| Transcript |
IN THE MAG: Pride Mag
is on the stands. Page 3
NO MERGER: Bogus release
hurts AIDS agencies. Page 3
Senate deal advances Pryor nod
HRC supports compromise that allows vote on anti-gay judge
By EARTHA MELZER
A Senate deal that averted a showdown over
President Bush's blocked judicial nominees is draw·
ing mixed reactions from gay groups who say it is
likely to result in a lifetime appointment for a man
who has been called the most anti-gay nominee in
history: William H. Pryor Jr.
For months senators have been arguing over the
so-called "nuclear option," a proposed move to
change the rules of the Senate to keep the
Democratic minority from blocking Judicial nomi·
nees through filibuster. With a Republican president
and a GOP-controlled Senate, blocking a vote on jud1·
cial nominees through filibuster was the only tactic
left to Democrats opposed to the judges Bush nomi·
nated to the federal bench.
Democrat~ said that seven of the stalled nomineesPriscilla
Owen, Pryor, Janice Rogers BrO\m, William G .
.\leyers, Henry Saad, Richard Griffen and David
McKeague represented unacceptable and extreme
choices.
'!'he seven judges were slated for appointment to
fedC'ral appeals courts. just one step below the U.S.
Supreme Court. The Senate has approved all but 10 of
Bush's 45 judicial nominees to those courts.
Matt Foreman, executive director of the National
Gay & Lesbian Task Force, called Owen, Brown and
Pryor "extreme ideologues" likely to issue damaging
decisions on separation of church and state, abortion
rights, and equal rights for gays.
Owen, a Texas Supreme Court Justice, had her
nomination blocked by the Senate Judiciary
Committee in 2002. She has been criticized by civil
rights groups for taking campaign money from
Enron and Halliburton and then ruling in their favor.
She has also spoken publicly against the separation
of church and state.
The Senate voted 56-43 to confirm Owen on
Wednesday.
A group of 14 Republican and Democratic senators reached an
agreement that will allow votes on three previously blocked fed·
eral court nominees. including William Pryor, who is opposed by
gay rights groups (Photo by Dave Martin/AP)
Please see CONFIRMATION on Page 7
dish
Hey Ms. DJ
Lesbian DJ Tracy Young
dishes on party drugs, dark
music and being a celebrity
Page 12
SCHOOL FRICTION: Anti-gay
messages painted. Page 5
Attorney Jeny Simone.aux said 1f voters approve a ban on same-sex marriage
and civil unions m November. he plans to file an injunction against 1t in federal
court. (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
Texas marriage war
could be destined for
the federal courts
Attorney Jerry Simoneaux said
he'll file an injunction if voters
approve a ban on gay marriage
By BINNIE FISHER
Should voters in Texas approve a NO\'. 5 ballot referendum
that would ban same-sex marriage .is v. · J as civil unions in the
state Constitution, attorney Jerry W Simoneaux said he knows
Please see VOTI on Page 4
local life
In business and in life,
Todd Partridge and
Dan Luekens are partners
PAGES
Well-wishers overloaded
Kylie Minogue's Web site
after her cancer surgery.
PAGE 18
2 MAY'll.2005 www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE
Houston Voice Pride 2005 Issue: June 24 Deadline: June 17
To advertise call Jason Wilson at 713.529.8490
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
local news briefs
Magazine co-chairs Rebecca Mahaffey and Yvonne Feece showed off their work at the Pride Magazine unveil·
mg recently at Meteor. (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
The Pride Magazine is available at 200 locations in Houston
Houston Pride officially unveiled the 2005 Pnde Magazme last Saturday during an event
at Meteor The Magazine, which contains features on people and Pride events, also
details the parade route and a map to gay clubs in Houston. Magazine co-chair Yvonne
~'ecce said the 146-page magazine is availabl<' at 200 locations in Houston, most of them
in Montrose.
Lambda Legal representative Sheba Gipson will
speak .1t a meeting of the Houston GLBT Political
Caucus. (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
Lambda Legal representative
addresses GLBT Political Caucus
Sh!'ba Gipson, outreach associate for
Lambda Legal. will speak at 7 p.m.
Wednesday during a meeting of the
Houston GI.BT Political Caucus (PAC) at
the Houston GLBT Community Center,
:1400 Montrose Blvd., Suite 207. Gipson's
talk will center on the areas of youth and
schools, workplace equality, family protections
and a new Lambda Legal initiative
for Latinos. The caucus meets the first
Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. and
conducts a Commumty Work Day on the
second Saturday of each month.
Montrose Counseling Center
urges passage of psychiatric
association statement
The Montrose Counseling Center is urging
the American Psychiatric Association's
hoard of trustees to adopt a statem('llt
draftt>d by the organization's advisory
group on the subject of recognizing marriage
equality for same-sex couples. The
statPml'nt reads: "Heterosexual rl'lation ships
have a legal framework for thl'ir
existence through civil marriage. Samesex
couples therefore experience several
kmds of sanctioned discrimin?tion that
can adversely affect the stability of their
relationships and mental health." The
counseling center's executive director,
Ann J. Robison, said she urges the
American Psychiatric Association to formally
adopt the statement when it meets m
July. "Montrose Counseling Center's therapists
help clients on a daily basis deal
with the mental health impact of being
continually marginalized, and all of the
political attention focused on banning socallrd
'gay marriages' creates an atmosphere
where sexual minorities get the mes·
sage that they are 'less-than' and undeserving
of equal rights," she said.
Countown to Pride begins
with a slate of events
A~ June rolls around, events leading up to
Pnde Houston begin to take place, starting
with Girlz Pride 2005 and the Return of
Atwood & Comeaux on June 3. Girlz Price
:nl5 is a party for women who love women
sponc;ored by Groove Girlz from 9p.m. to 2 a.m.
at 1415 California. Cost is $10, and pl'OC(_'eC!s
benefit Pride Houston. More information is
availablr at wwwgroovegirlz.com. A concert
by Jerry Attwood and Ricky Comeaux at 9
11m. June 3 at Ovations, 2536 Times Blvd. ben
efits Bering Omega Community Services.
Cost is $50, and more information is available
at www.beringomega.org. On June 4 from 8:15
am. to 3 p.m., the Lesbian Health Initiative
Rainbow Health Faiir offers free mammograms,
blood screening tests and osteoporosis
SCl'IX'lllng. Through collaboration with the
Montrose Clinic, pelvic exams. p;lp smears
and scrrcnings for HIV and sexually transmitted
dis1x1ses are also offered. The fair takes
plare at the clinic, 215 WPstheimer. More inf or·
maticm is avniL1ble at y,rwwJhihouston.org.
The Houi;ton Pride Parade 2005 gets und<'r·
way at 8:4S p.m. Jww 25 on Westheimer
tx•twt'cn Woodhrad and Whi!ne}: More infor·
mation on all Pride events can be found at
wwwpridchouston.org.
From staff and wire reports
MAY27.2005 3
local news
Unauthorized press release
causes concern for agencies
Officials of two AIDS
service agencies fear an
unauthorized press
release could cause confusion
among donors
By BINNIE FISHER
A press release dated May 20. 2005, and
widely circulated among Houston gay
media and AIDS funding sources
announced the 2006 merger of the
Montrose Clinic and the Assistance Fund.
There's just one little problem. there
is no merger between the two agencies.
"That press relea5e was unauthorized,
and we don't know where it crune from,"
said Katy Caldwell, executive director of
the Montrose Clinic. 'This didn't come
from either of our agencies."
As soon as officials at the clinic and the
AssL~tancc Fund learned about the press
release, a release with the logos of both
agencies was issued dispelling the clauns.
"This type of false information b
damaging because it creates confusion
with donors and clients," the official
release reads.
While the two entities have signed no
formal merger agreements, Caldwell
Katy Caldwell. executive director of the Montrose
Cfinic. said a merger like the one detailed in the
unauthorized release 1s not out of the question in a
day when all agencies are seeking better ways to
serve their clients_ (Photo by Dalton DeHan)
said, the idea is not out of the question.
"We look at all kinds of ways to bcttl'r
serve our clients," she said. "Ifs not
something we've ruled out. but it's not
something we can formally discuss."
As the official release points out. a
rec('lltly signed agreement between the
Montrose Clime and Walgreen's is an
example of a new innovation that will
benefit not only Montrose Clink
patients. but also clients of the
Assistance ~\md.
Ken Malone. executive director of the ASS1stance
Fund, said he wonders about the motivation of
whoever sent out an erroneous press release
about a merger between his agency and the
Montrose Clinic. (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
With a Walgreen's Pharmacy onsite
at the chmc, clients will experience the
convenience of bcmg able to purchase
medications at the time of th~rr clm1c
appointments, rather than having to
make a stop on the way home
The phantom release on plain paper
with no logos and no contact information
- contains a number of inaccuracies.
