Center Bingo and Holiday Snow

It was time again for Center BINGO on December 19! I donned me now my Gay apparel and wore a sexy Santa's helper red mini dress with white fishnet stockings! My guest host and number-caller was my dear friend and Billboard Recording Artist Lovari. Lovari told everyone about his latest song, which is a collaboration with other artists promoting hate-crime and anti-Proposition 8 awareness called Free To Love. DJ and Filmmaker Wolfgang Busch played the song and other tracts written by Lovari including his smash hit I Feel You, which has been burning up the Radio airwaves and the trendiest nightclub dance-floors! The regular cast of Bingo supporters were also there, braving this season's first snow storm, including Church Lady, Bobbi, Danny, Rob, Mike, Bob and others! With the weather outside being frightful, I just borrowed the line from Cabaret and said "Outside it is Winter, but in here it is so hot, that we have to battle to keep the men from taking off all their clothes. So don't go away - tonight we may lose the battle!" After BINGO, me and Lovari went over to VLADA nightclub for the special Birthday party for Bravo network Project Runway designer Suede! I gave him his birthday spanking and he blew out all his candles. The DJ also played Free To Love and more of Lovari's popular music.

David Letterman Music at Birdland

December 15, was time for Jim Caruso's Cast Party! It was so much fun to add a little of my special kind of glitz and glamour to the famous party held at the legendary Birdland Jazz Nighclub! I loved meeting Paul Shaffer, the band leader from Late Night with David Letterman! Paul is also a songwriter and he treated us to hit song he wrote, It's Raining Men, recorded by the Weather Girls! I also love meeting the cast members from Altar Boys, Off-Broadway Musical hit again! Jim Caruso's Cast Party is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night. It's a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.

Stonewall Democrats Holiday

This Holiday, we were dreaming of Equal Rights and Legal Same-Gender Marriage along with the traditional White Christmas! On Thursday, December 11 I made a special appearance at the annual Holiday Party held by the Stonewall Democrats NYC. Hundreds of supporters, Elected Officials and Political activists gathered in a large lofty room at The LGBT Community Center of NYC to spread Holiday cheer while we had some cocktails and indulged on the scrumptious dessert buffet. I reminded everyone that working for Equal Rights was a perfect way to burn off calories while we had our satisfied our sweet cravings. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the season than having a chocolate canolie while chatting with a Congressman! The mission of SDNYC is to advocate for legislation that guarantees equality and fairness for the LGBT community in New York City, and to support openly LGBT and Gay-friendly candidates for greater representation in the political process. Attending were Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, NY City Council Members Alan Gersan, Bill DeBlasio, NY State Assembly members Danny O’Donnell and Mika Kellner, Queens District leader Danny Dromm, Stonewall President Matt Carlin, Chamber of Commerce President Dirk McCall, Billboard Recording Artist Lovari, NYAGRA Chair Pauline Park, PFLAG NYC Executive Director Drew Tagliabue, PFLAG President Phyllis Steinberg, Judicial Delegate Melissa Sklarz and many others.

Liberal Democratic "Wedding"

One of the most highly-anticipated and best attended Holiday season parties in New York City is Alan Roskoff‘s annual Yuletide bash. Alan is a civil rights advocate and is president of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. This year, his soiree took place at a Chelsea NYC party loft and wound up turning into a hilarious parody of My Big Fat Gay Wedding! In a satirical performance, nuptial vows were exchanged by impersonations of same sex “lovebirds” – openly Lesbian City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who were both dressed in Drag. Each wore lace and flowing wedding gowns as our host Roskoff presided over the ceremony in sacred bishop’s garb. “Quinn” vowed to continue to “love, cherish and obey” the “Mayor.” The performance was held to underscore the massive disappointment in Quinn’s support of Bloomberg’s altering of term-limit laws that have been approved twice by voters, an action that has been criticized as un-democratic and disrespectful of the voting citizenry. Roskoff sent a serious message but presided over a festive ceremony nonetheless!! There was a three-tier wedding cake and, in the faux wedding, I was a bride’s maid and entrepreneur Scott Talbolt was best man. “Cher” (Howie V) even made a celebrity appearance singing “I Got You Babe” — since the Mayor clearly has got Quinn’s undivided devotion.

