The Los Angeles Blade celebrated its eighth annual Best of LGBTQ+ LA Awards with a spectacular show at The Abbey in West Hollywood on May 22, honoring the community’s best and brightest as selected by you, our readers.

The Awards honored our favorite bars, businesses, artists, organizations, and leaders and featured performances by drag queen Cake Moss, musicians Prince Joshua – who took home the awards for Local Musical Artist of the Year and Go-Go of the Year – and Robert Rene, comedian Allison Reese, and West Hollywood poet laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. Drag artist Billy Francesca and LA Blade publisher Alexander Rodriguez emceed the event.

“We here in LA are excited to reflect our community, so tonight we’re honoring politicians, business owners, nightlife, entertainment, social media, and Billy,” Rodriguez said, opening the show.

One of the biggest winners of the night was queer mogul and “CEO of Everything Gay” Tristan Schukraft, who won LGBTQ Professional of the Year, while the bar he now owns, The Abbey, took Best LGBTQ Bar, and his pharmaceutical-delivery company MISTR took Best LGBTQ-owned business. 

“I’m motivated by making change. We have a purpose, and queer entrepreneurs are building a community that makes a difference,” Schukraft said. 

Drag artist and activist Pickle, who runs the LA chapter of Drag Story Hour and is West Hollywood’s first drag laureate, gave a moving speech after she was awarded the Local Hero Award, in which she encouraged anyone who’s facing distress to persevere through the darkness.

“Sometimes, just holding on for one more day is all you can do, but that is strength, and you are loved,” she said.

Transgender rights activist, model, and Blade contributor Rose Montoya was honored as Activist of the Year and Influencer of the Year, although she was unable to attend the ceremony. 

“This recognition means more than she can express,” said her brother, Prince Joshua, accepting the award on her behalf. “Activism has never been a choice for her. It’s been a necessity. As a trans person, as a person who exists at the intersection of multiple identities, she’s had to fight not just for visibility, but for dignity, safety, and the right to exist. This work is personal. And in a time where hatred is getting louder, in our laws, in our schools, and in our streets, we don’t have the luxury of staying silent.”

Weho Pride notched two wins during the ceremony, including Best Regional Pride and Best LGBTQ Event for its OutLoud Music Festival, which kick off next week.

“We have a big week ahead and hopefully we’ll see you there because Pride starts here, and Pride starts now,” said Jeff Consoletti, Producer of Weho Pride, accepting the award.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles won the award for Best LGBTQ Social Group,

“The Gay Men’s Chorus of LA has been lifting our spirits through song and fighting for community and singing for all our causes since 1979,” said GMCLA Executive Director Lou Spisto, accepting the award. He also noted that the Chorus will honor Schukraft with its Voice Award at its upcoming Dancing Queens Gala June 21 at the Saban Theatre.

Trans Lifeline was awarded Non-Profit of the Year, likely a recognition of the organization’s importance as trans people have come under increasing attack across the country.

“They’ve received an increase in calls to the tune of 300%, so support your trans brothers and sisters,” Rodriguez said, announcing the award.

DJ Cazwell took home the award for best DJ, although a little mix-up had his award read Best Cannabis Retailer, a distinction that actually went to Green Qween. Cazwell spoke about how much he appreciates the community he found after moving to LA from New York. 

“I moved here from New York nine years ago and I found a community of DJs who actually support each other here, so I want to shout out the other nominees,” Cazwell said.

That’s a sentiment that was echoed by Best Bartender winner Sumner Mormeneo from Beaches, who moved to LA from Florida.

“My first six months living here was rough. It wasn’t until I got a job at a bar in Weho that it started feeling like home, so thank you,” Mormeneo said.

More than 40 awards were given out in this year’s Best of LGBTQ+ LA. See the complete list of winners.

In the new HBO two-part documentary, “Pee-wee as Himself,” director Matt Wolf gives viewers a never-before-seen look into the personal life of Paul Reubens, the comedic actor behind the much loved television persona, Pee-wee Herman. 

Filmed before Reubens passed away in 2023 from cancer, Wolf and his creative team created the riveting documentary, interspersing several interviews, more than 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of personal photos.

Determined to set the record straight about what really happened, Reubens discussed his diverse influences, growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Fla., and his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts. 

Ruebens joined the Groundlings improv group, where he created the charismatic Pee-wee Herman. He played the quirky character during the Saturday morning show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” and in numerous movies, like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big Top Pee-wee.” He also brought Pee-wee to Broadway, with “The Pee-wee Herman Show.”

To get an enigma such as Reubens to open up was no easy task for Wolf.

“I felt determined to get Paul to open up and to be his authentic self,” acknowledged Wolf at a recent press conference. “And I was being tested and I wanted to meet my match in a way so I didn’t feel frustrated or exhausted, I felt determined but I also, it was thrilling to go this deep. I’ve never been able, or I don’t know if I ever will, go this deep with another human being to interview them in an intimate way for over 40 hours.”

Wolf described the collaborative interview experience as a dream, “like we were in a bubble where time didn’t matter.” he also felt a deep connection to the material, having come of age watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to put words to it at the time, but I think it was my first encounter with art that I felt emotionally involved in,” noted Wolf.

“He continued: “I recognize that that show created a space for a certain kind of radical acceptance where creativity thrives. And as a gay filmmaker, I also recognize things like Pee-wee Herman marrying a bowl of fruit salad at a slumber party or dancing in high heels to the song, ‘Fever.’ That stuff spoke to me. So that was my connection to it.”

During the documentary, Reubens comes out as a gay man.

“Paul went into this process wanting to come out,” said Wolf. “That was a decision he had made. He was aware that I was a gay filmmaker and had made portraits of other gay artists. That was the work of mine he was attracted to, as I understood. And I wanted, as a younger person, to support him in that process, but he also was intensely sensitive that the film would overly emphasize that; or, focused entirely from the lens of sexuality when looking at his story.”

Their complicated dynamic had an aspect of “push and pull” between them. 

