Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 9/21/09

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 38 September 21, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: September 21-27, 2009

MON: 9/21: St. Louis, MO: Judy Shepard signs copies of her new book "The Meaning of Matthew", her story of Matthew Shepard's murder and her becoming a gay rights activist. 7PM. Left Bank Books. Also: WED: 9/23: Denver, CO: . Time TBD. Tattered Cover Books. THU: 9/24: Boulder, CO: Time TBD. Boulder Book Store. SAT: 9/26: Salt Lake City, UT: 7PM. Sam Weller's Bookstore. http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Press_Media_Judy_BookTour09

MON: 9/21: New York, NY: Friends in Deed Gala taps Tommy Tune's "Steps in Time" with the Manhattan Rhythm Kings. www.FriendsInDeed.org

THU-SUN: 9/24-9/27: Provincetown, MA: Tennessee Williams Theater Festival. The gay playwright is honored by the gay resort and arts community. www.twptown.org

THU: 9/24: Providence, RI: Life is a Cabaret. LGBT Night at Trinity Rep for a performance of "Cabaret". www.trinityrep.com.

FRI-SUN: 9/25-9/27: Washington, DC: 5th Annual National LGBTQA College Student Career Conference. Educating, preparing, and empowering LGBTQA college students for the transition from academia to the workplace, www.outforwork.com.

SAT: 9/26: Los Angeles, CA: Point Honors. Cherry Jones receives The Point Courage Award from The Point Foundation, the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBT students of merit. www.pointfoundation.org.

SAT: 9/26: New Orleans, LA: Night of Divas. A benefit for the Forum for Equality, celebrating 20 years of service to the Louisiana LGBT community honoring Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. www.forumforequality.com

SUN: 9/27: New York, NY: 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market to benefit Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. 10AM-7PM. Shubert Alley. www.broadwaycares.org.

SUN: 9/27: West Hartford, CT: Life's A Drag....Let's Do Brunch. A Benefit for St. Philip House, which provides access to safe and affordable housing and other support services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Produced by The Imperial Sovereign Court of all Connecticut. www.ISCofAllCT.com

Newsworthy:

Alan Turing: Exonerated: The British government apologized to gay codebreaker Alan Turing, after thousands signed a petition calling for a formal British apology to the mathematician. During World War II, Turing, the father of modern computing, broke the Nazi enigma codes. Two years after being convicted of "gross indecency" and sentenced to undergo hormone therapy, he killed himself with a cyanide-laced apple. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/09/british-government-apologizes-to-gay-mathematician-alan-turing.html

Straight Spouses advocate same-sex marriage. "We are the unacknowledged victims of the victims of homophobia," said Amity Pierce Buxton, the founder of the Straight Spouse Network. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hoeQsa6LeRFLvMbJzyRj3Axm7DJgD9AN1FHO4

Hearsay: There's a gay wedding in "Sex and The City 2" involving Mario Cantone and Liza Minnelli. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/will-mario-cantone-and-liza-minnelli-enjoy-big-gay-wedding-sex-and-city-2/

The Buzz (People Making News)

Ellen DeGeneres has replaced PaulaAbdul as a judge on American Idol. People Magazine reports: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20303396,00.html

Jodie Foster: Single Again. Jodie dumped Cydney for Cindy who dumped Jodie for Amanda, her ex. The Daily Mail reports. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1212828/Jodie-Foster-devastated-dumped-lesbian-lover.html

Awards and Honors:

Creative Emmy Awards: For the complete list of nominees and winners: http://cdn.emmys.tv/awards/2009ptemmys/61stemmys_nomswin.php

In Memoriam:

Army Archerd, the longtime Variety showbiz gossip columnist died on 9/08/09, at age 87. In 1985, he reported on Rock Hudson's fight with AIDS. Archerd was both praised and criticized for the column, which essentially outed Hudson (who died 10 weeks later) and exposed the two-faced attitude toward homosexuality that was prevalent in Hollywood and elsewhere at the time. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/arts/10archerd.html?_r=2&ref=arts

