steers & queers from austin
Visit Gay Austin
Volume 20/Issue 23/2002

ericby Eric A. Crabtree
AUSTIN, TEXAS

United Court Host Birthdays & Wild Turkey Benefits

Dick’s Deja Disco and the Reigning Monarchs of the United Court of Austin would like
to invite all to an extra special birthday celebration. Check your calendars. On Sat.,
Nov. 16 they will be celebrating the actual day of Empress Topaz birth and having a late celebration for Emperor Leigh’s birthday (which was Oct. 20). There will be food starting at 7pm, a champagne fountain, and a benefit show for Meals on Wheels and more.

Special guests for the evening’s show will feature Latoya Peters along with many guests from around Texas. A fabulous buffet and entertainment is in store with the party beginning at 7pm. So mark your calendars for the party and benefit show of the season.

On Sun., Nov. 24 at 7pm, the United Court of Austin presents - "Wild Turkey, Gobble, Gobble, Gobble." The event will be held at Rainbow Cattle Company (RCC) and featuring the World famous Austin Babtist Women, Bebe Hughes and many more. The festivities include the show, along with a buffet, turkey shoot, Wild Turkey injection shots and more. "Wild Turkey, Gobble, Gobble, Gobble," will also benefit Austin’s Meals on Wheels and more. For more info on the United Court of Austin functions and events, contact Dick’s at 512.457.8010 or RCC at 512.472.5288 or visit www.unitedcourtofaustin.org.

 Jason Stuart’s Back at the Capitol City Comedy Club

Openly gay comic Jason Stuart is back by popular demand at the Capitol City Comedy Club Nov. 19-24. For reservations and info call 512.467.2333.

Jason will bring his unique brand of comedy back to Austin in his new show "Gay Comedy With Out A Dress." This outrageous stand up comedy should not be missed! He is one of the countries top openly gay comic’s and has worked as a character actor more than any other openly Gay male performer in his league, which includes his recurring role as "Dr. Thomas" on the hit ABC sitcom "My Wife & Kids" starring Damon Wayans.

The public is fascinated with who’s Gay and who’s not. And now with the success of "Will & Grace" (which he has done twice) a place has been created for actors like Jason Stuart. Jason has appeared on "The Drew Carey Show," "Charmed," "Providence," "Murder, She Wrote," HBO’s "Gia," "My Wife and Kids" and more.

Hollywood - character actor Jason Stuart recently completed a dramatic role in the indie film "Letting Go" by filmmaker Barbara Daoust. This is quite a departure for the actor, after playing the zany "Dr Thomas" on the ABC sitcom. He plays the role of a man, in the late 1980s that finds out he is HIV positive and decides to die with dignity. Jason Stuart (star/producer) and Michael Gallant (producer/director) have recently won Best Picture at The Barcelona International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival for their film "10 Attitudes." The romantic comedy costars Alexandra Paul, Judy Tenuta, David Faustino, Sean Kanan, Lydia Nicole, Sheila Kay, Mitch Hara, Scott Kennedy and Jim J. Bullock. The dogma style, improvisational film premiered at The Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival to standing room only. The film was screened to sell out crowds in Austin, Tampa, Phoenix, Indiana, New Zealand, and of course, Barcelona International Gay & Lesbian Film Festivals. Check out the website: www.10attitudes.com For more info on Jason Stuart, www.jasonstuart.com

 

Zach Presents Smokey Joe’s Café on Zach’s Kleberg Stage

Zachary Scott Theatre Center’s Season of Love heats up with Smokey Joe’s Café, a rockin’ musical revue celebrating the hits of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Like Beehive, Smokey Joe’s Café is the kind of musical many have come to love at Zach which ignites popular music from the 50s and 60s with an exciting, new energy.

Powered by dynamic performances, Zach’s production stars seven incredible vocalists who shake, shimmy and simmer to over 40 rock-n-roll, rhythm-n-blues, and soul hits made famous by artists such as Elvis, The Coasters and The Drifters. Directed by Zach’s Artistic Director Dave Steakley, Smokey Joe’s Café opens on Zach’s Kleberg Stage.

Winner of the Grammy Award for "Best Musical," Smokey Joe’s Café features songs that many first fell in love to. Songs that became the soundtrack for their first crush, their first kiss, their first date, and the first time they were "going steady." In addition, Elvis Presley made many of these Leiber and Stoller tunes famous.

