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Thom Cardwell to Receive
City of Hope Humanitarian Award |
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 City of Hope Northeast Region is proud to announce, "IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU Thom Cardwell," a special evening of awards and good-time roast of Thom Cardwell, one of the leading figures in Philadelphia's queer community, Thursday, September 18, 6 p.m., cocktail reception and 7 p. m., award presentation, at the Independence Visitors Center, One North Independence Mall West, 6th and Markets Sts., Philadelphia, with proceeds from the evening's event to benefit the City of Hope Cancer Center in Durate, California.
Philadelphia's own "Fashionista," emeritus member of GALA Arts, founding member/president of the Greater Philadelphia Professional Network (GPPN), development director of the Philadelphia Film Society, former educator at New Hampton School (NH) and Lakewood Prep (NJ), founding member of the Gay Philadelphia Travel Caucus, advisory board member of the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF), former editor-at-large of A&U (Arts & Understanding HIV/AIDS magazine) principal of BUCKmonkey, veteran columnist at Philadelphia Gay News (PGN), co-publisher/editor-at-large of QUEERtimes and "man-about-town" host of 1,001 events, Thom Cardwell will be roasted by a few of his fabulous friends and peers.
"Thom Cardwell is truly Philadelphia's own icon, from his days on American Bandstand to receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Arts for his contribution to arts, culture and film in the city and region," said Harry Giordano, the senior director of development for City of Hope Northeast Region, "He is truly a Renaissance man."
Giordano said that Caldwell will be presented with City of Hope's Humanitarian Award, one of its highest honors.
Beyond that, the proceeds of "IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU Thom Cardwell," according to Giordano, "will establish an Honorary Research Fellowship in HIV/AIDS at City of Hope Center in his name."
Honorary chairs will be Mayor Michael Nutter and Governor Edward G. Rendell. Program chair will be Nicole Cashman.
Roast chairs and roasters will include: Jay Arnold, Mark Beyerle, Laura Burkhardt, Janice Canfield, James Duggan, Michael Feighan, Dorian Hannaway, Mel Heifetz, Susan Helfrich, Bryan Hoffman, Councilmember James F. Kenney, Mary Patel, Michael D'Addesi, Mickey Rowley, Perry Monastero, Jimmy Rout and Rich Wolff.
For ticket and sponsorship information, call 800.344.8169; or Click HERE
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12th Street Gym |
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queerVOICE
Back to School - Back to Bullying?
James Duggan ©2008 |
Ready or not schools are about to reopen. Thousands of queer students across the state and the country will be returning to unprotected hallways, cafeterias, classrooms and school yards. These students will be welcomed with the familiar assault of the all-too-common antigay bully. These days the statistics are that queer teens are three times more likely to be bullied than heterosexual teens.
One recent study found that "a teenager, gay/ lesbian/ bisexual/ transgender teens additionally have to deal with harassment, threats, and violence directed at them on a daily basis. They suffer name-calling, with such antigay slurs as "homo", "faggot" and "sissy" about 26 times a day or once every 14 minutes.
In fact, the findings are startling. The research indicates that queer youth suffer the worst consequences of anti-queer bullying with one of three queer students being physically harassed due to his or her sexual orientation. One in six is beaten badly enough to require medical attention. They are four times more likely to be threatened with a weapon at school and are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide. Shockingly, twenty-eight percent drop out of school because of anti-queer bullying.
The Philadelphia School District has included Rule 18 in their Student Code of Conduct which states that students shall not violate the Anti-Harassment Policy of the District. A student violates this rule if he or she demands sexual favors or harasses, threatens, intimidates or otherwise creates a hostile school environment because of someone's gender, age, race, color, sexual orientation (known or perceived), gender identity expression (known or perceived), national origin, religion, Disability, socioeconomic status and/or political beliefs.
On the surface, it appears that the Philadelphia School district has protected its queer students. Clearly, it's a violation of the rule to harass a person because of their sexual orientation (known or perceived) and gender identity expression (known or perceived). But more than words we need to see action.
As the word "faggot" becomes the new "N" word in our schools, we need to see a concerted effort from our school districts to outright ban this word, along with all anti-queer words and rhetoric from our schools.
The Philadelphia School district needs to embrace its own policy (Policy 102) and renew their institutional commitment to teach all children in every school, a curriculum informed by the principles of gender-equity, multiracial and multicultural knowledge and perspectives, including but not limited to the history and experiences of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and various religious denominations as well as individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and disabled people.
This includes an official recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month on both its official calendar and in its schools, along with the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity lessons to middle school and high school curriculums.
In an open and public school system if individuals do not wish to respect queer students, queer achievements and history then they are free to go else where.
What actions do we need taken in our city and state?
