A Music & Celebrity Interview Online-Magazine.
It’s OFFICIAL!!!! Our wedding plans are booked and at 6:30pm August 25th…our dear friend Brittany Mason, supermodel and former Miss Indiana USA 2008, will be marrying us at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas!!
The rest of the details…including the honeymoon…are secret…shhhhhh! So we can’t tell!
But….Brittany will be in town for 500 Weekend and we’ll be escorting her to The FANtasy 500 Race Party at The Columbia Club!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!!!
Photo Credit Erin Williams
We had initially titled this interview: Chris Stedman…The Prince of Secular Humanism Discusses His Evolving Worldview, Eboo Patel, Teen Suicide and His Love of Britney Spears. But after hours of looking at his pictures and editing the facts, it just didn’t seem right. At the cost of gaining more views or getting more people to read our blog, just in the name of a sensational, attention-grabbing title, we couldn’t do it. It just didn’t fit. Chris never called himself the Prince of Secular Humanism…we did! He’s considerably more humble than to pat his own back let alone identify himself as royalty of religious discussion. In fact, when we spoke with him initially about secular humanism and referred to him as an “expert”, he laughed and corrected us, pointing us to at least five other authors and speakers on the subject.
But after a few months of knowing him we have absolutely no problem complimenting or heralding the young man who could very well be accepting his Noble Peace Prize within the next ten years. And unless you know of him already and have simply come to this interview to find out more about the guy you already love, than you’ve probably never even heard of him. So what is it exactly that makes Chris so interesting?
For starters, he is the Interfaith and Community Service Fellow at Harvard University and the Managing Director of State of Formation at The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue. He writes and runs his own blog NonProphet Status,writes for the internationally famous blog The Huffington Post, and is the youngest panelist for The Washington Post on Faith. He is also writing a book which will be published in 2012 by Beacon Press. But Besides being a writer, an educator and a highly requested national speaker, what exactly does he do?
Stolen from his blog’s About the Author section, “Chris is an atheist / secular humanist working to foster positive and productive dialogue between faith communities and the nonreligious.” Are you getting the picture yet? To steal yet again from his blog, guest blogger, Walker Bristol, Freshman Representative of the Tufts’ Freethought Society states, “Humanism, as a philosophy, is dedicated to the betterment of the global community as a whole and seeks to dispel discrimination and unfounded bias. Behind Humanist philanthropic efforts and community service projects is a unique commitment to action untainted by goals of conversion or self-promotion.”
And Chris, this 24 year old, tattooed, gaged eared, skinny jean wearing, symbol of sexiness is utilizing academia, pop culture and kindness to bridge the gap between secular and religious identity. When we initially approached him for this interview, stating we wanted to find out more about him because he seemed so interesting, he laughed and said “I’d say that I’m just like anyone else — in fact, I don’t actually handle praise all that well because I see myself as really average, and I live a very average life. I talk about my story not because I think that I’m particularly special, but because I think that everyone has a story to tell, that sharing these stories will make the world a more loving and compassionate place, and that one of the best ways to invite others to talk about their experiences is to share your own. When we exchange stories with one another, I think we discover that we’re not really all that ‘special’ — which is to say, we’re all special, in our own way. But we stop thinking of ourselves as the most important person in the world, and that gives us empathy for other people.”
Photo Credit Meadville Lombard Theological School
1. What does it mean to be the “Interfaith and Community Service Fellow” for the Humanist Chaplaincy for Harvard University?
My role at the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard is really the first of its kind – it’s a position within an atheist / humanist organization specifically devoted to promoting interfaith cooperation and planning community service. I’m so lucky to have this job, because it marries three of my biggest professional (and personal) interests: building interfaith understanding, cultivating humanist community, and advancing social justice work. My fourth biggest interest is writing, and that’s where my blogging work comes in.
2. At 11, you entered the Evangelical Church and now define yourself as an atheist. What inspired this conversion?
It’s a long story, which is why I’m writing a book about it! But I’ll give you a hint: my conversion to Christianity came shortly after I began to recognize that the world is an imbalanced place – I started reading books like Roots, Hiroshima, The Diary of Anne Frank, and so on – and I was looking for a way to make sense of all of the injustice and suffering in the world. The only folks I heard talking about justice, and about improving the world, were Christians. My conversion also coincided with my parents’ divorce, and church created a community of support that essentially substituted the support I had gotten from my family. So when I began to critically evaluate my conversion later when questioning my faith, I realized that Christianity had never felt like a first language to begin with; that it had been a package deal, but that a belief in God wasn’t true to my roots.
Photo Credit Deanna Mandarino
3. Why is it important for people of religion and atheism to work together? What would you like our readers to learn from your work?
We live in a world sharply divided by religious identity – perhaps most of all along lines of religious and secular identity. Looking at the shouting match in popular discourse, between the so-called “New Atheists” and the “Religious Right,” the idea of identifying common ground between atheists and the religious might seem impossible. But truth be told, there are a lot of shared values we can all rally behind, and I think it is especially important for atheists and the religious to combat the significant misconceptions that exist on either side and attempt to foster understanding and cooperation to work toward resolving the most important issues of our time like poverty, global climate change, HIV/AIDS, and so on.
4. What does it mean to be a “secular humanist”?
There are many different definitions of “humanism,” but in my mind a humanist is anyone – religious or not – who maintains a worldview grounded in reason and guided by compassionate action. I put “secular” before “humanist” to signify that my worldview is specifically naturalistic and nonreligious. To borrow from the title of a recent book by the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard, Greg Epstein: in short, a secular humanist is someone who believes he or she can be good without God, and who strives to live this way. I prefer “secular humanist” to “atheist” because it suggests something about my values, rather than the mere fact that I do not believe in any gods.
Photo Credit faith and fashion
5. How does being gay contribute to your belief system towards religion?
It’s funny; at various points in my life, I would’ve answered this in very different ways. Hell, I’ll probably answer it differently two months from now. But, right now, I credit the recognition I had at 11 years old that I am queer with setting the course for the work I do now. Being a member of a marginalized community helps me empathize with experiences and worldviews that are different from my own, and I believe that has made me more compassionate. At one point in my life, being gay might’ve contributed to the bitterness I had toward religion and the religious, but now being gay means being deeply and personally invested in active religious pluralism, or the idea that we all – religious or not – need to work to understand one another better. We’re all “other” to someone, and I’d like to see that change.
6. What does being gay mean to you today?
Being queer to me means being a border-crosser and a translator. We occupy liminal spaces in American society and around the world, so we need to know how to navigate fraught intercultural issues, as most of our actions are, in a sense, intercultural exchanges. I think this makes us especially adept at bridging divides – or, at least, it has directly contributed to my sense of feeling empowered to do so.
Photo Credit Natalie Parys
7. If there was a God, what would God be like?
Honestly, I’m not willing to say that I’m absolutely, positively, 100% sure there is no god. However, if there is a god (and that’s a big “if”), I believe that god is an uninvolved one – one that exists, possibly created the world, but has since been mostly “hands-off.” And if such a god exists – and I do see it as a possibility – then I think it really doesn’t matter. If an uninvolved god is out there, it doesn’t concern me one bit. These days, I’m a lot more interested in what is happening in the world around me than whether or not a god exists; about whether people have the things they need to live happily and peacefully. And the kind of god I certainly can’t fathom is one who would condemn people who honestly tried to live and learn the best they could to an eternity of suffering; so if I’m wrong and there actually is a benevolent, loving god, I will welcome being proven wrong with humility and with curious wonder. And maybe a long laugh and a beer.
8. One of the first things we noticed about you was your interesting and eclectic style. How does your style reflect your belief system?
Well, my tattoos each reflect various stages in my evolving worldview… It’s a cheesy metaphor, but I often liken my tattoos to a scrapbook. It’s the best documentation I’ve got of how I’ve matured in my adult life, and I wouldn’t change any of them. As for my general style; I’ve always experimented with different attire, but from a young age I was interested in expressing myself visually. The style I’ve got now is… well, let’s just be honest, I dress like a stereotypical hipster (as my friends all love to point out). I’ve been dressing this way since the end of college, and so far I’ve managed to carry it over into my professional career. You’d be surprised what you can get away with if you just add a tie! But honestly, one of the reasons I love my style is that I really do feel that it reflects who I am at this point in my life, and I hope that it suggests that I don’t have too many pretensions about what I do.
I’ve tried to “dress professionally” but it just isn’t me; I always expected my tattoos and my style to be a professional hindrance, but I’ve honestly been amazed by how it has helped me connect with people in my work. I think a lot of people don’t expect someone who looks like me – tattoos galore, including an almost-finished sleeve, stretched earlobes and a nose ring, skinny jeans and concert t-shirts – to be talking about interfaith cooperation. But I think it’s such an important issue and that everyone needs to care about it, so I hope my style helps some people who might not have cared before to see it as important, and to see that they too have a place in this movement – that it’s not just for older folks and religious people.
Photo Credit Erin Williams
9. If you could only listen to three CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed, what would they be?
Wow; after questions about the existence of god, my sexuality, and other so-called “difficult subjects,” this is far and away the hardest question yet! In fact, I think we’ll know the answer to the god question before I can narrow my favorite albums down. Every year, I write a blog post detailing my 50 favorite albums of the year, and it always takes me weeks. But I’ll just go with something “old,” something “new,” and something from my youth. Old: Tom Waits’ Swordfishtrombones. New: Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois. Nostalgic picks: Garbage’s Version 2.0 or The Fugees’ The Score. Also, I recently got really into an amazing gay artist named John Grant – pick up his debut, Queen of Denmark, if you haven’t heard it yet. It’ll change your life.