“I think that generational difference was both a source of connection and affinity and tension. And I do think that the level to which Paul discusses his relationships and intimacy and vulnerability and the poignant decision he made to go back into the closet. I do have to believe to some extent he shared that because of our connection.”   

Wolf hopes that the “Pee-wee as Himself” positions Reubens as one of the most “groundbreaking” performance artists of his generation who in a singular way broke through into mainstream pop culture.

“I know he transformed me. He transformed how I see the world and where I went as a creative person. And it’s so clear that I am not alone in that feeling. For me, it was fairly abstract. I couldn’t necessarily put words to it. I think people who grew up on Pee-wee or were big fans of Pee-wee, seeing the film, I hope, will help them tap into intangible and specific ways how transformative his work was for them. It really is a gift to revisit early seminal experiences you had and to see how they reverberate in you.” 

He added: “So, to me, this isn’t so much about saying Paul Reubens is a genius. I mean, that’s overly idealizing and I don’t like hero worship. It’s more about understanding why many of us have connected to his work and understanding where he lives within a legacy of performance art, television, and also, broader pop culture.”

Among other queer and ally big names like Lizzo, Alyssa Edwards, Kim Petras and Frankie Grande will be taking center stage on Saturday, May 31, at this year’s OUTLOUD Music Festival at WeHo Pride. In the wake of the queer community’s current political strife, Grande is taking the spotlight, unapologetically and ready to bring the party, celebrating activism and sexuality unabashedly.

Hot off the heels of his recent two hit singles, “Rhythm of Love” and “Boys,” Grande is gearing up for the release of his new album, Hotel Rock Bottom, hitting platforms on June 27. The album is bringing queer aesthetic to the pop genre and is a retelling of Grande’s life as he has gone from party boy to stage, screen, and reality TV personality, to getting married and living a sober family life (dog and all).

We sat for a chat with Grande as he prepares for his WeHo Pride extravaganza. With everything socially and politically considered, Grande is not holding anything back this Pride season.

Pride is recharging and gearing up for battle. I feel like we’re in a place where our community is under attack, and this is the time where we get the microphone so recharge and get ready to be loud and be prouder than we ever have before. We need to show the world that we are not to be fucked with. We got the mic, so let’s use it.

No stranger to taking the stage, Grande promises a spectacle for his Outloud appearance.

I’m so excited. I’ve put so much effort into crafting a very beautiful show, a very gay show, a very hot show. I’ve selected some really fun songs from my album that people are going to get to hear for the first time because the album won’t be out. I’m also doing some fun and clever covers of songs that have inspired me. I’m excited that I’ve mixed it up and it’s going to be really fun and really gay.

This Pride, Frankie’s call to the gay community is clear.

Support our trans siblings. It is more important than ever. Go to your trans friends and be like, “Hey, what do you need? And how can I help?” Because they’re the ones who are directly being scapegoated at this moment. To think that it’s happening to them means it’s not happening to you is crazy. We are all part of the same community. We’re all under the rainbow umbrella, so let’s go support the community that is directly under attack right now.

Grande’s album comes at a time when queer folk could use a little levity and party attitude. He has been a long-time spokesperson for the LGBTQ community. He has used his platform from reality TV to his role as GLAAD board member to incite activism. He knows full well the fatigue that many of the queer community face as we continue to resist a brutal Presidential administration.

You have to find moments of joy. Honestly, that’s a lot of what this album is to me. It’s like, let’s dance around and bop and be silly to boys tonight so that we can hit the ground running tomorrow and go get some legislation overturned. My whole life, I’ve turned to the dance floor during times of stress, and I think we do need to do that. We have to go celebrate. We have to remember why it is so fun to be a huge homosexual and what we’re fighting for. But then we need to go fight. Don’t get so fucked up that you have to be in bed for three days because we actually do need to go to work.

Grande has also become the poster boy for sober party gays. Celebrating 8 years of sobriety, he has been very open about his journey and how it fits into gay culture. Being openly sober has gained momentum in the queer community and many Prides now include dry events. Grande knows the triggers that Pride can include and has some advice to his fellow sober folk.

First of all, sober gays are fun gays, let’s just say that. If you’re triggered, get the fuck out. You know? There are a lot of drugs, there’s a lot of drinking, there’s a lot of partying, and sometimes you’re just not fully ready to be in those environments. And if that is true, then just leave. The people who are drinking and using will have no idea that you left.

Also go find some sober friends to go with. I did everything in sobriety, like linked with my sober BFFs, Salina EsTitties and stylist Mandoh Melendez. They were my bodyguards and they were my shield, and they had more sobriety than I did. They showed me the ropes, and to this day, they’re still sober and my best friends. So, get a sober buddy and GTFO when you’re triggered, just leave.

Grande is being very vulnerable in his upcoming album Hotel Rock Bottom. Not only is he leaving himself to be compared to other family members in the business, but he is also telling his story on his own terms with music. What is his intent with his album?

 My mission with this album is to inspire others to be themselves by being so open and honest. If you just want to listen to the surface value of my album, then you’re going to have a great fun dance time being like, this is so much fun. But if you want to actually go and listen to the lyrics and dissect it, you’ll see that there’s a lot of darkness and a lot of light on both sides of this album. I organized this album into side A and side B, or top and bottom, as we’re calling it on the vinyl. There’s sobriety and using days, there’s good and bad, and highs and lows on both. So, no judgment, it’s all about just be yourself, live your life, live authentically, and you’re going to get through whatever you’re dealing with.

And his message to the queer LA community this Weho Pride?

We’re very privileged and we’re very blessed because we’re in a very liberal and very blue state, so we need to have the best time and show up. But let’s make sure that we’re constantly beaming our love, light, and energy, and thinking about how we can help people in red states who are not going to have a governmentally and a community-supported Pride, because that is a reality these days. Let’s try to figure out how we’re going to help the country while we’re in the most liberal, most protected state in the world, which is fabulous.

