Landsharks in Broadripple…9-3…Drink Specials!!!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
The Word’s Mr. Ted Fleischaker
Recently, Alex and I found ourselves somehow in the middle of two Gay Media Guru’s located in our very own Indianapolis. Bil Browning, co-owner and blogger of The Bilerico Project, had approached us about being their local “gossip columnists”, which is now one site where we currently write and have enjoyed all of our experiences with them so far. A few months later, we were contacted by Ted Fleischaker, owner and publisher of The Word(the midwest gay newspaper), to be his new gossip columnists taking over his personal gossip column. After some consideration, we had to decline as Ted explained we had to be careful what we wrote always considering his advertisers. Although we don’t necessarily agree with this, we do understand that in his business, it’s vital to keep the advertisers happy. Nonetheless, we found ourselves discussing why both disagreed so much about getting information out to all of us and why they felt paper vs cyberspace was better. And really…what made each of these men tick. They were both awesome enough to grant us with an interview and what we found was that both are pretty genuine guys who just feel pretty passionate about their own ventures. Bil’s interview can be found on The Bilerico Project/Indiana. We have honored Ted’s wishes by posting his interview here instead of on The Bilerico Project. Although it’s long, we’ve written exactly as it was given to us. Good Luck to both men…we feel you both have your place!!!
1. What is your full name and position?
Ted Fleischaker (yeah really Ted, not short for anything since mom and dad said the last name was daunting enough to spell) I’m owner, publisher, do delivery for and clean toilets at The Word & Up Down Town. I started the Word in 1991. Up Down Town (the straight paper many don’t even know I own) in 1993.
2. Do you consider yourself a gay role model/leader and if so, why?
Nope. Not at all. We have no “leaders” in the community as we all are entitled to different views and directions. The only way I’d like to be a role model is with business. There were five other gay newspapers when I started in 1991, and I have managed to make it, while the rest have gone into the history books. The most recent competition here died in 2005. I chalk that up to my dad instilling a sense of business which remains the same — gay or straight — of sales, working with customers and listening then matching what they say to what they can afford. It’s also why we collect over 97% of the bills and have no debts. I tell folks that my success is because I do not drink and I mean that. Sadly, some of my 1990s competition were alcoholics or used drugs. It’s hard to do business when you go out at 12.30 a.m. and are wasted before you get the contract signed! I have daytime office hours and stick to them so I am here for the customers and readers.
3. What is one movie that has drastically impacted your life?
Thoroughly Modern Millie. It was corny, 20s musical humour but has more truisms than any other film. That said, I rarely go to the theatre and can’t recall the last full movie I watched at the cinema, on DVD, VHS or TV! I just would rather watch documentaries or news plus I fall asleep after a half hour so I’d not want to snore and disturb someone in the next row!
4. What is a book you are currently reading and what is the last book you read?
Now: Charlie Connelly’s “Attention All Shipping” dubbed as “a journey round the Shipping Forecast” which is broadcast five times a day on BBC Radio 4.
Last one: “Along Lost Lines”. About the old rail lines which have closed in the UK with photos of the final trains and what the same spots look like now.
5. What did you want to be when you were 10?16?
At 10 I don’t recall, but by 14 a journalist and newspaper man. In junior high I was getting mail copies of The Miami News (it closed in the 90s) sent to me and at lunch in the junior high cafeteria I always was reading a paper!
6. If you could only listen to one CD for the rest of your life and it couldn’t be a mixed CD, what would you listen to?
Vivaldi Concerti / Fabio Biondi leading Europa Galante
7. What is something about you that we wouldn’t know by looking at you?
That for years in my 20s, 30s and 40s I did extreme sports. I have a gold medal from 1988 for biathlon, was a certified downhill ski instructor and raced dirt motorcycles and rode crotch rocket Ninjas until about 5 or 6 years ago.
8. What is your attitude towards the issue between blogging verses newspapers?
Long answer here but honestly, there’s no similarity. They are not competition because the business models are totally different. Newspapers, especially specialist papers like The Word and ones like The Jewish Post, The Criterion for the Catholics, The Recorder for the Black community, etc., thrive because of what they offer in the way of accurate reporting, news that’s directly of interest as well as the unique place they hold in their respective communities. They are also trusted by advertisers for these very qualities. The dailies are folding because too many are corporate owned now and they had a business model based on page after page of department store, classifieds and car ads. Now that there’s way fewer department stores (think Macy’s everywhere, whereas before Indianapolis and every city had many) and car firms on the rocks, that income has vanished along with the classifieds they depended upon which have moved to Craigslist and elsewhere — often online and for free.
