Born On This Day- May31st... Actor Denholm Elliot

Denholm Mitchell Elliott was a distinguished British character actor, well known for his stage, film & television work. He specialized in playing slightly sleazy/slightly eccentric & flawed upper middle class English gentlemen. His career spanned nearly 40 years, becoming a well-known face both in UK & the USA.

Denholm Elliott was born in London & made his film debut in 1949. He went on to play a large range of parts in films as diverse as Alfie, Trading Places, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Brimstone & Treacle, Maurice, & my favorite film of all time- A Room with a View. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role as Mr.Emerson in my favorite film.


Although gay, Elliott was married 2 times (the first time to the British actress, Virginia McKenna) & starting in 1962, he had an open marriage to actress Susan Robinson, with whom he had 2 children.


Susan had long since become reconciled to her husband's boyfriends, & seldom felt jealous.On one occasion when he brought one of them, a young Moroccan, home to London; as a gesture of defiance she enjoyed an affair with a famous French actor while on vacation on Ibeza, & was reassured to find herself still attractive & desirable, & with no feeling of guilt. Her own sex life with her husband remained active. Susan Elliot:"Between us, he was always 100 percent masculine, both in bed & in taking decisions in our home life."

For his part, Denholm Elliott never inhibited Susan's own affairs ("as long as you don't fall in love & as long as you don't have anyone else's baby"), mainly because, as explained, it made him feel less guilty about his own indiscretions.


The assignations increased in number & frequency as the years passed until, as Susan noted in her biography- Denholm Elliott, Quest For Love, her husband's promiscuity became "almost a psychological disorder". Denholm Elliott was diagnosed with HIV in 1987, & died in 1992 of AIDS-related tuberculosis at his home on Ibiza, Spain. He was cremated. His widow set up a charity, the Denholm Elliott Project, in a hotel complex on Ibiza called Can Bufi, where people who are HIV positive could enjoy a free holiday.


Susan Elliott died in a fire at her home in London on April 12, 2007.

From The Post Apocalyptic Bohemian Archives

Memorial Day 2010

My husband is named for his uncle, his father's brother, who was killed in WW2. There is a beautiful & stark memorial to the citizens of Washington State that gave their lives while defending our country. The Garden of Remembrance is a half-acre, L-shaped garden along the sides of Benaroya Hall (home of the Seattle Symphony). Memorial walls of granite, lined by slender reflecting pools, are oriented so that the names face the western sun. In addition to the wall, a poem honors veterans who died in World War I; a reflecting pool honors those missing in action; & a fountain honors those who died in peacetime service. The memorial was designed by Robert Murase, a noted landscape architect. The Garden was dedicated on July 4, 1998.

Not long after the memorial was completed, the Husband was walking in front Benaroya Hall & glanced up & immediately (not knowing that it even existed) saw his own name engraved with the date of his death in England in 1944. He claims that his eyes went directly to it, although the memorial had thousands of names. The Husband said it was a Twilight Zone Moment.

The Husband served in the US Army during the Viet Nam War Era (1971-77). I feel blessed that he is with me today & not a name on a War Memorial.

God Loves Gene Robinson

V. Gene Robinson is bishop of a tiny, rural Episcopal Diocese in New Hampshire, & he is at the center of a storm of controversy raging in the Episcopal Church & throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion involving homosexuality & the priesthood.

Gene Robinson is the 1st openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, & the first openly gay, non-celibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination. Robinson: "God never gets it wrong. The church often takes a long time to get it right. It is a human institution, but one capable of self-correction, I believe in my heart that the church got it wrong about homosexuality. There is great excitement in my heart to be living in a time when the church is starting to get it right."

He argues that the time has come for full civil rights of GLBT people. He insists that the God he knows is a God of radical inclusion, who wants to lift up all the oppressed, including women, minorities & the poor. He has opposed the Roman Catholic ban on homosexual seminarians: "I find it so vile that they think they are going to end the child abuse scandal by throwing out homosexuals from seminaries."

Robinson met his partner, Mark Andrew, while on vacation in St. Croix. Andrew was on vacation from his posistion at the national office of the Peace Corps. In 1988, Robinson & Andrew moved into a new house & had it blessed by Bishop Douglas Theuner, an event which they considered to be the formal recognition of their life together. Andrew currently works in the New Hampshire state government. He was legally married to Robinson in June 2008 in a private ceremony, followed by a religious ceremony, both in St Paul's Church, in Concord. Robinson: "I always wanted to be a June bride."

