I hate blog posts and status updates that begin, “OMG, I’m sooooo tired”, or “OMG, it is Friday yet?!?”, or “OMG, must…have…coffee….”
That said, I know that I’m personally guilty of at least two of the three. Also: I am damn tired, undercaffeinated, and wishing it were Friday. Blargh.
Until I come up for air again, try these vids on for size–two sent by closepersonalfriend and legendary New Orleanian, Mara Bentley, recently relocated to the Rio Grande. The dwellers of the border towns are the richer, clearly:
Les Inconnus: Auteuil Neuilly Passy
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Hey, New Orleans: is it just me, or is Doug MacCash a total douchebag?
I’ve had a beef with the guy for years–largely because of his policies on reviewing visual arts exhibitions. And let’s not even discuss his “taste level” (as a reviewer or as an artist). But now with Prospect.1, MacCash has given me a whole new set of things to complain about.
Full disclosure: I’m pretty close to Prospect.1, but even with that taken into account, it would seem to me, or to any fan of the visual arts, that MacCash simply doesn’t get what Prospect.1 is meant to be. More fundamentally: it seems MacCash has no idea what a biennial is meant to be.
Let’s go back to the weekend Prospect.1 opened. You know what got the cover focus of Lagniappe, the Picayune‘s arts and entertainment pullout? A haunted house. A freaking haunted house–instead of the largest international exhibition of contemporary art ever coordinated in the US. A freaking haunted house–instead of a major coup for the city of New Orleans and its citizens. A freaking haunted house–instead of a massive event that could drive tourism and the cultural economy for months to come.
Then there’s today’s article on the Universal Furniture building in the Bywater, which is being used for a P.1. exhibition of Pierre & Gilles’ work, as well as a group show by local artists. In his lead-in, MacCash says:
[Prospect.1] was a good news, bad news story for Crescent City artists. The good news: Big-time New York art curator Dan Cameron planned to produce the largest contemporary art show in U.S. history, drawing thousands of well-heeled collectors and art tourists. The bad news: The vast majority of New Orleans artists weren’t invited to be in it.
It’s as if MacCash’s understanding of the international art scene stops at the parish line. As if he’d expect the biennials at Venice or the Whitney to feature exclusively Venetian or New York artists, respectively. As if he’s disappointed to see leading contemporary artists from around the globe showing their work in New Orleans. For free.
As though that weren’t bad enough, MacCash then gives square footage to the ever-clueless Andy Antippas, who complains that P.1 is “elitist”. To which I say: WELL OF COURSE IT’S ELITIST: IT’S ABOUT THE BEST NEW WORK IN THE WORLD, BITCH.
My take: elitism is a necessary evil. It’s what keeps music, fashion, literature, design, food–everything moving forward. It’s what we do every time we say, “I’m over that, let’s move on.” You and I, we practice it ourselves every day. So, Mr. Antippas, yes, it’s elitist. BFD. You want to put together a show of grandmotherly string art from the YWCA, do it on your own dime.
New Orleans has moved beyond parochialism in so many ways, especially since The Storm. Sure, it lingers in the culinary arts, but we rule the school on that front: we can afford to be a little snooty. Visual arts, on the other hand? I mean, some of my best friends are artist, and there’s definitely some good stuff going on here, but c’mon…
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My crappy phone pic.
Black Fireworks on Black Friday + Video Goodness
1. So the boyfriend is pretty much the official installation photographer for Prospect.1. That means he’s documenting the works of the biennial–WHICH IS AWESOME–as displayed. If you haven’t taken a gander at his Prospect.1 set on Flickr, you totally should. Like, now.
Anyway: over the past few weeks, Jonno’s taken some great shots of Cai Guo-Qiang’s piece (aka “Black Fireworks”) at Colton School, but the artist has recently requested a few more that show people enjoying the work. So this Friday (aka “Black Friday”) Jonno’s inviting friends and total strangers (aka “you”) to join him in the school’s auditorium for a little staged art merriment. It’ll be like the school assembly you never had–you know, the one with massage chairs and dangling electrical things styled by that guy who art directed the Beijing Olympics? Here’s the deets:
What: Photo shoot for Cai Guo-Qiang’s “Black Fireworks” exhibition
Where: The Studio @ Colton School
2300 St. Claude Avenue (at Spain Street)
When:
Friday, November 28
11am – 12 noon
We need a dozen or two friends for a photo shoot at Prospect.1 artist Cai Guo-Qiang’s “Black Fireworks” installation in the auditorium at the Colton School this Friday at 11am. These photographs will be for the artist’s archive, and some will be published on his website.