Catch Grande onstage at Outloud on Saturday, May 31^st. Hotel Rock Bottom will be released June 27^th, available wherever you stream your music.

There’s a strange feeling of irony about a spring movie season stacked with queer romcoms – a genre that has felt conspicuously absent on the big screen since the disappointing reception met by the much-hyped “Bros” in 2022 – at a time when pushback against LGBTQ visibility is stronger than it’s been for 40 years.

Sure, part of the reason is the extended timeline required for filmmaking, which tells us, logically, that the numerous queer love stories hitting theaters this year – including the latest, the Manhattan-set indie “Things Like This,” which opened in limited theaters last weekend – began production long before the rapid cultural shift that has taken place in America since a certain convicted fraudster’s return to the White House. 

That does not, however, make them any less welcome; on the contrary, they’re a refreshing assertion of queer existence that serves to counter-balance the hateful, politicized rhetoric that continues to bombard our community every day. In fact, the word “refreshing” is an apt description of “Things Like This,” which not only celebrates the validity – and joy – of queer love but does so in a story that disregards “Hollywood” convention in favor of a more authentic form of inclusion than we’re ever likely to see in a mainstream film

Written, starring, and directed by Max Talisman and set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, it’s the story of two gay men named Zack – Zack #1 (Talisman) is a plus-sized hopeful fantasy author with a plus-sized personality and a promising-but-unpublished first novel, and Zack #2 (Joey Pollari) an aspiring talent agent dead-ended as an assistant to his exploitative “queen-bee” boss (Cara Buono) – who meet at an event and are immediately attracted to each other. Though Zack #2 is resigned to his unsatisfying relationship with longtime partner Eric (Taylor Trensch), he impulsively agrees to a date the following night, beginning an on-again/off-again entanglement that causes both Zacks to re-examine the trajectories of their respective lives – and a lot of other heavy baggage – even as their tentative and unlikely romance feels more and more like the workings of fate.

Like most romcoms, it relies heavily on familiar tropes – adjusted for queerness, of course – and tends to balance its witty banter and starry-eyed sentiment with heart-tugging setbacks and crossed-wire conflicts, just to raise the stakes. The Zacks’ attempts at getting together are a series of “meet-cutes” that could almost be described as fractal, yet each of them seems to go painfully awry – mostly due to the very insecurities and self-doubts which make them perfect for each other. The main obstacle to their couplehood, however, doesn’t spring from these mishaps; it’s their own struggles with self-worth that stand in the way, somehow making theirs more of a quintessentially queer love story than the fact that both of them are men.

All that introspection – relatable as it may be – can be a downer without active energy to stir things up, but fortunately for “Things Like This,” there are the inevitable BFFs and extended circle of friends and family that can help to get the fun back on track. Each Zack has his own support team backing him up, from a feisty “work wife” (Jackie Cruz, “Orange is the New Black”) to a straight best friend (Charlie Tahan, “Ozark”) to a wise and loving grandma (veteran scene-stealer Barbara Barrie, “Breaking Away” and countless vintage TV shows) – that fuels the story throughout, providing the necessary catalysts to prod its two neurotic protagonists into taking action when they can’t quite get there themselves.

To be sure, Talisman’s movie – his feature film debut as a writer and director – doesn’t escape the usual pitfalls of the romcom genre. There’s an overall sense of “wish fulfillment fantasy” that makes some of its biggest moments seem a bit too good to be true, and there are probably two or three complications too many as it approaches its presumed happy ending; in addition, while it helps to drive the inner conflict for Zack #2’s character arc, throwing a homophobic and unsupportive dad (Eric Roberts) into the mix feels a bit tired, though it’s hard to deny that such family relationships continue to create dysfunction for queer people no matter how many times they’re called out in the movies – which means that it’s still necessary, regrettably, to include them in our stories.

And in truth, “calling out” toxic tropes – the ones that reflect society’s negative assumptions and perpetuate through imitation – is part of Talisman’s agenda in “Things Like This,” which devotes its very first scene to shutting down any objections from “fat shamers” who might decry the movie’s “opposites attract” scenario as unbelievable. Indeed, he has revealed in interviews that he developed the movie for himself because of the scarcity of meaningful roles for plus-sized actors, and his desire to erase such conventional prejudices extends in every direction within his big-hearted final product.

Even so, there’s no chip-on-the-shoulder attitude to sour the movie’s spirit; what helps us get over its sometimes excessive flourishes of idealized positivity is that it’s genuinely funny. The dialogue is loaded with zingers that keep the mood light, and even the tensest scenes are laced with humor, none of which feels forced. For this, kudos go to Talisman’s screenplay, of course, but also to the acting – including his own. He’s eminently likable onscreen, with wisecracks that land every time and an underlying good cheer that makes his appeal even more visible; crucially, his chemistry with Pollari – who also manages to maintain a lightness of being at his core no matter how far his Zack descends into uncertainty – isn’t just convincing; it’s enviable.

Cruz is the movie’s “ace in the hole” MVP as Zack #2’s under-appreciated but fiercely loyal bestie, and Buono’s hilariously icy turn as his “boss from hell” makes for some of the film’s most memorable scenes. Likewise, Tahan, along with Margaret Berkowitz and Danny Chavarriaga, flesh out Zack #1’s friend group with a real sense of camaraderie that should be recognizable to anyone who’s ever been part of an eclectic crew of misfits. Trensch’s comedic “ickiness” as Zack #2’s soon-to-be-ex makes his scenes a standout; and besides bigger-name “ringers” Roberts and Barrie (whose single scene is the emotional climax of the movie), there’s also a spotlight-grabbing turn by Diane Salinger (iconic as Francophile dreamer Simone in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”) as the owner of a queer bar where the Zacks go on one of their dates.

With all that enthusiasm and a momentum driven by a sense of DIY empowerment, it’s hard to be anything but appreciative of “Things Like This,” no matter how much some of us might cringe at its more unbelievable romcom devices. After all, it’s as much a “feel-good” movie as it is a love story, and the fact that we actually do feel good when the final credits role is more than enough to earn it our hearty recommendation.

