The Flow Band - what's better on a June afternoon than some reggae by the river?
Eric Himan - a Pittsburgh boy done good on the national scene
The comedian is Poppy Champlin who is billed as the lovechild of Ellen Degeneres and Dennis Leary. Hmm. Her website looks interesting, but I'm still torn. Tapping into local talent seems really important to building community, but tapping into national names is also important into building the event which builds community. Decisions, decisions.
Overall, I'm looking forward to PrideFest. That evening there's a sort of street festival planned (I think by the Tavern Guild). Whole bunch of behind the scenes rumors floating around about that which I am investigating. Apparently, they are bringing in Bruce Villanch and Tiffany (yes, the mall princess of the 80's).
I don't think an alcohol laced street festival is my personal style, but at least its something ...and hopefully, there will be the 2nd Annual Dyke March Friday before PrideFest.
I can't believe PrideFest is only two months away.
Dennis Miller leads a pack of hosts pining for a fan base that's young, smart, sassy and male
Not sure how many yinzers want to be chalked up as sassy males, but you never know. I've been wrong about these things before.
Has anyone listened to the Zone? Thoughts? Comments? I do have to point out that I made my break into Pittsburgh radio on the original The Zone 98.7 out of Charleroi. I was on the sister AM station but occasionally sat in for a segment or two. I digress.
I can't listen to McIntire's show b/c I'm at work and would get fired for hoo-haa discussions on my radio. Plus Thom Hartmann is on during that time slot and I LOVE Thom Hartmann -- just picked up his new book at the library. So in a sick sort of way the hoo-haa debate makes me choice easy. LOL. I'm not gonna listen to Dennis Miller. I did tune in to hear Scott Paulsen talk with Tom Sokoloski -- that was an interesting segment.
Inquiring lesbians want to know if The Zone brings out the sassy in its listeners. That's something we'd have to investigate.
Pittsburgh is fortunate to have a talented pool of queer and queer-friendly performance artists, some of whom I have met over the past year. They include singer-songwriters, spoken word artists, comedians, poets, rappers, puppeteers, and so forth.
PrideFest is the annual community celebration of all things queer (or gay) and includes a chunk of stage time dedicated to performances. Among the usual suspects are the Renaissance City Choirs (men and women) and a slew of drag queens as well as some other amateur artists.
See the disconnect? What I'm wondering is why this whole group of talented professional and semi-professional queer artists are not on the PrideFest performing schedule? I know the budget doesn't allow for bringing in a huge name, but given that some of our homegrown talent have performed around the country it would seem worthwhile to give them a shot at headlining. Or at least allocating a slot or two. To be fair, I have to wonder why the artists haven't pursued it themselves more aggressively. As most of them seem to perform at every other queer benefit in the region, it doesn't make sense.
My gut tells me that this is a mini-front for some of the internal culture wars in the queer/gay community. PrideFest is this odd fusion of mainstream family-friendly festivalishness (lemonade, non-profit vendors, children's areas) atmosphere with the retro shout out to the drag queens. The queer arts movement is less focused on assimilating into mainstream heteroculture and more in tune with queer identity.
PrideFest should be the venue where these disparate trends find, at least for one day, a common ground in celebrating all aspects of our community. There's small movements on either side --- the Pride parade is now an awareness march. Its not earthshattering but it does shake off some of the complacency of the white upper middle class gays who aren't always attuned to those outside their realms of privilege. Just as seeing lots of gay couples with babies and toddlers enjoying an afternoon of family fun reminds this lesbian of how much progress has been made at shifting the heteronormative standards of "family."
The arts would be a powerful venue to explore the intersection of these two seemingly disparate communities.
So I've begun compiling a list of all the local performers I would like to see at PrideFest. It is on the right hand side of this blog, with links to their assorted websites and myspace pages. It is not comprehensive by any means. Check out their sites and see what they have to offer. In my opinion, they have something meaningful to say to the entire gay/queer community.
