In The Magazine 
Melissa Etheridge has been through it all. Between knocking out 11 albums over the course of a 25-year music career, touring, and making cameos on the TV and silver screens, Etheridge has handled two broken relationships, and a battle with cancer. She isn’t tired, though, and insists she has a lot left in her.
“As long as I’m creating at the level that I am now and as long as it’s an expression, you know, not work that I have to do, I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon,” she says. Her most recent work is on a new album entitled Fearless Love, and she insists her inspirations remain the same. “It is pretty much experience, emotion,” she adds. “All of it comes from the intention to show how our lives are a choice between love and fear. Fear is in everything we do, but we can chose love. This is just about how we look at life.”
September 15 marks the second LGBT Center Awareness Day, a national day of action focused on awareness around the work of LGBT community centers. The theme of this year’s LGBT Center Awareness Day is “Building Our Community from the Center,” showcasing the vital role that community centers play in the health, empowerment, and unity of all LGBT communities.
LGBT Center Awareness Day was created to bring attention to the LGBT Community Center Movement, which serves 40,000 people weekly. Because LGBT community centers are the backbone of the LGBT movement, raising awareness within the LGBT community and the general public will draw much-needed attention to the work that centers have done and continue to do to support LGBT people and the entire LGBT movement. LGBT Center Awareness Day also provides a vital opportunity for individuals, groups and organizations to become more involved in supporting and utilizing their local community center.
You may have heard them on the airways of country radio. Perhaps you’ve seen them featured in People magazine. You may have watched them on CMT. And now, you will get to know a little more about the up and coming country artists, The Carter Twins. These two fun and dynamic young men have a wicked sense of humor. When asked if they are identical or fraternal, Josh replied, “We are identical… I think... we never really found out but we say we are. We just cut our hair the same and people can’t tell the difference... so, identical it is! Ha!”
“Rita Mae Brown who wrote Rubyfruit Jungle. Haven’t you read it? It’s a fantastic book, you know,” wrote Willy Russel in his film, Educating Rita.
Rita Mae Brown is not your mother’s lesbian, even though she has been around long enough to be hailed “as the Mother of the Feminist Movement, the Gay Movement,” as she writes on her website, www.ritamaebrown.com. More like l’enfant terrible of the Feminist Movement for her role in the Lavender Menace protests over the exclusion of lesbians from the ‘70s women’s movement.
20,000 shows. 350,000 costume changes. Two stars on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame. Named eight times as Best Dressed Las Vegan.
We’re talking about the legendary female impersonator Frank Marino, of course. The star and creator of Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas will be celebrating his 25th anniversary of performing on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday, September 23, maintaining his long-standing title of longest-running headliner.
The 2010 Gay Days at Disneyland presented by Undergear are set to take place Friday, Oct. 1 to Sunday, Oct. 3. For its 13th year, the event is expected to attract more than 30,000 LGBT park-hoppers from California and all over the country.
The weekend opens Friday, Oct. 1 with Wonderland, a dance party with DJ Ray Rhodes (Tiger Heat, KBIG 104.), hosted by Los Angeles drag diva Momma. The event, which benefits The Trevor Project, runs from 9:30 p.m.–1 a.m. at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen located in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort. Tickets are $20 at the door.
So what brings you to Vegas? I am here for Amazon Herb Company, my husband’s company. We have a yearly summit and this is our first one in Vegas. We are also celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the company, so there will be a big celebration.
What is the story behind the Amazon Herb Company? Well, I met my husband 18 years ago and he has had the company for 20, so he had started it. I just went through breast cancer and he gave me some herbs to help with my immune system and skin care. So, I’ve known the products and I’ve loved them. I also admired him for what he was doing in the rain forest. We were just friends all those years and then we fell in love three years ago and got married two years ago. We have a showcase that’s open to the public, so people can come in and see what we are going to be doing over the weekend. I will be talking about the skin care because I love it. John and his associates will be talking about the different products. There will be a panel and people will be doing talks and stuff. People will be coming to see the new products and products that are coming out, learn about them. The wonderful thing about the company is not only are the products good for you, but they are good for the planet, too. The products are good and it’s good for the planet.
