"They say there's three things you should do in life: plant a tree, have a child, and write a book. I've done the other two—although the tree died."—Belinda Carlisle explains why she wrote her autobiography—and why she doesn't do more gardening!
Last week, Belinda Carlisle's autobiography, Lips Unsealed, was released, and it's certainly a must-read for fans of this column. Writing about one's life is a dicey proposition. You certainly can't make everyone happy. If you stick with the highlights, you'll bore the diehard fans. If you go into detail about seemingly obscure moments, you'll lose the casual reader. And if you're unable to be completely honest, you shouldn't even bother. Belinda walks this tightrope with ease. She doesn't really dish anyone—more's the pity because she's a gal with strong opinions. In fact, the person she's most critical of is herself. She reveals far more than she probably needed to, but this brutal honesty makes her transformation at the end all the more staggering. As someone who has known her for decades from both afar and up close, I can vouch for her veracity and sincerity. And she does something that I would have thought impossible—she managed to surprise even moi.
Another surprise was that the Go-Go's farewell tour scheduled for this summer has been cancelled. But not because the girls have had a change of heart. Jane Wiedlin recently injured herself on a hike and requires immediate knee replacement surgery. And they can't have yet another farewell without Jane ( she left the group shortly before the first split in 1985 ) . I suspect this farewell will not be rescheduled, which may not be a bad thing.
While I was reading Belinda's book, I was thinking how a decade ago she would have been a perfect candidate for VH1's Celebrity Rehab. Dr. Drew seems to be having a devil of a time casting celebs. Heather Locklear says she's fine. Lindsey Lohan is snuggled up with her anklet. It looked like Tila Tequila would be the biggest name on the show. And then along comes Bonnie Pointer. Various members of the Pointer family have battled addictions. But unlike her siblings, Bonnie is still a mess. I don't think I have to say "allegedly"—once you've signed on for Celebrity Rehab, the problems stop being alleged ( although Gary Busey might beg to differ ) . If we have to argue this in court, I'll simply pull out a very special video as Exhibit A. In this clip, Bonnie is interviewed at something called the Multicultural Motion Picture Association Awards. This is one of the most amazing clips I've ever seen—from the crazy eyes, to the nervous laughing, to the sweat pouring out from under the bad wig, to the lack of a singing voice. Yes, it sounds like I'm describing any performance by Whitney Houston this past year! Believe it or not, this is worse. When she sings a song she's written called "Drop Those Pants" which she thinks is perfect for a reunion with her sisters, it hits untapped levels of low. See for yourself at BillyMasters.com .
Last week, Ricky Martin was on the cover of the Father's Day issue of People en Español. In the interview, he confirms being in a relationship. The lucky guy is someone Martin knew from his childhood in Puerto Rico, but reconnected with last year in Miami. Boyfriend or not, Ricky was solo when he was honored at the AmFAR Inspiration Gala last week. The event at the New York Public Library was hosted by Kylie Minogue and included entertainment by Cyndi Lauper, Kelly Rowland, and Estelle. There were also a gaggle of semi-clothed male models, which made Estelle gasp, "I didn't know you could get so many abs on a body." Others in attendance included Jean Paul Gautier, Marc Jacobs, Lance Bass, Jack Mackenroth and Cheyenne Jackson.
As luck would have it, one of Ricky's Menudo co-stars was in the news last week. Angelo Garcia decided the time was right to also come out of the closet. The skinny little singer is now a hulking, imposing SF-based bodybuilder who has timed his coming out with a nude photo session...and who could blame him? When asked about his physical transformation, he says, "I think of myself sort of in the tradition of Madonna and Lady Gaga. I do not believe in ruts. I believe that to stay the same is to stagnate. That's why I'm always reinventing myself." One of the native New Yorker's past incarnations was as a male stripper at the famed Gaiety Theatre in NYC ( I knew he looked familiar ) . He says rather modestly, "Every dancer at the Gaiety first performed a strip tease dance until he was totally naked. The second dance would be naked throughout, with a full erection the entire time. The audience would gasp when they saw me start the hard-on dance, then they cheered wildly." I heard a lot of noises at the Gaiety, but never wild cheering. And I can assure you that dancing was not the way any of those boys made a living! You can see what the fuss was about at BillyMasters.com .
Someone who always attracts wild cheering—clothed or not—is the multi-talented Jerry Mitchell. Dancer, choreographer, director, producer, he does it all. But one of his proudest achievements was founding "Broadway Bares" as an AIDS benefit 20 years ago. Back then, he and a handful of dancers from The Will Rogers Follies schlepped down to Splash and stripped—all tips were donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. From those humble beginnings, "Broadway Bares" has evolved into a huge annual theatrical happening. This year, Jerry did two things that brought the show back to its roots. First, in anticipation of the main event at Roseland Ballroom on June 20th, he scheduled a few "Broadway Bares" preview events. But more importantly, he returned to the stage and stripped once again at Splash. Sporting a physique that puts men decades younger to shame, Jerry worked the crowd into a frenzy and, like he did that first night, made fistfuls of cash. Happily, we've snagged a video from this landmark event which we'll post on BillyMasters.com . If it so moves you, why not be part of history and go to www.BroadwayBares.com and make a donation. For $100 you can buy a DVD of Mitchell's landmark performance 20 years ago. That's beyond a good deal—that's a sure thing.
When Tila Tequila qualifies as a "celebrity," it's definitely time to end yet another column. The Go-Go's, Kylie Minogue, and naked men—if you didn't know you were reading a gay gossip column when you started, you surely know now! For even more delectable dish, head on over to www.BillyMasters.com . And if you have a question, drop a note to me at Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Ricky and Angelo reunite ( maybe Ricky could hire Angie for some position—Angelo appears to be quite versatile ) . Until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.