Specifically, the artist would like photos of visitors enjoying the custom-designed massage chairs that are an integral part of the installation…so it’s your chance to enjoy some world-class art and get an amazing massage all at the same time! What could possibly be better?
If you haven’t yet explored the Studio @ Colton School yet, this is the perfect time to do so–in addition to the Cai Guo-Qiang installation, there are two other P.1 installations (Jose Damasceno and Tatsuo Miyajima) as well as dozens of local artists on display in the same building. And there’s also P.1’s Pierre & Gilles and dozens more artists in the St. Claude Collective exhibition at Universal Furniture just down the street.
The shoot will last approximately an hour; you’re welcome to wander in and out while it’s going on. While you’re in the neighborhood, there are lots of great places in the Faubourg Marigny to check out for lunch afterwards–we recommend the Cake Cafe on Chartres & Spain or the new Orange Couch on Royal & Mandeville.
No need to RSVP–but whether or not you’re able to join us on Friday, please do help spread the word by forwarding this email to anyone you think might be interested.
Hope to see you on Friday!
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2. Chriso got accepted to the Aveda School and his band’s latest video debuts on LOGO this Sunday night. Holler at the boy–or whatever you kids do these days.
For those who haven’t seen it, here’s the vid in question. Chriso’s the hottie rocking the sticks. (Note: the shibari-styled singer ain’t no slouch neither.):
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I wasn’t really into Al Copeland. His hair plugs were sad and laughable, and his racing boat fetish spoke to some wang-related insecurities. But whether you loved the man or only his chicken, you have to admit, this is kinda sweet. At the very least, it’s the best media alert to cross my desk today:
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The late Al Copeland’s famous Christmas display to make its final appearance Copeland Family To Hold Last Christmas Display Lighting on Saturday, November 29
WHAT: Locals and tourists alike recognize the symbolic tradition of the Copeland Christmas lights, as the official mark of the holiday season in New Orleans In a tribute to the legend–the late Al Copeland Sr.–his family will put the famous lights on display for the last time.
WHEN: Saturday, November 29, 2008, 6:00PM
*Media to arrive by 5:45PM*
LOCATION: The Home of the Late Al Copeland, 5001 Folse Drive, Metairie, LA
ADDITIONAL INFO: Al Copeland Sr. passed away earlier this year to Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare and deadly form of cancer. To honor his legacy, his family created the Al Copeland Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to contributing money for research to eradicate this rare cancer. To further culminate this holiday, the Copeland Family will be hosting a “Heaven on Earth” gala on Saturday, December 13. Admission is $100 and all proceeds go to The Al Copeland Foundation in support of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Research in Partnership with The University of Pittsburgh Merkel Cell Carcinoma Research Program. To learn more, please visit alcopelandfoundation.org.
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Some of you may know I used to write for Fleshbot. Some of you may also know that I was “downsized” a few weeks back.
That’s totally fine, because (a) Fleshbot was only a part-time gig, and (b) it took up a lot of my time. I gained many a gray hair trying to do my heavy-duty day job, work with a theatre company, run consulting gigs, and post about naughtybits all in one measly 24-hour day. It’s never fun to get canned, I suppose, but given my current workload, the dismay was tempered by relief. Also: sleep.
The only thing I kinda miss about the job is the news. Yeah, it was a pain in the ass to sift through my secret stash of smutty RSS feeds every morning, but there were some gems amid the dreck. I haven’t opened that folder since the beginning of October, but for some reason, I did this morning. Here are three of my favorite finds so far:
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1. Ricky Sinz’ Cock Will Survive, Punctuation In Critical Condition
So apparently, Ricky was all werkin and twerkin and crunkin and whatever else the kids get up to in the clubs these days when he felt a pain down there. Turns out an eager beaver fan with chops to match got down with Ricky’s dangly parts, which resulted in no small amount of retribution from Mr. Sinz. But while teabagging and teeth and tetanus may all be laughing matters, the issue of Mr. Sinz’ punctuation habits is very serious indeed. Note the excerpt:
so im performing on stage last night and some guy comes up and tips me a few times but judging by how messed up he was i knew he was gonna be trouble at some point in the night plus when i perform in gay clubs any man that comes in with a large group of obnoxious drunk women is bound for disaster its just the way it always works out when large groups of women come into gay bars where there are male strippers they usually block the stage from tipping patrons and try to flirt with the dancers and i hate to tell them we dont like it you kill our tips and want the world for free so get with the program but anyways [full post here]
Either he’s gone all Gertrude Stein on our asses, or someone needs to learn the value of an em-dash. (We assume he’s already familiar with the colon. Har!)