Malone pointed out that the release
indicated the two agencies have "signed
a memorandum of merger under which
the two AIDS service organizations will
merge into one agency in 2006."
Malone, who has headed the
Assistance Fund for a number of years,
said th" term "memorandum of merger"
1s foreign to him In addition to
grammatical errors, he said. the release
also contains other false information.
The release indicates that v.hile
under the merger agreement, Caldwell
v.ould rcmam as execuuve director,
Malone would leave the agency to
become a lobbyist for AIDS cause~-
" Ken 1s not leaving," Caldwell said.
"He is not moving to Washington, D.C"
Malone said the origin of the news
relea~e Is a mystl'ry, but the boards of
both agencies will be atteffipting to
determine who may have \\Titten it. He
_aid whoever wrote the release was
somewhat knowledgeable about both the
clinic and the As:>istance Fund
The releru.e was sent out not only to
the media but also to funding sources for
the clinic and th~ fu.s1stance Fund, leaving
Malone to wonder about motivation.
Both agencies denve their funding
from public and private sources, mclud·
mg those provided under the Ryan
White Title 1 Care Act.
The clinic offers HIV testing and
healthcare services for people with
HIV/ AIDS.
The Assistance Fund helps people
with AIDS keep their health insurance
by helping to pay premiums and assists
'' ith medication purchases.
4 MAY 27. 2005
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www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE I local news
Two votes would have made
the difference in the Senate
VOTE. continued from Page l
where he will be on the morning of
Wednesday, Nov. 6.
"On Wednesday mornmg, the law firm
of Nechman, Simoneaux and Frye will be
down at the federal courthouse with an
injunction," he said.
It's not a threat, Simoneaux said. Ifs a
promise.
House Joint Resolution 6, authored by
Texas Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa)
cleared the Texas House of
Representatives in April by a 101-29 vote. It
needed 100 votes to pass.
The Senate approved the measure on
May 21 by a vote of 21-8. The measure
needed 20 votes to clear the Senate.
Simoneaux said while he has many
concerns regarding the proposed amendment,
he would have to start with the way
it is v.Titten.
The resolution states: ":\larriage in
this state shall consist only of the union of
one man and one woman."
An amendment. added dunng House
debate by Chisum stipulates, "This state
or a political subdivision of this state may
not create or recognize any legal status
identical or similar to marriage."
"It's so poorly written," Simoneaux
said. "The wording, 'similar to marriage'
is undeniably vague. This could apply to
all kinds of relationships."
In addition to possibly affecting common
law relationships, Simoneaux said, the bill
paves the way for someone who was legally
married in another state to come to Texas,
file for divorce and keep all the property
that was acquired by both partners.
''This is a legislative dog, and if you let
it out of its cage, it's going to bite us in the
ass," Simoneaux said. "It's going to be up
to us lawyers to put that dog down."
He noted that in states where voters
approved similar amendments, those measures
are being struck down by the courts
While Simoneaux is busy recruiting
gay civil rights organizations to join with
him if necessary on Nov. 6, others are hop·
ing enough voters can be won over to vote
the bill down.
Activist Ray Hill said he views the upcoming
election with a degree of optimism.
Houston could be key
'The biggest election in the state this
~ovember is within the city of Houston."
Hill said. "The legislature has put us in
the very best position "
Because Mayor Bill White and Houston
City Controller are both up for re-election
in November, Hill said, he predicts the
largest voter turnout in the state will be in
Houston. He believes that's good.
In other citie» throughout the state. he
said, the voter turnout is likely to be significantly
less.
The burden. he said, is clearly on the
shoulders of gays and lesbians to turn the
tide on the issue.
"We're not closeted and hidden like we
Sen. Eddie Lucio . .K. (D·Brownsville) was expected
to vote against House Joint Resolution 6. but he said
his Catholic faith led him to vote for the measure.
were early in my political career," he said.
"Our job, our responsibility is to talk to
our friends, our neighbors, our families,
our co-workers and make sure they go to
the polls and vote against this. Everybody
should be walking around with voter registration
cards in their pocket."
Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) attempt·
ed to stall the measure when it arrived at
the Senate, but his efforts were not sue·
cessful. He said he opposed the resolution
because, "Texas does not need to enshrine
discrimination in the constitution."
He said the action in the House and
Senate takes him back to 1999 a proposed
Hate Crimes Act was being debated.
"In 1999, poll after poll showed that
Texans overwhelmingly wanted the
James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act to
become law, yet it did not," Ellis said. "In
fact, many of the people crying 'public
support' today worked their fingers to the
bone against the Byrd Act."
Ellis voted against HJR 6 in the Senate
along with Sens. Gonzalo Barrientos.
Juan Hinojosa, Eliot Shapleigh, Letitia
Van de Putte, Royce West, John Whitmire
and Judith 7..affirini. Sens. Mario Gallegos
and John Corona were absent.
Two senators who were expected to also
vote against the resolution, Eddie Lucio,
Jr. of Brownsville and Frank Madia of
San Antonio, both Democrats, instead
voted in favor of the measure.
Activists with the Lesbian/Cay Rights
Lobby of Texas (LGRL) said those two
votes would have killed the resolution.
Lucio told the Brownsville Herald his
Catholic faith led him to vote with the
majority. Madia has said 63 percent of his
con,,tituents indicated they were in favor
of the resolution, and that guided his vote.
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com I national news briefs
Anti-gay vandalism leads to multiple school suspensions
Howell High School senior Katie Prout
reads a statement to fellow students
during a sit·down protest May 10 outside
the school. in Howell. Mich. where stu·
dents were suspended for spray-painting
an anti-gay message on a rock on cam·
pus. (Alan Ward/AP)
HOWELL, Mich. (AP) Two nmth-grade students
who painted an anti-gay message on a rock in their
school's courtyard have been suspended for at least
10 days and might face criminal prosecution, the
school district said last week. Meanwhile. three seniors
who in response painted the word "love" over
the message and elsewhere on school grounds were
suspended for the rest of the school year. Initiall):
they had been suspended for 10 days. The three seniors
won't be allowed to take part in their graduation
ceremony or any other senior activities. On
May 8. the three seniors and a sophomore used
spray paint to cover the words "God hates fags"
scrawled on a rock near the high school entrance.
The sophomore also was suspended for 10 days.
Although the rock is frequently painted by stu·
dents, the students also spray-painted the word
"love" more than 25 times around the flagpole and
more than 25 times on sidewalks on the north side
of the building. Howell Public Schools said it had
identified the two students who painted the first.
anti-gay message but did not identify them. The two
students face punishment for violating the school's
hate literature and vandalism policies.
Judge won't immediately force
publication of gay students' story
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) - A Kern
County judge declined to immediately
overrule a high school principal's decision
to censor student newspaper articles
on homosexuality, saymg the issue
deserved a full review. "This is an important
issue that would require an opportu·
nity to have a full and complete hearing,"
Kern County Superior Court Judge
Arthur 8 . Wallace said Wednesday after
denying the plaintiffs' request for an
emergency order that would have allowed
the articles to be published in the
Kernal's May 27 year-end issue. The high
school journalists sued the Kern High
School District on May 19, after Principal
John Gibson decided they couldn't run a
series of five articles discussing subjects
such as gay student's relationship with
their parents, whether homosexuality is
biologically determined, and how it felt
to come out. School officials said they
could not be responsible for violence or
harassment by allowing the articles to be
published. "If one of these people is
heckled or harassed, that's an unlawful
act," said John Szewczyk, a school dis·
trict attorney. "Statements have been
made that these students are out. but we
have no proof of that."
North Carolina county adds gays
to nondiscrimination policy
CHARLOTTE, N.C. {AP)
Commissioners in North Carolina's most
populous county voted to add "sexual ori·
entation" to its nondiscrimination policy
despite vehement objections from
Republicans. The new policy means
Mecklenburg County cannot discriminate
in hiring and personnel decisions on the
basis of sexual orientation. The chang<?
was approved 6-3 last week. Othe~ North
Carolina counties and cities have passed
similar anti-discrimination policies, and
two counties Durham and Orange
offer domestic partner benefits.
