FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 METROSOURCE
JACKIE SHANE
METROSOURCE
REDISCOVERED SOUL PIONEER
CAN’T-MISS
AWARDS SEASON FLICKS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM HAS A WILD SIDE
ENTERTAINMENT
COMPLETE THAT TWEET A TWISTED TV QUIZ
WHAT IS GENVOYA®? GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older who weigh at least 77 pounds. It can either be used in people who are starting HIV-1 treatment and have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. These include having an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) for 6 months or more on their current HIV-1 treatment. GENVOYA combines 4 medicines into 1 pill taken once a day with food. GENVOYA is a complete HIV-1 treatment and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep taking GENVOYA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?
GENVOYA may cause serious side effects: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking GENVOYA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. Who should not take GENVOYA?
Do not take GENVOYA if you take: • Certain prescription medicines for other conditions. It is important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. • The herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection. What are the other possible side effects of GENVOYA?
Serious side effects of GENVOYA may also include: • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking GENVOYA.
• Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. • Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA?
• All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to take GENVOYA with all of your other medicines. • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Important Facts about GENVOYA, including important warnings, on the following page.
Ask your healthcare provider if GENVOYA is right for you. GENVOYA.com
GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
SHOW YOUR
POWER
Take care of what matters most—you. GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day complete HIV-1 treatment for people who are either new to treatment or people whose healthcare provider determines they can replace their current HIV-1 medicines with GENVOYA.
IMPORTANT FACTS This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
(jen-VOY-uh) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GENVOYA
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF GENVOYA
GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including:
GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:
•
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking GENVOYA. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
• • • •
ABOUT GENVOYA •
•
GENVOYA is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 77 pounds and have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. GENVOYA can also be used to replace current HIV-1 medicines for some people who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL of virus in their blood), and have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months and have never failed HIV-1 treatment, and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.
Do NOT take GENVOYA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin (Uroxatral®), carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Carnexiv®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®), cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), lovastatin (Altoprev®, Mevacor®), lurasidone (Latuda®), methylergonovine (Methergine®), midazolam (when taken by mouth), phenobarbital (Luminal®), phenytoin (Dilantin®, Dilantin-125®, Phenytek®), pimozide (Orap®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®), sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), simvastatin (Vytorin®, Zocor®), or triazolam (Halcion®). •
Take the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.
•
Take any other HIV-1 medicines at the same time.
GET MORE INFORMATION •
• •
This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to GENVOYA.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit GENVOYA.com for program information.
Those in the “Most Important Information About GENVOYA” section. Changes in your immune system. New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with GENVOYA. •
BEFORE TAKING GENVOYA Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. • Have any other medical condition. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA.
HOW TO TAKE GENVOYA • •
GENVOYA is a complete one pill, once a day HIV-1 medicine. Take GENVOYA with food.
GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, SHOW YOUR POWER, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: September 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0176 11/17
DEPARTMENTS ENTERTAINMENT
THIS PAGE: (TOP) COURTESY DEFINING BEAUTY • AMIRAH VANN PHOTO COURTESY TINA TURNBOW
February/March 2018 | VOLUME 29, NO. 1
15
CULTURE 8 TECH The price of net neutrality.
14 FINANCE Does leasing buy freedom?
15 METROSCOPE Hot and cold parties, an heir to Glee, those sexy Warwick rowers and more.
22 SCREEN Closer looks at the big awards contenders.
26 BOOKS Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie and a starry carpet.
28 MUSIC
64
Björk returns to kookiness, and Morrissey gets woke.
62 AUTOFOCUS Wheels fit for “The King.”
BODY 9 METRO HIV Head out with Ted Allen and Mondo Guerra.
54 HEALTH Reimagine your skin care regimen for the new year — from morning to night.
VIEWS 7 POV Kevin predicts a comic will make it big – but not what happens next.
20 DIARY Wade surprises readers by taking a female pen name for an intriguing reason.
64 LAST CALL
Amirah Vann’s extraordinary journey to getting Away with Murder.
CONTENTS
February/March 2018 | VOLUME 29, NO. 1
30 BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM THE OUT AND PROUD PERFORMER ON
overcoming bullying and his rapid rise from Broadway chorus boy to America’s Got Talent and the evolution of his “wild” music video.
36 COMPLETE THAT TWEET WE COMBED THROUGH THE TWITTER
feeds of openly gay TV hosts and actors who embody beloved LGBT characters and then left something out — see if you can guess the rest!
42 JACKIE SHANE A TRUE TRANS MUSIC PIONEER, JACKIE
Shane’s performances were legendary, as was her determination to live life on her own terms — and then she suddenly disappeared.
58 JEWELS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
experience one of the world’s greenest and most LGBT-friendly cities and discovered what makes Whistler a wonder in any weather.
ON THE COVER PHOTO COURTESY POSEY MFG
PHOTO COURTESY POSEY MFG
WE HEADED TO VANCOUVER TO
GAY VOICES
IS OUR ONLINE FORUM FOR SHARING STORIES — FROM THE HEARTBREAKING TO THE HILARIOUS — ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LIVE IN THE LGBT SKIN WE’RE IN.
HOW MY GENERATION NEEDS TO DO BETTER BY GAY YOUTH he was always all right and loved, I took him to see the stage version of The Lion King, knowing I wanted him, like Simba, to “remember who you are”, without having to spend those years deserted in plain sight of his kin in the miscognition that gay somehow meant dirty or shameful, or a need to disguise that essential quality of ours. I was using a profound folk metaphor. And yet I did not make my message transparent. I left it encoded in the fairly tale, for Luke – no doubt a keen, laser sharp intellect – to read like tea leaves, perhaps never aware of what I desperately needed to communicate. What I know now, having gotten his gratitude for sacrifices I made to create a safer, ever more assured space for him, is that I really fell short. I cottoned to my fear that any relative or friend might allege that in championing his sexuality, I had coached him, groomed him or – my worst fear – accuse me of sexually abusing him into turning gay. It’s a blood libel of the phobic heteronormative patriarchy that gay people recruit and seduce each other into same-sex attraction. We must never capitulate to that charge. When we do, we abandon our youth when they need us most, learning to relate to the world with an emerging sense of [their own orientation] in which they need an adult, boundaried, loving peer to have their backs and lend an ear with compassion, validation and experience. Straight parents raising gay boys cannot sufficiently do the job. And we offer – and owe – the additional gift of a parenting we almost never got, richly deserved, and greatly suffered without. We “wing it” entering adult friendships, love relationships, dating, heartbreak, employment — and the list goes on. I am deeply remorseful Luke, that I stepped away in those years until you’d figured it out on your own and declared yourself gay in a way I could protectively prove had nothing to do with me. I apologize for the fact that, in an important way — in an essential spiritual degree — I had nothing to do with you while near your side for several years. And, having recognized the selfish, fear-based crime against your development, I vow never to leave behind another emerging member of our clan. I know Luke, that you’ve already taken your oath to stay close in the same way. And I thank you for bringing me this gift on top of all the others you deliver to my big open gay life. ■
Respond to Brian’s story or share a story of your own now at metrosource.com
WE WANT TO HEAR Your GAY VOICES DO YOU HAVE STORIES ABOUT LGBT TRAVEL?
VIEWS
WHEN MY NEPHEW (AND godson) came out to me several years ago at age 18, he thanked me for the sacrifices I made as the first out gay person in our family and for making it so he had an example that a gay man would be accepted and loved in our clan. Those words stirred a sleeping wound — there had been sacrifices. I had been alone and I had been extraordinarily fearful that I would not be loved, accepted or perhaps even tolerated at all along the way with my own family. And I’d largely shoved all of it in a vault. My nephew Luke brought me back to a profound examination of my emotional development as a closeted — and then out — gay man. I am grateful to him for the gifts he brings to my life every day. What he needs to know is what I owe him amends for, while standing in the same room, for almost a decade. In subtle but conscious ways, many of us out gay men are abandoning our adolescent gay emerging fellows. To be clear, this is not about self-condemnation, but about doing well and better to give LGBT children what any child should have – mirroring and validation from someone like them. My friends and I have noticed how, blessed with “one of us” emerging in our kin, we’ve stepped back, holding a clear and inauthentically cold distance, fearing that a relative or friend will charge us with the Gay blood libel – [that] we turned the child gay and did so by crossing a sexual boundary with them. We take care of the BS discomfort and perverted, off-base notions of homophobia, avoid even the appearance of special closeness, and we significantly cheat our young emerging LGBT gay boys and girls of the nurturing, connected, boundaried fairy godparents they richly deserve. When Luke was quite young, I had pretty strong intuition he was gay. His warmth, insightfulness and love of kinship was similar to mine at that age in a manner I know is deeply connected to an essence of my gay spirit. Concerned for Luke experiencing the fear and isolation I’d experienced as an adolescent, and wanting him to know
GAY VOICES
By Brian Dunphy
!!
Were you ever surprised by how gay-friendly (or unfriendly) a destination was? Have you taken an amazing trip with your lover or gay best friends? Did you face discrimination on the road? Head to “Gay Voices” at Metrosource.com, and click on “We want to hear from you! ” METROSOURCE.COM
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
5
THE LAST ACT
VIEWS
EDITOR’S LETTER
IT DID NOT START OUT AS A GOOD NIGHT. MY THEN-BOYFRIEND
6
Jonathan and I had fallen into a pattern of fighting — particularly about whether we were spending more social time with his people or mine. It was an argument I had no chance of winning that evening, as we were set to spend it with Jonathan’s mom. His parents — avid patrons of the arts — had invited us to a theatrical event that sounded somewhat unusual and turned out to be even moreso. The idea was to make Shakespeare more accessible by — instead of asking audiences to absorb one of his epic masterworks in one night — breaking it down. Each night would feature a different act of a play and a different cast. Rather than simply perform the material, the evening would be structured as a rehearsal. Actors would perform bits of scenes and then discuss them with the director, seeking motivations or goals to pursue before trying them again in hopes of bringing new life to the scene. Despite my wretched mood, I’d thought we’d made out rather well. Our night was dedicated to the final act of Othello, so we’d get to see the scene where *400 year-old spoiler alert* Othello murders his wife Desdemona and some first-rate gloating and scheming by the show’s great villain, Iago. But, as it turned out, there would be just as much drama offstage as on. Our first surprise was when the director hobbled in — bruised, bloodied, arm in a sling, it turned out he’d been violently carjacked just the night before. He told us he considered not coming, but instead shared the grisly story in shocking detail. His tale took up most of the first hour of the evening, but certainly set the stage to explore a story that comes to such a violent finale. The evening’s other great surprise was that they had cast in the role of Emilia (Desdemona’s attendant and Iago’s wife) none other than the extraordinary Frances McDormand. She absolutely lit up the stage each time she took it, and when she wasn’t onstage — true to the spirit of the evening — she would hunker down in the audience to observe the other actors as they worked. For an entire scene, she claimed an extra chair next to Jonathan, his mother and me. I remember being spellbound looking at her face — so familiar though I’d never before seen it in person, so beautiful without a hint of make-up, her hair swept up in a kerchief. She offered sly observations and made us laugh with little jokes. She was so cool. If you’d asked me before attending whether the scenes could still offer the emotional heft that they would have as the climax of the full show, I would have answered: most certainly not. Nevertheless — blame my state of mind or the surprise introduction, the intoxicating presence of a movie star or the fact that as an actor and playwright I had spent some of my most special nights puzzling through a script in a theater very much like that one — but I found myself connecting deeply to Othello’s jealousy and grief, Desdemona’s vulnerability, Iago’s sinister logic, Emilia’s righteous dismay. As we applauded at the end of the evening, I found tears creeping out of the corners of my eyes. It would turn out to be one of the last nights out as a couple for Jonathan and me after nearly six years of trying to figure out how to make it work. But it was a night that prepared me well for what lay ahead. I had not wanted to go to the theater that night after fighting, but had been richly rewarded — just as I would be rewarded with new joys after leaving behind the relationship that I’d feared losing for so long. Like the director, there would be days when I’d feel too damaged to want to leave the house but would be forced to find the resolve to do so anyway. And during those moments when I was most sad, I could hang on to the endlessly smile-inducing memory of sitting in a dark theater chatting with Frances McDormand as though we were colleagues. Shakespeare is frequently quoted for his line, “The play’s the thing.”But at times“the thing”is the crime that you suddenly encounter, or the fight you have just before leaving the house, or the fabulous actress who sits down next to you in between scenes. And the play — well, that’s just what happens to bring it all together. ■ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
METROSOURCE.COM
PUBLISHER Rob Davis ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Evelyn Vayner EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Hagen CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jiyon Son ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kevin Phinney SENIOR DESIGNER Jayson Mena COPY EDITOR Kevin Phinney PROOFREADER Barbara Mele CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Day, Matt Gross,
Erin Jordan, Jeffrey James Keyes, Christopher Lisotta, Terence O’Brien, Kevin Phinney, Jonathan Roche, Eric Rosen, Wade Rouse, Jeff Simmons, Megan Venzin ADMINISTRATION Luswin Cote INTERN Jordan Laird NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING
Rivendell Media 212.242.6863
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Miller GENERAL MANAGER Thomas K. Hanlon DIRECTOR | OPERATIONS MGT Ray Winn DIRECTOR | MARKETING Ryan Christopher DIRECTOR | ORDER Heather Gambaro MANAGEMENT MANAGER | ADMINISTRATION Erin Jordan MANAGERS | OPERATIONS Leonard Porter, MANAGEMENT Christopher Regalado MANAGER | PUBLISHING & Barbara Byrd MARKETING CONTROLLER David Friedman DIRECTOR | CREDIT & COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT Elizabeth Teagarden MANAGERS | CREDIT & Rosa Meinhoffer, Diedra Smith COLLECTIONS For national advertising inquiries, call: 212-691-5127. Subscriptions: One year (6 issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95. 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. ©2018 Davler Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Metrosource is a registered trademark of Davler Media Group LLC. Printed in the USA. Metrosource Davler Media Group 498 7th Ave., 10th Floor New York, NY 10018 212-691-5127 metrosource.com
LASTING IMPRESSION career covering actors, musicians and stage celebrities, people often ask me if I knew someone was going to be a star long before they made it big. The short answer is: yes. Sometimes it’s been an artist who broke through the sensory overload of pop culture. A dozen years ago, I approached a deejay in a Seattle bar and requested “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse. He looked up and asked, “Who’s Amy Winehouse?” More recently, I had the same trouble getting anyone to play a dance track called“I Love It,”by Icona Pop that I found on an obscure European podcast. Six months later, I heard it blaring from every Australian nightclub I visited, and a year later, America fell for it, too. But when an artist becomes part of your life, it’s not just a guessing game. You see their struggles, witness their insecurities, cringe at their failures, and remain hopeful that with a little luck, some kingmaker will see what I did and pronounce them a star. No one was ever a more safe bet than my friend, the comic Bill Hicks. When I met Bill in the early ‘80s, he was still too young to drink in many of the clubs he played. I had to sneak him into a nearby bar to chat after catching his set for the first time, and was gobsmacked to learn he’d already been performing for half a decade. Bill would go on to appear nearly a dozen times on Late Night with David Letterman, to be featured prominently in comedy shows like HBO’s One Night Stand, and to shoot several specials and films of his own. Comics adored him, but he also became something of a poster boy for the disaffected youth of the grunge generation — those ‘90s kids handed a world where consumerism seemed more important than critical thinking. I was with Bill one sunny afternoon when he met one of his heroes, a then-rising comic named Jay Leno. Bill came away giddy from the encounter. But by the time Leno took over The Tonight Show a few years later, Bill couldn’t hide his disgust at how Leno (as Hicks saw it) had squandered his talent, tamed his act and sold his soul in exchange for the luxuries of celebrity life. Hicks found a way to turn even that into comedy. “I have a bet with my friends about exactly when he’s going to blow his Dorito-shilling head off his shoulders,” Hicks would say of Leno — to the delight of his audiences. “I think it’s going to be
while interviewing Joey Lawrence.‘Drivin’ yet, Joey? Are ya drivin’?’” Bill would say, imitating Leno’s stacatto chatter. “And then he’s suddenly going to realize what a complete mockery he’s made of his life, pull out a big black shotgun and put it in his mouth. And... we’ll be right back after commercial.” Bill was fearless. He’s the only person I’ve ever seen lay into the very ticket buyers who put money in his pockets — scolding them for sleepwalking through their lives, as nothing more than zombies trudging from one empty purchase to another to remain anesthetized.“Is there anyone here in the house tonight in marketing?” he’d often ask.“If so, please kill yourself. Now.” His hostility would empty a room, but Hicks only took it as a challenge. The house manager would turn on the outside mic, and Bill would start to deliver his best lines to people simply passing by an enormous glass window. Soon, the room would be nearly full again. I saw this happen not once but several times. Hicks was also deeply spiritual — though not at all the Protestant his parents raised him to be. When people would come up to him after a show to grouse about his jabs at the religious right, he’d shrug,“Well, you’re Christians: Forgive me.” In my earliest reviews of his shows, I referred to him as“the Jim Morrison of comedy.” He always made it well worth a trip into the dark caverns of his mind.“Comedy,” Hicks once explained,“is jazz thinking.”And nobody ever played a better solo. When Bill was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he kept his schedule and didn’t let on until the very end. Eventually, he moved back in with his parents, called a few friends to say goodbye, and then quit speaking entirely for the last two weeks of his life. Later, Letterman welcomed Bill’s Mom to his show and aired the final set Bill had filmed for Letterman — which never aired due to censors’ concerns about references to Christian conservatives and abortion. That night Letterman apologized for agreeing to cut the set, saying: “There was absolutely nothing wrong with that.” These days, Bill’s work has seeped into the mainstream. His biopic streams on TV, his routines are easy to find on YouTube and elsewhere, and Amazon will give you a few choices of Bill Hicks tee shirts if you like. I take some comfort that my instincts about Bill were on point. He may have been only 32 when he died, but by then he was already being compared to America’s greatest satirists, comedians and philosophers — people like Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and Mark Twain. His life was tragically short, but in his time he worked comedy like the genre was invented for him. ■
VIEWS
SINCE I’VE SPENT MUCH OF MY
POV
Kevin avidly follows the career of a comic that he’s sure will leave his mark on the world of comedy — until he’s unexpectedly derailed on his path to stardom. BY KEVIN PHINNEY
HAVE YOU LOST A TALENTED FRIEND? SALUTE THEIR MEMORY IN “GAY VOICES” ON METROSOURCE.COM. METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
7
YOU BINGED IT, YOU BOUGHT IT AT FIRST GLANCE, NET NEUTRALITY MAY SEEM LIKE A SIMPLE CONCEPT:
CULTURE
TECH
maintaining a free and open internet that gives everyone equal access. Recent FCC rulings seem to presage an end to that: allowing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) greater say in who has access to what content and how. While this may seem revolutionary, it’s only one battle in a longstanding fight over how the internet ought to be managed. And part of that conflict stems from the ugly truth that we just can’t stop binge-watching Sense8 and Orange Is the New Black.