10. What are your three favorite fiction and non-fiction books?
Everything by Flannery O’Connor – I’m obsessed. I have one tattoo for her, and others planned. Also, Acts of Faith by my mentor, Interfaith Youth Core founder Eboo Patel, played a very formative role in the work I do now – in fact, describing my reaction to it is essentially the climax of the narrative in my book. (How nerdy is that?!) Finally, my current boss, Greg Epstein, has a really fantastic book for anyone looking to explore humanism called Good Without God.
Photo Credit Adrienne Baker, IFYC
11. How do you define “sexy”?
Oh man. Superficially, I go weak in the knees for a subtle but intoxicating cologne, a scruffy face, … and skinny jeans! But more than anything (cliché alert!) I find confidence, creativity, empathy and humility sexy. People who just see the world in a different way – in a way that forces me to challenge my approach and my perspective – there’s nothing sexier than that. Same goes for an open heart; not just a posture of “caring for others,” but people who genuinely experience heartbreak because of the suffering in the world. Okay, that sounds pretty cheesy and dumb, doesn’t it? Also, it’s probably kind of bullshit: at the end of the day, James Franco is just flat-out sexy, regardless of whether he cares about the world’s suffering or not.
12. What is the most important issue on the gay agenda today?
Full inclusion and protection for transgender individuals. For too long, trans folks have been marginalized, ostracized, and largely ignored by the so-called “LGBT agenda.” Every month at least one transgender individual is killed in a hate crime in America – a fact largely ignored by the media. With the increased attention on gay and lesbian suicides this year, we must not forget about the emotional and physical violence that trans folks experience. It’s crazy to me how pervasive transphobia is, even within our community. I’m certainly not an innocent party in this respect, but I’m working on it.
Photo Credit Ky Dickens
13. What are three things you wouldn’t do no matter how much money you were offered?
I’ve come to a point in my life where it’s difficult for me to say that there are things I would never do, because over the years I’ve done many things I once thought I wouldn’t. I’ve come to recognize that it’s quite difficult to predict what you might do in any given situation until you’re actually confronted with the choice, and that sometimes we make the wrong choice. That said, I’d like to believe there are some choices I could never be compelled to make, and they’re the big ones: murder, rape, genocide, etc. At the end of the day, you have to be willing to be morally inflexible on certain things, and physically harming another person is one of those things. Emotionally harming is where it gets a bit more complicated, eh?
14. What would your friends say is your greatest weakness?
I’m not sure they’d know where to begin! I’ve got my vices, to be sure, but I think my friends might highlight the way I can get distracted by things that shouldn’t matter – how I can fixate on things beyond my control. I think I have a difficult time “letting go” when something is unsolvable; I like to imagine that nothing is insurmountable if you just persevere and push hard enough. This difficulty to relent to the forces beyond my control has caused me a lot of pain in my life, but it has also helped me overcome obstacles that I thought I could not. So it’s good and it’s bad, but I’m learning to harness it more for good and be more aware of when it is having a harmful effect.
Photo Credit James Croft
15. If you were to die tomorrow, what three things would flash in your mind?
I’m not sure; I think I’d be too distracted by my impending death! But I’m sure I’d think immediately of my family, and of the love I have for them. When everything is said and done, my family is what matters most to me, so I’m sure my thoughts would turn to them.
16. What are three movies that have greatly impacted you?
Dancer in the Dark, Dogma, and Saved! The first always makes me cry, and the others make me laugh and think – they tackle complex issues concerning religion with levity, heart, humor and humanity.
17. When Chris, the Harvard intellect, is put away, what are some trivial things that we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
Ha! Let’s see; my vanity is probably obvious in my hipster clichés. What else? Well, okay, so I really love Britney Spears. It’s weird; I never really cared about her when I was younger, which is unusual since I came of age in the era of Britney. But when I was a senior in college, Britney began to unravel, and I took notice. Now I won’t liken her to Sylvia Plath or Virginia Woolf, but I did see something in Britney’s public undoing that made me pause. Here was the real person beneath the façade; the animal behind the android. She had been tamed and domesticated her whole life, and she tried to liberate herself. The sad thing is that she didn’t know how to do it well, and she became quite unwell. Now she’s gotten her public image together and her career seems to be doing quite well, but I still see a caged animal when I look at her. I don’t know if I’m just projecting my love for tragic figures on to her, but I see some sadness in her. Or, at least, some boredom. So I root for her, you know? I want her to do well, and to be happy. There’s no way to know if she is, but I hope that the fact that even when she is “promoting” a new album she’s hardly in the public eye, means that she has the space she needs. Because I’m just tired of seeing her cry in interviews! Honestly, her 2007 album Blackout is probably the greatest pop album ever released, and I rock out to that like nothing else when no one is around. That said, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga could stop recording music and I’d be perfectly happy, so I guess I don’t fall for pop trappings every time. But my love for Britney is forever, ha.
18. You are currently working on a book. Tell us about your book which is due out in 2012.
My book is part memoir, part call for greater dialogue and collaboration between the religious and the nonreligious. I use my personal story of growing up irreligious, becoming a Born Again Christian and realizing I was gay, eventually leaving the faith and becoming very anti-religious, and then eventually becoming a passionate advocate for pluralism and interfaith engagement, because I think, like sociologist Marshall Ganz, that stories are the most effective way to communicate ideas and values. Still, it’s weird to be writing a memoir – especially at 23 years old! – because you open up your experiences for public scrutiny. But I’m learning to get used to it, and I’m doing it because I think mine is an underrepresented perspective. But ultimately, I don’t want my work to be about me – my biggest hope is that my story will prompt other people to share theirs. I don’t want to tell my story simply to make it known; I want to initiate a dialogue on religious and nonreligious identity and engagement in America.
Photo Credit Nat DeLuca
19. Boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
Ha! Oh my. Um, well… I wear skinny jeans nearly every day, so it’s certainly not the first of those options. I’ll leave it at that; a gay atheist has to keep some mystery, eh?
Thanks Buddy!!! We Love Ya!!!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
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Mike Ruiz. Fashion and celebrity photographer on the level of famed Annie Lebowitz. Model. Actor. Judge on America’s Next Top Model and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Director. Reality television star on LOGO’s The A-List: New York. And of course, sex symbol. His website MIKE RUIZ PHOTOGRAPHY is a self-proclaimed dissertation on the art of all that is beautiful and sexy. And although this man wears many hats and has a job title more suiting of “Pop Star Icon”, one thing is certain. He has earned his way to the top. And now, looking down, with his illustrious eyes and hidden, sensual smirk, he’s realized…that it only gets so much better with age.
1. You have been a model, actor, photographer, judge and now reality television star. If asked to define your career title, what would you say?
Pop Culture Consultant/ Creative Director/ Executive Producer
2. How did your career as a photographer begin?
I got a camera as a gift in 1993.
3. It seems that there isn’t anyone you haven’t photographed. Who has been your single favorite person to photograph? Who haven’t you interviewed that you would still love to interview?
I love them all. It’s really impossible to single anyone out. I’d love to work with Cher.
4. Can you explain to us the movement called “the Q scene” of which you support.
I’m not sure exactly what that means but according to my Wikipedia page, I am a prominent member and supporter of it. I’m guessing that it means that I support many organizations whose goals are the betterment of the LGBT community.
5. What makes someone sexy?
What makes someone sexy is confidence (and ripped abs!!!)
6. What is the sexiest city in the world?
Paris.
7. Sexiest hotel in the world?
The Lake Palace in Udaipur, India.
8. Sexiest place to photograph?
Anywhere in India.
9. Sexiest place to kiss?
On the lips!
10. You were recently a member of LOGO television’s The A List: New York. What was the best and worst experience of being part of this cast?
It was all good. I wouldn’t have done it if I thought there would be anything bad about doing it.
11. When traveling, what are five things you always have in your bag?
Kiehls Silkgroom, Kiehls Cross Terrain UV Protector, Kiehls Photo-Age Corrector, my Canon 5D, my iPad.
12. You are in a serious relationship and have a family. Tell us about your partner and your family.
Martin is an amazing human being and father. He has 2 beautiful children that I adore.
13. In many of your photographs, the Kathy Griffin portraits for example, your subjects look sexier and more gorgeous than they have ever looked before. What is your secret to bringing out the best qualities in your subjects.
It’s a combination of many things but it boils down to being a manifestation of my ideals and fanatasies.
14. You are an incredibly sexy man. What are three secrets you would tell men so they look sexy and confident every day?
Eat well, get’s 8 hours of sleep and choose to love life.
15. What about the same advice for women?
All the same stuff and a push up bra!
16. If you could only listen to three CD’s or musicians for the rest of your life, who would you listen to?
Booty Luv. Rupaul introduced me to them and I can’t do cardio without listening to them on my iPod.
17. Does it get better with age?
It get’s SOOOOO much better with age. I have never been so at peace with who I am and it allows me to be available in ways that held me back when I was younger.
18. What are three things that we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
That I have 7 or 8 injuries ranging from shattered disks to a dislocated shoulder.
Thanks buddy!
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Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
All photographs by Mike Ruiz courtesy of Mike Ruiz.
