Watermark Issue 18.11: Gay Days Weekend 2011

yOuR LGBT LIFE.ISSuE 18.11 | MAy 26 - JuNE 8, 2011

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yOuR LGBT LIFE.

Pride & Passion

Smashes records in Tampa

Still SHininGD AY T O N A B E A C H • O R L A N D O • TA M P A • S T. P E T E R S B u R G • S A R A S O TA

Deborah Cox steps back into the limelight with a new album and an appearance just for her Orlando LGBT fans

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What’s new and different in 2011

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6 | Orlando NewsVolusia County passes an anti-discrimination ordinance with a 6-1 vote; The City of Orlando recognizes Harvey Milk Day for the first time ever; Organizers gear up for what they hope is the largest Orlando Black Pride celebration in its history; more.

10 | Tampa NewsThe annual Pride & Passion fundraising event at the Tampa Museum of Art breaks attendance records and ups the ante with living art; A town hall meeting focuses on the transgender community and how organizations can improve outreach practices; Streetcar closes its doors for good in Ybor; more.

29 | Scene+HeardDeborah Cox is coming to Orlando to help raise money for Come Out With Pride when she performs at Mr. Sisters June 4. The dance floor darling talks to us about her new album, why she loves her gay fans and how she juggles her career with being a wife and mother. The L-Train Lounge in St. Petersburg has undergone many evolutions, but its returning to its roots as a movie theater. Owner Laura Cipriati tells us about “8-Minute Movies” and how locals can win some prizes for their creativity. Accordion goddess Judy Tenuda preps for a show in Orlando by telling us about what it takes to reach “goddess” status and why the gays love her so much. GLAAD recently recognized Kim Cattrall for her support of LGBT causes and the actress talks to us about her “un-Samantha” role in her new film, due out this month.

51 | Gay DaysThe annual celebration of all things gay in Orlando returns for its 21st year the first weekend of June, and there is no shortage of ways to participate. We talk to GayDays.com about the role social media—from bulletin boards in the 1990s to Facebook today—has played in promoting the ever-growing event. We also chat with Universal’s Keven Callahan about how that company has grown to be a huge LGBT advocate and participant in the annual hoopla. We also explore what’s new on the scene this year and we take a look at whether or not the crowds are thinning at the Magic Kingdom these days.

issu

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The L-Train Lounge in downtown St. Petersburg has issued a challenge to aspiring filmmakers—submit an 8-minute movie and win some prizes

and a chance to be showcased at TIGLFF in October. Lounge owner Laura Cipriani tells us how she came up with the idea and what’s involved.

Dance floor diva Deborah Cox returns to Orlando for a one-night performance at Mr. Sisters on June 4.

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May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 5 watermark | preview

Like most of the country, I was watching the news to see if one of two predicted scenarios played out the weekend of May 21.

The first was that the Second Coming of Christ would occur at 6 p.m. on that Saturday as predicted by whacko evangelist Harold Camping, and we, unfortunately, would be left behind in a less-crowded but somehow more evil world. Or two, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary would happen on May 21 and we would go about our regularly scheduled plans—which probably include celebrating Gay Days the first weekend of June.

We all know—and few were surprised—that the second scenario is the one that unfolded. Camping has since said he was “off” by a few months (and factored in some emergency prayers), adding that “Rapture Redux” is coming Oct. 21 this year.

The complicated and confusing mathematical code Camping “found” in the Bible was apparently incorrect this time around—or he forgot to carry the one or something. But he was sure the end was here and like many right-wing religious leaders, he blamed us.

I was raised in a religious family. My parents taught me right from wrong, good from bad and warned me about the Rapture and the dangers of living through Armageddon on a Godless Earth. What great childhood memories!

Being a child of the 1980s meant that hearing the horrors of the events unfolding after the Rapture weren’t enough. No, I had to go to church on weekend evenings for special screenings of the Thief in the Night series of films to scare the living daylights out of me.

I remember being no more than eight or 10 years old while watching the characters in the movie face the guillotine because of their refusal to accept the “Mark of the Beast.” I light-heartedly told my church friends that I knew I’d be okay since I was a good Christian boy. I would even pray for the Rapture to come before that next big math test on Friday. I figured if God was good, as I was taught, he’d spare me the agony of those pesky fractions.

But secretly I was scared to death that one day my entire family and all those I loved would disappear and I’d be left all alone because I was different. Those films had such an impact on me that I swore I saw the villains outside the windows of my school bus.

Sure, movies had scared me before. Halloween creeped me out and I was sure that Michael Myers was lurking in my closet some nights. But this was different. This was real fear. There was no “It’s-just-a-Hollywood-story” voice in my head telling me it would be okay.

I recall being home alone as a preteen thinking that my parents weren’t coming back because God was upset with my crush on the boy sitting next to me in class. I thought I deserved to be left to my own devices.

After viewing Thief and its three sequels, I really wanted to be scared straight!

On the morning of May 22, you could see newscasters struggling to contain their smiles as they reported there were no vacated piles of clothes or empty shoes left on sidewalks and no vehicular tragedies occurred because a driver suddenly disappeared from behind the wheel. Those reports also meant there was no post-Rapture looting party as promised by a disturbingly popular Facebook group.

Following that Saturday, I spoke with several friends and acquaintances in the religious community—both gay and straight—and not one of them was surprised by the delay of the spiritual event.

Most quoted a Bible verse explaining that no one will know when the end will come for humanity on Earth.

Camping and his predictions will no-doubt make it into every year-end wrap-up come December and then disappear from our thoughts. But in the end the elderly Californian received plenty of mainstream air-time to blame the LGBT community for the “end of days” and in the meantime, made an insane amount of money.

Predictably, we’ll be blamed for future catastrophic events just as we’ve been blamed for past ones. And that’s a prediction guaranteed to come true.| l |

editor’sdesk

Steve BlanchardEDITOR

[email protected]

The complicated mathematical code Camping “found” in the Bible was

apparently incorrect this time around—or he forgot to carry the

one or something.

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YOUR LGBT LIFE.ISSUE 18.10 | MAY 12 - MAY 25, 2011WATERMARKONLINE.COM

D AY T O N A B E A C H • O R L A N D O • TA M P A • S T. P E T E R S B U R G • S A R A S O TA

YOUR LGBT LIFE.ISSUE 18.10 | MAY 12 - MAY 25, 2011WATERMARKONLINE.COM

Summer SizzleS W I M W E A R F A S H I O N S T O S H O W C A S E Y O U R A S S E T S O N F L O R I D A ’ S B E A C H E S

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B R I N G S B A C K I T S G A Y V I B E

ISSUE 18.10ISSUE 18.09ISSUE 18.08

Contributing WritersGreg Burton, Erik Caban,

Scottie Campbell, Kirk Hartlage, Rev. Phyllis Hunt,

Brian Feist, Ken Kundis, Renee LePere,

Billy Masters, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, Margaret Nolan, Anthony Paull, Rhetta Peoples, Greg Stemm, Louanne Walters

Photographers & IllustratorsNick Cardello, Angie Folks, Julie Milford, Travis Moore,

Tom EckertDistribution

Debbie Oliver, Mark Lauyans, Ken Caraway

| May 26 - June 8, 20116 watermark | orlando news

Anti-discrimination ordinance passes 6-1jamie hyman

Deland | Volusia County has become the latest Florida county to make it illegal to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, or places of public accommodation like restaurants or bars. The anti-discrimination ordinance passed 6-1 on May 19.

The group heard about a dozen speakers on the issue and about three dozen supporters wore red shirts. None of the speakers were opposed to the measure, although the council did receive a letter opposing it.

Councilwoman Joie Alexander was the “no” vote, saying she doesn’t support discrimination but the ordinance is unnecessary.

Councilman Josh Wagner originally proposed the measure about two and half years ago, during his campaign.

“I had assumed that something like

this was already in place,” Wagner said. “I didn’t know someone could go to rent an apartment, show up with their partner and get turned down, or get kicked out of a restaurant because they might be gay or lesbian. You just don’t think stuff like that still happens today, but it does.”

Wagner also proposed a domestic partner registry which is on hold.

“It hasn’t been brought back up yet but I would love to see it and would be all for it,” he said.

Wagner said he has his eye on future discrimination-fighting ordinances.

“I’m going to… start thinking of anything else we can do, and for other [minority] groups as well,” he said. “I want to expand protections for any [minority] groups from discrimination.”

Wagner said the anti-discrimination ordinance just passed will pave the way, making future protections easier to obtain “now that the formula is set up.”

The measure takes effect July 1. | l |

Orlando Black Pride celebrates 8 yearserik caban

Orlando | May 31 marks the kick-off to the 8th annual Orlando Black Pride, hosted at the Orlando Vista Hotel. Since 2003, Orlando Black Pride’s mission has been to provide empowerment through the promotion of unity and pride while promoting community health and wellness, and social justice to the African-American LGBT community of Central Florida and beyond.

The official OBP opening party is at the Parliament House on Tuesday, May 31, and features R&B singer Khia live in concert. The week will offer non-stop partying in the name of Pride with entertainers such as BSlade, Jasmine Bonet and Stasha Sanchez.

The six-day event will combine revelry with education. Because of barriers that sometime prohibit faith communities from addressing HIV/AIDS, including issues related to stigma, sexuality and/or condom use, OBP and the Church of Healing & Prosperity will host the forum, “Is It Time for All of Us to Come Out of the Closet?” on Friday, June 3, at 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Safari Hotel.

Orlando Black Pride and the Church of Healing and Prosperity will host a second forum to address the issue of gays and the black church.

“The African-American church plays a pivotal part, not only in the African-American LGBT community, but in

the African-American community as a whole,” said Trish Duncan, Orlando Black Pride Coordinator. “The vast majority of us were brought up in the church and understand the impact that the church has on our families.”

Duncan said the African-American LGBT community has struggled with religion because the church has ostracized gay people for their sexuality.

“With all of the media attention on the African-American church and its leaders coming out of the closet, the call for the church to adjust their negative rhetoric towards the LGBT community is critical,” she said. “Doing so could ultimately reinforce our faith in the church and at minimum, would positively impact the African-American LGBT community.”

Special guest panelists will include two-time Grammy Award nominee and seven-time Stellar Award winner B. Slade, Rev. Horace Griffin and from Atlanta, Ga., and Dr. David Malebranche, Assistant Professor at Emory University’s School of Medicine who has conducted research exploring the racial, gender, age and cultural factors that influence black men’s health. The moderator for the forum will be Star 94 FM radio personality Monica May.

More than 4,200 were in attendance last year and more than 6,000 are expected this year, according to Duncan.

For a complete schedule and ticket information, visit OrlandoBlackPride.com. | l |

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 7 watermark | orlando news

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Harvey Milk Day proclamation Issuedjamie hyman

Orlando | For the first time ever, the Orlando City mayor’s office recognized Harvey Milk Day with a proclamation recognizing the activist’s contributions to LGBT rights.

“Harvey Milk exemplified how one person, standing up loudly and visibly against a fierce societal fear and prejudice, can change the world,” the proclamation said, which designated May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in the City of Orlando.

City commissioner Patty Sheehan presented the proclamation at a Tom Goss

concert at Mr. Sisters on that day, which would have been Milk’s 82nd birthday. Sheehan said in issuing the proclamation she learned more about Milk’s life and contributions.

“What struck me was that he was only in office for a year,” she said. “I knew he was assassinated in his first term but didn’t realize it was during his first year.”

Sheehan issued the proclamation at the request of Randy Stephens, executive director of The Center.

“Harvey Milk’s message of relationship building was a vital part in the recent revision of the Human Rights Ordinance by the Orange County Commission to include sexual orientation and gender identity,” Stephens said in a media release. “Such message includes persistency, but also requires respect for opposing viewpoints, leading to finding common ground, much like we did in the expansion of domestic partner benefits last month.”

Sheehan said she hopes Milk’s legacy leads to more open involvement by LGBTs in politics.

“It’s important for LGBTs to be involved in politics and it’s important for them to be out,” she said.

She added that the proclamation is slated to hang at The Center, but the Harvey Milk Foundation has requested a second one which she will submit for Mayor Buddy Dyer’s signature. | l |

Musician Tom Goss, Randy Stephens, Patty Sheehan and Linda Stewart show off the proclamation designating Harvey Milk Day in Orlando at Goss’ concert at Mr. Sisters. | Photo courtesy The Center

GLBT History Museum incorporatesThe GLBT History Museum of Central Florida is now a legally constituted organization. Now, the board will apply for 501(c)3 status, which would allow the museum to expand its funding and operations. The museum started in 2005 as a joint project of Metropolitan Business Association and the University of Central Florida’s Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Student Union. It is mainly supported with funds raised by Orlando’s Come Out With Pride celebrations. For the past few years, contributions from the Darden Corporation have covered the cost of “big-tent” history exhibits at Pride celebrations.

Prime Timers elect new leadersThe Prime Timers of Central Florida have a new president. The group’s board of directors voted Jim Moore into the president’s position. It also elected Patrick Caraher to be vice president, Ron Bush to be secretary, George Sepso as membership chairman, Edwin Barnes as events chairman and Claude Aube to the position of publicity chairman. Outgoing president Jerry Danese will fill a vacancy created by a board member’s resignation and will step up as treasurer next year. The elections were held at the Prime Timer’s general meeting, May 10 at Parliament House.

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Forum talks strategy for trans communitysteve blanchard

St. Petersburg | Nearly two dozen people participated in a town hall-style meeting at The L Train May 19 to discuss ways the transgender community can be more visible and utilize services provided by organizations in the area. A panel from several organizations answered questions and promoted dialogue among participants for nearly two hours.

The panel consisted of St. Pete Pride executive director Chris Rudisill, gender therapist Dr. Kathleen Farrell, Metro Wellness Centers’ director of behavioral health Andrew Schmidt, and Triangle Interweave facilitator Robyn Kelly.

Also attending was Elaine McArthur, an outreach and training manager with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“I want us to fi gure out how these organizations can help us,” said Michael Keeffe, the executive director of the Florida Organization Regarding Gender Equality (FORGE). “And we want to learn how we can be more accessible to them.”

Discussions ranged from inclusiveness, employment discrimination and what it means to be transgender. Several in the audience felt the transgender community was different than the gay community, meaning LGBT groups couldn’t fulfi ll a need. Others believed that gay and lesbian organizations reaching out to transgender individuals were an improvement over options in the past.

A theme among the group, however, seemed to be one of independence or exclusiveness.

One man who did not want to be identifi ed

said that celebrating in an event like St. Pete Pride didn’t make sense because gender identity disorder is a mental illness.

“Why would I want to celebrate that?” he asked.

Others, however, disagreed, saying that many transgender and transsexual people started their adult lives in the gay and lesbian community before transitioning.

“Since so many of us start there,” Keeffe stated, “I think we’re expected to remain in the gay and lesbian community.”

Another member of the audience said that too many people confuse transgender people with female or male impersonators and performers—which is an art, not a way of living.

A consensus seemed to be that programs are needed for the transgender community and safe places—other than bars—are necessary for transgender people to feel comfortable and welcomed. That could be a starting point for growing a network in Tampa Bay.

“The transgender community has diffi culty reaching itself,” said Ricki Liff, who at one time worked for Westcare and helped educate Pinellas County organizations on transgender issues. “There is education needed all around.”

Toward the end of the meeting St. Petersburg City Councilman Steve Kornell made an appearance and spoke briefl y to those gathered in the theater after apologizing for being late due to a city council meeting.

“I support you,” he said. “My goal is to get gender identity and gender expression into the city’s human rights ordinance and to make St. Petersburg an even more welcoming place.” | |

North Pinellas Pride eyes Octoberstaff report

Dunedin | North Pinellas Pride will return for its second year in 2011—but it’ll happen a bit later in the year.

