Sept. 7, 2012 - Gay San Diego

Volume 3
Issue 18
GAY
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
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SAN Pippin!
Pg. 10
DIEGO
SERVING OUR LGBT COMMUNITY
Carl DeMaio, LGBT
mayoral candidate
9 calendar
Councilmember discusses support; recognizes
‘opportunity and obligation’ to community
By Morgan M. Hurley | GSD Assistant Editor
with Anthony King | GSD Editor
Laughing with Teddy Margas
e dining
The cast and creative team of “Allegiance – A New American Musical,” which will run Sept. 7 – Oct. 21
(Photo by Henry DiRocco)
Authentic classics
t theater
The Old Globe premieres latest work:
‘Allegiance – A New American Musical’
Writer Jay Kuo and actor Telly Leung discuss how serious subject matter can inspire and uplift
By Anthony King | GSD Editor
ion’s ‘Mystery’
i interview
Nelly’s new release
INDEX
The Old Globe Theatre dives
into a major undertaking with
their latest: “Allegiance – A New
American Musical,” the epic story
of family, love and patriotism set
during the Japanese-American
internment of World War II. For
singer and actor Telly Leung, it
is also a story of civil rights and
equality, ideals he said everyone
should know well.
“We’ve all felt second class
in a country that says we are all
equal,” Leung said. “As an Asian
person I feel that way. As an Asian
person in this industry I feel that
way. As a member of the LGBT
community I feel that way. We’ve
all felt that way.”
Leung is currently in San
Diego with the rest of the “Allegiance” cast and crew, and said he
has been working on the project
for over two years. The show
begins previews at the Old Globe
Friday, Sept. 7, with opening night
on Sept. 19. It will run through
Oct. 21.
Being a world-premiere musical, Leung said that while he has
extensive work on Broadway and
national touring shows, he has
never done anything like this:
creating a character and show
from scratch.
“The writers, like Jay [Kuo],
have started to write around my
strengths, which has actually been
such a unique and rewarding
experience,” Leung said.
Kuo wrote the music and lyrics
for “Allegiance,” and said creating a show with specific actors
in mind was both refreshing and
helpful. “Allegiance” is Kuo’s
fourth musical.
“For Telly, he’s got this
incredible high tenor. I know what
see Allegiance, pg 11
Gay San Diego: Your voting record as a
City Councilmember is, overall, very supportive of the local LGBT community. Why do you
think there is such a backlash?
Carl DeMaio: My City Council voting
record on LGBT issues is the exact same as
[Councilmember] Todd Gloria’s and I have
always supported full equality. Despite that
solid voting record, there are a handful of
vocal opponents who try to misrepresent the
truth because their real issues have nothing to
do with LGBT concerns and everything to do
with opposing my fiscal reforms to the unsustainable city union contracts. It’s unfortunate
that these individuals have more loyalty to
see DeMaio, pg 7
(l to r) DeMaio and his partner Johnathan Hale
at this year’s Pride (Photo by Tamandra Michaels)
Charges dropped against Equality 9
As two-year court battle ends, fight continues for marriage rights
By Anthony King | GSD Editor
opinion…………………6
briefs…………………..6
PoliticAL spectrum…….…. .8
THERAPY…………………8
classifieds……………15
sports………………..18
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vowels work really well for him,”
Kuo said, adding that he took
everything – from vocal range to
longevity –into consideration in
working with Leung.
Calling the process “exciting”
and “organic,” Kuo said a lot of
changes are made during the last
few weeks leading up to opening
night.
“It’s one thing to sing it around
a table or to look at it on the
page. It’s another thing entirely
to have the actors that you’ve cast
performing it and staging it, with
choreography,” he said.
Starring with Leung is George
Takei and Lea Salonga, and
Leung is quick to point out most
everyone in the cast has worked
together in the past. He calls the
show a “home coming,” and said
that while the acting community is
Councilmember Carl DeMaio is the
openly gay Republican candidate for San
Diego mayor, and has repeatedly said he
is running on a platform based on economic and fiscal issues. He has received
much criticism from some in the LGBT
community, and addresses that criticism
as well as his run for mayor in this exclusive interview.
The questions were discussed and created
by the editorial board of San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN), the parent
organization of Gay San Diego, which includes
Publisher David Mannis, Editor Anthony King
and Editor Morgan M. Hurley.
(l to r) Sean Bohac and Zakiya Khabir of the Equality Nine (Photo by GSD)
The San Diego City Attorney
announced Aug. 24 a “motion to
dismiss” the case against the Equality Nine, members of the LGBT
community arrested for enacting
a sit-in at the San Diego County
Clerk’s office in 2010. All misdemeanor charges against the group
have been dropped and the case is
now closed.
The sit-in and arrests happened
Aug. 19, 2010, the date issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples
was to resume after Proposition 8
was ruled unconstitutional earlier
that month. The nine individuals
quickly organized the protest when
they were denied marriage licenses.
At the time, an appeals court
issued a stay that barred marriage
equality. The stay is still active,
pending action from the United
States Superior Court.
In a press release, the group said
they see the dismissal as “a victory
in the struggle against restrictions
on free speech, the inequality of
LGBT marriage rights and an overzealous San Diego City Attorney.”
Sean Bohac, one of the former
defendants in the case, said they
were “right to be in the County
Clerk’s office” two years ago to
apply for marriage licenses, and the
group will continue to fight against
discrimination.
“We are still right to be dissatisfied with any form of discrimination
in society and we encourage people
to organize and take a stand when
they recognize it,” he said following
the dismissal.
see Equality, pg 5
2
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
news
gay-sd.com
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
Ski club active
even in summer
SAGA San Diego more than a men’s wintersport group; reaches out to LGBT community
through numerous outdoor activities
By Margie M. Palmer | GSD Reporter
For some, it is easy to forget
the world offers an infinite number
of playgrounds beyond the borders
of 92103. Yes, Uptown has many
charms, but sometimes you may
find yourself craving a type of
adventure
that cannot be
satiated by visiting the latest
restaurant or
wine bar. This
is where the
Men’s Ski and
Snowboard
Club comes in.
The club,
more commonly referred to
as SAGA, has
chapters located throughout
California. And although the name
implies it is exclusive to men who
love winter sports, that assumption barely scratches the surface.
SAGA Ski Trip Chair Russ Fox
said not only does the club host
events throughout the year, they
also welcome people of all LGBT
walks of life to join in on the fun.
Since joining the club 18 years
ago, Fox’s role in the organization
has expanded. He has emerged
as a “go-to gay” when it comes
to planning winter escapes for
SAGA. The group has traveled to
Jackson Hole, Wyo., Telluride and
Aspen, Colo. and Whistler, British
Columbia.
“I always used to set up ski trips
for college buddies [and] I didn’t
come out until I was almost 30,”
Fox said. “One of the first things
my sister said to me was, ‘There’s a
gay ski club’. That came out of her
mouth faster than ‘congrats.’”
This upcoming season, he
said, the group will be offering
members the opportunity to
spend four nights in Taos, N.M.
“We’ll be staying in a deluxe
private home,” Fox said. “We will,
of course, be coordinating trips to
the gay ski weeks but this will be
our own personal trip.”
The current sellout point is 12
travelers, though there is always
the option to expand to 20 if there
is enough member interest.
If you are among those who
are ski-curious but are afraid your
skill level is not advanced enough,
do not worry. SAGA President
Jerry Strayve Jr. said a number of
the club’s members are actually
certified instructors.
“They will take the more inexperienced skiers out and show
them the ropes,” Strayve said.
“This really is a group for people
of all levels and abilities.”
At the same time, though,
there are only so many winter
days in a given year. Not only
does SAGA recognize this, they
make a point to plan spring and
summer activities to help pass
time during the summer months.
“We have pool parties in the
summer,” Strayve said, and “on
Sept. 16 we’re going to be having
a SAGA sailing day, in which
we’re inviting members and nonmembers to join us. We’re also
looking at adding other activities
such as kayaking.”
The club, he said, is not just
about flying off to exotic destinations to play in the snow.
“This is a
group of people
who enjoy doing
outdoor stuff,”
Strayve said.
“We’ll go on
camping trips.
We’ll organize
hikes. We recognize that many of
the ski trips are
not inexpensive
and not everyone can afford
to spend $400 to
$1,200 on a trip,
not including airfare. Spending
$35 to $40 to go sailing for an
afternoon is something that’s accessible for a lot more people.”
Those interested in learning
more about SAGA are invited to
attend one of their monthly meetings, which take place at The Hole
Members of SAGA travel across the continent to some of the best snow on earth. (Courtesy SAGA)
the first Tuesday of each month.
The Hole is located at 2820 Lytton
St. in Point Loma.
“We want people to know that
we welcome anyone who is interested,” Fox said. “We’re not just a
club for men; we invite women to
also sign up for our trips.”
Annual memberships to SAGA
run from June 1 to May 31 of the
following year, and costs $35. All
members are required to fill out a
liability release prior to enrolling
in SAGA-sponsored trips.
For the Sept. 16 sailing trip,
which will launch at the Harbor
Yacht Club at 10 a.m., the group
asks that those interested in attending sign up before Sept. 13.
The cost for the trip is $35 for
members, $40 for nonmembers.
For more information on the trip
and SAGA, visit sagasd.com or
call 619-990-3649.
Strayve said he looks forward
to broadening SAGA’s base.
“There’s so much we do,” he said.
“We hope to get more people
involved.”t
On the slopes, SAGA is always proud. (Courtesy SAGA)
3
4
NEWS
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
First beach festival brings you ‘half way to Dinah’
Local women and celebrities to be ‘sun kissed’ in Coronado
By Morgan M. Hurley | GSD Assistant Editor
Those wishing that Spring
Break in Palm Springs was just
around the corner have a special
treat in store, when the women
of SunKiss Events bring “a little
Dinah” to our own shores.
The inaugural “SunKiss
Weekend” takes place on Sept. 15
from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. near the
Silver Strand State Beach south
of Coronado. The event is being
hosted in conjunction with Loews
Coronado Bay Hotel and Resort,
located at 4000 Coronado Bay
Rd., adjacent to Silver Strand Boulevard and the Coronado Cays.
Originally conceived as the
“half way to Dinah party,” the
idea first started a few years ago
with a small gathering of friends
celebrating the end of summer at
a local, backyard pool.
That party “got a little out of
hand, in a good way,” Founder
Alina said, and SunKiss was born.
This new women’s event,
planned to occur annually, takes
the traditional pool party a step
further and brings it to the
beach. The daylong event will
include music, dancing, drinks,
water sports, and celebrities in
order to keep lesbians from all
over the world, entertained.
“I am thrilled and we are all so
excited to do something for the
women’s community,” Alina said.
From morning until sunset,
Romi Klinger of “The Real L Word”
Rose Garcia of “The Real L Word”
Active Sports or take a gondola
ride through the Coronado Cays.
Organizers encourage everyone to bring their own beach balls,
volleyball equipment and other
beach fun. Limited quantities of
“floaties” and pink flamingos from
Mo’s Universe will be made available at the event, as well.
To soothe hunger pangs, the
“Super Q” food truck – known
for their unique “mac-n-cheese”
sandwiches and barbeque food –
will be on hand all day.
Once the sun goes down,
Alina said the party will continue
with SunKiss After Dark, with
DJs still spinning tunes, but
bonfires along the beach to add
to the festivities. Last call will be
at 9:45 p.m. and tickets for daytime activities are good for the
evening activities, as well.
Scheduled to entertain are
Gossip Grill’s regular musicmaker, DJ Dida; DJ Gigi, the
official female DJ of the San
Diego Chargers; and the everpopular DJ dirty Kurty. Each of
the women will spin up to four
hours each for the 12-hour event,
with a dozen local go-go dancers
spicing up the sand.
Big news of the weekend is
the participation of women from
Showtime’s popular “The Real
L Word” series. Rose Garcia
(from season one/Los Angeles),
Romi Klinger (season two and
three/L.A.), and Somer Bingham
and her partner Donna (season
three/New York City) will all be
in attendance.
“I’m super excited for this
event,” Rose Garcia said. “San
Diego is a beautiful city with
beautiful women. I’m so glad this
event is bringing visibility to San
Diego’s vibrant [and] diverse
lesbian community. L.A. ladies,
along with many others from different cities are making the trip
to experience their first lesbian
beach party event.”
Klinger, who has recently
been vocal about the backlash
she has received from friends
and the community since “coming out” as bisexual, said she
is also looking for ward to the
event. She offered this quote,
from John Dr yden: “Love is not
in our choice but in our fate.”
