Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 5/09/11

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 14 No. 18 May 9, 2011
Newsletter Editor: M. G. Auerbach Email: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: May 9-15, 2011

For Pride Events worldwide: www.interpride.org. or http://www.gayfriendlybiz.com/calendar.html

thru SAT: 6/04: Nationwide: David Sedaris continues his book tour. http://www.barclayagency.com/speakers/appearances/sedaris.html

thru SAT: 6/18: Chicago, IL: Windy City Gay Idol talent competition. www.windycitymediagroup. com

thru SUN: 5/15: Boston, MA: Boston LGBT Film Festival. www.bostonlgbtfilmfest.org

TUE: 5/10: Northampton, MA: Seminar: Financial Planning for the LGBT Community. presented by Dakin Humane Society. Reservations required: 413-781-4000 ext 121

TUE: 5/10: New York, NY: Talk Out Tuesday at “The Normal Heart”. Post-performance conversation. with Kenneth Cole and Cheyenne Jackson. http://thenormalheartbroadway.com/talkout.php.

TUE: 5/10: New York, NY: Chaz Bono does a reading and booksigning of his autobiography “Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man “. 7PM. Barnes & Noble, Warren Street.

TUE-SUN: 5/10-5/15: Fort Lauderdale, FL: Lauderdale Unleashed. International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association annual conference. http://www.igltaconvention.org/

THU-SUN: 5/12-5/15: New Orleans, LA: Saints & Sinners. LGBT writers & readers from around the country gather for a hot weekend of readings, panels & performance. www.sasfest.com

THU: 5/12: Philadelphia, PA: Lambda Legal in Philadelphia .Fundraiser at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. http://www.lambdalegal.org/events/

FRI-SUN: 5/13-5/15: Atlanta, GA: Gaylaxicon. LGBT science fiction, fantasy, horror & gaming convention. www.gaylacticnetwork.org

SAT: 5/14: San Francisco, CA: GLAAD Media Awards. Celebrating GLAAD’s 25th anniversary. http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards

SAT: 5/14: Baltimore, MD: John Waters signs copies of “Role Models”. 7PM, Atomic Books, Falls Road.

SUN: 5/15: Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota AIDS Walk. www.mnaidsproject.org

SUN: 5/15: New York, NY: AIDS Walk New York. Gavin Creel, Nick Adams, and other Broadway Impact folk lead the walk. http://www.gaycenter.org/aidswalk

SUN: 5/15: New York, NY: dot429 New York Brunch at Tribeca Grand Hotel for LGBT professionals. http://dot429.com/events

SUN: 5/15: Manchester, CT: True Colors First Annual 5K Walk-Run for Fun. Proceeds benefit True Colors programs for LGBT youth. http://www.ourtruecolors.org/

Newsworthy:

Resource: Free LGBT News E-Newsletter. Gay Politics Report comes out twice-weekly with news briefings. From Smart Brief. An excellent resource for LGBY officials, business organizations, and community leaders. http://www.smartbrief.com/lgbt/

Resource: Gay Rights Media. News and resources of interest for the LGBT Equality Movement. http://GayRightsMedia.org/

Stacey Campfield, the Tennessee state senator and sponsor of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, insists that being gay is a learned behavior, as he told client David Pakman in a radio interview, which was then featured on On Top Magazine. http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=8227&MediaType=1&Category=26
For the David Pakman Show interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ystalhHow

The White House will host the first-ever meeting on transgender issues. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/27/white-house-to-host-first-ever-trans-meeting/

The Buzz (People Making News)

Coming Out: Mike Manning, star of MTV’s “The Real World: Washington, DC: has joined James Duke Mason’s “Trailblazer” campaign, urging actors to come out. OnTop reports: http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=8260&MediaType=1&Category=22

Awards and Honors:

Rudolf Brazda, the 97-year old gay holocaust survivor has been awarded France’s highest honor. He spent three years in the Buchenwald concentration camp during World War II. Khmer News reports: http://khdoc.blogspot.com/2011/04/last-known-gay-holocaust-survivor-to.html

Nominees: 2012 Tony Awards. “The Book of Mormon” got 14, including “Best Musical”; Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart” snagged five, including “Best Revival of a Play”. Tony Sheldon and the costumers of “Priscilla, Queen of The Desert” got nods. http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/index.html

Tonys: Who Got Snubbed. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/03/the-tony-nominations-who-got-snubbed-2/

Winners: Lucille Lortel Awards for excellence in Off-Broadway Theatre. http://www.offbroadway.com/node/1219

Nominees: 2011 Drama Desk Awards from BroadwayWorld.com: http://broadwayworld.com/article/2011-Drama-Desk-Nominations-Announced-20010101

Photo Shoots, Audio and Video

Coming Out: Video: Should Gay Teachers Come Out in Class. AC360 reports: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIrhdEtXuOM&feature=player_embedded#at=180

Coming Out: Video: Richard Chamberlain, TV mini-series star, explains his decision to come out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YDv4PtW8P8&feature=feedu