Organizers decided to set the second annual North Pinellas Pride celebration for Oct. 16-23 in order to avoid confl ict with St. Pete Pride in June.

“This date was pushed back from last year’s in order to maximize our potential

audience with both year-long residents and vacationers,” the organization said on its website.

The website is still under construction but events mentioned include a gay bowling event, a club event at Blur Nightclub, a teen social and dance and the actual outdoor Pride festival in Pioneer Park.

More information concerning the schedule will be posted online as it becomes available at NorthPinellasPride.com. | |

Streetcar shutters its doorsAfter months of speculation, the once popular Streetcar restaurant in Ybor City shut its doors for good on Monday, May 23. Once known as “Streetcar Charlie’s,” the restaurant was one of the first LGBT-centric dining establishments to open in the GaYbor District of the historic area. Issues surrounding bankruptcy and alleged issues with paying staff plagued the eatery until its final closure. Calls seeking comment from a spokesperson were unsuccessful.

Inaugural Polk Pride begins June 3The first-ever Polk Pride celebration begins June 3 with 10 days of parties and events in Lakeland. According to organizers, events taking place throughout the city will benefit the organization in growing the event into an annual celebration for LGBTs throughout the region. For more information and a full schedule, visit JustFierceProductionsInc.com.

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A successful Pride & Passion breaks attendance recordsteve blanchard

Tampa | When the roaming dessert table entered the museum, the crowd was amazed. And that was just one of the epic events that shocked the crowd at the 6th Annual Pride & Passion Fundraiser at the Tampa Museum of Art May 21.

More than 685 people turned out for the event, which is the official kick off to St. Pete

Pride season in Tampa Bay, and most stayed throughout the event, which ended at midnight.

“The Steering Committee should be wildly proud and is well deserving of a tremendous thanks from me and a self-pat on everyone’s back,” event chair Rob Iles said after the event. “Saturday was as close to perfect as it could have been.”

More than 100 people purchased tickets the night of the event and money raised benefits the museum. The crowds were huge, meaning

the money raised should be impressive. Total numbers weren’t available at press time.

“On behalf of the museum, we are truly humbled and honored by [Pride & Passion volunteer’s and staff’s] commitment to this year’s Pride & Passion,” said Molly James, director of development for the museum. “It has been really amazing to watch what became an avalanche of support in every arena—attendance, sponsorship and in-kind sponsors.”

Throughout the evening, Museum galleries were open to the attendees and several “live art” productions appeared in the lobby at specific intervals. One of the biggest hits was the entrance of a woman dressed as a chandelier—which was a creation by Ybor City artist and LGBT everyman Mattieu Stanoch.

“I’m so excited,” Stanoch said before his creation made her entrance down the grand staircase. “I think it will go over really well.”

And it definitely did. Things literally came to a standstill when the living art made an entrance, and Iles was pleasantly surprised.

“Who knew a chandelier would stop the crowd in their tracks?” he laughed.

While many familiar faces were in the crowd—including Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner and St. Petersburg City Councilman Steve Kornell—there were several newcomers to the huge social event.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Joie Violet, who was accompanied by her girlfriend, Chloe. “I absolutely love art and

I’ve been to the Tampa Museum of Art a few times. But I’ve never come here for an event. The atmosphere is just amazing and it’s for such a great cause. I hate that I’ve missed previous years’ events, but I know now I’ll be back next year.”

According to Iles, there were very few—if any—glitches in the production of the mammoth event. There was only one minor security issue when a woman was quietly escorted away, and plenty of food and drinks were available throughout the night.

“The crowd was very well behaved and we only one small incident—and she was whisked away immediately,” Iles said. “We ran out of white wine, which was a first, but people happily accepted Cava instead and we did not run out of liquor or food.”

Several sponsors were overheard complimenting Pride & Passion staff and making plans for next year—which may seem like a long way away, but not to those directly involved.

Even while organizers finalize numbers to be released within the coming week, plans are already underway for next year’s big Pride & Passion event. The fundraiser could very well become the largest event at the museum in 2012.

“Please save Saturday, May 19, 2012 for Pride & Passion,” James said. “It will be our 7th year.”

For more photos from the Pride & Passion event, visit our online gallery at WatermarkOnline.com. | l |

Jorge Alvarez, right, reacts to live art doubling as a dessert table at the Pride & Passion held inside the Tampa Museum of Art May 21. | Photo by Nick Cardello

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Sarasota | During one of the hottest days of the year, the Rosemary District near downtown stayed packed throughout the day while hundreds gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of Harvey Milk on May 21.

The eight-hour festival was just part of a weekend of events honoring the first openly gay elected official who was gunned down in San Francisco.

“It’s hot, but I’d rather it be like this than raining,” said organizer Shannon Fortner, who was busy throughout the day making sure the entertainment lineup and vendor booths ran like clockwork.” I’m thankful for all of the support.”

Temperatures reached the mid-90s by mid-afternoon but streams of supporters continued to arrive at the fenced of area dedicated to the festival.

This is the second year for Sarasota to celebrate Harvey Milk Day and also the second year that Harvey Milk was officially honored by government officials. Before leaving office, California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger proclaimed May 22 Harvey Milk Day. That is the date of the late city councilman’s birthday.

“I think that seeing such a diverse group of people out here says a lot about what Harvey Milk was all about,” said Cassandra Diaz, an 18-year old who spent part of the day listening to music with her high school friends. “If you look around you see every age and every race. You even see every sexuality.”

Diaz, who is straight, said she’s hopeful for a future where rights are given to everyone, regardless of race or orientation.

“It’s going to be up to my generation to make same-sex marriage legal and to get politicians past all of the lame arguments they have against respecting gay people,” she said. “Things are slowly changing and I think that Harvey Milk would be proud of the progress

we’ve made.”Speakers and bands occupied throughout

the day and attendees heard from Equality Florida as well as Todd Kachinski Kottmeier, an author who was a speaker at the inaugural event last year.

“I’m excited to be back here to speak,” he said. “This is a great event that means a lot to us and, hopefully, to the people who are here today.”

The festival began on Friday, May 20, with an art exhibit showcasing themes of equality. The art is still available at The Red Panty Press where Ciera Galbraith will serves as curator. Galbraith has worked for more than two years as Gallery Director of The University of Florida Reitz Union Art Gallery.

“We’d like support from the American community as a whole,” Fortner said said. “We need everyone to be part of the movement, not just the gay population.”

For five years, Fortner has been in a relationship with her partner, Kelly, but the two have been forced to live apart due to immigration laws. Kelly is from the United Kingdom and current marriage laws in the United States prevent Fortner from sponsoring her so they can live as a couple. Fortner does have some hope, however, that the Uniting American Families Act currently in Congress will pass and change the laws.

“Harvey Milk focused on the community as a whole, while creating a safe place for the queer community to be themselves,” Fortner said, when asked about what people should take from the festival. “He cleaned up his district. He was a sounding board for equality and justice. He was a tremendous advocate of a world where people, gay or straight, would no longer need to live in fear.”

That message was conveyed by speakers and by bands on the stage. The street festival ended around 10 p.m. after headlining group Ha Ha Tonka wrapped its set. | l |

Joe Saunders of Equality Florida speaks to the crowd at the 2nd Annual Harvey Milk Festival in Sarasota May 21. | Photo by Steve Blanchard

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Teen girls in hot water for holding handsstaff report

Pompano Beach | The Broward County School District will investigate a high school principal accused of outing a student after threatening her and her girlfriend with suspension for holding hands on campus.

The incident happened in early May at Blanche Ely High School. According to the South Florida Times, the couple was walking to class, holding hands, when Principal Karlton Johnson took them into his office and called their parents—one of whom did not know her daughter was

gay. One of the students told a reporter that Johnston had threatened them with disciplinary action before but they kept holding hands because straight couples were allowed to do so without any problems.

One of the girls emailed a complaint to the school board and other district officials.

At least one community activist is calling for Johnson to be suspended from his position and investigated. Broward Schools Superintendent James Notter has announced there would be a thorough investigation of the students’ claims. Johnson would not comment. | l |

ADAP eligibility reductions being consideredjason parsley

All over the nation states are considering reducing the eligibility threshold for many AIDS programs—and Florida is no exception. The current income eligibility requirement in the state is 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. The state may reduce that to 200%, but opponents of any reduction say it would cut Floridians living with HIV/AIDS off from lifesaving HIV/AIDS medication, care and services.

Currently there are 9,600 patients using AIDS Drug Assistance Programs in Florida and 3,700 on waiting lists. Tom Liberti, Chief of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS at the Florida Department of Health, said if the state lowers the eligibility to 300% it would affect around 300 people, while at 200% it would affect about 1,600 people. But Liberti said even if his department ends up recommending a reduction, he would also recommend those patients currently receiving assistance be grandfathered in.

Liberti added the problem isn’t that the state or federal government is slashing their budgets. In fact, the funding has stayed relatively the same over the last few years. But it turns out that is the problem. With the collapse of the economy and high unemployment rates, additional people are seeking assistance.

“We have massive unemployment and 4 million people in Florida are without health insurance. But we haven’t received any increases in federal or state appropriations,” he said.

Liberti’s department is looking at other options as well.

Normally by this time, Liberti knows how much money he’ll receive from the federal government, but because of budget delays in Congress those numbers haven’t become available yet. He’s still hoping

for an increase. There’s also an ADAP supplemental fund Florida hasn’t been eligible for in the past, because the state never had patients on waiting lists.

The waiting started last June when the state decided to close the program to new enrollees. Now with 3,700 patients on the list, he’s hopeful Florida will receive some additional funds.

“We were not eligible for it in the past because we didn’t have a wait list,” he said. “That could be a multi-million dollar award.”

No recommendations will be made until late summer or early fall. After that the public will have another opportunity to discuss the changes. Liberti said other states have or are considering reducing eligibility requirements. In Illinois, for instance, eligibility was reduced from 500% to 300%.

AIDS Health Care Foundation advocates are adamantly opposed to any eligibility reductions and are urging residents to contact local representatives to voice their concerns. AHF leadership argues the move would increase medical costs to the state in the long run as AIDS patients would naturally end up seeking more expensive emergency care at hospitals around the state.

“If this continues to move forward we will take our fight all the way to Tallahassee,” said Jason King, Patient Advocate for AHF.

King understands times are tough and so his organization has come up with several suggestions of its own that do not include reducing the eligibility percentage. Those include more funds from the state, dispensing generic drugs in lieu of brand names, and making sure medication isn’t being dispensed after the patient is no longer taking it.

Editor’s note: Jason Parsley is a reporter with the South Florida Gay News and this article is used with permission. | l |

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Majority of Americans support gay marriage in pollwire report

Princeton, N.J. | Fifty-three percent of Americans support making gay marriage legal, a Gallup poll showed on May 20, a marked reversal from just a year ago when an equal majority opposed same-sex matrimony.

The latest Gallup findings are in line with two earlier national polls this spring that show support for legally recognized gay marriage has gained a newfound majority among Americans.

Gallup said Democrats and political independents accounted for the entire shift in its survey compared to last year, when only 44% of all respondents favored gay marriage, while 53% were opposed.

Sixty-nine percent of Democrats favored same-sex marriage, up 13% from last year. Fifty-nine percent of independents also favored gay marriage, up 10% from last year. The percentage of Republicans favoring same-sex matrimony held steady at 28%.

The growing support for gay marriage comes after President Barack Obama signed into law legislation in December to repeal the ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military under a 17-year-old law known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Gallup noted the policy change, but said it was unclear if that influenced

Americans’ attitudes about same-sex unions.

“The trend toward marriage equality is undeniable—and irreversible,” Joe Solmonese, president of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement.

Maggie Gallagher, chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, said the poll shows her fellow opponents of gay matrimony have been “shamed” into silence.

“Polls are becoming very sensitive to wording, and the wording being used in the media is not predicting accurately what happens at the actual polls when people vote,” she said.

In a sign of a generation gap, Gallup found 70% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 support gay marriage, compared to only 39% among those 55 and older.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll in March showed 53% of Americans said same-sex marriage should be legal, and 51% said the same thing in a CNN Poll released in April.

By comparison, a 1996 Gallup found that 68% of Americans were opposed to same-sex marriage, a figure that has trended downward ever since.

Twenty-nine states have adopted constitutional amendments restricting marriage as between a man and a woman, and 12 other states have passed laws to that effect. | l |

Tenn. Senate OKs “don't say gay” billwire report

Nashville, Tenn. | A bill passed May 20 by the Tennessee Senate would forbid public school teachers and students in grades kindergarten through eight from discussing the fact that some people are gay.

Opponents deride the measure as the “don’t say gay bill.’’ They say it’s unfair to the children of gay parents and could lead to more bullying. Supporters say it is intended to give teachers clear guidance for dealing with

younger children on a potentially explosive topic.

The bill is likely to be taken up by the House in 2012 when the General Assembly comes back for the second year of the session. Passage would make Tennessee the first state to enact such legislation.

Under the proposal, any instruction or materials at a public elementary or middle school would be limited to age-appropriate lessons about the science of human reproduction. | l |

Minn. voters will decide on gay marriage banwire report

St. Paul, Minn. | Late in the night on May 21, the Minnesota House signed off on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, clearing the way for voters to decide the issue in 2012.

After nearly six hours of emotional debate, mostly from ban opponents, the House voted 70-62 to approve putting the question on the statewide ballot next year. A handful of Republicans joined all but one Democrat in voting against it.

State law already prohibits gay marriage, but supporters of the proposed amendment

said it’s necessary to prevent judges or future lawmakers from making it legal in Minnesota.

The amendment would define marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Rep. Steve Gottwalt, the bill’s sponsor, said voters should have the final word on the issue.

``This is not about hatred. It is not about discrimination or intolerance,’’ said Gottwalt.

But another Republican, Rep. John Kriesel, described how losing his legs in Iraq began a personal transformation of his views on the issue. He said he would have supported the amendment five years ago, but has since realized that the country for which he fought should not deny the right of two people who love each other to marry. | l |

watermark | nation+world news

Presbyterians clear way for gay clergyThe Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has struck down a requirement that unmarried clergy remain celibate, removing a key barrier for gays and lesbians who want to be ordained. Differences over the Bible and homosexuality have divided mainline Protestant groups nationwide and around the world. The new policy takes effect July 10.

Polish police arrest 14 during gay march Police in southern Poland have detained 14 people trying to prevent an annual gay parade. Officers fired tear gas to disperse a group of some 150 right wing youths attempting to block the annual gay march in Krakow on May 21. Gay rights activist Robert Biedron said the situation in Krakow has improved since 2004, when the marchers were pelted with stones and bottles.

Delaware governor signs civil unions bill into lawDelaware Gov. Jack Markell has signed a bill into law that gives same-sex couples legal protections and recognition beginning in 2012. The Democratic governor signed the civil unions bill on May 11 before a cheering crowd of more than 600 in Wilmington. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2012.

Hate crime charges in McDonald’s beatingA Baltimore Count, Md., grand jury has indicted two teens on hate crime charges in the beating of a transgender woman at a McDonald’s restaurant that was caught on video. The indictment returned May 16 charges Teonna Brown with assault and a hate crime in the attack on Chrissy Lee Polis; a 14-year-old girl is facing the same charges in juvenile court. A videotape of the April 18 beating posted online shows a woman being attacked repeatedly while an employee and customer try to stop them.

