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AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman

AUGUST 6, 2015
Volume 22 / Issue 14

ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
MANAGING EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr
SENIOR EDITOR
John Riley
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Scott G. Brooks
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sean Bugg, Chris Heller, Connor J. Hogan,
Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield
WEBMASTER
David Uy
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING
Christopher Cunetto
Cunetto Creative
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Media Co.
212-242-6863
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINT
Sylvia Rivera

Same-sex marriage tempered

by Religious Freedom laws

by John Riley

NEWS

11

Community Calendar

FEATURE
14
Jazz Jennings
Interview by Doug Rule

OUT ON THE TOWN

20

Green Screen

22

Craft Work

by Connor J. Hogan

by Doug Rule

FILM
27
The End of the Tour,
Rikki and the Flash

by Chris Heller

TRAVEL

29

Festival Camping

TECH

31

Windows 10

BOOKS

33

Pussy Postulations

SCENE

35

8th Annual Summer Games

NIGHTLIFE

37

CLUBLIFE

44

Kennedy Davenport at Town

46

Last Word

by Kate Wingfield

by Rhuaridh Marr

by Kate Wingfield

photography by Ward Morrison

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
MarkDeLong / TLC

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AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

DJ Madscience at Cobalt
photography by Ward Morrison

by Connor J. Hogan

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

JOHN W. IWANSKI

LGBT

News

Now online at MetroWeekly.com

Capital Tennis Association wins Atlantic Cup again!

First gay couple married at West Point attacked in Soho

Anti-gay Marriage Rally, Chicago

Same-sex marriage tempered

by Religious Freedom laws

Republican-led attempts to legalize religious discrimination against the LGBT

community are a political blunder
by John Riley

O MATTER WHAT ONES BELIEFS ON MARriage are, its becoming clear that the Supreme
Court will not have the final word on the issue.
With marriage equality nationwide, same-sex
couples are now able to be recognized as legal spouses. But some
states are pushing back, seeking ways to allow people who oppose
same-sex nuptials to refuse to provide services or take any actions
that could be viewed as supporting same-sex weddings.
The pushback began with North Carolina in June, prior to
the Supreme Courts decision. That month, the North Carolina
6

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

legislature voted to override a veto by Gov. Pat McCrory, thereby allowing state officials to recuse themselves from performing or issuing licenses for marriages that they feel violate their
religious beliefs.
Under North Carolinas bill, a magistrate or register of deeds
can cite their religious beliefs as justification for recusing themselves. But the bill also allows alternative arrangements to be
made in order for couples to obtain a marriage license without
violating the magistrate or registers personal beliefs.
A similar conflict has already come to a head in Kentucky,

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

LGBTNews
where three separate counties have stopped issuing marriage
licenses to anyone, gay or straight, in order to avoid running
afoul of the Supreme Courts decision. Instead, officials in those
counties are referring prospective spouses to travel elsewhere
within the state to obtain a license. One of those clerks, Rowan
Countys Kim Davis, has now been sued by two straight couples
and two gay couples for her refusal to issue them marriage
licenses in the county where they live, work and pay taxes.
Davis, an Apostolic Christian, previously argued in court that
she should be protected by the First Amendment from having
to issue licenses to same-sex couples. However, she also argued
that even allowing licenses to be issued in her name also violates
her religious beliefs even if another employee actually grants
the licenses.
If I say they are authorized, Im saying, I agree with it. And
I cant, Davis was quoted by USA Today as saying during her
testimony in court.
The lawsuit against Davis has attracted a great deal of attention and has already become an issue in the 2015 governors
race, with opponents of same-sex marriage using the issue to
attack Attorney General Jack Conway (D) for his refusal to
defend the states ban on same-sex marriage after it was found
unconstitutional. Additionally, Republicans in the state legislature have introduced legislation for the 2016 session that is
aimed at protecting county clerks like Davis from legal action if
they refuse to issue licenses by citing their religious beliefs. That
bill would also clarify existing First Amendment protections for
clergy who want to refuse to perform same-sex marriages, even
though no such conflict has arisen in the Bluegrass State.
The issue has divided many Kentucky voters as to what

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

should be done. According to a Bluegrass Poll, 38 percent of

Kentucky voters say county clerks who refuse to issue marriage
licenses should be removed from office. Thirty-six percent said
clerks should be allowed to refuse to issue licenses, and another
16 percent said the power to issue marriage licenses should be
transferred to a state agency.
But that debate is precisely what should be happening when
there are conflicts between LGBT rights and religious beliefs,
says Ryan T. Anderson, a senior research fellow specializing
in issues related to marriage and religious freedom for the
Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Anderson distinguishes between two types of laws to protect
religious freedom: religious freedom restoration acts, or RFRAs,
and First Amendment Defense Acts.
So RFRA says a sincere religiously-held belief, if the government burdens it, it has to be for a compelling government
interest, in the least restrictive way possible, Anderson says.
Then theres the First Amendment Defense Act, which says
were going to have a very specific belief in this case, the belief
that marriage is between a man and a woman and were going
to say that the government can never burden that belief, he
continues. For the first 225 years of our nations history, people
have been free to run their schools and charities and businesses
in accordance with that belief.... We dont need to force civil
society...into violating those beliefs.
With regards the Kentucky conflict, Anderson notes that
Title VII provides explicit protections for government employees based on their religious beliefs, and requires the government
to try to accommodate those beliefs as best it can.
The idea here is that every citizen has a right to get from
the government whatever the benefit is, Anderson says. So
the benefit in question is a same-sex marriage license. Marriage
now includes same-sex couples. They now have a right to go
to the government and get a marriage license. That doesnt say
that each and every county clerk needs to be the one providing
the license.
That is exactly how the situation was resolved in North
Carolina, with the opt-out bill protecting magistrates and registers of deeds by allowing them to notify their superiors that
they will no longer be performing or issuing licenses for any
marriages.
What Title VII protects, and what these bills protect is
a reasonable accommodation that ensures that every citizen
receives what theyre guaranteed by the state, but that also
accommodates employees, he says. But if its a county clerks
office of 20 clerks, and two of them say We cant do this, then
I see no reason why the state shouldnt say, Fine. You guys are
going to be doing something else, and the other 18 are going to
be doing the marriage licenses. And I think thats a way that we
can sort of move past some of the culture wars on this.... When
we can work those things out, I feel we should. When its impossible to do, then the government interest prevails.
But Sarah McBride, a research associate for LGBT progress
at the Center for American Progress, says resolving the issue
is not as simple as supporters of RFRA-style laws claim. For
instance, the federal RFRA law on which most of these bills
are allegedly based needs to be clarified.
One of the things we heard from advocates on the state level
who were trying to push these RFRAs was that they were identical to the federal RFRA, McBride says. But at this point, after
the corrupting decision in Hobby Lobby, in terms of religious
freedom, the federal RFRA really needs to be addressed. Because

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

based on the current courts interpretation [it] is way too broad

and grants too many for-profit companies religious rights.
Another problem, McBride says, is that even if the federal
RFRA is clarified, many of the bills purporting to be identical
to the federal law actually arent.
A number of these bills, what were calling Super-RFRAs,
not only took the federal RFRA, but expanded its scope and
removed a lot of important words that restrained the ability of
people to impose harm on others, she says. In some states, the
burden [on a persons religion] just needs to be hypothetical, not
actually real.
One such state where so-called religious freedom legislation is expected is Virginia. There, Republicans have signaled
that passing protections for individuals and businesses who
object to same-sex marriage or LGBT rights will be an important priority during next years legislative session.
Speaker Bill Howell (R-Stafford) and Senate Majority Leader
Tommy Norment (R-James City) last month asked the Virginia
Code Commission to review the Code of Virginia and see what
updates or changes need to be made to bring the language
commonwealths various statutes into compliance with the
Supreme Courts ruling. Requests for comment from Gilberts
office on what an ideal religious freedom law might look like
were not returned.
Earlier this year, Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas) introduced two bills dealing with religious freedom that would
have provided protections for government contractors, such as
adoption agencies, and for businesses or any person licensed by
the state from a teacher to a doctor, to deny services to LGBT
people. Some LGBT advocates have hypothesized that any such
religious freedom legislation may mirror Marshalls bills,
which were both defeated by Republican-led House subcommittees.
Matthew Moran, a spokesman for Howells office, says it is
very early in the process and that nothing concrete has been
proposed. He also adds that Howell wishes to take a measured
approach and do all due diligence before we take action, while
also ensuring that individuals religious freedoms as guaranteed
by the First Amendment continue to be protected.
However, Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw
(D-Springfield) rejects the idea of Republicans campaigning on
the issue of religious exemptions for those who oppose samesex marriage.
Forty-eight years ago, I heard all this crap when the
Supreme Court said you couldnt ban interracial couples,
Saslaw says, referencing the decision in Loving v. Virginia. I
used to hear this all the time. And many of them couched it in
religious terms.
There were people, after the vote on the public accommodations law, the Civil Rights Act, that said, This is my right, not
to serve people I dont want. Well, you hold yourself out for a
public business,, Saslaw continues. Do you honestly think that
anybody is going to go to somebody who they know is hostile
to who they are and say, Do you want to participate in or cater
my wedding? Thats absurd. Think about the common sense
behind that.
Saslaw adds that he thinks campaigning for the right to discriminate against LGBT people would be a political blunder of
massive proportions, but will let Republicans decide for themselves if they want to make that their main priority.
If you want to campaign on bigotry, go ahead, Saslaw says.
The publics too smart for that. Theyre going to see you for
what you are. l
10

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

LGBTCommunityCalendar
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice
session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,
SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

Metro Weeklys Community Calendar highlights important events in the D.C.-area

LGBT community, from alternative social events to volunteer opportunities.
Event information should be sent by email to calendar@MetroWeekly.com.
Deadline for inclusion is noon of the Friday before Thursdays publication.
Questions about the calendar may be directed to the
Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or
the calendar email address.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social club welcomes all levels for

exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing afterward. Meet
9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a
walk; or 10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball team

meets at Turkey Thicket Recreation

Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4
p.m. For players of all levels, gay or
straight. teamdcbasketball.org.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

WEEKLY EVENTS

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP for

adults in Montgomery County offers
a safe space to explore coming out
and issues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m.
16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512,
Gaithersburg, Md. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

ADVENTURING outdoors group

hikes 7 miles on the Appalachian
Trail between Gathland State Park
and Weverton, Md., with a sometimes
steep and rocky descent of 700 feet
on the final leg of the hike. Bring
plenty of beverages, lunch, bug spray,
sunscreen, and about $10 for fees.
Carpool at 9 a.m. from the GrosvenorStrathmore Metro Station. Craig,
202-462-0535. adventuring.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

practice session at Takoma Aquatic

Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9
p.m. swimdcac.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features

mainstream through advanced square
dancing at the National City Christian
Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30
p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517,
dclambdasquares.org.
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern
Virginia social group meets for happy
hour at Sheraton in Reston, 11810
Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor
bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

IDENTITY offers free and confiden-

tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg,

414 East Diamond Ave., and in
Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire
Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins 2-6 p.m.
For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or
Takoma Park, 301-422-2398.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment
needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.
202-638-0750.

The DC Centers TRANS SUPPORT

GROUP holds its monthly meeting
for transgender and gender nonconforming people. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice
session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr.
SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated

discussion for GBTQ men, 18-35, first
and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m. The DC
Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
202-682-2245, gaydistrict.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9
a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000. Visit whitmanwalker.org.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. 202-567-3155
or testing@smyal.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-

Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,

3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group is
independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ women,
13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163,
catherine.chu@smyal.org.

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment

needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.
202-638-0750.

affirming social group for ages 11-24.

4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW.
Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422,
layc-dc.org.

SMYALS REC NIGHT provides

a social atmosphere for GLBT and
questioning youth, featuring dance
parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. More info, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for

The DC Center offers confidential

FREE HIV TESTING to members of
the public who want to know their
status. 4-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
The DC Center offers an LGBTQ ASL
CLASS for those interested in learning how to sign and communicate
in ASL. All welcome. 1:30-3:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.

LGBT community, family and friends.

6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-theHill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria.
All welcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses

critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St. NW.
RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@
gmail.com.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential

HIV testing in Takoma Park, 7676

New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walkins 12-3 p.m. For appointments other
hours, call 301-422-2398.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today
for DC Central Kitchen. To participate, visit burgundycrescent.org.
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group

THE SPOTLIGHT PROJECT, an

educational nonprofit for LGBTQ

people and allies, offers a class as part
of a series focusing on Life Skills and
Art at The DC Center. 11 a.m.-1:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
more information, email spotlightprojectdc@gmail.com or visit spotlightproject.us.

visits National Gallery of Art to see

exhibits on French Impressionist
painter Gustave Caillebotte and
one of the Dutch Masters. Free, all
welcome. Meet at noon in the 6th
& Constitution Avenue NW lobby.
Lunch in the Gallerys Cascades Caf
between shows. Craig, 202-462-0535.
craighowell1@verizon.net.

