Things are busy over here at Will Clark World.. Pride left me a little exhausted, but the good kind where I sit on the couch numb from activity but also excited by all the cool people I met along the way!
Unfortunately Pride ended with a big ‘plop’ for the staff of HX Magazine here in New York as publisher Matthew Bank sold the business to an anonymous buyer and laid off all of the employees. So far the new owners name nor a new staff or publishing schedule has yet to be announced… and some here in New York wonder if this is like OJ and ‘the real killers’ i.e. something that will never come to pass. It’s curious and of course also sad as HX was a staple of New York nightlife for over 15 years. But, on an even more curious note, the HX website is still current so either it's on auto pilot or it's like the Willy Wonka factory and being run by mysterious oompa loompas.... curiouser and curiouser... and since we're on the subject of 'curious'... I'm sort of half curious to see Bruno.. my hesitation isn't that it may or may not be making fun of The Gays (which is almost certainly is, seriously, wake up people) but it just might not be that great of a movie. I don't find it interesting or funny anytime anyone needs to put the spotlight on stupendously stupid people to prove that people are ...stupendously stupid. Religulous proved that (and Bruno is from the same director)
Thankfully though, NEXT continues undaunted and unflappable providing the best listings and features anyway so we’re in good hands. You can find out more about NEXT by going to www.nextmagazine.net
In other nightlife news, Michael Fesco over at the Sea Tea announced yesterday that this Sunday’s Sea Tea (July 12th) which was supposed to be a night to benefit and celebrate Heritage of Pride (see also: the organization that backed out of the June 24th Bingo 90 minutes before show time) has cancelled their attendance. Michael didn’t give a reason for their backing out at the last minute (what, did Sea Tea promise an appearance by Dustin Lance Black?) but it’s particularly shocking since this is the first time in the thirteen years that the Sea Tea has been in operation that it's had to cancel a night.
Thankfully on Sunday July 19th the Sea Tea is back with DJ Max Rodriguez along with a very special entertainer, Jose Luis, who performs as Michael Jackson in Vegas at the “Legends” show. The Sea Tea booked him months ago and it’s just an odd coincidence that he’s appearing now…
And then on Sunday July 26th, it’s the sixth (and raunchiest) Bad Boys on the Hudson with a half dozen of your Bad Boys favorites that you’ve cum to love and adore over the years – Torez, Mr. New York Leather 2009 Jase Woodruff, Mike Dreyden (Go Go Idol), Jonny Mack (Woof!), Tyger Hudsonand Duke Rivers (Tom of Finland parties). DJ Philip Kimball (HOP’s Pier Dance 2009) will send you into orgasmic spasms throughout the three hour dance party and our resident Bingo bitch Amanda Takehometomother will slap a sharp ruler over your knuckles if you misbehave (unless she's already there ahead of you) all which will benefit the hot hot hot men fromTeam Eagle, who are raising funds for Braking the Cycle, the 300 mile bike ride from Boston to New York in September. So you’ll get good show and it’ll go to a worthwhile cause. Who said that there’s no fun in fundraising? You can find tickets on sale now at www.seatea.com
Anyway, tonight is the next installment of our ongoing Porno Bingo extravaganza featuring the aforementioned Jonny Mack (from Woof and IS woofy!) and Robbyne Kaamil, a fantastic comedian who’ll do her best to shake up the joint (and sometimes our joint does indeed need shaking up!). Funds raised will go to benefit Strength in Numbers, aka SIN, the men’s HIV positive social network of New York City. That’s from 8pm to 10pm at Pieces Bar located at 8 Christopher Street. Join us for booze, boys and Bingo!
I'm off to San Francisco on Thursday and may be able to post a little before I go but I'll definitely be back on Friday with the latest if not the greatest bloggesty blog blog on teh internets. <wink>
"I have said Sarah Palin's political ambition combined with her intellect is like putting a jet engine on a golf cart; lots of horse power and no steering capabilities. Today she proved it." - Shannyn Moore, Huff Po
So it looks like Sarah Palin has decided that she just can’t be bothered to complete her term as Alaska Governor and so will resign with her last day in office Sunday July 26th. Gee, I’ll bet every publicly elected official wishes that they could just jump ship when they get bored rather than, you know, as an adult, as a professional, do the job that they were not just hired for, but elected for. Oh well, did we expect anything else from Sarah Palin? She’s had a number of other jobs along the way and it doesn’t seem as though she stuck with those for very long either. Naturally everyone either assumes that she has some better offer.. like a show on Fox News or a shit storm scandal that's about to break (she has a lover in a bathroom stall in Argentina that she's leaving for her spouse who's in a coma while popping prescription pills??)