Today Gene Robinson turns 63 years old.

Rupert James Hector Everett Turns 51 Today

We were already big fans of his good looks & his talent. The Husband waited on Rupert Everett, in town for the Seattle International Film Festival showing of Another Country, at the then famous gay dining spot- The Ritz Café on Capitol Hill is Seattle. The Husband came home with the sordid tale of Everett’s bad behavior, culminating in his passing out, face first into a plate of food. I somehow loved the actor even more.

At 15 years old, Rupert Everett ran away from boarding school & went to London to become an actor. He starred opposite Kenneth Brannagh in the play Another Country when he was 23. He did the film version, based on the life of the spy Guy Burgess, with Colin Firth when he was 25. He came out when he was 29 & the offers dried up. He gave interesting & deft performances in Pret-a-Porter & The Madness of King George, but when he starred opposite Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding, the industry was abuzz with the idea of the “gay best friend” as an asset for a story line. It was unique to have a gay character who is happily partnered, not a victim, not dying, or not a sissy. He carried the film with the charm of Cary Grant. The followed the box office winner as Christopher Marlowe in Shakespeare in Love, An Ideal Husband, Inspector Gadget, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Next Best Thing, The Importance of Being Earnest, & Stage Beauty. He is the voice of Prince Charming in the money making Shrek franchise, disproving his own theory that out actors can’t get work.



Everett has written 2 novels & a memoir, in which he included the fact that for a time he was a rent boy. I adored Rupert's book Red Carpets & other Banana Skins. He is honest, hugely funny & deeply wise about human nature, particularly his own. His beautiful face, his lovely manners, all his attractive qualities seem worth the cash to me.


Rupert Everett has been urging gay stars not to come out & to keep their sexuality a secret as it could end their film career. he came out as gay 25 years ago & admitted that since then, he has been given only supporting roles.

Everett is now suggesting that aspiring actors stay in the closet as it could harm their career: “It's not that advisable to be honest. It's not very easy, &, honestly, I would not advise any actor necessarily, if he was really thinking of his career, to come out... The fact is that you could not be, & still cannot be, a 25 year old homosexual trying to make it in the British film business or the American film business or even the Italian film business.It just doesn't work & you're going to hit a brick wall at some point. You're going to manage to make it roll for a certain amount of time, but at the first sign of failure, they'll cut you right off. I'm sick of saying: ‘Yes, it's probably my own fault.’ Because I've always tried to make it work & when it stops working somewhere, I try to make it work somewhere else. But the fact of the matter is, & I don't care who disagrees, it doesn't work if you're gay.”


Everett added that he does believe he is happier than those other major stars who are keeping their sexuality a secret: “I think, all in all, I'm probably much happier than they are. I may not be as rich or successful, but at least I'm vaguely free to be myself.”



John Schlesinger was a great director, responsible for Midnight Cowwboy & Sunday, Bloody Sunday, ground breaking gay themed films. But... I think The Next Best Thing is one of the worst movies I have ever had to sit through. Drek. I stayed with it for Mr. Everett.

Born On This Day- May 29th...Funny Lady Beatrice Lillie

I feel heavy hearted that the baby queers & even the Gen Xers don't know about, or care about many of the personalities that engaged the gay people that came before them. I recently mentioned Mae West & Raquel Welch in the same sentence & the small group of 20-something gay boys looked at me with totally blank faces. It was as if I had been speaking in Hebrew.


Beatrice Lillie was an incomparable artist: a comedienne, actress, & known in the 1920s- 1950s as "the funniest woman in the world. " She was born Constance Sylvia Gladys Munston, in Canada. She began her stage career in London in 1914 & she became famous for her performances in music hall & in intimate revues.


Lillie made her American debut in 1932 where she developed her own TV series during the 1950s. She appeared in films including On Approval (1944) & Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), although she worked primarily on the stage. In 1952, she created her own show; incorporating her greatest bits in An Evening with Beatrice Lillie which opened on Broadway. This show received rave reviews & she toured with it across the globe 3 times. She won a Special Tony Award for her performance in 1953. She starred on Broadway in High Spirits & replaced Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame.She wrote her autobiography Every Other Inch a Lady in 1972 before a suffering stroke in 1974.

After her death, Sir John Gielgud: "She was The Mistress of the Absurd, I remember Bea standing dramatically against a pillar dressed in a flowing gown which she lifted suddenly to reveal her feet shod in roller skates on which she gravely skidded across the stage".


