Actor and advocate Danny Pintauro is not one to shy away from a difficult conversation and with his latest project, he’s diving right into one.

Starring in the benefit reading of Right Before I Go for Mental Health Action Day, Pintauro isn’t just lending his voice to a powerful script — he’s putting his own lived experience on the front lines of a conversation that, quite honestly, needs to happen. With a cast full of talent, a story grounded in authenticity and truth, and a discussion that promises real dialogue, this is not just a night at the theater but a call to action.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to connect with Pintauro and talk about what drew him to this project, how his own journey informs his advocacy, and why we all need to ‘kiki less, talk more.”

Spoiler alert: things get honest, unfiltered, and refreshingly hopeful.

You’re starring in the benefit reading of Right Before I Go  for Mental Health Action Day. What drew you to this particular project? 

Stan Zimmerman, the creator of this piece, sent the script to me quite a while ago and I was intrigued after reading. So we’ve been waiting for an opportunity to work on this together. The timing is perfect with May 15 being Mental Health Action Day. The Curtis Theater in Brea is also very hands on with this piece and is providing a mental health professional for the talk back after the show. To work with Mindy Sterling, Juliana Joel, Philip Smithey and Kalinda Gray — is a dream.

The play is built around the true story of Stan processing the loss of his friend Kevin from suicide and how that journey of understanding led him to read numerous notes that various people, both famous and not, have left behind. While telling his story, the other four actors, including myself, read the various letters that impacted Stan the most.  This play is an opportunity to get people thinking about suicide and mental health, and any opportunity to affect even a small group of people in this way is important. Safe spaces are important and we’re going to provide one on May 18. 

As someone who’s been open about your own health journey, how does this play resonate with your personal experiences? 

Look, we’ve all had a moment in our lives where things were so bad,  ending your life seemed like the only way forward. If someone tells you they have never had that moment they’re lying. That moment when you are convinced the only solution in front of you that makes sense is to not be alive anymore. I have had multiple instances in my life where it was right there, right on the tip of my tongue. Whether it be in my early 20s when I was outed by the Enquirer, my late 20s when I found out I was HIV positive, or my early 30s when I filed for bankruptcy and felt completely lost. 

We’ve all been there, we just — we have to start talking about being there, share the journey with others- that’s the fastest way for us to make change. 

According to the CDC, nearly 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023 — that’s one every 11 minutes in the U.S., with the numbers being disproportionately higher for minority groups. The Trevor Project reports that 18% of LGBTQ youth attempted suicide that year, with trans individuals being 72% more likely to do so.

What if removing stigma created safe spaces — starting with ourselves — that allowed people to talk before it’s too late? Just opening up in our friend groups could make a world of difference, especially for young LGBTQ people who might feel seen and supported for the first time.

Depression is a major driver of suicide, but anxiety plays a huge role too. Think about it —suicide can feel like a form of relief when fear and panic become unbearable. My husband, for example, has severe anxiety and claustrophobia on airplanes. When stuck on a tarmac too long, his panic gets so intense that his brain starts convincing him the only escape is to end his life. He’s logical, emotionally stable, and still this happens. That’s how powerful anxiety can be—and why we have to talk about it more. Kiki less, talk more.

In the past, you have always been open and honest about the challenges of living with HIV and overcoming addiction. How have these experiences impacted your approach to mental health advocacy?

As I mentioned, finding out I was HIV positive in 2003 was rough. At the time, we barely understood what the future looked like for people on medication and the drugs themselves were still harsh on the body. There weren’t many examples of people living full, happy lives with HIV — it felt like a death sentence. On top of that, I also contracted Hep C, which can accelerate HIV progression. I truly believed my time was limited. Thankfully, my Hep C resolved itself, but that initial realization — that I’d need to take a pill every day or die — sent me into a tailspin that brought me inches from suicide.

Addiction and mental health[care] are just as tightly connected. One rarely exists without the other and both carry heavy stigma. Talking about either can change how people see you, which is why it’s critical we create a culture of understanding and compassion. We’ve come a long way, but in 2025, it’s still shocking how much judgment exists around suicide, addiction and even depression.

We have to do better.

Right Before I Go  digs deep into heavy themes of suicide and mental health. What message do you hope audiences take away from this performance? 

You’ll find the keyword of this interview will be action and how we must all take action when it comes to mental health. For our own sakes and for those around us. We must all reach a place where speaking openly and honestly about our personal struggles is easy and we feel heard. That requires education, for both the person suffering and those around them.

So, this play will hopefully give people who are struggling, a safe space to speak about it [during the talkback portion after the play]. [This part] will also get the audience members thinking about who in their lives might be struggling and maybe help them understand why they are struggling in the first place, or even help them understands what the signs are. So few people talk openly about suicide, we are left to read the signs. 

Lastly, yes, the play is specifically about suicide, but suicide is a byproduct of mental health and we need to remember that mental health is intrinsically tied to overall health. Everyone can agree that poor mental health leads to poor physical health, both in the short term and long term. I experience this on a daily basis — my anxiety can get so severe that my doctors are worried I will develop ulcers. And if you believe in energy, having your body flooded with the negative energy your mind is creating throughout the day is sure to affect your health.  So we all need to take action to make sure our brains are cooperating as fully as possible. What does ‘action’ look like for you? Therapy? Medication? Both?

You’ve been a vocal advocate for de-stigmatizing HIV. How do you see the parallels between the stigma surrounding HIV and that of mental health issues? 

They used to be inseparable. Thankfully we have come so far with HIV treatments that we can finally separate the two – through research and through meeting others living happily with HIV you can reach a place where any misgivings, worries or fears can be put away in a box and burned. Every time I encounter someone on my live streams or in my messages who is in a dire state about their HIV diagnosis, it becomes clear right away that they haven’t done their research and are simply living in the stigma.

