"I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I don't know what I am. I love people. … I refuse to be anything, really, except for open to it all."—Kesha (without the dollar sign) makes this revelation in her Happy Pride post.
Here's a Pride Month story I somehow missed. The UK had a special 50-pence coin minted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pride. (The first UK Pride march took place in London in 1972.) Not only do they have a coin, but they have a special collection of Pride stamps issued by the Royal Mail that depicts members of the leather community, drag queens and same-sex couples. If people only still wrote letters...
Hot on the heels of being snubbed by the Tony Awards, Beanie Feldstein announced her engagement to Bonnie Chance Roberts. She shared a photo of Bonnie getting down on one knee to propose. No wedding date has been announced, although her schedule is wide open after Sep 25 …. if not before.
Combining Pride Month and Broadway, we have a special "Billy Masters LIVE." I've been a fan of transgender actress/activist Alexandra Billings since her early days in Chicago. Of course, Billings made her way to Broadway, Hollywood and everyplace in between. She recounts tales of her extraordinary life and career in the memoir This Time for Me—which is as engaging and titillating as the lady herself. Billy and Billings will sit down for a tete-a-tete on Thursday, June 30, at 2 p.m. CT. As usual, you can watch "Billy Masters LIVE" on our YouTube channel, Billy Masters TV or on BillyMasters.com/TV. While you're there, subscribe. After all, it's free!
With Fourth of July weekend imminent, Billy will be heading to Provincetown for a bacchanal of boys and booze. And let's throw a bit of Broadway into the mix, since some fantastic performers are heading to our little patch of paradise precipitously perched on the crest of Cape Cod. Here's a glimpse at the months ahead.
The veritable Crown & Anchor has gone through a transition. The largest venue in town recently changed hands. Happily, the entertainment lineup remains as fantastic as ever—and perhaps slightly better. For years, Ryan Landry's legendary "Showgirls" was a staple for The Crown. A squabble with management meant Landry has been nomadic for a handful of years. Happily, he has returned to the fold and the show returns to its Monday-night perch. This past week, both Parker Posey and Jesse Tyler Ferguson showed up to enjoy such Ptown staples as Thirsty Burlington and Randy Roberts. Photos and videos can be found on BillyMasters.com .
Thirsty's tribute to Cher will be at The Crown all summer. So will Varla Jean Merman's new show, "Ready to Blow." There's so much going on at The Crown, you should check out its website, OnlyAtTheCrown.com .
The Ptown Art House, under the aegis of Mark Cortale, is back with an extraordinarily diverse roster of stars. From Broadway babies to devilish drag queens and everything in between, the Art House has something for everyone. You can never go wrong with the resident comedian—the outrageous Judy Gold. Sprinkled throughout the summer are Faith Prince and Jason Graae (forever proving that they are not the same person), Ginger Minj (ditto), Melissa Errico, Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, Nicolas King, and Steven Brinberg as Simply Barbra! And, what would a summer be without the beloved Marilyn Maye, who returns for her 12th season at the end of August. Check out PtownArtHouse.com .
The Pilgrim House has quite a lineup, led by the rambunctious Miss Richfield 1981. In hot pursuit are Miss Conception, Latrice Royale, Ada Vox and the legendary Sharon McNight. Speaking of legendary, Coco Peru will be there at the end of August for her (alleged) final Ptown performances. Grab your tix at PilgrimHousePtown.com .
Some of my favorite people are playing the Post Office Cafe and Cabaret. You can enjoy the antics of the Anita Cocktail Variety Show all season long. My darling Randy Roberts returns after taking a year off. Also on the schedule are Edie, Paige Turner, Seth Sikes and the fantastic Debby Holiday, who returns with her tribute to Tina Turner. Dates and deets can be found at PostOfficeCafe.net .
This leads to our "Ask Billy" question from Tom in Maine: "I just saw Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and loved it. What do you know about Daryl McCormack? He's got it all—and you get to see all!"
The sexy 29-year-old actor hails from Ireland. He has an Irish mother and an African-American father (from the exotic locale of Baltimore). Daryl is the product of a California tryst. As for Daryl himself, he's cagey about his romantic life—only saying he is not in a relationship. In the flick, Daryl plays a hooker Emma hires to experience her first orgasm—and experience it she does … repeatedly! And here's a fun fact—rather than hire an intimacy coach for their love scenes, Daryl and Emma Thompson choreographed the sex themselves. Clearly, they were comfortable around each other—comfortable enough for Daryl to show everything he's got, which is significant. If you're into that sort of thing, head over to BillyMasters.com—or watch the flick on Hulu.
When Leo is extra Grande, it's definitely time to end yet another column. While I'm causing some fireworks of my own in Ptown, you can check out www.BillyMasters.com—the site that provides more bang for your buck. If you have a question, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before someone tells Mike Pence that the UK's Pride currency has nothing to do with him! Until next time, remember: One man's filth is another man's bible.