WEEKLY EVENTS

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS

MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707 or andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m., High

Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave.
NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by

members of the LGBT community,
holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush
luncheon. Services in DCJCC
Community Room, 1529 16th St. NW.
betmish.org.

BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive

and radically inclusive church holds
services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota
Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time, email
braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice

session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,
SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic
Mass for the LGBT community. 6
p.m., St. Margarets Church, 1820

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

11

Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome.

Sign interpreted. For more info, visit
dignitynova.org.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED

CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes all
to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW.
firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,

10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,

Quaker House Living Room (next to
Meeting House on Decatur Place),
2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbians
and gays. Handicapped accessible
from Phelps Place gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL

DEVELOPMENT, God-centered new

age church & learning center. Sunday

Services and Workshops event. 5419
Sherier Place NW. isd-dc.org.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL

TEMPLE UNITED CHURCH OF

CHRIST for an inclusive, loving and

progressive faith community every

Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW,
near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood.
lincolntemple.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF
REFORMATION invites all to Sunday

worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare is

available at both services. Welcoming

LGBT people for 25 years. 212 East

Capitol St. NE. reformationdc.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
services at 11 a.m., led by Rev. Onetta
Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11
a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax.
703-691-0930, mccnova.com.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted)

and 11 a.m. Childrens Sunday School
at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-6387373, mccdc.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN

CHURCH, inclusive church with

GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

NEW HSV-2 SOCIAL AND

SUPPORT GROUP for gay men living

in the DC metro area. This group will

be meeting once a month. For information on location and time, email to
not.the.only.one.dc@gmail.com.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,

a Christ-centered, interracial, welcoming-and-affirming church, offers

service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202554-4330, riversidedc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THE

INCARNATION, an interracial,

multi-ethnic Christian Community

offers services in English, 8 a.m. and
10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m.
1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900,
saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN CHURCH OF
ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming-

and-affirming congregation, offers

services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow
UU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd.
uucava.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING

invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to join
the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15
a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave.
uucss.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL
MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-

ing and inclusive church. GLBT

Interweave social/service group
meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,
Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.
NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 10
The YOUTH WORKING GROUP
of The DC Center meets to discuss
initiatives to better serve, and positively impact the lives of, D.C. area
youth on the second Monday of every
month. 6-7:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio
Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.
org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at

Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW.
getequal.wdc@gmail.com.

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee DropIn for the Senior LGBT Community.
10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay
mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water
Polo Team practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma
Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St.
NW. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@
wetskins.org, wetskins.org.
Whitman-Walker Health HIV/
AIDS SUPPORT GROUP for newly
diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.
Registration required. 202-939-7671,
hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
DC BI WOMEN, a group of The DC

Center, meets on the second Tuesday

of each month in the upstairs room at
Dupont Italian Kitchen restaurant. 7-9
p.m. 1637 17th St. NW. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

The DC Center hosts a meeting of

its COMING OUT DISCUSSION
GROUP. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information,
visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30

p.m. afwash@aol.com, afwashington.
net.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

practice session at Takoma Aquatic

Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9
p.m. swimdcac.org.

HIV Testing at WHITMANWALKER HEALTH. At the Elizabeth

Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th
St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max
Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave.
SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walk-

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY

(K.I.) Services, 3333 Duke St.,

THE GAY MENS HEALTH

COLLABORATIVE offers free HIV

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
703-823-4401.

12

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,
410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.

ing/social club serving greater D.C.s

LGBT community and allies hosts an
evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.

testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m.
Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic,
Alexandria Health Department, 4480
King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571-2149617. james.leslie@inova.org.

LGBTCommunityCalendar
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9
a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000. Visit whitmanwalker.org.
THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE
DC CENTER hosts Packing Party,
where volunteers assemble safe-sex
kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m.,
Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court
NW. thedccenter.org.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY

(K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St.,

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
703-823-4401.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment

needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.
202-638-0750.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT focused meeting every
Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georges
Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave.,
Arlington, just steps from Virginia
Square Metro. For more info. call
Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicapped
accessible. Newcomers welcome.
liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.

FEATURED
PARTNER

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,
410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ
YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL,
410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy
Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a support

group for black gay men 40 and older.
7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY

MENS HEALTH AND WELLNESS/

STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701

14th St. NW. Patients are seen on

walk-in basis. No-cost screening for
HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis and herpes testing
available for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12
BIG GAY BOOK GROUP meet to discuss Its Not Over: Getting Beyond
Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia
& Winning True Equality by
Michelangelo Signorile. 7 p.m. 1144 F
St NW, Suite 200 near Metro Center.
All welcome. biggaybookgroup.com.

RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition

of individuals and organizations dedicated to combating LGBTQ intimate
partner violence, holds its monthly
meeting on the second Wednesday of
each month. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information,
visit rainbowresponse.org.
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB

meets for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m.

Dignity Center, 721 8th St. SE, across
from the Marine Barracks. No reservation needed. 703-407-6540 if you
need a partner.

WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome.
For more information, call Fausto
Fernandez, 703-732-5174.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH

offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.

and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-5491450, historicchristchurch.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confiden-

tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414

East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m.
For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-

gram for job entrants and seekers,

meets at The DC Center. 6 p.m.-7:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
More info, www.centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th
St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice

11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite

200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social

club for mature gay men, hosts
weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl, 703573-8316. l

session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr.

SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

Urbane Outfitter
Avenue Jack offers upscale casual clothes, accessories and gifts

E DONT HAVE JOCKSTRAPS, WE DONT HAVE ASS-LESS

underwear. You wont see guys in Speedos in our front window, Scott Wallis says about his new mens store Avenue
Jack. But you know, he adds with a laugh, we like all that stuff.
Wallis is best known from his work co-hosting Swish Edition, the
locally produced gay comedy podcast series that ran from 2010 to 2013.
After a year of planning, he opened Avenue Jack in spring 2015 with
a team that includes his partner Dennis Black and his podcast co-host
Dale Blades, who serves as manager of the store, located a block south of
Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue.
I would describe it generally as upscale casual, he says, with a very
tightly curated line of products. In addition to popular apparel brands
such as Original Penguin, Diesel, Levis, Ben Sherman and 7 for All
Mankind, many products Avenue Jack carries are local, such as Trashed
and Conscious, a Georgetown-based manufacturer of clothing made
completely out of recycled plastic bottles. And many brands carried by
the store cant be found elsewhere in the area, including Timbuk2, a line
of messenger bags and backpacks, and Bluebuck, mens underwear made
out of soft, organic cotton that Wallis says was the first thing I decided
I wanted to carry in the store.
Wallis opted against carrying risque clothing in part because we
didnt want to scare away the straight guys, particularly those working
in Avenue Jacks downtown neighborhood. Certainly, the store is an
attractive place to shop no matter gender or orientation. It was designed
to resemble a kind of urban lodge, with rustic touches, including floors
of stained hardwood and faux-leather concrete, a faux-tin ceiling,
reclaimed wood accents from a 150-year-old barn in southwest Virginia

and wood furnishings from Miss Pixies on 14th Street. Hanging high up
front is that centerpiece of any good lodge, a mounted moose head in
this case another faux accent: A sculpture made from re-purposed
weathered steel by the small
Pennsylvania-based Gatski Metal.
In its months since opening,
Avenue Jack has expanded its
offerings to include non-apparel goods such as Burly Stone
soaps and grooming products,
Moleskine notebooks, whimsical, handmade greeting cards
from the local BrandDave, and
a few bar-ware essentials, most
notably a bottle opener made by
a man in D.C. out of 100-year-old
railroad spikes.
We didnt anticipate as
many gift-y type things being
wanted by people, Wallis says.
But now, Avenue Jack is the perfect place to buy a gift for any
trendy, urbane man.
Avenue Jack is at 1301 Connecticut Ave. NW and is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed on
Mondays during the summer. Call 202-887-5225 or visit avenuejack.com. l
METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

13

The Beauty

BEFORE CAITLYN JENNER, BEFORE LAVERNE

Cox, before Chaz Bono, there was Jazz Jennings.
Back in 2007, Jennings and her parents sat down
with Barbara Walters for a 20/20 interview where
the seven-year-old revealed to the world that she is
transgender.
By that point Jennings had already been presenting as a girl for a few years. In fact, she started
expressing gender dysphoria from the moment she
could speak, and as a toddler played with feminine
toys and only wanted to wear her older sisters
clothes and costumes. I have a girl brain in a boys
body, she used to say, as documented in a new TLC
reality series about her and her family, I Am Jazz.
The title of the show is strikingly similar to
Jenners new E! channel series, I Am Cait although
once again Jazz was out first, debuting almost two
weeks earlier. Certainly, both shows tread similar
ground, providing unprecedented access into transgender life today. Naturally, Jazz Jennings life is
very different from Caitlyn Jenners. For one thing,
Jennings is not a household name its not even her
real name. Her parents, Greg and Jeanette, adopted
the name Jennings for the Walters interview, to add
a layer of privacy. Even now, we only know the bare
minimum about the familys background, occupations and even whereabouts, identified simply as
South Florida.
The Jennings family, which also includes 19-yearold Ari and 16-year-old twin boys Sander and Griffen,
displays a genuine, tight bond in I Am Jazz. Its a
sensitive, engaging snapshot of family life and everyone conveys a remarkable degree of unconditional
love and support for one another. Thats especially
true when it comes to Jazz.
I just love hanging out with her, says mother
Jeanette, who is understandably leery of her baby
starting high school this fall. High school is a big
step down the path of Jazz becoming an adult

14

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

y of Jazz
Jazz Jennings has been an inspiration for transgender individuals for
many years and at age 14,
shes only just begun
Interview by Doug Rule
Photography by
MarkDeLong / TLC

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

15

dence, but really I feel that it

wouldnt have been discovered
and embraced without their love
and support. Because they just
encouraged me to be myself.
Along this whole journey I was
able to become a confident and
happy person and therefore use
my story of happiness and love,
and spread that towards other
people. If you think of me as
mature, I guess maybe sometimes
I am mature, but other times Im
really immature and crazy.
JEANETTE: The public persona of
Jazz is very mature. When she
gives a speech and shes doing
her advocacy work, shes always
been very, very articulate and
wise beyond her years since she was little. But of course, still,
she can act like your typical teenager. Which also comes across
in the show.
MW: Certainly and shes also a very funny teenager too.
JEANETTE: She is hysterical. She keeps us laughing all the time.
MW: Jazz, what is it like for you to be an activist and role model?
JAZZ: Well, I dont know if I would consider myself a role model.
But really, in sharing my story for many years, Ive seen a lot
of positive feedback and people who Ive impacted, its just so
encouraging. And it really motivates me to continue sharing my
story. Im proud to be a representation of transgender kids for
people to see, but I feel that Im just doing my part in trying to
achieve equality for all.
MW: Who would you identify as role models?
JAZZ: Right now, transgender rights are at the forefront of the
civil rights movement and theres a lot of visibility on the topic
of being transgender. I thank huge role models like Laverne Cox
and Janet Mock and Chaz Bono and Caitlyn Jenner all those
amazing people willing to share their stories and make a difference in the world.
I definitely think with all this visibility, people are finally
starting to open up their minds and times are changing. Its all
happened so fast with Caitlyn Jenner coming out and sharing
her story. Im glad to see that many transgender people out
there arent afraid to step out of the shadows and live their lives
authentically, because there are these inspirations out there
who really guide the way for many other transgender kids or
individuals.
MW: You basically came out before all of them. Has their coming
out helped you in any way?
JAZZ: Ive already transitioned. And Ive been able to present
as a girl, the way I identify as. But now, its time for society to
transition along with me, and accept me for who I am. And I feel
that with the visibility of Caitlyn Jenner sharing her story, and
Laverne Cox all these inspirations people are finally becoming more accepting of transgender individuals, and in that way
it does help me. Now, in telling someone that Im transgender, I
can say Im a mini-Caitlyn Jenner and theyll understand immediately. It makes it easier to explain when people ask. Theyre
educated and understand what it means to be transgender. So
yeah, its definitely made a difference for me.
MW: Have you met Caitlyn?
JAZZ: No, I havent.
JEANETTE: Jazz actually sat at the ESPYS, right behind Brody

