Far, Far a Gay
- December 24, 2016 - 11:23am
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Take it from Chris Pratt, who recently experienced being shipped off to a new world: The future is full of promise for the queer population.
“If you’re a member of the LGBTQ community and you’re really good at plumbing, then you know, they’ll send you, I’m sure,” quips one of the hottest actors on earth regarding whether the hibernating pod people aboard the Starship Avalon in his latest action-adventure, Passengers, are of varied sexual orientations.
“Anyone who’s valuable to the homestead company and (who) would be worth money to the homestead company would go,” the 37-year-old Guardians of the Galaxy star continues, speaking from the Beverly Hills Four Seasons, “so that would include all people from all – the whole spectrum, anyone who could essentially provide a service that’s an old-world service.”
Imagine a world of gay plumbers who aren’t defined by their sexuality but by their ability to unclog toilets. Or one in which Chris Pratt, as Jim Preston, and his Passengers co-star Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Aurora Lane, aren’t contemplating anyone’s sexuality. Perhaps sexuality will be but a footnote among the more important qualities that characterize persona, even as Jim prematurely wakes up 90 years ahead of schedule.
“Hopefully we’re well into the future where none of these things are even a conversation anymore, where they’ve gone from issues to conversation to hopefully (being) forgotten about, and everybody is treated equally,” says Lawrence, 26. “So, yes. Of course I would assume there’d be diversity.”
Naturally, director Morten Tyldum shares that sentiment. Not only does he have a gay stepdaughter, the filmmaker was behind the camera for the Oscar-winning Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as gay computer scientist and famed WWII codebreaker Alan Turing.
“I think, very shortly, it will become a non-issue,” Tyldum says. “As Chris said: If he’s a good plumber, he would be on the ship. Nobody would care if he’s gay, straight, whatever.”
That, he notes, was his approach to 2014’s Imitation Game, which was controversial for its absence of gay sex scenes. In an interview with Variety in 2015, the director explained why his Turing wasn’t romantically or sexually engaged with another man: “It was not because we were afraid it would offend anybody,” he said at the time. “If I … had this thing about a straight character, I would never have a sex scene to prove that he’s heterosexual. If I have a gay character in a movie, I need to have a sex scene in it just to prove that he’s gay?”
In Passengers, Pratt and Lawrence, known for her Oscar-winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook and as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, do go at it. But Tyldum, who admits sex scenes in films are “very complicated,” explains this sexy scene is necessary for character development.
“The sex scene in Passengers is there because it’s a relationship – it’s between the two main characters – and there’s a sex moment because it’s about these two characters,” he says. “I think to have a sex scene it needs to have a story moment, going from the two strangers to becoming a couple.”
The difference, the director points out, is that “to have a sex scene in Imitation Game would be to sort of prove that Alan Turing is gay,” which, like the hypothetical gay pod people, would minimize more qualifying human attributes.
For Counterpart, an upcoming espionage-themed thriller Tyldum shot for Starz, the filmmaker reveals one of the leads is gay “for no other reason than that person is gay.”
“It’s not made an issue,” he adds. “He just happens to be gay.”
Conversations with his stepdaughter led to him underplaying the gay character’s sexuality both in Imitation Game and Counterpart. The sex in Passengers, on the other hand, builds upon Pratt and Lawrence’s chemistry. Hypothetically, could a movie this blockbuster-sized involve two queer lovers in space?
“I think that that will come sooner than we think,” he says. “But there’s always going to be the challenge that the more an audience can identify with the character – there’s a bigger group of heterosexuals than gay people, but I think we’ll be seeing more and more.”
Meanwhile, you decide if Passengers benefits from a hetero sex scene and – bonus! – two shots of Pratt’s bare bottom. Lawrence relishes the fact that “we could just keep diving in” – no, she wasn’t exactly talking about sexy time with Pratt. She was referring to the “original script.”
“It’s really rare that you get to be so intimate with filmmaking,” she says, not meaning “intimate” in the way most of us do when we refer to Chris Pratt. “It’s normally an ensemble. I’ve never worked with so few actors before. I was very excited to be stuck in space in Atlanta with them.”
Shot on a 1,000-foot-tall, four-story concourse adorned with eight miles of LED lights, Pratt likens the confined set to a stage play, and says, “It did feel more intimate than anything I’ve ever done.”
What other celebrity would they be keen on sharing such close quarters with?
“Oprah! Beyoncé!” Lawrence blurts. “No, I’d get jealous of Beyoncé after a while and, like, probably rip her hair out.”
Pratt, on the other end, wants “someone really funny.”
“Well, my wife (Anna Faris) is famous, so I’m gonna say, of course my wife. I would take my wife. But I would try to do someone really funny, maybe like George Carlin.”
Unless, of course, you know any famous gay plumbers.
Adios Goodtimes - Goodtimes Bar & Nightclub Cierra
- December 21, 2016 - 10:22am
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Si has estado en Las Vegas el tiempo suficiente puedes recordar cuando Goodtimes Bar & Nightclub era el lugar para estar en un lunes por la noche.
Goodtimes era el hogar original de un licor bust que se convirtiera en un cambiador del juego para la vida nocturna de LGBT en Las Vegas y rápidamente se convirtió en parte de una tradición local de Las Vegas.
Goodtimes Bar & Nightclub y Escape Lounge eran antiguamente propiedad de Jeff Kezar, quien eventualmente convertiría ambas ubicaciones en lugares LGBT.
Después de un largo plazo y un gran éxito, los negocios fueron finalmente vendidos. Escape Lounge se convirtió en The Phoenix Bar & Lounge y Goodtimes continuaría operando bajo nueva propiedad, mientras seguía usando la marca Goodtimes.
En fecha reciente, el lugar de 4.500 pies cuadrados había sido el hogar de la mejor noche latina de Las Vegas todos los sábados y había visto renovaciones importantes por parte de sus nuevos propietarios.
El lugar ubicado en 1775 E Tropicana Ave # 1, Las Vegas, NV 89119 había compartido una vez su centro comercial con el Museo Liberace, que cerró sus puertas el 17 de Octubre de 2010.
Goodtimes ha confirmado rumores publicando en su página de Facebook, "Hola a todos, siento informar a todos que Goodtimes está cerrando".