The FCC plans involve a 2015 agreement that classified ISPs as “common carriers,” a concept that has been previously applied to public utilities like phones, electricity, oil pipelines — even roller coasters. It means that if a company offers a service to the public, it must be offered to everyone. Applied to the internet, this means that all traffic should be treated equally, regardless of content, source, or destination. The ISP doesn’t get to make a distinction between Facebook, Amazon or Netflix — with them all coming into your home at the same speed. However, the demands of streaming video services are causing ISPs to struggle to keep up with demand. When the internet was in its infancy, users were charged based on usage, and demand was fairly light. There wasn’t as much content and it wasn’t an “always on” service. Users dialed up, got what they wanted,and logged off. With the advent of broadband that changed, and ISPs began offering “unlimited,” but you might call this the “gym
8
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
METROSOURCE.COM
membership”model — you pay for unlimited access but they assume you’ll only use it every so often. However, since more homes now have several devices sharing the same connection and there’s more data traveling through it, demand on ISPs has changed significantly. Before streaming video, most internet usage occurred in short bursts and speed wasn’t a critical factor. When you received an e-mail or loaded a web page, you only used your internet connection for a few seconds as the page loaded. If the network slowed down, you might have noticed sluggish load speeds but the content still worked as intended. Streaming video is a different beast entirely. Not only does video require a constant connection, it also requires higher sustained speeds to keep the video from stopping or degrading. Now ISPs want the capability to manage traffic to make more efficient use of the current infrastructure and to ensure that content gets through without straining the network. Picture the internet as a series of roads that ISPs build — on which it’s up to the motorists to stay organized. When there’s not much traffic, it’s less an issue since everyone has plenty of room to maneuver. But when there’s congestion with car traffic, rules (in the form of signs, stoplights and dedicated lanes) can be a crucial part of keeping things moving. What net neutrality prevents — and what the ISPs want — is the ability to better regulate the flow. If all traffic on the internet is to be treated the same, the internet will either need a massive upgrade to handle increased demand, or more people will feel the effects of congestion. Those in rural areas — who have limited high speed internet — will likely be most adversely affected; the tremendous cost of net neutrality could prove an expensive barrier to them achieving greater access. Net neutrality proponents say that giving ISPs any control over managing content is the first step toward restricting internet access, and their concerns are justified. Especially as certain ISPs become content providers themselves, the threat is real that they will prioritize their own content and impede or block competitors. But — much like the current debate over healthcare — we have an unsustainable system and we have not yet agreed how it should be fixed. But even if the changes allowed by the FCC mean an end to net neutrality as we know it, the conversation about how the internet is to be built, managed and accessed isn’t over: it’s only just beginning. ■
THIS PAGE: IMAGE COURTESY COURTESY 123RF.COM/ANNYART
Are proponents of net neutrality failing to recognize its true cost? BY TERENCE O’BRIEN
METROHIV BODY Guerra, Martinez, Grier and Allen
DINING OUT FOR LIFE The restaurant industry comes together to offer patrons a way to fight the epidemic by simply going out to eat. BY JEFF SIMMONS
THIS PAGE: IMAGE COURTESY OF DINING OUT FOR LIFE
THIS SPRING, THOUSANDS OF RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
will be serving up a course of philanthropy with a side dish of goodwill — all to help those affected by HIV and AIDS. April 26 marks the 27th annual Dining Out For Life, an international fundraising event during which eateries donate a portion of their proceeds to licensed AIDS service organizations in their respective cities. Since its inception in Philadelphia in 1991, the initiative has raised tens of millions, with nearly $38 million raised just since 2007. “All of the money that is raised by the event stays in the city where it was raised,” says David Newcomb, President of Dining Out For Life’s Board of Directors and Director of Advancement at Project Open Hand in San Francisco. “The mission of Dining Out For Life is to create a powerful experience for cities to be able to raise funds and to raise awareness of HIV and to make sure it’s not forgotten.” This year, 60 cities have signed on to participate, recruiting
restaurants and encouraging people to patronize the venues on April 26 (though some organizations select another day). The events are now held in Canada and in all but 17 states, with some cities like Denver recruiting 250 establishments. And this year, one of the country’s culinary capitals — New York City — has joined in for the first time in recent memory. “We feel like we finally found an organization — The Alliance for Positive Change — that could really pull this event off well, and not only make Dining Out For Life proud but make the city proud,” Newcomb says. Dining Out For Life has enlisted major sponsors — such as Subaru — and four celebrity spokespeople to champion the cause: author and television personality Ted Allen, actress Pam Grier, chef and author Daisy Martinez, and Project Runway All-Stars finalist and HIV/AIDS advocate Mondo Guerra. Guerra first participated in Dining Out For Life when he was younger.”When I went out to eat alone that night, I METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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PHOTO COURTESY TED ALLEN_CREDIT PETER ROSS • MONDO_CREDIT BRIDGET SEIGFRIED
METROHIV
Ted Allen and Mondo Guerra
became interested to keep going back each year,” says Guerra, who publicly disclosed his HIV status on Project Runway in 2010. “When I was first diagnosed with HIV, I had nowhere to turn. I
wasn’t open with my family or friends, so the only people I could talk with was my local HIV service organization in Denver.” “The more people who participate, the more they are helping their community,” he adds. “For me, this is an opportunity to sit down with somebody you care about and have a conversation.” Allen had been attending Dining Out For Life dinners for years, and says that they serve as important reminders that the virus has not yet been eliminated. The events, he says, are “an easy way for all of us to make meaningful contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS, by doing something we all would have done anyway — having dinner. I also love DOFL because I love the restaurant industry and this event introduces people to restaurants they haven’t previously tried.” Newcomb agrees, noting the event is invaluable to restaurants, who engender goodwill from their communities, and for patrons, who are benefitting a cause simply by eating out on that day. “There is no easier way to participate in a fundraiser,” he says. “All you have to do is go out.” ■ You can learn more about Dining Out For Life events and locations in your city at www.diningoutforlife.com.. METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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LASTING RELATIONSHIPS? As our finance column debuts, we look at the benefits of buying vs. leasing when it comes to getting around, staying connected and keeping roofs over our heads. BY JENNIFER DAY
CULTURE
FINANCE
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOUR SCHOOL NEVER OFFERED A CLASS IN PRACTICAL
finance. You learned to budget, pay bills and save — either on your own or with advice from friends and family. That leaves a high margin for error when it comes to often-complex decisions like whether to buy or lease. Do you want to hold on to that phone, car, appliance or home for the rest of your life like your parents and grandparents did? Or would you trade that permanence for the possibility of always having something newer and more state-of-the-art? Before we take a look at the differences between leasing and buying, let’s define what leasing is. According to Investopedia, “A lease is a contract outlining the terms under which one party agrees to rent property owned by another party. It guarantees the lessee, the tenant, use of an asset and guarantees the lessor, the property owner or landlord, regular payments from the lessee for a specified number of months or years. Both the lessee and the lessor face consequences if they fail to uphold the terms of the contract.” Basically, if you lease anything, you are paying for the pleasure of using it until the end of the term when you return it back to the owner. Whether leasing or buying makes more sense to you will depend on both the costs and type of item involved — and your personal preferences.
CARS Before interest rates became so agreeable, consumers generally purchased a car with the hope they would pay it off, thus eliminating a significant monthly payment. As the cost of even a mid-range car has risen to an average of $23,000, leasing has become more attractive. When leasing, though your payments might be lower, someone else owns so the car; so you’ll gain no value from the money spent. Car leases also almost always contain penalties for early termination and other fees if you go over mileage limits (most range from 12,000 – 15,000 per year). But the benefits come at the end when have the option to buy or trade in for a newer model. When you purchase a car, you end up owning something, but that can also mean costly maintenance as the car ages and — considering the often poor resale value of cars — you may not see much return on your investment and selling may be a hassle you don’t want to deal with.
PERSONAL ELECTRONICS With the newest smartphones now costing more than $1,000, many
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consumers have turned to leasing rather than owning their phones. While you can still purchase a phone, nearly all carriers now offer Equipment Installment Programs (EIPs), and there are a few that offer a standard leasing contract as well. Apple, Sprint and T-Mobile have leasing options with terms from 18 to 24 months with the option to upgrade every 12 months. Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have EIP options (also ranging from 18 to 24 months). The difference when it comes to EIP plans is when you can upgrade, because each carrier has slightly different rules. Sprint and T-Mobile both allow upgrades after 12 months. AT&T offers upgrades after 12, 18, or 24 months depending how much your monthly payment is, and Verizon is anytime after the phone is paid off. Remember to ask your provider about additional fees, as all carriers have them.
HOMES Previous generations almost universally dreamed of buying a home they could live in it for the rest of their lives. Often, they didn’t move more than a few blocks from where they were raised — much less to different cities, states or countries. This was less true for many LGBT people, who often felt compelled to leave their roots in order to live openly — many migrating to cities where renting and leasing were more the norm. That seems to have set the trend for today. According to Pew Research Center,“more households are renting than at any point in 50 years.” Probably the biggest factor in renting vs. buying a home is time. If you plan on staying in the same home for 30 years, expenses like closing costs and realtor fees shake out over the decades. But if you see yourself moving (for reasons from needing more space to live with a partner to relocating for work), paying those costs repeatedly can make home ownership less than financially ideal. If you are questioning whether to keep renting or purchase that dream home, try using a comparison calculator like Nerd Wallet to determine what you could be gaining or losing.
THE FINAL WORD Ultimately, deciding whether to lease or buy comes down to your personal situation. If you value the freedom to upgrade to a new car, gadget or home, leasing is likely your best bet. However — especially when it comes to property — if you’re happy with what you’ve got and you want to invest and build credit, it may be time to buy. ■
METROSCOPE
THIS PAGE: MARLON TEIXEIRA, 2013 © LOPE NAVO IMAGE COURTESY RIZZOLI BOOKS
CULTURE
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CURATED BY PAUL HAGEN, ERIN JORDAN AND JEFFREY JAMES KEYES
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INK SPOTTED
BEAUTY’S WHERE YOU FIND IT. SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE
pages of Wilhelmina: Defining Beauty (by Eric Wilson with a foreword by Patti Hansen). It’s a photographic retrospective in honor of the 50th anniversary of one of the world’s foremost modeling agencies. A combination of stunning images and essays exploring the notion of beauty highlights the fabled history of the institution that acted as the genesis for the careers of such unforgettable faces as Anjelica Huston, Isabella Rossellini and even Whitney Houston. Behind the glamour of fierce photo shoots and captivating catwalks lies an often vicious world of brutal competition between agencies (and even models themselves), which came to a fever pitch during the “Model War” years of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Wilhelmina remained well above the fray, taking its cue in ethics and compassion from founder and namesake Wilhelmina Cooper. Since its founding in 1967, the agency has gone to great lengths to ensure that it promotes diversity within the modeling community — including the careers of the first black supermodel, Naomi Sims, and trans models like Avie Acosta. rizzoliusa.com METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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ROW MY GOD THE WARWICK ROWERS AIM TO ACHIEVE THREE THINGS THROUGH
their sexy calendars, films and other products: promoting positive, inclusive and respectful attitudes towards people of all genders and sexualities; making rowing more accessible to a wider number of students and funding Sport Allies, a registered charity with a mission to promote sport as a route to personal growth for everyone. The team has won several awards for excellence and innovation including a two-time UK Charity Calendar of the Year. The shoot for the 2018 calendar shoot took place over ten
days in England and Spain and for it, these studly student rowers bare nearly everything but their souls. The front cover of this year’s edition features six handsome rowers tastefully draped in their boat club colors. Interior shots reveal even more, and an advance promo trailer released before the calendar features behind-the-scenes clips of the nude teammates covered in bodypaint and cavorting in the sun with water guns. In addition to the popular calendar, fans can purchase behind-the-scenes films of the shoots, a coffee table book and even a 12-month digital subscription. warwickrowers.org
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LOOK OUT
BACK TO HER ROOTS
IF YOU THOUGHT ANGELINA JOLIE WAS TO BE THE BIG SCREEN’S ONLY
Lara Croft, it’s time to think again. Alicia Vikander — who so charmed us as the supportive spouse of a pioneering transgender individual in The Danish Girl (and took home an Academy Award for her work) — steps into the role of a heroine who’s been capturing imaginations since she made her video game debut in 1996. In addition to the standard perilous leaps from one craggy outcropping to the next, reports indicate that the new film (simply entitled Tomb Raider) will explore the character’s roots, including a quest to discover whether her father is dead or alive. The reboot of the film franchise is said to take its inspiration from the more recent Tomb Raider games, which focus on a young Croft first learning to survive on her own, and with two actresses playing “Young Lara” and “Younger Lara”, that would seem to be the case. The star-studded cast will also feature appearances by Dominic West, Walton Goggins and Kristin Scott Thomas among others. You can catch Lara Croft and company vaulting into theaters beginning March 16. warnerbros.com/tomb-raider
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THIS PAGE: • WARWICK ROWERS IMAGE COURTESY OF ANGUS MALCOM • LARA CROFT IMAGE: © 2017 COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. • FACING PAGE: PAUL HEYER IMAGE COURTESY JASON MANDELLA • GUS KENWORTHY IMAGE COURTESY TONY RIVETTI/ABC
METROSCOPE CULTURE
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ART BEAT
RAVE REVIEWS
THIS PAGE: MODEL OF THE UNIVERSE AS A BROOM PHOTO BY JASON MANDELLA • GUS KENWORTHY-ROBBIE ROGERS-COURTESY TONY RIVETTI-ABC
THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO RECENTLY
opened the city’s first solo exhibition of Chicago-based artist Paul Heyer. The show is meant to evoke a multisensory, dreamlike realm based on Heyer’s experiences participating in the clubbing/rave culture inside the LGBTQ community. The artist incorporates a hypnotic meditative soundtrack with autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), sounds intended to recall his hallucinatory experiences. In the background of his soundscape floats Heyer’s large pastel paintings featuring figures of cowboys, animals, skeletons — and black holes. The exhibition also reveals the artist’s newer sculptural work, including a constellation of brooms that hint at a psychedelic fantasy, and a sculpture made of metallic lamé fabric draped across a bed-like platform in the center of the gallery. The material and its sheen share a glimpse into drag culture and Heyer’s euphoric all-nighters at dance parties and clubs. Heyer was born in Chicago in 1982 and trained formally at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Last year he landed on Newcity Art’s annual shortlist of artists to“know right now” — lauded for his joyful, celebratory and generous work. Of his art, Heyer states: “My paintings are fantasies — that’s what makes them queer.” mcachicago.org
WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE, OLYMPIC COMPETITION ALWAYS BRINGS
about high drama, gossip and moments of intrigue (for one example, read our review of the new film I, Tonya on page 24). The last Winter Olympics in 2014 stirred contention in part because they took place in virulently anti-gay Russia. When it comes to the 2018 Olympics — slated from February 9-25 in PyeongChang, Korea — controversy is brewing once again. The International Olympic Committee has banned Russia’s Olympic team from participating in the Games in response to allegations of systemic doping. The Russian flag will not be raised at the opening ceremony, nor will any Russian government officials be recognized. Russian athletes will be allowed to participate, but wearing neutral uniforms, and although Vladimir Putin has stated he will not object to any of those willing to compete in the games, he might not keep his word. Tensions are also on the rise related to the Games’ proximity to North Korea, which has lately been participating in highly provocative nuclear weapons testing — leading some to question the safety of athletes and other attendees.
