My mom turns 65 on November 1 and what better way to celebrate than with John McIntire and Gab Bonesso! From Gab Bonesso's MySpace page:
This Thursday night (11-01-07) at the WORLD FAMOUS Pittsburgh Improv (well, the Improv franchise is "World Famous" not the Pittsburgh division per se) at 8PM The Sunshine Boys and Gab Bonesso Present:
THE SEX, POLITCS AND RELIGION COMEDY SHOW
STARRING COMEDIANS:
GENE COLLIER: Gene Collier is a columnist, playwright and silver fox. His humor is intelligent, dry and hysterically witty. Gene is without a doubt one of Pittsburgh's GREATEST working comedians. DON'T MISS GENE COLLIER!
JOHN MCINTIRE: John McIntire is a former talkshow host, a columnist, a WQED panelist and an addict. His material is both autobiographical and political while remaining insane and fun. He dedicates his performance to DARFUR (mostly because he just found out about it).
GAB BONESSO: Gab Bonesso is me. I am "allegedly" your friend. You should know all about my humor because you never miss any of my shows because like I mentioned above, you are my FRIEND.
other semi-imporatant details:
the show starts at 8pm the show costs $10.00 the venue is non-smoking.
I tried really hard to put up the nifty banner, but I can't get the image to load properly.
One of the coolest things about the Pgh LGBT Film Festival is the experience of being in a crowded room of queer people and only knowing a fraction of them. There may be no previews to watch, but you can munch on your popcorn and try to figure out how many of the folks streaming through the door you've ever seen before.
Last night, we caught the closing film, Itty Bitty Titty Committee. From the makers of But I'm a Cheerleader, it was a cute film about a young woman finding her inner radical wrapped up in an "atta girl" date movie storyline. It was an enjoyable evening except for two small disappointments that I'll get to in a bit.
I'm pleased that the film society is going to do more year round programming. It would be great to be able to catch a LGBTQ flick in the middle of February. They are partnering with the GLCC for a movie night and planning some coolatta for Pride Month. As I've said before, it is difficult to get to more than one movie in a two week span of time, especially this time of year. I always feel regret that I missed a particular movie or two, but I did snag the program so I can request them from the Carnegie Library. More year round opportunities would be great and assuage my guilty feelings for not being supportive enough.
That being said, I was slightly disappointed by two things: the movie ending and the cheesecake party. If you don't want the movie spoiled, stop reading. The explosion scene was awesome and I loved Ana running down the street in her fusion of bridesmaid meets mosh pit attire. However, I was really bummed about the love story sappy ending. It was a huge letdown after the awesome cheering/graduation scene in But I'm a Cheerleader. I personally thought Sadie was predatory and didn't take responsibility for that, so her big turnaround was insincere. Ana should have been the one to get a new girlfriend.
The other slight disappointment was the after party. I was a bit taken aback to have to shell over $15.00 per ticket -- that wasn't well advertised and we heard plenty of people bitching about it. However, I tried to be a good sport and look forward to the cheesecake. I pictured a room with beverage service of some type and cheesecake stations set up so people could mingle and talk and maybe have an extra slice. Instead there was a room with tables and chairs, like a glammed up cafeteria. Not at all what I expected. I hate hate hate being forced to sit down with strangers (there were no tables for two available). It felt more like a wedding reception than a party and that was a bummer. I wanted to relax, but the artificial smiles of the waitstaff were creeping me out. The whole Southside Works gives me that creepy artificial feeling, but that's the best venue according to the film society folks which limits reception options because the whole premise of the development is to scare away those without a lot of money. So we just left. $30 + popcorn more poor than we came. :-)
Long rant for what was just a disappointment. I learned my lesson though so next year, no party/film combos for me. Just films. And popcorn.
So tonight Ledcat and I rolled through the Northside to a favorite watering hole, Cafe Beleza. Kim got us all fixed up with hot chocolate (me) and mango lemon frou frou tea (Ledcat). It has been packed. Ledcat talked over music with staff .... they both went to the Grizzly Bear concert. I have to stop here and try to erase the image of the Berenstein Bears in concert out of my head.
