Fab Las Vegas Magazine - Volume 21 - #12 by Gay Vegas

VOL 21, #12

LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

By: Chris Azzopardi

Front Cover: Jiji Lee

Photo Credit: Jiji Lee

Two Sister Queens for Christmas Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme on taking their holiday show back on the road No, Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme aren’t roommates. But the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alums get that you might think so. After all, during our recent Zoom call, they were sharing a physical space. “We’re just together right now,” DeLa says, before kidding that “every time we’re getting ready for the holiday show, I kidnap Jinkx and hold her captive in 4 Fab Vegas

my basement until the show is done. That’s our writing process.” What does Jinkx have to say about all this? “I develop Stockholm Syndrome,” she says, “and have to be deprogrammed.” She adds that this is “how we create the illusion of sisterhood and togetherness on stage.” Just the opposite is true, of course. There’s no illusion. Or

basement. (We think.) Instead, these two are drag sisters through and through, even if they love to feign the dramatic frenemy tension that makes, for example, their holiday shows an irresistibly catty treat. Though last year the pandemic got in the way of their live show — instead, they made the movie “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special” — they’re back on the road

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW again this year for “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show.” I hope that you’re getting fed in that basement, Jinkx. Jinkx Monsoon: Yeah. I gotta say one thing: As a producer, DeLa makes sure I am fed and fed well. BenDeLaCreme: Foie gras goose. Just a straw down the gullet, and just pile it in. Gotta keep my little cash cow goin’. How do you plan on topping “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special”? DeLa: Topping! Get it? Jinkx: Yeah, we’re gonna top it consensually and with plenty of lube. Every year we have to ask ourselves: How are we gonna top last year’s show? And it just so happens that last year’s show was a film, so it’s a whole new list of obstacles and questions we must answer. But I think we’ll attack it the same way we do every year, which is to focus on: What is the message we want to send this year, specifically? What are the shared experiences our audiences can relate to this year? And how are we going to examine those themes and tropes and queries in a new and exciting way that no one’s ever done before. So just that. DeLa: And fortunately, it seems to be a bottomless well of, um, topping jokes. I would expect nothing less. Is there anything related to the pandemic? DeLa: Of course. We’re in this rare moment where we’ve been through this collective trauma and now we’re going through this collective sort of joy that is also a trauma of beginning 6 Fab Vegas

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW to reenter, so I think that it would be impossible for us not to address that. Our thesis is always about really trying to hold all the complexities of how joyous and how difficult the holiday season can be, and this year there’s just a lot of layers on top of that. Jinkx: I’m very much someone who takes what happens in my life, I form a story around it, and just tell you stories from my life. Whereas DeLa takes experiences from her life and then pushes it through a whole Play-Doh factory of synthesis and artifice and stylization. Our writing style together has become a marriage of those two ways of going about it. This year, because of the extenuating circumstances of the last two years, I think we’re leaning more into reality than in the past, but still maintaining that stylized [sense of] “How do we comment on reality [as] fictional drag queens?” DeLa: The characters have been through everything that we collectively have been through, but we’re always gonna abstract it by having it be like a talking peppermint that’s gonna help us resolve our feelings, you know? Jinkx: It’s not gonna be like group therapy; it’s gonna be like watching two crazy ladies. DeLa: Because people wanna feel seen in their experience, but they also want a break, right? We need to experience some joy right now. So our hope is to bring all of those things. Jinkx: Yeah. Live vicariously through us as we process trauma in an entertaining way. 8 Fab Vegas

COVID-19 booster doses are available for everyone 18 and older. When? At least 2 months after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine OR at least 6 months after getting two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Schedule your appointment at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine

Photo Credit: HBO

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW [Laughs.] You get drunk and sit back, and we’ll do the work. You had a naked man in the TV special. Will you bring a naked man with you on stage for the live show? DeLa: If only the Delta baggage limit would allow for a carry-on that heavy. I’m sure you can find a man in every town willing to get naked. Jinkx: We’ll put it in our rider. DeLa: You know what? Shockingly, the man in each town you haven’t met that’s willing to get on stage naked is generally not the person you want on stage with you. Jinkx: [Laughs.] I mean, if I had it my way, there’d be full-frontal nudity in everything that I do, but that’s just a perfect example of certain things you can pull off in a movie that you can’t necessarily do on stage. DeLa: All right, I’m getting the hint. I will be fully nude for this entire tour. What are you most looking forward to when it comes to getting back on the road and being in front of a live audience? Jinkx: Uh, how do I say all of it without it sounding like a copout answer? DeLa: But it’s the actual answer. I mean, the actual relationship with the audience, the live energetic exchange, the exchange that we get to have with each other as like a threeway with the audience [laughs], for lack of a better way to speak about it. But I mean, I’m even looking 10 Fab Vegas

forward to the stuff that usually is the hardest stuff. I’m looking forward to, you know, trying to sleep on an airplane unsuccessfully and then going straight to tech and having to do a show again. I just… I can’t wait to live life as a performer again. Jinkx: Yeah, honestly, if I could take my cat on tour with us then I’d have it all. Oh, and my husband. [Laughs.] Is there something about Christmas that gives you a different kind of permission to be completely outrageous? DeLa: I mean, we’ve never needed much permission. But what I do think is that generally it gives a lot of other people permission, which is why I think it’s such a successful marriage between drag and the holidays: because it’s a time of year where I think so many people indulge in that kind of excess. Jinkx: Yes! Straight people have three points in the year to dress up like us. They have Halloween, Christmas and the Kentucky Derby, for some reason. [Laughs.] What part of getting into drag really makes you feel the Christmas fantasy? DeLa: You know, I love being in drag much more than I enjoy getting into drag at this stage of my career. [Laughs.] Jinkx: Yeah, if I had a button that I could just push that would put me into drag immediately, I’d give almost anything for that. DeLa: That Judy Jetson helmet from the opening credits of “The Jetsons” that she just puts