With her trademark cropped hair style with a smart hat, holding a long cigarette holder, she was a true original, an enemy of pomposity, & the sentimental. Fortunately, many of her satirical & surrealistic comic songs: There Are Fairies At The Bottom Of My Garden, Weary Of It All, Wind Round My Heart, & my favorite- This Is My First Affair ("so please be kind & please be quick"), are preserved on record.

In the first half of the 20th century, Lillie was one of the most sought after celebrities, the darling of the social set, & the toast of two continents. Cole Porter wrote his "story of a nightmare weekend"- Thank You So Much, Mrs. Lowsborough-Goodby, for her, & Noel Coward wrote the delightfully gossipy I've Been To A Marvellous Party just or her. She gave the 1st public performance of Mad Dogs & Englishmen.

In 1920 she was married to Sir Robert Peel, making her Lady Peel, a name she used at social affairs. She eventually separated from her husband (but never divorced him). Lillie had affairs with actresses Tallulah Bankhead, Eva Le Gallienne, Gertrude Lawrence & Judith Anderson.



She died at age 94, at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, of Alzheimer's Disease.

The Chrysler Building Turns 80 Years Old Today

I am zany about architecture & design, & certain buildings & structures really grab my attention & move me, among them (these are structures that I have actually visted): the Woolworth's Building (NYC), the Duomo in Sienna, the Space Needle, the Hollywood Sign, the Boston Public Library, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chateau de Versailles, Church of San Spirito (Florence) The Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, The Flatiron Building, Freeway Park (Seattle), The Golden Gate Bridge, the Customs House (Portland), Leaning Tower of Pisa, Lovejoy Fountain Plaza (Portland), Lovell House (L.A.), Mount Vernon (Virginia), MOMA (NYC), Paris Metro Entrances, Piazza del Campo(Sienna), Piazza of San Marco (Venice), Rockefeller Center, Santa Maria Novella (Florence), San Simeon (California), San Stefano (Venice), Sears Tower (Chicago), Seattle Public Library, Seagram Building (NYC), Saint Mark’s (Venice), Statue of Liberty, Stonehenge, the Louvre, the White House, Transamerica Pyramid (SF), the Custom House (Venice,), Washington Monument, Watts Towers (L.A.), Capitol Records Building (Hollywood), Shaker Barns, Covered Brudges, Tuscan Farmhouses, Yurts, Fairie Structures at Collin’s Beach- Sauvie Isalnd, & St. Johns Bridge (Portland).

My favorite man-made structure in the world is The Chrysler Buliding in NYC. At the beginning of the 20th century, the race for the tallest building in the world was on & the Chrysler Building was the first building to top the then tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower.

The Chrysler Building was in a race with the Bank of Manhattan (40 Wall Street) for the distinction of being tallest building in the world. It seemed certain that the Bank of Manhattan would win the race, with an expected height of 927ft against 755ft for the Chrysler building, but the spire of the Chrysler building was constructed in secret inside the tower.

Just a week after the Bank of Manhattan had reached its top, the spire of the Chrysler Building was put in place, making it 318 meter (1045ft) high, thus beating the Bank of Manhattan as the tallest building in the world. It would not keep this title for long, a year later the Empire State Building was erected.

The Art Deco Chrysler Building features gargoyles that depict Chrysler car ornaments & the spire is modeled on a radiator grille. The building's Art Deco interior is even more magnificent than its exterior. The marble floors & the Art Deco patterns on the stylish elevator doors make the Chrysler Building one of New York's most beautiful towers.

Annie Leibovitz attempting to get that perfect shot

When I lived in Manhattan in the mid-1970s, I never grew tired of looking up & I never was less then thrilled when I caught a glimse of this stunning tower. Like most of the structures on my list, viewing them was made more special by watching the Husband’s reaction to expereincing these wonders of design.

Mallika Sherawat at the "Certified Copy" Premiere

Actress Mallika Sherawat attends the “Certified Copy” Premiere at the Palais des Festivals during the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival. She wore a golden color gown which was too revealing and a very simple hair style. Her over all look was simply just too plain. What is your say on this? more images after the break...

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Leighton Meester in colorful dress

Casual yet beautiful, Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester is back in action to her show The Gossip Girl. Leighton Meester together with a new comer was on the set of Gossip Girl in New York to film the season three of the said show, with and airing schedule. Wearing her colorful haltered dress and casual sleepers, Meester looks extremely beautiful and girly in these photos and probably stands out in the set. The denim pants and off-shoulder blouse shows the casual beauty of Leighton. Aside from Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester is also busy doing her two upcoming movies that includes the Roommate and Date Night. More images after the break...

