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 Despite it being one of the more boring Oscar years, I followed much of last night’s show (ok, an hour interrupted by the L Word but, whatever, I hear I didn’t miss much).
Highlights:
As more and more ladies of some age appeared on the stage looking absolutely fantastic my girlfriend dubbed them GILFS, a takeoff on the popular MILF acronym, replacing Grandma with Mother. So congratulations Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton. You certainly get an Oscar from me.
Melissa Ethridge winning for "An Incoventient Truth." Tammy Lynn Michaels, who I can only really ever think of as a mean girl from D.E.B.S. is so sweet and in love with her. She was biting back tears as she kissed her on live TV. I’ve never been a huge Melissa fan (ok, I did go to a concert when I was about 12) but it’s always good to see the liberals and the queers teaming up and WINNING. Yes, we will inherit the earth. Al Gore’s speech cutoff joke wasn’t bad either.
 Penelope Cruz. The best dress ever. ‘Nuff said.
Lowlights:
Much of the show in general.
Sadly, Ellen. I love her normally but she really was pretty lame, although I actually thought the vacumming was a little bit amusing (and Queerty seemed to like her, though I think they’re the only ones). I can’t imagine though having to host a huge show like that, then go on that creepy creepy Jimmy Kimmel’s show (I didn’t actually stay up late enough to watch this because I loathe him, but I assume it was as painful as his horrible negation of identity as he tried to fight with Rebecca Romijn last week), go to a bunch of parties until 6am, and then wake up to tape your own daily show. I don’t envy her so I’m gonna cut her some slack.
The worst local angle was Willamette Week who effectively ruined my enjoyment of the Deaparted as it waited for me in my mailbox the very same day the Willy published. It’s one thing to give spoilers, it’s quite another to splash them in huge letters across a centerfold page with other articles. I hate you.
As for the rest of the weekend it was pretty excellent. I actually went out twice in a row! That’s a lot for me as I enter my golden years. But the new club nights at Rotture are pretty good, even if they don’t really get hopping until 12:30. But there’s actually two, The Thin Pink Line and Juicy, so you got something every Friday night. They’re pretty dang queer but mixed with heteros as well so its a pretty interesting scene. Definitely recommended. One thing about this club, as well as my Saturday night Double Down experience, that I’ve noticed is that they’ll always put the mediocre DJ somewhere after the middle of the night so that you say 2 more songs and if they suck we’re gone. Inevitably, the better DJ will come back just as your gathering your coats. At Rotture, I held one, at Double Down I was tired of fighting the smashed in crowds and bailed. Eh, it’s a formula I guess.
And one last thing. We all watched L Word, as usual, and still hate everybody for the most part but I gotta say Alice and her new girl are adorable. Alice is still ok in my book and has really always been the only decent character. (Also, the only out actress on teh show until Daniela Sea). Her new lady’s pretty hot too and we all understand why she’s gotta bite that butt.
[…]
 Sorry this is so last minute, dear readers, but I just found out about it. I know, that means I’m painfully out of the loop. But winter’s ending and I feel myself jumping right back into said loop. The Thin Pink Line busts a juicy queer dance move every second and fourth Friday of the month at Rotture (315 Se Third). Better yet, it’s a themed dance party. (You know how I fetishize a good theme). Today’s is Mardi Gras. Ok so we’re a little late but it’s Portland and we’re operating on Gay Standard Time anyway right?
Rotture, the former Loveland, B Complex, what-evah, has traditionally been all ages but I really can’t say what kind of venue it’s become. But my chief concern was whether there would be alcohol and, thankfully, the answer is a resounding (and slurred) yes. In fact, Sparks-mosas are on special for a lowly dollar. And since Sparks is already champagne infused with taurine and malt substance (yes, the American version of the Brit loved vodka and Red Bull) that means you get two! Two Sparks! And as I age I realize the importance of keeping both my alcohol and caffeine levels up when I go out, so this is my perfect drink. Too bad I don’t realize the importance of good taste huh?
[…]
 In a town where queer nights rarely see their first birthday, Wednesday night’s Gaycation’s 1st year bash is a welcome change. Holocene (1001 SE Morrison) ushers the party into toddler-dom this Wednesday the 7th at 9p and, despite this being an anniversary rager, the price is still a wonderfully simple zero bucks. As usual DJ Snowtiger and Mr. Charming will be your gracious hosts. […]
None of my illustrious commentary today just a couple of club night announcements. The posters should say it all…(And apparently the Queer Fetish night is the last at the Eagle. Does this have to do with the scandal?)
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It’s that time of year again where we all gather to watch skinny, drama filled lesbians in power suits strut like peacocks through Los Angeles. That’s right, our favorite Lifetime drama for lesbos begins again for the fourth time this Sunday the 7th on Showtime.  (For another interesting show that’s on the real Lifetime, check out out Byron’s WW column this week. It a cruel idea and normally I hate reality TV but I have a feeling this one might suck me in) And we each will have our favorite spots to watch including numerous house parties and the infamous E-Room, but premiere night also sees and extra special place to hang out. HRC Portland is hosting a fundraiser at Aura (1022 W Burnside) from 6-10:30. I’m not normally a huge fan of either the gargantuan and normative HRC, nor the Pearlesque and pricey Aura who complains about Zoobombers trashing the hood (hey, the south side of Burnside is not the Pearl yet…) but it can’t hurt to help out a gay organization while you’re watching you’re trashy TV ang getting some nosh. Besides, word on the street is it will fill up fast, which means you better RSVP soon (by pm tomorrow) but it also means you singles might have even more incentive. […]
 I’m not sure why, in my vast imagination, I cannot seem the conjure a picture of what a Queer Quistmas (Christmas?) Variety Show would look like, but perhaps it’s a subconscious desire to be surprised, or maybe that I have no idea how to interpret "Quistmas" except as either a lame speech impediment joke or a cereal only available on the east coast that my girlfriend just ordered off the internet because it’s a grand childhood memory…
But anyway, Lee Kyle, Portland’s favorite new generation 6 foot diva, hosts such an extravaganza this Saturday the 10th at Mississippi Pizza Pub (3552 N. Mississippi Ave), which, contrary its down-home sounding name, has a vast and mesmerizing drink menu in an eclectically swank setting. (Did I just sound like a Homes and Gardens magazine?)
But if there mere thought of our gorgeous and tattooed queen-of-the-year isn’t enough to lure you, nor my drink and decor musings, here’s Splendora’s own description:
"Queer Quistmas" is a collection/performance of the friends of Splendora: Kaj Anne Pepper, a member of Sissyboy, does Christmas based performance art and storytelling, The Drunken Princess Girl retells the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and puts a sexy spin on "Twas the Night Before Christmas", singer/songwriter Sara King is planning on a Christmas Medley and a few original songs, and Tipsy Genius, a musical and storytelling act created Fannie Mae and Zebra (also of Sissyboy). I will be hosting as Splendora and am doing a song or two of my own.
This must be Portland’s answer to the 50s phenomenon Ed Sullivan…
[…]
 Local musician and Reedie Paul Clay is not only a melodically talented, but a rather fine descriptive author as well. So, at the risk of losing my position here as blogger I want to defer to his own rather magnificent descriptions: “Paul Clay makes music that blends carelessness and glitz with concern and radicalism…His songs vary from hyper-dancy queertronica to more introspective and political electroballads.” I, myself, like to think that I present concerned and radical careless glitz…that is, I care a lot about both politics and fashion, but sometimes I just watch VH1 in my underwear… Musically, however, this amounts to a dynamic and varied sound that at once reminds me of Electro-clash beats and a musical theater piece. And yet, be ready to surprised again because the next track may morph into a surreal and sweet folk song. I do so love the schizophrenic nature of his sound, which can be previewed in the media section of his website. (A website which is pretty extensive, with not only mp3s but lyrics, news, MySpace, photos and more.) But Clay is also a whimsical, if political, lyricist, bringing his queerness into focus and keeping a strong message, throughout his continually changing melodies.
But the real lure is the music and the performance, and Clay’s sophomore album drops tomorrow, Friday Nov 17th. With it comes a celebratory show at the Reed College Chapel (3203 SE Woodstock Blvd), 9p. And if you miss those you have a couple more chances. Dec. 1st, 7-10 PM – Aids day benefit concert for Cascade Aids (by the Queer Resource Center at PSU) and Jan 13th Campbell Club Coop, Eugene, Oregon (1648 Alder St).
Oh yeah, and did I mention he’s a dreamboat?
[…]
Though I’m guessing most of you will be frantically bubbling in your ballots because you waited until the last minute to make your electoral voice heard, when you calm your political fervor you will be rewarding with the uplifting sounds of Scream Club, Show Me the Pink, and Joey Casio.
 Until then, make use of Basic Right’s endorsements, although I personally found The Merc’s better and more comprehensive. This is an important one folks so get out there, even if it’s flooding and drop off your ballot.
Once you have, however, take your empowered citizen self down to the Paragon to start you election night (hopefully) celebration. While this trio of hot genre-crossing bands may not be directly tied to elections all 3 have their own brand of queer, off beat politics. I’m sure the political discussion will ride the dace wave throughout the night. Better still, two of the artist have shiny new albums available in all their shrink-wrapped glory. Fantastic and brightly colored electro-hip-hopster-punks Scream Club have just released Life of Heartbreaker featuring guest appearances from Peaches, Tender Forever, Nicky Click, Electrosexual and others. Joey Casio, our favorite child-instrument-toting Oly hipster nice boy, has dropped his own new tunes, an album called attack decay. Both albums will be available at the show.
[…]
A lot has happened this week during my excessively long absence (due to ridiculous things like, excessive workload). New Jersey fought an awkward battle, and seemed to win…if in that wishy washy way to which, it seems, I must resign myself. But New Jersey’s highest court did rule Wednesday that homosexual couples are due all of the rights accorded to heterosexual couples, and has given the legislature six months to either grant gay couples the right to marry, or come up with another civil-union type system. And that is certainly worth celebrating, even when you have to keep in the back of your mind that, even in states where it may become legal, we can still be denied our rights, as evidenced by late Congressman Studds’ partner being denied death benefits.
 But as we head into the seriousness of election time, and consider the ramifications of new legal rulings such as NJ’s we also need to give ourselves the time to let go. And what better way to let loose and be truly freaky queer than with the costumed mania that is Portland’s Halloween happenings. Just Out’s main article highlights the best places to get costumes, though at this late date I’d also like to point out OregonLive’s own cheeky options. As for what to do once you’re all dressed up check out Just Out’s haunted events calendar. As for me, tonight’s a tough call between Doubledown at Holocene and an amazing sounding Disco party at the Wonder Ballroom (have I talked before about how much I love the 70s and how I was born too late?) As for the night of Haunts itself, I recommend Sissyboy’s take on the religious Halloween "Hell Houses" at the Doug Fir, especially for anyone (like me) who missed their Friday night zombie performance. Although any holiday with Amy Sedaris is tempting too…
[…]
I realize I’m a little late as the 10th annual Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Fest actually started yesterday. Luckily for all late-comers, including myself, the fest rages on for a full week. If you’… […]
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