Nowhere Boy

Imagine... John Lennon's childhood. Liverpool, 1955: a smart and troubled fifteen–year–old is hungry for experience. In a family full of secrets, two incredible women clash over John: Mimi, the buttoned–up aunt who raised him, and Julia, the prodigal mother. Yearning for a normal family, John escapes into the new and exciting world of rock 'n' roll where his fledgling genius finds a kindred spirit in the teenage Paul McCartney. Just as John begins his new life, tragedy strikes. But a resilient young man finds his voice—and an icon explodes into the world.

1313 NIGHTMARE MANSION

The winner of Survivor 21: Nicaragua, Judd Birza (who was known as “Fabio” on the show) has been busy since winning the million dollar prize. It seems the stud is staying true to what you’d expect from someone who goes by the name of “Fabio,” starring in this very sexual, cheeseball movie where he is apparently in his underwear the whole time. The film is called “1313: Nightmare Mansion”. The plot: “In 1313 Nightmare Mansion, a demonic young man lures his high school classmates to a party so that he can sacrifice their souls and bring his dead mother, killed during the Salem witch trials 300 years ago, back to life.”It’s like a gay Fabio romance novel come to life. The funny thing is, one of the taglines for the movie is “A Supernatural Thriller For Girls”. HA! Try for GAYS! When you watch the trailer, you’ll see what I mean: Guys in their underwear, caressing each other talking about their desires, Fabio licking a knife like a shaft at the command of another half naked guy, and lines like, “Where did my clothes go?”
The film by Vancouver’s own David DeCoteau may look cheesy, but I can’t help but want to watch it. I love thrillers and well, pair that up with guys with amazing bodies walking around in tighty whities the whole time…grab the popcorn, It’s “Girls (or Gays in this case) Night In In!”

THE FIX-UP SHOW

Just in Time for Valentine's Day!
THE FIX-UP SHOW
Hosted by J. Keith van Straaten

Returns to L.A. By Popular Demand.

WHAT: Drew Carey, Dick Cavett, Jeff Garlin, Alex Borstein, Susan Olsen, Aasif Mandvi, and Will Wheaton are among the stars who recently joined this live-on-stage panel/matchmaking comedy show, where real celebrity guests help real singles looking for love. Two strangers get fixed up on a date before your eyes, as Host/Creator J. Keith van Straaten (“Beat The Geeks,” “What’s My Line? – Live On Stage”) keeps things running with spontaneity, civility, and fun. Celebrity guests for this run will be announced shortly. Updated info available at http://www.thefixupshow.com/.

WHEN: Wednesdays at 8pm February 2 (w/Margaret Cho), 9 (w/Doug Benson), 16, 23 (w/Tippi Hedren)
March 2 (W/Bruce Vilanch), 9 (W/Alan Thicke), 16, 23, 30
WHERE: ACME Comedy Theatre – 135 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 90036

TICKETS: $15 at door. $12 in advance via www.thefixupshow.com

PHONE/WEB: (646) 450-4FIX [4349] / http://www.thefixupshow.com/ / twitter: @thefixupshow


INFO: THE FIX-UP SHOW brings together a panel of three people—two who know an eligible single well, and one celebrity who has never met the person—and has them interrogate potential suitors to make a match. The matched pair wins a meal at Amalfi restaurant and goes on a real date! How did our panel do? Find out next week!
It’s “I’ve Got A Secret” meets “Love Connection” –live on the Los Angeles stage. A dating show with heart –spontaneity, hilarity, and civility are guaranteed. Old or young, gay or straight, all are given a chance to find love on THE FIX-UP SHOW.

WHO: Host/Producer J. Keith van Straaten hosted "What's My Line? - Live on Stage," and Comedy Central's TV game show “Beat The Geeks” and is often seen commenting on E! Entertainment Television. His essays on dating and Los Angeles have appeared in The Jewish Journal, Tango, and Backstage. More at http://www.jkeith.net/.Co-hostess Patti Goettlicher returns to “The Fix-Up Show” after appearing in the successful New York run. She also played hostess to J. Keith during the New York run of “What's My Line? - Live On Stage.”Celebrity guests for this run will be announced shortly. Updated info available at http://www.thefixupshow.com/.

RuPaul's Drag Race

She's BACK! Monday's are a drag when RuPaul makes her glorious return to Logo with the biggest, glitziest, campiest reality competition show on TV. An all NEW season of RuPaul's Drag Race brings you a brand new cast of astounding queens, all vying for the coveted title of America's Next Drag Superstar. Tune in tonight at starting at 9pm for the Casting Extravaganza followed by the first episode at 10pm!

Greg Rempe's BBQ Sauce

Here is the famous Greg Rempe's BBQ Sauce...Enjoy it.

2 cups - Apple Cider Vinegar1 1/4 cups - ketchup1/2 cup - beer1/2 cup - water1/2 cup - brown sugar1/2 cup - cloverleaf honey1/2 teaspoon - black pepper2 teaspoon - Good chili powder1 teaspoon - onion powder1 teaspoon - garlic powder1 teaspoon - celery salt6 shakes of Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in to a sauce pot...bring up to just a boil then reduce heat to med-low...cook until desired consistency (I usually cook for about 3hrs or so until a really dark red color is achieved). Remember, the sauce will be very thin starting out...as it cooks, the sauce will reduce and thicken up...also, during the reduction the taste will become more "concentrated" or "rich"...so taste test through the cooking process. Stir a few times an hour.