Our readers have spoken! After a two-week open voting process, the Los Angeles Community has chosen who their Best of LGBTQ LA movers and shakers are. 

This year included an expanded array of categories, representing politics, nightlife, art, business, theater, social media, activism, music, podcasts, tattoo artists and beyond. 

Winners are being announced at this year's Best of Awards show at The Abbey, featuring live performances by Cake Moss, Robert Rene, Allison Reese, Prince Joshua, and Brian Sonia-Wallace.

And now, without further ado... check out the list of winners and Editor's Choice runner-ups. Congrats to everyone!  

Best Drag Performer 

Winner: Salina EsTitties
Editor’s Choice: Cake Moss

Best Drag Show

Winner: Beaches Drag Brunch
Editor’s Choice: Fat Slut at Precinct LA

Local Influencer of the Year

Winner: Rose Montoya
Editor’s Choice: Tony Moore

Best Musical Queer Artist

Winner: Doechii
Editor’s Choice: Chappell Roan

Best LGBTQ Bar

Winner: The Abbey
Editor’s Choice: Precinct

Best Happy Hour

Winner: Fiesta Cantina
Editor’s Choice: Hi Tops

Go-Go of the Year

Winner: Prince Joshua
Editor’s Choice: Victoria Shaw

Best Restaurant

Winner: Bottega Louie
Editor’s Choice: Ysabel

Best Radio or TV Station

Winner: Out TV
Editor’s Choice: CHANNEL Q

Best Cannabis Retailer/Lounge

Winner: Green Qween
Editor’s Choice: The Woods WeHo

Best LGBTQ Owned Business       

Winner MISTR
Editor’s Choice Underdog Bookstore

Best LGBTQ Social Group

Winner: Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
Editor’s Choice: WeHo Dodgeball

Best Cannabis Retailer/Lounge 

Winner: Green Queen
Editor’s Choice: The Woods

"Best House of Worship  "

Winner: Hollywood United Methodist
Editor’s Choice: Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles

Activist of the Year

Winner: Rose Montoya
Editor’s Choice: Bamby Salcedo

Public Official of the Year

Co-Winner: Ysabel Jurado
Editor’s Choice: Lindsey Horvath

Best Local Pro Sports Team

Winner: LA Dodgers
Editor’s Choice: LA Lakers

"Local Ally of the Year "

Winner: Natalie Sanchez
Editor’s Choice: Chelsea Byers

"Best Doctor/Medical Provider   "

Winner: AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Editor’s Choice: Los Angeles LGBT Center

"Most LGBTQ-Friendly Workplace  "

Winner: Los Angeles LGBT Center
Editor’s Choice: City of West Hollywood

Non-Profit of the Year

Winner: Trans Lifeline
Editor’s Choice: GLAAD

Best Local Actor

Winner: Rain Valdez
Editor’s Choice: Lena Waithe

Best Queer Art Space

Winner: Circus of Books
Editor’s Choice: Tom of Finland House

"Best Local Theatre "

Winner: LA Opera
Editor’s Choice: Pasadena Playhouse

Local Musical Artist of the Year

Winner: Prince Joshua
Editor’s Choice: Jordy

Best LGBTQ Event

Winner: Outloud Music Festival at Weho Pride
Editor’s Choice: LA Opera Pride Night

"Best Regional Pride    "

Winner: WeHo Pride
Editor’s Choice: Long Beach Pride

Best News Source Ally

Winner: KTLA News
Editor’s Choice: Los Angeles Times – De Los

Athlete of the Year        

Winner: Tom Daley
Editor’s Choice: Freddie Freeman

Best Promoter of the Year

Winner: Beau Byron
Editor’s Choice: Tony Moore

"LGBTQ Professional of the Year "

Winner: Tristan Schukraft
Editor’s Choice: Queen Victoria Ortega

"Best Bartender "

Winner: Sumner Mormeneo – Beaches
Editor’s Choice: Matt Stratman – Motherlode

"Best DJ    "

Winner: Cazwell
Editor’s Choice: Paulo Ramirez

"Best Local LGBTQ Podcast   "

Winner: Today in Gay
Editor’s Choice: Very Delta

"Best Salon/Spa "

Winner: Project Q
Editor’s Choice: Shorty’s Barber Shop

"Best Music Venue   "

Winner: The Hollywood Bowl
Editor’s Choice: The Roxy Theatre

"Best Fitness/Workout Spot  "

Winner: Barry’s
Editor’s Choice: LA Fitness, Hollywood

Best Hotel

Winner: Hotel Ziggy
Editor’s Choice: SoHo House

Best Tattoo Shop/Artist

Winner: Plant Daddy Tattoos
Editor’s Choice: Cindy Ortega Tattoos

Local Hero Award

Pickel

Stay tuned for coverage of our Best of LA Awards party!

David Dean Bottrell is no stranger to shape-shifting — whether he’s embodying eccentric characters on screen or pouring himself into authentically intimate self-portrayal on the stage. With a career encompassing television, film, writing and teaching: does he ever sleep?

Bottrell has carved out his own space where vulnerability and comedy intersect. His most recent project, “Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen,” is currently touring the country and will soon land in Los Angeles, inviting folks into the honest, funny and often cringey reality of adolescence.

In this interview, Bottrell opens up about the awkward photo that sparked the show, the shock and joy of his first standing ovation and the significance of queer storytelling in today’s cultural climate. Bottrell brings both heart and humor to every story he tells. Whether you grew up a theater girlie, an outcast, or just someone who grew up feeling like they never had the right answers, “Teenage Wasteland” is sure to feel like a long overdue conversation with younger you.

Your new show is currently touring the country and is soon to hit Los Angeles. What was the spark that inspired the creation of “Teenage Wasteland?” Was there a particular memory, milestone, or meltdown that motivated you?

