august/september 2016
METROSOURCE
Sean Hayes explore The City of the future
august/september 2016
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TIME
CONTENTS
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 | VOLUME 27, NO. 4
nick jonas courtesy safehouse/island records.
24
30 companies that care
advertising takes center
stage: In this issue, we highlight companies who wear LGBT solidarity on their sleeves by reaching out with very intentional gay-specific messaging.
34 sean hayes THE MAN AMERICA FELL in
love with on Will & Grace talks about returning to the stage in a remarkable role that challenges expectations about life, death and everything inbetween.
38 the city of the future
ONE DAY, CITIES WILL BE
enviro-friendly, fully-networked and designed to eliminate many of modern life’s hassles. For one very unique city in Korea, that day is today.
Nick Jonas channels a painful breakup into a powerful album.
52 creating hawaii WE SCOURED THE ISLANDS
of Hawaii searching for its triumphs of modern architecture, the shrines that evoke its rich cultural history, and those rare wonders that only Mother Nature could design.
publisher’s letter
there’s no denying that in recent years we’ve seen amazing progress in our community: the end of officially sanctioned discrimination against gays in the military, the legal recognition of marriage equality, the cultural shift toward a society ready for us to step out of the closet and be ourselves. People have predicted it: that as the generation who grew up watching Will & Grace reached voting age, the laws would change; that a day would come when gay kids could reveal their sexuality without the fear of rejection that so many of us experienced; that a picture of an ideal American family could feature two happily married dads. But I doubt even extreme optimists would have predicted all of these milestones would happen so quickly. As with other significant advances in civil rights, change is often followed by backlash. In some cases, it’s been legislative. As I write this, 22 state legislatures are considering bills that could either permit judges to refuse to marry same-sex couples or permit businesses to deny services to LGBT customers or deny people access to certain bathrooms. It reminds us there are still places in this country where the prevailing public sentiment toward LGBT people is as hostile as it was decades ago. In other cases, individuals have attacked our community directly. The most shocking of these is the massacre in Orlando. As I learned about the 49 people lost that night, I couldn’t help noticing how many were in their 20s and 30s. These were kids who were just out for a good time on a Saturday night with like-minded friends. It’s particularly sad to think that many of them grew up not expecting to face this kind of hate. They were looking forward to lives of unprecedented freedom from sexualityrelated discrimination. To take the hate a step further, Baptist Pastor Roger Jimenez later chimed in to say the real tragedy is “that more of them didn’t die.” I’m continually shocked by this sort of behavior — not only to see the hate that stems from a very small number of people with radical ideas, but then to hear them echoed by those that people supposedly look up to as moral examples. Ultimately what’s important is that we don’t let it stop us from moving in a positive direction. In that spirit, Metrosource staff gathered at Pride events in the wake of the tragedy, in part to show that we will not live in fear of being ourselves. After all, isn’t that what we’ve been fighting for? ■
Where are they now? Each year, fall’s TV premieres bring back a slew of stars who disappeared from our pop culture radars for a while — to helm what they hope will be the season’s fresh hits. Which famous face are you looking forward to welcoming back to the small screen? A. Damon Wayans in the blockbuster buddy-cop film franchise that has been re-imagined-for-TV, Lethal Weapon. B. Geena Davis playing a religious woman facing demonic forces in a show based on the ‘70s horror book and film classic The Exorcist. C. Daniel Sunjata taking on the 24-hour-news-cycle alongside Piper Perabo in legal drama Notorious. D. Mark-Paul Gosselaar on the field with the fictional first woman to play Major League Baseball in Pitch. Are you stoked for fall TV? Did the right actors end up in the right roles? Let us know what you think by commenting at metrosource.com.
A
B
C
D
wayans courtesy fox. Davis courtesy Fox.. Sunjata by kevin foley/abc. GOSSELAAR courtesy fox.
After Orlando
DEPARTMENTS entertainment issue
5
culture
5 Metroscope Looking says farewell, Baz Luhrmann lands on Netflix and Barbra Streisand hits the road. All that and more…in scope!
18 SCREEN The careers of a comedic master, a great director, and a terrible opera singer.
Photo COURTESY CHRISTOPHER MOULDER
24 MUSIC Ariana Grande’s new friends, Tegan & Sara’s fresh sound and Nick Jonas’ broken heart.
26 BOOKS The design legacies of Broadway shows, Italian shoes and French fashion.
28 metronow A debut album that goes from Mariachi to manhood.
Body 16 metro hiv Long after his Olympic triumphs, an icon receives a special honor.
46 HEALTH A technique that blends Eastern and Western medicine to ease pain.
views 14 POV Mark’s bedroom was like something out of Mad Men — then he grew up.
22 DIARY Wade and Gary’s Palm Springs dream house turns out to be a nightmare. 56 LAST CALL Bryan Batt bounces from lighting up the stage to designing for New Orleans.
“We’ve spent so much money! For what? Rats and scorpions and no electricity and stinky furniture and a condo that looks like it was decorated by Caligula!” wade rouse froM “the palm springs surprise” in diary
editor’s letter
The Reality of Design Each year, our Design Issue is one of my favorites to put
together. There’s something inherently fascinating in understanding the way people transform raw materials into finished products — whether it’s architects shaping steel and glass into skyscrapers or artists taking a project from an idea to something that can hang in a museum. It’s no wonder there’s a seemingly ever-expanding stream of reality shows about how things are created — from fashion (Project Runway) to prosthetic make-up (Face Off) to cuisine (Top Chef). One of my favorites of these is The Great British Baking Show. In many ways, what makes Baking Show so great is that it keeps the focus on the process: what it takes to make bread that rises properly, a perfectly flaky pastry or chocolate with just the right shine. Part of the reason why they can provide so much information is that — unlike most reality shows — the show’s cameras aren’t trying to capture conflict between the contestants. More cutthroat American shows often sequester their casts for months at a time — cutting them off from the outside world until, frankly, they go bonkers. The more civilized Baking Show shoots on weekends, allowing its bakers to return to their everyday lives between rounds of competition. Also, while many competition shows are almost entirely fueled by twists and surprises, Baking Show often allows contestants the chance to practice their recipes ahead of time, trusting that the fear of turning out soggy-bottomed tarts or overdone scones is drama enough. Even the show’s music is more pleasant — perky piano and soothing strings instead of the relentless barrage of ominous thumps, bangs and buzzes apparently concocted to keep American reality TV audiences on the edge of their seats. When I found out that Baking Show had a spin-off called The Great British Sewing Bee, I was immediately intrigued. At the same time, after watching nearly fifteen seasons of Project Runway, I wondered if another show about people making clothes could hold my attention. I need not have worried: Baking Show’s formula triumphed again. What I hadn’t realized was that — in all the time Project Runway spent focusing on its contestants losing their minds, they weren’t giving me a sense of how the clothes actually came together. Instead, Sewing Bee takes the time to enlighten its audience about the many details that go into creating clothing. We learn how darts are sewn into a garment to give it shape. We see how the angle on which a fabric is cut can drastically change its capacity to stretch. We realize how something as seemingly straightforward as a man’s button-down shirt is actually the result of painstaking attention to detail. And we come to understand how the execution of finishing touches like buttonholes and zippers can cause a garment look like either treasure or trash. Rachel, the main character on UnREAL — a fantastic behind-the-scenes drama about reality show production — once summed up the show’s philosophy when she barked at a production assistant: “We don’t solve problems, okay? We create them, and then we point cameras at them.” And indeed, that does seem to be the guiding ethos behind most American reality television. Even if a show is ostensibly about taking photographs or remodeling homes or choreographing dance, the actual focus is on interpersonal drama. Fortunately, programs like Baking Show and Sewing Bee have figured out that there is plenty of entertainment value to be found in setting aside the hysteria and actually explaining the details of design. And truly, isn’t it a greater service to help audiences understand the domestic arts from which we have become all-too-often estranged in our increasingly store-bought lives than to merely show us some problems that producers cooked up and pointed cameras at? comment on this letter at metrosource.com.
publisher Rob Davis editor-in-chief Paul Hagen creative director Gayle Van Wely web editor Kevin Phinney SEnior Designer Jayson Mena copy editor Kevin Phinney proofreader Barbara Mele Contributing writers David Duran, Mathew Gross,
Jeffrey James Keyes, Scott A. Kramer, Christopher Lisotta, Barbara Mele, Kevin Phinney, Jonathan Roche, Eric Rosen, Wade Rouse, Jennifer Schiavone, Mark A. Thompson, Megan Venzin
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Evelyn Vayner account manager Don Alderson,
Jennifer Holland Office Manager Luswin Cote
For national advertising inquiries, call 212-691-5127. Subscriptions - One year (six issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95. Direct editorial inquiries and subscription orders to the NY office. For local advertising contact the local sales office.
Metrosource Publishing Inc. Metrosource LA Inc. 137 West 19th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10011 212-691-5127 Or contact us on the web at www.metrosource.com. Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. © 2016 Metrosource Publishing Incorporated. All rights reserved. Metrosource is a registered trademark of Metrosource Publishing Incorporated. Printed in the United States.
MetroScope
1} buy design
ILLUMINATED MAN PHoto courtesy christopher moulder.
Christopher Moulder has been designing, engineering, building, and installing his singular signature
lighting sculptures since 1993. While completing his MFA in Furniture Design, Moulder entered a one of a kind chandelier made of Absolut Citron bottles in the Absolut Design Competition and won. Today, his work continues to walk the line between art and design — whether he’s creating pieces for private homes or public spaces. Currently his work is on display at the Arrivals Hall at Maynard Hartsfield Jackson International Terminal in Atlanta, J.Crew in New York, the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, and One and Only Resorts in the Maldives. His latest lighting project is a fiberglass lighting sculpture commissioned by the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre in collaboration with the Wave2Wave Foundation. The piece shown above comes from his recent series, “The Royals.” Moulder’s Limited edition artwork includes chandeliers, pendants and wall lighting, all made to order. christophermoulder.com
IN SCOPE: looking: the movie
gay olympians diane arbus Baz Luhrmann barbra streisand More… metrosource.com
August/september 2016
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2} GOOD SPORT
out for gold openly gay diver tom daley is
sure to be one of the most recognizable athletes as the 2016 Summer Olympics arrive in Rio de Janeiro August 5–21, thanks in part to his high-profile coming out and romance with Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. But he’s far from the only openly gay athlete to root for at this year’s games. Others to keep an eye out for include New Zealand rower Robbie Manson, Canadian rhythmic gymnast Rose Cossar, British race walker Tom Bosworth and Canadian diver Jamie Bissett, We wish the best of luck to these athletes and all of this year’s LGBT Olympians. rio2016.com/en
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Will Patrick patch it up with Kevin or reignite his flame with Richie in Looking: The Movie?
4
Take a tuneful walk down memory lane to the turn of the 21st century.
3} look out
4 } ink spotted
when hbo announced that their
LOTS OF PEOPLE WRite. not all can
thoughtful series about the lives of a circle of gay friends living in San Francisco would not be returning for a third season, it was not a tremendous surprise considering its relatively small viewership. Nevertheless, fans of the funny, moving, artfullycrafted show were devastated. Fortunately, we’ll get at least one more chance to check in with Patrick, Agustin, Dom and company courtesy of Looking: The Movie. Rumors abound that the film will finally see Patrick reunited with former boyfriend Richie, but we won’t know anything for sure until its July 23rd premiere. hbo.com
do so with the wit and insight that Dave Holmes exhibits in his book, Party Of One: A Memoir in 21 Songs (Crown Archetype; $26.00). Holmes’ nimble text brims with smart asides and creative ideas – like using music from his formative years to illustrate milestones along his journey, including coming out of the closet and becoming one of MTV’s last VJs (though these days he makes his living as a writer for sites like Esquire and Vulture). Holmes steers his tale from awkward to poignant and back again. Visit metrosource. com for our in-depth chat with Holmes about Party of One.
last looks?
memoir tV
PHotos: Tom Daley courtesy BBC; Dave Holmes Courtesy Caryn Leigh Posnansky: Jonathan Groff Courtesy HBO;Facing page: Jack Dracula © The Estate of Diane Arbus, LLC. All Rights Reserved; VMA Awards Courtesy MtV
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Olympian Tom Daley flashes that megawatt smile on The Graham Norton Show.