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For the third Gay Days weekend in a row (oh my goodness, can it really have

been three already?) Watermark Online will feature live updates, gossip, photos and a schedule, all in one handy location at WatermarkOnline.com. Because we here at your favorite LGBT newspaper we do not want you to miss a moment of Orlando’s biggest gay weekend, this issue I shall use this space to provide a handy, comprehensive guide to what will be available at Watermark Online May 31–June 5.

What’s there now?So, my impatient friend, you

don’t want to wait until Gay Days officially kicks off May 31 to start checking out the goods online? I have magnificent news! The GD2011 Guide, tucked into this very edition of Watermark, is also available in virtual form. Go to WatermarkOnline.com and look for the GD2011 button in the upper right of the home page and click.

The virtual GD2011 guide can also be found under “Resources” on the page’s title bar with drop down menus across the top. Pro tip: hover your mouse arrow over the bottom right and bottom left corners to flip the pages of the online guide.

But you want to play now? If you can’t wait until coverage officially starts, share what GD2011 party has you most excited. Log onto WatermarkOnline.com and comment on any of our Gay Days preview stories. If you or your group are hosting an event, you’re probably already listed in the guide, but you are welcome to visit WatermarkOnline.com and click on “Add Your Event” to get your soiree listed in our online calendar—not a bad idea to cover all the bases, eh? Let us know what you’ll be doing, who you’ll be doing it with and what you’ll be wearing while you do whatever it is to do. (Hey, we just want to hear about it. We’re not here to judge.)

What will be there during GD2011?

Gay Days coverage will be all over the site, but there are two key places which are best to look. The first one is in the big box of featured stories at the top of the page. (We call it “the headline box.” Don’t you feel like an insider now?) One of those stories will be depicted with a big graphic that will be similar in appearance to the GD2011 Guide: red background, white block letters and hard to miss. That article will compile and link to every piece of Gay Days coverage by Watermark, your one-stop shop for everything GD2011. There will also be another button at the top right of the home page that leads to the same story linked in the headline box, where you’ll find links to photos, party reports, gossip and news about Gay Days weekend, all weekend long.

Just interested in photos? Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and look to the right for our “Shot on Site” section, which links directly to galleries. Pro tip: the Featured Videos section is also at the bottom right, and there should be at least one (but probably more)

videos from GD2011 for your viewing pleasure.

But you wanna play? Absolutely! Email gossip, photos, news tips to [email protected] any time from any place, all weekend long. We want to hear about it all! Not a fan of email? Images can also be uploaded to Watermark’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/WatermarkFL—we’ll pull them from there to feature at Watermark Online.

What will be there for the aftermath?

As anyone who has attended a Gay Days weekend knows, the party doesn’t end when the sun sets on June 5. WatermarkOnline.com will be your place to be Monday morning as we rehash all the dirt form Orlando’s biggest gay weekend. Photos will continue to trickle in, gossip will continue to buzz and of course, we’ll be working on our huge annual-wrap up article.

Look for our writers to continue to weigh in and stories to keep breaking. You might get to rest after Orlando’s biggest gay weekend but the Watermark staff keeps gathering and filtering to ensure we present a full, fun and interesting picture of Gay Days 2011 for our readers and

website visitors. But you want to

play? Comment, comment, comment. Comment on articles, photo albums and anything else. We love hearing about the best and worst of the weekend and after a sound, well-deserved nights’ sleep, everyone always wakes up with opinions, ideas and renewed enthusiasm for the next Gay

Days. Disagree with our assessment of a party? See something spectacular that we missed? Did a DJ or a performer truly kick ass? Let us know.

Every two week cycle, top web comments are selected for Watermark’s print edition. Not only do you get to say your piece online, but your comment could be featured in print.

How cool is that? See you at GD 2011! | l |

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mailPolk Pride Surprise

I was surprised to see that Polk County is getting its own Pride celebration (Issue 18.10). I’ve never really paid much attention to Polk County and Lakeland other than noticing the signs as I passed between Tampa and Orlando. I also noticed that in the article it was mentioned that there was no parade or actual street festival, which I found odd.

I wish them luck and hopefully by 2012 they can be more visible to the Lakeland community.Ron LaithwaitesTampa

Marriage equality gaining support

The old thought was that the more regularly people attended church, the less supportive they were of LGBT equality. But those of us working directly with faith communities have known there was another story to tell. A recent poll found a majority of Christians support LGBT equality and that 52% oppose the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). We still have much work to do, but as this new poll testifies, people of faith are leading the charge for fairness.Dr. Sharon GrovesDirector of HRC Religion and Faith Program

Help weather victims

As we enjoy the Florida weather and sites this summer I want to remind everyone about the devastation taking place in the northern states. I moved to Florida from the Midwest and watch white-knuckled every time a tornado warning is reported. Storms have destroyed communities and there is a great need for help. Please donate to the Red Cross or through other organizations to help our neighbors to the north rebuild.Tami Bergeronvia e-mail

“Those of us working directly with faith

communities have known there was

another story to tell.”—SHARON GROVES

Send all correspondence to [email protected]. Letters may be edited for space or clarity. Opinions expressed in reader mail do not reflect those of Watermark’s staff.A new poll will be posted to the homepage this week. Be sure to

visit WatermarkOnline.com and let us know what YOU think!

Is a visit to the Magic kingdom still a key part of Gay Days for you?

AT WATERMARKONLiNE.COM, WE ASKED YOu:

30%

10% 10% 10%

Yes, it’s where it all started and it’s my favorite part. I never miss it.

It’s not my top priority for the weekend, but I always make a point to go because it’s tradition.

I could take it or leave it—if I make it to the Magic Kingdom, fine. If not, that’s fine too.

I never bother with the Magic Kingdom—there are too many other things to do.

40%

top webcomments

Don’t be left out of the community conversation! Head over to WatermarkOnline.com, register and start telling us what YOU think!

On the Orlando vA Medical Center’s increased representation and support for LGBT veterans, including a participation in diversity day and a planned luncheon for June:

“This was an incredible history making event for LGBT Veterans and for the VA. We encourage everyone to come out and support the program taking place at the VA on Friday, June 3rd at 11:30 a.m.”

—markc

On Tom Dyer’s Publisher’s Perspective about Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs’ change of heart on LGBT issues:

“Characterizing Mayor Jacobs’ handling of the performing arts center as “my way or the highway” is both unfair and incorrect. The assessment she and her administration sent to Mayor Dyer was the most realistic to date.”

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May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 27

Can you feel the season changing? Birds sing their spring songs. The sun peeks through the morning

dawn and rests later in the day. Instead of covering our bodies with sweaters and coats, we are wrapped with a light blanket of warm breezes and prepare to coat our skin with UV protection. These are sure signs that spring is here and summer is around the corner. Oh, and there is one more sign that winter has closed it’s doors: the weeds are growing faster than the grass.

I did not notice the weeds until I looked down at my pants and they were full of the little burrs. My focus was myopic as I painstakingly removed them one by one. I could only see one thing, unwanted burrs on my clothes.

George de Mestral met up with these weeds; however, his annoyance with burrs led to the invention of Velcro and in a small way he changed the world.

Just recently I had the opportunity to watch the documentary, Stonewall Uprising. There was a line in this documentary that continues to haunt me. One man interviewed said, “In those days

there was no ‘out.’ No one was out. It was not a matter of choice; it was not even in our consciousness.”

This is a concept foreign to many of us who merely choose when we will come out with little to no knowledge of our pioneers who made this option possible. The Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) was a year old when the Stonewall riots broke-out. Rev. Troy Perry, founder of MCC and this year’s grand marshal of the St. Pete Pride Promenade, knew this reality in the earliest years of MCC. His dream started following a humiliating experience of being defrocked as a minister from the church he loved. Following an attempted suicide, he came to the realization that God made him and as a gay man he could have a personal loving relationship with God and help others to know this love as well.

It was 1968 Los Angeles, a time when it was against the law to be gay. But reality did not dissuade Rev. Perry. He took out a personal ad in the local gay paper listing his address, phone number and a time and invited the gay community to a welcoming church that offered an inclusive message of God’s unconditional love. The dream of a fully inclusive church for the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered and straight alliance communities was born. The birth of this church movement also coincided with Rev. Perry’s willingness to become a gay rights activist. Each time the doors of MCC Tampa and MCC’s around the globe open, we are embodying Rev. Perry’s courage and vision as we share the good news of God’s all-inclusive love and work toward the dream of what is yet to come.

Inspired by the transformation of a butterfly, Heather Reneé Adamkiewicz wrote this poem: “As love falls down from the sky, it lands on the wings of a butterfly. The butterfly sings its songs and rhymes, and flies through the air, no concept of time. It is the messenger of patience and change, from flower to flower, it’s odd and it’s strange. The butterfly can transform

its world. And give way to new beginnings, unfurled, it is the keeper of transformation, and flies on faith and imagination. The butterfly as no fear of change, it bravely escapes its homemade cage. To change,

it knows is necessary, for all the burdens we need not carry. The butterfly soars, and merrily sings, for, without change, it could never grow wings.”

Across the United States in varying degrees the LGTBQQISA community has grown wings. Through the painstaking process of activism and a vision for what

is possible, we continue to work for justice and equality. Like the butterfly, we do not fear change, we merely invite the fear that might keep us paralyzed to join us as we break out of the homemade cages others made for us. We spread our beautiful wings of diversity and valued contributions across the world that we touch. We must never doubt or dismiss the enormous contributions our fight, our voices and our vision can be for ourselves and the world beyond our community.

George de Mestral and Troy Perry took notice of their situation and saw something that could change the world as they worked past the obstacles of fear and doubt and made a difference. I am not

comparing the creation of Velcro to that of human rights. I am simply noting that they saw a possibility and worked to make it a reality—and therein lies the lesson for each of us.

May love fall down from the sky and land on the wings of all that is possible as you join all those who worked to transform our world. May we be willing to offer the gifts that lie within each of us and give way to new beginnings, unfurling the keeper of transformation, as we fly with the wings of faith and imagination.

“The butterfly soars, and merrily sings, for, without change, it could never grow wings.” As Gandhi said, “May we be the change we want to see!” | l |

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| May 26 - June 8, 201128

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 29

Absolutely, Yes!

Deborah Cox returns to

Orlando for GayDays®

Dance-club diva Deborah Cox is comfortable performing in just about any environment,

from huge concert halls, sweaty underground clubs to Broadway. From her mega-hit “Nobody’s Supposed to be Here” to the equally empowering “Absolutely Not,” Deborah Cox has always embraced dance music and club life, even performing on a number of gay cruises.

Between 1998 and 2006, Cox held the record for the longest-running number one single on the Billboard charts for “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here.” To date, she has garnered 10 number one singles, fi rmly

established herself as a key pioneer in contemporary dance music and cementing the Canadian singer into R&B and Dance music history.

In 2008, Cox and her husband, Lascelles Stephens, created the Deco Recording Group, an independent label that is distributed through Image Entertainment. The venture’s fi rst release was The Promise, Cox’s fi fth studio album.

Cox is currently preparing to return to Broadway, playing iconic American performer Josephine Baker, who became famous in 1930s France as a singer, dancer and actor who later

Continued on page 42 | |

Photo courtesy of Spectrum Talent Agency.

erik r. caban

| May 26 - June 8, 201130

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May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 31 watermark | film

Bridesmaids(Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Jon Hamm)

Really great, heartfelt comedies are about as rare as pretty bridesmaid dresses. This movie is gross, funny

and honest. It even had audiences leaving the pre-screener saying, “I wanna see that again!” That’s like announcing that you want to wear a bridesmaid dress again: amazing!

Wiig is a lovable loser. She has lousy sex with Hamm, who is a blatant pig. She’s also impoverished, her job sucks, her car is on its last legs, and her roommates are creepy. The only shining star is her friendship with Rudolph, who wants Wiig to be her maid of honor. However, Wiig has competition in Rudolph’s new friend, Byrne, who is rich, pretty, and suave at planning over-the-top events. Thus begins some girl-on-girl rivalry for Rudolph’s friendship. Along for the bumpy ride are three other misfi t bridesmaids (McLendon-Covey, Kemper and McCarthy.)

McCarthy particularly is so adorably inappropriate that she almost steals the movie. When asked for a bachelorette party theme, she suggests, “Female Fight Club: we grease up and beat the crap out of her. Surprise!”

You will laugh out loud as you wince. We’ve all fought for someone’s affection like this, though maybe not to this extreme. Wiig tries to impress with her hipness, taking the girls to a downscale restaurant. Then the scene is elevated to gross-out hilarity when combined with an upscale bridal shop.

There seems to be a Hollywood philosophy that comedies either have to be stupid and loud (Anchorman) or quiet and sweet (Little Miss Sunshine). Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow has done much to bridge those two extremes in fi lms like Knocked Up and Superbad (though he’s slipped a bit lately: Funny People, Get Him to the Greek). Here, Apatow rediscovers his mojo by letting women be as disgusting as his men.

The script by Wiig and her pal Annie

Mumolo is a jewel, following Apatow’s better examples but injecting some real soul. Wiig and the rest of the stellar cast are brilliant at comedy, but there’s more that just that. Bridesmaids is truly a dress you’d want to wear again, because of its humanity—messy, disgusting and childish but always well meaning.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides(Starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Sam Claflin, Astrid Berges-Frisbey)

This fourth installment of the franchise feels like it was planned out by hyperactive 11-year-olds. There is a lot of “wouldn’t it be cool if” stuff—neat-o special effects galore. What PotC4 totally lacks is a coherent, sensible, forward-moving story. It’s frustrating to sit through a 138-minute blockbuster and feel like you’re just

treading water, being distracted by nonsense, pandered to, dragged

along for a not entirely enjoyable boat trip.

This time Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbossa have been commandeered by the King of England to fi nd the mystical Fountain of Youth. They have to get to it before the Spanish do, but they also have to beat the evil, magical Captain Blackbeard

(McShane) and his daughter Cruz. Along the way—whenever it’s convenient—we discover that these slurring pirates also need to battle mermaids, fi nd some silver challises, and climb up to a ship that (for no reason) is teetering on a cliff and booby trapped a’la Indiana Jones.

PotC4 leaves all sense behind—it’s almost absurdist cinema.

Take McShane’s Blackbeard. He can control the ropes and rigging on his own ship. Then why does he need a crew? Why are half of his crew zombies? Why not all of them? Did Blackbeard make the zombies? Where did he get his magical power? Apparently we don’t need to know. Apparently, if the effects are dazzling enough—and they are—your brain quits

working.Take a stupid subplot with a priest

(Clafl in) and a mermaid (Berges-Frisbey). Why are these characters even here? They do almost nothing for the movie. Would audiences miss Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly so much that fi lmmakers had to shoehorn in another couple?

That’s not to say that Depp, Rush, McShane and Cruz don’t commit, and it’s fun to watch the swaggering and swashbuckling. Plus there are a couple nifty cameos. However, after over two hours of

this egregiously stupid plot, you’ll feel like you were raped, pillaged and plundered. | l |

screened outTWO kINDS OF SAvAGE

stephen [email protected]

The amazingly funny cast of Bridesmaids.

Drunken scalawag Johnny Depp is back in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

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Overflowing uncontrollably with glittery fabulousnessPretty damn good, but it’s no Sunset BoulevardAn entertaining enough flick with perhaps a few gaping holesEver so slightly watchable, even if it is just because of that hot actor Two hours of your life you’ll never get back

| May 26 - June 8, 201132 watermark | film

ready for that close-up‘8-MINuTE MOvIES’ GIvES LOCALS A CHANCE AT FILMMAkING

steve blanchard

St. Petersburg | Sitting with Laura Cipriani for several minutes, one thing becomes evident: the

owner of The L-Train loves the movies.“I’m an avid movie watcher,” she says.

“I’m constantly quoting lines from movies and I’m a huge fan. I always have been.”