We have loved RuPaul’s Drag Race since it first hit the air! We have had the privilege of interviewing contestants such as Ongina and Drag Race Season 2 winner Tyra Sanchez! And each season just gets better and better. This season the prize package is even dreamier with a $75,000 cash prize, lifetime supply of Kryolan makeup and the headlining role in the LOGO/Absolut sponsored Drag Race Tour. So in preparing to dig our heels deep into another season, we thought it would be fun to contact our friends over at LOGO TV and ask the girls from this season a few questions! We also asked Jason, the gorgeous Pit Crew boy a few questions too! Now that the season is well under way and we all know these queens a little bit better, let’s find out exactly what they think is HOT!!!
OUR QUESTIONS
1. Paris Hilton coin the phrase “that’s hot” and Christian Soriano coin the phrase “that’s fierce,” when you get famous, what would your phrase be and what would it mean?
2. If you were up to lip-sync for your life, what is something you would do that no other contestant has done before?
3. What is your #1 beauty tip that you would give to a real women to improve their look?
SHANGELA
1. 2011 is the Year of the ‘Loo – Halleloo, that is! I’ve been saying this for years and it makes me super happy to see how it’s been embraced by everyone from fans of the show from Johnny Weir to even Kimora Lee Simmons! HALLELOO is an accent word that gives that extra “oomph” to a moment similar to “werq” and “okay.” It just makes me feel good to say it. “The Los Angeles Times” included it in its Top 10 Most Memorable Words from Reality TV … smack dab between “Prostitution Whore” and “GTL”!
2. I’ve been on the lip sync chopping block in the first episode of seasons 2 and 3, so some may think they’ve seen every trick that Shangela has to give, but when the stage lights dim and there’s no one but you, Ru and the judges, some of the most creative moments on stage can happen completely unplanned. So if I’m ever in the bottom two again, get ready for an unforgettable experience, baby because in that moment, you really do feel like it’s live or die.
3. I love real women. They tell me that I came out of one (shout out, Mama Deb). I think women are beautiful, naturally. So, if you can believe this coming from a drag queen, my message is less is more. My mom is a military veteran. She never wore much makeup, if any at all, and I think she’s one of the most beautiful people in the whole world. Beauty comes from inside and is measured by how much you love yourself, and how much you share that love with others.
CARMEN CARRERA
1. I am definitely a product of my surroundings and my way of speaking and some of the things I say have often been influenced by the club circuit that I belong to. One of the phrases that really stuck was “Pay It”. It’s basically an abbreviation of “Pay it no mind”. For example, “I have a hangover from going out last night and I start work in 30 min. Oh pay it, I’m gonna call out.” You can also use it like this: “She walked right passed me and didn’t even say hi, she paid it.”
2. If I had to lip sync, I’d probably get on top of the judges table and crawl on similar to how JLo did in the “I’m Glad” video which had a “Flashdance” theme. So hot!
3. For most women, I think, it’s extremely important to really learn how to do the best eye make up for their eye shape. I’ve worked in retail cosmetics and a lot of women don’t know how to bring out their eyes. That or they only know one technique, which a lot of the times, isn’t even the right one for them. Take the time to learn about your eye shape and which technique will give you that mesmerizing gaze. You’d be surprised at how you can captivate someone by just looking into their eyes! Very powerful.
STACY LAYNE MATTHEWS
1. My phrase would be “BE A LADY” because no matter what situation we are thrown in or what struggle we are faced with, we must always remember to have class and appreciate who we are as entertainers as well as human beings.
2. I would grab a micro phone as sing the song myself. Show them what true talent is.
3. I would have to say to them to make sure that their face is BLENDED and everything is the right color for the skin tone. BLEND BLEND BLEND!
RAJA
1. God, there are so many! I’m not really into any one specifically. I
could have an entire glossary of “isms”! guess you’re just going to
have to keep watching to find a favorite rajaism!
2. If I had to lip synch for my life I’d probably be the first queen to distract the other queen by using my bionic legs and do a full helicopter move above her head and land in the splits! yup! That’s what I would do for sure!
3. I think women can always use a pair of false lashes! Anything that frames the eyes can have an alluring effect including sexy birkhas.
YARA SOFIA
1. “ECHA’ PA’ LANTE” WHICH MEANS KEEP ON MOVING AND DON’T LOOK BACK!
2. NO SHADE, BUT I HATE LIP-SYNC FOR YOUR LIFE MOMENTS. IT’S LIKE BEGGING.
3. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND THE MOST IMPORTANT – BE UNIQUE. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!
DELTA WORK
1. MODED! The perfect response to a situation, person, place or thing that is completely the opposite of what you planned or expected especially when everyone, but you notices first.
2. WHETHER IN COMPETITION OR FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE, EVERY LIP SYNC IS A “LIP SYNC FOR YOUR LIFE.” I ALWAYS STRIVE TO KNOW THE LYRICS, THE BREATHS AND THE NUANCE: THE GOAL IS TO TREAT IT LIKE AN ART FORM.
3. SKINCARE IS THE BASIS OF ANY BEAUTY REGIMEN. FOR REAL WOMEN, DAILY COSMETIC USE SHOULD BE USED TO SHOWCASE THE FEATURES NOT OUTSHINE THEM.
INDIA FERRAH
1. “Stinky Dinky Poo.” It would mean what you are wearing (hair,outfit,perfume,makeup,etc) is not cute at all and honestly, it’s really stinky dinky poo!!!! Why’s everything got to be hot or fierce? Why can’t we say it stinks like dinky poo!
2. I would TURN THE PARTY and perform my heart out! I would never attack another queen. That is TACKY and unprofessional! I am confident in myself and don’t need to try and destroy the other girl’s chance of staying by attacking them!
3. I would say start out with an amazing base foundation. It’s just like a house. You have to have a good base to build on and if you get a really good base foundation, it can change your look completely!
MANILA LUZON
1. What do you mean when I get famous? I am already famous! I’m a contestant on the international hit reality television show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” I’m at Gaga fame status. Ha! My phrase would be “Gag!,” but you got to first give a fierce snap before you say it! Try it! {snap} GAG! Didn’t that feel good?
2. I’m going to have to one-up Mimi Imfurst’s picking up India. So in my lip-sync for my life, I’m going to cook a seven-course meal on stage for the judges while lip-syncing to the song “Eat It” by Weird Al Yankovic!
3. Asian genes! Don’t got none? Well, give your children a chance and reproduce with a hot Asian dude!
ALEXIS MATEO
1. It would be “the jig is up.” I always use this when I discover something or when something is revealed to me. It is so much fun to say it and I got all my friends saying it too!
2. If I lip-sync for my life, I will actually Lip-sync. I will not do a crazy stuff like a circus person or fight or try to get the attention from a judge. I will actually lip-sync.
3. Take care of your SMILE. A beautiful smile belongs with a beautiful person. You can tell a lot form a person just looking at the smile.
MARIAH
1. “GET YOUR LIFE!” Means go for it, bitch!
2. I would get the judges to form a chorus line with me!
3 SMILE!
OUR PIT CREW QUESTIONS:
1. How did they get picked for the pit crew?
2. What are the 2 things that set apart a drag superstar from any other drag queen?
JASON
1. My “Pit Crew” story is quite a lengthy one, but I was teaching a hip hop dance class in Hollywood and one of the students in the class was a friend of a talent producer on the show. She found me on Facebook and asked if I would be interested in auditioning for the show. I was a little puzzled when I got the call because I was familiar with the show, but I had never seen or heard of the Pit Crew before, but nonetheless, I was thrilled that she took the time to seek me out so I agreed. She put me in contact with the talent producer and I went in for the audition. The funny thing is that we had to reschedule the audition several times due to other obligations and on the last day I finally made it in. I had no idea what to expect. The audition consisted of me dancing full out in my skivvies for the camera which I had no problem doing. It was just so different from any other audition I had ever gone on. Weeks passed and I totally forgot I had even auditioned then BAM! I get a random call from the producers saying I was booked! True Story. The rest is history.
2. The difference between someone who is a drag queen and someone who is a drag superstar is an obvious one. Anyone can learn the tricks of the trade and acquire the tools to become a drag queen. But what I’ve learned from watching these talented ladies is that it takes passion , heart, sheer genius, talent and HUGE roll of duct tape to be a Drag Superstar! But seriously, a drag superstar is flawless in her reality. From the way she carries herself, to the presence she commands on stage a drag superstar is anything but average. The beauty they emanate and the jaw dropping star power they ooze effortlessly cannot be taught or learned. They just have “IT” . For a drag superstar it’s not about just playing “dress up ” it’s about living the persona and committing 200% . That’s the true difference.
Well…there you have it! Next up is our interview with world renown photographer and often special guest judge on Rupaul’s Drag Race, Mike Ruiz!
Til then, Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
On the official Jackie Beat website she identifies herself as a “drag superstar” and that is by no means an understatement. More like drag super-funktafied-fabulosity-b-b-b-beat-mastress-dominatrastar! And we love every inch of her! We originally saw her in the documentary “Wigstock” as she and close friend, Alexis Arquette, traipsed along the streets of Manhattan before her performance in the park. After stalking her videos on YouTube and seeing her in a recent stand-up comedy show, we had to know more about this sensational character who seemed almost too fantastic to be real. Having started her career as a female impersonator years ago, Jackie has now graced her presence in several movies, including “Flawless” with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert DeNiro and the documentary “Wigstock”, chronicling her participation in the annual, drag event in New York City hosted by the phenomenal Lady Bunny. Jackie has also had several television appearances including MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16” and was most recently a leading comedienne in the LOGO stand up comedy special “Dragtastic”. Along with several other creative projects, including being in the internationally famous band Dirty Sanchez, Jackie performs annually in a traveling Christmas show to sold-out crowds. Singer, writer, television and movie star…drag empress…Jackie can beat down our door any day!