Blogs meanwhile have very little hard news value to most in the community and generally are regarded as comedy, rants (sorry!) , politics or complaints/personal attacks to be posted by people with axes to grind or one point of view that no mainline news organisation would print. They have it over newspapers because they are immediate, but so long as there are CNN, BBC News and all the TV and newspaper news sources out there, I don’t see anyone going to a blog for real, hard news. They might visit daily or even several times a day to see one writer’s “take” on what’s up and where and when, but only after the person reads the mainline take in the daily paper or hears it on CNN or in the case of our community reads it in The Word or sees it on our site. There is also the issue that blogs for the most part operate free and therefore are not governed by economics of keeping advertisers happy and presenting all points of view — even if some of the views disagree with their owners’ ideas.
In addition, bloggers and their contributors are for the most part unchecked sources. The reliability of what’s printed is always up for question and unless a source can be proven to be authoritative and accurate — along with being immediate — people assign it to a secondary or lower level. This is not to say blogs are bad as we all want our opinions and views out there, but it is to say that much of what’s posted has little hard news value, but is instead commentary ON the news or someone’s way to “get back at” or “attack” someone or something involved in or reporting the hard facts.
9. Who has been your greatest influence, besides a family member or close friend?
The late Dr. Jack Fought. He was head of the journalism and communications department at Bradley University from where I have my journalism degree. He taught accuracy, fairness, charity and how to handle everything from deadlines to controversies. His words have taken me a long way and we remained friends until his death in the 90s.
10. If you had to donate $1 Million to the charity of your choice with no stipulations, what would it be?
WQXR, the Classical Radio station based in New York City. It was recently saved from changing formats by becoming public and deserves my support.
11. Greatest local performer?
I work with them all, am friends with many of them, so won’t play favorites.
12. If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Winston Churchill. Quotable, practical and interesting. He won WWII you know!
13. If you could have sex with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Ivan Howard, my husband. I’m totally happy after 17 years. Just wish we had time for it a bit more often with our schedules.
14. Number one item on your Christmas list this year?
Being Jewish I don’t have a Christmas list…but for Chanukah and New Year’s probably a wish that I could sell the house my dad left my sister and I in Kentucky, so she and I don’t have that on our mind or plates in 2010. It’s rented but still a lot of bother and cost to deal with. A buyer please Santa!
15. Is there an afterlife?
Nope. You better have fun while you are here cause after that it’s just the cemetery or the crematorium!
16. Three major political issues facing gay Americans today?
a.) Getting our own shit together and reminding folks who place themselves as “leaders” that most of us did not nominate, hear from or vote for them to speak for us. And getting that message out to the political powers that be.
b.) Reminding the larger community that we are here, are not going anywhere, that we always have been here and we always will stay here. Also, that we don’t rape kids, stalk people or “turn someone gay.” We have no “gay agenda”, aside from jobs, love, paying bills and voting just like everyone else struggling in this economy. We really are your co-workers, neighbours and go the the PTA and sit next to you, so please don’t demonise us!
c.) Getting full national health care for all, so that regardless of marital status or relationships we all have our own coverage and equal access to care.
17. The major pop culture issues facing gay Americans today?
Just one: Learning to communicate again. We have all become so into texts, FAXes, instant messages, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, e-mails, etc etc. that we do not know how to really talk face-to-face and communicate anymore. For any understanding within or outside the community that needs to be resolved. Real conversation, I feel, would solve 85% of the ills of the world if we could but only turn off and learn to talk again.
18. Any comments on The Bilerico Project?
With the blog Bil has finally made himself somewhat “famous” which has been his life’s goal. He and I had a few dates 17 or 18 years ago and he also dated Ivan my partner and introduced us (on a 3-way phone call), so we go back a long way. From the beginning, Bil wanted to be “famous”. The first recollection I had was a black and white photo of him the Evansville paper ran standing alone, picketing Kmart there in the early 90s with a sign that said AIDS=DEATH. Bil has always wanted to be in the media as the “community leader” and the “spokesman” and has done a lot of posturing to get his 15 minutes of fame extended…and at that he has succeeded.