on, and then she’s gorgeous. Jinkx: But I think it’s all gonna feel new again, now that I’m reentering the world like a hairless, pink little baby. [Laughs.] The last live show in 2019 was called “All I Want for Christmas Is Attention.” What’s all you both want this year? DeLa: Attention. [Laughs.] Turns out that I spoke too soon. I need it more now. Jinkx: Yeah, with a heavy side of validation. And if there’s time, the dismantling of the patriarchy. DeLa: Yes, the fall of capitalism and also for people to collectively take Covid safety and vaccines seriously enough for us to be able to go on tour without the constant fear that the rug could be pulled out at any moment. [Laughs.] Jinkx: Yeah. It feels like Michael Myers is stalking slowly behind us. DeLa: But at least six feet away at all times. Besides each other of course, who is your favorite queen that does something totally different from what you do? DeLa: Totally different? But I like the queens who are like me! Jinkx: Two of my other best drag sisters are Alaska and then Bob the Drag Queen. I feel like Bob the Drag Queen and I have very different styles but a shared central passion for what we do and a shared respect for the art form. DeLa: I guess I was picturing that I had to think of

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW something that was a far cry from what I do. I mean, they’re definitely different from you, but there’s definitely a world of theatricality within that. I would say there’s a lot of drag queens who have really inspired me over the years. This performer doesn’t even really identify as a drag queen, but Dina Martina, who is also a storyteller and theatrical chanteuse, is one of the most brilliant performers out there. If both of you returned to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and did Snatch Game as a duo, which legendary iconic duo would you be? Jinkx: The answer that’s right in front of us would be Ren and Stimpy. DeLa: I don’t know that it’s the most interesting choice but Lucy and Ethel feel like maybe

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the most obvious choice. I would be really into doing Laurel and Hardy just because I’d like to see us in those looks. Jinkx: Oh, I know my answer! Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Getting back to the holidays, what’s a holiday tradition that you wish would just die? DeLa: I think we’ve killed most of the ones we don’t like already, but let’s see. I have to think back. I will say I do not enjoy gift giving. I like gift giving as a general practice, but at the holidays it seems transactional. Like, I wanna give a gift because I found a thing, and it made me think of somebody. In my family growing up, it was all very much like, “Here is this gift, but what do I get in return?” So that’s not something I

enjoy. I prefer the experiences and the togetherness. Jinkx: I’m trying really hard to think, and I just can’t. Like there’s plenty of traditions that I’m like, “What’s that all about?” But then there’s always a way to make ‘em fun. DeLa: What about going to church in the middle of the night? I wanna let go of that one. Jinkx: Yeah, anything that’s too religious-y. [Laughs.] DeLa: So Christmas? Jinkx: [Laughs.] DeLa: What Jinkx would do away with is Christmas. Jinkx: [Laughs.] Yeah, I’d take us back to solstice, you know. Take us all the way back. You know, people are talking about how we go back to those oldtimey Christmases of yore. I’m like, go all the way back.

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LGBTQIA+ BOOK CLUB

By: Terri Schlichenmeyer

-----------------------------------------------------------------------“Allies: Real Talk about Showing Up, Screwing Up, and Trying Again”

never experience. And sometimes, being an ally is knowing when it’s time to walk away... When it comes to being a better friend to those who need one, you always want to do what’s right – but sometimes, right is wrong and arrrrgh! It seems like maybe you need something of an ally to be an ally, and this book can help.

by various authors and writers, edited by Shakirah Bourne & Dana Alison Levy. $16.99 / 240 pages You’d do anything for your friends.

You help them in school when they need it, or with a loan in a pinch. Your home is their home, and vice versa. You might share clothes with your friends, seats, secrets and for sure, support but what about people you don’t know that well? In the new book “Allies” by various authors, you start upright and on your feet. School has started and some kids – kids of color, queer kids, different kids – are struggling. You want to help but you don’t know how to even begin. So now what? The first thing to know about being an ally is in the first chapter of this book: you will screw up sometimes. It’s not fun, it’s comfortable, and you can’t just dump your guilt back on whoever you’re trying to support. Instead, learn from it, and get used to it. But wait. Can’t you help? “It’s complicated,” says Dana Alison Levy, the first author.

You can loudly be an ally, but when it’s not your time to speak, then hush. Allies remember that pronouns are important things (see above: you’ll screw up) and when someone reveals their preferred name, an ally makes sure it’s used. Allies know that the letters “LGBTQIA” don’t stop at “G.” When they see someone with a disability, they don’t rush in and act like superheroes. They ask first if they can help, and they never see a disabled person as a “tool” to get extra privileges. Likewise, they don’t finish sentences for a stutterer and it should go without saying that allies are never bullies. Nope, they reach for understanding, and if they don’t understand, they can be schooled. Being an ally doesn’t stop at sexuality or disability, though. You can be an ally for women by standing up to misogyny. You can stand up by seeing color and acknowledging it. You can stand up and admit that there are things you’ll

With straight talk but a light touch, “Allies” helps young readers dispense with the awkwardness of not knowing how to act, through reassuring stories meant to show that merely just showing up is a great start. The chapters aren’t long – some are told with artwork – and they’re as diverse as the writers themselves. They’re not preachy, either: each is told by an appreciative person who’s received much-needed support and others whose eyes were opened, giving readers the upbeat, forwardlooking, I-can-do-this feeling they might get in the eager moments before a march or a rally. That makes “Allies” a great first step for any progressivethinking 12-to-18-year-old who needs a good launchpoint. Find this book, read it, and share it with your friends.

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Handwashing

at Home, at Play, and Out and About Germs are everywhere! They can get onto your hands and items you touch throughout the day. Washing hands at key times with soap and water is one of the most important steps you can take to get rid of germs and avoid spreading germs to those around you.