Discounted pre-sale tickets
for the event are $48 and will
close on Monday, Sept. 10. After
that, access will be cash only at
the door. Registration will begin
at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15. “Arrive
early for early-bird discounts on
admission [and] merchandise,”
Alina said, adding there would
likely be free items given away.
For more information about
SunKiss Weekend, the host hotel, directions, or to buy tickets,
visit sunkissweekend.com.t
(Photo by Cornelia Kurtew)
The “SunKiss Girls” promoting the event. (Courtesy SunKiss Events)
organizers said women will jam
to popular DJs, dance in the
sand, play in the ocean, or take
advantage of the water-sport activities available through Loews.
Loews Resort will also be providing bar staff and ser vice specifically for this event, something
that is generally controlled on
San Diego beaches.
When Alina and more than a
dozen friends decided to launch
SunKiss, she said they searched
for the right location for weeks
before joining forces with the
San Diego Concierge, a local
online hospitality reser vation
specialist who brought Loews to
the table.
Next, they reached out to
investors and mostly were on the
lookout for promotional partners,
which Alina said they received
with the Human Rights Campaign, Gossip Grill, ThatsSoGayLive, Wildfire Dances, FlawLes,
Club Skirts Presents The Dinah,
and many others.
“I expected a little push back
from some, due to competition,”
Alina said, but Club Skirts The
Dinah actually gave us the confidence to move for ward.”
SunKiss has also identified
three organizations as benefactors of the event: San Diego Ambassadors of The Trevor Project,
the San Diego LGBT Center, and
North Park’s Missiongathering
Church LGBT Outreach project.
In addition to dancing in the
sand, Alina said attendees will
also be able to rent powerboats,
surfboards, kayaks and bikes from
(Photo by Cornelia Kurtew)
NEWS
gay-sd.com
5
Winners from the 37th Nicky Awards, held Aug. 26
From page 1
equality
Bohac is also a member of San
Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (SAME), and said the fight for
marriage rights is their main driving focus.
“Though we still don’t have
equal marriage rights in California,
I know from first-hand accounts
that our efforts have provided
encouragement to those working
for justice,” Bohac said.
A second Equality Nine member, Cecile Veillard, said while the
dismissal was a victory for their
case, it does not negate the fact
that they still cannot marry. “The
victory … is only a victory against
our criminalization for speaking
out,” she said. “True victory is not
ours until … couples who had appointments to be married that day
are finally allowed to exercise their
full equal civil rights.”
In the two years since the
arrest, national attention for
marriage equality has steadily
increased, in some ways culminating with President Obama’s
official support earlier this year.
“I think the City Attorney finally recognized the trend of public
opinion on marriage equality, and
softened his stand against freedom
of speech when he backed out of
this expensive legal ego battle,”
Bohac said.
The dismissed charges were
against six of the nine protesters.
Three of the original nine previously accepted plea bargains, with
the rest choosing to face trial.
“Too often prosecutors bully
innocent defendants into taking
bad plea deals,” Zakiya Khabir, an
Equality Nine member, said in the
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
Allan Spyere is the
Nicky Awards board
chair; Nicole Murray
Ramirez is the Nicky
Awards founder.
Charges were dropped Aug. 24
(Courtesy SAME)
same release. “I’m in awe of support we received from the community and our legal team,” she said.
“Without them it would have been
easier to give in to [City Attorney
Jan] Goldsmith’s intimidation.”
Prior to the dismissal, the case
was scheduled to be heard Sept.
18. In May, controversy erupted
during jury selection when presiding Judge Joan Weber dismissed
the entire jury panel, saying the
prosecution had violated the
defendants’ rights by excluding all
openly gay jurors in the selection.
The nonprofit Canvass for A
Cause has repeatedly supported
the Equality Nine and SAME
during the court battle, and applauded the decision to dismiss
the charges.
“We are so proud of our colleagues who refused to surrender
their civil rights and admit to false
guilt just to make these charges go
away,” Sarah Parish, spokesperson
for Canvass for a Cause, said in a
release. “Today, the charges were
dropped and although this belated
justice does not erase the wrongs
done to the Equality Nine and all
LGBT people daily, it does mark
one more victory on the side of
equality.”t
Mayor George Moscone Memorial Award
Harvey Milk Equality Award
Michael Portantino Achievement in Media Award
Special Honors
Man of the Year
Woman of the Year
KPBS
Shane Bitney Crone
David Mannis, San Diego Community News Network
Big Mike Phillips
Ben Cartwright
Lisa Sanders
Outstanding:
Adult Business
Bank
Bar Employee
Bar Event
Bar Manager
Bartender, Female
Bartender, Male
Brunch
Business
Business Man
Business Woman
Community Activist
Community Event
Community Organization
Community Volunteer
DJ/VJ
Entertainer/Group
Female Personality
Female Waitperson
Hillcrest Bar
Hillcrest Restaurant
(l to r) David Mannis receives his Nicky from
HIV/AIDS Service Provider
County Supervisor Ron Roberts. (Photo by GSD)
Impersonator
Levi/Leather Event
Levi/Leather Personality
Male Personality
Male Waitperson
Neighborhood Bar
New Business
Night Club/Dance Bar
Night Club Dancer
Online Media
Owner
Performing Arts Venue
Pharmacy
Publication
Sports Organization
Straight Ally
Title Holder
Transgender Personality
University Heights/North Park Bar
Gay San Diego editor Anthony King
University Heights/North Park Restaurant
at the Nicky Awards
Women’s Night
(Photo by Cali Griebel/SDPIX)
Writer/Columnist
Youth (18 – 20)
Pleasures & Treasures
California Bank & Trust and Union Bank
Carlos Dominguez, Martinis Above Fourth
Church @ Babycakes
Chuck Ferrante, Bourbon Street
Moe Girton, Gossip Grill
Corey, Bourbon Street
Urban Mo’s
Ace Hardware
Wayne Back
Deborah Scott
Patrick Wallace
San Diego Pride
San Diego LGBT Center
Aaron Heier
DJ Nikno and DJ Taj
San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
Kim Rescate
Gaby Medina, R Gang Eatery
Urban Mo’s
Arrivederci and Martinis Above Fourth
Family Health Centers of San Diego
Cassidy Richards and Candy Samples
Bearnight @ Numbers
Glitz Glam
Ian Johnson
Anthony Pavlovic, Baja Betty’s
Pecs
Wangs North Park and Snooze Eatery
Rich’s
Marshall Alexander
San Diego Gay & Lesbian News
Christopher Stavros, Babycakes
Diversionary Theatre
Mom’s Priority Pharmacy
The RAGE Monthly
San Diego American Flag Football League
Jamie Fox
Laur Darell, Mr. Gay Black San Diego
Connor Maddocks
Bourbon Street
West Coast Tavern
Repent @ Richs
Anthony King, Gay San Diego
Nick Fowler
6
LETTERS/opinion
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
Editorial
Self-respect and voting
By Mark Segal, Philadelphia
Gay News publisher
Letter
LGBT media bad in
covering non-major
political parties
… A question for all of you:
who was the first openly LGBT
person to seek nomination for
the Presidency of the United
States of any political par ty?
Fred Karger? Stephen Durham?
The answer is David McReynolds of the Socialist Par ty USA
in 1980 and again in 2000.
Another question: when did
the California Democratic Party
first have a same-sex marriage
clause in its platform? The
answer: 2008. When did the
federal Democratic Party first
support same sex marriage?
The answer: 2012, at last.
Now I salute all the activists who have worked hard
in the Democratic Par ty to
achieve these benchmarks but
after all, the Green Par ty of
California suppor ted same-sex
marriage when it was formed
in 1992, and the Green Par ty
of the United States suppor ted
LGBT and marriage rights in
2000 when Nader carried its
banner and continues to in all
Presidential elections and campaigns – Jill Stein is the current
nominee – since then.
Now I know there will be
many out there who will say
just vote for candidates who
can win and by extension give
media attention to only those
who can win, as has evidently
occurred with both the straight
and LGBT media. Such an attitude is elitist and non-progressive, and what LGBT rights we
do have would never have been
achieved with that attitude.
A journalist tries to repor t all sides of a situation to
provide as impar tial a conclusion as possible, but the
existing LGBT press is mostly
controlled by Dems or Republicans. Therefore, their stated
positions are already foreordained at the crunch, just as
it is foreordained that either
Obama or Romney will be both
in cahoots with the militar yindustrial complex.
It does not have to be that
way. It would be great if the
LGBT media actually gave coverage to political par ties who
believe in LGBT rights. Is that
too idealistic?
So do you vote for a candidate who will definitely suppor t
LGBT rights or one who might?
Obama made many promises
he has not kept to our community and recently refused
to issue an Executive Order to
protect LGBT civil rights within
the federal government.
OK, he did end “don’t ask,
don’t tell” after a lot of yelling
and screaming, and he did loosen the rules for non-American
same-sex lovers of American
citizens. Yes, like Bill Clinton,
he feels our pain, but he has
not yet passed a LGBT civilrights bill or ended ENDA. Yet
in a second term he does not
have to do any of his promised
reforms. That leaves many hoping he will do “the right thing”
if elected – a rather dicey situation – though we know Romney
won’t give us the time of day.
So many will hold their nose
and vote for Obama. I say vote
for candidates who definitely
suppor t us.
—Shane Que Hee, via emailt
Correction
In a previous stor y repor ting on a San Diego LGBT Pride meeting, we incorrectly stated William Rodriguez-Kennedy’s position on the board was treasurer [see “San Diego Pride holds first
post-Pride meeting,” Vol. 3, Issue 17]. Rodriguez-Kennedy is the San Diego Pride board secretar y.
Stephen Whitburn was the board treasurer, and Zandro Palma will be taking Whitburn’s place as
treasurer. Rodriguez-Kennedy is now co-chair and will remain secretar y until the next meeting. t
PUBLISHER
David Mannis
(619) 961-1951
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING
SALES ASSISTANTS
Michael Burlaza
Andrea Goodchild
Marie Khris Pecjo
EDITOR
Anthony King
(619) 961-1952
[email protected]
Account ExecutiveS
Brennan MacLean
(619) 961-1957
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS
Allan Acevedo
Chris Azzopardi
Charlene Baldridge
Blake Beckcom
Gwen Beckcom
Max Disposti
Michael Kimmel
Cuauhtémoc Kish
Ian Morton
Margie M. Palmer
Jeff Praught
Frank Sabatini Jr.
Romeo San Vicente
Brian Snook
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Morgan M. Hurley
(619) 961-1960
[email protected]
ART DIRECTOR
Rebecah Corbin
(619) 961-1961
[email protected]
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Anulak Singphiphat
(619) 961-1961
Mike Rosensteel
(619) 961-1958
[email protected]
Deborah Vazquez
(619) 961-1956
[email protected]
Jennifer Muth
(619) 961-1963
[email protected]
ACCOUNTING
Denise Davidson
(619) 961-1962
[email protected]
My first Democratic National
Convention was in 1984, where
there were “some” gay and lesbian
delegates. If memory serves me
well, we had one meeting of the
Gay and Lesbian Caucus: San
Francisco’s gay and lesbian community held an evening welcoming
reception in a small restaurant, and
acting as hosts were Valerie Harper
and Judith Light.
That year, the DNC’s gay and
lesbian platform read “Gay Plank”
under “Chapter II, Justice, Dignity,
Opportunity – Introduction.” It
stated, “Government has a special
responsibility to those whom
society has historically prevented
from enjoying the benefits of full
citizenship for reasons of race, religion, sex, age, national origin and
ethnic heritage, sexual orientation,
or disability.”
So, 28 years later, the changes
are dramatic, to say the least. Just
read the LGBT platform for this
year and you’ll note support for
marriage equality and nondiscrimination legislation.
Compare that with the Republican Party’s platform this year,
which literally has a plank that
supports the anti-gay missions
to Africa: “Marriage is between
a man and woman,” with nothing regarding nondiscrimination or anything pro-civil rights.
They’re not in 1984; they literally
are stuck in the days of “Father
Knows Best”: the 1950s.
If you have any self-respect, you
know for whom you’re voting.
There’s a guessing game now:
will the Log Cabin Republicans
hold their heads high or show a
lack of self-respect by endorsing
the Romney-Ryan ticket? And now
that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has escaped
the confines of the GOP right-wing
base in Tampa, Fla., will he even
attempt to go to the middle or run
a base campaign?
