Sean, from Dine & Dish Shares His Favorite Moments From The Video Shoot with Ashley and Jared
Meet Sean! Username: Shaun_o_saurus_rex Relationship Status: Single Three words to describe Sean: Quick-witted, Bubbly, Saucy Where you can find Sean: Sean’s morning starts with a cup of coffee and watching ESPN.…
DANGEROUS AND DISGUSTING — HUD SEC. BEN CARSON TARGETS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WITH DISCRIMINATORY COMMENTS: Carson has a long history of dehumanizing LGBTQ people; his is just the latest attack on transgender Americans launched by the Trump-Pence administration. More from The Washington Post.
This is what Trump’s cabinet officials do. @SecretaryCarson has spent his political career expressing disgust toward the existence of trans people. From day 1, this administration has made it clear that the cruelty of their words & actions is the point. t.co/LB4TzDbEvZ
HRC RELEASES EARLY VOTER DATA “SNAPSHOT” SHOWING POWER OF LGBTQ & EQUALTIY VOTERS IN FOUR EARLY PREZ PRIMARY/CAUCUS STATES: Of the approximately 7.5 million registered voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, over 23% are Equality Voters and approximately 5% are LGBTQ voters. “With more than 11 million LGBTQ voters and 57 million Equality Voters nationwide, voters who prioritize LGBTQ rights have become a force to be reckoned with and a constituency to court,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). Check out the data here, and read more at HRC.
HRC TO HONOR DOMINIQUE JACKSON AND WELCOME RYAN RUSSELL AND JAKE CHOI TO THE 23RD ANNUAL NATIONAL DINNER: “Dominique Jackson has brought her one-of-a-kind charisma and talent to the hit FX series Pose, all while being a visible and forceful advocate for LGBTQ rights — especially the rights of transgender women of color,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “We are also thrilled to welcome special guests Ryan Russell and Jake Choi, trailblazers in their respective worlds of sports and entertainment. Earlier this year, Russell became the only active NFL player to publicly come out as bisexual. Choi has received critical acclaim for his roles on the screen, bringing the often underrepresented identity of an LGBTQ Asian-American into the living rooms of families across the country.” More from HRC.
PULSE SURVIVOR BRANDON WOLF (@BJOEWOLF) APPEARS BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE, SHARES POWERFUL TESTIMONY AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE: “The sad reality is that my story isn’t unique,” said Wolf. “Hatred and the violence it begets are on the rise — and they have infected every corner of this country.” Watch the full testimony here.
Since the tragedy at Pulse nightclub, thousands have been killed by #gunviolence, horrifically underscoring the failure of our elected leaders to implement commonsense gun reform.
We must honor those taken with action. Thank you @bjoewolf for bravely sharing your story. t.co/mvbDEp1ueK
CA APPEALS COURT RULES THAT TRANS MAN CAN FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST MEDICAL CENTER OVER CANCELLATION OF GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERY: More from The Sacramento Bee.
HRC’S CHARLOTTE CLYMER (@CMCLYMER), TRANS ADVOCATE RUBY CORADO (@CASARUBYDC) AMONG WASHINGTON BLADE’S ANNUAL BEST OF GAY D.C. WINNERS: More from Washington Blade.
GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS
REFORM OF INDONESIA’S PENAL CODE THREATENS TO CRIMINALIZE LGBTQ PEOPLE: The Indonesian parliament is considering changes that would criminalize consensual sex outside of marriage, which would effectively criminalize same-sex relations, as well as restrict contraception and other changes. Read more at CNN.
MAURITIAN ADVOCATES TO CHALLENGE COUNTRY’S ANTI-LGBTQ LAW: A youth organization advocating for LGBTQ rights, the Queer Alliance is calling for an end to Mauritius’ sodomy law that it describes as a colonial-era law that restricts the full rights of LGBTQ people. More from The Rustin Times.
BIANKA RODRÍGUEZ, UNA MUJER TRANSGÉNERO SALVADOREÑA, RECIBE EL PREMIO NANSEN DE LA OFICINA DEL ALTO COMISIONADO PARA LOS REFUGIADOS DE LAS NACIONES UNIDAS (ACNUR): Rodríguez (@BiankaR_odrguez), una activista transgénero, fue reconocida por la ACNUR por su liderazgo y esfuerzos de defensa de derechos LGBTQ en El Salvador. “Este premio lo recibo por aquellas personas de la comunidad LGBTI que se han visto forzadas a desplazarse internamente por la violencia y discriminación que sufren a causa de su orientación sexual o identidad de género y que han sufrido rechazo y marginación”, dijo Rodríguez. Más de El Mundo y UNHCR.
READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break! Sporting News highlights NBA star Dwyane Wade (@DwyaneWade), Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) and family launching t-shirt line in support of LGBTQ community; NBC spotlights how ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise (@BachParadise) made history with two LGBTQ proposals; HRC hosts panel about bi+ visibility in media with bi+ community members and advocates
Introducing Swipe Night: An Original Adventure Built for The Swipe® Feature
This first-of-its-kind, interactive experience will give Gen-Z plenty of ways to break the ice
On October 6 at 6:00 p.m. local time in the U.S., Tinder® will launch Swipe Night– a first-of-its-kind, original interactive adventure that represents a whole new way to match. The Swipe Night story is a first-person, apocalyptic adventure where at key turning points, Tinder members decide what happens to them next. And their choices dictate more than just the story; they also impact who they match with and what they will chat about once the epic journey ends. Now that half of Tinder members are Gen Z (18-25), we’ve built an entire experience that speaks their language. We can’t think of a better way to break the ice than over emojis and the apocalypse.
Every Sunday in October, a new part of the Swipe Night adventure will take place live, right inside Tinder. From 6 p.m. – midnight, any active Tinder member in the U.S. will have the chance to experience the apocalypse together. Because, let’s face it, if we knew the world was ending, we wouldn’t want to go it alone. Swipe Night follows a group of friends played by Angela Wong Carbone (Chinatown Horror Story), Jordan Christian Hearn (Inherent Vice), and Shea Gabor, led by none other than you. As the story unfolds, you’ll face moral dilemmas and practical choices, with only seven seconds to decide and no going back. After each Swipe Night story release, critical choices will be added to members’ profiles, showing which decisions potential matches did or did not make. And all of this new information will make for plenty of material for post-apocalyptic banter.
“Seven years ago, Tinder revolutionized the way we meet with the invention of its Swipe feature. Now, with Swipe Night, we’re proud to be pushing the envelope again, by letting people connect in ways they can’t anywhere else. The level of innovation, interactivity and immersiveness in the Swipe Night adventure is unprecedented in the dating space, and we’re excited to continue experimenting with new ways to connect on the Tinder app,” said CEO Elie Seidman.
In order to be authentic to the Gen Z audience, Tinder tapped Drake’s go-to music video director, 23-year-old Karena Evans (2019 BET Award winner, “Video Director of the Year”) to blend immersive storytelling with Tinder’s Swipe features. Evans, with writers Nicole Delaney (Big Mouth, Netflix) and Brandon Zuck (Insecure, HBO), made Swipe Night truly a next generation experience. “We jumped at the chance to work with a brand like Tinder. They gave us the opportunity to experiment with new ways to tell a story, with a highly-engaged, diverse community that’s incredibly open-minded,” said Evans, director of Swipe Night.
Swipe Night brings responsive, streaming video to Tinder for the first time. But more important than its technical innovation, it offers a new way to use content to start conversations. “More than half of Tinder members are Gen Z, and we want to meet the needs of our ever-evolving community. We know Gen Z speaks in content, so we intentionally built an experience that is native to how they interact. Dating is all about connection and conversation, and Swipe Night felt like a way to take that to the next level. Our hope is that it will encourage new, organic conversations based on a shared content experience.” said Ravi Mehta, Tinder’s Chief Product Officer.
For members in the continental U.S., be sure to tune-in to Swipe Night every Sunday in October, starting October 6 at 6:00 p.m. local time. Each release of the Swipe Night adventure will only be available for 6 hours, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Follow #SwipeNight & @Tinder on Instagram and Twitter and visit swipelife.tinder.com to follow the latest updates on Swipe Night.
What to Watch: Edwardian closet cases, wrestlers in drag, school crushes reunite
Downton Abbey: The Movie
Stepping out on a movie date this weekend? Netflix and chillin? Whatever your entertainment needs, we got your back (and hopefully your mind) with Queerty’s weekly “Culture Club” column with some of the highlights of new releases, streaming shows, classics worth revisiting, and what to drink while you watch.
