Who Says Classical Musicians Can't Be Hot?

Yes, I know. The Oscar nominations were announced today. I'll get to them, eventually (you know I have plenty to say about them, too). And I have the Second Annual Ariel Awards to get to, as well. I'd look for those this coming Sunday, if I were a regular reader of mine (which I am - how narcissistic is that?).

But tonight, I want to talk about music. In particular, cellists Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic. That's Luka on your right. The 20-Something Croatians have made quite a splash in the Classical Music world and their mad skills on the cello have made them stars in Europe.

Personally, I had heard of neither of them until a friend posted the video below on Facebook the other day. And that's a shame. I grew up on both classic Rock 'n Roll, thanks to Mom and Classical music and opera, thanks to Dad, so my personal choices in music are eclectic, to say the least. While I can appreciate and enjoy the club music of Lady Gaga, I still get goosebumps when I hear a particularly excellent recording of Ode to Joy or The Planets. Of course, the largest part of my personal music library consists of film scores by the people I consider to be the modern Classical composers: Bernard Herrman; Max Steiner; Jerry Goldsmith; Danny Elfman; James Horner and Hans Zimmer (among many others). So, when I find artists who are able to combine modern pop/rock with classical sounds and instruments, I go into paroxysms of Musical Joy. And such is the case with this video of Hauser and Sulic playing Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" on dueling cellos. And it doesn't hurt that they ain't hard on the eyes. 

I already shared this on Facebook, so forgive me for repeating myself, but when I come across something this exciting (to me, at least), I have to share with as many people as I can. Enjoy:

You must admit, no matter what your musical bent may be, these boys have talent. And I can't wait to hear what they have up their sleeves next.

More, anon.

Prospero

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The Gayest Thing You'll See This Month

Do you remember Chris Crocker? Chris was the androgynous Vlogger who posted the infamous "Leave Britney Alone!" video on YouTube, which currently has over 36 million hits. He cried and ranted and sobbed and generally made a fool of himself for all the world to see. 

Uncle P, for one, was actually embarrassed for the poor thing. That a fan could get so caught up in what other people thought of his obsession he would post such a ridiculous video seemed to me the ultimate in time-wasting and attention-grabbing.

Well, I guess the joke's on me, because Crocker is back with a music video of his own (via). "Freak of Nature" is Crocker's personal diatribe on accepting him for who he is. And while I have never been the kind of person to flaunt my sexuality (the people I love and who love me accept me already), I suppose I can't fault him for trying to extend his Fifteen Minutes, no matter how ridiculous he makes himself look in the process of doing so. Watch the clip and then tell me you aren't still embarrassed for the poor thing (possibly NSFW):

Chris Crocker - Freak of Nature OFFICIAL (uncensored) MUSIC VIDEO!! from chris crocker on Vimeo.

Seriously. Is it me? Or are you as embarrassed for this young man as I am? Now I realize that posting this clip only perpetuates Crocker's presence on the Web, which is exactly what he's hoping for. But it is my hope that by commenting on it's ridiculousness (not to mention how bad the song is), people will see this little fame whore for exactly what he is, and he will remain a very minor footnote in entertainment history. If you're planning on sharing this, share in the context in which I have - derisively calling a whore a whore and hopefully helping to put an end to the kind of undeserved "Instant Celebrity" that exposure on YouTube has managed to create.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest and Weirdest Things You'll See This Week

Okay... I'll admit to being a bit of an Internet junkie. Having spent most of my day sleeping thanks to a nasty bug I must have picked up sometime in the last few days, I didn't get to do my usual web perusal until this evening, where I discovered both of the videos I am about to share with you tonight.

Where to start? I suppose with TV's longest-running (and dare I say, most consistently funny) show, "The Simpsons." Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are symbols of the American zeitgeist, whether we would like to admit it or not. "Life in hell" cartoonist Matt Groening has captured something so purely American in the tales of this highly dysfunctional family, that we can all find something with which we can identify. Yes, Homer is almost unbelievably stupid (I say "almost" because I speak to the unbelievably stupid almost everyday as part of the day job); Bart may be ridiculously naughty and Lisa ridiculously self-righteous and Marge may very well be the uber-hausfrau, but the show's writers are still able to tap into our collective psyches and address issues with which most of us can relate. So, do we really need this? (SFW - via):

Ew! I'm no prude and have no problem with folks who enjoy a little porn now and then, but really? Of course, hand-drawn comics porn parodies have been around since before the days of Popeye, but I really think a live-action porn version of "The Simpsons" is probably crossing a line we shouldn't be crossing.