Hey Sarah, since you’re finishing up on the day of our Bad Boys on the Hudson here in New York, why not show up and really give ‘em something to talk about? I find it odd although perhaps fitting, that she chose the day before Independence Day to make the announcement, although knowing dumb Sarah, she probably found it a perfect day to announce her independence. I’m sure the people of Alaska are thrilled knowing that even if she still lives there, her self serving moronic style of governing is at an end (at least for them specifically, and at least for now).
Anyway, back on topic of this blog… porn and New York nightlife. Last weekend I saw The Tragedy of Today's Gays… and it was the image in the mirror. No lie. This Pride season was one of the best of my life and I thank my friends and fans for late nights and endless vodkas, great parties and all night talks, but oy, Monday morning arrived and as I made my way out of the Susan Morabito party at Love, I shuddered to think what I must look like after being out all night and what the accumulation of several nights out over the past week must have done to me.
Actually I looked fine. The trick to staying out late a lot and running to and fro and not look it, is to pace yourself. I know the concept is foreign to many folks in the world who think ‘more is better’ but I say, ‘more is just more, it’s not better’. Sure I went out very late Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday but I got to bed early on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and then already planned on a day of ‘couch rest’ on Monday which ended up extending through to the rest of the past week (with an occasional foray to the High Line with friends, to Bingo for the weekly night and to an audition at a cool little space on W. 24th for a show called Hung Jury after which I had a Midori margarita that sent me into a drunken stupor.. geez, you’d think after giving my liver a good workout for the past couple weeks, that my tolerance would be higher, but you know, not so much).
For those of you who actually saw sunlight on the Monday after Pride Sunday, you’ll know that the day was gorgeous: warm, breezy, fresh, just the kind of thing that you want the world to be when you are not (specifically the ‘fresh’ part). I was still limping around my apartment for a couple days which goes to show you that dancing is a sport and you have to warm up if you’re going to do seven hours of it. It’s amazing how quickly it took gay Pride to turn to gay shame.
Seriously though the Sunday night party was perfect and the crowd was just the right size to feel well attended but not elbow in face crowded. Susan spun with such beautiful energy that song after song brought a smile to my face and movement to my feet. Thank you Susan for making Pride 40’s dance experience the perfect end to a crazy crazy week.
I’m out for the rest of the day attending a family function for the 4th but will be back here on Sunday… in the meantime, make plans to join us for Porno Bingo on Wednesday July 8th when I’ll welcome stud Jonny Mack and comedian Robbyne Kaamil in a night to benefit the HIV positive social group, SIN aka Strength in Numbers.
And then, on the 9th.. my long awaited trip to San Francisco… I cannot frakkin’ wait!!!
Just in time for tonight's big cash night at Bingo, here's a little throwback to last week's extravaganza! We had some camera problems but we got a lot of fucking great pictures of that hottie Nick Capra and some of our friends who joined us for the night! Scroll down the right side to the gallery or click directly on the link below.... enjoy!
Well, what a crazy week THAT was… as those of you know who follow this blog, last Wednesday’s Bingo was a challenging night what with our scheduled charity, Heritage of Pride, canceling out just 90 minutes before we were to start an event that they had begged to be booked at months ago….and taking it’s confirmed guests, Dustin Lance Black and Cleve Jones along with it. Apparently I wasn’t supposed to advertise that Black and Jones would be there. What did HOP think I was going to do once they confirmed them? Make people guess who my guests were? Ridiculous.
A big apology to the young gays who showed up eager to meet their idol (Black), disappointed that Bingo was one of the only events that he was scheduled to be at that they could afford to go to. Making yourself the model for the young and then charging 20somethings (who typically, especially in this economy, don’t have a ton of disposable income) an arm and a leg to come and see you doesn’t make much sense to me.
But here are where people are heroes.
