Brighton’s Gay Men’s Chorus have won the award for Favourite LGBT Community Social/Leisure Organisation at the 2013 Golden Handbag Awards.
The Golden Handbags show took place Sunday 23 June at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, with the winners voted for by readers of Gscene magazine. The annual awards show has been dubbed ‘Brighton’s Gay Oscars’, recognising people and organisations within Brighton’s LGBT scene whilst also raising money for good causes
Chairman Paul Charlton said:
“We are delighted to receive this award and I know it will mean a lot to all of the boys. There are lots of fantastic community groups in Brighton and Hove so it was a great honour to win! Our membership has increased to around 80 people in the last year, and each one of those members – with the musical expertise of our fabulous MD Marc Yarrow and Assistant MD Tim Nail – has worked so hard to make us the group we are today. I would also like to thank all of the people who voted us and hope to see many of you at our next show!”
Musical Director Marc Yarrow said:
“I’m delighted that the Chorus have been recognised with this award. I’ve worked with many different choirs before but what sets Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus apart is the fantastic feeling of inclusivity and support among the members. I also love that we are able to provide exciting musical opportunities for gay men in Brighton. It’s been lovely to help the boys flourish with fantastic achievements such as performing annually at Brighton Dome, recording a single and going to Manchester to win the 2013 Manchester Amateur Choral Competition. Thank you to all who voted for allowing us to add the Golden Handbag Award to that list, and well done to all of the other winners and nominees on the night.”
The award is more good news for the Chorus who were also the winners of the 2013 Manchester Amateur Choral Competition earlier this year.
The next chance to see the award-winning Chorus is in their forthcoming show ‘Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus: Taken From Behind (The Scenes)’, part of Brighton Pride Arts & Film Festival, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June, St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Kemptown. The show is billed as an exclusive look at what really happens behind the scenes of a Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus show, with lots of backstage shocks promised. Tickets are £12/£10 and available at www.brightongmc.org, the Dome Box Office 01273 709709 and from the Prowler shop, St James St.
Singer and style icon, Sam Sparro (Black and Gold, Happiness) joined by DJ’s and electronic music duo Moto Blanco, Misha B, Queens of Pop, and Happy Mondays dance diva Rowetta, amongst others.
Manchester Pride is excited to announce openly gay Sam Sparro as the final act for this year’s Big Weekend Saturday night line-up. Sam is joined by popular production duo Moto Blanco, best known for their remixes of number one artists Adele, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna, who will be playing a live DJ set on the Main Arena stage.
Grammy-nominated musician Sam Sparro rose to fame with his 2008 smash hit single ‘Black and Gold’, which sold over 100,000 copies in the UK alone. Sam followed up his debut solo artist album working with dance producers Basement Jaxx and Mark Ronson. His second album, ‘Return To Paradise’, was released in 2012 to widespread acclaim.
Bobby Blanco and Miki Moto are the production aliases of South London dance music duo Danny Harrison and Arthur Smith, who have been deejaying and remixing as Moto Blanco since 2003. T
heir remixes of Adele’s ‘Set Fire To The Rain, and Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’ have filled dancefloors across the globe.
Sam Sparro and Moto Blanco are joined on the Main Arena stage by X Factor star Misha B, Internet sensations Queens of Pop, electro-pop five-piece Swiss Lips, pop-ska group Scarlett’s Roses, Sam Gray, Scarlet Street, Manchester boyband The Mend, and much-loved Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta.
Manchester Pride Chief Executive, John Stewart said: “We are delighted to welcome Sam Sparro, who completes our fantastic Saturday night Big Weekend line-up, and underlines Manchester Pride’s commitment to showcasing LGBT artists. With a live DJ set from Moto Blanco, and performances by many more exciting acts, including Misha B, Queens of Pop, and Swiss Lips, the Saturday night bill looks set to be one of the many highlights of this summer’s Manchester Pride festival!
