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queerVOICE
And Now For Something Totally Local
James Duggan
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As I wrote in my column last December, Mayor Nutter has eliminated the funding of festivals . . . well, welcome to the reality of today as Equality Forum, Philly Pride, Philadelphia Black Gay Pride, and the queer film festival have all lost their city funding due to the economy. However, some are trying to spin this as some kind of slight to the queer community . . . considered "unfair" to us since we overwhelmingly supported the Mayor during his election bid. [Reality Check: QUEERtimes was the only organization to openly endorse Mayor Nutter during the primary, which in Philadelphia is synonymous to a general election.]
I believe that such an argument does not serve our claim for equality but rather makes us appear to be claiming privilege for who we are and who we supported. Since this is an across the board funding cut for all parades, festivals, and events regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, I do not believe that a claim can be made that Mayor Nutter is either turning his back on the queer community or is not being fair handed. It appears that we are all being treated equally here.
I do however absolutely disagree with the Mayor that cutting funds to revenue generating events is somehow good for the city. With our economy in the state that it is the city needs to embrace every revenue-generating opportunity available. But while I believe his actions are counter-productive I do understand and appreciate his argument that with the forced closing of libraries and firehouses, the city simply can not afford to fund special events or interests. According to the mayor's spokesperson, Doug Oliver, "the simple fact remains that the city has been faced with back-to-back billion-dollar [budget] cuts."
However, if we queers along with the Irish, Puerto Ricans, African-Americans, Italians, Asians, et al., are going to be told our parade, festival, or event funding is not only being cut but completely eliminated then we must expect deeper cuts from both the Mayor's office and City Council. We, the people, have always been willing to do our part to help in difficult times but the Mayor and members of City Council need to do their part and more.
To help in this effort I believe City Council members need to immediately relinquish all city owned vehicles and furlough any and all drivers. They neither need them nor deserve them. If a Council member's office needs a car for an essential service then they can request one out of a central service pool of vehicles. For that matter the city needs to remove as many of their 900 non-emergency service cars from service immediately. For example, does Philadelphia's Register of Wills really need a city owned car? I think not!
Next, an in depth review of executive staffing needs to take place at every level of city government. At minimum Mayor Nutter should immediately eliminate at least three of his deputies and Council Members should immediately eliminate at least one aid per member while working on a strategy to eliminate the waste and redundancy found in our city government.
Wait a minute . . . look at that . . . we just found enough money to re-fund all the city's revenue producing parades, festivals and events. Now all we need is to get the Mayor and City Council to do the right thing and cut out the waste and privilege they have enjoyed for far too long.
Comments: james@QUEERtimes.net
Qt welcomes it's first national advertiser! Check the out today!
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What It Looks Like From Here
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2009 |
I've always loved singing, especially in a chorus, from my college days to decades ago, being a member of the Spruce Street Singers, and even participating in the GALA of 1989 in Seattle where I unwittingly met my husband who was a dedicated member of the Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus.
From that experience, I relocated from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and never looked back. Though he was lost to AIDS a few short years later, I've always had
a special place in my heart for gay men's chorus groups everywhere!
And the wonderfully entertaining Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) is one of them. They're going to brighten up the coming of Spring with their special seasonal concert, " That 80's Show," March 20 and 21, with evening performances at 8 p.m., and a Saturday matinee, 2 p.m. on March 21, at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street, Center City, Philadelphia. According to the PMGC's press release, "We knew something was different on that morning in 1981 when we turned on our TV and screamed at it, 'I want my MTV!' "They continue, "But we had no idea then what a decade the 80's would turn out to be: Michael Jackson took the world of pop by storm back when he still had a nose. We got physical with Olivia Newton-John, came out with Diana Ross, took to the "Freeway of Love" to cure our addiction, and didn't need Weather Girls to tell us it was raining men outside. We woke up to Ronald Reagan's morning in America and put the decade to bed trying to read George Bush's lips. Now we're ready to release our inner yuppie and relive that wonderful mishmash of a decade with some of its biggest hits."