So, let's balance that out with the latest video from Ricky Martin -- his first since coming out -- shall we? While the song may not be as catchy as "La Vida Loco" or "She Bang," it's message is far more pertinent to life in the 21st Century. Please enjoy (via) "The Best Thing About Me Is You" (something I can say about most of the people in my own life):

It's snowing here in Southeastern PA again, as I battle a very nasty virus of some kind (which may well explain my exceptionally rambling post from last night) and I am hoping for a snow day tomorrow so I wont have to use another sick day. There is already a good 4 inches of snow piled up on top of what we've already gotten in the past few days (so much for local meteorologists forecasts of 10 to 14 inches for the entire season). I hope you are warm, dry and snow-free. If you live in Australia, I hope it's not in a the region devastated by flooding. I hope no bird or fish kills have have affected your region and that wildfires, mudslides, tornadoes and other natural disasters have affected you or your loved ones.I hope none of you have the bug I have (or any other bugs, for that matter) and that your New Year is starting out the way hoped it might.

More, anon.

Prospero

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New Music Quickie

Regular readers know that I occasionally like to share new and interesting music with you. That's the gorgeous and amazing British singer Adele on your right, who at only 22 has the soulful voice of someone twice her age and twice as experienced in the pain that life can bring. She's either a brilliant performer (yes) or has had the kind of life I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I honestly don't remember the last time a singer has had such an impact on me and I immediately added her upcoming CD "21" to my Amazon wish-list. Alas, the disc won't be out until February, so or now I will have to settle for the video for "Rolling in the Deep" (There's always my birthday...).

I first saw the video below on Towleroad and Adele's voice, combined with that pounding beat and powerful visuals all combined to make this bluesy/gospelly torch song one of my favorite tracks this year. When i saw it reposted on my friend Stephen's blog Post Apocalyptic Bohemian, I knew I had to share with my readers, as well.

Ladies and Germs, I give you Adele and her stunning video for "Rolling in the Deep:"

Breathtaking.

Of course, I was then compelled to seek out other works by this talented, Grammy-winning artist:

I'll be looking out for more great tunes from Adele in the future, as should you.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Weird, Wild, Adorable and Gay, All in One Post

I was having issues with Blogger last night, so this is going to a big ole combo post.

That's the teaser poster for Apollo 18, the latest "found footage" movie. It's a fictional account of a real event, the 1970 aborted Apollo 18 mission to the moon. It's listed on IMDb as being in "pre-production," but with a release date of March, I must assume shooting is about to begin any day now. Written by first-timer Brian Miller and directed by Gonzalo Lopez (the 2008 Spanish thriller Enbrion), Apollo 18 apparently posits an alien encounter on the moon. I just love that tagline: "There's a reason we've never gone back to the moon."

Of course, it's certainly not the only 'found-footage' movie scheduled for next year. We've already seen the teaser for J.J. Abrams' next film, Super 8 (what the hell is in that train car?) and now comes this super-weird bit of whackness from District 9 director Neil Blomkamp:

It sort of reminds me of the whole Montauk Monster thing from a few years ago.

Now that I've covered the Weird and the Wild, let's move on to the Adorable. I've already gone on about how adorable I find "Glee"'s newest cast member, Darren Criss. His cover of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" has become the fastest selling "Glee" single ever. And while last week's episode of "Glee" served to remind me of exactly why I love the show in the first place, this week's episode was actually even better. Not only did it finally address the gay-bullying issue, it had the wedding between Finn's mother and Kurt's father, which featured a tribute to the famous JK Wedding Dance viral video. And as an added bonus, the amazing Carol Burnett (who so generously donated to the JTMF 5th Anniversary Silent Auction) as Sue Sylvester's Nazi-hunting mother. Could it get any better? Maybe...

Here's a sneak peak of Criss and Chris Colfer (Kurt) performing Train's over-used "Hey, Soul Sister" (though in this case, I'm willing to listen to it again):

If I were 20 years younger...

Which weirdly brings us to the gay portion of tonight's post. Via Towleroad come these next two videos. First up, NYC drag performer Sherry Vine in a parody of Katy Perry's (why is she so parody-able?) "Firework." Here's "Firecrotch!":

And from the same boys who gave us the gay versions of Katy Perry's "Peacock" and "California Gurls," (see what I mean?) comes this version of Ke$ha's "We R Who We R:"

Did I miss anything? I don't think so...

Tomorrow will be the last Turkey of the Month posts and I think I've found something really special to celebrate the turkiest of holidays. 

I wish you and yours the very best, this Thanksgiving. Uncle P gets a bit sentimental this time of year, so be forewarned that there may be some uncharacteristic sentimentality in forthcoming posts. If you are reading this from outside the U.S. (as I know a few of my few followers are), you won't really get the turkey jokes, but trust me, here they are hilarious.

More, anon.