I was looking through some old photos and found this truly hideous picture of myself when I was thirteen.  I’m not kidding.  It was mortifying.  I remembered the day it was taken.  I remembered the shirt I was wearing, so I instantly knew I wanted to write not just about adolescence, but early adolescence — when you go from being a cute child to this ugly little rodent with bad skin who suddenly needs to wear deodorant. 

It’s such a tough time, probably one of the hardest chapters of life.  So much is happening and it doesn’t feel safe to even ask the most basic questions.  You usually just have to take your best guess and sometimes you guess horribly wrong.  

“Teenage Wasteland,” is subtitled “Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen.” What did those three years mean to you? Any stories from that time in your life you’d like to share with the class?

Absolutely!  As anybody who’s seen shows can attest, I’m nothing if not a “sharer.”  Something I often say at the top of the show is: ‘if you had a happy early adolescence, you should probably just leave now.  This show isn’t for you.  It’s for the rest of us.’  When I think about that time, the word “survival” comes to mind.  The stories are mostly about all the big scary discoveries that keep coming at you. 

The show opens with me talking about my first orgasm — which was totally spontaneous and terrifying — and happened in a very awkward and bizarre location.  My family was super religious and very uptight about sex, so I’d been told nothing.  Not a word about what was happening to my body.  I almost asked to be taken to the hospital.  Oh, and that hideous picture I found — It’s now on the poster for this show.

You’ve performed your shows on both the east and the west coasts. What’s the biggest difference between an east coast audience and a west coast audience? Do you have a preference? I can keep a secret…

Christ, I hope not.  I’m counting on you to blab this to everybody. Surprisingly, the differences are pretty subtle.  My shows aren’t stand-up. They’re each a collection of these weird funny stories that all weave into each other.  I sometimes describe them as sort of like National Public Radio (NPR), but with a lot more swearing.  L.A. audiences like to ride the rollercoaster.

The nuttier the story, the more they love it.  New Yorkers love to see how far down the elevator shaft I’ll go. They seem impressed when I download some really uncomfortable shit and still manage to make it funny.  I’ve spent my adult life bouncing back and forth between the coasts and I honestly love both groups of people equally — and that’s not me dodging the question. 

That’s actually true.  

You’ve shared the screen with folks like James Spader, Angela Bassett and Dolly Parton.  Tell us, who would’ve been your high school bestie and who would have been your arch frenemy?

Oh man, Dolly would have been my best buddy for sure. She’s a Tennessee gal and I’m from Kentucky, so there’s a strong chance that we’re distantly related.  I’ve seen great pictures of her in high school.  I’d have happily stolen a can of my mom’s White Rain hairspray and helped Dolly put a few extra stories on those skyscraper beehives she used to wear.  I’d have been way too scared of Angela.  When I worked with her she was fresh out of Yale, but she already seemed like royalty.  I don’t mean she was snooty.  Quite the opposite!  She was lovely, but she had this beautiful confidence even back then — something I did not have in my high school days.  So, I imagine James would’ve been the frenemy.  He’s such a brilliant guy and very kind.  But he plays his cards close to his chest and he can be a little hard to read.  I would never want to compete with him for anything like Prom King.  I’m pretty sure he’d have devised some brilliant way to wipe the floor with me.   

You wrote the screenplay for Kingdom Come, you’ve directed, you teach and you wrote a book. What haven’t you done yet? Any frontiers you’re looking to cross next?

Other than two years of acting class, I have almost no education, and I bluffed my way into most of those jobs.  Primarily because I needed the money.  Lately, I’ve been thinking that I might try pole dancing next.  I hear the tips are fantastic.   

From lawyers to killers and even a blood-thirsty vamp on HBO’s “True Blood,” you have portrayed quite the array of characters throughout your career. In “Teenage Wasteland” you will be sharing part of your own story. What made now the right moment to embrace vulnerability and go autobiographical?

Prior to doing these shows not many people knew my backstory.  I tended to hide it.  The first time I performed “David Dean Bottrell Makes Love: A One-Man Show” at the Comedy Central Stage in L.A., I had a panic attack ten minutes before the show.  I suddenly thought, ‘what the fuck are you doing?  You can’t say this stuff?’ 

But it was too late and the place didn’t have a back door.  I was really sweating when I walked out on that stage, but as soon as I said the first line, they started  laughing and for the next hour they didn’t stop.  I love acting because — at its best, I get to disappear into some odd character that was written by someone else.  It’s wonderfully safe in there.  But in storytelling, the goal is the opposite.  You certainly want people to be entertained; you want to make them laugh, but if you’re not transparent — if you’re not willing to tell a little more truth than you probably should be telling — you won’t be able to hold them.  They didn’t come to this show to listen to you say something ‘easy’ and there is nothing funnier than the truth.  

You also appeared on “Modern Family,” a show that not only helped normalize queer families for a mainstream audience but also portrayed them with humor and heart. What are some messages that you think the show got right that many politicians today still do not grasp?

I was honored to have been on “Modern Family.”  The thing about being queer in a primarily straight world is you have to come out like once a week — to the new person at work.  To the dry cleaner.  To the doctor.  Your new neighbor.  It feels endless.  Sometimes you feel like you have be a perfect gay Barbie and educate everyone that, for the most part — life is life.  We all want respect.  We all want a family of some kind.  We all want to understand how our iPhones work. 

Shows like “Modern Family” just presented these wonderful queer characters with real jobs, real kids, real families and I think it made a big impact.  It demystified our existence. 

Unfortunately, politicians since the beginning of time, win by creating fear and that sometimes means appealing to the most basic gross instinct of humanity that the ‘others’ are not to be trusted and that they’re up to no good.  

You grew up in Kentucky before Ellen was out and RuPaul had a budget. When you look at today’s state of queer storytelling, what makes you hopeful? What still feels hollow to you?

There’s been an incredible, big happy tsunami of change since I was a kid.  I remember how important the queer film festivals used to be because we got to come together and see our lives depicted honestly on screen.  Now our lives are on streaming services. When I saw “Fellow Travelers” which, granted, was a period piece — some of it was so raw, I felt I should get up and close the curtains.  It was thrilling. 