1. Where was Jackie Beat born?
Hollywood of course. The man beneath Jackie was raised in Scottsdale, Arizona — a great place to grow up if you like Southwestern art, binge drinking and date rape.
2. What was early life like for Miss Jackie Beat?
Challenging. Let’s just say, “It Gets Better!”
3. Why the name “Jackie Beat’?
When I first started, I worked a Beatnik look: Black page boy wig, black leggings, black skirt, black turtleneck, black beret, etc. I essentially did stand-up comedy in the guise of Beat poetry. I thought the name “Jackie Beat” sounded very 1960’s. And I am not a big fan of those play-on-words names like Anita Cocktail. That sounds like a drag queen who might wait tables, it doesn’t sound like a star to me.
4. You are considered a drag star style icon. Where do you find inspiration for you style?
Well, I am a naturally creative and artistic person with a good eye. I don’t think style is something you can really learn. But most of my looks are rather ironic.
5. What are three things that make a successful female impersonator?
Personally, I would have to say a fully-developed character, a sense of humor, a good singing voice and PROFESSIONALISM. I picked four, because I’m an over-achiever!
6. Who are currently the three most entertaining drag queens in the US?
Myself, of course! And Sherry Vine and Lady Bunny.
7. What was your experience like being on MTV’s Made?
I was on “My Super Sweet 16” and it was great because I got paid VERY well by that filthy rich family!
8. We loved Wigstock. Does Wigstock still happen every year and are you still a part of this event?
No, sadly it does not happen anymore. But Lady Bunny does the occasional Wigstock-related special event.
9. Are you still friends with Alexis Arquette and if so, how is she doing?
Yes and she is doing great! She is one of the most creative people I know.
10. We interviewed Ongina Ryan, from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and we know she was the hostess of the LOGO feature Dragtastic of which you were part of? What is Ongina like in person?
Three feet tall, bald and annoying. She’s also Asian. Just kidding! She’s a delight.
11. If you could only listen to three CD’s for the rest of your life and they couldn’t be mixed CD’s what or who would they be?
Soundtrack from HAIR, The Best of The Smiths and Ace Frehley’s solo album.
12. What is the best song and CD to have sex to?
Anything by early Prince — like “Head,” “Dirty Mind” or “Erotic City.”
13. What are three essentials a drag queen must have access to within 10 minutes or always carry in her purse?
Cab fare, lipstick and condoms.
14. What is the sexiest city in the world? Hotel? Club? Drag Queen? Movie Star? Porn Star? Place to Kiss?
Barcelona, Hotel Night in NYC, any club by Mario Diaz, me, Tom Hardy, Aybars and “on the mouth!”
15. the boys of raannt are getting married next August 25th in Vegas. If you were officiating our wedding, what advice would you give us in the ceremony?
Do things separately. The reason you were attracted to this person in the first place is because they had their own life and their own friends. That’s sexy. Totally losing yourself in or to a relationship is never a good thing.
16. Were you ever bullied? What advice would you give a 15 year old who was being bullied for being gay?
Yes and I would just say that these bullies never amount to anything, while the ones who are bullied go on to make the world a much more interesting and beautiful place.
17. If you lived in a tree house, where would it be and what would it look like inside?
I would live with the Keebler elves in their tree house — free cookies 24/7!
18. Do you believe in love and are you in love? When was the last time you were in love?
I feel bad for anyone who doesn’t believe in love. That’s like not believing in the sky! I am in love with life, my friends, my house and my dogs! Love comes in many forms — let it all in!
19. What’s next for the lovely and delicious Miss Jackie Beat?
My holiday tour in LA, SF, San Diego, Seattle, Portland and NYC.
20. Boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
Boxers are the sexiest.
We’re getting into our sexiest boxers now…just for you Jackie!!!
Eye’s Open…We’re Watching!
*All photographs by Austin Young and Peter Palladino with permission by Jackie Beat.
We had never even heard of him before we saw the documentary Trantasia but once watching the film which captured the behind scenes footage of ‘World’s Most Beautiful Transsexual Pageant’ as well as telling the stories of six of it’s participants, we had to know more about the man sitting in the director’s chair. What we found was a humble, non-assuming genius of sorts who did not focus on being “gay” or capitalizing on “gay culture”, even though he could have since he was beginning to corner the market on transsexual documentary filmmaking, especially with the premiere of his new reality series Wild Things, following three of the contestants from Trantasia, cross country, in a series similar to Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in The Simple Life. And although we wanted to find an arrogant, gusto driven director leading the path of gay culture instead we found…a simple man. And we are all the better for it!
1. How did you come up with the idea for Trantasia?
The idea for TRANTASIA came from a good friend Ted Smith who was working in Las Vegas and met the producer of the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Transsexual Pageant’ a couple of weeks before the event. Ted thought it might make a cool doc and called me up. We headed to Vegas with 4 camera crews and shot the pageant over a long weekend. After we had met the girls in person and looked at all the footage we realized we had something. I then traveled around the country to visit and interview six of the girls and their families. These hometown profiles became the heart of the documentary.
2. How did you pick the women who were featured in Trantasia?
We called as many of the contestants as possible before the pageant to interview them and get a sense of their stories and personalities. We also wanted to make sure we were following the top pageant contenders. Before arriving in Vegas we decided to focus on about 12 girls. As the filming progressed we changed this list as some new girls grabbed our attention and others proved to be not as compelling. Some girls recognized the opportunity, embraced the documentary and were open and honest for the camera. Other girls were more focused on the pageant and less willing to share their stories.
3. On a recent interview we did with Maria Roman, many comments were made criticizing Trantasia and saying that it was an unfair representation of the Transgendered community because it only focused on beautiful transsexuals. Any comment?
I understand that criticism, but we did not set out to “represent the community” so I think that is an unfair standard by which to judge the film. Our goal was simply to document a beauty pageant and to entertain the film audience. By their very nature, pageants attract a certain type of person and contestants are not representative of everyone or any community. As a filmmaker I was looking to profile girls with great stories and not just the “most beautiful” contestants.
4. There were also comments made about Tiara Russell stating that she wanted to be married as a man, not ID’ing as a true transsexual. Is this true and what are your comments about her participation in the documentary?
Meeting all the girls I quickly realized they all had their own unique and valid reasons for making (or not making) the personal life choices they had made. This particular pageant was open to both self-identifying pre-operative and post-operative transgender women. I know there are some in the community who feel the need to judge, and who believe that pre-operative trans women are somehow “less than” others who have completed the transition. I think those who are truly secure and comfortable with themselves embrace diversity within their own community.
Tiara stated in TRANTASIA that she was not certain she wanted to die as a woman. She expressed that uncertainty in terms of respect for her family’s desires and also a conflict with her religious beliefs. I appreciated her honesty and found her story complex and fascinating.
5. You directed a reality series, Wild Things, featuring Maria Roman, Cassandra Cass and Tiara Russell from Trantasia. How did you come up with this idea and how was the experience?
TRANTASIA first aired on Showtime and the film did really well for them. They were open to a new series which captured the same humor and heart as the documentary. After several unsuccessful pitches by our producing team, I actually came up with the concept for WILD THINGS by working backwards – figuring out what elements people would most want to watch and then refining the series concept to include those beats. When Maria Roman, one of the contestants in TRANTASIA, shared with me the news about her brother’s life-threatening battle with kidney disease, I asked if we could help. The girls’ road trip in WILD THINGS became a fundraising mission and we hit the road.
The shooting experience was rewarding, but unusually difficult. We had an extremely limited budget and a very small crew so I had to wear many hats. In addition, the girls were under the stress of production and they fought a lot… great for the audience, but tough on everyone.
6. Where did your interest in Transsexualism begin?
I would not say I started with any specific interest. As a filmmaker my job is to tell stories and these girls had intriguing stories.
7. What was your career background before filming Trantasia?
I graduated from USC Film School and started working with the legendary filmmaker Roger Corman. Before TRANTASIA I had directed 6 feature films, 2 television series for Twentieth Television and also many live non-profit events and benefits.
8. What are you currently working on and what is your next project?
Right now we are all busy promoting WILD THINGS which premieres on Showtime. I am also reading scripts and looking for my next project.
9. Are you gay and if so what do you think your responsibility is to the gay community as a gay filmmaker?
I am married to a great guy (and amazing chef) Paul McCullough.
I do not consider myself a “gay filmmaker.” In TRANTASIA (and also in WILD THINGS) I believe we treated the girls with respect and told their stories honestly. That does not mean shying away from the negative or controversial.
10. What would you recommend to someone who wanted to get into the film industry?
The digital revolution has led to the great democratization of the film industry. Now anyone can shoot and edit his or her own projects. That doesn’t mean everyone is a good storyteller, but it does mean the opportunity is available to so many more people today. I would advise anyone who is interested to study the films and storytelling techniques of great directors and then just go make your own movies. Editing your own footage is also an incredible learning process for a director. Above all you must have your own point of view.
11. How did you pick the six individuals you featured in Trantasia?
They picked me.