Anyway, some ladies are in the corner doing something on a laptop and a cell phone. This upscale hipster guy is wearing the most beautiful pink striped sweater I've seen well, ever. Some guys were rolling cigarettes which I find strangely attractive and repulsive at the very same time.
I played peek-a-boo with an 11 month old boy. Ledcat read the paper. I tried to think of something interesting to blog about.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in town for honors and hoopla. He made some homopositive comments. Such as:
After equating that with the belief that "God is a Christian," Archbishop Tutu spoke of a human family in which members must love one another even when some relatives are obnoxious. When Jesus said he would "draw all" people to himself, he meant both President Bush and the "gay, lesbian and so-called straight," he said.
So called straight? Desmond cracks me up. He also proceeded to point out that God is not a Christian.
Bishop Duncan was not amused. Snap.
You may have heard that there's a little flap over in Camp Obama? Yes, the Senator invited a notorious ex-gay gospel singer to perform in his "round up the Southern votes" tour. Gays were outraged. So the Obama folks invite a white gay minister to join the tour. ???? Pam has the scoop. It is all very complicated. The ex-gay has a post-ex-gay male lover. The Obama camp claims it can have its cake and eat it too with regard to the African-American vote. The gays don't seem to buy it, particularly many African-American gays. We'll see what happens ...
Speaking of Obama and the African-American gay community, Tony Norman does an interesting take on Obama's meeting with the ultimate fag fixer -- Dumbledore (you may have heard that he is/was gay?). I have to admit that I didn't get half the allusions. I'm not ashamed to say Tony Norman may be too highbrow for me.
That's it folks. I'm heading home cause this lesbian has to work tomorrow, then head out to a Halloween party in my homemade ensemble.
I love the weirdest shows. My newest fav is CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" starring that cute little dude from Roseanne (another fabu show). It is a classic setup -- two nerdy guys and the hottie definitely unnerdy chic living next door. I expected little, but was mightily surprised at how freakin' awesome is the show.
Awesome, how? Well, there's the lesbian connection. Sara Gilbert, also of Roseanne and little sis of Melissa Gilbert, has a recurring role. Sara is a lesbian and she's really, really cute. Especially as a physics researcher wielding a violin. So that's a huge plus.
What's most engaging is the witty dialogue which reminds me of SportsNight. The writers make high falutin' science-speak ... funny. And not funny in a Revenge of the Nerds kind of way. Funny in an endearing, wry sort of way.
Here's my best example. The guys invite Penny over to watch their Superman marathon. She innocently said she didn't realize there was more than one Superman movie which makes them cringe. She asks why they like it so much. Sheldon pushes his way to the front and says "You have to suspend your disbelief ..." She interrupts "Because a man can't fly." He looks disdainfully at her and proceeds to explain the suspension of disbelief required by the scene where Superman catches Lois Lane falling from the sky ... because the laws of physics would dictate that a woman falling at that rate of speed into arms of steel would be cut to ribbons.
Does that translate in blogspeak? It is really a funny show. Mondays at 8:30 on CBS.
Steel-City Stonewall Democrats and Congressman Mike Doyle would like to invite you to a Special Event with Representative Barney Frank of the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts.
This is a casual meet and greet event with the Founder of the Stonewall Democrats, Rep. Barney Frank.
Please join us at the home of Christine Donohue* on Saturday, November 3, 2007 beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Event Details:When: November 3, 2007 Time: 3:00 p.m. Cost: Free and open to the public, Light refreshments will be served Address: 6568 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15206, at the corner of Fifth & Beechwood Parking: Best option is parking along Beechwood
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 3:00 pm.
*Christine Donohue is a candidate for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and has graciously offered to lend her home for this event!
**************************************
Barney Frank is not the most popular gay legislators due to his role in stripping protections based on gender identity and gender presentation from the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA). His version of the bill is opposed by just about every national LGBTQ organization, but he perseveres. Why? He argues that ENDA light is better than no ENDA at all. I don't understand how he so blithely sacrifice so many members of our community.
But I would go to see him speak. Except that I have to work and then attend the birthday of a lovely four year old girl who has no problem whatsoever hanging out with lesbian grownups. That's pretty restorative.