Governor Edward G. Rendell and the legislative "leaders" of the queer community need to enact a statewide Anti-Bullying Law and they need to work with Philadelphia School District Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, and other state School Administrators, in protecting and securing a safe and healthy learning environment while advancing truth, acceptance and tolerance for thousands of queer students in Pennsylvania.
Damn the objections of anti-queer parents and students!
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Lift The Ban |
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What It Looks Like From Here
A Qt Exclusive
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 Call me crazy, please, that full summer moon, waxing and waning, for what it seems like days and days this week, has actually led me to read a recent article in the August 19 issue of METRO (go figure?) about legendary icon Yoko Ono.
While many of you might think that Yoko Ono was the first person to be credited with "being famous" for, well, being famous, she actually was an artist, visionary, peace activist, poet, long before she hooked up with The Beatles' John Lennon in the sack, and become one of the most famous married celebrity couples in contemporary history. Brad and Angelina who?
Lennon and Ono were pioneers, trendsetters and newsmakers. They wedded art, sex, activism and politics, something more popular now than then, before the world. They used their celebrity status to speak out. They celebrated the simple things in life (for years, I displayed a fairly thick, handheld, volume of visual word poems, entitled simply "Grapefruit" and read every few days another Chinese-fortune-cookie-like "lines of Zen wisdom" from Yoko Ono.
 One of their many peace rallies (why aren't we having those these days while wars and uprisings and other atrocities surround us--are we such too fat-in-the-head and lazy?) was their legendary "bed-in" in 1969 in Montreal, where they launched the original recording of "Give Peace a Chance."
Their "bed-in," a brilliantly radical but totally purposeful "performance art" piece, with its not-so-subtle sexual innuendo, rallied members of the "global village" to stop the guns, stop the conflict, end the war and "give peace a chance."
METRO columnist Zeth Lundy said that the 75-year-old Yoko Ono was actually surprised by the "song's lasting impact." She admitted that we need to "give peace a chance: more now than ever." Who can argue with that?
 Recently released, there's a digital collection of eight remixes of the Plastic Ono Band's "Give Peace a Chance (The Remixes)," that has literally topped Billboard's Hot Dance Club charts. Included in this new compilation are Yoko Ono's newly recorded spoken-word vocals.
"If you want to get through to somebody, you go to their stomach with your soup," she said, "[The remixes] are like soup. People give in to their bodies; their bodies will know what's important."
Of her life and loss, art and peace work, the wisely, worldly Yoko One answered, "We just did whatever we could and never looked back."
Hey, as the song goes, "All we are saying, is give peace a chance."
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Thank you |
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BUCKmonkey and QUEERtimes wishes to thank all our readers who attended the City of Hope's Celebrity Bartender night at Kiladare's on Headhouse Square last night, which featured Thom Cardwell and James Duggan. The two hour event raised over $2,500 for the City of Hope. Again, thank you for your support and generosity.
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Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation |
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I Wish I Had Said That: |
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Queer-friendly director of "Chasing Amy" and "Jersey Girl" to producer of "Small Town Gay Bar," New Jersey native Kevin Smith sounds off on being a gay icon, having a gay brother and why he's never worn chaps (Instinct, December 2007): "Growing up, I didn't know any gay people. . .though obviously I've known my brother Don my whole life, and he's gay. I don't think it was him hitting a turning point at a certain age. I believe that's who you are from the jump. It's genetic. You come out liking what you like."
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Celebrity icon David Beckham tells journalist Mike Zimmerman (Men's Health, September 2008) that he was told, growing up, how he'd never become a professional footballer in the United Kingdom, why he's most comfortable on the playing field and that one day soccer and that one day soccer will be majorly popular in the United States: "I never do anything where I don't believe in what I'm doing. I see that something could happen in U. S. soccer, that change isn't going to happen in a year or two. It's more of a 5-10-or even 15-year plan. I believe in it, and I believe that in years to come, this could be one of the biggest sports here in America."
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Investigative journalist Jim D'Entremont analyzes the issue of "California Marriage War" (The Guide, August 2008) and where everyone, on both sides of the aisle, and beyond, stand on the issue of everything from civil unions to same-sex marriage, the state of heterosexual marriages and what the presidential candidates, Obama and McCain, are and aren't saying about the issue as part of their campaigns and platforms: "[Governor of California Arnold] Schwarzenegger--who, as a moderate Republican, belongs to an endangered species in the Age of Bush--has no problem with the domestic partnership system still on the books in his state. Despite his declared disapproval of same-sex marriage, he has never stooped to ritual denunciation."
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I'm Glad I Never Said That!