Tickets are $20, $30, and $50 (VIP). VIP seats are available at the 8 p.m. performances only and include a pre-concert reception. There are a limited number of $20 seats per performance.
Come out to support this queer community-based musical performance group and have an enjoyable evening, too!
For information, call Upstages at the Prince Music Theater at 215.569.9700; or visit
princemusictheater.org
For information on PGMC, visit pgmc.org
Books are another passion of mine. I know that lots of people these days would rather opt for reading even books online. These people (are you among them?) have pretty much killed the newspaper and magazine industries as the print media isn't something that needs to exist physically. But I'm old-fashioned with books as I adore them as objects and want to experience holding them in my hands to read! In fact, I collect them!
Anyone who knows me, knows that my house is literally full of books. I aspire to amass an impressive library, reflecting my passions and tastes, from queer authors to literature to biography to fashion to arts to photography to cookbooks to poetry to travel to film.
 There's another book for me to add to the piles of "must have/must read" as I adore Flannery O'Connor ever since, as a graduate student, I read her short story, " Parker's Back," an astonishing tale of tattoos and Catholicism. Queer writer/biographer Brad Gooch curiously takes on the life and times of this peculiar but brilliantly talented Southern writer. His biography, simply titled, " Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor" (Little, Brown & Company, 2009) was recently reviewed in The New York Times Book Review (March 1, 2009) by Joy Williams.
"Flannery. She liked to drink Coca-Cola mixed with coffee. She gave her mother, Regina, a mule for Mother's Day. She went to bed at 9 and said she was always glad to get there. After Kennedy's assassination she said: 'I am sad about the president. But I like the new one.' As a child she sewed outfits for her chickens and wanted to be a cartoonist."
Called a "one-woman academic industry" by Gooch, O'Connor attracted many fans among her readers, especially other writers from Elizabeth Harwick to Mary McCarthy to Robert Fitzgerald. Her fiction has a distinct and uniquely personal voice, clearly Southern and vividly alive with unforgettable characters who populate the O'Connor world--so familiar and yet so strange.
There is a large leap of faith (ironic to mention that when talking about O'Connor who was obsessed with Catholicism and the role that religion plays in society) from writing about queer poet and art critic Frank O'Hara to the simple, plain and least glamorous O'Connor.
Of Gooch, Williams writes, "The author of 'City Poet: The Life and Times of Frank O'Hara,' he would seem a curious choice to address the theological tragicomic thickets of her work and brave the vast repository of O'Connoriana. The artsy world of O'Hara--which Gooch describes as a long 'incestuous fevered party'--urbane, wild, famous--is a galaxy removed from O'Connor's."
Yet Gooch, one of the best queer writers of the day, is worth reading whenever he pens a biography of anyone who stirs his passion and warrants his attention.
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speakOUT on the Qt!
copyright 2009 |
This Week's Contributor: Equality Advocates  Did you know that across Pennsylvania, it is completely legal to fire someone from their job simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression? Although some local jurisdictions have protections against this type of discrimination, nearly 80% of Pennsylvanians live in areas with absolutely no protection.
This week, Representative Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny County) introduced House Bill 300 with 78 other co-sponsors from every corner of the Commonwealth. H.B. 300 would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to protect people against discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations because of one's sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. For more information on this week's announcement, click here. Recent polling shows broad-based support for this bill from every area across the Commonwealth, but our officials need to hear from us!
Join other LGBT and allied people from across Pennsylvania in Harrisburg for our statewide lobby day and rally on Tuesday, March 17 to "Rock the Dome" and speak, together as one community, and one voice, for fairness and equality for all Pennsylvanians! The Lobby Day and Rally is organized by the Value All Families Coalition, comprised of statewide, regional, and local organizations promoting LGBT equality. Click HERE to send us an e-mail to RSVP!
Whether you're a seasoned activist or you've never spoken to your legislator before, we will provide all the information you need to successfully advocate to your elected officials on LGBT-related issues. We will provide all the training you need, a free lunch, and then together fill the historic Capitol Rotunda to rally for equality!
