Nic
Now I don’t really care what industry we’re talking about, what job you work in, or who you’re surrounded by, we always encounter douchebags who think that they know shit better than you, no?
Let’s give an example. You’re an experienced server, working for your tips, in the industry for a while and doing your job right, and yet there’s always the jerk that will tell you that you need to bring them a fork (before you get a chance to), or reiterate how they like their steak done (even though you heard them four times), or insult the dressing on the salad (like you’re the one that made it). The arrogance of humanity has no bounds, and no matter what job you’re in, it arises everywhere.
Well I happen to be in the liquor industry, where arrogance is only amplified by the amount of booze people drink, and boy do I see it all. The people you thought were nice, doing incomparable things while drunk. The not so nice people, searching endlessly for love in all the inappropriate places. I’ve seen it all. And I don’t judge, because I’ve been that guy. The point is that my industry has an added factor of douchebagery to it, but what doesn’t change are the people that have some deluded sense of self worth, and feel that they belong more than you do. The “VIP’s”.
In my continuing efforts to always support gay cinema, I watched a movie that had unfortunately flown under my radar. An Englishman in New York stars John Hurt as the always opinionated Quentin Crisp, and is based on the last 30 years of Crisp’s life as he lived in New York City and made an impact on the theatrical front.
Quentin Crisp came to New York from London after his TV biography ”The Naked Civil Servant” became popular. He was renowned for being a forefront in gay rights, having worn makeup in the 30′s, having been beat up for being gay, and refusing to change himself in any way. After being invited to America for a lecture, he fell in love with the city of New York, and with the help of his agent, became a landed immigrant.
The movie, not only a nominee, but winner of film festivals, has a sepia quality to it, and not in the colour of the film. The feel of the whole movie puts you in the slow speaking, yet quick witted mindframe of an elderly gay man as his life opens up opportunities for him to experience in his later years. John Hurt’s performance is undeniably brilliant as Crisp, and although a few cardboard supporting characters come and go throughout the film, the pace itself doesn’t lag and is actually sped up half way through the movie after the tragic loss of Crisp’s artist friend Patrick Angus played by cutie Jonathan Tucker, and the introduction of the only fresh and brilliant supporting, Cynthia Nixon as Penny Arcade. Penny takes Quentin back to the stage in the 90′s, revamping him from the loss of popularity in the 80′s due to a near decade long faux pas when Quentin said publicly that AIDS was a fad.
So a couple exciting events are happening in Vancouver in the next week and if you’re a local, you should come JOIN THE FUN and support some great causes…and have a few drinks.
This Friday May 14th at 560 on Seymour, The DMS (Dogwood Monarchist Society), in which Raye Sunshine is this year’s reigning Empress, is putting on an Art Show for their great charities including Qmunity, HIM and The Queer History Project. Ridiculously hot and talented, upcoming local artists Brandon Gaukel, Tyler Pentland, David Sandford, Frankie Torng, and Adam Wojtowicz showcase they’re amazing pieces, and DJ Leanne spins in the Lounge. Entry is a minimum donation of $5, show’s from 7-10, and IT’S GONNA BE FUN! I’ll be the one with martini in tow.
…because you never really know what you’re going to get. But the stigma about rosé has definitely been lifted the last couple of years after consumers realized it wasn’t all about the sugary pink drink, nor was White Zinfandel even remotely considered to be palatable (friends don’t let friends drink White Zinfandel people!).
But this fickle mistress can really give you anything because rosé can be made out of ANY red grape in ANY style. Cab, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo…literally ANY red grape can be made into rosé. So how do you know what you want? Well I’m gonna’ give you a few of my picks and try to give you a variety, because whether you like sweet bubbles, or bone dry libations, there’s a mistress out there for you. And you. And even YOU.
Stag’s Hollow Syrah Rosé ($20ish)
This one pops into my head firstly because it’s the newest addition to our new world rosé family at Denman Place Wines. Named BEST at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, it gives you a POW that I haven’t had in a BC rosé before. A blend of aromas and flavors of wild strawberries, pie cherries, and orange blossoms, I get a serious candied fruit salad from this without being too sweet. At still a “0″ on the sweetness scale it FILLS your mouth, wipes your palate, punches you in the gut, and gives you all the things you would expect a Syrah or Shiraz to do, but in a cold and refreshing pink style. A redhead in a red dress with a secret in a glass.