Their vast catalog includes virtually every major hit by the Coasters ("Searchin’," "Young Blood," "Yakety Yak" and more). Elvis Presley recorded more than 20 Leiber and Stoller songs including "Jailhouse Rock," "Treat Me Nice" and "Santa Claus is Back in Town." Leiber and Stoller’s productions revolutionized the sound of American popular music.

Zach’s Smokey Joe’s cast is extraordinary. Susanne Abbott, who first bowled Zach’s audiences over in Tapestry: The Music of Carole King and recently won a Critics’ Table Award for her portrayal of Yitzak in "Hedwig," is given her best vocal showcase to date in Smokey Joe’s Café. Janis Stinson, who stopped the show nightly in "Jelly’s Last Jam," will tickle your funny bone and move your heart. Quincy Kuykendall who dazzled as Hud in "HAIR," brings his dancing and singing prowess to songs like "Spanish Harlem." Plus several new, incredibly talented artists from Austin, New York and LA have been assembled for Zach’s production.

Performances continue through Jan. 5, 2003 at 1421 W. Riverside Dr. at S. Lamar in Austin. Ticket Information: $33 - Thurs. at 8pm, $36 - Fri. at 8pm. & Sun. at 2:30pm. On Sat., tickets are $39 at 8pm. Discounts available for groups (10 or more) and seniors. $15 student tickets are available on Thurs. and Sun. (with student ID). Tickets are available at Zach’s box office, online at www.zachscott.com, or charge by phone at 512.476.0541, x1, Mon. thru Sat., 12 noon - 7pm.

Austin Babtist Women Stage 16th Annual Holiday Spectacular at RCC 


Austin Babtist Women
Entertainers of the Year 2001-02

They have headlined events across the nation this year, performed on Broadway, and even been recognized by both the City of Austin and Texas Legislature for their accomplishments. Now during their 16th anniversary year, the Austin Babtist Women are bringing their unique brand of comedy back home to Austin for a special fundraising event.

The Austin Babtist Women will stage their 16th Annual Holiday Spectacular on Sun., Decem. 15, at the Rainbow Cattle Company, 305 West 5th St. The event will benefit the Wright House Wellness Center and is sponsored by Ambush Magazine.

Admission is free, but donations to the Wright House are encouraged. An evening of entertainment begins at 7pm with the All-Star Comedy Happy Hour. Cabaret star Michael T. Thompson serves as the emcee for an hour of national and local comedy talent. National touring comic Abby November, who has been called "The Jewish Mother of Austin Comedy" by The Austin Chronicle, will return to Austin for the special event. She will be joined by local comic sensations Kay Ahtic, Leah Chaney, and Marz. The skit comedy troupe The Clap, who have been performing to sold-out shows at the Hideout and will be featured at Frontera Fest 2003, will round out the hour of laughs.

The Austin Babtist Women will then take the stage at 8pm for the big show, with an evening of incredible entertainment. Nationally-renown artists Acia Gray and the Tapestry Dance Company will grace the stage with their tap-dancing magic. Special guest cabaret and musical theatre entertainers from throughout the state will also join the evening’s entertainment and festivities.

Media celebrity Troy Kimmel will serve as guest Master of Ceremonies. Special prize packages - including weekend get-aways at the Hollywood Resort in Galveston and the New Upper Deck on South Padre Island - along with dinners, theme park, and event tickets will be raffled during the evening.

The Austin Babtist Women, an all-male, all-volunteer comedy troupe, tour Texas - and the United States - to raise much-needed funds for AIDS, HIV and breast cancer charities. The members pay for all their own travel and performance costs, allowing every penny raised at the events to benefit the designated charities. Since their inception in 1986, they have been a part of raising almost $5 million through their performances.

The troupe was voted Entertainers of the Year 2001-02 by the Gulf South readership of Ambush for the 15th Annual Gay Appreciation Awards.

Admission to all the evening’s events and entertainment is free, but donation to the Wright House Wellness Center will be graciously accepted. For more information on the 2002 Holiday Spectacular, visit the Austin Babtist Women’s web site at www.babtistwomen.com, or call the Rainbow Cattle Company at 512.472.5288.

Lord of the Cock Rings & Halloween 2002

Ah Halloween, time for tricks, and more tricks and some treats. I was lucky enough to travel to N’awlins this year for Halloween XIX - "Mythos" where DJ Roland Belmares headlined the main event. He was awesome, but more on that in a bit. I arrived that Friday before and without sleep made it to the Quarter by 9:30am. There I unpacked and visited with my weekend host Paul Findholt. Next it was off to the Ambush headquarters to turn in the last part of the Halloween edition so we could go to press. I picked up my passes for the weekend and then back to Paul’s where we did brunch at the Clover Grill. Boy, Miss Earl hasn’t changed a bit and is feisty as ever.

