Night of A Thousand Gowns

I had the most wonderful time at the 28th annual Night of A Thousand Gowns, a gala fundraiser hosted by The Imperial Court of New York.  Its the most lavish, glamorous, outrageous event in the world where hundreds of guests gather in their fiercest formal Drag, jewels, regalia and royal outfits for a charity sovereign coronation ball to raise funds for the GLBT Community. The event was held on March 29th in the grand Broadway Ballroom of the posh Marriott Marquis in the heart of Times Square, New York City.   This year's beneficiaries were Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Fund and God's Love We Deliver.  Celebrity guests included Sandra Bernhard, Jamie Brewer (American Horror Story: Murder House, American Horror Story: Coven), Gerald McCullouch (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Bear City), Ted Detwiler (Sordid Lives), Marsha Mason, Edie Windsor, Rollerina, Jed Ryan, Chris Ryan, Rob Ordonez, desighner Geary Marcello, Jesse Lutrull, NY City Council Member Rosie Mendez, Daniel Nardicio, Robbyne Kaamil and many others.  There amazing performances included a medley from the dance pop group Expose' (Point of No Return).  The spectacular night ended with the crowning ceremony of Emperor Tony Monteleone and Empress Twinkle Montgomery.  And, as always there was all the sequins, jewels, make-up, wigs, boas and heels that you can ever imagine.

GLBT Expo! Be Seen!

I was thrilled and honored to be a performer at and the MC/Hostess of the talent main-stage at the 21st annual GLBT Expo at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City on March 23, 2014.  The spectacular event features hundreds of exhibitor booths and thousands of spectators and participants making it the number one and largest GLBT event in the world!  I so much enjoyed my part on the talent stage featuring the finest GLBT and GLBT supportive entertainers in the area.  These included Jade Starling ("Catch Me, I'm Falling"), Destiny Divine, Cheer NY, comedian Paul Hallasy, Ron B., as "Tina", recording artists Aaron Paul, Josh Zuckerman, Nicole Medoro, The Glamazons, and the exciting Lovari, who with his team performed his latest single with special guest - the legendary Robin Byrd!  The amazing main-stage was produced by Jeff Brenner of Kurfew entertainment.  It was the place to see and be seen! 

The Hookies 2014

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Big Gay Sing with NYCGMC

What a fabulous time at had with the New York City Gay Men's Chorus' "Big Gay Sing 6" at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at Washington Square Park in New York City's Greenwich Village on March 15th.  The concert featured fabulous singing, dancing, drag, laughter and tons of fun with featured artist Martha Wash, the original Weather Girl.  It certainly was Raining Men on that unforgettable evening.  I had a blast with my Chorus Buddies and Divas. 

St. Pat's for All Parade

I had a wonderful time participating in the annual St. Pat's for All Parade on Skillman Avenue in the Irish-American New York City neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Woodside in Queens on March 2, 2014.  The fantastic parade was created 15 years ago in response to the hateful and bigoted ban on Gay and Lesbian banners by the organizers of the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.  This year, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio made a statement by boycotting the Fifth Avenue parade because of their exclusion and joining the St. Pat's for All parade instead because of its policy were everyone is welcome to celebrate.  “This parade is what New York City is all about. This is a parade that celebrates inclusion, diversity, unity. That is what this city is about. That is what has made this city strong,” Mr. de Blasio told us from the main-stage before kicking off the parade. “My approach has been to embrace parades that are inclusive. And that’s the standard we’re going to hold. We are here to honor the extraordinary Irish heritage of this city and we want to do it in a way that respects all people and all communities," de Blasio said to a loud roar from the crowd. "This is exactly the way I think we should celebrate in New York City - in an inclusive way."

Other elected officials who participated included NY Senator Michael Gianaris, Public Advocate Letitia James, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, Manhattan Borough President Gail Brewer, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., along with Congressional members Joe Crowley, Carolyn Maloney, and Grace Meng.  The NYC Council Members included Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito,  Andrew Cohen of the Bronx, Mark Weprin of Queens Village, Costa Constantinides of Woodside , Paul Vallone of Bayside, and Out Gay NYC Council members - Majority leader Jimmy Van Bramer, Rosie Mendez of Manhattan's Lower East Side, Corey Johnson of Chelsea, Daniel Dromm from Jackson Heights, Carlos Menchaca of Brooklyn, and Ritchie Torres of the Bronx.

Also included in the parade were notable names from from the Emerald Isle Motherland.  They were Irish Drag Diva sensation from Dublin -  Panti Bliss, Irish Consul General Noel Kilkenny And Irish Cabinet Member Ciaran Cannan.

The Grand Marshal's of the Parade were former Senator Tom Duane and Terry McGovern, founder of the HIV Law Project. "You have answered exclusion with inclusion and acceptance, met hatred with love and hospitality," McGovern told the crowd from the stage. "We march today for human rights, we march against discrimination, and we honor that complex, living, evolving, beautiful landscape called Irish culture. I am so certain that what we are doing today, resisting exclusion, is cultural."  

I so happy to be interviewed by the gorgeous Sean McCarthy for RadioIrish.com and I was also quoted in the Queens Chronicle newspaper.