$4.95 USA $5.95 CAN t l~r]J]II~l~1,!~J r ontents euc

10 Editorial I Dwight Powell

12 Commentary I Looking For Langston

14 GLAADILook at Where We Are On TV

16 Brave Soul SounlHII I Join in on the conversation and discussion - This month, Erik, Monte and Tim'm tackles dating & Relationships l'm,',Not 18 Mirror Check I From JuwanWatson 19 Grooming 1011 Cool tips on the do's and don'ts to grooming

28 Kevin Aviance I Get in the head of Gay this talented soul, "Just because you support Hot Stuff Michael K WDUams I HBO's something doesn't neces- Come and spend a 30 day with our sexy The Wire's Gay Gangster Chats With Clik sarily mean that you partic- hot stuff model of ipate. I'm not gay. I like the month. 32 Fashion Essentials I Fall for big men. What would I do Fashion Essentials This Fall with a woman?" , ,\ & !'f .' .• 36 Entertainment I Check out what new on the big screen f 30 37 DL Confidential Fashion

What Would Feature I Sex Intrigue & Fashion Langston 82 Patrick 1_ Polk I Creator and Co-executive producer of LOGO's hit series Say? Noah's Arc chats with Clik Frank Leon Roberts explores what 89 Bot Stull Langston might think about the new sa Eva •••••e Diva Black gay Renaissance 66 Saan Out I We offer a delightful

Grooming 101 This issue of Clik Magazine offers dozens of grooming tips including 8 crucial tips for getting that perfect shave. Deondray GosseU & Quincy LeNaar Producers of the DL Chronicals Photographer: Voyuer Photography Cover Design: Dwight Powell pictorial review ofThe Ummah Fund White Attire Affair in Wash, DC

VOL7 tiSSUE 9 • CLK - 4 - www.clikmagazine.com -W- 8 ~

ford.com II I MAG A Z N E

Editor-In-Chief Dwight S. Powell [email protected]

Managing Editor Luis A. Medrano

DEPARTMENT WRITERS / DIRECTORS STAFF WRITERS Fashion Curtis Davis NewYork,NY Senior Staff Writer Scott Bogan Atlanta,GA Finance/Money Jirard Von Washington Miami,FL Senior Staff Writer Darryl Moch PhoenixAl, Travel Feature Michael Adams Atlanta,GA Senior Staff Writer Craig Washington Atlanta,GA Ball Culture Frank Leon Roberts NewYork, NY The Door Erica Watson NewYork, NY Staff Writer Michael Rochelle Baltimore,MD Brave Soul Collective Erik Chambers WashingtonDC Staff Writer Herndon Davis LosAngelos,CA Brave Soul Collective Tim'm West WashingtonDC Staff Writer Juwan Watson Portage,MI Brave Soul Collective Monte Wolf WashingtonDC Staff Writer Kevin McNeir ChicagoIL, Blog Watch Kenneth Winfrey Chicago,IL Staff Writer Lloyd Dinwiddie Atlanta.GA Staff Writer Clay Cane JerseyCity,NJ COPY EDITOR / PROOF READER Staff Claire Cohen TallahasseeFL, CONTRIBUTING WRITER(S) Vincent Tolliver Atlanta,GA FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Stan Shaffer NewYork FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER Derrick Johnson NewYork Photographer Ricc Rollins Tampa,FL Voyeur Photography LosAngelos,CA Photographer Jerry Boles Atlanta,GA

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We have the perfect place. SUBSCRIPTIONS / CONTACT Actually, we have 12,000. [email protected] or 954-455-3394 1001 North Federal Hwy, Suite 305, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 Our guides are packed with LGBT Visit Us Online At - www.clikmagazine.com accommodations, bars, bookstores, :afes & more, across the US, Canada, CLlKTM Magazine is published monthly by Clik Publications, a Florida corporation. The articles and opinions Europe & beyond. expressed herein are solely those of their authors and are not necessarily endorsed by CLlKTM Magazine. Namesand pictures of persons appearing in CLlKTMMagazine are no indication of sexual orientation. All persons appear- Ing in CLlKTM Magazine are at least 18 years of age. CLlKTM Magazine unless specified, does not endorse and is not responsible for claims and practices of advertisers. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. ©2006 All Rights Reserved. Volume 7, Issue 9 - 2006.

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Make Plans To Attend The Nation's Hottest & Sexiest Circuit Event Memorial Day Weekend, Miami, Florida May 24th·28th

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Help fight HIV Talk about your options VIRAMUNE as part of combination Starting a new anti-HIV regimen can be a therapy has been shown to reduce challenge-with different dosing times and viral load to undetectable levels' in restrictions, there's a lot to remember. Dosed HIV-infected men and women- just twice a day.' VIRAMUNE can be and raise your CD4 • , taken with or without food. Talk to cell count. 'lJa your doctor to see if VIRAMUNE is right for you.

Indication and Important Safety Any patient can experience liver problems body fat may occur in patients receiving Information for VIRAMUNE with VIRAMUNE but women and patients antiretroviral therapy. who have higher CD4 counts when they Please see Medication Guide for VIRAMUNE is indicated for use in begin VIRAMUNE treatment have a VIRAMUNE on following page for more combination with other antiretroviral greater risk. If you are a woman with detail on these side effects agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. CD4 >250 cells/mm' or a man with and other important information. VIRAMUNE does not cure HIV or AIDS, CD4 >400 cells/mm3 you should not begin and has not been shown to reduce the risk taking VIRAMUNE unless you and your of passing HIV to others through sexual doctor have decided that the benefit of contact or blood contamination. doing so outweighs the risk. VIRAMUNE can cause severe liver disease The dose of VIRAMUNE for adults is one and skin reactions that can cause death. 200-mg tablet daily for the first 14 days, These reactions occur most often during followed by one 200-mg tablet twice daily. the first 18 weeks of treatment, but can The 14-day lead-in period is important occur later. Ask your healthcare provider because it can help reduce your chances about how to recognize these problems. of getting a rash. Stop taking VIRAMUNE and do not restart it Other side effects that patients have if you have these reactions. Call your experienced include nausea, fatigue, healthcare provider immediately. fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, rl abdominal pain and myalgia. Changes in vlramune® 'A viral load less than 50 or 400 copies depending on the test used. (nevi rapine) tA 14·day lead- in period of VIRAMUNE once daily has been shown to reduce the frequency of rash. tablets / oral suspension

Copyright © 2005, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All rights reserved. 103/051 VR·8515CR·3

f?i\111 Boehri~ger www.viramune.com IIll1hv lngelheim

CORRECTION:

After printing the August issue of Clik we noticed a MAJOR problem with Patrick Ian Polk article.

What might have appeared as typos in that article really weren't. Please allow me to explain. Our proof reader used a feature in Microsoft Word called TRACK CHANGES. As she made corrections to the article, the errors are simultaneously posted in a sep- arate column to tne right.

After the article was proofed and correct, it was emailed to our office to drop-in the designed layout. Prior to dropping-in the article in, I was supposed to have accept- ed or rejected her changes - unfortunately neither was done, resulting in both the cor- rections and the error printing side by side.

This was extremely embarrassing for us

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Name _ and I'm sure frustrating for you. Please Address _ know that the article was reprinted in it's entirety in this issue of Clik Magazine. City State ,Zip _ Thanks to all of our concerned readers that also brought this HUGE mishap to our Email _ attention.

~ Telephone (Optional) _ Humbly Yours,

Dwight Powell Please mail with $20.00 to Clik Magazine Editor-In-Chief 1001 N Federal Hwy., Suite 305 Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 I VOL7 I ISSUE9 • CLi( -10 - www.clikmagazine.oom BRIEF NOTES TOWARD A HISTORY OF THE PRESENT between this generation and the one that preceded it.

What would Melvin Dixon say ifhe knew his nov- els were more likely to be featured on the syllabus of an graduate literature seminar at an Ivy League school than at a book club organized by and for twenty-somethings black gay men? It is just me, or can anything with a colorful book cover and a catchy, "sexy" title pass as black gay literature nowadays? Even though I'm not wishing for some old elitist "talented tenth" bullshit rhetoric that says the only people that are worthy of writing novels are those with master's degrees in creative writing, i am little uneasy with the quality of a lot of what ends up in print by black gay men nowadways. Why is that so many young black men and so much of today's black gay culture seem confined to refer- ences points which only go back six or seven years?