It looks like I'll be viewing the "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" after all, assuming all goes well next Sunday. So I should actually thank the woman who wrote her somewhat critical missive about lesbians supporting the Pittsburgh International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. She got me off my duff and, well, onto my duff in another venue. With popcorn.
More about the Film Festival
My new friend Isaac talks with the Trib, specifically discussing the change in plans with regard to screening Buffy the Vampire Slayer's musical episode (it involves corporate words like residuals).
The Post-Gazette offers a nice summary of the films.
Mr. Potter's City Paper previews seven days with more expansive synopses and photos! It convinced me I'd like to see Spider Lilies if I have the evening free.
I guess the critical missive woman should thank Mr. Potter and his merry band of scribes for possibly getting me to see two movies in one week.
Speaking of multiple outings, Ledcat talked me into not one, not two, but three concerts in a week's time. Stevie Wonder. Four days later, the Decembrists courtesy of WYEP. Then, Springsteen the very next night.
All of this in the middle of the toy drive at work. Another casualty of Bush's stupid war is the depletion of the local Marine corp, forcing them to stop having Toys for Tots open houses to distribute toys to folks who aren't hooked up with an agency, but still need the toys (and don't bother posting about people abusing the system, blah, blah, blah - these are toys for kids so shut up). So us human service folks -- surviving without forgiveness on our student loans -- have to pick up the slack. It is a little unnerving to go from managing toys for 70 children to upwards of 1500.
Maybe a little Stevie Wonder will be helpful after all?
One final note this morning. We haven't commented on our girl, Cat Specter , over at the Post-Gazette who has spitting out advice on Tuesday mornings somewhere in the back pages of the magazine section. Just out of curiosity, I glanced at some recent columns to see if she's still hung up the Cattie Bradshaw "you go girl" advice. The good news is that she seems to be avoiding giving bad advice on social issues like racism and has dropped some of the snap-snap witticisms about hooking a man with the right lipstick and a snazzy beret.
The sad news is that she devotes her 5th Anniversary column to a list of stand alone "calls" that don't really merit much ink on their own. I have to temper that by saying she devotes her column to her recently deceased Mother <she sounds like she was a cool lady> and her Father, who is Luke's Solicitor. I wonder if he consults with Cat before advising Luke to fire Police Commanders and promote wife beaters?
When it comes to showing skin, leave something to the imagination. Otherwise, dates have nothing to think about by the time dessert arrives.
They say everybody has a book in him or her -- I think that's true. However, illiteracy prevents too many people from reading the books they're unable to write.
Think of your body like money -- don't give it unless you feel good about where it's going, how it will be handled and whether it's a safe investment.
If you must use a public bathroom, never let any part of your body peek into the next stall. You get the idea. If not, we already know your name.
I'll end on the jocular gay joke. :-)
No, wait. I just thought of something -- do you think Cat might hang out with Luke? Ick!
The Post-Gazette has a nice story on the impact of Gay Straight Alliances (GSA's) on local youth. My favorite quote:
"Prejudice begins at home, but I truly believe people can be educated."
The City Paper's Melissa Meinzer explores what H.B. 1400 could mean for Pennsylvanians. This legislation expands discrimination protections to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender presentation. She asks some difficult questions about religious exemptions.
The Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival kicks off this weekend. I was a little disappointed to read a recent email from the Film Society President accusing lesbians of being unsupportive of the festival because the lesbian turnout is lower than the turnout of gay men. Frankly, no one has ever asked me why I don't turn out for many movies. I wonder if they've asked you? Lesbians?
The reason I don't attend many movies is that I just don't have the time to see more than one movie in a two week period. It is a busy time at work. There's also my birthday as well as the birthdays of several friends. Halloween. Plus, the normal day to day stuff like housework, pet care, laundry and so forth. Throw in a random medical appointment and a trip to see a family member and you just run out of time.
I doubt that berating lesbians will get to the heart of the problem. Nor will it encourage women to turn out. I certainly don't like the implied threat that if I don't see Itty Bitty Titty Committee, I'm a bad lesbian.
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When it comes to showing skin, leave something to the imagination. Otherwise, dates have nothing to think about by the time dessert arrives. 