Let them entertain us.
If you'd like to volunteer for the PrideFest committee, clink on the icon above for more information.
Ellen was funny. Too bad we had to sit through 750 tribute and homage videos, not to mention a sound effects choir. B-O-R-I-N-G. I would rather listen to all the flaming fashion critics screech their way through the entire red carpet line, including the men, than sit through that again. Word of advice -- let the entertainers entertain. Nobody cares about the sound effects choir. I'm sure they get union scale and benefit from a job well done. No one puts me up on stage in a social workers choir and I expect the same consideration from you. The only montage I want to see is the dead people. That's okay even if you feel bad for the people who get weak applause.
Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly sang something. We could barely hear the words except for "Tonight I'm taking Helen Mirren and an Oscar home." Jack Black should just stick with being the sidekick. Like John C. Reilly who is actually very good at it and I'm sure has a nice career. Jack Black is just annoying. His only redeeming quality is that he knows Sarah Silverman.
Al Gore was awesome. People seemed to think he might actually announce. At the Oscars. Sad little people. You give Al no credit for a sense of humor. He was awesome. I guess its okay for the Oscars to be political about the environment. I thought his comment about the Oscars being as green as possible was ridiculous b/c it was so not true. But what are you gonna do -- he's Al Gore and he's not running for President.
Abigail Breslin was very charming. Penelope Cruz was smoking in her big furry dress. Beyonce more than held her own singings with J. Hud. Helen Mirren looked delicious. I don't know what the hell happened to Cameron Diaz's hair or why a giant Christmas ribbon attacked Nicole Kidman, but overall it made for entertaining fare. Plus, we got to hang out with our niece for a few hours who was very charming in her monkey pajamas and Zoe slippers. A nice bedtime toddler ensemble.
I saved the best for last. Melissa and Tammy. They looked great. Melissa won an Oscar. Ellen hosted Rock on famous lesbians, rock on.
Its a brrrrryyyy cold week here in da 'burgh. Being firmly ensconced on the couch with some illness of indeterminate origin, I don't have much in the way of excitement or cool tidings to share with you. My supervisor actually sent me home from work. It was just like elementary school without the call for my mom to come pick me up.
Some cool things did catch my eye ....
You can catch our friend and awesome performer Eve Goodman live in a couple of venues this week. Tomorrow (1/24) at the Backstage Bar at Theatre Square downtown and Friday (1/26) at Aldo Coffee Company in Mt. Lebanon. We've been to Aldo Coffee Company and its a fun trendy little spot right in the heart of Mt. Lebanon. Literally, in the midst of a neighborhood! You'll love it and you'll love Eve's music. Its a great evening out for you and your friends (and affordable -- coffee plus tips). Check out Eve's website for information on her music. She's luminous (and very funny)!
Thursday 1/25 check out the Art From Chaos Music Series at Modern Formations Gallery in Garfield. This regular series held monthly on the last Thursday will feature Nashville singer/songwriter Amelia White with Pittsburgh artists Bill Eberle and Autumn Ayres as her opening acts. We love Bill and Autumn!
Something for every night of the week to satisfy your music cravings. What could be better than a cup of coffee, a snug window seat and great local music?
The soap which turned Erica Kane's daughter into a lesbian has done it again. All My Children, a long running soap opera on ABC, has plans to introduce daytime television's first transgender character (365gay.com).
The characer is Zarf, a flamboyant rock star who will kiss aforementioned lesbian Bianca Montgomery and then eventually begin transitioning from male to female. How far the storylinen will go depends on fan reaction. Fans have ardently embraced Bianca's story over the past several years, particularly her romance with former love Maggie. However, along the way, AMC had to have Bianca raped and impregnated, murder her rapist and have her child kidnapped for multiple months. Just your typical lesbian stuff. Imagine what they'll do with a transgendered woman?
