some of the sea life. He
brings some of the creatures
Albion Manor Bed &
Breakfast Inn: Fantastic
Class and Character
http://gaycalgary.com/a3864
Albion Manor is a country manor in the
heart of Victoria, just bursting at the
seams with charm and character. Being
located a mere 4 blocks away from the BC
Legislature Building exemplifies just how
close to downtown this Bed & Breakfast
is.
Each room has its own unique décor,
featuring
impressive
collections
of
antique furniture and art (the owners
have fascinating stories about many
of the pieces) and unique artwork and
curios on the walls and shelves. Some
rooms even have decorative hand-painted
murals on the walls or ceilings for added
extravagance, done by one of the owners.
Many of Fernando’s sculptures are also
featured around the house. Many rooms
have private entrances at ground level or
from the deck, while “Henry VIII’s Wish
Room” has its own ensuite Jacuzzi! It’s
difficult to describe in words alone the
visual experience of staying at the Albion
Manor.
The common areas – living room,
dining room, and downstairs den – are
anything but common with a Victorianperiod feel. The yard is also a refuge of
intricate beauty, with trees and gardens
surrounding the house, and a serene
fountain at one corner.
Each morning we were treated to
breakfast in the dining room, with
beautifully presented gourmet food
served on elegant dishware. Breakfast
was also an opportunity to socialize with
the owners and other guests, and collect
valuable tips about what to do in Victoria.
The owners (who are also a couple), Don
and Fernando, are lovely people – very
friendly and interesting to talk to, not to
mention great hosts!
Albion Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn
224 Superior St, Victoria, BC
http://www.albionmanor.com
 The Albion Manor Bed & Breakfast
www.gaycalgary.com
29
 The stain glass dome over top a ballroom in the Fairmont Empress Hotel
closer to the glass for the
audience to see, and puts
on a few cheesy comical
antics. We caught their last
show of the day before they
closed for the season, and
did some souvenir shopping
on the way out. At the time
of writing this article, we are
sad to find out the facility
will not be reopening next
season, and feel lucky to
have experienced it while it
was still around.
We spent our last few
hours of daylight exploring
downtown
Victoria,
and
stopped
by
Paparazzi
Nightclub
to
introduce
ourselves to the owners
and chat a bit about the
gay scene in Victoria. From
what we can gather, Victoria
is seeing a similar trend to
most other cities across the
country, where exclusively
gay bars and clubs are
dwindling and mixed bars
and clubs are filling the
niche. Paparazzi is the last
of its kind at the moment,
although we’re told the gay
community is welcomed at
gay friendly establishments
like Garrick’s Head Pub and
Hush Nightclub.
As the sun set, the air got
a bit chilly for us without
jackets, and so we hustled
our way over to our dinner
spot for the night: The Black
Hat by Bistro 28. We had
a relaxing dinner with our
host Brian, who then wanted
to take us to the Garrick’s
Head Pub for a beer but we
were far too exhausted from
the day’s activities.
A chilly but brief walk got
us back to the Albion for a
peaceful night’s sleep, and
30
Fairmont Empress Hotel:
Afternoon Tea and a Walk
through History
The site where the Fairmont Empress Hotel is built
was once the tip of the Inner Harbour. It was filled
in to provide the foundation for this National Historic
Site of Canada. We learned this and other fascinating
history as we were taken on a tour through the
many different sections of this expansive building.
Particularly breathtaking was the large stained glass
dome above one of the ballrooms – a treasure that
was found covered over during renovations many
years ago. As one of the oldest hotels in Victoria,
there are many stories about architectural details –
and even whole rooms – being lost and found again.
Curiosities aside, the Empress maintains a beautiful
classic Victorian-era look throughout most of its
interior. And even if you’re not staying a night,
there are many reasons to still stop by, such as the
Bengal Lounge which is well known and celebrated
in Victoria for its curry cuisine (and felt like we had
stepped into India) - the shops, the day spa, and of
course afternoon tea.
We had the privilege of experiencing afternoon tea
at the Fairmont Empress Tea Lobby. Not only do
you get to enjoy a variety of different teas while
surrounded by classical ambiance, but you also get a
helping of strawberries with whipped-cream, followed
by a sizeable tray of finger sandwiches (our favorite
was the mango & curried chicken on dark rye),
freshly baked raisin scones with Empress cream and
strawberry jam, and a selection of desserts including
Parisian macaroons, lemon curd meringue tarts, and
devil’s chocolate and pistachio Battenberg. The tray
is enough to serve 4 people, but made a filling lunch
for the two of us (and our host).
The hotel is also quite picturesque from the outside
as well, with bushes and ivy growing up the sides of
the building, turning bright red and orange during
the fall months. Pathways criss-cross the green
space encircling the front of the hotel, leading to
hidden gardens and even a bee farm!
It’s hard to miss the Fairmont Empress Hotel as
you explore downtown Victoria, so don’t miss the
opportunity to check it out, or stay a few nights!
The Fairmont Empress
721 Government Street, Victoria, BC
http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria
 The Coast Capri Hotel
www.gaycalgary.com
 The Undersea Garden (now closed)
 Government House
Royal BC Museum: Exploring BC History
What better place to learn the history of British Columbia than the
Royal BC Museum! Boasting a collection of over 7 million items
and 26,000 square feet of indoor exhibits, there is a lot to take
in. Their permanent exhibits include the newly added Natural
History Galleries, along with the renowned First Peoples Galleries,
Modern History Galleries, and BC Archives on Display. Plus don’t
forget to visit the outdoor exhibits, weather permitting, such as
the Cultural Precinct and the Native Plant Garden, and more.
The renowned First Peoples Gallery is impressively atmospheric. The
dramatic lighting and immersive background noise create a sense
of wonder as you walk amongst tall totem poles, animal masks, and
other artifacts. Meanwhile, the Modern History Gallery features
some impressive city displays, almost like an indoor version of
Calgary’s Heritage Park but including an area for old China Town.
Upcoming exhibits for 2014 include the We Call Them Vikings
Exhibition, and Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ voices in BC.
Royal BC Museum
675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC
http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
 Permanent exhibits at the Royal BC Museum
Craigdarroch Castle: Victorian-era Extravagance
In the 1890’s, Robert Dunsmuir, a wealthy coal baron, spared no
expense when commissioning his mansion to be built. To this
day, it serves as an example of some of the finest architecture
and craftsmanship from the Victorian era, featuring beautiful
stained glass, carved oak staircases, carved stone fireplaces,
and so much more. Unfortunately Mr. Dunsmuir didn’t live to
see it, passing away 10 months before it was completed, leaving
it in the hands of his sons and widow.
Today it is owned by the Craigdarroch Castle Historical
Museum Society, and is still in the process of being restored
to its former glory. While many of the 39 rooms have been
refurnished with 1890-style pieces, several rooms still stand
empty as placeholders for future development.
Be sure to climb to the top of the tower and check out what
some call the best views in Victoria!
Craigdarroch Castle
1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria, BC
http://www.thecastle.ca
 Quail’s Gate Winery
www.gaycalgary.com
31
 Butchart Gardens: Sunken Garden
after another lovely social
breakfast the next morning,
we set out with an even
busier itinerary than the
day before.
First we hit the Royal
BC
Museum,
which
unfortunately was between
feature exhibits at the time.
We made quick work of
exploring their year round
exhibits which were very
well done, but from the
perspective of quantity and
variety, we still felt a bit
spoiled from the Glenbow
Museum back in Calgary.
Craigdurroch Castle was
our next stop, and quite an
impressive one at that. The
tour took us up the front half
of the gigantic mansion, and
then down the back half.
Apparently the building had
nearly been lost before a
group of concerned women
took charge of restoring the
it as a historical monument.
Not all of the rooms have
been fully restored yet, but
enough to give visitors a
glance into the extravagant
Victorian-period lifestyle of
the original owners.
Next, we went off the
schedule to visit a few
places of interest from the
entertainment
industry.
First we went to Government
House.
Although
we
couldn’t get a tour of
the inside at that exact
moment, we did a quick
walk around the expansive
gardens surrounding the
mansion. Then we made the
drive out to Hatley Castle,
which has been featured
in movies like X-Men (the
“mutant academy”), and in
TV programs like Smallville
(Lex Luthor’s Mansion) and
32
Butchart Gardens:
Natural Beauty Abounds
From Victoria, be prepared to drive nearly
halfway back to the Ferries, and then veer
west for a distance. Here beside Brentwood
Bay, you will find the site of an exhausted
limestone quarry that has been converted
into a breathtaking sunken garden, with
the terrain as much shaped by man as
the trees and bushes themselves. At the
centre of this artificial valley is an almost
iconic stone mound with a staircase set
in its side. Climb up to the top and enjoy
the view from multiple different vantage
points. At the end of the paths through the
quarry is a stepped descent to a small lake
where Ross Fountain impresses visitors
with numerous different spray patterns.
As you walk back, you soon discover that
this is not the only garden here. In fact,
there are many more on the grounds beside
the quarry area. The circuit takes you past
the Concert Lawn & Stage and Fireworks
Lawn, to the Rose Garden, past the Sturgeon
Fountain and on to the Japanese Garden
(you can sneak out the far end to get a view
of Butchart Cove). You then pass by the Star
Fountain and through the Italian Garden
before arriving back at the visitor centre
and gift shop. Make sure you don’t miss the
Mediterranean Garden near the parking lot
– it is easy to overlook if you’re in a hurry!
Butchart Gardens surprisingly is not just
open during the summer. The staff work to
maintain the garden’s beauty year round,
whether that means replacing wilting
flowers with new ones, or decorating the
bare trees and bushes with Christmas
lights. Also keep an eye out for special
events such as the fireworks show put on
every Saturday Night during the summer,
concerts, Christmas events, and more.
The Butchart Gardens
800 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay, BC
http://www.butchartgardens.com
 Butchart Gardens
www.gaycalgary.com
u Tuna Tataki
The Black Hat by Bistro 28:
Now Rebranded to North 48
served on a
Himalayan
salt plate
Chef and restaurateur Sam Chalmers must have a full plate,
pun intended, between his very popular Bistro 28 in Oak
Bay and this his second venture, The Black Hat in downtown
Victoria. Both restaurants offer the same signature classics,
along with the cozy “neighbourhood feel”. However, we were
given advance warning that as of November 16th, 2013, the
restaurant would undergo a rebrand to be North 48 with a new
and improved menu.
q Chicken and
Waffles
I have to give them kudos for the Tuna Tataki served on
a Himalayan salt plate with spicy mango sauce. The dish
contained two things that I am really fussy about: uncooked
fish and mango. And yet, after having my fair share I fought for
the last piece. The meat seemed to just melt in my mouth as I
chewed it, and being so fresh, there was none of the unpleasant
“fishy” flavour that often turns me off such raw dishes. The
spicy mango sauce complimented the flavour without tasting
too strongly of the fruit itself.
p Steak Frites
8oz striploin &
truffled frites
Following that were the main dishes. I tried the Steak Frites,
which was a grilled 8oz strip loin on a bed of truffled frites
and mayo. Steve ordered off the specials menu and tried the
Chicken & Waffles, made with fried buttermilk marinated
chicken breast on a corn, green onion and cheddar waffle, and
drizzled with chili honey. Our host stuck with his personal
favorite, the Miso Marinated Sablefish with Soba noodle salad,
pickled mushrooms and cucumber, and roasted yam tempura.
All of us enjoyed our dishes, although after so much Tuna
Tataki, I struggled to finish the ample helping of frites (aka.
fries).
q Ricotta
Zeppole
To drink, Steve had the Rootbeer Fizz, and I had the Emerald