The Step Out: Downton Abbey – The Movie
Anyone desiring tea, old English wit or old English scandal can rejoice: Downton Abbey, the popular BBC/PBS series has made the transition to the big screen, and with the full cast intact. Set a few years after the series finale, the film picks up with the Downton residents in a tizzy over a visit by the king and queen. Scoffing and sweating ensue, though the real drama of the movie comes in the form of closeted butler Tom Barrow (once again played by Robert James-Collier) exploring his sexuality, and a long-running feud between the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith, in full acid tongue) and her estranged cousin Lady Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton). The film shouldn’t disappoint fans of the series, or anyone else who enjoys upstairs-downstairs (or Upstairs/Downstairs) drama.
In cinemas September 20.
The Dragzilla: Cassandro the Exotico
Meet Cassandro, fixture of the Luca Libre wrestling circuit in Mexico, an avowed drag queen and out-gayman. This documentary biopic about his life, career and impact finally comes to streaming services this week. Now 47, Cassandro—real name Saul Armendariz—reflects on his life, his coming out and his reputation as the Liberace of wrestling. Part memoir, part confessional, Armendariz’s story reminds us all of the importance of coming out and visibility, especially on the eve of National Coming Out Month.
Available on Blu-Ray and DVD September 17.
The Provocative: Drive Me Home
This Italian road picture picked up a following on the worldwide festival circuit, and we know why. Drive Me Home follows the reunion of two childhood friends—one straight, the other gay—on a road trip across Europe. In a refreshing antidote to all those gay kid who never got over his love for the straight kid movies, Drive Me Home actually posits things the other way around, which raises some very interesting questions. Full of sexual tension and with two fine performances by Vinicio Marchioni and Marco D’Amore, Drive Me Home examines the point where straight and gay life meet, with all the complications intact.
Available on DVD/Blu-Ray and streaming services September 24.
The Spin: John Duff “Rich”
In case you hadn’t heard out-gay recording artist John Duff’s new hip-hop track—or, more to the point, seen the accompanying video—now would be a good time to do so. In “Rich,” Duff rips influencer & affluenza culture with savage jabs at everyone from the Kardashians to the Real Housewives to Anna Wintour. In his lyrics, Duff attacks the absurd pressure to adhere to certain gender and beauty standards, the vapidity of reality TV and the utter emptiness of materialism. Seldom does musical satire get this pointed, or this spot-on.
15 years ago, the short film Dare amassed a cult following thanks to some fine atmospherics and technical polish. The story concerns a lonely gayboy with a crush on a straight classmate. One night, said straight boy gets drunk, and the lonely gayboy makes his move. So then what happens? Now we know: the original cast and crew have reassembled for this short sequel, which picks up 15 years after the original. We don’t want to give away any twists here, other than to say both Dare and its sequel raise some provocative questions about sexuality and gender standards, not to mention how people evolve—or don’t—over time.
What better way to celebrate the release of Downton Abbey than with a titular cocktail? This citrus martini will have you spitting venom like the Dowager Countess…or possibly looking for strapping young butlers on Grindr.
1/2Lime
3ozGin
2ozSt. Germain liqueur
1ozChampagne
Spiral of citrus rind
Squeeze lime into cocktail shaker. Add gin & St. Germain. Shake. Pour into a martini glass, and top with champagne. Add rind for optional garnish.
TAX RETURNS. Trump sues Manhattan DA to block release of tax returns: ‘Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow says the lawsuit is intended “to address the significant constitutional issues at stake in this case.” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. recently subpoenaed Trump’s accounting firm for eight years of his state and federal tax returns.’
CANCEL TAYLOR SWIFT?FOX & Friends floats the idea: “What do you think and politics in general? What do you think about what Taylor Swift did? Remember, you know, she is getting involved in politics. She is also involved in a retail business. She would like to sell as many records and things as possible. Does this harm or does this make you want to buy more things?”
While criticizing Taylor Swift’s interest in politics, Brian Kilmeade blames Barack Obama for the Russian invasion of Georgia, which happened at the end of the Bush administration. pic.twitter.com/rHZPDoV2OF
SANDY HOOK PROMISE. Devastating ‘Back to School’ PSA.
ISRAEL. Netanyahu rival claims victory: “With 98 percent of the vote counted in Israel’s election, Kahol Lavan grew by one seat to 33, widening its edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party.”
AMAZING RACE CANADA. Gay, indigenous couple wins reality show: ‘Johnson is a project consultant hailing from the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Makokis is a family physician specializing in transgender care from Alberta’s Saddle Lake Cree Nation. They both identify as two-spirit, an umbrella term that indigenous people use to describe people in their communities who are gender-nonconforming.’
NICO TORTORELLA. Ashton Kutcher yelled at me for drug use: “As a queer person, unfortunately the way that we usually find each other is in bars. It really lends to the fostering of addiction and alcohol and drug issues. I obviously went down that path quite a few times in my life.”
