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.

Fresh Fruit Play House

The Fresh Fruit Festival had its monthly Fresh Fruit PlayHouse, an LGBT Performance Art Showcase of unusually fruity acts at the Nuyorican Cafe in the hip East Village of Manhattan on November 12. Our Host and MC for the evening was the gorgeous Pedro Angle Serrano who is best known for being on the Radio (WBAI Out FM 99.5 FM New York and WRSU Rutgers 88.7FM) and he's also an award-winning comedian, a fierce spoken word artist, and an Out Skinhead involved in the mainstream Punk Rock scene! Pedro Kept the audience entertained with his quick wit and amazing true-to-life experiences! I tried out some new jazz songs like "Orange Colored Sky" that had everyones fingers snapping! Other performers included tha sexy and fabulous Drag?Burlesque Personality Vera Wylde, Travis Laughlin a Janis Joplin impersonator who really rocked the house with her brilliant illusion and her fierce energy, DJ / Alternative Rocker Reed Mc Gowen (aka Intraxis) who did a hot rap/rock number, and Carol Polcovar who had us laughing with her stories about growing up in a carnival background. Recording Artist Lovari, writer Suellen Rubin and poet Cookie Pemberton also stopped by for a visit. As Pedro's radio listeners know, he has a tendency to get naked after hearing a really great Rock concert, and if there is a very persuasive Drag Queen around!

Rock OUT the Vote concert

I was part of a riotous Election Day Eve concert sponsored by Out Music and The LGBT Center of NYC called Rock OUT the Vote that also featured award winning recording artist cutie, Josh Zuckerman and special guest artists Ariel Arapicio, Reed McGowan, Dan Manjovi, John Raymond Pollard, Kherish and others! Jed Ryan, Deepa Soul, Howie V, Steve Schulman, Tomas and others were all there to get hyped up for the election!

Election Day Victory Parties

I watched the results of the historic Presidential election at various Election Day parties at The LGBT Center and at the Stonewall Democrats party at XES Lounge in Chelsea. We were thrilled that the Democratic Party and Obama were Victorious and there will be some hope and change for our country. Also, for the first time in decades, the Democrats have the majority of seats in the New York State Senate! I celebrate the Victory with Stonewall Democrats President Matt Carlin, Political Activist Michael Mallon, Recording Artist Lovari, and many others!

HalloQueen Dance 208

It’s the craziest and spookiest time of the year! It's when people get dressed up in bizarre costumes and go out looking for Tricks and Treats! The LGBT Center of NYC had its annual Halloween Dance aka HalloQueen Dance 208! It was produced by Joe Fiore Productions with decorations to die for by David Avielles and music provided by famed DJ Johnny Dynell. Johnny played Dancing Queen by ABBA and dedicated the song to our dear Rollerina. Of course no Halloween bash would be complete without a costume contest and I was a Celebrity Judge of this one along with the reigning Empress Chalene Chivoe, Emperor Rob Hunter de Woofs, designer of Provocative Latex Fetish Fashions, The Baroness and the legendary Drag Fairy Godmother of NYC, Rollerina. The winners of the contest the iconic bloody Prom Queen Carrie and her King Date with Rafael, a sexy leather gentleman! Seen: Will Clark, Psycho Bitch, Ryan Wolowski of Out & About TV, Rolanda Rose, Fanny Fondue, Robin Kradles, Bruce Michael Gelbert, Peter Lau and many others.

Cross Dressers Halloween Dinner

I had a wonderful Halloween Dinner that was a Girls Night Out with my friends at CDI (Cross Dressers International) a group that encourages and supports those who were born Male but have the need to express their Femme Spirits and free the Lady within. Thirty Five of us gals went to Fregalino's the Italian gourmet bistro in Manhattan's midtown Broadway theater district. I thought my girlfriend Cleopatra was the most fabulous Amy Winehouse before Rehab and Rose was a sexy French maid. There were only two Sarah Palin republican beauty queens, one of whom stripped down to a leather bustier after removing her signature red blazer!