and a woman. Jazzs doctor has put her on hormone blockers to prevent
development of male traits, as well as given her doses of estrogen to help
develop breasts and suppress testosterone levels. Jazz is developing
nicely, like a young lady, like she should be, Jeanette tells Jazzs wonderfully open-minded grandparents after a visit with the doctor on the show.
But she quickly adds, This is scary! This is experimental stuff. Like I am
messing with my kids body!
Every indication suggests the Jennings are doing the right thing by Jazz.
She seems every bit as happy as a typical 14-year-old girl. Maybe even more
so: As a result of the support and feedback shes received, particularly in
response to the childrens book (also titled I Am Jazz) she co-wrote in 2013
with Jessica Herthel, Jazz has more than just her family behind her. As she
puts it, I feel like the whole community is really there to support me and
make sure that I find my happiness in life.
METRO WEEKLY: Jazz, let me start by asking if youre happy with
the new series?
JAZZ JENNINGS: Yeah, Im definitely happy with the way its turning out. It definitely captures the essence of our life and how
were just a normal family, just doing our thing.
MW: Jeanette, I know this has been several years in the making.
What motivated you to go public in the first place, with the 2007
Barbara Walters interview?
JEANETTE JENNINGS: They reached out to us we really were not
interested in being in the media at all. It took them 10 months
of wooing us to even convince us to do it. We were not ready to
share something so personal. We didnt know any other people
who had a transgender kid so young. We werent ready to go in
the national spotlight originally, but we worked with them, we
talked with them. [Eventually, we said,] Okay well do it, but
we dont want to show our faces. And we certainly dont want to
give our first names or our last name. And you can do this and
cant do that. In the end, we compromised and said we would
show our faces. You know, you really have to see Jazz to get
the whole situation. To see her in her environment, with her
friends and family to know and see that she truly is a girl. A
lot of people, if they didnt see her face, would probably envision
somebody who looks like a little boy in a dress.
MW: What was the first memory you have that suggested something was different with Jazz?
JEANETTE: Some of the earliest memories I have of Jazz not acting like a stereotypical boy were before she was even two years
old. She was just always acting feminine. She gravitated toward
all the feminine toys and only wanted to dress up in clothes from
her big sisters chest, with all her little costumes and everything.
She used to love to wear plastic high heels. And as soon as she
could verbalize it, she would tell me that she was a girl. It wasnt
just like a little boy that liked to play with girly things. She insisted consistently, persistently, that she was a little girl. Which to
me was a red flag that this was not a phase.
JAZZ: When I was two years old, I remember there was this pink
cassette tape that had the word Barbie on it. And I really loved
that tape. I looked around the whole house for that tape. I really
wanted to play with Barbie! I dont know, thats just some weird
fragmented memory that I have.
MW: We can see through the show that you are very much a typical
teenager, yet you also seem very mature for your age and a bit more
enlightened than most 14-year-olds are. Is that a fair assumption?
JAZZ: My family says that I was born with this natural confi16

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

Jenner, and the rest of the clan. But it was directly behind Brody.
So she was close to Caitlyn, but didnt quite get there.
MW: What did you think of Caitlyns speech?
JAZZ: It was incredible. I was crying.
MW: Its also interesting because shes a sports hero, an Olympian,
and I know youre a soccer player. So that must also inspire you.
JAZZ: Yeah, for sure.
JEANETTE: There are not a lot of young people out there who are
transgender athletes. Theyre kind of afraid because so many
of them, their birth certificates say their biological sex on it. So
therefore, many male-bodied people are forced to have to play
on the boys team even though they dont want to. So they just
say, might as well not play at all.
MW: And thats something that you had to fight for.
JEANETTE: Oh yeah, we fought for the right for Jazz to play soccer for over two years. She was banned from playing girls soccer.
MW: That must have been a trying experience.
JEANETTE: Yes, it was horrible. Jazz didnt want to give up
though. She still wanted to play. So she practiced she was
allowed to practice with the girls, but sit out the games. And
then she tried playing with the boys for several months, but
she wasnt happy doing that. She did her best, and she was very
brave, because we never knew, Would there be an answer to
this? Would we be able to resolve the issue?
MW: Jazz, did you find there was a difference between playing with
boys versus playing with other girls?
JAZZ: There was definitely a mental difference for me, because
when I was playing with the boys it reminded me of when I used
to live as a boy and present myself as male. It brought back those
bad memories. It was just not pretty for me and I often would
shut down on the field during the game.
MW: Your friends are encouraging you to try out for varsity this
year. Have you made that decision yet?
JAZZ: I havent decided if Im going to play JV or varsity yet in
high school, but tryouts are in a few months so I guess Ill just
have to decide then.
MW: Do you feel like youre ready for high school?
JAZZ: High school is very nerve-wrecking a lot of people are
telling me that. Maybe people wont become mature, and they
wont accept you for who you are. In episode three, when Im
with all those high school girls who play soccer, and theyre
telling me how high school is like a wildfire people dont care
about your feelings. And, you know, that really worries me. It
makes me feel concerned. And Im not sure if Im ready for this,
but I always say that as long as I have my friends and family by
my side, I know I can accomplish anything.
MW: One of the things thats so interesting about I Am Jazz,
Jeanette, is how supportive you are of Jazz. However, theres also
a sense that you dont want her to grow up.
JEANETTE: No. So many moms dont want to think about their
youngest child growing up, especially. I think its a common thing for people when they become empty-nesters to be
depressed about that. Maybe some parents are dying for their
kids to go to college and be gone, but Im not one of them!
MW: Jazz, has it helped you, knowing that your parents are this
supportive?
JAZZ: Yeah, my family has always been there for me, has
expressed unconditional love and support for who I am and has
treated me with respect and tolerance. And I appreciate that so
much, because without them, I just wouldnt be the same person
who is here speaking to you today. I would either be a depressed
person living their life as a boy even though they knew they were
a girl, or I wouldnt be here at all. So my family being there for

me, its just really shaped who I am.

MW: Do you also feel a sense of responsibility, or at least a desire, to
help other people who dont have it quite as good as you do?
JAZZ: I really do share my story to help other transgender kids
out there who might be struggling because they dont have that
love and support. And with my story of happiness, acceptance
and love, Im hoping that I can somehow provide them courage
to keep moving forward, so they can live their life authentically.
I dont feel like what you said, though, how I have this obligation to make a difference. Its something that Im just willing to
do, if it means I can help other people.
MW: In one episode, you talk about the letters you got as a result
of your book. Do you still receive letters or comments from other
transgender people?
JAZZ: The emails, the comments, the messages they definitely
keep coming in. Especially now that I Am Jazz has started airing,
its just been an increase in the number of messages. Its really
great to see positive feedback, because all the support just really
encourages me and motivates me to continue sharing my story.
Its great when people are really supportive of you. Of course,
along with all of the positive feedback, theres negative feedback
as well, in which people are bringing you down and theres a lot
of hatred. But when I see the hateful comments, I just push them

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

17

Ive already
transitioned. And Ive
been able to present as
a girl, the way I identify
as. But now, ITS TIME
FOR SOCIETY TO
TRANSITION ALONG
WITH ME, AND
REALLY ACCEPT ME
FOR WHO I AM.
Jazz Jennings
aside. Because if theyre going to judge me without understanding who I am, then their opinion isnt worth it to me. To see the
positive impact that youve created is really rewarding. And I
love getting those messages and emails.
MW: Have you and your family faced any danger or threat as a
result of being public?
JAZZ: Mom?
JEANETTE: We have received death threats in the past. We
do receive, on YouTube or maybe a little bit on other social
media, some horrible, horrible comments. Really bad haters,
true bigots. I hate to use the word evil, but there are people out
there with hearts that I just dont understand. Who would ever
threaten the life of a child? Theres something very wrong with
a person who would do that.
MW: Do you try to ignore it?
JEANETTE: Yeah, you block them on YouTube and move on.
MW: Given you were used to making YouTube videos, how have
you adjusted to a full camera crew following the family around?.
JEANETTE: I adapted pretty quickly to it. I love having people
in my house, I love having company. For other people itd be
disruptive, but I really enjoyed the crew. It was a lot of work
at times many hours where we were filming and we were
exhausted. But its all worth it in the end, now that we see the
finished product.
JAZZ: It was fine for me, too. Like my mom said, the crew was
just absolutely incredible. It was definitely difficult to adjust to
at first. But we got used to it pretty quickly. And you know, when
you always have this camera following you around its so different, it keeps you on your toes.
MW: When the cameras are off, what do you do for fun or to relax?
JAZZ: Well, I like to learn, so Im always teaching myself new
things on the computer. I also like just watching TV or movies.
But I dont think me doing that is very interesting for a TV show.
[Laughs.] Sometimes I just like to hang out outside. I love being
outside and exploring. I wish I had good neighborhood friends
to play outside with, but my friends dont live nearby.
MW: Do you have a favorite TV show? Other than your own of
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AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

course.
JAZZ: [Laughs.] One of my favorites is Game of Thrones. I love

that. And we also have this family TV show that we all watch
together, Big Brother. Thats like our family thing.
MW: Have your friends seen episodes of I Am Jazz?
JAZZ: Yeah, my friends have seen it.
MW: How have they reacted?
JAZZ: Theyre all still my friends. Were all super-close. You
know, when they look back at the episodes, they feel really bad.
They ask me, Does this mean were bad friends? It makes us
look like were such bad friends, blah blah blah. I feel so bad.
And they were a little upset especially Taylor.
MW: Thats the friend who upset you for suggesting that you didnt
put yourself out there enough with boys? She didnt appreciate that
its harder for you than her to do that.
JAZZ: She received a lot of hate on social media. She got a little
upset, but I told her, You know what, were still buddy-buddy.
And nothing is going to get between that.
MW: Do you have any speaking appearances or more book signings
planned?
JEANETTE: Jazz has a few things coming up in the future. Shes
going to be speaking at some conferences. Theres one in August
and one in October. But every now and then maybe once a
month or every other month shell go to a special conference
and give an inspiring speech, which I always love to hear. I
always love when she does that.
MW: Do you write all your speeches, Jazz?
JAZZ: Yeah.
JEANETTE: Jazz, she wont brag, but shes an amazing writer. She
always has been since she was a little kid she wrote stories.
She just blows me away with her writing.
At school, when she has to write stories or assignments, her
teachers have always said shes got a gift for writing. Sometimes,
she started little books when she was younger, stories I dont
think youve ever finished any of them, Jazz, did you?
JAZZ: [Laughs.] No.
MW: Do you enjoy the traveling and public speaking, Jazz?
JAZZ: Its a lot of fun. Its really great to come together with the
community and see people becoming educated. Its really an
opportunity for me to get my message out there and share my
story. And sometimes I get nervous before I have to deliver a
speech, but I mean, I guess thats normal for most people.
MW: Do you have a sense of what you want to do for a career
eventually?
JAZZ: I really dont know. I love doing so many different things,
but Im going to go with the flow and see what happens. Im not
sure which field or industry Ill end up in. But, you know, I definitely want to continue helping other people as I get older. And I
always say I want to leave this world in a better state than when
I arrived. I continue to live by that.
MW: At the top of the first episode, you identify yourself as a teenage girl, a soccer player and as an artist. What kind of artist are
you?
JAZZ: I draw portraits, I like drawing with pencils, doodling,
sketches, anything like that. And I also make silicone mermaid
tails in which I use sculpture mold-making and casting techniques, and airbrush silicone mermaid tails you can swim in
them in the water. So yeah, Im always using the creative side
of my brain.
JEANETTE: Shes a sculptress. She sculpts these tails from scratch
with her hands.
MW: Is that something she got from you, Jeanette, her artistic
ability?

JEANETTE: No! [Laughs.] I cant even draw a stick person. I dont

know where she gets it from. Not me.
MW: What can our readers do to support your efforts, or just generally help advance the cause of kids transgender rights and needs?
JEANETTE: Jazz sells those mermaid tails, and the proceeds go to
our foundation, the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation. We
often host events for transgender children and we send them
to a camp for gender-nonconforming children and transgender
children. And we help homeless youth. We do the best we can.
Were a little foundation, but any work we can do to help youth,
we do. Thats an important part of our lives.
And also TLC has an initiative where they donate a dollar
for people who do jazz hands [selfies] and #jazzhands on social
media after they see the show. So thats been really good for the
foundation as well, because a lot of people have responded to it
and are doing the jazz hands.
MW: Jazz, your name comes from your older sister playing Jasmine
in Aladdin when you were five. Have you done any acting or singing, or have any interest in pursuing it in the future?
JAZZ: I used to do acting. I used to go to this acting camp, for
seven years, but then in sixth grade I stopped doing acting, singing and dancing. I dont really like them any more.
JEANETTE: She used to be really into it. Like all the time. She
would be in plays, singing, dancing, acting. And when she gave
it up I was kind of sad, because I always enjoyed watching her
in plays. She was like, Im not into this anymore. And I was
like, No! Get back into it! I always love watching my kids up
on stage.
MW: Jeanette, would you say raising Jazz has been the same as
raising your other kids, or different?
JEANETTE: Pretty much the same. Ive had an extra set of con-

cerns and worries along with her being transgender. I hover

more about little things with her. You know, I worry about her
mental well-being. I know there are high rates of suicide and suicide attempts with transgender youth. Some 50 percent will try
to take their lives before theyre 21. So Im definitely tuned into
her a lot more than I am the others. I treat them all the same. But
Jazz has medical issues that the other kids dont have to worry
about, and that kind of stuff. And in that respect its different.
MW: Jazz, you seem to have amazing support from everyone in
your family, from your siblings and even grandparents, not just
your parents?
JAZZ: Yeah, the whole family, theyve just always been there
for me. Its not just my parents who have really let me express
myself for who I am but also my brothers and my sister. Right
from the start they just loved me for who I was. And if anyone
says something mean to me at school, or says something hateful
in general, they will be there to protect me. So I appreciate having that extra net of support.
I have my grandparents, I have my friends, I have the administrators at my school, and I feel like the whole community is really
there to support me and make sure that I find my happiness in
life. And now that Ive been able to live my life happily, I want to
make sure that everyone else can find their happiness too.
I Am Jazz airs Wednesday nights on TLC. Check cable listings or
visit tlc.com.
For more information about the Jennings nonprofit the Transkids
Purple Rainbow Foundation, visit transkidspurplerainbow.org.
To see Jazz Jenningss custom-sculpted mermaid-like Purple
Rainbow Tails, visit jazzmergirl.wix.com/purplerainbowtails. l

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

19

AUGUST 6 - 13, 2015

Compiled by Doug Rule

SPOTLIGHT
BUGS BUNNY CARTOONS: 75TH
ANNIVERSARY SCREENING

In honor of its 75th anniversary,

the American Film Institutes Silver
Theatre treats fans of the cartoon Bugs
Bunny and who isnt a fan? to a
selection of some of the best. The animated shorts are grouped into different programs, with remaining screen
times Saturday, Aug. 8, Sunday, Aug. 9,
Saturday, Aug. 15, and Sunday, Aug. 16,
at 11:30 a.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633
Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets
are $5. Call 301-495-6720 or visit
afi.com/Silver.