Case in point: with absolute and all due respect, something seems wrong to me when we have black gay men's books clubs that don't feature anything written past 1999. When someone can tell me who is Keith Boykin is in a minute, but looks at me like I'm strange when I mention Richard Bruce Nugent or even Bayard Rustin, there is a problem. And sure, recently black gay men have been thrown a few bones: people generally know who Rustin is what would Langston say about the "new" black renaissance? nowadays, and after Rodney Evan's Brother to Brother (still one of the most refreshing films I have seen in years) people are kind of in the know about Richard Bruce Nugent. omuch of what I know about the critical cul- moments in my life i've participated in the produc- ture of black gay life in the 1980s is only tion of both of these things. I imagine I will contin- I think what bothers me the most about so much of through visits to the library and stories and ue to. But lately, I've been wondering things like: what I have seen, read, and witnessed about the cul- s tural productions (and by 'cultural productions' I memories passed down by older, "fictive" kin. But what would Marlon Riggs have to say about Noah's I do know that it's not an exaggeration to say that Arc? How would Audre Lorde feel about "Black mean everything from novels, magazines, films, the 1980s witnessed a "second renaissance" of Gay Pride"? What category would Assoto Saint discussions, and performance pieces) of young black gay men's cultural production. We know this walk at a ball? black men is that much of the sense of inter-gener- story well: it was the autoethnographic documen- ational exchange that was characteristic of the taries of Marlon Riggs, the photographs ofRotomi Does the new post-millennium phase of young, 1980s black gay crew, is no longer present. Fani-Kayode, the poetry of Assoto Saint, the black gay culture, particularly media culture (the When you think back to the eighties, you think wathershed anthologies of Joseph Beam and Essex sitcoms, magazines, the parties), continue with or about how a film like Looking for Langston by Hemphill, the performance art of PomoAfro acknowledge the words and advice offered by those Isaac Julien was brilliant not only because it was a Homos, the graffiti and love affairs of Jean Michel before us? Or are these figures and sensibilities Basquiat, the Saturday nights at Paradise Garage absent from the contemporary black gay cultural visual embodiment of a lot of what Essex and Assoto were writing about at the time, but also with Larry Levan, the coded (queer) melodies of imaginary? Luther Vandross and the experimental films of because it understood and imagined itself as a "call and response" to Langston Hughes, to Richard Isaac Julien, to name only a few of the figures that I often feel alienated and uneasy when I am in the Nugent, to the Harlem Renaissance. How is this created and united what Jose Esteban Munoz has presence of other twenty-something black gay men generation of young black men "calling" and/or called a "black queer diaspora" aesthetic. and they've never read Lorde, never experienced a Julien work, never recited a Saint poem. My uneasi- "responding" to the in-roads left by people who As someone who is always interested in historiciz- ness is really more with myself than with them. You were around ten years ago, yet alone seventy? In ing the present, I'm puzzled by two questions. First, see, the only thing that bothers me more then the our emphasis on "party culture" has this generation how will my generation (the 20s something crowd) fact that so many of my peers don't know about of black men lost its sense of connectedness to the be (re)membered? Moreover, how might the quali- these folks, is that I get written off as "privileged" voices that came before us? ty of this generation's cultural productions be or "academic" for knowing about them. I find it Now lets be clear. Frank Roberts is defmitely a enhanced if we listened to the sounds and embraced ironic and deeply disturbing that nowadays reading brother who likes to party, and likes to document the sensibilities of the generation that immediately or having full access to the ideas of people like black gay party/c1ub/ball culture. But the difference preceded us? I've been reading a lot of "new" black Joseph Beam, Countee Cullen, Audre Lorde, or Pat is I believe that I have a critical self-reflectivity on gay literature, as well as paying attention to some of Parker is associated with the exclusiveness of "aca- what traditions these events uphold. So in a way, the tendencies of this latest burst of urban black demic privilege", instead of as a basic tenet of black when I'm at Luke and Leroy's in Manhattan with SGL magazines. And of course, at various recent gay life and as a necessary on-going dialogue friends, I'm aware of the ways in which this is and is not different from Langston chillin' with Countee Logo to Launch Queeras Folk Logo to Air World Television Network Premiere on September 21st and Wallace up at the Niggerati Manor. Premiere oI9/II-themed Film WTe View Yousee, I'm not calling for an erasure of "party cul- ture" (a term I'm using here to describe not only the actual party/club scene but also the written publica- tions that often come along with it, i.e. the magazines, Following the tradition of other celebrated pay cable series that made the transition to basic cable, Logo entertainment guides, muscle calendars, etc.). But I today announced that all five seasons of the ground- Logo, the nation's leading 2417 cable and broadband wish our work was more nuanced,. and perhaps even breaking Showtime series Queer as Folk will begin air- channel and source of entertainment for the lesbian, our parties, were more histo-referential in nature. ing in two-episode blocks every Thursday beginning gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) audience, will September 21, 2006 at 10:00PM ETIPT. Logo is the premiere WTC View on September 10th at lOPM nation's leading 2417 cable and broadband channel and ETIPT. The independent film is set in the immediate And no, I am not calling for a total erasure of black source of entertainment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center on gay men's "hot boy" culture with its emphasis on and trans gender (LGBT) audience. September 11, 2001 and follows one man's joumey to muscles,masculinity, and respectability. I don't want find a roommate to share an apartment with a view of erasure,I want negotiation and fluidity. This is one of Ground Zero. the reasons that I am deeply moved by what goes on "Stories ofLGBT Americans who lost friends and fam- in the house-ball community that I belong to. Even ily members on 9111 remain largely untold," said Lisa thoughthe house-ball scene is often misinterpreted as Sherman, Senior Vice President and General Manager a superficial, "low" form of black gay culture, it's one of Logo. "We are proud to present this film that contin- ues to expand the diversity of LGBT stories in the Logo of the only spaces where everyone in the community "LGBT viewers have a new television appointment on Thursday nights," said Lisa Sherman, Senior Vice film library." knowsthat the presence of muscle men ("sex sirens") President, General Manager, Logo. "Queer as Folk rep- andmasculine dudes ("realness boys") does not mean resented the first time that LGBT experiences were WTC View is based on a play of the same name that premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival that these same men cannot embrace excessive femi- reflected in a traditional hour-long dramatic format and we're proud to make it available to the LGBT audi- in 2003. Brian Sloan wrote, directed and produced the ninity,sexual submission (including by transsexuals) ence." film that stars the original critically acclaimed cast, and gender fluidity. Awarding "perfect 10s" to the including Michael Urie, Elizabeth Kapplow and Nick muscle queen (or desiring that body), doesn't neces- Queer as Folk, which aired on Showtime from Potenzieri. sarily suggest an endorsement of "no fats, no ferns" December 3, 2000 until August 7, 2005, was a hit hour- long drama following the triumphs and challenges of a rhetoric. group of gay and lesbian friends in Pittsburgh, PA. Wal-Mart Partners With Gay

Marlon Riggs, as revolutionary as he was, bragged and Lesbian Group Also Hires Gay-Marketing Shop as Retailer openly and freely about his penchant and intense Gay TV network goes dark Works to Alter Image desire for getting fucked by "white muscle queens", Larry Buhl, PlanetOut Network and Essex Hemphill commented on his joy of In an unprecedented push, Wal-Mart Stores has hired a gay-marketing shop, joined the National Gay & Lesbian embodying the "black mandingo" stereotype for Chamber of Commerce and begun discussions with some of his sexual partners (including white men). activist groups about extending domestic-partnership Thesemen, and the generation of artists, thinkers, and benefits to its employees. writers that they belonged to, understood that desire is ambivalent and we can work with it in a way that doesn't have to police desire. NETWORK

What would happen if every black gay magazine After lingering on life support for months and fueled by placed a photo of Countee Cullen and Harold promises that solvency was just around the corner, the Q Television Network officially ended transmission Jackman chillin' at A'Leila Walker's Niggerati Thursday. Manor next to every image of Saturday Nights at "Krash"? What if Ballroom Rockstar featured a Q Television CEO Lloyd Fan announced that funding The initiative comes as Wal-Mart aims to broaden its reprint of Eric Garber's "Spectacles of Color" next would not come and that the network would be unable to meet its financial obligations and would commence appeal and woo both upscale and urban markets, but to every image of the Mizrahi's at a ball? What if bankruptcy proceedings. this is not the first time Wal-Mart has attempted to Keith Boykin and Camille Paglia teamed up like appease critics in the gay and lesbian community. Jimmy Baldwin and Margaret Mead? Of course, "When I took over control of the network on March 7, "Wal-Mart is going about this in a very pragmatic way," I'm being silly here. But my point is, even if these 2006, the company was roughly $7 million behind in payments to vendors; numerous lawsuits had been filed said Justin Nelson, president of the National Gay & things never happen (and they wont), what is the crit- against the company and over $600,000 was owed to Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, an independent organ- icalpotential of an imagination-and embodiment- former employees," Fan said in a prepared statement ization with 24,000 members. "They have been viewed with some degree of skepticism by the lesbian, gay, of their connections? Thursday. "The financial challenges that the network faced proved too difficult and I was simply unable to bisexual and transgendered community, and it's impor- Frank Leon Roberts is a writer, scholar and cultural critic from New turn around the network." tant for them in terms of gaining market share to change YorkCity.He graduated from NYU in 2004 with a B.A. in English and that." African American Studies, and again in 2005 with an M.A. in Firestone Communications, Q's master control center in Performance Studies (TIsch School of Fort Worth, had for several months been sending a A Wal-Mart spokeswoman declined to comment on the the Arts). He is currently a fulltime trio of moves and would only confirm the company's doc/oral student at NYU in the depart- dwindling number of cable stations around the country partnership with the NGLCC. ment of performance studies. In his a continuous loop of old programming. But Firestone political work outside of academia, he had been in dispute with the network for months over has worked closely with community nonpayment. The signal officially ceased Thursday at The initiative comes as Wal-Mart aims to broaden its based organizations such as 5:30 p.m. Central time, QTV's statement said. appeal and woo both upscale and urban markets, but Brooklyn's PO. C.c; APLA. GMHC, this is not the first time Wal-Mart has attempted to and NYSBGN, and is the co-editor of Fan said he would launch a full forensic accounting but appease critics in the gay and lesbian community. In the anthology publication I( We Have did not provide details. 2003 -- after years of lobbying by activist groups -- to Take Tomorrow: New Essays on Wal-Mart extended its workplace nondiscrimination Black Men HIV: and Same Sex Desire. He lives in New York. The demise of the network leaves two LGBT stations in policy to include sexual orientation. the country: here! TV and Logo, which is owned by MTY. eOlieRlialOlDeOIi nBWB

ring characters announced for this year. There are currently no bisexual or transgen- Where We Are on ,.V: der representations on the broadcast net- 11thAnnual Study Examines Diversity of the works.

2008-2007 Primetime "'elevision Season One year ago, at the launch of the 2005-06 Conducted byGLAAD season, GLAAD counted 10 lesbian, gay and bisexual series regulars (representing 1.4% of all characters) with an additional six lesbian, gay and bisexual recurring charac- ters.

While the year-to-year numbers are relative- ly consistent, the profile of the roles has been greatly reduced. CBS' The Class offers the only leading gay character on broadcast television. The exit of NBC's Will & Grace, CBS' Out of Practice and ABC's Crumbs leaves most of the characterizations of gays and lesbians as minor or supporting players. In addition, there is a lack of diversity among this season's characters, with seven out of nine representing gay white men.