That’s why the New York City native is excited about her newest project called “8 Minute Movies,” which invites locals to use their creativity in a whole new way.

“It’s a chance for people to express themselves in a way they may not have tried before,” Cipriani says. “They can do a comedy, a drama, some farce—filmmakers can run the gamut.”

Admittedly, in its three months

of existence, the films have been “amateurish,” but that’s kind of the point, Cipriani says. With the help of today’s technology, anyone can make a movie and with a little bit of editing, creating a small masterpiece can be done in no time.

“When you get bit by the film bug it never leaves you,” says Cipriani, who landed at The L-Train when it first opened as Pink Pelicans 18 months ago. “This is a fun event and I have the facility to bring something original to the area. We’ve had some fun films already.”

The idea for “8-Minute Movies” sprang to mind when Cipriani talked with local artist and fashion designer Brianna Kole about ways to utilize the 43-seat theater.

The space at 25b Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. used to be a law office, but was converted into a bar and theater in 2009.

“Brianna has her finger on the pulse of things and suddenly I thought, ‘Let’s make a movie!’” Cipriani laughs. “Then that evolved into creating a mini-film festival and encouraging our customers to make them.”

The L-Train has been home to several styles of entertainment. It originally opened as a movie theater and bar. It went through a phase for drag shows and then live theater. Now, Cipriani is excited to return back to the building’s roots.

“There’s no other space like this in St. Petersburg—or in Tampa Bay that I am aware of,” she says.

Anyone can submit a film and they don’t have to be eight minutes in length. In fact, Cipriani says she has yet to see a film submitted that ran for more than five minutes. The key is to keep them short so that an audience or judges can vote on a

favorite. Winners of the “award-winning film” get a bar tab or other prizes given by other organizations.

The next big event is scheduled for Saturday, June 17 in conjunction with St. Pete Pride. That night, a panel of judges from St. Pete Pride and the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will be on hand to pick the best of the best.

“And that night the winning film will be taken on to TIGLFF in the fall to be shown during the 11-day festival,” Cipriani says. “That’s a pretty big deal. You never know what can happen after that.”

know the rulesMaking a movie may sound easy—or

difficult—depending on your relationship with technology. But there are a few guidelines aspiring filmmakers must follow in order to participate in “8-Minute Movies.”

“Anyone can participate as long as they don’t do pornography and don’t show anything illegal,” Cipriani says. “I don’t want people throwing puppies off a roof and filming it. Film is a wide open canvas and it’s yours to paint on. That’s where creativity thrives.”

So far Cipriani has been impressed by the films she’s seen. Filmmakers have ranged from chefs and bartenders to photographers. Each time a film is shown the crowd seems enthusiastic in its response.

“It’s not always easy to express yourself in a social setting,” she says. “This gives a chance for the shy, boisterous, talented and those who think

they’re talented to show us what they’ve got. It’s also a chance for aspiring filmmakers and every day people—or everyday people who try their hand at a film—to meet and talk with one another.”

Films must be submitted at least two days before the showing date and they must be downloaded onto a

DVD-R format for easy play. The number of filmmakers participating

each month is unlimited as of now.More information and guidelines are

available online at TheLTrain.com. | l |

see+hearWHAT: 8-Minute MoviesWHEN: June 17INFO: TheLTrain.com

“This gives a chance for the shy, boisterous,

talented and those who think they’re

talented to show us what they’ve got.”

—LAURA CIPRIANI, OWNER OF THE L TRAIN

(L-R) Brianna Kole and Laura Cipriani thought up the idea of “8-Minute Movies” as a way to showcase the L-Train Theater and local talent. | Photo courtesy Laura Cipriani

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 33

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May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 35 watermark | comedy

converting to judyismCOMEDIENNE JuDy TENuTA BRINGS HER uNIquE WIT AND ACCORDION TO ORLANDO

erik r. caban

Judy Tenuta, the self-described “Love Goddess” and “Aphrodite of the Accordion” is appropriately considered

“outrageous and mind blowing.” She recently became an ordained minister, and has been a strong advocate for gays and issues related to children and woman. The high-spirited feminist preaches that we should all be worshipped.

She has made over a hundred guest appearances on TV shows such as The View, Late Night With David Letterman, Larry King Live and Dr. Katz. Some of Judy’s more recent performing roles include that of an ex show girl turned wedding chaplain on General Hospital, and a featured role in the teen comedy hit Material Girls starring Hillary and Haley Duff.She also produced and starred in Desperation Boulevard, a film about a former child star who stops at nothing to make a comeback.

Judy will soon appear in the indie film, Sister Mary alongside Bruce Villanche she has just completed filming Going Down in La-La Land, a candid comedy about what it takes to be an aspiring actor in Hollywood, based on the novel by Andy Zeffer.

Before performing a one-night-only show, “Love Bites,” Saturday, May 28 at Parliament House in Orlando, Watermark chatted with the unconventional and unparalleled comedienne from her Hollywood home.

WATERMARK: Tell me about the show you’re doing here Memorial Day Weekend.JuDy TENuDA: It’s going to be a big, fat celebration of Judyism! I’m Judy and I have my own religion. I just want everyone to come out, forget about their problems and think about mine for a change. It’s going to be a lot of fun. How far away is this special place where I’m performing from Disney World?

Probably only 20 minutes.Nice. I love it there! I can’t wait. To be

honest with you, I love being with gay men because we go shopping and have fun. I fly in Friday and that’s the day I want to go to Disney with my gays!

It’s been a while since I was in Orlando. I have an accordion at the House of Blues there.

As far as the show, can I venture to say that most of the audience will be gay men?

Oh, yes.I love that! Well, of course we’re going

to have to have a fashion show! I just did a big show here in L.A. I invited all my gays. I expected them to be all dressed up and they showed up in t-shirts!

Speaking of, let’s talk about that ugly, crappy, simple cloth Kate Middleton was wearing.

It was actually Alexander McQueen.There’s not a gay man alive with any sense

of fashion that would’ve said, “Oh, yea. You look great!” No!

True. And it was actually a woman from the Haus of McQueen that designed it.

I would’ve told her, “Excuse me. You’re marrying the richest most influential Will in the world. So, why would you get your Ready-to-Wear at Goodwill?” She needed a gay man! Big mistake.

Are you sure that was the Queen and not Sir Elton John?

[Laughs] They’re one and the same. But Elton John wasn’t wearing a Big Bird outfit.

No, he was wearing a big purple one like Grimace.

He looked sweet with his partner. He was actually inconspicuous. He’s definitely tapered down his look in the last 10 years or so. We still love him.

Speaking of celebrity gossip, who’s your latest guilty pleasure celebrity trainwreck?

I’m over Charlie Sheen. He’s a nut job. Another one that bugs me is Lindsey Blow-han. That bitch is making the residents here in L.A. pay for every time she’s arrested or in court. We’re paying for that bitch’s reality show! I’m a little bit concerned for Paris Hilton. She keeps getting stalkers and she’s

not even famous anymore.

Maybe she’ll try lesbianism next, like your character in the movie?

Well, the media did try to portray her and Nicole Richie like that when they were doing that reality show. It seems like women in the straight world are encouraged to sleep together and touch each other’s boobs. There’s a saying here in L.A. that there’s a two-silicone minimum. I have girlfriends

that are always saying, “Look at my new boobs. Look at my girls. Touch ‘em.” I look at them and go, “Do I have to?”

Going back to weddings, are you going to be officiating any while you’re here?

Thank you for asking that. Yes, I’m definitely planning on it. I’d especially love to perform a gay wedding.

Are you single?I do have a fudgesicle. The Goddess needs

to be, you know, served. There has to be someone there to massage my feet.

As a “love goddess,” what is the best relationship advice you can offer?

My relationship advice? You have to act

like a love goddess to be treated like a love goddess. That doesn’t mean acting like a diva... but that could be fun. [Laughs] Like I always say, if you want your man to worship you like a love goddess, you better act like a Ferrari. Make a lot of noise and only start when he pumps a lot of money into you!

You’re very vocal about your politics. You’ve even done a skit where you’re a dead-ringer for Sarah Palin.

Good for those Navy Seals. Good for our men and women in uniform. I’m glad we got bin Laden and all but there’s a lot more pigs out there. I’m glad we dropped “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That was ridiculous. Anybody that puts their life up for others and is out there on the front lines, it shouldn’t matter who you’re having sex with. The next thing is legalizing gay marriage.

A lot of my gay guy friends want to get married. It’s so funny because my straight friends and I are like, “Oh, my God. Don’t do it.” I mean, what if you get divorced? Then, you’re stuck paying alimony. [Laughs] I understand that there are rights that come along with that. I believe as long you love each other, you should be able to marry whoever you want. | l |

see+hearWHO: Judy TenutaWHERE: Parliament HouseWHEN: Saturday, May 28, 8pmTICkETS: Wanzie.com/BoxOffice

“You have to act like a ‘love goddess’

to be treated like a ‘love goddess.’”

— JUDY TENUTA

Comedienne Judy Tenuda will perform at Parliament House for one night only on Saturday, May 28. Photos courtesy Scott Stander & Associates, Inc.

| May 26 - June 8, 201136

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 37

| May 26 - June 8, 201138 watermark | film

sex and the seedykIM CATTRALL ON HER vERy uN-SAMANTHA ROLE, LOvE OF GAy MEN, AND BRITNEy SPEARS

chris azzopardi

There’s not much city in Meet Monica Velour, but there’s sex—and a trailer park and a

very haggard-looking Kim Cattrall. The Sex and the City actress plays the title character, a washed-up porn star who meets a young fan of hers when the boy travels to rural Indiana to see her at a strip club. After six seasons of glam in her iconic role as super-slut Samantha Jones on the hit TV series (and two movie spin-offs), Monica Velour is nothing like the femme fatale Cattrall once played.

The week before she was honored by GLAAD for her contributions to equality, we caught up with Cattrall, who discussed

how the part parallels her own career, why she shops at Kmart and whether she’d be up for another Sex and the City.

WATERMARK: What about this role was so different for you?kIM CATTRALL: I usually play characters who are very strong, forceful and successful dynamos, and this woman is someone who’s been marginalized and is very much an outcast. I thought, “What will it be like to inhabit that, and do I have that in me?”

In some ways it’s a story that’s not too far from what has happened in Hollywood for decades. And I thought, “I can relate

to that. That’s a great handle for me to go on, because I’m in my 50s and suddenly you become, ‘You look good for your age,’ instead of, ‘You look good.’” It was a physical, emotional and intellectual challenge.

You really threw yourself into this part.I had a tremendous amount of

support—I really did. To be handed a role like this at any time in your career, but especially at this time, I said to Keith Bearden, the director: “You’ve written a feminist film. It’s really incredible that you cast a woman in her 50s who’s overweight, and that you wrote that role.” This is a guy who’s rewriting a Hollywood movie and what he’s done is make a wonderful American movie. And I don’t think we have a lot of those around anymore, sadly.

What kind of research went into this role? I heard some of it involved you going to strip clubs.

That was the least of it, really. I mean, that kind of reality is very easy to access on the Internet. For me and Keith, it was really an investigation on multiple levels. I decided to go with a deeper register in my voice. I felt that my voice as Kim was too hopeful, too lyrical, and I wanted to

go deeper than that. Gaining the weight was, again, like looking at porn. It was something that was a dedication in the sense of continuously being aware of it and doing it and not exercising, which was a blessing, and not being on diet, which was an even bigger blessing. (Laughs)

What did you eat?Oh, god. Definitely pasta, butter,

desserts, lots of pork. Anything and everything that was either salty or sweet. It was really a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, because my whole life I’ve been on a diet or on an exercise routine. But I do love to eat.

Before the shoot, you were spotted at Kmart.

Oh, yeah. I was there. I did a lot of the costumes myself, and every weekend I would go to Kmart because that’s where Monica would shop. That’s the kind of authenticity that was going on in the sense of this is real; it’s not Hollywood real, it’s real. No special lighting, no special treatment.

You mention Monica being an outcast, and early test screenings for the movie showed a strong interest among gay men. Do you think that has something to do with it?

Well, not being a gay man, I can’t really comment on that. But I can understand how it would—yes, definitely. Especially in Middle America.

Did you tend to buddy-up with the gay people on set?

Our scenic designer, who did a brilliant job, is gay and he absolutely loved working on this movie. He came in at the last minute, and he did a phenomenal job. That trailer park doesn’t exist. A lot of those places didn’t exist. We actually shot in the trailer, and with such detail. I remember saying to him, “This really feels real.” The bedroom felt real; the living room and everything in the kitchen, he built that all out and he did a phenomenal job.

Do you appreciate porn stars more now?

It gave me an appreciation for women of a certain age—which I am one of them. Whether you’re an actress or a teacher or a porn star, after a certain age you are marginalized—and then, in the case of a porn star, you’re an outcast. So where do these people go? And where do aging actresses go? I like to think that they go to the theater and they continue to be involved with great stories. So there are a lot of women that I’ve surrounded myself with, like Janet Suzman, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep; they are really inspiring, but most people get so downtrodden, like this character—where do they go, what

Sex in the City star Kim Cattrall plays opposite of her “Samantha” persona to bring ex-porn star “Monica” to life in Meet Monica Velour.

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 39

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happens to them? So I have a real respect and appreciation for what that is and will continue to fight it with everything I have. (Laughs)

If you were a porn star, what would your porn star name be?

Mine would be Fluffy Dawn, because my cat was Fluffy, and I lived on Dawn Road.

What do you think Samantha would say about Monica? Would they be friends?

I don’t think they would be friends. I think they live in different universes. Samantha is a dynamo and in some ways she’s kind of stuck in her own way, meaning that she doesn’t want to change, she doesn’t want to age. A character like Monica Velour doesn’t have a choice.

Will there be a Sex and the City 3?I have no idea. I really don’t know.

Would you be onboard?To me, it always depends on the script,

because I always felt the writing was so good on the show and I know that for the writers and producers—Sarah (Jessica Parker) being one of them—that would be a real priority. But I’ve heard nothing. I also haven’t been around too much. I’ve been busy working. You’ll probably know before I do.

What’s your relationship been like with the Sex and the City women? Do you stay in touch?

You know, we do in the sense of, “Hi, I’m over here,” and “Congratulations on that.” Two of the four us of have kids, so that’s a whole other world, and Kristin (Davis) travels extensively, as do I. But when we see each other, it’s so nice. It’s really lovely. But we all live in different universes.

How did you react when Cynthia Nixon came out?

I was very happy for her. I saw the pictures of her, and also just from being around her, and she just seemed so fulfilled. Christine (Marinoni) is just wonderful. They’re a terrific couple. And I’m very pleased about the baby.

What do you think when you go back and watch yourself in Star Trek VI or Mannequin?

I never do it. (Laughs) The most I see of that is from fans. But I look back at my career so fondly. I had so much fun and I worked with such terrific people.

I’m still working, and I’m just very lucky. And I know I’ve worked hard for it, and continue to, but it has not been a hardship, it has been a real joy.

You played Britney Spears’ mom in Crossroads, and her life as changed so much since then. But did you ever feel maternal, like you wanted to protect her from all she’d gone through?

When I met Britney she was in top form, but what I really liked about her was that she had a real desire—acting in this film meant a lot to her. She had a coach on the set, and she took it very seriously.

I have a lot of empathy for her. The road that she’s chosen is a really tough one, and to be in the public eye is tough already—but to be at that level at such an early age, she has handled it the best she knew how. My hat’s off to her that she has found her way through that really tough time, and I wish her the very best. I really do.

On your episode of Who Do You Think You Are, you found out that your grandfather was married to two women at the same time. How did discovering that affect you personally?