Join us at 11:30am at St. Michael's Lutheran Church (118 State Street) for a complimentary lunch and advocacy training. At 1:00pm we will move to the Capitol Rotunda for the rally, and afterward speak with our legislators on the importance of passing this non-discrimination bill.
For those coming from Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, we are providing free transportation to Harrisburg on a first-come, first-serve basis. To reserve your seats on the bus from Philadelphia,click here, and for a seat on the bus from Pittsburgh, click here. The bus will leave Pittsburgh at 7:30am from IBEW Local Union Number 5 at 5 Hot Metal Street in Pittsburgh (free parking available). Plan to be back around 7:30pm. Buses will be leaving from Center City, Philadelphia at 9:00am, location to be announced shortly.
Our elected officials need to hear from every one of us about this important legislation, so I hope you will attend the March 17 Lobby Day and Rally!
If we stand up and speak out with one voice, we will see this important legislation move forward in the statehouse! See you all on Tuesday, March 17!
[speakOUT on the Qt is a new opinion column, by guest writers. Do you have something to say that you wish to share with fellow QUEERtimes readers? Then submit your column by Tuesday, noon, for publication in the Friday of the same week. The publishers reserve the right to accept, decline or edit, for content, style, accuracy, and space, from what you submit. Anonymous submissions will be rejected without being read. A byline posting is required. Up to 450 word submissions accepted which must be accompanied by your personal contact information for verification.] Send copy to james@QUEERtimes.net
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Thoms' Table
A Qt Exclusive
Thom Cardwell
Copyright 2009 |
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It seems that almost virtually everyone is offering good "meal deals" at their restaurants these days. With both the economic downturn coupled with the rise in competition in Philadelphia as a dining destination, some of the most well-known among restaurants is also joining the movement.
 Le Bec-Fin, 1523 Walnut Street, in its new reincarnation, is currently featuring a three course pre-fixe menu, chosen from the regular a la carte offerings, for $35 person exclusive of tax, gratuity, and alcohol, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., from Monday to Friday.
If you want to treat yourself for lunch, there's another meal deal at both Le Bec-Fin and Le Bar Lyonnais which have opened for lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., from Monday to Saturday, with an Express Lunch for $15.23 that includes a choice of soup du jour or field greens salad followed by Chef Perrier's Burger Lyonnais which is a grilled prime burger served on a brioche bun with caramelized onion puree, cherry tomato confiture, and pomme frites. You can also select from such lunch selections as wild mushroom risootom, crab gallette sandwich or salad Lyonnaise.
After work, Le Bar Lyonnais is offering a Happy Hour, 5 - 7 p. m., from Monday to Friday, with
complimentary hors d'oeuvresand selected $5.00 drinks.
For more information, 215.567.1000; or visit lebecfin.com
 Whenever you're out in the suburbs, Plate Restaurant, 105 Coulter Avenue, Suburban Square, Ardmore, you can take advantage of the "Stimulus Dining Package" at the restaurant's main bar, after 5 p.m., from Monday to Thursday, when diners can now enjoy two glasses of wine or beer and an appetizer for just $20.
Chef/owner David Mantelmacher will offer up choices such as a bowl of steamed Prince Edward Island mussels, a seared tuna burrito, or a hearty portion of crispy calamari with shredded slaw and chili vinaigrette.
Plate Restaurant is an inviting, stylish and affordable suburban dining destination that is now open for lunch and dinner daily, and also featuring Sunday brunch.
For more information, call 610.642.5900; or visit platerestaurant.com
 Why not celebrate Philly Beer Week at World Live Cafe, 3025 Walnut Street, in University City, for Victory Beer Dinner, 4 p.m., March 15, for a delicious five course dinner prepared by Executive Chef Matthew Babbage and tasty beer samplings, for $45 per person, not including tax and gratuity.
The special evening will begin with an opening reception, hosted by Bill Covaleski, Brewmaster and President of Victory Brewing Company, will feature the new Three Ring Ale. This unique beer reanimates the past with a brew inspired by the most popular national ale of Philly's jazz scene glory days and offers a surprising amount of whole flower cascade hops. In addition, other beer labels will include: Prima Pils, Golden Monkey, Hop Wallop, Baltic Thunder and V-12.