NON-CABLE BROADCAST NETWORKS

After a landmark year of lesbian, gay, bisex- ing a large audience anxious to see our sto- ual and trans gender (LGBT) representation ries," says GLAAD President Neil G. in films such as Brokeback Mountain, Giuliano. "The networks, though, are not Capote and Transamerica, the broadcast tele- tapping into this audience and are failing to vision networks continue to underrepresent represent the reality and the diversity of their .2 Lesbillns (14%) 012 OayMen(i36%) • 12 \IVhite! (66%) Il! 1 Latino (7'10, o 1 Afrlctln Amerlean (7%) their LGBT audience, according to an analy- viewers and the world around them." sis conducted by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's GLAAD analyzed the 95 announced prime- LGBT media advocacy group. The number time comedies and dramas on the broadcast Meanwhile, cable and unscripted program- of LGBT scripted representations on the six networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, The CW ming, continue to raise the bar by exploring major broadcast networks will comprise only and MyNetworkTY. Out of a total 679 series LGBT lives and families in multi-dimen- 1.3% of all series regular characters on the regular lead or supporting characters, sional ways. On the mainstream cable net- networks' 2006-07 schedule. GLAAD counts only nine (9) gay or lesbian works, GLAAD counts 25 LGBT series reg- characters - 1.3% - appearing on eight (8) ular characters that will appear during the "In the last year, we've seen a tremendous different scripted network programs. There 2006-07 season, one fewer than last year. amount of visibility on the big screen, reach- are an additional five (5) semi-regular recur- Thanks to programming like Showtime's The L Word and HBO'sThe Wire, both enter-

111987 1998 2002 GLAAD gets the A~r the MUffler of GLAAD' begins. Its NefN '(ark TImes M21W'i4!!WShe:pal'd, 'Aft"'I,)~lt(h'lg Equality" GLAAD gOe.5 to prOle'" I»' p.""adlng :i~l:r~~~~ urarnle, Wyo.mtn9 tl\e: New York Trme~te ,and begin uslnq to h.1p CXlol'dllwot. add same:-Soe): union tllle: woort:l 'gey~' media oLltruth Jltifl()ldn~iI!:nM. .and "'Iglf's.

Fair,accurate and inclusive ... 2004 2005, GL.At\O and Nledse,. all'lnOlltla Joint venture 1997 ~=~:'r~cD~~i~d~~::~~ 2000 to tmpf()\le (o~ntltli'J or I" cre8tlon o.r ZI lendl'l\8fk lOirlt The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against G.LAAl)·. ·Let ""<>MjItOdbyfMlnem'. gay IUld 1~1>l'J\ rv .tet""'.nt-Q .•U•.Right!>. Ellen Out' •iA. L.iIt!.~_iJ expeBd 'to,tnaml end eliminating homophobia and discrimi- b/'Oa

VOL 7 I ISSUE9 • CLi{ - 14 - www.clikmagazine.com ing their fourth seasons, and the N's South of ters, male characters outweigh females 387 Nowhere, now in its second season, LGBT (57%) to 292 (43%) and that the faces on stories continue to be told in diverse and scripted network programs continue to be pre- compelling ways. dominantly white at 513 (75%). African Americans make up 81 (12%) of the character- For II years, GLAAD has reported on the izations, down 2% from the previous season. state of LGBT characters on television. For Latinalo representation rose one percent for a the second year in a row, GLAAD has exam- total of 49 (7%). There are 18 (3%) Asian- ined the race and gender in addition to the Pacific Islander characters, 11 (2%) multi- sexual orientation of the 679 series regulars racial characters, four (1%) of Middle Eastern

(The key wOrd here is Character - GAY ROLES ON TV) Broadcast Networks* Show Network Character Actor orientationlEthniciti October 27-29, 2006 Lead "Changing Hearts & Minds" The Class CBS Kyle Sean Maguire gay/white Subtotal: 1 Host Hotel: Quality Inn & Suites 2401 Brick Church Pk Dr, 37207 Supporting *Mention "Black Pride" for the Brothers & Sisters ABC Bryan Walker Matthew Rhys gay/white special $60, $70, and $75 Desperate Housewives ABC Andrew Van De Kamp Shawn Pyfrom gay/white room rates (615) 226-4600 ER NBC Dr. Kerry Weaver laura Innes lesbian/white Fashion House MyNetwkTV Harold Garrett Swann gay/white Hans Tony Tripoli gay/white [email protected] Help Me Help You ABC Jonathan Jim Rash gay/white (800) 845-4266 x 269 The Office NBC Oscar Oscar Nunez gay/Latino (615) 974-2832 The Simpsons FOX Waylon Smithers Hank Azaria gay/white brothersun ited.com/blackpride. htm Subtotal: B Proud Member International Federation of Black Prides Organization Recurring Weekend activities include Big Day ABC Fred Leslie Odom, Jr. gayfAfrican American a Grey's Anatomy ABC Joe Steven w. Bailey gay/white reception, book signings, The Simpsons FOX Patty Bouvier Julie Kavner lesbian/white spoken word event, live music Ugly Betty ABC Marc Michael llrie gay/white & entertainment, town hall The War at Home FOX Kenny Rami Malek gay/white meeting, benefit party, Black Subtotal: 5 LGBT Film & Cultural Fest. Total: 14

scheduled to appear on the broadcast net- origin, and three non-human characters. works during the 2006-07 season, based on information the networks provided by Aug. "When you look at primetime's dismal lack of NASHVillE CARES 18,2006. LGBT characters - combined with the contin- uing under-representation of people of color, HUMA, GLAAD's analysis finds that of 679 charac- gay and straight alike - it's clear that the RIGHTS broadcast networks CA M I'A IGN~ MAINSTREAM BROADCAST NETWORKS have a long way to go before they accurately FREEDOM PRESS Sexual Orientation Race Gender reflect the diversity of mm ;';1:ttliii N(WSPAPlft their audience and our society," Giuliano says.

Report Conducted by GLAAD

14 Lesbians (44%) • 23 WIltes (73%) • 17 Women (53%) o 13 Goy Men (41%) o 3 Lotinos (9%) 14 Men (44%) m 3 Bisexual Women (9%) o 3 African Americans (9%) .1FTM (3%) [I] 1 Bisexu~1Man (3%) Ii 1 Aslen Pacific Islander (3%) m 1 Bisexual FTM (3%) • 1 Muli-Rociol (3%) • 1 Non-Human (3%) VOL7 tiSSUE9 • CLi( - 15 - www.clikmagazine.com Fast and Easy. Guaranteed Ll 8R8U8 8Ru1CL88-=>

Orbitz makes it easy. to find py-friendly ~OU aR8 8nOUGH! travel. Chec:k out our Deal of the MotdII: Book a qualifying cruise on Atlantis or Oliviaand get a free IIigbt from Orbitz.' You are enough. There is more than enough. needed to slow down. As a result of being so driven When thinking about the word enough, what during the past six months, all of the activity I've Sign up today for our free gay travel does it mean to you? I constantly wonder if I consumed myself with has had an impact on my e-newsletter at www.orbitz.conVgaytraveI truly comprehend what it means to BE enough, health as it relates to my being HIV positive. and you'll get the latest scoop on the and realize that there is more than enough of 'Burnout' (as we refer to it this month) has had quite hottest destinations and exclusive everything I [need] in order to be healthy, happy, an impact on my life lately, and it's something I've travel discounts. and productive. Life in general can oftentimes committed myself to changing. My life as a whole be hectic, stressful, and busy regardless of one's depends on my ability to maintain a healthy balance particular profession, routine, or activities they between work, and everyday necessities like sleep- may be involved with. We live in a society that ing, eating, exercising and relaxing. is driven by ambition, competition, and other [illusory] perceptions of what it means to be Many black SGL men grapple with depression, low successful. While those things can oftentimes self esteem, and even suicide, which is another rea- serve as motivators and can drive us to produce son why we settled on mental/emotional wellness as our topic this month.

Unfortunately, too many of us have bought into the belief that we are unwor- thy of love & happiness, and therefore unable to move beyond the [perceived] darkness. Suicide can oftentimes seem like the only way out of all of the drama, sadness, loneliness many of us deal at one point or another in our lives. Not only our sexuality, but our race, and/or class playa huge part in how challenging our lives can oftentimes be. Being able to support SIZZLE MIAMI INC., each other individually as well as collec- The Nation's premier tively is one of the only ways we can pre- event presents three vent ourselves from being negatively impacted by these issues. When I think events that are sure to about the untimely departure of one our e the talk of the very own 'Brave Souls' recently, I'm sad- town in 2007 some of our most powerful work, the opposite is dened and inspired, almost in the same breath. also true. When coming from a mind frame that Rickey Williams wasn't someone I knew personally, is deeply rooted in lack, doubt, fear, and low self but he was a dear friend of Tim'm's. Yet when I esteem, feeling the need to prove oneself as oth- received news of his untimely departure, I felt a loss erwise can oftentimes result in becoming that was just as full as if we'd known each other for slave(s) to those things such as competition and years. That feeling clearly stems from the fact that I ambition. For anyone of us as black SGL men, too have attempted to take my own life too many it could be a combination of any of the follow- times to count. Instinctively, I felt the need to remind ing that could serve as roadblocks to our mental Tim'm of the support and love that surround him to and emotional well being: rent, bills, work, keep him strong in lieu of this tragedy. As a result of school, church, family, friends, romantic rela- this loss, there has been a rededication among us tionships (or lack thereof), sex (again or lack 'Brave Souls' to make sure we all are 'kept' and pro- thereof), etc. However, problems do have solu- tected, nurtured and reminded of how special, how tions. Mental & Emotional Wellness is our topic magnificent, how blessed and loved we are. It's that for September 2006, and we believe that exam- message which we seek to pass on to all those who ining this topic serves as one of the biggest solu- read these words, and to all who visit the BSC web- tions to any problems we as black same gender site this month. loving men may encounter. Know that YOU ARE ENOUGH, there is MORE In the past six months, as the creator of Brave THAN ENOUGH LOVE, SUPPORT, and MORE Soul Collective, my life has been more fulfilled THAN ENOUGH OF US, who support you and are mentally and emotionally than I think it's ever here to remind you should you ever forget. been before. However, in the process, I still have allowed myself to fall into some unhealthy rou- Be good to yourself, first. tines and patterns of behavior. Somehow, while doing the work that has come with BSC, work- Much love from Monte, Tim'm & Erik ing two jobs, and freelancing as an artist, an For more on Brave Soul Collective, actor, & writers, I forgot about me. please visit www.bravesoulcollective.org DENVER - MIAMI - LASVEGAS The most recent reminder I got was indeed a wake up call. I was told by my doctor that I www.sizzlemiami.com