If you want to add heat, use cayenne pepper or some kind of "pepper jelly"...I use Texas Pepper Jelly (Pineapple Hanbenero) in mine... buy the big jar and add 1/2 the product at the end to let in cook in to the sauce. That website is http://www.texaspepperjelly.com/

Theater Review DADDY

DADDY plays at the Hudson Theater, Main Stage located at
6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, CA. January 8th to February 13th. This play is written my Dan Via and directed by Rick Sparks stars Gerald McCullouch from CSI fame. Ian Verdun and Dan Via. Jeffrey Patrick Olson, Nik Roybal & Rene Ruiz make up the rest of the cast. Curtin is 8 PM, Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays and 7 PM Sundays.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with my friends that a recommendation to see Daddy would not only disappoint for any serious theater aficionado, but also less frequent attendees.
The only scene where I became enraptured by the cast… was the curtain call. At that point, their smiles radiated a genuine humanity that was missing from the previous 90 minutes.
I can’t point out any outrageous flaws with the book / script, other ten the proscenium was breached at one scene and they had out dated repetitive baseball coverage looped over and over. I have to call it a one-trick-pony which is pretty much true. Outside of typical relationship squabbles that weren’t particularly interesting (and a few light giggles), the play relies on “the revelation” near the end. I’m a little slow on the uptake, but I received the telegraph loud and clear before the delivery men showed up.
The “intense emotional” segments seemed to accelerate from zero to sixty within seconds. Suddenly, a shouting match! That’s partly the script and partly the fault of the director. I believe that all of the principals could do a slow burn that explodes, but little of that came across. There was a developing tension between the characters, but it seemed so forced and scripted that I couldn’t enter into “their world”.
That is, perhaps, the biggest sin of this production: I NEVER forgot that I was watching a play. I didn’t become emotionally committed to any of the characters and I usually have tons of empathy to spare. (One the extras – nice beard and nice butt – provided eye-candy now and then, but that’s not nearly enough to build a show upon.)
I felt I was watching a production a good two weeks away from opening night. I have seen high school productions that grabbed me more then this performance did.
The staging? Fine. I wasn’t really bothered – or actually aware of – the actors moving from mark to mark most of the time.
Gratuitous nudity? It wouldn’t hurt, but I don’t think it would save the production.
I love to love plays. But this one falls significantly short of some of the “classic” plays I’ve seen produced by a good amateur Troupe.
DADDY plays at the Hudson Theater, Main Stage located at
6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, CA. January 8th to February 13th. for tickets call 323-960-7738 or go to www.plays411.com/daddy

Guy Windsor's official review of Confusion of My Illusion for "The Alternative with Terry LeGrand"

Show – Confusion of My Illusion
Starring – Kelly Mantle
Reviewed by – Guy Windsor
Directed by – Jon Imparato
Venue – LA Gay and Lesbian Center, Hollywood, CA

I recently had the pleasure of attending opening night of “Confusion of My Illusion” starring Kelly Mantle. Mantle is the gender-bending nephew of baseball legend and American Icon, Mickey Mantle.

The show is based on Kelly’s struggle to define himself and herself in this world and in Hollywood and opens with Kelly portraying the biblical character “Eve.” Sitting atop a golden staircase, surrounded by clouds and dressed in white, Kelly strums her guitar and sings of struggle, defiance and determination. The alternative look at this character and biblical references twisted by her song lyrics weren’t my favorite part of the show, but could definitely be viewed as one’s own personal view and accepted as an artistic dramatization, in which some audience members found humorous but others may have found themselves slightly uncomfortable as I did.

As Kelly made her first costume change, the audience was treated to a video segment in which Kelly portrays his/her mother. This was superbly written and very funny. I had hoped we would see more of these segments throughout the show but alas this was the only glimpse into Kelly’s on screen character portrayal. Later in the show, Kelly talks about how she is cast for transsexual characters in film and television, which was funny and sad at the same time. The fact that so many actors are pigeonholed into roles that the world of casting only sees them playing because all too often casting directors are unable to see outside the box really makes exploring all sides of your talent difficult.

Kelly introduces us to her “Black-Up Singers” played by Lawrencia Dandridge and Miss Barbie Q, who are both talented as vocalists and offered some humorous background to Kelly’s songs and monologues.

Mantle offers some irreverent and interesting looks into the world of a two spirit identity searching for truth. love and stardom in Hollywood. Some of the references in the show like “Satellite Baby” went over my head at first but I caught on later and I enjoyed the revisions of songs like “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Putting It Together.” But the acoustic version of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” was probably my favorite as Kelly sat on the dimly lit staircase and strummed her guitar.

My least favorite part of the show though was Kelly’s foray into the world of politics as she rambled on for 20 minutes about her running into George Bush Jr. at her Uncle Mickey’s funeral. This portion of the show just didn’t fit in to me, nor did it seem really necessary other than to demonstrate Kelly’s fierceness and strength, which could have been done in some other way than a 20 minute monologue. And speaking of Uncle Mickey… I understand that being the nephew of an American Icon is something to be proud of but I felt the show concentrated on the fact that Mickey Mantle has a gender-bending nephew, which I’m sure that EVERY American Icon has someone in their family with an identity crisis. Now if Mickey Mantle had been a huge protester of the Gay community and rallied to destroy our rights and our growing strength in this world, THEN I would be amazed at how he could handle himself in such a way when he would be fighting against someone in his own family. But Mickey was supportive of Kelly, and that in itself should be recognized but should it be the focus of a theatrical event?

Would I recommend “Confusion of My Illusion” to the LA Theatre going audience?... YES, IF and only IF you are curious about the choices and struggles of a gender-bending actor/actress. Kelly is no doubt talented and witty, but the show left me wanting more fun and less statement.

A special Thanks to Director Jon Imparato for inviting me to opening weekend and Kelly Mantle for giving me a look into her life. Many Blessing to you both for continued success and happiness!

Confusion of My Illusion is playing through April 11th at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center in the Davidson/Valenti Theatre. For tickets and information please call 323-860-7300.