How can washing your hands keep you healthy? Germs can get into the body through our eyes, nose, and mouth and make us sick. Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands and helps prevent sickness. Studies have shown that handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related sicknesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as a cold or the flu.

Handwashing helps prevent infections for these reasons: People often touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without realizing it, introducing germs into their bodies. Germs from unwashed hands may get into foods and drinks when people prepare or consume them. Germs can grow in some types of foods or drinks and make people sick. Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, such as door knobs, tables, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

What is the right way to wash your hands? 1. Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap. 2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. 3. Scrub all surfaces of your hands, including the palms, backs, fingers, between your fingers, and under your nails. Keep scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice. 4. Rinse your hands under clean, running water. 5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. CS 280522A

When should you wash your hands? Handwashing at any time of the day can help get rid of germs, but there are key times when it’s most important to wash your hands. • Before, during, and after preparing food • Before eating food • Before and after caring for someone who is sick • Before and after treating a cut or wound • After using the bathroom, changing diapers, or cleaning up a child who has used the bathroom • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing • After touching an animal, animal food or treats, animal cages, or animal feces (poop) • After touching garbage • If your hands are visibly dirty or greasy

What type of soap should you use? You can use bar soap or liquid soap to wash your hands. Many public places provide liquid soap because it’s easier and cleaner to share with others. Studies have not found any added health benefit from using soaps containing antibacterial ingredients when compared with plain soap. Both are equally effective in getting rid of germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

How does handwashing help fight antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria resist the effects of an antibiotic – that is, germs are not killed and they continue to grow. Sicknesses caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be harder to treat. Simply using antibiotics creates resistance, so avoiding infections in the first place reduces the amount of antibiotics that have to be used and reduces the likelihood that resistance will develop during treatment. Handwashing helps prevent many sicknesses, meaning less use of antibiotics.

Studies have shown that handwashing can prevent

1 in 3 diarrhea-related sicknesses and

1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as a cold or the flu.

For more information and a video demonstration of how to wash your hands, visit the CDC handwashing website:

www.cdc.gov/handwashing

https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Síntomas del coronavirus (COVID-19) Conozca los síntomas del COVID-19, que pueden incluir:

Tos, falta de aire o dificultad para respirar

Dolor en el cuerpo o los músculos

Fiebre o escalofríos

Vómito o diarrea

Pérdida reciente del gusto o del olfato

Los síntomas pueden ser de leves a graves, y aparecer de 2 a 14 días después de la exposición al virus que causa el COVID-19. Busque atención médica de inmediato si alguien tiene signos de advertencia de una emergencia del COVID-19 • Dificultad para respirar • Dolor o presión persistentes en el pecho • Estado de confusión de aparición reciente

• No puede despertarse o permanecer despierta • Color pálido, gris o azulado de la piel, los labios, o el lecho de las uñas, dependiendo del tono de piel

Esta lista no incluye todos los síntomas posibles. Llame a su proveedor de atención médica si tiene cualquier otro síntoma que sea grave o que le preocupe.

cdc.gov/coronavirus-es CS-317142-G MLS 323226

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Know the symptoms of COVID-19, which can include the following:

Cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Muscle or body aches

Fever or chills

Vomiting or diarrhea

New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms can range from mild to severe illness, and appear 2–14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Seek medical care immediately if someone has Emergency Warning Signs of COVID-19 • Trouble breathing • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest • New confusion

• Inability to wake or stay awake • Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your healthcare provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

cdc.gov/coronavirus CS-317142-A

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Guide to Gay Gift Giving 2021

Take the guesswork out of your holiday shopping with these handpicked presents that’ll leave recipients jumping for joy Stumped on what gifts to give your family, friends and neighbors this year? Check this list then check it twice – because while you’ve been naughty, they’ve been nice.

YuJet Surfer Electric Jetboard If ocean-based watersports scare the bejesus out of you – because sharks! – the YuJet Surfer Electronic Jetboard offers a compromise to satisfy your thrill seeking, all limbs intact. With a top speed of 24 mph, range of 16 miles, and a 40-minute ride time, users 18 Fab Vegas

can sit or stand on the batterypowered, remote-operated board that quietly glides across lakes, rivers, canals, and other bodies of water devoid of man-eating monsters. $10,000, YuJetUSA.com

Mind-Pop Casserole Pans Perfect for campground cooking or gourmet meals made at home, Darling Springs’ ultra-pretty MindPop enamel casserole pans by Kapka add a Pollocksplashed joie de vivre to the meal-making experience, which seamlessly moves from stovetop to serving table without dirtying another dish. $45, DarlingSpring.com

By: Mikey Rox Oclean Water Flosser Traditional floss isn’t exactly a budget buster, but the Oclean W10 Water Flosser is a sleek, no-waste and, yes, cheaper-inthe-long-run alternative with five distinctive modes and four high-performance nozzles to keeps the crevices between those pearly whites crud- and cavity-free. $60, Oclean.com Flat Brim Wines Bring a trio of varietals to the Thanksgiving table with Flat Brim Wines’ Not Series, including the 2020 “Not Tragic” Pinot Noir, 2020 “Not Basic” Picpoul/Roussanne, and 2020 “Not Extra,” which, if it were Opposite Day, two out of three would describe you to a T.