17 - eLK - VOL 7 / #9 - clikmagazine.com maLe GROOminG

We all know that sweating is a part of life. Some men sweat more than others. Sweating is what keeps our That is the question with cologne. The correct ORIENTAL describes a spicy body temperature stable. answer is scent. You want to have a pleasant fragrance, usually full-bodied. scent, perhaps one to be remembered by, not MARINE describes an ocean Apocrine glands make us sweat and some the one that killed someone. GREEN describes fragrances people have more than others. It is really not from plants such as pine, juniper, the sweat that smells so bad; rather, it is the Fragrance should be your signature. It can other leaves, and herbs. bacteria that forms in the sweat that smells also elevate your mood, enhance your con- CHYPRE describes earthy fra- bad. The main idea is to be neutral, that is, fidence, increase alertness, or help you grances such as patchouli. your body odor should be neutral. Our socie- relax. Chypre is the French word for ty tends to frown upon strong body odor. It is Cyprus. a fact that some people smell worse than The number of colognes on the market others but we all know is overwhelming. There are basic cate- When applying cologne, the key that deodorant can gories for fragrances and you may is to be discreet. If you are using take care of that. prefer certain ones over others. The spray cologne, use no more than true test though is how the fragrance two sprays. If you are using a Deodorant or works with your body chemistry. pour bottle be a "dabber" not a antiperspirant? When you go to the store to tryout "splasher": apply it with one fin- This is a common ques- various colognes, you really must ger in various locations such as tion. A deodorant neu- spray them on your skin. You can your neck, elbows, ankles, wrists, tralizes the begin your search by smelling the bot- behind your knees and ears. smell and has tle to see if you like the scent. If you These are the points where heat is an antiseptic do, then spray it on your wrist. It is generated. Applying cologne at effect on the best to try only two per trial. these points will make it last bacteria. Otherwise, your nose will get over- longer because these pulse points whelmed. You might bring a signifi- create a "pump" effect. Spraying Deodorants do cant other to help you decide. Some your clothes will probably stain not interfere people suggest bringing a sack of cof- them and your scent will be fleet- with sweating and that fee beans to sniff in between tests to ing. Also, do not mix scents, as so is a good thing. On the neutralize your nostrils. This may be a many products contain scents - other hand, antiperspirant actually clog or block the good idea if you can not make numer- shave creams and gels, after- pores so they won't sweat. ous trips to the mall to test fragrances. shave, toners, Aluminum is used in The following categories describe the deodorants / antiperspirant, etc. these products and different cologne types available: Some terms that you might want to know can build up in .;;iii".~i.:i! the brain. CITRUS describes fragrances with lemon, lime, and other are: citrus fruits and is usually associated with men's cologne. EDC - Eau de cologne is the least concentrat- There are many commercial brands of FOUGERE means fern in French. These fragrances are ed form of a fragrance (2 - 5% perfume oil deodorants and antiperspirant from which to mossy and herbal dissolved in water and alcohol) EDT - Eau de toilette (4 -10%) choose. There are also many natural brands FLORALscents are those from flowers. Many types of flow- EDP - Eau de parfum (8 - 15%) that do not contain parabens or aluminum if ers are used in preparations. PARFUM or Perfume (15 - 25%) is the most concentrated. you are worried about potential health prob- lems. Deodorant crystals are an effective and safe alternative to traditional, commercial antiperspirant and deodorants. Deodorant • Trim each nail to a practical length. crystals contain mineral salts and ammonium ,. Using an emery board, file any alum . • rough edges on your nails. . • Dry, ragged cuticles should be During the summer when it is really hot, you softened and removed or pushed might think about trimming your underarm back. There is a tool for this if you hair to reduce odor. have a manicure set. Overbearing , cuticles are a major turn-off . • Buff or paint your nails. important too. Constant hand washing will dry

• I Hangnails can be annoying and cause infec- out your hands. tion so treat them carefully. To remove a hangnail, soak your hand for about 10 minutes in a soapy You can purchase a manicure kit at many solution or one of water and olive oil so it will be stores or online. It is not a bad idea to go and Nailing a healthy look comes from grooming easier to trim. Use sterilized get a manicure to see how it is done and your entire body: from your hair to your toes. So, nail scissors to clip it then get some ideas on how you can do it your- a good manicure is essential to achieving an over- apply some anti-bacterial self. Or, just indulge yourself once a week allhealthy look. More and more men are fre- ointment. or so and get manicured! Usually, you quently spas and salons to have their nails mani- will get a nice, relaxing hand-massage cured. Unkempt hands are a turn-off to anyone .. Many men have rough with it. If you are a nail biter, this could . an employer, a significant other, a stranger. hands and they need their be your cure. callused hands softened . • Hands and nails must be clean. Using a nail Using an exfoliating scrub will And don't forget your feet! Pedicures are brush really gets the dirt. Lemon juice makes a soften rough, dry hands. A green tea soaking available for men and your toes are important good cleaner. Cut a lemon in half and twist each solution acts as an antioxidant and removes tox- too! Don't forget about them! Your feet have a finger in it to clean each nail. ins. Keeping your hands well moisturized is big job in life and your toes need some TLC too!

VOL 7 tiSSUE 9 • CU< 19 www.clikmagazine.com GrOOminG 101 / SHin caR Greal Shaving Tips For Black Men Pseudofolliculitis barbae, better known to us brothas as, "razor bumps", occur on the faces of men with coarse, wiry, curly hair. Between fifty and eighty percent of African-American men live with the problem of ingrown hairs and razor bumps, daily.

These razor bumps appear when beard hairs, most likely around the neck area, curl as they grow and bur- row into the skin adjacent to the hair follicle. Shaving sharpens the hair ends, making it easier for them to pen- etrate the skin.

Razor bumps itch, burn, can cause scar- ring, and make shaving virtually impossi- ble. Many Black men have resorted to depilatory creams which seem to work significantly better than blades. However, some depilatories, if not used correctly, may irritate the skin.

Cortisone-based creams have also been available for some time, but many cannot be used long-term due to blood stream absorption and other side effects.

How Ingrown Hairs Start Both men and women suffer from ingrown hairs. But men tend to suffer the most because of the coarseness, or thickness of the hair follicles on the face and neck. Ingrown hairs form after the hair has been cut or otherwise removed below the skin surface. As the hairs grow, they curl over within the follicle and fail to exit to the surface. The result is an unsightly, "bump" on the skin.

Some razor bumps also form when a growing hair exits the follicle and bends back towards the skin surface. When these sharp, shaved edges of coarse hair touch the skin surface, they burrow back into the skin causing puffy, pimple-like bumps to appear.

Fighting Ingrown Hairs Many men have found that the only way to remove these irritating bumps is by tweezing their faces. While this isn't very comfortable, most Black men haven't discovered a better solution. l :ryt.s'ha~g l.:l:PI~

Beloware 8 shaving tips that may help ease some of the pain and moreimportantly, save your face:

Applying a shaving lotion after shav- ing will reduce the appearance of redness. This is also great for women after shaving legs, bikini lines and underarms.

Be sure to always use a clean blade when shaving with a razor. This can be best achieved by only using new blades and discarding ones that have been previously used three or more 'times.

If you use an electric razor, replace the rotary blades or foil after a few months. Of course if you're required to shave daily, you may have to replace them sooner. This can be a headache since many rotary blade components cost more than half of what the entire razor is worth.

While shaving with a handheld razor, always shave in the direction of hair growth. Most hair on men's faces, slant downward, so be sure to shave in that direction. This is also important around the neck areas since shaving against the grain is one of the main causes of pointy, sharp hairs that can burrow back into the skin.

Don't stretch your skin while shaving. pulling your cheeks, chin or neck while shaving in order to get a clos- er shave, can cause darkness and Odiscoloration of underlying skin tis- sue. This is especially true for light and fair-skinned Black men who have dark, coarse hair.

Watch what you eat. A lot of skin irrita- tions may subside if certain foods are avoided. Fatty foods, foods con- taining oils, cholesterol and sodium, 0can make your skin more susceptible to damage while shaving.

Give up on razors and use a depilatory. Depilatories work well on most skin, but not on all. They can remove facial hair in a matter of minutes, but just Olike blade shaving, can cause a bit of irritation and redness. Be careful not to use alcohol-based aftershaves or creams immedi- ately after using a depilatory. Mixing the two is like throwing flames onto your face.

Grow a beard. This may not be the best SOlution for those required to shave • daily, such as the military and other • business professions. But if you can Oswing it, why not? You will totally eliminate the razor bump worries and ingrown hair issues.

