A Center of Sodomy in the Haight Celebrates

Joey Cain and Maher Sabry

An effervescent, barefoot Joey Cain individually welcomed each of over 100 guests to the 30-year anniversary of the 501 Ashbury Gay Collective in San Francisco on Jan. 17, 2010. He carefully eyed their potluck offerings and cautiously warned about the possibility of “difficult people” joining the throng.

The collective has been a center of altruistic and caring activism in the Haight district that has promoted and enhanced the San Francisco Pride Committee, Bound Together Anarchist Bookstore, gay Middle-Eastern culture, and the Radical Faeries. It has also been a source of charity fundraising for those groups and for queer homeless youth and HIV/AIDS charities.

This has been possible because of the wonderment that is rent control. Joey Cain has lived at the collective for 30 years, filmmaker Maher Sabry has lived there 7 years, alluring Joey Paxman is a one-year resident, and Pesto has lived there 17 years.

Sabry’s film “All My Life,” is a triumphant story on celluloid about gay men in Egypt, with their pleasures and terrors blatantly displayed in a realistic fashion. The movie is a popular Middle-Eastern LGBT addition to festivals in the U.S. and overseas.

Culture, politics, personalities, and dazzling biblical sex at 501 Ashbury was talked about at the party late into the late evening by activists David Smith, Larrybob Roberts, Tab Buckner, Marty, Ric LeBlanc, Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Cleve Jones, and others.

[Photo caption: 1/17/2009 — The 501 Ashbury Gay Collective 30th Anniversary Party. Activist Joey Cain and filmmaker Maher Sabry
greeted over 100 guests who celebrated the long-time charity fundraising center for AIDS, the Radical Faeries, and queer homeless youth.]

Religion vs. Sexual Orientation with a Shot of Hypocrisy

Filmmaker Parvez Sharma with Rev. Lea Brown

More than 100 mostly white gay men squeezed into San Francisco’s historic Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) in the Castro for a screening of "A Jihad For Love" on Jan. 16, 2010. The film is a breathtaking, landmark documentary about some religious Muslims who are lesbian and gay, and who are balancing their religion and their sexual orientation. Or as director Parvez Sharma put it without much subtlety, “It is about who you fuck and where you pray,” which drew nervous laughter from the throng.

MCC Church has been at its 150 Eureka Street building for 40 years, and the screening is the first of a series of events to mark that anniversary in 2010. The building was built over a creek with an originally questionable foundation, and when a wall shifted a while back the congregation had to evacuate to the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. An extreme rental situation brought the congregation back to 150 Eureka after a building reinforcement.

Numerous church members long for a new building at its present location — the site of notable historic community events including the welcome of gay Cuban refugees in 1980, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence fundraising bingo games. Multiple joinings and later marriages of same-sex couples, and also too many celebrations of life happened in the MCC Church sanctuary. A food program and sleeping areas for queer youth, meetings space for LGBT Democrats, and outreach to the Buddhist, leather, and recovery communities were and are some of the projects of the church.

Rev. Lea Brown welcomed the audience to the screening, and spoke warmly about MCC Church as a place for free spirituality
and as a center of love in the Castro for 40 years. The well-attended screening was the first of a series of events in 2010 to
celebrate the anniversary. More anniversary events are listed at mccsf.org.

Filmmaker Sharma spoke about the film’s popularity worldwide and that 8 million people have seen it in a year. Copies have been shown at secret screenings in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and in other countries where it would not be allowed to be shown in public. And these are countries where brave gay Muslims have been arrested for attending same-sex marriage ceremonies and parties.

One of the most surprising moments of the evening was when
Sharma spoke about two wild gay parties that he enjoyed in Tehran that he said outdid anything he had seen in San Francisco or New York City, where he lives. Sharma spoke about the hypocrisy that exists in homophobic societies in the Middle East, where lesbians and gays are persecuted but there is rampant, secret, same-sex coupling occurring among straight-identified people.

Muslim lesbians and gay men were introduced in the film in several countries, and they spoke intensely about their lives. Arrests and trials, whippings, public humiliation, rape, and death were a fact of life for them if they were exposed in their native countries. A remarkable feature of the film was the on-film meeting of the lesbians and gays with fundamentalist religious leaders. The shocking responses of the leaders to questions about the compatibility of Islam and homosexuality is enough reason to check out this admirable documentary.