It’s affected my whole family. It was very wounding and hurtful to find out the truth, but ultimately it brought the family that I do have closer together. It also started to envelope other people who neither of us knew existed, and that has

been a wonderful experience – to have new family and really respect and value the family you do have.

This may come as a shock to you, but you have a massive gay following.

Where would I be without gay men? I

don’t know where I’d be. I love gay men.

Do most gay men recognize you as Samantha?

Some do, and some know Mannequin and some know Big Trouble in Little China. Some know me just from my theater work. I have a couple of gentlemen who traveled all the way from New York to Liverpool to see me in Antony and Cleopatra over the fall, and that is just so incredible. I’m overwhelmed that someone cares enough to follow me where my career goes.

Did you realize how much gay men loved you before Sex and the City?

I didn’t. I really didn’t. But now I do! | l |

“Where would I be without gay men? I

don’t know where I’d be. I love gay men.”

—KIM CATTRALL

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May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 41 watermark | television

morgan fairchild: her gay love story

ACTRESS ON NEW FILM, MERyL STEALING MOvIES AND HER LATEST ROLE AS FAIRy GODMOTHER

chris azzopardi

It’s no stretch really that Morgan Fairchild’s latest role as a wise waitress in the queer-themed romantic-comedy eCupid has her

trying to connect two gay men. She’s been connecting with gay people her whole life, even before the bombshell-with-brains went lesbian for Sandra Bernhard on Roseanne.

Recently, Fairchild talked about her eCupid and Roseanne roles, and how much progress we’ve made with LGBT characters. The 61-year-old also chatted about breaking the AIDS stigma in the ‘80s, and why actresses over 40 can’t find work (hint: Meryl Streep).

WATERMARK: Essentially you play the fairy godmother of the gays in eCupid.MORGAN FAIRCHILD: Yeah, that’s my role in life. (Laughs)

How did you get involved in the movie?They offered it to me, and so I read the

script and I thought it was really cute. It’s a traditional romantic comedy with two guys instead of a guy and a girl, and I’m just a big supporter of the LGBT community being treated equally—that they have real lives, that they can be cute, that it all doesn’t have to be strange and dark stories, or even sexy stories. This one is just a light romantic comedy that could’ve been done in the ’30s.

You make a good point. So many gay films, especially in the ’80s and ’90s, were about AIDS and, well, AIDS.

Yeah, AIDS—or bathhouses, guys in leather and a lot of S&M. (Laughs) I have so many gay friends and relatives, and I’ve been involved in the theater since I was 10—all my friends were always gay. There are a lot of different kinds of people, so I was just happy to see a cute movie that just happens to be gay.

Are you doing any other gay-themed projects?

I’m getting ready to do one right now called A Perfect Endin_, and it’s not exactly gay-

themed, but it’s sort of. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to talk about it yet, but I’ll just say it’s an interesting story about a woman who comes to terms with her life and has an affair with another woman who isn’t gay—ostensibly they’re both straight but end up having an affair that becomes very meaningful and changes both of their lives.

In eCupid, you play a wise waitress who dishes relationship tips to two gay men. Do people come to you for advice often?

You never tell anyone how to run their life, and I don’t feel called upon to jump in and tell people how to do it either unless I’m asked. But even if asked, I think you can only make suggestions and offer your own experience: “You know, when I was younger I got into something like this and here’s how I handled it for better or for worse—and it worked out well, or it didn’t.” If it didn’t, I’d advise you not to do it that way! (Laughs)

For the last few years, you’ve been switching back and forth between doing indies and TV shows. Which do you prefer, film or TV?

Oh, you know, I just like acting. I grew up in the theater and started doing film and television a little later on, so I just go back and forth between all mediums. To survive in this business these days—don’t forget I’m on the board of two unions, and you see all the numbers—every actor I know is having to do a lot of different mediums just to stay relevant, especially if you’re over 40 and you’re not a kid breaking into the business.

Is it harder for you to find work now?Oh yeah—especially for women. There are

just fewer parts for women over 40.

Well, look at Meryl Streep.Well, look at Meryl Streep—she takes every

good part for any woman over 40. When was the last time you saw Goldie Hawn or Bette Midler or Barbra Streisand or Susan Sarandon as a lead in a movie? Other than Meryl, there’s

nobody. If there’s a good script, she takes it.

In the ’90s you played Sandra Bernhard’s bisexual girlfriend on Roseanne. How far have we come with gay characters on TV?

We’ve come a long way since then.

That was very breakthrough when I did that, which I wanted it to be. When they offered it to me, I knew that the last person in the world that anybody would see walking through that door after the big buildup of “Sandra has a new girlfriend” would be Morgan Fairchild. That’s the last person they’d expect. But I think we’ve come a long way, and we’re getting away from stereotyping and just seeing people as people.

What made you passionate about AIDS?I’m a virus nut. I was following AIDS

since ’79 or ’80 when it was 13 cluster cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma in New York and

didn’t have a name, and it was just these odd anomalies. Then there were 11 cluster cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia in San Francisco and I thought that was odd. These were just little paragraphs in the newspapers, and then it came out that they were all in gay men—and I knew something new was out there.

Did you lose a lot of your friends to the virus?

Oh yeah. I lost a ton of people, and a lot of them I tried to warn that there was something new out there. I had warned one friend of mine who was an actor and sort of closeted. At an AIDS fundraiser I was sponsoring in Beverly Hills, he came over to me and he said, “You were the first person I ever heard say the word AIDS, and I wish I had listened.”

You’ve played many roles on TV, in film and in commercials. What gets you recognized the most?

It depends on the generation. Older people tend to remember the series that I did—the three series I did in the ’80s—and some people still remember me from Search for Tomorrow from the ’70s. Certain generations love the first TV movie I did called The Initiation of Sarah, and then Flamingo Road. Younger people tend to love the Friends or Old Navy stuff, or even right now with Chuck. People who go to a lot of theater are big fans of some of the theater work I’ve done. It just depends on what generation they are from. | l |

In eCupid, Morgan Fairchild plays a waitress set on setting up two handsome gay men who frequent her diner.

“”A lot of my fan base has always been gay,

and I just grew up around everybody

being gay.”—MORGAN FAIRCHILD

| May 26 - June 8, 201142 watermark | music

became a civil rights activist in the U.S. Cox made her Broadway debut as the lead role in the musical Aida, which was written by Elton John.

The cultivated chanteuse now resides in Miami with her husband and three children, where she managed to squeeze some time out of her busy rehearsal and tour schedule for an interview with Watermark. Cox will appear Saturday, June 4, as one of the premiere performers for Evolve, a fundraiser by and for Come Out With Pride during GayDays®. This incredible three night event also features Kelly Rowland, DJ Eddie Baez, DJ Escape and the girls from Ru Paul’s Drag Race at Mr. Sisters in Orlando.

WATERMARK: This won’t be your fi rst time in Orlando. You performed at Orlando’s Parliament House during GayDays® in 2007 and 2009. What should your fans expect this time around? DEBORAH COX: Glad to be back in Orlando! As usual, they should expect a high energy show full of all the favorites.

You’re obviously well aware of your legions of gay fans. What do you attribute your “gay icon” status to?

[I have] nothing but love for all of my gay fans! I’ve never considered myself to be an “icon” per se, but I am blessed that my music has touched people in such a powerful way. I love to perform and the energy in the clubs and at the LGBT Pride festivals cannot be matched!

Who are some your favorite “gay icons” in the music world?

I grew up listening to Madonna and she is defi nitely one of my favorites. I respect her

artistic approach and I have many memories through her music.

You’ve reached out to the LGBT community by performing on an Atlantis Cruise. How was that and was there any gay drama?

Gay? Drama? [Laughs] I love performing on the Atlantis Cruises! That particular performance was memorable because the cruise ship was gigantic! There is always positive energy with the Atlantis folks. [It was] a great party!

You’ve done both Broadway and studio recording. Did you fi nd it diffi cult to go from being a recording artist to a Broadway performer?

I have always had a passion for live performance and grew up performing in front of all types of crowds and singing all types of music. For me, the diffi culty is more balancing the two and switching focus from my personal creative process to that of becoming a character. I enjoy both processes for different reasons but they each are a big part of who I am as an artist.

Any plans to return to the Great White Way?

[I’m] in workshop now developing the role of Josephine Baker for a debut most likely in the fall.

You’ve been happily married to your high-school sweetheart for years now. However, you’re known for your heartbreak and empowerment songs. It’s as if you’ve gone or are going through it yourself. Where does your inspiration come from?

It’s funny because I get asked this question often. Yes, I am very happily married and blessed to have an amazing, supportive

husband. But over the years I have had many close friends and family members go through some diffi cult times and it often inspires me to create music to express what they are going through.

It’s been three years since your last solo album. Do you have plans to put out a new record in the near future?

Yes! Between appearances and performances I am constantly in the studio creating new music. You will be hearing new music very soon!

Back in 2009, you were part of the super group, The Queen Project. What has happened since?

It was great to bring together three amazingly talented women and have an opportunity to perform and create together. Unfortunately, when you have such talent it gets diffi cult with personal careers and commitments and family, etc., to keep everyone’s schedule open to accommodate the project. We’re hoping there will be a chance to perform together again, but we are each focusing on our own careers right now.

Besides an obviously busy tour schedule, what projects are you working on now?

Besides staying committed to the workshop for “Josephine,” I continue to partner with several charities. I’m also putting a new album together and fi nding time to be a wife and a mother as well! | l |

| | Deborah Cox from p.29

see+hearWHO: Deborah Cox

WHERE: Mr. Sisters, Orlando

WHEN: June 4, 9 p.m.

TICkETS: ComeOutWithPride.com/PrideInConcert

Keep it GoingENTERTAINMENT ABOUNDS FOR GAY DAYS 2011

T he first weekend in June provides plenty of opportunities for entertainment as several

entertainers descend upon Orlando in

various clubs and formats.

Also performing at Mr. Sisters will be

Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child fame,

who takes the stage on June 3. and

popular DJ Escape from New York City

will be spinning throughout the weekend

at the club.

Over at the Parliament House, Khia

will start things off on Tuesday, May 31

with a stage performance and the Oops

Guys’ Bitches of the Kingdom starts at

8 p.m. on Friday, June 3 in the Footlight

Theater.

Also performing at the P-House

throughout GayDays is American Idol

beatboxer Blake Lewis and Pussycat

Doll Jessica Sutta. Both are slated for

June 3. On June 4, Salt-n-Pepa take

over the P-House and cameos by adult

entertainers like Matthew Rush, Brent

Corrigan and Diesel Washington are

expected throughout the weekend-long

party.

If you’re looking for some female-

powered entertainment, visit Kitty

O’Shea’s Irish Pub on Sunday, June 7,

at 6 p.m. Halcyon—from Tampa—will

headline an official Girls in Wonderland

party and will follow up with some

karaoke.

For a full listing of entertainment

surrounding Orlando’s biggest

Gay Weekend of the Year, look for

Watermark’s GD2011 Guide inside

this issue of Watermark or on display

throughout Orlando’s many Gay Days

venues.

“I love to perform and the energy in the clubs and at the pride festivals cannot be matched!”

—DEBORAH COX ON HER COUNTLESS GAY FANS

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 43

| May 26 - June 8, 201144 watermark | event planner

musicEvolve: Kelly Rowland & Deborah CoxCome Out With Pride will host a fundraising event at Mr. Sisters Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4, featuring Kelly Rowland and Deborah Cox. Advance tickets are $29 per night in advance and $35 at the door, with VIP and weekend package options available. They are on sale now at PrideInConcert.com.

art[LAKELAND]Annie Leibovitz: WomenLakeland’s Polk Museum of Art hosts “Annie Leibovitz: Women,” a touring exhibit of more than 60 photographs that originated as a book project, through the end of June. The book, Women, published by Random House in 1999, inspired the exhibit, which has toured nationally. Powerful women photographed for the exhibit include Betty Ford, Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah Winfrey, and Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor (the judges appear in the photograph together, but were shot separately, apparently refusing to sit together). For more information on the exhibit, visit PolkMuseumOfArt.org or call 863-688-7743.

[DEBARY]Men Painting MenIf you appreciate the male form—and who doesn’t?—make sure you don’t miss “Men Painting Men.” The exhibit is for men by men and includes painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media of the male form, created by male artists. The “Men Painting Men” exhibit opens at the Gateway Center for the Arts June 5, with a free reception from 2–4 p.m. The exhibit runs through July 14.

[ORLANDO]Whose Line Is It? Thor’s Mennello Museum MuralSketch artist Thomas Thorspecken has been

commissioned to do a mural on a 7-foot-high and 48-foot-wide wall next to the Mennello Museum. The subject is people waiting in line, and he would like to sketch area residents doing just that—waiting in line. The final open sketch sessions are May 26, 3–5 p.m., May 27, 3–5 p.m. and May 28, 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the museum. Groups are welcome, and sketching should take a couple of hours.

comedy[ORLANDO]Judy TenutaFor one night only, the “Aphrodite of the Accordion,” Judy Tenuta, will appear at the Footlight Theatre at Parliament House. Her show is called “Love Bits” and it kicks off at 8 p.m. on May 28. Tickets are $25, now on sale at Wanzie.com/BoxOffice.

[TAMPA]Tracy MorganStand-up comedian, cast member on the hit series 30 Rock with former SNL cast member Tina Fey, past Saturday Night Live cast member and all around funny dude Tracy Morgan comes to Tampa’s Straz Center on Saturday, June 4. The Comic turned movie star will no doubt unleash some of his funny characters from the sketch comedy show and tell tales from the road. For tickets and information visit StrazCenter.org.

theater[TAMPA]HairIt was a big hit when it debuted in the 1960s and it’s a bigger hit now—Hair’s revival show runs at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts through May 29. The rock musical overflows with the spirit of progress and hope for a better world by following a group of young Americans searching for love and peace during the Vietnam era. This musical brought LGBT issues to the forefront when it was still very taboo and songs like Let the Sunshine In and

Aquarius are sure to bring the audience to their feet. For more information or tickets, visit StrazCenter.org or call 813-229-7827.

SquabblesTampa’s Carrollwood Players present the comedy Squabbles, about a successful advertising jingles man who must put up with his divorced in-laws sharing his roof. The cast features a few LGBT actors and has a heartwarming finale that should make everyone feel warm and tingly. The show runs through June 18. For tickets and information, visit CarrolwoodPlayers.org or call 813-265-4000.

[ORLANDO]2011 Fringe FestivalThe 2011 Orlando Fringe Festival continues through May 30. The festival is held in various theaters at The Lowndes Shakespeare Center, The Orlando REP, and some outdoor or ad hoc sites. Fringe show attendees must purchase an $8 button to attend any show and then pay admission prices set by each individual show, usually ranging from $5-$10. There are also arts activities for children, a beer garden, food vendors and art displays. To purchase tickets or get more information, visit OrlandoFringe.org. The festival celebrates its 20th year in Orlando this year.

special events[TAMPA]Go Eat! Tampa BayThe Francis House has asked hosts to hold dinners and encourage fundraising to help expand the building for the HIV/AIDS organization in Tampa. Dinner hosts can receive the appropriate materials to host a dinner and are also asked to participate in a post dinner dessert party at the Glazer Children’s Museum. June 4. For details, visit FrancisHouse.org.

[LAKELAND]Polk PrideFor the first time, Polk County will celebrate

LGBT Pride when Polk Pride kicks off on Friday, June 3. A list of events, including parties, art exhibits and more, runs for 11 days throughout the city of Lakeland. Polk Pride has a Facebook page where details on events will be revealed.