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2. Thevoice666: Not The One I Hear In My Head
Everyone likes a little dirty talk, right? In the heat of the moment, we all love to hear “Harder!” or “Faster!” or “Ooh, yes, love this babydoll!” (True story on the last one. Yeesh.) Good chatter in bed can make even the gangliest grandpa into a hot steaming load of Hugh Jackman–or grandpa, depending on your tastes. However, as every good talker knows, it’s not just the words you say, but how you say them that counts. And as if to prove that point, here’s a little audio from Xtube user Thevoice666. He claims to be a phone sex operator in Seattle, and admittedly he’s got great vocabulary, but I keep waiting for him to say, “Cum in the next ten minutes, and get a free Ginsu Miracle Shammy as our gift to you!” [Note: G-rated video, NSFW soundtrack. Adjust accordingly.]
3. Reese Rideout: Crazy Person, Or Just Rabid For Rodents?
I’m not exactly a fan of gay-for-pay gyrator Mr. Rideout. Sure, his body is hot, and he’s cute enough, but mixed with all that pomade and sweat and testosterone is a thin sheen of desperation, which is only attractive in Dennis Cooper novels, and even then it’s heavily qualified. However, Reese’s latest video may force me to reconsider my opinions:
I mean, at least he has a sense of humor. That’s occasionally a sign of sanity, right? (Not in the case of Francois Sagat[NSFW], but you know, for most people.)
P.S. Is it mere coincidence that Reese posts this toothy video on the same day that Ricky Sinz falls prey to an organ grinder?
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Earlier today, I hammered out some paragraphs about New Orleans and The Way Things Are Now. Well, I take it all back. Not only was the post self-indulgent, but it was also unbearably dreary and clichéd: it had all been said before, and better. Thankfully, I was interrupted mid-stream, and when I got back to my desk and a very hot, very big cup of coffee, I’d regained my senses. Hello, delete button.
That’s not to say I’m feeling much better now. Maybe it’s the gray day (I’ve never experienced Seasonal Affective Disorder, but there’s a first time for everything), or maybe it’s the slight but persistent pressure of our upcoming show, or maybe it’s the rut that I’ve fallen into, but the items on my wish list are clearly not being delivered. Yes, they are mere wishes at the moment, but they are on the verge of being needs:
1. I wish I could sleep more than six hours a night.
2. I wish my eldest dog didn’t shed so much.
3. I wish my eldest dog was still able to jump into bed with me.
4. I wish I could get rid of the mouse that’s raiding our kitchen.
5. I wish Lola were still around to startle the mouse, although she probably wouldn’t raise a paw to catch him.
6. I wish I could finish writing and editing the collection of reminiscences I put together for some of my college friends.
7. I wish all of my friends were alive to read it.
8. I wish I could stop eating.
9. I wish someone would pick a fight with me.
10. I wish I could find a tennis partner or sparring partner or someone to aid and abet controlled, sports-related violence.
Vavelta is a new treatment for concealing scars and fine lines that involves injecting the skin with cells derived from foreskins donated by mothers of babies circumcised in U.S. hospitals. This “seems to rejuvenate and restructure ageing [sic] and damaged skin from the inside by repopulating the lower layers of the skin with millions of healthy young skin cells.” One woman used it to treat acne scars on her face. Other trial subjects say it reverses aging. Unlike Botox, Vavelta is permanent. Yummy.
I was concerned when Obama’s transition website took down details of the president-elect’s agenda. I thought some underpaid staffer might’ve overstated Obama’s position on Iraq or climate change or, say, LGBT rights. I thought some disgruntled politico or interest group might’ve threatened to start a shitstorm around one of the issues. I thought something was going to get rolled back.
Well, the agenda is online once more, and it doesn’t appear to have been scaled down at all. In fact, on the subject of LGBT rights, it’s been significantly expanded. Here’s that section in its entirety–you know, just in case the site goes down again:
Support for the LGBT Community
“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.”
— Barack Obama, June 1, 2007
The Obama-Biden Plan
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma — too often tied to homophobia — that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on this issue as president.
Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.