12. What would you like people to take away from Trantasia?
I would hope people’s hearts and minds were changed a little by meeting the girls and learning their stories.
13. Who are three writers, directors or artists that you draw inspiration?
Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese
14. The boys of raannt would love a reality series. What would you recommend to us to get our own reality series considering we already have an idea to pitch?
It is an extremely tough and competitive market and really hard to break through the clutter. I would recommend borrowing a camera, start shooting and create your own audience on YouTube. If it is good, people will notice.
15. Boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
Depends on the occasion…
Thanks buddy!
If you haven’t seen Wild Things, make sure to check it out every Thursday night at Midnight on Showtime!
And check out the Internationally acclaimed documentary that started it all Trantasia!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
We fell in love with her the moment she came onto the screen in Trantasia. There was just something about her smile, her honesty, her absolute sensuality that lit up every corner of the film. And now she is starring in a new film, Remember Me in Red as well as her own reality television show Wild Things. After listening to her discuss more about herself in the film, we fell in love with her even more. Because not only is she a pretty face…an amazingly gorgeous face, and a curvaceous body…she’s your wife, your mother, your sister, your friend. She’s all woman!
1. When and where did the transformation of Maria Roman begin?
I began living my life as a woman at the age of 19 in good old Reno Nevada. Well honey let me tell ya it was not peaches and crème. Since I was a little boy I always knew something was different about me. I must admit that as a little boy, I prayed for years that I could be like my brother and his friends. However, everyday I was reminded of how weird and different I was. Taunting and name-calling were a constant echo that will harm any child’s spirit. Of course as I knew no better as a child. I was guided by my instincts which always got me in trouble because there was behavior that was not acceptable for boys. After years of struggling with a deep disconnect from my true sense of self and the body I had been born with, I had no choice but to begin living life in a manner that was true to my self and to all around me. So the journey, and I mean journey, to self discovery and womanhood began. I must admit I continue to evolve so I don’t think that process will ever be complete. However, after years of struggling with issues, many of which my community today continue to face, ranging from sex work for survival, homelessness, discrimination, hopelessness…I truly have arrived. It’s interesting how we create this image of the type of woman we envision our self being and the lengths we will go to achieve it.
I continue to make wrong choices from time to time and on many occasions I scrape my knees really bad. But I get up, dust my weave, adjust my dress and begin smiling because after all I have been blessed with another day and the opportunity to start all over again. And that is a beautiful reason to smile….
2. What was your experience like in Trantasia?
Trantasia was a once in a lifetime experience that came to me from left field. At that time I was the Program Manager at Transgender Unidos for Bienestar Human Services; one of the largest and most comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention programs targeting the Latina transgendered community in Los Angeles county. While working at a local transgender club, handing out safe sex kits, I was approached by Shana Steel herself, who asked if I would be interested in competing in the worlds most beautiful transsexual pageant in Las Vegas Nevada. I mean, hell the title of the pageant alone was over the top and this icon asked if I would enter. Well I was so flattered I said “really you think I should compete”? I truly felt it was an opportunity to speak about my work on HIV/AIDS and promote the program. Never did I dream that it would become one of the most life changing events in my life.
Well there was not much time to prepare. In two weeks time it would take place. In no time I gathered my best friend Bamby and we did a little remix of a Gloria Estefan song. I went downtown and got some orange fabric, a couple of rhinestones appliqués , through it all together and two weeks later I was in the Riviera casino competing against the most talented performers from all over the United States. I mean these women meant business! The hair and the gowns were amazing. To be honest, I was joking around the whole time having a cocktail and a few cigarettes. Hell I figured, “what are my chances”? I mean, when Mimi Marks was upside-down “I said hell no she didn’t”. Just fabulous! Honey, when I made top 8 I almost peed in my orange jersey dress! I could not believe it. That moment redirected my life in a different direction that I had never envisioned. It gave me a new platform to continue to advocate for women like me. All the women that competed were all amazing. We all had fun and it was a beautiful experience. There was no cattiness. I met some wonderful friends that today are very close to me and dear to my heart.
3. Tell us about your role in Remember Me in Red and how you prepared for that role?
Well, I was contacted by the director, the fabulous Herctor Ceballos. He said he had a script he wanted me to read. He said I would be perfect for the role of Alma Flora. I read the script and I knew I had to be Alma Flora. It was like it had been specifically written for me. I went to several auditions and finally was confirmed as the actress to play Alma. I play the role of a transgender activist who, after her death, her family comes from Mexico and despite the community resistance disregard Alma Aloras life and attempt to bury her as a man. Any trace of the woman she was is erased in an instant. It was so challenging for me to be dressed as a man and to be in a coffin. I had to peel away everything about myself to become her. Aside from being nude in the movie, which was not that challenging really, it is my first acting role and I am very prod that I was able to transform my self to be Alma Flora after death. The film is currently premiering in many national film festivals and has won several audience favorite awards.
4. You have a reality show, Wild Things, coming out in the fall. How was that experience?
As I mentioned before Trantasia was the catalyst for so many beautiful experiences. I was fortunate to meet the wonderful Jeremy Stanford, the director of the documentary Trantasia and the reality TV series Wild Things. He, as well as Chris and Ted Smith, producers of both projects, has taken me on one of the most beautiful, and at times, challenging experiences of my life. Jeremy has always made it a priority to highlight the beauty, uniqueness and personality of each one of us while ensuring we are depicted in a way that is truthful yet respectful. Through his artistry in combining humor and drama he makes sure that the audience gets a sense of who we truly are as women and as human being. Since Trantasia we have remained very close friends and have had many hit and misses developing a show. However the fish out of water journey to change perceptions while showing the humanity of love for someone in need has been the winner. I must say all three of us, the Wild Girls, have grown as women since the filming of Wild Things. We are so different yet the same. Cassandra and I had our challenges and honey when I say challenges I mean “CHALLENGES”! However we have become closer. And Tiara, well she is my dog “ you know like my homie ” (Randy Jackson lingo) love them both! Filming 12 hours a day in 120 degrees under the sun, smelling cow shit, wearing polyester security guard uniforms in high hells with all that darn hair and trying to be cute and funny…its not easy honey. This was gorilla type shit doing our makeup on the mirror of our fabulous Winnebago. So I give it to us and the crew cause the lord knows we were bitchy. Jeremy will tell you its not easy traveling with three tranny’s in a compact car. Oh he’s got some stories! In a nutshell, it was fabulous!
5. Is your family supportive of you being a transgendered woman?
I must admit at the beginning of my transition we had challenges. I went from being a popular, football jock with a beautiful cheerleader girlfriend in high school to a 6 foot awkward looking woman for years. So there was some resistance. My belief is that my family was afraid that I would not be successful as a woman, however today my brother is my biggest cheerleader. He walked me down the aisle when I was married and my mother threw me the best reception any bride could ask for. My mother is my best friend and I can talk to her about anything without judgment. People have fallen in love with my brother Joe. How could you not? He is one of the kindest human beings and I am so blessed to have him as a big brother. I truly thank god every day for so many beautiful blessings, especially a loving family that loves me just as I am.
6. In the documentary Trantasia, you share that you are married. Are you still married and how are your relationships affected by you being transgendered?
Relationships change as much as we change as individuals. The love is always there. I was fortunate to have met someone who took me and loved me with all my flaws. “God knows there are many”. I am not easy to love as I bring a lot of baggage along with a hot temper and much passion. I have experienced love in a beautiful form. I am not the person he married anymore and our relationship has changed but the love is there and will always be there. We still live together. We are a family. He will always be one of the most beautiful experiences of of my life. I will leave it at that.
7. What do you think is the biggest political issue facing transgendered people in the United States?
The small representation of transgendered individuals involved in the process of creating or amending current laws affects us tremendously in the political arena. One great example is how, not too long ago, we were excluded from the original version of ENDA “the employment non discrimination act” by so-called LGBT organizations. In all honesty discrimination against Transgendered individuals, Gays and Lesbians will not stop because of a law, however it will give us a recourse to fight back.
The priority must be to ensure the protection under the law of our right to provide for ourselves the basic needs of any human being; food, shelter and medical care.
This brings me to another topic. Sex work. Many trans and non trans individuals are disgusted by the usual depiction of hopeless tranny sex workers in the media, stating that this is shameful and not an accurate depiction of trans women. But the reality is that the tranny sex worker really does represent a huge segment of trans women all over the world, many whom are women of color. Some will argue that this is by choice, however that statement does not reflect the lack of variety in choices, especially for transgendered youth. Many sell their bodies for just enough to eat and might not have a place to rest their head.
In all honesty, it is disappointing to witness this lack of empathy from own community. We are one community; from the beautiful to the unattractive, passable to the trucker driver looking girl. And, of course, lets not forget the glamorized but also stereotypical twirling girl making it rain dollar bills, while lip singing to our popular songs.
We need to stop looking towards each other as those people and get involved to ensure that educational access and resources are available for all trans women so that we can move towards a future with women with higher education, degrees and skills levels that will translate to successful carriers. This also needs to be supported by laws that protect us against discrimination in the work place because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
8. Do you believe Latina transgendered people are treated different than white or African-American transgendered people?
Culture and where we come from always plays a role in how we are perceived and sometimes treated. I believe that the issues that affect the transgendered community crosses ethnicities and truly doesn’t differentiate because of race or ethnicity. However, language barriers can be a huge disadvantage for many recent immigrants from Latin America. This will also be an added factor to issues dealing with treatment and discrimination of Latina Transgendered people.