Playcraft Shuffleboard Table Playcraft edges out its at-home gaming competition with the Georgetown Espresso Shuffleboard featuring solid wood construction, richly stained accent features, and furniture-grade finishes that are a far cry from the warped, frat boy-abused tables dying slow deaths in dive bars everywhere. $1,595, SawyerTwain.com

ChefWave Milkmade Round up your favorite rice, soybeans, nuts and oats for homemade vegan milk alternatives that cost pennies on the dollar compared to prepackaged versions of the same at your local supermarket. Just add water and a handful of your desired ingredient to churn out 20 ounces of liquid health in about 15 minutes. $200, MyChefWave.com

Cambridge Audio Evo 75 You may not regard London, England, as synonymous with audio innovation, but you’ll change that tune after listening to your favorite artists streaming through Cambridge Audio’s Evo 75, the sleek, cutting-edge, allin-one system pumping out crystal-clear sound quality fit for a queen – like you. $2,250, CambridgeAudio.com Wild Roots Spirits Wild Roots Spirits’ fivetimes filtered, five-times distilled corn-based vodkas – in seasonal flavors like pear, cranberry, and applecinnamon – will spice up your soft and hard holiday seltzers and sodas for a little added zip on your lips. $30, WildRootsSpirits.com

Takumi by Yokai Express Not only can the Takumi machine cook ramen, dim sum, rice, dumplings, pasta and more, but it also has the dubious distinction of being the choice ramen-making machine of Tesla’s offices – because of course it is: Elon Musk wouldn’t be caught dead microwaving Oodles of Noodles like the rest of us broke-ass schlubs. $400, YokaiExpress.com

Oliver Charles Sweater What do you get when Tibetan yak wool meets the world’s most advanced 3D-knitting machines? An antimicrobial, soft-as-cashmere, day-to-night sweater that instantly becomes one of the most versatile and comfortable pieces in your closet that rarely needs washing. $220, Oliver-Charles. com Knitting Knowledge Starter Kits If the summer Olympics taught us anything it’s that Tom Daley is a multitalented athlete poised to take knitting gold someday, and you can train for your spot on the team

with Knitting Knowledge starter kits, including beginner socks, baby blankets, and beanies that include everything you’ll need – from yarn to needles to patterns – to complete the project with a perfect score. $18-$80, KnittingKnowledge.com

Electronic Bidet If you’ve been on the fence about installing a backsidecleansing bidet in your bathroom (attention all bottoms!), consider this: Toilet paper isn’t getting any cheaper, and it only takes a moderate COVID-induced run on the supermarkets before you’re forced to hunt it down on the black markets – again. $140$650, Brondell.com

Stark Custom Kitchen Knives Upgrade your store-bought block knives to a set of Stark Creations chef ’s, paring, and nakiri custom knives, forged from scratch to complement your personality or overall kitchen aesthetic. $265-$515, StarkCreationsUS.com FabLasVegas.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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American Blossom Organic Blanket Roast your nuts by an open fire during an in-the-buff cuddle sesh featuring your fave holiday flicks in American Blossom’s herringbone weave blanket made from West Texas Organic Cotton. Save a horse, y’all. $195, AmericanBlossomLinens.com

Erica’s Tea Room Scones Gild the proverbial lilies of your holiday breakfast spread with a selection of Erika’s Tea Room “Florida Famous” scones in comfort-food flavors like orange-cranberry, white chocolate-apricot, rum raisin, caramel-walnut, and piña colada, among other classic mashups. $36-$42/dozen, ErikasTeaRoom.com

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RadRover 6 Plus From a custom geared-hub motor that climbs hills 25 percent faster with more torque and extended range to all-new hydraulic brakes that provide superior stopping power, the best-in-class RadRover 6 Plus is basically the Range Rover of e-bikes – with far less depreciation per dollar. $2,000, RadPowerBikes. com

Hoppy Hanukkah Experience + Santa Clausthaler Celebrate a “Hoppy Hanukkah” with Brewvana’s nontraditional advent calendar that conceals eight beers, one for the first night of the Festival of Lights and a full week after. If you’re laying off the hooch this holiday season but still want to participate in the spirit of it all, throw back a few non-alcoholic Santa Clausthalers, infused with cinnamon and cranberry for a cider-like refresher. $75, Brewvana.com; $10, Schofferhofer.us

Wildwood Candle Co. Sick of pumpkin spice stinkin’ up the joint? Fill your rooms with more nuanced fall scents – like maple, sandalwood, cypress, and birch – available in a bundled seasonal foursome from eco-friendly Wildwood Candle Co. and inspired by the enchanting, well-traveled trails of Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park. $88, WildwoodCandleCo.com

PrestigeHaus Decanter Whiskey lovers who grab life by the horns (and sometimes the balls) will count this hand-blown, lead-free bull decanter among their prized possessions this Christmas while you enjoy the holly-jolly feeling of knowing that each purchase plants a tree. $80, PresitgeHaus.com

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

By: Chris Azzopardi

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Ticking His Way to the Top Robin de Jesús starred in Broadway’s ‘Rent’ in 2005. Now, he has a memorable role in the new film about its creator.

It’s a Jane Fonda kind of day for Robin de Jesús. The 37-year-old actor says so on Zoom, where he appears from Beverly Hills, his face beaming in that Fonda light, for a day of press to talk about “Tick, Tick… Boom!” The film has earned positive 22 Fab Vegas

reviews for its story about Jonathan Larson, the creator of “Rent” who wrote the music and book for “Tick, Tick… Boom!” –– first performed in 1990 –– as he was desperate for his major musical-theater breakout hit as a struggling artist in New York

City’s SoHo. He’s got great friends, some queer. Less great is his apartment, but hey, it’s NYC and you do what you have to if you want to be a star playwright. The film is set against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis that tore through the LGBTQ+ community,

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Photo Credit: Vegas Urban Pride