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GOOD SPORT
SNOW DAYS
Should the games proceed as planned, Gay Olympians from all over the world will be represented. Among the openly gay Americans aiming to compete are figure skater Adam Rippon, luge contender John Fennell, and — perhaps most visibly of all — freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy (pictured, far left) , who came out after winning a silver medal in Sochi and has picked up a slew of Olympic endorsement deals including Visa, Toyota, Ralph Lauren, Deloitte and 24 Hour Fitness. olympic.org METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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CIRCUIT SHAKERS
IT’S A GREAT TIME TO PARTY, WHETHER
you are embracing or escaping the cold.
LISTEN UP
GLEEK OUTLOOK
March 13th, is just what you need to fill the void left behind when Glee left the air in 2015. Created by Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood) and Jeffrey Seller (Hamilton), the series follows the story of Lou Mazzuchelli (How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor), a theater teacher who inspires both his students and the denizens of their working-class town. The show is based on the career of real life teacher Lou Volpe, who taught for many years in a Pennsylvania school considered inferior by many in the area. Volpe’s masterful yet understated directing style, coupled with his bold selections (he’s staged both The Goat and Spring Awakening) earned his theater department an estimable reputation. Perhaps more poignantly, he was able to see the best in his students and connect with them in a uniquely human way that few experience in the classroom. A show filled with this much heart — and with a cast rounded out by star Rosie Perez and a cast of talented newcomers — is sure to be the feel-good TV we all could use a little more of at the moment. nbc.com/rise
CULTURE
METROSCOPE
GLEEKS, REJOICE! RISE, A NEW MUSICAL DRAMA SET TO HIT NBC FOR A MID-SEASON PREMIERE ON
IT’S NO COINCIDENCE STOWE’S WINTER
Rendezvous coincides with their annual Winter Carnival Festival, which attracts hundreds of queer skiers, riders and winter enthusiasts to the fun. The opening mixer will kick off at Stowe Bowl and continue at Spruce Peak, with Miss Coco Peru on Thursday night and a Wet ‘n’ Wild Pool Party Extravaganza with DJ Rob Douglas. The fun continues Saturday with a Downhill Costume Drag Competition at the Mt. Mansfield Base Lodge, an Ice Carving Competition in the Spruce Plaza, Comedian Julie Goldman at the Stowe High Auditorium and the Blow Out Party with DJ Steve Sidewalk. winterrendezvous.com GAY MARDI GRAS FEB 8-13, NEW ORLEANS, LA LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL, OR LAISSEZ
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DRINK UP
LIGHT AND FRUITY
ONCE UPON A TIME, ONE’S TIPPLING OPTIONS WERE LIMITED TO BEER, WINE AND COCKTAILS. THESE
were eventually joined by a bevy of fruity concoctions like wine coolers and hard lemonades, which tend to be both calorie heavy and shockingly sweet. Fortunately, the folks at SpikedSeltzer created an alternative made from purified water and natural ingredients; the beverage offers a light fruit flavor with less sweetness that’s also low in sugar and carbs and is gluten-free. “It’s brewed to taste like a fruit-flavored sparkling water with softer, more Champagne-like bubbles,” says SpikedSeltzer brand manager Carrie Shafir. “We get a lot of comparisons to LaCroix, which people can’t get enough of.”You can also use it in cocktails like the Margarita Fizz — 12 oz. of SpikedSeltzer West Indies Lime paired with ½ oz. fresh lime juice, 1 oz. tequila, 1 ½ oz. triple sec, garnished with a pinch of salt.“Even though we’ve been brewing SpikedSeltzer for four years, the drink and category we created is just now reaching critical mass,” adds SpikedSeltzer co-founder Nick Shields, suggesting that “people continue to move away from sugar, gravitating to lighter and healthier options.”spikedseltzer.com
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Les Bons Temps Rouler as they say in the Big Easy. The traditions of Gay Mardi Gras started in the 1950s. Today there are nine Gay Carnival organizations in New Orleans passing on lavish traditions and all-stops-out revelling. Be sure to get a good view of the Annual Official Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss on Fat Tuesday and don’t miss the Bourbon Street Awards (hosted last year by Bianca Del Rio and Varla Jean Merman). Be sure to check out the ultimate costume contest, which features categories like best drag, best leather and best group. gaymardigras.net
THIS PAGE: ‘RISE’ IMAGE COURTESY NBC • MARGARITA FIZZ IMAGE COURTESY SPIKEDSELTZER • SKI LODGE IMAGE COURTESY JOSEPH LARGE
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WINTER RENDEZVOUS JAN 17-21, STOWE, VT
WINTER PARTY FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, MIAMI BEACH, FL IT’S THE 25TH EDITION OF THE WINTER
ELEVATION MAMMOTH MARCH 14-18, MAMMOTH LAKES, CA OVER 2,500 SNOW BUNNIES COME OUT
for Mammoth Gay Ski Week. Soar 11,053 feet up to the High Sierras to dance, party, snowboard and ski until the gondolas stop running. The year’s official host hotel is The Village at Mammoth, but the Westin Monache, Juniper Springs Resort and the Mammoth Mountain Inn are also welcoming revelers. mammothgayskiweek.com BRECK PRIDE MARCH 7-11, BRECKENRIDGE, CO IT’S THE SECOND TIME OUT FOR THIS
event — offering live music, daily après, a comedy night and costumed Color Run down the mountain. Experience Breck’s five huge peaks, four terrain parks, 11 ski bowls and the highest chairlift in North America. Book a room at the Beaver Run Resort, Pine Ridge Condominiums, or the Residence Inn Breckenridge. Local restaurants, shops and galleries are offering deals throughout the week. gobreck.com
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Party Festival: an ideal time to get in on the action. Join over 10,000 gorgeous men at a week-long celebration of all things LGBTQ. From the IGNITE Party to the Under One Sun Pool Party to the VERVE event on Monday morning, there’s plenty of fun to be had in the sun. gaymardigras.net
STAGE ADVICE
TALL ORDER THERE’S BEEN TALK ABOUT A REVIVAL OF EDWARD ALBEE’S THREE TALL WOMEN FOR SOME TIME.
Now, Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson joins Emmy and Tony Award winner Laurie Metcalf and Tony nominee Alison Pill as the titular females. Tony darling Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Assassins, Wicked) directs the production, in which three women of different ages talk about their lives and relationships with their families — and are slowly revealed to be just one tall woman. Albee revealed in interviews that the work is inspired by his adoptive mother and the writing of the play was somewhat of “an exorcism.” Jackson hasn’t graced the boards of Broadway since 1988, when she starred as Lady M across from Christopher Plummer in Macbeth. Metcalf won a 2017 Tony Award for her recent performance in Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2. And Pill has also garnered critical acclaim for a wide variety of projects on stage and screen — most recently as part of American Horror Story: Cult. Previews start on February 27. threetallwomenbroadway.com
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SCREEN IT
GET THE HOSE AGAIN
A QUARTER CENTURY AFTER ITS PREMIERE, THE CRITERION COLLECTION IS RELEASING A SPECIAL EDITION
of The Silence of the Lambs. Starring lesbian legend Jodie Foster as FBI trainee Clarice Starling, the film tracks the manhunt for “Buffalo Bill,” a serial killer who skins his female victims in order to create “women suits.” Starling is aided by Dr. Hannibal Lecter (the inimitable Anthony Hopkins), a psychologist and serial-killing cannibal, who offers insights into the mind of the world’s scarier inhabitants. The film has been lauded by viewers and critics alike, notably at the 1992 Academy Awards, where it became the third film to sweep all top five Oscar categories. The movie has also encountered criticism over issues of homophobia and trans-misogyny due to the portrayal of Buffalo Bill. LGBTQ groups like Queer Nation insists that the film promotes homophobia by connecting Buffalo Bill’s rampage with such gay stereotypes as cross-dressing and owning a poodle. Does the film hold up? Can we celebrate Starling’s courage even if we take issues with how Buffalo Bill was written? Pour yourself a nice glass of Chianti — and decide for yourself. criterion.com METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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DUDE WRITES LIKE A LADY
VIEWS
DIARY
When Wade begins writing fiction under a female pen name, he’s forced to consider what womanhood means to him. BY WADE ROUSE
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“WHAT’S HE DOING UP THERE? WHERE’S VIOLA? THAT’S A MAN!”
Those were the whispers I heard at the first book event I did for my debut novel, The Charm Bracelet. “For those of you expecting a woman — surprise!” I shouted in enthusiastic response as I took the stage. “But I’ll let you decide if maybe I really do have two X chromosomes after you hear me speak.” Many readers who had yet to read the back flap of my book cover have shown up to my promotional events unaware that I’d been using a pen name — expecting to see the seemingly female author whose name was featured on the cover: Viola Shipman. You might wonder why, after writing four memoirs under my own name, I chose to use a pen name — and a female pen name at that for my fiction. I prefer to say that the pen name chose me. I grew up in the kitchens and sewing rooms of my grandmothers and mother. Like many Southern women, they were wonderful storytellers, spinning tales of family and faith, hopes and dreams. Together their stories created a patchwork of beautiful memories — much like the quilts they made. These women inspired me to pursue my dreams of becoming a writer, in part to fulfill the dreams they hadn’t been able to realize. My grandmothers had dreamed of being fashion designers, but spent their lives toiling in factories and church basements. My mother had dreamed of being a doctor, but didn’t have the means to make that happen in the 1950s, so she became a nurse. As I grew older, I realized I had spent my life in the company of extraordinary women. Few had taken the time or offered the respect to listen to them. But I had listened — and their voices stayed with me. In a way, my work had always been motivated by the desire to give voice to those society was not always interested FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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in hearing from. In my essays and memoirs, it was the voice of a gay man — a voice I had kept hidden for the first three decades of my life. In them, I attempted to use humor to teach (rather than preach) about the pain of coming out, the difficulty of feeling discrimination in the workplace and the constant battle of being demonized by so much of society, politics and religion. So I decided that with my fiction, I would attempt to use that megaphone to amplify the voices of the women in my life, unsung heroes whose sacrifices had changed the course of my journey. Some might assume I used the pen name in the hopes that women would be more likely to buy books about women if they were written by a woman, but my intention was not to dupe anyone. Would readers have reacted differently if the cover had read “By Wade Rouse”? Perhaps. But has the response to my literary Victor/Victoria been overwhelmingly positive? Yes. How do I know? They’ve bought the books, invited me to their book clubs and turned out to greet me at events — eager to share their own stories and their family heirlooms: quilts and photo albums and jangling charm bracelets. We’ve laughed and cried together, and I learned that there is no greater joy for an author than when a reader shares as much of themselves as I’ve shared with them. Why focus on women? I have always connected deeply to them. I have been the best friend, the go-to gay, the keeper of secrets. Women and gay men share a bond borne of persevering through challenges with strength, humanity and humility. The women in my life taught me to cherish the smallest gifts and tiniest moments. They taught me the value of caring about others unconditionally even though it can be so hard. They taught me how to bake cakes and fold fitted sheets, how to decorate a beautiful home and mix a killer cocktail. They taught me how to say,“I love you.” Most of all, women taught me to be the person I am today. And it seems sort of perfect to me that in a world where the concept of gender as a rigid set of expectations is being rapidly replaced by definition that has more to do with figuring out and expressing who we are — that the gender of the name on my book cover isn’t a promise about who wrote it but rather an invitation to explore what’s inside. ■ Wade’s novels as Viola include The Charm Bracelet, The Hope Chest and the forthcoming The Recipe Box. Visit waderouse.com. EVER TRY TO GIVE A VOICE TO SOMEONE NOT BEING HEARD? SHARE YOUR STORY IN “GAY VOICES” ON METROSOURCE.COM.
TAKE THE LEAD
Take an active role in your health. Ask your doctor if an HIV medicine made by Gilead is right for you.
onepillchoices.com GILEAD and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC4606 06/17
THE END OF THE LINE
CULTURE
SCREEN
Guillermo Del Toro entrances with a dark fairy tale, Mirren and Sutherland offer a geriatric road trip, Aaron Sorkin tells a twisted true story in his signature style and Tonya Harding returns to the spotlight. BY JONATHAN ROCHE
THERE IS A BRUTALITY TO MICHAEL HANEKE’S FILMS. IT IS
often literal but it can sometimes be most scathing when more opaque. The best example is his 2012 Oscar winning Amour, in which French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Georges, an older man forced to witness his beloved wife’s excruciating slip into illness and dementia. Now Georges returns in Happy End, where he lives with his daughter Anne (Isabelle Huppert). Georges’ health begins to decline, but not quick enough for his own liking, and — confined to a wheelchair — he grumpily begins looking for a faster way out. Anne prepares for a new marriage to an Englishman (Toby Jones), and tries to cope with her adult son who seems to be both troubled and lost. Meanwhile, Anne’s brother Thomas (Mathieu Kassovitz) is already remarried, but also recently saddled with a tween daughter
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from his first marriage after the girl’s mother has killed herself. The running theme of suicide is clear but not oppressive as Haneke mixes it with bits of ordinary modern life that ring wholesomely true (so true they may chill your soul). Although the plot is not bleak, Haneke uncovers a desperation hiding just beneath the surface even in the most balanced of lives. The film ultimately delivers a potent shot of nihilism to the heart before one can even see a needle — perhaps less delivering it to you than deftly tricking you into taking it into yourself. But those who can’t appreciate the exquisite pain may only see suffering. THE WORD: Haneke is an absolute master, and though those not initiated to arthouse cinema might see the film as disjointed or pretentious, no one will miss its many darkly comic moments. THE WHERE: Theaters
THIS PAGE: ‘HAPPY END’ IMAGE COURTESY OF SONY CLASSICS
HAPPY END
THE PHANTOM THREAD 1950S BRITISH COUTURIER REYNOLDS WOODCOCK (DANIEL DAY-
THIS PAGE: ‘THE PHANTOM THREAD’ COURTESY LAURIE SPARHAM / FOCUS FEATURES • ‘THE LEISURE SEEKER’ COURTESY SONY CLASSICS • ‘MOLLY’S GAME’ COURTESY MICHAEL GIBSON- MOTION PICTURE ARTWORK
Lewis) is very particular. While this helps him meticulously craft beautiful gowns for his rich important clients, it does not help him tolerate girlfriends. As he declares himself a “confirmed bachelor,” one wonders why he has girlfriends at all until he meets Alma (Vicky Krieps), with whom he shares a complex desire to own and to be owned. The other woman in Reynolds’ life is his sister Cyril (Leslie Mannville), who manages his illustrious business and shields her sensitive brother from distractions. But as Alma and Reynolds tangle, disaster seems to loom for the lovers. Krieps and Mannville are both superb, as is Lewis, who makes what might be his final cinematic performance one worthy of his lauded career.
