Will Clark World

Good Morning Peeps - A Note From the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project #avp

Good morning all - today I'm at home repainting my second bedroom, making homemade soup and well, as always blogging. The music is pumped up and I'm already making tremendous progress, but wanted to stop for a moment to post this video from the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project.

Although most of us have endured anti-gay slurs (although how can calling me a "cocksucker" be a slam? especially when it's yelled out a car window by a carful of drunk straight guys as they're speeding by - it's hard to take that seriously) but thankfully most of us will never know the horror of being attacked like Dave Pittock describes in the video below.

I know I know.. you read this blog for the hunk o the day or for Bingo pics and I hit you all up for causes all the time, but I hope that if you have a couple dollars that you need to burn off anyway before the end of year (you know, if you need to make one last charitible donation for tax reasons) or if you just know how important of a cause this is, that you will consider clicking here and donation to AVP today. The work that AVP does is vital to the health - both physical and mental - of our community.

If you're not able to help financially now, hopefully you'll consider passing this post on to your friends - because not only does AVP depend on your financial support, but they depend on all of us to let our entire network of LGBTQ friends know that should the need arise (God forbid) there will be help (and all of us should carry AVP's emergency hotline number in our wallets or as a saved numbe on our cell phone just in case).

Meanwhile, AVP will be joining us for Bingo on January 18th and if you're in New York City then, I hope you'll join us for a night to raise a bunch o bucks for them. :)

 

 

AVP ALERT! A Vigil for Camila Guzman TONIGHT from 6pm to 8pm

On Monday, August 1, Camila Guzman was found murdered in an apartment on East 110^th Street in Harlem.  Her tragic death demonstrates the prevalence of violence against transgender women in this country.  Just last month, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) released its report Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2010 which documented 27 anti-LGBTQ murders nationwide.  Transgender women made up 44% of the reported murders, while representing only 11% of total survivors and victims. 
 
This Thursday, August 11, Camila’s family, friends and community allies will gather to honor her memory.  Take action with us in solidarity with all people affected by violence. Join us as we keep Camila in our hearts and move forward to end violence:
 
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011 from 6-8PM
107 East 110^th Street between 3^rd and Lexington Avenues
Find out more about the vigil on Facebook or contact AVP Local Organizer Joyce Li at jli@avp.org or 212.714.1184 ext. 20.

Hosted by: Family, Friends and Community Allies of Camila Guzman, The New York City Anti-Violence Project
 
*Co-Sponsors (list in formation): New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, LGBT Justice Project/Make the Road NY, Lambda Legal, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), TransCEND Boston of the AIDS Action Committee
 
AVP encourages you to report violence, including hate violence, sexual violence or domestic/intimate partner violence to our 24-hour bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline at 212-714-1141 where you can speak with a trained counselor or online on our secure reporting form. 
 
Find out more about the New York City Anti-Violence Project at our website and Facebook page. 

Save The Date: Wednesday June 22nd for AVP FUSION Fundraiser!

Pride is coming up fast and you'll want to start making your plans with how you're spending your week now ... because let me tell you, once the Pride train leaves the station, it's hard to catch up!

First up on the agenda - the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project's annual FUSION event at Stonewall from 6 to 9pm on Wednesday June 22nd. DJ Randy Bettis spins and the night is chock full of fabulous folks from the community plus snacks and an open bar and all for a mere $50 - which as you know goes to help keep our community safe - and these days it seems like you can't turn around without something happening... and Pride is, unfortunately, a time when bashings go on the rise not only because we are more visible (don't let the bullies deter you from being out and open though!) but because well, we let our guard down because we're having a good time (and you know it sucks that we have to keep vigilant but sadly, we do). 

You can get more details by clicking here and if you are able to be a sponsor, there's info on that page for that too!

More Pride events coming up!

Folsom Street East Names Will Clark Co-Emcee for 2011 Street Festival #folsomeast

You heard it here first my friends - on Sunday June 19th I'll be co-emceeing Folsom Street East a day of leather, raunch and muscle on W. 28th Street right outside the doors of the New York Eagle here in New York with my good friend porn star and Instigator Magazine's rising star, Mike Dreyden!