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ruthlessly killing some of the people Larson loved most. Larson did, of course, eventually become a star thanks to “Rent,” but died the morning of its Off-Broadway preview performance, on January 25, 1996, after suffering an aortic dissection. He was 35. Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda with a screenplay by Steven Levenson, the film adaptation of “Tick, Tick… Boom!” –– in theaters and on Netflix –– finds Andrew Garfield in deep as Larson, and delightfully so. His embodiment is simply radiant. But as his best friend and roommate Michael, Jesús meets Garfield at his level. The film is Jesús’s second for Netflix that started as a stage production. He played Emory in both the star-studded Broadway revival of “The Boys in the Band” in 2018 and last year’s Netflix film adaptation. Here, Jesús talks about the rare opportunity to depict a loving relationship between a straight man, Larson, and his character; how he’d definitely be game for a sequel to the 2003 queer cult film “Camp,” where he played a gay teen, and also almost giving up on acting altogether because he wasn’t happy about the LGBTQ+ roles he was being offered. I watched “Tick, Tick… Boom!” twice in 24 hours. It moved me deeply. Did it feel the same way for you as it might for the audience? Yeah. I think growing up, being a kid who was a nerd and loved [the musical] 24 Fab Vegas

“Sunday in the Park with George,” a story about a writer and his relationship with his creativity and how he navigated that, I always said to myself, “I hope I get to have a story like that someday.” And that’s very much what this is. It feels very personal for us, because everyone in the cast knows what it’s like to negotiate all of these questions.

Yeah, I was thinking about that. I also was thinking about the fact that you got your start on stage in “Rent” on Broadway in 2005. Ain’t it weird? I don’t know. You tell me. It’s weird that it’s not weird, if that makes sense? It’s weird that I’ve been in this business 20 years now, which means that there are certain relationships that I’ve had time to marinate, so that when I dip back into them, they’re so much richer. They’re so full-bodied, and that’s what this was, because if I was havin’ a rough day, or struggling with something, there was always the reminder of, like, either a parallel to “Rent,” something I was going through, or just the gratitude that I was feeling that I got to touch this man’s words again, ‘cause there’s something very special about Jonathan. Jonathan’s simplicity allows his very, very human themes to come out, because it’s never like, “Oh, there’s some bad guy.” It’s: “It’s life. It’s complicated.” It’s people establishing boundaries that are healthy for them, but might not be healthy for

you, even though I love you. [Laughs.] That to me is so much more human.

How much did you learn about Jonathan that was new to you while doing the movie? There definitely were new things, but the thing that was the coolest was to have Jonathan’s sister, Julie Larson, on set, ‘cause she’s one of the executive producers on the film. Even just having her presence provided different information, like knowing that’s what his sister looked like and that she had that relationship with him. There’s something about her presence that was very grounding, and really cool. How deep did you get into Michael and his backstory? Did you have to do a lot of research? It’s funny, because with this, it was very different than other things, because Steven Levenson wrote such a great screenplay. There was so much meat on my character; there was so much there. So many layers that I felt like the script alone gave me so much. Of course, I did research — more research on the periodness of it all, reminding myself of the AIDS epidemic and how it affected the climate of New York City at that time. But the big thing I needed to do was just get to that open, vulnerable place. Having played so many big, big characters, this for me was a much more subtle performance than people might be used to from my previous work. So, I wanted to make sure that that emotional

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availability was ever-present.

You mean, more subtle than Emory in “The Boys in the Band”? [Laughs.] Yeah, exactly. Exactly! I was thinking about what it would be like to have Emory and Michael in the same room. [Laughs.] Oh, that would be so funny. I actually feel like they would get along. I love the idea of two queer Puerto Ricans living in New York City in different periods just, like, sharing stories. Did your involvement in “Rent” have anything to do with your involvement in “Tick, Tick... Boom!”? Was that important to Lin? I don’t know that it affected Lin casting me, but I do know that he clocked it. After he saw my audition and pieced that together, I think it allowed him to receive that as affirmation that I was the right choice. I think it let him know that I was gonna come in devout to Jonathan, and that I was gonna come in devout to the story and just leave it all on the table. On a scale from zero to Jonathan Larson, how eager were you to leave your mark on musical theater when you first got your start in the business? Oh, are you kidding me? I came out that gate, y’all, like, “I’ma be the next Bernadette Peters.” [Laughs.] I wanted to be a part of that legacy of the shows, and honestly, it’s really, really funny [because] 26 Fab Vegas

“Heights” gave me that [Jesús starred in “In the Heights” on Broadway during its 2008-2010 run], I remember thinking, “All right. Well, what’s the goal now? You did that thing you wanted to do.” Now, I wanna just tell good stories. I wanna make sure I’m contributing to my people and furthering us, but also, I just want to go to work. At this point in your career, how do you recognize when a story is a good story? There’s a feeling. A thing that lets you know. A gut feeling. And I always listen to that, ‘cause I feel like when you don’t listen to the gut, it’s just disrespectful. [Laughs.] So what would it take for you to sign on for, say, a “Camp” sequel? Oh, all day every day! There was talk of “Camp” becoming a TV show or a movie, and I don’t know what’s happened since, but I’ll come back as a counselor. That needs to happen. Netflix, are you listening? From your mouth to God’s ear.

God being Netflix. [Laughs.] Yes, that. I mean, they are the musical-theater gods right now. Netflix is killing it with this. Netflix really realized, “Oh, we have this whole new crop of theater fans that have come up that want to see these stories,” and musicals are cool again, and hopefully they’re going to stay there. I think we’ll know in a couple years, but I feel like Netflix is the one leading that.

Like your character Michael, did you ever consider giving up musical theater and acting for a career that might’ve been more linear and provided more security? I thought about leavin’ a couple times, and many things brought me back, but ultimately, it’s like, I have no other talents. Like, there ain’t shit I can do. [Laughs.] This is it. So, I had to figure it out. When in your career did you consider doing something different? So, post-“La Cage aux Folles,” I was spinning for a bit, because I found myself only being called in for underdeveloped queer characters who were just reduced to being really, really over the top with no meaning whatsoever. And my thing always is, I love big characters, but flesh them out. Give them depth as well. So, in my 20s, I said, “You know what you’re gonna do, Robin? You’re just not gonna work. You’re gonna wait for the business to realize, ‘Oh, he’s not doing that,’” and it didn’t always work. I realized, “Oh, I should go do regional theater. I should stay in New York and do the thing that everyone wants me to do. Subscribe to the type casting, get the paycheck, and do this other show. At least I’m exercising my muscles.” And then after a while, I would fight [for] opportunities in New York to showcase something differently. But in that navigation, it was hard, and I was mad at the white supremacy of it all.

