Category: Philadelphia

The 13th Annual Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (PIGLFF) – Last Night, Last Movie, Last Party and a few tears. The poster is just about completely signed.

The stylish Thom Cardwell and Rosemary Connors The crowd last night did not disappoint, in fact the directors announced the entire festival had record crowds.Queer Kinky Quizzo hostess and awesome DJ Robert Drake http://www.djrobertdrake.com/ announce the Festival Award Winners My friend Diana Marini (Documentary “In Sickness and In Health,” a biography/documentary about New Jersey same-sex marriage litigant couple Diane Marini and her partner of 14 years, Marilyn Maneely. Marilyn died of ALS before civil unions became law in New Jersey; and we all suffer the effects of marriage inequality to this day. Documentary filmmaker Pilar Prassas has been following the seven plaintiff couples’ lawsuit since it was filed in 2002. ) and Pilar Prassas with the plaque they got when they won the Juried “Best Documentary Award”
The final nail, er I mean signature on the official event poster The last cast shot of the festival. “Kiss the Bride”. A cute little film about a threesome starring Tori Spelling, James O’Shea, Philipp Karner, Joanna Cassidy and Tess Harper. As the writer stated on stage, think Chuck and Buck, but played out for all to see. I loved it!!Gail Kamenish waves a hearty good-bye until next year, wait Gail we still have the afterparty to go to.
“Kiss the Bride” post screening party at Twenty-21 ends the festival on a high note
Pictures to follow tonight…I got in at 2AM, and now this guys gotta work his day job
My other blog Confessions of a Paparazzi is featured on a National site today re: Barbara Walters: cityrag.blogs.com/hughe2030.blogspot.com/2007/07/barbara-walters-is-misogynist.html

There was a motorcycle accident on Kelly Drive Sunday night near the Art Museum. The cops say if this guy had his helmet on he would have lived. Monday night, as I left an event at the Waterworks, I caught the man’s friends putting up a memorial in his honor at the spot where the guy died. Cars lined up along Kelly Drive taking up an entire lane for at least a 1/4 mile. because of his death many cycles of lives were affected, he was loved Closer to the site, some cars were in both lanes.
Friends who were probably with him last night as they raced down Kelly Drive, rev’ed their wheels in a fitting tribute of carelessness creating a lot of unnecessary noise and pollution and it went on for a few minutes
as they prepared to ride away without any helmets on their heads. One by one the cars drove by the make shift memorial

and made made U-Turns into the on coming trafficone red car, spun his wheels, screeeeeeechhhhh
and did a fish tail
of course, (what an idiot!)
as the long procession made its way back to the neighborhood, I thought were any lessons learned, did he die in vain? Am I just too old to know what is cool? Is riding a motorcycle without a helmet cool, or a cycle of tragedy?
The fateful curve and memorial of teddy bears, messages and candles
he was only 21, and it is very sad because he had his whole life in front of him.
A Fairmount Park Ranger appeared out of nowhere (who knew there were park rangers? [there’s 20]) I asked him what would happen to this memorial. He said that he would have to call it in, the only other one he had ever seen was one in Pennypacker Park where some idiot put up a similar one for the deer that were being killed because over population. Every time the deer sympathizer put it up, we would take it down and toss it. He then called, his supervisor who said that he could keep this one up until someone complains about it. – Well I thought, it’s a park, who is going to complain about it, the runners, bikers, bladers, kids in strollers? Maybe a parent or two can tell their kids how important it is to wear a helmet when you operate a bike, whether it’s motorized or not.

I think statistics will tell you that wearing a helmet improves your chances of surviving an accident. Seriously I’m saddened by anyone’s death and the heartache that it brings, but please, please get over your thoughts of any vanity when it comes to protecting yourself so no one else has to go through this tragic situation.

As part of the Philly GLBT Film Festival, the Rocky Horror Picture Show was performed at the Trocadero Theater
Let’s do the Time Warp

it’s just a jump to the left
Rocky chases his man
I don’t even want to know what is happening in the bottom right corner
Dr. Scott visitsCards for sorrow, although the women who’s lap Dr. Frankenfurter just got off of doesn’t look to unhappyThe Cast
If you want to hire the Rocky Horror Picture show cast or if you want info about their upcoming shows – Check out – http://transylvanians.org/

Hairspray the Movie Premiere Review

I love Hairspray, the original movie with Divine (18times I saw it), The Broadway play (5 times) and now the movie (1 time so far) Here is the funniest, and right on target Hairspray The Movie review I have ever read: http://phillyist.com/2007/07/20/cinephillyist_r_26.phpSee photos from the premiere at www.confessionsofapaparazzi.com

The highlight of the Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Farley Granger visit. here is Farley and his partner/friend of 43 years, TV producer, Robert Calhoun at a reception for them at XIX in the Park Hyatt Bellevue

Political aficionados Mike Marisco, his lovely wife Renee Gilinger, 2008 candidate Pennsylvania State Representative Larry Farnese and political columnist, Mary Patel.
Guests
The man with two hats, Thom Cardwell, Development Director PIGLFF, and co-founder of BUCKmonkey, with James Duggan, http://www.buckmonkey.net/ and Larry Farnese.Owners of the Philadelphian Beauty Shop 19130
a gift from Brasserie Pierre
The poster is almost completely signed
Robert Calhoun, Farley Granger and Carrie Rickey , Inquirer Movie Critic during the Q&A part of the program. Carrie later told me that she, Farley and Susan Sontag all went to North Hollywood High, but of course graduated in different years.

Rosemary Connors, Robert Calhoun, Farley Granger and Thom CardwellI don’t think my ridelin is working; I have taken too many darn pictures!!The fans were really moved to meet Farley
another signature
Gail Kamenish greets Farley warmly, telling him how much she loved all his films, and what a great honor it was to meet him. It really was a special moment. Especially since people in our field (photographers) meet celebrities all the time. Its nice when you meet someone that you really admire and have been touched by through their art.

Mayoral Candidates Nutter and Taubenberger First Debate is deciding which Sandwich is best at the Bellevue
Here’s part of the press release:

VISUALS: Mayoral Candidates and judges wearing Chef’s Hats (didn’t see that)

Also under Visual: Phillies Ballgirls:

Yep that happened

The two mayoral candidates Michael Nutter and Al Taubenberger break bread and catch a laugh at the 2nd Annual Bellevue Sandwich Off They seem to take their jobs very seriously, taking a bite, thinking about the taste

and then writing down the their thoughts on the ballot
Thom Cardwell of Thom’s Table see http://www.buckmonkey.net/, and his table mate scrutinizing one of the sandwiches.
Both candidates were interupted by citizens to say hi, but Nutter was the hands down winner on shaking the voters hand (this guy is basically saying, Mr Nutter I will vote for you, basically saying to the other guys face, You’re not getting my vote, you damn republican)
Director of Public Relations for the Bellevue, Anna Iredale checking to make sure everyone is ok. S uspiciously, Nutter’s sandwich was missing. Did he eat it that quickly?
Then the waiter dropped another off for Nutter to try…

Oh no what’s he doing?
he’s passing his sandwich to his hungrey assistant Nutter has a designated eater
eventually everyone finished, and the the tally was counted

The winners were Bain’s in First Place, second place went to that little Italian place at the bottom of the escalator. Pictured above: Thom Cardwell, the two Lindsays, ballgirls from the Phillies, R&B singer Carol Riddick, Writer, Lorraine Ranalli, Republican Taubenberger, and my mayor Michael Nutter.

I admit it, I like Clay Aikin, I like Barry Manilow too, not so much for Liberace, but what do these three guys have in common. Well sure the obvious, but also the fact they have ethusiatics devoted fans, maybe, YES fanatic fans, the Fanilows, the ladies and the Claymates. Although I own all three CD’s of Clay’s, I had never been to a concert. Not for any particular reason, he just didn’t go to a venue that was close enough for me to sit through his concert, I have his CD’s and I had already met him in NYC, in fact we had lunch together, he sat behind me at a place near 65th and Columbus once. I left him alone, but was excited to see him.It was fun to see the Claymates celebrate their love for him

Last night as I listened to Clay sing, the song list he picked out was so very sad. I commented this to a Claymate as she said with a smile, all his songs are sad, why didn’t he sing more upbeat songs, has he been beaten down by the tabloids and his RCA label so much that it is coming through in his songs. Another noted thing was when he wasn’t singing he was talking, and talking was something he did a lot of, well that and singing TV theme songs and quizing his fans on TV theme songs (I guess Clay stays in a lot). But when he did sing, it was beautiful and moving, and when he dialoged he had few positive things to say about anyone that wasn’t his fan and then he didn’t really respect them that much either (although he praised the Philly Pops and its conductor many many times,) at one point he brought up the Kelly Ripa incident, in Kelly Ripa’s own hometown, did anyone boo him, no, what’s up with that? OK I didn’t boo either, but I was too busy feeling sorry for Clay for his persecution (but he failed to mention how his friend Rosie defended him, even though she accidently outed him too),

then he went on with the airline foot on armchair problem (that was a ridiculous situation) at some point he actually bit the hand that fed him by insulting the kind of music that had made his career what it is today, he stated that the orchestra accompanying him was expecting to play “Barry Manilow” junk all night long and now instead they get to play a medly of cool songs from the 80’s including Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” (I’m sure he’s more than like a virgin!), and Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” (and he said it in a way that made it seem spontaneous, but did mention that his internet fans might have known it wasn’t) (no comment)

then it was about a letter he read on stage where a fan, a girl, complained her idolized Clay Aken was eating too many Krispy Kremes (I heard a girl behind me say we should kill her, Clay did to, he said let’s not kill her, but I will hand out her email later – LOL), I guess Clay was going for the sympathy vote, but how hard would it have been to have read a positive letter, or even mentioned how nice it was that his fans were so devoted. What was really shocking was when a fan who was sitting about 7 rows from the front would every so often hold up a sign that said “I came All The Way From Iceland to see Clay”. Well she held it up too many times for him which caused him to say “I know you came all the way from Iceland to see me, thanks, now put down your sign!”
Clever spelling, I bet there’s plates like this in every state
A group of women told me at intermission that Clay always comes out after a concert near the stage door and shakes his fans hands. Oooh he is such a gentleman to do that, she cooed. “I said really, does he sign anything?”, “no just shakes their hands and moves along. Jerome walks in front of him and shines a light on the fans hands, Jerome is his bodyguard.” I knowing the answer, I said, “how odd, why does Jerome do that? I have seen many, many celebs shake their fans hands without checking them out with a light first.” “Well “the women said, as she smoothed out the crinkles on her Clay Aiken T-shirt, “some of the fans are a little, hmm you know,” “I said crazy!” “I like to think excited”, she said. Excited, I didn’t even want to go there!!After the show I went to the stage door where there was a huge crowd of middle aged women, er I mean fans. It was all a bit bizarre, but hey I was there too. While waiting for Clay to come out, I asked one of those women if she was a Claymate, she seemed offended and swore she wasn’t. I mentioned that I thought the concert was sad, and that Clay had become a sad figure of late, if only he could be true to himself and not fear the rejection of his fans because (Although I did ask someone else that question “If Clay finally came out would his fans still be loyal, and she said the fanilows still love Barry, but I said he’s not out yet either?) Didn’t the Claymates notice the attitude change between the the first CD cover and the 2nd? He was so cute, adorable and unknown, had fame burned him? Or was it that that internet incident rumor, that seems to be more true lately than ever, Clay never sued the guy for LIBEL or SLANDER. Finally, in February 207, when Clay was on Jimmy Kimmel, he seemed to be coming out of his funk, returning to the fantastic, positive, up beat guy I remembers in his first year, but with a sense of maturity playing on those internet rumors as he serenaded Jimmy with a song he prepared just for him based on those candy hearts they sell at Valentine, using words like “Sweetheart”, “Honey” and “Magic”, I got the inside joke, especially when he presented Jimmy with balloons in a heartshape. It was very funny. Ok so our discussion continued like this: I said Clay is so upset over not being played in the Top 40, it is disappointing, but his fans are right there, right now, we bought his CD’s do we have to make radio an enemy because they aren’t playing his songs, he didn’t even urge his fans to call the radio stations, he just complained about it.

Plus his 2nd CD was all covers! She said Rod Stewart and Barry Manilow had successful covers. “Yeah, and they are at the end of their careers!” I siad. She vehemently defended him saying, Clive Davis made him do that CD, ok whatever, another blame on someone else. At that point I had to tell her the truth, “You are a Claymate!!”, she fought me back on that, and said you are no fan! Just then the police showed up to break up the crowd. For a good ten minutes the police and security said “No one is coming out, please disperse” but the Claymates held firm still believing that Clay wouldn’t disappoint them and appear, I’m sure some of them were still there when his bus whizzed by on the way to Morton’s Steak House.
A couple last things. One of the more amusing things that happened in the audience was the action by security and ushers as they constantly had to warn people to stop taking photos, and were much more stern if you were taking video. I later asked one of them why they were so strict at this concert. They said that Clay’s management team was adamant that no one take photos, and especially not video. The women I spoke with said she had never seen such a strong worded letter warning them to stop the violators or Clay would never play there again. I thought how ironic, he complains about not being in the “Top 40”, but then doesn’t want to get his music out to the internet. I am still a Clay fan as I love his music, but I think I will stick with his CDs. An Agenda: Maybe if he was truthful to himself, and his fans, his music would reveal a happier soul and he would have such sissy fits with hosts, passengers on airlines, Top 40 radio or anyone else that doesn’t measure to his standards.
I did love that a women put her undies up on stage so Clay could find them after intermission. It would have been nice if Clay was flattered instead of critizing the women calling her gutless and a few other choice adjectives, practically accusing her of having cooties. No wonder she wanted to remain anonymous.

Says his butt is going to show up in a scandal someday.

I have Just Added this Video 7/19/07 – I believe this is the song that really moved me. Clay wrote it himself, and I think it’s very biographical. Maybe you all missed that, he’s a lover all alone.

No matter what happened on Saturday, let’s be honest, it was Starrbooty day and the only booty that was banging was RuPaul’s. But before we get to that Philly Chit Chat attended a special cocktail party generously hosted by Bryan Hoffman and Jim Lonsdale’s home. (Thanks to Whole Foods for the delicious spread) Here are our hosts, Jim, Bryan with Four Letter Word’s Jesse Archer.The cast of Starrbooty, minus RuPaul (if you are a certain fan of a certain genre of movie, then yes you may recognize some of these guys, maybe even more if they had a little less clothes on – oh come on, it is a GAY and lesbian film festival after all, mom!!)At first I thought it was Pamela Anderson, but it was Victoria Ventura and Maria Noman from the movie “Transia” and not in the movie, and has always been a guy, oh and not gay, just gay friendly Tommy.
That fun tourist magazine – Where’s publisher Laura Burkhardt and Charlie David of Kiss the Bride and Four Letter Word (some of you have read my post on Saturday, on http://www.confessionsofapaparazzi.com/ where I said Charlie David was dressed to the nines when he recieved his award that afternoon; well on that note I went home and changed into my favorite blue sport coat, although I think it was wool, and guess what he had changed, and everyone else was dressed fairly causually, in fact I missed the memo to wear a solid or white shirt. I was a bit overheated, so you will forgive me if I didnt get everyone’s name)
My favorites Mary Patel, Malcolm Lazin and Phylis Halpern BUCKmonkey co-founder, James Duggan and The Philadelphia Film Society’s Tim Ferretti
Phyllis with the ever ready, smiling Rosemary Connors, Director of the Film Festival

Thom Cardwell with the director and actor of the new gay sci-fi “Socket”. Lft Thom, Derek Long, Directors/Writers Jaymes Thomson, and Sean Abley. The nicest guys you ever wanna met. I am trying to interview them, and all they want to talk about is me, ok I don’t blame them – LOL I have a lot more to say about this party and the folks I met, very interesting to say the least, but I must focus, focus, focus on the task at hand RuPaul – Starrbooty herself, looking towards heaven hoping she has a hit on her hands!
RuPaul’s new movie, aptly titled Starrbooty: The premise of the movie is a supermodel going undercover as a hooker to rescue her niece from an evil body parts broker. (I don’t even want to tell you which body part it is, in fact unless you like High High High RAUNCHY Camp and are probably high yourself when you see the movie, it might be too much for you as it was for me, think early Divine.)

So enjoy the photograph as Michael Lucas strips for the audience. It took a bit more off, but this is a family site so I must refrain.

Thanks to the Jeff, the manager of XIX for again opening his home away from home to us for this occassion
The lighting and atmosphere was superbEye candy filled the rooms what would the blue bloods of the debutante balls that were once held her say about this wild and crazy bunch
guests enjoying themselves
It’s just about TWO AM and these hard working Festival employees are finally winding down their what like 18 hour day of Starbootylicious fun. Lft to right are Andrea Hengel, Patrick McHugh and Tim Feretti