Gay political candidates
celebrate wins in 2005
WASlllNG'fON E rly election victories
have made 200S a strong year so far for out
gay political candidates. according to the
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. a political
action committee based in Washington,
D.C. Victory Fund officials said three gay
candidates took office last week, while two
more advanced to general elections. The
group backed Barbara Baier, who became
the first openly gay official in Nebraska
when she won election to the Lincoln,
Neb., school board. In addition, the group
supported Elena Guajardo. winner in the
primary for an open seat on the San
Antonio City Council, and Mary Jo
Hudson, who kept her seat on the
Columbus, Ohio, City Council. "Gays and
lesbians deserve equal access to the
American dream, and we will never get
from here to there without having a voice
and a vote in the halls of government,"
Chuck Wolfe, Victory Fund's president
and CEO, said in a news release.
Log Cabin Republicans air
TV ad during N.C. convention
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) The Log Cabin
Republicans ran a television commercial
during the state GOP convention urging the
state party to be more inclusive. Log Cabin,
which was barred by GOP Chair Ferrell
Blount from setting up a table at last year's
convention. paid to broadcast the ad
through last weekend on Asheville's cable
television system. "Our commercial has a
simple mes~ge; The GOP can be an inclu·
sive majority party uniting all North
Carolinians or it can be an intolerant party
hijacked by the radical right's divisive
social agenda," said Chris Barron, the
group's political director. at a news conference
in Asheville. Barron's group decided
against asking for a table at this year's con·
vention. Instead, they spent from about
$5.000 to air the 30-second ad.
From staff and wire reports
MAY 27. 2005 S
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HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com MAY 27, 2005 7 I national news
Some conservatives upset over Pryor's record
CONFIRMATION, continued from Pagel
California Supreme Court Justke Brown
was first nominated in 2003. She has argued
against a11irmative action and against
aggrcss1'ie enforcement of antl-discrimina·
tion laws. She issued a minority opinion in
2003 saying a gay person should not be
allowed to adopt the biological child of his
or her partner, saying providing such an
adoption right "tnviahzes family bonds."
But it is former Alabama Attorney
General Pryor, 43. who most troubles gay
rights advocates. He has argued against provisions
of the Voting Rights Act and against
federal anti·discrimination laws and has a
.record opposing gay and lesbian civil rights
Bush named Pryor to the 11th Circuit Court
of Appeals in a rrccss appointment that
expires at thr end of this year.
Shortly nller the appointment Pryor
cast the deciding vote to uphold a Florida
law banning gays from adopting chUdren
Longtime lesbian activist Felicia
Founuane of Hunstville, Ala., said that the
am1cus brief that Pryor wrote in the
Lawrence vs. Texas case that overturned
state sodomy laws exposes Pryor's attitudes
toward the rights of lesbians and gays.
At that time, Pryor was attorney general
In Alabama and in his brief to the court
he argurd that awarding constitutional
protrction to consensual sex between gay
people would inevitably lead to similar
protection for incest, necrophilia,
pedophilia, prostitution and adultcn:
The day nller the announcement of the
Senate deal, some gays in Pryor's home
st:1te of Alabama said that they were dis·
heartened.
Howard Bayless, board member of
Equality Alabama, an all volunteer
statewide gay advocacy group, said that he
expected a Pryor appointment would lri1d
to a rollback of progress in gay rights.
Bayless said that he expects Pryor to intrrfpre
with local laws that offer employment
protections for gay men and lesbians.
"I'm obviott~lyvery dbappointcd th'lt Pryor
is going to be able to stay on the bench."
H>untiane said. "lie has virtually no career
except forwh:1t the Republican Party has hand
ed htm In Alabama. He IS yo1mg, has no cxporiencc
and is going to be there for n long time."
Lara Schwartz, senior counsel for the
llRC, echoed Fountiane's sentiments.
"We h<ive already seen the damage that
his presence on the courts can do," Sehwartz
said. "During the )'Car of thL~ recess appoint·
ment, he already voted not to rehear a dcd
sion on Florida's ban on gay adoption."
The appointment of conservative judges
hostlle to gay rights can have a major
impact on cases heard by federal appeals
courts. According to Schwartz, most cases
reach their final decision at that level, with
only 2 percent of the cases going on for
decision by the Supreme Court.
Road to a deal
In the last week, speculation grew over
whether Republicans could muster the
majority vote necessary to rewnte the
Senate• rules, as social conservah\es
\\e!ghed in on the issue insisting that Bush's
nominees "be granted an up or down \'Otc "
In an unprecedented effort, conscrva·
t1vcs focused on mobilizing churchgoers to
their cause. In April the Family Research
Council sponsored "Justice Sunday" fea·
turl.ng Sen. Bill Frist (R·Tenn.).
In a church service that was simulcast
on the Web, radio, satellite and on cable, the
Democrats' effort to block 10 of Bush's nom
mccs was presented as a "filibuster against
people of faith" and churchgoers \\ere pres·
sured to contact their representatives and
demand a vote on Bush's nominees.
Special emphasis was given to the plight
of Brown and Owen. FRC sponsored
dPmonstrations of women and of pastors of
color to rally support for the two nominees.
Frist set a deadline and promised to call
for a vote on the nuclear option.
Democrats debated responding to the
rules change by obstructing Senate busi·
ness altogl'lher.
On May Zl. seven Republican Senators
Mikr OcWine (ROhio), Ol)mpia J. Snowe <R·
Maine). Linroln Chafec (RRJ.), John 1\kCain
(RAril_), Lind<;ey Graham (R.S.C.), John W
Warner (RVa.) and Susan Collins {R-l\laine)
and seven Democratic Senators Ben Nelson
(DNPb.). Robe-rt C. Byrd (D-WVa.), Joe
LiPhennan (D-Conn.), Mark Pryor (IMrlt),
Dante! K. lnot1}'C <O.Hawaii), Ken Salazar (I).
Colo.) and Marv li'mdrieu (O.La.) announced
that they had reached a two.part compronusc.
ALL DAY
EVERYDAY
Republican Sen L.ildsey r.raharn who was one of the
14 senat~ that brokered a deal to aYCMd the 'nuclear
option' over judicial filibusters, said m a news conference
that not all of the normnees would be colfinned
by the Senate. (Photo by Charlie NeibergalVAP)
'Nuclear option' avoided
The bipartisan group of senators would
allow thrPe of the stalled nominees to
come to a vote: Rogers Bro\\n, nominated
to the D.C. Circuit Court; Owen, nominal·
ed to the 5th Circuit Court based in New
Orleans, and Pryor, nominated tollth
Circuit Court in Atlanta, where he is
already serving temporarily because of a
recess appointment by Bush.
The second part of the comprombe
announcement declared that nominees
would only be filibustered under "extreme
circumstances" and that the senators
would oppose changes to the Senate rules.
The Human Rights Campaign praised
the Senate deal for "preserving the ability
to block extremist nominees,' while
e.:-.i>rcssing disappointment "that Judge
William Pryor, who has a record of attacking
equal rights for the ga}; lesbian, bisexual
and transgender community. is one of
the nominees who will proceNI."
Other gay groups had stronger language
for the compromise.
Elizabeth Hampton Brown, a Parents &
Friends of Lesbian & Gays staffer and
civ ii rights scholar said, "The deal
ensures that our courb will be> packed
with extremist lifetime judicial
appointee~. who value the politically powerful
over ordinary American families."
"We feel a deep sense of foreboding
with this comprombe ... The nuclear
option is still retained and Dr. Frist and
his extremist allies ha\•e already threat·
ened to w;e It," Foreman said. "This hmehonored
tradition of the filibuster has
now been conditioned that It can only be
used in 'extraordinary circumstances and
those circumstance are essentially going
to be> decided b) 14 senator ."
Nan Aron, pres.ident of the Alliance for
Just1ct', a progre>Si\ lobby group, did not
dISguISC her fe<>lings about the compromISe.
"ls there anybody on our side "ho IS
happy?" Aron said in a Ne\\ York Tunes
inten'le\\: "We arc \cry disappointed \\Ith
the decision to move these extremist nominees
one step closer to confirmation.
She told the Time that. "It mnains to be
seen" if Democrats will pay a pnce for
agreemg to the compronuse, which was
praised by the party's Senate leadership.
''There are a number of angry people who
care about the future of the judiciary," Aron
told the paper.
Pryor not conservative enough?
In the news conference announcing the
Senate deal, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-N.C.)
said that though some judges are gomg to
receive a vote who otherwise wouldn't have,
"Some of them arc going to make It on our
up and down vote and some of them won't."
Some conservative political comment:!·
tors have speculated that Pryor may not make
it through the confirmation process. They
note that as Alabama attorney general, Pryor
did not challenge the Roe vs. \\ade abortion
decision and backed the removal of Roy
~toore, then the chief justice of the statc's
supreme court. for defying a federal court
order to remove a Ten Commandments
memonal from the courthollS(' Pryor also
voted agamst tnten:enting in the Tern
Schiavo case.