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----------------------------------------------------------------------What would your great American musical be about if you were to write one at this point in your life? I felt so inspired by “Nomadland” that I was like, “Yo, is there a world where there is something similar in structure like this, but about the food sovereignty movement happening in Puerto Rico?” They’re just trying to figure out how to be sustainable, since the government is completely corrupt, and no one wants to accept the fact that Puerto Rico is a colony. So, everyone’s just trying to figure out how to do it on their own, and the food sovereignty movement, I think, is gonna be a huge part of that. So I’m kind of curious. I think there’s a story in there. I think it’s time to get the pen and paper out. Word. Yep. And then say goodbye to the rest of your life. [Laughs.] Try to be like Lin! Andrew studied musical performance specifically to prepare for the role of Jonathan. Did he lean into your musical-theater knowledge at all to do this movie? Yo, he leapt in. Like, Andrew was like, “I’ma just jump. I’ma just see what happens,” and he just fully embraced it and committed to it. You know, he talks all the time about the intimidation of being around people who have been a part of the musical-

theater world for years, and I’m sure he did experience that. I don’t mean to negate that, but it didn’t always present that way. He was really baller and really courageous and was like, “I’m just gonna go for this,” to the point where it was always shocking whenever he finished the first number in the movie, “30/90,” ’cause that last note, it was consistent! It was always there, and it was gut, you know? It was a full-body experience for him singing that last note. It’s beautiful.

To your credit and his credit, your friendship is something to behold in the movie, because you guys have the history of friendship that sometimes just doesn’t translate on screen. I mean, I believed that you were friends since you were kids. It’s definitely the thing I’m proudest of — being able to model that friendship to other straight males and gay males and, really, to all folks. That’s a beautiful thought, actually. I’m glad that you mentioned that. I can’t think of any other film where I’ve really seen that modeled as beautifully as this and as intimate to the point where I think, actually, a lot of people don’t clock it, because it’s just so natural to us. I’ve had a couple friends say, “Wow, I didn’t even realize. I’ve never seen that before. I didn’t realize what a big deal that was,” and that’s partially because Andrew and I, early on, clocked that we had a love

story in the film, as well.

Lastly, why do you think Jonathan Larson’s story, as it’s told here, and even though he was straight, is an important piece of LGBTQ+ history? So, actually, I kind of want to tie that to what we just said. It’s so cool and so beautiful that Jonathan, a straight white man, wrote these musicals in the ’90s, and he wrote them with more creativity and diversity and thought than a lot of folks now. When you look at all the Black and brown characters that he’s written for us, they’re so fleshed out; there is so much there, there’s so much to play with. And even when they’re messy, there’s no judgment on that. There’s no poverty porn or race porn happening. There’s no exploitation in that way. It’s just: People are complex, they’re human, and they should be allowed to be that way, regardless of their race or ethnicity. It’s like... just damn, Jonathan. Imagine what he would have done if he was still with us.

FabLasVegas.com

PLANET OF HOLLYWOOD

By: Romeo San Vincente

Jamie Lee Curtis Photo Credit: Starfrenzy

Jamie Lee Curtis high fives a gay baseball legend Queer sports history lesson time: the late Glenn Burke was a Black professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and then the Oakland A’s in the late 1970s. He was also the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay to his teammates during his career and, later, publicly. But he also did something else: he invented the gesture known as the “High Five.” On October 2, 1977, fellow Dodger Dusty Baker hit his 30th homerun. And when he came back to home plate, Burke was waiting with his hand in the air, expecting Baker to meet it there, and he did. The event was documented in an ESPN “30 for 30” documentary short called “The High Five,” but now Jamie Lee Curtis – whose queer allyship also includes being a proud mom to a trans daughter – is teaming with Ryan Murphy to develop a limited series about Burke. It’s currently titled “Outfielder,” and there’s no deal yet, no cast, nothing. But Murphy has that Netflix deal and seems to be able to get just about anything made, and let’s just say that this seems like the kind of project Netflix could – ahem – benefit from right now. Stay tuned.

28 Fab Vegas

LGBTQIA+ HOLLYWOOD

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PLANET OF HOLLYWOOD Tessa Thompson is on call for Credit: Instagram StevePhoto Buscemi Tessa Thompson’s currently glowing in the film “Passing” alongside Ruth Negga but she’s going it alone for actordirector Steve Buscemi (“Trees Lounge,” “Boardwalk Empire”) in his latest directorial project, “The Listener.” Written by Alessandro Camon (“The Messenger”), the film has exactly one on-screen role, a helpline volunteer taking on the task of talking directly to anxious people in emotional distress. As the woman spends the evening listening to and comforting callers in need, her own story is slowly revealed and the need on both ends of the line is made clear. Projects like this are, of course, about storytelling, but also about showcasing an actor’s ability to hold the camera’s gaze for the duration (see also: Tom Hardy in the one-actor film “Locke”). As Thompson fans, this one has definitely piqued our interest. The film just wrapped production and will almost certainly be appearing at 2022 film festival lineups. ‘Helen & Teacher’ in the works with Rachel Brosnahan and Millicent Simmonds Queer director Wash Westmoreland (“Still Alice”) is working on a new film, “Helen & Teacher,” about Helen Keller, the famous Deaf-Blind public figure and political activist, and Anne Sullivan, her teacher and platonic companion until Sullivan’s death in 1936. 30 Fab Vegas