Un evento de Facebook llamado "Goodbye Goodtimes - Forever" fue creado para un evento de despedida el miércoles 21 de Diciembre con la siguiente descripción:
"Goodtimes Bar cerrara sus puertas mañana permanentemente.
Ya sea que hayas ido allí para los eventos de Combate al Orgullo, los eventos del Esclavo de la Musa, todas las encarnaciones de las noches góticas, Le Salón, o cualquiera de los otros eventos que muchos de nosotros hemos organizado a lo largo de los años, saldrán mañana por la noche para tener una celebración final en el bar que muchos de nosotros hemos jugado, trabajado y reunido. Comenzaremos a las 8pm noche de miércoles hasta que el bar cierre sus puertas por última vez en cualquier momento el jueves). Y una última cosa, un brindis por todos ustedes que han seguido apoyando este bar y los eventos que hemos celebrado allí! "
Se rumorea que el cierre repentino fue un resultado directo de un aumento significativo en los costos mensuales.
(¿Cuáles son algunos de tus recuerdos favoritos de Goodtimes?)
Goodbye Goodtimes - Goodtimes Bar and Nightclub closing
- December 20, 2016 - 11:05pm
If you've been in Las Vegas long enough, you might remember when Goodtimes Bar & Nightclub was the place to be on a Monday night.
Goodtimes was the original home to a liquor bust that would become a game changer for LGBT nightlife in Las Vegas and quickly became part of a local Las Vegas tradition.
Goodtimes Bar & Nightclub and Escape Lounge were formerly owned by Jeff Kezar, who would eventually turn both locations into LGBT venues.
After a long run and great success, the businesses were eventually sold. Escape Lounge became The Phoenix Bar & Lounge and Goodtimes would continue to operate under new ownership, while still using the Goodtimes brand.
As of late, the 4,500-square-foot venue had been home to Las Vegas' premier Latin night every Saturday and had seen major renovations by its new owners.
The venue located at 1775 E Tropicana Ave # 1, Las Vegas, NV 89119 had once shared their shopping center with the Liberace Museum, which closed its doors on October 17, 2010.
Goodtimes has confirmed rumors by posting on their Facebook page, "Hello everyone, sorry to inform everyone Goodtimes is closing".
A Facebook event named "Goodbye Goodtimes - Forever" has been created for a farewell event on Wednesday, Dec. 21 with the following description:
“Goodtimes Bar is closing its doors tomorrow permanently.
Whether you went there for Pride Combat events, Slave of the Muse events, all the incarnations of goth nights, Le Salon, or any of the other events that so many of us have hosted over the years, come out tomorrow night to have one final drink in the bar that so many of us have played in, worked in, and met in. We will start at 8pm Wed night, and go until the bar closes its doors for the last time (sometime Thursday). And one last thing, a toast to all of you who have continued to support this bar and the events we have held there!”
It’s rumored that the sudden closure was a direct result of a significant increase in monthly costs.
(What are some of your favorite Goodtimes memories?)
Recap: Come Out Vegas Weekend 2016
- November 28, 2016 - 3:25am
When we first announced the dates of Come Out Vegas Weekend’s NCOD (National Coming Out Day) celebration back in April via our several Facebook event pages, we didn’t expect all the different events that would happen, at the same time, that appealed to our local LGBTQIA community.
In May, when we discovered that Cyndi Lauper would be having a concert next door to NCOD, we decided to add her show to Come Out Vegas Weekend’s roster of events and all of our NCOD marketing material. Cyndi has always been a truly dedicated ally to our LGBT community and, on a more personal note, to her own lesbian sister. We would later confirm that Gay Vegas would be conducting an exclusive interview with Cyndi Lauper for our September issue.
In August, The Center announced that they would be holding their Honorarium on that same Saturday, Oct. 8 at The Cosmopolitan. In response, we quickly added their event to our Come Out Vegas Weekend list of events on our website. We were convinced this weekend couldn’t get any more fabulous, but we were wrong.
In September, The Center announced that Margaret Cho would be performing immediately following the Honorarium and many free tickets were given away for her performance that night.
Later, we would learn that the incredible artist Sia would be performing on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. At that moment, we knew this had to be one of the gayest weekends in the history of Las Vegas. In the end, it truly was!
We want to personally thank you all for making Come Out Vegas Weekend’s NCOD celebration and festival what many are proclaiming as “one of the best NCOD celebrations” they have seen in years.
Another big thanks goes to Zappos.com for sponsoring Gay Vegas’ entire NCOD weekend and The Grove for sponsoring our Saturday night festival. We could not have had such an amazing event without your support.
We were also able to raise $1,500 for the First Friday Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that made our Friday night event possible. Additionally, we raised $1,000 for the True Colors Fund, which works to end LGBT youth homelessness (too often the result of coming out).
We also want to thank Kaya Jones (formerly of the Pussycat Dolls) and Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees for putting on an amazing performance. A very special shout-
out also goes to Dan Reynolds, the lead vocalist of Imagine Dragons, and family for attending the event and showing their support.
Yet another “thank you” goes to the Mama Dragons (Mormon mothers who fiercely protect their LGBT children) for opening up publicly with their own personal stories and for making my own mother an honorary “Mama Dragon” after hearing our story.
Finally, we would like to give a special thanks to some of our participants: Zappos.com, The Grove, OpenVape, Lyft, Hillary for America, Red Bull, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Miller Lite, SNHD, Get Booked, Bully Wear, AHF, AFAN, The Center, NGRA, Rise LGBT Radio, The Eagle Las Vegas, New Horizons, The Phoenix, The Las Vegas Gaymers, Badlands, Bears Las Vegas, Goettl Air Conditioning and the Sunny Plumber.
We were so moved by how many different organizations, religious groups and people came out to show their support for Vegas’ LGBT community. We all had an amazing time!
P.S. See you all next year Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 7!
Thank You.
John Lawrence
The Gay Preacher’s Wife
- November 27, 2016 - 10:46pm
The flowers were a very nice touch.
They greeted you from the kitchen counter just as you got home, and were followed by a romantic dinner, candlelight conversation, and a quiet evening at home. It was a gift from your spouse, who often has many surprises for you. But, as in the new book “The Gay Preacher’s Wife” by Lydia Meredith, some surprises aren’t so welcome.