I do see a difference among women of color and white women when it comes to decisions regarding time of transition. Women of color tend to transition at a very young age with out many resources, while many white women transition later in life once they have established themselves financially as men. I am yet to come to an understanding of why this is so prevalent but I can only assume that culture and environment are major influences in this decision process.
9. Can you tell us about your work in the HIV community?
I began doing HIV/AIDS prevention work because I had seen how the virus had devastated my community and friends. The community was being infected and affected by the virus, however there was a lack of representation of women who were transgendered. Funding has always been a huge concern and one of the main issues when it comes to HIV prevention and the lack of programs that were in existence for transgendered women. A study in early 2000 reflected a 22% rate of infection among transgendered women in Los Angeles County. This was alarming. As a community we had to make sure that we were at the table when funding decisions were being made. I am fortunate to be part of a generation that is not just sitting back but getting involved in ensuring that our health and well being are part of the discussion. I care about my community. I care about their health. The reality is that HIV/AIDS continues to devastate lives and its preventable, so the fight continues.
10. If you could send any message out to our younger gay community regarding STD’s and HIV, what would you say?
I can’t emphasize enough that HIV/AIDS is preventable. There are resources and tools in place to assist us in making informed decisions and take care of our sexual health. Utilize them. Attend support groups. Be informed about your bodies and how important it is to use protection when engaging in any type of sexual activity. It only takes one time. Do not use your instincts as a guide to gauge who is safe or not. You cant tell if someone has HIV because of how they dress or how they look. Get tested and always use a condom. Its your life. Protect it!
11. What message would you send out to our younger transgendered or questioning community regarding transgender transformation?
I would say that you hold the key to what kind of man or woman you want to be. The beauty of our lives is that we define our selves by a true sense of self. Even though the journey will not be easy, the reward of living life as your true self is endless. Many women and men have fought tooth and nail to ensure that we, as a community, are recognized and that change happens that will include equality and acceptance for transgendered individuals. Be proud. Get involved. There are so many resources and programs in place. Utilize them. And congratulations for being true to your self!
12. How important do you believe therapy is in the process of gender discovery?
I must admit even though I could use some therapy I never followed the Harry Benjamin Standards of care which were established as a resource for transitioning and really emphasize the need for therapy among other steps that are helpful in transitioning.
I come from a generation when we had no internet and Juanita the neighbor, usually a transgendered women in her 40, was giving hormones shots for 5 bucks next store (perlutal). And your therapy was the transgendered that had pump silicone parties at her house while she told you what your body would look like after 5 sessions.
The resources are there and individuals considering transition should use them and take advantage of them. (For more information on therapy during or after the process of transitioning, contact Peter Monn at Thoughts From the Couch to find contact information)
13. Who do you think are the three most influential or beautiful transgendered women alive today?
Valerie Spencer, an African American woman that gives me chills when she speaks is a true leader in the transgendered movement. She is a woman proud to be transgendered. Her beauty radiates from within. She is one of the women I look up to and aspire to be like, a true blazer for all of us trans women and men. Candis Cane. This woman does it all. She sings, acts and does it all while looking ravishing. Her role in Dirty Sexy Money still has people talking. Her one woman show at the Abbey in Los Angeles is without a doubt an act not to miss. I believe we will be seeing much bigger things from Miss Cane. I just love her.
Rupaul. I know many will disagree with me because of a small detail. Rupaul is a Drag Queen, but hell, I am one too, most of the time. I think when it comes to main stream media she has been one of the most influential gender variant individuals I have seen. Her reinvention with her successful Logo series Rupaul’s Drag Race is fabulous! And regardless whether she identifies as trans or not, mainstream America will look at her and at me and categorize us the same. Furthermore I just love her so there. She is fabulous!
14. How difficult do you think it is for transgendered women who are not physically attractive and struggle looking what we would consider typically feminine?
Well honey let me tell you with beauty comes power! I have been the unattractive fat girl that was always told, “oh you have such a pretty face” to what I am today (somewhat cuter), haha! Beauty is something we all seek. We are influenced by the media and everything around us. The more attractive and feminine I have become the easier my day to day life has become. However I have spent thousands of dollars to look this cheap, haha! Not a luxury many have. I look at myself and, not to say I am Gods gift to the world, but I can appreciate the blessing I have been given to be able to mold my self from an unhappy young man to the type of woman I always wanted to be…slutty! Haha! Just kidding people. But we as individualls need to define what is beautiful to us. And regardless of how beautiful you are on your exterior, it might sound cliché, but inner beauty is something that cannot be purchased. I am a firm believer that if you cant grow it honey, then sew it…“yeah its weave”! Haha!
15. Since one half of the boys of raannt are Latino, Alex is from Venezuela, can you give a strong message out to our gay and transgendered Latino community in Spanish?
Si se puede. I think we are a strong community with a beautiful diversity and colorful culture to be proud of! Take care of your health and make sure that as a Latino you’re involved in ensuring that the issues that affect your community don’t fall through the cracks. y que los quiero mucho y les mando un beso higante xoxoxox….
16. What are five things you always carry with you in your purse?
Well I should be honest right, here we go… makeup specially eye lash glue, a knife. Haha, just kidding. Perfume. Wallet. Gum “bad breath such turn off”. And lube…Don’t ask, you never know! Haha!
17. What do you think it means to be a woman?
Well as transgendered woman we have to redefine what womanhood is for us. For years as a young transgendered woman I thought that the day I got my breast implants I would be a woman. Well after surgery there was no epiphany. I was treated the same, I felt the same, just with bigger boobs…that I must say are fabulous! Haha. I then realized that my womanhood was not only physical, it always came from within. To be a woman and all it encompasses; self assured, complex, intriguing and full of mystique and allure…takes years. Womanhood is something both genetically born females and transgendered woman develop into. I wasn’t born female but today I can assure you I have grown into my womanhood.
18. What is the biggest incident of cruelty or discrimination you have ever faced?
I must say that a few years back, while in Miami at a popular club space, I was the victim of a brutal attack fueled by hate towards what I represented. After my assault, I was further victimized by the officials that were supposed to protect me. I was incarcerated and molested and paraded naked in front of many of the officers in the detention center. It reminded me of how we are all targets of hate. I never thought something like that could happen to me, however we must not be silent. I contacted Amnesty International and every organization I knew. You can still find information about the incident by just typing my name. One of the saddest days of my life. I will never forget that feeling of hopelessness and anger. Today that experience continues to be my fuel to give myself and women like me a voice because we are here and we are not going anywhere honey!
19. What would you say to a gay or transgendered youth who is thinking about running away because their family is not supportive of their life?
I was homeless at the age of 18. I remember being in a strange town sleeping under a park bench and the fear I felt. Those are experiences that have left an imprint on my life because of that one decision. Things turned out ok for me but it’s not the case for many youth that leave at such a young age. Seek help. There are resources and support groups that both you and your family can utilize Running away is not always the answer and it sometimes takes us on paths we never thought possible Exhaust every other option before putting yourself at risk without shelter or resources to take care of yourself.
20. If you could only listen to three CD’s or musicians for the rest of your life, and they couldn’t be mixed, what or who would they be?
Lady Gaga, Madonna, Sade…so gay of me huh?
21. You have lost a lot of weight since Trantasia. What inspired this weight loss and how did you do it?
Seen my big ass as on a huge screen at the Out Fest Film Festival wearing a bright yellow swimsuit was a moment I made the decision. “Oh I have to do something about that ass”. So I began trying to lose weight. It’s been years of struggling with weight and about two months before shooting began for the TV series Wild Things my director, Jeremy Stanford said to me, “Well you know Cassandra Cass is training like an athlete”, and laughed so hard. Haha. I said, “Oh hell no!” I had already lost some weight, but I cranked up the process. I wanted to make sure that I did not look out of sync with the other two skinny bitches, haha! In reality, I have made the decision to eat better. It’s not easy, but I feel better at this size. I follow a low carb diet and did work out for a few months. However, I have slowed down on the work outs.
22. What are your comments about hormone therapy?
Hormones are the fountain of youth and beauty. Use them with caution but they are the only thing that will help you in going from a frog to a princess, along with some cosmetic adjustment if needed. But honey, in some cases, drastic looks need drastic measures and to soften a rock throw some estrogen at it and it will do the trick. I am living proof of the power of estrogen. Seeking medical advice and supervision is my strong suggestion.
23. Because we always ask…boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
Boxers are my favorite. They are sexy. Especially the snug kind…if you know what I mean…
We definitely know what you mean!!!
We love you Maria…
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
AND for all of our exciting news, updates and stirrings…
Please Follow us on Twitter HERE
and
Like our Facebook Fan Page HERE
You would have to see her to believe her. She is simply…amazing. Gorgeous, contained, calm and professional. One part Miss Universe, one part 1940’s screen gem and one part, well…unbelievable! One of the most incredible entertainers of our time. We’ve watched her from afar for so long and recently we got a chance to get up close and personal with the one and only Erica Andrews!
1. How was Erica Andrews born?
Erica became Erica Andrews when Tandi Andrews made her daughter.
2. What has been your greatest accomplishment to date?
In my personal life, my family’s support. In my professional life, a consistent career in doing what I love most; pageants, drag and being an entertainer.
3. Who are three celebrities that inspire you?
There are lots in so many ways but the first three that come to mind are Cher, Penelope Cruz AND Ellen Degeneres.