Big Weekend tickets are still available with a limited number at the Early Bird price of £16 from manchesterpride.com and selected outlets.
An analysis undertaken by Melbourne Ports Residents for Marriage Equality (MPRME) has revealed that globally there are now 607 million people living in jurisdictions with full marriage equality.
The resumption of same-sex weddings in California last week pushed the number of people living in regions with marriage equality above 600 million for the first time ever.
With England and Wales set to introduce marriage equality soon and with more and more US states coming on board, this figure is set to climb even higher over the coming months.
“What this shows it that marriage equality is not just a temporary fad,” said MPRME spokesperson, Tony Pitman. “It’s a wave of equality that’s sweeping the globe. It’s a fundamental human rights reform that’s an inevitable part of social progress.”
“It’s clearly inevitable here in Australia as well. Any Australian politician who says that this is an issue that will just go away is either seriously deluded or lying.”
PACE is delighted to offer a new low-cost couple counselling and relationship support service for people who identify as LGBT and their partners. PACE knows that experiencing healthy relationships can be key to achieving wellbeing in life.
With the release of Behind the Candelabra, Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are playing Liberace and his Lover. So is it right that straight actors are portraying gay characters in film? Does it say anything about the diversity of the cinema industry?
Hollywood has a long history of straight actors playing gay characters; Philadelphia, Milk and Brokeback Mountain all have Hollywood A Listers portraying gay characters. All of these films were hugely successful and nominated for multiple awards. Maybe it’s cynical to suggest that portraying a gay role in a serious drama is a guarantee for an Oscar nod. It’s par for the course now in Hollywood, to play gay is to show your acting versatility and ability to inhabit a characters space that is different from your own. There are cases of openly gay actors playing gay characters. In Gods and Monster’s Sir Ian McEwan portrays James Whale, the Frankenstein creator from the golden age of Hollywood. Rupert Everett has spent most of his career as the gay side kick comedy relief.
But is this any different to able-bodied actors playing disabled characters? Glee has a character using a wheelchair user portrayed by an able-bodied actor. How is this different? Looking further back, is this the modern day equivalent of the black and white minstrel band? , where white men would “black up” in order to portray black performers. This practice is now longer thought to be politically correct and is racially insensitive.
Of course, gay for pay is an established part of the porn industry, hitting a Google search reveals literally thousands of hits and literally thousands of straight guys willing to go “gay” for the first time. Of course, this is all construct, it’s a known fact that that gay porn pays more than straight porn it can be an attractive prospect to a broke young guy. Of course, there is the issue of exploitation, everybody involved are consenting adults and they have been paid for their involvement. Are the viewers’ being exploited in their desire to seek straight guys having sex, Yes, but that again comes down to personal choice. The beautiful thing about capitalism is that people are able to show how they feel about a commercial product by either purchasing it, and it looks like business is booming.
With porn, gay for pay is more problematic, the term implies that there is only straight or gay. It leaves no allowance for bi-sexuality, guys maybe willing to have sex with other men on screen for money but might not do so in their private lives. I personally feel that people’s sexual orientation is irrelevant when it comes to performance. The person is not representing himself or herself any more than someone in a film or a soap opera is. The sex for is there as spectacle and simulation. When watching two guys having sex it can be that there is no chemistry between the guys and they are going through the motions with only the paycheck in mind. Does it matter what someone is up too off screen or who they go home to?
So should we be offended by all of this? I think realistically if we are we’re not going about it in the right way, the best power against the entertainment industry is to vote with your money. If you believe that going gay for pay is morally wrong then don’t watch any of the films that mainstream Hollywood puts out. It may be the case that the best actor for the job is cast. The involvement of Marque names is to ensure the film is financed and made. For me it feels like a dangerous statement to say that only gay actors are allowed to play gay characters. What’s more important to the fans of Liberace that his story is told in an entertaining way by the best actors suitable to the role or that the actor playing him happens to be gay.
Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
I can barely believe it’s been a year since Graham and I officially started THEGAYUK. What started, as a reviewing site for music and film has turned into something we’re both so incredibly proud of and something we’re completely addicted to.
I don’t think there’s been a day when something hasn’t been posted for our wonderful readers, even if we’re driving up and down the country, dipping into Internet cafes and buying a dongle – when Wi-Fi wasn’t available.
We’ve managed to speak to some incredible people and celebrities over the year:
Julian Clary, Gareth Thomas, Rylan Clark, Ben Cohen, Peter Tatchell, Doctor Christian Jessen, Scott Mills, Margaret Cho, Elvira, Steps, Heather Small and Pam Ann are just some of the wonderful people we’ve managed to interview in the last 12 months. Our readership has grown from 2,000 in the first few months to over 130,000 every month.
We’ve seen some phenomenal stories develop from MPs voting on gay marriage to Russia’s frightening anti-gay agenda to the hideous way in which the traditional press treated the late Lucy Meadows.
We have over 50 contributors who bring you the best in opinion, reviews, interviews and news. We’re so proud of everyone who has made TheGayUK possible – and we’re still open for anyone to write or contribute to us.
In the year we’ve been official, TheGayUK created a free legal clinic and online sexual health clinic (with our special partners 56 Dean Street) and released our first App, which will help you find any gay business in the UK as well as free access to all our articles. We’re still thinking of ways we can help, like the introduction of our No Excuse Project – which will see us deliver free condoms to your door – anywhere in the UK.
Recently Graham and I have been to a number of Prides up and down the country and have been meeting with some wonderful people. It’s been amazing to speak with the UK’s gay community from Scotland to Brighton. We’re proud and what’s more when we speak to our readers, they’re proud too.
For as long as we have each other we’ll continue to be THEGAYUK.
Ok gush over, let get back to being gay.
Jake and Graham
Co-founders
Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
As Pride month comes to a close at thegayuk.com, it doesn’t mean that Pride has to come to an end for the year.
Pride has become many things to many people. It is a celebration of diversity, a political statement, a protest, a party and a way to bring together the community. It invites and welcomes everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. What is always surprising about Pride is how it brings out people from all corners of the LGBT community who wouldn’t normally come together. For those who are not out or struggling with their sexuality, Pride is a way to feel empowered, by being surrounded by a huge amount of people proving that you are not alone. For others who enjoy going out on the scene, it is a chance to meet new and old friends, go to different towns and cities and a chance to simply have a great time. But what Pride does do very well is bring to the attention of the general public just how many LGBT people are out there and shows them that, actually, those marching or partying in the park are really not that different to them.
Breaking down stereotypes that have long been established is part of what Pride is about. Whilst some people may argue that Pride reinforces stereotypes given the number of pink feather boas on display at times, what it also does is show that there are other sections within the gay community – the armed forces, rugby teams, the emergency services and lawyers to name a few – and shows just how diverse gay people can be. There is still, unfortunately, that old fashioned view held by some people that gay men are effeminate whereas lesbians are not. Pride shows them that the LGBT community are also doing jobs and activities which are or have been traditionally occupied by manly men and straight women.
That is one of the most important things about Pride. It shows that gay men, gay women, transgender men and women and bisexual men and women are actually no different from anyone else. They work in factories, in laboratories, in offices, in shops and in the public services. They do the same leisure activities as everyone else, from scuba diving to baking, football to gardening. It is this breaking down of preconceptions which is one of the most important aspects of Pride and helps to reduce prejudice.
But why should this be limited to one day or one weekend per year? Surely every day can be Pride day? There are those who are very open about their sexuality, those who are out in their place of employment or at the clubs and groups that they attend and those who are very vocal about their sexuality. But then there are those who are open and honest about their sexuality but go about their business without much fuss or constant references to the fact that they are gay. Both of these approaches are equally as important.
