For Cat Lovers

A Glee Without Kurt! Oh Hell No!

According to this clip, the character of Kurt in Glee was created only after Chris auditioned! So, they were going to do a show about glee clun in high school and didn't plan on having a queen like Kurt in the mix? It's crazy!

For the Joss Whedon & X-Men Fans

Joss Whedon has joined forces with Marvel Comics to create a new X-Men series. Here is the first episode available online. The next episode will air in December!

Shock Value Done Right

Carmen de Mairena is truly a legendary scandal in Spain. I'll work on transcribing a translation.

Shock Devalued or Less Can Be More

So this was Adam Lambert's game plan for his first major television appearance:

1. Shove male and female dancers' faces into my crotch.
2. Grab female dancer's crotch.
3. Shove my tongue down throat of gender-fuck guitar player.
4. End with giving my middle finger to the audience.

I have to wonder if he was high on tina when he came up with this concept. Perhaps, he knew the song was crappy and needed to construct a contrived distraction. He would have been better off picking one idea from that list and letting his voice do the rest.

It was also really lame the components of his attempt at using shock value, were comprised of rock-n-roll cliches. I'm surprised no one broke a guitar and set something on fire. Maybe he's saving that for his next performance.

When it started I was impressed. He used a set design based on the Cabaret musical revival done a few years ago. Plus, everyone including him look really hot.

Yet, a few minutes into it he literally and figuratively stumbled across that stage. Nice try girl. You may want to spend less time primping, and put more effort into creating an experience that is truly entertaining.

I also find it funny that he wants us to believe he's this hard-edge scandalous performer. This queen was brought to us via American Idol, and was scheduled to appear on Good Morning America. He's a mall rat in fetish drag. Child please!

You Gotta See It To Believe It

For the past three months I've been enjoying the gym. I have a kiki with my workout partner Yvette. It feels good to take care of myself and to feel that I am doing something to build strength, lower my triglycerides, and increase my energy. This is where I would draw the line. You can't make this kinda stuff up.

WTF?...Deja Vu!

Okay so I posted the image above, in a blog post back in Feb. 22, 2009. I was just watching the season six finale of Project Runway, and the same dress, model, and everything, came down the runway!

I was then reminded of the long legal drama that unfolded as Project Runway moved to the Lifetime network. This drama delayed the airing of this season. Hence, the fashion repeat moment.

Who knew that I already saw the results of season six back in February.

BTW, this season was just okay. Perhaps this show has done its duty and may fade into the distance. It done birthed a bunch of fashion designer babies.

A Vigil for Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado

This is for my good people living in NYC:

Micheal Musto has the following information posted on his blog, regarding a vigil for Jorge, being held at the Christopher St. Piers.

"An email has gone out asking people to bring candles and some soul to a rally this Sunday for the gay guy murered in Puerto Rico, whom I wrote about here the other day.

Here's the message:

"19-year-old aspiring fashion artist Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was found on Friday night decapitated, dismembered, and partially burned. According to authorities, the investigation has shown that it is indeed a hate crime.

"The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the 'type of lifestyle' he was leading'.

"Please, please invite all of your friends to a vigil honoring Mercado, specifically, and all others who have been murdered, beaten, and otherwise terrorized for their sexuality or semblance thereof.

"The queer community in Puerto Rico needs to know we support them.

WE MUST FUNNEL OUR SADNESS INTO AN OUTPOURING OF RIGHTEOUS OUTRAGE."

The vigil is Sunday November 22 from 7 to 9 PM at the Christopher Street piers (Tentative; If I hear that the location either changes or is confirmed, I will update it in comments here.)" Click here for the post.

Diva Stomp Interrupted

Okay good people, enough days have passed that now allow me to write this post.

The other night I got up in the wee hours of the morning. I had made these amazing swedish meatballs in a mushroom sauce, and I wanted a brief little nibble.

I quietly got out of bed, and when I got to the hallway I felt excited about my culinary accomplishment. This prompted me to strut into the kitchen werking my diva stomp. I had one hand on my hip, and my body swayed back and forth, because I know I'm deserving of that self-love.

As I passed the dining room, my diva stomp came to a slippery halt. It went like this. I hit the floor hard with my foot, heard a crunch sound, and said foot made a fierce slide across floor. It almost knocked me on my ass.