Dine & Dish Premiere with Hosts Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon – Watch Now!
Four real Plenty of Fish users dine with Bachelor fan favorites and newlyweds Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon. They dish about face filters, authenticity in dating apps and what singles…
NewFest announces dynamic full festival lineup for 2019
The True Adventures of Wolfboy
New York’s leading LGBTQ film festival, NewFest, has announced the full lineup of their 31st annual celebration of the year’s best LGBTQ films from around the world. As announced earlier this week, the festival will kick off the festival’s 31st edition with the New York premiere of Mike Doyle’s Manhattan-set ensemble rom-com SELL BY, featuring an eclectic cast including Scott Evans (Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie”), Kate Walsh (ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”), Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Buteau (Netflix’s “Tales of the City”) and Augustus Prew (HIGH-RISE), and will close the festival with the New York premiere of Rodrigo Bellott’s award-winning film TU ME MANQUES, which was recently announced as Bolivia’s submission for Best International Feature Film selection for the 2019 Academy Awards.
This year’s NewFest will feature several galas and special screenings, including the previously announced U.S. Centerpiece Gala of the stylized period-piece drama TO THE STARS from director Martha Stephen (co-director of the award-winning drama LAND HO!), starring Kara Hayward (MOONRISE KINGDOM), Malin Akerman (Showtime’s “Billions”), Jordana Spiro (Netflix’s “Ozark”) and Emmy Award-winner Tony Hale (HBO’s “Veep”).
Highlights announced today by NewFest Executive Director David Hatkoff and Director of Programming Nick McCarthy include the New York Centerpiece screening of Mark Blane’s 16mm quirky comedy film CUBBY, starring Golden Globe and Emmy®-nominated Patricia Richardson, and the International Centerpiece screening of Levan Akin’s AND THEN WE DANCED, which premiered to great acclaim at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and is Sweden’s submission for Best International Feature Film selection for the 2019 Academy Awards. Other highlights of the festival include this year’s Documentary Centerpiece screening, the U.S. premiere of Megan Wennberg’s film DRAG KIDS, which follows the lives of four young drag performers from around North America, and a spotlight screening of THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF WOLFBOY, Martin Krejcí’s modern-day fairytale starring Jaeden Martell (IT), John Turturro, and Chloë Sevigny (LOVE & FRIENDSHIP).
NewFest will also host three world premieres at this year’s festival: Alexis Clements’ documentary ALL WE’VE GOT, which looks into what it takes in America for queer, spaces for women (bokoshops, bars, theaters) to survive and why/how they are disappearing, Viatcheslav Kopturevskiy’s SIBERIA AND HIM, a story of forbidden love in one of the most unexpected and dangerous places on earth, and Rafael Gomes’ MUSIC FOR BLEEDING HEARTS, a film based on the hit Brazilian play with the same name, about three friends living multiple romantic experiences in search of their own versions of love.
The full program of 27 narrative features, 14 documentary features, 15 episodic series, 8 centerpiece and spotlight screenings, and 100 shorts runs from October 23-29 at the SVA Theatre, Cinépolis Chelsea, as well as The LGBT Community Center in New York City.
NewFest aims every year to bring new and exciting voices to New York audiences, highlighting the emerging voices of queer cinema. With this in mind, all of the films in this year’s Narrative Features & Documentary Features sections are either New York, East Coast or World premieres, and 11 are from first-time feature filmmakers. This year’s edition continues the tradition of reaching gender parity, with 54% of films having been directed by women, trans, or non-binary filmmakers. “New York is big and bold, and so is our 31st Annual LGBTQ Film Festival, which will feature over 160 films that reflect and celebrate all aspects of the queer experience,” said NewFest Executive Director David Hatkoff. “Whether set in Brooklyn or Brazil, Manhattan or Manila, our brilliant programming team has selected films that are local and international, intersectional and intergenerational — just like the singular city we live in. It’s an honor to offer a platform to these filmmakers, connect them to audiences, and create a joyful space for members of our community to come together and share experiences.”