To be clear, I’m not judging them for not having done their research. I’m simply acknowledging that the act of finding out your positive is so overwhelming and intrinsically tied to shame and fear, you don’t know what to do. Ten years ago, I was always hopeful and positive when responding to people who had just found out. Now I can tell someone with confidence that they can and will live a happy healthy life, even with HIV. The fear dissipates quickly once they realize that taking their medication, as prescribed, will allow them to live long lives — I mean, I’m 20 years positive and in the best health of my life. Learning that (U=U) is real and viable and that taking PrEP can prevent transmission and can remove the shame surrounding being sexually active again. Meeting others who are living full lives should clear any remaining stigma. 

That’s when you ‘pop out and into’ your new world with a new passion for life. That’s my personal mantra for a lot of things, when I find myself worrying about my acting career for instance — I try to ‘pop out’ of the negative mindset and ‘pop into’ my manifestations or the very least, ‘pop into the present moment.’

What role do you believe the entertainment industry plays in shaping public perceptions of mental health? 

As I’ve always believed, the entertainment business creates opportunities to change public perception every day. I said 100 times already that one of the ways to end stigma and bring mental health issues more to the forefront is through education. But not everyone is going to pick up a pamphlet and decide to become more educated about suicide or depression — at least not until they’re faced with it personally.

But those same people are watching more and more film, TV and social media and if we present them with honest, real and relatable examples of people with suicidal tendencies, depression, mental health issues, etc… while also presenting them with examples of how to help those people — bam, they’ve become educated.

I’ve been saying this since 1997 about the LGBTQ community — one of my jobs in coming out was [and] is to be an honest, real and relatable example of someone who is gay. The more examples, the more acceptance, education and understanding. 

Right now, one of the things we are not seeing much of at all in film and TV are people living happily with HIV and having sex. We need to start seeing more examples of this [because] it will help everyone understand and learn. It will make it easier for people just finding out to move through the stigma, it will show how far we’ve come and it will educate people.

I constantly have people ask me how I’m ‘doing.’ And it’s always clear they actually mean, ‘I know you’re dying from HIV, how long do you have?’ If we can start showing people that we are doctors, nurses, teachers, politicians, parents and friends, we can get them to believe we’re not all dying. The only difference between you and me is that I have to take a pill every day, hell, some people get a shot every three months now, that is truly the only difference in our daily lives. 

Given your diverse career, from acting to animal rescue, how do you balance your personal passions with your advocacy work? 

You know, I wish I could say I was more of an advocate. I wish I was more like Alyssa Milano or Wilson Cruz, just every day taking on the challenges of being vocal about multiple causes. Compared to them, it really feels like I’m not doing anything, It’s also hard to be as prevalent as they are when your daily life is filled with so much uncertainty.

Since coming back to the entertainment business in 2022, I have had minimal success due to everything that’s affected the business since then. I know success is just around the corner for me. I can feel it — but right now we worry about paying our bills, not so much about being an advocate. I think just existing in this world as an example of a healthy, happy HIV [positive] gay man with addiction issues, is going to have to be enough for now. 

For people struggling with mental health challenges, what advice would you offer based on your own journey? 

My journey is unique, and while I’m not a mental health professional, I always encourage anyone struggling to seek real help because it’s easier than ever to find. What I can share is what’s worked for me.

I talk about this a lot during my TikTok lives: you’ve got to live in the present. That’s one of the main reasons I’ve survived everything I’ve been through. I’m great at letting go of the past, but my anxiety keeps me living too far in the future. Staying grounded in the moment takes work — deep breaths, mindfulness, and yes, therapy.

When I feel myself spiraling, I remind myself: in five years, I don’t want to look back and regret wasting time stuck in a mental health hole. While it’s not always easy to spot when you’re slipping, the key is awareness — what I call my mantra: ‘pop out and pop into.‘ Be conscious enough to pop out of destructive thoughts and pop into the present. Grieve, process, heal — but then live.

Because you’re the only one you truly need to live for.

If you’re stuck in the past or paralyzed by the future, find a therapist. If your mental health isn’t where you want it to be, talk to a doctor about medication. And yes — that stigma still exists. Why is it so taboo to say [to yourself], ‘my brain needs help and I’m choosing medication so I can fully live?’

Our brains aren’t perfect — some need support. That’s not weakness, it’s wisdom.

To my trans brothers and sisters: I see you. I hear you.

According to The Trevor Project, suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary youth rose by 72% in the wake of anti-trans legislation. I know what it’s like to not feel safe — I came out at a time when being openly gay was a radical act. We’ve made huge strides, but our trans friends don’t always have the same safety. We must protect them.

We lost a trans friend in Austin this year. It hurts and I can’t help but think — if the political climate were different, maybe they’d still be here. But we will get through this. When I came out, we barely had two gay characters on TV. Now queer people are everywhere on screen — and that visibility saves lives. So stay visible. Stay here. It does get better.

 Looking ahead, how do you envision continuing to contribute to mental health awareness and support? 

Hopefully by continuing to read this play in other places around the country. But it will not be hard for me to always be vocal about mental health considering I suffer from it. That’s really the key, people need to talk more openly and freely about their mental health issues — to breakdown stereotypes, to help others see they are not alone, to learn more about yourself — all of it. 

What do you hope people remember about your involvement in Right Before I Go  and your advocacy efforts? 

I hope that people remember the collective moment we get to have after the show in our talk back – that’s where the real work begins!

Right Before I Go: Curtis Theatre, Sun, May 18th, 2025 at 5:00 pm: Tickets Here

Late last year, L.A Blade founder and publisher Troy Masters passed away, leaving behind a legacy which has continued to thrive regardless of the current state of LGBTQ media. He not only founded the L.A Blade, but he also pushed for more diverse representation in LGBTQ media and created space to celebrate the accomplishments of those on the frontlines. Eight years ago, Masters started hosting the Best of LGBTQ L.A Awards.

This year, the LGBTQ community is facing some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ legislation on a local, state, national and global scale. Here in L.A, some community members were directly impacted by the January fires and many even lost their homes and businesses.