I do find it sad that he has some major axes to grind against folks he feels have stood in his way (including me), and for that I am sorry, but many of us have long memories. We also know that he’s never really, truly done the “homework” to deserve the status he aspires to. Last we checked he was never elected to head any major political action group like HRC, IE, Fairness Campaign, Tri-State Alliance etc. (save for ones he, himself started for the purpose of self-PR). Also, he and his partner and their blog have never been seen that I can recall as sponsor of or major donor to anything in the community — not IYG, Grande Masquerade, AIDS Walk, Pride, DEFA Fund, Bag Ladies nor anything else. He shows up on his blog to “snipe” at the community events he feels don’t fit his mold and says to the general press he’s a “community leader” but I have never seen any evidence of any genuine volunteerism, work or involvement where he was a worker bee and not the person in charge.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I did not say it’s rude of him to attack and allow libel to be posted against The Word and me personally all the time. I am not certain what he thinks he has to gain with posts saying we’re on “media death watch” and allowing folks to call what I publish “The Turd” because personal attacks merely lower the attacker and do nothing else. He’s been told by many of his own bloggers that very same thing, yet it’s such an obsession that he continues to do it. I think it’s time he considered moving on from the attacks, doing some good and positive things in the community and not trashing a media source which advertisers and readers respond to; which is what I own. I also see few/no local ads on Bilerico and it’s usually also the same folks posting over and over and over, which shows me and the community’s real leadership that locally his base of support is small. Most just laugh at his rants about The Word and me or my poor cats. As my dad taught, every knock is a boost so I really appreciate the free PR he gives me when he “goes off”. It is, however, time he grew up a bit and moved on to some real news as his trash talking is really not helping his credibility.
19. Long or short showers?
Too long, but partner Ivan is very patient and stays in with me till the end so he can squeegee the shower door. Our shower has two heads and fits both of us, and he designed out condo with that feature! Does he know me or what?
20. Boxers or Briefs?
Stanfield’s (from Canada) briefs. They fit best and no they didn’t pay me to say that!
Thanks Buddy!!! We really appreciate it and wish you all the best!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!!!
Brittany’s Entourage…
Brittany’s Back!!! Brittany Mason that is…Miss Indiana 2008 and now world famous supermodel as defined by Robin Leach of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous! Just for a few days before she heads of to the Far East for Fashion Week…but we SO excited that we’re gonna hang out with her for a few days until she leaves!!!
So look out for us tonight as we cruise all around town…Brittany and her Entourage(The BOYS; meaning Matt, Ryan, Alex and I)
Love ya!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!!!
The Mysterious Case of Adam Lambert, Adriana Lima and Zac Efron…All Nude!
Ahhh…the power of the internet. Tonight, we were looking through our daily numbers when we realized we had an extraordinary number of hits for Adam Lambert and Adriana Lima. It’s no surprise that Adriana was there as we obviously love her and put her on our SEXY LIST every chance we get, but we didn’t even remember writing about Adam Lambert. Honestly, after looking at some pictures of him, he’s a sexy guy, but really not either our types. So we didn’t understand why we had so many search hits about him and further more, we couldn’t even find the article we had written about him.
And as if that weren’t enough, the further we looked we found several searches on our site for “Zac Efron Nude”. Well, we may write shamelessly, but we know we didn’t write about or post any pictures of Zac Efron nude. Trust us, if they were out there, we’d post them, but they’re not.
And then we realized that under the search statements, NUDE was next to all of their names. So the question is…what is our infatuation with celebrity nudity. Why is it important to us, and trust us, we’d love to see them too, that we get to see pictures of our favorite stars in the buff? Didn’t the nude pictures of Brad Pitt ruin our fantasies for years to come? If you haven’t seen them…they’re right here at Skin Index.
Well, we don’t have any pictures of Adam Lambert, Adriana Lima or Zac Efron in the nude, but if we find them…we’ll be the first to post them! And hopefully someday, we will. Hell, hopefully someday, we’ll be famous enough that someone will hunt through cyberspace to find pictures of us nude…but probably not anywhere in the near future!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
Kim Iverson’s Quest For Love
Last night DJ Kim Iverson mentioned us, the boys of raannt, on her national radio show Your Time with Kim Iverson. We had previously written an article about her show and her relationship problems. She joked that she was thinking about “switching teams” and that maybe she should contact us. Alex immediately jumped up and called her talking to her about our previous post. First of all, she earned major points with us by understanding that our post was all tongue in cheek and we think she is beautiful and that we obviously do enjoy listening to her show. If she hadn’t grabbed our attention, we would never be writing about her in the first place. Alot of people find her annoying and opinionated, but hell, they say the same thing about us, so we appreciate a girl whose fierce, genuine and authentic…not to mention beautiful!