Features

Two Profiles: Neil Patrick Harris prepares to host the Emmys (on Sunday). The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/arts/television/12harris.html?_r=1&ref=arts
How he became Hollywood's first (openly) gay breakthrough star. New York Magazine reports (their cover story):
http://nymag.com/arts/tv/profiles/59002/

The Resource Center:

Human Rights Campaign 2010 Corporate Equality Index. Which companies do best towards LGBT employees and consumers: http://www.hrc.org/issues/workplace/cei.htm

In Print: Fall Previews:

***Band of Thebes. Great Information on upcoming LGBT books. http://bandofthebes.typepad.com/bandofthebes/2009/09/big-fall.html
***New Book Releases. The Washington Blade Reports: http://www.washblade.com/2009/9-11/arts/books/15153.cfm

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***A Steady Rain. It's raining men (Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman) in the two-character Keith Huff play about two Chicago cops who are lifelong friends. to 12/06/09. www.asteadyrain.com.
***Billy Elliot, Elton John’s Tony-winning musical about a boy who wants to become a ballet dancer. www.billyelliotbroadway.com.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
*** Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Nora and Delia Ephron's new play. Tyne Daly and Rosie O’Donnell star 9/21/09-10/18/09. www.LoveLossOnStage.com
***Vigil. Malcolm Gets stars in Morris Panych's comedy. to 11/22/09.
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org

Elsewhere...

***Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today. Cumming's show based on his new CD. 9/26/09, Costa Mesa, CA. www.iboughtabluecartoday.com.
***F__king Men. Joe DiPietro’s adaptation of Schnitzler's 19th century "La Ronde" which observes the sex lives of modern gay America. to 10/25/09. Hollywood, CA.
www.celebrationtheatre.com
***Margaret Cho in concert.. 9/21/09, Annapolis, MD. www.margaretcho.com.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the revival of the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta. 9/24/09-11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***The Picture of Dorian Gray, gay Oscar Wilde's scandalous thriller about a handsome young man (Roderick Hill) who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. to 10/04/09. Bethesda, MD. www.roundhousetheatre.org.

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Out on Screen...

***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening: 9/25/09-10/01/09 at the Gene Siskel Studio in Chicago. www.hannahfree.com
***Hump Day. Two straight dudes contemplate going gay to enter and win Humpfest, Seattle's amateur porn contest.
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***Taking Woodstock. Ang Lee's new film about the rock festival based on Elliot Tiber's memoir. Demetri Martin stars as the gay Tiber. Liev Schriber plays a transvestite; Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays a closeted married guy who has an affair with Tiber.

Out On Video & DVD

***A Jihad for Love, the daring documentary filmed in 12 countries in which Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma explores the intersections of Islam and homosexuality.
***Grey Gardens, a new movie about eccentric Jackie O cousins Edie Beale and her mother, starring Drew Barrymore as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as her mother Big Edie.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Kiki & Herb Live at The Knitting Factory. The Tony-nominated gender-bending downtown club act.
***Mad Men, Season 2. Look for Bryan Batt as a closeted ad exec in this TV drama about a 1960s ad agency.

On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.

Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/tvgayed

Fall Preview. Gay TV. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2009/9-11/arts/television/15156.cfm

***September: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***September: Were The World Mine, one of the most buzz-worthy films in recent years. The tale of a contmporary all-boys high school taking on Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” On Logo On Demand throughout the month of September.

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

Touring Through October: Judy Shepard signs copies of her new book "The Meaning of Matthew", her story of Matthew Shepard's murder and her becoming a gay rights activist. http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Press_Media_Judy_BookTour09

Touring through November: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Dates on website. http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html

9/29/09-10/04/09: Palm Springs, CA: IAGLBC Annual Bridge Tournament. sponsored by the International Association of Gay & Lesbian Bridge Clubs. www.GayBridge.org

9/30/09: Washington, DC: Stuart Weisberg signs copies of his new biography: "Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman" 6:30PM. Lambda Rising Bookstore. www.lambdarising.com. Also: 10/01/09: Rockville, MD: 7PM. Rockville Library.

