Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 11/16/09

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 46 November 16, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: November 16-22, 2009

Just Added!!!: FRI: 11/13: San Francisco, CA: William J. Mann does a reading/booksigning for his new biography: "How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood". A Different Light. http://adleventscastro.blogspot.com/

FRI-SUN: 11/20-11/22: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference

SUN: 11/22: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org

Newsworthy:

Election 2009: Maine: Backers of Same-Sex Marriage vow to keep fighting despite defeat at the polls. the Boston Globe reports: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/11/backers_of_same.html

Election 2009: The Maine Event. The New York Times Opinionator Blog tries to figure out what went wrong in the vote on same-sex marriage. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/maine-event/

Election 2009: Mark Kleinschmid was elected Mayor of Chapel Hill, NC. He's the third openly-gay mayor in North Carolina. Q-Notes reports: http://www.q-notes.com/4182/openly-gay-kleinschmidt-is-next-chapel-hill-mayor/

Election 2009: Houston, TX: City Controller Annise Parker was the top vote getter in the 11/03/09 mayoral election and now advances to a runoff next month against former city attorney Gene Locke. If Parker, a lesbian, wins the December election, Houston will become the largest U.S. city with an openly gay mayor.The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2009/11-6/news/national/15512.cfm

New Jersey: Now that the gay marriage fight is over in Maine (for the time being), the battle moves on to the Garden State. New Jersey currently recognizes civil unions. The Wall Street Journal reports: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125754593369434611.html

New York: The Senate delayed its vote on gay marriage bill. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/nyregion/11albany.html

Utah: Salt Lake City's City Council passed a bill prohibiting LGBT discrimination in housing and employment, after a Mormon endorsement. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/mormon-church-to-shift-on-gay-policies.html

High School Dress Code. When genders bend the rules, schools struggle. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/fashion/08cross.html

Returning: The Tempermentals, Jon Maran's acclaimed drama about Harry Hay (Thomas Jay Ryan), designer Rudi Gernreich (Michael Urie of "Ugly Betty") and friends as they form The Mattachine Society before Stonewall, was last summer's Off-Broadway hit. It returns for an unlimited run, opening 2/18/10. www.thetemperamentals.com

Awards and Honors:

Neil Patrick Harris will receive the Trevor Project's 2009 Life Award at the organization's holiday gala, Cracked Xmas 12, to be held in Los Angeles on 12/06/09. The Trevor Project is a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth. www.thetrevorproject.org.

Nominees: People's Choice Awards include: Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris and Adam Lambert. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gavYkc3odMovcZe7uYH-9iU8YBWQD9BSPVP80

Features

Profile: Lee Daniels, the out director of "Precious", a new film making waves. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/director-daniels-talks-precious-which-is-setting-box-office-records.html

In Print:

How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood by William J. Mann. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. A new biography of Taylor by the gay historian, biographer and novelist. williamjmann.com

You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs. St. Martin's Press. The out author of "Running With Scissors" has a new book of humor and essays about the holiday season, which he calls "hideous".


In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***Billy Elliot, Elton John’s Tony-winning musical about a boy who wants to become a ballet dancer. www.billyelliotbroadway.com.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever. Joe Marshall's comedy about a struggling gay theatre company in West Hollywood. to 1/03/10. www.alternativethratreco.org.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
***Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter. a new musical about her glamourous life with gay husband Cole Porter. to 11/21/09. www.lovelindathemusical.com
***Q-Talk, the late night gay talk show at The Metropolitan Room. 11/21/09. www.metropolitanroom.com.
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/17/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org

Elsewhere...

***The Addams Family. Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth and Jackie Hoffman co-star in the musical based on the TV sitcom, cartoon series and films. Pre-Broadway tryout. Chicago, IL. www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com
***Arias With A Twist. The song stylings of drag artist Joey Arias surrounded by an eye-popping theatrical extravaganza directed by Basil Twist. to 12/13/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.redcat.org.
***Bonnie and Clyde. Stark Sands and Laura Osnes play the fun-loving bank-robbing couple in a new musical. to 12/20/09. LaJolla, CA. www.lajollaplayhouse.org.
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. 11/17/09-11/22/09, Green Bay, WI; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***Santaland Diaries. David Sedaris' tale of being an unemployed writer who takes a holiday job as a department store elf. Nicholas ("Buffy, The Vampire Slayer") Brendon stars. 11/20/09-12/20/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.theblank.com.
***Shakespeare's R & J, an edgy take on the Bard's "Romeo and Juliet" as performed by four young men in a boarding prep school. to 12/20/09. Hartford, CT. www.theaterworks.org.
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
***Valet of the Dolls. Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans turn Jacqueline Susann upside down. to 11/22/09. Boston, MA. www.brownpapertickets.com

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.
***Dare, a trio of high school students who become unlikely friends at the end of their senior year. starring Alan Cumming, Ana Gasteyer, Sandra Bernhard and Emmy Rossum.
***8: The Mormon Proposition is a new documentary about the involvement of the Church of Latter Day Saints' involvement in the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Written and directed by Reed Cowan and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/documentary-exposes-mormon-financial-contributions-to-prop-8.html
***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:www.hannahfree.com
***Oy Vey. My Son is Gay. A coming out film with Carmen Electra, Lainie Kazan, Bruce Vilanch, Jai Rodriguez. One assumes it's a comedy.