Born into a large southern family, Lydia Meredith had a “strict Christian upbringing” that kept her somewhat sheltered until she went to college. Her first year at Vanderbilt, she says, was “a real culture shock,” in part because she’d had little experience with dating and no experience with sex.
That changed at college, and so did Meredith. Gone was the scared little mouse, replaced by a confident young woman who landed a high-paying job, bought her own home, and dealt with racism in the workplace. It was a good life but Meredith was lonely, and she prayed to God for someone to love.
God, she says, told her that Dennis Meredith would be her husband.
That was an odd notion, since Meredith had had little contact with her church’s youth pastor. He was a charismatic preacher and she wasn’t sure she liked the way he spoke from the pulpit. She’d barely even acknowledged that he existed but from then on, she says, “I could not take my… mind off this man…”
She was not, therefore, surprised when Dennis asked her out.
Their romance was not without its problems.
Meredith says he was not her type, that she wanted someone to whom she could “marry up.” She didn’t want to be a preacher’s wife like the “miserable” First Lady of her childhood church. Still, Meredith married Dennis, settled down, and things got better before they got worse.
Shortly after their third son started school, Meredith began “to see some changes in Dennis… but I couldn’t put my finger on it.” He seemed preoccupied, and she blamed their harried life until she found a gay porn video and Dennis admitted to Meredith that he was bisexual, maybe gay. He was sleeping with men – lots of them – and Meredith began practicing “denial, suppression, and avoidance!”
Until she couldn’t any longer…
There’s a really good story inside “The Gay Preacher’s Wife.”
Somewhere.
Author Lydia Meredith goes off-topic so often that readers will need to be light on their toes, so to speak. When her (not altogether unusual) story is told chronologically, it’s very good – Meredith can be outraged and outrageous, all in the same paragraph – but random, seemingly irrelevant bits found between those linear parts can ruin the mood imparted. Worse, it takes a minute to get back into the spirit of what was being said, somewhat like trying to make sense of three simultaneous TV shows.
Which leads to this: there’s a lot of drama in this book, which is tiresome. If you can overlook all that, you’ll like “The Gay Preacher’s Wife.” If not, well, you won’t want to touch it.
Having His Cake and Eating It Too
- November 27, 2016 - 10:21pm
Why is Joe Jonas talking about whips and leather?
Apart from recalling his experience with both, the answer is simply because he can. Because the former baby-faced JoBro is all man now, from his 5 o’clock shadow to his steel physique, which he’s not been shy about showing off.
While making the promotional rounds for his debut as lead singer of Los Angeles-formed collective DNCE, the newly liberated 27-year-old hasn’t merely shifted away from the much-publicized “purity ring” of his youth, taking on a kinky array of topics including porn, boners and penis size – he’s erased its very existence.
Like younger brother Nick, middle sibling Joe wasn’t done destroying any traces of his Disney halo when he freewheeled through our recent talk. Read on as he chats about his fondness for S&M, gay fans who send him pics of their privates and preferring an “older, mature” man play his hypothetical onscreen lover.
It’s been surprising to hear you talk so salaciously while promoting this album. But then again, I keep forgetting you’re not 17 anymore.
(Laughs) A lot of people do!
What about your current professional life differs from your career as a Jonas Brother?
The biggest difference is the writing. I’m proud of the stuff I did with my brothers, but you grow up and go through a lot of different things, so you may be talking about something very innocent – a first kiss, taking somebody out for the first time – when you’re that age. But cut to when you’re 27, and you’re going through things that are a bit more mature, sexually or what not, and that’s what you’re gonna write about.
A song from your new album, “Be Mean,” is essentially about S&M. Tell me about your decision to be so sexually liberated in your music.
Some people say, “We finally can talk about these kinds of things, and we want to go wild and crazy,” but really, it’s just stuff we’re going through. I feel like I’m free in my life to speak about it, and yeah, everyone should try a little bit of something new in the bedroom. It’s definitely fun when you bring some whips and leather and whatever you may be into – a little bit of S&M – into the bedroom. I wrote it about me and someone I was getting wild with, and maybe (we) busted some outfits out – you know, you get a little crazy. It’s a fun song, and I hope people can have fun with it and learn from it.
What do you want them to learn?
(Laughs) Well... I would love for them to learn that it’s good to try new things.
Maybe you should teach them, Joe.
I’ll do a handbook.
Have your brother, Nick, write the foreword.
Exactly. I expect you to be one of the reviewers.
Were there moments before when people were trying to guide you to be something different than who you felt you were?
I would say “yeah” to that. Yes, because it may have been subconscious; it could just be friends you’ve surrounded yourself with, or on a deeper level it could be music people around you saying, “This is the right direction for you, and this is where you should go next.”
I remember when I did a short run of a solo project (2011’s Fastlife, released on Disney Music Group’s Hollywood Records), all signs were pointing to a very R&B, smooth, sexy vibe for an album, and I listened without taking time for myself to really utilize influences that I love. I learned from it, but at the same time, it was jarring.
But I feel really comfortable in my life and career right now. I definitely feel like the best version of myself, and I’m glad I can have a good label now that allows me to spread my wings and create music that really is, for all of us (in the band), unique and special.
Another change: Your body. What inspired the muscles?
I wanted a change of pace and to put myself through a challenge. It’s easy to eat junk food and party every night on tour, so I put myself through a season where I challenged myself physically, and I really enjoyed it. There were days that were tough, but seeing your body slowly changing, you just want to keep on it. I had a trainer on tour with me – this amazing boxer Ava Knight – and she came out and busted my ass, and I was really enjoying it.
Has your beefier body gotten you more attention from gay men?
I think so! Probably, yeah. I’m seeing it just through DMs. It’s quite funny. But I take it as a compliment. It’s cool. At the end of the day, for me, it goes back to the music, and DNCE has done a lot of cool concerts, like Pride shows. We have a lot of gay fans, and we love that they’re so supportive, so hey, if that makes them happy, it’s all good.
What do gay men DM you?
I bet you could take a wild guess. (Laughs) It’s all over the map, from selfies to you-know-what. It’s funny, too, because you can’t really tell what people are sending because everything now is blurred out, and I like to read some of the DMs and hear stories. But, of course, sometimes there are crazy ones, and it’s just straight nudity. You have to just find something good in it – or laugh, depending on what it is.
I have to say, few things are making me feel optimistic about the current state of America, but your album is one of them.
