Lesbian Latina Marga Gomez reached a new height in her career as an edgy comic at her New Year’s Eve show at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco. The event was presented by Theatre Rhinoceros, and Theatre Rhino’s artistic director John Fisher was the bouncing, twirling MC who clearly enjoyed himself on stage between acts.
Theatre Rhinoceros is the oldest LGBT theater organization in the world, and this journalist has covered their shows since the beginning at the Black & Blue South-of-Market gay bar.
Three funny comics warmed up the crowd for Gomez, and extraordinary DJ and sound man Mark O’Brien provided excellent-quality music and the best directed speakers for the Victoria Theater. His kinky black vinyl jumpsuit drew lots of attention and some wisecracks from Gomez.
New Yorker Ben Lerman was disarmingly wholesome-looking until he cut loose with an online sex song while playing a ukulele. Transgender stand-up comedian Natasha Muse impersonated some mouth-breathers who have asked her personal questions, to a devastating effect. Very gay David Hawkins was hilarious with his expressive body language.
Headliner Gomez sauntered onto the stage to waves of applause, and the approximately 60% female/40% male crowd showered her with affection for just about every joke and observation in the show. Her joy is obvious and her enthusiasm is contagious. She poured on the emotion and concern for a headless family of manikins that she had seen in a Banana Republic window, and she related them to the headless masseurs in the back of the Bay Area Reporter. And she praised the San Francisco Bay Times and Bay Area Reporter for covering news with an LGBT angle.
The denizens of certain Mission neighborhood cafes admire Gomez for her satirical demand to be the head of a group of Latinas and Latinos who do not speak Spanish. And a high point of her show was her expressing her pride in hearing about a Latina Supreme Court Justice. And then in true Marga fashion she spoke about falling for Fox TV propaganda in expecting a stereotypical Latina display before a congressional committee. She brought up provocative questions about cheating on her partner while dreaming of a ménage with two film stars and how important it is to take long-haired lovers’ sex signals seriously. And she spoke out boldly against Crunch Gym Pilates princesses, ageism, Walgreen’s sweat pants, and marijuana virgins.
Gomez’s career took off in the early 80s at the Valencia Rose and this journalist spotted her then as a quirky and unique talent. Whoopie Goldberg also performed there before "The Color Purple" was released. Speaking out for leftist politics and against racism while wrapping it all up in a wry recognition of humanity — and a need to MC at small and gigantic LGBT Pride events — has made Gomez an icon and a treasure.
There was a surprise faux Midnight celebration at 7:39 PM with Gomez and her co-stars, and then the 7:00 crowd cleared out to make room for the eager 9:00 audience.
The show was spectacular and Gomez’s fans will be scanning the internet for news of her next show at margagomez.com.
[Photo captions: 12/31/2009 — Comic Marga Gomez at her New Year's Eve show at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco. Several hilarious high points included Gomez's pride about a Latina Supreme Court Justice, and she joked about stereotypes seen on Fox News. A huge crowd roared at the edgy relationship and political humor.]
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