City – both very tasty, and not overly sweet. We had a sampling
of several desserts: a scoop of their house made sorbet, the
Chocolate Pate with vanilla yoghurt and fennel sponge toffee,
and Ricotta Zeppole with lemon and raspberry fluid gels. I only
had enough room left in my stomach to try a bite of each one,
though you couldn’t go wrong with any of them!
p Miso
Marinated
Sablefish
North 48
Formerly the Black Hat by Bistro 28
1005 Langley Street, Victoria, BC
http://www.northfortyeight.com
Arrow (the Queen Mansion). In real life, the castle is a
school, and the inside cannot be toured while classes are in
session. However the gardens surrounding the castle were
open to the public, and absolutely gorgeous. I felt jealous of
the students who get to use these areas to play and study.
And while on the topic of gardens, we next visited the
ultimate one for Vancouver Island – Butchart Gardens.
Located in Brentwood Bay, this place was once a stone
quarry, but now teems with all shades of plant life. We
had a late lunch in their cafeteria before going for a slightly
rushed tour through the huge area of interweaving paths.
At one point the path took us through a dark wooded area
and as we came around the corner of a stone embankment
we were greeted by a stunning view out over the sunken
gardens in the former quarry pit.
There are benches
scattered throughout the grounds to sit and relax, with
all manner of fountains adding the soothing ambiance of
running water. Steve and I were totally blown away, and
wished we could have stayed longer.
After this very busy day, we made our way back to
Victoria to stop in at the Albion to get changed, and then
decided we would go check out China Town while keeping
an eye out for a place to eat. We stopped to photograph
the red dragon statue and traditional Chinese archway,
and the streets with strings of red paper lanterns and red
and gold lights criss-crossing above them. There was no
shortage of options for where we could eat, but we ended up
at a sushi restaurant not even on our list of recommended
stops. Victoria’s proximity to the ocean was probably a big
contributing factor to the freshness of the fish, so we had a
delicious meal.
We took our time walking back to the Albion, checking
out some of the nighttime sights of the city, including the
parliament building which is lit up with white rope light
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 Victoria’s Chinatown
Hatley Castle/Park: Deija Vu, Beautiful View
If you thought Craigdarroch was more castle than any single family could
possibly want, then think again. One of the sons of the wealthy coal
baron also commissioned Hatley castle to be built. But you will have to
drive a distance out of town to reach this one, and you won’t get to tour
the inside unless you come during summer break…or you enroll as a
student. You see, the castle is part of the Royal Roads University now.
If you get an odd sense of deija vu when visiting this place, it
is probably because the castle has been used in numerous TV
shows and movies, probably best known as “Professor Xavier’s
School for Gifted Youngters” in the X-Men movies.
But the castle isn’t the only attraction here – the grounds and
gardens are also very scenic. We explored the foot paths to the
west of the castle, which took us in amongst the trees to discover
hidden duck ponds, one with a bridge to a central island with a
gazebo overlooking the water. Don’t skimp out when plugging
the parking metre, you’ll want plenty of time to take it all in.
 Hatley Castle and Hatley Park
Hatley Park National Historic Site
2005 Sooke Road, Victoria, BC
http://www.hatleypark.ca
Robert Bateman Centre: Nature & Wildlife
Robert Bateman is a world renowned Canadian artist who
specializes in painting wildlife, and this 5000 square foot
gallery is named after him. Perhaps it should come as no
surprise that this gallery features an ample helping of his
work - over 100 pieces. They range from typical Canadian
animals in misty winter landscapes, to wildlife inhabitants on
the African plains. In certain areas of the gallery, electronic
displays can be controlled by a nearby podium to select which
artwork to display, or motion sensors near paintings of birds
can trigger the sound of the depicted species of bird chirping.
If you’re a fan of Robert Bateman’s work, or enjoy paintings of
nature and wildlife, then this gallery is something to keep in mind.
The Robert Bateman Centre
470 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC
http://www.batemancentre.org
 The Robert Bateman Centre
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www.gaycalgary.com
James Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf:
An Afternoon at the Docks
While your first thought may be that Fisherman’s Wharf just
sounds like a dock jutting out into the sea, plastered in gull
guano, you would be sorely mistaken. Located in James
Bay, which is hailed the oldest neighbourhood in Victoria,
Fisherman’s Wharf has several colourful rows of floating
houses, docked pleasure vessels, and actual fishing vessels.
On the docks you can find food vendors and restaurants (some
with paddle-thru service), fishmongers, rental kayaks, whale
watching tours, and you can even catch a ride on the Harbour
Ferry back to the docks near the Fairmont Empress Hotel.
Several seals enjoy visiting the wharf, and the businesses in the
area are ready with buckets of minnows for tourists to feed them.
The seals will come right up on the side of the dock to catch the
fish that you throw them (provided there are no dogs nearby).
With 9 piers to stroll along, as well as Fisherman’s Wharf Park
on the land beside it, footpaths along the cost, and historical
monuments such as Emily Carr House nearby, one could
easily spend an entire afternoon exploring this part of town.
James Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf
http://www.fishermanswharfvictoria.com
 James Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf
after dark. Victoria brags a very mild climate all year round,
and this was indeed a clement, cloudless autumn night.
Another restful night and alas, it was time for us to start
making our way to our next stop, Vancouver. However
there was time in the morning for us to do a few last minute
things, so we visited the Robert Bateman Gallery to check
out the collection of work by painter and naturalist Robert
Batemen.
After that we took a stroll along the water’s edge and
ended up at a place called Fisherman’s Wharf, which we
instantly regretted not coming to visit with more time. As
we walked along the rows of floating houses docked along
the piers, some seals swam up beside the dock and put on
a bit of a show for us and other tourists, in exchange for
some food.
Unable to hold off leaving any longer, we made our
way back to the Albion to check out and thank Don and
Fernando for the amazing stay! As this brought them to the
end of their busy season, they were already hard at work
doing renovations for next year as we left.
It was another long wait for the ferry to get us back to the
mainland, and then we were on our way.
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35
Gala
By Nick Winnick
Those who are strangers to dancefloors may also be
strangers to Gala, so allow me to provide a quick
rundown. Italian by birth, and making a name for
herself in the arts community of the American northeast
since the late 90s, Gala has had a string of throbbing,
danceable club hits that include Let a Boy Cry, Freed
from Desire, Lose Yourself in Me. Her latest, released late
in 2013, is Taste of Me. Even now, Gala finds a way to
be provocative, with lyrics that are forward-thinking to
some, and an expression of long-overdue sentiment to
others.
In short, Taste of Me extols the virtue of non-monogamy in
relationships. And while such arrangements have undoubtedly
existed whenever there have been more than two human beings in
one place, many of us will find it a relief to hear it, for once, out
loud. “Every song [out] there is about, I love you, or I miss you, or
you broke up with me, fuck you,” Gala explains. “But my friends
don’t talk about this! It’s always in between, the reality. Something
I’ve been hearing lately, and something that is also my concern,
is monogamy versus [open relationships]. I wanted to write a song
about that.”
The video accompanying Taste of Me has also been a labour of
love for Gala. “I have a big passion for dance, and it was the biggest
mourning of my life that I couldn’t be a dancer. Still, now, my voice
trembles when I talk about it. So last year I said, enough: I have to
make this video. I collaborated with the artistic director of Cedar
Lake ballet, and it was very hard to get these people because I don’t
have the budget to pay them at all. It made me very proud that
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people at such a level would work with me just because they loved
the concept.”
The video itself is not shot in one take, but edited so slickly that
unless one is watching like a hawk, it certainly appears to be. “I’m
a big fan of Hitchcock,” Gala says. “When I was a kid I watched The
Rope, and I couldn’t believe they did it all with one take. They had to
cut it, because they had film, so they had to change the roll. We had
to cut because I didn’t have enough money to pay for a long stage!”
Shooting the video on a shoestring, operating as her own manager,
artistic director, and dancing in the video at once could have easily
run an artist into the ground. True to form, however, Gala’s primary
concern in how the audience reacts.
The finished product is quintessentially professional, which puts
it in a category of video production that’s hard for an independent
artist to keep up with. “This video gets compared to Beyoncé, and
people who have lots of budget. That’s why I’m pressing the Behind
the Scenes video. For one person to put that together, without a
manager, without an assistant, without a label, it took so much. And
the first comment on Lose Yourself In Me, that I shot [the same way],
was c’est pas mal, quand est le prochain? (That’s not bad, when is
the next one?) And there, I was like, fuck, it took me one year to put
this together. You have to love the work more than you love the love.”
Taste of Me is a quintessentially modern work, for all that its
dancy, poppy roots will be familiar. The dubstep-inspired break
in the middle is evidence of an artistic direction that Gala finds
enthralling. “I really like the dubstep sound – not so much the beat
as the sound. You hear a new song, and you could have heard it in
the 70s. Some of the sounds that I’m hearing are sounds that you
could have never heard in the past.” Of course, it’s easy to dismiss
dubstep as an aural fad. After all, it’s found its way into everything
from Mountain Dew commercials to the trailer for the latest season
of Sherlock, but the creative decision behind it is soundly rooted in
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its catchiness. Unlike many independent artists, Gala doesn’t shy
away from the commercial element of the work. In fact, to her, it’s
integral. She recalls one anecdote, about former Beatles producer
George Martin playing a long, complex jazz number to the delight of
John Lennon “It was amazing,” Lennon was reported to say when the
piece concluded, “but I don’t remember any of it.”
“I love that comment of Lennon’s.” says Gala. “That is the element
of me that will always be pop, in the sense that I want people to
remember my songs.” There is a tension, though, between the Gala
who is played on radio and in clubs, and the Gala who performs live.
“I always hated doing the shows where it’s just a mic and a CD. I
could get way more money, and I could do way more shows, but in 15
years, I’ve never done a show like that. On stage, I have a much more
rock presence. I bring my band with trucks and lights, and at the
end, I get not paid, because I have to pay my musicians, and flights
and everything, but I deliver a show.”
As well as her live shows go over, Gala confides that she’s
found it difficult to sell albums that focus on the fusion of rock
and electronic, like one of her favourite groups, Depeche Mode.
And though she speaks about them in glowing terms, between the
two of us we wondered whether Depeche Mode might have had an
easier time being the stylistic iconoclasts they are while also being
white men. After all, our conversation began, and remained rooted
throughout, in Gala’s fierce and nuanced feminism.
In 2005, Gala founded Matriarchy Records as an attempt to
involve more women in the behind-the-scenes business of music.
In her previous work with labels, she says; “the booking agents are
guys, the managers are guys, the A&Rs were guys, the president of
the label, the mixing engineer, the sound guys, the mastering, all of
them. So in all these meetings that I had, at the table with lawyers,
and labels – it was a period when I was trying to get out of Universal
– everybody was like because the matriarchy has decided... or the