THE WORD: Phantom is a refreshing departure for auteur
Paul Thomas Anderson — with fewer characters, more focus and a more personal touch. THE WHERE: Theaters
THE LEISURE SEEKER ELLA AND JOHN SPENCER (HELEN MIRREN, DONALD SUTHERLAND) SEEM TO BE
nice people: friendly, educated, liberal, with two adult children and their
golden years ahead. They have it all, including (respectively) terminal cancer and Alzheimer’s. Ella installs her faithful-and-forgetful hubby behind the wheel of their beat-up RV, “The Leisure Seeker,” and plops her failing body down beside him for the road trip of their lives. As the kids scramble to get their ailing parents to come home, we learn more about their parents. While it’s not exactly a Thelma and Louise kind of road trip, you’ll witness action, jealously, and shocking revelations — not to mention a duo very much headed for their own sort of cliff. This thoughtful, well-composed film is made worthwhile by its extraordinary leads. THE WORD: A portrait of lives bound together and a look at the often avoided reality that is the end of the proverbial road. THE WHERE: Theaters
MOLLY’S GAME AARON SORKIN DIRECTS HIS FIRST FEATURE, AND SINCE HE ALSO
wrote the script, it’s all quite Sorkinesque: smart characters delivering clever, quippy dialogue at a fast clip — mostly from Molly (Jessica Chastain). It’s a true story. Molly Bloom runs a private poker game for the rich and famous, and while Bloom tends her business with diligence and compassion, her enterprise borders on illegality and when the Feds try to catch some bigger fish by going right through her, she needs help in the form of an unusually ethical lawyer (Idris Elba). The film’s all-star cast also includes Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Chris O’Dowd, Brian d’Arcy James and Justin Kirk. Sorkin reveals Bloom’s amazing tale by turns, and — like a hand of Texas Hold’em — as each new card is revealed the whole game seems to change. THE WORD: Keen and crisp — Sorkin works his magic and wins with a fascinating, twisted true story. THE WHERE: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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WRITER/DIRECTOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO HAS LONG BEEN A
SCREEN
master at telling the best kind of fairy tales. He’s back and better than ever with The Shape of Water, which manages to be both dark and marvelously romantic. Del Toro takes a drab, institutional setting and somehow makes it singularly beautiful. He employs a bevy of great actors: Sally Hawkins plays a mute janitor who falls in love with a fish-man being held at the government facility she cleans everyday with her buddy Octavia Spencer. Richard Jenkins is perfect as
Hawkins’ lonely, starving-artist homosexual neighbor, and Michael Shannon once again shows off just how intense and scary he can be as a heartless 1950s government agent eager to dissect the miraculous fish-man. Lastly the wonderfully sympathetic Michael Stuhlbarg plays a scientist with a big secret. THE WORD : With storycraft so tight and imagery so hypnotizing, audiences should stay engaged from the first minute to the last, and Hawkins’ performance is worthy of an Oscar. THE WHERE: Theaters, Home Video
WORMWOOD THE DEFINING IMAGE OF DOCUMENTARIAN ERROL MORRIS’ WORMWOOD IS
CULTURE
Peter Sarsgaard falling out an 11th-story window, over and over. It’d be hard to count the number of times you’ll see his pained faced bursting through shattering glass, but however many times, the question left behind him is: did he leap, or was he thrown? In this six-part Netflix mini-series, Morris explores the death of government scientist Frank Olson (Sarsgaard) and son Eric’s obsession with learning the truth behind his father’s fate. Frank was probably working on chemical weapons for the army, so answers are shrouded in secrecy — including an official explanation that involves the government dosing the man with LSD without his knowledge. This documentary is stranger than fiction, but the terrifying reality is that it’s true. THE WORD: Even more upsetting is that similar experiments are likely still being performed, and the measures some will take to hide them. THE WHERE: Netflix
I TONYA WHY REVISIT THE INFAMOUS TALE OF TONYA HARDING? IT TURNS OUT THAT
the story of the famously trashy skater with talent enough to reach the Olympics but not the polish and poise typically required by the sport is a damned good one. In a confused burst of ‘good intentions’, Harding’s abusive ex-husband and his delusional best friend contract a dimwit to crack one of Tonya’s competitors on the knee with a pipe. The ensuing media circus remains one of the nation’s most memorable, however it takes a backseat here to the story of the woman herself, for whom you’ll find new compassion because Margo Robbie plays her with such genuine pathos. Alison Janney channels Tonya’s caustic mother to hilarious perfection, and Paul Walter Hauser (as the best friend) plays a uniquly absurd human with such specificity, he might deserve awards. THE WORD: What makes the biggest impression is its domestic violence — shockingly real with each sudden smack. THE WHERE: Theaters
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THIS PAGE: ‘SHAPE OF WATER’ COURTESY KERRY HAYES - TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION • WORMWOOD’ COURTESY MARK SCHAFER/NETFLIX • ‘I TONYA’ COURTESY OF NEON
SHAPE OF WATER
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
THIS PAGE: BEST DIRECTOR - COURTESY KERRY HAYES 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION • BEST ACTOR - COURTESY JACK ENGLISH -FOCUS FEATURES • BEST ACTRESS - COURTESY MERRICK MORTON - TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION • BEST PICTURE PHOTO BY SAYOMBHU MUKDEEPROM COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS • BEST FOREIGN PICTURE - PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTURES
AWARD PREDICTIONS
We’ve picked our ponies early, so you know who to keep an eye out as the time draws near to take home those coveted statuettes.
BEST DIRECTOR COULD WIN: More established directors like
Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) and Steven Spielberg (The Post) face off against a crowd of newcomers — Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Jordan Peele (Get Out), Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), and Aaron Sorkin making a strong debut with Molly’s Game. SHOULD WIN: My heart says Guillermo del Toro for his near-perfect rendering of an original fairytale (The Shape of Water). WILL WIN: My head and gut agree that P.T. Anderson (Phantom Thread) is the best bet.
BEST ACTOR COULD WIN: Possibilities include an awk-
ward James Franco (The Disaster Artist), an inspirational Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger), or a truth-telling Tom Hanks (The Post). SHOULD WIN: One could easily award the debonair Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread), but I’d like to see it go to blossom-
Best Picture
ing Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) or fast-talking Robert Pattinson (Good Time). WILL WIN: The trophy seems Gary Oldman’s (Darkest Hour) to lose — perhaps to Chalamet, who’d be the youngest ever to win this award, or to veteran Day-Lewis.
BEST ACTRESS COULD WIN: Don’t count out spirited Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), red-necky Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), or indomitable Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game). SHOULD WIN: Despite praise-worthy performances from Diane Kruger (In the Fade) and Salma Hayek (Beatriz at Dinner) I pick dreamy, silent Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) who was quite simply perfect. WILL WIN: Sardonic Frances McDormand is the one to beat: she just too well cast in Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri. Her biggest threats are Hawkins or Ronan
Best Foreign
(given the buzz Lady Bird has recently earned).
BEST PICTURE COULD WIN: Voters may subscribe to the
delightfully angry Three Billboards; The Post, the historical drama Darkest Hour, hardscrabble Mudbound, mysterious Phantom Thread, dark satire Get Out, adored Lady Bird, diamond in the rough The Florida Project, gritty and tender Logan, or refreshingly original The Big Sick. SHOULD WIN: Heart-aching Call Me By Your Name for romance, The Shape of Water for dark fairytale magic, and Dunkirk for overall filmmaking excellence. WILL WIN: For now, I’d say Dunkirk is leading the charge.
BEST FOREIGN COULD WIN: Some of the year’s best include
a mesmerizing meditation on grief, guilt and war Foxtrot (Israel), gut-wrenching In The Fade (Germany), Loveless (Russia), The Square (Sweden), transgender drama A Fantastic Woman (Chile), Angelina Jolie’s First They Killed My Father (Cambodia). SHOULD WIN: Cannes Grand Prix winner BPM (France), which so brilliantly balances intense personal and political themes. However highly honorable mentions to bleak bourgeois saga Happy End (Austria), and the equally brutal Loveless (Russia). WILL WIN: BPM, this lively and dignified return to the AIDS crisis was the most emotionally impactful film of the year. ■ METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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THE ESSENTIAL MARILYN MONROE By Milton H. Greene; ACC Art Books; $65
CULTURE
BOOKS
— from her transformation from Norma Jean to her knockout looks — all the while embodying a secret sadness we may never truly understand. Get up close and personal with the myth and the mystery, courtesy of Milton Greene, who had an extraordinary 50 sessions to capture Monroe on camera. The results are showcased in this collection of over 250 photographs (lovingly restored by Greene’s son Joshua) immortalizing Monroe at the height of her beauty and fame — including 100 never-before-published images, an introduction by photographer Douglas Kirkland and an essay about his father’s vision by Joshua Greene.
LENS AND SENSIBILITY
Essential volumes of photography celebrate a quintessential bombshell, an enduring iconoclast and one of Hollywood’s most memorable traditions. BY MADISON GULBIN
BOWIE UNSEEN By Gerald Fearnley; ACC Art Books; $25 THE SUBTITLE OF THIS INTRIGUING LOOK AT AN
an extraordinary figure says it all: “Portraits of an Artist as a Young Man.” It’s a collection of rare, original images from Bowie’s first album shoot. They’re beautiful in their own right — with Bowie’s unmistakable features, as yet untouched by the passage of time. But they’re even more fascinating in light of what we know the artist will become — the androgynous daredevil of Ziggy Stardust. The book’s author and photographer Gerald Fearnley was the brother of Derek ‘Dek’ Fearnley, with whom Bowie collaborated on some of his earliest recordings. Thus, Gerald had a front row seat to the birth of Bowie — including the artist changing his name from David Jones in order to avoid being confused with the lead singer of the Monkees. From early experiments with make-up to outrageous poses to more simple shots, he almosts seems to reach through the camera, daring the viewer to meet David Bowie.
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THIS PAGE: MONROE IMAGES BY MILTON H. GREENE ©2017 JOSHUA GREENE. COURTESY OF ‘THE ESSENTIAL MARILYN MONROE’, PUBLISHED BY ACC EDITIONS. BOWIE IMAGES BY GERALD FEARNLEY. COURTESY OF “BOWIE UNSEEN” PUBLISHED BY ACC EDITIONS.
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARILYN. SHE SEEMS TO REPRESENT SO MUCH WE LOVE ABOUT OLD HOLLYWOOD
THIS PAGE: IMAGES FROM RED CARPET: HOLLYWOOD FAME AND FASHION BY FRANK TRAPPER, WELCOME BOOKS, 2018 © 2018 COURTESY FRANK TRAPPER/GETTY IMAGES
RED CARPET By Frank Trapper; Welcome Books; $40 THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF RED CARPET HIT STANDS IN 2007, OFFERING READERS A CLOSER-THAN-THE-TELECAST LOOK AT HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST
stars making their glamorous arrivals at awards shows, movie premieres and exclusive parties. And now, it’s been completely redesigned and updated with new material from photographer Frank Trapper’s treasure trove of celebrity material for an eye-popping total of 500 photographs. In its pages, you’ll find some of our favorite friends like Cher, Ellen and the ladies of Sex and the City (pictured). Other standout moments include Lady Gaga arriving at the VMAs with LGBT members of the armed services and icons from Dolly Parton to Madonna serving signature looks. It’s the perfect thing for guests to leaf through during the commercials at your awards viewing party.
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WANT A REVOLUTION? BJÖRK
Utopia (One Little Indian Records) HER LAST RELEASE, 2015’S REMARKABLE VULNICURA, CHRONICLED A BITTER
CULTURE
MUSIC
split with her former partner (famed artist Matthew Barney). Conversely, Utopia offers a complete musical 180˚ turn — it’s overflowing with passion, happiness and some expected kookiness — this is Björk, after all. Her ninth studio release features a parade of flutes, various choirs and some the most delicate and gorgeous songs in her unparalleled career.“What a profound and nourishing trip this has been,”Björk recently enthused about the project in a Facebook statement. On the album’s first single and must-watch video for “The Gate,” she simply intones the hypnotic phrase “I care for you” over and over. Other highlights include the dynamic, 10-minute “Body Memory” and “Sue Me” (which I hope is a nod to Drag Race alum Nina Bo’Nina Brown — though Björk has mentioned on multiple occasions that she’s a drag connoisseur). Always the trendsetter, Björk is the first artist to use cryptocurrency in a meaningful way, making Utopia available for purchase with Bitcoin, Audiocoin, Litecoin and Dashcoin in her online store. Get more at bjork.com.
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THIS PAGE: • BJORK IMAGE COURTESY ONE LITTLE INDIAN RECORDS • FACING PAGE: MORRISEY IMAGE COURTESY BMG/ETIENNE RECORDS • BELLE & SEBASTIAN IMAGE COURTESY MATADOR RECORDS • FISCHERSPOONER IMAGE COURTESY ULTRA RECORDS • KIMBRA IMAGE COURTESY NICK SPANOS
Buy Björk with Bitcoin and let Morrissey teach you how to second guess the powers that be. BY MATT GROSS
MORRISSEY
Low in High School (BMG / Etienne Records) ON HIS MOST POLITICAL RELEASE TO DATE, LOW IN HIGH SCHOOL OFFERS A BIT OF A DEPARTURE FROM MORRISSEY’S SIGNATURE SOUND — ADD-
ing electric pianos, synthesizers and acoustic guitars into the mix and giving way to outstanding pop-driven melodies as displayed on tracks like the record’s contagious first single “Spent the Day in Bed” and standout “Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s Up on the Stage.” Perhaps the most brazen song here, “Who Will Protect Us from the Police?” summarizes the sentiment of the album most directly — to be distrustful of the government, authority and misleading media. Morrissey will bring these new tracks to life on an extensive, international 2018 tour. For Moz updates, follow his Twitter page @officialmoz.
ALSO LOOK OUT FOR...
FISCHERSPOONER BELLE & SEBASTIAN How to Solve Our Human Problems (Matador Records)
GLORIOUSLY BLENDING THE JOY AND
melancholy of everyday life has characterized the legendary Scottish act for over two decades. On their latest effort, recorded at their Glasgow home studio, Belle & Sebastian stick to the magic that crowned them indie royalty while simultaneously posing the questions,“If life is short, what are we doing here and are we becoming better people?” Key tracks on the reflective album include “Best Friend” ,“Too Many Tears” and the cheeky, catchy “A Plague on All Other Boys.”
SIR (Ultra Records)
KIMBRA
THE CELEBRATED NEW YORK ELECTRO-
pop duo returns with their first new album in nearly a decade. Produced entirely by Michael Stipe, SIR is a collection of erotically-charged, yet profound songs that singer Casey Spooner and Stipe crafted in the home they once shared as lovers. The highly personal release also serves as a means of resistance towards popular conservative ideals today through unabashed queerness. Spooner describes the tantalizing first single “Have Fun Tonight” as “a queer ballad about polyamory (...or polyagony) encouraging your lover to go out and have fun without you.”
Primal Heart (Warner Bros.) BEST KNOWN AS THE VOCALIST ON
Gotye’s inescapable mega-hit, “Somebody that I Used to Know,” New Zealand-based songstress Kimbra fully comes into her own on this, her third full-length release. Primal Heart’s lead single,“Top of the World,” (co-produced by acclaimed EDM DJ Skrillex) is a thrilling and entrancing anthem, combining bass-heavy beats with global grooves. Kimbra’s at her finest when she’s displaying bare emotion — and she’s never been this raw or vulnerable before. Primal Heart is pure magic.