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Tallest man in America named Igor Vovkovinskiy

At a towering 7 feet 8 1/3 inches, Igor Vovkovinskiy now holds top honors as the tallest man in the United States, according to Guinness World Records officials. more images after the break....

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Top 10 Prehistoric Fish Alive Today

10 Hagfish

 

According to the fossil record, hagfish have existed for over 300 million years, which means they were already old when dinosaurs took over the world! Found in relatively deep waters, these animals are sometimes called slime eels, but they are not really eels, and actually, they may not even be fish at all,according to some scientists. They are very bizarre animals in all regards; they have a skull but lack a spine, and they have two brains. Almost blind, they feed at night on the carcasses of large animals (fish, cetaceans etc) which fall to the sea bottom. They owe their “slime eel” nickname to the fact that they produce a slimey substance to damage the gills of predatory fish; as a result, they have virtually no natural enemies. 9 more after the break...

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From The Post Apocalyptic Bohemian Archives

Happy Birthday To Jack McBrayer!

Adorkable Jack McBrayer portrays the lovable, quirky, surreal page Kenneth Ellen Parcell on the NBC’s 30 Rock. He's also a comedy veteran, having worked with the Improv Olympics, Second City & the Upright Citizens Brigade. Jack has been Emmy Award nominated for his work on 30 Rock. Kenneth is one of my favorite TV characters on one of my favorite shows. I so want to make out with Jack McBrayer. I imagine he would be fun at one of my summer cocktail parties. He turns 37 today.

Born On This Day- May 27th... Actor/Singer Chris Colfer

I miss UGLY BETTY, which was for me, the gayest TV show ever. I don’t remember the wingnuts complaining or boycotting this show, & they shouldn’t have. Ugly Betty was represented nothing if not Family Values. For a” with it” show, Ugly Betty was at heart, very old fashioned.


Thank the TV Gods for Glee. Glee was made for me. The heightened, eccentric, & dare I say it- queer reality of the world of Glee, is the world I want to live in. I was meant to live in a universe where fully formed, orchestrated, & choreographed musical numbers burst forth as the modus operandi for expression.


Because, at a time when the ugliness of high school bullying is in the news, with tragic stories of kids victimized because they're different, Glee preaches that it's OK to be nerdy in high school. To love Broadway show tunes instead of football in high school. To be gay in high school.


It is easy for me to follow & identify with the characters on Glee. Jane Lynch’s masterful creation of Sue Sylvester is one of TV history’s top characters. I can relate to Emma’s OCD, & Rachel Berry’s Diva-ness; I had the heavy burden of simply being the best singer in my high school. I know how she suffers.


This season I have been most engaged by the character- Kurt Hummel. the fashionista & counter-tenor who is bullied by the jocks. He has a rigorous beauty regime & an impressive collection of designer attire by Marc Jacobs. Kurt is played by openly gay actor Chris Colfer. He originally auditioned for the role of Artie, singing Mr Cellophane from Chicago. Creator/Director/Producer- Ryan Murphy was so impressed by Colfer's audition he wrote the Kurt Hummel character into the show as a vehicle for him. Colfer: "It's good to have something positive, especially for kids in small towns, like myself, who need a little pick-me-up”.

Ryan Murphy: “When we started auditioning, I thought it was kind of ridiculous that we’re doing a musical about kids & expression & we don’t have the gay point of view. I thought it was important, but I would never want Chris to feel weird. More than the gay thing, he understood the thing about being the outsider because he felt that way in high school".

Growing up in Indianapolis, the son of a beauty queen and a semi-pro hockey player, Murphy asked his parents for a Vogue subscription at age 5, was ironing his own clothes at 7, & came out to his dad at 15: “Having a dad that loves you as a young man is a very powerful thing that you carry into the world. Because no matter what you do, in some weird, unconscious way, if you’re a guy, you always try to please your dad. I think it’s a great thing to put on television. You’ve seen the gay character that gets kicked out of the house or is beaten up. You haven’t seen the gay character that is teased a little bit, but wins & triumphs.”


When Chris Colfer auditioned for Murphy, the recent high school graduate with the big blue eyes & pale skin nervously walked into the audition & Ryan asked: “Why do I have the feeling you’ve been Rolf on The Sound of Music before?” Colfer: “I know I have Von Trapp written all over me, I actually was Kurt in The Sound of Music a long time ago.”