matriarchy says that... And it was really funny to hear all these guys
talk about the matriarchy. So it was a little ironic and also it was a
bit of a dream, for me.”
Those with a dismissive attitude toward feminists often look for
some grievance or personal trauma to “explain” the views of a woman
like Gala. She confesses that she’s run up against the assumption
any number of times, as she ages, that her views are nothing but an
axe to grind. To the contrary, this perspective is one that she’s held
from youth. “I notice these things – they were in my songs when I
was twenty. Let a Boy Cry is about that. It’s not let a man cry, it’s
allow him to be sensitive. I remember wanting to write a song about
let a woman be strong, let a woman fight, but then I said, nobody’s
going to listen to that song – let me flip it.”
She relates a story of a meet-and-greet gone mortifying, when
dinnertime conversation with a prominent DJ took a turn for the
ugly. “People were talking about how many wrinkles Madonna had,
and Cher, oh my God, her lips, and so on. The whole conversation,
both from my dear friend who’s fighting the oppression of the gay
community, and this guy who just interviewed Cher on his show,
were only talking about the appearances of these women. And I’m
like, these two women changed pop! You honestly have nothing to
say about their work?”
It hits close to home for Gala that gay men, in particular, can
unconsciously reinforce those attitudes toward women. “Like, you
know what oppression means, and you should understand it better.
And they do! They of course do better than most straight guys, but
sometimes I notice how they can be very sensitive to their own
problems, but not to the women.” There is, in that, something to take
to heart. If a little attention paid and a little compassion rendered
can make life better, why not? It seems to be working so far.
www.gaycalgary.com
Gala
Twitter: @galasound
http://www.galasound.com
37
Still Breathing,
Still Singing
Toni Braxton talks retirement, going lesbian
and the hit song she hates
 Photos by Marc Baptiste
By Chris Azzopardi
Toni Braxton is getting deep. Real deep.
“I have a bit of a cold,” she says, her voice doing that sexy-low
thing it does when she sings, “so yeah, it’s very Bea Arthur from
The Golden Girls.”
A little cold can’t stop Braxton, who’s already faced
bankruptcy, is managing lupus and then, before friend/
producer Babyface intervened, almost retired from the music
business altogether. Luckily, he changed her mind, and hearts
everywhere were unbroken.
Love, Marriage & Divorce, her first album since 2010’s Pulse,
brings Braxton back together with Babyface. The two most
notably collaborated on her self-titled debut, the singer’s megaselling caper that scored her a Grammy for Best New Artist in
1994.
Braxton was candid as ever in our recent chat, talking about
why she told Babyface that she’s a grown woman (“I have
breasts now”), her desire to have a lesbian experience and how
short hair put her back in touch with her roots.
GC: First of all, thank god for Babyface. I am so glad he wasn’t
about to let you throw in the towel. What were you smoking
when you said you were gonna give up on music?
TB: Obviously not weed, because I would’ve still stayed in the
business! (Laughs) You know what, I was just in a sad space
in my life. I think everybody goes through that, but I didn’t
realize, I guess, just how sad I was at that time – and friends
like Babyface, Missy Elliott, Fantasia and Anita Baker helped
talk me out of that state. Sometimes you just need friends and
family to rally around you and let you know it’s gonna be OK.
38
GC: And now you’re in it for good?
TB: I’ll never retire. I’ll be 85 years old singing at the Cafe
Carlyle like Eartha Kitt.
GC: How do you make a love album with an attractive,
talented man like Babyface and not fall in love?
TB: I’ve been in love with him since he was in (’80s R&B
group) The Deele. I was a huge fan. Very quickly he became
my big brother when we started working together. I was the
girl who was like, “I’ll never have a chance with him,” and from
there we just became brother and sister. Our relationship was
really weird. I will always, always love him. But it’s like having a
crush on your cousin and you realize, “Maybe I shouldn’t have
a crush on my cousin. That’s not hot.” (Laughs)
GC: So then with “Sweat,” a song off the new album, is it
weird to sing about makeup sex with your “brother”?
TB: (Laughs) Well, we really aren’t brother and sister, so it
wouldn’t be incest! But I call him my “musical husband” and we
are married, but just musically. We’re kind of like Elliot Stabler
(and Olivia Benson) on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. You
want them to get together, there’s a bit of attraction, but we’ve
never crossed the line. That’s kind of where it is with us.
GC: How does Love, Marriage & Divorce compare to the work
you and Babyface did in the ’90s?
TB: It’s similar. Kenny Babyface helped make my dreams
come true. He helped develop my sound, and so I’m more
comfortable with him than any other producer I’ve worked with.
And he’s given me great songs in my career but not the biggest
songs in my career, which is really odd. He didn’t write “Un-
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Break My Heart,” he didn’t write or produce “He Wasn’t Man
Enough,” but I was still on his label so he still fostered my
career. But whenever we’re together, he is the one I’m most
comfortable and creative with, and I feel home.
GC: So these recording sessions must have felt nostalgic for
you and him.
TB: Working together was actually tough at first. The first
couple of months we struggled because I’m his artist and he
kind of developed me, so his artist grew up and I have my own
opinions, my own thoughts, my own philosophies, my own
judgments and my own career. We talked about it and it took
a second for him to understand. We argued a bit – not badargued, but we just had creative differences. Later on he said,
“You know, Toni, I have to give you credit. You’re an artist now
and it’s sometimes hard for a brother to accept that his sister
is growing up.” I said, “I know, Kenny. I have breasts now and
everything.” (Laughs)
GC: Looking back at some of the songs you did with Babyface,
which stand out most to you?
TB: “Breathe Again” is my favorite song to sing. It makes me
happy. It’s a beautiful, sad love song. I love “Another Sad Love
Song.” But of all the songs that I ever recorded with him, I
love them all except for “Seven Whole Days.” Hated it. Didn’t
understand it. Why am I singing it? And it turned out to be a
big urban song for me.
GC: You’ve been very passionate about wanting a lesbian role
on Orange is the New Black. Where’s that at?
TB: My agent is working on that for me as we speak. I got a
call (recently) that said, “We’re working on it.” We believe they’re
taping in March, so we’ll see. I’m excited about it.
GC: Why the interest in playing a lesbian character?
TB: I just want something out of character. When people
see me, Toni, as a performer, they see something completely
different. If I were to play a lesbian, they could see me as an
actress: “Oh, maybe the bitch can act!” And every girl has her
lesbian crush. My lesbian crush would be Ellen (DeGeneres). I
love how she dances. I like her haircut. Love everything about
her. So this would be a way for me to channel my inner Ellen.
GC: And you already have the short hair.
TB: I’m halfway there!
GC: There’s some intense lesbian sex on that show. Would
you be up for getting it on with another woman? Would you go
as far as they’d ask you to?
TB: If the role called for it, I would be willing to do it. It would
be a great endeavor, and I think I would be comfortable in that
role. I don’t think it would be a stretch for me.
GC: It wouldn’t be a stretch? Are you saying you’ve had a
lesbian experience?
TB: I’ve never had one in my life! Ever! This would be my first
lesbian experience if I did Orange is the New Black, because I’ve
never had one. There are a lot of things I haven’t experienced
that I need to start experiencing. I need to start living. Like Aunt
Mame said, I need to live! I would like to say, “I lived.”
GC: How do you feel about gay people having the right to love
and marriage and divorce?
TB: We’re all people, so I don’t even like to get into those
conversations. As an African-American woman, we were told
we couldn’t vote, we were told we couldn’t have interracial
marriages – and my dad’s biracial. So I hate that people put
labels on how you should love and whom you should love. I
think that’s ridiculous. Everyone should be able to love.
GC: How would you say this album looks at relationships
differently than the love songs you sang a couple decades ago?
TB: You’re aging me! (Laughs) Twenty years ago I was just
singing about having my heart broken, and now I’m dealing
with my heart being broken – and possibly having to start
over and look for love again. Kenny and I both went through
divorces. For me it was more therapeutic than for Kenny, and
we decided to put words and music to what I went through
recently and what he went through in the past. It definitely
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helped me a lot. I wanted to call the album Love, Marriage &
Divorce and Babyface wanted to call it Love, Marriage & the D
Word and I’m like, “Kenny, we’re grown, let’s just say it. Put it
out there. It’s divorce.”
GC: Is it different singing from a personal perspective?
TB: Yes! It’s really different because you’re telling your story
and you’re exposing yourself, but at the same time you’re
using it as a healing tool. Every song on the album isn’t about
something I’ve experienced solely. There’s a song on the album
called “I Wish,” and it’s my mother’s story of my mom and dad’s
divorce. It’s a really beautiful song that she inspired me to write.
GC: How about “Sweat”? Was that inspired by your own life?
TB: I think everyone’s experienced “Sweat” and I-hate-you
sex. I haven’t had that in a while because I really haven’t been
dating since my divorce, so I long to experience “Sweat” again.
That would be lovely.
GC: Why does the androgynous mystique interest you? Is it
a conscious decision?
TB: No, no. It just fits my face. When I first came out, I had
short hair on the first album. By the time I got to the second
album I put some extensions in my hair, but I’m always
comfortable with my short hair. My short hair gives me my
strength. I know that sounds weird, the lack of hair, but I feel
more powerful. I feel more indigenous of the artist I was when
I initially came out. It makes me feel more at the center of my
roots again.
GC: And it also could be your ticket to Orange is the New
Black.
TB: I’m hoping so. They may make me take the little wave
out, and I may have to have a little afro, but we’ll see!
GC: If anyone can make an afro look hot, it’s you.
TB: (Laughs) What a beautiful lie, but I appreciate it.
39
Rap is Gay
Comedian and creator talk ‘dirty’ new cartoon, its star (a gay rapper, what?) and homophobia in hip-hop
 Photos by FX
By Chris Azzopardi
He’s here, he’s queer ... and he raps? It’s almost an
oxymoron, or at least it used to be. But then there was
Frank Ocean, the hip-hop queer who came out last year,
and Macklemore, the emcee whose pro-gay “Same Love”
made a splash on urban radio.
The next step? Obviously a cartoon all about a gay rapper.
Chozen, the brainchild of Eastbound & Down creator Grant
Dekernion, is the first of its kind – an FX original series
starring an unapologetically queer ex-con who slays with his
wicked rhymes. And you know, he just happens to like the
penis. It’s pretty gay. But how gay?
“Oh gosh, I guess I don’t know what the parameters are for
that,” laughs Dekernion. “You know what, I can tell you this:
Chozen is a super confident, super open type of guy. He’s a
pretty sexual guy. I see Chozen as a 15-year-old boy in that
he doesn’t have a filter and he has some basic needs – money,
food, sex – and he’s very open about that.”
In personifying the character, a creation that just came
to Dekernion randomly one day, there was one fundamental
goal: Do something that had never been done.
“I chose his sexuality, which is obviously a huge part of
him but not all of him,” he says, “and I also had the story
where he’s been on hard times, he’s coming out of jail and
he’s not necessarily a bad guy. It’s this whole idea of a man
trying to re-enter society.”
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Voicing the titular emcee is Bobby Moynihan, the longtime
Saturday Night Live comic who, as a regular on the show, is
familiar with doing gay things – most of it involving drag.
“They love putting me in dresses,” Moynihan laughs.
“That’s their favorite thing to do. I didn’t mind it at first. But
now – it’s just stockings are hard to put on, and I’m lazy.”
For his part as Chozen, the comedian jumped at the