It’s nearly time for tens of thousands of students throughout the Vegas valley to return to middle school, high school and college. A sizable percentage of those youth and young adults identify as LGBTQ, and several dozen of them have actively attended the weekly programs designed especially for them at The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) throughout the Summer break. These social and support groups provide a welcoming environment and solace from a sometimes not-so-welcoming world at large.
In June, the American Lung Association (ALA) released a major new report that finds that the LGBT community smokes at higher rates than heterosexuals. How much more? The ALA report, “Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community,” reviewed evidence from studies in several states to conclude that GBT men are more than twice as likely to smoke than heterosexual men. The smoking rates for LBT women were only slightly lower. Bisexual youth have some of the highest smoking rates when compared to both heterosexual and gay youth. This health disparity puts the LGBT population at greater risk than heterosexuals for preventable tobacco-related illnesses.
“La Mission isn’t about being gay, and it isn’t about being Latino,” actor Jeremy Ray Valdez said. “It has themes that resonate with the majority of people, regardless of their race, religion or their sexual orientation.”
The film, La Mission, takes place in the Latin-infused Mission District of San Francisco. The rich Latino cultural influences are found within the confines of gang violence and a struggling economy.
Valdez plays Jes Rivera, the son of Che Rivera (played by Benjamin Bratt). Single-father Che oozes testosterone and has a temper that can devour anything that is the target of his wrath. He is an ex-convict, with an addiction to alcohol and affection for low-riders, who exemplifies the Latin tradition of machismo.
Our children are our future, and right now we have the chance to make the world a truly free place for them to grow up. It’s time that we have a call to action for our community to demand equality face to face. Now more than ever, support from Human Rights Campaign (HRC) members and allies is critical in the progressing fight for equality. We all have the ability to make changes to better all of our lives.
The Las Vegas chapter of the HRC will hold its 5th Annual Gala Dinner on Saturday, August 28 at Paris Las Vegas, with the theme “No Excuses.” This will be an evening filled with a silent auction, entertainment, moving messages and dinner. Ask your friends, coworkers, family members and neighbors to join you at this amazing night of celebration. The event begins at 5:30 and the fun continues until 10 p.m. The featured speaker is Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus. Honorees being recognized at the dinner are Candice Nichols, recipient of the HRC Community Leader Award, and Tom Skancke, recipient of the HRC Pioneer Award.
Dante and Rebekah Kochan are two of the funniest comedians working out of Los Angeles today. Often called “America’s favorite comedy couple,” Dante and Rebekah each have a unique style. Audiences have compared Rebekah to Margaret Cho or Kathy Griffin, often times saying she is funnier than either of them. Dante and Rebekah often travel together and are on the road 40 weeks out of the year. They recently returned from a two-week tour that took them to Montana and Washington and ended in Reno.
Nearly anyone active in the Vegas gay nightlife scene in the past few years has heard of Eduardo Cordova. He's the mastermind behind Closet Sundays, which originated at Cathouse inside Mandalay Bay but has moved to—and has been a smashing success at—The Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage.
Cordova's latest successful effort is Heaven, a Saturday night party held at the Bare Pool Lounge, also at The Mirage. The Light Group, which owns both these venues, has been an indispensable force in increasing nightlife options for LGBT patrons on the Strip and helping grow the Eduardo Cordova Presents brand.
T
he infamous, two-time Emmy-winning, and all-around funny Kathy Griffin has become the talk of the nation thanks to the previous seasons of her show, My Life on the D-List.
With an upcoming new season and a Vegas show at The Colosseum, she has a new kind of comedy in store, as well as very interesting new episodes. It’s no wonder Griffin does her own “twats” on Twitter, where she can reach her fan base on a very personal level with something witty always on her mind.
“Well, first of all, bring an open mind because it’s more swearing and inappropriate language—I’m hoping to offend as many people as possible, especially groups of people,” Griffin said of the upcoming show at Caesars Palace on Saturday, July 10.
Griffin reminded us of the shows from which she is banned for being too outrageous (but that’s why we love her, right?) like Regis and Kelly and, of course, Ellen. She doesn’t need shows like those since season six of her own show has just premiered on Bravo; it airs every Tuesday at 10 p.m. She is excited for her new episodes with a combination of reality TV and the usual Griffin comedy. Her assistants, Tiffany and Tom, are also back for some more Griffin action.