What is apparent is that she continues to have problems finding the right man in her life or finding a meaningful relationship. As a psychotherapist, I often hear women explain to me that they feel fulfilled in all areas of their lives EXCEPT romantically. She joked with Alex that maybe I needed to fix her before she could find the appropriate relationship. Later on her show she explained that many times she gets into a relationship but her need for independence affects the outcome of the relationship. Pretty insightful for someone who claims they can’t get it right. I do agree with everything else she said about love and that often it’s timing or match and that a failed relationship isn’t indicative of a twisted soul. No…not at all. A lot goes into finding a healthy relationship and making it last.
But Kim…we still think you deserve this. And you asked us what we thought, so we have an offer. We would like to spend a day or two with you, getting to know you. Intricate details about your likes and dislikes, past relationships, mommy issues as you refer to them, and what you’re looking for in a long term relationship. Because it is realistic to have a healthy relationship and attain your independence. After we have completed our love log and background information we would love the honor of hosting a national search for five finalists, picked by us, who you will then have the ability to pursue a relationship with if you choose. We think you deserve the best and quite frankly we are very protective of our women so we will only pick the best, not to mention they will be under a very scrutinized eye. This will not be The Bachelorette or I Love New York. No…this will be classy and we will honestly pick men that are best for you…
And Kim…don’t switch teams. We don’t even think that’s possible!
Can’t wait to hear from you!
Your Time With Kim Iverson is on nightly from 7pm to Midnight.
Call her at 1(888)9CALLKIM or email her at Kim@YourTimeWithKim.com
Visit her website at YOURTIMEWITHKIM
And Kim…Love is right around the corner…trust us!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
Top Gay Porn Sites…Just in Time for the Single Valentine!
It is reported that ever second 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography. That’s a huge amount of attention given to something we rarely talk about in public so Alex and I decided that over a two week period, while out at the bars, we would ask gay men what were their favorite gay porn sites. Although you may be asking yourself, “who cares”, if you started reading this post, you’re probably just as curious as we were to find out the results. And honestly…who doesn’t love sex? So here are the results…
6. Monstercockland
Ok let’s be honest. The name speaks for itself.
5. Gaywatch
A search engine filled with clips of both professional and amateur porn.
4. Rockettube
More of the same but obviously most of the clips are sponsored by more specific websites such as Broke Straight Boys, Chaos Men and Randy Blue.
3. Gaytube
A porn search engine with both professional and amateur porn clips.
2. Sean Cody
Mostly hot, college aged, straight “acting” guys either solo or together. (Indiana also has a few home grown boys on this site that might look familiar).
And the winner is…
1. X-Tube
And this win was by a landslide. Almost everyone we spoke to told us this was their favorite site because it was constantly updated, easy to find tons of videos focused on their search subject and had mostly amateur video clips posted by users themselves. Incidentally, X-Tube promotes itself as “The #1 Amateur Tube Site”.
All of these sites, with the exception of Sean Cody and Monstercockland, are free, but even those two sites allow visitors.
When we asked our “participants” what they most often searched for they almost all told us “straight acting guys” and “amateur” videos. Hmmm…makes you wonder what our fantasies really say about us!
Enjoy and stay tuned because the STRAIGHT LIST is Next…We’ve already been warned that SPANKWIRE should be at the top of that list!!!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
FLESH…PRIDE MONDAYS at LANDSHARKS!!!
It’s cold outside!!! Come to Landsharks and warm up with us at FLESH…Pride Mondays this Monday and every Monday from 9-3am…Drink specials, house music and go go dancers!!!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!
Boo Radleys…
Alex and I are not political whatsoever. We usually get our news from E! or TMZ or Facebook. We care more about Bradgelina and the Kardashians than we do Goldman Sachs’ bonuses or car recalls in Detroit. Don’t get me wrong, we care about what happens in this country, but I’m starting to care less and less. Why should I be so invested in a country that isn’t invested in me? The past few days, I’ve read update statuses on Facebook as well as articles on The Bilerico Project about the push for a constitutional ban of gay marriage and civil unions in Indiana. Well, I don’t have to be very political to understand what that means. They don’t want us to get married and in actuality, they don’t respect us as human beings. We are second class citizens.
I proposed to Alex on his 25th birthday, June 21st, 2009. He accepted. This last month, we began planning our wedding. We’ve decided to get married in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. Our family and friends will be present to celebrate with us. We plan to have a reception, hopefully at Tao, and when we return to Indianapolis, have a party for our friends who can’t make it to Vegas. Nevada will not marry us legally, so it is actually a “commitment ceremony”, but to us, it doesn’t matter. It is our wedding.