Attendees of the very A-List soiree included Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford, Paul Dawson and PJ DeBoy of Shortbus, WOR radio’s Joey Reynolds, Tony Sawicki and Stephanie Butler of Under the Pink Carpet, Andy Humm of Gay USA, Recording Artist Lovari, Congress Members Anthony Weiner and Carolyn Maloney, former Public Advocate Mark Green, NY Senators Eric Schneiderm and Eric Adams, Assembly Member Jonathan Bing, City Council Members John Liu and Bill DeBlasio, Judges Paul Feinman, Lucy Billings and Sara Lee Evans, Attorneys Norman Siegel, Maria Passanante Derr, Tom Shanahan and Yetta Kurland, Executive Director of ESPA Alan Van Capelle, activists Ethan Geto, Michael Colosi, Alan Fleishman, Corey Johnson, Charles O’Byrne, Mark Schulte and many others!

Our Youth AIDS Day concert

I was thrilled and honored to be a performer in another special concert performance in recognition of World AIDS Day benefiting the Our Youth organization, serving LGBTQ youth in Jersey City. Drag and Recording artists gave a wonderful performance to raise funds and to send the recognize the concerns and problems faced by Queer youth. I was honored to be included in a show with other Drag Queen performers like Lartiza Dumont, Britney Houston, Sugga Pie Koko, Tiana Sheridan, Vanessa Valtre and Recording Artists like Lovari, Bry'nt, Lori Michaels and many others.

The event, called "AIDS is a Drag, Wrap it Up!" took place on December 6 at Our Youth Center in Jersey City and included a delicious dinner in addition to the show!

World AIDS Day Concert

The Empire State Building was illuminated in red on December 1, 2008 to observe the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day was established by The World Health Organization in 1988 to provide awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic and to serve as a remembrance of our personal losses. Memorial services were held around the world. In New York City these included The LGBT Center along with the OUTMusic organization holding a commemorative concert with a poster that honored the art of Keith Harring. I was proud to be a part of the event that was filled to the rafters with a huge, appreciative crowd. Other local artists who also performed at the successful event paying tribute including host Jed Ryan, Billboard recording artists Deepa Soul and Robert German, rockers Matt Gerber, Sunday Boy and Barnacle Bill,Cabaret legend Jay Michael Reed and Pedro Angle Serrano from Out FM Radio.

[Photos: Keith Harring Poster / Empire State Building in red / Lady Clover Honey / LCH with Sunday Boy / Lady Clover Honey / Lady Clover Honey with Pedro Angel Serrano / Jed Ryan, LCH and Pedro Angel Serrano]

Time Out New York magazine

I'm thrilled and honored to officially be an "essential" part of New York City! Time Out New York magazine has named Center BINGO with hostess Lady Clover Honey as one of the best things about New York City! It's listed in the annual 150 New York Essentials issue # 684 and my picture is right on the top of page 34. Here is what they say:

"Get your B 12 shot with hostess Lady Clover Honey, go-go boys and girls, prizes and a $500 jackpot. These Friday nights rock a packed house of 200-plus gamers. It's like Bingo Without Borders - everyone comes!"

Pink Carpet at Center BINGO

It was time to roll out the Pink Carpet on November 21st at The LGBT Center of NYC as television correspondents Tony Sawicki and Stephanie Butler of Under the Pink Carpet joined their cast-mate, Lady Clover Honey as guest hosts and number-callers for Center BINGO. The monthly fund-raiser features a traditional BINGO games, only with much more glamor, comedy and pizazz with Drag Personality Clover Honey wearing mod print gowns and hats with hot go go models Tass and Mel. Bingo Staff Drag Divas Bobbi and Church Lady also add their own fabulous appeal along with music by DJ and filmmaker Wolfgang Busch. With fashion, fun, hot bodies, music, pizza and a chance to win the $500 jackpot, Clover Honey tells everyone "Who needs to schelp all the way to Foxwoods?" Tim and Terry, the Gay couple who were contestants on the CBS reality series The Amazing Race joined in on the fun as well as actress Jennifer Perry (Three Dead Witches), writer Mark Schulte and the Student Union of New York University. The games benefit The LGBT Center of NYC, now in its 25th year of providing services and a safe-space for the LGBT Community.

Strike A Pose! Trans Art Show

After its world premiere at The Fresh Fruit Festival in the Leslie Lohman Art Gallery NYC Strike A Pose, the Gender-Bending Visual Art Show that rocked SoHo last July had its second showing as part of the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Strike A Pose is a fierce, provocative visual Art showcase of images that celebrate the diversity of Gender expression, featuring images of Transgender, Drag Queen/King, Transsexual, Cross-Dresser, and individuals who convey Gender in alternative and non-traditional ways. I was the curator of the exhibit and hosted the opening night gala reception at The Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, NY on November 16th. I was also a model in several of the images. I was proud to have a collection of works by such notable artists like Tony Sawicki of Under the Pink Carpet television, Toyboydesigns of Glamour magazine, Wilson Models from HX magazine, Peter Lau of Next Magazine, Alina Olson of Out in Jersey magazine, Jed Ryan of PM magazine and OutMusic, Ryan Wolowski of Out & About television, Dan Malisky, Pamela Camhe, Rick Odell, Str!ngbean, Fernando Espinosa and others. The Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious Film Festivals in the North East.

Sexahol Review

It was time for another installment of the Cabaret series that celebrates some of the earthly pleasures of life, Evan Laurence’s Sexahol Review! Evan rounded up a bevy of amazing performers including two sexy Burlesque dancers- Cherry Pitz and Layla Lepore, a Hudini-esque escape artist - Jared The Conjuror, Vocalist and Imporv Comedian David F. Slone, MAC award winner of the team Horowitz and Spector, Bobbie Horowitz who performed two hilarious original songs, recording artist Jeff Martini, big-on-laughs Trans Comedian Rita Petite, The Nuck Fuggets, comedy dancers Sarah Conrad and Joseph Schules and Howie V as “Cher.” The lounge was Standing Room Only with many friends and notable guests in the audience including Miss Veronica Vera, founder of Miss Vera’s Cross-Dressing Academy. The event took place in the hip East Village hotspot, Parkside Lounge at 317 East Houston Street in NYC.

SWISH Cabaret

SWISH (Straight Women In Support of Homos) held a Cabaret benefit at Downtown Manhattan's premiere Cabaret nightclub, The Duplex. SWISH, jokingly referred to as the Fag Hag organization, is a Gay-Straight alliance providing opportunities where Straight women and men can contribute to Gay civil rights. The evening was hosted by Sue Sena, the "Queen Hag" and founder of SWISH and author/actor/screenwriter Jesse Archer of the films Slutty Summer and A Four Letter Word. I had the pleasure of being with Jesse in a film scene of Drag Queen wedding shower for a Fag Hag in A Four Letter Word, now available on DVD. The evening had amazing entertainers including Chris Adasiewicz, Nick Atkinson, Jason Bowman, Stanic Chee, Mathew Hotta, Sarah Kendall, Poppi Kramer, Linda Leopold, Jamie Lloyd, Mykel, Michael Rider, Anthony Romeo, Becca Schack and others. Many "Fags" with their "Hags" were visiting from Sweden including famed author Linda Leopold, who wrote the book Fag Hags: Your Sisters,Your Prom Dates, Your Beards, Your Allies, which is a journalistic exploration of the unique relationships between Gay men and Straight women all over the world.