What’s a base campaign,
you ask? It’s a campaign where
you play to your base, trying to
maximize and get out the vote in
your traditional base. In the case of
Republicans, and especially today’s
Republicans, that has become a
base of the conservative, religious
right wing and working-class white
men. For Democrats, it’s liberals,
unions and minorities.
This is the last kind of race that
Romney wanted to wage. Note the
way the Romney commercials have
turned to welfare and food stamps,
and then his “birther” remark earlier. Will he turn toward the middle
after Tampa has faded? It just
might be a tough turn to make.t
OPINIONS/LETTERS
Gay San Diego encourages letters to the
editor and guest editorials. Please email
both to [email protected]. Include phone
number and address for verification. We
reserve the right to edit letters and editorials
for brevity and accuracy. Letters should be
no longer than 350 words in length unless
approved by staff editors. Letters and
guest editorials do not necessarily reflect
the views of the publisher or staff.
SUBMISSIONS/NEWS TIPS
Press releases and story ideas are welcome.
Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas
to [email protected]. For breaking
news and investigative story ideas contact
the editor by phone or email.
DISTRIBUTION
GAY San Diego is distributed free, biweekly,
every other Friday. COPYRIGHT 2012.
All rights are reserved.
GAY
NEWS BRIEFS
LEATHER TITLE HOLDERS NAMED
AT ROMP SAN DIEGO
Representatives of ROMP
San Diego, the new San Diego
Leather Pride, said the Aug.
24 – 26 event turned out “fantastic.” The event, held at Live
Oak Springs in East County, had
over 100 attendees and was the
first year the Mr. and Ms. San
Diego Leather contests were
combined. Judging the contests
were Tom Dickerson, Naria
Jordan, Ruby Empress Ajax,
Hooker, Shann Carr, Eric Siglin
and tiger. New titleholders for
the coming year are Wish, as
Ms. San Diego Leather 2012,
and Aaron Duke, as Mr. San
Diego Leather 2012. Among
other awards given, Club Spirit
went to CCMC, Spirit of Leather
Pride went to Vonn Tramel and
Pig of the Party went to Annie.
ROMP representatives said the
event was a “huge success” and
they are already making plans
for next year’s event.
ASSEMBLY URGES POSTAL
SERVICE TO HONOR HARVEY
MILK
The California State Assembly adopted a resolution carried by Assemblymember Toni
Atkins requesting the United
States Postal Service to honor
slain civil-rights leader Harvey Milk with a postage stamp.
Called HR 41, the resolution
recognizes Milk’s accomplishments as a leader of the lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender
community. “A postage stamp
draws attention to important
people who may not be familiar
to all Americans,” Atkins said in
a press release. “Harvey Milk,
who gave his life because he
led the way for equality, is an
ideal choice for this honor.” The
campaign to honor Milk has
been led by several community
groups, including the Harvey
Milk Foundation, the International Court de San Diego Council and the GLBT Historic Task
Force of San Diego County.
DEMOCRATS FOR EQUALITY TO
CO-HOST SHIRLEY WEBER
FUNDRAISER
Representatives from San Diego Democrats for Equality will
be hosting a fundraiser for Assembly candidate Dr. Shirley Weber. The fundraiser is scheduled
for Sunday, Sept. 9 at the NOELBAZA Fine Art Gallery, located
at 2165 India St. in Little Italy.
Along with the LGBT Democrat
see Briefs, pg 18
GAY SAN
DIEGO
Business Improvement Association
3737 Fifth Ave. Suite 201
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 519-7775
www.gay-sd.com
news
gay-sd.com
From page 1
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
7
DeMaio (second from
left) helped raise the
Hillcrest Pride Flag
demaio
(Courtesy DeMaio campaign)
organized labor union agendas than to
issues of LGBT pride and equality.
GSD: What are some of the local
LGBT initiatives that you have supported?
CD: I have supported City Council
efforts to urge the repeal of “don’t
ask, don’t tell,” approve the Harvey
Milk street naming, and approve the
Hillcrest Pride Flag project. In addition, I supported the Equal Benefits
Ordinance and funding for our LGBT
community service groups.
GSD: Mayor Jerry Sanders has
been an outspoken leader on the issue
of marriage equality since publicly
changing his position while running
for re-election in 2007. Sanders, also a
Republican, changed his views despite
the potential backlash. It did not affect
him getting reelected. As a gay man,
will you be an outspoken leader on the
issue of marriage equality if elected the
mayor of San Diego?
CD: I support marriage equality –
and have been clear and consistent on
that as an elected official.
GSD: Mayor Sanders is also one
of the 200-plus mayors nationwide that
are part of the bipartisan Mayors for
the Freedom to Marry. If elected, will
you join this bipartisan group whether
or not you are outspoken on the issue?
CD: When I’m elected Mayor,
I will be one of the highest-ranking
LGBT officials in the nation – and the
highest-ranking Republican LGBT
official. While my focus will be on fiscal and economic reform here in San
Diego, I also recognize the opportunity
and obligation to serve as a role model
for the LGBT community. We’re currently evaluating several organizations
and efforts to define the best way for
me to serve as a role model.
GSD: What is your stance on
Proposition 8? If it eventually gets
repealed by the Superior Court, do
you think you would marry while in
public office?
CD: I oppose Prop 8 and always
have. My partner Johnathan [Hale]
and I have talked about our future
plans and we will make any decision
based on a timing that is right for us.
GSD: You marched proudly,
hand-in-hand with your partner during
the recent Pride Parade. Does being
openly gay cause you any problems
with your conservative supporters,
many of who are deemed by the general public as anti-gay? If so, how?
CD: With rare exception, it really
has not been much of an issue. Some
of my conservative supporters clearly
have different views on LGBT issues
than I do, but we respectfully agree to
disagree. My campaign is about fiscal
reform, restoring city services and infrastructure, and creating jobs. Those
issues are what unite us, and that’s
why they are supporting my candidacy
for mayor.
turn their backs during the parade, I
respect their viewpoints and feel that
they have the right to show their political feelings as they wish. Whether they
end up supporting me or not in the
upcoming election, I will still reach out
to them and listen to them as mayor, in
the hopes of finding common ground
on issues that can move our city
forward in the coming years.
GSD: Some in the local LGBT
community have been almost obsessive in their campaigns against you,
creating negative websites, booing you
at events and burning up social media.
A few recently organized a group to
“turn your back on DeMaio” at the
recent LGBT Pride parade, because
they say you have turned your back
on the community. How did this make
you feel? What would you like to say to
those who feel you have turned your
back on them?
GSD: The same group of people
tried to tie you – through your partner
– to the “lilygate” debacle, convincing your opponent to jump on the
bandwagon when he used the rumors
against you and even suggest your
partner’s actions were “criminal.” How
do you think this impacted the campaign positively and negatively?
CD: It really has not been a big
deal to me, particularly because we’re
talking about a small but vocal group.
Furthermore, their real issues have
nothing to do with LGBT concerns
and everything to do with opposing
my fiscal reforms to the unsustainable
city union contracts. Sadly, these individuals have more loyalty to organized
labor union agendas than to issues of
LGBT pride and equality.
GSD: During the Stonewall Rally
on the Friday of Pride weekend, directly under the pole that would soon
hold the large rainbow flag to fly year
round and a block away from Harvey
Milk Street, you stood on a platform
with people who have openly castigated you. Some say Pride is about
standing up for wrongs against the
LGBT community, and those who
chose to boo and turn their backs on
you say it was most appropriate to do
so at Pride. Others were upset about
the stance taken against you during
the Pride events, saying we should
put politics aside and celebrate our
LGBT accomplishments together.
How did you feel overall about what
transpired?
CD: I was just thrilled that we got
the Pride Flag Project and the street
renaming done. It was a historic moment on many levels, but mostly because we accomplished these projects
with relatively little opposition.
As for those who chose to boo and
CD: It was certainly a bizarre
move by my opponent to fabricate
a criminal accusation when the
facts so easily refuted [my partner].
Fortunately, the media took him to
task for his reckless actions. In the
end, it may be a positive development
because some of the same people
who fabricated that lie are the same
who accuse me of being anti-LGBT.
If the public looks at those claims as
they did the “lilygate” accusations,
they will find that my voting record
on equality issues is the exact same
as Todd Gloria’s and the claims of the
opponents are patently false.
GSD: You have repeatedly stated
you are running on a fiscal reform
platform and not addressing social
issues, but once you become mayor,
isn’t it true you will be called upon
often to speak to, or support, those
same social issues? How do you plan
to balance them?
CD: I’ll always take a balanced
approach. My top priority is fixing city
finances, restoring services, repairing
our roads and getting San Diegans
back to work with job creation. Obviously some social issues do come into
play even in city government, and
when they do I will step up and lead as
I consistently have in the past.
Editor’s note: for Part One of
SDCNN’s exclusive interview with
mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio,
pick up the September edition of
San Diego Downtown News [Vol.
13, Issue 9] or read it online, at
sandiegodowntownnews.com.t
Q PUZZLE
Gay-straight Alliance
Across
1 Org. for ending AIDS
6 Starting from
10 “Mamma Mia!” band
14 Sinister-looking Peter
15 Bear market order
16 Bruce or Laura/Dern
17 Start of advice to broken-hearted
lesbians and straight guys
20 Hudson Bay prov.
21 Broadway composer Jerome
22 Johnny Depp’s role as Jack Sparrow
23 ___ Alto, California
24 Heather’s two mommies, e.g.
25 One that reproduces without sex or
adoption
28 Fools
29 Where to see chaps in chaps
30 Popeye’s tooter
31 Nile biter
34 More of the advice
38 Composer Rorem
39 Related (to)
40 Shining example
41 Bar for both gay people and straight
43 In the recent past
44 Place for fresh men?
47 Tickled-pink feeling
48 Tennis star Mauresmo
49 Like phone sex
50 “Murder, ___ Meowed”
53 End of the advice
56 Big ones in porn films, sometimes
57 Encouraging words
58 Watts in King Kong’s hand
59 Not nutty as a fruitcake
60 Dick Tracy’s girlfriend Trueheart
61 Really feel for?
Gay-straight alliance solution on page 16
Down
1 Low-voiced lady
2 Attorney Roy
3 Singer Fure
4 City area, informally
5 Like a revealing blouse
6 Houston hurler
7 Assured, with “up”
8 Plug extension
9 Daily that features pics of zippers?
10 Is nuts over
11 Started up
12 Quarterback Favre
13 Stud stakes
18 Ward of “Once and Again”
19 Wear down
23 Be a voyeur, e.g.
24 Drop by unexpectedly
25 Second name in rock
26 Push a queen across a chessboard
27 Pigged out (on)
28 Small extremity
30 Tearoom possibility
31 On the ocean
32 Online exaggeration, perhaps
33 A fireman goes down on it
35 Got bitchy with
36 Like many monogamous couples
37 “Spamalot” writer Eric
41 Treat badly /Ill-use
42 “No” in Nuremberg
43 Wife of Buck’s Wang
44 Composer John, and others
45 Last letter from Socrates
46 Spill the beans
47 Whitman’s leaves
49 Crude material
50 “Beat it!”
51 Multipurpose plant
52 Ohio native
54 Optimist’s place for a cock?
55 Feathers adhesive
8
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
COMMUNITY VOICES
gay-sd.com
The DeMaio conundrum: supporting all methods of equality advancement 12 Steps for the rest of us, part two
a l l a n ac e v e d o
Political
Spectrum
A large portion of the mayor’s
race is a debate on who is best to
lead our city to financial stability and
future prosperity. Lately, however,
it has become an embittered fight
between larger-than-life personalities.
Carl DeMaio has been portrayed
as a traitor to the LGBT community because he does not engage in
the community organizing or the
conservative demonizing the left has
relied on to advance equality. He has
also openly accepted money from
donors who have backed anti-LGBT
initiatives and organizations.
While I disagree with these
donors on the issue of LGBT equality, I am sure people are not giving
money to DeMaio solely under the
guise that he does not support equality. People like Charles LiMandri,
Roger Hedgecock and Brian Caster
are surely giving DeMaio money
primarily because they support his
fiscal and economic policies, and are
looking beyond his sexual orientation
in deciding to support him.
Isn’t that what we’ve always
wanted, for conservatives to look
beyond our sexual orientation and
judge our worth based on experi-
ence, substance and character?
A few weeks ago, I ran into DeMaio at a community rally. While he
was waiting to speak, we caught up
on his race and I lamented the bitter
vitriol that has become a staple of
the race.