Tonight we discussed what flowers we want during our wedding; white stargazer lilies, never roses. We picked music out and I vehemently ruled out anything by Britney Spears, to which he laughed. We discussed our toast, being that I’m a recovering alcoholic and it is important to me that neither glass is filled with alcohol. At first he didn’t understand this so we had to discuss it. We discussed how we were going to afford this extravagant wedding, as well as our honeymoon. For months he has planned out his groom’s wedding party while I’ve planned mine. And what we really know, is that after it is over, just like every other couple in the United States, we’ll go back to being pretty much the couple we were before.
We’ll still laugh and fight over dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. We’ll argue over what kind of dog food to buy. Alex will dominate the television with the Wii or his recorded shows while I read or write on the computer. We’ll sing in the car on long trips and we’ll talk late at night, the fan whirring in the background; even in the dead of winter. So why all of the questions.
I mean, whenever we’re in the middle of having a conversation with our friends about our wedding they ask us what state we’re getting married in because Indiana doesn’t allow or acknowledge gay marriage. We get asked how we feel about the laws about gay marriage and if we’ll be able to be in the hospital with the other one should one of us, God forbid, get in a car accident. Politically, who will we vote for regarding the “gay agenda” and how do we think we’re helping “the gay community”.
But really, we’re just two folks in love who want to get married and have what everybody else has. Hell, on Jerry Springer, they’re marrying them and divorcing them left and right and apparently no one has any issues with that so what is the big deal? How is our wedding and our impending marriage really going to affect this country. If someone could explain that to me, then maybe, maybe I’d listen and become more political. Until then, suck it!
My mother would be ashamed of this state and many others for that matter. Two years ago she died from a horrible disease, and thankfully, everyone she loved was ALLOWED to be in the room around her when she passed. Years before, when I came out to her, she cried, and I was confused because my mother was such a liberal. “I’m not sad because you’re gay. I’m sad because of how society will treat you.” Well, I’m not anybody’s Boo Radley. I’m not going to go on hiding because people don’t know how to handle me or are confused or frightened by me. Alex appropriately introduces me to everyone we meet as his fiance and until HE decides otherwise, that is what I am. No law can take that away from me. I refuse to sit at the back of the bus just because someone else appointed the driver. I just don’t have that much time to wait because we’re on borrowed time as it is…
And I’m a realist. I used to think that we would have a federal right to get married in my lifetime, but now I’m starting to wonder. And I don’t really like being treated like a second class citizen. And I could care less for the people that talk to my face as if they sympathize and empathize yet do nothing to stand up for us. To be silent is to be part of the problem. Whispering behind Boo’s back is pathetic. Just imagine if all of us, not just in Indiana, but across this country, called in to work for one day, just one shift, in retaliation against the rights to have our marriages be legalized. The United States would shut down. And that’s the truth.
And just because we want to wear Armani to our wedding and have our bands made by Tiffany’s doesn’t make us frivolous gays, it makes us just like everyone else planning their wedding. Weekly I hear about what carat engagement ring and how many bridesmaids most of my female friends want, so why should we be any different. It’s just a wedding.
And we will have ours; even if it isn’t acknowledged by the good old state of Indiana. And why do I have to be so damned political when Sally Smith Warner can have a perfectly normal wedding, flowers and bridesmaids, with a legal ending, and she has never voted. Give me a break.
So support us if you want. Or suck it if you don’t. We really don’t care. But just in case, we’re going to be registered at Saks, Ikea and Crate and Barrel. And feel free to start a fund for our wedding and honeymoon. And we’d love if everyone called in sick on August 25th, 2010, in support of gay marriage. Would that make us political, or just expose all of the Boo’s for what we are…innocents betrayed.
P.S. Anyone interested in supporting our cause and lavish wedding/honeymoon to bring public attention to gay marriage rights…please let us know and we’ll set up a Paypal account with quickness!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!
FLESH…
Hey Guys…and Girls…Don’t forget tonight is CANDYLAND at Landsharks in Broadripple from 9-3. And starting next week…FLESH Mondays each and every week at Landsharks hosted by Sky Block and the boys of raannt. Come see the go go boys and dance all night to thumping house music!!! The ONLY gay night…although we welcome all of course…on the Northside!!!
So come on out and enjoy and support!!!
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!!!!
A Project of Love…
Often we cross paths with someone we never expected to meet who profoundly changes our life. Today was one of those days for me.