Our XXX star Nick Capra www.nickcapra.com flew in that day from Los Angeles and showed up ready, willing and able to give good show (which he more than did). Our very special guest, singer Bianca Leigh belted out a couple of beautiful numbers that really got us into the perfect mood. And our friends over at Lucas Entertainment showed up with a bag of flicks just in time for the first round to start (thanks Patrick!). Plus my best friend Matt from the west coast who joined us with a bunch of San Fran goodies that we used as prizes.
And despite the fact that they had their own bigger event going on down the street at Stonewall, the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project www.avp.org offered not only to be our last minute beneficiary for the evening but they sent four fantastic and enthusiastic volunteers down to work the room and just be fabulous. And what did they get for their effort? Just over $1000 raised in two and a half hours through Bingo card sales and an auction for our p0rn star’s underwear that went nearly to a near record $475 (we love our friends from Canada as well as our other friends who were bidding too).
But, on an even brighter note, Cleve did show up later on in the show insisting that he knew nothing about being confirmed for the Bingo event and set out to get the crowd whipped up into a frenzy about the October March on Washington for Equal Rights. Which many of us agreed will be great fun and not at all bloated like the disastrously mis-managed March on Washington in 2000 (where circuit party queens didn’t even realize that there was a political rally at the center of the weekend). You can go to www.nationalequalitymarch.com to sign up for the March and get regular updates.
Now, tonight at Bingo, it’s Amanda Takehomeother (“I’m just a girl who can’t say no… to cash!”) and myself calling out the numbers so that you, yes you, you lucky dog, can attempt to win back some of that cash that you lost over the weekend (along with your self respect and a watch or two). It’s our “semi annual, post big fag event, no stars, no charity” Jackpot Bingo night!! Four or five rounds (depending on how fast we get through the first couple) where the cash you pay for your bingo card is the prize! Lots of cheap booze and great fun telling our Pride stories (even possibly some of the X rated ones….) at Pieces Bar located at 8 Christopher Street from 8pm to 10pm tonight, Wednesday July 1st! See you there!
As written in yesterday morning’s blog, I DID wake up still feeling the effects of Wednesday night (how does that happen?? That is so weird!) and hydrating all day and popping aspirin certainly staved off many a potential problems (ie a hangover).
As I noted, I had plans to go bowling at Chelsea Piers after work with my soon to be ex-coworkers (regular willclarkworld blog readers will remember I got laid off a few weeks ago but, as with many people I work with, kept on til the end of the fiscal year… which would be today).
Anyway, we arrived to the sounds of Black Eyed Peas “boom boom pow” (I love this song.. and the visuals in the video are trippy and the guys are super hot) and in the midst of kindergarteners swarming around the lanes. I was so ready for a beer, and man, they did deliver. A tall Stella and three sliders later, I was in a much better mood although then I started getting sentimental and choking up.
Thankfully, one the videos they played was this, which immediately perked me up as one Porno Bingo-er made specific mention to me that I have the Veronica dance down pat. It may not be much of a skill, but it IS something. :)
I left after a couple games (hey, considering I haven’t bowled for about 20 years, a first game score of 65 is embarrassing but a second game score of 127 is much more respectable!)
I a lso stopped on my way home to Elizabeth Soychak's Renegade Cabaret on the High Line at W. 20th Street and 10th Ave. As you may know from yesterday's Will Clark World blog and also the New York Times article, Elizabeth performs a old style cabaret songs twice a week from her fire escape. This is a picture that I took from her website www.renegadecabaret.com which you can check out and find out more about her show (which is, like all the best things, free although you would do well to leave your business card and cash in the little bucket that they lower from the fourth floor landing. The show is fun, sentimental and did I mention, free (and naturally all this would be moot if Elizabeth didn't have a fantastic voice, which she does). The next show is tonight from 9pm to 10pm.
In other news, yesterday was a sad day what with Farrah and Michael passing away… it’s like both the 70s and the 80s are now officially over. That’s a good and a sad thing.
This mornings HANGOVER ALERT: mild with shades of throbbing due to four long long ass days where food was minimal and alcohol was plentiful.
