by Dana Miller

Homophobes; flax on a distaff; read, sing and laugh more. Just another week of ours in Tinseltown.

My pal, David Rae, will be on the cover of an upcoming issue of IN Los Angeles magazine. He is a good guy who is busy training for the AIDS/LifeCycle, beginning the first week of June, benefiting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Last week David, who lives just a couple inches outside West Hollywood, notified his neighbors that he was having a fundraising party on a Saturday night in his home. In return, David received the following written missive: “Fags, We don't want your party here. This is NOT West Hollywood! Rent a hall.” It was signed, “The neighbors.” My lord. How in 2008, in the second largest city in America, can this happen? Must we really view those close with frightened hesitation? It is clear your neighbors are not always your friends. The writer of the note is quite obviously homophobic, hate-filled, boorish, barmy, rude and cowardly as it was anonymous. Yet, go forward knowing that the beast is scary. This safety in numbers is a farce. We as a community are still very much at risk. Watch you’re back, always.

To continue in this carping vein, that illiterate and turgid poem reminded me of a hand made sign posted on a tree on Sweetzer not long ago. Like those advertising a yard sale or a missing feline, this was a disgruntled flier stapled to rat and rant on a cad from Craigslist. Seems the recipient of whatever muskrat love was promised and/or performed was unhappy with his concubine. He posted the lad’s picture and waxed poetically of this gent’s ability to lie, cheat and steal. It was not a particularly pretty public posting. After a giggle it struck me that there is a vat of rage out there. One who hooks up off Craigslist, with its too-close shots of phallus and bung holes, must most certainly take heed with the mantra: buyer beware. Spreading seed has and will always be risky business. This is not the first time shooting flax from a distaff has led to good old public humiliation. It all just seems strangely deadening to my heart. Do you agree?

I received an e-mail from a reader, Eddie Shapiro, urging me to look into the downward spiral of A Different Light Bookstore at 8853 Santa Monica Blvd. Since 1979, this gay owned and operated establishment has been the literary beacon for our community along with their store in the Castro district in San Francisco. Coming off my comments about Drake’s closing on Melrose last week, this whole concept hit me hard and broke my heart. One of the owners of A Different Light is an old friend, Stanley Newman. Stan is one of the brightest guys I know. We served on the board of APLA together and he was Sidney Sheinberg’s go-to guy for years. Sid ran Universal Studios for decades. Stan also, at one time, owned Out and The Advocate. I tracked him down in New York City and, while not as bleak as Eddie, he sadly fears the worst for both stores. Likely because of Amazon.com and the like, sales are indeed down. Traffic on both Santa Monica Boulevard and the Castro is off. Rents are silly and bound to get worse. Stan mentioned to me that A Different Light Bookstores are really community centers, and I couldn’t agree more. Don’t you feel the need to touch a book, feel the gravitas before you buy it? These joints have been a safe harbor for gay and lesbian authors for years. I went to see their event coordinator, Billy Avarathar, at our A Different Light bookstore the other evening. They do indeed need our support. Bookstores are closing every day. I get that. Yet this is our bookstore. At a time when men and women were arrested just for coming together in a bar, these joints had the courage to proudly open and deliver a very real service to our scared but hopeful community. For almost three decades this has been a warm, safe, welcoming place to pick up the words of John Rechy, Gore Vidal, Allen Ginsberg, Rita Mae Brown, Christopher Rice and Angela Davis. It has always been comfortable embracing the pictures of Ritts, Gorman, Mapplethorpe or Bianchi there. Toss $20 towards a book this week at A Different Light. Joni Mitchell once wrote, don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone? If we blow it, trust me, we will miss these merchants.

The general manager of East/West Lounge, Maty Yuriditsky, has left us for Sin City. The smart folks at TAO have snatched him up. I’m sorry to see him go, but he is destined to be a star and one must never hold anyone with real talent back. I met the new guy last week. His name is Josh Westover and he is both charming and appears capable. I mean, hell, he spoke with me! That shows both style and bravery. Traits I can only assume any watering-hole runner might need. Trip Wilmot’s creation continues to thrive, and I wish the best for both Maty and Josh.

I was thrilled to hear from Kenny Morse that he is taking Karaoke with Kenny to the Abbey beginning Sunday, May 11. This icon of L.A. has been dishing out great shows on the boulevard for 18 years. Tuesdays will continue at East/West and Wednesdays at Fiesta Cantina. Kenny is sweet, charming and a truly amazing producer. Get yourself out to one of his shows to see real talent, as well as drunks who think they can sing. It’s all a hoot. About the Abbey, Kenny told me the eagle has landed. Let’s just hope the eagle can sing!

I love comics. I mean real old-school comics. I worked for Bob Hope. I loved and learned from my buddy Paul Lynde. I have a new guy I insist you check out. His name is Jason Stuart and he is just simply brilliant. He is truly recognized in the biz as a gifted, prolific actor as well. He has been in a ton of things: Will & Grace, Charmed, Everybody Hates Chris, My Wife and Kids. He has a television special running on HereTV titled, Jason Stuart: Making It to the Middle. I spoke with him last week and just simply fell in love with his wit. True wit. This guy is a total star. Check him out at www.jasonstuart.com.

I wanna throw out props to our adroit buddy, Stephen Schwartz, who last week was gifted with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame right in front of the Pantages Theater, where his Wicked has been playing the past year. Stephen wrote the music and lyrics for Godspell, Pippin, The Baker’s Wife and a few Disney classics. Simply put, he is a musical genius and just a great and grand guy. Stephen and my Ryan are collaborating on another cabaret show for the fall here in town. I’ll keep you posted. Congrats Stephen! Ryan’s next show is April 21 at Republic at 650 N. La Cienega Blvd. This one will be way cool. It features a bunch of indie performers. Come on out, if you can, and say hi. I do not want to burden you with the Damocles’ sword of steady correspondence, so the next epistle you receive from me will be in two weeks time. More than you can handle, I trust. Cheers!

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