I reminded DeMaio he did not
have my vote, but that I appreciated
his running and standing up for his
views, however different they are
from my own. I told him I wished
more people focused on the policy
disagreements they had with candidates rather than relying heavily on
the candidates’ demographic and
personal characteristics.
During our conversation, I saw
something happen I would not have
believed unless I saw it for myself. A
self-described “right-leaning conservative Christian” came up to DeMaio,
shook his hand and told DeMaio he
was voting for him.
As the supporter walked away,
I reflected on the fact that this
social conservative looked beyond
DeMaio’s sexual orientation and
supported him because of his policy
beliefs on financial issues. This is the
exact individual the progressive left
has been outreaching to for years.
We have so far not been able to
change his views on LGBT individuals, but now DeMaio has garnered
this man’s vote and, by doing so, has
made sexual orientation a non-issue.
While DeMaio may not be standing on the pulpit demanding equal
rights for the LGBT community, he is
making an impact by asserting himself among individuals who would
likely not have given a LGBT person
a second thought beforehand. This is
a long way from supporting equality,
but it is a first step.
If DeMaio’s conservative politics
and specific avoidance of social
issues begins the process of opening
the hearts and minds of conservatives to the LGBT community, we
must recognize his tactics as a part of
a larger movement to assert our role
in the public spheres of society.
A movement for equality which
stresses uniformity of tactics does
itself a disservice by not allowing
for the individuality needed to reach
masses of people who have preformed opinions about a community
that is still fighting for representation.
DeMaio’s tactics may be subtle and
passive, but that alone does not give
credence to the argument that he is
a detriment to our community or our
movement for equality.
I may organize for equality in a
visible and collective manner while
DeMaio choses to simply allow for
his sexual orientation to serve as
a “de facto” argument for the irrelevance of one’s sexual orientation.
Neither one method will get us full
equality by itself. We must recognize
the equal and significant work to do
within conservative circles to open
minds to the idea that sexual orientation does not define what rights
we should be afforded.
Indeed, to define the proper ways
through which the fight for equality
should be handled defeats the very
spirit of the movement. The diversity
we are fighting for should also be
embraced by the tactics we engage
to arrive at the desired outcome.
I disagree with DeMaio on
many issues, but I am confident
both he and I would like LGBT
people to be treated as equal
citizens. I will not be voting for
DeMaio because I disagree with his
environmental record, his record
on labor and his belief in the proper
role of government: all issues that
look beyond his sexual orientation.
If we want conservatives to look
beyond our sexual orientation, we
need to also look beyond the sexual
orientation of those in our conservative LGBT community.
—Allan Acevedo is co-founder
and president emeritus of Stonewall
Young Democrats of San Diego. He
has worked on multiple political
campaigns and served on numerous
boards including the San Diego Democratic Club, California Young Democrats, Gay-Straight Alliant Network
and Equality California PAC. Follow
@allanacevedo on Twitter.t
M I C H A EL K I MMEL
LIFE BEYOND
THERAPY
In my last column I looked at the
first six of the famous 12 steps of recovery from addictive behavior. Since
most of us have some kind of addictive
or compulsive behavior, the 12 steps
can be useful for us all. Here is my
interpretation of the last six steps:
Step 7: Asking for help. Why can’t
we fix ourselves? Why can’t we use
our willpower and
push through our
obstacles? Unfortunately, none of
us can do it all on
our own.
The original
12 steps invoke
the help of a
Higher Power,
but if that doesn’t
work for you,
why not use
other forms of
assistance like
good friends, wise elders, psychotherapy, insightful books, workshops
or, perhaps, all of the above?
This step is about admitting that
we need help to change and, for some
of us, that is not so easy.
Step 8: Who have you harmed?
This step makes sense to almost
everyone; here’s the original wording:
“Made a list of all persons we had
harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all.”
I doubt that any of us get through
life without harming a lot of people.
We get scared, act badly, want revenge and enjoy feeling superior
because it hides our inferiority.
We manipulate people because
we’re afraid to confront them directly.
It’s easy to harm people, but not so
easy to own up to it.
Step 9: Making amends. This
is the action part of the eighth step.
Once you realize who you’ve messed
with, lied to, hurt or deceived, now
you get to own it and apologize.
For most of us, this is really hard.
It is incredibly humbling, and yet
incredibly freeing to make amends.
You are wiping the slate clean.
This doesn’t mean that the person
you’re apologizing to is going to forgive you, or even want to speak with
you. A happy ending is optional. The
joy comes from your internal freedom
at cleaning up your old messes.
Step 10: Continue to take a
personal inventory and admit when
you are wrong. If the world operated on this level of self-awareness
and honesty, it would be quite a
wonderful place.
To me, a personal inventory
means being self-aware: watching
myself, questioning my motivation
for doing things, being cognizant of
my thoughts,
choosing to
create peace
over war and
consciously
choosing to
forgive when
it’s much easier
to judge and
punish myself
and others.
Step 11:
Thinking differently. Wouldn’t
it be great to be
able to go out and buy a new mind or
update it like you do your smartphone? In a way, you can.
This step is about updating your
cognitive “software” through a spiritual
revolution. The original step focuses
on prayer to God and meditation, but
even atheists can be quiet, listen to
their intuitive self and meditate.
It’s about being still and listening,
not talking or taking action. It’s about
quiet time: time spent in nature or
around animals, reading something
that makes you think, and allowing
other people to inspire you.
Step 12: Giving back. When you
learn something new, don’t you want
to share it with people you love?
As a farm boy in Ohio, I remember one of my grandma’s friends
saying, “You can’t get to heaven on
your own; you got to take someone
with you.”
As a community, we grow and
move together. We’re all connected.
When you prosper, it paves the way for
me to do the same. When you have a
wonderful relationship, it shows the
rest of us that we can have one too.
The 12 steps have, historically,
been helpful to millions of people all
over the globe. Many people have gotten hung up on the higher power part.
Don’t.
Take the essence of the steps and
put them to use in your own life. The
steps offer a simple and effective system of personal growth and change.
And don’t feel you need to have
some big, dramatic addiction for them
to be useful. Whether you notice
unhelpful behavior relating to sex or
shopping, eating too much or spending too many hours at your job, give
the steps a try and see what happens.
“We’re all
connected.
When you prosper, it paves the
way for me to do the same.
When you have a wonderful
relationship, it shows the rest of
us that we can have one too.”
—Michael Kimmel is a licensed
psychotherapist who specializes in helping LGBT clients achieve their goals
and deal with anxiety, depression, grief,
sexually addictive behavior, coming out,
relationship challenges and homophobia. Contact him at 619-955-3311 or
visit lifebeyondtherapy.com.t
gay-sd.com
Friday, Sept. 7
VISIONARY DANCE: La Mesa dance company,
Visionar y Dance, invites you to their fall dance
concer t, “Provocation & Divulgence,” staged for two
days only star ting tonight. Produced with LaDiego
Dance Theatre, the show features a myriad of guest
choreographers and dancers. The shows (tonight
and tomorrow, Sept. 8) star t at 7 p.m. at the 10th
Avenue Theatre, 930 10th Ave. in Downtown. Tickets
are $12 (presale) and $16.50 (door). For more information and tickets visit visionar ydancetheatre.org or
call 619-758-8112.
Calendar
Wednesday, Sept. 12
SUNSET BOULEVARD: FilmOut San Diego’s
latest monthly film is “Sunset Boulevard,” the classic, Academy Award-winning show starring Gloria
Swanson and William Holden. It’s “tragic destiny” at
it’s best. The movie screens at the Birch North Park
Theatre, 2891 University Ave., at 7 p.m. Tickets are
$10 and can be purchased at filmoutsandiego.com.
Thursday, Sept. 13
Saturday, Sept. 8
MONTE CARLO AFTER PAR TY: Booze, beats
and bets are in store for this year’s Museum of
Contemporar y Ar t San Diego gala after par ty, held
in La Jolla from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Yes, it’s an after
par ty for their gala, but it’s an event in and of itself.
Held at the museum, the space will be transformed
into a film-inspired feast for the senses: premium
cocktails, charity gambling tables and an assor tment of snacks. Did I mention there was an “Adults
Only” galler y, showing advant garde film with an
adult twist? Tickets are $100 (members) and $150
(general). The museum is located at 700 Prospect
St. in La Jolla. For more information visit mcasd.org
or call 858-454-3541.
STRUT FOR SOBRIETY: Fashion! Awards!
Luncheon! All benefitting a New PATH (Parents for
Addiction Treatment and Healing). It’s their eighth
annual, and Chuck Negron (of Three Dog Night) will
chair. Tickets for the 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. event start at
$85. Held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina,
1380 Harbor Island Dr., for more information email
[email protected] or call 619-670-1184.
Sunday, Sept. 9
INVASION!: This one-day, two-per formance
production called “Invasion!” is an “intergalactic
radio-play fundraiser” featuring the always-fun Circle
Circle dot dot theater troupe. In conjunction with
Jabe Productions, the show is a presentation of six
radio plays about “aliens, robots and outer space,” or
sci-fi classics from the golden age of radio. Proceeds
will fund the upcoming season for the companies.
Two shows will be staged at ion theatre, 3704 Sixth
Ave. Tickets are $15 for the 2 p.m. showing and $20
for the 7 p.m. show, which includes a post-show
reception. For more information and tickets visit
circle2dot2.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 11
KEVIN BEISER & GSDBA: The Greater San
Diego Business Association will be hosting Unified
School District board member Kevin Beiser at this
month’s professional luncheon series event. Beiser
will be speaking about the district’s efforts to reduce
bullying in schools. The lunch, from 11:30 a.m. – 1
p.m., will be at Wang’s North Park, 3029 University
Ave. Tickets are $25 (online) and $35 (at the door),
which include lunch. For more information and to
purchase tickets visit gsdba.org.
TOWN COUNCIL MONTHLY: Get involved with
the community at the Hillcrest Town Council monthly
meeting, held at the Joyce Beers Community Center,
1230 Cleveland Ave. The meeting is from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
For more information visit hillcresttowncouncil.com.
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
9
from scratch.” Curated by Chris Tr ueman, the exhibition draws a parallel between the film “The Cool
School” with the burgeoning San Diego ar t scene.
Ar t-market followers will love it, with the space
devoted to the exhibit through Sept. 30. White Box
is located at 1040 Seventh Ave. in Downtown. For
more information visit whiteboxcontemporar y.com
or call 619-531-8996.
MONTAGE RETURNS: Michael Mack brings
San Diego’s Club Montage back with the Montage
Reunion at Spin Nightclub. The Montage Reunion
launches the new, monthly par ties at Spin, taking
place ever y third Saturday of the month. They say
the less clothing, the better (which isn’t actually
always the case). Per forming tonight is Debby
Holiday, and the night runs from 9 p.m. – 4 a.m. Spin
is located at 2028 Hancock St. For more information
visit michaelmackpresents.com.
Sunday, Sept. 16
Teddy Margas (Courtesy Laugh Out Proud)
TEDDY MARGAS: Laugh Out Proud is back with
their September show, featuring headliner Teddy
Margas. Margas is a comedian and actor who has performed across the States, including the Comedy Store,
Laugh Factor y and The Improv. Co-founder of the
Queers of Comedy, Margas is currently starring in an
all-male stage production of Mer yl Streep monologues
called “Streep Tease.” I absolutely hope he does some
at this show, held at Martinis Above Fourth. The show
begins at 8 p.m. and will also include Sean Wherley,
Bijan Mostafavi, Lauren Holiday and Sarah Burford.
Wherley and Burford created Laugh Out Proud to
showcase the region’s top LGBT and allied comedians
in a safe environment for the community. Doors open
at 6 p.m. at Martinis, located at 3940 Fourth Ave., and
tickets are $5. Purchase your tickets at the door or at
martinisabovefourth.com.
Saturday, Sept. 15
COASTAL CLEANUP: I Love A Clean San Diego
(awesome organization) is hosting their 28th annual
Coastal Cleanup Day, the largest single-day volunteer event in San Diego dedicated to environmental
protection. There will be over 8,000 volunteers at
over 85 sites, including Juniper Canyon in Golden
Hill, Marston Canyon in Hillcrest and Buchanan
Canyon in University Heights. The cleanup event is
from 9 a.m. – noon; bring work gloves, buckets and
canteens. For more information, including other sites
and registration, visit cleanupday.org or cleansd.org.