'R25521/~R ~lfT5
WWW.CROSSOVERGIFTS COM • 713.523.5201
cRossoveR 'ciiF.Ts· • :415 WESTHEYMER"·Rb' -•. Housf oN _.... • •• _,... - - ·- • - • -" ... •'L_.;. - - -
HOUSTON VOICE
MAY 27. 2005
PAGE 8
Partners in life and in their life's work
Whether its keeping
house, keeping an inn
or delving into real
estate, Todd Partridge
and Dan Lueken are
partners in life
Sy DAWN RORIE
Quietly tucked away 1n the heart of
Montrose, the building that houses
Partridge Properties could easily be mistaken
for one of the eclectic, older homes
in the neighborhood that surrounds it.
For Todd Partridge and Dan Lucken,
owners of Partridge Properties and the
Lovett Inn. a well-known Montrose bed
and breakfast, a friendly, familial atmosphere
is the most important aspect of
both businesses_
The two men. who have been business
partners for four years and life partners
for nearly ten. met and fell in Jove when
Partridge was selling steel and Lucken
\\<lS director of information technology
for an energy company.
After Partridge left the steel industry
and became involved in real estate, the
two began discussing the possibility of
starting their own real estate firm.
Although Lueken had never worked in
real estate, he had plenty of "unofficial"
experience in the business, through helping
Partridge out on weekends.
~In addition to listening to all of the
stories about my experiences with various
customers, he helped me put out
signs and distribute flyers," Partridge
remembers.
While Partridge focused on setting up
the new company, Lueken continued fulltime
at his IT job. Once the company was
established, Lue ken left the job he had held
for nineteen years and took over as head of
operations at Partridge Properties.
Partridge describes Lueken as being
infinitely supportive. "lam so incredibly
lucky to have him," Partridge gushes.
The key element that sets Partridge
Properties apart from other real estate
firms is the company's motto:
"Knowledge. Integrity. Communication."
Partridge says that at his firm, focus on
the client is the number one priority:
@MORE INFO
The Lovett Im
501 Lovett Blvd.
713-522-5224
Dan L.ueken and Todd Partridge are partners in life. in the real estate business and in the Lovett Inn Bed and
Breakfasl (Photo by Dalton DeHart)
"We don't want to grow out of the bou·
tiquc category;" he explains. "We don't
want to be the biggest- -we just want to do
the best that we can do."
That strategy may be a winning one.
Last year, Partridge Properties was voted
number one in Houston Real Estate by
Outsmart magazine.
In order to ensure Partridge customers
a smooth and seamless buying
experience. Partridge teamed up with
underwriter Alex Flenner to found Epoch
Mortgage Company, which will be fully
operational by the beginning of June.
Partridge says that being able to provide
a kind of all-in-one service "just
makes sense for our customers. It makes
it a smooth process all the way around."
A warm and friendly work environment
is another key to success for
Partridge and Lueken. "Life is too short if
you're not enjoying who you're working
with and working for." says Partridge.
While Partridge spends the majority of
his time at the real estate office, Lueken
spends much of his time working at the
Lovett Inn. which the two purchased and
refurbished in January of 2004.
The charming bed and breakfast, first
established in 1989, has been repeatedly
honored as a "Favorite B&B or Lodging
Inside the Loop_"
The house, first built in 1923 by a former
mayor of Houston, sits on land
scapcd grounds that include a gazebo, a
pool and an outdoor Jaeuzzl. The plctur-esque
house and grounds have been chosen
as the site for the filming of quite a
few television projects, including an
infomercial starring boxing great George
Foreman. as well as a PBS documentary.
The warm, familial energy is central
at the Lovett Inn. A friendly, tall-wagging
black pooch, Cody, greets guests upon
their arrival.
Cody, like his owners, splits his time
between working at the real estate office
and the bed and breakfast.
During their stay, guests can lounge in
the sunroom that overlooks the pool, or
grab a book from the library and read in
front of the fireplace. Every morning,
guests are treated to a continental breakfast
that includes fresh fruit, yogurt,
cereal, bread, pastries, tea and coffee.
A diverse clientele
Guests at the Lovett Inn are diverse.
Gay and straight, the clientele range
from suburbanites who have come into
Houston to get away for the weekend to
people from all over the world who are in
town for a more extended stay.
Some are celebrating wedding
anniversaries and others are in town vis·
iting family members and need a comfortable
place to stay.
In addition to overnight guests, Lovett
Inn also hosts various events. From wed
dings to business retreats, the inn accom·
modatcs all sorts of gatherings and special
occasions. Fifteen weddings have
taken place at the inn so far this year.
During the week, Lueken says, the
Lovett Inn is a popular place for off-site
business meetings. The inn, which can
host up to fifty for meetings, provides
wireless internet access and an LCD projector
for presentations. Convenient to
the downtown and Galleria areas, the
Lovett Inn provides space that is "more
relaxing than your typical business
space," says Lucken.
"People can meet and get away from the
distractions of the phone and the office,"
he says. "They can conduct their meetings
during the day, and set up the poker table
or use the pool and the hot tub at night."
When the couple isn't busy working at
the real estate office or renovating and
redecorating the bed and breakfast, they
spend their time taking ski trips or cruising
around on their Harley Davidson.
Both are active members of the
Human Rights Campaign. In April,
Partridge went to Austin to testify before
the House State Affairs Committee
against House Joint Resolution 6, the
anti-gay marriage amendment that has
since cleared both the House and Senate.
When asked what is in store for the
future. the couple agrees that customer
satisfaction will continue to be the focal
point of both businesses, no matter what
the future holds.
Partridge believes he and Lueken have
succeeded thus far in that endeavor, both as
innkeepers and as real estate executives.
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
out in houston (Photos by Dalton DeHart)
Diana Foundation President Frank Staggs (left) presented an award to Bering Omega Dental Clinic
founder Ed Cordray (center) as master of ceremonies, Channel 2 Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley
(right), looks on.
C.C. Ryder from Galveston belted out a tune recent -
ly at the Diana Foundation fundraiser
MAY 27. 2005 9
Dance music diva Kristine W wowed the crowd al
Rich's grand reopening party Saturday night
ance
NTER
befOI' and after i res at www skinrenaissance.net
l1f1iii!'4td1i voice
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION
Executive EJitor CHRIS CRAIN
EdtxJr BINNIEFISHER
Conespondeuts BRYAN ANDERTON
DYANA BAGBY. LOU CHIBBARO. JR. JOE CREA.
MUBARAK DAHIR. LAURA ~N
MIKE Fl!MlNC, MATTHEW HENNIE. JOHNNY
HOOKS. PHIL LAl'AOUlA. RYAN ill. BRIAN MOY
LAN KEVIN NAFF YUSEF NAJAfl. KEN SAIN.
RHONDA SMITH. SIT\IE WEINSTEIN.
ANOYZEfFER
Contrhrtars DON MAINES. DAWN RORIE, filA
TYlfR. SIWlA NICHOLSON. JA CHAPMAN RICH
ARENSCHIELDT AND ANAS BEN-MUSA
~ DAI.TON DEHART
Kl~'BERLY THOMPSON
Pndlction Manager JAMES NEAl
W~ ARAM VARTIAN
SALES & ADMINISTRATION
General Manager JASON WILSON
twiJsoo;a houstOIMICUOlll
Classified Sales I Office Mrnstrator
JOHNNY HOOKS - jhooks<a.houstoovOlce.ro
National Adverlising Repesentrtive
RM!rldel MecfJa • 212-242-6863
Plilisher- WINDOW MEDIA UC
President-WIWAM WAYBOURN
Elitorial DRctor- CHRIS CRAIN
Corporate Controler- BAANrnE HOLSTON
Art DRctor- ROB BOEGER
DRctor of Operatillls MIKE KilCHENS
DRctor of Sales STEVEN GUERRINI
lli'ecllJr of Classified Sales-NATHAN REGAN
Mnetilg MaYl)el' RON ROMANSKI
rn ......
~~::
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t.....d.. a1iJer ~ ........... _
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(713)529-8490
Fax: (713) 529-9531
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rroil ID Hrustoo Ycict 'iOO ~ Blvd. Slite 200.
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editorial
Culture Wars
get personal
Amsterdam's welcome mat to gays won't be restored by
using the law to silence Muslim fundamentalists. Gay
Americans are all too used to such arm-twisting tactics.
By CHRIS CRAIN
N THE WEEK FOLLOWING
the \1olent attack In
Amsterdam on my boyfriend
and me by seven men angry
that we were holding hands,
the Dutch media have focused
a tremendous amount of atten·
tlon on the assault.