There are ways to show pride every day. Sometimes, a rainbow flag sticker on the rear window of the car, a pink triangle on your coffee mug at work, a red ribbon on your lapel or even just a casual mention of your partner can do just as much for breaking down stereotypes, reducing prejudice and showing how those that are often seen as “different” can actually fit quite easily into the world. This is not about a huge party, it is not about taking over the local park and it is not about coming together in huge numbers for pride to be prevalent. It is showing pride in your sexuality every day. It is breaking down those prejudices on a daily basis. It is normalising the fact that your sexuality does not place limits on your abilities at work or influence your leisure activities.
There is a Pride event taking place every single day of the year – and the venue is your desk, your club, your group, your factory floor, your supermarket and everywhere else that you go to either for work or for leisure.
Isn’t that real Pride?
Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
Relationships are peculiar things: whether your status is single, in a relationship or ‘it’s complicated’. Power Couple is an innovative comedy show which looks at a relationship from the viewpoint of both participants proving just how funny relationships can be.
Stephen Bailey has spent the past twenty-something years trying to find true love and romance. For years he prayed for a womb so he could trap a man but he’s done it the normal way – through a love spell (well he tried apparently). Gary John Senior is completely different; he has spent his life avoiding a relationship until almost by accident (or witchcraft) Stephen happened. As they embarked on a relationship, Gary’s brow got sweatier. Not only does he have to deal with his own neurosis, he has to deal with Stephen’s too. Gary takes us through his findings from his first year in his first relationship (ever) to explore the real fine line between love and madness.
The show takes the form of two sets, each partner talking about the relationship. Gary mourns the loss of days watching porn and playing on his Playstation which has been replaced by inquisitions, insecurities and the minefield that is sending a text to your boyfriend and forgetting the little ‘x’ at the end. Stephen is re-appraising his ideas of romance as he gets treated to Groupon dates and unusual birthday gifts.
The show is really amusing and anyone who has been in, observed or run a mile from a relationship can identify with the two men and their experiences. The observational comedy is warm and affectionate but no less biting in its wit for this.
For a great comedy experience catch the boys at the Edinburgh Fringe or at the Edinburgh preview show: ‘PowerCouple: 1st-25th August 2013 London Previews: Monday 29th July 2013, Comedy Café Theatre, Shoreditch, London
Follow them at: facebook.com/powercouplecomedy or on Twitter: @PowerCoupleUK, @StephenComedy, and @GaryJohnSenior
I can remember being fascinated by Danny LaRue. I was a child of six and sat transfixed in front of the TV at this strange looking lady who was actually a man.
I accepted it as a commonplace, ordinary thing and a totally acceptable lifestyle choice. It was on the TV after all. My main ambition was to grow up to be Wonder Woman but growing up to be a drag queen seemed a close second. Of course, I now realise that I could have combined the two options, although my knees are a bit knobbly for satin tights.
I experimented with my mother’s make-up as a teenager and quite liked how strangely androgynous I looked in a full face of badly applied slap. I didn’t graduate any further and resisted trying on her clothes. This was for no other reason apart from the fact that she had terrible taste in frocks. It was the 80s; everyone had terrible taste in everything. As I grew older I became seduced by the Goth culture and by androgynous gender defying singers. It was the perfect excuse for black nail polish and the odd touch of ghostly pale make-up to make me look like a resurrected corpse. I never considered dragging up though. My drag queen ambitions of early childhood went out of the window and with the advent of puberty and the masses of body hair that accompanied this, i just couldn’t have afforded the razors anyway.
As I got older and ventured onto the gay scene, I grew to love a bit of classy drag. I adored David Dale, Lily Savage and Lizzy Drip with their witty repartee and clever routines. I even liked the tacky acts with their cheap innuendo and their caterwauling along to ‘It Should Have Been Me’ whilst wearing an ill fitting yellowing wedding dress and swinging a dildo. I’d watch the drag queens and think: ‘I could do that!’ This ill placed confidence in my abilities surfaces whenever I watch any kind of show, whether its a trapeze artist, frenetic tap dancer, ballet or a heartfelt Shakespearean performance; I always think that given a couple of hours tuition I could master that too. I suppose that’s the mark of a skilled performer; making it look easy.