Tonight, June 26th Pride rolls on as usual as Jackie Beat is at the Gramercy Theatre for a show at 7:30 (she’s also performing Saturday June 27th as well) Folks who won JB tickets at Bingo the past few weeks will be sitting at my table (if you’d like) and you can certainly buy your own at www.spincyclenyc.com See you there!! (Get there early, girl!) The Gramercy Theater is located at 127 East 23rd Street at Lexington Avenue (accessible from the F,V,N,R &amp;amp; #6 trains at 23rd Street).
Then, after Jackie, at 9:30 it’s the Pride edition of Celebrity Autobiography with people like Michael Urie who is currently starring in The Tempermentals, Rachel Dratch, Frank deCaro, and Jackie Hoffman. This is the Gramercy Theatre version of the weekly show (that’s sold out) at the Triad See www.spincyclenyc.com for full details.
Then, there are two dance parties of note that night – the first is at the Center – a special edition of Dance 208 called “Summer Fur” featuring a bevy of hairy men and their admirers dancin’ and sweatin’ with Queen of Studio 54 Rollerena dancing in the middle of everyone! That starts at 7:30 and goes til the staff shuts it down at midnight. DJ Barney from Philly spins and your hosts are the Metrobears!
But my best friend Matt, who’s coming in for Pride from San Francisco, and I will be on the Men at Midnight dance cruise featuring DJ James Anderson. Boarding starts at midnight and the boat leaves at 12:30 and returns at the incredible hour of 3am. Yikes. Now I’m promoting and recommending this on faith only as I’ve never been and it seemed like a kooky, crazy, weird thing to do (only in that any three hour cruise is kooky crazy because you know, unlike a regular bar where if you’re not having a good time, you can get the frak out but not so much with a boat cruise). Anyway, it’s operated by the Spirit of New Jersey and you can check it out for yourself at www.spiritofnewjersey.com/ny/special_cruises.jsp
Or you might opt to head down to the Pride Bana Pool Party in association with Rentboy.com and featuring none other than our own Nick Capra www.nickcapra.com (who was so sensational the other night at Bingo) and a bevy of other nutty models, drag queens and guys in towels. That’s at 88 Fulton and you can get your tickets by going to http://thebanapoolparty.com/_dive_in.html
Now after all of that, if you too don't have a 'hangover report' of your own, well, you're just not trying!
OK so Pride week has been the debauch that I thought it would be and then some. I stayed up til the wee hours Tuesday morning and woke up with some minor aches and cotton. Tuesday night, my best friend arrived in town to stay with me and since it was late upon his arrival, we didn't go out. I mean, since he's from California it was early for him but late for me. But nonetheless, Wednesday morning, no hangover.
This morning, too, no hangover because ...well, I woke up after drifting (and boy do I ever mean drifting) into bed at the stately Wayne Manor hour of 5am. Nice. So no hangover because grrrl.. I'm still a little tipsy. That sounds awfully girly I know but apt. So today, my second to the last at my dull day job, will not be fun, mostly because at some point my body will realize I've had less than four hours sleep and is seriously dehydrated and man, that will so not be pretty. I was going to call this The Hangover, real life edition but settled on the title because.. well, you know.
But you wanna know all about last night at Porno Bingo, doncha? I was going to wait but who knows what condition I'll be in later today and later, the department that I almost formerly work for will go bowling after work. Oh joy. We'll be having some fun. Porn star Nick Capra, singer Bianca Leigh and righteous indignation that Heritage of Pride canceled out on us last night (literally 90 minutes before show.. I KNOW!!) and tonight, bowling with the colleagues from the job I've been laid off from. My life is too weird even for me.
Crazy, right? But that's why you come to this blog isn't it?
I thought so.
Anyway, before I schlep down to the bathroom to start the process of pulling my shit together (my contacts are welded to my eyes, this is what happens when you sleep in daily wear) in order to pretend to my workmates that I actually did nothing more last night than watched crappy reality shows, let me shout out to my ridiculously loyal friends over at the Gay and Lesbian Anti Violence Project www.avp.org who not only threw what can easily be called a ragingly successful fundraiser at Stonewall raising lotsa bucks for themselves early in the evening, but also saw an opportunity to make a little more money and help US out by coming down to Pieces and be our last minute beneficiary.
How much did we raise for them by selling bingo cards, and by auctioning off Nick Capra's jockstrap, Love Ball tickets and Tin Pan Alley Rag tickets?? Oh yeah, over a THOUSAND DOLLARS with one fantastic customer vowing to go to their site today and drop a few more bucks as a donation.