10/02/09-10/04/09: Anaheim, CA: Gay Days Anaheim. the unofficial gay days at Disneyland. www.GayDaysAnaheim.com.

10/03/09: Bristol, CT: Out on The Lake at Lake Compounce. http://www.oicgifts.com/outinthepark/outatthelake/index.html

10/04/09: San Francisco, CA: Castro Street Fair. the arts & community groups street fair co-founded by Harvey Milk. www.castrostreetfair.org

10/05/09: New York, NY: A Place At the Table. Rufus Wainwright headlines the benefit for the Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. www.aliforneycenter.org/

10/05/09: Washington, DC: Barney Frank signs copies of his new biography by Stuart Weisberg. 8PM. 6th and I Street Synagogue.

10/08/09-10/11/09: Washington, DC: Gay Bowl IX: The National Gay Flag Football Championship Tournament. www.dcmonuments.blogspot.com, .

10/08/09-10/11/09: Sacramento, CA: Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. www.siglff.org

10/10/09-10/11/09: Washington, DC: Equality Across America: The National Equality March. www.NationalEqualityMarch.com

10/11/09: Los Angeles, CA: Broadway Voices for Arts in Education. A benefit starring Carol Channing, Sam Harris, and Jason Graae. UCLA Royce Hall. 310-825-2101

10/11/09: Nationwide: National Coming Out Day. www.hrc.com/ncop

10/12/09: Nationwide: The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. A new epilogue to Moises Kaufman's award-winning theatrical docudrama, a study of the murder of Matthew Shepard, will be performed in over 100 theatres in all 50 states and several countries. www.laramieproject.org.

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: The Emmy Awards

1. Question: Name this 2003 Emmy winner, a PFLAG Mom who moved from song to variety series to movies and to spectacle. Hint: She has an Oscar too. Answer: Cher.

2. Question: Name this award-winning stand-up comic, sitcom-star and new talk show host, who came out on in a Time Magazine cover story in 1997, just weeks before her TV character did the same. Answer: Ellen DeGeneres.

3. Question: Name this award-winning TV talk show host who came out to Diane Sawyer in 2002 on a program about gay parenting. She once joked with the answer to question #2 about being “lebanese”. Answer: Rosie O’Donnell.

4. Question: Name this sometimes gay-themed three-night TV mini-series, which premiered on PBS in 1994, bringing the network its highest ratings in TV history. Subsequent sequels went to cable, because PBS funders got nervous about its subject matter. Answer: Tales of the City, based on Armistead Maupin’s serial about a household in San Francisco with gay, straight, and TG characters. .

5. Question: Name this made-for-TV movie, the first network effort about AIDS, in which a young gay lawyer is diagnosed HIV+ and comes home. It premiered during November sweeps in 1985. Answer: An Early Frost with Aidan Quinn.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Touchdown

1. Question: Name this NFL running back, who is 1975, became one of the first professional athletes to come out. He was an All-American running back at The University of Washington, where he was signed by the San Francisco 49ers. He played pro-football from 1964 to 1972.

2. Question: Name this NFL offensive lineman with the New York Giants and later with the Washington Redskins during Super Bowl XVIII in 1984. In 1992, he came out on the Phil Donahue Show.

3. Question: Name this NFL defensive lineman, born of Samoan ancestry, and nicknamed "Mr. Aloha". He reached the Super Bowl in 1998 while playing with the Atlanta Falcons. He also played for the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers during his career. He came out on HBO's "Real Sports" in 2002.

4. Question: Name this gay or bi football player who was a tight end for the NFL's Washington Redskins from 1965–1977. Sports Illustrated called him "an outstanding receiver among tight ends, with the ability to break open for a long gain." He was the first former professional football player to die of AIDS.

The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/