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The Lesbian Sensibility of Drive-Away Dolls

By Chris Azzopardi

Photos by Jennifer Fisher, Focus Features

Ethan Coen, half of the filmmaking brother duo known for cinema touchstones such as “The Big Lebowski” and “Fargo,” lays it all out very simply after I mention that “Drive-Away Dolls,” his latest, is the queer film I didn’t know I needed: “We felt that there was an underserved community that needed a dumb gay movie.”

The “we” this time, though, doesn’t involve his brother Joel, but his wife of 34 years, Tricia Cooke, who calls it a “silly lesbian movie.” Silly it may be, but “Drive-Away Dolls” also tucks timely sociopolitical commentary on queer oppression into all its frivolity, and it does so with a DeSantis-like politician played by Matt Damon, lots of dildos and same-sex soccer players who make out while Linda Ronstadt’ s “Long Long Time” plays over the scene.

“I mean, putting a whole basement full of lesbian soccer players together, it’s just like my fantasy,” Cooke says. “It’s fiction. It’s certainly not meant to depict reality, but yeah, I mean, I hope that young people who see it are inspired.”

In the film, friends Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) take a road trip to Florida and, while en route, find themselves running from government officials who want what they didn’t even know they had in the trunk of their rental car. While the movie’s utter ridiculousness is clearly imagined, contemporary themes involving Florida, a state that has put queer people in danger, are pulled straight from real life headlines. Dildos and Miley Cyrus, both of which have iconic cameos, may not save us, but if you’re going to make a movie that mirrors some of our country’s queerphobia, at least it can be dumb and gay with a purpose.

For Cooke, the screwball-comedy tone was the result of what she thought queer cinema had been lacking: “lesbian comedies that didn’t end in some kind of tragic or unhappy way.”

It’s hard to imagine this film even existing at all if Cooke, a lesbian, and Coen weren’t in an open marriage. After they married in 1990, they had two children. In fact, there’s a good chance that, without their personal relationship, there’d be no

“Drive-Away Dolls,” an idea the couple dreamed up together more than 20 years ago.

“We were always open personally and privately,” Cooke says. “I mean, being open in a public way, it feels almost the same. I was just like, ‘Really, people are going to care? OK, whatever.’ I mean, I think it’s really great to present a kind of nontraditional or more unconventional relationship in a way of like, ‘This is how the world exists, and it can be very healthy and rewarding,’ and so I’m happy to do that.”

Coen has similar feelings about their dynamic, calling it their “boring, everyday reality.”

“It doesn’t seem interesting to us,” he adds, “and if anyone else is interested, well, OK, that’s interesting. I guess it is to some people. We’ve been in an open relationship for over 20 years, and so it’s good people are coming around.”

Before “Drive-Away Dolls,” which Cooke cowrote and co-directed, she served as editor on many Coen brothers films, including “Fargo” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Cooke leaving her lesbian stamp on “Drive-Away Dolls” makes for the queerest work in the Coen repertoire (even gayer than Brad Pitt as personal trainer Chad in “Burn After Reading,” a notion that elicits this guffawed response from Coen when I ask if Chad was gay: “You’d have to ask Brad, but I’m sure he would be tickled by the idea.”)

“Drive-Away Dolls” originated from Cooke’ s desire to see more of the films she says were “hugely impactful” to her: ’90s-era LGBTQ+ films like “Go Fish” (“a good, important kind of fun movie for me”) and “But I’m a Cheerleader.” Queer classics like “La Cage aux Folles,” from 1979, and “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean,” released in 1982, were also on her mind. The latter two, she says, shaped her understanding of her sexual identity in her teen years. Another big influence on her and “DriveAway Dolls” was self-proclaimed “filth elder” and pioneering DIY filmmaker John Waters.

“We wanted to just do something transgressive,” she says. “I mean, we could never reach the kind of genius level of John Waters, but we were trying to be subversive in our way.”

Cooke also imparted her own personal experiences as a lesbian in the early 2000s, when she began drafting the screenplay with Coen. At the time, she was spending some of her nights at Meow Mix and Cattyshack, two lesbian bars in New York. The lesbian bars in “Drive-Away Dolls,” including one called The Butter Churn, are influenced by that period in Cooke’s life. “I wanted for those to feel authentic,” she says.

Details on her experiences at those lesbian bars shaped the writing, but then the script sat so long

that Meow Mix and Cattyshack now no longer exist. “We didn’t manage to get it made then,” Coen says, “and just put it in a drawer, then came back to it and did some rewriting.”

Throughout the film, the old-school charms of gay life in the mid-aughts are omnipresent — when it comes to dating, there’s no PinkCupid. com — and Cooke, who has been involved with the Queer Liberation March as an organizer and archives committee member, has seen a lot change for LGBTQ+ people since “Drive-Away Dolls” first hit the page. The goal was to “make a movie that felt representative of my community at the time.”