[SARASOTA]Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's ChorusThe Church of the Trinity Metropolitan Community Church will hold a special picnic on Sunday, May 29, where the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus is scheduled to perform. Tickets are $15 at the church and the admission includes food t the picnic. For more information visit TrinityMCC.com.

[ORLANDO]Gay Days WeekendOrlando’s biggest gay weekend—and all the parties and events that come along with it—runs June 2–5 in various locations all over Orlando. A complete listing of events can be found in Watermark’s GD2011 Guide, inserted in this issue of the paper, or online at WatermarkOnline.com.

Flamingo Auto Group Cruise-InThe Flamingo Auto Group of Central Florida, a chapter of Lambda Car Club International, holds a monthly Cruise In at Steak and Salad Restaurant the last Sunday of each month. They are a multimark club that does not discriminate year make or model of your favorite ride, and participants don’t even have to own a car—they are invited to just come hang out. For more information, call Keith at 407-587-9869.

MBA Networking MixerThe team behind Gay Days is hosting the Metropolitan Business Association’s networking mixer for June. The MBA will meet up Wednesday, June 1 from 6:30–9 p.m. at Doubletree Resort. Hors d’ouvres, a cash bar and raffles are provided. Entry is free for MBA members, $10 for everyone else.

Got an event you’d like to see listed in Watermark? At least two to four weeks in advance, send all pertinent info—date, time, place, cost, contact information for readers to get more details, and what the event is about—to [email protected], and we will feature it in the paper on a space-available basis.

Kelly RowlandKelly Rowland will perform at a COWP fundraiser at Mr. Sisters June 3.

Annie Leibovitz: WomenThe Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland hosts “Annie Leibovitz: Women,” a touring exhibit of more than 60 photos, through the end of June.

HairThe revival of

Hair plays at the Straz Center in Tampa through

May 29.

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 45

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1- (L-R) Amy DiMilo and David Bauer call numbers during Drag Queen Bingo at

Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor City May 18.

2- (L-R) Scott Turner, Chris Rudisill and Jacob Hamm of St. Pete Pride stand with

friends during the Pride & Passion fundraiser at the Tampa Museum of Art May 21.

3- A chandelier as living art brought the crowd to a standstill at the Tampa Museum

of Art’s Pride & Passion May 21.

4- Members of the new Manatee LGBTA Democrats were on hand during the 2nd Annual

Harvey Milk Festival in Sarasota May 21.

5- Participants of Bear Soup at the Flamingo Resort participated in a pool race where they couldn’t lose

their inflatable, uh, member, the weekend of May 14.

6- A drum circle sprang up during WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave event in Ybor City, where

more than 56 bands performed.

12

3shot on site Photography | Steve Blanchard, Nick Cardello,

James McCracken and Carrie West

54

6

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 47 watermark | tampa bay out+about

PRIDEFEST KEYWEST 2011:

SHOW US YOUR

KEYWEST PRIDE!

Join us for Key West Pride and enjoy dance parties, drag shows, bike tours, water excursions, a street fair and even a parade through town. JUNE 8 – 12

Drag does TV timeLocal female impersonators and LGBT club owners were featured on a three minute segment on local CBS affiliate channel 10 to talk about the influx of drag pageants in the area. Stephen Moss, who owns The Honey Pot and G. Bar, and Melody Lynn were both featured prominently. Performers Kori Stevens and Joey Brooks were also featured in the segment, which claimed more than 800 drag pageants were held in Ybor City last year alone. To see the full segment, visit WTSP.com and search “Drag Queen.”

Bear Soup stews at FlamingoThe bears came from all over Florida and beyond to participate in the annual Bear Soup event at the Flamingo Resort in St. Petersburg the weekend of May 14. According to management, the Flamingo was full to capacity and had to utilize a neighboring hotel to help with the overflow. The bears took advantage of some rainy weather to hibernate before a jam-packed dinner on that Saturday night. Several bears returned to the pool after the passing storms. On Sunday, the hirsute seemed content in the Florida sun and were spotted playing

games in the pool under the direction of T-dance host Alexis De La Mer. One of the most popular games involved swimming laps and drinking shots—all while holding onto an inflatable, well, member! The winner of the race caused a minor stir when the crowd was unsure if he completed the task at hand—namely the shot at the edge of the pool. So in the spirit of athleticism and good sportsmanship, he downed another, just to be on the safe side.

Sarasota Pride shifts setupIt may seem like it’s a long way off, but preparations are already underway for Sarasota Pride in October. This year’s outdoor festival is expected to be bigger than ever and organizer Cindy Barnes has already tackled last year’s biggest complaint—vendors staying separated from the entertainment. This year, Sarasota Pride will all be on the same side of the street, meaning festival goers can browse vendor booths, listen to music and participate in the dunking booth that will again feature LGBT celebs. The date of the celebration has also been moved so as not to conflict with Halloween plans or with the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Sarasota Pride 2011 is Saturday, Oct. 22.

tampa bay overheard

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to [email protected]

| May 26 - June 8, 201148 watermark | orlando out+about

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Hot for teacher?Everyone’s favorite Glee teacher is coming to Orlando. Not only that but he’ll be joining nine other dreamy beloved crooners. Matthew Morrison announced that he will join The New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys(NKOTBSB), this summer’s hottest tour as a special guest. The tour move means canceling his July 11 show at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre but gives Morrison a larger platform, performing in arenas across the U.S. “This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” said Morrison in a statement. “I am so appreciative of my fans and I’m planning to give them a great show.” Matthew Morrison’s self-titled debut album is available now.

Supportive sisterIn the competitive world of gay night-life, one bar owner has realized the importance of community. Last week, Mr. Sisters owner Don White posted a blog post on the nightclub’s website revealing his “Change of Heart.” In it, he admits “we at Mr. Sisters first thought we needed to be the end all of clubs—the one club that would outshine them all.” He then goes on to recognize a number of gay establishments that paved

the way, like Parliament House, Pulse, Savoy, Graze, Paradise and Revolution. “We at Mr. Sisters want you to know how important it is that you support all of the gay establishments in town,” he wrote. “Together, all of the clubs in town will shed a new light on the faces of the gays in Orlando and together we will change the hearts of all people.”

Pretty gayThere’s never been a census of the gay and lesbian population but thanks to The Advocate, now there is. And for second year in a row, Orlando has made the top 15 gayest cities, coming in at number four. This is, of course, based on a highly scientific equation which includes the number of Gay.com profiles, elected openly gay officials, gay-friendly religious congregations, listed officiants for gay weddings and entries on YellowPages.com with “gay” in the business name or description. The Advocate hailed Orlando for the passing of sexual orientation protections to the private-sector antidiscrimination law and the annual Fringe Festival, stating that, “it continues to be one of the gayest in the country.” Miami came in at number 15.

orlando overheard

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to [email protected]

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 49

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watermark | orlando out+about

shot on site Photography | Mark Cady, Scott McCauley, Charles Morris,

Bonnie Sprung and Randy Stephens

1– (L to R) Jerry Craft, Dawn Hall, Jackie Peters, Eric Landrum and Jodee Landrum enjoyed food, fun and entertainment at Watermark’s Third Thursday Social.

2– The Green Lawn of Fabulousness is the place to be at the 2011 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, running

through May 30 at The Lowndes Shakespeare Center.

3– David Schiller won the “Member Minute” award May 11 at the MBA Referral Exchange Development (RED) Group South.

4- Shelley Scott Nelson and Marsha Stokes of French Nest networked at Watermark’s Third Thursday

Social, held May 19 at Dubsdread Country Club.

5– All was fair in the kiddie pool at the Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls Jell-O Wrestling Fundraiser May 21 at 57 West.

6– Prime Timers of Central Florida’s new officers: (seated L–R) are Claude Aube, Jim Moore, Jerry

Danese, Edwin Barnes, (standing, L-R) George Sepso, Ron Bush and Patrick Caraher.

6 5 4

321

| May 26 - June 8, 201150

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 51

Orlando | The more things change, the more they stay the same…or so the adage goes. Even after 21

years, Gay Days Weekend is no exception, at least when it comes to getting the word out. The initial gathering of LGBTs at the Magic Kingdom on the fi rst Saturday of June is often credited to Doug Swallow, who—in an effort to design a non-political and fun Pride month event—put a posting on Compu-Serve, a precursor to today’s online chat rooms. If Swallow is the weekend’s baby daddy, then its surrogate mother is most certainly the Internet.

Today that proud mother the web rivals the Octomom for the number of fi rst-weekend-of-June events created through it. Companies such as GayDayS.com, Girls In Wonderland, Wonderworld, Tidal Wave, and more are

taking a page from Swallow’s playbook in utilizing technological advances in communication to spread the message about their events.

“Using the web is how we started,” says Chris Alexander-Manley, president of GayDayS.com Inc., the fi rst established business dedicated to marketing the weekend as a whole. Launched in April 1998, GayDayS.com has over the years served as both an information portal and a ticket hub for many of the weekend’s auxiliary parties and activities. These days the company offers guests a host hotel with a business expo and a full schedule of pool parties, dances, and more, including separate events specifi cally designed for men, women, and bears.

“When we bought the domain name, Tommy (Chris’ partner in both life and

business) had an Internet developing company, so it was very easy to put our time and resources into developing a website, create e-blasts and more,” says Alexander-Manley. He calls the company’s creation the turning point in making the event locally based to the international LGBT destination weekend that it is today.

In recent years, the company has added a Facebook page as well as a Twitter account to its marketing arsenal. Alexander-Manley says those two social media outlets in particular have helped his company better reach younger demographics. But staying active on Facebook and Twitter hasn’t come without its challenges for the majority of the GayDayS.com-ers, a staff consisting primarily of people from—how shall we say—other generations

Gay DayS & Social-iSMW he ther it ’s yea r one or yea r 21, Gay Days Weekend promoter s

r ely heav i ly on so cia l med ia to ge t the word ou tkirk hartlage


watermark | orlando's big gay weekend

| May 26 - June 8, 201152

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 53

Though Orlando’s Gay Days Weekend celebration began at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom,

the celebration has expanded throughout all of the area’s theme parks. Though the economy is still suffering—and this year’s fi rst-weekend-of-June events will likely not see the same numbers that past years have provided—Universal Orlando Resort has been posting increases in both attendance and sales.

According to Universal offi cials, the resort drew 11.2 million visitors in 2010, an increase of nearly 2 million from the previous year. In the fi rst three months of this year, attendance increased 68% over the same period last year. Per-capita guest spending jumped 17% during the quarter, food-and-beverage sales rose 104%, and merchandise sales leapt 156% .

The person primarily responsible for those increases is Harry Potter, whose Wizarding World land opened late last June at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Helping Harry peddle his magic wands and mugs of Butterbeer is another interesting character, Keven Callahan, Universal’s Director of Merchandising. Though he’s worked with Universal for 11 years, Callahan’s resume reads like a who’s who of retailing. He has served as a corporate creative director for Crabtree & Evelyn and a national merchandising manager for both Bath & Body Works and Giorgio Beverly Hills. Callahan also currently manages visual merchandising for Gucci in Orlando, Tampa and Miami.

But Callahan’s work isn’t just about making cash registers ring. He also heads up StudiOut, the largest LGBT employee group under the worldwide NBC/Universal umbrella. The group recently participated in a short fi lm in support of the “It Gets Better” campaign, which can be viewed on YouTube.

WATERMARK: What does being a Director of Merchandising for Universal

Parks & Resorts entail? Describe a typical workday.kEvEN CALLAHAN: I am responsible for the creative design content that supports all retail and food sales here. I also offer support for our parks in Hollywood, Osaka and Singapore. I get involved in the store/restaurant design and development as well as manage the creative direction for our in-store programs and all in-park seasonal décor. I’m not sure we have anything typical here; Universal is unlike any place I’ve ever worked.

What has been some of your biggest successes with Universal so far?

The fi rst is the opportunity to build and train my amazingly talented staff without outside infl uences. We may disagree at times but I’d put them up against any other team in this business. I have seen the growth each of them has achieved and they know I’m a total perfectionist so it keeps them on their toes 24/7. Finally, working internationally with the Universal teams in both Osaka and Singapore was fantastic. It’s so interesting working with other cultures and implementing what we think is an easy task here. I have lifelong friends in those countries now as a result.

What type of resources do you utilize for creativity? Where do you fi nd inspiration?

I am a big believer that creativity is everywhere. I get ideas seeing buildings go up, from construction sites, museums, walking the streets of a city, or maybe


Though Orlando’s Gay Days hough Orlando’s Gay Days Weekend celebration began at Walt Weekend celebration began at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom,

the celebration has expanded throughout the celebration has expanded throughout all of the area’s theme parks. Though the

Helping Harry peddle his magic wands and mugs of Butterbeer is another interesting character, Keven Callahan, Universal’s Director of Merchandising. Though he’s Director of Merchandising. Though he’s worked with Universal for 11 years,

a Minute witH...

KEVEN CALLAHANUn i ver sa l ’s D i r ector of Mercha nd i s i ngkirk hartlage


| May 26 - June 8, 201154

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 55

Orlando | This year marks the 21st anniversary of Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom. More than a half-dozen

host hotels are booked to capacity, and big crowds are expected at ticketed parties and local nightclubs. But one venue has experienced a significant drop in attendance—the Magic Kingdom itself.

Back in 1991, organizers were thrilled when a few hundred gays and lesbians wearing red t-shirts converged on Cinderella’s Castle on the first Saturday in June. After that, growth was exponential and surprising. By 2000, Disney was forced to exercise the rarely used option of closing the Magic Kingdom for a few hours because the park had reached capacity—somewhere north of 80,000 people. Observers estimated that at least half were wearing red t-shirts.

Huge crowds, packed monorails and long lines were the Gay Day norm for years. But regulars have noticed a recent drop in attendance. Last year, the first Saturday in June was not a particularly crowded day at the Magic Kingdom. Although the LGBT presence was obvious, it was also not overwhelming.

“It used to be that you had to line up an hour in advance just to catch a glimpse of the Main Street character parade,” says Jerry Kraft, an Orlando resident who is part of a large group that attends Gay Day every year. “Last year you could walk up and get a front row seat while the parade was in progress.”

Disney does not release attendance figures, and it adopts a calculated “the Magic Kingdom is open to everyone” neutrality when discussing Gay Day. But at more than $70 per ticket, simple math places the economic impact of this fall-off in the millions. Insiders are unwilling to go on the record, but they indicate that Disney management is well aware of the costly trend.

To date, Disney has been unwilling to target market the first weekend in June to the LGBT community. Instead, they work with private promoters to book ticketed events like Riptide, which is expected to draw more than 4,000 to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park on

Friday night. This year, the same promoters are producing a “drink around the world” Retro T-Dance at Epcot on Sunday.

And under the radar, those same insiders indicate that Gay Days Weekend is much-anticipated throughout the Disney organization. There are rumors that the LGBT employee group is planning a flash mob at Riptide this year, with company approval.

Other major local attractions adopt a similar approach. Universal Studios Orlando, which also has a huge LGBT employee group, will play host to Mark Baker’s Matinee: Ibiza Rising party on Saturday night. And thousands of bears will converge on Wet ‘n Wild for the Tidal Wave party on Friday.

But aside from these private ticketed events, no local attraction has attempted to boost tourism during Gay Days Weekend with marketing or promotions. This leaves an open playing field for local nightclubs and private promoters. And as a result, the focus has shifted to a dazzling lineup of private parties and hotel and nightclub events.

There’s a Girls in Wonderland hotel and a Bear Daze hotel, all booked to capacity and featuring a full-lineup of events. Inside the city limits, the iconic Parliament House expects its busiest weekend of the year.