chance to audition, and not just because this is probably a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (there’s not exactly a demand
for gay rapper roles – or fake cartoon ones, at that). What
had Moynihan most pumped was working with Method Man.
(The show also features the voices of Michael Peña, Danny
McBride and Nick Swardson, the Reno 911! actor whose
entire career has been one gay thing after another.)
Moynihan compares the show to Dekernion’s edgy
Eastbound & Down, also starring McBride, and says,
“(Chozen) is gay in the show and he’s very aggressive and he
does enjoy the company of men, and there are scenes with
that, but it’s not just the gay, white rapper show.”
And GLAAD, don’t worry: Chozen isn’t here to represent all
the gays. “Chozen is one character – he’s one person – and he
has traits that are unique to him, so I feel like he speaks for
himself and the show speaks for him and he doesn’t speak
for any community as a whole,” Dekernion says. “He’s an
out-there, brash guy and he behaves in that way. What you
see is what you get.”
What you get, according to Moynihan, is one heckuva dirty
gay time. For instance, Chozen demonstrates how to play a
butthole like a saxophone – and that, seen in the trailer, just
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scratches the surface. “We go as far as we can,” Dekernion
affirms. No full cartoon nudity, though. You will, however,
“see him (Chozen) in various stages of undress.”
When he’s not making beautiful sounds out of a sphincter,
Chozen is bonding with friends and having not-just-sexual
relationships with other gay men.
“It’s not political, it’s not about identity politics,” Dekernion
says. “It’s, ‘How does this man relate to people? How did he
go through his life? How did he experience things?’ These
are all common themes that affect everyone, gay or straight.”
Dekernion calls Chozen an “anomaly”; he doesn’t fit into
any box, and he wasn’t directly inspired by any real-life
rappers (and actually, Dekernion is the one spitting Chozen’s
hot fire). But that doesn’t mean some of Dekernion’s own
personal musical picks – like queer rapper/metropolitan
virtuoso Mykki Blanco – didn’t rub off on Chozen.
“Mykki Blanco is great visually and he does cool stuff, and
his clothes are interesting,” Dekernion says. “I am definitely
hip to a lot of different people in rap, both from the straight
and gay scenes, and I think there’s some really cool stuff
going on.”
Could Chozen and the show inspire more of the same progay progress Macklemore and Frank Ocean have already
brought to hip-hop?
“If something good did come out of it, that would be great. I
think we’d all love that,” Dekernion says. “But I didn’t create
the character or pick hip-hop or anything with the thought
that, ‘Hey, this is gonna make a change.’ I think those things
happen organically anyway – hopefully. But I work with
people in the hip-hop community and they haven’t always
been warm and fuzzy, but I’m hoping that will change. There
have been some steps made for it, but obviously we still have
a long way to go.”
One need only look to Eminem’s latest album to see that
homophobia in hip-hop isn’t just a thing of the past. What
would Chozen tell Eminem about his gay slurs if he were to
confront him? Moynihan isn’t sure he’d be able to face him
... and only because the comedian himself couldn’t when the
rapper was right there in front of him on SNL.
“I just said ‘hi,’” he recalls, “and then ran away.”
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Paris Hilton
Touches Down
in Calgary
Media Icon DJs at
Cowboys ICED Party
By Farley Foo Foo
Entrepreneur. Media icon. Actress. Singer. Fashion
designer. Paris Hilton can also add DJ to her résumé.
Coming off of a successful night spinning for the crowd
of New Years revelers at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Hilton
jumped on a plane to come straight to Calgary to headline
the 18th annual ICED party at Cowboys Nightclub
in Calgary. Paris was gracious enough to speak with
GayCalgary Magazine prior to performing to let us know
exactly what she has in store for the Canadian party
crowd, and to answer a few questions about what other
projects and ventures she currently has in the works.
From the sounds of it, 2014 is going to be a very busy
and rewarding year for the iconic blonde of whom the
people just can’t seem to get enough!
GC: Paris, you’ve come to Cowboys Nightclub in Calgary
to DJ. Tell us a little about how you got into DJing and what
sort of music you’ll be playing for the crowd.
PH: Music has been a passion of mine since I was a little
girl and I always loved putting together different playlists
for parties. I’ve been going to clubs since I was a teenager
and some of my greatest friends are DJs, so I’ve gotten
tips from them for years. I started seriously training about
three years ago and I love it. It’s fun to mix songs that make
people happy and want to dance; I like controlling the party.
GC: What other projects, film, fashion, etc. are you
currently working on?
42
PH: I just opened my 45th Paris Hilton Handbags and
Accessories store in South Africa; they are now in more than
40 countries all over the world. I’m working on new designs
and will be expanding to even more locations this year. I’m
also working on my 16th fragrance, after the release of my
most recent perfume, Dazzle.
I’m excited to follow in my family’s footsteps and get into
the hotel and real estate business, my new luxury resort; the
Paris Hilton Beach Club is opening soon in the Philippines.
Right now I’m very focused on my music. I signed with
Young Money Cash Money Records and will be releasing my
album in 2014. I’m also traveling a lot to headline DJ shows,
my New Year’s Eve show at The Bellagio’s HYDE Nightclub
in Las Vegas [was] so fun!
GC: You mentioned your Handbags and Accessories
boutiques, any plans on opening a Paris Hilton boutique in
Canada in the future?
PH: You never know what the future holds; I love Canada
and hope to open a store there someday.
GC: Your fragrances have proven to be extremely popular
with your fans, having sold more than USD $1.5 Billion
worldwide, can we expect a new one for 2014?
PH: Definitely. My most recent fragrance, Dazzle, did so
well, I’m really happy that it got such a positive response.
I think scent evokes so many emotions, it’s fun to match
fragrances to your mood, and so I’m excited for everyone to
check out my 16th this year.
www.gaycalgary.com
GC: In the past we’ve enjoyed seeing you on The Simple
Life and Paris Hilton’s My New BFF, would you ever do
another reality TV program, or will your career as a DJ
make that impossible?
PH: I had a great time filming those shows, we had a lot
of fun and I met some great people. I’ll never say never, I get
hundreds of scripts sent to me all of the time, if the right
project came along I would be open to it. Music and DJing
makes me so happy, so I’m really just enjoying being in the
studio and in the DJ booth spinning my sets right now.
GC: What can fans expect from the show at Cowboys
Nightclub?
PH: They can expect some great music! I like to mix
electro-pop and house music; tracks that make everyone
want to dance and party and have a good time. They can
definitely expect to hear my new single; too, “Good Time”
featuring Lil Wayne, I love it because it’s all about being at
the best party.
Despite the cold weather, the 18th annual ICED had to
be the hottest party in town that night! When the doors
opened at 8pm, organizers estimate there was more than
700 people waiting in line to get in. At 8:30pm, the audience
was treated to a hair show where 12 stylists had 12 minutes
to create the most unique hair-do. Later that night, Paris
made an appearance on the red carpet outside of Cowboys
Nightclub, where fans clamored to get a glimpse of her up
close, forming a solid wall of cell phone-wielding arms.
Afterwards, she DJ’d to a packed dance floor inside. The club
was transformed from its usual warm western atmosphere
to an icy-cool rave vibe with white fabric covering the walls,
and black light throughout. Combined with her exciting DJ
set, it was certainly a night to remember!
Paris Hilton
http://www.parishilton.com
Cowboys Nightclub
421 12 Ave SE, Calgary
http://www.cowboysnightclub.com
www.gaycalgary.com
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www.gaycalgary.com
Photography
HOT MESS Holiday Bash! at Local 522, Calgary
ISCCA A Lump of Coal! at the Backlot
http://gaycalgary.com/pa637
www.gaycalgary.com
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Photography
ISCWR Miss Mary Christmas, Edmonton
photos by B&J
ISCWR Kinky Flea Market, Edmonton
photos by B&J
46
ISCWR With Bells On, Edmonton
photos by B&J
www.gaycalgary.com
Photography
Crowns For Kids Closing Show at the Backlot
Jingle Balls Drag Show at Cowboys Nightclub
www.gaycalgary.com
47
Photography
1st Annual Sapien Family Christmas Party at TEN Nightclub
48
www.gaycalgary.com
Photography
Junction NYE, Vancouver
STUDIO 54 NYE Celebration at Oasis Nightclub, Vancouver
photos by Farley FooFoo
photos by Farley FooFoo
www.gaycalgary.com
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Photography
18th Annual ICED Party Hosted by PARIS HILTON w/Hair Show
50
www.gaycalgary.com
www.gaycalgary.com
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News Releases
ADAM LAMBERT: Over The Years
http://www.gaycalgary.com/n1098
COLUMN: What Are The HIV Positives?
Blonde Bitches: Meet the Cast
NSFW - NEW VIDEO! Cher Makes
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GARETH THOMAS: Tom Daley
will inspire young gay people
Concert - LADY GAGA’S artRAVE:
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OPINION: Haters Back Off Tom Daley
Nordstrom To Post 30 Management
Positions For New Chinook
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EDMONTON POLICE SERVICE
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Corporate America Champions
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IDINA MENZEL: Releases The
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HRC Statement on the Death
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Martina Navratilova, Jason Collins on
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Grindr Releases Best of 2013 Awards
COLT Studio Group Completely
Revamps Their Flagship Online Store
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Movie Review: House of Boys
Open Letter From Olympian
Brian Boitano
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Diva Extraordinaire Beyoncé
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MOVIE REVIEW: Mr.
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Novels of the 50’s and 60’s
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Nigeria and Uganda adopt harsh
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5 Pagan Origins of Christmas
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Pardoned By The Queen
BOOK EXTRACTS: It’s Ok To Be
Gay – Diana King Coming Out Story
SUNDAY COLUMN: Sunny
With A Chance of Cloud
Transgender, CrossDressing
Shoppers Gain Access to
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FASHION: In The Hood
With Adam Lambert
Chatty Man Alan Carr Puts His
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Kardashian Send Up
COMING OUT: Good Morning
America’s Robin Roberts
Petition Goes Live Calling For
The Sacking Of Ivan Okhlobystin
After Homophobic Rant
Celebrities Who Came Out As
Bisexual, Lesbian or Gay In 2013
SEXY CALENDAR: Tribute
To Russian LGBTS
NSFW - 8 Reasons Why You Need
Ben Cohen’s Calendar In Your Life
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Directory & Events
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DOWNTOWN CALGARY
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Calgary Outlink---------- Community Groups
Aids Calgary------------- Community Groups
Backlot------------------------Bars and Clubs
Texas Lounge-----------------Bars and Clubs
6 Goliath’s--------------------------Bathhouses
13 Westways Guest House-----Accommodations
16 Priape Calgary (CLOSED) ----- Retail Stores
24 Courtney Aarbo-----------------------Services
FIND OUT!
Twisted Element--------------Bars and Clubs
Vertigo Mystery Theatre------------- Theatre
One Yellow Rabbit-------------------- Theatre
ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects-------- Theatre
CALGARY
LGBT Community Directory
GayCalgary Magazine is the go-to source for information about
Alberta LGBT businesses and community groups—the most
extensive and accurate resource of its kind! This print supplement
contains a subset of active community groups and venues, with
premium business listings of paid advertisers.
✰....... Find our Magazine Here
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Spot something inaccurate or outdated? Want your business or
organization listed? We welcome you to contact us!
 403-543-6960
 1-888-543-6960
 [email protected]
http://www.gaycalgary.com/CalgaryTravelRSS
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Accommodations
13 Westways Guest House------------------- ✰