I’m really optimistic about what’s possible now, especially with all the super-popular queer stars who can hopefully continue to keep pushing us forward.  I feel bad saying this, but I didn’t love “Mid-Century Modern” because (despite being unapologetically gay, which I liked) it still felt a little like “The Golden Girls” in drag.  It seemed like the show could’ve been less jokey and maybe taken a fresher look at a group of men walking nervously into a new, possibly less sexual chapter of their lives.  

Let’s say a teenage version of yourself sneaks into your show. How do you think they would walk out feeling? What do you hope they walk out feeling?

Wow.  Good question.  Well, I hope they’d walk out the door excited about their life and a little proud of themself.  I never thought of myself as being particularly brave when I was kid.  But writing this show made me realize I was much stronger than I thought.  I came from a family that wasn’t exactly what you’d call ‘lucky,’ but somehow  I instinctively knew how to take my lemons and make lemonade.  I had a lot of cousins — and some peers — who took their lemons and planted a lemon grove.  

What is something the audience might not expect from “Teenage Wasteland?” Is there a moment that reverberates to your core when you perform it live?

Yes! There are several of them.  I think the biggest thing that rings true in the stories is that growing up different; being on the edge of things, can sometimes make you feel lonely or angry or scared.  But it also teaches you how to navigate, how to walk yourself home, how to laugh really hard, how to earn love.  Most importantly, how to forgive everybody including yourself.  

It’s that time of year again, when everyone’s ranting about getting their perfect summer body ready for beaches and pool parties. While working out to feel good is great, let’s be honest – the societal standard for a hot summer body leans heavily toward being thin and having a lack of body hair.

Singer-songwriter Tom Goss counters this narrative through his new single “Bear Soup,” featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Chris Conde. Instead of dropping the usual skinny, twink summer anthem, Goss is serving a body-positive bop that centers bears – the big, hairy, rugged guys who hold a reputation for knowing how to party.

“Bear Soup” marks the fourth and most ambitious entry in his bear song anthology series following the three iconic tracks “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places” and “Nerdy Bear.” 

“Well, simply put, I love bears,” exclaimed Goss. “To me, it feels important to make something bear-centered every couple years.”

It would be unfair to solely attribute Goss’ bear series to his personal love for bears, so he also emphasizes an important message regarding body positivity.

“If these songs, videos, and messages can help someone see themselves in a more positive light, and have a happier life as a result of that, I have done more than I could ever have dreamed of in this world.”

Taking inspiration from bold, confident artists like Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice and Flo Milli, Goss set out to create a track that would be right at home on the dance floor. From the very first listen, it is evident that he wanted to make a song that anyone — regardless of body type — could party to. The accompanying music video brings that vision to life, overflowing with fun, freedom and unapologetic self-love.

“As a bear guy myself, I understand the trepidations a chubby gay guy might have if [or] when invited to a pool party. In a culture fraught with rigorous body conscious expectation, the opportunity to create visuals for a song like “Bear Soup” are both freeing and exciting for me,” said Michale Serrato, director of the song’s music video.

The music video is exactly how Serrato describes it: It follows Goss at a lively pool party being completely enamored with the sea of bears around him. From playful swimming scenes to a marmalade wrestling match — with plenty of skin on display — it’s a celebration of body confidence and queer joy.

Conde delivers a powerful, high-intensity verse that balances the song’s playful pop vibe with raw energy. Goss describes Conde as being “unapologetic in who he is” with Conde’s feature elevating the track to the next level. 

For Goss, making these videos is more than just fun — it is about creating a space where people can show up as their full selves.

“These videos provide an environment that allows everyone to exude joy, fully and completely loving themselves in the process,” he said.

He even recalls background extras opening up about lifelong insecurities right before filming. But in the affirming, body-positive space Goss fosters, those fears quickly melted away.

“As soon as people arrive and are embraced so warmly, they shine brightly, take off their clothes, and accept themselves freely and effortlessly,” said Goss.

Goss understands the impact his work has had on others, yet he remains humble and never makes it about himself. He’s quick to clarify that he doesn’t take credit for anyone’s coming out or self-discovery, but he acknowledges the meaningful responses he’s received.

“I’ve had countless people tell me they discovered their sexuality or expanded their sense of attraction after watching my videos,” he said. “I’m not taking credit for their sexuality, but I do believe these videos give people permission to see the world and themselves in ways they might not have considered before.”

Although “Bear Soup” has been made and is set to release, Goss has even more in store.

“I have another song and video coming out soon, called “Gay Stuff,” followed by a full album,” he shared. Above all, Goss’s mission is clear: to spread positivity, joy, and encourage everyone to fully embrace who they are. And with a smile, he reminds us to “keep that bear love flowing.”

Actor Craig Taggart has had a colorful career that has transported him from St. Louis to Los Angeles.

Taggart made his L.A. stage debut in Del Shores’ revival of “Southern Baptist Sissies” and began a decades-long professional relationship that led to his appearance in a variety of “sordid” incarnations: in repertory in 2006’s Season of Shores in “Sordid Lives,” “Sordid Lives: It’s a Drag,” and then on TV’s “Sordid Lives: The Series” where he made his TV debut.

Los Angeles audiences have been privileged to see Taggart take the stage in a number of sketch comedies and hilarious parodies. One of his most popular runs has been portraying Bette Midler for “Rise n’ Shine” with Midler and Juliette Lewis, a surreal morning talk show hosted by the duo, played by comedy partner Chris Pudlo. Nowhere on Earth would these two stars be hanging out on a TV show, but the pairing works and the result is hilarious. We really would love to see the return of this dynamic duo.

Taggart will step into the emcee shoes this coming week while regular MuMo host Darin Sanone is traveling Europe. Taggart will present the very popular MISCAST edition, a fan-favorite segment of Musical Mondays that features actors performing roles that are far from their intended casting. From gender swaps to reinterpretations, MISCAST at Mumo is often hilarious, and many times poignant. We can’t wait.