Out On Video & DVD

***An Evening with John Barrowman. Concert DVD with the out star of Torchwood. ilmed before a live audience. www.amazon.co.uk.
***Bruno. Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedic take on an outrageously gay Austrian fashionista.
***The Fall of '55. The documentary about the gay sex sting in Boise, Idaho in 1955.
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Hump Day. Two straight dudes contemplate going gay to enter and win Humpfest, Seattle's amateur porn contest.
***Margaret Cho: Beautiful.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination.
***Pageant. The documentary about the Miss Gay America Pageant.

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

***November: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***November: An Englishman in New York. John Hurt plays Quentin Crisp in a film about the last years of his life. Among the co-stars: Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare, Jonathan Tucker. Logo. Check local listings.
***TUE: 11/17: Carrie Fisher talks "Wishful Drinking" on The Today Show. 7AM. NBC.
***WED: 11/18: Liza Minnelli visits The Today Show. 7AM. NBC.

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

11/19/09: San Francisco, CA: Mary L. Gray does a reading/booksigning of her book "Out in the Country" about rural gay youth. A Different Light. http://adleventscastro.blogspot.com/

11/23/09: Los Angeles, CA: Kathy Griffin, queen of the D List, signing copies of "Official Book Club Selection". 7PM. Barnes & Noble, Grove Drive.

11/23/09: New York, NY: Lily Tomlin performs a benefit for Dixon Place. Comedienne Reno hosts. www.dixonplace.org.

11/30/09: New York, NY: Coleman Domingo's Big Ass 40th Birthday Party. The star of "A Boy And His Soul" offers an evening of song with guests Anika Noni Rose and Ari Gold. Domingo regularly appears on "The Big Gay Sketch Show" for Logo. www.joespub.com.

11/30/09: New York, NY: A Very MARY Holiday Benefit for Broadway Speaks OUT & The Ali Forney Center. Featuring Nick Adams and Jeffery Self and Cole Escola of Logo "Jeffery & Cole Casserole". AFC promotes awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth. Broadway Speaks OUT! is an online talk show that provides viewers with an inside look at Broadway, current events, and the LGBT community. www.broadwayspeaksout.com

12/01/09: Atlanta, GA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/

12/01/09: Worldwide: World AIDS Day

12/02/09: Los Angeles, CA: The Drama of AIDS, a program in celebration of World AIDS Day featuring the premiere of EZTV’s Dream Man and readings from Michael Kearns’ book in tandem with an exhibit from the AIDS Quilt. www.onearchives.org.

12/03/09: Ft. LAuderdale, FL: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/

12/06/09: Los Angeles, CA: Cracked Xmas 12. An evening of irreverent comedy, musical performances and special awards to benefit The Trevor Project. Neil Patrick Harris to be honored. http://www.thetrevorproject.org/events.aspx

12/09/09: New York, NY: The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith. Playwright JoanSchenkar and actor Kathleen Chalfant discuss the writer whose characters living closeted sexual lives in fiction mirrored her real life. Barnes & Noble. Broadway at 82nd St.

12/10/09: Houston, TX: Rainbow Night at The Ensemble Theatre. Performance of "Christmas with Great Aunt" with a reception. A benefit for Gay & Lesbian Rainbow Pages foundation that provides scholarships, and The Ensemble Theatre. www.ensemblehouston.com

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: LGBT Veterans

Veteran’s Day was November 11. Despite the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which discriminates against LGBT service personnel, many have served with honor. Thank them.

1. Question: Name this Middle Eastern nation that has permitted gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military since 1993. Answer: Israel.

2. Question: Name this American author who profiled the discrimination of gays and lesbians in the US military (from the Vietnam War to the Persian Gulf). Hint: He also wrote a best-seller about the AIDS Movement in America. Answer: Randy Shilts, author of "Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. Military, Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. It was published in 1993 as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" took effect. Shilt's "And The Band Played On" takes on America's slow reaction to the AIDS epidemic.

3. Question: Which was the first nation to ban discrimination against gays in the military. Answer: The Netherlands, which adopted the policy in 1974.

4. Question: Name this doctor, humanitarian, and writer, who was dishonorably discharged from the military for being gay. As a navy doctor, he supervised a medical assistance program for more than 600,000 refugees fleeing North Vietnam. After his discharge, he established a network of clinics in South East Asia. He died at age 34. Answer: Dr. Tom Dooley. His book "Deliver Us From Evil" is a fascinating story of his life.

5. Question: Name this Vietnam veteran, recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, who was one of the best-known openly gay men in America in the 1970's. His fight to remain in the military put him on the cover of TIME Magazine in 1975. Answer: Leonard Matlovich, Tech Seargant in US Air Force.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: November Sweeps

1. Question: Name this news anchor/reporter, still part of a network news magazine team. On March 7, 1967, he hosted "CBS Reports: The Homosexual", the first major network news special about homosexuality.

2. Question: Name this actor, comic and awards show host. On September 13, 1977, he made his sitcom debut as a gay man with a closeted pro football player boyfriend. Before the show's debut, ABC received over 30,000 letters demanding the show be cancelled.

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 Ellen deGeneres about being “lebanese”.

4. Question: Who was the first out competitor on "Dancing With The Stars", the consistent ABC ratings winner.

5. Question: Name this sitcom which made history on March 1, 1994, when an actress, granddaughter of a literary giant, played a character who kissed the show's leading lady in an episode called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The episode was the highest rated TV show of the week.

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/