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www.ExpressGayNews.com • October 27, 2003 Q1 Q_COVERstory Gina Gershon Rocks Sexy Actress Hits the Big Screen Playing a Bisexual Singer By Gregg Shapiro including the issue of age in the rock music playing the music. But I remember going to a with your LGBT fans. What does that mean Special to The Express industry. Do you think that if Jacki were a play at school and there were people that I to you? As Jacki, the lead singer of the all-female man she would be dealing with those same knew, my friends, doing the play. I remember I think it’s cool. I think they’re a tough rock band Clam Dandy in the movie Prey For issues? watching and thinking, “I know those people. community. They either really like you or they Rock & Roll, Gina Gershon is a formidable It seems to me that my guy friends who Why are they up there?” It was the first time really don’t like you. I’m much happier to be presence. She’s all sneer and rock ’n’ roll are in the business, if they haven’t broken in that I thought, “Wait a minute, that means really liked than not. swagger. She sings like a cross between yet, I think that age is an issue, as well. that I can do that.” Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith. She also deals Everyone seems to have to lie about their I attended your concert with the with issues ranging from her bisexuality, her age in the music world. Unless you’re 19 or They were your contemporaries, as members of Girls Against Boys at the House age, the politics of being in a band, sleazy 20 these days, it’s hard to get a break, which opposed to someone in a movie. of Blues. What does it mean to you to have management people and revenge. is really unfortunate. To me, it’s all about the Right. They were my contemporaries, the opportunity to perform songs from the Gershon is taking her role in this music if you listen to it. MTV has ruined so and it made me think, “Oh, I could do that. In movie in front of a live audience? independent feature very seriously. To many things. To me it should be timeless, fact, I think I could do it even better than It’s awesome. In the movie, I sang promote the film, which will be previewed ageless. You like it or you don’t. those people up there.” [Laughs] everything live, but I didn’t get to play live Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Shores Performing because we had to have the music recorded. Arts Theatre in Miami Shores as a fundraiser Jacki says that seeing an Ike and Tina So, then, did you start doing it? So, playing with these guys in Girls Against for the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Turner concert was a life-changing Yes, right away. Boys—they’re a really cool band. When they Gershon has been performing live concerts experience for her when she was a child and asked me to promote the film by doing this, I with the members of the band Girls Against inspired her to pursue music. Did you have Prey For Rock & Roll also touches on was like, “Yeah! It’s fun!” I figured, “Wow, Boys. Having caught her act, both on screen a similar experience as a child, with either a the presence of queer musicians in the it’s a show,” so I could do what I like, and I and on stage, I can attest to the fact that musician or an actor, who inspired you? music business. Two of the women in the actually do five of my own songs and I do a Gina Gershon rocks. I remember, in junior high school, being band, Faith [played by Lori Petty] and Sally couple of covers. in awe of actors. Musicians, I was a little [played by Shelly Cole], are a couple. Your Gregg Shapiro: You are currently on more used to because I have a lot of character, Jacki, also has a girlfriend named The Ozzy Osbourne cover. the cover of an interesting array of musicians in my family. I was used to going Jessica [Shakara Ledard]. Since music is Yeah, “Paranoid.” It’s a cool version. magazines, including The Advocate, to concerts and seeing the people I know such a universal language, does it surprise People seem to like it. Girlfriends and Maxim, to name a you that the sexuality of a musician few. How does it feel to be such a should still be an issue to their fans? Between your appearances in music popular cover girl? I think with musicians, it’s videos [The Cars in 1984 and Lenny Kravitz Gina Gershon: [Laughs] I ridiculous. I always joke with my in 2001] and Prey For Rock & Roll, rock didn’t really look at it that way. I friends when they ask, “Do you like music seems to be in your DNA. Do you foresee guess it’s nice. Just trying to sell being a musician or being an actor?” releasing an album under your own name? the movie. I’m just doing my job. I say, “I’ll tell you. If you go out and Yeah, definitely. I’ve been working on a you do something kind of shady as lot of music. If it’s approached in the right way, Shortly before seeing Prey an actor, forget it, your career is over. why not? For Rock & Roll, I heard you sing People freak out. If you’re a musician, on the Denis Leary Roast on everyone is like, ‘Yeah, right on. You have worked with an amazing Comedy Central. How did you That’s cool.’” I don’t think the assortment of directors, including Robert become involved with that? sexuality should have anything to do Altman, John Sayles, John Woo, the Denis is a really good friend of with anything, whether you’re a Wachowski Brothers and Audrey Wells, who mine, or else I wouldn’t have done musician or an actor or a politician. It most recently did Under the Tuscan Sun, to that. It was so chaotic. Every day just shouldn’t matter. mention a few. Do you have the desire to direct? they were like, “We’re changing it Yeah, I’m sure at some point I’ll direct. [the song] to punk. We’re changing You have established cinematic to lounge.” Three days before, I’m diva status within the queer And what about writing a screenplay? like, “Guys, I need to know what I’m community. In my head, I keep writing stuff. Actually going to be doing. I’m singing this That’s good…[Laughs] writing on paper, because I have the [concert] live, in front of people.” I love Denis. tour, has been just music lately. It takes a lot I would do anything for him. You’ve played a lesbian in of discipline [to write a screenplay], and I Gina Gershon as Jacki, a bisexual lead Bound, and your performance as don’t quite have that yet. I have the discipline Prey For Rock & Roll deals singer of the all-female rock band Clam Jacki in Prey For Rock & Roll only for songs. I’m working up to a whole with some fascinating topics, Dandy in the movie Prey For Rock & Roll serves to cement your iconic bond screenplay. Q2 www.ExpressGayNews.com • October 27, 2003 www.ExpressGayNews.com • October 27, 2003 Q3 Q4 www.ExpressGayNews.com • October 27, 2003 Q_CULTURAL COCKTAIL By Mary Damiano Gay and Lesbian Play Series Begins West Palm Beach Theatre Reaches Out to the Gay Community PridePlay Series Begins for the Performing Arts. The off- in an effort to raise money for the Red Head up to the Florida Stage Theatre Broadway sensation has become a cult Cross HIV/AIDS education programs in Manalapan this Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 6 classic, a theatrical combination of rock, and South Florida Dance for Life p.m. for the kick-off of their PridePlay drag and kitsch. Hedwig, as I believe Dancers Fund. Series, which features staged readings everyone in three galaxies knows, is the In addition to the local dance of plays with gay and lesbian themes victim of a botched sex change companies, there will also be a by gay and lesbian playwrights. The operation who leads a rock band and performance by guest soloist Davis series is part of the theatre’s New Voices must contend with a former protogee Robertson, formerly of the Joffrey Ballet Series, which showcases up-and-coming who became a star after stealing of Chicago, and a finale choreographed playwrights. The series is the brainchild Hedwig’s songs. Hedwig will only be by Paulo Manso de Sousa. of artistic director Louis Tyrell and often here until Sunday, Nov. 2, so be sure to Dance for Life is a spectacular event the fifth slot of the Florida Stage’s catch her while you can. Call that does a lot of good in a beautiful season is filled by one of these new 954.462.0222 for tickets. way. Don’t miss it. Tickets are available plays. online at www.tixops.com or by calling Following the reception at 6 p.m. Dance for Life This 1.877.877.7677. will be the reading of Mary Gallagher’s Sunday play I Know You’re the One, about a Some of South Florida’s most Book Fair single gay man trying to become a father popular and prestigious dance The Miami International Book Fair through adoption.