My immediate thought went to a visualization of one of the animales in the house going potty on the floor. I went to flick on the light very peeved. I was determine to see the offense on the floor and identify whether it was Gino or Geronimo.

Darlings, when I looked to the floor I saw a mouse, squashed like a pancake with his head splattered across the floor. It looked like a combination of the following two images:



Every atom in my body came to a stand still. I held both of my hands on my face, and nearly passed out. I summoned my inner high-riding bitch and went into action.

I ran to the kitchen and got Clorox, Lysol, you get the picture. I grabbed a plastic bag and removed the mouse that had went from the frying pan into the fire. Geronimo the cat done went on the hunt. Obviously!

Within minutes the dining room smelled of germ and bacteria killing chemicals. As for those chancletas, they have not been worn since, but were thoroughly cleaned. I'm not ready to wear them just yet.

Levi Punked Out

Word out on the Internet is that Levi did not do a full frontal. Damn you Levi! You got me all hot and bothered with promises of something juicy. I now find out you are not delivering the goods. Punk!

Let's Play!

Good people, in Rochester, NY, you will find the Strong National Museum of Play. I adore this idea of creating a place that celebrates, and examines the way we play.

They even have a National Toy Hall of Fame, which includes the stick, the ball, and the cardboard box within its inductees. Genius!

In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.
Ovid
Roman poet,
43 BCE-17

I want to visit this place! Click here for more. BTW it seems this place is a very conservative institution. They host the Girl and Boy scouts so that the children can earn their badges.

Good people, let's infiltrate and play. I'm eager to ask scandalous, yet purposeful, questions to the tour guides. Visibility is key.

Hannity's Spot Got Blown The F Up! - UPDATE

You can't make this kinda shit up! It's just amazing to me the things people try, in order to win won for their team. How shameful.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

A mistake or a failed attempt at trickery? You decide.

Getting His Mack On

I just thought this was amazing to watch. My favorite part is when Mr. Hummingbird did a little dance on top of a leaf, in order to woo Lady Hummingbird watching. Check it out.

The MJ Movie

So, on Friday I went to see This Is It!, the Michael Jackson (MJ) movie. It was a dear friend's birthday, and the birthday girl calls the shots, and wanted to go see the movie.

I was not exactly thrilled about going to see the movie, but I wasn't completely turned off. Why not? My early days of MJ fandom were pleasant ones, and like most everyone on this planet, most of his music videos blew me away.

I have to say, I was intrigued by MJ throughout the movie. I got to see him engaged in his process of putting together not only a show, but a well crafted presentation of the MJ.

The movie starts off with his background dancers tearing up about having the opportunity to perform with him on tour. Living legends have this affect on the people around them. Yes, there was a sense of idol worship, but hey, it's MJ.

MJ was actually very sweet and appreciative of all the dancers, musicians, and singers in the production. He would often praise what they do and ask god to bless them.

He encouraged the fellow performers to take their moment in their show to shine. He told one guitarist, that her guitar solo is her moment and that he would be there for her.

Also evident, was MJ having moments when his stamina both physically and vocally were faltering him. It's not easy to age as a pop-star.

However, he was very hands on, and kept going. While one may think MJ just shows up to a show and does his thing, a lot of preparation and thought go into creating the end result.

It was also sad to see moments where it was evident MJ was being maintained through the use of the quackery of multiple medications. At times he talked with a clench jaw, and would seem a bit disconnected.

I'm sure the MJ aura kept many near to him from saying anything. The onlookers probably just said he was having an off day.

When the movie comes out on DVD I would recommend you rent it. You will get a glimpse into the final days of a human being that created his own art that entertained millions.

There are some funny moments, and it was interesting to see MJ act up a bit. Oh, and you will get a sense of his awareness of how he knew how to deliver the MJ experience to the people.

Werk It Ken!

I am shocked and appalled that many of my queer and queer-friendly bloggers failed to provide the complete image of the gay Ken. How is it that so many savvy good people did not create an image incorporating the accessories that come with gay Ken?

So, Mattel needs to make some coins. I can imagine in the product development meeting, the executives discussing the gay demographic, how they needed to give these "gentlemen" a little wink of appreciation.