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BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM
THE SINGER DISCUSSES BULLYING, BROADWAY, REALITY TELEVISION — AND ULTIMATELY DISCOVERING HIS WILD SIDE. BY KEVIN PHINNEY
to look anywhere else in the room. But don’t let appearances fool you: What seems at the outset to be an eye-catching confluence of top-notch genes and showbiz good fortune doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what’s going on here. Everything about the singer/songwriter is intentional — from his scruffy dreamboat aesthetic to his soaring tenor and his everso-suggestive music video, “Wild Side.” It’s actually good news that nothing about Crum’s image, music or presentation is left to chance, because that means at the end of the day, he is entirely a product of his own creation. And while he’s quick to admit his latest iteration more closely resembles his current view of himself than some he’s worn before, it’s also one more skin he may one day shed in favor of something that conveys his continuing evolution more accurately. One thing is for sure: the artist’s yearning to mold the ideal version of himself began long ago, and it’s been an elusive vision he’s chased ever since. “I’m the youngest of three,” Crum explains. “I have two older sisters, and my Mom was a single parent, so that meant lots of after-school activities. I guess I went into a theater youth program at five, and after that,
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ALL IMAGES THIS SECTION COURTESY POSEY MFG
ONCE YOU LOCK EYES ON BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM, IT’S HARD
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there wasn’t a time when I wasn’t either in a show or auditioning. I pretty much grew up in the theater.” Early on, he harbored an infatuation with pop singers like Whitney Houston, George Michael and Celine Dion. But at the same time, Crum began to struggle with his weight — and while his family was understanding, his own awareness of being both gay and larger than his classmates took their toll. Then, barely into his teens, he decided to come out: “My mom approached me about it,” he recalls, “and the conversation went pretty quickly from me being bi to me being gay. But my Mom was a nurse, and her want and need to be a caretaker is all part of that. One of my sisters is also a nurse, so and they all loved and accepted me.” His schoolmates were another story entirely. Crum was teased and bullied to the point where, with his mother’s permission, he transferred schools from San Diego to Salem, Oregon to finish his diploma. Looking back, the performer says, he feels nothing but gratitude — to his mother, to his aunt and uncle who took him in — and ironically enough, to those who taunted him just for being himself. “I’m still able to tap into some of those feelings now,” the performer confides. “I so appreciate that those experiences made me a tender and caring adult with a lot of love for myself and other people. I think it also helped me not just sing to people but into people, That’s a way that we’re so beautifully connected. Music is the universal love language. No matter who you are or where you come from, people can hear it and feel it.” Besides, he says, “’I’m not a victim of my circumstances. I’ve already had a great career. I did my first Broadway show at 18. So many people have had it so much worse, and it wouldn’t be fair to wallow in feeling sorry for myself. I live in a place of gratitude, and hope that people who find out what I went through come to understand that they can have a beautiful life on the other side of that situation, too.” In show business terms, Crum was the kind of kid that agents, producers and talent scouts would often remember as “a trouper.” Luck played a part in his success, but only a small one. “My mom was always very supportive,” he explains,” looking
out for auditions in LA or on the internet sites that posted them online. She or someone else would then drive me up and we’d sit in those long non-union casting calls. There was a casting director doing a production of Hairspray at the Luxor in Vegas that I was lucky enough to impress — although I didn’t get that show — and he started bringing me in to audition for everything. Finally, after the fourth time, I got a job called ‘universal swing’ in Wicked, which means you play different roles in different casts. Each company was a little different, so I was like a little sponge, soaking up all these other people’s experiences.” At 21, Crum found himself in a revival of Grease. That’s when someone came to my Mom and said, “Brian’s looking awfully large.” And so I got a trainer. And almost immediately I lost a ton of weight. I had never really done P.E. in school; we had dance instead, so I never felt like I could do the gym. Now it’s something I look forward to; it’s something that clears my head.” Crum quickly vaulted from one show to another, darting through a revolving door of musicals including Altar Boyz, Next to Normal, Tarzan and Jesus Christ Superstar. “I was constantly auditioning for one show while I was in another,” as he remembers it, “and then I did a couple of concerts while I was doing Queen’s We Will Rock You at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles. TV and film were never really passions of mine. But I started to put some videos on YouTube, because I’m really a social person and I love making connections with people. And people kept commenting, ‘You should go on The Voice,’ and things like that.” That’s when he began to pore over each of the reality shows to see which competition suited him best. His criteria? “I wanted the one with the least amount of hubbub, because there are some that don’t allow the talent much room to create, and I knew I didn’t want that. America’s Got Talent were so relaxed and supportive about giving people a platform. It was, ‘If they won, they got this,’ and even if they didn’t, they still got something valuable. There was a humanistic quality to their approach.” Ultimately Crum placed fourth in the 2016 competition, and has no regrets whatsoever. “They were so supportive at AGT,” he’s happy to attest. “The show is there to give people there a real platform, and I had a great time picking the music team. And —
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see what we can do to create something else. I said it has to be about embracing your wild side, and while that can be scary, it’s also liberating. We should all give ourselves permission to express our wants and desires.” “For the first time out,” he says with certainty, “I wanted to do something different. For me, it’s not about pushing boundaries. It’s about good images and storytelling. I kept going back to Madonna’s “Erotica” as a reference. I wanted to show just enough so that people would have that next image in their minds rather than on the screen. I wanted ‘Wild Side’ to show just enough to spark their imaginations. There are hints and flashes, but nothing sits there too long. It’s just a little taste, and the rest is up to people to create for themselves.” True to form, Crum intends to switch it up for his next release. “I had spent so much time on TV in the world of ballads that I wanted to do something that showed more range to start with. But this new track we’re putting out, ‘Whisper?’ It shows more of an emotional side. Right now, we’re basically doing singles, and it’s fun to just keep putting music out and to take one day at a time.” brianjustincrum.com ■
PHOTO BY LUKE SONTANA
in telling my story, I was albe to give a lot of people who didn’t have a voice someone who could speak for them.” Moreover, Crum explains, “I’m so happy AGT is around, because there’s a lot of mediocrity. There’s a lot of people who can really sing, and sometimes you get people who can really tell a story through a song. But unfortunately there are also a lot of people who only see it a business.” He agrees with the age-old show biz adage: you can use the business, or you can let it use you. “I never had any intention of going in with secrets and hiding,” the singer says. Crum’s new video, “Wild Side,” underscores that belief. When the conversation turns to the softcore BDSM aura his video projects — alongside images of repression and reparative therapy — Crum simply laughs. “When I first heard the song,” he says, “it was called ‘Vanilla Life.’ And it had this kind of cool sound and beat, but I didn’t think the lyric really reflected where I am in my life right now, because I’m a sexual person and feel very empowered by my sexuality. But (collaborator) Frankmusik was very receptive to my ideas. He said, ‘Absolutely. Come into the studio and let’s
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Something is brewing...
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E T E L P COM EET: W T T A H T EDITION TV
BY PAUL HAGEN
TWITTER MOVES PRETTY FAST. Even if you’re glued to your phone, it’s easy to miss a funny, feisty or fierce message from one of your favorite celebs. So we combed the feeds of some of our favorite LGBT celebs, allies and actors who represent our community as characters on TV for some choice quotes — and now we’re daring you to fill in the blanks.
A. B. C. D.
Muppets Poppets Puppies Buddies
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THIS PAGE: JAMES MACKAY IMAGE COURTESY ART STREIBER - THE CW
Tweeting a selfie from a weekend with his boys in Miami, James Mackay (@jwmackay), who plays Steven Carrington on the reimagined Dynasty, said, “I’ll take a weekend with these beautiful _____ any time.”
2 Samira Wiley (@samirawiley), who plays “gender traitor”Moira on The Handmaid’s Tale tweeted, upon landing in New York City: “Spilled some vodka on my pants on the plane. At least 4 ppl think _____.”
THIS PAGE: SAMIRA WILEY IMAGE COURTESY JILL GREENBERG - HULU • BILLY EICHNER IMAGE COURTESY FRANK OCKENFELS - FX
A. I’m drunk. B. I’m a slob. C. It’s a cute pattern. D. I peed on myself.
3 In response to a call for “Favorite Film Moment of 2017”, Billy Eichner (@billyeichner) — star of American Horror Story: Cult — replied, “When they showed the trailer for the new _____ movie before Call Me By Your Name and every gay man in the theater looked at each other and silently acknowledged interest in seeing it.” A. Meryl Streep B. Kate Winslet C. Annette Bening D. Julia Roberts
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One Day at a Time’s Elena — Isabella Gomez (@Chavelua) — apparently has a feisty family in real life too. She observed, “My grandma is currently drinking hot coffee AND _____. A true legend.”
4 5 When he’s not playing lovelorn Lionel on Dear White People, DeRon Horton (@ArabianGrown), is dreaming of future roles. He shared: “I wanna play _____ in about 3 years if he has a biopic.” A. Colin Powell B. Rick James C. RuPaul Charles D. Jimi Hendrix
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THIS PAGE: ISABELLA GOMEZ COURTESY MICHAEL YARISH - NETFLIX • DERON HORTON COURTESY ADAM ROSE - NETFLIX 3 • CASEY COTT COURTESY CHRISTOPHER FRAGAPANE - THE CW. OPPOSITE PAGE: ANDY COHEN COURTESY CHARLES SYKES - BRAVO • JASON BUTLER HARNER COURTESY JACKSON DAVIS - NETFLIX
A. Tequila B. Wine C. Iced Coffee D. Whiskey
E T E L P M CO : T E E W T T THA TV EDITION As Kevin Keller on Riverdale, Casey Cott (@CaseyCott) is an expert at hooking up with cuties on the QT, but his family clearly thinks he has some other expertise to share. “My mom just FaceTimed me,” he tweeted, “and requested knowledge on how she could become a _____.” A. YouTube Personality B. Celebrity Chef C. Contestant on Survivor D. Gossip Columnist
6
After they came together to duet on “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. at the American Music Awards, Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen bragged, “I’m gonna go ahead and take some responsibility for @Pink & _____ coming together Sunday night.” A. @IAMJHUD B. @MileyCyrus C. @carrieunderwood D. @kelly_clarkson
7 As Agent Petty on Ozark, Jason Butler Harner (@JButlerHarner) headed to Missouri and got extremely friendly with his fishing buddy, but judging from his feed, the actor would rather be heading somewhere else. “All I want to do is another play _____,” he gushed in a tweet. “Loved it so much.” A. on Broadway B. in the West End C. in Chicago D. in Berlin
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A. French Press Jet Fuel B. Fresh Ground Java Juice C. Cold Brew Moonshine D. Mondo Macchiato
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When Difficult People’s Lola — Shakina Nayfack (@Shakeenz) — posed for a selfie backstage with Lea Delaria (@realleadelaria), Delaria commented: “This oughta make a few queer _____.”
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A. heads explode B. butts dance C. hearts stop D. fingers snap
As Aaron on The Walking Dead, Ross Marquand (@RossMarquand) has faced his share of danger, but in the real world it’s the weather that attacks. “Dangit! First you cut the power and then you send a branch through mah favorite window?” he complained in September. “That’s it! You’re drunk, _____ - go home.” A. #HurricanHarvey B. #HurricaneJose C. #HurricanIrma D. #HurricaneMaria
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THIS PAGE: LAURA PREPON COURTESY JOJO WHILDEN - NETFLIX • SHAKINA NAYFACK COURTESY SEACIA PAVAO - HULU • ROSS MARQUAND COURTESY GENE PAGE - AMC
Tweeting an early-morning selfie, Laura Prepon (@LauraPrepon) pointed out, “Coffee shops might not be open in time for my early #OITNB call time, but luckily my own organic _____ is better, anyway!
E T E L P M CO : T E E W T T THA TV EDITION
12 After scatalogically suggesting a guest would defend Donald Trump under any circumstance, Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) tweeted, “I regret the _____ I spoke earlier tonight and followed it up by apologizing on air. It was unprofessional. I am genuinely sorry.” A. vulgar utterance B. crude sentence C. coarse expression D. rude statement
THIS PAGE: ANDERSON COOPER COURTESY CHARLES SYKES - BRAVO
THE RESULTS EGG
HATCHLING
(0 - 4 POINTS) There’s a whole world of communityrelated TV celebrities just waiting to be discovered — if only you’re willing to step out of your shell and follow them. Wondering who else you should have in your feed? Check out who we’re following @MetrosourceMag.
(5-9 POINTS) You know that Twitter is a great way to get closer to your favorite TV stars — both LGBT and allies — but there’s more that you’re missing out on. Not sure what shows you should be water cooler conversant in? Check out our entertainment coverage at metrosource.com and sign up for our weekly MetroEspresso email updates at metrosource.com/subscribe.
BIRD OF PREY (10-12 POINTS) Either you’re a really good guesser or your pop culture Twitter game is on point. In fact, maybe we can take a cue from you. Tweet at us with the hashtag #FollowThatLGBT with some of your favorite Twitterlebrities so we can follow them, too — and you while we’re at it!
THE ANSWERS: 1. A 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. B 6. A 7. D 8. B 9.C 10. A 11. C 12. B
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TRANS SINGER SAYS “NO!” TO SULLIVAN SPECIAL SOUL EDITION
BY RICHARD ANTONE
She insisted on performing and living life on her own terms — until she suddenly vanished. singer who headed from the racist and homophobic scene in Nashville up north to Toronto, where she would go on to build a sizable cult following. This performer was breezy and confident — raised on gospel music and blessed with a voice that could croon as soft as velvet to sing Dee Clark’s “Raindrops” then turn equally gritty for “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag.”Over the course of her career, she took to the stage in women’s and men’s clothing, drawing fervent fans across the border from Detroit and over the ocean from London. She made sizzling soul records. One of them — “Any Other Way” — made it to #2 on the local charts, garnering airplay in major cities both in Canada and the U.S. Though there was interest in her from labels including Motown and Atlantic, she turned both down to record on indie labels. And though she performed on regional TV, she refused to be on American Bandstand because black people weren’t allowed to dance on the show at the time and The Ed Sullivan Show because they asked her to tone down her look. Before Bowie, before Sylvester, before Janelle Monae she was a true original who both performed and lived on her own terms. And when she disappeared from public life in 1971, many people thought she’d died. But she is very much alive, and now she’s back with a box set that’s burning up Spotify. Never heard of her? You have now: meet Jackie Shane. Shane was born in Nashville in 1940 and raised in Nashville and Ohio. Although the area was (and continues to be) known for its Country & Western scene, that was not where Shane was looking to make her mark. Like so many Nashvillians, she worked as a studio musician and backed such major blues artists as Big Maybelle and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and R&B acts including Larry Williams, Little Willie John and Joe Tex. She also co-wrote and played on the hit ”I Miss You So,” recorded by Morgan Babbs, although she was not credited for her work. Her early accomplishments included winning a talent
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contest hosted by bandleader Johnny Otis (while she was visiting her mother in LA). Shane went on to blow away singer Jackie Wilson — prompting Wilson to pay her not to perform rather than risk looking less dynamic by comparison — and Soul mainstay Joe Tex, who encouraged Shane to hit the road. And hit it she did, traveling from Detroit to Cornwall, Ontario and onward to Montreal, where she met musician and bandleader Frank Motley. With Motley, she would go play Montreal, Boston and Washington, D.C. During this period, Shane wrote the songs “Chickadee”and“Slave for You Baby”, on which Motley would later surreptitiously add his name to the songwriting credits. Shane would later point to this kind of dishonesty as one of the reasons she came to mistrust the music industry. “I FELT SO FREE” Of her initial travels to Canada, Shane said: “I felt so good. I never felt that good before. I felt so free.”She would ultimately go on to think of Canada as her home — even though back then it was not the paragon of LGBT acceptance it would go on to become. Even there, Shane was forced to wear a coat to disguise herself when she went out on break between sets at clubs — to avoid being arrested for wearing women’s clothes. Shane is careful to clarify that, though she is a performer, she is not doing drag but rather affirming her right to be herself. “I was born a woman in this body. That’s how it’s always been,” she said.“I’m not putting on an act. I could not be anyone else if I tried. It would be the most ridiculous thing in the world for me to try to be a male.” Still, it often wasn’t easy to be herself. Shane faced several scary encounters with gangsters. One threatened her when she turned down his romantic advances. Another kidnaped her, only to let her go when she told him she was underage. But fear didn’t stop her from working, and on stage she was totally uninhibited. Picture her with a driving, funky backbeat thumping as she says,“You know, when walking down Yonge
ALL PHOTOS THIS PIECE COURTESY OF THE NUMERO GROUP AND JACKIE SHANE
BACK IN THE SWINGING ‘60S, THERE WAS A TRANSGENDER R&B
A Jackie Shane Publicity Shot for Sue Records METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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SPECIAL SOUL EDITION ‘70s, Shane was still in the groove. She played Nashville to an integrated crowd with drummer Buddy Miles; played shows from Albany to Las Vegas; played tambourine on Joe Cocker’s “Black Eyed Blues” and met George Clinton and his flamboyantly irreverent band the Funkadelics in Toronto. Of them, she said,“I liked what they were doing, but it’s not me. They were a bit much for me.” Jackie worked with Frank Motley less often as he became increasingly violent and unstable. When he showed up drunk for an all-ages show, the promoter promptly cancelled it. After he refused to pay Shane for a gig, she decided she would never work with him again. And then Shane walked away from it all. First, she helped take care of her mother — in California and later Nashville. Then after her mother’s death, Shane stayed in Nashville, living quietly, rarely going out. But Shane’s time in the public eye was only on pause.