“Like most art, cinema is at its most powerful when it’s necessary, and this year’s selections prove the importance of giving visibility to the LGBTQ community throughout the world,” said Director of Programming Nick McCarthy. “With World Premieres of films from Brazil and remote Siberia, it’s vital to amplify queer stories from a variety of genres in the face of oppression. Creating a space to celebrate queer voices and gather diverse audiences in conversation is essential to the fabric, survival and growth of the LGBTQ community. Film always find a way to shine a light in the darkest times, and we salute both the established and emerging filmmakers represented this year for giving life to our community.” In the tradition of receiving submissions from around the world, the festival features films and episodic programming coming from 32 countries. In addition, 71% of content is by and about underrepresented voices (Women, People of Color, Trans, Bi and Differently Abled). Overall, the festival will screen 48 feature-length films, 100 shorts and 15 episodic series, for a total of 163 selections. The Narrative and Documentary Feature sections will include 31 films total, with 27 international features represented, including new works from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Israel, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the United States.
In addition to the world premiere of SIBERIA & HIM, highlights from the Narrative Features selection include the New York premiere of the 2019 Berlinale Teddy Jury Prize winner A DOG BARKING AT THE MOON, James Sweeney’s romantic comedy STRAIGHT UP, starring Sweeney, Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat”), Katie Findlay (“Man Seeking Woman”) and Tracie Thoms (“Rent”), the comedy in black-and-white with bursts of color SECOND STAR ON THE RIGHT, about a bisexualwoman and three best friends, and the East Coast premiere of Samatha Lee’s 90s coming-of-age film BILLIE & EMMA.
In addition to the world premiere of ALL WE’VE GOT, highlights from this year’s Documentary Features section include THE ARCHIVETTES about the co-founders of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, LEONARD SOLOWAY’S BROADWAY, which delves into the archives and experiences of a legendary Broadway producer who received over 40 Tony Awards and 3 Pulitzer Prizes, and UNSETTLED: SEEKING REFUGE IN AMERICA, about the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers who have fled intense persecution from their home countries.
NewFest also offers an annual frightfully scary queer program, and this year’s HalloKween lineup is no exception. This year the festival will screen BIT, the Nicole Maines (CW’s “Supergirl”) led transgender vampire film, the documentary SCREAM QUEEN: MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET about the controversial sequel of the Wes Craven classic that ended Mark Patton’s acting career, and the Spanish alien rescue mission film BRIEF STORY FROM THE GREEN PLANET, which won the coveted Teddy Award at this year’s Berlinale Film Festival. Ticket redemption for Festival Passholders begins at 12PM EST on Friday, September 20th. There will be a Member Presale for tickets on Tuesday, September 24th. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, September 27th. For more information, to purchase a festival pass, or to become a member, go to newfest.org.
NewFest is presented by HBO, and would like to thank the following sponsors: Hyundai (Signature Sponsor), Beam Suntory (Premier Sponsor), Room & Board (Premier Sponsor); Ace Hotel New York, Norwegian Airlines, and Amida Care (Official Sponsors); and Comcast NBCUniversal, T-Mobile, and Twitter (Supporting Sponsors).
NewFest is grateful to the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the New York City Council, and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) for their generous support of our programs.
About NewFest Founded in 1988, NewFest: New York’s Film and Media Arts Organization presents year-round screenings and events, including the annual New York LGBT Film Festival. NewFest’s mission is to give voice and visibility to the full scope of New York’s LGBTQ community through films and programs that entertain, educate, and empower. In bringing diverse audiences and filmmakers together, NewFest creates spaces and conversations that have the capacity to open minds, shift cultural bias, and create positive change. NewFest is dedicated to bringing together filmmakers and audiences to build a community that encompasses the wide range of representations of the LGBTQ experience. We are committed to nurturing and presenting LGBTQ stories and emerging filmmakers.
Queer pop star Morgxn on newfound fame, music and love: “I’m deeply searching for real connection”
“I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Which is ironic, since I’m Jewish.”
Morgxn doesn’t try to hide his excitement. The rising musical star has come to Los Angeles on his latest tour to play the fabled Troubador rock venue. Historically, the club serves as a major stepping stone for musicians, having elevated the careers of then-unknown acts like Elton John, Radiohead, Guns N’ Roses, Weezer and Linda Ronstadt to international stardom.
Nashville native Morgxn has already enjoyed the taste of success. Last year, his single “Home” charted at #25 on the US rock charts. This year, he performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to a warm reception and released the single “A New Way” to help promote GLAAD.
Dressed in a black sweatshirt, skinny slacks, blue-tinted eyeglasses and wearing opal nail polish, he takes a seat next to us at the Troubadour bar, his nerves aflutter before his Los Angeles show to chat about the state of his life. His tour will continue in Phoenix September 17 and in San Diego September 18.
So you’re about to do your first show at the Troubador.
