Chicago's Drag Kings probably are not in any danger of competition, but maybe they'd like to check out the picture in The NY Times (3-16) of 'Two Women Disguised as Men,' by Marie el Khazeh, a Lebanese photographer. As the accompanying article points out women in male drag are practically a cliche now but this one is of Arab women in the 1920s.
Let's compare a couple of mostly gay productions, one a play, the other a movie. The NY Times (3-21) reviews a new play Zanna, Don't!, a musical fairy tale in which homo/hetero roles are reversed. Everyone's gay—it's the norm. The plot twist is that two characters 'come out' as straight and fall in love. The music is up a notch from bubble-gum, the cast is exuberant and the Times says it's a great Saturday night date movie. On the other hand, Boat Trip starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. has been criticized by nearly every media we've seen, print and internet. 'Trip' (as in 'and fall') has two hapless hopeless heteros going on what they didn't notice was a gay cruise. Every stereotype ever invented about gay people is trotted out and even some gay stereotypes about straight people ('More than you think are secretly gay!'). Cuba may want to defect when this ship sinks.
The Chicago Tribune (3-23) in what might be in the 'Stop-Salivating' file tells us that the first of three books based on the TV series, Queer As Folk is, ahem, coming out. Every Nine Seconds by Joseph Brockton follows Brian and Justin starting just before Justin's 18th birthday. Why should you stop drooling? No pix.
From the 'Bush-Won't-Do-This' file, PlanetOut Direct (3-22) says the United Kingdom intends to extend war pensions to gay spouses, if their partners are killed in action. Let's hope no such pensions need be awarded.
From the 'Who'd-Believe-This' file, 365Gay.com reports that Dick Smothers Jr., 38 (whose dad is, yes, that Smothers brother) has launched himself via 'an incredibly overactive libido' into a straight porn acting career. Perhaps we can look forward to seeing him, as
many erotic art stars do, branching into gay areas. His dad is supposedly already shocked enough, though.
There's a big ol' story about Temptations, the lesbian bar in Franklin Park. The Chicago Tribune (3-21) traces the bar's evolution: the Greek immigrant married owner, George Grivas, went along when the bar switched over and has added things to attract every kind of lesbian from sports freaks to lipstick afficianados. Women must love the place—it's generally packed. The Chicago Force women's football team's kick-off party is this Friday at Temptations, with entertainment by Johnny Justice and the Southside Railroad, 10235 W. Grand Ave., Franklin Park, (847) 455-0008.