In a ro-minute story on Holland's answer to
"00 Minutes," and In radio and newspaper
reports m newspapers, and on countless news
and blog sites, the gay.friendly Dutch have str:ug·
gled to place the attack in a broader context
Was it an isolated incident or the latest in a
sencs that suggestS a changing clima~ in the
Netherlands that no longer fits the count?Ys legendary
reputation as open and tolerant toward all?
Particularly incendiary has been my dcscnptlon
of our attackers as having "Moroccan-like
features•• and accents. I was generally ffl'l'al'e of
tension over imm1gratlon policies In Holland.
but of the more than iOO messages I've received,
roughly half ha'le focused almost exclusively on
the assumt'd cultural and religious heritage of
our attackers and the dangers many nati\'e
Dutch feel from their \'Crsion of the "Culture
Wars" we tur.-e fought in the t:.S. for years.
The other half of the mess.ages dealt
Instead with the anti-gay motivation of our
attackers and urged my boyfnend and me to
return to Amsterdam, and to hold hands in the
street v. ithout fear. We have been touched
more than we can say by this show of support,
from abroad and at home.
All of the messages were sympathetic and
some dealt with the cultural conflict in a
thoughtful, careful manner. But many Dutch
residents were particularly blunt m their disgust
for the changes they see in their country.
"This kind of behavior is exactly why the
Dutch would like to see the Moroccans go back
home rather sooner than later," wrote one
woman in a typical message. "Because they
are miles apart from Dutch culture."
"You seem to think that those Moroccans
only hate gay people?" wrote a resident of
Leiden, near Amsterdam. "Forget ltl They hate
everyone who isn't Moroccan. For years our
government IS telling us to be tolerant, to try
to understand 'our new Dutch.' This is where
it leads."
Andrew Sullivan kindly helped spread ini·
tial word about the attack on his eponymous
blog, and like many others couched the Dutch
Culture Wars in explicit religious terms.
"Hatred of open and proud homosexuals Is
intrinsic to !slamist fundamentalism. as it is to
Christian fundamentalism," he wrote. "The
struggle against both is the same one - at
home and abroad."
Scott Long, director of the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual & Transgender Program at the
Human Rights Watch, also blamed the attack
m part on "global fundamentalism" mainly
U.S. televangelist Pat Robertson and the new
Catholic pope. He went on to claim our
as a ult was the natural response of a ~luslim
minority routinely discriminated against by
native Dutch .
"There·s still an extraordinary degree of
racism in Dutch society," Long said In an
tntef'liew with PlanetOut. "Gays often become
the victims of this when immigrants retaliate
for the inequities that they have to suffer."
MY OWN VIEW IS TIIAT MANY OF OUR
v.ell·lntentioned supporter~ i1J'C approaching
the underlying cause of hate violence in fundamentally
misguided ways. Long, In particular,
only fans the flames of hate by blaming
our attack on Dutch society, which has enacted
the most progressive gay laws in the world. for
producing an anti.gay attack.
There was no racist component to our
attack, as he imphe . Our attackers would ha\·e
reacted at least as viciously to two men of their
own ethnicity who walked the street as lovers.
Long·s brand of "blame the society" political
correctness is a distraction from the very real
cultural clashes happening in Holland and elsewhere.
In his role at Human Rights Watch, Long
has no business being an apologist for hate, and
for the bias-motivated violence it produces.
It's also too easy to point the finger at
America·s favorite target-fundamentalist
Islam. We were walking back to our hotel room
HOUSTON VOICE
MAY 27, 2005
PAGE 10
in the wee hours on Saturday morning through
a street full of holiday revelers. Our attackers
were not on the corner for morning prayers.
I do not mean to discount the Influence of
religion on culture. I grew up in the American
South, where fundamentalist Christianity provided
aid and comfort for the racist oppression
of blacks and contmues to rally opposition to
equality for gays.
But the contribution of religion here ls more
Indirect. and I'm not sure much can be accomplished
with non-Muslims blaming a faith about
which we are mostly ignorant for the culture we
thmk 1t has produced. Life in a multicultural
society means accepting that others will not
share our religious beliefs and that no one group
should lay claim to representing 'normal societ};"
demanding all others succumb.
rm: DUTCH CULTURE WARS SHOULD
not be fought by shutting down the borders or
by using the law to silence those who do not
share the country's tradition of tolerance.
Those are the arm-twisting tactics of the cul·
tural conservatives who control the majority
party here In the U.S.
If we really believe our own rhetoric -
about freedom of thought and tolerance of other
cultures and values then the best response is
more openness and more speech, not less.
Too often those who advocate for openness
and tolerance get dismissed as soft-headed or
naive, and they can be. Some Dutch media have
purposefully ignored the cultural conflict that
played a role in our attack by refusing to report
any details about our attackers. Tolerance
should not mean burying your head in the sand.
Others, like Long from Human Rights
Watch, will view hate violence through a P.C.
lens, apologizmg for the attackers If their
minority status "trumps" that of those who
were attacked.
A more vigorous approach to openness
would make the case for a society where each
group Is entitled to its own values, but not to
impose them on others whether through laws
or through fists In the streets. This approach
would publicly call upon good people from
across the ideological spectrum. including those
religious and cultural le:iders who condemn
homosexuality, to also condemn a brutal street
beating of those who do not share their Views.
I've been asked many times in the last
week whether gay tourists should steer clear
of Amsterdam until the climate there
Improves. I certatnly hope that isn't what
happens.
I am proud that my bo)friend and I stood
up for ourselves by walking the streets of
Amsterdam hand in hand. and by not running
away when we were confronted.
I would urge other gay tourists, as well as
gays and our allies liv-ing
in Holland, to stand
up for themselve~. too.
and not run away figura·
lively. either.
Clvis Crain is @ executive editor of
the Houston Voice
and can be reached at
cctail(~:
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
What do yoll
think is the significance
of a gay
and lesbian athletic
event such
as the Lone Star
Classic?
The Lone Star Classic is a premier
event to show off the wonderful
city of Houston and our
diverse cultural community.
Teams from around the U.S converge
on our city to compete
and share experiences with our
southern hospitality flair. This is
our 16th year to host this event.
which is obviously a success.
GERALD ENNIS, 40
Spring
Mecfical Accounting
It's a great opportunity to meet
players and friends from other
cities and to promote the
Montrose Softball League and
the crty of Houston. It's a great
way to promote our community
and have fun at the same time.
GARY GANO, 30i>1us
Houston
Senior human
resources specialist
It's a great opportunity for gays
and lesbians to meet people
from other cities in a healthy
environment and have a lot of
fun while competing in a friendly
way. Anytime such groups can
get together for these events is
a chance to feel a part of something
special. and that is always
great for promoting a positive
self-image.
Bill SANSOM. 47
Houston
Customer service representative
The significance will be an
opportunity to get together in a
healthy environment and meet
new friends.
TISH ORTEGON. 37
Houston
Special project coordinator
MAY 27, 2005 11
It provides an alternative way to
meet people other than the dub
scene.
CIC! RESENDEZ. 34
Houston
EiU:ation
Sound off about what's happening in your world at www.houstonvoice.com/soundoff. Interviews and photos by Dalton DeHart
letter t t e editor
Rumors that still persist about
Lobo Bookshop need to be dispelled
To the Editor:
I would have preferred to remain silent in the seclusion in which I now
live. However, despite my withdrawal from the gay community, many stories
have come to my attention as to the status of myself in particular.
Contrary to such rumors. Lobo Bookshop & Cafe was not closed as the
result of any civil or criminal action against the business or myself. I
was not arrested. I was not thrown into jail. I did not die. I did not leave
the state with a suitcase full of ill-gotten gains.
While the situation with Lobo was no doubt due to mistakes on my part
over the last ten years since my partner in business as in life, Bill White,
died, the immediate cause of the action I was forced to take on 10
February 2004 was the direct result of one action.
At the repeated urging of the company's then attorney, Lobo filed for
bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in October of 2003. The immediate
effect of that was two-fold: All our creditors were notified by the U. S.
Trustee's Office of this action, and a payout agreement agreed to in April
2003 with the Internal Revenue Service was voided.
However, within a few weeks, we were informed that the company's
attorney was not licensed to practice law at the time of the filing and
since legal representation is required for business Chapter 11 cases. our
bankruptcy was thrown out and we immediately lost the umbrella of pro·
tection from creditors.
Several of our principle creditors, thanks to a tip from one gay creditor.
were banding together to force the company into involuntary bank·
ruptcy. It was our belief and that of our newly acquired legal counsel. an
old and valued friend from our activist days, that it was better for the
company to pursue voluntary bankruptcy. And that is what we did.
Granted, there were contributing factors. mainly the theft of company
records by a former employee who also happened to be involved in some
manner with the aforementioned original attorney.