AMC is working with GLAAD and transgender advisers. Let's see what happens. Unfortunately, Ledcat and I don't get ABC so I may have to rely on internet summaries.
Hearing the uproar about actor Michael Richards' angry outburst at a comedy club really upset me. I have to ask, though, what's the big deal?
Jo Ellen points out that its hard to muster up sympathy for two reverse-heckling victims when men, black and white, make huge profits publicly disrespecting women through their "art."
All this talk about people hiding their hatreds and prejudices is noteworthy, but why don't men have to hide their hatred of women? They make money off of it. They get laughs with it. They let kids sing it.
I presume Jo Ellen is asking for the dialogue about hatespeech be expanded beyond using the "N" word and she's certainly right. Disrespect is a cornerstone of contemporary pop culture. From Justin Timberlake playing the choir-boy "I was duped" card to the horrific lyrics in woman-hating music, it pervades our lives 24/7. When thinking people (especially women) strip these individual artists/performers of responsibility for achieving fame (or infamy) on the backs of our sisters, they are part of the problem. Michael Richards behaved like an ass and deserves the public scorn and shame.
But my own take on Michael Richards is that we are focusing far too much on the individual when we should be talking about why white people with power and privilege (such as Seinfeld residuals will get ya) feel free to cross these boundaries. They know all the backstory on the word, but use it anyway b/c they feel untouchable. I hear that word far too often in my own little circle of white people. Richards is getting some backlash just like Mel Gibson. Both will survive the incidents. Richards appears to have some deeper issues that prevent him from smoothly handling heckling. Gibson appears to have a problem holding his booze. Those things might fell them, but in a land of mighty white men they will both endure their racism, anti-Semitism and misogyny. Fear not, intrepid upward looking, middle-class white boys -- your heroes won't let you down.
On another note .... take a look at an article from Sunday's PG exploring the liberal classroom leanings of Penn State Professor Michael Berube. Good stuff about academic freedom and the organized attempt of the far right to take control of liberal arts classrooms.
Now I full anticipate that next Wednesday will be a day filled with heady delight, incoherent joy and perhaps a little big of regret over the ones that got away. I'm putting the cart before the horse by mentioning celebrations, but its never too early to get your gloating plans organized.
By Thursday you might be ready to come back down to earth, but continue celebrating. Here's the event for you.
Our friend singer-songwriter Eve Goodman has brought an upcoming performance to our attention.
Thursday November 9, Nashville based performer Amelia White rolls into town for a one-night performance at the Shadow Lounge. Opening acts include longtime PghLesbian favorites Bill Eberle and Autumn Ayers. The show is $10.00.
When I listened to Amelia's music, I thought "Aimee Mann meets Jewel" without Aimee Mann's endless self-absorbed rambling with the fact that she lost the Oscar to the Tarzan theme song.
Amelia is highly recommended by Eve. Click on her name to go to her MySpace page. And check her out live next week. We need to support independent artists and voices in the entertainment industry as well as the political realm. Plus the Shadow Lounge rocks. Its a smoke-free venue which you know pleases me.
Thanks to our pal Ehrrin for passing this little gem along ....
Note that this is the first time ever the festival has opened with a women's feature. And I'll be out of town!!!!!! Plus, its my birthday weekend. I'm hoping to catch the Buffy Sing a Along the following week ....
21st Annual Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
October 20-29, 2006
Women?s Festival Movies and Events
2006 ? 21st Annual PILGFF Kick Off Party
Sunday, October 8 ? 7:00 PM ? 10 PM ?
Nuance ? 900 Western Ave ? North Side
Come join the fun as PILGFF celebrates its 21st year of LGBT films in Pittsburgh.Theprograms, mini schedules, passes and packages of tickets will be available.
THE GYMNAST -OPENING NIGHT FEATURE
Friday, October 20, - 8:00 PMSouthSide Works Cinema
Saturday, October 28 - 5:00 PM - SouthSide Works Cinema
FEEL LIKE A WOMAN:
Sunday, October 22 - 7:15 PM - HarrisTheater ?