Prospero

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Songs in the Key of Me

Cyndi at Her 80's Best

So, I've started to put together a list of music I want to use for pre-show, intermission and scene changes for Top Girls. The play is set in 1982, so of course I went and pulled all my '80's CDs, looking for pieces that might be appropriate. Thinking I have to sneak "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in there somewhere, I started listening to Cyndi Lauper's debut debut album "She's So Unusual" and came across a song I'd almost forgotten about: "She Bop." Which of course led Uncle P to think about other songs that deal with... um... well, pleasuring one's self.

While hardly the first song ever written about onanistic behavior, "She Bop" features some of the most overt lyrics ever written on the subject, including my favorite: "They say I better stop or I'll go blind."

Love her or hate her (and I so very much love her), Cyndi is probably an even more iconic '80's star than Madonna, Billy Idol (remind me someday to tell you about that concert) or Adam Ant.

 R.I.P. Captain Lou Albano (though I never really got the whole rubberband thing).

Of course, Cyndi wasn't the only one singing about the joys of being alone in the 80's. Billy Idol's biggest hit was about that very subject, no matter how many zombies he put in the video for "Dancing with Myself" And it wasn't just new-age punks singing about one-handing it. Classic rocker Billy Joel had his own take on the subject with "Sometimes a Fantasy:"

And quintessential '80's band Devo had this to say on the subject:



And then there's the Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun:"



Mot to mention the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself,"  The Vapors' "Turning Japanese" and the Buzzcocks' "Orgasm Addict:"



Even Prince got into the act with "Darling Nikki:"

But by no means was masturbation (there I've said it) an exclusively 80's musical phenomenon. Chuck Berry explored the subject in the Mid '70's with "My Ding-a- Ling:"

Of course, "Darling Nikki" is about so much more than just self-love...

And in the 90's, the subject was still being explored (all puns intended) by artists such as Tori Amos:



Even Country Western stars sing about it (albeit disguised as patriotism):

Hell, if you don't love yourself, who will? So be proud of your toys, soiled hand-towels and waste cans filled with stiffened Kleenex... I'm not here to judge, but rather to comment, even if that comment is "Oh, yes!"

More, anon.

Prospro

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The Gayest Things You'll See This Week

I think Katy Perry is okay. Not fabulous. Not amazing, Just okay. I am certainly sick to death of "California Gurls," a song which seems to be everywhere, all the time. Not that its a bad song... just enough, already. 

And while "I Kissed a Girl" was sort of a gay anthem for a while, once there were 8 billion versions of "I Kissed a Boy" on YouTube, I immediately lost interest.

There are tons of parodies of Katy's songs. I even saw one of "California Gurls" done by the models at Dirty Tony (a gay porn site) partially shot during a pride parade (may be NSFW, depending on where you work):

I hope their 'acting' is better than their dancing...

And of course, there's that parody done with the creepy old guy, which I will never subject you to again.

Now, for the first time, comes a gay parody version of one of her songs which I have seen before seeing the original video (via):

And while there has yet to be an official video for "Peacock," you can hear it here. So what it is that makes Perry's songs so ripe for parody? Bubblegum pop has always been the subject of parody, I suppose, and while Perry's lyrics are certainly more suggestive than some, the songs may have well have been performed by The Archies or Josie and the Pussycats.

And now that I've mentioned The Archies, I have to give a thumbs up to Archie Comics for introducing a gay character in the next issue of "Veronica." Blue-eyed, blond hunk Kevin Keller is Veronica's new love interest. But to her consternation, he shows no interest in the brunette sex kitten. To the writers' credit, the teens in Riverdale are totally unaffected by Kevin's revelations and take his sexuality in stride. Of course it seems utterly bizarre to your Uncle P that teenage characters in a comic book display more social sophistication and emotional maturity than many real people...

More, anon.

Prospero

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Today's Mood (NSFW)

So, directing a powerfully feminist, socialist play has got me thinking about some of the men in my life (not all, and certainly none of the current ones) and how I've been treated by some of the major asshats I've dated and/or loved. 

That's not to say that every man I've ever dated and/or loved is/was an asshat. Sadly, though, the majority of them are/were. Still, I'm at the point in my life where I have given up on ever finding someone to spend the rest of it with (I apologize for the terrible grammar, but that's what happens when I get worked up). I'm not getting any younger here...

Now I know this clip has been all over the web, recently, but it's such a happy tune combined with a rather negative message that it somehow makes me feel good and expresses just how I'm feeling at this moment, I had to post it:

 
 

Don't worry, Uncle P isn't descending into one of his bouts with depression... at least he hopes not. Still, the song below has become my theme song of late:

See what happens when I don't have rehearsal?

More, anon.
Prospero

PS - I'm sort of annoyed by Blogger's new tools. I have to figure how to format all over again. Urgh!

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54 and 33 Years Ago Today...

Today marks the anniversaries of the deaths of two prominent figures in both popular culture and my own life, who have more in common than one might initially suppose.