216 - 25th Avenue SW
 403-229-1758

1-866-846-7038

www.gaywestways.com
Bars & Clubs
3 Backlot---------------------------------- ✰
 403-265-5211
Open 7 days a week, 2pm-close
209 - 10th Ave SW
60 Cowboys Nightclub------------------------

421 12th Avenue SE
5 Texas Lounge------------------------------ ✰

308 - 17 Ave SW
 403-229-0911

www.goliaths.ca

Open 7 days a week, 11am-close
33 Twisted Element--------------------------- ✰

1006 - 11th Ave SW
 403-802-0230

www.twistedelement.ca
Dance Club and Lounge.
East Village Cafe (CLOSED)

2nd floor, 610 - 8 Avenue SE
Calgary Eagle Inc. (CLOSED)
Local Bars, Restaurants, and Accommodations info on the go!

424a - 8th Ave SE
http://www.gaycalgary.com/Directory

1140 10th Ave SW
Club Sapien (CLOSED)
Browse our complete directory of over 650 gay-frieindly listings!
www.gaycalgary.com
37
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58
60
Pumphouse Theatre----------------- Theatre
La Fleur (CLOSED)------------- Retail Stores
Theatre Junction--------------------- Theatre
Cowboys Nightclub-----------Bars and Clubs
FAB (CLOSED)

1742 - 10th Ave SW
Bathhouses/Saunas
6 Goliaths------------------------------------ ✰

308 - 17 Ave SW
 403-229-0911

www.goliaths.ca

Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Community Groups
2 AIDS Calgary--------------------------

110, 1603 10th Avenue SW

403-508-2500

[email protected]

www.aidscalgary.org
✰
Alberta Society for Kink

403-398-9968

[email protected]

http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/
group.albertasocietyforkink
Apollo Calgary - Friends in Sports

www.apollocalgary.com

www.myapollo.com
A volunteer operated, non-profit organization serving
primarily members of the LGBT communities but open to all
members of all communities. Primary focus is to provide
members with well-organized and fun sporting events and
other activities.
• Western Cup 31

www.westerncup.com
• Badminton (Absolutely Smashing)

6020 - 4 Avenue NE

[email protected]
55
Directory & Events
Calgary Events
Pool Night-----------------------------  Evening
New Directions-------------------------- 7-9pm
Wing Night------------------------------  5-8pm
Heading Out----------------------- 8pm-10pm
At 59 East Village Cafe with
Mondays
Buddy Night-------------------------  6pm-6am
At 6 Goliaths
ASK Meet and Greet----------------  7-9:30pm

Bonasera (1204 Edmonton Tr. NE)
Prime Timers Calgary
At 59 East Village Cafe
Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am
At 6 Goliaths
Mosaic Youth Group--------------------  7-9pm
See 1 Calgary Outlink
 3rd
 4th
Alcoholics Anonymous--------------------  8pm

Hillhurst United Church (Gym Entrance)
1227 Kensington Close NW
 Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)
Saturdays
Thursdays
Coffee------------------------------------ 10am
Tuesdays
Lesbian Seniors---------------------------  2pm
Inside Out Youth Group---------------- 7-9pm
Calgary Networking Club-------------- 5-7pm
 1st

Kerby Center, Sunshine Room
1133 7th Ave SW
 3rd
At 3 Backlot
 2nd

Art & Music Show-------------------------  8pm
Karaoke-----------------------------------  7pm
Sunday Services---------------------  10:45am
At 3 Backlot
See
Fridays
Worship Services------------------------- 11am
At 3 Backlot
Church Service----------------------------  4pm
Western Cup
Illusions-------------------------------  7-10pm
See
See
Womynspace---------------------------- 7-9pm
 1st
 2nd
See
See
Deer Park United Church
Scarboro United Church
Hillhurst United Church
• Bowling (Rainbow Riders League)

Let’s Bowl (2916 5th Avenue NE)

[email protected]
• Curling

North Hill Curling Club (1201 - 2 Street NW)

[email protected]
• Golf

[email protected]
• Lawn Bowling

[email protected]
• Outdoor Pursuits
[email protected]
If it’s done outdoors, we do it. Volunteer led events all
summer and winter. Hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snow
shoeing, etc. Sign up at myapollo.org to get updates on
the sport you like. We’re always looking for people to
lead events.
• Running (Calgary Frontrunners)
YMCA Eau Claire (4th St, 1st Ave SW)

[email protected]
East Doors (directly off the Bow river pathway). Distances
vary from 8 km - 15 km. Runners from 6 minutes/mile to
9+ minute miles.
• Slow Pitch

[email protected]
• Squash
Mount Royal University Recreation

[email protected]
All skill levels welcome.
• Tennis

[email protected]
By
ARGRA
At 3 Backlot
Saturday, February 15th
April 2014
Rainbow Community Church
By Apollo
Apr1719
Flashlight Night---------------------  6pm-6am
At 6 Goliaths
Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range/Future),  = Sponsored Event
• Volleyball (Recreational)
• Yoga

Robin: 403-618-9642
Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA)

www.argra.org
• Monthly Dances-------------------------

Arrata Opera Centre (1315 - 7 Street SW)
✰

77 Deerpoint Road SE

http://www.dpuc.ca
Calgary Men’s Chorus

http://www.differentstrokescalgary.org
FairyTales Presentation Society
• Rehearsals

Temple B’Nai Tikvah, 900 - 47 Avenue SW
✰

304, 301 14th Street NW
403-283-5580

http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca
A pro-choice organization that believes all people have the
right and ability to make their own choices regarding their
sexual and reproductive health.
1 Calgary Outlink---------------------------- ✰
Old Y Centre (303 – 223, 12 Ave SW)

403-234-8973

http://www.calgaryoutlink.com
1-877-OUT-IS-OK (1-877-688-4765)
Front-line help service for GLBT individuals and their family
and friends, or anyone questioning their sexuality.