Oh, man. Thanks! You know, honestly, that’s what we’re all about: taking people out of a place they don’t wanna be in and bringing some joy to a situation.
Why is it important for you and the band to perform at Pride events or, like you did recently, at a club like G-A-Y in London?
In the world we live in now more than ever, it’s especially important that, like you said, our music can take you out of that. I think, what is a better time than now for everyone coming together and being stronger together, whatever your thoughts are on the election? It can be a heartache for some. I think for DNCE we try to bring some joy to you and happiness and share the love, and that’s what it’s all about for us. If we can put a smile on your face, that’s what’s important to us. And look, our gay fans are awesome and we want to give back in every way we can, so we’re putting on shows for them.
How have you been processing the election outcome?
I’ve been able to see a lot of different viewpoints. What I mean is, I just presented at the Glamour Women of the Year event, and it was a pretty somber crowd, obviously. Toward the end, there was a bit of hope. Bono actually won Man of the Year, and he said it best when he was like, I shouldn’t even be up here, but now more than ever, men and women should be uniting and coming together. It was interesting to see how they’re handling it, but for me, personally, I was bummed. Now, it’s time to come together, and there’s going to be some positive things hopefully. It may suck, but I love this country and I think that’s what it’s about.
There are several videos online of paparazzi chasing you down and asking if you’re gay. Why do people think you’re gay?
I don’t know the real answer to it. I don’t have an issue with it. I think it’s a compliment. I have a lot of gay fans. It’s not like it bothers me. Some people handle it differently, but at the end of the day, I’m cool with it and think it’s kind of funny. You have to learn to laugh; people are gonna create a story out of anything.
You know, it’s probably because I’m in touch with my feminine side. Look, I love fashion; I love to dress well. I love certain things like that. And I have a lot of gay friends, as well, so that could probably point them in that direction. But again, the gay community is something that is close to my heart, so I don’t mind. Hey, if they wanna think I’m gay, it’s fun.
Reinforcing those rumors: the fact that you want to collaborate with Barbra Streisand.
Yeaaah! I love Barbra Streisand. It’s so funny: Our stylist is like the biggest Barbra Streisand fan in the world, and it’s amazing because I always make sure we play the song “Barbra Streisand” when we walk in the room before a fitting.
Do you have a favorite Barbra album?
That’s tough to say. Look, I love theater as well. I had the opportunity to be on Broadway when I was younger, and I hope to be able to do it again one day. So, I would say the theatrical side of Barbra, I really love.
You’ve also dabbled in acting. If you ever followed in your brother Nick’s footsteps and played gay, who’s on your shortlist of male romantic interests?
That’s a great question. I’d say for sure Daniel Craig. I think Matthew McConaughey is a hunk of a man. I’d have to go with George Clooney. Older, mature men.
What message do you hope to send to people who are reluctant to support LGBT issues?
Look, we’re all human. Some of the best friends in my life are gay, and we don’t look at each other any differently, and it’s not like there’s any separation of who we are as people. Love is love. And if you have a problem with that, then you can just get out of this world – first trip to the moon, first trip to space – because I honestly feel like life’s too short to worry about dumb things like that. People are people, and I’m gonna help out in any way I can. And what better time than now?
Finding Nathan Sykes
- November 27, 2016 - 10:04pm
Since serenading queer crowds at gay clubs as a teenager, Nathan Sykes has been the subject of prurient curiosity regarding his own sexuality. He’s British, so there’s that. And the whole boy band thing, which began in 2009, when Sykes joined Eurodance group The Wanted, didn’t exactly disband “is he or isn’t he?” rumors.
Now, with his solo debut Unfinished Business out in the midst of a band hiatus, the giggly 23-year-old opens up about ongoing interest in his sexuality (“I didn’t know I was gay, but OK!”), his sometimes-“bromosexual” relationship with Tom Daley and being “really drunk” at a gay club at 4 a.m.
You’re 23, but you sound like you’re 30, and that’s a compliment.
Thank you so much. That’s a marvelous compliment. It’s been part of this journey of self-discovery as an artist, which has been incredible.
What does your journey to self-discovery involve?
Just really figuring out for the first time who I am. I knew who Nathan from The Wanted was, and I lived my life for five years as Nathan from The Wanted. I’d be walking down the street (and people would say), “Oh my god, that’s Nathan from The Wanted!” (Laughs) Then, for the first time, I sat there, especially after the band decided to take a break, and I went, “Who the hell is Nathan Sykes?” And it was for me to figure out who that was, and it was an amazing journey of figuring out who I am as an artist, what music I wanted to create, how I want to be portrayed, how I want to look, how I’d like to come across. And then I was like, “Just be yourself,” and even that was a breakthrough moment. Because when you’re working so hard with four other people, it’s amazing for the first time to focus on being myself.
In so many words, you recently said that after you turned 21, gay men have been less subtle with their thirst for you.
(Laughs) I didn’t mean that in an arrogant way. That’s not a thing at all. I mean, I wish people had thirst for me! That would be amazing. It’s just a massive compliment. I can go out with my friends and have an amazing time, whether that’s at a straight or gay club. We always have an amazing time when I’m with people who are gay, who are just so amazing and so flirty as well, which is fun. So, what I was trying to say is that people don’t see me as a baby anymore; they don’t necessarily see me as the youngest member of a boy band. People are seeing me as an adult now for the first time, which is cool.
What’s been your best night at a gay club?
(Laughs) There’s been quite a few really, really amazing ones. I think just ending up in G-A-Y in London, drunk at 4 o’clock in the morning, because I’ve got loads of friends who are gay. It’s just fun and nice, and everyone is up for a good time and fun to be around. It doesn’t matter to me what the company is, whether you’re straight or gay, as long as everyone is happy and in a good place and having a good time. I draw off people’s energy, so as long as people are having a good time, I’ll have a good time as well.
How do you handle a gay man who makes a pass at you?
I mean, it’s a compliment for anyone to make a pass at you. I think people always say it as a passing comment, and it’s the same as if anyone flirts with you: You take it as a compliment and you’re very nice back.
When were you first aware that gay fans had an appreciation for you?