Another example of the hospitality extended by the church was a bountiful Lebanese buffet provided by Ilyas Iliya. The evening ended with conversation and cruisy glances over the Middle-Eastern cuisine and one-on-one discussions with the filmmaker.

For more information on "A Jihad for Love," visit ajihadforlove.com.

QComedy at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory: The New Queer Decade Starts With a Bang

Nick Leonard, Clam Lynch, Maggie Dunn, Lisa Geduldig, Ben McCoy and Khalil Sullivan

The new queer decade stated off with an entertainment bang when QComedy’s producer and MC for the last 10 years, Nick Leonard, presented an extravaganza of a show on Jan. 4, 2010 at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory. Leonard expanded the usage of the word “comedy” into a new dimension with the inclusion of a performance artist, a musician, and spoken word performers in the spectacle. But Leonard works in unusual brain-twists in the comic arenas of standup, improv, and sketch, and much of his material is unpredictable. He is endearing in his self-deprecation, though there are audience members with a serious pant-on for his handsome bear-ness. And one of his finest moments was to use his sarcastic dry with on yuppies in their haunts during an anti-gentrification march through the Mission with his then-partner Larrybob Roberts.

Spoken word artist and headliner Ben McCoy was a delight in many ways. McCoy toured with Sister Spit, the talented all-girl group of novelists, zine-stars, spoken word types, fashionistas, and activists who have provided some of the best shows across the U.S. and abroad. McCoy does not identify as either male or female, and wears women’s attire and makeup, and resembled a tasteful Middle-European princess in a black dress, pearls, and tiara. Then there was the hilarious account of the high-tension family party where nothing was said about McCoy’s appearance by the adults — something that happens all too often to gender-benders.

Singer Khalil Sullivan spread his uplifting enthusiasm through the audience with the powerful surge of his two original songs Take Me Down and Peace of Mind. He also sang Between the Bars by Elliott Smith and Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel, with a clear melodious voice. And he gave the gift of song before the show started, as the audience was squeezing into a packed event. Sullivan has written an operetta and composed music for drama productions, and he has a transcendent talent for going full-tilt when he is singing with a beat and then he is lyrical when singing a ballad. His warm generous nature was extended to the throng when he offered free CD’s.

Performance artist Clam Lynch was a tour de force of crazed self-help lunacy. His presentation began with him in 1D in an instructional video, and then him in 3D as he invited the audience to join him on an adventure to achieve happiness. He outdid the Mormons with his striped sacred underwear with an added phallic watering accessory, and a front row guest eagerly helped with the cutting-edge satire of feel-good gurus. There was widespread wonderment as to whether this scene was enacted when he worked with Roseanne Barr and on Nickelodeon.

Comic Maggie Dolan has been with QComedy since the beginning, and she is a host of Lipstick Lounge and is on display in the new distinctive Handjob Nail Salon in the Castro. She described the business as an inventive lesbian party that provides a public service. Marga Gomez, who was a show guest, has emoted about how femme the Los Angeles lesbians are when they treat her like a man since she does not routinely use the services of a salon like Handjob.

Lisa Geduldig was the other comic in the show, and her East Coast humor is distinctive but not universal. She is known as the producer who brought manic performer Charo to San Francisco for some successful concerts, and she also produces Funny Girlz and Kung Pao Kosher Comedy shows. Geduldig drew smiles when she said that she gets her news from Facebook and when she talked about the crotch bomber and the 72 virgins he expected to deflower.

Spoken word artist Tara Jepsen was a surprise guest when she appeared to have a suspenseful, lively conversation on stage with author/spoken word type/sex worker activist Kirk Read. Jepsen has also been on tour with Sister Spit, and she and Read related their offbeat views on Read’s recent weekend antics at a silent retreat.

There is a rising displeasure with bait-and-switch by performers who appear shirtless or even naked in their publicity and then are covered up on stage, and a fully clothed Read ran right into it at Mama Calizo’s. One disappointed fan saw Read shirtless on the QComedy flyer and expected more, especially since he and a naked activist at the other side of the room had seen Read perform naked — which they said enhanced the stage moments immeasurably. Read is well known as a novelist, an organizer of a gay men’s health conference with the late Eric Rofes, a consultant to help sex workers with their physical and mental health, and as one of the few gay men to graduate from San Francisco Sex Information classes.