[email protected]
• Volleyball (Competitive)
 403-278-8263
Different Strokes

http://www.calgarymenschorus.org
• Peer Support and Crisis Line
Calgary Queer Book Club
Deer Park United Church/Wholeness Centre

[email protected]

http://www.calgarygayfathers.ca
Peer support group for gay, bisexual and questioning
fathers. Meeting twice a month.
Calgary Sexual Health Centre---------
• Calgary Lesbian Ladies Meet up Group
• Between Men and Between Men Online
• Heading Out
• Illusions Calgary
• Inside Out
• New Directions
• Womynspace

Weeds Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW)
Calgary Gay Fathers
• Volleyball (Beach)
56
At 3 Backlot
Art & Music Show-------------------------  8pm
Knox United Church
 Calgary Contd.

Platoon FX, 1351 Aviation Park NE

[email protected]
Friday, January 24th
Worship------------------------------  10:30am
Communion Service-----------------  12:10pm
• Boot Camp
By Calgary Police Service

CPS Headquarters (5111 47 St NE)

 1st
Knox United Church
Wednesday, January 22nd
Diversity Open House------------------ 6-8pm
Sleigh Ride
At 1 Calgary Outlink
Wednesdays
See
At 3 Backlot
Worship Time---------------------------- 10am
Lesbian Meetup Group-------------  7:30-9pm
Fetish Slosh----------------------------  Evening
Hounds and Hydes-----------------------  9pm
Saturday, January 25th
Between Men--------------------------- 7-9pm
At 5 Texas Lounge
ARGRA at Backlot
Sundays
At 6 Goliaths
At 6 Goliaths
Karaoke-------------------------  8pm-12:30am
By
Voodoo Lounge-------------------------- 10pm
Uniform Night-----------------------  6pm-6am
 2nd, 4th
Piggy Party Fundraiser

Student Night------------------------  6pm-6am
By Prime Timers Calgary

Midtown Co-op (1130 - 11th Ave SW)
Friday, January 17th

403-244-1956

http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com
Alberta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
• DVD Resource Library
Over a hundred titles to choose from. Annual membership
is $10.
Gay Friends in Calgary

http://www.gayfriendsincalgary.ca
Organizes and hosts social activities catered to the LGBT
people and friends.
Girl Friends

[email protected]

members.shaw.ca/girlfriends
Girlsgroove

http://www.girlsgroove.ca
Hillhurst United Church


(403) 283-1539

[email protected]

www.hillhurstunited.com
HIV Peer Support Group

403-230-5832

[email protected]
ISCCA Social Association

http://www.iscca.ca
Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch. Charity
fundraising group..
Knox United Church

506 - 4th Street SW
 403-269-8382

http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca
Knox United Church is an all-inclusive church located in
downtown Calgary. A variety of facility rentals are also
available for meetings, events and concerts.
Lesbian Meetup Group

http://www.meetup.com/CalgaryLesbian
Monthly events planned for Queer women over 18+ such
as book clubs, games nights, movie nights, dinners out,
and volunteering events.
Miscellaneous Youth Network

http://www.miscyouth.com
• Fake Mustache
• Mosaic Youth Group

The Old Y Centre (223 12th Ave SW)
For queer and trans youth and their allies.
Mystique

[email protected]
Mystique is primarily a Lesbian group for women 30 and
up but all are welcome.
• Coffee Night

Good Earth Cafe (1502 - 11th Street SW)
NETWORKS

[email protected]
A social, cultural, and service organization for the mature
minded and “Plus 40” LGBT individuals seeking to meet
others at age-appropriate activities within a positive, safe
environment.
Parents for Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

Sean: 403-695-5791

http://www.pflagcanada.ca
A registered charitable organization that provides
www.gaycalgary.com
Directory & Events
 Calgary Contd.
support, education and resources to parents, families and
individuals who have questions or concerns about sexual
orientation or gender identity.
Positive Space Committee

4825 Mount Royal Gate SW

403-440-6383

http://www.mtroyal.ca/positivespace
Works to raise awareness and challenge the patterns of
silence that continue to marginalize LGBTTQ individuals.
Pride Calgary Planning Committee

403-797-6564
 www.pridecalgary.ca
Primetimers Calgary

[email protected]

http://www.primetimerscalgary.com
Designed to foster social interaction for its members
through a variety of social, educational and recreational
activities. Open to all gay and bisexual men of any age,
respects whatever degree of anonymity that each member
desires.
Queers on Campus---------------------

279R Student Union Club Spaces, U of C
403-220-6394

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~glass
Formerly GLASS - Gay/Lesbian Association of Students
and Staff.
✰
Fairytales
Jubilations Dinner Theatre
Calgary Civil Marriage Centre
37 Pumphouse Theatre------------------

2140 Pumphouse Avenue SW

403-263-0079

http://www.pumphousetheatres.ca
✰
Stagewest-------------------------------
✰
58 Theatre Junction----------------------
Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 1st St. SW

403-205-2922

[email protected]

http://www.theatrejunction.com
✰
24 Courtney Aarbo (Barristers & Solicitors)

1138 Kensington Road NW

403-571-5120

http://www.courtneyaarbo.ca
GLBT legal services.

727 - 42 Avenue SE
 403-243-6642

http://www.stagewestcalgary.com
DevaDave Salon & Boutique

2nd Cup, Kensington
34 Vertigo Mystery Theatre------------------

161, 115 - 9 Ave SE
 403-221-3708

http://www.vertigomysterytheatre.com
EDMONTON
Ellen Embury
Safety Under the Rainbow
 www.sutr.ca
A collaborative effort dedicated to building capacity
and acting as a voice for the LGBTQ community, service
providers, organizations and the community at large
to address violence. For same-sex domestic violence
information, resources and a link to our survey please see
our website.
Scarboro United Church

134 Scarboro Avenue SW

403-244-1161
 www.scarborounited.ab.ca
An affirming congregation—the full inclusion of LGBT
people is essential to our mission and purpose.

403-750-1128
 www.DBBlaw.com
Fellow, American Academy of Reproductive Technology
Attorneys
Hardline

Calgary: 403-770-0776

Edmonton: 780-665-6666
Other Cities: 1-877-628-9696
 http://www.hardlinechat.com
Telephone classifieds and chat - 18+ ONLY.
Lorne Doucette (CIR Realtors)

403-461-9195

http://www.lornedoucette.com

403-543-6970

1-877-543-6970

http://www.mfmcommunications.com
Web site hosting and development. Computer hardware
and software.
Unity Bowling

Let’s Bowl (2916 - 5th Ave NE)

[email protected]
SafeWorks
Free and confidential HIV/AIDS and STI testing.
Wild Rose United Church

1317-1st Street NW
Restaurants

2nd floor, 610 - 8 Avenue SE
Adult Depot-----------------------------
✰

140, 58th Ave SW  403-258-2777
Gay, bi, straight video rentals and sex toys.
41 La Fleur------------------------------------

103 - 100 7th Avenue SW
403-266-1707
Florist and Flower Shop.
The Naked Leaf----------------------------
 403-283-3555
16 Priape Calgary (CLOSED) ------------- ✰

1322 - 17 Ave SW
 403-215-1800

http://www.priape.com
Clothing and accessories. Adult toys, leather wear, movies
and magazines. Gifts.
www.gaycalgary.com
 780-938-2941
The Junction (CLOSED)

10242 106th St
Hooliganz Pub (CLOSED)

10704 124 St NW
13 UpStares Ultralounge (CLOSED)

4th Floor, Jasper Ave and 107th Street
• Centre of Hope
11 Steamworks------------------------------- ✰

11745 Jasper Ave
 780-451-5554

http://www.steamworksedmonton.com
Bathhouses/Saunas
• Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre
Community Groups

1213 - 4th Str SW
 403-955-6014

Sat-Thu: 4:15pm-7:45pm, Fri: Closed

403-850-3755

Sat-Thu: 8pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-12am
Wheel Pro’s

4143- Edmonton Trail NE

403-226-7278

http://www.wheelpros.ca
“Experts in Everything for Wheels”
AltView Foundation
#44, 48 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB

403-398-9968

[email protected]
www.altview.ca
For gender variant and sexual minorities.
Book Worm’s Book Club
Theatre & Fine Arts
36 ATP, Alberta Theatre Projects

403-294-7402
 http://www.ATPlive.com
AXIS Contemporary Art--------------------

107, 100 - 7 Ave SW

[email protected]
Alberta Bears

www.beefbearbash.com
• Safeworks Van
 403-262-3356
 www.axisart.ca

Howard McBride Chapel of Chimes
10179 - 108 Street

[email protected]
Buck Naked Boys Club

780-471-6993

http://www.bucknakedboys.ca
Naturism club for men—being social while everyone is
naked, and it does not include sexual activity. Participants do
not need to be gay, only male.
Edmonton Rainbow Business Association

3379, 11215 Jasper Ave
 780-429-5014

http://www.edmontonrba.org
Primary focus is the provision of networking opportunities
for LGBT owned or operated and LGBT-friendly businesses
in the Edmonton region.
Edmonton Illusions Social Club
5 The Junction

780-387-3343

groups.yahoo.com/group/edmonton_illusions
4 Edmonton STD

11111 Jasper Ave
Edmonton Vocal Minority

780-479-2038
 www.evmchoir.com
HIV Network Of Edmonton Society----
✰
9702 111 Ave NW
780-488-5742
 www.hivedmonton.com
Provides healthy sexuality education for Edmonton’s LGBT
community and support for those infected or affected
by HIV.
InQueeries

[email protected]
Student-run GLBTQ Alliance at MacEwan University.
Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose

http://www.iscwr.ca
12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

11725 Jasper Ave
 780-488-6557

Room 201, 420 - 9th Ave SE

403-410-1180
 Mon-Fri: 1pm-5pm
Retail Stores
FLASH (CLOSED)
 780-424-0077
• Calgary Drop-in Centre

Room 117, 423 - 4th Ave SE

403-699-8216

Mon-Fri: 9am-12pm, Sat: 12:15pm-3:15pm
East Village Cafe (CLOSED)

10220 - 103 St

http://www.yourgaybar.com
Edmonton Prime Timers

[email protected]

www.primetimersww.org/edmonton
Group of older gay men and their admirers who come from
diverse backgrounds but have common social interests.
Affiliated with Prime Timers World Wide.

780-474-8240
6 Buddy’s Nite Club------------------------- ✰

11725 Jasper Ave
 780-488-6636
Evolution Wonder Lounge

http://www.edmontonpride.ca
GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club
Bars & Clubs

10018 105 Street

[email protected]
MFM Communications
Sharp Foundation

403-272-2912

[email protected]

http://www.thesharpfoundation.com
Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS)
35 One Yellow Rabbit-------------------------

Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE

403-299-8888
 www.oyr.org
 403-246-4134 (Rork Hilford)
Marriage Commissioner for Alberta (aka Justice of the Peace
- JP), Marriage Officiant, Commissioner for Oaths.
Cruiseline

7-104 Dept. of Educational Policy Studies
Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G5

http://www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca

Bow Trail and 37th St. SW

403-249-7799

www.jubilations.ca
Services & Products

Calgary: 403-777-9494

Edmonton: 780-413-7122
Other Cities: 1-877-882-2010
 http://www.cruiseline.ca
Camp fYrefly
See Calgary - Community Groups.

810 Edmonton Trail NE
403-290-1973
Cuts, Colour, Hilights.
• Coffee Night

305 10th Street NW

http://www.thenakedleaf.ca
Organic teas and tea ware.
Best Health

206A 2525 Woodview Dr SW  403-281-5582

[email protected]

http://www.besthealthcalgary.com
Living Positive Society of Alberta
#50, 9912 - 106 Street
780-423-3737
 http://www.facebook.com/LivingPoz
Living Positive through Positive Living.
Men’s Games Nights

Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)

780-474-8240
OUTreach

University of Alberta, basement of SUB

[email protected]

http://www.ualberta.ca/~outreach
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/transsexual, Queer,
Questioning and Straight-but-not-Narrow student group.
Pride Centre of Edmonton-------------
✰

10608 - 105 Ave
 780-488-3234

[email protected]

http://www.pridecentreofedmonton.org

Tue-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 2pm-6:30pm
We provide a safe, welcoming, and non-judgemental
drop-in space, and offer support programs and resources
for members of the GLBTQ community and for their families
and friends.
• Counselling

780.488.3234
Free, short-term counselling provided by registered
counsellors.
• HIV Support Group

[email protected]
Support and discussion group for gay men.
• Knotty Knitters
Come knit and socialize in a safe and accepting
environment - all skill levels are welcome.
57
Directory & Events
DOWNTOWN EDMONTON
1
15
N
11 6 12
1 Pride Centre of Edm.---- Community Groups
4 Edmonton STD---------- Community Groups
See 1 Pride Centre of Edmonton
Mondays
Boot Camp------------------------------ 7-8pm
Team Edmonton
TTIQ------------------------------------- 7-9pm
 3rd
HIV Support Group--------------------- 7-9pm
 2nd
Tuesdays
QH Youth Drop-in---------------------- 3-8pm
Martial Arts---------------------  7:30-8:30pm
See
Team Edmonton
Swim Practice-------------------  7:30-8:30pm
See
6 Buddy’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs
11 Steamworks----------------------Bathhouses
Knotty Knitters-------------------------- 6-8pm
Edmonton Events
See
4
Team Edmonton
QH Craft Night-------------------------- 6-8pm
Cycling---------------------------  6:30-7:30pm
See
Yoga---------------------------------  7:30-8pm
See
Team Edmonton
Youth Sports/Recreation-----------------  4pm
See
Youth Understanding Youth
QH Game Night------------------------ 6-8pm
Swim Practice--------------------------- 7-8pm
Team Edmonton
Yoga---------------------------------  2-3:30pm
Fridays
See
QH Anime Night------------------------ 6-8pm
Movie Night----------------------------- 6-9pm
See
Men’s Games Nights--------------  7-10:30pm

Robertson-Wesley United (10209 123 St)
Unitarian Church (10804 119th Street)
See Edmonton Primetimers
See
Thursdays
See
Wednesdays
Team Edmonton
12 Woody’s-----------------------Bars and Clubs
15 Evolution----------------------Bars and Clubs
See
Men’s Games Nights
 2nd, Last
Ballroom Dancing--------------  7:30-8:30pm
Team Edmonton
Soul Outing-------------------------------  7pm
 2nd
Monthly Meetings---------------------  2:30pm
 2nd
Saturdays
Dukes & Diamonds White Party---------9-11pm
Naturalist Gettogether
See
Team Edmonton
Men Talking with Pride---------------- 7-9pm
Buck Naked Boys Club
 2nd
QH Youth Drop-in------------------  2-6:30pm
Monthly Meeting----------------------  2:30pm
By Edmonton Primetimers

Unitarian Church, 10804 - 119th Street
 2nd
By ISCWR at Woodys
Turnabout---------------------------------8:30pm
By ISCWR at Evolution
GLBTQ Bowling------------------  1:30-3:30pm
Women’s Social Circle------------------ 6-9pm
Book Club-----------------------------  7:30pm
Bowling-----------------------------------  5pm
By ISCWR
Bellevue Community Hall (7308 - 112 Ave)
Martial Arts---------------------  7:30-8:30pm
Sundays
Saturday, February 1st
Running------------------------------  10-11am
Headliners: Twiggy---------------------------9pm
Counseling----------------------  5:30-8:30pm
Intermediate Volleyball--------  7:30-9:30pm
See
GLBTQ Sage Bowling Club
See 1 Youth Understanding Youth
See
See
See
 2nd, 4th
BookWorm’s Book Club
 3rd
Team Edmonton
See
See
Team Edmonton
Team Edmonton

[email protected]
Support & social group for gay & bisexual men to discuss
current issues.
• Movie Night
Movie Night is open to everyone! Come over and sit back,
relax, and watch a movie with us.
• Queer HangOUT: Game Night
Come OUT with your game face on and meet some
awesome people through board game fun.
• Queer HangOUT: Craft Night
Come OUT and embrace your creative side in a safe space.
• Queer HangOUT: Anime Night
Come and watch ALL the anime until your heart is content.
• TTIQ
A support and information group for all those who fall
under the transgender umbrella and their family or
supporters.
• Women’s Social Circle

[email protected]
Women’s Social Circle: A social support group for all
58
By ISCWR at Evolution
Team Edmonton
 Edmonton Contd.
• Men Talking with Pride
Grease
Legend:  = Monthly Reoccurrance,  = Date (Range),  = Sponsored Event
female-identified persons over 18 years of age in the GLBT
community - new members are always welcome.
Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton
780-474-8240

[email protected]
Team Edmonton

[email protected]

http://www.teamedmonton.ca
Members are invited to attend and help determine the
board for the next term. If you are interested in running for
the board or getting involved in some of the committees,
please contact us.
• Badminton (Mixed)
St. Thomas Moore School, 9610 165 Street

[email protected]
New group seeking male & female players.
• Badminton (Women’s)

Oliver School, 10227 - 118 Street

780-465-3620

[email protected]
Women’s Drop-In Recreational Badminton. $40.00 season
or $5.00 per drop in.
•Ballroom Dancing

Foot Notes Dance Studio, 9708-45 Avenue NW

Cynthia: 780-469-3281
• Blazin’ Bootcamp

Garneau Elementary School
10925 - 87 Ave

[email protected]
• Bowling (Northern Titans)
• Golf

[email protected]
• Gymnastics, Drop-in

Ortona Gymnastics Club, 8755 - 50 Avenue

[email protected]
Have the whole gym to yourselves and an instructor to
help you achieve your individual goals. Cost is $5.00
per session.

Ed’s Rec Room (West Edmonton Mall)

[email protected]
$15.00 per person.
• Hockey
• Cross Country Skiing

15450 - 105 Ave (daycare entrance)
780-328-6414

[email protected]

[email protected]
Drop-ins welcome.

[email protected]
• Curling with Pride

Granite Curling Club, 8620 107 Street NW

[email protected]
• Cycling (Edmonton Prideriders)

Dawson Park, picnic shelter

[email protected]
• Dragon Boat (Flaming Dragons)

[email protected]

[email protected]
• Martial Arts
• Outdoor Pursuits

[email protected]
• Running (Arctic Frontrunners)

Kinsmen Sports Centre

[email protected]
All genders and levels of runners and walkers are invited to
join this free activity.
www.gaycalgary.com
Directory & Events
Red Deer Events
Jasper
Wednesdays
March 2014
LGBT Coffee Night------------------------  7pm
See
CAANS
 1st
Jasper Pride
Jasper, AB
Mar2123
 Edmonton Contd.
• Slo Pitch

Parkallen Field, 111 st and 68 ave

[email protected]
Season fee is $30.00 per person. $10 discount for players
from the 2008 season.
12 Woody’s------------------------------------ ✰

11725 Jasper Ave
 780-488-6557
Retail Stores
Passion Vault
• Snowballs V

15239 - 111 Ave

780-930-1169

[email protected]
“Edmonton’s Classiest Adult Store”

January 27-29, 2012

[email protected]
Skiing and Snowboarding Weekend.
• Soccer
Products & Services

[email protected]
• Spin

MacEwan Centre for Sport and Wellness
109 St. and 104 Ave

Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45pm
Season has ended.