On August 16th, 1956, Bela "Dracula" Lugosi passed into the ether. His funeral was attended by a handful of his friends, including the infamously bad director, Edward D. Wood, Jr. As per his request, he was buried in his Dracula costume.

Lugosi had enjoyed a rather successful stage and film career in his native Hungary for quite a while before appearing as Bram Stoker's archetypal monster in the original Broadway production of Dean and Balderston's 1927 play, which in turn was adapted into the famous 1931 film by director Tod Browning. Women swooned and Lugosi became Universal's top star, though his refusal to wear the heavy makeup required to play Frankenstein's Monster would give his greatest rival his own iconic horror role. Lugosi would go on to appear in dozens of films, including White Zombie; The Black Cat; Island of Lost Souls (the first film adaptation of "The Island of Doctor Moreau") and Franz Lubitsch's classic comedy Ninotchka. Sadly, by the mid-to-late 40's, he had been reduced to appearing in self-parodying roles in films like Zombies on Broadway and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein:

By the mid-50's Lugosi was a washed up has-been, addicted to drugs and reduced to appearing in Ed Wood's tragically funny films Glen or Glenda and Bride of the Monster. Ironically, his last film was made two years after his death, when Wood used silent footage of the star at the start of what many have called "The Worst Movie Ever Made" (though many would argue that point), Plan Nine from Outer Space. Ironically, Martin Landau would go on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Lugosi in Tim Burton's best film, Ed Wood:

Lugosi was a childhood idol, and I can remember being very upset when Dracula was shown to my 7th grade class (the novel was part of our curriculum) and most of the kids laughed at the, by then, corny movie. Being of Hungarian descent (with a little German and Scotch thrown in on my mother's side), I grew up thinking that if 'Uncle Bela' could be a star, then so could I.

Flash forward 21 years to 1977. I was about to enter my Junior year of High School that August when my mother tearfully informed me of the death of her own personal icon, Elvis Presley.

Dad may have been an aficionado of Classical music (Beethoven and Wagner, in particular -- more on Dad's Nazi-leanings at another time), but Mom was a Rock 'N' Roller, and Elvis was the man she wished she could have married (along with millions of other gals in the '50's).

One of Uncle P's earliest stage memories -- I was maybe 8 or 9 -- was lip-synching to a 45RPM vinyl recording of "Hound Dog" in front of my elementary school classmates. I seem to remember they all had a good time...

Elvis and Bela shared a similar career path - both were Pop Culture icons taken down by their addictions, though Elvis certainly enjoyed a longer and much more lucrative career. Both made some really awful movies:

Whatever happened to Mary Tyler Moore, anyway?

Elvis died of a drug-overdose, found by his daughter on the toilet. I can't imagine a more ignominious ending to the career of 'The King.' And while my mother still pays homage to Presley on the anniversary of his death, I can't help but make mention of how gorgeous and hot he was in that black leather outfit he wore for his 1968 "Comeback Special:"

Damn! I totally understand why women threw their panties on stage... and I have never been so jealous of Priscilla... And I know plenty of 'straight' boys that would have thrown themselves at this version of him.

What does all this mean? I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it's just that legendary talent endures. Both Lugosi and Presley will remain icons of Pop Culture, as long as folks like myself continue to talk about them; post their images; view their works and aspire to be just like them - without the death-causing addictions, of course.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest Things You'll See This Week

Obviously, the cartoon on your right isn't exactly current, though it disturbs me (as it should you) that we're still having the same conversation 10 years after this cartoon was drawn.



I'm still gathering my thoughts on the recent events in California regarding Prop H8 and the many battles we have yet to face in a country where ignorance and bigotry are still the norm (and how sad is that?). I just want to know how, what is supposed to be the most advanced country in world is still having this debate. But why am asking you? If you're reading this blog, you're most likely on the right side, no matter what your sexual orientation might be.



So, before I go all nutso political on y'all, I thought I'd treat you to some music and dance. Gay music and dance, that is... Both of the clips below are via Towleroad, one of the most eclectic LGBT blogs on the web. Andy Towle and his team seem to find the most relevant and interesting topics of interest which include everything from news that directly impacts the LGBT community, to science, music, film, theatre, art and whatever else they think is noteworthy. Of course, sometimes Andy just lets go and posts something fun and sexy.



First up, the latest from openly gay rapper Cazwell, "Ice Cream Truck" (may be NSFW):

Obviously, Caz and his buddies are not buying from Mr. Softee... (and no, I will not apologize for that joke).