Can you imagine anything more incredibly ridiculous than a charity turning down a thousand dollars in these hard economic times all because the event is called PORNO BINGO??
But thanks to singer Bianca Leigh who ROCKED Pieces last night and also a shout out to Cleve Jones and Gilbert Baker who showed up towards the end of the night with mea culpas from their end (although nothing yet from the Dustin Lance Black camp) ... and to Lucas Ent for providing dvds and the Saint at large for the VIP Love Ball tickets... and of course to my friend Matt who brought all sortsa goodies as well as to Nick Capra, who showed off his. Tasty.
We went off to DTOX to catch the as always fantastic Trai la Trash show.. she is by far one of the most talented performers in New York and funnier than hell. After that, it was off to Nowhere where we lolligagged for a couple hours before piling into a cab and going home.
OK.. I'm going to be incredibly late for work... but what are they going to do, fire me? Too late!!
I hope you had a good rest last night because there is no sleep time from here on in til maybe a cat nap Saturday afternoon. Seriously.
Tonight the fun begins at a space next to the Leslie Lohman Gallery (28 Wooster Street at Grand Street in Soho) from 6pm to 9pm with 10%, a silent art auction featuring the work of over 70 LGBTQ (the Q would be for ‘Questioning’ in case you weren’t aware) artists. A $20 ticket will get you drinks and food throughout the evening and will go to benefit gay artists and cancer patients. Sponsored by the Rema Hort Mann Foundation, The Armory Show and Visual AIDS. www.rhmfoundation.org/10percent/index.html
Meanwhile, up at Stonewall I’ll be celebrating at the place that started it all forty years ago with the fine folks over at the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project for their annual fundraising night, Fusion!
DJ Randy Bettis will be spinning and it’ll be filled with a lot of AVP’s supporters, definitely a highlight of the gay pride week! That’s from 6 to 9pm at the historic Stonewall at 53 Christopher. You can go to www.avp.org/events.htm to get tickets and info. $50 in advance, $75 at the door if available.
And then, from 8pm to 10pm we have the biggest night EVER at Bingo with a trio of confirmed guest stars that will knock your socks off all to benefit Heritage of Pride www.nycpride.org
First, we have super sensational singer and West Village staple, Bianca Leigh along with Los Angeles based p0rn star and all around hottie, Nick Capra www.nickcapra.com who’s launched a new website that any lover of good ol’ fashioned man on man action will enjoy!
But wait, as they say, there’s more.
In addition, we have one of them ‘community activists’ that the politicos like to go on and on about, the one and only Cleve Jones, one of Heritage of Pride’s Grand Marshal’s in this years parade.
Plus! VIP tickets to the Love Ball, tickets to Dance 208’s Friday night ‘bear’ party, two tickets to Roundabout’s Tin Pan Alley Rag, films from Lucas Entertainment and a whole lotta fun prizes direct from San Francisco’s visiting dignitary, Mama Gorgeouix.
And then there’sthat other guy (you know who I mean) who may or may not show up. He's agreed, backed out, confirmed and backed out again and .. .. what's the latest..? Who knows? You’ll just have to join us and find out (I don’t even know the answer myself). I sure do hope he joins us.. we've got a few dozen copies of his Advocate cover to sign courtesy of the folks at Regent Entertainment. Ack!
Naturally that’s atPieces Bar at 8 Christopher Street located just off 6th Avenue in the West Village.
See you there tonight for what promises to be a night of craziness, just the way we like it in New York City!
The Tuesday of Pride is usually a snoozefest. There are a couple parties that happen including an AGay List affair at the Mayor's mansion (did my invite get lost in the mail, again?) but usually it's just a deadzone. I always thought it would be the perfect night for the Gay Men's Chorus to perform their Pride concert since it would compete with nothing and there'd be hungry tourists all excited to go do something super duper gay. But anyway, as for me, after a few days of blogging my brains out and a weekend full of scrubbing my apartment in anticpatiuon of my best friend's arrival from San Francisco tonight, I certainly needed a day off especially given what's happening tomorrow at Porno Bingo.. is Dustin Lance Black really joining us? That seems to be the question on everyone's lips and at this point I have no idea. But whether or not we have the pleasure of DLB at our super duper gay (and decidedly non AGay List affair - and you know what, somewhat happy about that! LOL) we do have three amazing guests who will knock your socks off perhaps literally. We have Love Ball tickets and all sorts of Lucas Entertainment goodies for you and your pals to enjoy and bid on all to raise funds for Heritage of Pride aka Pride 40 www.nycpride.org
Now last night I was up til a mumblety mumble hour of the morning playing Bingo..er, Money Wheel with Gusty Winds (left) down at URGE. I've been a few times and I thoroughly enjoy myself each time I've gone... last time (back in March) I won a drink and bingo cards so last night I was totally set.