[email protected]
7 classes, $28.00 per registrant.
• Swimming (Making Waves)

NAIT Pool (11762 - 106 Street)

[email protected]
http://www.makingwavesswimclub.ca
• Tennis
Cruiseline

780-413-7122 trial code 3500

http://www.cruiseline.ca
Robertson-Wesley United Church

10209 - 123 St. NW
 780-482-1587

[email protected]
 www.rwuc.org

Worship: Sunday mornings at 10:30am
People of all sexual orientations welcome. Other LGBT
events include a monthly book club and a bi-monthly film
night. As a caring spiritual community, we’d love to have
you join us!

Kinsmen Sports Centre

Sundays, 12pm-3pm

[email protected]
• Soul OUTing
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Film Night

Second Sunday every month, 7pm
An LGBT-focused alternative worship.

Sundays
Summer Season starts July 12th

[email protected]
E-mail if interested.
• Volleyball, Intermediate

Amiskiwacy Academy (101 Airport Road)

[email protected]
• Volleyball, Recreational

Mother Teresa School (9008 - 105 Ave)

[email protected]
• Women’s Lacrosse

Sharon: 780-461-0017

Pam: 780-436-7374
Open to women 21+, experienced or not, all are welcome.
Call for info.
• Yoga

Lion's Breath Yoga Studio (10350-124 Street)

[email protected]
Womonspace

780-482-1794

[email protected]

http://www.womonspace.ca
Women’s social group, but all welcome at events.

780-248-1971
 www.yuyedm.ca
A support and social group for queer youth 12-25.
• Sports and Recreation

Brendan: 780-488-3234

[email protected]
Restaurants

10242 106th St
 780-756-5667
www.gaycalgary.com

Henotic (402 - 2 Ave S)
Bring your membership card and photo ID.
• Monthly Potluck Dinners

McKillop United Church, 2329 - 15 Ave S
GALA/LA will provide the turkey...you bring the rest. Please
bring a dish to share that will serve 4-6 people, and your
own beverage.
• Support Line
• Book Club

Monthly, contact us for exact dates.
Theatre & Fine Arts
Exposure Festival

http://www.exposurefestival.ca
Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival.
The Roxy Theatre
Community Groups
Bow Valley Cares Centre
302 Buffalo Street, Banff, AB

PO Box 3160, Banff, AB T1L 1C8

403-762-0690
 1-877-440-2437

[email protected]
LETHBRIDGE
Community Groups

403-308-2893

http://www.galalethbridge.ca
Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area.
Community Groups
Medicine Hat Cares Centre
356 - 2 Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB

403-527-5882
 1-877-440-2437

[email protected]
• Telephone Support
• Friday Mixer

M-T: 1:30pm - 4:30pm  W-F: 8:30am - 4:30pm

The Mix (green water tower)
103 Mayor Magrath Dr S

Every Friday at 10pm
Gay & Lesbian Integrity Assoc. (GALIA)

University of Lethbridge
GBLTTQQ club on campus.
• Movie Night

Room C610, University of Lethbridge
Gay Youth Alliance Group

Betty, 403-381-5260

Every second Wednesday, 3:30pm-5pm
Lethbridge HIV Connection

1206 - 6 Ave S
PFLAG Canada

1-888-530-6777

[email protected]

www.pflagcanada.ca
Pride Lethbridge

[email protected]
RED DEER

10708 124th Street, Edmonton AB

780-453-2440

http://www.theatrenetwork.ca
BANFF
MEDICINE HAT

403-308-2893

Monday OR Wednesday, 7pm-11pm
Leave a message any other time.

Bi-monthly, contact us for exact dates.
GALA/LA
The Junction (Closed)----------------------
• Monthly Dances
Community Groups
Affirm

Sunnybrook United Church

403-347-6073

2nd Tuesday of the month, 7pm
Composed of LGBTQ people, their friends, family and
allies. No religious affiliation necessary. Activities include
support, faith and social justice discussions, film nights,
and potlucks!
Central Alberta AIDS Network Society

4611-50 Avenue, Red Deer, AB

http://www.caans.org
The Central Alberta AIDS Network Society is the local
charity responsible for HIV prevention and support in
Central Alberta.
LGBTQ Education

[email protected]

http://LGBTQeducation.webs.com
Red Deer (and area) now has a website designed to bring
various LGBTQ friendly groups/individuals together for fun,
and to promote acceptance in our communities.

M-F, 8:30am - 11:30pm
• In-person Support
ALBERTA
Community Groups
Alberta Trans Support/Activities Group

http://www.albertatrans.org
A nexus for transgendered persons, regardless of where they
may be on the continuum.
Theatre & Fine Arts
Alberta Ballet

http://www.albertaballet.com
Frequent productions in Calgary and Edmonton.
CANADA
Community Groups
Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition

P..O. Box 3043, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3S9

(306) 955-5135

1-800-955-5129

http://www.rainbowhealth.ca
Egale Canada

8 Wellington St E, Third Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C5

1-888-204-7777
 www.egale.ca
Egale Canada is the national advocacy and lobby
organization for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transidentified people and our families.
Products & Services
Squirt

http://www.squirt.org
Website for dating and hook-ups. 18+ ONLY!
Theatre & Fine Arts
Broadway Across Canada

http://www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca
OUTtv

http://www.outtv.ca
GLBT Television Station.
Pride on Campus

[email protected]
A group of LGBTQ persons and Allies at Red Deer College.
59
Classifieds
Event
140
The Fetish Slosh at the Backlot!
Come on down to the Backlot the 2nd Tuesday
of every month for a no-cover Fetish party.
Upcoming dates are November 13, December
11th, etc. You can dress up in Leather, Latex,
cuffs, collars, or just your skivvies. Have the
conversation you like without offending a
vanilla in sight. The Backlot supports and
promotes the alternative lifestyles of Calgary so
feel free to express your KINK!
Wedding/Union
190
Erotic Massage
420
UltimateMaleMassage.com
Consulting
Adult Depot
Large selection of gay DVDs from $14.95,
and toys. Open Mon-Fri 12-8pm, Sat 12-6pm,
closed Sundays and holidays.
Audition
Marriage Ceremonies
Best Erotic Male Massage In Calgary.
Studio with free parking. Deep Tissue
and Relaxation. Licensed, Professional.
Video on website. 403-680-0533
Rork Hilford MC, Commissioner for Oaths.
[email protected] | 403246-4134
Erotic Massage
It’s not about special treatment. You can’t
assume the LGBT person, or the straight
person will follow the pack anymore. The LGBT
market is becoming more and more aware of
what organizations support them, and which
ones don’t, ultimately sending them away
from businesses and communities that do not
recognize them or their lifestyle. Does your
staff need LGBT sensitivity training? Want to
attract the market but unsure how to proceed?
Local, Domestic, International, We can assist.
Check us out at http://blueflameventures.ca,
Email us at [email protected], Call
us at 604-369-1472. Based in Alberta.
215
Cleaning
Gay Talent Wanted
Beauty & Mayhem Production Agency is are
looking for Gay Talent to perform in Adult
entertainment Productions. Call Pj @ 403 826
2670 E-mail: [email protected]
www.xxxbmpa.com
Models/Escorts
Want to attract the LGBT local
or traveler to your business?
403-258-2777
[email protected]
McDougall United Church (Edmonton), an
Affirming congregation proudly performing
same-sex unions or same-sex marriages since
1998. http://www.mcdougallunited.com
527
460
Alberta Escort Listings
GET A LIFE!
Commercial Cleaning
Relaxation, Therapeutic, Foot Massage, Erotic
Massage. Hot Asian Male Age:24 Swimmer
Build.
YOU’LL KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE. Call
Mark 403-630-8048 www.markmassage.ca
12pm to Midnight (24hrs optional) Ladies
Welcome
Internet
445
www.ABS-Hosting.com
Make your mark on the Web... Create a blog,
register a domain, build you personal website
at www.abs-hosting.com
Check out www.Squirt.org for the Hot Escorts in
Calgary, Edmonton, and the rest of Alberta.
New Improved Features. Free to Post and
Browse. Videos, Pics, and Reviews. Join Now!
Code: GCEE
517
Does your business need a professional
cleaner? Steve is bonded/Insured. Flexible
prices and brings all his own supplies. Steve
is a part of the LGBT Community and has
been cleaning for over 5 years in Calgary.
(403)200-7384
[email protected]
www.getalifecleaner.com
www.facebook.com/getalifecleaner
Clothing/Fashion
520
Products/Services 500
Twice Trendy!
Used Quality Clothing
Certified Personal Trainer
Most clothing $3! New style? New family?
Broke as a joke? We have a great selection
of gently used clothing for men, women,
children and babies. We also keep a selection
of furniture and housewares too! Twice trendy
makes it easy to get quality style without
destroying your wallet. Come check us out!
#14, 3434 - 34 Ave NE.
Upcoming wedding/event/trip/class reunion?
If you want to look/feel better, increase your
strength/endurance/flexibility, I CAN HELP
YOU! call/text me 4038263305 or email me
[email protected]
Health
550
Trinity Best Health Store
Vitamins & Minerals, Herbs and Greens,
Active Lifestyle, Weight Management, Fitness
Nutrition, Natural Bodycare. Located in
Woodbine Square 2525 Woodview Drive SW
403-281-5582 | www.besthealthcalgary.com
Gay Owned and Operated
Legal
557
Same-sex Spouse/Common-Law Sponsorship,
LMO/Work Permit, Immigration, Citizenship,
Separation/Pre-Nuptial/Co-habitation
Agreements, Uncontested Divorces, Accounting,
Translations, Commissioner foroaths. Active
Professionals.
#220, 2705 Centre Street NW Calgary
403-590-3818 • www.activeprofessionals.com
Ads starting at $10/mo. for the first 20 words. Submit yours at http://www.gaycalgary.com/classifieds
60
www.gaycalgary.com
www.gaycalgary.com
61
62
www.gaycalgary.com
www.gaycalgary.com
63

magnetalane

Transcription

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