NEW COOL SCHOOL: Held at the White Box
Contemporar y galler y space, par t of the Alexander
Salazar Fine Ar t group, tonight is the opening reception of “New Cool School: Building an ar t Scene
UNI HEIGHTS AR TS OPEN: Celebrate Uni
Heights with the UH Ar ts Open and Taste of University Heights, now in its seventh year. The Ar ts Open
is a free event, taking place from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Head to the information booth at 4610 Park Blvd. to
get a map of par ticipating studios and a per formance
schedule. The Taste of the Heights is from noon – 3
p.m., with over 17 restaurants par ticipating. Limited ticket sales are on sale now ($20 advance) or at
the event ($25 day of). For more information about
Ar ts Open visit uhar ts.org or call 619-508-4075. The
Taste? Visit uhcdc.org or 619-297-3166.
RESTAURANT WEEK: It’s that time of year
again, where the San Diego Restaurant Week takes
over our eateries and hot spots. With over 180
par ticipating restaurants of fering pix-fixe menus all
week long, food lovers will have plenty to keep their
tummies full (tip: call and make reser vations). For a
complete list of restaurants, visit sandiegorestaurantweek.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 18
SUMMER STERNWHEELER CRUISE: Join
the Greater San Diego Business Association for
their end-of-summer bay cr uise mixer on the
William D. Evans Sternwheeler. Boarding star ts
promptly at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 – 8 p.m. cr uise.
Included in the $10 (members) and $25 (guests)
tickets will be food, drinks and music. The Sternwheeler is located at the Bahia Resor t Hotel, 998 W.
Mission Bay Dr. Tickets for the 21 and over event
can be purchased at gsdba.org.
Thursday, Sept. 20
PEP RALLY 2012: The San Diego chapter of
the Trevor Project is celebrating with the four th
anniversar y of their mega-fundraiser, the Pep Rally
for Trevor. Enter tainment includes special guests
Angelo D’Agostino; Shawn Pelofsky; Culture Schock
Dance; San Diego State Cheer, Dance and Drum
Line; Britney Gale; Dave Booda; Chad Michaels;
and Katy Young. The event is happening at Mar tinis
Above Four th, 3940 Four th Ave., with a three-course
meal included. Doors open at 6 p.m. and there will be
a silent auction too. Tickets star t at $60 with options
for tables of two ($120) or four ($240). For more information or to purchase tickets visit facebook.com/
sdambassadors.t
10
feature
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
Coming of age with
‘Pippin’
Diversionary Theatre brings
back James Vasquez to stage
their ‘biggest tech show’ yet
By Charlene Baldridge | GSD Reporter
“We’re having a blast putting
our crazy show together,” said
director James Vasquez. The show
is Stephen Schwartz’s classic 1972
musical, “Pippin,” which takes over
Diversionary Theatre Sept. 6 for a
five-week run.
The hot young director in town,
Vasquez recently staged Diversionary’s world-premiere hit, “Harmony,
Kansas.” Since 2003, he has helmed
The Old Globe’s “Dr. Seuss’ How the
Grinch Stole Christmas,” with other
Globe credits that include “The
Rocky Horror Show,” “Emma” – as
associate director – and “BoeingBoeing.” He received the Craig Noel
San Diego Critics Circle Award for
his co-direction of Cygnet’s “Sweeney Todd,” proving he has an ear
for song and a heart for humankind,
which makes him the perfect shepherd for the elusive “Pippin.”
Schwartz is author of the phenomenal hit musical, “Wicked,” yet
“Pippin” began as a student production when Schwartz was in college.
The original piece was directed and
choreographed by Bob Fosse, and
starred Ben Vereen as the manipula-
tive Leading Player, who guides or
pushes – depending upon perspective – the title character through his
picaresque search for adulthood.
In Roger O. Hirson’s book,
Pippin is the gauche eldest son of
the mythical King Charlemagne,
who is wed to Fastrada (played by
Luke Jacobs), who prefers that her
son, Lewis, inherit the throne. “She”
makes Pippin’s life miserable.
Vasquez calls “Pippin” a
universal coming-of-age story with
appeal for everyone. “We reach
these points in our lives – whether
at 20 or 30 or 50 – where we have to
rediscover who we are, reconfigure
and accept,” he said.
Pippin (Louis Pardo) discovers
that he is not cut out for military life,
decides that someone as extraordinary as he needs to discover
something extraordinary to do with
his life. Hence, the quest, which
acquaints him with love, reacquaints
him with his grandmother and allows him to accept himself.
Though Vasquez intends to be
faithful to the score and the script
– the official one sanctioned by
Schwartz – he said he “dirties it up a
bit” with numerous gender switches
(l to r) Courtney Corey, Wendy Maples, Andy Collins, Luke H. Jacobs, Tony Houck, Megan Carmitchel, Louis
Pardo and Hunter Schwarz in Diversionary’s “Pippin” (Photo by Ana Pines)
and modern elements, like social
media and extreme voyeurism.
“It’s the idea of reality television,”
Vasquez said, “and how obsessed
we are as a society with everybody
else’s business.”
It seemed natural that Vasquez’s
gender bending include the casting
of Courtney Corey as the Leading
Player. The two first met 15 years
ago in a Welk Theatre production of
“No, No, Nanette.” Corey was a protégée of the late, great Priscilla Allen
at San Diego School of Creative and
Performing Arts. She also attended
San Diego State University, and
from there, moved into the Broad-
way touring companies of “Rent”
and “Wicked.” San Diegans know
her from her recent performances
in North Coast Rep’s “Lend me a
Tenor” and San Diego Rep’s “The
Great American Trailer Musical.”
In an update just prior to technical rehearsals at Diversionary,
Vasquez said working with Corey
again is a good for the production.
Calling “Pippin” a “big show,” he
also said it was challenging; yet a
challenge he is able to meet with the
constant support Diversionary has
given the team.
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have you discovered about Pippin –
the show and character – that you
didn’t know before?
James Vasquez: It’s a big
show. Boy oh boy, is it a big show,
and we’re doing it with a cast of only
8, intentionally. There have been
challenges in making that work
… but within those challenges we’ve
discovered some fun ways of storytelling, forcing us and our audience
to really think outside of the box and
take this journey.
We set out to tell “Pippin” in our
voice, and every day we find more
relevance to our modern times. It’s
really quite a brilliant script in that
way. It’s so specific to a certain time,
but is full of such universal themes
that we’ve found it really easy to relate to each in our own personal way.
Not speaking for every production of “Pippin” out there, but certainly the ones I’ve seen, the role of
Pippin has always been played as a
weak, dreamy-eyed guy. Thankfully,
that’s not Louis Pardo’s personality at all. He has a confident and
outgoing presence and isn’t afraid of
falling down and getting back up to
start over.
I think that’s what we’ve really
discovered about our Pippin. He
knows there’s a place for him somewhere in this world, but keeps bumping up against gigantic walls. He
could turn around and quit, or fight
to get over that [next] wall. He may
not like what’s on the other side, but
he’s determined to find out.
see Pippin, pg 11
feature/news
gay-sd.com
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
11
From page 1
allEgiance
Louis Pardo (Courtesy Diversionary)
From page 10
pippin
CB: What have you discovered
about Courtney [Corey] that you
never dreamed?
JV: Courtney surprises and
teaches us something new everyday. She comes to us with such a
strong background and resume, and
is so willing to play and try things,
proving herself a real role model. It’s
been fun to watch her create the
role of Leading Player in such a way
that she’s become much more than
just our tour guide or emcee for the
evening. Her character is flawed and
struggles to maintain total control,
leaving us to wonder whether she’s
fighting for the good guys or the bad.
CB: And what of Schwartz? Have
you been in contact with him?
JV: I have many direct sources
to Mr. Schwartz, but we’ve yet to
reach out to him. It’s been fun figuring it out for ourselves, finding our
“Pippin” and what it means to us in
the here and now. I hope he’ll come
see it, though.
CB: What shed the most light on
the project?
JV: Well, certainly the modern
and totally invasive world we live in,
but even more so, my fantastic cast
and production team. I always come
into a project with very strong and
specific ideas, and lay out a road
map, but [also] make sure that I
leave some brain space for what the
rest of [the] ensemble has to bring
to the table. The energy my actors
bring can’t help but influence decisions about the storytelling. Charlie Reuter, our music director, is so smart and enthusiastic
in his approach. He’s found a way
to be faithful to Mr. Schwartz’s
original score, but always allows
the individual to put their own voice
to it. Annette Ye, who is co-choreographing with me, brings a real
modern-movement language to the
piece that has also been extremely
informative in creating our world. And then you add Sean Fanning’s set, Shirley Pierson’s
costumes and Kevin Anthenill’s
sound and video work into the
mix! They’ve been great in supporting my crazy ideas, bringing their
own crazy ideas to the table and
inspiring me to think even more
outside of the box.
CB: Now that you’re upon techs,
how do you feel about your choices
and would you do it all again?
JV: Yes, of course. Yes. We’ve
still got a few days in the rehearsal
room, and there are definitely a lot
of unknowns tech-wise. I think this
may be the biggest tech show Diversionary has ever done, as a matter
of fact. We’re incorporating some
elements that haven’t been seen on
that stage before, so it’s risky. But
I think we all feel passionate about
Courtney Corey (Courtesy Diversionary)
these ideas and what they add to the
story we’re trying to tell. You know, it’s a gamble taking a
show so widely known and re-imagining it. You hope that audiences
respond positively. But, I know we’re
all beyond grateful for the creative
freedom Bret [Young] and John [Alexander of Diversionary] have given
us. They occasionally give us funny
and confused looks, but then they
say, ‘Let’s give it a try.’ As artists,
you can’t ask for much more.
“Pippin” plays Sept. 6 through
Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. (Thursdays
through Saturdays) and 2 p.m. (Sundays), with special performances
at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12
and Monday, Sept. 24. Diversionary
Theatre is located at 4545 Park Blvd.
For more information or to purchase
tickets, visit diversionary.org or call
619-220-0097.t
very small, the Asian-acting community is even smaller.
“The whole project has been
a wonderful reunion for me, with
other Asian actors that I’ve worked
with before,” he said.
Leung and Salonga first worked
together in 2002, on one of Leung’s
first forays on Broadway. “There’s
no need to develop chemistry
because ever since we met during
‘Flower Drum Song,’ I’ve always
viewed her as a big sister, as a
member of my Broadway family, as
a mentor [and] as somebody that
inspires me,” Leung said.
Salonga, who won a Tony
Award for her work in “Miss
Saigon,” is also well known for
being the first Asian actor to play
Eponine in “Les Misérables” on
Broadway and was the singing
voice of Mulan in Disney’s animated feature of the same name.
“As a kid, watching Lea accept her Tony on television was
so inspiring,” Leung said. “I was
one of many Asian people of my
generation that, because she won
a Tony, [was] inspired to become a
performer.”
Born and raised in New York
City, Leung said that to prepare for
his role as Sammy Kimura in “Allegiance,” he did a lot of research
on the history of the camps. The
Telly Leung (Courtesy Telly Leung)
process lead him to realize much of
the sentiment of that time – racism,
hatred and fear – had been replayed
during a time he remembers well:
immediately following 9/11.
“We’re trying to find something
as close to [the internment] as
possible to attach to, [and] we all
remember 9/11 and the feeling of
fear,” he said. “Fear comes from
… what’s different. If we focus on
what’s similar, that the key.”
Leung, who has a regular
appearance on “Glee” as Wes, one
of the Dalton Academy Warblers,
said both “Allegiance” and the Fox
TV show are good examples of art
shedding light on people who do
not usually get the spotlight. Leung
also linked his professional work
to fighting for equality, including
LGBT rights.
“This is why we are proud to
be American in the first place,”
Leung said. “We do strive for
those ideals and we believe that,
at some point, if we strive hard
enough, they can exist.”
There are several special
events in conjunction with the
Old Globe production, including
an art installation called “The
Tag Project” and a museum
exhibition drawing attention to
different perspectives from the
internment period.
On Sept. 20, the Old Globe
will be hosing their regular LGBT-focused “Out at the Globe”
night before that evening’s
show. For complete information
and to purchase tickets for the
run, visit theoldglobe.org or call
619-234-5623. t
12
dining
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
gay-sd.com
DINING WITH
FRANK SABATINI JR.
Mandarin House has been
around for 33 years, though it feels
much older as you glide across her
wooly rose-print carpeting before
settling into what might be San Diego’s only windowless dining room.