ROCKY A

CULTURE CLUB

Green
Screen
A summer tradition, Screen on the Green and other outdoor

movie screenings are sweeping the district

OOKING FOR A COST-EFFECTIVE DATE NIGHT THIS SUMMER? PACK UP

some snacks and hit up one of the many free outdoor movie screenings that dot the
DC Metro Area. Across the district, people huddle together on blankets to watch classic gems, 90s comedies, and even recent blockbusters. And since 1999, Screen on the Green
at the National Mall has been the indisputable king of this DC summer tradition.
As the sun sets on certain days this month, youll stumble across people hauling picnic
baskets and lawn chairs onto the greenery between Fourth and Seventh Street Northwest.
The Screen on the Green Film Festival, now sponsored by HBO, brings an eclectic mix of
films for fans of fresh air cinema. From Hitchcock to Annie Hall, the festival is a whimsical
companion to the traditional theatre experience.
But outdoor cinema isnt exclusively reserved for the Mall. Similar events are cropping up
all over the region. Interested in 80s flicks? Check out Playback the Tape in Ivy City on
August 21, theyll be playing Pee-Wees Big Adventure at the Ivy City Playground Park. Living
in Virginia? Make sure you check out Summer Movies at the Arlington Mill, where theyll be
playing last years Oscar darling Birdman on August 15. You can even find outdoor cinema at
the National Harbor. On August 9, theyll air Back to the Future on the bank of the Potomac.
Now that youve found your movie, its important to consider what to carry along with
you. Before you bring any alcohol, make sure you check local regulations, for instance
Screen on the Green prohibits alcohol, drugs, weapons and tall chairs, because no one wants
their view blocked by a rowdy jackass. Bug spray, umbrellas and warm clothes are also
advised, just in case, but if you want to fill your bag entirely with popcorn, we certainly wont
judge. Connor J. Hogan
Screen on the Green will show Back to the Future on August 10 at the National Mall between
4th St and 7th St NW. To find outdoor screenings near you, visit DCOutdoorfilms.com.
20

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

Yes, the hit-making British pop quartet

fronted by the always out Boy George
has reunited. Theyre currently on a
tour originally intended to promote
the groups first album of new material
in 16 years. Now that set, Tribes, has
been pushed back for release next year,
but no matter: The appeal remains the
same for most concertgoers, eager to
take a trip down memory lane and hear
Karma Chameleon, Do You Really
Want To Hurt Me, Miss Me Blind
and so many other of the bands great
hits from its 80s heyday. Monday, Aug.
10, at 8 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf
Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets
are $30 to $60. Call 877-WOLFTRAP
or visit wolftrap.org.

GERARD PANGAUD: CLASSIC

FRENCH COOKING

The man behind the former D.C. restaurant Gerards Place and now chef
at Malmaison on the Georgetown
Waterfront, Gerard Pangaud was the
youngest chef ever to receive a twostar Michelin rating (for his namesake French restaurant prior to moving to the U.S.). He drops by the Hill
Center on Capitol Hill to offer a Classic
French Cooking Class, predicated on
his approach in the kitchen emphasizing the creative and unique over the
rote and standard in other words,
winging it versus relying on a recipe.
Pangaud will demonstrate how to
prepare a tomato salad, local rockfish
with a warm salad of summer vegetables, and a gratin of caramelized
peaches with almonds. Wednesday,
Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. Hill Center, Old Navy
Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
Cost is $85. Call 202-549-4172 or visit
HillCenterDC.org.

JULIUS CAESAR

Founded shortly after World War II,

the National Players has helped launch
the careers of many young stage and

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

21

T WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BEER INDUSTRY TWO DECADES AGO.

Back then, it was hard to find things that werent Bud, Coors,
Heineken, explains Mark Kutcher, a longtime manager at Afterwords
Cafe. A late-night dining institution since 1976 and located in the back of
Dupont Circles celebrated Kramerbooks, Afterwords has long been notable for
its selection of draft beers served from 18 taps back when that kind of a setup
was considered extravagant or a novelty.
The recent craft beer boom has spurred demand for non-national, local brews,
so much so that Afterwords now more frequently rotates and switches out its
beers. On Monday, Aug. 10, it will host a local beer tasting event, An Evening in
DelMarVa A Celebration of Breweries from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
With all the new craft brewers out there, Kutcher says, we thought
DelMarVa was a good way to get a lot of variety and feature local breweries.
The tasting comes as part of DC Beer Week, the annual event started seven
years ago to celebrate and bolster D.C.s growing beer community. Afterwords
has hosted a tasting the past two years as part of the week-long promotion,
performance artists, often giving them
their debut in professional work out
of college. This national touring company offers two shows on the Historic
Stage at its home base of Olney Theatre,
including a production next month of
Charles Dickenss A Tale of Two Cities.
But first up is the Bards masterful,
timeless examination of conspiracy and
assassination, and the political fallout
that results. Colin Hovde directs this
Julius Caesar. Opens Wednesday, Aug.
12, at 7:30 p.m. To Aug. 16. Olney-Sandy
Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are
$15. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

MOONRISE FESTIVAL

Steez Promo and Glow DC once again

team up for this second annual twoday EDM festival on the same grounds
of the former Virgin Mobile Festival
and the Infield Fest thats right, the
historic Pimlico Race Course where the
Preakness is run. Moonrise is still pretty skewed toward DJs and producers
working in the noisily dubstep style that
Skrillex made famous, although theres
more diversity this year. Sundays headliner is proof of that Above & Beyond,
the influential U.K.-based trio, has
never strayed too far from the trance-y
22

AUGUST 6, 2015

The DelMarVa-focused DC Beer Week tasting is Monday, Aug. 10, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
at Afterwords Cafe, 1517 Connecticut Ave.
NW. Call 202-387-3825 or visit
kramers.com. l

progressive house style it first started

mixing and producing in 1999. Among
other familiar names in the long lineup: Saturdays headliner Bassnectar,
Porter Robinson, Die Antwoord,
Zeds Dead and Infected Mushroom.
Saturday, Aug. 8, and Sunday, Aug. 9, at
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pimlico Race Course,
5201 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore.
Tickets are $109 for a single-day pass
or $149.50 for a two-day pass, more
for VIP options. Call 202-397-SEAT or
visit moonrisefestival.com.

Baltimore. Thats when the boy band

One Direction, manufactured and massmarketed by Simon Cowell, takes to
the Ravens field for a concert with only
one saving grace if the girls in your life
have made it mandatory: Icona Pop, last
years Capital Pride darlings, open the
show. The duos appealing new single
is called Emergency. Coincidence?
Saturday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. M&T
Stadium, 1101 Russell St., Baltimore.
Tickets are $39.50 to $109. Call 410261-7283 or visit livenation.com.

ONCE THERE WERE BILLIONS

SUMMER SPIRIT FESTIVAL:

ERYKAH BADU, ANTHONY
HAMILTON, ESTELLE

Once There Were Billions: Vanished

Birds of North America documents
those species of birds weve lost on this
continent over the past two centuries,
from the puffin-like great auck to the
Carolina parakeet to the heath hen to
the passenger pigeon, not to be confused with the commonplace carrier
pigeon. Through October. National
Museum of Natural History, 10th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW.
Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.

ONE DIRECTION WITH ICONA POP

Dont be surprised if you hear

the faint sound of girls screaming
Saturday night from all the way up in

METROWEEKLY.COM

Billed as a one-stop shop for a soulful

good time, this years Summer Spirit
Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion
is headlined by neo-soul veterans
Erykah Badu and Anthony Hamilton,
plus U.K.-bred soul/hip-hop acts
Floetry and Estelle. Need more soul?
Junkyard Band, Tony! Toni! Ton!,
Avery*Sunshine, and Phony PPL are
also on the bill plus special guests.
Saturday, Aug. 8, at 3 p.m. Merriweather
Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent
Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are
$48 to $125. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit
merriweathermusic.com.

THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS,

THE CHURCH

This weekend, the Fillmore Silver

Spring offers a two-fer show for fans
of 80s New Wave/pop: Theres the
Pretty in Pink English band the
Psychedelic Furs, led by singer Robert
Butler and his brother, bass guitarist
Tim Butler, and then the Under The
Milky Way Australian act The Church
fronted by Steve Kilbey. Sunday, Aug.
9, at 8 p.m. Fillmore Silver Spring, 8656
Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets
are $37.50 Call 301-960-9999 or visit
fillmoresilverspring.com.

TOM TEASLEY: THE ADVENTURES

OF PRINCE ACHMED

Constellation Theatre Company offers

four screenings of Lotte Reinigers
1926 visually spectacular film The
Adventures of Prince Achmed the first
full-length animated film to boot here
enhanced with live music, an original
score by Helen Hayes Award-winning
composer and world music percussionist Tom Teasley. Based on The Arabian
Nights, the film has its heroic prince
riding a magical flying horse into wondrous adventures and falling in love
with Princess Peri Banu though he
must defeat an army of demons to win

MAXYM

Craft
Work
Afterwords Cafe to host a DC Beer Week tasting of area brews
I

which features more than 180 events, from

panel discussions to beer dinners to tap
takeovers at participating bars. This years
DC Beer Week officially kicks off with a
Brewers on the Block daytime event near
Union Market on Sunday, Aug. 9.
Afterwords occasionally hosts beer- and
spirits-focused events that also have a clear
literary tie-in, appealing to the venues builtin literate crowd of drinkers. But the DC
Beer Week tasting is strictly about sampling
new fermented brews from Delawares
Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company,
Marylands Eastern Shore Brewing and
Virginias Bold Rock Hard Cider, all offered
in 6-oz. servings at $4 each.
Beer Week is a good way for us to try
some brews out, Kutcher says. If people
really like them we will keep some. In years
past, Afterwords has kept several brews on
tap for a year or more after they proved a
hit at the tastings. The DC Beer Week event
also indirectly helps serve as a reminder to
those whom Kutcher jokingly calls beer
geeks that Afterwords remains as good of
a beer spot now as it was all those years ago.
All the beer geeks are focused on beer
for the week, he says, so Beer Week is a
good way to get some of them in the door.
Doug Rule

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

23

her heart. Teasley will accompany

the screening in a presentation that
Constellation hopes to make an annual
offering of its theater season.
Thursday, Aug. 13, through Friday,
Aug. 14, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Aug.
15, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Source Theatre,
1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to
$45. Call 202-204-7741 or visit constellationtheatre.org.