We caught up with Taggart to talk about the power of musical theatre, his career and his fascination with divas.

What inspired your early love of musical theatre? 

The first time I fell in love, I was in the third grade watching my grammar school’s performance of Cinderella…a leading lady — in this case a pre-teen girl — on stage singing a torchy power ballad. Smitten!

What was your first professional appearance on stage? How did it go? 

Made my professional debut in The Miss Kitty’s Saloon Show at Six Flags St. Louis. 6 shows a day and getting to ride roller coasters when your shift is over…best summer job I ever had!

What was your journey from St. Louis to Los Angeles? What took some time getting used to? 

There’s a saying in St. Louis: “If you don’t like the weather here, hang out for 24 hours. It’ll change. And boy, would it! What sold me on Los Angeles was the temperate climate all year long. Weather in Missouri is all over the map…the consistency of Mother Nature here in L.A. has helped, pun intended, weather the career fluctuations over the past couple of decades.

How has being part of the theatre changed your life? 

I wouldn’t say theatre really changed my life. It defined my life, for the most part. It’s where I first experienced community. It’s where I was allowed to be myself and be celebrated for it.

 We need more Bette and Juliet! Any plans to see more of these lovely ladies? 

Funny you should mention that…we’ve been tinkering with the idea of bringing those broads back. I think a reunion show would be in order. Seems everyone’s getting a reboot these days…why not those gals?

Gender bending roles in the theatre have become very popular. What role would you cast yourself in? 

I would throw a Little Mermaid into oncoming traffic to get to play ‘Ursula’ onstage.

What has been a personal triumph for you in your theatre career and why? 

I made my NYC stage debut off-Broadway starring in “Wounded” by Jiggs Burgess and directed by my dear friend Del Shores this past year. Being involved with it from the initial zoom readings to its multiple award-winning run @ The 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival to it garnering a residency at The SoHo Playhouse as its Overall Excellence Award Winner from the 2024 International Fringe Festival…that has been the cherry on the cake of my career on-stage so far. 

What was your first exposure to Musical Mondays? 

Wow…I honestly can’t recall my first time. Not that it wasn’t memorable–it just seems so ingrained in my DNA that I find it harder to think of a time when I  DON’T recall being exposed to MuMo!

What is it about Musical Mondays that the community loves so much? 

I’d say it’s due to the unabashed and unapologetic reverence for the genre.

Why is celebrating musical theatre so important right now? 

Celebrating is a ceremony of respect…and with so much vitriol and animosity and negativity in the world these days…this artform–which, at its core, is one rooted in a reality where a story is only able to be told in so many words before it has nowhere else to go but through song–to me that is the purest form of joy. The purest expression of the soul. It’s art in multiple forms. It sings. It dances. It uplifts. It inspires. It unites and it’s defiant. In a world that stresses conformity, where we’re witnessing the ostracization of marginalized groups, it’s this beloved universe that decries “I Am What I Am”–with spotlights and sequins and showtunes–which, in my humble opinion, is the best antidote to all the ugliness we’re currently facing. Musical Theatre has got my undying and eternal respect…and it’s not only my job, but my duty and my honor and my purpose to celebrate it.

What can we expect from your upcoming appearance at MuMo? 

To quote Miss M herself: “Did I sing the ballad yet? Was it wonderful?”

What do you love most about performing at MuMo? 

Being a part of a crowd that wholeheartedly loves this art form like I do. 

What is your message to Mumo fans? 

No one says it better than Sondheim…so in my best Ethel, Angela, Tyne, Bernadette, Bette, Patty, & Audra…”Hold your hats, and Hallelujah! Mama’s gonna show it to ya!”

MuMo takes place every Monday at The Chapel at The Abbey; Los Angeles Blade serves as a proud media sponsor

Back in 1963, there really wasn’t such a thing as “Queer Cinema.”

Of course there had been plenty of movies made by queer people, even inside Hollywood’s tightly regulated studio system; artists like George Cukor and Vincente Minnelli brought a queer eye and sensibility to their work, even if they couldn’t come right out and say so, and became fluent in a “coded” language of filmmaking that could be deciphered by audience members “in the know,” while everyone else – including the censors – remained mostly oblivious. 

Yes, the movie industry was adapting to the demands of a generation that had grown increasingly countercultural in its priorities, and topics that had once been taboo on the big screen, including the more or less open depiction of queerness, were suddenly fair game. But even so, you’d be hard-pressed to find examples of movies where being queer was not tied to shame, stigma, and a certain social ostracization that remained, for the most part, a fact of life. Hollywood may have been ready to openly put queer people on the screen, but the existence it portrayed for them could hardly have been described as happy.

Yet this was the setting in which a Manhattan artist named James Bidgood began a filmmaking project that would dominate his life for the next several years and eventually become a seminal influence on queer cinema and queer iconography in general – all executed, with the exception of an ambitious climactic sequence, in a cramped New York apartment utilizing elaborate handmade sets and costumes, which would define an entire queer aesthetic for decades to come. Though disputes with the film’s financiers would eventually cause him to remove his name from the project, resulting in years of anonymity before finally being credited with his work, he has now taken his rightful place as one of the architects of modern queer sensibility.

The movie he made – “Pink Narcissus,” which has been newly restored in glistening 4K glory and is currently being screened in theaters across the U.S. after an April premiere at Manhattan’s Newfest – didn’t exactly take the world by storm. When it finally premiered on “arthouse” theater screens in 1971, it was slammed by mainstream critics (like Vincent Canby of the New York Times, who compared it to “a homemade Mardi Gras drag outfit” as if that were a bad thing) and largely ignored, even as a new spirit of creative freedom was bringing more and more visibility to openly queer content. A screening at 1984’s “Gay Film Festival” reintroduced it to an audience that was finally ready to embrace its feverishly stylized, near-surreal fantasia on gay obsessions, and since then it has loomed large in the queer cultural imagination, providing clear and directly attributable influence over the entire queer visual lexicon that has developed in its wake – even if it has remained widely unseen among all but the most dedicated queer cinema buffs.