Women?s Shorts Program
LOVING ANNABELLE
Saturday, October 28 - 7:00 PM ? SouthSide Works - Girls Night Out 2 ? Hot Metal Grill
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL
Tuesday, October 24 - 7:00 PM - HarrisTheater
20 CENTIMETERS
Sunday, October 29 - 4:45 PM
SouthSide Works Cinema
LGBT AVANT GARDE RETROSPECTIVE
Tuesday, October 24 ? 9:15 PM - HarrisTheater
Various New Experimental Programs.
EATING OUT 2: Sloppy Seconds ?
CLOSING NIGHT FEATURE
Sunday, October 29 - 7:15 PM
SouthSide Works Cinema -
MOM
Wednesday, October 25 - 7:00 PM - HarrisTheater
Closing Night Party to follow Eating Out 2 at The Cheesecake Factory
The 2006 Pittsburgh International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, produced by the Pittsburgh Lesbian & Gay Film Society, runs October 20-29 at multiple venues.All films and special personal appearances are subject to availability.Visit http://www.pilgff.org for complete schedule information.
Yesterday, I received an email missive from WGF Executive Director and Good-Friend-of Lesbians-Everywhere Heather Arnet about a topic near and dear to my heart ... Katie Couric's ascent to the CBS anchor seat.
We caught her debute on Tuesday, missed Weds and saw Thursday and Friday. Ledcat and I agree that she's doing a fine job and relish how powerful it is to see a woman in that position. Its powerful (to me) that I take note of her outfit (where as I couldn't tell you what Bob Schieffer wore) only to completely forget about it when she starts doing her job. Its powerful to me that there is a different dynamic than I am used to but that its a good and recognizable dynamic which fits my actual world experiences as a woman.
I like it!
And Heather is hoping you like it, too.
It has been a revelation watching the news this week. As I have watched, I've found myself reflecting on how strange it is that this is the first time Americans are seeing a woman sitting solo in the anchor chair ? driving the show and delivering the world?s news to us. It makes me so proud that true social change like this can occur, but it also makes me so fearful to know that even major change like this is so easily undone. I remember when we had one woman on the Supreme Court?.and then two?and now we are back to one. I remember when we got a woman president on the airwaves ? at least a fictionalized one ? and then they cancelled her too.
You'll remember the Women &Girls Foundation for the very high-profile Girlcott of Abercrombie & Fitch. Katie was one of the first shows to bring national attention to the heroic efforts of our girls. Heather is now calling for women throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania to use those same tactics to support Katie and women everywhere.
1) Let?s all commit to watching the CBS Evening News so that we can support Katie with the ratings she needs to stay on air.
2) Please EMAIL the CBS Evening News to let them know that you are 100% in support of and totally impressed with CBS for making this gutsy move to finally have a woman in the anchor?s chair.
3) Forward this email to a friend and ask her (or him) to do so as well.
Sometimes it is just as important to organize and support what is right as it is to demand change when something is wrong.
Thank you for your time and I hope you will join me in this effort!
Heather
You can forward a link to this post instead of the email or ask me and I'll send you the original email.
This is a really simple thing to do. We cannot afford to continue to just sit back and let the men in charge make decisions about women's lives. Its important for women everywhere to have Katie Couric on the air and its important than we take a few moments to voice that opinion.
Well, I got one out of seven right. LOL. Sarah Claire will be part of the 2007 PrideFest Entertainment lineup. Another local fav that I forgot to put in my list is Tracy Drach. 
The comedian is Poppy Champlin who is billed as the lovechild of Ellen Degeneres and Dennis Leary. Hmm. Her website looks interesting, but I'm still torn. Tapping into local talent seems really important to building community, but tapping into national names is also important into building the event which builds community. Decisions, decisions.