The show will have special guests like Law & Order: SVU star Chris Meloni and, in that same episode, “Liza-Fucking-Minnelli.” She said she couldn’t believe it. She’s had so much fun on her show but has experienced great opportunities. The new season is filled with comedy and amazing celebrities.
In one of the new episodes, Griffin visits Washington D.C. She meets protesters on Capitol Hill to become part of a rally against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Griffin is very proud of this episode. She experienced the excitement live as well as met the real people affected by this policy.
Kristine Kuzemka is an attorney running for Justice of the Peace, Las Vegas Township, Department 6, which handles criminal, civil and traffic matters. This is a non-partisan race in which there are no primaries and Kuzemka faces only one opponent, career prosecutor William Kephart.The difficult thing about interviewing and writing about judges, or people running for election to a judgeship, is that getting solid answers to questions is like wringing blood from a stone. There is always a certain measure of trepidation that comes with knowing your next answer may not be an answer at all, but rather a response that precludes the individual from answering. The reason? The question may relate to a topic that could come before them in a future case. How convenient. So how do we judge who should be our judges? This is an answer that Kristine Kuzemka herself ponders.
“It’s knowing how to get your qualifications across to the electorate,” she says. “Quite honestly, you should not be electing judges based on their personal position on any particular issue. The fact is, if you’re a good judge, you’re going to look at the law and the particular facts of that case from both sides. You’re going to come to a decision based on what the law is, whether you agree with it or not. If you’re a good judge, that’s what you are going to do; one’s personal opinion really has no place in coming to decision based on the law.”
Nearly 34 years after the 1976 cinematic masterpiece Rocky was brought to the big screen, another film is taking this genre into the modern age. This film is Queens of the World, produced by Las Vegas-based Tomboy Productions. In the same vein as the classic, Queens incorporates sports, love and hope, with its tag line: “On the pitch of life, there is no game without love.”
The story: a high school girl, Maggie, eats, breathes and lives soccer. It’s her passion; it’s her everything. Her dream is to play at the Women’s World Cup, and she is determined to get there — which to her means no distractions just practice, practice, practice. A new girl, Niko, joins the team and turns Maggie’s world upside down.
Niko comes from a broken home and had a rough childhood. She doesn’t really have a family network. Soccer is her outlet. It’s a chance for her to be a part of something, and she puts her all into it, just as Maggie. But she is also a free spirit. She is experimental and enjoys having fun and being social — something that Maggie knows nothing about and has no interest in.
The girls end up striking a friendship that eventually develops into a deeper love and relationship. But the girls are ripped apart in a very traumatic way, and the audience then watches as they try to move on without each other both still fighting all odds to play their way to the Women’s Professional Soccer arena.
Since our last Women's Issue, several new social options for lesbian and bisexual women in Las Vegas have popped up. This resource guide will help point you to the new nights and sites to meet ladies in your age bracket or with similar interests.
Hot Flash Dances
Hot flashes take on a whole new meaning when you mix retro and contemporary music and a sexy dance party. Every month, Hot Flash Dances brings together women who are too old for the 20-something club scene but still like to get down on the dance floor.
“The inspiration for Hot Flash Dances came from my own personal need to find a community of women who were a little older, but still wanted to have a social life in a club environment,” said creator Lisa Lake.
“It’s a really fun, dramatic look into Vegas during the daytime,” Madison said of the reality series, set to premiere June 13 at 10:30 p.m.
So what does the star do at night? She stars in Peepshow, the burlesque review at the Planet Hollywood Resort. Madison landed the job shortly after seeing former Spice Girl Mel B and soap star Kelly Monaco perform in the production. “I was looking to do a guest spot in a burlesque show out here for fun,” Madison said. “I just thought the Bo Peep role was absolutely perfect for me. I’ve been happy here ever since.”
Just as Las Vegas heats up to excruciating temps near or even into the triple digits, the beautiful gem of the Pacific Northwest — Seattle, Wash. — settles into its extremely comfortable summer highs of around 70 or so degrees. It's perhaps for this reason that Seattle holds its annual PrideFest in late June.
This year's festival in the Emerald City (a nickname given to Seattle for its evergreen landscape) takes place around the world-famous Space Needle in Seattle Center on Sunday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Leading the crowd toward the festival is Seattle Out and Proud's annual parade, which begins at Westlake Center also at 11 a.m. and heads down 4th Avenue.