FILM

Adventure Theatre MTC offers a production at Bethesdas Round House

Theatre of Lionel Barts bittersweet
classic musical, based on the Dickens
novel, about the porridge-demanding orphan. Joseph Ritsch directs a
cast including local knockouts Rick
Hammerly and Felicia Curry. To Aug.
16. Round House Theatre, 4545 EastWest Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are
$50 to $60. Call 240-644-1100 or visit
adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

ONCE

AMY

HHHHH

HHHHH
A new documentary about the late
singer Amy Winehouse, Amy interrogates the tragic side of performance
and public identity. Directed by Asif
Kapadia, a filmmaker known for the
2010 biography Senna, the movie earnestly charts Winehouses rise from
early adolescence in Londons suburbs
to the crushing pressure of worldwide
acclaim, accompanied by the drug
addictions that ultimately killed her at
age 27. Amy isnt a hagiography, very
far from it, but it never hesitates to
laud Winehouses talent. The triumph
of Amy is Winehouses wit and charm
away from the microphone. Shes
shown to be whip-smart, a wily thinker
with little patience for nonsense. Again
and again, Kapadia uses Winehouses
own words to frame the irony of her
career. Winehouse died four years ago.
Kapadias documentary is one of the
first major attempts to define her legacy. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit
fandango.com. (Chris Heller)

THE ROCKY HORROR

PICTURE SHOW

Every Friday and Saturday Landmarks

E Street Cinema shows films at midnight that are more risqu or campy
than the usual fare. And, no surprise,
once a month brings screenings of a
certain cult classic. Each screening is accompanied by the shadow
cast Sonic Transducers, who act out
the film in front of the screen with
props and costumes. Friday, Aug. 14,
and Saturday, Aug. 15, at midnight.
Landmarks E Street Cinema, 555 11th
St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit
landmarktheatres.com.

STAGE
DEAR EVAN HANSEN

Arena Stage has recruited some all-star

talent for its world premiere musical
Dear Evan Hansen, featuring a book by
Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex) and
a score by Tony nominees Benj Pasek
and Justin Paul (A Christmas Story).
Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal)
directs this modern tale about a boy
preparing for a bright future so long
as his secret past doesnt come back
to haunt him. Ben Platt from Pitch
Perfect stars. To Aug. 23. Mead Center
for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW.
Tickets are $51 to $66. Call 202-4883300 or visit arenastage.org.

24

OLIVER!

AUGUST 6, 2015

Once is one of those quiet, understated shows that will sneak up and
surprise you. Featuring a book by celebrated Irish playwright Enda Walsh,
Once focuses on a man, Guy (Stuart
Ward), who is about to give up on
his music until a mysterious woman,
Girl (Dani De Waal), enters the picture and becomes his muse. Soon the
pair are making hauntingly beautiful
music together, which is all the more
powerful because it expresses their
love for each other in a way that they
never fully realize otherwise. Music
becomes the couples primary outlet
for conveying their feelings toward one
another. And several of Glen Hansard
and Marketa Irglovas dramatic folkinflected rock songs here would be
chart-toppers if there were any justice
in the pop music world or at least
if this were an earlier era when musicals had that kind of mainstream sway.
Every actor in Once plays an instrument, and the ensemble becomes the
shows orchestra, sitting on the edge
of Bob Crowleys set tugging on strings
when not part of the central action.
The effect is as subtly smart and seamless as everything else about this show,
including Steven Hoggetts graceful
choreography. To Aug. 16. Kennedy
Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets
are $65 to $160. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org. (Doug Rule)

PSYCHO BEACH PARTY

The Richmond Triangle Players

offer the perfect summer stage show,
Charles Buschs campy ode to the
original surfer flicks imagine Gidget
crossed with Mommie Dearest. Penny
Ayn Maas directs. Weekends to Aug.
15. Richmond Triangle Players, 1300
Altamont Ave. Richmond. Call 804346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.

ROMEO AND JULIET:

LOVE KNOWS NO AGE

HHHHH
For all the many variations on
Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, one
thing has remained pretty constant:
the two star-crossed lovers at the heart
of the play are portrayed as teenagers. Not so at Marylands Unexpected
Stage. The companys Christopher
Goodrich decided to experiment by
casting septuagenarians in the lead
roles of its Romeo & Juliet: Love Knows
No Age, and setting its adaptation in
a retirement community. It doesnt
really work. As heartbreaking as it is
to see a teenage couple committing

METROWEEKLY.COM

suicide because society forbids their

love, it becomes downright depressing
to see senior citizens feeling and doing
the same. And really, why do they?
Goodrich only made a few tweaks for
his adaptation,leaving the original play
pretty much intact but this leads
to confusion and worse. For example,
Goodrichs principal change was to
have the Montagues and the Capulets
become the lovers adult children, not
their parents. Yet Lord Capulet (Josh
Adams) is still very much a disciplinarian, barking orders, yelling insults and
even slapping Juliet his own mother!
Closes this Sunday, Aug. 9. Randolph
Road Theatre, 4010 Randolph Road.
Wheaton. Tickets are $16 to $27.50.
Call 800-838-3006 or visit unexpectedstage.org. (Doug Rule)

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL

HHHHH
Perhaps youve heard the buzz about
Jon Kaplan and Alan Kaplans musical,
with a book by Hunter Bell. Yes, this is
that show, the unauthorized parody
of the 24-year-old cinematic classic
The Silence of the Lambs. Silence! strips
away the films focus on horror, replacing it with nutty, off-kilter, sexualized
humor. Featuring lewd sight gags,
uproariously perverse rounds of dialogue and gleefully vulgar songs, its
about as wild and whacked out as a
professional show ever gets. Alan Paul
directs this 90-minute, intermissionless show at Studio Theatre, set in
the companys intimate upper-level
Stage 4 space with a full bar. Laura
Jordan earns the biggest applause for
her deadpan work in the tricky role of
Clarice Starling, the aspiring FBI agent
and West Virginia hick with a comically exaggerated lisp. And Tom Story
manages to make Buffalo Bill a more
multi-dimensional character than the
films one-note transgressive transsexual. And then theres the ensemble
adorned with white ears and hoofs,
gamboling around the stage and into
the crowd. These little lambs will make
you laugh and smile, and then laugh
some more. Extened to Aug. 23. Studio
Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets
are $40 to $45. Call 202-332-3300 or
visit studiotheatre.org. (Doug Rule)

THE BOOK OF MORMON

Yes indeed, the biggest show on

Broadway in the last decade returns
to the Kennedy Center after 2013s
initial sold out run. Tickets are thankfully easier to come by the second
time around, particularly since it now
runs for two months. Written by South
Parks Trey Parker and Matt Stone,
the riotously funny, audacious musical, which won a whopping nine Tony
Awards, is both cutting edge in shocking substance yet traditional in style.
The Book of Mormon may weave in
unexpected and provocative plot twists
and scenes as well as convey extremely
modern sensibilities about life, culture
and organized religion. Yet it still hews
to the standard musical mold, from
repeated musical lines and lyrics, to
boisterous sing-along group anthems,
to sharp group choreography and a tap
number. To Aug. 16. Kennedy Center

Opera House. Tickets are $43 to $250.

Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedycenter.org.

THE SECOND CITYS

LET THEM EAT CHAOS

Chicagos legendary improv troupe

returns to present a D.C.-centric production at Woolly Mammoth Theatre
Company for the sixth time, after sellout success with previous provocative,
political-skewering shows, from Barack
Stars to American All Better!! Closes
this Sunday, Aug. 9. Woolly Mammoth,
641 D St. NW. Tickets range from $35
to $83. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN

In 1994, Reginald Roses jury drama

was the very first show from Virginias
American Century Theater. Now, it
also serves as its very last. Director
Jack Marshall has assembled his
dream cast among TACT veterans,
including Craig Miller, Steve Ferry,
Michael Replogle, Joe Cronin, Evan
Crump, Michael Sherman, Bruce Alan
Rauscher, Steve Lebens, Lyle Blake
Smithers, David Jourdan, Brian Crane
and John Tweel. Closes this Saturday,
Aug. 8. Gunston Theater Two, 2700
South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are
$32 to $40. Call 703-998-4555 or visit
americancentury.org.

COMMUNITY STAGE
MONTY PYTHONS SPAMALOT

Marylands Port Tobacco Players offers

this musical retelling of the classic
film Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
directed by Brooke L. Howells-Weiser.
Closes this Sunday, Aug. 9. Port Tobacco
Players, 508 Charles St., La Plata, Md.
Tickets are $14 to $17. Call 301-932-6819
or visit ptplayers.com.

MUSIC
ABBA - THE CONCERT

The best ABBA tribute band in the

world, touts the Official ABBA Fan
Club. Featuring two original members
of the Swedish pop groups rhythm section, ABBA - The Concert is about as
close as well ever get to a concert by
the actual band who have infamously
refused as much as $1 million to regroup.
Sunday, Aug. 16, at 8 p.m. The Filene
Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road,
Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $42. Call
877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

BRAZILIAN GIRLS

No one in the New York-based band

Brazilian Girls is actually from Brazil,
and theres only one girl among the
quartet, vocalist Sabina Sciubba. Those
are only the most obvious mysteries
about the internationally minded band
and its music, a chill-out blend of reggae, electronica and jazz. Whats not a
mystery is the bands popularity around
these parts: Brazilian Girls has performed in D.C. at least once a year for
the past several years. Sunday, Aug. 9,
at 7:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St.

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AUGUST 6, 2015

25

NW. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 202787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

DESAPARECIDOS

Indie-rock/hipster favorite Conor

Oberst leads this Husker Du-esque
pop-punk quintet from Nebraska
whose feisty, aggressive sound is very
different from the tender and earnest
folk-rock music he makes either as
a solo artist or as part of his betterknown act Bright Eyes. The bands
name is even punky: Spanish for the
disappeared, it refers specifically
to the political dissidents who have
been secretly abducted or imprisoned
by officials and are simply reported
as missing in several South American
countries. The So So Glos and the
Banddroidz are opening acts. Saturday,
Aug. 8. Doors at 7 p.m. Nightclub 9:30,
815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202265-0930 or visit 930.com.

EMILY SKINNER

Broadways Emily Skinner (Side Show,

Billy Elliot) is no stranger to these
parts, having grown up in Richmond
and more recently making stops in D.C.
to star in local productions, including two during the Kennedy Centers
Sondheim Celebration in 2002. Now
shell visit Strathmores newest venue
AMP to perform the cabaret Emily
Skinner: Broadway Her Way, which
will include standards from Rodgers
and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe,
and Kander and Ebb as well as newer
musical theater tunes from her repertoire and beyond. Friday, Aug. 7, at 8
p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand
Park Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are
$35 to $45. Call 301-581-5100 or visit
ampbystrathmore.com.

GILBERT & SULLIVAN

Every summer, the Capitol Hill Arts

Workshop (CHAW) and its director Jill
Strachan present a different Gilbert and
Sullivan production. This year brings
Trial by Jury and selections from Yeomen
of the Guard. As always, the production
features a cast primarily from the CHAW
and LGBT communities. Remaining performances Thursday, Aug. 6, and Friday,
Aug. 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 8,
at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Capitol Hill Arts
Workshop, 545 7th St. SE. Tickets are
$20. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.

26

AUGUST 6, 2015

NEEDTOBREATHE, SWITCHFOOT

This South Carolina-based alt-rock outfit digs into its down-home roots while
also creating epic music reminiscent
of U2 and The Fray. The bands stop
at Wolf Trap also features Switchfoot,
the California-based Christian alt-rock
band. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
and Colony House are also on the bill.
Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. The Filene
Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road,
Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call
877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

PONCHO SANCHEZ
AND HIS LATIN JAZZ BAND

The Texas-born conga player and salsa

singer got his start 40 years ago performing in Cal Tjaders famed Latin
jazz ensemble, but has lead his own
Grammy-winning Latin jazz band for
23 years now. Latin jazz is the worlds
greatest music, Sanchez boasts. With
music this rousing, its hard to disagree.
Friday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug.
16, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Blues Alley,
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are
$40, plus $12 minimum purchase. Call
202-337-4141 or visit bluesalley.com.

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND

Founded over 50 years ago, the

Preservation Hall Jazz Band was part
of an effort to preserve and perpetuate traditional New Orleans jazz
the brassy and festive, big band style.
In recent years it has pursued that
mission by cultivating broader attention, performing alongside pop acts as
varied as Arcade Fire, the Black Keys
and the Foo Fighters. Currently an
eight-piece led by Ben Jaffe, the group
also keeps its style alive by regularly
touring around the world, spending
as much time on the road as at its
namesake venue in the French Quarter.
Thursday, Aug. 13, at 7:30 p.m. The
Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave.,
Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.

WOLF TRAP OPERA WITH NSO

AND CHORAL ARTS: MADAMA
BUTTERFLY

LA Operas Grant Gershon conducts

a one-night-only performance from
the Filene Centers stage of one of the
most heart-breaking love stories of
all time, Puccinis Madama Butterfly.
Tara Faircloth directs a new, staged

METROWEEKLY.COM

and costumed production with custom video projections, a collaboration

among the Wolf Trap Opera Company,
the National Symphony Orchestra
and Choral Arts. Sung in Italian
with English supertitles in-house.
Friday, Aug. 7, at 8:15 p.m. The Filene
Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road,
Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $75. Call
877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

ZAC BROWN BAND WITH THE

AVETT BROTHERS

An eight-piece band from Georgia

straddling the Southern rock/country
divide, the Zac Brown Band is led by
its namesake vocalist/guitarist but also
includes Jimmy De Martini, who doubles as a violinist/fiddler, John Driskell
Hopkins, a bassist/ukulele player, and
two percussionists, Chris Fryar and
Daniel de los Reyes. Live Nation presents the bands Jekyll + Hyde Tour
at Nationals Park. It features another Southern band straddling a sonic
divide, North Carolina-based The
Avett Brothers, who merge bluegrass
and rock. Friday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m.
Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St.
NE. Tickets are $51.50 to $108.50. Call
202-675-6287 or visit livenation.com.