Jackie on Drums
Street — you won’t believe this — but you know some of them funny people have the nerve to point the finger at me and grin and smile and whisper. But you know that don’t worry Jackie because I know I look good, and every Monday I laugh and grin on the way to bank because I got mine. I look good, I got money and everything else I need.” Audience response was overwhelmingly positive. “You know what the people would come to me and say?” Shane recalled. “‘Jackie, talk to us more because you say things that other people don’t say.’This meant a great deal to me because I’m giving them a part of me. Being for real, telling the truth, letting them know that this is real, that I am real, that I feel this, that this is me!” “I WOULD HAVE GONE ON FIRST” Big names took notice. Shane’s passionate cover of“Any Other Way” (recorded in one take) got compliments from the song’s composer William Bell. Shane even opened for Etta James. At the time, her sets were so intense, audiences were known to overturn tables. After one such show, James reportedly said, “If I’d have known this, I would have gone on first!” Shane began to book TV appearances, including Night Train — a local show broadcast in Nashville — and on the CBC-TV show Music Hop. When she played the Sapphire Lounge — a frequent stop in Toronto — she negotiated to make sure her audience would not be blocked at the door. She told an owner of the club,:“Look, gay people must be able to come and see me. I don’t want anyone kept from seeing me. I want them to come.” Gay, straight, Black, white, they packed the Sapphire Lounge to see Jackie Shane. As the ‘60s wound down and the dawn rose on the
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“SOMETHING THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER” A 2010 CBC documentary by Elaine Banks was the first sign of renewed public interest in Shane. Eventually, The Numero Group, a Chicago-based label, expressed interest in releasing Shane’s music — including her singles and a long out-ofprint live album. Years of collaboration eventually led to Any Other Way — remarkably the first album in her storied career that Shane actually approved. When Douglas McGowan, an A&R person with The Numero Group who would become lead producer for the
Jackie in White Gloves
JACKIE SHANE
(from left to right) The Evolution of Jackie Shane
2-CD set, came to her house with the contract, Shane, still a recluse, would not let him in. He left the contract on her doorstep. Eventually she signed, and the rest is herstory. Of Shane’s reaction to the renewed interest in her work, McGowan says,“She was flattered; she was surprised. She felt a variety of emotions [about] how important she was to a lot of people. She knew she was doing something right [but] she doesn’t need anyone else’s validation.” Looking back at how Shane was able to find an audience in her heyday —so long before the LGBT community achieved wider acceptance, he observes: “She was the right amount of ‘other’. The people were in a position to appreciate her for the incredible talent that she was and not be hung up on … a certain homophobic mindset.” Why Toronto? “Jackie probably went where the appreciation was,” McGowan guesses,“where the acceptance was and where she felt safe. Toronto was that place.” “The thing for Jackie has always been to live life on her terms without ever wanting to wade into politics or debate. [Yet] everything Jackie does is political in spite of herself,” explains McGowan. Indeed, sometimes she has been more overtly political — advocating for the March on Washington in 1963, performing in East LA when other artists would not due to the epidemic of drive-by shootings, and when Trump announced a ban on transgender troops, she raised funds for LBGTQ causes by making her music available on Bandcamp. “There’s this whole world of people who are out now and enjoying a lot more mobility than she ever did,” says McGowan. “I think she’s happy about it. But I think she has
also expressed many times that any kind of celebration should be tempered by the fact that it always should have been this way, [and] there’s a lot left to be done.” Looking back on her legacy, Shane says, “I hope that I gave them something that they will always remember. I gave what I had. I talked to them and I was simply saying,‘Live and let live.’ We all want a little piece of it. And we should all have a little piece of it. I really left an impression on these people, and I’m glad, but I gave them me, honestly and truly and completely. These were people who were not accustomed to a person like myself, but they learned to like me — being trans and being different. These people had never been exposed to a person that was for real.” ■
Jackie Gives Props at the Freedom March
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What is TRUVADA for PrEP?
Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?
TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: ® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. ® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. ® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. ® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. ® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. ® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. ® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. ® All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-thecounter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.
I’m passionate, not impulsive. I know who I am. And I make choices that fit my life. TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you. Learn more at truvada.com
IMPORTANT FACTS
This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.
(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative. • Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. • You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. • See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information. TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. • To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. • Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1. • Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. • Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices. • Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. • Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. • Bone problems. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.
BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. • Have any other medical conditions. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.
HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. • Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. • Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. • Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.
GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection. • Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.
TRUVADA FOR PREP, the TRUVADA FOR PREP Logo, the TRUVADA Blue Pill Design, TRUVADA, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0120 07/17
METROHIV BODY THIS SECTION: ALL IMAGES COURTESY A DAY WITH HIV AND ITS PARTICIPANTS
DOCUMENTING “A DAY WITH HIV” How do people living with HIV share their experience with the world? In the case of one awareness-raising initiative, it’s one day at a time. BY JEFF SIMMONS
THE DATE — SEPTEMBER 22 — WAS INTENTIONALLY SELECTED BECAUSE IT IS A DAY WHEN
2:50 PM: Pasadena, California
Carlos: I just so happened to have my meds delivered at work! Woot!
the sun shines on the equator such that the length of the daytime equals the length of the night. That balance struck Rick Guasco as symbolic. “I chose the autumnal equinox because it’s a date that signifies a change, and I thought this campaign is about changing people’s minds,” Guasco said. For seven years, Guasco has led Test Positive Action Network’s (TPAN) “A Day with HIV” initiative on the September equinox. “A Day with HIV” seeks to portray a single moment in the 24-hour period in the lives of people affected by HIV, encouraging people to use smartphones and digital cameras to share images of their day on social media with the hashtag #adaywithhiv. “A Day in the Life of America was a photojournalism project in 1986, and the goal was to capture 24 hours in the lives of people in the United States,” said Guasco, the Creative Director of TPAN’s publication Positively Aware. “I thought it be interesting if you did 24 hours in the lives of people affected by HIV. I wanted to make this campaign not just for certain segments of the population but for everyone.” METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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6:00 PM: Miami, Florida
Yoel Orlando Moreno: HIV doesn’t discriminate; good thing pizza doesn’t either! #adaywithhiv #publichealth @latinossalud
2:00 PM: Belo Horizonte, Brazil Felipe: On the edge of a high cliff. Never be afraid to live! Live every second with no fear!
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METROHIV
6:31 PM: Brooklyn, New York
Lillibeth GonzaLez: Diagnosed 25 years ago. Out and about in Brooklyn, enjoying the wonderful weather. Informing people about preventative measures: PrEP, PEP, antiretrovirals, staying undetectable, and healthy with HIV. I’m unstoppable. #Undetectable for 10 years.
2:00 PM: London, England
Ian Green: As CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust, and someone living with HIV, I am participating in #ADayWithHIV. My friend Bu is one of the office dogs.
8:01 PM: Staten Island, New York
Sharell: Still able to smile while living with HIV. I have a very supportive family and great friends. I take my medication once a day.
3:00 PM: Southwest Washington State
Maggie: I want to post something upbeat for A Day with HIV but for me, I feel loneliness and fear... In the small pockets of time when I get to connect with my positive community, I feel love and acceptance, but those times are so few and far between.”
3:00 PM: Seattle, Washington
4:22 PM: San Francisco, California
Anthony Adero Olweny: Being a peer navigator living with HIV is almost like a day-to-day testimony that HIV treatment works.
Jesús Guillen: As an HIV long-term survivor, I have many beautiful moments, but also some very painful ones. Every day, learning to live and enjoy the moment; a moment after that, I never know. For the instant, a jump of life.
Since 2010, the campaign has generated 200 to 300 images each year, which are then assembled into a timeline. Once compiled, the submissions — showcased in an online gallery at adaywithouthiv.com — illustrate stigma, perseverance, hope and intimacy, each paired with a brief description of the subject’s story. They reach across not only the United States, but also Vietnam, the U.K. and other parts of the globe. “Mostly it’s people living with HIV or involved with an HIV organization, but it’s a great cross-section: men, women, gay, straight, transgender, people of color,” Guasco offers. “It runs the gamut, which is exactly the whole purpose of the campaign, to appeal to everyone out there.” In one, a man displays his medications delivered by
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FedEx to his office. In another, an HIV-positive woman, whose face is finally revealed, walks her granddaughter to a park. Elsewhere, a group of young men from a Miami-based HIV support group recreate the Last Supper image with pizza. And one image, from Brazil, shows a man sitting atop a mountain, with the resolute message, “Never be afraid to live! Live every second with no fear!” “I want to make the case that HIV is something we all need to be concerned about, and stigma is something that affects all of us, regardless of HIV status,” Guasco says. “The stories behind the images give them their real power. My hope is that we can begin to manage and contain stigma and realize that we are all affected by it, and in doing so, take away that stigma.” ■
STAYING IN, WORKING OUT
TRX Home2 System
THIS PAGE: IMAGES COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURER
Rogue Fitness
store.trxtraining.com TRX was born out of the Navy Seals and has since been adopted by athletes all over the globe. Navy SEAL Squadron Commander Randy Hetrick created the first version of TRX in 1997 using a jiu jitsu belt and parachute webbing. Its challenging body strength, stability and cardiovascular workout is an optimal addition to any home gym. The TRX Home2 System features product-design enhancements and the dynamic TRX app that takes training with the TRX Suspension Trainer to the next level. Suspension Training continually challenges your core for a total body workout. The system’s adjustable foot cradles and sleek strap design can accommodate a wide range of users (including barefoot training!) The Home2 System works in tandem with the TRX App (and the system comes with a complimentary one-year subscription). The TRX App includes over eighty workouts including Suspension Training, Cycling, Running Yoga and High Intensity-Interval Training.
Nautilus E618 Elliptical nautilus.com It’s no surprise Nautilus has been around for over 40 years. Their unique Nautilus, Bowflex, Schwinn, Universal and Octane brands offer a wide range of home fitness solutions. The Nautilus Performance Series is a great way to amp up your at-home cardio regimen in 2018. The line features performance training programs, free app-based tracking tools and premium comfort features for an energized workout experience. The Nautilus E618 features an Adjustable SightLine console with DualTrack screens that let the user move the console in order to study metrics, features a USB charging port, MP3 input port and an integrated water bottle and towel holder. It has Bluetooth connectivity, can track metrics on the Nautilus Trainer app, features 29 training programs, a wireless heart rate chest strap and Suspension Adjust Performance Cushioning System offering heel support while engaging different muscles. Concept2 Indoor Rower concept2.com Let’s face it, watching Claire Underwood rowing on House of Cards
made you think about getting a rowing machine, and we’ve got one for you. Concept2 started in a Vermont dairy barn with two Olympic hopefuls, brothers Dick and Peter Dreissigacker, making composite oars. Their company swiftly grew into the leading manufacturer of world-class racing oars, indoor oars and the SkiErg. Their products are manufactured and shipped from Morrisville, Vermont and are outfitted with a state-of-the-art Performance Monitor that tracks workout data, times, distances, force curve and more. The Model D Indoor Rower, recognized as “the standard for indoor training since 1981,” is the bestselling rower in the world. Available in light gray and black, the rowers features the Concept2 Flywheel which minimizes noise and maximizes smoothness. The Performance Monitor helps you to track and compare workouts. Useful Concept2 motivational tools include their Workout of the Day logbook and Million Meter Club.
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WITH THE HOLIDAYS BEHIND US, IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT THAT
New Year’s resolution. When hitting the gym isn’t something you can squeeze in between work and making your social obligations, it’s time to step up your home gym game. We scoured the market and isolated four clear ways to tighten flab and build lean muscles so you can greet next beach season with confidence.
HEALTH
When the weather outside is frightful, and your gym is not delightful, but you still need your cardio — here’s the fitness equipment to know. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES
RogueFitness roguefitness.com Concept2 The first concrete evidence of jump rope activity can be seen in medieval paintings of children jumping rope down the cobblestone streets of Europe, but the practice allegedly dates all the way back to ancient China and Egypt. Though today there are plenty of different types of jump ropes to choose from, we’d like to highlight the popular Rx Jump Ropes available through RogueFitness. First developed by CrossFitter David Newman, the RF Ropes are custom-made to order in five cable choices designed to cover all work capacities. People find themselves responding to the reassuring weight of the grips and the rope, but be sure to follow the sizing instructions when ordering yours for the optimal fit. ■ METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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NEW YEAR NEW YOU
BODY
HEALTH
A top plastic surgeon reveals secrets to reshaping faces and bodies that may sound miraculous. BY MEGAN VENZIN
THE WINTER SEASON IS NOTORIOUS FOR WREAKING HAVOC ON THE
body. As we navigate the world during this rough time of year, stress and weather can invite wrinkles to make themselves at home above your brows. And even if you’ve kept the weather from showing on your face, chances are it’s made a mark on your midsection — along with all of those holiday feasts and after-hours cocktail parties — lending an unfortunate softness to the physique you worked so hard to maintain during the rest of the year. For those of you who find yourself sighing in the mirror or looking forlornly at your beloved summer tanks thinking, “I’ll never be able to get into shape to wear those again,” we’ve turned to a top surgeon to discuss what can be done to smooth what has creased and reshape what has increased. Named one of America’s top plastic surgeons by the Consumer’s Research Council of America and the “go-to surgeon for men” by Forbes magazine, Dr. Douglas S. Steinbrech M.D., F.A.C.S., is a master of aesthetics. Following eight years of intensive training at the NYU Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Steinbrech developed a thoughtful philosophy rooted in the application of minimally invasive procedures. His customized treatment plans promise patients unmatched results and swift recovery periods. He currently operates out of his Male Plastic Surgery offices located in both NYC and Los Angeles, providing even more opportunities for those who enjoy the bi-coastal lifestyle to look and feel great. “We use minimally invasive alternatives, such as injectables to impart dramatic results to our patients, without requiring any ad-
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ditional downtime,” Steinbrech says. “A patient who gets the Male Model Makeover will learn that the injectables used mimic results similar to those who opt for jawline, chin and cheek implants. The same effect can be achieved in about 10 minutes, and then the patient can go right back to work.” Dr. Steinbrech pairs innovation with expertise to deliver confidence to every patient under his career — whether they elect for one of his head-turning brow lifts and jaw contouring procedures to his revolutionary BodyBanking technique. So what is BodyBanking, anyway? Consider it a strategic reorganization of the body’s structure, achieved through a process known as “Selective Fat Transfer”. Fat stores from problem areas are injected into targeted zones like the pectorals, glutes, triceps, biceps, shoulders and calves to create the kind of attractive, contoured physique usually reserved for those who spend endless hours on bench presses and squat. It’s a liposuction strategy that turns fat to fit. As an added bonus — in addition to facilitating a perfectly-proportioned and sculpted look, Steinbrech’s BodyBanking technique allows for fat cell numbers to remain fairly constant. This minimizes the potential risk of the body responding with disproportionate fat growth, should those pesky pounds come home for the holidays next year or any time in the future, for that matter. “BodyBanking is effective because it is NOT your grandma’s liposuction,” Steinbrech explains. “Because the fat stored is transferred to new muscle areas, you can keep a slim waist and strategically add extra bulk to areas like your chest and biceps. So now when you have dessert, it’s your upper body that fills out, not your midsection.” While Dr. Steinbrech’s lengthy list of high-profile clients and return patients keep him in-demand, he is always eager to shape and improve the lives of newcomers. Take the first steps toward a tantalizing new you by scheduling a personal consultation today. ■
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: IN NEW YORK - 646-480-7740, MALEPLASTICSURGERYNEWYORK.COM IN LOS ANGELES - 310-570-2402, MALEPLASTICSURGERYLA.COM
A BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOP WITH A BLOODY MARY KICK BY GAYLE VAN WELY IF YOU’RE COOKING FOR YOUR SPECIAL SOMEBODY THIS VALENTINE’S DAY, HERE’S SOMETHING IN ROMANTIC RED THAT WILL MAKE THEM COME
running but won’t weigh them down. I’m not one to use bacon much (as it’s not known for its health benefits), but there’s no denying that there’s something special about the smoky flavor and the alluring scent when its cooking. Par-cooking the bacon in the microwave between paper towels ensures its fat is rendered evenly and that much of it ends up absorbed by the paper. Here, I’ve paired it with sumptuous scallops, which — in addition to their delectable taste — offer a variety of nutrients that can promote cardiovascular health plus provide protection against colon cancer. They’re also a good source of B12, magnesium and potassium. Meanwhile, the Bloody Mary sauce features vitamin-rich tomatoes, garlic and horseradish with a bit of a vodka kick that you can take or leave, depending on your lover’s taste.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE 1 bunch of fresh basil 5 pounds of Roma tomatoes or vine ripe tomatoes 5 teaspoons prepared horseradish (not creamed) 2 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 celery stick 3/4 cup vodka 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar 1 small slice of red beet for color, sea salt and fresh black pepper
FOR THE SCALLOPS 8 slices bacon 8 large sea scallops Olive Oil 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 Lemon
SCALLOPS PREPARATION
THIS PAGE: IMAGE COURTESY GAYLE VAN WELY
1. Prepare the bacon. Layer uncooked bacon on a plate with paper towels lining the plate and in between the layers of bacon. Cook in the microwave one minute to “pre cook” the bacon and remove some of the fat. Your bacon will be slightly cooked but not crunchy, and should wrap easily. 2. Wrap the scallops, secure with tooth pick and cut off extra bacon. Chop up all the leftover pieces of bacon and set aside.
BLOODY MARY SAUCE PREPARATION 1. Pick several smaller leaves from the basil and set them aside. Crush the remaining basil, stems and all, into a large bowl. Halve or quarter the tomatoes and add to the basil — along with the horseradish, celery, garlic, vinegar, vodka, beet and sea salt/ ground black pepper. Let marinate for at least six hours or overnight. 2. Preferably with a stick blender, puree the marinated vegetables (though a regular blender or a food processor will also do). Taste and add more seasoning as necessary. 3 Pass this mixture through a course strainer or cheesecloth until smooth. Do not let it touch the garnish until just before serving or the garnish will wilt.