There are benchmark events in life that sends us hurling in one direction or another. For Eduardo Cordova that moment came when he moved from Mexico City to Arizona.
Coming from a conservative family, he felt isolated from who he truly was. When he made his move to Arizona, he did so with the backing of his parents, to pursue a college career.
Cordova pursued a college career, receiving his degree in engineering.
“My passion was with promotions, but I wanted to finish [the degree] I started,” Cordova said.
“It makes you feel bad,” Sparer says, “because the projects you tore down are all these nice, small, old places that were built in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s... It was a whole different Las Vegas when I moved here. The Howard Hughes Corporation owned five casinos on the Strip. The Strip used to be a short-cut because it was just acres and acres of empty land.”
Fortunately, Sparer showed up at just the right time, since he is an architect. “For being an architect,” he explains, “it’s been a fantastic place to be. And just having extraordinary opportunities because I’ve worked on just about every major hotel/casino here on the Strip.”
If anyone listens to National Public Radio (NPR) here in southern Nevada, you have most likely heard the name of John Klai. He is one of the principle architects at Klai Juba Architects, a big supporter of NPR, and you will often hear them mention his name on air. Interestingly, he is also Sparer’s life partner. This does sound like it must make for some interesting times at home.
A Las Vegas man with magic hands is working to unite people, gay and straight, through a common bond of voices and music.
David Pohl is an independent massage therapist in Las Vegas and is the treasurer for the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus, which is open to all men regardless of sexual orientation. He has been involved in music and the LGBT community since first moving to Chicago in 1987.
“I hadn’t been ‘out’ very long and Chicago really opened my eyes to what was possible in the gay world,” Pohl says. “The gay and lesbian community was so amazing and it inspired me to want to do more. I joined the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, took private vocal training lessons and have been singing and performing in choruses ever since.”
Few people get to wake up in the morning and know they do what they love and love what they do. Jon Carmichael is one of the few.
When the self-employed photographer isn’t snapping shots of subjects, he chases after his dreams by avidly pursuing life goals.
“Life’s too short to not do what you want,” Carmichael comments. The 23-year old stated he tries to view life as a playground. Only instead of playing on a jungle gym, this photographer is flying airplanes. Yes—airplanes.
Tell me about the Las Vegas Follies.
Well, there's a Palm Springs Follies and a Florida Follies; I did the Florida Follies for a season, but they needed one here, so we are doing the Las Vegas Follies. It's a show for seniors and I've got six beautiful, incredible, senior women that are in shape and having fun. My choreography is very stylized, I've worked on it for many years to get it to where it's at right now, and I have the best company. There is so much love and harmony, we all believe in each other and that's what it's all about. I call it the four D's: determination, desire, discipline, and dedication. If you have those then you can make something work, and with these women there is so much love. I am at a total comfort zone with these women in my life.
“Move over Siegfried and Roy! Three queers are coming to town.”
With that, I think Teddy Margas said it all. The three-man comedy act, Queers of Comedy, is coming to town and will be performing May 28 and 29 at Onyx Theatre.
Teddy Margas, Mikey Scott and Cory Schneider, also known as the Queers of Comedy, have two things in common: they’re funny, and they’re gay. But that’s about it.
Margas is the “older sister” of the group. He’s the oldest and has that attitude of, “Ugh, I’m so over this.” Not comedy of course, but life situations. Scott is the baby of the group —not only in age, but also in the number of years that he has been doing comedy. The guys claim that Scott’s a bit ditzy. “Let’s just say he’s like a queer in the headlights,” Schneider endearingly explained. And Schneider, he’s the middle child. “I’m Jan Brady with a little Charlotte York mixed in,” he described himself. But all jokes aside, he is not only a comedian but an actor as well. “Cory is super funny, but he does his comedy with a serious approach,” Scott said.
“We don’t have a true LGBT neighborhood that many other cities our size have,” stated Larry O’Halloran, member of LVGA3 (Las Vegas Gay Athletics, Arts and Activities). He also commented that Las Vegas has been lacking something to make the city the community it could be.
On April 30, Las Vegas PRIDE's 27th year will commence. This year, the pride committee is shaking things up by breathing new enthusiasm into the event. They hope to stand united with seasoned supporters as well as garner new advocates from the Las Vegas community by reaching out to LGBT-friendly businesses.