I don’t think ever. I still wouldn’t think that, because I never think that anyone would have an appreciation for me because I always go about my life just being me, so I wouldn’t really expect or acknowledge people having an appreciation. But when they do in person, that’s amazing. And when I see gay fans, it really is amazing. I make music for everyone, whether you’re straight, gay or any member of the LGBT community. Anybody who is a fan of me and likes my music, I’m always very grateful for them.
What was your introduction to the gay community?
You know what, I’ve been fortunate to have had a fantastic and open-minded upbringing, so I’ll always be grateful for that. I started performing at a very young age, and even from the age of 6, when I’d be performing and ended up on TV shows, I’d be around gay people. So, I’ve always been surrounded by gay people. When I went to Sylvia Young Theatre School in London – obviously being at theater school, I was around people who were gay. They’ve always been part of my life.
As a boy band member, how often did you get pegged as the gay one?
When you’re in a boy band, there’s always speculation that you’re gay. I think at one point there was speculation that all of us were gay – probably in relationships with each other!
It did not help matters that your bandmate Jay McGuiness said in 2013 that “most of us would have a dabble” with a guy.
(Laughs) That is a very Jay comment. Obviously, people thought (we were gay) straightaway when we started off as a band. We started playing club shows and school gigs; we really started from the ground up. We’d be doing two schools a day and then probably two clubs in the evening, probably one straight club and one gay club, then potentially another one later. So, we were always very much aware of our gay fan base and the gay community, and had a lot of respect for any fan who came to see us because we obviously started out without any fans at all. Any fan we could get – I mean, we started off with more members in the band than we did fans! (Laughs) To build on that and have great success and sell something like 11 million records as a band is just a humongous compliment. And to have support from a fantastic gay fan base was obviously a massive part of that, so we’ll be forever grateful for all the support that we had as a band.
Ariana Grande, your collaborator on “Over and Over Again,” is a very vocal supporter of LGBT issues. She once called homophobes “dumb as fuck.”
I mean, I completely agree. I think as equal members of the community, everyone should be seen as an equal and there should be a lot of support. And also, I think education is important to bring awareness at a younger age because that’s when people are discovering who they are, and there needs to be the support there from friends, teachers and the community. Anything that can be done to help any issues in the LGBT community is incredible, and it’s one that I feel strongly about and that I think is massively important.
I’m someone who really prides himself on being close with my fans. I’ve grown up with a lot of them, and I’ve seen people go on their own journey of self-discovery. There was a fan the other day who turned up to a gig and introduced me to her girlfriend, and it was just the most amazing moment because I’ve seen this very quiet girl go through this journey and come out a wonderful, confident human being. And to introduce me to her girlfriend, which you could tell she was a tiny bit nervous about, it really was an incredible moment. It really got me, and I was like, “I’m just so proud of how confident and how comfortable you are.”
What did you make of people thinking you were the gay ex-boyfriend Ariana was referring to during her song "Break Your Heart Right Back”?
That was news to me! I’m not gonna lie. I woke up with a lot of messages on Twitter congratulating me, which I was quite confused about. Then, when I looked into it, I was very confused because it was news to me. I was like, “I didn’t know I was gay, but OK!” I think it was a misunderstanding that she later went back and (acknowledged).
Are you familiar with the term “bromosexual”?
I’m not, no.
It’s basically a straight guy who has gay friends. Would you say you have a bromosexual relationship with Tom Daley?
You know what, I think I have a bromosexual relationship with quite a few gay men, but I’m not sure Tom is one of them. Tom is a lovely, lovely lad. I haven’t seen him in a while. Every now and then we cross paths, so I think when we do cross each other we probably have a bromosexual relationship. That’s gonna be a word I’m gonna be wrapping my head around. I’m out for a friend’s birthday tonight who’s gay and that’s definitely going to be a topic of conversation. I’m going to be like, “I learned a new word today and I need to share it with you.” So, thank you very much.
You’ve expressed interest in recording music with your friend, Sam Smith. What’s the latest on that venture?
Nothing further, really. Whenever I see Sam, it’s as a friend. He’s one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He really is just the sweetest person, so whenever we do see each other, it’s as friends and not as potential collaborators. As a massive fan of Sam’s, I’d love to collaborate with him. He’s phenomenal in so many ways, so it’d be an honor, but it’s not something we’ve both spoken about. I think it could be really cool!
Lastly, I want to acknowledge your shirtlessness in videos for “Give It Up” and “Over and Over Again.”
Yeah, sorry about that. I do apologize.
Was it just really warm on set?
It was really, really warm. During “Give it Up,” it got so hot I had to get in the shower just to get away any sweat. You know, you do get very nervous and quite self-conscious because you have quite a few people (there). My manager is never going to forgive me for saying this, but at one point I had two pairs of boxers over each other for the “Give it Up” video. I walked into the room and went, “Should I wear these boxers?” and then I took them down and went, “... or these boxers?” Of course, she had the fright of her life because she thought I was just taking them off completely, but yeah, I mean, you do get quite nervous and like, “Should I contour my abs?” But in the end, I was like, it’s natural and everyone has different bodies and everyone’s body should be celebrated. People shouldn’t feel pressured into looking a certain way, so I was like, I’m not going to try to contour my abs into something they’re not, because if people see them in real life, they will be disappointed. (Laughs) I am who I am who, and I’m just gonna be that way.
Emeli Sandé talks first album in five years, empathetic gay fans and her musical savior Mariah Carey
- November 27, 2016 - 4:11pm
Hello, it’s… Emeli Sandé, this generation’s only performer able to rival Adele as a powerhouse, tear-jerking force of nature.
The Scottish vocalist (born, funny enough, Adele Emily Sandé) is back for your pillow-sopping nights with her much-anticipated Long Live the Angels, a rumination on new versions of events, particularly the dissolving of a decade-long relationship that ended in divorce in 2014. Among the best albums of 2016, Sandé’s triumphant catharsis pushes through the pain with spirited, choir-lifted credos of faith and love-led empowerment.
In this revealing interview with Sandé, the 29-year-old opened up about the gay fans who helped her realize she needed a break, discovering President Obama’s daughters listen to her music and how Mariah Carey helped her feel less alone.
It’s been nearly five years since you released your debut, Our Version of Events. Why the wait?