And GayDayS.com, which trademarked the Gay Days label years ago, has booked more than 1,000 rooms and will host dozens of events at the 28-acre Doubletree Resort near Sea World. They range from pool parties to a business expo and a literary festival.

“Back in the beginning, the Magic Kingdom was the only identified event,” says GayDayS.com’s Chris Manley. “People who’ve been there, done that may prefer to pass, or to take in some of the other events.”

Could Gay Days Weekend exist without Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom? It’s not likely we’ll have to find out. For many thousands, that afternoon of open cavorting in one of the most magical places on the planet remains the highlight.

“We’ll definitely be back this year,” says Kraft. “I’ve already set out my costume.” | l |


Gay Day Gravity On c e a s el lou t , cr o w ds at D i s ney ’s Mag i c K i ng dom a r e do w n tom dyer

| May 26 - June 8, 201156

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In many ways, Gay Days Weekend is a miracle. The plan—to meet at the Magic Kingdom wearing red—could’ve fallen

apart in any number of ways back in 1991. Instead it grew, fueled in 1995 by publicity created by protestors attempting to stop it.

“The whole thing started as just a way to collectively go to the theme parks and have fun,” said originator Doug Swallow.

Over the years, inspired ideas and impeccable timing have contributed to the success of what has for years been the largest annual gathering of LGBTs in the nation.

In 1997 Watermark and Jeffrey Sanker both hit on the idea that the weekend could support a big nighttime theme park party. A year later, GayDayS.com guessed correctly that visitors would want to stay in resort hotels where they could be gay, and that the burgeoning Internet would be ideal for promoting the event

throughout the globe. Both notions changed the event dramatically.

In 1999, Mark Baker added a Sunday night event at Hard Rock Live and bet that an after hours component would succeed. And in 2001 Baker surmised that other attractions would want a piece of the action and expanded the party outside Disney. His Starz Party at Universal Studios remains the biggest single Gay Days Weekend party to date.

In 2002, new owners at the Parliament House brought RuPaul in for a Gay Days concert and attracted 6,000, proving that the weekend is a gold mine for local business.

In 2005, Johnny Chisholm booked the huge Buena Vista Palace and established Gay Days as a beachhead for the national and international party circuit. Four years later Chisholm imploded, leaving a trail of ill will. But new promoters stepped up, aided by theme

parks that had grown fond of the lucrative weekend.

In 2007, Alison Burgos bet that Girls in Wonderland could support two parties at major Downtown Disney venues. And that same year, the Bears staked a claim to their own water park event at Wet ‘n Wild.

And so now hear we are in 2011, year 21 of Gay Days Weekend. Will any new events or developments scheduled for this year change things going forward? Let’s take a look.

Mr. SiSterS SiGnS inThe popular and much-talked-about dance

club and restaurant on E. Colonial Dr. jumps into Gay Days Weekend this year with a series of high profile events. Sisters teams with GayDayS.com to host the Gay Days Kickoff Party on Wednesday night. Then they bring in recording artists Kelly Rowland on Friday and Deborah Cox on Saturday for concerts benefitting Come Out With Pride.

HarD rock takeS a BreakIn recent years, Hard Rock Live has booked

comedians like Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho and Joan Rivers during Gay Days Weekend. Citing “scheduling and artist availability,” the high-profile venue at Universal Studios Orlando chose to sit this year out. Will that continue?

GayDayS.coM StartS earlier, enDS later

According to Chris Manley, national and international guests are arriving earlier each year… and they’re ready to party. This year, pool parties at the 23-acre Doubletree Resort start on Wednesday, and the huge GayDayS Expo continues through Sunday. Manley also hopes a Taste of Gay Days benefitting The Center of Central Florida will be a classy annual event.

BearS Book tHeir own DenThe organizers of Tidal Wave at Wet ‘n

Wild have booked their own bear-tel for the first time this year. The beautiful Royal Plaza

Hotel—former host hotel for GayDayS.com—will be filled with big, furry guys. We call it a pool party; they call it ‘bear soup.’ There’s also a Booty Call Underwear Party after hours on Saturday night at Pirates Dinner Theater. And there’s a full bear lineup at the GayDayS.com hotel, too.

Downtown Girl JaMAlison Burgos proved that Gay Days girls

just want to have fun. Pandora Events and Phish-Phest Entertainment have something for locals and early arrivals with their Traffic Jam party on Thursday night at the huge Beacham Theater on Orange Ave. Ladies can control amorous advances with red, yellow and green glow sticks.

Mark Baker MoveS in… to the Buena Vista Palace, former

headquarters for Johnny Chisholm. The huge resort hotel has played host to some of the best pool parties in history. Baker’s after hours parties will be right at BVP, in a hotel convention hall staged to look and feel like a permanently installed nightclub. With DJs and dancers from around the globe, Saturday night’s Matinee: Ibiza Rising at Universal Studios Orlando is billed as an “international gay dance music event.” Is the circuit officially back? Baker promises to raise the bar with his Wonderland Weekend.

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The producers of Riptide at Typhoon Lagoon invite you to “drink around the world” on Sunday at EPCOT before diving into a T-Dance and ending the day with the famous Illuminations fireworks display. Could this become another signature event for the weekend? | l |The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

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after a good night of drinking champagne! Adapting the creativity is the hard part. You have to fi nd a way to make a creative idea work. So many people give up on a great idea. I’ll carry mine to my death if I need to. I talk about my ideas with friends all the time. I’m sure they really want me to shut up—sorry Barbara and Peter! They get the worst of it.

You’re also the head of Universal’s LGBT employee networking group. How did the formation of the group come about?

Our Employee Resource Group is called

StudiOut and we are just celebrating our third year. I have been on the board as the Executive Champion since the beginning. It started based on the success that NBC was having with Out @ NBC in NYC & LA. I was asked to take part in several LGBT meetings with those groups prior to us starting. It was great way to meet the leaders there and understand the dynamics of how ours needed to run and operate.

What function do you think an LGBT employee networking group should serve within a company and how does StudiOut accomplish that?

I am all about community service and making the StudiOut brand visible

in the community. We take part in many events, including Headdress Ball—where we are a two time winner—AIDS Walk Orlando, decorating at the Give Kids The World villa, the local Pride parade, the ZEBRA Coalition, Babes in Bonnets for the Orlando Youth Alliance and others. StudiOut’s 582 team members participate when they can, all at different levels. And that’s perfectly okay with me! They each have lives outside of work and I totally appreciate that. I am proud to say that collectively we track some amazing community volunteer hours.

Some large companies, including at least one large theme park resort, do not

offer their employees a LGBT employee networking group. What advice would you offer someone who wanted to start just such a group?

I recommend going into the Human Resources department and setting up an appointment to speak openly and honestly about the benefi ts it can have and possibly showcase other companies’ success stories. I’d be happy to give anyone our vision and mission statement and a clear plan on how to start. If their company will not listen, come and work here!

When not at work, what are some of your outside interests?

I love to travel and be with my friends. It can be at a big party or sitting by a pool, in a hotel room or beach as long as we can talk and laugh. I have to say I have some of the best trans friends who totally entertain me, so in return I love supporting their craft/talent, their drag careers and pageants. Many are now National & International title holders. Through supporting them I was recently appointed a new judge for the Miss Continental Pageant system. I am still working towards opening my own club. There’s no offi cial date, but when the time is right, watch out! On top of that I am really getting back into fragrance development again and I’m still selling diamonds & precious stones.

Do you have any particular Gay Days Weekend traditions?

I actually have worked for Mark Baker for the past 10 years hosting the after hours parties and helping him manage the pool parties. It’s the best way to see all my friends and get paid at the same time! Other than that I always help my close friend Barbara Poma, owner of Pulse, prep for their weekend events. If I have time I stop by the Parliament House to see the girls and hang out in the dressing room! Sassy, Darcel, Armani and “V” are the best!

Your work takes you to various locales around the world. In comparison to gay life and culture in other places, what does Orlando’s LGBT community have going for it, and what work do we still have to do?

Throughout my entire career I have been to some truly beautiful and amazing parts of the world and attended LGBT parties and events in several. I’ll say this about Orlando: at the end of the day Orlando is a small city with a huge heart. The LGBT Community has grown and continues to grow each year. We have a wide age and talent demographic within the LGBT community and an even mix of both men and women. But we don’t make use of it and mix well like many larger cities. My biggest hope and wish for Orlando is that the community realizes this and we start to really come together. Don’t just say it but really act on it. | l |

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not necessarily adept in the ways and means of social media.

“Last year we had a 27-year-old who was handling our social media,” says Alexander-Manley. “He was raised with it, he knew it all, and he did a great job.”

But when that staff person left, there was a six month window the company’s social media projects lay somewhat dormant, in part over fear of embracing the new online world order.

“Now, I’m loving it,” admits Alexander-Manley, who has slowly been getting involved with participating in the new technologies since taking over those responsibilities this past January. “But I’m still learning all the terminology.”

Alexander-Manley is also encouraged to expand his social media outreach by many of the weekend’s sponsors—be it insurance, beer, or media outlets—who are using social media more and more for their own products.

While GayDayS markets itself to the entire LGBT community, other promoters are targeting more specifi c groups. The namesake of Mark Baker Events says social media is one of the major aspects of his marketing campaign.

“It’s always nice to see your ad in national magazines,” says Baker, “But a lot of the people you’re showing your ad to aren’t going to be interested in your event. Social media gives you the ability to target an audience, a specifi c audience that will be interested in your event.”

For Baker’s Wonderworld of circuit parties that take place over the fi rst weekend of June,

that audience is primarily gay males, ages 25 to 40.

“The main way they communicate, especially the younger you go, is on Facebook,” says Baker. As part of his promotional efforts, Baker has created Facebook pages in Spain, Germany, Italy and Mexico. It’s a cost-effective method Baker hopes will bring back some of the international market he says the weekend has lost in recent years.

“Social media broadens who you can connect to on a much more global scale,” he says. Baker particularly likes utilizing social media for its immediacy.

“As recently as 2000, most of our ads were in national magazines,” Baker says. “We’d have deadlines for ads in January or February, and they’d fi nally appear in March or April.”

While he’s spending far less on print advertising than he once did, Baker doesn’t foresee a time when he’d completely pull away from print advertising. GayDayS.com is also not looking to abandon traditional methods of getting information out. Still popular is their annual magazine-style guide, a printed publication Alexander-Manley says can be particularly useful for those who might drop, break, lose, or shatter the screen on their handheld electronic devices.

“It wouldn’t be the smartest thing to solely run a Facebook campaign,” Baker says.

But one of the newest event planning groups has nearly done just that. Tidal Wave, the water park party for the bear community now in its fi fth year, has been marketed nearly 100% through online methods. With the exception of several kick-off parties held each year in various bear bars and clubs

across the country, Tidal Wave has used only social media to advertise.

The approach has apparently worked; last year’s event saw more than 1,000 in attendance and ticket sales are on track this year to surpass that. The event has become so popular—and partnering with GayDayS.com last year on several of its bear events was equally successful—that the group’s organizers are launching their own weekend of events. Interestingly enough, the group is also utilizing the Royal Plaza Hotel as its host hotel, the same hotel once used by GayDayS.com as the base of its operations.

“The bear community was born online 20, 25 years ago,” says David Biehl, co-organizer of Tidal Wave. “This is where we socialize, where we network.” While Biehl has utilized Facebook to advertise the event, he credits Bear411.com, a social media site that allows members to post information about events for the ursine crowd, for the foundation of his marketing.

On the TidalWaveParty.com Web site, Biehl also posts where the signature party’s attendees will be coming from.

“It started as an interesting hobby, seeing where everyone was coming from,” says Biehl. “I thought it would be an interesting thing for other people to see. Since then it’s become a useful tool to plan where to have kickoff parties and where our major markets are. We have a huge contingency this year coming from New Jersey, but I couldn’t tell you why.”

Interpreting user data is but one struggle that still faces event promoters when using social media, especially when limited to a mere 140 characters on Twitter.

“You’ve got to have something to say, something entertaining, something new,” says Baker. “Just sending post after post or message after message saying please, please, please come to my event—people will get tired of that. Attention spans are a lot shorter, too. Making a Facebook post is really easy. Making it entertaining for the three or four months leading up to your event is a lot more challenging.”

Also challenging—keeping up with the onslaught of changes in technology, particularly with the increased use of iPhones and SmartPhones. While Baker hasn’t gone so far as to create an app for that, he and his team did take the iPhone’s limitations into consideration when re-designing the MarkBakerEvents.com site for this year’s slate of parties. The biggest change? Getting rid of Flash—a software program used by many Web designers—in order to make the site more easily viewed on iPhones.

While utilizing social media certainly presents a wealth of positives, many of those are double-edged swords, particularly when it comes to the immediacy the media brings.

“Everyone at the party has a camera, it seems, and pictures and video are being uploaded as the party is going on,” says Baker. “It something wonderful happens, it works in your favor. If someone falls off the stage, that’s going to be on there too.”

Admitting that he—like most promoters—would like to keep as much control over their events as possible, Baker recognizes that pictures and videos also help to sell the event.

And as long as the message is a good one, what company wouldn’t want its customers to become its own marketing team? | l |

| | GD Social Media from p.51

“SOC IAL MED IA BROADENS WHO YOU CAN CONNECT TO ON A MUCH MORE GLOBAL SCALE”

—Mark Baker oF Mark Baker eventS


May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 63

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transitionsPassingsRobin Tracy, 57, passed away on Tuesday, May 3, after a long battle with cancer. Tracy was a long-time performer and used the stage name “Veronica Eden” at various clubs and events throughout Tampa Bay. She performed at St. Pete Pride in 2010 and was a regular at venues throughout Gulfport where she joked she was a “one-girl band.” Her rock-n-roll style was influenced by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Credence Clearwater Revival. A celebration of her life was held on May 21. She is survived by her fans and a circle of close friends.

CongratulationsE.M. & Voss Solutions Event & Wedding Services owners Sascha Voss and Eric Muenks celebrate 12 years together during Gay Days Weekend.

Watermark columnist, local activist and attorney Mary Meeks has started her own firm in downtown Orlando. Meeks will practice in commercial/business litigation, business and personal tort litigation, contracts and consultations regarding employment law and protective documentation and documents for LGBT individuals. She has also launched a new website, MaryMeeksLaw.com.

May marks the two month anniversary of the radio show Outloud Orlando: Homo Happy Hour, broadcast Tuesdays at 4 p.m. on 91.5 FM WPRK, hosted by Justice.

Former Watermark sales representative Josh Evans married Roberto Faller May 16 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Local BirthdaysTampa Drag Queen Bingo maven Amy DeMilo, Sarasota country line dancer David Russell (May 27); Orlando student and master fencer Alex Wall (May 28); St. Pete theater supporter Jon Hughes and Dunedin stylist Corey Judge (May 29); World traveler, pilot and Orlando-based photographer Jim Barrett (May 30); St. Petersburg Target specialist and social butterfly Joe White, (May 31); Ranger’s Pet Outpost founder Rick Merrifield, American Stage marketing wizard and tri-athlete Andy Orrell, and City of Gulfport employee and furniture specialist Jon K. Ziegler (June 1); physical therapist Rob Ryan and St. Pete Twirling Project hottie Harry Correa (June 2); Equality Florida public policy director Mallory Wells, Ronda Storms nemesis and Brandon Pride founder Mark Ferguson and OMG Magazine marketing director Timothy Evans (June 3); Tampa catering genious Dan Denoyer, Orange County Sheriff’s Department law enforcer Tom Woodard, German-born bear and current Riverview resident Robert Paquette, USF professor Bo Clements (June 4); handsome Tampa Coldwell Banker realtor Steve Wessels (June 5); Revolution drinkmeister and aspiring filmmaker Nick Smith, New Port Richey songbird Theresa Ward, Tampa DJ Tommy Scott and Hamburger Mary’s Orlando co-owner Michael Carpenter (June 7); St. Pete studmuffin and medical expert Alvin Conchas and Lakeland-based business owner Ron Hankey (June 8).