With the PRIDE Parade opening up the weekend's activities, it is pushing for ample support from the Las Vegas community.
“The parade is the energy that kicks off the festival,” said SteveErics, entertainment coordinator.
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Las Vegas is proud to once again partner with Aid for AIDS for Nevada (AFAN) to host the annual HRC Family Picnic. This year’s picnic will immediately follow the AIDS Walk, taking place conveniently at the World Market Center downtown. The HRC Family Picnic will feature events such as a BBQ, kids play area, softball and face painting. Become involved in the walk and enjoy an afternoon of fun while showing your support for two very important Southern Nevada organizations.
“It’s the second year now that we’ve partnered with Aid for AIDS of Nevada, scheduling our picnic immediately after the annual AIDS Walk. Our initial joint effort proved to be an incredible success and we are confident that our ongoing relationship will make our events this year even more successful,” said Eric Sharp, HRC Las Vegas Membership and Community Events Co-Chair.
In 2003, Denise Amlie’s brother lost his battle with AIDS. However, Amlie only felt more inspiration to continue his legacy and fight for a cure.
Every year, a group affectionately dubbed “Team Winos” gears up with wild shirts and off the wall banners. Throughout the year they set aside their glasses of Pinot Noir and opt for fund-raising yard sales, “dinners with a cause” and selling trendy wine-related doo-dads. However, don’t expect this money to go toward cases of imported French Bordeaux. Instead, Team Winos prepares for the annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas, taking place April 25 at World Market Center downtown.
“While walking the Las Vegas AIDS Walk alone [the year my brother died], I vowed to always keep this issue close to my heart,” Amlie explained. “The following year, Team Winos was born.”
NIGHTLIFE
GirlBar at Ultra Suede
Every Friday evening, find the hottest female go-go dancers at GirlBar, brainchild of Sandy Sachs and Robin Gans. Enjoy a $5 cover before 10:30 p.m. if you submit your name online to their guest list, $8 otherwise. Take advantage of Midnight Madness, $5 drinks from midnight until 12:30 a.m.
661 N. Robertson Blvd. • (310) 659-4551 • www.girlbar.com
The Abbey Food & Bar
Voted “Best Gay Bar In The World” by LOGO, The Abbey is and a must-visit when in Hollywood. Day or night, weekday or weekend, The Abbey is bustling with hot guys, girls and friendly staff. See the Oscars Abbey-style at “The Envelope Please,” a benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 7, open to the public free of charge. While enjoying the Oscars on big screen TVs, enjoy an exclusive prix fixe dinner but be sure to make reservations by contacting
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Anyone making a $25 donation receives a drink of their choice.
692 N. Robinson Blvd. • (310) 289-8410 • www.abbeyfoodandbar.com
Brendan Velasquez and Frenchie Davis sign on to hit the Las Vegas PRIDE mainstage on May 1.
NOT THE QUIET TYPE
Brendan Velasquez is livin’ out loud, according to the title of his album, released in the summer of 2008. Talk to him and you will find that this is an ethos that he strives to live by. Though he was nervous, “I thought it would be scary,” he explains, Velasquez came out to his mom when he was 14, and slowly, but surely, came out to the rest of his family over time. “I knew on the first day of high school that I had to come out,” he says with a chuckle. “But I also feel like love is love. Everyone is cool and very supportive. I never thought that it would be this good for me.”
Raised in Maryland by a single mom, Velasquez knew the struggles of trying to make it but did not let that slow him down. “I grew up pretty fast,” he begins. “I had to do a lot of stuff and kind of be my mom’s right hand man. She was my everything to me.” Even now, with an album out and touring for half the year, Velasquez keeps himself busy. “In the winter time... I’ve been working at California Pizza Kitchen. Waiting tables is kind of like being on stage,” he says, smiling.
DENISE R. DUARTE
If you’re a “First Friday” frequenter like Denise R. Duarte, you know that the arts district downtown has flourished into a vibrant community that continues to grow.
Duarte has either volunteered or presented her work at nearly every First Friday, the monthly art and design fair in downtown Las Vegas. “I am very excited about recent developments. The Brett Wesley Gallery is thrilling, it is a beautiful gallery and a wonderful addition to our community,” the artist stated. She also added she is delighted with the Holsum Design Center, the location of her once-a-month pop-up gallery for D’Arte Designs.