Babbage's menu will pair beers with smoked cheddar bisque with horseradish croutons or lentil soup with horseradish croutons (vegan) for first course; roasted Bosc pear and arugula with candied pecans and charred shallot vinaigrette (vegan) for second course; Roth Kase Knight's Vail aged cow's milk cheese made in Wisconsin, with dried fruits & nuts for third course; Baltic Thunder marinated pork tenderloin wrapped in crisp apple wood smoked bacon, with rosti and brussels sprouts or roasted root vegetables with wild and domestic mushroom reduction, rosti and brussels sprouts (vegan) for fourth course; and apricot bread pudding with V-12 caramel sauce for fifth course.
The dining experience will be enhanced with live jazz by The Craig Thomas Quartet, who has
accompanied such pop icons as Vic Damone and Frank Sinatra, and has toured with jazz great Pat Martino.
For more information, call 215.222.1400; or visit worldcafelive.com
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What They Said:
copyrighted 2009 |
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 Queer heartthrob Rupert Everett, now 50, has played the romantic lead and even the gay best friend, opposite everyone from Madonna ("The Next Best Thing") to Julia Roberts ("My Best Friend's Wedding"), in a career that has definitely has its ups and downs, its extreme highs and its equally extreme lows. As Everett is about to take the stage on Broadway (and, hopefully, New York audiences, by storm) in a revival of queer Noel Coward's classic caper, "Blithe Spirit," and costarring Angela Lanesbury, he spoke to Alex Witchell (The New York Times Magazine, February 27, 2009) about being out, a movie star, a romantic lead and his likes and dislikes about everything. Opinions aren't something that Everett were suffers a shortage! "I wanted to be a movie star. You can't say about work that I didn't try very hard. That really wasn't true. I've always been a great opportunist, but the opportunity was not always there. I had a difficult set of circumstances to deal with, particularly for a movie career . . . I think success in show business is a very heady wine when you're a kid, particularly if it happens small, because you're always trying to make it grow. There's no happy moment in it, because you're just grasping and elbowing, elbowing, elbowing your way to the next stop. And you make lots of wrong decisions because of it."
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 Queer (though many of his followers are in denial) neo-Nazi Austrian Jorg Haider, killed at 58 after a lovers' quarrel at a party and drunk, is profiled by Kevin Gray (Details, March 2008) in an in-depth look at this controversial figure from his public politics to his private life, including the details of his paramour at the time of his death, his press secretary, Stefan Petzner. A decedent of a father who had been a member of the Hitler Youth and a mother who had been a member of the Nazi League of German Maidens, Gray writes: "Haider soon became Austria's most polarizing figure. He wasn't the first to appeal to his parents' generation's nostalgia for Nazism, but he was the first to make it mainstream--tailoring neo-Fascist ideology to fit a growing resentment about globalization and immigration, and selling it with charisma and political theatrics. He was a shrewd populist who championed free kindergarten and handed out 5,000 ski passes to celebrate his 50th birthday. He lived on a $13 million baronial estate, which an uncle of his had bought cheap in 1941 from a Jew fleeing after the Anschluss."
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 Queer designer Marc Jacobs, like Calvin Klein, Zac Posen and Vera Wang, to mention a few, all scaled back, in various ways, their trade shows and, especially, the parties, at this year's Fashion Week, the once World Fair of the fashion industry, in New York City. This year, economics definitely impacted the mood and glamour of the event, reported New York Magazine(February 23, 2009). Of Jacobs, the editors wrote: "And in the most austere move of all, Marc Jacobs cut the guest list for his show from 1,800 to 700, and completely eliminated his notorious celebrity quotient." And from Jacobs PR woman Kate Waters explained, "I've been getting text messages all week saying, 'Poor you.'" Still, Waters continues, "only a handful of people have been really awful. The real irony is that they're the ones who really have no reason to be there anyway--the real borderline people." And Jacobs; company president growled, "No one gets a plus-one. I made an exception for one person, and one person only--and that's Anna Wintour."