Robin Tracy, who performed as “Veronica Eden,” passed away May 3 after a long bout with cancer.

Send news about birthdays, passings, anniversaries, promotions, commitment ceremonies—and whatever you commemorate—to [email protected].

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 65

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[CLASSiFiEDS]

Watermark does not knowingly print advertisements for sexual services. Beyond printed content, Watermark does not inquire into the nature of personal or professional services advertising. Payment for sexual services is illegal in the State of Florida, and respondents to classified advertising should govern themselves accordingly. As required by law (Florida Statute 480.0465), Licensed Massage Therapists include their license number in all advertising.

407-481-2243 • Deadline for classifieds is June 3, at 5:00pm.Visit WatermarkOnline.com for Brand New Listings Every Day!

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TWO PRIME S. COLONIALTOWN OFFICE SPACES - High profile location in quiet downtown neighborhood next to Watermark offices. Near the corner of Ferncreek Avenue & Livingston Street. Amenities include: monitored alarm system, landscape maintenance, CAT 5 networking throughout, and T1 & ROADRUNNER access available. Building is handicap accessible with parking. Available Now! Contact Rick at (407) 481-2243 ext 108 or via e-mail to [email protected]

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Should there be a swimsuit competition for Realtors?? Sure that may seem silly but what is your criteria for selecting an agent to represent you with the most expensive asset you will probably ever own? Although my swimsuit days are over, my real estate career is still in full force. If you are thinking of buying selling or investing in real estate, think of me first. Stan Madray–Keller Williams Realty (407)928-7791 / www.StanMadray.com My commitment to you! •Communicate Effectively - Answer calls, respond to emails and keep you informed. •Be Knowledgeable - Know the market place, follow the trends and track the numbers. •Have Fun - It’s not just about the destination, It’s also about the journey. •Keep Integrity - Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking. •Seek the Win-Win - Negotiate effectively to meet our needs and our objectives.Making real estate dreams come true! *BTW.. .If you do require your prospective agent to compete in talent, I will be twirling a fire baton to “Half-Breed” by Cher.

Danny Veal, Realtor GRI, CLHMS & CDPE - I made a commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation in significant areas of real estate to better serve and protect my clients. My designations: GRI - Graduate REALTOR Institute, CLHMS - Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, CDPE - Certified Distressed Property Expert. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate needs. www.DannyVeal.com

Outstanding Custom Home w/breathtaking views of Lake Down (Butler Chain of Lakes) - This home was designed for entertaining & the lakefront lifestyle. Expansive living areas, open main floor plan, theatre room seats nine, loft bonus room with wet bar and loggia overlooking the pool, grand resort deck area offer a massive travertine patio, summer kitchen, living and dining area, refreshing pool, relaxing spa and outdoor shower. The boathouse has 2 slips with lifts and a spiral staircase that leads to a rooftop Sun Deck. All bedrooms are suites with private baths. Each bedroom has water views, breathtaking sunsets and nightly fireworks courtesy of Disney. The home is in a secluded location and sits on 2.5 acres with lush landscaping. Circular driveway and 4 car garage are just a few of the amenities of this exquisite home. $2,795,000. Visit www.DannyVeal.com for more details.

Text “Watermark” to 90210if you are planning to buy or sell a home. David Dorman, CENTURY 21 - 321-293-2240 *Standard Text rates may apply, please check with your carrier.

Nicholas J. Russo - Realtor,Broker Associate, Certified REO Specialist, and Property Valuator Metro City Realty 407-575-2338 www.nickrussorealty.com

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tampa bayemployment offered Distribution Specialist\Wanted: Tampa Bay - Excellent Compensation: $200 - $400 for 1 - 2 days of work every other Thursday. Candidates should be dependable, customer-service oriented and have reliable transportation. For more information: Contact Erik at (407)481-2243 x100 or [email protected]

RN / LPN Care Manager - This position is responsible for care coordination and education to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The Care Manager will assist the client with maintaining adherence to medication regimen and medical care, provide education about health issues which affect/impact HIV, and collaborate with medical providers to ensure continuity of care. This individual must possess a thorough knowledge of and ability to apply the following essential activities: assessment, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring for all core components of Care Coordination including case management concepts, service delivery, physical and psychological factors, community resources and healthcare care systems. Position Location: Hillsborough County - Tampa Minimum Requirements: Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) licensure Interested Applicants: Please email your cover letter and resume to [email protected]

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 67 watermark | sports

For more information: Contact Erik at (407) 481-2243 x100 [email protected]

Excellent Compensation:$200 – $400for 1 – 2 days of work every other Thursday. Candidates should be dependable,customer-service oriented and have reliable transportation.

Distribution Specialist WantedTampa Bay

Suns CEO comes out of the closetwire report

Phoneix, Ariz. | Phoenix Suns president and CEO Rick Welts, in an effort to breach what he sees as the tiptoed-around topic of homosexuality in men’s team sports, recently met with friends, associates and a newspaper reporter to reveal he is gay.

Welts, believed to be the first man in a prominent position in men’s sports who has declared his homosexuality, says he wants to now mentor other gay people who seek to pursue a career in sports, according to The New York Times.

“This is one of the last industries where the subject is off limits,” Welts told the newspaper. “Nobody’s comfortable in engaging in a conversation.”

According to the report, Welts talked separately to NBA commissioner David Stern, Suns guard Steve Nash, Hall of Famer Bill Russell and founding WNBA president Val Ackerman to discuss the message he wished to convey in making his sexual orientation public.

The 58-year-old Welts, who began his career as a ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics, spent several years with Stern in the league office. He was the architect of the All-Star Weekend and helped raise the NBA’s profile before leaving for the Suns’ front office.

Stern was not taken aback or even surprised by the conversation, though he did assume beforehand that Welts had wanted to meet to discuss career advice, according to The Times.

“What I didn’t say at the time was: I think there’s a good chance the world will find this unremarkable,” Stern told The Times. “I don’t know if I was confusing my thoughts with my hopes.”

Nash held a similar perspective.

“Anyone who’s not ready for this

needs to catch up,” Nash said. “He’s doing anyone who’s not ready for this a favor.”

Alvin Gentry, who has been the Suns’ head coach for 2½ seasons after joining the team in 2004 as an assistant coach, complimented Welts, saying the fact he is gay is beside the point.

“I had a feeling about it,” Gentry told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard when asked if he knew Welts was gay. “To me, what does it matter? I know he’s great at his job; he’s very organized and he does a brilliant job. To me, [his sexuality] is irrelevant.

“I’m happy for Rick because I think it takes a ton of weight off his shoulders,” Gentry added. “I’m glad for him because it puts him in a more relaxed state. Do I look at him any differently or judge him any differently? Not in a million years. I’ve dealt with Rick for the last seven years and he’s a great CEO and a great person.’’ | l |

Canadian sportscaster fired for anti-marriage equality tweetswire report

Canadian Sportscaster Damian Goddard is out of work after tweeting about his personal opposition to gay marriage.

Goddard, a TV sportscaster for Canada’s Rogers Sportsnet, let his feelings be known about the “liberal left” and “same gender marriage” on May 10. His Catholic-driven criticisms seem to be rooted in two unrelated sports headlines that occurred earlier in the week.

First, Goddard squawked about the resignation of Peter Vidmar, a U.S. Olympic representative, who allegedly donated his money and support to California’s infamous anti-gay marriage referendum, Proposition 8. Vidmar stepped down shortly after accepting the prestigious Olympic position because he felt his Mormon beliefs shouldn’t take away from the U.S. athletes.

Sportscaster Goddard wrote this on his Twitter account: “What a load of b-s. And

the thing about Vidmar is that he’s such a wonderful human being. The left is truly lost.”

Following that, Goddard dove headfirst into another sports- and gay-marriage-related controversy, throwing his support behind hockey agent Todd Reynolds. Reynolds publicly criticized hockey player Sean Avery, who proudly supports gay marriage in New York. His tweets supporting Reynolds included: “I completely and whole-heartedly support Todd Reynolds and his support for the traditional and TRUE meaning of marriage.To those who have been...well...critical of my stance, God bless you. You are all in my prayers, and I am so sad for the pain in your lives.”

In a prepared statement Sportsnet said that Goddard “was a freelance contractor and in recent weeks it had become clear that he is not the right fit for our organization.”

Same-sex marriages have been legally recognized across Canada for nearly six year. | l |

Phoenix Suns CEO Rick Welts came out to encourage young LGBTs to pursue careers in sports.

Are you interested in the news around you? Do you have experience in writing news? Send writing samples and contact info to [email protected] and you could see your byline in Watermark.

Director of Finance and Administration - The Director of Finance and Administration will be a strategic thought-partner, and report to the Executive Director (ED). The successful candidate will be a hands-on and participative manager and will lead and develop an internal tem to support the following areas: finance, business planning and budgeting, human resources, administration, and IT. Responsibilities: Financial Management - Analyze and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly and annual financial statements; collate financial reporting materials for all donor segments, and oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting. Interested, qualified applicants please send your resume and cover letter [email protected].

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| May 26 - June 8, 201168 watermark | gossip

“Studio questions the appeal of Jodie Foster’s Beaver.”—Headline in a trade magazine regarding the upcoming Mel Gibson flick, The Beaver. I’m surprised it’s a question.

Lately I’ve been in some dental distress. Now, I have a high threshold for pain—just ask anyone who’s

dated me. But if there’s anything worse than being in pain at home, it’s being in pain away from home. I had no idea what to do or who to go to. While some fans had some extremely helpful advice, I faced the very real possibility of blindly picking a dentist off the internet. That’s when my colleague Lynn Samuels (on Sirius Stars 107) recommended her own dentist who had relocated to Fort Lauderdale. And within a couple of days, I was in the trusty hands of an adorable Nova Southeastern University Dental resident.

I was literally in a waiting room when I heard the bizarre story about a woman arrested in neighboring Pompano Beach. Ann Marie Hernandez was taken into custody after police learned that she was concealing a fraudulent credit card and driver’s license in her vagina. Yes, in her vagina! You’d think this was an isolated incident, but some cursory research revealed that women use their vaginas to carry a variety of things. Why, just last month, Gloria Esther Perez of Fort Myers ended up in the big house after police discovered a bottle of prescription medication and a knife up there! Well, I suppose it’s easier than carrying a purse.

It also means that the dentist who tended to my cavity had absolutely nothing to complain about!

But it’s not just ladies with gifted crotches. Sexy actor Alex Pettyfer (from that movie I Am Number Four, which nobody saw) admits that he got a tattoo above his penis that says “Thank you.” Why? “In case I forget to say it.” He’s a giver. Strike that—a receiver! Elsewhere in the VMan magazine interview, Alex talks about life in Hollywood: “LA is growing on me a little bit, but it’s still a shit hole. Geographically it’s fantastic; in a half hour, you can be on the beach in one direction, go snowboarding in another, or go out into the desert. But socially it’s disgusting. I wish they’d run all the cunts out.” And this is how my columns develop a theme...

It’s been oft reported that Pettyfer’s family was best friends with the family of Channing Tatum—a detail Alex admits is completely untrue. Before becoming a fi lm star, Tatum was a lithe male model who used to take off his clothes at the drop of a hat—although in the full-frontal shot we have on BillyMasters.com, he leaves his hat on. At the same time, he was also working as a male stripper in Florida. Yet another crotchal connection to the Sunshine State.

Now Chan is parlaying his past into a fi lm. He’s teamed up with Steven Soderbergh to produce and act in Magic Mike. Since his weight has fl uctuated considerably upon entering his 30s (alas, that’s life), Tatum will not be playing the young hunky stripper. Instead, he’ll be the older stripper who mentors the young hunky dancer. Either way, someone’s taking something off. “This was a wild and pivotal time in my life and I couldn’t be more thrilled to go down the rabbit hole with Steven.” Soderbergh called Channing’s pitch “one of the best ideas I’d ever heard for a movie.” So, move over Erin Brockovich and Sex, Lies, and Videotape. Here comes Magic Mike!

Staying in shape in your 30s doesn’t seem to be a problem for Lane Garrison, formerly of Prison Break and, more recently, an actual prison! Seeing recent photos of the soon to be 31-year-old strolling shirtless on the beach, I can understand why the warden placed him in protective custody “for his own safety.”

Did you know that Jacob Lusk, the recent cast-off from American Idol, has some experience in prison? Back in 2009, Jacob was cited for riding the LA subway

without a ticket. A minor offense, but he skipped his court date. About a year later, he’s pulled over for going through a stop sign, the offi cer sees the outstanding arrest warrant, and suddenly Lusk is in the hoosegow! He only had to serve three days in jail.

Is anyone out there watching 90210? No? Then you missed mega-hot Trevor Donovan hooking up with the equally sexy Alan Ritchson. Yes, two gorgeous guys who have modeled underwear got together on network TV (well, TheCW). Ritchson played a former

classmate who Donovan always had a crush

on. They reunite, Trev comes out, and Alan...well, he takes the bull by the horns, as it were.

Until next time, remember, one man’s fi lth

is another man’s bible. | |

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Since his weight has fl uctuated considerably upon entering his 30s (alas, that’s life), Tatum will not be playing the young hunky stripper. Instead, he’ll be the older stripper who mentors the young hunky dancer. Either way, someone’s taking something off. “This was a wild and pivotal time in my life and I couldn’t be more thrilled to go down the rabbit hole with Steven.” Soderbergh called Channing’s pitch “one of the best ideas I’d ever heard for a movie.” So, move over Erin

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Film star Alex Pettyfer admitted he has a, well, cordial tattoo placed very low on his abdomen.

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 69

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HIVLiving withThe INROADS Trial for HIV Patients with Limited Treatment Experience

To qualify you must:Be HIV positive Be at least 18 years of ageBe taking HIV medications with a current

viral load of 500 copies and a T-cell count of 50 or higher, or have never taken HIV medications but have some HIV drug resistance

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This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our services. This website is not a solicitation or offer to sell securities. Information throughout this site, whether stock quotes, charts, articles or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources we believe to be accurate; however, we do not guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of same. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future performance. Neither we, nor our information providers, shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies, regardless of cause, or the lack of timeliness of, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user. There are no warranties expressed or implied as to the accuracy, completeness, or results obtained from any information posted on this or any linked website.

| May 26 - June 8, 201170 watermark | photography

galleryw2nd Annual Harvey

Milk FestivalHistoric Rosemary District, Sarasota

Saturday, May 21

Photography | Steve Blanchard

May 26 - June 8, 2011 | 71

eat, drink & be local

HUE Restaurant629 E Central Blvd

407.849.1800 www.huerestaurant.com

Citrus Restaurant821 N Orange Ave

407.373.0622 www.citrusorlando.com

Cityfish Restaurant617 E Central Blvd

407.849.9779 www.cityfishorlando.com

d o w n t o w n o r l a n d o

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G E T T H A T

FIRE AND ICE WEEKEND AT ST. PETE PRIDE

GAYBOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY CRUISE

CANADAPRIDE CRUISE

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11 FLORIDA OFFICES | OUR OWN MOTORCOACHES | CRUISES | TOURS | PRIDE EVENTS | CIRCUIT PARTIES | SO MUCH MORE

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866.949.1429 or register online to be the � rst to access special trips or visit us on Facebook:

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Watermark Issue 18.11: Gay Days Weekend 2011

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Transcript of Watermark Issue 18.11: Gay Days Weekend 2011