I didn’t drag up until I was in my late 30s that is very late for a gay, I suspect. Straight men drag up even earlier. They grab every chance they can to pull on a bra and wriggle into a frock, whether it’s pub-crawls, stag nights or just the night the wife is out. My first outing in drag was not at all glamorous. I decided to go as Barbara Woodhouse. For those too young to recall, she was a famous dog breeder who appeared on TV being brusque in tweeds and yanking on poor little pooches leads. I thought it would be absolutely hilarious to tweed up and have a toy dog on elastic that I could vigorously yank around whilst shouting ‘Walkies!’
Finding the clothes was a nightmare. I trawled the charity shops and eventually found a tweed two-piece in one shop. I asked to try it on, explaining it was for fancy dress. The woman shouted down the shop: “Enid! Can you get the changing room key? This man wants to try a skirt on. He’s going to dress as a transvestite.’
It didn’t fit. All I could find in my size was an array of foul frumpy dresses. I thought laterally. Which celebrity looked frumpy? I went as Susan Boyle. There was no depilation involved. One cheap wig, sturdy court shoes and a nylon dress plus a pair of stick on eyebrows and a handlebar moustache and I was SuBo.
My next attempt was a little bit more glamorous. I went to an 80s themed party. As you may have guessed, I loathe the 80s and call it the decade that taste forgot. I really did not want to wear the hideous fashions that make me shudder and recall my unhappy childhood. Again I thought laterally. I wanted a cheap outfit and wanted to go as someone or something I liked. I fired up YouTube and watched Debbie Harry singing along to Atomic in a bin bag. My outfit was born.
The bin bag proved a bit sweaty and the huge blonde wig was heavy. Worst of all was the heels. I almost broke my neck in the heels. I think I may stick to my brogues for now and leave the dragging up to those who have the gene of utter fabulousness. I seem to only have half of that gene.
Catching up with our favourite trolley dolly while she is on tour in America, Domenico Sansalone talks to her about everything from safe sex, opening for Cher and her new show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in December.
CREDIT: Pr Supplied
The Gay UK: I have a funny story actually, once when I was flying back from Mykonos to London and you were on the same flight and the attendants were falling all over you it was an Easy Jet flight but they loved you. Does that happen a lot?
Pam Ann: Well I had a f**king smacking hangover because I had come straight from the f**king club and I had these big glasses on right? Yeah I was f**king against the visor against the window. I will never forget that c**t of a flight. He gave me a bottle of water that is as much as they could give me.
TGUK: Well it is Easy Jet you have to pay for everything…
PA: Well no, she gave it to me for free, that was like champagne on BA. But yeah it happens. It happens a lot in Europe and Australia. I fly a lot on Jet Blue, but once you get into middle America, say on Delta, you can go to hell, you can f**k off! They don’t know who I am. They don’t care who I am. I get fisted on those flights! They don’t give a f**k. They lose my bag, they roll their eyes, they throw abuse at me and I am treated like everyone else, so I know what it is like.
TGUK: Amazing! Do you ever notice that flight attendants get nervous when they recognise you and feel like they need to give you better service?
PA: When I am sitting there and they are about to give the safety presentation they know. When they stand in the aisle about to give the safety demo and they kind of freak out when I am sitting right next to them, sometimes they crack up laughing but cause I look at them and take everything in.
CREDIT: Pr Supplied
TGUK: I read somewhere that you said the whole Pam Ann character was created when you were drunk. But you also said that it was the gays that created you, could you elaborate on how the gays created you?
PA: They didn’t create Pam Ann; they created my whole f**king life and my existence. That’s why I have not got married. I have not had kids. I am a f**king gay man, 99 per cent of my friends are gay so they can take responsibility for everything. My vocabulary is gay, I speak gay, everything is gay. I f**k like a gay so you know, I say they created my whole existence and Pam Ann. It’s their fault so they can take responsibility.