I'm told that a pie eating contest is in my future (and those of you who know the particulars of the Folsom East pie eating contest know exactly what I'm talking about... Must. Not. Make. A. Joke. About "Pie Hole". But I do hear that the coconut cream makes the razor burn from shaving your hole a whole lot better. It also just looks nasty.... and in the best possible way making something good enough to eat -- my ass, if I do say so myself -- even more so!)

Folsom East traditionally is not only the start of the Gay Pride celebration here in NYC - it's the very next Sunday - but the start of the Sea Tea and the night of Broadway Bares. If you're gay in New York City, you have plenty to do on that date (and all summer long, really). And best of all on top of the drinking and the sleazy pick ups, proceeds from the day go to benefit three different charities: AVP (one of my favorites), National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and the LGBT Center.

More to come naturally as the lineup of talent firms up and sponsors gather to make the 15th Folsom East the best yet!

 

TONIGHT JOIN JUDY GOLD ON THE WILL CLARK SHOW AT PIECES

I'm kicking off our own version of Sweeps with a visit by Emmy winner JUDY GOLD where we'll talk comedy, her new show "It's Jewdy's Show - My Life As A Sitcom" and life on the road as a stand-up.

Thanks to comedian and event producer Tom Ragu for making  this  happen!

Plus ATHENA REICH  (from the upcoming net-com, "16th and 8th") will join us for a musical interlude courtesy of SASI PR.

LOTS of great giveaways including GLEE and MODERN FAMILY DVDs, CDs from KT Tunstall, Elton John, Robbie Williams and more (courtesy of our pal Vinny over at the Karpel Group); tickets to the Broadway show "Elling", (starring Brendan Fraser, the incredible Jennifer Coolidge and Denis O'Hare), Charles Busch's "The Divine Sister" (Soho Playhouse), "Through the Night" (The Union Square Theatre), "Fuerza Bruta" (The Daryl Roth Theatre), "Devil Boys from Beyond" (New World Stages) "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" (The St. Lukes Theatre) and "Play Dead" (Players Theatre) courtesy of Matthew at NEXT Magazine plus Coco Peru's new show and "Boylesque"  (a satire of the upcoming Cher movie courtesy of Ron and Chip at Spin Cycle).

With a show this big and giveaways this awesome, this much of a popculturapalooza, our beneficiary also has to be big and tonight 100% of the proceeds from Bingo cards and auctions will go to New York's Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project

As always The Will Clark Show is at Pieces (8 Christopher Street between Gay and Greenwich near 6th Ave.) from 8pm to 10pm. There's no cover and we have cheap drinks, cheap men and a great, funny, warm crowd where you can hang and meet some great, funny, warm new friends. DJ Baker is in the booth and Damon will be taking photos (while AB is in Puerto Rico as visiting artist)

ABOUT JUDY GOLD

An Emmy Award winning actress and comedian, Judy Gold is best known as the star of the critically acclaimed long-running Off Broadway hit show "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother", for which she was nominated for a 2006 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance. In addition, the show won the 2007 GLAAD award for Outstanding New York Theater. The New York Times called this one-woman show "fiercely funny, honest and moving." A book based on the show was nominated for the prestigious Quill Award.

Judy's new show, "It's Jewdy's Show - My Life As A Sitcom" just debuted to rave reviews in Washington, DC and was featured at this year's Williamstown Theatre 2010 Festival.

Most recently, Judy has been in the cast of Nora & Delia Ephron's Off-Broadway play, "Love, Loss and What I Wore". Gold can be seen regularly on Tru TV's "The Smoking Gun Presents." She has guest-hosted ABC's "The View" - where she has appeared numerous times, and appears regularly on "The Joy Behar Show" on CNN. Judy recently appeared on "Ugly Betty", and "The Wendy Williams Show." She was the host of HBO's "At the Multiplex with Judy Gold" from 1999 - 2009, and Judy also hosted Comedy Central's "100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time" and the GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS, which aired on LOGO and VH1. Her TV specials include a half-hour comedy special for LOGO and she is featured in the HBO documentary, “All Aboard." Her stand-up specials include "Comedy Central Presents: Judy Gold", Comedy Central's "Tough Crowd Stands Up" and Judy's HBO half-hour special, which received a 1996 Cable Ace Award. Gold was seen in the smash hit film “The Aristocrats” and the documentary “Making Trouble.”