Despite all of this, the Blade — L.A’s premiere LGBTQ media outlet, the nation’s only LGBTQ Media member of the White House Press Corps and sister newspaper of the historic Washington Blade in D.C. — refuses to lose our spirit as we gear up to celebrate the Best of LGBTQ L.A on Thursday, May 22, at The Abbey in West Hollywood. This event will be presented in part by Visit West Hollywood.

The evening will be co-hosted by socialite and entertainment personality Billy Francesca and L.A Blade publisher Alexander Rodriguez, and will include performances from pop singer Robert Rene, Bring It To Brunch’s Cake Moss, viral influencer and comedian Allison Reese, and go-go and performer Prince Joshua, with a reading from West. Hollywood’s 4^th Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace.

This year’s Local Hero Award will be presented to Pickle, the City of West Hollywood’s Drag Laureate, founder and executive director of Drag Arts Lab, for her activism, support of the queer community continued visibility.

It is both a scary and exciting time for our community. The excitement comes from our community’s resilience and refusal to stay silent. I am thrilled that we can continue to honor L.A’s choice for the best of the best this year in such a fun way. I am grateful for our readers coming together to pick the nominees and to come out and party. I am also thankful for our power partners for their support.

This year has already proven to be a true testament to the resilience and power of L.A’s queer community and we continue to celebrate and remain powerful.

Nominees across 38 categories were submitted by the community, recognizing some extraordinary pioneers of LGBTQ life in SoCal, businesses, agencies, political leaders, entertainers and allies. The top nominee recipients in each category were added to the final ballot and over twenty thousand of our readers voted for the winner. We congratulate each of this year’s winners and final nominees.

“This is my first year being a part of the celebration and I could not be more excited to share a night of queer joy and celebration with my community,” said Gisselle Palomera, editor of the L.A Blade. “Events like these are crucial for us during these politically oppressive times to celebrate each other, ourselves and to plan for what’s to come next for us. Remembering that queer joy is our ultimate act of resistance, this year’s nominees either bring us that joy, or do everything in their power to protect it and they deserve our recognition.”

This year’s Best of LGBTQ L.A nominees are:

Best Drag Performer

• Allusia
• Cake Moss
• Kyra Jete
• Lolita Colby
• Mauro Cuchi
• Salina EsTitties

Best Drag Show

• Beaches Drag Brunch
• Bring It To Brunch
• Brunch Service at The Abbey
• Fat Slut at Precinct LA
• Rocco’s Rocc-ettes Drag Brunch

Local Influencer of the Year

• Allison Reese
• Cosmo Melrose
• Eden and Jay (Preciosa Night)
• Jesse Sulli
• Rose Montoya
• Tony Moore

Best Musical Queer Artist

• Chappell Roan
• David Archuleta
• Doechii
• Frankie Grande
• Lil Nas X

Best LGBTQ Bar

• Akbar
• Hi-Tops
• Mickys
• Precinct
• Rocco’s Weho
• The Abbey

Best Happy Hour

• Bayou
• Fiesta Cantina
• Gym Bar
• Hi-Tops
• The Abbey

Go-Go of the Year

• Jake Mathew
• Jean Paul
• Josh Flores
• Prince Joshua
• Steven Dehler
• Victoria Shaw

Best Restaurant

• Bavel
• Bottega Louie
• Casita Del Campo
• Mas Mananitas
• Mi Corozon
• Ysabel

Best Radio or TV Station

• 99.1 KLBP
• CHANNEL Q
• LatiNation
• Out TV
• REVRY

Best Cannabis Retailer/Lounge

• Artist Tree Lounge
• CCA Silverlake
• Elevate
• Green Qween
• The Woods WeHo

Best LGBTQ Owned Business

• Andrew Christian
• Fan Daddies
• JJLA
• MISTR
• Underdog Bookstore
• Wildfang

Best LGBTQ Social Group

• Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
• Outloud Sports
• Pride Business Leaders
• T Boy Wrestling
• Unique Woman’s Coalition
• WeHo Dodgeball

Best House of Worship

• Congregation Kol Ami
• Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles
• Hollywood Boulevard Episcopal
• Hollywood United Methodist
• InVision Church Los Angeles

Activist of the Year

• Bamby Salcedo
• Chris Baldwin
• Edwin Soto
• Rose Montoya
• Tristan Schukraft

Public Official of the Year

• Chelsea Byers
• Eunisses Hernandez
• John Erickson
• Lindsey Horvath
• Rick Chavez Zbur
• Ysabel Jurado

Best Local Pro Sports Team

• Angel City FC
• LA Chargers
• LA Dodgers
• LA Lakers
• LA Rams
• LA Sparks
• Los Angeles FC

Local Ally of the Year

• Abbe Land
• Andrew Solomon
• Chelsea Byers
• Natalie Sanchez
• Steve Galindo

Best Doctor/Medical Provider

• AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• APLA
• LA LGBT Center
• St. John’s Wellness
• UCLA Health – Williams Institute

Most LGBTQ-Friendly Workplace

• AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• City of West Hollywood
• JJLA
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• Trader Joe’s

Non-Profit of the Year

• Equality California
• GLAAD
• Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
• Project Angel Food
• The Queer 26
• Trans Lifeline

Best Local Actor

• Cameron Esposito
• Jason Caceres
• Lena Waithe
• Rain Valdez
• Shaan Dasani
• Trevor Dow

Best Queer Art Space

• Circus of Books
• Junior High
• Museum of Latin American Art
• Superchief LA
• Tom of Finland House

Best Local Theatre

• Center Theatre Group
• Geffen Playhouse
• LA Opera
• Laguna Playhouse
• Pasadena Playhouse

Local Musical Artist of the Year

• Jordy
• Prince Joshua
• San Cha
• Tom Goss
• Vitamina C

Best LGBTQ Event

• Dinah Shore
• GLAAD Awards
• LA Opera Pride Night
• Out at the Fair
• Outloud Music Festival at Weho Pride