Next, something from "So You Think You Can Dance." Now, I am not a fan of most "reality" TV shows. I despise "Big Brother;" "The Bachelor/Bachelorette;" "Survivor" and almost everything on Bravo, MTV and VH1. My two exceptions (and guilty pleasures) are Kathy Griffin's "My Life on D-List" (so trashy, dirty and just downright funny) and "America's Got Talent." AGT appeals to me because it's open to anyone with any kind of "talent" and I was very pleased to see that my current favorite contestant, opera singer Prince Poppycock, moved on to the Semi-Finals this week. The man is not only very attractive, very gay and very talented, but his voice (much like Susan Boyle's) can bring me to tears (the good kind) and he's the first contestant in five seasons for whom I have actually felt compelled to vote (though I am still kicking myself for not voting for Barbara Padilla, last season).



Anyway, here's a very gay dance number from this week's episode of "SYTYCD:"

Neil Kent Travis @ Yahoo! Video

Hell, they might as well have done a full-on Apache Dance (also probably NSFW):







Okay - give me a minute to catch my breath... That's better.



Do you think they stuff?



Wow - I just blogged way out of my Public Comfort Zone (though well within my personal one). Another TMI moment from Yours Truly...



More, anon.

Prospero

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The Gayest (and Least Talented) Things You'll See This Week

That's gay director Gregg Araki, who just won the first ever Queer Palm award at Cannes for his latest film Kaboom, which is apparently a Sci-Fi Comedy about sexual awakening. Of course, only Araki would make a Sci-Fi Comedy about sexual awakening. Araki, whose previous films include The Living End; Totally F**ked Up and the beautiful Mysterious Skin has never been one to shy away from controversial topics. In his first film as director, The Living End, a hustler and his new-found lover go on an anarchistic spree of violence and sexual terrorism. In Mysterious Skin, a young man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a hustler explore their pasts, which happens to involve (among other things) alien abduction.

Kaboom stars Thomas Dekker ("Heroes;" A Nightmare on Elm Street) in lust with his surfer dude roommate (Andy Fischer-Price). There is no American release date, as yet, though I imagine an award at Cannes will change that, rather quickly. If you are unfamiliar with, but interested in seeing Araki's films, I suggest you do so one at a time, with plenty of time in-between to digest them. Some critics have described him as "The Queer David Lynch." And while there are certain surrealist moments in his films that may well evoke Lynch, Araki's personal stamp is all over ever one of his movies. Below is a clip from Kaboom:

Moving from Film to Television, here is yet another reason to love "Glee." For those not in the know, Kurt (Chis Colfer) is a gay high-schooler whose father (Mike O'Malley) is working very hard to accept his son's sexual orientation. Dad has moved his new girlfriend into their home. New girlfriend just happens to be the mother of Kurt's object of affection, football star Finn (Corey Monteith). When Finn is forced to live with Kurt, tension ensues, but Kurt's enlightened blue-collar dad steps in. I have yet to watch this week's Lady Gaga-centric episode (it's DVR'ed), but just seeing this scene was enough to make me cry (via):



Finally, as part of a post on Kindertrauma, blogger Uncle Lancifer included this clip with his review of the repulsive horror movie Human Centipede. It proves that not every member of a musical dynasty actually has talent. Please enjoy (?) Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede:"



I don't know what would be worse; sitting through a screening of Human Centipede or sitting through a Rebbie Jackson concert. Rebbie may actually be the only black woman without any sense of rhythm whatsoever.

More nonsense, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest Straight Soldiers You'll See This Week

That's Dan Choi on your right. Dan is probably best known as the most visible gay man to be discharged under the antiquated 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy adopted by the military under the Clinton administration. DADT is probably Clinton's biggest mistake -- well, there was that whole Monica Lewinski debacle, but that's really irrelevant to this discussion.

Under DADT, the applications for military service in the U.S. could no longer ask an applicant about his or her sexual orientation; nor could a superior officer directly inquire as to a subordinate's orientation. However, should an active member of the military openly admit that he or she was gay, he or she could still be discharged.

Honestly, did we learn nothing from the Greeks? Ancient Greek soldiers were often paired with their lovers, under the assumption that they would be more likely to look out for one another in combat. And that was a good assumption. I know I'd be much more willing to fight for the man I love than some Neanderthal who doesn't know the difference between a Jimmy Choo and a Manolo.

But I digress.

Here (via) is a video from a group of soldiers in Iraq, set to the Ke$ha (seriously, that's her name?) song "Blah Blah Blah:"

The good folks at Towleroad seem to think this video is in support of gays in the military, but I'm not quite sure. The clip seems much more like a dis to me. But then, I'm not in the Army. Nor am I in the Navy (or a Cop; Cowboy; Native American or Leather Daddy).

What do you think? You know I love your comments. Leave me one. For now, I'm just amazed that I've created a label for "Ke$ha." Whut?

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gaga Gayest Things You'll See This Week

Funny, I don't remember Scott Hamilton ever calling anyone a "slore." According to the Urban Dictionary (and I'm just paraphrasing here), a slore is a combination of the words "slut" and "whore." Really? Did we need to combine those words into a new one? Weren't they descriptive enough on their own?