It also came to my attention that this same employee had falsified company
records, apparently at the behest of other parties. to inflate the
company's debt at the time of the Chapter 11 filing. This had the effect of
depreciating the value of the company by nearly 50 per cent.
I would hope that those who actually have known me were aware that
everything went back into the company. For those who assumed that I
escaped with a barrel of loot, perhaps the foreclosure of my beloved home
on Avondale back in September and the loss of my automobile in
December might attest to the falsity of that rumor.
As I approach the beginning of my eighth decade next year (that means
I turn 70 then}, I have much to regret but most of all is the loss of so
many valued customers, many of whom were more than simply cus·
tomers. That was the driving force of the more than 30 years I spent fostering
the life of Lobo. Like MacArthur's old soldiers. I too shall now
fade away.
SATURDAY JUNE 11
10:30 A.M. -1 P.M.
I.any Lingle
Houston
.... a 15 AV I E l'1 T ~-...
tracy talks
LESBIAN OJ SUPERSTAR TRACY YOUNG DISHES ON PARTY DRUGS, DARK MUSIC AND BEING A CELEBRITY
By ANDY ZEFF£R
HETHER PLAYING MUSIC AT
Madonna's wedding in Scotland, shak·
ing things up for Sean "P.D1ddy" Combs
on the deck of his yacht, or providing
the sounds at an Anna Sui fashion shov.~
DJ Tracy Young plies her trade among
the rich and famous.
But the lesbian DJ is also a favorite among gay crowds.
ThlS month. the Virginia native and Miami resident
will release her album, "Dance Culture," while embark·
1ng on a 15-city tour. The Voice took some time out to
speak about DJ life v.ith Young.
Houston Voice: You played your sounds in the DC
scene for years before coming to Miami. What prompted
your decision to go south?
Tracy Young: I was hired by Interscope Records as
the southea>t promotions manager. I needed a change
from D.C. a, I wasn't growing in my career or my personal
life I always thought I would end up in Miami. I
love it, and the city is growing faster than ever
Voice: Would you call being a woman in the DJ field
an advantage or a disadvantage?
Young: Truthfuil): being a female DJ has worked for me
in some situations and against me in others. Evecy sttuatlon
is different, but overall, I guess it has helped me to stand out
Voice: You have done work v.ith a lot of greal~. And the
list of celebrities you have spun for is endless. What
moment or event would you call your first big break?
Young: I don't believe I could call one moment or event
my big break. It was several little things that led to where I
am nov.: But if you asked others, I'm sure they would say
my big break was working with Madonna.
Voice: There are a lot of competing parties and
events, almost too many to keep track of. What is your
opinion on over-saturation of parties?
Young· The party scene is over-saturated, but I suppose
it's because everybody has different tastes. The
ft MORE INFO
TRACY YOUNG
"Dance Culture'
CD
Ferosh Records
www.djtracyyoung.com
Miami club impresario Ingrid Casares caught the sounds of DJ Tracy
YOlllQ and arranged for her to play at a private party for the band
'Smashing Pumpkins,' propelling Young's career. (Photo by Dale Stine)
good thing about the over-saturation is that we have
more choices. The bad thing is that when supply
increases, demand decreases and the parties ultimately
suffer. Now I'm sounding like an economics professor!
Voice: So many cm:uit events get a bad rap for the rampant
drug use. This year's Winter Party seemed to exemplify
that. There were so many tweaked out attendees with
their trademara lollipops. What do you think of the drug
use, and do you think anything can be done about it?
Young: I think people are realizing the dangers of drug
use and how it has affected all aspects of the gay communi·
ty. I have noticed more people drug-free. But on the other
hand. I have watched crystal destroy people's lives and the
club scene so quiddl! We have to continue to educate oth·
ers and make people aware of what they are putting in
their bodies and doing to their minds, and how drugs affect
relationships and daily lives.
Voice: There are often complaints that ticket prices
for events are out of control. Do you agree with that?
Young: They are. People are not so willing to pay
$1000 for a party weekend these days. But it does cost a
lot to throw these parties. The venues. sound, lights.
. ecurit>: staff, etc., are all very expensive.
Voice: You've said that dark and heavy post-9/ 11
beats have dominated the scene for too long. Can you
elaborate?
Young: I think the music got to be too heavy. I always
like a good strong vocal record. People love that. but with
the excessive drug use. the music changed. It became
bleaker. I'm happy that it appears we're now heading
back to slower tempo music and more vocal records.
Voice: Has the scene changed in terms of in-fighting
between DJs and promoters?
Young: I think it has. I certainly don't fight with pro·
moters and other DJs. I think there is plenty of room
for all of us and there are certainly plenty of parties.
Voice: What do you thmk of the phenomenon of the
OJ reaching celebrity status, and do you think of yourself
in tenns of a celebrity?
Young: I don't look at myself as a celebrit}; but I'm
flattered If other people do. I think it's great that DJ's
have reached an amazing amount of success and are
being recognized for their talents. Jn the late 80's and
early 90's,the DJ was important but never got respect. I
believe music is the most important aspect of a party.
Voice: Tell us about your new CD. "Dance Culture.''
What is special about it, and what are some of your
favorite tracks?
Young: I can't wait to complete it and get it out This
album is very vocal and uplifting. I wanted to make it a "feel·
good" type of journell I have three exclusive remixes that I
have done: "Easy Ride" by Madorma, "Walk On By" by
Cyndi Lauper, and •·1 Believe" by Chaka Kahn. I also have
completed an original track titled "Dance culture" by Alan T.
Voice: You have a lot IX upcoming appearances. Are you
looking forward to them?
Young: This is going to be a big summer for me! I
have "Dance Culture~ coming out, and I'm already
booked in a lot of different cities. I'm playing Gay Oisney
on June 4. with Chaka Kahn performing. I'm also headlining
New York's Gay Pride with Junior Vasquez.
Voice: Finally. are you in a relationship right now?
And if so, how does that work with your schedule?
Young: I'm sorry. I gotta' keep some things in my life
personal. Now I'm sounding like a celebrity!
NEW REALITY: Summer's TV lineup features offerings
with gay appeal, including new reality shows. Page 15 I BAU..S AND PARTIES: Nightlife this weekend should
focus on the White Party and the Military Ball. Page 17
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
Origihal movies, series
Whenever you want i
MAY 27. 2005 13
heretv.com
14 MAY 27, 2005
PalSllllTID •Y
Q
Tl!IL•Vt• OH
NtTWD"K
It takes a lot of pride and
dedication to wear leather in June_
+
SPOMSO•ID •Y
~TIME WARNER
CABLE
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A•DITIOMAL S•PPOaT
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www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE
61Y. les~ i aa . Bi. and Traasaen•er Pride
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Pnde Fesuval
2:00 PM - Until Parade
At Yoakum & Westheimer
$10 At the Gate
Discount Tickets at Pride Houston org
Sophie B. Hawkins
Pansy Division
Jade fsteban fstrada
An "fnergy Dance Tent."
Community Marketplace. Children's Activities.
Beer Garden & Two Stages o! live f ntertainment
Pr e P
8:45 PM
lower Westheimer
largest GlBT f vent in the Southwest
With Over lC0.000 Spectators!
for All Ol!icial Pride fvents & Parties. Go To:
PrideHouston.org
PROC ED BY PRIDE ~OUS'ON
PRIOI PAaTMIRS
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HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
BRIAN MOYLAN
Thanks to a comedy special, two new reality
shows and a great documentary, the tube
is heating up just in time for summer.
Summer TV sizzles
TRADITIONALLY. MEMORIAL DAY
We('kend is the start of the summer se.1son.
Not only does this mean we can all break out
U1e white shoes, but also that all the shows
that air dtll'ing the regular television season
are renms or on hiatus lllltil the fall. But
this Memorial weekend there is plenty to
keep gay TV watchers busy, including a new
comedy special, two sexy reality shows ru1d
a wonderlul docwnentarr
"Laugh Whore," the new Showtime
special from gay comedian Mario
Cantone, will delight fans who miss his
fast-talking, bombastic alter ego, Anthon};
Charlotte's gay wedding planner on "Sex
and the City." From the opening number,
C1ntone dances his way to center stage
and commands the audience's attention
for the entire 90 minutes. During that
time. he morphs into many personalities,
including more than a few fruniliar divas.
Every gay man thinks he can do a good
Cher or Li1.a Minnelli or Judy Garland or
Barbra Streisand, but Cantone actually
pulls them all off, very well. Not only that,
he can do a spot-0n Katharine Hepburn,
Sammy Davis Jr. and Michael Jackson.