With ample seating, the restaurant
remains a Bankers Hill icon to
Chinese food as we knew it before
trendy franchises started folding
minced chicken and mushrooms
into lettuce leaves.
There are no lettuce wraps at
Mandarin House. Nor will you find
any dinner salads for that matter.
Instead, people flock here for the
Szechwan-Mandarin classics that
include sweet-and-sour chicken,
ginger-kissed Imperial shrimp and
barbequed pork with snow peas.
Precede your meal with a showy
cocktail like the “flaming volcano,”
served in a kitschy ceramic urn
with a well of fire in the middle,
Cubes of tofu in Yu-Hsiang sauce
(Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
and the drink’s cherry brandy and
151 Proof Rum will send you wobbling backwards in time.
From a rambling menu of
pedestrian favorites, Mandarin’s
Kung Pao sauce has lured me
consistently because of its deepscarlet color achieved from chilies
and red bell peppers. The brownish versions at other places taste
saltier, as they usually contain
heavier doses of soy sauce. Here,
the pureed peppers combined also
with scallions and possibly a touch
of sweet hoisin sauce, coddles the
mouth with a longer finish that is
both spicy and fruity.
In a recent visit with three
companions, the
hungriest in
our group
started
out
with
an order of fried chicken livers
spanning over the entire plate.
The livers were unadorned, although glistening and tender. For
only $4.95, the portion resembled
the size of an entrée.
A couple bowls of hot-and-sour
soup had also arrived, with the
veggie-spiked broth verging more
toward sour. The Asian peppercorns that normally furnish the
kick seemed scarce in this batch.
Regarding the egg rolls, I strongly
prefer Mandarin’s meatless version. Their casings are flakier and
lighter compared to the chewier
and thicker rolls filled with a combination of pork, beef and shrimp.
The vegetarian in our
crew ordered yuHsiang bean
curd, an
entrée
featur-
Mild-tasting hot and sour soup
(Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
2604 Fifth Ave. (Bankers Hill)
619-232-1101
Dinner prices: Appetizers and
soups, $4.50 to $8.50; entrees
and specials, $9.95 to $26.95.
ing large cubes of semi-wet tofu
draped in a vinegar-based garlic
sauce. The dish can be ordered
also with eggplant or shrimp, the
latter of which I remember fondly
in a previous visit.
Another friend couldn’t resist
his go-to crispy beef, served
in a “hot and spicy” sauce that
isn’t actually so fiery unless you
dribble chili oil over it. The recipe
is resistant to change, adhering
A generous portion of Kung Pao chicken
(Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
to matchstick cuts of flank steak
dusted lightly in flour and then
fried before they are tossed in
palm sugar, soy sauce, garlic and
hot peppers. Chopped celery and
carrots strewn throughout the dish
add texture and sweetness.
Another hot seller is Mandarin’s lo mein, a hefty piling of
wok-fried wheat noodles that we
ordered with chicken. The dish was
mildly smoky, as it should be, and
incorporated ribbons of cabbage
for crunchiness. If you prefer chow
mein instead (low mein’s crispy
cousin), it’s available as either a
side order or in a chicken entree.
From the chef’s list of
specials, we find the classics
that long ago represented adventurous Asian-inspired dining:
Walnut shrimp, orange beef and
“bird nests” harboring seafood
and chicken. While such dishes
have become clichés to seasoned
diners, I credit restaurants like
Mandarin for exposing them to
today’s generation of fast-food
knockoffs. These are recipes that
still require a chef’s touch, and
without taking shortcuts through
pre-made sauces.
The specials also feature “salt
pepper chicken,” which seems more
suitable as an appetizer since it
merely involves thin pieces of breast
meat battered in seasoned flour. It’s
a snacky dish that pairs ideally to a
bottle of light, cold Tsingtao beer.
For even fancier feasts, Mandarin serves whole crispy ducks accompanied by paper-thin pancakes.
The big-breasted fowl come from
Long Island, where they are known
to eat as much as is put before
them. Fine-dining restaurants
throughout New York City often
use this breed.
Mandarin House is open on
most holidays, providing ample
space for large groups that would
rather dine out than dirty their
home kitchens. Special dinner packages tailored for two-to-six people
range between $28.75 and $105.t
gay-sd.com
dining
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
13
FRANK SABATINI JR.
A mechanical bull is on tap at The Range’s new location, which debuted Sunday, Sept. 2 with a bottomless mimosa brunch in the space that formerly housed Eden restaurant. Since remodeling recently began,
much of the reclaimed wood that covered The Range’s façade at its original address across the street now
hangs prominently inside the unfinished dining room. Manager Arlin Gold said the blueprint will extend
to additional seating and a mechanical bull going into the adjoining space where Ciro’s Pizzeria operated.
The move to 1220 University Ave., she said, gives the chefs a kitchen that is triple in size, with the promise
of an expanded menu coming eventually.
“We’ve gone from a Mini Cooper to a Hummer,” Gold said.
The ownership, which includes Downtown nightclub proprietor David Schiffman and married gay couple
Rob Lane and Jay Taylor, also took over the adjacent Eden nightclub and its courtyard patio. The club’s name
will soon be determined through community feedback and the property will operate on weekends during construction. For updates, follow the chatter via The Range’s web site, therangesd.com, or call 619-269-1222.
Look for more changes coming to Inn at the Park, formerly
known as Park Manor Suites
until Shell Vacations Hospitality took over the historic hotel
property last year. At the seventhfloor Top of the Park, new patio
furniture is expected to compliment the venue’s interior renovations, which have included fresh
carpeting, a neutral paint job and
Art Deco nuances. The popular
rooftop happy hour on Fridays (5
to 10 p.m.) will remain in place,
although consumer demand
will dictate whether the Sundayafternoon tea dances (1 to 8 p.m.)
that started in May will continue
beyond Oct. 1. Breakfast service
is also planned for the top floor,
where weekday lunch continues
amid sweeping city views. For
both the Top of the Park and the
remodeled ground-floor restaurant, now called 525, Chef Tony
Wilhelm is putting the finishing
touches on a fall menu that will
coincide with San Diego Restaurant Week, Sept. 16 through 21.
525 Spruce St., 619-291-0999.
The local culinary scene is highlighted in a
new book. (Courtesy Globe Pequot Press)
The Range replaces Eden restaurant and offers weekend brunch during
the remodeling phase. (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
Food writer and blogger Maria
Desiderata Montana has authored
a comprehensive book about our
restaurants, food festivals and farmers markets in “Food Lovers’ Guide
to San Diego,” published by Globe
Pequot Press. The 383-page paperback also covers specialty stores,
cooking schools and landmark
kitchens from nearly ever y corner of
the county, along with breweries and
favorite watering holes. In addition,
she devotes a chapter to recipes from
her personal collection as well as a
few by local, well-known chefs that
include Dungeness crab salad from
Patrick Ponsaty of Mistral and star
anise pot de crème from Bernard
Guillas of The Marine Room. The
book sells for $14.95.
Chef Paul McCabe returns in the Chef Showdown
on Sept. 13. (Courtesy Center for Community Solutions)
The theatrical, outdoor Chef Showdown returns for its eighth year from 6 to 9 p.m., Sept. 13, at the NTC Promenade in Point Loma’s
Liberty Station. Hosted by television personality Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien the event brings together a dozen top San Diego chefs
divided into two teams as they cook various dishes from secret ingredients unveiled at the start of the competition. This year’s toques
include Joe Magnanelli from Cucina Urbana; Matt Gordon of Urban Solace; Hanis Cavin of Carnitas Snack Shack, Augie Saucedo of
Donovan’s Prime Seafood and Paul McCabe of Delicias. Tickets are $125, which includes food and drink samplings from more than 25
restaurants. Proceeds benefit the Center for Community Solutions, a non-profit that assists men, women and children affected by sexual
assault and domestic violence. For tickets and details, call 858-272-5777, ext. 120.t
14
theater
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
CuauhtÉmoc Kish
gay-sd.com
THEATER REVIEW
ion’s seventh season begins with a scare
‘The Filmmaker’s Mystery’ and ‘Ghost Children’ tackle death and forgiveness with focused directing
“The
Mystery
Plays”
Through Sept 15
ion theatre
Thur & Fri 8 p.m.
Sat 4 & 8 p.m.
619-600-5020
iontheatre.com
(l to r) Ethan Tapley and Bejamin Cole
Nick Kennedy and Gemma Grey
(Courtesy ion theatre)
i
on theatre begins its
seventh season with a
pair of chilling one-acts
by Rober to AguirreSacasa, the playwright who also
penned comic-book material
for “Nightcrawler” and “SpiderMan,” as well as the television
drama “Big Love.”
(Courtesy ion theatre)
His two one-acts, “The Filmmaker’s Myster y” and “Ghost
Children,” are linked with a
framing device in the form of a
“Myster y Man,” played by John
Polak, who introduces both
plays in an overly dramatic, Rod
Sterling kind of way. These two
plays are not unlike the medi-
eval myster y plays that speak of
death, afterlife and forgiveness.
In the first play, gay filmmaker
Joe (affably played by Ethan
Tapley) survives a train wreck
and is followed by the ghost of
Nathan West (played charmingly
by Benjamin Cole), one of 57 passengers who were killed in the
same horrendous, fiery explosion.
The tonal atmosphere meanders
throughout this lesser play, becoming unintentionally cartoonish,
while the creepy ending – along
with a reference about a “Sin
Eater” – is pure tabloid fodder.
The second stor y, “Ghost
Children,” addresses forgiveness. Abby (played by an alwaysengaged Gemma Grey) flies to
Medford, Oregon, after a long
separation from her brother Ben
(played by Nick Kennedy). He’s
incarcerated and up for another
parole hearing, after having
killed their parents and younger
sister some 16 years ago.
Abby walks back into memories
from their shared past by revisiting
their home and the events that led
up to the killings. Both Grey and
Kennedy do fine nuanced work,
moving from the present to the
past, and back to the present again
with ease. This re-visitation allows
for a whole new perspective on this
family tragedy; Abby’s guilt in the
killings is laid bare.
The cast has assignments in
both of the one-act plays. Sherri
Allen lightens each with multiple
comedic roles as Joe’s agent and
mother, among others. Cole is captivatingly as Nathan, while Tapley
shows promise in his portrayal as
Joe. Polak is convincing and on-target in all three of his assignments,
especially as the local sheriff.
Glenn Paris succeeds as director, elevating the playwright’s
stor y and balancing the uneven
tonal quality as best he can. Claudio Raygoza’s images projected
on the stage allow for a moving
train and a walk-through visit to
the Medford crime scene. James
Dirks’ sound design provides for
the right amount of tension, and
Karin Filijan’s lighting adds to
the dark mood of the production.
Both plays entertain on many
levels. And while the writing is
lacking in first, “The Filmmaker’s
Myster y,” the focused directing
and competent acting skills of the
cast make for a fine evening at
ion’s black box theatre.t
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
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15
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Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the
above classifieds. Determining the value of
their service or product is advised by this
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employment but rather supply the readers
with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish
mail order selling and other businesses at
home. Under NO circumstance should you
send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card
numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to
guarantee loans regardless of credit and
note that if a credit repair company does
business only over the phone it is illegal to
request any
money before
delivering
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All funds are
based in US
dollars. Toll
free numbers
may or may
not reach
Canada.
16
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
ATTORNEYS
business & professional directory
COASTAL SAGE
home
gay-sd.com
massage
GARDENING
Garden Design
& Maintenance
Plumbing
& Drain
Ca. Contractor License #920677
COMMERICAL
RESIDENTIAL
SERVICE
Garden • Shop
Classes • Services
Scott Haugum
(619) 414-8507
3685 Voltaire St. San Diego
Lic.# CA863945
619.223.5229 • coastalsage.com
payroll
REAL ESTATE
Troy Curnett
RESIDENTIAL + COMMERCIAL
Richard Osborn
REALTOR ® - Broker
My business depends
on referrals. Thanks for
thinking of me.
(619) 269-9930
New Work
Old Work
Upgrades
license #923896
OzElectricSD.com
(619) 857-8769
OneMissionRealty.com
DRE # 01343230
IT SERVICES
Wood WORKING
H R Tactics
plumbing
Strategic Planning, Tactical Training
Joe Whitaker operates H.R. Tactics,
a full-service human resource consulting firm in Mission Hills, providing a
broad range of human resource support,
products and solutions for small to midsized companies with fees designed
to put affordable human resources in
reach. He can be contacted at 804-4551
or e-mail at [email protected].
Serving Uptown
for 15 years.