Best Regional Pride

• DTLA Proud
• Hermosa Beach
• Long Beach Pride
• Palm Springs Pride
• WeHo Pride

Best News Source Ally

• CALÓ News
• Glendale News-Press
• KTLA News
• Los Angeles Times – De Los
• Spectrum News 1 SoCal

Athlete of the Year

• Anthony Bowens
• Cece Telfer
• Christen Press
• Freddie Freeman
• Tom Daley

Best Promoter of the Year

• Beau Byron
• DJ Lez Ortiz
• Eden and Jay
• Paul Nicholls
• Stefano Rosso
• Tony Moore

LGBTQ Professional of the Year

• Abogada Jess
• Brian Holt
• Kate Sosin
• Oliver Alpuche
• Queen Victoria Ortega
• Tristan Schukraft

Best Bartender

• Addie Rae – Fiesta Cantina
• Hayden Bebber – Gym Bar
• Manny De Cielo – Schmitty’s
• Matt Stratman – Motherlode
• Max – Trunks
• Sumner Mormeneo – Beaches

Best DJ

• Cazwell
• DJ Lez Ortiz
• DJ Preciosa
• DJ SRO
• DJ Vick Jagger
• Paulo Ramirez

Best Local LGBTQ Podcast

• Cool Cool Cool
• Sloppy Seconds
• Sorry for Asking
• Today in Gay
• Very Delta

Best Salon/Spa

• Bautis LA
• Folklore Salon & Barber
• Project Q
• Serenity on Sunset
• Shorty’s Barber Shop

Best Music Venue

• The Disney Concert Hall
• The Hollywood Bowl
• The Roxy Theatre
• The Troubadour
• The Wiltern

Best Fitness/Workout Spot

• Barry’s
• Equinox on Sunset
• Gold’s Gym
• John Reed Fitness
• LA Fitness, Hollywood

Best Hotel

• Andaz
• Edition Hotel
• Hotel Ziggy
• Kimpton La Peer Hotel
• SoHo House

Best Tattoo Shop/Artist

• Ale from B36 Tattoo
• Cindy Ortega Tattoos
• June Bug Tattoos
• Plant Daddy Tattoos
• Salvavida Tattoos

With live performances, special presentations, the announcement of our winners and the electrifying buzz of recognition, it’s an event no LGBTQ Angeleno should miss — unless you’re looking to get some serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

Join us on Thursday, May 22, as we raise a glass to the trailblazers and storytellers who illuminate our journeys and light the path towards a brighter future.

Let the L.A Blade Awards be your beacon of hope, where you show off your Pride, and make it an unforgettable night of belonging and radical queer joy.

Stay tuned for further updates on nominees, presenters, and exciting surprises ahead of the celebration.

In the meantime, mark your calendars and let’s prepare to celebrate the brilliance of the LGBTQ+ community at the 2025 Los Angeles Blade Best Of LGBTQ+ Los Angeles Awards!

The Abbey | May 22, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.

Crowds filled the seats and halls to the brim for the LA Opera production of Ainadamar: The Fountain of Tears at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion last week. The Los Angeles Blade was on hand for Pride Night as the diverse crowd engaged in lively chatter about what they had heard about this truly stunning production.

This Argentinian opera by composer Osvaldo Golijov is a standout from this year’s season. It is not only a sultry and moving score with international stars leading the way, but it is also a celebration of pageantry with flamenco-inspired choreography and sounds, presented in a breathtaking environment of outstanding visuals.

This is not your grandmother’s opera. At an hour and twenty minutes, this is an opera that even non-opera goers will fall in love with.

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The story celebrates the tragic story of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, who was arrested in Granada at the onset of the Spanish Civil War, stemming from his political beliefs and works, and homosexuality.

Lorca was executed in Ainadamar and buried in an unmarked mass grave. The opera is a mix of reality and the surreal as it tells his story through the eyes of his long-time muse, actress Margarita Xirgu, and the main character in Lorca’s play Mariana Pineda, his first theatrical success, a real-life political heroine.

The minute the curtain rises, you know you are in for something different. The opera features a top-notch cast that includes a diverse and moving ensemble, there is no weak player here. But in addition to the main roles, there are other stars in this production. Lighting, sound, and set design are literally breathtaking. The audience murmured many times as beautifully stylized projections coupled with intoxicating sound effects as performers moved through a number of dazzling and sleek set changes.

A scene from Ainadamar (Photo: Cory Weaver)

Fluidity is key here. The performers dance and engage in beautifully crafted, stylized movement.

This isn’t just the opera , it is an experience.

Black fans, shirtless flamenco dancers, cultural percussion and plaintive musical lines all add to the Latin flair. Whereas some Latin presentation can come across as kitsch or overplayed, this is subtle, sensual, erotic, and emotionally tragic. The audience is not just a witness to a beautiful production, they are transported. You could hear a pin drop to the last very note, until the audience sprang to their feet with a well-deserved standing ovation and never-ending shouts of “Bravo.”

Daniela Mack, hailing from Argentina, plays Lorca in gender-exploring casting. The result is a truly moving performance that is both sultry and sad. We celebrate Lorca’s love of language, his devotion to divas, and his refusal to remain quiet.

A scene from Ainadamar (Photo credit Cory Weaver)

Ana María Martínez, who is Puerto Rican, commands the production as Lorca’s muse, Margarita Xirgu. We are watching a true artist at work who captures the pathos of the production.

A scene from Ainadamar (Photo: Cory Weaver)

Debuting in 2003, Ainadamar comes at crucial time when the government continues to try and silence the queer voice both politically and artistically. No one needs an interpreter to correlate Lorca’s persecution with what is happening today.

This production was a perfect match for LA Opera’s Pride Night, and the audience was full. Copies of the Los Angeles Blade were passed out at the evening’s post-opera party, presented by LA Opera and the Opera League of Los Angeles. The queer folk were out in numbers, but the Pride Night gathering was extremely diverse, brought together by this provocative production.