Of course, all this started with flamboyant figure skater Johnny Weir not being asked to participate in Stars on Ice, or some such nonsense.

Does anyone really pay money to go to those stupid ice shows, anymore? I remember once as a kid being taken to see Disney on Ice and thinking it lame, even then. And as recently as 2000, my then-employer (an insane woman who would burst into tears at the mere mention of Tuesdays with Morrie) gave tickets for The Wizard of Oz on Ice to myself and another co-worker, which we gleefully attended as a total goof. My co-worker got totally wasted and spent the ride home screaming "I'm a flying monkey!" out the window of the car to every person we passed. As I recall, there was no mention of "slores" at either event.

You may remember that Johnny felt the organizers of the show passed on him because of his perceived sexuality, and publicly shared his feelings. Today, Weir's Olympic teammate, "straight" skater Evan Lysacek (pictured above, in the straightest skating costume ever) said Johnny was simply whining about his failure to be included because Stars on Ice only takes the "best of the best." To which Johnny responded in the most adult way anyone could expect a figure skater to do. He called Lysacek a 'slore.' Huh?

Is this the best the US Olympic Figure Skating Team can do? Two bitchy queens calling each other names? If I wanted to hear that kind of nonsense, I'd watch re-runs of "Dynasty" on Hulu. At least I'd get some bitch-slapping, hair-pulling, fountain-fighting fun out of it. Oh - and just in case you were wondering about Johnny, this should put those nasty rumors to rest once and for all (via):

Of course, a love of Gaga doesn't automatically make you gay. Just ask the boys of the University of Omaha's acappella group 'On the Rocks.' This performance isn't gay at all (via):

Well, maybe it's a little gay. Okay, okay. It's a lot gay. But that doesn't mean the cubs prancing about the stage are gay. Well, not all of them. They are a talented bunch, though - I'll give them that.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest Bears You'll See This Week

Just a quick caveat - this entire post may be NSFW. Don't say you weren't warned.

As a card-carrying, big ole hairy Gay Bear, I couldn't help but find the video below both entertaining and so very gay.

I can my hear my straight readers now: "What's a gay bear?" Normally, I'd say "Look it up, bitch!" But I'm feeling generous tonight. For those who are still completely clueless, you can read the rather superficial description at Wikipedia. But Bears are so much more than that. I, for one, usually hate plaid flannel and try to be as fashion-forward as possible. Sadly, the fashion industry for men seems to be right in line with the fashion industry for women in designing clothes for those who are either terminally thin or impossibly perfect. Personally, I'm much more comfortable in vertical stripes.

To your Uncle P, 'Bear Culture' seems all too caught up in creating a separatist group of gay men, rather than embracing the total LGBT community. Bears are stereotypically known for their predilection for plaid; leather; work boots and crew cuts. Indeed, there are even sub-groups within the Bear community. There are "Daddies," "Cubs," and even "Otters" (usually hairless young men who are attracted to older, hirsute guys ). There are Bear Clubs, Bear Bars and even Bear Campgrounds, where socially masculine gay men are free to express their sexuality without recrimination.

While the general (i.e. 'Straight') community may not understand why there are so many LGBT sub-communities (and don't even get me started on that subject), those of us who find ourselves, whether we want to or not, part of one of those sub-communities, and understand all too well. Everyone, no matter what his or her sexual orientation may be, longs to be both unique and socially accepted. If that means defining oneself by physicality, then so be it. Personally, I find myself attracted to all sorts or people; gay or straight; hirsute or smooth; buff or sporting 'a few extra pounds.' In the end, it shouldn't matter who or what we love, but only that we do.

All that having been said, please enjoy this NSFW music video from Pixie Herculon (via):

Agree? Disagree? Want a date? Leave me a comment. You should know by now how much I love hearing from you.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Music, Cartoons and a Much-Delayed Review

I really should have titled that in a different order, since I'm actually starting with the last item, first ("Oh, Uncle P, you're such a card!").

Anyway, while I finally was able to watch two episodes of Comedy Central's newest animated series "Ugly Americans," I had been putting off my official review for one reason or another. But I finally realized it's actually because I hate writing bad reviews. And I am sad to say that "Ugly Americans" is not very good, at all. That's not to say they don't try.

Set in an alternate reality version of New York City, "Ugly Americans" suffers most from trying to jam too many sub-genres together in one show. Mark works at the Bureau of Integration, trying to help various supernatural and extraterrestrial beings assimilate into life in Manhattan. He runs counseling sessions, job placement programs, etc., for beings other than human. His boss is literally from Hell (Daddy is the big S, himself), but that doesn't stop him from sleeping with her; his roommate, Randall, is a zombie (who turned for a fickle girl who only dated zombies, but had moved on to warlocks by the time he did); his co-worker is an alcoholic wizard and his clients are any number of beasties, monsters, aliens and robots in need of socialization.