Deondray originallY Quincy and d bonded through began as actors an started shoot- The their lo~e offilm rt r1lms featuring ing the1r own hs 0 however, it was themselves as actors, d behind the not until they move . e all the di d they receiv scenes 1 Deondray · they have now. ace 1.a1m "Once we decided to jokmgly says, .d f the camera we get on the other Sl eo. I don't t all the attentlOn. started to ge about our act- know what t~~t says om acting to . I" Trans1tlOnmg fr h to mg: allowed t em behind the scenes tive voice; offer- th ir own crea have e d black performers ing other actors an e not otherwise .' that wer oppo~UltleS ale and hetero land of given in the PTh' bold step resulted Hollywood. .1S om any 2 Cents in their productlOn c p 1birth of Production and the eventua The DL Chronicles. . ff rs a fresh, L Chromcles 0 re . The D. d thought-provokmg provocat.lVe a~he lives of black men perspectlVe on with men. The DYNAMIC DUO who secretly have s~,~ isode: Wes," first installment, 11 ~ce in Media QUI,NCY LENEAR & DEONDRAY GOSSETT received the ;;~~ ~ew York Black Award at the f nee and chosen Men's Film Con ~~hort film by the as an accompllFshet' al In addition, F t Film es 1V . . d Out es . ta llment "EP1S0 e: the second ms Short Film at the rt" won Best . 1 Ro bert , d Black InternatlOna 2006 Oaklan . 1 Other acco- T Film FestlVa. f L.GB e 2006 Certificate 0 lades mclud~h~ City of San Francisco Honor from. C ntribution to the for outstandmg 0 'ty and two LGBT CommuUl h Blac.k .out nights at t e consecutlVe sold 1Gay & Lesbian London I~te~at~~~etheless, Quincy Film Fest1va '. . not com- d ' Journey 1S and Deo~ :a:A: DL Chronicles; they pleted W1t. be icked up for a are stillloo~m~ to ~ possible tele- DVD comp1latlOn, or vision series. . f The DL Chronicles is OF SUCCESS Each ep1sode °d d directed and ro uce , d crea ted.' P b Quincy an _...... wntten y h have not •• Deondray, w 0 worked together as on1y hast There are millions of nameless and faceless African- filmmakers over t e p American voices that have not been respected, acknowl- five years, but they are edged, or even heard. When it comes to the complex lives also in a ten-year rel~- tionship. Only 3~~ of black gay men many think our stories have already their early been told through sexually exploitive media outlets like Quincy and Deondray articles in The New York Times, vapid BET documen- have made an impact taries, or books that are "written" to rake in money, but on black culture, or more specifically, black offer no truth. Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossett one on- gay culture. ln a . - s are feverishly working to tell an untold story in their criti- . terview they d1SCUS onem d cally acclaimed short film anthology The DL Chronicles. f men on the own the hYPeo. The DL Chronicles low, rna mgk . would and the social 1mpact they h .n the future. like to ave 1 DL got its wave Article By Clay Cane Men on tbe Q&A Next Page SCENE TAKE

DIRECTOR [ O. LENEAR.t D.~osS£IT

Men on the DL got its wave of They never talk about the catalyst, or the machine that keeps the whole DL thing running. With media attention about a year or The DL Chronicles we are attempting to reconstruct, or redefine, what it means to be DL and two ago. Why is this issue still also explore the participants and situations. Why they exist, the social pressures, particularly important to talk about? African-American men, are under to conform to this DL world. You can't blame anyone com- Quincy: It has been touched on by a couple munity because everybody has their own negative view point of it ... so that's what we want- of people, but that doesn't mean everybody's ed to explore in the series. story has been explored or told. It is kind of like we did Roots so why do we ever have to In "Episode: Wes" the man on the DL wasn't a victim or a villain. You talk about slavery again? There are so many let the audience decide for itself. Are you concerned with straight different rich stories behind why so many women, because they are very interested in this, walking away from African-American men have to hide their the film in a hyper paranoia about men on the DL, which is what hap- sexuality. The media has coined the term as pened with other forms of media? the "down low" ... we're not trying to show Quincy: We were in the beginning but now the film has shown so many times in so many dif- the same story you've seen on Oprah, the ferent environments - straight festivals, gay festivals, black festivals, white festivals and not same story you've seen on BET, which is the once have we had that response from the women - even our test screenings with black straight same story you read in The New York Times. women of different ages. Everybody had a different opinion of what they saw and no one was We're going into different people's lives, left feeling like, "Let me go check to see what are the signs I need to look for in my man!" different backgrounds, different situations Some of the women said they were able to identify with what the guy was going through, but and we're exploring their stories on why at the same time they could also understand the women's position as far as what she wanted they are, so to speak, closeted, or afraid to be from her relationship ... they thought it was refreshing. It had its little scandal in it - of course who they are in public in private. I think we had to entertain people, but they really weren't expecting to see something that made them everybody has a different reason, there's not rethink what they already had come up with in their head. one reason ... that's why we feel it is a very important topic because there's a lot of peo- There wasn't a BIVI AIDS aspect in that particular episode of Wes, ple whose stories haven't been told. which was good because in the media nearly every "DL" man has Deondray: Although the media has been BIV/AIDS. Bow did that decision come about? flooded with all these different documen- Deondray: When you think of the DL that's the first thing you think of and if we were going taries and talk show segments about the to get people to understand, try to identify, or begin to start having dialogue about this phenom- "DL" no one ever talks about the why - it's enon we had to omit HIV/AIDS - at least in the first episode. With HIV the subject is not always viewed as the predator or the victim. about a guy struggling with his sexuality, it then becomes the story about the guy with AIDS VOL 7 I ISSUE 8 • Q.i< - 24 - www.clikmagazine.com that is about to give it to his wife. That is my everyday life, I did not have a wife, I did of the audition process they would often say, not in any way to deny that occurs, but not have a girlfriend and I was not deceiving "I knew he was gay but I didn't know he had again, the machine that keeps this type of women. I was deceiving myself and that is the to be intimate." They would back out ... the relationship. So, to put mv in it was most important part of the whole DL - the strange thing is some of these actors were going to distract you from the greater issue self-deception. friends of ours who we know are gay and and that is men who are socially pres- they were afraid of playing gay. sured in being the way that they are. Quincy: The African-American stig- Quincy: One of the problems with ma is so prevalent in our community the DL term is that it has become syn- that even the person who is actually onymous with HIV and ultimately if gay doesn't want to be seen in the pub- you dissect what the DL means it has lic as being so - it can damage their nothing to do with my. It has to do whole career. So, we had a lot of that, with sexuality and the ability to, or but of course we found some brave not to, live honestly and openly. The ones that were willing to take chances. disease is something that has been The funny thing is the guy who actu- attached and now when you think DL ally accepted the role in the first one you think black AIDS. In the first was actually not American - he was episode we did not touch on that. Australian. Although, he's black, he's You have a movie by a particular black Australian so he had a different director that was slated to come out take on the whole homosexuality thing and that's what that was about. You and didn't have any hang-ups about had the book by Mr. King and that's playing a gay character. The other guy what Oprah Winfrey focused on. You he's black, but he's none descript had the The New York Times article black, he's multi-cultural so again the and that's what they focused on ... stigma was not as strong with him AIDS is not the only story about the either. He is aware ofthe stigma, but it DL. wasn't enough to keep him from doing a film and I think that had a lot to do Rave,either of you lived on with his cultural upbringing. A lot of the DL as it applies to cur- the guys that were from the hood, as rent media definition? we say, were the very ones that refused Deondray: No, we've never cheated - even the gay ones. on women; we've never been in rela- tionships with women while sleeping This has always been criti- with men. I used the term in a BET cism of gay films, mainly documentary that I so demonize now white of course - in your film where we participated unknowingly all of these actors are strik- and it was suppose to be a sympathet- ingly beautiful. When you ic view of the DL man. I was see gay films everyone is so explaining to the interviewer that I attractive and have the best wasn't lying to another woman - it bodies. Was that conscious was to 'my family, friends and co- to make them pretty enough workers. Yes, I was in a relationship for the audience to enjoy the with Quincy for five years before I told anyone - I was pretending to be characters and is there going straight. You know, yelling at girls to be some diversity, as far with my boys, talking about girls, as body image, in future whatever it took to keep my cover episodes? and then I'd go home to him. In that Quincy: Yes, it was conscious, I won't respect I call that the DL, but the cur- deny that. There are no black gay proj- rent media definition - I was never ects, or were at the time. Noah s Arc on the DL. was lingering in the background to be Quincy: I say the same thing released on Logo. All of the gay proj- because when I met De~dray I was ects have all been white and of course not in a relationship with a woman. I they use white gym boys, but we had been in relationships with haven't had anything for us. This has- women in the past, but I was trying to n't been done yet; we wanted to grab be straight. The relationships never people's attention so of course we are worked out, not because I cheated but going to cast very attractive men, It's because ultimately my heart wasn't like when people say; when you're there. My family and friends would looking for a relationship you're look- say, when are you going to marry, ing for personality first, I have not when are you going to have kids ... there's really met that person who can honest- an excuse for every question. Meanwhile ly say they walk down the street and they are Deondray is standing next to me and they Was it hard to cast African- looking at people's personalities and not just think he's my best friend, roommate American actors for these roles? their physical appearance. So, I think one of and nobody knows this is my boyfriend Deondray: In a single word, yes! We had a lot our casting perquisites is that the guys had to and has been for years. I consider that DL of guys that came in and I guess hadn't read the be sexy. At the same time we wanted to cast because I lived a "straight" appearance in full breakdown of the character. In the middle very strong actors that are not only good-