Steve Fox Plumbing
619.804.4551
• Leaky faucets
• Water leaks
• Backed up drain
• Gas leaks and more…
We fixc
302 Washington St., Suite 112
San Diego, CA 92103
FITNESS
Interior Plaster/Drywall Repairs
All Work
Guaranteed
30+ Years Experience
Lic. # 694956
Repairs • Lath & Plaster
Re-Stucco • Custom Work
Clean • Reliable • Reasonable
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Visit us on
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Sept.
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Pick Up our
Next Issue
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Email: [email protected]
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619-955-3311
www.lifebeyondtherapy.com
GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE, from pg. 7
D’arlex
619-846-2734 Cell
619- 265-9294
G
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5100 Marlborough Drive
San Diego, CA 92116
S
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Author of
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Therapy” in
Gay San
Diego
Re-Stucco
Specialists
LIC# 789831
G
AY
Michael Kimmel
Psychotherapist
www.sdcnn.com
619-286-6325
Landscaping
HEALTH
Ozone – or O3 – is Mother Nature’s purifier and disinfectant. The “3” stands for the three, chemically linked oxygen
atoms that compose ozone. Normal oxygen we breathe (i.e.,
O2) is only made up of two oxygen atoms. In nature, ozone is
created by ultraviolet light and lightning, but the ozone layer
itself has a high concentration of these atoms and it protects
us from the sun’s ultra violet rays.
Ozone is also a powerful antioxidant, so it can be used to
kill germs and bacteria to purify water. One of its three atoms
has a weaker hold on the other two, and that atom transfers
electrons with other organic substances, such as bacteria
and viruses, thereby sanitizing both your clothes and other
articles, as well as sanitizing the washing machine, itself.
At The Laundry Room, ozone is created inside our ozone
generator and is sent through a line into a diffuser, which
creates ozone-saturated bubbles. Water is then drawn into
the mix with the bubbles, and fed into the water purification tank. The weak oxygen molecule in the ozone attaches
to the other organic molecules in the water, oxidizing them.
In effect – the ozone “eats them up” – and the result is clean,
fresh, purified water.
S
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FINANCIAL
entertainment/intervieW
gay-sd.com
romeo san vicente
Pop singer on first drag experience,
musical ADD and how she’s still like a bird
Alvarez already won the “Someone To Watch” Independent Spirit
Award for his 2009 film “Easier With
Practice” and his dogged determination to win over the reluctant author
paid off with Sedaris’s blessing and
cooperation. Now, who’ll play his
sister Amy?
Jodie Foster
(Courtesy Q Syndicate)
Jodie Foster gets married to
the mob
The next time you see Jodie
Foster in front of the camera it’ll be
in “District 9” director Neill Blomkamp’s 2013 sci-fi epic “Elysium”
with Matt Damon. And though her
own directorial career has hit its
share of potholes lately with the
disastrously received (and, frankly,
fairly underrated) “The Beaver,”
Foster has a new direction: television. She will executive produce and
direct a female-fronted mafia drama
for Showtime titled “Angie’s Body.”
Written by Rob Fresco (“Heroes,”
“Jericho”), all the available information indicates that this is “The
Sopranos” if they were run by
Carmela instead of Tony. Now, that
may sound gimmicky, but in a postSopranos world, we need something
entertainingly mafia-based and right
now the best we’ve got is “Mob
Wives.” Now if Foster will just tell us
for sure if she’s the star of the show
and we’ll be all in.
Hugh Jackman joins Lee Daniels MLK drama
“Precious” director Lee Daniels
had a couple of period Civil Rights
Movement dramas in the hopper,
“Selma” and “The Butler,” as his
follow-up to the Oscar-winning film.
But then he made “The Paperboy”
with Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman
instead (the one where, yes, really,
she urinates on him and apparently
it’s completely unhinged and they
hated it at Cannes – coming soon
to a theater near you). So now it’s
back to the drawing board of the
1960s, this time with a different story called “Orders to Kill,” starring
Hugh Jackman as controversial attorney William Pepper, a man who
argued for decades that James Earl
Ray, the convicted assassin of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., wasn’t the
man behind the crime. His belief:
the United States government did
it. Hopefully it’ll all come together
and be received enthusiastically
in the wake of “The Paperboy”’s
eventual success. Lee Daniels did
not just pay us to say that. Promise.
Finally, a David Sedaris movie
David Sedaris has, over the
past 20 years, turned into one of
America’s most beloved humorists,
though he’s spent most of that time
living in Europe. Look, the food really is a lot better in France. So you’d
think that in all that time somebody
somewhere could have gotten one
of the author’s hilarious, first-person
stories shaped into a decent script
with some funding. This, however,
has not taken place, mostly because
the author himself is legendary for
saying no. Until now. “C.O.G.” –
based on a story from Sedaris’s bestselling collection “Naked” about his
time working as an apple-picker in
Oregon – will begin production in
October with young filmmaker Kyle
Patrick Alvarez behind the camera.
—Romeo San Vicente’s whole
life is a gay screwball comedy. He
can be reached care of Gay San
Diego or at DeepInsideHollywood@
qsyndicate.com.t
17
The indestructible Nelly Furtado
DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD
‘Such Good People’ casts such
a lot of gay people
This might sound more like
the casting of the latest round of
“Hollywood Squares,” the allhomosexual version, but it’s not. It’s
something a little more mysterious
than that. It’s a film called “Such
Good People” and it’s being billed
as “a gay screwball comedy.” It has
its own Facebook page and Twitter
account, both of which just went
up this month. And it has a cast of
almost exclusively lesbian and gay
names: Michael Urie (“Ugly Betty”), Lance Bass, Sandra Bernhard,
Bree Turner (“Grimm”), stand-up
comic Alec Mapa, Jon Polito (“The
Big Lebowski”), Drew Droege (aka
the internet’s own Chloe Sevigny),
Mitch Silpa (“Flight Attendant
Steve” from “Bridesmaids”) and
Randy Harrison (“Queer as Folk”).
What else is it about? Nobody
knows; that’s why it’s kind of mysterious. So if you want to pretend
you’re the Sherlock Holmes of film
production and spy on the process
unfolding in real time, just go link
up to the movie on social media.
You’ll know everything before the
official press releases get underway.
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
Nelly Furtado
(Photo by Richard Bernardin)
By Chris Azzopardi | Q Syndicate
There’s a story Nelly Furtado
likes to tell of her seeing two
lesbian teens squeeze each other
while crying as she sang a song off
her 2000 release, “Whoa, Nelly”
while on tour. Furtado doesn’t
remember the venue. She doesn’t
even remember what state she was
in. But the emotion that connected
all three of them hasn’t left her.
“They were feeling it in a way that
I never imagined,” said Furtado, 33.
“That really struck a chord with me.”
The same girls would likely find
bravado and strength – and maybe
even shed a few tears – after hearing the liberation, empowerment
and sense of individuality beaming
through Furtado’s first Englishlanguage studio album in six years,
“The Spirit Indestructible.”
Chris Azzopardi: Why has it
been so long since you released an
English-language album?
Nelly Furtado: Getting
inspired again, making time for
pursuits and hobbies and families
and friends, and taking some time
out to establish my label Nelstar.
Nelstar was the first project I did
after “Loose.” My first signing was
a group called Fritz Helder & The
Phantoms. We put out their release
and did some fun traveling with
them and showcases, but eventually they broke up.
Then I launched another album
on my label, which was my Spanish
album “Mi Plan,” and I wrote that
with Alex Cuba. That journey ended
with him winning Best New Artist at
the Latin Grammys, and my album
won Best Female Pop Vocal Album.
CA: What’s a new hobby that
you picked up?
NF: Working on my label, more
than anything. I’m obviously spending time with my family and enjoying being a mom and doing all the
hands-on things that you don’t have
as much time to do when you’re traveling around. And I actually picked
up basketball! That’s been fun.
CA: Can you dunk?
NF: I can’t dunk, but I’m fast.
I’ve got some moves [laughs].
CA: What kind of travels?
NF: Right before I started
cutting some of the record I did
with Rodney Jerkins, I went on this
crazy tour of national parks and
forests of the United States. It was
this awesome journey. Sometimes
you have to get really unplugged
to get inspired. I feel like if you
really live your life, you’re going
to put all your energy into your
songs and your songs are going
to feel alive and like they’re living
and breathing; if you don’t feel
alive, your music’s not going to feel
alive. At the end of the day, I want
people to press play on that album
and really feel like it’s taking them
somewhere; like that energy is taking them over. That’s why, I think,
I take all these musical detours in
my career.
CA: You’ve gone from the popfolk of your debut, “Whoa, Nelly!”
to hip-hop on “Loose.” What about
dance music inspired the change?
NF: When I was a child,
every birthday I would ask for old
Casio keyboards and sound-effect
machines. I had a collection. I
remember trying to sample Billy
Joel into my tape recorder from vinyl
when I was 4 years old. I was just
always obsessed with technology in
music. Even when I first moved to
Toronto, [Ontario] from this small
town of Victoria, [British Columbia]
I engaged myself in the trip-hop
and electronica of Toronto. I sang at
urban talent shows. I made trip-hop
music. I used to cut electronic tracks
of my DJ friends in Victoria when I
was in college. So it’s been a natural
love affair. Although, from time to
see Nelly, pg 19
18
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
sports/news
JEFF PRAUGHT
San Diego Tennis Federation
Defends West Coast Cup Title
in San Francisco
The West Coast Cup is an annual tournament for LGBT tennis
leagues in the four member cities
for Gay and Lesbian Tennis Association (GLTA) C Division-ranked
players. This year’s tournament
was held Aug. 25 and 26 in San
Francisco, and welcomed players
from Palm Springs for the first
time. San Diego and Los Angeles
were also among the four teams
participating. The schedule format included 12 singles matches
for each city on Saturday followed
by 12 doubles matches on Sunday.
Team San Diego, guided by
Head Coach Jerr y Sabio and
assistants Scott Guiltner and
Min Lee, traveled to San Francisco with one goal in mind: to
successfully defend its West
Coast Cup title won last year in
San Diego at the Balboa Tennis
Center. Allen Sanchez ser ved
as Team Captain for the second
year in a row.
Saturday action began on a
windy day at Golden Gate Park,
and the visitors from San Diego
took it to their opponents in
singles action, taking nine of the 12
matches. Sunday saw similar success on the hard court, as Team
San Diego took 10 of its 12 doubles
matches, easily clinching the title
with 19 out of a possible 24 points.
Los Angeles finished in second
place with 15 points, San Francisco
was third with eight points and
newcomer Palm Springs finished
last with a respectable six points
during its first try.
In addition to claiming the
top team prize, the San Diego
doubles team of Jay Hill and
DUGOUT CHATTER
Dan Manes was honored with
the “Most Competitive Doubles
Match” of the tournament for
their closely-fought, three-set
victor y over a team from L.A.
San Diego singles player Cami
Gill was involved in the secondmost challenging singles match,
a tough 3.5-hour, three-set loss
to a player from Palm Springs.
Additionally, Team San Diego’s Eric Bowers was voted by
his teammates at Team MVP for
his stellar singles and doubles
play, dropping only a handful of
games in three matches.
Thank you to George Biagi
for contributing to this stor y.
America’s Finest City Softball
League Fall Ball begins
America’s Finest City Softball
League (AFCSL), now in its 31st
season, is more famously known
for its spring season, where
teams vie for World Seriesberths in the Open and Women’s
Divisions. But the league also
offers an abbreviated, casual fall
season, and opening week falls
on Sunday, Sept. 9 at the Poway
SportsPlex USA.
Instead of the usual 20 games
over 10 weeks, teams in Fall
Ball will play 10 games over five
weeks. On the Open Division side,
seven teams registered to play: #1
on Fifth Hitmen, Bourbon Street
Krush, Café on Park Masterbatters, Lestats Immortals, Redwing
Rebels, Sephno Systems Dragons
and Team United. In the Women’s
Division there is Gossip Grill, I’d
Hit That, I’d Hit That Too, Landre’s Badgers, Looking to Score
and SD Ballers.
Fall Ball gives teams a
chance to switch around their
gay-sd.com
From page 6
briefs
club, co-hosts for the event include
Bruce Abrams, Larry Baza, Councilmember Marti Emerald, Ricardo
Flores, Donna Frye, Deannaka
Goodwin, Diane Takvorian and Sid
Voorrakkara. Those interested in
attending the 1 – 3 p.m. event are
asked to reply to Judy Walsh-Jackson at judywalshjackson@gmail.
com or by calling 619-947-2755.