4. What are all of the titles you have won and which one meant the most?
All of them. (National Entertainer of the Year, Universal Show Queen, Miss International Queen in Thailand, Miss Continental and Miss USofA…to name a few!)
5. During your interview for National Entertainer of the Year, which was priceless, you mentioned eloquently, the importance of professionalism.
How important is professionalism in the entertainment industry and what advice would you give people just starting?
Being professional in any business is key. In some businesses you have the opportunity to slack, but not in this business. You snooze you lose! There is always a girl waiting to get in your pumps, so stay focused and don’t slack!!! Be on time!!
6. What inspired your winning talent for National Entertainer of the Year?
Joan Crawford has always been a star that has amazed me by her dedication and her blunt approach, so I mixed some of Faye’s work in Mommie Dearest with a little drama from another fav(Shirley Bassey) AND Waa Laa!!
7. Do you consider yourself a “drag queen” and if so at what point did this change?
I consider myself an entertainer.
8. Who are the three greatest female illusionists of all time?
Tandi Andrews, Naomi Sims And Michael Andrews, Just to name a few.
9. Who are the three greatest current female illusionists?
Please don’t ask me that…
10. What is something we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
I play volleyball and I garden.
11. If you could only listen to one CD for the rest of your life, and it couldn’t be mixed, what would it be?
Louis Armstrong-What a Wonderful World.
12. You win $300 Million in the lottery tomorrow and have to donate half to a charity. Which charity and why?
Homeless children in America. I ran away from home and struggled. I was never homeless but I got to see what it could have been. I feel that we need to take care of our own problems in our own country first.
13. We think you might be one of the most beautiful women to have ever graced this Earth. What is beneath the beauty that most people don’t see?
Thank you. I’m humble and very respectful. When I’m home I like to relax, no make-up, heels or fancy clothes. I just like to be as simple as possible.
14. Tell us about your family’s support or lack thereof regarding your being transgendered?
My sister has always been my best friend. She always supports me and loves me unconditionally. My mother was never that shocked by my decision to be happy, she just needed to learn about it. My brothers are closer to me now more than ever. It’s all good.
15. What do you think the biggest political or social issue related to transgendered people is today?
They don’t know where to put us!
16. What is the sexiest city in the world? Sexiest club? Sexiest hotel? Sexiest beach?
Paris! TAO BAR in New York. And I find the W Hotel exotic! Cancun beaches for sure!
17. If you had $200,000 to spend on only one designer, who would you choose?
Valentino Garavani.
18. What are your top five favorite movies of all time?
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, All About Eve, Mommie Dearest, Pretty Woman AND Amores Perros(or any movie by Pedro Almodovar).
19. What are any three musicians, movies or actresses that inspire the illusion of Erica Andrews?
Raquel Welch, Sofia Loren, Uruala Andress and more recently Ninel Conde and Sofia Vergara.
20. What differences would your fans find interesting about the differences about Erica on stage and Erica at home?
Day and Night!
21. You have been in several movies, Ticked Off Trannies with Knives and Trantasia. Tell us about those experiences.
TOTWKwas so much fun because I knew all of the girls and I could relate to my character(Emma Grashen). In TRANTASIA I got to meet some of the most beautiful transsexual ladies and I got to share a little of my day to day life on film. It was a great experience!
22. Are you in a relationship and if not, what would it take for someone to be your Prince Charming?
I’m waiting to get butterflies in my belly…that’s how I’ll know!
23. Since we ask everyone…boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
I don’t discriminate!
Thanks Erica…All our best in the future…
Like always…
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
(All pictures with permission of Erica Andrews and most by Kristofer Reynold’s Photography per Erica Andrews)
Part angel, part bad-ass biker girl…lots of trouble mixed in with a heart of gold…how could you not love the amazingly beautiful Cassandra Cass. She was first highlighted in the documentary Trantasia and will be starring in the upcoming reality television show, Wild Things! It would seem as if this were only the beginning for this rising starlet!
1. How do you define yourself in society?
Hmmm…that’s a hard one. I really just look at myself as a person chasing her dreams. I really don’t like labels, they can be sooo confining…
2. How do you define your career?
I really look at myself as an entertainer. There are many forms, such as acting, modeling, designing and I really enjoy creating and being artistic.
3. How did you come up with your name?
My mothers name was SANDRA and my given name was CASEY. I’ve always loved Greek mythology and it just fit..My drag mother, when I was up and coming, was DENA CASS so CASSANDRA CASS just fit so well..
4. On Trantasia you seem to have a realism and a sense of humor that keeps you grounded. How important is having a sense of humor in the entertainment business?
OMG if couldn’t laugh at myself I would have given up a long time ago..There are so many ups and downs and sometimes you’re like “”WHY am I DOING THIS” but then when you see the finished product you’re like WOW I can’t believe I was a part of that!! What a dream come true..
5. What was the greatest experience you had while shooting Trantasia and at the pageant?
TRULY the sisterhood. Overall everyone was really great to each other. We knew we were part of something bigger than US and there really was a POSITIVE ENERGY…
6. What was the most humorous or most embarrassing thing that happened?
SWIMSUIT COMPETITION…The shoes I was wearing had laces that twisted all the way up to the knee and my DRESSER was more concerned about her hair than properly tying them. When I was walked on the stage they came undone and twisted around my ankle’s, tripping me. I actually fell off the side of the stage. That certainly didn’t help my chances to get into the top ten!!!….
7. Do you think transgendered people were well represented by Trantasia?
Overall yes. We wear seen as SHOWGIRLS who where in charge and and chasing their dreams.. most of the time we are seen as hookers doped up and HOPELESS, which really pisses me off. It’s time the media gave us more POSITIVE REPRESENTATION!!….
8. What can we look forward to in the new television show “Wild Things”?
“WILD THINGS” is by the same people who made TRANTASIA. It follows ME, MARIA ROMAN and TIARA RUSSELL on a road trip and a mission.. Maria’s brother was very ill at the time so we traveled around to very small towns and worked WILD and CRAZY jobs to raise money for his medical care..OMG we worked as BULL RIDER’s, sold HOT DOGS to CLUELESS construction workers, partied in biker bars. We even trained to be boxers. It’s very The Simple Life but with BIGGER BOOBS, HAIR and BOOTY!!!!..and yes we had some BIG ASS FIGHTS…THE show is TRULY AMAZING..I can’t wait for everyone to see it here in the stats!! Ohhhh did I mention, we traveled around in a broke-down Winnebago! …TRULY funny stuff!!!..
9. What are three movies that have greatly impacted you either personally or the image you create?
Pretty Woman, Barbwire and Grease….Yes I’m kinda a BAD GIRL…with a heart of GOLD!!!…
10. How will you know when you have “made it”?
STILL waiting ..not quite sure yet..ask me when the show comes out..
11. Do you get recognized and what is the overall response?
YES, really great, since TRANTASIA was SHOT I feel my look has improved so it’s kinda like looking at your high school pictures. But people are so great..I love it when people say You should’ve won!!..I’m like honey, it was not my time but I’m ready now for a REMATCH..
12. Who are three people in your field who you aspire to be more like and why?
HONESTLY I just wanna be the best me. That’s really what I aspire to..
13. Who are three mainstream celebrities you would like to have as best friends?
Madonna, Lady Gaga and Will Smith. They ROCK!!!
14. If you could have a 2 hour dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
My momma. I REALLY miss her…R.I.P
15. What is your ultimate career goal?
Just to keep on working and to been seen as the person I am, not just some “”TRANNY””. There’s talent here, I just wanna show it!!.
16. What are some misconceptions about transgendered people or drag queens?
Goodness, there’s a lot of them. I really don’t feed into that. I just hope people take it person by person and stop stereotyping!!
17. What do you think the biggest political or social issue facing transgendered people is today?
WE truly are faceless. Most transgenders don’t want people to know and I get that. There’s a lot of crap that comes with people knowing, but people need to have respect for others. It’s not ok to be mean and there is a lot of abuse that goes on and some people think its ok…I’ve always said if I meet Maury or Jerry Springer I would kick them in their balls..I feel their shows have REALLY set us back!!!
18. What is your relationship like with your family and do they accept your goals in life?
Not very good but I wish them well..
19. What is something we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
That I’m a great cook. It really relaxes me..just love it.
20. Who are your three favorite musicians of all time?
Madonna, Michael Jackson and BARNEY!!!
21. Boxers, briefs, jockstraps…or nothing at all?
NOTHING at all..I’ve worked too hard to get this body!!! Why would I cover it up?..
Thanks Sexy! We can’t wait to see the show!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!!!
AND for all of our exciting news, updates and stirrings…
Please Follow us on Twitter HERE
and
Like our Facebook Fan Page HERE
*Pictures printed with permission of Cassandra Cass.
It’s been a crazy year. We’ve stayed in business and met tons of amazing people! We’ve won several awards, been listed on National websites, entertained celebrities, written for three other major websites, been on the radio, hosted a weekly gay night called FLESH, thrown two fashion shows and a charity event and we continue to try and raise our own bar to do more and more, bettering ourselves and the environment around us, especially the social environment.
It is officially raannt’s one year anniversary and we wanted to do something special this week to make it even more special! Recently, we were contacted by West A. Ferguson on Twitter, who told us he was a fan of raannt. He also told us he thought we had a pretty huge gay following, especially younger gays. We asked him who he would like to see us interview next and he replied, “Hmmmm…the boys of raannt”. And so we told him if he sent us 20 questions, we would write up an interview and let everyone see what’s behind all the hype! And so it goes…
1. What are three interestingly random things we would want to know about you guys.
Alex: I’m bilingual, I’m in a hip hop dance team here in Indy, and I was born in Venezuela and moved here when I was 12.