Gold won two Emmy Awards for writing and producing "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." She was nominated twice for The American Comedy Award's funniest female stand-up.

She has also appeared on "Law & Order," "Law & Order SVU," "Hollywood Squares," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and "The Conan O'Brien Show" to name a few.

Gold lives in New York City with her two children. She frequently tours theatres and comedy clubs around the country. Her CD, “Judith's Roommate Had a Baby” is currently available on AMAZON.

Join comedian Tom Ragú as he hosts One Night Only - with Judy Gold ~ part of a continuing series at The Metropolitan Room ~ on Saturday November 6, 2010 ~ 9:30pm.  With special guest Julianna Forlano and musical guest Ben Lerman.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: GOV PATTERSON TO ATTEND AVP COURAGE AWARDS MONDAY OCT 18TH

  JUST ANNOUNCED: AVP just announced that Gov. Paterson is scheduled to attend their annual Courage Awards this upcoming Monday October 18th.

This is in addition to the already cool lineup that they've got going - like past Exec Directors Matt Foreman and Christine Quinn and host BD Wong. Should make for a pretty fantastic night especially in the times we live in where bullying against gay teens/teen suicides, DADT, gay marriage and mid-term elections (especially the frighteningly contentious political battle between Cuomo and Paladino) dominate the headlines.

The VIP reception starts at 6:30 with cocktails at 7 followed by a silent auction, chef's tasting and awards continue on throughout the night. Click here to get your tickets now for what is going to prove to be a night to remember to help one of New York City's finest organizations. And if you're not able to go for whatever reason, would you consider making a small donation to help continue the important work that AVP is doing?

Meanwhile AVP will be the beneficiary at a special Bingo night on November 3rd starring comedian Judy Gold and singer Athena Reich!

REMINDER: AVP'S COURAGE AWARDS MONDAY OCTOBER 18TH

Go the AVP site for tickets!

IT CAN GET BETTER, HERE'S AT LEAST A START

Like you, I've been confounded by the recent run of gay teen suicides and queer bashings in gay spaces (in Chelsea, at Stonewall) in New York. Is it because it's close to a contentious mid-term election and people in general are simply passing down their general financial frustration to their children and said children are acting out? One of the most frustrating things about the recent outbreak is the sheer helplessness it engenders. Vigils, rallies, marches, laws - none of it can stop people simply being mean to each other. You cannot legislate good will. You can't force people to stop saying or doing unkind things to each other.

As a survivor of domestic abuse from a sibling and years of playground bullying, I'm particularly sensitive to the young boys that felt it was better to kill themselves than to continue on living. It literally breaks my heart. The "It Gets Better" campaign is a definite start - anything that gets the stories of growing up gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transsexual out into the world is a very good thing.

But is it enough? Fortunately there's also The Trevor Project http://www.thetrevorproject.org which helps counsel those young people contemplating suicide. Especially at this time, it's important for those in the entertainment industry to get the word out in various media (online, television, movies) that these kinds of resources exist. (Want to know where the name "Trevor" comes from in The Trevor Project? It's from a short film by Randy Stone, Patty Rajeski and the amazing, incredible James Lecesne whose one man show in the early 90s was one of the most incredible pieces of theatre I've ever seen. Anyway, I found the short film in two parts on You Tube, you can watch it below  - in two parts - part 2 overlaps quite a bit with part 1 btw and includes an afterword by Ellen (not in the original piece) - or you can simply purchase the film, the proceeds of which will go to the Trevor Project . If you're an educator, you can arrange to get a complimentary copy for your class).

As you all know, I also support New York's Gay/Lesbian Anti-Violence Project http://www.avp.org which, among it's other services, offers a 24/7 hotline to report anti-LGBT violence.

What can you do to help? The same thing that I always recommend - if you aren't able to contribute dollars and cents, donate your time because many times these organizations are running on a shoestring (even more so than normal) and what they can always use more of is able bodies to help make the day go smoother.

Of course you can also come out. If you're reading this blog and you're still in the closet, please know that what you're saying is: it's not OK to be gay. It IS OK to be gay, bashings aside. It's because the bullies think we're powerless that they feel empowered to hurt us.