2012 West Cost Champions from Team San Diego: (standing l to r) Eric
Bowers, Andrew McKelvy, Steve Potter, Dan Manes, Jarrett Zarate,
Keith Millard, David Bair, Rob Allee, George Biagi, Jay Hill, Todd Nguyen,
Roger Ramsey and Nathan Nguyen; (sitting l to r) Cami Gill, Min Lee, Allen
Sanchez, Jerry Sabio and Scott Guiltner. (Photo by Gil Mercado)
normal rosters a little bit, as
the competition centers more
on having fun than chasing the
World Series. Several new players get introduced to AFCSL as
a way of finding out if the league
style is for them. For those interested in getting involved before
the big spring season begins,
visit afcsl.org. You can register
an account and will be automatically added to the league’s email
list. AFCSL is San Diego’s biggest and longest-running LGBT
sports organization.
Women in Football
You may have heard that
on Aug. 9, when the San Diego
Chargers hosted the Green Bay
Packers in the first exhibition
game of the season, one of the
referees for the game was Shannon Easton. She made histor y in
becoming the first female to officiate an NFL game, filling in as
other officials were locked out in
a contract dispute with National
Football League (NFL) ownership. Easton’s performance was
heavily scrutinized on television
and on Twitter and she passed
with good reviews. A few columnists even went so far as to point
out ever y action she performed
during the game.
Easton’s local ties date back
to 2005, when she officiated a
football game with our local all-
female team, the So Cal Scorpions. This club is not new to
making histor y, having brought
home San Diego’s first World
Football championship in 2007
and earning “So Cal Scorpions
Day” recognition from Mayor
Jerr y Sanders. Of the players
from that inaugural championship team, 20 now play for the
San Diego Surge, who won their
own title in August at Heinz
Field, home of the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
SD Hoops season approaching
Basketball players of all skill
levels are invited by SD Hoops
to register for the upcoming
2012-13 regular season. All
players are required to attend
at least one coaches’ review
session, held Wednesdays at
Golden Hill Recreation Center
(2600 Golf Course Drive). The
first of three consecutive reviews will be held Sept. 26 from
6 – 8 p.m. Until then, players
are encouraged to attend Open
Gym ever y Wednesday at the
same venue and time. Cost to
play Open Gym is $5.
The league is unveiling a new
3-on-3 Tournament, set for Oct.
6. Twelve teams will battle it
out in the daylong event. Team
entr y fees are $75. For more
information on SD Hoops, visit
sdhoops.net.t
BIKE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS DISTRICT
INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED IN NORTH
PARK
The San Diego County Bicycle
Coalition (SDBC) and the San Diego Business Improvement Council announced a new initiative to encourage residents to use bicycles
for short-term travel to shops and
events. Called the Bike-Friendly
Business District Initiative, the program was modeled after a similar
one in Long Beach, Calif. and was
launched locally in North Park at
the unveiling of a new bike corral.
Councilmember Todd Gloria and
County Supervisor Ron Roberts
were at the bike corral dedication,
which took place at 30th and North
Park Way on Thursday, Sept. 6.
“I’m proud to represent so many
neighborhoods that are taking
steps to make San Diego a leader
in bicycling as transportation,”
Gloria said in a press release. Local business improvement districts
that are participating include: Adams Avenue Business Association,
East Village Association, El Cajon
Boulevard Business Improvement
Association, Hillcrest Business Association, North Park Main Street,
Ocean Beach Main Street Association and Discover Pacific Beach.
ATKINS BILL HELPS SENIORS STAY
OUT OF NURSING HOMES
Announced Aug. 29, AB 2206 by
Assemblymember Toni Atkins was
sent to Gov. Jerry Brown for his
signature that would ensure seniors
with chronic illnesses, who are eligible for Medi-Cal or Medicaid, will
be offered enrollment in the Program of All-inclusive Care for the
Elderly (PACE). PACE programs
are managed-care options that provide integrated care to those eligible
for nursing-home placement, stated
a press release. “My bill will ensure
that frail seniors are aware of this
managed-care program that could
make the difference between living at home with their families and
hospitalization,” Atkins said in the
release. “In addition to preserving
the independence and dignity of
seniors, the PACE program is also
a more cost-effective alternative to
nursing-home care.” There are currently five PACE programs in California, including San Diego County.
NORTH PARK COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION SEEKS
BOARDMEMBER SECRETARY
The North Park Community
Association (NPCA) currently has
a board opening for an interested
community member. The NPCA
is an all-volunteer organization
serving to bring together the diverse residents, property owners
and businesses of North Park.
The open position will also fill the
board’s secretary position. There
are currently 11 members on the
board. The NPCA meets the fourth
Wednesday of each month from
6 – 8 p.m. at the Lafayette Hotel,
2223 El Cajon Blvd. Interested
candidates should contact board
President Nikki Berdy at nberdy@
northparksd.org. For more information on the organization, visit
northparksd.org.t
interview
was the kid in school that dressed like a hippie
one day, then a rapper the next day and then
prep the next day. That’s just who I am.
CA: I like that you don’t deny trend-grabbing.
NF: Why bother?
CA: Will you ever return to the pop-folk
sound on “Whoa, Nelly!” and “Folklore” that
made you a star?
NF: People really hold those two albums
dear. I just think there’s nothing like your debut.
You’ll never be the person you were when you
did your debut. There’s an innocence there,
a real naivety and a beautiful idealism that’s
awesome. And just musically you spend all
your time making music and then, when you
start making records professionally, you don’t
have as much time to explore sounds in music.
That’s why I took a break for this album. I really
wanted to chill and bring the music back, so I
think fans of those first two albums are really
going to enjoy this new one, because there’s a
lot of breadth to the album musically.
MISSION
VALLEY
UCSD
Medical
Center
2
RICHMOND
30TH
5TH
6TH
7TH
NORTH PARK
UPAS
4 Babycakes
DI
A
BALBOA
Balboa Park
PARK
IN
BANKERS
HILL
MORLEY FIELD
REDWOOD
QUINCE
SAN DIEGO ZOO
www.pecsbar.com
TO THE AIRPORT
SAN DIEGO
AIR & SPACE
MUSEUM
Serving Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
4TH
Horton
Plaza
www.hobnobhill.com
B
C
BROADWAY
E
F
G
W.
H
AR
1ST
(619) 239-8176 • 2271 1st Avenue
BO
R
GASLAMP
PETCO
PER
SH
NG
GOLDEN
HILL
28TH
DOWNTOWN
W. BROADWAY
HI
PE
A
25TH
INDIA
KETTNER
ASH
10TH
11TH
9
PACIFIC HIGHWAY
805 West Cedar • Downtown
5
BEECH
RS
CEDAR
A Man’s Club
619.238.1980
BALBOA PARK
MUNICIPAL
GOLF COURSE
8
5TH
6TH
N
JUNIPER
SOUTH
PARK
K
9
H
WT
HA
PE
GRA
Open 24 Hours
REUBEN H. FLEET
MOPA
SCIENCE CTR.
PRADO
FRIENDSHIP
GARDEN
ORGAN
PAVILLION
JUNIPER
LITTLE
ITALYORN
7
163
LAUREL
PA
R
Full Service Patio Open 7 Days A Week
Open Daily at Noon Sunday at 10 am
SAN DIEGO
NATURAL
HISTORY MUS.
FLORIDA
TIMKEN
MUS. OF ART
BALBOA PARK
MUS. OF MAN
BOTANICAL
GARDENS
SAN DIEGO
MUS. OF ART
PARK
OLD
GLOBE
O
ZO
(619) 296-0889
5TH
6TH
1ST
2046 University Avenue
4TH
ING
5
6
5
1
ROBINSON
RE
4TH
1ST
RD
UNI
UNIVERSITY
ROBINSON
A
YN
EL CAJON
6
7
UNIVERSITY
PENNSYLVANIA
8
TON
3
ON
GT
MONROE
MEADE
MEADE
NG
SHI
WA
4
5
805
ORANGE
HILLCREST
N
HI
MONROE
EL CAJON
Scripps
Mercy
Hospital
FT. STOCKTON
S
WA
UNIVERSITY
HEIGHTS
MADISON
MADISON
30TH
MADISON
163
3
ADAM
ADAMS
MISSION
HILLS
4
NORMAL
HEIGHTS
8
8
2
—Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service. Reach
him via his website at chris-azzopardi.com.t
CA: Who’s the closest gay person to you
in your life?
30TH
3757 Park Blvd., 92103
NF: I’ve really been connecting with eagles
lately, because the eagle represents the spirit, so
this bird thing just ain’t going nowhere!
FERN ST
(619) 296-0025
CA: You were like a bird 12 years ago. What
animal best represents you now at this point in
your life?
94
MARKET
ISLAND
J
IMPERIAL
30TH
• Storage • Cleaning • Repairing
• Restyling • Monograms
NF: No, no! But no matter what you’re
doing – and whether you’re in the bedroom
or walking down the street – you’ve gotta
have that thing that makes you feel tough
and gives you swagger. Whether it’s a hoop
or a watch or a special memento, or maybe
it’s just the way you did your hair that day
– something that makes you feel good. The
bigger, the better.
TEXAS
Quality Resale FURS!
1
NF: Yes! I will never forget coming to
Toronto: I was sleeping on my sister’s couch
at the age of 17 and my sister took me to this
awesome gay club, which was the first time I
saw beautiful queens on stage. I’d never seen
them before. And I’m coming from Victoria,
CA: Are you a size queen?
TEXAS
Millard’s Fur Service
CA: Did you go to any gay clubs as a
teenager?
FLORIDA
NF: It’s probably a little bit of both, I guess.
I have a lot of different sides to myself, and that’s
always good. When you have a deep musicality and a real good gauge of a lot of different
musical styles and an attention deficit disorder
– really, let’s just call it that. I mean, it’s more obvious with each album that I have a bad case of
attention deficit disorder. But I am a chameleon.
I do gravitate toward things that I like and that
I find popular and cool, and I do have a way of
blending in. I’ve always been that way, though. I
NF: [Laughs] It’s funny: One of my gay
friends said the same thing! He said, ‘Oh, this
one’s dirty.’
NF: I have a really good dance track called
“Waiting for the Night” – an ethnomusicology
track that’s got accordion and a dance beat. It’s
all about this summer I spent in Portugal as a
teenager waiting to run into this boy while on
the island. It’s just a really fun, upbeat song.
“The Most Beautiful Thing” is really special, I
think. And “Spirit Indestructible” is all about how
strong our spirits are and how we can really conquer anything. Great things have happened in
the [gay] community in the last couple of years.
FLORIDA
CA: Would you say your reinventions are
more trend-grabbing or musical evolutions?
CA: Are you talking about more than just
earrings with “the bigger, the better” line on the
first single from the album, “Big Hoops”?
CA: What song do you think your gay fans
will be into most?
PARK
time, I like to unplug and be like, ‘Will this song
sound good on acoustic guitar?’
Urban and hip-hop music really influenced
me a lot as a young teenager, and it’s fun for me.
On this new album I’m working with Rodney
Jerkins, who produced a lot of my favorite urban
tracks as a kid – and I didn’t even know that until
I was already deep into the recording process
[laughs]. A lot of really trippy things happened.
It was almost like my 14-year-old teenage self,
who was already writing lines and songs, wanted
to meet Rodney Jerkins but didn’t even know
it. Here I am years later working with him and
making this crazy urban track that talks about
me being 14, putting my big hoops on and my
cross-colored jeans.
PARK
nelly
19
NF: One of my best friends who I just
adore and have known since childhood. He’s
a wonderful guy – and a diva in the best way
[laughs].
this little town, and I’m going, ‘Oh my god,
there’s a whole other world out here.’ I was
transfixed. I remember we’d go to a rave all
night and then catch a Greyhound to Montreal, [Quebec] and do it all over again. I’d have
my bottle of water and just dance all night. It
was really about the dancing and getting lost
in the music for me. That’s never changed.
I really feel like music can take you places.
This was proven to me again when I saw Tiësto
play at the Winter Music Conference in Miami
about three years ago and, near the end of his
set, I actually began to cry because the music
was so emotional. It reminded me that dance
music, just by itself, can really take you to
emotional places. He actually produced one
track on my album called “Thoughts.” It’s not
typical Tiësto.
PARK
From page 17
GAY SAN DIEGO
Sept. 7–Sept. 20, 2012
34TH
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GAY SAN DIEGO
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