Coordinator Nick Leonard deserves much credit for being able to present such a rich tapestry of talent, and the audience’s applause for each act showed their appreciation.

The QComedy Showcase repeats every first Monday.
Mama Calizo's Voice Factory
1519 Mission Street (@ 11th St.)
San Francisco, CA
COST: $8–$16 Sliding Scale, NOTAFLOF

[Photo caption: 1/4/10 — QComedy host and comic Nick Leonard with performance artist Clam Lynch, comics Maggie Dunn and Lisa Geduldig, spoken word artist Ben McCoy and singer/songwriter Khalil Sullivan.]

Lesbian Latina Comedy Spectacle

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.]

Pearls Over Shanghai Remounted: A Spectacular Show Made Even More Spectacular

Connie Champagne as Petrushka and Russell Blackwood as Mother Fu

One of the most spectacular shows seen in San Francisco in years, The Thrillpeddlers’ Pearls Over Shanghai is riding a wave of popularity, and it has been sold out for months. Now the Cockettes musical remounting has been held over through April 24, 2010. The show is being presented at The Hypnodrome, which usually presents Grand Guignol productions.

Forty years have passed since the hippie theatrical group known as The Cockettes dazzled The City with their shows, and Pearls Over Shanghai was one of the finest. This journalist and the rest of packed early 1970’s audiences at the Palace Theater in North Beach were pulled into the very un-PC atmospheric version of that Chinese city and its drug and sex underground.

Huge improvements since the 70s — professional costumes, rehearsals, and all of the cast is onstage instead of a handful nodding off backstage on drugs.

Stage director Russell Blackwood and musical director (and original Cockette) Richard “Scrumbly” Koldewyn deserve the highest praise for their production by Link Martin (book/lyrics) and Koldewyn (music). A viewing of the films Shanghai Gesture and The Bitter Tea of General Yen and their bizarre Hollywood filtering of the Orient prepares audiences for the Thrillpeddlers stage production. It is an advertisement for the pleasures of opium and is also a cautionary tale of what can befall young American women trying to break into show business.

Some of the most remarkable scenes include: An beautiful and exotic Kara Emry working over hunky William McMichael with her heels and a whip, sultry Steven Satyricon romancing a curiously appealing Eric Tyson Wertz, amazing Jef Valentine and TJ Ladies and Gentlemen convincingly corrupting some young women, and Russell Blackwood’s, Rumi Missabu’s, and Lanny Baugniet’s masterful command of the stage.

Thanks to San Francisco Bay Times reporter Dennis McMillan the all important display of male frontal nudity was also revived. The Cockettes were unique, even in the 70s, for their sexual freedom inside and outside of their commune, and onstage nudity was an important part of that freedom. One penis in this show is decorated and waved freely. Another is hidden for a Ken Doll look, and the third is flashed at the audience. Also remarkable is that the crowd was very vocal in their pleasure, yelling out and screaming at their favorite scenes throughout the evening.

And to celebrate the Cockettes’ 40 years there will be songs from other shows performed in January 2010, after Pearls shows. For people who miss the Cockettes and their teenage years in the 70’s in San Francisco, this show is a window of awareness and feeling for a time of freedom and rampant sexuality. Pearls Over Shanghai is a primal and beautiful gift symbolized by the giant poppy on Russell Blackwood’s headdress and the gyrating eager-to-please bodies on stage.

Pearls Over Shanghai is currently held over through April 24, 2010.
The Hippnodrome
575 10th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 377-4202

[Photo caption: 6/12/09 — Connie Champagne as Petrushka and Russell Blackwood as Mother Fu in The Thrillpeddlers' "Pearls Over Shanghai," a re-mounting the Cockettes' spectacular show at The Hypnodrome.]

The Controversial Gay Congressman Keeps It Real

Books Inc. events coordinator Amadeus Martin introduces author Stuart Weisberg.