With a running time of little more than an hour, it’s not the kind of movie that can be described in terms of a cohesive linear plot. “Official” synopsis efforts have typically framed it as the story of a young male hustler who, while waiting for a call from a favorite “trick,” fantasizes about various erotic scenarios in his spangled and bejeweled apartment. But since it is a film with no spoken dialogue that takes place largely in the imagination of its central character, it’s difficult to place a definitive construct upon it. What’s certainly true is that it presents a series of daydreamed fantasies in which its protagonist – played by sultry lipped Bobby Kendall, a teen runaway who had become a model for Bidgood’s “physique” photography and also his roommate and (probably) on-and-off lover – imagines himself in various scenarios, including as a matador facing a bull (who is really a leather-clad motorcyclist in a public restroom), a Roman slave thrown to the mercy and pleasure of his emperor, and both a Sheik and a harem boy obsessed with a well-endowed exotic male belly dancer. Eventually, the young man’s thoughts venture into the streets outside, where he is immersed in a seedy, sordid world of sexual obsession and degradation, before facing a final fantasy in which, as an “innocent” nymph in the woods (perhaps the human embodiment of the film’s titular butterfly), he is engulfed and consumed by his own sexual nature, only to be reborn in his apartment to face the inevitable transformation from “twink” to “trick” that presumably awaits all gay men who dedicate their lives to the transgressive sexual desires that drive them.

All of that, to modern sensibilities, might read like a series of stereotypical and vaguely demeaning tropes symbolizing little more than the degradation that comes of a hedonistic lifestyle in which pleasure and punishment are intertwined with all the surety of fate; but what sets “Pink Narcissus” apart from so many early examples of queer cinema is that, despite its reliance on the often-campy trappings of “rough trade” and the performative “tragedy” of its overall arc from youth and beauty to age and corruption, it exudes an unmistakable attitude of joy.

We’re talking about the joy of sensuality, the joy of self-acceptance, the joy of partaking in a life that calls to us despite the restrictions of societal “normality” which would have us deny ourselves such pleasures; in short, the joy of being alive – something to which every living being theoretically has the right, but which for queer people is all-too-often quashed under the mountain of disapproval and shame imposed upon them by a heteronormative society and its judgments. Considering that it was made in a time when the queer presence in film was mostly limited to victimhood or ridicule, it feels as much an act of resistance as it does a celebration of queer sexuality; seen in a cultural climate like today’s, when joy itself seems as much under attack as sexuality, identity, or any of the other personal traits which separate us from the supposed “norm” imposed by prevailing political attitudes, it becomes an almost radical act, a declaration of independence asserting our natural right to be who we are and like what we like.

That’s why “Pink Narcissus” looms so large in the landscape of queer filmmaking. It’s the irrefutable evidence of queer joy singing out to us from a time when it could only exist in our most private of moments; it’s unapologetically campy, over the top in its theatricality, and almost comically blatant in its prurient obsession with the anatomy of the anonymous male models who make up most of its cast (and Kendall, who seems to dress himself in various outfits only to undress for the next erotic daydream), but it feels like a thumb on the nose to anyone who might shame us for for celebrating our sexual nature, which Bidgood’s movie unequivocally does. 

Restored to the vivid (and luridly colorful) splendor of its original 8mm format, “Pink Narcissus” is currently touring the country on a series of limited screenings; VOD streaming will be available soon, check the Strand Releasing website for more information.

On Friday, May 30, WeHo Pride and OUTLOUD will kick off the weekend full of festivities with a free WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night outdoor concert. 

WeHo Pride and OUTLOUD Music Festival have come together this year featuring a lineup of LGBTQ performers and LGBTQ-focused programming for all ages. 

The kick off event is free, but requires an RSVP to secure the complimentary tickets and registration for tickets officially opens on Friday, May 16 at 10a.m. The headlining performer will be Maren Morris, a GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter who came out as bisexual during Pride month last summer and released her fourth album earlier this month. 

The OUTLOUD Music Festival will continue on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, with a two-day concert experience spotlighting a dynamic lineup of LGBTQ+ artists including Lizzo, Remi Wolf, Kim Petras and Paris Hilton — all set to perform on the mainstage. Lil Nas X was also set to perform, but has been taken out of the lineup due to health issues. 

The SummerTramp stage will have Honey Dijon as the headliner, and feature sets from Horse Meat Disco, salute, Meredith Marks, Brooke Eden, and others. The Saturday and Sunday concerts are not free and do require tickets to be purchased in advance. 

“WeHo Pride Weekend is nearly upon us. Hosting WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD with free-entry tickets is more than symbolic — it’s a declaration that equality and inclusion matter,” said Chelsea Lee Byers, mayor of West Hollywood. “In West Hollywood, we celebrate queer lives and artists. At a time when LGBTQ communities face a surge of attacks across the country, West Hollywood remains committed to raising visibility and vibrantly celebrating our community. I’m so proud that the City of West Hollywood stands firm in the fight for LGBTQ rights and creative expression. I hope to see everyone out on Friday Night at OUTLOUD!”

WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD will begin at 6p.m. on Friday, May 30. The free WeHo Pride Street Fair will then take place on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1, beginning at noon. Both days will feature live entertainment, drag performances, activities and dyke-tivities such as the Dyke March and Women’s Freedom Festival on Saturday, taking place at the WeHo Pride Community Stage. 

“This event is all about showing up, celebrating loudly, and creating space for queer joy and none of it would be possible without the incredible support from the City of West Hollywood,” said Jeff Consoletti, founder and executive producer of OUTLOUD. “We’re beyond grateful to have our partnership extended through 2030 and can’t wait to keep building something unforgettable together year after year.”

Weekend and single day passes are on sale now. 
For more information, visit the OUTLOUD Festival website.