Peter: I’m been clean and sober for over 15 years. I’m an only child. I’m obsessed with Willie Nelson.
2. Is your current job, you dream job?
Alex: Its not, I love the job that I have right now and I’m learning a lot… But the more and more I move forward with raannt the more I would love to work in PR or in the social event department of a magazine.
Peter: My dream job constantly changes. Currently I’m a psychotherapist in private practice. (Read my work related blog at Thoughts From the Couch!) Honestly, my dream job would be to write novels and drink coffee daily.
3. If you’re not working where you want to, then what is your dream job.
Alex: Public Relations would be great!! Or working for a Magazine
Peter: Like I said, writing full time and having my work published. I’m currently shopping literary agents and publishers.
4. Just for kicks: Team Jennifer Aniston? or Team Angelina? We’re all ears with this ongoing celebrity feud.
Alex: I personally love Jennifer Aniston! She’s sssooo pretty and She looks like a mean girl but isn’t, but we don’t really know if she really isn’t, which is what I like about her!
Peter: Team Angelina. I’ve never understood the Jennifer Aniston obsession. I love everything about Angelina Jolie; especially her mystery.
5. What are three “nevers” of your life. for example: I will never wear hot pink. Lol
Alex: I never say “I never” because I just never know!
Peter: I will never jump from a plane unless it is my only way out and I will never swim with sharks unless I’m swimming for my life.
6. Some young gay/lesbian actors have this belief that coming out might slow down or put an end to their careers. Do you believe Rupert Everett was right in saying: “It’s not that advisable to be honest. It’s not very easy. And, honestly, I would not advise any actor necessarily, if he was really thinking of his career, to come out…”.
Alex: I think it’s really up to them, being gay/lesbian shouldn’t defined their work and professional life, its personal and should stay that way.
Peter: I don’t think we’re in a position to put our careers first, especially when our coming out might be a positive example for others, especially younger gay people. When I was younger I felt all alone because there really weren’t any gay role models. I guess I’ve never thought of myself in the closet, and I don’t really care. If someone else can’t accept me…it’s not my problem. It’s just not about me. But I don’t think I have to flaunt it in someone’s face either.
7. How do you feel about society’s reaction to those actors that choose to come out?
Alex: I think they’re interesting, you can totally tell where these reactions are coming from; for example in major cities they report it and move one, but in the Midwest they linger with the idea or thought of someone they liked as being gay/lesbian… To each its own I guess.
Peter: I think society, and we’re part of that, will criticize or over-analyze whatever celebrities do. I can’t understand what it’s like living their life, so I try not to judge. I do think that many actors have been embraced by society because it’s just not that big of a deal anymore to be gay.
8. On the subject of gay youth, can we please discuss Glee? haha Do you feel that the subject of disappointment and misunderstanding between Kurt and his father represents a theme that is mis/over-used within gay culture? Are there not good relationships between gay sons and their fathers?
Alex: I personally don’t watch Glee; I feel like it’s the nerdy brother of Gossip Girl and 90210. All of these shows are filled with the same idea of young pretty sex and steam fun drama that we like to watch… But!!! I will say that in all 3 shows they have introduced gay issues and their stereotypes.
Peter: I don’t watch Glee either, although I’m planning on buying the seasons and catching up because the show is just getting way too much hype for me to not witness. My father and I have a great relationship and honestly, my being gay has never been an issue. He is a surgeon, and as a man of science, he believes my being gay is genetic makeup.
9. While growing up and coming of age, can you guys remember if it was hard to respect or believe in a religion? If your memory goes back that far 😉
Alex: Umm!! Yes my memory goes back that far!! And actually it was a little difficult for me to respect it and this is probably why I choose to not have any religious believes.
Peter: I do not consider myself a religious person. I consider myself a spiritual person. And honestly, my issues with religion have less to do with being gay and more to do with my addiction and recovery. Honestly, I’ve never found anything in a church that is for me, but I do have a great respect for people that find that kind of faith. I think religion or spirituality is personal and should be left that way. It’s a personal relationship. I don’t think most people would understand my spiritual beliefs, based on love and learning, and quite frankly, it’s none of their business.
10. With your views on religion, do you believe that marriage is for everyone? ( I only ask because I would not want to assume that all the gay community feels the same way)
Alex: I personally think that marriage shouldn’t be a religious benefit or right or anything, I actually think it shouldn’t be tied down to religion because its about loving the person you’re marring, not the religious you share or believe in.
Peter: I do not believe marriage is for everyone, whether gay or straight. I do struggle with couples who engage in committed relationships but have an open relationship, but then again, I guess that’s none of my business either if it works for them.
11. Okay, I’m going to give into a stereotype and comment on your amazing skin Raannt boys! You guys must have pretty interesting skin regimes, considering you both have amazingly beautiful complexions. So how do you guys do it…you know should know that this information will help the skin condition of all your fans! 🙂
Alex: Wow thanks!!! I actually had horrible skin when I was in High School and hated my face!! But I grew out of it, I do still get break outs here and there and still hate them, but its part of me and all I have to do is make fun of them and move on.
Peter: Honestly, my friends from high school would laugh at this question because when I was a teenager, I never had any acne and they were jealous. I think mostly it’s genes, but my mother always taught me to wash my face with bar soap, which is typically not what is recommended, but it has always worked for me. Also, I drink tons of water.
12. Speaking stereotypes: {because I totally brought up these topics so that they wouldn’t correlate *sarcasm*} Do you think there are definite roles for each person within a gay/lesbian relationship? Like bride and groom/man or woman?
Alex: I personally think that if I’m with a man it should be a man, just like me. I like guys who are guys and If I wanted a girly guy I might as well be with a girl.
Peter: I’m with men because I am attracted to masculinity. That being said, what works for me, isn’t for everyone. In our relationship, we have no set roles, entirely.
13. @CortneyStiggers wants to know: What do you like about one another?
Alex: I love how silly Peter is, he pretends our dogs have voices and are actual people and plays and talks to them… Silly but it makes me smile.
Peter: I love Alex’s confidence. Also, he is not only my fiance, but my best friend. He is willing to tell me when I am wrong about something and to tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. He challenges me to be a better person.
14. Another fan (@starsintheskies) asks: Individually, which do you prefer: words of affirmation, quality time together, physical touch, receiving gifts, or acts of service?
Alex: I like a bit of them all… I’m personally not a romantic person so all the mushy mushy stuff isn’t for me but I try my hardest to do it for Peter.
Peter: All of them, but romance and passion are really important for me. I think validation in a relationship is important and I definitely think quality time, no matter how it is spent, is vital. Although I love gifts, they don’t say much in a relationship. Physical touch…a must!
15. Which emotion is stronger: Anger or Love?
Alex: I think they’re both pretty strong and there wouldn’t be one with out the other.
Peter: Anger is a secondary emotion which we give power. Love can overcome anything.
16. Looking back in the past: What will you always remember about your childhood? Is there anything that you will always remember.
Alex: I think I will always remember the big family gatherings and trips to the beach. Venezuela is where I grew up and we got to do a lot of fun stuff while I was there!
Peter: What…I’m not still a child? Hmmm..I’ll always remember my teacher reading, “Help I’m a Prisoner in the Library” during a blizzard in 4th grade. I’ll always remember my mom and I dancing in the rain, and eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup on snow days. And sailing on Lake Michigan with my dad.
17. What family traditions have you brought into your own life?
Alex: I don’t think I have any… well that I can think of.
Peter: Interesting that he says that because I’ve learned a lot about Venezuelan Christmas traditions. It’s really important for me that we don’t go to bed angry and that we kiss each other good night.
18. With the anniversary of your blog, what impact do you hope to leave with your readers?
Alex: I want them to keep wanting more! I feel like they more they want the more drive we will have to be able to give them that, and by doing so growing as a page and place for people to go to and have fun reads!
Peter: At Pride Day this weekend we had a transsexual woman come up to us and thank us for our blog, saying we had given a voice to gay and trans people. Other people thanked us for giving gay people a mainstream voice. I guess I didn’t realize we were doing that, but it’s important that now that we have a voice, we use it correctly. I hope to leave readers knowing that we’re just two guys, accomplishing our dreams and trying to make the world a better place. Laugh a little bit and find love in the glitter…life just isn’t that serious. It’s over all too quick!
19. What are three platforms do each of you support?
Alex: Eating Disorders in Youth, Aids Foundation, and anything that will keep kids dancing!
Peter: Animal rights, especially for elderly dogs. Teen addiction and recovery. National equal rights to marriage.
20. Describe your life in a six word sentence. Mine (for example): Young sexy love never dies ugly 😉
Alex: Loyal Loving Crazy Sassy Sexy Dance
Peter: Life is short. Live it up!.
21. Taken from the raannt box o’ interview questions: on each other…boxers, briefs, jockstraps,…or nothing at all 😉 {your readers are dying to know}
Alex: I love sleeping in my boxers! And to go out cute sexy briefs!!
Peter: I love old school boxers, especially with buttons but typically nothing at all…And Alex looks great in a jockstrap!
So there it is…we hope you enjoyed it!
Thanks to West Ferguson for the interview…and to all our sexies…
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!