To say I’m excited would be putting it lightly. I feel it’s a deep honor, and a deep sense of history.
How are you feeling about your life at the moment?
You know, when we announced the tour…I don’t book these shows. When they told me “In LA, you’re playing the Troubador.” I was actually at home in Nashville with my Mom. We had actually planned to go see [Rocketman]. So my life has been synchronistic to say the least. It’s been following the dots, and not knowing how they will connect, but they connect in these weird synchronistic moments. For me, seeing that movie the day the tour was announced and finding out I’d be playing the Troubador, I mean, how am I feeling? I’m feeling like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
What’s the reception to the tour been like?
Well I think what surprises me the most is that since this is all new for me—Vital being my first album, the first body of work I’ve put out—obviously, I know “Home” has had market success on charts. But that’s not really what got me into music. For me, I just wanted to express something, and I didn’t know how. I think on this tour in particular, what has surprised me is I’m playing songs I’ve never played live, because when you open for people, you only have half an hour to go in and be like how loud can I be? How much attention can I grab? With this headline tour, it’s been more about creating an arc and a flow, so I’m able to sit at the piano and play a song, which I haven’t done because everything is so fast. The first night of tour, I played this song called “Blue” that people were singing the words so loudly that my hands stopped playing. I couldn’t find the notes. I was so blown away that they were singing this song that to me is a deep cut. But I also like the deep cuts. They’re where I exist.
So it’s a realization that the words and the melodies that have been swimming around in my heart for the last few years have found their way into the open and are starting to connect with people. That’s beautiful.
Yes it is. So what’s your routine like before you go on stage?
I was just listening to a David Lynch audiobook, Catching the Big Fish. I do meditate. I feel like that’s a fools admission because I’m also a mess in my head. I have a song, “Out of My Mind” which is written “OMM” because I do meditate, but I’m also out of my mind. Part of my routine of getting ready for anything is to warm up. I do shut out all noise and all distraction and conversation and I try to just remember why I do what I do. I think it can be really hard, especially in this modern age. I actually turned off all notifications on my phone, not because I’m a martyr of being present, but I want to give myself a chance to connect to something deeper.
That’s awesome.
I have a deep sense of history thinking about all the people who have been on this stage, and the whole last year I’ve had with “Home” and radio and getting to speak to tons of stations. In a way, that’s made this not just feel like oh, cool song. It’s like this is a song from my heart touching people. Radio made that happen.
Photo by Kelsey Runge
You know, when I was in college, the idea that you would mention an LGBTQ artist on the radio, or that an artist was queer was really far removed. We had Melissa Etheridge. George Michael, Elton, but they were all older and more established. Now queer artists on the radio we take for granted. Do you find that label in the context of playing your music to be a double-edged sword? It’s cool that you’re being visible, but you might find resistance to that in the music business who think it makes you unmarketable.
That’s an interesting question. The thing I will say is that I spent a lifetime playing other parts and feeling like I would never be able to see the light of day by being myself. Whether that’s what theatre ingrained in me, or being from the south. I just posted a story, a father wrote this son a note. He’d overheard him talking to his boyfriend saying he would come out to his family. His father wrote this beautiful note saying “The only thing you need to plan to do is bring home orange juice from the store, because we’re out.”
[Laughter]
I think it’s a beautiful thing how visibility has grown. There are parts of the country and parts of the world that still need to see visibility. There’s still so much work to do. I actually have someone on my team who is queer who being a part of creating the message and helping to get things out there. I don’t see that a lot. I see a lot of queer art with a straight, white man as a gatekeeper for all that’s going out. I think that’s definitely a place that needs work. I would also say that being an artist who is enjoying the time in life where being queer and visible is not something like George Michael who suffered because he couldn’t let out that really important part of who he was.
Right.
I’ve always felt like an outsider in every way. Growing up in Nashville, I was different and made fun of for a lot of those things because just on the surface I was a chubby kid. I had a higher voice. I loved to sing. So I was already a target. But even in the outsider community that is the queer community, I still feel like an outsider. There’s an insider’s space within what media has called the queer thing, that I don’t feel a part of. I think there’s still so many fringe and different expressions of queerdom that I’m still not seeing. So the question makes me think how wonderful the visibility is, but within the visibility there’s still a hierarchy that I think is fun to expose. What version of queer is actually what mainstream is accepting as queer? There are so many different colors.
Great point. As accepted as we’ve become, obviously, being queer isn’t monolithic. We look, sound and have different needs from one another in some respects.