Keep in mind folks these dolls are collector's items, and come at a high price point. It is obvious to me someone said he needs a pair of mandals. Sophisticated gay men of a certain age, do not wear flip-flops.

All That Is Oprah, Is Not Gold

I have loved ones near and dear to me that are LIVING with HIV. I get so fucking heated when people drag out hateful and ignorant ideas about HIV/AIDS. Let's move the conversation forward people! Damn!

Oh and here is further proof that Oprah and her people are well-intentioned dumb asses:

Source: Musto's Daily Blog

"​Jack Mackenroth, the HIV-positive guy from Project Runway, caught the recent Oprah Winfrey show about women with AIDS and found it to be a bit archaic, sensationalistic, and damaging to the cause. But otherwise, he liked it, ba dum pum.

Anyway, here's the very thoughtful letter Jack wrote to Oprah's peeps, hoping to enlighten them on how to better serve the subject:

Dear Oprah producers,

My name is Jack Mackenroth. You may remember me from season four of Project Runway. I was the designer who was open about my positive HIV status on the show and am very active in the HIV community around the country. I was very excited to watch the show about the women who were infected with HIV unknowingly because Oprah has the ability to influence the country in such a positive way.

Unfortunately, after the show I was left feeling disappointed and angry about the misleading information provided and the lack of followup regarding treatment and how the disease is transmitted. It really offered no hope for the over 1 million people who are living with HIV in this country-not to mention the millions of people all over the world.

My first issue with the show was that several of the women on the panel chose to wear disguises. I understand that there is a huge stigma about being HIV positive but if they wanted to remain anonymous then they should not have gone on national television! By appearing in disguise they only reaffirmed the idea that being honest and open about having HIV is NOT OK. That was a huge disservice to the HIV community...If we are taught that HIV is shameful then how can we expect people to willingly go get tested?

I had another issue about the vilification of HIV+ people. I understand that the man who knowingly had unprotected sex with these women should be punished but I also think referring to an HIV positive person as a "loaded gun" is an inappropriate analogy. Many of us take the necessary precautions and maintain an undetectable viral load in our bloodstream, which makes us much less contagious. However there was no mention of this by the doctor and it left the audience with the idea that every HIV+ person is a lethal weapon. It's a totally inaccurate, negative depiction.

I have to say I was shocked when two of the women mentioned that their daughters became suspicious because they told them not to use their toothbrushes or razors and even their mascara. Now I am not a doctor but I know you cannot get HIV by sharing a toothbrush or a mascara brush and I have never heard of even one case of someone contracting HIV by sharing a razor. I was appalled that the doctor in the audience said that not sharing razors was not an unreasonable safety precaution. It's this kind of faulty information that fuels mass hysteria. People believe what they hear on your show and it's just a tiny step away from not sharing eating utensils or toilet seats. In one minute you basically erased years of education about how the virus is transmitted and sent a national message that we, as HIV positive people are pariahs and hyper-contagious.

Oprah did make the important point that ANYONE can get HIV and that these women did not fit the profile of a high-risk person. However I feel like these women were portrayed a bit too much like victims. The woman in the audience who stood up and said the bit about always being responsible for using condoms was right. Each individual can only protect himself or herself. I understand that these women were lulled into a false sense of security and that they all said they would do it differently if they could do it over but at the end of the day we can only control our own actions. I have received countless emails from people who were infected because their partner either lied or didn't really know their HIV+ status.

The biggest problem I had with the show was the lack of followup information regarding safer sex practices and treatment options. Oprah kept stressing that we all need to get tested but who would want to get tested after that show???? The only take away was that if you know your status and have sex you can be put in prison. There was no hope or information given about the amazing treatments that are now available. There were no long-term survivors on the show to present a contrasting point of view and there was really no proper mention of how the disease is transmitted other than "use condoms". In fact there are numerous treatment options and many doctors agree that most people living with HIV that receive the proper health care can have full life expectancies. I have been living with HIV for 20 years and I have never been healthier.

Of course you did focus on each woman telling her sob story of when they were given their diagnosis because crying and shock factor makes for good TV. However it was not followed up by any sort of hopeful message. The viewer was left unsure of the fate of these women. It was even implied that they might not be around to care for their children. This was truly misleading and irresponsible.