GARNISH Frisée lettuce Celery leaves
3. In a large skillet. heat one tablespoon olive oil and one tablespoon butter.
PLATING
4. Place bacon-wrapped scallops in a hot pan and sear two to three minutes on each side, being careful to not overcrowd the pan.
In a shallow bowl, place one scallop on a couple of frisée leaves and gently pour the Bloody Mary sauce around at the bottom of the scallop — preferably until it reaches about one quarter of the way up the scallop. Add a couple of celery leaves and give a squirt of fresh-squeezed lemon. Makes eight appetizer-sized portions. METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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WITH SO MANY CLEANSERS, TONERS, SERUMS, SCRUBS, PEELS AND MOISTURIZER ON THE MARKET, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR DAY-TO-
day skincare regimen au courant. If you have noticed new wrinkles, dryness, redness, or even (gasp) slight acne, it’s certainly time to think about trying a new routine altogether. Be forewarned, though, once you’ve found what works — in order to keep that healthy, youthful glow — you need to find a plan and stick to it. Not sure where to start? Here’s a skincare plan with some suggestions of products to try. Why not give it a go?
REVAMPING YOUR
(SKINCARE)
ROUTINE
5
MORNING:
BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES
STEPS
STEP 1: EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE EXFOLIATE. It’s important to exfoliate first thing in the morning. Get rid of those impurities and dead skin cells and give your skin the opportunity to repair and fully wake up.
Recommendation: Malin + Goetz Jojoba Exfoliating Cleanser Why? This multi-tasking exfoliating cleanser is a gentle way to wake up and shake off your dry skin without irritating your whole face. Allow the jojoba meal to nourish and hydrate while spherical biodegradable ecoscrub beads get rid of those dead cells. What’s that smell? Cilantro: it’s going to refresh and calm you — and get you ready to shave.
HEALTH
STEP 2: SHAVE IT OFF! Whether you’re shaving daily or just touching up around facial hair, you need to find something smooth and gentle that won’t give leave you red or dry.
Recommendation: Billy Jealousy Whipped Cream
BODY
Why? With or without a brush, this cream is just luscious, great for softening and lifting your beard and giving you a close & comfortable shave. Let the razor do its job, but protect yourself from razor burn, bumps and ingrown hairs.
STEP 3: AFTERSHAVE? WHY NOT! Ever see a guy walking around with nicks, bumps and obvious post-shaving redness? Yeah, don’t be that guy. Aftershave works as an antiseptic with ingredients like alcohol, witch hazel and stearate citrate that can help prevent infections and irritants.
Recommendation: John Masters Organics Men Eucalyptus & Agave 2-in-1 Moisturizer & Aftershave Why? Let’s keep it natural. This daily moisturizer and aftershave utilizes eucalyptus oil, agave and oat beta glucan to sooth and smooth skin while you also lock in that moisture and reduce wrinkles. It’s an aftershave that’s lightweight but powerful, useful in strengthening collagen and renewing the skin. Plus, it’s good for all skin types.
STEP 4: EYE CREAM Recommendation: Pevonia Spa Care for Him Collagen Boost Eye Contour Why? Pevonia products are green and ultra hip. In this contouring cream, neuropeptide and Hyaluronic Acid work together to provide dynamic anti-aging benefits and hydration to the eye area. Repair, firm, moisturize and reduce fine lines with an anti-aging eye serum you can rely on. A little goes a long way!
STEP 5: MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE You just gave your face a workout — now it’s time for a cool-down.
Recommendation: Vortre Vu Full Benefits Day Creme Why? Infused with the perfect cocktail of beneficial blue-green algae stem cells, collagen, elastin, ginseng and French Mediterranean botanicals, this cream helps protect the skin and smooth out those wrinkles while enhancing the gorgeous texture of your skin.
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Whether it was a rough night or you just don’t want to develop bags over time, smooth out that under-eye area to look ready to face the day.
EVENING:
3
STEPS
STEP 1: CLEANSE
Kick off your evening ritual by washing away any toxins and impurities that jumped onto your skin and came home with you.
Recommendation: Billy Jealousy Signature White Knight Gentle Daily Facial Cleanser Why? It’s less invasive than most cleansers — cleaning with apple amino acids, papaya and willow bark extract. Plus, its combination of bergamot, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus and lavender essential oils will not only moisturize and condition your skin but make you smell great before heading to bed, too.
STEP 2: SERUM Apply a serum after cleansing but before moisturizing in order to penetrate the skin and targeting wrinkles and any, ahem, imperfections.
Recommendation: Glo Skin Beauty Phyto-Active Firming Serum Why? This hard-working serum smoothes the appearance of wrinkles by lifting and supporting your skin. It’s a concentrated, lightweight gel that melts into skin and is essentially designed to provide immediate results and visibly restore your skin. For a little more eye care, pick up their Phyto-Active Eye Serum to smooth those fine lines around your eyes and alleviate that puffiness and those dark circles by morning!
STEP 3: MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE It simply can’t be stressed enough: Your skin is living, breathing and always thirsty for moisture. Don’t let it go dry on you — go ahead and slather it on!
Recommendation: Kiehl’s Men’s Oil Eliminator 24 Hour AntiShine Moisturizer Go to sleep with an extra supply of glycerin, a humectant that will soften and smooth the skin, leaving you feeling soft, hydrated and comfortable. Wake up and see just how refreshed you can feel. Say goodbye to oil and hello to glowing morning skin! ■
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 METROSOURCE
JACKIE SHANE
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COMBINING FORCES TO
#ENDHIV
The story of two lives — a man with a unique physiology and a scientist seeking a cure — both dedicated to changing the course of the AIDS epidemic. BY JEFF SIMMONS
56
changing year for Dr. Sudhir Paul and Zachary Barnett although they had yet to meet. Dr. Paul, a chemical immunologist at the University of Texas at Houston, announced that he had invented an E-Vaccine that allows the immune system to attack a mostly unchangeable yet vulnerable part of HIV. Meanwhile Barnett, a New Yorker transplanted from Memphis, learned that he was HIV positive and was considered an “elite Zachary Barnett controller,” meaning he kept the virus in check sans medication. Three years later, the two would join forces when Barnett port for this vaccine from the scientific establishment,” Dr. Paul founded the Abzyme Research Foundation (ARF), a non-prof- said. “Completely preventing and curing HIV infection hinges on it organization to advance the vaccine into human trials in the eliminating the development of HIV resistance to the proposed hopes that it would lead to a widely accessible — and affordable curative agent.” — vaccine to eradicate HIV entirely from the globe. That process is ongoing. In 2014, ARF completed a Pre-Inves“I became interested in cure research through a donation of tigational New Drug filing and meeting with the U.S. Food and my own plasma,” Barnett says, “and soon after became aware of Drug Administration, which provided suggestions for moving forDr. Paul’s work. Donating and participating in research is great, ward toward human trials. but your ability to understand your impact in a more conscious, To reach that stage, ARF launched the #endHIV campaign and engaged way is limited. Dr. Paul is sort of the underdog, but I’m a enlisted singer and songwriter Sia, who has been donating royalfan of the underdog.” ties from her “Free Me” video featuring actresses Julianne Moore Dr. Paul’s group received $25 million in research funding from and Zoe Saldana. ARF also has partnered with Greater Than the National Institutes of Health and launched Covalent BiosciAIDS, YouTube and Broadway Cares, among others. ence, ARF’s for-profit startup partner, with the hope of applying As they approach human trials, people have written requesthis E-Vaccine and abzyme technologies for low-cost, more effecing to participate, although participation will largely be dictated tive disease treatment. by the site of the trial and FDA approvals. Here’s the science they’re working with: The HIV vaccine “It has been amazing to work with a team of researchers who candidate is an electrophilically activated variant of the virus coat have been committed to one idea for so long,” Barnett says. “It’s protein gp120 (HIV E-Vaccine). Dr. Paul’s research has aimed to my hope to soon validate their 25 years of work in a clinical study determine its ability to induce robust, long-lasting antibody reon humans. If the antibody produced by the vaccine is potent sponses to a region of the gp120 envelope protein – one that could enough to suppress infection in the absence of daily drugs, that potentially prevent and cure HIV infection. would be our hallelujah moment.” ■ In October, ARF announced an unrestricted $325,000 gift to Dr. Paul’s laboratory to test the vaccine’s efficacy. “It is our hope DO YOU THINK WE WILL SEETHE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF A that the successful completion of this study will mark another VACCINE FOR HIV IN YOUR LIFETIME? LET US KNOW BY TWEETING milestone achievement by our team and encourage further sup- WITH THE HASHTAGE #ENDHIV TO @METROUSOURCEMAG. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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THIS PAGE: BARNETT PHOTO COURTESY ZACHARY BARNETT •. CLINICIAN PHOTO COURTESY PANOM PENSAWANG.
BODY
METROHIV
2008 STANDS OUT AS A LIFE-
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
CATCH VANCOUVER FEVER
Aerial perspective of Vancouver on the Burrard peninsula
&
VANCOUVER WHISTLER STAR IN “PACIFIC NORTHWEST” FROM “HOLLYWOOD NORTH” TO SOARING MOUNTAINS, THIS ADVENTURE WILL MAKE YOU FEEL ON TOP OF THE WORLD. BY MARK A. THOMPSON
False Creek and downtown Vancouver from Granville Island
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hotel, there’s no reason to hesitate. It practically begs you to speed off into the city — sometimes referred to as “Hollywood North” for its appeal to filmmakers drawn to capture its breathtaking natural beauty. Nestled between the waters of the Pacific and the Coast Mountains, Vancouver is blessed with a maritime setting that glistens in the gloaming — especially from the front seat of a fabulous Jag. You’re headed down to the harbor where the 48-floor Fairmont Pacific Rim (fairmont.com) has launched Botanist (botanistrestaurant.com), the latest addition to Vancouver’s celebrated culinary scene. Inspired by the botany and bounty of British Columbia, the restaurant features a glass-enclosed cocktail laboratory where mixologists concoct signature cocktails with the precision of chemists. Served in a vessel the size of a goldfish bowl, the Deep Cove is a sea glass green elixir of island gin, sea buckthorn, and blue algae resting on a driftwood base. As delicious as it is potent, this crowd pleaser also serves as a centerpiece on the dining table where Chef Hector Laguna offers a fivecourse tasting menu called “We’ll Take It From Here.” Botanist’s merry band of experts also includes a gifted sommelier with her own white terroir blend from the nearby Okanagan Valley. What quickly becomes apparent in Vancouver is the credibility of the tagline: Super, Natural British Columbia. Situated on the Burrard peninsula, Vancouver has an abundance of waterfront, including the world’s longest uninterrupted seaside greenway. No matter if you’re biking, skating, jogging, or walking, you’re bound to be mesmerized by its flurry of seaplanes and boats amidst a shimmering backdrop of emerald forests and snow-capped mountains. No wonder Vancouver has remained North America’s third largest film production center (right behind Los Angeles and New York). But that’s not necessarily what has allowed Vancouver to double for a variety of American locations on screen. A city of diverse neighborhoods, Vancouver offers 11 miles of beaches and more than 3,000 acres of parkland, including the 1,000-acre Stanley Park, almost entirely surrounded by water. Should you wander the park’s natural rainforest with a First Nations guide, you might learn to identify the forest’s natural Viagra — which has enabled Canada’s indigenous males to “stand like a tree” throughout many a night. (Hint: hemlock isn’t always poisonous.) Similar salacious secrets are revealed on a walking tour of Davie Village, the city’s rainbow-colorful neighborhood with its bubble-gum pink bus stops and benches. At the historic Rainbow Crosswalk, Jim Deva Plaza is dedicated to the indefatigable gay activist whose Little Sisters bookstore fought the Canadian Customs Act all the way to the Canadian Supreme Court — and won. Should you feel the urge to champion human rights (or sing like Adele), step up to the oversized pink megaphone and let your voice ring out. It’s no surprise that Vancouver is home to the largest LGBT population in Western Canada, especially when you consider that British Columbia was the second jurisdiction in North America to legalize same-sex marriage. Held during the first week of August, Vancouver Pride (vancouverpride.ca) will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2018 with a seven-day festival that attracts nearly 700,000 people to its annual observance.
THIS PAGE: TOP: IMAGE COURTESY TOURISM VANCOUVER • BOTTOM: COURTESY MRNY
WHEN A PEARL WHITE JAGUAR AWAITS YOU IN FRONT OF YOUR VANCOUVER
Opus Bar at Opus Vancouver
Haywood Bandstand at Alexandra Park Rainbow crosswalk in Vancouver’s Davie Village
Vancouver’s West End Sex Workers Memorial
THIS PAGE: TOP LEFT: IMAGE COURTESY OPUS VANCOUVER • REMAINING IMAGES COURTESY MRNY
Deep Cove cocktail at
The city’s Pride festivities Botanist bar at Fairmont Pacific Rim coincide with Celebration of Light (hondacelebrationoflight.com), the off shore fireworks festival held annually along English Bay at the base of Davie Street. Equally festive is Vancouver Fetish Weekend (vancouverfetishweekend.com) and the fabled nightclub Celebrities (celebritiesnightclub.com), which is housed in a heritage building that has been a dance club since its construction in 1908. Vancouver’s LGBT population was once centered in Yaletown, a red brick warehouse and rail terminal district now home to Vancouver’s digital entertainment and interactive industry. Thrumming with hipster energy, the neighborhood offers a marvelous medley of coffee shops, smoothie bars, vegan restaurants and chic boutiques. Opus Hotel Vancouver (vancouver.opushotel.com) — located in the heart of Yaletown — exudes effortless cool with a chill vibe and a passion for equality, which is manifest in its sponsorship of the annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival (queerfilmfestival.ca). Now celebrating 15 years in the neighborhood, the 96-room boutique hotel recently redesigned its rooms and suites with vibrant splashes of ‘70s style by designer Robert Bailey. Complete with spa bathrooms, soaking tubs, wet bars and microwaves, the Executive Suites function as Vancouver pieds-à-terre. General Manager Nicholas Gandossi explains, “Our guests are like good friends coming to stay in our home.” Among those friends: Lady Gaga, Cher and Jennifer Lopez. Park the Jag and take a jaunt to Granville Island, a short ferry ride from the marina down the street. With more than 12 million annual visitors, Granville is on everyone’s Vancouver bucket list. Its Public Market offers a cornucopia of regional bounty, including bakeries, fishmongers, and chocolatiers. With more than 150 purveyors tempting you with tastings, you might wish you hadn’t made dinner reservations.