Ainadamar runs only one more weekend, closing on May 18^th. This is a perfect production for someone who has never been to the opera, or doesn’t consider themselves opera-goers.  

Visit the website for tickets.

I’ve always prided myself on being the kind of music consumer who purchased music on impulse. When I stumbled across “Things Here Are Different,” Jill Sobule’s 1990 MCA Records debut album on vinyl in a favorite Chicago record store, I bought it without knowing anything about her. This was at a time when we didn’t have our phones in our pockets to search for information about the artist on the internet. The LP stayed in my collection until, as vinyl was falling out of fashion, I replaced it with a CD a few years later.

Early in my career as an entertainment journalist, I received a promo copy of Jill’s eponymous 1995 Atlantic Records album. That year, Atlantic Records was one of the labels at the forefront of signing and heavily promoting queer artists, including Melissa Ferrick and Extra Fancy, and its roster included the self-titled album by Jill. It was a smart move, as the single “I Kissed A Girl” became a hit on radio and its accompanying video (featuring Fabio!) was in heavy rotation on MTV (when they still played videos).

Unfortunately for Jill, she was a victim of record label missteps. When 1997’s wonderful “Happy Town” failed to repeat the success, Atlantic dumped her. That was Atlantic’s loss, because her next album, the superb “Pink Pearl” contained “Heroes” and “Mexican Wrestler,” two of her most beloved songs. Sadly, Beyond Music, the label that released that album ceased to exist after just a few years. To her credit, the savvy Jill had also started independently releasing music (2004’s “The Folk Years”). That was a smart move because her next major-label release, the brilliant “Underdog Victorious” on Artemis Records, met a similar fate when that label folded.

With her 2009 album “California Years,” Jill launched her own indie label, Pinko Records, on which she would release two more outstanding full-length discs, 2014’s “Dottie’s Charms” (on which she collaborated with some of her favorite writers, including David Hadju, Rick Moody, Mary Jo Salter, and Jonathan Lethem), and 2018’s stunning “Nostalgia Kills.” Jill’s cover of the late Warren Zevon’s “Don’t Let Us Get Sick” on “Nostalgia Kills” was particularly poignant as she had toured with him as an opening act.

Jill was a road warrior, constantly on tour, and her live shows were something to behold. My first interview with Jill took place at the Double Door in Chicago in early August of 1995, when she was the opening act for legendary punk band X. She had thrown her back out the previous day and was diagnosed with a herniated disc. To be comfortable, she was lying down on a fabulous-‘50s sofa. “I feel like I’m at my shrink’s,” she said to me, “Do you want me to talk about my mother?”

That sense of humor, which permeated and enriched her music, was one of many reasons to love Jill. I was privileged to interview her for seven of her albums. Everything you would want to know about her was right there in her honest lyrics, in which she balanced her distinctive brand of humor with serious subject matter. Drawing on her life experiences in songs such as “Bitter,” “Underachiever,” “One of These Days,” “Freshman,” “Jetpack,” “Nothing To Prove,” “Forbidden Thoughts of Youth,” “Island of Lost Things,” “Where Do I Begin,” “Almost Great,” and “Big Shoes,” made her songs as personal as they were universal, elicited genuine affection and concern from her devoted fans.

While she was a consummate songwriter, Jill also felt equally comfortable covering songs made famous by others, including “Just A Little Lovin’” (on the 2000 Dusty Springfield tribute album “Forever Dusty”) and “Stoned Soul Picnic” (from the 1997 Laura Nyro tribute album “Time and Love”). Jill also didn’t shy away from political subject matter in her music with “Resistance Song,” “Soldiers of Christ,” “Attic,” “Heroes,” “Under the Disco Ball,” and the incredible “America Back” as prime examples.

Here’s something else worth mentioning about Jill. She was known for collaboration skills. As a songwriter, she maintained a multi-year creative partnership with Robin Eaton (“I Kissed A Girl” and many others), as well as Richard Barone, the gay frontman of the renowned band The Bongos. Jill’s history with Barone includes performing together at a queer Octoberfest event in Chicago in 1996. Writer and comedian Julie Sweeney, of “SNL” and “Work in Progress” fame was another Chicago collaborator with Sobule (Sweeney lives in a Chicago suburb), where they frequently performed their delightful “The Jill and Julia Show.” John Doe, of the aforementioned band X, also collaborated with Jill in the studio (“Tomorrow Is Breaking” from “Nostalgia Kills”), as well as in live performances.

On a very personal note, in 2019, when I was in the process of arranging a reading at the fabulous NYC gay bookstore Bureau of General Services – Queer Division, I reached out to Jill and asked her if she would like to be on the bill with me. We alternated performing; I would read a couple of poems, and Jill would sing a couple of songs. She even set one of my poems to music, on the spot.

Jill had an abundance of talent, and when she turned her attention to musical theater, it paid off in a big way. Her stage musical “F*ck 7th Grade,” a theatrical piece that seemed like the next logical step in her career, had its premiere at Pittsburgh’s City Theatre in the fall of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. The unique staging (an outdoor drive-in stage at which audience members watched from their cars) was truly inspired. “F*ck 7th Grade” went on to become a New York Times Critic’s pick, as well as earning a Drama Desk nomination.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Jill’s eponymous 1995 album, reissue label Rhino Records is re-releasing it on red vinyl. Jill and I had been emailing each other to arrange a time for an interview. We even had a date on the books for the third week of May.

When she died in a house fire in Minnesota on May 1 at age 66, Jill received mentions on network and cable news shows. She was showered with attention from major news outlets, including obits in the New York Times and Rolling Stone (but not Pitchfork, who couldn’t be bothered to review her music when she was alive). Is it wrong to think that if she’d gotten this much attention when she was alive she could have been as big as Taylor Swift? I don’t think so.

For someone who’s been dead for 160 years, Abraham Lincoln is still hot.