5} ART BEAT
HAVE WE MET? The Met Breuer (an offshoot of
the Metropolitan Museum of Art focused on modern and contemporary art) just launched their inaugural season with the intriguing new exhibition diane arbus: in the beginning. It will include largely unseen early works by the American photographer, who is known for photographing marginalized people. The exhibition will focus on seven key years (1956-1962) that represent a crucial period of the artist’s genesis when she developed her idiosyncratic style, setting the tone for a daring and bold career. Roughly half of the photographs Arbus printed in her lifetime were made during these pivotal years, many of which were undiscovered in her basement darkroom in NYC’s Greenwich Village. The photographer’s daughters donated the archive to the Met. metmuseum.org
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Diane Arbus famously captured those who lived outside the box.
At the VMAs, winning isn’t always about taking home a trophy.
6} now & then
over the moon After three years on the west
coast the 33rd annual MTV Video Music Awards will air August 28, live from New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Over the years, the always buzzworthy event has hosted scandalous moments — from Madonna performing “Like a Virgin” in a punked out wedding gown to Kanye West storming the stage to interrupt Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech to Miley Cyrus closing the show with a bevy of RuPaul’s Drag Race queens. Who will take home the coveted“Moon Man” trophies for their videos this year and (more importantly) create moments that set Twitter on fire? Tune in to find out. mtv.com metrosource.com
August/september 2016
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Forget Google. SEARCH metrosource.com's BUSINESS DIRECTORY FIRST: by your community, for your community!
print. online. app.
7 } tour thing
barbra, please! as her career has progressed,
Barbra Streisand is the only recording artist to achieve #1 albums in each of six decades.
album ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway. barbrastreisand.com
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What will Heidi wear? What will Tim advise? And after 15 seasons, will the contestants still be able to make it work?
8} the TV SET
sweet fifteen between its change of network,
its judging panel shake-ups, and its parade of spin-offs (including All-Stars, Junior, and Under the Gunn), you may have lost count of the casts that Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn and company have put through their design paces, but the latest season of the reality television titan is currently revving up its sewing machines for its fifteenth season. The producers will have plenty of surprises in store on the road to New York Fashion Week; so if you want to know if this season’s cast will produce another gay superstar like Christian Siriano, Jack Mackenroth or Mondo Guerra, you’ll have to check it out when it premieres the second week of September on Lifetime. mylifetime.com
PHotos: Barbra Streisand courtesy columbia records; Heidi Klum and TIm Gunn Courtesy Barbara Nitke and Lifetime
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Barbra Streisand has done fewer live concerts — instead concentrating her energy in the recording studio and on film. Thus, the announcement that the original Funny Girl would be celebrating six decades of #1 albums with no less than ten tour dates was met with great applause. Streisand’s stops will include the Staples Center in Los Angeles (August 2), T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (August 6) and two nights at Barclays Center in her native Brooklyn (August 11 and 13th). Each ticket purchased will include a complimentary copy of her new
9
Will audiences love Leona’s “Memory” as much as“Bleeding Love”?
9} stage advice
the memory lives again currently be the longest-running musical in Broadway history, but that title was held for many years by another Andrew Lloyd Webber phenomenon, Cats. Beloved by some and reviled by others, the show nonetheless became synonymous with Broadway for well over a decade — running from 1982 to 2000. Grizabella the glamour cat (who sings arguably the show’s most famous song, “Memory”) has previously been played by musical theater royalty such as Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige. However, the role recently inspired some offstage drama when Nicole Scherzinger (of Pussycat Dolls fame) dropped out of the production just as it began rehearsing for Broadway. Scherzinger may sound like an unusual choice for the role, but she was nominated for an Olivier award for her performance in the most recent West End revival of Cats. Instead, pop star Leona Lewis is slated to step into her paws when the show opens on July 31. Ironically, Scherzinger quit to become a judge on The X Factor — the very show that first catapulted Lewis to stardom. So, are you a Cats person? Visit metrosource.com now to let us know. catsthemusical.com
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PHotos: Leona Lewis Courtesy Mathieu Young/FOX. Facing page: “The Get Down” courtesy Netflix; JImmy Kimmel courtesy ABC/Randy Holmes
the phantom of the opera may
10} circuit shakers
11} next up
from dance floors to pool parties, everyone is jumping in.
Baz Luhrmann is no stranger to
make a splash
CIRCUIT FESTIVAL BARCELONA august 2–14 Things will heat up in Barcelona
when Matinee Group presents one of the biggest circuit parties of the gay calendar. All-star DJs are set to lead the crowds into dance floor nirvana from the Big Opening through events including the We Party, Klubberdome, Forever Tel Aviv , Megawoof, and the Closing Party. circuitfestival.net Southern Decadence Aug 31-Sept 5 New Orleans is the place to be
over Labor Day Weekend. This festival, which started 45 years ago as a small going-away party, has grown into one of the gay world’s major annual events. Over 180,000 people came out to celebrate this “Gay Mardi Gras” last year. This number is set to increase in this year’s Crescent City convergence. southerndecadence.net Splash Days Sept 2-5 Top DJs welcome the boys to
Austin for yet another fun filled Labor Day weekend of nonstop partying that also functions as fundraising for a slew of local charities including ASA, Care Communities, and Austin PrEP Access Project. splashdays.com Gay Days Las Vegas September 6-12 everyone will be a winner as gay
Days Las Vegas celebrates its Fifth Anniversary with dancing at the hottest venues, parties at the coolest pools and group visits to some of the city’s most spectacular entertainment. Find out what will happen in Vegas at gaydays.com.
BAZ IN TIME mixing music and drama. Now, he teams with Shawn Ryan (of gritty cop drama The Shield) to bring that combination to the small screen in Netflix’s The Get Down, which premieres August 12. The series takes viewers to the NYC of the ‘70s when the city on the brink of bankruptcy was improbably also experiencing a cultural renaissance — exploding with the energy of disco, hip-hop and punk. The cast features many talented newcomers, and while famous faces like Jimmy Smitts and Jaden Smith show up, we’re pretty sure the music will be the real star. netflix.com
12} can’t miss
honored to be nominated it’s time for tV to pat itself on
the back again: the 68th Annual Emmy Awards arrive September 18th, bringing a host of questions: Will surprise Golden Globe winner Mozart in the Jungle experience equal love from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences? Will diversity continue to be celebrated, as it was with last year’s groundbreaking award for Viola Davis (the first black woman to win Oustanding Lead Actress in a Drama)? And will Julia LouisDreyfus continue her hot streak by winning a fifth Emmy for role as fumbling politico Selina Meyer on Veep? As this year’s ceremony will air on ABC, they’ve naturally tapped that network’s late night jokester-in-chief Jimmy Kimmel to host. emmys.com Text by Paul Hagen, Jeffrey James Keyes and Kevin Phinney.
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Kimmel tends to favor jokes over song-anddance extravaganzas.
11
The Get Down takes us back to when DJs spun actual records.
POV
mark a. thompson
Whose Idea Was that Color? After an auspicious start infusing his childhood bedroom with bachelor pad chic, Mark finds himself living in less than showroom quality circumstances.
Even as an adolescent, I immediately recognized the
allure of Habitat, the contemporary Montreal residences designed by architect Moshe Safdie. As soon as I entered one of the“bachelor apartments” with its sleek Scandinavian furnishings, I turned to my parents and vowed, “I’m living here when I grow up.” My boyhood dreams of a stylish bachelor pad were first deferred when my Ivy League professor father suddenly realized that he’d always wanted to be “a gentleman farmer.” So he purchased a 100-acre farm, complete with a Victorian house festooned with gables, latticework and a glut of gingerbread trim. Built in the late 19th century, the house needed work — lots of work, and my mother successfully persuaded my father of the necessity of hiring an “interior decorator.” Surely, I thought, this person of taste would recommend razing the entire structure and replacing it with something more like Habitat — or at least an A-frame with kidney-shaped pool. Instead, this alleged “professional” recommended green gingham window treatments in the kitchen, and — for the room she referred to as the “front parlor” — she suggested a sad scheme involving blue silk and tassels. Fortunately, my siblings and I were given freer rein when it came to decorating our respective bedrooms, and I did my best to create something that looked more like the world I saw on television — where the furniture was streamlined, the living rooms were sunken, the lamps were lava, and the men wore sharp suits while sipping smart cocktails. I chose a varied palette of oranges, yellows and browns. Shag carpeting! Beanbag chairs! Inflatable throw pillows! About the only thing missing was a wet bar: My mother had rebuffed the idea, refusing even to consider a drinks trolley. Fast-forward to me as an adult, living in Manhattan. My boyfriend and I were sharing a modest, one-bedroom apartment, furnished primarily with “family heirlooms” (read: no one else in the family wanted them). We also scavenged the streets of New York for
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the finest castoffs we could find, and I can tell you from experience: it is not easy to carry a salvaged leather LaZ-Boy recliner upstairs after a night at the Roxy. As luck would have it, we were befriended by a pair of interior designers who were a far cry from old Mrs. Gingham and Tassels. Their work had appeared in Architectural Digest, and their apartment left us gaping in awe. It was the kind of place I had envisioned living in when I imagined my future: modern yet timeless, elegant and refined as Noel Coward and Cole Porter. I feared what our new friends would say if they saw our humble abode. When that evening finally arrived, they were gentle. After a period of shocked silence, they pointed out some areas of potenial improvement: Had we failed to notice that our walls were all standard-issue white? Might we reconsider so prominently featuring the bicycle hanging from ceiling hooks in the bedroom? As for the La-Z-Boy, neither of them would go near it. In the wake of their visit, we realized a makeover was mandatory if we wanted to live in anything resembling the snazzy bachelor pad I’d envisioned as kid. We started by adding color: We chose “dusty rose” for the bedroom, since the irrepressable Kay Thompson had advised us to “think pink” in Funny Face. And because it looked so good in the Prada on Madison Avenue — we had celadon on the walls in the living room. Our new friends had finally inspired my boyfriend and myself to begin filling our space with our personal style again — just as Moshe Safdie had inspired me to do in my childhood bedroom. In all honesty, the final result was not something our designer friends could wholly sanction. (”Whose idea was the celadon?” queried the taller one.) Nonetheless, it was a start. ■
who awakened (or re-awakened) your appreciation for interior design? share your story at metrosource.com.
geoscope Now available on Metrosource.com, a whole new way to explore your world...
photography by edwin santiago
Unstoppable Greg Louganis iN our Last issue, we singled out Olympian and HIV/AIDS activist Greg Louganis in “advances that can make us Proud,” and wrote that he’d finally be getting his own Wheaties box as part of the cereal’s Legends series. Well,
the box has arrived, and it is beautiful — featuring the four-time gold medalist mid-dive at the height of his competitive career.“It’s such an honor,”Louganis said in response. “I don’t pay attention to a lot of those things. I don’t read my press. That’s not why I was in the sport. It was my passion, my love. And these are little gifts, really.” ■
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photo courtesy general mills.
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screen
What Becomes a Legend Most? A titan of television, two of cinema’s greatest filmmakers, and a woman considered by many to be history’s worst opera singer are among those whose stories are lighting up the screen. by Jonathan roche FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) was a wealthy New York socialite, a philanthropist and by All accounts, a truly terrible amateur opera
Singer. Meryl Streep’s portrayal suggests she’s channeling Jenkins as some rare, flightless bird — bulky with ludicrous amounts of colorful plumage. When she sings, you can tell she’s doing it from her soul; she’s just not very good at it. Yet she seems blissfully unaware — sheltered by adoring friends and a devoted husband (played by Hugh Grant). It’s hard to believe Jenkins could be so ignorant of her limitations, but the conceit gives Grant plenty of comedic juggling to do, from bribing journalists to carefully vetting audiences. And we may never know if her fans were being kind, having a laugh at her expense or simply experiencing the joy of hearing someone sing as if no one were listening. THE WORD: Streep and Grant are both wonderfully game, but Simon Helberg (of The Big Bang Theory) stands apart with a sublimely quirky performance as Florence’s meek pianist. COMING TO: Theaters
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Photos: “Florence Foster Jenkins” courtesy Parmount/pathé; Norman Lear courtesy Music Box Films, Truffaut/Hitchcock Courtesy Philippe Halsman/Cohen Media Group.
NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU depending on when you were born, you may have never heard of norman lear or even seen an episode of the groundbreaking TV That he
created (including Sanford and Son, Maude, Good Times, All in the Family and The Jeffersons — to name a few). Nevertheless, you have him to thank for changing television for the better. Before Lear, people on TV didn’t talk like people in real life, nor did they talk about issues that mattered to real people. But through Lear’s work, our nation was asked to grapple with issues like race, class, sexuality, politics, human rights and more. This innovative documentary allows stars like Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, George Clooney, Mel Brooks and more to praise this most influential of television innovators. THE WORD: The film’s greatest star is 93-year-old Lear himself. The man who at one time had six out of the top ten shows on TV, fought in WWII and founded People for the American Way will inspire you with his continued vitality and creativity. COMING TO: Theaters
HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT Francois Truffaut, Then considered a shinin-
ing star of French cinema, spent eight days in 1962 discussing filmmaking with veteran director Alfred Hitchcock. Since then, the book Truffaut eventually published about their conversations, Hitchcock/Truffaut, has become an indispensable resource on the art of creating lasting cinematic images. Now in documentary form, the highlights of their remarkable summit can be heard in their own voices, and accompanied by clips of the films they are analyzing and praising. THE WORD: As an added bonus, modern-day directorial greats including Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Olivier Assayas, Wes Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Schrader and Richard Linklater also weigh in — offering even more reasons to marvel at Hitchcock’s craft. COMING TO: Home Video
Summertime Summertime (La Belle Saison) is a story of lesbian love, familial duty, and the difficulty in unifying the disparate parts of a gay person’s identity.
Comely and capable farm girl Delphine leaves the French countryside to experience 1970s Paris. There she falls in with a flock of feminists, and eventually falls into a deep love affair with a woman named Carole. When tragedy compels Delphine to return home, Carole follows, and soon their disparate city-versus-country loyalties test the limits of their affection. Expect numerous graphic, languorous sex scenes that recall (but don’t rival) those of 2013’s Blue Is The Warmest Color. THE WORD: The film feels true — daring to end with a realistic whimper rather than an artificial bang. COMING TO: Theaters
Equity The exquisite Anna Gunn (of Breaking Bad
fame) slips into a more mature role as Naomi Bishop: a confident, powerful woman advancing a career in investment banking. When cracks begin to show on an impending IPO she’d hoped might catapult her up the corporate latter, Naomi must decide how to navigate an increasingly shady world of office politics and insider information. The film sets itself apart from other corporate dramas with a feminist point of view — examining the costs of putting career over personal life and featuring several strong female characters. It also wins points for subtlety, a plot grounded in detail, and a solid cast including James Purefoy, Nate Corddry and Craig Bierko. THE WORD: This Wall Street thriller may feel like an accurate portrayal of its setting, but some viewers may wish it cut deeper. COMING TO: Theaters
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Indignation
Photos: “Summertime” Courtesy Strand releasing; “Equity” courtesy Sony Pictures Classics, “Indignation”- Alison Cohe, & “Captain fantastic” Cathy Kanavy/Bleecker Street
Marcus Messner (played by Logan Lerman,
best known as the fresh-faced star of The Perks of Being a Wallflower) is a bright Jewish boy from New Jersey who manages to avoid being sent to the Korean War – and escapes his increasingly neurotic father – by going to college. There, he ends up in a series of complex relationships, including a pseudo-romance with a beautiful-but-troubled female student and falls afoul of one of the college’s Christian deans. The ensuing debates between Marcus and the dean are the most exciting and worthwhile parts of the film. THE WORD: Indignation is adapted from Phillip Roth’s 2008 novel of the same name, and — true to Roth’s literary legacy — the film is dazzlingly intelligent but not generous in terms of traditionally satisfying story arcs. Adapting Roth is a challenge (and historically a bad box office bet); so hats off to director James Schamus (screenwriter/ producer on many of Ang Lee’s best films) for taking a risk. COMING TO: Theaters
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC Ben is a father raising six exceptional chil-
dren in the forest — lovingly drilling them in survival skills, athletics, philosophy, and free thinking. However this ideal (if radical) existence is fractured by the suicide of Ben’s wife, who’d been hospitalized for bipolar disorder. Her conservative father (played by Frank Langella) threatens Ben with arrest if he dares attend her funeral. Nevertheless, the extraordinary brood pile into their family bus and embark on a quest of healing and an awkward reunion with a world from which they have long lived apart. As Ben, Viggo Mortensen heads up a young cast of stars-in-the-making. THE WORD: The most delightful aspect of this funny, touching, highly unconventional film is the beauty of the family’s atypical lifestyle, a stark contrast with traditional all-American “normalcy.”COMING TO: Home Video
DIARY
The Palm Springs Surprise BY WADE ROUSE
Wade and Gary try to remain sane as their attempts to transform their new home are met with infestations and other frustrations. “What’s that noise?” Gary asked, rustling me awake..
“That creepy, scraping sound?” I sat up in bed and listened in the dark. It was our first night in our recently purchased Palm Springs home. “It’s just the sounds of a new house,” I said.“Go back to sleep.” Moments later, our dogs started barking, and I awoke to Gary screaming, standing on the bed, the flashlight from his smart phone beaming. “A scorpion!” he yelled.“It’s huge!” I moved to the edge of the bed and on the floor — seemingly ready to crawl in with us — was a scorpion the size of a toy car, its tail curled menacingly in the moonlight. I screamed as Gary jumped — first onto a nightstand and then to the floor. He sprinted away and returned with scorpion catching tools: a pair of oven mitts, a broom and a handy piece of Tupperware. But even after the scorpion was caught, we were unable to sleep. The next day we called a pest control company. They seemed relatively unfazed by the scorpion issue, but ultimately discovered we had a secret“second”attic (undetected during inspection) where a rat had moved in. “You live next to a mountain,” shrugged the pest guy. “Yeah, but we thought everything would stay across the street,” Gary said.“Like polite neighbors.” Not long after, roaches swarmed our patio. The pest guy returned.“We’ll spray,” he offered. In less wilderness-oriented news, we had an electrician out to install a light, whereupon he reported that much of our essential wiring had been cut to accommodate the installation of remote-controlled ceiling fans. Trying to distract Gary, I suggested we focus on what I hoped would be more positive aspects of the redecorating process.“Let’s try to sell the furniture,” I said. We had felt like savvy investors when we purchased the home furnished. We did not realize the homeowners would leave everything — including hundreds of old towels, partially used candles, and rugs that smelled like death. Resale shops wanted none of it. My next attempt at positivity was to turn to paint colors. We’d originally thought we could live with the condo’s existing ones, but quickly realized that the sickly shades of peach and brown were not conducive to living well.
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Nor were the bathrooms — which had been appointed with faux painted Grecian pillars — conducive to sanity. It was while at the local hardware store in search of the perfect shade of orange (“Palm Springs Hermés” as it is known locally) — that Gary finally snapped like the crazy baby sitter in a Lifetime movie. Friends came to his aid when they came across him freaking out in the parking lot, but when we returned to our less-than-ideal circumstances the next day, he broke down yet again. “What have we done?” he asked, sitting on the floor and beginning to sob like an overwhelmed kindergartner “We can lighten the orange, sir,”the paint clerk offered. Gary responded, “We’ve spent so much money! For what? Rats and scorpions and no electricity and stinky furniture and a condo that looks like it was decorated by Caligula — we are screwed!” The clerk stood by awkwardly — clutching at invisible pearls. I told him to go and lighten the orange; then I sat down and took Gary in my arms. We were clearly in over our heads. We had watched so many HGTV home makeover shows that we’d believed the interior of our beautiful-on-the-outside find could easily be transformed into the ideal California showplace. But our flip had turned out to be a flop. When the clerk returned, he gave us an encouraging wink. “It happens to everyone,” he said. “Homes in the desert are beautiful, but they’re old. Try to have fun making it your own. Focus on the end result and look forward to all the stories you’ll tell about it one day.” “What do we do now?” Gary whispered, his head on my shoulder. I stood and helped him up. “We’ll do plenty of this,” I answered, giving him a kiss. Then I handed over my credit card to the clerk, adding: “And a whole lot of that.” ■ You can learn more about Wade’s writing — including his debut novel The Charm Bracelet, which is now available under the pen name Viola Shipman — at waderouse.com. have you ever ended up overwhelmed by a home improvement project? share your story with us at metrosource.com.
Party recap
the Rooftop Refresher with summer arriving, metrosource headed to the roof of clay health club to toast the season’s arrival along with tito’s vodka and the tourist office of Spain, tur españa. This year, Metrosource hosted a crowd of friends to toast the arrival of warm weather and Pride season at our “Kickoff to Summer” Rooftop Mixer. The evening of Thursday May 12th, we gathered on the swanky rooftop of Clay Health Club + Spa. Presenting sponsor Tito’s Handmade Vodka quenched our thirst with the Tito’s Rooftop Refresher, a delicious cocktail of Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Landhaus Lemonade — garnished with fresh mint and served by the fun and helpful staff of Tito’s. Meanwhile, Temerario Restaurant provided delectable Mexican street food, our DJ kept the music lively as guests mingled, and Metrosource staff sent live photo updates to our Twitter and Facebook. Before saying goodnight, attendees were treated to a gift bag with advance copies of Metrosource, a koozie drink holder from Tito’s to help keep our drinks cool all summer long, a guest pass to try out Clay Health Club + Spa, and a USB drive from our friends at the Tourist Office of Spain (TURESPAÑA). Thanks to all who helped make it an evening to remember. ■ metrosource.com August/september 2016
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music
Different Directions Nick Jonas discovers that breaking up is hard to do. Meanwhile, Ariana finds fresh collaborators, and Tegan and Sara take a tour around the glitter globe of ‘80s synth-pop. by matt gross Nick Jonas Last Year Was Complicated (Safehouse/Island Records) The BABY-FACED BOY BAND BRO TURNED heartthrob gets personal and passionate on his outstanding sophomore album. Jonas broke out of his
shell in a huge way with the wild success of his 2014 solo single“Jealous.”Now, on Last Year Was Complicated, he continues to pave his own path across the pop landscape. Chronicling a bitter breakup, Nick delves into feelings of resentment, loneliness and ultimately, newfound freedom. On the record’s finest track“Close” (featuring buzzy Swedish singer/songwriter Tove Lo), Jonas suggests that he “can’t open up and be vulnerable with someone.” Meanwhile “Chainsaw” is his male counterpart to Beyonce’s Lemonade — paralleling the end of a relationship with broken dishes, broken trust and a broken home. Jonas will bare his soul on an upcoming North American tour this summer with fellow LGBT ally Demi Lovato. For a full list of dates, visit futurenowtour.com.
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TK.Photos: Nick Jonas courtesy of Yu Tsai; Tegan and Sara courtesy of Warner Bros. Records; Ariana Grande courtesy of Republic Records
Tegan & Sara Love You to Death (Vapor Records/Warner Bros.) ThIS follow-up to theIR breakthrough Heartthrob is easily the most infectious album of the sisters’ esteemed 17 year career. Jumpstarted by
lead single and video“Boyfriend,”Love You to Death is a synth-pop masterpiece. Though the openly lesbian identical twins have won legions of fans with their country-folk and rock-tinged releases, they shine brightest when creating catchy ‘80s-inspired pop gems. Produced by Greg Kurstin (revered for work with Adele, Sia and Beck), the record’s highlights include the lovesick“U-turn,”the heartbreaking“100x”and the stunning album closer“Hang on to the Night.”Join Tegan & Sara’s one million Facebook fans and keep up to date on tour info as it’s announced by visiting facebook.com/TeganandSara.
Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman (Republic Records) grande’s third release pairs her otherworldly
vocals with fresh R&B and hip-hop production. Featuring notable rap collaborators including Lil Wayne, Future and Nicki Minaj, Dangerous Woman skews far from the dance-pop we’ve come to expect from the now-global superstar. The record’s finest moments include both its title track and a surprise duet with under-appreciated soul and jazz diva Macy Gray on the devastatingly gorgeous “Leave Me Lonely.” Grande’s previous mega hits — notably “Break Free,” “Bang Bang” and “Love Me Harder” — became nearly instant dance floor anthems at gay clubs around the world. However, the bulk of Dangerous Woman seems much better suited for midnight listens in the boudoir with somebody special. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @arianagrande. metrosource.com
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The Tests of Time Exploring the lasting design legacies of an iconic French fashion house, respected Italian shoemakers and twenty years of the Great White Way. BY BARBARA MELE ON BROADWAY
By Drew Hodges | Rizzoli; $45 The creators of artwork used to promote
Broadway shows are often unheralded, even though they create images that forever endear audiences to their respective productions. Now, with the publication of this lush coffee table book by design firm founder Drew Hodges,
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these creators finally get their due. On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution traces the last 20 years of Broadway through interviews, photos and art — highlighting the visuals behind hits from Chicago to Kinky Boots to Hamilton. Along the way, it visits many of the medium’s most beloved stars and even provides an introduction from the always-insightful David Sedaris.
Photos this section courtesy their publishers as indicated.
books
books
The Italian Art of Shoemaking Edited by Cristina Morozzi | Rizzoli; $80
if you’re interested in A DEEP dive into the
culture of one of the world’s more distinguished shoemakers, consider The Italian Art of Shoemaking: Works of Art in Leather. It takes readers inside the world of Moreschi shoes, which have long been recognized for their craftsmanship and unique style. Both are on display here in shots by award winning photographer Giò Martorana — from works in progress to finished products. Moreschi’s men’s shoes, noted for their combinations of strong colors and varied types of leather, have been worn by celebrities including Michael Jackson, Richard Burton, Adrien Brody and Johnny Cash. And while the brand has designs on the future, including a more recently developed women’s line, this volume is a remarkable exploration of the history that made them an institution.
Volez, Voguez, Voyagez — Louis Vuitton
Edited by Olivier Saillard | Rizzoli; $95 there are few logos in the world more syn-
onymous with luxury than the LV of Louis Vuitton. Now — recognizing over 150 years of exquisite accessories and exceptional elegance, the internationally recognized fashion house is offering a two-part celebration of its legacy. This began with a yearlong exhibit at the Grand Palais — a commemorative nod to (Louis’ son) George Vuitton’s role as a curator at Paris’ historic Exposition Universelle in 1900. The celebration continues with the publication of Volez, Voguez, Voyagez — Louis Vuitton, edited by Olivier Saillard (who also curated the Grand Palais exhibition). The book boasts a rich collection of archival photography following Vuitton’s rise from a simple purveyor of leather goods to a brand that has come to signify refinement and adventure worldwide. As their offerings progressed from luxe luggage to designer dresses to even accessories for the pampered pooch, note the persistence and evolution of the company’s signature LV coat of arms. As this volume attests again, the secret to Louis Vuitton’s success is more than an iconic logo; it’s a reputation for good design that’s withstood the test of time. ■ metrosource.com
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metronow
Flying Solo Michael Longoria’s new album, Broadway Brick By
Brick is a fascinating musical curiosity. On one hand, it’s his entire cabaret show — complete with his stage patter boiled down to fit a CD booklet essay. On the other, it’s also a scrapbook of his journey to stardom. Longoria began life singing Mariachi tunes in his native Spanish tongue. One Christmas, while his family was preparing a Yuletide favorite — homemade tamalés — Longoria’s little mind was blown by the film version of West Side Story, which happened to be playing that night on the television. “That’s when I discovered people sing in English, too. In that one instant,” says the singer, “I began a
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life-long love affair with musicals that has only gotten deeper and broader over the years.” That little Mariachi would grow up to attend NYU, land his first major role in the Broadway musical Hairspray, and eventually work his way up to playing Frankie Valli, the lead tenor in the Four Season’s musical biography Jersey Boys. Now his life story provides the template for his first solo album, which includes music from Jersey Boys (Can’t Take My Eyes Off You) and, appropriately, West Side Story (“Maria”). Visit metrosource.com now to read our interview with Longoria and learn more about Broadway Brick ■ by Brick.
Photo: Peter Hurley
A star of the stage offers a soaring debut album that’s part Broadway cabaret and part the memoir of a mini-Mariachi. by kevin phinney
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED FOR HIV? EVERYONE.
See how often testing is recommended. Visit HelpStopTheVirus.com © 2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC1858 03/15
companies that care 2016 this year, in our annual look at how the corporate world interacts with the LGBT community, we showcase how businesses have reached out to us through advertising, how they’re doing it with increasing specificity and how that’s changed over time. by Jeffrey james keyes titled “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: How Far Will Madison Avenue Go to Court the Gay Consumer?” The piece led off with two facts:
Fact 1 Gay men purchase more condoms per capita than straight men. Fact 2 A significant percentage of lesbians own four or more cats or dogs. Despite these facts, at the time, we weren’t seeing much advertising from national condom advertisers to gay men; nor were pet food makers lining up to advertise to lesbians. Remember 1992? It was the year Sinead O’Connor ripped up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live, Candice Bergen won the
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Emmy for Murphy Brown and Bill Clinton was about to ascend to the presidency. Whether it feels like just yesterday or ancient history, the world has certainly moved in a positive direction for the LGBT community ever since.
Advocating for Advertising By 1992, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) had already been promoting lesbian and gay media visibility for seven years. Donald Suggs, GLAAD’s then Director of Public Affairs, said, “To have lesbians and gay men absent from advertising, or not to have advertising directed at our community by mainstream advertisers, is discrimination, plain and simple.” Today GLAAD continues to rewrite the
photo courtesy istock.com/
In 1992, metrosource published an article
script for LGBT acceptance. One of the most comprehensive resources they’ve created is their Ad Library, an archive of over 4,000 LGBT-inclusive ads. For their #GLAADat30 campaign (celebrating 30 years of culture changing work), the organization created a timeline tracking some of their biggest victories. Included is the 1993 American Advertising Award they received for a billboard posted throughout California depicting an expecting lesbian couple with the words “Another Traditional Family.” Also present is their “Images” campaign from that same year, which introduced subway riders to LGBT New Yorkers. More recently (in 2009), GLAAD introduced their Advertising Media Program to promote fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBT representations in advertising. That same year, Alan Cumming hosted the first annual GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising. And last year, they hosted an LGBT panel at Advertising Week, which featured executives from DIRECTV, Tylenol and Omnicon Media Group adressing the subject of LGBT-Inclusive Advertising in a Post-Marriage Equality America.
ganizations like Community Marketing & Insights (CMI), which has been conducting LGBT research for over 20 years, there are now studies for major corporations and brands including Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson, Hallmark, Target, The Walt Disney Company and Prudential Financial. In their 2015 survey, they worked with over 20,000 respondents from 96 countries. Here’s what they found: • LGBT men and women are equally likely to describe themselves as online and mobile shoppers who research purchases. • Pro-LGBT policies and corporate LGBT outreach encourage the LGBT community to purchase brands including Apple, Starbucks, Target, Amazon, Home Depot, Nabisco, JC Penney, Macy’s, American Airlines, Wells Fargo, Google, Subaru, Gap Inc., Absolut Vodka, and Costco. • 74% surveyed noted Chick-fil-A as a brand they are boycotting. Other boycotted companies include Exxon Mobil, Barilla Pasta, Hobby Lobby, and Cracker Barrel.
The Change Continues In the summer of 2014 Charlie Joughin, Press Secretary of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said, “In the past, most companies and brands rarely — if ever — used LGBT-specific themes in marketing or advertisements. Today, companies are focusing sharply on the quickly changing research demonstrating that a vast majority of Americans support LGBT equality. Businesses recognize that it is incredibly unpopular to be anti-gay, and in fact, now view a pro-equality stance as a way to entice the millions of fair-minded Americans who champion LGBT civil rights as an important issue.” Joughin saluted outreach efforts including Marriott International’s #LoveTravels campaign, Apple’s LGBT Pride station on iTunes Radio, Honey Maid’s social media campaign featuring graham crackers in the shape of the HRC’s iconic logo, AT&T’s “Live Proud” campaign, Nike’s #BETRUE apparel line, General Mills’ use of their iconic Lucky Charms as the face of its Pride promotions, and Ben & Jerry’s slogan “Love Comes in All Flavors.”
By the Numbers Reaching the LGBT community was once guesswork, but not anymore. Because of or-
Meanwhile, Witeck Communications and MarketResearch.com projected the total buying power of the U.S. LGBT adult population to be $884 billion as of 2014. Its CEO Bob Witeck said, “Buying power estimates offer a snapshot of the overlooked economic contributions of America’s diverse LGBT households.” “LGBT buying power is an economic marker that helps benchmark America’s diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community,”said Justin Nelson, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Co-Founder and President.“At NGLCC, we have more than 150 corporate partners that understand not only the value of the LGBT dollar, but the economics of inclusivity and loyalty.” Back in 1992, when Metrosource noted that 75% of the gay population would be more likely to make purchases based on advertising in gay media. We also posed the question, “So where’s all the advertising?” Since then major corporations have stepped up by not only targeting the gay consumer but also by running ads with gay themes in the mainstream. Let’s look at how some of these companies have shown they care — through advertising and community outreach.
Wells Fargo Wells Fargo’s formal commitment to the LGBT community dates back to 1987 when they added sexual orientation to their nondiscrimination policy. They were the first American bank to feature a lesbian couple in a major campaign with their “Learning Sign Language” ad. This year, in celebration of Pride Month, Wells Fargo shared a story of inclusion and acceptance about loan specialist Suzette Keener, who credits Wells Fargo and its PRIDE Team Member Network for inspiring her to accept her lesbian daughter. Wells Fargo will also be present at over 60 Pride events across the country with their theme “Together is Beautiful,” and the company will also celebrate Pride a with something new in their Card Design Studio: The Pride Collection. These new financial services cards feature custom-designed artwork developed in a special partnership with the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives and the GLBT Historical Society.
Johnson & Johnson “Caring for the world, one person at a time,“ is the motto that inspires and unites the team at Johnson & Johnson. The brand teamed up with leading gay marketing agency Target 10 for Care With Pride, a multi-faceted campaign connecting with and supporting the LGBT community. In 2005, Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol PM also depicted two men in bed together with text that read, “His back is keeping him up,” beneath one and “His boyfriend’s backache is keeping him up,” beneath the other. In 2014, the company debuted their “For What Matters Most” campaign, which featured diverse inclusive families at Thanksgiving dinner, (meant to evoke images of Norman Rockwell Americana). This year, Tylenol’s #HowWeFamily campaign — directed by Dustin Lance Black — sends the message that“Family isn’t defined by who you love, but how” with videos that feature African-American, lesbian, gay, biracial, and single parent families.
Lexus Rosie O’Donnell, Portia de Rossi, Sir Ian McKellen, and Adam Lambert have all joined Lexus for intimate interviews about their lives through their “It Got Better” series. Lexus developed these and other L/Studio videos as a way to reach consumers once considered outside mainstream advertising. But “It Got Betmetrosource.com
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ter” isn’t Lexus’ first outreach to gay drivers. In 2013, the company sponsored a road trip series featuring couple Steve and Wade driving a Lexus LS 460 from Washington, D.C. to NYC and friends Josh and Justin driving from San Francisco to LA in an IS 350 F Sport AWD. Recently Lexus’ 2016 RX 350 SUV campaign directly reached out to the LGBT market in their “Ahead of the Curve”ad. In it, a stylish gay couple start their day in an avant-garde home; one man grabs his briefcase and strolls outside to his Lexus RX. The house clearly mirrors the sculpted body of the RX, illustrating how the SUV was engineered for a modern lifestyle. The campaign has appeared on broadcast, digital, print, and out-of-home media with television spots airing during prime time, late night, cable, and even sports programming. “Our best-selling luxury crossover has been reimagined inside and out, appealing to modern families and youthful, culturally engaged customers,” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. “The RX defined the luxury crossover segment when it first launched in 1998. This marketing campaign illustrates how we’ve transformed the RX and re-defined sophistication.”
tolerance, the brand also recently introduced their “Wholesome Button,” a browser app that allows users to navigate through the Internet with a greater emphasis on “acceptance and positivity.”