There’s really not a lot to say about this except the obvious. A giant leap for this country.
After 21 years, the ban for HIV positive people on entering China has been lifted. Did you know that this comes not long after South Korea and the U.S.A. lifted similar bans on the 1st of January just this year? Not a lot of people recognize the prejudice of HIV+ people still extremely prevalent in the world, or even as close to home as the U.S. just a few shorts months ago.
“I commend President Hu Jintao for China’s decision to remove travel restrictions based on HIV status,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “Punitive policies and practices only hamper the global AIDS response.”
Amen. This pointless regulation does not prevent HIV transmission, as China now realizes, particularly when China already had an HIV-positive population of 740,000, and no country in the world does not already have HIV positive persons living in it. The inarguable cure of education being key cannot be stressed more after about 84% of 4000 respondents in China opposed lifting the ban, thinking that HIV+ foreigners would only further spread the disease. Education is key to freedom from this bigotry, and I hope that other countries will follow suit after China has set an example.
THIS is an opinion column.
You know what shouldn’t be? The cover story on the biggest and most widely distributed gay newspaper in Vancouver. The story is about gay spaces vs. mixed spaces on the club scene. And it really got my goat. And DEFINITELY not because I’m anti-mixed spaces, but I’ll get to that later. The whole thing became a rehashed issue when a new 28,000 square foot mixed club opened up in the city, which has served it’s purpose and been fantastic. I mean, I’ll give it to the publication in question for really trying to be uncharacteristically unbiased by throwing in a few quotes towards the beginning of the article about people being pro gay only spaces. But the whole thing, as does with most to nearly all of the writing in said newspaper just comes down to what the opinion of the “reporter” had at the time, and it seemed that reporter liked mixed spaces. What happened to the days where reporting showed both sides equally, helped inform the public to make their own decision on an issue without pushing them one way or the other?
Now, you can call ME biased, working in one of the only 100% gay clubs in Vancouver that wasn’t asked for an opinion of any kind or nearly given a mention, save to acknowledge an ex employee who has moved to the “mixed” club the whole article was written about, but this is pretty obvious why. By leaving us and a lot of figure heads out completely, they proved their point, but only through ommitance of the other side of the coin. That’s not reporting. The smartest thing in the entire article is the very last sentence…
Closeted Gay Celeb Comes Out On May 5th?
Author: Nic
Date: Apr 22, 2010
In: Celeb Gossip & News, Nic, Totally GAY!
What? I know this seems just as strange to me as it does to you. But the rumour mill is spinning itself into a frenzy at the whispers that a high profile celebrity is planning on making a big coming out on May 5th. Now I’m not one to care enough to make a stink that everybody in Hollywood is gay but keep up appearances, nor am I the guy to point the finger and out someone. Really, celebrities lives are as much my business as the dude beside me on the street. BUT. This celeb is basically planning their own rainbow party, so Imma climb on the train!
Now all this hoopla is thanks to publicist Howard Bragman. Who? Right, so he’s the little man behind the curtain that’s behind a lot of public coming outs. Bragman is responsible for helping Sheryl Swoops and Meredith Baxter EASE into public lesbianism as well as handling the sensitive case of Chaz Bono and his gender transitioning. And now that everybody has gotten over Ricky Martin fever (PULEEZE it wasn’t a SURPRISE!), it looks like Bragman has snagged himself the next headline.
Clay Greene is a 78 year old man filing a law suit against Sonoma County. The law suit states a series of infractions on his legal rights to his own property that started after his partner of twenty years, 88 year old Harold Scull, fell down the stairs injuring himself. Scull was hospitalized and the state, against his will, moved Mr. Greene into a nursing home.
Greene and Scull both made documents stating each other as the executor’s of each other’s property in the case of mental incapacity. But these documents were ignored completely. Now Greene, obviously in a bright enough mental state to sue, is livid. He is livid at not having his relationship with Scull taken seriously by officials, after they continually called Scull his “roommate”. Greene is livid at not being able to visit Scull while he lay dying in the hospital. Clay Greene is also beside himself after county officials petitioned the court for partial conservatorship and sold or disposed of nearly $500,000 worth of property from the men’s estate. His furniture, collected art, memorabilia from working in Hollywood years past, his vehicles, and his pets, all thrown away, auctioned off, and sold without his legal permission.