No, we don’t mean it that way, though if we were talking about the Lincoln of “Lavender Men” – a new movie starring and co-written by queer playwright Roger Q. Mason, who also wrote the acclaimed play from which it is adapted – we certainly could be. We’re really just making the observation that the 16th POTUS continues to occupy a central place in America’s national imagination. And in an age when our America is torn by nearly as much division (over many of the same core values) as the one he presided over, it’s impossible not to compare the ideals he has come to stand for with the ones currently holding sway over the country’s political identity, and wonder at how short we have fallen from the mark.

Yet there has always been a gap between the historical reality of Lincoln’s “Great Emancipator” reputation and the romanticized pedestal upon which he has been placed; and if he looms large as an influence over American identity, it’s as much for his enigmatic nature as for the values he represents. Was he a true believer in the principals of “liberty and justice for all” or a political pragmatist who recognized that preserving the nation – and its growing power in the larger arena of world affairs – required the abolition of an increasingly unsustainable system that had divided it? Your answer to that rhetorical question will likely depend on which version of “American Identity” aligns most closely with your own.

It’s also a question that’s further complicated in the context of Lincoln’s private life, something that has itself been the subject of debate as modern historians and scholars consider the questions about his sexuality unavoidably implied in his well-documented biographical record, which reveals not only a pattern of closely bonded male “friendship” with various companions throughout his life but plentiful evidence that the romantic nature of these relationships was something of an “open secret” in his lifetime, as explored in last year’s brash but scrupulously documented “Lover of Men.” If Lincoln was himself an “other,” a queer man who had risen to position and power in a world that despised and shunned people like him, what new light would that cast on his legacy?

That’s the crux of the premise behind “Lavender Men,” which builds a “fantasia” around one of Lincoln’s most intense male relationships – with Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, a young family friend who helped him carry out his 1860 campaign for president and would later become the first “notable” casualty of the Civil War when he was shot while removing a Confederate flag from the window of an inn facing the White House. The film, however, doesn’t take place in a period setting; instead, it happens in an empty modern-day theater – an apropos allusion to the location of Lincoln’s ultimate fate – where the overworked and underappreciated Taffeta (Mason) oversees the production of a play about the romance between Lincoln and Ellsworth (Pete Ploszek and Alex Esola). After a particularly demoralizing performance, the put-upon stage manager ponders alone about their own life – as a queer, plus-sized, Black Filipinx TGNC person trying to find connection and community in a world where they feel invisible – through an imagined retelling of Lincoln’s doomed love story in which the narrative is projected through the lens of their own struggle to be seen, loved, and accepted,

Expanded from the play and directed by co-screenwriter Lovell Holder, a lifelong friend of Mason who helped develop the project and oversaw the original 2022 stage production at Los Angeles’s Skylight Theater Company, the film was in his own words “shot over 10 days on a shoestring budget” – and it admittedly shows. However, it leans into its limitations, letting the spare, isolated atmosphere of the empty theater exert its own influence over the material. In this framing, Taffeta becomes something like a reverse ghost, a spirit from the present haunting a past in which their own unfulfilled longings – and resentments – are reflected through the rumored romance of a president and his “little” man, and their exploration of the narrative, with all its inherent observations about the dynamics of power, gender, status, and physical attraction, ultimately becomes a meditation on the importance of redefining personal identity free from the shaping influence of other people’s experience or expectations.

Needless to say, it’s not the kind of movie that will appeal to every taste; highly conceptual in nature, with a nonlinear storytelling pattern that frequently calls attention to its own artificiality, it might prove perplexing to audiences used to a more traditional approach. Even so, it’s refreshingly unpretentious, acknowledging its own campiness without undercutting the authenticity of the voice which drives it – which is, of course, Mason’s.

Delivering an entirely charismatic, commandingly fabulous, and palpably honest tour de force, the playwright/actor is at the center of “Lavender Men” at every level, evoking our delight, laughter, tears, discomfort, and myriad other shades of response as they take us on their historically themed tour of queer identity, which involves its own collection of repressive and/or demeaning social expectations about “fitting in” – and illuminate this hidden chapter of queer history along the way. Indeed, capturing their performance – which Mason reprises, along with fellow original co-stars Ploszek and Esola, from the stage production – is arguably the film’s most significant accomplishment. It’s a powerful example of the kind of fierce, spirited expression that is rarely seen outside the half-empty houses of underground theaters, well worthy of several repeated viewings.

For Mason, however, the thing that matters most is not their performance, nor even their brilliantly conceived script. Discussing the movie, he describes it as something much bigger than that: “I hope this film serves as a rally cry, a fountain of joy and a grounding of purpose for the LGBTQIA+ movement in the U.S. and abroad at a time when we need stories which affirm, empower and embolden us more than ever.”

“Lavender Men” is showing in limited theaters now. Watch for information on streaming/VOD availability.

With the current administration taking over the Kennedy Center and threatening
programming at the Smithsonian Institution, art that challenges the heavy hand of
censorship has never felt more important.

“A Man of No Importance” will run May 9 through June 1st, at A Noise Within theatre, with 7:30p.m. showtimes and weekend 2p.m. matinee showtimes.

That aura of encroaching repression can’t help but penetrate A Noise Within Theatre’s
upcoming revival of the musical “A Man of No Importance,” which centers around a
closeted bus driver in 1960s Dublin who attempts to stage a community theatre
production of Oscar Wilde’s “Salome” over the objections of the local church.

Based on a 1994 film of the same name, and with a book by Broadway legend Terrance
McNally and music by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens – the trio behind the smash
Ragtime – the 2002 musical tackles themes of courage in the face of repression with wit
and humor and a memorable score infused with Irish rhythms.
For Kasey Mahaffy, who plays the beleaguered bus driver and theatre director Alfie in A
Noise Within’s production, the show is deeply personal.

“I have never felt a more personal connection to a role than I have with Alfie. He’s a gay,
middle-aged Irishman who grew up Catholic and is obsessed with theatre,” he said. “I
mean this thing is in my DNA.”