JC Penney
Seth and Amy Toast Marriage Equality
Honey Maid/Nabisco “Our new campaign creative taps into a cultural insight that is rooted in the change of the American family dynamic,” said Katrina Plummer on behalf of Honey Maid/Mondelez International. “In 2016, we’re encouraging Americans to view the world through the eyes of acceptance and remember that no matter how families might change, just like our products, what makes them wholesome remains the same.” Two years ago, Honey Maid graham crackers unveiled “Dad & Papa,”a commercial that showed the love two fathers have for their son and newborn baby. The concept in their latest campaign, “This is Wholesome” depicts five real American families — including a Hispanic gay couple and their kids — each sharing a story of acceptance. In a press release to launch the campaign, the company declared, “The outcome of acceptance is a sense of belonging – one of our most fundamental needs as humans.” To combat LGBT marginalization and in-
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company ran an advertisement in 1999 depicting two men holding hands with the slogan: “Be yourself and make it a Bud Light.” They have also supported LGBT events like Gay Days Orlando, Aspen Gay Ski Week, and Long Beach Pride.
JC Penney weathered controversy from conservatives groups after naming Ellen DeGeneres as their media spokeswoman. The company caused an even greater stir in 2012 upon releasing a Father’s Day print ad showing reallife same-sex couple Todd Koch and Cooper Smith hugging their two children. The accompanying copy read: “What makes Dad so cool? He’s the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver — all rolled into one. Or two.” The company still subscribes to the principles set down by founder James Cash Penney. “We carry on this legacy by building richly diverse teams and treating everyone with dignity and respect,” Kate Coultas said on behalf of JC Penney. “We believe our diversity and different points of view help us fit the needs of our diverse customers and be leaders in the retail industry.” JC Penney was also selected one of the HRC’s Best Places to Work for 2016.
Macy’s Anheuser-Busch Bud Light kicked off Pride season with a fun new advertisement for “The Bud Light Party” featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer (pictured, above) at a same-sex wedding. Alex Lambrecht, VP of Bud Light at Anheuser-Busch was quoted saying that “by featuring Seth and Amy at a same-sex wedding, we’re showing how all weddings — regardless of who is getting married — share many similarities and moments to celebrate. We created this spot because equality for all Americans is a concept that unites many Bud Light drinkers.” “June is the height of wedding season, and it is also LGBT Pride month in America,” the brand elaborated. “That’s why right now is the time to spark a national conversation by celebrating every kind of wedding – and everyone’s right to marry whoever they choose.” LGBT Advertising isn’t new territory for Anheuser-Busch (who make Bud Light). The
Macy’s is an LGBT ally with a long track record: their first ad in gay media ran in February of 2000. In 2008, the company created an ad supporting marriage equality in California. At the same time, 253 of Macy’s East stores — including their Herald Square flagship — observed Pride with display windows or sponsored events. After the California Supreme Court approved same-sex marriage, the company ran several full-page newspaper ads in LA and San Francisco that read: “First comes love. Then comes marriage. And now it’s a milestone every couple in California can celebrate.” Just this past June, Macy’s observed national LGBTQ Pride month with a campaign titled “Pride + Joy,” which features an array of in-store events, parades, commemorative advertising and sponsorships. “Macy’s is proud to continue our support for the LGBTQ community through our annual Pride + Joy campaign,” wrote William Hawthorne of Macy’s.
“Whether it’s through events, our practices or via partnerships with LGBTQ organizations like the Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign (among other organizations), we are steadfast in our commitment to being an inclusive company as we support our employees, customers and the communities in which we do business.” Customers can also shop Love Bravery, a line of clothing and accessories by Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John meant to inspire compassion and combat prejudice. Available exclusively at Macy’s, 25 percent of its retail price benefits the Born This Way Foundation and Elton John AIDS Foundation. Additionally, on Macys.com, customers can also purchase Proposition Love jewelry, which supports the fight for LGBT equality. Proposition Love donates 10 percent of its profits to organizations that support gay rights and marriage equality.
Ben & Jerry’s There are few corporations that get into Gay Pride like Ben & Jerry’s. A staunch supporter of gay rights since 1989, Ben & Jerry’s was the first major employer in Vermont to offer health insurance to domestic partners of their employees, including same sex couples. In addition to awarding grants to PFLAG organizations, and supporting both Vermont’s Civil Union Bill, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act they celebrated gay marriage in Vermont by temporarily renaming their “Chubby Hubby” flavor “Hubby Hubby.” In 2012, they supported marriage equality in the UK with the flavor: “Apple-y Ever After.” They also supported marriage equality in Ireland with the flavor “EngageMint Party” and in Australia with the flavor “I Dough, I Dough.” They also renamed their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream “I Dough, I Dough” for an entire summer at participating U.S. Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops nationwide. In addition to name changes, their “Love is Love” campaign has continued throughout social media and videos. One video features Tori and Shante Wolfe-Sisson, the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Alabama.
Tiffany & Co Tiffany’s launched a campaign called “Will You” in 2015 featuring six couples (including a gay
pair), proposing. “Nowadays, the road to marriage is no longer linear,” a company spokeswoman said. “True love can happen more than once with love stories coming in a variety of forms.” Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh shot the campaign, which is accompanied by the text, “Will you promise to never stop completing my sentences or singing off-key, which I’m afraid you do often?... And will you let today be the first sentence of one long story that never, ever ends?”
Starbucks Starbucks’ big LGBT Ad came out in 2014 and featured Adore Delano and Bianca Del Rio of RuPaul’s Drag Race fighting in line over who will get served first. However, Starbucks’ Alisha Damodaran told us, “Starbucks has always believed in equal treatment of all of our partners [read: employees] and has a long history and commitment to our LGBTQ partners.” “Beginning over 20 years ago, we began offering health insurance covering partners in domestic partnerships,” Damodaran added. “More recently, we broadened our health care coverage to include gender reassignment surgery. We believe that this level of accessibility to health care is a leading practice that all employers and providers should offer.” In June of 2014, Anthony Hesseltine, a sourcing manager for Starbucks supplier diversity program, came up with the idea to fly the Pride flag atop its Seattle headquarters (at 800 square feet, it was called the largest in Seattle). HRC has also rated Starbucks as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”
A Few More for the Road Additional companies notable for their gayfamily inclusive advertising include Allstate, Campbell’s, and Famous Footwear. Allstate’s “Here’s to firsts” campaign featured two dads with their baby girl. Campbell’s “Star Wars” chicken noodle soup commercial featured two dads and their son dressed as Darth Vader. Famous Footwear’s commercial “Family Dinner, a Time to Reconnect” features a “new normal” family and their two children. It’s also worth mentioning the impact that social media has had on marketing and outreach to the LGBT community. Never was this more apparent than during the Supreme Court decision that secured national same-sex marriage. Companies showed their support on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in solidarity with the LGBT community — including JELL-O, Lucky Charms, Stolichnaya Vodka, Kellogg’s, American Airlines, Miller Lite, Cherrio’s, Mastercard, VISA, UNIQLO, Macy’s, GAP, Maytag, Levis, Delta, Uber, Sears, Tide, Snickers, Chobani, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Doritos, Kool-Aid, KFC and Burt’s Bees. More recently (on Valentine’s Day of this year) Adidas shared a photograph of two ladies in matching shoes with the accompanying caption “The love you take is equal to the love you make.”To critics of the ad, the company responded with two emojis: one of a kiss and the other of a hand waving goodbye. A 1992 Metrosource appraisal of LGBT advertising reported that we had already “come a long way.“ We can now report that inclusivity is closer to the rule than than the exception. ■ metrosource.com august/september 2016
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Sean hayes is more than just jack the actor reflects on how Will & Grace shaped our culture and reveals why he’s daring audiences to accept him in an envelope-pushing new role. By Kevin Phinney
Pictured: James Gleason, Sean Hayes, David Josefsberg. PhotO; Jim cox
Picture God: Not the one You See on church ceilings or THe One you
invoke when you’re cut off in traffic. No, this incarnation of The Almighty bears a striking resemblance to actor Sean Hayes, now currently appearing to his faithful followers in the Broadway comedy An Act of God. So far, the man who famously out-Chered Cher has spent his day schlepping through the crowd-clogged streets of Manhattan — dodging taxis and pedestrians just like like the rest of us mere mortals. In a few hours, however, he’ll once again don his celestial robes to patiently explain how we got here, what it all means, and why an online profile would best describe God’s relationship with humanity as “complicated.” Hayes is best known for his multiple Emmy Award-winning eight seasons playing Jack McFarland, the flamboyantly gay foil to Eric McCormack and Debra Messing’s Will & Grace. But he was always good at getting attention, he says as we chat over coffee. He first turned heads as a piano prodigy after entering numerous competitions as a child. By the time he was a high schooler, Hayes was obsessed with entertainment in general and comedy in particular. He points to cultural touchstones including “Saturday Night Live, vintage sitcoms and Jerry Lewis movies,” and recalls his annual New Year’s ritual of sitting in front of the family TV delighting to the Marx Brothers’ madcap masteriece, Duck Soup. Then he discovered theater. “My first onstage experience came playing Sir Andrew in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night,” he recalls. “I didn’t understand the thread of the piece like I do now, but I was getting laughs.”However, even as Hayes was learning how to court audience
Sean Hayes snaps a selfie with angels James Gleason, left, and David Josefsberg.
