By Bill Malcolm GETTING THERE I took Delta through Minneapolis (MSP). Delta now offers free internet to SkyMiles members on most flights. However, don’t buy anything at MSP as they tack on an annoying 4.5 percent “hospitality fee” (a junk fee, a rip off charge). On the way home, I changed planes in Detroit, a much better choice with no surprise fees. Try the salmon at the Zingerman’s (Ann Arbor’s premiere deli) at the airport. Once in Madison, you can walk everywhere or take

ByChristopher Fragnito Pandora Boxx’s new dance album is her most personal work ever. Boxx is fun and quirky, with songs like ‘Pill’, a rock track that depicts some of her real-life struggles; ‘Stars’, her tribute to Star Trek; and ‘Raspberries’, Pandora’s ode to Carol Channing that marks her farewell to the impersonation she famously performed on RuPaul'sDrag Race . The album’s first release is “Dance”, a song Pandora wrote for her younger self who was mercilessly picked on

By Frank Doll On Mekahel is an entertainment powerhouse. He is a model, actor, fashion designer and social media influencer with nearly three million followers. He is best known for starring on the reality show, Putting On, a series that ran for two seasons on Revry TV. It followed the ups and downs of his personal and business life, with viewers watching as the underwear model built his Mounderwear fashion empire from the ground up. Mounderwear continues to thrive today with

By Gregg Shapiro It can be difficult to keep track of all the things for which we owe a debt of gratitude to Bette Midler. Close to the top of the list is when, in the early 1970s, Midler made Melissa Manchester one of her back-up singers, known affectionately as the Harlettes. For many LGBTQ+ folks, it was an introduction to a performer, and lifetime friend of the community, who would go on to have a chart topping career as a singer and songwriter in her own right. For “Re:V

By Gregg Shapiro A new Pet Shop Boys studio album is always cause for celebration, especially because it’s been four years since the last one was released. In the interim, PSB released the extraordinary (and aptly titled) “Smash” 2023 box set, easily the duo’s most complete hits compilation. On the just-released 10-song vinyl LP “Nonetheless” (Warner/Parlophone), Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe get us on our feet and dancing with opener “Loneliness,” “Feel,” and “Bullet for Narci

Fortune Feimster & Jax Smith Named Grand Marshals PRIDEChicago, the all-volunteer organization behind the iconic Chicago Pride Parade for over 50 years, has announced the selection of comedienne, Fortune Feimster and her wife Jax Smith as Grand Marshals for the 2024 Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30th starting at 11 a.m. Fortune Feimster, a beloved stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, along with her wife Jax, will lead the procession, bringing their infectious energy a

SUNDAY JUNE 30, 11A.M. Parade Starts at: Broadway & Sheridan. LINE UP: North & South Side of Sheridan from Sheffield to Du Sable Lake Shore Drive. East & West Side of Broadway from Irving Parek to Grace. Clarendon East West Side Cuyler to Broadway.East West Side Fremont to Sheridan. ROUTE: Proceeds south on Broadway; then south on Halsted; then east on Belmont; then south on Broadway; then east on Diversey to Cannon Drive. CONTENT & DESCRIPTION: The parade will feature 150

An interview with Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls By Gregg Shapiro The Indigo Girls – Emily Saliers and Amy Ray – are having a moment. Since the release of Greta Gerwig’s“Barbie” movie in the summer of 2023, in which the queer duo’s“Closer To Fine” was heard repeatedly, to today, when they are prominently featured in Tom Gustafson’s “Glitter & Doom” and Alexandria Bombach’s doc “Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All,” Indigo Girls are hotter than ever. That’s just the half of

Pride Journey: Las Vegas By Joey Amato Las Vegas, known for its vibrant and inclusive atmosphere, embraces LGBTQ culture with open arms, making it a thriving hub for the community. Iconic events like the annual Las Vegas Pride Parade and Festival bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity and unity. Las Vegas Pride is typically in early October, so start planning now. The city's commitment to inclusivity is reflected in the diverse range of LGBTQ-frie

By Gregg Shapiro The title of Jim Fielding’s memoir, “All Pride, No Ego: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically” (Wiley, 2023), tells you almost everything you need to know. A queer business leader for more than 30 years, Fielding has worked for some of the most highly recognizable companies in today’s world and is currently the president of Co-Lab at Archer Gray, in addition to being a brand strategist and advisor. However, what sets Fielding’s story

DJ Leo Blanco spins at Furball BY Tom Olah Leo has performed as resident DJ at Privilege (Ibiza) the world ́s biggest venue and played in a big variety of clubs and festivals around the world as The Week (Sao Paulo), We Party (Madrid), GSP (Los Angeles), I:M Party (Seoul),Latin american Pride (Mexico City), Purple Party (Dallas), Destination(Beijing), Score (Miami), Deja-Vu (Sydney), Theatron (Bogota), Formosa Pride (Taipei), Gibus (Paris), Muccassasina (Rome), MEAT (New Yor

Community Leaders Art Johnston and Pep Pena and Their Partners Edie Moore and Kevin Hauswirth Talk About Their New Marijuana Dispensary. By Rick Karlin More than five decades ago, two men walked into a bar; a teacher from a working-class neighborhood, and a Cuban refugee turned bartender. They fell in love and together opened what would become an iconic bar, co-founded an LGBTQ+ rights organization, and sparked a passion that helped establish a queer neighborhood. Later in li

By Skip Sheffield Out singer Joey Diamond and his producer, Jace M, made waves last year with their remake of *NSYNC favorite “Tearin’ Up My Heart”. Now, with the help of Toy Armada, they are taking on JLO, re-imagining her 1999 classic, “Waiting for Tonight”. Diamond fondly recalls bopping along to Jennifer Lopez’s original as a child and credits the diva with empowering a young generation of people of color like him; encouraging them to have hope for the future. “The song i

By Larry Olsen Jonny McGovern’s career in entertainment launched twenty years ago with Dirty Gay Hits, his collection of gay themed songs that received over five million downloads before YouTube even existed. It caught the eye of Rosie O’Donnell, who cast McGovern as a lead player on her comedy show, The Big Gay Sketch Show alongside Oscar nominee Coleman Domingo and SNL’s Kate McKinnon. Today, Jonny McGovern is best known for his popular television shows including GoGo for t

By Gregg Shapiro The year 2023 was an exceptional one for gay filmmakers. Ira Sachs’ “Passengers” and Andrew Haigh’s “All Of Us Strangers” were well received by audiences and critics alike and could also be found on numerous end-of-the-year “best of” lists. With “Housekeeping for Beginners” (Focus), gay filmmaker Goran Stolevski didn’t keep us waiting long for the follow-up to his brilliant “Of An Age,” which openeddomestically in early 2023. In the same way Stolevski made us

By Gregg Shapiro It should come as no surprise thatgay writer and actor Julio Torres’ film directorial debut “Problemista” (A24) would...

By Paul Hutnick (Photo By Colin Pearce) Rap music hasn’t always had the most inclusive reputation. In fact, there was a time when...

By Bill Malcolm I grew up in a college town and always love them. But Charlottesville,Virginia (less than two hours south ofD.C.) is the...

By Gregg Shapiro For openly gay vocalist Jeff Harnar, life truly is a cabaret. Since the late 1980s, Harnar has received multiple...

By Gregg Shapiro (Photos By Tonje Thilesen) It’s only mid-February as this is being written, but there’s no doubt that the album “Blue...