The most touching and fllllny moments
come when he talks about his quirky
Italian-American frunily (including a hysterical
characterization of his boozy sis·
ter). In these moments we see that C1ntone
isn't just a familiar screaming queen. but a
wonderlul comic and storytelle1:
VHl 's two new reality shows, "Kept"
and "Strip Search," feature lots of male
skin. "Kept" features actress, model and
former "Mrs. Mick Jagger" Jerry Hall as
she picks from 12 men vying to be her
kept man (with a six-figure salary) for a
year "Strip Search" is, as the title suggests,
the search for seven men to form a
new troupe for "The Thunder From Down
Unde1:" an Australian-based.
Chippendale's-style male revue with
shows in Las Vegas and around the world.
Both shows are similar to Bravo's
".Manhunt: The Search for America's Most
Gorgeous Male Model," where the men
were dull but hot and tossed aside their
shirts whenever possible. On "Kept," the
first challrnge that the 12 sexpots face is to
strip off their clothes, put on Speedos and
()MORE INFO
'LAUGH WHORr
Showtime/Saturday. May 28. at 8 p.m.
'KEPT'
VHl/Sunday, May 29. at 8 p.m.
'STRIP SEARClf
VHl/Sunday. May 'l!J. at 9 p.m
TICKlfD PINK'
TV Land/Wednesday. June 1. at 10 p.m
Model and actress Jeny Hall (center) uses her
quest for a man to get the contestants to show
lots of skin in 'Kept' a new reality show that
debuts on VHl Sunday at 9 p.m.
swim across the Thrunes in winter. Ms.
Hall tromps through the show as a gay
ideal: rich, beautiful and fabulous, with a
horde of beautiful boys doing every ridiculous
task she can think up.
The off.putting thing about both shows.
however, is the participants' insistence on
their heterosexuality. On "Kept," Seth. one
of the more annoying contestants, says to
dashing contest Ricardo, "You have a really
nice body. You know. not in a gay way."
Yeah, yeah, keep talkin'
AFTER THE MINDLESS
entertainment of this dynrunic duo. catch
"Tickled Pink," a new documentary on TV
Land, a pe11ect fit. "Pink" looks at both the
history of gay people on the boob tube and
how the way we watch has changed.
Less worried about the post-"Ellen··
world, "Pink" would rather talk about
things like "Bewitched" with its evil diva
Enclora (Agnes .Moorehead) and fey Uncle
A1ihur (Paul Lynde). While many shows
would only look at tl1e things gay men low
about campy classics, this hour· long special
gives equal time to lesbians, with a nod to
the butch Jo (Nancy McKeon) on "Facts of
Life" alongside finicky Or. Smith (Jonathan
Harris) from "Lost in Sp; :e" and gay male
favorite "Wonder Wom~m next to lesbian
love "Xena: The Warrior Princess."
Thrre also are plenty of gay actors and
gay favorites on ''Tickled Pink" talking
about their contributions to television, like
Rue McClanahan from ''The Golden Girl~ ...
Carson Kressley from "Queer Eye," lesbiru1
comedian Judy Gold. comedy writer Bruce
Villanch, "Desperate Housewives" creator
Marc Cherry, "Roseanne" costar Sandra
Bernhard, "Dynasty's" Diahann Carroll
and. lo' and behold. Mario Cantone.
Insightful, entertaining ru1d thorough,
the show is mostly a primer for straight
people about gay culture, but trust me:
You'll think it's a hoot - and informative.
MAY 27. 2005 IS
SPRING CLEANING s49·
GETS YOUR
MEMBERSHIP
STARTED
Fellmg good about
yourself and how you
look is the key. We
can help you get
there with a program
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Call today!
1501 Durham Street
713-880-9191
www.houstongym.com
Houston Voice Pride 2005 Issue: June 24 Deaaline: June 17
To advertise call Jason Wilson at 713.529.8490
• i C)Cll'8SS ~ GENRE ...,._,.... **·"''!ffl'l
--' -- .VOICe tr.Bade VOICe
16 MAY 27. 2005 www.houstonwice.com HOUSTON VOICE
... Palm Springs Sty
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com
JOHNNY HOOKS
Congrats to Rich's on a grand re-opening,
party with Stonewall Dems, check out the
Military Ball, White Party and Gir1z Pride.OS
Melting in H-town
SO IT'S MEMORIAI, DAY WEEKEND,
the start of summer is upon us. The
words "I'm melting. melting!" from the
.. Wizard of Oz" come to mind because it
has been hot, hot, hot in the Bayou City.
The same can be said of the events hap·
J)(>ning this weekend and beyond. Let's
sec what HotGG recommends'
CONGRATULATIONS TO RICH'S'
The Grand Opening weekend was a
smashing success. Literally thousands
of people were there between Thursday
and Saturday nights. Sattrrday night saw
a capacity crowd that left some waiting
to get in, as it was balls to the walls full.
So many men, so little time as they sa}:
Every Friday night Rich's gives you
"Anthem." It's all the music you know
and love, all those club anthems that
have driven you to the dance floor.
Aquafest Cruise Lines' DJ Michael
Kessler will have you twirling. And,
how 'bout those hunky male dancers. $1
vodka till 11 p.m. and $2 wells all help to
start the weekend right. 21 and up only.
This Saturday sees the return of a
Richs·Houston tradition, The 2005
Military Ball. Wear your leather, levis
or uniform, or anything that will shock
the door staff, and your cover is HALF
off. Martinis in the Red Room, Ice in the
Blue Bar and sweating on the dance
floor to XM DJ Mark D (who always
makes HotGG sweat!) gives you a deli·
cious Saturday night! www.rich's·hous·
ton.com or call 713-759-9606.
Did you know that Rich's offers free
cab rides home for adults 21 and up who
feel they have a blood-alcohol level greater
than .00 percent or higher every night?
Now you do. Thanks again Nassim!
SUNDAY IS GOING TO BE ONE OF
those busy bee days, so you better sleep
in !':O you will last. First up, The
Stonewall Democrats is having a ter·
rifle mixer and barbeque at Meteor
and you are invited. The evening's
events will kickoff at 4 p.m. and
include a free barbeque on the patio,
door prizes, free giveaways, social mix·
ing and lots of great music and video
from Houston's number-one video bar.
Food provided by Baba Yega
Restaurant, Niko Niko Catering and
Restaurant, Karo's Fine Chinese
Cuisine, Peppinos Italian Restaurant
and the Brown Bag Deli Enjoy a spe·
cial welcome and update by Houston
City Controller Annise D. Parker and
Oemocratic National Committee mcm·
her Sue Lovell (also a candidate for
Houston City Council). with a special
presentation by Mark Wood.
v
Anyone wishing to participate in
Stonewall's Pride Event and party
should contact the devilishly handsome
Michael Medici, director of events, at
713-621-5751 or via email at houston·
stonewalldemocratsra yahoo.com
SUNDAY NIGHT YOU CAN SHOW OFF
your tan at The Third Annual South
Beach White Party! SoBe Resident
DJ Jimmy Skinner spins early, while
direct from Los Angeles, DJ Roland
Belmares, spins from 10:30 p.m. until 5
a.m. Special effects by
AlienLiteForms, deco design by
Montrose Design and Floral and as
always, white attire is encouraged. $15
advance ticket with no line, $20 day of
event. Advance tickets on sale at JR's.
Meteor, SoBe, M2M Fashions and
Hollywood Superstore.
ON MONDAY ENJOY FREE COVER
with a Memorial Day Pass. Be sure to
grab one from your favorite SoBe,
Meteor, JR's and Mining Company bar·
tender some time over the weekend.
$2.25 drink specials all night with more
of DJ Jimmy Skinner.
THAT BASTION OF FABULOUSNESS
in Midtown, Farrago, is having a
birthday party. Yep, Farrago will be eel·
ebrating its fifth anniversary on
Wednesday. To entice you to celebrate
with them, Farrago will be offering $5
off all entrees, $5 call drinks and
happy-hour bar specials all day. Stop by
and see Chuck and the staff 318 Gray,
713-523-6404.
LADIES, MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Friday June 3, the Groove Girlz and
Pride Houston are showing the boys
how it's done. Join them at Club 1415
for Girlz Pride.OS. DJ Farah Cox
spins until 2 a.m. with doors at 9 p.m.,
a $10 cover and 18 and up are welcome.
'm If you have any club announcements or
~ events. email them to
jhooks@houstonvoice.com or call
713-529 .. 8490. See you on the t;o.Go!
1220 Taft Street
Houston Texas 77019
713.529.5255
info@MyCateringCompany.com
520.8281
montrosecliner.com
CONTACT
OUR SALES TEAM
713529 8490
MAY 27, 2005 17
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Your agent. Your advocate.