VOL 7 I ISSUE 8 • CLi( - 25 - www.clikmagazine.com looking, but they can act, which has been her CD while I was writing. A lot of the visu- Food. It's a romantic drarna-dy, really dra- my issue. They cast these really good guys als I wrote were actually images that her music matic but a lot of comedy. Explores another but they can't act themselves out of a bag. conjured up in my head. It was organic for me way a person can be on the DL that is not We had some guys that auditioned for us to use her but at the same time if you listen to what you expect it to be. It's good because that were probably way more attractive in what she is saying in some of these songs they it shows how it's okay for two men to be in my opinion then the guys we cast, but they were perfect. The other thing is we want to lift love, not in lust and how that can be beauti- just didn't have the talent ... but yeah, we the quality of black film making and story- ful. are trying to get viewers! (laughs) telling. Everything does not have to be scored Quincy: I think the first one was pretty Deondray: Down the road there are going by 50 Cent; it doesn't have to be scored by much about a guy who had not acted on his to be your everyday average guys, but we're some hip-hop track. We are richer than just desires so during one night of passion he trying to get this out to the masses. To have that experience - I felt like the Nina Simone went for it. This one is about can two black the people you can see everyday ... I don't fit because it was still black music and a black men fall in love and at the same time know- know how stimulating that will be. We put artist. Her music opened up the film in a way ing that they have all of these social faces to the poster out and we got immediate that I felt like it became more universal. wear. Deondray: I have to add we still don't have the What is the ultimate goal of The rights to Nina Simone so D£ Chronicles? when the series hopefully Deondray: First and foremost we would gets picked up, the music like to get, at the very least, some kind of score might change. We're DVD compilation that people can rent, or on really disappointed by that television somewhere. Beyond that I would but it's really hard to get hope what this series does is puts a mirror up Nina Simone currently to black America and look at the roles they because she is suddenly play in homophobia, the roles they play in popular again as far as deception. There is no innocent party; how- scoring for film. Her price ever, we do think there are reasons why the has gone way up and on the DL exists. budget we are producing it Quincy: I think exposure to black alterna- is just difficult to try to get tive sexuality will possibly help. In the the rights. beginning there is going to be a backlash. Quincy: If anyone has any We have Noah s Arc, which I think is impor- hook-ups contact us! tant because it's the first of its kind. It's opening a lot of doors and it's telling its sto- You guys recently ries, but there's so many other stories that did a music video can be told - we hope to be able explore so with Jody Watley - different stories. We want to give people a how was that like different perspective of what it is to be black working with her? and gay. I was talking to my family and Deondray: It was our sec- even though they are aware I'm gay, they responses just because of the guy's face ond time working with Jody. Jody trusts us and love Deondray, they love us, but every now without even knowing what it was about. she basically gave us creative control. She said and then they will say things to let me know Of course once the series is settled and what she's looking for, what she was trying to they still have these beliefs on what gay peo- solidified, yeah, we will start to explore accomplish and she just let us take it from ple are. The DL Chronicles challenges so everybody. That is the whole point of the there. She was in on the editing process so she many of those different stereotypes - there's DL Chronicles to get a well-rounded per- was just as much involved in it as we were, but always going to be somebody that fits the spective. We don't have a regular cast, she gave us all the credit. bill in your head, but the next week there'll every episode is a brand new cast, story - Quincy: I feel like there's an understanding be a completely different story. it's an anthology series so there's a lot of between us and Jody because in many ways we Deondray: Personally, we want to branch room for different varieties to come are doing the exact same thing. Of course she out from this particular project and be able through. has had way more success than we can ever to develop, create other projects and at the Quincy: Funny thing is the attractiveness imagine at this point, however, she is an inde- same time direct feature films. Of course of the men helped create a cross over audi- pendent artist and she is producing and creat- we're directors so every director's goal is to ence. We don't just have a gay audience, ing her own content. She's not waiting on continue to direct. Hopefully you guys can we have black women and white women someone to tell her yes, or say this is going to look forward to more from us indefinitely. and the women find these men really attrac- work, or that isn't going to work. So many tive. Straight women come and say, "Wow, people tried to change what we were doing - For more information on the DL Chronicles visit www.dlchronicles.com I never thought I would be attracted to a gay saying nobody's going to watch that, add some guy." What's more important is that we get white guys to it and we're like, this is what we you in the seat and we give you something Clay Cane is an established writer in the NJ/NYC area. wanna do. Once we do it, you'll see it and He received his bachelor's degree in 2006 from Rutgers that's worth a half hour of your time. know we are right about our intention. Jody University in African American Studies and graduated Watley is the exact same way; we meet on that as a Phi Beta Kappa. Cane is in Why did you choose Nina same stage. the process of publishing his first novel BALL-SHAPED Simone's music in "Episode: WORLD, which is a fictional- Wes" as the score and how do What can we expect from the next ized account of the black and you think it adds to the film? episode? Latin ballroom scene. In addi- tion, he is a freelance writer for Quincy: I choose the music for the first one Deondray: "Episode: Robert" is a complete various publications such as and I grew up on Nina Simone. My mom departure from the first without feeling like it's Blackplanei.com, Men's Fitness was a big Nina Simone fan and I'm a big not part of the series. It's a romantic comedy Vibe.com and various other Nina Simone fan. It just so happened that a of sorts and stars Terrell Tilford from Soul print/on-line publications. lot of the story was inspired by listening to

VOL 7 I ISSUE 9 • Q.i( - 26 - www.clikmagazine.com CBL6BRIT~1IFILe

Last year around this same time we posed the question: Who should play Wonder Woman in the next big screen pro- duction to be released in 2007. It appears that none of the sexy vixens are in the running. The person rumored to play the lead of gays idol Diana everywhere is Morena Baccarin.

The Amazonian princess- warrior Diana left her lush tropical island to dwell in our urban cityscapes of glass and steel. Tutored in the ways of the Greek warriors, and outfitted with incredible gifts the Goddess bestowed upon her people, she becomes Paradise Island's emissary to civilization. Clips from Andy's Blog interview with Michael that all the question we pondered since the start of this sea- son's Project Runway. We'll skip right to the juicy stuff.

She'd definitely look breathtaking in the costume, but it's Jolie's powerful OKEVERYBODYWANTS TO KNOW- ARE YOU screen presence that would make her an SINGLE OR WHAT? ideal candidate to Well, first of all let me say I am straight! It's no big deal play Wonder Woman. but everybody is asking me. They don't see me so Angelina comes to maybe they wonder. I don't know. the table alread knowin to kick he did most of WELL, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WHETHER her own stunts in YOU WERE STRAIGHT OR WHAT BUT I FELT both "Lara Croft" LIKE ASKING IF YOU ARE SINGLE WAS THE blockbusters. own. RIGHT WAY TO LEAD TO IT SO I AM GLAD YOU ADDRESSEDIT. I am so glad you asked it that way, Andy. It's stupid and rude and I don't get why it makes a difference either way. The hood side of me wants to say, "Why - - are you trying to screw me, is that why you're ask- ing?" But that's what I want to say. But, yes I am straight and no I am not dating anybody. Wow, I can't believe we are really discussing this!

THE FACT OFTHE MATTER IS THAT PEOPLE WONDER ABOUT DESIGNER 5 SEXUALITY PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY OTHER FIELD BECAUSE IT IS AN OVERTLY CREATIVE FIELD. People would naturally assume that because the majority of the individuals in fashion are gay. I get why they would assume it. It really doesn't bother me. I don't care either way.

WELL THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS YOU ARE DAMN HANDSOME SO THAT 5 WHY PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW. SO ARE PEOPLE COMING ON TO YOU MICHAEL KNIGHT? Thanks! Yeah, I personally don't read any of the blogs and stuff but my friends are telling me that I have some fans that want a piece of me! Yeah, I'm sure the panties will be thrown and fun stuff like that. This is all the fun part now! I accept it all....

When I first saw this photo above, I was like what a great photo- shop job - then I came across another (Left), and realized that it was real. Please eat Nicole, eat. BOOR SHeLF musIc

This Fall, find a UPCLose cozy quiet spot, a tall glass of ice tea, and ... Serve & Serve It Well Kevin Aviance Nero Part I of 2 Feature THREE Vevin Aviance does SIDES TO .f'\..not fit into one cate- EVERY gory of entertainment. He __..$. .TORY is at once an entertaining performer, a recording ~ There's A Huge artist whose songs top the Buzz about this one. Set in charts and vibrate through New Orleans, Clarence Nero the club world, an innova- writes about a love triangle tor of fashion and style, a that will even make E. Lynn model and muse of top blush. Sensational Read. $12.95 - 266 pages Hold On designers, a talented and ISBN 0-7679-2136-4 studied dancer, or, as he harlemmoon.com likes to call himself, an Michael Ashanti "Entity." Whatever one decides to label him, one IS coming for AI fact is clear: everything he touches seems to turn to gold, and fans cannot get Of You! enough of this energy.

Kevin Aviance's music is If you're a big fan of Rashan Patten a mixture of underground you'll find comfort and enjoyment funk and bustling house Michael Ashanti's debut album "All rhythms, performed with such energy, fervor, and Me". The CD delivers a fresh SOl wittiness that everyone is out of their seats, letting loose, and dancing when he hits assortment of original tunes from Ash the stage. Aviance's debut album, "Box of Chocolates,' (produced by Wave Music) and a couple of flashbacks that are sur includes "Cunty," a club cult hit, "Din Da Da," which reached number one on the ~ Who's on Top keep your heads bobbin'. Michael's s Billboard charts, and "Rhythm is my Bitch," which rose to number two on the Michael Christopher offers a timely novel that highlights Billboard charts. of music has been appropriately brande opportunities for gay men to engage in honest conversation soul fusion to signify the core presenc Aviance's style is unrivaled - he has the glam and funk appeal of Missy Elliot, the about intimacy soul and gospel-influenced vocals unique and unabashed gender-bending style of Marilyn Manson, and the avant- $15.95 - 208 pages soars over backdrops of R&B, ho garde fashion sense of David Bowie in the 70's. Aviance has performed with a list ISBN 0-9170398-4-4 of luminaries any up-and-coming artist would dream of, including Madonna, fromtoptobottom.com dancehalVraggaeton, jazz, gospel and I Whitney Houston, Cher, Lil' Kim, Mary 1. Blige, Natalie Cole, Cindy Lauper, and - Yes, all of that in just one album. Bette Midler. Few are able to put together such an ass Aviance, who credits Boy George, Grace Jones, and David Bowie as major influ- ences, has such a fascinating and commanding presence that one has to see him per- ment of sounds and have them so ' form live to truly understand the phenomenon. Aviance is constantly requested to received. This New York native bon host events around the world, because the raw energy and glamorous atmosphere Jamaican parents has done just that. "J that he creates seem to "make" the night. Aviance has worked with celebrated djs including Junior Vasquez, Victor Calderone, Basement Jaxx, Deep Dish, Francois You I'm Born Again" and "Cry" are g Kevorkian, Danny Tenaglia, and Grammy Award-winners Peter Rauhofer and Hex tracks, but our favorite here at Clil Hector. With a fan base stretching from New York to Tokyo, Aviance has hosted Michael's rendition of Martha Wash I events at legendary clubs around the world such as the former Sound Factory, smash hit "Hold On". If you're a love Twilo, The Ministry of Sound, Roxy, Centro Fly, Arena, and Womb, and performed all over Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States. house music this track alone makes purchase of the CD worth in weigh Kevin Aviance was raised in Richmond, Virginia, in a close-knit family with seven ~ Powerful A life that gold. Visit www.michaelashanti.com f siblings. From a young age, Aviance dedicated himself to the study of music and should have been a glorious list of locations where the CD is sold. theatre. Kevin's career as a performance artist and club personality began in path to Olympic gold is traded for Silver handcuffs as former Washington DC, continued in Miami, and eventually landed him at the epicenter of NCAA track star and model the club and music scene: New York City. Along the way, the House of Aviance was Miguel Moms leaps from the established. The House of Aviance is an entourage of talented artists, dancers, and devils den into the state pen. This CD is also available at singers who add to Kevin's mystique and make appearances with him around the $14.99 - 296 pages world. Kevin Aviance is managed by Prova Group and is signed with Tony Moran ISBN 0-9776116-0-4 www.CDBaby.com at Emerge Records. forwhatihateido.com - VOL 7 tiSSUE 9 • CLi< - 28 - www.clikmagazine.com DO BAOBOWB9 Usher Wins Broadway role In Chicago Musical