Author Stuart Weisberg captivated a small audience at Books Inc. in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood on November 19, 2009, with his stories about Congressman Barney Frank’s career and personal life. His new book Barney Frank: The Story of America’s Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman made a distinct impression on the attentive group.

Weisberg worked in the Clinton administration and he now works in labor relations in Washington D.C. He explained that Frank is a complex person. A Korean diplomat once asked what language was Frank’s first language, because he did not believe that it was English. Like a number of prominent people in this country’s Northeastern area, Frank thinks too fast for him to get the words out. He speaks very quickly and with a distinctive accent, and he is known for his sharp mind and quick wit. He believes that he has a constitutional duty to debate his opponents, but if they are not well known he will not give them the attention. That is along the lines of Gore Vidal’s thinking, who said that if someone has a vastly different view of reality, he would not even discuss the weather with them.

An electoral opponent challenged Frank to take an AIDS test, and he answered that his opponent should take an intelligence test. And he claims to be the only left-handed, gay, Jewish Congressman.

Frank was raised in a low income family and he adored Hubert Humphrey’s liberal agenda. He knew that he was gay at age 12 but did not make it public until 25 years later. When a friend came out to him in college he was too repressed to express his own gayness.

In 1972 Frank was elected to the Massachusetts legislature, as part of George McGovern’s very limited coattails. A photo caption of that era quipped: “Who is that with Barney Frank?” His wit came out when he criticized the nation’s most expensive public works project, Boston’s Big Dig. Frank said that it would be cheaper to just raise the city.

His opportunity for a Congressional seat opened up when the Pope realized that Congressman Father Drinan, a priest, was too liberal for his taste and made him quit his seat. Frank said the Pope must have questioned his own judgment when the seat was won by Frank, a much more liberal politician.

Being half in and half out of the closet placed a strain on Frank’s life. His close friends knew, and few others. Democratic powerhouse Tip O’Neil was disbelieving, because he said that Frank “is one of the backroom guys who smokes cigars.”

It all came out with the 1980 sex scandal when a sex worker well known to Frank was arrested for selling men out of Frank’s apartment. He avoided Congressional censure and worse because of the high regard that he was held in by his fellow legislators.

Frank visited legislators and their family members when they were in the hospital, he sent birthday cards, and he showed compassion for the people he worked with on Capitol Hill.

The Boston Globe demanded that Frank resign, and predictably Congressman Larry Craig was the most vehement that Frank quit his job. Frank later said that Craig could not be trusted to go to the bathroom by himself.

When arch conservative Dick Armey called Frank “Barney Fag” he claimed it was a mispronunciation. Frank called him out and said that it was a homophobic attack and that he should be ashamed of himself.

Frank delights in digging at the numerous people who write him hate mail, making fun of their illiteracy and irrationality.
Frank knew that settlements to bail the country out of the current financial crisis would be unpopular, but he felt that it was necessary.

The Q&A started when local activist Michael Zanoni asked about Frank running for a U.S. Senate seat. Author Weisberg said that it could have happened if John Kerry had been elected president. This journalist mentioned that Frank had been picketed with angry protest signs in San Francisco after he stated that California should wait for Massachusetts to establish same-sex marriage first, and that he may have been picketed for his stance on transgender rights and ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) if he had accompanied Weisberg to the reading.

Weisberg said that Frank felt that he was being pragmatic, and that ENDA would not pass with transgender inclusion. And he added that Frank felt the same way about legislation allowing lesbians and gays to serve openly in the military. Frank also felt the latest march on Washington D.C., the National Equality March, was a wasted effort because the organizers had not coordinated lobbying on Capitol Hill.

Author Weisberg finished off the event by reminding everyone about admirable legislation that Congressman Frank had promoted, including consumer protection bills. Then Books Inc.’s expressive events coordinator Amadeus Martin thanked everyone for coming by and he set up the book signing counter for Weisberg.

Barney Frank: The Story of America’s Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman by Stuart Weisberg is available for purchase online and in stores at Books Inc., the West’s oldest independent bookseller.


[Photo caption: 11/19/09 — Books Inc. events coordinator Amadeus Martin introduces author Stuart Weisberg to an attentive audience. The ups and downs of Frank's political and private life were discussed, and there was a Q&A.]