approval, he also discovered something he believed the world should never know: that he was gay. “I was pretty fearful of the outside world,” he says, looking back.“But I was drawn to be myself in the theater, and I felt really welcomed and at home there.” If the theater was home, the Hayes household was anything but, and young Sean did what he could to maintain appearances. “But pretty soon, my Mom was asking me, ‘Are you in Bye Bye Birdie at school?’” Hayes winces. “I felt sure that if they knew I was into theater, they’d know I was gay as well.” Still determined to keep his sexuality secret, Hayes threw himself into his studies at Illinois State University — majoring in piano performance and minoring in theater. Then, with just
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a few course credits remaining, Hayes abruptly quit when he was offered an opportunity to become musical director at a local resort theater. Hayes calls it “a really great opportunity at a really young age.” And, as he watched, the career he truly longed for was mere feet away. “It wasn’t long before I found myself conducting in the pit and getting jealous of all the performers,” he says ruefully. “So I made the decision to push myself. I worked hard to get an agent, and I started to get commercial work. Then 1998 happened.” You might call 1998 the year of Sean Hayes. “I won the lottery, that’s for sure,” he says of his move to LA. “My main goal was to get real acting work. I got [the title role in the Indie hit] Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. When I got back
from taking that to the Sundance Film Festival, I got two huge commercials in the Super Bowl, and then I got cast in Will & Grace.” Hayes believes Billy’s favorable reception gave him the confidence that catapulted him into overnight fame. “Hollywood has this term they love called ‘heat,’ and because of the buzz around Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, I guess I had some heat behind me at the moment,” Hayes recalls of his Will & Grace audition. “I knew, maybe naively at 27, that I didn’t have to be desperate — which is something I think people can smell, you know?” Over time, the role that made him a star evolved to incorporate elements of his own personality. “I truly believe that’s when the writer is the smartest, when he recognizes the thing that makes an actor special,” says Hayes. “As soon as they can tap into that, everybody wins and everybody gets happier. A lot of that silly, carefree acting style that is so identifiable as Jack became easier and more fun.” In addition to the Desi and Lucy magic that Eric McCormack and Debra Messing sprinkled over the show, their performances also helped anchor the show in a way that gave Hayes and Megan Mullally free rein to take their characters to infinity and beyond.“You couldn’t really do a Karen and Jack show because it would be too insane. You’d have two characters in outer space with no basis in reality. “Megan and I had the same sense of humor,” Hayes says wisftully. “A lot of the days, we would share this silly and juvenile hilarious banter, and to this day, we still have that silly side to us. We’re both theaterfolk, and I think theaterfolk have a certain language. You form this instant bond because you immediately understand each other.” What they couldn’t have known then was that one week at a time, they would be shifting the nation’s attitudes toward gay people – so much so that eventually Vice President Joe Biden credited them for moving the national needle in the direction of gay equality. In a 2012 interview with David Gregory on Meet the Press, Biden told the anchor that America was ready for same-sex marriage. Then he said, “I think Will & Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody’s done so far.” “That was hard to wrap my mind around for a while,”Hayes says.“But you feel it, and re-
Photos: Opposite page: Courtesy Jim cox, Above Courtesy Charles Sykes and Bravo network
ally deeply. It made me realize we were part of a show that was funny and accepted, but a byproduct was that we got to say more than that.” Hayes pauses, stuck in the moment.“I wish I had the courage to be more out at the time, looking back. I know that I was infusing a lot of myself into the show, and having Biden say that, I was honored and touched that I was a part of something so much bigger than me. But it’s also hard in a way. I don’t wake up every day thinking I’ve made that kind of a difference. But when people remind me of it, it’s something humbling and gratifying.” Much as Hayes loved playing Jack, he warns fans not to hold their breath for a reunion or follow-up á la Absolutely Fabulous. “We’re all different people now,” he says. “Besides, I was growing and the character was not, so it became time for all of us to move on.” By the end of Will & Grace, Hayes knew he could delight the masses. But, he wondered, would he ever please himself? “At some point in life, you have to realize that all bets are off, and this is who I am,” says the actor. “I know that I have an issue with caretaking and trying to make sure everybody is okay and that everyone in the room is having a good time. But eventually, you start trying to require yourself to be more self-aware and begin to like yourself. It’s a never-ending journey, and part of that acceptance means opening yourself up and revealing who you are, even if it means somebody might not like you.” Nowadays it seems that Hayes has become daring to the point of near-fearlessness. In An Act of God, he plays a Creator who can be as moody as he is mirthful, and when he loses his temper, his Old Testament wrath makes the walls of the theater tremble around him. “[The show’s author] David Javerbaum is such a gifted writer,” says Hayes. “His work is witty and clever, but thought-provoking, too. That’s what attracted me, because it really does go to some interesting, dark and deep places. I wouldn’t have done the show if it had been something that was just trivial or a trifle. “I really connected with this piece because I’m fascinated with religion and people’s responses to it,”he says.“There are tons of laughs, but you don’t just have a laugh and walk out. It gives you something to think about. What if a certain passage in the Bible meant this instead of that? I think it’s rewarding, and it allows you
This year, Hayes reunited with galpal Megan Mulally for a tribute to James Burrows, who famously directed every episode of Will & Grace.
to take something more away.” Occasionally, he’ll admit, “a couple of people of a certain age will walk out. I think it’s happened twice in 90 performances. Some people dont want to think too hard. We all know there are thousands of religions, but this play asks you to consider your beliefs and why any one religion might be the only true one.” Having spent most of his career introducing himself to America on its home playing field of network TV, Hayes seems eager to meet audiences again on the turf where he’s most in his own element: the stage. Yes, he’s pressing his advantage with such provocative material. But he’s still serving it up with giant dollops of that irresistible Sean Hayes charm. The man who was once “Just Jack” says it’s
all to make a point: “We’re not so different in what we all want in life,” he says. “I believe that as soon as America realizes that, we’ll all be doing our part to help educate each other.” And, as part of his ongoing crusade to help people understand how “unthreatening and routine” gay people can be, he posts videos of himself and his husband clowning around for the camera and “being normal.” “They’re fun,” he says.“But I also hope they remind people that in the end, we are your neighbors, your friends and your family." ■
See more of our interview with sean hayes (including video) at metrosource.com.
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Caption
City of the Future it’s No Sci-Fi movie Set: half a world away, visionary designers have built the metropolis we once could only imagine. by Mark a. Thompson
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In his Prescient novel Invisible Cities, the Italian writer Italo
Calvino imagined a conversation between explorer Marco Polo and emperor Kublai Khan. Polo details the fantastic cities he encountered on his travels, among them “a city of water [where] a network of canals and a network of streets span and intersect each other.” To a visitor, the city of Songdo IBD might appear equally miraculous — a city where the wonders of technology meet with the furthest reaches of the human imagination to create a place of unlimited possibility Humanity has long been transfixed by visions of the future: from the perky flying cars of The Jetsons to the rain-soaked dystopia of Blade Runner. However, in Songdo — rather than daydreaming about what might be possible far in the future — we can witness how the latest technology has allowed its imagineers to build a city of the future today.
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Songdo IBD Central Park with the Hotel Gyeongwonjae Incheon in the foreground
Located along the Yellow Sea near Seoul, South Korea, Songdo seems to have been envisioned by borrowing from the best assets of many great world cities. Citizens enjoy beautiful boulevards of Paris and canals reminiscent of those in Venice. There are also cultural centers boasting the grandeur of Sydney’s Opera House and a hundred-acre Central Park rivaling that of New York City. Designed by the firm of Kohn Pedersen Fox and built on reclaimed tidal flats at a cost of $40 billion, Songdo opened
Songdo’s unique cultural center, the TriBowl
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North East Asia Trade Tower: South Korea’s Tallest Building
with an urban vibe that radiates from the shops, restaurants and galleries running parallel to the waterway. “We used salt water for the canals because it doesn’t freeze in the winter,” explains Nemeth. “You can use boats to navigate all year round. And you don’t have to filter salt water. We bring it in from the Yellow Sea, [and] slowly let the water pour back into the sea.” One of the Songdo’s most envied innovations is its citywide pneumatic waste system — one of the largest in the world — which whisks waste away from residences, businesses and even public receptacles via pneumatic tubes to a central waste processing center — eliminating the need for garbage trucks. They also developed an innovative conservation technology to make their Central Park greener. “We built a water catchment system in the park,” Nemeth explains. “A collection system like giant egg crates buried under the landscape of the park. ... It’s a zero-watering park.”
Better living through technology Much of what makes the 1,500-acre city exceptional begins with its infrastructure and planning. It may not have yet have flying cars, but it does have an unparalleled capacity to accommodate and encourage new technology. Digital networks support nearly every area of urban life: from personal video services to centralized systems for citywide security. Computers are built into every development; sensors monitor energy consumption, traffic and pollution levels. It’s no wonder that Songdo has been called the world’s smartest city. This manifests itself in part through a joint venture between technology company Cisco and real estate developer Gale International called “Songdo U.Life Solutions,” which utilizes technology to build
all photos this story courtesy songdo ibd.
in 2009 with a commitment to sustainable design. It contains 22 million feet of LEED-certified space, which uses less water and energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and costs. As architect Richard Nemeth puts it, “Songdo is basically a city built from scratch in the middle of nowhere that will eventually have a million people. It’s an ‘aerotropolis;’ an economically vibrant and sustainable city built between the airport and Seoul.” Considering that such a sustainable space should provide its citizens a high quality of life, it’s small wonder Songdo has been hailed as a paradigm for the urban centers of tomorrow. “One of the first projects that the French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier gave his students was to design a cruise ship,” explains Nemeth, because a cruise ship has to be self-sufficient and contain a litttle bit of everything. “That was a guiding principle behind all of the programming and largely the organization of the way the city works.” Part of the way the city works is that the city walks:“The idea of a pedestrian city is something that we tried very hard to [create],” says Nemeth. They accomplished this by clustering many of its most valued assets in the city center. “We carved out the center for a park, and in the park we put the cultural buildings: the museum and such. The aspiration of the culture should be the center of your city.” Due to its efficient layout, even the most remote residential districts in Songdo are within a 30-minute walk from Incheon Tower Street, the development’s central avenue. Nonetheless, it also boasts an intricate public transportation network. “There’s a subway that goes all the way to Seoul,” explains Nameth (of the capital city that lies about 35 miles northeast of Songdo). “Transportations are layered on top of each other: pedestrian, bicycle, bus route, subway. We tried to provide enough alternate means to just having cars so that it’s not a traffic-choked city.” Less car space means more nature. Some 40 percent of Songdo’s area is dedicated green space, while nearly all parking is located underground. Water is also central to the design of Songdo. More than half the city faces the sea, so sea water canals course into its center. Water taxis ferry people throughout the city, transforming each landing point into hubs of activity. Like Boston’s Faneuil Hall, Songdo’s interior waterways are lined by a continuous, open-court shopping boulevard. Similar to the canals of Bruges and Amsterdam, Songdo’s north-south canal pulses
Sunset over the 7.4-mile Incheon Bridge, which links Songdo to the airport.
and improve services based on feedback. The u.Life Solutions network connects homes, offices and schools through Immersive TelePresence video units, which provide video-based services including education, counseling and healthcare. Thus residents can interact remotely with professionals ranging from career counselors to beauty consultants. Meetings between Songdo residents and u.Life designers regularly result in new services, such as specialized classes taught by skilled locals. Residences also boast smart home wall panels that allow for complete home automation. Citizens of Songdo can program almost all of their household functions as easily as you might program your coffee maker. In essence, Songdo has become a living lab for smart-city innovation. As one of Cisco’s Global Centers of Excellence, it’s attracting companies developing more new smart-city services and technologies. In addition, SparkLabs has signed a partnership agreement with Songdo to launch their new “Internet of Things Accelerator” in Songdo, ensuring that Songdo will continue to serve as a future hub of smart-city initiatives.
VISITING THE CITY OF THE FUTURE The city’s broad range of shopping, dining, and entertainment keeps it bustling with guests. “Songdo is a real destination for people from around Korea,” says Nemeth. “They go there to hang out — because it’s actually a really nice place. They love the park and its recreational activities; they go shopping. It’s become a place for people to go on the weekends.” In keeping with Korea’s rise as an emerging travel
destination, Songdo was the first Asian city to host the PGA Presidents Cup, a prestigious biennial team golf tournament. Its more than 1 million annual visitors can choose to stay at several five-star luxury hotels, such as The Oakwood Premier Incheon. Or, for a taste of the past in the city of the future, the Gyeong Won Jae Ambassador Hotel (pictured, pages 52-53) was designed in the ornate style of the Korean Goryeo Dynasty, and offers a traditional Korean guesthouse experience and Madang gardens. It’s also worth noting something that Songdo’s planners consciously decided not to do. Throughout human history, planned cities have attempted to impose order through rigid geometry. By contrast, Songdo intentionally avoids conforming to such patterns to keep the city feeling more organic. Its layout was even designed with intentional changes of direction and scale from one section to another — in order to mimic the development of great world cities as they evolved over centuries (as opposed to the 10 years it took to build Songdo.) “I think what is fascinating is that the city is essentially a framework that evolves,” says Nemeth.“Look at photos of New York from 200 years ago; you wouldn’t recognize it from what it is today. It is the framework that allows it to evolve and be a great successful place. I would like to think that our Songdo has a strong enough framework that when they start tearing down buildings in 50 or 100 years, new ones will be built, but the principles will be followed and the city will get better and better.” ■
Metrohiv
Designing Awareness When you need to send a message to communities at risk, sexy sells.