Colfer’s response to learning that his character is gay was fear. He grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, in a small town where most people wear cowboy hats & farm. Colfer: “no one has a sense of humor but they all drive trucks.” On a recent visit, Colfer noticed there were still many “Yes on 8” signs on lawns.


Colfer: “At first, I was absolutely terrified because I’m from a very conservative anti-gay town. Then people started saying, ‘Wow, your character is a lot like how Ryan Murphy would be,' & I didn’t know I was & that was good because that would also be terrifying. In the original script, they were leaning on him being overly flamboyant & I didn’t want to do that because it’s so overdone. So I made him more internal & superior.”


In the new century, TV has been representing gay people in non-stereotypical ways. We now have characters like Justin on Ugly Betty that embrace who they are & are in loving, fulfilling relationships. I was so moved by Justin’s coming out scene, which consisted of a tender dance with his BF at his sister-Hilda’s wedding. But, I have never witnessed anything as GAY as Kurt’s version of Roses’s Turn from the brilliant & complicated Laryngitis episode of Glee, earlier this month. Kurt can be a role model for young people who are just discovering who they are & also for adults who have been in Kurt’s shoes, albeit designer footwear.




Christopher Paul Colfer turns 20 years old today.

Born On This Day- May 26th... Talented Miss Peggy Lee

It seems just perfect to me that a little redheaded 15 year old boy would be obsessed with a song filled with existentialist angst, a half spoken, half sung opus to disillusionment with life, even when the events are exceptional. The singer suggested that I "break out the booze & have a ball… if that's all …there is". I decided to take the singer’s advice. She also let me know that suicide was not an option, for even that would be a disappointment.



Lady & The Tramp was my favorite childhood Disney movie, & I especially loved singing the songs from the movie into the bathroom mirror as a tot. My parents suggested that I might also enjoy the recordings of Miss Peggy Lee, who had written the songs for the Disney movie, & had voiced several of the characters.

I totally got into her albums: Black Coffee, Dream Street, & I Like Men!. But as I became a fan of The Beatles, The Supremes, & The Kinks, I forgot my parents’s album collection & favored my own. I heard Is That All There Is? on the radio in 1969 & was entranced. I bought the single & played it over & over, sometimes stealing little sips of my father’s whiskey from the forbidden liquor cabinet. I was back to listening to Peggy Lee.


Peggy Lee was a singer, a songwriter, an actress & an innovator. Her popular music is a map to the best of jazz, blues, swing, Latin, & rock. She & recorded over 650 songs & released 60+ albums. Best known for her smooth, sultry 1958 cover of the R&B hit- Fever, in spring 2010, Peggy Lee is back on the Billboard Top 100 album chart for the first time since 1970 with the release of the Starbucks compilation- Come Rain or Come Shine. The album is # 51 on the pop charts, #2 on the jazz charts.


Peggy Lee was one of the few of the traditional pop singers to embrace the songs of the Beatles, Randy Newman ( the arranger & conductor of Is That All There Is?), Carole King, & James Taylor. From 1957 until her final recording in 1993, she routinely released 2 albums a year including standards, her own compositions, & material from new artists.


Lee was nominated for 12 Grammy Awards, winning Best Contemporary Vocal Performance for Is That All There Is? In 1995 she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Peggy Lee was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress for her work in Pete Kelly's Blues.


Miss Peggy Lee left us in 2002. She would have been 90 today. Is That All There Is?

If You Know, Tell Me How

New Music... Portland's Own Broken Bells & Hockey

I am absolutley zany for the Portland bands: Hockey & Broken Bells. I think they both have the potential to break out in a major way. Hockey has played the Bonnaroo Festival & apperaed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. They are currently on tour in Europe.

Broken Bells has quite the pedigree. The band is a collaboration with artist/producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) & James Mercer, the lead vocalist & guitarist for the Portland indie rock band The Shins. The pair decided to work together after finding they were fans of each other's work.

Portland has an eclectic & vibrant music scene. Some of the Portland music scene: The Crazy 8s, The Dandy Warhols, Everclear, Storm Large, Courtney Love, The Shins, Modest Mouse, The Decemberists, M. Ward, Viva Voce, Laura Veirs, Frank Black, Mat Kearney, Sleater-Kinney, Nu Shooz, Chris Botti, Johnny Marr  (The Smiths)  Ana Matronic (Scissor Sisters), the late great-  Elilott Smith, &  the most adored- Pink Martini.