I hope one day soon you do a show about the advances in treatment and people who are doing amazing things and making great strides in the HIV arena. Especially since HIV infection rates are climbing in almost every sector of the population. There are hundreds of thousands of HIV+ people around the nation who are not victims and who are empowered to educate the public and help combat the stigma and the disease. I have a deep and longstanding respect for the work you do on the Oprah show. Oprah reaches a huge audience and the show could have done a great service in educating people about the seriousness, treatment and realities of HIV. Instead it just highlighted the drama of one man's irresponsibility and focused on all the wrong things.

Sincerely,

Jack Mackenroth

What I Am Craving

Back in the early 90s, there was a middle eastern restaurant on Atlantic Ave, in Brooklyn, called Moustache. My favorite dish was a pitza (yes, pizza made from pita), called a Lahambajin.

This pitza was made from freshly made pita, and on top was ground lamb with tomatoes, parsley and a lovely array of spices. It would come out of the oven steaming, with a thin, crispy crust. It was awesome. I want one, like, NOW!

I've heard there are still in business but relocated to the East Village. I plan on going there on my next visit to NYC. I'm hoping it will still be the same divine experience.

Everybody Is A Star

Michael Musto provided a slamming hook up today in his blog. Yoostar is brilliant! I'm going to see if I can find clips from All About Eve, The Women, and Empire Strikes Back, so I can flex my acting muscles. Damn, but I'm going to have to hit the stroll, so I can buy the $170 set up for my in-home studio.

A Rare Find

Okay good people, so here's the deal, as a teenager I mostly never, hardly ever posed for photographs. I was so wrapped up in self-hate and felt like I was ugly.

Then you throw into the mix the fact that I was struggling with coming out of the closet. There were some hardtimes to the tenth power, inbetween the many good times.

Recently, I reconnected with another friend from high school, and she had these snapshots (see below) from back when we were students at NYC's High School of Fashion Industries, aka, Fashion! Class of 1986!

I have to say, looking at them now, I regret not capturing more moments from those days on film. Do you know I have not one picture of my escapades on the Christopher Street Piers, kiking at the drag balls, and clubbing with Willie Ninja.

Ugh! It's amazing how we cheat ourselves out of enjoying life when we are grappling with self-hate and doubts about how we are truly beautiful.

Well, thank you Christine for holding on to these pics. It reminded me of how cute it was for us, and will continue to be for the Fashion alumni!


On the left is Christine that had the hookup with the pics. On the right is Joslyn, has become family-of-choice. We are all meeting up this weekend to attend a poetry slam. We be some cultured peoples!


This is me with Richie (far left) and Ralphie (center). People I had the most severe crush on Richie. I craved that boy to the point that I once became physically ill at school. I once even invited him over to watch porn at my neighbors so I can seduce him. Stupid me, left my neighbors apartment to let him in and I locked us out! Curses! Oh and I had gym with Richie. This Dominican brother was hung. I just lusted after him. It was only with Richie that I could imagine wedded bliss.


This is me and Julie. Always a clever, smart, and stylish woman. Because of her, I got to meet Tears for Fears at the old Tower Records in the Village. Notice that I am giving you Banji look. I rocked the leather bomber jacket with a Chams de Baron sweater. And, you know the laces on my Addidas were in a matching grey!


Christine is the divaesque young lady to my right. To my far left is Priscilla, who I always felt looked like a young Diana Ross. There's Julie serving it with Esprit!

Estie, is the young lady sorta crotched down. On my 16th birthday, Estie and I went hanging out in the Village and got drunk on 7 and 7. I later ended up alone, and met up with a man in his 30s and well you know the rest. I told him I was 18!

The scandals good people, the scandals I would get into!

Mangia, Marcos, Mangia

Okay, so I like to experiment in the kitchen. Marcos is my devoted taste tester. He has insisted I blog about an omelet I made for him the other day.

Basically, I seasoned some whipped eggs with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. I also added a touch of water to loosen it up. Into the frying pan it went. No big deal. Right?

As it cooked I spooned into the middle about a tablespoon of roasted red pepper hummus. What the hell. Why not? I then folded both ends of the omelet towards the center, and did a flip and let it brown a bit.

Marcos said it was a sublime creation. My only regret is I didn't take a bite to taste for myself. I know, bad chef! But, I had already had my breakfast. Next time!