The Nightclub & Bar Convention, coming March 8-10 to the Las Vegas Convention Center, features an amalgamation of celebrities; kicking off the shindig is Dan Aykroyd. But as far as the LGBT community goes, it’s all about celebrity-stud Madison Hildebrand, from Bravo’s hit series, Million Dollar Listing.
Hildebrand, alongside Industry pm, is hosting the very first mainstream LGBT event during the week-long convention. The 2010 Official GLBT Nightclub & Bar Event will be held Tuesday, March 9 at Tabu Ultra Lounge inside MGM Grand. The evening will feature a hosted open bar from 10 until 11:30 p.m., music by DJ Axis, Crush Cuties mingling with the crowd and a slew of giveaways all night.
Once again it’s that time of year where people kiss babies (and butt), look their best (or at least try) and practice both smiling and crying on cue. Yes, it’s the 82nd annual Oscar ceremony. Oscar still looks great (we all know he’s had more work done than Cher) and is still film-land’s most sought-after prize. The following are my predictions after having polished and charged up my crystal ball:
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon (Invictus); Woody Harrelson (The Messenger); Christopher Plummer (The Last Station); Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones); and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds). Harrelson and Plummer are extreme longshots. Damon did a fine job and was oh-so-buff! Tucci’s slimy, evasive murderer would have it any other year, but Waltz has won every major award and shall do so on March 7. Should win: Damon. Will win: Waltz.
For anyone who likes holidays, March 27 marks the third annual celebration of SWAN Day, an international push to "Support Women Artists Now." Revelries range from plays, concerts, and performances to workshops, broadcasts, and exhibitions of film and artwork produced by women to demonstrate the female perspective. In 2009, 12 countries boasted over 170 events. Last year, the Women’s Empowerment Network (WEN) sponsored the Las Vegas event, held at The Southern Nevada Center for the Arts and D’Arte Designs with a follow-up at Beauty Bar.
When Chicago film critic Jan Lisa Huttner invited WomenArts founder Martha Richards to speak at a conference in 2007, they wondered if women’s voices were heard equally in film, art and politics, how would things be different? The culmination of this line of inquiry was the development of SWAN Day, whose Web site offers this message:
It's a diva showdown between the two big spring parties in Palm Springs as Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend and Jeffrey Sanker's White Party book headliners such as Kelly Rowland and Ke$ha.
DINAH SHORE WEEK
For the past two decades, Girl Bar Dinah Shore Week has grown to become the “Greatest Women’s Week on Earth.” The 20th anniversary celebration unfolds March 31-April 4, 2010 in Palm Springs, Calif.
A $30 million building and grounds makeover at the newly remodeled Renaissance (formerly Wyndham Palm Springs) host hotel coincides with the party week of a lifetime, offering the biggest, wildest and sexiest line-up of events ever.
To commemorate the 20-year history, FenceSitter Films will be on hand to document this historic week for the feature length documentary, Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Scheduled for the festival circuit in the fall of 2010, the film chronicles the incredible twenty years of the Girl Bar Dinah Shore, from its humble beginnings, to the world-wide phenomenon it is today.
The Paris Resort and Casino in Las Vegas whisks its guests off into a magnificent culture clash, where the Las Vegas nightlife collides with the charm of Paris. FamilyFest, to be held at the resort, is the brainchild of Glenn Alexander and MacArthur Flournoy and hopes to play to the wonder of Sin City.
“The city has so much energy, and so much going on,” said Alexander. “It’s the kind of city where it kind of stands on its own.”
The first national FamilyFest will commence on August 6, for a three day run. It will be a whirlwind of activities that will dive into an assortment of the communities’ life challenges.
For the past three years, I have had the pleasure of covering the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for QVegas. Held every January here in Las Vegas, CES is the largest such show in the world. Though it isn't typically an LGBT interest piece, I believe the content still lends itself to this demographic of reader, as most gay men are naturally interested in technology and design. Being a publication that caters to Las Vegas also adds relevance, as CES contributes around $200 million in non-gaming revenue into the local economy. It is one of the largest conventions in town, with almost 200,000 attendees and media hitting the show floor.