But it’s interesting that they’re starting to understand that point, that we’re not just skinny, femme white guys. Queer people look like everything and everybody.
You said it. You pinned the tail on the queer conundrum. With all the visibility that mainstream has seen, I wan to ask how we can deepen our understanding and awareness of the queer world without needing to have a poster child. To me—and I’ve thought about this a lot—the X in my name, and the reason I’m so attracted to the X is sort of because I don’t think labels are set up to help the person expressing themselves. I think it’s more about how society can feel comfortable having all these new terms to categorize people. For me, I feel like I grew up with so many forms of labels and structures that I was told would help me come to terms with who I am.
How so?
For instance, I came out as gay. I had my first experience with a man when I was 17 and it took a few years to shackle off that southern guilt. But when I came out as gay, I now look back and wish that I didn’t feel a need to throw a label on myself. Really me coming out as gay was me trying to explain myself and make other people feel comfortable with what I was going through. That label is really limiting as to how I identify now.
How do you identify now?
Human. I like the word queer.
Yeah, it’s more of an umbrella term.
It’s also a term that I realize can be triggering to a lot of people, because it’s also an insult I’ve been called. For me, reclaiming “queer” is part of my healing. It’s fun to heal yourself and own these phrases that were insulting.
Photo by Kelsey Runge
Sure.
I don’t even joke when I say I identify as human. Throwing any label on myself at this day, for me, would be limiting because it’s going to change. I am inevitably going to shift and evolve. I feel like the cop-out answer would be to say I’m queer and call it a day. The truth is my identity is constantly in motion. That’s what I’m trying to embrace every day.
So I want to talk a little bit about your music…
What?
Well obviously. That’s what you do. That’s how you express yourself.
I appreciate that.
Observation of fact…
You’d be surprised how many people don’t want to talk about music.
That’s a shame. So when do you feel most inspired? How does a song begin to form in your mind?
Well, if I was lying, I would tell you I have the answer. If I told you the truth, every song has its own journey. To put parameters on creativity is not how I go about doing it. To me, creation, songwriting, and making art is so much about the discovery process. Sometimes that starts with a word. Sometimes it starts with a melody. Sometimes it starts with a drum groove. For example, “Out of My Mind;” I had just come off tour and into the studio and the producer already had a drum groove going. It just felt right, it had this energy, but I didn’t know where it was going. So I was just like “loop that and let me get on the mic.” Rather than write it down and try to make sense, I just wanted to see what comes out naturally. He hit record, and I kept singing until I got to
[He breaks full-on into song]
“Out of my mind! Out of my mind!” And I was like that’s it. Cut that, put it aside, then let’s go back and hit record and see what is on my mind. Which is something that, growing up in Nashville, I had a lot of people giving advice on the “right” way to write songs. I was told to write what I know, which I hate. I write what I don’t know in order to better understand. Everything is an exploration. So “Out of My Mind” was sort of an admission in the moment of what was on my mind. “Holy Water” actually started with, I had the crystal black rock tourmaline. And the word “tourmaline” is an interesting word. Even saying it right now I hear the melody. And I was just like I would love to write a song with the word tourmaline. That word inspired the weird query that led to “Holy Water.”
Very cool. I listened to a lot of your songs, and found some recurrent themes in your lyrics: loneliness, yearning, anxiety, reflections on the past, and what could have been. These themes of isolation. Where does that come from?
Oh. Well. You’re looking at him.
Ok.
It comes from living in this world yearning for connection, and some days, totally striking out and not understanding how to connect. Especially in the structured forms of connection that we have like the internet and social media, I often find that I don’t know how to connect. I’m deeply searching for real connection.
Do you think of yourself as a lonely person?
[Long pause]
I think of myself as a person who often feels lonely for sure. You know, there was a point in my life where I really tried to avoid sadness and loneliness. I think it was living in New York and being constantly surrounded by stimulus. I found myself really alone. Then moving to LA, and as quiet and sprawling as the city is, it’s also…your thoughts become really loud. They can overwhelm you with all the space and isolation the city has. I think I hit a wall where I was like I’m either going to continue running from myself, or I’m going to breathe and accept the three-dimensional qualities of myself. I feel sad. I feel lonely. I feel joy. I feel excitement. They all co-exist in this person. So do I feel like a lonely person? No. Do I feel like a person who experiences loneliness? For sure.
That only speaks to your humanity. If you didn’t feel lonely from time to time, I’d worry.
Especially in this city.