From The Memoirs

This morning's mail brought the new title plate for the chapter from my memoir- Jockstraps & Vicodin: The Early Years, that covers the development of my keen & fearless fashion sense at an early age. I am pleased. This title plate really captures the era for me, including my need for apporoval for older boys' approval.

From The Post Apocalyptic Bohemian Archives

Happy Birthday, Paul Weller!

I am a fan of Paul Weller, from 2 of my favorite 1980s bands: The Jam & Style Council, & from his solo work. Paul is looking as good & sounding as soulful & jazzy at 52, as he ever did. He won the Brit award last year for best Male Singer. This clip is from Jules Holland's show- Later with Jules Holland on the BBC.

Born On This Day- May 25th... Actor/Activist Sir Ian McKellen

"I remember losing only one job because of my coming out. I was supposed to play one of the lead roles in Harold Pinter's 'Betrayal' who eventually were given to Ben Kingsley & Jeremy Irons. The producer Sam Spiegel dropped a sexist comment about wives during a meeting & when I replied I was fortunate to be gay, I was quickly shown the door.”

We both belong to Acting Guilds & we both became passionate about theatre after viewing Peter Pan. We both started acting as a child, did university theatre, moved on to regional theatre & came to work in movies & TV later in life… & we are both big old homos who thought working in the theatre was a good place to meet guys. I guess the similarities end there. Sir Ian McKellen is the greatest actor of last 50 years & I am a dilettante.



Sir Ian McKellen became an actor to meet men. He admits he felt isolated when he was younger, but thought he would meet other gay people if he embarked on a stage career: "I'd heard that a lot of professional actors were gay. Acting seemed like a chance for me to meet like-minded people. You know, at that time same-sex love in Britain got you into prison. Homosexuality was being completely hushed up. Gay teachers, politicians or firemen - that was something unthinkable. When I was young I thought I was the only gay Brit. That's why I was glad to find people like me in the actors guild."


Early in his career he was spotted by Maggie Smith. She recommended McKellen to Laurence Olivier, then building his new National Theatre at the Old Vic.. His first production at the National was Franco Zeffirelli's 1965 production of Much Ado About Nothing, with Maggie Smith, Robert Stephens, Albert Finney, Derrick Jacobi & newcomer Michael York.


Sir Ian worked through the ranks in repertory theatre & tours of the classics. At the Edinburgh Festival in 1969, Ian performed both Richard II & Edward II & blew audiences & critics away. McKellen:"I remember one heady evening in my dressing room at the Piccadilly, when I introduced Noel Coward to Rudolf Nureyev. I thought, I suppose I'd arrived".

McKellen was persuaded to join the Royal Shakespeare Company by its artistic director, Trevor Nunn. His range included Dr Faustus & Romeo. His Macbeth in 1976, with Judi Dench is considered to be the best since Lawrence Olivier. The company took The Three Sisters & Twelfth Night on tour to 26 towns in the UK & then on to the USA. He loved to take theatre to the people: " it truly was the most enjoyable thing I have ever done".


On Broadway in 1980, McKellen played Salieri in Amadeus. He created the role for which F. Murray Abraham would later win an Oscar. McKellen was consoled with the Tony Award. Also on Broadway, he played Richard III as a wicked plotter creating a fascist state in future England. He brilliantly recreated the role on film.


Never really in the closet to the theatre community, in 1988, McKellen admitted he was gay while discussing Section 28, Margret Thatcher’s legislation that would make the "public promotion of homosexuality" a crime. He became a one of the foremost campaigners for Gay Rights, co-founding the Stonewall group. John Gielgud would be a contributor in secret.

McKellen originated the role of Max in Bent, about the suffering of gays under the Nazis. The film version featured Clive Owen as Max, McKellen as Uncle Freddie, & with Mick Jagger appearing in drag. He appeared in Tales Of The City, & in And The Band Played On, about the discovery of & early fight against HIV. As activist Bill Kraus, Ian stood out in a cast including Richard Gere, Anjelica Huston, Steve Martin, receiving an Emmy nomination .

Even as a full blown movie star, McKellen returned to ensemble theatre for a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, appearing in The Seagull, The Tempest & Noel Coward’s Present Laughter. On screen he would appear in small art house film fare: The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (another Oscar nom), X-Men, & The Da Vinci Code.



McKellen is responsible for 2 of my favorite performances in 2 of my very favorite films: hilarious & outragous in Cold Comfort Farm & pretty, witty & very gay, & Oscar nominated as director James Whale in Gods & Monsters. I can’t think of a living person that I admire more. Sir Ian McKellen is one of the greatest actors of all time & a relentless activist for equal rights. He remains happily single as he turns 71 years old today.