Lord knows, I'm all for alternate realities; monsters; zombies; vampires; demons; aliens and robots. I'm just not sure how they all fit together. And, apparently, neither are the writers. One joke characters pop in and out with no rhyme or reason and the regular characters are simply tired cliches, stereotypes and been-there-done-that parodies. The first episode introduced us to the show's characters and the second dealt with a man accepting that he'd become a werewolf, while forgiving the werewolf that ate his arm, along with a "Meet the Parents from Hell" sub-plot. Neither episode was particularly funny (I may have chuckled a few times between them) and to be quite frank, I've seen better animation.

I suppose my biggest problem is with the show's central conceit. If this is an alternate reality where such beings are commonplace, then there would be no need for a Bureau of Integration. And if the Bureau exists because of a change in the status of "reality," then we need to why (or at least how) the status of reality changed. Yes, I know - "It's an animated comedy, fer cryin' out loud! Get over it!" I would, if the damned thing wasn't trying so hard. *1/2 (One and a Half Stars Out of Four).

It's a shame, because I really had high hopes for "Ugly Americans." And maybe it will get better with time, though I kind of doubt it. For now, I'll happily await the return of "Futurama."

And probably thanks to Sunday's Betty Boop cartoon, Q seems to be in a Max Fleischer kind of mood, because she posted the below video on Facebook today. Personally, I'm always in a Max Fleischer kind of mood, but that's just me. I am not familiar with The Real Tuesday Weld, but after hearing "The Day Before You Came," I intend to find out more about them and their music. It's an interesting song that fits amazingly well with the old Felix the Cat cartoon (even better than Dark Side of the Moon and The Wizard of Oz):

That sort of reminds me of this:



And finally, via Towleroad's Tuesday music roundup, comes this clever and just a little gay video from Diane Birch. "Valentino" is Bubblegum Pop Song fun, with a video that is sure to elicit a smile or two:

I think I may very well love this young woman. Or her art director.

More, anon.
Prospero

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The Gayest Things I've Ever Posted?

Alright, some of you youngin's might not recognize the two ladies to your left (which is a terrible shame), though folks of a "certain age" (i.e. Uncle P and his friends) can tell you that not only are they both show biz legends and gay icons, but between them have slept with more gay men than most gay men do (and that's a lot of gay men).

And if you really need to be told, that's Liza Minnelli and her mother, Judy Garland. Many say that Judy's death was indirectly responsible for the raid on the Stonewall and the consequent riots, which reportedly took place while legions of gay fans had gathered to mourn their Diva's passing. That may or may not be documented somewhere, but I'm too lazy to look it up tonight. It came to me apocryphally, and so I now pass it on to you, in the same way.

Anyway, Punchy Players (via) have a very weird, but very funny commercial parody for Cream of Wheat, starring the mother/daughter superstars, both of whom are voiced by someone credited only as "Jeff." It's pretty damn gay:

Personally, I think Mario Cantone's Judy & Liza are better than Jeff's, but that weird photo animation lent it something that took the bizarre to whole new level.

Here's Mario's take:

And that took the gay up almost 3 levels... Let's see if we can't even the scales a bit.

You may have heard about this new little Internet phenomenon called Chatroullette. I would love to go on it, but you need a webcam, and I'm not going there. But people are starting to record and edit their sessions rather cleverly. I believe it is the very first music video made using Chatroulette. Gay because the music is Gaga and features a very funny guy in increasingly bizarre drag; bizarre because of the increasingly bizarre drag (and his facial hair) and hilarious because of some of the reactions, which range from horrified to hysterical to participatiorydancing. Ladies and germs (also via), I give you the Chatroulette version of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" (may be NSFW):

It's hard to know exactly what to say after watching that, isn't it?

Was I right? Are those the gayest things I've ever posted? If nothing else, they're all kind of weird (though that's not really anything new around here, now is it?). Kisses or venoms; applause or rotten tomatoes; thumbs up or down (and can I hear a sad little sigh for the end of "At the Movies" from all of you, please? The balcony is closed... ); agree, disagree or just want to share lewd limericks, then leave me a comment. I love hearing from you.

Last night I was working on both my screenplay and a critique of a play by a young friend, and time just got away from me. I really didn't have much to say, anyway (if you can you imagine such a thing). Tonight, I had a wonderful dinner at the Lambertville Station with three of my very BFFs (I've known Q, K and Dale for most of my adult life), which was what I hope will be the start of a wonderful weekend.