CREDIT: Pr Supplied
TGUK: We’ll own that! We’re responsible for unleashing Pam Ann on the world. I think that’s something to be proud of…
PA: When I get put into a straight world I start talking about felching and fisting and straight people look at me horrified. They are completely freaked out and when I am in the company of my gays it is just a normal conversation. There are no gasps of horror. You know “Oh, he grinded my arsehole last night” is just a lunch conversation. But in the straight world that is like porn, you know? Thankfully I live in a very open minded gay community. I am very privileged.
TGUK: I saw you at the Bloomsbury Theatre last year and I say that 99.9 per cent of the audience was gay men and then the other 0.1 per cent was female flight attendants…
PA: Annoying s**t faced flight attendants that need their f**king mouths stitched up. Everyone was so into it in the audience, it was just such a good atmosphere and vibe in that room.
TGUK: You are in the US touring right now. Do you notice a difference in the audiences in the States and the UK?
PA: Oh f**k no, they are hysterical here. I mean just see Seattle, that audience was f**king insane. It was on par with shitfaced Glaswegians. No conservative f**king people in Seattle I tell you.
TGUK: Well you know, marijuana is legal there now, right? Gay marriage and pot in the same election.
PA: I mean they are all bohemian f**ked up people up there. That’s why I love them in Seattle. I mean I am going to really great places. In LA they have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, they are a little bit like, prove it. So they can be a little bit more reserved in LA because they all think that they should be on the stage and not me.
TGUK: You have some competition in LA?
PA: A lot, and they all look kinda f**ked up. You don’t know whether they are laughing or they just looking at you straight on cause they’ve got so much plastic surgery.
TGUK: Do you ever change your jokes to localise them for whatever area you are in?
PA: Absolutely, the first hour is improvised about them. That is why the show is 2.5 hours. It’s like a hijack situation! So it is all tailored to them, to every place I go. That’s the best part of my show and what I enjoy the most is winding them up.
TGUK: I was watching a documentary on Joan Rivers and there is one scene where she is in Middle America and someone gets offended and talks back to her and she kicks them out of the room. A lot of what you say is outrageous, have you ever had an incident like that?
PA: Oh f**k yeah. I mean 24 people walked out of my show in Nottingham. To me, that is the kudos, thank you. Goodbye! It’s too much for some of these straight people. I don’t care. Leave. Please leave, you are not nailed to the armrest, you can go. I say that sometimes you can go at any point that you like because I mean really I couldn’t give a flying f**k.
TGUK: It’s really impressive just being on stage for two and a half hours. Do you ever get nervous about forgetting anything or is it just so natural now that you don’t even think about it?
PA: I feel so sorry for people that have to sit through it for two and a half hours. I really do. For me, two hours is probably when I am really on a roll. If you come to a show and its 1.5 hours then I really hate you. Right. So gauge this. If I am on for half an hour, I’m dying. If I am on for an hour, I could be restricted to that time because of the venue. If I’m on for an hour a half I’m not really that into you as an audience and I am on for two hours, we were really into each other. If I am for two and a half hours, I want to f**k your arsehole. So it all depends.
TGUK: There should be a little chart in the programme that you provide with that for your shows…
PA: There should. You know in Seattle, we had two hours. It was rocking; it was amazing. You see I always get nervous, I always think that they might not come. There are times when I have had stage fright and it always stays with you, it never leaves. Like Bill Cosby said once, when you go to an audience and you trust each other, that’s when all the doors open in your head and you think, where the f**k did that come from? You know? But if you come out and you’re nervous, then the doors shut and you go on autopilot.
TGUK: What gigs are you most nervous about?