Rob Schme~er Insurance Agency
6575 West Loop South, Suite 185
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713.661.7700
www.schmerlerogency.com
18 MAY 27. 2005 www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE
dish There's a Fine Line Between Telling the Truth and Talking Trash
BETHEL EVANGELICAL
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Sunday School
Sunday Wofship
Wednesday Worship
9:00AM
10:30AM
6:00PM
Tom Cruise fights rumors,
and Kylie gets released
Lesbian talk show host EI.U :N
DEGENERES had her hands all over two
ladies last weekend and, for a change, the
gossips had nothmg to say about lt. That's
because the two ladies were both named
Emmy and they were both for her hard
work on the talk show that bears her name.
At the Daytime Emmy Awards, which
took place last Friday at Radio Cit}'
Music Hall and were aired on CBS, "The
Ellen DeGeneres" show won the trophy
for best talk show for the second year tn a
row. DeGt'neres v.on the awanl for best
talk 5how host Last year, she lost in that
category to WAYNE BRADY, v.hose
shov. lS no longer on the air.
"Oh, man, I love my Job," Ellen said
from the pochum "It's basically JUSt
sitting there and llS!ening to people
talking. Like a bartender.•·
Another big gay win went to D.C.-area
native EDEN RIEGEL. who played lesbian
Bianca Montgomery on ABC's soap·~ My
ChUdren." Riegel, 2.5. won the Emmy for
best younger actress In a drama series. It
was her first win In
four nominations and
her last shot at the
trophy. Her character
was written off the
show in February so
Riegel could pursue
other ventures.
Bianca came out
in 2000 and made
Eden Riegel headlines in 2003
when she and co-star
Olga Sosnovska engaged 1n daytime TV's
first same-sex k lss.
Gay-friendly actor STOCKARD
CHANNING took home her second
trophy for playing a mother in a gaythemed
TV movie, this time for her role
m Showtlme's 'Jack." She portrayed the
mother of a teenage boy dealing with his
parent's divorce and his father's
homosexuality.
Channmg won for best performance in
a chlldren's special. Previously, he \\On
an Emmy for best actre s m mad for
t °I' 1 10n movie for her portraval of
JUDY HEPARD m NBC' s 002 film
The MATIHE\\ SHEPARD &le.:;
Second time's a chann
With 4().somethtng TOM CHCISE telling
everyone who will listen that he's smitten
v. ith 26-ycar-old actress KA TU: HOI,MES,
vou may ha\e forgotten about CHAD
SLATHR (nee Kyle Bradfonl), the gay porn
star who claimed m :nll he had a sexual
relationshtp with Cruise, who subsequently
slapped him with a $100 mill!on lawsuit
Who ~ou never heard about was "Big
Red'" (named for his hair color and
endowment, not the chev. mg gum) This
Lesbian host Bien DeGeneres triumphed for the
second year 111 a row at the Daytime Emmy Awards
last week. She appears here with girriend Portia
de Rossi (Photo by Tma Fineberg/AP)
porn star also claims hr had a sexual
relationship wlth Cnuse.
According to New York Daily News
gossips Rush & :\lollo>; in 2002 private
dick Paul Barresi
(himself a former
porn star) heard that
"Red" was looking to
sell his story and
told the tale to
Cruise's lawyer Hert
Fields.
"A<; you well knov.:
this story is an utter
Tom Cruise fabricat10n," Ficlds
wrote to "Red0
"[Cruise] has never had a homosexual
experience or encounter with you or anyone
else."
That was the last anyone heard from
"!{eel."
On the mend
Pop singer and gay icon KYI.rn
MINOGUE v.as released from the hospital
and is recovering from breast cancer
sw-gery last Fridav. May 20. according to
Reuter5 The med are calling th( 36-} car
old s sum ry a " UCCE ' l'V<D though her
surgeon. D Jenny Semor. y;on t rel
any detail about It or follov. up treatment
Mmc:me v.as releru;ed from a hospital
in Mc>lbourrie m her native Austraha last
Saturday.
Meam\hlle, fans and well·\\ishers
ovenoaded Minogur's official Web site on
May 18 after she annmmce<I her diagnosis.
The Associatrd Prc>ss reported that the ~lie
posted a warnmg that 1t v.as rnnnmg at
"reduced service" due to hrovy traffic.
The site, at www.kylie com, is now
back In business.
I Ir.. Send comments, suggestions to W Disl@loustonvoic
HOUSTON VOICE www.houstonvoice.com I k ing
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FOR LOW·INCC>ME HIV AND AIDG
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OUR SALES TEAM
7135298490
Ii fol I t.4M11 voice
MAY 27, 2005
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www.houstonvoice.com HOUSTON VOICE I bitch session
Don't worry
bitches, my
beauty won't
hurt you. But
it will defeat you!
"WHEN DID IT BECOME ACCEPTABLE
for straight men to act like bitches?" When
they were elected to a state legislature.
I WAS WONDERING IF THERI-: IS A com·
prehensive list of "Problems with Gay
Society" besides No. 4;; th:it I read in
"Bitch Session."
BITCH BOY RESPONDS. P~oblem with
Gay Society No. 46: G '\ who lack a
sarcastic sense of humor.
SOMETIMES I LOOK AT THE LONG·
term couples I know and wonder how are
they able to so thoroughly disguise any
indication of their love for one another.
GUYS, PLEASE GET TESTED FOR
syph tits, I have had six friends in the last
three months test positive for it. They all
practice "safe sex." and got it an)'\\'a):
WHY IS IT THAT THE GUYS WHO
expose their butt cracks always seem to
be either fat or nasty looking?
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST KARAOKE.
but why do so many of us benders insist
on singing ballads? Ballads in a bar are
boring.
I'M SO OVER THE WHOLE TINA AND
unsafe sex trend. When are you going to
realize that strangers topping you gave
you HIV? Wake up bitches. you ain't gettin'
any younger!
I STOPPED TALKING TO YOU BECAUSE
you let me down when I needed a simple
favor and then refused to accept that )our
head games made me yell at you.
SO YOU ARE A BUTCHY, DY KIE
looking lesbian, and I am a very femme
dyke with two kids. That doesn't make
you any more lesbian than I am?
TO Tim PROFESSIONAL CHATTERS 30
or older: You hit your stride more than 11
decade 11go. The word "boy" or "boi" no
longer applies to you. And for that matter,
neither do club clothes.
TO TIIE GUY WITH "ONLY" A FIVE-inch
member: As a black male, my conversa·
lions usually end with "seven inches."
Now that's a bitch
PEOPLE WHO SPY ON OTHER PEOPLE
have even bigger skeletons to hide.
BITCH BOY RESPONDS: Sounds like
someone got busted'
HE'S GAY OR HE'S STRAIGHT. WHO
cares? Can't we just let those of us who
ellJOY his music and what he stands for
just do that? I'm proud of Clay Aiken for
standing up in the face of adversity.
There is no measuring this man!
BITCH BOY RESPONDS: He sure was
keen to know my measurements when we
metonlme.
MUSCULAR GYM RATS THINK THEY'VE
earnrd their superiority trip because
they assume less muscular guys just don't
try as hard. Truth is, without their
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would be no bigger than most other guys.
WHAT IS THIS "WHAT IF" REGARDING
Terri Schiavo being kept alive if she were
a lesbian? A life is a life. Get over your
obsession with whether people are gay,
lesbian or straight.
IF TERRI SCHIAVO WERE A LESBIAN,
the feeding tube would not have been
taken out? Hello? If she had been a les·
bian, those right-to-lifers would probably
have never been there fighting to keep her
alive, and Congress would have ignored it.
YOU DIDN'T CALL BECAUSE YOU
didn't want to become a satellite that
revolves around me? If a simple phone call
makes you that, then what the hell hyperbole
does a date make you? I was right to
chalk you up as a loser the first time.
YOU BITCHES MUST BE INSANE!
Wear a condom or learn to do the slip 'n'
slide. There"s nothing wrong with frot·
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IF YOU FONDLE MY BILLIARDS
without asking and the ball cracks,
don't be shocked.
TO THE LESBIAN WARNING US ABOUT
smooth talking "professional" she-devils.
Baby, get real. If you are taken by the fact
that she is an administrative assistant,
then you really don't even know what a
professional is.
DEAR CURIOUS STRAIGHT GUYS:
Why don"t you read Lithuanian history to
satisfy your curiosit); instead of spam.
mlng our chat rooms?
I WOULD NEVER SPEAK TO, ~1UCH LESS
associate with. someone who is male but
comes across feminine.
BITCH BOY RESPONDS: Having listenrd
to your voice mail, I can only won
der how you live with yourself.
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