That said, you wouldn’t want to miss an evening at Minami (minamirestaurant.com), the Yaletown sister of the acclaimed Miku (mikurestaurant.com). With gastronomic roots in Japan’s aburi-style cuisine, Minami debuted its signature flame-seared seafood in a city filled with sashimi connoisseurs; locals keep the lively restaurants packed like an all-night dinner party. Throughout your time in Vancouver, it’s likely you’ll discern a certain bonhomie in nearly everyone you meet. Widely recognized as one of the world’s most livable cities by numerous global studies, Vancouver emits a relaxed ambiance that has earned it the sobriquet “Lotusland.” Not only is this the third greenest city in the world but Vancouver is also the continent’s number one biking city with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions rate per capita. In keeping with a Prime Minister who champions “diversity over division,” Vancouver exemplifies Justin Trudeau’s values: more than 50% of the city’s population is non-Caucasian — and, perhaps not coincidentally, the largest religious group is people without any religious affiliation. As the home of Flickr and Hootsuite and Canada’s number one city for startups, it’s no surprise that Vancouver has become a Mecca for North American millennials. Should you wander into Vancouver Art Gallery, you might seek out the works of Emily Carr. Housed in the city’s former courthouse (a neoclassical beauty with Ionic columns and a central dome), the museum holds Canada’s largest collection of works by the native British Columbian artist whose oeuvre is devoted to depicting the province’s natural beauty. It was Carr who wrote, “In the forest, think of the forest, not of this tree and that but the singing movement of the whole.” Carr’s words make a fitting tribute to a city whose beauty derives in no small part from seeking harmony with nature. METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
59
ANSWER WHISTLER’S SIREN CALL
Aerial perspective of Whistler and its dual mountains Lobby lounge at Four Seasons Whistler
Rainbow s’mores at Four Seasons Whistler
Rainbow crosswalk on Whistler’s Main Street
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MARSHMALLOW
white with winter. After all, Whistler Blackcomb (whistlerblackcomb.com) is the largest ski resort in North America with more than 8,000 acres and enough lifts and gondolas to send nearly 70,000 skiers heavenward every hour. Is it any wonder that Whistler was the site of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games? And then, of course, there’s Gay Whistler (gaywhistler.com), the week-long Pride and Ski Festival that has been attracting legions of snow bunnies for more than 25 years. Each January, the hills are alive with a rainbow army of winter-loving LGBTs who scale the summits for skiing and snowboarding, bobsled and skeleton racing, and zip line tours — then party until dawn with the night owls and drag queens at events like Furrocious and Snowball. With an annual snowfall of approximately 33 feet, it’s not surprising that the locals often say, ”I came for winter — but I stayed for summer.” Imagine the winter wonderland in full bloom with more than 30 miles of alpine hiking trails and a Guinness World Recordbreaking gondola connecting the two mountaintops. This is when you grasp the magnitude of what’s known as “Sea to Sky Country.” For a bird’s-eye perspective on Whistler’s breathtaking beauty, leave your acrophobia at the lodge and slip into one of the Peak 2 Peak glass-bottomed Sky Cabins. Opened in 2008, this engineering marvel revolutionized winter sports with the world’s longest and highest continuous lift system. For nearly three miles, you soar with the eagles through the clouds at an altitude of nearly 1,500 feet. And then you comprehend — surrounded by panoramic vistas of emeraldgreen forests above crystal blue lakes with the Twilight at Four Seasons Whistler snow-capped peaks and an endless blue sky — why you wouldn’t want to leave, even if you came for the snow. More than two million people visit Whistler annually, which partially explains why a mountain town of less than 10,000 permanent residents hosts numerous annual festivals and why such a walkable little village would be so packed with noteworthy cultural institutions. It’s all the more remarkable when you consider that the Whistler Valley, originally one of the main trading routes of the First Nations, was without water and electricity until the 1960s. Pool at Four Seasons Whistler As the host mountain resort of the 2010
METROSOURCE.COM
THIS PAGE: ALL IMAGES COURTESY FOUR SEASONS HOTELS
MOST PEOPLE DISCOVER WHISTLER
Whistler Blackcomb’s Peak 2 Peak gondola
Paddleboarding at Whistler
THIS PAGE: TOP LEFT: ALL IMAGES COURTESY FOUR SEASONS HOTELS
Ice cave exploration while “Glamping” at Four Seasons Whistler
Winter Olympics, Whistler was the first location of Pride House, the hospitality house dedicated to the support of LGBT athletes and their allies. The project’s success enabled the proliferation of Pride Houses throughout the world to better champion LGBT equality (especially important in gay-unfriendly locales such as Sochi, Russia). In keeping with Whistler’s ongoing support for all residents and visitors, the municipality recently dedicated two new rainbow crosswalks on Main Street — with a feather ceremony blessing from First Nations and the presence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Joerg Rodig, who is the General Manager of Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler (fourseasons.com/whistler) refers to Whistler as his “chosen home.” Born in Germany, Rodig maintains that Whistler is where he feels most comfortable — perfectly understandable once you’ve witnessed the alpine pleasures of Four Seasons Whistler. Situated in the Upper Village at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, the 273-room alpine resort epitomizes mountain lodge luxury with plush rooms that feature gas fireplaces, walk-in dressing rooms, and balconies large enough for breakfast for two. The soaking tub in the oversized bathroom could also easily fit two, but there’s also a rainforest shower — all of which should make it easy for you and your partner to arrive in time for dinner at Sidecut (sidecutwhistler.com), the resort’s steakhouse with outdoor dining and a wood-burning fire pit.
While Whistler has a reputation for attracting athletes, aesthetes are equally welcome and especially at Audain Art Museum (audainartmuseum.com), which opened in 2016 to house the art collection of philanthropist Michael Audain and his wife Yoshiko. Nestled in a grove of coniferous hybrids, the museum was designed to integrate with its surroundings — and the result is a restorative sanctuary. With a focus on indigenous art of the Northwest Coast, the collection also includes Vancouver photo-conceptualists and two dozen works by the aforementioned Emily Carr. So much art and natural beauty merits a toast and where better than the Bearfoot Bistro (bearfootbistro.com) which has been entertaining locals and visitors since its founding in 1995 by impresario André Saint-Jacques. While Saint-Jacques currently holds the world record for Champagne sabering, you, too, can take a stab at sabering a bottle of bubbly from the 20,000-bottle wine cellar — or sip vodka in the Ketel One Ice Room, the coldest vodka tasting room in the world. Parkas are provided, but you bring your own party animal. When morning breaks, take an alpine wildflower walk and head to the Green Moustache (greenmoustache.com): a perfect pit-stop for acai bowls and organic smoothies. Delicious food and classic Whistler atmosphere are also on tap at the Hunter Gather Eatery & Taphouse (huntergatherwhistler.com), but beware: the sticky toffee cake might make you never want to leave Whistler, whatever the season. ■ METROSOURCE.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
61
AUTO FOCUS CULTURE
62
TAKE A WALK THROUGH ELVIS’ RIDES Some he loved. Many were bought on a whim . . . and at least one he shot. Welcome to the “garage” at Graceland. BY CASEY WILLIAMS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
METROSOURCE.COM
PHOTOS COURTESY CASEY WILLIAMS AND THE ESTATE OF ELVIS PRESLEY.
ELVIS PRESLEY COULD AFFORD WHATEVER CARS HE WANTED. RECEIPTS
show he purchased more than 200 in the course of his adult life. Many were given away, but the best are on display at “Presley Motors” — a centerpiece of the new $45 Million“Elvis Presley’s Memphis”Tennessee complex at the star’s home in Graceland. A car fanatic, Elvis preferred large and flashy models like the pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood that he famously presented to his mother. And, there’s the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado that was originally white, but was repainted the color of some purple grapes Elvis smashed on the hood, according to lore. A white 1956 Continental Mark II was purchased while on tour in Miami after fans graffitied the Lincoln Elvis had been previously driving. By the 1960s, Elvis’ tastes expanded to European brands. While in California making movies, he bought his first Rolls-Royce — a black 1960 sedan. It was followed by a white 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III that was later owned by actor Michael Landon. Both cars are on display. Elvis is known to have owned at least three Mercedes 600s, among the most expensive cars in the world. One was auctioned by Bonham’s in 2010 for $187,390. The two others are at Graceland: One is a 1969 six-door Pullman limousine that appeared in the film Elvis on Tour and the other is a short-wheelbase sedan that’s been in Graceland’s archives for decades, but hasn’t been previously displayed. However, Elvis’ favorite cars were Stutz Blackhawks, hand-built in Italy. Their baroque styling suited him perfectly. Elvis first saw a black
1970 model when salesman Jules Meyers visited his Beverly Hills home. Elvis immediately wanted it, but Meyers explained it was a demonstrator model meant to be kept on hand for other high-profile clients like Frank Sinatra.“How do you think you will sell more cars, when you drive it, or when people see me driving it around?” Elvis replied. Meyers accepted the star’s logic — and his check. A 1973 Stutz with red interior and gold trim is the last car Elvis drove through the Graceland gates the morning of his death on August 16, 1977. He must’ve loved it, since he spent four years behind its steering wheel — an eternity for someone like him. But “The King” also had tempestuous relationships with other vehicles. One day, Elvis tried to start his 1971 DeTomaso Pantera and it did not oblige. As Elvis often resolved conflict with inanimate objects that displeased him (books, televisions, his upstairs commode), he shot it. Bullet holes are still visible. Perhaps the black 1975 Ferrari Dino pleased him more, as it remains placidly hole-free. The museum also houses a red MG roadster, a pink Jeep (ike the one in Blue Hawaii), and a John Deere tractor. There are also Harley Davidson motorcycles, golf carts and snowmobiles — rumored to be among Elvis’ favorite amuseuments when off tour. Near the entrance is a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL convertible given to then-wife Priscilla. A line of cars in Graceland’s driveway signified when Elvis was in residence, and his entourage kept them as he liked them: With keys in the ignition, ready to go. Presley Motors has a collection of about 30 cars on rotating display. Learn more at graceland.com. ■ METROSOURCE.COM
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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HOW TO GET AMIRAH
AMIRAH VANN WAS ONE OF THE BREAKOUT STARS OF WGN’S UNDERGROUND
before stepping into very different shoes this season as a prestigious lesbian attorney on ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder. Tell us about playing Tegan Price on How to Get Away With Murder — she made quite a splash this season. I love creating a character; it goes back to my days in acting school at Fordham University. How do you create a character? You know, there’s a little anxiety that comes with it, because I’m working with one of my heroes, Viola Davis. She’s everything in my eyes. I get to work with Aja Naomi King, and she is such a generous actress, and so smart and kind. They both just welcomed me with open arms. When you have a platform where you get to work with people who want you to succeed, it’s a huge gift to be able to surround yourself with people like that. They were both like,“C’mon! Let’s do it!”All I had to do was show up and do it. ... I have to be available to the other actors; they have their own rhythm — it’s a family. I came in to find where I fit into that family and how I can serve the story. If that’s how you come in, open like that, you’re in service of the show and the company and that’s my job. I was receptive to the other actors and how they talk and interact and then — bam! — there you are, you have a voice, you have a character. And then she has costumes and a fitting and you’re like, “Okay, honey, in these shoes I’m going to walk a certain way!” [laughs] You can’t walk with a slouch in those outfits — then you have a full human being with a walk and talk and a swagger. HTGAWM creator Peter Nowalk sent out a tweet that said “We searched high and low for a BadAss lady to play BadAss Tegan, and we found her.” What was it like to hear that? To have Pete say that is such an honor. It’s a joy to read that, and even to see the tweets about how,“‘Stine all dressed up.” [“Ernestine”
was Vann’s character,on Underground.] People are like,“We hope you don’t mind,”and I love it. I love it on multiple levels. As an actress it’s rewarding, but on a deeper level, Ernestine’s character is an enslaved woman from the 1800s. Just being real: she is the mother of all these women. Because of her sacrifice, we get a Tegan Price and to me, every role I do from now on: it makes complete sense. It’s fun for people to say,“Look at ‘Stine being an FBI agent” [on the USA series Unsolved.] Yes. It’s thanks to ‘Stine. It’s thanks to all our mothers. Would you say you are an ally to the LGBTQ community? It’s vital, at the end of the day. Even someone who is as spiritual as you are? At the end of the day, God is love! I’ve never understood anything else. To me it’s completely natural to love God and love humanity. All humans. That’s the standard I hold myself to and I also hold my friends to — gay, straight, what have you. When we sit there and talk about relationships, we’re discussing how we find true love. No one gets a pass based on anything that you do. When I want to be kind, I’m talking about being a better human. The rules don’t change based on your sexual orientation. What am I going to do — be kind to just straight people? That never made sense to me. I don’t know how that would work out. To me it’s always been very natural to just love everyone and to express that. It’s important to express that as a woman of faith. People from the LGBTQ community have struggled with their faith. I know people who can’t reach their potential because they have to struggle and combat cruelty based on their sexual orientation. That’s not fair. They aren’t able to live their truth. You have to be able to live your truth. The world is better because of diversity. Lena Waithe, I loved her episode of Master of None, about her coming out. Before I even knew it was nominated, I was watching the show because I love it. It has so much diversity and I’m like, this is what my life is like, it looks like the world: black people and Indian people and a black gay woman. This is the world I live in. That’s what drew me to it. I’ve never seen my day-to-day on television like that. That episode — first of all it’s freaking hilarious — she’s a brilliant writer, and then to have so much humor allows us in: to see her be her best self. The world is better when we all can live in it in our truly organic whole selves. The fact that Lena is doing it – she’s sharing it and on the covers of magazines is amazing. I saw her the other day and told her how great it is. She’s giving a platform for young people who said,“I’ve never seen myself. I didn’t know it’s okay to be me.” When you’re stifled, you can’t participate the way you would if you felt loved and supported. It’s vital for the Lenas of the world to speak out. ■
VANN TALKS PLAYING AN FBI AGENT ON UNSOLVED AND FINDING HERSELF AFTER DISAPPEARING INTO CHARACTERS AS THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES ON THE METROSOURCE APP AND AT METROSOURCE.COM.
PHOTO COURTESY TINA TURNBOW
VIEWS
LAST CALL
Actress Amirah Vann on working with Viola Davis, being inspired by Lena Waithe and her love of Twitter shoutouts to Miss Ernestine. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES
LAST CALL EXTRA Amirah Vann as Tegan Price
PHOTO COURTESY MITCH HAASETH/ABC
As our talk continues, Amirah Vann dishes the unique challenges of playing multiple characters — and how she finds herself again. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES METROSOURCE: What have you been filming besides HTGAWM? AMIRAH VANN: A series called Unsolved that’s going to be on USA. Unsolved is about the investigation that’s going on about the murders of Tupac and Biggie. What is it like working on that series? I’m thrilled. It’s great to get to work with Anthony [Hemingway] again, who is directing and producing this. (He’s the executive producer for this; he was for Underground as well. It’s so great to be reunited.) He’s a brilliant director and a pleasure to work with. In the show, I’m on a task force in 2009 that was formulated to reopen the case and see what happened. It’s an allmale task force and me. It’s great to be in the company of a really great group of actors. We’re focusing on these two men who died way too young. It reminds us of everything that’s right and wrong with the world. They were two beautiful poets; I remember [B.I.G.’s]: “I like the life I live ‘cause I went from the negative to positive,” and “Birthdays was the worst days, now we sip Champagne when we thirsty.” [laughs] Why do you feel you connect with the material? I remember when I wasn’t working. I remember
growing up in a single parent household. I remember my mom having to work hard so I could go to camp. I remember being careful on my way to school so I wouldn’t get jumped. When you’re a part of that lifestyle, everyone is fighting for the same thing. Everyone wants to be able to provide for their family and put food on the table. You know, when I was younger, success for me was doing what I love creatively of course, but more over it was to pay my bills and take care of my mom. To me, that’s still my definition of success. What ultimately draws you to choose a project? I’ve been blessed because Underground came to me. At first, of course, I was like: “Is this something I want to do?” And then I read the script, and it was so beautifully written and wasn’t about the occupation but the resolution. It was compelling. It’s a tellingof-history that we haven’t heard before. The story had integrity and showed the human beings, their stories and gave us an idea of what it is to be an American. It tells us exactly where we are today. Since then, I always keep my ears open. I learned a lot by working with Jurnee Smollett-Bell, by watching and
speaking with her and others. Even through social media, by watching the younger people I work with — seeing how they interact with people and engage. I’m influenced by the choices they make and am aware that they are influenced by the choices I make. It does matter what we do, it does matter what we put into the world. I didn’t used to have the luxury to choose. It’s beautiful to be in this place where I have an opinion as to what I put out into the universe. Talk about feeling good: I can decide what I want my voice to say. That’s powerful now. Even with How to Get Away With Murder, playing a partner at a prestigious law firm that’s a wonderful savant, I’m able to have an opinion as to who I am and what I’m wearing, how I wear my hairstyle. I want to have that conversation about society where women and men are going into the workplace, and they’re being fired or being shamed [by someone] saying, “Hey you don’t look professional.” I want to say: “Hey, if there’s a way I can change the face of what it means to be professional or a part of that conversation, I want to.” A lot of times people don’t have access to different cultures and different people. This is my opportunity to show them who I am. I may be different from them, but I’m still worthy. I’m still intelligent. I’m still extraordinary. Black girl magic! After playing such a diverse array of women how do you come back to being Amirah? I’ve never done two roles at the same time. Working on Unsolved and How to Get Away With Murder is so different. The characters are so different and these are different time periods ... . The first week I had off and went home I washed my hair and did my hair like the big fro Amirah likes, it felt so good. ... I was like, “Oh
my god it’s me!”Then I realized I hadn’t been me for a while. Typically I just throw my hair in two cornrows and no makeup because I have makeup on all day it was a lot of fun to get back to me for even just a day and say,“Oh there’s my face!” [laughs] Congratulations on being nominated for an NAACP Image Award for your role as Miss Ernestine on Underground. What was it like to find out you were nominated? It is such an honor to be part of this community. I’m a huge fan and to think they think my work is worthy of this kind of recognition makes me think I’m doing something right: I must be doing the right kind of work, surrounding myself with the right sort of people. It’s encouraging to be able to do the type of work that inspires me. You can be smart and walk with dignity. You can walk with God. You can also be a woman for humanity and want peace. What are your hopes for 2018? I want to keep going as an artist and to trust the process. There are some things are in motion that have been on the backburner for years, and it’s reassuring to know that they’re starting to come to light. You know, it’s like collard greens: I can cook collard greens in a half hour, but when I cook them for hours, it’s even better. When they sit and soak up all the juices it’s like — now that’s some good greens. For the new year, I look forward to the stuff I can cook up in a few days and those things that have been marinating for a few years. At the right time, it’s ready and delicious. ■ FIND OUT WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMIRAH BY FOLLOWING HER ON TWITTER @AMIRAHVANN.
PHOTO COURTESY MITCH HAASETH/ABC
Vann with co-stars Luna Velez and Aja Naomi King
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