“I felt like the world that I knew, at least in the lesbian bars, was very specific to that time and that generation,” Cooke says. “And I mean, not that I haven’t evolved as well, but it felt like I wouldn’t be able to represent an authentic kind of world if it was contemporary. Some of the jokes are so dated. But we kind of wanted to keep that very naïve, innocent feel.”

One running joke (spoilers ahead on Cyrus’ role) is literally from another time and, in fact, based on a real person: Cynthia Albritton, aka Cynthia Plaster Caster. Caster was known for making plaster casts of famous musicians’ erect penises, and when the filmmakers approached Cyrus, they explained the basis of her character.

“When we approached her, we knew her music and we knew her from ‘SNL’ and some performances, but we didn’t know the extent of her fascination with phalluses,” Cooke says, sharing that they went into more detail than was necessary about her role in the film. “She’s like, ‘I thought that’s why you hired me.’ She just assumed that we knew that she performed with gigantic dildos and had a dildo room in her house. She said, ‘Yeah, they interviewed me in Town & Country in my room, in my dildo room.’ All of those cool things together: Town & Country, dildo room and Miley Cyrus.”

Looking ahead, this is just the beginning of the Coen and Cooke filmmaking partnership, or as Coen puts it: “We have more lesbian movies in us.” Next up is the detective story “Honey Don’t,” set to shoot in March, which Margaret Qualley will return for, while also adding Chris Evan and Aubrey Plaza to the mix. “And since there are two of them, you can’t do two and not do a third, so we’ve got a third one we’ve been talking about,” he adds. Cooke says that film will be called “Go Beavers.”

As Coen and Cooke work together to bring queer diversity to cinema with their lesbian B-movie comedies, the two reflected on the entirety of representation in Hollywood. Coen brought up

“Star Wars,” a franchise that has been critiqued for limiting people-of-color roles.

“I watch movies from all over the world. New things are interesting. Diversity is interesting. I’m almost tempted to say things I shouldn’t say, but who wants to watch ‘Star Wars’? It’s the same issue,” he says.

Cooke elaborated, suggesting that franchises and blockbusters like “Star Wars” offer studios a level of financial security that a film like “Drive-Away Dolls” can’t.

“Because they’re high stakes when you’re making a movie, because they’re expensive to make, I feel like getting funding to make a movie is hard, and there wasn’t as much trust in people who hadn’t done it before,” she said. “But the fact that new people within marginalized communities are being trusted to make movies, and those movies are not only important, good movies but making a lot of money, it’s kind of changing the trust level in the world of queer cinema or Black cinema. It’s just important to give people a chance.”

Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @ chrisazzopardi.

Reading the Queens

By Larry Olsen

The world first got to know psychic medium Roy Tomko from his popular YouTube series, Reading the Queen and Reading the King. Fans of spirit channeling found his candid banter with drag queens and gay male models to be refreshing and fun. They enjoyed the anything goes mentality to the proceedings and that inevitable OMG moment when the celebrity begins to realize that the reading is, in fact, legit.

According to Tomko, blending the spirit world and the LGBTQ+ community has proved a match made in heaven. “It’s a chance for me to provide healing to the community I love and am a proud member of and to show the world how beneath a drag queen’s makeup and sequence or a gay king’s muscles and spray tan, they are individuals like everyone else, seeking healing and messages from loved ones.”

We spoke with Roy Tomko to learn more.

Do you see dead people?

(Laughing) Spirit has always been part of my life, for as long as I can remember. I started seeing Spirit at around three or four years old and into my teen years. Since then, Spirit has changed how it shows itself to me.

How so?

Today, I’m claircognizant. Spirit appears to me more as a ‘clear knowing’. It is a psychic ability that involves knowing information that I couldn’t possibly know normally. You can imagine it as knowledge pouring into the top of my head.

We often hear that mediums have spirit guides. That is true, actually we all have spirit guides.

Who is your guide?

I have a few. I have one that I count on a lot who is my main, and then I have a good amount more who step in for additional help when needed. I find spirit guides to be very personal. They are like family.

Is Spirit’s goal to remain with their loved ones throughout the person’s earthly life or are they only here for a short time while they are working to ascend to another realm?

In my communications with Spirit, I have found that they are around us whenever we need them. They may step away for some moments, but they make themselves known again during times we call upon them or when we are going through something challenging in our lives. Spirit knows when to step in and when to step away.

In recent readings, you have said that for most people, 2024 will be a year of abundance. 2024 has been marked spiritually by the number 8. The sum of all of the numbers in 2024 add up to 8. The number 8 angel signifies material wealth, financial abundance, and infinite energy. Spiritually, it means that our future goals, whatever they may be, are well within reach. You may be experiencing this already, but if it hasn’t happened for you yet, prepare for a beautiful year of abundance in all areas of your life as we move through the year.