Playing Keller is up-andcoming deaf actor Millicent Simmonds (“A Quiet Place”), with Rachel Brosnahan, star of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” as Sullivan. The film will be set in the early 1900s and deal with Keller’s time at Radcliffe College, exploring her transition to an activist worldview that would lead to conflict with the conservative Sullivan. In her life Keller would become a socialist, a suffragist, a pacifist, a supporter of the NAACP, and a birth control advocate, all of which were considered radical at the time. So ditch what you think you know about this historical figure, because she was on fire. The film has just been announced so no dates are set, nor is any other cast known, but if it moves quickly you can bet it’ll be positioned for end of the year awards consideration sometime in late 2022. Zachary Quinto goes on the ‘Down Low’ If you remember the Oprah episodes where the term “down low” came to national attention, you’ll remember a lot of handwringing about men who had sex with men who didn’t quite (OK, at all) identify as gay. But times have changed and now that subject matter is at the heart of a lighthearted comedy romp called, what else, “Down Low.” The film’s log line is a good one: “a deeply repressed man, the uninhibited young man that gives him a happy ending, and all the lives they ruin along the way.” Fun,

right? Anything can be in the right hands, and this debut directorial effort from actor Rightor Doyle (“Barry”) might just be it. Written by Gage and Phoebe Fisher, it stars Zachary Quinto as, we presume, the repressed one, with Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus”) as, we’re guessing, the young and uninhibited one. Along for the ride are Simon Rex, Judith Light, Audra McDonald, and newcomer Sebastian Arroyo. How low will they go? Wait and find out. Romeo San Vicente can spell uninhibited but that’s where it ends.

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Information for Teens: Staying Healthy and Preventing STDs If you choose to have sex, know how to protect yourself against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). What are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)? STDs are diseases that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and HIV. Many of these STDs do not show symptoms for a long time. Even without symptoms, they can still be harmful and passed on during sex.

consider before having sex. It’s okay to say “no” if you don’t want to have sex. •

If you do decide to have sex, you and your partner should get tested for STDs beforehand. Make sure that you and your partner use a condom from start to finish every time you have oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Know where to get condoms and how to use them correctly. It is not safe to stop using condoms unless you’ve both been tested for STDs, know your results, and are in a mutually monogamous relationship.

•

Mutual monogamy means that you and your partner both agree to only have sexual contact with each other. This can help protect against STDs, as long as you’ve both been tested and know you’re STD-free.

•

Before you have sex, talk with your partner about how you will prevent STDs and pregnancy. If you think you’re ready to have sex, you need to be ready to protect your body. You should also talk to your partner ahead of time about what you will and will not do sexually. Your partner should always respect your right to say no to anything that doesn’t feel right.

•

Make sure you get the health care you need. Ask a doctor or nurse about STD testing and about vaccines against HPV and hepatitis B.

•

Girls and young women may have extra needs to protect their reproductive health. Talk to your doctor or nurse about regular cervical cancer screening, and chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. You may also want to discuss unintended pregnancy and birth control.

•

Avoid mixing alcohol and/or recreational drugs with sex. If you use alcohol and drugs, you are more likely to take risks, like not using a condom or having sex with someone you normally wouldn’t have sex with.

How are STDs spread? You can get an STD by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has an STD. Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD. You don’t even have to “go all the way” (have anal or vaginal sex) to get an STD. This is because some STDs, like herpes and HPV, are spread by skinto-skin contact. How common are STDs? STDs are common, especially among young people. There are about 20 million new cases of STDs each year in the United States. About half of these infections are in people between the ages of 15 and 24. Young people are at greater risk of getting an STD for several reasons: •

Young women’s bodies are biologically more prone to STDs.

•

Some young people do not get the recommended STD tests.

•

Many young people are hesitant to talk openly and honestly with a doctor or nurse about their sex lives.

•

Not having insurance or transportation can make it more difficult for young people to access STD testing.

•

Some young people have more than one sex partner.

What can I do to protect myself? •

The surest way to protect yourself against STDs is to not have sex. That means not having any vaginal, anal, or oral sex (“abstinence”). There are many things to

36 Fab Vegas

against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

If Iare getsexually an STD, how will Idiseases know? (STDs)? What transmitted STDs are diseases that are passed from one person to another Many STDs don’t cause any symptoms that you through sexual contact. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, would notice. only way(HPV), to know for sure genital herpes, humanThe papillomavirus syphilis, and HIV. if you haveSTDs an STD to get tested.forYou can get an Many of these do notis show symptoms a long time. Even without they can stillwith be harmful and passed STDsymptoms, from having sex someone whoonhas no during sex. symptoms. Just like you, that person might not

even he or she has an STD. How are know STDs spread?

You can get an STD by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with Where can I get tested? someone who has an STD. Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD.There You don’t have that to “gooffer all theteen-friendly, way” (have anal or vaginal areeven places sex) to get an STD. This is because some STDs, like herpes and HPV, confidential, and free STD tests. This means that are spread by skin-to-skin contact.

no one has to find out you’ve been tested. Visit

How common to arefind STDs? GetTested an STD testing location near

STDs are common, especially among young people. There are you. about 20 million new cases of STDs each year in the United States. About halfSTDs of thesebe infections are in people between the ages of Can treated? 15 and 24. Young people are at greater risk of getting an STD for Your doctor can prescribe medicine to cure several reasons:

some STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea.

• Young women’s bodies are biologically more prone Other STDs, like herpes, can’t be cured, but you to STDs.

can take medicine to help with the symptoms.

• Some young people do not get the recommended If STD youtests. are ever treated for an STD, be sure to

•finish Manyall young peoplemedicine, are hesitanteven to talkifopenly and better of your you feel honestly with a doctor or nurse about their sex before you finish it all. Ask the doctor orlives. nurse

testing and treatment for your partner, •about Not having insurance or transportation can make it more difficult young people to access STD avoid testing.having too. Youfor and your partner should until you’ve both been •sex Some young people have moretreated. than one Otherwise, sex partner you may continue to pass the STD back and forth. It is possible to get an STD again (after

What can I do to protect myself?