It's My Life... A Custom Mix

The Husband has suggested that I am sending him messages with my custom playlists. How could he conceive of such a thing & make that assumption?



1. Pure Imagination- Maroon 5
2. Just Say Yes- Snow Patrol
3. P****y- Brazilian Girls
4. Kiss With A Fist- Florence+ The Machine
5. Your Thing Is A Drag-  Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
6. Where We Belong- Thriving Ivory
7. 2nd Thought- Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
8. Passing- Grizzly Bear
9. Why The Wind?- Tracey Thorne
10. The Book Of My Life- Sting
11. I & Love & You- The Avett Brothers
12. It's My Life- Talk Talk
13. My Little Hope Chest- The Clevelanders
14. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow- Marvin Gaye
15. Angels- David Byrne
16. Gay Love- Bing Crosby
17. This Guy's In Love With You- Herb Alpert
18 .Everything's Coming Up Roses- Bernadette Peters
19. Pure Imagination- Gene Wilder

Pure Imagination

The Husband left his company last month to strike out on his own as an artist & designer. Well, not quite on his own all the time. He looks forward to future collaborations with his friend & colleague- Kimberlee, &  he is in the start up phase & working out the details of making a Branding firm with his former co-workers Little Jake & Syslee. The Husband gave me 24 hours before his final day, so as to save me from undo anxiety. I later discovered that he had a long standing, &possibly slightly unwise exercise to ease his dread at work. The Husband would write an Email venting his frustrations with his company & the owner, with no varnishing or censoring. He would save this document as a draft, re-read it one more time & then delete it, having felt better for having released his feelings.


Well, of course, just like in one of those plucky, yet yucky Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan films,& to his horror, the Husband accidentally sent one of his loose cannon Emails. I surmise that this was the beginning of the end, & the start of the new beginning. It has been a bit of an adjustment for both of us to have him home almost all the time, although the dogs love it. & I must add, the Husband has been keeping himself quite busy with projects around the house, & he has had a couple of hours here & couple of hours there with clients. He rarely sits still, unlike me.


I don't really understand what product this commercial is trying to seduce us with, but the ad & the song- Pure Imagination makes the Husband curiously, & conspicuously captivated & convivial... if not downright gay. When the Husband mentions a song, I try to get it worked into a custom mix CD as a surprise. The song is from the soundtrack to 1971's Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, & was nominated for an Oscar for Best Score, which also features a jaunty little tune- The Candy Man, a hit for Sammy Davis Jr.. In the film & in the TV spot it is sung by Gene Wilder.

Pure Imagination has been covered by Lou Rawls, Buckethead, Maroon 5, the punk band- Smoking Popes, Mariah Carey, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mathis, Ben Vereen & Miss Piggy, Kenny Loggins, the UK electronica band- Crazy Penis, the Irish band- The Frames, Jass pianist- Bill Charlap, Fatboy Slim,  Micheal Feinstien & The Swell Season. The Husband & I agree, the original Gene Wilder version is beyond compare. I watched Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (with a screenplay by Roald Dahl, based on his book) several times in it's original release. At the time, I saw it as a drug taking allegory, but who knows... I was mostly likely stoned. I do remember that I really dug it.

Come with me, & you'll be

In a world of pure imagination

Take a look & you'll see

Into your imagination

We'll begin, with a spin

Traveling in a world of my creation

What we'll see will defy explanation

& if you want to view paradise

Simply look around & view it

Anything you want to, do it

Want to change the world?

There's nothing to it

There is no life I know

To compare with pure imagination

Living there, you'll be free

If you truly wish to be

There is no life I know

To compare with pure imagination

Living there, you'll be free

If you truly wish to be

Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley

1971

Mallika Sherawat at Cannes

Actress Mallika Sherawat poses with a snake at the ‘Hisss’ Photocall at the Salon Martha Barriere at Majestic Hotel during the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival. Mallika Sherawat, who plays a snake-woman in her forthcoming film, brought real snakes to unveil the film at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival.Mallika wrote on her Twitter page, “All the Sssnakes have just entered the Majestic Hotel in Cannes! Hissstory is being made:),”  More images after the break...