Ie-run Alerl Finally, you have Jackie her- Ifyou missed the Six Episodes Of Workout, self, who runs her own busi- Kickyourself, then go to wwwbravo.corn to ness and doesn't take crap from anyone. Lipstick lesbian get the rerun dates and times of this all the way, Jackie's tough FABULOUS "reality show" love gets her respect and suc- cess. Jackie works with a team of Work Out showcases three trainers that not only love different types of gay folks. R&Bstar signs on to make his Broadway debut working out, but who look as lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running good doing it. Even better, You have the "straight-acting" musical revival. three out of eight of these Doug Blasdell. At forty-three, trainers are gay. However, all he's older and more mature Q: What do' Huey Lewis and Usher have in of them are very sexual beings than most of his co-workers, common? which isn't surprising as few frequently dishing out advice thing go more hand-in-hand to everyone else whether it be A: Not much, other than that Usher just joined with pumping iron personal or profes- Lewis on the hilariously diverse list of people than sex (especially in sional. Doug is also whohave played conniving lawyer Billy Flynn Los Angeles gyms). in a committed rela- in the Broadway revival Work Out plays that tionship and lives of the musical Chicago. up to a maximum. what he refers to as a Girls flirt with boys. "normal" life. Chicago producers Boys flirt with girls. Barry and Fran Weissler Boys flirt with boys. Then there is twenty- announced today that Everyone really just five year old Jesse, a the 27-year-old Usher wants to hook up. And flamboyant pretty will be joining the cast there's nothing wrong boy from Seattle who of the musical August 22 with that, right? is more of a club kid. He rep- and will appear through The best part about Work Out resents the young, fun, sexual October 11. though is that it doesn't side of being gay. He's hot. include just one "token gay" He's sly. And he's the teacher's "I have always admired as do so many shows. In fact, pet who immediately steps on AsFlynn,Usher will beforced Broadway actors for to keep his shirt on. their showmanship, ded- •• "'P'I" •••••••• ~ •• r------~ icationand focus that goes into performing live 1~~~~~~!..M~y~Fa::v~orite Couple On Noah's Arc Is on stage every night," Usher, a five-time 1F~"tJJiF~roy.~~~;;;; Grammy winner, said in a statement. "Being on !r Broadway allows you to connect to audiences in a whole new way that's different from music and movies."

It won't be Usher's first acting role, as he's appeared in the films In the Mix and The Faculty, as well as TV shows like Moesha.

Chicago, which has garnered six Tony Awards, opened in 1996 and has been seen around the world. The Many Faces of Billy Flynn Since James Naughton first took the stage as Billy Flynn in the current Broadway revival of "Chicago" in 1996, the Silver-tongued lawyer has been played by movie stars and TV stars, singers and dancers, and George Hamillon< Here are 20 of the rrore-or-tess familiar faces who have taken on tne role, ceLeBAlliB InbBRUIBW I

Complex BY VINCENT TOLLIVER homosexuality like a surgeon's scalpel through thick epi- dermis. And equally as precise.

How? As the pendulum swings to the right, his character GaX Drug provides straight folks a rare glimpse into the underground world of homo thug life ... Slice! As the pendulum swings high up in the air on the left, his character offers gay folks seeking a meaningful relationship the oft-allusive emotion- al vulnerability component. In that moment you stop Dealer Brings breathing and your heart stops while watching the pendu- lum freeze (suspend) in midair, just before it swings back to the center, Williams' character offers up a refreshing bold- ness, a rooted courageousness, and a liberating openness about sexuality seldom seen in black gay men in real life, Sizzle To His let alone on television ... Slice! Slice!

Director Clark Johnson "got nervous" when he decided to rewrite the script to include the infamous kiss between his character Omar and boyfriend Brandon (Michael Kevin Role InThe Darnall). Originally the kiss was not written in the script but Michael decided to write it in. Williams is savvy and realized the importance of developing the intimate story line of his gay character, even if the writers and directors didn't. "From that day on, there was a shift in energy [on the Wire set] ... a new level of respect." For those of you who didn't

ichael K. Williams is extremely hot right now. I caught up with the see it, go to Blockbuster this very second (Season 1, Disc 2, actor early one Saturday morning in late August at his hotel in Atlantic Episode 5). Go on, you'll thank me later. Take Clik with City, where he was on a weekend getaway from NYc. His career is on you so you can keep reading. M fire. You can see him in his 4th season on HBO's award-winning series The Wire, which has its fall premiere on Sunday, September 10, 2006. Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher famous for his Good vs. Evil treatise, came up during the interview. Williams (Omar Little) plays a defiant gangsta who just happens to be gay. He suc- Surprised? Don't be. Michael K. Williams will spit some ceeds in the role in part because of his brilliant acting, which is at once believable philosophy for your ass, and not the kind, of shit you can't and engaging, but also because of his uncanny ability to engender street [cred]-i-bil- access. "I feel that we are all one. There is good and bad i-ty and hood swagger in a character who kills in one breath and defines his own in all of us. And everyone wants to be loved. It [love] is a moral center in the other. Don't sleep; it takes a badass actor or a badass nigga to very vulnerable place to be. A naked place." Switching up, pull that shit off. In MKW's case, both are applicable. F$#k what you heard. Williams adds, "There is something that everyone would And no matter what your sensibility, or sexual orientation for that matter, be it kill for. Your paternal instinct will cause you to kill some- straight or gay, Williams' character Omar slices through tightly held stereotypes on one. It's in all of our nature. And I walk that line with

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Taking Reservations Now Hyatt Regency Miami Visit Us Online At www.sizzlemiami.com

Omar." ing spree where he kills Stink.um and maims ecstatic about the role. It's a stellar cast." and scares the hell out of others and afterwards No surprise there, right? "Omar don't scare," whistles a tune, "The Farmer in the Dell." And I got personal and asked if he'd ever had any Williams' character tells a female detective just like the "cheese," Omar is standing alone. non-traditional sexual experiences. "Sure, I'm after he decides to cooperate with the police Well not exactly, an internet-based fan club for a freak in the bedroom," he freely admits. after the brutal murder of his boyfriend Michael K. Williams has gotten together from Brandon. different parts of the world and calls them- Presently, Williams is reading Don Miguel selves "The Cheese-Aholics" and stands in sol- Ruiz's "The Four Agreements." Asked about Whistling is a significant aspect of Williams' idarity with Williams. "Crazy, right?" the writer James Baldwin, "I love Baldwin. character. He employs it deftly. In the fmal Williams comments on the fan club. "But I The Baldwin story will be my award-winning episode of season one, Omar goes on a shoot- appreciate the love." role," he confidently forecasts. Stayed tuned.

According to Williams, his character Omar is Williams has just finished two major film proj- actually "singing a co-opted version of 'The ects which have 2006 and 2007 releases Farmer in the Dell,' which is based on Elmer respectfully: (1) "I Think I Love My Wife," Fudd's (the cartoon character) 'A Hunting We directed by Chris Rock, and (2) "Gone Baby Will Go.'" Laughing, Michael adds, "Omar Gone," Ben Affleck's directorial debut which whistles while he works [and hunts]." also stars Morgan Freeman. He will also appear in a guest episode of Law & Order: A final note about The Wire, "HBO released SVU this fall. the cast of [our] contracts in May," confides Michael. This means there may not be a 5th In the past, Williams has worked with the likes season. Not to worry, he already has a new gig. of Tupac Shakur ("Bullet"), Martin Scorcese and Nicholas Cage ("Bringing out the Dead"), Exactly eleven days after HBO's fall premiere and has appeared in "The Sopranos," "Third of The Wire, Michael K. Williams can be seen Watch," "Law & Order," "Alias," and "CSI." in Six Degrees, a new series on ABC which premieres Thursday, September 21, 2006 at Prediction ... in five years or less, Michael K. lOPM. The character he will play is also Williams will win an Academy Award (Oscar). named Michael, who is a street mogul trying to look out for his family, particularly his little brother played by Dorian Missick. "I am

VOL 7 tiSSUE 9 • a.i< - - www.clikmagazine.com I I

PICK OF THE mOnTH

KEVlr: 'S TN"c."/1 AS'IlffrCHER HOW DO YOU DEClO. WHO UVU OR WHO DIE."