I was just going through such a personal and spiritual growth. I mean, we spent so long promoting Our Version of Events, and it was amazing, touring, but I found it almost impossible to get back to ground zero and write music. I needed a timeout. I also was going through stuff myself that I needed to understand before I could put it in music and feel steady enough to go out there and give it to other people. So, it was a combination of both. I feel like for two years I just needed that time to dedicate to making this music.
How would you describe the process of writing these songs while going through something as difficult as your divorce?
I was always writing; this kind of feels like real diary entries. With every song, it was almost like I was sponging up my life. I find it a lot easier to express emotions through music, so I was acting like I was fine, but the music was all telling the truth in what I was feeling internally. It was all kind of me writing my emotions as I felt them, or if I’d do sessions, whatever I was going through at that time in my life, it just kind of came out.
Do you get emotional singing these deeply personal songs?
Not really. I feel quite empowered when I sing them just because it gives me an honesty on stage. Obviously, I hope they’re entertaining and they make people feel great, but it was really my truth. So, when I’m on stage it feels like I’m connecting with the audience and just kind of sharing myself fully. So, seriously enough, I kind of feel quite strong when I sing them. I feel liberated to tell the truth on stage.
Tell me how your connection with your gay fans has evolved since releasing your debut album.
During every show, I can feel my gay fans out there, and there’s a real kind of depth and understanding. I remember I was doing a show at KOKO in London, and it was around the time everything was going so fast, and I got a couple of notes from fans. A gay couple wrote, “Are you OK? If you want to come hang out with us, you can come on holiday with us.” I just thought it was so nice that they recognized – I must’ve been exhausted at that point, and I think they could see that. I really appreciated that letter from them. And I just appreciated all the different stories. I just love that I can also empower them through the music.
Did you end up going on vacation with this gay couple?
(Laughs) I didn’t end up going on holiday. But I just thought it was such a sweet offer, and it showed there was a real level of understanding and empathy. I never even got a chance to thank them, but it meant the world to me. I just kept going at the time. But it was really empowering to be like, “Actually, maybe I do need to take time off if it’s that obvious to the audience.”
What kinds of stories do gay fans share with you?
When I was in Washington, there was a guy – a big fan – and he was just saying how much he loved “Read All About It,” and Our Version of Events helped him through coming out. He was there with his mom, and it just felt so amazing. And, recently, I’ve had a few gay fans talking about how (that album) empowered them to express their love to one another, how everything I had written gave them those words as they were getting married. I love stories of love. It really keeps me going and encourages me to write songs about that.
How do your outsider feelings, which you’ve acknowledged you felt as someone growing up biracial, play into the music you write?
I feel like that’s why I give music 100 percent of myself, because it’s always been this confidante in my life where I’ve found my own identity. Growing up feeling pretty different in Scotland, I started to identify with soul music and black music, and that’s the reason why I’ve always put everything into my music. It’s never been something that I wanted to be too shiny. Like, I’ve never faked it. Having that kind of release and anchor in my life, it’s always just made me want to be 100 percent honest in what I’m doing, so hopefully that speaks through the music.
I remember how alone I felt and what comfort music was to me, and that was only through artists who were telling the truth and being so real. So, that’s how I wanted my career to be. Even if things are difficult to speak about or process, it’s important to me to keep doing it as is, so if people are like me when I was younger, they have someone who is telling the truth and making them feel not so alone.
For me, Mariah Carey’s Butterfly album made me feel that way. I identified with a song on that album, “Outside.” For you, what was –
(Laughs) Me too! Oh my god, I love that album, equally. It’s so funny you mention that song, too, because it was one of my favorites. When she speaks in interviews about how she felt being mixed race and how certain songs were based on that – and even though this was someone I’d never met, and we were on different ends of the world – I felt comforted by that.
Have you been able to share that with Mariah?
I have never been able to speak to her about the music, but I met her a couple of times. I met her on American Idol once and she said, “You’re the girl who’s writing all those songs!” and I’m like, “Oh my god, Mariah Carey knows that I write songs!” (Laughs) I was completely starstruck. And I remember “Hero.” I remember that song she did on the Rainbow album, “Can’t Take That Away.” I would love one day to meet her properly and tell her how much her music influenced me.
Do you call yourself a “lamb” like the rest of her hardcore fans?
I didn’t even know that’s what we were called, but yeah!
I’m envisioning a collaboration.
That would be a dream.
How would you compare Our Version of Events to this new album?
This album is a lot more personal and specifically about things that I’ve experienced. I wanted to make a conscious effort to be that honest, because it was such deep emotions for me that I didn’t want them to be generic. I wanted to get straight to the point. So, it’s a lot deeper, a lot more grown up. This is me stepping into womanhood, like a crash course in life bottled in an album.
Which song did you write at your rawest moment?
“Shakes.” The weird thing is, I didn’t feel like it was me channeling this emotion into this song, but when I listen to it now, I was almost predicting the future. “Shakes” was pretty deep. But “Sweet Architect” is probably the rawest moment on the album, where I just – beyond relationships, beyond the music industry – this was my direct prayer to God. That’s probably the rawest and deepest moment on the album.
Which song in particular do you think might resonate with your LGBT fans?
I love “Babe.” “Babe” is the last song on the album, and I feel liberated when I sing that song. It’s all about letting love be love and letting go of any kind of fear. So, for the gay community and the rest of the community, I just feel like allowing yourself to love and feel and take care of someone and be good to someone else – I hope that one resonates.
On the heels of World AIDS Day, tell me why it’s important to you to be a part of Elton John's AIDS Foundation.
It’s just so important to me, especially when you’re looking at Africa. My father is from Zambia, and you just see it’s affected the country and a lot of communities. If there’s more research and awareness about it, so much suffering wouldn’t have to happen. So, I’m really proud to be a part of Elton John’s foundation and spread awareness about it. It’s so important because a lot of things are preventable, especially what’s happening in Africa.
In 2013, you performed in front of President Obama and the First Lady. How many Xanax did you need to take beforehand?
Just a couple of glasses of wine! (Laughs) I remember stepping into the White House with all the security you have to go through to get there and walking through the corridors, and we got a little tour before. And meeting them – they’re so tall. That was the big thing. I’m like, “Wow, you guys are superhuman.”
They were talking about the music, and he was such a rock star. He was just so chilled out, and he made us feel relaxed and charged up. He had a chat with all the performers: “OK, let’s put on a show!” He made us feel like we were a part of some football team. He’s a true leader.