Is there anything we can do to ensure that we receive all that the universe has to offer in 2024?

Absolutely! I encourage everyone to set your intentions, do your affirmations, and create your manifestations. Continue to release what doesn’t serve you so you can receive and be open to what does.

Can we learn to hear spirit on our own, without the help of medium?

Mediums have the ability to raise our vibrations to the energy level of spirit, which allows us to see signs and engage in a clearer communication between both worlds. However, I do believe everyone is shown signs and that as long as one has an open mind and open heart, we can all see, hear, smell, and feel our loved ones around us.

What are signs we should look out for?

Some signs that loved ones are around are butterflies, birds, coins, dollar bills, a feather, or even a specific scent of a flower or cigar. Signs are unique and individual to each person and their loved ones.

How can we know if spirit approves of the person we are dating?

For validation on specific questions, I advise my clients to give Spirit a sign that you feel connected to. For example, an eagle. Ask your guides to show you an eagle - whether on TV or in a magazine, or flying above - within a set time frame. If you see the sign, then you know your answer. However, keep in mind that, at the end of the day, you have to do what is best for you and serves your highest and greatest good. That means following your own intuition.

What is one thing you wish people understood about psychic mediums?

The biggest fallacy is that we are constantly communicating with Spirit and reading everyone around us. Personally, I set strong boundaries with Spirit. I open my mind to Spirit when I need to connect and communicate. I close to Spirit when I need time to do me and live my own life. People don’t understand the amount of energy that goes into reading and communicating with Spirit.

Can you read yourself?

I cannot read myself! I wish I could! Luckily, I have a gifted friend who I trust and can go to in times when I need guidance. But typically, I rely on the two things I encourage my clients to always lean on: my good sense and intuition.

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Getting Ready for the Season of Renewal

Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt

As the winter chill begins to thaw and the promise of spring beckons, it’s time to shake off the doldrums of the colder months and embrace the vibrant energy of the new season. Getting ready for spring isn’t just about shedding layers; it’s about revitalizing our bodies, our spaces, and our wardrobes to match the blossoming beauty all around us.

First and foremost, spring is the perfect time to focus on our physical health. After months of hibernation, our bodies may be craving movement and fresh air. Consider incorporating outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or even just taking leisurely walks in the park into your routine. Not only does exercise boost our mood and energy levels, but it also helps us shake off the sluggishness of winter and embrace the invigorating spirit of spring.

In addition to getting our bodies moving, spring is also the ideal time to embark on a little spring cleaning. There’s something incredibly satisfying about decluttering our living spaces and ushering in a sense of freshness and renewal. Set aside a weekend to tackle those neglected corners of your home, from organizing closets to deep-cleaning the kitchen. As you clear away the physical clutter, you’ll find that it’s also an opportunity to declutter your mind and create space for new beginnings.

And let’s not forget about our wardrobes! As the temperatures rise and the days grow longer, it’s time to pack away the heavy coats and wool sweaters and embrace lighter, brighter clothing options. Take stock of your wardrobe and identify any pieces that no longer spark joy or feel aligned with your personal style. Consider donating gently used items to local LGBTQ+ organizations or thrift stores, and treat yourself to a few key pieces that reflect the vibrancy of spring.

When refreshing your wardrobe for spring, think about incorporating cheerful colors, lightweight fabrics, and playful patterns that capture the essence of the season. From flowy sundresses to breezy button-down shirts, embrace pieces that make you feel confident, comfortable, and ready to take on whatever the season has in store.

Getting ready for spring is about more than just changing our calendars; it’s an opportunity to embrace a fresh start and embrace the beauty of renewal. By prioritizing our physical health, decluttering our living spaces, and refreshing our wardrobes, we can usher in the new season with a renewed sense of vitality and optimism. So, let’s bid farewell to winter’s chill and welcome the warmth and vibrancy of spring with open arms!

Photos by: Russ Bowen-Youngblood

Photos by : Erica Meade

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We all have those moments of ‘wait, did they just say that?’ Lucky for you, we compile the best of the best right here on this page. Want to join in on the b*tch session?

Submit your own nuggets to info@davidatlanta.com.

And I looked into the windows of her soul and said… b*tch!

Espresso martinis are just Red Bull vodkas that studied abroad and won’t stop bringing it up.

Listen, if thereʼs no constant validation, Iʼm not going.

is can’t be the same body that went to 3-day music festivals.

Sorry, I can’t elaborate on that because I forgot what I just said.

Crush went in for a fist bump, and I went in for a kiss…

I'm not stalking my ex. It's more like binge researching.

Photos by: Russ Bowen-Youngblood