Video: Minnesota State Rep Steve Simon speaks about the amendment to ban same-sex marriage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXpOA3jPC04&feature=youtu.be

Photos: Opening Night at “The Normal Heart” from BroadwayWorld.com: http://broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Coverage-THE-NORMAL-HEART-Opening-Night-Party-20110428

Features

Coming Out: Profile: Howard Bragman, the out public relations guru who helps celebrities come out. NPR reports: http://www.npr.org/2011/04/28/135771766/prs-gay-guru-helps-celebrities-come-outk

Two gay dads, 12 happy kids. The Arizona Republic profiles Steven and Roger Ham. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2011/05/01/20110501gay-dads.html

A Tipping Point for Gay Marriage. Adam Liptak writes for the New York Times (via Towleroad) about the King & Spalding decision to drop the DOMA case. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/weekinreview/01gay.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Between Torment and Happiness. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd compares the transgender experiences of Chrissy Lee Polis, attacked and beatn in a Baltimore McDonald’s with Renee Richards, former tennis star who is now subject of a documentary. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/opinion/27dowd.html?hp

Growing Up Gay and Transgender in Appalachia. Alex Hannaford reports for The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/04/growing-up-gay-and-transgendered-in-appalachia/238047/

In Print:

Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man by Chaz Bono. Penguin Books.
Chaz Bono's groundbreaking and candid account of a forty-year struggle to match his gender identity with his physical body and his transformation from female to male.
Penguin.

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***Anything Goes. Gay Cole Porter’s madcap musical. Sutton Foster stars. www.roundabouttheatre.org.
***Book of Mormon, the new musical penned by "South Park" co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and “Avenue Q” Tony winner Robert Lopez.
***The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key To The Scriptures. Tony Kushner’s new play. to 6/12/11.www.publictheater.org
***Lucky Guy. Varla Jean Merman and Leslie Jordan co-star in a new musical set in Nashville. to 7/24/11. http://www.luckyguythemusical.com/
***Lysistrata Jones. The Douglas Carter Beane/Lewis Flinn musical adaptation of the Greek classic, set on a college basketball court. Lysistrata and the girlfriends of the basketball team hold out until the boys win a game for the long-losing team..to 6/19/11. www.transportgroup.org
***The Normal Heart. Larry Kramer’s, landmark story of the early days of the AIDS pandemic. Talkbacks will be held after Tuesday performances.
***Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The story of three drag queens who head west across the Outback in their battered old bus. www.priscillathemusical.com.

Elsewhere...

***Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City, world premiere of a new musical based on Armistead Maupin’s stories. 5/18/11-7/19/11. San Francisco, CA. www.act-sf.org
***Dixie’s Tupperware Party. Dixie Longate’s show: Part drag. Part Tupperware. to 5/15/11, Chicago, IL; http://www.dixiestupperwareparty.com/
***Dooley. William diCanzio’s portrait of Tom Dooley, a gay Navy Doc who worked in SE Asia before the Vietnam war. to 5/29/11. San Diego, CA. www.diversionary.org.
***Follies. The legendary Sondheim musical about a reunion of show girls. Bernadette Peters stars. to 6/19/11. Washington, DC. www.kennedy-center.org
***The Tempermentals. Jon Marans’ drama about the beginning days of The Mattachine Society. John Tartaglia stars. to 5/22/11. Los Angeles, CA. http://www.TheBlank.com/

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Films To Watch For from EDGE Publications: http://www.edgeonthenet.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=movies&sc3&id=118328&pf=1

Out on Screen...

***Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar. James Rasin’s documentary about the transgender Andy Warhol superstar, who died in 1974, at age 29.
***Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride. Bob Christie’s documentary shows that Pride is more than a parade, it’s a giant step on the road to global human rights.
***Carol Channing: Larger Than Life. Dori Berinstein’s new documentary is a tribute to a Broadway legend. Stay for the end credits outtakes.
***Gen Silent,Stu Maddox’s new documentary about six LGBT elders and their caregivers in Boston. http://stumaddux.com/gen_silent_screenings.html
***Making The Boys. A documentry about the production of “The Boys in The Band”, the first commercially-successful gay-themed drama which opened just before Stonewall. Screening schedule on Facebook.
***Twelve Thirty. Jonathan Groff and Mamie Gummer star in a quirky film about a broken family (Dad is bi). www.twelvethirtymovie.com.

Out On Video & DVD

***Christopher and His Kind. The BBC adaptation of out author Christopher Isherwood’s autobiography. Isherwood wrote The Berlin Diaries, which as adapted as “Cabaret”, the musical.
***Rabbit Hole, John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig” and “Short Bus”) directs the movie version of the Broadway drama which stars Nicole Kidman. www.rabbitholefilm.com.
***Sextette, Mae West’s last film. A musical with Timothy Dalton, Dom Deluise, and Regis Philbin.
***Stonewall Uprising: The documentary about the beginning of the American gay rights movement. View online: http://video.pbs.org/video/1889649613?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=pbs
***The Times of Harvey Milk. The award-winning documentary about the gay rights leader.
***William S. Burroughs: A Man Within. Documentary about the Beat Generation icon and one of the first writers to explore queer culture in the 1950’s.