• The surest way to protect yourself against STDs is to not you’ve been you have sex with have sex. Thattreated), means notifhaving any vaginal, anal, or someone who has anThere STD. oral sex (“abstinence”). are many things to consider before having sex. It’s okay to say “no” if you don’t want to What happens if I don’t treat an STD? have sex.

Some curable STDs can be dangerous if they aren’t treated. For example, if left untreated, CS287360A chlamydia and gonorrhea can make it difficult— or even impossible—for a woman to get pregnant. You also increase your chances of getting HIV if you have an untreated STD. Some STDs, like HIV, can be fatal if left untreated. What if my partner or I have an incurable STD? Some STDs, like herpes and HIV, aren’t curable, but a doctor can prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms. If you are living with an STD, it’s important to

tell partner before youyouhave sex. partner Although • Ifyour you do decide to have sex, and your should get tested for STDs beforehand. Make sure that you and it may be uncomfortable to talk about your your partner usehonest a condom from start to finish every STD, open and conversation can help time you have oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Know where to your partner make informed decisions to get condoms and how to use them correctly. It is not protect his or her health. safe to stop using condoms unless you’ve both been STDs, knowwho your results, and are them? in a mutually If Itested havefor questions, can answer monogamous relationship.

If• you have questions, talk to a parent or other Mutual monogamy means that you and your partner both trusted be afraid be each openother. andThis agreeadult. to only Don’t have sexual contactto with honest with themagainst aboutSTDs, yourasconcerns. If both you’re can help protect long as you’ve been and know evertested confused or you’re need STD-free. advice, they’re the first place to start. After were young once, • Before you have sex, all, talk they with your partner about how too.you will prevent STDs and pregnancy. If you think you’re ready to have sex, you need to be ready to protect your

Talking about sexalso with parent or another body. You should talkato your partner ahead of time adult doesn’t need bewill a one-time about what you willto and not do sexually. Your partner conversation. bestyour to leave the forthat should alwaysIt’s respect right to saydoor no to open anything doesn’t feel right. conversations in the future. • Make sure you get the health care you need. Ask a doctor It’s also important to talk honestly with a doctor or nurse about STD testing and about vaccines against or nurse. Ask which STD tests and vaccines HPV and hepatitis B. they recommend for you. • Girls and young women may have extra needs to protect

their reproductive health.information? Talk to your doctor or nurse Where can I get more

about regular cervical cancer screening, and chlamydia

CDC and gonorrhea testing. You may also want to discuss

unintended birth control. How You Canpregnancy Preventand Sexually Transmitted • Avoid mixing alcohol and/or recreational drugs with sex. Diseases If you use alcohol and drugs, you are more likely to take www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/

risks, like not using a condom or having sex with someone

Teen youPregnancy normally wouldn’t have sex with. https://www.cdc.gov/ teenpregnancy/teens/ index.htm

CDC-INFO Contact Center 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) Contact wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ ContactUs/Form HealthFinder.gov STD Testing: Conversation Starters https://healthfinder.gov/ HealthTopics/ Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/ hiv-and-other-stds/std-testing-conversationstarters American Sexual Health Association Sexual Health and You http://www.iwannaknow.org/ teens/ sexualhealth.html FabLasVegas.com

STD (SEXUALLY TRASMITTED DISEASES) INFO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES INFO, TESTING & RESOURCES WHAT IS A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE? Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are commonly spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex and oral sex.

WHAT IS HIV? HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system.It is usually spread by anal or vaginal sex or sharing syringes with a person who has HIV. The only way to know you have HIV is to be tested. Everyone aged 13-64 should be tested at least once, and people at high risk should be tested at least once a year. Ask your doctor, or visit gettested.cdc.gov to find a testing site. Without treatment, HIV can make a person very sick or may even cause death. If you have HIV, start treatment as soon as possible to stay healthy and help protect your partners.

Nevada is the fifth highest state in the United States for rates of new HIV diagnoses and is #1 in Syphillis *According to CDC HIV Surveillance Report, 2017 and the CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, 2017 released in 2018

38 Fab Vegas

STD TESTING RESOURCE SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DISTRICT ADDRESS: 280 S. Decatur Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89107 HOURS: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.* *The clinic opens at 9:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month. The following services are offered at the Sexual Health Clinic: 1.

Diagnosis and treatment of active or suspected cases of:

•

Chlamydia

•

Gonorrhea

•

Syphilis

•

HIV

•

Trichomonas (females only)

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Bacterial Vaginosis (females only)

Free condoms and instruction on how to safely use them (both male and female condom)

Follow-up bloodwork

High-risk behavior counseling

HIV Nursing Case Management

Injection series for syphilis medication

Partner notification

Referrals by private physicians

Sexual assault follow-up

10. Test results and couseling Clients seeking treatment at the Sexual Health Clinic should know that the Health District is required to report cases involving assault or abuse to appropriate agencies. HIV Testing: HIV antibody testing is a simple blood test performed by a trained professional. This procedure is strictly confidential. Counseling regarding the meaning of the test and its result take place before the actual testing to ensure you understand HIV infection and the testing procedure. HIV testing procedure: Blood Test – Blood drawn from a vein is tested for HIV antibodies. This test is available at the Sexual Health Clinic (280 S. Decatur Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89107 ), Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please call (702) 759-0702 for more information. If you have questions, contact the clinic by phone at (702) 759-0702 or by email at SexualHealth@snhd.org.

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www.afanlv.org Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) provides support and advocacy for adults and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada. AFAN works to reduce HIV infection through prevention and education to eliminate fear, prejudice and the stigma associated with the disease.