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World Music Awards - Jennifer Lopez - May 18 2010

When I learned that Jennifer Lopez would be attending the “2010 World Music Awards” in Monaco, I was really excited to see what she was going to wear considering her superb current form. Unfortunately I was face with enough animal print to make Sharon Stone and Bet Lynch go weak at the knees. Her whole look for the evening was a bit dated. We’ve all seen this plunging leopard-print Roberto Cavalli gown so many times before. It reminds me of a look from the Spring 2006 collection. I think Jennifer was trying to recreate her “Versace Grammy’s” moment here, but she failed. A snakeskin Daniel Swarovski clutch added insult to injury. Her performance look wasn’t any better. In fact it was worse. The glittery dress with the keyhole detail and silk grey hem is wrong on so many levels.I feel like she was trying to give us Jlo, but it’s more J-No. More images after the break...

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Tiny keyboard of mobile devices

This slim keyboard is a Bluetooth enabled keyboard. It portable and slim design can be used for travel, school, or any other working environment with a Bluetooth enabled laptop, PC, Windows Mobile and iPad. More about keypad after the break...

6 Images

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Tips For Skin Protection This Summer

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The summer should be a time when we can all look forward to spending some time in the sun. Whether it is on the beach, at a barbecue or simply enjoying a book in the garden, relaxing in the sun helps us to de-stress, creates a positive mood and even stimulates the production of vitamin D. However, for many people with skin conditions the sunshine can be a source of irritation and embarrassment. Some skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema can flare up when exposed to sunlight. Sufferers of other skin conditions, such as acne, may simply feel too self-conscious to expose their skin in public. However, there are skin care precautions and steps you can take to help you enjoy the summer without having to avoid the sun....

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A Dark, Stormy, Rainy & Lazy Sunday Morning At Post Apocalyptic Bohemia

The little bits of "snow" are discarded petals from the Dogwood- Cornus Florida. One plant finishes blooming & then another will up the ante.

Is it a coincidence that I love to play with alliteration, & that I collect Heuchera , Hebes, & Hydrangea? None of these plant groups is in bloom, but the Clematis is showing off this week. I have had Clematis Montana in each of my gardens for the past 25 years. It seems indestructible. You can cut it nearly to the ground & it will grow 20’ in a season. Insects don’t bother it & seems impervious to any disease or problem. I never cut mine back & it has grown at least 30' into the closest trees, a large dogwood, & a white pine. In full bloom it looks like a low hanging billowing cloud. Clematis Etoile Violette came into bloom in the last few days, & unlike me, they seem to really have enjoyed the week of rain.

Even Larry & Junior are unmotivated.

I've got real balls!

I collect orbs. From marbles to bowling balls to globes, I am drawn to round objects.

This photo is a gathering of just a few out of more than 100.

Fashion

I broke a promise to myself this week, & I feel the need to confess. Under the New Austerity Plan, & meditating on all the people on this planet that have so little, I had challenged myself to make no purchases of clothing in 2010. This is no easy covenant, as I don’t know if there is another person on the planet that benefits from retail therapy like I do.

The Husband & I have been invited to a swanky, society benefit event tonight, as guests of a bright, fun, & interesting couple- clients of the Husband. The benefit is for P:ear, an organization that- “builds positive relationships with homeless & transitional youth, ages 15 to 24, through education, art & recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful & healthier lives. Each year the programs serve more than 350 homeless & transitional young people.” Cocktails, music, dancing, auction & dinner with new friends, for a good cause.

The husband pointed out that I own no dress jeans. I wear a uniform at work, & although I used to dress up for work & play, I have become decidedly blue collar in my fashion sense in the past decade. The look is comfortable for my neighborhood & my small universe of North & Northeast Portland. I really don’t need to wear Armani (my favorite designer) to enjoy a PBR at the local watering hole or work in the garden. Besides, Portland is a city where men where flip flops & shorts to the opera, & I have seen woman shopping for groceries in their pajamas. This town is informal, to say the least.


So, I broke my vow to purchase no clothing in the 1st year of the new decade. I bought a really nice pair of jeans to wear tonite with a beautiful linen shirt & a smart jacket, paired with my very hot Kenneth Cole black leather fuck-me boots.

In my color coded closet, darks to lights- solids to patterns, I have at least 50 beautiful shirts, most of which are my favorite western-cut shirts, with mother-of –pearl snap buttons. I figure if you need to touch my furry chest, you should have easy access. I wear these shirts with my funky worn jeans as my uniform. My handsome Husband wears hot designer jeans & flat front khakis with tight tee shirts as his uniform.

I am re-thinking my wardrobe. I have lived through a hippy phase in the late 1960s, my new wave look in the 1980s… but I am considering taking a cue from those wild, hedonistic 1970s as the inspiration for my new look.