campaigns
for
HIV/AIDS
awareness pop up from the
pages of magazines to the sides of buses. For some years, their goal seemed to be spreading the word about medications for people living with HIV — heavily favoring muscular men climbing mountains. Flash forward to 2016, and we can see much more diversity among campaigns — both in terms of the message they’re sending and the people they represent. One such recent effort is PrEP4Love, a social media and advertising awareness campaign based in Chicago, IL. The images from PrEP4Love are compelling and distinct. They feature a diverse array of couples. One half of a couple is painted with a word commonly associated with disease: spread, contract, catch; the other half wears a word associated with sexuality — tingle, desire, heat. It definitely makes the idea of protecting oneself with PrEP look sexy. Metrosource spoke about PrEP4Love’s development with Jim Pickett of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. “The campaign was developed under the auspices of the Chicago PrEP Working Group (CPWG), which is led by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Health,” explains Pickett. He led the development of the campaign “with a committee of about 20 folks from the CPWG.” The people featured in the ads are real members of Chicago communities most at risk for HIV transmission — including young gay and bisexual black men, transgender women of color and heterosexual black women. ”They were chosen via a community model
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search, [they’re] not professional models,” explains Pickett. “Some were/are on PrEP; others are advocates.”They also sought to feature individuals who were engaged in their communities (activists,volunteers) and people who were active on social media. “The first wave of advertising went from February 1 to the middle of April,” explains Pickett. That included ads run with Chicago Transit Authority — inside trains and buses, at train stations and bus shelters; on coasters and in the bathrooms of bars; in ads on the internet, and via social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook. In addition, they printed thousands of posters and cards for distribution atshops, cafes and events. “We have a second wave [of the same ads] going up this summer,” Pickett adds. Though PrEP4Love launched in 2016, it’s been in gestation for the past two years. Even at that early stage, the campaign was considered so vital to the community that its development gained pro bono support from prominent creative agencies such as Leo Burnett, Starcom, Spark and Razorfish. Despite some homophobic backlash (“How am I supposed to explain that to my children?” is a complaint Pickett has received regarding ads featuring men embracing), most reactions to PrEP4Love have been favorable, and the campaign seems to be cutting through the clutter — raising awareness of the availability of PrEP in the communities it was designed to reach. Learn more at prep4love.com. ■
photo by Sandro for CPWG.
by scott kramer, LCSW-R
Metrohiv
Living Longer with HIV
people with HIV are living longer lives than ever.
emotional
Those diagnosed soon after infection who obtain and continue medication to suppress their viral loads can live just as long as their HIV negative counterparts. In fact, between a quarter and half of all people living with HIV in the United States are now 50 years old or older. However, people aging with HIV do face a variety of challenges:
Years of HIV-related stigma and experiencing the loss of loved ones from HIV/AIDS complications can sometimes lead to depression and symptoms of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including: n self-destructive behavior n social isolation n severe anxiety n insomnia n difficulty processing emotion
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, it is more common for those living with HIV for an extended time to be at risk for: n cardiovascular disease n lung disease n a variety of specific cancers n liver disease (including hepatitises B and C) n c hronic inflammation linked to type 2 diabetes and other conditionas
MENTAL Both HIV itself and HIV treatment can significantly impact the brain as well. Researchers estimate that more than 50 percent of people living with HIV have HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), n which can manifest as: n shortfalls in attention n difficulty with language n diminished motor skills n trouble with memory
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HOPE If you are among those growing older with HIV, there are now fortunately more resources to address these issues than at any time in the past. n M edical issues can be addressed with your doctor on a symptom-by-symptom basis. n M ore therapists are familiar with or specializing in the issues of people living with HIV. n S upport groups allow people to compare notes on issues both practical and personal. n T he National Resource Center on LGBT Aging (lgbtagingcenter.org) offers programs and information to improve the lives of older gay Americans, including those living with HIV. nT he Body (thebody.com) offers a resource center on aging with HIV that includes personal accounts from people on how to keep an affirmative outlook and how to avoid life’s pitfalls. (—Scott Kramer, LCSW-R) ■
Photo courtesy istock.com/ NADOFOTOS
physical
metroquote photos: handler courtesy netflix. naher by Janet Van Hamm/HBO. bee by Eric Ray Davidson/TBS.
“The Second Amendment shouldn’t supercede your right to go out to a dance club and have a good night. ” Chelsea Handler, on netflix’s chelsea
“I just want to say to all my friends — gay, straight and in-between — get your filthy on. You can have our ‘filthy Western Ways’ when you pry them from our cold, dead hands.” bill maher, on hbo’s real time with bill maher
“Love does not win unless we start loving ourselves enough to fix our f**king problems! ” samantha bee, on Tbs’ full frontal with samantha bee
health
The Tapping Solution Relief from chronic pain could be at your fingertips. By Jeffrey James Keyes
bumps, scrapes, sprains and similar injuries. However, chronic pain — which affects more than 100 million Americans — is different. It’s often both misdiagnosed and improperly addressed (e.g. treated with endless prescriptions for narcotics). However, best-selling author Dr. Nick Ortner has an alternate solution: tapping. Such practices as acupuncture and acupressure assist in pain relief by elevating the endorphin levels in our bodies. Since tapping engages acupressure points, it also cues our bodies to release those endorphins. In his book, The Tapping Solution for Pain Relief, Ortner offers instruction in tapping techniques to reduce or eliminate chronic pain. How does it work? Simple. While focusing on a specific negative issue or emotion, you use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times each on of the body’s twelve meridian points. According to Ortner, the act of tapping on these meridian points while concentrating on resolving negativity can actually help access your body’s natural capacity to rescue itself. Along the way, Ortner also helps explain how tapping works by examining studies that link negative emotions and pain. In the 1970s, Dr. Candace Pert made a medical breakthrough in documenting how doctors have scientifically proven the link between our emotions and our physical bodies. Thus positive emotions may help us heal, while negative emotions can cause us pain. Ortner explains that since negative emotions are part of the body’s stress response, “that stress response can also turn short-term pain — like pain we experience after an injury — into long-term chronic pain.” However, tapping has been shown to interrupt that stress response and significantly lower levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol.“By putting the body into a more relaxed state, tapping allows the body to do what it’s meant to do, which is heal itself,” he says. Ortner has also created a documentary about this practice ( The Tapping Solution) and produces the annual worldwide online event, the Tapping World Summit, which has been attended by over a million people. For more information visit thetappingsolution.com. ■
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photo by Valentin Russanov via istock.
There are two basic types of pain: acute and chronic. We’ve all experienced acute pain in the form of
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The Road to Extreme Weight Loss Chris Powell says that even though weight loss can take a while, you can learn the essentials in just a few weeks. By jeffrey james keyes
Can you explain the title of your book? How does someone achieve “lifelong weight loss” in just a few weeks? With Extreme Weight Loss, it’s over the course of a full year. These folks have got 150 to 250 pounds to lose. But it usually takes [about 21 days] for us not only to teach them everything they need to know about diet and exercise and adopting new lifestyle patterns, but really about the psychological and the emotional aspects of change as well. ... We definitely thought we’d have fun with the book, and we said, “Ok, let’s take 21 days. We’ll give you 21 days of workouts, give you 21 days of nutrition;” so you can really see how the pattern flows.
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And you start by asking people to make five promises? Our “foundation five” power promises are: 1. Drink a gallon of water a day. 2. Eat breakfast. 3. Eat protein at every meal 4. Reduce your sugar to less than 50g a day 5. Move deliberately for 5 minutes a day. But you don’t suggest people start by doing all five? We’ll say,“Start with one of these, and if you can keep this promise for the next seven days, we’ll go to the next one.” What do you say to people who blame their weight on “having a slow metabolism”? So many people think that they’re stuck with this static metabolism. ... The thing is, based on the patterns that you’ve followed for significant periods of time, your metabolism actually adjusts.
photo by Peter Lueders.
Chris Powell helps people make dramatic body transformations on ABC’s highly-rated Extreme Weight Loss. His recent book, Extreme Transformation: Lifelong Weight Loss in 21 Days, prompted us to ask him about these crucial first weeks of getting healthy.
twenty times? Guess what their legs look like? ... These [overweight] people are sitting on glutes, quads and hamstrings that are the size of a V12 engine. I mean they’re sitting on a freakin rocket ship, and they don’t even realize it. Because they’re constantly getting up and down throughout the day, their muscles are humongous. By that logic, it would seem like if they just cut their calories, all that muscle would just burn away the fat... A lot of [people] will come into us, and [they’ve] cut their calories so drastically that their bodies are in hormonal chaos; so they’ve slowed their metabolism down. The first thing we do — it’s kind of counterintuitive — is we re-feed people. ... Some guys will say,“I’ve been on a liquid diet through my doctor [or] through this medical program, and I’ve been eating 1200 calories a day.” And I’m like, “Give us a couple weeks, and we’re going to have to reverse that. We’re going to have to re-feed you.”And we’ll usually try to get our guys up to about 2250.
So how do we burn more calories? What’s really cool is that the metabolic engine on our bodies — the most active living tissue on our bodies — is our muscles. Right? The more muscle you have, the greater your metabolism. That’s actually good news for heavier people, right? You know if you’re carrying 350 pounds on your body — or 400 pounds or 600 pounds — have you ever seen someone at the gym who squats 400 pounds
And you have an app ready to launch that goes further? I do. I’ve been working on it this summer. The app is going to be releasing probably mid-fall, and it is everything that we’ve done in the book, but more. And it’s not just weight loss transformations, it’s allinclusive. You’ll be able to jump on the app and pick where you want to go ... whether you’re looking for perfection and you want to sculpt beautiful frame to be powerful — like “a man’s body” — or whether you want to get into crazy cross-training shape like the crossfit games athletes. We’ve got it all. ■
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016
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The Art of Plating By Gayle Van Wely
it’s been said that we first eat with our eyes; so foodies have long appreciated the value of proper
presentation to the success of a dish. That’s truer than ever now, since people increasingly experience food through television and social media. Not to say that style trumps substance: most of us would rather create meals that are delicious and healthy. But along the way, let’s take into account which colors and textures make an ideal complement as well. For example in the plate above, the delicate color of our protein (grouper) is framed by the contrasting colors of its accompaniments. On the right, note the variety of hues and shapes in the healthy combination of charred garlic oil corn, red chicory, sunflower microgreens, and blackberries. On the left — echoing the color of the corn — vibrant yellow circles of our sauce (a ponzu, white wine and egg yolk aioli) form circles that are attractive and keep the sauce portions controlled. As you continue to experiment with how different elements on your plate relate to one another, remember that less is more and symmetry is beautiful. Try mixing this delicious, surprisingly light aioli to add flair to your next presentation:
2 egg yolks 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil ¼ c. grapeseed oil ½ tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp citrus ponzu ½ garlic clove, minced Season to taste
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preparation 1) In a blender (or using an emersion blender), combine the egg yolks, garlic, mustard, vinegar, ponzu citrus. Seasoning is optioinal. I like to season with fresh ground white or black pepper and a touch of garlic powder. 2) With the motor running, add the grape and olive oils in a slow, steady streams until fully incorporated. *If not serving immediately, it will keep (refrigerated) for 3 to 4 days.
Photo BY GAYLE VAN WELY
AIOLI ingredients
WE FOCUS ON HIV TO HELP YOU FOCUS ON
TODAY
Ask your doctor if a medicine made by Gilead is right for you.
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creatinG
Hawaii
eight spots in the islands that exemplify good design, from historic architecture to majestic natural beauty. by David Duran
“design” may often be used to refer to a destination’s Architecture
and décor, but the term can refer just as well to anything that catches the eye — sometimes even the unspoiled plans of Mother Nature. The Hawaiian Islands certainly provide an array of jaw-dropping natural designs, but they also host visually stunning structures sprinkled from one island to the next. Here are eight places worth seeking out — or at least taking a moment to appreciate before you continue on your way.