Mahaffy says the show fits into a long tradition of theatre challenging authority through
humor, satire, and empathy.

“Since its inception, theatre has always questioned authority. The most arresting art
often urges you to think critically and challenge oppression. That’s what Alfie is doing by
putting on these little plays in the church rec room – plays like Saint Joan and Salome
that hold up humanity while challenging the rigidity of Catholic society in 1963,” he said.
Indeed, the objections of the authorities within the play to the production of Salome
echo the sorts of objections that Republican lawmakers have levelled against drag,
queer performance and the mainstream arts generally.

Salome is Wilde’s 1893 tragic play about the seduction of John the Baptist by King
Herod’s stepdaughter Salome, and the subsequent murder of both John and Salome.
Wilde himself never saw the play produced – the only production in his lifetime occurred
in France in 1896, while he was in prison on his conviction for homosexuality. And the play was officially banned in Britain until 1931, due to a rule forbidding the depiction of
biblical characters on public stages.

Even once the ban was lifted, objections to the show’s frank sexuality, blasphemy, and
authorship by a queer man persisted in the public sphere.

Is that surprising, given that even in 2025, American lawmakers are attempting to ban
drag shows and remove books by queer authors from library shelves?
Perhaps what’s most important about A Man of No Importance in 2025 is that it provides
a pathway and hope for artists to fight back against this new age of repression.

“This show is all about building community with people who may not look like you or act
like you, but you come together anyway to create something bigger and more powerful
than any one of you alone,” said Mahaffy. “That is what art is. That is what art does.
And in these confusing times of divisiveness and anger, I can’t imagine a stronger
antidote.”

Queer theatre fans may remember Mahaffy from Geffen Theatre’s production of The
Inheritance, but he says playing this part at A Noise Within, where he’s a resident artist,
has been particularly rewarding.

“What I’m most excited about is sharing this story with our audience. I have been with A
Noise Within for over 10 years now, and this is the first time I’ve gotten to play a gay
man on my home stage. Incredibly meaningful to me,” said Mahaffy.

“And the show itself is my favorite kind of theatre: it’s absolutely hilarious but also
possesses deeply moving moments. And it’s all accompanied by a beautifully written
score filled with pulsing Irish music.”

Join Los Angeles Blade for Pride Night on May 15th at 7:30 pm: Use promo code PRIDE for 25% off and a voucher for a free drink ticket!

A Man of No Importance plays at A Noise Within Theatre, tickets and more information can be found at their website.

The LGBTQ Comic Con event returned for its fourth iteration last weekend at WeHo’s Plummer Park, with Prism Comics — a nonprofit that spotlights LGBTQ artists — once again hosting Southern California’s newest Queer comic convention. This free, day-long event has become a mainstay for local communities; each year brings together countless comic book creators, visual artists, industry professionals, and more in celebration of LGBTQ fandom today. 

From insightful panels to dozens of distinctly talented vendors, interested guests could spend hours roaming the aisles learning how each creator spotlights their community through art. 

“I loved being surrounded by other Queer artists and being able to share my work with so many people,” said Deja Prieto, an LA-based illustrator who spent Q Con selling paintings that explore the complexities of female expression through sapphic relationships. “Representation for queer and BIPOC folks in comics is something that the world needs more of, and being able to support creators directly is what makes Q Con truly special.” 

Prieto wasn’t the only person proud to share their art with the convention. There were Drag Queens decked out in Deadpool costumes, cosplayers dazzling with their intricate creations, and many fans thrilled to show off their passions to the equally excited attendees around them.

Yet, underlying all of this visual exhilaration was the message that Q Con is based on: comics and fandom have always been essential to the LGBTQ+ rights movement. 

This shone through most in the day’s many panels. Whether it be deep-dives into how the X-Men represent modern-day discrimination or conversations about how cosplay helps people find their authentic selves, these hour-long discussions were as enlightening as they were intriguing. One of the true stand-outs was Queer Comics and Resistance, a panel that saw comic legends like LA’s very own Sina Grace discuss how the medium has been utilized to fight back against discrimination. 

They spoke about things like the historic use of zines in advocacy, portraying transgender characters when no other medium would, and the countless ways comic creators have worked to grant LGBTQ communities the respectful portrayals they deserve. It was an illuminating conversation for all, and it provided an in-depth understanding that made the entire day feel so much more significant.  

Above all else, Q Con was a fun time for all. The crowd’s excitement was tangible, with people you would usually see dancing the night away at Revolver, giddily decked out in dazzling costumes and posing with kids whose parents saw Q Con as the fun event it has proven itself to be.

Combine this with the many LGBTQ vendors in attendance and the day was not only a joyful way to support Queer art, but a reminder of the many people fighting for this community in uniquely powerful ways today. It was a cavalcade of Queerness that reminds everyone about how valuable “nerdy” spaces like these are to the LGBTQ rights movement.

With the assurances from its hosts that this is only setting up an even bigger convention in 2026, West Hollywood locals can be glad that they have a new, annual fixture to look forward to each year.

On May 10th, West Hollywood will witness a wedding unlike any other — one that’s equal parts celebration and cultural statement. The Scarlet Vows is a fiery fusion of love, Black queer joy, and unapologetic nightlife, wrapped in a bold, red bow.

Celebrating the union of David Brandyn and Matthew Brinkley, Ph.D., this wedding transcends tradition, turning a day of commitment into a night of unforgettable energy, connection, and liberation. Picture a nightclub alive with lights, music, and bold red gowns swirling on the dance floor. Laughter fills the air, and joy radiates through every glittering detail. This isn’t just a wedding, it’s a love story turned party, turned cultural statement.

“We hate tradition,” said Brandyn, one half of the couple, co-producer of the event, writer and sexual health educator. “We wanted to celebrate in a place that actually feels like us — and that’s the club,” .

Together, he and Brinkley — a relationship therapist and dating coach — have built their careers around supporting Black queer communities. 