PA: It is most nerve racking when it means a lot to you. Say the London Palladium which a f**ked up one night. Then the second night, I made sure I didn’t. It’s a mindset, sometimes the expectation is really high that you get nervous but you need to learn how to deal with expectation. That’s why a lot of people never go far because the expectation is too high and it takes them too much out of their comfort zone. So I think nerves come but when you break that barrier, you can build on that. Corporate events f**king scare the living daylight out of my arse. And I hate to do them. I hate doing them, that’s why it costs so much money, because I do not want to do them. So it is very hard to get me to do anything corporate. Booking comedy in an environment they see at the Bloomsbury Theatre and they say I want that and you put that into a hotel ball room with a bunch of corporate people that are mainly heterosexual and they ask “why didn’t it work?”! You know its like, Meryl Lynch asked me to do a gig and this gay guy who was obviously organizing it get on his knees. And the big boss hated me and I ended up running out and they didn’t want to pay because thy were like, “that wasn’t funny” and I’m like, “you c**ts.” I mean nobody wanted to laugh because they were all watching the bosses because they all didn’t want to laugh at something that could be seen a racist in their eyes. So, you’re dealing with that. I pushed the boundaries so if I do corporate events and they say can you tailor it so it is not so this or that, I say yes. But once a raving f**king sailor from the suburbs of Australia… I can be a lady sure. But it’s in your nature; you can’t change a tiger’s spots can you?
TGUK: What was it like working with Cher?
PA: Well that was, if you’re talking nerves that was the ultimate nerve racking experience of my life. I wanted someone to actually push me down some stairs. I was already on the stage. I wanted someone to push me down and break all my bones in my body so I didn’t have to go on. I need that extreme excuse, I was just like so scared, I paced so much my dancer said I wore a hole in the dressing room. I was beside myself scared of that. I used to run compulsively, excessively over my lines. I used to cross them off like I was in a prison cell. Nerve racking, I mean nerve racking. There were 14,500 people in the arena supporting Cher, a gay icon, no one knew who the f**k I was. I was club act from Bromptons, I mean really, don’t forget your roots. Seriously I said to a guy yesterday about agents and managers. He said my agency is grindmyarsehole.com. GMA. Because the biggest gigs I’ve got are with Elton John and Cher were all done from people seeing me at Bromptons or Two Brewers. Just go work in a f**king club. That’s where you get the jobs, you’re not going to get that at an agency.
TGUK: You’re in the US right now but are you planning to come back to the UK to do any shows over here?
PA: Yes I am about to book the Drury Lane. Hot news. It’s huge, I want to do two shows. I’ve booked the 15th of December and I am hoping to book the 8th as well. I am bringing the global alliance back. I’m bringing all the old characters and new characters back. So it’s going to be called “Plane Filthy”. And that hot news off the press, I’ve not told anyone. Its not 100 per cent signed off yet, but you can leak it.
TGUK: Finally, one last question as we know you are about to go on stage. The Gay UK is launching our new safe sex campaign. Can you give some tips on safe sex?
PA: Well to be honest with you, I understand promiscuity because I am promiscuous and have been in the past a lot. I have been unsafe and had unprotected sex so I am no f**king angel. So, for me it’s been trial and error. Sexually transmitted diseases are scary and I have no easy answers so just try and make a f**king effort to do it. I’m not going to say I’m so safe because I have not been, but I am really safe think promiscuity comes from low self-esteem. I’ve had unsafe sex because I have had low self-esteem and self worth so I didn’t care. Because I have done cocaine there is that element of I don’t really care even if I die, I don’t care right now. Once you start to build and work on yourself and go to the gym, get a healthy diet, is when you are going to start to take care of yourself sexually. If I had a cock I would have died in the 80’s. Unfortunately I would have because I would have been a dirty whore. And that’s just the reality of it… I’m not doing really great for your campaign am I?
Meet Katrina Leskanich, yes tis she, winner of Eurovision ’97, lead singer of the band that brought us ‘Walking On Sunshine’ and now author (with her trusty dog Peggy Lee). Lewis Fellows catches up with one of the most iconic voices of the 80s and 90s. (more…)