COMEDY
OWEN BENJAMIN

As part of its new Comedy series, the

Kennedy Center presents a stand-up
show by Owen Benjamin, a series regular on TBSs Sullivan & Son. Jamel
Johnson opens for this free Millennium
Stage show. Thursday, Aug. 13, at 6
p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.
Tickets are free. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org.

TAMMY PESCATELLI

A finalist on NBCs Last Comic

Standing as well as a familiar standup
presence on Comedy Central, Tammy
Pescatelli developed her hilarious,
tough-girl comedy act by growing up
in an Italian-American household with
a gang of brothers in Cleveland. Shes
pretty darn bad ass. Thursday, Aug. 6,
at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m. and
10:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m.
and 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 9, at
8 p.m. DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut
Ave. NW. Tickets are $17 to $20. Call
202-296-7008 or visit dcimprov.com.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

LA-TI-DO

Regie Cabico and Don Mike Mendozas

La-Ti-Do variety show is neither karaoke nor simply cabaret. In addition
to higher-quality singing than most
impromptu karaoke, Cabico and cohost Mendoza also select storytellers
who offer spoken-word poetry and
comedy. Now held at James Hobans
on Dupont Circle, the next four shows,
starting Monday, Aug. 10, feature
accompanist Alex Tang, affiliated with
the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington,
Hilary Morrow and other DC Actors for
Animals performers who have either
rescued or fostered an animal. In partnership with Rural Dog Rescue, two
rescues from different shelters will be
available each night. Monday nights at
8 p.m. James Hobans Irish Restaurant
& Bar, 1 Dupont Circle NW. Tickets
are $15, or only $7 if you eat dinner at
the restaurant beforehand. Call 202223-8440 or visit latidodc.wix.com/
latidodc.

THE GLASS HOUSE: A VARIETY

SHOW TRIBUTE TO GEEK LOVE

Years before the musical Side Show and

decades before American Horror Story:
Freak Show, Katherine Dunns 1989
Geek Love was a novel about a traveling carnival run by a husband-and-wife
duo, who end up altering the genes of
their own children to create a freak
show to boost business. Next weekend, the Bier Baron hosts another burlesque/variety show, this time in tribute to Dunns book, which organizers
say has inspired and awakened many
a carny-hearted performer. Among
those performing: Kay Sera of Bawdy
Shop Burlesque, former Ringling clown
Jim Dandy, local sideshow acts Mab
Just Mab and Charlie Artful and Chris
Griffin aka pervpunk performer/musical comedienne Lucrezia Blozia. The
evening will be narrated by actor Susie
Richard as Olympia Binewski McGurk,
the albino humpback dwarf who narrates the novel. Sunday, Aug. 9, at 8
p.m. Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22nd St.
NW. Tickets are $12 in advance, or $15
at the door. Call 202-293-1887 or visit
inlovewithbier.com. l

film

Creative Blocks
End of the Tour and
Ricki and the Flash both fumble
potentially strong premises
by CHRIS HELLER

HE END OF THE TOUR IS ABOUT A LOT OF

things: writing, journalism, celebrity, accomplishment, envy, friendship. It is not about David Foster
Wallace, though. It prominently features David
Foster Wallace, an idea thats been bronzed into an idol. David
Foster Wallace isnt a man. Its something to be worshipped.
The script, by playwright Donald Margulies, is based on a collection of interviews that were recorded on tape in March 1996
by journalist David Lipsky. Lipsky wanted to profile Wallace in
the wake of his burgeoning fame, so he tagged along for the last
leg of the Infinite Jest book tour. The story wasnt published;
ultimately, Rolling Stone spiked Lipskys draft.
A decade later, Wallace hung himself. After his suicide,
Lipsky compiled his unused interviews into a book. Margulies
based his script on that book. And theres the rub: The End of
the Tour is an interpretation of a transcription of a conversation
with a dead man. If this story once had sharp corners, theyve
been rounded off into smoother, gentle curves.
The End of the Tour is framed within the days after the sui-

cide, when Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) digs up his interview tapes

to remember and mourn. The movie recollects the short period
he spent with Wallace (Jason Segel), mostly in and around his
Illinois home in the dead of winter, as they talked and talked and
talked. Its a bold movie, in that regard, because director James
Ponsoldt keeps the narrative as lean as it sounds.
Lipskys relationship with Wallace is fundamentally based
on envy he wants to be as great a writer as him, but wont
recognize the mental cost of navigating his fame and he
approaches the interviews not as a journalism assignment, but as
an opportunity to befriend someone great. This tension is never
quite resolved, for good reason, as it seesaws Lipskys behavior
from minor annoyance, to amoral pest, to devout worshipper,
and back again. Segels Wallace, of course, rarely treats Lipsky
with anything but earnest care and respect. He understands the
fraught relationship between subject and writer, how the writer
can shape a person into whoever or whatever he wants, and
shares this anxiety with Lipsky many times. Lipsky, on the other
hand, is smart enough to realize what an opportunity this story
represents but too shallow to realize its cost.
The End of the Tour would have been better had it been about
a fictional writer and not Wallace. It too easily casts the author
as some temperamental dispenser of zen koans, a genius too
beautiful for this world, and that seems unfair. To be fair, thats
an honest reflection of our cultural treatment of Wallace, postmortem: flaws buffed away, status raised to impossible heights.
Ponsoldt and Marguiles must see a bit of themselves in
Eisenbergs Lipsky. Theyre figuratively sleeping in Wallaces
guest room, dwarfed by piles and piles of his books, trying to figMETROWEEKLY.COM

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27

ure him out. If The End of the Tour treated him as a man, rather
than a figure, they might have discovered something profound.
Instead, they fawned.
RICKI AND THE FLASH, on the other hand, is a reminder
that there are worse ways to tell a story. Directed by Jonathan
Demme and written by Diablo Cody, the movie is about a sixtysomething aspiring rock musician (Meryl Streep) who, decades
earlier, abandoned her family to start a band in Los Angeles. Her
name used to be Linda. Now she calls herself Ricki.
Ricki is called back to her former Midwestern life by her exhusband (Kevin Kline), after her daughter (Mamie Gummer)
spirals into a suicidal depression. Its a completely different

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world: her family is wealthy, with

no money troubles to speak of, while
shes on the verge of bankruptcy.
Her children resent her. Her exs
wife (Audra McDonald) is a considerate, traditional mother. Ricki
and the Flash deftly navigates these
tricky relationships, putting Ricki
on trial for her life choices but rarely
judging her, but the earliest scenes
are an unfulfilled promise. Think
of the talent involved in this movie:
Demme, Cody, Streep! It should be
better than it is.
Instead, it loses its thread with a
relentless series of musical performances that bleed into one another,
again and again. The last act is a
bore not because the music is bad, although it isnt great, but
because Rickis emotional development and ultimate reconciliation with her family feels unearned. The movie literally ends in
a dance number, as Rickis music inspires her family to stand up
and get down. What? How? Why?
By the end, Ricki and the Flash seems rushed. There are good
ideas here about parenthood, and worthwhile questions raised
about purpose, but so much is lost for the sake of a tidy ending.
Nobody wants an encore. The show mustnt go on. l
The End of the Tour (HHHHH) runs 106 minutes and is Rated
R. Ricki and the Flash (HHHHH) runs 102 minutes and is rated
PG-13. Both open Friday at area theaters.

travel

Camp Songs
Some handy tips to keep your
festival camping experience
a positive one

WAVEBREAKMEDIA

by KATE WINGFIELD

AMPING COMES IN DEGREES. THERE ARE

the extremes of wild camping, the comforts of family campgrounds, the luxuries of glamping and the
simple pleasures of a makeshift tent in the backyard. But amid the panoply of possibilities, there is a particular
camping experience that has its own special place in the world
of nylon, pegs, and soggy food: music festivals.
If you are an experienced camper, there is no festival in the

world that will rock you (pun intended). But if you have only
slept under stars through a skylight while wrapped in the tender
embrace of a freshly-washed duvet, you may want to grab a few
tips before you head for the hills and the sound of music.
THE BORING BUT NECESSARY

All camping shares a few basics: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat,
best way to store and prepare food. Give yourself plenty of time
to peruse informative websites such as the Outdoor Gear Lab
and Road & Travel Magazines camping guide. Always doublecheck the actual size of a tent, as some that call themselves twoman are only suitable for those who find MRIs cozy.
Before you buy (or borrow), be sure you know the climate of
your destination. Many places are hot in the daytime and shockingly cold at night. Some locales are surprisingly changeable and
can turn from balmy to rainy in the blink of a sleep-deprived eye.
Know before you go: practice putting up your tent and
taking it down before you have to do it in the rain, dusk or
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29

with an audience.
LESSONS FROM THE FIELD

Aint No Sunshine: Check the weather for the actual weekend

be safe rather than sorry. Bring more warm layers than you
think youll need and stash some dry clothes in your car. Bring
a waterproof sheet to go under your picnic blanket once the sun
comes out and consider some camping chairs. It may be a long
walk from the parking area to the camping site, so pack for a hike
in the rain.
The Dark Side of the Moon: Even if your festival has decent
toilets and enough minions to keep them replenished and reasonably clean, night promises a long dark walk through tent city.
And chances are things wont be all theyre cracked up to be,
especially if you are at the kind of festival where you could run
into the Wicker Man. As barbaric as it sounds, at 3 a.m. in a rain
storm you will want a pot to piss in. Bring something along the
lines of in a plastic tool box with a tight, latchable lid. If you use
it, seal it and put it outside your tent for proper emptying in the
morning. If you must have a slash outside the tent, head away
from your slumbering neighbors to the nearest trees, bushes or
perimeter before bringing out the fire hose. If you cant go anywhere but in a designated spot, bring a headlamp that will allow
a hands-free encounter with the festival toilet. Always pack an
extra roll or two of toilet paper.
The Sound of Silence: Music festivals are loud. And they stay
loud. Some will play on past your bedtime, others may take a
nightly break but nevertheless inspire fellow campers to wax lyrical at top volume long past the strum of the last guitar. There will
be snoring and other noises. Bring ear plugs. If a nightcap sends
you off, consider bringing a few whiskey miniatures or a flask.

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Sticky Fingers: If you are more Felix Unger than Oscar

Madison, another essential will be handi wipes: regular and
apologies to the environment antibacterial. You may be near
running water or have enough bottled water to wash your hands
at will, but chances are youll need a little help. Remember that
you may want to wipe off your hands before inserting or removing contact lenses or before and after applying unguents such as
suntan lotion. Antibacterial wipes can also be used in a fix for
fermenting underarms, but not on faces or other delicate areas.
Pay attention to signs, as not all water will be potable (drinkable). Really, just prepare to ripen but be comforted by the fact
that everyone else will too.
Alices Restaurant: Festival fare is unpredictable. Food runs
out, cooks fail to show, and rainstorms make waiting in line miserable. Bring your own supplies. Experience will broaden your
options, but first timers should stick to simple staples like sandwiches, apples, grapes, protein bars and coolers of cold meat and
hardboiled eggs. Make sure your cooler works before you go. If
cooking is allowed, read and learn your stove in advance. Always
bring a bottle opener (and consider canned beer and screw-top
wines). Try to camp with experienced friends as they may end
up saving your bacon (literally).
Join Together: Many festivals rely on volunteers and/or
borrow fields from reluctant farmers. Festivals depend on the
decency of attendees. Buy raffle tickets or programs that fund
the cause. Read and follow the website small-print about campfires and cooking. Dont litter or leave stuff behind there was
nothing lovable or hip about the crap left on the fields after
Woodstock.
So pack smart, pitch well, and then head for the marquee
knowing a nylon B&B awaits you when the musics over. l

tech

Open Windows
Windows 10 is fast, fresh and
free to millions of users
by RHUARIDH MARR

ICROSOFT NEEDS WINDOWS 10 TO WORK.