from a small island dis- mysterious death of picion that threatens to covers there's a larger "Superman" star tear them apart. mystery to solve among George Reeves, uncov- the island's secretive, ers unexpected connec- SEPT Z9TH neo-pagan community. tions to his own life as Open Season the case turns more per- Boog, a domesticat- FROM T! IE DIRECTOR OF "THE FUGITIVE~ sonal. The torrid affair SEPT BTH ed 9001b. Grizzly •••••• RISK EVERYlKIN6 SEPTEMBER Hollywoodland Reeves had with the bear finds himself wife of a studio execu- Adrien Brody, Diane stranded in the Lane and Ben Affleck tive might hold the key woods 3 days before to the truth. Open Season. THE CiUARDIAn pelling explo- Forced to rely on Sept 15th ration of fame The Convenant Elliot, a fast-talking and identity, Four young men who mule deer, the two After losing his crew in a fatal crash, legendary inspired by one belong to a supernatu- form an unlikely Rescue Swimmer, Ben Randall (Kevin of Hollywood's ral legacy are charged friendship and must Costner), is sent to teach at "A" School, an elite most infamous with stopping the evil quickly rally other for- training program for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew real-life myster- force they released into est animals if they members, he throws himself into teaching, turn- ies. The story the world years earlier. are to form a rag-tag ing the program upside down with his unortho- follows a 1950s Another great force army against the dox training methods. While there, he encoun- private detec- they must contend with hunters. ters a young, cocky swim champ, Jake Fischer tive who, inves- is the jealousy and sus- (Ashton Kutcher), who is driven to be the best. During training, Randall helps mold Jake's tigating the character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Kodiak, Alaska, where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. In his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall, the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice, echo- ing the Swimmer's motto ..."So Others May Live!"

VOL7 tiSSUE 9 • CI.i( - 36 - www.dikmagazine.com

by various high-profiled designers, Eva prefers the tomboy look. "My job requires something different. I like the tomboy look because it's comfortable. If I could wear cargo pants everyday, I would. I'd rather wear a dope pant suit than a dress if! could." Although she prefers a more boyish look, she still feels feminine. "I'm not mad at a dress. My femininity is different," she says.

According to her mom, Eva was given the name "Eva the Diva" at an early age due to her diva-like attitude. However, Eva feels differently about the label. "I think it just happens to rhyme with Eva ...in addition to my outgoing personality. My teachers used to call me that." She goes on to say that she doesn't look at herself in that way. "Diana Ross is a diva. Aretha Franklin is a diva. I think you have to establish more in your career to call yourself a diva. It's about being at that certain pentacle of success with what- ever it is that you are doing. In the dictionary it more refers to music and I can't sing to save my soul," she says with a laugh.

Since winning the show, Eva has been keeping herself busy by continuing to model and, at times, doing up to three audi- tions a day for various projects. At this point in her career, she feels blessed to have the opportunity to do what she loves. "I love going to work in the morning. Even if it is strenuous and painful and you ache when you wake up, it's great. I'm very happy with my success." She feels that the most exciting aspect of her accomplishments is her ability to take care of herself. She is grateful to be able

orn in Los Angeles California, Eva has always been used to the spotlight and The beaut, of our generation and the Bbeing the center of attention. She is the only girl out of four children. With her hazel culture that we live in is that we get eyes and light caramel complexion, she's been said to be the female version of Academy Award to embrace who we are with whatev- nominee Terrence Howard. "I get that all the er it is that we support. time. I've met him before and worked with him briefly, but we aren't related. It's flattering However, she offers a different spin on to write a check and know that it is going to because he's a very handsome guy." Unlike her feelings regarding the always critical clear. "Being self-sufficient lets you sleep Howard, who was born to parents who were and over-the-top former judge Janice very different," she adds. both mixed (African-American and Caucasian), Dickinson, "No comment," she says. Eva is not bicultural. "That's the beauty of our During the five-month period between When Eva isn't gracing the covers race and culture in that we come in so many col- the time Eva won ANTM and the actual of magazines or strutting down a runway, she ors, shades, textures, shapes and contours," She airing of the show, Eva returned to Clark enjoys spending time in her new home in continued. University where she had been working Jersey City, NJ with her teacup yorkie, Aida. on a degree in speech communication "I do corny things. I like to crochet and Living in the house with 13 other and theater while minoring in criminal color." One of her favorite activities is sleep- female finalists on ANTM proved to be a very justice. ing. "It's like a pastime for me. I'd rather not different experience for Eva who was more go out so I can go to sleep." Judging by her accustomed to a house full of boys. She consid- "Butch" was the term Eva slender frame one would think that she rarely ers the show to have been a good experience used to describe her fashion sense during overall and still continues to work with the head the third season of ANTM. Despite the diva, Tyra Banks, as part of her management. many photos of her in dresses and gowns CONTINUES ON PAGE 58 OA THE DIVA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

eats. Quite the contrary, Eva assures that she who we are with whatever it is that we support. "Crossover", which is an urban drama that hasn't fallen prey to some of the eating disor- It's the world in which we live in and I'm not one delves into the underground world of street ders associated with the modeling industry such to run away from that." She went on to say, "I ball. "I'm excited about it. I have a pretty big as bulimia and anorexia. "I love to eat. I love love the kids. I'm one of them. I try not to queen lead in it." She has also worked on a film with to go grocery shopping because there is a lot of out all the time. I think that if I was to die, I comedian Chris Rock that is slated for release food there," she explains. would come back as a little boy." in February of 2007. With everything going on in her life, she looks forward to a very For the last several months, rumors Despite her love for the gay communi- promising future. "I love life. I love happi- have been circulating regarding her alleged ty, she adamantly denies being either lesbian or ness and the pursuit of happiness-whatever break off engagement to 36-year-old former bisexual and is frustrated by the accusations. that is. Life is good. I look at the day and "NYPD Blue" actor Henry Simmons. According to several websites such as socialitelife.com, Eva allegedly found out that Just because you support something the actor was bisexual which caused her to end their relationship. Although there are several doesn't necessarily mean that you par- photos of the pair together at various functions, Eva claims they were never engaged. "I don't ticipate. I'm not gay. I like big men. know where that rumor came from," she says. What would I do with a woman? ~e~mdI~~ffi~~~~ree~~~~~~~~~ ==_~~=~~~=~~~~~_=~=~=_=_==~ engaged--ever. I'm very single and have been for a while. To focus on love is not a priority for "That's why a lot of people don't speak out. look at the silver lining and the beauty in it. me. Some people want to have kids and be a Just because you support something doesn't really can't complain." wonderful mom, but I don't want to settle down necessarily mean that you participate. I'm not right now and get married. That never comes to gay. I like big men. What would I do with a One of the biggest lessons that Eva mind." woman?" she says. Despite this revelation, has learned is to be herself and that is the she ensures that she has no problems with les- same message she passes on to others. "Be Oddly enough, Eva has been battling bians. "I like the fact that there are a lot of who you are. Who you are is so beautiful nat- rumors regarding her own sexuality. In addition [gay and bisexual] women out there who sup- urally because you can't deny that. to being linked to singer Ray J, and athlete port me." Despite the frustration of being Everybody is so individual and that's why Michael Strahand, who is also fighting off inaccurately labeled, she realizes that it's a God made us the way we are. The beauty and bisexual rumors of his own regarding an alleged part of being a celebrity. "People are going to the light that we have, no one else has." relationship between he and medical/diet expert associate you with something one way or the Obviously passionate about the subject, she Dr. Ian Smith of "Celebrity Fit Club, she's also other. Everybody gets a charge-whatever goes on to say, "If you aren't [being who you been said to have dated singer/rapper Missy the charge is. [Even] if you are married, [peo- really are] you aren't allowing your light to Elliot. Although some celebrities seem to go ple think] you have a secret life and they say shine and it becomes pointless. Allow your out of their way to disassociate themselves with whatever they think you are." light to shine-whoever that is and whatever the gay community when questions of their own that is. No matter what the reality is, whether sexuality arise, Eva embraces the lifestyle. "It's you try to deny it or not, you have to live with a reality. The beauty of our generation and the On September I, 2006, Sony that. Don't allow yourself to live in torment." culture that we live in is that we get to embrace Pictures released Eva's first feature film, Beautiful words from a truly beautiful person.

Stan began his career as a profes- involved with an Internet startup in fashion marketplace. sional fashion photographer in New the Business-to-Business sector of York in 1967. In his 30 + years in the the fashion industry. Stan was execu- After a total of 18 mill in two consec- field, Stan has contributed to many tive VP and creative director, a board utive rounds of funding the company major fashion magazines in the U.S. member and a founding partner of employed 95 people, Elected Jay and Europe, including covers for what was to be known as E7th.com. Margolis as Chairman of the board Vogue, file and the NY Times and was to receive an additional 25 Fashions of the Times. He has pho- He was responsible for the front end mill for the 3rd round when the inter- tographed some of the most beautiful of a very complex transactional web net IPO market fizzled and no addi- and famous women in the world. business that was designed to be the tional funding was available anywhere vortex for trading between manufac- for internet startups. His credits include major commercial turers and retailers. This includes clients such as The limited, online catalogs; translation between In 2001 Stan and a partner opened Express.Victoria's Secret, J.Crew, backend systems and web based Blue Digital Imaging Group to capital- Bloomingdale's, Speigel, Revlon and ordering. ize on the new photography technolo- Sears. His industry awards include gies and digital services for both The Art Directors Club of NY, The He was responsible for bringing in fashion and product photography for Society of Publication Designers first money (5 million) from the magazine, advertising and catalog Award of Excellence and the CINE McAndrews and Forbes (Ron industries. Golden Eagle as Perlman) and was active in raising Director/Cinematographer for Best the second round of 13 million from Mr. Shaffer has been deeply involved Short Film done by an amateur film- Morgan Stanley and Charles River with digital imaging for the past g maker. As a result of this award, he Partners. years and is now continuing his was chosen to represent the United career as a photographer to the States in numerous festivals here and Both Fortune and Forbes both wrote advertising, celebrity and magazine abroad. articles on E7th stating that they editorial markets. believed it was at the forefront of the In 1997 Stan was asked to be business-to-business industry for the