My evening though, started at View Bar for Max Scott's weekly Woof party (Max right with "horsie") that he throws with Jonny Mack and an assortment of the hottest men in New York's porn scene - Torez, Mike Dreyden (above right w/Ricky) and of course direct from Chicago, hotty mchottowitz Ricky Sinz (top). OK I confess, after about an hour of schmoozing n smokin with Max and the guys, the show was about to start but I had my people waiting for me at URGE. Really, I have people. No, really! LOL <wink>
So, anyway, tomorrow is a big night and I'll have the run down for you all right here where it matters most.. well, for Will Clark news that is... !
PRIDE HANGOVER ALERT FOR TUESDAY JUNE 23RD: SLIGHTLY PAINFUL WITH OCCASIONAL BOUTS OF DROWSINESS MIXED WITH A CLEAR FRONT SPONSORED BY ADVIL.
.... and I sit here hopped up on chicken fingers from a diner a few blocks away that porn star Mike Dreyden and I sat at for ever gabbing about plans for the Bad Boys on the Hudson event slated for Sunday July 26th aboard the Sea Tea which'll benefit the Poz Pedalers and Team Eagle who'll ride in the September Braking the Cycle event sponsored by the Eagle NYC.
Anyway, it's late, I'm beat, Bingo was fantastic.. talked to activist/artist Gilbert Baker about his work and the state of the gay community and basically Gilbert feels that we're just screwed. But neither he nor I are willing to go down without a fight and so he invited me to join him and a few thousand of our closest friends in Washington DC on October 11th, aka National Coming Out Day to show support for one platform: EQUAL RIGHTS. This beats to hell the 2000 DC March that had every concievable platform listed and was more circuit party than political party. More on this as the months go by but honest to God, if you're not already making your travel plans to join us, I hope you'll give some thought about joining action in your own hometown, because isn't it time you started giving some time, energy and money back rather than letting the rest of us do it for you?
On a lighter note, Mike tells me that he's appearing this Sunday at Folsom Street East on W. 28th and will be engaged in a pie eating contest around 6pm. OK so the pie will be on Mike's ass at the time but who's keeping track. We're hoping for lemon merangue rather than chocolate creme. I'm just saying.
Tonight, Molly Pope was on fucking fire with the numbers she sang and we're glad and grateful to have her join the Bingo family. There really ought to be some sort of 'thing' that we can give out to those guests that are forever in our clutches and for whom no request won't be granted. Recent 'inductees' are people like Seth Bedford, Jase Woodruff and Gusty Winds.
The big news though is that next week we've got singer Bianca Leigh, porn star Nick Capra and grand marshals Cleve Jones and Academy Award winner (and uhm newly minted star of the internet?) Dustin Lance Black who has confirmed that he's going to join us. (My apologies to the Academy, I have no idea how to put the 'trademark' sign in the sentence above).
The night will once again benefit Heritage of Pride and they need volunteers for the Pride 40 extravaganza .. you can help out by going to www.nycpride.org
We've just recently been picked up by the guys and gals over at Regent Entertainment who have sent a bunch of copies of OUT, Advocate, Unzipped and Men for us to give out over the next couple weeks. Thanks all! Also, thanks to Water Bearer Films and Wolfe Video who have also been generous to our little event that could. And oh yeah, the guys at Raging Stallion who sent us some copies of Mike's REAR DELIVERIES to hand out (I also gave out my copy of MENACE and another copy of THREE DEGREES OF HUMILIATION). Yum, yum, yum. :)
OK so I know I should link all of the names and companies above but honestly, I can't be bothered ... anyway, I'll have pictures up tomorrow as I'm taking the next two days off my dull day job.
