The Wendy Williams Show & Crazy Aunt Mildred!

Wendy Williams just read my letter on her show this morning!

Last week I was home and a get a phone call from someone at THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW telling me that they are going to read my letter and show a photo that I sent them. The photo I took one day a few months back while walking down 14th Street. Once I saw I this image, I knew I just had to take a photo of this.

Now if you aren't a regular view of Wendy (and I don't know why you wouldn't be), here is a little backstory: Its no secret that Wendy Williams wears wigs on her show. She even has a wig-stand that she calls "Shakeetha". Shakeetha even has a backstory: she's 25yo, she only dates ballers, likes the clubs, etc. She even has been going on a city-by-city tour to visit viewers. Ok, back to my photo: I'm walking down 14th Street in NYC and in the window of a wig shop I spot "Shakeetha's Crazy Aunt Mildred" and I know I just have to share this image with Wendy Williams viewers! So here it is if you missed it!

Also tonight on Dancing With The Stars one couple will be eliminated. Last night Wendy and her dance partner Tony Dovolani did a "Quick Step" and it was a great comeback from last weeks low scores! They did an AMAZING job! I hope you had the chance to vote for them? I had never been into DWTS before. I started watching it last season when Margaret Cho was on it, but after she got eliminated. I stopped watching. This season it's really exciting! Just like Celebrity Apprentice this year is really good too! I'm rooting for Wendy to bring home the Mirrored Ball! GO WENDY!! Thanks again for introducing "Crazy Aunt Mildred" to America! Now could someone get back to me about getting tickets for a taping?

Don't Wanna be an AMERICAN IDIOT! Vote TEAM WENDY on DWTS 1-800-868-3402

I went to the theater on Friday to see another show on Broadway: AMERICAN IDIOT. If it sounds familiar its because it's also a Grammy winning album by the alternative rock band Green Day. If you haven't seen the show - then RUN down the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" to the St. James Theatre to see it before it closes. Rumor has it that its closing at the end of April!

Don't expect to see a show like Phantom of the Opera or Wicked here. It's the closet thing to a musical without being all "musically". If you know what a mean. It's gritty, it's honest, and it totally rocks!

I wasn't a big fan of Green Day prior to seeing the show, but I am now. Some of the music I'd heard before but didn't know it was Green Day! I honestly have to say I liked this musical better than I thought I was going to like it! Granted, its not a musical for everyone. But teenagers will love it! The MTV generation and maybe the VH-1 generation will love it. However there were some seniors there who didn't seem to be enjoying it. They had that "turn-that-nois

e-down-I'm-trying-to-iron-in-here" look on their faces. So if you want to take the grandparents to a show, don't take them to this one (unless they went to Woodstock).

I hate to make comparisons to other shows but this show reminded me of "Rent" and "Hair" and "Tommy". And I LOVED all those shows! I think if you liked any of those shows, than you will love American Idiot! With the exception of the FABULOUS Rebecca Naomi Jones, all of the original cast has moved on. However the show is still as fresh as ever! Most of the ensemble cast has moved into lead roles. They are PHENOMENAL singers!!!! Ironically, in a show that pokes fun at American consumerism, the show now stars former American Idol runner-up, Justin Guarini. Justin, who was in the recently closed Broadway show Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (a show that had all the makings of a great show like Spider-Man but failed miserable) , plays Will. He sounds better than ever too!

Other news is that tonight I will be watching DANCING WITH THE STARS! As many of you know, I am a big fan of talk-show hostess, Wendy Williams. (I'm still waiting to get confirmation on tickets to see a taping next week) Wendy is one of the contestants on DWTS this evening. We wish her well! To vote for her call 1-800-868-3402! Support Wendy!

Also if you are a fan of Philip K. Dick's stories than you will love the new film THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. I saw it last weekend and really was blown away with it. If you aren't familiar with PKD, then you should check out his work. It's sci-fi bordering on metaphysical. His stories have been turned in to films before: Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, etc. The Adjustment Bureau is based on Dick's short story The Adjustment Team. It's directed by George Nofli and stars Matt Damon, Anthony Mackey, Emily Blunt, John Slattery and the legendary Terence Stamp.

