We love our own DJ Reenie Kane. We admire our own events impresario Dan Contarino. 

These days Kane needs "a little help from her friends" as the popular song goes. Well, actually, to tell the truth she needs a lot of help and far beyond her friends. Contarino is taking immediate action to assist the troubled Kane.

Shockingly, Kane, well known in the music industry locally and nationally, suffered a major heart attack following her DJ set at the annual William Way Community Center Indigo Ball Fundraiser at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue on October 9.

"In addition to her condition when admitted to Methodist Hospital she was also diagnosed with a bad strain of pneumonia, on top of her current diabetes condition she's been battling the past few years. Due to the combined conditions, a typical bypass surgery could not be performed," explained Contarino.

During that weekend, the health challenge saga continued with Kane was transported to Jefferson Hospital ICU for "Phase One" of a series of surgeries. Her Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) caused her first "Cardiac Catheterization with Stent" surgery that was successful.

Within the next few months after recovering from "Phase One", Kane currently needs to begin "Heart Rehab Outpatient" sessions, in which unfortunately her insurance will not cover, naturally, and, according to Contarino, it is imperative for Kane to continue recovery for the next two coming surgeries.

"We're asking for the community's help to financially assist in her recovery," said Contarino.

Now longtime friend Contarino is busy organizing a fundraiser for the homegrown popular DJ, 8 p. m. to midnight, November 16, at Voyeur Nightclub, formerly Pure Night Club, 1221 St. James Street, Philadelphia, with a suggested minimum donation of $10.

A veteran DJ spinning for more than 30 years and Billboard Dance Music Reporter for years, Contarino said that Kane has helped shape what we know now as gay nightlife.

Together with her out lesbian partner, the beautiful and widely loved Adele, of just as many years,  Kane has been making both gay and straight people dance with an eclectic mix and a music catalog that rivals just about anyone in the world.

For decades, Kane has tremendously been involved in fundraisers for local charities and friends in need through the years. "Supporting others and giving back to the city's lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and queer community has always been a central part of Kane's own personal character," Contarino said.

Contarino has been signing on multiple Guest DJ's, both locally and nationally, who want to help Kane. The evening will also include raffles, food and drink specials during the night, donated from various groups. He is seeking sponsors of all kinds, even for door and raffle prizes.

Contarino is right about Kane's sweet and considerate and thoughtful nature. I recall my own surprise and delight more than seven years ago when after a benefit dance party for one of our community's worthy charities. A handful of days later, I received a package in the mail. It was a pile of DVDs, her DJ sets, as I had mentioned how much my domestic partner adored the evening's music spins. She remembered and took the time to send the gift.

I'm been a friend and fan of Kane for years. QUEERtimes just signed on as a media partner to help promote this worthy cause for one of our own in our community. Please join us!  Please help!

 

My sister and I have always had a funny way of getting to know each other that I'm sure some of you may be familiar with.  If one of us (both writers) ever gets lucky enough to nab autobiography book deals, we'd both just rather read the book.  We find little ways to not speak to each other but we seem to still know everything.  Our mom, my niece, Myspace and Facebook all make excellent middle women. 

So as I stood recently at the William Way Community Center's Grand Ballroom, Second Floor, looking at the United States Holocaust Memorial's traveling exhibition, "Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals," I was again searching for a way to better know my sister.   

On display now through December 4, the exhibit includes thirty panels of information, photographs, diagrams and images of documents, as well as an audio history. 

The exhibit gives an outline of the racial "cleansing" facilitated by none other than Adolf Hitler - who just happens to be my sister's #1 idol.  Big sis has a giant Nazi flag looming over dresser, she has countless books on Nazi Germany, and she even has a cat named Adolf.  She is openly racist, a white supremacist, and she packs a [pink] pistol at all times. 

Even so, she's not once made a homophobic comment toward me (to my face?) and she even helped set me up with one of my first girlfriends.  But yet I can't quite be my comfy homo self around her, because I'm constantly wondering.  Constantly wondering, but never asking.

So I stand at the exhibit.  I see a photograph of German butch women in suits and ties, cigars in hand, and it makes me grin. 

In the photograph I see my kind.  Are these people-who I've never met-my family, or is my sister my family?  It's hard to tell.  I read about the law 175 and I try to imagine if my sister would "denunce" me, or turn me into the Gestapo because I'm a lesbian.  I wonder if my sister loves me but simply thinks of me as an "enemy of the state" and would dismiss my eradication for the greater cause.  I wonder if she would support her gay ex-brother-in-law's castration or years of forced labor if it meant he could be "cured."  I wonder.

But I never ask, because I'm afraid of the answer. 

I'm scared that there would be a long pause while she gently tries to find a way to dance around the fact that she finds my lesbian identity absolutely abhorrent and disgusting.  And I'd like to think that maybe she never asks about me being gay because she's afraid that I'd tell her I think her racist, homophobic hatred is ugly, immature and ridiculous. 

Neither of us wants to hear it, so we don't call and when we see each other a few times a year we go for peace and good memories, then we happily return to our respective racist/homo worlds. 

We're waiting on the book, but, in the meantime, I highly suggest the exhibit at William Way. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; and 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, visit waygay.org

comments@QUEERtimes.net

 

I'm a huge enthusiast of the art of animation. Happily, there's a whole generation of new animators that are being educated at the University of the Arts, the nation's only university devoted exclusively to education and professional training in design, visual, media, and performing arts. And they have their own animation department and program.

This coming week, the Eleventh Annual Animation Show of Shows returns to The Caplan Center for the Performing Arts at the University of the Arts, Terra Building,  211 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 16th Floor, and presented by Acme Filmworks, Animation World Network, and the UArts' Media Arts Department,  7 p. m., on November 4.

Since 1998, Animation Show has selected the best in animated short films from the world's most renowned animation festivals and presented them at the major animation studios to inspire their animators and directors.

Organizer Ron Diamond has selected a group of innovative, fresh animated films. The method for selection was to amass for exhibition, a unique collection of work to the animation community based solely on quality, without regard for commercial criteria. It is in this tradition that the Animation Show of Shows is now shown internationally on the collegiate level as well as the professional level in order to promote the discovery of unique and inspirational animation.

This year's lineup will feature such films as Runaway, two-time Oscar® nominee Cordell Barker's latest film that features a wonderful story arc, well defined class distinctions, and impeccable comic timing; Chick, a film by Michal Socha that works to fluidly reimagine space and gender relations behind a strong narrative; and The Spine, the latest CGI incarnation from Oscar® winner Chris Landreth which illuminates a grotesque codependent relationship. Another highlight will include a new Bill Plympton short - Santa: the Fascist Years.

Diamond said that DVDs of previous years' Animation Show of Shows films will be available at the screening for sale for $5.00 each. Box sets of the Show are available for $30.00; the complete collected Show is available in 3 Box sets for $90.00.

The free of charge and open to the public event also encourages all animation professionals, students and faculty, agencies, motion picture industry professionals and the press to attend.

For more information, call 215.717.6000; visit www.uarts.edu