Does Obama have a favorite Emeli Sandé song?
He just said, “I think my daughters know your music!” And I was like, “Wow. My music might be getting played in the White House!” (Laughs)
Interview with Garrett Clayton on gay porn biopic role as Brent Corrigan
- November 27, 2016 - 3:39pm
“Do they like biting lips? Do they like using more tongue?”
To play former gay porn mogul Brent Corrigan, it was Garrett Clayton’s job to find out. So the 25-year-old ex-Disney star probed those very questions while poring over videos of the notorious twink teasing the camera at just 17, when Corrigan starred in a throng of high-profile porn videos that led to his storied, controversial adult-film legacy.
Corrigan’s past is the lurid centerpiece titillating every juicy frame of director Justin Kelly’s sexy and scandalous King Cobra, embodied by Clayton and his hypnotic come-hither gaze. Christian Slater plays gay porn producer Bryan Kocis (renamed Stephen in the film), who gets tangled in a mess of controversy and murder after illegally jumpstarting Brent’s porn career. James Franco, who co-produced the project, sustains his oft-onscreen queerness, starring as a rival producer.
But who saw Clayton, who will star as Link Larkin in NBC’s Hairspray Live! in December, taking his post-Disney dive this deeply? Where there are orgies. And nakedness.
After his role in Teen Beach Movie, the 2013 Disney Channel Movie that saw Clayton’s squeaky-clean Tanner frolicking beachside while singing “surf, sun, sand; it’s a bikini wonderland,” Clayton laughs at his radical career shift like even he can’t believe it.
“It’s been kind of like a slingshot!” he says.
Read on for the ex-Mouseketeer’s thoughts on Corrigan’s criticism of King Cobra (“He opened Pandora’s box and he let the movie get made”) and the vision Clayton had for his contractually agreed-upon butt shot.
How does a Disney star go from Teen Beach Movie to a porn biopic?
I was attached to a film by the same producer, Scott Levenson, that fell through. Then, he pitched me for this to Justin Kelly, the director. I read it, and we agreed on a lot of the same points that were vital to the movie, so I sent him my audition scene. Then, bam. A couple of weeks later I got the part. Obviously, I had nerves because coming from Disney, when any (former Disney stars) take that leap and are ready to do whatever adult thing, whether it’s a movie or music or anything, you hope it’s something that people will respect and see that you’re not just the person who portrayed that teenager on TV at one point.
How much trepidation did you have taking on someone as controversial – in the porn world at least – as Brent Corrigan?
I didn’t know what to expect at first because you don’t know if you’re going to have a team of people who will be really respectful and take care of you or a group of people who are there to exploit you and make money off of how good you’ll be. I couldn’t have asked for more, especially jumping into such a controversial subject.
What kind of homework is involved in playing someone like Brent Corrigan?
One thing I agreed with after Justin and I spoke: to separate the character from real life because to try to mimic him too much would come across like we were trying to make fun of his life, and that’s not what we wanted. We wanted a character who’s a little bit removed from him. I tried to have little things in there that reminded the audience of him, but a lot of it was trying to create a character that was separated enough to a degree that it just didn’t seem like we were mocking him. That was really important.
What was your process for embodying Brent’s mannerisms during the porn scenes?
You want to watch someone’s work and study the way they’re into somebody or not. How do they kiss? Do they bite? Do they like biting lips? Do they like using more tongue? Are they more aggressive in their work? Does he play the victim? I tried to look at all those things. And even watching that YouTube channel that he wanted to have for a minute – those videos were interesting to watch just because there are little things in there too. How is he when he speaks to his audience? What’s his body language like when he’s talking about something he’s comfortable with versus uncomfortable with?
At one of the film festivals somebody asked me and Justin what our favorite video of his was, and even though mine doesn’t sound as exciting, it’s the more fascinating one. It’s the first video he did with Bryan where he’s lying in the lawn. Nobody knew at that time that he was 17, and I was just surprised that there are so many sites that still have that video online. It’s crazy. And to see him as a 17-year-old doing this, and the fact that I can find it online – I literally just typed in “Brent Corrigan first video” and a bunch of different websites came up. I just think it was fascinating to watch somebody at that age doing what they’re doing. To me, that was the most interesting piece of work because, I mean, how could it not be?
What’s it like being naked at home versus naked on camera?
It’s a lot different being naked at home versus being naked on camera, in front of millions. When I’m naked at home, I’m not worried about what I ate three hours before! And it was really hard because catering, for some reason, kept making these crazy, unhealthy (meals), like macaroni and chili. Every day it was chili and macaroni and hot dogs, and I’m like, “I am on a diet. I can’t have bread, I can’t have carbs, I can’t have sugar, I can’t have dairy, and all you’re doing is supplying all those things.”
The struggles of being an actor who has to take his shirt off for the camera, right?
No. The struggles of being an actor who’s only wearing underwear and maybe nothing else – not even underwear at some points.
How was your nudity contract established for this film?
I spoke to Justin about what I would agree to do, and it was: If you discuss with me first and I can understand logically why the nudity is a sexual act that can promote the plot in this scene, then I’ll do it. When I’m in the shower, it’s a sign he’s becoming comfortable with his sexuality. The montage is showing him becoming a star. At the end, I have my butt shot and, funny enough, that was my idea because Justin and me kept talking, saying, “When are we going to do the butt shot?” because (Brent is) known for his butt. And I was watching and I said, “Why don’t we make him getting the tattoo like ownership of self and being able to do what he wants to do with his body? If we show his ass at the end and we see there’s a tattoo on it, now he can do what he wants to do with his body and he has control over his life and where he’s going.”
Brent Corrigan criticized you on Twitter, saying he looked “much younger.” He went on to say that you don’t “embody Brian's preference for not legal boys.” He also took a dig at your “boxcut Speedos.” I imagine when you’re trying to give an honest portrayal of someone real like you are in this movie, that could really cause you to be self-conscious. Did it affect you at all?
I think it almost started to affect me. But I made a little mantra: It’s not my place to judge; it’s just my job to tell the story. And the reason we could use his name and likeness was because he got paid and he signed off on his name and likeness, so to a degree he opened Pandora’s box. He let the movie get made, so obviously he didn’t mind if it got made.
I guess he was just being critical of the outcome.