Great answer. Jumping off that, you’ve recently gone through a life transition in losing your dad. When you go through a period like that that is naturally difficult, how does that affect your work? How does it affect your writing?
I am not a perfect person by any means. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. But one thing I think I did right was that when my dad passed, I took all the time to feel the depth of grief and sadness and pain and anger that come with it. I didn’t rush it. If I could say I did one thing right, it’s that I allowed myself the messy journey that was and continues to be the grief process. I was actually working on music before he passed, thinking I was going to release an EP called Vital which included the songs “Vital,” “Bruised,” “Kiss-Kiss” and “Love You with the Lights On.” When he passed, I scrapped that idea. I sort of let that idea go. Everything followed, not just thinking of my life in song. A song like “Roots” was weeks after he passed. I almost cringe at how angry and brattish I sound in it. “Me Without You” was a year later, and I think sort of maturely sums up feelings of loss an inability to express how much someone means to you. I let myself have that process.
That’s healthy.
Songs like “Home” existed in different forms, but it wasn’t until he passed that I took the sort of choir I recorded on it and changed the bassline of the song. That became the backbone of the song. Your question, how does it change you…it changes you completely if you let it. I had to let it happen, but it led me into a chapter of my life that became the chapter I ended up calling Vital. After letting it go, it came around again and became the more complete idea of Vital. It wasn’t just about the surface joys of yearning and desire. It also became about loss and identity and searching and losing something and finding it again.
So where do you go from here? Would you ever consider writing for the stage? I know you were an actor before you were a pop star.
I’m actually developing…am I going to say this?
Please.
I’m developing a project with the Nashville ballet.
Oh wow. What can you tell us about it?
Nothing.
Yay men in tights. You’ll have to keep me posted on that one.
It will not be tights. It will be electronic and very visual and visceral. So, there’s that. Where do I go from here? I’m going to continue showing up. I’m going to continue the adventure of discovery. Everything that has happened until now has been a discovery.
Ok, last question, and I don’t want you to kiss & tell. But how does being on the road, a recording artist affect your dating life? Conventional wisdom is pop idols get laid all the time.
I mean, nothing without consent.
[Laughter]
I’m not one to kiss and tell, but the only thing that has changed about my dating life is that it’s a more global approach.
Cokie Roberts, AOC, Oklahoma, Milo Yiannopoulos, Elizabeth Warren, Paul Rudd, Downton Abbey, RBF: HOT LINKS
RIP. Cokie Roberts: “Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts, who joined an upstart NPR in 1978 and left an indelible imprint on the growing network with her coverage of Washington politics before later going to ABC News, has died. She was 75. Roberts died Tuesday due to complications from breast cancer, according to a family statement.”
SNOW LEOPARD?Milo Yiannopoulos dumped by furry convention: ‘Right-wing persona non grata Milo Yiannopoulos announced that he has adopted a “fursona” as a snow leopard and that he purchased tickets to a furry convention; in response, organizers rescinded his event registration.’
JUST FOR FUN. Oklahoma woman arrested for threatening to shoot hundreds at her former high school. “Deputies were told 18-year-old Alexis Wilson was showing a coworker at the Pizza Inn videos of herself shooting an AR-15 rifle that she’d just bought. She told the coworker that she was going to shoot 400 people for fun, adding there were so many people at her old school that she’d like to do it.”
AOC. Ocasio-Cortez backs liberal challenger to Democrat Dan Lipinski: “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is backing a liberal challenger to fellow Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski — her first endorsement of a candidate aligned with the progressive group Justice Democrats since being elected to Congress. The left-wing political action committee, which aims to challenge more moderate Democratic incumbents, announced in a tweet Tuesday that Ocasio-Cortez will support Marie Newman’s bid to oust Lipinski and represent Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District.”
GAYLE. It’s gay + ale. “While we were chatting, I said to my nephew, who happens to be a craft brewer in the hills of Adelaide where I live, ‘I wonder if there’s a beer or cider that represents the gay community year-round?’”
KYLE R. CANNING. Judge forced off bench after posting image of noose and Trump campaign slogan: ‘Kyle R. Canning, a part-time judge in Altona, N.Y., near the Canadian border, posted an image to his Facebook account of a noose, with the words: “IF WE WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE EVIL PEOPLE FEAR PUNISHMENT AGAIN.”’
Plenty of Fish Study Reveals Why Face Filters Aren’t Getting You Any Dates
From bunny ears to flower crowns, face filters have changed the selfie game since becoming popular back in 2016. Sure, these filters are fun, and they can even help you out…