It needs it to blast away three years of accumulated ire over Windows 8. It needs it to
convince those whove switched to Macs to
come back into the fold. It needs to coax those who stubbornly
remain on Windows 7 to upgrade.
They designed Windows 10 from the ground up to appease
and please in equal measures. The good news? Microsoft have
knocked it out of the park. Windows 10 isnt a perfect operating system, but its a damn sight better than the disjointed
mess it replaces.
Ive been using the Windows 10 Insider Preview on my main
work PC for a few months. It has now been upgraded to the final
release alongside my Surface Pro 3. With that in mind, what can
users expect from Windows 10?
RESTRAINED BEAUTY

A visual overhaul for starters. Windows 10 sports a dark, minimalist theme its modern, without being weighed down by
flashy graphics or glitzy animations. Whats more, the Start
menu an interface Microsoft had used for almost two decades

prior to Windows 8 returns. Clicking it presents a clean, pared

back menu, offering a list of recently used apps, access to settings
(which somewhat replaces Control Panel), File Explorer, as well
as a list of all apps and programs on the system. Next to that
is Microsofts new take on Windows 8s live tile-infested Start
screen. Here, the tiles have been shrunk down and crammed
in next to the normal start menu, offering bitesize nuggets of
info on their constantly-updating tiles. Its a much more useful
integration of the interface. In Windows 10, these apps are overhauled and can now run in resizable windows no longer will
they consume precious screen real estate.
SNAP TO IT

Windows excellent Snap function something Apple recently

borrowed for OS X now allows up to four apps or programs
open on screen, each inhabiting their own corner. Snap a program to one side of the screen and the OS will also now suggest
other apps or programs to fill the remaining space, which is nice.
In addition, multitasking has become even more powerful in
Windows 10. Microsoft has borrowed from Apple here, taking
OS Xs dashboard feature and making it more useful. Windows
10 now zooms out from the desktop to show every open app;
think of it like super-powered Alt-Tabbing. Here, users can
create multiple desktops for instance, you could have work
documents and programs open in one desktop, while a music
streaming service and file downloader are open in another. Its
a powerful tool for those who like to declutter their digital lives
and can be accessed either by a dedicated button in the taskbar,
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by swiping upwards with three fingers on a touchpad, or by

swiping in from the left side of the screen on touch devices.
TOUCH-A TOUCH ME

Speaking of swiping, Windows 10 has several other gestures.

Touch screen users can swipe in from the right to access notifications and quick toggles (theres a button in the taskbar for
desktop users), while apps and programs can be closed Windows
8-style by swiping from the top of the screen. However, even
after using preview versions, I was totally unaware of 10s trackpad gestures. In Windows 10, you can minimize the current window (three-finger swipe down) or open the task switcher (swipe
up) using the trackpad. Unlike many of 10s new features, there
was no helpful pop-up to explain what was happening here. I
was left to figure it out for myself when to my surprise it
first occurred.
Touch users have the added benefit of Continuum. Working
seamlessly in the background, it detects when Windows devices
switch between mouse/keyboard and touch. On the Surface Pro
3, detaching the keyboard loads Windows 10s tablet interface,
which borrows a lot from Windows 8s useful touch features. Its
near-instant when switching, letting you swap between scribbling notes or tapping through games to typing out a document
as quickly as you can click the keyboard into place. It makes
Windows a truly multi-purpose tool and is perhaps the truest
example of the Surfaces claims that it can replace both a tablet
and laptop.
SHE LOVES TO TALK

One standout feature is Cortana. Microsofts Siri rival makes

the leap from Windows Phone to PC, landing beautifully inside
Windows 10. Microsoft demands a lot of access to personal
content (Cortana scans emails, calendar, tracks certain functions and can constantly listen for you to trigger her with Hey
Cortana!, for instance), but this is no different to Googles access
requirements for Google Now on Android, so there shouldnt be
too many privacy concerns you are, of course, free to turn it all
off and ignore Cortana entirely. Doing so, however, will negate
one of Windows 10s most powerful features. Cortana replaces
the standard search function, going above and beyond previous versions of Windows and even Apples wonderful Spotlight
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search. She and her personality is sufficient that

Ive no issues using a pronoun learns from you,
offering weather information, updates on calendar
appointments, alerts to
traffic for your commute
home, as well as a veritable
bounty of information on
any and all web searches
you can think of. Ask her
how tall the President is, or
when Gone With the Wind
was released, shell tell you.
If youre feeling chatty, ask
her how her day was, or
demand a joke, or request
a song shell cheerfully
oblige. She can even sass
you if youre not careful.
Whats more, she can
search local files on your machine or those stored in OneDrive.
Start typing the name of that video you downloaded several
months ago and Cortana will have it. Asking Cortana to find that
document or file you need is often faster than opening Windows
10s cleaner, better organized File Explorer.
Of course, if Cortana cant generate a witty response, shell be
more than happy to launch Windows 10s snappy new browser.
BLEEDING EDGE

Say goodbye to Internet Explorer and hello to Microsoft Edge.

Designed to work with the latest internet standards and built for
speed and ease-of-use, Edge is a revolution when compared with
Internet Explorer. Sure, its logo is similar, but in practice its an
entirely different beast. Fast, simple, with Cortana integrated
into the combined URL/search bar, if it reminds you of Google
Chrome (before Chrome became a hulking, arthritic memory
hog) youre not the only one. There are added features, too, like
the ability take notes directly on a page, or save sites for reading
later. Its still not complete theres no extension support, for
instance so many will stick with Chrome or Firefox, or even
Internet Explorer. Yes, IE lurks deep in the bowels of the OS,
relegated to Accessory status alongside Paint, for those who
require its legacy functions. For many, though, Edge is all the
browser youll ever need.
THATS NOT ALL, FOLKS

Windows 10 is crammed with new features. Theres a unified

store, offering apps, games, music, movies and TV downloads.
Its a little sparse at the moment on the app front, but Microsoft
is aggressively pushing developers to convert iPad/Android
games for use on the OS once there, they should scale well
from 30-inch desktops to 5-inch smartphones, according to
Microsoft. Thats not entirely true just yet, but as developers
get to grips with the OS and an influx of new users, quality and
content should increase across the board.
Theres a new Xbox app, allowing gamers to stream games
from their console over the internet. It requires a solid connection, but is surprisingly solid. You wont want to play games
that demand low latency, but for most titles it should be fine for
gaming at your desk. Microsoft have debuted new apps for Mail,
Calendar and their Office Suite. All borrow heavily from their
Tech continues on page 34

books

Pussy Postulations
Jenny Blocks book on the female
orgasm offers little more than rehashed
information and contradictory advice
by KATE WINGFIELD

PIOTR MARCINSKI

ENNY BLOCK HAS MADE A VITAL DISCOVERY.

Its a discovery that will rock the lives of countless
women, shake conventional society to its core, and
perhaps even bring a little quiver to Earths orbit:
Self-knowledge and communication make for better orgasms!
Yes, you heard right. And thank Heaven Ms. Block is here to
tell us about it.
Im not sure how given decades of Cosmo articles, sex
manuals and the internet Ms. Block has somehow convinced
herself (and her publisher) that the vast majority of women are
still walking around in total ignorance of their vaginas and how
to use them.
Its true that had O Wow: Discovering Your Ultimate Orgasm
(HHHHH) made its appearance in, say, 1959, it would have been
a show-stopping revelation. Turning up as it does in 2015, its an
enormous, eye-watering yawn. Are we still in need of reminders endless, adamant reminders that women need clitoral
stimulation for a satisfying sexual experience?

I admit that at first, I thought this was going to be a genuine

feminist polemic, with an opening salvo that reads like something Sheryl Sandberg might deliver: Remember, orgasm is
the center of womens power. So tapping into yours is key to
tapping into success in every aspect of your life. It seems like
we were all going to be leaning-in to our orgasms with toothy
determination. But although there is a lot of talk about finding
your ultimate orgasm and how a womans orgasm is a right
and a responsibility, Block never dilutes the sound-bites with
any kind of philosophizing.
Indeed, to say Block has a flair for the plainly obvious is an
understatement. Although she clearly sees herself as some kind
of high priestess of sexual knowledge and freedom, the vast
majority of her advice is identical to the mindless filler in
womens magazines and blogs.
If you are tense, it can be a challenge to reach orgasm. So
whatever you do to relax, add it to your orgasmic practice.
Leave intimidation at the door. If its at play in any of your
sexual endeavors, tell it to hit the road.
[Orgasms] are as dependent on our bodies as they are on our
minds. Depending on the time of month, how much sleep youve
had, whether youve been drinking, who youre with, whether
or not youre alone, what kind of sex acts youre partaking in...
Sure, we all have to wash the dishes. But why not buy a dishwashing soap with a swoonworthy fragrance?
Yet, despite the thorough harvesting of brainless edicts, there
still arent enough to fill a book. Block solves the problem with
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all manner of manic repetition. This is not only boring, its also
annoying, since Block inserts herself with an alpha-girl adamancy that promises a bit of bullying if anyone begs to differ. You
dont actually need my permission to come in the way that works
for you, the beneficent Ms. Block tells us.
After mentioning that she taught herself to ski, rock climb,
sandboard, scuba dive, rappel and hang glide, Block notes that
her pussy was deemed perfect in design at a vagina-awareness
session led by feminist icon Betty Dodson.
But dont let that get you down, just leave your insecurities
at the door!
Such self-branding might be forgiven except that Block
also plays fast and loose with her facts, contradicts herself
with regularity and displays a palpable ignorance of the vast
number of self-actualized woman out there who spend their
time fucking highly evolved males. There is also a distinct
point at which the pap begins to raise, if not feminist hackles,
then humanist ones.
It is vital for you both to understand that although you may
be happy to have a man penetrate you for his pleasure, and
although you may derive some pleasure from it, you are ultimately doing it for him. Not for you, she writes. Theres not
a thing in the world wrong with that if it gives you pleasure to
allow him to find his pleasure inside you. And women have all
sorts of delicious nerve endings inside their pussies, so it makes
perfectly good sense that being penetrated would feel good to
us. But you do not owe it to a man to sacrifice your pleasure for
his ego.
The assumptions here about straight couples would be laughable if they werent so insulting. Has Block not met a switchedon hetero couple? The kind where being in tune to one anothers
Tech continued from page 32

apps on iOS and Android, but thats not a bad thing. They introduce cleaner interfaces and touch-friendly features. For those
with compatible devices, Windows Hello allows users to sign in
using their fingerprint, face, or iris scan.
THE DARK SIDE

Not everything is rosy, however. As with any new OS, there are
bugs to be found. Occasionally, some things will pause before
launching its never for more than a second, but youll click
and theres a noticeable wait before 10 kicks itself into action.
On my Dell PC, startup times are notably slower than on
Windows 8, but my Surface seems markedly faster (battery life
has improved, too). Some programs that havent been updated
can either experience errors or, in one case, adopt a fuzzy
appearance. Driver issues seem well-contained, but I did have to
manually reinstall audio drivers on my Dell to get them to work
properly with 10 (that could have been an Insider Preview specific issue, however). Expect Microsoft to roll out micro updates
in the coming month to quash the most apparent problems during 10s staggered rollout.
FREE, BUT NOT A FREE-FOR-ALL

Yes, Windows 10 is completely free for those running 7 or 8.1

and it installs automatically through Windows Update. Thats
a staggering shift on Microsofts part, not least in ease-of-use
terms, but it also makes perfect sense. Windows 10 is apparently
Microsofts last big release: in future, theyll focus on regular
updates and improvements rather than focusing on a new software core every three years. Getting as many people as possible
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mind and bodies in any given encounter is the goal, versus any
particular sex act? Where, should they choose penetrative sex,
the man has figured out how to stimulate his partners clit while
in flagrante because they communicate?
Can she honestly think the average hetero women is still lying
back and thinking of Britain?
Of course, this run at the feminist big table ends up falling
apart when Block acknowledges that women who orgasm during penetrative sex likely were experiencing some level of clitoral stimulation from the thrusting. She later devotes endless
emphasis to the orgasmic success of combining penetration with
clitoral stimulation.
The hypocrisy rears its head again when she encourages
women to try riding their (female) partners hipbone to get
off: You might feel like youre just using or taking advantage
of your partner. But talk about it. You will likely discover
that your partner doesnt mind a bit, because its you doing it
and your partner loves you and desires you and wants you to
experience pleasure in as many ways as possible!
And then we have Block condemning men who say I can
make you come, but crowing with pride at Dodsons claim:
Give me any woman, any age, and Ill get em off. Blocks is
a complicated rulebook, isnt it?
And a shallow one. Theres little here (save a few variations) that you wont have seen, read or tried if youve been
registering, in recent history, a broadband connection or
a pulse. l
O Wow: Discovering Your Ultimate Orgasm by Jenny Block
releases August 8 which is also International Day of the Female
Orgasm and is available from Amazon.com.

onto Windows 10 is the best way to ensure Microsoft can provide the latest and greatest software to their customer and, of
course, bleed them dry in the process.
You may avoid Windows 10s $120 fee by upgrading in
the first year, but be prepared to feel the squeeze elsewhere.
Solitaire, that Windows mainstay? Itll now cost $1.49/month
or $9.99/year to play without adverts. Microsoft will reap its
rewards in developer fees, app sales, music and video downloads
and advertising revenue from its Edge browser thats why they
want as many people as possible using Windows 10.
Of course, the capitalist undertones shouldnt dissuade from
the many things Windows 10 does very well. Its fast, its smooth,
its easy to use. The steep learning curve of Windows 8 is gone,
replaced with familiar controls and an interface streamlined for
the essentials. Microsoft has provided the tools for Windows
10 to be used on as wide a variety of devices as possible and
somehow managed to keep that experience consistent. That the
core of the OS is so stable, despite being tasked to do so many
things well, is testament to the lessons learned from Windows
8s numerous failings.
If youve resisted upgrading from Windows 7 (or, unthinkably, an earlier iteration), theres no excuses left. Whether
mouse or finger, laptop or tablet, desktop or convertible device,
Microsofts all-conquering OS caters to everyone. Its a stunning
achievement from a company many thought had no surprises
left to give. l
Windows 10 is available now, though most users will be automatically upgraded (if theyve approved it) in the coming weeks in a
staggered rollout.