[Photo: Clover Honey and Cleopatra as Rehab-ed Amy]

Rocky Horror BINGO

Its Halloween season and we kept the spooky theme at the monthly Center BINGO fundraising games at The LGBT Center of NYC on Oct. 24th where I'm a hostess and number-caller. I got dolled up to impersonate the legendary Tim Curry portraying Frank N Futer the Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania a la the classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Although with my black curly hair and fishnets I think I also looked like Cher! I muttered the classic line "I've been making a man, with blond hair and a tan, and he's good for relieving my tension!" As I introduced Rocky Horror himself, impersonated by go go boy and physique model Tass, who looked so hot as a blond in gold shorts! My guest host for the evening was Pedro Angle Serrano from Out FM Radio (WBAI 99.5 FM) who is always gorgeous in his grunge skin head look he has going for him. We was great with the crowd as we joked about current events and horror movies. Also along for the ride was go go gal Mel who dressed as Columbia, Divas Church Lady and Bobbi, Danny Brook and others.

[Photos: (top) Clover Honey as Sweet Transvestite and Tass as Rocky Horror; (below) Clover Honey and Pedro Angle Serrano; Clover Honey and BINGO Balls]

Fresh Fruit Playhouse

A new venue for Performance Artists to try out new acts and to network, have fun and plug upcoming gigs is the Fresh Fruit PlayHouse at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the East Village of Manhattan! The Fresh Fruit Festival presents this monthly showcase for LGBT and supportive artists. I was the MC of the first show on October 15th. The evening featured such wonderful performance artists that included Scottie Gage, Rita Petite, Lovari, Robert Anton, Michael Lynch, Barnacle Bill, Tokyo Penguin, Robert German and others.

Leather Fetish Fun

It was a Saturday night of Leather Fetish fun where I was “dominant” enough (or desperate enough) to squeeze in two events in one evening on Oct. 11th. First stop was the HX Gay Erotic Expo at the Grand Ballroom of Manhattan Studios in NYC. How can you go wrong at an event with thousands of men in various states of arousal and undress? You can’t! It’s the only consumer exhibition devoted exclusively to adult Gay male entertainment. We browsed among the many impassioned products including Videos, internet sites, adult toys, gadgets and magazines, S&M/Latex/Leather/Fetish couture and merchandise. But the best part is the chance to see the hottest and most famous Male porn stars all under one roof live and “in the flesh!” We met up with some of them and other local celebrities including: Robin Byrd, Tony Sawicki, Max Scott, Stephanie Butler, Torrez, Danny Brook, Johnny Hazzard, Vinnie D’Angelo, Tony Serrano, Sherry Vine, Jake Cruise, Ricky Sinz, Jed Ryan, Mike Dreyden and many others. Then the naught fun continued as helped host the annual Fetish Ball at Dance 208 at The LGBT Center. DJ Gustavo spun the tunes as over 300 dances in fetish couture danced the night away. The attendees included: Joe Fiore, go-gos Torez and Tass, David Aviles, Hernan Poza, Mistress Mir, The Leatherman’s Cirrtone, Joe Piras, David Noh, Clover Honey, Mark Schulte, Darryl Berry of Darryl’s Dungeon, 2008 Mr. NY Leather Michael Colon, George Jagatic of Axis Danz, Cinekink’s Lisa Vandever, Eric de la Cruz, Darryl Brown, Pete Lau, Will Clark, Miestorm Pierre Q. Serpent, Michael Alexander Kolesnikoff, Joe Lamattina and Fernando, DJs Michael Wilson and Jerel Black, Danny Brook, Andrew Jonas a.k.a. Princess, Rowan, NYCGMC Butch Angelo and Psycho Bitch.

Kings, Queens & Village People

Kings & Cowboys was the title of the fifth annual joint birthday celebration of Randy Jones (the original Cowboy from the Village People) and Keith Collins (Party King Promoter, VH1, Fuse network). But I was there to represent the Queens! The star-studded event took place at Retreat Club in New York City. MTV Video Jockey Thalia DaCosta also joined in the celebration since it was her birthday as well. “It’s a night of a thousand virgins!” said Collins, “referring to the Virgo zodiac sign only!” I had the best time hob-knobbing with Legendary NYC tourist attraction Naked Cowboy, Steve Guttenberg, NY Yankee Pitcher Jeff Nelson, CW11 news reporter Jill Nicolini, former child star Mason Reese, Michael DeBarge, Bobbi Horowitz, Ben Curtis, Queens Borough Leader Danny Dromm, promoters Joe Fiore (Dance 208) and Jamie Ranieri (Fruit Fli) and many others! [Photos by Joe Fiore]