8. Kualoa Ranch (OAHu) Kualoa Ranch (pictured, right) is known as Hollywood’s “Hawaii Backlot” as it has been featured in many big and small screen projects over the past 50 years. Its lush terrain has been used as the backdrop for such films as Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Pearl Harbor, Godzilla, Tears of the Sun and 50 First Dates. Meanwhile, television shows including Lost, Mangum P.I., and both the old and new versions of Hawaii Five-O shot here as well. The stunning landscapes of the ranch appear much as they would in their natural state, making the ranch ideal for Hollywood designers who search for settings that seem untouched by human hands. kualoa.com
WHERE TO STAY? Consider a visit to some of Metrosource’s favorite Hawaiian accommodations, located in always-welcoming Waikiki. Hotel Renew has 72 beautiful guest rooms and the feel of a “modern beachside boutique.”The property is also dog-friendly; so inquire about special rooms, where a pair of your furry friends can join your adventure. hotelrenew.com
Alexander and Baldwin Building
Wailuku Courthouse
7. Wailuku Courthouse (Maui) The Wailuku Civic Center Historic District is primarily comprised of historic buildings that serve as government offices. Built over a span of 30 years (1901-1931), they incorporate a variety of architectural styles, but the courthouse (pictured) is the most impressive — exemplifying the neoclassical grandeur of Beaux-Arts architecture (though it is, technically, no longer a courthouse). historichawaii.org
6. the Alexander and Baldwin Building (Oahu) The Alexander and Baldwin Building (pictured) was considered by many to be Honolulu’s finest structure when it was completed in 1929. Construction of the heralded Hawaiian business headquarters required
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Vive Hotel Waikiki offers a variety of amenities along with its 125 lovely rooms, including free continental breakfast and gear you can borrow to be well-prepared for enjoying nearby beaches and other outdoor activities. vivehotelwaikiki.com (—B. Crawford)
Iao Theater
specialty materials supplied from as far off as Europe, and artisans from the U.S. mainland were brought out specifically to work on creating some of its distinctive decorative features. It remains one of the most distinctive and attractive buildings in Hawaii. alexanderbaldwin.com
4. Iao Theater (Maui) Once the main entertainment attraction in picturesque Wailuku, the theater (pictured) was built in Spanish Mission style and opened in 1928. In addition to movies, the theater also featured live stage acts; so such stars as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney and Donald O’Connor all made appearances at the Iao. It was nearly demolished in 1994, but was saved after being placed on Hawaii’s Register of Historic Places. mauionstage.com
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the M/S Maritime Museum opened in 2013 in an erstwhile dry dock within view of Elsinore, Hamlet’s castle.
Doris Duke’s Shangri La
Volcanoes National Park
South Asia. As such, its design reflects architectural traditions from countries including India, Iran, Morocco and Syria. Shangri La is now a center for Islamic art and culture. Though it offers tours of the property, the center also offers residencies for scholars and artists in addition to programs that aim to broaden overall understanding of the Islamic world. The Shangri La’s décor is not only grand, but also far removed from that of any other structure found on the islands. shangrilahawaii.org
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii Island)
Jinsha Mission
5. Pow! Wow! Murals (Oahu) POW! WOW! is an epic event that takes place in the Kaka’ako district of Honolulu over the course of Chinese New Year and the weekend of Valentine’s Day. A global network of international and local artists join to take blank walls and panels and transform them into works of singular beauty with bold artistic expression. Although the idea began here, it’s since been introduced around the world. powwowhawaii.com
3. Doris Duke’s Shangri La (Oahu) Built in 1937 as the Honolulu home of American heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke, Shangri La (pictured) was a creation that was inspired by Duke’s extensive travels throughout North Africa, the Middle East and
Another one of nature’s most magnificent designs, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (pictured) serves as monument to Earth’s fiery origins. Its active volcanoes remind us that the very bedrock of our planet continues to shift below us. Like evolution itself, nothing can be done to stop a volcanic eruption; we’re left standing in awe before its power. Watching liquid rock gush from the planet’s core is unforgettable and reminds us that we are not always as in charge of this Earth that we’re sharing as we’d like to think. The park is home to two active volcanoes: Kilauea, one of the world’s most active, and Mauna Loa, the world’s most massive volcano (not located underwater or underground). nps.gov/havo/
1. Jinsha Mission (Maui) An elegant representation of the influence of Japanese culture and religion on the history of Hawaii, the Maui Jinsha Mission temple (pictured) is also a superb example of the Shinto style of Japanese temple architecture. Sprawling over an expansive lot with open lawns, the temple is one of the few remaining Shinto shrines in the state and the only major such shrine to be found on the island of Maui. However, the structure is in dire need of restoration as time and the elements have wrought significant deterioration. Learn how you can visit the Mission and help preserve it for future generations at historichawaii.org. ■
LAST CALL
Renaissance Bryan This prolific performer and writer also has his eye on design. By Jeffrey James Keyes acting, I’ve always loved writing and designing. So I finally just said, “Why not? Other people are doing it.” If you have a message you want to share, a story you want to tell, if you have a passion for something: try it, do it. What’s the worst that could happen? You could fail. We fail all the time. That’s really how you learn. The last thing I want on my deathbed is to look back with regret, wishing I had tried. I also have grown not to really care what people think about me that much. I know my heart’s in the right place. So I’ve written two books, a memoir: She Ain’t Heavy: She’s My Mother and a design/decor book: Big Easy Style. You and Tom Cianfichi have been together for 27 years but were just married a couple years ago. In the fall of 2014. It was the BEST night of my life. It defies description. I never thought we needed it, but we did and do!
Tell us about the one-man shows you’ve been doing. A dear friend of mine in New Orleans who owned a wonderful cabaret space there asked right when people were coming back after [Hurricane Katrina]. She said, “I need you to put together a benefit show for the displaced actors and musicians. There’s no entertainment; people are going crazy.” And I said, “Sure!” And then I realized I’d never really done that before. I’ve done a lot of Broadway and other kind of performances — usually with costumes, lights, sets, hydraulics and other people — not just me and a piano. But I did it, and I had a blast. It was one of the scariest but most fulfilling theatrical experiences, mainly because it’s a direct connection between the performer and the audience. Basically I just
told fun stories and sang my favorite songs. It went very well and organically morphed into a show called Batt on a Hot Tin Roof, which I was later booked to do in London, Australia, and all over [the U.S.]. ... I’m putting together a brand new show for London called Bryan’s Song; I’m sure I’ll be performing it soon in NYC or New Orleans. What songs do you sing and how do you choose? Everything from Billy Joel to Cole Porter to Joni Mitchell (my pal Patricia Clarkson suggested that one, and I love it). Also, there are some original parody lyrics that my friend [novelist and multiple-Emmy Award winning writer] Joe Keenan wrote ... for “Anything Goes” as if Porter were alive today. ... One of my favorite lines is: “When Grandma’s face is pulled so tightly / she looks like a Keira Knightley / whose eyes won’t close: Anything Goes!” How did you start writing in addition to performing? I realized at a relatively young age that fear is paralyzing. It’s stifling and crippling. Besides
Tell us about Hazelnut, the store you two co-own. Everyone automatically thinks it’s an antiques store, which it is not. It’s a collection of gifts, tabletop home accessories, personal accessories and small furniture ... basically a cross section of our tastes. I hate to use “eclectic,” but it is eclectic. There’s a relaxed sophistication about it. I once heard a retail motto that one should stock a certain percentage of things you like and things that you don’t like but [that] will sell ... and we can’t do that. We only sell things we love or respect their design elements. I’ve designed several unique and exclusive things for Hazelnut [hazelnutneworleans.com]. ... The Big Easy is celebrating its 300th anniversary, and we’ve been asked by the city to create items specifically for that. ■
batt discusses the anniversary of jeffrey, his recent role in tv’s scream, his mad men days and more as our interview continues on the free metrosource app and at metrosource.com.
courtesy Bryan Batt
Former Metrosource cover guy Bryan Batt has done theater, film and television, but in addition to his work as a performer, this Renaissance man writes, designs and is co-owner of a notable New Orleans destination for elegant home accessories. We caught up to see how he makes time for it all.
last call extra
MAD MEN PHoto courtesy AMC.
As our interview with Bryan Batt continues, he discusses his Mad Men days, how modern audiences see Jeffrey, and why he loves filming Scream in New Orleans. In hindsight, what was Mad Men like for you? It was the best! We had no idea what was going to happen ... then suddenly, we were in one of the best TV series ever! Mad Men was the first basic cable drama of the same quality of pay network series. AMC truly believed in us, invested in us; ... if our first season were on any other network, it probably would have been cancelled. The characters and scripts were so brilliantly written, [the actors] didn’t need to know anything except the scene you were doing right there and then. Everything was taken care of, handled in the perfect manner. Aesthetically too: costumes, sets, lighting, everything. Matt [Weiner] and the producers were never going to let anything
be less that perfect. All of these elements allowed the actors [to feel] secure and free with no worries but to do the work. How about your theatrical career? What are some of the highlights? I remember when I was cast in Cats on the road and then quickly transferred into the Broadway company. With all due respect, that company has been running for, like, eight years; some people were, well, kind of “over it.”And here I show up: bright eyed and bushy-tailed, thrilled to be back on Broadway. There was some adjusting. … I must say Sunset Boulevard was a magical Broadway experience. It was fun to be in the big hit of the season. We were always written up in the press and had
something going on. Glenn was fantastic, and then my buddy Betty Buckley came in, and it was a wonderful experience — to be in the show that wins all the awards and was the talk of the town is really thrilling. Around the same time, I had the good fortune to do a breakthrough play called Jeffrey and reprise my role in the film. It was the most charmed experience from beginning until the end. God bless Paul Rudnick for writing such a wonderful comedy that really cut to the core of the terrifying AIDS crisis, basically telling people that — despite horrible adversity, disease, prejudice, etcetera — finding love is what we all want and need. Do you think Jeffrey is still as relevant today? Several months ago, we did a reading of the play to see how it would work today. I played the older role of “Sterling” — the Patrick Stewart part — along with a stellar cast, including my pal Michael Urie in the title role. It was very interesting and fulfilling to have the opportunity to see and perform that great script from a different perspective. I am older, wiser and a designer of sorts; so it’s perfect casting in a way. The play truly held up. It still is hysterical. It still is very moving. But what I found most interesting is that younger people in the audience — the people who really didn’t live through what we all lived through — were laughing louder and [more] emotionally wrought at the end. They were crying and very moved by the piece. When I spoke with some of them afterwards, they said that they had no idea what we all went through, what it was like in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s before all of the breakthroughs in HIV medication. This is something that is not taught, our history. Young people have to seek it out, go to the Internet and really search. Maybe because it was such a difficult time — with friends dying left and right, memorials on a daily basis, not to mention the fear and bigotry. Although the LGBT community has made incredible strides in a relatively short time, there is still work to do and ongoing prejudice to overcome. I think Jeffrey is extremely relevant today, and I would love to see it on Broadway. How have you maintained such a long-lasting relationship? Most things can be worked out ... unless someone has a serious character flaw that is toxic or nonnegotiable — like serial killing or something like that. There will be problems; … we’re all human beings, and we all have our issues and quirks. If we really make an effort,
we can deal with each other’s problems and survive them. You fall in love with someone and make the decision to commit to them, and then stick by it if that’s what you really want. I love the fact that [Tom and I have been] together this many years. How did you guys come up with Hazelnut for your shop? My grandmother’s name was Hazel and she was a nut! What prompted you to open the store? We’ve always loved home decor and interior design, ... shopping, decorating, and entertaining. Tom did a great deal of window design ... then worked in different beautiful retail shops on Madison Avenue in New York for many years. Finally his bosses said: “You really have to do this on your own.”We thought, “Where would be the best place?” … We knew we loved New Orleans, and Magazine Street is a five-mile stretch of individually-owned shopping, which really doesn’t exist anywhere else. I’m from there originally, my whole family is there, and it’s a great town. So we chose New Orleans; then the hurricane happened. Tom and I hunkered down, got back as soon as we could, reopened, and it’s been booming ever since! You’re currently filming MTV’s Scream in New Orleans, right? Yeah! Last season was Baton Rouge, and this season is New Orleans. It’s much easier now that it’s in my backyard! So what’s next? Scream is filming into the summer. I have a week off to go to London to do my show, … and then I join rehearsals with Betty Buckley and Rachel York for Grey Gardens in LA at the Ahmanson Theatre. ... I’ll be playing “Gould” and I cannot wait! Then — who knows?! That’s the one thing about being an actor: You never know where the next paycheck is coming from — I might be in the store gift-wrapping packages. And what is it about New Orleans? What keeps bringing you back home again? I think there’s something in the water? No, I’m kidding. I was born and raised there, and I knew it was special. The music, the food, the architecture ... but really the people and the slower pace; ... I love not always being in a rush all the time. [Although] my husband would disagree: he still thinks my doppelganger is the Tasmanian Devil. ■
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