I'm Back! Has it really been a year?

It's been over a year since my last posts! I've been going through a lot of life changes but I'm well now. So much has happened in a year's time. Where to begin? Okay here goes: BP Oil spill in the Gulf! Those poor animals and the people whose lives depend on the tourist! My heart is goes out to you!

True Blood-LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! Who won American Idol this year? Who cares! Adam Lambert ROCKS that's all I know! LOST went off the air! As well as 24, The Tyra Banks Show, ER, Law & Order (the original one).

Ricky Martin came out! Good for him! But really, was that REALLY that much of a surprise? I love you RICKY! iPhone, iPad, iPod, iCARUMBA! But if Steve Jobs wants to send me a iPad I am totally okay with that! The world has gone iCRAZY! Wendy is still going strong (even though she is on hiatus until the new fall season starts! Still love you WENDY my Bewigged Goddess!

Movies: The Hurt Locker was the best movie last year that so few people saw. I did see it on DVD and I can understand the hoopla! I loved The Princess & the Frog, but found PRECIOUS very disturbing! Great performances though!

Food: Did somebody say SHAKE SHACK!? (Madison Square Park for NYers, Times Square 8th Ave @ 44th for tourist) I had my first Shake Shack burger and nearly came! It was the best burger I've had in a long time! And yes it's even better than my former favorite The Little Burger Joint (inside the Parker Meridian Hotel on 57th Street) I still love my cupcakes! Billy's (9th Ave at 21st street) (of course!).

Books: I've read many books since the last time I posted I cant think of anything that sticks out that much besides Michael E. Schiefelbein's VAMPIRE series (Vampire Vow, Vampire Thrall, Vampire Transgression, Vampire Maker). VERY SEXY!!!! Why doesn't somebody make a series about these Vamps? Oh, that's right, it's not for tweens but for adults! Believe it or not the only vampire novel I read prior to these was the Bram Stoker. Another book I recommend is Rodney Lofton's No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love! It hit me like a ton of bricks!

I hate using the computers at the public library. Right now I'm on my laptop. Two weeks ago I was in the library on the computer and this guy next to me was surfing the web watching porn! I don't even want to know what he was doing under the jacket draped over his lap! That's not the place for that kind of nonsense! I complained to security but they said that they could do nothing about it because they can't block websites! Funny, but when I was going to school, the IT dept did just that! What has gotten into people?

Music: did I already talk about that? Loved Soldier of Love (SADE) and BlackSummer's Night (Maxwell), The Fame Monster (Lady Gaga) and The Element of Freedom (Alicia Keys)!

Nuf said!

It's A New Day!

Since I last posted here, Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th President of the United States of America! Hopefully better times will be ahead for this nation economically. I think just by the fact that he has already given 3 press conferences and has started announcing cabinet members in his administration, hopefully this is a good sign that the man means business to change the mess that 8 years of the Bush Administration has done to this country. Okay, that enough from my political soapbox.

I recently read 2 really interesting biographies. One was call "Out of Sync" by Lance Bass (yes, that LANCE BASS). I could never imagine what the world would be like to live in a fishbowl knowing your secret could come out any minute. Despite what some people think of "boy bands", I think it took a lot of courage and bravery for him to come out of the closet. Equally fascinating but by no means boring was the other book that I read "Alone In The Trenches" by Esera Tuaolo! Here is a man who is 300+ lbs, 6'3" and solid muscle and playing in the most brutally, masculine sport there is: Professional Football! His story really got to me, much like John Amaechi's "Man In The Middle" did. Esera played nose guard for several professional teams in the NFL for over 9 years and he, like Lance Bass, lived with the same secret. His story is quite a read and of course, the filmmaker in me would LOVE to make it into a feature film if it hasn't already been optioned! I think Esera's story, even more than Lance's , will make people question how they feel about us, Gay Americans!

Speaking of gay Americans I have to shout out to Miss Wanda Sykes!! I hope she has opened the door for more closeted, high-profile, people-of-color who are celebrities to take the leap and stand up and be who they truly are. I have never met Wanda, however my mother goes to church with Wanda's parents in Virginia. More Power too ya Sistah! Who knows maybe one day our paths will cross either in VA or NY. Wanda came out at a rally, like many staged across the nation recently, opposing the passing of Proposition 8 in California.

I don't want to get on another political soapbox, but I have to say something regarding Proposition 8: Why do people care whether or not same-sex couples get married or not? Seriously? Straight people have the right and often abuse the privilege that is just a basic HUMAN RIGHT OF EQUALITY! My sister recently told me that she doesn't believe in the union of same-sex couples! And should I ever tie the knot with my man (that is if I had a man), she wouldn't come to my wedding to celebrate what could be the happiest day of my life! I interpreted this as she loves me, but with conditions!. To this I can only say "F**K YOU MONICA!!!!" Someone will have to relay this message to her, because as she has never bothered to come and see me in a play in the many years I was acting, nor had the time to take 15 minutes out of her precious time to watch my documentary (however, she has all the time in the world to hang out with her motorcycle "club"), I can tell you that she will never read my blog! Her loss, ignorance is bliss!

Oh, I almost forgot. The other day I was walking from a bar with my friend Paul and we ran into Lee Tergesen and Eamonn Walker from the HBO series "OZ." They were really nice and I was really drunk. I hope I didn't make too much of a fool of myself. Anyway Look for "Kings" coming on NBC in Feb 09. They well be on it!

Well enough about me. Have a nice Turkey day!

DL, Albee, and the Knife

It's been a roller coaster this month and especially difficult when it comes to having access to the Internet.

What did I do this month:

Oh yeah, I saw "The DL Chronicles" on DVD: really good storytelling and acting and it was a lot better than any of the other shows that come on the HERE! Network. I also when to a screening of this new film called "Hamlet 2": It was HILARIOUS! It opens in August. Put it on your must see list! It was an intelligent comedy.

Read a couple of good books: Twice As Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power by Marcus Mabry and Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin.

At the center I shot a conversation with one of the greatest living American playwrights: Edward Albee. It was for a future segment. Also shot a conversation with author Michael Cunningham. I happen to be reading his last novel, Specimen Days (think "The Hours" except instead of Virginia Woolf it's Walt Whitman). It was an okay shoot, but I'm glad my friend Julie Ann was there to make sure that it started on time, otherwise, I'd still be there.

Oh, I'm graduating from school on May 2. Did I mention I'm graduating WITH HONORS? I'm very excited but now I just want to finish and get my BFA. Check out my Amazon wish list for gifts suggestions. BTW, got an extension on my thesis film. Talk about drama! Thank you Dean LeMelle!!!! OXOXOX

I go "under the knife" on May 5. Many of you know, but for those of you who don't know what it's all about, I will just say that I will be okay and it's a necessary surgery, but not life threatening. After which I will have time to recover because I think I may have just been fired from my gig at The Center. But I'm still trying to wrap my head around that as I sit here and type. I'm at school now writing this entry and wondering what my next move will be. Oh wait, I see my friend Michael Armstrong (he must be here to pick up his cap and gown too).

Okay, gotta run until next time.

Happy New Year!

I can't believe I'm just getting around to making my first entry of the year.

First of all I want to let you all know that just because the Hollywood writers are on strike doesn't mean that I am either. I've just been incredibly busy with the final stages of pre-production before the cameras start to role on my film, Poppin' In.

Second, as today is his birthday and I haven't phoned yet, I just want to wish an old friend Happy Birthday. So here goes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE D.!

Joe, I know we haven't spoken in a while but I hope you know that I still love you (and everyone in your household) very much.

Third, If you haven't seen it yet check out Out at the Center's December 2007 episode. It's very hot! Brazilian men ALL OVER!!!

Sly Stallone has gone and done another Rambo film after 20 years. Did we really need another one? And why does Rambo still have a mullet? Whatever...

Okay, that's about all for now. I'm only taking one class this quarter, (the one I had to withdraw from last quarter) and it just let out a few minutes ago. But after I complete this class, I will be a college graduate FINALLY!!!!!!

Smooches!