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Featured Event on the Qt! |
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 It's that time of year--again--already for the "Red Ball," the annual red-tie optional see-and-be-seen benefit event for the American Red Cross Pennsylvania and Southeastern Pennsylvania, on Saturday, March 7, from 8 p.m. to midnight at the newly renovated Please Touch Museum (formerly Memorial Hall), 210 North 21st St.
Recession or no recession--1000+ young professionals dress to the nines, wearing some to all red clothing, sample culinary delights prepared by Philadelphia's hottest chefs, visit the Ketel One Martini ice bar and dance the night away with entertainment provided by CTO Big Walt and the Groove and CTO Tribeca.
Unlike some charity events, this one gives all of the proceeds from The Red Ball to support the operation of Red Cross House, a one-of-a-kind short-term housing facility in West Philadelphia where hundreds of local families every year begin their recovery from fires and other disasters affecting their lives.
It's truly one of the highlights of the season among charity balls so make sure to purchase your tickets before it's too late and they're completely sold out!
For more information, visit theredball.org
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Events on the Qt! |
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Thursday (March 12)
 QOTA (Queers on the Avenue)
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Paradiso, 1627 East Passyunk Avenue,Philadelphia, between Tasker & Morris, 2nd Floor
Why: Because some of us want a night without a taxi ride home and some of us just want a change of scenery
WHAT ELSE: Paradiso will offer drink specials and lite apps
Admission is free and all are welcome!
HOW DO I GET THERE? From Center City, take the C Bus or Broad Street line to the Tasker-Morris stop, walk about 2-3 blocks east on Tasker or Morris to Passyunk Ave.
QOTA is a new monthly social event in South Philadelphia for our LGBTQ neighbors, friends and allies.
Hew Location Every Month. To stay informed on upcoming locations and dates, join our group on Facebook -QOTA -or visit visiteastpassyunk.com.
For more information, contact Renee at 215.336.1455 or renee@visiteastpassyunk.com
Sunday (March 15)
 Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay
ä
An Irish Tea Dance
This year's Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay event is bigger and better then last year! Don't miss out on the number one t-shirt give-away in Philadelphia. . . everyone wants one . . . ARRIVE EARLY because supplies won't last.
Just a $10 donation . . . more if you have it . . . gets you the following:
Dancing · Drink Specials · Food · Collectible Tees* · Prizes · Free Drink
Tickets only available at the door.
Benefits Delaware Valley Legacy Fund
For more information, visit QUEERtimes.net/Kiss_Me
* While Supplies Last / Drink specials end at 8 p.m.
Saturday (March 28)
 Shut Up & Dance 2009
For the seventeenth consecutive year, dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet join forces for Shut Up & Dance - a one-night-only benefit performance for MANNA at THE FORREST THEATRE (1114 Walnut Street) on SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009 at 8:00 PM.
MANNA prepares and delivers delicious, nourishing meals and counsel for people at acute nutritional risk due to life-threatening illness, empowering those individuals to battle their illness and improve their quality of life.
Hosted by WXPN Morning Show Personality Michaela Majoun, Shut Up & Dance features original works, choreographed and performed by the dancers. Reserved seating tickets to Shut Up & Dance range from $50 to $100.
The evening's excitement will continue at the Shout with Sole: a spicy after-party with The Dancers from 9:30 PM to midnight at SoleFood Restaurant at Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market Street. Hosted by DJ Robert Drake from WXPN, reserved after-party tickets can be purchased for $100.
All tickets can be purchased by calling 215-496-2662 x136, online at mannapa.org, and at MANNA (12 S. 23rd Street, Philadelphia, entrance on Ranstead Street), or at The Forrest Theatre Box Office on 3/28/09 beginning at 12:00 NOON.
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Quick Takes: The Red Carpet Party |
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James Duggan, Thom Cardwell with the Directors of the Traverse Arts Project.
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The crew that helped make the evening such a great success. | |