Here's what I suggest: I suggest that some smart cookie find a space in Chelsea and open up a defense arts place and call it FAGS AND DYKES AND TRANNIES FIGHT BACK. Sure, some gyms offer those kinds of services, but I'm talking a real knock 'em down, poke 'em in the eye type business, not an aerobic defense routine (and there are those of you who certainly know what I'm talking about). I'm not suggesting that we start looking for trouble, but it would be great to have the confidence to be able to fight back if we had to. I'm not sure that I would know what to do...would you?

If you have been bashed then the best place to call to report is the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project. http://www.avp.org. They could also use your support. And if you are flush this season, consider attending AVP's biggest fundraising event of the year, The Courage Awards, this year hosted by BD Wong. You can find info on the event, Monday October 18th here in NYC by going to their website. And if you're not able to go, consider making a donation so they too can continue to operate.

On a related note, AVP will be back at Bingo on Wednesday November 3rd with very special guests comic Judy Gold and singer Athena Reich courtesy of SASIPR http://www.sasipr.com (Athena is the co-creator of the buzzed about gay soap, 16TH AND 8TH, a show, by the way, that takes place in the center of the gayest neighborhood this side of the Castro - Chelsea ... just in case you didn't know that it's a gayborhood!).

And on a yet another related note, tonight, Wednesday October 6th, AVP is doing a rally tonight at 5:30 at 9th Ave. and W. 25th Street, the spot of the "this isn't your neighborhood" incident over the weekend. Let's show the fockers just how super gay this neighborhood IS!!!

CANCEL YOUR TUESDAY NIGHT PLANS & GET TO STONEWALL BY 7:30!

AVP has called the community to meet in front of Stonewall TONIGHT (Tuesday) at 7:30 to let those that would beat us up and terrorize us anywhere but especially in our own bars that we will no longer tolerate it!!

If you cannot make it then, tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6pm AVP is calling for people to meet at 9th Ave and W. 25th Street for a rally to protest those morons that would tell US that WE don't belong in OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.

Finally for those of you that will be coming to P*rno Bingo tomorrow (Wednesday) night, we WILL be shooting a very short bit for a IT GETS BETTER video. I hope that if you don't want to share your own story, please come down and be a part of the crowd shot. It would be depressing if I shot a crowd of ten people saying "it gets better" LOL :) Plus we have a really fun show lined up so it'll be a good night to join us for some kind of fun evening! That's at Pieces (8 Christopher Street) starting at 8pm.

I SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING BETTER WITH MY TIME THAN WRITING ABOUT MORE ANTI GAY VIOLENCE

What is wrong with people these days?

Not only has the number of gay teen suicides reached half a dozen in the past couple weeks but over the weekend AVP is now reporting of anti gay harrassments/violence in Manhattan (one in Chelsea and one at Stonewall in the West Village of all places). In CHELSEA. Apparently one group of guys confronted a couple shouting "you don't belong in this neighborhood". You mean the very neighborhood that the gay gentrified over the past thirty years and made safe so now even babies in strollers could be left on the street without a problem? My God there's even a Chipotle on the strip near where boys used to shop for trendy underwear.

I asked my therapist (who does a lot of work with the teen suicide organization, The Trevor Project) if this is a case of all things gay/violence being usually underreported or if this really is an uptick ... and he was just kind of flabbergasted saying that it's a little of both but that even this is ridiculous.. and scary.

I think it's all well and good to chat amongst ourselves because who reading this (or one of the other eleventy million other gay blogs out there) doesn't believe bashing in the head of one of our own is a bad thing? 

All the laws and vigils and signs and marches don't seem to change much but maybe telling our stories will and as you all know there's a campaign out there "It Gets Better" and if we all tell our stories, and kids (and maybe even some adults) resist giving in to the temptation to avoid the abuse by letting the bullies get what they want - their target dead and gone - perhaps we will have done something that no law, vigil or march will have done.

So keep recording those videos, they do help. If only each other knowing that so many others have gone through the same things that you did as a kid. I know I did.

Here's what Neil Patrick Harris had to say in the latest in this campaign: