It’s Superbowl Sunday Weekend. Don’t feel compelled to front like you give a shit.
Archive for January, 2009
Unabashed Uggghhh Who Cares? : Fuck the Superbowl
January 30th, 2009
It’s Superbowl Sunday Weekend. Don’t feel compelled to front like you give a shit.
The Unabashed Heklina Interview : Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Queen
January 22nd, 2009
Trannyshack’s satellite show in Los Angeles took place this past New Year’s Eve. The performances were, in a word, inspiring, each one as good as the next. In fact, I was actually moved by many of the performances, proud to see my queer sisters and brothers onstage in such a raw, unabashed, unique way. The often abstract numbers blended drag performance and performance art illustrating what being queer is all about to me—modernity, progression and revolution. With no ulterior motives, I emailed Heklina, the founder and hostess of Trannyshack, to tell her how impressed I was with her production. Shortly after I happened to book a trip to San Francisco and requested an interview with Heklina which she kindly granted.
As we all know, I pride myself on my unabashedness and my authenticity, and I wanted to get to know the real Heklina—Stefan Grygelko, as his license reads. In preparing for the interview I scoured the internet for information on my subject. Every interview with Heklina was promotion for Trannyshack with the same questions: How did you get the name Heklina? How did you come up with the name Trannyshack? How did it begin? How long does it take you to put on your makeup? In this interview, we delve into his childhood, cruising for sex, addiction, gay assimilation, and of course, Trannyshack. (more…)
Unabashed Lifetime Preview: Prayers for Blah-bby
January 6th, 2009Oh Christ. After two months of hearing Nicole Sullivan and Carson Kressley squeal “Falalala Lifetime,” the preview for Lifetime’s “Red Carpet Event” and new gay suicide sad film, Prayers For Bobby, starring Sigourney Weaver, seems to be on a constant loop .
I watched the preview on mute: Two teenage boys walking down train tracks. Que Origanale! Shivers down my spine. The bigger boy is giving the other a noogie. He is hot. They are brothers. Next shot. Little brother sitting forlornly on a train platform as the train goes by. “I wish I could be on that train. I don’t care where it’s going just get me out of this godforsaken town.” Next, a close-up of Sigourney, thin-lipped and angry at a crying son, perhaps, just maybe Bobby? Uh-oh, Bobby is on an overpass looking down, tears streaming. Cut to Sigourney at a 1970s kitchen table praying. Now she’s screaming. Now she’s walking through a crowd wearing a rainbow button on her lapel with people protesting, elaborate signs that have the word “GAY” crossed out. Now she’s speaking passionately at a podium. White people clap for her. I think I get it. The end.