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

***May: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***Ongoing: Cinema Verite, a behind the scenes look at the filming of the 1970s PBS documentary “An American Family”, which was possibly the first reality TV series. Of note, oldest son Lance Loud, who came out on teleivision during the screening. HBO. Check local listings..

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

For Pride Events worldwide: www.interpride.org. or http://www.gayfriendlybiz.com/calendar.html

5/17/11-5/18/11: Durham, NC: Screening: Gen Silent,Stu Maddox’s documentary about 6 LGBT elders and their caregivers. http://stumaddux.com/gen_silent_screenings.html

5/17/11: New York, NY: Talk Out Tuesday at “The Normal Heart”. Post-performance conversation.http://thenormalheartbroadway.com/talkout.php.

5/18/11: West Hollywood, CA: Chaz Bono does a reading and booksigning of his autobiography “Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man “. 7PM. Renberg Theatre, North McCadden Place.

5/19/11: New York, NY: Marriage Equality New York 13th Annual Gala. Lea Delaria performs. http://www.meny.us/gala

5/20/11-5/22/11: San Francisco, CA: Neherim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality West Coast Gathering. http://www.nehirim.org/west-coast-gathering-2011

5/22/11: Reno, NV: Harvey Milk Celebration. LGBT Reno hosts a candlelight vigil. http://lgbt-reno.net/index.php/2011/04/press-release-harvey-milk-celebration/

5/25/11-5/30/11: Toronto, ON: Annual Gay Bowling Tournament. www.igbo.org

5/27/11-5/30/11: Oakland, CA: Voices Raised ! The first conference for people of color with LGBTQ parents. Presented by COLAGE. http://voicesraised.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

5/26/11-6/04/11: Hartford, CT: Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. http://www.OutFilmCT.org/.

5/26/11-5/30/11: Atlanta, GA: Mondo Homo Dirty South. queer-centric festival featuring music, dance, crafts, performance & more.www.mondohomo.com

5/31/11-6/06/11: Orlando, FL: Gay Days Orlando. including Disney. www.gaydays.com

6/01/11-6/30/11: San Francisco, CA: National Queer Arts Festival. LGBT performances and exhibits throughout the Bay Area. www.QueerCulturalCenter.org

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: May Milestones

1. Question: Name this military strategist and acclaimed warrior, Macedonia’s favorite son, born May 15, in 536BC. His friendship with a young man was the type that was made for the silver screen, although the last attempt to film his life was a box-office bomb. Answer: Alexander (The Great). The boyfriend was Hephaestion.

2. Question: Name this American politician, who came out (under pressure) in the Boston Globe on May 30, 1987. One of the first elected officials to come out, he’s been a leader of the LGBT community ever since. Answer: Barney Frank, US Representative from Massachusetts.

3. Question: Name this newspaper column, which premiered on May 24, 1976. Its author portrayed a group of diverse people in a small San Francisco house. The serial column became a book, a series of sequels, and television miniseries. It opens as a pre-Broadway musical in San Francisco this month. Answer: Tales of The City by Armistead Maupin. It first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.

4. Question: Name this Pulitzer Prize winning play, which opened on Broadway on May 4, 1993. A sweeping chronicle of America in the age of AIDS, it swept up every major theatre award before being adapted into a television film, which did likewise. It was recently revived in New York. Answer: Angels in America by Tony Kushner.

5. Question: Name this American author, born May 16, 1921 in Chicago. Among his most unforgettable literary characters is a madcap aunt, who brings up her nephew in non-traiditional ways. Answer: Patrick Dennis, author of “Auntie Mame”.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Mother’s Day

1. Question: Name this “PFLAG Mom”, who turned her daughter’s very public coming out (on television and in the media) into a positive experience for parents everywhere with a book, an internet advice column, and as a spokesperson for a national coming out service organization.

2. Question: Name this “PFLAG Mom”, an award-winning actress, director, composer and singer, who has donated significant monies to LGBT service organizations, both to honor her gay filmmaker son and her many LGBT fans. She recently returned to movie-making and a global concert tour.

3. Question: Name this “PFLAG Mom”, former government bureaucrat and author of a 1981 romance novel about lesbians in the 19th century American west. When her husband’s competitor mentioned her out daughter, this mom called his actions “a cheap trick”.

4. Question: Name this “PFLAG Mom”, also an award-winning actress and singer. Her daughter, a spokesperson and activist for LGBT rights, wrote two books describing her coming out process and her mom’s reactions and eventual support. The daughter transitioned and became an activist for transgender rights. Mom is a donor to LGBT causes.

5. Question: Name this “PFLAG Mom-in-law” (who would have been a PFLAG supporter had the organization been around in her day). An icon in the LGBT community, she was supposedly married to a gay man and her eldest daughter married at least one. Daughter’s first husband was the subject of a recent Broadway musical which won a Tony Award for its Australian star.

The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: COSNewsweekly@gmail.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/