ANOTHER PRIDE

This past weekend was the last Pride event for me for the season. I always get asked by many just why does Harrisburg always have their Pride Event so late when it's at the hottest?  Not sure for certain, but I have been told they don't have it in June, the official Pride month, because they fear with Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore and DC'S, it will compete and loose some pride goers if it ends up on one of those weekends in bigger cities. Luckily the weather was a winner this past weekend, as some of the clan and I hit the parade and festival. It is held at the Capitol building, and the surrounding area. I enjoyed some of it, then we went to lunch, and then later had to get to the club to start getting ready for the Pride show, and making sure Sigourney Beaver, one of the headliners, got there, and was treated to some hospitality. And I'm here to tell you children she is ever the crazy bitch and filled with stories!!!! I was treated to one gem, where she was at a show once, and she thought what would be the thing to gross out all the gay men? That's right...MEOW! Vagina! Well, at this said show she pulled out a blow pop from her, ah, well, MEOW....and stuck it right in the gaping mouth of a guy in the front row!!!!! Now there is something you won't see on Dragula! The whole weekend went off without a hitch, the show and the festival. Plus there was Discord Adams too! Needed to say, Sunday. Was. Ugly. Some scenes from the weekend.

Betty Whitecastle

The Cork and Fork

Discord, Cody, one of our gang, and don't bully him, he cums.... and Sigourney Beaver.

And this dudo bird...your hostess with the mostess!!!!

Yes, I'm still picking out feathers!!!!! But I HUGE THANK YOU to Fat Sissy, AKA Miss Bill for the creation and making of this spectacular ensemble!!!  The headdress almost went down to the floor in back....he nailed the Mistress's over the top style. I always did like to keep it understated you see.

Happy Gay Pride!

PRIDE CONCERT

Category is Philadelphia Orchestra Pride!

This past Philadelphia Pride season was one of the best attended Pride yet, surpassing World Pride when they hosted it. And this year it was with honor that the world-renowned orchestra put on its fifth annual free Pride Concert and it was a huge hit. This year Trixie Mattel served as it's host for the evening- between her solo set, a gay Philly History lesson and everything in between, Trixie's charisma, uniqueness, nerve and huge talents kept the Marian Anderson Hall energized all night. The Philadelphia Orchestra led by Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is the one of the few symphonies  in the country ...maybe only orchestra to put on a free concert  for gay pride... and for the fifth-year running. If you ever get a chance to go hear the orchestra...go, they are truly phenomenal. Trixie paied with the magic of the orchestra, brought Pride to an epic conclusion for Pride Month. Carolyn Kuan led the orchestra that night, the Anna Crusis Feminist Choir, Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus, the Voices of Pride and the Trans-cendent Choir of Philadelphia all join in for an incredible program. From Madonna, to Gaga, to Bach to Tchaikovsky, Chopin to Bernstein was performed in addition to Dorcas Leung and Kyle Mangold performed songs from The Notebook

Special thanks to Josh, a member of the orchestra for sharing the clip and the pictures he sent in. Philly certainly is lucky to have this orchestra in our midst. And love a queen who knows her gay history.

SUMMER POSTCARDS #27

New York City Pride was a hoot and a holler! We showed up in one of the biggest turn outs for the city... kicking off with the Dyke and Drag marches... last heard, there was around 3.5 million!! Yeah, we ain't going nowhere. Otherwise after that it's been fun in the sun...and baking at the seaside, but the ocean feels cool and swell.

Tootles for now!

GAY PRIDE-JEAN MALIN

The other night on TCM I finally caught Jean Malin in Arizonia to Broadway in his bit part, but very memorable and entertaining, nonetheless. All these posts for Pride over the years and I can't believe I never once posted about trailblazer Jean, who was a pioneering openly gay entertainer, "Queen of the Panzies" and drag performer during the 1930 and is almost credited with the booming of the infamous Pansy Craze. While he began his early career performing in drag, he became a cultural sensation by emceeing in a tuxedo, using his very flamboyantly queer personality and extreme razor-sharp wit, to shatter gender norms. Although he was six feet and was a bigger boy, with wavy blonde hair to die for, he was effeminate and a female impersonator, and he was known to put hecklers, homophobes and even some mobsters in their place with his wit and at time fists.

Some fun tidbits-

Born Victor Eugene James Malinovsky. He won prizes at the Manhattan drag balls as a teenager and performed in drag as Imogene Wilson in Greenwich Village. As an MC at NYC'S upscale Club Abbey however, he traded dresses for elegant tuxedos. He strolled through audiences, campily interacting with crowds and fiercely defend himself a few times with hecklers and haters. Even tangoed with a few mobsters.

As New York police began cracking down on queer speakeasies, Malin then moved to Los Angeles in 1932, opening his own Club New Yorker. He attempted a film career in 1933 and made three movies, the best being Arizonia to Broadway, where he appeared on screen in drag which was extremely rare for movies then, doing an imitation of Mae West and singing Frankie and Johnny. By this time, he was the highest paid impersonator in the business in the Panzy Craze. Jean continued to sass mobsters and slay audiences with that film and in his routines in his own club, where Malin's out and proud shows drew stars like Clara Bow, Marlene Deitrich, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Carole Lombard and Talulah Bankhead. Malin has had self-composed Malin songs like "I'd Rather be Spanish than Mannish." At the height of his fame Jean's life was cut short when in August of 1933, after a farewell performance at the Ship Cafe in Venice CA, he accidentally put his car into reverse and drove off a pier, drowning at age of 25. But no doubt Jean Malin was a trailblazer and he took no prisoners! Fight, Fire and Guts, with no fucks to give

Happy Gay Pride!

PRIDE IS IMPORTANT.....

 I know it may seem like we have made some major strives, and we have, the majority of people don't mind people being gay, most likely know someone gay, have the live and let live motto, and the numbers are slowly growing...but many others, straight and gay see being LGBT as being more accepted so why is Pride still needed??? I saw some these. Is Pride still needed? YES!

And finally...

HAPPY GAY PRIDE!