Of course, tomorrow also starts Phase II of The Great Plumbing Disaster of 2010: The Bathroom. The same problem that forced my kitchen renovation in January, also caused some damage to the wall in my bathroom (to save on plumbing, the builders put the bathroom and kitchen behind each other, so they shared water and waste lines in a single wall). And since it really also needed it anyway, my amazing contractor, Sam, will be replacing the tub with a shower unit; replacing the damaged wallboard behind the toilet and sink and re-tiling the floor. He's promised to have it done in three days. I'm guessing it will be Tuesday before I get to take a proper shower again. Looks like it's washcloths, baby-wipes and kitchen sink shampoos for a few days. You never learn to appreciate anything until you don't have it, I suppose. Yes, I always like to end on a cliche. It's so soothing...

Anyway...

More, anon. Read me tomorrow at the Zombie Zone.
Prospero

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Nor'easters, Blackouts and the Gayest Things

I got a new camera for Christmas and just now got around to uploading the pictures I've been taking. That's my Santa Fe the day after the first of two blizzards we had in February. And this past weekend, we had a massive Nor'easter that dumped over 3" of rain on us between Friday and Saturday. Today was the first time we saw the Sun in at least 5 days. I have never been a fan of winter, but living in the Northeast, I got used to it. Until this year. If it weren't for my proximity to NYC, all of my favorite people and my very good day job, I would move to the Southwest in a heartbeat. Of course, the cons of moving far outweigh the pros, so I'll be staying where I am, thank you. Of course, Summer in the often very humid Delaware Valley can be brutal, too. But Spring and Fall are usually lovely, and I do enjoy the change of seasons (even if my sinuses don't).

Last night, just as I was signing on to post a "The Gayest Things You'll See This Week," I experienced a completely unexplained blackout. Blackouts this time of year usually don't last very long (even at the height of Saturday's storm, the power went out just enough to be annoying), so I waited. And waited. And after 20 minutes, I gave up and went to bed. Two hours later I was awakened by the power coming back on, but by then it was well past midnight and I simply turned off the lights and went back to bed.

Anyway, below you will find an abbreviated "Gayest Things" post. Well, abbreviated and expanded, really. Because the blackout allowed me to find a second music video to include. First, I don't how I missed it when it was on Towleroad originally, but here's a terrific video of the lovely and melancholy "End of the World" from gay singer/song writer Matt Alber.

You can be sure I'll be posting more of Mr. Alber's work, which somehow reminds me of a cross between Rufus Wainwright and early Billy Joel.

And today (via several sites), I came across this video from David Fudge (who made the fabulously gay version of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the FIP"). Here's an unofficial video for Lady Gaga's "Monster:"

Monster by David Fudge at fabulis from fabulis on Vimeo.

Just what I needed to help me get over these Winter doldrums. Spring is just around the corner, which means I'll be getting into full swing on the JTMF show, which always warms my heart. I hope it's warm and wonderful where you are (or it will be soon).

More, anon (barring any more blackouts).
Prospero

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The Gayest Things You'll See This Week

I really need to find other gay blogs to read than Towleroad (though it is the best one out there). And there are lots of them out there: Pink Is the New Blog; D-Listed; Just a Jeep Guy; Are You There Blog, Its Me, Stephen? and... of course... Well, the rest all seem to have content that's NSFW (Not Safe For Work). Maybe that's why I don't link to them so often.

Anyway, thanks to Towleroad, I am linking this item about the Gay Men's Choir of D.C. and their all-gay production of Grease. I imagine the character of "Sandy" (played Olivia Newton-John in the film version) becomes "Andy" in the GMCDC production. And the singer of 'Beauty School Dropout' becomes "Teen Gayngel." The rest of the characters' names are asexual enough to be left alone, I suppose: Rizzo; Kinickie; Doody; Sonny; Putzie (now that's a name); Jan and Frenchie (need I elaborate on that one?) could be applied to either sex.

While I have no personal objection to making traditionally straight characters gay (I once played Jaques in As You Like It as gay, as supported by the text - look it up), I don't think I always agree with such radical interpretations. The tagline for this show is "The musical you know and love. Only gayer." Really? Now I know other shows have taken a similar tact. Evil Dead: The Musical had a similar campaign:

Still... Do we really need to make everything gay? Let straight people have their straight shows and let us gay folk have our own shows:

And no, I am not saying they are exclusive. What I am saying is we don't need to make straight things gay, just because we can or because we need to prove something. Just because the LGBT community wants to (and should) be part of the larger world community, doesn't mean we have to co-opt everything. Let's be honest here, some things are straight and some things are gay and never the twain should meet, as it were. And as it should be. It's called 'diversity' for a reason, folks. Let's celebrate the differences that make us all the same, is what I guess I'm saying.

But I digress...

In somewhat of the same vein (and also via), comes this new version of the video for Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me," a song and original video I love, and apply to my own life all the time. Made by students at the University of Rochester in New York, it expresses how I've felt on more than one occasion...

And in case you're wondering, here's the original:

Here's to the day when "gay" and "straight" have lost their meaning altogether and "love" means the same thing to everyone.

More, anon.
Prospero

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