Monday night I attended a staged reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, and it was pretty astounding. The reading, at Emerson's Majestic Theatre, was performed simultaneously with over 150 participating theatres around the GLOBE, and it began with a simulcast, via the interwebs, from the main theatre in NYC. The performs also coincided with the 11 year anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death on October 12. Members of the Tectonic Theatre Project, the group responsible for the original Laramie Project, returned to Laramie and conducted interviews with the town folk new and old. Some wouldn't comment, others tried to explain that Laramie is NOT a homophobic town, but because of the murder, that is what the town is known for, and some maintain that the murder was driven by drugs, or a robbery gone too far. In other words, they defend the theory that Matthew Shepard's murder was NOT a hate crime... idiots. Although, thanks to morons at 20/20, that theory has been given national attention... I'm never watchin 20/20 again.
What had the greatest impact on me was the interviews with the 2 men that committed this heinous crime, Russel Henderson and Aaron McKinney. Russel, in his interview, claimed to have remorse and guilt for what he had done, however, Aaron's interview was most haunting. Aaron's only guilt and remorse revolved around the disappointment he feels he inflicted on his father. He maintained to hate gays, and that he believed Matthew to be a sex predator, so to quote, "he had it coming". Really f'ing terrifying.
Following the reading, there was a short, live Q&A session with the Majestic audience and the president of GLAAD, a rep from ADL, and a woman from... somewhere that I can't remember, and anyway, they talked about how even today there is NO FEDERAL HATE CRIME LAW that extends to crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Currently there is a bill proposed to United States Congress, The Matthew Shepard Act, first introduced in 2001, currently, 8 years later, awaiting a vote from the Senate. Progress???... we'll see.
Anygay, seeing this performance the day after the rally in Washington of over 75,000 gay rights activists, made me realize that I should try to do something.
SO, today I applied to volunteer for GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). I would even love to one day work for the organization, and perhaps make it my career... my grandmother always told me I'd make a great politician... I AM HERE TO RECRUIT YOU!
Please check out more information on GLAAD and ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and if you are gay, know a gay, or just love gays, volunteer!
The pilot episode of "Nick & Nick" is set to shoot on October 25th, and we hope to release it to the interwebs by November. I hope we produce something worth watching, and that it will spark our brains to continue writing episodes. So far we only have 5 written episodes, but at our last production meeting, we decided that it was in our best interest to just get a pilot episode shot so that Nick and I can figure out our characters, our relationship, and our dynamic working together on a project in general.
This could not have come at a better time as I've felt a little under stimulated lately not being on Seriously Bent anymore. I didn't realize how big a role those jerks played in my life until I wasn't going to weekly rehearsals. They all continue to do pretty great things outside of SB, and I couldn't be prouder to watch them perform... with the exception of Kelly who's only accomplishment has been to unsuccessfully come out as a lesbian/Lady Ga Ga stalker.
Anyway, I'll keep all 6 of you up to date with the pilot and whatever progress we make on the show.
Halloween approaches fast!... WHAT AM I GOING TO BE???? All I can think of is Freddy Mercury (cliche) and a duel costume with Julia, me as Father Time and her as Mother Nature... you know, because she's rabid environmentalist with her 50 cats.
Alright so after the last entry where I scolded all of you, I am hereby inviting you to this week's Fashionably Late event at The Liberty Hotel, located across the street from the Charles/MGH T stop. Doors will open at 8PM, the fashion show begins at 10PM, and guess what!... the fashionable wears are from SHAKE THE TREE!!!
That's right folks, we've hit the glamor circuit with models and DJs and the whole thing. I will be attending along with our lovely owner Marian, rock star Shakers Rewan and Julie, AND the clothing will be accessorized by local jeweler, Marissa Bethany.
If you would like to attend, and why wouldn't you, please RSVP to the following address: fashion@libertyhotel.com
This is their website: http://www.libertyhotel.com/
How cool is this place?
I do hope you can attend, all it will cost you is a cocktail and or appetizer and or dinner... if you so choose! You can always just come for the sexy party of models and fashion and ME!
After spending my birthday in the New York City, I have come to this conclusion... Bostonians are cold and pretentious (a term formerly attached to my fiance Evan). The unfortunate thing is, NYC receives the connotation of being cold and pretentious, but really, it's not, Boston is! Now of course, I am making this judgment based on the wildly different experience I have in NYC gay bars versus Boston gay bars, however, just walking down the street in the West Village you can see a whole other climate of polite and pleasant. People make eye contact with you walk in NYC, it's occasional, but it happens!... and a smile is often attached!... Ok so maybe there were a few people that looked a little cold... But still, NEVER HAPPENS IN BOSTON. Why do we think we're so F'ing great??? Are we afraid of rejection because the sun neglects to warm our bodies and faces for so many months of the year, so we never look at each other? No, that cannot be it, because I refer to you the greatest city in America, Chicago. Chicago becomes colder than NYC and Boston combined in the winter, and their citizens are some of the loveliest people I have ever encountered... EVEN MID JANUARY.
I have been to many cities both around the world, and I have to say, Boston is the only city where I feel the asshole-vibe. I am not saying I do not enjoy this city and it's even "hipper" sister-city, Cambridge, but I honestly cannot stand the way we carry ourselves, with propriety and a sense of entitlement. I can also say this about our people because I have spent 100% of my time here working customer service or retail, so I am constantly facing the public, and let me tell you, the bad outweigh the good.
So remember this, the next time you feel the need to not hold a door open for someone, there is someone better than you other there! There is someone that dresses better, has read more books, seen more movies, eaten in more restaurants, written more poetry, created more art, taken more pictures, made more people laugh, read more newspapers, watched more sports, PLAYED more sports, ETC.
Next time you're walking down the street, make eye contact and even throw them a smile, you'll probs make their day.
Monday night I attended a staged reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, and it was pretty astounding. The reading, at Emerson's Majestic Theatre, was performed simultaneously with over 150 participating theatres around the GLOBE, and it began with a simulcast, via the interwebs, from the main theatre in NYC. The performs also coincided with the 11 year anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death on October 12. Members of the Tectonic Theatre Project, the group responsible for the original Laramie Project, returned to Laramie and conducted interviews with the town folk new and old. Some wouldn't comment, others tried to explain that Laramie is NOT a homophobic town, but because of the murder, that is what the town is known for, and some maintain that the murder was driven by drugs, or a robbery gone too far. In other words, they defend the theory that Matthew Shepard's murder was NOT a hate crime... idiots. Although, thanks to morons at 20/20, that theory has been given national attention... I'm never watchin 20/20 again.