scene
8th Annual Summer
Games at Logan Circle
Saturday, August 1
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

Photography by
Ward Morrison

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE

35

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NIGHT

LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 08.06.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection
Music videos featuring
DJ Wess
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite,
$4 Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm
$3 Rail Drinks, 10pmmidnight, $5 Red Bull,
Gatorade and Frozen
Virgin Drinks all night
Stonewall Darts Locker
Room Thursday Nights
DJs Sean Morris and
MadScience Ripped Hot
Body Contest at midnight,
hosted by Sasha J. Adams
and BaNaka $200 Cash
Prize Doors open 10pm,
18+ $5 Cover under 21
and free with college ID
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Hot Jock Night men in
jocks drink free rail and
domestic, 8-10pm $2
Draughts Mid-Atlantic
Kennel Korps on Club Bar,
10pm-close

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

METROWEEKLY.COM

37

38

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

scene
DJ Madscience presents
Primal Instinct at Cobalt
Friday, July 31
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

Photography by
Ward Morrison

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Ladies Drink Free Power
Hour, 4-5pm Shirtless
Thursday, 10-11pm DJs
BacK2bACk
JR.S
All You Can Drink for $15,
5-8pm $3 Rail Vodka
Highballs, $2 JR.s drafts,
8pm-close Throwback
Thursday featuring rock/
pop retro hits
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 6pm No Cover
$4 Drinks and $3 Draughts,
6-9pm
ZIEGFELDS SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim-e in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+

FRI., 08.07.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
5-9pm Friday Night
Videos with resident DJ
Shea Van Horn VJ
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open,
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail and
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks
all night Watch your
favorite music videos with
DJ MadScience in the
lounge DJ Keenan Orr
on the dancefloor $10
cover 10pm-1am, $5 after
1am 21+

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com

NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover

DC EAGLE
Bar opens at 5pm for
Bears and Friends
Bear Buffet Happy Hour,
6-10pm $3 Domestic,
$4 Rail

TOWN
DC Bear Crue Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm No
cover before 9:30pm
21+ Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, DJs BacK2bACk
downstairs GoGo Boys
after 11pm Doors open
at 10pm For those 21
and over, $5 from 10-11pm
and $10 after pm For
those 18-20, $12 all night
18+

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $5
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long
JR.S
$2 Skyy Highballs and $2
Drafts, 10pm-midnight
Happy Hour: 2-for-1,
4-9pm Retro Friday
$5 Coronas, $8 Vodka Red
Bulls, 9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat the Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15

TOWN PATIO
Open 6pm No Cover
before 10pm Cover after
10pm (entry through Town)
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Ziegfelds,

9pm Hosted by Miss

Destiny B. Childs DJ
Darryl Strickland in Secrets
VJ Tre in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+
SAT., 08.08.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm $5 Absolut
& Titos, $3 Miller Lite
after 9pm Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover Music videos
featuring various DJs
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch at
Level One, 11am-2pm and
2-4pm Featuring Kristina
Kelly and the Ladies of
Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody
Marys Happy Hour: $3
Miller Lite, $4 Rail, $5
Call, 4-9pm Imperial
Court of Washington, DC
hosts LGBT Fallen Heroes
Fund fundraiser, 9pm
BearZerk, featuring
DJs Dean Sullivan and
Bodywork, 10pm $5 Rail,
$4 Fireball, $3 Miller Lite

METROWEEKLY.COM

Doors open 10pm $5

before midnight, $7 after
21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 4-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Highwaymen TNT on Club
Bar, 10pm-close
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Diner-style Breakfast
Buffet, 10am-3pm
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Freddies Follies Drag
Show, 8-10pm, hosted by
Miss Destiny B. Childs
No Cover
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $5
Bacardi, all flavors, all
night long
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka
Highballs, $7 Vodka Red
Bulls

AUGUST 6, 2015

39

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm No Cover
TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step,
Line Dancing, Waltz and
West Coast Swing, $5
Cover to stay all night
Doors open 6:30pm,
Lessons 6:45-8pm, Open
dance 8-10:30pm DJ
MadScience spins upstairs
Music and video downstairs by DJ Wess Drag
Show starts at 10:30pm
Featuring special guest
Kennedy Davenport from
RuPauls Drag Race in the
show Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee and
BaNaka Doors open
10pm Cover $10 from
10-11pm and $12 after
11pm 21+

40

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm No Cover
before 9:30pm Cover
after 10pm (entry through
Town)
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion with host
Ella Fitzgerald, 9pm
DJ Steve Henderson in
Secrets DJ Don T. in
Ziegfelds Doors open
8pm Cover 21+
SUN., 08.09.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli, Stoli flavors
and Miller Lite all day
Homowood Karaoke,
10pm-close No Cover
21+

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 2-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open noon
Barbecue Buffet with
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke, 8pm1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke, 9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights and
$3 Skyy (all flavors), all
day and night

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am3pm $20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 3-9pm No
Cover
ROCK HARD SUNDAYS
@THE HOUSE
NIGHTCLUB
3530 Georgia Ave. NW
All male, all nude dancers
Appearing: Fernando
from Mexico City Shows
at 8 and 10pm $5
Domestic Beer, $6 Imports
Happy Hour 7-8pm
$10 cover rockharddc.
com
TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm No Cover

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
8pm Cover 21+
MON., 08.10.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis

COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
RuPauls Drag Race
Viewing and Drag Show
hosted by Kristina Kelly
India Ferrah from RuPauls
Drag Race appears in the
drag show Doors open
at 10pm, show starts at
11pm $3 Skyy Cocktails,
$8 Skyy and Red Bull No
Cover, 18+

JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1,
4-9pm Showtunes Songs
& Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ James $3 Draft
Pints, 8pm-midnight

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com

NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Michaels Open Mic
Night Karaoke, 9:30pmclose

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards

TOWN
True Colors Fundraiser
benefitting Cyndi Laupers
True Colors Fund for
homeless LGBT youth
Featuring music and entertainment from the casts
of The Book of Mormon
and Once Doors open
7 pm, show starts at 8pm
Admission is $20 For
tickets, visit eventbrite.
com For mor information, visit truecolorsfund.
org 21+

TUES., 08.11.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
SIN Industry Night
Half-price Cocktails, 10pmclose
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

METROWEEKLY.COM

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
JR.S
Birdie La Cage Show,
10:30pm Underground
(Indie Pop/Alt/Brit Rock),
9pm-close DJ Wes
Della Volla 2-for-1, 5pmmidnight
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
Safe Word: A Gay Spelling
Bee, 8-11pm Prizes to
the top three spellers
After 9pm, $3 Absolut,
Bulleit & Stella
TOWN PATIO
Open 6pm No Cover
Yappy Hour: Happy Hour
for Dogs and their best
friends $4 Drinks and
$4 Draughts

AUGUST 6, 2015

41

WED., 08.12.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Wednesday Night
Karaoke downstairs, 10pm
Hosted by Miss Sasha
Adams $4 Stoli and Stoli
Flavors and Miller Lite
No Cover 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com

42

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close The Boys of
HUMP upstairs, 9pm
JR.S
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Queen Amateur
Drag Competition, hosted
by BaNaka, 10-11pm, with
a $200 prize Buy 1, Get
1 Free, 4-9pm $2 JR.s
Drafts and $4 Vodka ($2
with College ID or JR.s
Team Shirt)

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

SmartAss Trivia Night,
8pm and 9pm Prizes
include bar tabs and tickets to shows at the 9:30
Club $15 Buckets of
Beer for SmartAss Teams
only Bring a new team
members and each get a
free $10 Dinner
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 6pm No Cover
Half-Price Hump Day
half-price drinks all day
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don T. in
Secrets 9pm Cover
21+ l

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE

43

CLUBLIFE

S Glamour

and Guts

MICHAEL ANDREW VOIGHT

BY CONNOR J. HOGAN

Kennedy Davenport mixes beauty and brains in one flawless package

OU WONT EVER
catch me in something
that wont scream
Kennedy Davenport,
says the RuPauls Drag
Race season seven finalist.
Although, I always gotta wear
some good hair.
The pageant queen, with
the high hair and meticulous
makeup, is making her D.C.
debut Saturday at Town
44

AUGUST 6, 2015

Danceboutique. Well, at least

since her star reached supernova. I think I was back there
for the Miss Latino Universe
Pageant, she recalls. This
year, however, shes sure to
leave a mark no one will forget.
A drag veteran, Davenport
knows her style and how to
serve it to whatever audience
she finds herself in front of. I
love to entertain, she says.

METROWEEKLY.COM

Even before I did drag, I

always loved to sing and
dance.
I actually started drag,
she continues, because my
best friend told me Id look
pretty as a girl. With her
innate talent for entertaining
and looks to kill, Davenport
sashayed her way right up to
Rus door and almost took
the crown. Now, Davenport

is taking her time to enjoy her

success.
While other girls are working on new albums, YouTube
channels, and even fragrance
lines, Davenport is working on
her house or at least, paying
someone to work on it. I aint
doing that shit, she says. I
paid someone to do it. Right
now my plumbing is a mess.
Fans might be eating
up Alaskas Anus or buying
Pearls Flazda perfume, but
Davenport has no plans to follow her fellow queens. You
wanna cut a single? That
single costs money, she says.
Other special projects that the
girls go into, they cost money.
To be honest, Im not the kind
of girl whos willing to go into
debt for new endeavors. I work
smarter. These girls have to put
their own money up. Its not
worth it.
With the announcement of
season two of RuPauls Drag
Race All Stars, many queens
are getting a second chance at
the crown and some serious
money for their special projects.
Every RuPauls Drag Race girl
that did not win wants a second chance, says Davenport,
remaining tight-lipped about
who might be sashaying down
the runway again.
For Davenport, theres
something else to focus on:
her fans. The thing I like about
drag the most is the opportunity to meet other people,
she says. The opportunity to
entertain all over the world.
Post-RuPaul, Davenport has
been touring, meeting, and
entertaining the fans that come
out for her night after night.
And for those who visit Town
next Saturday, they can be
assured of an incredible show.
You know wherever I go
I give one hundred percent,
Davenport says. Just an ole
girl on stage giving her life, and
hoping everyone get their life
too.
Kennedy Davenport performs
Saturday, August 8th at 10:30
p.m. at Town Danceboutique,
2009 8th Street NW. Cover is
$10 from 10 to 11 p.m., and
$12 from 11 p.m. on. Visit
towndc.com for more info. l

METROWEEKLY.COM

AUGUST 6, 2015

45

Both of these passages alone suffice to

clarify unambiguously the churchs position
on homosexuality.
Catholic Bishop VITUS HUONDER, speaking at a Joy in Faith conference in Germany. The passages he refers to are:
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination:
they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Take four all-male couples and put them on an island with all they need to sustain life... come back in 100 to 200 years and
see which one nature says is the preferred marriage.
Rep. LOUIE GOHMERT (R., Texas), speaking at a group of young conservatives about a proposed experiment to test the longevity
of same-sex marriage, Right Wing Watch reports. Gohmert believes the hypothetical gay-only population will suffer
due to lack of procreation, but fails to mention whether property values will be notably higher.

But, perhaps, most importantly

we drew a line in the sand.
American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) Executive Director ADAM UMHOEFER, in a post on Facebook. AFER will close its
doors after being formed 6 years ago to fight Proposition 8 and, subsequently, marriage equality. We forced our opponents
to make their best cases, under oath, as to why marriage bans based on fear and hatred should stand, he wrote.

If Caits going to be a spokesperson for our community,

this is something shes going to have to understand.
JENNY BOYLAND, GLAADs first openly transgender co-chair, speaking during Sundays episode of I Am Cait. Caitlyn Jenner
a Republican expressed her concern over social programs that lead trans women to get totally dependent on it,
which riled the other trans women she was with. Id say the great majority of people who are getting help
[do so] because they need help, Boyland retorted.

It was the [most] scared Ive ever been in my life.

I tossed my tea and then pandemonium,
mayhem. Ten cop cars.

Actor LESLIE JORDAN, speaking with TMZ after he stood up to a group of men who shouted homophobic slurs
in a West Hollywood Starbucks by throwing his drink at them. They cant be using that language not in my house,
not in my neighborhood, he said.

46

AUGUST 6, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM