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Delusional Donovan episode 1: ‘Stray Cat’ review

Donovan's neighbor's hip hop juggernaught Celebrity Justice

Saturday night saw the premiere of the locally made sitcom pilot for Delusional Donovan a story of an 8-year-old boy and his hallucinations induced by witnessing a shocking event. Writer/Director/Producer duo Mark “Zebra” Thomas and Devan McGrath (whom we interviewed last week) are currently shopping around for networks interested in airing the offbeat comedy so you will likely have to wait awhile to see the show screened again, but get ready for its TV release, because it’s a big success.

One of the crew told me just before the screening grab several drinks, as it would make the show funnier. But mere sips into my first cocktail I was already shaking with laughter. In fact, I think I’m lucky vodka wasn’t coming out of my nose.

Much ado is made of the backstory, that young Donovan is in a fragile mental state due to trauma, but Stray Cat doesn’t actually address that at all. Instead it jumps right in and introduces us to an amazing cadre of characters. This might be a tad confusing for those who haven’t followed the active Portland hype, but could be easily remedied with a title sequence makeover. Though I’m a fan of the short and sweet, and Donovan‘s opening animation is simple yet effective, there’s got to be some background available once it makes it to the wider television audience.

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Sissyboy and the return of Blow Pony…Saturday night was a doozy

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'Sissyboy Washes Up' Photo by Marty Davis / Just Out

This weekend was pretty epic. Indeed the fact/excuse that this review is a day or two late is testament to just how big a queer party weekend it was.

Friday started it off with an extremely packed and sweaty Fruitcake which may quickly outgrow its britches, and perhaps already has, in the fine tradition of upstarts such as Booty. But it was Saturday’s combo of 2 big returns, Sissyboy and Blow Pony, that truly raised the roof.

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The return of the Sissyboys

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The Sissyboy troupe

After an epic final show in October 2007, the unabashedly naughty Sissyboy shock drag troupe called it quits, and the gentlemen all, literally, went their own ways. But the dream never died. Various related performance groups arose and the Sissyboys released an underground documentary film.

Key member, Splendora (aka Lee Kyle), continued to perform around Portland before moving to New York City. Amazed at the Big Apple’s timidity, Kyle was determined to reunite the boys for a truly envelope-pushing east coast performance. Luckily, we get to see it first.

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