As reported last year, the 2009 show was a very sad shadow of its former self. Strapped by the worst economic situation since the Great Depression, it was scaled back to the point that there was speculation over whether it would ever regain the prominence it has held in years past. Though the chatter leading up to this year's show spoke to a rebound, with an increase an exhibitors—totaling 2,500—the question over whether this year was different had to come from the front line. First, I wanted to start with the little guy.
With the movement of comprehensive social equality in full swing, the personal lives of LGBTQ Americans are constantly in the public eye. Maine, Massachusetts, Iowa, California (for a hot minute, at the very least). These are all examples showing that progress is here and it is in demand.
This past October the Silver State jumped on this equality bandwagon by legalizing domestic partnerships. This does not guarantee the citizens who file the paperwork the same rights as married Nevadans.
However, some members of the community view this legislation as a step forward.
Have no fear; Las Vegas souls will soon be saved. On February 4, Altar Boyz, a Christian boy-band spoof, will open at the Onyx Theatre, with tongue-and-cheek songs like “Jesus Called Me on My Cell Phone” and “Something About You …makes me want to wait” in an attempt to save the souls of the audience members.
The Altar Boyz are a five-member boy band, comprised of characters Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. With the help of their Soul Sensor DX-12, which gauges the audience’s spirituality level, the Altar Boyz are determined to save all souls through their poppy lyrical messages and coordinated dance moves.
The show is fun, witty and will likely have audiences humming the songs for days.
The Internet went wild with rumors that Krave was shutting down after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy! After speaking with the President of Krave Entertainment, Sia Amiri, QVegas was given the scoop on what’s in store for the popular nightclub and Harmon Theater.
The first thing that we wanted to know was what happened to put Krave Entertainment in this position in the first place. Amiri said in a phone interview, “The construction throughout Harmon Avenue and the closure of the intersection to the Strip hurt business drastically. We had entertainers at Harmon leave because business was hurting so bad.” The Amazing Johnathan and Naughty Boy Hypnosis were the only shows to stay once the construction closed Harmon Avenue from the Strip.
Christopher Hirmiz knew what he wanted to do from the very beginning. Like many others who excel in their professions and blossom into something more than they expected, Hirmiz has gone from cutting hair at home to being the creative director for one of the most opulent salons and spas in town. He has learned much along the way and has come to love Las Vegas.
“My inspiration, since I can remember,” he begins, “has been watching my mom’s transformation every day from waking up in the morning to before she left to go to work. I would be so obsessed with watching her, she would be like ‘do you want to do this for me?’ And I’m like ‘yeah mom, change your hair around a little bit.’ When I was twelve years old I would style my mom’s hair and help her pick out clothes. It was embedded in me. Then I started doing my sister’s hair and before I got out of high school, I was pretty much a hair dresser.”
Determined to continue his education, Christopher knew he would take the exciting route, ending up halfway around the world in his search for knowledge. “I did go to beauty school, David Pressley in Royal Oak,” he explains. “I got involved with Fox News and did work with them on their morning shows, tons of bridal shows and traveling all around town in Chicago and New York. I went to Europe because I wanted to study fashion, because I know that fashion and hair are like brother and sister. I brought my scissors and blow dryer and was like, what the hell, you never know what’s gonna happen. Me just doing that and putting that out there, that’s how I got to do fashion shows and runway shows and at one point was even offered a job at the Tony & Guy salon in Milan.
What to See and Do in Palm Springs
Gay Nightlife
Much like Las Vegas, Palm Springs offers several different types of nightclubs, bars and lounges catering to the LGBT community. Blame It on Midnight is a bar and grill offering nightly entertainment, including The Judy Show. Toucans Tiki Lounge is the place to drink and dance in a faux tropical paradise. Hunter’s Video Bar is one of the most popular nightclubs in town among those who love to dance. Streetbar is located in the heart of the town and is frequented by a slightly older crowd. Confession Nightclub and Lounge is a a relatively new nightspot boasting the largest dance floor in the area plus exciting strip shows and a monthly hip hop and R&B night. Spurline plays showtunes several nights a week and holds karaoke on Thursday nights.
www.psgaytravel.com
Desert Arts Festival
Celebrating it’s 25th year is the West Coast Artists Desert Art Festival to be held February 13-15, 2010. The festival has a series of six art festivals held at the Downtown Frances Stevens Park and it benefits local non-profit organizations.
555 N. Palm Canyon Drive • Admission is free (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.)
