QNY Cheers for Joe Jervis

Congrats to JoeMyGod for his win as CBS New York's Most Valuable Blogger in the local affairs category. (And he had some tough competition.)

Perry Brass: Lost Gay New York: Doric Wilson

Doric Wilson, 1962, at the Caffe Cino, courtesy doricwilson.com

Doric Wilson died last Saturday, May 7, at the age of 72. The exact time and cause is at the present unknown, but he died in his apartment at roughly the same time as a new play by Joshua Conkel called “I’m Gonna Destroy You” was being read by TOSOS II, Doric’s own glbt theatre enterprise, as part of the Robert Chesley/Jane Chambers Playwrights Project. I know: this last sentence was a mouthful, but it seems like every word in it (Bob Chesley, a wonderful, early HIV-killed friend of mine; Jane Chambers: “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove”; TOSOS—The Other Side of Silence, Doric’s bang-up of a name) brings back some part of Lost Gay New York to me, and now Doric Wilson is definitely a piece of it. Lost for us, or maybe not. Because as a playwright you live on, and Doric will.

He was an amazing character: delightful, funny as hell, completely irreverent, crusty, difficult at times, but incredibly sweet and affectionate. I’d known him for so long that I can’t remember not knowing him. I think we met sometime during the Gay Activists Alliance era—or possibly even earlier when I’m sure I panted after him. He was a tall, lean, gorgeously handsome red head, and he moved beautifully like a dancer. Years later, after he had gone through health problems and gained a lot of weight and lost the red hair I kept wanting to see that young man inside him. I knew he was there, and both Doric and I missed him. But he was always bubbling with life and discovering new things, which is what keeps us moving, changing, and young inside. He loved opera, all forms of theatre (including tending bar, one of the great forms of theatre and acting), plays and writing them, and keeping gay theater alive in New York (and elsewhere).

Broadway Bares XX - Stripopoly!

By Tony Adams

With a VIP invite from JMG, QNY's Dr. Jeff and I attended the seriously fabulous twentieth annual Broadway Bares show at Roseland. This year's theme was Monopoly. From Playbill:

The two performances for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS boasted a host of special guest stars, including Nick Adams, Kevin Burrows, Charles Busch, Kevin Chamberlin, Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Cody, Tony Award winner Alan Cumming, Diana DeGarmo, Lea DeLaria, Felicia Finley, Tony Award winner Katie Finneran, Barrett Foa, Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte, Julie Halston, Jackie Hoffman, Denis Jones, Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski, Sebastian LaCause, Reichen Lehmkuhl, Norm Lewis, Lucy Liu, Julia Murney, Christopher Sieber, Rachelle Rak, Andrew Rannells, Bruce Vilanch, Tony Award winner Lillias White and Vanessa Williams.

Broadway Bares is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and executive produced by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.

Nearly 20 years ago, Tony winner Mitchell, who once danced nearly naked on a drum in The Will Rogers Follies, found himself inspired to take it all off to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and Broadway Bares was born. The first year, he and seven other Broadway dancers raised $8,000 for the charitable organization. Since that time, the fundraisers have brought in over $5.5 million for BC/EFA.

Next to us throughout the night was Hunter Bell, a Tony Award nominee for [title of show] which I loved. He told me that he and collaborator Jeff Bowen have sold a pilot to ABC. When I asked him what it was about, Hunter said he wasn't quite sure which is so [title of show].

You will want to review my complete set of NSFW photos of the evening, after the break. (I'll add some video later)

QNY Wishes JMG A Happy Anniversary

By Tony Adams

JoeMyGod is today beginning its seventh year. Blog years, like those of dogs, race by, and it is hard to believe that this photo of Joe, baad lamb and David on Broadway is four years old.

We wish Joe a very long run.

JoeMyGod - The Florida Boy Comes Home

This was an especially enjoyable interview for South Florida Gay News, and one which rather wrote itself.

A Wonderful NYC Holiday Party

By Father Tony

I sometimes suspect that everyone outside New York likes the illusion that all New Yorkers live in immense converted industrial lofts and throw huge parties attended by fascinating and beautiful people. Ray and Bob's annual Christmas Party at their penthouse home on West 27th St lives up to that fantasy.

We took a taxi that fishtailed through the new snow on Fifth Avenue.



Photo/video of the party, after the jump.

Breaking News: NOM and FBI Questioned about Possible Role in Fire at Home of New York Gay Activist Curmudgeon Blogger

Earlier today, firemen rushed to the Upper East Side Manhattan residence of prominent gay activist curmudgeon blogger Joe Jervis to battle smoke and flames threatening the building's occupants. Mr Jervis was not at home when the firemen arrived. Both his houseguest and beloved cat, Shelly, escaped uninjured.

It has also been reported that a woman dressed unseasonably in a pink maribou peignoir and described as resembling extreme homophobe bigot Maggie Gallaugher was extricated from the building's basement laundry room where her Prince Valiant hairdo had apparently become lodged in a window dryer vent during an attempt to escape the location of the fire's initiation. Neighbors reported that five FBI agents now being treated for smoke inhalation and the aforementioned woman had been holed up in the apartment directly above Mr. Jervis for two weeks playing Patsy Cline records, drilling holes and prowling about the building in attempts to spy on him.