Tons of hot bois were already filling the Quarter from all over the US and overseas. The main gathering place of course was the Lavender Line at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann. I ran into Austinities Rhan and partner Cullen at Oz as well and Curtis, Trey, Marty, Jimmy, Tim, Scott & Franz, Hank, Doug , Jeff and Don from San Antonio as well as others. They all helped me get right into the holiday spirit upstairs on the Oz balcony.

Downstairs on the street, I ran into Benjamin Dougharty - Marketing Director - Splash Productions, Inc. from Meltdown and Perfect Day and also got the chance to meet and greet Jeffrey Sanker - Circuit Party Promoter. I also ran into Randy Cunniff and his partner Pete from San Antonio who would be celebrating his 30th birthday on Sat. The excitement of the weekend was to party and play with all my friends including JJ and Scott from Houston who had came for "Mythos." I actually met my friend JJ, 5 years ago to date on Halloween New Orleans with his former partner and now 5 years later, I meet JJ again for Halloween with his new partner of 3 years and the love of his life, Mr. Scott. I would see the two bopping around the Quarter most of that weekend.

My visits also in the Quarter saw locals David and Mark as well as Chad and Chris. That Friday evening, I prepared to meet Mr. Cupidette, James Dunphy my online cupid date. Since we had never met and whom I had corresponded with as he became the winner of the White Party VIP Pass from Cupid, and I was nervous. I finally met James outside the Bourbon Pub and presented him with a Yellow Rose I had brought from Texas and we proceeded to have drinks with JJ and Scott before we went to dinner at the Quarter Scene Restaurant. Before James and I left for dinner, I presented JJ with an original Cobalt Blue, Hematite and smoke glass necklace for his 41st Birthday that I had commissioned. JJ was quite surprised. So his partner Scott wouldn’t feel left out, I also surprised him with the same matching necklace as JJ’s and had one made for myself and what the hell, I had a fourth one made for James. Shees, just meeting a guy and bringing him flowers and jewelry on the first date, what a romantic I am. Anyway, It rained that night, as it did most of the weekend but we didn’t care, because after dinner, I pulled James into an alcove and kissed him longingly in the rain before heading for a nightcap at Good Friends. We left it that I would see James again at the main party at "Mythos," but sadly I never saw James again until late Sunday night as we missed each other on Saturday. Since the bars and alcohol and music and now that my date had ended that evening and what with the temptation of all the hot bois in town, I decided that it was time for me to head over to the Club New Orleans. There I was found to be the main attraction up on the 5th floor around 12 midnight. After I had my fill at CNO, I walked back to the Lavender Line and then was heading back home to crash.

DJ Abel was cranking it up inside Oz for their Queen of the Damned Weekend. I proceeded to go crash but instead found myself walking over to Esplanade to the Phoenix where I had only visited once before in the over 100 times I have been to N’awlins. There round two happened for me that night, as I became again the center of attraction once again upstairs for some wild crazy fun. Then finally it was off to bed around 2:30am or so, since I had not been to sleep in the last 24 hours. I never made it to "Hades" to hear & dance to DJ Michael Tank, but heard it was awesome event. Boy N’awlins was sure treated to Texas DJ’s that weekend.

Saturday, I awoke at 11am ready to go again and shees, if I knew what was to happen in the next 48 hours, I would have slept some more. Paul and I did lunch in the French Market at Fiorella’s and then off to do some window-shopping. By this time, it was Happy Hour in the Quarter and the best time in and about N’awlins when all the boys gather before dinner or the night’s main event during these major holiday weekends. We stopped in for drinks at Oz, listening to DJ Tim, then across the street to the Pub, and others before I headed back to the casa to get into costume.

Since Halloween XIX theme’s this year was "Mythos," I decided to dress up and go as "Lord of the Cock Rings." My outfit was complete with a leather kilt, arm shields for arms and legs, a skull Roman hat and a chain harness vest that fit very hot all over my chest. The outfit was complete with a black cape and my "Lord of the Cock Rings" Torch complete with extra cock-rings in case someone needed one. On the way to "Mythos" where DJ Roland Belmares was rocking down the Auditorium, I ran into some of the Austin boys who were dressed as Sultan Genies.

I entered the venue and greeted DJ Ro, then off to the VIP Host section to meet up and greet with the Ambush staff of Rip, Marsha, Phyllis, Chris, Brian, and Toni. They mostly were dressed as Gods and Goddesses. I also ran into Halloween XIX Committee member and long time friend Bruce Gallassero. Back downtown stairs I ran into JJ and Scott who were dressed as Roman Wrestlers and their friends Elliot and Trace from Atlanta as well as Rhan and Cullen and all their friends from Memphis who adorn fallen angel costumes. We all danced into the morning. Then there was the Austin/San Antonio/Houston bois who I ran into that were Roman Warriors.

Other great costumes I saw were abundant, but the show of the night was the Greek Parthenon staged as live statues that stole the night for best of show. During the night, I met a local flagger named Peter and we seem to hit it off until his friends intervene and took him away from me and I never saw him again. Oh well, next. Somewhere around 4am or so, the party still rocked, but I wanted to leave and get out of costume and into club wear. Special thanks to Austinities Jackson Wheeler and Murray Sexton for helping me with my costume.

After changing, I rolled back down to the Lavender Line where DJ Joe Gauthreaux was spinning and then across the street to where Rick Mitchell played at the Parade. I waited until no cover and then went and met DJ Rick and saw JJ and Scott dancing and met up with them. I also ran into bartenders Bert and Yvette. Downstairs Lil’ David and I greeted each other as I had not seen him since Mardi Gras. It was now like 7/8am and I was back at Oz talking and dancing and partying with friends. Next thing I know, I had ventured over to Rawhide where I ran into weekend B/F #3, Mast from Philly. He and I hit it off and then traversed over to Paul’s place and then over to the Marigny where we had the hottest time I ever had with another man, making love in the rain outdoors in a hot tub. Wheeeee - What fun. We finally ventured back and changed clothes and then it was off to the Sunday Gospel Brunch at House of Blues entitled "Fruit of the Gods." We ate some, drank some and it was like now 3pm the next day and neither of us had any sleep. I walked Mast back to his hotel for some quick shuteye and had plans to see him again later that night but never did.

It was now Happy Hour back on the Lavender Line and DJ Manny Lehman was cranking it up at Oz. Back inside Oz, I finally saw Ric and Rhonda as well as Tommy, David, Johnny, Janice, Q and the rest of the staff of Oz and socialized with them for a bit. Across the street, DJ Lydia Prim was rocking upstairs at the Parade. I finally ran into James again and we talked that Sunday not having seen him since Friday night. By around 9pm or so, I had my fill of the bars and DJs and alcohol and all the partying so I decided to end my weekend once again back at CNO. There I found myself again not only the center of attraction, but staying until 7:45am the next morning partying with my new friend Ed from Miami in his deluxe room coaxing tweaked out hot bois to come in and play with us both. Our cups runnth over many times and we partied hard until I had to leave and catch my flight home.

After walking back to the Lavender Line, I dropped in Oz and the Pub. There were some still die-hard party bois inside Oz as I walked over to Ambush and bid them good morning. Then it was off to pack and say bye to Paul and thank him for letting me stay the weekend. I packed and with 2 hours to kill, walked back to Rawhide and said my hellos and good-byes and then off to Café du Monde for Beignets and Café Au Lait. I ate those in Jackson Square watching the tourists and the birds and the sun that finally came out all weekend long. I went over to JJ and Scott’s hotel and said bye to them and then it was off to the airport and through N’awlins, Houston and then Austin. Boy, what a zombie I was and the flights full of air pockets and rain didn’t help much. I finally made it home at 7:30pm and went to sleep at 8:30pm that night as I crashed hard not having been to bed in the last 48 hours. Boy what fun it was all and I would do it all over again, but this time, maybe with more sleep.

Halloween Night in Austin was fun, but kinda anticlimax due to the weekend prior. Of course, the Halloween Ambush edition had to be distributing that day and afterwards, I adorned my Lord of the Cock Rings Costume once more for all of Austin to see. I saw many wild and crazy costumes even for Austin. I visited, took pictures and stopped in for drinks at Chain Drive, then Dick’s and then off to the Forum, Rainbow Cattle Company (RCC), Oilcan Harry’s, Boyz Cellar and then back to RCC for their costume contest where some 30 revelers competed. I made the semifinals down to 6 contestants, but didn’t place overall winner. Oh well, I still had fun. Then it was back off to the other bars and then finally home to bed as the night’s cold air and my costume and the weekend prior finally all caught up with me and I am still recovering now as I write this column. Look for pictures of Halloween 2002 Austin and Halloween XIX NOLA in this edition. What fun it all was. Cheers to the start of the holiday season and thanks N’awlins & Austin for all the Halloween tricks/treats.


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