“We’re not just partners in love — we’re partners in purpose,” explained Brandyn. “This celebration is a tribute to the spaces and people that raised us, healed us, and reminded us we were never alone.” 

Their story began, like many queer romances today, with a match on Jack’d. 

“But I avoided meeting up,” said Brandyn while laughing. “I knew if we met in person, I’d fall in love — and I wasn’t ready yet.” Brinkley, determined, found another way — showing up at David’s job picnic. As a QTBIPOC couple, the meaning behind this union goes far beyond the personal. “We are what we didn’t see growing up,” said Brandyn. “We’re living proof that Black queer love exists and deserves to be celebrated loudly.” 

And that’s exactly what Scarlet Vows is: loud, proud, and deeply intentional. With every detail, the couple is reclaiming what weddings can look like for those of us who’ve been told we’re “too much, too queer, too different.” “We didn’t want perfection or tradition — we wanted sweat, sparkle, laughter, and love,” shared Brandyn. “So we created something that combines a ball, a house party, a love story, and a family reunion.” 

The name Scarlet Vows is more than aesthetic. “Scarlet is bold, sexy [and] powerful. Vows are sacred. Together, it’s a declaration: this isn’t love whispered in secret. This is love out loud, in full color, surrounded by chosen family.” 

From the moment guests walk in, they’ll be immersed in a world where Black queer joy is not only centered but celebrated. And when they walk out? 

“We hope they feel more alive, more hopeful, and more connected to what’s possible,” said Brandyn. 

Hosted at Beaches Tropicana, The Scarlet Vows promises an unforgettable night filled with live performances, giveaways, and vendors. The vibe? Elevated, emotional, and full of bold fashion. The dress code is red — think high glam, full drama, and statement-making looks. 

But beneath the sequins and spotlight is something even deeper: purpose. 

This celebration comes at a time when QTBIPOC communities are facing escalating attacks — politically, socially, and economically. The couple has weathered hardships planning this event too, including being robbed and experiencing sudden venue cancellations. Yet, they’ve persisted — reaching out to community members and aligned brands to co-create something powerful. “Nightlife saved us,” David reflects.

“It gave us safety, friendship, release. This is us giving back. This is joy without apology.” That joy is contagious. Whether you’re a longtime friend or a first-time guest, Scarlet Vows invites everyone to come as they are — whether in a gown, a jockstrap, or both. “Think warmth meets wild,” David smiles. “We want people to cry during the vows and then immediately turn up on the dance floor.” 

What happens after the last dance? “Maybe this turns into something bigger,” he muses. “A recurring event, a documentary, a community tradition. Either way, the impact is already bigger than just one night.” 

And if you’re still on the fence about attending? “You’ll miss the wedding of the year. A celebration of love, culture, and freedom. A ball, a rave, a healing circle, and a Black queer love story all in one,” said Brandyn. “If you’ve never seen what it looks like when we build something just for us — this is your chance.”

Long Beach Pride 2025 will take place on May 17 and 18 at Marina Green Park, emphasizing focus on grassroots organizations and local community performers. 

“Long Beach Pride has always been more than just a festival—it’s a movement,” said Elsa Martinez, interim president of LB Pride. “This year, more than ever, we’re celebrating the strength, creativity, and unity of our local community.” 

Martinez also notes that all the ticket sales directly go toward funding on-the-ground resources. 

“As a nonprofit organization, every aspect of the Pride Festival—from ticket sales to vendor partnerships—directly funds our work in the community,” noted Martinez. “This is a festival with purpose.”

As LB Pride amps up for its 42nd annual celebration, the organization has stated that this year marks the return to the roots of Pride. LB Pride stated that they are committed to emphasizing what makes the local community so special and spotlighting local performers, musicians and entertainers. 

The organization has also stated that they are committed to ‘justice, inclusion, and the celebration of queer joy.’ 

“Our strength has always been our solidarity,” said Martinez. “This year’s festival is a reminder of what we can achieve when we lift each other up.”

This year, the main stage will feature a lineup of pop, Hip-hop and Latin talent. 

Performers include HYM the Rapper, George Michael Reborn Tribute, Tori Kay, Jewels Drag Show Extravaganza, Secret Service, Tiancho and music mixes by DJ BSelecta, DJ Icy Ice and DJ 360. 

For updates, tickets, and volunteer opportunities, please visit https://longbeachpride.com and follow @LongBeachPride on social media.

Brazilian police have arrested two people who allegedly sought to detonate explosives at a free Lady Gaga concert that took place on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach on Saturday.

The Associated Press reported Felipe Curi, a spokesperson for the city’s Civil Police, told reporters the men who authorities arrested hours before the concert took place wanted to target LGBTQ+ Brazilians. Civil Police Chief Luiz Lima said the men posted hate speech and violent content online “aimed at gaining notoriety in order to attract more viewers, more participants — most of them teenagers, many of them children.”

“They were clearly saying that they were planning an attack at Lady Gaga’s concert motivated by sexual orientation,” said Cury, according to the AP.

An estimated 2.5 million people attended the concert.

A Lady Gaga spokesperson told the AP the singer learned about the threats on Sunday from media reports.

“Prior to and during the show, there were no known safety concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding any potential risks,” said the spokesperson. “Her team worked closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert and all parties were confident in the safety measures in place.”

Lady Gaga in an Instagram post thanked her Brazilian fans.

“Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show — the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil,” she wrote. “The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.”

“An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history. I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world — I know I can’t, but I can say this — if you lose your way, you can find your way back if you believe in yourself and work hard,” added Lady Gaga. “You can give yourself dignity by rehearsing your passion and your craft, pushing yourself to new heights — you can lift yourself up even if it takes some time. Thank you Rio for waiting for me to come back. Thank you little monsters all over the world. I love you. I will never forget this moment. Paws up little monsters. Obrigada. Love, Mother Monster.”

An estimated 1.6 million people attended Madonna’s free concert on Copacabana Beach last May.