A caller to the Right-wing radio show The Michael Gallagher Show ask, "if I'm understanding, California said because of sexual orientation, they can't deny you service, so, does that mean pedophiles could adopt?" Gallagher responses . . . "Well that's just, that's a great question. I mean, if you work in an adoption agency and a guy comes in saying, 'I like little girls and I want to adopt a nine-year old girl and I'm going to probably sleep with her while I'm at it,' could the adoption agency person say, 'well, excuse me, my religious beliefs find that, lead me to find that repugnant, I'm not going to do it.' Can he then turn around and sue the adoption agency and win like the lesbian did?"
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Thom's Table
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Blush in the Suburbs
 Suburbs much? You will once you've become a fan of chef/owner Nick Farina at Blush Restaurantand Bar, 24 North Merion Ave., in Bryn Mawr, PA.
One of the most creative chefs (seriously, folks) in the region, Fraina is challenging himself (that's good for us), as he is currently offering "a tasting menu," tailored to your specific tastes, on Mondays, even with choices at special prices, either of $30 for three courses or $50 for five courses, when you're really sporting a healthy appetite.
How much attention do you need? How much attention do you get? Plenty from Farina!
"It's a very personalized service and very customer-specific," explained Farina, "Here's how it works: You tell your server you want to order the chef's tasting menu. Either Nick or his sous chef will come right to your table and introduce himself. He'll get to know you, your likes, dislikes, allergies or other dietary restrictions.
He'll note that you love duck, hate mushrooms, adore tarragon, despise mustard. Then he'll head back to the kitchen, and custom-make a dinner that's sure to please even the most finicky of eaters."
Farina said that the three-course tasting includes appetizer, fish, and meat and the five-course tasting also includes salad and dessert. He'll include the wine pairings but those will be priced separately.
For more information, call 610.527.7700; visit dineatblush.com
Mexican Post hosts Happier Hour
Happy Hour at Mexican Post just got Happier! Viva la Mexico!
 Mexican Post, 1601 Cherry Street (Center City) and 104 Chestnut Street (Old City), is hosting their happy hour, every Monday - Friday from 5-7 p.m. at both of their locations in Center City and Old City.
Guests can enjoy $4 shots of Sauza Gold, Goldschlager, Jagermeister, and Jack Daniels, $3 Domestic Bottles, $4 Import Bottles, $2.75 Domestic Pints, $3.50 Imported Pints, $4.50 House Margaritas (on the rocks or up), and $5.25 Fruit Margaritas (on the rocks or up) in addition to $2.00 off the regular prices.
To enhance the libations, guests can order snacks at $2.99 during happy hour, including French Fries, Spanish Fries, Two Tacos (chicken, beef, or beans), Mexican Pizza (cheese or beef), Bar Quesadilla (cheese, chicken, beef, or beans), Bar Wings (spicy or BBQ).
At the Mexican Post Center City, guests can even celebrate happy hour outside sitting with your friends on their large outdoor patio.
For dining, guests can indulge the authentic Mexican cuisine created by executive chef Thiago Gomes.
For more information, call 215.568.2667 in Center City, and in Old City 215.923.5233 visit mexicanpost.com
Garces winner on Food Network
 What were you doing last Satruday night? One of Philadelphia's finest chef/owners Jose Garces of the popular Amada, Tinto and Distrito restaurants, competed and won against challenger chef Bobby Flay on Food Network's massively popular series "Iron Chef America."
Garces and Flay were in stiff competition to complete five dishes, incorporating the secret ingredient of "melon" and include a frozen component, all within the one hour popular show. In the end, Garces was announced the winner!
"I'm so extremely thankful to everyone at the Food Network and to my highly talented and skilled team who helped me succeed in this amazing opportunity" said Garces "It was an honor to compete against one of my peers, Bobby Flay.
This week, Garces will offer dishes that he prepared on Iron Chef America at his Philadelphia restaurants.
The special Food Network dishes will include: Desayuno, fresh melon, quail egg, bacon crisp, served with cream and maple and cooled with an espresso granite; Som Tum, Kobe beef with winter melon, radish, carrot, pickled honeydew and served with a peanut dressing topped with fresh herbs; and Sliced Ibérico & Cantaloupe Terrine, with melon, Serrano ice and served with a fresh herb salad.
 For the record, Flay specializes in Southwestern cuisine, has been a regular challenger for the popular Food Network show since 2005 and so far on the show Flay has had 19 wins, 9 losses and 2 draws. Prior to challenging Chef Garces in the kitchen, Flay's last defeat was in 2006.
At only 36, Garces has been exciting local foodies at his three restaurants and Chicago diners at his newest restaurant in his hometown. These days Garces has gained national recognition for being one of the country's most distinguished chefs, a reputation that he solidified with the tremendous success of his first restaurant Amada, an authentic Andalusian tapas bar, which opened to rave reviews in Fall 2005.
For more information, call 215.625.2450; visit amadaarestaurant.com
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Thom Cardwell's Roast |
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