As anybody would be. My thing is, would he have preferred somebody who spoke down to him and didn’t have any respect for doing what we’re doing here? Because if you look at any interview I’ve done, I completely shy away from judgment and being negative about his comments and how he feels about the movie.
In the end, did you form an opinion about him?
It’s not for me… if I start doing that now, it’ll taint my mindset about the movie.
Because you’re playing gay in this movie, is there pressure to acknowledge your own sexuality? And how do you react to people who criticize you for not doing so?
I mean, they probably would feel a lot differently if people were calling them and saying, “So tell me: What you do in your bedroom every day?” This is my job. And I’m happy to promote my work. And I’m happy to stand up for things I believe in. If people can’t see the positivity in that, then I think that’s up to them. You can have Mother Teresa giving food out and somebody will find something negative to say.
I moved out to LA to have a career where I got to play characters and focus on work and do all these awesome things, and I’m getting to do that now. I just don’t think it’s pertinent to talk about my personal life. I don’t think it adds to the work; it just distracts from it.
I’m supportive of an open-minded lifestyle and letting people do what they want to do with their lives, so it’s nice to be able to do another, different type of role. Acting is about stepping out of body and getting to see different lives and experience different things, and I got to do that in this movie.
One thing I even took away from this: I gained a lot more sympathy for people who work in the adult industry. A lot of times society is so harsh on people who do work in porn, and they’re so judged and scrutinized, and yet they’re so accepted because porn drives the internet, and people watch it so consistently, and it’s a multi-billionaire dollar industry. When you’re done working in it, though, people shun you. They just treat people who work in this industry poorly, and yet they’re watching them alone in their bedroom, supporting them. You can’t pick and choose. You either are open-minded, or you’re not.
Meet the playwright whose life story inspired this year’s acclaimed gay-themed hit Moonlight
- November 27, 2016 - 2:34pm
“It was a lot,” Tarell Alvin McCraney says of his oddly coincidental evening recently, when the out playwright attended the premiere of Moonlight in Miami, where he grew up.
Family he hadn’t met before came out in droves. His brother showed up, and longtime friends too. It also happened to be the birthday of “Kevin,” a childhood confidante from his youth who was the basis for an influential character in Moonlight.
“I’m like…” he starts, grunting with frustration at an experience he calls “difficult” and “complicated.”
“I mean, it was a full moon,” McCraney continues. “It was a year to the day it started filming, it was my birthday weekend – and there was a storm, but then there were, like, clear skies.”
That day, as he watched the film adaptation of his semi-autobiographical stage piece, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, in a theater just a quick jaunt from where he was raised, the intersections between reality and film were palpable. So were his feelings. During the premiere in Miami, “a lot of me wanted to be like, ‘It’s happening, go to sleep,’” but in London, he says, “It was easy to tell the lineal space between reality and myth and fiction.”
McCraney wrote In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue in 2003, while experiencing “depression” and “sadness” as he grieved the loss of his mother, who died that summer. Like the film’s protagonist, Chiron, whose life unfolds in three chapters, the playwright has always preferred expressing himself outside of conversation.
“I can talk ad nauseam about art, but ask me how I feel that day and I can barely say about five words,” he says, chuckling. For McCraney, making his press rounds for Moonlight is a new, unnerving process. “Normally people ask the same five questions about the play and you kind of go, ‘Thanks so much, and it’s about this and come see it,’ but this is different.”
McCraney wrote his first play at age 13. Later, he graduated from Yale School of Drama's playwriting program, receiving the Cole Porter Playwriting Award upon graduation. In 2013, the playwright garnered the MacArthur “Genius” Grant. Though McCraney, now 36, has written several plays since his teenage years, including The Brothers Size, which earned him the 2009 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue reflects his life most intimately and explores a question he has a better grasp of now: “Why wasn’t I brave enough to become like the men I knew in my life?”
Directed by Barry Jenkins, who also grew up in Miami’s Liberty City, just blocks away from McCraney, Moonlight chronicles Chiron’s discovery of identity and sexuality through a multi-tiered, age-shifting narrative: “I: Little,” when we meet small, shy Chiron, who lives with his drug-addicted mother and essentially becomes the adopted son of a compassionate crack dealer, Juan; “II: Chiron,” when he first sexually engages with his friend, Kevin; and “III: Black,” which ends with grown Chiron, hardened and on the same path as Juan, though still sexually conflicted.
“The original piece,” McCraney says, “was and is a kind of meditation on what my life could be, less about what my life actually is.” He unleashes a hearty laugh. “Clearly, I was trying to do some sort of inner excavation. But for me, it’s about watching how identity plays out and looking at chaotic portions of my childhood and trying to figure out when there were other alternatives and what did those alternatives look like.”
Few existed for young McCraney, who snuck ballet lessons behind his father’s back and admits he would’ve felt ashamed to tell this story during his adolescence.
“I think, for me, if there is a someone like me out there…,” he says, trailing off. “I feel like this piece talks so much about an American phenomenon of hyper masculinity that exists in so many forms.”
Because “I was not that brave,” he continues, McCraney admires the brazen nature of child actors Alex R. Hibbert (the first chapter’s “Little”) and Jaden Piner (the first chapter’s Kevin), who he calls “my heroes.”
“Kids are already so much more exposed and integrated than I was in terms of just understanding the voices of the world,” he says. “It’s important for me to see that these young people are finding avenues and platforms in which to speak their truth, not just about their own sexual identity, but that they want a diverse community and that their community is full of the voices that sometimes get siloed and stifled.”
The voice of the black, gay man is finally being heard in Moonlight, as demonstrated by its initial rollout at the end of October, when the film banked an impressive $414,740 on just four screens in New York and Los Angeles.
“People are walking away feeling like they’ve met somebody,” he says. “I think that’s what the film does. Barry was really adamant about making sure that you lived with Chiron and all of his iterations in a way that you probably might not have if this film was made by somebody else.”
For McCraney, “it preserves all the things that are important to me.”
As for the film’s success – both commercially, and as a projected Oscar contender – it’s not something he or Jenkins expected, the playwright says.
“I guess I wasn’t really thinking, ‘Oh, we’re gonna be talking about it at film screenings across the world,’” McCraney admits. “I just thought, ‘We’re telling a really good story, so I’m into it and you’re into it, and we’re into it in the same way, so let’s tell it.’”