Recently we had been contacted by the marketing executive for writer Barbara Benjamin Marcus who developed the book Inside Out; a tapestry of photographs and interviews of drag queens from Key West, New York City, Tampa, Provincetown and Los Angeles. When I first skimmed through the book, I wasn’t terribly impressed. I thought the pictures were amazing, but none of the drag queens were extremely stunning and honestly, I didn’t delve into the words written between the photographs; until today.
Barbara called me for our interview and at first I was taken back by her impressive quality of storytelling and her deep love for her characters. “You have to understand these are all people on the fringe”, she explained, “There is something beautiful in each of them. They feel beautiful. Getting dressed in drag is a big deal. It’s expensive. And above all else, it’s very personal. This book became a project of love.”
She continued to tell me the story of how the idea for the book was given birth. She explained how her daughter told her to take pictures of the drag queens. After that, she found herself at a Red Ribbon fundraiser for AIDS and although admittedly shy, introduced herself to Margo, the oldest drag queen in the book, and asked to set up and appointment to take her portrait. She allowed Margo, like every queen in the book, to choose her own makeup, hair, costumes and presentation, as well as pick their own pictures to be used. She allowed each model to choose their own pictures and she either threw out the ones she didn’t use or she gave them to the models. “It was important that they understood I wouldn’t hurt them. Margo served as my sponsor, introducing me to some of the drag queens and showing them the photograph I had taken.”
What resulted was 40 individual stories of how each person reached this stage in their life. Stories varying from a drag queen who was a Pentecostal pastor for 12 years to a man involved in the Gay Games to marriages, children and a lifetime of misunderstanding, acceptance and growth. But all of them share that feeling of beauty which Barbara caught on film. “It’s not about who you can have sex with, it’s about who you can love. I know what I’m looking for. That’s the difference”, as explained by The Lady Dante. “You’re not born in a closet, you’re pushed into it.”
As I spoke with Barbara, her own personal story came out. When asked about her concept of beauty, she explained that at 17, she won a local beauty contest in New York City, Miss Surf Maid, and was awarded a two week trip to Europe. While traveling she was introduced to all kinds of people and realized that everyone has something beautiful in them. She also shared that she was married to actor Robert Duvall, who she endearingly referred to as Bobby, during his filming of Godfather II . She and I discussed his playing Boo Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird and how it had always been one of my favorite films and how Boo Radley was somewhat a symbol for gay men in hiding today. She explained that while married to Robert Duvall, she learned about the importance of acting as characters in all of our lives. “I’ve always loved that RuPaul quote. When I was working on this book, I wrote it down and posted it up in my house to remind me.” The same quote is eloquently posted at the beginning of her book. “We’re all born naked, everything else is drag.”
As I spoke with Barbara, flipping through her book as she explained stories about the different drag queens, I learned that each of us has our own story which makes us beautiful and unique. “Vinnie on page 19 is deaf. Deaf? Can you believe that? He knew I would want to interview him so he came with his questions and answers written down. Musty Chiffon came to my house and I photographed him at the cemetery. The next day, he came to my house out of drag and my husband didn’t even recognize him! And Scabby, Scabola Feces”, she laughed to herself, “so colorful and creative. And oh so clever! When he performed Marry Me Bill I almost died!” Her love for each drag queen was evident in her grand storytelling of how she met each model, photographed them and was allowed to hear their story. And it reminded me of months ago when I wrote a piece about drag and a reader commented that not every drag queen wanted to win a pageant, some just liked dressing up, feeling beautiful and performing. And for that, they should be greatly appreciated. I agree.
Inside Out reminded me of a book I read years ago about twenty women on death row, each one intricately and vulnerably sharing how they had reached that place in their life; inviting the reader into their lives, pain and pleasure.
Barbara Benjamin Marcus has been kind enough to open her lens and introduce us to these 40 fine “ladies”, who remind us that we are joined in the commonality of being gay but our individual stories create an amazingly, beautiful tapestry known as the gay community. On the outside, looking in, we’re all alike. But on the inside, looking out, we’re very, very different. Barbara has exposed that truth. We each have our own voice; sometimes singing in tune, sometimes singing to our own rhythm.
Thank you Barbara. What an awesome songstress!
Barbara’s book Inside Out can be purchased at Barnes and Nobel, Amazon.com, Freg Segal and Marc Jacobs. You can also find out more about Barbara and her story at InsideOutthebook.com.
Eyes Open, We’re Watching!